“This is gonna make me look bad, isn’t it?”

Unfortunately, Jaxson Hayes, yes, it will. But only in the beginning.

The play, one Hayes did not remember, came last season, on Dec. 12, 2023, when he was in his first months with the Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Dončić was still starring for the Dallas Mavericks. It was midway through the fourth quarter of a tight game, with the Mavericks down by two.

Dončić — as he loves to do — called for a pick-and-roll to draw a matchup against the opposing team’s center. In this case, it was Hayes. Dončić dribbled his way into the low left block, drove his shoulder into Hayes to create space, a space Hayes closed quickly — maybe a little too quickly.

With Hayes in his face, Dončić took a moment, gathered his feet and then whipped the ball with his left hand right behind Hayes’ head to a wide open Dante Exum, who was waiting patiently behind the 3-point line at the top of the key. The pass fell right into Exum’s shooting pocket and the shot barely hit net, one of Dončić’s 17 assists that night.

“Ugh, bro, come on,” Hayes told USA TODAY Sports with a smile recently after being shown the highlight on a smartphone. “I’m just glad he’s making those plays on our side now.”

In his 31 games with the Lakers, Dončić has done exactly that, feeding role players with no-look dishes, over-the-head scoops and full-court darts, providing scoring opportunities for those who might otherwise struggle to claim those chances.

Yet, Dončić is just one of the generational passers on the Lakers. Throughout his 22 seasons in the NBA, no player has dazzled with his vision, ball location and creativity more than LeBron James. With the attention that Dončić and James draw, often sucking additional defenders into the paint when they attack, players like Hayes, guards Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent and forward Rui Hachimura have all benefitted.

“He has such great court vision as a player,” Hayes said of Dončić. “He draws so many defenders and gets so much attention, so it gets me a lot of open baskets. It has been awesome. I just need to make sure I’m in the right positions. Luka and LeBron — they do all the rest.”

Hayes, in particular, has seen his efficiency soar. When Dončić drives, opposing bigs often abandon Hayes to try to alter Dončić’s shots, which has led to dozens of easy lobs for Hayes to dunk through the rim.

In the 25 regular-season games that both Dončić and Hayes played, Hayes recorded a perfect shooting percentage in seven of them. In that span, Hayes shot 76.5% from the field, representing an increase of nearly 10 percentage points compared to the 29 games Hayes played prior to Dončić’s arrival, in which he shot 67.6%.

“You just always have to have your hands ready,” Hayes said.

It has become a nightly occurrence for Dončić to laser a highlight-worthy pass to a teammate. The pressure, then, falls on his teammates to make good on their end and drain the open shots.

Earlier this month, in a 126-99 April 6 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dončić flipped a no-look pass behind his head to an open Vincent, who flushed a 3. When asked after the game how he comes up with these passes in the moment, Dončić practically shrugged.

“I don’t think you can practice that pass, honestly,” Dončić said then. “It’s just sometimes I decide some stuff, then I don’t know how I make it.”

Yet, the Lakers are currently in a 2-1 hole in their first-round series against the Timberwolves, and Dončić struggled through a Game 3 loss with a stomach bug. The Lakers wasted a 38-point showing from James with turnovers and missed opportunities.

Game 4 tips off Sunday in Minnesota, and a 3-1 deficit would put the team’s season in a precarious spot. Whether Dončić recovers from his stomach ailment or not, the Lakers will need more from him, starting with that Luka magic, the no-look dishes that destabilize a defense.

“Nobody is faster than the ball,” James said recently of Los Angeles’ passes. “It comes to ball movement and things of that nature that combat a lot of the ball pressure.

“When that ball is popping, that’s always a key to success.”

As the Boston Celtics attempt to take a 3-1 series lead against the Orlando Magic in their first-round Eastern Conference series, they will be without guard Jrue Holiday, and guard-forward Jaylen Brown is listed as questionable for Sunday’s Game 4 (7 p.m. ET, TNT).

In some good news for the banged-up Celtics, All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum, who sustained a bruised right wrist in Game 1 and missed Game 2 but played in Game 3, is no longer on the injury report.

Holiday, who missed Orlando’s 95-93 Game 3 victory Friday, has a strained right hamstring.

‘He’s doing well,’ Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Saturday. ‘Just taking it one day at a time and seeing how he comes out of it.’

Brown is on the injury report with right knee posterior impingement, which is pain or discomfort behind the knee. Brown also said he dislocated his left index finger in Game 3, but that is not included on the injury report.

Brown has dealt with knee pain this season and missed 12 games in the final two months of the season. The Celtics also limited his minutes in the final month, keeping him under 30 minutes in the final seven games he played in the regular season.

Brown, who had injections to relieve the pain earlier this month, sat out the final three games of the regular season and has played at least 30 minutes in each game against the Magic, including 42 minutes in Game 2.

Identifying the strongest candidates for the NFL’s awards for top rookies is more than a matter of just pointing to draft capital.

