Sports News

LOS ANGELES -- Carl Erskine, who pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series, died Tuesday. He was 97. Erksine died at Community Hospital Anderson in Anderson, Indiana, according to Michele Hockwalt, the hospital's marketing and communication manager. Among the last survivors from the celebrated Brooklyn teams of the 1950s, Erskine spent his entire major league career with the Dodgers from 1948-59, helping them win five National League pennants. The right-hander had a career record of 122-78 and an ERA of 4.00, with 981 strikeouts. Erskine had his best season in 1953, when he went 20-6 to lead the National League. He won Game 3 of the World Series, beating the Yankees 3-2 at Ebbets Field. He struck out 14, retiring the side in the ninth, for a World Series record that stood until Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax got 15 in 1963. The Dodgers went on to lose the 1953 series in...

FRISCO, Texas -- So far in free agency, the largest two payouts the Dallas Cowboys have made total just under $6 million, to cornerback Jourdan Lewis and linebacker Eric Kendricks. According to the NFL Players Association's website, the Cowboys have $7.4 million in salary space and have yet to fill vacancies created by the departures of left tackle Tyron Smith, center Tyler Biadasz, running back Tony Pollard and defensive end Dorance Armstrong. "We spend max, max money year in and year out. All 32 can only spend the same amount of money over a five-year stretch," executive vice president Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "When we're all said and done, we max out our salary cap every year. We will have done that and what comes with having a good roster, which we do, we also are looking towards signing our own guys. It doesn't mean it happens overnight. But when you're wanting to sign players like Dak [Prescott] and...

Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo, the No. 1 player in the transfer portal, committed to Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday, he told ESPN. Ballo visited the Hoosiers' campus the past couple of days and opted to end his recruitment before taking any other visits. Louisville, Kansas State, North Carolina, Florida and Arkansas had all pursued Ballo prior to his commitment. A 7-foot center from Mali, Ballo entered the transfer portal last week and immediately became the best player available. He's a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 selection and also earned all-defensive team honors this past season. Ballo averaged 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, tallying 20 double-doubles and shooting nearly 66% from the field. He went for 15 points and 15 rebounds against Clemson in Arizona's season-ending Sweet 16 loss in the NCAA tournament.   During his breakout 2022-23 campaign, Ballo averaged 14.2 points and 8.6 rebounds, shooting nearly 65% from the field. He began his...

Jude Bellingham said Vinícius Júnior and other Black players need more support in dealing with the "massive problem" of racism in Spanish football, describing the abuse some players receive as "disgusting." TV images showed a fan making racist gestures toward Bellingham's Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni after scoring in Saturday's 1-0 LaLiga win at Real Mallorca, with  the home side saying they are working with police to identify the individual responsible. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Vinícius has been targeted with racist abuse by opposition fans on numerous occasions, including during a league game away at Valencia last season that sparked a global outcry on the issue. "I didn't even know [about the Tchouaméni incident]," Bellingham said when asked about the problem during a news conference Tuesday. "In games when we go away in LaLiga, you almost get so used to it that I wasn't...

Michigan will serve three years of NCAA probation, pay a fine and face recruiting restrictions after the university and five current or former football employees reached an agreement with the NCAA's enforcement staff on recruiting violations and coaching activities by noncoaching staff members, the NCAA announced Tuesday. The agreed-upon penalties also include a one-year show-cause order for the participating individuals. The portion of the case that involves former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers in late January, will be considered separately by the Committee on Infractions, and then it will determine its full decision, according to a release from the NCAA. Tom Mars, Harbaugh's attorney, told ESPN that neither he nor Harbaugh knew about the agreement to the case until seeing media reports Tuesday. Although Mars doesn't know whether Harbaugh would have participated, they were unaware about the discussions to resolve the...

The No. 1 draft pick is slated to make a little over $76,000 during her rookie season with the Indiana Fever — just quarters on the dollar compared to her male counterparts.

Six-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday. Griffin was selected first overall by the LA Clippers out of Oklahoma in the 2009 draft. His time in Los Angeles got off to a rough start, as he broke the patella in his left knee during the preseason. Griffin came back the following season and won the 2010-11 Rookie of the Year Award and made the first of five straight All-Star appearances. He also won the Slam Dunk Contest that season after slamming over a parked car. His high-flying highlights became the calling card of the Clippers, who really took off in the 2011-12 season with the addition of point guard Chris Paul. The acquisition of Paul and his penchant for alley-oop passes to Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan transformed the Clippers into Lob City, and ushered in the most successful era in franchise history. Playoff success eluded the Clippers, however, and Griffin was surprisingly traded...

