Jasmine Paolini says she started to "dream step by step" before making it to her maiden grand slam final at Roland Garros.
The Italian saw off Mirra Andreeva in straight sets on Thursday to book a showdown against world number one Iga Swiatek as she aims to win her first major title.
Paolini has already pulled off one major upset at the tournament, knocking out Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals over three sets in impressive fashion.
No matter what happens in the final, Paolini is already assured of breaking into the top 10 in the WTA rankings on Monday and will be ranked, at minimum, number seven at the end of the tournament.
Asked if this was a moment that she imagined when she was young in training, Paolini admitted that was not the case.
"I was watching grand slam finals. I was watching the other Italians make it in the finals, and also won grand slams, but imagining that can be myself was tough," she said.
"Of course, I wished, but now it's something crazy for me. I'm really happy. Also surprised.
"I never dreamed to be number one, grand slam champion. Never dreamed so big. Never.
"Never maybe dream to be in the top 10, but I was hoping, but not really believing it. I think step by step I started to believe, but to dream for closer things.
"I think it's important to dream, but I started to dream, I think, step by step. Not too far away."
Swiatek is chasing a third consecutive French Open title and is a heavy favourite to win it going into the final.
Paolini was full of praise for the Pole but said she would not be intimidated by her opponent.
"Iga is an unbelievable player. So young, but so many achievements and grand slams. Here she won three times," she added. "She's doing well week by week, and that's not easy. So I have huge respect for her.
"My goal is to step on the court on Saturday and try to enjoy the match and to enjoy that moment and to try to play a good match and to make a good performance on the court."
Iga Swiatek believes her victory over Naomi Osaka helped her adjust to Roland-Garros as she reached the final of the French Open following victory over Coco Gauff.
The world number one saved a match point against Osaka in the second round of the competition, pulling off a comeback to triumph 7-6 (7-1) 1-6 7-5 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Swiatek saved a match point against the former world number one, and from 5-2 down in the deciding set, it was the Pole who prevailed.
Since then, the 23-year-old has lost just 14 games across the next four rounds and is one match away from becoming the first woman to win the tournament in three straight years since Justine Henin in 2007.
And she credited that win over Osaka as the turning point in her latest French Open campaign.
"Something changed [after the Osaka match]," Swiatek said after beating Andreeva.
"I adjusted better to the court, and it’s not easy to play first matches in a grand slam because the atmosphere is much different in other tournaments.
"Against Naomi, I didn’t have time to get into it. She was intense from the beginning and put pressure on me. I'm happy that I handled it well. The weather changed also; it helped my game and I gained confidence."
Reflecting on a dominant 6-2 6-4 defeat of reigning US Open champion Gauff, Swiatek said: "It was intense.
"In the second set, it was tight because we were breaking each other. But I'm happy that I was consistent with my tactics, didn't overthink stuff, and just went for it at the end."
Swiatek and Gauff have now faced off 12 times, but the American has won just one of those matches.
"I think [Gauff] is progressing a lot," Swiatek added.
"You can see by her results. Last year’s US Open showed that she's tough. At this age, it's obvious that she's going to grow. It's nice to see her handling everything around her well because it’s not easy.
"I'm sure we're going to have more really intense matches at the highest level because Coco is also one of the most consistent players out there."
Swiatek will face Jasmine Paolini in Saturday's final.
Jasmine Paolini has reached her first grand slam final after defeating Mirra Andreeva in straight sets on Thursday.
Andreeva stunned world number two Aryna Sabalenka to reach her maiden grand slam semi-final on Wednesday, but an error-strewn performance saw her defeated 6-3, 6-1.
Paolini, who caused an upset of her own by knocking out Elena Rybakina in the quarter-final, was determined and got the first break early on before saving three break points in the fifth game.
Though Andreeva tried to mount a comeback, Paolini was too strong, holding out to win the first set, before getting another early break in the second.
The 17-year-old's frustration started to show, and she had few answers to Paolini's dominance as the Italian held out for an impressive victory.
Paolini will now face Iga Swiatek in the final on Saturday as she aims to cause another upset and claim her maiden grand slam title.
Data Debrief: Late bloomer Paolini looks unstoppable
Paolini is just the third player in the last decade to reach her first grand slam final at Roland Garros after turning 28, along with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (2021) and Lucie Safarova (2015).
