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🏀 5 issues to know Wednesday
- The Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs’ evening went from unhealthy to worse. Wembanyama left Sport 2 of the Spurs’ first-round collection in opposition to the Path Blazers and was later identified with a concussion, which opened the door for Portland to steal a 106-103 stunner on the highway. The collection now heads to the Pacific Northwest twisted up at one, which places the Spurs in a precarious place if their celebrity misses time. It makes them one of many evening’s losers together with the Celtics, who suffered an upset defeat to the 76ers to stage that collection, as nicely. Accidents are additionally a defining attribute of the Rockets vs. Lakers collection. Kevin Durant returned from his knee situation final evening for Sport 2 though LeBron James regarded like he was nonetheless prime King James, and Austin Reaves is likely to be out there if the collection goes the space.
- Billy Donovan stepped down from his Bulls job. Regardless of closing his tenure because the fourth-winningest coach in Bulls historical past, Donovan completed above .500 simply as soon as in six years and elected to not choose up his 2026-27 contract choice after a 31-win marketing campaign. Donovan stays extremely regarded and, based on Matt Norlander, nonetheless has curiosity in teaching. He was a sizzling title in North Carolina’s search earlier this month and would doubtless be the prime prize on subsequent yr’s faculty teaching carousel if he needs to return to that stage.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 2026 NBA Clutch Participant of the Yr. And the reigning MVP may not be performed accumulating {hardware} this season, as he’s one in every of three finalists for the last word particular person award. It was a runaway within the race for CPOY with Gilgeous-Alexander racking up 96 of the 100 first-place votes to grow to be the fourth winner within the younger award’s historical past. He closed the common season because the league chief in clutch factors (175) regardless of enjoying in simply 27 clutch video games.
- Columbus is the following NWSL growth metropolis. The possession group that operates the Browns and Crew will quickly area knowledgeable girls’s soccer membership. The NWSL awarded the Haslam Sports activities Group the rights to the league’s 18th group — which can debut alongside a brand new group in Atlanta throughout the 2028 season — for an growth price of $205 million. ScottsMiracle-Gro Area, the house of the Crew, will function house turf for the brand new squad.
- Mike Vrabel broke his silence on the images with Diana Russini. Two weeks have handed since images of Vrabel hugging and holding fingers with the NFL reporter surfaced, and he lastly spoke on the matter. The images and their implications have grow to be one of the vital viral tales of the offseason — at an inopportune time for the Patriots as they search to make headlines with their NFL Draft strikes quite than off-the-field controversy.
🏈 Don’t miss this: Mike Renner’s last massive board and extra NFL Draft prep
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It is NFL Draft eve, and the analysts are stirring, particularly Mike Renner. His last rating of the 250 finest prospects within the 2026 class is right here. Renner referred to as this the toughest massive board he is put collectively in additional than a decade, and if NFL entrance workplaces have that very same type of bother stacking up the very best gamers, then the following three days may function a variety of surprises.
It would not take a protracted have a look at the rankings to seek out the primary eyebrow-raiser. Whereas the talk about which prospect the Jets will take with the No. 2 choose facilities round Arvell Reese and David Bailey, Renner truly has Rueben Bain Jr. ranked above each of them as the very best edge rusher within the class. Try his prime 5 total prospects:
- Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
- Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (Fla.)
- Arvell Reese, EDGE/LB, Ohio State
- Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
- Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
We even have quite a lot of totally different lenses via which you’ll be able to view your last-minute draft prep.
📊 Method-too-early girls’s faculty basketball rankings
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Sufficient mud has settled from the switch portal window and WNBA Draft that it’s now doable to look into the window of subsequent season in girls’s faculty basketball. Roster modifications shook up the pecking order on the prime of the game within the weeks following UCLA’s nationwide championship run — a lot in order that the Bruins are usually not even within the prime 15 of our way-too-early rankings for the 2026-27 marketing campaign.
Regardless that Cori Shut has work to do if she is to steer her program to consecutive titles, Isabel Gonzalez says that may be a activity nicely inside this coach’s talents.
- Gonzalez: “Timea Gardiner missed this previous season resulting from damage, however she was a major contributor throughout the Bruins’ 2024 Last 4 run and can now grow to be a veteran chief for a younger UCLA roster. Shut can be bringing reinforcements from the switch portal, together with Donovyn Hunter from TCU, Bonnie Deas from Arkansas and Elina Aarnisalo, who’s returning to UCLA after spending one yr at North Carolina.”
A number of packages climbed the ladder with spectacular showings within the roster-building portion of the offseason. As an example, Oklahoma State, with its acquisition of Audi Crooks, slots in at No. 12. Nonetheless, the groups to beat are largely acquainted faces. Geno Auriemma and Daybreak Staley as soon as once more lead the pack. Here is the highest 5:
- UConn
- South Carolina
- USC
- Texas
- Michigan
👍👎 One of the best (and not-so-best) of the remainder
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📺 What we’re watching Wednesday
⚾ Astros at Guardians, 1:10 p.m. on MLB Community
⚾ Orioles at Royals, 2:10 p.m. on ESPN Limitless
⚽ Coppa Italia, semifinal: Lazio at Atalanta, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚾ Blue Jays at Angels, 3:07 p.m. on MLB Community
⚾ Braves at Nationals, 6:45 p.m. on Peacock
⚾ Yankees at Purple Sox, 6:45 p.m. on MLB Community
🏀 NBA playoffs: Magic at Pistons, Sport 2, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Stanley Cup playoffs: Penguins at Flyers, Sport 3, 7 p.m. on TNT
⚽ Atlanta United at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. on FS1
⚽ FC Dallas at Minnesota United FC, 8:30 p.m. on Apple TV
🏀 NBA playoffs: Suns at Thunder, Sport 2, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Stanley Cup playoffs: Stars at Wild, Sport 3, 9:30 p.m. on TNT
⚽ Actual Salt Lake at Inter Miami CF, 9:30 p.m. on Apple TV
⚾ Dodgers at Giants, 9:45 p.m. on MLB Community
🏒 Stanley Cup playoffs: Geese at Oilers, Sport 2, 10 p.m. on TBS
⚽ Los Angeles Soccer Membership at Colorado Rapids, 10:30 p.m. on Apple TV