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Bruce Pearl retires from college basketball with a complex legacy — and the chops for political office.
Retiring Auburn coach says he’s not running for U.S. Senate, but he would have made for an interesting candidate.
U.S. Senate seat in Alabama will come open as Tommy Tuberville pursues governor spot.

What’s the difference between a college coach and a politician? One works longer hours and holds a clipboard.

Seriously, how many times did you look at basketball coach Bruce Pearl and think, “That guy is such a politician.”

Only every Saturday throughout the winter.

That’s not a biting criticism, by the way.

If you drew a Venn diagram of the skills needed to be a successful politician and a good college coach, there’d be a giant overlap in the middle of the diagram.

Because of those overlapping skillsets, and because of Pearl’s interest in politics, it’s hardly surprising Pearl, 65, considered running for the U.S. Senate seat in Alabama that Tommy Tuberville is vacating to pursue the governorship.

Wouldn’t it have been so fitting, for a state like Alabama that’s crazy about college sports, if one former coach had replaced another in a Republican senate seat?

It won’t happen.

Pearl announced Monday he’s not running for Senate. He’s just retiring as Auburn’s basketball coach.

Pearl’s son, Steven, will be elevated to replace his dad as Auburn’s coach. Pearl will become a special assistant to Auburn athletic director John Cohen.

Becoming a Senator “would have required leaving Auburn,” Pearl said in his retirement announcement. “Instead, the university has given me the opportunity to stay here and be Auburn’s senator.”

In other words, he’s becoming an ambassador for Auburn and a cheerleader for his son. So, no politics for now, anyway.

Nonetheless, Pearl’s flirtation with running for office points to the threads between coaching and politics. Pearl’s not the only former coach in Alabama who would make a fascinating politician, either. A certain former Alabama football coach comes to mind. If Nick Saban announced his candidacy, he’d clear the field.

Either Pearl or Saban has more charisma than Tuberville, a professional weasel and boot licker who once misidentified the three branches of government, and who infamously declared the only way he was ever leaving Ole Miss was ‘in a pine box.’ Days later, Tuberville left, in a private jet, to become Auburn’s coach.

Bruce Pearl has chops for politics, even if he’s not running

Would enough Alabamians have supported Pearl in a crowded GOP primary? I’ll leave that to the political pundits. Pearl is Jewish, and his strongest political position is a staunch support for Israel. I’m unsure the degree to which that would help him with Alabama voters.

I am sure Pearl is a tremendous showman. That’s a feature, not a bug, when running for office. I mean, consider the showman who resides at the White House.

The more I think about it, the more I think Pearl is a born politician who just so happened to be an excellent coach, too.

Both jobs require the officeholder to effectively fundraise and schmooze with donors. Pearl knows how to fundraise and glad-hand. Both jobs demand tremendous recruiting. Politicians recruit voters. Coaches recruit prospects. Both jobs come more easily to those who can turn a phrase and thrive in the media spotlight. In both arenas, you might need to get your hands a little dirty while navigating in the gray.

Knowing how to horse trade helps, too. Consider Pearl’s tenure at Tennessee, where he built a friendship with Pat Summitt. Pearl once painted his bare chest and cheered on the Lady Vols for a game against No. 1 Duke. Summitt returned the favor for Pearl later that season, donning a cheerleading outfit and hyping the crowd as Pearl’s team hosted rival Florida.

Bruce Pearl exits college basketball with complex legacy

Pearl had his detractors. More than a few. He became public enemy No. 1 at Illinois for many years after trying to sic the NCAA’s hounds on the Illini while an Iowa assistant coach.

While Pearl evoked strong emotions in his enemies, he built passionate fan bases, too. Heck, he turned Auburn into a basketball school. Talk about a feat. Persistent winning helped, but he’s also got plenty of personality, a sense of humor, and an aura about him. He transformed Auburn from a cratering program into an SEC monster, and sleepy Neville Arena erupted into ‘The Jungle,’ with Pearl acting as Pied Piper.

At Tennessee, Pearl ignited the program, but the school fired him after he hosted an illicit barbecue that ran afoul of NCAA recruiting rules, and then he lied to NCAA investigators. In Washington, soirées and lying are known as politics.

