MELBOURNE, Australia — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek rallied from 4-1 down in the third set to escape with a narrow 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win over 2022 runner-up Collins on Thursday and advance to the third round of the Australian Open.
Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz dropped a set for the first time in the tournament before recovering to beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the following match on Rod Laver Arena.
In a momentum-swinging opening match, Swiatek was on top after recovering an early break and leading by a set and a break before the American player rallied to take the second set and race to a 4-1 lead with two service breaks in the third.
Collins had three consecutive points to lead 5-2 but Swiatek absorbed the sustained pressure from her opponent’s powerful groundstrokes until she reversed the momentum on a match-winning five-game roll.
“Oh my God. I don’t even know,” Swiatek said of how she managed to come back. “Honestly, I was on the airport already. But I wanted to fight to the end.
“I’m really proud of myself, because it wasn’t easy.”
Swiatek had two match points at 15-40 in the last game but again Collins rallied, saving those and getting a game point with a trademark forehand winner deep to Swiatek’s backhand side.
But a forehand long and a backhand wide from Collins gave Swiatek a third match point and she made no mistake this time, flicking a backhand winner down the line to complete victory after 3 hours and 14 minutes.
Collins announced soon after that 2024 would be her last season on tour.
In one of the tournament’s toughest opening brackets, both players beat past Australian Open champions in the first round; Swiatek beat 2020 champion Sofia Kenin and Collins overcame 2016 winner Angelique Kerber.
While Swiatek was doing her on-court TV interview. Collins was already en route to a news conference on site at Melbourne Park, in a much faster exit than usual.
“Yeah, I lost 6-4 in the third to one of the best players in the world,” Collins said. “And she played some great tennis. (I) left it all on the court.”
A heavy rain shower at 3-3 in the opening set forced organizers to close the roof on Rod Laver, creating a 25-minute delay.
After winning three of the next four games to wrap up the first set, Swiatek was down 5-1 and 40-15 in the second. She saved five set points before Collins clinched it, forcing a deciding third set.
Swiatek, who lost to Collins in the semifinals here two years ago, was again down two service breaks and needed some help.
“She played just perfectly, but it would be hard for anybody to keep that level,” she said. “So I wanted to be ready when more mistakes are going to come from the other side. And I just wanted to push her and I did that at the end.”
The four-time major winner next faces No. 50-ranked Linda Noskova, who beat U.S. qualifier Kessler McCartney 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 in a match featuring two players on their Australian Open main draw debuts.
Fifth-ranked Jessica Pegula was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Clara Burel. A quarterfinalist in each of the past three years. It was Pegula’s earliest Grand Slam exit since she lost in the second round at Wimbledon in 2021.
Sloane Stephens, the U.S. Open winner in 2017, took out No. 14 seed Daria Kasatkina 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
With a strong breeze to contend with, Alcaraz was tested by Lorenzo Sonego before coming through in four sets.
“I think both of us played a high level,” Alcaraz said. “The match was a little tricky with the wind and sun, so it was tough to play our best. But even if I lost a set, we played a good match.”
Two of the early men’s matches went the distance before being decided in 10-point tiebreakers, with Olympic champion Alexander Zverev holding off Lukas Klein 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7) in 4 1/2 hours and No. 11 Casper Ruud edging Max Purcell 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).
“He played incredible. He was hitting every single ball as hard as he could from both sides,” Zverev said of Klein, a No. 163-ranked qualifier from Slovakia. “I didn’t really know what to do most of the times. To be honest, he probably deserved to win the match more than me today.”
Cameron Norrie, the No. 19 seed, also went five sets, coming from two sets down to beat Italian qualifier Giulio Zepperi 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 while Alex Michelsen defeated No. 32 Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Last year’s runner-up Elena Rybakina was set to open the night session on Rod Laver, followed by two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev.
With Newcastle lost to the freezing temperatures, Southwell is the focus for our Thursday racing, live on Sky Sports Racing.
6.30 Southwell – Valsad to make first outing for Jamie Osbourne
Our feature class three Build Your Acca With BetUK Handicap looks a cracker with Valsad topping a field of 11.
Recently purchased out of the Roger & Harry Charlton yard, Valsad will be making his debut for the Jamie Osborne team, bidding to extend his unbeaten record at the track having won his sole outing here in September. Jockey Callum Shephard is on form too, having scored over a similar trip at Lingfield on Monday.
Jamie Camacho’s Qaasid has been performing well without winning on his last few starts and should remain competitive off his current mark over a course and distance that suits.
Of the others, SonneriePower rates a fascinating contender on just his third start for Michael Appleby, while Marco Botti’s Cavern Club has claims on his all-weather form as he returns from a break.
6.00 Southwell – Two runners look to continue positive form
Last-time winners Daafy and Bobby Joe Leg clash in this Win £2,000,000 With BetMGM’S Golden Goals Handicap.
Derek Shaw’s Daafy returned to winning ways when narrowly seeing off Fieldsman over this course and distance earlier this month and could prove hard to beat from 3lb higher in the weights.
Ten-year-old Bobby Joe Legs showed his well-being when landing an 11th career success at Newcastle on his last start, and he should not be underestimated as he bids to follow up under James Sullivan.
Alike in the Racing Post ratings (72) is Seas Of Elzaam, who will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing run at Chelmsford last time out over six furlongs.
Keiran Burke’s Vitalline has placed on his last three starts and should be on the premises from the same mark again today.
8.00 Southwell – Kats Bob seeks prominence in renewal
Recent victors Kats Bob and Dandys Derriere feature in a competitive renewal of this Always Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap.
Kats Bob bounced back to form under a more prominent ride when scoring over this course and distance last week and rates the one to beat having escaped a penalty with Archie Young claiming a handy 7lb.
He won’t have it all his own way though, with Dandys Derriere arriving on the back of a taking success at Wolverhampton last month. With the form of the effort franked by the placed horses, he rates a big danger under Harry Russell.
Sassy Belle looks the pick of the remainder as he continues to be well treated on past form on just his second start for trainer David Evans. Don’t discount Phoenix Beach either, who took a keen hold of a recent six-furlong affair at Newcastle for Richard Fahey before fading to third inside the closing stages.
The Atlantic Coast Conference filed an amended complaint in North Carolina Superior Court on Tuesday seeking damages from Florida State for “serial breaches of critical legal promises and obligations” and questioned FSU’s right to have leadership in ACC positions.
The 55-page filing in Mecklenburg County marks the latest in the procedural jockeying between the ACC and Florida State over that school’s challenge to the league’s grant of rights.
The ACC had initially filed a claim on Dec. 21 to protect the league’s grant of rights, which runs through 2036. FSU filed the next day in Leon County (Florida), claiming that the ACC restrained trade and breached the contract and citing years of mismanagement in the league.
It began what promises to be a prolonged legal battle to test the legality of the ACC’s grant of rights agreement.
The ACC filing on Tuesday includes six claims, including FSU breaching its contract with the ACC, breaching confidentiality in the media rights agreement and breaching fiduciary obligations and obligations of good faith.
The complaint includes a new claim for potentially “substantial” damages from alleged contract breaches: “The Conference have and recover of Florida State damages for its breach of the ACC Constitution and Bylaws in an amount to be proven at trial but which the Conference believes will be substantial.”
The filing also challenges FSU’s ability to have school officials in conference leadership positions, which includes FSU president Richard McCullough being on the ACC’s board of directors and the finance committee.
It asks for a “permanent injunction barring Florida State from participating in the management of the affairs of the Conference while it has a direct and material conflict of interest” with the conference’s objectives.
If the entire legal process plays out, it’s expected to take years. The next key date is Feb. 16, when both sides have agreed to respond to the initial filings.
The ACC’s amended complaint portends the league’s legal strategy, which reinforces how FSU was a willing participant in agreeing to the grant of media rights that it’s now trying to legally unwind from. Florida State has estimated it would cost more than a half-billion dollars — $572 million — to leave the ACC without some type of legal win or settlement between the sides.
The ACC made clear in its amended complaint that FSU accepted “hundreds of millions of dollars” as part of the ACC media agreements for more than a decade. The league is seeking a declaration that the grant of rights is “valid and enforceable” and that FSU “knowingly executed” the grant of rights and knew the terms.
“In signing the Grant of Rights and its amendment, Florida State promised that its Grant was ‘irrevocable’ and ‘exclusive’ through 2036,” the amended complaint states. “It further explicitly agreed that it would not ‘take any action, or permit any action to be taken by others subject to its control … that would affect the validity and enforcement’ of the Grant of Rights.”
A Florida State spokesperson told ESPN on Wednesday night that the university was aware of the ACC filing and had no further comment.
The university’s filing in late December to sue the ACC over the grant of rights was a signal that Florida State is preparing to depart the conference and likely attempt to eventually join the Big Ten or SEC.
