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Winners, losers of the Garrett Wilson extension

The Jets’ top wide receiver is here to stay.

Garrett Wilson and New York agreed to a four-year, $130 million extension Monday, July 14 which makes him one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL.

The No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Wilson is entering his fourth season in the NFL. He’s been metronomically consistent since entering the league and winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He’s had at least 1,000 yards every year and posted a career-best 101 catches and seven touchdowns last season.

Wilson was one of six wide receivers selected in the first round of 2022 NFL Draft. He ranks first in career catches and receiving yards.

With this deal, the former Ohio State standout is the first New York Jets first-round pick to sign a second contract with the team since 2019 first-rounder Quinnen Williams.

That move secures Wilson’s services through the 2030 NFL season and will make him the fifth-highest paid wide receiver in the league by average annual value (AAV), per OverTheCap.

The deal leaves some winners and losers in its wake. Here’s our picks for each one:

WINNERS

Garrett Wilson

Wilson still had two years left on his rookie deal after the franchise picked up his fifth-year option. This deal takes his compensation up a few notches as he becomes one of the top-paid players at his position a week before he turns 25.

He’s shown an ability to produce well despite mixed to below-average quarterback play. Now, he’ll be compensated well for doing so.

Sauce Gardner

New York has a new regime in general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn. By signing Wilson to this deal, they’ve shown a willingness to pay top talent on the roster that they did not draft.

Gardner, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, should be one of the top-paid cornerbacks in the league on his new extension. His ranking at his position is better than Wilson’s at wide receiver and that should pay off for him during negotiations.

Drake London

London went two picks earlier than Wilson in the same draft and he’s the only one who’s produced near his level. London’s the only other player in that draft class to surpass 3,000 career receiving yards and has 15 touchdowns, tied with Romeo Doubs for most in the class.

London has plenty of leverage now that one of his contemporaries has signed a long-term deal. If Wilson can be a top-five highest-paid wide receiver, London and his representatives can easily make the argument he deserves something at least as good.

Tanner Engstrand

Taking over play-calling for the first time with a new team is a lot for a young offensive coordinator. Engstrand’s got a lot more responsibility on his plate in 2025 than 2024 but having a proven, reliable wide receiver certainly makes things easier.

Next order of business to help Engstrand even more: signing Round 2 pick Mason Taylor.

Terry McLaurin

McLaurin took off for a career-best 13 touchdowns in 2024 thanks to Jayden Daniels’ arrival. He’s been in talks for an extension with the Commanders already this offseason. Getting a similar deal to Wilson’s may be a stretch given his age (30 in September) but McLaurin could get a small bump thanks to Wilson’s big deal.

LOSERS

Atlanta Falcons

As stated earlier, London’s the only receiver from that class with a similar amount of consistency and production to Wilson. He’s arguably a more valuable piece to the Falcons’ offense than Wilson is to the Jets’ unit, meaning he’ll command a higher price.

Chris Olave, Jahan Dotson and Treylon Burks

This could’ve been all of the other first-round wide receivers after Wilson but Jameson Williams is on an upward trajectory after a solid 2024 campaign.

Olave, Wilson’s teammate at Ohio State, is productive when on the field but availability’s been an issue with multiple concussions. Dotson lasted two seasons in Washington before being traded to Philadelphia. Burks is entering year four of his career but still has just one career receiving touchdown.

Wilson’s contract highlights his reliability and production, something the rest of the first-rounders after him have struggled with.

San Francisco 49ers

The news of Wilson’s deal came just hours after news of 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings wanting a new deal ahead of training camp. Jennings won’t get a deal close to Wilson’s but, like with McLaurin, the average salary for a starting wide receiver just ticked up a bit thanks to the deal.

New York Giants

The Giants were the only team in the 2022 NFL Draft with multiple top-10 picks and didn’t make the most of it. No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux took a step back in 2024 and No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal flamed out at tackle and is set to be a backup guard in 2025.

There’s no certainty that the timelines would still align with these changes but Giants fans are surely wondering what life could’ve been like had general manager Joe Schoen and company picked Wilson instead of Neal at No. 7. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart could be entering a situation with Wilson and 2024 first-rounder Malik Nabers had things gone a little differently.

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Mariners slugger makes history with Home Run Derby win

ATLANTA — The Big Dumper did it.

After putting together a record-setting first half, Cal Raleigh won Major League Baseball’s 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park, earning himself the title of baseball’s top slugger.

