No, not high-top sneakers. Boxing gloves.

O’Neal, 53, has accepted a celebrity fight with Charles “Charlie Mack’’ Alston, a former bodyguard for actor Will Smith and a figure in the hip hop industry who has indicated he is in his 50s.

In an Instagram video challenging O’Neal to fight, Alston this week explained the two men have a beef dating back to an encounter years ago.

“We were in Dallas doing an autograph signing, and (O’Neal) came and tried to jump in front of the line,” Mack said. “I chopped him in his neck so he could get back.’’ During the interview, Alston sat next to Damon Feldman, CEO of Officially Celebrity Boxing

O’Neal accepted the fight in the comments section of Alston’s video then posted his own video on Instagram.

“Hey celebrity boxing and Charlie Mack, I accept,’’ O’Neal said. “You name the time and place, I’ll be there. Diesel don’t run from nobody.’’

In the video, the 7-foot-1 Hall of Famer also referred to his beef with Alston.

‘You chopped me in my neck, Charlie Mack, that’s why I talk so funny. Payback time,’ O’Neal said. “You name the time and place, I’ll be there. Diesel don’t run from nobody. … You better check my police record, Charlie Mack.’

On Tuesday, Mack wrote on his Instagram page, “So I call Big Fella @shaq out yesterday & he accepted as I knew he would!!!! We’ve been talking about it way too long, now we MUST get it ON!!!!!!!!’’

The latest on Mack’s Instagram: the image of a fight-style poster featuring O’Neal and Mack.

O’Neal weighed about 325 pounds during his 19-year NBA career. Mack is about 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, according to a rap song recorded by Will Smith when he was rapping as “The Fresh Prince.’’

“Me and you, baby, super heavyweight,’’ Mack said on the video, adding that he was calling O’Neal “Sha-knocked out.’ That’s what you’re going to be.’’

Official Celebrity Boxing has promoted fights featuring retired sports figures such Jose Canseco, Lamar Odom and Tonya Harding.

Anthony Richardson’s time with the Indianapolis Colts has been one bumpy ride.

Head coach Shane Steichen officially named Daniel Jones the team’s starter for Week 1, which might end up closing the book on the former Florida star’s time in Indianapolis – or maybe not.

Richardson’s road to with the Colts took another twist on Aug. 19 evening when the passer’s agent, Deiric Jackson, spoke with ESPN and expressed his disappointment with the club.

‘We have a lot to discuss,’ Jackson told ESPN.

The agent questioned whether the decision to start Jones was a predetermined one, dating back to the quarterback’s signing to a one-year, $14 million deal in March. Jackson continued, suggesting the team has damaged their credibility with their handling of Richardson.

‘Trust is a big factor and that is, at best, questionable right now,’ Jackson said. ‘Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp.’

Richardson took the decision in stride, saying he has to keep growing.

‘[Steichen] made a decision,’ Richardson said. ‘That’s the decision we’ve got to live with, but no hard feelings, nothing personal. I’ve just got to keep growing. I just can’t let me not being a starter stop me from going and being the person, the player that I’m supposed to be.’

The quarterback hasn’t necessarily helped his case, whether by health or production. He has played in just 15 of a possible 34 games in two seasons, completing 50.6% of passes, throwing 11 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Richardson also famously pulled himself out of a game against the Houston Texans in 2024, which led to him being benched for two games before eventually returning to the starting lineup.

This offseason, the quarterback battled a shoulder injury. It kept him sidelined for mandatory minicamp, giving Jones a potential advantage in the competition.

It’s unclear whether Richardson will eventually request a trade, but he remains on the roster for the time being. Jackson believes that his client can still play in the league, citing his playmaking abillity.

‘When they needed a big play last year,’ Jackson said via ESPN, ‘whose hands did they put the ball in? Anthony’s.’

This winding road has also seen its fair share of peaks and valleys, but Tuesday’s news saw another detour sign pop up at an inopportune time. The next question is where that detour leads.

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The money has gone to the WNBA’s head.

