SPORTS

LEBRON JAMES NEEDS TIME TO DECIDE NBA FUTURE AFTER LAKERS LIMP OUT OF PLAYOFFS

Photo Credit: Getty Images

NBA superstar LeBron James says he'll take time to decide whether to return for a 23rd season after his Los Angeles Lakers were dumped out of the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. "I don't know," James said when asked how many more years he would play. "I don't have the answer to that. (It's) Something I sit down with my family, my wife and my support group, and kind of just talk through it and see what happens and just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play."

NBA HALL OF FAMER AND DALLAS COACH JASON KIDD JOINS EVERTON'S OWNERSHIP GROUP

Photo Credit: Getty Images

NBA Hall of Famer and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has become a new addition to Everton's ownership group, the Premier League club said on Thursday. Kidd has joined Roundhouse Capital Holdings, which is part of The Friedkin Group that took over the Merseyside club in December.

FALCONS COACH'S SON APOLOGIZES FOR NFL DRAFT PRANK CALL TO SHEDEUR SANDERS

Photo Credit:Getty Images

In a stunning admission that has rippled through NFL circles, 21-year-old Jax Ulbrich confessed to prank-calling quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders during one of the most pivotal moments of the young athlete's career—the 2025 NFL Draft.

CELTICS MAKE COMMAND STATEMENT

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Bloodied and bruised, the defending champion Boston Celtics warned NBA rivals who want to intimidate them with a physical style that they are ready to trade blows with anybody. Jaylen Brown scored 36 points, going 5-of-7 from three-point range, and the host Celtics defeated Orlando 109-100 on Wednesday, seizing a 2-0 lead in an Eastern Conference first round best-of-seven series that continues Friday in Orlando.

ANTHONY EDWARDS ACCUSED OF TRYING TO SEAL DOCUMENTS IN ONGOING PATERNITY BATTLE WITH AYESHA HOWARD.

Photo Credit:Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

NBA star Anthony Edwards is embroiled in a contentious legal battle with Ayesha Howard over the paternity and custody of their daughter, Aubri Summers, born in October 2024. Howard, who previously had a child with rapper Lil Baby, alleges that Edwards urged her to terminate the pregnancy upon learning of it and subsequently cut off communication. She has submitted alleged text messages in court to support her claims.

SIMONE BILES, MONDO DUPLANTIS AND A NIGHT OF SPORTING LEGENDS AT THE LAUREUS AWARDS

Photo Credit:KEYSTONE/EPA/Mariscal

In Madrid, a city known for its magic on the pitch, it was another kind of excellence being celebrated as the Laureus World Sports Awards turned 25. Athletes from around the globe gathered to honor the best in sport, and this year, Olympic heroes from Paris took center stage. Simone Biles, already a legend in her own right, walked away with her fourth Sportswoman of the Year award, tying tennis queen Serena Williams for the most wins ever. With three gold medals and a silver added to her stunning resume in Paris, Biles continues to show that greatness isn't just about talent, it's about perseverance, passion, and inspiring the next generation.

“I won this award for the first time in 2017, and Laureus has been part of my story since,” she said, reflecting on the significance of the moment. And she’s right — somewhere, a little girl watched her on that Olympic stage and decided she could be strong too.

Across the room, Swedish pole vault sensation Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis had his own golden moment, snagging the Sportsman of the Year award. Having shattered his own world record and becoming the first pole vaulter to win back-to-back Olympic golds since 1956, Mondo’s win felt destined. But he took it all in stride with a grin: “It’s harder to win a Laureus than an Olympic gold!” he joked, joining a hall of fame that includes giants like Djokovic, Bolt, Nadal, and Messi.

Yet it wasn’t just about the wins. Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who nearly quit after her third ACL tear, returned to Paris with fire, leaving with four medals and one of the night’s most touching honors: Comeback of the Year. The image of Biles and teammate Jordan Chiles bowing to her on the podium? Iconic. “Paris showed that camaraderie can exist between competitors,” Andrade said, and her words hit home.

Teen prodigy Lamine Yamal added youthful sparkle to the night, winning Breakthrough of the Year after rewriting European Championship history before his 17th birthday. And though Real Madrid won Team of the Year, the real MVPs were those using sport for change — like Kick4Life, who received the Sport for Good Award for their work with youth in Lesotho.

In a world that can feel divided, the Laureus Awards reminded everyone of the magic of sport — not just the medals, but the grit, the comebacks, the unity, and the dreams it fuels. For one night in Madrid, the world of sport didn’t just celebrate champions — it celebrated humanity.

KOBE BRYANT'S NBA DEBUT JERSEY FETCHES $7 MILLION IN RECORD-BREAKING AUCTION

Photo Credit:Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty Images

A piece of basketball history has just set a new benchmark in sports memorabilia. The jersey worn by the late Kobe Bryant during his NBA debut season sold for an astounding $7 million at auction on Thursday, according to Sotheby’s. This sale marks the highest amount ever paid for any item associated with the Los Angeles Lakers legend, who tragically passed away in a 2020 helicopter crash alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others.