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Florida Atlantic junior guards Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin -- catalysts of the Owls' 2023 Final Four run -- told ESPN they are withdrawing from the NBA draft and returning to FAU to anchor a preseason top-five team under coach Dusty May. Davis and Martin were facing a midnight ET deadline Wednesday to remain in the June 22 NBA draft or return to college basketball. Davis and Martin, who each had several NBA pre-draft workouts, return to an FAU program that'll be able to further showcase them for the 2024 draft, with a move to the American Athletic Conference and several nonleague games against national programs. Davis and Martin both averaged over 13 points and five rebounds to lead FAU's remarkable run to the NCAA Final Four, where the Owls lost on a buzzer-beater to San Diego State in the national semifinal game. Martin had workouts for Dallas, Boston, Chicago and the LA Clippers. Davis worked out for Boston, ...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots captain Matthew Slater, whose 10 Pro Bowl berths is an NFL record for a special teams player, sharply criticized the league for last week's rule change that allows fair catches on kickoffs for the 2023 season. The NFL has cited player safety as a primary reason for the change, which Slater questioned after the Patriots' practice Wednesday. "I just don't believe this is truly in the name of player health and safety. What I do believe is, 'We [the NFL] want to portray ourselves a certain way to the public that says we care about the players,'" said Slater, the 37-year-old son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater. "But I can give you a long list of examples where the league and powers that be do not act in the best interest of the players." Slater referenced adding Thursday night football, choosing synthetic turf over natural grass fields, retirees fighting for health care beyond five years after retirement,...

The owner of the Chevrolet that was damaged during the Indianapolis 500 by the flying tire that came off Kyle Kirkwood's car is set to get a new vehicle, according to an Indianapolis Motor Speedway spokesperson. The spokesperson told the Indianapolis Star on Wednesday that Penske Entertainment, which owns the IMS track and the IndyCar Series, would give Robin Matthews, a race fan from Indianapolis, a new car. In the closing laps of Sunday's race, Kirkwood's car launched off the back of Felix Rosenqvist's after Rosenqvist hit the wall between Turns 1 and 2. Kirkwood's car flipped, and his tire went soaring over the fence and the corner of a grandstand where many fans were watching the race before landing in the parking lot, where it crushed the Chevrolet. IndyCar owner Roger Penske said he is certain series officials will investigate what led to the wheel coming loose. The tires are supposed to stay attached via tethers, an innovation made...

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick took responsibility for the team having two organized team activities taken away by the NFL and backed assistant coach Joe Judge for his role in the violation that led to the team being punished. The violation was a result of coaches' scheduling that resulted in players spending more than their allowed time at the team facility, according to sources. Specifically, it was a result of special teams workshops led by Judge, sources said. "The whole situation is in the past, it's resolved, and we've moved on. It was three meetings [in Phase 2 of the offseason program]. ... I'm responsible for it, so that's it," Belichick said Wednesday. Specific to Judge, who will be working with special teams units among other responsibilities in 2023, Belichick added: "Joe is great. Smart guy. Has a lot of experience. He'll do whatever we need him to do, and he can do a lot. So, he will." For the infraction, Belichick...

With less than 100 days until the start of the college football season, the bulk of the September schedule has been finalized, as ESPN on Wednesday announced the dates and times for the first three weeks of the season along with the network's bowl season schedule. Week 1 begins Thursday, Aug. 31, with Florida at Utah (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) as the headliner and kicks off five straight days of games. The opening week runs through Labor Day and includes  LSU facing Florida State in the Camping World Kickoff in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday, Sept. 3 (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC), and Clemson at Duke on Monday, Sept. 4 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). Saturday, Sept. 2, will feature an emotional return for the Virginia football team, which will be playing its first game since the deaths of three teammates Nov. 13, 2022, in a campus shooting. Virginia, which canceled its final two games of the 2022 season as it mourned D'Sean Perry, Devin Chandler and Lavel Davis...

Carlos Alcaraz came through a tricky early test at the French Open with flying colors, as the world No. 1 sealed a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Japan's Taro Daniel on Wednesday to reach the third round. Alcaraz enjoyed a dominant opening win over Flavio Cobolli in his first match as the top seed in a Grand Slam, and the 20-year-old from Spain used another blistering start against Daniel to ease through the first set on the back of two breaks. Daniel pounced early in the second set to grab a 3-0 lead before Alcaraz got on the board. He continued to batter the suddenly error-prone Alcaraz with some relentless hitting from the baseline before leveling the contest. But Daniel, who is ranked No. 112, was quickly on the back foot again as Alcaraz regained focus to break early and close out the third set in style, conceding only one late game. Alcaraz then closed out the match to book an encounter with Canadian 26-seed Denis Shapovalov, who defeated ...

