Digital Sports Desk

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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 3

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – This week’s notebook begins with an item very close to home. For about a year-plus, your favorite columnist has been moonlighting from his main business and that is as a consultant to companies in professional (some college) and amateur sports. One of the main projects was “officially” announced this week by the NBA, although we began dabbling in the area with verbal agreements as far back as October 2025 when the NBA staged preseason games in Abu Dhabi.

In short: “It’s been great.”

Here is the official news release:

ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE, April 30, 2026 – The National Basketball Association and Globalist Sports Corporation Organisation JSC – a multi-sport organization based in Istanbul – announced a multiyear collaboration for Globalist Sports to launch and operate the NBA Basketball School in Türkiye.

The NBA Basketball School Türkiye will deliver weekly activity in Istanbul and Eskişehir and provide tuition-based basketball development programming for youth ages 6-18, including skill development, 5-on-5 scrimmages and games, and life-skills sessions. The program will tip off with a launch camp from Saturday, May 16 – Tuesday, May 19, in Mersin, followed by a series of camps across Türkiye throughout the summer, including Ankara (June 13–15 and June 26–29) and in İstanbul (July 5–9 and July 18–21). Registration is open now at www.nbabasketballschool.tr.

Former NBA Vice President of International Communications Terry Lyons and his Pivottv Media consulting company assisted Globalist in securing the rights to operate the basketball camps and will work with USA and European basketball coaches and legends to attend the camps and conduct clinics on a regular basis. Lyons worked with the NBA from 1980-2008.

“For us at Globalist Sports, working with the NBA Basketball School represents an opportunity to bring world‑class standards, structure, and ambition to youth basketball in Türkiye,” said Devrim Kıvanç Co-Founder & CEO, Globalist Sports Corporation Organisation JSC. “We are incredibly proud to support the introduction of this programme locally and excited about the long‑term pathway it creates for young players to develop their skills, confidence, and potential as part of a globally recognised environment.”

“The launch of the first NBA Basketball School in Türkiye reflects the country’s growing passion for basketball and our ongoing commitment to supporting youth development across the region,” said NBA Europe and Middle East Associate Vice President Basketball Operations, Henry Utku. “Through this collaboration with Globalist Sports, we are excited for this program to provide young players with access to world‑class coaching, resources, and a structured environment that emphasizes skill development, teamwork, and values that extend beyond the court.”

The NBA Basketball School curriculum, which is designed to develop players and provide parents, coaches and organizations with a better understanding of the process of improvement, was created by the NBA’s International Basketball Operations department in consultation with current and former NBA coaches, players and player development specialists. Since 2017, NBA Basketball Schools have been announced or launched in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE and Uruguay.

For the latest about NBA Basketball School Türkiye, follow @nbabasketballschool_tr and NBA Basketball School Türkiye. Fans in Türkiye can also follow the NBA on X, Facebook and Instagram and download the NBA App for the latest news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more. They can also purchase the latest NBA merchandise at NBAStore.eu.

Here’s a little insight from the inside: The NBA Basketball Schools are amazing. They’re located all over the world (see list above) and the league supports them all with an incredible amount of foundational and institutional knowledge. Everything from software to register and keep track of the campers and coaches to placing some NBA Legends at select events. The NBA runs tournaments between the various camps (Our U-17 boys team from Türkiye won last year’s tournament in Abu Dhabi and hope to defend that title this coming Fall).

I’ve found it quite fulfilling and have been happy to give back to the game that’s given me so much since my very first day in December of 1980.

While Basketball without Borders is the top of the heap in basketball development, NBA Basketball Schools are intended to introduce and teach the game to children as young as six or eight years old and continue until age 17-18.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Multiple media reports indicate that former Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban was trying to buy back a controlling interest in the team he loves but sold. Cuban owns 27% of the team after selling off 73% for $3.5 billion to the Adelson family in December 2023. The Adelsons have the right to buy another 20% from Cuban within four years of their deal, which would drop his stake to 7%. … In a recent podcast, Cuban said, “I don’t regret selling. I regret who I sold to,” indicating his displeasure in the direction the team took, mostly concetrating on the basketball operations side. (Initially, the deal indicated Cuban would still remain in charge of the team’s basketball operation). Of course, the Mavericks packaged franchise star Luka Dončić in a controversial trade with the LA Lakers for center Anthony Davis. The deal ultimately cost Nico Harrison, the head of basketball operations for the team, his job. Yet, Lady Luck shined on the Adelsons and Mavericks when the NBA Draft Lottery ping-pong balls gave them the rights to draft this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year in Cooper Flagg, a generational star.