Pearl’s basketball coaching legacy is that of a tremendous winner and a sometimes rule-flouter. Before his retirement, Pearl ranked among the nation’s best active coaches to never win a national championship. He enlivened repressed programs and galvanized fans. He commanded the spotlight. His supporters loved him. His rivals found him odious.

Sounds a lot like a politician — if not now, perhaps later.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

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Even on a weekend when most of the teams in the top were either off or not faced with significant challenges, college football again delivered surprising results that shaped the playoff picture.

And with those results in Week 4, there’s a new look to the CFP field in the latest edition of the USA TODAY Sports bowl projections. There’s two like-for-like swaps among Big Ten and Big 12 teams. Indiana steps in for Illinois after the Hoosiers dominated the Ilini. And Texas Tech assumed Utah’s place after a road win in Salt Lake City.

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One change that wasn’t made came with the Group of Five representative. Tulane did lose handily at Mississippi and Memphis surprised Arkansas. But the Green Wave still have the edge in the American and already have pocketed two Power Four wins.

This coming weekend will be the last of September and also the first major inflection point of the season. Not much has changed with the top contenders outside the slips of Clemson and Alabama. We’ll know more about Penn State and Oregon and also whether the Crimson Tide can get back into the picture with a defeat of Georgia.

Note: Legacy Pac-12 schools in other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl agreements through the 2025 season.

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President Donald Trump slammed the United Nations for not aiding his administration’s peace push and for ‘creating new problems’ for the U.S. and member nations, while questioning its purpose and also offering ‘the hand of American leadership and friendship’ to all countries in the body.

The president, during his first address of his second administration to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, highlighted renewed American strength while slamming the international body.

‘Not only is the U.N. not solving the problems it should, it, too often, is actually creating new problems for us to solve,’ the president said. ‘The best example is the number one political issue of our time: the crisis of uncontrolled migration. It is uncontrolled. Your countries are being ruined.’

The president said the U.N. is ‘funding an assault on Western countries and their borders.’

‘The U.N. is supporting people that are illegally coming into the United States, and we have to get them out,’ Trump said. ‘The U.N. also provided food, shelter, transportation and debit cards to illegal aliens.’

He added: ‘The UN is supposed to stop invasions — not create them and not finance them.’

Trump said illegal immigrants are also ‘pouring into Europe.’

‘It is not sustainable and, because they choose to be politically correct, they are doing absolutely nothing about it,’ Trump said, later adding: ‘Your countries are going to hell. In America, we’ve taken bold action to swiftly shut down uncontrolled migration.’

‘Once we started detaining and deporting everyone who crossed the border and removing illegal aliens from the United States, they simply stop coming. They’re not coming anymore,’ Trump said, while thanking El Salvador for ‘receiving and jailing criminals’ that entered the United States.

During his address, the president highlighted his successful efforts to negotiate peace around the world —specifically Armenia and Azerbaijan, Thailand and Cambodia, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among others.

‘I ended seven wars, and in all cases they were raging with countless, thousands of people being killed,’ he said. ‘This includes Cambodia, India, and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda, a vicious violent war that was Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.’

He added: ‘No president or prime minister, and for that matter, no other country has ever done anything close to that. And I did it in just seven months. It’s never happened before. There’s never been anything like that.’

The president then took another swipe at the U.N.

‘I’m very honored to have done it. It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them. And sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help in any of them,’ Trump continued. ‘I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of each and every one of these countries, and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal.’

‘I didn’t think of it at the time because I was too busy working to save millions of lives — that is, saving and stopping of these wars,’ Trump said. ‘But later, I realized that the United Nations wasn’t there for us. They weren’t there.’

‘That being the case, what is the purpose of the United Nations?’ Trump asked. ‘The U.N. has such tremendous potential … But it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential. All they seem to do is write a really strongly worded letter and then never follow that letter up — it’s empty words.’

Trump added: ‘Empty words don’t solve war. The only thing that solves war and wars is action.’

Meanwhile, the president touted America under his leadership as having ‘the strongest economy, the strongest borders, the strongest military, the strongest friendships and the strongest spirit of any nation on the face of the earth.’

‘This is indeed the golden age of America,’ Trump said.

The president added that the United States is ‘once again the best country on earth to do business.’

‘And many people in this room are investing in America, and it’s turned out to be an awfully good investment during this eight-month period,’ he said.

