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  • Oklahoma State fires football coach Mike Gundy after 20-plus years

    Mike Gundy, one of college football’s most colorful coaches over the last two decades, was fired by Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

    The 58-year-old Gundy had a career record of 170-90 at his alma mater, where he was a star quarterback in the late 1980s. He posted winning records every season from 2006 to 2023, but had losing records in his final two years.

    “Cowboy Football reached an unprecedented level of success and national prominence under Coach Gundy’s leadership,” Oklahoma State athletic director Chad Weiberg said in a statement. “I believe I speak for OSU fans everywhere when I say that we are grateful for all he did to raise the standard and show us all what is possible for Oklahoma State football.”

    Gundy arrived as head coach in 2005, and the Oklahoma City native’s charm and sense of humor appealed to fans and recruits and helped the Cowboys compete with better-funded programs. As late billionaire T. Boone Pickens poured millions into the program, Gundy turned Oklahoma State into an unlikely powerhouse that often affected the national championship race. The Cowboys won the Big 12 in 2011 and played in the Big 12 title game in 2021 and 2023.

    But the Cowboys couldn’t keep up as college football changed. The transfer portal and NIL made it more difficult for a coach who made his name mining diamonds in the rough. Gundy lost 11 of his final 12 games with the program. In his final two seasons, he emerged as a refreshingly open and honest voice about the changes in the sport.

    On Monday, Gundy said he wanted to stay.

    “Ever since I was hired, I’ve put my heart and soul into this, and I’ll continue to do that until I don’t want to do it anymore, or until someone else says we don’t want you to do it,” he said.

    For all his positives, Gundy came with quirks. He is known as much for his “I’m a man, I’m 40” rant that he made defending a player — a diatribe that remains a part of pop culture through a Consumer Cellular commercial — as for his success.

    In 2020, he apologized for calling COVID-19 the “Chinese Virus, ” and again months later after he wore a T-shirt featuring the far-right One America News Network that created a disagreement with running back Chuba Hubbard.

    All those things were forgiven as the team won. But the Cowboys lost their last nine games last season, the final defeat a 52-0 blowout at Colorado.

    This season, Oklahoma State struggled out of the gate against FCS program Tennessee-Martin, winning 27-7 but raising eyebrows with its struggles after quarterback Hauss Hejny went down with a broken foot in the first quarter.

    The next week, the Cowboys lost at Oregon 69-3. Ducks coach Dan Lanning said Gundy got his team fired up by talking about how much money Oregon had at its disposal.

    After a bye week, the Cowboys lost at home to Tulsa for the first time since 1951. The fans booed him during the loss to Tulsa, with some chanting “Fire Mike Gundy.”

    “If you want to be angry at Coach Gundy, then you can do whatever you want that makes you feel better, but don’t do it to the team,” Gundy said on Monday. “I think that’s what’s best for Oklahoma State football, Oklahoma State’s athletic department and Oklahoma State in general.”

    Oklahoma State hosts Baylor on Saturday.

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  • NHL makes 5 players acquitted of sexual assault charges eligible to sign contract, play this season

    NEW YORK — The NHL is reinstating five players who were acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2018 when they were members of Canada’s world junior team, announcing Thursday they will be eligible to sign a contract Oct. 15 and take part in games Dec. 1.

    The move comes roughly seven weeks since Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton were found not guilty by a judge in London, Ontario. The Canadian government told lawyers for the players last month it would not appeal the ruling.

    They were not in the NHL at the time of the incident.

    None of the players had current contracts and all are free agents. Hart was with Philadelphia, McLeod and Foote with New Jersey, and Dube with Calgary, while Formenton was playing in Europe, and their respective teams let their previous deals expire last year after charges were laid.

    The NHL conducted its own investigation beginning in the spring of 2022 when the allegations came to light. It called the events that transpired “deeply troubling and unacceptable” and that while they were not found to be criminal, said the players’ conduct did not meet the standard of moral integrity.

    The players met with league officials after the verdict and expressed regret and remorse, the NHL said. Keeping them from playing until Dec. 1 brings their total time away to nearly two years.

    The NHL Players’ Association in a statement said it was pleased Dube, Foote, Formenton, Hart and McLeod are getting the opportunity to resume their careers.

    “The players cooperated with every investigation,” the union said. “Upon their full acquittal by Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia, we initiated discussions with the NHL regarding the players’ return to work. To avoid a protracted dispute that would cause further delay, we reached the resolution that the league announced today. We now consider the matter closed and look forward to the players’ return.”

    Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, earlier in the week, said an update was coming “in the relatively near future” and declined to go into the contents of the investigative process.

    “Obviously, we take the matter very seriously, and that’s why it’s still under review,” Daly said Tuesday in Las Vegas.

    Asked about Hart on Thursday in Voorhees, New Jersey, the head of the company that owns the Flyers, said they would not comment at this point.

    “The NHL’s made it clear they’ll speak first,” Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dan Hilferty said. “But right now, we’re not prepared to comment on the Carter Hart situation. The NHL has told us they are running the show.”

    Hart, McLeod, Dube and Foote last took part in NHL games in January 2024 before leaving their teams with charges pending. It was not immediately clear how many of the players would be signed when eligible, though Hart as a 27-year-old goaltender with significant experience appears to be the most likely.

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    AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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  • Jacob deGrom going back to where career began to face Mets for 1st time since leaving for Texas

    ARLINGTON, Texas — Jacob deGrom is excited to be going back to where his career began, the home stadium where he made 109 of his 245 starts in the big leagues and had back-to-back Cy Young Award-winning seasons with the New York Mets.

    “It holds a special place in my heart,” deGrom said. “I pitched a lot there, and Mets fans were always good to me. So taking the mound in front of that crowd was always a fun experience.”

    Now the lanky right-hander will find out if that holds true when pitching against them.

    DeGrom is set to face the Mets on Friday night for the first time since leaving in free agency after the 2022 season and signing with the Texas Rangers. The teams contending for playoff spots in their respective leagues open a three-game series at Citi Field.

    “With what he did for the Mets, how much time he spent there, I’m sure he’s probably going to have some memories and emotions even before he pitches,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’ll be well-received, no doubt. But it’s going to be a big game, so there may be some scattered boos in there.”

    The 37-year-old deGrom (11-7, 2.78 ERA) was the only All-Star player from the Rangers this season. His 27 starts and 155 2/3 innings are the most since his last Cy Young Award in 2019, before the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and then a series of injury-plagued years with New York and Texas.

    “The main thing coming into this year was try to take the ball as many times as I can. I didn’t know how many times that would be. … The goal is to just keep it going,” deGrom said this week.

    “He looks great, he does. I’m really pleasantly surprised at how well this has gone for him this year because, you know, you don’t know,” Bochy said. “This is a lot of work for him after that surgery and not pitching for a couple of years, almost three. … Yeah, it’s gone very well.”

    Earlier this season, deGrom set a Rangers franchise record with 14 consecutive starts going at least five innings and not giving up more than two runs. That same span was the longest streak by any traditional starter (not including openers) in the modern era since 1900 of not allowing more than six hits and two runs in a game, according to STATS. He also came the closest he ever has to a no-hitter when allowing only a leadoff single in the eighth inning June 25 at Baltimore, a month after the only start in his career without a strikeout.

    When Texas played the Mets each of the past two seasons, deGrom both times was recovering from the Tommy John surgery he had after only six starts in his Rangers debut. They went to New York late in the 2023 season before winning their first World Series championship that fall, and hosted a three-game series in Arlington last year.

    In his last start at Citi Field, deGrom had 13 strikeouts in five innings without a decision in the Mets’ win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 18, 2022. His major league debut was also there, when he went seven innings and allowed the lone run in a 1-0 Subway Series loss to the Yankees on May 15, 2014.