She also becomes the first Italian to reach the final of a grand slam event since Roberta Vinci at the US Open in 2015, and the first in the final of the French Open since Sara Errani in 2012.
Iga Swiatek will have the chance to win a third straight French Open title on Saturday after a brilliant performance saw her overpower Coco Gauff in straight sets in the semi-finals.
Three-time Roland Garros champion Swiatek only dropped one set en route to the final four – in a three-sets victory over Naomi Osaka in the second round – and she looked a cut above once again on Thursday in a 6-2 6-4 win.
Having won 10 of her previous 11 meetings with Gauff, Swiatek set the tone by breaking in the very first game, Gauff looking tense as she committed two unforced errors.
Swiatek was forced to save break point with a monster serve but that was as close as Gauff came in the opener, the American committing 18 unforced errors to her opponent's five.
Gauff improved at the start of the second set, but she was unable to match Swiatek's power and accuracy in the longer rallies and her frustration got the better of her in the third game, briefly breaking down in tears after a row with the umpire over an overruled out call.
She recovered to go a break up thanks to a whipped forehand, but Swiatek hit straight back to level things then inched ahead as an overhead smash brought another break.
She failed to convert two match points in a back-and-forth game on Gauff's serve but that was just a temporary setback as Gauff sent a wild forehand wide on her fourth match point.
Data Debrief: Swiatek emulates Navratilova
Swiatek's victory moved her to 8-2 versus top-10 seeds at grand slams. In the last 40 years, Martina Navratilova is the only other woman to manage eight wins in her first 10 such matches.
She will now be the heavy favourite when she faces Mirra Andreeva or Jasmine Paolini in the final.
The FIA has revealed Formula 1 cars will be more environmentally friendly and smaller from 2026 in an attempt to produce closer racing.
The sport's governing body described the key concept in the new rules as a "nimble car".
The cars will be 10cm narrower and 30kg lighter, with an even split between internal and electric combustion power, while running on 100 per cent sustainable fuels.
Active aerodynamics, in the form of moveable front and rear wings, will also be used to optimise the new engines.
The Drag Reduction System (DRS) is set to be replaced by a Manual Override Mode – technology that will give the driver an electrical boost of power to get past a close rival.
There will also be a focus on improved safety through stronger structures and tougher tests.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: "The key features of the 2026 F1 Regulations are advanced sustainability, technology and safety.
"Our aim, together with Formula 1, was to produce a car that was right for the future of the sport's elite category. We believe we have achieved that goal."
The new hybrid engines have attracted Audi and Ford, who will be joining forces with Red Bull Powertrains, to join F1, while also persuading Honda to reverse its decision to quit the sport. There will be a total of six engine manufacturers in the sport in 2026, including Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault.
The rules are part of F1's pledge to go net-zero carbon by 2030.
The Los Angeles Lakers will move for Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley to succeed Darvin Ham, according to reports.
The Lakers fired Ham last month after suffering a five-game exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
They have only gone beyond the first round of the postseason once in four years since winning their last NBA championship in 2019-20, missing the playoffs in 2021-22.
According to a report from ESPN, the Lakers have interviewed several candidates for the role and have now settled on Hurley, who has had six seasons with UConn and led them to back-to-back national titles in the last two years.
The report said the Lakers are now preparing a huge, long-term contract offer to Hurley, who has previously spoken of his ambition to coach in the NBA.
Hurley has a 141-58 record with the Huskies and appears to have seen off competition from Charlotte Hornets assistant James Borrego, Boston Celtics assistant Sam Cassell and Denver Nuggets assistant David Adelman, all of whom were reportedly interviewed.
Novak Djokovic has confirmed his knee surgery has been successful following his withdrawal from the French Open earlier this week.
The Serbian aggravated an injury during his five-set triumph over Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round at Roland-Garros before a scan revealed the extent of the damage sustained.
Djokovic was due to play Casper Rudd in the quarter-finals as he bid for a fourth French Open crown, but on Tuesday the reigning champion confirmed his withdrawal.
However, the 37-year-old is already eyeing a return to the court as he thanked fans for their support in a post on social media.
Djokovic said: "In the past day, I had to make some tough decisions after sustaining a meniscus tear during my last match. I’m still processing it all but I am happy to update you that the surgery went well.
"I am so appreciative of the team of doctors who have been by my side. As well as the overwhelming support I have received from my fans.
