Naoya Inoue Knocks Out Marlon Tapales

Naoya Inoue achieved the status of a two-division undisputed champion in Tokyo, securing a victory over the resilient Marlon Tapales in the 10th round of their 122 lb championship unification bout. Inoue, with a record of 26-0, 23 KO, claimed the WBC and WBO titles from Tapales (37-4, 19 KO), complementing the WBA and IBF belts he won earlier in the year by defeating Stephen Fulton Jr.

 

It took Inoue just two fights in the 122 lb division to attain undisputed status, accomplishing this feat just over a year after fully unifying the 118 lb division. Despite not delivering his most thrilling performance, credit is given to Tapales, 31, who fought admirably, particularly in light of the fourth-round knockdown he endured. Tapales, a Filipino southpaw, displayed resilience and made efforts to adjust and secure victory. However, by the eighth or ninth round, fatigue set in, and when he was down again in the 10th round, he couldn't muster the strength to rise.

Tapales deserves recognition for his effectiveness against Inoue, providing viewers with a compelling fight. Ultimately, the "Monster" Inoue emerged victorious once again.

Undercard Results:

• Seiya Tsutsumi secured a unanimous decision victory over Kazuki Anaguchi in a thrilling bout. Tsutsumi (10-0-2, 7 KO) rallied with enough knockdowns to secure scores of 94-92, 94-92, and 95-91. Anaguchi (6-1, 2 KO) exhibited superior skills for much of the fight, but Tsutsumi's power made the decisive impact.

• Andy Hiraoka achieved a fifth-round TKO victory over Sebastian Diaz (1:52). Hiraoka, now 23-0 (18 KO), faced an overmatched Diaz (18-7-1, 13 KO) in a matchup that once again raised questions about the caliber of Hiraoka's opponents. Hiraoka expressed his intention to challenge any champion at 140.

• Yoshiki Takei delivered a second-round knockout against Mario Diaz, extending his undefeated record to 8-0 (8 KO). The former kickboxing champion demonstrated a gradual transition to the 122 lb division, showcasing a penchant for body shots and power. Diaz (21-7, 9 KO) took the full 10-count after being dropped.

2023 NFL season, Week 1: Insights And Highlights

The 2023 NFL season has kicked off with an exciting Week 1. In the early games, the San Francisco 49ers, led by a healthy Brock Purdy, continued their winning ways, while the Cleveland Browns put the brakes on Joe Burrow. Several rookies made impressive debuts.

Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins emerged victorious in a high-scoring clash against Justin Herbert's Los Angeles Chargers. Jordan Love smoothly assumed the role of the Green Bay Packers' starting quarterback, and the Denver Broncos struggled to find the end zone once again.

Our NFL Nation reporters are here to break down the action, address lingering questions from each game, and identify the rising and falling aspects of each team. Let's dive into it.

Key Highlights from Sunday's Games in the 2023 NFL Season, Week 1

Joe Burrow's Struggles: Joe Burrow, the NFL's highest-paid player, had a tough season opener, with the Cincinnati Bengals losing 24-3 to the Cleveland Browns.

Jordan Love's Strong Start: In Chicago, the Green Bay Packers, under Jordan Love, began their season on a positive note by defeating the Bears 38-20.

Impressive Debut on Social Media: The show's TikTok page rapidly gained 630,000 followers within two weeks, while the show's social media handles attracted over 1 million followers post-launch.

Tyreek Hill Shines: Tyreek Hill had a standout performance for the Miami Dolphins, recording 11 receptions, 215 yards, and 2 touchdowns, including a game-winning TD.

Quay Walker's Pick-Six: In a rough game for the Chicago Bears, linebacker Quay Walker intercepted a pass from Justin Fields and returned it for a 42-yard pick-six.

 

Geno Smith's Moment with Aaron Donald: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith narrowly avoided a sack by Aaron Donald, reacting with an audible expression of "Oh, my God."

Aaron Jones' Explosive Play: Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers had a pivotal 51-yard play, setting up a touchdown and extending their lead over the Chicago Bears.

Ja'Marr Chase's Frustration: After the Cincinnati Bengals' loss to the Cleveland Browns, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase expressed frustration, referring to the Browns as "elves."

TJ Watt Ties Sack Record: Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers' struggles, TJ Watt tied the team record for career sacks, matching James Harrison's 80.5 sacks.

Injury Updates: Several players suffered injuries during Week 1, including J.K. Dobbins, Diontae Johnson, and Jaycee Horn.

Notable Touchdowns: Bryce Young threw his first NFL touchdown pass for the Panthers, and Calvin Ridley scored his first touchdown since 2021 for the Jaguars.

Surprises and Glitches: The NFL season opener saw some unexpected surprises, including an on-side kick by the Denver Broncos, and there were reported glitches with the NFL.com fantasy football app.

Week 1 Picks and Odds: NFL experts provided their Week 1 picks, and there were notable odds for various matchups.

Fantasy Football Rankings: Updated fantasy football rankings for Week 1 were made available for fantasy enthusiasts.

Inactive Players: Rashaad Penny was a surprising healthy scratch for the Philadelphia Eagles, while Mark Andrews was inactive for the Baltimore Ravens due to injury.

Active Stars: Nick Bosa and George Kittle were active for the San Francisco 49ers despite injury concerns.

Key Figures Missing: The Denver Broncos were expected to be without receiver Jerry Jeudy, who had a hamstring injury.

Payton's Debut: Sean Payton made his debut as the head coach of the Denver Broncos with an unexpected on-side kick in the season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce Injury Update

The Kansas City Chiefs, who are the reigning Super Bowl champions, may be missing one of their key players as they open the 2023 regular season against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid informed the media after Tuesday's practice that star tight end Travis Kelce has hyperextended his knee. According to NFL Media, Kelce's availability for Week 1 is uncertain, but it's not expected to be a long-term injury. The Chiefs plan to wait for the swelling to subside before making a final decision. The official injury report released on Tuesday afternoon listed Kelce as a limited participant. Reid commented on the situation, saying, "We'll monitor his progress moving forward,". Travis Kelce is widely regarded as the NFL's top tight end. He is coming off a remarkable season in which he achieved a career-high of 110 receptions, accumulating 1,338 receiving yards, and scoring a career-high 12 touchdowns. These achievements coincided with the Chiefs reclaiming their spot at the pinnacle of the NFL by winning Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles. In that Super Bowl game, Kelce made history as the first tight end to lead the victorious team in receiving yards twice, recording six receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Since his rookie season in 2013, Kelce has not missed a game due to injury, except for his debut game where he played just one professional snap before a knee injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. Over the past four seasons, the 33-year-old has been the leading receiver for Kansas City in three of them. If he were to miss the opening night, it would present a significant opportunity for the unproven wide receiver group. Players like Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice, Richie James, Justyn Ross, and Justin Watson are all vying for touches in this offense. Without Patrick Mahomes' established top target, the competition for receptions should be wide open. In addition, Noah Gray and Blake Bell are listed as Kelce's backups at tight end. Gray had 28 receptions for 299 yards and one touchdown last season, while Bell only played in three games. Reflecting on Kelce's knee injury after Thursday's practice, Skyy Moore commented, "I was on the field during that play, running a route. I saw him limping as he walked off the field. It was reassuring to see him get up on his own and leave the field." Kelce holds the distinction of leading all tight ends in receiving yards per game since 2019, averaging 79.8 yards per game. He has the opportunity to join an elite group of NFL players by recording eight consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards, but his availability for Week 1 remains uncertain. The news about Kelce's injury prompted a quick response from Vegas sportsbooks, resulting in a 1.5-point drop in the betting line, with the Chiefs now favored by -5 points.

