Ole Miss announced the death of freshman Corey Adams on social media on July 20.

According to a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Adams, 18, was a homicide victim. According to the police, around 10:14 p.m. on July 19, a shooting occurred outside a residence on Fern Glade Cove in Cordova, Tennessee.

The Sheriff’s Office reported one male gunshot victim during a stop of a vehicle at the intersection of Forest Hill-Irene and Walnut Grove. Adams was provided ‘life-saving measures,” but was pronounced dead on the scene. Adams was one of five shooting victims related to the incident, according to the report.

Four other male adults arrived at area hospitals in Memphis with gunshot wounds. They are listed in non-critical condition, according to the post from the Shelby County Sheriff.

Adams is listed as a freshman on the Ole Miss football roster. The three-star prospect signed with Ole Miss over offers from Oregon, TCU and USC, among other schools. Adams, who is listed at  6-foot-4, helped lead Edna Karr High School (New Orleans) to a state championship as a senior.

‘We are devastated to learn that Corey Adams, a freshman on the team, passed away last night in Cordova, Tennessee,’ Ole Miss wrote in a statement. ‘While our program is trying to cope with the tragic loss, our thoughts are with his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.

‘Out of respect for his family, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask the Ole Miss community to keep Corey in their thoughts and respect the privacy of everyone involved.’

Add another big-money extension to the list for the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason.

The reigning AFC champions made Super Bowl 59 last season in no small part thanks to their defense. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo led a unit that finished the year fourth in points allowed and gave up more than 25 points just five times.

Less than a week after rewarding one of their top young talents on the offensive line – guard Trey Smith – the team handed out a long-term extension to one of its best young players on defense: edge rusher George Karlaftis.

Kansas City and Karlaftis agreed to a four-year, $93 million extension with $62 million guaranteed, per multiple reports.

Kansas City drafted Karlaftis in the first round, No. 30 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He started all 17 games at edge rusher as a rookie in 2022 and hasn’t missed a game since.

Through his first three seasons, Karlaftis has 24.5 sacks, including a career-high 10.5 in 2023.

He led the Chiefs in sacks with 8.0 last season and finished tied for third league-wide in quarterback hits with 28. Only Denver’s Zach Allen (40) and Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson (36) had more.

George Karlaftis contract details

Karlaftis and the Chiefs agreed to a four-year extension worth $92 million, giving him an average annual value (AAV) of $22 million. He could get up to $23.25 million per season if he hits specific incentives.

That standard AAV puts him 11th league-wide among edge rushers behind Minnesota’s Andrew Van Ginkel ($23 million) and ahead of Hendrickson ($21 million). If he meets all those incentives, he’ll go up to 10th in AAV.

This makes him the second-highest paid defender on the Chiefs defense by AAV behind defensive tackle Chris Jones.

That could change if the team decides to sign fellow 2022 NFL Draft first-round pick Trent McDuffie to a long-term extension. Like Karlaftis, he’s entering the second-to-last year of his rookie contract.

Kansas City has picked up McDuffie’s fifth-year option so he will be with the team through 2026 at the least.

You’re not too old!

It’s not too late!

Now’s the time!

Sorry, folks, still feeling inspired by Manny Pacquiao’s performance Saturday night. The 46-year-old Filipino boxing legend returned to the ring and astonished the sports world.

Victory escaped him. The moment did not.

Fighting for the first time in almost four years, Pacquiao battled 30-year-old Mario Barrios, the reigning WBC welterweight champion, to a majority draw. The judges scored it 115-113 (for Barrios), 114-114, 114-114. But the scorecards failed to reflect Pacquiao’s performance.

The swelling on Barrios’ forehead, however, was proof Pacquiao can still punch. Hard. Even more impressive, for much of the 12-round welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Pacquiao stayed on the move.

He darted toward Barrios and landed combinations. He retreated when necessary. He bounced on his feet. Over 12 rounds, 36 minutes of boxing.

‘It was crazy,’ Barrios said. ‘His stamina.’

So how does a 46-year-old man do it? What’s the secret?

‘Oh, just work hard,’ Pacquiao told broadcaster Jim Gray in the ring after the fight. ‘Hard work and then discipline.’

Mike Tyson likes to say, ‘Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it like you love it.’

Of course, Tyson looked every bit 58 when he lost to Jake Paul by unanimous decision Nov. 15. That accounted for some of the trepidation as Pacquiao climbed back into the ring.

But much to our delight, Pacquiao looked like you’d want to look at 46.

During the fight, and after the fight, fans showered him with chants of ‘Manny, Manny, Manny!’ Perhaps the better way to honor Pacquiao, is to follow his lead.

Don’t give up.

Dig deep.

Work hard.

Show discipline.

Then get in the proverbial ring and, despite any self-doubt, fight Father Time.

Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 Open Championship, the first British Open victory of his career, giving him career wins at three of the four major tournaments. Only the U.S. Open remains.

After Rory McIlroy earned the coveted career Grand Slam earlier this year, Scheffler will have his own opportunity to achieve the same feat as early as 2026.

Scheffler opened the final round with a four-stroke lead and only expanded that lead Sunday, shooting 2-under on the front nine and 1-under on the back, finishing his round with six consecutive pars. It wasn’t the flashiest final round for Scheffler, but it was clear he could mostly play the course safe with such a huge lead.

While chasers such as Haotong Li, Chris Gotterup, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau all performed admirably, Scheffler never appeared to be in trouble. Despite his first double bogey of the tournament on No. 7, Scheffler never saw his lead shrink to fewer than four strokes.

Scheffler entered the tournament as the odds-on favorite and the world No. 1 golfer. He proved why he’d earned both of those distinctions this weekend. He took the lead during the second round Friday and never looked back.

Here is how the final round from Royal Portrush developed.

Open Championship 2025 leaderboard

Click here for the latest leaderboard updates and tee times.