While the trade certainly looked to favor the Lakers, both Dončić and Davis remain quite injury prone and the Mavericks are well on their way to a total rebuild with an extra pair of first round draft choices this June, a 2030 first rounder the Lakers obtained from Golden State and a slew of second round picks to come.

Meanwhile, Cuban dreams of what might have been as he counts a few extra billions from his Mavericks experience which came about after Cuban initially banked billions in a sale of Broadcast.com to Yahoo.

It seems that the Dončić – Davis deal mirrors the Broadcast.com – Yahoo deal. In the end, as times changed, all of them, might be worthless.

ON THE BALLERS: In 2024, when the Oakland Athletics were heading out of the Bay Area, the Oakland Ballers became the newest member of the MLB-partnered Pioneer League, a minor league with a nod of approval from Major League Baseball. In their first season, the Ballers finished with the second-best record in the Pioneer Baseball League at 58-38 and sold over $1 million in branded merchandise, a Top 10 finish amongst all minor league franchises across the USA. In their second season, the Ballers delivered Oakland’s first baseball title since 1989, going 73-23 on the way to the league championship.

With a 10-year license in place at Oakland’s historic Raimondi Park and a solid ownership group in place, the Ballers are allowing accredited investors to share in the next phase of growth. Investors willing to put down a minimum of $10,000 can purchase shares (crowd share).

Recent Funding:

  • The team successfully closed a community round in late April 2025 that raised over $3.77 million from approximately 3,800 fan-investors.
  • In addition to community rounds, the team has opened rounds for accredited investors (individuals with high net worth or specific income levels) which have higher minimums of the $10-grand.
  • Most of the investors have voting power with the right to vote on core team decisions like potential relocation or hiring the Head of Baseball Operations.
  • There’s also Board representation as investors will have the ability to be represented by an elected Fan Director on the team’s board.

WNBA TEAM VALUATIONS: Before we get into the WNBA, let’s first remind everyone that the very Dallas Mavericks franchise that Cuban and the Adelsons are tossing billions at, one way or the other was once worth $12.5 million dollars when the NBA sold an expasnion franchise to Donald Carter in 1980.

Golden State team ownership invested $50 million to obtain the WNBA Valkyries in 2023. By 2025, the club had risen in value 10-times-over and was valued at $500 million when sports business publication Sportico crunched some numbers. Now? Sportico’s 2026 WNBA team valuations have the Valkyries valued at $850 million, leading the pack of WNBA franchises which are valued at an average of $427 million, up 59% year-over-year.

The New York Liberty (playing in Brooklyn) rank a distant second at $600 million, followed by the Indiana Fever ($560M), Seattle Storm ($425M) and Phoenix Mercury ($420M). Not too shabby, we say, noting the Atlanta Dream ($280M) rank last among the 13 WNBA clubs.

That’s a far cry from the opening tip-off of the WNBA back in 1997. Just ask the defunct Houston Comets (in the midst of obtaining the Connecticut Sun for some $300 million, the ultra defunct Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Sacramento Monarchs and Utah Starzz. They all turned in their WNBA chips to the league with no return at all.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The hometown Boston Red Sox have under-performed in 2026 and it cost manager Alex Cora and a slew of bench coaches their jobs. Sox head of baseball (fancy title of Chief Baseball Officer) pulled the trap-door open for Cora, along with hitting coach Peter Fatse, bench coach Ramón Vázquez, third-base coach Kyle Hudson, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson, and major-league hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin. Former Red Sox player and game-planning coach Jason Varitek was “reassigned” to a new (and yet to be named) role within the organization.

When the Sox were 0-0 earlier this spring, the club issued a one-pager on 25 years of stewardship of the franchise, a cozy way of noting we all have limited time on this earth and the Sox franchise owners believe this is their time in space to steer the ship for the good of Boston and New England (see NESN).

There were very proud and noteworthy accomplishments, which included:

  • Ending an 86-year old “Curse of the Bambino by winning the 2004 World Series
  • Since 2002, the Red Sox won an MLB-leading four World Championships (2004, 2007, 2013 and 2018) while claiming five American League East titles
  • The Sox made 12 MLB postseason appearances
  • Off the field, the team ownership invested $500,000 in the preservation and improvement of Fenway Park
  • Major changes included money-making construction of the Green Monster seats, the 521 Overlook, the field-level Jim Beam Dugout seating and even the state-of-the-art MGMMusic Hall concert venue
  • They’ve hosted NHL Winter Classics, Harvard vs Yale college football and the Fenway Bowl, countless numbers of summer concerts and a few college graduation ceremonies

That’s all very good work, to the tune of $14 billion in visitor spending while also raising some serious cash for the JIMMY Fund cancer research and other great community events.

