Sports News

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." When Jackson sprained his left knee Dec. 4, it was initially believed he...

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...

SEATTLE -- For the first time ever, "Enter Sandman" will play the Virginia Tech Hokies all the way to the Final Four. After beating the Ohio State Buckeyes 84-74 in Monday's Seattle Region 3 final, the Hokies danced together at center court to the Metallica song that is the unofficial theme of the Virginia Tech athletic department, players and coaches celebrating an achievement that seemed unthinkable when coach Kenny Brooks arrived in Blacksburg in 2016 with the program having gone a decade without even making the NCAA tournament. "It took a leap of faith, a lot of hard work, a lot of coaches' efforts, kids -- these kids up here really changed the culture," Brooks said afterward. "And it's funny, because when I talked [in] my presser when [athletic director Whit Babcock] hired me, I got a little overzealous, and it was right after when Syracuse went to the final game, and I said, 'If Syracuse can do it, well, why can't we?' "And it was great....

SEATTLE -- For the first time ever, "Enter Sandman" will play the Virginia Tech Hokies all the way to the Final Four. After beating the Ohio State Buckeyes 84-74 in Monday's Seattle region 3 final, the Hokies danced together at center court to the Metallica song that is the unofficial theme of the Virginia Tech athletic department, players and coaches celebrating an achievement that seemed unthinkable when coach Kenny Brooks arrived in Blacksburg in 2016 with the program having gone a decade without even making the NCAA tournament. "It took a leap of faith, a lot of hard work, a lot of coaches' efforts, kids -- these kids up here really changed the culture," Brooks said afterward. "And it's funny, because when I talked [in] my presser when [athletic director Whit Babcock] hired me, I got a little overzealous, and it was right after when Syracuse went to the final game and I said, 'If Syracuse can do it, well, why can't we?' "And it was great. People erupted, yeah,...

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- It's rare that a matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2 seeds in the NCAA tournament has a David and Goliath feel. But what we've seen from the unbeaten South Carolina women's basketball team this season is pretty rare, too. This is a squad with a 6-foot-7 center in  Kamilla Cardoso who can miss a shot and then have a 6-5 All-American in  Aliyah Boston there for the putback basket. Most teams would be beyond thrilled to have even one of them. The defending national champion Gamecocks have both, and that's just part of their relentless lineup. Maryland was the latest to experience this as the Gamecocks won 86-75 on Monday night in the Greenville 1 Regional final at South Carolina's home away from home in Bon Secours Wellness Arena. It's about 103 miles to the Gamecocks' Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, but the loud presence of thousands of South Carolina fans here made the two buildings pretty much indistinguishable over the past few...

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Dawn Staley knows what's next for unbeaten South Carolina: a matchup the whole women's college basketball world is eager to see. But for now, the coach wants to revel in her extraordinary Gamecocks and their amazing achievements. Aliyah Boston had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and top-seeded South Carolina used its smothering defense to stop Maryland 86-75 on Monday night and reach its third straight Final Four. Do-it-all star Caitlin Clark and Iowa await in the national semifinals in Dallas on Friday, a game featuring two of the biggest stars in the sport. That can wait a bit. Her players deserve that, Staley said. "I just want to enjoy this and just give our players an opportunity to be talked about," Staley said. "The joy that I feel for this team to be able to be where they are, I'm just really happy." Staley's team improved to 36-0 this season with its 42nd straight victory dating to last year's NCAA title run. The Gamecocks are now two games away...

A 26-year-old woman on Monday filed a federal defamation suit against Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, a longtime Arkansas friend and a Cowboys spokesman, alleging the three men "initiated a deliberate plan" to portray the billionaire's "own daughter ... as an 'extortionist' and a 'shakedown artist' whose motivation was money and greed." Alexandra Davis, a Congressional aide, sought recognition as Jones' daughter in a lawsuit filed last year that indicated Jones paid her $375,000 and set up two trusts to conceal that he was Davis' biological father. The new lawsuit states that in the weeks after Davis' March 2022 filing, Jones and his representatives waged a public campaign attacking her character, "based knowingly on false statements and accusations." Davis' latest lawsuit, filed in Texarkana, Texas, federal court, names three defendants: Jones; his longtime Arkansas lawyer and friend, Donald T. Jack Jr.; and Jones' outside communications consultant, Jim Wilkinson. Davis...