1. Scottie Scheffler: -17
2. Harris English: -13
3. Chris Gotterup: -12
T4. Wyndham Clark: -11
T4. Matt Fitzpatrick: -11
T4. Haotong Li: -11
T7. Robert MacIntyre: -10
T7. Xander Schauffele: -10
T7. Rory McIlroy: -10
T10. Bryson DeChambeau: -9
T10. Corey Conners: -9
T10. Brian Harman: -9
T10. Russell Henley: -9

McIlroy speaks very highly of Scheffler

Rory McIlroy put up a tremendous performance at Royal Portrush, finishing Sunday’s final round in a tie for seventh-place at 10-under. However, even McIlroy had to commend Scheffler for his dominant performance, winning the tournament by four strokes over second-place Harris English.

‘He’s been dominant this week. Actually, he’s been dominant for the last couple of years,’ McIlroy said. ‘In a historical context, there are maybe one or two other golfers who’ve been on a run that Scottie’s been on.’

McIlroy achieved the career Grand Slam with a victory at the 2025 Masters. Scheffler could very well be the next golfer to achieve the same feat.

Scheffler wins British Open

Scottie Scheffler’s time is now. The three-time major champion became a four-time major champion at Royal Portrush, winning his first Open Championship to leave him just a U.S. Open title shy of a career Grand Slam.

Scheffler was in total control throughout the final round, posting a 3-under 68 on Sunday, tied for his worst round of the weekend. But it was enough to not only secure the win but maintain the four-stroke lead he had entering the final round.

Haotong Li, who entered the day in second place, shot 1-under 70 on Sunday, pushing him to a tie for fourth place alongside Wyndham Clark and Matt Fitzpatrick.

All in all, it was a dominant performance for Scheffler — and the Americans in general. The USA had each of the top-three finishers and eight of the top 16.

Scheffler double bogeys on 7

Scottie Scheffler is not the world’s No. 1 golfer for nothing. He had a seven-stroke lead for much of Sunday, and even with a double bogey on No. 7, his lead has only dwindled to four strokes. How will he get by?

This was Scheffler’s first double bogey of the weekend, and while it’s never a good addition to his scorecard, Scheffler’s lead is so monumental that it would take several more similar collapses in order for him to lose this tournament. Anything can happen, but Scheffler has been too hot all weekend to let this lead slip away this late in the tournament.

DeChambeau finishes incredible comeback

Bryson DeChambeau might not win the British Open, but he’s certainly one of the weekend’s biggest winners. After shooting 7-over in Round 1, DeChambeau needed to scratch and claw his way from the bottom of the leaderboard just to make the cut. Since then, he’s been arguably better than anyone in the tournament. In fact, if he had just shot even in Round 1, he would’ve finished the tournament at 16-under, which was where Scheffler sat heading into the fifth hole today.

With a birdie on 18 to finish 7-under for the final round and 9-under for the tournament, DeChambeau has put himself in the thick of the race for second, and although the rest of the field still has two-thirds of the course to play, DeChambeau has certainly left a mark on Royal Portrush.

Rickie Fowler finishes strong

Rickie Fowler made a Sunday charge by shooting 6-under for the day and finishing 8-under. Fowler made bogey on two of the first four holes, but bounced back nicely with seven birdies the rest of the way. Fowler finished with birdies on each of the final three holes.

Scottie Scheffler birdies first hole

Scottie Scheffler is putting the rest of the Open field on notice. The three-time major winner hit his second shot to within 2 feet of the hole and tapped in for birdie to run his overall score to 15-under.

Rory McIlroy tees off to rousing ovation

Northern Ireland native Rory McIlroy is officially on the course after teeing off at 9:20 a.m. ET. McIlroy begins the day at 8-under, which puts him in a four-way tie for eighth place behind Scottie Scheffler.

Rasmus Højgaard birdies first two holes

Rasmus Højgaard is making his move early after birdies on Nos. 1 and 2 to get his score to 8-under overall. Højgaard is six shots off leader Scottie Scheffler. His tee shot on No. 2 found some deep rough, but Højgaard got back on track with his second shot, and his third shot gave him a 16-foot birdie putt that he drilled.

Bryson DeChambeau birdies 12

DeChambeau set up a 2-foot birdie putt on No. 12 with a spectacular chip from behind the green. After he tapped in he found himself at 5-under for the day and 7-under for the tournament. That’s good enough to get him into a cluttered seven-way tie for ninth place.

Hideski Matsuyama moving up leaderboard

Hideski Matsuyama has strung together three consecutive birdies to move to 7-under for the tournament. He’s in a seven-way tie for ninth place.

Contenders start teeing off

Robert MacIntyre and Rasmus Højgaard teed off on No. 1, and Nicolai Højgaard and Russell Henley are next. The four currently find themselves in a large tie for 11th place at 6-under, which is eight strokes off leader Scottie Scheffler.

Bryson DeChambeau closes front nine with another birdie

Bryson DeChambeau is at 4-under for the day after nine holes, making four birdies with five pars to get to 6-under overall. He’s now in a tie for 11th place with 10 other golfers.

Justin Rose, Harry Hall off to fast starts

Justin Rose and playing partner Harry Hall have both notched birdies on two of their first three holes to get to 7-under for the tournament. That puts them in a tie for eighth place. Rose’s drive in the par 3 third hole stuck to within 5 feet of the hole. He tapped in for the birdie. Hall also made birdie on No. 3, but had a much tougher putt — a 19-footer that found the cup.

Bryson DeChambeau stays hot

Bryson DeChambeau has gone from nearly missing the cut to threatening to crack the top 10 at Royal Portrush. DeChambeau scored 7-over 78 during Round 1, but went 65 and 68 the past two days. He’s started his final round much like the previous two with three birdies on the first seven holes to run his overall score to 5-under. DeChambeau is in a tie for 15th place.

Shane Lowry finishes on high note

Feeling much better, 2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry enters the clubhouse all smiles after carding a 5-under 66.