FSU alleged “chronic fiduciary mismanagement and bad faith” in its initial 38-page lawsuit. It was the culmination of a near yearlong drumbeat from FSU officials about seeking to depart the ACC, as McCullough said this summer that FSU would consider leaving unless there was “radical change” to the ACC’s revenue distribution.
Dave Wilson is an editor for ESPN.com since 2010. He previously worked at The Dallas Morning News, San Diego Union-Tribune and Las Vegas Sun.
Northwestern Oklahoma State has hired former NFL coach Jerry Glanville as its new defensive coordinator.
Glanville, who coached the Houston Oilers (1986-1990) and the Atlanta Falcons (1990-1993), joins coach Ronnie Jones’ staff at the Division-II school in Alva, Oklahoma.
“When I accepted this job at Northwestern, I promised to do everything in my power to bring back the winning tradition of the Ranger Football program,” Jones said in a statement. “Bringing coach Jerry Glanville is a major step in that direction. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our program. He is considered one of the greatest defensive coaches to ever coach the game and I can’t wait to watch him turn our defense into a dominating unit.”
Jones, himself a former NFL assistant for coaches like Wade Phillips and Buddy Ryan, went 1-10 in his first season at NWOSU last fall.
Known for his all-black attire and leaving tickets for singer Elvis Presley at will call on game days, Glanville, 82, has 57 years of coaching experience, including going 63-73 as an NFL head coach. He last coached in college football from 2007 to 2009 as the head coach at Portland State, where he went 9-24. He had previous college experience as June Jones’ defensive coordinator at Hawai’i in 2005-06, as a defensive assistant at Georgia Tech from 1968 to 1973 and Western Kentucky in 1967.
His most recent coaching job was for the Alabama Airborne of Major League Football in 2022.
Glanville has also been a NASCAR team owner and driver along with a broadcaster in his lengthy career.
Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens waived Melvin Gordon III on Wednesday, but the former Pro Bowl running back is expected to stay with Baltimore.
Gordon, 30, will likely get signed to the Ravens’ practice squad, according to a source. He had been limited to a reserve role since signing with the Ravens before the start of training camp in July. In four games, Gordon had with 26 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown.
The move comes after Gordon struggled in the season finale two weeks ago, when he fumbled in a 17-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the 19th fumble of his career, the most by a non-quarterback since 2015.
It’s unknown how Baltimore will handle its running back rotation for Saturday’s AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans. One option would be to promote four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook to go along with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
The 15th pick of the 2015 draft by the San Diego Chargers, Gordon has rushed for 6,543 yards and 56 touchdowns in nine seasons with the Chargers, Denver Broncos and Ravens.
Each year, college basketball regains national prominence just as the college football season ends and the NFL playoffs wind down.
While the die-hards have been following the sport throughout the season, the casual fans are just arriving and asking questions such as, “What did I miss?”
Well, a lot.
If we’re being honest, we can admit that men’s college basketball in 2023-24 doesn’t have a Zion Williamson or a Trae Young. And Caitlin Clark is clearly the biggest college basketball star, men’s or women’s, right now.
Still, men’s hoops is full of intriguing storylines, elite players, coaching milestones and fabulous title races. (Also, a lot of upsets.)
Don’t worry if you’re trying to catch up. We’re here to pull you back in.
Here are 32 reasons, one for each conference, to watch men’s college hoops this season:
In last season’s NCAA tournament, FAU started its Final Four journey with a 66-65 win over the Tigers via Nick Boyd’s game-winning floater with 2.5 seconds to play. Now, Penny Hardaway may have to beat FAU twice to secure his first AAC championship in his sixth season at Memphis. The Owls’ first season in the AAC, however, could also end with more dominance over Memphis, and the start of a new rivalry in men’s college basketball.
The last time Vermont failed to win an America East championship (2015-16), Flo Rida’s “My House” was a hit on the Billboard Top 100. The Catamounts will aim for their eighth consecutive conference crown with an offense that shoots 3-pointers on nearly half of their field goal attempts. They’re simply fun to watch.
Atlantic Coast Conference
The conference of top bigs
Zach Edey is the front-runner to win national player of the year honors again, but the ACC is packed with the strongest collection of elite bigs. Clemson‘s PJ Hall (19.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.1 BPG) has emerged as an ACC player of the year candidate. And fifth-year star Armando Bacot (14.6 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG) hopes to avenge last season’s disastrous finish by leading North Carolina back to the Final Four. Duke‘s Kyle Filipowski (18.2 PPG, 8.9 RPG) is once again a projected NBA draft lottery pick. Wake Forest has extended its winning streak to nine games after Gonzaga transfer Efton Reid III (8.2 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG) gained his eligibility. And Miami‘s Norchad Omier (17.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG) is even better than he was as a member of last season’s Final Four team. Need we say more?
Atlantic Sun Conference
Meet the fastest team in America
Kennesaw State head coach Antoine Pettway has already put his stamp on the program in his first season. The former Alabama assistant leads a team ranked first in adjusted tempo on KenPom. This crew could win the ASUN title and make it back to the NCAA tournament with that, and high-volume 3-point shooting. In their recent loss to Indiana, the Owls finished with 35 3-point attempts in 40 minutes. For reference, just last week, the Golden State Warriors launched 36 3-pointers in their 48-minute game.
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‘Hammer time!’ DaRon Holmes II throws down breakaway jam for Dayton
DaRon Holmes II picks off a pass on defense and takes it all the way for an emphatic dunk against Saint Louis.
The 6-foot-10 Dayton forward is making quite the case for that description, averaging 18.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 2.1 BPG. He has also connected on 44% of his 3-point attempts. In a recent win over Duquesne, he finished with 33 points (3-for-5 from beyond the arc) and 12 rebounds. Dayton, one of the best mid-majors in the country currently, also has one of the most exciting players in the country.
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Rick Pitino’s colorful response to how much he hates losing
Rick Pitino tells reporters how much he hates losing after St. John’s falls to Creighton.
Big East Conference
It’s official: Rick Pitino is back
After his team’s loss to Creighton over the weekend, the St. John’s head coach said he wished he would “die of frostbite.” It’s clear Pitino has brought back the flamboyant news conferences that have made him one of the most polarizing coaches in the country. And with Pitino on the sideline, prepare for a show, win or lose. But, his team’s NCAA tournament aspirations are valid. Couple that with No. 1 UConn‘s mission to become the first back-to-back national champion since Florida (2006, 2007), makes the Big East exciting to watch.
OK, we’re exaggerating. Still, through their first set of league games, the Eagles shot 49% from 3. They’re top-15 nationally this season (39% from beyond the arc), so this isn’t a fluke. They’re just that good.
Ten years before the iPhone arrived, High Point made an NCAA tournament appearance (1997) — as a Division II team. The Panthers haven’t made it to the dance since. This season, however, Duke Miles (19.6 PPG) could lead High Point to its first league title since 2016, and its first-ever Division I NCAA tournament appearance.
Big 12 Conference
Unexpected early losses have made this race more competitive
Once Houston joined the league, it appeared that Kansas would be challenged as the perennial king in one of America’s toughest leagues. That may still happen, but the Big 12 race is more compelling than anyone could have imagined entering the season. Houston’s 1-2 start to league play and KU’s recent upset loss at UCF have put both teams in a tough spot early. This could open the door for Ja’Kobe Walter and Baylor to make a run to the top of the standings, or give sleepers such as Iowa State or Texas Tech room to crash. The Big 12 is always fun, but January’s developments guarantee it’ll be more so than expected.
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No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston go down on wild night of college basketball
Check out the top moments from Purdue’s loss to Nebraska and Houston’s loss to Iowa State.
Purdue has Zach Edey, the reigning Wooden Award winner and favorite to capture the award again. The Boilermakers have spent time as the No. 1 team in America with wins over Tennessee, Alabama, Arizona, Gonzaga, Illinois and Marquette. And it appeared they might go undefeated in the Big Ten.
That’s not the case. They’ve started 4-2, while the surprise undefeated team in Big Ten play is Wisconsin. The Badgers’ 5-0 start means Purdue will have to catch up to win a second Big Ten title in a row. The two teams play each other twice this season, meaning the Boilermakers have two chances to humble the Badgers. Another consideration for the league title race: Terrence Shannon Jr. — currently suspended by Illinois after an arrest on a rape charge — has sued the school for immediate reinstatement. Illinois is tied with Purdue and Indiana for second in the conference.
Big West Conference
Every school is a vacation destination
This could be a fierce race as Justin Hohn (14.0 PPG) and the UC Irvine Anteaters aim to hold off the rest of the conference. But let’s forget the on-court play for a second; this is a league full of incredible campuses in great locations. While you’re stuck at home in the cold this winter, the schools in this league will spend time in Hawai’i, San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and other warm destinations. And we’ll watch it all because we’re jealous, honestly.
