1 hr. ago
Mavs' Cooper Flagg's sole rookie 'hole' still outperformed LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg turned in one of the most complete debut seasons in recent NBA history, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 **** ists on his way to Rookie of the Year. Only one part of his game drew consistent scrutiny all year.
That one weakness is his three-point shooting has now been put into historical context, and the numbers suggest fans have little reason to worry.
The comparison first circulated this offseason, breaking down Flagg's 29.5 percent mark from three against several Hall of Fame rookie seasons.
Flagg shot 29.5 percent from deep on 244 attempts as a rookie, a mark that topped LeBron James' 29.0 percent and Kevin Durant's 28.8 percent in their own first seasons. Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki has downplayed any concerns about the number since before the season even ended.
#rookie #flagg
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg turned in one of the most complete debut seasons in recent NBA history, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 **** ists on his way to Rookie of the Year. Only one part of his game drew consistent scrutiny all year.
That one weakness is his three-point shooting has now been put into historical context, and the numbers suggest fans have little reason to worry.
The comparison first circulated this offseason, breaking down Flagg's 29.5 percent mark from three against several Hall of Fame rookie seasons.
Flagg shot 29.5 percent from deep on 244 attempts as a rookie, a mark that topped LeBron James' 29.0 percent and Kevin Durant's 28.8 percent in their own first seasons. Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki has downplayed any concerns about the number since before the season even ended.
#rookie #flagg
14 hours ago
The Minnesota Vikings took to the field again today in shells and shorts for another training camp practice at TCO Performance Center. It was hotter and sunnier than yesterday and the pace of practice was a bit slower. There was more special teams work early and another install period later in practice which also slowed things down.
So let's get into it.
This is probably the point to remind everyone that the Vikings defense allowed the second-fewest passing yards and touchdowns last year, and the passing defense ranked third overall in DVOA. I mention that now because in the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy today, the defense won. Neither quarterback completed anything particularly impressive today. Most completions (and attempts) have been short- under ten yards- and routine throws. And with a relatively few exceptions, that's really been the case since the start of training camp.
Murray has the only successful over-the-top throws against the defense- both against the first-team defense- in Wednesday's full-pad practice. Murray had a nice deep back-shoulder pass to Jauan Jennings at the sideline today, but Jennings was unable to keep his feet in bounds- but was in position to do so- in team drills. Murray had another deep attempt to Jefferson during team drills where he might have been sacked- it was close- but the throw fell incomplete. It was a couple yards ahead of Jefferson but Murphy got flagged for either a DPI or holding call. So probably not a bad pass by Murray if he got it off in time, given the penalty on Murphy. Murray also had an intermediate pass
One other point of interest in today's practice was that Murray and Justin Jefferson, together with Kevin O'Connell, were trying to sync a back shoulder throw. The first attempt happened in a red zone drill and didn't connect, which led to O'Connell getting involved and some conversation between Murray and Jefferson after the play. The red zone drill had ended, but Murray and Jefferson tried the same play one more time and connected. But later, in team drills, Murray once again targeted Jefferson on a back shoulder throw which Jefferson got a hand on but was unable to catch. It was difficult to tell if it was Murray's pass that was a bit off or if Jefferson took an extra step in his route before coming back for the ball, but it didn't connect. Jefferson was upset that he didn't make the catch after the play, so perhaps it was on Jefferson. Anyway, that is something Murray and Jefferson are working on as part of developing a rapport during training camp.
#team #back #pass #training
So let's get into it.
This is probably the point to remind everyone that the Vikings defense allowed the second-fewest passing yards and touchdowns last year, and the passing defense ranked third overall in DVOA. I mention that now because in the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy today, the defense won. Neither quarterback completed anything particularly impressive today. Most completions (and attempts) have been short- under ten yards- and routine throws. And with a relatively few exceptions, that's really been the case since the start of training camp.
Murray has the only successful over-the-top throws against the defense- both against the first-team defense- in Wednesday's full-pad practice. Murray had a nice deep back-shoulder pass to Jauan Jennings at the sideline today, but Jennings was unable to keep his feet in bounds- but was in position to do so- in team drills. Murray had another deep attempt to Jefferson during team drills where he might have been sacked- it was close- but the throw fell incomplete. It was a couple yards ahead of Jefferson but Murphy got flagged for either a DPI or holding call. So probably not a bad pass by Murray if he got it off in time, given the penalty on Murphy. Murray also had an intermediate pass
One other point of interest in today's practice was that Murray and Justin Jefferson, together with Kevin O'Connell, were trying to sync a back shoulder throw. The first attempt happened in a red zone drill and didn't connect, which led to O'Connell getting involved and some conversation between Murray and Jefferson after the play. The red zone drill had ended, but Murray and Jefferson tried the same play one more time and connected. But later, in team drills, Murray once again targeted Jefferson on a back shoulder throw which Jefferson got a hand on but was unable to catch. It was difficult to tell if it was Murray's pass that was a bit off or if Jefferson took an extra step in his route before coming back for the ball, but it didn't connect. Jefferson was upset that he didn't make the catch after the play, so perhaps it was on Jefferson. Anyway, that is something Murray and Jefferson are working on as part of developing a rapport during training camp.
#team #back #pass #training
3 days ago
What happened: Software stocks declined on Thursday as shares of Datadog (DDOG), Figma (FIG), and HubSpot (HUBS) plummeted more than 15% following their quarterly results.
Shares of software peers Salesforce (CRM) and ServiceNow (NOW ) also dropped, along with Workday (WDY) and Cloudflare (NET).
What's behind the move: The software sector has been attempting a rebound since April lows as investors worry that AI will disrupt industry business models. They are therefore viewing earnings with high scrutiny. Datadog's quarterly results beat on the top and bottom line, but the company's adjusted gross margin of 80% came in slightly below the ***** ysts' consensus estimate of 80.7%.
Meanwhile, Figma's quarterly results also beat on the top and bottom lines, but the software design and collaboration company flagged rising AI inference spending, or the ongoing cost of running user prompts through AI models.
"We do not charge our customers for their usage of products that are currently in beta, and we bear the cost of inference without offsetting consumption revenue," Figma CFO Praveer Melwani said during the company's earnings call. "As a result, gross margin will vary from quarter-to-quarter in the near term."
#quarterly #figma #shares #gross
Shares of software peers Salesforce (CRM) and ServiceNow (NOW ) also dropped, along with Workday (WDY) and Cloudflare (NET).
What's behind the move: The software sector has been attempting a rebound since April lows as investors worry that AI will disrupt industry business models. They are therefore viewing earnings with high scrutiny. Datadog's quarterly results beat on the top and bottom line, but the company's adjusted gross margin of 80% came in slightly below the ***** ysts' consensus estimate of 80.7%.
Meanwhile, Figma's quarterly results also beat on the top and bottom lines, but the software design and collaboration company flagged rising AI inference spending, or the ongoing cost of running user prompts through AI models.
"We do not charge our customers for their usage of products that are currently in beta, and we bear the cost of inference without offsetting consumption revenue," Figma CFO Praveer Melwani said during the company's earnings call. "As a result, gross margin will vary from quarter-to-quarter in the near term."
#quarterly #figma #shares #gross
4 days ago
Reddit beat EPS by 29%, grew revenue 61%, and tripled profit, yet fell 20%+ after Huffman flagged choppy search referrals.
Eight consecutive quarters of 60%+ revenue growth and a PEG of 0.1 split retail traders between value hunters and AI traffic skeptics.