But, the fans of the Boston Red Sox are a demanding bunch. They expect execution, run production, flawless defense and victories. The 2026 club fell short in April and Cora and his coaches paid the price. Boston entered the month of May at (12-19) and, like the race on Patriots’ Day, the season is a Marathon, not a sprint.

Ace pitcher Garrett Crochet is now on the 15-day Injured List with left shoulder inflammation. Newly acquired starting pitcher Sonny Gray was placed on that same IL with a hamstring issue on April 21. Youngsters Connelly Early and Payton Tolle were called up to the Majors a bit early, but both have promising futures.

Interim manager Chad Tracy (up from the WooSox) is holding the reins. There’s 10-of-13 games at Fenway, started on May 1. and 32-of-the-next-56 (57%) of the next portion of the schedule at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.

One thing is for sure, Sox fans not only get “Sweet Caroline” in the 8th inning, but the one major addition this year in an effort to celebrate America’s 250th is “more Neil Diamond” with a pregame video to the tune of his hit, “America” to begin each home game.

Thank goodness he won’t be singing “Cracklin’ Rosie.” And the Sox will be in big trouble if they hear, “Song Sung Blue.” … Neil, baby, “More Cowbell.”

TIDBITS & NUGGETS II – Here’s some of the stuff I think about:

  • As the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby was staged on Saturday, I couldn’t help but think about the 99th edition, in 1973, when a horse of 16 1/2 hands won the first leg of the Triple Crown. Five weeks later, Secretariat ran the perfect race at the Belmont Stakes to become the greatest thoroughbred race horse in history. That’s 53 years ago, for you mathematically challenged C+ students out there. Secretariat
  • I also think of the 1971 Kentucky Derby when Cañonero II was shipped in from Venezuela with odds as long as his trip only to win the 20-horse race at Churchill. Cañonero II had a crooked foreleg and a $1,200 price tag as a yearling. He won the Derby and The Preakness at Pimlico but fell short (4th Place) at The Belmont when his foreleg acted up. In the Fall of that year, Cañonero II set the Belmont course record and defeated Riva Ridge. He was later purchased for $1,000,000 and later lived the life of a sire in Kentucky. The great, great, great grandson of the legendary Man O’War has this special memory because my father had him in blind draw of horses in a Pan American office pool. Payday.

Every single time I watch this horse race, it brings tears to my eyes:

Also ran thoughts for today:

  • I’ve been getting more SPAM than Monty Python.
  • Blue Horseshoe does NOT love Spirit Airlines.
  • And, speaking of Sprit Air, what would 83-year old Norman Greenbaum think?
  • Instead of the ultra-boring Chicago Sky, why didn’t the Ch-town faithful name their WNBA franchise “The Koalas?”
  • Why didn’t Doral re-name their championship 7,739-yard, par 72 PGA Tour level course, “The Orange Monster?”

76ers, Embiid End Celtics’ Season

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philadelphia’s oft-injured center Joel Embiid had 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and Sixers’ all-star Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 76ers to a 109-100 victory over the host Boston Celtics in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series Saturday night. The 76ers won the  final three games in the series. It was the first time in franchise history that Philadelphia has overcome a 3-1 series deficit and only the 14th time in league history for any team.

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“We handled playing (in a hostile environment) just enough, but I think it was really good for us to experience it,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said.

Philadelphia, seeded seventh, visits the third-seeded New York Knicks on Monday in Game 1 of their second-round series.

“What changed in the series is Joel Embiid came back, and they’re a completely different team,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

Embiid took the court for the last three games after not playing since April 6, as he required an emergency appendectomy during a team trip through Texas.

Second-seeded Boston trailed 99-98 following two Neemias Queta free throws, but Maxey scored the next eight points to put Philadelphia up 107-98 with 15 seconds left.

Philadelphia received 23 points from rookie VJ Edgecombe. Paul George added 13. The 76ers’ bench totaled three points (all by Quentin Grimes).

Boston’s Jayson Tatum was ruled out of the  game because of stiffness in his left knee. He left Game 6 with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter with a left leg injury.

Tatum averaged 23.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest in six playoff games this season. The six-time All-Star forward averaged 21.8 points and 10.0 boards in 16 regular-season games after returning March 6 from a devastating ruptured right Achilles tendon last May in the playoffs.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 33 points and added nine rebounds. Derrick White finished with 26 points and Queta had 17 points and a team-high 12 rebounds off the bench. Celtics starters Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr. failed to score. Reserves Payton Pritchard added 13 points and Sam Hauser 11.

The Celtics shot 26.5% (13 of 49) from 3-point range and 39.8% (37 of 93) from the field.

“We’re always going to play to the strength of our team,” Mazzulla said.

The Sixers made 11 of 28 (39.3%) from long range and 47.6% (39 of 82) from the field.

