Fans are warned to leave their seats due to an incoming storm during France's World Cup game against Iraq (FRANCK FIFE)Fans at the 2026 World Cup in North America had been warned there was a possibility that games could be disrupted by bad weather. On Monday, that likelihood came true with a vengeance as lightning flashed across the sky above Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and torrential rain soaked spectators at France's game against Iraq, forcing play to be halted for more than two hours.It was the first time that a match at the tournament has had to be paused due to the weather.Fans at the stadium tried to make the best of the situation, although they were surprised by the strictness of the protocol.After Canadian referee Drew Fischer sent the 22 players back to the dressing rooms for half-time, with France leading 1-0 thanks to a Kylian Mbappe goal, an urgent message flashed up on the scoreboards: "Please exit the open seating area and seek shelter in covered areas of the stadium."The approximately 70,000 spectators, many already in ponchos and rain coats, filed out and, in little more than 15 minutes, the concourses of "the Linc" resembled a huge train station on a holiday travel day.Antoine Chouraqui, a Frenchman who has lived in the United States for a decade, took the development in stride."There are storms in the summer here. I've never had to evacuate a stadium, but I play tennis and often we're in the middle of a match when the alarm goes off warning that lightning is coming, and we have to leave the court," he told AFP.A fan from Paris though was baffled by the order to leave the stands."We don't really know what to do; we haven't been given many instructions," said the man, who declined to give his name, as he stood with his two sons."I've never seen that in 40 years of football. In France we don't stop a match for rain."The rain poured and poured, soaking any fans who lingered in the seats."We brought the ponchos, we were ready," said Steven Jouan, 32, who had come to Philadelphia from South Carolina with his partner for the game to support France."We have been to different sporting events before so we knew that delays happen. Most of the other games get cancelled but a World Cup game, you just gotta stick it out."- 'With $400 tickets, I'm staying' -Spectators used the interruption to try to dry off, chat, and shop, whether it was food, drinks, jerseys, scarves, or whatever other merchandise they could find.There was no chance of fans leaving though -- with the cost of tickets to this World Cup, they wanted to get their money's worth."I've already left an interrupted MLS match before," said Axel Francon, who has lived in Colorado for four years. "But here, at $400 a ticket, I'm staying." Pierre Prondeau and Morgane Granger stayed too, "after travelling 6,000 kilometers" to attend France's first two World Cup matches. "We're making the best of a bad situation, but the match better not be postponed because we won't be able to change our return tickets," Prondeau said.Eventually the lightning stopped flashing and an announcement was made that the game would restart at 8:00 pm local time (0000 GMT Tuesday). France went on to win 3-0. The Club World Cup in the United States last year, which served as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, saw six matches delayed because of extreme weather conditions, including eventual winners Chelsea's game against Benfica in the round of 16 in Charlotte, which was halted for four and a half hours.Scientists say this is a phenomenon that could become increasingly common as greenhouse gases continue to warm the planet.lh-as/gj/jgc

HOUSTON, TX - JUNE 20: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros fields a ball during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Saturday, June 20, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images Eighty games are officially in the books. The Astros have been victorious in 37 of them, after dropping the opening contest of their 7-game road trip in Toronto by a score of 4-2. Prior to exiting in the 6th inning with an apparent leg injury, Jeremy Pena would start off things on a positive note. Pena led off the game with a single, stole a pair of bases and eventually came around to score on a hit from Isaac Paredes. For Paredes it was his 38th RBI of the season. Houston would threaten further but Yainer Diaz grounded into an inning ending double play. After the escape, Jays pitcher Dylan Cease would get on a roll, retiring the next 14 batters he faced. For the night, he’d strike out 8 in total. In the bottom of the second, Kazuma Okamoto would notch his 17th home run of the year, tying the game at 1-1. Hunter Brown would grind out three innings of work, delivering 85 pitches. Brown would strike out four, walk two and surrender four hits on the night. AJ Blubaugh would take the reins in the fourth inning and immediately run into trouble. Andres Gimenez would single, George Springer would walk and then an error by Raynel Delgado would allow Nathan Lukes to reach safely, loading the bases. Vladimir Guerrero would hit a sac fly to bring in Gimenez, and with that the Blue Jays would take their first lead of the evening at 2 to 1. Unfortunately for the Astros, Jeremy Pena would leave tonight’s game in the top of the 6th mid-at bat. After fouling a ball off, he was removed from the game. He was seen flexing his right leg, which is he same leg he had suffered a hamstring injury on earlier this year. After the game, manager Joe Espada said he had a cramp in his left leg and that was why he was removed. However, in the top of the 6th, the Astros would tie things up at 2-2 and chase Dylan Cease from the game. Jose Altuve would work some two out magic, bringing home Yordan Alvarez who reached with a walk. However, it would be short lived as in the bottom of the 7th, Okamoto would do further damage, with a double deep to left field which placed Daulton Varsho to third. Former Astro Myles Straw would then come up and bring in Varsho on a sac fly giving Toronto the lead once again at 3-2. Brice Matthews and Yordan Alvarez would start the 8th with back-to-back singles, but that momentum quickly evaporated after Christian Walker grounded into a double play.Toronto would add an insurance run in the 8th on a sac fly from Alejandro Kirk. That would represent their third sacrifice RBI of the game and bring the final result of 4-2. Louis Varland would come on to close things out. For Varland, it’s his 8th save of the month. Odds & Ends:Yordan Alvarez would play left field in consecutive games for the first time this season. Peter Lambert will take the hill tomorrow afternoon with a 3:07 pm first pitch. The earlier start time is due to a World Cup match between Croatia and Panama taking place nearby.

Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is hoping to add an NBA team for Las Vegas to his pro sports portfolio.On the 10th anniversary of his landing an NHL franchise for Las Vegas, Bill Foley is ready to do it again. This time with an NBA team.Foley, whose Black Knight Sports and Entertainment company owns the Golden Knights, announced Monday that the financial giant Morgan Stanley will be working with Foley and his investors to acquire an NBA expansion franchise that would be scheduled to begin play in 2028."Las Vegas has earned its place among the great sports cities in America, and an NBA team belongs here," Foley said in a statement released by the Golden Knights. "We built the Golden Knights into a championship organization from the ground up, and we are prepared to do it again — with the same standard, the same commitment to this community, and the same insistence on winning.“We have the market, a proven world-class arena, and a best-in-class organization in place. Our intention is to be ready the day the NBA is ready.”When Foley entered the NHL on June 22, 2016, he and his group paid $500 million, a record at the time for an expansion team. For the NBA, the price tag is expected to be considerably higher. Estimates have the fee at $4 billion. Both Las Vegas and Seattle are being considered for the NBA to grow from its current 30 teams to 32 come 2028. The league has said a decision will be made before the end of the calendar year. "This is the NBA's decision to make," Foley said. "Our job is to provide the league a Las Vegas option that is ready, credible, and built to last.”With Morgan Stanley on board, it should put at ease any financial concerns the league’s Board of Governors may have. The company is valued at $70 billion. Foley expects the group to include a limited number of strategic and minority partners,selected for alignment with the franchise's long-term vision and for their fit under league ownership policy.In addition, Foley has retained the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP to advise the group on the NBA expansion effort.However, don’t expect NBA greats Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James to be involved. Both have said publicly they will not be part of a Las Vegas ownership group after previously expressing interest in being involved. The Golden Knights have been one of the most successful stories in North American professional sports. In the nine years of existence, the team has been to the Stanley Cup Final three times, including earlier this month where they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games. The Knights made the Cup Final in their inaugural season of 2017-18, losing to the Washington Capitals. But in 2023, Foley’s prediction of “Cup In Six” was fulfilled when the Knights defeated the Florida Panthers to win the Cup.The team has played to beyond capacity for virtually its entire existence at T-Mobile Arena. Foley has said that regardless of whether the NBA comes to Las Vegas, he was prepared to invest $300 million to upgrade the arena, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in April. With Foley now bidding to bring the NBA to town, you can expect that process to be expedited. According to CNBC, the Golden Knights franchise is currently worth $2.1 billion, ranking 13th in the NHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the highest valued of the NHL’s 32 teams at $4.3 billion.An update on expansion is expected next month when the NBA’s Board of Governors holds its annual meeting in Las Vegas in conjunction with the NBA Summer League.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 24 points and nine assists, Kelsey Mitchell scored 22 points, and the Indiana Fever overcame a 13-point, first-quarter deficit to beat the Phoenix Mercury 86-77 on Monday night.Indiana scored just six points in the first quarter, tied for its fewest in any quarter since 2018 and its fewest in the first since 2016. The Fever responded with a 35-point second quarter — the second-most they’ve scored in a quarter this season — to tie the game 41-all at the break. Clark scored 15 in the second quarter.The Fever outscored Phoenix 30-11 in the third and held off a late charge in a chippy fourth that saw six technical fouls handed out between the two teams. Myisha Hines-Allen was ejected after picking up her second technical foul.Clark and Mitchell made 16 of Indiana's 27 field goals, including six 3-pointers. Monique Billings finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the year for Indiana (10-7), which snapped a two-game skid. Aliyah Boston was held to eight points on 2-of-9 shooting. Clark has the most consecutive 20-point, five-assist games in WNBA history with six. Kahleah Copper scored 20 points for Phoenix (5-12), and Alyssa Thomas had 19 points, five rebounds and nine assists. Thomas became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 500 assists with a franchise, surpassing Clark in four fewer games. She also moved to 13th on the WNBA's career steals list.Up nextThe Fever host the Mercury again on Wednesday.___AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

WASHINGTON (AP) — Curtis Mead and Luis Garcia Jr. homered, Foster Griffin pitched 7 1/3 strong innings and the Nationals beat the Phillies 4-1 on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series between the division rivals.Dylan Crews, James Wood and Keibert Ruiz each had a double and a single for Washington, which had lost three of four.Griffin (8-2) gave up a run on four hits and struck out nine without a walk. He has gone five or more innings and allowed one earned run in each of his past four starts.Clayton Beeter pitched the ninth for his sixth save.Brandon Marsh homered for Philadelphia, which had won two straight and four of six.The start of the game was delayed one hour and 32 minutes by rain.Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, who went a combined 12 for 17 over their past two games with six homers (four by Schwarber) went 2 for 8 with Harper singling twice.Washington’s CJ Abrams saw his home run streak end at three games. Nasim Nuñez singled twice and has hit safely in eight straight games and reached base safely in a career-high 14 straight.Marsh's homer in the seventh pulled the Phillies within 2-1, but Wood singled and Mead followed with a two-run shot in the bottom half. Wood doubled leading off the first against opener Tim Mayza and scored on a single by Crews.Garcia homered off Alan Rangel with one out in the second to make it 2-0.Mayza (2-2) allowed one run in one inning and bulk reliever Rangel, recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, allowed a run on five hits over five innings.Up nextPhiladelphia’s Jesús Luzardo (6-4, 4.20 ERA) pitches the second game of the series, while the Nationals will start Zack Littell (6-6, 5.45).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Jun 22, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Myles Straw (3), center fielder Daulton Varsho (5), and right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) celebrate the win against the Houston Astros at the end of the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Astros 2 Blue Jays 4We really should have scored more. It is funny how that line just types itself at the top of recaps. But we are back at .500, and, amazingly, hold the third Wild Card spot. Dylan Cease had a nice night. 5.2 innings, 3 hits, 2 earned, 4 walks and 8 strikeouts. He had a tough first inning, single, walk, strikeout, single, walk and finally double play. All that added up to just 1 run.Then he got the next 13 batters out. Cease had some trouble again in the sixth. With 1 out, he handed out 2 walks. After a line out (thanks for catching it, Jesús Sánchez. He never fills me with confidence in the outfield). After a visit from John Schneider, Jose Altuve hit a single (just cleared the infielders, but not hit hard enough to reach the outfielders). After that, Cease came out of the game. Unfortunately, that run cost Cease a W. Dylan threw 110 pitches, which is a lot these days. Braydon Fisher got the last out of the inning. And pitched a perfect seventh. Nice work, Braydon.Tyler Rogers gave up a pair of singled to start the eighth, but then got a double play (very nicely turned, Ernie Clement to Andrés Giménez to Vladimir Guerrero. After a walk, another ground out ended the inning.And Louis Varland, despite a leadoff walk, picked up his 16th save. Helped out by another nice double play, former Jay, Joey Loperfido ground to Giménez, who threw to Clement, who turned it to Vlad. A strikeout ended the game. Offensively, we had 11 hits and 5 walks, which should have added up to more than 4 runs.In the first: With 2 outs, Vlad and Kirk had singles, but no runs scored.In the second: Kazuma Okamoto led off with a home run. Then, with two outs, Giménez was hit by pitch and George Springer singled…..but Nathan Lukes struck out to end the inning.In the third: With two outs, we loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a hit batter, but didn’t score.In the fourth: A Giménez single, a Springer walk and a Lukes sac bunt, that the Astros decided not to accept, allowing Nathan to reach on error, loaded the bases with no outs. Finally we were going to have our big inning. Vlad hit a sac fly, ok, starting with a run, no worries (with the worst throw from the outfield that we’ve seen all year, from Yordan Alvarez). A Kirk fly out (way too short to score a run. It was a rough at bat, swinging at the first pitch that was well outside and low, and then at another pitch off the plate for the fly out). And Daulton Varsho also flied out. Oh well, we were up 2-1.In the fifth: A one-out walk (Sánchez) and single (Clement) were wasted with a Giménez double play ball.In the sixth….we had our first three up, three down inning. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos looked terrific.In the seventh: With one out, Varsho singled and Okamoton doubled him to third. A Myles Straw sac fly scored our third run. Then Clement walked (his second this month!). But Giménez struck out to end it.In the eighth: Singles from Springer, Lukes, and Vlad loaded the bases. Kirk hit a sac fly to give us a 2-run lead. But, yet another double play ball ended the inning. Springer, Vlad and Okamoto (with his 17th home run) had two hits each. Every starter reached base at least once. Sanchez was the only starter not to get a hit, but he walked and was hit by pitch. Jays of the Day: Okamoto (0.24), Fisher (0.16) and Rogers (0.12) had the number. Let’s give an honorable mention to Varland for the save.No one had the number for the other award. Kirk had the low mark at -0.08.Tomorrow we have a 4:00 start time. I don’t understand why. It isn’t a travel day, the Astros are still here on Wednesday. Shane Bieber gets his first start of the season. Peter Lambert (6-4, 3.23) starts for the Astros. The Recap will likely be late, as I’ve got the MS Bike Ride this weekend and I have to get some riding in (if we can do without rain for a day) before hand. I plan to

