Just when it appeared like the New York Knicks would get hit — again — with the injury bug in the NBA playoffs, Jalen Brunson showed up.

And New York would need every bit of Brunson’s scoring.

Brunson returned from a right leg injury to help rally the Knicks past the Detroit Pistons Sunday in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series, 94-93, to take a 3-1 lead.

Brunson finished the day with a game-high 32 points on 13-of-26 shooting, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and added 11 assists and five rebounds. Fifteen of those points came after Brunson sustained the injury and struggled to put weight on his leg in the moments immediately after.

During the play, which came with fewer than three minutes to play in the third quarter, Brunson was battling with Pistons guard Dennis Schröder for the loose ball. As both players lunged for it, Brunson crumpled onto the floor and immediately grabbed his right leg. Brunson slid over to the scorer’s table and lay there for a moment, in obvious discomfort. Eventually, Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns helped Brunson get to his feet, but Brunson was unable to put weight on the leg, and immediately fell back to the court.

Brunson was subbed out of the game and immediately went into the locker room, limping significantly.

Prior to the start of the fourth quarter, Brunson returned to the bench and had his right ankle re-taped. He re-entered the game with 10:14 to play.

The injury came amid a furious Pistons run during the third quarter that erased a 16-point lead New York held. Detroit outscored the Knicks 28-14 in the period and took a 71-64 lead into the final frame.

The Pistons eventually opened up an 11-point lead on a Malik Beasley 3-pointer with 8:35 left to play in the game, but New York ramped up its defensive intensity down the stretch and Brunson and Towns each hit massive shots to close the gap.

It all set up a closeout opportunity for New York in Game 5 Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

When the slide was over, after he received the real call that he was finally selected in the NFL draft on Day 3, Shedeur Sanders took a plunge.

How fitting.

Sanders – chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the sixth pick of the fifth round on Saturday, 144th overall – dove into the swimming pool at his famous father’s house after experiencing the most dramatic plunge in NFL draft history.

And it was all joy.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity, throughout everything,” the former Colorado quarterback said during a conference call with the Cleveland media. “I don’t ever focus on the negative or even think about the negative, because the positive happened so fast.”

So there. Sanders, pegged as a likely first-round pick when the draft began on Thursday night, took the high road in assessing the ebb and flow of his draft experience. If he is bitter about tumbling so far in the draft – and igniting so much debate to dominate the coverage of the event, as quarterbacks including Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe were picked ahead of him – he certainly didn’t put out that vibe.

Instead, he exhibited a glimpse of just how equipped he may be to handle adversity, with more likely coming as he tries to make it in the NFL.

“Nothing really affected me the last couple of days,” Sanders insisted. “It’s just understanding faith and that God really has me.”

Even the shameful prank phone call that he received during the draft, from some kid pretending to be New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis with word that he was on the verge of being selected, seemed to roll off Sanders.

“Of course, I felt like it was a childish act,” he said. “Everybody does childish things, here and there.”

On Thursday night, when his draft night party fizzled, Sanders told supporters that being bypassed in the first round should not have happened under any circumstance. Yet as the draft unfolded and one team after another passed on him multiple times, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders apparently refused to wallow in any sort of self-pity.

That’s healthy. There’s no reason to expend much energy on breaking down his draft slide. Not now. Now it’s a matter of focusing on what he can control – like being prepared to absorb coach Kevin Stefanski’s offense – while others debate exactly why so many teams in a quarterback-needy league wanted no parts of a highly-productive quarterback who last season passed for more than 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns, while leading the NCAA with a 74% completion rate.

Sanders was the sixth quarterback drafted – and second one chosen by the Browns, who picked Dillon Gabriel from Oregon with a third-round pick.

Count me in the crowd who suspect that Sanders’ plunge in the draft was hardly about football. Not when reports that knocked Sanders was “arrogant” intensified for weeks, and rumblings about subpar interviews with NFL teams snowballed.

Of course, the decisions that each team makes in these cases – the New York Giants, who traded back into the first round to draft Dart from Ole Miss with the 25th pick, were reportedly split on their bottom-line assessment of Sanders – is their prerogative.

In time, there will be fodder for more debate about whether the same decision-makers who banked on since-discarded quarterback Daniel Jones got it right this time or blew it again. We’ll see.

