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NEW YORK --  Aaron Judge arrived at the players' association office in Manhattan for his salary arbitration hearing, set for noon Friday. "I don't know who picked that, but kind of bad timing," he said. "We were logged in, ready to go. All dressed up." His hearing never started. By 12:45 p.m., the star outfielder and the New York Yankees agreed to a $19 million, one-year contract, according to multiple reports confirmed by ESPN, a deal that leaves the slugger on track to become a free agent after the World Series. Judge's deal was struck exactly between the $21 million he asked for and the $17 million the Yankees offered when figures were exchanged on March 22. Judge can make an additional $500,000 in award bonuses: $250,000 for MVP and $250,000 for World Series MVP. "I was happy we were able to agree on a number and settle this thing and not have to go into court there," Judge said after Friday night's 3-1 loss to Houston. "If I would have went in that room, I...

DENVER -- If the Tampa Bay Lightning need a clutch goal in the third period during the Stanley Cup playoffs, Ondrej Palat is the one scoring it. Palat tallied the game-winning goal at 13:38 of the third period Friday night, allowing the Lightning to avoid elimination with a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final and send the series back to Tampa. "He keeps doing it," winger  Pat Maroon said. "He's a gamer. He plays the right way every night. He gets to those dirty areas, and he gets rewarded. He's a star in this league. He's an elite player in this league. He shows up in big-time moments." The goal was Palat's 11th of the playoffs, with seven coming in the third period of games. That included two game-winning goals against the New York Rangers, an empty-net goal that clinched the sweep of the Florida Panthers and his heroics to keep the Lightning's Stanley Cup three-peat chances alive in...

DENVER -- Colorado coach Jared Bednar wasn't happy about a controversial penalty call in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday that helped determine the Avalanche's fate in a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay. Bednar's team led the series 3-1 entering Game 5 with a chance to hoist the Cup on home ice. The Lightning earned a victory in part because of a tripping infraction levied against Cale Makar in the second period, leading to a 4-on-3 power-play goal from Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov. That wound up being the difference in Friday's outcome, which didn't sit well with Bednar. "I didn't love that call, just because I don't think there was any intent there," Bednar said. "I don't even think he was checking that guy [ Ondrej Palat]. Looked to me like he kind of tripped over his stick. It's a tough one. They got their only power play goal on that one. So that hurt, stung a little bit. But it is what it is. You gotta roll with the punches."   Makar...

Top-five recruit Robert Dillingham committed to Kentucky on Friday, giving the Wildcats their second top-30 guard in the 2023 class. Dillingham originally committed to NC State last December but reopened his recruitment in March. He chose Kentucky over a final four that also included Auburn, Louisville and USC. John Calipari has now brought in 15 five-star point guards since taking over at Kentucky in 2009. He landed a five-star at the position in all but two recruiting classes during that span, and also landed two five-star point guards in 2018. "If you put in the work at Kentucky and Coach Cal thinks you are good enough to make it, then it will happen for you," Dillingham told ESPN. "When I visited Kentucky, it was incredible. They explained everything. The basketball, academics, strength and conditioning, NIL." On the topic of name, image and likeness, Dillingham said: "Coach Cal explained how it works and said, 'It's not the reason you come here, but it's...

ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman walked into the interview room at Truist Park on Friday afternoon and couldn't contain his emotions. He took a deep breath, turned away from the cameras, crossed his hands above his head and walked out. "Gimme a second," he said. "Hold on." A few minutes later, Freeman returned and did his best to navigate an emotionally charged interview that marked his return to the place he still adores. Through quivered speech, shaky hands and welling eyes, Freeman -- a lifelong member of the Atlanta Braves until signing a six-year, $162 million free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 17 -- did his best to express what this city and those fans and that team still mean to him. "I always told you guys how much I love the Braves, this city," Freeman said. "I thought I loved this city and this organization a lot, but I think you can tell how much I truly do love this organization and this city. I don't even know how I'm gonna get...

Steve Clifford has agreed on a deal to become the Charlotte Hornets' coach, returning for a second run on the job, the team announced Friday. Clifford, who led the franchise to two playoff appearances in a five-year run that ended in 2018, returns in the wake of Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson changing his mind about accepting the Charlotte job and deciding instead to stay with the Warriors. Clifford always had a strong working relationship with Hornets owner Michael Jordan and fit the profile of what Jordan and general manager Mitch Kupchak wanted for this developing, young roster: a coach who could improve them defensively and transform them into a playoff team. Clifford is well-regarded among his coaching peers and respected for maximizing the talent on his rosters in both Charlotte and Orlando. "We believe that his previous experience and coaching philosophy make him the best coach for our team," Kupchak said in a release. "Steve has a proven...