Meta's post-earnings selloff despite 28% revenue growth mirrors RDDT's setup, where both stocks trade as if they missed rather than beat estimates.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Reddit didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Shares of Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) have sold off sharply since the July 30 earnings report, despite one of the cleanest fundamental quarters in ad-tech this year. Reddit fell 13.7% over the past week and is down 32.7% year to date, though the stock rallied nearly 10% on August 3 to close at about $154.71.
#quarters
Eight consecutive quarters of 60%+ revenue growth and a PEG of 0.1 split retail traders between value hunters and AI traffic skeptics.
Meta's post-earnings selloff despite 28% revenue growth mirrors RDDT's setup, where both stocks trade as if they missed rather than beat estimates.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Reddit didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Shares of Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) have sold off sharply since the July 30 earnings report, despite one of the cleanest fundamental quarters in ad-tech this year. Reddit fell 13.7% over the past week and is down 32.7% year to date, though the stock rallied nearly 10% on August 3 to close at about $154.71.
#quarters
4 days ago
With marquee players signed and most impact moves already made, the NBA offseason is deep into a lull.
Yet, that doesn't mean there are still some difference makers who could find new homes.
One of those players with an unresolved future is current Dallas Mavericks shooter Klay Thompson. As Dallas is looking to build for the future around soon-to-be second-year forward Cooper Flagg, Thompson might not figure into the team's plans. That's only magnified, given he has one year left on his deal, worth $17.5 million.
That makes Thompson a prime trade or buyout candidate. The tricky part about a trade is that teams might be reluctant to part with ***** ets — whether draft capital or personnel — for a 36-year-old who shot a career low in 3-point percentage last season.
Granted, that was still a very respectable 38.3%, but it's clear Thompson is more of a role-playing shooting specialist at this point of his career. A buyout, however, would allow Thompson to pick his preferred destination. But the Mavericks likely don't want to let him walk without getting anything in return.
#thompson #year #players
Yet, that doesn't mean there are still some difference makers who could find new homes.
One of those players with an unresolved future is current Dallas Mavericks shooter Klay Thompson. As Dallas is looking to build for the future around soon-to-be second-year forward Cooper Flagg, Thompson might not figure into the team's plans. That's only magnified, given he has one year left on his deal, worth $17.5 million.
That makes Thompson a prime trade or buyout candidate. The tricky part about a trade is that teams might be reluctant to part with ***** ets — whether draft capital or personnel — for a 36-year-old who shot a career low in 3-point percentage last season.
Granted, that was still a very respectable 38.3%, but it's clear Thompson is more of a role-playing shooting specialist at this point of his career. A buyout, however, would allow Thompson to pick his preferred destination. But the Mavericks likely don't want to let him walk without getting anything in return.
#thompson #year #players
4 days ago
Wang says CRM and NOW are down 27 to 41% YTD yet post 12 to 25% growth with rising free cash flows, flagging them as undervalued AI plays.
Wang singles out GOOGL and MSFT as best positioned, owning both cloud infrastructure and frontier AI models for dual-layer economics.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Microsoft didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Constellation Research Chairman Ray ******* went on CNBC Monday morning to argue that the AI capital cycle has split the megacaps into two camps: hyperscalers with a clear line of sight to AI monetization, and enterprise software names that have been sold off despite growing cash flows.
Both could be good investments today.
#free #names #googl #Microsoft
Wang singles out GOOGL and MSFT as best positioned, owning both cloud infrastructure and frontier AI models for dual-layer economics.
Act now: the ******* yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Microsoft didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Constellation Research Chairman Ray ******* went on CNBC Monday morning to argue that the AI capital cycle has split the megacaps into two camps: hyperscalers with a clear line of sight to AI monetization, and enterprise software names that have been sold off despite growing cash flows.
Both could be good investments today.
#free #names #googl #Microsoft
5 days ago
The San Francisco 49ers have a wide range of outcomes for the 2026 season based on how they finished the 2025 season, injuries and other roster issues.
Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr is the most recent **** yst to make a prediction, writing that the 49ers finish third in the NFC West at 10-7 in his annual 272-game season projection, behind both the Rams (13-4) and Seahawks (11-6). Orr still has San Francisco reaching the postseason as the NFC's No. 7 seed.
In this prediction, the 49ers are in a three-way logjam with the Packers and Bears, all projected at 10-7. Green Bay comes out ahead in the tiebreaker order via strength of victory, but San Francisco edges out Chicago the same way, claiming the final NFC wild-card spot while the Bears.
Orr flagged concerns with the roster's age and health. He notes the 49ers are leaning on a 30-year-old running back, wide receivers turning 30 and 33, and a 38-year-old left tackle, with newly signed Deebo Samuel replacing an injured Ricky Pearsall.
But the bigger factor in Orr's optimism is organizational depth. He pointed to San Francisco's performance last season even without star linebacker Fred Warner and quarterback Brock Purdy for stretches, along with the strength of Kyle Shanahan's staff. Orr specifically praised Raheem Morris and Matt Eberflus, both of whom have NFL head-coaching experience, and longtime **** istant Chris Foerster as reasons the operation can withstand instability.
#francisco #season #bears #west
Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr is the most recent **** yst to make a prediction, writing that the 49ers finish third in the NFC West at 10-7 in his annual 272-game season projection, behind both the Rams (13-4) and Seahawks (11-6). Orr still has San Francisco reaching the postseason as the NFC's No. 7 seed.
In this prediction, the 49ers are in a three-way logjam with the Packers and Bears, all projected at 10-7. Green Bay comes out ahead in the tiebreaker order via strength of victory, but San Francisco edges out Chicago the same way, claiming the final NFC wild-card spot while the Bears.
Orr flagged concerns with the roster's age and health. He notes the 49ers are leaning on a 30-year-old running back, wide receivers turning 30 and 33, and a 38-year-old left tackle, with newly signed Deebo Samuel replacing an injured Ricky Pearsall.
But the bigger factor in Orr's optimism is organizational depth. He pointed to San Francisco's performance last season even without star linebacker Fred Warner and quarterback Brock Purdy for stretches, along with the strength of Kyle Shanahan's staff. Orr specifically praised Raheem Morris and Matt Eberflus, both of whom have NFL head-coaching experience, and longtime **** istant Chris Foerster as reasons the operation can withstand instability.
#francisco #season #bears #west
5 days ago
Ed Sheeran has been fined for failing to insure his Aston Martin as it undergoes restoration.
The British singer-songwriter was handed the penalty by Bradford Magistrates' Court after his 1966 Aston Martin was mistakenly left uninsured while being converted into an electric vehicle.
Sheeran sent the silver car to Aston Workshop Ltd for restoration in 2021 and claims he has not driven it since.
However, in December last year, the DVLA flagged that the Shape of You hitmaker had failed to pay for insurance on the vehicle while it was being refurbished.
In response, Sheeran told the court by letter that he believed the workshop's insurance covered the car and that the Aston Martin had not been on the road for five years.
The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to keeping a motor vehicle that did not meet insurance requirements.
#martin #bradford
The British singer-songwriter was handed the penalty by Bradford Magistrates' Court after his 1966 Aston Martin was mistakenly left uninsured while being converted into an electric vehicle.
Sheeran sent the silver car to Aston Workshop Ltd for restoration in 2021 and claims he has not driven it since.
However, in December last year, the DVLA flagged that the Shape of You hitmaker had failed to pay for insurance on the vehicle while it was being refurbished.
In response, Sheeran told the court by letter that he believed the workshop's insurance covered the car and that the Aston Martin had not been on the road for five years.
