49ers rookie’s move sparks jokes tied to alleged fraudster
The internet is having a great time consuming the wild story of a man who allegedly scammed several women out of millions by pretending to be a San Francisco 49ers player.
Daejon Love, who has been arrested along with a co-conspirator and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, is at the center of a viral story sweeping social media.
The bizarre situation has gotten to the point that fans are linking a San Francisco 49ers player’s move to Love.
San Francisco first-year wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling has found himself at the center of hilarious jokes from fans online following his decision to choose No. 7 for his jersey, as reported by Matt Barrows of The Athletic.
Apparently, it is the same jersey number that Love used to bolster his claim that he was a Niners player.
Here are some of the fans’ reactions to Stribling’s jersey number.
He’s going to have to pay for Daejon’s number.
— Joe Ma (@JoeMa_5) August 31, 2026
No respect for Daejon smh
— tay🪬 (@tay_elevate) August 31, 2026
Hope he paid Daejon his $80k
— Gregory “SQUISHER” House (@squisher21) August 31, 2026
How much did he have to pay Love for it?
— Michael Gallegos (@GaIIegos) August 31, 2026
Stribling can give 49ers fans other, more sensible things to discuss come the regular season.
Selected in the second round (33rd overall) by the 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft, the former Ole Miss Rebels star wideout is expected to have a significant role downfield for San Francisco’s passing attack. He already turned heads in the preseason, where he saw action in two games and racked up 109 receiving yards on 11 catches.
Ketel Marte’s hat after first game back appears to bear a telling message
Even Ketel Marte’s fashion appears to be adding to the drama.
The embattled Arizona Diamondbacks star made his return to action on Monday, weeks after he sparked controversy by failing to show up for a game at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass., against the Boston Red Sox.
Marte was greeted by loud boos when he stepped up to the plate for the first time in Monday’s series opener versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. Before that, he seemingly refused to address Diamondbacks fans during a pregame press conference.
Following Arizona’s 2-1 loss to the Phillies, Marte fielded more questions from the media while wearing a hat with an intriguing message that may have been a subtle way for him to deal with his current situation.
“MAY THE BRIDGES I BURN LIGHT THE WAY,” the message on his lime green hat read, as seen in this photo shared by Nick King of KTVK 3TV.
Ketel Marte’s hat choice after the game is something.
— Nick King (@NickKingSports) September 1, 2026
He said he didn’t expect the boos from the home crowd, and also that he didn’t understand the question before the game about delivering a message to fans. pic.twitter.com/p2kb5PjtSk
Marte can only hope that fans will learn to appreciate him again, but that could take some time, as this wasn’t the first time he went AWOL on his team. In 2025, he missed three games after traveling back home to the Dominican Republic after that season’s All-Star break.
The three-time All-Star Marte went 1-for-3 with a walk in the loss to Philadelphia.
Micah Parsons had the most candid reaction to the Rams getting Aaron Donald back
The football world is shaking with Aaron Donald officially back in business with the Los Angeles Rams, and even Green Bay Packers superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons is on high alert.
During a recent episode of “The Edge with Micah Parsons,” the five-time Pro Bowler revisited the moment he found out that Donald is indeed back.
“I’m leaving from practice, and they show Aaron Donald’s back. I told the O-line, we all go to the weight room, like, ‘Hey, they didn’t get the last Infinity Stone. It’s time for y’all to, like, we gotta do more at practice.’”
Parsons seems wary of what Donald is still capable of doing on the field despite last playing an NFL game in 2023. He even used Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan to stress his point about Donald’s potential impact on Los Angeles.
“People don’t realize Jordan took three years off. Like, he still came back with championships. This could be one of those. He literally said, ‘I didn’t wanna keep dealing with triple teams and double teams.’ He does not have to do that no more,” Parsons added.
.@MicahhParsons11 says the Rams "got the last infinity stone" after adding Aaron Donald 😅
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 31, 2026
Full reaction: https://t.co/NBalazHXCz pic.twitter.com/5yQ4VgMnQe
Donald is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, but he may not be as effective as he used to be. Still, even a diminished version of Donald could be better than most defensive tackles in the league today.
