Sports News

INDIANAPOLIS -- In a series being defined by bodies crashing to the court, gamesmanship with the referees and clutch shot-making, it was a miracle heave that now looms largest. Andrew Nembhard breathed life into his Indiana Pacers, making a 31-foot bomb as the shot clock buzzed. It happened with 16 seconds left in Game 3, snapping a tie in the Pacers' 111-106 victory over the  New York Knicks to pull the series to 2-1. It tied the longest shot of Nembhard's career and was hardly a thing of beauty. He rushed it as he was feverishly stepping back to find room and nearly fumbled the ball as he went up. But as the ball swished through, igniting the hometown crowd, it became series-altering. "I can't say that was a product of practicing," Nembhard said. "That was just an in-the-moment type of thing." To say it was unexpected was an understatement as Nembhard was having a tough night. After Knicks' star Jalen Brunson had torched him repeatedly over the...

BOSTON -- Coach Jim Montgomery took responsibility for the Boston Bruins falling in a 2-1 series hole to the Florida Panthers after a 6-2 Game 3 loss Friday night at TD Garden. "Our execution in the last two games has just not been good enough and that's my fault. I've got to be better," Montgomery said. In particular, the coach accepted blame for the Bruins' sluggish start in Game 3 that saw them outshot 13-3 in the first period and 24-8 by the time the Panthers had built a 3-0 lead in the second. It was a start that quieted a raucous Boston crowd. "We've had a couple of games where we started slow," Montgomery said. "We haven't generated much offense. I have to give the players a better plan. Florida was significantly better than us. I've got to come up with a better game plan." The Bruins didn't show any life until the third period, when center Jakub Lauko scored to cut the deficit to 4-1 and break a streak of 10 straight Panthers goals in the series....

Mike Budenholzer has agreed on a five-year contract to become the next coach of the Phoenix Suns, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. A formal announcement will be made Saturday, sources said. Budenholzer is expected to accompany the team to the NBA draft combine in Chicago, which begins this weekend, and work on a coaching staff already has begun, sources said. The Suns fired Frank Vogel on Thursday after one season as their coach.  The Suns went 49-33 in the regular season, then were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs.  The hiring of Budenholzer comes with significant pressure and expectations for the team. The roster has been constructed around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, bringing championship aspirations and a slim margin for error. Budenholzer will become the franchise's third head coach in three seasons, a run that has included owner Mat Ishbia firing Monty Williams...

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Hall of Famer Jerry Rice wasn't happy after the 2024 NFL draft. Rice's son  Brenden Rice, a wide receiver out of USC, was projected to be a midround pick in many mock drafts, and according to Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles had a third- to fourth-round grade on him. But Brenden wasn't picked until the seventh round, the 32nd receiver taken out of the 35 drafted. He said his draft position disappointed him and infuriated his father. "My dad was hot," Brenden, 22, said with a smile. "You guys get the flash like ... the humble dude, right? Me, he's like, 'Hell no, we're going to take this to a different level. These guys going to feel us.'" It was a particularly emotional day for Brenden, who attended his best friend's funeral on the day he was drafted. He said he received the call from the Chargers while he was in a Dallas airport heading home to L.A. "It was just like a blessing from God because he allowed me to go ahead and just...

INDIANAPOLIS -- - Andrew Nembhard made a 31-foot, tiebreaking 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, Tyrese Haliburton scored 35 points and the Indiana Pacers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the banged-up and short-handed New York Knicks 111-106 on Friday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks still lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Sunday in Indianapolis. New York led by nine with 9:45 remaining and was in position to take a commanding 3-0 lead, but with Jalen Brunson slowed by a right foot injury, the Knicks couldn't hold on. Nembhard scored only five points - all in the final minute - while Haliburton finished with his second straight playoff career high. Pascal Siakam added 26 points and seven rebounds while Myles Turner had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo led the Knicks with 35 points, going 7 of 11 on 3-pointers. Brunson had 26 points and six rebounds,...

ASHBURN, Va. -- Jayden Daniels' first rookie minicamp practice did not include any "wow" moments where he could show his speed or all of his arm talent. It was a routine one-hour workout designed to get the rookies comfortable with the Washington Commanders playbook. But during those 60 minutes, his new teammates took notice of what Daniels could offer the Commanders. "He's a stud," third-round receiver Luke McCaffrey said. "I know he's one heck of a quarterback and a lot of fun to play with from a personality standpoint. I've had a blast in these 24 hours with him. ... He's just fun to be around; he's good energy." Added second-round tight end Ben Sinnott: "He has the 'it' factor." Washington selected Daniels with the second pick in last month's draft, making him the franchise's latest hope at quarterback. The team started eight different passers in the last four years and nobody has started for more than three consecutive seasons since Mark...

ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels' first rookie minicamp practice did not include any "wow" moments where he could show his speed or all of his arm talent. It was a routine one-hour workout designed to get the rookies comfortable with the playbook. But during those 60 minutes, his new teammates took notice of what Daniels could offer the Commanders. "He's a stud," third-round receiver Luke McCaffrey said. "I know he's one heck of a quarterback and a lot of fun to play with from a personality standpoint. I've had a blast in these 24 hours with him. ... He's just fun to be around; he's good energy." "He has the 'it' factor," second-round tight end Ben Sinnott said. Washington selected Daniels with the second pick in last month's draft, making him the franchise's latest hope at quarterback. The team started eight different passers in the last four years and nobody has started for more than three consecutive seasons...

Sean Burroughs, a winner of the Little League World Series, a 2000 Olympic gold medalist and a first-round pick in the MLB draft, has died at the age of 43. The Long Beach Little League based in California said in a statement posted to Instagram that Burroughs "tragically passed away" Thursday afternoon. His mother, Debbie, told the Southern California News Group that the cause of death was cardiac arrest. According to Long Beach Little League president Doug Wittman, Burroughs was found unconscious next to his car in the parking lot at a Long Beach ballfield after dropping off his son, Knox, for a Little League game. Wittman said CPR was performed on Burroughs in hopes of reviving him, but he remained unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after. "It was very shocking," Wittman told The Orange County Register. "It's a real sense of family at Long Beach Little League. So when we lose one of our own, it hurts." In its statement, the Long Beach...

Former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. will stand trial on first-degree felony rape and felony sexual aggravated battery charges June 10, a Kansas judge ruled at his preliminary hearing Friday. Shannon was arraigned and pleaded not guilty before a judge ruled there was probable cause for trial to proceed in his case. Last year, a woman accused Shannon of sexually penetrating her with his fingers at a bar in Lawrence, Kansas, on Sept. 9. The woman found Shannon's picture through a Google search and told local police he was the assailant. Shannon was arrested and charged with "unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly [engaging] in sexual intercourse with a person ... who did not consent to the sexual intercourse under circumstances when she was overcome by force or fear, a severity level 1 person felony." In December, he was suspended indefinitely by Illinois and missed six games, but he was granted a temporary restraining order by a federal judge and returned to...

Sean Burroughs, a winner of the Little League World Series, a 2000 Olympic gold medalist and a first-round pick in the MLB draft, has died at the age of 43. The Long Beach (Calif.) Little League said in a statement posted to Instagram that Burroughs "tragically passed away" Thursday afternoon. According to USA Today, Burroughs collapsed while coaching his son's Little League team. No further details were immediately available. "Sean was a legend in LBLL and the baseball community for winning back-to-back Little League World Series Championships for LBLL in 1992 and 1993," the Long Beach Little League wrote. "... To say this is a huge loss is an understatement. ... We will have his family in our thoughts and prayers during this time and try to end the season playing the kind of baseball Coach Sean would be proud of." Burroughs threw back-to-back no-hitters to help Long Beach to the consecutive Little League championships then went on to star at Long Beach Wilson High. The...

Former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. will stand trial for first-degree felony rape and felony sexual aggravated battery on June 10, a Kansas just ruled at his preliminary hearing on Friday. Shannon was arraigned and pleaded not guilty before a judge ruled that there was probable cause for trial to proceed in his case. Last year, a woman accused Shannon of sexually penetrating her with his fingers at a bar in Lawrence on Sept. 9. Following the alleged incident, the woman found Shannon's picture through a Google search and told local police he was the assailant. Shannon was arrested and charged for "unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly [engaging] in sexual intercourse with a person ... who did not consent to the sexual intercourse under circumstances when she was overcome by force or fear, a severity level 1 person felony." In December, he was suspended indefinitely by Illinois and missed six games but he was granted a temporary restraining order by a federal...

Former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones is signing with the Arizona Cardinals on a one-year deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday. Jones joins a Cardinals wide receivers room that features star rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., who was selected with the No. 4 pick in last month's draft. Jones brings more veteran leadership to a receiving corps that now includes Michael Wilson, Jeff Smith, Zach Pascal, Chris Moore and Greg Dortch in addition to Jones and Harrison. Jones is tied for second-oldest and second-most years of experience among receivers on the Cardinals' roster. He was released by the Jaguars on April 30, days after they selected wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round at No. 23. Jones caught 116 passes for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Jaguars, including career highs in receptions (82) and receiving yards (823) in 2022. Jones missed...

