In the wake of Fox Sports 1 and Taylor parting this week – along with the show she co-hosted, ‘Speak,’ and two others in the network’s daily lineup being canceled – former NBA-All-Star-turned-podcaster-and-streamer Gilbert Arenas has voiced his desire to hire Taylor.

“Joy’s a great host,” Arenas said on a recent ‘No Chill Gil’ Summer League stream, according to Awful Announcing. “I know we’re looking at her for the football side. We’ve been behind the scenes talking to her for the last year.”

Arenas’ show, ‘Gil’s Arena,’ exists under the Underdog Fantasy umbrella and has 1.1 million subscribers on YouTube.

Taylor has not commented since the news broke of her show’s cancellation.

Knowing the feeling of antisemitism firsthand, Liv Shumbres wants to see change — and isn’t shy about standing up for it.

It’s what drove her, a track and field athlete from the College of Charleston, and five other Jewish student-athletes, to partner with The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS), joining as the inaugural class of the non-profit’s newly announced NIL-sponsored Blue Square Athlete Ambassador Program.

‘It truly is about being something bigger than just a small part of a brand,’ Shumbres said in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY Sports.

‘This is impacting everyday lives, especially as someone who is Jewish. I wanted to raise awareness and use this opportunity to speak authentically about myself, my story, be able to storytell and spark conversations with other people around me as well.’

Officially launched on Wednesday, July 16, the Blue Square Athlete Ambassador Program is the latest facet to the FCAS, which was started in 2019 by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. It signed six NCAA Jewish student-athletes to the innovative NIL program, where they will work with experts from the organization to combat antisemitism.

Those six athletes, who range from Division I to Division III, include Meyer Shapiro (Cornell wrestling), Ethan Hott (Stanford baseball), Riley Weiss (Columbia women’s basketball), Ze’ev Remer (Cal Lutheran men’s basketball), Alan Mashensky (NYU basketball) and Shumbres.

‘We are excited about being pioneers in this regard, and we’re really excited about the six athletes that are involved,’ FCAS president Adam Katz told USA TODAY Sports. ‘We’re excited about what this will do for each of them individually and collectively, and we’re excited for the potential to show a new way that NILs could be used to create a positive benefit for the world.’

The program, in its pilot stage, was a Day 1 priority for Katz, who was named FCAS’s president in May. According to research from the FCAS, 25% of adults in the United States have shown a trait of antisemitic attitudes — which is an increase of 10% over the last 18 months. That number is “frankly worse” among younger people, per Katz, with those perceptions being based on misinformation and lack of information.

On top of working together as a team to promote combat antisemitism, Katz said he hopes the program will also help the student-athletes to further grow as leaders in their communities.

‘It’s an opportunity for them to really take on even more of a leadership role, but it’s also role modeling for others in the community (that) this is a way that you can help build empathy, build bridges and build connection in a world and a country that is increasingly polarized and increasingly isolated,’ Katz said. ‘This is a way to kind of cut through that. At least that’s our intent.’

The three student-athletes who spoke with USA TODAY Sports — Remer, Hott and Shumbres — mentioned that driving forces for them to be part of the program was to shed light on the “good” of Jewish student-athletes, ‘humanize’ those of Jewish descent and break down the stereotypes that surround them.

‘It’s scary. It’s scary to be a Jewish person, to be openly Jewish,’ Remer said. ‘You see people are getting shot in the streets. A lot of protests are going on. So I think if I can be that light that shows that I’m not afraid to be who I am and give some hope to the Jewish community, that’s huge to give my people that hope.’

Hott, the only Jewish baseball player at Stanford, said that though there may be recognition and publicity that comes from this opportunity for him, that wasn’t a priority of his when he signed up.

‘That’s almost secondary to the bigger task at hand,’ Hott said. ‘… “It’s not about shifting people’s belief that they may already have personally. …We want to show that, yes, we are such a small percentage of the world’s population, but we are out here doing amazing things and we don’t want to spread hate.

‘… We just want to show that we can be excellent and thrive in whatever we choose to do, just like everybody else is trying to do.’

For Shumbres, a way for her to be that leader is using her platform to be an advocate, especially the younger generation, while continuing to bring awareness and spark conversation.

‘(Antisemitism is) all over the world right now, unfortunately. I can use my platform to really bring awareness to that and show … That it’s okay to be Jewish, it’s good to be proud of who you are and represent the people around you in a way where you don’t have to quiet yourself just because everyone else is,’ Shumbres said.

‘It’s okay to stand up. … I am unapologetically Jewish and I’m proud of that.’

It is from her own experience with antisemitism from ‘subtle comments’ made toward her on social media and the initiative behind the Blue Square program — something bigger than sports — that also reminds her why she wanted to be part of this program with FCAS in the first place.

‘Rather than focusing on the negative, let’s stand up for what’s right,’ Shumbres said. ‘Let’s make this a thing of positivity going forward. Let’s not focus on the negativity. Let’s grow from it and introduce others to that light as well.’

ATLANTA — It was an All-Star Game like we’ve never seen before, leaving fans cheering, players celebrating and traditionalists screaming.

Gone forever are the days of Pete Rose crashing into Ray Fosse at home plate at the All-Star Game.

Major League Baseball took a page out of the Savannah Bananas’ playbook, deciding an All-Star Game with a mini-sized home run derby.

When the All Star Game ended July 15, there were only six players on the field playing home run derby, or technically called a swing-off, with the National League prevailing 7-6, based on the NL outhomering the American League, 4-3.

