Oneil Cruz hits hardest ball ever recorded with towering home run
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz has one of the most exciting skill sets in Major League Baseball, and he found a new way to remind fans of that on Sunday.
Cruz blasted a solo home run to right field during the bottom of the third inning of the Pirates game against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Sunday. If you blinked, you probably would not have seen the ball leave the park.
Cruz’s home run left his bat at 122.9 mph, which made it the hardest-hit ball of the Statcast era. Statcast was officially installed in all 30 MLB ballparks in 2015, so no player has hit a ball harder than Cruz in the past decade.
The ball landed comfortably in the Allegheny River.
Oneil Cruz just hit this ball 122.9 mph.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 25, 2025
That is the hardest hit ball in the Statcast era. pic.twitter.com/dZYilTHie1
You can see another angle of the record-setting swing:
Oneil Cruz's 122.9 MPH homer was the hardest-hit ball of the Statcast Era 😳 pic.twitter.com/VfzAcPLwg8
— MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2025
The home run was the 10th in 45 games this season for Cruz, so he is easily on pace for a career high in that category. He finished with 21 home runs in 146 games last season.
If you remember, Cruz also threw one of the hardest balls of the season a few years back. The 26-year-old has rare physical traits, which is why he is one of the most exciting players in baseball.
Rafael Nadal brought to tears by surprise during French Open farewell ceremony
Rafael Nadal was honored in a farewell ceremony at the French Open on Sunday, and the “King of Clay” was overwhelmed with emotion at the support he was shown.
Nadal, who won a record 14 times at Roland-Garros, received a standing ovation as he walked onto Court Philippe-Chatrier from the locker room. He fought back tears as a highlight reel was played for him on the video board in front of roughly 15,000 fans.
Part of the video included a message from fellow tennis legends Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. The trio then walked onto the court to take part in the tribute to their former rival.
Djokovic is playing in the French Open, but Federer and Murray made unexpected appearances.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray surprised Rafael Nadal at his Roland-Garros farewell ceremony 🥹👏
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 25, 2025
4 TENNIS LEGENDS. 🎾💯 pic.twitter.com/yjSCzGFuJv
A plaque displaying Nadal’s footprint was also unveiled on the court, where it will remain. Nadal said he initially thought it was only for the 2025 tournament.
“When I saw it, I thought it would only be for this year. When they told me it would be forever, I can’t describe my emotions,” Nadal said. “It’s a great honor. I was thrilled to know it would be present on the most important court of my career.”
Rafa Nadal on his footprint staying on court Philippe-Chatrier forever:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 25, 2025
"When I saw it, I thought it would only be for this year. When they told me it would be forever, I can’t describe my emotions. It's a great honor. I was thrilled to know it would be present on the most… pic.twitter.com/o8Ny4e9qW3
Nadal, winner of 22 grand slams overall, delivered a speech in English, French and his native Spanish. He spoke about how much it meant to him to have Federer, Murray and Djokovic in attendance.
“After all these years fighting for everything it’s unbelievable how the time changes perspective of everything. You don’t know yet, Novak. Probably you know already, Andy. With Roger, we have talked about it a couple times. All of the nerves, pressure, strange feelings you feel when we see each other when we are rivals. It’s completely different when you finish your career. At the end, now, it’s all about being happy about everything that we achieved. At the end, all of us achieved our dreams. We became tennis players. Played in the most important stages of our careers. I think we built amazing rivalries but at the same time in a good way. We showed the world that we can fight as hard as possible, but being good colleagues and respect each other very well.”
Rafa Nadal said beautiful words to Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray during his Roland Garros tribute:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 25, 2025
“After all these years fighting for everything it’s unbelievable how the time changes perspective of everything. You don’t know yet Novak. Probably you know… pic.twitter.com/LdTLarRPFT
Nadal’s career record at the French Open was 112-4. He reached the finals 14 times and never lost when going that deep into the tournament.
Nadal, who will turn 39 next month, played his final competitive match last November before retiring.
Travis Hunter surprises his new wife with incredible wedding gift
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter married fiancée Leanna Lenee on Saturday, and apparently surprised her with quite the wedding gift.
Video from Hunter’s wedding showed him and Lenee cutting the ribbon on a very impressive gift. Hunter seemingly got his wife a customized Mercedes-Benz SUV, modified by German luxury brand Brabus.