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The $10,000 bet between former LSU teammates Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award is off. Nabers, the sixth overall pick by the New York Giants, said the decision was made after learning about the NFL's gambling policy. The rookie wide receiver announced the news after his first professional practice Friday at rookie minicamp. "I'm educated now that I got here about sports betting and gambling," he said. "So we're calling the bet off. There is no bet now. It was just another brother pushing another brother to try to get to success. That is all it was." Nabers first mentioned on "The Pivot" podcast with Ryan Clark that there was a wager. Daniels, his college quarterback and the No. 2 pick by the Washington Commanders, confirmed it during an interview on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast with Keyshawn Johnson on Wednesday. Two days later, the bet is no more. "We were...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- While the Las Vegas Raiders' Jayden Daniels-or-bust game plan ended without the rookie, their pending quarterback battle between the returning Aidan O'Connell and veteran free agent signee Gardner Minshew has an early leader. "Aidan's earned the right to go out there and earn the first snap," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Friday. "What he's done this offseason -- changing his body, his work ethic, being here every day, blocking out the outside noise. He's not worried about anything. I'm excited. "Then you bring Gardner in here ... talk about personality. ... It's great. It's great for our building. It's great for our quarterback room. And if you got competition in the quarterback room, what does every other room look at?" The Raiders had been heavily linked to Daniels, as Pierce brought him to Arizona State when he was the Sun Devils' recruiting coordinator. But the Washington Commanders were set on the Heisman...

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Terrion Arnold was all smiles as he arrived at the Detroit Lions' practice facility on Friday for his first day of rookie minicamp sporting No. 0. The Lions' first-round pick said he chose the number because "ain't nobody like me." Arnold, a cornerback, is just the third player in franchise history to select No. 0, joining FB Johnny Olszewski (1961) and WR Marvin Jones Jr. (2023). "When I say it ain't nobody like me, it's talking about the secondary," said Arnold, the 24th overall pick out of Alabama. "Obviously, last year in this secondary, we had ups and downs, but we're going to be exciting, we're going to be dynamic, we're going to play fast and it ain't going to be nobody like us. "So, when I say it ain't nobody like me, it ain't nobody like me." Despite reaching the NFC Championship for the first time since the 1991 season, Detroit's defense allowed 34 completions thrown at least 20 yards downfield, which tied with the ...

Kylian Mbappé has announced he is leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, after which he is expected to join Real Madrid. The announcement brings Real Madrid closer to ending their yearslong pursuit of the France international, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in world football. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) - Why Mbappé is leaving PSG for Madrid: Piecing together the transfer saga PSG face Toulouse at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, which will be Mbappé's final home game. His final game for the club is scheduled to be the French Cup final against Lyon on May 15. He said in a video posted to Instagram: "Hi everyone, it's Kylian. I wanted to speak to you. I've always said that I would speak with you when the time comes and so I wanted to announce to you all that it's my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. "I will not extend and the...

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Quarterback Kirk Cousins is "pretty much full go" in terms of his physical capabilities for this portion of the Atlanta Falcons' offseason program, coach Raheem Morris said Friday. The Falcons are in phase two of their program, which means no contact and working out at less than full speed. In that regard, Morris said, Cousins doesn't have many limitations. Cousins' 2023 season, which wound up being his final one with the Minnesota Vikings, ended because of a torn right Achilles tendon in Week 8. Atlanta signed him as a free agent in March. "Kirk is every day improving," Morris said at the Falcons' rookie minicamp. "So, we are kind of right at the point where he's doing everything that we can do at this point at phase two, right? Which is nobody around him. There's no contact. He's all good with all those types of things. So, he's been doing all those things." Morris said the one thing that is being curtailed is the volume of snaps...

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Ahead of rookie minicamp Friday, Bears coach Matt Eberflus wasted no time in naming Caleb Williams as Chicago's starting quarterback. "No conversation," Eberflus said. "He's the starter." Eberflus' declaration confirmed the inevitable decision for the Bears after they drafted the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 1 pick last month. Williams was the only quarterback the Bears hosted on a top-30 visit, and Chicago was the only team Williams visited ahead of the draft. Bears coaches began teaching the former USC quarterback their offense ahead of his pro day in Los Angeles and again while Williams visited Halas Hall in early April. Williams also took it upon himself to work with his private quarterback coach, Will Hewlett, on the fundamentals of the Bears' offense before taking the field for this weekend's minicamp. "You always want to get ahead if you can, and so with those things that they gave me, I would take it to my QB...

