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ST. LOUIS --  Darren Helm's goal with 5.6 seconds left in the third period gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-2 win to eliminate the Blues in Game 6 on Friday night in St. Louis. The Avalanche advance to face the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference finals starting Tuesday night in Denver. It marks the first appearance in the conference finals for the Avalanche since 2002. Helm, a 35-year-old fourth liner, scored his first of the playoffs on a blast that beat Blues goalie Ville Husso (36 saves). The seconds were ticking down to what seemed like an inevitable overtime. Helm's goal sent the Avalanche bench into celebration and the Enterprise Center crowd into stunned silence. Until that point, Game 6 saw the Avalanche carry play at times while the Blues effectively counterpunched. The Avalanche had the better of the play at 5-on-5 in the first period, with Husso coming up with key stops on Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel...

Cobra Puma got into the name, image and likeness space when the golf company announced on Friday the signing of 12-year-old golf phenom, Xavier "Xeve" Perez. It's the first NIL deal for the company, and while Cobra Puma did not disclose specifics, the agreement includes free product and monetary compensation to help Perez pursue professional golf. "Xeve's personality, talent and love for the game is inspiring, and we're thrilled to welcome him to the Cobra Puma Golf family," said president and general manager of Cobra Puma golf, Dan Ladd. "He is a fantastic talent and role model, which aligns with our mission to push the game forward and inspire the next generation of golfers. We're excited to be part of his journey." Perez began playing golf at the age of three and has now won over 250 tournaments in the past nine years. He has already signed a contract with GSE Worldwide agency to represent him in his NIL deals. Along with Cobra Puma, Perez has already signed deals with...

Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham has agreed to a four-year deal to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told ESPN on Friday. Ham separated himself in the process in recent days, interviewing with Lakers officials Thursday and inspiring an offer Friday afternoon, sources said. The Lakers were sold on Ham's stature and toughness, his history of coaching star players and championship pedigree as an assistant and player, sources said. Ham's history with the Lakers franchise for two seasons -- 2011-2013 -- played a part in his hiring, too. Ham will be charged with returning the Lakers to the postseason after a disastrous 33-49 season that cost Frank Vogel his job. One of Ham's most important directives: finding a way to incorporate future Hall of Fame guard Russell Westbrook into the franchise's framework with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It was a significant subject of every Lakers coaching interview in the process, sources...

Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand will be out approximately six months after hip surgeries, the team announced Friday. The Bruins said Marchand underwent successful arthroscopy and labral repair on both hips. The procedure was done by Dr. Bryan Kelly at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Marchand led the Bruins this season with 80 points in 70 games, including 32 goals. He added 11 points in seven postseason games before the Bruins bowed out to the Carolina Hurricanes. That included a five-point game against Carolina in Game 4 of that series.  After the season, general manager Don Sweeney said Marchand was "going to have an evaluation hip-wise." Marchand said he'd "need something done this summer or next summer" and that he would consult with team doctors. He joins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in having offseason surgery, as the Bruins blueliner needed a shoulder procedure. The latest development adds to the uncertainty of Boston's offseason, which...

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. -- Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute was found not guilty of all charges Friday in the beating death of a Blacksburg resident following an online catfishing scheme. Etute, a Virginia Tech freshman linebacker at the time of the incident in May 2021, had been charged with second-degree murder, which carries a sentence of five to 40 years, and the jury could have convicted him on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Instead, the jury believed a self-defense argument that Etute feared for his life after seeing the victim "make a reach" toward his bed where a knife was later found. Etute collapsed in tears as the verdict was read, with cheers erupting from a contingent of about 30 family members, supporters and former teammates. After the verdict, Etute's lawyer, James Turk, said his client deserved a second chance at a football career following the jury's decision. "I think he's earned the right to go back to school and further his...

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have agreed to terms on a new four-year, $56.75 million deal with tight end David Njoku that includes $28 million guaranteed, his agent confirmed Friday. Agent Malki Kawa confirmed the deal on social media, while Njoku  thanked the Browns organization in a post to Instagram. The Browns placed the franchise tag on Njoku earlier this offseason, and he had until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract. Had they not reached a deal, Njoku would've played the 2022 season on the franchise tender, which is worth $10.931 million, per a memo previously obtained by ESPN. Njoku, 25, has totaled 148 receptions in five seasons with the Browns, including 36 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns last season. His new deal will place him among the league's top five highest-paid tight ends. His best season came during quarterback Baker Mayfield's rookie year in 2018, when he hauled in a career-best 56 catches for 639 yards....