There is no way of knowing the exact value of the vehicle, but it would be well over $500,000.
God’s blessings, health and wealth to Mr. & Mrs. Travis Hunter!🤵🏾♂️👰🏻♀️🍾❤️#TravisHunter #SkoBuffs #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/mWlQbUo00s
— Ossacin’s Ducktail (@OssacinDucktail) May 24, 2025
Hunter’s rookie contract with the Jaguars is worth $46.65 million with a $30.6 million signing bonus. He can certainly afford a lavish wedding gift such as this one.
Hunter and Lenee had some drama prior to their wedding, as Lenee admitted that Hunter had cheated on a previous girlfriend before they got together. She also experienced some backlash for her behavior at the Heisman Trophy ceremony last December. The scrutiny led Lenee to temporarily deactivate her Instagram page. Clearly, the drama did not impact the couple too much.
Even though Hunter has not been flawless during rookie camp, he clearly has a bright future ahead of him both personally and professionally. The Jaguars rookie is expected to play on both sides of the ball in the NFL, and the Jaguars hope he can be a franchise-changing player.
Indy 500 has incredible tribute to US Army
The Indy 500 was held on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, and it began with an awesome tribute to the United States Army.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army being established on June 14, 1775. With the Indy 500 being held annually on Memorial Day Weekend, a special tribute was planned for the U.S. Army at the start of the race.
Two Apache helicopters flew around the track hovering over the field during the pace lap:
A pace lap for America with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/xytDqWSIjs
— INDYCAR on FOX (@IndyCarOnFOX) May 25, 2025
The Indy 500 announced the plans before the race and dubbed the tribute the “Pace Lap for America.”
Sunday’s race was the 109th edition of the Indy 500. American driver Josef Newgarden is the back-to-back defending champion at the event.
ESPN has come up with plan for ‘Around the Horn’ time slot
The final episode of “Around the Horn” aired on Friday, and ESPN is not planning to replace the show with an entirely new program as of now.
ESPN on Tuesday will begin airing a half-hour edition of “SportsCenter” in its 5:00 p.m. time slot, according to a report from Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Matt Barrie and Christine Williamson will be the primary anchors for the show and will continue to host the 2:00 p.m. edition of “SportsCenter” as well.
Both Barrie and Williamson serve in a variety of roles for ESPN. Barrie, who has been with the network since 2013, hosts ESPN’s studio coverage of college football on Saturdays during the season. He has also helped out with coverage of the Masters and serves as a play-by-play announcer for some weekday college football games.
Williamson was hired by ESPN in 2019 and works on “SC on Snap and “Hoop Streams” in addition to hosting “SportsCenter.”
An ESPN spokesperson told Glasspiegel that the 30-minute edition of “SportsCenter” will occupy the slot that previously belonged to “Around the Horn” for at least several months. A new show could come into play after that.
There have been a number of ideas floated regarding what ESPN can do with its 5:00 p.m. time slot. A report late last year said the network was considering an expansion of another popular program. Another idea that was explored involved Shannon Sharpe, but he has since taken a temporary hiatus from ESPN in the wake of recent allegations a woman made against him.
What happened to ‘Around the Horn?’
ESPN’s decision to cancel “Around the Horn” came as a surprise to many, as the program had aired on the network since 2002. One theory is that the show became too political and ESPN executives were unhappy about that.
Tony Reali, who was the host of “Around the Horn” since Max Kellerman left in 2004, was asked this week about the claims that ESPN canceled the show because it became “too woke.” Reali explained why he does not believe that is the case.
Commanders’ Mike Sainristil hilariously pranks Jayden Daniels
Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil is up on the TikTok trends, and he recently tried one out on his teammate, quarterback Jayden Daniels, ending in sheer hilarity.
Sainristil prank-called Daniels, simply wishing him “goodnight.” Daniel wasn’t feeling it.
“I was just calling to say goodnight,” Sainristil said, holding back his laughter.
“Bro, what the f–k,” Daniels replied. “You straight, dog?”
Sainristil had to put Daniels on mute as he and someone off screen couldn’t contain themselves any longer and burst out laughing.
“You my dog, bro. I’m just checking in real quick,” Sainristil said.
