Zian Fleming is having a Premier League season that commands attention, even if burnley Have struggled.

With eight goals to his name, exceptional performances and the status of arguably Burnley’s best player, his reputation continues to grow.

If he continues to impress, a big move could be made in the summer. But the Dutch attacker is absolutely clear about one thing, getting back into the top three of the Eredivisie is not an automatic upgrade.

A name emerging at Burnley

Gian Fleming’s rise has been anything but linear. He has gone from Ajax’s academy to PEC Zwolle, NEC Nijmegen and Fortuna Sittard.

He then moved to Millwall for €2.5m in 2022, where he scored 23 goals and eight assists in 92 games, before Burnley signed him on loan two years later. Last summer, he made the move permanent for €8.3m.

He has impressed at Turf Moor, scoring 23 goals and four assists in 62 games, including eight goals in the Premier League this season.

Speaking to Voetbal InternationalHe reflected on that current reality and how unrealistic it feels.

“Sometimes I stop and think about it,” he said.

“PEC Zwolle loaned me to NEC in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. Not long ago, I was fighting against relegation from the Eredivisie with Fortona.

“Now I play in the stadiums where I used to go with my parents and brothers during the Christmas holidays.”

With Burnley battling relegation, his performances have sparked speculation about a move. This also includes a possible return to the Netherlands. However, Fleming was not shy about addressing it directly.

“It seems a bit unrealistic, but the top three in the Netherlands are not even a step forward at the moment,” he said.

“The Champions League, competing for titles: that’s for sure. But the Eredivisie, with all due respect, offers much less resistance than the Premier League. I don’t know, and I’m not ruling out anything. But don’t say that: it’s a dream move too.”

Premier League ambitions take priority

Zian Fleming’s current contract at Burnley runs until 2029, and his intentions are clear. He wants to remain at the top level and keep proving that he belongs there.

He concluded, “The Premier League has made me want more. I would like to play there in the years to come.”

For that to happen with Burnley, survival is essential. Scott Parker’s side are currently 17 points apart from Tottenham on 10 points.^thThis seems unlikely.

Fleming has been clear that he wants to remain at the top level, with his comments perhaps opening the door for other Premier League teams to make moves.

chelsea And Manchester City Get the boost to sign Ruud Nijstad from FC Twente in the summer.

The 18-year-old has attracted the attention of some European clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City.

Earlier this week, Sport Witness The Dutch press covered the claims. That Chelsea want to bring him to the Premier League.

The same report stated that the Blues planned to buy him and immediately send him back to Twente on loan. There was no mention of Manchester City.

The Eredivisie side promoted the centre-back to the first team in October and he has been a regular since then.

His league statistics this season are as follows:

• Appearances: 16
• Start: 13
• Total minutes: 1,251
• Minutes per game: 78

Chelsea and Manchester City follow the player

Club World Cup winners and Pep Guardiola’s side Barcelona are also in the mix.

is according to espn nlThat reports Chelsea, Manchester City and La Liga sides are all showing interest in Ruud Nijstad.

ESPN NL also spoke with the Netherlands U19 international to get his thoughts on the interest from these clubs.

Responding to that he said: “I try to focus mainly on what I can influence and that is winning matches.”

At the same time, the Dutchman admits that these claims affect him and he will let his agent and family take care of his future.

“We’ll see at the end of the season. I’ve been able to stop it well and leave it to my parents and the management. I concentrate on football. Of course, it affects you, because it’s nice when a big club calls.” Nijstad explained.

The defender admitted that he would either sign an extension or change clubs after this season.

“I think it will either be extended or dropped,” He added.

Contract, price and agent information

Ruud Nijstad talks about the possibility of leaving Twente after this season as his contract expires in 2027. His growth this season has increased his value as Transfermarkt now value him at €8m.

Dutch agency Essel Sports Management is representing the defender. Agents Steinar Dietz and Bas Schotthorst, along with his family, will decide where the young player will play next season.

The Carolina Hurricanes looked a little different in their play on Thursday, but they didn’t put a halt to their offensive surge and beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-2. In doing so, more than a half-dozen Carolina players achieved milestones.

first period

When the game started, it was already a milestone for Josiah Slavin, who is the younger brother of their star defenseman Jacob Slavin. For the first time, he appeared in a regular season game for the Hurricanes. Ironically, this was the only NHL arena he called home to face his former team, with whom he played 15 games as a member.

Things started quickly, as Sean Walker put the Hurricanes on the board in just 19 seconds. Midway through the first period, Anton Frondel tied the game, after which Skyler Brind’Amour – son of Rod Brind’Amour – would have scored a tip-in goal – had it not been for interference by Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight.

Head coach Brind’Amour decided not to challenge it and soon after, it was avenged as Logan Stankoven gave the Hurricanes the lead once again. As he did so, he recorded the first 20-goal season in his NHL career, giving the Hurricanes a total of six 20+ goal scorers this season.

second period

In the second period, Stankoven followed up with another accomplishment, adding a few milestones as Jackson Blake achieved his first 30-assist season, and Taylor Hall achieved his first 30-assist season with the Hurricanes. Later in the frame, Mark Jankowski extended the lead on assists from Alexander Nikishin and William Carrier.

third period

In the final frame, K’Andre Miller scored directly out of the penalty box with a brilliant pass from Carrier, before Frondel scored once again, making the score 5–2.

However, Hall added another boost to the Hurricanes’ tally with a stylish spin-o-rama goal, scoring on his former team in his first game in his barn.

The final goal of the game came from Jankowski, who notably recorded his first 10-goal season with the Hurricanes. The receivers were Seabs Carrier and Nicolas Deslauriers, the former scoring his first three-point game in his NHL career, and the latter scoring his first points with the Hurricanes.

By the end of the night, 11 players found themselves on the scoresheet, with seven of them achieving milestones. what a night!

who was outside and who was inside

Going into the matchup, the Hurricanes were missing seven of their usual players, as Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, Jacob Slavin, and Jalen Chatfield were all ruled out for undisclosed reasons. Staal and Martinook were both absent from Sunday’s game against the Ottawa Senators for the same undisclosed reason, while Chatfield left their previous game against the Boston Bruins with a lower body injury.

Filling those open spots on the roster were Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Bradley Nadeau, Nicolas Deslauriers, Josiah Slavin, Skylar Brind’Amour, Mike Reilly and Charles-Alexis Legault.

Logan Stankoven’s line remained untouched and served as the first line, while Kotkaniemi centered Nadeau and Nikolaj Ehlers on the second line, Mark Jankowski centered William Carrier and Deslauriers on the third line, and Brind’Amour centered Slavin and Eric Robinson on the fourth line.

Meanwhile, the defense saw a pairing of Shayne Gostisbehere and K’Andre Miller on the top line, while the second line featured a combination of Sean Walker and Alexander Nikishin, and the third line saw Reilly and Legault together.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

The Detroit Red Wings are melting down as the Stanley Cup Playoffs become further from reality. On Tuesday night, Detroit lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 4–3 in a shootout. The Red Wings allowed the tying goal with around 20 seconds left in regulation, giving the Blue Jackets two points after the shootout.

With four games left in the regular season, Detroit is sitting three points out of a Wild Card spot, and doesn’t hold a tiebreaker over the Ottawa Senators. The Red Wings need to earn four more points over the Senators and two over the Blue Jackets to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

However, the organization can be eliminated as early as Saturday against the New Jersey Devils in Detroit. The “late-season collapse” has become typical for the Red Wings over the last few seasons, but this has to be the final straw. Detroit needs to make changes ahead of the 2026 NHL offseason.

Why the Detroit Red Wings are struggling to close out the NHL season

On January 25, the Red Wings woke up leading the Atlantic Division and tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference. Fast forward to April 8, and Detroit has a 6.3% chance to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to MoneyPuck. Since January 25, the Red Wings have an 8–13–4 record.

Detroit has lost seven of its last nine games, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are very unlikely at this point. This falls on everyone in the organization, from general manager Steve Yzerman to the players on the ice. Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan has repeatedly called out his team for being “jerseys,” not making a big impact.

This has been a disastrous late-season collapse, and it raises questions about the culture within the team. It is easy to blame Yzerman, as he did put these players together. With the Stanley Cup Playoffs becoming more unlikely, Yzerman’s seat will likely get hotter. However, the players haven’t lived up to the Hockeytown standards.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has fallen off a cliff in the second half of the 2025–26 NHL season. Granted, Larkin is dealing with a lower-body injury, but a team’s captain can’t disappear when it matters the most. Unfortunately, most of the team has disappeared, outside of a few players, such as Alex DeBrincat and Mo Seider.

The offense is really struggling in 5-on-5 play, which should have been addressed at the NHL trade deadline. Instead, the Red Wings acquired forward David Perron, who has been in the bottom six since returning from his injury. Simply put, the offense is too power-play dependent, and combined with below-average goaltending since March 15, it is fueling this late-season collapse.

What changes needs to happen for the Detroit Red Wings?

It is time for the Red Wings to make some major changes this offseason. If Detroit decides that Yzerman has run his course at general manager, then promoting Shawn Horcoff or finding someone new from the outside should be a priority. Meanwhile, McLellan has to be a part of Detroit’s plans moving forward with some changes throughout the rest of the staff.

The Red Wings desperately need to land a top six forward that can produce on offense. There aren’t many free agents available that can make a difference in the top six, but Detroit can replace the “jerseys” in the bottom six. The team needs to improve its depth on offense moving forward.

As for the top six forwards, the Red Wings have to make a decision. Will the young players finally break out or does the organization move its prospects for an elite player? This will be a major decision for whoever is the Red Wings general manager, and if its someone from the outside, it could be an easier answer.

Quite frankly, Detroit’s direction will become more clear when a decision is made on Yzerman. If the Red Wings acquire a new general manager from the outside, the possibility of a major overhaul becomes more realistic. If Yzerman stays, the Red Wings likely won’t have as many drastic changes.

The checklist is pretty long for Detroit. The Red Wings have to figure out what to do with Yzerman, acquire a top six forward, and overhaul the bottom six depth on offense. It is clear that Detroit’s current culture is lacking compared to the best teams in franchise history.

It is time to pick a direction and make changes to fix the Red Wings.

Read More: Detroit Red Wings’ Stanley Cup Playoff Hopes Fade After Shocking Collapse

Austin Konenski is a sports writer at Sportsnaut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA, and College Football. His work … More about Austin Konenski

crystal Palace Will return to action this week as they face Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.

sports witness It shows how the fans of the Italian club are excited about the game. They view the clash as arguably the biggest game for their team in recent years and the Eagles have even allocated extra tickets for La Viola loyalists.

There is growing discussion in Italy, particularly with Fiorentina battling relegation problems throughout the campaign.

Despite this, the Italian side could spring a surprise for Crystal Palace through selection. They will have to deal with a number of injury concerns, but they could field a much-changed eleven this weekend.

David de Gea wants to liberate England

Corriere dello sport report David De Gea has not played in the Conference League for La Viola this season. Oliver Christensen has been more involved, with the Spaniard having featured more regularly in Serie A. For the clash against Crystal Palace, De Gea is likely to start.

He last played a game in English football 1000 days ago during his time at Manchester United. The newspaper also sees the Eagles game as an attempt at redemption, with De Gea having played against them 19 times in the past.

Moise Kean can also start. He has a slight calf problem but is trying to perform in London.

The striker has played only 259 minutes in the Conference League. He started the last game against Rakao but Paolo Vanoli has used him consistently in Serie A. This situation mirrors that of De Gea, with both key players set to start against Crystal Palace.

However, Fiorentina have left out Niccolo Fortini, Fabiano Parisi and Manor Solomon and that is a blow.

Our Opinion: Mindset Can Determine Everything

Praising De Gea, Corriere dello Sport indicated that Fiorentina’s focus this season has been on avoiding relegation. Even sporting director Fabio Paratici has a similar mentality, with the January signings reflecting that intention.

This could prove important for Crystal Palace, who have not played any match since March 19.

Fiorentina have been in good form over the past month and have an excellent record in the Conference League. But it really depends on which version comes out on Thursday. At times he has appeared careless in his approach.

fulhamThe failed move for Ricardo Pepi has already become one of those transfer stories that never quite end once they collapse.

premier league club A deal was agreed with PSV in March. The package, including bonuses, was reported to be €40m (£34.4m). Pepi traveled to London for medical treatment and the move seemed to be on the right track.

Then it broke down late in the process because two clubs could not agree When will the responsibility for the striker officially pass from one side to the other? That detail proved decisive and the transfer was cancelled.

As we covered at the timePepi was left “severely disappointed” by Fulham. However PSV technical director Ernie Stewart also made it clear that a future deal should not be ruled out.

This detail is important for our final update from the Netherlands.

The striker is not at all a player trying to force his way out of Eindhoven. He signed a new PSV contract last year until June 2030. The Dutch club is still in a strong position.

For Fulham, it is not just about returning with the same money. They can’t expect everything to fall back into place.

Roller Coaster Season References

Ricardo Pepi reflected on the season for the first time when asked how he looks back on the campaign and what stood out for him.

He gave an interview to a Dutch outlet football international Celebrating PSV’s Eredivisie title. It was a league campaign in which he contributed 10 goals in 21 matches.

“Yeah, I guess it was a bit of a roller coaster,” He said. “Of course, I had some unfortunate injuries, but at the end of the day it’s not normal to come back after two or three injuries in a season and still perform.”

He continued: “So I think I’ve had a good season overall. Looking back at all the Champions League goals I’ve scored this season, I think they’re definitely special, but to win this trophy is obviously even more special.”

In other words, Fulham are not dealing with a player who needs saving from a bad situation. A failed transfer looks like water under the bridge.

Furthermore, they are dealing with a striker who made his mark while battling serious injuries. Now he’s ending it with silverware.

Main answer for Fulham

Ricardo Pepi was then asked directly about the transfer rumours. More specifically, the interviewer asked if it felt like goodbye, or if he could still think, “Maybe next year, PSV, why not?”

That framing is important, because his answer was not a casual comment about the future. This came after no clear indication as to whether he was leaving or staying.

Pepi said: “Yes, it’s hard to say. Of course, at the moment I’m still with PSV, so for the moment, I’ll be back next year too. We’ll see what happens. I’m really focused on finishing the season strongly and then see what happens in the summer.”

He is not closing the door on the move and he is not ruling out Fulham or any other options for the summer. Also, he doesn’t show any warmth towards the revived transfer.

This is where the earlier disappointment becomes relevant. Fulham may still have a way to bounce back. However, Pepi’s tone suggests they need to rebuild confidence in the deal.

He is not presenting himself as a player who is waiting to be saved on that move.

Ricardo Pepi has settled well in Eindhoven

Ricardo Pepi’s final answer was light, but it also requires the question surrounding it to be understood.

They were asked if they had learned any Dutch words, and which word they heard most during the ceremony.

Pepi replied: “Hey man, I know some Dutch words. I’ve been here for three, three and a half years, so I understand pretty much every single Dutch word. It’s a little difficult to speak, but yeah, I definitely know a lot.”

It may seem trivial, yet it reinforces something important for Fulham. Pepi in the Netherlands feels organized and comfortable. He seems like someone who has carved out a worthy niche for himself at PSV.

That doesn’t mean he’ll stop, but it adds to the bigger picture.

Fulham may not be trying to sign a player frustrated with his surroundings or desperate for an escape. They will be attempting to sign someone who is happy with his situation, valued by his club, fresh from a relegation, and is still under contract until 2030.

So while the old deal may not last forever, Fulham may now be trying to sign a player who has no reason to see Craven Cottage as the obvious next step.

chelseaThe pursuit of Valentin Barko has been on the rise in recent weeks, and the latest update suggests the club are now at the finish line.

after Failing to land a midfielder in JanuaryThe Blues kept pressing. Reports earlier this month indicated they were making progress in talks with Strasbourg, and confidence is growing over a summer move.

However, precautions were still taken. Sources close to the situation stressed that a final agreement has not yet been reached.

That gap may have closed now.

Agreement reached as Chelsea make decisive move

spanish journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos There are now reports that Valentin Barco will play for Chelsea with full agreement.

According to him, the 21-year-old has agreed to a six-year contract with the Blues. argentina outlet gazetteHowever, report slightly different terms – they claim the midfielder is set to sign a five-year contract running until June 2031.

Transfer fee details are unclear at this stage. Still, it is expected to be significantly higher than the fee of around £8m (€9.4m) paid by Strasbourg to Brighton last summer.

Either way, the deal follows a strong transfer push from Chelsea after the international break, building on the groundwork already laid in the process.

Liam Rosenior’s influence has again been central. The Chelsea manager is said to have worked closely with Barco at Strasbourg played a decisive role In convincing the player to accept the move.

Chelsea have also presented a clear game plan. Barco has reportedly been assured that he will be a key part of the project, being seen as a potentially key figure in the team moving forward.

That promise appears to have made a difference.

From advanced negotiations to full agreement

This latest development marks a change from the previous update.

Argentina’s earlier claims Told that the talks are going well, but have not been completed yet. Despite Chelsea’s clear advantage due to the BLUCO structure linking the two clubs, there was discussion about the details still needing to be sorted out.

Now the tone has changed. The move is being presented as full consent rather than just termination.