The Brooklyn Nets finished the 2025-26 NBA season with a 20-62 record that made it clear that the team had a long way to go to improve before next season. While Brooklyn has been allowing everyone to speculate when it comes to who they will be taking with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, they have also decided to make waves before the event even begins.ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday night that the Nets traded center Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls in a three-team deal in which they received forward Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Assuming that the details are final as of this writing, the Timberwolves received the No. 33 pick from the Nets while the Bulls appear to have just received Claxton.Claxton, 27, is coming off one of the best seasons of his seven-year career as he averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 57.1% from the field and 61.6% from the free-throw line. Over the course of a tough rebuilding season, Claxton showed more of his ability to pass the basketball as one of the hubs within head coach Jordi Fernandez's offense and now, he'll try to be that kind of player for the Bulls.Randle, 31, had a solid season for Minnesota as he averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the floor and 31.5% from deep. For his ability, Randle is on a fairly-valuable contract as he is due $69 million over the next two years and while he would be the oldest player on the roster, he could provide a veteran presence while showing the ropes to the younger players on the team.With Brooklyn getting the No. 28 pick, it's fair to wonder who they will be targeting with the pick given they have been connected to players expected to be taken early in the Lottery. Even someone like Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., whom the Nets recently brought in for a workout, is generally expected to be taken closer to the Lottery than the second round. For context, Bleacher Report's consensus mock draft has Duke guard Isaiah Evans being taken with the No. 28 pick.The Nets make the move that some have anticipated by trading Nic Claxton to the Bulls while acquiring Julius Randle and the 28th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft for the 33rd pick. Randle, 31, averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 48% shooting from the field. https://t.co/5DtEzD6ygN— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) June 23, 2026Timberwolves free up significant salary with the remaining two years of Randle's deal, giving them more flexibility to retain Ayo Dosunmu and use exceptions. Nets acquire a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA forward in Randle into their cap space -- plus a first-rounder.… https://t.co/c3gcHfZpEg— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets trade Nic Claxton to Bulls, receive Julius Randle from T'Wolves

This man quit his job rather than face Marquette in each of the next two seasons. | Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images On Monday, news broke that the Dallas Mavericks are hiring Michigan men’s basketball head coach Dusty May as the NBA team’s new head coach. It’s clearly a big deal in the college basketball world, as May just guided the Wolverines to the national championship back in early April, and now, just over two months later, he’s gone after assembling a roster that BartTorvik.com has projected at #9 in the country in the preseason rankings.There’s a lot of angles to this one, so you might be wondering: What’s the Marquette angle since this is a Marquette Golden Eagles-themed website?Well, that’s pretty simple.View this post on InstagramThat post is from April, but we’ve known since March that Marquette would visit Michigan for the front end of a home-and-home series in the 2026-27 season, which will then be followed by the Wolverines coming to Milwaukee in 2027-28. When news got out that the game was on the schedule, it seemed that it might be a rough go of things for the Golden Eagles to play at Crisler Arena next season. By the time MU announced the date for the visit to Michigan, the Wolverines already had their national championship trophy in hand, thus making that rough climb even steeper.But now Dusty May has left Michigan. By default, no matter who is running the show for the Wolverines by the time we get to November — it seems like it will be assistant coach Mike Boynton, either as an interim or as the new full time head coach — the Wolverines will be worse off without May calling the shots. On top of that, once Michigan has officially made the move to replace May, the players on the roster are entitled to a limited transfer portal window. There’s no guarantee that anyone will stick around in Ann Arbor now that May is gone. Odds are that the roster won’t change all that much if we’re being honest. Michigan’s not poor, and most of the good roster spots at other top teams have been occupied for a long while now. May as well just stick it out with Not Dusty May as the coach until the spring at the very least…… but it would be naive to presume that everyone will stay, right?So, to review: Michigan’s going to be worse off without MayBoynton has a record of just 119-109 as a head coach with a 51-75 mark in Big 12 play in seven seasons at Oklahoma StateThe Wolverines will probably lose at least one player to the transfer portal now that the situation that they agreed to originally has changed.I’m not saying that things are set up perfectly for Marquette to go 2-0 against Michigan in this series now. I am saying that it has gotten MUCH easier for Marquette to go 2-0 in the series. Maybe they’re still going to lose at Crisler in November. I still feel much better about the Golden Eagles’ chances.Follow Anonymous Eagle on social mediaFacebook: AnonymousEagleInstagram: AnonymousEagleSBNBluesky: AnonymousEagle

DENVER, CO - JUNE 22: Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies hits a three-RBI triple for a walk-off 3-2 win in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field on June 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images LOL. LMAO even. The Sox never trailed until the final run crossed the plate, having built a 2-0 win methodically over the previous eight innings. This was a Little League-ass game (complimentary enough): Against starting pitchers neither team could do much, but the Sox eventually broke through on a sixth-inning RBI double by Willson Contreras. Caleb Durbin followed with another RBI the same inning. And that was all to write home about except a great start from Jake Bennett and an appearance by old friend Brennan Bernardino.The first danger the Sox faced was in the eighth, when Garrett Whitlock gave up four straight one-out singles and escaped by the Sox throwing out guys at home and second. Just gnarly stuff, and the spider moment from Lord of the Rings, right? That one final major roadblock? Au contraire, because Aroldis Chapman gave up four straight hits — the first three were singles, the third was a bunt, the fourth a double to clear the bases and win it — and it was over in the blink of an eye, even after a short game (it was 2:20 in real time to play the whole thing). The first seven of the eight straight hits to end it were singles. Let tonight forever be known as the game the Red Sox gave up eight straight hits to end it to fall into a lead for the fewest wins in the league… tied with the Rockies. That’s some shit!BOX

DENVER, CO - JUNE 22: Jake McCarthy #31 of the Colorado Rockies hits a three-RBI triple for a walk-off 3-2 win in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Coors Field on June 22, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images Rockies 3, Red Sox 2Leverage index and box scoreGraphics via FanGraphs.Jake McCarthy!: Jake McCarthy, +0.41 WPAChapbad: Aroldis Chapman, -0.88 WPAGame thread comment of the dayJoin the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 18: Cade Smith #36 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Thursday, June 18, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kylie Bridenhagen/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images What a stupid game baseball is. White Sox 6, Guardians 5. I can’t take much more of this.The Guardians looked hopeless for six innings against a bad pitcher in Anthony Kay. The White Sox had a homer and scratched another run home off of Gavin Williams who went six. Tim Herrin gave up a homer to Randal Grichuk whom the Guardians could have had off waivers but couldn’t find room for because they have Stuart Fairchild. 3-0 White Sox.Then, the Guardians somehow tied the game. Steven Kwan, Daniel Schneemann and Travis Bazzana got on base and Stephen Vogt pinch-hit Kahlil Watson for David Fry and it worked! Watson got his first major league hit and it scored two runs. Then Rhys Hoskins hit a single and I have no idea why third base coach Rouglas Odor held Watson at third but he did and so the Guardians only scored three runs. 3-3.The White Sox got a hustle double on a groundball not hard hit by one of their Montgomeries off of Sean Armstrong. And then he scored on a stupid broken bat groundball that Hoskins misplayed either because he had bat shards flying at him or because of the English on the ball or because he is a bad defender. Or all of the above.BUT the Guardians took the lead back on a Travis Bazzana walk, then two steals to get to third on a wild pitch, and a Patrick Bailey single, followed by a Brayan Rocchio double that (after a horrendous at-bat from Rhys Hoskins against a Seranthony Dominguez incapable of throwing strikes) resulted in Bailey barely scoring on a Kyle Manzardo sacrifice fly. 5-4 good guys.Now, needless to say, Gabriel Arias, batting sixth, struck out to end this two-run 9th inning. Arias struck out five times, including one in the first where the catcher completely missed the ball and Arias could have made it to first and caused a run to score but he was too busy lazily making his way to the dugout. I have not despised a Guardians player as much as I have Arias in a good while.Cade Smith had worked a scoreless eighth for some reason, so Stephen Vogt brought him out for the 9th. And of course he gave up a BABIP double who scored on a pitch that the one super Italian-sounding White Sox player hit for a single around his eyeballs to win the game. Yay, White Sox, you’re division leaders again.Travis Bazzana was great, Brayan Rocchio was great. Congratulations to Kahlil Watson on your first major league hit. Now, I am going to try to go to sleep and try not to dread watching this team again tomorrow.

Jon Krawczynski: Naz Reid is going to be the starting power forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first time in his career. This move is a big statement of belief in Reid and Jaden McDaniels to take the next steps in their development.x.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Naz Reid could be the starting power forward for Wolves after Julius Randle trade

Yossi Gozlan: The Bulls will use $23.1 million of their cap space to acquire Nic Claxton. They go from from $54 million in cap space to $30.9 million in room remaining. They would still have the $9.4 million room mid-level to use after. Great business getting him essentially for free.x.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bulls will use $23.1 million of their cap space to …

Indiana Fever superstar guard Caitlin Clark is three technical fouls away from a one-game suspension.Clark picked up her fifth tech of the season on Monday night during a brouhaha with the Phoenix Mercury, one that apparently came on "clapping and instigating" according to Clark's interaction with one of the game's refs."We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I’m gonna be suspended for if I’m gonna get technicals for clapping," an animated Clark told reporters after the game as she was questioning the tech. Clark was not happy with the call, which is pretty par for the course for how she usually reacts to calls that don't go her way. It's part of the competitive spirit. However, this time, she's got a point over the call being questionable.There is league precedent from this season for a player getting a technical foul rescinded over clapping. Dallas Wings superstar guard Paige Bueckers recently had a tech waved off over clapping. #Fever star Caitlin Clark called her fifth tech of the season “ridiculous.” 8 techs = one-game suspension.“We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game that I’m gonna be suspended for if I’m gonna get technicals for clapping.”CC called out official Gerda Gatling. pic.twitter.com/n8pMon1qqP— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 23, 2026Whether or not the league erases this Clark tech is beyond us; they might not because of the dust-up that led to the call. However, Clark will have to be careful not to keep the techs coming with three more leading to a one-game sit. When do the Fever and Mercury play again?Wednesday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Bring your popcorn.This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why Caitlin Clark's latest tech leaves her closer to 1-game suspension