Though the honors are, by definition, recognition of individual accomplishments, each one is inextricably tied to the team’s positioning as well. With front offices typically taking the long view when it comes to making their investment strategy in the annual event, an uneven landscape for players’ short-term contributions is inevitable. And with positional considerations weighing heavily into the matter, some of the league’s newbies will be far better positioned than others to receive recognition.

With this year’s NFL draft complete, here are the leading contenders for top rookie honors.

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates

1. Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans

Yes, there was no stretch required to make this choice. The No. 1 pick is a natural front-runner for an award that typically gets claimed by quarterbacks whenever there’s one worthy of it. Ward’s attacking approach should be on full display early on, particularly if Tennessee’s reworked offensive line can equip him with sufficient time to operate. But not every top quarterback can enjoy a Jayden Daniels-esque immediate star turn, or even a Bo Nix-like steady ascension as a rookie. The 6-2, 219-pounder will be counted on to emphasize his poise as a pocket passer and push down his instincts to go big-game hunting, as Brian Callahan likely won’t tolerate the rampant turnovers that plagued his first year when Will Levis was at the helm. But there are plenty of promising signs that Ward can help spark a turnaround that will command a good bit of attention.

2. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

Maybe it’s early to narrow the chase considerably, but this sure seems like it sizes up as a two-man race between the two players who were the unquestioned top choices at each of their respective positions. In making Jeanty the highest running back selected since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 in 2018, the Raiders signaled a clear intent to transform the league’s worst rushing attack. That no doubt will entail a massive workload for the 5-9, 211-pounder, which is something to which the Heisman Trophy runner-up is accustomed after logging an astronomical 374 carries last year – more than any ball carrier in the NFL in 2024. Jeanty ultimately might face the same ceiling that any running back does in only being able to do so much to make up for a suspect setup up front and a non-threatening receiving corps, but he’ll clearly turn heads if he can elevate the Silver and Black’s ground game considerably in his first year.

3. Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Could the draft’s most dynamic player end up a victim of the binary created by these awards? Hunter’s singular talent as a two-way threat might not be able to be fully captured by either one. New general manager James Gladstone has embraced the hype around the player for whom he gave up his 2026 first-round pick, saying the Heisman Trophy winner ‘changes the air around him.’ With the Jaguars making clear their commitment to becoming more explosive, Hunter should have a full plate of opportunities to tilt games with the kind of highlight-reel plays that help lock down this award. But with the balance for his double duty still to be determined, it’s unclear whether he’ll see sufficient volume of touches to really put his stat line over the top, particularly with Brian Thomas Jr. sure to command a massive number of targets after his stellar debut.

4. Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints

This is not so much an endorsement of Shough’s readiness to leave an imprint in Year 1 as recognition of the dynamic of this award. With Jaxson Dart set to sit behind Russell Wilson to start his career and no other quarterback beyond Ward having a certain path to first-string reps, the late bloomer out of Louisville stands above the other options here given the apparent likelihood he could take the reins in New Orleans. The 6-5, 219-pounder boasts ample arm strength to take advantage of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed’s speed downfield, but his willingness to make turnover-worthy throws in the face of pressure could irk new-coach Kellen Moore. It seems like a long shot that Shough could make enough magic happen to leapfrog Ward and Jeanty, but the massive opportunity and spotlight he’ll be afforded do give him a leg up on the rest of the competition.

5. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

He won’t get the full Jeanty treatment, as a potential timeshare with Najee Harris looms in the Bolts’ backfield. But Jim Harbaugh surely won’t be shy about wielding his new battering ram of a back. The 6-0, 221-pound Hampton has more juice as a runner than he gets credit for, and that element of his game – as well as his value as a receiver – could keep Harris somewhat at bay. But a true bell-cow role likely isn’t in store right away, which limits his upside here.

6. Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers

Green Bay didn’t break its first-round receiver drought to keep Golden under wraps as a rookie. The speedy target from Texas figures to be a salve for the aerial attack’s woes against man coverage. Between Matt LaFleur’s creative playcalling and Jordan Love’s willingness to be aggressive in attacking downfield, Golden could see a handful of splash plays out of the gates. But LaFleur has also made his distaste for the No. 1 receiver setup known. With Green Bay’s proclivity for sharing the wealth in the receiving corps – four different players had between 70-76 targets last season – the 5-11, 191-pounder could struggle to see enough looks week in and week out to rack up the stats necessary to take home this honor.

7. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

Eschewing a first-round investment in the league’s worst defense served as a statement of intent for the Panthers’ plan for McMillan. Accelerating Bryce Young’s ascent is the clear priority in Carolina, and the organization’s brain trust saw a need to arm the former No. 1 pick with another major weapon. In some ways, McMillan might be an odd fit for Young, as his lack of precision and urgency as a route runner as well as concerns about his ability to beat press coverage don’t bode well for a signal-caller who strongly prefers to play on schedule. But if Young is to unlock new levels in his own game and the Panthers’ aerial attack, he’ll need to keep up the growth he showed a downfield passer late last season. The 6-4, 219-pound McMillan can provide him with more margin of error there with his massive catch radius, and he can also make life easier for Young on short-to-intermediate throws with his ability to turn upfield and rack up yards. And in a position group that lacks a true alpha, he could poised to post the best statistics of any pass catcher in this year’s class.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates

1. Abdul Carter, OLB, New York Giants

In a flip from last year, which had no clear-cut leading candidate for this award after a record 14 consecutive offensive players kicked off the first round, Carter is the overwhelming favorite to take home the hardware. The No. 3 overall pick was a step above his pass-rushing peers in a deep class, and his rare array of ways to beat blockers before closing in on quarterbacks augurs well for his transition to the pros. The biggest early concerns hinges on his utilization as he joins a group off the edge that already features Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. But Carter’s versatility should allow him to be deployed from numerous different vantage points, and a steady stream of big plays in the backfield could be in store early on.

2. Jalon Walker, OLB, Atlanta Falcons

With several other first-round defenders either sizing up as a project pass rushers or big bodies unlikely to rack up sacks, it’s difficult to identify formidable competition for Carter. Though he’s far from a finished product, Walker might be the best bet for someone who can make a run at the honor. At 6-1 and 243 pounds, he’ll require creative utilization for Atlanta to unleash the full scope of his disruptiveness. But here’s defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s opportunity to make good on his pledge to be adaptive as he looks to unleash a unit that can provide lots of different looks. And given the Falcons’ longstanding pass rush issues, the team has plenty of motivation to make the most of Walker’s considerable athleticism from the get-go.

3. Mykel Williams, DE, San Francisco 49ers

The former five-star recruit never fully rounded into a consistent pass rusher in his time at Georgia despite showing some flashes. So why should Williams be expected to make the leap once he faces more gifted blockers? To put himself in the mix for this award, he might not need to. With Nick Bosa commanding a good deal of attention opposite him, Williams could boost his stat line with a healthy dose of clean-up sacks. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s pressure packages, which count on putting the front four in favorable spots to create chaos, also will help prop up the 6-5, 260-pounder.

4. James Pearce Jr., DE, Falcons

After parting with its 2026 first-round pick to move up for Pearce, Atlanta is clearly counting on the speedy edge rusher to find his form in short order. The 6-5, 245-pounder throws blockers off balance at the snap with his rapid first step, and he can jolt them backward en route to the quarterback once he has them out of sorts. But his wild playing style that produces plenty of pressure might still leave him short on sacks, as he too often struggles to regain his composure and finish plays. Still, the Falcons will go to great length to disrupt opposing passers, so Pearce will have a shot to make his mark.

5. Travis Hunter, CB, Jaguars

Yes, he’s listed again for another award he might be in the running for. It’s only right that the premier big-play threat in this draft class get consideration here given how he can close in on the ball in an instant when opponents test him. But what if quarterbacks simply decide not to risk it? Savvy passers might simply look for other ways to attack a defense that ranked last against the pass in 2024, and that could severely inhibit Hunter’s chances to rack up ball production, which will be necessary for him to join Sauce Gardner as just the second cornerback since 2018 to win the award.

The final day of the NFL draft typically doesn’t carry over the attention that the first two nights commanded. But this was no ordinary year for the annual event.

While there were several intriguing subplots throughout the seven rounds of action in Green Bay, Wisconsin, nothing could measure up to Shedeur Sanders’ stunning stumble out of Day 1 – and then Day 2. The star quarterback finally heard his name called Saturday and celebrated by hopping into the pool. But that was far from the only big splash on Saturday.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from the final day of the 2025 NFL draft:

NFL draft winners of Day 3

Shedeur Sanders

Is it actually possible to consider the Colorado signal-caller a winner the day after his precipitous fall finally met its end? In a twisted sort of way, yes. Though this is hardly the outcome Sanders or those around him could have envisioned heading into the draft, landing with the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round doesn’t fully extinguish his hopes of seeing the field anytime soon. He now joins a quarterback room that figures to be a free-for-all with Deshaun Watson’s status in doubt as he recovers from a second surgery on his torn Achilles. It certainly will be difficult for him to make his way to the top of the depth chart, but there’s no figure here who looks like a sure thing to outrace him on the climb. No matter how narrow it is, there’s at least a path for him to get a shot next season, during which the Browns likely will explore several options as they look ahead to a true turning of the page in 2026.

Cam Skattebo

Though his distinct running style proved immensely difficult to stop last season at Arizona State, some wondered whether Skattebo would turn teams off with a bowling ball approach. Any notion of a steep slide was quickly put to bed, however, as the New York Giants picked the 5-10, 219-pound back with the third selection of the fourth round. Big Blue seems to have bought into his hard-charging mentality, which should make him a fitting complement to promising second-year option Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Bhayshul Tuten

What running back wouldn’t want to operate under Liam Coen after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ new head coach revived the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rushing attack in his single season as offensive coordinator? The Jaguars already have Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby in the backfield, but the fourth-round price tag could reflect how highly general manager James Gladstone prioritizes explosiveness in his new attack. The 5-9, 206-pound Tuten can break away from an entire defense with the 4.32-second speed that was the best of any back at the NFL Scouting Combine, so he should be afforded plenty of opportunities under Coen, who made impressive use of his last fourth-round back in Bucky Irving.