Still, the “arrogant” narrative was particularly sensitive as it raised legitimate questions – especially on social media – about culture and race. Baker Mayfield, who has sparkled in his revival with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wasn’t too “arrogant” that it prevented the Browns from choosing him No. 1 overall in 2018 – four years after Cleveland took Johnny Manziel, another white quarterback cast as high-strung with the 22nd pick overall.

Of course, it’s only conjecture to say that teams passed on Sanders because he rolls with gaudy jewelry, and even checked his designer watch during TD celebrations in the midst of games. No, Sanders doesn’t have any off-the-field conduct issues that NFL teams so often overlook or justify when it comes to certain talents, Black or white.

I’m not buying the theory that Shedeur’s slide was somehow part of a collective effort to send a message to Deion. And in a league with increasing media exposure, and with Hard Knocks shows part of the landscape with cameras behind the scenes, the theory that Sanders would generate too much attention as a backup quarterback doesn’t wash, either.

It was interesting, though, to take stock of what Browns GM Andrew Berry said about passing on Sanders, after Day 2 of the draft.

“Fit comes into play,” Berry said.

The next day, Berry drafted Sanders – although by the looks of the video from the Browns war room, the GM’s body language projected as the least-enthused in the room.

Nonetheless, Sanders is no ordinary fifth-round rookie as he lands with a franchise that has struggled for decades to secure its long-term answer at quarterback. He’ll join a quarterback room led by aging vet Joe Flacco and including former Pittsburgh Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett along with Gabriel. At least that’s a shot, and a decent opportunity to ultimately compete for the job. The picture doesn’t include DeShaun Watson, who is rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon on top of the alleged sexual assault scandal that derailed his career.

Said Berry: “You have to come in and work and you have to come in and compete. That’s the message. Nothing’s given. It really doesn’t matter where you are picked, it’s what you do from that point forward. Because that’s the reality for all the guys we selected this weekend.”

It’s not how you start. The NFL has enough prime examples of that theme. Tom Brady was a sixth-round pick who became the GOAT with seven Super Bowl rings. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer who wasn’t drafted. Dak Prescott was a fourth-round pick. Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson was the fifth quarterback drafted in his class, when some thought he’d be better off switching positions.

Now Sanders can get on with this NFL journey.

“What fuels me is my purpose in life and understanding the route we’re going to take,” he said.

Still, there should be no shortage of motivation in proving some teams wrong.

“There’ll be this huge chip on his shoulder,” Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton predicted after Sanders wasn’t picked on the first two days. Payton, whose first-round rookie last year, Bo Nix, was also the sixth quarterback drafted, first saw Sanders play in junior high school in the Dallas area and has followed him since.

“Beware,” Payton added, “because this guy is going to play in this league.”

Sanders has long promoted the “legendary” theme as part of his personal brand. Well, it would be just that if he ultimately rises from this point to achieve NFL greatness.

It’s no wonder that one of Sanders’ new teammates, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, tweeted this encouraging message to the rookie, shortly after the pick came down: “Time to Be Legendary! Let’s do it!”

After all, there’s more to be written with this script.

Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell

PHOENIX − What if he never hits a home run his entire major league career?

What if he never drives in more than 50 runs in a season?

But….what if  Chandler Simpson changes the complete baseball landscape, exploiting his surreal speed and uncanny ability to get on base, allowing us to view and appreciate the game as if we’re turning the clock back a quarter-century ago.

“That’s my dream,’’ Simpson, 24, tells USA TODAY Sports. “I feel like God gave me the gift to motivate and inspire other generations that come after me. I mean, I’ve heard it my whole life about the little power I have. But you don’t have to hit home runs in this home-run era. There’s other stuff that I can do well on the field that can make make up for it.

“I want to prove that you can make it to the big leagues, succeed in the big leagues, and that speed plays.’’

And, oh, does Simpson ever know speed. Simpson, called up to the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays last week, may be the fastest man in the game. He has two stolen bases in six games. He has already turned routine ground balls to second base and one-hoppers to first base into hits, hitting .304 entering Saturday. He once scored from second base on a routine sacrifice fly in college. He was timed running to first base in just 3.88 seconds by scouts last week.