The president touted his visit to the Middle East in May to ‘rebuild our partnerships’ in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. 

‘My administration has negotiated one historic trade deal after another, including with the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and many, many others,’ Trump said.

The president also said that under his leadership, America is ‘respected again, like it has never been respected before.’

‘At the NATO summit in June, virtually all NATO members formally committed to increased defense spending, at my request, from 2% to 5% of GDP, making our alliance far stronger and more powerful than it was ever before,’ the president said.

The president returned to his criticisms of the United Nations, questioning if the U.N. can ‘play a productive role’ in peace around the world.

‘I’ve come here today to offer the hand of American leadership and friendship to any nation in this assembly that is willing to join us in forging a safer, more prosperous world,’ Trump said. ‘And it’s a world that will be much happier with a dramatically better future within our reach. But to get there, we must reject the failed approaches of the past and work together to confront some of the greatest threats in history.’

Trump said there is ‘no more serious danger to our planet today than the most powerful and destructive of weapons ever devised by man, of which the United States, as you know, has many.’

‘Just as I did in my first term, I’ve made containing these threats a top priority, starting with the nation of Iran. My position is very simple: The world’s number one sponsor of terror can never be allowed to possess the most dangerous weapon,’ Trump said. ‘That’s why, shortly after taking office, I sent the so-called Supreme Leader a letter making a generous offer — I extended a pledge of full cooperation in exchange for a suspension of Iran’s nuclear program.’

Trump added: ‘The regime’s answer was to continue their constant threats to their neighbors and U.S. interest throughout the region and some great countries that are right nearby.’

But Trump touted his decisiveness, and said: ‘Today, many of Iran’s former military commanders, in fact, I can say almost all of them, are no longer with us. They’re dead.’

The president highlighted his Operation Midnight Hammer, which marked the largest B-2 operational strike in history and represented the United States’ move to deliver a decisive blow against Iran’s nuclear program back in June.

The president said that he then ‘immediately brokered an end to the 12-day war, as it’s called, between Israel and Iran with both sides agreeing to fight, fight no longer.’

‘As everyone knows, I have also been deeply engaged in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza. We have to get that done — have to get it done,’ Trump said. ‘Unfortunately, Hamas has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace. We can’t forget Oct. 7, can we?’

‘Now, as if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state,’ Trump continued. ‘The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities. This would be a reward for these horrible atrocities, including Oct. 7, even while they refuse to release the hostages or accept the ceasefire.’

Trump demanded that nations not give in to Hamas.

‘Instead of giving in to Hamas’s ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: Release the hostages now,’ Trump said. ‘Just release the hostages now. We have to get it done.’

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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President Donald Trump sharply criticized a wave of European nations that recently recognized a Palestinian state, warning that such moves reward Hamas and encourage continued conflict in Gaza.

‘As everyone knows, I have also been deeply engaged in seeking a cease-fire in Gaza. Have to get that done. You have to get it done,’ Trump said. 

‘Unfortunately, Hamas has repeatedly rejected reasonable offers to make peace. We can’t forget Oct. 7, can we? Now, as if to encourage continued conflict, some of this body is seeking to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state… this would be a reward for these horrible atrocities, including Oct. 7.’

His remarks came one day after French President Emmanuel Macron announced his nation would recognize a Palestinian state, hosting a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly along with Saudi Arabia on a two-state solution. 

Several other longtime Israeli allies — the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada — did the same on Sunday, citing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and expanding settlements and violence by settlers in the West Bank.

The U.S. remains squarely on the side of Israel, and Trump said such recognition undermines efforts to free hostages held in Gaza and risks emboldening Hamas.

‘Even while they refuse to release the hostages or accept the cease-fire, instead of giving to Hamas and giving so much because they’ve taken so much, they have taken so much. This could have been solved so long ago,’ Trump said. ‘Instead of giving in to Hamas as ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: release the hostages now. Just release the hostages.’

Trump said he always knew the last 20 remaining hostages would be ‘the hardest’ to get back — but said the bodies of the deceased were just as important to reclaim.

‘Those parents came to me and they want them back… as though they were alive. They want them every bit as much as if their son or daughter were alive.’

On Monday, France became the first major Western nuclear power and a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council from the G7 to formally recognize Palestine.