DENVER (AP) — Jake McCarthy hit a three-run triple down the left-field line in the ninth inning and the Colorado Rockies rallied to beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Monday night.The Rockies started the inning with three straight singles off All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman (0-3) before McCarthy sent a liner that hit off the wall and bounded away from left fielder Jarren Duran. The carom allowed Cole Carrigg to slide in headfirst with the winning run. Soon after, McCarthy was swarmed by excited teammates.Colorado's rally offset a pair of baserunning blunders that ended the eighth. The Rockies had a runner thrown out at home and another get tagged out after being caught between second and third base when a runner in front of him stopped at third. McCarthy's ninth-inning heroics spoiled a stellar outing by Red Sox rookie Jake Bennett, who threw six sharp innings while striking out nine. He allowed four hits. Boston took a 2-0 lead in the sixth courtesy of an RBI double from Willson Contreras and a run-scoring single from Caleb Durbin.Colorado starter Ryan Feltner threw six solid innings, allowing two runs. Victor Vodnik (2-2) earned the win by pitching two scoreless innings.Mickey Moniak had a pinch-hit single in the eighth in his first game for Colorado since May 21. He was on the injured list with ankle tendinitis. The Rockies had homered in 13 straight games. Up nextThe Red Sox will send right-hander Sonny Gray (8-1, 3.12 ERA) to the mound Tuesday night. The Rockies counter with lefty Sean Sullivan (0-1, 10.29).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Jun 22, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; The North Carolina Tar Heels bench watches action against the Oklahoma Sooners during the fourth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images An abysmal middle-inning stretch saw Carolina baseball come up short of a national championship yet again, losing to Oklahoma 13-2 in the deciding third game of the College World Series finals.The Tar Heels are now in sole possession of second-most CWS appearances by teams without a title at 13. Florida State holds the top spot with 24. The Sooners took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, scoring on a Kyle Branch single and a wild pitch. In the bottom of the frame, UNC complemented its defensive misstep with an offensive one; Rom Kellis V hit a single to right field with two outs that should have scored Erik Paulsen from second, but Carter French was thrown out trying to go from first to third, ending the inning with OU’s lead intact. Oklahoma added another run in the top of the third on a two-out single by Brendan Brock immediately after Walker McDuffie relieved starting pitcher Jackson Rose. This time, the Tar Heels were able to answer in the bottom of the inning, but they still left a lot on the table. A Gavin Gallaher RBI single made it 3-1 and gave Carolina runners on the corners with one out, prompting the Sooners to relieve starting pitcher Nick Wesloski with LJ Mercurius, who retired the next two batters.The wheels fully came off for UNC in the fourth inning. McDuffie issued three straight walks to load the bases and was pulled for Caden Glauber, who walked in a run and allowed a two-RBI single before he himself was pulled for Matthew Matthijs. Matthijs got Carolina out of the inning without further damage but gave up a leadoff home run to Dayton Tockey in the fifth. Branch drove in two more runs for Oklahoma in the sixth on a bases-loaded single with two outs (Folger Boaz gave up that one).Offensively, UNC had almost no answer for Mercurius, managing just one baserunner in the middle innings. Owen Hull drove in a run off of him in the seventh, which was negated and then some by an OU four-spot in the eighth (Dasan Harris hit an RBI single and Branch hit a three-run home run). Mercurius’ final line was four hits and one earned run with zero walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings. He was credited with the win as Oklahoma claimed its third national championship and first since 1994. Carolina used a total of eight pitchers, with Rose taking the loss. Only Glauber, Boaz, and Kyle Percival (who pitched the ninth inning) were not tagged with an earned run.

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 1989: Influential British rockers New Order (L -R) bassist Peter Hook, keyboardist Gillian Gilbert, lead vocalist/guitarist Bernard Sumner and drummer Stephen Morris pose for an October 1989 portrait in New York City, New York. (Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images) | Getty Images Record: 39-39. Pace: 81-81. Change on 2025: -1.I suppose we should have predicted a one-run game here, and it may not be the last in the series. Coming in, the D-backs and Cardinals were first and equal second (with the Dodgers) for the most one run games in the National League. Arizona were 13-12, and St. Louis 13-10. Both those numbers now tick up a point in the appropriate direction. The D-backs’ recent string of futility with runners in scoring position continued. While they pulled back from three runs down to close within one, they were unable to get the big when they needed it. The runs scored on a solo home-run by Tommy Troy, and a groundout by ex-Cardinal Nolan Arenado, but Arizona went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.I would not have bet on a one-run game three batters into the bottom of the first, however. With a possible bullpen game looming on the horizon, the last thing the Diamondbacks needed was a short outing from Merrill Kelly. It looked like one could be on the Cards (pun very much intended), as Kelly allowed back-to-back singles, followed by a walk, to load the bases before getting around to retiring a home hitter. However, disaster was averted in two pitches, as Jordan Walker (5th in the NL for homers coming in), lined out to Geraldo Perdomo and the next pitch saw Lars Nootbaar (1st in the NL for name that’s most fun to say) hit into a double-play.View LinkUnfortunately, that basically used up all Arizona’s luck points for the evening. That much was spectacularly clear in the third inning, after Ketel Marte singled to lead things off. Perdomo then hit into what was a potential double-play, but Masyn Winn’s screaming throw to first skidded past the first baseman. Geraldo then tried to take second, but appears to have been blown over by the shockwave from Wynn’s throw (above). That’s the only way to explain him eating dirt, on his way to the old 4-6-3-6-2 double-play, where both of the outs were made at second-base. After that, it really didn’t feel like it was going to be the D-backs’ night. The bottom of the third proved it. A lead-off single almost drilled Kelly, and the runner came around to score on a perfectly-placed infield hit with an expected batting average of just .060. That was the first of the Cardinals’ two hits with RISP tonight, and gave them a 1-0 lead. At least it was followed by another double-play, this one sweetly turned by Arenado. Speaking of whom, he got a very nice reception from the St. Louis fans when he stepped to the plate in the second inning. Perhaps a little surprising, considering how much their team is paying for him to be on the Arizona roster, this year and next. But they appear to be mostly intent on remembering the good times, like 2022 when he was 3rd in MVP voting behind some “Goldschmidt” guy.The Cardinals added to their lead in the fourth, after a lead-off walk came home on a sacrifice fly, and a two-out RBI single followed for a 3-0 lead. That was the end of the damage against Kelly, who was able to deliver a quality start, by the bare minimum in both metrics: exactly six innings pitched, with precisely three earned runs allowed. He allowed seven hits, all of which were singles, but walked three and struck out just two of the 26 batters faced. That’s a K-rate of 5.23 per nine innings, one of the worst by any everyday pitcher in the majors this year. His K:BB ratio is 1.42, compared to 3.48 last season, and that’s surely one of the main reasons for his struggles.View LinkThe Diamondbacks were able to make something of a game of it. They got on the board on the sixth. Corbin Carroll led off with a double off the wall in right, which would have been a home-run in 21 parks. He scored anyway, on a pair of groundouts. There was no such doubt about Arizona’s second run, coming courtesy of Tommy Troy’s third home-run of the year (above) in the seventh inning. It was a no-doubter, estimated at 444 feet. That’s the third-longest by any Arizona batter this year, trailing a 448 ft Carroll shot (at Coors, so give it a *), and a 452 ft. monster by Marte in San Francisco. Not bad for a kid playing only his 25th major-league game.That was more or less that last hoorah for Arizona. Marte singled and stole second, but a groundout by Perdomo started a run of the seven final D-backs being retired in order, ending the game with the one-run margin in favor of the Cardinals. Taylor Clarke and Johnny Lasagna kept St. Louis off the board the rest of the way. Arizona did outhit their opponents 8-7 and also prevailed 3-0 in the XBH column. But they didn’t draw a single walk and, along with the RISP failings, that was likely the difference maker here. [Wait till you see the Deserve To Win chart in the comments…] Arizona drops back to .500, at the beginning of a tough series of games leading into the All-Star break. Click here for details, at Fangraphs.comThe Perfect Kiss: Taylor Clarke, +6%World in Motion: Geraldo Perdomo, -22%State of the Nation: Lourdes Gurriel, -10%Just shy of two hundred comments, which given the early start time here in Arizona, is quite respectable. There were some very respectable comments in the GDT, but the most rec’d ones tended to rely on GIF usage, which doesn’t translate very well to screenshots. So let’s give it to ChefAZ for this uplifting bit of news, on a night when our five-game streak of winning on Mondays came to an end.Tomorrow sees another 4:45 pm first pitch (AZ time), with team ace Eduardo Rodriguez – nope, still sounds weird – taking the mound for the D-backs. Probably our best chance of victory in the series, so fingers crossed the team gets back above .500.

Jun 11, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to a no call in the second half against the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn ImagesThe Indiana Fever snapped a two-game losing streak on Monday night with an 86-77 win over the Phoenix Mercury. Unfortunately for the Fever and star Caitlin Clark, it wasn’t all smooth sailing in the victory.Clark got into a heated exchange with former teammate DeWanna Bonner, leading to multiple players on both sides being awarded technical fouls, including Clark, who didn’t appear to do much to warrant receiving her fifth technical of the season.Refs are letting tech’s fly left and right, Caitlin Clark is not happy https://t.co/DZNTd37CBRpic.twitter.com/7zaWUSm9du— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) June 23, 2026Clark was highly critical of the officiatingIf Clark accumulates eight technicals on the season, she’ll be awarded an automatic one-game suspension, something she is well aware of. Clark did not hold back when sharing her frustrations with the officiating after the game.“It’s ridiculous, I got a technical for clapping,” she told media members in her post-game presser. “We should all just go on the calendar now and pick a game I’m going to be suspended for if I’m going to get technicals for clapping.”Fans on social media were just as upset as Clark was with her being assessed a technical for her involvement.“I’m not sure how Bonner stayed in the game. She should have had the offsetting double tech with Caitlin. Then should have gotten the second one with the shoving,” one fan posted on X.“Don’t even know what CC got a tech for. DB was the one going crazy and yelling,” another fan added.“This league is a joke,” wrote another fan.Clark is right about one thing… If the league doesn’t rescind the technical foul, she’ll be well on her way to a suspension. Hopefully, she and the league offices are able to reach an understanding before things get to that point.The post ‘It’s ridiculous’: Caitlin Clark furious at WNBA, calls for league to just suspend her appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Adverse weather conditions in Philadelphia forced a lengthy interruption of the World Cup match between France and Iraq on Monday.The match was suspended at half-time and the second half kicked off with a delay of more than two hours."Mentally, it was very exhausting because we had to stay concentrated and focused. Spending two hours in the locker room takes a lot of energy," said French star Kylian Mbappé, who scored two goals in the 3-0 win.A 30-minute break was initially announced by FIFA because of the risk of lightning in the vicinity of the stadium. However, the weather conditions didn't improve immediately and the break had to be extended."FIFA will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities, and the match will resume as soon as it is safe to do so," the football governing body said in its live blog.TV footage showed the empty stands as fans took shelter from the rain during the match suspension.France coach Didier Deschamps shared with reporters what the team did to pass the time."We played cards. We joked around. It's a matter of safety. There's nothing you can do about rain and thunderstorms. It doesn't bother me. These are special circumstances. I hope it doesn't happen again," he said.Iraq coach Graham Arnold, meanwhile, used the time for some video analysis."The players had to stay relaxed and then get ready when play resumed. That was a unique experience. It's the first time something like that has happened to me in football. A two-hour delay makes it even harder for the players," he said.There were fears the start of the game would be delayed or that the match would have to be cancelled as heavy rain set in some three hours before the 5pm (2100 GMT) kick-off and thunder claps were also heard."Due to inclement weather in the region, gates opening will be delayed," Lincoln Financial Field said on X, advising fans "do not travel to Philadelphia Stadium at this time."But just over half an hour later an update said that "gates are now open."The safety procedures related to weather conditions had so far not been needed at the tournament but encountered during last year's Club World Cup and World Cup tune-up games.Based on weather service recommendations on outdoor activities, matches are delayed or stopped for 30 minutes if lightning strikes within 13 kilometres of a stadium. Every further lightning strike sets off the 30 minute rule again.Players are to leave the pitch and spectators are led to safer areas. Matches are continued in the minute they are stopped when play is possible again.

