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After a 16-year hiatus, it was only right that the Sacramento Kings punched their own ticket back into the NBA playoffs with a 120-80 win over the  Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. The Kings had been eligible to qualify for the playoffs since Saturday but had been coming up shy of getting the needed wins from themselves and other teams. Entering Wednesday, Sacramento was set to clinch its first playoff berth since the 2005-06 season with a road win against the Trail Blazers, a Minnesota Timberwolves road loss against the Phoenix Suns or an  LA Clippers road loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Kings did it on their own, beating the Trail Blazers after the Clippers won and before the Wolves game came to a conclusion. "I guess this would be like relief. People can't keep saying it. It's over and done with," point guard  De'Aaron Fox said. "We want to do bigger things. But [16] years, it's a long time. It...

PHOENIX -- The tenor of Kevin Durant's long-awaited home debut for the Phoenix Suns was set long before Wednesday night's 107-100 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves had even started. After suffering a hard-to-believe left ankle sprain when he slipped during warmups before a March 8 matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant was just happy to have cleared the first hurdle of making it through pregame warmups on Wednesday night. He happily bounded through the Suns' locker room and into the team's training room with a message for the waiting staff. "We got through that s---!" he said with a mix of pride and relief. The same can be said after watching Durant have an uncharacteristic shooting performance, shooting just 5-for-18 from the field and scoring 16 points in 29 minutes. After it was over, Durant acknowledged some jitters before his first home performance in Phoenix. "It was hard for me to get sleep today," Durant said. "It was hard for me to...

PHILADELPHIA -- After the Dallas Mavericks lost for the 14th time in 20 games since Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic took the court as teammates, Irving said this was far from where he expected the team to be when he arrived in Dallas almost two months ago. Irving, speaking after Wednesday night's 116-108 loss to the  Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center, said the major question he has now is what does the Mavs' future look like? "I think that now, again, just where we are in the season, and where other teams are positioned already, it kind of looks like a bit of a clusterf---, to be honest with you," Irving said. "Because we're 37-40, and we're trying to fight to get into the play-in game. It's not the expectations I don't think any of us had in that locker room." Irving, who had 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in 40 minutes, said adjusting to being traded at midseason for the first time in his NBA career has introduced him to "a lot of...

CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Lakers won their 38th game of the season on Wednesday using their 38th starting lineup, and this one had the team talking about how far it can take them. "I think we've got everything we need. It's just about going out and applying it," said Anthony Davis after putting up 38 points and 10 rebounds in L.A.'s 121-110 win over the Chicago Bulls. "We can definitely make a run. We've got all the right pieces from top to bottom." Davis was joined by LeBron James, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt in the first unit, and they outscored the Bulls starters 107-72. "I think the No. 1 thing is we have multiple ball handlers," James said of the starting group. "So no one has to feel stressed handling the ball every possession. We got shot makers in that starting lineup. And we have a lot of length." The win brought the Lakers back to .500, at 38-38, and put them at No. 8 in the Western...

After a 16-year hiatus, it was only right that the Sacramento Kings punched their own ticket back into the NBA playoffs, with a 120-80 win over the  Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. The Kings had been eligible to qualify for the playoffs since Saturday but had been coming up shy of getting the needed wins from themselves and other teams. Entering play Wednesday, Sacramento was set to clinch its first playoff berth since the 2005-06 season with a road win against the Trail Blazers, a Minnesota Timberwolves road loss against the Phoenix Suns or an  LA Clippers road loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. But the Kings did it on their own, beating the Blazers after the Clippers won and before the Wolves game came to a conclusion. "I guess this would be like relief. People can't keep saying it. It's over and done with," point guard  De'Aaron Fox said. "We want to do bigger things. But [16] years, it's a long time. It feels...

Minor league baseball players and Major League Baseball struck a tentative deal Wednesday on the first collective bargaining agreement between the sides that will more than double player pay and represents the largest-ever gains in the rights of minor leaguers, sources familiar with the agreement told ESPN. The deal, which will last for five years, comes after a rapid and successful effort last year by minor leaguers to unionize under the umbrella of the Major League Baseball Players Association and follows previous improvements in housing and pay. MLB formally recognized the union upon its formation, paving the way for a negotiation that finalized the deal on the eve of major league Opening Day. After years of disillusionment among future major leaguers about paltry salaries forcing them to work offseason jobs -- and coincidentally on the day a judge approved a $185 million settlement the league will pay players who accused it of violating minimum-wage laws -- the...