“I just talked to you five minutes ago,” Daniels shot back.
Sainristil told Daniels to “sleep well,” leaving the quarterback in stunned silence for a moment.
“Hey, bro. Bro,” Daniels said. “I don’t know what type of shenanigans you’re on, but you’re acting real bonkers right now.”
Sainristil prank-called several of his other Washington teammates as well. The reactions varied with some similar to Daniels and others recognizing the prank and having their own fun with it.
The calls showcase the light-hearted nature of the Commanders’ locker room and the notable franchise changes since the exit of former owner Daniel Snyder.
Lando Norris wins Monaco Grand Prix for first time
Lando Norris on Sunday won the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time in his career, doing so from pole position. It was the first win at Monaco for McLaren since Lewis Hamilton won in 2008.
On a track where overtaking is difficult and results are usually determined by qualifying, a new rule this year requiring two pit stops had very little to no effect on the race. Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, and Max Verstappen finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. Norris now only trails Piastri by three points in the drivers’ championship.
Mercedes had another disappointing weekend where both drivers failed to make it out of Q2, resulting in no points for the team.
On the other hand, Red Bull had an impressive showing, getting double points with Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson finishing sixth and ninth.
All eyes will now be on next weeks Spanish GP, where a new set of regulations will come in to play. With the “flexi-wing” being eliminated, many teams, especially Red Bull, are hopeful that it will eliminate the completive advantage McLaren has had over the rest of the field.
Ex-Penn State player seriously injured, girlfriend killed in ATV accident
A former Penn State and Ohio State wide receiver suffered serious injuries in an ATV accident that resulted in the death of his girlfriend on Friday night.
Julian Fleming, who played at Penn State last season following four years with the Buckeyes, was involved in a fatal ATV accident in Columbia Township, Pa, according to an official report from the Pennsylvania State Police.
Police said the 24-year-old Fleming, who was listed as the driver of the ATV, suffered a “suspected serious injury” and was transported to the hospital. Alyssa Boyd, a passenger, was pronounced dead at the scene. Boyd was 23.
Mark Brennan of 247Sports reports that Boyd was Fleming’s girlfriend and that Fleming had been released from the hospital as of Sunday morning.
The police report states that the ATV “collided with a deer that had jumped out in the roadway.” Neither Fleming nor Boyd were wearing safety equipment.
Boyd’s Instagram profile indicates that she was a student at the University of Alabama. Her most recent post was one in which she posed for a photo alongside Boyd at a Penn State game with the caption “Proud of you 3.”
Fleming was a 5-star recruit coming out of Southern Columbia High School in Catawissa, Pa., in 2019. He was one of the top wide receiver prospects in the country.
Fleming had 14 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown at Penn State last season. Fleming’s best collegiate season came with Ohio State in 2022, when he had 34 catches for 522 yards and 6 touchdowns.
After going undrafted last month, Fleming initially signed a deal with the Green Bay Packers. However, he did not join the team due to failing a physical with hip and back injuries.
Jim Nantz thinks 1 NFL game could set viewership records in 2025
Several of the most-watched regular-season games in NFL history have taken place on Thanksgiving Day, and Jim Nantz believes one of the next Turkey Day matchups has a chance to be the biggest ever.
Nantz spoke about the 2025 NFL schedule during an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” Thursday. The longtime CBS play-by-play announcer discussed some of the nine CBS games that the Kansas City Chiefs have this upcoming season, and he made a big prediction about the one on Thanksgiving Day.
The Dallas Cowboys are hosting the Chiefs in Week 13 on Thanksgiving Day. Nantz called the teams “two of the biggest brands right now in the NFL” and said he expects that game to set viewership records.
“To put those two gigantic brands together on the most-watched day of the regular season in the NFL, it’s gonna set records,” Nantz said, as transcribed by Reice Shipley of Awful Announcing. “That’s not what I’m out for it to do. I just hope it’s a great football game. It will be a wonderful matchup to call on Thanksgiving. KC at Dallas, it’s the game we wanted. We wanted KC and Buffalo, also. I think those are the headlines on our schedule.”
Eisen, who noted that Nantz is not a “clickbaiter,” agreed that the game has a chance to be the most-watched regular-season game Nantz has ever called.