CHICAGO (AP) — Sam Antonacci had a walk-off two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning after Cleveland scored twice in the top half to take the lead and the Chicago White Sox beat the Guardians 6-5 on Monday night.Rookie Braden Montgomery drew a one-out walk off Cade Smith (2-1) to start the White Sox rally and Tristan Peters followed with a double. Smith struck out pinch hitter Jacob Gonzalez before Antonacci delivered Chicago's sixth walk-off win of the season, tied for most in the majors.Chicago (40-37) snapped a three-game losing streak and pulled into a first-place tie with Cleveland (41-38) in the AL Central. The Guardians have lost 11 of their last 16 games.Cleveland scored three runs off reliever Glenn Taylor in the seventh to tie it 3-all and spoil a strong start by Anthony Kay. The left-hander retired 10 in a row before walking Kyle Manzardo with two outs in the sixth. Kay struck out Gabriel Arias on his career-high 101st pitch to keep it 2-0.Randall Grichuk gave Chicago a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth with his eighth homer — a leadoff pinch-hit shot to left field off Tim Herrin after starter Gavin Williams struck out eight and allowed two runs on five hits in five innings.Taylor loaded the bases in the seventh before surrendering a pinch-hit two-run single to Kahlil Watson. Rhys Hoskins' RBI single tied it 3-3 before Bryan Hudson entered and struck out Manzardo to end the inning.Rookie Travis Bazzana drew a leadoff walk from Seranthony Domínguez to start the ninth before a steal and a wild pitch landed him on third. Patrick Bailey singled to tie it and Manzardo added a sacrifice fly off Chris Murphy (2-0) for a 5-4 lead. It was the fifth blown save in 17 opportunities for Domínguez.White Sox catcher Kyle Teel went 0 for 4 and struck out three times in his first game since injuring his hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.Up nextGuardians LHP Parker Messick (7-3, 2.70) starts Tuesday opposite White Sox RHP Sean Burke (4-4, 3.89).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Darryn Peterson reveals he has no preferences about which team will draft him originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Darryn Peterson is one of the top prospects ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft. Alongside AJ Dybantsa, Peterson has immense potential, which is why they are seen as the top two prospects. Alongside them are Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson, who complete this year's big four players.Despite rumors of Peterson only prioritizing the Washington Wizards, who hold the first overall pick, he has dispelled those rumors. In fact, Peterson has said that he is fine wherever he lands in the Draft.Darryn Peterson is ready to play for any team that picks himWith the Wizards holding the first overall pick, they face a tough selection between Dybantsa and Peterson. However, it seems the consensus from the NBA fans is that Dybantsa is the best choice between the two.This could fuel Peterson moving forward because if he does not go first overall, there is a good chance that he could drop to third to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Utah Jazz already has some promising guards, so he might not be the best pick there.MORE: The Utah Jazz face a franchise-altering decision with their draft selectionCameron Boozer has connections to the Jazz through his father, who is a former player who is currently working in the front office. This leads to Peterson possibly dropping from a potential first overall pick to third.Peterson has no issues with that because he is ready to play for any team. Dropping to Memphis could be good for him as well because they need a franchise-altering player who could be the next superstar due to Ja Morant's confusing situation."Just a decision that was made. I’m definitely not dodging any team. Whoever takes me, I’m going to come in and be delighted to be there. Wherever that happens to be, they’ll get the best me," Peterson said to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.Peterson can realistically end up with the Wizards, Jazz, or Grizzlies. The Jazz are still a solid landing spot for him because he could combine with Keyonte George and Ace Bailey at the perimeter. However, it seems Peterson has no preferences now that the NBA Draft is here.More NBA news:AJ Dybantsa reveals that he did not need to do a workout with the Wizards and JazzDraymond Green's NBA comparison for the promising Cameron BoozerA comparison between Darry Peterson and Damian Lillard makes senseAJ Dybantsa gets honest about how the Wizards landed the first overall pickKeyonte George's bold claim about the Utah Jazz's 2026-27 season

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Harry Kane #9 of England applauds fans after the 4-2 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L match between England and Croatia at Dallas Stadium on June 17, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) | Getty Images According to a report from Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg (as captured by @iMiaSanMia_GER), Bayern Munich star Harry Kane just wants everyone to be patient. Despite some rumors swirling around him, Kane will talk to Bayern Munich about a new contract — just as soon as the World Cup is over: There have already been initial talks between Bayern and Harry Kane. Now, it has been agreed that everyone will stay relaxed and Kane will focus entirely on the World Cup for now. Right after the World Cup, they want to enter into direct negotiations. All bosses want to extend with Kane. Bayern wants to extend until at least 2029. Kane can very well imagine staying and is not talking to any other clubs. A final decision will only be made after the World Cup.Kane has been locked in and focused all season on the task at-hand. A beast for Bayern Munich, Kane picked up right where he left off in club season for England by earning FIFA Player of the Match vs. Croatia. At this point, Kane has earned some trust, even in these completely odd times. Let’s just hope that he doesn’t delete all of his Instagram photos, too. Song of the Week: “Show Me How to Live” by AudioslaveWe had previously featured “Cochise” by Audioslave a few years ago, but that was not the only banger that the supergroup put out. Released in 2003, it hit hard and while it was a notch below the greatness of “Cochise” it was sill a great song. Enjoy: Standing on a corner in Tustin, California…Because I am dolt, I had to make a run to Dick’s Sporting Goods while I am here in California and the nearest one to me was in Tustin, so off I went. After grabbing what I needed, I exited the store and there was a circle of four pre-teen or early teen girls seated on the sidewalk in a circle.I was ambling by when I heard, “That’s Haaland, he’s the f***ing GOAT!” — which caught my attention (moreso for referencing Haaland than the drop of the F bomb). In one respect, I wanted to turn and see what the hell they were doing, but in another respect, I did not want to be a creep, so I did a quick turn as if I was looking back into the store to see that they had some kind of trading card packs and were opening them. While apropos of nothing, it was a cool moment to see a few young kids in the United States psyched up about football — and specifically about Haaland. The times they are a changin’…Entertainment RundownHouse of the DragonJust a reminder that the third season of HBO’s House of the Dragon debuts this weekend — and it should be better than the first two (fingers crossed), which were not great. If you missed the trailer, here you go: Prediction: Germany 5-0 Curaçao (W)Other World Cup predictions include: Thursday, June 11, 2026Mexico 2-1 South Africa (W)South Korea 2-1 Czechia (W)***Friday, June 12, 2026Canada 2-1 Bosnia & Herzegovina (L)United States 3-2 Paraguay (W)Saturday, June 13, 2026Qatar 0-3 Switzerland (L)Brazil 3-2 Morocco (L)Haiti 1-2 Scotland (W)Sunday, June 14, 2026Australia 0-3 Türkiye (L)Netherlands 3-1 Japan (L)Ivory Coast 1-2 Ecuador (L)Sweden 1-0 Tunisia (W)Monday, June 15, 2026Spain 5-0 Cape Verde (L)Belgium 3-1 Egypt (L)Saudi Arabia 0-2 Uruguay (L)Iran 1-0 New Zealand (L)Tuesday, June 16, 2026France 3-0 Senegal (W)Iraq 0-4 Norway (W)Argentina 3-0 Algeria (W)***Wednesday, June 17, 2026Austria 2-0 Jordan (W)Portugal 3-0 Congo DR (L)England 3-1 Croatia (W)Ghana 2-1 Panama (W)Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia (W)Thursday, June 18, 2026Czechia 2-1 South Africa (L)Switzerland 2-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina (W)Canada 2-0 Qatar (W)Mexico 2-1 South Korea (W)Through Thursday’s games — we stand at 16-12 (not great) with 2 perfect picks.Totals will not be compiled until the end of the group stage.Friday, June 19, 2026United States 2-1 AustraliaScotland 1-2 MoroccoBrazil 3-0 HaitiTürkiye 2-1 ParaguaySaturday, June 20, 2026Netherlands 2-0 SwedenGermany 2-1 Ivory CoastEcuador 3-0 CuraçaoSunday, June 21, 2026Tunisia 1-2 JapanSpain 3-0 Saudi ArabiaBelgium 2-0 IranUruguay 2-0 Cape VerdeNew Zealand 0-1 EgyptTuesday, June 23, 2026Portugal 3-0 UzbekistanEngland 3-1 GhanaPanama 0-3 CroatiaColombia 2-1 Congo DRWednesday, June 24, 2026Bosnia & Herzegovina 2-0 QatarSwitzerland 2-1 CanadaMorocco 3-0 HaitiScotland 1-4 BrazilCzechia 1-2 MexicoSouth Africa 1-2 South KoreaThursday, June 25, 2026Curaçao 0-2 Ivory CoastEcuador 1-2 GermanyJapan 2-1 SwedenTunisia 0-2 NetherlandsParaguay 1-1 AustraliaTürkiye 3-2 United StatesFriday, June 26, 2026Norway 2-3 FranceSenegal 2-1 IraqCape Verde 1-1 Saudi ArabiaUruguay 1-3 SpainEgypt 1-0 IranNew Zealand 1-2 BelgiumSaturday, June 27, 2026Croatia 1-0 GhanaPanama 0-4 EnglandColombia 2-4 PortugalCongo DR 1-0 UzbekistanAlgeria 0-2 AustriaJordan 0-4 ArgentinaPrediction RecordsTotal: 50-30Perfect Picks: 12Bundesliga Last Matchday: 0-0Bundesliga Overall: 0-0DFB-Pokal: 0-0World Cup: 0-0International Friendlies: 50-30Champions League: 0-0Club Friendlies: 0-0Franz Beckenbauer Supercup: 0-0Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

The first major trade this NBA offseason was announced by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday. The Minnesota Timberwolves shipped Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade with the Chicago Bulls. The three-time All-Star’s return to New York came nearly two years after the Knicks included him in the deal for Karl-Anthony Towns.Randle played 79 regular-season games for the Timberwolves this past season. He posted averages of 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a career-high 1.0 steals per game. However, his numbers dipped in the playoffs, recording 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.5 steals.MORE: 3 team NBA blockbuster trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo gaining momentumMinnesota received the No. 33 pick this year, while the Bulls got Nic Claxton. The transaction gives the Timberwolves more salary cap flexibility they can use for exceptions, as well as retaining key contributors.Towns, on the other hand, was a big piece of the Knicks’ championship run. He suited up in 75 games in the regular season and helped his team secure the East’s No. 3 seed. The 7-foot center showcased his elite skill set in the Finals, defending Victor Wembanyama and producing strong numbers against him.Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle looks on against the Golden State Warriors – Jesse Johnson-Imagn ImagesRevisiting Knicks-Timberwolves swap of Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony TownsOn Oct. 2, 2024, New York sent a huge haul to Minnesota to secure Towns’ services. It was a three-team deal that included the Charlotte Hornets.The Knicks parted ways with Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop and a future first-round pick. The Hornets received multiple second-rounds, while New York also gained the rights the draft rights to James Nnaji. The deal will go down as one of the most important in Knicks franchise history. They ended their 53-year championship drought this year, with Towns playing a major role in it. Meanwhile, Randle and Minnesota failed to reach the finals, and he now finds himself back in New York, but with its other team.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster deal, according to multiple reports.The trade culminates more than a year of speculation that the two-time MVP and franchise stalwart wouldn't finish his career with the Bucks team that drafted him. It arrives on the heels of 32-50 season in Milwaukee in which the Bucks finished nine games out of the playoffs.Speculation about Antetokounmpo's exit started before the 2025-26 season began. As the losses piled up, so did the tension in Milwaukee. After home fans booed the Bucks during a blowout loss to the Timberwolves on Jan. 13, Antetokounmpo pointed two thumbs down and booed them back. Antetokounmpo's final season in Milwaukee was also one that was plagued by injury. He remained a force when available, averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. But he was limited to a career low 36 games at 31 years old.Antetokounmpo sustained his second calf injury of the season in January. He returned to play six games in March but missed Milwaukee's final 15 games amid a lost Bucks season and the trade speculation that ultimately overwhelmed his final campaign in Milwaukee.That speculation only amplified ahead of the NBA Draft amid reports that Antetokounmpo wanted out and had preferred destinations.Bitter end to one of Bucks' best erasThe deal marks an end to the franchise's most successful era since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson led Milwaukee to two Finals appearances and an NBA championship in the early 1970s. The Bucks selected Antetokounmpo with the No. 15 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft as a raw, high-upside prospect with an enormous physical tool set. He delivered on that upside and more. The trade of Giannis Antetokounmpo marks a bitter end to one of the best Milwaukee Bucks eras.Patrick McDermott via Getty ImagesAntetokounmpo spent his rookie season developing off the bench as a 19-year-old before joining the starting lineup full-time in his second NBA season. He made his first All-Star team in his fourth season in Milwaukee and has been an All-Star in eight seasons since, as a dominant two-way force.Antetokounmpo won the first of his two consecutive NBA MVP awards after the 2018-19 season. He also won Defensive Player of the Year alongside his second MVP award the following season. In 2020-21, Antetokounmpo completed his NBA resumé. Playing alongside Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to the franchise's second NBA championship. The only major accomplishment now missing from his career as a pro is entry into the Hall of Fame, which is a certainty as soon as he's put on the ballot.Milwaukee's decline preceded Antetokounmpo's exitMilwaukee didn't maintain its contender status after winning the 2021 championship and hasn't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since. It's suffered first-round playoff exits in each of the last three postseasons. Middleton and Holiday are both gone, and Milwaukee's attempts to rebuild another contender around Antetokounmpo fizzled with Damian Lillard's Achilles tendon tear during the 2025 postseason.The Bucks exceeded expectations early in the 2025-26 season with a 6-3 start. But they quickly faded out of contention as the drama around Antetokounmpo's status took over. Now they'll engage in a full-blown rebuild following the exit of a franchise icon. Antetokounmpo is playing on a three-year, $186 million contract extension that he signed in 2023 in the aftermath of Milwaukee's trade to acquire Lillard. That extension includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.This breaking news story will be updated.

