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Photo of Victor Wembanyama with LeBron James circulates online

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The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft got to link up this week with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

San Antonio Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama was in attendance on Monday at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev. for that day’s NBA Summer League action. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was also in attendance on Monday and got to meet up with Wembanyama in the arena tunnels.

A photo circulated online of the two big names shaking hands.

Another photo showed Wembanyama leaning in to embrace with James.

Wembanyama is officially listed at 7-foot-3, and James has a listing of 6-foot-9. Based on those photos, you wouldn’t even think that their height difference was that great (though the camera angle and Wembanyama’s hunched position may have skewed things there).

The two stars are already very familiar with one another and have faced each other on the court multiple times already. James even appeared on the same panel as Wembanyama during Fanatics Fest in New York last month, giving Wembanyama a notable compliment along the way.

While the NBA schedule for next season is not expected to be released until August, the Lakers and the Spurs had their first matchup in mid-November of last season. Fans will be hoping that it isn’t too long into the 2025-26 campaign before they get to see the next link-up between The King and The Extraterrestrial.

NBA’s ugly new shot clock debuts during Summer League

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The NBA appears to be fixing something that isn’t broken.

On Monday, the league debuted their new shot clock design during Summer League play in Las Vegas, Nev. The shot clock, which will be implemented for the 2025-26 NBA season as well, features a circular design (instead of the more traditional square). Additionally, the shot clock will flash green (along with the backboard) in order to indicate a coach’s challenge.

Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News shared footage of the new shot clock design in action.

Previously, a dedicated light at the scorers table would glow green during coach’s challenges. Now the sensory overload during challenges will be even greater starting with next season.

Ultimately, the new shot clock design comes across as pretty ugly. The combination of the circular shape and the flashing green light makes it look like something out of either a Buzz Lightyear ride at Disneyland or a neon jukebox setup at a 1950s-style diner.

Over the last several years, the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver certainly have not been shy to implement radical changes to the product on the court. But some of those changes have been criticized as a little bit gimmicky, and the league’s new shot clock design seems likely to fall into that category as well.

Kid in outfield makes unreal catch to rob Junior Caminero at HR Derby

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One young fielder during Monday’s Home Run Derby may have just put himself in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2030 MLB Draft.

Tampa Bay Rays phenom Junior Caminero made it to the final round of the Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. He faced off against Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads all of Major League Baseball with 38 home runs.

Raleigh went first during the final round and ended up hitting an impressive 18 home runs. Caminero then followed and put up a good fight … but no thanks to one of the kids who was fielding fly balls in the outfield.

With Caminero sitting at four home runs, he lifted one to the wall in left field. The ball looked poised to clear the fence … only for a kid fielder to leap at the wall and somehow bring it back. Take a look at the unbelievable video.

The decision was made by the umpiring crew to award Caminero the home run anyway. But it still did not matter in the end as Caminero finished with 15 homers to Raleigh’s 18 (even with the help of the generous scoring decision).

Have children field fly balls in the outfield is a staple of the Home Run Derby. While those kids are often of varying ages, heights, and skill levels, the one who robbed Caminero there seemed to be maxed out on all those attributes.

Fortunately, Caminero didn’t get close enough to Raleigh’s total for the kid’s Kenny Lofton moment to matter to the final tally. Otherwise, we could have seen a repeat of the scoring controversy that occurred in the Home Run Derby a few years ago.

Fans react to Oneil Cruz’s 513-foot blast at Home Run Derby

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Oneil Cruz did his best Norse god impression during Monday’s Home Run Derby.

The Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Cruz stole the show in the first round on Monday at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. Cruz racked up 21 home runs in the round overall, including a ridiculous moonshot that traveled a staggering 513 feet. The ball ended up going past the seats in right-center and had an estimated exit velocity of 118 mph.

Here is a closer angle of Cruz’s missle.

Fans went into a frenzy over the 26-year-old’s feat of strength. Take a look at some of the best reactions, including from some of the fellow MLB stars who were at Truist Field.

Cruz’s bomb was the longest ball ever hit at Truist Field, smashing the record set by Ronald Acuna Jr’s 495-foot homer in Sept. 2020 (though that one was obviously at full-speed in a real game). Meanwhile, 513 feet put Cruz right up there near the longest estimated blast in Home Run Derby history (Sammy Sosa’s 524-foot shot at Miller Park in 2002) as well as the longest confirmed blast (by Statcast) in Home Run Derby history (Juan Soto’s 520-foot jack at Coors Field in 2021).