LOS ANGELES -- Canelo Alvarez said his upcoming matchup with rival Gennadiy Golovkin is "personal" and it would be "sweet" if he got to send Golovkin into retirement. Alvarez said Friday during a news conference in Hollywood that he does not like Golovkin and believes "GGG," who is beloved by fans, is phony. The two will meet for the third time Sept. 17 in Las Vegas. Alvarez and Golovkin fought to a draw in 2017, and Alvarez won the rematch in 2018. Both of those fights were very close decisions and Alvarez has taken umbrage with the fact that Golovkin has intimated that Alvarez has been avoiding a third fight for the past four years. "He always pretends to be a nice guy, like in front of people," Alvarez said. "He's an a--hole, that's what he is. He's an a--hole. It is what it is. I don't pretend to be nice. This is the way I am. I don't pretend to be another person. He's always pretending in front of you and people, 'Oh, I'm a nice guy.' He's not." Meanwhile, Golovkin said...

Top-five recruit Robert Dillingham committed to Kentucky on Friday, giving the Wildcats their second top-30 guard in the 2023 class. Dillingham originally committed to NC State last December but reopened his recruitment in March. He chose Kentucky over a final four that also included Auburn, Louisville and USC. John Calipari has now brought in 15 five-star point guards since taking over at Kentucky in 2009. He landed a five-star at the position in all but two recruiting classes during that span, and also landed two five-star point guards in 2018. "If you put in the work at Kentucky and Coach Cal thinks you are good enough to make it, then it will happen for you," Dillingham told ESPN. "When I visited Kentucky, it was incredible. They explained everything. The basketball, academics, strength and conditioning, NIL." On the topic of name, image and likeness, Dillingham said: "Coach Cal explained how it works and said, 'It's not the reason you come here, but it's definitely...

Steve Clifford has agreed on a deal to become the Charlotte Hornets' coach, returning for a second run on the job, sources told ESPN on Friday. Clifford, who led the franchise to two playoff appearances in a five-year run that ended in 2018, returns in the wake of Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson changing his mind about accepting the Charlotte job and deciding instead to stay with the Warriors. Clifford always had a strong working relationship with Hornets owner Michael Jordan and fit the profile of what Jordan and general manager Mitch Kupchak wanted for this developing, young roster: a coach who could improve them defensively and transform them into a playoff team. Clifford is well-regarded among his coaching peers and respected for maximizing the talent on his rosters in both Charlotte and Orlando. Clifford met with ownership and management in recent days and momentum quickly gathered on his candidacy to return, sources said. The Hornets also...

DENVER -- The Tampa Bay Lightning know their quest for a Stanley Cup three-peat is one loss to the Colorado Avalanche away from ending. "There are no tomorrows now. Like, this is it, and so there's no more mulligans. We've got to pull this one out," coach Jon Cooper said ahead of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday in Denver. The Lightning's overtime loss in Game 4 gave the Avalanche their 3-1 series lead and the chance to close out the series on home ice. Tampa Bay got the better of play for most of that 3-2 loss, but Colorado took over the game in overtime. The Lightning looked fatigued and beat up, as a handful of players battle injuries. Forward Alex Killorn said the team draws energy from being in the NHL's final playoff round. "You don't know how many times, if ever, you're going to be in this situation again. So guys are banged up, guys are bruised and maybe after this is all said and done, mentally we can tell you how draining it was. But...

The Women's National Basketball Players Association reacted to the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn a woman's constitutional right to an abortion by focusing on voting rights and urging people to "vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do." In a statement, the WNBPA said, "This decision shows a branch of government that is so out of touch with the country and any sense of human dignity." "We must recognize that when we cast a ballot it is to elect officials and to connect the dots to policies and legislation that align with our values," the WNBPA said. The Supreme Court on Friday voted 5-4 to overturn Roe v. Wade, a decision expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. The ruling came more than a month after the leak of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito indicating the court was prepared to take this momentous step, and it was supported by the court's conservative majority. Alito, in the final opinion, wrote that the original 1973...

Luke Richardson is expected to become the new head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, an NHL source confirmed to ESPN on Friday. Richardson would replace interim coach Derek King, who went 27-33-10 after taking over for Jeremy Colliton 12 games into the season. Richardson, an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens, was offered the head-coaching job this week, sources said. The Blackhawks are waiting on some contract details to be finalized, and the expectation is that Richardson will be formally announced as the coach next week. Daily Faceoff first reported on Richardson's expected hiring. Richardson, 53, has been an assistant coach on the Canadiens' bench for four seasons, working with three different head coaches. Before that, he was the head coach of the AHL Binghamton Senators, the top affiliate for the Ottawa Senators, from 2012 to 2016 and worked as an assistant for Ottawa and the New York Islanders. In the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs,...