The Seattle Mariners slugger who hit 38 home runs before the All-Star break – the second-most in MLB history – dispatched the Tampa Bay Rays’ 22-year-old Junior Caminero in the final, and is the first catcher to win the Home Run Derby.

With his dad pitching and younger brother catching, Raleigh became the second Mariner to be crowned Derby champion, joining Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who won it three times.

‘You don’t think you’re gonna win it. You do’t think you’re even going to be invited,’ Raleigh said. ‘Then you get invited and the fact that you win it with your family is super special. What a night.’

But Raleigh’s night almost ended early, advancing out of the first round by less than one inch.

Raleigh and Brent Rooker had finished tied for fourth with 17 homers, with the tiebreaker being their longest home run. That looked tied as well with MLB’s live tracker showing both at 471 feet, but Raleigh’s 470.61-foot homer (literally) inched out Rooker’s 470.53-foot shot.

‘My goodness gracious, it’s close. It’s just crazy,’ Raleigh said after his win. ‘An inch off, and I’m not even in the final four. Just amazing.

‘I guess I got lucky there. One extra biscuit.’

Then, Raleigh came alive in the semifinals, slugging 19 homers to easily defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz. Cruz had brought the crowd to its feet in the first round, crushing a 513-foot blast – the longest of the night – for the eighth of his 21 home runs.

‘To do it as a family was really special,’ Cal’s dad Todd Raleigh said after the Derby. ‘I don’t know why we’ve been blessed like this … When it involved the family, the complexion changed. And we thought, if he doesn’t hit any home runs, we’re still gonna be good.’

Asked how his son became a switch-hitter, Todd didn’t skip a beat.

‘Did it from the first day, when he was in diapers, literally,’ Todd said. ‘And I would take that big ball and he had a big red bat. I’d throw it slow and he’d hit it. Then I’d say stay there, pick him up, turn him around, switch his hands and do it again.’

Byron Buxton, who hit 20 in the first round, fell to Caminero in the other semifinal.

Also eliminated in the first round were the Washington Nationals’ James Wood (16 HR), hometown favorite Matt Olson (15) and New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm (3).

Here’s how the night unfolded at Truist Park:

Home Run Derby final: Cal Raleigh beats Junior Caminero

The final is set with Cal Raleigh facing Junior Caminero.

Raleigh led off in the final and had a blast, slugging 18 home runs – which is going to be a tough number for Caminero to beat.
Caminero pepped the right field seats with homers and ended regulation with 14, setting up a dramatic bonus period where he needed four to tie Raleigh. Caminero only managed one, making Raleigh the 2025 champion.

Cal Raleigh defeats Oneil Cruz

After getting into the semifinals by a literal Big Dumper came alive in the semifinal with 19 home runs.
Cruz crushed it in the first round, but came up short in the semifinals with 13 homers to end his night.

Junior Caminero defeats Byron Buxton

Buxton hit seven home runs in his semifinal round, unable to find the late burst that powered him out of the first round.
Caminero walked it off with his eighth home run, advancing to the final where he will face Cal Raleigh or Oneil Cruz.

Home Run Derby semifinals set

It’ll be Byron Buxton vs. Junior Caminero and Oneil Cruz vs. Cal Raleigh in the knockout stage, with the winners advancing to the final.

Home Run Derby score sheet: Live stats from first round

* Advances to semifinals // ^ Eliminated

Cal Raleigh advances to semifinals by matter of inches

With only one spot left in the semifinals Cal Raleigh and Brent Rooker each finished the first round with 17 home runs. The tiebreaker was longest home run distance, which appeared tied initially. But Raleigh’s longest went 470.61 feet while Rooker’s traveled 470.53 – a tie broken by 0.08 feet.

Hometown hero Matt Olson comes up short

With the Truist Field fans behind him, the Braves’ first baseman locked in and finished regular time with 15 home runs – but failed to hit another in bonus time to force his way into the semifinaks.

Cal Raleigh switches it up, hits 17

Jazz Chisholm Jr. turns in ugly performance

The Yankees infielder was booed after his round, hitting just three home runs to ensure a quick elimination. Chisholm struggled mightily, fouling a number of swings straight back into the stands.

Byron Buxton puts himself in position with 20 HR

The Minnesota Twins’ Georgia native hit 20 home runs in his round, the longest traveling 466 feet. He’s in third place with three batters remaining, and can only watch as he awaits his fate.