Interest in the league is exploding and prospective owners are tripping over themselves trying to win the favor of W commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Rather than doing the right thing, however, Engelbert and her NBA overlords are seemingly acting like mob bosses, shaking people down in hopes of stuffing even more cash into their pockets.

Except the pockets of the players, of course. God forbid they should benefit.

Instead, ESPN reported, the W has tried to strongarm the Mohegan Tribe, the Connecticut Sun’s owner, into taking less money so the league can direct the team to its preferred owner and cash in later on a future expansion team.

That isn’t good business. It’s a racket. And the Mohegan Tribe, the Sun and WNBA fans deserve better.

Kudos to the Mohegan Tribe, who have owned the Sun since 2003 but realize a team in Uncasville, Connecticut, cannot keep pace in an era when WNBA teams are spending big on practice facilities and arena upgrades. They began exploring their options last year and came up with what look like two pretty good ones.

The first, from Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, is for a WNBA-record $325 million with the promise of a $100 million for a practice facility. Pagliuca was expected to move the team to Boston, but it’s at least still in the region and, given the sold-out crowds the Sun drew for games there each of the last two seasons, has an established fan base.

The other, from a group fronted by former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, would have matched Pagliuca’s $325 million offer while moving the team to Hartford, Connecticut. Again, still in the region, just 45 miles from Uncasville.

But the WNBA won’t even consider either of them because they didn’t apply for expansion.

“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the WNBA said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports.

“As part of our most recent expansion process, in which three new franchises were awarded to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, nine additional cities also applied for WNBA teams and remain under active consideration.”

Can you imagine NBA commissioner Adam Silver saying this to, say, the New Orleans Pelicans owners? It’d never happen, because Silver, and every other league commissioner, views franchise owners as partners, not ATMs.

If this is the way the WNBA is going to operate, what is even the point of owning a franchise? Why even have franchises at all? Just have the WNBA own all the teams and be done with it.

The WNBA’s complicated ownership structure used to be necessary for its survival. Now it’s at the root of many of the league’s problems. 

The NBA and its owners own 42% of the WNBA, and it’s well known their investment helped keep the WNBA afloat. It is also well known some NBA owners aren’t real happy about that and, now that the W is raking in the cash, want a return on their investment.

Which is fair. Same for the investors who paid $75 million for a 16% stake of the W in 2022.

But their interests should not come before or at the expense of a longtime WNBA team owner’s right to decide what is best for them, their franchise and their fanbase.

The Mohegan tribe have two offers, both of which would give the tribe a massive payout, boost franchise valuations across the WNBA and maintain the Sun’s fanbase. By any metric, that seems like a fantastic deal.

Except NBA owners won’t profit from it. And it prevents the WNBA, and those NBA owners and outside investors, from double-dipping by requiring Pagliuca, Lasry or someone else from paying for an expansion franchise down the road.

It also means the W won’t be returning to Houston anytime soon. (Though why, if the league is so dead-set on that happening, didn’t it award Houston a franchise during its last expansion go-around?)

For years, those who cared about the WNBA hoped deep-pocketed people would see the value in owning a team and investing in the league. Now that they finally are, it’s the league that isn’t.

Prioritizing outside investors over its own owners is a bad way for the WNBA to do business. And it’s going to make prospective owners think twice about wanting to do business with the WNBA. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Taylor Swift, NFL draft scout?

While most of the attention surrounding Swift’s appearance on the ‘New Heights’ podcast was focused on her relationship with Travis Kelce, the pop star also pointed out her excitement during the 2024 NFL Draft. Specifically, Swift detailed her elation about the Kansas City Chiefs’ selection of Xavier Worthy with the 28th overall pick.

On Tuesday, Worthy responded to the viral clip.

‘That’s crazy,’ Worthy said. ‘I ain’t gonna lie, she’s the biggest pop star in this generation so it’s crazy to have somebody running around the house screaming, ‘We drafted you!”

The pick was only made possible after the Chiefs traded up with the Buffalo Bills, which became cause for celebration in the Swift residence.

‘I became like a person who was running through the halls of my house screaming, ‘We drafted Xavier Worthy,” Swift said.