Ron Holland, the No. 2-ranked senior in boys' high school basketball for the class of 2023, told ESPN he will play for the G League Ignite next season. Holland decommitted from Texas in late April, although he wasn't released from his letter of intent until recently. Arkansas was perceived as the early favorite if he went the college route, given the Razorbacks were one of his original finalists in early November. But the G League Ignite path, which has produced the likes of Jalen Green and Scoot Henderson since its inception in 2020, quickly became a legitimate option for Holland, who is No. 6 in ESPN's early 2024 NBA draft rankings. "This process was not easy," Holland told ESPN. "At times it was scary because at times I had no idea where I would be. "The G League will help me reach my potential as a basketball player and prepare me for the NBA. To have a long career, I need to prepare my body and improve my skills as I continue...

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene has a stress fracture in his left fibula and is out indefinitely, the team announced Wednesday. Greene will receive a second medical opinion on the injury before the Tigers determine a timetable for his return. The injury was revealed Tuesday night when the second-year star underwent medical tests after an early exit against the Texas Rangers. The Tigers placed Green on the 10-day injured list before Wednesday's game against the Rangers and selected the contract of outfielder Jake Marisnick from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding roster move. Right-hander Trey Wingenter was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Marisnick on Detroit's 40-man roster. Greene left Tuesday's loss to the Rangers in the third inning after reporting discomfort in his left leg. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said he "needed to get him out of the game" after watching Greene run after a fly ball in center field. Greene, 22, is...

Like many kids, Peyton Stearns enjoyed participating in sports and tried her hand at plenty. "Soccer, gymnastics, basketball, tennis, whatever," the 21-year-old American said Wednesday at the French Open in Paris after eliminating 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to reach the third round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. Then Stearns paused, before adding with a chuckle: "Well, not so much tennis." By her own admission, she picked up tennis relatively late for someone who would end up at its highest level, starting private lessons at age 8. It wasn't until about three or four years later, the 2022 NCAA champion for the University of Texas explained, that she decided to focus on holding a racket. "Gymnastics was very structured. I didn't like that so much. I liked to do what I want when I wanted," said Stearns, who had never played in the French Open's main draw until this week. "I chose tennis because I loved that you can just hit the...

Harry Maguire will hold talks with Erik ten Hag to discuss his Manchester United future after the end of the season, sources have told ESPN. Maguire has endured a frustrating campaign at Old Trafford, making just 16 starts in all competitions and only eight in the Premier League. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) After falling behind Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the pecking order at centre-back, Maguire is set to evaluate his options before making a decision about where to play next season. Sources have told ESPN that United are willing to listen to offers for the 30-year-old and anticipate interest from West Ham United, who made an enquiry about his availability during the January transfer window. Ten Hag, according to sources, is open to keeping Maguire as part of his squad but understands the England defender might seek a move away to find more regular games. Maguire has...

Harry Maguire will hold talks with Erik ten Hag to discuss his Manchester United future after the end of the season, sources have told ESPN. Maguire has endured a frustrating campaign at Old Trafford, making just 16 starts in all competitions and only eight in the Premier League. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) After falling behind Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the pecking order at centre-back, Maguire is set to evaluate his options before making a decision about where to play next season. Sources have told ESPN that United are willing to listen to offers for the 30-year-old and anticipate interest from West Ham United, who made an enquiry about his availability during the January transfer window. Ten Hag, according to sources, is open to keeping Maguire as part of his squad but understands the England defender might seek a move away to find more regular games. Maguire has...

French Open debutant Peyton Stearns produced the biggest win of her career by defeating former champion Jelena Ostapenko to reach the third round at Roland Garros on Wednesday. Stearns, a former player at the University of Texas, turned professional in June last year. Ostapenko won the 2017 French Open but has since failed to advance past the third round. The 17th-seeded Latvian dropped her serve five times against Stearns and hit 28 unforced errors in a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 loss. Ostapenko's loss, combined with Barbora Krejcikova losing in the first round to Lesia Tsurenko, means Iga Swiatek is the only former champion remaining in the women's draw. The 21-year-old Stearns has been climbing the WTA rankings and entered the French Open at No. 69 on the back of an encouraging clay-court campaign. Third-seeded Jessica Pegula also advanced after Camila Giorgi retired due to injury. The American won the first set 6-2 before her...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob couldn't fathom why Bob Myers -- his general manager and president for the past 12 years -- would decide to step down. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you I understand it because I don't," Lacob said as he sat adjacent to Myers in a news conference at Chase Center on Tuesday. It had been just about four hours since Myers told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that he would be leaving his position when his contract expires at the end of June. "But it's really not for me to understand why. I just want him to be happy," Lacob continued. Myers' decision took a lot of factors into account, including wanting to spend more time with his family. He squashed the notion that it was because of the Warriors' turbulent and mediocre season. "If the team wins the championship, would you leave? I think, yes," Myers said. He told Wojnarowski it wasn't about money, saying he declined ownership offers on a new deal that would have paid...