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have agreed to terms on a new four-year deal with tight end David Njoku, a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday. The deal is worth $56.75 million, including $28 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to ESPN. Njoku didn't confirm the deal, but he did thank the Browns organization in a post to Instagram. The Browns placed the franchise tag on Njoku earlier this offseason and had until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract. Had they not, Njoku would've played the 2022 season on the franchise tender, which is worth $10.931 million, per a memo previously obtained by ESPN. Njoku, 25, has totaled 148 receptions in five seasons with the Browns, including 36 catches for 475 yards and four touchdowns last season. His best season came during quarterback Baker Mayfield's rookie year in 2018, when he hauled in a career-best 56 catches for 639 yards. After being targeted 88 times that year, Njoku's targets decreased over...

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns have agreed to terms on a new four-year deal with tight end David Njoku, a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday. The deal is worth $56.75 million, including $28 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to ESPN. The Browns placed the franchise tag on Njoku earlier this offseason and had until July 15 to agree to a long-term contract. Had they not, Njoku would've played the 2022 season on the franchise tender, which is worth $10.931 million, per a memo previously obtained by ESPN. Njoku, 25, has totaled 148 receptions in five seasons with the Browns, including 36 for 475 yards and four touchdowns last season. His best season came during quarterback Baker Mayfield's rookie year in 2018, when he hauled in a career-best 56 catches for 639 yards. After being targeted 88 times that year, Njoku's targets decreased over the past three seasons. The Browns, however, are banking that Njoku will thrive moving forward with new...

AKRON, Ohio -- Tyler Sheehan had a record-setting day, throwing for 338 yards and two touchdowns, to lead Bowling Green to a 36-20 victory over Akron on Friday night. Trailing 10-9, Sheehan threw scoring passes of 4 and 15 yards to Freddie Barnes to put the Falcons (6-5, 5-2 Mid-American Conference) ahead for good with 4:28 left in the third quarter. Sheehan, who was 23-for-32, became the Bowling Green leader in career pass completions with 914, passing Brian McClure (1982-85) with 900. Barnes, who leads the nation in receptions per game (11.7), had 12 catches for 197 yards. Chris Bullock rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown. The Zips (2-9, 1-6) pulled within 30-20 with 10:50 left when Patrick Nicely threw the second of his two touchdown passes, a 34-yarder to Andre Jones, but Keith Morgan returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards for a TD. Nicely finished 22-for-32 for 259 yards.

As details of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, continue to unfold, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler on Friday wrote that he is "not okay with the state of this country" and that he "felt like a coward" for not protesting "the lack of delivery on the promise of what our national anthem represents." Moving forward, Kapler told reporters on Friday that he doesn't plan on taking the field for the national anthem "until I feel better about the direction of our country" and that he needs more time to consider specific actions he might suggest be taken to prevent more tragedies of this type, such as stronger gun control laws. Kapler, in a blog post published earlier Friday on his lifestyle brand website, said he was disappointed in himself for not making some sort of protest during the playing of the national anthem Wednesday. An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. In...

Former Iowa State guard Tyrese Hunter, the nation's top available transfer, announced his commitment to Texas on Friday. Hunter chose the Longhorns over a final list that included Tennessee, Gonzaga, Louisville, Kansas and Purdue. Hunter, a 6-foot point guard from Wisconsin, won Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors last season. He was the No. 3 overall transfer in ESPN's transfer rankings, behind only Kendric Davis (SMU to Memphis) and Nijel Pack (Kansas State to Miami). He started all 35 games for T.J. Otzelberger's team as a freshman, averaging 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals -- ranking in the top three of the Big 12 in both assists and steals. A top-40 recruit in the 2021 class, Hunter quickly emerged as an impact freshman. He opened his career with 11 points, six rebounds and five assists in Iowa State's first game of the season, then made a national statement with 19 points and five steals in a win over Xavier in late November. ...

Former Iowa State guard Tyrese Hunter, the nation's top available transfer, announced his commitment to Texas on Friday. Hunter chose the Longhorns over a final list that included Tennessee, Gonzaga, Louisville, Kansas and Purdue. Hunter, a 6-foot point guard from Wisconsin, won Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors last season. He was the No. 3 overall transfer in ESPN's transfer rankings, behind only Kendric Davis (SMU to Memphis) and Nijel Pack (Kansas State to Miami). He started all 35 games for T.J. Otzelberger's team as a freshman, averaging 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals -- ranking in the top three of the Big 12 in both assists and steals. A top-40 recruit in the 2021 class, Hunter quickly emerged as an impact freshman. He opened his career with 11 points, six rebounds and five assists in Iowa State's first game of the season, then made a national statement with 19 points and five steals in a win over Xavier in late November. ...

