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DENVER -- Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid squared off in a shooting competition after practice Saturday, a day ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves' Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets to determine the winner of their Western Conference semifinal series against the defending NBA champions. The Wolves' budding superstar and the league's Sixth Man of the Year started in one corner and challenged one another to make five 3-pointers from seven spots around the perimeter, seeing who would be first to finish from the opposite corner. In the shoot-until-you-miss format, Edwards quickly caught fire and advanced to the final corner spot while Reid got stuck on spot No. 3, clanking away on the wing. To allow Reid a chance to catch up, Edwards started shooting high-arcing shots, launching the ball almost to the ceiling of the Nuggets' practice court. When Reid finally got his rhythm and made his way around the 3-point line, just two spots from the end corner, Edwards...

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Fanatics filed a lawsuit against Arizona Cardinals rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on Saturday night in New York Supreme Court for breaching a contract the wide receiver signed with the retailer in May 2023. In the suit, Fanatics said Harrison has refused to fulfill his obligations to the deal while he also "publicly asserted" that the contract does not exist. Details of what Harrison's contract with Fanatics required from the No. 4 pick in the NFL draft were redacted, as were the details of the financial agreement between the two. However, a source told ESPN earlier this month that the deal was for at least $1 million and that the contract was for autographs, signed trading cards, game-worn apparel and other marketing opportunities. The suit also sites "The Official Harrison Collection LLC" as a defendant. Harrison is selling signed memorabilia through The Official Harrison Collection's website. Items include photos ranging from $99.99 to $149, a jersey...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- For the third day in a row at the PGA Championship, Xander Schauffele is at the top of the leaderboard. This time, however, he has company. After a birdie on the par-5 18th hole Saturday, Collin Morikawa's 4-under 67 erased Schauffele's 1-shot lead after 36 holes. Heading into the final round at Valhalla Golf Club on Sunday, Schauffele and Morikawa are tied at 15 under, 1 stroke ahead of  Sahith Theegala, who also birdied 18 to get to 14 under and solo third place. In all, 13 golfers are within 5 shots of the lead. After carding just one bogey all week, Schauffele made his biggest mistake of the tournament on the 15th hole. His approach from the fairway landed long left and in some of the deepest rough on the golf course. His first chip barely made it out and his second left him a long putt for bogey, which he missed. "It was easy going there the first round. Everything felt super easy," Schauffele said of his major championship...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A spokesman for the Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed to ESPN on Saturday that the officer who arrested world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club early Friday didn't have his bodycam video recorder activated during the incident. Earlier Saturday, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told the Louisville Courier-Journal that he wasn't certain if Detective Bryan Gillis was wearing a bodycam at the time of the traffic stop, but that it wasn't turned on if he was. Greenberg said there was footage captured from a fixed camera across the street, which would be released in the coming days. In a response to ESPN on Saturday, a public information officer for Louisville police said Greenberg's statement was accurate. "There is no body-worn camera footage of the initial encounter," the police spokesman said in an email. "The incident is under review internally and will proceed through the judicial process. We would...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- There hadn't been an undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in a rematch of all-time greats in November 1999 in Las Vegas. Halfway around the world -- and nearly 25 years later -- another undisputed champion in boxing's glamour division was crowned when Oleksandr Usyk floored Tyson Fury in Round 9 en route to a split-decision victory early Sunday at sold-out Kingdom Arena. The wait was well worth it as both men delivered a fight befitting the prize they were competing for. One judge scored it 114-113 for Fury but was overruled by scores of 114-113 and 115-112 for Usyk, who handed the Englishman his first professional loss. "It's [a] big opportunity for me, for my family, for my country, for history," said Usyk, who resides in war-torn Ukraine. "It's [a] great day." The two-fight deal for this long-awaited matchup included a planned Oct. 12 rematch in Riyadh, where Fury will look to even the score and move onto a...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A spokesman for the Louisville Metro Police Department confirmed to ESPN on Saturday that the officer who arrested world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler outside the gates of Valhalla Golf Club early Friday didn't have his body-cam video recorder activated during the incident. Earlier Saturday, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told the Louisville Courier-Journal that he wasn't certain if Det. Bryan Gillis was wearing a body cam at the time of the traffic stop, but that it wasn't turned on if he was. Greenberg said there was footage captured from a fixed camera across the street, which would be released in the coming days. In a response to ESPN on Saturday, a public information officer for Louisville police said Greenberg's statement was accurate. "There is no body-worn camera footage of the initial encounter," the police spokesman said in an email. "The incident is under review internally and will proceed through the judicial process. We would...

