Despite entering the lottery with just 1.8% odds, the Dallas Mavericks landed the top selection for this year's upcoming NBA Draft.
The unexpected result sparked countless theories across the sports world. Many floated theories suggesting the NBA granted the Mavs a favor after the team traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Dallas will now have the opportunity to draft Duke standout Cooper Flagg.
Former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal became one of the latest high-profile figures to chime in on the debate. The four-time NBA champion recalled a story from 1992 about late NBA Commissioner David Stern.
O'Neal, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic in 1992, claimed Stern approached him before that year's draft lottery and inquired about his preferred NBA destination.
"[He] pulled me to the side. 'You want to play where it’s cold or where it’s hot?’" O’Neal said. "He asked me that. I said, ‘hot’ and then he smiled and I smiled."
A few months later, O'Neal watched as Orlando, Charlotte and Minnesota landed the top three picks.
"Minnesota was No. 3. Charlotte was No. 2 and then Orlando, Florida, was No. 1," he said. "I was like (while making a questioning face). I didn’t think much about it. You hear a lot of these conspiracy theories. There are a lot of situations that can make these things sound good."
O’Neal said he wanted to avoid using the phrase "conspiracy theory" but he did describe the situation as "very interesting."
Robert Griffin III was among those who chimed in on the latest saga in the rivalry between basketball stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, saying the Chicago Sky star "hates Caitlin Clark."
"After watching Caitlin Clark’s flagrant foul on Angel Reese and the aftermath, there is no way Angel Reese can continue the lie that she doesn’t dislike Caitlin Clark," Griffin wrote on X. "I know what hatred looks like. Angel Reese HATES Caitlin Clark. Not some basketball rivalry hate either. Hate."
Griffin later claimed his statement was "purely based in basketball" and was simply a "sports take."
Tempers flared between Reese and Clark after the Fever guard committed a flagrant foul on the Sky forward. It was one of the bigger moments of Indiana's 93-58 blowout win on Saturday.
Current ESPN NFL analyst and former Pittsburgh Steelers star Ryan Clark reacted to Griffin's comments on the Reese-Clark drama. Clark suggested Griffin was joining the "hate train" and was falling in line with the positions other media figures have taken.
"When RG3 jumps onto the hate train or the angry train, it now follows what we saw from Keith Olbermann, what we saw from Dave Portnoy, as they poured onto Angel Reese to make her the villain, and Caitlin Clark heroic or hero story," Clark said during a recent episode of his "The Pivot" podcast.
"The one thing we know about RG3 is he’s not having conversations at his home about what Black women have to endure in this country. About what young Black women and athletes like Angel Reese have had to deal with being on the opposite side of Caitlin Clark’s rise and ascension into stardom."
"If you’re RG3, when is the last time within your household you’ve had a conversation about what [Angel Reese is] dealing with?" Clark asked. "You haven’t been able to do that because in both of your marriages, you’ve been married to White women."
Griffin is married to Grete Griffin, who is a native of Estonia and a heptathlete.
"You haven’t had opportunities to have those conversations to educate you on what they’re feeling, what Black women deal with, what they’re seeing when they think of a young Angel Reese. And the whole time that he’s mimicking Angel Reese and bobbing his head and moving his neck while he’s doing this whole piece, his wife is in the back amening and clapping."
Griffin left ESPN in 2024. Multiple outlets reported at the time that Griffin's dismissal was a cost-cutting move.
"When I worked with RG3, he would make all of these sort of corny jokes about milk and how much he loved it and how important it was. And he always points out on social media the color of his wife’s white skin. As if the color of her skin is what makes her special. As if the color of her skin is what makes her a good wife," Clark continued.
"I’ve met the lady. I’ve had a conversation with her. I think she’s more than that. But it also leads to what Black women deal with a lot from Black men who have chose to date or marry outside of their race. They always feel like they have to go the extra mile to prop up the woman that they married or the woman that they’re with over Black women by denigrating Black women."
Griffin caught wind of Clark's comments and took to social media to share his response.
"Ryan Clark personally attacking me and my family personally over a sports opinion is cowardly, spineless, and weak," Griffin wrote on X, along with a more than two-minute-long video. Griffin also stated several times that Clark's assertions were "way out of bounds."
Caitlin Clark and Reese have major history, going back to the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball national championship. Both players downplayed the incident.
Clark told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the third quarter that there had been "nothing malicious" behind the foul.
Wyndham Clark had a regrettable final round at this past weekend's PGA Championship.