Four-time major championship winner Rory McIlroy on Tuesday said he plans to finish his career on the PGA Tour, denying a published report by a London newspaper that he had been offered $850 million and an equity stake in the LIV Golf League. McIlroy said neither he nor his agents have ever discussed a potential deal to lure him to the LIV Golf League, which is being financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). "I honestly don't know how these things get started," McIlroy told Golf Channel while on the practice range at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, the site of this week's RBC Heritage. "I've never been offered a number from LIV, and I've never contemplated going to LIV. Again, I think I've made it clear over the past two years that I don't think it's something for me. "It doesn't mean that I judge people who have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I have realized over the past two years is that people can make...

Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is finalizing a long-term deal to become the next men's basketball coach at Brigham Young University, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Young -- the highest-paid assistant in the NBA -- had been a candidate for NBA head-coaching jobs in the past two hiring cycles, but BYU landed him with a sizable commitment to lead the Cougars into their second Big 12 Conference season and beyond. Young replaces Mark Pope, who left for the Kentucky job after delivering BYU an NCAA tournament bid in its inaugural Big 12 season. Young, who was born in Salt Lake City, will continue working with the Suns in the playoffs, but will begin assembling a coaching staff that'll immediately start recruiting for BYU, sources said. Young spent eight years coaching in the NBA G League -- including head-coaching jobs with the Utah Flash, Iowa Energy and Delaware 87ers. Young began to gain momentum as a head-coaching candidate a year ago, interviewing...

NEW YORK -- Whitey Herzog, the gruff and ingenious Hall of Fame manager who guided the St. Louis Cardinals to three pennants and a World Series title in the 1980s and perfected an intricate, nail-biting strategy known as "Whiteyball," has died. He was 92. "Whitey spent his last few days surrounded by his family. We have so appreciated all of the prayers and support from friends who knew he was very ill. Although it is hard for us to say goodbye, his peaceful passing was a blessing for him," his family said in a statement released by the Cardinals. Herzog had been at Busch Stadium on April 4 for the Cardinals' home opener. A crew-cut, pot-bellied tobacco chewer who had no patience for the "buddy-buddy" school of management, Herzog joined the Cardinals in 1980 and helped end the team's decade-plus pennant drought by adapting it to the artificial surface and distant fences of Busch Memorial Stadium. A typical Cardinals victory under Herzog was a low-scoring, one-run game,...

The agent for Rory McIlroy dismissed rumors of a pending move to LIV Golf for $850 million, calling it "fake news" Tuesday. "Fake news. Zero truth," agent Sean O'Flaherty told the Irish Independent in an email. O'Flaherty was responding to a sourced report by City A.M., a London financial paper, that said McIlroy, the No. 2 player in the world, "could" make the jump to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour after an offer of $850 million and "about 2 percent equity in the competition." McIlroy, 34, had been one of the most prominent critics of the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit since it launched in 2021, but then described himself as the PGA Tour's "sacrificial lamb" when it announced a partnership with LIV Golf in June 2023. LIV Golf lured then-world No. 3 Jon Rahm into its ranks in December with a deal reportedly worth more than $350 million. In February, McIlroy's former agent fueled speculation that the Northern Irishman was possibly softening...

Colorado had several players with starting experience enter the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday as the spring transfer window kicked off around college football. As of early afternoon, eight players had entered the portal. Among the players exiting: right tackle Savion Washington started nine games and appeared in 10 after transferring in from Kent State, where he started in 2022; defensive tackle Chazz Wallace, a transfer from Old Dominion, started the Buffs' final four games last season and finished with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks; safety Myles Slusher started the 2023 opener against TCU; and wide receiver  Tar'Varish Dawson, an Auburn transfer, started four games last season and was dismissed from the team in February. Offensive lineman Isaiah Jatta, a juco transfer who appeared in 11 games last season, starting one, also entered the portal, along with reserve offensive lineman David Conner and receiver...

The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the Indiana Pacers, but are hopeful treatment on his left calf strain will allow him to return sometime later in the series, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Antetokounmpo has been undergoing around-the-clock treatment on the calf, sources said. The third-seeded Bucks open the series against the sixth-seeded Pacers on Sunday in Milwaukee. The Pacers won four of five regular-season games against the Bucks. Antetokounmpo missed the final three regular-season games after crumpling to the floor with a noncontact injury a week ago against the Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo ended the regular season averaging 30.4 points on a career-best 61% shooting with 11.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He's the first player in NBA history to average 30 points per game on 60% shooting, according to research by ESPN Stats &...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres fired head coach Don Granato on Tuesday, making him the seventh coach to be ousted during what's grown into an NHL-record 13-season playoff drought. The move was announced by the team after the Sabres closed their season Monday with a 4-2 win at Tampa Bay. They finished with a 39-27-6 record and had been eliminated from playoff contention last week. Granato completed his third full season in Buffalo after taking over on an interim level during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2021 season when Ralph Krueger was fired. And the move comes with the 56-year-old Granato still having two seasons left on his contract, which featured an extension that kicked in to start next season. Buffalo stumbled through a season in which the team won three straight games just twice and were often unable to overcome slow starts. This was not the expectation for a team that opened the season with general manager Kevyn Adams declaring the window of contention...