    DeGrom had a 1.08 ERA over 92 innings through 15 starts in 2021, but didn’t pitch in the All-Star Game and missed the rest of that season with right forearm tightness and a sprained elbow. He was shut down during spring training in 2022 after a stress reaction in his right scapula, then was 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 starts over the final two months of that season before becoming a free agent.

    The $185 million, five-year contract deGrom signed with Texas included a conditional sixth-year club option for 2028 that was triggered because of the time missed after Tommy John surgery. That option is worth at least $20 million, and could be up to $37 million depending on his total innings pitched and if finishing top five in Cy Young voting.

    Texas (77-70) has won 15 of its last 20 games and is seven games over .500 for the first time this season. The Rangers will go from New York to Houston for three games against the AL West-leading Astros, and are also trying to get past division foe Seattle for the American League’s final wild card.

    The Mets are unlikely to catch Philadelphia for the NL East title, but are trying to stay ahead in the NL wild-card race.

    “All these games for us are very important. Same for them,” deGrom said. “So it’s gong to be fun. We’ve got to win, they’ve got to win. It’s going to be a playoff atmosphere.”

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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  • In his 3rd stop in 3 years, can Jets’ Justin Fields become the NFL’s next late-blooming quarterback?

    Justin Fields would seem to have the numbers — and odds — stacked against him.

    The New York Jets quarterback is on his third team in as many years, learning his third offensive system in that span and being coached by a fourth coordinator during an NFL career entering only its fifth season.

    There have been plenty of struggles, adjustments and criticisms along the way. But sometimes success as an NFL quarterback isn’t as easy as hut, hut, hike.

    It might take a change of scenery. Or two. Maybe even three or more before a QB puts it all together and plays the way many expected earlier in his career.

    Baker Mayfield can relate. So can Sam Darnold and Geno Smith. Even Rich Gannon and Vinny Testaverde.

    “I do believe Justin can be one of those guys,” Jets general manager Darren Mougey said this week. “I’ve seen the progress during this camp and look forward to seeing the progress throughout the season as they all come together. Obviously, it’s his third stop in three years with three different coordinators and a lot of moving parts, so it does take time.

    “But I like where it’s at and I look forward to watching the progress.”

    Fields, who’s still only 26, was the 11th overall pick by Chicago out of Ohio State in 2021 and deemed the Bears’ future franchise quarterback — until inconsistency and struggles sent him to Pittsburgh after three seasons. Fields opened last season as the Steelers’ starter, going 4-2 in place of an injured Russell Wilson, but went back to the sideline when Wilson got healthy.

    The Jets, who moved on from Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, signed Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. He has thrown for 7,780 yards with 45 touchdowns and 31 interceptions, along with 2,509 yards rushing and 19 TD runs.

    Coach Aaron Glenn has raved about Fields’ maturity and doing all the team is asking of him as a dual-threat QB. Fields was also selected one of the Jets’ team captains this week.

    “Seeing that growth,” Mougey said, “has been really good.”

    And the Jets are banking on Fields joining a handful of other late-bloomer quarterbacks who thrived on their third — or more — NFL teams.

    First stop: New York Jets. No. 3 overall pick, 2018. Had some promising moments, but struggled with consistency. 38 games, 38 starts. 8,097 yards passing, 45 TDs, 39 INTs.

    Second stop: Carolina. Traded to Panthers in 2021. 18 games, 17 starts. 3,670 yards, 16 TDs, 16 INTs.

    Third stop: San Francisco. Signed as backup in 2023. 10 games, 1 start. 297 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.

    Fourth stop: Minnesota. Signed as free agent in 2024 and became starter when rookie J.J. McCarthy went down with knee injury in preseason. Darnold thrived, making first Pro Bowl and garnering votes for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year. 17 games, 17 starts. 4,319 yards, 35 TDs, 12 INTs.

    Fifth stop: Seattle. Parlayed success in Minnesota into three-year deal worth $100.5 million in March.

    First stop: Minnesota. Fourth-round pick, 1987. 48 games, 35 starts. 6,457 yards passing, 40 TDs, 36 INTs.

    Second stop: Washington. Traded by Vikings before 1993 season. 8 games, 4 starts. 704 yards, 3 TDs, 7 INTs.

    Third stop: Kansas City. After having shoulder surgery and sitting out a year, Gannon signed with Chiefs in 1995 as Elvis Grbac’s backup. 27 games, 19 starts. 3,997 yards, 23 TDs, 11 INTs.

    Fourth stop: Oakland. Signed with Raiders as free agent in 1999 and excelled in Jon Gruden’s offense. Gannon was AP NFL MVP for 2002 season, when he led Raiders to Super Bowl. He made four straight Pro Bowls and was game’s MVP twice, and was an All-Pro twice. Gannon played six seasons with Raiders to end career. 74 games, 74 starts. 17,585 yards, 114 TDs, 50 INTs.

    First stop: Cleveland. No. 1 overall pick by Browns in 2018. Had some early success and led team to its first playoff win since 1994 — and first on road since 1969 — in 2020, but issues with turnovers and injuries affected consistency. 60 games, 59 starts. 14,125 yards passing, 92 TDs, 56 INTs.

    Second stop: Carolina. After Browns traded for Deshaun Watson in 2022, Mayfield asked to be dealt and was sent to Panthers. 7 games, 6 starts. 1,313 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs.

    Third stop: Los Angeles Rams. Mayfield was benched by Carolina late in 2022 season and asked to be released. He was claimed off waivers by Rams and led them to win over Las Vegas as a backup after just two days of preparation. 5 games, 4 starts. 850 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs.

    Fourth stop: Tampa Bay. Mayfield credited his run with Rams for re-energizing him and he signed with Buccaneers in 2023. He won starting job, led Tampa Bay to consecutive playoff appearances and was selected to Pro Bowl in each of those seasons. 34 games, 34 starts. 8,544 yards, 69 TDs, 56 INTs.

    First stop: New York Jets. Second-round pick in 2013. Smith became starter as rookie when Mark Sanchez injured shoulder in preseason. Mostly struggled in his first two seasons and was replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015 when his jaw was broken by punch from a teammate in locker room dispute. Smith tore an ACL the following season while making a spot start. 33 games, 30 starts. 5,962 yards, 28 TDs, 36 INTs.

    Second stop: New York Giants. Signed in 2017 to be Eli Manning’s backup and then found himself at center of controversy when then-coach Ben McAdoo started Smith midway through season — ending Manning’s 210-game starting streak. Smith went back to sideline next week. 2 games, 1 start. 212 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs.

    Third stop: Los Angeles Chargers. Signed in 2018 to be Philip Rivers’ backup. 5 games, 0 starts. 8 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs.

    Fourth stop: Seattle. Signed with Seahawks in 2019 and served as Russell Wilson’s backup for most of his first three seasons with them. Smith won starting job over Drew Lock before 2022 season after Wilson was traded to Denver. Smith selected as Comeback Player of the Year after breakout season and made first of two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. 54 games, 52 starts. 12,961 yards, 76 TDs, 36 INTs.

    Fifth stop: Las Vegas. Smith was traded in March to Raiders and is reunited with Pete Carroll, his former coach in Seattle.

    First stop: Tampa Bay. No. 1 overall pick, 1987. Testaverde became Buccaneers’ starter as rookie and showed flashes during six seasons, but interceptions dogged him. 76 games, 72 starts. 14,820 yards, 77 TDs, 112 INTs.

    Second stop: Cleveland. Signed with Browns in 1993 as backup to Bernie Kosar before becoming starter after Kosar was released later that season. 37 games, 31 starts. 7,255 yards, 47 TDs, 37 INTs.

    Third stop: Baltimore. Was among Browns players who were part of franchise’s move to Baltimore in 1996. Change of scenery appeared to help, with Testaverde throwing for more than 4,000 yards for first time and making first Pro Bowl. 29 games, 29 starts. 7,148 yards, 51 TDs, 34 INTs.