The 2023 U.S. Open winner reacted to a poor tee shot on Sunday by dangerously launching his driver into signage near the tee box. Clark had just committed a bogey before hitting his tee shot to the right on the 16th hole.
Clark didn't wait for the shot to land before he violently tossed the club, which narrowly missed hitting a volunteer who was holding a flag.
The driver left a noticeable hole in the sign. The driver was also damaged, with the club's head breaking off. Clark responded by throwing one part of the broken club to the side, ultimately leaving both pieces of the driver behind as he walked toward the golf ball in the bunker.
On Monday, Clark said his "actions were uncalled for" and vowed to make improvements.
"I would like to sincerely apologize for my behavior yesterday on Hole 16," Clark stated in a post to X. "As professionals, we are expected to remain professional even when frustrated and I unfortunately let my emotions get the best of me. My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on."
Clark also admitted that he "fell short" of the "high standard" he holds himself to.
"I hold myself to a high standard, trying to always play for something bigger than myself, and yesterday I fell short of those standards. For that I am truly sorry. I promise to better the way I handle my frustrations on the course going forward and hope you all can forgive me in due time."
Clark had a rough showing at Charlotte's Quail Hollow Club, the venue for this year's PGA Championship.
At one point during his time on the front nine, Clark produced four consecutive bogeys. He ended the tournament in a tie for 50th place on the leaderboard.
Scottie Scheffler won the Championship to secure the third major of his career. Clark finished 15 strokes behind Scheffler.
NASCAR Cup Series drivers Ty Dillon and Zane Smith built up some tension between themselves during All-Star Race festivities at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sunday night.
Dillon finished in third place in the All-Star Open, six spots ahead of Smith. Unfortunately, neither driver made it to the final All-Star Race as Carson Hocevar and John Hunter Nemechek finished first and second, respectively, and earned a shot to win the $1 million grand prize.
Dillon took issue with how Smith was driving and suggested it cost him a spot in the final race of the night. He was asked what he told Smith after the race.
"Coming off (Turn) 4, I think I gave him plenty of room, and he just doors me halfway down the straightaway. … There’s something about the younger guys in the sport now. They never had to deal with consequences," he said, via Dirty Mo Media.
"So, what I told him was if he wrecks me again, I’m just gonna beat his a--."
The next race for the NASCAR Cup Series is the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday night. It was one of the most anticipated races on the Cup Series schedule.
All eyes will be on Dillon and Smith to see if there’s any kind of retaliation.
Smith is ahead of Dillon in the points standings going into the race. He sits at 22nd, and Dillon is in 30th.
Christopher Bell won the NASCAR All-Star Race and secured the $1 million prize.
Shedeur Sanders was projected to go as early as No. 2 before his inexplicable draft slide. The Cleveland Browns finally selected Sanders in the fifth round of last month's NFL Draft.
On Monday, the Browns said Sanders signed his rookie contract. ESPN reported that Sanders' four-year rookie deal is valued at $4.6 million.
The latest NFL collective bargaining agreement introduced fixed rookie pay scales, which effectively eliminates negotiations. Since Sanders was the 144th overall pick, he was slotted to earn $4.6 million on his first contract.
The Browns also confirmed Sanders will wear the No. 12 during the 2025 season. Sanders wore No. 2 at Colorado, but Cleveland wide receiver DeAndre Carter had already claimed the No. 2 jersey.
There was some speculation Sanders could make an offer to Carter to regain his college football number. But Sanders hinted that his modest signing bonus would prevent him from pursuing his old number.
"My signing bonus ain’t that high right now," Sanders said.
The total value of Sanders' contract is worth less than his reported name, image, and likeness (NIL) valuation that he amassed during his college football career. Per On3, Sanders had a $6.5 million valuation while he played for Colorado.
Reaching an agreement on a multi-year contract could provide Sanders with some security as he competes for a roster spot and as he attempts to work his way up the Browns' depth chart.
The 23-year-old is part of a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland that features Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders finished the 2024 season at Colorado with 4,134 passing yards.
Caitlin Clark addressed the WNBA’s investigation into alleged "hateful comments" toward Angel Reese during a shootaround on Monday as the Indiana Fever prepare for the Atlanta Dream.
The WNBA launched its investigation on Sunday as the league condemned "racism, hate and discrimination in all forms." There were no specifics detailed about the alleged incident.
"There's no place for that in our game," Clark told reporters, via the Indy Star. "There's no place for that in society. Certainly we want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience.
"I appreciate the league doing that. The Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since, really, day one, what they're doing. Hopefully the investigation — we'll leave that up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so."
Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines issued a statement on the matter.
"We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday’s game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation," Raines said. "We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players."