PHOENIX -- If Aaron Rodgers wanted direct conversations with the Green Bay Packers about their direction and his future, then one high-level team executive believes the quarterback should have responded to their attempts to reach him this offseason. General manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday at the NFL's annual league meetings that he tried unsuccessfully to reach Rodgers "many times" since their final meeting in January, shortly after last season. This after Rodgers said less than two weeks ago on "The Pat McAfee Show" that the Packers were not direct with him about their intentions and how he fit into their plans for the 2023 season. "I was really looking forward to the conversations with Aaron to see how he fit into that," Gutekunst said Monday. "Those never transpired. So there came a time where we had to make some decisions, so we went through his representatives to try to talk to him [about] where were we going with our team. At that point, they informed us...

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson has not made it to the College Football Playoff the last two seasons, prompting some outside the program to question where the Tigers are headed. But coach Dabo Swinney remains adamant that his program has never been better, and will be one of the teams competing for a spot in the playoff this season, he told ESPN during a wide-ranging interview in his office Monday. "People, they need stories and it's a story if Clemson went to six playoffs in a row and then didn't make it. What's wrong with them?" Swinney said. "There's nothing wrong with Clemson. There's nothing wrong with our program. In fact, I would argue, honestly, our program has never been better." When asked why he feels that way, Swinney said, "Our people, the kids on this roster, the talent, our coaches, our support staff, our administration, our infrastructure, our connectivity. I'm better now than I've ever been as a head coach. It's not even close, where I am now to where I was in...

Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry has agreed to a deal to become the school's full-time coach, the team announced on Monday. The contract is for five years, sources told ESPN.  Terry, who turned 55 on Monday, had been the Longhorns' interim head coach since Chris Beard was suspended in December and ultimately fired a month later after a felony domestic violence arrest, a charge that was ultimately dismissed. He guided Texas to the Big 12 conference tournament championship and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, before making a run to the Elite Eight. The Longhorns' season ended Sunday night in an 88-81 loss to Miami. Terry became emotional when asked Sunday about his desire to become the head coach at Texas. "I haven't really had a lot of time to give a lot of thought to that, to be honest," he said. "I've been so wrapped up and invested in my team. Again, I love these guys. Not only will I just love these guys for the time I got to coach them, I'll love them for the rest of...

PHOENIX -- Speaking at the NFL annual league meeting Monday, general manager Howie Roseman said the Philadelphia Eagles hope to sign Jalen Hurts to a contract extension "relatively soon." The topic was first broached when Roseman was asked why there wasn't a bigger push made to bring back safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who ended up inking a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Detroit Lions in free agency. "When you go back to the start of free agency, we talked to his representatives about bringing him back here and also talked to them about the fact that we have limited resources. It's no secret that at some time relatively soon we want to extend our quarterback, so our whole roster building is going to kind of turn a little bit here from a quarterback on a rookie deal towards a quarterback hopefully on a long-term deal -- not that we have anything done, but obviously our goal is to keep Jalen here for a long time," Roseman said. "And so at some point...

PHOENIX -- Facing the longest Super Bowl odds of his tenure as New England Patriots coach, Bill Belichick was asked Monday at the NFL's annual league meeting what message of optimism he might share with the team's fans. He succinctly answered: "The last 25 years." It was a flex, of sorts, from the soon to be 71-year-old Belichick, who is 18 wins away from tying the late Don Shula on the all-time coaching wins list (including playoffs). Belichick enters his 24th season as Patriots coach and has won six Super Bowls and nine AFC championships over that span, while posting a 292-120 record in the regular season and 30-12 mark in the playoffs. Including his tenure as Cleveland Browns coach from 1991 to 1995, he has totaled 329 career victories, with only Shula (347) ahead of him. But the Patriots are coming off an 8-9 season and haven't won a playoff game since defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019. Furthermore, it has been three...

Ahead of a much-anticipated meeting of two MVP front-runners, the Philadelphia 76ers have ruled out center Joel Embiid against the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic on Monday night.  Embiid has been laboring with a sore right calf, and the Sixers decided to take a precautionary approach given the density of the team's recent schedule, sources told ESPN Embiid did try to give it a go at the shootaround Monday morning, but the Sixers decided to give him some rest. Monday's game in Denver is the Sixers' third in four nights. Embiid played in both legs of the Sixers' back-to-back against the Warriors and Suns on Friday and Saturday, respectively. James Harden, who has missed three straight games because of a sore Achilles, is on track to return Monday night, sources said. He participated in the morning shootaround and officially drew a questionable tag for the game. Embiid scored 46 points -- including 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter -- to go...