The lefty-hitting Cruz can be a bit inconsistent at the plate and is batting a rough .212 this season, though with 16 home runs and 37 RBIs for a respectable .733 OPS. But when Cruz does get ahold of a ball, it can sometimes set records (as we have seen during Pirates games as well).

LeBron James posts notable message on X about Cavaliers

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LeBron James continues to master the art of plausible deniability.

The Los Angeles Lakers star James caused another stir on Monday with a post about his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. James reacted to the news that Cavs president Koby Altman had received a new contract extension from the team and that other members of Cleveland’s front office, including GM Mike Gansey and assistant GM Brandon Weems, had gotten new extensions as well.

In a post to his X page, James zeroed in on Weems specifically and offered his congratulations.

“YESSIR!!!” James wrote. “Congratulations to my brother B.Weems!! Super proud of u man.”

James and Weems go way back as they are childhood friends who later went on to play together on the basketball team at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. But James is also familiar with both Altman and Gansey, who were already part of the Cavs front office during James’ second stint with the team.

There is a perfectly logical explanation here for James’ post given his close relationship with Weems. But a recent report by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst emerged last week detailing how James has gotten his feelings hurt by the Los Angeles Lakers. The report noted that “nothing LeBron does is a coincidence” and mentioned that James has dropped some other public references to the Cavs this offseason as well.

Admittedly, it would take two to tango here, and it looks like Cleveland would only be interested in reuniting with James under one less-plausible scenario. But that is not stopping James from seemingly toying with the basketball world by continuing to make online references to his former team.

Pat McAfee had wild introduction for Cal Raleigh

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Pat McAfee had a wild introduction for Cal Raleigh prior to the Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday night.

Raleigh, who leads MLB in home runs this season, was one of the eight participants in the 2025 Home Run Derby. Raleigh is nicknamed the “Big Dumper,” which is a reference to his large posterior. When introducing Raleigh, McAfee, an ESPN personality who was serving as the master of ceremonies for the derby, said that Raleigh had the “fattest as- in all of professional sports.”

That’s quite an introduction, but it’s well within McAfee’s style.

The former NFL punter is known for pushing boundaries while hosting his daily talk show, or when performing in other environments. McAfee has also been a “College GameDay” co-host for ESPN, and he is a WWE personality. He showed off that wrestling announcer side in his intro for Raleigh.

Bad injury news emerges about Paul George

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Paul George has managed to get injured during his summer off.

The Philadelphia 76ers star George suffered a left knee injury during a recent workout and underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on the knee Monday, a team official told Shams Charania of ESPN. Charania adds that George will now begin a rehab program and is set to be re-evaluated before the start of training camp.

George, now 35 years old, is about to enter his second season with the 76ers. His first season with the team was also marred by injury as George appeared in just 41 games due to various knee and adductor issues.

The fact that it is George’s left knee that he had the procedure on this week is especially concerning. That is the same knee that he hyperextended last preseason and then suffered another separate hyperextension to during the regular season in November. George has even had problems with that same left knee dating back to his time with the LA Clippers.

During the games that the nine-time All-Star George was healthy for with the 76ers last season, he experienced a dip in production (averaging 16.2 points per game on 43/36/81 shooting splits). George is also still owed $51.7 million next season and an additional $110.7 million over the next two seasons combined after that.

Though training camp does not start for another two-and-a-half months, Philadelphia may be in some deep trouble, beyond just having gone 24-58 last season. George might not even be their biggest concern at the moment as star center Joel Embiid is owed even more money and continues to face health uncertainty of his own.

FS1 has cancelled three TV shows

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FS1 is making some changes and has cancelled three different shows.

The sports television network is cancelling shows “Speak,” “The Facility” and “Breakfast Ball.” The most notable development is that Joy Taylor is no longer with FS1. She had co-hosted “Speak.”

The other co-hosts for “Speak” included Paul Pierce and Keyshawn Johnson. “Breakfast Ball” was hosted by Craig Carton, Danny Parkins and Mark Schlereth. “The Facility” was a newer show, and it had been co-hosted by former NFL players Emmanuel Acho, Chase Daniel, James Jones and LeSean McCoy.