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement, calling "such behavior unacceptable."
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The WNBA launched its "No Space for Hate" campaign before the 2025 season tipped off. The campaign will include the use of AI social media monitoring tools that will help the league enforce a revised code of conduct.
"As part of the comprehensive plan, the WNBA is rolling out an AI-powered technology solution to monitor social media activity, in partnership with players and teams, to help protect the community from online hate speech and harassment," it said.
A revised WNBA fan code of conduct includes regulations for fans on social media, and threats of sanctioning those fans from official content if they are violated. The new policy lists racist, homophobic, sexist, sexual, threatening or libelous content as "subject to blocking or deletion."
"Repeat violations of these guidelines may result in the violator no longer being able to follow our news, comment on our posts or send us messages," the policy reads. "Additionally, any direct threats to players, referees or other league and team personnel may be referred to law enforcement and may result in the violator being banned from all WNBA arenas and events."
Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
The NFL owners are expected to reengage in talks about the polarizing tush push when they meet. Club owners are scheduled to hold meetings later this week in Minnesota.
Last month, owners tabled the vote on a proposal to ban the play that became the Philadelphia Eagles' calling card over the past couple of seasons.
Following April's annual meetings in Florida, ESPN reported that the vote on the infamous play was an even split. Sixteen votes in favor of keeping the tush push and 16 votes for banning it would leave the proposal to outlaw the play eight votes short of passing. Per NFL policy, a proposal requires 24 votes to pass.
"My personal opinion? I think they should ban it," Luvu told NFL Network. "But I know the argument's going to be about, 'Hey, you guys have to stop it. Don't get us in short yardage,' and whatnot."
Luvu then suggested the tush push was a cheap play and compared it to a rugby scrum.
"But it's kind of like a cheapo play. ... That's pretty much a scrum in rugby. That's how I kind of look at it. And we've got to have a scrum, too, on the other side. And the scrum is, we have a cadence where we all go at once. It's not like you hard count and this and that, where now you're getting us — or myself — jumping over the pile thinking that you're going to snap the ball. That's just my own personal opinion, and I'm going to leave it at that."
Luvu, who plays linebacker for the Commanders, was flagged on three consecutive snaps late in January's NFC Championship game. He jumped over the line of scrimmage while the Eagles were lined up near the goal line for their signature tush push.
The third penalty prompted one of the game's referees to announce, "Washington has been advised that at some point the referee can award a score if this type of behavior happens again."
The Eagles defeated the Commanders in the NFC title game and advanced to Super Bowl LIX. Philadelphia's dominant performance in the game ended the Kansas City Chiefs' hopes of winning three consecutive championships.
The NFL owners are expected to reengage in talks about the polarizing tush push when they meet. Club owners are scheduled to hold meetings later this week in Minnesota.
Last month, owners tabled the vote on a proposal to ban the play that became the Philadelphia Eagles' calling card over the past couple of seasons.
Following April's annual meetings in Florida, ESPN reported that the vote on the infamous play was an even split. Sixteen votes in favor of keeping the tush push and 16 votes for banning it would leave the proposal to outlaw the play eight votes short of passing. Per NFL policy, a proposal requires 24 votes to pass.
"My personal opinion? I think they should ban it," Luvu told NFL Network. "But I know the argument's going to be about, 'Hey, you guys have to stop it. Don't get us in short yardage,' and whatnot."
Luvu then suggested the tush push was a cheap play and compared it to a rugby scrum.
"But it's kind of like a cheapo play. ... That's pretty much a scrum in rugby. That's how I kind of look at it. And we've got to have a scrum, too, on the other side. And the scrum is, we have a cadence where we all go at once. It's not like you hard count and this and that, where now you're getting us — or myself — jumping over the pile thinking that you're going to snap the ball. That's just my own personal opinion, and I'm going to leave it at that."
Luvu, who plays linebacker for the Commanders, was flagged on three consecutive snaps late in January's NFC Championship game. He jumped over the line of scrimmage while the Eagles were lined up near the goal line for their signature tush push.
The third penalty prompted one of the game's referees to announce, "Washington has been advised that at some point the referee can award a score if this type of behavior happens again."
The Eagles defeated the Commanders in the NFC title game and advanced to Super Bowl LIX. Philadelphia's dominant performance in the game ended the Kansas City Chiefs' hopes of winning three consecutive championships.
Former NBA player Etan Thomas compared Chicago Sky star Angel Reese to a member of the "Little Rock Nine," as the WNBA player allegedly had "hateful comments" hurled toward her during the team’s loss to the Indiana Fever.