Coastal Athletic Association
Jyare Davis is a rare big man who actually makes his free throws
Fine, Davis is 6-foot-7, so he’s no giant. But he is a center for Delaware and he has made 88% of his free throw attempts this season. That’s tenth in America among all players with at least 75 attempts entering the week. Big men often struggle at the free throw line, but Davis is clearly proving the trend wrong.
Joe Golding’s squad forces turnovers on more than one-quarter of its opponents’ possessions, a top-five mark in America per KenPom. It also commits turnovers (22.8% of its offensive possessions) at nearly the same rate. It’s like spending your whole paycheck every Friday. That’s how UTEP rolls, and it keeps this league interesting.
When Greg Kampe was in his first head-coaching season (1984-85), the price of a McDonald’s cheeseburger was 50 cents and the average home cost $79,000. He’s still at it and is the longest-tenured coach in men’s college basketball. And, this team is doing well enough that this special season could end with a conference title.
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Xaivian Lee Drops 33 Points in Princeton’s Win Over Harvard – Via Ivy League
Sophomore guard Xaivian Lee scored a career-high 33 points in Princeton’s 89-58 win over Harvard.
Ivy League
Princeton might bust brackets again
Last season, the Tigers beat Arizona and Missouri on their way to the Sweet 16, where they lost to Creighton. The Tigers look like Cinderellas again. They entered the week with a 14-1 record and a top-30 NET ranking. Guard Xaivian Lee (18.1 PPG, 40% from beyond the arc) might be the school’s next hero in March, too.
Bashir Mason finished 14-18 in his first season with the Peacocks, the program that beat Kentucky, Purdue and others during an Elite Eight run in the 2022 NCAA tournament. In his second season, Mason’s team has won its first five conference games. The Peacocks might go dancing again just two years after one of the greatest runs in recent college basketball history.
Mid-American Conference
There’s a(nother) future Power 5 star on a roster here
In this transfer portal era, the MAC has produced elite players who have ventured to Power 5 programs. It’s an unfortunate development for the schools that have to replace those talents. But it also means the league’s key players get a shot to play at a higher level. See: Mark Sears (20.3 PPG, 49%), a former Ohio star who’s now leading Alabama, And RayJ Dennis, last season’s MAC POY who has been a standout at Baylor this season.
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
LeVelle Moton’s impact on and off the court
The North Carolina Central head coach, is chasing his fifth MEAC title and fifth NCAA tournament appearance this season. But his impact is even more important off the floor, where he hosts a dinner for single mothers and also recently helped develop an affordable housing complex, both in the Raleigh, N.C., area.
Entering the week, the Southern Illinois star (44% from the 3-point line) was averaging 23.8 PPG, the No. 2 mark in America behind Denver‘s Tommy Bruner (25.4 PPG). Johnson has had the more surprising rise between the two, though. He has stepped up since averaging just 7.0 PPG last season.
Right now, there are six teams (Utah State, Colorado State, San Diego State, New Mexico, Nevada, Boise State) in the top 45 of the NET rankings. The ACC has four, and the Pac-12 has two. Jaedon LeDee (21.6 PPG) and SDSU aren’t the only stars in a league that could make more noise than some of their Power 5 peers in the postseason.
Northeast Conference
Finally, Merrimack is eligible for the NCAA tournament
Last year, the Warriors watched Fairleigh Dickinson enjoy the spoils of its upset over then-No. 1 seed Purdue, even though Merrimack had defeated the Knights in the NEC tournament title game. But, Merrimack was in its last year of its four-year transition to Division I athletics, and according to NCAA rules was ineligible for the tournament. That changes this season. The Warriors haven’t slid since joining Division I, so we very well could see them among the field of 68.
The Leathernecks — a nickname given to members of the Marine Corps — could win the OVC crown in their first season in their new league. Entering the week, the former Summit League members had a ridiculous offensive rebounding rate of 48.9%, meaning they grabbed nearly half of their missed shots, and a 3-point clip of 41%, both in league play per KenPom.
Pac-12 Conference
The journey of Bronny James is still the main story
Yes, there are other storylines in the final season of this league. Arizona is trying to bounce back after two early losses in league play. Colorado freshman Cody Williams is a projected draft lottery pick. James’ teammates are interesting, too: Boogie Ellis is on pace to earn all-Pac-12 honors and Isaiah Collier is another projected lottery pick — though both have dealt with recent injuries, affecting USC‘s tournament chances.
But James’ journey is the most monumental storyline in men’s college basketball. The 6-foot-3 guard has had his highs — see: his 15-point performance against Oregon State on Dec. 30 — and a series of lows — he finished 0-for-7 in the loss at Colorado on Saturday. His father, NBA star LeBron James, said recently that his eldest son could play on an NBA roster right now. But Bronny hasn’t done anything at this level, yet, to prove those aspirations. Either way, his is a remarkable story: competing as a freshman months after he suffered cardiac arrest during a team workout. The next two months will determine if he’ll get a chance to play at the next level, alongside his father.
Patriot League
Matt Langel might be your team’s next coach
Langel loves Colgate. In his 13th season with the Raiders, he’s pursuing his fifth NCAA tournament appearance and sixth league crown. He’s also only 46 years old. Although he recently signed an extension through 2030, another strong season might convince Langel (126-78 in the Patriot League) to consider a move to a high-major program that wants that level of success.
Southeastern Conference
A league of stars
The SEC is in a fight with the Big 12 for the honor of being the best league in America. But it’s arguably more talented, top-to-bottom. Kentucky is so deep that John Calipari brings two of his best players (NBA prospects Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham) off the bench. Johni Broome (15.4 PPG) is the leader of a top-15 Auburn squad. Tennessee star Dalton Knecht cracked the first round of ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft. Wade Taylor IV scored 31 points in Texas A&M‘s 97-92 overtime win vs. Kentucky on Saturday. Alabama‘s Mark Sears has made, no typo, 49% of his 3-point attempts. Meechie Johnson (17.1 PPG) leads emerging sleeper South Carolina.
Anytime you watch an SEC game this season, there’s a good chance you’ll see an outstanding college and possible future NBA player.
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UNC Greensboro Spartans vs. Samford Bulldogs: Full Highlights
UNC Greensboro Spartans vs. Samford Bulldogs: Full Highlights
Southern Conference
The country’s longest winning streak belongs to… Achor Achor and Samford
Entering the week, the Bulldogs hadn’t lost a game since Nov. 10 (at VCU). They’ve won 15 in a row since. Led by Achor (15.5 PPG, 1.7 BPG), Samford could win back-to-back conference crowns this season. Another impressive stat: Since Dec. 28, 2022, Samford has amassed a 30-6 record.
Alvin Brooks was a guard for the Cardinals in the late 1970s. Now he’s in his third season as head coach, and has already matched last season’s win total. Picked to finish ninth in the league’s preseason poll, Lamar entered this week in a tie for first place. The school hopes to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012.
Summit League
A private school in Minnesota has big goals
In its third season as a Division I program, former D-III power St. Thomas-Minnesota could win the Summit League crown. But this is just the beginning for the school in St. Paul, which has raised millions of dollars for a new arena and could challenge its Big Ten neighbor Minnesota for local talent in the future.
Sun Belt Conference
James Madison has gone from the bubble to battling for the league title
After opening its season with a historic win at Michigan State, JMU secured NCAA tournament bubble consideration by winning its first 14 games. A 3-2 start in league play seems like it might end those hopes, however. A Dukes squad once ranked as high as 19th in the AP top 25 poll will need a turnaround in the coming weeks to win the Sun Belt title and the auto-bid.
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Kevin Johnson gets another chance
Following a rocky final season at Centenary in 2004-05, Kevin Johnson had to wait nearly 20 years to get another head-coaching job. Thus far, he has made the most of his opportunity. The first-year head coach at Southern leads the top defensive team in the league. Under Johnson, the Jaguars could win their first conference tournament title since 2016.
Western Athletic Conference
Grand Canyon has the best student section in America
The Havocs, the apt nickname for GCU’s student section, is one of the most coordinated, energized and massive student sections you’ll ever encounter. It’s the reason Power 5 schools balk at the idea of visiting the Lopes every season, because it provides Bryce Drew’s squad with a massive advantage. And now the students are back from their winter break and ready to help their team get back to the NCAA tournament — and go further. The Grand Canyon in-game experience is unlike anything.
Mark Few has been fortunate to replace his most talented players in recent years. But he hasn’t found an immediate answer for the loss of Drew Timme and Julian Strawther this season. The result? Saint Mary’s, San Francisco and even Santa Clara — which snapped a 26-game losing streak to the Zags last week — are in the mix for the WCC crown. Gonzaga could still find its way to the top of the conference, but with the constant rumors of Gonzaga considering a move to another league, it’s unclear how long it’ll stay in the WCC, even with its new partnership with Oregon State and Washington State.
Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and a former star player in his native Serbia, died Wednesday in Utah after suffering a heart attack, the team announced. Milojević, part of the staff that helped the Warriors win the 2022 NBA championship, was 46.
Milojević died in Salt Lake City, where he was hospitalized Tuesday night after the medical emergency happened during a private team dinner. The Warriors had been scheduled to play the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, a game the NBA postponed.
“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” coach Steve Kerr said in a statement released by the team. “This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him.”
Milojević’s death elicited a massive and immediate outpouring of sympathy from the basketball community, and moments of silence were held Wednesday before NBA games. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called the news “horrific.” Atlanta forward Bogdan Bogdanovic — a Serbian, like Milojević — politely declined comment Wednesday before the Hawks’ game, saying “I’m sorry. I can’t talk about it right now. I feel so bad,” while tapping his chest. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich raved about how good a coach Milojević was.
“You changed my life in such a short time,” Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski wrote on social media. “The most important thing you ever told me was to just smile! Your joy and laughs will forever be missed. Shine down on us from heaven.”
Milojević was in his third season with the Warriors. He previously coached in Serbia — where he once worked with a young Jokic before the now-Denver Nuggets star came to the United States — along with Montenegro, plus had been an assistant coach for the Serbian national team alongside current Atlanta assistant Igor Koskoskov.
“The NBA mourns the sudden passing of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević, a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
Milojević worked closely with Jokic, Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, Orlando center Goga Bitadze and Houston center Boban Marjanovic, among others, during his time as a coach in Europe. With the Warriors, he worked primarily with the big men like Kevon Looney, who raved about Milojević’s attention to detail.
“Rest in peace, Deki,” Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic wrote on social media.
Kerr said he originally learned of Milojević from Kent Lacob, the son of Golden State owner Joe Lacob. And when the Warriors went through some staffing changes in 2021, Kerr decided to pursue Milojević. It took some convincing, but Milojević finally agreed to take the offer. Kerr was thrilled.
“I immediately saw what Kent was talking about,” Kerr said in a video produced by the Warriors last year. “He was so great to be around. At the same time, he had this amazing basketball background both as a player and a coach. It made so much sense for us to bring Deki in.”
Milojević won three consecutive MVP awards in the Adriatic League, taking those trophies in 2004, 2005 and 2006 when the 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward was at the peak of his playing career. Jokic was MVP of that league in 2015, a year after current Golden State forward Dario Saric was MVP.
His potential in the game came early: Shortly after he began playing, Milojević scored 141 points in a game as a 14-year-old in 1991.
“I teach all my players that basketball is not a job, but that they should enjoy the game,” Milojević told Bosnian radio-television outlet RTV in a 2018 interview. “Because if you want to do something for the next 20 years, then you have to love it a lot. It’s not easy to endure all these efforts if you don’t like something. Only those who have a sincere love for the game can handle everything with great success.”
Before joining the Warriors, Milojević had NBA experience through Summer League assistant coach stints with Atlanta, San Antonio and Houston.
Toronto coach Darko Rajaković said he had known Milojević since he was a teenager.
“He was a role model as a player, as a man, as a husband, as a coach — somebody that I really admired and have a lot of respect for,” Rajaković said. “Unfortunately, last night, his heart stopped working and he left his wife and two kids behind and a big, big legacy.”
Added former Golden State assistant and current Sacramento head coach Mike Brown: “Not only was he an extremely talented coach, he was an even better person.”
A rescheduled date for the Warriors-Jazz game was not immediately announced. The Jazz said tickets for Wednesday night would be honored at the rescheduled game. Golden State is next scheduled to play at home Friday against Dallas.
Milojević is survived by his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa.
“Their loss is unfathomable,” Kerr said.
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AP Sports Writer Paul Newberry in Atlanta and Associated Press Writer Ian Harrison in Toronto contributed to this report.
Blink and you’ve probably missed one. It’s been a virtual reset on the current Alabama football roster in the week since Nick Saban retired and, as expected, recruiting has taken a substantial hit …
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Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, covering the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at large. Stephen finished first place in column writing in the 2015 Indiana Associated Press Media Editors competition, and he is a previous top-10 winner in explanatory journalism in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has previously worked for the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and The Athletic.
INDIANAPOLIS — Colts owner Jim Irsay was found unresponsive and struggling to breathe before being transported to a hospital by paramedics last month, according to a report.
TMZ.com, citing Carmel (Indiana) police documents, reported Irsay was found lying in bed and was cold to the touch when emergency personnel reached him on the morning of Dec. 8.
The report stated an emergency call from someone in the home said Irsay was observed to have a “blue skin tone.”
Radio traffic accessed by ESPN indicated fire rescue was dispatched to Irsay’s address in Carmel at 4:32 a.m. for a report of an “unconscious person.”
Irsay received a dose of Narcan, a medicine that quickly reverses an opioid overdose, from the first police officers on the scene, according to the report, and “responded slightly” before paramedics transported him to a hospital. The incident was classified as a suspected overdose in the documents, according to the report.
The Colts, who last week revealed Irsay was dealing with a “severe respiratory illness,” declined to offer any specific response but issued a statement Wednesday saying, “Mr. Irsay continues to recover from his respiratory illness. We will have no further comment on his personal health, and we continue to ask that Jim and his family’s privacy be respected.”
The timeline of Irsay’s recent issues is unclear. Irsay has not been seen publicly in recent weeks. But ESPN confirmed he attended the Colts’ Dec. 16 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers — eight days after the emergency at his home.
Numerous questions about Irsay’s health and whereabouts in the weeks since had been fielded by the team, with Colts officials consistently stating there would be no comment on personal matters.
Last week, the team reversed course when it released the statement about Irsay’s respiratory illness, saying it would prevent him from attending an Irsay Collection exhibit and concert in Los Angeles.
“He is receiving excellent care and looks forward to returning to the stage as soon as possible,” the statement read. Later in the week, general manager Chris Ballard said Irsay is “stable and they’re working through it.” He declined to elaborate.
Irsay, 64, has a long history of addiction and has admitted to past usage of opioids and other drugs. He revealed in a November interview with HBO Sports that he had been to rehab “at least 15 times.” He also said he had a near-fatal incident years ago, saying he went “code blue” and had to be revived.
In the past, Irsay has said his addiction to painkillers stems from his usage after a series of surgeries over the years. Irsay has undergone several procedures in recent years for years-old shoulder and hip injuries that have had a significant impact on his mobility.
The Irsay family’s successful Kicking the Stigma campaign was launched in 2020 as an extension of Irsay’s outspokenness about addiction and mental health. The organization has distributed more than $25 million in grants to entities in the mental health space.
ESPN reporter Paula Lavigne contributed to this report.
Alabama safety Caleb Downs, a second-team All-American in his freshman season, is headed to the NCAA transfer portal, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Downs earned a starting safety spot as a true freshman in 2023 and became the first known freshman to lead the team in tackles, according to his school bio. He earned first-team All-SEC honors and was the SEC’s Newcomer of the Year.
Downs received numerous freshman All-America honors and also received second-team All-America honors for all players from The Associated Press.
Downs finished fourth in the SEC in tackles with 107 and had a hand in four turnovers with a forced fumble, a recovered fumble and two interceptions. He also returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown.
Against Texas, he had 10 tackles and forced a fumble, and he led the team in tackles in the Tide’s Rose Bowl loss to Michigan.
Downs (6 feet, 203 pounds) projects as one of the top picks in the 2026 NFL draft. He’ll have two seasons remaining wherever he goes before draft eligibility. He’ll be one of the most talented and coveted players to enter the transfer portal this season. Former Alabama coach Nick Saban had been unusually effusive in describing Downs’ talent and ceiling for a freshman.
On his radio show this season, Saban said of Downs: “I think what impresses me most about Caleb Downs is his maturity. He’s a very instinctive football player, but this guy, there’s no arrogance about him, being one of the best players in the country at his position.”
Downs joins sophomore receiver Isaiah Bond as front-line Crimson Tide players to enter the portal since Saban’s retirement. Bond has since transferred to Texas.
Alabama’s offensive line also took a hit Wednesday as starting left tackle Kadyn Proctor announced he will be entering the transfer portal.
Proctor, ESPN’s No. 10 overall recruit and No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2023 class, started throughout the season and earned freshman All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches.
The 6-foot-7, 360-pound player from Des Moines, Iowa, initially committed to Iowa as a high school recruit before switching to Alabama. He also received significant interest from Oregon and other programs.
Caleb Downs is the younger brother of Josh Downs, the Colts rookie wide receiver who starred at North Carolina. Their father, Gary Downs, played running back in the NFL for the Giants, Broncos and Falcons.