Oneil Cruz hit a baseball 513 feet

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ center fielder brought the Truist Park crowd to its feet, launching home runs that traveled 513 and 488 feet. He finished the round with 21, tying him for the lead halfway through.

Junior Caminero tees off: 21 homers to take the lead

The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman is in the lead after three hitters, crushing 21 home run in his round.

Brent Rooker next up: 17 home runs

The Athletics right-hander moved to the top of the leaderboard with 17 home runs, his longest traveling 471 feet.

James Wood leads off Home Run Derby

The Washington Nationals’ second-year slugger was first up and had a huge round, hitting 16 homers with a longest shot of 486 feet.

Who is in the Home Run Derby?

(Home run totals at the All-Star break)

Cal Raleigh, Mariners: 38
James Wood, Nationals: 24
Junior Caminero, Rays: 21
Byron Buxton, Twins: 21
Brent Rooker, Athletics: 20
Matt Olson, Braves: 17
Jazz Chisholm, Yankees: 17
Oneil Cruz, Pirates: 16

Cal Raleigh: ‘The Big Dumper’ makes Home Run Derby a family affair

ATLANTA — When Cal Raleigh steps to the plate for his first swing at the Home Run Derby, his past, present and future coalesce. Pitching is his father Todd, the former Western Carolina and Tennessee coach, the man who dragged young Cal along to practices and batboy opportunities and built a workout facility at their North Carolina home.

Home Run Derby odds

Odds via BetMGM as of 12 p.m.

Cal Raleigh: +280
Oneil Cruz: +350
James Wood: +400
Matt Olson: +900
Brent Rooker: +900
Byron Buxton: +950
Junior Caminero: +1000
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: +1500

Home Run Derby rules, new format

The 2025 Home Run Derby features three rounds: the first round, semifinals and finals.

In the first round, the hitters have three minutes or 40 pitches (whichever comes first) to hit as many home runs as they can. Each player gets a bonus period that lasts until they take three swings that don’t result in a homer. If a home run of 425 feet or longer is hit during the bonus time, the hitter gets a fourthout

The four players with the highest totals advance to the semifinals – with first-round ties being broken by the player who hit the longest home run in their round.

The semifinals becomes a knockout format, with players seeded Nos. 1-4 based on their first-round totals. Players have two minutes or 27 pitches in the semifinals and finals. Ties in the semifinal are broken by a 60-second ‘swing-off.’

Each batter gets one 45-second timeout – but timeouts be called during bonus periods or tiebreakers.

Who won last year’s Home Run Derby?

Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was crowned 2024 Home Run Derby champion after defeating Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. in the finals.

Hernandez slugged 14 homers in the final round, one more than Witt, to become the first Dodgers player to win the Derby title.

MLB Home Run Derby winners by year

1985: Dave Parker, Reds
1986: Wally Joyner, Angels & Darryl Strawberry, Mets
1987: Andre Dawson, Cubs
1988: Not held
1989: Eric Davis, Reds & Ruben Sierra, Rangers
1990: Ryne Sandberg, Cubs
1991: Cal Ripken Jr., Orioles
1992: Mark McGwire, Athletics
1993: Juan Gonzalez, Rangers
1994: Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners
1995: Frank Thomas, White Sox
1996: Barry Bonds, Giants
1997: Tino Martinez, Yankees
1998: Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners
1999: Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners
2000: Sammy Sosa, Cubs
2001: Luis Gonzalez, Diamondbacks
2002: Jason Giambi, Yankees
2003: Garret Anderson, Angels
2004: Miguel Tejada, Orioles
2005: Bobby Abreu, Phillies
2006: Ryan Howard, Phillies
2007: Vladimir Guerrero, Angels
2008: Justin Morneau, Twins
2009: Prince Fielder, Brewers
2010: David Ortiz, Red Sox
2011: Robinson Cano, Yankees
2012: Prince Fielder, Tigers
2013: Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
2014: Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
2015: Todd Frazier, Reds
2016: Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins
2017: Aaron Judge, Yankees
2018: Bryce Harper, Nationals
2019: Pete Alonso, Mets
2020: Not held (COVID)
2021: Pete Alonso, Mets
2022: Juan Soto, Nationals
2023: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
2024: Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers

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‘Squad’ members ‘decide to lie and twist facts’ about Israel’s history, says prominent Arab activist

Members of the ‘Squad’ are undermining coexistence between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East, Israeli-Arab activist Yoseph Haddad told Fox News Digital.