Javonte Williams

After signing with the Dallas Cowboys on a one-year, $3 million contract this offseason, Williams was on uncertain ground heading into a draft that could have yielded a lead ball carrier for the team. But Jerry Jones didn’t take action at the position until the fifth-round, where he went with Jaydon Blue. The Texas speedster could see some early third-down work, but Williams figures to handle a bulk of the action in the ground game.

Sam Howell

The Seattle Seahawks’ selection of Jalen Milroe in the third round cemented that Howell would be pushed out the door. For a young quarterback, there aren’t many better landing spots than with Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings. Howell shouldn’t pose any sort of threat to J.J. McCarthy as the 2024 first-rounder ascends to the starting role, but he can learn from some of the league’s best minds at the position in O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.

Mike Vrabel

After New England focused its early draft efforts on equipping Drake Maye with more stability and explosiveness, the Patriots turned their attention to their defense on Day 3. Safety Craig Woodson and defensive tackle Joshua Farmer both could ascend to starting spots over time, but the one to watch could be Bradyn Swinson. The fifth-round edge rusher can create a serious spark for a pass rush that tallied a league-worst 28 sacks.

Eagles-Georgia pipeline

Howie Roseman just can’t resist adding another Bulldog to his defense. Despite having a solid look at linebacker after re-signing Zack Baun and trading up to take Jihaad Campbell in the first round, Roseman opted for Smael Mondon Jr. in the fourth round. A supreme athlete with underdeveloped instincts but extensive playmaking range, Mondon hits a lot of the same marks as Campbell. But Roseman saw enough to add him to a unit that already featured several other former Georgia standouts. Maybe the architect of the defending champs already has his eyes on Christen Miller, the team’s latest standout, for next year’s draft.

HBCU breakthrough

Hats off to Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson, who becomes just the third player since 2020 from a Historically Black College and University to be selected in the fourth rounds. There’s still plenty of more work to do on the here, as no other players from the HBCU ranks joined him through three days. But it’s good to see a prospect of his caliber get his proper due.

NFL draft losers of Day 3

Quinn Ewers

Sanders wasn’t the only highly touted passer to be dealt a humbling setback in the draft. Ewers, the former No. 1 overall recruit who started three years for Texas and led the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals last season, lasted all the way to the end of the seventh round, when he was scooped up by the Miami Dolphins. It was a stunning turn for a talented thrower known for uncorking off-platform shots downfield. While teams clearly ruled his arm talent clearly wasn’t enough to compensate for his lack of development, it was still surprising to see the likes of Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Florida’s Graham Mertz and North Dakota State’s Cam Miller all find their landing spots before he did. With Ewers looking like a long shot to make Miami’s roster, there will be inevitable second-guessing of his decision to turn pro rather than transfer and cash in on a considerable NIL deal.

Carolina Panthers

Let’s recap all the moves that the Panthers have made in their backfield since selecting running back Jonathon Brooks in the second round last year. In November, the team handed Chuba Hubbard a four-year, $33.2 million extension that included $15 million in new, fully guaranteed money. In March, Carolina inked Rico Dowdle to a one-year, $2.75 million deal. And on Saturday, the organization burned a fourth-round pick on Georgia running back Trevor Etienne. With Brooks in December tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee for the second time in 13 months, the Panthers now have some insurance with their ground game. But this is a glut of ball carriers for a team that should be focusing on options elsewhere.

2026 NFL mock draft: No Arch Manning, but QBs lead way-too-early look at first round

Justin Tucker

The Ravens didn’t make sixth-rounder Tyler Loop the first kicker ever to be drafted by the franchise only to have him keep Tucker company throughout the spring and summer. While it’s too early to cement the ouster of the player with the highest career field goal conversion rate in NFL history, Baltimore certainly set itself to move on if it chooses to do so as the league continues to investigate sexual misconduct allegations levied by a number of massage therapists. And with the off-field firestorm coinciding with a season in which Tucker missed a career-high eight field goals, the Ravens might see sufficient reason to move on.

Specialists

Loop and fellow kicker Andres Borregales (New England Patriots) both heard their names called on Day 3, with punter Jeremy Crawshaw closing out the sixth round. But for the first time since 2014, neither a kicker nor punter was taken in the first five rounds of the draft. Given the dicey records of Jake Moody, Cade York and some other early selections, it’s easy to understand why teams might have wanted to exhibit a little more restraint this year.

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe used smart tactics to pull away for the victory in the elite men’s division of the London Marathon, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa smashed the women’s-only world record by 26 seconds.

Assefa, the 28-year-old Olympic silver medalist, won Sunday in 2:15:50, beating the previous women’s-only record of 2:16:16 set by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir in London last year.