    Fourth stop: New York Jets. Signed with his hometown Jets in 1998 and helped Bill Parcells-led squad reach AFC championship game. Testaverde also made Pro Bowl during perhaps his best statistical season, but tore an Achilles tendon in Week 1 of 1999 season. He returned as starter in 2000 and remained under center before being replaced by Chad Pennington in 2002. Testaverde later had stops in Dallas, a second stint with Jets and then New England and Carolina before retiring in January 2008. 59 games (first Jets stint), 57 starts. 11,720 yards, 76 TDs, 52 INTs.

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  • Tommy DeVito is the latest quarterback being released as teams must trim rosters to 53

    Tommy DeVito is the latest quarterback looking for a new team.

    The New York Giants are waiving the local fan favorite, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the move.

    Elsewhere, Kyle Trask lost his job as Baker Mayfield’s backup in Tampa Bay after the team chose veteran Teddy Bridgewater to hold the No. 2 position. Trask was informed of the decision on Monday, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

    Tyler Huntley didn’t make the cut in Cleveland. The veteran QB joined the Browns earlier this month as the fifth QB behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett was traded to Las Vegas on Monday.

    Rookie sixth-round pick Kyle McCord isn’t making Philadelphia’s initial roster. The quarterback out of Syracuse is a candidate for the practice squad if another team doesn’t sign him. The defending Super Bowl champions acquired Sam Howell to back up Jalen Hurts and Tanner McKee.

    DeVito, an undrafted free agent and a northern New Jersey native who picked up the nickname “Tommy Cutlets,” was not expected to make the team after the signings of veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and selection of Jaxson Dart in the first round.

    Ask any NFL coach the worst part of the job and the overwhelming response will be cutting players.

    More than 1,100 players will be released Tuesday when teams have to trim down their rosters to 53 by 4 p.m. EDT. It’s a difficult task for coaching staffs. Nobody enjoys telling players to turn in their playbooks because they didn’t make the team.

    “It rips at my heart. It does because if they were my son, I see them through that lens because my kids are getting older now and you see how hard they work and what they put into it and they’ve done everything that we’ve asked,” Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “These guys are so grateful, they’re so appreciative and full of class. Again, it’s hard from a football standpoint but even harder from a, ‘Hey, these guys are good guys and they’re winners,’ (standpoint). Sometimes it doesn’t last in football, right? But that’s where you get a reminder that football isn’t everything and life is what’s most important. I told these guys they’re going to be winners in life and that’s ultimately what is most important.”

    Teams that have several talented players competing for the same position end up with the toughest decisions. It’s a welcome problem.

    “When you become a good team, the cuts get harder,” Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said. “When you don’t have anything, you can keep everybody. The cuts become harder. It’s always difficult because you don’t want to be a guy to tell (someone) they can’t play pro ball anymore. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road, it just means it’s the end of the road here. That’s always tough when you have to tell someone that. I think any coach will tell you that same thing. (There are) always difficult decisions, but we understand that going in from a coaches’ and players’ standpoint, and we make decisions we think will make us better and we move on from there.”

    Teams can bring guys back on the practice squad if another team doesn’t claim them off waivers. Each team can have up to 16 players, including a maximum of six eligible veteran players with unlimited experience, on the practice squad. The remainder have to be players with two or fewer accrued seasons. Teams can also have one additional player from the International Player Pathway program.

    Players can be signed off a practice squad to another team’s active roster at any time.

    “It’s tough this year, probably the toughest that it will be and has been for myself because I feel like our team is a very competitive team,” Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We got a lot of really great depth, a lot of great guys that you want to keep around. Most of the discussions lie in how can you try to keep as many guys as possible. Not who you’re getting rid of, but how can you keep these guys around. That’s the tough part about it. It’s trying to keep more not, per se, who you’re getting rid of.”

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  • The Tar Heels faded in past 2 years with QB Drake Maye. Now they must fix that issue without him

    The Tar Heels faded in past 2 years with QB Drake Maye. Now they must fix that issue without him

    CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Mack Brown’s return to North Carolina stabilized the program. His sixth season begins with a pair of hurdles to accomplishing more.

    The Tar Heels are moving forward after star quarterback Drake Maye headed to the NFL, and Brown is determined to figure out how to finish better after two straight late-season fades.

    “It’s a problem, it’s an issue,” Brown said. “And it’s the only thing that’s keeping us from being where we need to be.”

    The Tar Heels were 9-1 in 2022 after clinching a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, then lost their last four. Last year’s team started 6-0 and reached No. 10 in the AP Top 25, then finished 2-5.

    Now Maye is gone as the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, and Brown is focused on how to get the Tar Heels to finish with some zip.

    “When we come out here and say the offense had a bad day in practice, that means you’re probably going to be an inconsistent team,” Brown said after the first preseason-camp practice. “And we’ve had too much of that around here.”

    This year’s team is picked to finish eighth in the expanded 17-team ACC.

    Brown is touting depth as the best of his second tenure in Chapel Hill, as well as showing optimism for growth under former Georgia Tech and Temple head coach Geoff Collins as defensive coordinator.

    Maye is the highest-profile of 11 departed offensive and defensive starters, though losses include one of the nation’s leading tacklers in linebacker Cedric Gray.

    Powering the offense

    Running back Omarion Hampton was an Associated Press second-team All-American last year after ranking fifth in the Bowl Subdivision by averaging 115.7 yards rushing. He’s studied film on players like NFL star Christian McCaffrey to expand his game.

    “I’m trying to catch the ball … and then pass block, because I know that’s what they do in the (NFL),” Hampton said. “I feel like doing that, it can expand my game and show them I’m able to do that as well.”

    Maye’s successor

    The Tar Heels have a preseason-camp battle to replace Maye, headlined by redshirt sophomore Conner Harrell and Max Johnson, a transfer with stops at LSU and Texas A&M.

    Harrell got his first career start in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl loss to West Virginia after Maye declared for the NFL draft, throwing for 270 yards and two scores while also running for 75 yards and a score. Johnson, son of former NFL quarterback Brad Johnson, has 22 career starts.

    There’s also the return of Jacolby Criswell, who started his career at UNC before transferring to Arkansas for a year.

    Linework

    Willie Lampkin, who started eight games at right guard last year, is the only returning starter to the offensive line. The Tar Heels bolstered their numbers at the position through the transfer portal, including adding Austin Blaske (Georgia), Howard Sampson (North Texas) and Jakiah Leftwich (Georgia Tech).

    Brown said his goal is being able to reliably play nine offensive linemen.

    More defensively

    Brown is on the third defensive coordinator of his second UNC stint in Collins, who replaced Gene Chizik. UNC hasn’t ranked higher than 10th in the 14-team ACC in scoring or total defense for the past three seasons. Losing Gray (10.1 tackles per game) won’t help, though fellow linebacker Power Echols returns with pass rusher Kaimon Rucker (8 1/2 sacks last year).

    “More aggression — ‘Master of Mayhem’ describes him perfectly,” Echols said of Collins. “He’s going to call a real aggressive game.”

    Brown also sounded high on secondary that includes cornerback Alijah Huzzie (three interceptions) and adds safety Jakeen Harris from rival North Carolina State.

    The schedule

    The Tar Heels open at Minnesota on Aug. 29 and visit rival Duke (Sept. 28) in their ACC opener. There’s also a trip to No. 10 Florida State (Nov. 2), the reigning league champion and preseason favorite. The slate doesn’t include any of the league’s three new schools and is rooted in longtime instate or league matchups, including a trip to Virginia (Oct. 26), a visit from Wake Forest (Nov. 16) and the home finale against No. 24 N.C. State (Nov. 30).