The swing-off quietly was put in the last collective bargaining agreement, declaring any All-Star Game that was tied after nine innings would be decided by a three-on-three home run derby.

The game ended when Tampa Bay Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda’s fly ball landed harmlessly in the outfield, with the scattered few players who remained celebrating into the night, immediately embracing the concept, with traditionalists wondering what has happened to this grand ol’ game.

‘Probably,’ San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb said, when asked whether there would be a public outcry from baseball traditionalists. ‘But at the end of the day, who cares? We had a blast watching it, all the guys that are still here, and I think the fans enjoyed it. I got a group text here from a bunch of players around the league and they seemed to really like it, too.

‘I think it was an awesome way to end.’

Said New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso: ‘I just thought it was awesome. I mean, everyone was super, super into it. I think people really thoroughly enjoyed the show.’

Really, it was impossible to find a player who was angry that the outcome was decided on a gimmick. No one wants a repeat of that 15-inning All-Star Game in Anaheim in 1967. And no one wanted to see another tie like the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee.

Sure, these are historic All-Star Games, but they’re just exhibitions, too.

‘Pretty exciting,’ AL manager Aaron Boone said. ‘There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular season mix. I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.’

Really, a swing-off in regular season games that are tied after nine innings?

You mean, games that actually count?

‘Obviously, I don’t think that should happen, necessarily, or would at any time in the near future,’ Boone says. ‘But I’ve got to say, you know, it was pretty exciting. Like all of a sudden, here we go. And the camaraderie that you kind of build these last couple days with the team, I think went into overdrive there. Like guys were excited out there.

‘It’s like wiffle ball in the back yard. Here we go. Let’s do it.’

There weren’t any players rushing to lobby Commissioner Rob Manfred for a swing-off rule in games that count,  but when asked if they could see it arriving one day in the future, well, why not?

There weren’t pitch clocks, enlarged bases, ghost runners on second base, and shift limits a few years ago, either.

‘I can totally see that,’ Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers told USA TODAY Sports. ‘We talked about pitching injuries, or the length of games, and honestly the runner on second base really helped in extra innings. Can you imagine if it happened in the postseason. I guess that would make it very unique.

‘But it’s like penalty kicks in soccer. Hockey has their form of it, a shootout, or whatever it is. So, I don’t think it’s ridiculous to say that it couldn’t be a part of the game.’

Well, maybe it will happen one day, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez said, but they may be all retired by the time they see it.

But for an All-Star Game, well, bring in the new tradition.

‘I think it’s a good idea,’ said Philadelphia Phillies DH Kyle Schwarber, who won All-Star MVP honors for hitting three home runs in his swing-off, ‘just for the fact we’re not putting more people at any other kind of risk. We’re not playing more innings, things like that …

‘I think it’s a unique way for the league to kind of try different things. It makes you feel like it’s a penalty kick. That was like the baseball version of a shootout or extra time.’

The swing-off occurred only because the National League blew a 6-4 lead going into the ninth inning, and with the game tied the sold-out crowd of 41,702 was unaware of the swing-off featuring three hitters from each team.

So were the players.

‘When they told me what was happening,’ Stowers said, ‘I thought they were kidding. I never heard of it. I thought it was like one of those hypotheticals you hear about in the minors or something.’

No, it was real, with each manager designating a list before the game of three hitters and an alternate for the swing-off. Each hitter was allowed only three swings. NL manager Dave Roberts chose Suarez, Schwarber and Alonso, only to switch out Suarez for Stowers after Suarez’s hand was throbbing from being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning. Boone chose Brent Rooker of the Athletics, Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners and Aranda.

The first round began with Rooker hitting two home runs with Stowers hitting one.

Arozarena hit one homer to give the American League a 3-1 lead until Schwarber clobbered three home runs, 428 feet, 461 feet and 382 feet, for a 4-3 lead.

That was all that was needed when Aranda went homerless, and just like that, the wildest ending to an All-Star Game was in the books, with Schwarber becoming the first DH to win the MVP award, and the first Phillies player since 1964.

When asked how Schwarber will remember the night, and where it ranked among his career achievements, he really couldn’t say.

Really, no one could.

‘All I know,’ Suarez said, ‘is that it was historic. We were part of history. It was a great experience. But would I want to see it in regular season games, well, I don’t know about that. Let’s leave it like this.

‘I still like baseball tradition, you know.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The NBA’s offseason is nearing its quietest time of the year. Summer League in Las Vegas is almost over, and free agency lingers — and it was never a big free-agent summer with most major deals getting done via trades.

Restricted free agency has been an issue for Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga and Chicago’s Josh Giddey, primarily because teams didn’t have the kind of salary cap space normally used to spur restricted free agency, leaving Kuminga and Giddey without much leverage in contract negotiations.

As the NBA heads toward vacation and more attention turns toward the WNBA, MLB, NFL, college football, MLS, and the remaining golf and tennis majors, let’s take a look at how each NBA team fared in the offseason.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ 2025 offseason NBA grades — trades, draft, front-office moves and coaching changes taken into account:

2025 NBA offseason grades for each team

Eastern Conference grades

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics: C+

They absolutely needed to shed salary to prevent apron triggers, so trading Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday had to happen. Anfernee Simons is a nice player in return, and No. 28 overall selection Hugo González is an intriguing project at guard, but can Boston say it is better now? That’s magnified significantly with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) expected to miss the entire season.