The cancellations mean that FS1 only has two live shows — “The Herd” featuring Colin Cowherd, and “First Things First,” which is Nick Wright’s show.

Front Office Sports reports that FS1 could have interest in Tony Reali, Max Kellerman, and Kay Adams to potentially host shows for them. Reali was a longtime host at ESPN until “Around the Horn” was cancelled. There was talk that he could end up at FS1. Kellerman has been a host at both FS1 and ESPN in the past. He was the original host of “Around the Horn,” and his departure for FS1 gave Reali the opportunity to host the show. Adams was a host at NFL Network and later left to host a show for FanDuel Sports.

All three shows that are being cancelled by FS1 due to poor ratings. The three shows also were created by Charlie Dixon, an executive who has since been fired by the network.

Fans react to Cooper Kupp’s new hairstyle with Seahawks

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Cooper Kupp is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks, and he has marked his new start with a new haircut.

Kupp has trimmed his beard and has his hair long and frizzy, coming down to midway down his cheeks. You can see the look in a photo of him in a Seahawks jersey.

Fans reacted to the photo and feel Kupp’s new look has a music vibe.

Here is a comparison to the more clean-cut look Kupp had during his rookie season.

Kupp has definitely changed things up. The 32-year-old is also hoping for a rebirth in Seattle.

Kupp has battled injuries over the past three years, which followed his stellar 2021 season. That year, Kupp led the NFL with 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns. Since then, Kupp has played in 33 games over three seasons while being limited by hamstring and ankle injuries.

Last season, Kupp had 67 catches for 710 yards and 6 touchdowns. Despite his down year, Kupp still got a 3-year, $45 million deal from the Seahawks. He’s eager to show the Seahawks were right to invest in him.

Nick Sirianni calls out ‘bullsh-t’ narrative about Jalen Hurts

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Nick Sirianni believes there is a narrative surrounding Jalen Hurts that is total baloney.

Sirianni was quoted by NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Reuben Frank for a piece that was published on Monday. In that story, Sirianni called out the narrative that Hurts is more of a game-manager quarterback rather than a dynamic playmaker.

“Yeah, that’s bullsh-t,” Sirianni said, according to Frank (profanity censored by LBS).

Sirianni, who is entering his fifth season as the Eagles’ head coach, believes some of that narrative is rooted in sports talk shows needing to fill air time.

“Anytime, I hear that, it’s cool, it’s like a nice debate thing that people like to have and I get it, there’s a lot of hours that TV shows and radio stations have to fill to be able to fill that debate. I understand that, but we’re talking about the ultimate team game there is and he does whatever he needs to do to win each and every game,” Sirianni said.

Hurts was a second-round pick by the Eagles in 2020 and became the starter in 2021. The Eagles have gone 46-20 in games he’s started. He has passed for 14,667 yards and 85 touchdowns in 77 career games, while rushing for 3,133 yards and 55 touchdowns. He’s had at least 600 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in every season he’s been a starting quarterback. He is a playmaker who wins and has mastered the “Tush Push.”

Hurts is not a gimmick, nor is he merely a product of a team with talent surrounding him. He is a key piece to the Eagles’ success, which is dependent on having several good players on the team.

The Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl win. They have been to the playoffs in all four seasons where Hurts has been their starter, reaching the Super Bowl twice.

Interesting report surfaces about Al Horford’s free agency decision

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Al Horford has drawn significant interest as a free agent this summer despite his age, and there is apparently one team that expected to have signed the veteran big man by now.

ESPN’s Marc Spears discussed Horford’s free agency during Monday’s edition of “NBA Today.” The reporter said there are at least four teams that have been pursuing Horford and that the Golden State Warriors expected to sign the five-time All-Star last week.

“Golden State obviously expected him to sign last week. He didn’t,” Spears said. “Lakers, Milwaukee, Atlanta I believe are also interested in a nearly 40-year-old guy who also has retirement on the table. He’s still considering retiring.

“He’s not in any hurry. He’s got a sixth kid coming on the way. He lives in Atlanta and Boston in the offseason. But I’m hearing that whether it’s Golden State or, to a lesser extent, if it’s the Lakers, being away from the family that far isn’t gonna be in the decision.”

Spears also said that Horford’s 10-year-old son Ian “loves basketball” and could convince his father to keep playing.

