Josh Kroenke, Arsenal's co-chair, said the Covid-19 pandemic gave manager Mikel Arteta more room to develop the team without fan pressure. Arteta has helped revive Arsenal, leading the club to its first Premier League title in 22 years after taking over in 2019.
Key Facts
The Kroenke family has had majority control of Arsenal since 2018.
Mikel Arteta was hired as Arsenal's manager in December 2019, his first senior managerial role.
Arsenal won the FA Cup in 2020 but finished eighth in the league during a pandemic-affected season.
During the Covid-19 period, games were played without fans, which gave Arteta more "space" to work on the team.
Arsenal recently won their first Premier League title in 22 years under Arteta’s leadership.
The club went through big changes after Arsene Wenger left, including becoming privately owned and losing key executives.
Kroenke said Arteta’s character made him the right choice to lead Arsenal through this period of change.
Fan protests had previously criticized how the Kroenkes were running the club.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The NBA's Board of Governors approved changes to the draft lottery system, increasing the number of teams involved from 14 to 16. They also passed new rules aimed at reducing "tanking," which means purposely losing games to get better draft picks.
Key Facts
The NBA's Board of Governors made the decision on Thursday.
The draft lottery will now include 16 teams instead of 14.
New rules were introduced to discourage teams from losing games on purpose (anti-tanking).
These changes aim to make the league more competitive and fair.
The NBA officially announced the changes after the vote.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Chicago Bears had a strong season under head coach Ben Johnson, finishing first in their division. Football writer Tom Blair highlighted running back D'Andre Swift as one of the NFL’s most underrated players heading into the 2026 season.
Key Facts
The NFL draft is finished, and teams are preparing for the 2026 season with organized team activities and practices.
The Chicago Bears improved significantly last season under new head coach Ben Johnson.
Chicago Bears finished No. 1 in the NFC North last season.
Tom Blair of NFL.com named D'Andre Swift, the Bears’ running back, as one of the most underrated players in the NFC.
Swift averaged 5.39 yards per touch in 2025, ranking eighth among players with at least 150 touches.
He scored 10 total touchdowns last season, the highest on the Bears team.
Johnson and Swift previously worked together for three seasons on the Detroit Lions, giving Swift familiarity with Johnson’s coaching style.
There is a possibility Swift’s contract might not extend beyond the upcoming season, making his retention important for the Bears.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a promising player named Kingsley Suamataia, who plays on the offensive line. After a tough start in his first year, he improved significantly in his second year by switching positions and starting all 17 games.
Key Facts
Kingsley Suamataia was the Chiefs' 63rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
He started as the left tackle protecting quarterback Patrick Mahomes but struggled in that role.
Suamataia only started two games as left tackle before being benched.
The team moved him to left guard during the offseason.
In his new position, he started all 17 games in the last season.
His improved performance helped during the Chiefs’ worst year under coach Andy Reid.
Analysts consider Suamataia a “sleeper” or underrated player in the AFC.
He is expected to continue improving and be an important player in the 2026 season.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Denver Nuggets are preparing for the 2026 NBA draft to improve their team. A recent mock draft suggests they might pick Dailyn Swain from Texas with the 26th overall pick to add defense and teamwork to their lineup.
Key Facts
The 2026 NBA draft is an important event for teams to add new players.
The Denver Nuggets have a strong but expensive group of players now.
Zach Buckley from Bleacher Report predicts the Nuggets will choose Dailyn Swain at pick number 26.
Swain plays well on defense and helps his teammates by passing the ball.
He is not known for making many shots but is good at finishing plays near the basket.
Swain offers versatility on defense, which the Nuggets need.
The pick could help Denver save money while keeping the team competitive.
Adding Swain might be necessary if the Nuggets cannot keep player Peyton Watson.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for the 2026 NFL season with hopes of rebuilding after missing the playoffs in 2025. A recent NFL.com article highlights linebacker Dallas Turner as an underrated player who may have a breakout season ahead.
Key Facts
The Minnesota Vikings are heading into 2026 as a rebuilding team.
The Vikings missed the playoffs in the 2025 season.
Dallas Turner, a linebacker, was drafted 17th overall in 2024.
In his rookie year, Turner played in 16 games but only participated in 28% of defensive snaps and made three sacks.
Turner improved in his sophomore year with eight sacks, including 4.5 sacks late in the 2025 season.
The Vikings recently lost player Jonathan Greenard, opening a larger role for Turner.
Analyst Tom Blair suggests Turner is ready to step up and possibly have a breakout season.