BALTIMORE -- D. Wayne Lukas worked his way to Seize the Grey after his horse won the Preakness Stakes and kept getting interrupted by well-wishers offering congratulations. "I think they're trying to get rid of me," Lukas, 88, said. "They probably want me to retire. I don't think that'll happen." Not when the Hall of Fame trainer keeps winning big-time races. Seize the Grey ended Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan's Triple Crown bid Saturday by going wire to wire to win the Preakness, giving Lukas his seventh victory in the race, one short of the record held by his good friend Bob Baffert. "I'm only one behind him -- I warned him already," Lukas said. "It never gets old at this level, and I love the competition. I love to get in here with the rest of them." The gray colt, ridden by Jaime Torres, took advantage of the muddy track just like Lukas hoped he would, pulling off the upset at Pimlico Race Course in a second consecutive impressive start two weeks after romping in a race on...

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, out since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals because of a left hamstring strain, plans to participate in shootaround Sunday morning and test the possibility of returning for Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers, sources told ESPN. The Knicks upgraded Anunoby to questionable on Saturday afternoon after sources told ESPN that the initial expectation had been that he would remain out unless the Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics beginning Tuesday. Nevertheless, Anunoby has advanced in his rehabilitation and believes there's a real opportunity for him to return and help his team with the season on the line Sunday, sources said. Anunoby has been sidelined since injuring the hamstring on May 6, and the sheer possibility of his return for a Game 7 could be a boon for a Knicks lineup decimated with injuries. He has averaged 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in eight...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Shane Lowry was just 11 feet, 10 inches away from history. On Saturday at Valhalla Golf Club, the Irishman had a birdie putt on the 18th green to shoot the first-ever 61 in a major championship. But as the putt slid by on the left side, Lowry could only wince and look up at the sky in bittersweet disappointment. A share of history would have to do. "I enjoyed it. I enjoyed every minute of it, obviously," Lowry said. "Probably the most disappointed anyone can ever be shooting 62. I knew what was at stake. Just didn't hit the ball hard enough. Had it on a good read and just broke away from the hole." Just two days after Xander Schauffele tied his own record for lowest round at a major with a 9-under 62 -- a feat that had only been accomplished once before last year -- Lowry was able to join the exclusive group by shooting his own 9 under at the PGA Championship -- the fifth 62 in major championship history. The 2019 Open Championship winner at...

LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced a deal Friday in which it will provide a $100,000 annual sponsorship to each Aces player for this season and 2025. But the agreement has raised flags with the WNBA. A league spokesperson confirmed to ESPN on Saturday that there is an open investigation looking into the deal with the Aces players. Alleged extra benefits were part of a league investigation of the Aces last season, as well, along with allegations made by Dearica Hamby, who is now with the Los Angeles Sparks, about the Aces trading her because she was pregnant. Following her team's 89-82 victory over the Sparks on Saturday, Aces coach Becky Hammon said that the tourism bureau reached out to all the individual players and agents and wanted to have a sponsorship deal with all of them, but that the Aces organization wasn't involved in it. "I'm going to put it to you real simple like this: Most of sponsorship people go...

NEW YORK -- The result may have been the same, but 2024 No. 1 WNBA draft pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever's 91-80 loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday was their most promising performance yet. Clark and the Fever (0-3) took on head coach Christie Sides' challenge following their 36-point defeat to the Liberty on Thursday: Compete and play with more pride. Despite falling behind by 23 midway through the third quarter Saturday, Indiana cut the deficit to a respectable 11 points by game's end, ultimately outscoring the 2023 WNBA Finals runners-up 43-34 in the second half. Clark, the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer, finished with 22 points on 9-for-17 shooting (4-for-10 on 3-pointers), the most points and her best efficiency in a game of her young pro career, while adding eight assists, six rebounds, one steal and committing eight turnovers. "I thought I came out and just played harder, and I think that's going to be just my...

DENVER -- Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray is "feeling great" and went through a full practice on Saturday, according to head coach Michael Malone. Murray injured his right elbow when he ran into a screen set by Rudy Gobert in the opening moments of Minnesota's 115-70 Game 6 rout of the Nuggets. Murray said after the game on Thursday night that he hoped for his team's sake he could get his elbow feeling right by Sunday's Game 7. But at the end of Saturday's practice, Murray stayed late to get shots up and could be seen drilling several 3-pointers in a row while an assistant coach challenged the shots. "He feels great," Malone said after practice. Asked if Murray is hungry to play well in Game 7 after shooting just 4-for-18 and scoring 10 points in Game 6, Malone said his point guard "looked very hungry today."   "Look like he hadn't eaten in two days," Malone said. "So hopefully that carries over tomorrow. I hope he doesn't eat until tomorrow until...