Horford, averaged 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game for the Boston Celtics this past season. He can hit the occasional three-pointer and has made 37.7 percent of his career attempts from beyond the arc. Horford is also a strong rebounder and low-post defender.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens suggested last week that the team does not expect Horford to be back. With Jayson Tatum expected to miss most — if not all — of the 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles, Boston may not want to spend the money to re-sign Horford.

The Warriors seem like the favorite to sign Horford if he does not retire, though the 39-year-old may have his choice of multiple contenders.

Report: Jonathan Kuminga could remain with Warriors

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Jonathan Kuminga might actually be back with the Golden State Warriors for next season.

Kuminga is a restricted free agent since the Warriors extended him a qualifying offer. Going back to May, when the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs by the Timberwolves, some Golden State star players did not express confidence in Kuminga returning to the team. However, things may have changed.

Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel reported in a column over the weekend that Kuminga returning to the Warriors seems “likely.” A market for him in a sign-and-trade deal did not really materialize. That’s why the expectation reportedly is that Kuminga will return to the team for 2025-2026 and then be traded ahead of the February deadline.

Kuminga was the No. 7 overall pick by the Warriors in 2021. He has been with the team for four seasons, though he slipped back into a reserve role last season. Kuminga averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game last season. He appeared in 47 games, making 10 starts and averaging 24.3 minutes per game. Kuminga increased his 3-point shot attempts from 2.2 per game the previous season to 3.2 per game last season, which likely contributed to his field goal percentage dropping to a career-low 45.4. Kuminga had less of a rule on the team once they acquired Jimmy Butler.

“We would love to have him back,” Buddy Hield said of Kuminga during an interview Sunday at the NBA Summer League. “He’s a specialty talent, and I hope that he stays and hope that we can go on this run together.”

If Kuminga indeed returns to the Warriors, it sounds like his teammates will be pretty happy about it.

Karmelo Anthony will not face trial for a long time

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Karmelo Anthony was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder last month, but it will be a very long time before the teenager faces trial.

Anthony was indicted on first-degree murder charges by a grand jury in Collin County, Texas, on June 24. A judge in Collin County has now set a preliminary start date for the trial of June 1, 2026.

A court hearing that was previously scheduled for July 18, 2025, has been cancelled, according to CBS News.

Anthony was arrested on April 2 after he allegedly stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf in the chest during a dispute at a high school track meet in Frisco. Metcalf died due to the stabbing. A police report said that Anthony had admitted to stabbing Metcalf.

Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the incident and is 18 now, was released on April 14 after posting a bond that had been reduced to $250,000 from $1 million. He is currently under house arrest and must stay inside his parents’ house under adult supervision while wearing an ankle monitor. Anthony is not allowed to use social media and must check in with the court once a week.

An online fundraising campaign bearing Anthony’s name had raised nearly $550,000 as of Monday. Anthony’s family drew backlash following reports that they had moved into a gated community and purchased a new car, but Anthony’s mother said in April that the family had not used any money from the fundraising campaign.

The June 1, 2026, trial date could potentially be pushed back at some point, which means Anthony may not face trial for a year or more. He is facing a lengthy prison sentence if convicted.

Garrett Wilson sets new NFL mark with massive contract extension from Jets

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The New York Jets expect Garrett Wilson to be their top wide receiver for years to come, and they have proven that by signing the former first-round pick to a massive new contract.

Wilson and the Jets have agreed to a 4-year, $130 million contract extension, according to multiple reports. The deal includes $90 million in guaranteed money.

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted, Wilson will become the first receiver in NFL history to sign a contract worth more than $31 million annually after playing in the NFL for only three seasons.

Wilson has had more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first three NFL seasons. He set career highs last season with 101 catches, 1,104 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Wilson, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was openly unhappy with his role in New York’s offense late last season. That led to speculation that he might be traded, but the Jets have since cleaned house and have a new head coach in Aaron Glenn and quarterback in Justin Fields.

The $32.5 million average annual salary makes Wilson the fifth-highest-paid receiver in the NFL behind only Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and DK Metcalf.

Joy Taylor out at FS1 as part of major changes

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Joy Taylor is out at Fox Sports amid a series of changes that are being made to FS1’s on-air programming.

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported on Monday that Taylor will not have her contract renewed by Fox Sports after nine-plus years with the network. The move coincides with the cancellation of “Speak,” which is the show Taylor co-hosts with Keyshawn Johnson and Paul Pierce.