SEATTLE -- A halftime self-pep talk helped Breanna Stewart put up a historic stat line of 25 points and 11 rebounds in an 86-78 victory during her first game back at Climate Pledge Arena since leaving the Seattle Storm for the New York Liberty in free agency in February. "I was like, 'Come on, let's get my s--- together a little bit,'" Stewart said after the game. "Just continuing to have that mentality of 'next play, next thing.' Whether it was scoring or rebounding and things like that, sometimes the little things help lead to a little bit bigger things. "I just really appreciate this staff and everybody for not making it a bigger thing than it was, even though it was a really big thing." Through the first half of her anticipated return to Seattle, Stewart said she felt the "emotional roller coaster of a day" was affecting her performance on the court. With eight points on 2-of-4 shooting, Stewart was hardly terrible. However, for a player who...

The New York Knicks will not extend the contract of general manager Scott Perry, sources told ESPN, confirming multiple reports. Perry, who was on an expiring contract, worked under president Leon Rose and executive vice president William Wesley this season, as the resurgent Knicks qualified for the playoffs and advanced to the second round. Perry had been general manager since 2017-18. The Knicks were already among the most intriguing teams of the offseason, and a search for a new general manager only heightens the buzz. The Knicks do not have a first-round pick this summer, but they have their own first-round choice in the next six drafts, plus four additional first-rounders from prior deals if they want to travel into the trade market. Young stalwarts such as RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes and Mitchell Robinson could be enticing trade options for teams as well. Recruiting a star to New York City hasn't exactly been easy...

SEATTLE -- Breanna Stewart had 25 points and 11 rebounds in her return to the Pacific Northwest, and the New York Liberty beat the Seattle Storm 86-78 on Tuesday night. It was Stewart's first game in Seattle since going to the Liberty as a free agent during the offseason. The former MVP helped Seattle win two titles with Sue Bird, who sat courtside for the return. Stewart is the second player in WNBA history with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in her first game against a former team, joining Chamique Holdsclaw, who had 27 points and 10 rebounds in 2005 against the Mystics.  Stewart took over in the third quarter with 10 points and six rebounds to help New York extend a narrow halftime lead to 68-56 entering the fourth. She finished 8-of-14 from the field and 8-of-9 at the stripe. Seattle got within single digits early in the fourth before Sabrina Ionescu sank a deep 3-pointer to make it 72-61. Stewart's fast-break layup, off a nice pass from ...

Diamond Sports Group has decided not to pay the San Diego Padres their latest rights fee, a monumental development that will revert the team's broadcasting rights to Major League Baseball and establish precedent for an uncertain, rapidly evolving landscape. Diamond, the Sinclair subsidiary that operates under the name Bally Sports, skipped its payment to the Padres a couple of weeks ago and had until the end of its grace period on Tuesday to make the team whole and maintain their long-term agreement. Choosing not to meant Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins was the last Padres game under the Bally Sports umbrella. Moving forward -- starting Wednesday, continuing through the end of the season and resuming in perpetuity -- MLB will air Padres games through its streaming service and on different cable channels. MLB will provide Padres games through its MLB.TV app for free through Sunday. After that, in-market fans can continue to stream games for $19.99 a month or...

DENVER -- The Miami Heat are just the second eighth seed in history to reach the NBA Finals, but  Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone told his players on Tuesday to throw the seeding out. Malone says their meeting against the relentless Heat will be the greatest challenge the Nuggets have ever faced. "You get to the NBA Finals, it's not about seeding anymore," Malone said after practice. "And for those who are thinking that this is going to be an easy series, I don't even know what to say to you people. "This is going to be the biggest challenge of our lives. This is the NBA Finals. You're trying to win the first NBA championship in franchise history, and it's going to be the hardest thing that we've ever done -- which is the way it should be." The Nuggets have not played since completing their sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals on May 22. But Tuesday was the first day they could focus their sights on the Heat and how to slow...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob couldn't fathom why Bob Myers -- his general manager and president for the last 12 years -- would decide to step down. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you I understand it because I don't," Lacob said as he sat adjacent to Myers in a news conference at Chase Center on Tuesday. It had been just about four hours since Myers told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that he would be leaving his position when his contract expires at the end of June. "But it's really not for me to understand why. I just want him to be happy," Lacob continued. Myers' decision took a lot of factors into account, including wanting to spend more time with his family. He squashed the notion that it was because of the Warriors' turbulent and mediocre season. "If the team wins the championship, would you leave? I think, yes," Myers said. He told Wojnarowski it wasn't about money, saying he declined ownership offers on a new deal that would've paid him...

