by tyler | Apr 17, 2023 | CNN, sport
The Philadelphia Eagles and quarterback Jalen Hurts have agreed to a five-year extension of the star’s contract, the NFL team announced Monday.
According to reports, the extension is worth $255 million, making Hurts the highest-paid player in league history.
The contract keeps Hurts with the franchise through 2028.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network both tweeted the news, noting more than $179 million of the contract is guaranteed.
The deal was negotiated by Nicole Lynn of Klutch Sports Group, the same agency that represents National Basketball Association (NBA) star LeBron James. Earlier this year, Lynn became the first Black woman agent to represent an NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl.
CNN reached out to Klutch to confirm the numbers but did not immediately receive a response.
Rapoport also noted the deal contains a no-trade clause, reportedly the first in Eagles history. The no-trade clause means that the team is unable to trade the 24-year-old without the written permission of both the player and his agent.
Drafted by the Eagles with the 53rd overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft, Hurts led Philadelphia to the 2023 Super Bowl, falling short against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arizona in February. He finished second in NFL Most Valuable Player voting for the 2023 season, behind Chiefs play-caller Patrick Mahomes.
Hurts spent three years at the University of Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to consecutive College Football National Championship games in 2017 and 2018. He spent his last year of college at the University of Oklahoma after a transfer.
by tyler | Apr 17, 2023 | CNN, sport
Eliud Kipchoge can further his status as one of – if not the – greatest distance runners of all time when he makes his Boston Marathon debut on Monday.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and marathon world record holder has won titles in Berlin, London, Tokyo and Chicago – four of the world’s six marathon majors – and is the favorite in the elite men’s race in Boston.
This year marks the 127th running of the Boston Marathon and the 10-year anniversary of the double bombings that took place near the finish line, killing three people and injuring at least 264.
It means this year’s elite races, boasting some of the strongest fields ever seen at a major marathon, promise to carry added emotion.
READ: Portrait of terror – The iconic photo that captured the fear of a resilient city after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing
Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, who won the men’s race that year and donated his medal to the city, returns to Boston, while two other previous champions – Kenyans Evans Chebet and Benson Kipruto – will be looking to challenge compatriot Kipchoge for the title.
But few would expect Kipchoge, beaten only twice in his career over the 26.2 miles of the marathon, to be defeated in Boston this year.
Starting in Hopkinton and finishing in Copley Square, the Boston Marathon is a point-to-point course, meaning it is not eligible for a world record – although the hills and windy conditions often lead to slower times than at other major marathons.
Kipchoge’s world record of 2:01:09, set at last year’s Berlin Marathon, will therefore likely remain untouched, but Geoffrey Mutai’s course record of 2:03:02 from 2011 is a target for the 38-year-old.
Ahead of this year’s race, Kipchoge says he has been running on a hilly course near his training base in the Kenyan village of Kaptagat, specifically designed to replicate the undulations of the challenging Boston course.
“This is the right time to train on the course which we have nicknamed ‘Boston’ here in Kenya,” he told Daily Nation. “It’s an uphill and tough course over 40 kilometers.”
As well as owning the official world record, Kipchoge is also the first person to break the two-hour barrier in the marathon. In 2019, he ran 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria, as part of a challenge specifically engineered to optimize performance over the marathon distance.
The women’s elite race will be headlined by three former Boston winners: home favorite Des Linden, veteran Kenyan Edna Kiplagat and Ethiopia’s 2016 champion Atsede Bayisa.
Last year’s world championship medalists Gotytom Gebreslase, also from Ethiopia, and Lonah Salpeter from Israel form part of the star-studded field, while Kenya’s two-time Olympic medalist Hellen Obiri will be competing in her second ever marathon after placing sixth in New York in November.
Among the American women in the elite field, Sara Hall, competing in Boston for the second time, owns the fastest time of 2:20:32.
Close to 30,000 athletes from more than 100 countries will take part in this year’s Boston Marathon. The course is net downhill but does include four notable climbs in the second half, culminating with the notorious Heartbreak Hill at the 20-mile mark.
