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Wizards guard Bradley Beal is a star at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., but away from it he has had to go through frightening interactions with law enforcement like countless other black people in the United States. At the "Together We Stand" march -- hosted by the Wizards and the WNBA's defending-champion Washington Mystics on Friday -- Beal recounted some of those experiences to a group of reporters outside the arena. "I've been pulled over with four hoopers in the car before and we've all been taken out and searched because we were black riding in a white neighborhood. I went to an all-white school in high school," Beal said.  He added: "It happened here, two years ago. I got pulled over on 495 and the officer asked me to step out of the vehicle. I'm literally on the side of the highway ... my wife, me and one of my friends, sitting in the median of the highway, on the side, and he comes up to me and says, 'What if I f--- up your Monday and put you on a headline...

The Philadelphia Phillies are closing their spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida, after five players and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced. Sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that the Toronto Blue Jays also shut down their spring training facility in Dunedin on Thursday after a player exhibited coronavirus symptoms. The Phillies' facility will remain closed until medical authorities are confident that the virus is under control, the team said in a statement Friday. The first confirmed case occurred Tuesday. Eight staff members tested negative, while 20 players and 12 other staff members are awaiting test results. The Blue Jays player exhibiting symptoms is a pitcher on the 40-man roster who recently spent time with players in the Phillies' minor league system, sources told Passan. He has been tested for COVID-19 and is awaiting results. Multiple players working out at the Blue Jays' facility said they had...

The Minnesota Twins announced Friday the removal of a statue in front of Target Field of former owner Calvin Griffith. Griffith relocated the Washington Senators to Minnesota ahead of the 1961 season and remained owner until 1984. He died in 1999 at the age of 87. He was a major figure in the franchise's history, but racist remarks he made at a 1978 speaking engagement marred his legacy. "I'll tell you why we came to Minnesota. It was when we found out you only had 15,000 blacks here," Griffith said then. "Black people don't go to ballgames, but they'll fill up a rassling ring and put up such a chant it'll scare you to death. We came here because you've got good, hardworking white people here." He was unaware a newspaper reporter was present at the dinner. "While we acknowledge the prominent role Calvin Griffith played in our history, we cannot remain silent and continue ignoring the racist comments he made in Waseca in 1978," the Twins said in a statement Friday. "His...

The Tampa Bay Lightning have temporarily shut down their training facility after several players and staffers have tested positive for coronavirus, a source confirmed to ESPN. Other players and staffers who have been at the facility are being tested. The Lightning and NHL will figure out how to proceed based off of the results of those tests. The NHL is currently in Phase 2 of its return-to-play program, which allows for small, voluntary group workouts. Only six players are allowed on the ice at a time, and only non-contact drills are allowed. Players are required to report to training camps on July 10 before the NHL begins its expanded 24-team postseason. The NHL has narrowed down its list of hub cities and is expected to announce the two it has chosen sometime next week. The NHL and NHLPA are still working out health and safety protocols for Phase 3 (training camps) and Phase 4 (games). However, the NHL has already announced that it will be testing players and...

The MLB team is closing its facilities until the outbreak is under control.

The Philadelphia Phillies are closing their spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida, after five players and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. The facility will remain closed until medical authorities are confident that the virus is under control, the team said in a statement Friday. The first confirmed case occurred Tuesday. Eight staff members tested negative, while 20 players and 12 other staff members are awaiting test results. The team declined to comment on the implication of the positive tests on the Phillies' upcoming season, saying it is too early to know.

The Philadelphia Phillies are closing their spring training facility in Clearwater, Florida, after five players and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus. The facility will remain closed until medical authorities are confident that the virus is under control, the team said in a statement Friday. The first confirmed case occurred on Tuesday. Eight staff members tested negative; 20 players and 12 other staff members are still awaiting test results. The team declined to comment on the implication of the positive tests on the Phillies' upcoming season, saying it is too early to know.

The NCAA expanded its Confederate flag policy on Friday to prohibit all its championship events from being held in the states where the flag is flown. Mississippi is the only state affected by the policy change. It is the only state flag that continues to feature the banner of the Confederacy -- a blue cross with 13 white stars. "There is no place in college athletics or the world for symbols or acts of discrimination and oppression," Michael V. Drake, chair of the NCAA board of governors and Ohio State president, said in a statement. "We must continually evaluate ways to protect and enhance the championship experience for college athletes. Expanding the Confederate flag policy to all championships is an important step by the NCAA to further provide a quality experience for all participants and fans." The NCAA's previous policy, which was enacted in 2001, applied only to predetermined championship sites. At the time, it affected both Mississippi and South Carolina. But in 2015,...