Participating baseball teams that are searching for hotel rooms for the NCAA Division I tournament's regional at the University of Kentucky in Lexington this weekend are striking out, leaving teams to choose between hotels an hour away or on-campus dorms. On Sunday, Kentucky was selected as one of the regional sites in the NCAA baseball playoffs, but the games will occur in Lexington on the same weekend as the Railbird Music Festival, a massive event that will be headlined by country music stars Tyler Childers and Zach Bryan, and the state high school playoffs for softball, baseball and track and field. There is also the Great American Brass Band Festival in nearby Danville, which draws more than 40,000 people each year. As a result, there is limited availability with hotel rooms within 30 miles of the campus this weekend, which could create challenges for fans who want to attend the baseball regional. West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Ball State will all participate in the...

Longtime college and NFL defensive coach Bill McGovern, who worked as UCLA's defensive coordinator last season, died after being diagnosed with cancer, the school announced Tuesday. He was 60. "Early this morning we said goodbye to our beloved father and husband Bill after his long and difficult battle with cancer came to an end," the McGovern family said in a statement released by the school. "We would like to thank the entire UCLA community for all of the love and support you gave to Bill and our entire family during this very difficult struggle" McGovern, who was an All-America defensive back at Holy Cross in the 1980s, was hired by Bruins head coach Chip Kelly in February 2022. Earlier this year, McGovern stepped back from coaching duties and took on a different role as director of football administration due to his declining health. UCLA hired D'Anton Lynn to replace him as defensive coordinator. "It was the honor of Bill's coaching career to be the defensive...

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Anthony Bass issued a public apology one day after sharing a video on social media that endorses anti-LGBTQIA+ boycotts. Bass shared a video on his Instagram stories Monday that called for viewers to boycott Target and Bud Light because of those companies' recent promotion of LGBTQIA+ Pride campaigns. Bass, who has since removed the video from his social media accounts, made a brief statement Tuesday but did not take questions from reporters. "I recognize yesterday I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine. I am truly sorry for that," Bass said. "I just spoke with my teammates and shared with them my actions yesterday. I apologized with them, and as of right now I am using the Blue Jays' resources to better educate myself to make better decisions moving forward. "The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That's...

CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd believes he was the missing factor that kept the team from making back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. In his first day of offseason workouts, the veteran wide receiver met with reporters for the first time since the AFC championship loss to Kansas City, where he suffered a deep thigh bruise early in the second quarter of the 23-20 loss. Boyd said he would have finished the game if he was at least 80% healthy. He said what bothered him the most was the feeling that he let the team down. "Still to this day, I feel like if I would have played the whole game, I was the key factor," Boyd said. "We would've won the game." At the time of the injury, Boyd had two catches for 40 yards. He appeared to suffer the injury following a 24-yard completion. At the end of a big gain, Boyd's left leg was caught beneath Kansas City safety Justin Reid as Reid made the tackle. When Boyd stood up following the play, he...

Longtime college and NFL defensive coach Bill McGovern, who worked as UCLA's defensive coordinator last season, died after being diagnosed with cancer, the school announced Tuesday. He was 60. "Early this morning we said goodbye to our beloved father and husband Bill after his long and difficult battle with cancer came to an end," the McGovern family said in a statement released by the school. "We would like to thank the entire UCLA community for all of the love and support you gave to Bill and our entire family during this very difficult struggle" McGovern, who was an All-America defensive back at Holy Cross in the 1980s, was hired by Bruins head coach Chip Kelly in February 2022. Earlier this year, McGovern stepped back from coaching duties and took on a different role as director of football administration due to his declining health. UCLA hired D'Anton Lynn to replace him as defensive coordinator. "It was the honor of Bill's coaching career to be the defensive...

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen said that a visit with former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden doesn't foreshadow any major overhaul of the team's offense. Gruden attended several practices last week and visited with the Saints' offensive coaches and quarterbacks as they went through their first full week of offseason practices. Allen said that the main purpose of the visit was to pick Gruden's brain about new Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who played under Gruden from 2018 until Gruden resigned as head coach of the Raiders in 2021. "Obviously, Jon's a guy that has a lot of experience with Derek and Derek has had his most success under Jon Gruden," Allen said at the conclusion of the Saints' practice session Tuesday. "And so, we felt like bringing him in, having a chance to sit down and visit with him as an offensive staff, with the quarterbacks and just getting some new thoughts and ideas of things we might be able to...

