Sharpshooting Bahamian Buddy Hield expressed excitement at the opportunity to play for the Golden State Warriors in his first interaction with Warriors media on Thursday.
The 31-year-old joined the seven-time NBA Champions through a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in early July.
The Warriors will be the fifth team Hield has represented since being drafted sixth overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2016 NBA Draft.
“Excited! Excited for the opportunity to come in here and learn from great players, a great organization, great coach, and be a sponge and an open book to everybody around me,” was Hield’s response to a question about his emotions heading into his first season in San Francisco.
Hield was brought in by the Warriors as a like-for-like replacement for franchise legend Klay Thompson who left for the Dallas Mavericks in Free Agency after 13 seasons and four titles with the Warriors.
The Bahamian says he isn’t feeling the pressure of trying to replicate what Thompson gave the Warriors.
“There’s no pressure, I just have to come and do my job. What Klay has done for this organization has been tremendous. I love Klay a lot and I watched him over the years and he’s special,” he said.
“The way he can get hot and change the game as a two-way player. I think it’s fun being in that role,” he added.
One of the hallmarks of the Warriors during their run of dominance in the Steph Curry-Draymond Green-Klay Thompson era has been their complicated offensive scheme.
Hield believes practice is the key to learning where he fits into the offense quickly.
“Taking it day by day in practice, watching a lot of film. Practice will be really important. I’ve watched these guys play since college. Even in the pros when they play, they’re always a fun team to watch,” he said.
“I think it’s a great fit and it shouldn’t be that hard but everything takes time,” he added.
Lando Norris acknowledged the criticism aimed at him and McLaren following last weekend's British Grand Prix was justified.
The Briton was leading ahead of the final round of pit stops at Silverstone, and looking on course to close the gap on drivers' championship leader Max Verstappen.
However, eventual winner Lewis Hamilton undercut Norris, who overran his pit box after McLaren were unable to bring him in at an ideal time.
After McLaren opted for soft tyres during the race's climax, Norris was then surpassed by Verstappen, and had to settle for a third-place finish.
While the 24-year-old understands the scrutiny he and the team came under, he feels the most important thing is the way they respond at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
"No, not at all, it just depends on how you take it," he told Sky Sports. "I don't think it's unfair because you're always going to have it, that's life.
"People are going to criticise you, people are going to support you, people are going to make mistakes. We're not the only team. There have been times when Red Bull should have won and didn't and Mercedes should have won and didn't.
"At the same time, we didn't blame anyone but ourselves, and it's a tough one because it hurts when you lose your home race, you have a chance to win and those types of things.
"But it's more about how you and we as a team handled it, how we learned from it, we reviewed things, and we come back stronger this weekend and for the future races.
"So, plenty of things to learn, but I'm confident with our team. I think we always accept criticism. Especially when it's constructive, you prefer that way, but you are always going to have people who are supporting and not supporting you.
"How you use that and how you turn it into something positive is the main thing."
Jarrad Branthwaite says he is feeling confident and ready to "keep learning" with Everton ahead of the new season, despite interest from Manchester United.
The Red Devils have seen two offers rejected for the 22-year-old defender, who is valued between £70-£80million by the Toffees.
Branthwaite made 41 appearances for Everton last term, with his impressive performances earning him the club's Players' Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards.
He also received his first senior England call-up and was named in Gareth Southgate's provisional Euro 2024 squad, though he was ultimately left out of the final 26.
And Branthwaite hopes he can continue building on that momentum heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
"I think for me, it's just about taking what I learned from last season, and the season before, and putting it all together," he told Everton's official website.
"I think last season, playing all the games I did, helped me put performances in and get the experience I needed. I'm going to take that into this season and keep learning.
"When you've got a good defensive record, it gives you confidence going into the new season.
"It's not just the defenders who contribute to that, it's the whole team, and it's the way the manager has us set up to give us the best possible chance to win games and to pick up as many points as we can.
"I think it'll be the same again this season. Hopefully, we can pick up a few wins early on and get the momentum going in the new season."
Everton also confirmed on Friday that The Friedkin Group will not be buying a majority stake in the club, having been granted a period of exclusivity last month.
Several Caribbean athletics stars, including Ackeem Blake, Rushell Clayton, Julien Alfred, Nickisha Pryce, and Natoya Goule-Topping, are set to finalize their Olympic preparations at the highly anticipated Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday, July 20.