Thomas posted a photo to his social media account on Monday, portraying Reese as one of the nine Black schoolgirls who were able to attend an all-White school in Arkansas following the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that ended segregation in public schools.
The photo showed Reese superimposed onto the iconic black and white photo known as the "Scream Image." It showed 15-year-old Elizabeth Eckford being yelled at on her way to school. The picture depicted the bravery Eckford showed by going into Little Rock Central High School.
"This is how it’s been for Angel Reese ever since the 2023 NCAA Tournament when her LSU Tigers defeated Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the national championship game," Thomas wrote on X.
The WNBA was reportedly investigating racial slurs that were reported to have been directed at Reese during the game on Saturday. The league did not get into specifics of what allegedly occurred during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter," the league said in a statement.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) also released a statement.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter," the union said. "Such behavior is unacceptable for our sport.
"Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
Reese and Clark had a heated exchange during the game, but both players said it was a "basketball play" and nothing more.
Reese’s confidence in her abilities and willingness to back them up has made her one of the most-talked-about athletes in the WNBA.
She finished second in WNBA Rookie of the Year voting, earned a WNBA MVP vote and finished her first year with the Sky averaging a double-double.
Indy 500 champions Josef Newgarden and Will Power were hit with a major penalty less than a week before the green flag drops for the race.
The Team Penske drivers will be forced to start in the rear of the field over modified attenuators, the IndyCar Series announced on Monday. The team strategists for both drivers were suspended for the race.
"The integrity of the Indianapolis 500 is paramount, and this violation of the INDYCAR rule against modification to this part and using it ‘as supplied’ is clear," IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said in a statement. "The penalty should be more than simply starting where the cars might have qualified anyway, if given the opportunity. The cars belong in the field as two of the fastest 33; however, starting on the tail of the field is the appropriate penalty in this instance."
IndyCar said Newgarden and Power will forfeit qualification points, and they were fined $100,000.
"The positive momentum around the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 has been on a steep crescendo over the last several months, and we want it to be clear that our intent is to maintain that momentum and discourage teams from putting INDYCAR in positions where it calls into the integrity of our officiating and the levelness of the playing field," Boles added.
"As we look to the remainder of the week and the race this weekend, we will do everything we can to make it clear that this is not only the best racing on the planet but racing where the best win under completely fair conditions."
IndyCar said an illegal filling was found in the seams of the attenuator, according to FOX Sports.
Team Penske President Tim Cindric said Sunday the modification was performed to make the vehicles sleek and not to give it an advantage.
"In our eyes, it’s not a performance advantage but at the end of the day, if they don’t like the seam being filled, they don’t like the seam being filled," Cindric said via FOX Sports. "You’ve got to do what the inspection process is and conform to that."
Newgarden won the Indy 500 in 2023 and 2024. Power won the race in 2018.
Each driver will now have to pull off stunning racing to get to the front and possibly win the race.
The Indy 500 will be broadcast May 25 on FOX with pre-coverage starting at 10 a.m. ET. It will also be available to stream live on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports app.
Scottie Scheffler was pumped after securing the first PGA Championship of his career.
Scheffler threw down his hat onto the green at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, as he celebrated winning the major tournament with an 11-under par. He went over to his family and hugged his wife, son and parents as they congratulated him.
The adrenaline must have carried over to the Wanamaker Trophy celebration. Scheffler lifted the piece of hardware a little too awkwardly, and the lid of the trophy fell from the top and hit the ground.
He laughed it off, as did the rest of the fans who watched the ceremony occur.
Collin Morikawa had the same blunder when he won the PGA Championship in 2020.
"They told me it’s heavy. They didn’t tell me the lid comes off," the golfer said Wednesday before the tournament began, via Golf.com. "But it is way heavier than you expect. And then they tell you to lift it over your head."
Scheffler shot a final-round 71 to secure the third major victory of his career.
He had a rough first few holes and allowed Jon Rahm to get into contention. However, he locked in while Rahm fell off the pace on the back nine.
"This back nine will be one that I remember for a long time," Scheffler said. "It was a grind out there. I think at one point on the front I maybe had a four- or five-shot lead, and making the turn, I think I was tied for the lead.
"So to step up when I needed to the most, I’ll remember that for a while."
ESPN star Stephen A. Smith weighed in on Monday about why Catilin Clark’s hard foul on Angel Reese became a major story of the sports weekend.
Clark’s foul under the basket came after Reese pushed off of an Indiana Fever player to secure an offensive rebound. Clark fouled the Chicago Sky forward in order to prevent an easy two points. Reese let Clark have an earful over the foul.