Entering college, Caleb Downs chose Alabama over Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Clemson. He was a five-star recruit and ESPN’s No. 11 recruit in 2023 coming out of high school.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Two schools have made the biggest impression early on for four-star receiver Dillon Alfred as one stands out most and he’s visiting the other one this weekend.The Saraland, Ala., st…
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In the run-up to the Australian Open, defending champion Novak Djokovic’s right wrist was sore — hardly ideal for a tennis player who swings his racket primarily with that arm.
Cam Norrie, the tournament’s 19th-seeded man, has been dealing with wrist pain, too. As has Brenda Fruhvirtova, one of a trio of 16-year-olds who reached the second round of the women’s bracket at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic, Norrie and Fruhvirtova were not prepared to blame the ever-changing types of tennis balls used year-round at the sport’s highest levels, but they weren’t necessarily ready to absolve that issue completely, either. For a while now, some players have wondered aloud whether their wrists, elbows, shoulders and other body parts involved in propelling rackets to strike shots at speeds regularly topping 100 mph (150 kph) are at greater risk because of a constant need to adjust to projectiles that are heavier or lighter, slower or speedier, fluffier or more consistent than the ones they were hitting a week or two or three earlier.
The WTA and ATP professional tours are finally ready to look into the matter, announcing right before this week’s start of the year’s first Grand Slam tournament they are conducting “a strategic review” of tennis balls, although they don’t envision any changes before 2025.
“I hope they can figure it out. Seems pretty far away,” 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic said. “It seems like they’re kind of kicking the can down the road.”
Taylor Fritz, a 26-year-old from California who was the highest-seeded American man in Melbourne at No. 12, is among those harboring concerns. He said when the ATP asks male players at the end of each season what they think can be improved about the sport, he always mentions the fluctuations among the fuzzy tennis balls.
“When I was younger … (I) didn’t get injured too easily. I’ve been really feeling it,” Fritz said.
“It’s not so much like the specific ball that injures us. In some cases it is. But it’s more just: You get used to one, and then when you change to something that’s a bit heavier, your wrist or your elbow or whatever is taking the force,” he explained. “Everyone is different. Everyone hits the ball different — grips, all that stuff. Whatever is taking the force is now not trained to take that. It’s been trained to take maybe a lighter ball. So it’s just all the switching; it causes problems.”
According to the WTA, most injuries on its tour over the past four years are to the foot (17%) or thigh (13%). Wrist or shoulder injuries follow and account for a combined 18.5%.
Ten brands of tennis balls — and 19 distinct types — were used across the WTA in 2023. A similar number of brands popped up around the ATP.
Imagine the NBA using that many kinds of basketballs … or the NHL using that many kinds of pucks … or the NFL using that many kinds of s … or Major League Baseball using that many kinds of baseballs during one of their seasons … or FIFA using that many kinds of soccer balls during one World Cup. They don’t, of course; each sticks to one brand.
“I just try and play with what I’m given,” British tennis player Katie Boulter said. “It does change week by week.”
One significant difference between tennis and some other sports is that surfaces change, prompting ball changes. The Australian Open is contested on hard courts, the U.S. Open is on another sort of hard courts, the French Open is on clay, Wimbledon is on grass.
Some players, such as two-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz, want consistency within each portion of the season, but right now each tournament chooses its own ball supplier or sponsor. Money, as is often the case in the world of sports, talks.
Fritz and Alcaraz noted that events during the lead-in to last year’s U.S. Open went with four different balls in a four-week span.
Fritz and others, such as two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, pointed to one possible compromise: a universal ball that would vary its branding from week to week.
“If you ask me, ‘Oh, should we change the balls?’ Yeah, absolutely,” Azarenka said. “We should have similar consistency.”
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AP Sports Writers John Pye in Melbourne, Australia, and Andrew Dampf in Turin, Italy, contributed.
Louis Rees-Zammit is not the first rugby player try his hand at making it in the NFL, but can he succeed where others have faltered and what sets him apart from his peers?
He follows in the footsteps of one-time England international Christian Wade, among others, but, given Wade did not make a regular-season appearance during his three years with the Buffalo Bills before returning to club rugby and French side Racing 92 in 2022, has Rees-Zammit possibly bitten off more than he can chew?
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Louis Rees-Zammit explains his decision to quit rugby union and pursue a his ‘dream’ of a career in the NFL
Wade shows rugby to NFL is tough path to tread
Wade is the most obvious example that Rees-Zammit can learn from, having both plied their trade on the wing in rugby union, and the Welshman already has the benefit of a five-year head start on the former Wasps star who was 27 when he made the switch in 2019.
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Watch Christian Wade score a 65-yard touchdown with his first touch of the ball in an NFL preseason game for the Buffalo Bills!
Wade successfully came through the IPPP to land as a running back with the Bills, sensationally scoring a 65-yard touchdown with his very first touch for the team in a preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. However, he would never see the field in a regular season contest and Wade previously hinted at how his greatest moment – that TD against the Colts – was symptomatic of his struggle to make the switch.
“The way I did my hand off, I kind of got in trouble for that,” Wade said. “Initially I had it in the right pocket, but when I realised I was going to cut back, I went back to taking the ball like I was catching a rugby ball.”
Wade added of his start in Buffalo: “The first week or so was definitely a shock to my system.
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Former Wasps winger Christian Wade discusses the difficulties in transitioning from rugby to the NFL.
“I wasn’t used to training at that intensity for that many days in a row. It’s literally just go, go, go all the time. What I’ve learned about this game so far in terms of looking after your body is that you need to know how to recover because you don’t have a lot of time to rest.”
Wade is not the only homegrown rugby player to take their talents to America. Christian Scotland-Williamson and Alex Gray had too made the move from the Gallagher Premiership to the IPPP, landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.
Again, neither saw the field in a competitive game before attempting to return to rugby. Gray can now be seen on the rebooted Gladiator TV series, taking down contenders as ‘Apollo’.
Speed to rival the ‘Cheetah’: where does Rees-Zammit fit in?
Rees-Zammit’s greatest strength is his speed. Like with Wade, it could make him a natural fit at the running back position, or, alternatively, could there be a fit at wide receiver? Or both.
Sky Sports’ Neil Reynolds likened him to San Francisco 49ers dual threat Deebo Samuel, saying on the latest Inside The Huddle podcast: “You play him a bit at wide receiver, you stick him in the backfield, let him return some kicks. There’s a lot of things he could do and it will be interesting to see how they use him at the upcoming camp.”
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On the Inside the Huddle podcast, Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold envision the role Louis Rees-Zammit could carve out in the NFL
There’s also another obvious comparison. Rees-Zammit has once been clocked at a top speed of 24.2mph during a rugby game, quicker than the 23.2mph once produced by arguably the best receiver in the NFL right now, Tyreek Hill.
Hill was a world-class sprinter in high school, running the 200m in 20.14 seconds, aged 18 – ranking him sixth in the entire US in 2012. He has since translated that devastating speed to the NFL, earning the nickname ‘Cheetah’.
Not taken till the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Hill was not the prototypical NFL receiver at the time, considered undersized at 5 ft 10 and 191 lbs.
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Tyreek Hill had a massive 1,717 receiving yards for the Miami Dolphins in the 2023 NFL season!
But, named to the Pro Bowl in each of his eight seasons in the league, winning the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and flirting with becoming the first receiver to ever top 2,000 yards in a season this year, Hill has since revolutionised how the position is viewed and every team is now on the lookout for their own explosive, home-run threat at the position.
Could this be Rees-Zammit’s in?
What is the International Player Pathway and who are its successes?
The IPPP was launched by the NFL in 2017 as the brain-child of British Dallas Cowboys coach Aden Durde in view of providing athletes from outside the US with an opportunity to vie for a spot on an NFL roster.
Since the programme was launched, 37 international players have signed with NFL teams, whether it be through allocation, the draft or as a free agent.
Image: Jordan Mailata came through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme and is now a key part of the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line
Australian Jordan Mailata, a starting left tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, has emerged as the programme’s biggest success story after also making the switch from rugby, where he was a prop coming through the ranks on the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ U20s team.
Wade, Gray and Scotland-Williamson all came through the programme, but it is defensive end Efe Obada who has been the biggest British success story, playing six seasons in the NFL – albeit his latest one with the Washington Commanders was capped in Week 11 when breaking his leg in the home defeat to the New York Giants.
Obada’s journey to the NFL is an incredible one. Born in Nigeria, he and his sister were trafficked to England via Holland aged 10 and were left homeless. They initially slept in an office block before moving around various different foster homes.
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British NFL player Efe Obada recorded an interception in his first career start for the Carolina Panthers
From there, he would ultimately make his way to the NFL as an IPPP graduate, becoming the first player to earn a spot on a team’s active roster through it, before earning the game ball with a one-sack, one-interception performance in his competitive debut with the Carolina Panthers in 2018.
Despite Rees-Zammit’s move, the most high-profile sporting switch to the NFL may well be yet to come.