Blake will compete in the men’s 100m event, facing world 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles, who last raced at the US Olympic Trials, clinching both titles. He will also face Botswana's versatile sprinter Letsile Tebogo, who finished second to Lyles in both events at last year’s World Championships. Other notable entrants include world bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, and Britain’s Jeremiah Azu.
Alfred from Saint Lucia will compete in the women’s 200m, going up against world leader Gabby Thomas, fresh off her US Trials win with a time of 21.78. Alfred will face a star-studded field, including 2019 world champion Dina Asher-Smith, Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke, and European silver medallist Daryll Neita. This race is set to be one of the highlights of the meet.
Clayton will take on the women’s 400m hurdles, competing alongside fellow Jamaican Shiann Salmon against a strong line-up led by world champion Femke Bol, who recently set a new European record of 50.95. USA’s Shamier Little is also among the competitors, promising a thrilling race as they all look to sharpen their form ahead of the Olympics.
Pryce, who set a national record of 48.89 in winning the NCAA title, will make her Diamond League debut in the women’s 400m. She will be challenged by Poland’s European champion Natalia Kaczmarek, world indoor silver medallist Lieke Klaver, and Britain’s Amber Anning.
Meanwhile, Goule-Toppin, the Jamaican record-holder in the women’s 800m, will compete against world and Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson, who has been undefeated this year. The line-up includes world indoor silver medallist Jemma Reekie, Olympic 1500m silver medallist Laura Muir, and 2019 world champion Halimah Nakaayi.
As these Caribbean stars and other top athletes from around the world compete in London, fans can expect an exciting preview of the performances to come at the Paris Olympics.
Erik ten Hag feels Manchester United have less strength in depth compared "with other top clubs in the Premier League".
The Dutchman's injury-hit side finished eighth in the Premier League last season; their lowest final position in the competition.
However, the Red Devils did manage to secure European football for the 2024-25 campaign after beating rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final.
Ten Hag was heavily linked with a departure from Old Trafford, but recently extended his stay with the club until 2026, and he acknowledges United are still a work in progress.
"Last season, we constantly had injuries to players in the same positions, all at the back. At one point, we had almost no defenders available," he told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
"When we started here, United hadn't won a trophy for six years, and it really wasn't because they didn't have good managers here.
"It does say something about the composition and quality of the player group. I knew that when I started, of course, but they were players with long-term contracts.
"We were and still are in that process [of building]. If you compare our squad with other top clubs in the Premier League, we certainly have a bit less in terms of depth. That is exactly why we found it so difficult to deal with those injuries."
Ten Hag also reflected on that FA Cup final against City, a game which was widely expected to spell the end for the Dutchman had United lost.
But the 54-year-old is not concerned by his job security.
"Let's face it: you lose too many matches, it just takes strength to keep the team focused and motivated every time," he added. "The players are disappointed, the people around you are disappointed.
"There was so much going on at that stage, but I still firmly believed that we could win that final. The most important thing of all was to convey that belief to my team. I had to be careful that the entire environment did not become negative in advance.
"If United's management find someone tomorrow who they think is better, then I'll go. It's that simple. Those are the mechanisms in football that you have to respect. At a club like this, it is crystal clear: if you don't win, you have a problem."
England should attempt to convince either Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp to succeed Gareth Southgate, says former Three Lions boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Southgate announced his resignation this week in the wake of England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, their second final loss in as many European Championship campaigns under him.
The likes of Graham Potter, Eddie Howe and Lee Carsley have been touted as potential successors if the Football Association (FA) wishes to appoint another English boss.
However, reports have also suggested the FA are keen to speak with Guardiola about the vacancy, with many believing he may leave Manchester City next year.
Former Liverpool boss Klopp, meanwhile, is thought likely to take a sabbatical after eight years at Anfield, but Eriksson believes the FA should still ask him the question.
"If he is English or foreign, I don't think it should mean much," he told The Telegraph. "You just have to find a top manager, or a young one with a good future.
"If you want to aim high, the obvious two contenders are Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola. They know English football, the players and culture.
"If there was even the slightest suggestion they were interested in the job, England should go for it. We are talking about two of the best managers in the world.
"Klopp is taking a break and I'm not sure whether stepping down from Manchester City is in Pep's mind.
"But you have to aim high, and appointing either of those two would be a huge statement for England and their aims for the future."
Lewis Hamilton has declared it is "game on" for Mercedes at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix as the Silver Arrows target a third straight win.
Mercedes endured a dismal start to 2024 as the team suffered teething problems with their W15 car, but recent upgrades have led to a major upturn.
George Russell triumphed at the Austrian Grand Prix three weeks ago, before Hamilton secured a record-breaking ninth victory at the British Grand Prix a week later.