“I think, and I have spoken with people at the NFL as well when the schedule came out, I think the Chiefs-Cowboys could be the most-watched game that you have ever called in a regular season,” Eisen said.
The Cowboys played the New York Giants on Thanksgiving in 2022, and that currently stands as the most-watched game in NFL regular-season history with 42.1 million viewers. If Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott are both healthy in Week 13, there is no reason to doubt that this year’s Chiefs-Cowboys game could surpass that number.
In addition to their Thanksgiving Day matchup, the Cowboys and Chiefs are both playing on Christmas Day as well. Kansas City will host the Denver Broncos while Dallas will be on the road against the Washington Commanders. Fans all made the same joke about the Cowboys playing on both holidays.
College baseball player’s mother ejected during taunting incident
A crazy scene unfolded during Saturday’s Southern Conference tournament baseball game between Mercer and Samford, and a player’s mother was among those who were ejected.
Samford outfielder Michael Gupton blasted a home run to center field to give his team a 5-1 lead in the sixth inning at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. As he rounded the bases, Gupton stopped to say something to Mercer shortstop Bradley Frye. Gupton then began taunting the Mercer dugout as he made his way to home plate.
It is unclear what issue Gupton had with his opponents, but he could not rub the home run in their faces enough. Frye took exception to the antics and began making his way toward Gupton, though the umpires stood in the way.
You can see the video:
Samford hits a bomb. Dude taunts the whole stadium. Mercer takes players off the field in protest.
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 25, 2025
This leagueeeeeee pic.twitter.com/9kuEcABxCe
Tensions ran so high that Mercer manager Craig Gibson decided to pull his team off the field in what appeared to be some sort of protest. Southern Conference commissioner Michael Cross went down to the field to speak with the umpiring crew during what ended up being a 25-minute break in the action. Umpires decided to eject Gupton, Frye, Mercer pitching coach Tanner Gordon and Samford assistant coach Gil Walker, according to Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports.
A fan was then ejected as well — Frye’s mother. She was escorted from the ballpark after climbing onto the dugout following her son’s ejection.
The mother of the Mercer SS has been ejected pic.twitter.com/Z3U0Tba1vs
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 25, 2025
The dust eventually settled and the game continued, but another player was ejected a short while later. Mercer’s third baseman was tossed after he shoved a Samford player who was thrown out in a rundown.
Mercer 3rd baseman has now been ejected for shoving Samford player pic.twitter.com/Uj9qcEbLSu
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) May 25, 2025
Samford held on to win 5-1 and advance to the SoCon championship game. They will face ETSU with the conference title on the line.
We can’t remember another baseball game where there was mayhem quite like that.
Brittney Griner could be disciplined by WNBA
Brittney Griner made headlines this week for the way she voiced her frustrations during two different games, and it is possible the Atlanta Dream star could be disciplined by the WNBA.
Griner was angry with the officiating during the Dream’s 83-75 win over the Dallas Wings at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Ga. Just before she started an on-court interview with CBS Sports, Griner walked toward a referee and began complaining about the way the game was being officiated.
Griner could be heard yelling “be f–ing better!” before she returned to be interviewed. You can see the video here.
The outburst should result in a fine for Griner, at the very least. Like all other leagues, the WNBA has rules governing the way players treat officials. Verbal abuse toward an official can result in a technical foul and further disciplinary action. Players and coaches are also prohibited from publicly criticizing officials.
Griner essentially engaged in all of the above by turning away from an interview to berate a referee.
Griner was also frustrated after she fouled out during Atlanta’s 81-76 loss to the Indiana Fever on Thursday night. Griner was seen on the bench making what some lip-readers believed was a racist comment about Clark.
It is unclear if the WNBA will look into Griner’s actions from Thursday night, but her verbal confrontation with an official on Saturday will probably be tough for the league to ignore.
Hurricanes get meme treatment after going down 0-3 to Panthers
NHL fans on Saturday added insult to injury as the Carolina Hurricanes got thrashed by the Florida Panthers for a third-straight conference finals game.
The two teams were tied 1-1 heading into the final period of Game 3 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. But the Panthers buried the Hurricanes with a five-goal barrage en route to an easy 6-2 Florida victory.
The loss extended Carolina’s Eastern Conference Finals losing streak to 15 consecutive games, a run of futility that spans nearly two decades. Fans made sure to pile on the Canes after Game 3.