She said the warmer temperatures (near 68 degrees by race end) helped her improve over last year’s performance. ‘Last year, I did have some problems with the cold,’ said Assefa, who was second in 2024. ‘My hamstring tightened up towards the end of the race. This year, the weather suited me really well, and that’s why I’m really pleased with the way the race went.”

Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya finished second in 2:18:44, continuing her run of strong performances in London having won in 2021 and placing second in 2022 and third last year.

Sawe made his strategic move with about 10K to go, pulling ahead when others in the lead pack reached for water bottles. Sawe won the men’s race in 2:02:27, beating runner-up Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda by 1 minute, 10 seconds.

Defending men’s champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya edged out Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands in a photo finish for third, with both crossing in 2:04:20.

40-year-old Eliud Kipchoge, a four-time winner in London, finished sixth in 2:05:25. “I’m very happy with that,” Kipchoge said, according to the race website. “I’m 40 so it was no problem at all, that’s sport. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone.” 

With more than 56,000 people in the field, the London Marathon is ‘the most popular marathon on the planet,’ according to Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events. He said last year 840,000 people applied to run this year’s event.

Sifan Hassan finishes third in London Marathon

Sifan Hassan, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, told reporters after the race she had difficulty breathing early on, but she’s grateful to finish third in her first race of the year. “I’m in good shape, but I think I need some competition,” she said after running 2:19:00.

Last year at the Paris Olympics, Hassan pulled off one of the greatest performances we’ve seen at an Olympic Games. In the women’s marathon, Hassan outkicked Assefa to win gold, with the two pushing and shoving each other late in the race. The marathon victory in Paris came only two days after she won bronze in the 10,000 and six days after her silver medal in the 5,000.

Susanna Sullivan is the top American in the London Marathon

Susanna Sullivan, a sixth grade math teacher from Virginia, was the top American runner in the women’s field, finishing 10th in 2:29:30. She is the 10th fastest American woman in history after running 2:21:56 at last year’s Chicago Marathon. Sullivan, 34, was a standout runner in high school in Falls Church, Virginia, before she ran collegiately at Notre Dame. She is also an assistant coach at George Mason.

Updates: Assefa, Sawe win London Marathon titles

Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia has done it, setting a women’s only world record to win in 2:15:50, beating the previous record set last year by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir by 26 seconds.

Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya finished second in 2:18:44.

Jepkosgei and Assefa were running side by side looking comfortable after the pacer dropped off. Assefa made her move with around 5 kilometers to go and by the 40K mark had a 56-second advantage.

Assefa’s time was the second-fastest run by a woman in London history, behind Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon, then a world record. Radcliffe ran with male pacemakers in the race.

Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan couldn’t keep up with the blistering pace and fell off around the halfway mark, finishing third in 2:19:00.

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe put down the hammer to obliterate the men’s field, winning his London Marathon debut in 2:02:27, the second-fastest time in London history.

Sawe made a big move around the 30K mark to get in front of the pack. He ran a 4:18 split at mile 20 and put on a master class with crowds cheering him on. Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda, who holds the world record in the half marathon, placed second in his debut marathon, finishing in 2:03:37.

It was the fourth consecutive win by a Kenyan in the men’s race, and the 19th time in the race’s 45-year history. Sawe had a negative split of 60:58 after passing the halfway mark in 61:30.

London Marathon men’s results

Sabastian Sawe, Kenya, 2:02:27
Jacob Kiplimo, Uganda, 2:03:37
Alex Mutiso, Kenya, 2:04:20
Abdi Nageeye, Netherlands 2:04:20
Tamirat Tola, Ethiopia, 2:04:42
Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:05:25
Hillary Kipkoech, Kenya, 2:06:05
Amanal Petros, Germany, 2:06:30
Mahamed Mahamed, Great Britian, 2:08:52
Milkesha Mengesha, Ethiopoa, 2:09:01

London Marathon women’s results

Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia, 2:15:50
Joyciline Jepkosgei, Kenya 2:18:44
Sifan Hassan, Netherlands, 2:19:00
Haven Hailu Desse, Ethiopia, 2:19:17
Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya, 2:22:32
Stella Chesang, Uganda, 2:22:42
Sofiia Yaremchuk, Italy, 2:23:14
Elilish McColgan, Great Britain, 2:24:25
Rose Harvey, Great Britain, 2:25:01
Susanna Sullivan, USA, 2:29:30

Elite women through 35K: Tigst Assefa, and Joyciline Jepkosgei, 1:52:12; Sifan Hassan, 1:54:15

Elite men through 35K: Sabastian Sawe, 1:41:43; Jacob Kiplimo, 1:42:05; Milkesa Mengesha, Hillary Kipkoech, 1:42:20; Alex Mutiso, 1:42:33; Tamirat Tola, 1:42:34

Swiss racers sweep wheelchair titles

Switzerland swept the wheelchair events, with Marcel Hug winning his sixth London marathon title in 1:25:25. Catherine Debrunner claimed her third women’s title in four years in 1:34:18.