“In the last two games and portions of this one, we guarded the ball very well,” Nurse said. “We weren’t giving them great looks. That probably for the whole series was the big key.”

Philadelphia scored the game’s first nine points and led 30-15 following an Embiid jumper with 1:55 left in the opening quarter. The 76ers were up 32-19 after 12 minutes.

Boston scored 18 of the first 22 points in the second quarter and had its first (and what turned out to be only) lead, 37-36, after a Pritchard 3-pointer with 6:52 left in the first half. Philadelphia rallied to take a 55-50 halftime advantage.

An 8-0 run gave Philadelphia a 63-52 lead, and the 76ers were up 84-66 after an Edgecombe 3-pointer with 2:24 remaining in the third. It was 88-75 after three quarters.

Boston began the fourth quarter with a 16-4 run to cut its deficit to one point, 92-91, with 7:59 to play. The 76ers led 95-94 with 5:52 left.

“(The Celtics) just played in transition for about 12 straight minutes, and then we finally got them stopped to get in their sets,” Nurse said. “Defensively, that was the difference for us in the last three minutes. We had them in halfcourt until maybe the final 90 seconds when they were just coming up and firing.”

Mazzulla said: “Loved the looks that we got, loved the process that we had, but hate the result.”

–Field Level Media

 

NHL Stanley Cup: Bye-Bye Bruins

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The visiting Buffalo Sabres scored two first-period goals and never trailed en route to a 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Friday night, clinching their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series in six games for the upstart Sabres and sending the Bruins packing.

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Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson built a 2-0 lead in the opening frame before Zach Benson and Josh Norris added insurance tallies in the third as Buffalo advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2007.

Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each dished out two assists while Alex Lyon made 25 saves for the Sabres, who won all three games played in Boston in the series.

“To (win the series) on the road — against a team that played so well at home, one of the better home records in the league — I thought our guys dug in and gave us a heck of a game tonight,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said.

David Pastrnak scored the lone goal and Jeremy Swayman stopped 22 shots in Boston’s losing effort.

“We felt the pressure being at home,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. “We feel the pressure because we care. We wanted to prove people wrong.”

Buffalo finished 0-for-4 on the power play, while Boston never had a man advantage.

The Sabres needed just 3:25 to score on their first shot and take a 1-0 lead for the third consecutive game. Tuch was open at the top of the crease to net Dahlin’s centering pass from the left circle past a trailing Swayman.

After the game’s first power play ended, Lyon kept the momentum on Buffalo’s side with huge saves in the middle stages of the first period. Among them, Casey Mittelstadt had a break-in attempt and a follow-up after a Morgan Geekie feed sent him ahead of the defense.

“Can’t get much better than that,” Tuch said about Lyon. “He was lights-out. He was in the zone. Attacked every opportunity they threw at him. Steady Eddy. Gives the bench a lot of confidence when you got a guy like that playing the way he was.”

Samuelsson made it 2-0 at 12:26 of the first, sending in a long shot from above the left circle through traffic. The puck sailed past Swayman’s blocker side.

Pastrnak got the second period off to an emphatic start for Boston at 1:54, helping to force a neutral-ice turnover before beating Lyon with a one-time shot off Pavel Zacha’s cross-ice pass on a 2-on-1 rush.

Neither side tallied for the rest of the period, including a stretch of nine-plus uninterrupted minutes. Swayman kept Boston’s deficit at 2-1 by denying close-range shots by Thompson and Bowen Byram during the extended sequence without a whistle.

Lyon made big saves against Geekie and Pastrnak to thwart Boston’s heavy pressure early in the third, helping to set the stage for Benson’s goal at 5:58.

Off a draw in Boston’s offensive zone, Josh Doan beat both Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy to a puck to start the goal-scoring play. While bracing for a hit in the left corner, Doan fired a pass to an open Benson in the slot, where Benson fired home a one-time goal.

Norris punctuated the series victory, hitting the empty net with 3:20 remaining.

“We’re hoping that it’s a long road ahead of us. … We’re going to have to be ready,” Tuch said.

–Field Level Media

Jarren & Jake Lead Red Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jarren Duran hit a three-run home run and their rookie spot starter Jake Bennett pitched well in his major league debut to propel the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Houston Astros in the opener of their three-games series Friday night.

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Bennett, who was called up from Triple-A Worcester on Friday to start in place of Garrett Crochet, allowed one run on five hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out three. Crochet was placed on the injured list Wednesday with shoulder inflammation.

Boston received four scoreless innings from four relievers after Bennett (1-0) was pulled. Carlos Correa doubled against Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the ninth, but Chapman got Yordan Alvarez to ground out to second to end the game. Chapman earned his sixth save.

The victory ended Boston’s two-game losing streak, and its three-game home losing streak.