DENVER -- Colorado has a chance to clinch its first Stanley Cup since 2001 with a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday, and the Avalanche are managing their emotions accordingly. Instead of shying away from the naturally occurring nerves, coach Jared Bednar is encouraging his players to use those as fuel to be at their best come puck drop. "You always hear about controlled emotion. I'm kind of the opposite with our team," Bednar said on Friday. "Besides running around and getting out of our game plan, I want us to use our energy and nervous energy and emotion to go play the game with passion, play hard and stay on our toes and getting after it. That's my message to our team, has been all year. I want to harness that. I want our team to get on the attack." The Avalanche took a 2-0 lead over Tampa Bay in the Cup finals with a pair of strong performances at home. A 6-2 drubbing by the Lightning in Game 3 was Colorado's most...

The WNBA Players Association reacted to the United States Supreme Court's decision to overturn a woman's constitutional right to an abortion by focusing on voting rights and urging people to "vote like our lives depend on it. Because they do." In a statement, the WNBPA said, "This decision shows a branch of government that is so out of touch with the country and any sense of human dignity." "We must recognize that when we cast a ballot it is to elect officials and to connect the dots to policies and legislation that align with our values," the WNBPA said. The Supreme Court on Friday voted 5-4 to overturn Roe v. Wade, a decision that is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. The ruling came more than a month after the leak of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito indicating the court was prepared to take this momentous step, and was supported by the court's conservative majority. Alito, who wrote the final opinion, wrote that the original 1972...

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees avoided their scheduled arbitration hearing Friday by agreeing to a deal that leaves the slugger on track to become a free agent after the World Series. The sides agreed to a one-year, $19 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN. Judge can make an additional $250,000 by winning an MVP Award and $250,000 for World Series MVP, according to multiple reports confirmed by ESPN. Hours after Judge agreed to the deal, New York was greeted with loud ovations by just its third home sellout crowd this season as the Yankees hosted the Houston Astros. Judge went 0-for-4 as the major-league-best Yankees (52-19) lost to the Astros 3-1; it was just their fourth defeat in their last 23 games overall. "I knew it would work out one way or another," Judge said of reaching a settlement. "I really wasn't too concerned about what it was going to be. Just happy we were able to agree on a number, settle this thing, and not go into court...

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Terrell Owens has been called "a clown" on national television and rendered nearly irrelevant as part of an anemic offense. So when the Bills receiver stopped after making a catch in practice last month and spoke, it seemed like more of a joke than a vow. "I'm bound to have a breakout game one of these days," Owens said, with a wink to a group of reporters standing within earshot along the sideline. Turns out, he was serious. And correct. All that was missing was an "I told you so," as Owens stepped to the microphone Wednesday to conduct his weekly post-practice news conference on the heels of a nine-catch, 197-yard outing in an 18-15 loss to Jacksonville. "I knew if I just kept plugging away, remaining positive and keeping my faith and believing in my abilities, yeah, I knew the opportunities would eventually come," Owens said, referring to the third-most prolific performance of his 14-year career. And he made sure to give his critics something else to...

Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees have settled on a contract for the 2022 season, avoiding arbitration, sources confirmed to ESPN. On the eve of this season, Judge turned down a $213.5 million contract offer from the Yankees, choosing instead to leave open the possibility that he could become a free agent this fall. Sources told ESPN's Buster Olney the Yankees offered to settle at the midpoint -- $19 million. But Judge declined, and instead aimed for an arbitration victory that officials in both management and the union believe will alter the financial landscape for players in the immediate future. Judge and the Yankees agreeing to the settlement was first reported by the New York Post. Judge, 30, has been paid at a prorated salary based on the Yankees' $17 million offer. This year Judge is on pace to become the first player in more than two decades to reach 60 homers, have an OPS of over 1.000 this year while being the likely front-runner for the AL MVP. When Judge...

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez needs surgery on his left thumb and has been placed on the 10-day injured list. The surgery will be to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb, and his IL move is retroactive to Tuesday. The team said Perez is expected to return this season. He missed nine games earlier this season when he went on the IL with a left thumb sprain, but returned in late May. Perez on Tuesday left the team's extra-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning due to his thumb injury. Perez is batting a career-low .211 with a team-high 11 home runs. Last season, Perez tied for the major league lead with 48 homers and drove in 121 runs.

CHICAGO -- Bears linebacker Matt Adams was arrested Thursday night and charged with misdemeanor firearm possession and cited for having a high-capacity magazine and metal-piercing bullets, according to Chicago police. Adams was arrested at approximately 6:46 p.m. in the 200 block of North Garland Court in Chicago. According to a summary of charges, police searched Adams' vehicle and found him to be in possession of high-capacity magazines within the city limits of Chicago, which is a municipal code violation. Authorities also said they recovered a weapon. "Earlier this morning, we were made aware of an incident involving the arrest of Bears linebacker Matthew Adams," the team said in a statement. "We are in the process of gathering more information. We will refrain from making any further comment at this time." Adams is in his first season with the Bears after spending the past four with Indianapolis, where he played under Bears coach Matt Eberflus, who was...