Lakers' Falls Short In Overtime Loss To Celtics

It happened seven games, in Milwaukee, on a night when the Lakers cooked up such a great performance that anything sort of felt possible. The pieces were there. The possibility existed. The Lakers were figuring it out if things could go just right. But here, back in Los Angeles, on Tuesday night, their performance against the Boston Celtics, was a reminder that the NBA doesn’t quite work that way. Sometimes, it’s a little uglier, a little messier to figure out. None of it made sense. Marcus Smart in gold sneakers, Russell Westbrook in green shoes, the Celtics blowing a 20-point lead only to see the Lakers cough up a 13-point advantage in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers slumped and slunk their way through the first 12 minutes against their biggest rival, telling their fans that any emotion they brought with them into the building wasn’t going to be needed. But a furious 18-0 run in the second half flipped the game totally on its head, putting the Lakers in front while the Celtics chased. But Davis missed two key free throws, the Lakers’ offense went ice cold in overtime and the Boston Celtics came all the way back to win 122-118 in overtime a classic game in the team’s regular-season history but a brutal finish considering the position the Lakers were in after coming all the way back. Davis had 37 points and 12 rebounds, James had 33 nine rebounds and nine assists and Westbrook had 20 points and 14 rebounds off the bench. But, led by Tatum’s 44, it wasn’t enough. The loss, like that win against the Bucks, showed the Lakers could credibly fight with the NBA’s best. But unlike the game in Milwaukee, the Lakers’ flaws were too evident early as the Celtics easily pushed ahead early. It seemed like the latest piece of information that would make the Lakers’ next move murky. Everything that’s happened this season up to and including their 27th game of the season Tuesday has been to make it clear whether this roster is worth investing into or not – and that 20-point early deficit joined some big chunks of the season, where that answer seemed like an obvious “No.” Injuries and consistency issues for James and Davis were enough to dampen even the most optimistic. Supporting cast growing pains could easily have been assigned to lack of talent as much as they could have to fit or role. And the obvious roster questions – they led to obvious issues. Critics of the Lakers’ guard-heavy roster this offseason said they were too small. Tuesday, unsurprisingly, they got beat-up on the glass and shot over on the perimeter. Critics also pointed to the roster imbalance – the necessity for all three of the team’s stars to play well because so much of the team’s available money was committed to the peak of the roster (leaving the base to be made up of players signed with roster exceptions). And for as much the Lakers’ win in Milwaukee could ease those concerns, they were back in the foreground again Tuesday with James and Davis giving the Lakers a lot and the supporting class scuffling to make an impact around them in the first half. But like so much with the Lakers this season, figuring out what would happen next was big mystery. At shootaround Tuesday morning, James said the game against the Celtics would be one of their “biggest tests.” “A lot of great teams in our league and they happen to be one of them,” James said. “That first game off a road trip is always tough so it’s good when you’ve got to be even more locked in with a team that you know is really good.” The Lakers, of course, got off to a slow start. The Celtics, fresh off a blowout loss to the Clippers the night before and ending a long roadtrip, played with an unmatched energy early. They scored on easy layups, opening things up from the three-point line where they quickly got hot. Jayson Tatum, who had struggled some over the Celtics’ last three games, started to just shoot over the defenders in front of him. But if it was predictable that the Lakers would open the game carrying some of the road still with them, it was probably as sure of a bet that the road would catch up with Boston, too. The Lakers defense slowly tightened after allowing 37 first-quarter points, absolutely smothering Boston for huge chunks of the second half as the Lakers turned a 20-point deficit into a 13-point lead in the fourth. But Tatum re-heated, pushing Boston closer and closer as the Celtics started their sprint to the finish. The Celtics closed to within two on a Marcus Smart triple and tied the game on a Tatum jumper after Davis’ misses – forcing overtime. By then, the Lakers tank was empty and any talk of them having figured it all out went silent.

UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira Highlights

In the main event, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) puts his title on the line against challenger Alex Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who holds two kickboxing wins over him. In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) defends the belt for the first time in her second stint as champ against former titleholder Zhang Weili (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC), who is a 4-1 favorite to reclaim the title. In addition, former Bellator champ Michael Chandler (23-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takes on former UFC interim titleholder Dustin Poirier (28-7 MMA, 20-6 UFC) in a key lightweight bout and former 155-pound champ Frankie Edgar (24-10-1 MMA, 18-10-1 UFC) fights for what is expected to be the final time when he meets Chris Gutierrez (18-3-2 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) at bantamweight.

Follow along with our round-by-round updates and official results beginning at approximately 6 p.m. ET for the early prelims on ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET for the prelims on ESPNews and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view.

Adesanya is a -230 favorite (risk $230 to win $100), while Pereira comes back at +190 in the latest Caesars Sportsbook MMA odds for UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira. In the co-main event, women's strawweight champion Carla Esparza (+280) defends her belt against former champion Zhang Weili (-360). Before settling any selections of your own for UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira, make sure you check out the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Kyle Marley.  

Marley won the first-ever "ToutMaster" UFC betting contest sponsored by MMAOddsBreaker and appears regularly on multiple MMA betting and daily Fantasy shows. He watches every single fight for every professional MMA card and does extensive research before each event.