Mercedes are now just seven points adrift of second-placed Ferrari in the constructors' championship standings, and Hamilton is confident in their chances at the Hungaroring, where he has a record eight wins.
"We definitely don't want to get ahead of ourselves, that's key in our approach," Hamilton said. "But also, we're like, 'it's game on!
"We're fighting, we're chasing, and we're going to try and win as many races as George mentioned or compete for as many wins as possible.
"It may turn out this weekend that the Red Bull is still light years ahead, or the McLaren is, who knows?
"We are united as a team and we are going to try and make sure we finish this season on a high.
"If we can lift the team up in the ladder of constructors, if we can progress – we are not too far off the drivers up ahead of us – then that will be great."
Three of the last four races have seen both Hamilton and Russell finish inside the top four, after neither of the duo managed such a finish in the first eight races of the season.
"If you told us at the start of the year we'd be fighting for three wins in a row, we wouldn't have believed it," Russell said.
"We have led the last four races since the upgrades, which is an incredible turnaround for us and everyone is super motivated."
As three-time grand slam champion Andy Murray prepares to bow out from the sport he loves at the Paris Olympics, he could soon be a man in demand.
The two-time Wimbledon victor got the fitting tribute his career deserved at his home slam, but not in the circumstances he wanted.
A back injury ruled him out of the singles, and his last match on centre court was a doubles defeat alongside his brother Jamie.
Murray will retire following the summer games, where he hopes to add to his two Olympic golds won at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
But one tennis rival may already have his next career path in mind.
When Vasek Pospisil is not on the court, he is busy pushing for improvements for players off the court with the Professional Tennis Players' Association.
Co-founded with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, the PTPA aims to 'address player challenges and calls for change within the business of professional tennis.'
What started as an idea thought up by Pospisil and Djokovic in 2019 was formally created two years later.
Three years and 'thousands of hours' on, players across the ATP and WTA Tours are reaping the rewards.
"The first few years were just growing pains. It was so many thousands of hours. The amount of hours, especially those first three or four years to get some momentum and organise players and just try to get the building blocks in place," Pospisil told Stats Perform.
"Tennis has a long way to go from the player side. But as a sport, it's an incredible sport. It's one-on-one combat.
"That's why it's the third or fourth most watched sport in the world. So there's so much there. And players have been underserviced and it's time for change. And that's where we come in."
"We want hundreds of players to be able to make a living. When I say hundreds, I mean three or 400 on the men's side and three or 400 on the women's side.
"Currently it's about a hundred on each, right? And that's unacceptable in a multi-billion dollar industry with the value that these players are bringing to the table.
"In the meantime, we're trying to generate revenue for players, extra revenue through group licensing programs that hasn't existed prior to the PTPA."
Murray, who Pospisil has competed against on six occasions and beaten just once, has long been a voice of reason on the ATP tour, and has gained respect for his support of the WTA.
That hasn't gone unnoticed by Pospisil, who plans to reach out to the Brit once the curtain comes down on his illustrious career.
"I really like Andy. He was always so nice in the locker room and just a good guy," he said.
"And I know that in previous years, I'd seen several quotes and articles and in the press where he'd spoken out about the importance of having independent player representation.
"I haven't spoken to him in a few years since the start of the PTPA, and it's something that I definitely want to revisit.
"When you really look under the hood, you look past all the all the nonsense that's been spewed as a counter argument to why the PTPA shouldn't exist and why it's bad for tennis.
"So I think if any reasonable person were to sit down and have a 30-minute conversation listening to the PTPA from the horse's mouth, I would be shocked if someone were to leave that conversation and say, 'oh, that doesn't make sense'.
"I'm going to follow up with Andy and some of these big players that are on their way out. I think it would be great to get their endorsement and get them involved."
Should Murray take up the offer, he'll join the likes of Ons Jabeur and Hubert Hurkacz, who sit on the PTPA executive committee.
Carlos Alcaraz "can do everything" and could get "very close" to Novak Djokovic's record of 24 grand slam titles, having denied the tennis great his 25th at Wimbledon.
That is according to Vasek Pospisil, who believes "all the signs" point towards Alcaraz having a career to compare with Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz beat Djokovic in the All England Club final to win his fourth major at the age of just 21.
He is still 20 titles short of his opponent, who holds the men's record and has matched Margaret Court's all-time singles benchmark.
But former Wimbledon doubles champion Pospisil, speaking to Stats Perform as the co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), believes that gap can quickly close.