The NFL’s slow offseason is a good time to highlight underrated players like Turner.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
LSU's new athletic director, Verge Ausberry, said he has talked with his coaches about staying united within the Southeastern Conference (SEC). This came after some controversial remarks made by LSU's head coach, Lane Kiffin.
Key Facts
Verge Ausberry is the first-year athletic director at LSU.
Ausberry spoke to ESPN on Thursday.
He addressed recent controversial comments made by LSU head coach Lane Kiffin.
Ausberry emphasized the importance of unity among SEC teams.
The SEC is the conference in which LSU and other schools compete in college sports.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Kyle Busch died last week due to serious health problems caused by bacterial pneumonia. His death was due to hemorrhagic shock and a condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation, which happened after the pneumonia caused sepsis.
Key Facts
Kyle Busch was a former NASCAR star.
He had bacterial pneumonia for weeks before he died.
Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs.
The pneumonia led to sepsis, a dangerous body-wide infection.
Sepsis caused hemorrhagic shock, which means severe blood loss or failure.
He also suffered from disseminated intravascular coagulation, a serious blood clotting problem.
These conditions together caused his death.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Major League Baseball (MLB) owners have suggested a hard salary cap for player salaries in the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This is the first time since 1994 that MLB owners have made a clear proposal for a salary limit.
Key Facts
MLB owners proposed a hard salary cap on Thursday.
A hard salary cap limits how much teams can spend on player salaries.
This is the first clear salary cap proposal since 1994.
The proposal is part of negotiations for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The CBA is the contract that sets rules between MLB owners and players.
Previous salary caps have not been part of MLB agreements since the 1994 strike.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jeremy Fears Jr., a star basketball player at Michigan State University, announced he is leaving the NBA draft to return to college for his junior season. He made this decision after attending the NBA draft combine and realizing he was likely to be picked in the second round, not the first.
Key Facts
Jeremy Fears Jr. is an All-American point guard at Michigan State.
He officially withdrew from the 2026 NBA draft by the May 20 deadline.
Fears participated in the NBA draft combine earlier in May.
His combine performance was good but not enough for a first-round pick.
He hopes to improve his skills in college to become a higher draft pick next year.
Fears is 6 feet tall with a 6-foot-4 wingspan.
His younger brother, Jeremiah Fears, was a top-10 NBA draft pick last year.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and the team are relieved to have him back for the next season.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The New York Knicks reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Mets player Juan Soto celebrated a home run by copying Knicks star Jalen Brunson’s signature 3-point celebration.
Key Facts
The Knicks won 11 games in a row, including their series against the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jalen Brunson played a key role in leading the Knicks to the NBA Finals.
The Knicks will play the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder currently lead the series 3-2 against the Spurs.
Juan Soto hit his 12th home run of the season and used Brunson’s 3-point celebration during the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
Juan Soto expressed support for the Knicks after the game.
The NBA Finals will begin on June 3.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the league will start using an automated system to help referees make clear calls during games, such as deciding when the ball goes out of bounds. This system will use cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to make fast and objective rulings, allowing referees to focus more on calls that need their judgment.
Key Facts
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke about upcoming changes to refereeing on "The Pat McAfee Show."
The NBA plans to use an automated system like Hawk-Eye to make calls for objective events, such as out-of-bounds decisions.
Cameras will be placed around the court to feed data to an AI system that will make instant and automatic calls.
This change aims to reduce disputes and challenges about these types of calls.
Referees will then concentrate more on subjective calls that need human judgement.
The announcement comes during the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Upcoming playoff games include teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New York Knicks.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Neymar will miss Brazil’s upcoming friendly matches and is likely to miss their first World Cup game due to a calf injury. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed he has a moderate muscle tear that will keep him off the field for two to three weeks.
Key Facts
Neymar has a grade-two calf strain, which means a partial muscle tear.
The injury was found through an MRI scan after Neymar complained of calf swelling.
He will miss friendlies against Panama and Egypt.
Neymar is likely to miss Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco on June 13.
Brazil’s manager Carlo Ancelotti said Neymar’s squad spot depends on his fitness and form.
Neymar has scored 79 goals in 128 games for Brazil.
Other Brazil players Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos, and Gabriel Martinelli will also miss the friendly due to club commitments.
Neymar joined the Brazil team recently but did not train due to the injury.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 player for the San Antonio Spurs, is quickly becoming one of the best in the NBA. Former player and broadcaster Reggie Miller compared Wembanyama’s rapid rise to that of Steph Curry early in his career.
Key Facts
Wembanyama is 22 years old and plays for the San Antonio Spurs.
He had a strong 2026 playoff run, including a 41-point and 24-rebound game in the Western Conference Finals.