FS1 is also canceling its two morning programs, “Breakfast Ball” and “The Facility.”

Taylor has been in the news this year for unwanted reasons, which is why her FS1 exit is not a surprise. She was named in a lawsuit filed by a hairdresser against Skip Bayless. The lawsuit accused Taylor of using sexual relationships with her FS1 bosses and colleague to advance her career.

FS1 had “sidelined” Taylor in March, but she later returned and resumed her role as the co-host of “Speak.” In April, FS1 fired Charlie Dixon, the executive who was also named in the lawsuit.

There were signs in recent months that Taylor did not expect to remain with FS1 for the long term. The 38-year-old recently launched her own show called “Two Personal,” which she uses to discuss topics well outside the sports scope. She has discussed topics like sex and dating on that show, and she may focus more on that now that she is parting ways with Fox.

Teddy Bridgewater suspended over alleged impermissible benefits to his high school players

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Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended by his alma mater after the former NFL quarterback allegedly provided impermissible benefits to players.

Bridgewater acknowledged in a Facebook post on Sunday that he has been suspended by Miami Northwestern Senior High School in Miami, Fla., days after the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) began looking into the possibility of Bridgewater providing impermissible benefits to players. The investigation appears to have been triggered by a different post Bridgewater made on Facebook last week.

An FHSAA official confirmed to Andy Villamarzo of Rivals on Monday that Miami Northwestern is working to gather more information about the allegations against Bridgewater.

Bridgewater, who led Miami Northwestern to a state championship last season, indicated on Facebook that he is not currently employed by the school. He suggested he plans to return to coaching the Bulls despite the disciplinary action, however.

“The suspension came from MNW and it’s impossible to suspend someone who doesn’t work for you. So if im (sic) suspended from MNW im (sic) free to go to another school of my choice but IM (sic) NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

“And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.

“This is my last post about this bs,” Bridgewater wrote.

Bridgewater had a lengthy Facebook post on July 7 that seems to have led to the investigation. In that post, he asked fans to help raise money to cover expenses for players that were not being covered by Miami Northwestern. Bridgewater listed several team and player expenses he says he had to cover out of his own pocket, including $2,200 per week for pregame meals, $1,300 per week for athletic recovery services and $700 per week for Uber rides.

Bridgewater wrote in the post that “THIS ISNT A CRY OUT FOR HELP but more so a coach seeking donations.”

Villamarzo notes that there is precedent for the FHSSA to punish programs over benefits to players that are deemed impermissible. The First Academy in Orlando was fined $36,000 and banned from the postseason for two years last fall over providing players with free meals and Uber rides.

Bridgewater, 32, came out of retirement to rejoin the Detroit Lions late last season. He had said his plan was to return as the head coach at Miami Northwestern in 2025, but his social media post suggested he is not an official employee of the school at the moment.

It is unclear how long Bridgewater’s suspension will last or whether he will continue to coach the Bulls this upcoming season. There has also been some talk of Bridgewater coaching in the NFL.

Troubling new details emerge from Browns rookie Quinshon Judkins’ arrest

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Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins is facing a charge related to domestic violence after he was arrested on Saturday, and some troubling new details about the incident have surfaced.

Judkins was arrested in Florida on Saturday after the Fort Lauderdale Police Department responded to a report of a delayed battery. Officers determined that battery had occurred and took Judkins into custody. The 21-year-old was charged with touch or strike battery/domestic violence, according to Broward County Sheriff’s Office records.

On Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network obtained the full arrest report from the alleged incident. The report states that Judkins was accused of punching a woman in the face with a closed fist and later hitting her in the left arm and thigh on July 7. Judkins and the woman were in a car leaving Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport at the time.

The woman told police that she is currently in a relationship with Judkins.

Judkins was selected by Cleveland in the second round, No. 36 overall in April’s draft. Judkins began his college career playing two seasons at Ole Miss before transferring to play for the eventual national champion Ohio State Buckeyes last season.

Judkins rushed for 3,785 yards and 45 touchdowns during his college career. He added 442 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns. Judkins had a career-high 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman with Ole Miss in 2022. He ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Whether he is convicted or not, Judkins is facing a potential six-game suspension from the NFL for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

Ex-Alabama star believes Nick Saban will return to coaching

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Nick Saban stunned the college football world when he stepped down as the head coach at Alabama two years ago, but fans are suddenly buzzing about the idea of the seven-time national champion making a return.