Clark’s personal foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul.
The two WNBA stars downplayed the foul in their postgame press conferences, but it still became a hot topic of debate because of the history the two young athletes have.
"First Take" host Molly Qerim asked bluntly whether the story of Clark and Reese becoming "trending news" was because it was women being physical with each other or was it because it involved a Black and a White player.
"It’s not about Black and White – it’s about that White player and that Black player," Smith said of Clark and Reese. "Why? Because of the history they had before they came to the WNBA. If Angel Reese was never in Caitlin Clark’s face taunting her the way that she did, mimicking what Caitlin Clark was doing to numerous opponents in route to the Final Four and then LSU and Angel Reese busted their you know what at that particular moment in time and Angel Reese was in her face chirping at her the way that she did, it would have never gotten to this point.
"I have never deemed that to be a bad thing. I love that kind of confrontation. I love that kind of heat. But there are White folks in America had a problem with Angel Reese coming at ‘The Chosen One,’ Caitlin Clark, that way. And because of that, they’ve acted with a level of vitriol. How do we know that? Because Angel Reese came back to college following year and one of the things that reduced her to tears was the vitriol that she was receiving from around the country because were hating on her because of her elevated popularity and the fact that she had gone at Caitlin Clark that way.
"Now, we come to the WNBA. No fault of Caitlin’s at all. But in the end, because of her greatness and because people were resistant to accepting the way I have articulated on many occasions, you have people using that as an excuse to throw vitriol at other people. In the end, here’s what I say, that’s what’s contributed to Angel Reese becoming a household name, along with the fact that she’s a rebounding demon … but that’s elevated her level of popularity."
Smith pointed to the rivalry Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson had in the NBA. It started at the college level and blossomed into the NBA.
He drew a comparative racial line between the NBA greats and young WNBA stars.
"What I would say all of y’all is this … no matter how great Michael Jordan was obviously, it started with Bird vs. Magic. Yeah, you can talk about Showtime vs. Boston, but that White superstar losing in that national championship game to that dude called Magic at Michigan State when (Bird) was at Indiana State and him coming into the NBA," he said. "They constantly made the Finals, and they owned most of the 80s in terms of the two teams, respectively. The bottom line is, it contributed to elevate the popularity.
"So, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, embrace this. It’s OK, because all y’all doing is competing."
Indiana won the first of five games against Chicago. Clark had a triple-double and Reese had a double-double.
Pro wrestlers Tyra Mae Steele and Jasper Troy won the "WWE Legends and Future Greats" (LFG) competition on Sunday night to earn WWE NXT contracts.
Steele got her spot over Zena Sterling, and Troy earned his over Shiloh Hill to move up to the next level of competition. Both competitors will join the NXT brand and become the next duo to make an impact on the developmental brand.
"I’m super excited," Steele told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I’m more patient. I just know in due time, everything is going to take place and when it rains it pours. So, I am excited to just see what the future holds and how the WWE Universe is gonna take my energy and all that I have to offer."
Troy expressed that he was more anxious to get into the ring and mix it up.
"I’m just more ready to see how the story unfolds. To me, it’s like expecting a movie to come out," he explained. "I’m just waiting to play my role in that film and see myself on the screen. But the funnest part for me has just been the work that we’ve been putting in since winning. Being more behind the scenes again, and I think it was just fun and go back to a feeling of trying to make it out of the bottom again.
"Because, you know, after the winning the show, I was on this big high. I felt like, ‘Wow, everything’s about to start changing rapidly. But everything just slowed down for a couple of months. I was just like, this is another test, this is another trial that I have to get through. The moment I come out it’s like a new debut and new beginning. The next chapter is very exciting to me."
Steele, whose real name is Tamyra Mensah-Stock, comes in with an audience a bit more familiar with her.
She is a world champion freestyle wrestler who won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She also won two gold medals at the World Championships, one gold medal at the Pan American Games, three gold medals at the Pan American Championships and three gold medals at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yaryigin.
She put the NXT locker room on notice as her debut looms.
"My hard work is different than dang-near everybody. I am an Olympic gold medalist, not a lot of people can say that," she said. "That is a standard that not a lot of people can accomplish. It is an Olympic standard. To everyone that is going to be seeing me coming into the roster, they need to know, they need to understand that Tyra Mae Steele is going to be coming to this roster with an Olympic standard.
"And I am going to be flattening everyone who will be standing in my way. This is a standard that not a lot of people can live up to. And I see some people slacking – that just makes me hungry."
Steele said she keeps hearing that the NXT women’s division is "the hottest roster that there is" and vowed to make sure it stays that way.