‘I’m very happy I finished the way I did today because the one thing I was most disappointed about yesterday was I didn’t get to enjoy yesterday. Like, I was so sick on the course,’ Lowry said on the NBC broadcast after his round. ‘I was just trying to survive it there.’

Phil Mickelson wraps up final round

Lefty went into the day at a distant 5-over, but he played a mostly mistake free final round with five birdies and 13 pars to give him a 4-under 67 for the round. He finishes 1-over for the tournament.

Shane Lowry finishing strong

Ireland native Shane Lowry started his final round with par-bogey but then went on a run. He wrapped up the front nine with birdies on five of the final seven holes, and has played 1-under on the back nine to give him a score of 5-under for the day. Lowry is 2-under for the tournament, currently sitting in a tie for 40th place.

Where to watch Open Championship: TV channel, streaming Sunday

Live coverage of this year’s Open Championship will be provided by NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel and Peacock. Live streaming is also available via Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers.

All times Eastern

Final Round: Sunday, July 20

4-7 a.m.: Watch on USA Network, NBC Sports app and Fubo
7 a.m.-2 p.m.: Watch on NBC, Peacock and Fubo
2-4 p.m.: Golf Channel live from The Open

Watch the 2025 Open Championship with Fubo

The Open tee times today: British Open pairings

For a full list of tee times, you can find Sunday’s starts here.

All times Eastern

3:30 a.m.: Riki Kawamoto, Matti Schmid
3:40 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Dean Burmester
3:50 a.m.: Andrew Novak, Sebastian Soderberg
4 a.m.: Jacob Skov Olesen, Shane Lowry
4:10 a.m.: Viktor Hovland, Antonie Rozner
4:20 a.m.: Ryggs Johnston, Adrien Saddier
4:30 a.m.: Jordan Spieth, Romain Langasque
4:40 a.m.: Matthew Jordan, Francesco Molinari
4:55 a.m.: Justin Leonard, Sergio Garcia
5:05 a.m.: Sepp Straka, Thomas Detry
5:15 a.m.: Jason Kokrak, Aaron Rai
5:25 a.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Daniel Berger
5:35 a.m.: Henrik Stenson, Maverick McNealy
5:45 a.m.: Jordan Smith, Takumi Kanaya
5:55 a.m.: Rickie Fowler, Sam Burns
6:10 a.m.: Jon Rahm, Akshay Bhatia
6:20 a.m.: Thriston Lawrence, Jesper Svensson
6:30 a.m.: Nathan Kimsey, Bryson DeChambeau
6:40 a.m.: Tony Finau, Hideki Matsuyama
6:50 a.m.: Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Thomas
7 a.m.: John Parry, J.J. Spaun
7:10 a.m.: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Keegan Bradley
7:25 a.m.: Lucas Glover, Marc Leishman
7:35 a.m.: Dustin Johnson, Sungjae Im
7:45 a.m.: Lee Westwood, Corey Conners
7:55 a.m.: Justin Rose, Harry Hall
8:05 a.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Ludvig Aberg
8:15 a.m.: Matt Wallace, Oliver Lindell
8:25 a.m.: Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark
8:40 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Rasmus Hojgaard
8:50 a.m.: Russell Henley, Nicolai Hojgaard
9 a.m.: Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton
9:10 a.m.: Harris English, Chris Gotterup
9:20 a.m.: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick
9:30 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Haotong Li

2025 Open Championship odds

British Open odds according to BetMGM, after Round 3:

Scottie Scheffler: +600
Rory McIlroy: +2000
Haotong Li: +2500
Matt Fitzpatrick: +2500
Tyrrell Hatton: +4000

2025 Open Championship predictions

Predictions made ahead of The Open Championship:

Golf.com: Rahm to have a top-7 finish

Brady Kannon writes: ‘Rahm played tremendous golf from tee-to-green at Oakmont — one of the very best in the entire field — but his putting was awful. He finally found a hot putter on the final day, shot a 67 and finished seventh. Not only am I looking for the top players and good current form, but I also want golfers who are well-versed in links-style golf. Rahm fits the bill as he has finished top-7 at the Open Championship in three of the past four years and has won the Irish Open three times.’

Golf Digest: Rory McIlroy

Alex Myers writes: ‘If you had said before the season that McIlroy would be coming back to his home country with three wins and a major under his belt in 2025, you’d have made him a clear favorite.’

BetMGM: Sepp Straka

Nick Hennion writes: ‘For Straka, his distance won’t be punished at the Open like it would at the Masters and PGA. That should allow his two best attributes – iron play and putting – to shine.  Amongst all PGA Tour players this season, Straka ranks second in SG: APP, first in greens in regulation percentage and 16th in SG: Putting.  Based on those factors, the price alone is worth it for Straka to claim his first major title.’

Before a day off at the 2025 Tour de France, Tim Wellens won Stage 15 on July 20, while his teammate Tadej Pogačar maintained his lead for the yellow jacket.

Wellens won Sunday’s 105-mile stage of the tour in 3 hours, 34 minutes, 9 seconds, finishing 1 minute, 28 seconds ahead of Victor Campenaerts and 1:36 ahead of Julian Alaphilippe, Wout van Aert and Axel Laurance.

Before the Tour de France concludes next weekend, riders will be rewarded with their second day off on Monday, July 21, before returning to action on July 22. Despite not finishing in the top 10, Pogačar maintained his overall lead of 4:13 over Jonas Vingegaard and 7:53 over rider Florian Lipowitz.