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  • Charles Barkley says he will not retire and remain with TNT Sports even if they don’t have the NBA

    Charles Barkley says he will not retire and remain with TNT Sports even if they don’t have the NBA

    Charles Barkley intends to remain with TNT Sports through the remainder of his contract.

    The Hall of Fame player announced Tuesday that he will not retire next season, reversing the announcement he made in June during the NBA Finals.

    Barkley said at the time that the 2024-25 season would be his last on television, no matter what eventually happened with the NBA’s media deal negotiations. He signed a 10-year contract extension with TNT Sports in 2022.

    Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT Sports, has sued the NBA in New York state court after the league did not accept the company’s matching offer for one of the packages in its new 11-year media rights deal, which will begin with the 2025-26 season.

    “I love my TNT Sports family. My (number one) 1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible. We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me,” Barkley said in a statement. “I have to say … I’ve been impressed by the leadership team who is fighting hard and have been aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which I am very excited about. I appreciate them and all of my colleagues for their continued support, and most importantly our fans. I’m going to give my all as we keep them entertained for years to come.”

    ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime Video were expected to try to court Barkley before Tuesday’s announcement. “Inside the NBA” host Ernie Johnson has also said he intends to remain with TNT but the futures of Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith remain uncertain.

    Barkley joined TNT in 2000 and has been a part of the iconic “Inside the NBA” show, which has won 21 Sports Emmy Awards and has been a model for studio shows. Barkley took home his fifth Sports Emmy for Outstanding Studio Analyst in May.

    What Barkley’s future looks like if TNT does not have the NBA remains to be seen. Turner has had an NBA package since 1984 and games have been on TNT since the network launched in 1988.

    However, the relationship started to become strained when Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an RBC Investor Conference in November 2022 that Turner and WBD “don’t have to have the NBA.”

    TNT Sports also carries the NHL and NCAA men’s basketball tournament with CBS. It recently has added the College Football Playoffs, Big East basketball, NASCAR and the French Open.

    “Charles is one of the best and most beloved sportscasters in the history of television. I know I speak for all the members of the TNT Sports family when I say we are incredibly thrilled to share this mutual commitment to continue showcasing Charles’ one-of-a-kind talents and entertain fans well into the future,” TNT Sports Chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser said in a statement. “We continue to add to the breadth and depth of our sports portfolio and it’s fantastic to have Charles for this journey as we develop new content ideas and shows for our fans.”

    Barkley was the co-host of “King Charles,” a weekly talk show on CNN with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King. But the limited-run series ended in April after six months.

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  • Cavaliers hiring Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson as next coach, AP source says

    Cavaliers hiring Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson as next coach, AP source says

    CLEVELAND — Just days ahead of the NBA draft, the Cavaliers picked their coach.

    Kenny Atkinson, an assistant with Golden State who helped Brooklyn rebuild before a puzzling departure, will be Cleveland’s new coach, a person familiar with decision told The Associated Press on Monday.

    The Cavs have been looking for a new leader for their young team since firing J.B. Bickerstaff last month despite two straight playoff appearances and continued progress.

    The sides have agreed on a deal and are working through details of Atkinson’s contract, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not discussing its search publicly.

    ESPN.com was first to report Atkinson is heading to Cleveland.

    It’s possible there could be a minor delay in the Cavs officially announcing Atkinson’s hire. He joined the French national team’s staff as an assistant to coach Vincent Collet late last year and is currently in Paris preparing for the Olympics.

    Atkinson spent the past three seasons as Steven Kerr’s top assistant with the Warriors. In 2022, Atkinson accepted Charlotte’s coaching job but backed out a week after agreeing to a four-year contract.

    Atkinson’s hiring ends an expansive search by the Cavs’ front office. Atkinson was one of at least six known candidates to interview with the team since Bickerstaff’s firing on May 23 — a week after Cleveland was eliminated from the playoffs in five games by the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

    The 57-year-old Atkinson checked all the boxes in what the Cavs were looking for: head coaching experience, offensive-minded and a strong reputation for player development.

    He emerged as the choice by Cleveland vice president of basketball operations Koby Altman and general manager Mike Gansey last week. Atkinson then met with team chairman Dan Gilbert, who signed off on the Cavs’ first coaching hire in five years.

    Atkinson went 118-190 in his three-plus seasons with the Nets, overseeing their rise from the lower tier of the Eastern Conference to a playoff berth in 2019. It appeared he might be with Brooklyn for an extended period following the additions of superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but had a surprising split from the franchise in 2020.

    Atkinson’s parting was a major surprise given the team’s growth under his guidance. After leaving, he spent one season on the Los Angeles Clippers’ staff before going to Golden State.

    With the Warriors, Atkinson got to see one of the league’s best offensive players in Stephen Curry and immersed himself in a dynamic offense system he’s certain to borrow from with Cleveland.

    One of the knocks on Bickerstaff was his inability to improve Cleveland’s offense. Still, he went 170-159 in the regular season while guiding the Cavs back to relevance through a rebuild that began in 2018 when LeBron James left as a free agent.

    Bickerstaff, who replaced John Beilein midway through the 2019-20 season, kept Cleveland among the top teams in the East this season despite a slew of injuries and Cleveland advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs without James on its roster for the first time since 1994.

    Atkinson, who got his NBA coaching start as an assistant on Mike D’Antoni’s staff with the New York Knicks in 2008, has some connections on the Cavs after working with center Jarrett Allen and forward Caris LeVert while in Brooklyn.

    Hiring a new coach was the first priority in a pivotal summer for the Cavs. Next is getting All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell to accept a long-term contract extension, this week’s draft (Cleveland has the No. 20 overall pick) and perhaps retooling the roster with trades and in free agency.

    After the Cavs were knocked out of the playoffs, Altman said the team needed a coach who could bring new ideas and a fresh approach to get the most from the team’s core of players — Mitchell, Allen, guard Darius Garland and forward Evan Mobley.

    Atkinson will get the next shot.

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  • A jury awards $9 million to a player who sued the US Tennis Association over sexual abuse by a coach

    A jury awards $9 million to a player who sued the US Tennis Association over sexual abuse by a coach

    ORLANDO, Fla. — A tennis player was awarded $9 million in damages by a jury in federal court in Florida after accusing the U.S. Tennis Association of failing to protect her from a coach she said sexually abused her at one of its training centers when she was a teenager.

    The lawsuit, filed by Kylie McKenzie in March 2022, said Anibal Aranda, who was employed by the sport’s national governing body for about seven years and later fired, used his position as a USTA coach to get access to vulnerable female athletes and commit sexual battery against them.

    “I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I feel validated,” McKenzie said in a statement emailed Tuesday by one of her lawyers, Amy Judkins. “It was very hard, but I feel now that it was all worth it. I hope I can be an example for other girls to speak out even when it’s difficult.”

    The AP generally doesn’t name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but McKenzie agreed to let her identity be used in news coverage about her lawsuit.

    Her lawsuit said the USTA negligently failed to protect her from sexual assaults and was negligent in keeping Aranda as a coach after he sexually assaulted a USTA employee.

    As a junior player, McKenzie — who is now 25 — reached a career-high ranking of No. 33 in 2016. The year before, she compiled a 20-6 record in junior competition, including victories over Sofia Kenin, who would go on to win the championship at the 2020 Australian Open, and Tamara Zidansek, later a semifinalist at the 2021 French Open.

    The U.S. District Court jury awarded McKenzie $3 million in compensation and added $6 million in punitive damages on Monday.

    “We are very pleased with the jury’s decision to award Ms. McKenzie for her pain and suffering but more importantly we believe the jury’s decision to award punitive damages sends the correct message to all sports organizations that they must take necessary steps to protect the athletes under their banner,” Judkins wrote.

    Spokesman Chris Widmaier said the USTA would appeal.

    “We are sympathetic to the plaintiff and what she endured. We do not — and have never — disputed her allegations against a coach,” Widmaier said.