That makes it a more technical course compared to other marathons, though runners can enjoy the roughly 200 feet of net descent in the final five miles.
The weather usually plays a crucial role at the Boston Marathon and this year could be a battle against the elements with rain and wind forecast during the day.
“Rain chances are expected to increase by late morning and last through much of the rest of the day,” said CNN Weather’s Haley Brink.
“Winds will also increase as the rain arrives with sustained winds of 8 to 12 mph and gusts up to 20 mph possible by the afternoon. The high temperature could climb to near 60 degrees Farenheit (16 degrees Celsius) by the early afternoon.”
Monday’s races get underway with the men’s wheelchair race at 9:02 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). The men’s elite race starts at 9:37 a.m. ET and the women’s begins 10 minutes later.
The first wave of the mass start goes at 10 a.m. ET.
In the United States, the race will be broadcast on WCVB and ESPN. A full list of international broadcasters is available on the Boston Athletic Association website.
by tyler | Apr 13, 2023 | CNN, sport
The death of an 18-year-old Italian volleyball player who fell from the 6th floor window of a hotel in Istanbul is being investigated, Turkish police told CNN in a statement.
Julia Ituma’s body was found in front of the hotel where her team was staying, according to Istanbul police.
In security footage from inside the hotel, Ituma is seen talking on the phone in a hallway in the evening hours, and then sitting outside the door to her room for about an hour in a “pensive and thoughtful” way, before entering her room for the last time, police said.
“We are all dismayed by this tragedy which affects not only the volleyball world but all of Italian sport,” the Italian Volleyball Federation President Giuseppe Manfredi said in a statement.
“My first thought goes to Julia’s family, to whom I send my deepest condolences and guarantee that the Italian Volleyball Federation will provide maximum support,” he added.
Ituma’s volleyball club, Igor Gorgonzola Novara, also expressed their “deep pain” over her passing, adding that the Turkish police were working to determine the cause of death.
“Igor Volley wishes to express their condolences and partaking in the pain of Julia’s family and loved ones. The club and all its members, heartbroken by the loss, will keep a respectful silence on the matter,” the team said in a statement.
The team was in Istanbul playing a volleyball Champions League semifinal against local team Eczacıbaşı Dynavit, who have also expressed their condolences.
“Our club and players are deeply saddened by the tragic news of Igor Gorgonzola player Julia Ituma’s sudden passing. We send our condolences to our beloved Julia’s family, Novara family and the volleyball community. Rest in peace Julia,” Eczacıbaşı said in a statement.
Italy’s former men’s volleyball coach and current sports manager for the Italian Democratic Party, Mauro Berruto, also took to Twitter to express his dismay over Ituma’s death.
“I am shocked by the tragic passing of Julia Ituma, an eighteen-year-old volleyball player for Igor Novara. My embrace to the family, to the club, to the entire large community of Italian volleyball,” Berruto tweeted.
The Italian Volleyball Federation also announced on Thursday that there would be a minute of silence in Ituma’s memory across all volleyball matches between Thursday and Sunday.
by tyler | Apr 10, 2023 | CNN, sport
Sunday evening should have been a time for celebration for the Minnesota Timberwolves after cementing their spot in the NBA’s Play-In tournament.
Instead though, it was filled with questions after the team’s star center Rudy Gobert was sent home for an altercation with his teammate Kyle Anderson during Sunday’s game.
In the second quarter of Minnesota’s clash against the New Orleans Pelicans, Gobert got into an argument with Anderson during a timeout and swung at the forward.
Both were separated and Gobert was sent to the locker room. Gobert was later ruled out for the rest of the game.
Gobert apologized for his actions on social media afterwards.
“Emotions got the best of me today,” Gobert said in a Twitter post. “I should not have reacted the way I did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organization and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that I truly love and respect as a teammate.”
Team president of basketball operations Tim Connelly confirmed in a statement to CNN that Gobert was sent home and that his behavior on the bench was “unacceptable.”