Chelsea have been in a strong position throughout. His ownership relationship with Strasbourg has simplified negotiations, while Rosenior’s relationship with the player has added a personal layer to the deal.

what happens next

Valentin Barco is expected to join Chelsea in June after the end of the season.

If confirmed, it would complete a transfer story that has developed in clear stages. Initial interest turned into a failed attempt in January, followed by renewed efforts and now, apparently, a full agreement has been reached.

The final step is official confirmation. Until then, Chelsea’s pursuit of Barco appears to be almost complete.

🇵🇹 Exclusive: Maxi Araújo

⏩Tottenham and Chelsea are in contact
➡️ Source gave information @UllalIBT
➡️There is also further Premier League interesthttps://t.co/K17lRpjlUG #thfc #cfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 22 March 2026

crystal Palace We will take a closer look at transfer target Ousmane Diomande tonight, with the defender set to play for Sporting CP against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The first leg will take place in Lisbon before returning to London on 15 April. For Crystal Palace, this encounter provides a timely opportunity to assess the player they have been following for months.

22-year-old Diomande has become a key player for Sporting. He has already impressed by combining domestic league action with European exposure this season. In Liga Portugal alone, he has played over 1,100 minutes, showing consistency in selection and performances.

At 190 cm tall, the centre-back brings a strong physical presence. He also contributes defensively with regular clearances and winning duels, while remaining comfortable in possession. His profile matches what many Premier League clubs now want in central defenders.

These include Crystal Palace, who are already close to signing him.

Previous move and Crystal Palace transfer interest

Last summer, Crystal Palace made a €55m (£47m) offer for Ousmane Diomande. This step was not takenBut the interest remains.

The London Club keeps a close watch on them. The match against Arsenal will give them a first-hand look at how they perform against Premier League level opponents.

Other English clubs including newcastle unitedAlso keep an eye on Ivory Coast International. even Manchester United Were linked at one point, when Reuben Amorim was in charge. Nevertheless, Crystal Palace is the team that has progressed furthest in previous attempts.

Sporting, for its part, is ready to do business under the right circumstances. The defender recently renewed his contract until 2030 with a release clause of €80m (£69m).

However, reports from Portugal indicate the club will consider offers closer to his market value, which is currently around €45m (£39m).

What can the match decide?

Ousmane Diomande is expected to be part of Ivory Coast’s squad for the upcoming World Cup. According to the Portuguese newspaper, this adds another layer to his situation ballBecause strong performance can increase both demand and price.

However, the immediate focus right now is on the Champions League clash. Both of these games provide a clear benchmark. Facing Arsenal over two legs offers a direct test against Diomande’s level in England.

For Crystal Palace, the timing is ideal. They already know the player, have already explored the possibility of a deal and now they have a new chance to evaluate him in a high-level setting.

If he performs well, this week could go a long way in deciding whether Palace come back with a serious offer in the summer.

🇮🇹Juan Cabal | Crystal Palace initiated contact

🔁 Versatile Juventus player
📉Potentially available relatively cheap
🩺 Be careful with that medical…https://t.co/0xpTDziedw #cpfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 24 March 2026

The firing of general manager Brad Treliving last week is clearly the first blow to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ownership and MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley have made that clear. Insider Elliotte Friedman gives us the latest insider information about a recent meeting that has left employees around the organization on high alert.

Following the change in general manager, Keith Pelley held a Zoom call with members of the hockey operations department. And after it’s over, and from talking to several people over the past few days, it’s pretty clear that they’re expecting big changes.

I asked, ‘Did Pele say anything specifically about ‘change’ there?’ And it wasn’t that much Wordit was about how he talked. One of the things he mentioned was, ‘We’re going to use our resources to our fullest capacity.’ And he got the feeling that (Pelé) felt he wasn’t doing it. So I think people are expecting there to be more changes.

The Leafs are believed to have some strong analytical people on their staff, including special assistant to the general manager Darryl Metcalf and hockey research and development analyst Cam Charone. This is probably a big part of what the team president was referring to by reiterating that they were not utilizing their resources to their full potential.

More ‘big changes’ coming for Leafs front office

Pelé cited during his big press conference last week that he has plans to find a more ‘data-centric’ head of hockey operations. It seems like he’s looking for someone like… Kyle Dubas. Leafs fans have probably heard of this guy.

Dubas, who has the Pittsburgh Penguins on the verge of clinching a highly unlikely playoff berth this season, was the man who hired players like Metcalf and Charron for the Toronto front office. Dubas is the one who led that strong analytics department.

Of course, previous Leafs corner office ideologues decided to drop Dubas after the 2022-23 season, after seven seasons of playoff failures that included only one series win. The postseason decline continued for nine years following Dubas’ departure, and has now resulted in a complete ban on the playoffs this year.

For now, assistant GMs Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy are co-managing the Leafs on an interim basis.

Pelé and his staff have a lot of work to do to turn this around. From the sounds of it, a lot of people in that front office will be looking over their shoulders.

The irony is that the Leafs may have still won something by losing on Saturday night. By allowing the Los Angeles Kings to steal two points in an overtime win, LA remains in a tie for the final wild card berth in the Western Conference. If the Kings make the postseason, the third-round selection sent to Toronto for Scott Laughton at the trade deadline becomes a second-rounder.

West Ham United’s move for Taty Castellanos in January was aimed at adding a proven attacking option, but life in east London has not progressed as expected.

The Argentine arrived with a solid reputation built at Lazio. However, his early months in England have been mixed. Minutes have been limited, and consistency has been harder to find as he adapts to the Premier League, even with three goals scored so far.

There has already been extensive discussion on that background. As covered earlier todayThe Italian press used Castellanos’ transfer as an example of the growing financial gap between Serie A and the Premier League. From his perspective, the move itself demonstrates how English clubs can pick up established players with relative ease.

He also suggested that despite the financial benefits involved, the Switch is a step down from a gaming standpoint.

Now the same transfer has started creating a different kind of noise.

Long-standing admiration reawakened

Flamengo are once again keeping a close eye on the West Ham striker and their interest is not new.

Back in February, we covered that Castellanos had already been appreciated internally for a long time at the club. At the time, any move depended on very specific circumstances, including West Ham’s league position and the player’s desire to move. But now things seem to have changed.

According to latest reports Bolavip In Brazil, Flamengo have resumed monitoring the situation and may consider a move in the next transfer window. The club is actively searching for a new striker and have identified this role as a priority.

Importantly, Castellanos’ name is expected to be presented to manager Leonardo Jardim for evaluation. Their approval will be important before any formal approach can be considered.

There is also a recent connection between the clubs which could smooth any potential negotiations. Flamengo has already done business with West Ham lucas paquetaThis suggests that there is an open line of communication between both parties.

The same applies in the opposite direction, with the Hammers previously linked with the Flamengo forward Gonzalo PlataThis further shows that a dialogue already exists between the clubs.

West Ham transfer position opening up?

Taty Castellanos’s situation at West Ham United is still developing, but the lack of a strong hold so far inevitably arouses interest.

Flamengo’s stance has now gone beyond a purely hypothetical scenario. The Brazilian team is planning a post-World Cup campaign between July and September and has set aside a budget for a centre-forward.

Castellanos fits the profile they want. His time at Lazio reflected his intensity, pressing ability and presence in the box. Those attributes remain attractive, even if his Premier League spell hasn’t quite panned out yet.

The main difference from the start of the year is that relegation is no longer being held as a stricture. Instead, it looks like a club that is keeping a close eye and waiting for the right opening.

what happens next

For West Ham, this remains a manageable situation for now. The focus will be on integrating Castellanos and helping him adapt. However, outside interest is clearly growing, and Flamengo’s long-term admiration is not waning.

If his role in the team does not increase significantly, the summer window could bring a decision. For Flamengo, it’s all about timing and opportunity.

For West Ham, it may soon become a question of whether the January signings will turn into a short-term experiment. With the Hammers currently in the drop zone, demotion would certainly increase the chances.

🇧🇷Matthias Martinelli | West Ham need to raise offer by €8m to succeed – Hammers’ first bid rejectedhttps://t.co/unMTxfDYhF #whufc #koi

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 31 March 2026

Some new details have emerged on why Chris Jericho was rumored to be returning to WWE and why he returned to AEW on Wednesday night.

For months, rumors and reports have been swirling that the wrestling legend’s tenure in AEW was coming to an end, and that he would likely be heading back to the company that made him a household name, WWE. However, this past week, things changed as he remained on AEW’s roster page and filed a trademark for the term “Cornerstone”. A potential moniker that would seem to be a better fit in All Elite Wrestling.

This led to speculation that he would indeed remain at the company he signed with in 2019. The rumors became reality when Jericho made his grand return to AEW Dynamite on Wednesday in the city where he grew up, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

On Thursday morning, fans of both companies got some new information as to why the 55-year-old may have opted to go back to AEW instead of returning to WWE.

Is Chris Jericho still close to retirement?

“I know I was told so [WWE] “They wanted to take him on a retirement tour,” reported Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer. “And maybe he didn’t want to, but I don’t know… With AEW, maybe he was going to have more longevity.” There are a lot of benefits for AEW and there is always money.

“AEW is a little riskier in that sense… He’ll probably have more input than he does in WWE about what he’s going to do in AEW, but I think he’ll have a better audience in WWE. Better audience, that’s definitely part of the deal, but money is part of the deal.”

Meltzer said that after recent speculation that Jericho could return at WrestleMania 42, a source informed him that he will be in Winnipeg this week for Dynamite. When he then reached out to a WWE source, he revealed that initially it seemed like he would return, but as of this week, it is no longer in the cards.

If WWE had been firm about doing a retirement tour, possibly for a year, it could have been a deal breaker as he just feels like he’s not ready to hang up his boots yet. And AEW is probably more willing to let him wrestle because he’s close to 60 years old.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Golf legend Tiger Woods said Tuesday he is taking some time off from the game to get treatment and focus on his health after being arrested on DUI charges in Florida last week.

The 50-year-old man was arrested Friday afternoon after a rollover accident near his home on Jupiter Island.

According to the arrest affidavit, Woods attempted to pass a truck, striking the vehicle and flipping his Range Rover onto its side. No one was seriously injured in the incident.

Deputies observed signs of weakness while seated in the back of an air-conditioned vehicle, including bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils and excessive sweating.

Woods was charged with driving under the influence with damage to property and refusing a lawful test. A search found hydrocodone pills in his pocket, although a breathalyzer test showed he had no alcohol in his system.

He was booked into the Martin County Jail and later released on bond.

pic.twitter.com/T70784akfW

– Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) 31 March 2026

Tiger Woods stepping away from golf to focus on health

On Tuesday, Woods entered a not guilty plea in court. A few hours later, he released a statement on social media addressing the situation.

“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation in which I find myself today,” he wrote. “I am taking some time away to receive treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”

Woods added:

“I am committed to taking the time needed to return to a healthier, stronger and more centered place personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones, and myself at this time.”

Read more:

Thank God he’s at least taking some time to consider the implications of what’s happened here. Woods now has an extensive history of driving accidents, many of which involved prescription drugs.

He really needs to get it together. Not only for him, but also for his new girlfriend Vanessa Trump and their children.

The announcement and this latest accident come as Woods is recovering from multiple back surgeries and considering competing in upcoming events, including the Masters.

Further details about the timeline of his absence were not immediately available.

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has suggested that the 15-time major champion spend some time in prison to make him realize the reality of his situation.N. He rightly points out that it is not just about the safety of the tiger.

“When you drive while impaired, you’re not just putting yourself at risk. You’re putting someone else on the road, innocent people (at risk),” Portnoy said. “You really can’t take this lightly. I have no sympathy for that guy.”

“I don’t know anybody who’s ever flipped a car. This guy flips a car every two weeks! So, you know what? Put him behind bars, put him in jail for a while, and wake him up.”

Woods’ case is pending in Martin County Court.

Rusty Weis is a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and Xavier Musketeers. He has been writing professionally… More about Rusty Weiss

There is now a growing feeling that Dan Ndoye’s time at Nottingham Forest is over. The trend of returning to Italy in summer is increasing rapidly.

On Monday, Tuttosport spoke about Inter Milan’s interest in the Swiss winger. sports witness That covered claims that Christian Chivu saw Ndoye’s signing as a much-needed injection of momentum into his squad.

This came to light when the winger was asked about his future after Switzerland’s friendly match against Germany. He expressed disappointment at his playing time at Nottingham Forest.

ndoye Said: : “I don’t get many minutes at club level, but today I showed I have some quality. I feel very good with Switzerland and I want to enjoy these moments.

“It was important for me to get playing time and also to score. Why don’t I play for Nottingham Forest? I ask myself the same.”

It appears that these comments have indeed alarmed many in Italy, with Ndoye’s future increasingly in question.

Napoli also keen on the player

IT migration market Let us tell you that the 25-year-old player is one of the ‘hottest names’ for Serie A clubs before the summer transfer window. They note how he has struggled at Nottingham Forest, from playing in Europe to battling relegation.

The outlet not only covers the Inter interest but also makes it clear that Napoli remain keen. Both Italian clubs are ready to make an attempt for him, amid the belief that a return to Italy could revive Dan Ndoye’s career.

PassioneInter To add to the situation, it is revealed that the Nerazzurri are already working to sign the attacker.

Nottingham Forest are believed to want €35 million for a permanent sale. This could prove too much for the Serie A leaders, who will look into the possibility of executing an initial loan deal. This has been described as an ‘Akanji-style’ move, as Inter could add a conditional obligation to buy to the deal.

This would mean a loan with an obligation to buy for €35m.

Dan Ndoye should actively seek an exit

By now, it is clear that Dan Ndoye has not found his home at Nottingham Forest. Over the past few years, he has become accustomed to fighting at the other end of the table – even in Basel.

Should Ndoye wait for things to change at Nottingham Forest, it could also take a blow to his reputation. That’s why the summer should be the perfect time for him to find a new club and get himself back to where he believes he belongs.

Exclusive: Mathias Oliveira

🚨Nottingham Forest are still pursuing a Napoli player
➡️Change #NFFC Interest has not been affected
🔼The Premier League is the key to a successful transferhttps://t.co/f51ZV1MFiv #SSCinapoli

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 27 March 2026

It will be difficult for Verona to retain Manchester City’s Vitor Reis beyond this season.

The 20-year-old moved to Europe for the first time when the Premier League club signed him from Brazilian side Palmeiras in January 2025.

Pep Guardiola limited him to just one minute of league action in the second half of last season as he made just four appearances for Manchester City.

Due to his restricted role the Etihad club sent the centre-back on a season-long loan to Verona in August 2025.

The move went well as he enjoyed regular games under Mitchell. He has played 2,477 minutes in 27 matches so far for the La Liga side.

His league statistics per game are as follows.

• Intercept: 0.7
• Tackle: 1.2
• Recovered balls: 2.9
• Dribbled past: 0.3
• Approval: 6.0
• Blocked Shots: 1.2
• Duel won: 4.6

His performance rewarded The call came for the first time from Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti for this international break. it came as a surprise According to their country’s media.

Manchester City has not decided yet

Tuesday’s edition of sports world There is a report on where Vitor Reis could play after this season.

A few months ago, there was a real option for the Spanish club to extend the defender’s stay but now it is an ‘increasingly difficult objective’. This is due to the player’s ‘remarkable growth’ at Verona.

Pep Guardiola had initial doubts over his inclusion in his plans this season, resulting in a loan move.

His ‘scenario has changed’ and his status has gone higher after the latest call.

South American is no more ‘Promising young player, but a centre-back who is starting to establish himself among the elite.’ This is why the Catalan club is finding it difficult to extend his stay.

Manchester City could decide to include Reus in Guardiola’s plans next season, and if not, let him join a club with ‘more competitive demands’ than Verona.

Despite the complex task, Mitchell’s team will not give up attempting to keep hold of the Manchester City player.

Contract, price and agent information

Vitor Reis’ value did not improve from a loan move to Verona. transfer market Let’s say he’s valued at €30m, which is the same since his transfer to Manchester City.

His contract at Etihad expires in 2029. P&P Sport Management, headed by agent Federico Pastorello, is looking after the player’s interests. The representative will have to make a decision on his client’s future in the summer.

The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner – just a few weeks away – and the Kansas City Chiefs are sitting on a chest of picks we haven’t seen in the Patrick Mahomes era. We’re talking top-10 picks, three shots in the top 40 and eight picks in the first five rounds. Translation? Brett Veach has the ability to reload this roster in a big way with young, impactful talent.

Let’s be real – the defense didn’t exactly bring the heat last season. Casey finished 22nd in sacks, and the pass rush was unable to consistently get to the house. That has to be changed. Good news? This draft class is loaded with juice off the edge and playmakers in the secondary – exactly what the Chiefs need to get that unit back to championship level and take pressure off their high-octane offense.

With that in mind, here are two prospects that ESPN’s Matt Miller is circling for draft night.

reuben ben jr

Reuben Benn Jr. is built like a wrecking ball off the edge – about 6’2″-6’3″, 260-275, with a compact frame that’s all about power and pop. Over three seasons (2023-2025), he prepared for 38 games and filled the stat sheet: 121 total tackles, 33.5 TFL, 20.5 sacks, as well as a handful of splash games with a forced fumble and even a pick.