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter tweeted Friday morning that his father had been released from prison in his native Turkey seven years after he was arrested by the country's authoritarian government. "Wow! I could cry," Kanter wrote. "Today I found out that 7 years after arresting my dad, taking him through a Kangaroo court and accusing him of being a criminal just because he is my dad." "MY DAD HAS BEEN RELEASED! This is due to the pressure we have put on the Turkish regime." Kanter, who has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, went on to post two more tweets about it. He declined to comment further, saying he is still gathering information about what happened. Kanter has clashed with the Turkish government for years, to the point where his Turkish passport was canceled in 2017 and he fears leaving America over the prospect of being deported to Turkey. He played his first game outside the country in years on Christmas Day, when...

The NCAA expanded its Confederate flag policy on Friday to prohibit all its championship events from being held in the states where the flag is flown. Mississippi is the only state affected by the policy change. It is the only state flag that continues to feature the banner of the Confederacy -- a blue cross with 13 white stars. "There is no place in college athletics or the world for symbols or acts of discrimination and oppression," Michael V. Drake, chair of the NCAA board of governors and Ohio State president, said in a statement. "We must continually evaluate ways to protect and enhance the championship experience for college athletes. Expanding the Confederate flag policy to all championships is an important step by the NCAA to further provide a quality experience for all participants and fans." The NCAA's previous policy, which was enacted in 2001, applied only to predetermined championship sites. At the time, it affected both Mississippi and South Carolina. But in 2015,...

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter tweeted Friday morning that his father had been released from prison in his native Turkey seven years after he was originally arrested by the country's authoritarian government. "Wow! I could cry," Kanter wrote. "Today I found out that 7 years after arresting my dad, taking him through a Kangaroo court and accusing him of being a criminal just because he is my dad." "MY DAD HAS BEEN RELEASED! This is due to the pressure we have put on the Turkish regime." Kanter, who has been an outspoken critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, went on to post two more tweets about it. Kanter declined to comment further, saying he was still gathering information about what happened. Kanter has clashed with the Turkish government for years, to the point where his Turkish passport was canceled in 2017, and he fears leaving America over the prospect of being deported to Turkey. He played his first game outside the country in years on Christmas...

The statue of former Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, who was forced to integrate his franchise in the early 1960s, was removed from outside of RFK Stadium on Friday morning. Events DC, which is in charge of RFK Stadium, removed the statue. Max Brown, the chairman of the Events DC board of directors, and Greg O'Dell, the president and CEO, released a joint statement explaining the removal. "This symbol of a person who didn't believe all men and women were created equal and who actually worked against integration is counter to all that we as people, a city, and nation represent," the statement read. "We believe that injustice and inequality of all forms is reprehensible and we are firmly committed to confronting unequal treatment and working together toward healing our city and country." They also called the removal of the statue an "overdue step on the road to lasting equality and justice." "We recognize that we can do better and act now," they said....

The Minnesota Twins announced Friday the removal of a statue in front of Target Field of former owner Calvin Griffith. Griffith relocated the Washington Senators to Minnesota ahead of the 1961 season and remained owner until 1984. He died in 1999 at the age of 87. Griffith was a major figure in the franchise's history, but racist remarks he made at a 1978 speaking engagement marred his legacy. "I'll tell you why we came to Minnesota. It was when we found out you only had 15,000 blacks here," Griffith said then. "Black people don't go to ballgames, but they'll fill up a rassling ring and put up such a chant it'll scare you to death. We came here because you've got good, hardworking white people here." He was unaware a newspaper reporter was present at the dinner. "While we acknowledge the prominent role Calvin Griffith played in our history, we cannot remain silent and continue ignoring the racist comments he made in Waseca in 1978," the Twins said in a statement Friday....

Weeks after the team issued a statement condemning "racism, bigotry, violence and prejudice in all its forms," the Los Angeles Lakers announced a pair of moves to aid in their mission to spur positive social change. The Lakers announced the hiring of Karida Brown as the team's director of racial equity and action on Thursday and also declared the team and staff would take Friday off to observe Juneteenth. Brown, an oral historian and assistant professor of African American studies and sociology at UCLA, is tasked with educating Lakers employees about the issues facing black and brown people in the United States and facilitating the team's outreach efforts to combat systemic racism. "We are very happy to have Dr. Brown join the team," said Tim Harris, Lakers chief operating officer and president of business operations, in a statement. "She will play a key role in implementing educational programming on race and racism for our employees and helping us focus on racial equity...