England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has previously talked of his desire to continue playing sport at the highest level once his footballing career draws to a close – as a kicker in the NFL.
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Harry Kane scores his 22nd Bundesliga goal for Bayern Munich to level Robert Lewandowski’s record for the most goals in the first half of a Bundesliga season
The 30-year-old, a huge fan of the sport and specifically the New England Patriots, first said as far back as 2019: “That’s real, something that in 10 or 12 years I definitely want to try.
“It goes back to that drive to be the best… If you play in the Premier League and the World Cup, and you then play in the NFL, would you then be considered one of the greatest sportsmen ever?”
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England captain Harry Kane tells former NFL star JJ Watt he still has ambitions to be a NFL kicker in the future
Kane’s suggested timeframe would see him consider the switch when aged 35-37 and, though kickers are among the lowest-paid in the NFL, they also tend to have the longest shelf life, many playing into their 40s, thus making Kane’s ambition feasible.
Remarkably, he’s not even the first former Tottenham Hotspur striker to flirt with the move. Famously, in 1997, Clive Allen was a kicker for the London Monarchs in the now defunct NFL Europe league, though he never made the NFL grade.
Image: Former Tottenham striker Clive Allen appeared as a kicker for the London Monarchs in NFL Europe
In 2013 there was also talk of a certain David Beckham being offered an NFL deal after having reportedly impressed during a 2007 adidas commercial, though it was largely dismissed as nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Back to rugby, and a similar story to Allen’s, former Scotland international full-back Gavin Hastings was a kicker for the Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe in 1996, while England World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson too toyed with the idea.
“I have thought about the NFL a little bit,” he said in 2013. “I would love to go over to America. I need to see the transition as one door closing and a very attractive one opening.”
So, what’s next for Rees-Zammit?
Rees-Zammit’s NFL adventure begins on Friday with a flight to Florida ahead of a 10-week intensive training camp as part of the IPPP, at the end of which he will find out if a team wishes to sign him.
That’s just the start. Like with Wade and others who have traversed the same path before him, then making a team’s starting roster is another battle in itself.
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Sky Sports News’ James Cole assesses Louis Rees-Zammit’s chances of success in the NFL following his shock decision to quit rugby
Training camps and offseason workouts are run by each team in May, ahead of the preseason in August, where rosters are trimmed down to 53 players prior to the season’s start in September.
Each NFL team have 11 starters on offense and 11 on defense, leaving room for depth of roughly two or three players at each position and, of that 53-man roster, only 46 can dress to take part in any given game week-to-week, leaving places at a real premium.
Should Rees-Zammit fail to make a team’s final roster, he could still be signed to a team’s practice squad where a total of 17 players can be housed – positions normally reserved for precisely the kind of developmental prospect that he represents.
It is undoubted the Welshman has enormous potential. Not just in terms of his obvious athletic ability. As the NFL looks to continue its expansion into Europe and other territories, most notably with the International Series fixtures that take place each year, Rees-Zammit can bring the game to a whole new audience.
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell discusses the possibility of a Super Bowl being played in London and whether there will be a UK franchise in the future
That’s not to say the move is not a risk for the youngster as he trades in a sport where he is already a star for one where a practice squad check of approximately £160,000 a year is only guaranteed week-to-week.
That said, he is young enough to return to rugby should things not pan out, perhaps even in time to be considered for the next World Cup in Australia in 2007. Not that he is looking at that possibility.
“It’s nothing about rugby,” Rees-Zammit said upon announcing his switch. “It’s about my ambition to make my dream come true and play in the NFL.”
Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL at ESPN since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In his 10 years with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga. You can follow Nick via Twitter @nwagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With the start of the San Francisco 49ers‘ playoff journey set for Saturday, running back Christian McCaffrey returned to practice on Tuesday after recovering from a right calf injury.
McCaffrey suffered what he and the Niners described as a “mild” calf strain in a Week 17 win against the Washington Commanders. He did not play in a meaningless Week 18 loss to the Los Angeles Rams with an eye toward returning at full strength for the playoffs.
He was back Tuesday when the top-seeded Niners opened their week of preparation for the NFC divisional round showdown with the Green Bay Packers.
McCaffrey was a full participant in the session and is full speed ahead for Saturday, according to coach Kyle Shanahan.
“I think he’s geared up and ready to go, the same way he was last year,” Shanahan said. “Probably the same way he was in a playoff game when he was 5 years old, too or a scrimmage. Christian is always the same. He’s always waiting for that moment and he’s been waiting for this moment for a while.”
McCaffrey and the 49ers were optimistic over the past two weeks that he would be fine for the beginning of the postseason but it’s still a welcome development given all McCaffrey has meant to San Francisco this season. Despite missing the final game of the year, McCaffrey won his first NFL rushing crown, finishing with 1,459 yards on the ground. That was 292 more than Derrick Henry, who finished second.
McCaffrey also led the league in scrimmage yards per game (126.4), first downs (114) and 10-plus yard runs (44). He finished tied for first in total touchdowns with 21.
Before the regular-season finale, McCaffrey had not missed a game as a Niner since arriving via trade in October 2022. But McCaffrey said he could have played in Week 18 if needed.
“I have played through worse,” McCaffrey said at the time. “It’s just one of those things where right now the situation we’re in, precaution is probably better. But I knew I was going to be good regardless of what the test said. So, it was more of a cautionary situation and being smart about it than doing something stupid.”
Because they had already clinched the NFC’s top seed, the Niners did not have to play on wild-card weekend. They did, however, have a pair of practices on Thursday and Friday last week, even putting on full pads for the Friday workout. McCaffrey did not participate in either of those workouts.
Elsewhere on the injury report, the Niners appear to be rounding into good health at the right time. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell (knee), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles tendonitis) and safety Logan Ryan (groin) were the only players not expected to participate in Tuesday’s practice, though Shanahan said Greenlaw and Ryan should be able to return on Wednesday.
The 2023 NFL rookie class has been memorable. This season, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud set a single-game rookie passing record in Week 9. Rams receiver Puka Nacua set an NFL record for the most receiving yards in a season by a rookie. Two running backs rushed for more than 900 yards, and 18 defenders had three or more sacks. And an NFL-record 10 rookie quarterbacks recorded a start for their team.
Now that the regular season is over, we have arrived at our final top-10 rookie rankings. This ranking takes only the regular season into consideration, so anything that happened this past weekend in the playoffs is off limits and not factored into the top 10.
We polled five of our ESPN NFL experts — Matt Bowen, Jeff Legwold, Brooke Pryor, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid — for a consensus ranking of the top 10 rookies. They weighed in on each player who made the list, along with three players who fell just outside the list. Finally, they debated whether Stroud is a lock for Offensive Rookie of the Year, picked out the season’s second-half rookie MVP, identified an overperformer and an underperformer, and named someone who could break out in their sophomore campaign.
Let’s begin with the lone rookie QB who led his team to the playoffs.
2023 recap: Stroud is a skilled passer who displayed the poise of a veteran player in the pocket and the ability to create plays outside of structure. He was set up to attack all three levels of the field in Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s system, posting a league-leading 73.9 QBR versus zone coverage, while adding 66 explosive passing plays, the third most in the NFL.
Stroud led the NFL in passing yards per game (273.9) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first rookie to lead the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (minimum 15 passing TDs). Stroud elevated the Houston offense to new heights, leading his team to the playoffs, and he is currently the favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
2024 outlook: Expect Stroud to put the Texans in position to compete for the AFC South title once again. With receiver Tank Dell healthy, back in the mix and boosting the playmaking ability of the Houston passing game, Stroud could post numbers that keep him on the MVP radar. — Bowen
2023 recap: Nacua broke a 63-year record for receiving yards by a rookie, as he finished the regular season with 1,486 yards on his 105 receptions. That’s quite the value for a fifth-round pick who had struggled with injuries at times during his college career.
Nacua makes contested catches, and his routes are crisp. He is already one of the league’s best at the position, breaking tackles once he has the ball — 43% of his receiving yards came after first contact, a remarkable number given his high volume of work.
2024 outlook: Nacua’s physical style of play and intense practice habits will always put him at risk of injury. In college, he suffered his fair share of injuries that contributed to him being picked in the fifth round last April. But if healthy, there is no reason to believe he couldn’t follow up his elite rookie season with another great effort for the Rams next season. — Legwold
2023 recap: At times, Carter has looked exactly like the player that the team traded up to select with the No. 9 overall pick. His first-step quickness and pass-rush repertoire are frequently too much for interior defenders. Carter somewhat cooled down during the final stretch of the season, but the results have still been noteworthy. His 15.7% pass rush win rate ranked second among rookies and 36th in the league.
