Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves was denied an appeal to become eligible for NBA regular-season awards despite playing 60 games this season. The NBA accepted similar appeals from Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham, who played 65 and 63 games respectively. Edwards and the Timberwolves will play the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
Key Facts
Anthony Edwards averaged a career-high 28.8 points per game over 60 games this NBA season.
The NBA requires players to participate in at least 65 games to qualify for regular-season awards.
Edwards filed a special appeal to become eligible for awards despite playing only 60 games.
The NBA denied Edwards' appeal, making him ineligible for any 2025-26 season awards.
Appeals from Luka Doncic (65 games) and Cade Cunningham (63 games) were accepted.
Cunningham missed games due to a collapsed lung; Doncic missed some games due to injury and personal reasons.
The Minnesota Timberwolves finished the regular season with a 49-33 record, securing the 6th seed in the Western Conference.
The Timberwolves will face the 3rd seed Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, in the first round of the playoffs starting Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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Ja Morant has told people he no longer wants to play for the Memphis Grizzlies. The team is expected to explore trades for him this summer after a season marked by injuries, tension, and missed games.
Key Facts
Ja Morant said he is "done playing for Memphis."
Morant played only 20 games this season due to injuries and suspension.
He suffered a UCL injury that ended his season early.
Morant had tension with the team, including a heated exchange with coaches leading to a suspension.
He has appeared in just 79 games over the last three seasons, a drop from earlier in his career.
The Grizzlies tried to trade him at the deadline but failed to find a deal.
Morant is 26 years old, a two-time NBA All-Star, under contract for $197 million over five years.
Multiple NBA teams may be interested in trading for him this summer.
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A judge has given Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke permission to play for an extra year in 2026. This decision came through a preliminary court order called an injunction.
Key Facts
Owen Heinecke is a linebacker for the University of Oklahoma football team.
A district court judge approved a preliminary injunction for Heinecke.
The injunction allows Heinecke to have one more year of eligibility to play college football.
This extra year of eligibility applies for the 2026 season.
The court’s decision came before a full hearing on the matter.
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The Los Angeles Lakers will not have Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves available for their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. Both players are dealing with serious injuries that will keep them out for the entire series, significantly changing the team's chances.
Key Facts
Luka Dončić has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and traveled to Europe for special treatment.
Austin Reaves has a Grade 2 oblique strain and is expected to be out for 4–6 weeks.
Neither player is expected to return during the first-round series against the Houston Rockets.
Dončić led the NBA with an average of 33.5 points per game this season.
Without these two players, the Lakers will rely heavily on LeBron James, who is 41 years old and recently had his lowest scoring season.
The Houston Rockets are now favored to win the series, especially the first game.
The Lakers were originally the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference before these injuries.
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England's women's rugby team has made several changes for their upcoming Six Nations match against Scotland. Ellie Kildunne will play on the wing for the first time in this tournament, and Abi Burton will play at lock due to injuries and absences in the squad.
Key Facts
Ellie Kildunne, usually a full-back, will start on the wing against Scotland.
Abi Burton will play at lock because several regular locks are unavailable.
Zoë Harrison returns as fly-half, replacing Holly Aitchison.
Demelza Short, 19 years old, will make her debut in the back row.
Emma Sing will start at full-back, providing kicking options.
Maud Muir will earn her 50th cap and start at tighthead prop.
Key players including Alex Matthews and Hannah Botterman are out with injuries.
Scotland will play in front of more than 25,000 fans at Murrayfield stadium.
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Alex Manninger, a former Austrian goalkeeper who played for Arsenal, Liverpool, and several Italian clubs, died in a car crash with a train near Salzburg at age 48. The accident happened early in the morning, and despite efforts to save him, Manninger did not survive.
Key Facts
Alex Manninger was 48 years old at the time of his death.
He died when his car was hit by a train at a railway crossing near Salzburg.
Manninger played for Arsenal from 1997 to 2001 and won the league and FA Cup in 1997-1998.
He made 33 appearances for the Austrian national team.
He also played for Italian clubs including Fiorentina, Torino, Bologna, Siena, Udinese, and Juventus.
Manninger retired from professional football in 2017 after finishing his career at Liverpool.
The car crash occurred around 8:20 a.m., and rescue teams could not revive him.
Football clubs and associations expressed condolences and plan tributes in his memory.
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Barcelona has filed another complaint with UEFA about refereeing decisions during their Champions League quarterfinal matches against Atletico Madrid. The club says these decisions, including missed penalty calls and issues with VAR (video review), affected the match results and caused harm to the team.
Key Facts
Barcelona lost to Atletico Madrid 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League quarterfinals.