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees waxed the Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Saturday to earn their sixth straight win behind two people. One, Juan Soto, was expected to lead the club to victories after he was acquired in December. He smashed two home runs, both long beyond Yankee Stadium's short porch in right field, to emphatically snap out of a mini personal skid with his first multi-home run game as a Yankee. The other, Luis Gil, was expected to begin the season in the minors, honing his craft, waiting for an opportunity. Instead, Gil continued his unforeseen breakout campaign Saturday, delivering the best start of his young career with 14 strikeouts -- a Yankees rookie record -- on 98 pitches over six innings as New York improved to an AL-best 32-15. The 25-year-old right-hander recovered from a 29-pitch first inning to produce 27 swing-and-misses behind a fastball that touched 100 mph and a changeup he has developed into a devastating offering. At one...

Emma Hayes said she is "reinvigorated and re-energised" by the prospect of her new role as head coach of the United States women's national team after winning the Women's Super League (WSL) for the seventh time in her final game as Chelsea manager. Chelsea's emphatic 6-0 victory over Manchester United secured their fifth consecutive WSL trophy and marked the end of Hayes' 12-year reign at the west London club.  - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Her tenure at USWNT will begin with a friendly doubleheader against South Korea at the start of June before heading into the Olympics later in the summer. "It's not tiring thinking about going to an Olympics, is it? It's different, a different energy. I'll feel reinvigorated and re-energised with something else," she told a news conference Saturday. "Sometimes people think you need a rest. Sometimes you just need a change. "So, Monday, I have to speak to a handful of players and...

NASCAR star Kyle Larson aborted his first qualifying attempt for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday but found the speed on his second try, averaging 232.563 mph on his four-lap run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Meanwhile, Rinus VeeKay's already challenging season took another twist when a hard crash left him limping down the front straightaway, hopeful he could get back on the 2.5-mile oval before the first round of qualifying ends. Larson was the sixth of 34 cars to qualify and was on pace to set a time that would have put him near the front of the 33-car grid when he heard what sounded like a miss in the engine of his Arrow McLaren. Larson played it safe, shut the car down and headed in to have everything checked out. "There was some alarm that popped up on the dash, and it just cut power," said Larson, who is trying to qualify for the May 26 race and become the first driver since Tony Stewart in 2001 to complete the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same...

Goaltender Stuart Skinner will start in net Saturday as the Edmonton Oilers attempt to stave off elimination versus the visiting Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Stuart allowed four goals on 15 shots in Edmonton's 4-3 loss to Vancouver in Game 3 on Sunday. Calvin Pickard started the next two games for the Oilers, turning aside 19 shots in a 3-2 win before yielding three goals in a 3-2 setback in Game 5. The Canucks lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. "I'm excited to get back in the net," Skinner said Saturday. "I'm excited to get to do my job again." Skinner, 25, started the Oilers' first eight playoff games with a 5-3 record, including 4-1 in the first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. He has a 3.23 goals-against average and a save percentage of .877 in the postseason. In the regular season, Skinner appeared in 59 games (57 starts) and had a 36-16-5 record, 2.62...

NASCAR star Kyle Larson aborted his first qualifying attempt for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday after hearing what sounded like a miss in the engine of his Arrow McLaren near the end of his four-lap run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Meanwhile, Rinus VeeKay's already challenging season took another twist when a hard crash left him limping down the front straightaway, hopeful he could get back on the 2.5-mile oval before the first round of qualifying ends. Larson was the sixth of 34 cars to qualify and was on pace to set a time that would have put him near the front of the 33-car grid when the trouble occurred. Larson played it safe, shut the car down and headed in to have everything checked out. "There was some alarm that popped up on the dash, and it just cut power," said Larson, who is trying to qualify for the May 26 race and become the first driver since Tony Stewart in 2001 to complete the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. "I don't know what...

Chelsea clinched their fifth consecutive Women's Super League (WSL) title on Saturday to ensure head coach that Emma Hayes ended her 12-year reign at the club in style. Hayes' side thrashed Manchester United  6-0 at Old Trafford on the final day of the season to pip  Manchester City to the title on goal difference. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The WSL title was Hayes' 16th major trophy at Chelsea and ensured that her final season at the club before departing to join the United States women's national team finished with silverware. "It's extra special to get it for Emma and the players who are leaving us," Chelsea captain Millie Bright, who returned from injury to play a key part in the run-in, told Sky Sports. "We've got the monster mentality, we've shown it season after season," she added. City, who went into the final day of the season level on points with Chelsea, needed to beat ...

Champions Bayer Leverkusen beat  Augsburg 2-1 on the last matchday Saturday to become the first team in the history of the Bundesliga to complete a full season without a loss. Xabi Alonso's treble-chasing team also stretched their European record unbeaten run across all competitions this season to 51 matches in a perfect dress rehearsal for next week's Europa League final against Atalanta. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Leverkusen, who also face Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final May 25, finished in top spot on 90 points with 28 wins and six draws, 17 points ahead of second-placed VfB Stuttgart. At the other end of the table Cologne were relegated, joining Darmstadt, following a 4-1 defeat at Heidenheim. VfL Bochum will go into a relegation playoff. Leverkusen got off to a strong start and Victor Boniface intercepted a ball from Augsburg...