But 2025? That’s when he really flipped the switch – 54 tackles, 15.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, and a ridiculous 92.5 PFF grade that put him in the top-three among all EDGE defenders in the country. Oh—and 67 total pressure. The dude was staying in the backfield.

Turn on the tape, and it’s easy to see why he’s climbing the boards. Ben has that explosive first step, plays with natural leverage, and wins with violent hands and a nonstop motor. He’s not your typical tall, hunched pass rusher. He’s more of a power disrupter who can break loose in the pocket and act as a bully. And it’s not just pass rush juice, he’s a legitimate edge-setter in the run game, stays disciplined in his gaps, and shows high football IQ through the game.

This is exactly the kind of chess piece DC Steve Spagnuolo likes. The Chiefs manage to generate pressure without constantly attacking, and Benn fits that mold perfectly. He can win outside, kick inside when passing underneath and create chaos from multiple alignments. Add to your production against top-tier competition, including big-time performances in playoff level games. And you’re looking at a guy who’s already been battle-tested.

The resume also supports it: ACC Defensive Player of the Year, All-American honors, the Hendricks Award, and one of the highest-rated EDGE defenders in college football. If Casey wants someone who can bring instant heat and toughen up that front, Benn has “plug-and-play disruptor” written all over him.

Avion Terrell

Avion Terrell is the type of DB that just screams ‘Spags Guy’. At about 5’11”, 180-186 pounds, he’s not the biggest corner in the class – but he plays much bigger than his measurables. A three-year contributor at Clemson (39 games, 31 starts), Terrell filled the stat sheet with 128 tackles, 30 pass breakups, 4 sacks, 3 picks and a ridiculous 8 forced fumbles – setting a Clemson DB record. This is not normal production for any corner… this is the creation of chaos.

His 2025 tape also supports this. He logged 46 tackles, 11 PBUs, 5 forced fumbles and 3 sacks, while locking things down in coverage, giving up only 340 yards passing all year. No interceptions, sure, but don’t get it twisted, the QBs weren’t testing him much. The man was still pressing and disrupting everything that came his way, earning All-American and First-Team All-ACC honors in the process.

And yes- check the blood lines. He’s the younger brother of AJ Terrell, and you can see his polished, technically sound play throughout the film. He’s disciplined, smooth and coachable, which is exactly what Steve Spagnuolo looks for in his DB room.

Is the plan suitable? Almost perfect. Spags likes corners that can do a little bit of everything – press, tackle, blitz, rotate inside – and Terrell checks every box. He has been lined up outside, kicked in the slot, and even comes down as a safety in run support. Blitz ability also emerges, with 4 career sacks and legitimate time off the edge.

But what really sets him apart is how he generates turnovers. Doesn’t just pick up, he punches the ball. Those 8 forced fumbles (including 5 in 2025, leading the ACC) are elite production and fit perfectly into KC’s defensive identity of causing chaos and stealing possessions.

Bottom line: This is not just a projection of symptoms. Terrell is a battle-tested, high-IQ corner with 31 starts, big-game reps and a playing style that fits Kansas City like a glove. Plug him into that secondary, and you’ll get a tone-setter who tackles like a safety and plays every moment with that dog mentality.

RELATED: Did the KC Chiefs unveil a potential Round 1 target in the 2026 NFL Draft?

Manuel Ugarte has largely disappointed since joining Manchester United from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024. His exit from Old Trafford is now certain.

The Uruguayan has played just 791 minutes in the Premier League so far this season. His last start came against Burnley and since then, he has been on the bench four times under Michael Carrick.

sports witness He made no secret of his frustration at the 24-year-old’s lack of game time when explaining his stance to the Uruguayan press earlier this month.

The midfielder’s situation is catching the attention of Juventus, who are now keeping a close eye on the former PSG man.

juventus will explore ugarte

gazzetta dello sport The report says the midfielder will feature in Uruguay’s friendly against Algeria on Tuesday. Coincidentally, the match will be played at the Allianz Stadium and this will help Juve defeat Ugarte.

Sporting director Marco Ottolini is keen on the prospect of bringing him to Turin in the summer. He will keep a close eye on the Manchester United player, who has been the subject of interest for the Old Lady in the past.

During the player’s time at Sporting, Juve attempted to execute a deal for Ugarte. Even during his ongoing tenure at Old Trafford, attempts were made to sign him on loan last July.

Tuesday’s game could give Juve the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at the player. If things go well, Ugarte could top the Bianconeri’s summer shortlist for midfield signings.

Our opinion: Manchester United should cut their losses

It doesn’t feel like Ugarte is offering enough to the current team. That’s why Manchester United are considering midfield signings that will take that position to a new level in the summer.

Keeping him around long-term would derail the Uruguay international’s career and could see his value drop further.

Manchester United could use the money gained from Ugarte’s exit to help bring in another midfielder. A good World Cup for the player would do wonders to boost his fee, Juventus’ interest could only help further.

Roberto De Zerbi is set to become the new Tottenham Hotspur manager.

The Premier League team has endured a difficult season so far and has won seven of its 31 league matches.

Tottenham parted ways with Thomas Frank in February and appointed Igor Tudor as their manager for the remainder of the season.

Spurs struggled under Tudor, winning only one [against Atlético Madrid] Out of seven matches under his command. They scored only one point against Liverpool in the league.

on sunday, tottenham Confirmed He has broken ties with Tudor and has not yet appointed his successor.

Tottenham warming up to De Zerbi

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio Roberto De Zerbi is now reported to be in line to become the next Spurs manager.

The 46-year-old has been without a club since leaving Marseille in February. Initial claims made He is not thinking about joining the club until the end of the season.

However, it seems the manager has changed his stance as he is now ready to consider an offer from Tottenham. Evaluation is ongoing from both sports [their project and ambition] And financial outlook.

Spurs have also assured of building a competitive team for next season and have offered the Italian a five-year contract. That’s why he’s in the process of potentially changing his mind about the London opportunity.

Di Marzio claims the next few hours are ‘crucial’ for De Zerbi to say yes to Spurs.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry wrote an op-ed in 2025 arguing for change to fix a “broken” college athletics system, in which many universities had “unduly spent” on coaches and their respective staffs. A few months later, the LSU Tigers have now spent nearly a quarter of a billion on coaching changes.

According to Pete Nacos of On3.com, LSU has committed more than $200 million to hire football coach Lane Kiffin, men’s basketball coach Will Wade and their respective coaching staffs.

RELATED: Grading the CFB coaching hires, including Lane Kiffin to LSU

As of October 2025, the Tigers’ athletic department has fired head football coach Brian Kelly and recently parted ways with Matt McMahon. The school immediately began searching for his replacement, poaching Kiffin from the Ole Miss Rebels and bringing Wade back to Louisiana.

Settlement offers with Kelly went nowhere, resulting in the former Tigers head coach now set to receive a total of $54 million from the program. Firing McMahon, who had three years left on his contract, would have cost the school an additional $8 million.

RELATED: LSU Tigers HC Kim Mulkey addresses retirement rumors

Under new athletic director Verge Osberry, the public university is spending at a rate we’ve never seen from any school. Kiffin received a seven-year, $91 million contract, plus LSU paid the College Football Playoff bonuses he earned while the Rebels advanced without him. The Tigers have one of the largest and most expensive coaching staffs in college football, with a budget of zero and $40 million spent in the transfer portal.

LSU also paid $7 million to acquire Kiffin ($3 million) and Wade ($4 million) from their previous programs. Wade’s new deal, worth $30 million over seven years, is one of the largest contracts in college basketball and he is reportedly expected to have a $12 million roster budget for the men’s basketball team next season.

Not surprisingly, Gov. Landry fully supported Wade’s appointment, just months after he had lamented how much college athletics were costing universities. Apparently, a quarter-billion dollar overhaul of just two men’s college teams doesn’t count as much spending in the eyes of Louisiana’s governor.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The memories of Game 7 won’t fade away soon. Last time the Toronto Blue Jays came inches away from a World Series championship – several times – but fell short.

However, now it’s time to turn the page (and) [Andy] Pages), as he threw the first pitch of the 2026 season in an attempt to defend his American League championship. Are the Jays a better team this season? General manager Ross Atkins thinks they are. But it doesn’t mean much until they get between the white lines and we see how this team comes together.

Bo Bichette and Chris Bassitt have been the most notable absentees this season. Isiah Kiner-Falefa isn’t back either, but Toronto fans will want to forget the last time they saw him in a Jays uniform.

Atkins hopes to replace Bichette’s production with Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto. The additions of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to the pitching staff have compensated for the loss of Bassitt on the mound (although his clubhouse presence will be missed).

So what questions does this team have in 2026? Well, very much. Let’s take a look at the four biggest ones:

4 questions facing the Blue Jays in 2026

1. Can Okamoto really replace what Bichette provided at the plate?

Okamoto had a .277 average and .882 OPS in his 10 seasons in Japan’s NPB. With an on-base percentage and slugging PCT of .355. Hitting .521, he has shown that he not only has power, but also strong contact skills. He has always maintained a low strikeout rate and ability to draw walks. Most experts believe those skills should transfer well to the major leagues. His .316 average and 1.066 OPS among 23 Grapefruit League at-bats are promising signs.

2. Can Addison Barger take the next step into full-on breakout slugger?

Barger gave Jays fans some tempting appetizers in 2025, including 21 long balls in 502 plate appearances in the regular season and a memorable, historic grand slam in the World Series.

Fabian Herzeler’s departure from Brighton & Hove Albion manager could benefit Chelsea in the race for 1. FC Köln’s Saeed El Mala.

The winger has long been on Brighton’s agenda and FC Köln had their offers rejected in the last two windows.

This has not stopped Brighton from continuing their pursuit and Chelsea have also joined them in the transfer race.

The Bundesliga side signed the 19-year-old from Victoria Köln in June 2024 and sent him back on loan.

Last summer, he arrived at FC Köln and enjoyed an excellent debut season, scoring 10 goals and providing four assists in 29 matches. His Bundesliga statistics per game are as follows.

• expected goal [per season]:7.41
• expected assistance [per season]: 1.82
• Main pass: 0.4
• Shots on target: 0.8
• Goal conversion: 19%
• Big chances missed: 12

Last Thursday, Sports Witness Covered claims from Germany The Blues are willing to pay €45m, €5m more than FC Koln’s asking price. Earlier this week, we broadcast news Brighton’s next offer would be final.

Chelsea can snatch the signing from the clutches of Brighton

image Now covering the latest information about the Seagulls’ continued pursuit of Said El Mala and the Blues’ interest in it.

The player ‘wants to move to England’ after this season with Chelsea and Brighton both keen.

The latter have made progress by presenting concrete offers to both him and his brother, Malek, who is also at FC Köln. This and his manager put forward The Amex Club.

Fabian Herzeler has been chasing El Mala for a year while he is in the running to replace Casper Hjulmand at Bayer Leverkusen. Managers of other unnamed clubs are also on their radar.

Brighton securing a quick deal and Herzeler leaving after this season is a ‘scary scenario’ for the player. Therefore, the Germany U21 international is considering his options.

Construction Status: ‘Not only is the coaching situation in the hands of clubs like Chelsea, who are also interested in El Mala, but it could also prolong the transfer saga.’

Siegel insists that they want him, whether Herzeler stays or not. However, the German has a decision to make and the ‘scary situation’ benefits Liam Rosenior’s side.

El Mala Contract, Price and Agent Information

Last July, Saeed El Mala signed a contract extension until 2030, without making his debut for the German club. At that time, its value, according to transfer marketWhich was €3m.

During this season, this increased to €18m [in October] to 40 m [in December] Before falling to €35m in March.

He recently parted ways with his agent and is now represented by his parents.

Galatasaray are preparing a big move for Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana in the summer, who is being regarded as a dream signing.

news yellow red report On today’s comments from Galatasaray reporter Kagan Dursun. According to their information, Onana is the big signing that manager Okan Buruk wants this summer.

“Okan Buruc has a dream of bringing Amadou Onana into the midfield,” he said.

“It is a difficult transfer, but at the request of the coach, an investigation will be carried out at the end of the season. Even if Onana is not available, the coach wants a midfielder of that profile.”

aston villa resistance

While Dursun has personally requested to sign the 24-year-old from Aston Villa, the transfer is believed to be difficult.

Amadou Onana is currently linked to Aston Villa until 2029 and remains a regular under Unai Emery. He has made 31 appearances in all competitions this season, totaling 2203 minutes.

That’s despite being constantly troubled by hamstring and hamstring injuries. Without these, his appearances and minutes would undoubtedly be higher.

high asking price

There is also the question of price. Derson made no mention of a potential fee, but Aston Villa’s demands would certainly be high.

The Villans paid €59.35m to sign Onana in 2024 and Transfermarkt currently rates him at €45m. Galatasaray will have to dig deep to knock Villa out of the park, even with their big spending over the last few windows.

This figure is also likely to increase if the midfielder has a good World Cup with Belgium. Even if he doesn’t, the three years remaining on his deal means Aston Villa have the power.

Still, it appears the idea is on for Galatasaray, thanks to a request from their manager. The Turkish side has not hesitated To target big name signatures in the recent windowAnd Onana appears to be next on their list.

Arne Slot stands ‘on the brink’ of the sack at Liverpool, and Xabi Alonso is waiting to replace him.

BILD reports this Liverpool’s 10th league defeat of the season, defeat to Brighton at the weekend, has sealed the fate of the slot at Anfield.

He will go in the summer, And Liverpool have avoided immediate dismissal only because their Champions League rivals have also dropped points.

Big change for Liverpool

According to the German newspaper, a major change is being made at Liverpool this summer. Despite having a contract until 2027, Mohamed Salah is leaving. His exit was announced yesterday.

His departure is being seen as an opportunity for Liverpool to give new manager Alonso a chance ‘A real fresh start’.

Liverpool have maintained contact with Alonso as the slot struggles this season. The Dutch coach is under pressure after a poor title defense despite a €500m investment last summer.

He failed to form a cohesive team with stars such as Florian Wirtz, who were assigned to him. That’s why Alonso is expected to arrive this summer.

edwards always wanted alonso

Michael Edwards wanted to sign him in the spring of 2024. Alonso refused at the time. He was heading towards a first league title with Bayer Leverkusen in an undefeated season and did not want to move on.

But Edwards never lost touch, even when Liverpool won the title under the slot last season. Alonso’s agent, Iñaki Ibáñez (61), recently confirmed concrete offers for the former midfielder.

Now, according to information from BILD, Alonso is ready for Liverpool. If they make him a solid offer, he will accept, provided its conditions are met.

This concerns his impact on squad planning. Despite his opinions being ignored, he agreed to join Real Madrid last year. This included signing a center forward and a midfielder and adding them to the club’s squad for the Club World Cup.

A 4–0 defeat to PSG in that tournament meant he began his career at the Bernabeu under pressure from which he never recovered. He wants to avoid this at Liverpool, so a involvement this season is out of the question.

liverpool is chasing intensely

Liverpool have been ‘pursuing him intensely’ since January. Those in charge at Anfield see his appointment as the best possible way to field a top-class squad firing on all cylinders. Wirtz’s development at Leverkusen is certainly not being ignored. Hopefully he can give the 22-year-old and Liverpool the boost they need.

Meanwhile, Alonso believes he can ‘coach more than that’ at Real Madrid again. This is his strength and he wants to return there.

It seems that Liverpool are ready to offer him this. The future of the slot, at least according to BILD, has already been decided. He will leave in the summer, and Alonso will eventually arrive.

Chelsea owner Blucho wants to sign FC Nantes’ Mathis Ebline and Tyel Tati in the summer window.

The Todd Boehly-led consortium also owns RC Strasbourg and connections have seen them do transfer business with Chelsea.

Bluco are keen on the 22-year-old and Tati for next season and are laying the groundwork to sign both.

Abline joined the Ligue 1 team from Stade Rennais for €12m in July 2024 and scored 23 goals and nine assists.

Here are his Ligue 1 statistics this season

• Appearances: 25
• Start: 21
• Minutes: 1,991
• Target: 5
• Assist: 3

Tati is a product of the club’s academy and broke into the first team last year. The centre-back has made 19 league starts and one further start in cup competition this season.

His development convinced Chelsea to make an approach for him towards the end of the winter market. Liam Rosenior’s side have made a move to sign the 19-year-old after Stade Rennais’ Jeremy Jacquet missed out on a move to Liverpool.

On 2 February, Game Witness broadcast news Due to the failure of the Premier League team to sign him.

Chelsea is not giving up

But! football club Now reports on Bleuco’s interest in Nantes’ Mathis Abline and Tyall Tati.

At the weekend, the duo played the full 90 minutes in a 3–2 defeat to Strasbourg and Ebline managed a goal and an assist.

Chelsea owners had their representatives at the Nantes stadium with the express aim of making concrete progress towards signing the pair. There was a direct conversation with Abline after the match.

In short, Bluco has laid the groundwork and is preparing a ‘massive offer’ to sign the frontman and young defender.

It has been claimed that they are prepared to submit a combined €38m bid for the two players and the figure is a clear indication of their strong desire to secure his services.