DESTIN, Fla. -- While college football coaches bemoan the prevalence of tampering when it comes to the transfer portal, Florida's Billy Napier acknowledged the driving force behind rule-bending in recruiting, telling reporters on Tuesday, "This is a cutthroat business." Ever since the advent of the transfer portal five years ago, coaches have warned about the possibility of recruiting players on other teams' rosters. NCAA rules stipulate that players cannot be contacted by coaches until they've officially submitted their names into the portal. But coaches at SEC spring meetings and across the country said that it's happening frequently. "There's no doubt tampering is real," Napier said. "... And I think that until there's something done about it, I think that you'll continue to see it." What can be done to stop it, however, is up for debate. Very few coaches have shown a willingness to call one another out for perceived wrongdoing. Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi...

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Tuesday that Anthony Hudson is leaving his role as interim manager of the United States men's national team to take a new role, and will be replaced by USMNT assistant B.J. Callaghan. Hudson is departing to take a head-coaching role in the Middle East, sources confirmed to ESPN and as first reported by Keith Costigan. Callaghan will coach the U.S. men through both the Concacaf Nations League and the Concacaf Gold Cup. "B.J. has been an integral part of the USMNT staff during the last four years as this young team has grown and developed," said USSF sporting director Matt Crocker in a statement. "Working alongside Anthony Hudson these last five months, we are confident he is prepared and ready to lead this group in the summer tournaments. "We are grateful to Anthony for the tremendous job he did and wish him success in the future." Callaghan has served as assistant coach of the USMNT for the past four years, initially...

PARIS -- Kosovo's tennis federation has accused Novak Djokovic of aggravating an already tense situation after he wrote that Kosovo was "the heart of Serbia" on a camera lens after his first-round victory Monday at the French Open. Thirty NATO peacekeeping soldiers were injured Monday in clashes with Serb protesters in the northern Kosovo town of Zvecan, where Djokovic's father grew up. Serbs, who comprise a majority in Kosovo's north, have never accepted the country's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia. They still see Belgrade as their capital more than two decades after a Kosovo Albanian uprising against repressive Serbian rule. Ethnic Albanians make up more than 90% of the population of Kosovo as a whole. Monday's clashes came as ethnic Albanian mayors took office in Serb-majority areas following elections that the Serbs had boycotted. "Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," Djokovic, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, wrote in Serbian on a TV...

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said Tuesday that he "would love" to have former Houston Texans teammate DeAndre Hopkins join him in Cleveland. The Pro Bowl wide receiver was recently released by the Arizona Cardinals, clearing the way for Hopkins to join another team for the upcoming season. During a Browns charity golf tournament, Watson hinted that he's informed Cleveland's front office that he would like for the team to make a run at Hopkins. "That's kind of out of my range of things," Watson said. "All I can do is make a call and see what happens." Hopkins had been representing himself but has hired Klutch Sports to represent him.  Hopkins, 30, was a three-time All-Pro receiver playing with Watson in Houston. In 2020, their last season together, Hopkins finished with 104 catches for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns. His last two seasons with Arizona, Hopkins combined for just 106 catches over 19 games. Several teams are expected...

Golden State's Bob Myers, a two-time executive of the year and architect of four NBA championships with the Warriors, is stepping down as the franchise's president and general manager, he told ESPN on Tuesday. "It's just time," Myers told ESPN. Myers, whose contract expires in late June, declined ownership offers on a new deal that would've paid him among the league's top-earning executives, he said. Myers described the decision-making process that led him to leave the franchise after 12 years as including several factors beyond money. Myers, 48, said he's unsure of his future professional pathway, but should he someday decide to return to the team side, he's expected to become one of the most pursued executives in modern North American professional sports history. Myers' blend of leadership, talent evaluation and the respect that he commands at every level of the industry -- ownership, front office, coaches, players and agents -- makes him a uniquely appealing part of a...

The Washington Capitals named Spencer Carbery as their new head coach on Tuesday. Carbery, 41, will receive a four-year deal, a source told ESPN.  Carbery was one of the buzziest names on the coaching circuit, most recently serving as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs and running their power play. He now returns to the Capitals organization, where he came up through the ranks coaching for its ECHL and AHL affiliates. Sportsnet was first to report Carbery's hiring.  The Capitals parted with veteran coach Peter Laviolette this offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Laviolette's contract was not renewed after three seasons with the team; he has since interviewed for other vacancies in the Metropolitan Division, including with the New York Rangers. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has promised captain Alex Ovechkin that the team will continue to chase Stanley Cups while he chases the NHL's all-time scoring...