CHICAGO -- Bears linebacker Matt Adams was arrested Thursday night and charged with misdemeanor firearm possession and cited for having a high-capacity magazine and metal-piercing bullets, according to Chicago police. Adams was arrested at approximately 6:46 p.m. in the 200 block of N. Garland Court in Chicago. According to a summary of charges, police searched Adams' vehicle and found him to be in possession of high-capacity magazines within the city limits of Chicago, which is a municipal code violation. Authorities also said they recovered a weapon. Adams is in his first season with the Bears after spending the last four with Indianapolis, where he played under Bears coach Matt Eberflus, who was the Colts' defensive coordinator.

The New Orleans Saints have signed standout linebacker Demario Davis to a one-year extension through 2024, league sources told ESPN's Field Yates on Friday. Under the new deal, Davis can earn an additional $18 million over the next three seasons, sources said, as the Saints beefed up the existing two years on his contract as well. Davis can earn $2 million in incentives in each of the next three seasons and has a $10 million salary and $2 million roster bonus during the 2024 league year. Davis had his 2023 base salary reduced by $250,000, while the Saints added a 2023 workout bonus for the same amount and fully guaranteed $1 million of his $8.25 million base salary for that year, sources said. The deal provides Davis with additional security, as his contract had been asked about during the Saints' minicamp last week. Since arriving in New Orleans in 2018, Davis has emerged as one of the Saints' best and most respected players. He has been named an All-Pro in each...

Aaron Judge is betting big on himself, again -- this time by going to an arbitration hearing with the  New York Yankees that starts at noon Friday rather than agreeing to a settlement. On the eve of this season, Judge turned down a $213.5 million contract offer from the Yankees, choosing instead to leave open the possibility that he could become a free agent this fall. Now, in the midst of the best season of his career and with the arbitration case looming, Judge has taken a similar approach with his 2022 salary. According to sources, the Yankees offered to settle at the midpoint -- $19 million. But Judge declined, and is instead aiming for an arbitration victory that officials in both management and the union believe will alter the financial landscape for players in the immediate future. Arbitration cases are typically adjudicated during the offseason, with players and teams proposing salaries in January and taking those numbers into a hearing in February. But the sport's...

Potential preseason No. 1 North Carolina's trip to Big Ten favorite Indiana highlights the 24th annual 2022 ACC/Big Ten Challenge, with the event's schedule announced Friday morning. The Tar Heels bring back four starters from the team that made a run to the national championship game before falling to Kansas, and they add Northwestern transfer Pete Nance, one of the top players in the portal. Indiana also welcomes back four starters from an NCAA tournament team, and Mike Woodson signed two five-star recruits to bring into the fold. North Carolina is No. 1 in ESPN's latest Way-Too-Early Top 25, while Indiana is No. 14 and the highest-ranked Big Ten team. The other marquee matchup on the schedule is Ohio State's trip to Duke, a rematch of last season's Challenge game -- but it will be Jon Scheyer on the Blue Devils' sideline this time around, with the first-year head coach replacing Mike Krzyzewski. Duke has the nation's No....

Five-star recruit Matas Buzelis -- the No. 11 player in ESPN's Top 100 for the Class of 2023 -- has committed to the G League Ignite for the 2023-24 season, sources told ESPN on Friday. Buzelis, a skilled 6-foot-10 forward, will bypass college basketball and sign into the NBA's professional pathway program once he graduates from Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas next spring, sources said. Buzelis, an Illinois native who starred for Brewster Academy in New Hampshire last season, had narrowed his college choices to Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida State and Wake Forest. The G League Ignite program is based out of Northern California and constructed to prepare young players ahead of NBA draft eligibility. Former NBA guard Jason Hart is beginning his second season as the program's coach, and several recent players, including the No. 8 pick Dyson Daniels ( New Orleans) and No. 24 pick MarJon Beauchamp ( ...

Mikaylah Williams, the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2023, according to ESPN HoopGurlz, has committed to Kim Mulkey's LSU program, she announced Friday. Williams, a 6-foot-1 guard from Bossier City, Louisiana, chose LSU over Ole Miss, Baylor, Duke and Texas A&M. "In order to take my game to the next level and to continue to learn and grow as a young woman, there's only one place where I've wanted to be. Home," Williams said in her video announcement. "I've decided I'll be attending the Louisiana State University." Williams won gold with Team USA in the 2021 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup, where she was MVP, and recently earned a spot on the U.S. team for the FIBA U17 World Cup, which will compete July 9-17 in Hungary. She was named the Gatorade Louisiana Girls Basketball Player of the Year in March after averaging 22.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals as a junior at Parkway High. With Mulkey in her second season in Baton...