United States forward Malik Tillman has made a permanent move to  PSV Eindhoven after spending this season on loan from Bayern Munich, it was announced on Friday. Tillman scored nine league goals in 26 matches as PSV lifted the Eredivisie title this season. PSV announced he has signed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2028. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "Malik Tillman came to Bayern as a youth player, developed into a professional here and has now become a key player in Eindhoven," Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund  said in a statement. "He continues the long list of young players who have made the cut in professional football after coming through at Bayern. We wish him all the best for his future." Tillman graduated from Bayern's academy when he made his senior debut in 2020. He enjoyed a loan move to Rangers in 2022 before another loan move to PSV last summer. The...

Ricky Alderete, 45, arrested after a Jackie Robinson statue went missing from a Wichita, Kansas, youth baseball league in January, pleaded guilty Thursday to theft and other charges. Alderete could face more than 19 years behind bars when he's sentenced on July 1, the district attorney's office told ESPN. In addition to theft, he will be sentenced for aggravated burglary, aggravated criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement, criminal damage to property, making a false writing and identity theft. The crimes are related to the theft, as well as his identification and arrest, the district attorney's office said. The prosecutor's office also said that Alderete will be forced to pay $41,500 to League 42, the youth baseball outfit named after the Brooklyn Dodgers legend. "We're glad that this particular chapter has been put to rest," Bob Lutz, the executive director of League 42, told ESPN on Friday. "I'm glad that someone has been held accountable for this statue...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NBA fined Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle $35,000 on Friday for criticizing the officiating in his team's playoff series with the New York Knicks -- comments that also drew the ire of guard Josh Hart. "Rick's saying whatever he feels. It has nothing to do with us at the end of the day. I think it's pretty disrespectful to us," Hart said after shootaround Friday morning. "Because at the end of the day, we're out there playing and competing at a high level. It's not about officiating. It's not about anything like that." As part of his case, Carlisle flagged a non-call when Hart made contact with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton in the third quarter of the Knicks' 130-121 Game 2 victory Wednesday. It was presumably one of the plays the Pacers sent to the league office Thursday. Sources told ESPN the Pacers identified 78 plays to the NBA where they felt disadvantaged by a referee decision in Games 1 and 2 combined. Carlisle also...

Treble-chasing Bayer Leverkusen are offering fans free club tattoos to commemorate their Bundesliga-title winning season and record unbeaten run, the club said Friday. Xabi Alonso's team, who are undefeated across all competitions this season, reached the Europa League final after a 2-2 comeback draw against Roma on Thursday for a 4-2 aggregate win. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) In doing so, they stretched their unbeaten run to 49 matches across all competitions, surpassing Benfica's long-standing European record set from 1963 to 1965. "A special action at the end of a special season. Bayer 04 are offering fans... Until the end of the season the opportunity to choose one of the many Bayer 04 tattoos for free," the club said in a statement. "Book your appointment now to eternalise this unique season on your skin." Just 42 minutes after announcing the initiative, Leverkusen said that ...

Malaysian footballer  Faisal Halim has responded well to a third surgery and can walk after being left in critical condition from an acid attack, state news agency Bernama reported on Friday. A series of attacks on players have taken place in Malaysia over the past two weeks. Halim was splashed with acid at a shopping mall on May 5, leaving him with fourth-degree burns that impeded his mobility and speech. The season-opening Charity Shield match was cancelled after Halim's side, Selangor FC, withdrew due to safety concerns following a series of attacks on players. Halim has responded well after undergoing a three-hour skin allograft surgery on Thursday, deputy president of the Selangor football association Shahril Mokhtar told Bernama on Friday. "I heard this morning he started walking in the room and went to the bathroom by himself. That's a positive development. He wants to go home," he said. Halim, 26, is due to undergo another follow-up surgery later and is expected...

Toronto has been awarded a WNBA franchise that will start play in 2026, according to multiple reports, when it will become the league's first team outside of the United States. The team will be owned by Kilmer Sports Inc., headed by Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum. Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Maple Leafs and Raptors, among other teams. The new Toronto club would be the 14th team in the WNBA. An expansion franchise in Golden State is set to join the league in 2025. An official announcement is expected May 23 in Toronto, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which first reported on the expansion franchise. "We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets but have no news to report at this time," a WNBA spokesperson said in a statement. A spokesperson for Kilmer Sports also said there was "no update at this...

OKLAHOMA CITY --  Luka Doncic cracked a relieved grin and raised his hands as he glanced toward the rafters when his first shot splashed through the net early in Thursday's Game 2, as if the Dallas Mavericks star was thanking the basketball gods. The soreness in Doncic's sprained right knee was still there, but his shooting slump had suddenly disappeared. A sizzling start by Doncic set the tone for the Mavs' series-tying 119-110 win over the top-seeded  Oklahoma City Thunder. He made his first four shots from the floor en route to scoring 16 of his 29 points in the first quarter. "It was just my mentality," said Doncic, who also recorded 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a blocked shot. "I think today was one of the hardest game I had to play. I'm battling out there. I try and do my best to help [the] team win with just my mentality. Have a great start, and then the team's going to follow me." Doncic made 11 of 21 shots from the floor, a normal...