The Major League Baseball Players Association on Thursday proposed a 70-game regular-season schedule, a plan immediately rejected by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. In a statement announcing the counterproposal, which included expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said: "We believe this offer represents the basis for an agreement on a resumption of play." Sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that among the details in the MLBPA's proposal were: A 70-game season from July 19 through Sept. 30 Full prorated pay Spring training to begin June 26-28 Expanded playoffs to 16 teams in 2020 and 2021 seasons Minimum pool for playoff shares in 2020 based on rounds played; $50 million if full playoff is staged A 50/50 split of incremental TV revenue for any additional postseason games in 2021 Salary-advance forgiveness for all players in Tiers I to III of March agreement Opt-outs -- full service and...

Albert Pujols is giving back to his team and his native Dominican Republic. According to the Los Angeles Times, the veteran Angels slugger is covering $180,000 in salary lost by staff members of the team in the Dominican who were furloughed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The gesture will cover about five months' salary for the employees, according to the report. The Angels had announced last month that they would furlough nonplaying employees across nearly every department of the organization beginning in June. According to the Times, the Angels' academy in Boca Chica was hit especially hard by the furloughs, with close to 90% of employees there temporarily losing wages. That led Pujols to ask Angels general manager Billy Eppler how he could help, according to the newspaper. Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Angels in 2011.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot while working out with teammates in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this week, the team said Thursday. The Jones fracture is a break between the base and middle part of the fifth metatarsal of the foot, and it required surgery, which Samuel had Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "Surgery went perfect," Samuel said on Instagram Live. "I'm telling you all, in 10 weeks there will be a better Deebo than you have seen. I'm telling you. Legendary." According to the 49ers, the timetable for Samuel's potential return is not yet known, though they expect to have a better idea when the team reports for training camp in late July. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Samuel is expected to be OK for Week 1. Samuel suffered the injury while working out with other Niners skill-position players in Nashville this week, as they have been unable to do their normal...

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey threatened to not host any future conference championship events in Mississippi until the state changes its flag. Mississippi is the only state that still has the Confederate symbol -- a blue cross with 13 stars -- on its flag. "It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State of Mississippi," Sankey said in a statement. "Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all. "In the event there is no change, there will be consideration of precluding Southeastern Conference championship events from being conducted in the State of Mississippi until the flag is changed." The SEC last ran a championship event in Mississippi in May 2016, when Mississippi State hosted the softball tournament in Starkville. The NCAA already banned any of its predetermined postseason events from being held in Mississippi because of the flag. In 2001, Mississippians voted in a referendum to keep the...

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey threatened to not host any future conference championship events in Mississippi until the state changes its flag. Mississippi is the only state that still has the Confederate symbol -- a blue cross with the 13 stars -- on its flag. "It is past time for change to be made to the flag of the State of Mississippi," Sankey said in a statement. "Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all. "In the event there is no change, there will be consideration of precluding Southeastern Conference championship events from being conducted in the State of Mississippi until the flag is changed." The SEC last ran a championship event in Mississippi in May 2016, when Mississippi State hosted the softball tournament in Starkville. The NCAA already banned any of its predetermined postseason events from being held in Mississippi because of the flag. In 2001, Mississippians voted in a referendum to keep the...

Iowa linebacker Dillon Doyle, the son of former Hawkeyes strength coach Chris Doyle, has announced he is transferring to Baylor. Dillon Doyle said on June 9 that he would be entering the NCAA transfer portal, three days after Iowa placed his father on administrative leave. "I'm excited to announce my decision to attend and compete for Baylor University," Dillon Doyle tweeted Thursday. "Baylor provides a special situation to be part of a culture with world-class people and coaches every day, and I can't wait to get started." The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Doyle, who had 23 tackles as a redshirt sophomore last season, was expected to start for Iowa this year. "I will tell you that we're very, very sad to see Dillon Doyle go," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said last week. "But we fully understand and support his decision. He's a tremendous young man." Chris Doyle had been the football strength coach at Iowa since 1999. He reached a separation agreement with the...