He stole 104 bases last season in 121 attempts at Class AA and Triple-A, becoming the first player to steal 100 bases in a minor league season since 2012, and only the third to accomplish the feat in the last 20 years.

“I love stealing bases,’’ Simpson says. “It gets me real hyped because I know that when I get on, all eyes are on me. Everybody in the stadium, the pitcher, the catcher, the pitching coach, their manager, all of the fans in the stands, my manager, my teammates, they all know that I’m going to steal.

“It’s man vs. man, me vs. you, and I feel that nobody can stop me.’’

Well, there actually may be one way to keep him from stealing …

“We were sitting around talking about how we can keep him from stealing bases if he gets on,’’ Arizona Diamondbacks veteran reliever Shelby Miller said. “We decided the best way may be to just throw over to first base three times. That way, if you don’t get him, it’s just a balk and doesn’t count as a stolen base.’’

Says Diamondbacks starter Brandon Pfaadt, who faced him last week: “He’s an absolute game-changer with his speed. He’s like (three-time batting champion) Luis Arraez with speed. If Arraez could run like this guy, he’d probably hit .550. This guy is going to be pretty fun to watch, as long as you’re not facing him.’’

Next stop, to go where no player has gone since Vince Coleman in 1987, stealing 100 bases in the major leagues.

“I would love to see it,’’ Kenny Lofton, the six-time All-Star and five-time stolen base champion, tells USA TODAY Sports. “Finally, speed is starting to get back into the game thanks to him and people understanding just how important it is. Speed guys don’t get the glory. They’ve have never gotten the glory. Baseball doesn’t make it that important, they just keep talking about home runs.

“Well, if you want you to score runs, well, what better way than speed? Speed kills, but it’s never promoted. Hopefully, this young man can bring it back and show people just how important it is in the game. It’s time for baseball to praise and support guys like him, not just the home-run guys all of the time.’’

If baseball wants to only talk about home runs and power, Simpson may never have his name mentioned again the remainder of his career.

Simpson went to the plate 1,119 times during in his three-year minor-league career. He hit exactly one home run.

And, naturally, that one didn’t clear the fence, either.

It was an inside-the-park home run on June 7, 2024 against the Biloxi Shuckers. Simpson merely slapped a ball past third baseman Brock Wilken, which then got away from left fielder Zavier Warren. The ball rolled to the fence, and by the time Simpson sped around the bases and slid into home, he had his first professional homer.

It was his first home run since Feb. 25, 2022, when hit the only homer of his collegiate career, a grand slam against Gardner-Webb for Georgia Tech.

Well, that actually didn’t go over the fence, either.

“The right fielder went up to catch it,’’ Simpson said, “and it topped off his glove, and went over the fence.

“But, hey, it still counted.’’

Simpson, who entered high school at just 5-foot-5 and 130 pounds and is now 5-11, 170 pounds, proudly recalls that he did hit one home run at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta during his senior season where his mom is the principal.  Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris, who grew up playing against Simpson since they were 6-year-old kids in Little League, and played as rivals during their summer travel leagues, remembers being a witness for the historic moment, with Simpson sprinting around the bases so fast that his own teammates had to tell him to slow down.

So, considering Simpson’s absence of home-run power, pretty easy for the guys back home to provide good natured teasing?

“How can you tease him?’’ Harris says. “He hits .350 wherever he goes. He steals 100 bases. He knows his game. He’s not a guy who’s going to try to hit homers. He knows he can get on base and make an impact with his legs.’’

Says Rays reliever Eric Orze, who played with Simpson in the minors: “Dude is electric. It’s unbelievable what he does. He’s a threat just walking onto the field. He walks to the plate, can miss-hit a ball, and it’s a single. He hits the ball hard and it’s a double or triple. And as soon as he’s on first base, the pitcher is worrying because he’s going to take second base at some point. And once he does, he’s not stopping there.’’

St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott, one of Simpson’s closest friends who also grew up in Atlanta, says their speed is nearly identical. They finished in a dead heat in a foot race in 2023 − the year Scott and Simpson each stole 94 bases in the minors.

Still, there’s a subtle difference.

Scott had a career .264 batting average and .344 on-base percentage with 17 homers in his three minor-league seasons.