The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to keeping a motor vehicle that did not meet insurance requirements.
#martin #bradford
5 days ago
AJ Williams has been regarded by many as a prospect that could play in the NBA almost immediately.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, he took one-step towards that goal as the nation's top 2028 recruit reclassified to the 2027 class, according to On3's Joe Tipton.
Williams is the latest top prospect to reclassify up a class. That list includes four players who ended up being drafted first overall: AJ Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Other recent notable names to reclassify are Marcus Spears Jr., Bruce Branch III, Adan Diggs, Alijah Arenas, Baba Oladotun and Obinna Ekezie Jr.
According to 247Sports and the USA TODAY Sports composite ranking, the 6-foot-8, 210-pounder was the undisputed No. 1 overall prospect in the country for his class.
#sports #tipton #dybantsa
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, he took one-step towards that goal as the nation's top 2028 recruit reclassified to the 2027 class, according to On3's Joe Tipton.
Williams is the latest top prospect to reclassify up a class. That list includes four players who ended up being drafted first overall: AJ Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Other recent notable names to reclassify are Marcus Spears Jr., Bruce Branch III, Adan Diggs, Alijah Arenas, Baba Oladotun and Obinna Ekezie Jr.
According to 247Sports and the USA TODAY Sports composite ranking, the 6-foot-8, 210-pounder was the undisputed No. 1 overall prospect in the country for his class.
#sports #tipton #dybantsa
5 days ago
Palantir (PLTR) will report second-quarter results on Aug. 3, and the ******* ysts covering PLTR stock cannot seem to agree on what is coming. PLTR stock fell about 6% after Cleveland Research flagged signs of weak spending among Palantir's commercial customers. The note was a rare cautious voice on a stock that has mostly drawn praise, and it was enough to worry investors. Baird ******* yst William Power pushed back the same day, however, reiterating an "Outperform" rating and a $200 price target. A day before that, Oppenheimer ******* yst Param Singh also kept an "Outperform" rating and a $200 target. Singh expects revenue to grow roughly 85% in Q2. For reference, Palantir's own Q2 guidance points to revenue of about $1.8 billion, which would mean growth of roughly 80%. So, the ******* yst believes Palantir will beat its own forecast, something it has done quarter after quarter.
That pattern is why the bulls feel confident. Last quarter, Palantir raised its full-year revenue guidance by its largest amount ever, and management said the real problem is not demand but keeping up with it. CEO Alex Karp noted that U.S. growth is being limited because the company has been unable to fulfill demand. This goes directly against Cleveland's warning about commercial spending softening.
CoreWeave Just Scored a Leidos Partnership. What That Means for CRWV Stock Here.
Palantir Is Set to Deliver Strong Q2. ******* ysts See 60% Upside Potential for PLTR Stock.
Earnings, PMI and Other Key Things to Watch this Week
#analyst
That pattern is why the bulls feel confident. Last quarter, Palantir raised its full-year revenue guidance by its largest amount ever, and management said the real problem is not demand but keeping up with it. CEO Alex Karp noted that U.S. growth is being limited because the company has been unable to fulfill demand. This goes directly against Cleveland's warning about commercial spending softening.
CoreWeave Just Scored a Leidos Partnership. What That Means for CRWV Stock Here.
Palantir Is Set to Deliver Strong Q2. ******* ysts See 60% Upside Potential for PLTR Stock.
Earnings, PMI and Other Key Things to Watch this Week
#analyst
6 days ago
Cooper Flagg to LA for golf with Luka Doncic — the rumor that almost was originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
NBA fans spent the weekend buzzing over a supposed meetup between two of the league's biggest names. A claim spread fast across social media, tying together a Los Angeles Lakers superstar and a Dallas Mavericks rookie sensation during a quiet stretch of August.
The story gained traction before anyone could confirm a single detail behind it. By Sunday night, a veteran NBA reporter stepped in to set the record straight for good.
An account called MavsMuse posted over the weekend claiming Cooper Flagg would fly to Los Angeles to golf with Luka Doncic, and the idea spread across fan pages within hours. NBA insider Marc Stein addressed it directly, confirming there was no golf summit scheduled between the two.
Doncic has spent this summer fully rooted in Slovenia, a stretch that follows his three-year contract extension with the Lakers that runs through 2028. Stein made clear where each player actually stands. "Luka Dončić is in Slovenia and will be for the whole offseason," Stein wrote. "Cooper Flagg is training in Maine and occasionally Dallas all summer."
#cooper #dallas
NBA fans spent the weekend buzzing over a supposed meetup between two of the league's biggest names. A claim spread fast across social media, tying together a Los Angeles Lakers superstar and a Dallas Mavericks rookie sensation during a quiet stretch of August.
The story gained traction before anyone could confirm a single detail behind it. By Sunday night, a veteran NBA reporter stepped in to set the record straight for good.
An account called MavsMuse posted over the weekend claiming Cooper Flagg would fly to Los Angeles to golf with Luka Doncic, and the idea spread across fan pages within hours. NBA insider Marc Stein addressed it directly, confirming there was no golf summit scheduled between the two.
Doncic has spent this summer fully rooted in Slovenia, a stretch that follows his three-year contract extension with the Lakers that runs through 2028. Stein made clear where each player actually stands. "Luka Dončić is in Slovenia and will be for the whole offseason," Stein wrote. "Cooper Flagg is training in Maine and occasionally Dallas all summer."
#cooper #dallas
6 days ago
Martine Medesse of Benin Republic's Amazons clears the ball as Nigeria's Super Falcons qualify for the Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 after playing a 1-1 draw (3-1 aggregate) with Benin Republic's Amazons in the second leg of the WAFCON 2026 qualifying match at MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on October 28, 2025. (Photo by Adekunle Ajayi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup wrapped last month, and with it went 39 days of the kind of moments that make a tournament unforgettable: a teenage phenom stealing highlight reels with his flair, a scrappy underdog nation refusing to go home, a 40-year-old goalkeeper turning in the performance of his career, a nine-figure transfer rumor before the confetti had even settled. For four weeks, the entire sports world organized itself around this single competition. But the appetite for those storylines didn't end when the final whistle blew, and it doesn't need a men's tournament to be satisfied. Right now, in stadiums and arenas across the world, women's sports are producing the exact same arcs: breakout stars, Cinderella runs, veteran redemption stories, record-breaking numbers, and transfer fees rewriting what the sport is worth. They're just not getting the same attention. Here are five World Cup moments and the women's sports stories playing out in real time that deserve to be next on your watchlist.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 03: Morocco players celebrate advancing to the knock out stage after the 1-0 victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Morocco and Colombia at Perth Rectangular Stadium on August 03, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Alex Grimm - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Liked Lamine Yamal's flair? Watch Morocco's Atlas Lionesses at WAFCON.
Yamal spent this World Cup as one of the most-watched players on the planet, a teenager with more than 50 million Instagram followers turning every touch into a moment. Morocco is hosting the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for a third straight edition, running through August 16 across Rabat and Casablanca, and the Atlas Lionesses have opened their campaign in commanding form. They beat Kenya 4-0 to open the tournament, then beat Algeria 1-0 to move to two wins from two matches, sitting atop Group A with five goals scored and none conceded. The breakout to watch is Barcelona Femení prospect Kautar Azraf, flagged by CAF as one of the country's brightest young talents ahead of her first senior call-up, the same "unproven teenager announces herself on the biggest stage" arc that made Yamal a global name this summer.
Liked Cape Verde's underdog run? Watch WAFCON's debutant nations.