2024 outlook: With Eagles veteran Fletcher Cox scheduled to become a free agent in the offseason, it’s fair to expect an expanded role for Carter during his second season if Cox doesn’t return. Carter is a clear building block for the Eagles moving forward and helps keep the team’s identity of being strong in the trenches intact. He is without question a disruptive force in the middle, but the flashes of positive play will need to become more consistent in a full-time role. — Reid
2023 recap: From his first game, LaPorta established himself as a reliable part of the Lions’ offense, catching all five targets in his debut. He finished the season by setting the NFL record for most receptions in a season by a rookie tight end.
LaPorta led the league in third-down targets among tight ends (39) and in tight end receptions (10) and receiving yards (110) in tight-window targets, underscoring quarterback Jared Goff‘s trust in the rookie. LaPorta didn’t score his first touchdown until Week 3, but he finished with 10 scores and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
2024 outlook: Though he entered the playoffs with a knee injury sustained in Week 18, LaPorta picked right up where he left off in the regular season with a touchdown in Detroit’s first home playoff victory since the 1991 season. The Lions are an ascending team, and LaPorta will be a focal point of their future success. — Pryor
2023 recap: Witherspoon quickly lived up to his status as the first cornerback drafted with shutdown ability. He collected one interception, which he ran back 97 yards for a touchdown, while limiting opposing quarterbacks to a completion percentage of 60.5% with 16 passes defensed. Witherspoon emerged as not just the best rookie cornerback but also one of the best pure cover players in the league.
2024 outlook: We saw 2022 draftee Riq Woolen collect six interceptions in his rookie season before struggling at times in 2023, so there’s reason for caution as Seattle moves on from the Pete Carroll era defensively. That said, Witherspoon was my top-ranked corner in the ’23 draft class for good reason. He has the agility, toughness and instincts to become one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks in his sophomore season. — Miller
Stats: 45 tackles, 7 sacks Drafted: No. 3 overall
2023 recap: Anderson’s pass rush win rate of 25.8% ranked third in the league, behind only Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett. Anderson plays a disruptive role for DeMeco Ryans’ defense and currently is one of the top candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year. His first-step quickness, power and active hands put him in a position to attack the pocket. He’s a developing force with a high ceiling.
2024 outlook: Since Anderson is playing in a defensive system that will create pass-rush matchups from multiple fronts, I fully expect him to produce double-digit sacks in ’24. Ryans can set him up on schemed one-on-ones, while also maximizing his traits off twists and stunts to generate hits on the quarterback. — Bowen
2023 recap:David Montgomery led the Lions in rushing, but it was Gibbs who left many eager for more. Gibbs consistently flashed his speed and explosiveness — 14.8% of his carries went for 10-plus yards, and his 18.98 mph max speed when crossing the line of scrimmage while running the ball was the 10th best measured this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
But Gibbs didn’t consistently get a large volume in the Lions’ attack. He had six games with fewer than 10 carries and had just one game with more than 15 — his 26-carry, 152-yard effort in Week 8 against the Raiders. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, and his 10 rushing touchdowns ranked 10th in the league.
2024 outlook: Gibbs is always going to be a difficult matchup for defenses because of his quickness and top-end speed. It will be about how the Lions carve out opportunities for him, especially if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson moves on to be a head coach elsewhere. There might be room in the passing game for a little more work, given Gibbs had seven games this season with four or fewer receptions. — Legwold
2023 recap: Robinson entered his first season in the NFL with major expectations. Despite an unclear role and inconsistent involvement in a stagnant Falcons offense, his rookie year involved plenty of flashes. He concluded the season as a candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year and has proven he has the potential to be a lead back. Robinson has an uncanny ability to break tackles to create new opportunities even if runs aren’t always blocked cleanly.
2024 outlook: Entering a new offense during his sophomore campaign, Robinson has a skill set that translates in any scheme and the talent to make a major sophomore leap. He’s also capable of being used frequently in the passing game. — Reid
2023 recap: With Justin Jefferson‘s injury, Addison stepped into a big role as a rookie and was more than ready for the moment. He was 89 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season and recorded 10 touchdowns. With the Vikings’ offensive woes and quarterback carousel after Kirk Cousins was injured, Addison didn’t put up big numbers consistently, but he had a couple of breakout games with two 100-yard performances, including one in a Week 7 win against the 49ers.
2024 outlook: While Addison showed he could have an impact regardless of the quarterback, a big part of his outlook hinges on who will be throwing the ball for Minnesota in 2024, and how that quarterback will distribute touches between Addison, Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson. — Pryor
2023 recap: The Dolphins’ third-rounder was one of the league’s most electric players when healthy, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Achane also acquitted himself nicely as a receiving option out of the backfield, tying Robinson for the most receiving touchdowns by a rookie back (three).
2024 outlook: Staying healthy will be the key for the speedy Achane in Year 2. The Dolphins missed his explosiveness during his six-game absence, and with Raheem Mostert‘s contract expiring after next season, we could see Achane, who is on an inexpensive rookie deal, take over a larger role in the offense. A 1,000-yard season in Mike McDaniels’ offense seems like a lock, and a 1,400-yard all-purpose year with double-digit touchdowns is realistic. — Miller
It’s safe to say the Rams crushed the third round in last April’s draft with Young and Kobie Turner. Young was a constant in the Rams’ defense, tallying 61 tackles, eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. He really came out of the gate strong with 11 of those quarterback hits in the Rams’ first six games. — Legwold
When you tie Aaron Donald‘s rookie sack record (nine) as Turner did this season — including 2.5 against the Giants in Week 17 — you’ve done something right. Turner, who usually played on the nose in the Rams’ defense, had eight sacks from Week 9 on. — Legwold
Dell’s season ended with a fractured fibula suffered in the Texans’ Week 13 win over the Broncos. Still, Dell finished third on the team in receptions (47) and second in receiving yards (709) and touchdowns (seven). The Texans had two of the 21 qualifying players who averaged more than 15 yards per reception this season — Nico Collins at seventh (16.2 yards per catch) and Dell at 20th (15.1 yards). — Legwold
Best rookie performance of the second half?
It’s hard to make an argument against Stroud for this one. He had 14 passing touchdowns in the final eight games of the regular season, including a whopping five touchdowns against the Buccaneers in Week 9 in a game in which he threw for 470 yards. He threw three picks two weeks later against the Cardinals, but he hasn’t thrown any since. Stroud hasn’t shown any signs of hitting a rookie wall, instead accelerating through to the postseason. — Pryor
Who will break out in his 2024 sophomore season?
Lukas Van Ness, OLB, Green Bay Packers. Playing in a rotational role on the Green Bay defensive line, Van Ness flashed in his rookie year, registering four sacks, 15 pressures and 32 total tackles. With his 6-foot-5, 272-pound frame, he can set an edge versus the run, plus he has the physical tools to elevate his pass-rush production in ’24. And you can see the positive signs of his development on the tape. — Bowen
Is there any scenario where Stroud doesn’t win Offensive Rookie of the Year?
I don’t see one. Nacua’s season was remarkable and historical, but quarterback comes with a degree of difficulty other positions don’t face, especially rookie quarterbacks who are tossed into the deep end from the start.
Stroud showed how he could be QB1. His accuracy (especially deep-ball accuracy), throwing ease, in-game calmness and processing ability were clear from Week 1. And he led his team to a division title in his first season. — Legwold
Who overperformed in 2023?
Ivan Pace Jr., ILB, Minnesota Vikings. As an undrafted rookie in the middle of Brian Flores’ defense, Pace exceeded expectations. He quickly overtook the starting middle linebacker spot after a training camp battle entering the season and never looked back. He finished the regular season with 97 tackles, one interception and 2.5 sacks.
Pace’s aggressive and physical nature fit perfectly in the Vikings’ attacking scheme that relies heavily on generating pressure by blitzing second-level defenders. Pace is one key cog the team can pencil in as a starter in the middle in 2024. — Reid
Who underperformed in 2023?
Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers. The reasons the No. 1 overall pick struggled in 2023 are obvious — a lack of supporting cast at wide receiver, an offensive line dealing with injuries and a lack of development by a coaching staff fired midway through the season. That doesn’t completely erase Young’s struggles, as he threw 10 interceptions to just 11 touchdowns with a QBR of 33.4 — which was good for 29th in the league. Year 2 will need to be a bounce-back season for Young, or the Panthers might be looking at quarterbacks again in the 2025 NFL draft. — Miller
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Matt Bowen, Jeff Legwold, Matt Miller, Brooke Pryor and Jordan Reid
MELBOURNE, Australia — Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and U.S. Open winner Coco Gauff avoided the early Day 4 upsets at the Australian Open to advance to the third round along with 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Three-time major finalist Ons Jabeur lost 6-0, 6-2 in 54 minutes to Andreeva in Wednesday’s opening match on Rod Laver Arena and then 2018 champion Caroline Wozniacki also lost to a young Russian on the No. 3 show court.