Frustrated with his contract negotiations, New York Jets safety Jamal Adams has informed the team he wants to be traded, a source told ESPN. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Adams would welcome a trade to one of seven teams: the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. The Jets have no intention of trading him, sources said, but Adams could try to force their hand by being disruptive and staging a training camp holdout. He is upset because he feels the team is dragging its feet, sources said. The trade demand comes after he hinted earlier Thursday on social media that he may want to be traded. Responding to a comment on Instagram, Adams concluded a long rant by saying, "Maybe it's time to move on!" Six days ago, Adams -- again on Instagram -- accused the Jets of "a lot of talk, no action." He said he still...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot while working out with teammates in Nashville, Tennessee, earlier this week, the team said Thursday. The Jones fracture is a break between the base and middle part of the fifth metatarsal of the foot and requires surgery, which was scheduled for Thursday. According to the 49ers, the timetable for Samuel's potential return is not yet known, though they expect to have a better idea when the team reports for training camp in late July. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Samuel is expected to be OK for Week 1. Samuel suffered the injury while working out with other Niners skill-position players in Nashville this week, as they have been unable to do their normal on-field work in Santa Clara because of the coronavirus pandemic. He took to Twitter to acknowledge the injury Thursday afternoon, offering optimism that he would be OK and even a...

The Major League Baseball Players Association has delivered a counterproposal to MLB that includes a 70-game season and expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021. In a statement announcing the proposal, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said: "We believe this offer represents the basis for an agreement on a resumption of play." Sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that among the details in the MLBPA's proposal are: 70-game season from July 19 through Sept. 30; Full prorated pay; Spring training to begin June 26-28; Expanded playoffs to 16 teams in 2020 and 2021 seasons; Minimum pool for playoff shares in 2020 based on rounds played, $50 million if full playoff is staged; 50/50 split of incremental TV revenue for any additional postseason games in 2021; Salary-advance forgiveness for all players in Tiers I to III of March agreement; Opt-outs -- full service and salary for players who are high-risk and those who live with...

Bill Self's attorney sent a notice of claims and request to preserve evidence to the NCAA last week, informing the governing body of college sports that the Kansas coach is considering legal action as a result of its investigation into his program. In a letter sent to NCAA vice president of legal affairs and general counsel Scott Bearby on June 12, Scott Tompsett, Self's attorney, wrote that the purpose of the letter was to "formally put the NCAA on notice of Mr. Self's current and prospective claims against the NCAA relating to the NCAA's infractions investigation of the KU men's basketball program and Mr. Self. "Without limiting Mr. Self's claims, he is considering bringing legal action against the NCAA and NCAA officers, employees and representatives for negligence, breach of contract, defamation, fraud, tortious interference with contract and tortious interference with prospective contract," Tompsett wrote. The letter was obtained by ESPN on Thursday through an open records...

Frustrated with his contract negotiations, New York Jets safety Jamal Adams continued to vent on social media, hinting Thursday he may want to be traded. Responding to a comment on Instagram, Adams concluded a long rant by saying, "Maybe it's time to move on!" Six days ago, Adams -- again on Instagram -- accused the Jets of "a lot of talk, no action." He said he still hadn't received a contract proposal that was promised in January. Adams is signed through 2021, but he made it clear he wants a new contract by the start of the regular season. The Jets have said they want to make him "a Jet for life" but have given no indication publicly on whether they are amenable to a deal before the season. The Jets have no intention of trading him, sources said, but Adams could try to force their hand by being disruptive and staging a training camp holdout. He is upset because he feels the team is dragging its feet, sources said. Adams already has seen one member of his 2017...

The University of Texas announced Thursday that 13 football players have confirmed positive coronavirus test results or are presumed positive. All 13 players are now self-isolating, and 10 more players identified through contact tracing are in self-quarantine but asymptomatic at this time, according to a statement from the university. In addition, four players have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, the school said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it does not know if antibodies can prevent a second infection or, if so, how long the protection might last. The 13 positive results  include two players who tested positive last week when 58 players initially returned to campus.  According to Big 12 guidelines, the Longhorns were able to begin voluntary workouts on Monday. Kansas State officials reported Wednesday night that eight Wildcats athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 out of 130 tested. The NCAA on Wednesday approved...

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said that if his players take a knee during the national anthem, he hopes to join them. In an interview with ESPN's Outside the Lines on Thursday, Cuban was asked how he would react if he saw Mavericks players not standing for the anthem. "If they were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I'd be proud of them. Hopefully I'd join them," Cuban said. NBA rules state that players and coaches must stand for the national anthem, but Cuban said he hopes the league can adapt and "allow players to do what's in their heart." "Whether it's holding their arm up in the air, whether it's taking a knee, whatever it is, I don't think this is an issue of respect or disrespect to the flag or to the anthem or to our country," Cuban said. "I think this is more a reflection of our players' commitment to this country and the fact that it's so important to them that they're willing to say what's in their heart and do what they think is right. "I'll defer to...