    He said the USTA was “deeply troubled” by the decision, including that “the court ruled that the USTA was liable because one of its employees — a non-athlete — had an obligation to report her own experience with this coach to the USTA; an incident that was unknown until after the USTA removed the coach. This sets a new and unreasonable expectation for victims, one that will deter them from coming forward in the future.”

    Widmaier said Tuesday that a review of the USTA’s safeguarding policies and procedures is ongoing. Two lawyers at a Washington-based firm were enlisted to look into how the USTA keeps athletes safe from abuse and how it responds to reports of misconduct.

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  • Mavs extend coach Jason Kidd’s contract in middle of playoffs, a year after chaotic ending

    Mavs extend coach Jason Kidd’s contract in middle of playoffs, a year after chaotic ending

    DALLAS — Jason Kidd found a groove with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving a season after a chaotic ending to the first two months together for the Dallas superstars.

    The Mavericks coach has his team advancing in the playoffs for the second time in his three years in charge, and the 51-year-old now has a contract extension to go with it.

    Kidd signed a multiyear deal Monday, the day before Dallas opens a second-round playoff series against Oklahoma City. The Mavs moved on by beating the Los Angeles Clippers in six games.

    A year ago, Dallas missed the playoffs after reaching the 2022 Western Conference finals in Kidd’s debut as coach for the team he helped win a championship as a point guard in 2011.

    The blockbuster trade for Irving in February 2023 wasn’t the catalyst the Mavs hoped for another postseason run. Instead, the team tanked at the end of the regular season to try to preserve a draft pick, even when there were still mathematical hopes of qualifying for the play-in tournament.

    Kidd was the front man for all the tough questions in the final days of the regular season, and got a vote of confidence from then-owner Mark Cuban. Dallas kept the draft pick, and first-rounder Dereck Lively II had a significant impact as a rookie center.

    “Last year, we learned a lot about character, about the team,” Kidd said. “At the time, everyone had their opinion. But understanding what the plan is internally, I thought we executed the plan. Being calm and not losing your mind or being offended of what others say turned out to be the right thing.”

    Irving re-signed with Dallas, and after Cuban sold his majority stake to the casino-linked families of Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson, a late-season surge lifted the Mavs to fifth in the West at 50-32.

    The extension for Kidd comes after his name surfaced in reports of the Lakers’ coaching search. Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham last week.

    Terms of the deal weren’t released. Doncic and Irving are under team control together for one more season. Irving has a player option in his contract for 2025-26, Doncic the following season.

    “We are excited to have coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension,” said Dumont, who is the team’s governor while Cuban has the role of alternate governor. “We are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise.”

    A hall of famer as a player, Kidd ended his career second on the all-time list for assists behind John Stockton. He went into coaching immediately upon retirement, leading Brooklyn to the second round of the playoffs in his first season in 2013-14 before Milwaukee hired him away from the Nets.

    The Bucks fired Kidd in the middle of his fourth season — with a pair of first-round playoff exits the first three years — and he spent two years as an assistant with the Lakers, including when LA won the NBA title in the 2020 playoff bubble.

    Kidd, who replaced Rick Carlisle in Dallas, has a 140-106 regular-season record with the Mavs and is 323-296 overall.

    After Kidd and NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavs to the 2011 title, they didn’t win another playoff series until beating Utah in the first round under Kidd two years ago. Now Dallas has three series victories in three seasons.

    “Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, which cannot be duplicated,” general manager Nico Harrison said. “He has earned the trust and respect of our players and that of so many across the league.”

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    This story corrects a previous version to put Dallas’ record this season at 50-32.

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  • The Lakers fire coach Darvin Ham after just 2 seasons in charge and 1st-round playoff exit

    The Lakers fire coach Darvin Ham after just 2 seasons in charge and 1st-round playoff exit

    LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday after just two seasons in charge.

    The Lakers announced on social media that they were dismissing Ham four days after their season ended with a first-round playoff loss to Denver in five games.

    Ham led Los Angeles to the Western Conference finals less than a year ago in his first season as an NBA head coach. He had replaced Frank Vogel, who was fired by the Lakers exactly 18 months after winning the franchise’s 17th championship in 2020.

    Ham had two winning seasons and made two playoff appearances, but that’s not enough with the championship-focused Lakers. With little time left to capitalize on the concurrent presence of Anthony Davis and 39-year-old LeBron James — who hasn’t decided whether to return for his 22nd NBA season — the Lakers are resetting their coaching staff once again instead of blaming general manager Rob Pelinka for his roster construction.

    “We greatly appreciate Darvin’s efforts on behalf of the Lakers and recognize the many accomplishments achieved over the past two seasons, including last year’s remarkable run to the Western Conference finals,” Pelinka said in a statement. “We all want to thank Darvin for his dedication and positivity. While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season. This organization will remain unwavering in its commitment to deliver championship-caliber basketball to Lakers fans around the world.”

    Ham presided over a disappointing year for the Lakers, who went 47-35 in the regular season and won the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament. The Lakers then beat New Orleans in a play-in game to move up to the seventh seed in the highly competitive Western Conference — but that meant they had to face Denver, which swept them out of the playoffs last season.

    Los Angeles led the defending champion Nuggets for long stretches of their first-round series, but Nikola Jokic and his teammates eventually rolled into the second round with a series of comeback wins.

    “Sitting in this seat, it’s been a hell of a two years,” Ham said after the game. “A lot of good things that got done, but ultimately, you want to win that ultimate prize.”

    The Lakers’ failure stung because James and Davis were largely healthy all year long, with both superstars playing more games than they had managed in an NBA season since 2017-18 — 76 for Davis and 71 for James, the leading scorer in NBA history. D’Angelo Russell also had a strong regular season, setting the franchise record for 3-pointers.

    That health and success only translated into a four-win improvement in the standings from last season, and Ham received much of the blame from fans and observers for his game management, slow tactical adjustments and a reluctance to change his player rotations and starting lineups, even when things weren’t working.

    The Lakers fell into a hole they couldn’t escape when they went 3-10 during the holiday period immediately after the In-Season Tournament finale. Ham was widely criticized for his lineups and rotations during that poor stretch — among other decisions, he curiously benched Russell and Austin Reaves while giving extensive playing time to Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish.

    That slump eventually prevented the Lakers from landing a top-6 seed in the West even though they finished the regular season on an impressive 28-14 surge.

    The players publicly backed Ham, but signs of frustration were clear. After the Lakers blew a 20-point lead and lost to Denver in Game 2 last month, Davis said the Lakers “have stretches where we don’t know what we’re doing on both ends of the floor,” a comment widely interpreted as a shot at Ham’s coaching competence.

    The Lakers only went 43-39 in their first season under Ham in 2022-23, but they capitalized on more favorable playoff matchups. After beating Minnesota in a play-in game, they won playoff series against Memphis and Golden State to reach the conference finals, where they were swept by Denver.

    James, Davis and the Lakers have failed to win a playoff round in three of their four seasons since winning the 2020 championship in the Florida bubble.

    Ham had two years left on his contract with the Lakers, who will be hiring their fourth head coach since James arrived in 2018. The new coach will be the Lakers’ eighth in 14 seasons since Hall of Famer Phil Jackson’s departure in 2011.

    Ham had an eight-year playing career in the NBA as an athletic forward, winning a championship with Detroit in 2004. He got his first NBA assistant coaching job with the Lakers in 2011, and he was Mike Budenholzer’s assistant in Atlanta and Milwaukee for nine seasons — winning a second championship ring with the Bucks in 2021 — before returning to the Lakers as their head coach.

    James has a $51.4 million player option for next season, and his decision hangs over every offseason move for the Lakers, who internally expect him to return.

    Pelinka then must determine whether he can make the long-anticipated move for a third superstar through trades, or whether he believes the assertions by Rui Hachimura and other role players that the Lakers can become a contender with more continuity.