The executor of O.J. Simpson's estate has reversed his stance on working to prevent a payout of a $33.5 million judgment awarded by a jury to the families of Simpson's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in a wrongful death lawsuit. Attorney Malcolm LaVergne had told the Las Vegas Review-Journal late last week that his hope was "that the Goldmans get zero, nothing" and that he would "do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing." However, on Monday, in a telephone call to The Hollywood Reporter, LaVergne changed his opinion. "I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman's [Ron Goldman's father] claim will be accepted. And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law," LaVergne told The Hollywood Reporter. Simpson died Wednesday without having paid the lion's share of the civil judgment that was awarded in 1997 after jurors found him liable. With his assets set to go...

The biggest fight in the history of women's boxing will have an even bigger rematch. Two-weight undisputed champion Katie Taylor will once again face Amanda Serrano on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as the co-main event of the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, officials told ESPN. The card, promoted by Paul's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), will air live on Netflix globally with no added paywall. It's the first live combat sports event distributed by the streaming service and has a chance to be one of the most watched fight cards of the modern era. Taylor is promoted by Eddie Hearn's Matchroom and Serrano by MVP. "This is the rematch the world has wanted to see, and I'm delighted that it's finally happening," Taylor said in a statement. "The first fight in New York was obviously an epic occasion and it more than lived up to the billing, and I'm sure the rematch will be no different." Taylor vs. Serrano will be for the undisputed super lightweight...

Texas A&M safety Jacoby Mathews entered his name in the transfer portal Tuesday, becoming the 19th scholarship player to enter the portal for the Aggies since November. Tuesday is the first day of the spring transfer portal window that allows players to enter their names in the database to receive communication from coaches to potentially transfer. Mathews is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound sophomore safety who was an ESPN 300 prospect in the 2022 class out of Louisiana. He played in 10 games his freshman season in 2022 and played in 11 games last season, tallying 42 total tackles, an interception and four pass breakups. New coach Mike Elko and his staff have been working to transform the roster to build the team they believe can compete in the SEC. Since November, the Aggies have seen some big names and starters on the defensive side enter the transfer portal. Among other players who left the program were defensive tackle Walter Nolen, the former No. 1 prospect overall...

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid notched his 100th assist this season against the San Jose Sharks on Monday night, becoming just the fourth player in NHL history to hit triple digits for helpers. McDavid returned to the Edmonton lineup after missing three games because of a lower-body injury, entering the home game against San Jose with 99 assists in 74 games. He picked up the primary assist on Zach Hyman's second-period goal, the winger's 54th goal of the season. Hockey Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr are the only other NHL players to eclipse 100 assists in a season. "It means a lot. Those three are obviously three of the greatest players to ever play. To share a little something with them, it means a lot to me," McDavid said. "It has been a different type of year, but everybody stuck with it, and we've put ourselves in a good spot heading in to when it matters most." Orr did it once, becoming the first NHL player to achieve...

Jordi Fernandez has emerged as the Brooklyn Nets' choice to become the franchise's next coach, separating himself amid a wide, monthlong search that now has the Nets prepared to hire the Sacramento Kings' top assistant, sources told ESPN on Monday night. Fernandez, 41, has been a fast-rising coaching candidate in the past two years and will land the Nets' head-coaching job, sources said. Fernandez will take over a Nets franchise that completed a 32-50 season under interim coach Kevin Ollie -- its fifth coach since 2020.   Brooklyn is reshaping its team in the post- Kevin Durant- Kyrie Irving era and is hiring Fernandez to reinvigorate a roster that includes Mikal Bridges, Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton,  Cameron Johnson and Noah Clowney. Nets general manager Sean Marks met with dozens of candidates in recent weeks and Fernandez advanced to meet with owner Joe Tsai recently, sources said. Fernandez will...