Cape Verde's men's team was one of the World Cup's most beloved stories, a nation of fewer than 600,000 people holding its own against the sport's giants. Their women's game has its own version unfolding right now. Cape Verde and Malawi are both playing in their first-ever Women's AFCON this year
The 2026 FIFA World Cup wrapped last month, and with it went 39 days of the kind of moments that make a tournament unforgettable: a teenage phenom stealing highlight reels with his flair, a scrappy underdog nation refusing to go home, a 40-year-old goalkeeper turning in the performance of his career, a nine-figure transfer rumor before the confetti had even settled. For four weeks, the entire sports world organized itself around this single competition. But the appetite for those storylines didn't end when the final whistle blew, and it doesn't need a men's tournament to be satisfied. Right now, in stadiums and arenas across the world, women's sports are producing the exact same arcs: breakout stars, Cinderella runs, veteran redemption stories, record-breaking numbers, and transfer fees rewriting what the sport is worth. They're just not getting the same attention. Here are five World Cup moments and the women's sports stories playing out in real time that deserve to be next on your watchlist.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 03: Morocco players celebrate advancing to the knock out stage after the 1-0 victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group H match between Morocco and Colombia at Perth Rectangular Stadium on August 03, 2023 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Alex Grimm - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Liked Lamine Yamal's flair? Watch Morocco's Atlas Lionesses at WAFCON.
Yamal spent this World Cup as one of the most-watched players on the planet, a teenager with more than 50 million Instagram followers turning every touch into a moment. Morocco is hosting the Women's Africa Cup of Nations for a third straight edition, running through August 16 across Rabat and Casablanca, and the Atlas Lionesses have opened their campaign in commanding form. They beat Kenya 4-0 to open the tournament, then beat Algeria 1-0 to move to two wins from two matches, sitting atop Group A with five goals scored and none conceded. The breakout to watch is Barcelona Femení prospect Kautar Azraf, flagged by CAF as one of the country's brightest young talents ahead of her first senior call-up, the same "unproven teenager announces herself on the biggest stage" arc that made Yamal a global name this summer.
Liked Cape Verde's underdog run? Watch WAFCON's debutant nations.
Cape Verde's men's team was one of the World Cup's most beloved stories, a nation of fewer than 600,000 people holding its own against the sport's giants. Their women's game has its own version unfolding right now. Cape Verde and Malawi are both playing in their first-ever Women's AFCON this year
6 days ago
Former Xavier men's basketball star Naji Marshall has signed an eight-figure contract extension to remain with his current NBA team until 2030.
Marshall, who played for the Musketeers from 2017 to 2020, inked a three-year, $52 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday. Though terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is worth an average annual value of $17.33 million.
Currently, Marshall is on a three-year, $27 million deal with Dallas signed in 2024, so he is getting his paycheck nearly doubled for the 2027-28 NBA season.
In 2025-26, Marshall averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game, as well as 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 ****** ists on 51% shooting. The small forward started 47 of the Mavericks' 74 contests while averaging 29.5 minutes per game. His scoring ranked third on the team, behind Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis.
Only two players on Dallas's 2025-26 roster, Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington, have contracts with an average annual value worth than Marshall's extension, according to data from Spotrac.
#marshall #deal #extension
Marshall, who played for the Musketeers from 2017 to 2020, inked a three-year, $52 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday. Though terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is worth an average annual value of $17.33 million.
Currently, Marshall is on a three-year, $27 million deal with Dallas signed in 2024, so he is getting his paycheck nearly doubled for the 2027-28 NBA season.
In 2025-26, Marshall averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game, as well as 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 ****** ists on 51% shooting. The small forward started 47 of the Mavericks' 74 contests while averaging 29.5 minutes per game. His scoring ranked third on the team, behind Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis.
Only two players on Dallas's 2025-26 roster, Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington, have contracts with an average annual value worth than Marshall's extension, according to data from Spotrac.
#marshall #deal #extension
6 days ago
Former Xavier men's basketball star Naji Marshall has signed an eight-figure contract extension to remain with his current NBA team until 2030.
Marshall, who played for the Musketeers from 2017 to 2020, inked a three-year, $52 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday. Though terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is worth an average annual value of $17.33 million.
Currently, Marshall is on a three-year, $27 million deal with Dallas signed in 2024, so he is getting his paycheck nearly doubled for the 2027-28 NBA season.
In 2025-26, Marshall averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game, as well as 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 ***** ists on 51% shooting. The small forward started 47 of the Mavericks' 74 contests while averaging 29.5 minutes per game. His scoring ranked third on the team, behind Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis.
Only two players on Dallas's 2025-26 roster, Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington, have contracts with an average annual value worth than Marshall's extension, according to data from Spotrac.
#marshall #dallas
Marshall, who played for the Musketeers from 2017 to 2020, inked a three-year, $52 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday. Though terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is worth an average annual value of $17.33 million.
Currently, Marshall is on a three-year, $27 million deal with Dallas signed in 2024, so he is getting his paycheck nearly doubled for the 2027-28 NBA season.
In 2025-26, Marshall averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game, as well as 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 ***** ists on 51% shooting. The small forward started 47 of the Mavericks' 74 contests while averaging 29.5 minutes per game. His scoring ranked third on the team, behind Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis.
Only two players on Dallas's 2025-26 roster, Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington, have contracts with an average annual value worth than Marshall's extension, according to data from Spotrac.
#marshall #dallas
6 days ago
Mavericks fans will love Cooper Flagg already loading up for Year 2 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg will enter his sophomore season with an entirely different mindset. Last year, he started as an unassuming newcomer in the background, trying to learn the ropes from his veteran teammates. Now, he will be at the forefront of the Mavericks right from the onset.
Flagg lived up to the hype of being the first overall pick, giving Dallas an instant cornerstone following the departure of Luka Doncic. He quickly adjusted to the rigors of the NBA and showcased his all-around acumen, which was a testament to his maturity.
Remember: He is still a teenager.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
#clutchpoints
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg will enter his sophomore season with an entirely different mindset. Last year, he started as an unassuming newcomer in the background, trying to learn the ropes from his veteran teammates. Now, he will be at the forefront of the Mavericks right from the onset.
Flagg lived up to the hype of being the first overall pick, giving Dallas an instant cornerstone following the departure of Luka Doncic. He quickly adjusted to the rigors of the NBA and showcased his all-around acumen, which was a testament to his maturity.
Remember: He is still a teenager.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)
#clutchpoints
7 days ago
Apple's June quarter produced numbers that looked solid on the surface but left investors with a question: Was September quarter guidance conservative, or was the business actually slowing?
Bank of America published its answer on July 30. The firm says investors are misreading the results and that the underlying business is stronger than the headline numbers show.
Bank of America ***** yst Wamsi Mohan reiterated his Buy rating on Apple and held his $380 price target. Apple's stock closed July 30 at $333.43, making the target roughly 14% above where shares ended the day. Mohan also raised his EPS estimates for the next three fiscal years, Investing.com reported.
Apple reported Q3 2026 revenue of $109.4 billion, up 16% from a year earlier. EPS came in at $2.02. Bank of America flagged that about $0.11 of that figure came from a tariff refund. Once you back that out, earnings were roughly in line with ***** yst projections. Apple met expectations. It did not clear them by a wide margin.
More Apple:
#America #numbers
Bank of America published its answer on July 30. The firm says investors are misreading the results and that the underlying business is stronger than the headline numbers show.