Potential preseason No. 1 North Carolina's trip to Big Ten favorite Indiana highlights the 24th annual 2022 ACC/Big Ten Challenge, whose schedule was announced Friday morning. The Tar Heels bring back four starters from the team that made a run to the national championship game before falling to Kansas, and they also add Northwestern transfer Pete Nance, one of the top players in the portal. Indiana also welcomes back four starters from an NCAA tournament team, and Mike Woodson signed two five-star recruits to bring into the fold. North Carolina is No. 1 in ESPN's latest Way-Too-Early Top 25, while Indiana is No. 14 and the highest-ranked Big Ten team. The other marquee matchup on the schedule is Ohio State's trip to Duke, a rematch of last season's Challenge game -- but it will be Jon Scheyer on the Blue Devils' sideline this time around, with the first-year head coach replacing Mike Krzyzewski. Duke has the nation's No....

Serena Williams' eagerly awaited return at Wimbledon will begin in the first round against France's Harmony Tan as the 23-times Grand Slam champion resumes singles action after a year out. The 40-year-old American player avoided the big names in Friday's draw and will get the chance to ease into the tournament against world No. 113 Tan as she targets an eighth singles title at the All England Club. Williams, notionally ranked down at 1,204 and therefore a wild card next week, has not played a singles match since retiring injured and in tears in the first round a year ago against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. If she survives her opener against Tan, Williams could face Spanish 32-seed Sara Sorribes Tormo in the second round with a possible third round against last year's runner-up Karolina Pliskova. Men's top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic, chasing a 21st Grand Slam title after a troubled year, will open his campaign against South...

Chicago Sky star  Candace Parker had an historic feat Thursday on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, recording a WNBA record third career triple-double, but she said afterward she believes her achievement will be passed soon. Parker's second triple-double came earlier this season, on May 22 at  Washington, and her first was in 2017. Parker had 10 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists Thursday in her return to Los Angeles, where she played the first 13 seasons of her career, as the Sky beat the  Sparks 82-59. Parker believes players such as  New York's  Sabrina Ionescu, who got her second WNBA triple-double on June 12, and Sky teammate  Courtney Vandersloot, who also has two triple-doubles in her career, represent what's ahead regarding triple-doubles in the league. Ionescu had 26 triple-doubles in her college career at Oregon. "I think the game is changing," Parker said. "I think we're gonna very soon see this on a nightly basis. We're...

Serena Williams' eagerly-awaited return at Wimbledon will begin in the first round against France's Harmony Tan as the 23-times Grand Slam champion resumes singles action after a year out. The 40-year-old American avoided the big names in Friday's draw and will get the chance to ease into the tournament against world No. 113 Tan as she targets an eighth singles title at the All England Club. Williams, notionally ranked down at 1,204 and therefore a wildcard next week, has not played a singles match since retiring injured and in tears in the first round a year ago against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. If she survives her opener against Tan, Williams could face Spanish 32nd seed Sara Sorribes Tormo in the second round with a possible third round against last year's runner-up Karolina Pliskova. Men's top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic, chasing a 21st Grand Slam title after a troubled year, will open his campaign against South Korea's ...

The DP World Tour will announce on Friday that golfers participating in the LIV Golf Invitational Series won't be allowed to play at the Scottish Open, according to The Telegraph. The $8 million event will be held July 7-10 at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, one week before the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. The report comes one day after the R&A announced that players involved in the LIV Golf Invitational Series will be allowed to compete at the Open Championship. For the first time, the tournament at the Renaissance Club will be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, after the game's two traditional powerhouses signed a "strategic alliance" 20 months ago in the response to the LIV threat. Brooks Koepka, who officially joined the LIV tour earlier this week, had previously been announced as part of the Scottish Open field. The PGA Tour has decided to suspend any of its players who play in LIV tour events.

The Pistons acquired veteran guard  Kemba Walker from the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving the Charlotte Hornets that also saw Detroit acquire the draft rights to  Jalen Duren on Thursday night. Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow him to become a free agent, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Knicks made the first trade of the NBA draft, sending the draft rights to Ousmane Dieng, the No. 11 overall pick, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for three future conditional first-round picks from the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Pistons. New York then traded the Nuggets first-rounder they received from Oklahoma City, plus four second-round picks, to the Hornets for the rights to Duren, the Memphis center who was picked No. 13 by Charlotte. New York then traded Duren and Walker to the Pistons for a 2025 conditional Milwaukee Bucks...