Two other 16-year-old players lost their center court matches to highly-ranked players: No. 10 Beatriz Haddad Maia accounted for Alina Korneeva 6-1, 6-2 and Sabalenka overpowered Brenda Fruhvirtova 6-3, 6-2 to open the night session.
Gauff extended her winning streak to nine matches at Grand Slams with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win over fellow American Caroline Dolehide.
Dolehide served for the opening set at 6-5 before U.S. Open champion Gauff took control in the tiebreaker.
“It was really hard,” Gauff said. “If you give her something short, she’s going to punish you for it, so if I could go back and do something I’d change that.”
Gauff will next play another American, Alycia Parks, who reached the third round of a Grans Slam singles tournament for the first time with a 7-5, 6-4 win over 32nd-ranked Leylah Fernandez.
Jabeur, the runner-up at Wimbledon in each of the past two years, made 24 unforced errors against Andreeva.
“I was really nervous before the match because I’m really inspired by Ons and the way she plays,” said Andreeva, who lost in the final of the junior event here last year. “Before I started on the WTA Tour, I always watched her matches and was always so inspired. Now I had the chance to play against her.”
It is the second successive year that Jabeur has lost in the second round in Melbourne.
Wozniacki led by a set and a break before losing 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 to 20-year-old Maria Tomafeeva, who is making her main draw Grand Slam singles debut.
Wozniacki, who had two children before returning to the WTA Tour last year after 3 1-2 years away, started out on top before Tomafeeva turned the match around with some devastating hitting, including 40 winners.
“I’m really a bit speechless now,” Tomafeeva said. “It was an honor to play here against Caroline. I was going into the match without any expectations. I enjoyed every second of it.”
Wozniacki said the match “slid out of my hands . . . it’s definitely disappointing,”
Jabeur and Wozniacki played their matches under the roof, on Rod Laver Arena and John Cain Arena, respectively, with rain causing the start of matches on the outside courts to be delayed for three hours. It cleared up and the backlog of matches was limited.
Amanda Anisimova continued her comeback from a seven-month mental health break with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Nadia Podoroska. She’ll next play Paula Badosa, a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
In men’s matches, fourth-seeded Jannick Sinner beat Jesper de Jong 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 on Margaret Court Arena, the third stadium at Melbourne Park with a retractable roof.
U.S. Open semifinalist Ben Shelton, the No. 16 seed, advanced 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5) over local hope Chris O’Connell. He had match points in the 12th game of the fourth set but couldn’t convert, and needed two more in the tiebreaker before advancing.
A quarterfinalist on debut here last year, Shelton said he enjoyed the atmosphere that the home crowd gave O’Connell and said he could still hear the chant “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi” in his sleep.
Australia’s highest-ranked player, No. 10 Alex de Minaur, accounted for Matteo Arnaldi 6-3, 6-0, 6-3. De Minaur will next play Flavio Cobolli, an Italian qualifier who beat Pavel Kotov 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. No. 12-seeded Taylor Fritz also advanced.
Novak Djokovic, a 10-time winner of the event, plays local hope Alexei Popyrin in the late match.
Eni Aluko says the abuse she suffered as a result of Joey Barton’s social media posts left her fearing for her safety and frightened to leave home.
The football pundit and former England striker revealed she is taking legal action against Barton, warned against the dangers of online abuse and worries the issue could lead to a female broadcaster taking their own life.
“Now, I’m open and honest and I’m human and I’m more than happy to admit that I’ve been scared this week,” she said in a 15-minute video posted on Instagram.
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“I’ve genuinely been scared this week. I didn’t leave my house until Friday and I’m now abroad.
“It’s really important to say that online abuse has a direct impact on your safety and how you feel and how safe you feel in real life.
“I’ve felt under threat this week. I’ve felt like something is going to happen to me. And I don’t say that for anyone to feel sorry for me – I say that for people to understand the reality and the impact that hate speech has, the impact that racism has, the impact that sexism has, the impact that misogyny has on all of us females in the game, in sports broadcasting.
“That’s the real impact – and it’s not an isolated incident, this is now showing up as a culture in the game, from certain fan bases and certain people.
“They’re creating a culture where people don’t want to go to work, people don’t want to leave their house, people feel under threat. Obviously there’s a big impact on mental health as well.”
While Aluko did not mention once-capped England midfielder Barton by name, she accused “the former Man City player” of being sexist, racist and misogynistic and of having a “violent history”.
The 36-year-old also referenced the late television presenter Caroline Flack, who died by suicide in 2020, when outlining her concerns.
“If you come out and are racist, or sexist or misogynistic and threaten people online, there are laws for that, that govern that behaviour, so it’s not free (speech),” she said.
“There are consequences for that. And over the past week, I’ve taken advice from lawyers and a course of action has now been decided upon.”
She added: “My fear, actually, is that the next time this happens, if we don’t really put a stop to this, is that that girl or that woman kills herself.
“I’m not being hyperbolic about that when I say that it’s happened. Caroline Flack, God rest her soul, killed herself, largely because of the online abuse that she was getting.
“At what point are we going to understand that this needs to stop? Sexism, racism, misogyny is not an opinion. It’s not freedom of speech. It’s against the law. It’s as simple as that.”
Hate won’t win
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A Tennessee woman filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday accusing James Dolan, chairman of Madison Square Garden and governor of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, of pressuring her into unwanted sex nearly a decade ago while also facilitating an encounter with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who she also claimed sexually assaulted her.
In the lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and obtained by ESPN, Kellye Croft says she was 27 and working as a licensed massage therapist when she met Dolan in fall 2013 while on a tour with a rock band, the Eagles. (Dolan’s band, JD & The Straight Shot, opened for the Eagles during the tour.)
During one encounter, the lawsuit alleges, Dolan became “extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him.” In subsequent encounters, the lawsuit alleges, Croft was summoned to Dolan’s room, where he made “unwelcome advances toward Ms. Croft, and she felt obligated to submit to sex with him.”
Croft alleged that in January 2014, Dolan helped arrange for her to travel to Los Angeles to join the tour. There, Croft alleged, she met Weinstein at The Beverly Hills Hotel where Dolan was paying for her to stay. Weinstein, she alleged, introduced himself as one of Dolan’s “best friends,” then asked whether she was the massage therapist that Dolan had mentioned and previously praised.
She accused Weinstein of sexually assaulting her at the hotel, after which she informed Dolan, who allegedly responded by telling her that Weinstein was “a troubled person” with “serious issues.” The incident predated Weinstein being convicted for years of sexual abuse following investigative reports in 2017 by both The New York Times and The New Yorker.
That alleged incident also predated remarks by Dolan that he was unaware Weinstein, who had been a close friend, was allegedly a serial abuser of women. In 2018, Dolan, who served as a member of the board of directors of The Weinstein Company in 2015 and 2016, released a song with his band titled, “I Should’ve Known,” which he later connected, in part, to Weinstein.
ESPN typically does not name victims of sexual assaults, but Croft issued a public statement Tuesday, saying in part, “James Dolan manipulated me, brought me to California to abuse me, and then set me up for a vicious attack by Weinstein. My hope is that my lawsuit will force Dolan to acknowledge what he did to me and to take responsibility for the harm he has caused.”
Croft, now 38, is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
E. Danya Perry, an attorney for Dolan, dismissed the allegations.
“There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against Mr. Dolan. Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a friendship,” Perry wrote in a statement provided to ESPN. “The references to Harvey Weinstein are simply meant to inflame and appear to be plagiarized from prior cases against Mr. Weinstein. These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against Mr. Dolan and has not won, and cannot win, a judgment against him. Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims.
“Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position. We look forward to proving that in court.”
Jennifer Bonjean, a lawyer for Weinstein, said in a statement provided to ESPN that Weinstein “vehemently denies the meritless allegations in the recently filed lawsuit. We look forward to litigating this case in a court of law where the truth will be revealed.”
Weinstein, who was originally sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexual assault, had an additional 16 years added on last year for rape and sexual assault in a separate case.
During a news conference Tuesday to announce that the 2026 NBA All-Star Game will be held at the LA Clippers’ soon-to-open Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, NBA commissioner Adam Silver responded to an ESPN reporter’s question about the lawsuit.
“I saw the article and don’t know anything else about it other than I read the article,” Silver said, “so we’ll stand by and wait to find out more information.”
In a statement to ESPN, Douglas H. Wigdor, a lawyer for Croft, responded to Silver’s remarks.
“That is a puzzling response for the Commissioner to make,” Wigdor told ESPN. “No reputable chairperson in corporate America would ‘stand by’ and ‘wait’ after reading that a federal complaint was filed against one of their executives alleging sexual assault and sex trafficking. The NBA and the NHL for that matter should be no different. We are fully prepared to participate in any fair and unbiased investigation by both commissioners as these allegations are relevant to the integrity and public confidence of the respective leagues.”