LEVERKUSEN, Germany, May 18 (Reuters) - Champions Bayer Leverkusen edged past Augsburg 2-1 on the last matchday on Saturday to become the first team in the history of the Bundesliga to complete a full season without a loss. Xabi Alonso's treble-chasing team also stretched their European record unbeaten run across all competitions this season to 51 matches. Victor Boniface intercepted a ball from Augsburg keeper Tomas Koubek to tap in for the lead in the 12th minute before Robert Andrich, part of Germany's Euro 2024 preliminary squad, doubled the advantage from close range in the 27th. Augsburg cut the deficit with Mert Komur just past the hour. Leverkusen, who face Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday and also take on Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final on May 25, finished in top spot on 90 points, 17 ahead of second-placed VfB Stuttgart. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi will leave the club after their final match of the season against Manchester United this weekend, the Premier League club said Saturday. De Zerbi joined Brighton in September 2022, replacing Graham Potter, and made an instant impact when he secured their highest top-flight finish (sixth) and helped them qualify for European competition for the first time. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) -  Next wave of elite soccer managers: Alonso, Thiago Motta, more This season, Brighton reached the Europa League round of 16 but struggled in the Premier League, where they are 10th going into the final day of the season Sunday. "Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans," club chairman Tony Bloom said in a...

Matt Duchene helped put his current team in the Western Conference finals Friday at the expense of the team that drafted him more than a decade ago. An unmarked Duchene flicked his wrists and in less than a second scored the winning goal that sent the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 double-overtime win in Game 6 against the Colorado Avalanche to close out their semifinal series. "Those guys mucked hard at the end, and it just popped out to me," Duchene told Turner Sports. "I put it in and then blacked out pretty much. I was so tired, I started skating and I got tired, and I don't even know what I did after that. I was pretty pumped up." Duchene's goal and the events that led to it came with several moving parts. Most notably, it sends the Stars back to the Western Conference finals for a second straight season and the third time in the past five years. They will face either the  Vancouver Canucks or Edmonton Oilers. The Canucks have a 3-2 series...

INDIANAPOLIS -- When the Indiana Pacers fell behind 2-0 in their series against the New York Knicks, coach Rick Carlisle challenged the referees. When they faced elimination in Friday's Game 6, he directly challenged his players. Carlisle tore into his team after their 30-point loss in Game 5 in New York, calling for the Pacers to improve their aggression, focus and technique. Then he put them through a tough film session Thursday reviewing time after time when the Knicks beat the Pacers to loose balls in the humbling blowout. The veteran coach got a strong response from his young team, with the Pacers reversing nearly every facet in a 116-103 Game 6 victory that evened the series at 3-3 and set up a Game 7 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. After losing the rebound battle by a whopping 24 in Game 5, the Pacers won it by 12 in Game 6. After turning the ball over a crushing 18 times in Game 5, the Pacers did just eight times in Game 6. And after getting...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- After posting his 11th consecutive round of par or worse in a major championship with a 6-over 77 in the second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on Friday, Tiger Woods is headed home on the weekend again. With a 36-hole total of 7-over 149, Woods was well above the projected cut line of 1-under 141. In his past 22 starts in majors, he has missed the cut 10 times and withdrawn twice. Still, the 15-time major champion said he is getting stronger from injuries suffered in a car wreck in February 2021 and believes his game will get better as well. Woods, 48, said he plans to play in the next major, the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina on June 13-16. "It will -- in time," Woods said of the possibility of his game improving. "I need to play more. Unfortunately, I just haven't played a whole lot of tournaments, and not a whole lot of tournaments on my schedule either. Hopefully, everything will somehow come together in my...

David Fletcher, a former Los Angeles Angels infielder currently playing for the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate, and a friend of his, who also played in the minor leagues, both bet on sports with the Southern California bookmaker who took wagers from Shohei Ohtani's longtime interpreter, according to multiple sources detailing the activities. Fletcher, who was Ohtani's teammate from 2018 to 2023 and has been described as one of his closest friends in baseball, placed bets with the bookmaking operation of Mathew Bowyer, sources said. Ohtani's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, also bet with Bowyer and eventually stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese superstar to feed his addiction, according to prosecutors. Fletcher's close friend, Colby Schultz, who played in the Kansas City Royals' system from 2018 to 2020, placed bets on baseball, including on Angels games that Fletcher played in while he was on the team, sources told...