Minor league baseball players and Major League Baseball struck a tentative deal Wednesday on the first collective-bargaining agreement between the sides that will more than double player pay, sources familiar with the agreement told ESPN. The deal, which will last for five years, comes after a rapid and successful effort last year by minor leaguers to unionize under the umbrella of the Major League Baseball Players Association and follows previous gains in housing and pay. The pay increases at each level are significant, according to sources, and will pay players in spring training as well as the offseason, outside of a dead period between the Thursday before Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. At each level, the increases will be: AAA: From $17,500 per year to $35,800 AA: $13,800 to $30,250 High-A: $11,000 to $27,300 Low-A: $11,000 to $26,200 Complex league: $4,800 to $19,800 The deal also will include the reduction of the...

NEW YORK -- Julius Randle, who has played in all 77 games for the New York Knicks this season, missed the second half of the 101-92 win over the  Miami Heat on Wednesday night because of a sprained left ankle. Randle was hurt in the second quarter when he grabbed an offensive rebound and Heat center Bam Adebayo landed on him after Randle faked a shot. The All-Star forward was eventually helped up and stayed in the game to shoot his free throws. But he was clearly in pain, and the Knicks quickly committed a foul to substitute him. The Knicks announced at halftime Randle would not return. Speaking after the game, coach Tom Thibodeau said Randle will have more tests on the ankle Thursday.  Randle finished the game with three points and five rebounds in 15 minutes. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Wednesday that the team's championship success in his 23-year tenure isn't part of his mindset when looking ahead to the 2023 season. "We're not resting on our past laurels; that's not the message to the team or the fans," Belichick told the Boston Globe at Louisiana State's pro day. "We have never operated that way and aren't now." Belichick's remarks to the Globe came two days after he held a Q&A session with a larger group of reporters at the NFL's annual meeting in Phoenix. Toward the end of that 28-minute media session, Belichick was asked what he would say to fans to give them a reason to be optimistic for what's ahead. He responded: "The last 25 years." Belichick's reference to the past caught the attention of some of his former players, such as ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi and longtime tight end Benjamin Watson, who noted that Belichick often stressed to them that the past doesn't matter....

Penn State has hired  VCU's Mike Rhoades as the school's new men's basketball coach. Penn State announced Wednesday that its board of trustees has approved a seven-year contract for Rhoades, who will make $25.9 million in total guarantees and can earn just over $1 million in additional incentives. Penn State vice president of athletics Patrick Kraft said Wednesday in a statement that Rhoades is a "proven winner at multiple levels" and "a tremendous recruiter and talent developer throughout his career." Sources told ESPN that Rhoades informed the VCU team of his decision during a meeting Wednesday afternoon. As the drama over Rhoades leaving played out the past few days, VCU quietly ran a search to replace him and announced on Wednesday that it hired  Utah State's Ryan Odom. VCU athletic director Ed McLaughlin spoke to multiple candidates in the past few days in preparation of Rhoades leaving for Penn State, according to sources. Rhoades has continued the recent...

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Padres third-base coach Matt Williams has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will be away from the team for an undisclosed period of time. The news was revealed by Padres manager Bob Melvin on Wednesday afternoon, roughly 24 hours before the team begins its highly anticipated season. Williams will be with the Padres for Opening Day festivities when they host the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, then will undergo surgery to remove a growth near his colon on Friday. Williams, 57, learned about his condition roughly three weeks ago, when a standard physical revealed a low red-blood-cell count that prompted additional testing. He said he feels "as good as I've felt in 20 years." "I don't have any symptoms, I don't have any issues," Williams said. "At this point it's important now to get it out of there. That's the plan for Friday, and we'll see how it goes from there. They'll test, and they'll do all the pathology and all of that at that...

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Padres third-base coach Matt Williams has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will be away from the team for an undisclosed period of time. The news was revealed by Padres manager Bob Melvin on Wednesday afternoon, roughly 24 hours before the team begins its highly anticipated season. Williams will be with the Padres for Opening Day festivities when they host the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, then will undergo surgery to remove a growth near his colon on Friday. Williams, 57, learned about his condition roughly three weeks ago, when a standard physical revealed a low red-blood-cell count that prompted additional testing. He said he feels "as good as I've felt in 20 years." "I don't have any symptoms, I don't have any issues," Williams said. "At this point it's important now to get it out of there. That's the plan for Friday, and we'll see how it goes from there. They'll test, and they'll do all the pathology and all of that at that point. "But the initial...

SAN DIEGO - Diamond Sports Group, the operator of 42 regional sports networks across MLB, the NBA and the NHL, paid the San Diego Padres their rights fee on Wednesday, which means the company will continue to broadcast the team's games in the near future, sources told ESPN. Diamond, which operates under the name Bally Sports, filed for bankruptcy on March 14 and skipped its Padres payment shortly thereafter. The missed payment triggered a two-week contractual grace period, during which Diamond tried to negotiate a way to acquire the team's streaming rights, a source familiar with the process said. Diamond did not secure those rights but will, at least for now, continue to hold on to the Padres, who stand among the most talented and decorated teams in their sport. Diamond will still be broadcasting all 14 of the major league teams under its umbrella when the regular season begins on Thursday. But some teams are expected to be shed eventually, at which point Major League...