PITTSBURGH -- Omar Khan tried to keep the smile from overtaking his face when Art Rooney II told him the news. But minutes after accepting the Pittsburgh Steelers general manager position, Khan couldn't contain his emotions. "When I was sitting down with Art and he told me, and I tried controlling myself from smiling too much," Khan said Friday. "I was very, very -- I was thrilled. It was a dream come true. I actually gave him a hug on the way out. It's awesome." Khan, 45, was announced as the next general manager earlier this week, succeeding longtime GM Kevin Colbert after Khan spent more than two decades with the organization, primarily in football and business administration roles. "Obviously, we picked the guy we know very well," Rooney said. "Excited that we know Omar, Omar knows us, and I think it'll be a pretty smooth transition." Though Khan is the Steelers' first general manager without a background rooted in talent evaluation since the 1970s, he doesn't...

Irina-Camelia Begu on Friday was fined $10,000 by the French Tennis Federation after she threw her racket and it bounced off the clay and into the stands during a match at the French Open on Thursday. Begu, a 31-year-old Romanian player who is ranked 63rd, was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct during the third set of her victory against 30th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round at Court 13. After dropping a point, Begu walked to the sideline and chucked her racket, which flew behind chair umpire Anis Ressaissi's seat, landing among spectators sitting courtside. There were gasps from fans, and a child could be heard crying. Tournament referee Remy Azemar said the equipment "brushed a young spectator,'' who "turned out to be OK.'' Begu apologized for the incident and took pictures with the child after the match. Alexandrova, who purposely hit a tennis ball over the stands during the next changeover in protest of Begu not being given a stiffer penalty, ended up...

Irina-Camelia Begu on Friday was fined $10,000 by the French Tennis Federation after she threw her racket and it bounced off the clay and into the stands during a match at the French Open on Thursday. Begu, a 31-year-old Romanian who is ranked 63rd, was cited for unsportsmanlike conduct during the third set of her victory against 30th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round at Court 13. After dropping a point, Begu walked to the sideline and chucked her racket, which flew behind chair umpire Anis Ressaissi's seat, landing among spectators sitting courtside. There were gasps from fans and a child could be heard crying. Tournament referee Remy Azemar said the equipment "brushed a young spectator,'' who "turned out to be OK.'' Begu apologized for the incident and took pictures with the child after the match. Alexandrova, who purposely hit a tennis ball over the stands during the next changeover in protest for Begu not being given a stiffer penalty, ended up losing...

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal remained on track for a quarterfinal matchup at the French Open with a pair of straight-sets victories Friday. The top-ranked Djokovic beat Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 at Court Philippe Chatrier in 1 hour, 44 minutes -- the quickest of his three wins. No. 5 Nadal defeated No. 26 Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Neither Djokovic nor Nadal has dropped a set in their first three matches at Roland Garros, and they are set to meet in the quarterfinals if each wins his fourth-round match. Djokovic will next face No. 15 Diego Schwartzman, and Nadal will play No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), 7-5. Nadal, a 13-time French Open champion, said it was the best of his three wins this week, at least up until Van De Zandschulp crept back into the third set. Nadal in his on-court interview said he was disappointed to miss a break point that would have put him up...

Nelly Korda, who has been sidelined since March because of a blood clot in her left arm, will return to competitive golf at next week's U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Korda, 23, made the announcement on Instagram on Friday, posting a photo of herself with her caddie, Jason McDede, and the comment, "See you guys @uswomensopen next week." She announced on April 8 that she had undergone surgery for a blood clot in her subclavian vein in her left arm. "I am pleased to report the procedure went well and the doctors were happy with the outcome," Korda wrote on Twitter. "I am now home recovering and preparing to start rehab. I am looking forward to getting back to 100% so I can begin practicing." Doctors diagnosed the blood clot in mid-March, after Korda experienced swelling in her arm after a workout in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Korda also disclosed that she had COVID-19 in mid-January and that the illness "knocked me off my feet for...

Coco Gauff, the youngest remaining woman in the French Open draw, reached the fourth round at Roland Garros by beating Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. Gauff, 18, was a toddler when Estonian Kanepi -- who at 36 was the oldest remaining woman -- played the first of her two French Open quarterfinals in 2008. On Friday, Gauff had six aces and five double faults, while Kanepi made 29 unforced errors. "I knew it was going be a tough match. [She] beat [former champion Garbine] Muguruza in the first round. ... I knew today would be close," said Gauff, who achieved her best Grand Slam result when she made it to the French Open quarterfinals last year. "I've been coming to France since I was 10 and trained at the Mouratoglou academy, so I guess it makes me maybe not a clay-court expert, but not bad at it." Gauff has not dropped a set in her first three matches. She will next face No. 31 Elise Mertens, who defeated Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-3. Kanepi broke in...