The club complained about refereeing errors and poor application of the Laws of the Game during both matches.
Barcelona finished both matches with 10 players due to red cards for Pau Cubarsi and Eric Garcia.
They say two possible penalty situations were not reviewed by VAR, the video referee system.
UEFA rejected Barcelona’s first complaint about a handball incident in the first leg as inadmissible.
Barcelona claims these refereeing mistakes affected the match outcome and caused financial and sports harm.
The club wants to work with UEFA to improve refereeing fairness and transparency in future matches.
The incident relates to the Champions League, a major European soccer tournament.
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Ashley Cole, a former England football player, has taken his first senior head coach job at Italian second-division club Cesena. He moved to Italy because he found it hard to get head coach opportunities in England despite years of coaching experience.
Key Facts
Ashley Cole played 107 times for England’s national team.
He has almost seven years of coaching experience, including roles at Chelsea’s academy, Everton, Birmingham City, and England’s national setup.
Cole took coaching courses under Frank Lampard at Derby County.
He was discouraged by English clubs who said he lacked head coach experience.
Cole has now become head coach at Cesena in Italy’s Serie B (second division).
He played for Roma in Italy at the end of his playing career and is familiar with Italian culture.
Cole emphasizes hard work and does tasks like tidying equipment himself.
He uses video technology for tactical analysis to improve the team’s performance.
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Azzi Fudd was the first pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft and is considered one of the top rookies. However, early betting odds show that other rookies like Olivia Miles and Awa Fam are also strong contenders for the WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
Key Facts
Azzi Fudd was picked first overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2026 WNBA Draft.
Olivia Miles, picked second by the Minnesota Lynx, is close in Rookie of the Year betting odds.
Awa Fam, the third pick by the Seattle Storm, is also a top candidate for Rookie of the Year.
Fudd was a celebrated college player at UConn, winning several awards.
Miles will likely have a big role for the Lynx while MVP candidate Napheesa Collier is out.
Fam is a 6-foot-4 center who played well in Spain and for Spain’s U19 National Team.
DraftKings sportsbook odds: Fudd +200, Miles +300, Fam +350 for Rookie of the Year.
Other rookies with long odds include Lauren Betts, Flau’jae Johnson, and Kiki Rice.
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The NCAA committee suggested that college football teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) begin their seasons earlier starting in 2027. They recommend a 12-game schedule played over 14 weeks, starting on the Thursday of the current Week 0.
Key Facts
The recommendation comes from an NCAA committee.
It applies to Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
The plan is to have 12 games in a season.
The season would span 14 weeks.
The proposed start date is the Thursday of Week 0 (an earlier start than now).
This change would begin in the year 2027.
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The 248th Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool will be the first played at Everton’s new stadium, Hill Dickinson Stadium. BBC Sport expert Chris Sutton, boxer and Everton fan Molly McCann, and musician Dr Simon ‘Sice’ Rowbottom from the Boo Radleys share their predictions for this Premier League match.
Key Facts
The first official Merseyside derby was won by Everton in 1894 at Goodison Park.
The upcoming derby is the first held at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Chris Sutton says the game is very important, especially for Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot who wants Champions League qualification.
Molly McCann is an Everton fan, a former football player, and a professional boxer who will fight in Liverpool during derby weekend.
Everton supported McCann by collaborating on her fight outfit using past derby memorabilia.
Dr Simon ‘Sice’ Rowbottom, lead singer of the Boo Radleys and a Liverpool fan, recalls Liverpool’s success in the 1980s and praises former player and manager Kenny Dalglish.
McCann was previously signed by UFC and has won all three professional boxing matches since switching from MMA.
The Boo Radleys recently reunited and have a new album coming out soon, with a UK and Ireland tour planned.
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Lionel Messi has bought the Spanish football club Cornella, which plays in the fifth tier of Spanish football. Messi currently plays for Inter Miami in the United States and has a long history with Barcelona, where he scored many goals and won several titles.
Key Facts
Messi is the new owner of Cornella, a fifth-tier Spanish football club.
Cornella's stadium holds about 1,500 people.
Messi won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.
He played for Barcelona for many years, scoring 672 goals in 778 games.
Messi now plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in the U.S.
Cornella says Messi’s purchase shows his commitment to supporting local sport in Catalonia.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s rival, recently bought a 25% share in another Spanish club, Almeria.
Cornella has produced players like David Raya and Jordi Alba, who went on to play at higher levels.
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The general manager of the Chargers, Joe Hortiz, denied rumors that wide receiver Quentin Johnston would be traded. He clarified that Johnston is not being moved to another team.