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is expected to remain sidelined for Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals next week, but there is optimism he will be able to return sometime in the series barring any setbacks, sources told ESPN on Friday. Porzingis has been making progress in his recovery from a soleus strain of his right calf, ramping up his on-court activity for an anticipated return in the conference finals, but still needs more time for a return to play, sources said. The Celtics are awaiting the winner of the New York Knicks- Indiana Pacers semifinal series. The series is tied with Game 7 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). Porzingis -- out since suffering the injury in Game 5 of the Celtics' first-round series against the Miami Heat on April 30 -- missed the entirety of Boston's five-game conference semifinal series victory over the  Cleveland Cavaliers. He is likely to miss the opening two games of the East...

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee will undergo season-ending surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder in the next couple of weeks, the team announced Friday. Lee injured the shoulder when he crashed into the center-field wall after he leaped in an attempt to catch a fly ball in Sunday's home game against the  Cincinnati Reds. He was initially diagnosed with a dislocation, and an MRI later revealed structural damage in the shoulder. Lee received a second opinion Thursday from Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who confirmed the shoulder would require surgery. Lee will have about six months of rehab and is expected to make a full recovery for the 2025 season, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said. "First of all I feel bad for him, but obviously for our team he loves playing baseball and he loves playing for the Giants and this was a significant sign for us, so it's disappointing for everybody, mostly for him," manager Bob Melvin said. "We'll...

Mike Budenholzer got a little teary-eyed talking about his past in Arizona, describing an idyllic childhood in the small town of Holbrook, about three hours northeast of Phoenix. Those tears dried up in a hurry when talking about his future. "It's mind-boggling to me, like mind-blowing, to think that I'm going to be the head coach of the Phoenix Suns," Budenholzer said Friday during an introductory news conference in downtown Phoenix. Budenholzer, 54, replaces Frank Vogel, who was fired May 9 after one disappointing season. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year will be charged with getting more out of the team's All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal as the franchise continues to chase a championship. The group never quite meshed last season under Vogel, finishing with a 49-33 record before getting swept by the  Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. "I'm excited about working with this...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Sometime around 8 a.m. ET Friday, world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was sitting in a holding cell at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, watching himself being arrested on TV. About two hours earlier, Scheffler had been handcuffed and detained for allegedly not following a police officer's instructions while trying to drive into the entrance of Valhalla Golf Club, the site of this week's PGA Championship. "I was just so confused at what was happening at the time," Scheffler said. "I didn't know what time it was. I didn't know what was going on. When I was sitting in the holding cell or whatever, there was a TV there and I could see myself on the TV, on ESPN. "'Get Up' was on, so in the corner it showed the time and it said they were delayed, and I was kind of thinking about my tee time. I was like, 'Well, maybe I could be able to get out.'" Scheffler, who described the situation with the police officer as a "big misunderstanding" and a...

One in three high-profile athletes receive abusive messages from individuals with a "betting interest," and more than 540 men's and women's college basketball players received similar abuse, including death threats, during championship tournaments in March, the NCAA said in a release Friday. The NCAA looked at athletes participating in sports that attract the most betting interest -- football and basketball, among others -- and found that online abuse is widespread. Signify, an artificial intelligence company and NCAA partner, covered 1,000 Division I men's and women's college basketball players, 64 teams, more than 200 coaches and 120 NCAA game officials during March Madness. The analysis, which is part of an NCAA initiative aimed at combating online abuse and harassment, found 4,000 posts or comments that were confirmed to be abusive or threatening during March Madness. The NCAA said the data showed women's basketball players received approximately three times more overall...

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Craig Berube as their new head coach. The Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe on May 9 after they bowed out of the postseason in the first round for the third time in four full seasons under Keefe. Toronto general manager Brad Treliving said the team was targeting a fresh voice who could help it reach its full potential. "In this business over a period of time, the message stops hitting home," Treliving said of moving on from Keefe. "It's not just changing the personnel but understanding why a message may not be getting through. So, our focus right now is trying to find that individual [as our next coach]." This is Berube's third NHL head-coaching job. He was previously behind the bench in Philadelphia from 2013 to '15, guiding the Flyers to a playoff berth in 2014 before being let go following a poor sixth-place finish in the Metropolitan Division the following season. Berube, 58, went on to coach the St. Louis Blues'...

The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Craig Berube as their new head coach, sources confirmed to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. Toronto was expected to make it official with Berube on Friday. The Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe on May 9 after Toronto bowed out of the postseason with another first-round Stanley Cup playoff loss, for the third time in four full seasons under Keefe. Toronto's general manager Brad Treliving said then the Leafs were targeting a fresh voice who could help the team reach its full potential. "In this business over a period of time, the message stops hitting home," said Treliving of moving on from Keefe. "It's not just changing the personnel but understanding why a message may not be getting through. So, our focus right now is trying to find that individual [as our next coach]." This will be Berube's third NHL head coaching job. He was previously behind the bench in Philadelphia from 2013-15, guiding the Flyers to a playoff berth in 2014 before being...