Coco Gauff, the youngest remaining woman in the French Open draw, reached the fourth round at Roland Garros by beating Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. Gauff, 18, was still a toddler when Estonian Kanepi -- who at 36 was the oldest remaining woman -- played the first of her two French Open quarterfinals in 2008. On Friday, Gauff had six aces and five double-faults while Kanepi made 29 unforced errors. "I knew it was going be a tough match. [She] beat [former champion Garbine] Muguruza in the first round. ... I knew today would be close," said Gauff, who achieved her best Grand Slam result when she made it to the French Open quarterfinals last year. "I've been coming to France since I was 10 and trained at the Mouratoglou academy, so I guess it makes me maybe not a clay-court expert, but not bad at it." Gauff has not dropped a set in her first three matches. She will next face No. 31 Elise Mertens, who defeated Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-3. Kanepi broke...

Colin Kaepernick's arm strength and conditioning stood out in his workout with the Las Vegas Raiders, but no signing was imminent as of late Thursday night, sources told ESPN. The Raiders considered Kaepernick's workout a "positive," a source said. Las Vegas could be looking for another passer to serve as the backup for Derek Carr despite trading for former New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham and signing Nick Mullens. In NFL team workouts, quarterbacks typically throw the route tree on air, implement team-specific offensive principles on the field and meet with coaches. Team workouts are considered less scripted than the player-organized workout Kaepernick has done in the past to showcase his talents to NFL teams. Kaepernick, 34, hasn't played in the NFL since 2016, the year he began protesting racial inequality during the national anthem. The only other team known to have brought him in for a visit since then was the ...

Colin Kaepernick's arm strength and conditioning stood out in his workout with the Las Vegas Raiders, but no signing was imminent as of late Thursday night, sources told ESPN. The Raiders considered Kaepernick's workout a 'positive,' a source said. Las Vegas could be looking for another passer to serve as the backup for Derek Carr despite trading for former New England Patriots quarterback Jarrett Stidham and signing Nick Mullens. In NFL team workouts, quarterbacks typically throw the route tree on air, implement team-specific offensive principles on the field and meet with coaches. Team workouts are considered more unscripted than the player-organized workout Kaepernick has done in the past to showcase his talents to NFL teams. Kaepernick, 34, hasn't played in the NFL since 2016, the year he began protesting racial inequality during the national anthem. The only other team known to have brought him in for a visit since then was the...

CALGARY, Alberta --  Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft thought his team needed a boost. He had a hunch how to get it. The Oilers were one goal away from closing out a second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Calgary Flames in Game 5 on Thursday night. Woodcroft went with his gut and swapped Zach Hyman for Evander Kane on Edmonton's top line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The gamble paid off. That line ignited and Draisaitl set up McDavid for the overtime game winner that sent Edmonton to its first Western Conference finals appearance since 2006.  "I thought we were a little sluggish as a group," Woodcroft said after his team's 5-4 victory. "Not just Connor, but as a group I thought we had more to give. Just flipping Kane and Hyman the way we did, I thought it boosted Connor and Leon a little bit and gave us a little bit of a spark. Doesn't always work like that. Tonight it did." Draisaitl and McDavid...

SAN FRANCISCO -- As Stephen Curry was named the inaugural Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference finals, Draymond Green gave the Golden State Warriors star a bear hug, lifting him up and letting out a scream. Curry smiled and laughed as he celebrated returning to the NBA Finals, which came with the first Magic Johnson Western Conference finals MVP trophy after the Warriors eliminated the Dallas Mavericks with their 120-110 win in Game 5 on Thursday night.  The league introduced new trophies for the MVP of both the Eastern and Western Conference finals; the East's trophy is named after Larry Bird. "The new trophy is pretty cool," said Curry, a unanimous selection of nine media members. "Especially with who it's named after, the standard that Magic set in terms of being a champion and playing the point guard position, whatever other position he played. Just the excellence that he demonstrated throughout his entire career." Drawing a...

SAN FRANCISCO -- As  Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr watched his team celebrate their 120-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks, he had a flashback to 2015. He was a rookie coach, and his team had just won the Western Conference finals, punching their ticket to the NBA Finals. That was the start of what would become a dynasty. As his team hoisted the Conference finals trophy on Thursday, he looked throughout the crowd at Chase Center -- just as he did at Oracle Arena seven years ago -- and let the moment sink in. It was the moment that the Warriors had made the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019 and for the sixth time in the past eight years. "Tonight was different because we've done it before," Kerr said. "But in a different way, it was incredibly meaningful given everything that we've been through organizationally over the last couple of years." Over the past two years, everything came crashing down for the Warriors. Just two seasons ago, Golden...

In a pointed letter to teams last week, Major League Baseball said numerous clubs' stadiums "fall embarrassingly below the high standards" necessary for women who are part of the game's traveling parties to do their jobs, create an "untenable working environment" and that organizations soon must reconfigure their facilities to fix what the league deemed "unacceptable," according to a copy of the memo obtained by ESPN on Thursday. The letter, sent May 20 by MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill to general managers, assistant general managers and some ballpark-operations staff, highlighted the issues a wide array of women -- including coaches, trainers, analysts, translators, mental-health professionals, massage therapists, player-development employees and others -- face because of substandard facilities. MLB regulations laid out in a March 16, 2021, memo require that women staffers for home and road teams receive a clean locker room space that is close to the...