Parsons and the Packers will get their chances to see Donald back in action in person in a Week 12 matchup against the Rams on Nov. 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Video: Payton Tolle found a unique way to record an out
Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle doesn’t discriminate when it comes to doling out hugs. He showed that during a moment in Monday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
In the top of the third inning, Tolle faced Seattle designated hitter Dominic Canzone with one out. On the second pitch Tolle threw to the Mariners hitter, Canzone hit a chopper back toward the pitcher. Tolle fielded the ball and sprinted to first base before slowing down and simply offering Canzone a hug for the out.
Here is a video of that play.
Payton Tolle just hugged (yep, you read that right) Dominic Canzone for the out 🤣
— NESN (@NESN) August 31, 2026
Tolle's just having fun out there 👏 pic.twitter.com/J3U9bQTNlb
Tolle had just given up a home run to Seattle outfielder Randy Arozarena before facing Canzone, but he clearly did not let the frustration from that play stop him from making a kind, impromptu gesture to the next batter.
Tolle might have shared more hugs after the game, as the Red Sox won in thrilling fashion, with Trevor Story hitting a walk-off RBI single to give Boston a 9-8 win in extra innings.
The 23-year-old left-handed Tolle pitched for 5 ⅔ innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits with two free passes issued and six strikeouts.
On the season, Tolle has an 8-6 record and a 3.23 ERA through 23 starts.
Fans had jokes about the Rams naming way too many captains
The Los Angeles Rams made sure there would be no shortage of team captains heading into the 2026 season.
The Rams made waves Monday night when they announced their complete list of captains via a social media post. Instead of choosing five or six captains as teams normally do, the Rams dialed their number up, literally, all the way up to 11.
Here is the full list of Rams captains: quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Kyren Williams, wide receiver Davante Adams, tight end Tyler Higbee, center Coleman Shelton, defensive lineman Kobie Turner, outside linebacker Myles Garrett, inside linebacker Nate Landman, cornerback Trent McDuffie, safety Quentin Lake, and long snapper Joe Cardona.
The Rams’ graphic looked more like a meme thought up by someone from The Onion rather than a real announcement post.
Introducing our 2026 captains 🫡 pic.twitter.com/breO1uRqWS
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 1, 2026
Fans couldn’t help but laugh at the Rams handing out captaincy like cars on that one episode of Oprah. One fan hilariously compared it to a bride being indecisive about which of her friends to name as bridesmaids.
You’re a captain & you’re a captain & you’re a captain 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/rfoLfHpFE2
— NB (@NitroBrewz2023) September 1, 2026
That is too many captains. This is like one of those weddings with 12 bridesmaids there's no way you like all those girls that much learn to have some tough conversations, Kayleigh https://t.co/gLXOA3FHTI
— StartKyleOrton (@startkyIeorton) September 1, 2026
11 captains pic.twitter.com/XlEEfuR7Ru
— Onyx Odds (@OnyxOdds) September 1, 2026
Might as well just make the whole roster captains https://t.co/Ixps1lOqT8
— Łunaticø (@CanRaidersWin) September 1, 2026
Despite more than a fifth of the Rams’ roster being named a captain, the recently unretired Aaron Donald conspicuously was not one of them. Considering the respect he’ll likely have within the locker room, he’ll probably be seen as an unofficial captain, bumping that number up to a dozen.
I know he unretired 5 mins ago, but Aaron Donald not being one of ELEVEN captains is just funny. https://t.co/gQEiIbzoR5
— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) September 1, 2026
The Rams had five captains in 2024 and seven in 2025, before that number ballooned to 11 this season. The logic behind it appears to be that Sean McVay wanted one player from each position group to be named captain.
If the Rams do end up fulfilling their potential with a second Super Bowl win in the Stafford era, the other 31 teams may need to look into pumping up their captaincy numbers for the 2027 season.
Orioles’ Colton Cowser denies walk-off with the sickest home run robbery of the year
Baltimore Orioles center fielder Colton Cowser has just submitted his entry for Catch of the Year.
The Orioles, who entered Monday deep in an AL Wild Card race, were an out away from securing a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. But Baltimore’s chances of escaping with a win looked bleak when Jake McCarthy rocked a 1-0 fastball to dead center that was destined to go over the fence.
That’s when Cowser put on his Superman cape and took flight. He timed the ball perfectly and caught it just as his back collided with the padded wall.