Brooklyn Nets: C+

The priority, for Brooklyn, remains in stocking draft capital. In trading Cameron Johnson for Michael Porter Jr., a similar but more expensive player, the Nets got a 2032 first-round pick in return. Brooklyn, however, has been unable to land a star and is in a full rebuild. Making all five of its selections in the 2025 first round was curious. Now they’ll need to prove they hit on at least some of those.

New York Knicks: B

It has been an odd offseason for the Knicks, who made their first conference championship appearance in 25 seasons. Yet, New York fired its coach and seemingly didn’t have a plan, reportedly getting rebuffed by five teams with requests to interview their head coaches. Nonetheless, they ended up with a solid and safe fit in Mike Brown as their new coach and adding scorer Jordan Clarkson on the cheap should help the offense.

Philadelphia 76ers: B+

While the health of Joel Embiid and Paul George remain massive concerns, the 76ers are playing the smart — if coldly calculated — game with restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. Teams across the league simply don’t have the cap space to make splash signings, leaving players like Grimes out of options and with little leverage. Getting him back on an affordable deal would be a big win, and No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe looks like he could blossom into a star.

Toronto Raptors: C+

The Raptors were fairly quiet in the offseason, with their big move being the extension to Jakob Poeltl. At three years and $84.5 million, it’s perhaps an overpay, but he is a big part of their presence in the paint. Collin Murray-Boyles at No. 9 was a solid pickup, but Toronto lost a lot of institutional knowledge and front-office savvy with the departure of team president Masai Ujiri. Highly regarded general manager Bobby Webster is the top decision-maker now.

Central Division

Chicago Bulls: C+

Give the Bulls credit for being smart and calculated — similar to the way the Sixers are being with Quentin Grimes — with their negotiations with Josh Giddey, a restricted free agent. There simply isn’t a market for Giddey, so the Bulls are being firm in not overpaying. Still, Chicago remains in that frustrating realm between relevance and rebuilding.

Cleveland Cavaliers: B

Losing Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome is a big blow, but the Cavs are taking swings with Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr. as players who can step into roles to keep Cleveland in its championship contention window. The most significant decision is the team’s boldness in keeping an expensive roster in place even with luxury tax implications. Cleveland also gave contract extensions through 2030 to key members of the front office: president of basketball operations Koby Altman, general manager Mike Gansey, assistant GM Brandon Weems, vice president of basketball operations/general counsel Jason Hillman and vice president of basketball strategy and personnel Jon Nichols.

Detroit Pistons: B+

The Pistons essentially swapped Malik Beasley for Duncan Robinson and added Caris LeVert to offset the loss of Dennis Schröder, who stepped up in the postseason for Detroit. The Pistons have a solid, young core, and getting center Paul Reed to re-sign was a solid move. With point guard Jaden Ivey returning, the loss of Schröder stings even less.

Indiana Pacers: C

Taking a very different approach to the luxury tax, the Pacers’ reluctance to dip into it cost them center Myles Turner, who had been the longest-tenured player on the team. Making matters (way) worse: Turner ended up signing with hated rivals, the Milwaukee Bucks. In any case, Indy appears headed on a reset season with Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) missing all of 2025-26.

Milwaukee Bucks: C

While waiving and stretching Damian Lillard was a clear acknowledgement that his time in Milwaukee was a failure, the Bucks are seemingly just trying to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy enough with the direction of the franchise. The Bucks replaced Brook Lopez with Myles Turner, re-signed a bunch of rotation players and added Gary Harris. None of these moves, however, seem likely to put Milwaukee over the edge — so the Antetokounmpo question remains.

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks: A

The Hawks were aggressive from the start, trading for Kristaps Porzingis and landing Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a sign-and-trade with Minnesota. Luke Kennard signed a one-year deal, and while the Hawks lost some key players, they drafted Asa Newell as new front-office leadership led by Onsi Saleh refines the roster.

Charlotte Hornets: B

The Hornets’ rebuild is starting to take shape. At the draft, they acquired Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeely, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner. They re-signed Tre Mann and brought in Pat Connaughton and Collin Sexton via trades and reached free-agent deals with Spencer Dinwiddie and Mason Plumlee.

Miami Heat: B-

It’s the Heat. It’s Pat Riley. So they will continue to look at ways to improve the roster. Trading for Norman Powell helps with scoring and re-signing Davion Mitchell helps with defense. Simone Fontechhio will get a chance to show what he can do, and the Heat will work hard to develop 2025 first-round draft pick Kasparas Jakucionis into a contributor.

Orlando Magic: A-

The Magic got value in the draft with Jase Richardson at No. 25 and Noah Penda at No. 32, and obtained shooting by acquiring Desmond Bane in a trade with Memphis. Tyus Jones provides backcourt depth, Moe Wagner returns on a one-year deal, and the Magic signed Paolo Banchero to a five-year rookie max extension worth at least $237 million. Orlando needs a year of good health to see what this roster can deliver.

Washington Wizards: B+

The Wizards made moves that will help the team now and in the future, including salary cap space in free agency in 2026. The Wizards drafted Tre Johnson and Will Riley for backcourt assistance, and added CJ McCollum, Cam Whitmore, Dillon Jones, Blake Wesley and Malaki Branham. They also accumulated future draft picks.

Western Conference grades

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets: A

The Nuggets improved offensively and defensively, and procured depth with the addition of Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas. The Nuggets went seven games with Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals and got better as they try to capitalize on Nikola Jokic’s remaining MVP-caliber seasons. Denver made David Adelman its permanent head coach and elevated Ben Tenzer (executive vice president of basketball operations) and Jonathan Wallace (executive vice president of player personnel) to prominent front-office roles.