The University of Florida will no longer allow its "Gator Bait" cheer at sporting events because of "historic racist imagery associated with the phrase," school president Kent Fuchs announced Thursday. As part of a university-wide review to help the school take steps against racism, Fuchs highlighted the cheer as an action that will be taken immediately. "While I know of no evidence of racism associated with our 'Gator Bait' cheer at UF sporting events, there is horrific historic racist imagery associated with the phrase," Fuchs said. "Accordingly, University Athletics and the Gator Band will discontinue the use of the cheer." When the band strikes up the familiar tune at sporting events, fans respond with a chomping motion with their arms and shout "Gator Bait!" African American babies were used as alligator bait, according to the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University, citing newspaper articles and imagery from the late 1800s and early 20th...

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says if his players take a knee during the national anthem, he hopes to join them. In an interview with ESPN's Outside the Lines on Thursday, Cuban was asked how he would react if he saw his players not standing for the anthem. "If they were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I'd be proud of them. Hopefully I'd join them," Cuban said. NBA rules state that players and coaches must stand for the national anthem, but Cuban said he hopes the league can adapt and "allow players to do what's in their heart." "Whether it's holding their arm up in the air, whether it's taking a knee, whatever it is, I don't think this is an issue of respect or disrespect to the flag or to the anthem or to our country," Cuban said. "I think this is more a reflection of our players' commitment to this country and the fact that it's so important to them that they're willing to say what's in their heart and do what they think is right. "I'll defer to...

Free-agent wide receiver Josh Gordon applied for reinstatement to the NFL on Wednesday, a source confirmed to ESPN. Gordon was suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Dec. 16 for violations of the league's policies on performance-enhancing substances and substances of abuse. It was his sixth suspension since the 2013 season and the fifth for some form of substance abuse, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Seattle Seahawks claimed the one-time Pro Bowler in November after he was released off injured reserve by the New England Patriots. Gordon, 29, had seven catches for 139 yards as the No. 3 wide receiver with Seattle, including a 58-yard reception during a 30-24 victory over the Carolina Panthers the day before he was suspended. Gordon missed the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons as a member of the Cleveland Browns and was suspended in December 2018 for violating terms of his reinstatement, missing the final three games of the season with...

The Major League Baseball Players Association has finalized a proposal to MLB for a season of 70 games, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers. Among the details in MLBPA's new proposal, sources told ESPN: 70-game season from July 19 through Sept. 30; Full pro-rated pay; Spring training to begin June 26th-28th; Expanded playoffs in 2020 and 2021 season; Minimum pool for playoff shares in 2020 based on rounds played, $50 million if full playoff is staged; 50/50 split of incremental TV revenues for any additional post-season games in '21; Salary Advance forgiveness for all players in Tiers I-III of March agreement; Opt-outs -- Full service/salary for players who are high risk and those who live with high-risk individuals; $10 million for "social justice initiatives" (funded from welfare plan); $50 million to be transferred from joint funds (ITF) to the commissioner's discretionary fund; ...

The University of Florida will no longer allow its "Gator Bait" cheer at sporting events because of "historic racist imagery associated with the phrase," school president Kent Fuchs announced Thursday. As part of a university-wide review to help the school take steps against racism, Fuchs highlighted the cheer as action that will be taken immediately. "While I know of no evidence of racism associated with our 'Gator Bait' cheer at UF sporting events, there is horrific historic racist imagery associated with the phrase," Fuchs said. "Accordingly, University Athletics and the Gator Band will discontinue the use of the cheer." When the band strikes up the familiar tune at sporting events, fans respond with a chomping motion with their arms and shout "Gator Bait!" African American babies were used as alligator bait, according to the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University, citing newspaper articles and imagery from the late 1800s and early 20th...