Here’s a look at the complete stage 15 results and 2025 Tour de France standings after Sunday, July 20, as well as what’s coming up for cycling’s biggest race:

Tour de France Stage 15 results

Here are the final results of the 160.3-kilometer hilly course from Muret to Carcassonne  in the 2025 Tour de France on Sunday, July 20 (with position, rider, team, time):

Tim Wellens, UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG:  3 hours, 34 minutes, 9 seconds
Victor Campenaerts, TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE: 3 hours, 35 minutes, 37 seconds
Julian Alaphilippe, TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM: 3 hours, 35 minutes, 45 seconds
Wout Van aert, TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE: 3:35.45
Axel Laurance, INEOS GRENADIERS: 3:35.45
Aleksandr Vlasov, RED BULL – BORA – HANSGROHE: 3:35.45
Jasper Stuyven, LIDL-TREK: 3:35.45
Jordan Jegat, TOTALENERGIES: 3:35.45
Michael Valgren, EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST/: 3:35.45
Valentin Madouas, GROUPAMA-FDJ/: 3:35.45

Tour de France 2025 standings

Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 54 hours, 20 minutes, 44 seconds
Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark: 54:24.57 (4 minutes, 13 seconds behind)
Florian Lipowitz, Germany: 54:28.37 (7 minutes, 53 seconds)
Oscar Onley, Great Britain: 54:30.02 (9 minutes, 18 seconds)
Kevin Vauquelin, France: 54:31.05 (10 minutes, 21 seconds)
Primoz Roglic, Slovenia: 53:31.18 (10 minutes, 34 seconds)
Felix Gall, Austria: 54:32.44 (12 minutes)
Tobias Johannessen, Norway: 54:33.17 (12 minutes, 33 seconds)
Carlos Rodriguez, Spain: 54:39.10 (18 minutes, 26 seconds)
Ben Haley, Ireland: 54:39.25 (18 minutes, 41 seconds)

2025 Tour de France jersey leaders

Yellow (overall race leader): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
Green (points): Jonathan Milan, Italy
Polka dot (mountains): Lenny Martinez, France
White (young rider): Florian Lipowitz, Germany

2025 Tour de France next stage

Stage 16 of the 2025 Tour de France is a 171.5-kilometer hilly course from Montpellier to Mount Ventoux on Tuesday, July 22.

It’s not exactly a linear path to the LA Galaxy, Tom Braun will tell you.

Play baseball as a kid in Houston. Get drafted by the Oakland Athletics as a pitcher. Pursue an undergraduate education and a Big East baseball career at Georgetown. Get into banking.

He only moved west when his wife, Raquel, landed a job as a lawyer with Fox Sports. Tom got his MBA at the University of Southern California.

Then, about a decade before he would become president of business operations and chief operating officer for one of Major League Soccer’s flagship franchises in 2023, he took an unpaid internship at Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).

It led to a job in data analytics for the Galaxy and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, which AEG owns, and set him along his MLS journey.

He laughs when he is asked if he imagined it would happen this way.

“You can have hope and dreams,” he tells USA TODAY Sports, “that you can become fortunate to work for such a great company and such a great team and you work really hard, and you hope that that pans out. Luckily, I’ve been around really great people and I’m gonna take advantage of it.”

The Galaxy have won a league-high six MLS Cup trophies, including one last season. Along the way, they averaged a near-capacity crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson and have offered a family-friendly extravaganza.

Braun, 42, has been a force behind the Galaxy’s youth development programs. The Galaxy hold close to 200 classes a week. According to the team, its clinics will host more than 1,500 kids this year, many of whom are new to soccer or are accessing structured play for the first time.

A father of two boys (Jack, 5, and James, 2) who coaches his oldest son in the AYSO, Braun spoke with us about how his own experiences as an athlete, leader and dad can help other young athletes and their parents.

His story shows how far you can go when a love for sports stirs a spirit within you that goes beyond just wanting to be a professional athlete.

(Questions and responses are edited for length and clarity.)

Just let them play: ‘They’re going to find their path’

Braun started out in baseball because, like with many of us, it was the sport his dad knew best. He could play it year-round in Texas, and he learned to put everything he had into it.

Realizing what it all meant, and where it might lead, though, came much later.

USA TODAY: How about some general tips and observations you have for parents about getting their kids into sports and keeping them fun, not getting them so competitive so early?

Tom Braun: I’m young into it and fortunately, my kids are really interested in playing sports. I think often parents think that they’re gonna be a professional athlete at 5 or 6 years old and really, you just let ’em have fun. They’re gonna find their path, they’re gonna find what they’re interested in, but I think even more at an early age, parents are looking for something to do. They’re looking for an activity for their kids to do, where they can be outside or be active and sports, specifically soccer in our Galaxy Juniors program, gives parents an opportunity to put their kids in sports that they don’t know if they’re going to like or not like, but it’s an easy sport to understand, and you can see they like it. But I wouldn’t push them too hard. Let ’em enjoy it and pick what interests them as they get older. I don’t think anybody can decide at 6 years old if they’re gonna be a professional athlete.

USAT: The most successful athletes will tell you that as kids, even in the Little League World Series, it’s supposed to be just about fun as well. It’s not a scouting opportunity.

TB: I had a pretty good career in baseball, getting to play in college, but I actually did not start to realize I was good at baseball until I was about a junior in high school. So it takes some time to kind of develop and figure out what you’re good at and what you’re interested in.

Our sports experiences, whenever they end, can help carry us throughout our lives

Going into his senior year at Kingwood (Texas) High, Braun says, he threw hard enough that it became apparent pro baseball might be an option.

The A’s picked him in the 30th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft. He opted to pursue a business degree at Georgetown, giving him a background for what he would become.

He realizes now, though, that what he accomplished on the field was at the center of that transformation, too.

“When I graduated, I worked for an investment bank for about six years,” he says. “I ended up wanting to pursue a different passion, a passion more in sports. That’s kind of where my interest lies.”

USAT: Do you find just competing at the collegiate level has helped you in the real world?