Georgia's Charlie Condon hit his 34th home run Thursday night against South Carolina to set the NCAA record for most home runs in a season in the BBCOR era. Condon launched a solo shot in the second inning to break a tie with Florida's Jac Caglianone, who had 33 home runs last season. BBCOR (bat-ball coefficient restitution) took effect for the 2011 season, when college baseball switched to composite bats. Oklahoma State's Pete Incaviglia holds the all-time record with 48 home runs in 1985. Condon, a redshirt sophomore third baseman/outfielder, is ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel's No. 1 draft prospect and projected as the No. 2 overall pick in this year's MLB draft. Thursday marked his eighth straight game with a home run, one game shy of matching the NCAA record held by Caglianone and Nevada's Tyler Bosetti. Condon has 59 career home runs, the most in Georgia history. The Bulldogs won 14-10.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Player introductions at a WNBA preseason game do not typically elicit thunderous cheers from the assembled crowd. But nothing about the home-court debut of Indiana Fever rookie and No. 1 overall draft pick Caitlin Clark can be considered typical. Clark, the former University of Iowa phenom who has taken the sports world by storm, made her first appearance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night and received exactly the kind of reception one would expect given the interest she has generated around the country. From the many fans donning No. 22 jerseys (both from Iowa and the Fever) to the rousing cheers the crowd produced each time Clark scored or reentered the game, the atmosphere in the building suggested this was a meaningful game against the Atlanta Dream, even if it didn't count in the standings. "It was a lot of fun, I thought they were loud, I thought they were into it," Clark said, marveling at the crowd size. "It was fun...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Caitlin Clark walked into her new home arena Thursday night with No. 22 shirts and jerseys peppered from floor to ceiling. She left as a first-time WNBA winner. A late-arriving but louder-than-usual crowd roared during her official introduction to Fever fans and again when Clark made her first basket, a layup with 7:00 left in the first quarter. The cheers grew when she completed a three-point play a few minutes later and hit a crescendo when she finally made a long 3-pointer from the edge of the fieldhouse logo late in the third quarter. Yes, Clark successfully navigated the city's most anticipated rookie debut since Peyton Manning played for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts in 1998, even though this wasn't quite the start most expected. In an 83-80 preseason victory over the Atlanta Dream, Clark had 12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 turnovers, going 4-of-12 from the field and 2-of-9 on 3s in 31 minutes. "It was a lot of fun, I thought...

BOSTON -- In the opening minute of the fourth quarter Thursday night, Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell came off a screen at the top of the key and fired up a 3-pointer. After the shot, which appeared offline as it left his hand, ricocheted off the backboard and through the net, Mitchell could simply shrug as he backpedaled down the court. It was the same reaction many inside TD Garden had for this one, as Cleveland -- fresh off a 25-point loss in Game 1 -- responded with a stellar second half in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics, cruising to a 118-94 victory and evening this Eastern Conference semifinal series at a game apiece. With it, 12.5-point underdog Cleveland pulled off the biggest playoff victory by a double-digit underdog since 1991, nearly doubling the prior largest winning margin, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. "It's always good to get a win on the road, but at the end of the day, it's one...

BOSTON --  Donovan Mitchell banked in a 3-pointer from a few steps beyond the top of the arc and could only shrug as he backpedaled back on defense. He followed with two baskets in the lane to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 16-point lead. "Sometimes you get lucky," Mitchell said after scoring 29 points to help Cleveland beat Boston 118-94 on Thursday night. "Shooters shoot." Two nights after losing the opener by 25 points, the Cavaliers answered with a blowout of their own, beating the top-seeded Celtics in Boston to tie their Eastern Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. The teams now head to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday. "We expected them to play better and they did," Celtics center Al Horford said. "They responded and we didn't." Mitchell scored 33 points in the opener but got little help. On Thursday, the Cavs All-Star took just six shots and scored six points in the first half, while handing out five...

ANAHEIM, Calif. --  Mike Trout decided that having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee was a better alternative than postponing the procedure and being a designated hitter the rest of the season. "It was an option they put out there," the Los Angeles Angels slugger said before Thursday night's 10-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals. "It would have been just maintaining the pain level of it. The day I got the MRI and it showed [a tear], I was in a lot of pain, so it would have been a tough road for the rest of the year to bear that. I felt the best option for me was to get it right and be fully healthy to come back soon." Trout has also struggled whenever he has been a designated hitter. In 1,518 career games, he has been the DH only 81 times and has a .214 batting average. Trout -- who is sidelined with a major injury for the fourth straight season -- said he still doesn't know when the latest one occurred. The knee soreness worsened...