Macron said: ‘The time has come to no longer talk about the existence of Israel — it’s self-evident. The time has come to do justice to the Palestinians, to recognize the state of Palestine.’

‘We must do this to save lives.’

Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon warned there will be ‘consequences’ for nations that recognize Palestine. 

On Tuesday, Trump will hold a closed-door meeting with Arab leaders who are expected to implore him to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to end the war in Gaza.

Trump is expected to present his Middle Eastern counterparts with the U.S. outlook for peace and post-war governance in Gaza.

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Jurors in Fort Pierce, Florida, began deliberations Tuesday in the federal criminal trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at his Palm Beach golf course last year.

Routh, 59, faces five federal charges, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple firearms offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Prosecutors used their closing arguments Tuesday to emphasize both the digital and forensic evidence presented at trial and what they described as Routh’s clear intent: to kill Trump. 

‘This was not a publicity stunt,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Browne told the jury. ‘The evidence has shown one thing and one thing only — the defendant wanted Donald Trump dead,’ Browne said, adding that the worst part was that he ‘almost got away’ with it.

Browne told jurors that Routh ‘excessively’ stalked Trump’s locations and whereabouts in the weeks before the alleged assassination attempt on Sept. 15, 2024. 

He noted that Routh allegedly traveled on 17 separate occasions to scope out the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. These were ‘reconnaissance’ missions, Browne argued.

Browne reminded jurors that there were 19 rounds found in the magazine of the SKS rifle recovered at the scene, including one in the chamber. 

There is ‘no doubt, no reasonable doubt, no doubt whatsoever that it was the man,’ Browne said, pointing at Routh, ‘who was hiding’ in the sniper’s nest. 

Browne told jurors that his motives were also on clear display, pointing to lyrics from a rap song Routh wrote about killing Trump with a sniper rifle — one he penned after he was caught and arrested by the FBI. 

‘It’s not every case where the defendant writes down his intent on a piece of paper,’ Browne said.

The prosecution spent most of its time Tuesday focusing on count one of the five federal criminal charges Routh is facing: Attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate. 

The contrast between Routh’s defense and federal prosecutors is a dynamic that has been on stark display throughout the trial. 

Federal prosecutors spent roughly two weeks walking jurors through hundreds of exhibits and testimony from 38 witnesses to make their case against Routh.

Prosecutors methodically built their case with cellphone data placing Routh at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where they said he created a ‘sniper’s nest’ near the sixth hole. They also introduced bank records, burner phone purchases, and DNA evidence linking him to the SKS rifle recovered at the scene.

Routh confirmed he understood and told Cannon he would not testify on his own behalf, despite her repeated offers for him to reconsider and consult with standby counsel.

Fox News’ Samantha Daigle and Jennifer Johnson contributed to this report.

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The House Oversight Committee is setting its sights on insurance companies that may have discriminated against entities with right-wing views.

The panel is also looking into whether retirees’ pension accounts were being used to invest in progressive policies they may not necessarily agree with, Fox News Digital has learned.

‘The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating improper restrictions on access to capital and capital markets of individuals and entities based on political viewpoints or involvement in certain industries (such as cryptocurrency, energy, and firearms),’ Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wrote to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

‘The Committee has engaged with whistleblowers who had their insurance policies cancelled for widely-held political positions or for operating legal businesses considered out of favor by progressive activists.’

The move is an expansion of the House Oversight Committee’s ongoing investigation into whether public financial institutions engaged in debanking against people and entities with right-wing views.

Comer is also probing whether companies implementing progressive policies are doing so at the expense of millions of retired Americans’ personal investments.

He wrote to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in his capacity as acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that his panel ‘is investigating the prolific use of proxy proposals and other activism targeting corporate boards of directors by activists pursuing political agendas at the expense of the retirement and personal savings of Americans.’

‘Specifically, the Committee seeks to understand how giant investment managers and pension fund managers, aided by proxy advisory firms, sidestepped or abandoned their fiduciary duties to beneficiaries to pursue a political agenda and whether new legislation is needed to protect investors,’ Comer stated.

‘At a minimum, Americans deserve to fully know if their hard-earned savings are being used in a progressive playbook.’