"I’m going to do my best to be healthy and fit to return to the court as soon as possible.
"My love for this sport is strong and the desire to compete at the highest level is what keeps me going."
It ended his hopes of a 25th grand slam title and will also see him lose his world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner, who faces Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the French Open, at the end of the tournament.
Aaron Judge drove in five more runs and Carlos Rodon won his sixth straight start as the New York Yankees rolled to their seventh consecutive victory with another win over the Minnesota Twins, 9-5 on Wednesday night.
Judge had an RBI groundout in a four-run first against Chris Paddack, lined a three-run triple in the fifth and added a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.
Judge is 10 for 21 with four home runs, a double, a triple and 15 RBIs in his last six games. He has 54 RBIs this season, second in the majors behind Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez (58).
The Yankees have won six straight against the Twins dating to last season and are 106-42 in the series since 2002.
New York, which has outscored Minnesota 28-7 in winning all five meetings in 2024, matched its longest win streak of the season and is tied with Philadelphia for the majors’ best record.
Rodon retired the first 16 batters before Carlos Santana homered with one out in the sixth. The left-hander allowed two runs on three hits in six innings, striking out nine and walking none.
Royce Lewis homered in the seventh on his 25th birthday, a day after he went deep in his return from a strained right quadriceps that sidelined him for 58 games. Lewis became the first player in franchise history to homer in his first three games of a season.
Pivetta dominates Braves as Red Sox win
Nick Pivetta pitched one-hit ball over seven innings and Rafael Devers hit a pair of home runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 9-0 rout of the Atlanta Braves.
Pivetta allowed his only hit on an Austin Riley leadoff single in the fourth inning and struck out nine with two walks.
Zach Kelly and Brad Keller each worked one scoreless inning to finish up the one-hitter.
Devers hit a solo homer in the second inning and added a two-run shot in the seventh for the 17th multi-homer game of his career.
Jarren Duran also went deep for the Red Sox, who moved back to .500 by completing a 3-3 homestand.
Braves rookie Spencer Schwellenbach was tagged for six runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in his second career start.
Cubs walk-off lowly White Sox
Mike Tauchman homered to lead off the ninth inning and the Chicago Cubs rallied again to finish a two-game sweep with a 7-6 win over the Chicago White Sox, who lost their 13th straight game.
Tauchman sent Michael Kopech’s second pitch in the ninth deep to center for his first career game-ending home run.
One night after blowing a 5-0 lead, the White Sox squandered a 5-1 advantage in this one.
Cody Bellinger had a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the fifth and another run scored on a balk to get the Cubs within 5-3. They took the lead with three runs in the seventh on a wild pitch, Bellinger’s sacrifice fly and Ian Happ’s broken-bat RBI single.
Corey Julks and Paul DeJong homered for the White Sox, who have lost 17 of 18 to drop to a major league-worst 15-47.
They have led by at least two runs at one point in each of their last five losses. The 13-game skid matches the single-season franchise record set in 1924.
Alexander Zverev has no interest in recovering fitness as the world number four aims to push to an "absolute limit" at the French Open.
The German overcame Alex de Minaur in straight sets on Court Philippe-Chatrier, progressing to the Roland-Garros semi-finals for a fourth straight year on Wednesday.
Yet that does not tell the whole story as Zverev battled relentlessly to earn his 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 triumph over the Australian world number 11.
Falling 4-0 and 5-1 down in the second-set tie-break, Zverev seemed to afford De Minaur a route back into the match, only for the fourth seed to come crashing back in a response.
Zverev eventually sealed victory in just under three hours of the quarter-final meeting, and has every intention of pushing himself further for the last-four clash with Casper Ruud.
"Everybody in the press keeps asking me what I do for recovery and the answer is very simple – you don't recover after matches, you recover in the off-season," Zverev said in his on-court interview.
"I have the mindset you have to work harder than everyone else to be the best player. I like to work to my absolute limit. If I do that then playing five sets all of a sudden is not that difficult.
"I've been doing that over many years and I'm happy to be in another semi-final. Hopefully I can win one."
A fourth semi-final appearance in Paris means Zverev will equal Dominic Thiem for the most of any player born since 1990.
Among players with five main draws in the Open Era, Zverev (80.5 per cent) also holds the best winning percentage at Roland-Garros of any player not to have won the singles title at the event.