Correa had three hits, including his third home run of the season. Isaac Paredes and Yainer Diaz each had two hits for the Astros.

Houston starter Mike Burrows (1-4) took the loss. He surrendered three runs on eight hits in six innings.

Roman Anthony collected three of Boston’s 10 hits. Anthony hit a double and singled twice. Trevor Story was 2-for-4, and Marcelo Mayer collected a single to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

The Astros grabbed a 1-0 lead on Correa’s solo home run in the top of the third.

 

Sixers Force Game Seven

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philly’s All-Star Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points Thursday as the surging Philadelphia 76ers posted a 106-93 win over the visiting Boston Celtics, forcing a decisive Game 7 in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

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The second-seeded Celtics led the series 3-1 following a 32-point win in Philadelphia on Sunday, but the seventh-seeded Sixers rebounded to post double-digit wins in Games 5 and 6.

The teams will reconvene Saturday for Game 7 in Boston, where the Sixers will aim to complete a 3-1 series comeback for the first time in franchise history.

Paul George added 23 points for Philadelphia, while Joel Embiid had 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in his third game since returning from an emergency appendectomy. VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in with 14 points apiece for the Sixers.

“I just thought we played free,” George said. “It’s really no pressure. We come out — we lose, we go home.”

“It’s (still) win-or-go-home. I like our chances,” George said about Game 7. “I know it ain’t going to be easy, but we’ve been playing well lately.”

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 18 points but also committed five of his team’s 13 turnovers. Jayson Tatum contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who shot poorly from the field (41.9%), the 3-point arc (12 of 41, 29.3%) and the foul line (9 of 16, 56.2%).

Philadelphia shot just 8 of 24 (33.3%) from the field in the first quarter and trailed 23-20 after 12 minutes.

The second quarter was a different story for the Sixers, who outscored the Celtics 38-26 in the period. Maxey led the way with 13 points in the session.

Philadelphia’s lead was 38-36 midway through the second quarter before Edgecombe’s jumper ignited an 18-8 run that put the hosts ahead by a dozen late in the period. Boston briefly got its deficit down to seven before Maxey dropped in a floater just before halftime.

About three minutes into the third quarter, Brown knocked down a 3-pointer to bring Boston within 65-54. However, Philadelphia countered with a flashy sequence in which Embiid’s behind-the-back pass set up an Oubre dunk and then George’s behind-the-back pass unleashed an Edgecombe slam to bring the crowd to its feet.

The Sixers went on to lead by as many as 21 points late in the third quarter before the Celtics inched within 82-63 heading into the fourth.

Philadelphia was up 88-65 with 10:24 remaining, but Boston then scored 11 straight points, capped by Luka Garza’s dunk with 7:10 to play.

However, it didn’t take the Sixers long to regain control. Edgecombe swished a 3-pointer to make it 98-78 and the home team cruised from there.

“It’s part of the playoffs. We have an opportunity for Game 7 at home,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We didn’t play well tonight. We’ve got to move on to the next game.”

–Field Level Media

Cameron Young Mastering Blue Monster

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MIAMI – Cameron Young (1st/-8) opened with a bogey-free 8-under (64), his first opening bogey-free round since the 2024 Wyndham Championship. The (64) is one-stroke shy of his lowest opening-round score on TOUR (63), most recently at the 2025 Wyndham Championship.

Young holds his fourth 18-hole lead/co-lead on TOUR with the most recent effort at the 2022 Open Championship where he finished in second place. Overall, he’s 0-for-3 in converting a first round lead to victory.

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He needed only 20 putts in round one, the fewest in a round in his TOUR career with the previous being (21) at the 2025 TOUR Championship/R2, 2025 RBC Heritage/R2).

Following a 10-year hiatus, the TOUR returned to Miami and the City of Doral for the inaugural Cadillac Championship (the event does not carry the history of previous PGA TOUR events contested at Doral and is starting fresh). That said, the Cadillac Championship will mark the 56th playing of a TOUR event at the famed Blue Monster having previously hosted the TOUR consecutively from 1962 to 2016.

Following the first round, the field is a collective 53-over on Nos. 17 and 18 at Doral’s Blue Monster while being 79-under on the other 16 holes.

A bright spot: 13-time PGA TOUR winner Jordan Spieth (T2/-7) opens with a 65, his best round on TOUR since the 2025 Wyndham Championship (65/2025 Wyndham Championship/R1); one of 18 have players in the field that previously played a TOUR event held at Doral (2014-2016).