Thursday night's Top Rank on ESPN main event between junior welterweights Jose Pedraza and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after LesPierre's manager, Josie Taveras, tested positive for the coronavirus. "The bottom line is the manager tested positive for COVID after the weigh-in yesterday," Brad Jacobs, chief operating officer for Top Rank, told ESPN on Thursday morning. "He was negative when he [was] tested when he arrived here on the 14th. The protocols were set, it calls for any team member that's been in close contact with the fighter, [if they test positive], the team's got to go." A 10-round junior lightweight bout between blue-chip prospect Gabe Flores Jr. and Josec Ruiz has been elevated to the main event in Las Vegas. "I am devastated," LesPierre said in a statement. "This was my opportunity to showcase my talent to the world, but everything happens for a reason. This is just another roadblock in my story. "I apologize to Jose and his team for any inconvenience this...

Thursday night's Top Rank on ESPN main event between junior welterweights Jose Pedraza, and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after LesPierre's manager, Josie Taveras, tested positive for the coronavirus. "The bottom line is the manager tested positive for COVID after the weigh-in yesterday," Brad Jacobs, chief operating officer for Top Rank, told ESPN on Thursday morning. "He was negative when he [was] tested when he arrived here on the 14th. The protocols were set, it calls for any team member that's been in close contact with the fighter, [if they test positive], the team's got to go." A 10-round junior lightweight bout between blue-chip prospect Gabe Flores Jr. and Josec Ruiz has been elevated to the main event in Las Vegas. "I am devastated," LesPierre said in a statement. "This was my opportunity to showcase my talent to the world, but everything happens for a reason. This is just another roadblock in my story. "I apologize to Jose and his team for any inconvenience this...

Thursday night's Top Rank on ESPN main event between junior welterweights Jose Pedraza, and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after LesPierre's manager, Josie Tavares, tested positive for COVID-19. "The bottom line is the manager tested positive for COVID after the weigh-in yesterday," Brad Jacobs, chief operating officer for Top Rank, tells ESPN on Thursday morning. "He was negative when he [was] tested when he arrived here on the 14th. The protocols were set, it calls for any team member that's been in close contact with the fighter, [if they test positive], the team's got to go." A 10-round junior lightweight bout between blue-chip prospect Gabe Flores Jr. and Josec Ruiz has been elevated to the main event. "I am devastated," LesPierre said in a statement. "This was my opportunity to showcase my talent to the world, but everything happens for a reason. This is just another roadblock in my story. "I apologize to Jose and his team for any inconvenience this caused. He is a...

The University of Texas announced Thursday that 13 football players have confirmed positive coronavirus test results or are presumed positive. All 13 players are now self-isolating, and 10 more players identified through contact tracing are in self-quarantine but asymptomatic at this time, according to a statement from the university. In addition, four players have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, the school said. The Centers for Disease Control says it does not yet know if antibodies can prevent a second infection or, if so, how long the protection might last. The 13 positive results  include two players who tested positive last week when 58 players initially returned to campus.  According to Big 12 Conference guidelines, the Longhorns were able to begin voluntary workouts on Monday. Kansas State officials reported Wednesday night that eight Wildcats athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 out of 130 tested. The NCAA on Wednesday approved plans for...

Thursday night's Top Rank on ESPN main event between junior welterweights Jose Pedraza, and Mikkel LesPierre has been canceled after LesPierre's manager, Josie Tavares, tested positive for COVID-19. "The bottom line is the manager tested positive for COVID after the weigh-in yesterday," Brad Jacobs, chief operating officer for Top Rank, tells ESPN on Thursday morning. "He was negative when he [was] tested when he arrived here on the 14th. The protocols were set, it calls for any team member that's been in close contact with the fighter, [if they test positive], the team's got to go." A 10-round junior lightweight bout between blue-chip prospect Gabe Flores Jr. and Josec Ruiz has been elevated to the main event. During the first week of fights at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas on Jun 9, Mikaela Mayer was pulled from her fight as she tested positive for the coronavirus. In situations like this the Top Rank protocol is clearly defined -- anyone that tests positive...

HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- Rory McIlroy says European Tour players who compete on the PGA Tour should be willing to put up with the hassle of a quarantine in order to play again after a 13-week break due to the coronavirus pandemic. McIlroy's comments Thursday came after several European players decided to stay away from the early events in the United States due to the restrictions placed on international travelers. "If I were in their shoes and I was asked to come over to the States and shelter in place or quarantine for two weeks before these tournaments, I would have done that. Because if you really care about your career and care about moving forward, you should be here,'' McIlroy said at Harbour Town Golf Club, where he is competing in the RBC Heritage. "I get there are different variables and families and stuff involved, but we all have the means to rent a very nice house in a gated community in Florida, and it's not a hardship for two weeks to come over and...