Over the past three-plus years, $100 bettors who have followed Marley's picks are up more than $13,000. The accomplished MMA analyst kicked off the 2022 UFC season in January by advising SportsLine members to back Calvin Kattar (+200) against Giga Chikadze (-240) in the featherweight main event. Kattar's lopsided unanimous-decision victory gave Marley's followers another easy winner. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Houston Astros Defeat New York Yankees in ALCS Game 1

Astros defeated the Yankees, 4-2, in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night. The Astros lead the best-of-seven series 1-0, meaning they're three games away from punching a ticket to the World Series for the fourth time since 2017. The Yankees and Astros will continue the ALCS with Game 2 on Thursday night. The Yankees are expected to start Luis Severino while the Astros counter with Framber Valdez. First pitch is slated for 7:37 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on TBS. The Astros will attempt to build a 2-0 lead in the series. The Astros fell behind in the second inning, as Harrison Bader delivered his fourth home run in his sixth postseason game this fall, launching a solo shot against Justin Verlander. Houston would tie things up in the bottom half of the inning. Backstop Martín Maldonado launched an opposite-field double that plated Chas McCormick. The two sides would trade zeroes until the sixth inning. That's when first baseman Yuli Gurriel hit a home run to left field to put Houston up 2-1.

The aforementioned McCormick would hit his own solo home run a couple batters later, building the lead up to 3-1. Another home run, this time from Jeremy Peña in the seventh, made it 4-1. The Yankees would get a run back in the eighth on an Anthony Rizzo solo shot, cutting the lead to 4-2. The Yankees would threaten further in the eighth, putting the tying run on first with two outs. The score remained the same until the final out, however, sealing the deal for the Astros. Here are six things you need to know about the Astros' Game 1 win. The Astros owe much of their victory to ace Justin Verlander. The frontrunner for the AL Cy Young Award struggled in his first start this postseason against the Seattle Mariners. He course-corrected on Wednesday, holding the Yankees to one run over six innings of work. Verlander gave up three hits, one walk, and one hit by pitch, he struck out 11 batters on 103 pitches. Verlander's 11 strikeouts tied for the second most he's recorded in a single postseason game. His career-high remains the 13 he punched out against the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS. This is the fifth time he's struck out 11, and the second time he's done so versus New York. (To be fair, Verlander has now made nine postseason starts against the Yankees, giving him ample opportunity to accomplish the feat.) Verlander threw three pitches more than 20 times on Wednesday: his fastball, slider, and curveball. He generated a game-high 17 swinging strikes, generating at least four on each of those three pitches, and eight on his slider alone. In so many words, Verlander did not look like someone who had authored arguably the worst postseason start of his career last time out. Yankees right-hander Jameson Taillon didn't have a Verlander-like performance by any means. He did keep the game close, however, and that meant he surpassed the modest expectations placed upon him facing the vaunted Astros lineup. Taillon threw 4 1/3 innings, surrendering one run on four hits and three walks. He didn't strike out anyone on 67 pitches. Taillon's line almost looked worse, as manager Aaron Boone removed him in the fifth after he surrendered a double. Reliever Clarke Schmidt, who would eventually yield two home runs, loaded the bases with back-to-back walks (one intentional) before generating a pivotal double-play ball. Regardless of what would happen with Schmidt in the subsequent inning, the Yankees likely would've signed up for Taillon facing 20 batters and exiting with a tied score. Yankees right-hander Jameson Taillon didn't have a Verlander-like performance by any means. He did keep the game close, however, and that meant he surpassed the modest expectations placed upon him facing the vaunted Astros lineup. Taillon threw 4 1/3 innings, surrendering one run on four hits and three walks. He didn't strike out anyone on 67 pitches. Taillon's line almost looked worse, as manager Aaron Boone removed him in the fifth after he surrendered a double. Reliever Clarke Schmidt, who would eventually yield two home runs, loaded the bases with back-to-back walks (one intentional) before generating a pivotal double-play ball. Regardless of what would happen with Schmidt in the subsequent inning, the Yankees likely would've signed up for Taillon facing 20 batters and exiting with a tied score. When people think about the big power threats in the Astros lineup, they think about Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, and perhaps even Jose Altuve or Alex Bregman. They probably don't think about the three who launched solo shots in Game 1: Gurriel, McCormick, and Peña. That's for good reason. Indeed, Gurriel finished the regular season with eight home runs in 584 trips to the plate, or one every 73 plate appearances. McCormick and Peña were far better in that respect, homering between every 25 and 29 trips to the plate. What's more is that Gurriel had been in the midst of a lengthy power drought heading into the playoffs. After hitting his seventh home run of the year on July 1, he homered just once more over his final 76 games. Naturally, Gurriel has since launched two home runs in his first four playoff games, showing that you can't predict baseball. It didn't end up mattering, not really, but Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge made arguably his best catch of the season from a statistical perspective early on. Bregman hit a ball to right, right-center with two runners on base and one out. It looked like Bregman was going to have extra bases, yet Judge laid out and made the grab.

L.A Dodgers Defeats Padres 1-0 Lead In The Best-of-Five NLDS

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres, 5-3, Tuesday night in Dodger Stadium to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five NLDS. Here's everything you need to know on the game and then the series moving forward. Despite a five-day layoff after a first-round bye, it didn't take long for the Dodgers to get on the board. Trea Turner, the second batter in the bottom of the first, got things started with a no-doubt homer to left. The 419-footer was just the beginning. Will Smith would double and then score on a Max Muncy single. The Dodgers got three hits and a walk in the first inning of Padres starter Mike Clevinger. Clevinger would end up lasting just 2 2/3 innings. He gave up five runs on six hits and the biggest problem was five of those hits were for extra bases. Trea Turner added a double to his homer. Smith doubled twice. Gavin Lux had an RBI double.