TB: Not a lot of people, I think, realize that being a college baseball player (is) a full-time job, being a college athlete is a full-time job, and going to school and really caring about your academics is a full-time job. I do think it makes a big difference for someone’s work ethic and their passion to be able to accomplish those things and working as a team, I think it gives you a lot of characteristics and qualities that do make you better in the workforce, or to make you a better person. So, yeah, I think it’s important. It also shows, I think, how you prioritize things in your life.

USAT: Do you have a strategy in terms of building the right environment, interactions between parents and coaches, to kind of set the standard and expectations for the parents?

TB: I think it depends on the age. If they’re 2 years old, of course, the child will want to hold Mom and Dad’s hand and have Mom and Dad on the field. But once they start to be about 4, we start to separate it out a little bit, where the parents aren’t on the field, and the kids start to build that confidence to do things independently. And I think as it progresses, there’s a different type of expectation as a kid gets older that the coach is caring for them in the right way, and that the parents are respecting the coach’s ability to coach the child. We spend a lot of time making sure that the kids are cared for in the right way.

Coach Steve: How do you deal with a bad coach? Here are three steps

Sports can have unexpected benefits for kids

Galaxy Juniors starts as early as 18 months old, and it runs through ages 6-7. As they get older, kids can graduate to MLS GO and try out for MLS NEXT, as they can in many other parts of the country.

Braun remembers when he was young, it was hard to find soccer on television, and it wasn’t always available to play on a team. It has exploded in popularity over MLS’s 30 years of existence.

“The more accessible and inclusive it is for families, the more they fall in love with it,” he says.

Since his sons were born, his perspective on what the sport can mean to a kid has dramatically changed.

USAT: Could you just talk about how your youth development and training program works?

TB: I’ll give you a very specific, personal example of just my family and what sports meant to my now soon-to-be 6-year-old. So when my 6-year-old was 18-19 months old, he was having a hard time walking. For some reason, he just wasn’t comfortable walking. And at that age, most kids are walking. We decided to try to figure out why, and eventually he started to walk. And right when he started to walk at 19 or 20 months, we put him into a Galaxy Juniors program, and we saw him go from having a hard time walking, period, to listening to coaches and following directions and moving in a way that he wasn’t used to moving. He went from not walking to running and to being coordinated. And I think some of that development really had a huge impact on him and his own personal growth and his own confidence at that age. So personally, like even putting them in sports when they’re that young, I think, makes a really big difference in just their confidence and their growth as a little kid.

We have two facilities. One’s called LA Galaxy Soccer Center. It’s a 75,000-square-foot indoor facility that has five futsal and small-sided soccer courts, in Torrance, that I think, on a weekly basis, we get over 5,000 kids that go in and out of that facility just to play soccer. We also have an outdoor facility here on our campus, at Dignity Health Sports Park, called Galaxy Park, where we have a number of futsal and small-sized fields as well, where it’s open to the public. And kids just come and play soccer, and they take clinics with us. They do pickup games. So it’s a safe space for kids to come.

Coach Steve: As MLS turns 30, where does your youth player fit into its programming?

Your own professional development, and your relationship with your spouse, goes hand in hand with your kids’ athletic prosperity

A former colleague once told me she would wake up at 5 a.m. to have coffee and sit in the quiet of the morning to center herself before she gave her young kids her undivided attention.

Just recently, a family friend of ours who is raising four active kids went back to work in an office setting after about 10 years away from it. As her children have become more self-sufficient, her new career has rejuvenated her.

The process works similarly with our kids and our sports: We need to take care of ourselves as we take care of them.

USAT: I know you and your wife both work, so how have you managed to juggle everything with the sports?

TB: Raquel was a lawyer at Fox Sports, working on World Cups and NFL and Major League Baseball. She transitioned to (doing) talent and business development for EA Sports, the video game company, and now she’s pursuing her own venture where she’s a consultant. She started it with a partner. It’s called Mulier Fortis, which has a heavy focus on women’s sports, and the growth of women’s sports.

My wife and I share the responsibilities, as we should. I’m a very fortunate husband. She loves it as do my kids. And she works equally as hard as I do, if not more than I do. You have to have an understanding wife and understanding family and you gotta take advantage of those moments when you’re not working to spend time with your kids. It’s important to make sure you’re balancing your home life and your work life.

USAT: Do you have like a typical day in your life? Can you kind of detail that, or is every day completely different for you?

TB: Well, I’m very much a routine guy, but every day, when I get to the office, is a little bit different. But I usually wake up between 4 and 4:30 every morning. I’ll go for a jog or I’ll work out. That’s really my hour, hour and a half that I get to spend on my own before my kids start to wake up, usually about 6 or 6:30 my kids are getting up. I’m getting them ready for school, oftentimes taking them to school, getting their lunches prepared. And then I’m in the office, probably by 8:30 every day. And then once I get to the office, it really depends on the day, what meetings we have set up, what are the priorities? Oftentimes I’m engaging with my executive leadership team to understand what the priorities are for the day or for the week. I spend quite a bit of time understanding with my head coach (Greg Vanney) and my general manager (Will Kuntz), who I get to work with every day, what their priorities are during the week, leading up to what could be a game on the weekend. So at work, it’s a little scattered but at home, it’s pretty regimented. I get home about 6 every day, it’s quality time with the family before bath time and bedtime, and then I usually crash myself.

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

INDIANAPOLIS — Walking the halls in the bowels of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse before the WNBA All-Star Game Saturday, Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman was omnipresent.

One half of the ‘Stud Budz,’ Hiedeman and her Lynx teammate Courtney Williams — who both have pink hair —started a live stream on Twitch a couple of months ago and spent All-Star weekend giving the fans a behind-the-scenes look at the W. Their Twitch bio describes the stream as ‘just two Stud Budz who hoop and live our best life.’

‘It really started off as two friends, we knew about Twitch, and said, ‘Let’s just start streaming,” Hiedeman said, not pausing the stream to do an interview with USA TODAY Studio IX. ‘It’s a platform that’s unique, that really no one in the W has touched, so we was like, ‘Let’s be the first ones.”