The Carolina Hurricanes are 0-15 in their last 15 Eastern Conference Final games
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 25, 2025
pic.twitter.com/wAcb1L4o9k
Carolina hurricanes hockey club in the 3rd period pic.twitter.com/hgDahgGCzh
— Bryan (@Metalpanthers) May 25, 2025
The Hurricanes when it’s a Conference Finals game pic.twitter.com/8vndDjDPhG
— Alex (@ivandemigoal) May 25, 2025
One fan even compared the Hurricanes to the Maple Leafs, who suffered a meltdown of their own against the Panthers in the previous round.
Fifteen straight ECF losses. The Carolina Hurricanes are a rich man's Maple Leafs.
— UrinatingTree (@UrinatingTree) May 25, 2025
On top of the Hurricanes being down 0-3 in the series, Carolina has looked completely outmatched in each contest so far. None of the games were close calls. The Panthers outscored the Hurricanes 16-4 over the first three games of the series — the most lopsided scoring margin in the history of the NHL conference finals after Game 3.
Florida did allow the Edmonton Oilers to claw their way back from a 0-3 hole to force a Game 7 during last season’s Stanley Cup Final. But judging by what the Hurricanes have shown through three games, the odds aren’t in Carolina’s favor to force a Game 7 of their own.
Fans all said the same thing after Timberwolves dominate Thunder in Game 3
The Minnesota Timberwolves avoided falling into a 0-3 hole in the Western Conference Finals thanks to an unlikely hero.
Timberwolves rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. entered Saturday with just 20 total minutes over Minnesota’s first 12 playoff games. Head coach Chris Finch added him to the rotation for Game 3, a move that paid immediate dividends for the Timberwolves as they hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
Shannon was inserted to start the second quarter and scored nine of the Timberwolves’ first 12 points. His energy was instrumental in keeping OKC buried in an eventual 143-101 Minnesota win.
Shannon finished with 15 points on 5/8 shooting and was a +11 off the bench. Several fans pointed out how Shannon scored more points in just 13 minutes of action than the Thunder’s recently crowned MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Points tonight:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 25, 2025
15 — Terrence Shannon Jr
14 — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pic.twitter.com/bSh1zbVu5T
Terrence Shannon Jr. has more points than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) May 25, 2025
terrence shannon jr. outscoring the mvp pic.twitter.com/Pk70vDiNkZ
— coco (@lukadonchick) May 25, 2025
MVP outscored by Terrence Shannon Jr pic.twitter.com/HXRUAPyNDL
— ²³𝙻𝚎𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚜🏀☄️🌎💞 (@BronGotGame) May 25, 2025
Even player-turned-analyst Jalen Rose keyed in on the Timberwolves rookie outscoring SGA during his postgame analysis of Game 3.
"[Terrence Shannon Jr.] had 15 today, and SGA had 14 [points]." 👀@JalenRose spoke on the boost Minnesota's bench gave them in a crucial Game 3 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/aRNfr8HCjg
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 25, 2025
Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in scoring this season, averaging 32.7 points per game across 76 contests. His 14-point total on Saturday was his lowest this season.
The lopsided score had plenty to do with SGA’s low point total. Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault pulled Shai out of the game at the 4:25 mark of the third quarter with OKC down 94-56. The 68-14 Thunder were never blown out during the regular season to this magnitude.
Shannon probably won’t outscore Gilgeous-Alexander again in Game 4. But the Illinois product likely earned himself some playing time going forward.
Skip Bayless somehow made Western Conference Finals about LeBron James
Skip Bayless’ obsession with LeBron James simply knows no bounds.
James is no longer playing in the playoffs. His Los Angeles Lakers did not even get out of the first round, losing to one of the Western Conference finalists, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, Bayless still managed to make LeBron a talking point while watching the Timberwolves’ Game 3 contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
The longtime sports personality posted on X about how much he “misses” James before hurling several insults at the four-time NBA champion.
“Miss you, LeBron – miss your theatrics, your melodramatic subplots, your 4th-quarter disappearances,” Bayless said.
Miss you, LeBron – miss your theatrics, your melodramatic subplots, your 4th-quarter disappearances.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 25, 2025
Bayless did proceed to comment about the game, which ended up being a 143-101 Timberwolves blowout win. But it’s pretty telling how his one post about LeBron gained more traction on X than his 16 other posts combined talking about the Thunder-Timberwolves contest.