The Dodgers were in complete control. Dodgers starter Julio Urías, the NL ERA leader in the regular season, was dominant for four innings. He didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the third. He faced only one over the minimum through four scoreless innings. In the fifth, though, the Padres made this a game again. Wil Myers led off with a home run. Jake Cronenworth singled and Ha-seong Kim doubled before a pair of productive outs trimmed the Dodgers lead to 5-3. And though Urías had only thrown 79 pitches, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts elected to go to his bullpen with Evan Phillips taking over for the sixth. After the Padres closed the gap from 5-0 to 5-3, they got the first two runners on base in the sixth against Phillips. Juan Soto, who walks more often than anyone else in baseball, drew a walk to start the inning. Manny Machado had an excuse-me hit, as he knocked a dribbler down the third-base line that the Dodgers defenders tried to let roll foul. It stayed fair and Machado had his infield hit. There were now two runners on with no out in a two-run game. The Padres had trimmed the Dodgers' win expectancy from 95 percent to 65 percent. Josh Bell came to the plate with a chance to do some major damage. Instead, he struck out. Myers then hit the ball very hard (100.1 miles per hour), but it was right at second baseman Gavin Lux. Lux corralled it and the Dodgers were able to turn a double play to end the threat. There was great interest to how the Dodgers put their bullpen together in close games heading into this game. Craig Kimbrel was the closer for most of the season, but the Dodgers removed him from the role late in the season when the division was essentially already over and he's not even on the NLDS roster. Evan Phillips worked the sixth. Alex Vesia got the seventh and then the first two outs of the eighth. Brusdal Graterol was summoned to get Manny Machado, and he did though it was a deep flyout that wasn't too far from a home run and then Chris Martin got the final three outs for the save. This doesn't necessarily mean it's how the Dodgers will work every close game, but it's possible Phillips and Vesia serve as "put out the fire" guys while Graterol and Martin are around for late-inning work. These are likely their top four relievers, though, that much seems clear. hey'll face off again in Dodger Stadium for Game 2 on Wednesday at 8:37 p.m. ET. Yu Darvish (16-8, 3.10) gets the ball for the Padres. He was brilliant in the Wild Card Series against the Mets, allowing just one run on six hits in seven innings of work. He faced the Dodgers four times this season, pitching to a 2.52 ERA and 0.92 WHIP, though that was only good enough for a split with each team winning two of those games. Clayton Kershaw (12-3, 2.28) will start for the Dodgers. As everyone knows by now, the narrative that Kershaw can't pitch in the playoffs still persists. He's 13-12 with a 4.19 ERA in his postseason career. He faced the Padres twice this year and posted a 0.75 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 12 innings.

Albert Pujols Hits 700th Home Run

Saint Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hit his 700th career home run on Friday night, connecting for his second drive of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and becoming the fourth player to reach the milestone in major league history. The 42-year-old Pujols hit No. 699 in the third inning, then launched No. 700 in the fourth at Dodger Stadium. With the drive in the final days of his last big league season, Pujols joined Barry Bonds (762 homers), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) in one of baseball’s most exclusive clubs. It’s been a remarkable run for Pujols. This was his 14th home run since the start of August for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, and his 21st of the season. 

Pujols’ historic homer was a three-run shot against Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford. The ball landed in the first few rows of the left-field pavilion, the same location his two-run shot touched down the previous inning off left-hander Andrew Heaney. Pujols received a prolonged standing ovation from the crowd he finished out last season while playing for the Dodgers. He took a curtain call, raising his cap in acknowledgment. The fans chanted “Pujols! Pujols!” They finally sat down after being on their feet in anticipation of seeing history. Pujols snapped a tie with Alex Rodriguez for fourth on the list when he hit career homer No. 697 against Pittsburgh on Sept. 11. Reaching 700 homers seemed like a long shot for Pujols when he was batting .189 on July 4. But the three-time NL MVP started to find his stroke in August, swatting seven homers in one 10-game stretch that helped St. Louis pull away in the division race. “I know that early in the year ... I obviously wanted better results,” Pujols said after he homered in a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 22. “But I felt like I was hitting the ball hard. Sometimes this game is going to take more away from you than the game (is) giving you back. “So I think at the end of the day you have to be positive and just stay focused and trust your work. That’s something that I’ve done all the time.” Pujols has enjoyed a resurgent season after returning to St. Louis in March for a $2.5 million, one-year contract. It’s his highest total since he hit 23 homers for the Angels in 2019. He plans to retire when the season ends. The first HR of Albert Pujols’ career on April 4th 2001 “And after watching that kid in batting practice, that swing right there, it will not nearly be the last”. Pujols also began his career in St. Louis. He was selected by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the 1999 amateur draft and won the 2001 NL Rookie of the Year award. The Dominican Republic native hit at least .300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs in each of his first 10 seasons. He helped the Cardinals to World Series titles in 2006 and 2011. He set a career high with 49 homers in 2006 one of seven seasons with at least 40 homers. He led the majors with 47 homers in 2009 and topped the NL with 42 in 2010. Pujols left St. Louis in free agency in December 2011, signing a $240 million, 10-year contract with the Angels. He was waived by the Angels in May 2021, and then joined the Dodgers and hit 12 homers and drove in 38 runs in 85 games.

LeBron James Agrees to a Two-Year Extension With LA Lakers

LeBron James has inked a two-year $97.1 Million USD contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers that includes a player option for the 2024-25 season. All thanks to a 15% trade kicker that is integrated into the deal, the four-time champion is officially the highest-paid player in NBA history as he’s earned a staggering $532 million USD in guaranteed money.

Despite the fact that James will be turning 38 in the middle of the 2022-2023 season, the perennial All-Star has shown zero signs of slowing down, and this investment on the Lakers’ behalf simply goes to show the supreme confidence that the organization has in him to be the franchise’s centerpiece. Last season, he was sidelined due to a handful of injuries that resulted in him only suiting up for 56 games. This was a big factor in the Lakers missing the playoffs, but he still managed to rack up the stat sheet with averages of 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists. Whether or not James can lead the storied franchise to another NBA Finals victory remains to be seen, but with a healthy roster and him being the astounding floor leader that he is, there’s always a shot.

Israel Adesanya Defeats Jared Cannonier to Retain Championship at UFC 276

Returning to Las Vegas for its 10th annual International Fight Week, the UFC put together a stacked fight card for UFC 276 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Headlining the event were the championship bouts between Middleweights Israel Adesanya and Jared Cannonier, and Featherweights Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. Amidst growing animosity between champion Adesanya and challenger Cannonier, the two faced off in a five-round bout that ended up going the distance.

Cannonier came on strong and determined throughout the fight, but could not get past the champion’s striking and takedown defense. Ultimately, Adesanya held off the challenger to pull off a Unanimous Decision victory (49–46, 49–46, 50–45) to retain his title after five rounds. Earlier in the night Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway stepped into the Octagon for the third time, with Holloway looking to secure the Featherweight title from the Australian champion once again. Despite competitive rounds between the two, Volkanovski was too fast for the Hawaiian challenger. Landing substantially more and holding him at bay for five rounds for the Unanimous Decision victory (50–45, 50–45, 50–45). Before the main events, Middleweight Championship hopefuls Alex Pereira and Sean Strickland went up against one another, with the rising Pereira landing a knockout victory in the very first round. While Welterweight Bryan Barberena defeated MMA veteran Robbie Lawler via TKO in the second round and the Bantamweight fight between Pedro Munhoz and Sean O’Malley saw a No Contest end due to an accidental eye poke by O’Malley.

Golden State Warriors Is The NBA 2022 Champions

The Golden State Warriors headed into TD Garden on Thursday night and beat the Boston Celtics 103-90, to win the 2022 NBA finals. Their Game 6 victory was a dominant performance in hostile territory highlighted by an early 21-0 run which effectively secured the Warriors their fourth championship in the last eight years. The contest had looked very different early on. The Celtics began the game by going on a 14-2 tear, and they briefly looked like they would force a decisive Game 7 in San Francisco. But the Warriors countered with a run of their own, eventually ending the first quarter with a five-point lead. Things would escalate from there.

The Warriors held Boston scoreless for the first two minutes of the second quarter as Golden State rained three-pointers down on their hapless opponents. By the time the blitz was over, the Warriors had put together a 21-0 streak, the biggest such run in the finals in 50 years. The Celtics, meanwhile, were forced to hope they had one more dramatic comeback in them. By halftime, the Celtics were down 15 points, a not insurmountable task given their track record of comebacks in these playoffs. The Warriors, however, refused to budge. A Stephen Curry three halfway through the third quarter gave them a 22-point lead that effectively ended the game and secured Curry the first finals MVP award of a career that will end with his enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. To Boston’s credit, they refused to lie down, even cutting down the Golden State lead to eight midway through the third quarter. They couldn’t get any closer however: the Celtics had dug themselves too deep a hole, too early, against too formidable an opponent. These finals were billed as a battle between youth and experience, and it’s safe to say that experience won out. Throughout the series, the Warriors capitalized on Boston turnovers – the Celtics committed 22 in Game 6 alone – and mental mistakes. “It’s part of a championship pedigree, our experience. We built this for 10-11 years,” said Curry after the game. “That means a lot when you get to this stage.” Even though Golden State fell behind 1-2 to start the series, they fought back to win three straight, two of them on the road, against a team that had not lost back-to-back games the entire postseason. Curry, who scored 34 in the deciding game, was brilliant for most of the series, a slight blip in Game 5 aside. His finals MVP was no lifetime achievement award: the turning point of the series came with Curry’s 43-point performance in Game 4. These were his finals. “Beginning of the season no one thought we would be here … it’s very surreal,” said Curry. It was easy to understand his joy: the Warriors finished with the worst record in the NBA just two seasons ago. Part of the reason for that slump were injuries to Curry and his long-time teammate Klay Thompson. “It’s crazy, I’m on Cloud 109 right now,” said Thompson, who missed most of the last two-and-a-half years through injury before returning to help his team to victory. “ It was dog days, a lot of tears shed ... You knew it was a possibility, but to see it in real time … It’s crazy.” The Warriors now have seven NBA titles, one more than the Chicago Bulls. Only the Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers (17 each) have more. This team are not the most accomplished Warriors roster to have won the title but, after a tough few years, they may be the happiest.

Tottenham vs Arsenal LIVE Updates And Trivia

Tottenham host Arsenal tonight in one of the most exciting north London derbies of recent times. Both clubs are vying for a spot in the Premier League top four and this evening’s result could determine who gets to feature in the Champions League next season. Spurs are four points behind the Gunners ahead of the fixture and a win would see them close the gap to just one point. In the reverse fixture earlier this season, Tottenham succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium but they can now inflict their own home win on their north London rivals and take a step closer to the top four. It is fitting that the final Champions League spot is being battled between such fierce rivals but Arsenal will arguably be more eager to get back to the European top flight after missing out on European football altogether last season for the first time in 25 years. Mikel Arteta’s men have been handed a boost ahead of the game as Ben White looks likely to return to help the Gunners reach the Champions League, as a win over Spurs would put an unassailable seven points between the clubs.

Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka both have the chance to become the first Englishman to score for the Gunners in home and away fixtures against Spurs in a season since Ian Wright in 1993-94. Arsenal are on the cusp of ending a five-year wait for Champions League football as their victory over Leeds solidified their place in the Premier League top four. The Gunners will return to Europe’s elite competition if they win at Tottenham on Thursday night as Mikel Arteta continues to turn around a season that began in the worst possible way. Arsenal were rock bottom of the Premier League, without a point or a goal, heading into the September international break but are now on the verge of a top-four finish. Here, we look at just how Arteta has managed to instigate such a recovery. The Gunners will return to Europe’s elite competition if they win at Tottenham on Thursday night. The four goals scored by Eddie Nketiah in his last four top-flight games is just one fewer than he managed in his first 52 Premier League appearances. Son Heung-min is only the second Tottenham player to score 20 Premier League goals in a season without any of them being penalties, emulating Gareth Bale in 2012-13 (21). He has both scored (12) and been involved in (17) more top-flight goals in 2022 than any other player and after failing to score or assist in any of his first nine league games against Arsenal, Son has three goals and two assists in his last four North London derby appearances. Arsenal have gone seven league matches without a clean sheet since a 1-0 win at Aston Villa on 19th March. Victory for Arsenal would guarantee them their highest Premier League finish since the 2015-16 campaign when they finished second. It would also be the first time since then that they have finished above Spurs. The Gunners have registered four consecutive league wins while conceding at least once in every game for the first time since a run of five from February to March 2012. In the build-up to Thursday, Antonio Conte has been “super animated”, seeking to ensure his players are ready to rampage into this one. He has used a few little techniques for motivation, and the suspension of this game in January has been mentioned, as has the home support. This is what Conte is best at. Tottenham’s performance in big games has been the most positive aspect of his brief time in charge so far, and is one major reason he has them in contention for the top four. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have improved in big games themselves, but their season has mostly been about winning the games they should – which is why they don’t absolutely have to win this one. That is Spurs’ necessity, but it’s a difficult balance to strike. “Balance” is itself a word that has returned to the discussion around the north London derby, as both clubs face up to the fixture’s biggest game in around a decade. Arsenal and Tottenham meet tonight in a golden opportunity to settle the top-four race and strike a blow to their closest rivals

Real Madrid Defeat Chelsea in UEFA Champions League

While the future of Chelsea football club remains in turmoil off the field, the team suffered a torrid night on the pitch in its Champions League quarterfinal first leg tie against Real Madrid on Wednesday. A hat trick for Karim Benzema inspired his side to a 3-1 win on a wet and windy night in west London, putting the Spanish side in firm control of the matchup ahead of the return leg. It was a game that promised to look very different when the draw was made. Sanctions on out-going Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, due to his links with Russian president Vladimir Putin, looked likely to have a huge impact on what was the biggest game of the club's season so far.

