Sports News

The leaders of college sports are involved in "deep discussions" to reach a legal settlement that would likely lay out the framework for sharing revenue with athletes in a future NCAA business model, sources told ESPN. The NCAA and its power conferences are defendants in an antitrust class action lawsuit, House v. NCAA, which argues that the association is breaking federal law by placing any restrictions on how athletes make money from selling the rights to their name, image or likeness. The case is scheduled to go to court in January 2025. If the plaintiffs win at trial, the NCAA and its schools could be liable to pay more than $4 billion in damages, which has motivated many leaders across the industry to seek a settlement. Sources indicated that a turning point in the discussions, which have been ongoing, came last week in the Dallas area, where the power conference commissioners, their general counsels, NCAA president Charlie Baker, NCAA lawyers and the plaintiffs' attorneys...

Former Dallas Cowboys receiver  Michael Gallup plans to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders on a one-year deal worth up to $3 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler. Gallup likely will be the No. 3 wide receiver on a Raiders depth chart fronted by Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders released veteran receiver Hunter Renfrow this offseason and didn't select a wide receiver in last week's draft. The Cowboys released Gallup on March 15 to open $9.5 million in salary cap space. The Cowboys gave Gallup, 28, permission to seek a trade, which turned out to be just a prelude to his release. After tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the 2021 season, Gallup signed a five-year, $57.5 million deal with the Cowboys in 2022, but he was unable to regain the form that saw him average 15.5 yards per catch. After the injury, Gallup caught 73 passes for 842 yards and six touchdowns and did not record a...

Jason Kelce's post-NFL broadcasting career will start with ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown." Kelce, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles after a 13-year career, is in line to sign a deal with ESPN in time for next season. ESPN has yet to officially announce the hiring. Kelce participated in last year's NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop, which used to be known as the Broadcast Bootcamp. He has also appeared on numerous NFL broadcasts, including a stint with Amazon's "Thursday Night Football" during an off week in 2023. "This is all new territory for me," Kelce said at the time. "I have even more respect for it now. It's very hard to do something live, reactive of stimulus that just happened and having something clever and meaningful to say." Kelce is expected to continue doing his "New Heights" podcast with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce signed a two-year deal to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Also...

Jason Kelce's post-NFL broadcasting career will start with ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown." Kelce, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles after a 13-year career, is in line to sign a deal with ESPN in time for next season. ESPN has yet to officially announce any hiring. Kelce participated in last year's NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop, which used to be known as the "Broadcast Bootcamp." He has also appeared on numerous NFL broadcasts, including a stint with Amazon's Thursday Night Football during an off-week in 2023. "This is all new territory for me. I have even more respect for it now," Kelce said at the time. "It's very hard to do something live, reactive of stimulus that just happened and having something clever and meaningful to say." Kelce is expected to continue doing his "New Heights" podcast with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce signed a two-year deal to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Also...

The 2024 NBA playoffs are in full swing. The panel discusses who are the favorites to win the champioship.

Speaking to the media for the first time since being announced as the newest member of the Seattle Storm's ownership group, legendary retired player Sue Bird told reporters Monday, "This actually feels reminiscent to my rookie year in a sense." Drafted by the Storm with the No. 1 pick of the 2002 WNBA draft, Bird spent two decades as a player in Seattle before retiring at the end of the 2022 season with four championships and a record 13 All-Star appearances to her credit. Given Bird's close ties to the city and the organization, making the move to team ownership was no surprise. Previously, Bird had invested in NWSL franchise NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2022 while still an active WNBA player. "I feel like it was kind of inevitable in a lot of ways," Bird said. "It was something that I've always wanted, something that I've always had in the back of my head. For whatever reason, this is just when it worked out. I've only been retired not even two years, so give me a...

PHOENIX -- One day after the Phoenix Suns' devastating first-round series sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves, starting guard Bradley Beal lamented the team's poor health and lack of continuity as key factors that drove their disappointing season to its swift end. "I mean, in retrospect we won 49 [regular-season] games," Beal said Monday at the team's practice facility. "That's a lot of games. And I missed what, 30 games, roughly? That's a lot of games. I'm not saying we'd have won every game if I'd have played, but we would be in a totally different position if I'm healthy the whole year, if everybody's healthy the whole year." Beal began the season with lower back tightness and nerve pain down his legs. He later faced an ankle sprain, hamstring strain, a broken nose and a concussion throughout his first season with the Suns, during which he played 53 out of 82 possible regular-season games. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Beal played together for...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs gave tight end Travis Kelce a significant raise with a new two-year contract Monday. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $34.25 million with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the rest to be guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year.  "Hard to put in words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he was certainly a priority to adjust his contract for us and it was something that was important for Clark [Hunt]. So very fitting that Travis [is] now the highest-paid tight end in these two years," general manager Brett Veach said Monday. In a video posted to X by the Chiefs, Kelce said it was "an honor and a pleasure and I can't wait to get after it these next two years ... Chiefs forever.'' Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy!...