NEW YORK -- NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday afternoon there has been progress made toward striking a new collective bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players Association and that he can "foresee" a potential new deal being agreed upon between now and Friday night's deadline to opt out of the current agreement. "I think both sides understand that this is a window of opportunity that we should try not to miss," Silver said during his news conference at the conclusion of this week's meeting of the league's board of governors in midtown Manhattan. "Because if we don't have the deal done this Friday, the next real deadline is June 30, but that's the very end of the season. "The whole idea behind these early deadlines [is] to try to avoid going right up to the line." Silver went on to say the league and the union were going to continue negotiating Wednesday night, in the hopes of getting a deal done by the end of the week, and he said there was a "gap"...

Free agent wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. is expected to sign a one-year, $3 million contract that can be worth up to $5 million with the Detroit Lions, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday. Jones, 33, caught 119 passes for 1,361 yards and seven touchdowns the past two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He led the team in receptions (73), receiving yards (832) and receiving touchdowns (four) in 2021. He spent the previous four seasons (2016-20) with the Lions and posted his only 1,000-yard season in 2017, when he caught 61 passes for 1,101 yards and led the NFL with 18.0 yards per catch. He will be counted on to help replace  DJ Chark, who left the Lions in free agency to sign a one-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. After Jacksonville signed receivers Christian Kirk and Zay Jones and tight end Evan Engram last March, Jones dropped to the team's fourth option. But quarterback Trevor...

Penn State has hired  VCU's Mike Rhoades as the school's new men's basketball coach. Penn State announced Wednesday that its board of trustees has approved a seven-year contract for Rhoades, who will make $25.9 million in total guarantees and can earn just over $1 million in additional incentives. Penn State vice president of athletics Patrick Kraft said Wednesday in a statement that Rhoades is a "proven winner at multiple levels" and "a tremendous recruiter and talent developer throughout his career." Sources told ESPN that Rhoades informed the VCU team of his decision during a meeting Wednesday afternoon. As the drama over Rhoades leaving played out the past few days, VCU quietly ran a search to replace him and was taking the final steps Wednesday to hire Utah State's Ryan Odom, sources told ESPN. A deal for Odom to become the Rams' next coach is expected to come together in the coming days. VCU athletic director Ed McLaughlin has spoken to multiple candidates...

South Florida is expected to hire Kennesaw State's Amir Abdur-Rahim as its next coach, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. An official announcement is expected this week. He will replace Brian Gregory, who was fired this month after six seasons. The Bulls haven't made the NCAA tournament since 2012 and have yet to finish .500 in league play since moving to the American in 2013. Amir-Rahim led the Owls to one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball since taking over in 2019. They won just one game in his first season and have steadily improved each season en route to winning both the Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season and tournament titles this season. Not only was it the Owls' first NCAA tournament appearance since moving to Division I in 2005, it was the program's first season above .500 in Division I. Kennesaw State finished 26-9 overall and 15-3 in conference play, beating perennial contender Liberty in the ASun title game. The Owls then led 3-seed ...

Utah Valley's Mark Madsen, the former Stanford star and NBA veteran, has been hired to be  Cal's next head coach, the school announced Wednesday. Madsen guided Utah Valley to a regular-season WAC championship this season, and the Wolverines advanced to the NIT semifinals before losing 88-86 to UAB in overtime Tuesday night. They finished their season 28-9 overall and 15-3 in conference play. Over the past three seasons, Madsen and Utah Valley are 34-15 in WAC play. Before replacing Mark Pope at Utah Valley in 2019, Madsen spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also spent time coaching in the G League and one season at Stanford as an assistant coach. A two-time all-conference selection in college, Madsen is best known for leading Stanford to the 1998 Final Four. He was a first-round pick of the Lakers in 2000, winning two NBA championships with the franchise before moving to the Minnesota Timberwolves for six...

VCU's Mike Rhoades has agreed to terms to become the next men's basketball coach at Penn State, sources told ESPN. Rhoades has called a meeting for 4 p.m. ET Wednesday to inform the VCU team of his decision, according to sources. Rhoades and Penn State had been in deep discussions earlier Wednesday but were waiting on university board approval to complete his contract, according to sources. As the drama over Rhoades leaving played out the past few days, VCU quietly ran a search to replace him and was taking the final steps Wednesday to hire Utah State's Ryan Odom, sources told ESPN. A deal for Odom to become the Rams' next coach is expected to come together in the coming days. VCU athletic director Ed McLaughlin has spoken to multiple candidates in the past few days in preparation of Rhoades leaving for Penn State, according to sources. Rhoades has continued the recent tradition of consistent success at VCU, which is widely regarded as the best job in the...