"When I step into the building, when I step into the ring with anybody, they’re going to go, ‘Oh, my gosh, she wasn’t kidding about that Olympic standard,’" she said. "They’re gonna feel it, and they’re gonna love it and they’re gonna appreciate it. And if they don’t appreciate it, they’re dang sure going to respect it."
Troy, whose real name is Antoine Frazer, joined WWE as a recruit nearly three years ago. He played college football at Northern Iowa, Kansas and Rhode Island.
He praised the talent on the men’s roster for when he first entered the company.
"When I came in, the locker room wasn’t that much different, but there was a noticeable amount of talent," he told Fox News Digital. "And when I looked up, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, like, where do I fit in?’ When Bron Breakker was here regularly, Carmelo Hayes, Ilja Dragunov, that locker room was tough. Even Grayson Waller, I mean … they were the ones leading the charge.
"They would out-perform each other. It was almost like they were competing to see who’s gonna have the best performance of the night. Every coconut (show type) I went to I saw at least five or six main-event matches that could have been promoted."
He added that he is bringing the "same mentality."
"I’m ready to compete," Troy said. "I’m ready to move. I’m ready to shuffle the deck of players myself. I’m not coming in to participate or just tribute. I’m coming in to contribute. I’m coming in to be a factor in this. They gotta handle whatever they gotta handle."
IndyCar rookie Robert Shwartzman earned the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 with the quickest lap around the track on Sunday afternoon.
It was Shwartzman’s first time on an oval track. He appeared on "Fox & Friends" on Monday morning, just hours after attaining the top spot in "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
"Honestly, I still can’t believe it. It’s a new day and I still feel like it’s a dream. I’ve been dreaming about it for a long time and, yesterday, everything was just going so well, the car felt amazing," he said. "I was going full out. And when I saw myself in P1, I was just like, ‘Wow, this is unbelievable.’
"The reaction of fans and people here in the U.S. is unbelievable. I think it’s the most memorable and best emotional part my entire career."
Shwartzman was traveling at speeds of up to 230 mph and somehow was able to maintain control for the blazing-fast laps. Some other drivers traveling at similar speeds suffered devastating crashes going at a similar rate.
The 25-year-old Russian Israeli driver was able to stay in control, maintain his focus and become the first rookie to win the pole since 1983.
"It’s really, really fast," he said. "But as a racing driver, you are training yourself to have a proper vision. You have to see the road really far because the speed is so quick. Plus, when you’re going into the corners at that speed, anything could happen.
"As we’ve seen, there was some incidents from other guys. It hurts quite a lot. … It’s so stressful. Mentally, I was so tired afterward because it’s four laps, and it seems quite short, but no. You’re going so fast there. You have to keep every second under control."
Shwartzman said he will try to stay cool, calm and collected in order to win the race.
"I’ll do my best as I did in qualifying, and we’ll see where we’re gonna be at. I don’t want to put any huge expectations. I just want to enjoy it. I want a fast car and battle with the top guys."
The Indy 500 will be broadcast May 25 on FOX with pre-coverage starting at 10 a.m. ET. It will also be available to stream live on FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports app.
The son of John Elway’s late agent, Jeff Sperbeck, paid tribute to his father in a heart-wrenching Instagram post on Sunday.
Jackson Sperbeck put together a slideshow of photos, remembering the times he spent with his father before his tragic passing late last month. The photos ranged from the time Jackson was a child to his older years.
"Your footsteps gave me direction. I’ll walk the rest with purpose," he captioned the collage. "I love you dad."
Jeff Sperbeck, 62, died from injuries sustained in a golf-cart crash in California. The Riverside County Coroner’s Office ruled that his death was accidental due to blunt head trauma.
"The Cause of Death is 'Blunt Head Trauma,' and the Manner of Death is ‘Accident,’ and the Mode of Death (How the injury occurred) is ‘Passenger fell from golf cart.’" the coroner's bureau said in the statement obtained by Fox News Digital earlier this month.
"I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken by the passing of my close friend, business partner and agent Jeff Sperbeck," Elway said in a statement, via ESPN.
"There are no words to truly express the profound sadness I feel with the sudden loss of someone who has meant so much to me.
"My heart and deepest sympathies go out to Jeff’s wife, Cori; his children Carly, Sam and Jackson; and everyone who knew and loved him. Jeff will be deeply missed for the loyalty, wisdom, friendship and love he brought into my life and the lives of so many others."
Fox News’ Chantz Martin contributed to this report.