Key Facts
Joe Hortiz is the general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Quentin Johnston is a wide receiver for the Chargers.
Trade rumors about Johnston circulated before Hortiz addressed them.
Hortiz publicly denied any plans to trade Johnston.
The team intends to keep Johnston on their roster.
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Golfers involved with the LIV Golf tour face uncertain careers after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) plans to end its financial support in 2026. While some players like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm might return to the PGA Tour, many others face an unclear future, as LIV Golf may struggle without new funding.
Key Facts
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will likely stop backing LIV Golf after 2026.
Some top players, such as Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, may return to the PGA Tour.
Other LIV golfers, especially those who strongly opposed the PGA Tour, face uncertain career paths.
LIV Golf has spent more than $5 billion since it started in 2021.
LIV Golf holds tournaments with prize funds around $30 million each.
LIV’s chief executive, Scott O’Neil, reassured staff that the 2026 season will continue as planned.
LIV Golf has gained sponsors like Rolex and HSBC and planned to sell team franchises.
The Saudi PIF is shifting focus away from sports projects after recent financial challenges linked to Middle East tensions.
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Luka Doncic, a star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, was initially ruled ineligible for NBA awards this season because he fell short of playing 65 games. After an appeal for missing two games due to the birth of his child, the NBA allowed those games to count, making him eligible for awards despite his current hamstring injury. Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons also received similar eligibility after missing games from a lung injury.
Key Facts
Luka Doncic played 64 games this season, one short of the 65-game minimum for NBA award eligibility.
Doncic missed two games to attend the birth of his second child in Slovenia.
The NBA accepted an appeal and counted those two missed games, restoring his award eligibility.
Cade Cunningham also received eligibility after missing 12 games due to a collapsed lung.
Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game this season.
The Lakers secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and will play the Houston Rockets in the playoffs.
Doncic and teammate Austin Reaves are expected to miss the first round due to injuries.
Eligibility for NBA awards can impact player salaries and future contract opportunities.
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LIV Golf, a breakaway golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), is facing uncertainty about its future as rumors grow that PIF may stop funding it. Despite significant investment and some growth in revenue, the tour has lost over $1 billion since 2021 and might not continue beyond 2026.
Key Facts
LIV Golf disrupted traditional golf by attracting top players with large financial offers.
The tour has been funded by Saudi Arabia’s PIF with more than $5 billion invested since 2021.
LIV Golf changed its format from 54 holes to a more traditional 72 holes in 2024.
Recent reports suggest PIF may pull its financial support, putting LIV’s future in doubt.
LIV Golf has experienced losses of over $1.1 billion, with $462 million lost in 2024 alone.
Tour CEO Scott O'Neil said profitability could take 5 to 10 years.
Revenue from sponsorship, ticket sales, merchandise, and online content has grown significantly.
Some European golf officials believe 2026 may be LIV Golf’s last season.
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Draymond Green helped the Golden State Warriors win a key NBA Play-In Tournament game against the Los Angeles Clippers. After the game, Green spoke about dealing with critics throughout his career and said he focuses on proving things to himself, not others.
Key Facts
The Warriors beat the Clippers 126-121 to advance in the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Stephen Curry scored 35 points in the game.
Green had 7 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals.
Green has been in the NBA since 2012 and was a second-round draft pick.
Critics doubted Green's abilities due to his size and speed, but he has proven them wrong.
He is a four-time NBA champion, four-time All-Star, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, and five-time All-Defensive First Team member.
Green stated that he aims to prove things to himself more than to others.
The Warriors will play the Phoenix Suns next in the tournament.
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The Lakers faced a tough loss in Oklahoma City on April 2. After losing two of their three main players, they now have to play against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets at home, where they are considered the underdogs.
Key Facts
The Lakers lost badly in a game in Oklahoma City on April 2.
Two of the Lakers' three key players are now out.
Their next game is against Kevin Durant’s team, the Houston Rockets.
The game will be played at the Lakers’ home court.
The Lakers are viewed as the underdogs for this upcoming game.
Kevin Durant is a notable player on the Houston Rockets team.
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The article discusses a major baseball event known as MLB's $1 billion series. It highlights what this high-stakes matchup revealed about the strengths and weaknesses of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets.
Key Facts
The event is called MLB's $1 billion series, indicating a very large financial investment.
This series is described as the richest showdown in baseball history.
The matchup involves two teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets.
The article takes place early in the baseball season, so there is still time for teams to change.
The series offered insights into how strong the Dodgers are.
It also showed the challenges faced by the Mets.
The focus is on understanding the teams’ performances through this series.
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