Author: Shekari Philemon

Trail Blazers representatives met with Portland city councilors Thursday to discuss the terms of a proposed $600 million renovation of the Moda Center and the public funding commitments needed to secure a long-term lease that would keep the team in the city through at least 2050. The public work session highlighted the tension surrounding a deal that has moved slowly despite broad agreement on the basic stakes. A bridge lease between the team and the city expires in 2030, and both sides have an interest in resolving the arena question before that deadline forces a more difficult set of decisions.…

Taysom Hill confirmed Wednesday night that he will not be returning to the New Orleans Saints for a 10th season, closing one of the most unusual and beloved chapters in recent franchise history while leaving open what, if anything, comes next. In a post to social media that marked his first public comments since the end of the 2025 season, he expressed gratitude to the organization and its fan base while acknowledging that he has spent the offseason trying to determine his future without yet landing on an answer. He said he did not want his silence to be misread…

Myles Garrett arrived in Los Angeles to chase a championship, and if a retired Hall of Famer happens to come along for the ride, he will not complain about it. The Rams defensive end spoke Wednesday about the possibility of Aaron Donald returning from retirement to play alongside him, choosing his words carefully to make clear that he has no intention of pressuring the former tackle into a decision he has not yet made. He said that if the veteran comes back, he is confident the two of them would accomplish great things together, but he also acknowledged the weight…

Ahman Green, the Green Bay Packers’ all-time leading rusher, has publicly revealed for the first time that he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in January 2025. Green, 49, disclosed the diagnosis during a podcast appearance this week, saying he had previously kept the news within his family and closest friends. He described the path to the diagnosis as one that began with subtle physical signs he had noticed for some time before seeking medical attention, including twitching in his feet while sleeping. Once he decided to pursue answers, he connected with specialists who put him through testing and diagnostics…

The NBA will not play any preseason games in the Middle East for the first time in five years, a decision shaped by the ongoing military conflict between the United States and Iran and the broader instability it has created across the region. The league had been in discussions with four franchises about potentially participating in games in Abu Dhabi this fall, as it had done for each of the previous four preseasons. The Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards were among the teams that had been in conversations with the league about the possible trip. None…

The NBA’s investigation into whether the Los Angeles Clippers improperly funneled money to Kawhi Leonard could stretch into 2027 if the parties cannot reach agreement on findings or any proposed penalties, according to people familiar with the matter. Central to the potential delay is the NBA Players Association, which has signaled it would take the case to arbitration rather than accept punishment it does not view as sufficiently supported by evidence. The union has reviewed what has emerged from the inquiry and its executive director said publicly in Las Vegas earlier this month that he did not believe there was…

Cruz walked onto the court for his first ATP Tour main-draw match and left with a victory, a higher ranking and a story worth telling about the day he stopped being just Lleyton Hewitt’s son and started being a professional tennis player in his own right. The 17-year-old Australian beat Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4 in Washington D.C. on Tuesday without facing a single break point, producing one of the cleaner debut performances the tour has seen from a teenager in some time. Giron, a former world No. 37 who was ranked 85 at the time of the match, is no…

Two of the NFL’s most explosive running backs sat out the opening day of training camp Wednesday as they push for new long-term contracts, creating simultaneous holdout situations on opposite ends of the country that could reshape the running back market. Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions were both absent from their teams’ first practice sessions of the preseason. Both players have been engaged in contract discussions with their respective organizations this offseason, and both are widely expected to set a new market standard for running backs when deals are eventually finalized. The…

Jonathan Greenard will begin Eagles training camp on the physically unable to perform list after sustaining a pectoral strain while lifting before camp opened. The team characterized the injury as a short-term setback and expressed full confidence that the veteran pass rusher will be ready when the regular season begins. The timing is inconvenient but not alarming for a Philadelphia team that acquired Greenard in April in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and then signed him to a four-year, $100 million extension with $50 million in guaranteed money. The Eagles gave up two third-round picks in the deal, the…

LeBron James is a Philadelphia 76er. The announcement that many in the basketball world considered improbable, if not impossible just weeks ago, became official on Monday when the 76ers confirmed a two-year deal with the NBA’s career scoring leader on the veteran’s minimum, totaling $8 million. The franchise marked the moment with a photograph. A blue No. 23 jersey hanging in a locker, a crown resting on the shelf above it, a nod to the nickname James has carried throughout his career. The image needed no caption. LeBron, who turns 42 in December, came remarkably close to not being here…