While their players competed against each other on the field, the social media teams for the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees collaborated Thursday night in an effort to raise awareness about gun violence in the United States. In wake of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, both teams opted to use their platforms to provide "facts about gun violence in America" instead of providing any live commentary about Thursday's game. "We all deserve to be safe -- in schools, grocery stores, places of worship, our neighborhoods, houses and America," the Rays posted prior to first pitch. "The most recent shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde have shaken us to the core. "This cannot become normal. We cannot become numb. We cannot look the other way. We all know, if nothing changes, nothing changes." Added the Yankees, who have more than 3.6 million Twitter followers: "The devastating events that have taken place in Uvalde, Buffalo and...

Five-star small forward  Elijah Fisher committed to Texas Tech on Thursday, while also announcing his plans to reclassify into the 2022 class and play for the Red Raiders this fall. Fisher chose Mark Adams' program over a final list that also included Kentucky, Louisville and Memphis. A 6-foot-7 Canada native who attended Crestwood Prep and played for Grassroots Canada on the AAU circuit, Fisher was one of the top 15 prospects in the 2023 class. He averaged 28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals during his junior season. Fisher also suited up for Canada at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Championships, averaging 6.9 points in seven games and winning a bronze medal. He's the fourth freshman to sign with Texas Tech in the 2022 class, joining ESPN 100 point guard  Rickie Isaacs and four-star prospects Lamar Washington and Robert Jennings. Adams is also bringing in a four-man transfer class that includes Fardaws...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels said Thursday he didn't feel the need to give quarterback Derek Carr a heads-up that the team was taking a look at Colin Kaepernick. McDaniels, speaking after a Raiders organized team activity, otherwise revealed little about the first known workout the free-agent quarterback has had with an individual NFL team since he last played in 2016. "Nah, I mean, I think Derek's pretty comfortable with where he's at," McDaniels said of the recently extended Carr. "I think he knows who he is for us and I know he knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him. I don't think that's really a big thing to Derek at this point." Kaepernick, 34, worked out for the Raiders on Wednesday, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Carr, 31, signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension in May. The Raiders have three quarterbacks on their depth chart behind him: recent trade acquisition Jarrett Stidham, free-agent...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After a couple of days of offseason practice, sessions that saw him feed the ball to many different receivers, Patrick Mahomes was confident in predicting a different type of offense for the Kansas City Chiefs. "That's what you're going to see with this offense this year,'' Mahomes said Thursday. "It's going to be everybody. It's not all going to be one guy. Obviously [ Travis Kelce] is still going to get a lot of completions, a lot of yards but the whole receiving room is going to have big days and that can be something we use to our advantage.'' "It's a very deep receiving room. It's hard to tell which guys are going to make it because we've got so many good receivers. That's what you want. You want that competition. You want guys competing every single day to make the roster because they're going to help us in the end.'' Mahomes went to either Kelce or wide receiver Tyreek Hill for 45% of his completions and 50% of his yards...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. --  Matt Carpenter was inserted to the New York Yankees' lineup as the designated hitter after agreeing to a one-year contract on Thursday, a week after he was released from the Texas Rangers' minor league system. Carpenter entered the lineup for a series opener at Tampa Bay when center fielder Aaron Hicks was scratched shortly before game time with hamstring tightness. Aaron Judge was moved from DH to center. "It happened fast and now I'm here and I couldn't be more excited about it," Carpenter said after meeting with manager Aaron Boone at Tropicana Field. "We just had a quick conversation about it but my response to him is that's I'm excited to put a uniform on and be part of the best team in baseball right now," Carpenter said. "I'm just fired up to be here. I'm going to hit the ground running." He went 0 for 2 but scored two runs after walking and getting hit by a pitch in the Yankees' 7-2 victory. Injury-hit New...

Zion Williamson has been cleared in his return to play progression without any restrictions, the New Orleans Pelicans said Thursday . The announcement clears Williamson to go through offseason workouts unrestricted this summer as he prepares for the 2022-23 season. Williamson missed the entire 2021-22 season after he broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during workouts last summer. There was hope Williamson could have played this season but setbacks prevented that from happening. There was an outside chance Williamson could have returned if the eighth-seeded Pelicans made a deep run in the playoffs, but they fell in six games to the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. The update comes after the Pelicans said recent imaging showed "continued improvement" in Williamson's right foot. Williamson just completed his third NBA season but has played only 85 games in those three years because of injuries. He played 24 during his rookie season after his...