Utah Valley's Mark Madsen, the former Stanford star and NBA veteran, will be Cal's next head coach, sources told ESPN. An official announcement could come as early as Wednesday afternoon. Madsen guided Utah Valley to a regular-season WAC championship this season, and the Wolverines advanced to the NIT semifinals before losing 88-86 to UAB in overtime Tuesday night. They finished their season 28-9 overall and 15-3 in conference play. Over the past three seasons, Madsen and Utah Valley are 34-15 in WAC play. Before replacing Mark Pope at Utah Valley in 2019, Madsen spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also spent time coaching in the G League and one season at Stanford as an assistant coach. A two-time all-conference selection in college, Madsen is best known for leading Stanford to the 1998 Final Four. He was a first-round pick of the Lakers in 2000, winning two NBA championships with the franchise before moving to the ...

VCU's Mike Rhoades has agreed to terms to become the next men's basketball coach at Penn State, sources told ESPN. Rhoades has called a meeting for 4 p.m. ET Wednesday to inform the VCU team of his decision, according to sources. Rhoades and Penn State had been in deep discussions earlier Wednesday but were waiting on university board approval to complete his contract, according to sources. Rhoades has continued the recent tradition of consistent success at VCU, which is widely regarded as the best job in the Atlantic 10. The Rams have reached the NCAA tournament in three of the past four years the event has been held, and Rhoades is 129-61 in six seasons at VCU. Rhoades would replace Micah Shrewsberry, who left for Notre Dame and will be formally introduced Thursday. Shrewsberry led Penn State to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2011 and the school's first tournament victory since 2001. The hire of Rhoades would be a significant one, as he has...

The ongoing battle between the PGA Tour and the breakaway LIV Golf League continues to be one of the biggest storylines in men's professional golf, but past Masters champions Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson insist it won't be a distraction at Augusta National Golf Club next week. Speaking to reporters ahead of this week's LIV Golf League tournament at Orange County National in Orlando, Florida, Reed said Wednesday that the first major championship of the season won't be about the competing circuits. Augusta National Golf Club elected to keep the same qualifying criteria it used in the past to determine the field for the 87th Masters. There are 18 players in the 89-man field from the LIV Golf League, including four other past champions: Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and Charl Schwartzel. "Obviously, the media and the storylines are going to be obviously LIV versus PGA Tour and all that kind of stuff, but really, at the...

The use of a pitch clock shaved 26 minutes off spring training games this spring compared to last year as Major League Baseball is set to use it for the first time in the regular season beginning Thursday. Games lasted 2:35 this spring compared to 3:01 in 2022 as pitchers were given 15 seconds between pitches to throw the ball when the bases were unoccupied and 20 seconds when runners were on base. MLB regular-season games averaged 3:03 last season. The reduction in game times is in line with experiments done in the minor leagues with a pitch clock over the past several seasons. Spring games were also 35 minutes shorter than WBC games -- which didn't use a clock -- even though there were more runs scored per game in spring training than the WBC, 10.2 to 9.9. Enforcement of the clock was a major storyline during the spring. A ball is added to the count if a pitcher is found in violation of the clock. If a hitter isn't in the batter's box and ready to hit with eight seconds...

Penn State is working toward a deal to hire  VCU's Mike Rhoades as the school's next men's basketball coach, sources told ESPN. The sides are deep in discussions, according to sources, with clarity on a deal expected Wednesday. Sources told ESPN on Wednesday morning that no deal has been completed, as Penn State needs board approval of the contract. That approval is expected to come together later in the day, according to sources. Rhoades has yet to reveal his intentions to VCU officials, according to sources, but there's an increasing expectation at VCU that Rhoades is leaving for State College. Rhoades has continued the recent tradition of consistent success at VCU, which is widely regarded as the best job in the Atlantic 10. The Rams have reached the NCAA tournament in three of the past four years the event has been held, and Rhoades is 129-61 in six seasons at VCU. Rhoades would replace Micah Shrewsberry, who left for Notre Dame and will be formally...

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- A day after Lamar Jackson announced he had requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens, the former NFL MVP quarterback was back on social media defending why he didn't play in last season's playoff game. "Let's get real. I rather have a 100% PCL than go out there and play horrible forcing myself to put my guys in a bad situation now that's selfish to me," Jackson tweeted Tuesday night. Jackson pushed back against those who suggested that he sat out the Ravens' 24-17 playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals because he had not reached a long-term deal with Baltimore. "I don't remember me sitting out on my guys week 1 vs jets To week 12 vs Broncos," Jackson tweeted. "How come all of a sudden I sit out because of money in which I could've got hurt at anytime within that time frame when we know the Super Bowl been on my mind since April 2018." In a reply to a fan, Jackson also explained why he didn't travel with the...