Pospisil said: "We can't see into the future, but the fact that he's just 21 and he already has four grand slams...
"You put things into perspective: Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray both have three each, if I'm not mistaken. He already has one more, and he's 21.
"So, for sure, unless he gets injured or unlucky or something out of his control pops up, all the signs are there that he'll be very close to those records if he keeps on the track that he's going, if not break them.
"I mean, we never know, right? Obviously at this stage, time will tell. But these grand slams can tally up pretty quickly.
"Just two years ago, he won his first one, and he's already got four. We just barely even blinked, and he has four slams already.
"So, it'll be interesting to see where he's at in five or six years. He'll be just really entering his prime and he may have 10, 11, 12 grand slams in five years."
Djokovic did not win his fourth major until he was 24, while Federer was 23.
Of the three all-time greats, Nadal was the youngest to that mark, with a fourth successive French Open title coming days after his 22nd birthday.
And it is a young Nadal, another Spaniard, who Pospisil sees in Alcaraz, although the Wimbledon champion might even have a more complete game.
"He brings a similar kind of intensity that Nadal did when he burst onto the scene," Pospisil told Stats Perform.
"It was something that we weren't really used to seeing, someone playing with that kind of force and energy in every shot that he hit, so Alcaraz brings some of that to the table.
"But then he is also just hitting through the court a little bit more. Rafa was a little bit more passive and then started being more aggressive as he got older.
"Alcaraz, right from the get-go, he's really just using that athleticism and power to really put a lot of pressure on players. He can do everything. He's a full-court, all-court player.
"You see he's already won at least one grand slam per surface, so he's clearly extremely versatile."
Ollie Pope saluted "lucky charm" Aaron Ramsdale following his impressive century against West Indies.
Pope struck 121 from 165 deliveries at Trent Bridge as England began the second Test of their series against the Windies in dominant fashion.
Arsenal goalkeeper Ramsdale was a guest of Gunners fan Pope on Thursday, having also watched his double century against Ireland last year.
And after his sixth Test century helped England to 416 all out, the 26-year-old feels Ramsdale, who was part of the Three Lions squad that reached the Euro 2024 final, is a lucky omen.
"He messaged me last night and I managed to sort him a couple of tickets. He can come more often," Pope said.
"I'm obviously a big Arsenal fan, so I go to support him a fair bit. He seems to be my lucky charm on the cricket pitch as well."
Pope opened 2024 with a superb 196 against India in Hyderabad, but scored over 30 just once in the subsequent four Tests of the tour, while a contribution of 63 was his best for Surrey in this season's County Championship.
The 26-year-old was left questioning his ability, but highlighted the influence of England batting coach Marcus Trescothick on his upturn in fortunes in this series.
"I wouldn’t say I had doubts," Pope added, "but I was thinking: 'why is everyone else in the country scoring runs in county cricket, but England's number three isn't going out and averaging 50?'
"[Marcus] came to London, and we did some really good work, which has put me in really good stead for the Test summer."
Rory McIlroy conceded he did not adapt to the difficult conditions at Royal Troon as he carded a dismal first round at The Open.
McIlroy's hopes of clinching his first major title in a decade took an early blow as he went round in a seven-over par 78 on Thursday.
The Northern Irishman came agonisingly close to winning a fifth major title at the U.S. Open last month, only to wobble on the final holes.
And while McIlroy took time away from the game to re-focus, he could never get going on day one in Scotland, and in windy conditions, sliced a shot on the 11th so far into the rough, that spectators had to help look for the lost ball.
"Yeah, a difficult day," McIlroy said.
"I felt like I did OK for the first part of the round and then missed the green at the Postage Stamp there and left it in [the bunker] and made a double.
"But still, I felt like I was in reasonable enough shape being a couple over through nine, thinking that I could maybe get those couple shots back, try to shoot even par, something like that.
"You have a strategy that you think is going to help you, but when you get a wind you haven't played in, you start to think about hitting a few clubs that you haven't hit in practice. I just didn't adapt well enough to the conditions.
"Your misses get punished a lot more this week than last week [at the Scottish Open] or even any week, whether you miss it in a fairway bunker or even the rough. The rough... the balls that I hit in the rough today, the lies were pretty nasty."
McIlroy was not the only big-hitter to struggle on day one, with Bryson DeChambeau – who edged out McIlroy at Pinehurst – also floundered, carding five over.
"I could have thrown in the towel after nine and been like, I'm going home," he said. "It's a difficult test, something I'm not familiar with. I can do it when it's warm and not windy."