Ruud will stand in the way of a major final outing for Zverev, who says his battling identity has been embroiled in his mind from a young age.
"I have a coach who's my father who couldn't care less how I feel on the practice court," he added.
"Since I was three years old, it was run here, run there, run for four hours straight. He sometimes forgets I'm two metres tall and can hit a serve 230 kilometres an hour.
"I wish I would be more aggressive sometimes, but if I'm winning, I'm happy."
Alexander Zverev secured his place in the French Open semi-finals for a fourth straight year after overcoming Alex de Minaur on Wednesday.
The world number four will meet Casper Ruud, who progressed with a bye after Novak Djokovic's injury withdrawal, in the last four after a battling 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 triumph on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
De Minaur overcame Daniil Medvedev in the previous round to earn his first Roland-Garros quarter-final appearance, though it was one to forget as his serving – and Zverev's grit – proved the 11th seed's undoing.
Both players traded a break apiece during an entertaining opening in the French capital, only for De Minaur's double fault to hand Zverev the 4-3 advantage to hold his serve and take the first set.
The Australian snatched a crucial break midway through the second set, yet Zverev – who was warned with a time violation by the umpire for taking too long over his serve – saved a set point to keep his hopes alive.
That was a sign of things to come, too, as Zverev once again fought from 4-0 and 5-1 down in the tie-breaker, somehow clinching a 2-0 lead in the match from a seeming point of no return.
Having failed to level in that cruel tie-break defeat, De Minaur managed to break Zverev late in the third set but the former responded immediately to secure a hard-fought win in just under three hours.
Data Debrief: Zverev continues on song
Zverev extended to 11 straight wins after this victory, with that run including his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title in Rome two weeks prior to the start of this major.
The German is just the 11th man of the Open Era to reach four consecutive semi-finals at the French Open, where a rested Ruud awaits next.
De Minaur, meanwhile, misses out on the chance to become the first Australian man since Pat Rafter in 1997 to make the last four on Parisian clay.
The Boston Celtics will get starting centre Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup on Thursday when they host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
It was reported Tuesday that he would return, and when asked by reporters on Wednesday, he said he would be back.
"I'll play tomorrow," he said.
The Celtics later submitted their official injury report and he was not included.
Porzingis sustained a right calf strain in Game 4 of the opening round of the playoffs against the Miami Heat on April 29 after averaging 14 points and 5.7 rebounds in the first three meetings.
Al Horford moved into the starting lineup after Porzingis went down and averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in 10 games as Boston went 9-1 to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons.
The Celtics acquired Porzingis from the Washington Wizards last June, and the fourth overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft averaged 20.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in 57 games for Boston this season.
Porzingis spent part of three seasons with Dallas before being traded to Washington in February 2022.
Mirra Andreeva upset ailing world number two Aryna Sabalenka in three sets on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the French Open.
Sabalenka was bidding to reach the final four of a grand slam for a ninth time, but instead Andreeva recovered from behind 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 to reach her maiden major semi.
The 17-year-old Russian will now face Jasmine Paolini, who stunned Elena Rybakina 6-2 4-6 6-4 earlier in the day in Paris to also reach her first grand slam semi-final.
After a tense and tight opening set in which the serve was lost in four of the first five games, Sabalenka ultimately stood firm to prevail in the tie-break.
The second set followed a similar pattern as Andreeva and then Sabalenka lost serve in the opening two games, but it was the teenager who this time managed to find her footing.
Sabalenka, who was struggling with an injury throughout, did herself manage to instantly hit back after losing serve in the sixth game, only for Andreeva to break in the 10th.
That ensured the match went the distance, much to the delight of the crowd, and it was the underdog who showed nerves of steel to eliminate the much-fancied Sabalenka.
A deep backhand return from Sabalenka brought up three break points, which the Belarusian took at the first attempt to make it 3-2, but that proved a false dawn.
Andreeva broke back in the sixth, roaring with delight in doing so, and held until the 10th game when sending a backhand winner down the line for match point.
Data Debrief: Age just a number for amazing Andreeva
Andreeva, aged 17 years and 37 days, is the youngest women's singles grand slam semi-finalist since Martina Hingis in 1997 at the US Open, and the youngest at the French Open since Hingis the same year.