COLTON COWSER GAME-ENDING HOME RUN ROBBERY 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wHivffl0Fu
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2026
Watching the play in slow motion shows just how difficult it was to make. Cowser essentially had to execute a no-look catch given the angle required to make the snag, putting his body on the line to do so.
WE ARE ALL WITNESSES pic.twitter.com/Z9iz4trpkv
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 1, 2026
There have been other outfielders who have made spectacular catches throughout the 2026 season. But few carried the same weight as Cowser’s grab, both in terms of game situation and playoff race implications.
Holy Cow! pic.twitter.com/L1UjM6fOTG
— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2026
The win brought the Orioles back to a .500 record for the first time since the team was 15-15 toward the end of April. It also kept Baltimore just half a game behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL Wild Card spot.
If the Orioles end up sneaking into the postseason by a single game, fans will likely be playing Cowser’s catch on repeat while waiting for Game 1 of their team’s Wild Card series.
Jonathan Kuminga’s agent doubles down with another wild claim
Say what you want about Jonathan Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner. But the man sure knows how to make headlines, for better or for worse.
Turner has been on a press tour of sorts, defending Kuminga and his career decisions after the latter signed a relatively modest deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kuminga’s two-year, $13 million agreement with the T-Wolves fell well short of past deals the swingman reportedly turned down in pursuit of a larger payday.
The veteran agent appeared on Monday’s episode of “The Kevin O’Connor Show” to discuss Kuminga’s move to Minnesota. One particular clip of Turner talking up his client turned heads among neutral observers on social media.
Turner claimed Kuminga, who got traded to the Atlanta Hawks before last season’s trade deadline, was the team’s “best player” in terms of “winning impact.”
“JK got shipped to Atlanta, and there was a lot of talk about Jonathan Kuminga and his winning impact. He was their best player from the moment he showed up in terms of winning impact,” Turner told O’Connor.
“He had the best on/off net rating in the regular season and in the playoffs. In their two wins against the New York Knicks, who had the best net rating? Jonathan Kuminga.”
Aaron Turner on Kuminga’s role with the Hawks: “He was their best player” pic.twitter.com/XWcOGWzI9l
— dre (@OnBallSteph) August 31, 2026
Kuminga looked poised to break out with the Hawks after his 27-point debut. However, he ended up averaging just 11.3 points over the remaining 15 regular-season games he played.
As Turner mentioned, Kuminga was indeed a standout performer in Games 2 and 3. He averaged 20.0 points in those contests, both of which ended in Atlanta wins. But mentioning just the two games in which he played well feels more like cherry-picking than making a valid argument in Kuminga’s favor.
Using net rating to call Kuminga the team’s “best player” is also misleading, given the various factors that affect the statistic. A big one is that Kuminga came off the bench for 21 of his 22 games with the team, which could significantly skew the data since he was mostly playing against reserves.
One could argue that Kuminga was an overqualified bench player who deserved to start. But calling him the Hawks’ “best player” because of net rating is quite a leap.
Atlanta saw Jalen Johnson blossom into an All-Star, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker won the Most Improved Player award with a breakout season of his own. Veteran guard CJ McCollum also channeled his inner Damian Lillard for a series against the Knicks.
Turner may tout Kuminga as the Hawks’ best player, but the team’s fans almost certainly wouldn’t agree.
Diamondbacks fans viciously boo Ketel Marte in his return
Arizona Diamondbacks fans did not hide their anger toward Ketel Marte in his return to the field Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Marte was back in the D-Backs’ lineup for the first time since his unexcused absence on Aug. 17 in a game against the Boston Red Sox. Fans were already booing him during early pregame introductions, even with the crowd still settling in 20 minutes before first pitch at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz.
Not many people here 20 mins before first pitch, but still a pretty significant chorus of boos when Ketel Marte’s name was said during starting lineup introductions. pic.twitter.com/kh0Vb9JYhG
— Nick King (@NickKingSports) September 1, 2026
The volume of the boos was exponentially higher as Marte stepped up to the plate for his first MLB at-bat in weeks. He ended up grounding out to lead off the second inning, which drew even more jeers from his home fans.
Ketel Marte loudly booed by the Diamondbacks fans which goes louder when he grounds out pic.twitter.com/KsM8h0HNkc
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 1, 2026
The boos were even audible on the Phillies’ broadcast of the contest.