Timberwolves acquire 6-foot-9 ex-Celtics forward in blockbuster three-team Julius Randle trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.It’s safe to say the Minnesota Timberwolves were among the most productive franchises in the league on Monday night. Per a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Timberwolves traded Julius Randle and the No. 28 2026 NBA Draft pick in a blockbuster three-team trade that nets the Chicago Bulls Nic Claxton and Minnesota the No. 28 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Shortly after Charania broke the news on X/Twitter, The Stein Line’s Jake Fisher stated that the Bulls are sending a former Dallas Mavericks forward to Minnesota to finalize the deal.“The Bulls are trading Mo Gueye to Minnesota, sources say, to complete the three-team deal that sends Julius Randle and No. 28 in tomorrow’s NBA Draft to Brooklyn for No. 33, and reroutes Nic Claxton into Chicago’s cap space in the new league year,” Fischer noted. “Gueye’s salary is non-guaranteed for 2026-27.”Gueye is still finding his footing in the big leagues. The 27-year-old is a high-energy bench contributor who gets after it on both ends.However, the Pittsburgh product's slim frame and offensive limitations make it challenging for him to finish over stronger, more athletic big men in the paint, which explains his interior scoring efficiency still leaves much to be desired.Still, even if Gueye struggles with the Timberwolves early on, the fact that the franchise completed what Charnaia called a salary-freeing trade centered on Randle will create extreme optimism for the future.More NBA news:Spurs predicted to cut ties with $56 million rising star, acquire ex-Bulls All-Rookie forwardSpurs predicted to outbid Warriors for $101 million Lakers star, four-time NBA championLuka Doncic sends clear message to Lakers on roster they can't afford to ignore

Timberwolves set for another move after Julius Randle trade, but it's not Giannis originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Minnesota Timberwolves traded Julius Randle away on Monday night, a headline-grabbing move that flew under the rumor radar before it actually happened.It was a three-team deal, with the Brooklyn Nets getting Randle, the Chicago Bulls getting Nic Claxton and the Wolves essentially dumping Randle's salary with a small decline in draft pick, too.The reason for the move wasn't Giannis Antetokounmpo, as some may have initially wondered.It was for Ayo Dosunmu.This is what ESPN's Shams Charania wrote on X after the deal was reported:"Timberwolves free up significant salary with the remaining two years of Randle's deal, giving them more flexibility to retain Ayo Dosunmu and use exceptions. Nets acquire a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA forward in Randle into their cap space -- plus a first-rounder. Chicago uses part of its space on a talented athletic center, a position of need, with $30 million in room left."MORE: Celtics' Jaylen Brown trade offer for Giannis takes shapeAnd less than two hours later, the Dosunmu news arrived."Free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu intends to sign a five-year, $112 million contract to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with a player option in the fifth season, sources tell ESPN," Charania wrote. "Timberwolves made it a major priority to lock in Dosunmu after his tremendous postseason."By doing this two-pronged move, the Timberwolves remove some size in favor of some perimeter skill.Minnesota still has Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid to lead the interior. Dosunmu is a huge piece to keep on the outside.Randle had to go, but the Timberwolves have made clear their priority now. Anthony Edwards keeps a big help in the guard rotation in the form of Dosunmu.More NBA news:Why Bucks trading Giannis before the draft makes senseThis is what a Timberwolves trade for Derrick White would look likeHow Grizzlies' Ja Morant trade depends on GiannisWarriors want Kawhi Leonard, but there's a problem

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 16: Erling Haaland #9 of Norway poses with the Michelob Ultra Player of the Match Trophy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between Iraq and Norway at Boston Stadium on June 16, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Patrick Smith - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) | FIFA via Getty Images Norway and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland powered his country to victory in their 2026 World Cup opener against Iraq, scoring two goals to help the Vikings register their first goals and three points in the World Cup since 1998. Speaking after the match, the 25-year-old was asked if he believed he was the best striker in the world right now and he gave a very honest assessment.“I would say I’m up there, I don’t think I scored the most goals this season,” Haaland said (BBC Sport as captured by X account @iMiaSanMia). “So, statistically no, I’m not. Harry Kane and [Kylian] Mbappé scored more goals than me, so I’m not.”That was nice seeing Haaland give an answer that wasn’t disparaging. He knows he’s an elite forward and at the same time acknowledges the abilities that players like Kane and Mbappé have. Kane and England will take on Croatia next, while Mbappé is fresh off scoring a brace against Senegal in France’s first World Cup match.

Sam Antonacci lined a game-ending, two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, June 22.Chicago, which led 3-0 after six innings, rallied to win the opener of a three-game American League Central showdown series to tie Cleveland atop the division.Antonacci went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Braden Montgomery also had two hits. The White Sox delivered against Guardians closer Cade Smith (2-1) after Seranthony Dominguez blew his second save in the top of the inning.Smith, the major league saves leader, suffered a blown save for the first time since April 14.Cleveland challenged the call that Tristan Peters scored the winning run but the play was upheld on replay review.Brayan Rocchio went 3-for-5 for the Guardians and Kyle Manzardo capped a two-run ninth with an RBI sacrifice fly on a play overturned by replay.Antonacci grounded a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning to put the White Sox ahead 4-3.Chicago built a 3-0 lead after six innings. Montgomery opened the scoring with a two-out RBI double in the second. The White Sox added to the advantage on Andrew Benintendi's run-scoring single one inning later.Randal Grichuk greeted Guardians reliever Tim Herrin with a pinch-hit solo home run to lead off the sixth. It was his third pinch-hit blast of the season and eighth overall.Cleveland took little time to respond, rallying for three seventh-inning runs against Grant Taylor. After allowing a leadoff walk and single to the first two batters he faced, Taylor got a strikeout and walk ahead of pinch-hitter Kahlil Watson, who grounded a two-run single to the right side for his first major league hit.Rhys Hoskins' two-out RBI single to center tied the game at 3.Guardians starter Gavin Williams took a no-decision after spacing two runs and five hits in five innings with one walk and eight strikeouts. Williams bookended his night effectively, retiring the first five and final eight batters he faced.Chicago counterpart Anthony Kay also fanned eight over six scoreless innings. Kay limited Cleveland to three hits while walking two.Winner Chris Murphy (2-0) notched the last two outs for Chicago.White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, who started the season on the injured list with hamstring and knee injuries, was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his 2026 debut.The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Sam Antonacci hits 2-out, 2-run single in 9th to lift White Sox to win

Ten years after Brexit, most seasonal workers in Britain are from countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Without them, agricultural chiefs say, many farms would fail.

Citing lower trade and investment, analysts broadly agree that Britain’s economy is smaller than it would have been if the country had stayed in the E.U.

Kylian Mbappe (4), Lionel Messi (5) and Erling Haaland (4) have scored 13 goals between them at the 2026 World Cup [Getty Images]It is fast becoming a Golden Boot race for the ages.Lionel Messi leads the way with five goals from two games. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are second in the standings with four goals each.This is only the second time in World Cup history where three players have scored four or more times after two matches - and the first since since 1954.It was another extraordinary few hours of goalscoring from some of the best forwards football has seen.Messi was up first - breaking the World Cup goals record with a double for Argentina against Austria. Mbappe responded in kind with two goals in France's weather-delayed victory against Iraq on his 100th international appearance.And it was Haaland's turn soon after, scoring twice as Norway beat Senegal to qualify for the last 32. Not a bad start to his own World Cup career.Anything one can do, the others can do better. It has that feel about it at the moment - and this is before England's Harry Kane has the chance to add to his opening-day double against Ghana on Tuesday.There is a growing sense we are seeing something special as the world's best set records tumbling on the sport's biggest stage.French football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Sport: "With the big stars, they want the ball all the time."I guess part of it is that they're not just chasing the Golden Boot, a handful of them are chasing the all-time record too."Records fall on 'superstar day'This tournament started with Germany's Miroslav Klose top of the all-time World Cup goalscoring charts with 16 goals.Two games in and 38-year-old Messi now leads the way with 18 goals from 28 World Cup games, having scored all five of Argentina's goals so far at this edition.But Mbappe isn't far behind.The Frenchman has pulled level with Klose, scoring 16 goals in as many matches, and will have his sights set on becoming the first striker to win multiple Golden Boots - as will Kane - and eclipsing Messi's total.Laurens said: "We thought it could be the Kylian Mbappe show again because of the incredible record he is chasing, now owned by Lionel Messi."And how long before we are talking about Manchester City's scoring phenomenon Haaland with the record in his sights? It won't be by the end of this tournament - but if he keeps up his current rate he will be in the mix in the future.The 25-year-old is just the sixth player to score multiple goals in each of his first two World Cup appearances - and has a remarkable tally of 59 goals in 52 Norway appearances.Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist told ITV: "In terms of natural footballing ability, Messi is out in front, with Kylian Mbappe probably in second. But in front of goal Haaland is as good as it gets."It is impossible to compare these players. Harry Kane is a better all-round footballer than Haaland as well."But in terms of putting the ball in the back of the net, Haaland is probably the best out there. When it comes to finishing, he takes some beating."Ex-England midfielder Karen Carney added on ITV: "It was a superstar day. Messi stole the show, but what performances from Mbappe and Haaland as well. Let's hope Harry Kane can get in on the act on Tuesday."Two-goal Haaland fires Norway into last 32 with win over SenegalMbappe double as France beat Iraq after two-hour delayRecord-breaking Messi scores twice as Argentina progress'They're so inevitable'Records have been falling from day one for the game's most feared forwards.Messi now leading the all-time World Cup list has taken a lot of the headlines, and rightly so.But he isn't the only one who has been setting records this tournament.Mbappe now tops France's goalscoring charts, Haaland is Norway's leading World Cup scorer - after just two games - while Kane has equalled Gary Lineker's World Cup record for England.And all of them will have their sights set on France's Just Fontaine's 1958 record of 13 goals scored in one tournament. Only three players - Fontaine, Gerd Muller for Germany in 1970 and Hungary's Sandor Kocsis in 1954 - have ever hit double figures at a single World Cup.It would not be a surprise if that select list has grown by the end of this tournament.The new 48-team format certainly looks to have increased the potential for goals. With more lower-ranked teams, the world's best attackers have prospered.The World Cup winners will also have to play one more round than ever before - again increasing the chance for goals.Former France defender Gael Clichy told BBC Sport: "Kylian Mbappe is part of the generation which [has] that fearless factor."I remember when I started you had to give respect to the older generation when you came in, and you were not trying to do a nutmeg to the old men."This generation, they have respect, but differently. Don't talk about age, talk about performance."So, back to the small matter of the race for the Golden Boot."It's not something I'm thinking about right now," said Mbappe. "Leo always scores. He always has and always will. "If I start watching him, I'll feel like I have to do even more, so no, I don't watch what he's doing. I'm only thinking about helping my team - by helping the team, I score goals and get closer to that kind of level."Norway boss Stale Solbakken has, perhaps unsurprisingly, pushed Haaland's cause."He is the best striker - he is not playing for France or Argentina, he scores for Norway. He's scored four goals now, two braces on the biggest stage," he said."It's easier to win the Golden Boot when you play for France and Argentina, but we'll try to give Erling more games, and more help also in the next games. So he's on fire and I'm very happy for him that he can score on the biggest stage."USA striker Folarin Balogun has made a decent enough start to the tournament himself, with two goals in his first two games.But he probably summed it up the best, when he joked: "I think it's annoying. Seeing players like Messi, Mbappe, Haaland - they're so inevitable. I think they're scoring a goal a game, sometimes more."For me, it's just about trying to get to that level - to be inevitable as well."Messi becomes World Cup all-time leading scorer - how has he stayed at the top?A defender's view on how to stop the World Cup's best strikersWhy Kane is different at this World Cup - ShearerWorld Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

MIAMI (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo is getting traded to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster move that will send Tyler Herro and a slew of other players and draft capital to the Milwaukee Bucks, a person with knowledge of the move said Monday night.Bobby Portis is coming to Miami with Antetokounmpo, with Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis going to the Bucks, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been finalized by the NBA.Milwaukee is also getting three first-round picks in the deal, including the 13th selection in Tuesday's draft.And just like that, the Heat have another superstar — as they pursue what would be a fourth championship and eighth trip to the NBA Finals since 2006.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Bucks' Giannis era ends as Heat make massive championship swing originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The biggest chapter in Milwaukee Bucks history is officially over.After more than a decade as the face of the franchise, Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly headed to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster trade that sends shockwaves throughout the NBA. According to ESPN, the Bucks are trading Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, a pick swap and a second-round pick.For the Heat, it's the type of move they've been chasing for years. For the Bucks, it's the end of an era that delivered a championship, multiple MVP awards and some of the most memorable moments in franchise history.The end of Milwaukee's golden ageWhen the Bucks selected Antetokounmpo with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, few could have imagined what would come next.BLOCKBUSTER: The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, 3 first-round picks (including No. 13), 1 pick swap and 1 second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/NQT5ZhdJU9— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026The raw teenager from Greece developed into a two-time MVP, NBA champion, Finals MVP and one of the most dominant players of his generation. He transformed Milwaukee from a small-market franchise searching for relevance into a perennial contender and delivered the organization's first NBA title since 1971.Antetokounmpo leaves as the greatest player in franchise history and one of the most beloved athletes the city has ever embraced. That's what makes this move so stunning. The Bucks aren't just trading a superstar. They're trading the player who defined an entire generation of Milwaukee basketball.Miami finally lands its superstarFor years, the Heat were linked to nearly every available superstar. This time, they got one.Antetokounmpo instantly gives Miami a player capable of carrying a championship contender on both ends of the floor. Pairing him with Bam Adebayo creates one of the NBA's most intimidating defensive frontcourts, while Portis adds toughness, rebounding and playoff experience.It's also a classic Pat Riley move. The Heat have never been afraid to swing big when a championship window opens, and acquiring Antetokounmpo represents one of the boldest moves in franchise history.MORE: Bulls land defensive anchor Nic Claxton in blockbuster three-team tradeThe Eastern Conference just changed overnightThe trade doesn't simply affect Milwaukee and Miami. It affects everyone.The defending champion Knicks, rising Pacers, Cavaliers, Magic and every other contender in the Eastern Conference suddenly have a new team to worry about. Miami has spent years proving it can make deep playoff runs as an underdog. Now the Heat won't be sneaking up on anyone.With Antetokounmpo leading the way, expectations immediately shift from playoff contender to championship favorite. And for the first time in more than a decade, the Milwaukee Bucks will begin a season without Giannis Antetokounmpo wearing green and cream.That's the true headline. One of the NBA's most remarkable player-franchise partnerships has come to an end.More NBA news:Bulls land defensive anchor Nic Claxton in blockbuster three-team trade5 things Mavericks fans need to know about new head coach Dusty MayThis is what a Timberwolves trade for Derrick White would look likeTracking the latest trade rumors surrounding Giannis AntetokounmpoSpurs predicted to cut ties with $229 million nightmare, acquire ex-Knicks All-Rookie guard