Cadillac Championship | Leaderboard After 18 Holes

1 Cameron Young 64 (-8)

T2 Jordan Spieth 65 (-7)

T2 Alex Smalley 65 (-7)

4 Nick Taylor 66 (-6)

5 Nico Echavarria 67 (-5)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Cadillac Championship | Facts

THIS WEEK: Cadillac Championship, Miami, April 30-May 3

COURSE: National Doral, Blue Monster

YARDAGE: Par 72, 7,739 Yards

ARCHITECTS: Dick Wilson & Robert von Hagge

PURSE: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)

FEDEX CUP POINTS: (To Winner): 700

PAST RESULTS: (Inaugural Tournament)

DEFENDING CHAMPION: (Inaugural Event)

FEDEX CUP LEADER: Matt Fitzpatrick

Social Media: X @Cadillac_Champ

Vrabel Addresses Controversy; Draft

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, amid a controversy over his visit to an Arizona resort with then-Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, is headed for counseling that will keep him away from the team for the final day of the NFL Draft.

Vrabel will be with the club when it makes its first selection at No. 31 overall on Thursday, then when it chooses players late in the second and third rounds of Friday. He will be absent for the last four rounds on Saturday.

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The 50-year-old coach said Wednesday night, according to ESPN, “As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend. This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.

“I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”

Vrabel and Russini both have spouses. The New York Post published photos of the two of them in Sedona, Ariz., ahead of league meetings in Phoenix last month.

Russini resigned from The Athletic, where she was lead NFL reporter, last week amid an investigation by the New York Times-run organization into the nature of her relationship with Vrabel.

Vrabel spoke openly to the media on Tuesday about the fallout.

“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players. Those have been positive and productive,” he said. “You know, we believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me, that starts with me. We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. You never want to be the cause of a distraction. And when I — those are comments and questions that I’ve answered for the team, with the team, we’ll keep those private and to ourselves.”

Vrabel became the head coach of the Patriots — the team for which he played — ahead of the 2025 season and guided New England to Super Bowl LX. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29-13.

Vrabel earned his second AP NFL Coach of the Year honor last season after winning the award in 2021 when he led the Titans. He was Tennessee’s head coach from 2018-23.

–Field Level Media

NCAA Tournament to Go to 76

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Wire Service Report) – NCAA’s leadership and basketball committees are expected to finalize expansion of the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments to 76 teams shortly after the conclusion of this year’s tournament, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.

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Per the report, the new format would see 52 teams earn berths directly into what is currently the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while the remaining 24 — 12 lower-seeded automatic qualifiers and the final 12 at-large teams — would play 12 opening-round games Tuesday and Wednesday. They would be held in the longtime First Four home of Dayton, Ohio, and at an additional site to determine which teams would advance to Thursday and Friday’s first round.

However, these details could also reportedly change as the NCAA continues to talk with its men’s tournament TV partners in Warner Bros. Discovery and CBS, which have broadcasting rights through the 2031 tournament.

The report didn’t indicate how quickly expansion could be added, but it could theoretically come as soon as the 2027 NCAA Tournaments. But expansion “will happen” barring something unforeseen in the next few days.

It would mark the first expansion of the tournament since the field moved from 65 to 68 teams with the addition of the First Four games in 2011. The field had been 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference were the leading voices behind tournament expansion, according to reports. However, it’s also something that NCAA president Charlie Baker has said he’s in favor of doing.

–Field Level Media

Two Words: “Game Seven”

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics will try to avoid a series collapse Saturday night when they face the visiting Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Second-seeded Boston held a 3-1 lead in the series, but lost Game 5 at home and then dropped Game 6, 106-93, in Philadelphia on Thursday night. If the seventh-seeded 76ers can find a way to win Game 7 on the road, Boston would become the 14th team in NBA history to lose a series after holding a 3-1 advantage.

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“I’ve been playing these guys for so long,” said Philadelphia center Joel Embiid. “I’m tired of losing to them. So we have a chance to accomplish something special. They’re a great team. You look at everything they have. That’s a super team. We just gotta go in with the mindset that we’ve had for the last two games. One play at a time. Tough environment, but we’ve been there. We won two games over there.”

Boston was 12 of 41 from 3-point territory in Thursday’s loss, after being held to 11-of-39 shooting from behind the 3-point arc in its 113-97 setback in Game 5.

“Very good game by us,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said following Thursday’s victory. “I think we played really well. Probably most impressed with our defensive effort, and shot creation was good. I don’t think the shot-making was great, but the shot creation was very good.”

Boston received a scare Thursday when Jayson Tatum exited the court with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. Tatum said he felt tightness in his left leg, but is slated to play Saturday.

“Y’all probably saw when I went to the back,” Tatum said. “So I was on the bike. My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, like the game was a little out of reach. We took the starters out.