‘Representatives of the Squad are trying to harm the coexistence and partnership that exist in the region between Arabs and Jews,’ Haddad said. ‘I think it was [Alexandria] Ocasio-Cortez herself who said she had no idea about the geopolitics of this region—she’s right. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib know exactly what’s going on here, but they decide to lie and twist the facts.’

Haddad, the CEO of Together Vouch for Each Other — an organization founded in 2018 by young Israeli Arabs to bridge cultural and religious divides — has emerged as a prominent voice in Israel’s public diplomacy efforts following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 massacre. 

Since the attack, Jewish communities across the United States and Europe have faced a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents, with pro-Hamas demonstrations appearing on college campuses as early as October 8.

‘The first group is what I call the useful idiots — people who have no idea what’s going on but joined because it felt like the cool thing to do,’ Haddad said. ‘Then there are the paid protesters. You see the same faces at different rallies holding different signs — sometimes it’s about LGBTQ issues, sometimes it’s pro-Palestinian, sometimes it’s about internal American problems.’

‘It’s always the same person, just a different outfit and a different sign,’ he continued. ‘And the third group — the most dangerous—are the extremists who’ve come from the Middle East. Those are the ones we should be most concerned about.’

Haddad traced the rise of extremist voices in the West to waves of immigration and population displacement from conflict zones in the Middle East. While the majority of Muslim immigrants fled persecution in search of a better life, he said, a vocal minority brought with them the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, effectively holding their communities hostage.

‘When you have so many immigrants all around the world, it’s enough for 10 or 20 percent of them to be extremists — and suddenly, you’re dealing with millions of extremists,’ he said.

‘Ostriches, when there is a danger and there is a problem, what they do is they stick their head in the sand thinking the problem will just pass because nobody will notice them,’ he added. ‘And this is what the weak governments are doing right now, becoming like an ostrich. The only problem is that no one will skip them over, it will make it easier to chop their heads off.’

Addressing accusations that Israel enforces an apartheid system between Jews and Arabs, Haddad rejected the comparison outright.

‘In real apartheid, like in South Africa, everything was segregated — transportation, hospitals, courts, sports, even walking on the sidewalks,’ Haddad said. ‘But if you actually come to Israel and see life here, it’s the complete opposite — 180 degrees different.’

‘Stop speaking from a place of emotion — that’s exactly what The Squad is doing,’ he continued. ‘Start talking about facts. Then you’ll realize that anyone who concludes Israel is an apartheid state is an imbecile.’

He also mentioned a run-in he had with a protester, who he refers to as ‘the useful idiots.’

They have no clue … One time, I read the charter of Hamas to some pro-Palestinian useful idiot, I read it to them, and I said you agree to this, and they said no, no, no I didn’t know that. And I said yes, but this is what you are supporting, and he had the headband of Hamas on his head. You understand that this is what you are supporting.

‘He literally took the band off after that. Such useful idiots like this you have a lot, not just in the United States, you can see it in Europe as well.’

When asked what he believes the Palestinians ultimately want, Haddad pointed to slogans often heard at anti-Israel and antisemitic protests, such as ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ and ‘There is only one solution: Intifada revolution.’

‘The majority of Palestinians do not want to live side by side with Israel,’ Haddad said. ‘So when people talk about a two-state solution and question Israel’s commitment, I say: Don’t ask the Israelis — ask the Palestinians. You’ll be shocked to find that many of them aren’t willing to accept it.’

Haddad pointed out that history can be approached in multiple ways — through religious texts like the Torah for Jews, the Bible for Christians and the Quran for Muslims. Even those who are atheists can look to history books for evidence of the deep-rooted connection of the Jewish people to the land of Israel.

Haddad argued that the Torah explicitly mentions the presence of Jews in Israel, tracing their presence back thousands of years. He also highlighted the Biblical reference to the birthplace of Jesus in Jewish Bethlehem, challenging the notion that Palestinian Muslims have a historical claim to the land before the Jews.

Haddad noted that while Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Quran, the term ‘sons of Israel’ appears more than 43 times. He also emphasized that the name ‘Palestine’ was imposed by the Romans as a punishment for the Bar Kokhba revolt.

