Adam Schenk stood alone atop the leaderboard at seven under through two rounds at the Valspar Championship, with major champions Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas both in the hunt.
Schenk, a 31-year-old American who has never won on the PGA Tour, was tied for the first-round lead after starting his week with a five-under 66. He followed it up with a 69 on Friday, collecting four birdies to go with two bogeys to earn the outright lead heading into the weekend.
Kramer Hickok was the only player one back at six under, shooting a pair of 68s, while some big names were breathing down his neck at the Innisbrook resort in Florida.
Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth (70) sat tied for third at five under, joined by fellow top-30 ranked talent Tommy Fleetwood (69), as well as Cody Gribble (65) and Davis Riley (68).
Spieth spoke positively of his round but found the windy conditions challenging.
He said: "I drove the ball maybe the best of the year today. Gave myself a lot of chances with some wedges. There's a lot of back pins and I just got a little tentative for a few holes.
"Then I decided to attack one on 10 and flew the green. I couldn't quite get my distance control down on some scoring clubs. But when the wind here is gusty like that and the green depths are so small, it gets really, really tricky and doesn't take much. Keep driving the ball like that, I feel like I can fine-tune some of the scoring clubs and maybe get a few more looks."
England's Matt Wallace (67) and Germany's Stephan Jaeger (72) featured in the five-man group rounding out the top 10 at four under, while two-time major champion Justin Thomas headlined the logjam at three under, still well in the mix after a 70.
After a horror quintuple-bogey nine during his first round, reigning U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick was unable to recover and make the cut, missing out by two strokes at three over after a level-par 71.
US president Joe Biden is backing Ireland to topple England in Saturday's final round of the Six Nations.
President Biden hosted a St Patrick's Day event at the White House on Friday.
He has strong links to Ireland, with his mother, Jean, having been of Irish descent.
He is also a distant relative of former Ireland full-back Rob Kearney, who was among the guests at the Washington, D.C. gathering.
Biden, addressing his audience, said: "We've even got a few of my distant Irish cousins here today, including the well-known Irish rugby player Rob Kearney.
"Rob stand up. I want to see you after this, pal.
"You know, Rob, I expect, we know, and this is no offence to anyone in the room, who we are rooting for in the Grand Slam match between Ireland and England."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was also present on Friday, as was former One Direction pop singer Niall Horan.
Ireland, the world's top-ranked rugby national team, will complete a Six Nations Grand Slam if they beat England in Dublin in the final match of this year's championship at the Aviva Stadium.
Novak Djokovic has been ruled out of the Miami Open after tournament organisers "exhausted all the options" in an effort to secure him a travel exemption.
The 22-time grand slam winner withdrew from the Indian Wells Open as he is unable to play in the United States.
He is not vaccinated against COVID-19, which remains a requirement of international travellers, but Djokovic had hoped to be granted special permission to enter the country.
US tennis authorities and a number of politicians also expressed support for an exception being made for the 35-year-old Djokovic, with US president Joe Biden urged to reconsider policy.
Even last week, Serbian superstar Djokovic was clinging to hopes of playing the Miami Open, which he has won six times.
However, tournament director James Blake told Tennis Channel there is no chance of that happening, despite extensive efforts.
"Obviously, we're one of the premier tournaments in the world, we'd like to have the best players that can play," said Blake, a former world number four.
"We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that's out of our hands. We tried and he wasn't able to play."
Blake said he was in the same position as Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas, being unable to influence government-level decisions.
"We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn't able to happen," Blake said. "We'd love to have him, and he’s our greatest champion, won it six times here.
"Unfortunately, that's way above my pay grade."
Blake added: "We exhausted all the options we knew of. Hopefully Novak will be back this year and hopefully he will be back for all the later events in the States including Cincinnati and the US Open."
Leon Edwards wants to "put a show on" for the fans at UFC 286 in London as he prepares to face rival Kamaru Usman for a third time.