The Washington Capitals named Spencer Carbery as their new head coach on Tuesday. Carbery, 41, will receive a four-year deal, a source told ESPN.  Carbery was one of the buzziest names on the coaching circuit, most recently serving as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs and running their power play. He now returns to the Capitals organization, where he came up through the ranks coaching for its ECHL and AHL affiliates. Sportsnet was first to report Carbery's hiring.  The Capitals parted with veteran coach Peter Laviolette this offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Laviolette's contract was not renewed after three seasons with the team; he has since interviewed for other vacancies in the Metropolitan Division, including with the New York Rangers. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has promised captain Alex Ovechkin that the team will continue to chase Stanley Cups while he chases the NHL's all-time scoring...

Karim Benzema is mulling his Real Madrid future after receiving a lucrative offer over a move to Saudi Arabia, a source told ESPN. Benzema, 35, was offered a two-year contract worth €400 million in January, the source said, the same deal as Cristiano Ronaldo who joined Al Nassr after leaving Manchester United. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner reportedly reached an agreement with Madrid earlier this month to renew his contract for another year. However, the situation has changed in recent weeks, and the forward is considering the Saudi offer. Madrid suffered a disappointing 2022-23 season after failing to compete with Barcelona for the LaLiga title and exiting the Champions League with a heavy defeat to Manchester City in the semifinals. Benzema has suffered numerous fitness issues this season and was sidelined for the 2022 World Cup, in which...

The Washington Capitals are hiring Spencer Carbery as their next head coach, sources have confirmed to ESPN.  Carbery, 41, will receive a four-year deal, a source added.  Carbery was one of the buzziest names on the coaching circuit, most recently serving as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs and running their power play. He now returns to the Capitals organization, where he came up through the ranks coaching for its ECHL and AHL affiliates. Sportsnet was first to report Carbery's hiring.  The Capitals parted with veteran coach Peter Laviolette this offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Laviolette's contract was not renewed after three seasons with the team; he has since interviewed for other vacancies in the Metropolitan Division, including with the New York Rangers. Capitals owner Ted Leonsis has promised captain Alex Ovechkin that the team will continue to chase Stanley Cups while he chases the NHL's...

Elliot Cadeau, the No. 10 prospect in the 2024 ESPN 100 rankings, will graduate early from high school and enroll at North Carolina next week as a member of the 2023 recruiting class, he told ESPN on Tuesday. He will now have the option to enter the 2024 NBA draft. "I think I'm ready," Cadeau said. "I think that I can play in college in a couple of months. There's no reason to stay in high school, because I can hang with college players right now." Cadeau is coming off an outstanding season in which he proved to be arguably the best point guard in high school basketball, helping Link Academy win the Geico Nationals and then leading the Nike EYBL in assists by a wide margin (9.3 per game). He has guided his New Heights Lightning team to a 13-4 record, posting 29 points and 15 assists in what proved to be his final grassroots game Monday. "Winning Geico was one of my biggest goals," Cadeau said. "To do that as a junior pushed me to reclass for sure. Everything is...

PARIS -- American sixth seed Coco Gauff recovered from an error-strewn start with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Spain's Rebeka Masarova to reach the second round of the French Open on Tuesday. Also Tuesday, a year after her first-round exit, No. 7 seed Ons Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories and answer questions about a recent calf injury. Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 champion, lost her opening match at the French Open for the second straight year. The 13th-seeded Czech exited the tournament after losing to Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine 6-2, 6-4. Gauff, runner-up a year ago, looked uncomfortable early on, with her troublesome forehand frequently letting her down. World No. 71 Masarova, a former French Open junior champion, took full advantage to dominate the opening set and looked on course for an upset victory. But Gauff, 19, settled down on a sunlit Court Suzanne Lenglen and reeled off seven games in a row...

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti remains Brazil's first choice to replace Tite, the country's football confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues said. Despite receiving a strong interest from Brazil since Tite stepped down after the 2022 World Cup, Ancelotti reiterated his desire to continue as coach of Real Madrid until June 2024 when his contract expires. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "He [Ancelotti] is a coach who has this vision and courage to put new talents to play," Rodrigues said. "No disrespect to any other coach. Brazil has many coaches that we have great appreciation for, and who are competent, but we have a plan, and plan A is exactly that [Ancelotti]." Ancelotti led Madrid to the Copa del Rey title this season despite missing out on the LaLiga title and also falling short in the Champions League following their semifinal exit to Manchester City. Rodrigues remains...

Juventus are leading the race to sign Christian Pulisic, sources told ESPN, with Chelsea prepared to offload the United States forward for a £20 million fee this summer. Although Chelsea have now confirmed the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach at Stamford Bridge on a two-year contract, sources have said that the arrival of the former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain boss will not signal a U-turn on the club's decision to listen to offers for Pulisic. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Pulisic, a £58m signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, has 12 months remaining on his contract at Chelsea. With the club needing to reduce the size of their squad and wage bill after spending £585m on new players since a consortium purchased the club a year ago, sources have said that Pulisic is high on the list of potential departures. A number of clubs have been...