CHICAGO -- Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes already is making history just two starts into his first major league season. On Friday, the rookie struck out the first seven Chicago Cubs hitters he faced during an electric outing at Wrigley Field, his first big league appearance on the road and one that led to a 9-3 Pirates victory. Skenes, who also faced the Cubs in his major league debut, cited better fastball command for his improvement.  "I had my pitches working for me a lot better than last time," the 21-year-old said. "It's really tough to compete without fastball execution, no matter who you are. It was a lot better today." Skenes, 21, retired the first 13 batters overall before walking first baseman Michael Busch in the fifth inning. Busch was the only baserunner to reach off Skenes, who pitched six hitless innings on 100 pitches. He struck out 11 overall. "He went right after them," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "He used...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Tyson Fury delivered a lackluster performance vs. Francis Ngannou in October, but "The Gypsy King" appeared in far better shape during Friday's weigh-in at 262 pounds ahead of his undisputed heavyweight championship fight vs. Oleksandr Usyk. England's Fury was 277.5 pounds when he was floored by the former UFC heavyweight champion, a split-decision victory in a non-title bout. Fury's 262 pounds are his lowest since he defeated Otto Wall in September 2019 at 254 pounds. Usyk, meanwhile, weighed a career-high 233.5 pounds. His previous high was 221.5 pounds when he defeated Anthony Joshua in the August 2022 rematch. They were both shirtless and wearing pants (there is no weight limit for heavyweights in boxing.) After the fighters tipped the scales, Fury and Usyk engaged in a heated shoving match on the stage at the outdoor BLVD City in Saudi Arabia's capital. "I'm ready to rock and roll," Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs) said. "Fireworks tomorrow night. I'm going to...

The famous napkin that linked a young Lionel Messi to Barcelona sold for £762,400 ($965,000) on Friday, British auction house Bonhams said. An agreement in principle to sign the then-13-year-old Messi was written on the napkin almost 25 years ago at a Barcelona tennis club. A more formal and detailed contract with the club followed soon after. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) An undisclosed percentage of the sale price pays administrative fees for the online auction, in what's called the buyer's premium. Bonhams said the auction was on behalf of Horacio Gaggioli, an agent from Messi's home country of Argentina who was part of the deal. The contract language, written in blue ink, was intended to reassure the teenager's father, Jorge Messi, that the deal would go through. Jorge Messi had threatened to take his son back to Argentina because negotiations with Barça had stalled. The napkin, containing the date Dec. 14,...

Feyenoord coach Arne Slot has announced he will be appointed to succeed Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool manager from next season. "I can confirm that I will become the trainer there next year," Slot told a news conference. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Klopp confirmed in January that he will step down from his role as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, with Slot emerging as the leading candidate to replace him. As with Klopp on Friday, Slot used his prematch news conference to bid farewell to his club.  "Until now I was not thinking about this being the buildup to my last match, but that starts coming now," Slot said.  "At the beginning of the week you are thinking about training and those kind of things. But the feeling gets stronger now. That is why I'm a little bit late now [for the news conference], because I wanted to say goodbye to some people personally and take time for them, more than just shaking hands. "So...

Bruins captain Brad Marchand participated in Boston's morning skate and is a game-time decision for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference second-round series Friday night against the visiting Florida Panthers, coach Jim Montgomery announced. Marchand sat out Boston's 3-2 loss in Game 4 and the Bruins' 2-1 win in Game 5. The forward has been idle since receiving an upper-body injury after a hard check from Florida's Sam Bennett in the first period of the Panthers' 6-2 victory in Game 3. The Bruins trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. "He's going through his final steps. He'll be a game-time decision," Montgomery said. Marchand, 36, has three goals and a team-leading seven assists for 10 points in 10 games during the postseason. Marchand had 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 82 games this season. He has 929 points (401 goals, 528 assists) in 1,029 career games since being selected by the Bruins in the third round of the 2006 NHL draft.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The police officer who attempted to stop world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler from entering Valhalla Golf Club on Friday morning was dragged to the ground and suffered "pain, swelling and abrasions" to his left wrist and knee after Scheffler's car accelerated, according to an incident report released by the Louisville Metro Police Department. The report, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, said detective Bryan Gillis, identified as Det. Gillis in the report, was directing traffic at Shelbyville Road near Gate 1 of Valhalla Golf Club, the site of this week's PGA Championship. Traffic outside the golf course had been stopped after a man was struck and killed by a shuttle bus around 5 a.m. ET. The report said Gillis was standing in the middle of the westbound lanes when Scheffler's SUV pulled into the lanes to avoid the traffic backup The report said Gillis was wearing a full police uniform and a "high-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket." Gillis...