The duo both weighed in at 170lb on Friday at the O2 Arena, before squaring up one last time prior to clashing when it matters on Saturday.
Nigerian Usman suffered just a second loss of his professional career against Edwards in August at UFC 278, seven years after winning their first bout.
Edwards' shock win in Utah earned him the UFC welterweight championship, and his first defence will be against Usman.
Though born in Jamaica, Edwards and his family moved to England when he was young, and the 31-year-old is eager to impress at the first numbered UFC event to take place in the United Kingdom since 2017.
"I'm excited to be here tomorrow and put a show on for you guys, to do another head-shot and take him out again," Edwards said at the weigh-in.
Usman simply replied: "He's talking now so tomorrow night we're going to talk in that octagon."
The co-main event will see American Justin Gaethje go up against Azerbaijan's Rafael Fiziev.
The Seattle Seahawks have added to their talented young secondary with the signing of former New York Giants safety Julian Love.
Love has signed a two-year, $12million deal with Seattle, according to multiple reports, after helping the Giants to the Divisional round of the playoffs last season.
A fourth-round pick of the Giants in 2019, Love enjoyed his best season in 2022, emerging as a valuable and versatile defender.
He intercepted two passes, recorded five pass breakups, six tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
His 109 tackles were a career-high by a wide margin, Love's previous best tally having come in 2020 (61).
Used primarily as a deep safety but also deployed in the box and in the slot, Love allowed receivers to get open on 60 per cent of his targets in 2022, the eighth-best ratio among safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps, per Stats Perform data.
He will join a secondary that features one of the NFL's premier safeties in Quandre Diggs and cornerback Tariq Woolen, who recorded a league-leading six interceptions as a rookie last year.
The Seahawks will be hoping Coby Bryant can make further strides after an encouraging rookie year at nickel corner, while Jamal Adams will look to bounce back after tearing his quad in the 2022 season opener.
With Love's arrival, the Seahawks can claim to have one of the deeper and most talented secondaries in the NFL, which will likely be key as Seattle aim to build on a 9-8 season that ended in a Wild Card round defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.
The New England Patriots have secured free agent tight end Mike Gesicki to a one-year deal.
A second-round selection by the Miami Dolphins in the 2018 NFL Draft, Gesicki will reunite with new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien – who recruited him to Penn State in 2014.
Gesicki caught only 32 passes for 362 yards in the 2022 season, his lowest totals in both since his 2018 rookie season, and did not fit into Mike McDaniel's offensive scheme in Florida.
Prior to that, the 27-year-old caught 73 passes for 780 yards in 2021, both career highs, ranking fifth among tight ends that season for the most receptions.
According to ESPN, Gesicki's one-year deal is worth up to $9million with the Patriots.
In five seasons in the NFL, Gesicki has totalled 231 receptions for 2,617 total yards, scoring 18 touchdowns.
The Patriots have rejuvenated their offensive options in free agency, signing wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, running back James Robinson and offensive tackles Riley Reiff and Calvin Anderson.
Jimmy Garoppolo and the Las Vegas Raiders made their tie-up official on Friday as the quarterback was reunited with Josh McDaniels.
Garoppolo's move as a free agent was initially reported on Monday, with ESPN's Adam Schefter suggesting the quarterback had agreed to a three-year, $67.5million deal, including $34m guaranteed.
The 31-year-old Garoppolo was expected to appear at a press conference on Thursday, but that was postponed without explanation. Now the deal is complete, however, with the Raiders confirming it in a press release. Terms were not disclosed.
Garoppolo will replace Derek Carr, who has departed for the New Orleans Saints.
Raiders head coach McDaniels knows all about Garoppolo's game, having been his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the New England Patriots.
Garoppolo left his role as Tom Brady's Patriots understudy to spend five and a half seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, featuring in the team that went to Super Bowl LIV and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
He featured for much of last season with the Niners, despite losing his place as starter initially to Trey Lance, although his campaign ended early because of a foot injury.
Dillon Brooks has been fined $35,000 by the NBA for the "unsportsmanlike act" of pushing a camera person.
The Memphis Grizzlies guard-forward could be seen nudging the camera operator while trying to retrieve a loose ball during the second quarter of the 138-119 defeat to the Miami Heat on Wednesday at Miami-Dade Arena.
A statement from Joe Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations on Friday confirmed that Brooks had been "fined $35,000 for the unsportsmanlike act of shoving a camera person on the sideline after pursuing a loose ball".
It is not the first time this year that Brooks has been in disciplinary trouble, having been judged to have committed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected from the Grizzlies' game with the Cleveland Cavaliers last month after a scuffle with Donovan Mitchell in which he hit his opponent in the groin.
Brooks was suspended for one game without pay for the incident.
He got into a war of words with the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green before and after a game earlier this month, also bumping chests with Green on court during the Grizzlies' win against the defending champions.
Brooks is averaging 14.2 points per game this season.
Toto Wolff conceded Mercedes can have "no complaints" if the team fails to improve and Lewis Hamilton seeks an exit.
The seven-time world champion was unable to compete with Max Verstappen for the title last season and a bid for the crown this year appears unlikely.
Mercedes remain behind Red Bull and Ferrari with their cars for the 2023 season and have also fallen behind Aston Martin, with Hamilton finishing fifth in the opening race in Bahrain last time out.
Hamilton remains tied with Michael Schumacher for the most all-time titles in Formula One and Wolff would not be angry at the Briton for walking away if Mercedes continue to fail to provide him with a car with which he could win an unprecedented eighth championship.
"If Lewis wants to win another championship, he needs to make sure he has the car," he said.
"And if we cannot demonstrate that we are able to give him a car in the next couple of years then he will need to look everywhere.
"I don't think he is doing it at this stage, but I will have no complaints if that happens in a year or two."
However, Wolff does not expect Hamilton to jump at an exit and is confident he will sign a new deal, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season.
"I am absolutely confident. We are talking when we want to do it, and how, but we just need to change some terms and the dates basically," he added.
"Lewis is at the stage of his career where we trust each other, we have formed a great bond and we have no reason to doubt each other even though it is a difficult spell.
"It will be so nice when we come out of the valley of tears and return to solid performances."
Ireland can make it a glorious farewell to the Six Nations for record-chasing captain Johnny Sexton as they chase a Grand Slam on Saturday, with England their visitors.
It will be Ireland's title and a clean sweep of wins if they get the better of Steve Borthwick's team at the Aviva Stadium, while Sexton's next points will make him the leading scorer in championship history. He stands level for now with former team-mate Ronan O'Gara on 557 points.
Celebrations could already be in full swing in Dublin before kick-off in the unlikely event of Wales upsetting France in Paris earlier in the day.
France are the only team who can deny Ireland Six Nations glory now, trailing by four points going into the final round of matches.
Bonus points could yet be a factor in the final reckoning, but Ireland will be optimistic they can take that out of the equation by getting the better of an England side who were thrashed last week by Les Bleus.
Scotland face Italy in the day's opening game, before attention turns to the race for the trophy.
Here, Stats Perform runs down key aspects to look at in the three games, with the help of some standout Opta data.
FRANCE v WALES
FORM
Fabien Galthie's France team were so impressive at Twickenham last week they brought a tear to the coach's eye. That 53-10 drubbing in London showed France at their best, and they have won each of their last three Six Nations matches against Wales.
The tide has turned in the rivalry, given France had lost seven of the previous eight battles between the sides in the competition. After last year's Grand Slam, France will believe they can ramp up pressure on Ireland by getting the win at the Stade de France, having won nine of their last 10 Six Nations home matches, including each of the last four.
Wales stopped a six-game run of defeats in the Six Nations by beating Italy 29-17 last time out, to the relief of coach Warren Gatland. It was their longest run without a Six Nations victory since a seven-game sequence in 2006 and 2007, when they lost six and drew one.
There are areas where Wales are still doing well. For instance, they have conceded the joint-fewest turnovers of any side in this year's Six Nations (44, level with Ireland), and only Ireland (30) have won more turnovers than Wales (23). However, it would be a surprise if France do not ramp up the pressure on Ireland with a comfortable win and perhaps a bonus point into the bargain.
ONES TO WATCH
France will look to wings Damian Penaud and Ethan Dumortier to trouble Wales. Five players in this year's Six Nations have a 50 per cent or better tackle evasion rate among those who have faced 20 or more attempted tackles, and Penaud (79 per cent) and Dumortier (51 per cent) are among them.
For Wales, Taulupe Faletau will win his 100th cap and become the eighth man to reach that landmark for the team. Veterans George North and Alun Wyn Jones are among those coming into the starting XV, with Gatland giving the old-stagers a chance to potentially sign off their Six Nations careers in style.
IRELAND v ENGLAND
FORM
Ireland have won their last two Six Nations clashes with England, scoring exactly 32 points in each of those games, and the men in green have bagged 13 wins from their last 23 encounters with this weekend's opponents.
After finishing strongly last year, Ireland are on a seven-game winning run in the Six Nations, and an eighth win in a row would be a record for the team.
That would be cause for celebration alongside the Grand Slam, which would be a third for Ireland in the Six Nations era after 2009 and 2018 clean sweeps. They are chasing a fifth Six Nations title in all, and a seventh Triple Crown in this six-team era.
England's defeat to France last time out was their heaviest ever in the championship, so they have recalled Owen Farrell after dropping the captain, as coach Borthwick looks for a major response.
This game could yet be tight. Ireland (37) and England (34) have conceded the fewest penalties in this year's Six Nations, and they have achieved the highest share of territory per game (England – 60 per cent, Ireland – 59 per cent). Something has to give.
ONES TO WATCH
Sexton scored seven points against Scotland last weekend to move level with O'Gara, so his first kick at goal on Saturday will be a big moment. The record has been in his sights since the start of his final Six Nations, and the 37-year-old should clinch it on home soil.
Dan Cole is poised to win his 100th Test cap for England. He starts among the replacements, ready to become just the fourth player to reach a century for the England men’s team, after Jason Leonard, Ben Youngs and captain Farrell.
SCOTLAND v ITALY
FORM
The days of this fixture being a wooden spoon decider are gone for now, with Scotland much improved in recent years. Italy, too, are a stronger side than they have been for a good while, so they will be frustrated to have lost four from four so far.
Scotland have won each of their last seven Six Nations matches against Italy, their longest winning run against any nation in the championship. Their last Six Nations loss to the Azzurri was a 22-19 setback at Murrayfield in 2015, which was Italy's seventh win over the Scots in the championship. Italy have had just six wins against all other teams in the championship combined.
Italy's recent record in the Six Nations is truly dire, losing 40 of their last 41 games, with the exception among those defeats coming on the final weekend of last year's championship, when they won 22-21 in Wales.
ONES TO WATCH
Scotland's Matt Fagerson has made the most tackles of any player in the 2023 championship (70), while team-mates Jonny Gray (37), Jack Dempsey (32) and Luke Crosbie (32) are the only players to have made 30-plus tackles without missing one. Fagerson, Gray and Dempsey feature this weekend. Their prowess could be key as Scotland look to cope without injured backs Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg.
Italy's Juan Ignacio Brex and Paolo Garbisi are two of three players to have provided a championship-high six break assist passes in this year's championship, matching Ireland's Mack Hansen.
Sergio Perez has taken new power unit components ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver has taken a new energy store (ES) and control electronics (CE) for the second race of the 2023 Formula One season.
No penalty will be issued for the Mexican driver, though he finds himself in a tricky situation for the remainder of the campaign as only two ES changes are allowed over the course of the season, while three CE's are permitted.
Perez is now in a similar situation to that of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who was forced into an ES change ahead of the season opener in Bahrain and has taken another unit for this weekend – resulting in a 10-place grid penalty.
Leclerc, alongside team-mate Carlos Sainz and McLaren's Lando Norris, has also taken a second internal combustion engine (ICE) for Saudi Arabia, with three permitted during a season, while both Leclerc and Norris have taken an additional MGU-H.
Norris has seen further changes in the form of a new turbocharger, MGU-K and exhaust system for the weekend in Saudi Arabia.
Max Verstappen leads the championship standings ahead of team-mate Perez after a Red Bull one-two in Bahrain, with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso third.
Fraser McConnell is set to compete in the Grand Finale of the 2022/23 Nitro Rallycross Series this weekend.
(You can watch the final weekend of the championship on Sportsmax or the Sportsmax app)
The 24-year-old Jamaican will contest the final over three action-packed rounds on Friday, March 17, Saturday, March 18 and Sunday, March 19 with championship points at stake.
"It has been a long and exciting season that started way back in June last year in England,” he said. “Initially, getting used to the electric race car was a steep learning curve while competing in a traditional combustion engine Supercar. However, I am very comfortable with the FC1 and look forward to closing the season with a strong performance."
McConnell's teammate Robin Larsson leads the standings. The two-time race champion has finished on the podium in all but one championship round this season. At Glen Helen on October 29 and 30, Larsson had to settle for second behind a dominant McConnell, who dominated qualifying before completing a weekend clean sweep.
He goes into the final weekend in third place in the Championship, 10 points behind European Rallycross champion Andreas Bakkerud. Dubbed 'The Flying Jamaican', McConnell returning to the site of his finest hour opens the door for a real late surge for the championship crown.
Brandon Miller was held scoreless by Texas A&M Corpus Christi in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but Alabama's beaten opponents do not expect that to happen again.
Miller is projected to go in the top three of the NBA Draft, making him the top prospect playing in March Madness, with Victor Wembanyama in France and Scoot Henderson in the NBA G League.
But the Crimson Tide freshman failed to score a point in Alabama's 96-75 win on Thursday, having averaged 19.6 points per game this season up to that point, failing to reach double figures just once.
Miller is dealing with a groin injury and played only 19 minutes, although he still took and missed five field goals.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi coach Steve Lutz, who had previously suggested Miller would need to fall ill to be stopped, does not expect that performance to be repeated as the tournament continues.
"Maybe he had an off night. I really don't know," Lutz said. "I know that I watched him on tape and he's really, really good.
"So for us to have collectively done the job that we did on him defensively is a feather our cap, but I wouldn't expect that to happen again, to be honest with you."
Alabama coach Nate Oats added: "It was nice to be able to put up 96 without Brandon scoring a point.
"We were trying to play him limited minutes. We were able to keep him under 20. Hopefully, he can get a lot of rehab today and tomorrow and look a lot more like himself on Saturday."
Miller, for his part, was keen not to blame his injury.
"If that's what you want to call it, we can go with that," he replied when asked if it was the reason for his limited minutes.
Amid the excitement around his involvement in the tournament, Miller has also been the subject of significant attention for off-court matters.
Former team-mate Darius Miles was charged with capital murder following the shooting death of a 23-year-old woman near the Alabama campus, and police are said to believe Miller supplied the firearm.
Miller has not been charged, nor is he considered a suspect, and according to the university, he has been cooperating with the police as a witness.
The forward has attended the tournament with security detail, with Oats revealing he had been the target of threats before the team's first game.
"If you guys saw some of what I've seen sent his way, I think you would understand why that's the case," the coach said of Miller's security.
Miller added: "It doesn't bother me. I send it [the threats] to the right people, and then they handle it."
New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz is expected to miss the entire MLB season after suffering a serious knee injury while celebrating a Puerto Rico win in the World Baseball Classic.
Diaz left the field in a wheelchair after injuring his right knee while celebrating Wednesday's win over the Dominican Republic, with his team-mates visibly upset by the incident.
On Thursday, the Mets revealed Diaz – who penned a five-year, $102million contract with the team in the offseason – had undergone surgery after sustaining a complete patellar tendon tear.
"Edwin Diaz underwent successful repair of the patellar tendon in his right knee today," read an update from the team. "He is expected to begin a formal rehab program in about a week."
Earlier on Thursday, Mets general manager Billy Eppler suggested the closer – widely considered to be the best in the game – could be sidelined for around eight months, a timeline which would rule him out for the entire 2023 season.
Eppler noted some athletes have returned from similar injuries within a six-month timeframe, but added such cases were "more the exception than the rule".
Diaz took to social media to update his fans after the surgery, writing on Twitter: "To all my beloved fans, especially the Mets fans, I want to let you know that I am doing well and healing.
"I feel blessed and grateful for your support with messages and prayers, thank you very much! I can't wait to see you guys in NY again and play those trumpets."
Michael Jordan is reportedly engaged in serious talks to sell a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets.
Five-time NBA MVP Jordan became the only black majority owner in the league when he paid $275million for a controlling stake in the franchise in 2010.
Jordan then sold a significant minority stake to Gabe Plotkin and Daniel Sundheim in 2020, and an ESPN report suggests Sundheim is part of a group now looking to gain control of the Hornets.
While a deal is not said to be imminent, the report added Jordan was expected to retain a minority stake in the franchise, with Plotkin likely to join Rick Schnall as a co-governor of the team.
The Hornets have only enjoyed two postseason runs during Jordan's 13-year period as majority owner, last doing so in 2016.
Charlotte are currently 14th in the 15-team Eastern Conference, having seen their record for the season slump to 22-49 with Tuesday's 120-104 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ben Simmons has had "zero discussions" with the Brooklyn Nets about bringing his season to an end, says head coach Jacque Vaughn.
While remaining vague about the specific issue keeping Simmons sidelined, the 26-year-old has been contending with back and knee problems.
Speaking prior to the Nets' 101-96 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, Vaughn confirmed he expects Simmons – who last featured on February 15 – to be back on court before the season ends.
"Definitely operating under that belief," Vaughn replied when asked if Simmons will play again this campaign.
"There's zero discussions about him not playing. We expect him to be back, waiting for him to be back."
It has been a frustrating time in Brooklyn for Simmons, who did not play at all last season after moving to the Nets in the huge trade that saw James Harden switch to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He sat out the first half of the season while he was waiting to be traded, then missed the rest of the campaign with a back issue.
While he has played 42 games this term, Simmons is averaging career-lows for points (6.9), rebounds (6.3), assists (6.1) and steals (1.3).
Vaughn added there has been no setback to his recovery.
"No setbacks. He's progressing. So, great to see him," he added.
"He's doing some work on court right now, so as more updates come, I'll definitely give them to you guys, but good to see him back on court getting some work in."
The Nets' setback to the Kings leaves them sixth in the Eastern Conference, two wins back of rivals the New York Knicks.
Forward Mikal Bridges was pretty frank about why the Nets failed to get the job done.
"They just played harder," Bridges said. "Get stops and they were just scoring. Getting to the line. But, yeah they just played harder than us."
The Sacramento Kings can be "dangerous" after ensuring their first winning season since 2005-06 with a 101-96 triumph over the Brooklyn Nets, believes coach Mike Brown.
Domantas Sabonis starred with 24 points, 21 rebounds, five assists and four blocks as the Kings took control of the Western Conference's second seed with Thursday's win.
No team in the NBA has a better record over their last 10 games than the Kings' 8-2 mark, and their 42nd win of the campaign ensures they will snap a 17-year run without a winning season – an NBA record.
"It means a lot for the fans and the organisation," Brown said after the game. "Sacramento, it's a proud fan base and they don't get a lot of love around the nation or even in the state of California.
"So to be able to pound their chest and be able to walk with their heads high and talk with their friends to have a little bit of bragging rights, it's great."
With the 42-27 Kings now 4.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets and 5.5 clear of the play-in tournament placings, Brown believes they should be aiming high.
"It's been pretty easy. The guys understand what my messaging has been all along, and they understand how passionate I am about it," Brown said.
"I do feel that this group believes in themselves. Not just because I'm telling them they're good, but because they've gone out and proven it time after time after time, whether it's individually in certain situations, or collectively as a team.
"When you have a team that believes, they can be dangerous. When you've got a collected team that believes, that can be a very dangerous team. That's what our group is right now."
The Kings continue their road stretch against the Washington Wizards on Saturday and the Utah Jazz on Monday, before returning home to face the Boston Celtics.
Lonzo Ball will be out "indefinitely" as he prepares to undergo a third surgery on his left knee in 14 months, with the Chicago Bulls reportedly concerned about his chances of resuming his career.
Ball has not played since January 2022, having suffered a knee injury that has already required two operations.
The guard – who is almost two seasons into a four-year, $80million deal in Chicago – was ruled out for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign last month, stunting hopes of a return this term.
On Thursday, a report from ESPN suggested his upcoming cartilage transplant could rule him out for the entirety of next season, while his team simply said he would be sidelined "indefinitely".
The report added there is growing pressure for Ball's next surgery to offer him a clear pathway towards an eventual return to the court, which may not be assured.
Speaking to the Bulls' website, Ball said: "My main focus has been on returning to the court and getting to a place where I can re-join my team-mates.
"This has been a frustrating process, but I'm confident these next steps are the best path forward.
"The support of my family, friends, fans and medical staff throughout my recovery is what keeps me moving forward. I can't wait to get back to what I love doing most – playing basketball."
Ball averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists across 35 games in his first season with the Bulls, who have struggled to a 31-37 record in his absence this campaign, leaving them 12th in the Eastern Conference.
The first massive upset of the NCAA Tournament arrived on Thursday as the 15-seed Princeton Tigers knocked out the two-seed Arizona Wildcats 59-55.
Incredibly, the undersized Tigers won despite shooting only four-of-25 (16 per cent) from three-point range, getting it done on the defensive end as they held Arizona to 24 points in the second half.
Despite the loss, it was still a strong showing from the game's top NBA prospect as Arizona's six-foot-11 Lithuanian junior Azuolas Tubelis posted 22 points (nine-of-20 shooting), five rebounds, four steals and a block.
In a full-circle moment, Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson was drenched during post-game celebrations. The victory came 27 years after he played in the Tigers' last great March Madness upset, knocking off four-seed UCLA in the 1996 tournament.
But Arizona were not the only big favourite to fall, as the four-seed Virginia Cavaliers were stunned late in a 68-67 defeat at the hands of the 13-seed Furman Paladins.
Virginia led by four with just 12 seconds remaining, but after two Furman free throws, fifth-year senior Kihei Clark inexplicably tried to launch a full-court pass while being trapped in the backcourt. The pass was intercepted, allowing Garrett Hein to set up J.P. Pegues for the game-winning three with two seconds on the clock.
Things were less dramatic for the one seeds in action, as freshman star and likely NBA lottery pick Gradey Dick led the Kansas Jayhawks to a 96-68 drubbing of the Howard Bison.
Dick, 19, had 19 points (seven-of-13 shooting) with 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals as Kansas kept their foot on the pedal right to the end, using the blowout as an opportunity for some live practice against competitive opposition.
It was a different strategy for the Alabama Crimson Tide, with none of their starters playing more than 21 minutes, including top-three NBA draft hopeful Brandon Miller as he finished scoreless on five shots.
The Houston Cougars completed the one seed clean sweep as they were made to work for a 63-52 win against the Northern Kentucky Norse, with top prospect Jarace Walker putting together 16 points (six-of-eight shooting), six rebounds and two blocks.
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