DETROIT -- Michael Lorenzen pitched five scoreless innings in his Texas debut and three relievers completed a five-hit shutout as the Rangers topped the Detroit Tigers 1-0 on Monday night. Lorenzen, signed to a $4.5 million, one-year contract as a free agent late in spring training, gave up three hits and walked five while notching four strikeouts against his former team. Lorenzen represented the Tigers at the All-Star Game last season before he was traded to Philadelphia. "Everything about Detroit I really enjoyed. The guys over there are great," Lorenzen said. "I tried not to talk to them at all because I wanted to beat them. I'll catch up with them [Tuesday]." The right-hander, who had been on the 15-day injured list due to a neck strain, made three rehab appearances at Triple-A Round Rock before he was activated. "You saw a guy with poise," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's got the experience. He knows how to make pitches when he has to....

NEW YORK --  Caitlin Clark is officially a pro. Clark, the record-breaking face of women's college basketball, was selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft Monday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The draft was held with fans for the first time since the 2014-2016 iterations of the event. Tickets for 1,000 spectators sold out within 15 minutes of going on sale a few months ago. Clark's coronation was long anticipated after she announced in late February she was headed to the league instead of using her extra year of collegiate eligibility. But that didn't make the moment any less special for Clark, her loved ones, her Iowa family and the ecstatic fans who packed Gainbridge Fieldhouse back in Indianapolis to see her hold up a Fever jersey on the jumbotron. "When you're just sitting at a table waiting for your name to be called, that really allows the emotions to feed you," Clark said. "You're with your family. Obviously, playing a...

Team USA is finalizing a 2024 Paris Olympics men's basketball roster that includes several of the generation's iconic players, including the Lakers' LeBron James, Warriors'  Stephen Curry, Suns' Kevin Durant and 76ers' Joel Embiid, sources told ESPN on Monday. Team USA managing director Grant Hill is keeping one roster slot open ahead of a July training camp and exhibition games in Las Vegas, sources said. U.S. basketball is planning to formally announce this 11-man roster that also includes Lakers forward Anthony Davis, Suns guard Devin Booker, Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards, Boston forward Jayson Tatum, Boston guard Jrue Holiday, Miami center Bam Adebayo and Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton, sources said. Team USA coach Steve Kerr will be coaching Curry -- his four-time championship and two-time MVP guard -- in his first Olympic appearance. Kerr will also be reunited with Durant, who is one...

USA Basketball is finalizing a 2024 Paris Olympics men's basketball roster that includes several of the generation's iconic players -- including the Lakers' LeBron James, Warriors'  Stephen Curry, Suns' Kevin Durant and 76ers' Joel Embiid, sources told ESPN on Monday. Team USA managing director Grant Hill is keeping one roster slot open ahead of a July training camp and exhibition games in Las Vegas, sources said. USA Basketball is planning to formally announce this 11-man roster that also includes Lakers forward Anthony Davis, Suns guard Devin Booker, Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards, Boston forward Jayson Tatum, Boston guard Jrue Holiday, Miami center Bam Adebayo and Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton, sources said. Team USA coach Steve Kerr will be coaching Curry -- his four-time championship and two-time MVP guard -- in his first Olympics appearance. Kerr will also be reunited with Durant, who...

NEW YORK -- WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is "pretty confident" the league will expand to 16 teams by 2028 and that the goal is to bring in a 14th team for 2026, she told reporters Monday. With women's basketball booming in popularity, players and fans alike have called for expansion, as the WNBA's current footprint of 12 teams, each with 12 roster spots, means the league can accommodate a maximum of 144 players. The WNBA announced late last year it is adding a 13th team that will be owned and operated by the Golden State Warriors. It is the league's first new franchise since the Atlanta Dream in 2008. "It's complex because you need the arena and practice facility and player housing and all the things you need, committed long-term ownership groups," Engelbert said before Friday's WNBA draft. "And so, the nice thing is we're getting a lot of calls, we're continuing to engage with cities." Engelbert mentioned cities such as Philadelphia, Toronto, Portland,...

L-S-U'S Angel Reese, South Carolina's Kamila Cardoso and Iowa's Caitlyn Clark are heading to the pros. They're expected to be drafted into the WNBA in the leagues first round draft.

A 6-0 win -- including a four-goal night by one of his star players in Cole Palmer -- should have left Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino with no issues following the game. But that was far from the case, as the Argentine coach took his team to task for an incident regarding who would take a penalty kick in the second half with Chelsea already up 4-0 on Everton on Monday night at Stamford Bridge. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Captain Conor Gallagher had to intervene to shove away Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke as they squabbled for the ball after the latter was brought down in the box. Gallagher secured the ball then handed it to Palmer, the team's designated penalty taker. "The players and staff know that Cole Palmer is the penalty taker," said a furious Pochettino after the game. "I am so, so upset about the situation. Discipline is the most important thing in our...

Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivisic announced Monday he will follow John Calipari and transfer to Arkansas. Ivisic entered the transfer portal over the weekend, becoming the first Kentucky player to leave the program after Mark Pope was named head coach. He's now the first player to follow Calipari to Fayetteville. Ivisic said in a post on social media that he met with Pope on Monday but informed him he would not be returning to Kentucky. "I made the lifetime decision to come to college for [a] few reasons," Ivisic wrote. "Main ones to win a national championship and go to the NBA. Monumental part of that decision was coach Cal, and no one does both of those at the same time than him. That's why I am excited to announce that I am committing to coach Cal and Arkansas Razorbacks." Ivisic, a 7-foot-2 center from Croatia, had one of the most anticipated debuts of any newcomer this past season -- and then "Big Z" produced an eye-opening display in his first college...

Rashee Rice and  Teddy Knox are being sued in Texas for over $1 million in actual damages and $10 million in punitive damages by two people who say they were injured in a six-vehicle crash March 30 in Dallas.  The plaintiffs, Edvard Petrovskiy and Irina Gromova, allege Rice and Knox deliberately raced their vehicles at speeds well beyond the posted limits and caused the six-vehicle crash that led to their injuries. Rice, a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, was the leaseholder of both vehicles and was driving one at the time of the crash. Knox, a football player and former teammate of Rice's at SMU Mustangs, was driving the other. Rice, 23, and Knox, 21, are each facing one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury, according to police. In the lawsuit, Petrovskiy and Gromova claim injuries that include brain trauma, cuts to the face requiring stitches, bruises,...

John Sterling, the longtime radio voice of the New York Yankees, has decided to retire, effective immediately, the club announced Monday. Sterling, 85, joined the Yankees' broadcast in 1989. He went on to call 5,420 regular-season and 211 postseason Yankees games. Sterling had taken on a reduced role in recent seasons and traveled less often because of health concerns. This season was his 36th in the booth and 20th working alongside Suzyn Waldman. "I am a very blessed human being," Sterling said in a statement. "I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years. It's all to my benefit, and I leave very, very happy." Known for his individualized home run calls and signature Yankees victory call, Sterling was in the booth for 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 to July 2019, when he missed a series with an illness. The native New Yorker was on the...

HOUSTON -- Coach DeMeco Ryans made it clear he isn't paying attention to the hype the Houston Texans are receiving. "We don't care about expectations," Ryans said Monday. "Talk doesn't win games. We have to go out and play good football when the time comes." The Texans spent $178.5 million this offseason in guaranteed money, according to Roster Management System, the fourth most in the NFL. That includes a reworked contract for newly acquired All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The Texans sent a 2025 second-round pick (via the Minnesota Vikings) to the Buffalo Bills for Diggs and voided the final three years of his deal before increasing his base salary to $22.52 million guaranteed. He's now set to become a free agent in 2025.   "The guy's been an All-Pro player, been a Pro Bowl player, over 1,000 yards for multiple seasons," Ryans said. "So, we're excited about adding Diggs to our team." The Diggs trade capped the Texans' aggressive...

EAGAN, Minn. -- Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson has had a long time to think about the controversial hit that ended his 2023 season and could keep him out from the start of 2024. Speaking publicly Monday for the first time since, Hockenson's mood boiled down to seven words. "Obviously," he said, "I wasn't too happy about it." As he continues his rehabilitation from torn ACL and MCL ligaments in his right knee, an injury he suffered from a direct hit by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph in Week 16, Hockenson had plenty more to say. While stopping short of accusing Joseph of intending to injure him -- or Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee on an identical play in the playoffs -- Hockenson said that players should protect one another as much as possible. He called on the NFL to address why defenders can hit pass-catchers low in those situations, but offensive players can't cut-block in similar areas and said he would have preferred...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs expect wide receiver Rashee Rice to participate as they began their offseason program Monday with virtual meetings, coach Andy Reid said. Reid wouldn't say whether the Chiefs were planning on having Rice participate later in the spring when they move the program to Kansas City. "I want to keep gathering the information from the law enforcement people,'' Reid said. "We'll just see where everything goes from there [and] let the process take place.'' Otherwise, Reid said little about Rice's situation but did say he has spoken with the wide receiver. Rice, the Chiefs' leading wide receiver last season, is facing one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury, according to Dallas police, for his involvement in a six-vehicle car crash last month. Rice turned himself in to police last week and was later released on bond. On April 3, he said...