Diamondbacks fans welcome Ketel Marte back from ILpic.twitter.com/heHOCZs2lU
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 1, 2026
The folks in attendance may have caught wind of Marte’s pregame press conference, wherein he refused to issue any sort of message toward Diamondbacks fans.
Marte only apologized to his manager and his teammates, promising to address them like a man.
Update surfaces on umpire Manny Gonzalez after heat exhaustion exit
Manny Gonzalez is doing well after suffering a big scare during Monday’s game.
The veteran MLB umpire Gonzalez was behind home plate for Monday’s matchup between the San Diego Padres and the Cincinnati Reds. Before the start of the fifth inning at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, Gonzalez had to exit after feeling unwell.
Gonzalez stepped off to the side and was attended to by Reds athletic trainer Sean McQueeney. Soon afterwards, Gonzalez slowly went down to the ground.
Fortunately, Gonzalez was eventually able to get to his feet with assistance and walked off under his own power. He did not return to the game however as the Padres beat the Reds by a final of 5-0. Here is the video of the incident.
— Foul Territory (@bsbls885) September 1, 2026
Cincinnati sportswriter Mike Petraglia reported shortly thereafter that Gonzalez had to exit due to heat exhaustion and received treatment for elevated blood pressure and dehydration. Petraglia added though that Gonzalez’s blood pressure had since returned to normal levels and that he was resting comfortably.
Temperatures in Cincinnati were around 91 degrees with high humidity at the time of first pitch. Since Gonzalez was the home plate umpire as well, the heavy gear he was wearing certainly could not have helped matters either.
The 46-year-old Gonzalez has been an MLB umpire since 2010. Several years ago, Gonzalez was also involved in another scary incident during which he took a foul tip to the head.
Fans were not happy with Ketel Marte’s non-apology
Ketel Marte did little Monday to repair his reputation among fans of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Marte was reinstated to the D-Backs’ lineup for the team’s series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. But before he suited up for the action on the field, Marte addressed the media about his lengthy absence from the team.
The Dominican failed to show up for Arizona’s Aug. 17 contest against the Boston Red Sox, prompting the D-Backs to place him on the restricted list. The Diamondbacks later placed Marte on the injured list due to a lingering knee issue. Days later, Marte was spotted gambling at a casino while his teammates were playing against the Cincinnati Reds.
On Monday, Marte apologized to manager Torey Lovulo for the insubordination. But he did not express any regret to the Diamondbacks’ fan base. When asked if he had a message for the fans, Marte shook his head, relaying to his translator that he was unwilling to give one.
When asked if he had a message for Arizona Diamondbacks fans, Ketel Marte was silent and shook his head no. pic.twitter.com/nZFsiJbUvm
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) August 31, 2026
Diamondbacks fans were not happy about Marte’s refusal to address them. Many took to social media to slam Marte for not having the courtesy to apologize.
Wow. I want the Diamondbacks to win therefore I want him to do well even though I do want them to move him in the offseason. But come on can't we all at least agree that he owes an apology to the fans too? Do we need to be split on that? https://t.co/UWXJtjHPbw
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) August 31, 2026
He doesn’t owe the fans anything but his lack of awareness about how it looks to not even pretend to apologize for the chaos he has caused says a lot about him.
— Rockford Peach (@Ms_Historian) September 1, 2026
🖕him! I won’t go to another game and pay a cent until this little baby is off the roster.
— Jason G (@jgutzgb) September 1, 2026
His silence when asked if he had a message for the fans speaks volumes! Shame on the DBacks for letting this go on for three years. Good luck trading him now.
— James Jones (@JamesJo94477789) August 31, 2026
It’s the fourth season in a row that Marte has gone AWOL on the team and its fans. Diamondbacks fans may have fairly questioned the sincerity of any apology given. But it would still have been a nice gesture from Marte, whom the D-Backs need to come up big as the team fights for an NL Wild Card spot.
Marte, who is in his 10th season with Arizona, has been one of the most productive hitters in Diamondbacks history. After a decade of All-Star-level output on the field, Marte and the D-Backs may be headed for a messy divorce in the offseason.
Update emerges on bombshell Allen Iverson-76ers rumor
The Philadelphia 76ers got LeBron James this offseason, but the same will not be true of another former No. 1 overall draft pick.