U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation have withdrawn their bid to jointly host the 2027 Women's World Cup and will instead focus on securing the 2031 Women's World Cup, the federations announced on Monday. The U.S.- Mexico joint bid was one of three finalists for the 2027 World Cup alongside Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, with the FIFA Congress set to vote on the 2027 host on May 17 in Bangkok, Thailand. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The hosts of the 2031 Women's World Cup are expected to be decided next year, although formal bidding is yet to begin. Mexico and the U.S. are already co-hosting the 2026 men's World Cup alongside Canada. That tournament will be the largest in history with 48 teams. Los Angeles will then host the 2028 Summer Olympics, meaning the 2027 Women's World Cup would have had to compete for sponsorship dollars and other...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs extended the contract of tight end Travis Kelce for two additional seasons, keeping the veteran tight end signed through the 2027 season. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $34.25 million with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the rest to be guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year.  "Hard to put in words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he was certainly a priority to adjust his contract for us and it was something that was important for Clark [Hunt]. So very fitting that Travis [is] now the highest-paid tight end in these two years," general manager Brett Veach said Monday. In a video posted to X by the Chiefs, Kelce said it was "an honor and a pleasure and I can't wait to get after it these next two years ... Chiefs forever.'' Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs extended the contract of tight end Travis Kelce for two additional seasons, keeping the veteran tight end signed through the 2027 season. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $34.25 million with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the rest to be guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year.  "Hard to put in words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he was certainly a priority to adjust his contract for us and it was something that was important for Clark [Hunt]. So very fitting that Travis [is] now the highest-paid tight end in these two years," general manager Brett Veach said Monday. Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy! @tkelce'' "Every now and then you have one of these guys that are outliers and certainly Travis is one of those...

The Seattle Kraken have fired head coach Dave Hakstol after three seasons, the team announced Monday. Hakstol, who was the first coach in the Kraken's short history, was dismissed after the team failed to make the playoffs after finishing with 100 points and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals last season. The club on Monday also announced that assistant coach Paul McFarland would not return next season. "I thank Dave for his hard work and dedication to the Kraken franchise," general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. "Following our end-of-the-season review, we have decided to make a change at our head coach position. These decisions are never easy, but we feel that this is a necessary step to help ensure our team continues to improve and evolve. "Dave is a good coach and a terrific person. We wish him and his family all the best. We will begin our search for the Kraken's next head coach immediately." Francis had hinted that changes could be...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs extended the contract of tight end Travis Kelce for two additional seasons, a source said, keeping the veteran tight end signed through the 2027 season. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available. The Chiefs announced Kelce's deal but did not disclose details. Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy! @tkelce'' Kelce in 2023 fell 16 yards short of his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. He missed the first game of the season with a knee injury and sat out the last game to rest for the playoffs. Seven straight 1,000-yard seasons is a record for his position. Kelce, 34, who has been selected to nine consecutive Pro Bowls and is a four-time first-team All-Pro, had 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns last season. In the postseason, he added 32 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns...

Saint Mary's transfer Aidan Mahaney, one of the best available guards in the portal, has committed to UConn, he told ESPN. Mahaney is the second crucial addition for the Huskies in recent days, following five-star recruit Liam McNeeley, who committed on Friday night. The player from Lafayette, California, visited Storrs late last week, but then took a trip to visit Kentucky this past weekend. He had also visited Creighton and Virginia, but Dan Hurley and the reigning back-to-back national champions won out. "I chose UConn because I want to compete for national championships," Mahaney said. "UConn is a place that keeps the main thing the main thing. The coaching staff has proven themselves to be the best in the country the last two years. Offensively with Luke Murray, I'll be in a different system that should allow my game to grow even more. And defensively with Kimani Young, I'll be challenged to become the best I can be. Coach Hurley will...