BOSTON -- As  Jayson Tatum trudged to the podium inside TD Garden long after the Boston Celtics saw their season come to an end with a 103-84 loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, there was a visible limp from the sprained ankle he suffered on the opening play of the game. "It was just frustrating that I was ... a shell of myself," Tatum said after he played 42 minutes and finished with 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting in the loss, which ended the Celtics' season and also denied them the chance to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. "It was tough to move. Just frustrating, it happening on the first play." There was much for the Celtics to be frustrated about, beginning with Tatum having the bad luck of landing on Heat guard Gabe Vincent on the first possession of the game. But that was far from the only thing. The Celtics followed up their worst 3-point-shooting game of the season (7-for-35) in...

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks allowed two runs on three hits and a walk to the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, his first outing since recovering from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Hendriks, 34, got several standing ovations, both before he took the mound and when he entered the game in the top of the eighth inning. He pitched one inning. "It was definitely emotional," Hendriks said after the 6-4 loss. "It was humbling going out there and seeing the amount of people wearing my shirts, the amount of people having signs or flags or anything like that -- the amount of people that were chanting when I came into the game." Both teams stood and clapped for Hendriks, as did the Memorial Day crowd at Guaranteed Rate Field. Home plate umpire John Libka and Angels lead-off man that inning, Matt Thaiss, also gave Hendriks a moment to take it all in before beginning the inning. "It was great being back out there," Hendriks stated. "I felt good. I...

The Denver Nuggets, who will be making their first appearance in the NBA Finals, were installed as -360 favorites over the Miami Heat by Caesars Sportsbook on Monday night. Denver also opened as an 8-point home favorite in Game 1 on Thursday, with an over/under of 219. The Heat are only the second 8-seed to capture a conference championship, and just the third team to win its first three series as an underdog. Miami has racked up a 13-5 postseason record against the spread, winning a record-tying nine games outright as an underdog. "Miami's playoff run has really solidified the fact that they're a team built for the postseason," David Lieberman, lead NBA oddsmaker for Caesars Sportsbook, told ESPN. "We've seen it a couple of times over the past three seasons, but everyone seemed to forget about that over the course of the regular season. [Jimmy] Butler and [coach Erik] Spoelstra are able to find a new gear come playoff time." The Heat were 200-1 championship long...

BOSTON -- Jimmy Butler called his shot. A year to the day after Butler vowed to get the Miami Heat over the hump following a hard-fought Game 7 loss to the  Boston Celtics in the 2022 Eastern Conference finals, he made good on his promise. Miami joined the 1999 New York Knicks as the second No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals after a dominant 103-84 victory over Boston in Game 7 of the conference finals on Monday night. "Figure out a way to be consistent," Butler had said after that Game 7 defeat in 2022 -- one that ended with him missing a 3-pointer that would have potentially won Miami the game. "I think we had enough, I think we do have enough ... next year, we will have enough and we're going to be right back in this same situation and we're going to get it done." He was right. Butler's words have proved prophetic throughout the Heat's magical run this postseason. He scored 28 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made six assists in 43...

DALLAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Florida Panthers for the Stanley Cup after eliminating, and absolutely dominating, the Dallas Stars in a 6-0 victory on Monday night in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. Vegas will host Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night. The NHL is guaranteed to have a franchise win its first ever Stanley Cup this postseason. It's the second trip to the Stanley Cup Final for both franchises, as the Knights played for the Cup in 2018 and the Panthers did so back in 1996. "The first trip was just kind of overwhelming. You've never been there before. Maybe you took it for granted a little bit back then," Vegas center William Karlsson, one of six players from that Stanley Cup run in the franchise's inaugural season, said. "Five years later, there's been ups and downs. You realize that this opportunity doesn't come around too often." Karlsson scored twice and goalie Adin Hill made 23...

SAN FRANCISCO -- Pittsburgh's Jack Suwinski hit two home runs into the San Francisco Bay on Monday during a 14-4 loss to San Francisco on Monday, joining Barry Bonds as the only players to reach McCovey Cove twice in a game since Oracle Park opened 24 seasons ago. Suwinski's hit solo homers in the seventh against Anthony DeSclafani and in the ninth off Brett Wisely, a position player who took the mound in the one-sided game. Bonds homered twice into the water beyond the right-field wall against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 10, 2000, and off the Florida Marlins on May 18, 2002. There have been 155 splash home runs in the regular season and postseason. Suwinski hit the 55th and 56th by a visiting player. The Giants have hit 99, including two this year by LaMonte Wade Jr. and Brandon Crawford. Bonds leads with 35 homers into the bay from 2000-07. When he hit his 35th on Aug. 8, 2007 -- the night after he hit his 756th home run to...