Simpson has a career .324 batting average and .389 on-base percentage, with a strikeout rate of just 8.8%, with that one inside-the-park homer.

“When he got called up and he FaceTimed me,’’ Scott said, “I think I was more excited than when I got called up. He’s just an unbelievable person. He was willing to go up against anybody who went against the grain of what his ideology was, and his success. Not everybody is blessed with an insane amount of power, hitting the ball with an exit velocity of 110-mph-plus, and hitting 450-foot home runs.

“But guys like Chandler and myself can be trailblazers for the game. There’s more than one way to play this game, you can use your speed to bunt, steal bases, and impact games that way.’’

Besides, as Simpson will attest, creating havoc on the basepaths during an inning can be just as alluring, if not a whole lot more, than spending 20 seconds to round the bases after a home run.

“Whenever I step to the plate,’’ Simpson says, “I want to try to wreck havoc. They’re going to have to worry about putting me on base. They’re going to have to worry about me on base and its going to be a problem pitching to other people in the lineup. I want to be that guy who is feared by pitchers and fielders as well.’’

Simpson, who didn’t even play the outfield until he was drafted in the second round of 2022, playing shortstop and second base his entire life, doesn’t want to be known simply as a speedster. Speed can be negated in the big leagues if you can’t get on base and can’t play defense. He has much bigger aspirations than being the next Terrance Gore or Billy Hamilton.

He watches videotape of hitting champions Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, Wade Boggs and Arraez, and stolen base kings like Vince Coleman, Hamilton and Lofton. He examines tapes of sprinters, from everyone from Olympians Tyson Gay, Usain Bolt, Michael Johnson to determine what mechanics he can incorporate into his own game. He even talked to Gwynn’s son, Tony Gwynn Jr., seeking advice and what he learned from his father, the eight-time batting champion who died in 2014.

“I’ve studied Luis Arraez, his hitting drills, what he does in the off-season, all of his hitting mechanics to be a better hitter,’’ Simpson says. “I feel like (Arraez) definitely doesn’t get the recognition that he deserves, winning three batting titles in a row with three different teams. Putting the bat on the ball, not striking out, getting on base, and hitting for average. I want to be that guy, too.’’

And if Simpson is that guy, if he becomes a batting champion, steals 100 bases, or becomes a modern-day version of Ty Cobb who won five batting titles and led the league in stolen bases same season, look out world, a new brand of baseball could be coming.

“He plays differently than what people are accustomed to seeing in this modern era of baseball,’’ Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks says. “I think in some ways it’s a breath of fresh air to see somebody that has tailored their approach to their skill set. I think that anytime you see somebody that has that unique of a skillset, and then is willing to play within it, that’s something that is admirable. If he’s successful, you’re going to see a lot of people buy into it.’’

Says Rays infielder Brandon Lowe: The Aaron Judges of the world are few and far between. But I think the Chandler Simpsons will probably be few and far between, as well. I mean, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anybody float the way that he floats.’’

The only real question is whether he can terrorize the opposition in the big leagues just as he did in the minors? Simpson has no doubt he will, proving everyone wrong at each level he played, so what’s one more step?

“I think all of us have some questions about how’s his skill set going to play up here, right?’’ Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “People are curious to see how major league infielders again him. You can get a lot of infield hits in the minors, but can you do it up here?

“We’re about to find out.’’

Says Rays GM Eric Neander: The speed is top of the scale, but it’s that bat-to-ball skill that is unique. He doesn’t chase. He puts the ball in play at an extremely high rate. He controls the strikezone. There’s a reason he hit .355 last year, and it wasn’t just because he was fast.’’

If successful, who knows, Simpson says, maybe the best athletes may start turning to baseball again, and the increase in young Black players will finally start to rise after being stalled at 6% on this year’s opening-day roster.

“I feel like there were a lot of Black players, but then it kind of dropped off,’’ Simpson says. “But now I feel like change is coming.

“Believe me, I’m ready to be part of it.’’

Around the basepaths

≻ Walt Jocketty, who passed away Friday at the age of 74, was one of the most genuine, sincere and fabulous GMs of his era.

There have been few executives more beloved than Jocketty, the architect of World Series championship teams in Oakland and St. Louis while also leading the Cincinnati Reds to the postseason.