American Olympic rugby star Alev Kelter will face a judicial hearing and potentially lengthy suspension after being sent off in a women’s rugby test on Saturday for stamping on the head of an opponent.
Team USA was playing against Australia, who went on to celebrate a 27-19 victory in Saturday's contest.
Upon a video review, referees issued a red card around the 79th minute of action in the Pacific Four Series test. Officials determined Kelter forcefully stamped on the head of Australian center Georgie Friedrichs.
Microphones picked up a referee saying, "Twelve, blue (Kelter), is going to receive a permanent red card because this is thuggery, it is deliberate and it is very dangerous foul play.
"She’s clearly stamped on the head of the Australian player. That’s reckless, that’s dangerous and she’s going off."
Friedrichs appeared to avoid any major injuries in the incident. Team USA coach Sione Fukofuka later apologized to the Australian players.
Foul play in rugby that involves contact with the head is treated with extreme seriousness. Rugby, like many contact sports, has changed its rules in an effort to limit the danger of concussion and other head injuries.
Kelter is a three-time US Olympic representative in rugby sevens and won a bronze medal in Paris last year. She previously played ice hockey and soccer for the University of Wisconsin.
In rugby, judicial hearings over foul play usually take place within 48 hours of a match.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy pushed back on allegations that "hateful comments" were reportedly made toward Angel Reese during the Chicago Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever.
The WNBA launched an investigation on Sunday. The remarks were allegedly made toward the second-year Sky star during Saturday’s matchup, according to The Associated Press. The league said it "strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms."
No specifics were presented, and Portnoy cast doubt on whether the comments happened and speculated that internet trolls could have been behind it. Portnoy was at the game at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse and sat courtside in a Caitlin Clark jersey.
Portnoy said in a video posted to his X account that the only "hate" he saw came from Reese against Clark after the Fever star hit Reese with a hard foul in the third quarter. Reese let Clark know emphatically that she did not like it. Clark was given a flagrant foul but said there was "no malicious intent" behind it.
"Listen, I was at the game. If there was somebody being racist or saying s---, obviously boot ’em. Never let them back," Portnoy said. "I would be stunned beyond belief if that was the case. … The crowd at the Fever game? Little girls, families, ladies, nice crowd. Were we mad when Angel Reese attacked Cailtin Clark for no reason? Yeah. Did we boo her? Yeah. Is it sports? Yeah.
"For the WNBA, and now the Indiana Fever, to issue statements, ‘We’re investigating,’ unless something so preposterous happened that nobody in the stadium saw — there’s not an ounce of proof, there’s not a video of it, there’s not camera phone of it — unless something happened, which I know it didn’t. For them to acknowledge this and, again, kind of paint Indiana Fever fans, like, by just saying ‘We’re investigating the hate’ … even though it’s 100% false, by acknowledging ‘We don’t condone hate,’ and not seeing that this was an internet rumor founded of complete bulls---, you’re lending credence to this."
Portnoy added that the crowd was good and that Reese "deserved" to at least be booed but had a message for the WNBA.
"Angel Reese deserved to get her a-- booed when she attacked Caitlin on a normal foul," he said. "Other than that, what are you talking about? The WNBA, talk about killing the golden goose. Like, you guys are lucky you have Caitlin Clark. You are lucky you have the Indiana Fever. It makes the league relevant. All you do is s--- on ‘em.
"And for the Fever, by the way, to even put out that statement, I’ll eat my words if you find one iota, or if there’s even one person who is doing something. Being in that crowd, seeing that crowd, being at the game, zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero chance there’s any truth to this. And you add validity when you acknowledge the statement, ‘We don’t condone hate.’ There was no hate. The only hate was coming from Angel Reese attacking Caitlin Clark."
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) released a statement on the issue as well.
"The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter. Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport," the statement said. "Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all."
The Fever acknowledged the investigation was taking place, as did the Sky.
"We will do everything in our power to protect Chicago Sky players, and we encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players," Sky CEO Adam Fox said.
The Sky and Fever have four more matchups on the docket this season.
The Florida Panthers bashed the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and moved on to the conference finals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers scored three goals in the second period and three more in the third in the 6-1 win. Florida had six different goal scorers – Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, Jonah Gadjovich, Eetu Luostarinen, Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand.
Marchand scored in the latter stages of the game, capping off his history-making effort.
In the win over the Maple Leafs, the NHL said Marchand became the first player to win five winner-take-all games against the same team. Marchand was with the Boston Bruins when the team won four Game 7s against Toronto. Florida’s win was his fifth.