Bank of America ***** yst Wamsi Mohan reiterated his Buy rating on Apple and held his $380 price target. Apple's stock closed July 30 at $333.43, making the target roughly 14% above where shares ended the day. Mohan also raised his EPS estimates for the next three fiscal years, Investing.com reported.
Apple reported Q3 2026 revenue of $109.4 billion, up 16% from a year earlier. EPS came in at $2.02. Bank of America flagged that about $0.11 of that figure came from a tariff refund. Once you back that out, earnings were roughly in line with ***** yst projections. Apple met expectations. It did not clear them by a wide margin.
More Apple:
#America #numbers
7 days ago
August has a habit of being unkind to Bitcoin. And with the month now arriving, crypto ****** yst Ali Martinez is flagging a four-year track record that bulls would rather ignore.
In a post on X, Martinez noted that Bitcoin has averaged a 10 percent decline during August over the past four years, a pattern consistent enough to warrant serious attention heading into what is already a fragile market environment.
The data Martinez points to isn't a single bad year, it's a recurring seasonal pattern. Over four consecutive Augusts, Bitcoin has posted negative returns on average, making it one of the most consistently weak months in the crypto calendar.
Martinez mentioned that Bitcoin fell 13.88% in August 2022, 11.29% in August 2023, 8.60% in August 2024 and 6.49% in August 2025.
Related: Crypto ****** yst unveils one factor that could send XRP to $100 trillion
#Bitcoin #martinez
In a post on X, Martinez noted that Bitcoin has averaged a 10 percent decline during August over the past four years, a pattern consistent enough to warrant serious attention heading into what is already a fragile market environment.
The data Martinez points to isn't a single bad year, it's a recurring seasonal pattern. Over four consecutive Augusts, Bitcoin has posted negative returns on average, making it one of the most consistently weak months in the crypto calendar.
Martinez mentioned that Bitcoin fell 13.88% in August 2022, 11.29% in August 2023, 8.60% in August 2024 and 6.49% in August 2025.
Related: Crypto ****** yst unveils one factor that could send XRP to $100 trillion
#Bitcoin #martinez
8 days ago
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant has been a staple in Team USA basketball history at the Olympics, becoming the only player in history to win four gold medals. Durant has won gold at each of the past four Olympic Games, in London (2012), Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024).
Recently, the 18-year NBA veteran spoke about the possibility of returning for a fifth gold medal run. "It's really on (USA Basketball managing director) Grant Hill and what Team USA wants to do," Durant told ESPN. "I stay on top of my game, and hopefully I get that call, but there are so many great players who deserve to be on the team."
Durant would be 39 years old by the time of the 2028 Olympic Games but has no signs of slowing down. Durant has averaged 25 points or more in 17 of his 18 seasons, with the only exclusion being his rookie campaign (2007-08), where he averaged 20. That said, there are plenty of rising stars who may gain first-time consideration, like Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) and Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs).
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Kevin Durant gives thoughts on representing Team USA at 2028 Olympic Games
#history
Recently, the 18-year NBA veteran spoke about the possibility of returning for a fifth gold medal run. "It's really on (USA Basketball managing director) Grant Hill and what Team USA wants to do," Durant told ESPN. "I stay on top of my game, and hopefully I get that call, but there are so many great players who deserve to be on the team."
Durant would be 39 years old by the time of the 2028 Olympic Games but has no signs of slowing down. Durant has averaged 25 points or more in 17 of his 18 seasons, with the only exclusion being his rookie campaign (2007-08), where he averaged 20. That said, there are plenty of rising stars who may gain first-time consideration, like Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) and Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs).
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Kevin Durant gives thoughts on representing Team USA at 2028 Olympic Games
#history
8 days ago
World Rally Championship organisers have red flagged stage 17 at Rally Finland after Sebastien Ogier suffered a high-speed crash from the lead.
The reigning world champion and co-driver Julien Ingrassia were heading towards the end of stage 17 when their Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1 car fired off the road at speed. The car was pitched into a series of rolls heading towards the trees.
Toyota has confirmed that Ogier and Ingrassia exited the car unassisted and are conscious, but will be transported to hospital for further checks.
"Both driver and co-driver were able to get out of the car unassisted. They are both conscious and generally OK, and will be transported to hospital for further checks. The team will provide further updates in due course," read a statement from the Toyota Gazoo Racing.
A statement from the FIA added: "During SS17 'Västilä' at WRC Rally Finland, the crew of car #1 , Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, were involved in a high-impact accident.
#ingrassia #finland
The reigning world champion and co-driver Julien Ingrassia were heading towards the end of stage 17 when their Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1 car fired off the road at speed. The car was pitched into a series of rolls heading towards the trees.
Toyota has confirmed that Ogier and Ingrassia exited the car unassisted and are conscious, but will be transported to hospital for further checks.
"Both driver and co-driver were able to get out of the car unassisted. They are both conscious and generally OK, and will be transported to hospital for further checks. The team will provide further updates in due course," read a statement from the Toyota Gazoo Racing.
A statement from the FIA added: "During SS17 'Västilä' at WRC Rally Finland, the crew of car #1 , Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia, were involved in a high-impact accident.
#ingrassia #finland
11 days ago
The European Union has joined the Union of European Football ***** ociations (UEFA) in criticising FIFA's controversial plan to launch a new commercial company with external investment to sell a stake in the World Cup.
"The relentless commercialisation of football has become corrosive," EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef wrote on X on Wednesday. He added that a possible alignment of FIFA's regulatory powers with the financial interests of private entities is a concern for the European Commission.
FIFA announced on Tuesday it plans to create a $20 billion (around €17.6 billion) subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events, offering stakes of up to 20% to external investors. This would give FIFA members the chance "to access up to $20 million in one-off capital," according to the statement on the plan.
The move provoked a furious response from UEFA, which accused the football governing body of putting the game's "soul" up for sale.
"The European Commission will study these proposals carefully," Micallef said in response to the announcement, flagging that under EU treaties sporting rules are subject to EU law where they may have an impact on the European economy.
#World #fifa
"The relentless commercialisation of football has become corrosive," EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef wrote on X on Wednesday. He added that a possible alignment of FIFA's regulatory powers with the financial interests of private entities is a concern for the European Commission.
FIFA announced on Tuesday it plans to create a $20 billion (around €17.6 billion) subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events, offering stakes of up to 20% to external investors. This would give FIFA members the chance "to access up to $20 million in one-off capital," according to the statement on the plan.
The move provoked a furious response from UEFA, which accused the football governing body of putting the game's "soul" up for sale.
"The European Commission will study these proposals carefully," Micallef said in response to the announcement, flagging that under EU treaties sporting rules are subject to EU law where they may have an impact on the European economy.
#World #fifa
16 days ago
San Francisco 49ers starting cornerback Deommodore Lenoir is heading into a pivotal 2026 season, according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF's Bradley Locker wrote that Lenoir is one of 10 players on Super Bowl contenders who make or break his respective teams' 2026 campaign. Locker pointed to a step back in coverage and run defense as reasons for concern with Lenoir.
Lenoir finished the 2025 regular season with 61 tackles (39 solo) and two interceptions across 17 starts, his lowest tackle total in four seasons as a starter. He also broke up three passes and allowed a 104.0 passer rating when targeted, per PFF, which had him at a 60.7 overall grade — 65th among 114 qualified cornerbacks.
It's still remarkable that the 49ers reached the divisional round given their defense finished 31st in success rate. While injuries and issues affected almost every level of the unit, Lenoir was also more ineffective than usual.