Shane Lowry (five under), Justin Thomas (three under) and Xander Schauffle (two under), however, all enjoyed much more fruitful rounds.
Meanwhile, Daniel Brown emerged as the surprise overnight leader. The Englishman carded a bogey-free 65, including six birdies, to take a one-shot lead into day two.
Kasper Schmeichel has signed a one-year deal with Celtic, while reuniting with former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.
The Denmark goalkeeper joins the reigning Scottish Premiership champions as a free agent after his departure from Belgian side Anderlecht, where he spent a single season.
Schmeichel, who also spent a year with Ligue 1 outfit Nice in 2022-23, brings plenty of experience to Celtic Park, following his 11-year stint with Leicester.
The 37-year-old helped the Foxes to their fairy-tale Premier League triumph in 2016, along with their FA Cup success five years later.
Rodgers was Schmeichel's coach in his final three years at the King Power Stadium, and both are excited to renew that working relationship.
"I am absolutely delighted to join Celtic and can't wait to get started," Schmeichel told the club's official website.
"Celtic is one of the world's proper football clubs, a massive name and a place of real passion and success. Celtic is what football is all about.
"I know Brendan very well, too. He is a top manager and someone I can't wait to work with again.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting up with the boys [on their pre-season tour] in America and starting our work and then, of course, meeting our fans who bring so much to Celtic.
"I will be doing all I can to keep Celtic on top and bring these brilliant supporters more and more success."
"I am really pleased to bring Kasper to Celtic," Rodgers added. "He is a real quality keeper and someone with the ability and personality to be great for us.
"He is a guy I trust and someone who knows how to win. He lives for football, and he is coming to a club where he will feel the same passion that he has for the game.
"I know he will feel right at home at Celtic, and we look forward to working with him as we all aim for more success."
Graham Potter says he feels "really ready, really excited" to return to football management, but would not comment on speculation linking him with the vacant England job.
The former Chelsea boss has not been out of work since leaving the Blues in April 2023 after just seven months in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Potter began his professional management career with Swedish side Ostersund, who he guided from the fourth tier into the top flight and Europa League during his seven-year spell.
The former defender then spent a season with Swansea City, before a successful three-year stint with Brighton and Hove Albion.
Speaking at Leeds Beckett University, where he was receiving an honorary doctorate, Potter revealed his desire to get back in the dugout.
"Now, I'm in that good place where I'm happy to be ready and looking forward to the next challenge," he told Sky Sports.
"I've had a great break. The journey from where I started to where I finished doesn't come for free. It involves moving to three countries, with a young family, and all that comes with being a football manager.
"It was important for me to take a break, reflect and re-energise. It's been a good time to look at other things, other sports, other teams and visit places.
"I feel really ready, really excited to be back when the right opportunity comes."
Potter is one of several names linked with replacing Gareth Southgate, who resigned as England's head coach following their Euro 2024 final heartbreak against Spain.
While the 49-year-old refused to discuss the possibility of him taking over the reins, he paid tribute to the outgoing Three Lions boss, who led them to successive European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final during his eight-year spell.
"Today is not the day to speak about [the England vacancy]," he added. "I'm proud of the job Gareth Southgate did.
"As an Englishman in football, I don't think there's anybody who has more respect than he has; how he conducted himself, him and his staff, qualifying for tournaments, going deep into tournaments, getting the country behind the team.
"He's done an amazing job. I'd like to wish him well. I hope he has a nice break, and wish him well for whatever he decides to do next."
Holger Rune advanced to the Hamburg Open quarter-finals on Thursday as he looks to move on swiftly from his Wimbledon disappointment.
Rune's All England Club campaign was ruthlessly ended by Novak Djokovic in the fourth round, beaten in straight sets by the eventual finalist.
The Dane gave himself little time to lick his wounds and has quickly returned to the court and returned to form with his debut in Hamburg.
Looking for his first ATP Tour title of the year, the second seed followed up a straight-sets win over Fabian Marozsan by defeating Marco Trungelliti 6-4 6-3.
"It's been very intense since Wimbledon," Rune said. "I only had one day off, actually.
"I was like, 'I don’t want to rest, I want to go straight back to practice', because I was very disappointed.
"I went straight back to work on the things that needed to be done, and now I have the chance to train those things in matches."
Next up will be Arthur Fils, who booked his last-eight place by beating 2023 Hamburg finalist Laslo Djere 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.
Top seed Alexander Zverev remains a threat in the top half of the draw, however, and he will face Zhang Zhizhen in the quarters.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