Kentucky freshman D.J. Wagner, a former top-five recruit in the 2023 class, entered the transfer portal Monday. Wagner, a 6-foot-4 guard from Camden, New Jersey, immediately becomes one of the more intriguing backcourt players in the college basketball portal. The son of former high school phenom and NBA player Dajuan Wagner, D.J. Wagner was considered the top player in the 2023 class for much of his high school career. He was one of the best scorers on the Nike EYBL circuit and led Camden High School to the New Jersey state title. Wagner also earned MVP honors at the McDonald's All American Game. He finished his high school career ranked No. 4 in the ESPN 100 and entered Kentucky with first-round NBA draft projections. After a couple of early 20-point efforts against Saint Joseph's and Marshall, however, he was inconsistent on the offensive end. Wagner finished the season scoring in single-digits in 10 of his final 13 games, including a scoreless outing...

BOSTON -- Sisay Lemma scorched the first half of the Boston Marathon course Monday, setting a record pace to build a lead of more than half a mile. Then the weather heated up, and the 34-year-old Ethiopian slowed down. After running alone for most of the morning, Lemma held on down Boylston Street to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds -- the 10th-fastest time in the race's 128-year history.  "I decided that I wanted to start fast early," said Lemma, who dropped to the pavement and rolled onto his back, smiling, after crossing the finish line. "I kept the pace and I won." Lemma, the 2021 London champion, arrived in Boston with the fastest time in the field -- just the fourth person ever to break 2:02:00 when he won in Valencia last year. And he showed it on the course Monday, separating himself from the pack in Ashland and opening a lead of more than half a mile. Lemma ran the first half in 1:00:19 -- 99 seconds faster than Geoffrey Mutai's course record pace in 2011, when...

PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles and DeVonta Smith have agreed to a three-year extension that ties the wide receiver to the team through the 2028 season. Terms were not disclosed, but a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the contract is worth $75 million, with $51 million guaranteed. The team also exercised Smith's fifth-year option, which will pay Smith a salary of around $16 million for the 2025 campaign. Smith becomes the fifth receiver in the NFL with a contract averaging $25 million or more per season, joining Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins ($30 million), Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders ($28 million), Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams ($26.7 million) and Smith's teammate, A.J. Brown ($25 million). Smith and Brown became the first receiver tandem in Eagles history to each reach 1,000 yards receiving in 2022 and they repeated the feat last season. Teamed with quarterback Jalen Hurts,...

Five-star guard Boogie Fland has requested his release from Kentucky and will reopen his recruitment, sources told ESPN. Fland becomes the fourth member of what was the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the country to decommit from the Wildcats, following five-star forward Jayden Quaintance and ESPN 100 prospects Karter Knox and Somto Cyril. These decisions come in the wake of John Calipari's decision to leave Kentucky for Arkansas and the Wildcats hiring Mark Pope to replace Calipari. When Fland originally committed to Kentucky in October, he chose the Wildcats over Indiana, although Alabama was also on his final list of three. The Hoosiers were in the lead entering the final weeks, but Calipari and Kentucky finished strong to overtake Mike Woodson's program. "He is a Hall of Fame coach who cares about his players," Fland told ESPN at the time about Calipari. "When he gave his Hall of Fame speech, his former players and coaches were...

In February, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco indicated that star wide receiver Davante Adams wouldn't be traded when he said, " He's a Raider." On Sunday, Adams made it clear that sentiment was mutual. "If I wanted to be gone, I'd be gone by now," Adams told reporters from his football camp, according to The Athletic. "This is where I want to be." The Raiders acquired Adams from the Packers in 2022 and then signed him to a five-year, $140 million contract extension. That still hasn't stopped trade speculation the past two offseasons. However, while he might have had some discontent with Josh McDaniels, his former coach, he is a staunch supporter of Antonio Pierce, his new coach. In January, Adams stumped for Pierce to have the interim tag removed from his title after he led the Raiders to a 5-4 record to end the season. Adams appears to be much happier now that Pierce was hired for the full-time role. "It's already helped the...

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen has agreed on a four-year, $70 million contract extension that includes a player option, his agents Mitch Nathan, Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann of CAA Sports told ESPN on Monday. The deal keeps Allen out of unrestricted free agency this summer and rewards him for a career-best season with the Suns. Allen started 73 games and averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 33.5 minutes per game.  After landing with his fourth team in six seasons, Allen, 28, was eager to re-sign as part of a lineup of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal that allows him tremendous space and room to operate on the court. His 46.1% on 3-pointers led the NBA this season. Allen's signing comes with massive luxury tax implications for owner Mat Ishbia. The Suns could've replaced him only with minimum contract free agents, so his re-signing was vital to the franchise's ability to keep its core together. Allen's $15.6 million...