“Our intentions aren’t good,” Tatum continued. “We want to go out there and play the right way and win. It’s just we just got to be a little bit more together, a little bit tougher, play with more pace, play faster. How they have played majority of the season. Then since I’ve been back (from an Achilles injury), just kind of getting back to who we are.”

Two of Boston’s three wins in the series came by more than 30 points. The Celtics won Game 1 123-91, then prevailed 128-96 in Game 4.

“We definitely made some adjustments,” Mazzulla said after Game 6. “Some of them worked, some of them didn’t. Like I said, I thought tonight the Sixers played well, and we didn’t.”

Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 30 points in Game 6. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 18 points.

“Sometimes it’s not about the Xs and Os, it’s about the Jims and the Joes,” Maxey said. “Who you have on your team, our Jims and Joes got to be better than theirs. It’s going to be a dogfight. It’s going to be extremely difficult. Every single second will be a roller coaster ride. Us as a group, we have to stay connected. Stay with one goal in mind – that’s you’re trying to win the game.”

–Field Level Media

Renegade is 4-to-1 Fave at Derby

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LOUISVILLE – The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby is one of the few times in thoroughbred racing when getting first is not something to celebrate. Last Saturday, during the draw for this Saturday’s 152nd running of the race at Churchill Downs, that distinction went to Renegade.

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Despite the ominous spot for Renegade, Churchill Downs’ morning-line oddsmaker Nick Tammaro still set the 3-year-old colt as his early 4-1 favorite for the 1-1/4-mile race that serves as the start of racing’s Triple Crown.

Drawing the inside post means Renegade will be the horse closest to the rail. While he would have the shortest path to the finish line, he will also have to avoid getting pinched along the rail as up to 19 competitors try to move in at the start.

The last horse to win from the No. 1 post position was Ferdinand in 1986, the last Derby win for legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker.

As for Renegade, the horse trained by Todd Pletcher has never finished out of the money in five starts. After placing twice and showing once in his 2-year-old campaign, Renegade has won both starts this year, including the Arkansas Derby a month ago.

Another horse seeking to buck a trend is Emerging Market. Trainer Chad Brown’s horse, who has morning-line odds of 15-1, won the Louisiana Derby in just his second start. However, the last horse to win the Kentucky Derby in just a third start was Leonatus in 1883.

Brown, though, thinks his colt can end that 143-year streak.

“He has such a wonderful mind and is so calm and collected,” said Brown, whose entry got the 15th gate.

Based on Tammaro’s projected odds, Renegade is considered one of four horses that stand out in the field. The co-second choices are Further Ado and Commandment at 6-1. Both are trained by Brad Cox, a Louisville native. Commandment has won four straight, including the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28, while Further Ado impressed many with his 11-length win in the Blue Grass Stakes a week later at Keeneland.

Commandment drew the sixth post, and Further Ado will break from the 17th. Further Ado moved into that spot after Silent Tactic was scratched on Wednesday.

Fulleffort, trained by Cox, was scratched on Thursday due to a chip in his left hind ankle. Ocelli has entered the race in his place.

The fourth choice at 8-1 is Chief Wallabee, who will break from the 12th gate. He finished second to Commandment in the Fountain of Youth Stakes in February and third in the Florida Derby. Trained by Bill Mott, who won the Kentucky Derby last year with Sovereignty, is adding blinkers to the colt in hopes it will improve his performance.

“He seemed to be maybe just a little more straight and maybe a little more true,” Mott said after the draw.

Another horse drawing interest is The Puma, who won the Tampa Bay Derby on March 7 and followed that up by finishing second in the Florida Derby three weeks later. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the colt will break ninth and has odds of 10-1.

Trainer Bob Baffert has a pair of longshots in the field as he seeks a record seventh Derby win. Litmus Test is 30-1 coming off a seventh-place finish in the Arkansas Derby, while Potente, at 20-1, finished second in the Santa Anita Derby to So Happy (15-1). Litmus Test is starting fourth, Potente 14th.

There are currently 20 horses entered, with two of the four also-eligibles now in the race. Great White joined the field Wednesday after Silent Tactic was scratched. An also-eligible can enter the race, based on the points they acquired in prep races, if another starter is scratched.

Sox Back at Fenway for 3-Game Set

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BOSTON – The Houston Astros might have caught a break in advance of their road game against the Boston Red Sox tonight. Houston was scheduled to face Boston ace Garrett Crochet in the opener of a three-game series but is expected to see rookie left-hander Jake Bennett instead.

The Red Sox placed Crochet on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation on Wednesday. He said he began to feel some fatigue in his shoulder on Saturday when he pitched against the Baltimore Orioles and hopes he can rejoin the rotation when he’s eligible in about two weeks.

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Bennett, 25, was scratched from his start for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. Multiple media outlets said he likely will be on the mound Friday for his major league debut, but those reports have not been confirmed by the Red Sox.