The Russian is also the youngest to defeat a top-two opponent in a women's singles grand slam since Jelena Dokic against Hingis at Wimbledon in 1999, and the youngest in this tournament since Monica Seles against Steffi Graf in 1990.
Elena Rybakina suffered a stunning quarter-final exit from the French Open on Wednesday, an error-strewn performance being punished by Italy's Jasmine Paolini.
World number four Rybakina had been tipped to challenge Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka for the Roland Garros crown, but she only had herself to blame as her opponent reached her first career grand slam semi-final with a 6-2 4-6 6-4 victory.
The Kazakhstani did not look right from the get-go, committing a huge 16 unforced errors to Paolini's one in the opening set, during which the Italian only lost one point on her own serve.
It was more of the same at the start of the second set as a double fault allowed Paolini to clinch an early break with a ferocious cross-court backhand.
Rybakina did steady the ship by breaking straight back, and she seemed to be in the ascendency when she kicked on to take the second set with two further breaks.
However, errors crept back into her game in a decider that began with four straight breaks of serve. Paolini grew in confidence again, breaking again then getting through a nervy final service game, a long forehand from Rybakina on match point summing up her performance.
Data Debrief: Late bloomer Paolini savours greatest win
Paolini's victory made her just the fifth player this century to make her first grand slam quarter-final at Roland Garros while aged 28 or older, after Elena Likhovtseva (2005), Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (2021) and fellow Italians Francesca Schiavone (2010) and Martina Trevisan (2022).
She will face either Mirra Andreeva or Sabalenka in the last four. With Jannik Sinner also flying the flag, this year's French Open will be the first in the Open Era to feature Italian semi-finalists in both the men's and women's draws.
The New South Wales Swifts' recent decision to drop star shooter Samantha Wallace-Joseph in favor of teenager Grace Whyte for their clash against the Melbourne Mavericks has sparked considerable debate among fans and analysts. The Swifts ultimately fell 58-64 to the Mavericks, with Jamaican-born Shimona Nelson leading the charge for the opposition, scoring an impressive 41 goals from 45 attempts.
Wallace-Joseph, a three-time club MVP and crucial component of the Swifts' attack, was replaced by Whyte, who managed only two goals from two attempts during the match. The decision to sideline Wallace-Joseph raised eyebrows, especially considering her return to competition this season after a two-year hiatus due to knee surgery.
Head coach Briony Akle addressed the controversial move, clarifying that Wallace-Joseph's exclusion was not due to injury. "She's not actually injured," Akle told Fox Netball. "We've just made a call on our 11th player this week, so we've brought Grace in halfway through the season and will see what we can do there."
Akle's strategy appeared to hinge on recent team dynamics and injuries. Whyte had been elevated to the game-day squad to fill in for injured midcourter Maddy Proud. In round eight, defender Jemma Donoghue took that spot, and Whyte retained her place as a shooter, leaving Wallace-Joseph out of the lineup.
Helen Housby, a key player for the Swifts, explained that the decision was a "club decision" and "out of players' hands." Initial speculation suggested Wallace-Joseph might be managing a niggle due to her recent return from injury, but Akle's comments dispelled these concerns.
Wallace-Joseph’s reduced game time this season and her apparent stiffness in the Swifts' round seven loss contributed to the decision. However, the move to bench such an experienced player raised questions about the tactical rationale, particularly when Whyte spent half of her 30 minutes on court playing wing attack rather than in the shooting end.
Akle acknowledged the team's struggles, citing the anger and frustration following their lowest-ever Super Netball total of 33 goals in round seven. The decision to omit Wallace-Joseph may have been influenced by these circumstances, aiming to shake up the team dynamics under pressure.
As the debate continues, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how Coach Akle and the Swifts navigate the challenges ahead, with Wallace-Joseph's role in the team remaining a focal point of discussion.
Leon "Rocky" Edwards is leaving no stone unturned as he prepares for his upcoming UFC welterweight title defence against Belal Muhammad. The reigning champion has enlisted the help of a sleep specialist to adjust his body clock to the unusual start time of his fight, set for approximately 5am UK time.
The highly anticipated bout will headline UFC 304 at Manchester’s new Co-op Live Arena on July 27. Despite being held in England, the event’s schedule has been adjusted to cater to American audiences, with the first prelim starting at 11pm UK time and the main card kicking off at 3am. This late-night timeline is a significant departure from the typical 11pm main event start time that British MMA fans are accustomed to.