The Philadelphia 76ers are trading the No. 23 pick from Thursday night's NBA draft and small forward  Danny Green to the Memphis Grizzlies for shooting guard De'Anthony Melton, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Memphis will get the rights to guard David Roddy, sources said. Philadelphia selected him at No. 23 out of Colorado State. Melton averaged a career-high 10.8 points in 73 games for the Grizzlies this past season as they advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. He is scheduled to make $8.25 million next season and $8 million in 2023-24. For his career, he has averaged 8.4 points per game on 40.9% shooting and 36.1% from 3-point range, as well as 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Melton was a second-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns in 2018, but after just one season in Arizona, the Suns shipped him to the Grizzlies as part of a multiplayer deal. Roddy was named an Associated Press All-America honorable mention and...

The Philadelphia 76ers are trading the No. 23 pick from Thursday night's NBA draft to the Memphis Grizzlies for shooting guard De'Anthony Melton, a source told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Memphis will get the rights to guard David Roddy, a source said. Philadelphia selected him at No. 23 out of Colorado State. Melton averaged a career-high 10.8 points in 73 games for the Grizzlies this past season as they advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. For his career, he has averaged 8.4 points per game on 40.9% shooting and 36.1% from 3-point range, as well as 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Melton was a second-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns in 2018, but after just one season there, they shipped him to the Grizzlies as part of a multiplayer deal. Roddy was named an Associated Press All-America honorable mention and Mountain West conference player of the year after averaging 19.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0...

NEW YORK --  Aaron Judge lined a game-winning single on the eve of his arbitration showdown, capping a four-run ninth inning that included Aaron Hicks' tying, three-run homer off closer Ryan Pressly in the New York Yankees' 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday night. Batting with two on against Ryne Stanek, Judge smoked a 3-0 splitter into the left-field corner to score Jose Trevino from second base. It was the Yankees' ninth walk-off win in 70 games this season -- their most since 1943 -- and one that seemed mighty unlikely when they entered the last inning with only two hits. New York took the opener of a highly anticipated four-game series between the American League's top two teams, winning for the 19th time in 22 games to improve to 52-18 -- the third-best 70-game start in the majors since 1930. New York also extended its home winning streak to 15 games, the team's longest since 1961. The Yankees entered...

The Detroit Pistons acquired veteran guard  Kemba Walker from the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade involving the Charlotte Hornets that also saw the Pistons acquire the draft rights to  Jalen Duren on Thursday night. Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow him to become a free agent, sources told Wojnarowski. The Knicks traded a 2023  Denver Nuggets conditional first-round pick that they received from the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier on Thursday, plus four second-round picks, to the Hornets for the rights to Duren, the Memphis center who was picked No. 13 by Charlotte. New York then traded Duren and Walker to the Pistons for a 2025 conditional Milwaukee Bucks first-round pick. The 32-year-old Walker is on an expiring $9.2 million salary for this upcoming season, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. The likelihood is Walker will go into the trade exception created once...

NEW YORK -- After months of speculation, Duke's Paolo Banchero was a surprise selection by the Orlando Magic with the top overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday night at Barclays Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder began a busy first round by taking Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren with the second pick, then acquired 11th pick Ousmane Dieng of France in a trade with the  New York Knicks and took Santa Clara's Jalen Williams at No. 12. Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. went No. 3 overall to the Houston Rockets. In the weeks leading up to the draft, Smith had been widely expected to be the top selection. But the Magic turned things upside down by taking Banchero, who sported a bright purple suit with sequins, along with even brighter shoes, as he took to the stage and shook hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. "I had a feeling, from the information I was being told, that it was just kind of up in the air,"...

OMAHA, Neb. -- The 2022 Men's College World Series matchup is set, as Ole Miss avenged a heartbreaking Wednesday night loss to SEC West rival Arkansas with a grinder of a 2-0 win. The Rebels move on to face Oklahoma in a best-of-three title bout that begins Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Had anyone approached you midseason, or even a month ago, and told you that Ole Miss would be in that championship series, you would have thought they were lying. No one then could have seen this coming. At least no one but the Rebels themselves. During the preseason, way back in January, first baseman/team captain/Oxford, Mississippi folk hero Tim Elko said, "If we get to Omaha, we will be national champions." He doubled down on that prediction during the NCAA tournament. His team unexpectedly made it Omaha. Now it is two wins away from making Elko into Joe Namath. "The emotions are great. We're excited to get to play in the national championship series," said the fifth-year senior...

The DP World Tour will announce on Friday that golfers participating in the LIV Golf Invitational Series won't be allowed to play at the Scottish Open, according to The Telegraph. The $8 million event will be held July 7-10 at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, one week before the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. The report comes one day after the R&A announced that players involved in the LIV Golf Invitational Series will be allowed to compete at the Open Championship. For the first time, the tournament at the Renaissance Club will be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, after the game's two traditional powerhouses signed a "strategic alliance" 20 months ago in the response to the LIV threat. Brooks Koepka, who officially joined the LIV tour earlier this week, had previously been announced as part of the Scottish Open field. The PGA Tour has decided to suspend any of its players who play in LIV tour events.