Kelce was a non-believer at first, saying that he wasn’t sure if Swift had the right information.

‘I forget where I was, but you were the first person to tell me that we drafted the fastest man in the draft,’ Kelce said.

Chiefs fans were given many reasons to be happy about the selection and their newest superfan wasted no time joining the crowd.

‘I was freaking out,’ Swift added.

Worthy certainly proved to be a solid addition to the Kansas City offense in his rookie year, totaling 742 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns on 79 touches – also proving to be someone that rose to the occasion in the postseason.

Heading into his second season, the former Texas star will look to build off an impressive rookie year. Turns out, he’ll be doing it with one of the world’s biggest celebrities in his corner.

Texas football quarterback Arch Manning is 11 days away from his debut as the Longhorns’ full-time starting quarterback vs. No. 2 Ohio State, kicking off a highly anticipated road to the NFL draft.

But on Tuesday, Aug. 19, the Longhorns’ first-year starter had to address his future plans after his grandfather, former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning, had said earlier this month that NFL teams shouldn’t expect his grandson to be available next April.

‘Yeah, I don’t know where he got that from,’ Arch Manning told assembled media on Aug. 19. ‘He texted me and apologized about that, but I’m really just taking it day by day right now.’

Archie Manning had previously told Texas Monthly he doesn’t anticipate his grandson leaving Texas after just one season starting for the Longhorns.

‘Arch isn’t going to do that,’ Archie Manning said. ‘He’ll be at Texas.’

Arch Manning is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, as he has been out of high school for three seasons. The former No. 1-ranked player in the 2023 recruiting class, according to 247Sports Composite, redshirted his true freshman season with the Longhorns in 2023.

Archie Manning exhausted his eligibility at Ole Miss before going No. 2 overall to the New Orleans Saints in the 1971 NFL Draft. Arch Manning’s uncles, Peyton and Eli Manning, also exhausted their eligibility before being selected No. 1 overall in the 1998 and 2004 NFL drafts, respectively.

The 6-foot-4 quarterback started two games last season for Texas while Quinn Ewers was out with an injury. In 10 games last year, which included coming in for occasional snaps in the postseason, Arch Manning completed 67.8% of his passes for 939 yards and nine touchdowns.

His first task as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback will be a challenging one, as Texas is set to travel to No. 2 Ohio State in Week 1 to open the season. On top of having to deal with the Buckeyes’ overall defense, Arch Manning will have to contend against an Ohio State secondary that includes star safety Caleb Downs, one of the top players at his position in the country.

Texas is scheduled for a noon ET kickoff against Ohio State on Saturday, Aug. 30 in Columbus, Ohio at Ohio Stadium.

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One of the architects of the Indiana Pacers’ run to the NBA Finals will be around for the foreseeable future.

The Pacers and head coach Rick Carlisle have agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

Particulars of the contract extension were not available.

Carlisle, 65, led the Pacers to a 50-32 record last season, which placed them fourth in the Eastern Conference. Indiana, which became known for its come-from-behind wins, ripped off a furious run to the NBA Finals, where the Pacers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.

Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon early in Game 7 of that series, forcing the Pacers to alter their approach to 2025-26.

Still, Indiana made its first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years. (Carlisle was an assistant coach for that 2000 team under Larry Bird.) Carlisle is entering his fifth season since he returned as head coach of the franchise (he was also head coach from 2003-07) and is currently the oldest active head coach in the NBA.

Carlisle has posted a 993-860 (.536) mark in his 23 seasons as an NBA head coach, with his teams clinching a postseason spot 16 times. He led the Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011, when Dallas topped the Miami Heat in six games.

Among active coaches, Carlisle only trails Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers (1,162 wins) on the all-time wins.

But Carlisle will have his hands full in 2025-26.

The Pacers will be without Haliburton for the entire season, and former center Myles Turner, who had been the longest-tenured player with the team, signed with the rival Bucks.

‘Herb Simon, the Simon family, Steven Rales, Kevin Pritchard and our players make Indiana such a special place. Let’s go!’ Carlisle said in a statement announcing his extension.