Bluco’s plan is to sign him and immediately send him on loan to Strasbourg. Since the consortium owns two clubs, this is only possible if Chelsea signs him. In short, the job done so far is to bring both players to Stamford Bridge.

Nantes is in 17th place [18 teams in Ligue 1]Five points behind 16th-placed Auxerre. With the real threat of relegation, Ebline and Tati are both set to change clubs in the summer.

Duo contract and price

Mathis Ebline’s contract runs until 2028, and transfer market He is worth €20m.

Tati, on the other hand, signed a new contract [in October] By 2028 and its value, as per transfer marketIs €12m.

With this in mind, the suggestion of a €38m bid as a ‘huge offer’ makes sense.

🇵🇹 Exclusive: Maxi Araújo

⏩Tottenham and Chelsea are in contact
➡️ Source gave information @UllalIBT
➡️There is also further Premier League interesthttps://t.co/K17lRpjlUG #thfc #cfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 22 March 2026

Aston Villa have a long-standing interest in Pedro Goncalves back into conversation againLatest claims from the Portuguese side suggest Premier League club Sporting CP are keeping an eye on the attacker.

However, it comes with a familiar feeling around it.

For years, Aston Villa have been linked with the 27-year-old. Despite this, no serious action was ever taken towards Sporting’s demands. Latest updates from Portuguese newspaper to ball Maintains that pattern, even if he tries to change the situation again.

Form returns as markets look again

Pedro Gonsalves is finishing the season in strong form after previous injury problems.

The Sporting player has scored 14 goals and provided seven assists this season. Those numbers come from 29 appearances and just over 2,000 minutes. Importantly, three of these goals came in his last two games, underlining his late season surge.

A Bola stated that he is now in “the best moment of his season”. They also emphasize that Both Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen (again) Are “very attentive” to his condition in the summer.

Timing is not accidental. With the World Cup approaching, Goncalves is expected to be part of Portugal’s plans. This increases visibility and naturally attracts interest again.

Still, the idea of ​​interest is nothing new.

Contract conditions complicate the deal

Pedro Gonsalves signed a new contract with Sporting in October 2025. The deal runs until 2030 and his release clause is set at €80m (£68.4m). On paper, that figure determines the price. In reality, things are more subtle.

At 28 this summer, Goncalves is no longer in his growth phase. Sporting are unlikely to receive an offer even close to that clause. Previous interest from Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen never reached that level.

In 2023, Leverkusen’s bid of €30m (£25.7m) was rejected. Aston Villa has historically been linked with a similar range of offers. Nothing close to €80 million has ever been completed.

That context matters because if a move is made, it will almost certainly require a significant discount.

What’s next for Aston Villa?

Pedro Gonçalves’ position sits in a familiar place. Like an Aston Villa player. they’ve liked him for years. However, their interest never translated into concrete pressure on Sporting’s valuation.

Now, when the player has turned 28 and is entering the peak years of his career, the dynamics have changed a bit. Sporting may still demand a high fee, but market reality points elsewhere.

Sporting will be well aware of the situation and conscious they will not get anywhere near the €80m clause. Big discounts are sure to be available there. Given what Goncalves has given to the club, he will be hoping for a boost if he gets a good chance in the summer.

The move to the Premier League would not only see him on a bigger stage, but it would also transform his career from a financial aspect.

For Aston Villa, the question is whether this is another cycle of monitoring or the moment when they finally act. So far, history suggests the former.

🇪🇸 Aston Villa will play a friendly match against the La Liga club on Friday

✈️ Part of a training trip to Spain for those not on international duty this monthhttps://t.co/kx25Y4mLvL #avfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 23 March 2026

The Chicago Bulls have fallen short in the postseason picture, and they are set to miss the play-in tournament for the first time in the last four seasons. It’s clear that Chicago is paying more attention to its youth, and in return, Matas Bouzelis is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. On Monday night, Bouzelis played a key role in the Bulls’ 132–124 upset win over the Rockets, scoring 23 points on an efficient 8-16 shooting night.

Considering how much the Bulls have struggled since the trade deadline, they need every ray of hope that there is indeed some light at the end of the tunnel as far as their rebuild is concerned. And games like this one from Buzzellis that’s all it givesEspecially when he made some clutch plays in their most recent win.

Bouzelis told CHSN’s Casey Johnson, “I’m trying to be aggressive all the time. I don’t care who’s in front of me. I’ll take the challenge.”

It must have been very inspiring for Bouzelis to do well for himself, given that he himself admitted that Rockets star Kevin Durant, who had 40 points on the night, was “eating” him.

“He was kicking my butt, man. It was tough. Obviously, he’s an amazing player. I’m really happy we came out with the win. He was cooking me,” Bouzelis admitted.

“I’m trying to be aggressive all the time. I don’t care who’s in front of me.”

with Matas Buzzelis @KCJHope After a 23-point performance in the win over Houston. pic.twitter.com/7TnwhU39k4

– Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) 24 March 2026

The Bulls still have a long way to go in their rebuild, but to say they don’t have some promising pieces would be disingenuous. Bouzelis has the size to be a prototypically dominant two-way wing, and Josh Giddy is a stat-sheet stuffer extraordinaire.

Bouzelis is also only 21 years old, so the sky is the limit for a second year ahead. Watching Durant up close and personal has certainly taught the young Bulls player some tricks that he can incorporate into his game moving forward.

Manchester United separation seemed certain With Casemiro at the end of the season. However, the picture has changed in recent weeks.

The midfielder has returned to a high level and has started to impress in big matches again. He has performed decisively and brought stability back to the team.

That race has highlighted what he still has to offer. Casemiro provides leadership, organization and control in midfield. He understands the game well and plays defense well. Additionally, his experience helps the younger players around him. As a result, his role within the team has increased again.

This improvement did not go unnoticed. Just a few weeks ago his departure seemed almost certain. Now, Manchester United is re-evaluating that situation. The Brazilian has reminded the club why he was signed in the first place.

Manchester United reconsidering exit as renewal talks unfold

According to a Brazilian outlet report RTI gameUnited have resumed internal discussions regarding Casemiro’s future.

The club now sees him as a useful and reliable option again. This leaves room for talks over a potential renewal, even though their current deal runs until June 2026.

Still, any agreement will depend on finances. Casemiro earns around £350,000 per week, one of the highest salaries in the team.

Manchester United wants to reduce The figure comes as part of a broader salary adjustment. Therefore the conversation will not be straightforward.

Brazil’s plans foiled by Casemiro’s rejection of return

At the same time, interest from Brazil has not stopped. his former club Sao Paulo contacted One more time to explore a possible move after the 2026 World Cup.

This time, the club’s football coordinator – ex-Bayern Munich right-back Rafinha – approached Casemiro’s representatives to hammer out the terms of a deal.

However, the response was clear. Casemiro does not plan to return to Brazil at this stage and has hinted at an opportunity to remain in England. His priority is to play at a high level abroad. That stance has frustrated Brazil’s hopes of bringing him back in the near future.

Other options remain open

Even after Manchester United returned, other clubs continued to monitor the situation. The Brazilian report that Inter Miami have shown interest, while Al-Nassr represents a strong option from Saudi Arabia.

Those offers could prove economically attractive, especially in the Saudi market. Nevertheless, Casemiro’s improved form and his family’s preference to remain in Europe could influence the result. Instability in the Middle East will also be a reason.

The situation has clearly changed for Manchester United. What once seemed like a certain exit has turned into an open decision. Now a lot will depend on whether both sides are able to reach a consensus in the coming months or not.

🇩🇰 FC Midtjylland | Manchester United and Liverpool got there last night, with several possibilities on offer…https://t.co/wocwF5gneh #free #lfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 20 March 2026

In only his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cason Wallace has never played for a team that has not won at least 57 regular season games. It is extremely rare for most NBA players to win a championship between sophomore seasons. This season has undoubtedly been his best. Wallace recorded a career-high 27 points in a 121–111 win against the Denver Nuggets in February.

However, Wallace’s contributions go far beyond his career-high seven threes made in that win against the Nuggets. Wallace has emerged as a triple threat for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, giving him a unique on-ball defender who can stretch and stretch the floor with his outside touch.

Wallace’s career average is the best in several statistical categories, including points per game (8.6), assists (2.7), and steals (2.1), in which he leads the NBA. Still, returning as the defending champions and having faced every team’s best effort, Wallace doesn’t see any major changes in the Thunder’s approach this season.

Wallace said, “I don’t see any big difference between last season’s performance and this year’s. The goal will always be to win.” “As defending champions, we still look forward to working hard and competing every day.”

While some were expecting a championship hangover, which is the norm for most returning champions, the Thunder had the best start to the regular season – 24–1 – in NBA history. Without All-NBA forward Jalen Williams, who missed the first 19 games due to wrist surgery, the Thunder rose to the top of the Western Conference standings, where it remained stable through the 2025–26 season.

“I feel fortunate to be a part of such a great team and I’m excited to keep the energy flowing until the end of the season,” Wallace said.

Wallace will be a key part of the Thunder’s postseason campaign as the defending champions. With teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets threatening to dethrone OKC from its throne, Wallace is one of several interesting depth pieces that light up the Thunder’s backcourt.

Oklahoma City embraces Thunder’s Cason Wallace

As Wallace continues to grow as a player, his community of die-hard Thunder fans in Oklahoma City has embraced him. So much so that Wallace partnered with a local food chain in town, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, to create “Cason’s Queso”, his own cheese sauce inspired by his nickname “Queso”.

Wallace said, “We have great people on this team and we always have a lot of fun together. I’ve always had him at Fuzzy’s, and I told him my queso is a must-try because it’s loaded just the way I like it.” “Every bite is a little different depending on what toppings you bring out, so it’s perfect for sharing on game day.”

While Wallace hopes the fans enjoy the collaboration, he is eager to finish the regular season and enter the playoffs for another run at the championship.

Amid a 10-game winning streak, the Thunder earned their 55th win on Wednesday. With only 12 games remaining, Oklahoma City is in position to make another deep playoff run with hopes of winning back-to-back titles.

Mark Daigneault praises ‘committed’ Cason Wallace

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised Wallace’s adaptability to different lineups this season, which he has been successful in, as the third-year guard continues to improve. Although the Thunder traded for Wallace, who was selected 10th overall on draft night in 2023, it’s no coincidence that Casson has one of the highest winning percentages in NBA history.

Wallace’s career winning percentage is 75.6%. And while some fans will joke that he’s a lucky charm, given that the Thunder have finished with the best record in the Western Conference every season since Wallace joined, Daigneault looks at the work Cason has done behind the scenes.

“He’s one of many guys on our team who obviously plays his role well on a very good team,” Daigneault said. “When you look at Cason Wallace’s win percentage as a professional, his win percentage is insane. But one of the things that comes with playing on a team at this level as a young player is that your role can sometimes feel narrow compared to your teammates.

“If he wasn’t on such a good team, he’d probably be able to do a lot more, and his role would be a little broader. So, when you have a guy that’s committed to that kind of role, is committed to winning and the team’s success, having a night like tonight, everybody’s happy for him.”

While Wallace’s role has changed sporadically throughout the regular season due to the Thunder’s long list of injuries, he makes the most of his opportunities.

“He shows up – he takes whatever minutes he gets. Sometimes he starts, sometimes he doesn’t. Some nights he gets some shots, and he doesn’t get his breakthrough,” Daigneault said. “So, on a night when he does that, and he delivers, everyone is thrilled for him.”

For Wallace, it’s sometimes hard to believe how far he’s come. It all happened very quickly for the top-10 draft pick, who became an NBA champion, led the association in steals, and emerged as a key member for a team with the potential to win back-to-back titles.

If Wallace could talk to that younger version of himself, he would only give that kid one strong piece of advice for the future.

“I would tell the younger version of me to keep working hard,” Wallace said. “Results come from being disciplined, having confidence in yourself and your teammates, and being prepared for every opportunity.”

Wallace is living proof of what the other side of that hard work is.

Chelsea are already shaping up over Giovani Quenda’s transfer to England, with the winger now preparing for life in London while technically still at Sporting.

The 18-year-old is expected to return to Lisbon at the end of March. However, his recent routine shows that Chelsea’s influence begins long before the summer.

As we covered earlierThe Premier League side have kept Kwenda at Cobham to complete his recovery and begin to adapt to his future surroundings.

This includes learning English and becoming familiar with the city where he will soon be living.

Recovery, routine and quick adaptation

giovani quenda has spent last month Recovering from a broken fifth metatarsal suffered in late November. The injury required surgery in London shortly before Christmas, as Chelsea had already agreed a £43.5m (€50.7m) deal for the winger.

Since then, his rehabilitation has been structured in phases, as detailed in record In portugal. First, he worked on the mobility of the affected leg. Then came stabilization exercises, followed by strength work and a gradual return to the pitch.

Now in the final stages, Chelsea have decided to keep him in England instead of sending him back to Sporting early.

In recent days, Kwenda has been training at Cobham in the afternoon with a physiotherapist. Interestingly, the same specialist is also working with another Chelsea player, Caleb Willey, who is currently on loan.

Away from the pitch, the winger has started to develop his new routine. According to records, he spends the morning studying English, as well as getting to know London before his permanent transfer.

Chelsea are also supporting their off-field setup. The food is prepared by the club, and they have already begun initial commercial activities, including work involving Nike.

Timely withdrawal for crucial weeks

Despite an extended stay in England, Giovani Quenda is still expected to return to Sporting during the international break.

That timing is not accidental. Sporting is entering a crucial period of the season, with home fixtures and a Champions League double-header against Arsenal on 7 and 14 April.

Portuguese manager Rui Borges is also dealing with new concerns in attack, with winger Luis Guilherme expected to be out for a month with injury. As a result, Kwenda’s return could come at a crucial moment.

From Chelsea’s point of view, it is about more than just fitness. They want the winger to arrive in Lisbon ready to contribute immediately, both physically and tactically.

Why is Chelsea taking control?

Chelsea’s decision to keep Giovani Quenda in London highlights how highly they rate him.

The club is not just protecting its investment. They are actively managing his development, even if he is still playing elsewhere.

By combining recovery with cultural adaptation, Chelsea is effectively accelerating his integration before officially joining the team.

If everything goes according to plan, Kwenda will return to Sporting fully fit and ready for the decisive matches. Plus, he will already be one step closer to his next chapter in England.

🇦🇷 Mateo Del Blanco | The player “will be bought by Chelsea”

➡️Confidence of soon transfer to Argentina
🇫🇷 will then be sent to Strasbourg
🔁There could be a case for Valentin Barco to move to Chelsea and Del Blanco to replace him in Francehttps://t.co/aduwJ75hUj #cfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 20 March 2026

The Milwaukee Bucks are entering a pivotal period, and Brian Windhorst’s recent comments have added to the uncertainty. As trade discussions involving the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo begin to unfold, the timeline no longer feels secure. That tension has also opened the door to more questions about their future, even if nothing is official yet.

Concerns grew during Windhorst’s appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.

“The Bucks’ way to really retain Giannis is to sign him to a five-year, $270 million contract extension this fall,” he said. Then came the pause. “And I ask the question, and I don’t know the answer here. I’m not reporting anything, I’m just saying, are the Bucks willing to pay him $275 million at this point?”

This is not a report. This is a real question. The Bucks sit at 28-40 with only 14 games left. The play-in chase is slipping away. It looks like the season is about to end. In those circumstances, every decision has greater importance.

A decisive decision is looming for the Bucks

Brian Windhorst pioneered the idea on the Rich Eisen Show.

“Maybe the answer is still perfect and he signs it and he doesn’t get traded, but not only did you not trade him and you have a lost season here, how do you feel about his health now that he’s 30 years old?

That line comes down hard. It’s not just about money. It’s about timing, about risk and about what happens next.

He added, “For me, I’m not sure it was a completely thoughtless thing to do.”

With the Bucks franchise now standing at a crossroads, Giannis Antetokounmpo trade questions are quietly beginning to surface. Reports suggest that the team may lay him off to protect his health. This is a sign of a change. There is no focus on this season anymore. This is the future.

The crowd once believed that this path was simple. Expand Superstar. Chase another title. Now the noise has become louder. So what do the Bucks decide, and what does it mean for everything going forward?

As the Washington Wizards cruised through the final three weeks of the NBA regular season, college basketball began March Madness, also known as the NCAA Tournament. Like last year, there are several prospects heading into the tournament that the Wizards could take with their lottery picks in this summer’s draft.

In 2025, freshman guard Trey Johnson had a team-high 23 points (6-14 FG, 4-7 3-points), six rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes for Texas in an 86–80 First Four loss to Xavier. That game ended the collegiate career of the 2025 SEC Freshman of the Year, and Washington drafted him No. 6 overall in June. Now, his 36.7% three-point clip ranks fourth among NBA rookies with at least four attempts per game (minimum 40 games played). He also ranks fifth with an average of 5.3 attempts.

This year, the obvious draft targets for the Wizards are BYU forward AJ DiBuntsa, Kansas guard Darrin Peterson and Duke forward Cameron Boozer. All three will be playing in the tournament, as No. 1 Duke plays No. 16 Siena in the East Region on Thursday, No. 6 BYU takes on No. 11 Texas in the West Region on Thursday, and No. 4 Kansas takes on No. 13 California Baptist in the East Region on Friday. If Duke and Kansas each win their first two games, they will play each other in the Sweet Sixteen.

