STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness has extended his contract with the club by one year through 2028, rebuffing speculation he could leave for a rival.
The Bundesliga club said Saturday that Hoeness and his assistant, David Krecidlo, had both signed extensions to continue the work they started when they arrived at the club in April 2023.
Hoeness, who is the nephew of Bayern Munich power broker Uli Hoeness, has turned Stuttgart from a relegation candidate into one of Germany’s best teams in the near two years he’s been in charge.
“We want to and have to continue to give our all at every level of the club in order to be successful in the long term,” he told the club website. “That includes further developing and strengthening our team. We want to be able to play in European competition in the long term.”
Hoeness saved Stuttgart from relegation in 2023, then led it to second place in the Bundesliga last season. Stuttgart played in the Champions League this season and is currently 10th in the Bundesliga with eight rounds of the season remaining. Stuttgart faces Leipzig at home in the German Cup semifinals on April 2.
Leipzig was reportedly targeting Hoeness as a possible successor to Marco Rose as coach. Hoeness was linked with Bayern Munich last season.
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FILE - Stuttgart's head coach Sebastian Hoeness watches prior to the start of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
CHICAGO (AP) — Naz Reid scored a season-high 33 points off the bench, Anthony Edwards added 23, and the Minnesota Timberwolves routed the Bulls 136-101 on Monday night after Chicago lost top scorers Coby White and Josh Giddey to injuries.
Julius Randle had 17 points as Minnesota pulled away in the third quarter in the opener of a four-game trip. Donte DiVincenzo and Bones Hyland scored 12 each as Minnesota shot 53.7% after a cold start.
Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 23 points, but the depleted Bulls couldn't keep pace and lost a second straight following a five-game winning streak that had lifted them back to .500. Chicago shot just 40.9%, and committed 16 turnovers compared to three by Minnesota.
White, Chicago’s leading scorer, exited with a right calf strain in the first quarter.
Giddey, Chicago’s second-leading scorer, walked off the court gingerly with an apparent left hamstring injury in the first minute of the second half after scoring 11 points.
White, who entered averaging 20.5 points, missed the first 11 games this season with similar calf injury. Giddey entered averaging 19.5 points, 9.2 assists and 9.1 rebounds. He is second in the NBA with seven triple-doubles.
Before the game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Zach Collins will probably miss several games with a sprained right big toe.
Minnesota’s Mike Conley played in his 1,200th game.
The Timberwolves took charge in the third quarter after the Bulls tied it at 55 in the opening minute of the period. Minnesota outscored Chicago 40-28 in the frame and took a 95-78 lead into the fourth.
The Timberwolves led 55-50 at the half after trailing by as much as nine midway through the second quarter. Edwards led the comeback, scoring his first 11 points consecutively on three 3’s and a pair of free throws.
Timberwolves: At Atlanta on Wednesday night.
Bulls: Host New Orleans on Wednesday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Minnesota Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert (27) dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic (9) battles Minnesota Timberwolves' Naz Reid (11) for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Minnesota Timberwolves' Bones Hyland (8) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey (3) goes up to shoot against Minnesota Timberwolves' Jaden McDaniels (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Minnesota Timberwolves' Naz Reid celebrates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)