Milwaukee Bucks ownership, led by governor and co-owner Wes Edens and co-owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, agreed to trade one of the game’s top 75 all-time players in Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, the Journal Sentinel learned on June 22. Milwaukee is also sending out Bobby Portis Jr. in the deal. In return, the Bucks will receive the Heat's 2026 first-round draft pick (No. 13), Greenfield native and 26-year-old guard Tyler Herro, 25-year-old forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., 22-year-old center Kel'El Ware, 20-year-old guard Kasparas Jakučionis, unprotected first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2033 and a second-round pick in 2033. Team sources have maintained to the Journal Sentinel for more than a year that the goal of any trade involving Antetokounmpo would be to secure as many young players and draft assets as possible.The trade will not be finalized officially by the June 23 NBA draft, so the Heat will make their selection but that player will be sent to the Bucks. The new league year begins July 6 at 11 a.m. CT.Ironically, Edens said Miami is a model organization in the way it has continued to turn over its roster and remain competitive. The Heat have been to six NBA Finals, an additional conference final and won two championships while missing the playoffs three times since 2010-11. “They’re probably one of the real examples of you don’t have to go through some rebuilding thing that’s a dumpster fire, that you can actually really make it happen,” he told the Journal Sentinel in 2024.Sending Antetokounmpo to their Eastern Conference rival, with his intent to sign a maximum extension six months after the finalization of the trade, the Bucks have now given the Heat an excellent chance to continue to make it happen.Obviously, the Bucks feel their return (and what those players and future picks can potentially be turned into) can help them bounce back from a 32-win season under new head coach Taylor Jenkins. Jenkins signed a six-year deal worth about $60 million to return to the team he coached as an assistant in 2018-19 under Mike Budenholzer.At Jenkins' introductory news conference, Jimmy Haslam maintained that ownership told the coach to not come to Milwaukee if it was contingent on Antetokounmpo being on the roster."I just think he's prepared for whatever direction things go with the Bucks," Budenholzer told the Journal Sentinel before the trade. "He obviously can coach Giannis and I think will be a great person and a great person to coach and lead a team with Giannis. And if for some reason they decide to pivot and go another direction, for whatever reason, he's going to coach whoever's there and I think is really capable of whatever is needed in just a lot of ways."His personality, his makeup, he's just really, really smart, really highly organized. He was the perfect get for them. So I think they're very lucky and I do think, whatever is needed, I think he's very capable."The deal wasn’t wholly unexpected, though, as the Bucks began to field offers for Antetokounmpo at last season's trade deadline. It was the first time the organization seriously considered moving on, which set the stage for offseason discussions. Ultimately, the Bucks held onto him in the hopes of landing a more lucrative package in the summer.“If Giannis does play somewhere else, we ought to get a lot of assets,” Haslam said on May 6.Antetokounmpo did have somewhat of a say in his destination, but he did not limit the Bucks to only one team to negotiate with. His leverage was to say he would not sign a maximum extension with potential suitors, but the Bucks made it clear they would work within his list of teams he would sign with. A league source told the Journal Sentinel in late May that Antetokounmpo would extend in Boston and Miami.The trade ended a tumultuous final year between the organization and its greatest player. On the court, he played a career-low 36 games while suffering an adductor strain, multiple calf strains and a knee hyperextension and bone bruise. Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points on 62.4% shooting. He also averaged 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists.He played only 12 games at full speed as the other 24 he appeared in were either under a minutes restriction, or he was injured in.Off the court, the season was similarly problematic. Antetokounmpo’s season controversially ended on March 15 at Fiserv Forum after he suffered the hyperextension of and bone bruise in his left knee after he landed awkwardly following a dunk in a win over Indiana.He insisted from that day on he could play, even welcoming an investigation into how the team was handling the diagnosis and return-to-play protocols. The NBA eventually found no issues with the Bucks’ process.From May through September 2025, Antetokounmpo mulled his immediate and long-term future with the Bucks despite being under team control for two seasons, which is an annual thought experiment for the superstar. But the team did hold superficial trade discussions in the summer and trade discussions ramped up again in the run-up to the February 2026 trade deadline.“The answer of ‘why now’ is, it’s probably all the way back to when you get to these points in tenure with each other,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in April. “I think it’s likely, like Wes [Edens] said [in March], that you either figure out the path forward and you align and you kind of agree to commit to each other on who you want to be and what that looks like and eventually an extension. Or you try to find the best resolution for everyone.“I think that it’s just the ‘why’ is not that complicated. It’s just different now than it might have been two years ago, or three years ago. And that’s OK.”Antetokounmpo also waffled on his commitment to the team throughout the season (which he said he regretted in an April podcast), but at the end of the year, he told the Journal Sentinel he was finished in Milwaukee.As a franchise, the Bucks recorded their first losing season since 2015-16 with their 32-win campaign and parted ways with head coach Doc Rivers after the season. They began the season having made the playoffs for nine straight seasons, the second-longest stretch in franchise history and trailing only Boston (11 at the time) for the longest active streak in the NBA.Giannis Antetokounmpo said goodbye to MilwaukeeOn Feb. 3, just before the trade deadline, Antetokounmpo effectively dictated a love letter to the city of Milwaukee to the Journal Sentinel in a passionate interview:"This is probably going to be the best story,” he began, “In 20 years, they’re going to be talking about this story right here.“I came here when I was 18. A human being, when is the time they have their earliest memories? Around the age of what, 4, 5, right? So from 5 to 18 is 13 years. From the time I could remember. I came here from 18 to 31, which is 13 years. I’ve spent more time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, than in my country.“I’ve created more memories in this city than in my country. The only memory I knew from my country is sell stuff in the street, go to practice, live in fear, protect my brothers as much as I can and be a good kid, be a kind kid.“So here, I’ll tell you what I’ve known here. I’ve known what it is to be an NBA player, what it is to make it to the NBA. I’ve learned what it is to be an all-star player. I’ve learned how to be a champion. I’ve learned how to be an MVP. I’ve learned how to be a father. I got married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And also, legally, from the courthouse. And also, I’ve had my kids here. My father is buried here. So tell me you, when I open the passport of my kids and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.(Editor's note: Former Bucks owner Sen. Herb Kohl helped the Antetokounmpo family relocate to the United States legally in 2015.)“So people have the audacity to come tell me and say ‘this guy really doesn’t love Milwaukee.’ I don’t love Milwaukee? Not the people that know. The people of the city know how much I love them. This city has let me be myself, let me be [a] father, have let me [be] a husband, have let me be my own, true, self.“I’m walking in the street. People don’t bother me. But there’s gonna be the whole other people, because here’s 8 billion people in this world that have their own opinion. Opinions are cheap, that’s why everybody has one.“They let me be myself in this city. And I ask for one thing. One. Thing. Only. To make, bring joy back. To. This. City. Because this city deserves it. We’ve been at the top and I know we can have down years but we have to continue to have the mindset. Period. OK. And if that’s not the case, then …“I’ve seen the love of the people and what they wish for me. If it’s not the case, and people have different agendas within our own team, something gotta change. That’s all.”Antetokounmpo’s last public appearance in Milwaukee was April 14, in an abbreviated signing at the Antetokounbros Shop in downtown Milwaukee.Giannis Antetokounmpo honorsNBA 75th Anniversary TeamTwo-time MVP (2018, 2019)Defensive Player of the Year (2019)Most Improved Player (2017)In-season tournament MVP (2025)All-star game MVP (2021)10-time all-star9-time all-NBA5-time all-defense team2-time all-in-season tournament teamAll-rookie team (2014)Giannis Antetokounmpo achievementsOne of three players to win MVP and defensive player of the year in the same season (Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon).One of two players to win regular-season, finals and in-season tournament MVP (LeBron James).Sixth-youngest player to score 21,000 points (James, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Jordan).Scored the fifth-most points ever in an NBA finals game with 50 (Elgin Baylor 61, Jordan and Rick Barry 55, Jerry West 53, Bob Pettit 50).Only player to average 30 points per game on 60% shooting (2024 and 2025).NBA-record 160 career games with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.NBA-record eight career games with at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists on 70% shooting.Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks career recordsSingle-game scoring record (64 points vs. Indiana, Dec. 13, 2023)Points (21,531)Assists (4,484)Total rebounds (8,882)Blocks (1,088)Triple-doubles (56)Games (895)Minutes played (29,273)Field goals (7,898)Field goal attempts (14,266)Field goal percentage (.554)2-point field goals (7,341)2-point field goal attempts (12,313)Missed field goals (6,368)Free throws (5,178)Free throw attempts (7,491)Offensive rebounds (1,697)Defensive rebounds (7,185)Turnovers (2,701)This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami

Heat lineup projection with Giannis Antetokounmpo: How former Bucks star fits with Bam Adebayo in Miami originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes is finally over, as the two-time MVP is headed to the Miami Heat next season.The Heat have been chasing a star for a while, missing out on some of the league's biggest names despite consistently competing in the playoffs. Now, Miami finally lands a legitimate top-five player in the league that will help the team chase a fourth NBA Finals championship.Of course, the trade means that Miami's roster will look a lot different next year, with key players headed out in order to make room for Antetokounmpo. The Heat will now turn their focus to building around Antetokounmpo to try and produce a championship roster.Here's a look at how Antetokounmpo fits into the Heat lineup next year.MORE 2026 NBA DRAFT NEWS:Ranking top 60 players in 2026 NBA DraftFinal two-round NBA mock draftSafest picks in 2026, including Cam Boozer and Bennett StirtzNate Ament, Jayden Quaintance lead riskiest draft prospectsGiannis Antetokounmpo trade detailsHeat receive:F Giannis AntetokounmpoF Bobby PortisBucks receive:G Tyler HerroG Jaime Jaquez Jr.C Kel'el WareG Kasparas Jakucionis3 first-round picks (including No. 13)1 second-round pick1 future pick swapHeat 2026 lineup projectionPositionPlayerPGDavion MitchellSGNorman PowellSFAndrew WigginsPFGiannis AntetokounmpoCBam AdebayoAntetokounmpo instantly slots into the Heat's power forward spot next to Bam Adebayo, forming one of the best front courts in the league. Bobby Portis comes along with the Greek Freak, given some depth option at the forward position. However, the team now needs help in the backcourt, especially after they lose Tyler Herro in the deal. Out the door also are Jaime Jacquez Jr., Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis. What Giannis Antetokounmpo brings to Heat lineupAntetokounmpo instantly gives the Heat a No. 1 option to pair with Bam Adebayo, who profiles better as a second option. Antetokounmpo becomes the best Heat player since the LeBron James and Dwyane Wade era and makes Miami a contender in the Eastern Conference.Both Antetokounmpo and Adebayo are strong defensive players and would likely form the best defensive frontcourt in the league. Antetokounmpo has been at his best defensively next to a rim protector at center, a role Adebayo can handle well. Combine that with Erik Spoelstra’s coaching, and the Heat should be a top-tier defensive team.The question will come down to the team’s offense, though. Antetokounmpo’s best years in Milwaukee came while playing alongside four shooters, including Brook Lopez at center. In seven years, Lopez averaged just under five three-point attempts per game while shooting 35.7 percent from deep, a solid number that forced defenses to stretch the floor for Antetokounmpo, a career 28.5 percent three-point shooter.Unlike Lopez, Adebayo is not known for his shooting ability. From 2017–24, Adebayo shot fewer than one three per game and went 25-for-104 overall from deep, as he spent most of his time closer to the basket. In the last two years, Adebayo has tried to expand his game to include threes, and he attempted a career-high 400 threes last year but made just 31 percent of them. For this pairing to work, one of Adebayo or Antetokounmpo has to be more consistent from deep.Additionally, even though Davion Mitchell and Norman Powell are quality players, Miami needs a more trustworthy ballhandler to pair with Antetokounmpo. When the Bucks won the 2021 NBA Finals, Antetokounmpo played alongside Jrue Holiday, who was the key offseason addition.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 10: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum on April 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Giannis Antetokounmpo era is over for the Milwaukee Bucks. After years of resisting trade overtures for their franchise star, the Bucks finally agreed to deal the two-time MVP as he enters the final year of his contract.The Miami Heat have acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Bucks in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 draft, unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2030, and a 2033 second-rounder, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. The Bucks chose this offer over a package from the Boston Celtics headlined by Jaylen Brown.The Bucks finally decided to accept reality that they couldn’t build another championship team around Giannis. The Heat finally landed a new superstar after years of coming up just short in trade offers. The trade that the entire league was waiting for finally happened. Let’s grade this deal for both sides.Heat trade grade for Giannis Antetokounmpo dealIt’s hard to believe the Heat are the only team in the NBA to make multiple appearances in the NBA Finals during the 2020s. Miami lost in the first round of the playoffs in the two years following its shocking 2023 Finals run as a No. 8 seed, and last season the Heat missed the playoffs completely for the first time since 2019. The Heat had gone as far as they could with their current roster. They badly needed a star, and they found one who actually wants to be there. This was reportedly Giannis’ preferred landing spot, and it’s likely he signs a long-term contract extension there before the season begins. Giannis is still one of the best players in the NBA when he’s healthy. He’s a dominant rim attacker, a terrifying transition threat, a sharp passer, and one of the league’s scariest help defenders who now gets to roam next to an elite defensive center in Bam Adebayo. Health has been his biggest issue in recent years. His body seems to break down around the playoffs every year, and it’s why the Bucks made three straight first-round playoff exits before missing the postseason entirely this past season. He turns 32 years old in December.The Heat don’t have much left after this trade. Adebayo and Antetokounmpo might be the NBA’s best front line, but there are a lot of questions after that. Norman Powell is an unrestricted free agent. Andrew Wiggins has a $30 million player option. The best guard currently under contract for next season is either Davion Mitchell or Pelle Larsson. The point is, the Heat have a lot of work to do to build a contending team around Giannis and Bam after this year. Still, finding stars is the hard part, and Miami has landed one of the best if he can stay healthy. There’s a lot of risk here if Giannis’ continues to break down after they sign him to an extension. The reality is the Heat didn’t have a better path forward. Miami had been stuck in the middle for years. They refused to tank. Making an all-in push for Giannis felt like their only way out, but the pressure is on in a big way now to quickly transform this roster with compelling role players. The Heat are typically the best organization in the league at development diamonds in the rough. Erik Spoelstra is a living legend as head coach. Let’s see if they can do it again.Heat grade: B+Bucks trade grade for Giannis Antetokounmpo dealGiannis really should have been a one-team superstar like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant, but the Bucks’ grand plans to build around him went bust. Milwaukee’s bold trade for Damian Lillard didn’t work out like they hoped, and it left the franchise without any other assets for future moves. The divorce between Giannis and the Bucks happened in slow motion, but it feels like the best move for both sides. This feels like the best possible trade return for the Bucks even if it’s a tad underwhelming compared to recent deals for inferior players like Desmond Bane, Mikal Bridges, and Rudy Gobert. The Bucks got quite a bit here given that Giannis only had one more season left on his contract. Landing a second lottery pick in a good draft is nice work. Miami’s unprotected picks in 2031 and 2033 as Giannis enters his late-30s could be juicy.It really feels like the Bucks squeezed the Heat for the best possible offer. The 2030 pick swap is a nice inclusion. Getting Kasparas Jakucionis, a first-round pick last season, is a worthy flier for the backcourt. Herro is a Milwaukee native and one of the better scoring guards in the league, but he doesn’t really fit the Bucks’ timeline now. I’d bet Herro gets flipped before the season, and the Bucks get even more assets back to help with their rebuild. I have always loved Kel’el Ware’s raw talent. He’s a bouncy center with a nearly 7’5 wingspan who made 39.5 percent of his threes on 6.5 attempts per 100 possessions last year. He’s a good rebounder on both ends when he’s engaged. Ware is so talented that he often leaves you wanting more, and he never truly earned the trust of Spoelstra during his first two years in Miami. He just turned 22 years old. If he can grow into the Bucks’ center of the future, this package will look a lot more appealing. This is a sad ending for the Giannis era in Milwaukee, but the Bucks did well to recoup every last future asset they could in the deal.Bucks grade: A-

Timberwolves Reported Three-Team Trade Could Clear Path For Minnesota To Target This Celtics Star originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.With less than 24 hours to go before the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft kicks off, a significant trade has taken place that could have implications for the Boston Celtics.ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday night that the Minnesota Timberwolves are trading Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade. This trade will send Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, with the Timberwolves also acquiring the No. 33 pick.The trade has nothing to do with the Celtics, but the next move could. Minnesota opened up a $33 million trade exception, and Yahoo Sports NBA insider Kevin O'Connor thinks Derrick White could fit that exception."The Timberwolves will have a traded player exception worth $33 mil," O'Connor wrote on X. "Who fits into that? Derrick White, who has recently been rumored as a target for Minnesota."The Timerwolves will have a traded player exception worth $33 mil. Who fits into that? Derrick White, who has recently been rumored as a target for Minnesota.Also worth thinking about: Trey Murphy, Jrue Holiday, Dejounte Murray, and Myles Turner for players in that same range. https://t.co/pa7LXoqyjF— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) June 23, 2026The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski reported on Monday that the Timberwolves have shown interest in pursuing White."Minnesota has been most aggressive in pursuing White, the Celtics’ defensive mastermind who has the experience and the savvy to help Edwards and the Wolves break through in the West," Krawczynski wrote. "White turns 32 next month and saw his 3-point shooting percentage drop considerably this season, but so far the Celtics have rebuffed the Wolves’ advances."Celtics fans will now have to keep an eye on whether Boston rebuilds its starting backcourt from last season, with possible trades involving White to Minnesota and Jaylen Brown elsewhere.More NBA: Bill Simmons Explains Why He Doesn’t Believe Celtics Will Trade This Player For Giannis Antetokounmpo

Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesAfter months and arguably years of speculation, the Milwaukee Bucks have finally traded franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo, sending him to the Miami Heat for what can only be described as a king’s ransom.“BLOCKBUSTER: The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, 3 first-round picks (including No. 13), 1 pick swap and 1 second-rounder, sources tell ESPN,” ESPN’s senior NBA insider, Shams Charania, reported late on Monday night.The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources.The trade does not include any additional teams — it is a one-to-one move, sources said — but both the Heat… https://t.co/qsxVhBh9gp— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2026Things have been rocky between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, the franchise he’s spent his entire career with up to this point, over the last few seasons as the team has struggled to find the same caliber of success it did in 2021, when he led Milwaukee to an NBA title. He was also reportedly frustrated by the franchise’s decision to part ways with star point guard Damian Lillard, who spent the year recovering from an Achilles injury..Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points and 9.8 rebounds this season, but the Bucks failed to make the playoffs, finishing as the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference.The NBA world was nothing short of stunned by the trade and the haul Milwaukee received for its superstar. Here are reactions from the NBA’s community online.Star hunting finally pays off for the Miami Heat. Giannis, Bam, Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Portis…and what else? They gave up a lot of bodies. Leaves their roster pretty shallow. Gonna be fascinating to see how the Heat complete this team. https://t.co/kBIoW5JdmM— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnor) June 23, 2026This Giannis trade stuff is FINALLY OVER. pic.twitter.com/GcveBuXnks— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 23, 2026Giannis and Mr. 83 moves the needle idc what yall say— Jason Maples (@jjmaples55) June 23, 2026The post ‘Gonna be fascinating’: Giannis Antetokounmpo trade leaves NBA world stunned appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Chris Haynes: Sources: The 3 teams Giannis Antetokounmpo was open to signing an extension with: Miami, Boston and Minnesota. The Heat land a foundational piece and now have the attention of top players searching for a new home.x.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Giannis Antetokounmpo was open to signing an extension with Heat, Celtics and Timberwolves before trade

‪Yossi Gozlan‬: This Heat roster needs shooting. They can re-sign Norman Powell up to any amount with his Bird rights and even extend him now. They'll need to reduce their payroll to create space to re-sign him. They could also use more flexibility to open up the full $15M mid-level.bsky.appThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: They can re-sign Norman Powell up to any amount with …

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has apparently had enough of his teammate, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Joining "Pardon My Take," which is hosted by Big Cat and PFT Commenter, Kittle was asked about Aiyuk. What Kittle said leaves no doubt that Aiyuk has indeed played his last down for the 49ers. "The last time I saw Aiyuk was, call it Week 6, 7 or 8. I don't really know," Kittle told PFF Commenter who is a Washington Commanders fan. "I used to make it a habit of mine to go out early in the morning before meetings to watch him train because he'd always be out there early, and I watched him run over 22 miles per hour and watched him stop on a dime. He's still got, but that was eight months ago, so I don't really know. You guys have fun with that, I guess."After PFF Commenter responded, Kittle repeated, "You have fun with all that comes with it." When PFF Commenter replied that once Aiyuk lands with the Commanders, he'll finally be happy, Kittle added one more zinger. “You guys have fun with that I guess.”George Kittle when asked by Commanders fan PFT Commenter if he should be excited for Brandon Aiyuk.🎥 @PardonMyTakepic.twitter.com/pCYqTVaZ9C— KNBR (@KNBR) June 22, 2026"Yeah, you're right, I wouldn't be happy either if a team paid me $130 million."After the two went back and forth on the situation between the 49ers and Aiyuk a bit, Kittle did compliment Aiyuk's talent: "He's an alien, for sure."It sure sounds like Kittle is tired of the Aiyuk drama and ready for the 49ers to move on. It's interesting because Kittle defended Aiyuk not too long ago. The truth is, Aiyuk going on social media to call the 49ers stupid and wearing another team's gear probably cost him any support he had left in the San Francisco locker room. Aiyuk's eventual release is a matter of when, not if. If he reports to training camp next month, things could happen quickly. And when he's clear, the Commanders are the favorite to sign him.While everyone will focus on Kittle essentially telling the Commanders, "to have fun with that," he said something much more interesting. He said Aiyuk ran 22 miles per hour eight months ago. That would be one year after his injury. For all those saying Aiyuk is finished, it sure doesn't sound that way. Now we wait. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Kittle says two interesting things about Aiyuk