Bayless has been trolling James seemingly since the Akron native began his NBA career two decades ago. LeBron has effectively ignored Bayless throughout that time.
While Skip was clearly trying to belittle James with his post, fans may agree with him about missing the Lakers star. Without a household name like James playing in the series, the ratings for the 2025 Western Conference Finals have been abysmal thus far.
Local news broadcast takes petty shot at Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark’s list of haters continues to grow.
The WNBA superstar Clark was on the receiving end of a very petty shot from a local news broadcast on Saturday. Clark and the Indiana Fever had just played a game against the New York Liberty earlier in the day, falling in a 90-88 thriller at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
On the final possession of the game, Clark lost control of the ball thanks to some tight defense by New York guard Natasha Cloud. Clark felt that she was fouled on the play and delivered a profane five-word message to the referee in response (video here).
On CBS News in New York later that evening, the sports anchor recapping the game took a swipe at Clark in the process. Before playing the highlights of the Fever-Liberty game, the anchor began with a dramatic soliloquy about how “flopping has been a part of the modern game of basketball [for years].”
Then upon rolling the footage of the game-ending sequence between Clark and Cloud, the anchor threw some shade by saying, “Clark tried to sell it like she got hit by a sniper, but there was no foul.”
You can see the funny news clip here.
It is up for debate whether or not Clark was actually fouled by Cloud on the play. But Clark has been accused of flopping before, including recently by Brittney Griner (who even apparently made a racist comment about Clark while complaining about her flopping).
That said, the local sports anchor’s dig at Clark was probably less so a personal affront towards the Indiana star and more so a display of traditional New York sports pettiness. As we have recently seen with New York Knicks fans, nobody does sports pettiness better than The Empire State.
Video shows Draymond Green getting into it with heckler in New York
The combination of Draymond Green and fans in New York went almost exactly as how you might expect.
A viral video circulated online over the weekend showing the Golden State Warriors star Green getting into it with a heckler at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. earlier in the week. Madison Square Garden hosted the first two games of the New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers Eastern Conference Finals series, and Green was present in the building as a guest analyst on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”
The video showed the heckler yelling at Green, who was by the TNT broadcast area. While being held back by what appeared to be security, the heckler, who was wearing a Knicks jersey, bellowed at Green repeatedly, saying, “How was Cancun?” In response, Green told the heckler, “Can you afford to go?”
You can see the clip of the video here.
“Cancun” jabs are usually directed at players whose teams have been eliminated from the playoffs (as those players have effectively been sent on vacation). Green and the Warriors were eliminated in the second round of this year’s postseason, falling in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But that was a pretty clever retort from the ex-NBA Defensive Player of the Year Green. Over the years, Green has historically taking matters into his own hands when it comes to hecklers. That Knicks fan should probably consider himself fortunate that he did not end up getting slapped by Green like another heckler did several years ago.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taunted with 3-word chant in blowout Game 3 loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be hoping to flush Saturday’s game from his memory.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder had their worst showing of the season in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. Presented with the opportunity to go up in the series 3-0, Oklahoma City instead laid an egg and got stomped by a final score of 143-101.
The Thunder went down by 20 points at the end of the first quarter and only managed 41 points before the half. As a result, their series lead has been trimmed to 2-1 heading into Monday’s Game 4 (which will also be in Minnesota).
During the second quarter (with the Timberwolves already leading 56-29), Gilgeous-Alexander went to the free throw line and was taunted with a three-word chant by the Target Center crowd. They yelled, “Free throw merchant!” at the newly-minted NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander.
Target Center crowd chants “free throw merchant” at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pic.twitter.com/XuIWMKmfW3
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 25, 2025
Calling Gilgeous-Alexander a “free throw merchant” is a pejorative way of saying that he relies excessively on fishing for free throws. Interestingly enough, ESPN’s Doris Burke used that exact term to describe Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 1, so the “merchant” jab has clearly gone mainstream at this point.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the NBA in scoring this season with 32.7 points per game, could only manage 14 points on 4/13 shooting Saturday (with a very uncharacteristic four total free throws attempted). Fans are growing increasingly irritated with Gilgeous-Alexander’s style of play, so something like this was inevitably going to happen once the Thunder went on the road this series.