Bennett is 2-1 with an 0.86 ERA in five starts with Worcester this season. He has struck out 16 and walked three in 21 innings.

Boston acquired Bennett from Washington for pitching prospect Luis Perales last December. The Nationals selected Bennett in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He missed the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

“Big-time strike thrower,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. “The velocity and the fastball has obviously ticked up. He was coming off an arm injury when he was with Washington. But when he’s sitting there 94 (mph) — another guy kind of like (Payton) Tolle, doesn’t throw as hard, but big guy that really gets down the mound with big extension. So he tends to get in on hitters, too, because the fastball plays up.”

“He’s in the zone a lot,” Tracy added. “Does a good job of holding runners. He can go from a slide step, he can use a leg kick, lands all stuff. But he’s really, really good, at least down there has been, getting the ball in the strike zone. And he gets a lot of weak contact.”

Houston is scheduled to start right-hander Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.25 ERA) in the series opener. He is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two career appearances against the Red Sox.

Boston, which is coming off back-to-back losses to the Toronto Blue Jays, is at the bottom of the American League East standings. The Red Sox were held to one total run in those two losses.

Houston split a doubleheader with Baltimore on Thursday. Yordan Alvarez had his 13-game hitting streak end in the opener, a 10-3 loss, but he hit his 12th home run during Houston’s 11-5 victory in the second game. Few Boston pitchers have had success against Alvarez, who is hitting .391 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs in 26 regular-season games against the Red Sox.

Alvarez is tied for the AL lead in home runs (12) and is first in RBIs (27) and batting average (.356).

Houston won the second game without veterans Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, both of whom were held out of the lineup after playing in the first game.

“It’s going to take the whole entire team,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “Those guys (Altuve and Correa) have been playing every day, they’re grinding through it. We need some of these other guys to come in and support, do some things on the bases, at the plate, defensively. And those guys did that today.”

The Astros, who are tied with the Los Angeles Angels for last place in the AL West, swept a three-game series against the Red Sox in Houston from March 30-April 1. Both the Astros and Red Sox have 12 wins this season.

–Field Level Media

New: NBA Basketball School Türkiye

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ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE, April 30, 2026 – The National Basketball Association and Globalist Sports Corporation Organisation JSC – a multisport organization based in Istanbul – announced a multiyear collaboration for Globalist Sports to launch and operate the NBA Basketball School in Türkiye.

The NBA Basketball School Türkiye will deliver weekly activity in Istanbul and Eskişehir and provide tuition-based basketball development programming for youth ages 6-18, including skill development, 5-on-5 scrimmages and games, and life-skills sessions.  The program will tip off with a launch camp from Saturday, May 16 – Tuesday, May 19, in Mersin, followed by a series of camps across Türkiye throughout the summer, including Ankara (June 13–15 and June 26–29) and in İstanbul (July 5–9 and July 18–21).  Registration is open now at www.nbabasketballschool.tr.

Former NBA Vice President of International Communications Terry Lyons and his Pivottv Media consulting company assisted Globalist in securing the rights to operate the basketball camps and will work with USA and European basketball coaches and legends to attend the camps and conduct clinics on a regular basis. Lyons worked with the NBA from 1980-2008.

“For us at Globalist Sports, working with the NBA Basketball School represents an opportunity to bring world‑class standards, structure, and ambition to youth basketball in Türkiye,” said Devrim Kıvanç Co-Founder & CEO, Globalist Sports Corporation Organisation JSC.  “We are incredibly proud to support the introduction of this programme locally and excited about the long‑term pathway it creates for young players to develop their skills, confidence, and potential as part of a globally recognised environment.”

“The launch of the first NBA Basketball School in Türkiye reflects the country’s growing passion for basketball and our ongoing commitment to supporting youth development across the region,” said NBA Europe and Middle East Associate Vice President Basketball Operations, Henry Utku.  “Through this collaboration with Globalist Sports, we are excited for this program to provide young players with access to world‑class coaching, resources, and a structured environment that emphasizes skill development, teamwork, and values that extend beyond the court.”

The NBA Basketball School curriculum, which is designed to develop players and provide parents, coaches and organizations with a better understanding of the process of improvement, was created by the NBA’s International Basketball Operations department in consultation with current and former NBA coaches, players and player development specialists.  Since 2017, NBA Basketball Schools have been announced or launched in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary India, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE and Uruguay.

For the latest about NBA Basketball School Türkiye, follow @nbabasketballschool_tr and NBA Basketball School Türkiye.  Fans in Türkiye can also follow the NBA on X, Facebook and Instagram and download the NBA App for the latest news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more.  They can also purchase the latest NBA merchandise at NBAStore.eu.