Haddad highlighted that in 1947, Arabs had the opportunity to establish a Palestinian state through the U.N. Partition Plan, which the Jews accepted despite receiving less land and fewer resources. However, the Arabs rejected the plan and opted to wage war. When the Jews emerged victorious, 156,000 Arabs remained within what became Israel. Sharing his personal connection to this history, Haddad explained that his grandfather was one of those Arabs who stayed and eventually became part of the Arab Israeli identity.

‘It’s either you accept the fact that Israel exists and is here to stay, or you continue with this cycle of bloodshed and death that we are trying to escape,’ said Haddad. ‘But the ones who will suffer the most are you, the Palestinians, whether in the West Bank or Gaza.’

Several requests for comment sent to Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib and Omar were not returned.

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Mike Waltz gears up for post-Signalgate ‘brutal’ grilling from Dems in UN ambassador hearing

Former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is poised to face members of the Senate on Tuesday to get the ball rolling on his nomination to represent the U.S. at the United Nations.

Waltz’s appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee comes months after he exited his job at the White House amid controversy surrounding his role in a Signal group chat with other top administration officials. 

Democrats vowed to grill Waltz during his confirmation process in the aftermath of The Atlantic magazine’s reporting about a Signal group chat that his team had set up to discuss strikes against the Houthis in March.

Even so, the tough questioning from Democrats on the so-called ‘Signalgate’ issue isn’t expected to derail Waltz’s confirmation to the post, given that Republicans hold a 53–47 majority in the Senate. 

‘It’s all theater — you know he’s going to get confirmed,’ a GOP foreign relations source told Fox News Digital. ‘If Signalgate’s a big thing against him, it wasn’t enough to get anyone else fired or impeached or anything like that.’ 

Waltz, a former congressman who represented Florida’s 6th congressional district, is a retired Army National Guard colonel and former Green Beret. During his time in uniform, he served four deployments to Afghanistan and earned four Bronze Stars — the fourth-highest military combat award, issued for heroic service against an armed enemy.

Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were both entangled in the Signal chat that Waltz’s team created where members of the Trump administration discussed strike plans against the Houthis. 

Waltz in March said he took ‘full responsibility’ for the Signal group chat, and the Trump administration has maintained that no war plans were shared in the chat. The Atlantic published the full exchange of messages, which included certain attack details such as specific aircraft and times of the strikes from Hegseth. 

On May 1, President Donald Trump announced Waltz’s departure from his role as national security advisor and hours later unveiled the former Florida congressman’s nomination to represent the U.S. at the U.N. 

Democrats called for Hegseth’s resignation as a result of the chat and warned that Waltz would face the heat during the confirmation process for U.N. ambassador. 

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said in a May interview with CBS News that Waltz could count on a ‘brutal, brutal hearing’ from senators, and described his nomination as ‘failing up.’ 

‘He’s not qualified for the job, just by nature of the fact that he participated in this Signal chain,’ Duckworth, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told CBS News. 

Duckworth, who served in the Illinois Army National Guard as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and lost both of her legs during a 2004 deployment to Iraq, told Fox News Digital Monday that Waltz’s involvement in the group chat should disqualify him from serving as U.N. ambassador. She also said that every official included in the chat should be fired. 

‘As a retired Soldier, Waltz should have shut the unclassified chain down as soon as he saw Hegseth share such classified information that could’ve gotten our pilots killed,’ Duckworth said in a statement. ‘It’s clear Waltz cannot be trusted to make critical and sensitive national security decisions, and I look forward to pressing him on his conduct and holding him accountable.’

 

Duckworth has pinned most of the blame on Hegseth for Signalgate. Prior to Trump’s announcement on Waltz’s U.N. ambassador nomination, Duckworth said in a May post on X that of ‘all the idiots in that chat, Hegseth is the biggest security risk of all — he leaked the info that put our troops in greater danger.’ 

In addition to Waltz and Hegseth, administration officials including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe were part of the group chat. 

Additionally, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Chris Coons, D-Conn., said that Waltz could brace for a meticulous confirmation hearing before the committee’s members. 

‘I look forward to a thorough confirmation hearing,’ Coons said in a post on X in May. 

A spokesperson for Coons did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

The GOP foreign relations source described the fallout from Signalgate a ‘huge nothing burger,’ and pointed out that Democrats’ previous efforts to use Signalgate against Waltz and Hegseth have proven unsuccessful. 

‘If this was their deathly bullet, it would have killed Hegseth, and it would have killed Waltz, but they’re both left standing,’ the source told Fox News Digital. 