“He’s tied for first,’’ Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa said, “with the finest person I’ve ever known.’’

≻ The San Diego Padres pulled off the best trade never made this winter.

The Padres told every team in baseball that closer Robert Suarez is available with their money crunch, wanting to shed his $10 million salary.

Well, they did not get one single trade offer.

Not one.

Suarez has been perfect this season, going 10-for-10 in save opportunities with a 0.00 ERA and 0.455 WHIP.

≻ It has finally happened. They have begun work on the Athletics’ $1.75 billion Las Vegas ballpark site, grading the 9-acre stadium site.

The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June. The stadium is scheduled to open before the 2028 season.

≻ What story evaporated more quickly this season? The torpedo bats or the Los Angeles Dodgers ruining baseball with their mammoth payroll.

The Dodgers are a sub-.500 team since opening the season 8-0 and the Yankees have discovered that it wasn’t the torpedo bats, but the Milwaukee Brewers pitching that caused their power surge.

≻ The Philadelphia Phillies, among other teams, already are keeping a close eye on Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who will likely be dealt by the trade deadline. Yet, the Phillies are adamant they will not include top prospects Andrew Painter or Aidan Miller in any trade.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, with lefty reliever A.J. Puk sidelined for the foreseeable future, also have interest in Helsley,

≻ Scouts have been in awe by Diamondbacks reliever Juan Morillo, who was discarded by the Dodgers and signed as a minor-league free agent by the D-backs. Morillo, who was just called up last week, has been lighting up the radar gun at 100-mph and has yet to give up an earned run.

“That will be the greatest minor-league free-agent signing of the year, hands down,’’ said one scout.

≻ The Brewers would love to have a mulligan and not expose pitcher Shane Smith to the Rule 5 Draft. The Chicago White Sox nabbed Smith with the first pick in December, and he is now their ace, going 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP in his first five starts.

≻ The Yankees realized they have no choice but to take Devin Williams temporarily out of the closer’s role with his 11.25 ERA this season, but remain confident he’ll soon be back to being an All-Star caliber closer.

“When you go from a small market to New York, it’s a different animal,’’ one executive said. “It just takes awhile to get acclimated. He’ll be all right.’’

≻ The Brewers were planning to pounce on free agent first baseman Paul Goldschmidt this winter if Rhys Hoskins opted out of his contract, believing he’d have a huge bounce-back season. Hoskins elected to stay, and Goldschmidt, after having the worst season of his 15-year contract, signed a one-year, $12.5 million contract with the Yankees.

Goldschmidt has been everything the Yankees hoped for, and more, hitting .364 with an .877 OPS.

≻ You think the Dodgers’ new home clubhouse is fancy?

Well, it’s the first one that comes equipped with eight state-of-the-art, multi-function, heated-seat, bidet-equipped Japanese-style toilets.

The idea came from Roki Sasaki, who was trying to decide where to sign this winter, and told the Dodgers it would help persuade him to come their way with the new toilets.

“It sounds like a joke,’’ Sasaki told the Orange County Register, “but for me, it’s pretty important.’’

≻ No one has been crushed with more injuries to their outfield than the Tampa Bay Rays, who have four outfielders on the injured list and only three true outfielders on the roster with Christopher Morel and rookies Chandler Simpson and Kameron Misner. They acquired Travis Jankowski from the White Sox to give them a veteran reinforcement.

≻ The Toronto Blue Jays are still looking for a return on their 5-year, $92.5 million investment on outfielder Anthony Santander. He is hitting .182 with two homers and a .537 OPS.

≻ Remember when Kyle Tucker opened this spring by going 0-for-20 with the Chicago Cubs?

Neither does anyone else.

No one has made more money this first month of the season than Tucker, whose free-agent value has skyrocketed from $300 million to perhaps more than $500 million.

≻ Scouts are raving about D-backs prized infield prospect Jordan Lawler, who is lighting it up at Triple-A Reno, and predict that he could be their everyday second baseman next season while moving injury-prone Ketel Marte to first base.

≻ Atlanta is in no hurry to call up veteran closer Craig Kimbrel, whose fastball has been clocked at only 91-92 mph in his first two outings at Triple-A.