Tiger Woods and Verne Lundquist will always share a connection at Augusta National. It was only appropriate that they shared a moment at Lundquist's final Masters. At the 16th hole, where Woods made a memorable chip-in at the 2005 Masters on the way to his fourth of five green jackets, the golfer stopped to shake Lundquist's hand and exchange a few words after tapping in for par. The 83-year-old Lundquist is retiring after calling the Masters for CBS for the 40th time. His decision to step away has rekindled memories of his epic call of Woods' chip-in nearly two decades ago, when Lundquist bellowed, "In your life have you seen anything like that?!" Early in Sunday's broadcast, CBS' Jim Nantz said, "We will be celebrating you as long as there is a Masters tournament. ... You will always be a part of it. You have permanent residence here with that impressive resume of calls and moments. ... We're going to miss you." Lundquist replied, "I thank you Jim, and thanks to all of you."...

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts have locked in another key piece of their core. In a continuation of moves made this spring, the Colts signed star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to an extension Monday. Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that it's a two-year deal for $46 million and runs through the 2026 season. The deal comes as the Colts report this week for voluntary offseason workouts and preempts what would have been a contract year for one of the team's captains and most productive players. He was entering the final year of a four-year, $84 million contract signed after joining the Colts in a trade from the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, when he was a first-team All-Pro selection. "DeForest has been the epitome of what it means to be a Colt the last four years," general manager Chris Ballard said in a statement. "As one of the premier defensive tackles in the league, he is a destructive force on our defensive line. DeForest is one of the...

LOS ANGELES -- San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar came up with the game-winning hit that led to a series victory Sunday at Dodger Stadium. That his three-run double in the seventh inning came one day after Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith called him "irrelevant" did not go unnoticed by one of Profar's most prominent teammates. "Irrelevant? I don't know. You'll have to check the dictionary on that," Padres third baseman Manny Machado said after San Diego's  6-3 win. "He's been leading this team big-time. The numbers speak for themselves. Every time he comes out here, steps on that field, he makes a big impact on the game. At the end of the day, boy got 10 years in the league. There's only a handful of baseball players, in all of baseball, who accomplish that goal, so, got to put a little bit of respect on his name." Profar took exception to being brushed back by an up-and-in cutter from Dodgers starter Gavin...

Houston Dash winger Maria Sanchez has requested a trade only four months after signing one of the most lucrative deals in National Women's Soccer League history, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN. Both the NWSL trade window and transfer window will close at midnight ET on Friday. Sanchez signed a new contract with Houston in December for three years plus a fourth-year option, with a total compensation of $1.5 million including bonuses and the option year. At the time it was inked, it was the largest deal in NWSL history, although it was eclipsed by a few contracts signed in the months that followed. - Stream on ESPN+: NWSL regular-season games (U.S.) Reached by ESPN on Sunday, a Dash spokesperson provided the following statement: "Maria Sanchez is under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023." Sanchez, 28, was a restricted free agent this past offseason, meaning that Houston had the ability to match any offer from...

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A victory at the 2024 Masters seemed inevitable for Scottie Scheffler. The Texan has been ranked No. 1 in the world for more than 80 weeks during his short career. He'd won eight times on the PGA Tour since February 2022, a stretch that saw him become the first golfer ever to win the Players Championship in back-to-back years. Scheffler is regarded as perhaps golf's best ball striker since Tiger Woods in his prime, and Scheffler's magical hands around the greens also have drawn comparison to you-know-who. Until Sunday, Scheffler had only one major championship victory, the 2022 Masters, which might have been the only reason anyone would doubt his status as the game's next generational star. After entering Sunday's final round of the 88th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club leading by 1 shot, Scheffler ran away from the other contenders on the second nine to win a second green jacket in three years. Scheffler carded a 4-under 68 over the final...

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Cutter Gauthier, who scored the most goals in the NCAA in the past 25 years during Boston College's run to the Frozen Four, signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Gauthier is likely to make his NHL debut Thursday when the Ducks wrap up their season at Vegas. His rights were acquired from Philadelphia for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick. Gauthier was the fifth overall pick by the Flyers in the 2022 NHL draft. Flyers general manager Danny Briere said in January that he traded Gauthier because he wouldn't sign, train or even communicate with Philadelphia. Gauthier's 38 goals are tied with Ryan Potulny, who played for Minnesota in 2005-06, for most by a collegiate player in the past 25 seasons. The center also led the NCAA in game-winning goals (10), was second in points (65) and tied for second in power-play goals (13). He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player...