The rich just got richer. Two-time all-Pac-12 guard Talia von Oelhoffen, a graduate transfer from Oregon State, has committed to the USC Trojans, she told ESPN Monday. Her move helps solidify USC's status as a national title contender in 2025, with the Trojans also adding former Stanford post Kiki Iriafen out of the portal, returning superstar JuJu Watkins and senior Rayah Marshall and bringing in the nation's top-ranked freshmen class. "It's so exciting," von Oelhoffen told ESPN. "I mean, the sky's the limit for how good we can be... I'm super excited to take this team into the Big Ten and beyond." The 5-foot-11 guard from Washington averaged 10.7 points, 5.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game this season as a key playmaker that guided the Beavers to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021 and third Elite Eight since 2016. No. 3 seed Oregon State beat No. 2 seed Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual...

Five-star forward  Jayden Quaintance, the highest-ranked available recruit in the 2024 ESPN 100, has committed to Arizona State, he told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. Quaintance, ranked No. 16, ultimately chose Bobby Hurley's program over Louisville and Memphis, after he had cut Arkansas and Kentucky from his list last week. He had originally signed with Kentucky under John Calipari, then reopened his recruitment when Calipari left for the Razorbacks. Quaintance was a McDonald's All American after a stellar senior season at Word of God Christian Academy (North Carolina). He was originally a member of the 2025 class, but he reclassified to 2024 so he could play in college a year earlier. However, because he only turned 16 last July (and therefore won't turn 19 until 2026), Quaintance will likely have to spend two years in college before entering the NBA draft. He represented USA Basketball at the FIBA U16 Americas...

Hollywood stars and Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have bought a minority stake in Liga MX's Necaxa, a source has confirmed to ESPN. According to the source, the deal was in the works "for months and finalized recently." - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Variety first reported the news on Monday. Reynolds and McElhenney join a group of fellow celebrities who have recently bought stakes in the Liga MX team. Eva Longoria, Mesut Özil, Kate Upton, Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Verlander, Victor Oladipo, Bode Miller, Richard Hamilton and Shawn Marion have all made investments in Necaxa recently, although it is unclear which of the celebrities remain as owners. On Sunday, Longoria was in attendance at Necaxa's 5-2 loss at home to Monterrey. Necaxa are ninth in the Liga MX table and will take part in the play-in round of the Liga MX playoffs vs. 10th-placed  Querétaro this week. The winner of the...

UAB football players say their entire roster has signed up for Athletes.org, making them the first Division I football team to publicly join the players' association. They were introduced to the group by an unexpected source: their head coach. Trent Dilfer gathered his team for a voluntary meeting in mid-April to encourage them to prepare for a future when college athletes might be able to negotiate for a larger share of their sport's revenue. "They're going to have a seat at the table," Dilfer told ESPN. "I wanted to make sure I helped pour gasoline on something that is going to happen no matter what. I might as well use my influence to help it happen faster on behalf of our players." Dilfer introduced the team to Athletes.org, one of several companies attempting to organize athletes for potential revenue sharing discussions. UAB players told ESPN every member of the team signed up to join the organization after hearing its pitch. The team has no plans to bargain with their...

UAB football players say their entire roster has signed up for Athletes.org, making them the first full Division I football team to publicly join a budding players association. They were introduced to the group by an unexpected source: their head coach. Trent Dilfer gathered his team for a voluntary meeting in mid-April to encourage them to prepare for a future when college athletes might be able to negotiate for a larger share of their sport's revenue. "They're going to have a seat at the table," Dilfer told ESPN. "I wanted to make sure I helped pour gasoline on something that is going to happen no matter what. I might as well use my influence to help it happen faster on behalf of our players." Dilfer introduced the team to Athletes.org, one of several companies attempting to organize athletes for potential revenue sharing discussions. UAB players told ESPN every member of the team signed up to join the organization after hearing its pitch. The team has no plans to bargain with...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady sparked headlines when he said he wasn't opposed to making a late-season NFL return, mentioning the New England Patriots as one option, but head coach Jerod Mayo said Monday that he could only envision Brady's return in a different job description. "I love Tom. The door is always open if he wants to come in here and coach. But as far as going on the field, I don't know," Mayo said in an interview on sports radio WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show." The Patriots selected North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye third overall in the NFL draft and also drafted Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III in the sixth round (No. 193). They currently have five quarterbacks on the roster, with veteran Jacoby Brissett, 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe and former Canadian Football League standout Nathan Rourke. Mayo said the team's plan is to let the quarterbacks compete and see who emerges as the Day 1...