Five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore decommitted from LSU on Wednesday. Moore is the No. 3 prospect overall in the 2025 class, and a 5-foot-11, 185-pound recruit from Duncanville, Texas. He had been committed to the Tigers since August, but announced on Wednesday that he is reopening his recruitment. In his announcement on X (formerly twitter), Moore said that he will not be considering new offers from schools. Prior to committing to LSU, he had Ohio State, Oregon and Texas in his top group, and those three schools have continued to recruit him despite his commitment to LSU. He was the second-highest ranked commitment in the class for LSU, behind No. 2 ranked Bryce Underwood, a five-star quarterback out of Belleville, Michigan. Despite Moore's decommitment, LSU still has six ESPN 300 commitments, including Underwood, the No. 1 ranked running back Harlem Berry, cornerback Jaboree Antoine, offensive linemen Devin Harper and Tyler Miller, as well as linebacker Charles Ross. 

Brazil has been confirmed as host of the 2027 Women's World Cup. On Friday, 211 member nations voted on the bid during the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok to decide between Brazil and a joint bid from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands as hosts for the next edition of the tournament. A joint bid between the United States and Mexico was withdrawn three weeks ago with the two countries deciding to focus on the 2031 tournament and calling for a "historic first" equal investment with the men's tournament being hosted across the two countries in 2026. South Africa also withdrew its bid in November 2023, citing a determination to prepare a more comprehensive bid for the 2031 World Cup. This was the first time Congress had voted on the hosts for a women's tournament. Previously, hosts were decided based on voting from the FIFA Council. Brazil was confirmed as the front-runner during FIFA's evaluation report of the two bids. Brazil has...

MINNEAPOLIS -- It wasn't the Minnesota Timberwolves' dominant defense that Anthony Edwards credited for his team's 115-70 shellacking of the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday. It wasn't his own ascendant offense either, after Edwards led all scorers with 27 points and helped the Wolves outscore Denver by 43 in the 34 minutes he was on the court. No, according to Edwards, it was simply the presence of Minnesota's 36-year-old point guard that made all the difference in the Wolves snapping a three-game losing streak in the Western Conference semifinals to force Game 7 on Sunday. "We got Mike Conley back," Edwards said. "That was it." Conley, a 17-year veteran, missed Tuesday's Game 5 because of a sore right Achilles tendon. The Nuggets' defense responded by attacking Edwards with double-teams all night, and the Wolves missed Conley's ability to balance the court. "Obviously I wanted to play last game," Conley said. "Just couldn't move at all....

LOS ANGELES -- The first Shohei Ohtani bobblehead giveaway snarled traffic outside Dodger Stadium on Thursday and created long lines for eager fans. Cars snaked the roadways around Chavez Ravine and stadium parking lots were filling up quickly two hours before the  Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the  Cincinnati Reds. A line of fans waited on the sidewalk outside the main gate before it opened. "Shohei creates a stir," manager Dave Roberts said before the game. "I can't imagine what it's like outside. It's great for Shohei and it's good for the Dodgers." Only the first 40,000 fans were to receive the bobblehead, which depicts a smiling Ohtani with his bat perched above his left shoulder. The box's design features Japanese anime. The giveaway attracted a sellout crowd of 53,527 -- the largest in the majors this season and the most at Dodger Stadium since Sept. 20, 2019. "Just overall a very nice setting to have a lot of fans in the stands," Ohtani said through...

New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider told his teammates he felt there was a goal in his stick before the third period of Game 6 against the Carolina Hurricanes, with his team trailing 3-1. "I said, 'I sure hope so,'" recalled teammate Vincent Trocheck. Kreider did score a goal in the third period in Raleigh on Thursday night. And then another. And another. His natural hat trick in the final frame fueled New York's 5-3 comeback win, which eliminated the Hurricanes after Carolina had rallied from a 3-0 series deficit. The Rangers await the winner of the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference final. "That is just a monster third period," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "He put it on his back and he really delivered. It was more than just him, but at the end of the day, we needed to score goals, and this is what he does." Kreider now has seven goals in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. Only two Rangers players have...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Guard Caitlin Clark took to the newly designed floor for the Indiana Fever on Thursday along with three other WNBA No. 1 draft picks, two past MVPs and the player she watched closely throughout high school. In the Fever's home opener, a sellout crowd of 17,274 showed up for Clark's official introduction to Indianapolis fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. But the New York Liberty, one of two franchises dubbed superteams last season (along with Las Vegas), did their part to spoil the party, beating the Fever 102-66. "We've got to get to a level of toughness," Indiana coach Christie Sides said. "When things are going south on us, we're not stopping the bleeding." Clark finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, going 2-of-8 from the field. After 10 turnovers in Indiana's season-opening loss at Connecticut on Tuesday, Clark had three against the Liberty. Thursday was the first time since January 2021 in her...