This is his first time in the NBA playoffs.
Reggie Miller sees similarities between Wembanyama’s potential and the early career of Steph Curry, who is known as the greatest shooter in NBA history.
The Spurs are down 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Spurs must win Game 6 at home to push the series to a Game 7.
Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jannik Sinner lost in the second round of the French Open (Roland-Garros) after winning the first two sets but then losing the next three to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo. The match was played in hot weather, and Sinner appeared to struggle with cramps and tiredness.
Key Facts
Jannik Sinner is 24 years old and ranked No. 2 in the world.
Sinner won the first two sets 6-3 and 6-2, but then lost the next three sets 5-7, 1-6, 1-6.
The match took place in 84-degree Fahrenheit weather, which seemed to affect Sinner’s performance.
Sinner requested help during the third set due to cramping.
This loss ended Sinner’s 30-match winning streak since February.
Carlos Alcaraz, the current No. 1 player, was not in the tournament due to injury.
Sinner needed a French Open win to complete a career Grand Slam (winning all four major tennis tournaments).
Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, ranked No. 56, will move on to the third round.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Carolina Panthers traded Andy Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles and signed Kenny Pickett and Will Grier as backups for their starting quarterback, Bryce Young. ESPN's Bill Barnwell criticized the Panthers' signing of Pickett, calling it a poor move based on Pickett's past performance and frequent team changes.
Key Facts
The Panthers picked up the fifth-year option for Bryce Young, their 2023 first-round quarterback.
Andy Dalton was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a seventh-round draft pick.
Carolina signed Kenny Pickett to a one-year deal worth up to $7.5 million as a backup.
Pickett has been on four NFL teams in two years: Steelers, Eagles, Browns, and Raiders before joining the Panthers.
Pickett’s Total QBR (a quarterback rating) ranks low among quarterbacks with at least 800 pass attempts.
ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell called signing Pickett the worst offseason move for the Panthers.
The Panthers also signed Will Grier and rookie Haynes King as backup quarterbacks.
Backup quarterbacks are important for playoff teams, and the Panthers want to build a strong team for deep playoff success.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Tyrese Haliburton said flopping, where players fall or fake contact to get free throws, is a common skill learned before players join the NBA. He also praised NBA referees and talked about the ongoing Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, focusing on Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Key Facts
Flopping means faking or exaggerating contact to get free throws in basketball.
Haliburton said flopping is taught as part of player development before the NBA.
Haliburton did not blame coaches for teaching flopping, but said players practice it naturally.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points in a recent game, with half coming from free throws.
Some analysts, like Reggie Miller and Richard Jefferson, defend Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Thunder won Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals; the series continues in San Antonio.
Haliburton praised NBA referees compared to international officials in FIBA and Olympics.
Game 6 will decide if the Spurs can force a Game 7 against the Thunder.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, said athletes should not be paid prize money at the Olympic Games. Her comments, made during a visit to Oceania, were criticized by many athletes, especially as other competitions offer large cash prizes.
Key Facts
Kirsty Coventry is the IOC President and a former Zimbabwean Olympian who won seven medals.
Coventry said she does not believe athletes should receive prize money at the Olympics.
The IOC does not pay athletes a salary or stipend for competing.
Athletes typically get funding from national sports groups, sponsorships, or scholarships like the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship.
Coventry highlighted the importance of helping athletes through talent programs and support systems, especially from smaller countries.
Her remarks came shortly after the controversial Enhanced Games offered big cash prizes to athletes who use banned performance drugs.
Several Olympic athletes publicly disagreed with Coventry, saying athletes sacrifice a lot and deserve financial support.
Critics argued that the IOC expects athletes to sacrifice financially while other competitions pay large sums.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
NASCAR has suspended a staff member from Michael Jordan's race team after she allegedly hit a 77-year-old man with a golf cart at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The incident took place last weekend and is under investigation.
Key Facts
A staff member of Michael Jordan's racing team is involved in an alleged assault.
The incident occurred at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The victim is a 77-year-old man.
The alleged assault involved using a golf cart.
NASCAR has suspended the staff member indefinitely.
The situation is currently being investigated.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
C.J. Stroud, the quarterback for the Houston Texans, is eligible for a contract extension. He says he has worked hard to deserve a new deal but is not focusing on the ongoing negotiations.
Key Facts
C.J. Stroud plays as quarterback for the Houston Texans.
He is now eligible for a contract extension with the team.
Stroud believes he has done his part to earn a new contract.
He is not concentrating on the contract discussions at this time.
Stroud’s focus remains on playing rather than the negotiation process.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