Rumors spread online this week about retired 76ers legend Allen Iverson potentially joining the team’s ownership group. The source of the rumors appears to have been a viral post by singer and actor Tyrese Gibson claiming that Iverson was purchasing a stake in the 76ers.
On Monday though, Ben Horney of Front Office Sports shared an update on the bombshell claim. Horney reports that Gibson’s claim is not true and that Iverson will not be joining the 76ers’ ownership group.
Iverson, 51, is one of the most iconic and beloved players in franchise history. He played for the 76ers for 12 total seasons from 1996-2010 (spanning two separate stints), making eight All-Star teams and winning four scoring titles. Iverson also famously won NBA MVP in 2001 and led Philadelphia to a surprise NBA Finals berth later that year as well (with that still marking the franchise’s most recent trip to the Finals).
Ever since retiring as a player, Iverson had his No. 3 jersey lifted to the rafters by the 76ers in 2014 and was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. Iverson was even honored by the 76ers a couple of years ago with his own statue (which unfortunately turned out to be very small).
Iverson has recently been speaking very positively about his old team and could not contain his excitement about the four-time champion James picking the 76ers in free agency. But in the end, Iverson will continue to root on the 76ers from afar instead of taking on an active role as a member of their ownership group.
Billy Donovan explains why he left the Bulls
Billy Donovan is speaking out for the first time on his departure from the Chicago Bulls.
The former Bulls head coach Donovan spoke this week with Olivia Eisenhauer of WCJB in Florida. During the interview, Donovan explained why he decided to step down from his position with Chicago last April.
“They had to bring in a new front office,” said Donovan of the Bulls. “I just felt like, with a new front office coming in, that person should have the freedom to choose their coach and build out the organization how they see fit, which was fine.”
Donovan also said though that he loved his time in Chicago and even received an offer from the organization to stay on either as coach or to move into the front office (before ultimately deciding to walk away). You can see his full interview at the link here.
The 61-year-old Donovan was head coach of the Bulls for six seasons from 2020-26 but ultimately had a mediocre run. He went 226-256 (.469) overall in Chicago and made just one total playoff appearance in 2022 (though the Bulls did earn three additional play-in tournament berths during his time in charge).
With Chicago firing both executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley prior to Donovan’s departure (and subsequently hiring Bryson Graham as their new lead executive), Donovan decided that he would rather call it quits than have to look over his shoulder to continue in his position. Donovan has also since done quite well for himself and has already landed an assistant coaching job with a top NBA contender.
Former Cowboys player is signing with Eagles
A former Dallas Cowboys player is jumping ship to a division rival.
The Philadelphia Eagles on Monday reportedly signed running back Jaydon Blue to their practice squad. The news comes just a day after the Cowboys released him.
Former Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue, released Sunday, is signing with the Eagles practice squad, per source. pic.twitter.com/iHn4yHDBNS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2026
The Cowboys selected Blue last April in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The team signed him to a four-year, $4.63 million deal.
Blue served as Dallas’ third-string running back behind Javonte Williams and Malik Davis. He rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries across five games in his rookie campaign. The lone TD and nearly half of his yards came during the Cowboys’ inconsequential Week 18 clash against the New York Giants.
The Cowboys named Blue among the team’s final roster cuts ahead of the 2026 season. Perhaps the team had not forgotten about Blue wearing Louis Vuitton-Nike cleats last season, to the point that he developed blisters on his feet.
If nothing else, the Eagles can likely bank on Blue going extra hard for Philadelphia’s two regular-season games against Dallas this season.
Cam Schlittler calls Red Sox announcer Will Flemming a clown
Cam Schlittler will not be so quick to forgive Will Flemming.
The longtime Boston Red Sox radio announcer Flemming sparked backlash over the weekend with some controversial comments during a game against the rival New York Yankees. In the middle of Sunday’s matchup at Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y., Flemming targeted New York infielder Jazz Chisholm.
Flemming ripped Chisholm as a “bush league player,” suggesting that the Red Sox should start a fight with him and also throw at Yankees catcher Austin Wells as retaliation (you can listen to his full remarks here). After receiving sharp criticism for his comments, Flemming then proceeded to issue a public apology on Monday.