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Bradish pitched eight shutout innings, Taylor Ward hit a leadoff home run against his former team and the Baltimore Orioles extended their winning streak to three games Monday night with a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.Coby Mayo hit a three-run homer and Bradish (5-7) struck out nine as the Orioles improved to 4-3 on a nine-game trip. Bradish allowed six hits and one walk. He has 21 strikeouts over his last two starts.Baltimore was already without second baseman Jackson Holliday (groin) when third baseman Blaze Alexander (knee) exited in the third — leaving outfielder Leody Taveras to play third for the first time in seven seasons. Taveras finished with two hits.Jorge Soler homered late for the Angels in his return from the injured list, but Sam Aldegheri (2-3) gave up five runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings. Los Angeles had scored 27 runs over its previous three games.Ward, playing his first game at Angel Stadium as a visitor following an offseason trade, hit the fourth pitch from Aldegheri 419 feet over the wall in center field. It was his 56th career home run at Angel Stadium.The Angels then saluted Ward, a member of the major league team for eight seasons, with a tribute video in the middle of the first inning.Baltimore made it 4-0 in the fourth on Mayo’s three-run homer and scored again in the fifth on Pete Alonso's sacrifice fly. Gunnar Henderson added an RBI triple in the seventh that made it 6-0.Rico Garcia gave up Soler’s homer in the ninth.Baltimore is 21-6 against the Angels since 2022.Up nextOrioles RHP Shane Baz (4-7, 4.04 ERA) faces RHP Ryan Johnson (0-2, 12.83) in the middle game of the series Tuesday.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The Miami Heat have a new superstar at long last. The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and the 2021 NBA Finals MVP, to the Heat in a deal that was finalized shortly before midnight on Monday, June 22.It's a blockbuster trade in every sense of the word. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Heat will receive Antetokounmpo and veteran Bobby Portis in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and a second-round pick.With the move, the Heat instantly improve their standing in the East, and team president Pat Riley once again delivers a star player to Miami. Antetokounmpo also gets his wish. He had long been linked to Miami, and he and Heat captain Bam Adebayo share the same agent, Alex Saratsis.Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, and leaves Milwaukee as one of the franchise greats in his 13 seasons with the team.Antetokounmpo departs as the Bucks’ all-time leader in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), triple-doubles (56), games played (895), field goals (7,898) and field goal attempts (14,266).PAT RILEY PULLED THE TRIGGER: Miami Heat’s Giannis moment has arrivedHe delivered an NBA championship to Milwaukee in 2021, after he carried the Bucks past the Phoenix Suns in six games. Antetokounmpo had maintained that he wanted to continue to compete for championships and had become frustrated with Milwaukee’s recent performance.The Bucks finished the season 32-50, which ranked them 11th in the Eastern Conference, well below the top contending teams.Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Miami Heat for major haul to Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks replenished their war chest of future draft picks late June 22 by agreeing to trade superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, acquiring multiple picks from the Miami Heat.Previously, the Bucks had traded control of their draft classes through 2030 to New Orleans and Portland in deals for Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard.Let’s take a look at what the Bucks’ future draft assets look like:2026First-round pick, No. 10. This first-round pick was the Bucks’ own this year, which they kept control of after winning this placement in the NBA draft lottery. Had the team moved lower in the draft order ahead of Atlanta (which won the No. 8 pick), the Bucks would have swapped draft positions as a result of the 2020 Jrue Holiday trade. New Orleans originally owned the swap rights to this pick but traded it to Atlanta in a 2025 deal.First-round pick, No. 13. The Bucks acquired this selection from Miami as part of the Antetokounmpo trade. Note: The Heat will make the selection June 23 as the trade won't be final until July 6.No second-round pick as the Bucks’ original selection was traded to Orlando in the 2020 Jordan Nwora deal. The Bucks possessed a different second-round pick from Utah that was top-55 protected (out of 60 selections), so the pick did not convey to Milwaukee.2027None.The first-round pick was initially traded to the Pelicans outright and is the last part of compensation owed for the Holiday trade. New Orleans traded this pick, with conditions, to Atlanta in a separate deal.The Bucks’ original second-rounder went to Philadelphia in the 2024 trade for Patrick Beverley.2028First-round pick, but Portland has the right to swap as part of the 2023 trade for Damian Lillard. The Bucks also added a second swap with Washington as part of the 2024 Khris Middleton trade.For instance, if the Bucks are 20th, the Blazers 21st and the Wizards 22nd, the Blazers will swap to 20 and the Wizards will swap to 21, leaving the Bucks at 22. If Portland and Washington are both worse than Milwaukee, the Bucks will keep their original pick.No second-round pick as the Bucks’ original selection was traded to Brooklyn in the 2023 Jae Crowder deal.2029None.Portland owns the Bucks’ first-round pick outright in the Lillard deal.Brooklyn owned the original second-round pick in the Crowder deal.2030First-round pick, but Portland has the right to swap as part of the 2023 trade for Lillard.First-round pick, but with the right to swap with Miami. No second-round pick as the original selection was traded to Orlando as part of a 2023 draft-day trade for Andre Jackson Jr.2031Control of own first-round pick.Control of Miami's first-round pick.No second-round pick as the original selection was part of the 2025 trade of Pat Connaughton to Charlotte.2032Control of own first-round pick.No second-round pick as the original selection was part of the 2025 trade of Pat Connaughton to Charlotte.2033Control of own first-round pick.Control of Miami's first-round pick.Control of own second-round pick.Control of Miami's second-round pick.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A look at the Bucks' future draft picks after Giannis trade to Heat

The Milwaukee Bucks replenished their war chest of future draft picks late June 22 by agreeing to trade superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, acquiring multiple picks from the Miami Heat.Previously, the Bucks had traded control of their draft classes through 2030 to New Orleans and Portland in deals for Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard.Let’s take a look at what the Bucks’ future draft assets look like:2026First-round pick, No. 10. This first-round pick was the Bucks’ own this year, which they kept control of after winning this placement in the NBA draft lottery. Had the team moved lower in the draft order ahead of Atlanta (which won the No. 8 pick), the Bucks would have swapped draft positions as a result of the 2020 Jrue Holiday trade. New Orleans originally owned the swap rights to this pick but traded it to Atlanta in a 2025 deal.First-round pick, No. 13. The Bucks acquired this selection from Miami as part of the Antetokounmpo trade. Note: The Heat will make the selection June 23 as the trade won't be final until July 6.No second-round pick as the Bucks’ original selection was traded to Orlando in the 2020 Jordan Nwora deal. The Bucks possessed a different second-round pick from Utah that was top-55 protected (out of 60 selections), so the pick did not convey to Milwaukee.2027None.The first-round pick was initially traded to the Pelicans outright and is the last part of compensation owed for the Holiday trade. New Orleans traded this pick, with conditions, to Atlanta in a separate deal.The Bucks’ original second-rounder went to Philadelphia in the 2024 trade for Patrick Beverley.2028First-round pick, but Portland has the right to swap as part of the 2023 trade for Damian Lillard. The Bucks also added a second swap with Washington as part of the 2024 Khris Middleton trade.For instance, if the Bucks are 20th, the Blazers 21st and the Wizards 22nd, the Blazers will swap to 20 and the Wizards will swap to 21, leaving the Bucks at 22. If Portland and Washington are both worse than Milwaukee, the Bucks will keep their original pick.No second-round pick as the Bucks’ original selection was traded to Brooklyn in the 2023 Jae Crowder deal.2029None.Portland owns the Bucks’ first-round pick outright in the Lillard deal.Brooklyn owned the original second-round pick in the Crowder deal.2030First-round pick, but Portland has the right to swap as part of the 2023 trade for Lillard.First-round pick, but with the right to swap with Miami. No second-round pick as the original selection was traded to Orlando as part of a 2023 draft-day trade for Andre Jackson Jr.2031Control of own first-round pick.Control of Miami's first-round pick.No second-round pick as the original selection was part of the 2025 trade of Pat Connaughton to Charlotte.2032Control of own first-round pick.No second-round pick as the original selection was part of the 2025 trade of Pat Connaughton to Charlotte.2033Control of own first-round pick.Control of Miami's first-round pick.Control of own second-round pick.Control of Miami's second-round pick.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A look at the Bucks' future draft picks after Giannis trade to Heat

The Los Angeles Angels Sam Aldegheri #61 pitches during an MLB game against The Baltimore Orioles on June 22nd, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.ANAHEIM, Calif. — After putting 27 runs on the board over their three-game series against the Athletics over the weekend, the offense dried up on Monday night for the Angels. The Angels’ bats were blanked until Jorge Soler's home run to lead off the ninth inning in their 6-1 loss against the Orioles. "Just off the barrel stuff," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said of the offense. "I thought they were taking good swings early in the count and just missing them."Nolan Schanuel and Jo Adell hit consecutive singles to put runners on first and second with one out in the first inning, but the Angels were unable to convert and couldn't get anything going until Soler's homer. The Angels’ lineup drew only one walk, struck out 10 times and only scratched seven hits on the evening. They only had two baserunners reach scoring position in the whole game.Orioles right-hander and former Angels farmhand Kyle Bradish tossed eight scoreless innings and struck out nine while only walking one and allowing six hits."I don't know if they were guessing at it, maybe looking for something different or kind of zoning in on that," Suzuki said of the offensive approach. "To (Bradish's) credit, three-two counts, he pretty much did his job, and he won most of those three-two counts."On the mound, it was the long ball that gave left-hander Sam Aldegheri trouble. Taylor Ward made his return to Angel Stadium after spending the last eight years with the Angels, so it was only fitting that he hit a lead-off home run to start the game. Aldegheri recovered and retired the next nine batters he faced, but he ran into trouble again in the fourth inning.After surrendering a walk and a single to begin the fourth inning, Aldegheri allowed a three-run home run to Coby Mayo to make it 4-0. "I feel like it was pretty much one pitch, that three-run homer," Suzuki said. "That was the one that one hurt a little bit, but, for the most part, he got ahead really good, and at the end of the day, again, it's the later in the counts, maybe some execution things."The Orioles chased Aldegheri out of the game in the fifth inning after loading the bases with one out and scoring a run on a sacrifice fly by Pete Alonso. "I'm not satisfied, it's frustrating," Aldegheri said. "Didn't really give a chance to the team to win the game. But, I give up two homers. That's pretty much it besides a walk against Henderson, which is the one that I'm kind of more pissed off."The Orioles added another insurance run for good measure in the seventh inning with an RBI triple from Gunnar Henderson against Brent Suter.

While there were reports that the Boston Celtics were in the driver's seat when it came to landing Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade this summer, the Miami Heat may have leapfrogged them as of Monday night. According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo is headed to South Beach in exchange for a large Heat haul including Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap, and one second-rounder.The Celtics' reported trade package — which was headlined by star guard Jaylen Brown and also featured two first-round picks — was not enough to woo the Bucks. Boston and Miami were the major contenders in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and although the deal can be altered ahead of July 6, it looks like the rival Heat bested the C's in the blockbuster trade war.After failing to acquire Antetokounmpo, the Celtics are left to pick up the pieces. Can they retain Brown despite publicly throwing him in a potential trade for the second time in four years? It's worth noting that Celtics President of Basketball Operations "has not actively shopped Brown in trade talks," per Charania's sources, so perhaps the relationship is in tact or can be repaired.If not, the front office has a lot of work to do this summer. Long hours will be necessary over the next two days at least, as the 2026 NBA Draft begins Tuesday night and wraps up on Wednesday night. The Celtics hold the No. 27 pick in the first round and the No. 40 overall pick in the second. Whether or not they keep these selections remains to be seen, but the Green Team's path forward should be clearer by the end of the draft.Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47 YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Heat reportedly prevail in trade war for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo

Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is headed to South Beach to play for the Miami Heat in a blockbuster deal less than 24 hours before the NBA draft, the question is whether it makes them instant title contenders.The quick answer is no. But there are many caveats to that, the biggest being Antetokounmpo's health, as he played only 36 games last season due to a variety of injuries. But when he was in the lineup, he averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in just under 29 minutes per game.The fact that Antetokounmpo wasn't going to sign a contract extension with Milwaukee made this trade inevitable. The 31-year-old two-time MVP will make $58 million this season, and his player option for the 2027-28 season is worth $62 million.The Heat clearly wants to win now, and Pat Riley is giving up Tyler Herro, who has averaged 20 or more points a game in five straight seasons, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis, along with three first-round picks, one pick swap, and one second-round pick. One of those first-round draft picks is No. 13 in Tuesday's draft.Riley's patience was clearly wearing thin, even with two NBA Finals appearances this decade. With this trade, the message is loud and clear: that the play-in game is not an option and anything less than a title run is unacceptable. But the Eastern Conference has the Boston Celtics, still with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, who had the No. 1 seed before flaming out in the second round, and of course, the defending champions, the New York Knicks, figure to be back in the mix before it's all said and done.Miami needs to address getting younger and will need someone to distribute the ball efficiently, especially if they don't hand the reins to Davion Mitchell or Dru Smith. Now that Herro is not on the roster, getting a proven 3-point shooter is an absolute must, as Bam Adebayo and Antetokounmpo clog the middle and demand double teams.Norman Powell is 33 years old and led the Heat in scoring but is an unrestricted free agent. Adebayo is a 20-10 guy each night, but the role players who made Miami a functional, balanced — although underachieving team — are now in Milwaukee. Andrew Wiggins, whose best days might be behind him, is another piece that provides a veteran presence, but he, like Herro, will be on the last year of his contract and might be gone sooner rather than later.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis trade impact: How Heat are impacted after trade with Bucks

Jun 22, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) hits a single during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images The Braves offense was lifeless against Michael King and the San Diego bullpen on Monday night, losing 1-0 to drop their second game in a row.It was more of the same for Grant Holmes, who labored through 4 2/3 innings. He hung a slider to struggling Manny Machado in the fourth inning that was rocketed over the center field wall for San Diego’s lone early run. Holmes issued five walks and struck out four, including back-to-back walks in the fifth that prompted Walt Weiss to remove him from the game. Credit to Weiss and Didier Fuentes, who entered the game and promptly struck out Gavin Sheets to keep the deficit at 1-0.Holmes ought be in the bullpen. I’m just not sure what other options the Braves have given the current state of things.The Braves had the leadoff runner on a handful of innings against King and Co., but they were unable to get a run across despite numerous opportunities. There was a hack-at-everything approach on Monday night, which obviously did not work. They also hit a half-dozen rockets at center fielder Jackson Merrill, who caught them all.The series will continue tomorrow night from Petco Park with JR Ritchie hoping to right the ship after a rough start against the Giants last week. Ritchie will be opposed by To Be Announced, a daunting opponent. First pitch will be half an hour earlier at 9:40 p.m. ET and will be carried by BravesVision.

‪Yossi Gozlan‬: The Bucks go from having one of the most dire draft pick situations to a slight surplus of first-round picks, mostly in the 2030s. The 2030 swap with the Heat could potentially offset the swap they already owe to the Trail Blazers. They could really use more second-round picks.bsky.appThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The Bucks go from having one of the most dire draft …