Minnesota Timberwolves: B

The Timberwolves were not in position to re-sign Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker — however, as Meat Loaf sang — two out of three ain’t bad. Plus, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez take over as owners of the Timberwolves, WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and G League’s Iowa Wolves.

Oklahoma City Thunder: A+

The defending champs aced the offseason. They reached long-term deals with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren and the core of a deep squad. They drafted Thomas Sorber at No. 15 and have a stockpile of talent, veterans, youth and draft picks to remain a contender for the next several seasons.

Portland Trail Blazers: C

Even cutting ties with Deandre Ayton left the Blazers with four centers including two 7-footers. Still, the Blazers appear to be on an upward trend and acquired Jrue Holiday, who they could trade for a player who better fits their rebuilding timeline. Head coach Chauncey Billups signed a contract extension after a season of progress.

Utah Jazz: B

The Jazz are pleased with their 2025 draft picks: Ace Bailey at No. 5, Walter Clayton at No. 18 and John Tonje at No. 53. They traded John Collins and Collin Sexton, signaling that they’re turning over the keys to the young players while having a few veterans around to provide guidance. Hiring Austin Ainge as president of basketball operations adds another respected and knowledgeable executive to Utah’s front office.

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors: Incomplete

The Warriors have not finished all their assignments. Jonathan Kuminga remains a restricted free agent and until the situation is resolved, it’s difficult to assess their offseason. Golden State didn’t have a first-round pick in the draft and have not made any moves — plus they lost Kevon Looney in free agency.

Los Angeles Lakers: B-

Los Angeles’ handling of the LeBron James situation — no extension and no indication he’s wanted beyond the 2025-26 season, plus James’ desire to still compete for a championship — leaves it in a precarious situation as it tries to navigate a future with Luka Doncic. Returning Jaxon Hayes and signing Deandre Ayton gives the Lakers interior help. It’s the Lakers with LeBron and Luka, so it will be fascinating to watch.

Los Angeles Clippers: A

James Harden and Nic Batum re-signed with the Clippers, Brook Lopez joins the team on a two-year deal and John Collins arrives via a trade with Utah. The Clippers with Kawhi Leonard will be competitive and maybe possess the two-way firepower to make a deep run in the West.

Sacramento Kings: B-

The Suns added Dennis Schröder, Drew Eubanks and Dario Saric during free agency and drafted Nique Clifford No. 24 and Maxime Raynaud No. 42 in the draft. But where does that leave the Kings in the Western Conference in 2025-26 after reaching the play-in game but no playoffs last season? Front-office veteran Scotty Perry is the new GM, and Doug Christie had the interim tag removed from head coach.

Phoenix Suns: B-

The Suns traded Kevin Durant for Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green and picked up Khaman Maluach (10th pick), Rasheer Fleming (31st pick) and Koby Brea (41st pick) in the draft and added Mark Williams and Nigel Hayes-Davis. Signing Devin Booker to a two-year, $145 million extension shows the Suns want to be competitive. They also made Brian Gregory their general manager and hired Jordan Ott as their head coach.

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks: A

It’s hard to take issue when the Mavericks lucked into a clear star in No. 1 overall selection Cooper Flagg. Kyrie Irving will miss time, but his three-year extension ensures that Dallas’ veterans will be around as Flagg develops.

Houston Rockets: A+

The Rockets are going all-in, and they made splashy and underrated moves to get there. Kevin Durant is the obvious one, but re-signing Steven Adams and a reunion with Clint Capela shores up the frontcourt. Adding Dorian Finney-Smith gives Houston a solid 3-and-D player and the Rockets suddenly have tremendous length and athleticism along the wing.

Memphis Grizzlies: B

They went younger and cheaper in replacing Desmond Bane with No. 11 overall pick Cedric Coward, and got a nice scoring threat in Ty Jerome. The Grizzlies also took care of their own with deals to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama. Now it’s all about how new coach Tuomas Iisalo revamps Memphis’ offense to feature efficiency to go with its pace.

New Orleans Pelicans: C-

The Pelicans unquestionably lost the draft day trade with the Hawks, in which New Orleans gave away an unprotected first-round pick next year. Derik Queen might turn out to be a fine player, but that pick could become a lottery selection. The Pelicans appear to lack a clear identity, and Jordan Poole is an inconsistent addition to a team already with other inconsistent players — particularly ones with health issues. Joe Dumars moved from a role with the NBA to New Orleans’ executive vice president of basketball operations.

San Antonio Spurs: A-

They were able to secure the consensus No. 2 player in the draft in Dylan Harper and early indications from summer league are that No. 14 pick Carter Bryant could develop into a defensive stopper for new coach Mitch Johnson, who replaced Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich. All of a sudden, the Spurs have a deep rotation at guard, which should make life far easier for Victor Wembanyama. Perhaps Luke Kornet (four years, $41 million) was a bit of a reach, but he’ll provide great frontcourt depth.

ATLANTA – If you’re the sort who enjoys plotting the demise of baseball – and, in a grander sense, Western Civilization – then it all was neatly summed up by one moment in the wee hours at Truist Park.

A line drive striking the faux brick just to the right of a FanDuel advertisement, a crucial moment in a home-run hitting contest intended to pump life in a once culturally-dominant Midsummer Classic that now claws for viability in the attention economy.

A little heavy, eh?