The Yankees star pitcher Schlittler was among those who did not buy Flemming’s apology however. Schlittler left a comment on an Instagram post about Flemming’s mea culpa and simply put a clown emoji.
Cam Schlittler comments and calls Will Flemming a clown. pic.twitter.com/csrxIEl3uE
— Everything Yankees (@eyyankees) August 31, 2026
New York beat Boston on Sunday by an absurd final score of 16-1 to take three out of four games in their weekend set. The uncompetitive series combined with the fact that Flemming only backtracked a full day later after receiving backlash led many to believe that his apology was insincere.
Schlittler, who has been a breakout star for the Yankees this year with an AL-leading 2.09 ERA and 201 strikeouts, certainly felt that way as well. The 25-year-old righty Schlittler also has it out for the Red Sox in particular (despite being a Boston native) and already took a ruthless shot at the team during last year’s playoffs.
Steph Curry answers whether he will retire with the Warriors
Steph Curry still does not have a wandering eye.
The longtime Golden State Warriors superstar Curry spoke this week in an interview with Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. During the interview, Curry was asked the million-dollar question of whether or not he ultimately plans to retire with the Warriors.
Curry responded that he was “pretty sure” that he would be retiring in Golden State. He did note though that his contract situation would still have to be resolved at a later time.
“There’s no question I want to be here the rest of my career, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen,” said Curry. “The deal and the contract stuff will happen at the right time, and we’re not letting it be a distraction from our preparation for the season and the fact that the team we’re coming back with has a lot of familiarity.”
No matter what happens going forward, Curry is already the undisputed greatest player in Warriors history as a 12-time All-Star, two-time NBA MVP, and centerpiece of four total championship teams who has spent his entire pro career in Golden State. But the fact remains that Curry is now 38 years old and is entering his final season under contract with the Warriors at $62.6 million.
The former scoring champion Curry is now officially eligible for a new max extension from Golden State of two years and roughly $136.7 million. There was some recent chatter that Curry could potentially play hardball with the Warriors to pressure them into improving the roster. But more optimistic news has since emerged on Curry’s future in Golden State, and now we are hearing from The Chef himself that he would be more than happy to stay put for the rest of his career.
Lakers could sign Luka Doncic’s longtime former teammate
The Los Angeles Lakers could be bringing in another one of Luka Doncic’s old Dallas buddies.
Veteran NBA big man Dwight Powell may potentially be an option for the Lakers in free agency, Khobi Price of The California Post reported on Monday. Price notes that the Lakers still have a need on their roster when it comes to big man depth.
Powell, 35, is a 6-foot-10 big who spent the last 12 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. There he was teammates with the Lakers superstar Doncic for six-and-a-half seasons from 2018-25 (prior to Doncic getting traded to L.A.).
Price notes that Powell has played the most career games alongside Doncic of any player in the NBA (with 389 total appearances as Doncic’s teammate). Powell also remains unsigned this offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
Of course, Powell is not exactly an exciting player to say the least. He only averaged 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season for the Mavericks and has barely been a viable rotation piece for the last several years now.
But the Lakers do still need some more size behind offseason additions Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, and Sandro Mamukelashvili. They also recently missed out on free agent target Jonathan Kuminga, leaving the Lakers to explore some other interesting potential signings as well.
Lane Kiffin gets candid about LSU’s decision to bring in NFL players
LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin is never afraid to do things that are a bit unusual, and that continues to be the case.
Following a ruling that granted some college players extra eligibility, LSU landed former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright after he popped up in the transfer portal.
Zxavian Harris also committed to LSU, and he was with the New Orleans Saints over the summer. The NFL-to-college pipeline has caused some conferences in college football to ban it from happening.
However, Kiffin opened up in the moves and even said his current players are on board with them coming to Baton Rouge.
“Every one of them was emphatic about, ‘If they can help us win, bring ’em,’” Kiffin told reporters on Monday. “We understand we have a team that’s practiced together and worked together all offseason, but one of them said, ‘Hey, this is how it works at the next level, and this is how the real world works.’ So that made me feel a little better in the struggle and being torn back and forth.”
Lane Kiffin says his LSU player leadership committee gave him their blessing to bring in players who have NFL experience
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace) August 31, 2026
“Every one of them was emphatic that if they can help us win, bring them…” pic.twitter.com/bBSS9P9xen
Right after the initial ruling, Kiffin defended his stance on recruiting the former NFL players, saying it is going to happen one way or another.