Williams, playing on Team Collier, said the 72-hour All-Star stream has been eye-opening.

‘We are so surprised, honestly, we did not know how much love we’d be getting,’ Williams said. ‘I think people just love getting that behind the scenes, being so authentic, seeing players mess with us.’

There were close to 15,000 people streaming the duo as they made their way through Indianapolis this weekend. All-Star captains Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier talked to Hiedeman about the Twitch stream before their pregame media availability on Saturday.

‘How does your phone not overheat?’ Clark asked.

Then she copped to being a fangirl. ‘I was watching the live stream all last night, downstairs on my TV.’

Team Collier’s Angel Reese said the authenticity of the Stud Budz is what sets the content apart.

‘It’s like a reality TV show with them,’ Reese, a member of the Chicago Sky, said. ‘They have made it the best. No matter where we are, what party we at, the players made the weekend what it is and you really enjoy the moment because it’s so much fun.

‘Getting to know everyone off the court. You’re battling all year, it’s competition, but just being able to build relationships has been great. I am happy for what they are doing, I hope they continue to do it and make some money.’

The best moment of All-Star weekend?

‘Not a favorite moment, but Stud Budz has been the highlight of, I think, everybody’s weekend,’ Collier said.

Hiedeman said the sky is the limit now that their brand has been unleashed.’We going to be at the Grammys, ESPYs, what other live events?’ Hiedeman said. ‘Paris fashion week, the Met Gala — anything big and, like a good time, if it’s fun and live, call us and we will be there.’

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game may have been held in Indianapolis for the first time, but Team Napheesa Collier wasn’t going to let Team Caitlin Clark reign victorious in front of a sold-out crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Team Collier recorded the most points ever scored in a WNBA All-Star game with a dominant 151-131 defeat of Team Clark on Saturday. Team Collier was led by an MVPhee performance from the captain, who scored 36 points with nine rebounds to break Arike Ogunbowale’s previous WNBA All-Star game scoring record (34) set in 2024. Collier’s extensive bag was on display and she dropped multiple 4-point shots deep from the logo. (It’s worth noting there wasn’t a 4-point shot in the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.)

Collier was named the WNBA All-Star MVP. She credited her ‘amazing teammates.’ Collier used her MVP speech to highlight the importance of the upcoming CBA negotiations. ‘I see a bunch of strong women who aren’t going to back down and fight for what we want. … I couldn’t do it without them,’ Collier said.

2025 WNBA ALL-STAR FRIDAY RESULTS: Sabrina Ionescu wins 3-point contest; Liberty sweep

Team Collier dominated from the 4-point line, one of four special rules in play for the All-Star game. Allisha Gray added 18 points for Team Collier, while Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike had 16 points. Skylar Diggins recorded the first triple-double in a WNBA All-Star game, finishing with 11 points, 15 assists (the most in a WNBA All-Star game) and 11 rebounds.

Diggins said she was inspired by her last-place finish in the WNBA Skills Challenge on Friday. ‘I was pissed I got last in the skills challenge. … I knew I wanted to leave here with something.’

Clark didn’t participate in the matchup after suffering a right groin injury in the Fever’s win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, but she coached alongside New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello and was vocal from the sideline. Kelsey Mitchell had a team-high 20 points for Team Clark, while Brittney Sykes and Gabby Williams added 16 points each.

USA TODAY Sports recapped the 2025 WNBA All-Star game. Here’s what you missed:

WNBA All-Star Game highlights

Crowd chants ‘Pay Them!’

The crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse booed WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert and chanted ‘Pay Them! Pay Them!’ as she presented the All-Star MVP trophy to Napheesa Collier at the conclusion of the game. 

Stud Budz are the WNBA All-Star’s real MVPs

INDIANAPOLIS — Walking the halls in the bowels of Gainbridge Arena before the the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman is omnipresent. 

One half of the the ‘Stud Budz,’ Hiedman and her Lynx teammate Courtney Williams — who both have pink hair — started a live stream on Twitch a couple of months ago and have spent All-Star weekend giving the fans a behind the scenes look at W. Their Twitch bio describes the steam as ‘just two Stud Budz who hoop and live our best life.’

‘It really started off as two friends, we knew about twitch, and said, ‘Let’s just start streaming,” Hiedeman said, not pausing the stream to do an interview with USA TODAY Studio IX. ‘It’s a platform that’s unique, that really no one in the W has touched, so we was like, ‘Let’s be the first ones.” — Heather Burns

End of Q3: Team Collier 119, Team Clark 95

Team Collier has a 24-point lead heading into the fourth and final quarter, led by 30 points and six rebounds from team captain Napheesa Collier. Kelsey Plum added 16 points, while Kayla McBride and Nneka Ogwumike have 11.

Team Collier has knocked down 10-of-23 shots from a designated “AT&T 4-Point Shot” area, while Team Clark has shot 4-of-24 from the 4-point areas.

Kelsey Mtichell and Kayla Thornton lead Team Clark with 13 points each. Brittney Sykes has 12 points and Brionna Jones added 11 points.

Halftime: Team Collier 82, Team Clark 60

Napheesa Collier is putting on an MV-Phee performance. The All-Star team captain has a game-high 18 points at halftime as her team leads 82-60. Collier is getting it done at all levels, scoring in the paint and even knocking down two shots from the 4-Point range. Her teammate Kelsey Plum added 14-points off the bench, while Nneka Ogwumike added nine points.

‘We want to blow them out,’ Plum said. ‘We’re a lot better than them. I hate to say it.’

The difference in the game has been the 4-point shot, which Team Collier has capitalized on. Collier’s team is shooting 35.7% from beyond the arc through two quarters.

‘We haven’t made as many as them. You don’t realize how fast 4-point shots add up. We didn’t take that into account. They’ve made quite a few. (Napheesa Collier), (Kayla) McBride. We got to slow them down,’ Clark said. When asked about what halftime message she has for her team down 22 points, Clark said she has none. ‘We’re going to listen to Glorilla and get a drink… of Gatorade.’