Rory McIlroy isn't returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, but he'll still be involved in negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund regarding a potential multibillion-dollar investment in PGA Tour Enterprises as a member of the newly formed transaction committee, the tour announced Thursday. McIlroy had hoped to rejoin the PGA Tour's policy board, but said he wouldn't replace Webb Simpson because of other player directors' concerns about bringing him back. Former Valero Energy Corp. CEO Joseph W. Gorder has been unanimously elected by the PGA Tour Enterprises board of directors to serve as its inaugural chairman, the tour said in a news release. Gorder, now executive chairman of Valero Energy's board, will also serve on the transaction subcommittee, along with player liaison director Joe Ogilvie, Fenway Sports Group founder and principal owner John W. Henry, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, and golfers Adam Scott, Tiger Woods and...

Mike Budenholzer has emerged as the Phoenix Suns' target to become the franchise's next coach, and discussions are expected to move rapidly toward a deal, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The Suns fired coach Frank Vogel on Thursday afternoon after one season as a coach, and momentum on a Budenholzer deal included him working on building an assistant coaching staff to bring with him, sources said. The looming hiring of Budenholzer comes with significant pressure and expectations for these Suns. The roster has been constructed around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, bringing championship aspirations and a slim margin for error. Budenholzer is poised to become the franchise's third head coach in three seasons, a run that has included owner Mat Ishbia firing Monty Williams and Vogel in successive years. Vogel had four years left on his contract, and the cost of a $200 million-plus payroll only gets steeper with the $20 million-plus left on Vogel's deal...

As he prepares for his first season at Arkansas, John Calipari said he won't stack his rosters with an abundance of talent, which was his tactic during his lengthy tenure at Kentucky. On the latest episode of his "Ways to Win" podcast with former Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson this week, Calipari said the turnover in college basketball in the transfer portal era has changed his philosophy on assembling rosters. "You may think I'm crazy, but I told my staff I only want to have eight or nine guys," Calipari told Robinson, who is now executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. "They're leaving anyway, and why would I develop a kid for someone else? Why would I do that?" Calipari said he has talked to other coaches who have discussed similar strategies. According to NCAA rules, a team can have up to 13 scholarship players. While most teams rarely utilize every scholarship player on the roster, the idea of using fewer...

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss Friday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a strained left hamstring, the team announced Thursday. Sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Anunoby is considered unlikely to play in Sunday's Game 4, as well. Anunoby was evaluated before the team left for Indiana on Thursday and that assessment was to continue Thursday night.  He suffered the injury late in the third quarter of the Knicks' Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers, when he was planting his leg in an effort to convert a transition layup. He was in immediate pain following the play, and Jalen Brunson was forced to commit a foul to allow Anunoby an effort to sub out and hobble his way to the locker room. Brunson (foot) is listed as questionable for Game 3. Anunoby, who had scored a playoff career-high 28 points at the time of the injury, has averaged 46 minutes per game for the short-handed Knicks in the four contests leading up to...

The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Frank Vogel on Thursday, 11 days after the team was swept out of the postseason's first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Former  Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is the Suns' target to replace Vogel and talks are expected to move quickly, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Budenholzer has been working to assemble a coaching staff for a return to a head coaching job and that process is also gathering momentum, sources said. "As we said at the press conference on May 1, team leadership including myself, Josh Bartelstein, and ownership would be looking across basketball operations to determine what changes needed to be made," Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement. "After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team. We appreciate Frank's hard work and commitment." The Suns underperformed in Vogel's lone season at the helm, especially given the...

Bayer Leverkusen staged a stunning late comeback to move into the Europa League final with a 2-2 draw at home against AS Roma on Thursday as they won 4-2 on aggregate and set the longest unbeaten run in all competitions including European matches. Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who have also reached this month's German Cup final as they chase a treble, played their 49th match without defeat to surpass Benfica's record set from 1963-65, but they had to battle for the second-leg draw. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Xabi Alonso's side, who have 40 wins in their unbeaten run, will face Italian side Atalanta in the May 22 final in Dublin. It will be a third European final for Leverkusen, who won their only continental title when they lifted the UEFA Cup in 1988 and lost in the 2002 Champions League showpiece. "For the mentality we showed again today against a big team to come back like this and go through to the...