Lenoir led San Francisco in defensive snaps but posted a 65.7 PFF coverage grade, good for the 62nd percentile — a dip from the 74-plus coverage grades he posted in each of the previous two seasons. His 99.8 passer rating allowed still ranked 20th-highest among qualified corners, and he graded in the 51st percentile in coverage at outside corner. He was also flagged a career-high 10 times, and his run-defense grade fell to a personal low of 44.3.
#locker #season #finished #seasons
PFF's Bradley Locker wrote that Lenoir is one of 10 players on Super Bowl contenders who make or break his respective teams' 2026 campaign. Locker pointed to a step back in coverage and run defense as reasons for concern with Lenoir.
Lenoir finished the 2025 regular season with 61 tackles (39 solo) and two interceptions across 17 starts, his lowest tackle total in four seasons as a starter. He also broke up three passes and allowed a 104.0 passer rating when targeted, per PFF, which had him at a 60.7 overall grade — 65th among 114 qualified cornerbacks.
It's still remarkable that the 49ers reached the divisional round given their defense finished 31st in success rate. While injuries and issues affected almost every level of the unit, Lenoir was also more ineffective than usual.
Lenoir led San Francisco in defensive snaps but posted a 65.7 PFF coverage grade, good for the 62nd percentile — a dip from the 74-plus coverage grades he posted in each of the previous two seasons. His 99.8 passer rating allowed still ranked 20th-highest among qualified corners, and he graded in the 51st percentile in coverage at outside corner. He was also flagged a career-high 10 times, and his run-defense grade fell to a personal low of 44.3.
#locker #season #finished #seasons
18 days ago
Grizzlies point guard D’Angelo Russell is not believed to be a long-term piece in Memphis, with both sides expected to work together toward a resolution that would allow the 30-year-old to find a new home at some point this offseason — whether via a buyout agreement or a trade — sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Russell, who appeared in just 25 games last season in Dallas, arrived in Memphis earlier this month as part of an expansive six-team deal involving Milwaukee, Washington, Dallas, the LA Clippers and Detroit. The trade also sent center Isaiah Stewart, guard AJ Johnson, three future second-round picks, a conditional first-round pick and a second-round swap to the Grizzlies.
The veteran guard was ****** umed to be part of a ball-handling group in Dallas last season designed to ****** ist in the development of then-rookie Cooper Flagg, but started just three games — seemingly falling out of favor with former head coach Jason Kidd amid options like Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams. Russell, who was later traded to the Wizards at the February trade deadline and opted into the final year of his contract ($6 million) in June, would be potentially joining his fourth team in a span of two years.
Russell’s timeline — an experienced player with over 30 playoff games — simply doesn’t align with a rebuilding Grizzlies franchise seeking young, developmental talent centered around a core of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and recent No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. Coward and Boozer impressed in Vegas during summer league, with Coward averaging 19 points, 7 ****** ists and 4 rebounds and Boozer finishing the campaign earning first-team honors — and with the Grizzlies reaching the championship game. Memphis is also dealing with a roster crunch after an eventful summer, with 21 players currently on the roster (including Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack who are on two-way contracts).
The next question for Russell at this stage of the offseason will be finding a situation outside of Memphis where his skill set fits with an already established ecosystem. At a glance, his career stats paint the picture of a more-than-capable floor general — 17 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.6 ****** ists on .427/.363/.793 splits — but his recent inconsistency requires a larger lens. When Russell has dominated the ball, he’s been shown to be a quality creator who threads the needle well between usage, playmaking and scoring prowess. The challenge for him, at least over the course of his recent stops with the Lakers, Nets and Mavericks has been dealing with efficiency under the umbrella of shot distribution and overall pecking order — along with remaining effective on the defensive end.
#memphis #dallas #boozer
Russell, who appeared in just 25 games last season in Dallas, arrived in Memphis earlier this month as part of an expansive six-team deal involving Milwaukee, Washington, Dallas, the LA Clippers and Detroit. The trade also sent center Isaiah Stewart, guard AJ Johnson, three future second-round picks, a conditional first-round pick and a second-round swap to the Grizzlies.
The veteran guard was ****** umed to be part of a ball-handling group in Dallas last season designed to ****** ist in the development of then-rookie Cooper Flagg, but started just three games — seemingly falling out of favor with former head coach Jason Kidd amid options like Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams. Russell, who was later traded to the Wizards at the February trade deadline and opted into the final year of his contract ($6 million) in June, would be potentially joining his fourth team in a span of two years.
Russell’s timeline — an experienced player with over 30 playoff games — simply doesn’t align with a rebuilding Grizzlies franchise seeking young, developmental talent centered around a core of Cedric Coward, Zach Edey and recent No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. Coward and Boozer impressed in Vegas during summer league, with Coward averaging 19 points, 7 ****** ists and 4 rebounds and Boozer finishing the campaign earning first-team honors — and with the Grizzlies reaching the championship game. Memphis is also dealing with a roster crunch after an eventful summer, with 21 players currently on the roster (including Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack who are on two-way contracts).
The next question for Russell at this stage of the offseason will be finding a situation outside of Memphis where his skill set fits with an already established ecosystem. At a glance, his career stats paint the picture of a more-than-capable floor general — 17 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.6 ****** ists on .427/.363/.793 splits — but his recent inconsistency requires a larger lens. When Russell has dominated the ball, he’s been shown to be a quality creator who threads the needle well between usage, playmaking and scoring prowess. The challenge for him, at least over the course of his recent stops with the Lakers, Nets and Mavericks has been dealing with efficiency under the umbrella of shot distribution and overall pecking order — along with remaining effective on the defensive end.
#memphis #dallas #boozer
18 days ago
Half of President Donald Trump's MAGA base thought the Iran war was worth its economic costs in May. Now, just a little more than a third do.
That precipitous, 13-point drop in just two months, according to a new POLITICO Poll, reveals how the president's most die-hard supporters are starting to agree with the majority of Americans who have long opposed the U.S.' involvement in the war.
Additionally, 37 percent of self-identified MAGA Trump voters say the U.S. should continue its involvement only if it doesn't increase costs, up from 29 percent who said the same in May, according to the survey, conducted by independent polling firm Public First. Nearly 1 in 5 MAGA voters believe that the U.S. should end its war in Iran, regardless of the costs.
That flagging support among the president's most loyal supporters is the clearest sign that Americans' patience is wearing thin as the economy continues to dominate as voters' top concern heading into a critical midterm cycle.
But Trump on Monday gave little indication that he was looking for a quick end to the war. The U.S. military has pounded Iran for the last two weeks, and speaking to reporters on Tuesday the president claimed that Iranian officials "want to desperately meet" but that "until they are ready to meet in a meaningful way we have no interest in even talking."
#costs #according #supporters
That precipitous, 13-point drop in just two months, according to a new POLITICO Poll, reveals how the president's most die-hard supporters are starting to agree with the majority of Americans who have long opposed the U.S.' involvement in the war.
Additionally, 37 percent of self-identified MAGA Trump voters say the U.S. should continue its involvement only if it doesn't increase costs, up from 29 percent who said the same in May, according to the survey, conducted by independent polling firm Public First. Nearly 1 in 5 MAGA voters believe that the U.S. should end its war in Iran, regardless of the costs.
That flagging support among the president's most loyal supporters is the clearest sign that Americans' patience is wearing thin as the economy continues to dominate as voters' top concern heading into a critical midterm cycle.
But Trump on Monday gave little indication that he was looking for a quick end to the war. The U.S. military has pounded Iran for the last two weeks, and speaking to reporters on Tuesday the president claimed that Iranian officials "want to desperately meet" but that "until they are ready to meet in a meaningful way we have no interest in even talking."