In an interview with talkSPORT Drive’s Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, Edwards shared his initial reaction to the unconventional fight schedule. "At the start, I was bit like 'Oh, why is it that time?'" Edwards admitted. However, he quickly adapted by seeking professional help. "I've brought in a specialist in sleep and they've given me a plan of how it will work."
The sleep specialist's plan involves gradually shifting Edwards' daily routine to align with the fight's late start time. "I thought I'd have to train at 5am in the morning every day straight away but they said basically 'Six weeks out we'll start switching your body clock and training'," Edwards explained.
The process includes adjusting his training sessions incrementally. "So my evening session will now become my first session, so at 5pm I'll do my first session and then I'll train again at midnight. And then each week I'll move both sessions forward an hour to adjust to the time so I'll sleep later and train later," he elaborated.
This strategic approach aims to ensure that Edwards will be at peak performance when he steps into the octagon in the early hours of the morning.
The fight holds additional significance given the history between Edwards and Muhammad. Their last encounter in March 2021 at UFC Fight Night 187 in Las Vegas ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke from Edwards that rendered Muhammad unable to continue. This rematch offers both fighters a chance to settle the score and for Edwards, an opportunity to solidify his reign as the welterweight champion.
As the fight approaches, all eyes will be on Edwards to see if his meticulous preparation, including his innovative approach to adjusting his sleep schedule, will give him the edge he needs to defend his title successfully against a formidable opponent in Belal Muhammad.
Christian McCaffrey has reset the running back market in the NFL.
McCaffrey agreed to a two-year, $38million extension with the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday, making him the league's highest-paid running back.
The new deal keeps McCaffrey, who turns 28 on Friday, under contract for the next four years after he signed a four-year, $64million extension in 2020 following his third season with the Carolina Panthers.
The 49ers acquired McCaffrey from the Panthers via a trade during the 2022 season, and he won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award in his first full season in San Francisco in 2023 after leading the NFL in rushing with 1,459 yards with 14 touchdowns.
He added another 564 receiving yards and seven TD receptions to help the 49ers secure the top seed in the NFC.
In 27 games with the 49ers, he has 2,205 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns to go with 1,028 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs.
Since his 2017 rookie season, he leads all players with 10,505 scrimmage yards, while his 81 scrimmage touchdowns trail only Derrick Henry's 88.
Known for his bruising running style, McCaffrey also leads all players with 72 runs of at least 10 yards over the last two seasons.
McCaffrey attended the first day of San Francisco's mandatory mini-camp on Tuesday after skipping voluntary work-outs over the last two weeks.
Kyrie Irving is the "most gifted player the NBA has ever seen" and holds the key to the Dallas Mavericks' chances of victory in the NBA Finals, according to former team-mate LeBron James.
James and Irving played together with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014 to 2017, making the NBA Finals in each of those seasons and triumphing in 2015-16.
Irving then enjoyed stints with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets before joining Dallas last February.
He has been in great form during the offseason, averaging 22.8 points and 5.2 assists as well as shooting 48.5 per cent from the field to help put Dallas in contention for their second NBA championship.
Speaking on an episode of his 'Mind the Game' podcast, James said of Irving: "I'm so happy and so proud to watch him continue his growth.
"I'm so f****** mad at the same time that I'm not his running mate any more.
"I would call Kyrie 'the wizard' all the time. There was nothing on a basketball floor that Kyrie couldn't do."
James highlighted Irving's performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, when he scored 24 of his 30 points in the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the standout moment of this postseason.
While Boston may be favourites for the NBA Finals, which tip off on Thursday at TD Garden, James says Irving's ability gives Dallas a chance.
"That was like, 'oh s***, Dallas may be able to not only win the Western Conference finals, they might be able to win the whole thing'," James said of Irving's Game 1 display.
"Because of that wild card. He's the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen."
Rookie Luis Gil pitched six scoreless innings to win his seventh straight start and Aaron Judge continued his great pace with a two-run double to lead the New York Yankees to their sixth straight win, 5-1 over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Gil gave up just one hit with three walks and six strikeouts to improve to 7-0 with a 0.60 ERA in his last seven starts. He is the first pitcher in Yankees history to throw at least six innings and allow no more than one run in seven consecutive starts.