Any one of those players could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. DiBuntsa leads the nation with 25.3 points per game on 51.3% shooting (34% 3-point) and can score any type of basket, Peterson ruins games for the opponent even in limited minutes (for example, he scored 23 points in 18 minutes in an 81–69 win over Oklahoma State on February 18), and Boozer is a double-double machine (22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds). Season) who also creates shots for his teammates. Most recently, the 6-foot-9, 250-pounder dished out eight assists in the Blue Devils’ 74-70 ACC Tournament final win over Virginia on Saturday.

If the Wizards get a top-three pick in May’s NBA Draft Lottery, they will likely get one of these three players. If they get the No. 4 pick, they could acquire North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, the only freshman in school history other than Tyler Hansbrough to earn All-American honors. The 6-foot-10, 215-pounder won’t play in the tournament as he recovers from thumb surgery (per ESPN), but he averaged a near double-double (19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds) on 57.8% shooting and can switch to any position defensively.

However, there is a possibility that Washington’s lottery selection could fall outside the top four again. Entering Thursday night’s home matchup with the Detroit Pistons, the team has the NBA’s second-worst record (16-52), having finished in the same place last season. The second-worst record guarantees a top-six selection, and the Wizards were unlucky to get the lowest selection they could get last year.

Washington fans should be familiar with the consensus prospects outside the top four if the team selects the No. 5 or No. 6 pick in May. Luckily for the Wizards, several potential stars will likely be available in that range as well.

Here are four of those players:

G Kingston Flemings, Houston

Flemings was named the Cougars’ “best freshman” by Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle, and with good reason. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder blends efficient shooting with playmaking as a point guard while limiting turnovers. He is averaging 16.4 points per game with 5.3 assists on 47.5% shooting (39.2% 3-point shooting), while committing only 1.9 turnovers in 31.7 minutes. He also leads the team with 1.6 steals.

Additionally, the Flemings move on to bigger games. For example, the San Antonio native scored 21 points (6-14 FG, 3-4 3-point) with four rebounds, three assists and three steals in 32 minutes in Houston’s 69-47 win over Peterson and Kansas in Friday’s Big 12 Tournament semifinals.

No. 2 Houston will face No. 15 Idaho in the South Region on Thursday night.

G Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Acuff may be the hottest player in college basketball, coming off a 30-point, 11-assist performance in the Razorbacks’ 85-76 win over Vanderbilt in Sunday’s SEC Tournament final. The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has five 30-plus-point games this season, including a 49-point breakout in a 117-115 double overtime win over Alabama on Feb. 18.

Acuff is also more efficient than Flemings in high shooting volume, as he ranks seventh in the country with 22.9 points on 48.6% shooting (44.5% 3-point) while averaging 16.2 field goal attempts (5.8 3-point). Flemings is averaging 12.8 attempts (three 3-pointers).

Acuff is averaging 6.5 assists against 2.2 turnovers in 35.1 minutes. The 2026 SEC Player and Rookie of the Year could be the long-term version of Washington’s Trae Young, just an inch shorter. The latter has a $49 million player option this summer, so there’s no guarantee he’ll remain there after next season.

No. 4 Arkansas will play No. 13 Hawaii in the West Region on Thursday.

G Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Wagler is another freshman sniper, as he shoots 40.2% from long range on an average of 5.8 attempts. However, the Kansas native also has the size at 6 feet 6 inches and his scoring prowess is similar to what Flemings and Acuff have displayed in their careers. 46 point performance in 88-82 win over Purdue on Jan. 24.

PTS: 46
FG: 13-17
3pt: 9-11

Revitalize Every Basket @ilinimbb Star Keaton Wagler @bigten Freshman record 4️⃣6️⃣-point performance 👇 pic.twitter.com/dNcila5QJc

– Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) 24 January 2026

Wagler is the biggest surprise on this list, as he was a three-star recruit before winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors this season. Nonetheless, the combo guard is now unquestionably one of the best players in this class.

No. 3 Illinois will face No. 14 Pennsylvania in the South Region on Thursday.

Fort Ament, Tennessee

Ament is not as efficient as the above players, as he is averaging 17.5 points on 40.5% shooting (33.1% 3-point) in 30.2 minutes. However, the freshman at 6-foot-10, 207 pounds has great defensive tools and potential as a big man in the NBA. Some of his standout performances this season include 29-point performances against Oklahoma, Kentucky and Alabama on February 18, February 7 and January 24, respectively. The Volunteers also won 89–66, lost 74–71 and won 79–73, respectively.

No. 6 Tennessee will face No. 11 Miami (OH) in the Midwest Region on Friday.

BOSTON – The city of Boston was the key to basketball for Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Since arriving in Beantown in 2016, he has consistently exceeded expectations, becoming a five-time All-Star, earning the NBA Finals MVP trophy, and most recently, moving into 10th on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list during a 120-99 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. But just because Brown was introduced to Boston through basketball doesn’t mean he wants to be known for that alone.

The former UC Berkeley standout has used his platform to make a difference in New England’s largest city, hosting numerous community events giving his views on social issues, technology, the future and more. Brown’s life away from basketball has always been integral to him, so it makes sense that he might again emphasize non-basketball activities whenever he retires from the NBA.

“Part of me wants to say that when I’m done, you’ll never see me again,” Brown said with a slight smile in the locker room. “but who knows?”

Jaylen Brown was asked what the future will be like when he and Jayson Tatum are welcomed into the TDs a few years from now, like Robert Parish:

“To be honest, I can’t even think that far ahead. Part of me wants to say that when I’m done, you’ll never see me again.” pic.twitter.com/wfE6gRdHOP

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 19 March 2026

What does retirement mean for Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum?

As Celtics legend Robert Parish strolled through TD Garden on Wednesday cheering on fans — promoting his new book and looking at two franchises he played for decades ago — Brown was reminded of his limited basketball career.

When Brown was asked if he would return to Boston from time to time, like Parrish, he responded, “Honestly, I can’t even think that far ahead.” “Obviously, Parish is a legend, so it’s good to see him out there. He looked good. Looks to be in pretty good shape. So it’s great to have him around.”

Fellow Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who tied a season-high with 24 points against the Warriors, was also looking to the future. And while he didn’t reveal anything definite in terms of post-playing plans, the six-time All-Star did mention how great it is to see the beloved Celtics come home to a standing ovation.

“It means everything,” he said. “It’s a really nice moment to see other people receive their flowers.”

Jayson Tatum on talking to Robert Parish pregame:

“It’s always an honor to look back at the legends of the game and the players who paved the way for us as NBA players.” pic.twitter.com/5V0erRfoZ6

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 19 March 2026

When Tatum and Brown call it quits, there’s no doubt both stars’ jerseys will be retired and they’ll be placed among the stars in the rafters at TD Garden. However, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen anytime soon, as Boston’s dynamic duo is focused on chasing another title with the Celtics at 46-23 before the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Additionally, neither Celtics star is even 30 years old and both of them have signed long contracts for at least three more seasons.

No matter what happens for Tatum and Brown over the next several years, they’ve earned the right to handle retirement how they want, whether that looks like headlining home games in Boston or stepping out of the public eye forever.

When Brown was asked if he would ‘go black’ after retiring, he replied, “I mean, it depends on what God has planned.” “But if you ask me now, I think it’s much more likely, let’s say.”

maximo perron Como is having an impressive season, which is good news for Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side will now benefit from his future sale.

So far this season, the Argentinian has made 27 Serie A appearances totaling over 2000 minutes. He also has two goals and four assists, with Como currently in the Champions League spot. The youngster has impressed with his ability to dictate play from deep.

After a good initial loan spell, Perron joined the lakeside club permanently from Manchester City in the summer.

The 23-year-old’s performances are attracting a lot of attention now and will help the Nationals in the future.

Manchester City has a big sell-on clause

corriere dello sport Today report that Maximo Perron is emerging as a key target for Inter Milan, who are likely to part ways with Hakan Calhanoglu.

There are also doubts about David Fratesi, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan also at his best.

Perón is therefore seen as an effective way to restructure the midfield and reduce its average age.

Problems are likely to arise in Como regarding a deal. A major reason for this is Manchester City’s 30% sell-on clause, with Cesc Fabregas’ side demanding a high fee for the midfielder.

Perron was signed for just €13 million in the summer and his value has now at least doubled.

Only a significant offer would break Como’s resistance and they are no strangers to demanding hefty fees anyway.

Napoli are also keen on a player who could be the subject of widespread interest in the summer.

The deal was a success for Manchester City

Everything shows that Guardiola’s team did an excellent job with Maximo Peron. They loaned him out to clubs that helped his development and felt it was the right opportunity to let him go.

If a club pays €40m for the Argentine, Manchester City could now make around €9m from the deal. That’s pretty good money for a player who doesn’t even play for them. Furthermore, Perron made only two senior appearances for the Nationals.

That – in itself, is a good indication of the work done. Italian teams generally do not pay permanent fees to other clubs in Serie A. It would not be a surprise if Inter or Napoli make an initial loan attempt, but Manchester City hope the suitors will make a permanent offer soon.

What’s even better is that Peron’s value will increase further until 2027, and Manchester City will then get a larger share.

🇪🇸 Claudio Echeverri | Verona boss explains pressure on talent

🔁 Manchester City youngster told to “flow”
➡️ A good look at how he’s performing in Spain, his talent and where things stand right now 👇https://t.co/1RebbSVkGL #mcfc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 17 March 2026

The LA Clippers have been working with different lineups since the NBA trade deadline as the team looks for ways to incorporate their newest players.

Darius Garland, Benedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson all joined the Clippers via trades during deadline week, as James Harden and Ivica Zubac were surprisingly shipped out in the process. However, on Wednesday night, the Clippers debuted their new look, which could be their lineup for the remainder of the season and the postseason if they qualify.

Kawhi Leonard warmed up and was upgraded to available just before the game, while Garland was upgraded to available after the team’s morning shootaround. Given the back-to-back sets they were playing, there was some concern that both could miss games.

Darius Garland started Wednesday’s game along with Derrick Jones Jr., Kawhi Leonard, John Collins and Brook Lopez, the first time those five have shared the floor this season. Chris Dunne was relegated to a role off the bench, with Collins replacing him in the starting lineup.

Clippers Starters:

darius garland
derrick jones jr
kawhi leonard
john collins
brook lopez

Pelican:

Dejounte Murray
Trey Murphy III
Saddiq Bey
zion williamson
herbert jones

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 18 March 2026

Since acquiring three players at the deadline, this Clippers team has still never been complete. Darius Garland missed the first month after the trade due to heavy management of recent toe injuries. Meanwhile, John Collins suffered two scary neck-related injuries and missed nine games due to them.

Although the Clippers are scheduled to debut their new starting lineup on Wednesday, they are still playing this entire three-game road trip without a big player in Benedict Mathurin. Mathurin has played 16 games for the Clippers, averaging 19.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

“We know we’ve got three tough games,” head coach Tyronn Lue said before Wednesday’s game. “We’ve just got to come out and take it one by one. I know it’s back-to-backs, but they’re playing hard, competing, and we’ve got to come out and do the same. We understand who they are. They’re playing to win, they’re playing for something, and we’ve got to get stuck in.”

The Clippers have fielded only one lineup that has played more than seven games this season, and two players from that lineup – James Harden and Ivica Zubac – were traded in early February. Since the deadline, the Clippers have been checking out different starting units as they try to figure out what works best for them. In total, the Clippers have used 21 different starting lineups, including Wednesday night.

On this three-game trip, the Clippers have the New Orleans Pelicans twice and the Dallas Mavericks once on Saturday night, before returning home for a two-game homestand against the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee will attempt a move to the Premier League side in the summer.

The forward has not enjoyed regular good performances since joining the Red Devils from Bologna for €42.5m in July 2024.

He scored nine goals and provided four assists in 69 appearances, two goals and one assist this season.

His playing time at Manchester United has been reduced and he has made four league starts this season. In his final season at the Serie A team, Zirkzee scored 11 goals and four assists.

Below are the statistics for each game of this season [first] and his final season at Bologna

• Expected goals per season: 2.39 – 9.01
• Expected assists per season: 0.33 – 2.54
• Shots on target: 0.4 – 0.9
• Big chances created: 2 – 11

The difference in form, compared to his performance in Italy, is minutes. He spent an average of 82 minutes per game [in Serie A] In his final season at Bologna and this season it dropped to 31 minutes.

Joshua Zirkzee is targeting a Manchester United exit

In the winter market, witness the game covered regularly AS Roma’s interest claims. However, a deal was never completed.

TuttoMercatoWeb Emphasize that the Netherlands international is not happy that he did not leave the English club.

He had signed a deal with Roma and it did not work out for the 24-year-old to remain with the English club.

In January, the Old Trafford club parted ways with Ruben Amorim and appointed Michael Carrick as manager until the end of the season.

His arrival led to an immediate improvement in Kobi Manu’s situation but not Zirkzee’s. To give context, the Dutchman has played 28 minutes in four matches so far under Carrick.

The player will try to ‘correct’ the mistake made in January by saying ‘goodbye’ to Manchester United in the summer.

The Premier League team still has €25m of the €42.5m left to amortize. TMW claim this figure is a ‘great price’ and affordable for some Italian clubs to return to Serie A.

Dutchman’s contract, price and agent information

He has a contract until 2029, with the option of a further year, and transfer market He is worth €22m.

The attacker is represented by Sports Invest UK Ltd, headed by Kia Joorabchian. If Zirkzee is to leave Old Trafford he will have to find a suitable new club. However, for €25m it may not be easy.

Last month, Sports Witness Covered Claims There is interest from Juventus from Italy and that €30 million would be enough to sign him in the summer.

Considering his value, contract and age, Manchester United are unlikely to sell him for €25m. Parties interested in taking Joshua Zirkzee away from Old Trafford may have to offer more.

Player agent Rich Paul will once again be raising quite a few eyebrows after his latest bold move in regards to the NBA.

Paul, who represents Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James caught attention since then launch His podcast with former ESPN host Max Kellerman led many to point out a conflict of interest.

On the latest episode of “Game Over”, Paul revealed his true feelings about being the so-called Big Three in the NBA.

“I just think, we talk about the Big Three, right? The Big Three Is advanced. the big three Is Not three big name players. The Big Three in today’s NBA are the president/general manager, the coach, and the star player. This is where the Big Three are focused. When you have that, it spreads throughout the team,” Paul said.

While the star-studded trio has long been a part of the league, it came to the forefront negatively in 2010, when James teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat. He won two championships.

Now, the 41-year-old James has a talented trio on the Lakers with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Paul said he was willing to turn the team’s second-best player into a “great team president” and the third-best player into a “great coach.”

“First of all, it depends on who the second best player is. If the second best player could be the first best player, like (Jason) Tatum or (Jaylen) Brown, then the answer is no. But if the second best player is not an All-NBA-caliber player, then the answer is yes,” Paul explained.

Paul expressed some outrage in January when he said the Lakers should trade Reaves to improve their roster.

James, who has been with Paul Klutch Sports since 2012, distanced himself from the comments.

As the Miami Heat look to bounce back from a 121-117 loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday night, the team still has a lot to figure out about its lineup and rotation with 14 games left in the regular season. As the Heat prepare to face tough teams over the next few weeks, a major decision has still to be made regarding star Norman Powell.

It can’t be denied what a positive impact Powell has had this season in his first year with Miami, leading the team with 22.5 points per game, resulting in his first-ever All-Star award. The main starter for the Heat, it was a different story on Saturday as he came off the bench after missing the last seven games with a groin strain.

While fellow star guard Tyler Herro did the same after his latest rib injury, there are a few reasons why both Powell and Herro came off the bench in their injury returns after missing significant time. What is clear is that after a difficult and complicated injury recovery, coming off the bench is a way to help Powell get his feet under him again.

The second is not to mess with Miami’s flow, as Herro has had success since his debut, as he averaged 25.6 points per game in five of the seven games with Powell out. The other two were due to Herro missing time due to quadriceps pain.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra would tell ClutchPoints after the loss to Orlando that, in addition to ‘managing’ Powell’s injury recovery, he talked about the “level of sacrifice” that will come when dealing with lineup decisions.

“As long as we’re responsible for it, he’ll be OK,” Spoelstra said. “Look, these are not easy decisions right now. He’s going to play a lot of minutes. Tyler is going to play a lot of minutes. Right now, we just need to focus on winning games and getting on the team. We want to stay healthy, we want our guys out, we want our hitting power, we want our options. There comes some level of sacrifice with that, and what we’ll do each game, I don’t know at this point. We’re doing what we feel is necessary to prepare ourselves. It is necessary to have a winning situation.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about Norman Powell’s return from the bench and whether the decision to do so was to get his feet under him:

“Yeah, even to try to manage it. We want our options. With that, you know, comes some level of sacrifice…” #HeatNation

Full response: pic.twitter.com/apckf4WznX

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

Could the Heat bench Norman Powell in favor of Tyler Herro?

With the return of Powell and Herro to the Heat, Saturday was only the 12th game where they were both active in the game together, and the results have been mediocre. There were interesting rotational patterns where Herro and Powell played in different lineups rather than playing on the court together. When they were on the floor at the same time, it felt like action.

