Author: Shekari Philemon

The parents of former All-Pro NFL running back Doug Martin have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against the city of Oakland, California, several police officers, and an ambulance company, alleging that excessive force during a mental health crisis and delayed medical attention caused their son’s death at the age of 36. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, describes an October incident in which Martin was restrained by responding officers who held him face-down with pressure applied to his back for a sustained period. The complaint alleges this restraint was a substantial contributing factor in his death. Martin had been…

The Oklahoma City Thunder are trading guard Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two future second-round picks, the second roster move in a week designed to trim the championship team’s payroll and reduce a projected luxury tax bill that had reached an unsustainable level. Detroit will receive Joe, one of the most accurate three-point shooters in the league over the past four seasons, alongside a meaningful solution to a perimeter shooting problem that ranked among the worst in the Eastern Conference last year. Oklahoma City gets back second-round selections in 2030 and 2031 while clearing Joe’s $11.3 million salary…

Mark Williams intends to sign a three-year, $38 million fully guaranteed contract to return to the Phoenix Suns, completing the team’s priority free agent signings for the offseason and keeping the center who anchored their frontcourt through a successful season that exceeded preseason expectations. Williams, 24, finished negotiations with the Suns on Thursday night. The fully guaranteed structure reflects the confidence both the team and the player have in the arrangement and removes the kind of uncertainty that can create friction in shorter or more conditional deals for young players still establishing themselves at the NBA level. A breakthrough season…

Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert announced Thursday that her ovarian cancer has returned for the third time, requiring surgery and upcoming chemotherapy that will keep her away from Wimbledon and her broadcast commitments for the foreseeable future. Evert, 71, made the announcement publicly on social media, describing a situation she approached with the same directness and resilience that defined her playing career. She said she had already undergone surgery as a first step in her treatment and recovery following tests that confirmed the cancer’s return, and that chemotherapy was planned to begin within the coming weeks. A battle that…

Serena Williams will play Maya Joint of Australia in the first round of Wimbledon on Tuesday, facing a 20-year-old opponent ranked 53rd in the world as she steps onto a singles court for the first time in nearly four years at the tournament where she has won more titles than anywhere else. Williams, 44, accepted a wild-card invitation to the Wimbledon singles draw last week, adding to her already confirmed appearance in the doubles competition alongside her sister Venus. It marks her first singles match since a third-round defeat at the 2022 US Open, the occasion on which she said…

Cameron Norrie says he is not carrying the weight of his French Open withdrawal into Wimbledon and believes his body and tennis are in a good place as the year’s most important week for him approaches. The British number one retired mid-match at Roland Garros last month, pulling out of his opening round contest after 79 minutes while managing a rib injury. It was only the second time in his professional career he had left the court without completing a match, the first coming more than a decade ago on the lowest rung of the professional circuit. The decision was…

The International Tennis Federation has changed its name to World Tennis, the organization announced Thursday in London, joining a growing number of international sports governing bodies that have dropped their formal institutional names in favor of simpler, sport-first branding. The renaming had been ratified the previous October by member national tennis associations voting at the organization’s annual general meeting, making the London announcement the public formalization of a change that was already approved within the federation’s governance structure. What World Tennis oversees The organization’s responsibilities span the full breadth of international tennis competition outside the professional tours themselves. It governs…

Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold faces serious felony charges after turning himself in to authorities in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday night, months after a targeted armed robbery and kidnapping that police say he orchestrated just hours after reporting a theft from a property he rented in the area. Arnold was booked into Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County and faces four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery, charges that each carry a potential sentence of life in prison. He is scheduled to appear in Hillsborough County court on Thursday afternoon. The state attorney’s office indicated it would…

The Boston Celtics are engaged in trade discussions involving Jaylen Brown, with multiple teams interested in acquiring the All-Star forward who was at the center of Boston’s unsuccessful pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo before the two-time MVP chose to join the Miami Heat. The Celtics included Brown as the primary piece of their offer to Milwaukee before the Bucks ultimately chose Miami’s package of younger players and draft capital. Following that outcome, Boston has continued to engage with interested teams and is actively listening to offers for a player who represents one of the most significant trade assets available in the…

The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to trade All-Star guard LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that delivers Minnesota the co-star it has been searching for alongside Anthony Edwards and sets Charlotte on a new path built around draft capital and internal development. In exchange for Ball and forward Josh Green, the Hornets will receive center Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030. Multiple teams had pursued Ball aggressively in recent days before Minnesota ultimately won the negotiations. What each…