Gleyber Torres hit a solo home run and Giancarlo Stanton added a two-run shot for the Yankees (43-19), who have won 17 of 21 to tie Philadelphia for the majors’ best record.
Judge went 2 for 3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. He is 41 for 100 (.410) with 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and 32 runs in his last 29 games.
New York are 105-42 against Minnesota since 2002 – the best record for any team against an opponent in their own league during that span.
The Twins’ lone run came on Royce Lewis’ homer on his return from a 58-game injury absence. That snapped a 32-inning scoreless drought for the Twins against Yankees pitching.
Fried stifles Red Sox as Braves win
Max Fried had a career-high 13 strikeouts in seven innings and Ozzie Albies snapped a tie with a three-run homer as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Boston Red Sox 8-3.
Fried allowed two earned runs and four hits with one walk while pitching at least seven innings for the sixth time in his past eight starts.
His previous best of 11 strikeouts came most recently on September 30, 2019, against the White Sox.
Orlando Arcia also homered to help the Braves improve to 3-0 this season against the Red Sox.
Albies’ homer off Kutter Crawford snapped a 3-all tie and came after Austin Riley walked and Marcell Ozuna reached on an infield single.
Phillies walk-off Brewers in 10th
Nick Castellanos lined an RBI double in the 10th inning after Alec Bohm tied it with a solo homer in the eighth as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 in a matchup of division leaders.
After Bryson Stott was intentionally walked to open the bottom of the 10th, Castellanos doubled to right off Joel Payamps to score Whit Merrifield with the winning run for Philadelphia’s 43rd win, tied for the major league lead.
The Phillies have won five of six and lead the NL Central by seven games over Atlanta.
Bohm lifted Philadelphia into a 1-1 tie when he led off the eighth against Elvis Peguero with his sixth home run.
Milwaukee’s lone run came in the third when Bryce Perkins doubled, moved up on a flyout and scored on Andruw Monasterio’s groundout.
Rookie Luis Gil pitched six scoreless innings to win his seventh straight start and Aaron Judge continued his torrid pace with a two-run double to lead the New York Yankees to their sixth straight win, 5-1 over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.
Gil gave up just one hit with three walks and six strikeouts to improve to 7-0 with a 0.60 ERA in his last seven starts. He is the first pitcher in Yankees history to throw at least six innings and allow no more than one run in seven consecutive starts.
Gleyber Torres hit a solo home run and Giancarlo Stanton added a two-run shot for the Yankees (43-19), who have won 17 of 21 to tie Philadelphia for the majors’ best record.
Judge went 2 for 3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. He is 41 for 100 (.410) with 15 home runs, 31 RBIs and 32 runs in his last 29 games.
New York is 105-42 against Minnesota since 2002 – the best record for any team against an opponent in its own league during that span.
The Twins’ lone run came on Royce Lewis’ home run in his return from a 58-game injury absence. That snapped a 32-inning scoreless drought for the Twins against Yankees pitching.
Fried stifles Red Sox as Braves win
Max Fried had a career-high 13 strikeouts in seven innings and Ozzie Albies snapped a tie with a three-run homer as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Boston Red Sox, 8-3.
Fried allowed two earned runs and four hits with one walk while pitching at least seven innings for the sixth time in his past eight starts.
His previous best of 11 strikeouts came most recently on Sept. 30, 2019, against the White Sox.
Orlando Arcia also homered to help the Braves improve to 3-0 this season against the Red Sox.
Albies’ homer off Kutter Crawford snapped a 3-all tie and came after Austin Riley walked and Marcell Ozuna reached on an infield single.
Phillies walk-off Brewers in 10th
Nick Castellanos lined an RBI double in the 10th inning after Alec Bohm tied it with a solo homer in the eighth as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 in a matchup of division leaders.
After Bryson Stott was intentionally walked to open the bottom of the 10th, Castellanos doubled to right off Joel Payamps to score Whit Merrifield with the winning run for Philadelphia’s 43rd win, tied for the major league lead.
The Phillies have won five of six and lead the NL Central by seven games over Atlanta.
Bohm lifted Philadelphia into a 1-1 tie when he led off the eighth against Elvis Peguero with his sixth home run.
Milwaukee’s lone run came in the third when Bryce Perkins doubled, moved up on a flyout and scored on Andruw Monasterio’s groundout.
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