The July 20 bout between YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul and former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson will be classified as a sanctioned, professional fight by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations. The heavyweight showdown will be contested over eight two-minute rounds with each fighter using 14-ounce gloves. The outcome will affect their professional boxing records. "Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome," Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in a statement to ESPN. "Over the past six weeks, MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul vs. Tyson, and we are grateful that we have gotten to this point." Since the announcement of the fight, which will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and will be streamed on Netflix, there...

FRISCO, Texas -- Ezekiel Elliott has reached a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys that has a maximum value of $3 million, sources told ESPN on Monday, reuniting him with the franchise that took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Elliott and his agent, Rocky Arceneaux, met with the Cowboys before last week's draft and eventually ended up at the same restaurant, Dee Lincoln Prime, where the team was holding its scouts dinner before the draft. "Well, Zeke, as we all know, is one of our favorites," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Thursday. "He's laid it on the line for this franchise. He's the ultimate competitor. I mean, he's a guy that we obviously think a lot of." Having lost leading rusher Tony Pollard in free agency to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys are looking at going with a committee approach at running back. Dallas re-signed last year's backup, Rico Dowdle, and added veteran Royce...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry will participate in the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie minicamp after not playing in the 2023 season. Landry, 31, last played in an NFL game on Dec. 18, 2022, with New Orleans before being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. He'll be participating in the Jaguars' May 10-11 rookie minicamp as a tryout player. Landry has 713 career catches for 7,870 yards and 38 touchdowns in nine NFL seasons. He was drafted in the second round by Miami Dolphins in 2014 out of LSU and made the first of five consecutive Pro Bowls in 2015 when he caught 110 passes for 1,157 yards and four TDs. Landry led the NFL with 112 catches in 2017. The Dolphins placed the franchise tag on him after that season but gave him permission to seek a trade. He signed the tag and the Dolphins traded him to Cleveland Browns for a fourth-round pick in 2018 and a seventh-round pick in 2019. Landry played four...

Kentucky landed its third commitment in as many days Sunday night, when Wake Forest forward Andrew Carr announced his commitment to the Wildcats. Carr chose Mark Pope's program over Texas Tech and Villanova. A 6-foot-10 power forward, Carr will bring an inside-outside skill set to Lexington. He averaged 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds for Wake Forest this past season, shooting better than 37% from 3-point range. His career with the Demon Deacons ended with a 31-point, 11-rebound effort against Georgia in the NIT. Carr began his career with two seasons at Delaware, helping lead the Fightin' Blue Hens to the NCAA tournament in 2022 after going for 17 points and 12 rebounds in the CAA title game against UNCW. He transferred to Wake Forest after that season and has averaged double figures in scoring in both seasons in Winston-Salem. Carr becomes the sixth player on Kentucky's roster and the third to commit this past weekend. San Diego State guard Lamont Butler picked...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots and defensive tackle Christian Barmore have reached agreement on a four-year deal with a maximum value of $92 million, agent Nicole Lynn told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Barmore's deal includes $41.8 million in guaranteed money, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Barmore's new deal in New England is the largest non-Tom Brady contract in Patriots franchise history. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Barmore was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Alabama (No. 38 overall). He was entering the final year of his contract in 2024 and scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.82 million. The four-year extension is through the 2028 season. "Three-years ago, Christian and I sat in the greenroom at the NFL Draft on night 1 and his name was not called. He would eventually slide to round 2, and that became one of the hardest nights of my career," Lynn posted to X. "Fast forward and now he is one of the highest paid DTs....

FRISCO, Texas -- Ezekiel Elliott is expected to agree to a one-year deal Monday with the Dallas Cowboys, sources told ESPN, reuniting him with the franchise that took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. Elliott and his agent, Rocky Arceneaux, met with the Cowboys before last week's draft and eventually ended up at the same restaurant, Dee Lincoln Prime, where the team was holding its scouts dinner before the draft. "Well, Zeke, as we all know, is one of our favorites," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Thursday. "He's laid it on the line for this franchise. He's the ultimate competitor. I mean, he's a guy that we obviously think a lot of." Having lost leading rusher Tony Pollard in free agency to the Tennessee Titans, the Cowboys are looking at going with a committee approach at running back. Dallas re-signed last year's backup, Rico Dowdle, and added veteran Royce Freeman in free agency. The...