"I grew up a Leafs fan, and I enjoy playing against the Leafs," Marchand said after the game. "I enjoy interacting with fans. It’s fun. I don’t take myself too seriously. I love getting made fun of, and I love making fun of people. If you can’t take it, then so be it. I’m going to enjoy the moments that I have.
"When I come in here and I get booed, I’m good. I’m going to show it. I’m going to enjoy that."
Florida acquired the veteran from the Bruins at the trade deadline, and it was for the extra push when it came to the postseason.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice also kept his Game 7 winning streak alive. He is 6-0 in Game 7s as a head coach.
"Game 7s are for the players," Maurice said. "It doesn’t matter how your hands feel. It doesn’t matter how your body feels. It doesn’t matter how well you execute. If it’s how comfortable you are in hard situations, then you have a chance."
The Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions and will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals.
A rookie driver celebrated an unlikely pole victory for the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.
While Team Penske was disqualified before the final two rounds of qualifying, Robert Shwartzman won the pole.
The 25-year-old was driving for PREMA Racing and became the first Indy 500 rookie to qualify for the pole since 1983. Shwartzman, who has dual nationality in Israel and Russia, initially raced under the Russian flag. He currently competes under the Israeli flag, which makes the Tel Aviv native the first driver from Israel to make "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Until Shwartzman's win, Teo Fabi was the last rookie to qualify for the Indy 500 pole. Coincidentally, he was an Italian — just like Prema, which was also founded in 1983. Prema is established in Europe and races in the Formula 2 series. It made its IndyCar debut this season.
Prema is the first team making its debut in the Indy 500 to land on the pole since Mayer Motor Racing put Tom Sneva there in 1984.
The event also marked Shwartzman's racing debut on an oval. He said the victory felt like a dream.
"Honestly it feels like I'm dreaming. I just had it in my dreams when I was going how would it feel to do such a good job in quali," he said. "It's the Indy 500. It's the main race of the year. Honestly it feels unbelievable."
Shwartzman had been pursuing a career in Formula 1 and was part of the Ferrari development program as well as its reserve driver from 2021 until the end of last season. Prema then nabbed him for its two-car team.
The pole was first wide open for the taking when Team Penske was disqualified from qualifying for an illegal modification on the cars of two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and Will Power. Then, Scott McLaughlin destroyed his car in a Sunday morning crash during practice.
The three Penske drivers all started on the front row last year, but will be 10th, 11th and 12th in the fourth row together next weekend.
Rory McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam last month. The reigning Masters champion recently arrived in Charlotte for the second major of the 2025 season, the PGA Championship.
McIlroy ended the tournament in a three-way tie for 47th place, finishing the major at 3-over. Sunday, the final day of the tournament, also marked McIlroy's fourth consecutive day of declining to speak with members of the media assembled at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.
Speculation swirled that the Northern Irishman avoided making any public statements to the press in light of the situation with his driver leading up to the tournament. The United States Golf Association (USGA) ruled that McIlroy's driver was non-conforming. The ruling forced McIlroy to make a switch.
McIlroy's name was linked to the failed the test and eventually became public knowledge, likely via a leak. USGA policy prevents the organization from disclosing the name of any player who receives a failed test.
McIlroy was ultimately just one of multiple competitors who was forced to make an equipment change for the PGA Championship.
Xander Schauffele, who won last year's PGA Championship, hinted that Scottie Scheffler also had to make a change.
"I think Scott is winning the tournament, and I think he switched to his backup, too," Schauffele told Golfweek. "See, you don't even know, because he's so good. We can deal with it because the (equipment) reps are so good now."
Scheffler and McIlroy are endorsed by TaylorMade. As of Sunday evening, the brand had not released a public statement about the golfer's drivers.
Schauffele said that testing every competitor's clubs helps "protect the integrity of the field."
"I think they should test everyone's driver," he said. "It's not right to just test 50 guys. It just doesn't make sense if you're in it for the spirit (of the game). The whole point is to protect the integrity of the field. If you don't test everyone across the board, I don't think you're protecting the whole field."
Amid the controversy, the PGA of America released a statement.
"We can confirm that the USGA was invited to do club testing at the PGA Championship, at the PGA of America's request," the statement read in part. "That testing program is consistent with the same level of support that the USGA provides to the PGA Tour and other championships, as part of their regular programs for driver testing. The standard process is for about a third of the field to be randomly tested under the program. That was the case at Quail Hollow this week. Finding driver heads that have crept over the line of conformance is not an unusual occurrence, especially for clubs that are hit thousands of times over a long period of time."
Scheffler went on to win the PGA Championship on Sunday to earn the third major victory of his career.