A Senate aide told Fox News Digital that while Waltz took the brunt of the blame for Signalgate because his team created the chat, Democrats’ expected questioning of the group chat during the hearing is actually about finding a new avenue to go after Trump. 

‘I don’t think he’s the target. He’s just the mechanism to go after the target,’ the Senate aide said. ‘At the end of the day, Democrats want to criticize and go after the president, so these guys are just a mechanism to get there.’ 

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have voiced support for Waltz, with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, calling him a ‘great choice’ for the position in a post on X in May. Additionally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said at the time that the Senate would ‘for sure’ confirm Waltz. 

‘Some things I know for sure: the sun rises in the East, sets in the West and Mike Waltz will be confirmed as the next UN Ambassador,’ Graham said in an X post in May. ‘He is highly qualified, well-positioned, and will be a strong voice for our nation at the UN.’

Since Waltz’s departure as serving as national security advisor, Rubio has stepped in to fill that role. 

Trump previously nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to represent the U.S. at the U.N. However, her nomination was pulled in March, and Trump claimed at the time that the House could not give up another Republican seat with its slim 220–212 Republican majority. 

If confirmed as U.N. ambassador, Waltz would be responsible for representing U.S. interests at the U.N.’s New York headquarters, weighing in on resolutions, treaties and other global matters.  

Waltz could not be reached for comment by Fox News Digital. 

The 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled for Sept. 9, providing a window of time for Waltz’s nomination to make it through the entire confirmation process beforehand. 

‘The hope is to have him in place before the U.N. General Assembly is in session,’ the GOP foreign relations source told Fox News Digital. 

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MLB All-Star Game starting lineups: Aces Skenes and Skubal pitching

ATLANTA — Managers Dave Roberts and Aaron Boone announced their starting lineups a day before the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, with Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal and Pirates ace Paul Skenes taking the mound at Truist Park.

Roberts (National League) and Boone (American) had revealed the starting pitchers on Saturday, July 12, ending any speculation as to who might get the ball three days before the game.

‘It’s such a huge honor to be on the stage and play with all these unbelievable players,’ Skenes said, ‘some of them that I’ve watched for years.’

It’s the second All-Star start in a row for Skenes, who was picked to open in 2024 despite having just 11 MLB starts under his belt. Skenes has an NL-best 2.01 ERA in 20 starts this season and has surrendered just six home runs, but has a 4-8 record for the last-place Pirates.

‘Excited to go oat it with these guys tomorrow night, and obviously be able to give the ball to Tarik Skubal,’ Boone said. ‘Coming off a Cy Young season, and continuing that dominance in the first half of the season … Can’t wait to see him go get us off to a good start tomorrow.’

Skubal, the 2024 AL Cy Young winner, has been even better this year. The 28-year-old is 10-2 with 2.23 ERA, and and leads the AL in strikeouts per nine (11.4), WHIP (0.826) and strikeouts per walk (9.6) – all up from last year’s historic campaign.

Here’s a look at the full starting lineups:

MLB All-Star Game starting lineups

American League

Starting pitcher: Tarik Skubal, Tigers

2B Gleyber Torres, Tigers
LF Riley Greene, Tigers
RF Aaron Judge, Yankees
C Cal Raleigh, Mariners
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
DH Ryan O’Hearn, Orioles
3B Junior Caminero, Rays
CF Javier Baez, Tigers
SS Jacob Wilson, Athletics

National League

Starting pitcher: Paul Skenes, Pirates

DH Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
LF Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
2B Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks
1B Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
3B Manny Machado, Padres
C Will Smith, Dodgers
RF Kyle Tucker, Cubs
SS Francisco Lindor, Mets
CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

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America has the power to lead the AI revolution – and the leadership to make it happen

America has triumphed in each industrial revolution – whether steel, energy or manufacturing – and has the power to lead the AI revolution, too. This week in Pittsburgh, President Donald Trump is bringing together leaders to address a defining challenge of our time: how to fuel the AI revolution with American energy. 

Progress on this front will be consequential for our economy, our national security, and America’s global leadership. 

President Trump’s announced $500 billion private sector AI investment is a critical enabler for our country. But artificial intelligence won’t power itself. It needs vast amounts of electricity, delivered affordably and reliably. 

And as demand for AI computing surges, the real question isn’t just about who writes the best code – it’s also about who can build out data center infrastructure behind it. The U.S. has the unique capability to do that – including the energy dominance to fuel it – and we now have the political will to lead. 