‘It’s tough to race twice in six days (having won Boston on April 21), but I was feeling very good. I’m almost 40 and it’s getting tougher year on year,’ Hug said.

Who is leading the women’s elite marathon?

Tigst Assefa

The 28-year-old from Ethiopia has a personal-best of 2:11:53 (Berlin 2023). The time in Berlin was then a world record and is now the second-fastest time by a female runner in history. She made her London debut last year, finishing second in 2:16:23. She won the Olympic silver medal last year in Paris (2:22:58) behind Sifan Hassan.

Joyciline Jepkosgei

The 31-year-old from Kenya won the London Marathon in 2021 in a then personal-best 2:17:43 and finished second in 2022. She also  won the 2019 New York City Marathon. In February she won the half-marathon in Barcelona in 1:04:13.

How to watch the 2025 London Marathon

The London Marathon can be streamed on Flotrack in the United States, starting at 3:45 a.m. ET, Sunday, April 27.

Start times

Elite wheelchair races – 3:50 a.m. ET
Elite women – 4:05 a.m. ET
Elite men – 4:35 a.m. ET

Fastest contenders in the elite women’s race

Here are some of the favorites in the elite women’s race:

Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia, 2:11:53
Sifan Hassan, Netherlands, 2:13:44                                           
Joyciline Jepkosgei, Kenya, 2:16:24
Megertu Alemu, Ethiopia, 2:16 :34
Stella Chesang, Uganda, 2:18 :26
Haven Hailu Desse, Ethiopia, 2:19 :29
Susanna Sullivan, USA, 2:21:56
Charlotte Purdue, Great Britain, 2:22:17

Fastest contenders in the elite men’s race

Here are some of the favorites in the elite men’s race. Alexander Mutiso is the 2024 London Marathon champion.

Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:01:09
Sabastian Sawe, Kenya, 2:02:05
Timothy Kiplagat, Kenya, 2:02:55
Alexander Mutiso Munyao, Kenya, 2:03:11
Milkesa Mengesha, Ethiopia, 2:03:17
Tamirat Tola, Ethiopia, 2:03:39
Mohamed Esa, Ethiopia, 2:04:39
Abdi Nageeye, Netherlands, 2:04:45
Hillary Kipkoech, Kenya: 2:04:45
Amanal Petros, Germany, 2:04:58

What is the world’s largest marathon?

An estimated 56,000 runners are expected to participate in Sunday’s London Marathon. The current world record for a marathon is 55,646, set in New York last year. According to a press release, the London Marathon is the world’s largest single day fundraiser with more than 1.3 billion pounds raised for charity since 1981.

What is the London Marathon course record?

Kelvin Kiptum set the men’s course record of 2:01:25 in 2023. Kiptum tragically died at the age of 24 last year.  

The women’s record is held by Peres Jepchirchir, set last year, in 2:16:16.

Jacob Kiplimo in lead pack at halfway point

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo is making his marathon debut in London after shattering the half-marathon world record in February. He broke the half-marathon record by 48 seconds in Barcelona.

Sunday he was in the lead pack through the halfway mark at 1:01:31.

World record-holder Ruth Chepngetich among elite runners who withdrew

World record holder Ruth Chepngetich and 2024 London champion Peres Jepchirchir withdrew from the race two weeks ago.

Chepngetich set the world record last year, running 2:09:56 in Chicago to become the first woman to break 2:10. In a statement, she said she wasn’t “in the right place mentally or physically to race my best in London.”

Jepchirchir has an ankle injury.

On the men’s side, Kenenisa Bekele withdrew, citing niggling injuries that prevented him from training.

Where is the London Marathon feed on X?

If you’re wondering what happened to the official London Marathon account, there’s a simple explanation. Race director Hugh Brasher said the social media platform had “ceased to be a positive place,” and the race account no longer posts on X.

A British Commonwealth champion suffered abuse on social media that was body shaming and demeaning, one example of why the London Marathon no longer posts on the platform, according to the BBC.

‘There are some social media channels that are particularly vitriolic and are descending into a gutter,’ Brasher said, according to the BBC report.

PHOENIX − While Eugenio Suarez sat behind the dais and reveled in his historic evening Saturday, his manager sat alone in his office stewing about the game’s outcome.

It was that kind of night with Suarez becoming the 19th player in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in a game … and the Arizona Diamondbacks becoming the second team since 1900 to have a player hit four homers and still lose, 8-7 to Atlanta in 10 innings in front of 43,043 fans at Chase Field.

“What a game, what a spectacular game …’’ Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It was one of those magical nights. It’s hard to describe. Not a lot of people have done it. Not a lot of people have done it, you can go all of the way back to Little League.’’

Well, Suarez, 33, can go back to high school, little league and T-ball growing up in Venezuela, and never, ever, did he hit four home runs in a game.

“This is special, I want to glorify God with this game today,’’ said Suarez, who twice has hit three homers in a game. “It’s a gift. I don’t take it for granted. I feel so good for myself. I never thought this would happen.