Kayla Thornton has a team-high 10 points off the bench for Team Clark. Kiki Iriafen has nine points, while Gabby Williams and Sabrina Ionescu each have eight points.

Defense has been nonexistent in the first half, but will surely pick up in the second half. The record for the most points scored in a single WNBA All-Star Game belongs to Arike Ogunbowale, who scored 34 points en route an MVP award in the 2024 All-Star Game.

Where is the 2026 WNBA All-Star weekend?

The location for the 2026 WNBA All-Star game has not been unveiled yet.

Veteran Nneka Ogwumike sets WNBA All-Star record

Nneka Ogwumike continues to climb up the all-time lists. The Seattle Storm forward earned her 10th All-Star selection, joining Sue Bird (13), Diana Taurasi (11), Tamika Catchings (10) and Brittney Griner (10) as the only players in WNBA history to receive 10 All-Star nods. Ogwumike said accomplishments like this one ‘hits me a little bit more when I see the company that I am surrounded by in whatever stats people throw at me.’

Ogwumike is up to 11 points in the All-Star game, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 1-of-1 from three. She made her 55th career field goal in an All-Star Game, officially passing Maya Moore for the most field goals made in WNBA All-Star history.

Tyrese Haliburton, Lisa Leslie in the building

The star-studded crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday includes Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who has been a mainstay at Fever home games. The crowd also includes Hall of Famers Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley and Tamika Catching, in addition to Robin Roberts, Flau’jae Johnson, rapper Plies and Bam Adebayo.

End of Q1: Team Collier 49, Team Clark 36

Team Collier’s Kelsey Plum has a game-high 12 points off the bench as Team Collier has a 49-36 lead over Team Clark through the first quarter. Paige Bueckers of Team Collier got the scoring started at the 2025 WNBA All-Star game with a 4-point shot.

Speaking of the 4-point shots, Team Clark’s Sabrina Ionescu picked up right where she left off. One night after winning the WNBA All-Star 3-point competition, Ionescu knocked down two 4-point shots from the “AT&T 4-Point Shot” area on the court, totaling a team-high eight points in the first quarter. ‘I feel like I tried to in the regular season… might as well go for it,’ Ionescu said during a game break.

WNBA four point shot explained

The 4-point shot is back. The 4-point shot was first implemented at the 2022 WNBA All-Star Game and made an appearance at the 2023 edition, before going on hiatus in the 2024 WNBA exhibition game between the U.S. women’s national team and Team WNBA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Each player will have the opportunity to score four points by shooting at a designated “AT&T 4-Point Shot” area on the court, made up of four circles placed 28-feet from the rim, six feet further than the 3-point line. For every 4-point shot successfully made, AT&T will donate to a foundation selected by the WNBA and players.

When is the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game?

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game between Team Clark and Team Collier tips off at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Bia, Glorilla: Meet WNBA All-Star performers

Rapper Glorilla is set to headline the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game halftime show on Saturday. Fellow rapper Bia kicked off the festivities with a performance of ‘We On Go’ during All-Star player introductions.

WNBA All-Star Game MVP, by year

2024: Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings (Phoenix)
2023: Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (Las Vegas)
2022: Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (Chicago)
2021: Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings (Las Vegas)
2019: Erica Wheeler, Indiana Fever (Las Vegas)
2018: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Minnesota)
2017: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Seattle)
2015: Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (Connecticut)
2014: Shoni Schimmel, Atlanta Dream (Phoenix)
2013: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks (Connecticut)
2011: Swin Cash, Seattle Storm (San Antonio)
2009: Swin Cash, Seattle Storm (Connecticut)
2007: Cheryl Ford, Detroit Shock (Washington D.C.)
2006: Katie Douglas, Connecticut Sun (New York)
2005: Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets (Connecticut)
2003: Nikki Teasley, Los Angeles Sparks (New York)
2002: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks (Washington D.C.)
2001: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks (Orlando)
2000: Tina Thompson, Houston Comets (Phoenix)
1999: Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks (New York)

How to watch 2025 WNBA All-Star Game

All-Star weekend concludes Saturday with the marquee event, a showdown between Team Clark and Team Collier.

Date: Saturday, July 19
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo, Sling

WNBA All-Star players wear T-shirts that say ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’

All of the players came out onto the court for in black warmup shirts that read: Pay Us What You Owe Us. The shirts are a call out to the league during what has been contentious CBA negotiations, including a meeting Thursday that 40 players attended, many of whom said after that no progress was made.

Caitlin Clark: WNBA All-Star break needs to be longer

Caitlin Clark: WNBA All-Star break needs to be longer

WNBA All-Star team captains Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier are both prioritizing fun in the 2025 WNBA All-Star game, which caps off the first-ever All-Star weekend in Indianapolis on Saturday. The second half of the season promptly starts on Tuesday, offering All-Stars little to no time to regroup and recover from the festivities.

“We joke about winning but at the end of the day, it’s not that serious. We’re going to have a fun time,” coach Clark said ahead of the game. Collier added, “I wasn’t telling (my team) anything about preparing for the game. We were preparing to be on ‘StudBudz’… This is supposed to be our break. We all play Tuesday.”

Last year, WNBA teams got nearly a month off after the 2024 All-Star game between Team WNBA and the U.S. women’s national basketball team to accommodate for the 2024 Paris Olympics. With no Olympics on the schedule for this year, the All-Star ‘break’ is less than a week. The Indiana Fever, for example, played their last game on Wednesday and will open the second half of the season against the New York Liberty on Tuesday.

“We would appreciate a longer break,’ Clark added.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert says rev share offered

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert was peppered with questions about the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the league’s meeting with more than 40 players on Thursday, which did not yield progress.