DESTIN, Fla. -- SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wouldn't say for certain whether the league would vote at its spring meetings this week on whether to use an eight- or nine-game conference schedule in football moving forward, but he said he already has "made clear what I think eventually should happen" and that he'd like to have a solution soon. "I would prefer to not continue to circle the airport with the airplane," he said Monday. But a resolution could be difficult as schools appear split on which scheduling formula is most beneficial. Issues of bowl eligibility, competitive balance and television revenue are expected to be part of the conversation. The upcoming expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams is a factor as well. The two schedules at the center of the debate are an eight-game conference schedule that would feature one permanent opponent and seven rotating opponents, and a nine-game schedule with three permanent opponents and six rotating opponents. Sankey...

BOSTON -- Celtics point guard Malcolm Brogdon is available for Monday night's deciding Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the visiting Miami Heat, the team announced about an hour before tipoff.  The 2023 Sixth Man of the Year has been dealing with a partial tear in the tendon in his right elbow, an injury that worsened early in this series. After scoring a combined two points on 1-of-13 shooting from the field in Games 3-5, Brogdon sat out Saturday's Game 6 win in Miami. While Brogdon's forearm is still sore, a source said the swelling and pain has subsided and he feels more confident about being able to make a positive impact. He took jump shots in front of the media at shootaround Monday morning. In his first year with the Celtics, the 6-foot-4, 229-pound veteran averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in the regular season. Brogdon, who has played three years each with the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, has...

CHICAGO -- Marcus Stroman raised both arms and pounded his glove as the crowd at Wrigley Field roared following the final out. He had silenced the team with the best record in baseball. And he did it with a performance he will never forget. Stroman threw a one-hitter, and the Chicago Cubs beat the major league-leading Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Monday. Stroman (5-4) dazzled in his fourth complete game and second shutout in nine major league seasons. His only other shutout was against the Cubs during his 2014 rookie season with Toronto. "Throwing a CG at Wrigley, that's like one of the top moments of my career," Stroman said. "The energy. When I walk out there 40 minutes before the game, there's a massive cheering section already." Stroman gave fans plenty to cheer once he stepped on the mound. He set a season high with 105 pitches and matched one with eight strikeouts. The right-hander walked one in winning his third straight start and helped the Cubs...

CHICAGO -- Marcus Stroman raised both arms and pounded his glove as the crowd at Wrigley Field roared following the final out. He had silenced the team with the best record in baseball. And he did it with a performance he will never forget. Stroman threw a one-hitter, and the Chicago Cubs beat the major league-leading Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Monday. Stroman (5-4) dazzled in his fourth complete game and second shutout in nine major league seasons. His only other shutout was against the Cubs during his 2014 rookie season with Toronto. "Throwing a CG at Wrigley, that's like one of the top moments of my career," Stroman said. "The energy. When I walk out there 40 minutes before the game, there's a massive cheering section already." Stroman gave fans plenty to cheer once he stepped on the mound. He set a season high with 105 pitches and matched one with eight strikeouts. The right-hander walked one in winning his third straight start and helped the Cubs...

The Philadelphia 76ers are hiring Nick Nurse as coach, tasking him with helping to deliver the franchise its first title in 40 years, sources told ESPN on Monday. The Sixers and Phoenix Suns were engaged with Nurse and his agent, Andy Miller of Klutch Sports, throughout Sunday and Monday, leaving Nurse with a difficult decision between two contending teams, sources said. Nurse's desire to coach MVP Joel Embiid and his history with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey played a significant part in his decision to commit to a deal with Philadelphia, sources said. Nurse separated himself in the interview process, selling a vision for the Sixers centered on Embiid.   He'll now be part of a Sixers organization working to re-sign James Harden, who is expected to become a free agent this summer. Nurse oversaw an aggressive style of defense coaching the  Toronto Raptors this season, helping them become the first team to record...

DENVER -- With a week off since they last played, the Denver Nuggets are thrilled that their long wait to find out who they play in the NBA Finals ends Monday night. "It's definitely been a long wait," forward Michael Porter Jr. said after Nuggets practice Monday. "It seems like we haven't played a game in forever, so we just been trying to stay in shape, stay in the gym, and just wait and see." The Nuggets have been off since eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on May 22. They've been working on conditioning and trying to go as hard as they can to simulate playoff tempo when they are on the court.   But it wasn't until Monday's practice that coach Michael Malone said his team worked on things that both the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat do just to be as prepared as possible. Game 1 of the Finals will be played Thursday night. "It's definitely been a challenge," Malone said of trying to keep...