The letter accused certain large asset management firms like BlackRock of putting clients’ money into green energy initiatives, for example, rather than more profitable areas, in order to promote a left-wing agenda.

BlackRock pushed back on such accusations in a public statement on its website, however.

‘One of the most critical tasks of an asset manager is to provide clients with insights on short- and long-term trends in the global economy that can impact their portfolios. We do this across all sectors – from healthcare to technology to energy,’ the company wrote.

‘Climate risk is one such trend given its implications for the economy. We believe that companies that better manage their exposure to climate risk and capitalize on opportunities will generate better long term financial outcomes.’

BlackRock’s website also asserted that the ‘choice of where to invest ultimately rests with our clients.’

‘We are bound to adhere to their investment guidelines and objectives. We do not dictate particular investment strategies,’ it said.

And on a broader scale, the committee looking into whether publicly-traded companies are running afoul of President Donald Trump’s executive order outlawing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices by simply listing it under another name.

‘[T]he Committee remains concerned following reports of publicly traded companies intentionally camouflaging or rebranding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies to hide such discrimination from ‘the Trump Administration, courts or influential activists,” Comer wrote to several organizations opposing corporate discrimination, including the Alliance Defending Freedom. 

‘At minimum, shareholders and retirement plan beneficiaries deserve transparency around discriminatory practices employed by corporate directors and officers as such behavior is rebranded. Replacing DEI and ESG titles with ’employee engagement’ or ‘inclusion and impact’ represents yet another deceptive practice.’

Trump’s order, signed in January 2025, barred financial institutions, major corporations, colleges and universities, law enforcement agencies and specific industries like medicine and commercial airlines from promoting or implementing DEI standards.

Comer accused the previous White House of promoting discriminatory practices, however, in a statement to Fox News Digital.

‘The Oversight Committee is investigating discriminatory practices in the American financial system and the Biden Administration’s role in supporting them,’ he wrote. ‘Whether it is using the boardroom to achieve what the political left could not accomplish at the ballot box, or canceling Americans’ insurance policies and debanking them for their political views, these actions are wrong and deprive Americans of their constitutional rights.’

Fox News Digital reached out to the IRS and NAIC for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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President Donald Trump drew laughs from world leaders within moments of taking the stage at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

Trump joked about a broken escalator in the UN building as well as the broken teleprompters right in front of him.

‘Thank you very much, I very much appreciate it,’ he said to the applause as he took the stage.

‘And I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter because the teleprompter is not working,’ he said as the leaders laughed.

‘I feel very happy to be up here with you nevertheless, and that way you speak more from the heart. I can only say that whoever’s operating this teleprompter is in big trouble,’ he added, drawing more laughter.

Trump again drew laughs later on by recounting his dissatisfaction with the UN’s assistance in global conflicts.

‘I ended seven wars, dealt with the leaders of these countries and never even received a phone call from the United Nations offering to help in finalizing the deal,’ Trump said. ‘All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle.’

‘If the first lady wasn’t in great shape she would’ve fallen. But she’s in great shape, we’re both in good shape. We both stood,’ he added, drawing more laughter.

‘These are the two things I got from the United Nations: a bad escalator and a bad teleprompter,’ he said.

Throughout his speech, Trump hailed efforts for peace and warned European nations against continuing to tolerate illegal immigration. Trump also blasted the global climate change agenda as a ‘con job.’

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Deion Sanders was diagnosed with an aggressive form of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in April 2025.
He opted for surgery to remove and reconstruct his bladder instead of undergoing 36 weeks of chemotherapy.
Following the procedure, Sanders has been declared cancer-free and has returned to coaching the Colorado Buffaloes.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hopes his openness about battling cancer inspires others to take charge of their health and give themselves a fighting chance.

‘I want everybody to understand you can make it, man,’ Sanders said Tuesday, Sept. 23, during segment on Good Morning America. ‘We all got somethin’ we fightin’. Who out there right now ain’t fighting somethin’? It may not be cancer, but it’s somethin’. But you can overcome it. We can do this.’

The Hall of Famer discussed his bladder cancer diagnosis, the procedure he had to undergo and a renewed mission to share his story.

‘You know how many people’s going through this foolishness?’ Sanders said. ‘But men never talk about stuff like this. We hide it because we want to be big, strong, and massive, and not vulnerable. No, man. This is real. This is what I’m dealing with.’