The court at Stanford's Maples Pavilion will be named the Tara VanDerveer Court, honoring the recently retired women's basketball coach, the school announced Thursday. VanDerveer coached 38 seasons at Stanford, winning three national championships and going to 14 Final Fours. Overall, she was a college head coach for 45 years, with stops at Idaho and Ohio State before taking over at Stanford in 1985. VanDerveer, who announced her retirement April 9, won an NCAA record 1,216 games. One of the Stanford women's basketball assistant coaching positions also will be named after VanDerveer. It's recently been filled by Heather Oesterle, who was hired by new Stanford head coach Kate Paye, a longtime assistant to VanDerveer and former Cardinal player. The endowment to fund and name the assistant coaching position came from a gift from longtime Stanford benefactors Tashia and John Morgridge. "I have many wonderful memories of leading the women's basketball program at Maples...

PSV Eindhoven will not exercise their option to sign Sergiño Dest permanently after the United States defender tore his ACL in training last month, sources have told ESPN. Dest, 23, has been a mainstay in the PSV side this season as they won the Eredivisie, with coach Peter Bosz recently expressing a desire to keep him beyond the summer. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) However, with Dest now facing months out of action, he will instead formally return to his parent club Barcelona from July to carry out his rehabilitation. PSV signed Dest on a season-long loan last year in a deal which included an option for them to make the move permanent this summer for €11 million. Dest made 36 appearances for the Dutch champions in all competitions before getting injured in training on April 20. The full-back confirmed last week that he had torn his ACL and would need an operation, ruling him out of the Copa...

Bucks guard Patrick Beverley was suspended for four games without pay for throwing a basketball multiple times at fans and for an "inappropriate interaction" with ESPN producer Malinda Adams after Milwaukee's season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of their first-round series last week, the NBA announced Thursday. Indianapolis police announced Wednesday they were opening an investigation into "an NBA player and citizen" altercation, after Beverley threw a ball multiple times in the fourth quarter of what ultimately became a 120-98 loss to the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse a week ago. Cameras showed Beverley throwing a ball into the stands, where it hit a fan in the head. After he asked for the ball back, and had it thrown back to him, he then fired it back at that fan. Police said in a news release the case has been forwarded to detectives "who are currently investigating this situation and take all accusations seriously," and that the case will be...

NEW YORK -- Former NBA forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis was sentenced by a federal judge Thursday to 40 months in prison, plus three years' supervised release, for his November 2023 conviction in an alleged scheme to defraud the league's health care benefits plan. Twenty-two people -- 18 of them former players, including Terrence Williams and Keyon Dooling -- have been sentenced in the case for filing false medical claims with the NBA Players' Health and Benefit Welfare Plan. Davis, 38, who has maintained his innocence since indictments in the case were handed down in October 2021, was found guilty of multiple fraud charges and conspiring to make false statements. He was ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution. The conditions of his supervised release include attending a financial management class and receiving mandatory drug treatment. Williams, the supposed ringleader of what the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office has described as a "wide-ranging scheme to steal...

Quarterback Jayden Daniels went four spots ahead of former LSU teammate Malik Nabers in the draft. He's also counting on finishing ahead of him when it comes to being named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. Otherwise, it could cost him $10,000. Daniels and Nabers have a bet on who will win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, which Nabers first mentioned on "The Pivot" podcast with Ryan Clark. Daniels confirmed the wager during an interview on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast with Keyshawn Johnson on Wednesday. It could be a short-lived wager. The  Washington Commanders selected Daniels with the second pick while at No. 6 the New York Giants picked Nabers, Daniels' favorite receiving target last season. "Man, he wasn't supposed to tell nobody," Daniels said of the bet. "We got a little something going on." Daniels also confirmed that it was for "10" when asked by Johnson after Nabers had said "whoever lose gotta pay, I think it's...

UFC pioneer Art "One Glove" Jimmerson died Wednesday at age 61, his daughter said. Jimmerson fought at UFC 1 as boxing's representative. He'd been a successful pro boxer in three different divisions and represented his discipline at UFC 1 on Nov. 12, 1993. He famously wore only one glove into the cage, believing he could jab with that hand and use his power hand, his right, to knock out opponents. But that night, he ran into eventual UFC 1 winner and future MMA legend Royce Gracie. Gracie took Jimmerson down before he could land a punch, and Jimmerson tapped out in 2:18. It was the first submission in UFC history. In later years, Jimmerson trained fighters, ranging from pros to beginners, in the Los Angeles area. "People can say whatever they want about Art Jimmerson," iconic former UFC ref John McCarthy said. "But Art Jimmerson was a man who practiced an art -- the art of boxing -- and became incredibly successful with it. He was brave enough to take that art and test it against...