However, the two got extended minutes with each other on Saturday as they played 14 minutes, and defensively it wasn’t the best, with Miami outscoring the Magic by three points in that time. There could be a discussion about one starting and the other coming off the bench, Powell, who has recently come off the bench, scored 20 points on Saturday.

When asked how the team explained the reason for Powell coming off the bench, he said, “They didn’t want to mess up the flow of the way the team is playing.” “And I just want to be myself and be aggressive.”

Norman Powell on his explanation for coming off the bench:

“Just they didn’t want to mess up the flow…”

Full response: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/Yqi9QQdTOm

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

One can easily see how strange it would be for Powell to have an All-Star season early on and then become a reserve later on. However, there have been plenty of wins with either Powell or Herro out, creating a potentially uncomfortable situation for Spoelstra and one of the players to concede.

There’s still time for the Tyler Herro-Norman Powell tandem to work

However, the hope is that in these final 14 games, the Heat can make the Powell-Herro tandem work and solidify their spot in the Eastern Conference. There’s no denying that both have great offensive abilities on the field, but concerns on defense are legitimate.

Still, time has not been on their side, with Bam Adebayo even mentioning how “shaky” it will be in the beginning with moving pieces.

“I mean, it’s going to be volatile because everyone is trying to play the right way,” Adebayo said. “Nobody wants to feel like they’re messing up the pace or the style of play or how we’re playing. So everyone’s trying to get the right amount of shots or get the right rhythm without impacting everyone else.”

Bam Adebayo on the returns of Tyler Herro and Norman Powell and still figuring out how the rotation plays out:

“It’s going to be volatile, because everyone is trying to play the right way. No one wants to feel like they’re messing up the pace or style of play…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/jUh7VopUAS

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

At the end of the day, whether Miami starts both or does one and the other comes off the bench, the goal is a common thread that everyone shares.

“It’s a common goal. At the end of the day we’re all trying to win,” Herro said. “Anything you have to do to win.”

Tyler Herro’s full comments after the loss where he talks about five-second violations being quick, the message about Norman Powell’s role with the return and the Heat not having the defensive flair to start: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/45tkLUA0W6

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 15 March 2026

At any rate, both look to stay healthy and work with each other as Miami plays the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night, with the Heat 38-30, which puts them in seventh place in the East.

The Kansas City Chiefs have a new quarterback in the room. After speculation over the weekend that former Super Bowl winner Russell Wilson could be brought in ahead of the 2026 NFL season, general manager Brett Veach has initiated a trade to move in a very young direction.

Instead, Kansas City rolled the dice on a former first-round pick. With Patrick Mahomes on the mend, the Chiefs wanted a signal-caller who could step up, handle the heat and keep the offense steady when needed. Interestingly, they found that option within the AFC.

Chiefs find new QB2 as Mahomes recovery continues

The Kansas City Chiefs are finalizing a trade with the New York Jets for quarterback Justin Fields, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Fields is one of his best electric dual-threat quarterbacks. The former first-round selection brings elite athleticism and big-play ability that can change games in a heartbeat. Now, the Chiefs are bringing that skill set to Kansas City. Per the trade, the Jets receive a 2027 sixth-round pick, while paying Fields $7 million of his $10 million guaranteed.

However, there is a hurdle in the trade. Fields’ physical examination is pending; Let’s hope things don’t go as bad as they did with Max Crosby and the Ravens. With this trade, the Jets have three first-round picks and one pick each in the next four rounds, as well as three sixth-round picks, although with conditions.

Mahomes suffered ACL and LCL tears at the end of the 2025 season, and his status for the start of the 2026 campaign remains uncertain. Even if the franchise quarterback is ready to go, the Chiefs still need a reliable insurance policy behind him. This need became even more urgent after backup Gardner Minshew left in free agency to sign with the Arizona Cardinals.

Enter fields. The former Ohio State star was selected 11th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. This will be his fourth stop in the Kansas City League after stints with the Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers and Jets. His role in Andy Reid’s crime will be one of the most interesting storylines of the season. Whether he ends up starting early until Mahomes recovers or simply serves as a high-upside QB2, Fields gives the Chiefs something they didn’t have before: a dynamic playmaker who can move forward and keep the offense dangerous when called upon.

The Detroit Pistons have been fairly healthy for much of the season, which is one reason they remain on top of the Eastern Conference. There are some players who have had long-term issues, and one of them is Isaiah Stewart, as he has been dealing with a calf injury.

Head coach JB Bickerstaff recently spoke about Stewart’s injury, which has been bothering him for some time.

“It’s something he’s dealing with. It’s getting worse. He destroyed it in the last game and I think you could see he was favoring it late … It’s something we’re going to take time with,” Bickerstaff said, via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

It is uncertain how long Stewart may be sidelined, but the expectation is that it won’t be for long. If that’s the case, the Pistons will have to rely on their depth to overcome his absence, and that means Jalen Duren may also see an increase in minutes.

It’s safe to say that Stewart has been the enforcer for the Pistons ever since he’s been on the team, and he’s willing to protect his team by any means necessary. He recently opened up about where he gets his mentality to hit the floor.

“I’ll just say I’m very competitive and I look at the court like we’re going to war,” Stewart said on The Young Man and The Three podcast. “I know the other team is trying to get our heads down. So, it’s like an upset, like I’ve got something to defend. I’m just proud. I’m not going to lie down and give you an easy game.

“It shows that they don’t know me, and just in a moment they start judging me. I’ve had a lot of different teammates that I’ve competed against that didn’t like me, then they come to Detroit, it’s just like a threat, Stu is different. It’s great to have him as a teammate as a brother.”

Galatasaray is preparing one of the boldest free-transfer moves of the summer, The Turkish champions are ready to offer €15m-a-year for Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva.

Talks have already escalated beyond initial contact, putting Europe’s elite on alert as Silva nears a decisive career decision.

The 31-year-old is entering the final months of his contract at Manchester City, with neither the club nor the player showing signs of agreeing to an extension. As a result, clubs across Europe have begun to prepare themselves for his signature.

Few free agents on the market can match Silva’s pedigree. During his nine-year tenure at Manchester City, the Portuguese midfielder won six Premier League titles, one Champions League and made over 440 appearances, becoming one of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted men.

Galatasaray’s €15m offer changes the market

Turkish outlet Takvim reports Galatasaray’s approach has already reached the second phase. The club are planning direct talks with Silva’s representatives next month.

Those discussions will focus on Manchester City’s proposed annual salary of €15m for the player. This is a figure that would immediately put the Turkish side ahead of most European competitors.

Galatasaray are moving quickly in an attempt to control the narrative regarding Silva’s future. By acting decisively, they hope to outbid rivals who are interested but unwilling or unable to offer similar terms.

Recent success in the transfer market has built the club’s confidence. Last summer, Galatasaray secured Leroy Sane on a free transfer from Bayern Munich. That move cemented their growing ambition to compete domestically and in Europe.

Barcelona and Milan keep a close eye on the situation

Interest in the Manchester City player is not limited to Turkiye. Reports from Italy indicate that Juventus view the midfielder as A signing that is capable of changing their side in an instant. Barcelona and AC Milan are also said to be monitoring the situation closely.

However, none of those clubs currently appear willing to match Galatasaray’s €15m‑per‑year offer.

That financial difference could prove decisive, especially if Silva prioritizes security and position in the next phase of his career.

Silva is reportedly very pleased with Galatasaray’s interest. A report from Milliet last year Claimed that representatives of the Turkish club have already met his agent. This positive effect appears to have persisted as the proposed conditions have improved.

With talks scheduled for April and now an attractive offer, which also includes a signing bonus, Galatasaray are pushing hard. The decision is now up to Silva. Does he accept a new challenge in Istanbul or use Galatasaray’s ambition to shape the final chapter of an already illustrious career.

The New Orleans Pelicans face the Houston Rockets on Friday. Meanwhile, Zion Williamson is Despite this, they are securing their future with the franchise. early trade rumors And injuries.

Before tip-off, Williamson A rapid increase was seen In his contract, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. As a result of playing in 51 games, Williamson’s guaranteed salary will increase from $16.9 million to $25.3 million.

Additionally, his salary before the start of the season was $42.2 million for next season, with no money for security.

This year, Williamson is averaging 21.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 22-45 and have won seven of their last ten games.

Williamson has been with the Pelicans since being selected as the No. 1 pick out of Duke in 2019. Since then, he became an NBA All-Star twice in 2021 and 2023. In 2020, he made the All-Rookie team.

However, Williamson’s NBA career has largely been covered in bruises, criticism of their weightAs well as off-court issues such as 2025 sexual harassment allegation.

At the beginning of the season, it was reported that Williamson would be one of the players to be traded. However, the Pelicans are clearly doing everything possible to ensure that Williamson remains in the Big Easy for the long term.

On Monday, the Pelicans return home for four games. First up, they will take on the Dallas Mavericks. Then, they will play back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday and Thursday. On Saturday, March 21, the Pelicans will conclude the week by playing against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

MIAMI – As the buzz around the Miami Heat is that Bam Adebayo made history Tuesday by scoring 83 points, the second-highest scoring game ever in the NBA, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81 points, there’s no doubt he made an impact. Whatever the effect of the social media discussion surrounding the “ethics” of the Heat captain’s 83-point night, it was felt during the team’s 112-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

The win over the Bucks is Miami’s seventh straight, the longest of the season for the team, and comes after Adebayo had a historic night against the Wizards on Tuesday. Adebayo was clearly and obviously gassed in the contest, though he still finished with 21 points and eight rebounds.

Erik Spoelstra called outing vs. Bucks “one of our more impressive wins”

However, Adebayo’s performance was “inspirational”, as said by head coach Erik Spoelstra, leading to a dominant win over Milwaukee led by a standout performance from Pelle Larsson, which included a career-high 28 points.

“I thought it was one of our most impressive wins of the season,” Spoelstra said. “Going into this, you want to make sure your emotional and mental batteries are recharged. But it’s quite natural that there are some things where you don’t get enough juice. And for what we talked about in our meeting and walk-through, we need some guys to step up, maybe bring some Motivators, you know, inspire motivators.”

Erik Spoelstra was asked about the Heat’s gutsy win, especially after an emotional game on Tuesday, and he talked about Pelle Larsson and Kaspars Jaksionis.

“I thought it was one of our most impressive wins of the season…they were both awesome…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/MukvJbWh6K

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026

Spoelstra would call it a “very good team win”, while acknowledging that Miami was not as “impressive offensively”, possibly due to Tuesday’s emotionally draining night. Still, the Heat would look to hold the Bucks defensively, although Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points.

Adebayo and the Heat look to get back on track and make things happen on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic.

Phoenix Suns veteran Dillon Brooks’ promising update on his hand injury ahead of facing the Indiana Pacers could pave the way for his return. Brooks discussed the Suns’ upcoming postseason run and how a potential best-of-7 series would present “problems” for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The forward will look to regain his rhythm between now and the end of the regular season.

Brooks will make his first appearance since a 113–110 double-overtime win against the Orlando Magic on February 21. Brooks was seen during the Suns’ morning shootaround before facing the Pacers on Thursday shooting without actors According to AZ Central’s Duane Rankin, he suffered a fractured left hand.

Dillon Brooks no cast on fractured left hand for Suns morning shootaround. #Sun pic.twitter.com/GntKpKI3Fm

– Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) 12 March 2026

The Suns went 5-3 in their eight games without Brooks, including their current three-game winning streak, which was extended by a 129-114 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

Dillon Brooks warns Timberwolves about Suns’ playoff run

After a heroic performance from Suns veteran Dillon Brooks to capture the top 50 ranking, they threatened the Timberwolves with a potential best-of-7 playoff series. Brooks, who rarely shy away from expressing his honest opinions, believes the Suns can upset the Timberwolves in the postseason.

Brooks claims Suns have Timberwolves’ Numberhe said, according to the Million Dollar Worth of Game podcast.

“You never know, ant [Anthony Edwards] This year it could be a great year and win a chip. . .But they come to us, there’s going to be problems,” Brooks said. “We’ve got their number this year.”

“If they run into us, there will be problems. We’ve got their number this year.”

Dillon Brooks on a potential Suns-Timberwolves playoff matchup 👀

(via @mworthofgame)pic.twitter.com/EgEBtzl7Uf

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 10 March 2026

The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 108–105 on December 8, almost two weeks after a 114–113 win against the Timberwolves at home.

Gianluigi Donnarumma suffered the worst night of his Manchester City career so far on Wednesday.

The Citizens suffered a disastrous 3–0 defeat to Real Madrid and Donnarumma struggled for the full 90 minutes. He stopped a penalty which saved the Citizens an embarrassment but there were too many mistakes throughout the match.

The first goal was clearly his mistake and arguably, the Italian could have come off his line early for Federico Valverde’s third goal as well.

The 26-year-old player also made a mistake in giving a penalty, which he saved and for this he was given a yellow card.

The goalkeeper’s performances caught the attention of the Italian media, who were never far from the former AC Milan player.

Donnarumma’s heated argument with the referee

tuttosport Note today that the Manchester City player was not happy with Italian referee Maurizio Mariani. This was true when he was booked for dishonesty which led to a fine.

The goalkeeper said to the official: “Why are you acting like a big shot? You’re acting like a big shot.”

The matter did not end there, as Donnarumma continued after a few seconds of silence: “Why are you giving me a yellow card?“

TuttoSport also released the player’s comments to Sky Italia after the defeat. He looked hopeful of an unexpected comeback in the second leg at the Etihad.

“We have to play a completely different game in the return leg. I’m disappointed because we lost badly, but we’re playing at home and hopefully the situation will change.”

Donnarumma expressed confidence in Manchester City fans to help turn things around.

“With our fans, it will definitely be different. They will have to give us unprecedented promotion, but they will definitely do it because they are special“

Manchester City needs more from Donnarumma

The Italy international has been one of Manchester City’s best players in the Premier League. However, on a crucial night at the Bernabeu, things fell through and the goalkeeper will have to be at his best form in the second leg.

Big performances are nothing new for him, having done so for Italy and Paris Saint-Germain last season. It is important to remember that Real Madrid are not at their best ahead of the second leg.

Their season has been full of ups and downs and it would be foolish to rule out a Manchester City comeback. If it’s anything close to that, Donnarumma’s penalty save on Vinicius Jr. could be a significant contribution in its own right.

The Montreal Canadiens were in Ottawa on Wednesday night, facing a Senators team looking to make the Eastern Conference playoff berth.

Moments before puck drop it was announced that Cole Caufield would be forced to leave the game due to the flu. Caufield was used sparingly in the third period of Tuesday night’s win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As a result, Alex Texier returned to the first line, playing alongside Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkowski.

It should also be noted that rookie Jacob Fowler was given the start by the Canadiens, and he was a big part of the youth movement that led to the 3-2 win. Fowler stopped 29 of 31 shots sent his way to ensure the victory.

Let’s look at the highlights!

strong start

The Canadiens started the game on the right foot, culminating with Juraj Slafkowski’s 24th goal of the year just one minute into the first period.

It was Slafkowski’s 164th career point, the most by a Canadiens player before turning 22 in franchise history. Some may suggest that this is an easy feat since you started playing in the NHL at the age of 18, but it is quite a difficult thing to quickly learn while playing in the best hockey league on earth.

Talking about young players, rookie Ivan Demidov recorded his 50th point of the season in this sequence.

Juraj Slafkowski worked ahead of time! 🚨 #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zCTJpkYJYR

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 11 March 2026

senators respond

Josh Anderson plays a rough-and-tumble style of hockey that is guaranteed to come with a certain amount of time spent in the sin bin, but he has made a habit of taking penalties at bad times this season, and to make matters worse, they are almost always the epitome of unnecessary ones.

There’s no doubt that the lack of consistency in umpiring makes life more difficult for a player like Andersen, but the Canadiens can’t afford to be among the most penalized teams in the league, and the fact that Andersen is a repeat offender can’t be ignored.

With that in mind, the Senators tied the game late in the first period while Anderson was in the box for roughing. This proved to be a turning point when it came to Montreal’s ability to control the flow of the game.

I immediately knew it was a good goal 🤷‍♂️#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/bZs4BtEdjl

– Ottawa Senators (@Senators) 12 March 2026

Habs fans will be quick to tell you that Tim Stützle takes dives more often than a duckling learning to hunt, but he’s a very good hockey player, and he absolutely loves playing against Montreal.

He’s also highly efficient, and doesn’t need any help from his opponents to score, but the Canadiens still gave him a hand on Wednesday with minimal defensive coverage and incredibly soft clearing attempts.

To Alexander Carrier’s credit, despite the fumble before Ottawa’s goal, it must be said that the Habs forward blitzed the zone rather than supporting his defencemen, or offering good outlet options.

Tim Stützle can’t stop, and won’t stop 🔥#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/h0zPnPgY7G

– Ottawa Senators (@Senators) 12 March 2026

Crowded Threesome

It would be hard for you to argue that Saint-Louis has made a lot of bad decisions this year, but their lack of enthusiasm for Texier is a bit odd, especially since there are several players in the lineup who don’t perform as well offensively as the Frenchman.

Texier has done everything possible to earn his ice time, including some much-needed offense while dealing with a complete lack of consistency from a usage standpoint.