The Atlanta Falcons will sign defensive end Calais Campbell to a one-year deal, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday, the latest move by the franchise to upgrade its defense. After Atlanta's season ended, Falcons coach Arthur Smith said the team needed to make additions to its defensive front. It already made a change in coordinator this offseason, replacing Dean Pees, who retired, with Ryan Nielsen. It also added safety Jessie Bates III, defensive tackle David Onyemata and linebacker Kaden Elliss in the first days of free agency. In Campbell, though, the Falcons add a veteran presence in the defensive line room and another player with pass-rushing experience next to defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Campbell's 5.5 sacks last season would have ranked second on the Falcons in 2022 and would have led the team in 2021. In addition to Campbell, Jarrett, Onyemata and Elliss, defensive tackle  Ta'Quon Graham, veteran linebacker  ...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Draymond Green knew he needed to get his team right in the second quarter of the Golden State Warriors' game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. In the midst of an underwhelming first half in a contest that had important bearing on the playoff race, the Warriors lacked energy and focus. They had committed 14 turnovers to that point. They could not slow New Orleans. They were trailing by 19 points. So Green lit a fire. "Draymond willed us to victory tonight," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after their 120-109 win. "Just the intensity, the frustration early with the way we were playing. Mad at the world, yelling at everybody -- their bench, our bench, me -- and frankly, we deserved it." Green's first spark came with 3:45 remaining in the second quarter when he picked up his 17th technical foul. After Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram drove from the perimeter toward the basket, Green appeared to lower his...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green picked up his 17th technical foul, which will result in a $5,000 fine. If Green picks up an 18th technical he will be suspended for one game. Thursday night's technical foul came with 3:45 remaining in the second quarter of the Warriors' game against the New Orleans Pelicans. After Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram received the ball just inside the perimeter, Green appeared to have lowered his shoulder and shoved Ingram. As Ingram made his way from the baseline back onto the court, he approached Green, and the two exchanged words, resulting in some light shoving. They were called for a double technical, and Green was also assessed with a flagrant foul 1 for the shove. About 20 seconds later, Green almost picked up another technical after an incident with Herbert Jones. As Green went for a layup he collided with Jones, and after Jones hit the floor, Green landed on top of him. The...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green picked up his 17th technical foul, which will result in a $5,000 fine. If Green picks up an 18th technical he will be suspended for one game. The technical foul came with 3:45 remaining in the second quarter of the Warriors' game against the New Orleans Pelicans. After Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram received the ball just inside the perimeter, Green appeared to have lowered his shoulder and shoved Ingram. As Ingram made his way from the baseline back onto the court he approached Green and the two exchanged words, resulting in some light shoving. They were called for a double technical and Green was also assessed with a Flagrant 1 for the shove. About 20 seconds later, Green almost picked up another technical after an incident with Herbert Jones. As Green went for a layup he collided with Jones, and after Jones hit the floor, Green landed on top of them. The two got tangled...

PHOENIX -- While NFL owners opted not to vote on a rule that would allow games to be flexed into a Thursday night kickoff, they agreed Tuesday to modify the existing rule and allow teams to play a maximum of two short-week games. That means that while some teams could play two Thursday night games, others would not have any. Back-to-back Thursday night games, such as a Thanksgiving game followed by a Thursday night game the next week, would only count as one short-week game, so some teams could wind up playing three Thursday games. "We're interested in making sure that we get exposure for all of our clubs," said Brian Rolapp, NFL executive vice president and chief media and business officer. "We also believe that these national windows are for clubs that are playing well. We want to put the best teams in the best windows." While the tabled proposal and subsequent modification on the final day of the league's annual meetings in Phoenix had support from a sizable number of clubs,...

Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki and coach Gregg Popovich are among the finalists being elected into a starry Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2023, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. International stars Pau Gasol and Tony Parker and WNBA legend Becky Hammon also have been voted into the 2023 class, sources said. A formal announcement on the full Class of 2023 will come Saturday at the NCAA men's basketball Final Four in Houston. Wade won three championships with the Miami Heat and was the Finals MVP in 2006, a 13-time All-Star and an Olympic gold medalist for USA Basketball in 2008. Nowitzki is No. 6 on the NBA career scoring list with 31,550 points, and he was named league MVP in 2007 and won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, when he was named Finals MVP. Gasol won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant and was a six-time All-Star and two-time Olympic silver medalist for...