Oklahoma City Thunder executive Troy Weaver has been hired as the next general manager of the Detroit Pistons, the team announced. Weaver agreed to a four-year contract, sources tell ESPN. "I'm excited for the challenge of building this team into a consistent winner and assembling the pieces to compete at a very high level," Weaver said in a statement announcing the hiring. Weaver will become the ninth black GM in the league and work with senior adviser Ed Stefanski in running the Pistons' basketball operations. With his strong history in player personnel decisions across a dozen years in Oklahoma City, Weaver had been a focus of a Detroit search that desperately needs to change its fortunes in the draft and bring young talent into the organization. Weaver will be the fourth GM to rise out of the Thunder front office under Sam Presti in the past decade. Rich Cho, Rob Hennigan and Michael Winger are the others. Only the Spurs have had as many executives...

Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery says she will sit out the 2020 WNBA season and work on off-court initiatives, becoming the first WNBA player to publicly say she won't play since the league and union announced an agreement Monday on a proposal for the season to start in July in Florida. "There's work to be done off the court in so many areas in our community," Montgomery tweeted Thursday morning. "Social justice reform isn't going to happen overnight, but I do feel that now is the time and Moments equal Momentum. Let's keep it going!" Montgomery has raised money to help protesters and support the Black Lives Matter movement. The St. Albans, West Virginia, native will continue that and do speaking engagements in the Atlanta community and beyond. The WNBA is scheduled to have a 22-game season followed by standard playoffs ending in October. The Women's National Basketball Players Association voted on the league's proposal, which includes 100% of the players' salaries,...

Dr. Anthony Fauci says football teams would need to emulate plans by the NBA and MLS for a "bubble" format or consider not playing in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a key member of the White House task force on the virus. He told CNN that football players would need to be isolated from others and tested regularly. "Unless players are essentially in a bubble -- insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day -- it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall," Fauci said. "If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year." While the NFL could follow its pro basketball and soccer counterparts and consider isolating players to begin the season, it is unclear how college teams could do the same on university campuses. The NFL has...

Dr. Anthony Fauci says football teams would need to emulate plans by the NBA and MLS for a "bubble" format or consider not playing the sport in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a key member of the White House task force on the virus, told CNN that football players would need to isolated from others and tested regularly. "Unless players are essentially in a bubble -- insulated from the community and they are tested nearly every day -- it would be very hard to see how football is able to be played this fall," Fauci said. "If there is a second wave, which is certainly a possibility and which would be complicated by the predictable flu season, football may not happen this year." While the NFL could follow its pro basketball and soccer counterparts and consider isolating players to begin the season, it is unclear how the college game could do the same on university campuses. The NFL has...

Alfred Williams, a former star linebacker at Colorado, wants an apology from Mike Gundy after renewing an allegation that the Oklahoma State coach called him the N-word in 1989 when Gundy was a player for the Cowboys. Recounting the incident during an interview Wednesday night with The Oklahoman, Williams told the newspaper that he doesn't want Gundy to be fired but does want an apology and to see "some growth." Williams, 51, was one of multiple Colorado players who said in 1989 that Gundy, then a quarterback at Oklahoma State, used the racial slur during the Buffaloes' 41-17 victory over the Cowboys. Gundy denied the allegations after the game. "I remember that it was the first time that the University of Colorado beat Oklahoma State while I was there," Williams told The Oklahoman on Wednesday night. "It was a big win. It really was a big win. "And I remember Mike Gundy called me the N-word. That's what I remember." Oklahoma State declined to comment...

TAMPA, Fla. -- Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski believe that not only is it time to advance the conversation about social injustice in America -- it's time to come together and heal. Like so many who have been affected by the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and the protests that followed, they wrestled with, "What do we do next? What can we do to help?" So O'Neal and Gronkowski have turned what they hoped would have been a real-life party into a three-hour virtual fundraiser, with all proceeds going to NAACP Empowerment Programs and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The event, Shaq's Fun House vs. Gronk Beach virtual party -- which pays homage to their annual Super Bowl parties -- will take place June 27 at 8 p.m. ET. It will include musical performances from Snoop Dogg, DaBaby, Steve Aoki, Diplo and Carnage. O'Neal will also make an appearance as DJ Diesel. It will be...