≻ Considering that Baltimore Orioles assistant GM Sig Megdal used to be an engineer at NASA, is it any surprise that the Orioles’ analytics department is working with engineering researchers to create AI technology to modify how pitchers are scouted and developed.

“We’re in the American League East with some very-large-market teams,’’ Mejdal told the Baltimore Sun, “and in order for us to succeed, we have to be very good at everything. To ignore a potential like this would be foolish.”

≻ Future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander, who’s 38 victories shy from 300, has gone six starts now without a victory, just one shy of the longest drought of his career.

≻ Kudos to veteran reliever Drew Pomeranz, who refused to give up after surgeries and injuries derailed his career since 2021, returning last week with the Cubs for his first MLB appearance since August, 2021.

≻ Prayers to Minnesota Twins legends Tony Oliva, 86, and Kent Hrbek, 64, who are recovering from having strokes within days of one another two weeks ago.

≻ It took 681 days, but there was Liam Hendriks finally stepping on the mound for the Boston Red Sox, after recovering from Stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma and Tommy John surgery.

≻ The most emotional moment on the field this week came at Angel Stadium where Pirates starter Andrew Heaney, wearing No. 45 this season in honor of his late best friend, Tyler Skaggs, pitched six shutout innings in the Pirates’ 3-0 victory.

“It is a number that has meaning to me,” Heaney, who spent seven years with the Angels, told the Athletic. “But at the same time, it’s not my number. It’s my number. But I’m wearing it because it was his number.”

Skaggs died on July 1, 2019, after ingesting a lethal dose of fentanyl.

≻ While the Rays have no idea where they’ll be playing in a few years after pulling out of their deal in downtown St. Petersburg, the folks in Orlando announced they have received pledges of $1.5 billion towards a stadium project to lure the Rays.

≻ Has there been a better multi-year free agent signing than Nick Pivetta of the Padres, who is 4-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 0.767 WHIP? They signed him in spring training to a four-year, $55 million contract that is so backloaded that he’s making just $1 million this season.

You think the Baltimore Orioles, who have MLB’s worst ERA, and a whole lot of other teams wish they had taken the plunge?

≻ The scariest part of the New York Mets’ torrid start for the rest of the NL East is that they are doing this without starters Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, and still have the lowest ERA in baseball.

≻ No one outside their own clubhouses believes the A’s or Marlins will be actual contenders in September because of their pitching flaws, but scouts have been quite impressed with their potent offenses, and firmly believe the A’’s will be in the postseason before they depart for Las Vegas in three years.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates

1. Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans

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

2. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

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

3. Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

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

4. Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints

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

5. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

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

6. Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers

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

7. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

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

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates

1. Abdul Carter, OLB, New York Giants

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

2. Jalon Walker, OLB, Atlanta Falcons

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

3. Mykel Williams, DE, San Francisco 49ers

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

4. James Pearce Jr., DE, Falcons

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

5. Travis Hunter, CB, Jaguars

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

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

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

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

NFL draft winners of Day 3

Shedeur Sanders

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

Cam Skattebo

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

Bhayshul Tuten

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

Javonte Williams

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

Sam Howell

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

Mike Vrabel

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

Eagles-Georgia pipeline

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

HBCU breakthrough

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

NFL draft losers of Day 3

Quinn Ewers

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

Carolina Panthers

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

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

Justin Tucker

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

Specialists

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sifan Hassan finishes third in London Marathon

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

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

Susanna Sullivan is the top American in the London Marathon

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

Updates: Assefa, Sawe win London Marathon titles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

London Marathon men’s results

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

London Marathon women’s results

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

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

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

Swiss racers sweep wheelchair titles

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

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

Who is leading the women’s elite marathon?

Tigst Assefa

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

Joyciline Jepkosgei

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

How to watch the 2025 London Marathon

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

Start times

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

Fastest contenders in the elite women’s race

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

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

Fastest contenders in the elite men’s race

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

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

What is the world’s largest marathon?

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

What is the London Marathon course record?

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

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

Jacob Kiplimo in lead pack at halfway point

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

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

World record-holder Ruth Chepngetich among elite runners who withdrew

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

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

Jepchirchir has an ankle injury.

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

Where is the London Marathon feed on X?

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

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

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