“We will continue handling the situation internally,” Connelly added.
After the 113-108 win which secured the eighth seed in the Western Conference, meaning Minnesota will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the Play-In, Anderson said the situation arose because “tempers just flared.”
“Tempers flare, you’re in the middle of a game, a game we all want to win, a huge one, it is what it is,” Anderson said, according to ESPN. “You know, s**t happens. It’s not the first time something like that has happened.”
Anderson added: “We’ll move forward. We want to win games. It is what it is. We’ll keep it in house. I mean, it ain’t the first time someone has swung on me … I think our tempers just flared. That’s all. It is what it is. We’ll speak about it and move on. We’re grown men.”
After the game, Minnesota head coach Chris Finch called the situation “very frustrating” while speaking to reporters.
“Couple-blown assignments,” Finch said. “A lot on the line tonight. We are not proud of that behavior by anybody. We haven’t really dug too far into the root cause of it but guys are just frustrated. We weren’t playing well, we weren’t sharing the ball, we weren’t – we were getting beat in all little areas. We looked sluggish.”
Finch added: “Not something we condone. Veterans can get upset too. I don’t want to be too hard on him but obviously, it’s something we aren’t going to be able to tolerate here. I’m sure he’s already remorseful. I haven’t had the chance to speak to him about it.”
When asked if Gobert would play in the Play-In game and about any punishment, Finch declined and said it would be handled internally.
The drama did not stop there for Minnesota on Easter Sunday.
Heading into the locker room at halftime, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels was seen punching the wall and immediately grabbing his hand in discomfort. Shortly after, the team ruled out McDaniels with a right-hand injury. It is unclear if that is what caused the injury.
The 22-year-old McDaniels has reportedly fractured his hand, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. CNN has reached out to the Timberwolves for details on the injury.
Finch said McDaniels punched the wall “out of frustration.”
“Out of frustration, he reacts and I guess, you know, punches the wall,” Finch said. “Not sure exactly where we stand with all that but unfortunate again.”
Finch chalked up McDaniels actions to “immaturity,” which he said is something that has plagued the team all season.
“Certainly immaturity. It’s been one of our issues all season. Been immature at the wrong times … We got to focus now on what we got and what we are moving forward with. I guess we play the Lakers so head out there,” Finch said.
Minnesota will face LeBron James and the Lakers on Tuesday in the Play-In, with the winner facing the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA playoffs and the loser playing the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans Play-In game to occupy the eighth seed and play the Denver Nuggets.
The 2023 NBA Play-In tournament runs from April 11 to April 14 and the NBA Playoffs tip-off on April 15 and conclude no later than June 18.
by tyler | Apr 10, 2023 | CNN, sport
The NBA regular season reached its conclusion Sunday and as the standings after 82 games were finalized, there was chaos to be found on every corner.
The Golden State Warriors set a new NBA record with 55 points in the opening quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Led by Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors broke the previous joint-record of 51 points scored by the Charlotte Hornets against the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this year and the Warriors against the Denver Nuggets in 2019.
The Splash Bros. were at their irrepressible best with Thompson torching the Trail Blazers and dropping five three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game. As a result, Klay entered an exclusive club of players to hit 300+ 3-pointers in a single season – joining Curry and James Harden.
Speaking after the game, Thompson – who finished the regular season with the most 3s in the league – said: “It’s cool to lead the league in 3s made. It’s something I’ve never done before. It’s a testament to my hard work over the last few years, some dark times that have turned into some beautiful moments.”
Thompson finished the game with 20 points in 22 minutes with Curry dropping 26 points, seven assists and five boards in the Warriors’ 158-101 win.
Miami Heat stalwart Udonis Haslem scored 24 points in his final regular season game in front of his home fans. The Heat forward is planning to retire following the completion of this campaign after spending 20 seasons in Miami.
Remarkably, it was the 42-year-old’s third highest scoring game of his career which spanned more than 1,000 games.