    Russell has an $18.7 million player option after the sharpshooting guard excelled in the regular season and flopped in the playoffs, infamously going scoreless in the Lakers’ Game 3 loss to Denver. After Los Angeles was knocked out of the playoffs on Monday, the point guard said he has “a little leverage. I’ll try to take advantage of it.”

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  • Tennessee hires Marshall’s Kim Caldwell as the Lady Vols’ 4th coach in NCAA era

    Tennessee hires Marshall’s Kim Caldwell as the Lady Vols’ 4th coach in NCAA era

    Tennessee athletic director Danny White has moved quickly and gone outside the historic Lady Vols’ program in hiring Marshall coach Kim Caldwell as only its fourth head coach in the NCAA era.

    White announced the hiring Sunday, within a couple of hours of the women’s national championship game. It’s a game the Lady Vols have not played in since 2008 when they won their eighth and last national title under Pat Summitt.

    Caldwell will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday, wrapping up a search that started April 1 when White fired Kellie Harper after five seasons at her alma mater and a 108-52 record. She replaced Holly Warlick, promoted to replace Summitt and fired after going 172-67 in seven seasons.

    “From the beginning, our goal has been to find a dynamic head coach who can restore our women’s basketball program to national prominence,” White said in a statement. “Kim Caldwell is the ideal person to lead us.”

    Caldwell won the 2024 Maggie Dixon NCAA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year award for her work at Marshall, going 26-7 to earn the program’s second NCAA Tournament berth ever and first since 1997. She is 217-31 in eight seasons as a head coach.

    She led her alma mater Glenville State to the 2022 Division II national title and has earned seven NCAA Tournament berths. Caldwell won the Pat Summitt Trophy for the 2021-22 season as the WBCA’s NCAA Division II coach of the year.

    Caldwell said in a statement she was humbled to accept this job at a historic program.

    “I can’t help but reflect on accepting the Pat Summitt Trophy three seasons ago and be moved by the great responsibility and opportunity of now leading and building upon the incredible Lady Vol tradition she built,” Caldwell said.

    In her one season at Marshall, Caldwell went 17-1 in winning the Sun Belt Conference regular season and tournament titles.

    Marshall ranked in the top five nationally in seven statistical categories. They led the nation in 3-pointers attempted and third in 3s made per game with more than 10 per game. The Herd ranked fourth nationally in averaging 85.3 points a game.

    The Herd ranked second in forcing 24.2 turnovers per game while setting a program record for most wins in a season. Marshall hadn’t won at least 20 games since 1990-91.

    White said Caldwell has a winning formula with a “high-octane offense and pressure defense” that produces results.

    “In this new era of college sports, it was vital that we found an innovative head coach with a strong track record of winning titles,” White said. “We are eager to return the Lady Vols to a championship level, and we’re confident that Kim Caldwell is the coach who can lead us back to the top.”

    The native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, helped lead Glenville State to the 2011 Division II tournament as a player. She started coaching as an assistant at Ohio Valley University later that year, spent a season back at Glenville State followed by three seasons as an assistant at Sacramento State.

    Hired in 2016 as head coach, Caldwell led her alma mater to six Mountain East regular season titles and four conference tournament titles. The four-time Mountain East coach of the year was 191-24, including 132-12 in league play. She went 35-1 and winning the 2022 national title and 33-3 and falling in the national semifinals in 2023.

    This hiring caps White’s first high-profile coaching search at Tennessee since bringing football coach Josh Heupel from Central Florida only days after White was hired as AD in 2021.

    While AD at Buffalo, White hired Bobby Hurley, now at Arizona State, and Nate Oats, whose Alabama Crimson Tide lost in the national semifinals Saturday, as men’s basketball coaches. White also hired Felisha Legette-Jack to coach Buffalo’s women’s program.

    She went 199-115 with four NCAA Tournament berths before being hired to coach her alma mater Syracuse in 2022.

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    This story has been updated to clarify Caldwell the Lady Vols’ fourth head coach in their NCAA era.

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  • Sophia Smith signs contract extension with Portland for highest annual NWSL salary

    Sophia Smith signs contract extension with Portland for highest annual NWSL salary

    PORTLAND, Ore. — Sophia Smith had options but in the end felt like she “wasn’t done” in Portland.

    The Thorns announced Wednesday that they signed Smith to a contract extension through 2025, with a player option for 2026. Portland says the deal gives the 23-year-old forward the highest annual salary in the National Women’s Soccer League but would not disclose terms.

    “I’ve felt so welcomed and so loved and so believed in, and I just felt like I wasn’t done here. And there’s still things that I want to do with this team and this club and trophies I want to win,” she said. “And just with new ownership coming in, I have already felt that this club is just going in the right direction.”

    The Thorns were sold in January to the Bhathal family, which is also part of the ownership group of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

    Smith is embarking on her fifth season with the Thorns. She was the NWSL’s most valuable player and the U.S. Soccer player of the year in 2022. She was also the NWSL championship game MVP that year. She was set to become a free agent after this season and had some interest from European clubs.

    “It’s a new era for us and the Bhathal family have been very clear of the vision that they have for this club. And we’re all aligned in that vision. And one of the key ingredients was to make sure that Sophia Smith was here,” general manager Karina LeBlanc said. “For her, this is a place she always wanted to be. For her to sign this contract, I think we’re eight months ahead of when she actually could have made it play out. She’s like, ‘I just wanted to get the season going and I just wanted this to be done.’”

    Smith was the top pick in the NWSL draft in 2020 after helping Stanford to a victory over North Carolina in the 2019 NCAA College Cup championship. She scored three goals in the Cardinal’s semifinal victory over UCLA and was named the College Cup’s most valuable player.

    She has scored 40 goals across all competitions with the Thorns, and her 11 goals last season — in 17 matches — earned her the league’s Golden Boot award.

    A regular on the U.S. national team, Smith played in last summer’s Women’s World Cup. She has scored 16 goals in 44 appearances since her U.S. debut in 2020.

    Speaking to a small group of reporters on the eve of the team’s announcement, Smith said she wants to take a greater leadership role on the Thorns.

    “I don’t believe anyone is perfect or any player has hit their full potential ever. So I think for me, I want to grow into more of a leadership role on this team. I want to be a player that kind of brings everyone around me into games,” she said. “I think that’s a big thing for me, is being less individual and bringing my teammates into games, whatever that looks like, and just kind of making this team something really special and contributing to that in any way that I can.”

    Smith credited the new ownership with making her more comfortable. The team had been put up for sale in late 2022 after a misconduct scandal involving a former Thorns coach shook the league.

    “I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” she said. “Their vision for this club is so exciting. You can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be, and continuing to push the standard in women’s soccer globally, and making the Portland Thorns a center of that and in any way that they can.”

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  • Panthers land Tarasenko from Senators for a pair of draft picks

    Panthers land Tarasenko from Senators for a pair of draft picks

    NEW YORK — The NHL-leading Florida Panthers landed forward Vladimir Tarasenko from the Ottawa Senators for a pair of draft picks, adding more wing depth before the playoffs start.

    The Panthers sent a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft to Ottawa as part of the deal, and the fourth-rounder would upgrade to a 2026 third-rounder if Florida wins the Stanley Cup this season. Ottawa also is getting a third-round pick from Florida in 2025, while the Senators are retaining half of Tarasenko’s salary.

    “Vladimir is a highly skilled and experienced scoring winger who provides our club with another dynamic offensive option as we embark on the remainder of our season,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. “We are excited for him to join our team, and to compete for the Stanley Cup once again.”

    Ottawa now has $7.2 million in cap space.

    Tarasenko had a full no-trade clause as part of his $5 million, one-year contract with Ottawa, allowing him to choose his preferred destination. Another pending free agent who signed just for this season, Washington’s Max Pacioretty, is in the same boat.