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns began the season with championship aspirations, buoyed by the collective offensive firepower of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal -- the latest iteration of an NBA superteam led by an ultra-talented big three. But the team could never quite stay healthy, could never quite find a rhythm and never did appear as potent a threat as the Suns hoped to be. On Sunday, their underwhelming campaign concluded in disappointing fashion, as the Suns were swept out of the first round on their home floor by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who closed out the first-round series with a 122-116 win at Footprint Center. "Roster-wise, everybody talks about the firepower, but you look around the league: It comes down to the details," said Booker, who finished with a game-high 49 points. "I don't want to keep saying that, but it's a super important thing. You can't just go out there and think you're going to win off...

PHOENIX -- Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was helped off the court late in his team's series-clinching 122-116 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night with a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee after one of his players collided with him on the sideline. The collision occurred with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter of the Timberwolves' closeout win to sweep the Suns in four games. Minnesota point guard Mike Conley was driving down the court and forced out of bounds by Suns guard Devin Booker, who was called for a foul. Conley collided with Finch, who went down holding his right knee. Finch was surrounded by Timberwolves players and staff before being helped up and off the court. The team later confirmed he ruptured his patellar tendon. Finch left the arena on a cart and did not speak to the media postgame, with assistant coach Micah Nori assuming those duties.  Nori said Finch was in the medical room getting checked...

WASHINGTON -- Not playing their best hockey against an opponent full of desperation, the New York Rangers relied on a familiar recipe to move on in the NHL playoffs. Artemi Panarin scored the go-ahead goal on the power play early in the third period, Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves and the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers finished off a sweep of the Washington Capitals with a 4-2 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night to advance to the second round. "The things that we've done in the regular season over 82 games is something that we continue to do," center Mika Zibanejad said. "We've been building toward this, and I still think we can be better, but a great, hard-fought series, and it's nice [to get] a win." Trade deadline pickup Jack Roslovic sealed it with an empty-netter with 51 seconds left, and the Rangers next will face either the Carolina Hurricanes or crosstown rival New York Islanders with a spot in the Eastern...

Major League Baseball plans to address its uniform fiasco after changes this spring to the standard jerseys and pants led to widespread complaints from players and fans, according to a memo obtained Sunday night by ESPN. The prominent modifications include a return to larger lettering on the back of jerseys, remedying mismatched gray tops and bottoms and addressing the new Nike jerseys' propensity to collect sweat, according to the memo distributed to players by the MLB Players Association on Sunday. The changes, which will happen at the latest by the beginning of the 2025 season, will also include fixes to the pants, widely panned this spring for being see-through. The union informed players of the coming changes in a letter that placed the blame on Nike and the debut of its Vapor Premier uniform, which was advertised for its superior performance but remains disliked by players. "This has been entirely a Nike issue," the memo to players read. "At its core, what has happened here...

DALLAS --  Kyrie Irving's scoring brilliance allowed the Mavericks to rally from a 31-point deficit in Sunday's Game 4, but Luka Doncic blamed himself for the Clippers escaping with a series-evening 116-111 victory. Irving scored all 40 of his points after Los Angeles went up 31 midway through the second quarter, including an acrobatic layup over three Clippers defenders to give the Mavs the lead with 2:15 remaining. But Doncic struggled by his MVP-candidate standards while dealing with soreness in his right knee that caused him to be listed as questionable before the game. He finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but he shot poorly (10-of-24 from the floor, 1-of-8 from 3-point range) and was frequently exploited on the defensive end. "I just got to help him more," Doncic said of Irving. "I feel like I'm letting him down, so I got to be there. I got to help him more. He's given everything that he has, and he's been amazing for us the...

WASHINGTON -- Not playing their best hockey against an opponent full of desperation, the New York Rangers relied on a familiar recipe to move on in the NHL playoffs. Artemi Panarin scored the go-ahead goal on the power play early in the third period, Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves and the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers finished off a sweep of the Washington Capitals with a 4-2 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night to advance to the second round. "The things that we've done in the regular season over 82 games is something that we continue to do," center Mika Zibanejad said. "We've been building toward this, and I still think we can be better, but a great, hard-fought series, and it's nice (to get) a win." Trade deadline pickup Jack Roslovic sealed it with an empty-netter with 51 seconds left, and the Rangers next will face either the Carolina Hurricanes or crosstown rival New York Islanders with a spot in the Eastern...