Receiver Michael Thomas is not yet participating in New Orleans Saints OTAs. But he is expected back from his ankle injury in time for training camp, according to coach Dennis Allen, and he is present and rehabbing with the team during the voluntary workout period. Meanwhile, quarterback Jameis Winston is already back on the practice field just seven months after he tore his ACL, as both offensive pillars work their way back from major injuries. Thomas, 29, missed the entire 2021 season with the ankle injury after he delayed his first surgery to repair multiple ligaments until June -- then suffered a setback in November that required a follow-up procedure. The NFL's 2019 Offensive Player of the Year has not been fully healthy since he initially suffered the ankle injury in Week 1 of the 2020 season and missed a total of nine games that season. "I think he's doing well in his rehab. He's not ready yet. But he's here, he's rehabbing, he's getting...

Irina-Camelia Begu has apologized after she was hit with a code violation following an incident where her racket bounced into the stands during her second-round win over Ekaterina Alexandrova at the French Open. Alexandrova ended up losing the match and has since called for a change in the rules of tennis to discourage this from happening again. The incident happened in the third game of the third set, with Alexandrova up 2-0 and 15-0 on her own serve. Begu was clearly frustrated at her performance and walked over to her chair, throwing the racket against the ground. The racket bounced up and into the crowd, causing a child to cry out and burst into tears. The French Tennis Federation later issued a statement Thursday saying the child was "brushed" by the racket and, after an initial scare, was uninjured. There was a pause in proceedings as umpire Anis Ressaissi checked on the child while also calling a supervisor. After consultation between the supervisor and the...

Georgia is close to finalizing a long-term contract extension with football coach Kirby Smart that will make him among the highest-paid coaches in the FBS. Last season, Smart guided the Bulldogs to their first national title in 41 years with a 33-18 victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Athletic director Josh Brooks discussed Smart's new contract with the UGA athletics board at a meeting Thursday, although no action was taken. Details of the new deal weren't disclosed, and Smart's agent, Jimmy Sexton of Creative Artists Agency, couldn't be reached for comment. "It's just going through the process, taking your time," Brooks said in a statement Thursday. "This is an important contract for [Smart] and for us, so it's just all the little details. It's typical stuff, nothing out of the ordinary. We've worked closely with his agent, and it's been a great process." Smart isn't the only Georgia coach who is receiving a hefty raise. Offensive...

Jake Paul, the YouTube-star-turned-prizefighter, is targeting Glen "Big Baby" Davis for a fight on his next boxing card in August, sources confirmed Thursday to ESPN. Davis, 36, played in the NBA for nine seasons, most recently in 2014-15 with the LA Clippers. He weighs over 300 pounds, and Paul's team with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is currently in search of an opponent for him, sources said. MVP specifically is looking for someone from the world of pro wrestling to fight Davis, with the hope of finding a former heavyweight WWE star, according to sources. The Athletic first reported the news of Davis being targeted for the boxing match. The fight card is planned for Aug. 13. Paul fought most recently last December, getting a knockout win over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Paul's August opponent has not yet been decided. Paul and MVP were the co-promoters last month for the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano fight, a huge...

Michelle Wie West, who was the youngest player to ever qualify for an LPGA event at age 12, plans to step away from competitive golf after next week's U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, North Carolina, she told Golfweek in a story published Thursday. Wie West, 32, said she also plans to play in next year's Women's Open at Pebble Beach. The five-time LPGA winner, whose victories include her only major championship at the 2014 U.S. Women's Open, stopped short of calling it a retirement. "I'm definitely not ruling anything out," Wie West told Golfweek. Wie West gave birth to her daughter, Makenna, in June 2020. She said she has struggled to keep up with the physical demands of playing on tour. She has competed in just one event this season, the opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, in which she finished tied for last. "At times, if I do play a lot of golf," she said, "I'm just in bed. Or I can't lift [Makenna] up, and that scared me." Wie West...

Josh Donaldson has apologized to Jackie Robinson's wife and family for using the barrier-breaking Hall of Famer's name in reference to Tim Anderson last week, saying Robinson "was a true American hero" and that he holds his name "in the highest regard." Donaldson issued his apology as part of a statement released by his agency, MVP Sports, on Thursday, three days after the New York Yankees' third baseman was suspended one game by Major League Baseball for his "inappropriate comments" to Anderson the previous weekend. Donaldson admitted to calling Anderson "Jackie" -- a reference to Robinson, who broke MLB's color barrier in 1947 -- in the first inning during Saturday's game between the Yankees and Chicago White Sox. The former MVP apologized after the game, saying he meant no disrespect and that he was joking with Anderson, who is Black. Donaldson reiterated those sentiments in his statement Thursday before apologizing to Rachel Robinson and her...