WASHINGTON -- Anthony Volpe is scheduled Thursday to become the youngest New York Yankees starting shortstop since Hall of Famer Derek Jeter's debut at 20 years old in 1995. While that might be a daunting task for any other 21-year-old who grew up in a household of Yankees fans, Volpe is no ordinary young man. "In a way, he's been bred for this," manager Aaron Boone said after the team's last spring game against the Nationals here Tuesday. "You look at [Volpe's] childhood, growing up, being a giant Yankee fan, going to Yankee Stadium, being a smart kid, on his way to Vanderbilt, but getting drafted by his team. And who he's been in the organization since he was drafted and how he's developed and the reputation that he's earned. For being a young man and being 21, I think he's as equipped as anyone to handle it." Volpe, who was raised in Watchung, New Jersey, about 30 miles west of New York City, grew up idolizing Yankees legends such as Willie Randolph and Jeter,...

Coach Pete Carroll attempted on Tuesday to quash any notion that the Seattle Seahawks are considering cutting safety Jamal Adams after the team's recent acquisition of Julian Love. Carroll, speaking at the NFL's annual meetings in Phoenix, stressed that the signing of the versatile Love doesn't impact Adams or fellow safety Quandre Diggs, other than allowing Seattle to play with all three at once. It remains unclear if Adams, who is coming off surgery to repair a torn quad tendon, will be ready for Week 1 of the 2023 season. "We've sent our guys out to see him about 10 days ago and he's coming in in the next couple weeks, too, so we're keeping track," Carroll said. "It sounds like he's doing great. He's pushing it and he's going to try to bust whatever projections that would keep him from ... being ready for the start of the season. He's looking to get that done. We're counting on it, hoping it. "I know there's some conversation that what we did...

PHOENIX -- The jersey No. 0 is coming to rosters across the NFL. The league voted Tuesday to allow all players other than offensive and defensive linemen to wear the jersey No. 0. The proposal was submitted by the Philadelphia Eagles, and also allows kickers and punters to use any jersey numeral between 0-49 and 90-99. Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL's competition committee, explained why the change was made with minimal opposition, if any. "I don't think there was any discussion, and we voted. As someone who works for a team, we have real challenges in the number world right now," McKay said, noting 16-member practice squads in addition to the 53-man roster. "This is one thing that could help us in that challenge, because we do have some players that tend to like the single digit. Numbers are more problematic than they've ever been, so this one had very little pushback." The news was met with excitement by Jacksonville Jaguars receiver ...

PHOENIX -- The jersey number zero is coming to rosters across the NFL. The league voted Tuesday to allow all players other than offensive and defensive linemen to wear the jersey number zero. The proposal was submitted by the Philadelphia Eagles, and also allows kickers and punters to use any jersey numeral between 0-49 and 90-99. Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL's competition committee, explained why the change was made with minimal opposition, if any. "I don't think there was any discussion, and we voted. As someone who works for a team, we have real challenges in the number world right now," McKay said, noting 16-member practice squads in addition to the 53-man roster. "This is one thing that could help us in that challenge, because we do have some players that tend to like the single digit. Numbers are more problematic than they've ever been, so this one had very little pushback." The news was met with excitement by Jacksonville Jaguars...

Kevin Durant finally will make his home debut for the  Phoenix Suns on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing three weeks because of a left ankle sprain, sources confirmed to ESPN. Durant suffered a freak sprain after slipping during pregame warmups on March 8, which caused him to miss the past 10 games. Suns coach Monty Williams didn't confirm Durant's return date at Tuesday's availability, saying the team will have "an official update when we have one."  "I always use the term checking the boxes," Williams' said of Durant's recovery. "You have to get the pain and swelling out and all of that and then you progress onto the floor with shots. And I've seen him go from cardio to shooting to be able to get up and down a little bit and get himself prepared to go to the next level." Durant has played only three games for Phoenix since being acquired in a blockbuster trade in early February. He averaged 26.7 points and shot a sizzling 69% in those...

The Brooklyn Nets are shutting down guard Ben Simmons for the rest of the season, coach Jacque Vaughn said Tuesday. "Ben will not be joining us the rest of the year and through the playoffs," Vaughn said after practice. "After consulting with our doctors, multiple specialists, he's just going to begin a rehab program. Our doctors and the specialists feel and think that he'll have a full recovery so that starts now." Simmons hasn't played since the Nets' final game before the All-Star break last month because of a nerve issue in his back. He has missed a total of 33 games this season with knee and back injuries. As of now, Vaughn said the Nets don't expect Simmons to need another surgery this summer. "That is not in sight," Vaughn said. "That's the recommendation right now."   Simmons did not play last season as he waited for a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, but then underwent back surgery last summer after not being able to return to play following the...