DALLAS --  Kyrie Irving's scoring brilliance allowed the Mavericks to rally from a 31-point deficit in Sunday's Game 4, but Luka Doncic blamed himself for the Clippers escaping with a series-evening 116-111 victory. Irving scored all 40 of his points after Los Angeles went up 31 midway through the second quarter, including an acrobatic layup over three Clippers defenders to give the Mavs the lead with 2:15 remaining. But Doncic struggled by his MVP-candidate standards while dealing with soreness in his right knee that caused him to be listed as questionable. He finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but he shot poorly (10-of-24 from the floor, 1-of-8 from 3-point range) and was frequently exploited on the defensive end. "I just got to help him more," Doncic said of Irving. "I feel like I'm letting him down, so I got to be there. I got to help him more. He's given everything that he has, and he's been amazing for us the whole...

DALLAS -- The Mavericks furiously cut a 31-point Clippers lead to four entering the fourth quarter Sunday night when the Game 4 fireworks truly got underway. In a back-and-forth classic duel between the Mavericks' Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and the Clippers' Paul George and James Harden, LA somehow managed to escape Dallas with a thrilling 116-111 win to even this best-of-seven series at 2 despite not having the injured Kawhi Leonard. In the last 5:03, Doncic, Irving, Harden and George combined to score the final 34 points of the game. "It was a show," Harden said. "Like elite, skilled, Hall of Fame basketball players going at it. And it's only so much you can do defensively, you know what I mean?" Harden delivered his most crucial performance as a Clipper, scoring 33 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, to go with seven assists and six rebounds. He made 6 of 8 shots in the final quarter, five coming on floaters in...

Major League Baseball plans to address its uniform fiasco after changes this spring to the standard jerseys and pants led to widespread complaints from players and fans, according to a memo obtained Sunday night by ESPN. The most prominent modifications include a return to larger lettering on the back of jerseys, remedying mismatched gray tops and bottoms and addressing the new Nike jerseys' propensity to collect sweat, according to the memo distributed to players by the MLB Players Association on Sunday. The changes, which will happen at the latest by the beginning of the 2025 season, will also include fixes to the pants, widely panned this spring for being see-through. The union informed players of the coming changes in a letter that placed the blame on Nike and the debut of its Vapor Premier uniform, which was advertised for its superior performance but remains disliked by players. "This has been entirely a Nike issue," the memo to players read. "At its core, what has happened...

PHILADELPHIA -- After seeing a sea of  Knicks fans invade Wells Fargo Center on Sunday afternoon to watch New York take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series against his  76ers with a 97-92 win, superstar center  Joel Embiid expressed disappointment at hearing so many Knicks fans inside his home arena. "Disappointing," Embiid said, when asked about the Knicks' fan support Sunday. "I love our fans. Think it's unfortunate, and I'm not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans, and they're down the road. "[But] I've never seen it, and I've been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They've always shown up, and I don't think that should happen. Yeah, it's not OK." Throughout the game, there were cheers whenever either team did anything successful, and the Knicks and 76ers fans went back and forth trying to drown the other side...

Offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, a former first-round draft pick of the New York Jets, plans to sign a one-year deal worth up to $5.5 million with the Philadelphia Eagles, agents Alan Herman and Jared Fox told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday. The signing, which was encouraged by Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, is pending a physical, the agents said. The 6-foot-7 Becton started 16 games last season, which he considered an accomplishment given his injury history. Becton missed 33 out of 34 games in 2021 and 2022 due to two surgeries on his right knee. The Eagles needed to bolster their offensive line depth after losing Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta in free agency. Given that need, and the fact that stalwart right tackle Lane Johnson will turn 34 in May, there was talk that the Eagles would take a tackle as high as the first round in the draft, but the board didn't fall that way for Philadelphia. Stoutland has earned a high...

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was named the NBA's Coach of the Year on Sunday night, finishing ahead of Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. Daigneault, in his fourth season on Oklahoma City's sideline, piloted the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference standings despite having one of the NBA's youngest teams this season. "I've used the word uncommon with this team all year, and the reason I think they're so uncommon is they have incredible ambition," Daigneault said in an interview with TNT on Sunday. "They care about their individual careers, they work hard individually, but they also really appreciate each other's success and they root for each other, they're behind each other and we've done everything together all year." Daigneault finished as a runaway winner, claiming 89 of the 100 first-place votes and 473 total points, with Mosley -- who led Orlando back into the playoffs for the first...