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A victory at the 2024 Masters seemed inevitable for Scottie Scheffler. The Texan has been ranked No. 1 in the world for more than 80 weeks during his short career. He'd won eight times on the PGA Tour since February 2022, a stretch that saw him become the first golfer ever to win the Players Championship in back-to-back years. Scheffler is regarded as perhaps golf's best ballstriker since Tiger Woods in his prime, and Scheffler's magical hands around the greens also have drawn comparison to you-know-who. Until Sunday, Scheffler had only one major championship victory, the 2022 Masters, which might have been the only reason anyone would doubt his status as the game's next generational star. After entering Sunday's final round of the 88th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in a three-way tie for the lead, Scheffler ran away from the other contenders on the second nine to win a second green jacket in three years. Scheffler carded a 4-under 68...

CHICAGO -- Welcome to the NHL, Frank Nazar. Nazar scored on his first shot on goal in his debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in the team's home finale against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, a 4-2 Chicago loss. Wearing No. 91, a smiling Nazar got a big cheer from the early-arriving fans when he took the ice for his solo rookie lap ahead of warmups. He centered a line with Jason Dickinson and Joey Anderson at the beginning of the game, but coach Luke Richardson said the Blackhawks might take a look at a couple different combinations. After coming up empty on an early power-play opportunity, Nazar got a slick pass from Seth Jones and skated in on Pyotr Kochetkov for a breakaway. He beat Kochetkov on the goaltender's stick side 10:05 into the first period, sending a charge through the United Center crowd. The 20-year-old Nazar, one of Chicago's top prospects, turned pro after Michigan lost 4-0 to Boston College in the Frozen...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Rookie center Chet Holmgren unzipped his black hoodie sweatshirt when asked how the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated earning the Western Conference's No. 1 seed, showing off his blue Northwest Division champions T-shirt that was handed out in the locker room. The Thunder took a team picture to commemorate the occasion after Sunday's 135-86 win over the Dallas Mavericks -- who rested all their starters and a few key reserves -- then shifted their focus to preparing for the playoffs. "I wouldn't say celebratory so much as just kind of recognizing the fruition of all the hard work that we've been putting in," Holmgren said. "We're not in the position we're in by accident. There was a lot of dedication and hard work that went into it. "But we're not celebrating, because what we're trying to do, we're not there yet. So, we're still eyes on the prize, locked in." Oklahoma City entered the final day of the regular season in a three-way...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Rookie center Chet Holmgren unzipped his black hoodie sweatshirt when asked how the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated earning the Western Conference's No. 1 seed, showing off the blue Northwest Division T-shirts that were handed out in the locker room. The Thunder took a team picture to commemorate the occasion after Sunday's 135-86 win over the Dallas Mavericks, who rested all their starters and a few key reserves, and then shifted their focus to preparing for the playoffs. "I wouldn't say celebratory so much as just kind of recognizing the fruition of all the hard work that we've been putting in," Holmgren said. "We're not in the position we're in by accident. There was a lot of dedication and hard work that went into it, but we're not celebrating because what we're trying to do, we're not there yet. So we're still eyes on the prize, locked in." Oklahoma City entered the final day of the regular season in a three-way tie for first place in...

Days after John Calipari left town, Mark Pope stood on a podium in front of a sold-out crowd at Rupp Arena on Sunday. During his official introduction, Kentucky's new coach, who signed a five-year deal for $5.5 million per season, said he's aware of the expectations around the program. "I understand the assignment," Pope said. "We are here to win banners. As we go through this journey, we're here to win banners in Nashville [at the SEC tournament] because you guys turn out in Nashville like nobody else and that matters. And our job here and our assignment is here to win banners in the Final Four, national championships. That's our job." Pope's arrival marked the latest step in a surprising sequence of events that has changed the SEC and men's college basketball. Three days ago, Calipari was introduced as the head coach at Arkansas following a 15-year tenure that included the 2012 national title. Calipari decided to leave the Wildcats after a series of lackluster postseason...

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 points in one half of action and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Dallas Mavericks 135-86 on Sunday to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Oklahoma City finished with the same 57-25 record as the Denver Nuggets but owned the tiebreaker. The Thunder hadn't finished as the top seed since the 2012-13 season. The Thunder entered the final day in a three-way tie with the Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for the best record in the Western Conference, the first such occurrence in NBA history. Denver's win over the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota's loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday clinched the No. 2 and 3 seeds for the Nuggets and Timberwolves, respectively. The Thunder will have to wait for the play-in tournament's conclusion to learn their first-round opponent. The Nuggets will face the winner of the 7-8 play-in game between the Los Angeles...