El Cardonal, a Tiger Woods-designed course in Mexico, will be the site of the World Wide Technology Championship this fall, the PGA Tour said Tuesday. The PGA Tour's agreement with Mayakoba, which was designed by LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, ended after 2022. Mayakoba hosted LIV Golf's 2023 season-opener in February. El Cardonal is located at Diamante Cabo San Lucas in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It opened in 2014 and is the first golf course designed by Woods. The date of the 2023 event has not been decided, but it will be part of the fall schedule. The World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba made golf history in 2007 when it became the first PGA Tour event to be contested outside of the United States or Canada. The event at El Cardonal will be held this autumn and feature 132 golfers competing for 500 FedExCup points on a par-72, 7,300-yard layout that was influenced by the Southern California courses Woods grew up playing. After the PGA...

Second baseman Andrés Giménez and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a seven-year, $106.5 million contract extension that includes an eighth-year club option, sources told ESPN, locking up the biggest breakout star of last year potentially through 2031. Coming off a 2022 in which he made his first All-Star team, won a Gold Glove and finished behind only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in the AL with 7.4 wins above replacement, Giménez agreed to a deal that will start in 2024. It buys out his three years of arbitration and at least four years of free agency, with an option that could take the overall value of the deal to $128 million. Acquired as part of the blockbuster deal that sent All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets in January 2021, Giménez won the second-base job in Cleveland last year and proceeded to hit .297/.371/.466 with 17 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He patrolled the middle infield with...

PHOENIX -- Aaron Rodgers, he is not. And Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur did his best to remind everyone of that when it comes to Rodgers' replacement, Jordan Love. Let the transition from Rodgers to Love begin, but LaFleur did so with toned-down expectations for the 2020 first-round pick, who has waited three years to get his shot. "Certainly, I think we're fooling ourselves if we think he's going to go out there and perform at a level to the likes of an Aaron Rodgers," LaFleur said Tuesday at the NFL's annual meeting. "This guy is a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent, and I don't think it necessarily started that way when he first started. But he progressed into that. "It's going to be a progression." While general manager Brian Gutekunst still must finalize Rodgers' trade to the New York Jets, LaFleur has turned his attention to Love. "It's going to be a different role for him, certainly, and I think we all have to temper our...

The Josh Harris/Mitchell Rales group, which now includes Magic Johnson, officially submitted a fully financed bid for the Washington Commanders that meets Dan Snyder's $6 billion asking price, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday. Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos also has submitted a fully funded $6 billion offer for the Commanders, sources told Schefter and ESPN's Brian Windhorst on Tuesday. If either bid is accepted, the deal would break the previous record sale for a franchise, set in August, when a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton bought the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion. Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, also is interested in purchasing the Commanders. There is another anonymous group that has toured the facilities, as well, multiple sources involved in the process have told ESPN. Once Snyder accepts an offer, he must submit the bidder's name to the NFL for approval. Three-quarters of the owners would need...

The Brooklyn Nets are shutting down guard Ben Simmons for the rest of the season, coach Jacque Vaughn said Tuesday. "Ben will not be joining us the rest of the year and through the playoffs," Vaughn said after practice. "After consulting with our doctors, multiple specialists, he's just going to begin a rehab program. Our doctors and the specialists feel and think that he'll have a full recovery so that starts now." Simmons hasn't played since the Nets' final game before the All-Star break last month because of a nerve issue in his back. He has missed a total of 33 games this season with knee and back injuries. As of now, Vaughn said the Nets don't expect Simmons to need another surgery this summer. "That is not in sight," Vaughn said. "That's the recommendation right now."   Simmons did not play last season as he waited for a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, but then underwent back surgery last summer after not being able to return to play following the...

The Josh Harris/Mitchell Rales group, which now includes Magic Johnson, officially submitted a fully financed bid for the Washington Commanders that meets Dan Snyder's $6 billion asking price, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. If accepted, the deal would break the previous record sale for a franchise, set last August, when a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton bought the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion. Steve Apostolopoulos, a Canadian billionaire, and Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, are among other groups interested in purchasing the Commanders. There is another anonymous group that has also toured the facilities, multiple sources involved in the process have told ESPN. Once Snyder accepts an offer, he must submit the bidder's name to the NFL for approval. Three-quarters of the owners would need to approve any sale. The Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment also owns the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey...

PHOENIX -- Two weeks before he'll begin working with his new players for the first time, first-year Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said he's under the assumption that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will be a Cardinal despite trade rumors. "Right now, I'm operating under the premise that Hop's our starting X [receiver] and people are going to have to defend him," Gannon said Tuesday morning from the NFL's annual meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Hopkins has been the center of trade speculation because his cap hit in 2023 will be $30.75 million to accompany a $19.45 million salary. The Cardinals currently have about $21 million in cap space. "He's been great, and I'm looking forward to getting to work with him, too," Gannon said. "So, everyone that has a jersey right now, I'm looking forward to coaching and fitting them all in together." The Cardinals have reportedly given teams permission to talk with Hopkins about a potential trade. His new cap hit if...