    Tarasenko has 17 goals and 24 assists in 57 games with Ottawa this season. And selling him on Florida likely was easy.

    Tarasenko owns a home in South Florida, has a relationship with Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and now joins a team good enough to win a title. He has tons of playoff experience — 97 games in 10 years — and helped St. Louis win the Stanley Cup in 2017.

    The trade is the second for a rental winger in as many days after the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights acquired Anthony Mantha from the Capitals, also for two draft picks. Vegas defeated Florida in the final last season.

    The Panthers are 43-16-4, the best record in the NHL.

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    AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Sunrise, Florida, contributed to this report.

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  • Seahawks’ makeover begins as Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Will Dissly are released

    Seahawks’ makeover begins as Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Will Dissly are released

    RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks’ remodel under new coach Mike Macdonald started Tuesday as the team released safeties Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs, and tight end Will Dissly in moves that will give the team a boost of salary cap space ahead of the start of the new league year.

    The release of Diggs and Dissly will save Seattle $18 million against the cap. They will get about $6 million in cap relief with the release of Adams but also take on nearly $20 million in dead cap money by releasing him immediately and not waiting until after June 1.

    Outside of Seattle’s decision to keep Geno Smith on board as the presumptive quarterback going into next season, the three roster moves are the most significant made so far since Macdonald was hired as the replacement for Pete Carroll.

    Seattle general manager John Schneider said at last week’s NFL combine that this was the week the team intended on starting to make some roster decisions with free agency on the horizon.

    The release of Adams concludes four disappointing seasons in Seattle that were defined by injuries and one big contract that Adams never played up to. Seattle felt Adams was the missing piece when it sent two first-round picks to the New York Jets before the 2020 season. They stayed true to the commitment when the Seahawks signed Adams to a four-year deal worth up to $70 million after his first year in Seattle.

    At times early in his Seattle tenure, Adams looked to be the dynamic presence the Seahawks were seeking when the trade was made. But injuries and problems as a pass defender ultimately limited what he could provide and made him a liability on the field.

    Adams suffered through injuries to his shoulder and fingers, but the most impactful to his career was a torn quadriceps tendon suffered in the 2022 season opener. It took more than a year for Adams to return and when he did, he was limited in how much he could play.

    Adams had two years left on his contract with Seattle but no more guaranteed money.

    Both Diggs and Dissly were entering the final years of their contracts.

    Diggs had been a leader for Seattle since his arrival via trade from Detroit during the 2019 season. Diggs made three straight Pro Bowls between 2020-22, but his production dipped in 2023 as Seattle’s defense regressed throughout the season.

    Diggs started all 72 games he played during his Seattle tenure and had 32 passes defensed and 18 interceptions in the regular season.

    The release of both Adams and Diggs leaves Julian Love as the only safety with extensive playing time on Seattle’s roster.

    Dissly was a fourth-round pick by Seattle in 2018 and opted to stay with the Seahawks on a three-year contract signed before the 2022 season. Dissly was always a blocking-first tight end, but his role as a pass catcher took a dip in 2023 as he had only 17 receptions on 22 targets and one touchdown.

    The move with Dissly leaves Seattle lacking a tight end with experience on the roster at the moment as both Noah Fant and Colby Parkinson can be free agents when the new league year begins next week.

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  • Capitals score 5 unanswered goals to beat the Flyers 5-2, a big win for Washington’s playoff hopes

    Capitals score 5 unanswered goals to beat the Flyers 5-2, a big win for Washington’s playoff hopes

    WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored his 839th career goal and helped set up John Carlson’s go-ahead goal, and the Washington Capitals rallied to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 on Friday night in a massive victory for their playoff hopes.

    The Capitals moved four points back of the Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division and also sit five back of Tampa Bay for the second and final wild card in the Eastern Conference. Washington has won five of seven to stay in the the thick of the race.

    A week from the NHL trade deadline, players made a loud statement that they’re not ready to give up on the season just yet. Ovechkin’s 17th goal of the year sparked the comeback from down 2-0 after one period, Sonny Milano tied it and Carlson scored on a wraparound as part of a dominant second period that changed the complexion of the game and could have a similar impact on the playoff chase.

    And it wasn’t just a 20-minute effort. Anthony Mantha and Dylan Strome scored in the third to give Washington some breathing room, long after the three-goal outburst over 14 minutes in the second.

    At the other end of the ice, Charlie Lindgren continued his stellar season by stopping 24 of the 26 shots he faced in one of the most meaningful starts of his professional career. The coaching staff believed enough in Lindgren that it was a no-brainer to go with him over Darcy Kuemper, even after Lindgren allowed eight goals Tuesday in a blowout loss at Detroit.

    It wasn’t so pretty for Samuel Ersson, pressed into action as the Flyers’ No. 1 goaltender by default with Carter Hart away from the team pending a sexual assault charge stemming from a 2018 incident in London, Ontario. Ersson, who the organization is counting on to carry it into the playoffs, allowed five goals on 21 shots.

    Mistakes all around him didn’t help, as defensive breakdowns contributed on all of Washington’s goals. They were too much to compensate for the first-period goals by Bobby Brink and Owen Tippett that made it look like Philadelphia would roll.

    Instead, the Flyers now sit in an even more tenuous spot, with the Capitals also having two extra games to play to make up ground.

    The Flyers played a fourth consecutive game without All-Star forward Travis Konecny. General manager Daniel Briere said they hope Konecny can return next week, while injured defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen may or may not be back this season.

    UP NEXT

    Flyers: Felix Sandstrom is expected to make his first NHL start this season back in Philly on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators.

    Capitals: Host the lowly Arizona Coyotes on Sunday afternoon in another crucial game to stay in the playoff race.

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  • French league club Marseille has fired coach Gennaro Gattuso, AP source says

    French league club Marseille has fired coach Gennaro Gattuso, AP source says

    French league club Marseille has fired coach Gennaro Gattuso, AP source says

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  • Kylian Mbappe has told PSG he will leave at the end of the season, AP sources say

    Kylian Mbappe has told PSG he will leave at the end of the season, AP sources say

    Kylian Mbappe has told Paris Saint-Germain he will leave the club at the end of the season.

    The France international informed PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi he would not stay at the club when his contract expires, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

    Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because Mbappe hasn’t made his decision public yet.

    One person said Mbappe — who has previously been pursued by Real Madrid — did not indicate which club he would join next.

    PSG declined to comment, but a second person with knowledge of Mbappe’s decision said the terms of his departure were still being worked out with the club and an official statement would not come until that has been finalized.

    Mbappe — widely considered to be one of the best players in the world — will be a free agent at the end of the season after seven years with PSG.

    He informed the club last year that he would not trigger an extension to the contract he signed in 2022.

    When he signed that last deal, PSG paraded him at Parc des Princes holding up a jersey with 2025 written on it — even though the actual contract was until 2024, with an option for an extra year.

    While Madrid seems like the most probable destination for Mbappe, his departure from PSG is likely to spark a bidding war between a host of other clubs eager to sign the former World Cup winner.

    The 25-year-old Mbappe has been at PSG since 2017 after signing from Monaco in a transfer worth a reported $190 million. He arrived at the same time as Neymar, who cost PSG a world record $222 million from Barcelona.

    In 2021, PSG turned down a bid of $190 million from Real Madrid for the forward, who went on to sign his current contract the following year.

    Mbappe will be the latest superstar player to leave the French club in recent times following the departures of Lionel Messi and Neymar last year. The glittering attacking trio played together for two seasons yet couldn’t even reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League as PSG was eliminated at the last-16 stage both years, first by Real Madrid and then Bayern Munich.

    Mbappe won five French league titles with PSG, but has so far failed to lead it to success in the Champions League. When PSG reached the final in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, it lost 1-0 to Bayern as Mbappe and Neymar both failed to make an impact.