PHILADELPHIA -- Fresh off setting multiple New York Knicks playoff records and powering his team to a thrilling 97-92 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of their first-round series behind a 47-point, 10-assist performance, Jalen Brunson was asked if his accomplishments are something he'll bask in now or save for later. "I'll look back when I retire," Brunson said. "Seriously. It's great right now, it helped us get a win. "But it's not going to do anything for us going forward." Knicks fans, however, will be doing plenty of basking, particularly the thousands of them who traveled down Interstate 95 to invade Wells Fargo Center on Sunday afternoon. They watched Brunson put up his latest incredible performance in a season full of them to give New York a 3-1 advantage in this best-of-seven affair. Game 5 is Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, where New York will try to advance to the second round and face either the Milwaukee...

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was shot in Sanford, Florida, shortly after midnight Sunday morning, according to the Texans. Dell was a bystander during a shooting at a private event in Sanford where authorities say a teenage gunman wounded 10 people after an altercation. A Texans spokesperson said Dell isn't seriously injured and was released from the hospital and is traveling back to Houston on Sunday. In a statement, the team said Dell has a "minor wound." "[Dell] has been released from the hospital and he is in good spirits," the Texans said. "We are in contact with him and his family and will provide more updates when appropriate but ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the incident." None of the victims in the shooting at Cabana Live in Sanford suffered life-threatening injuries, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. It said the 10 people were treated at a local...

DALLAS --   LA Clippers star  Kawhi Leonard missed Game 4 against the  Dallas Mavericks on Sunday because of the troublesome inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Leonard, who gutted out 25 minutes but did not look like his normal self in a Game 3 loss Friday, will not return to action until he is able to show that he can move the way he needs to, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Sunday. "It was very obvious that is not Kawhi Leonard," Frank said of Leonard's movements. With two days before Game 5 on Wednesday and then only one day of rest before Games 6 and 7, Leonard's return in this series is unknown. Dallas leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 entering Sunday's game. "He's extremely disappointed and frustrated," Frank said nearly two hours before the game. "It was obvious in Game 3 that his mobility was severely restricted. Organizationally, we made a decision that he's out. "The obvious question is, 'When's...

Paris Saint-Germain have clinched the Ligue 1 title after AS Monaco's away loss to Lyon on Sunday, putting them on 12 league wins in the club's history. PSG were held to a surprise 3-3 draw against Le Havre on Saturday, meaning they had to rely on second-placed Monaco not winning if they were to be crowned champions this weekend. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Despite the draw on Saturday for PSG, Monaco's loss left them on 59 points -- 11 behind the total of 70 PSG have in the bag -- putting the title out of reach for the chasers with only three games left in the season. The French giants remain on track to win all four of the trophies available to them this season in what is likely to be star forward Kylian Mbappé's final term at the club. The Parisian club have now won 10 of the past 13 championships since their takeover by the state-backed Qatari Sports Investment in 2011. It means defending...

TORONTO -- Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews is still feeling the effects of an illness that forced him from the third period of Toronto's 3-1 loss in Game 4 of Toronto's first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Bruins on Saturday. Matthews had played through the sickness in Game 3 -- which the Leafs lost 4-2 -- and battled it again in Game 4 until Toronto's team doctors pulled him out of action for the final frame. The Leafs now face elimination from the postseason in Game 5 on Tuesday, and there's no guarantee Matthews will be well enough to dress for the crucial contest. "We thought the last couple of days would help us," coach Sheldon Keefe said after Toronto's team meeting Sunday. "But, for whatever reason, it's not one of those run-of-the-mill type of illnesses that sort of comes and goes. This one has lingered, and the effects have lingered and gotten worse when he's got on the ice and is asserting himself." Keefe said he hoped the extra...

Kansas State football landed Colorado's leading rusher from last season, as running back Dylan Edwards committed to the Wildcats on Sunday, a source confirmed to ESPN. Edwards also appeared to confirm the news, posting a photo of himself in a Kansas State uniform on X. As a true freshman, Edwards rushed for 321 yards for the Buffaloes in 2023. He also caught 36 passes for 299 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those receiving touchdowns came in his Colorado debut, when the Buffaloes knocked off TCU 45-42 in the season opener. Edwards was ranked the No. 140 overall recruit in last year's class. The Derby, Kansas, native committed to play for both Kansas State and Notre Dame before signing with new Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Edwards will likely play behind Kansas State running back DJ Giddens, who rushed for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, while also giving the Wildcats a proven receiving threat out of the backfield. Kansas State...