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland, local police said on Thursday. The Brazilian police found an undocumented LW Seecamp .32 gun in Ecclestone's luggage during an X-ray screening, police said in a statement, adding that the 91-year-old was then arrested and taken to a facility at Viracopos airport in Campinas. Ecclestone acknowledged owning the gun, but said he was unaware it was in his luggage at the time, police said. The Briton paid bail and was freed to travel to Switzerland. Asked about Ecclestone's arrest, the Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas' airport, but did not name him directly. The office said the "small, silver colored pistol" was out of ammunition and that the arrestee had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,257.55) as bail. The handgun was...

Seattle Seahawks scouting executive Alonzo Highsmith has accepted a football position at his alma mater, the University of Miami. The school announced Thursday that Highsmith has been hired as the  Hurricanes' general manager of football operations. A Miami native, Highsmith returns to the program he starred for as a fullback from 1983 to 1986. A member of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame, Highsmith finished his college career with 2,935 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns, one coming in the 1984 Orange Bowl victory over Nebraska that earned Miami the 1983 national championship. "Alonzo is a true Miami Hurricane," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said in a statement released by the school. "He understands the commitment and sacrifice it takes to be a champion on and off the field. His tremendous passion for the University of Miami and this city is unparalleled. "Alonzo brings experience as a student-athlete, a first-round NFL draft pick and an NFL...

MIAMI -- The Celtics found themselves trailing the Heat by five, on the road, at halftime of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night. And yet, the Celtics felt just fine. They couldn't have played much worse in the first half, committing 10 turnovers and giving up nine offensive rebounds to Miami -- which allowed the Heat to take 14 extra shots. "We weren't playing our best, in a lot of ways," Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. "Sometimes, all it takes is one guy getting back to his average game." No one was playing worse than Jaylen Brown. He went 2-for-7 from the field and committed four turnovers -- all in the first quarter. Then the second half started. And as it played out, Brown wound up being the face of the team's turnaround. Brown's 19-point, 0-turnover second half -- coupled with an 18-point second half from Jayson Tatum -- allowed Boston to finally break open what was a rock fight in the first half, as the Celtics went on to ...

Tyler Bozak's goal at 3:38 of overtime gave the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 comeback win over the  Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 on Wednesday night, avoiding elimination in the Stanley Cup playoffs and forcing Game 6 back at home Friday night. The Blues, who trail in the second-round series 3-2, rallied twice to stun the Avalanche, who were 56 seconds away from their first Western Conference finals appearance since 2002. Blues forward Robert Thomas scored to force overtime, where Bozak won it. "Just a resilient group of guys. Got down. Didn't want the season to be over. Fought hard and got some big goals late," Bozak said. Bozak scored his second goal of the playoffs on a long slap shot that beat goalie Darcy Kuemper (25 saves). The veteran center had just 7 minutes and 16 seconds of ice time in the game. "I just got a little bounce up top and saw a lane to the net. In overtime, there's definitely no such thing as a bad shot. Just tried to get it...

Colin Kaepernick, who last played professional football in 2016 -- the year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice -- worked out Wednesday for the Las Vegas Raiders, a league source told ESPN. It marked Kaepernick's first workout with an NFL team since being exiled, and it was the first time the former star quarterback visited with a team since he flew to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks in May 2017, before they passed on the opportunity to sign him. Kaepernick played at the University of Nevada, Reno, the only school to offer him a scholarship. Currently, the pro team in Nevada is the only one in the NFL that has given the civil rights activist another opportunity. Raiders owner Mark Davis is following in the spirit of his late father, Al Davis, who provided many opportunities, such as hiring the NFL's first Black head coach (Art Shell) and its first woman chief executive (Amy Trask) in the modern era. The elder Davis...

NEW YORK -- Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is on the injured list for the fourth straight season. Stanton was placed on the 10-day IL on Wednesday as the ailing Yankees made a flurry of roster moves less than an hour before their 2-0 victory over Baltimore in the series finale. Manager Aaron Boone later clarified the injury to the star's right lower leg was an inflamed ankle after the team had announced it was a strained calf strain. "He is feeling pretty good," Boone said before the game. "I think we hope that he said something early enough to where this doesn't become long." New York also put struggling reliever Jonathan Loaisiga on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 23, with right shoulder inflammation -- the latest blow to a depleted bullpen that had shined most of the season. "Similar to what he dealt with last year. Probably not as severe. So, just feel like it's probably something that as a precaution, we need to be...

NEW YORK -- Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is on the injured list for the fourth straight season. Stanton was placed on the 10-day IL with a strained right calf Wednesday as the ailing Yankees made a flurry of roster moves less than an hour before their 2-0 victory over Baltimore in the series finale. "He is feeling pretty good," manager Aaron Boone said. "I think we hope that he said something early enough to where this doesn't become long." New York also put struggling reliever Jonathan Loaisiga on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 23, with right shoulder inflammation -- the latest blow to a depleted bullpen that had shined most of the season. "Similar to what he dealt with last year. Probably not as severe. So, just feel like it's probably something that as a precaution, we need to be smart here and take a couple weeks and hopefully that's all it is," Boone said. "We believe it's something hopefully minor. We're going to...