Now, Kiffin sure seems to be standing by the decision to bring them on board.
There are still hurdles to climb for Kiffin to play them since the SEC laid out a new policy, so it is a developing situation.
LSU begins the 2026 season on Saturday against Clemson at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
Odell Beckham Jr. was in tears after making the Giants’ Roster
It has been a long road for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
However, he officially made the New York Giants’ 53-man roster going into the 2026 NFL season.
The Giants signed Beckham in June, but John Harbaugh and the team had been persistent that Beckham needed to earn his roster spot, and now he has.
On Monday, Beckham spoke to reporters and admitted he was in tears after hearing the news.
“I had tears when I got back to the hotel and realized I was going to be here,” Beckham said. “Definitely had that moment where it was like, you could let out some of the pain that I feel like I went through.”
Odel Beckham Jr. says he was in tears when he returned to the hotel after learning he had made the Giants' initial 53-man roster:
— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) August 31, 2026
"Definitely had that moment where it was like, you could let out some of the pain that I feel like I've went through." pic.twitter.com/8YiPcPRNAk
Beckham’s last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind. He played in nine games for the Miami Dolphins in 2024 before missing all of the 2025 season.
The NFL suspended Beckham for six games in 2025 due to violating the PED policy. However, Beckham showcased his skills in March during Tom Brady’s flag football game, and that led to some NFL interest.
The Giants initially selected Odell Beckham Jr. at No. 12 overall in 2014, and now he goes full circle by making the roster.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire takes a subtle shot at USC crowd
Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire had an honest take ahead of Week 1, although it sure seems like he took a small dig at Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans.
USC played San Jose State in Week 0, and fans couldn’t help but notice the mostly empty stadium despite USC saying the attendance was 51,144.
McGuire was asked about playing in front of a sold-out crowd, and he made sure to mention Riley and USC.
“Not to take any shots because I have a lot of respect for USC and Lincoln Riley, but man, it’s really awesome to be playing in Lubbock, Texas, knowing we’re going to be playing front of 60,000, and it’s going to be warm. It’s going to be every bit as warm as it was Saturday. The great thing is we got some really tough people in West Texas that love their football and they’re going to show up,” McGuire said.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire on crowds and USC:
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 31, 2026
"We’ve got some really tough people in West Texas that love their football. They’re gonna show up no matter what the weather’s like. There’s not going to be any excuses of why they’re not here for us.” pic.twitter.com/kEkLv7hXeN
USC’s home opener drew an underwhelming crowd and became a hot topic of conversation over the weekend. And, although McGuire said he wasn’t going to “take any shots,” he did make sure to discuss the Trojans and Riley.
The Coliseum at kickoff of USC’s season opener with San Jose State pic.twitter.com/4bOhMY487b
— Ryan Kartje (@RyanKartje) August 29, 2026
USC is ranked 14th in the preseason poll, with Texas Tech coming in at 12th.
Texas Tech faces Abilene Christian in Week 1 on Saturday at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, and it sure seems like Joey McGuire expects a sold-out crowd.
Tennessee Volunteers set to honor Dolly Parton this season
Country music legend Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, 2026, and now the Tennessee Volunteers football program is honoring her.
The Tennessee football team will have a commemorative sticker on their helmet that will be worn for every game this season.
For Dolly. 🦋
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) August 31, 2026
A commemorative helmet sticker will be worn to honor Dolly Parton for every game this season. pic.twitter.com/A1mBw9ZqxZ
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel spoke about the decision on Monday while talking with reporters.
“All that she’s meant across the world, this country, and certainly the Queen of East Tennessee,” Heupel said. “A lady that was extremely proud of her roots. You look at her impact, just her ability to give back, make an impact to people, certainly here in East Tennessee. She means a lot to people across this country, but certainly here inside the state of Tennessee, too.”
Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Tenn., and she has deep ties to the state and the program.
Dolly Parton spoke at the university’s commencement in 2009. She also performed at the school during tours in 2011 and 2014. In 2009, she also received an honorary doctorate in “Humane and Musical Letters.”
The Tennessee football team begins the 2026 season against Furman on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