Mikel Arteta said that  Arsenal are ready to push Manchester City to the final day of the season but warned his players not to get carried away by Sunday's 3-2 win at Tottenham. Arsenal raced to a 3-0 lead through a Pierre-Emile Højbjerg own goal in addition to strikes from Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz before Spurs mounted a second-half comeback that cut the lead to one. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Asked before City beat Nottingham Forest later in the day whether the victory was evidence his squad is ready to fight until the very end, Arteta, who registered his 100th league win as a manager, said: "Yeah, 100%. I've seen that the whole season. "They give me the reason to believe that every single day. We are right on it. The motivation for what is ahead is beautiful. We are all expecting that they're going to have a real go." Arsenal fell away when leading the title...

DALLAS -- The LA Clippers have ruled out Kawhi Leonard for Game 4 on Sunday because of the troublesome inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Leonard, who gutted out 25 minutes but did not look like his normal self in a Game 3 loss Friday, will not return to action until he is able to show that he can move the way he needs to, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Sunday. "It was very obvious that is not Kawhi Leonard," Frank said of Leonard's movements. With two days before Game 5 on Wednesday and then only one day of rest before Games 6 and 7, Leonard's return in this series is unknown. Dallas leads the best-of-seven series 2-1 entering Sunday's game. "He's extremely disappointed and frustrated," Frank said nearly two hours before the game. "It was obvious in Game 3 that his mobility was severely restricted. Organizationally, we made a decision that he's out. "The obvious question is, 'When's he coming back?' I can't tell...

All-time women's basketball great Candace Parker announced her retirement on social media Sunday, marking the end of a career for one of the sport's best players and, for nearly two decades, one of the faces of the game. "I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it," Parker posted to Instagram. "The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it." Parker, 38, dealt with a left foot injury during the 2023 season -- her first with the Las Vegas Aces -- before ultimately being sidelined for the rest of the campaign and undergoing surgery. The final game of her Hall of Fame career was July 7. Parker, who had initially re-signed with the Aces on Feb. 7 to a one-year deal, said in her Instagram post Sunday that her foot "isn't cooperating." "It's no fun playing in pain (10 surgeries in my career) it's no fun knowing what you could do, if...

Manchester City took another step in their bid to win a fourth consecutive Premier League title with a 2-0 victory over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland on target. Pep Guardiola's men kept the pressure on leaders Arsenal, pulling to within a point of Arsenal -- who held on to win 3-2 at Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the day -- in the table with a game in hand. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Gvardiol got City on the scoreboard when he headed in Kevin De Bruyne's corner kick in the 32nd minute in a nervous first half that saw Forest miss a couple of terrific chances. Haaland made a quick impact when he entered the game as a substitute in his first action since missing two matches with a muscle injury. The Norwegian took a pass from De Bruyne in the 71st minute and launched it into the far corner for a league-leading 21st goal of the...

Lyon grabbed a superb 2-1 win at Paris Saint-Germain in their all-French women's Champions League semifinal second leg on Sunday to complete a 5-3 aggregate win that secured them a final showdown against Barcelona in Bilbao on May 25. With Lyon having overturned a 2-0 deficit to win the first leg 3-2 after a thrilling comeback, fullback Selma Bacha netted their first goal in the third minute, catching the PSG keeper unawares and drilling a low shot into the bottom right corner. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The home side struck back four minutes before the break through striker Tabitha Chawinga, who picked up the ball outside the box before advancing and lashing a left-footed effort across the goal and in at the far post for her fifth Champions League goal of the season. Eight-time champions Lyon wasted a number of good second-half chances before Melchie Dumornay finally slotted home...

Former Ivy League Player of the Year Kaitlyn Chen has committed to UConn as a transfer out of Princeton, she announced on social media Sunday. Chen spent the past three seasons under former UConn player Carla Berube, earning first-team all-Ivy honors in 2023 and 2024. The senior, whose freshman season in 2020-21 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was unable to use her final year of eligibility at Princeton, as Ivy League rules stipulate graduate students cannot participate in athletics. The 5-foot-9 guard from San Marino, California, averaged 15.8 points, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game last season on her way to earning a nod as a WBCA honorable mention All-American. The season prior, in her Ivy League Player of the Year campaign, she averaged 16.2 points per game. Chen helped the Tigers to three Ivy League tournament championships, earning Most Outstanding Player each time, and three NCAA tournament appearances. The Tigers have won at...