Led by Haslem’s game-high 24 points, Miami went on to defeat the Orlando Magic 123-110 and after finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference, the Heat will host the Atlanta Hawks in the Play-in on Tuesday.
As ever with the end of the regular season, players from around the league popped up from everywhere and surprised everyone with huge statlines.
Theo Pinson dropped a triple-double for the Dallas Mavericks against the San Antonio Spurs, Cam Thomas had another 40+ point game as the Brooklyn Nets lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, and it didn’t stop there.
As the Boston Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks, Payton Pritchard dropped a 30-point triple-double.
The guard closed out the regular season with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists and gave Joe Mazzulla a reminder of his quality before the playoffs.
Pritchard could prove to be an important piece for Boston during the postseason and fans at the TD Garden will be hoping the 25-year-old can have more nights like this.
Kenny Lofton Jr. has signed an NBA contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and was rewarded by being given his first start in the league.
The newly crowned NBA G league Rookie of the Year put up 42 points and 14 rebounds during the Grizzlies loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder and demonstrated he has the quality to make it in the NBA.
Over in Los Angeles, LeBron James finished year 18 in the league with another vintage display.
James hit eight three-pointers on his way to scoring 36 points to go alongside his six assists and six rebounds.
The Los Angeles Lakers secured seventh spot in the West and will play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday in LA.
The winner of the Lakers and Timberwolves game will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA playoffs and the loser will play the winner of the OKC Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans Play-In game to occupy the eighth seed and play the Denver Nuggets.
by tyler | Apr 10, 2023 | CNN, sport
Some of the best talent in women’s basketball will be taking part in WNBA Draft on April 10. Here’s all you need to know about the big night.
Fans can tune in to see who goes where on ESPN and in the ESPN+ app from 7 p.m. ET.
Unlike the NBA Draft, there are three rounds of selections for the WNBA Draft. These three rounds consist of 12 picks.
The order for the draft has already been decided and are determined by the standings from the last regular season, with the exception of the first four picks of the first round, which have been decided by the Draft Lottery. Each team will pick a player when their turn rolls around.
This year’s all-important first pick in the opening round has been awarded to the Indiana Fever as a result of them winning the lottery. The lottery is made up of the four teams that missed out on the playoffs, and they are awarded the first four picks of the draft.
The teams in the lottery were given odds which had been determined by their results over the previous two years. The Fever’s 11-57 record over the last two seasons gave them the best chance of gaining the first pick with lottery odds of 442 chances out of 1000.
Minnesota Lynx will then have the second pick and, after trading up, the Dallas Wings and the Washington Mystics will round off the four lottery picks.
Aliyah Boston
Boston has been the favorite for that No. 1 pick for a long time. The senior had a brilliant 2022 and should be able to translate her talents to the WNBA without too much difficulty.
Boston’s final season at college was built around her brilliant defense and the forward should provide much-needed help to the Fever’s defense if they select her.
In 2022, the 21-year-old became the first player to win both Naismith women’s defensive player of the year and Naismith women’s player of the year awards; the title given to the best women’s basketball player at college.
Boston also led her side to the 2022 NCAA championship during her incredibly successful career with the South Carolina Gamecocks – which included a 42-straight game win streak, spanning 389 days and dating back to last season’s national title run.
Diamond Miller
Miller is likely to be the second pick in the draft and could carve out a successful WNBA career in Minnesota if she is selected with the No. 2 pick.
Despite an Elite Eight exit, the guard starred for Maryland throughout March Madness and demonstrated what she could provide the Lynx.
The senior averaged 19.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and showed her capability on the defensive end with 2.1 steals and 1.3 blocks-per-game.
With impressive skills on both ends of the floor, Miller should star throughout her first year in the WNBA.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark
Two of the biggest names in women’s basketball won’t be partaking in the WNBA Draft due to league rules and will only be eligible for the WNBA Draft in 2024.
This means both Reese and Clark will have at least another year of college basketball before they make the move to the professional league.