In April 2025, Sanders was diagnosed with bladder cancer during a routine CAT scan. The diagnosis revealed that he had non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, which is considered an aggressive form of the disease and has a 50% recurrence rate.

Sanders said he was presented with two options: undergoing 36 weeks of chemotherapy or having his bladder removed. After considering both options, he chose to proceed with the surgery nine days later.

‘I ain’t waiting. I ain’t sitting back on the curb waiting to go slowly but surely do whatever’s gonna happen,’ Sanders said.

Doctors reconstructed Sanders’ bladder using a portion of his intestine. The procedure was challenging and left him in significant pain. However, afterwards, he has since been declared cancer-free. Now, Sanders is back on the sidelines, coaching the Buffaloes, who are 2-2 this season.

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The 2025-26 NBA season is rapidly approaching.

With five teams — the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Pheonix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans — reporting for training camps this week, it’s time to put a bow on the offseason.

And while signings and trades are practically finished — two key restricted free agents in Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors) and Qunetin Grimes (76ers) remain unsigned — some teams are nonetheless catching bad breaks; the Houston Rockets suddenly have to contend with a potential season-ending torn ACL injury to veteran point guard Fred VanVleet.

Here are the winners and losers of the 2025 NBA offseason:

WINNERS

Houston Rockets

One week ago — or even one day ago — Houston’s case as the unquestioned winners of the offseason was secure. The Rockets landed the biggest star available, Kevin Durant, in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. Houston also signed a key 3-and-D forward in Dorian Finney-Smith and bolstered its depth with the signings of Josh Okohie and Clint Capela.

But the Rockets were dealt a massive blow Monday, Sept. 22, when veteran point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, likely ending his season. VanVleet averaged 18.7 points and 4.4 assists in the playoffs and will be missed. It also means the team will need a lot more from second-year guard Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 draft, who averaged just 12.6 minutes per game as a rookie.

Denver Nuggets

Trading away Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson should make Denver’s pick-and-roll game far more effective; Johnson can handle and dish the ball, and this should create more opportunities for Jamal Murray.

Adding Bruce Brown, a defensive-minded veteran and leader who spent time on Denver’s title-winning team three seasons ago, on the cheap was also a key move.

Dallas Mavericks

Losing Kyrie Irving late in the regular season to a torn anterior cruciate ligament was a big blow, but no team was luckier in the draft lottery than the Mavericks, who secured the No. 1 overall pick, despite having just 1.8% of getting the pick.

With it, they drafted Cooper Flagg, who has the potential to blossom into a franchise-altering player for years to come.

Atlanta Hawks and GM Onsi Saleh

Saleh deftly moved down in the draft and acquired an unprotected first-round pick from the Pelicans, and he acquired stretch center Kristaps Porziņģis at a discount because Boston needed to trim its luxury tax payments. Saleh also bolstered Atlanta’s shooting with the signing of Luke Kennard and wing defense with the sign-and-trade of Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

All of this could make the Hawks a sneaky dangerous team in the Eastern Conference.

LOSERS

Golden State Warriors

As of Tuesday morning, the Warriors have not received clarity concerning Jonathan Kuminga’s status with the team. A restricted free agent, the two sides have been at odds on what a viable long-term contract may look like, so Golden State’s offseason has been in a holding pattern. They have not made any move of note, and Kuminga, a 22-year-old forward who has flashed some promise, still hasn’t signed his qualifying offer.

The team’s lack of direction has led to Jimmy Butler reportedly reached out to Golden State’s front office to inquire about its plan. This is an aging roster whose window may be rapidly closing. Did they do enough to contend in the West?

Steve Ballmer, Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers

This was another older roster whose chances to win may be dwindling under the current build. But now, with the NBA-backed investigation looking into allegations of salary cap circumvention, the Clippers might be facing massive penalties — even including the possible voiding of Kawhi Leonard’s contract.

Regardless, Leonard is 34 and often injured, James Harden is 36, Brook Lopez is 37 and Bradley Beal might have his best basketball behind him.

Restricted free agents

Adding to the point above with Kuminga and the Warriors, it was a rough offseason for restricted free agents. With very little salary cap space available, teams were reluctant to sign four key restricted free agents — Kuminga, Josh Giddey (Bulls), Quentin Grimes (76ers) and Cam Thomas (Nets) — to offer sheets. This meant that, essentially, the teams holding the rights of these players had all the leverage in negotiations.