“I always say that God, has my back. Everything that I do, I do for him. And he took care of me tonight.’’

Suarez, who entered the game hitting .167, began in the second inning by hitting a 418-foot homer into the left-center field seats off Atlanta starter Grant Holmes on a 93.8-mph fastball.

He faced him again in the fourth inning, and hit one nearly in the same location, 411 feet into left-center on a 94.6-mph fastball.

Holmes tried to fool him with an 84.5-mph slider in the sixth inning, but this one went even further, 443 feet into center field.

Suarez didn’t think he’d even have another plate appearance, but with the D-backs suddenly down 7-6 in the ninth inning after their bullpen blew a 6-4 lead, he stepped to the plate with the crowd on their feet hoping to see history.

Considering this magical night, and with Suarez’s confidence brimming, did Lovullo feel he was about to witness history, too, with a fourth homer?

“No, I didn’t,’’ Lovullo said. “I thought there’s no way he’s going to be going deep. When does that happen? It’s like a fairytale.’’

Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias started him with a changeup for Strike 1. He threw a slider for Ball 1. He came back with a fastball that Suarez swung though. Now, with a 1-2 count, Iglesias suddenly lost command, throwing a sinker and a slider that weren’t even close to the plate. Igelsias had no choice on a 3-2 pitch but to throw a strike, and fired his best fastball of the night.

Suarez swung at the 97.2-mph pitch, and sent it 383 feet away into the left-field seats, tying the game, and sending the fans into hysteria as he danced around the bases, pointing his fingers to the heavens.

“It’s tough against Iglesias because for me he’s one of the best relievers in the league,’’ Suarez said. “I never thought that I was going to hit a homer against him, but I did it.’’

Said Lovullo: “I kept shaking my head. I couldn’t believe it. … It’s pretty remarkable. So no, I was not thinking he was going to hit a fourth home run. I was kind of begging that he would, and when it left his bat, the dugout erupted.’’

Suarez became only the third player in history to homer in his first four plate appearance in a game, joining Carlos Delgado and Mike Cameron.

It was also the first four-homer game since former Diamondbacks slugger J.D. Martinez accomplished the feat Sept. 4, 2017, which was just three months after Scooter Gennett hit four homers for the Cincinnati Reds.

In that Reds game, the cleanup hitter happened to be Suarez, who watched his teammate go 5-for-5 with four homers and 10 RBI after having hit only three homers all season.

“At some point in the dugout,’’ Suarez said, “that came to my mind. I was there and that was awesome to see Scooter hit four homers for us in Cincinnati. I always think about how it’s got to feel really good to hit four home runs in a game.

“And today, that dream came true.’’

The only trouble was that the Cinderella slipper was shattered when the Diamondbacks managed to lose the game, joining Atlanta in 1986 in infamy when Bob Horner hit four homers in an 11-8 loss to the Montreal Expos.

“I mean that’s unbelievable what the guy did,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “To hit four homers, my God. And he was all over all of them, too. You just kind of feel like after a couple, it’s like, well, he’s due to make an out. I mean, hats off to him, man. He didn’t miss them.

“We’re just lucky that we were able to overcome that great performance that he had.”

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Understanding he would need to outwork Houston’s athletic defenders, with Jimmy Butler sidelined for the night, Stephen Curry was undeniable.

Curry overcame a two-point first quarter to will the Golden State Warriors past the Rockets, 104-93, to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series against Houston.

No player logged more minutes Saturday night than Curry, 37, whose 40:59 of game time was nearly seven minutes more than the closest Golden State player, Draymond Green.

Curry dropped 36 points on an efficient 12-of-23 (52.2%) day that included a 5-of-13 showing (38.5%) from 3-point range. He also collected seven rebounds and dished out nine assists, willing the undermanned Warriors to the crucial Game 3 victory.

Although Curry is widely known to be one of the most well-conditioned players in the NBA, Golden State’s reliance on him raises the question of sustainability. As it was, before Butler’s injury, the Warriors were heavily dependent on the duo to manufacture their offense. Saturday night showed how precarious the formula can be.

When Curry took his first breather late in the first quarter, the Warriors failed to score a single point and missed all eight of their attempts in that span. Typically, those would be minutes when Butler would be asked to take on more offensive responsibilities. That led to coach Steve Kerr altering his rotation and playing Curry more minutes than he normally would.

Eventually, Curry and Golden State would settle, though it wouldn’t be easy.

Houston harassed Curry throughout the game, holding him and face guarding him, making him fight through contact on screens and making him sprint all over the court just to find tiny spaces from which to operate. It looked exhausting, but Curry’s conditioning and savvy allowed him to carry Golden State’s offense.

It helped that role players stepped up; as Curry drew more and more defensive attention, especially late in the game, Curry entrusted his teammates with open looks. Gary Payton II recorded a postseason career high with 16 points, including a massive stretch in the fourth in which he scored nine consecutive points and 11 in the period. In fact, during that span with the nine consecutive points, it was Curry who assisted three of the four field goals Payton converted.