OMAHA, Neb. -- The 2022 Men's College World Series matchup is set, as Ole Miss avenged a heartbreaking Wednesday night loss to SEC West rival Arkansas with a grinder of a 2-0 win. The Rebels move on to face Oklahoma in a best-of-three title bout that begins Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Anyone who may have approached you midseason, or even a month ago, and told you that Rebels would be in that championship series, they were lying. No one then could have seen this coming. At least no one but the team themselves. During the preseason, way back in January, first basemen/team captain/Oxford, Mississippi folk hero Tim Elko said, "If we get to Omaha, we will be national champions." He doubled down on that prediction during the NCAA tournament. His team unexpectedly made it Omaha. Now they are two wins away from making Elko into Joe Namath. "The emotions are great. We're excited to get to play in the national championship series," said the fifth-year senior who went 1-4...

NEW YORK -- Kyrie Irving has created a list of teams he'd like the Brooklyn Nets to consider working with on a sign-and-trade if he and the team can't agree on terms for him to stay in Brooklyn, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. That list includes the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers, sources said. None of those teams have the cap space to sign Irving without Brooklyn cooperating on a sign-and-trade, and sources said some of them aren't interested in acquiring him. Irving has until Wednesday to decide whether he will opt into the final year of the four-year max contract he signed with Brooklyn in 2019, when he and Kevin Durant chose to join the franchise as free agents. If he does, he will be on a $36.9 million deal for next season and will be an unrestricted free agent in July 2023. If Irving opts out, he will be an unrestricted free...

Giants outfielder Joc Pederson said Thursday he hopes fans in San Francisco won't take it too far when Cincinnati comes to Oracle Park and Tommy Pham is playing outfield for the Reds. The Giants will host the Reds in a three-game series that begins Friday night.  Pham slapped Pederson in the face over a fantasy football dispute three weeks ago in Cincinnati before a game. Pham served a three-game suspension. "It's an unfortunate incident, and I feel like we've moved past it,'' Pederson said. "It was an off-field issue, handled and moved on. It's in the rearview mirror.'' Pederson added he has had no contact with Pham since the incident. "I think our fans are classy and respectful," Pederson told reporters, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "There's a respect level that needs to be held up, and when you see games in New York or wherever they were where they start throwing stuff on the field that is not OK and doesn't help any situation. It...

Hugh McElhenny, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who used his speed and elusiveness to rise to prominence as a halfback in the 1950s, died June 17 at age 93, the Hall of Fame announced Thursday. McElhenny died of natural causes at his home in Nevada, the Hall of Fame said. Known for his long strides and high-knee propulsion, McElhenny rushed for 5,281 yards and 38 touchdowns in a 13-year career that included stops with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. But it was his nine-year run with the San Francisco 49ers that vaulted "Hurryin' Hugh" to football stardom. Using a traditional T-formation, the 49ers employed the famed "Million Dollar Backfield," which featured fullback Joe Perry, quarterback Y.A. Tittle and halfback John Henry Johnson, along with McElhenny, a six-time Pro Bowl selection who had a career-high 916 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground in 1956. "Hugh McElhenny was a threat in all phases of the game...

Hugh McElhenny, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who used his speed and elusiveness to rise to prominence as a halfback in the 1950s, died Friday at age 93, the Hall of Fame announced Thursday. McElhenny died of natural causes at his home in Nevada, the Hall of Fame said. Known for his long strides and high-knee propulsion, McElhenny rushed for 5,281 yards and 38 touchdowns in a 13-year career that included stops with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. But it was his nine-year run with the San Francisco 49ers that vaulted "Hurryin' Hugh" into football stardom. Using a traditional T-formation, the 49ers employed the famed "Million Dollar Backfield," which featured fullback Joe Perry, quarterback Y.A. Tittle and halfback John Henry Johnson, along with McElhenny, a six-time Pro Bowl selection who had a career-high 916 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground in 1956. "Hugh McElhenny was a threat in all phases of the...

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said on the newest episode of his podcast that he received death threats on social media after he said he thought Tua Tagovailoa was a more accurate passer than Patrick Mahomes. "On every social media account I own, I got death threats on," Hill said on the second episode of "It Needed To Be Said," which was released on Tuesday. Hill, who was traded by the Kansas City Chiefs to the Dolphins this offseason, said on the first episode of his podcast that Mahomes had "the strongest arm, but as far as accuracy-wise, I'm going with Tua all day." He also said that Mahomes might struggle without him and that he was underused last season in Kansas City, despite leading the team with a career-high 111 catches. "I just feel like a lot of people overreacted for no reason. They really didn't see what I said. A lot of people are just acting off emotion," Hill said on the episode released Tuesday. "We all know...