Well, that’s sort of how it felt when this 95th All-Star Game went to extra innings and was decided for the first time by a swing-off, which replaced the mega-roster to ensure there’d be plenty of pitchers for extra innings, which replaced How The Game Once Was, at least until it ended in a tie before a befuddled Bud Selig in 2002.

Yet the game always seems to win, thanks in large part to the stars in the arena that seem to produce spectacular feats, regardless of format. On this night, it was Kyle Schwarber’s three homers in three swings that stood up for a National League “victory” after American Leaguer Jonathan Aranda’s bullet line drive hit brick and not seats. When Aranda followed with a harmless pop fly that sent the NL into a bobbing mass of celebration down the first base line, they were 7-6 victors (4-3 on penalty swings).

Somehow, it all worked out. That could be a theme for an All-Star week that was at times grim and sweaty and confusing and at others fresh and fun. With that, the winners and losers from All-Star Week in the A (or at least Cobb County):

Winners

Tiebreaker swing-off

The various buttons MLB pushes in the Rob Manfred era often serve two purposes: Teeth-gnashing followed by pragmatic acceptance.

It was fascinating to discover that everyone from casuals in your contacts list to superstars on the field had no idea – “I honestly had no clue this was a thing,” says Giants pitcher Logan Webb – what was to come. Yet the swing-off – the derby after the Derby, if you will – has been on the books since 2022.

They just hadn’t had to break the glass yet in case of emergency, and Tuesday that emergency was Robert Suarez and Edwin Diaz blowing a two-run ninth-inning NL lead.

While extra-inning baseball has its charms, there can be a certain death march element to it. And in an All-Star Game, it honestly comes down to leftover pitchers trying to get out batters who hadn’t yet hopped a private jet to their final All-Star break destinations.

Nah, we weren’t exactly “robbed” of drama not seeing Shane Smith and Hunter Goodman clash in the bottom of the 11th, just one scenario had managers not had the freedom to burn all their pitchers before game’s end. And while roughly half the 41,702 in attendance had departed, those that remained were plenty engaged by the oohs and ahhs of the swing-off.

Kyle Schwarber

The baddest dude on the first-place Philadelphia Phillies is seemingly universally respected in the game, and his ability to take three batting practice pitches and put them all in the seats – with a result literally on the line – goes to his superior skill and ability to focus.

That man is a free agent at the end of the year, and his late-night power show, even coming in a fake game, nicely illustrated why he’ll be paid superstar money, and not DH money.

Players who like playing baseball

If the swing-off exposed anything to the casual fan, it’s that the All-Star starters – typically the game’s biggest superstars – have long beaten a hasty path to the airport by game’s end. Hey, they got places to be and money to burn and it is their break time.

That’s why teams lock in their three swing-off participants ahead of time, knowing who will be around in a 10th inning – and no, it almost surely won’t be Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

But anytime he’s on the roster, Mets slugger Pete Alonso counts himself in. The two-time Home Run Derby champion is both an avid competitor and a ball enthusiast.

And there’s something of a difference between dudes who both love baseball and are very good at it, and those for whom the latter is the only qualifier.

That’s not to say the players that begged off this All-Star Game – ultimately more than 80 were named to the rosters – don’t love it. Rest is important and unpublicized injuries are very real.

But it never hurts to have stars who want to be here.

“It’s an honor for me,” says Alonso. “Certain guys, if they’re banged up, it’s situational. But I’m healthy and I’m appreciative and it’s a great event. For me, it’s a no-brainer to come.”

Cal Raleigh

Sometimes, a player will have his star-is-born year and back it up at an All-Star Game expected to serve as his platform – think Judge in 2017.

Raleigh roared into the break with an AL record 38 first-half homers, the curiosity of being a switch-hitting catcher outslugging Judge and the best nickname in the game – and backed all of it up.

His Home Run Derby championship was both a compelling tale and a remarkable feat, and gives the game a legitimate star in a Pacific Northwest outpost that too often gets ignored.

Dino Ebel

He might be the greatest batting-practice pitcher of all time, or at least the most decorated. Ebel has been the soft tosser for two Home Run Derby champions – Vladimir Guerrero Sr. in 2007 and Teoscar Hernández in 2024 – and as the clock neared midnight Tuesday he climbed halfway up the Truist Park mound and tossed cookies to Stowers and Schwarber.

Four of the six pitches ended up in the seats.

“Put a ‘W’ next to Dino’s name in the paper,” says Dodgers and NL manager Dave Roberts, whom Ebel serves as third base coach. “Well, there’s no more papers anymore, but Dino should get the win. Absolutely.’

That’s only the half of it. Sunday night, Ebel’s son Brady was drafted 32nd overall by Milwaukee, and he has another lad, Trey, who is a well-regarded prospect for the 2026 draft. Let’s just say mid-July has been very good to the Ebel clan.

Losers

The MLB draft

It remains Manfred’s pet project, and the optics are good holding it in conjunction with All-Star Week. Enough space fillers wearing overpriced Fanatics gear are willing to fill up the couple hundred chairs to create a well-crafted television show. And sliding the draft into the most desirable television slot in the sport – supplanting Sunday Night Baseball for a night – will ensure its ratings will be sufficient even if the in-person product resembles a Potemkin Village.

Yet it’s an undeniable setback that exactly zero prospects showed up all dressed up for the show and ready to grip and grin with Manfred. They certainly have their reasons, be it advisors who prefer they not forfeit leverage with drafting teams, to the greater uncertainty involved with baseball’s draft compared to its NFL and NBA cohorts.