U.S. policy has often prioritized climate idealism over energy pragmatism. Wind, solar and battery technologies will play a key role in our energy future, but they are not available at the scale or reliability needed to fuel expected AI data center demand. And these combined sources are more expensive than U.S. natural gas. 

Without a balanced and clear-eyed approach, we risk pushing AI innovation – and the economic and national security advantages that come with it – overseas.

Other countries are already trying to lure investment away from the United States by subsidizing AI computing power. In China, dozens of data centers are being built – 39 approved in the last quarter of 2024 alone. In Malaysia, authorities are fast-tracking electricity infrastructure for data centers, cutting lead times to just 12 months, compared to five years in the U.S. Some American companies are already helping to finance data center growth in the Middle East.

The path to powering America’s AI dominance is rooted in abundant American natural gas. The United States is already by far the world leader, accounting for a quarter of global natural gas production. And we are also one of the lowest-cost producers. 

Equally important is to ensure AI power demand doesn’t drive up electricity costs for consumers. We can develop natural gas-based power generation independent of the current electric grid and co-locate it with data centers across the country. Providing this dedicated electricity prevents a competition for grid-connected power, which would drive up costs and burden our already strained electricity grid. 

New solutions like this require creative partnerships and continued innovation – which is why Chevron is working with Engine No. 1 and GE Vernova to establish facilities designed to provide reliable, affordable, long-term power-generating solutions to underpin American AI leadership.

President Donald Trump, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Sen. David McCormick, R-Pa., recognize the opportunity for the United States to achieve AI dominance. By leveraging abundant American natural gas as a foundation to meet surging AI power demand, we can strengthen our national security, grow our economy and protect our technology leadership.

We have the power to lead the race to develop and deploy AI. It’s time to use it. 

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Home Run Derby highlights: Ranking the event’s 11 greatest moments

The home run.

It’s baseball’s signature accomplishment — and something the game has been built around ever since a guy named Babe Ruth revolutionized the sport over a century ago.

For the past 40 years, Major League Baseball has celebrated the game’s best sluggers with a Home Run Derby competition at the All-Star Game. (And yes, it has been going on that long.)

The inaugural Home Run Derby was in 1985 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, where 2025 Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds topped a field that included six other Cooperstown inductees.

As we get set for this year’s edition, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable moments in Home Run Derby history.

11. Todd Frazier, Cincinnati (2015)

It’s always great when the hometown crowd has someone to root for. A year after losing in the final to Yoenis Cespedes, the Reds’ Frazier rocked Great American Ball Park with a dramatic victory.

In the first year using a timer instead of just counting non-homers as ‘outs,’ Frazier put up a frantic barrage in the final seconds to tie Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson. Frazier then sealed the deal with a walk-off homer in bonus time.

10. Julio Rodriguez, Seattle (2023)

Speaking of hometown heroes, Rodríguez set a single-round Derby record by crushing his 41 home runs a total distance of 16,556 feet in the first round at T-Mobile Park. However, he couldn’t keep up his herculean pace as he lost in the second round to eventual champion Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a walk-off dinger.

Guerrero’s win that year was also historic as he joined his father Vladimir Sr. (2007) as the only father and son to wear the Home Run Deby crown.

9. Bryce Harper, Washington (2018)

Drama was also a major component of Harper’s victory in front of his hometown fans at Nationals Park.

Trailing Kyle Schwarber by nine homers with 50 seconds remaining, Harper — who would leave Washington as a free agent at the end of the season — made up the difference with a thrilling longball barrage and pulled even as the buzzer sounded. Harper then ended it with the second swing in his bonus round.

8. Robinson Cano, Phoenix (2011)

With his father — former major leaguer Jose Cano — pitching to him, Cano tied what was then a record 12 home runs in the finals, topping Adrian Gonzalez by one.

7. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland (2019)

Returning to the father/son theme, Guerrero Jr. hit an astounding 91 homers — including a 40-39 triple-overtime victory over Joc Pederson in the semifinals — but yet it wasn’t enough.

In a battle of rookie sluggers, Pete Alonso won the first of back-to-back titles by outlasting Guerrero Jr. on his way to an NL-leading and rookie record 53 home runs that season.

6. Ken Griffey Jr., Baltimore (1993)

In just the second year of Oriole Park at Camden Yards’ existence, Griffey hit one of the most memorable home runs in Derby history. It soared high over the right field fence, cleared Eutaw Street and clanged off the wall of the B&O Warehouse, some 465 feet away from home plate.