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association found themselves at odds again Wednesday following a face-to-face meeting between commissioner Rob Manfred and union executive director Tony Clark, tempering optimism about a potential return-to-play deal between the sides, sources told ESPN. Following a four-hour negotiation in Phoenix between the leaders Tuesday, MLB emerged believing the framework of a deal had been agreed upon, sources said. The union disagreed with that accounting, and players Wednesday said they view the proposed 60-game schedule as too short. It left baseball in a similar position to where it has spent most of the past two months: deviating views leading to a standoff instead of a start date for the season. While there remained hope that an impasse could be avoided, the parties considered the flexibility of their positions Wednesday night, according to sources. Absent a deal, the league has the ability to implement a season of its desired length, likely...

The National Basketball Coaches Association fears new league standards and guidelines that could bar team staffers in high-risk categories for the coronavirus from attending the NBA season's restart in Orlando, Florida, could "severely jeopardize" their future employment opportunities. NBCA executive director Dave Fogel and president Rick Carlisle have concerns that several assistants and three head coaches -- Houston's Mike D'Antoni (69 years old), New Orleans' Alvin Gentry (65) and San Antonio's Gregg Popovich (71) -- could be restricted from leading their teams and some could face considerable challenges in resuming their careers. "The health and safety of all NBA coaches is our main concern," the NBCA told ESPN in a statement. "However, we are also concerned with a coach's opportunity to work and to not have their ability to secure future jobs be severely jeopardized. The league assured us that a coach will not be excluded solely because of age. "We feel the medical review...

The Georgia Redcoat Band's traditional postgame concert after Bulldogs football games will have a new ending this fall. Acting director Brett Bawcum said he notified music school officials that they are "ending performances of 'Tara's Theme,' effective immediately, and replacing it as our signature with 'Georgia on My Mind.'" "Tara's Theme" was the opening music and theme from "Gone with the Wind," the 1939 film set in the antebellum South. Filmmaker John Ridley, who won the Academy Award for his screenplay for "12 Years a Slave," wrote recently in the Los Angeles Times that it "is a film that, when it is not ignoring the horrors of slavery, pauses only to perpetuate some of the most painful stereotypes of people of color." HBO Max removed the movie temporarily from its streaming service, promising to return it with "context and framing." Bawcum cited the band's decision to remove "Dixie" from its "Dixie Redcoat Band" name in 1971 as a reminder of changes in its...

The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday approved a six-week practice plan for football that begins in July and will transition teams from the current voluntary workouts amid the coronavirus pandemic to the typical mandatory meetings and preseason camps to prepare for the 2020 season. The NCAA also voted to waive the preseason limit of 110 athletes, according to West Virginia athletic director Shane Lyons, who is the chair of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee. Lyons said it will be left to the discretion of each institution how many athletes it has at camp. Including walk-ons, most football teams have anywhere from 120 to 130 players, but during the typical four-week preseason that begins in August, teams have been allowed to have only 110 players return to camp. The NCAA waived that rule this summer so that any additional athletes who returned to campus for summer conditioning, walk-throughs and meetings didn't have to go home again. "Let's say you have 120...

TEMPE, Ariz. --  Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray didn't hesitate when asked whether he'll kneel during the national anthem this season. "Yeah, I'll be kneeling," said Murray, echoing similar sentiments shared by fellow players Adrian Peterson and Baker Mayfield and Texans coach Bill O'Brien, among others, in recent weeks. "I stand for what's right and that's the bottom line. I call it like I see it, and what's been going on is completely wrong, so I'll definitely be taking a knee." Murray, the typically soft-spoken second-year star, didn't shy away from questions about racial injustice, racism and the future of racial equality in the country while speaking to reporters on a video call Wednesday. Murray, the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, has embraced his platform as a star black quarterback in the NFL and understands his voice is one that will be listened to. Murray said he doesn't feel any pressure with that. "I...

The National Basketball Coaches Association fears new league standards and guidelines that could bar team staffers in high-risk categories for the coronavirus from attending the NBA season's restart in Orlando, Florida, could "severely jeopardize" their future employment opportunities. NBCA executive director Dave Fogel and president Rick Carlisle have concerns that several assistants and three head coaches -- Houston's Mike D'Antoni (69 years old), New Orleans' Alvin Gentry (65) and San Antonio's Gregg Popovich (71) -- could be restricted from leading their teams and some could face considerable challenges in resuming their careers. "The health and safety of all NBA coaches is our main concern," the NBCA told ESPN in a statement. "However, we are also concerned with a coach's opportunity to work and to not have their ability to secure future jobs be severely jeopardized. The league assured us that a coach will not be excluded solely because of age. "We feel the medical review...