Buddy Hield added 17 points off the bench and Green’s defense helped seal the game.

Now, attention turns to the rest of the series, and — potentially — beyond.

Butler, who’s nursing a “pelvis and deep gluteal muscle contusion” suffered Wednesday, had been listed as questionable and was a game-time decision. But after going through a pre-game workout, the Warriors opted to rule him out. That he was a game-time decision suggests that his return may be imminent, as soon as the next game.

Golden State, at the risk of burning Curry out, may need Butler back as soon as possible.

Steph Cury highlights vs. Rockets

Saturday night against the Rockets, Stephen Curry was masterful, especially in the fourth quarter. Curry expertly managed the additional defensive attention he drew and operated both as a scorer and distributor in the quarter.

Curry even amped up his defensive effort, swatting away a pair of blocks, one of which led to a Warriors fast-break opportunity.

Curry also moved into 10th on the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring list, currently with 4,046 points; Jerry West is in ninth, with 4,457.

Colorado safety Shilo Sanders did not get selected in the NFL draft this week but revealed after the draft Saturday that he has agreed to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent.

Sanders, the middle son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, held his phone and monitored the final picks of the seven-round draft Saturday hoping he’d get selected, as documented by his livestream on Twitch. But after not getting drafted, he had more freedom to decide which team to join.

Shilo’s younger brother Shedeur, a quarterback, was picked in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns the same day after previously being projected by many draft experts to be a first-round pick.

“Both of y’all, you’re resilient,” Deion Sanders told his sons Saturday.

“They tested us this draft,” Shilo said, as shown on Twitch.

“They tested the whole family,” Deion Sanders said.

“I’m thankful,” Deion Sanders later added. “Tampa’s a wonderful spot.”

Shilo Sanders led the Buffaloes in tackles in 2023 (70) and was their third-leading tackler last year (67) despite missing three games in 2024 with a broken forearm.

Even though he wasn’t projected to be a draft pick, Sanders is known as a hard hitter and ball hawk and is ripe for the NFL at age 25. He started his college career at South Carolina in 2019 before deciding to play for his father at Jackson State in 2021 and 2022 and then Colorado in 2023 and 2024.

Last year, he also rang up two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one sack, one forced fumble and a defensive touchdown.

“Turnovers win games,” Sanders wrote on X on April 22. “Somebody’s getting a dawg this week! Believe That.”

NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger also praised Sanders’ potential before the draft on social media, noting he brings “56 games of experience and a lot of splash plays from the safety position” and is a “good open field tackler.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

The NASCAR Cup Series is back after a one-week break for Easter and it’s returning to the largest track on the schedule for the first of two visits this season.

Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama will host the Jack Link’s 500 on Sunday, April 27 as part of the NASCAR Cup Series, and it’ll headline a race weekend that also includes the Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series.

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson do not enter as the favorites to win Sunday’s Cup Series event despite splitting wins over the past four NASCAR races. Larson won most recently at the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Tyler Reddick is the defending champion of this race, and Ryan Blaney has the most favorable odds as a three-time winner at Talladega.

NASCAR set a record the last time it raced here for the YellaWood 500 in October 2024 when 23 cars were involved in a late-race wreck. Nine different drivers have won the past nine NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega. The eventual winner has started in the 10th position or worse in nine of the past 10 Cup Series races at Talladega, according to NASCAR.

Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway:

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Talladega start?

The Jack Link’s 500 starts at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Talladega?

The Jack Link’s 500 can be live streamed on Max and the FoxSports app. Viewers can also stream the race on Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Watch the Jack Link’s 500 with Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Talladega?

The Jack Link’s 500 is 188 laps around the 2.66-mile oval for a total of 500 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 60 laps; Stage 2: 60 laps; Stage 3: 68 laps.

SCHEDULE: How to watch NASCAR Cup Series races in 2025

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at Talladega?

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won a wild playoff race in overtime on Oct. 6, 2024 despite not being playoff-eligible, narrowly beating Brad Keselowski and William Byron in an exciting three-wide finish. The ending was set up by a 23-car wreck that took out a large portion of the field with five laps to go.

During the 2024 Geico 500 that took place at Talladega Superspeedway one year ago, Tyler Reddick emerged from third place around the final corner of the race and passed race leader Michael McDowell for the win. It was the first time 23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan was at the track when one of his drivers won a race.

What is the lineup for the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega?

(Car number in parentheses)

(38) Zane Smith, Ford
(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
(22) Joey Logano, Ford
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
(17) Chris Buescher, Ford
(2) Austin Cindric, Ford
(21) Josh Berry, Ford
(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
(41) Cole Custer, Ford
(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
(24) William Byron, Chevrolet
(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
(35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
(4) Noah Gragson, Ford
(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
(42) John H. Nemechek, Ford
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
(62) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet
(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
(51) Cody Ware, Ford
(43) Erik Jones, Toyota
(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
(88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
(78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet
(44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet