The Athletic

Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium, with his one-game red-card ban that he received against Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended.

Caitlin Clark put up the WNBA's first 40-point and 10-assist game EVER on Friday vs. the Storm 🔥

◽️ 45 points (Fever franchise record)
◽️ 11/18 FG
◽️ 6/10 3PT
◽️ 10 AST
◽️ 4 STL

Jordan Walker is making $799,400 as a Cardinal this year.

He won $1,000,000 as the 2026 Home Run Derby champion on Monday night.

H/T @tylerkepner.bsky.social

nyti.ms/4aSRsW2

LeBron James will play his 24th NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers, The Athletic confirms.

The King is headed to The City of Brotherly Love 👑

Angel Reese’s “Bayou Barbie” nickname now has more meaning and reach on her mission to inspire young girls and grow as a cultural figure.

The Atlanta Dream All-Star’s signature Barbie doll will debut during the WNBA’s All-Star weekend.

A JORDAN WALKER WALK-OFF 👑

The Cardinals slugger has won the 2026 Home Run Derby in dramatic fashion.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a five-year rookie contract extension, the team announced Friday.

The deal is worth $252 million, according to an ESPN report.

More details: nyti.ms/3T9AXyH

A phone call from Donald Trump. A legal strategy from U.S. Soccer. A suspended ban for Folarin Balogun despite FIFA's rules.

Inside the decision that has sparked one of the World Cup's biggest-ever controversies: nyti.ms/4eUWsKU

These two are about to face one another in the 2026 World Cup final.

Lionel Messi x Lamine Yamal.

nyti.ms/4psDTTo

The “gooool” of the 2026 World Cup does not belong to Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane.

Instead, that honor belongs to Livano Comenencia of Curacao, the tournament’s smallest participant.

Kylian Mbappé at the men's World Cup:

◽️ 18 games
◽️ 17 goals (second most ever)
◽️ 9 knockout goals (most ever)

Oh, and he's only 27 years old.

Mark McGwire never won a Home Run Derby in a Cardinals uniform. Neither did Albert Pujols. No St. Louis player had ever won the event...

Until Jordan Walker.

nyti.ms/3RzqlJ1

Ryan Clark was on ESPN’s “NFL Live” on Monday when he was informed of the company's decision to cut ties during the show, sources tell @andrewmarchand.bsky.social.

Clark did not finish the program.

The Athletic @theathletic.com

ESPN has cut ties with NFL analyst Ryan Clark, sources briefed on the move told @andrewmarchand.bsky.social. Clark had been with the network for a decade and was slated to be a large part in its Super Bowl 61 coverage. nyti.ms/4b3oByo

The USMNT's futility against Belgium continues.

The Red Devils have beaten the U.S. for nearly a century, including eliminating the Americans in two of their last three World Cup appearances.

Kylian Mbappé officially wins the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot 🏆

nyti.ms/3T96Bwo

UPDATE: The WNBA has suspended Sandy Brondello without pay for one game for an inappropriate comment she made regarding Angel Reese.

nyti.ms/4vFLq2z

The Athletic @theathletic.com

Toronto Tempo coach Sandy Brondello apologized to Angel Reese after Brondello was heard calling Reese a “protected species” following a foul on Friday night. Here’s what happened: nyti.ms/4vFLq2z

Lionel Messi helped bathe a five-month-old Lamine Yamal as part of a charity photoshoot back in December 2007.

It is such an extraordinary coincidence that it scarcely feels believable, Messi admitted on Friday.

nyti.ms/4wPhn9A

Naomi Osaka knocked Aryna Sabalenka out of Wimbledon in straight sets.

With a 6-2, 7-6(2) victory, Osaka had her biggest win since she returned to the tour after pregnancy in 2024, and perhaps even since her last Grand Slam title win in February of 2021.

nyti.ms/4eN8PtQ

The 2026 World Cup last four teams standing:

🇫🇷 France vs. Spain 🇪🇸
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs. Argentina 🇦🇷

The Boston Celtics are trading 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for a package centered around Paul George, a source tells @byjayking.bsky.social.

With 22 goals, France's Kylian Mbappé has broken the all-time men's World Cup goalscoring record 🇫🇷

LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, will play in his 24th NBA season, but for a team other than the Los Angeles Lakers, The Athletic confirms.

James has not announced where he will play next, but felt it was time to move on.

Karl Ravech, one of ESPN's most prominent voices for more than three decades, is expected to be laid off as part of the company's latest round of cuts, sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic.

nyti.ms/4vJD4XJ

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun told CBS that he could see the effect his red card suspension being overturned had on his team.

"I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves."

More, via @paultenorio.bsky.social: nyti.ms/4fwy8k1