Aaron Rodgers makes his thoughts on playing for Saints very clear
Cross the New Orleans Saints off the list of potential Aaron Rodgers landing spots.
The Saints arguably have the most shallow quarterback room in the NFL heading into the 2025 season. After Derek Carr announced his sudden retirement earlier this month, New Orleans is left with Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and second-round rookie Tyler Shough as its options for QB1.
Rodgers is by far the highest-profile free agent QB left on the market. But the four-time MVP apparently has no interest in playing for the Saints. Rodgers said as much when asked by a fan about joining the Saints during a recent event in Austin, Texas.
“No,” Rodgers said without hesitation “That’s the answer. I’ve played there a couple of times, but no. The answer is no. I’m too old. I don’t want to live in Louisiana.”
🚨BREAKING: 4x #NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers says that he will never play for the New Orleans #Saints.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 24, 2025
Q: “Would you ever consider playing for the Saints?”
Aaron: “NO…. NO.”
DAMN.
(Via Mike Stud)
pic.twitter.com/pjIOAbVkes
Fans were quick to link Rodgers to the Saints once Carr’s decision to retire became public. But there appears to be mutual disinterest in making it happen.
The Saints are said to be open to giving Shough a legitimate chance to become the Week 1 starter. Even if Shough underperforms, New Orleans could opt to tank the season and get a shot at drafting a passer in next year’s more QB-heavy draft.
With the Saints out of the picture, it’s pretty clear where Rodgers ends up before the start of next season.
Video of Tyreek Hill getting smoked 1-on-1 by young girl at his camp resurfaces
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill probably won’t be happy to find out why his name is trending online this week.
A video of Hill has recently resurfaced, showing him in coverage against a young girl participating in his youth camp. The girl, who appeared to be around 12 or 13 years old, faked Hill out with a move toward the middle of the field then cut back toward the sideline.
Hill looked toward the passer for a split second, which was all the girl needed to leave him in the dust with a burst of speed down the field. Tyreek did manage to catch up and get a hand on the ball. But he bobbled it and it still ended up in the girl’s hands.
NASTY: #NFL STAR WR TYREEK HILL GOT COOKED BY THIS YOUNG GIRL AT HIS FOOTBALL CAMP.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 24, 2025
😱😱😱pic.twitter.com/E1HR5r0Hak
The girl then faked Hill out with a nasty juke move for good measure. Hill playfully teased the girl as he gave her a high five afterwards.
It’s not the first time Hill has been completely outclassed in coverage during one of his camps. The Cheetah has been surprisingly susceptible to the same types of moves he torments defenders with every season.
All of Hill’s defensive lowlights will probably give him a better appreciation for Travis Hunter’s attempt to become a two-way player this season.
Saquon Barkley calls out teams trying to ban tush push
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley sees weakness in the NFL teams looking to ban the tush push.
The Green Bay Packers made a strong campaign this offseason to ban the Eagles’ infamous short-yardage play. The Packers’ proposal to outlaw the tush push needed supporting votes from 24 of the 32 teams but only got 22.
Earlier this week, Barkley appeared on the “Exciting Mics” podcast hosted by his Eagles teammates Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year did not mince words when asked about the movement to ban the tush push.
Barkley called opposing teams “soft” for simply not being as good at the play as the Eagles, who have perfected the technique, much to the dismay of defensive coordinators across the league.
“I think it’s soft, to be honest,” Barkley said, via USA Today’s Nick Brinkerhoff. “Everybody can do it. It’s not a play that we only can do. We happen to have one of the best and biggest O-lines, and Jalen Hurts can squat 600 pounds. That’s not our fault.”
“Josh Allen is super big, they’re not successful with it. Lamar Jackson is one of the best running quarterbacks of all-time, they’re not successful with it. So it’s not something that everyone can’t do. Them trying to eliminate it, I think that’s kind of lame.”
Barkley also harped on the fact that the franchises that voted to ban the tush push were primarily teams that would play the Eagles “two or three times a year.”
Only three of the 10 teams that voted to keep the tush push were from the NFC. The Eagles were, obviously, one of them. The Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints were the other two.
The tush push is here to stay, at least for now.