The New York Yankees placed outfielder Giancarlo Stanton on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain Wednesday, a day after he left a game early against the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh inning. Stanton had been replaced by pinch-hitter Estevan Florial in the seventh inning of the Yankees' 7-6 11-inning victory on Tuesday due to calf tightness. The Yankees also placed right-handed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga on the 15-day injured list because of shoulder inflammation. In other moves, outfielder Joey Gallo was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list, left-hander JP Sears and right-hander David McKay were recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and catcher Rob Brantly was designated for assignment. Stanton leads the Yankees, who lead the American League East, with 35 RBIs this season. He also has 11 home runs, which is tied for second on the team, with Anthony Rizzo, behind Aaron Judge, who...

PARIS -- Rafael Nadal reached 300 career Grand Slam match victories by defeating Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round at Roland Garros. The only real blip for 13-time French Open champion Nadal on Wednesday night in Court Philippe Chatrier came near the end, when he was broken by the 139th-ranked Frenchman while serving for the match at 5-3. But Nadal broke right back to improve to 107-3 at Roland Garros. In his post-match interview on the court, Nadal, 35, was a bit emotional and heartfelt. Rather than speak to the personal achievement, he took his opportunity to expound on how special tennis is once again with fans in the stands. "It's so important for the world to see games," he said. "The best events in the world with full crowds, that is so important for the players and for the fans and for the tournaments. "Thank you again for supporting our sport." Nadal joined Roger Federer (369), Serena Williams...

Colin Kaepernick, who last played professional football in 2016 -- the year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice -- is scheduled to work out Wednesday for the Las Vegas Raiders, league sources told ESPN. It will mark Kaepernick's first workout with an NFL team since being exiled, and it will be the first time the former star quarterback visits with a team since he flew to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks in May 2017 before they passed on the opportunity to sign him. Kaepernick played at the University of Nevada, Reno, the only school to offer him a scholarship. Currently, the pro team in Nevada is the only one in the NFL that has given the civil rights activist another opportunity. Raiders owner Mark Davis is following in the spirit of his late father, Al Davis, who provided many opportunities, such as hiring the NFL's first Black head coach (Art Shell) and its first woman chief executive (Amy Trask) in the modern era. He also...

Colin Kaepernick, who last played professional football in 2016 -- the year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice -- is scheduled to work out Wednesday for the Las Vegas Raiders, league sources told ESPN. It will mark Kaepernick's first workout with an NFL team since being exiled, and it will be the first time the former star quarterback visits with a team since he flew to Seattle to meet with the Seahawks in May 2017 before they passed on the opportunity to sign him. Kaepernick played at the University of Nevada, Reno, the only school to offer him a scholarship. Currently, the pro team in Nevada is the only one in the NFL that has given the civil rights activist another opportunity. Raiders owner Mark Davis is following in the spirit of his late father, Al Davis, who provided many opportunities, such as hiring the NFL's first Black head coach (Art Shell) and its first woman chief executive (Amy Trask) in the modern era. He also...

Colin Kaepernick, who last played professional football in 2016 -- the year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice -- is scheduled to work out this week for the Las Vegas Raiders, league sources told ESPN. It will mark Kaepernick's first workout with an NFL team since being exiled, and it will be the first time the former star quarterback visits with a team since he flew to Seattle to meet with the Seattle Seahawks in May 2017 before they passed on the opportunity to sign him. Kaepernick played at the University of Nevada, Reno, which was the only school to offer him a scholarship, and now the pro team in Nevada is the only one in the NFL that is open to giving the civil rights activist another opportunity. Raiders owner Mark Davis is following in the spirit of his late father Al Davis, who was active in civil rights. Al Davis became the first NFL owner in the modern era to hire a Black head coach in Art Shell, a female chief...

LAS VEGAS -- A Nevada judge ruled in favor of former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden on two motions Wednesday, opening the possibility of a jury trial on his "tortious interference" claim that the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell selectively leaked Gruden's emails to force his removal on Oct. 11. Judge Nancy L. Allf denied the NFL's motion to compel arbitration as well as the league's motion to dismiss the case outright. The suit will now go to trial unless a settlement is reached. Allf gave no timeline, though, for the next proceeding. The NFL said in a statement given to multiple media outlets that it would appeal.  "We believe Coach Gruden's claims should have been compelled to arbitration, and we will file an appeal of the Court's determination. The Court's denial of our motion to dismiss is not a determination on the merits of Coach Gruden's lawsuit, which, as we have said from the outset, lacks a basis in law and fact and proceeds from a false premise -- neither...