The Los Angeles Lakers have traded into Thursday night's NBA draft, acquiring the Orlando Magic's No. 35 for a future second-round pick and cash. Orlando will receive the better of either the Lakers' or Washington's second-round pick (which is owed to Los Angeles) in 2028, the Magic announced.  The deal allows the Lakers to buy their way back into the draft after trading away both of its own picks. Los Angeles' eighth overall pick belongs to New Orleans as part of the Pelicans' mammoth haul from the trade of Anthony Davis, while the Lakers' second-round pick was moved in that same multiteam deal to Washington before eventually ending up with San Antonio. Orlando still holds the first and 32nd overall selections in Thursday's draft. The Lakers' perpetual win-now mentality around LeBron James has left them without control of their own first-round pick for the fourth consecutive season, but their acquisition of this high-second-round pick...

The Los Angeles Lakers acquired the Orlando Magic's No. 35 pick in Thursday night's NBA draft for a future second-round pick and cash, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The Lakers were without a pick and had been working to move into the draft. The Pelicans own the Lakers' first-round pick (No. 9), stemming from the Anthony Davis trade. The Magic have the No. 1 pick in the draft as well as the No. 32 pick. The Lakers don't outright own a first-round pick until the 2026 draft. In another move, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired the No. 49 pick from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the rights to Sasha Vezenkov, it was announced. Vezenkov, 26, was a first-team All-EuroLeague forward this season. He was the 57th pick in the 2017 NBA draft. The Cavaliers now have four picks in tonight's draft: Nos. 14, 39, 49 and 56. After winning just 22 games in 2020-21, the Cavs went 44-38 last season under coach J.B. Bickerstaff and barely missed...

The recruitment of blue-chip quarterback Arch Manning, a rare collision of talent, pedigree and possibility, captivated college football for years. Manning ended the intrigue Thursday afternoon, committing to Texas over suitors that included Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Clemson and Virginia. Although Manning has long been considered the top player in the class of 2023, the family remained intent on attempting to keep his recruitment as low-key as possible. His Instagram is private, and he has not been an active participant in name, image and likeness opportunities. But keeping things low-key has still been difficult, considering the family's football history and the magnitude of how much his decision could sway a program's fortune. Manning even used his first tweet to make the announcement, on a verified Twitter account with a bio that simply says "high school student." Texas coach Steve Sarkisian also reacted to...

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jared Bednar said there was "nothing" to the controversy surrounding Nazem Kadri's game-winning goal in the  Colorado Avalanche's 3-2 overtime victory against the  Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday. Kadri scored midway through the extra frame to give the Avalanche a 3-1 series lead, with a chance to close the Lightning out in Game 5 on Friday. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper was first to say in his (brief) news conference Wednesday night that the goal shouldn't have counted. Video replay appeared to show that Colorado had too many men on the ice when Kadri scored, and that it was Kadri who made an improper line change seconds before Nathan MacKinnon got back to the bench. Bednar said he watched the footage too but didn't see anything wrong with how Colorado executed. "I thought it was nothing, honestly," he said Thursday. "That's part of the game. It's a fluid game. You're changing on the fly, everything...

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jared Bednar said there was "nothing" to the controversy surrounding Nazem Kadri's game-winning goal in the  Colorado Avalanche's 3-2 overtime victory against the  Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday. Kadri scored midway through the extra frame to give the Avalanche a 3-1 series lead, with a chance to close the Lightning out in Game 5 on Friday. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper was first to say in his (brief) press conference Wednesday night that the goal shouldn't have counted. Video replay appeared to show Colorado with too many men on the ice when Kadri scored, and that it was Kadri who made an improper line change seconds before Nathan MacKinnon got back to the bench. Bednar said he watched the footage too but didn't see anything wrong with how Colorado executed. "I thought it was nothing, honestly," he said on Thursday. "That's part of the game. It's a fluid game. You're changing on the fly, everything...

Under proposed Title IX regulations from the federal government released Thursday on the 50th anniversary of the law, coaches and athletic department administrators would still be barred in most cases from removing an athlete accused of sexual misconduct from a sports team while an investigation is pending. While the U.S. Department of Education proposed rolling back several of the Title IX provisions enacted in 2020 by the Trump administration -- including the standard of evidence needed to determine a violation occurred -- it keeps in place the provision that prevents disciplinary action against students until an investigation has determined they were at fault. The long-anticipated proposed regulations cover a wide range of issues pertaining to how schools enforce the Title IX gender equity law in responding to allegations of sexual harassment, assault and discrimination. For the first time, the rules would formally protect LGBTQ students under Title IX, making clear...