Kuminga and Grimes remain unsigned and might have to bet on themselves before trying their chances at unrestricted free agency next offseason.

Boston Celtics

They were always going to have to shed salary to avoid punitive apron penalties, but losing point guard Jrue Holiday and center Kristaps Porziņģis makes this a transition season — especially when considering that Jayson Tatum will be sidelined with a torn Achilles tendon.

Joe Mazzulla could be the perfect coach to get the most out of Anfernee Simons, but Boston might struggle to be legitimate threats in the East.

Indiana Pacers

The Tyrese Haliburton torn Achilles was a gut punch. Losing previously longest-tenured Pacer Myles Turner was another. Losing him to the rival Milwaukee Bucks in free agency could make fans forget all about their magical run.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

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With the MLB postseason a week away, several teams are still competing for playoff spots and division titles.
The Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies are the only teams to have clinched their divisions so far.
In the American League, only the Toronto Blue Jays have secured a playoff berth.

Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a week away, and the field is starting to take shape.

But there’s still plenty to determine before the regular season comes to a close on Sunday, Sept. 28. Seeding in both leagues could come down to the final day, and bids for wild-card spots have become increasingly tight. Only two teams – the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies – have clinched their divisions, and the Toronto Blue Jays remain the only team in the American League with an official playoff berth.

Here is every MLB team that has clinched a postseason berth, along with the magic numbers for teams to lock up a spot:

Who has clinched MLB playoff berth?

Heading into games on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Milwaukee Brewers – NL Central division (Magic number to clinch NL No. 1 seed is 3 against Philadelphia Phillies)
Philadelphia Phillies – NL East division (Magic number to clinch NL No. 2 seed is 2 against Los Angeles Dodgers)
Los Angeles Dodgers – At least NL wild card
Chicago Cubs – NL wild card (Magic number to clinch NL No. 4 seed is 4 against San Diego Padres)
San Diego Padres — At least NL wild card
Toronto Blues Jays – At least AL wild card

MLB magic numbers to clinch division

Heading into games on Tuesday, Sept. 23; Magic numbers count down with a win and/or a loss by team in parenthesis.

Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 to win NL West (San Diego Padres)
Seattle Mariners: 3 to win AL West (Houston Astros)
Toronto Blue Jays: 4 to win AL East (New York Yankees)
Detroit Tigers: 6 to win AL Central (Cleveland Guardians)

MLB magic numbers to clinch playoff berth

Heading into games on Tuesday, Sept. 23; Magic numbers count down with a win and/or a loss by team in parenthesis.

New York Yankees: 3 to clinch at least AL wild card (Cleveland Guardians/Houston Astros)
Seattle Mariners: 3 to clinch at least AL wild card (Cleveland Guardians/Houston Astros)
Boston Red Sox: 5 to clinch at least AL wild card (Cleveland Guardians/Houston Astros)
Detroit Tigers: 5 to clinch at least AL wild card (Houston Astros)
Cincinnati Reds: 6 to clinch NL wild card (New York Mets)
Cleveland Guardians: 6 to clinch at least NL wild card (Houston Astros)
Houston Astros: 7 to clinch at least AL wild card (Cleveland Guardians)
New York Mets: 7 to clinch NL wild card (Cincinnati Reds)

MLB playoff picture: Teams still alive

Elimination number counts down with each loss and/or win by team in parenthesis.

American League

Texas Rangers (elimination number: 2 – Cleveland Guardians; 1 – Houston Astros)

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks (elimination number: 6 – New York Mets; 5 – Cincinnati Reds)
St. Louis Cardinals (elimination number: 3 – Cincinnati Reds; 2 – New York Mets)
Miami Marlins (elimination number: 3 – Cincinnati Reds; 2 – New York Mets)
San Francisco Giants (elimination number: 2 – New York Mets/Cincinnati Reds)

When do MLB playoffs start?

The 2025 MLB postseason will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 30 with all four wild-card series getting underway. The best of-three series are scheduled to run through Thursday, Oct. 2. The best-of-five division series starts on Saturday, Oct. 4, two days after the conclusion of the wild-card series.

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