The Carolina Hurricanes will start rookie goalie Pyotr Kochetkov in Game 3 on Thursday night, trailing the New York Rangers 2-0 in their Eastern Conference second-round series. Starter Freddie Andersen lost Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden, stopping 54 of 62 shots (.871 save percentage). That included a 4-3 double-overtime loss on Game 2 on Tuesday. "Freddie's played really well. He's also played a lot. I think giving him a little rest is the best thing," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday. Although technically a rookie this season, Kochetkov is no playoff novice. He played four games for the Hurricanes in the 2022 playoffs, including two against the Rangers, and appeared in a second-round game against the New Jersey Devils last season. Kochetkov, 24, was 23-13-4 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average in 42 games this season for the Hurricanes. "He's got a different demeanor. That's obvious. Freddie's...

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft were front and center Sunday in what appeared to be a happy reunion during the live roast of Tom Brady. But according to two former players who attended the roast, the former New England Patriots coach and the longtime team owner also shared some awkward moments offstage. Julian Edelman and Drew Bledsoe discussed the three-hour roast during the latest episode of Edelman's "Games with Names" podcast and described the scene in the green room before the event. "Preshow, we're in the green room -- remember that? Were you in there?" Edelman asked Bledsoe. "Bill's opening up. He's having fun, he's talking war stories, talking rookie skits, talking fun s---, doing s--- we know what Bill's all about, but it was like amplified because he was excited to see you guys because he doesn't have a job anymore." Edelman and Bledsoe said they were both in the green room with Belichick, along with former Patriots stars Rob Gronkowski...

The Indiana Pacers have submitted 78 instances of incorrect or non-calls to the NBA that they felt put them at a disadvantage in Games 1 and 2 against the New York Knicks, a league source told ESPN. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, speaking after Indiana fell behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 130-121 loss to New York on Wednesday, said the team had identified 29 questionable refereeing decisions from Game 1. The source said the Pacers then identified 49 plays from Game 2 that they felt were incorrectly called or not called at all and submitted them overnight to the NBA office. Carlisle said they had decided not to send the Game 1 calls to the league office for review but reversed that decision after Game 2 had similar officiating issues from their perspective. As part of NBA protocol, the clips will also be shared with the Knicks. "I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after being ejected in the final...

The Toronto Maple Leafs relieved Sheldon Keefe of head-coaching duties Thursday. According to a statement from the club, a search for Keefe's replacement will begin immediately. "Today's decision was difficult," Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said. "Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal. We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best." No determination has been made about the rest of Toronto's coaching staff, which includes assistants Manny Malhotra, Dean Chynoweth and Guy Boucher. Keefe has two years remaining on a contract extension Treliving signed him to in August, which doesn't officially kick in until the 2024-25 season. In a video posted to social media on Thursday, Keefe thanked Maple Leafs' management past and present and said farewell to the fan...

The Philadelphia Union have signed 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan to the largest homegrown contract in Major League Soccer history, with an agreement to transfer the phenom to English Premier League power Manchester City after he turns 18. Philadelphia was not authorized to discuss details about the built-in transfer to Man City, but Sullivan confirmed to ESPN that Man City's involvement contributed to his decision to sign with his hometown club. His older brother, Quinn, 20, has been a first-team player since 2021. "I've always wanted to start my career here because this is my home and I've always been on the sidelines of Quinn's games and I've been in and around the facility when my uncle worked here," Sullivan told ESPN. "So, I've always been inspired and to play in front of this culture, and these fans are special. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "But I also think the collaboration between the Union and the City...

The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Allen Robinson II, the team announced Thursday. Robinson joins the Giants after one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who released him March 8 in a cost-cutting move. The wide receiver room in New York gets a bit crowded with the additions of Robinson and Malik Nabers, who was selected sixth overall in the NFL draft out of LSU. The Giants also have Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Wan'Dale Robinson, Isaiah McKenzie and Isaiah Hodgins, who re-signed earlier this offseason. But Slayton has not been with the team this spring. He has skipped voluntary workouts while he looks for a contract adjustment or extension. The Giants are trying to improve an offense that ranked 31st in passing yards per game last season and had no wide receiver total more than 770 yards or four touchdowns. Robinson, 30, wasn't particularly productive in an overall stagnant offense in...

Boston Celtics lead assistant coach Charles Lee has agreed on a four-year contract to become the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, sources told ESPN on Thursday morning. Lee, 39, had risen to become one of the league's most accomplished assistant coaches and now lands with new executive president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson in Charlotte to preside over the Hornets' rebuild. Lee and Peterson began their NBA careers together with the Atlanta Hawks. Lee will complete the Celtics' playoff run before moving over to join the Hornets on a full-time basis, sources said. Before joining Boston as the top assistant under Joe Mazzulla last summer, Lee spent five years under two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks and was a part of Milwaukee's 2021 NBA championship run. Lee replaces Steve Clifford, who stepped down at the end of the season to move into a front office role. Charlotte has a chance to be much improved off a 21-61...