#costs #according #supporters
18 days ago
Heat's pursuit of Klay Thompson takes surprise turn amid Mavericks trade buzz originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly very open to moving on from veteran Klay Thompson as the franchise continues to reshape its roster. Dallas is believed to be prioritizing its long-term future around rookie sensation Cooper Flagg while also looking to create more opportunities and minutes in the frontcourt and on the wing.
The entire NBA market continues to wait for LeBron James to make his decision. However, according to Anthony Chiang, the Miami Heat's interest in Thompson does not depend on where James ultimately signs. The franchise is expected to pursue the veteran shooter regardless of LeBron's choice.
"Among other shooters available, the Heat continues to hope that the Mavericks buy out Klay Thompson, who's due $17.1 million this season. But Dallas reportedly remains more inclined to try to trade him," the report read.
Reportedly, there is mutual interest between Thompson and the Heat. However, Miami is only expected to pursue the four-time NBA champion if he first reaches a buyout agreement with the Mavericks, allowing him to become a free agent without requiring a trade.
#thompson #reportedly #trade #james
The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly very open to moving on from veteran Klay Thompson as the franchise continues to reshape its roster. Dallas is believed to be prioritizing its long-term future around rookie sensation Cooper Flagg while also looking to create more opportunities and minutes in the frontcourt and on the wing.
The entire NBA market continues to wait for LeBron James to make his decision. However, according to Anthony Chiang, the Miami Heat's interest in Thompson does not depend on where James ultimately signs. The franchise is expected to pursue the veteran shooter regardless of LeBron's choice.
"Among other shooters available, the Heat continues to hope that the Mavericks buy out Klay Thompson, who's due $17.1 million this season. But Dallas reportedly remains more inclined to try to trade him," the report read.
Reportedly, there is mutual interest between Thompson and the Heat. However, Miami is only expected to pursue the four-time NBA champion if he first reaches a buyout agreement with the Mavericks, allowing him to become a free agent without requiring a trade.
#thompson #reportedly #trade #james
19 days ago
The Bank of England is planning to loosen capital requirements for major UK lenders to inject additional liquidity, help banks sustain lending, and support financial markets during periods of stress, while bringing UK requirements more closely into line with international standards. These proposals come as regulators face growing pressure to do more to stimulate economic growth. However, the move also raises concerns about credit quality and financial stability, as relaxed requirements could encourage banks to lend to weaker borrowers and contribute to higher leverage and risk-taking in financial markets.
Capital requirements determine how much capital banks must hold against their **** ets to absorb potential losses and maintain resilience during periods of stress. Easing these requirements allows banks to deploy more capital towards lending, supporting credit availability and market functioning when financial conditions deteriorate. The proposal also follows a relaxation of US leverage requirements in November 2025, increasing competitive pressure on British lenders operating in global markets.
UK economic growth has remained subdued amid geopolitical uncertainty, which has pushed up commodity prices, added to inflationary pressures, and weakened consumer confidence. By improving banks' capacity to lend, the Bank of England aims to support economic activity and help restore confidence among households and businesses.
At the same time, the proposals heighten concerns about financial stability and market risk. Easier credit conditions could increase lending to highly leveraged investors, including hedge funds that use significant borrowing to purchase equities. A substantial share of this debt-fuelled activity has been concentrated in AI-related stocks, despite uncertainty over whether many AI investments will generate the expected returns. If AI projects fail to deliver, firms may struggle to service their debts, potentially increasing banks' non-performing **** ets and weakening overall credit quality.
The Financial Policy Committee has also flagged risks arising directly from rapid advances in frontier AI, which have progressed faster than many experts expected. While these systems could improve productivity, they may also materially increase cyber and operational risks by enabling malicious actors to cause disruption at lower cost and greater scale. Such shocks could affect banks and other systemically important financial institutions, with broader implications for the resilience of the financial system.
#financial #capital #lending #england
Capital requirements determine how much capital banks must hold against their **** ets to absorb potential losses and maintain resilience during periods of stress. Easing these requirements allows banks to deploy more capital towards lending, supporting credit availability and market functioning when financial conditions deteriorate. The proposal also follows a relaxation of US leverage requirements in November 2025, increasing competitive pressure on British lenders operating in global markets.
UK economic growth has remained subdued amid geopolitical uncertainty, which has pushed up commodity prices, added to inflationary pressures, and weakened consumer confidence. By improving banks' capacity to lend, the Bank of England aims to support economic activity and help restore confidence among households and businesses.
At the same time, the proposals heighten concerns about financial stability and market risk. Easier credit conditions could increase lending to highly leveraged investors, including hedge funds that use significant borrowing to purchase equities. A substantial share of this debt-fuelled activity has been concentrated in AI-related stocks, despite uncertainty over whether many AI investments will generate the expected returns. If AI projects fail to deliver, firms may struggle to service their debts, potentially increasing banks' non-performing **** ets and weakening overall credit quality.
The Financial Policy Committee has also flagged risks arising directly from rapid advances in frontier AI, which have progressed faster than many experts expected. While these systems could improve productivity, they may also materially increase cyber and operational risks by enabling malicious actors to cause disruption at lower cost and greater scale. Such shocks could affect banks and other systemically important financial institutions, with broader implications for the resilience of the financial system.
#financial #capital #lending #england
19 days ago
Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were preparing to question a British zoologist and disease ecology expert upon his return to the United States from the World Health Organization's investigation into the origins of COVID-19, before the FBI intervened and asked agents to stand down, according to files released Monday by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
"They told the public a COVID lab leak 'wasn't plausible,'" Rand wrote on X. "Their own private messages say otherwise. Today I'm launching The Reading Room where the public can review records related to my ongoing investigation – not just conclusions but the actual documents."
The documents show CBP's National Targeting Center flagged Peter Daszak as "a high person of interest" ahead of his Feb. 5, 2021, arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Daszak, the former president of EcoHealth Alliance, was flagged because of more than 15 years of collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and his longstanding relationship with its lead researcher, Zhengli Shi, as well as his role as principal investigator on National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants funding bat coronavirus research in China.
Rand Paul Brings Cia Whistleblower To Senate Hearing Alleging 'Deep State' Covid-19 Conspiracy
"They told the public a COVID lab leak 'wasn't plausible,'" Rand wrote on X. "Their own private messages say otherwise. Today I'm launching The Reading Room where the public can review records related to my ongoing investigation – not just conclusions but the actual documents."
The documents show CBP's National Targeting Center flagged Peter Daszak as "a high person of interest" ahead of his Feb. 5, 2021, arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Daszak, the former president of EcoHealth Alliance, was flagged because of more than 15 years of collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and his longstanding relationship with its lead researcher, Zhengli Shi, as well as his role as principal investigator on National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants funding bat coronavirus research in China.
Rand Paul Brings Cia Whistleblower To Senate Hearing Alleging 'Deep State' Covid-19 Conspiracy
20 days ago
By Anna Pruchnicka and Iryna Nazarchuk
ODESA, Ukraine July 20 (Reuters) - A Russian missile strike on a ship carrying corn near Ukraine's southern port of Odesa killed 10 people, Ukrainian officials said on Monday, in the deadliest attack in a weeks-long flare-up of violence in the Black Sea.
Russia hit the Golden Leo – a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship manned by a crew from India and Syria – with three cruise missiles, causing a fire on Sunday, Ukraine's navy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
A Reuters witness in Odesa saw smoke billowing from a vessel off the coast on Sunday, which Reuters was able to confirm was the Golden Leo.