Ahead of a much-anticipated meeting of two MVP front-runners, the Philadelphia 76ers have ruled out center Joel Embiid against the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic on Monday night.  Embiid has been laboring with a sore right calf, and the Sixers decided to take a precautionary approach given the density of the team's recent schedule, sources told ESPN Embiid did try to give it a go at the shootaround Monday morning, but the Sixers decided to give him some rest. Monday's game in Denver is the Sixers' third in four nights. Embiid played in both legs of the Sixers' back-to-back against the Warriors and Suns on Friday and Saturday, respectively. James Harden, who has missed three straight games because of a sore Achilles, is on track to return Monday night, sources said. He participated in the morning shootaround and officially drew a questionable tag for the game. Embiid scored 46 points -- including 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter -- to go...

PHOENIX -- Despite dragging trade talks, the New York Jets remain confident that Aaron Rodgers will be their quarterback in 2023, tacitly saying they're so committed to Rodgers that they have no plans to pursue Lamar Jackson as a fallback option. The Jets and Green Bay Packers have engaged in "some productive conversations" in recent weeks, Jets general manager Joe Douglas told reporters Monday at the NFL's annual league meeting. "Obviously, we're not where we need to be yet, but I feel like we're in a good place," he said. Douglas said he and Packers GM Brian Gutekunst have no plans to conduct formal trade discussions in Phoenix, with Douglas saying "there's no hard deadline" for a trade. "There's not a ton of urgency from our standpoint right now. But still very optimistic." Earlier Monday, Jets coach Robert Saleh said they could conceivably wait until training camp in late July, adding, "I'm not hitting the panic button." It has been 13 days...

North Carolina star guard Caleb Love plans to enter the transfer portal, he announced Monday on social media. "My time at UNC has been rewarding and has inspired me to grow on and off the court," he said, before thanking former coach Roy Williams for recruiting him out of high school and Hubert Davis for the past two years. "I've taken some time with my family to re-evaluate what's best for me to continue to grow as a player and I've decided to enter the transfer portal to continue my journey." Love, a 6-foot-4 guard from St. Louis, is arguably the biggest name in the transfer portal to date. He averaged a career-high 16.7 points this season, shooting 37.8% from the field, while also contributing 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. The former five-star recruit boosted his stock during North Carolina's run to the national championship game last season, averaging 18.8 points in six NCAA tournament games. He scored 30 points and made six 3-pointers against UCLA in the Sweet 16,...

Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry has agreed to a deal to become the school's full-time coach, the team announced on Monday. The contract is for five years, sources told ESPN.  Terry, 55, has been the Longhorns' interim head coach since Chris Beard was suspended in December and ultimately fired a month later. He guided Texas to the Big 12 conference tournament championship and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, before making a run to the Elite Eight. The Longhorns' season ended Sunday night in an 88-81 loss to Miami. Terry became emotional when asked Sunday about his desire to become the head coach at Texas. "I haven't really had a lot of time to give a lot of thought to that, to be honest," he said. "I've been so wrapped up and invested in my team. Again, I love these guys. Not only will I just love these guys for the time I got to coach them, I'll love them for the rest of their lives. I'll be at their weddings. I'll be talking to those guys when they have their...

PHOENIX -- Facing the longest Super Bowl odds of his tenure as New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick was asked Monday at the NFL's annual meeting what message of optimism he might share with the team's fans. He succinctly answered: "The last 25 years." It was a flex, of sorts, from the soon-to-be-71-year-old Belichick, who is 18 wins away from tying the late Don Shula on the all-time coaching wins list (including playoffs). Belichick enters his 24th season as Patriots coach and has won six Super Bowls and nine AFC championships over that span, while posting a 292-120 record in the regular season and 30-12 record in the playoffs. Including his tenure as Cleveland Browns coach from 1991 to 1995, he has totaled 329 career victories, with only Shula (347) ahead of him. But the Patriots are coming off an 8-9 season and haven't won a playoff game since defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019. Furthermore, it has been three...

Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry has emerged as the focus of the school's coaching search and is in discussions for the full-time job, sources told ESPN on Monday. The two sides are meeting Monday, sources said, with hopes of finalizing a deal. Sources stressed no deal has been agreed upon at this point. Terry, 55, has been the Longhorns' interim head coach since Chris Beard was suspended in December and ultimately fired a month later. He guided Texas to the Big 12 conference tournament championship and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, before making a run to the Elite Eight. The Longhorns' season ended Sunday night in an 88-81 loss to Miami. Terry became emotional when asked Sunday about his desire to become the head coach at Texas. "I haven't really had a lot of time to give a lot of thought to that, to be honest," he said. "I've been so wrapped up and invested in my team. Again, I love these guys. Not only will I just love these guys for the time I got to coach them,...