One question centered on why offering rev share to players was not on the table. Englebert said it is.

‘We’ve been talking about diff ways to do rev sharing,’ she said. ‘There is rev sharing in our existing CBA that is expiring after this season. But we were at a very diff place in 2020 than we are in 2025. …It’s a balance between those twos. There is a proposal on both sides on revenue sharing.’

Caitlin Clark, WNBA All-Stars arrive

Caitlin Clark is in the building. Clark, who is set to captain her All-Star team alongside New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello, arrived to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday wearing a black blazer over a Prada shirt. She paired the look with a pair of black shorts and pumps.

Arrivals started pouring in ahead of game time. USA TODAY Sports is tracking every fashionable entrance here.

Is Caitlin Clark playing in the All-Star game?

No. Clark will not participate in the All-Star Game due to a right groin injury. She also sat out of the 3-point contest on Friday.

‘I am incredibly sad and disappointed to say I can’t participate in the 3-Point contest or the All-Star Game. I have to rest my body.’ Clark said. ‘I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I’m looking forward to helping Sandy (Liberty coach Brondello) coach our team to a win.’

Paige Bueckers highlights first-time WNBA All-Stars

The 2025 WNBA All-Star game features six players making their All-Star debut:

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (Team Collier)
Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams (Team Clark)
Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton (Team Clark)
Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes (Team Clark)
Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen (Team Clark)
Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron (Team Clark)

WNBA All-Star Game roster: Team Caitlin Clark

Clark didn’t appear to have much of a strategy heading into the WNBA All-Star draft, saying, ‘I’m going on vibes. I’m picking whatever comes to mind. We’re just having fun. My team is going to be fun. You get to be in front of the home crowd in Indianapolis.’ However, Clark had a game plan to select her teammates. She’ll now help coach her team after being ruled out (right groin).

Starters

Aliyah Boston, Center, Indiana Fever
Sabrina Ionescu, Guard, New York Liberty 
A’ja Wilson, Forward, Las Vegas Aces
* Kelsey Mitchell, Guard, Indiana Fever
* Jackie Young, guard, Las Vegas Aces

*Selected to replace Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally in the starting lineup

Reserves

Brionna Jones, Forward, Atlanta Dream
Brittney Sykes, Guard, Washington Mystics
Gabby Williams, forward, Seattle Storm
Sonia Citron, Guard, Washington Mystics 
Kiki Iriafen, Forward, Washington Mystics
Kayla Thornton, Forward, Golden State Valkyries

WNBA All-Star Game roster: Team Napheesa Collier

Napheesa Collier had a clear cut strategy heading into the draft — shoot for current and former teammates. ‘I feel like got to try to get some of my (Unrivaled) Owls girls on here and got to try to get some of my (UConn) Huskies girls on here, so I’ve got an agenda,’ Collier said during the 2025 WNBA All-Star draft show.

Starters

Napheesa Collier, Forward, Minnesota Lynx
Breanna Stewart, Forward, New York Liberty
Allisha Gray, Guard, Atlanta Dream
Nneka Ogwumike, Forward Seattle Storm
Paige Bueckers, Guard, Dallas Wings

Reserves

Courtney Williams, guard, Minnesota Lynx
Skylar Diggins, Guard, Seattle Storm
Angel Reese, forward, Chicago Sky
Alyssa Thomas, Forward, Phoenix Mercury
Kelsey Plum, guard, Los Angeles Sparks
Kayla McBride, guard, Minnesota Lynx

Replaced Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard

WNBA All-Star game format: Special rules in play

On Wednesday, the WNBA announced four special rules will be in play at the All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to provide ‘added entertainment and an enhanced pace of play’ for one night only on Saturday. The changes include a four-point shot deep from the logo and live-play substitutions similar to hockey.

AT&T 4-Point shot: Each player will have the opportunity to score four points by shooting at a designated “AT&T 4-Point Shot” area on the court, made up of four circles placed 28-feet from the rim, six feet further than the 3-point line.
Live-play substitutions: Team’s will be allowed to make hockey-like player substitutions while the ball is in play, but only under certain conditions. The team on offense is the only one permitted to make a live-play substitution and only one player is allowed per possession. 
20-second shot clock: The shot clock will be shortened from 24 to 20 seconds. Following an offensive rebound, the shot clock will be reset to 14 seconds.
No free throws: Anytime a player is required to shoot a free throw, they will ‘automatically be credited with the maximum available point(s) given the situation,’ the league explained. Free throws will only be in play in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime.

Who won the 2025 WNBA 3-point contest?

New York Liberty superstar Sabrina Ionescu remains the queen of the WNBA All-Star 3-point contest.

Ionescu, who holds the 3-point competition record in both the WNBA or NBA after scoring 37 of 40 points in 2023, took down defending champion Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream Friday night in the 3-point contest final with a score of 30 points. Ionescu became just the second WNBA player to win the 3-point contest multiple times, joining four-time winner Allie Quigley.

‘It means everything. The last time I was here in (Indianapolis) against Steph (Curry), I lost, so I feel like I had to come back and redeem myself,’ Ionescu said, referring to the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-point challenge during the 2024 NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, where she went head-to-head with Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry. ‘I feel like we put on a great show.’

Who won the WNBA skills challenge?

The 2025 WNBA Skills Challenge came down to the final second … literally. New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud finished the obstacle course with 1.1 seconds to spare, narrowly defeating Seattle Storm guard Erica Wheeler for the title.

Cloud becomes the second Liberty player to win the skills challenge, following Sabrina Ionescu’s win in 2022. Cloud said she’s going to use her $55K prize money from Aflac to put a down payment on a house with her girlfriend, Liberty teammate Isabelle Harrison.

‘(Harrison) told me to go win this money for a home and that’s what it’s going down too,’ Cloud said after her win. ‘I’m really grateful for where our journey’s have brought us and our career have brought us. This is just the next step. It’s going be money well spent.’

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