News of Carlisle’s extension was first reported by NBA insider Marc Stein.

This story has been updated with new information.

The US Open is going where no Grand Slam has ever gone before with a reimagined mixed doubles competition, turning an event which had become mostly an afterthought at tennis majors into a two-day extravaganza that has attracted many of the sport’s biggest names.

Mixed doubles, a competition only contested at Grand Slam tournaments, the Olympics and perhaps an occasional exhibition, normally does not get underway until the second week of the four majors. But in an effort to expand the reach of one of the biggest annual sporting events in the world, the United States Tennis Association opted to shift the event a full five days before main draw singles action gets underway.

That move has allowed many of the stars of men’s and women’s tennis to get on board since the competition does not conflict with singles play. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe were among the men’s stars who competed, while Venus Williams, Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka and Iga Świątek highlighted some of the top women’s names.

The compact US Open mixed doubles competition debuted Tuesday, Aug. 19 with a full day of matches and will conclude Wednesday, Aug. 20 with the semifinals and final under the lights in primetime.

Sixteen teams competed, each featuring one man and one woman, and all were in action Tuesday for first-round matches, with the winners advancing to the quarterfinals later in the day. The quarterfinal winners will return for the semifinals Wednesday and the champions will be crowned later that night.

US Open mixed doubles results Tuesday

Quarterfinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium

Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud defeated Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti, 4-1, 4-2
Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper defeated Mirra Andreeva/Daniil Medvedev, 4-1, 4-1

Quarterfinals at Louis Armstrong Stadium

Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori defeated Karolina Muchova/Andrey Rublev, 4-1, 5-4 (7-4)
Danielle Collins/Christian Harrison defeated Taylor Townsend/Ben Shelton 4-1, 5-4 (7-2)

First round at Arthur Ashe Stadium

Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti defeated Naomi Osaka/Gael Monfils 5-3 (4-3), 4-2
Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud defeated Madison Keys/Frances Tiafoe 4-1, 4-2
Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper defeated Emma Raducanu/Carlos Alcaraz, 4-2, 4-2
Mirra Andreeva/Daniil Medvedev defeated Olga Danilovic/Novak Djokovic, 4-2, 5-3

First round at Louis Armstrong Stadium

Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori defeated Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz 4-2, 4-2
Karolina Muchova/Andrey Rublev defeated Venus Williams/Reilly Opelka 4-2, 5-4 (7-4)
Taylor Townsend/Ben Shelton defeated Amanda Anisimova/Holger Rune, 4-2, 4-5 (7-2)
Danielle Collins/Christian Harrison defeated Belinda Bencic/Alexander Zverev, 4-0, 5-3

US Open mixed doubles upcoming schedule

Wednesday, August 20

Semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium

Danielle Collins/Christian Harrison vs. Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori, TBD
No. 1 Jessica Pegula/Jack Draper vs. No. 3 Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud, TBD

Mixed doubles semifinals set as Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison win again

Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison, late additions to the mixed doubles field after Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova were forced to withdraw this morning, won their second consecutive match of the day. In an all-American quarterfinal, Collins and Harrison dispatched Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton 4-1, 5-4 (7-2), to become the fourth and final team to reach the semifinals. Collins and Harrison will face Italy’s Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori on Wednesday, Aug. 20 with a berth in the final on the line.

Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper advance to semifinals

The No. 1 seeds are moving on to the semifinals. American Jessica Pegula and Great Britain’s Jack Draper cruised past Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev 4-1, 4-1 in their quarterfinal match. That match began shortly after Andreeva and Medvedev finished their first-round match, while Pegula and Draper had much more time to rest and recharge. The top seeds will face the No. 3 seeded team of Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud in the semifinals on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison make most of opportunity

Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison were late replacements to the US Open mixed doubles field after Jannik Sinner fell ill and was forced to withdraw with his partner, Katerina Siniakova. Collins and Christian stepped in and now move on after defeating Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev 4-0, 5-3 in the final first-round match of the day. Collins and Harrison will face Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton in an all-American quarterfinal match.

Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev moving on

Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev advanced to the quarterfinals after dispatching Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic 4-2, 5-3 in their first-round match. The Russian duo will now face top seeded Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper in the quarterfinals on the final scheduled match of the day.

Jessica Pegula and Jake Draper into the quarterfinals

Jessica Pegula and Jake Draper defeated Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz 4-2, 4-2 to advance to the quarterfinals. The duo will play again at 5 p.m. ET at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend cruise to victory

Ben Shelton and doubles partner Taylor Townsend move on to the US Open Championship quarterfinals after defeating Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune 4-2, 4-5 (7-2).

Iga Swiatek and Casper Rudd dominate in quarterfinals

Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud advance to the US Open semifinals after defeating Catherine McNally and Lorenzo Musetti with scores of 4-1 and 4-2.

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori move on

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori defeated Karolina Muchová and Andrey Rublev 4-1, 4-5 (7-4) to advance in the US Open mixed doubles championship.

Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud move on in mixed doubles

Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud defeated Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe 4-1, 4-2 in the first round of mixed doubles. They will now return to the court to play Catherine McNally and Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals.

Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka out of mixed doubles

In a match that went to a seven-point tiebreaker, Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev defeated Americans Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka in the first round of the US Open mixed doubles championship. Muchova/Rublev will face Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani on Louis Armstrong Stadium at 2 p.m. ET.

Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova out of mixed doubles

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and his partner Katerina Siniakova have withdrawn from the US Open mixed doubles championship after Sinner had to retire from the Cincinnati Open due to an undisclosed illness. As a result, Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev will now face Americans Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison at 3 p.m. ET on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils lose mix doubles match

Catherine McNally and Lorenzo Musetti defeated Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils 5-4, 4-2 in the first round of mixed doubles action.

Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka begin mixed doubles match

American Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka have started their first-round match against Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori defeated Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz

Italy’s Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori swiftly defeated Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz with scores of 4-2, 4-2 in the first round of the US Open mixed doubles competition.

US Open mixed doubles play begins

The first two matches are getting underway with Naomi Osaka/Gael Monfils facing Caty McNally/Lorenzo Musetti in Arthur Ashe Stadium, and Elena Rybakina/Taylor Fritz taking on Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

When is US Open mixed doubles 2025?

The 2025 US Open mixed doubles competition begins Tuesday, Aug. 19 and concludes the night of Wednesday, Aug. 20 with the championship match. Matches get underway at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.

Stream the 2025 US Open on Fubo

How to watch US Open mixed doubles 2025: TV and streaming

All times Eastern

Tuesday, Aug. 19

TV: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., ESPN2
TV: 1 p.m.- 5 p.m., ESPN News
Streaming: ESPN+ and Fubo

Wednesday, Aug. 20

TV: 7-10 p.m., ESPN2
Streaming: ESPN+ and Fubo

US Open mixed doubles bracket 2025

Teams listed in order of draw

No. 1 Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper
Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz
Olga Danilovic and Novak Djokovic
Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev
No. 3 Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud
Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe
Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils
Caty McNally and Lorenzo Musetti
Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison
Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev
Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton
No. 4 Amanda Anisimova and Holger Rune
Venus Williams and Reilly Opelka
Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev
Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori
No. 2 Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz

US Open mixed doubles 2025 format

Each match (other than the final) are best-of-three sets, and each set is first team to win four games. Unlike singles matches, there will be no-ad in games that reach a score of deuce (40-all), meaning that the winner of the next point wins the game. If each team has won four games in a set, a tiebreak will be played.

If the teams split sets, a 10-point match tiebreak will be played in lieu of a third set. The first team to win 10 points, with an advantage of two or more points, will win the match.

In the final, the first team to win six games wins the set, and the first team to win two sets wins the championship. If the teams split sets, a 10-point match tiebreak will be played in lieu of a third set.

US Open mixed doubles 2025 prize money

First round: $20,000
Quarterfinals: $100,000
Semifinals: $200,000
Runner-up: $400,000
Champion: $1 million