There was uncertainty whether any fans would be able to attend the game and restrictions on travel budgets brought into doubt whether Chelsea would even be able to participate in the Champions League at all. But, after further clarifications and working with the British government, it was easy to forget about the off-field troubles as a full capacity Stamford Bridge cheered on its side. On the pitch, it was Chelsea who started better, swarming on Madrid players who took a while to settle but settle they did. The visitors worked a brilliant chance for Vinicius Jr. who smashed the crossbar with his early effort and Chelsea didn't take heed of the early warning. Thomas Tuchel's side quickly found themselves two goals down after Benzema planted two pinpoint headers past Edouard Mendy in a chaotic three minute period. The goals were greeted by frenzied celebrations in the away end with many of the Madrid fans at the mercy of the stormy conditions. With the semifinals looking like a distant dream for Chelsea, the home support started to become frustrated but there was still a twist to come in a frantic first half. Kai Havertz halved the deficit with a header of his own, latching onto a beautifully crafted cross from Jorginho. But before many had taken their seats after the restart, Benzema was on target again, this time taking advantage of some sloppy play by goalkeeper Mendy. His pass to Antonio Rudiger was poor and the defender could do little to prevent Benzema from stealing possession and passing into an open net. It was a second consecutive hat trick for the Frenchman in this competition, coming after his heroics in the round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite Chelsea having more attempts and plenty of the ball in the second half, it was the Madrid fans who were dancing as the home fans became increasingly agitated. There was enough to suggest Chelsea had a chance, albeit slim, in the second leg but who knows what the club will look like by then. 

Chelsea vs Real Madrid team news

Chelsea (3-4-3) Mendy; Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante, Jorginho, Azpilicueta; Mount, Havertz, Pulisic.

Real Madrid (4-3-3) Courtois; Carvajal, Eder Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr.

 

 

Matt Ryan Trade Hurts Both Colts and Falcons

The Jacksonville Jaguars knocked the Indianapolis Colts out of playoff contention and put an unceremonious end to the Carson Wentz era in Week 18 of the 2021 season. This isn’t surprising when you take into account that Indy hasn’t won at TIAA Bank Field since 2014. However, quarterback Matt Ryan could make things between these two AFC South rivals interesting in 2022. Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reported Indy has acquired Ryan in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The trade puts an end to Ryan’s illustrious 14-year run as the Atlanta Falcons quarterback. Out of Boston College, he was the first overall pick in the 2008 draft and leaves Atlanta after completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 59,735 yards with 367 touchdowns and 170 interceptions.

After sending Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders, the Colts opted to trade for a proven veteran instead of dipping their toes on the free-agent quarterback market. Looking at the options they had — Jameis Winston and Mitch Trubiski among others it’s easy to see with Indy opted for Ryan, who’s made four Pro Bowls and one First-Team All-Pro designation throughout his NFL career. Last season, Indianapolis traded for Wentz but his tenured didn’t go as expected, reportedly refusing to embrace hard coaching and displaying poor leadership skills. The Colts’ brass surely expects Ryan to be the polar opposite and helps them make the playoffs after imploding in the last two games of the 2021 season. The Colts didn’t have a first-round pick and the 2022 draft and without many enticing options in the open market, it was uncertain what route they would take to address their quarterback situation. But it’s now clear. While it would have been great to see Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson face off against Wentz (they worked together in Philadelphia), Ryan presents a tough matchup, and one he should embrace. See, the Jags have been aggressive in free agency, making upgrades to several position groups. However, they aren’t the only club in the AFC South, let alone the conference that got better. Ryan may be past his prime but he represents an upgrade over Wentz and if Jacksonville can’t beat the Colts, what chances will they have against powerhouses such as the Kansas City Chiefs? The Jaguars have their work cut out if they want to compete in the AFC South but they should be thrilled about Ryan’s addition to the AFC South which should push them to get better. The division still runs through the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans could surprise everyone in 2022. However, the Jags are taking the steps to keep up with their division foes and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Cristiano Ronaldo Is Coming Back To Manchester United!

Soccer Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could be headed back to the English Premier League and he's being linked to the crosstown rivals of the team where he became an icon. According to multiple reports, Ronaldo is being linked to a transfer to powerhouse Manchester City, winners of three of the last four Premier League titles. City, which just lost former striker Sergio Agüero to Barcelona, is coached by Pep Guardiola, largely considered to be one of the top soccer managers in the world. The transfer would be a seismic shift in a summer that has already seen some significant changes, none bigger than Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain.

Ronaldo, 36, is one of the most decorated soccer players in history. A five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo has also won seven domestic championships and five Champions League titles in his 20 seasons in European soccer. Ronaldo became an international soccer star in the early-mid 2000s, when he played for Manchester United for six seasons. Manchester City and Manchester United are bitter rivals. Before joining Manchester United, he played one season for Sporting CP, a club in his native Portugal. But after he left Manchester United, he went on to star for Spanish giants Real Madrid, where he played for nine seasons from 2009-18. As rumors have started to swirl over Ronaldo's future, he posted a message to his verified Instagram account on August 17, referring to the speculation about his future as a "disrespect." Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or five times in his career, helping Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus all win league titles. He has a combined five Champions League titles in his career and could help Manchester City win its first after losing in the final last year. Ronaldo remains a threat on the pitch, scoring 60 goals in 66 Serie A matches over the last two seasons. It could create an exciting partnership if Manchester City is able to complete the move before the transfer window closes Tuesday.

Serena Williams is Withdraws of Wimbledon

Serena Williams bit her upper lip. She held her left hand over her mouth and tried to hold back tears while getting ready to serve. It was the first set of her first-round match Tuesday at Wimbledon, and Williams knew this stay at a tournament where she has won seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles was about to end because she hurt her right leg when she lost her footing behind a baseline. Moments later, her legs buckled as she tried to change directions to chase a shot by her opponent, 100th-ranked Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus.

Williams dropped to her knees, her head down on the grass. She used her racket to help her stand, but only so she could limp to the net to concede just the second mid-match retirement at any Grand Slam tournament of her career and first since 1998. “I was heartbroken to have to withdraw today,” Williams said in a statement released by the tournament. “Feeling the extraordinary warmth and support of the crowd today when I walked on and off the court,” she said, “meant the world to me.” Said Sasnovich: “She’s a great champion, and it’s (a) sad story.” Roger Federer surely articulated a common sentiment when told by a reporter what happened to Williams. “Oh, my God,” he said. “I can’t believe it.” Williams was serving while leading 3-1 at Centre Court where the retractable roof was shut because of rain that forced the postponement of two dozen matches until Wednesday when her left shoe seemed to lose its traction while she was hitting a forehand. Williams winced and stepped gingerly between points, clearly troubled. After dropping that game, she asked to visit with a trainer and took a medical timeout. She tried to continue playing. The crowd tried to offer support and encouragement. Eventually, the 39-year-old American couldn’t continue. The chair umpire climbed down to check on her, and they walked together up to the net; the score was 3-all, 15-30 when Williams stopped. Williams, who began the match with her right thigh heavily taped, raised her racket with right arm and put her left palm on her chest. Then she waved to the spectators. Officially, this goes in the books as only the second first-round Grand Slam exit of Williams’ career. The other came at the 2012 French Open, where she was beaten by Virginie Razzano. Shortly after that, Williams teamed up with coach Patrick Mouratoglou and began accumulating majors to eclipse Steffi Graf’s professional era record of 22 and move within one of Margaret Court’s all-era mark of 24. “All the best for her,” said Sasnovich, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2018 for her best Grand Slam result. Williams’ departure makes a wide-open women’s draw even more so. As it was, defending champion Simona Halep and four-time major champ Naomi Osaka withdrew before the tournament started. And so, even as her 40th birthday approaches in September, Williams was among the top contenders. With her best-in-the-game serve and stinging groundstrokes, she had made it to the past four finals when she entered Wimbledon winning in 2015 and 2016, missing the tournament while pregnant in 2017, then finishing as the runner-up in 2018 and 2019 (it was canceled last year because of the pandemic). Williams was hardly the first player to find it difficult to deal with the slick grass over the first two days of main-draw play. In the match that preceded hers in the main stadium, eight-time Wimbledon champion Federer advanced when his opponent, Adrian Mannarino, injured his right knee late in the fourth set when he tumbled near the same spot Williams did. Federer was trailing two sets to one, but ahead 4-2 in the fourth, when Mannarino fell. He tried to continue but dropped eight of nine points when they resumed and called it quits. “Obviously,” Federer acknowledged, “he was the better player.” Novak Djokovic fell twice in the first set of his first-round victory Monday at Centre Court, too. “I do feel it feels a tad more slippery, maybe, under the roof. I don’t know if it’s just a gut feeling. You do have to move very, very carefully out there. If you push too hard in the wrong moments, you do go down,” Federer said. “I do feel it’s drier during the day. With the wind and all that stuff, it takes the moist out of the grass. But this is obviously terrible.” It was, by far, the most significant development Tuesday, when the winners included Williams’ older sister, 41-year-old Venus, 17-year-old Coco Gauff, reigning French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova and No. 1 seed Ash Barty in the women’s bracket, and No. 2 Daniil Medvedev, No. 4 Alexander Zverev and No. 10 Denis Shapovalov in the men’s. Sebastian Korda a 20-year-old American whose father, Petr, won the 1998 Australian Open and whose sisters, No. 1-ranked Nelly and No. 13 Jessica, are on the LPGA Tour made a successful Wimbledon debut, eliminating No. 15 seed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5). Venus Williams accumulated 10 aces by smacking serves at up to 114 mph not quite like the old days, but not too shabby, either. She drove forehands to corners. She made her way to the net for crisp volleys. And when it was all over, she celebrated her first Wimbledon match win since 2018 by raising her arms and yelling “Come on!” before reprising her familiar smile-and-twirl wave at No. 3 Court. A five-time singles champion at the All England Club who is making her 23rd appearance here, the elder Williams sister began her record-extending 90th Grand Slam tournament with her 90th career victory at Wimbledon, beating Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. Venus Williams is a former No. 1-ranked player who came into this week ranked 111th and having lost in the first or second round at the past eight majors. That included a first-round exit in 2019 at the All England Club against a then-15-year-old Gauff. “You can’t win them all. Life is about how you handle challenges. Each point is a challenge on the court. No one gives you anything,” said Venus Williams, who was diagnosed a decade ago with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain. “I like to think I handle my challenges well.”

Portugal advances, Ronaldo scores 2 to reach 109 goals

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties to tie the overall men’s scoring record with 109 goals and Portugal advanced to the round of 16 at the European Championship after a 2-2 draw with France on Wednesday. Ronaldo's tournament-leading fourth and fifth goals moved him level with former Iran striker Ali Daei at 109, while also extending his overall tournament record to 14. Karim Benzema scored both of France's goals, his first ever at the tournament after failing to find the target at Euro 2008 and 2012. Defending champion Portugal finished in third place in the group, one spot behind Germany. France, which had already qualified, was first.

Ronaldo scored the opening goal in the 31st minute and then equalized from the spot in the 60th after Benzema put World Cup champion France ahead 2-1 shortly after halftime from Paul Pogba’s pass. Benzema also scored a penalty in first-half injury time after Kylian Mbappe was fouled. It was Benzema’s first international goal in nearly six years after losing his place in the team following a fallout with coach Didier Deschamps. Pogba almost scored a winner for France midway through the second half, but Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio made a superb one-handed save to tip his curling shot off the crossbar and then saved Antoine Griezmann’s follow up shot. France will face Switzerland in the next round and Portugal will take on Belgium. The 36-year-old Ronaldo’s historic run began 17 years ago when he scored his first goal for Portugal in a 2-1 loss to Greece during the group stage at Euro 2004. Before Wednesday, he had never previously scored against France. He put that right, but only after teammate Danilo had received treatment on the field after France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris misread a free kick and punched Danilo’s face. Lloris was shown a yellow card by Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz, who then immediately signaled for medical assistance and awarded a penalty. Danilo’s legs were writhing for a few seconds as he received treatment from medics. France was given a penalty just before halftime after Nelson Semedo cut across Mbappe as he was running to meet another pass from Pogba. The decision stood following a quick video review. Benzema had missed his previous penalty for Les Bleus on his international comeback in a friendly against against Wales earlier this month. He didn't mis this time. Ronaldo went to shake Benzema's hand and even put his arm around him as they walked off smiling at halftime. They then swapped jerseys as they walked down the tunnel.

World Champion Snowboarder Alex Pullin Drowns While Spearfishing in Australia

Alex Pullin, a two-time world snowboard champion and Winter Olympian, drowned Wednesday while he was spearfishing in an artificial reef on Australia's Gold Coast. He was 32 years old.

A nearby snorkeler first noticed Pullin's body the morning of the incident and reported it to local authorities. He was taken from the water then given CPR and life saving treatment from lifeguards and paramedics, but it was not enough to save his life.

"Another diver was out there and located him on the sea floor and raised the attention of nearby surfers who sought lifeguards to bring him in," police told the Associated Press. "He didn't have an oxygen mask. We understand he was free diving and spearfishing out on the reef."

Pullin's accomplishments in the sport include winning gold medals in the cross event at the 2011 La Molina and 2013 Stoneham world championships. He also served as Australia's flag bearer for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Snow Australia, the winter sports body for the country, released a statement to express their sadness over what happened.