On that note, Texier tied the game for the Canadiens with a very strong individual effort late in the second period.

Alex Texier has 8 goals and 11 assists in 32 games #GoHabsGoWhile he averages less than 13 minutes per game when he is not a healthy scratch. pic.twitter.com/1Cvrf5Zu2U

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 12 March 2026

cardiac children

With the game tied 2-2, the Habs displayed great speed in transition, which was the biggest advantage of having a smooth skater like Alex Newhook in the lineup.

By scoring the go-ahead goal, Demidov tied Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Seneca for the most points by a rookie this season with 51 points.

This marked the 13th consecutive game in which the Canadiens scored at least three goals.

Great speed in transition gave Ivan Demidov his 51st point of the season.#GoHabsGo Are ahead 3-2. pic.twitter.com/VTJ1f5oK5D

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 12 March 2026

The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Saturday facing the San Jose Sharks at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

NBA icon Kobe Bryant might be shaking his head proudly in heaven right now after Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.

Adebayo surpassed Bryant’s 81 points for the second-highest scoring output in league history, and trailed only NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points. The Heat edged the Wizards, 150–129.

In the post-game conference, Adebayo looked on in disbelief at what he had accomplished, especially since he beat his childhood hero’s record. He said She is curious If Bryant were alive today, what would he say about his 83-point accomplishment?

“For me, it’s a wonder what he would say. Seeing someone (score) 60, 70, but 83 and passing him, I’m like, ‘What would he say to me?’ Because I always wanted to talk to him. But he’d probably tell me, ‘Do it again,'” Adebayo shared, who was seated next to his girlfriend, Las Vegas Access center A’ja Wilson.

“It’s a surreal moment to be in the company of someone I idolized growing up.”

“Wondering what he (Bryant) would say… I’ve always wanted to have a conversation with him, but he’d probably tell me ‘Do it again.'”

What Bam Adebayo thinks Kobe Bryant would have told him 🗣

(via @ZachWeinberger) pic.twitter.com/pCZzNpueaF

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 11 March 2026

Wilson agreed with Adebayo’s comment that Bryant would have urged him to go for the record again. Many thought Bryant’s 81 points would never be broken, but Adebayo did. So why not 100 points for Chamberlain?

Bryant was a frantic competitor and for him there was no record he could not achieve. Other athletes also shared his mentality and were very proud of it.

While Adebayo will never know how Bryant would react to his 81-point performance, he can take solace in the fact that he remained consistent with the mindset of his childhood idol.

會議錦標賽預覽： 美國證券交易委員會 | ACC |十大|大東方

在本週所有主要的會議錦標賽中，這一場感覺是最開放的。

以下是您參加本週末在堪薩斯城舉行的 Big 12 錦標賽所需了解的所有資訊。

廣告

誰能終結亞利桑那的奔跑？

不可否認，亞利桑那州本賽季表現出色。

野貓隊贏得了 Big 12 的常規賽冠軍，今年取得了 29 勝 2 負的戰績，同時統治了許多球隊。他們在後期取得了幾場大勝，其中包括 23 分戰勝堪薩斯大學和 26 分戰勝愛荷華州立大學。但野貓隊必須在擁擠的 Big 12 賽中倖存下來才能實現這一壯舉，而且有很多球隊可以提前結束本週在堪薩斯城舉行的錦標賽。

休斯頓可能是最好的選擇。美洲獅隊取得了 26 勝 5 負的戰績，並且在凱爾文·桑普森 (Kelvin Sampson) 的帶領下多次看起來有能力再次進入四強——儘管他們在以三連勝結束賽季之前只是連續輸掉了三場排名賽。

廣告

[Enter Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem now for your shot at $50K]

如果一切順利的話，有幾支球隊可能會大放異彩。堪薩斯州就是其中之一，它可能依賴達林彼得森。這位潛在的NBA樂透新秀本賽季經常缺席，有時甚至出於神秘的原因，但當他處於最佳狀態時，松鴉鷹隊看起來就像一支頂級球隊。愛荷華州立大學儘管在過去的五場比賽中輸掉了三場，但本賽季也戰勝了堪薩斯大學和休士頓大學。

哦，別忘了 AJ Dybantsa 和 BYU。儘管 Richie Saunders 前十字韌帶受傷且表現不佳，但美洲獅隊還是可以輕鬆地在堪薩斯城取得一兩場令人意外的勝利，落後於他們可能的 NBA 狀元秀。

當然，亞利桑那州看起來像是 NCAA 錦標賽中真正的一號種子。但無論如何，Big 12 錦標賽都不是理所當然的。

廣告

Big 12 男子籃球錦標賽基礎知識

時間：3月10日至14日
地點：T-Mobile 中心 |密蘇裡州堪薩斯城
電視：ESPN、ESPN2、ESPN+

Big 12 男子籃球賽程、結果

所有時間 ET

3 月 10 日星期二—第一輪

遊戲1 |排名第 12 的亞利桑那州立大學 vs 排名第 13 的貝勒大學 |中午 12:30 | ESPN+
遊戲2 | 9號辛辛那提 vs. 16號猶他州| 下午 3 點 | ESPN+
遊戲 3 |排名第 10 的楊百翰大學 vs 排名第 15 的堪薩斯州立大學 |晚上 7 點 | ESPN+
遊戲 4 | 11 號科羅拉多州 vs. 14 號俄克拉荷馬州 |晚上 9:30 | ESPN+

3 月 11 日星期三—第二輪

遊戲 5 | 5 號愛荷華州立大學 vs. 第 1 場獲勝者 |中午 12:30 | ESPN/2
遊戲 6 | 8 號 UCF 對第 2 場獲勝者 | 下午 3 點 | ESPNU
遊戲 7 | 7 號西維吉尼亞州 vs. 第 3 場獲勝者 |晚上 7 點 | ESPNU
遊戲 8 | 6 號 TCU 對第 4 場獲勝者 |晚上 9:30 | ESPN2/U

廣告

3 月 12 日，星期四—四分之一決賽

遊戲 9 |第 4 名德州理工大學 vs. G5 冠軍 |中午 12:30 | ESPN/2
遊戲 10 |亞利桑那州第一名 vs G6 冠軍 | 下午 3 點 | ESPN/2
遊戲 11 | 2號休士頓隊對G7冠軍|晚上 7 點 | ESPN/2
遊戲 12 |第 3 名堪薩斯隊對 G8 獲勝者 |晚上 9:30 | ESPN/2

3 月 13 日星期五—半決賽

遊戲 13 | G9 勝者 vs G10 勝者 |晚上 7 點 | ESPN/2
第 14 場比賽 | G11 冠軍 vs G12 冠軍 |晚上 9:30 | ESPN/2

3 月 14 日星期六—錦標賽

遊戲 15 | G13 冠軍 vs G14 冠軍 | 下午 6 點 | ESPN

After 13 difficult months of healing from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, Dejounte Murray’s return to the New Orleans Pelicans lineup has provided an unmistakable spark. The All-Star has revitalized a locker room that was searching for an identity all season. James Borrego and Zion Williamson are two of many in the organization who are very grateful that their point guards are still involved with the long-term gameplan.

However, the 29-year-old admitted that the process of returning to form towards the end of the year has not been simple.

“You know, I’m feeling great mentally, physically, spiritually,” Murray insisted. “Really taking it one day at a time, but this thing is a challenge, you know what I mean? Getting back into the flow of things is a challenge.”

Getting reacclimated to the NBA pace in his situation with the Pelicans has really given Murray (16 points, 5.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds) a new appreciation for every opportunity.

“Coming back with only 20-some games left is really different because you see a different perspective of things,” Murray explained. “Some teams are doing this, other teams are doing that, players in, players out. So for me, just taking it one day at a time and trying to get better every day.”

Borrego kept an open mind about Murray’s timeline, allowing the interim coach to consider any contribution a welcome surprise. This is just one way the Pelicans can find a ray of hope amid a lost season.

“To be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Borrego confessed. “I never try to get ahead of it. I just live in the moment, see where (Murray) is, but he’s impressive. I mean, just physically impressive to do that. The fact that he’s out there doing it, for (Jason Tatum) too, you know, he’s doing his job. It’s impressive what these young guys have done, the dedication both of them have shown.”

Williamson and Murray worked on group chat to keep everyone connected between challenges, and that chemistry is paying immediate benefits on the court.

“As a brother, it’s good to have him back on the court,” Williamson said. “Even though we were checking on him, he was doubly checking on us, making sure everyone’s composure was OK, making sure everyone was good, and checking on the team’s position.”

For Murray, the biggest hurdle remains finding his rhythm in meaningful games throughout the season. This will have to wait till next season. The condensed window leaves little room for gradual adjustments, especially for a team that is still trying to find consistency in expansion. For the Pelicans, the 3-3 record with Murray is a reminder of how much unreliable leadership can affect both the locker room and the scoreboard.

Penn State was dominant in the semifinal round of the Big Ten championships. The Nittany Lions had nine semifinal participants, and eight advanced to Sunday’s championship round. The only one who did not advance was Cole Mirasola, who lost to No. 1 seed Taye Ghadiali of Michigan. All 10 No. 1 seeds advanced to the Big Ten finals Sunday.

285 pounds: No. 1 Taye Ghadiali (Michigan) and No. 2 AJ Ferarri will compete for their first Big Ten title tomorrow 

No. 1 Taye Ghadiali (Michigan) over No. 4 Cole Mirasola (Penn State), 5-2: Taye Ghadiali started his semifinal against Cole Mirasola with a takedown, looking to deny Penn State a ninth finalist. Mirasola escaped and tried to fire back but did not land an attack in the first. Ghadiali started down in the second and escaped to take a three-point advantage. Mirasola started down in the third and struggled to escape as each second spent locked was one less second to attack. Mirasola finally escaped with 35 seconds left in the period but could not find a way through, giving Ghadiali a 5-2 win.

No. 2 AJ Ferrari (Nebraska) over No. 3 Nick Feldman (Ohio State), 2-1: Looking to win a third match of the season against AJ Ferrari, Nick Feldman failed to land in the first. He started down in the second and struggled to get out, allowing Ferrari to build some riding time. Feldman earned his escape very late in the period, and Ferrari got out quick at the start of the third, putting the pressure of Feldman to counter his riding time advantage. Ferrari defended against all of Feldman’s attacks and used his riding time point to win, 2-1.

197 pounds: No. 1 Josh Barr (Penn State) and No. 2 Camden McDanel advance to Big Ten finals

No. 1 Josh Barr (Penn State) over No. 5 Luke Geog (Ohio State), 18-3: Josh Barr finished the first period by taking down Luke Geog, taking a 3-0 lead from the opening frame. Barr escaped at the start of the second period and took Geog down for additional points. Geog was hit for stalling, and Barr earned another takedown to lead 11-1 after two. Geog escaped in the third period but gave up a takedown, and Barr advanced with an 18-3 tech fall win.

No. 2 Camden McDanel (Nebraska) over No. 6 Wyatt Ingham (Wisconsin), 10-3: Camden McDanel and Wyatt Ingham could not find a way through each other in the first period to score. McDanel took bottom in the second period and escaped after conceding some riding time, but he took down Ingham late in the second period to lead 4-0. After starting on top, McDanel gave up an escape but took down Ingham for more points. McDanel continued to score and won the match, 10-3.

184 pounds: No. 1 Rocco Welsh (Penn State) set to meet No. 2 Max McEnelly (Minnesota) set for Big Ten finals

No. 1 Rocco Welsh (Penn State) over No. 4 Brock Mantanona (Michigan), 8-5: After losing the match in the dual meet, Brock Mantanona starts his rematch with Rocco Welsh by taking down the Nittany Lion. Welsh escaped and looked for offense, but Mantanona’s takedown was the only one during the first period. Welsh won the disc flip and started the second period down, escaping quickly. Welsh found his takedown about halfway through the second, taking the lead. Mantanona escaped late in the second to cut Welsh’s lead to one. Mantanona started the third down and escaped to tie the match. Welsh continued to attack but failed to find a way through, sending the match past seven minutes. In the sudden victory period, Welsh turned a low shot into a single-leg, and he countered Mantanona’s escape to secure the match-winning takedown.

No. 2 Max McEnelly (Minnesota) over No. 3 Silas Allred (Nebraska) by forfeit: Silas Allred forfeited his semifinal match, and Max McEnelly advanced to the championship match.

A medical forfeit from Allred sends McEnelly back to the 184 championship! pic.twitter.com/Acb446NJ0N

— Minnesota Wrestling (@GopherWrestling) March 8, 2026

174 pounds: No. 1 Levi Haines (Penn State) & No. 2 Chris Minto will meet again in the Big Ten finals 

No. 1 Levi Haines (Penn State) over No. 5 Carson Kharchla (Ohio State), 5-1: Levi Haines and Carson Kharchla’s first period finished scoreless but not because of a lack of offense from either man. Haines escaped quickly to start the second and went right back to attacking, finally finding a takedown with 12 seconds to go in the period. Kharchla started the third period down and struggled against Haines riding, needing an escape and a takedown to win. Instead, Haines rode Kharchla for the entire two minutes to win, 5-1.

No. 2 Chris Minto (Nebraska) over No. 3 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa), 5-1: After no score in the first, Minto earned an escape to open the second period. Minto took down Kennedy about halfway through the second, holidnng Kennedy down and taking 1:06 of riding time into the third. Kennedy escaped quickly to start the third and looked for offense to come back against the Cornhusker. Instead, Minto’s riding time extended his winning margin to 5-1.

165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) and No. 3 Michael Caliendo set for another NCAA finals rematch in Big Ten final 

No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) over No. 5 Andrew Sparks (Minnesota), 19-4: Mitchell Mesenbrink started with an attacking mindset as he looked to continue his 100% bonus rate, taking down Andrew Sparks. Mesenbrink escaped quickly in the second, keeping his riding time advantage. Mesenbrink picked up another takedown, pouring the pressure on Sparks. In the third period, this translated to more offense and a 19-4 tech fall win.

No. 3 Mikey Caliendo (Iowa) vs. No. 7 Andrew Barbosa (Rutgers), 11-3: Mikey Caliendo scored a quick takedown against Andrew Barbosa in his quest to return to the Big Ten championship match. Barbosa escaped, and Caliendo took a two-point lead to the second. Calendo started down and escaped before going for another takedown, earning it to take a 7-1 advantage. Barbosa escaped to conclude the second period upright. He started the third period down and got another escape point but failed to find offense. Caliendo continued to put pressure on and won, 11-3.

Into the finals.

165 SF | #3 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) major dec. #7 Andrew Barbosa (Rutgers), 11-3 pic.twitter.com/3L7eXpknxW

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) March 8, 2026

157 pounds: No. 1 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) & No. 2 PJ Duke (Penn State) make their first Big Ten final

No. 1 Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) over No. 4 Cameron Catrabone (Michigan), 7-1: Antrell Taylor picked up a first-period takedown to score the opening points against Cameron Catrabone. Taylor started the second down, and Catrabone rode Taylor for over a minute before letting Taylor escape. Catrabone escaped to start the third period but needed more offense to advance. Instead, Taylor added three more points with a takedown and advanced.

No. 2 PJ Duke (Penn State) over No. 3 Kannon Webster (Illinois), 4-2: PJ Duke continued his inaugural Big Tens campaign as the aggressor, taking Kannon Webster down early. Webster escaped, and Duke got the escape point back after starting down in the second period. Neither wrestler earned a takedown in the second, and Webster scored a point after escaping to start the third. Webster could not find any offense, and Duke defended his way to a 4-2 win.

149 pounds: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness & No. 2 Ethan Stiles survive to advance to the finals

No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) over No. 4 Lachlan McNeil (Michigan), 11-10: Lachlan McNeil was the first wrestler to score in the battle of All-Americans, taking down Shayne Van Ness early on. Van Ness escaped. McNeil took the Nittany Lion down a second time and rode Van Ness for the rest of the first period. Van Ness started the second period down and got out quickly. Van Ness took offensive initiative and took down McNeil, but the Wolverine escaped to take a two-point lead. McNeil took bottom, and Van Ness elected for an optional start, giving up the point. Van Ness went back on offense and took McNeil down, tying the match. McNeil escaped, but Van Ness fired again, taking the lead with a takedown. McNeil escaped again, but Van Ness took an 11-10 comeback win.

No. 2 Ethan Stiles (Ohio State) over No. 3 Joseph Zargo (Wisconsin), 4-3: Ethan Stiles and Joseph Zargo wrestled to a scoreless opening three minutes. Stiles started the second period down and escaped with ease. Late in the period, Stiles found a takedown and led 4-2 after Zargo escaped. Zargo escaped again to start the third period after starting on bottom. Stiles forced Zargo to shoot, but the Badger failed to find a way through. The Buckeye takes the 4-3 win. 

141 pounds: No. 1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) & No. 2 Brock Hardy set for NCAA finals rematch in Big Ten finals

No. 1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) over No. 4 Nasir Bailey (Iowa), 19-4: Jesse Mendez scored the first point of the match after Nasir Bailey was penalized for stalling. Bailey started the second period down and escaped after 19 seconds, but Mendez kept the pressure on. Bailey was hit with another stall call, and Mendez took the Hawkeye down again for a 5-1 lead after two. Mendez poured on the offense in the third period, repeatedly taking Bailey down and letting him up again. With the late offensive flurry, Mendez won by tech fall, 19-4.