No one wants to get stuck in a green room for a couple hours, especially an 18-year-old whose reps might be haggling over bonus pool money right up to the moment they’d be picked.

Manfred is perhaps the only baseball official who wants to drag the process into mid-July, putting scouting departments, front offices, college coaches and, of course, the players in flux deep into the summer when the whole thing could be done in early June.

Pat McAfee, or whoever decided to loop him into the festivities

That was weird.

What’s usually a pretty rote process – the pregame All-Star press conference where starting pitchers and lineups are announced got a startling charge when McAfee, ESPN’s sleeveless ambassador to the Coveted Young Demographic, was on stage to moderate the session.

It’s tough to fake baseball, and while McAfee did all right, the entire presser was simply bizarre. It helped that Paul Skenes’ presence enabled McAfee to lean into his Yinzer shtick, yet couldn’t save him from mispronouncing Ketel Marte.

And an inquiry from a reporter on baseball’s unexplained decision to move the game back to Atlanta after onerous voting laws were passed – and Roberts’ general abdication of stances on social issues important to Dodgers fans – resulted in McAfee trying to parry the whole exchange.

He was also tapped to intro the participants in that night’s Home Run Derby, which is among ESPN’s most important broadcasts all year. The whole thing smacked of the erstwhile Worldwide Leader signing all its inventory over to McAfee, and MLB eagerly (desperately?) hoping to cash in some of that cultural currency.

The Phillies

Hey, they’re on the clock for the next All-Star Week and the pressure is mounting. The game comes less than two weeks after the country’s Semiquincentennial, and there may not be enough red, white and blue to out-America all the Midsummer Classics that came before it.

Also, Kyle Schwarber is a free agent. As this 95th game showed, some things you just can’t let get away.

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon publicly delivered a wake-up call to her team following the Aces’ 27-point loss to the Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever earlier this month, a game where the Aces scored a season-low 54-points while shooting 26.2% from the field.

‘It’s one of the worst games I’ve ever seen,’ Hammon vented during a news conference after the Aces’ loss on July 3 in Indianapolis. ‘That’s a complete lack of professionalism to come here with that effort. … It is the worst offensive night I’ve ever seen (since) I’ve been here in the last four years.’

This isn’t the first time Hammon has questioned the Aces’ intangibles this season, including her team’s energy and mental toughness. Following a blowout loss to the Golden State Valkyries on June 7, Hammon went as far as saying the Aces have a ‘heart condition’ as Las Vegas (10-11) got off to its worst start since 2018.

Simply put, the Aces — who won back-to-back titles during Hammon’s first two seasons in 2022 and ’23 — are not close to championship contention at that halfway mark of the season. The Aces currently rank at the bottom of the league in a variety of categories including ninth in points per game (80.2) and defensive rating (102.9), 10th in rebounds per game (32.9) and 11th in field-goal percentage (41.3%). Additionally, they are second to last in the league in assists (16.9), points in the paint (31.0) and field goals made (27.3) and last in fast break points (8.1).

‘That’s not an Aces team we are used to seeing. We are trying to figure it out,’ veteran guard Chelsea Gray said. ‘It’s uncharted territory right now. We really haven’t … played like this since we’ve all been together under Becky.’ 

What’s going on with the Aces? Is it effort, as Hammon has publicly pointed out? Is it a larger roster construction issue? Or has the team’s championship window officially closed?

How did we get here?

The Aces have experienced the highest of the highs since Hammon took over as head coach in December 2021. Las Vegas bulldozed the league in Hammon’s first two seasons, finishing with a 60-16 record while winning, back-to-back titles. A’ja Wilson also took home league MVP in 2022. But as parity continues to grow across the league and competitors close the gap, the Aces’ advantage seems to have narrowed. Last season, the Aces’ bid to win three consecutive titles ended with a semifinal loss to the eventual champion, New York Liberty.

Hammon attributed the loss to the team’s lack of focus and mental fatigue after winning two titles — ‘We haven’t had the edge all year… the feel was different from the jump,’ she said at the time — a point that appears to have carried over to the 2025 WNBA season.

To be fair, the Aces have undergone major changes on all levels in the offseason. Las Vegas restructured its front office and opted not the bring back general manager Natalie Williams, a position that remains open. Assistant coaches Natalie Nakase and Tyler Marsh also left the organization to take head coaching vacancies in Golden State and Chicago, respectively.

Injuries add up

Although the Aces have ‘pretty much a whole new group,’ Hammon said, one constant has remained in three-time WNBA MVP Wilson. Although her field-goal percentage has slightly dipped from 51.8% to 47.1% this season, Wilson is averaging 21.5 points per game, the second highest in the league behind Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier. She also ranks first in blocks (2.4) and third in rebounds (9.1). Wilson has always carried a huge load for the Aces, with the third highest usage rating in the league (30.2%) this season, but she has been limited by a string of injuries.

‘It’s been tough for me this year, because this is probably the most I’ve ever been hurt throughout my whole career,’ Wilson said on July 12, her first game back from wrist injury. She also missed three game earlier in the season in concussion protocol. ‘It’s been a very new space for me. … It is very hard for me to sit out games.’