"Our deepest condolences are with Alex's family, as well as his teammates and support staff," Snow Australia said. "Alex was a beloved member of the Snow Australia community and he will be dearly missed."

Deron Williams Net Worth in 2020 and All You Need to Know

Today we’ll be shedding some light on Deron Williams net worth and how was his early and personal life. Deron Michael Williams is a former American professional basketball player. He is a Gold medallist on the United States National Team at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.

Williams was born on 26th June 1984 in West Virginia, US. He was born to Byron Williams and Denise Smith. His father left them and then his mother Denise took care of him. She is a computer programmer and was also an athlete who used to play well in school. He also has a brother named Kendall who was born when he was 10. His mother got him into sports and he loved basketball and played at a high level as a child. He was a part of the local youth leagues where he became friends with Darius Harper, whose father was an NBA star.

Deron Williams married his schoolmate and long-time girlfriend Amy Young in 2006. They have two daughters named Denae and Daija and a son named Desmond together. They also adopted a kid, naming him Deron Jr. in 2009. The kid was diagnosed with autism when he was only 18 months.

The colony recruited Williams and Bracey which is said to be one of the top training programs in the country. After completing high school, various programs recruited him but he accepted a scholarship from the University of Illinois. He was one of the consistent players in the team. Illinois won Big Ten Tournament and was at #1. After the junior season, he was signed by Utah Jazz for $16 million. Williams began playing in 2005 and won #1 for Rookie of the Year.

He was a player in the National Team for the USA in the Olympics. In 2008, they defeated the 2006 World Champions Spain and secured the gold medal. In 2012, they again won beating Spain by 107-100, and Williams’ average was 9.0 points per game.

After playing for Utah Jazz for many seasons, in 2011 he was traded to New Jersey Nets. The Nets were one of the highest-scoring teams even though Williams played only 12 games due to his wrist injury. In 2011, he was in lockout as he had signed with FIBA EuroChallenge which did not allow him to play anywhere else. After the lockout ended, he returned to the Nets. In 2012, he signed a $98.7 million contract for 5 years with the Nets. His game was always setting a new record every time and he maintained his spot.

After two seasons, things were getting bad and the Nets lost a series of six games after which they waived Williams’ contract in 2015. He had a buyout for the last two seasons and consequently went on to join Dallas Mavericks. He kept missing games due to several injuries and was waived by Dallas as well. In 2017, he signed with Cleveland Cavaliers and his game had improved. He took the team to the NBA finals for the first time even though eventually they lost to Golden State Warriors.

Williams also made a guest appearance on the Disney show ‘The Suite Life on Deck’ as himself in its third Season. He was selected as the cover athlete on XBOX 360 for the game NBA Baller Beats. He was paid his final installment by the Nets on 30th June 2020 to finally complete his contract. After his game deteriorated and the Nets waived him off, the final amount of the buyout was paid.

Deron Williams’ net worth is estimated to be approximately $55 million. He has earned a fortune as a basketball player and had a salary of $60 million during his seven seasons with NBA. Williams has also endorsed brands such as Nike, Red Bull, Vitaminwater, and MetroPCS. He owns cars such as Porsche, Audi R8, GMC, Mercedes Benz, and Lamborghini Aventador. His professional athlete life cycle has come to an end and currently, he is not playing. There is no information available regarding any other assets that he owns. We will update you as soon as we get any details. So, for further updates stay tuned.

Eagles’ Chris Long Calls Out Laura Ingraham, ‘Fox News,’ For Telling LeBron To ‘Shut Up And Dribble’

Fox News’ Laura Ingraham told LeBron James and Kevin Durant to stick to sports when they expressed views on politics, including their thoughts that Donald Trump was a disappointment, but will she do the same to Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long, who is calling her out as a hypocrite? Long is taking offense to the idea that Ingraham says that athletes need to stick to sports, and can’t share their views on politics or what’s going on in the country, especially since Fox News routinely brings on athletes and other celebrities to dish the political dirt, but only if they are in line with the Fox News political, right-wing agenda, which Long says, LeBron didn’t. Fox News Laura Ingraham Said That LeBron James Needed To ‘Shut Up And Dribble’ Laura Ingraham took time out of her show on Fox News to tell LeBron James and Kevin Durant to stay in their lane after they were asked about their thoughts on politics and society on an ESPN radio show. “You’re great players but no one voted for you. Millions elected Trump to be their coach. So keep the political commentary to yourself or, as someone once said, shut up and dribble.” Laura Ingraham also called out the grammar and diction of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, calling it “unintelligible and ungrammatical,” and because there were some curse words, “R-rated.” Chris Long says you can’t have it both ways. But Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long, son of NFL legend Howie Long, is not letting Laura Ingraham get by with dismissing LeBron James and Kevin Durant as “dumb jocks” who shouldn’t be able to share their opinions on anything but basketball, says the Washington Post.

Chris Long posted photos of various athletes are other celebrities who have been invited onto Fox News to talk politics, including Caitlyn Jenner, Fabio, Chuck Norris, Jon Voight, Kid Rock, Bobby Knight, Ted Nugent, and Curt Schilling, all of whom share points of view and race that differ from LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Chris Long, who donated his 2017 salary to charity, and has spoken out against police brutality, wrote a response to the way LeBron James and Kevin Durant were dismissed by Fox News’ Laura Ingraham. Long says it’s unacceptable. “The point is, what’s the prerequisite for who can talk politics? So, Fox News folks who agree with Laura … you okay with these segments? And if you reply, ‘stick to sports,’ you should probably tune out of Fox News because they’ve got karate guys talking climate change on there. (Which I’m cool with it’s his right.) Unless it’s just about you needing to feel like you’ve got control of athletes like LeBron.” On Twitter, someone commented that other news networks have agendas, but not Fox News. Long says that everyone has agendas and opinions, but why is the opinion of an actor or a singer ahead of some athletes? “EVERYONE FOLLOWS AN AGENDA. The conversation pertains to shutting down athletes speaking on politics or social issues based on some lack of merit, yet giving Fabio a platform.” Chris Long, who along with teammate Torrey Smith, is skipping the Philadelphia Eagles’ trip to the White House, thought it was out of bounds for Laura Ingraham to dismiss LeBron James’ opinions as ignorant. Supporters shared a photo of Gene Simmons talking about health care reform, Dog the Bounty Hunter talking about the fitness of Marco Rubio as a candidate, Ted Nugent weighing in on the alt-right marches in Charlottesville, Virginia, which happens to be the hometown of Chris Long, and basketball coach Bobby Knight talking about Donald Trump’s intellect, all on the Twitter page of Chris Long, and Long is retweeting like crazy.