No. 2 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) over No. 3 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota), 8-2: In a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship match, neither Brock Hardy nor Vance Vombaur scored in the first period. Vombaur started the second down and escaped after just two seconds. Hardy started to become more aggressive in the second period, taking Vombaur down and recording a three-point near fall. Hardy started the third down and quickly reversed before allowing Vombaur back up. Neither wrestler scored the rest of the way, and Hardy returns to the Big Ten final.

Back in the B1G finals🔥

No. 2 Brock Hardy defeats No. 3 Vance Vombaur (MIN) by decision, 9-2. pic.twitter.com/f9Wx8A3mKu

— Nebraska Wrestling (@HuskerWrestling) March 8, 2026

133 pounds: No. 1 Marcus Blaze (Penn State) & No. 3 Ben Davino (Ohio State) advance to the finals as freshmen

No. 1 Marcus Blaze (Penn State) over No. 5 Drake Ayala (Iowa), 4-1: After beating Drake Ayala during the dual season, Marcus Blaze wrestled the Hawkeye to a scoreless first period. Ayala went down to start the second and escaped after 16 seconds. The two men were both strong defensively, and neither wrestler could take down the other in the neutral position. Blaze went down to start the third and got out quickly to tie the score. Ayala defended from a knee, and Blaze could not find a way through the national finalist’s defense. Seven minutes was not enough to separate the two, and the match moved to sudden victory. About a minute into extra time, Blaze shot low and grabbed Ayala’s leg, taking down Ayala. Blaze wins, 4-1.

No. 3 Ben Davino (Ohio State) over No. 10 Blake Boarman (Purdue), 21-5: Ben Davino started his first Big Ten semifinal by taking down Blake Boarman in the first minute. Boarman escaped, and Davino took the Bolermaker down again. Davino’s offense continued as he earned a fourth first-period takedown and a three-point near fall. Boarman started the second period down and escaped, but Davino kept firing, taking Boarman down once again. Another escape and takedown gave Davino the 21-5 tech fall win.

DAVINOOO is advancing to the Finals!! 🔥

Ben Davino WINS by TF over Blake Boarman, 21-5 !!#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/27d0KeHiwx

— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) March 8, 2026

125 pounds: No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) & No. 6 Jore Volk (Minnesota) to meet in the championship bout

No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) over No. 4 Jacob Moran (Indiana), 11-3: Luke Lilledahl started as the aggressor in his match with Jacob Moran, recording two takedowns in the opening period. Moran started the second period down, and Lilledahl released him after gaining some riding time advantage. Lilledahl picked up a late second-period takedown which was confirmed after an official review. The Nittany Lion escaped quickly to start the third period and continued to wrestle despite his big lead. With the riding time point added on, Lilledahl wins, 11-3.

Luke Lilledahl advances to the B1G finals!
Lilledahl with the 11-3 major over Moran!#PSUwr pic.twitter.com/5Xs2Wmc2yV

— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) March 8, 2026

No. 6 Jore Volk (Minnesota) over No. 2 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State), 8-1: Jore Volk started his semifinal with a first-period takedown, earning a 3-1 lead over Nic Bouzakis after one period. Volk started the second period on the bottom and escaped, adding to his lead. Volk found his way through Bouzakis’ defense again, taking down the Buckeye to end the second period. Bouzakis started the third period down, and Volk returned him to the mat a couple of times to earn the riding time point. With the extra point, Volk moves on to the Big Ten final with an 8-1 win.

NFL free agency begins next week and the new NFL league year 2026 will also make some blockbuster trades official. There’s been a lot happening lately with top players being added to new teams and marquee players getting franchise tags, so it’s worth breaking down some of the early action.

Following the first true week of the 2026 NFL offseason, we’re breaking down the winners and losers so far.

Winner: Baltimore Ravens HC Jesse Minter

Did the Baltimore Ravens pay a premium in the Max Crosby trade? Yes. This is exactly the type of move the front office needs to make to support first-year head coach Jesse Minter. He’s one of the best defensive play-callers in the NFL, but his scheme can only be truly excellent if it has an excellent edge player who can let him get past seven players. Last season, Baltimore ranked 28th in ESPN pass-rush win rate (30 percent) with the sixth-lowest pressure rate (19 percent) in the NFL. Crosby, when healthy, is one of the best three-down edge rushers in football. Minter now has his difference-maker at all three levels, with Crosby generating pressure, Roquan Smith playing the middle of the field and Kyle Hamilton doing everything else. This is the kind of move Super Bowl contenders make.

RELATED: Grading NFL Coaching Hires 2026

Loser: 2026 NFL Draft RB class out Jeremiah Love

Jeremiah Love is not only the best running back in the 2026 NFL Draft class; He is viewed by most people as one of the top three players overall this year. What does the NFL think of its draft-eligible teammates? The reported contract projections for Kenneth Walker ($13-plus million average annual value) and Travis Etienne ($10-plus million AAV), along with the likes of Rachad White, Tyler Allger, Kenneth Gainwell and Rico Dowdle among several teams keeping an eye on him, tell you everything you need to know. No matter who one sees as the second-best running back prospect — whether it’s Jonah Coleman, Jadarion Price or Emmett Johnson — the club is not fond of this year’s pool outside of Love. We could see only three running backs selected in the first three rounds.

RELATED: Ranking the Jeremiah Love landing spots

Winner: Fernando Mendoza and the Las Vegas Raiders

Let’s leave aside the debate about the Las Vegas Raiders not taking quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s developments that will help beginners. First, the Baltimore Ravens have made moves that make re-signing Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum seem unlikely. Second, several of Linderbaum’s competitors – like the Chicago Bears, who just acquired Garrett Bradbury, and the Los Angeles Chargers, who just signed Tyler Biadasz – have taken themselves out of the mix. According to OverTheCap.com, the Raiders now have nearly $120 million in cap space, giving them the financial flexibility to aggressively pursue Linderbaum, potentially sign Rashid Shahid and do even more to fill out the supporting cast around Mendoza. Additionally, it appears the club will also sign an experienced quarterback to ease Mendoza if he doesn’t win the starting job in training camp.

RELATED: NFL free agency predictions for top running backs

Loser: Joe Burrow

The week began with the Cincinnati Bengals opting not to use the franchise tag on Trey Hendrickson, allowing him to leave in free agency. What does it mean? The organization can either make moderate moves now just to improve the roster so it can get a compensatory third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft or it can spend more money and let Hendrickson effectively walk for nothing. Of course, that assumes there are key players who want to play for Cincinnati for a long time. Meanwhile, quarterback Joe Burrow will also now have to deal with the fact that he will be playing eight games per season against Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and TJ Watt. This also does not include next season’s matchups against the Houston Texans defense. Burrow will either miss games in 2026 or take more than 50 sacks.

Winner: Alec Pierce

In January, it looked like Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce would get a multi-year contract in the range of $20 to $25 million per season when he hit the open market. Once Indianapolis placed the transition tag on Daniel Jones and George Pickens was tagged by the Dallas Cowboys, Pierce became the top offensive weapon in NFL free agency. He is reportedly already on the radar for clubs like the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. Because of all that interest and this free-agent class being weaker than usual, we think Pierce could now reach $30 million AAV. The hottest deep threat in the NFL is about to cash in, with his signing bonus almost certainly tripling his career earnings ($8.66 million) from his first four seasons.

RELATED: Predicting landing spots for top NFL free agent wide receivers

Loser: Daniel Jones

We are not here to suggest that quarterback Daniel Jones is suffering from his current situation in any way. After all, the “worst-case scenario” is for him to suffer a bust while earning a fully guaranteed $37.833 million in 2026. However, it seems like the 2026 NFL offseason didn’t unfold the way they wanted for Jones’ camp. First, Indianapolis did not sign him to a multi-year contract, nor did they use the franchise tag on him, which would have been worth $43.9 million. So he immediately lost money there. Second, while he is technically a free agent and free to sign an offer sheet with another team, there are other quarterbacks available and only a few teams are willing to spend big.

We also suspect the market will reflect reality more than the NFL free agency rankings. Jones is a dual-threat quarterback who is coming off an injury that had a significant impact at quarterback in his first season. He had durability problems early in his career. We suspect there won’t be much of a market for Jones, effectively forcing him to sign a one-year deal with Indianapolis.

RELATED: 2026 NFL free agency predictions for top quarterbacks

Winner: Minnesota Vikings

Heading into the 2026 NFL offseason, the Minnesota Vikings find themselves in a worrisome situation. Salary-cap issues forced cap casualties at some key positions, resulting in this roster becoming weaker at several positions and having less depth than before. All along, Minnesota needed to go out and find a viable quarterback who could challenge JJ McCarthy for the starting job when it had little money to offer. Then the Arizona Cardinals announced they would be releasing Kyler Murray, putting the majority of their salary on hold in 2026. We know Murray will probably talk to multiple teams, but signing with Minnesota seems inevitable. Assuming a deal gets done, the Vikings will have to sign an above-average starting quarterback for a minimum amount of money. It’s a dream for Kevin O’Connell and it could soon become a reality.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Kristaps Porzingis has only played one game for the Golden State Warriors since joining the club from the Atlanta Hawks. After missing the last six games due to a mystery illness, Porzingis gets an inspiring update on his condition.

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, reports indicate the 30-year-old big man was upgraded to questionable on the latest injury report. He’s not guaranteed to play against the Thunder on Saturday, but it’s a great first step in the right direction. Seth Curry, Will Richard, and De’Anthony Melton are all listed as questionable as well.

“Kristaps Porzingis and Seth Curry have been upgraded to questionable for the Warriors last night at Oklahoma City. Both have a chance to return after going through recent on-court work. Will Richard and De’Anthony Melton are also questionable.”

The 10-year veteran has played in just 18 games so far this season (17 with the Hawks, one with the Warriors). In those 18 contests, Porzingis is averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. His field goal percentage is 46.1% while shooting 36.3% from beyond the three-point line.

He missed a large portion of the season due to a prolonged illness, which was initially believed to be postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). In February, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr claimed that Porzingis does not actually have potties. But Kerr quickly walked back those comments, making the whole situation a bit confusing. Either way, Kristaps Porzingis is still battling a mystery illness for several weeks.

The Warriors-Thunder game won’t start until 8:30 pm EST on Saturday. Therefore, Golden State will have most of the day to evaluate Porzingis’ situation and make a final decision.

The Washington Wizards made two blockbuster trades at this offseason’s deadline, acquiring two stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis. But while Trae Young is set to make his Wizards debut this week, a debut for Anthony Davis is a little less clear as he continues to work on his injury recovery.

On Thursday, the Wizards released a new update on Anthony Davis, saying that the big man’s hand injury was re-evaluated this week, and he is now able to make progress on limited individual on-court basketball activities. The team also said that Davis will be re-evaluated in two weeks and that’s when the next update will come.

Davis was acquired by the Wizards in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks a day before the deadline. Davis suffered injuries during his tenure with the Mavericks, and was already sidelined at the time of the deal.

An All-Star caliber and Defensive Player of the Year candidate when healthy, Davis has been limited to just 20 games this season, a little over 31 minutes per game. He averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocked shots while splitting 50.6 percent shooting from the field, 27 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 72.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The Wizards’ addition of Young and Davis signals a shift from rebuilding the franchise to now being able to compete in the Eastern Conference. The team has fielded a solid young group of players, some of whom were on display during the Rising Stars competition at All-Star Weekend. Davis and Young give the team capable, proven stars to help lead the group.

Jabari Walker had a career-high performance during the Philadelphia 76ers’ 106–102 victory over the struggling Utah Jazz. The 23-year-old bounced back with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, helping the 76ers stage a fourth-quarter comeback against now 18-44 Utah.

However, while the game proved to be huge for Walker, an unfortunate incident occurred before that as the 2022 draftee scratched a brand new car earlier.

“I actually had an unfortunate incident happen today. I just got a new car and I was driving it for like 30 minutes and I scratched it. And talk about being in the zone and you know, I just wanted to come to the game and it was an unfortunate incident for me. Mentally I was walking here like, ‘My brand new car that I just got, I scratched it,'” he revealed, according to a post by PHLY Sixers on X.

Jabari Walker says he bought a brand new car today… and scratched it within the first 30 minutes of buying it.

“When I saw the first two 3s go in, I said ‘Okay. OK. This is a whole new world. I got a chance to redeem myself.’ I forgot what happened earlier today… pic.twitter.com/1aIwjftkyz

– PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) 5 March 2026

However, Walker starred for his team in the absence of several key stars, including Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Paul George, who is still suspended.

“When I saw the first two 3s go in, I was like, ‘Okay. Okay. This is a whole new world. I got a chance to redeem myself’ so I forgot about what happened earlier today,” he said.
Walker’s night started explosively. During his first stint, he scored 15 points on all five of his shot attempts, including four three-pointers.

While he undoubtedly proved vital, it was once again Tyrese Maxey who led the way with 25 points on 8-of-22 shooting. Quentin Grimes also played a key role, especially late in the fourth quarter.

He finished with 16 points and knocked down two go-ahead free throws with less than 17 seconds remaining on the clock. However, this game will be extremely memorable for Walker for several reasons.

Not only did he return with a career-best score, but he did so on a day that didn’t start off on the best of terms.

The Golden State Warriors received an encouraging update about Kristaps Porzingis as the team prepares to begin a three-game road trip Thursday against the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Porzingis is traveling to Houston with the Warriors, indicating a positive step toward recovery from his recent illness that has sidelined him in recent games.

“Kristaps Porzingis is traveling to Houston with the Warriors today, I’m told. No word yet on his playing status for the next three (Rockets, Thunder, Jazz), but notable progress since stopping on the last road trip. He’s missed the last five games due to general illness,” Slater wrote Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Porzingis has been unavailable for Golden State’s last five games due to what the team described as a general illness. His appearance on the trip suggests he is close to a potential return, although the Warriors have not confirmed whether he will play during upcoming games.

The 30-year-old joined the Warriors earlier this season after being traded to the Atlanta Hawks at the February deadline. Golden State acquired the versatile big man in a deal that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta.

Kristaps Porzingis nears potential return as Warriors begin road trip

Porzingis made his Warriors debut on February 19 in a 121–110 loss to the Boston Celtics. In that game, he recorded 12 points, one rebound, one assist and one block while shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 2-for-5 from beyond the arc in 17 minutes.

In 18 games this season, including 12 starts, Porzingis is averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. He is shooting 46.1% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range while playing 23.9 minutes per contest.

Golden State enters the road trip with a 31–30 record as it attempts to stabilize its position in the Western Conference standings. After Thursday’s game against Houston, the Warriors are scheduled to face the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz before returning home.

预计多伦多枫叶队本周将在 NHL 新闻周期中忙碌，可能会有一些名字出现在他们的蓝线上。但这一消息并不一定是预料之中的：球队已经确认克里斯·塔内夫已经接受了核心肌肉手术，并且赛季结束。

球队表示，塔内夫有望在九月份的训练营中完全康复。

这一消息结束了数周来关于塔内夫最近受伤情况的猜测。早在三个月前的12月初，就有传言称球员正在考虑接受手术。

11 月 1 日，这位 36 岁的 WSA 在一场比赛中受到费城飞人队前锋马特维·米奇科夫 (Matvei Michkov) 的尴尬撞击，被担架抬下冰场。从那时起他就一直在受苦。在整个 11 月和 12 月的大部分时间都缺席之后，他在圣诞节后回来并打了三场比赛，然后再次上架。

塔内夫的赛季仅打了 11 场比赛就结束了。他送出两次助攻，正负值达到+8。他的缺席是枫叶队本赛季防守能力恶化的一个重要因素。

他在2024年交易截止日期前抵达家乡多伦多，是上赛季球队最重要的蓝线球员。在枫叶队收购他几个月后，他与枫叶队签署了一份为期六年、价值 450 万美元的 AAV 合同，他还有四年的时间继续竞选。

塔内夫赛季报销的伤病为球队提供了 450 万美元额外薪金空间的选择，这意味着他们将有空间在交易中获得一些额外的薪水，以帮助获得一些额外的选秀权作为回报。

塔内夫的表现总是引发伤病担忧

导致这起离奇事故的原因并非是被盖帽。但伤病一直是塔内夫所关心的问题，因为他有着神风特攻队、盖帽的比赛风格。他将自己的身体抛在比大多数人更多的爆炸面前。

塔内夫上赛季盖帽189次。总的来说，在 16 个赛季的 878 场职业比赛中，他总共送出了惊人的 1,856 个盖帽。这还只是常规赛。在 73 场季后赛中，他将自己的身体置于更加危险的境地，另外还贡献了 212 次盖帽。即使对于 6 英尺 3 英寸、200 磅重的坦克来说，吸收超过 2,000 次冷冻橡胶子弹也是很大的冲击力。

至于枫叶队的其他蓝线，几天后看起来可能会有很大不同。从奥利弗·埃克曼-拉尔森（Oliver Ekman-Larsson）到西蒙·贝努瓦（Simon Benoit）的名字可能会在美国东部时间周五下午 3 点交易截止日期之前转移。