Hammon said Wilson has earned the time to take care of herself, acknowledging ‘A’ja’s basically gave us three MVP years (in 2020, 2022, 2024) and was healthy… I’m OK with her taking a second to reset and get her body right. I don’t want her to rush back at all.’ Wilson’s absence, however, magnifies the Aces’ lack of depth and production outside Wilson, who picked up her seventh All-Star nod and will starting for Team Clark in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Jewell Loyd trade hasn’t panned out

Kelsey Plum’s era with the Aces also came to an end in the offseason. Las Vegas acquired Jewell Loyd from the Seattle Storm in a three-time trade that sent Plum, the team’s second-leading scorer last season, to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Aces hoped the addition of an explosive guard would maximize the team’s championship window and help lighten Wilson’s load, but Loyd hasn’t unlocked her full potential in Las Vegas.

The six-time All-Star is averaging 11 points per game this season, marking her lowest output since her rookie campaign in 2015. Loyd said her struggles to get going hasn’t been a confidence issue, but noted her frustration.

‘I just get annoyed missing shots because I know I want to help my team,’ Loyd said. ‘You want to see the ball go into the basket. My preparation has been the same. My teammates still believe in me. My coach, fans, everyone is encouraging me all the way through. We just want to stack games together.’

Meanwhile, Plum is averaging 20.1 points per game for the Sparks, the third-highest point total in the league, leading many fans to question if the Aces got the better end of the trade.

Lack of depth

Loyd’s struggles coupled with injuries and depth issues has not bode well for Las Vegas. The Aces average 18 bench points per game, a slight uptick from last season (15), but still rank among the bottom in the league. The Aces cannot rely entirely on its starting lineup to win games — we saw how that ended last year. The problem is the Aces lost a lot of their depth in the offseason, including Tiffany Hayes, the 2024 Sixth Player of the Year.

The Aces picked up Tiffany Mitchell and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus in free agency, traded for Dana Evans and drafted Aaliyah Nye with the No. 13 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft to bolster its roster. Parker-Tyus, however, has not played for the Aces this season while on maternity leave. The Aces waived Mitchell on June 30.  Evans and Nye are averaging a combined 11.5 points off the bench, which isn’t nearly what the Aces need.

On June 30, the Aces made a move to acquire NaLyssa Smith from the Wings in exchange for a 2027 first round pick. Smith slid into the starting lineup and is averaging 6.5 points through five contests (four starts).

What’s next for the Aces?

It’s too early to call the season a wash, but the Aces find themselves on the outside looking in for the first time since 2018. As of Tuesday, the Aces (10-11) are in ninth place in the WNBA standings, eight games behind the league-leading Minnesota Lynx.

‘It’s about winning games in September,’ Hammon said. ‘We just want to keep building habits, but as long as I can see us making progress and having belief in each other. This is a process … that why you play 44 games.’

The Aces have started to show promise. After dropping three of four games, Las Vegas responded with a hard-fought 104-102 win over the Valkyries. The Aces’ bench had 17 points, but Wilson and Jackie Young combined had 64 points in the win.

‘Every win is a need for us at this point of the season,’ Wilson said.

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As NFL teams get ready to open training camps and prepare for the 2025 season, fantasy football draft season can’t be too far away.

As a refresher course in what’s transpired over the offseason and a preview of what might be in store for each team, USA TODAY Sports is conducting a virtual tour through each division to get a sense of the most important issue or question facing every team from a fantasy standpoint.

Whether it’s a new arrival or departure, an important position battle, a player under the gun or a potential breakout, we have the fantasy insights to help shape your draft strategy.

Today, we take a closer look at the NFC North.

Detroit Lions (15-2 last season)

Will the offense look any different under new offensive coordinator John Morton?

With fantasy stalwarts Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, the Lions led the NFL in scoring in 2024. They were so good they got OC Ben Johnson a head coaching job in the offseason (more on that in a moment).

Gibbs is a consensus top-5 overall fantasy pick anyway, but he could be even more valuable this season as a receiver. ‘I’m being split out like way more than I was the past two years,’ Gibbs recently told Detroit TV station WXYZ. ‘That’s good. That’s going to be fun. I’ve been waiting on that.’

Putting Gibbs out wide would allow the Lions to get Montgomery on the field more frequently – and further open up the field for St. Brown, LaPorta and wideout Jameson Williams.

Top players (Fantasy Pros ADP)

Jahmyr Gibbs (RB2, overall: 5)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR6, overall: 8)
Sam LaPorta (TE4, overall: 57)
Jameson Williams (WR31, overall: 61)
David Montgomery (RB21, overall: 62)
Jared Goff (QB14, overall: 97)

Minnesota Vikings (14-3)

Does who’s playing quarterback really matter?

With the departure of Pro Bowler Sam Darnold, the Vikings offense is now in the hands of first-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy will need to prove he can run the offense after missing all of last season with a knee injury, but star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has shown he can put up elite numbers regardless of whether it’s Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens or Darnold under center.

The biggest leap in production could come from tight end T.J. Hockenson, who spent the first eight weeks of last season on the sidelines with McCarthy while recovering from a torn ACL. They’ll have a full training camp together to get on the same page. Aaron Jones also returns as the lead running back.

Top players (Fantasy Pros ADP)

Justin Jefferson (WR3, overall: 4)
Aaron Jones (RB24, overall: 68)
T.J. Hockenson (TE5, overall: 69)
Jordan Addison (WR36, overall: 78)
J.J. McCarthy (QB20)

Green Bay Packers (11-5)

Will a No. 1 wide receiver eventually emerge?

In 2023, his first season as the Packers’ starting quarterback, Jordan Love threw for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns – finishing as the QB5 for the season. However, in 2024 those numbers dropped to 3,389 and 25 as the receiving corps went through a rash of injuries and underproduction.