Ahead of a much-anticipated meeting of two MVP front-runners, the Philadelphia 76ers are ruling out center Joel Embiid against the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic on Monday night, sources told ESPN. Embiid has been laboring with a sore right calf, and the Sixers decided to take a precautionary approach given the density of the team's recent schedule, sources said. Embiid did try to give it a go at the shootaround Monday morning, but the Sixers decided to give him some rest. Monday's game in Denver is the Sixers' third in four nights. Embiid played in both legs of the Sixers' back-to-back against the Warriors and Suns on Friday and Saturday, respectively. James Harden, who has missed three straight games because of a sore Achilles, is on track to return Monday night, sources said. He participated in the morning shootaround. Embiid scored 46 points -- including 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter -- to go with 9 rebounds and 8 assists in a...

PHOENIX -- Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley expressed respect and patience for running back Austin Ekeler, despite Ekeler's request to explore trade options as he enters the final season of his contract. "The respect for Austin I think from our side of things is at the highest they could be for a player," Staley said Monday at the NFL's annual owners meetings. "The position that he's in we're certainly respectful of and I think there's been communication with his team and so we're understanding of that position." Staley also said contract discussions have begun with quarterback Justin Herbert, who became eligible to sign an extension after last season. "Those talks are ongoing," Staley said. "We're at the beginning of all that, but we all know how we feel about him and I think navigating this process, we have a very good relationship with his team." Ekeler, who had an NFL-best 18 touchdowns running and receiving in 2022, is scheduled to earn...

PHOENIX -- The San Francisco 49ers aren't yet sure when quarterback Brock Purdy will be back on the field as he recovers from right elbow surgery. But they do seem to know what role he will fill when it happens: QB1. In what was easily the strongest endorsement yet for the reigning Mr. Irrelevant, Niners general manager John Lynch made clear Monday at the NFL's annual owners meetings that he and coach Kyle Shanahan view Purdy as being in the driver's seat to be the starter when he is healthy. "I think Brock has earned the right with the way he played that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse at that," Lynch said. "I'll let Kyle make those kinds of decisions but I know when we talk, Brock has probably earned that right to be the guy. If we were to line up, he'd probably take that first snap." That Purdy is considered the favorite to start is no surprise after he led the 49ers to a 7-1 record after taking over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 14....

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic avoided a one-game suspension after his 16th technical foul of the season was rescinded by the NBA league office. The league announced Monday afternoon that the technical had been rescinded after review, about five hours before the Mavericks' road game against the Indiana Pacers. Dallas has lost four straight games to fall to 36-39 and 11th place in the Western Conference standings, a game out of the play-in scenario. Doncic was whistled for a technical with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter for arguing a no-call after missing a shot on a drive to the basket in Sunday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report after the game that Doncic used "a profanity directed at the officials in protest to a no-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review." This is the second technical foul assessed to Doncic this season that has been rescinded. Players automatically get a one-game...

PHOENIX -- New York Jets coach Robert Saleh remains "confident" that Aaron Rodgers will be his quarterback for the 2023 season, and he'd love to see  Odell Beckham Jr. catching some of Rodgers' passes. Addressing reporters Monday at the NFL's annual league meeting, Saleh confirmed the team's interest in the free agent wide receiver. As for Rodgers, Saleh said the Jets are in no rush to finalize a trade with the Green Bay Packers, saying they could conceivably wait until training camp in late July. "I'm not hitting the panic button," Saleh said. "I'm confident that things are going to work out," he added. "You guys know me. I'm a very positive person and optimistic, so I'm confident that things will go the way we're hoping. But at the same time, it's not going to eat at me." It has been 13 days since the Packers quarterback, speaking on "The Pat McAfee Show," gave a public commitment to the Jets. Since then, the two teams haven't been able to...

Kentucky guard Sahvir Wheeler entered the transfer portal Monday afternoon, becoming one of the most sought-after point guards on the transfer market. Wheeler started 43 games over the past two seasons for John Calipari, after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Georgia. He was a key player for Kentucky during the 2021-22 season, starting nearly every game for a Wildcats team that earned a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 10.1 points and 6.9 assists. This past season, Wheeler shared the point guard duties with five-star freshman Cason Wallace, but still averaged 9.5 points and 6.3 assists through the first 15 games of the season -- while also shooting a career-best 38.5% from 3-point range. Wheeler then suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to miss a mid-January game against Tennessee, before seeing his minutes fluctuate the rest of the month and then suffering an ankle injury in early February that shut him down...