MINNEAPOLIS --  Anthony Edwards flashed seven fingers to the roaring crowd as he walked off for a fourth-quarter timeout during a blowout by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had that tenacious look of a superstar player refusing to cede to the defending champs all night. Edwards scored 27 points to pull the Timberwolves out of their mid-series slump and deliver a flawless 115-70 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday to force a Game 7 in this roller-coaster matchup. The 45-point win is the largest ever against a defending champion in playoff history, and the second-largest when facing elimination in NBA history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Denver trailed by as many as 50 points, their largest deficit in any game over the past 25 seasons (regular season and playoffs). Jaden McDaniels pitched in 21 points and lockdown defense, and Mike Conley had 13 points in his return from injury. Big men Rudy Gobert, ...

Newly appointed Canada coach Jesse Marsch has criticized U.S. Soccer over its treatment of him during the process of hiring the U.S. men's national team coach last year. Marsch, who previously managed Leeds United in the Premier League, was thought to be the leading contender for the USMNT job after Gregg Berhalter's contract expired following the 2022 World Cup. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, NWSL more (U.S.) But Marsch's agent, Ron Waxman,  surprisingly announced in June that Marsch would not be getting the job. The following day, Berhalter was rehired by U.S. Soccer. "My respect for U.S. Soccer is big, but I went through a process with them, right? And I'm not going to go into it, but I wasn't treated very well in the process," Marsch told CBS' "Call it What You Want" podcast. "And so, whatever man, that's in the past now. The minute it was done I was like, 'OK, I'm moving forward, and I'm going to...

The WNBA's new chartering program will be in full effect by early next week, a league spokesperson confirmed to ESPN. "As the league previously announced, we would be phasing in the program at the start of the season and can share that beginning May 21 all teams will be flying charter to games," the spokesperson said in a statement. Trips between Chicago and Indiana, and Connecticut and New York, will remain charter bus rides due to proximity. Some teams began chartering flights to games this week -- the opening week of the 2024 campaign -- after commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced May 7 that the league would be moving to a full chartering program. The league said the new full-charter plan will cost about $25 million per year over the next two seasons. Before this season, WNBA teams flew commercial and could only charter flights in limited circumstances. Last season, they could charter during the playoffs, for back-to-back games requiring air travel and for the...

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi is Major League Soccer's highest-paid player with a total guaranteed compensation of $20.45 million, according to data released by the MLS Players Association. The amount reflects just the playing portion of Messi's compensation, with the Argentine also set to benefit from other revenue streams such as his endorsement deal with Adidas and a revenue-sharing agreement with league broadcast partner Apple. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) According to Sportico, Messi stands to earn up to $150 million over the life of the 2½-year contract he signed with Miami and MLS last year. Toronto FC forward Lorenzo Insigne ranked second with a guaranteed compensation of $15.44 million, followed by Messi's Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets at $8.77 million. Chicago Fire forward Xherdan Shaqiri, the league's top earner at this time a year ago, is in fourth position at $8.15...

Rimas Sports, the agency founded by recording artist Bad Bunny, has accused the Major League Baseball Players Association of "placing a death penalty" on the agency through "a discriminatory, biased, and pre-determined investigation" into Rimas' business practices, according to a federal lawsuit the company filed Thursday. On April 10, the MLBPA decertified Rimas agent William Arroyo and prevented Rimas executives Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda from seeking certification after accusing the agency of providing improper benefits to players. Additionally, Rimas' other MLBPA-certified agent, Michael Velasquez, was threatened with decertification and quit the company, according to the lawsuit. In a 27-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico, Rimas sought a temporary restraining order and injunction against the penalties levied by the union, which the company argued were "designed to put Rimas Sports permanently out of business." The suit alleged that the...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Tiger Woods was 1 under after 16 holes of his opening round at the PGA Championship on Thursday, a good start in his attempt to stick around for the weekend at Valhalla Golf Club. But Woods, a four-time PGA Championship winner, carded bogeys with three-putts on each of his last two holes for a disappointing 1-over 72. Woods was tied for 87th after the first round, 10 strokes behind leader Xander Schauffele, who posted a 9-under 62 to match the lowest round in a major championship for the second time in his career. Woods said he "three-whipped" his last two holes, the par-3 eighth and par-4 ninth. On the eighth, he pulled his tee shot and his ball stopped 39 feet left of the hole. He blasted his putt about 10 feet past the cup, then his next one stayed low. A bogey dropped him back to even par. On the ninth, Woods hit his drive to the left side of the fairway. He had 144 yards left to the hole and hit his approach shot to 34 feet. He...