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy shared a major rumor about Saban during the latest episode of the “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” podcast, which was released on Monday. McElroy said he recently spoke with a “very-much-in-the-know person” who is convinced Saban will return to coaching. McElroy said the person, whom he described as “notable,” was “adamant” that Saban will be back on the sideline.

“This is a little bit out of left field, but the question was asked of me … a very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire, they seem to think Nick Saban’s not done coaching,” McElroy said, as transcribed by Nick Schultz of On3. “I had a similar reaction. He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again. … Look, if it wasn’t someone notable, I’d never say a word.”

McElroy was speaking with fellow ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, who was a guest on the show, at the time. Finebaum gave a stern “no” when asked if he believes there is a chance of Saban coaching again.

“Greg, you know Nick Saban better than I do, but I ran into somebody the other day who spends time with Saban in Florida — you can imagine where — and said that he is literally having the time of his life,” Finebaum said. “And why wouldn’t he? I’m much closer to Nick Saban’s age than you are and I can assure you, when you have everything you want and you start playing golf at the best golf clubs in America and you start making friends who belong to even better golf clubs and you make a lot of money for doing very little work on TV, the interest in doing what he walked away from is not very high.”

Saban seems to be enjoying his gig with ESPN’s “College GameDay.” The 73-year-old is widely considered to be the greatest college football coach of all time and has won titles with multiple schools. It is hard to imagine an opportunity that would entice him to return to an incredibly demanding job at this point in his life and career.

Saban has found a way to remain involved in college football and remains a very influential voice. If he wanted to continue coaching, he probably would have never left Alabama in the first place. It is unlikely that he will have a change of heart.

SEC commissioner addresses the big criticism of the conference

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The SEC has faced criticism for not changing its in-conference schedule after adding Texas and Oklahoma, but commissioner Greg Sankey says there are still no immediate plans to do so.

Sankey spoke on Monday about the possibility of the SEC expanding its in-conference schedule from eight opponents to nine. Each team in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 plays nine conference opponents, but the SEC is not adopting that format for the 2025 season. The Big East also plays an eight-team conference schedule.

Sankey said it has “never been a secret” that the SEC plays one fewer conference opponent than some other Power Five conferences.

“It is absolutely, fully, 100 percent correct that in the SEC we play eight conference games while some others play nine conference games, never been a secret,” Sankey said. “Second, it’s also correct that last season, all 16 members of the Southeastern Conference played at least nine games against what you would label Power opponents. We had several that played 10 of their 12 games against Power opponents.”

Sankey argued that the SEC’s schedule is still more difficult than that of any other Power Five conference.

“I don’t believe there’s anyone looking to swap their conference schedule and its opponents with the opponents played by Southeastern Conference teams and our conference schedule, be it eight or nine. … We’re gonna continue to evaluate whether increasing the number of conference football games is appropriate for us,” Sankey said.

There would be financial considerations associated with the SEC shifting to a nine-game conference schedule, so that is something that Sankey and company need to work through.

Now that the SEC has expanded, a nine-game conference schedule seems inevitable. The SEC has already done away with its two divisions, but one big question is how opponents will be determined each year. Nick Saban raised a concern about that two years back.

Report: 49ers player who had breakout season could seek trade

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings could potentially ask for a trade in the wake of his breakout 2024 season.

Jennings is seeking a new contract ahead of training camp, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday. The 28-year-old is set to make $7.5 million in the final year of his deal this season, and he wants an extension.

If Jennings and the 49ers cannot come to an agreement on a new contract prior to the start of training camp next week, the receiver is planning to seek a trade. Schefter reports that the two sides have made very little progress in negotiations.

Jennings is not expected to hold out from training camp even without a new deal, but the 49ers would have a disgruntled wideout on their hands for the second consecutive offseason. Brandon Aiyuk skipped much of the team’s offseason a year ago as he sought a new contract.

The 49ers believe they have treated Jennings fairly after they signed him to a new two-year deal worth up to $15.4 million last year, according to Schefter.

Jennings posted career-high numbers almost across the board in 2024 with 77 catches for 975 yards and 6 touchdowns. He had only one drop.

The 49ers have handed out massive contract extensions to several of their top players over the past year, so they may be hesitant to pay Jennings before they have to. That could lead to a tense situation in the coming weeks.

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