    Mbappe could still go out on a high by winning European club soccer’s biggest prize this season. He scored in PSG’s 2-0 win on Wednesday over Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16, taking his record-extending club tally to 243 goals in just 290 games, including 38 in the Champions League.

    He also has 93 assists for PSG, third on the club’s all-time list.

    Mbappe’s decision brings an end to a drawn-out saga that has overshadowed his final year at the club.

    PSG has already made moves to shift its focus over the past 12 months in light of the exits of Messi and Neymar.

    After years of problems with soccer violence and falling short on the field, PSG’s fortunes improved after being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in June 2011. PSG largely dominated French soccer with some of the biggest names in the sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mbappe, Neymar and Messi. But it has begun to shift away from that model with signings like Randal Kolo Muani and Bradley Barcola last year.

    Mbappe has long been viewed by Madrid as the ideal successor to Karim Benzema, who left the Spanish giant for Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia last year.

    Whether PSG can find a successor to Mbappe remains to be seen, as he will leave a giant void.

    ___

    More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

    ___

    AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire contributed from Paris.

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  • Jaden Ivey scores a career-high 37 points to lead Pistons past Kings, 133-120

    Jaden Ivey scores a career-high 37 points to lead Pistons past Kings, 133-120


    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jaden Ivey scored 19 of his career-high 37 points in the fourth quarter and the Detroit Pistons, playing without their two top scorers, stunned the Sacramento Kings 133-120 on Wednesday night.

    Ivey added seven assists and six rebounds as Detroit improved to 3-20 on the road this season, 7-43 overall.

    “I talked to myself before the game, just focus in on the fourth quarter where I can attack and be aggressive,” Ivey said. “If I have my shot, just take it and be confident in it.”

    Alec Burks had 25 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and Jalen Duren had 20 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Marcus Sasser added 18 points.

    “For (Ivey) and Sass and all of our young guys to make plays in moments like that on the road, that expands your capacity,” Detroit coach Monty Williams said. “You can only grow from these types of experiences.”

    The Pistons were without Cade Cunningham (left knee injury management) and Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf soreness), who both average more than 20 points per game.

    “Just a great game overall,” Ivey said. “I feel like everybody used their gifts to the best of their abilities and gave it all that they had with some guys out. I’m so proud of them.”

    Domantas Sabonis led Sacramento with 30 points and 12 rebounds for his 33rd consecutive double-double.

    Malik Monk added 23 points and 10 assists off the bench as the Kings heard boos from their fans throughout the game.

    “There’s nothing to change up (structurally on defense) right now because we’re not doing our job,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown said. “We didn’t do our job tonight, for sure.”

    The Pistons closed the first half on a 17-5 run, capped by Killian Hayes’ 3-pointer at the buzzer, to build a 70-63 lead. The 70 first-half points matched their season high.

    Detroit extended the lead to 87-72 midway through the third quarter, but the Kings responded with a 27-10 run to take a 99-97 lead into the fourth.

    The Pistons outscored Sacramento 36-21 in the final quarter and won despite losing the turnover battle.

    “That team can score in bunches on everybody in the league,” Williams said. “So for us to hold them to 21 points in the fourth quarter, that’s the difference.”

    Detroit shot a season-best 56% from the field and made 17 of 31 3-pointers. The Pistons were 22 of 22 at the free-throw line and outrebounded the Kings 48-33.

    Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter received consecutive technical fouls with 1:40 remaining and was ejected.

    TRADE ALERT

    Detroit made a pair of trades ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, according to an AP source. The Pistons acquired Simone Fontecchio from the Utah Jazz for a second-round draft pick and dealt Monte Morris to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Shake Milton, Troy Brown and a second-round selection.

    UP NEXT

    Pistons: At Portland on Thursday night.

    Kings: Host Denver on Friday night.

    —-

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba



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  • Divine intervention? Ivorians say God is on their team’s side after ‘miracles’ at Africa Cup

    Divine intervention? Ivorians say God is on their team’s side after ‘miracles’ at Africa Cup


    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Ivory Coast’s unlikely — some would say miraculous — progression to the Africa Cup of Nations final has convinced locals that God is on their side.

    The host nation has survived several close shaves with elimination thanks to fortune with results in other games and scarcely believable comebacks.

    Late goals in remarkable wins in the knockout round against defending champion Senegal, then Mali, have no other explanation for devout locals other than being the will of God. They’re sure now he will guide Ivory Coast to its third Africa Cup title.

    “Inshallah, God will do it, no doubt,” Simion Diakité told The Associated Press. “It’s a miracle of God.”

    Sébastien Haller, cured after recovering from an ankle injury, fired the team into the final with a 1-0 win over Congo on Wednesday.

    At the Chapelle de l’externat Saint Paul for a service hours before the match, many worshippers wore the national team’s distinctive orange jersey. The preacher, Fr. Aristide Djedje, couldn’t let the service pass without mentioning the Elephants’ semifinal that evening.

    “The way the Elephants, the national team, have been advancing is only a miracle and only God can do that,” Ange Assamoi, one of the congregation, said after the service.

    Ivory Coast’s progression has been anything but typical. Its federation fired the team’s coach after a 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea left it on the verge of elimination, then unsuccessfully tried to hire another coach when results in other games meant Ivory Coast squeezed into the last 16 with the last available qualification spot.

    The win over Senegal came despite falling behind in the fourth minute. The win against Mali came despite playing with a player less for the entire second half and extra time. Oumar Diakité (no relation to Simion) scored in extra-time stoppage-time to send Ivory Coast to the semifinals.

    Assamoi said worshipers take their own personal hopes to church, “but today we also have the match in our prayers, that God will give us victory this evening. And God will give us victory this evening.”

    Assamoi’s confidence is shared among Ivorians of different faiths.

    Sy Modeste, one of the many yellow t-shirted security men in Abidjan, said both Muslims and Christians were praying for the same thing.

    “Everybody is praying to God to win the game, and the cup,” Modeste said. “We suppose that we live in Côte d’Ivoire by grace of God. God supports us.”

    Others agreed.

    “It’s thanks to God,” said Yama Cambera, a vendor selling water and refreshments at the side of the road in Treichville, Abidjan. “We’re going to win. Côte d’Ivoire will be having a party.”

    Ivory Coast was without four important players who were suspended against Congo. But the fans were not concerned — no setback is insurmountable anymore.

    “God is supporting us. Because when you’re Ivorian, when you love your country, you have to have confidence,” said Lionelle Kuakou. “We think that the trophy will stay here in Ivory Coast because this is a country of love, of joy, of peace. We welcome everyone here and God knows, so the cup stays here, it’s not going anywhere else, it stays here with us.”

    Mosques and churches never seem far away in Ivory Coast, where Islam and Christianity are together professed by just over 80% of the population, co-existing with those who have no religion, and those who follow the animism that pervaded pre-colonial societies in West Africa.

    The various faiths get along well together in Ivory Coast. The country’s constitution calls for tolerance of all spiritual perspectives and a separation of church and state.

    During games at the tournament, many fans use the halftime break to find a quiet corner or space at the back of the stands to lay down their prayer mats and pray. Supporters kneel with their heads bowed in the same direction.

    But Ivory Coast’s interim coach Emerse Faé is not putting his faith in miracles.

    “We’d rather rely on our mental strength and to tell ourselves that we are in the right spirit. Because it was our spirit that allowed us to achieve miracles like that. But we can’t relax and hide behind the fact that we progressed thanks to a miracle, that it is a sign of destiny,” Faé said before the semifinal.

    “If we want to bring the cup home, we ourselves will have to make the efforts for it. The miracle against Mali did not just fall from the sky — the miracle came because the players believed in it to the end.”

    Ivory Coast faces three-time champion Nigeria in Sunday’s final.

    ___

    AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer



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