A search and rescue operation lasted all night, Ukraine's seaports authority said, adding that nine crew members and one of its maritime pilots were killed. Eight of the vessel's 17 crew members were rescued, it added.
ODESA, Ukraine July 20 (Reuters) - A Russian missile strike on a ship carrying corn near Ukraine's southern port of Odesa killed 10 people, Ukrainian officials said on Monday, in the deadliest attack in a weeks-long flare-up of violence in the Black Sea.
Russia hit the Golden Leo – a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship manned by a crew from India and Syria – with three cruise missiles, causing a fire on Sunday, Ukraine's navy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
A Reuters witness in Odesa saw smoke billowing from a vessel off the coast on Sunday, which Reuters was able to confirm was the Golden Leo.
A search and rescue operation lasted all night, Ukraine's seaports authority said, adding that nine crew members and one of its maritime pilots were killed. Eight of the vessel's 17 crew members were rescued, it added.
23 days ago
By Milana Vinn and Manya Saini
July 16 (Reuters) - PayPal's board sees a $53 billion takeover bid by rival Stripe and private equity firm Advent International as undervaluing the company and facing regulatory and financing hurdles, a person familiar with the matter said, potentially setting the stage for negotiations over the future of the U.S. payments giant.
PayPal has not formally responded to the proposal, two other sources said.
The consortium's bid comes as PayPal, founded in the late 1990s, has struggled in recent years to compete against rivals like Apple Pay and Google Pay, with management trying to revive its flagging share price in the face of slowing growth. Combining Stripe and PayPal, the most widely used payment platforms for internet merchants, would create one of the world's largest global online payments companies, processing some $3.7 trillion of annual volume.
PayPal's board is evaluating the bid – and the possibility that other offers could emerge – against management's turnaround strategy, the person said. Its early view is that while the $60.50 per share offer represents a premium to the company's recent share price, it does not fully reflect the potential value the company could create over the coming years if management successfully executes its strategy, the source said.
July 16 (Reuters) - PayPal's board sees a $53 billion takeover bid by rival Stripe and private equity firm Advent International as undervaluing the company and facing regulatory and financing hurdles, a person familiar with the matter said, potentially setting the stage for negotiations over the future of the U.S. payments giant.
PayPal has not formally responded to the proposal, two other sources said.
The consortium's bid comes as PayPal, founded in the late 1990s, has struggled in recent years to compete against rivals like Apple Pay and Google Pay, with management trying to revive its flagging share price in the face of slowing growth. Combining Stripe and PayPal, the most widely used payment platforms for internet merchants, would create one of the world's largest global online payments companies, processing some $3.7 trillion of annual volume.
PayPal's board is evaluating the bid – and the possibility that other offers could emerge – against management's turnaround strategy, the person said. Its early view is that while the $60.50 per share offer represents a premium to the company's recent share price, it does not fully reflect the potential value the company could create over the coming years if management successfully executes its strategy, the source said.
24 days ago
BYD trades at a forward P/E of 11 despite generating $317M in quarterly EBITDAR, with 17% upside to a fair value target of $102.
Boyd's 1.8x leverage dwarfs peers MGM and PENN, and its $150M quarterly buyback pace has shrunk the share count 33% over four years.
Boyd beat Q2 2025 EPS estimates by 15%, triggering a 4.4% same-day pop, with a 0.17 put/call ratio flagging bullish positioning ahead of July 23.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Boyd Gaming didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD) stands out in gaming heading into its confirmed July 23 earnings release, and the setup is doing most of the work for you. The 24/7 Wall St.'s base case pegs fair value at $102.07 against an $86.03 print as of July 14, a 16.91% upside call with a 90% confidence score and a Buy recommendation. The conviction case rests on a buyback machine, a rerating catalyst two weeks out and a valuation that ignores the earnings power underneath.
Boyd's 1.8x leverage dwarfs peers MGM and PENN, and its $150M quarterly buyback pace has shrunk the share count 33% over four years.
Boyd beat Q2 2025 EPS estimates by 15%, triggering a 4.4% same-day pop, with a 0.17 put/call ratio flagging bullish positioning ahead of July 23.
Act now: the ****** yst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Boyd Gaming didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.
Boyd Gaming (NYSE:BYD) stands out in gaming heading into its confirmed July 23 earnings release, and the setup is doing most of the work for you. The 24/7 Wall St.'s base case pegs fair value at $102.07 against an $86.03 print as of July 14, a 16.91% upside call with a 90% confidence score and a Buy recommendation. The conviction case rests on a buyback machine, a rerating catalyst two weeks out and a valuation that ignores the earnings power underneath.
26 days ago
Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (NYSE:OTF) is one of the Best All-Time Low Stocks to Buy Now. The stock has declined more than 7% over the past month, mainly due to negative momentum from missed Q1 2026 earnings, released in May. However, the Street expects 35% upside over the next 12-months from the current level, driven by potential recovery in the next quarter. Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (NYSE:OTF) is set to release earnings on August 5.
During the fiscal first quarter 2026 earnings, the company posted $325.9 million in revenue, which missed the estimates of $340.1 million. The EPS of $0.29 topped the consensus by 17.5%. Moreover, the net ***** et value per share dropped to $16.49 from $17.33, mainly due to $0.84 per share in realized and unrealized losses as credit spreads widened. Despite the earnings miss management maintained $0.35 base dividend plus a $0.05 special dividend intact. Management flagged that fully covering the base payout with earnings could take longer than expected. For fiscal Q2 2026 earnings, the Street expects quarterly revenue around $337.53 million, along with an EPS of $0.3.
That said, as per a recent June 16 SEC filing, Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (NYSE:OTF) has amended its senior secured credit agreement for the fourth time, giving itself more runway on its borrowing facility. The revolver's availability period now extends to June 2030, up from December 2028. The overall maturity date moves out too, from December 2029 to June 2031, giving the company an extra year and a half before the facility needs to be refinanced. Moreover, the accordion provision, which allows the company to expand the facility if needed, was also increased to up to roughly $4.01 billion.
New York-based company, Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (NYSE:OTF), is a business development company focused on providing direct lending and equity investments to upper middle-market technology and software firms. The company was founded in 2018.
While we acknowledge the potential of OTF as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
During the fiscal first quarter 2026 earnings, the company posted $325.9 million in revenue, which missed the estimates of $340.1 million. The EPS of $0.29 topped the consensus by 17.5%. Moreover, the net ***** et value per share dropped to $16.49 from $17.33, mainly due to $0.84 per share in realized and unrealized losses as credit spreads widened. Despite the earnings miss management maintained $0.35 base dividend plus a $0.05 special dividend intact. Management flagged that fully covering the base payout with earnings could take longer than expected. For fiscal Q2 2026 earnings, the Street expects quarterly revenue around $337.53 million, along with an EPS of $0.3.
That said, as per a recent June 16 SEC filing, Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (NYSE:OTF) has amended its senior secured credit agreement for the fourth time, giving itself more runway on its borrowing facility. The revolver's availability period now extends to June 2030, up from December 2028. The overall maturity date moves out too, from December 2029 to June 2031, giving the company an extra year and a half before the facility needs to be refinanced. Moreover, the accordion provision, which allows the company to expand the facility if needed, was also increased to up to roughly $4.01 billion.
New York-based company, Blue Owl Technology Finance Corp. (NYSE:OTF), is a business development company focused on providing direct lending and equity investments to upper middle-market technology and software firms. The company was founded in 2018.
While we acknowledge the potential of OTF as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