The Josh Harris/Mitchell Rales group, which now includes Magic Johnson, officially submitted a fully financed bid for the Washington Commanders that meets Dan Snyder's $6 billion asking price, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. If accepted, the deal would break the previous record sale for a franchise, set last August, when a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton bought the Denver Broncos for $4.65 billion. Steve Apostolopoulos, a Canadian billionaire, and Tilman Fertitta, owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, are among other groups interested in purchasing the Commanders. There is another anonymous group that has also toured the facilities, multiple sources involved in the process have told ESPN. The Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment also owns the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils. Harris and David Blitzer also own part of Crystal Palace FC of the English Premier League. Harris, who grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, co-founded...

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal is under police investigation after a postgame incident with a fan in Orlando, Florida, who claimed to have lost a bet, according to police documents obtained by ESPN. After a 122-112 road loss to the Orlando Magic last Tuesday at Amway Center, Beal and the Wizards were exiting the court and in the visitors' tunnel, headed to the locker room, when, according to the police report, an unidentified man remarked to Beal, "You made me lose $1,300, you f---." Beal, according to the report, turned around and walked toward a friend of the man who made the comment and swatted his right hand toward him, knocking the man's hat off and contacting the left side of his head. Police reviewed video footage of the altercation and heard Beal say this is his job and he takes it seriously, and the man is heard apologizing, implying he did not intend to offend him, according to the report. The complaint states that "probable cause exists...

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal is under police investigation over a postgame incident last week with a fan in Orlando, according to police documents obtained by ESPN. The Orlando Police Department is investigating Beal for battery but has not filed charges as of Tuesday morning. The incident occurred near the visiting players' tunnel at Orlando's Amway Center last Tuesday after the Wizards' loss to the Magic. According to a case report from the Orlando Police Department, a group of fans approached the exiting Wizards players near the tunnel, where one of them accused Beal of contributing to his losing bet on the game, yelling: "You made me lose $1,300 you f---." Beal, in response to the heckling, approached the group and allegedly swatted another fan's hat off his head and "made contact" with the man's head, according to the police report. The fan told Beal that he did not make the initial comment about the lost bet before the two got into a "verbal...

Shohei Ohtani is expected to make a Major League Baseball-record $65 million for the 2023 season including endorsements, according to an annual list published Monday by Forbes, making the Los Angeles Angels' two-way standout the highest-paid player in the sport. The amount includes the one-year, $30 million contract extension that Ohtani signed in October as part of an agreement to avoid salary arbitration. Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was second on the overall list at $59.3 million. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who signed a nine-year, $360 million deal in December to remain in New York, took the third spot at $44.5 million. Mets pitcher Justin Verlander ($43.3 million) and Ohtani's Angels teammate Mike Trout ($39.5 million) rounded out the top five of Forbes' list. Ohtani is expected to make at least $35 million from endorsements, according to Forbes, up from $6 million in 2021 and $20 million in 2022. The magazine's...

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Connor McDavid picked up an assist for his 140th point of the season Monday night in the Edmonton Oilers' 5-4 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. McDavid, the All-Star center who is running away in the race for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, became the first player to reach the mark since Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr both achieved it in 1995-96 for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The last Oilers player to do it was Wayne Gretzky in 1987-88. McDavid also became just the seventh player in NHL history with 60 goals and 80 assists in a season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 remaining as Edmonton helped its cause in the Western Conference playoff race with two points. "We had a couple of shifts in the third period that we'd like to have back," Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said. "But then we got it back in control. In the end, it was not a perfect game, but we walked out with two points." Zach Hyman, Bouchard, ...

DENVER -- Nikola Jokic did not get to face Joel Embiid in a highly anticipated duel with MVP ramifications on Monday night. With Embiid sitting out due to a right calf injury, Jokic delivered his 29th triple-double of the season to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 116-111 win over the Philadelphia 76ers at Ball Arena. The Sixers sat both Embiid and James Harden (sore left Achilles) as Jokic compiled 25 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists. Afterward, Jokic, the two-time reigning MVP, dished out nothing but high praise for the Sixers superstar looking to win his own MVP crown. "I think he's a great player," Jokic said of Embiid. "I think he's gonna be remembered as one of the most dominant players in the league. The guy's a beast, and he's so talented. "He can affect [the game] many ways on the floor. He can post up, he can face up, he can shoot 3s. He can defend really well. He can, in some situations, guard 1 through 5. So he's a...