Christian Watson may be the most talented of the group, but he’s coming off a torn ACL in January and may not be at full strength early in the season. Jayden Reed provides an added threat as a rusher, but he suffered a dislocated shoulder in the playoffs. There’s also Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and newcomer Mecole Hardman. Added to the mix in 2025: first-round draft pick Matthew Golden and third-rounder Savion Williams. That’s an awful lot of mouths to feed, so someone almost has to go hungry.

Top players (Fantasy Pros ADP)

Josh Jacobs (RB10, overall: 30)
Tucker Kraft (TE10, overall: 103)
Jayden Reed (WR46)
Jordan Love (QB17)

Chicago Bears (5-12)

Can Caleb Williams make a second-year leap?

Ben Johnson takes over as head coach, looking to bring his success in Detroit to the division-rival Bears. His first task is getting last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick, QB Caleb Williams, on track. The front office tried hard to give the rookie as many weapons as possible but the results were underwhelming as the Bears ranked last in the NFL in total yards per game. Meanwhile, Williams was sacked a league-high 68 times and finished as the QB16.

After spending the ninth overall pick last season on WR Rome Odunze, the Bears focused on offense again at the top of this year’s draft, taking Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10 overall. Veteran RB D’Andre Swift and WR D.J. Moore are still around as well, so experience – and perhaps the best teacher in Johnson – could be the recipe for unlocking Williams’ potential. The addition of All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to a revamped offensive line should also help.

Top players (Fantasy Pros ADP)

D.J. Moore (WR20, overall: 41)
D’Andre Swift (RB22, overall: 65)
Rome Odunze (WR37, overall: 80)
Caleb Williams (QB12, overall: 94)

Clark appeared to injure her right groin late in the Indiana Fever’s 85-77 win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, July 15, which marked only her fourth game back since a left groin injury sidelined her for five games. Following the win, Fever head coach Stephanie White confirmed that Clark ‘felt a little something in her groin,’ adding that Clark ‘will get it evaluated and see what happens from there.’

It’s a devastating blow for Clark as the Fever are due to host the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis in mere days. Clark previously said dealing with injuries for the first time in her career has been ‘challenging mentally,’ despite doing everything ‘to put myself in a position to be available the rest of the year.’

‘ITS DIFFICULT:’ Caitlin Clark says injury-riddled season has taken mental toll

Here’s everything we know about Clark’s injury and her return:

Is Caitlin Clark playing today? Status vs. New York Liberty

The Fever’s matchup against the Liberty is the second game of a back-to-back for Indiana, which would be challenging enough without an injury. It’s not clear if Clark will be good to go after appearing to hurt her right groin injury. It’s worth noting that Clark has not played in back-to-back games all season.

Did Caitlin Clark get hurt? What happened?

Clark appeared to suffer an injury in the final minute of the Fever’s 85-77 victory over the Sun in TD Garden in Boston. With 39.1 seconds remaining in the contest, Clark completed a bounce pass to Kelsey Mitchell to go up 84-75. After the pass, Clark immediately grabbed for her right groin, grimaced as she gingerly walked over to a stanchion. She head butted the stanchion and put a towel over her head on the bench.

She did not return to the game.

How many games has Caitlin Clark missed this season?

Clark has missed a career-high 10 games this season.

Clark suffered a left quad injury during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24 and subsequently missed five games. Clark returned to the Fever’s lineup on June 14 in the Fever’s 102-88 win over the Liberty and dropped 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her first game back. Clark then suffered a left groin injury four games later in the Fever’s 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm on June 24, which resulted in Clark missing the team’s next five games, including the Fever’s 2025 Commissioner’s Cup win over the Minnesota Lynx on July 1. The Fever went 5-5 without Clark in the lineup.

She returned for the Fever’s 80-61 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on July 9 and recorded 10 points, six assists and five rebounds in the losing effort: ‘It felt good to be out there. It’s going to take me a second to get my wind back.’

Entering the 2025 WNBA season, Clark had never missed a collegiate or professional game. She appeared in every game for the Hawkeyes during her four years in black and gold, and played in all 40 games for the Fever in her first WNBA season, winning Rookie of the Year while averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists while making 122 3-pointers.

Will Caitlin Clark play in 2025 WNBA All-Star game?

The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is being held in Indianapolis, which Clark previously called ‘really special to do it here in this city.’ As a captain, Clark picked teammates Aliyah Boston (starter) and Kelsey Mitchell (reserve) to compete against captain Napheesa Collier’s team, but Clark’s availability is now in question.

The All-Star game is scheduled for Saturday, July 19. Clark is also scheduled to participate in the WNBA’s 3-point contest.

‘It’s exciting. I’ve never participated in a 3-point competition or practiced before, so just go out there and have fun,’ Clark said on Tuesday in her pregame press conference. ‘I think the lineup of people competing is tremendous so more than anything, it’s going to be great for our league and for women’s basketball as a whole.’ 

If Clark is not good to go, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert would name a replacement. Earlier Tuesday, Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride was named an All-Star replacement after a knee injury sidelined Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard (reserve).

Caitlin Clark stats

Here’s a look at the 2024 Rookie of the Year’s full stats (per game):

Games played: 12
Minutes: 31.3
Points: 16.7
FG%: 37.4
3P%: 28.9
Rebounds: 4.8
Assists: 9.0
Steals: 1.7
Blocks: 0.6
Turnovers: 5.1

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