To this day, it remains the only home run to ever hit the warehouse on the fly. No one has ever done it in an official game in the 34-year history of the ballpark.

What’s less remembered is that Juan Gonzalez eventually won the competition that year.

No problem for Griffey, though. He won it the next year in Pittsburgh for the first of his three Home Run Derby titles.

5. Cal Ripken Jr., Toronto (1991)

Perhaps the greatest player to ever wear an Orioles uniform at Camden Yards made his mark on the Derby the year before that park opened. At Toronto’s SkyDome, which had just opened two years earlier, Ripken made it a clean sweep of the All-Star honors.

He outslugged Paul O’Neill to win the Derby, then homered in the All-Star Game to win MVP honors — becoming the first player in history to accomplish both in the same season. (The Angels’ Garret Anderson became the second in 2007.) For good meaure, Ripken went on to be the overall MVP in the American League that season.

4. Barry Bonds, Philadelphia (1996)

Believe it or not, the Home Run Derby wasn’t broadcast on live television until 1998, so baseball fans had to catch the historic showdown between Bonds and Mark McGwire on tape delay. The matchup carries even more significance in retrospect after what happened in the years that followed.

In Veterans Stadium, Bonds trailed Mark McGwire by two homers with one out remaining in the finals, but connected on three consecutive swings to pull out the win.

Remember that in 1996, Bonds had already won three MVP awards. But he was overshadowed two years later by the record-breaking home run explosion fueled by McGwire and Sammy Sosa that resulted in Big Mac’s record-setting 70 homers in 1998. In response, Bonds intensified his power-hitting efforts and topped McGwire’s mark with 73 in 2001.

3. Aaron Judge, Miami (2017)

Perhaps the preeminent power hitter in the game today became a national sensation after his performance at Marlins Park. Though Judge hit just .179 with four homers in his first taste of the majors in 2016, he established himself as a force in his first full season.

With 30 homers at the All-Star break, the rookie seemed ticketed for a showdown with hometown favorite and defending champion Giancarlo Stanton. However, Stanton bowed out early and Judge put on a tremendous display of power, slugging four home runs over 500 feet to beat Miguel Sano in the finals.

2. Mark McGwire, Boston (1999)

After blowing past Roger Maris’ previous home run record by hitting 70 the year before, McGwire was the star attraction at Fenway Park.

Taking aim at the fabled Green Monster, Big Mac blasted a then-record 13 home runs in the first round, many of them going completely out of the stadium and onto Lansdowne Street. Fact almost imitated fiction when one McGwire blast came close to a Roy Hobbsian feat by nearly breaking a bulb in one of Fenway’s light towers.

He was on such a run that Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez even tried to steal McGwire’s bat to help fellow Dominican Sammy Sosa win. McGwire lost in the second round as Ken Griffey Jr. ultimately won, but not before showing off the peak of his home run prowess.

1. Josh Hamilton, New York (2008)

While watching McGwire do his thing at the Derby was amazing, it wasn’t totally unexpected after what he did during the 1998 season.

Hamilton’s performance at Yankee Stadium, however, was overwhelmingly stunning. Drafted No. 1 overall in 1999 — the same year McGwire won his title — Hamilton battled personal and substance abuse issues as he began his pro career and didn’t make it to the majors until eight years later.

After hitting 19 homers as a rookie with the Reds in 2007, he was traded to the Texas Rangers that winter. He got off to a strong start, blasting 21 home runs by the All-Star break and earning the first of five consecutive All-Star berths.

Hamilton put on a dazzling performance, bashing 28 homers in the opening round — including 13 on consecutive swings, a feat that’s never been duplicated. Unfortunately, Hamilton’s story didn’t have a happy ending as he lost to Justin Morneau in the finals. However, Hamilton’s all-too-brief time as one of MLB’s most feared sluggers almost certainly began that night in legendary fashion.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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SEC media days live updates, highlights from Day 1 of football kickoff

For years, the SEC marketed itself by with the tagline, ‘It just means more’ — that is, the league’s football product, which has produced the majority of national champions over the past 20 years, is so extraordinarily excellent and carries such an outsized importance that no other conference in college athletics can match it.

Just how much does football mean to the league, exactly? In the SEC, media days — an event reserved for players and coaches to talk about how optimistic they are about the upcoming season and how everyone on the team is in the best shape of their life — stretches across four days.

The 2025 edition of SEC media days will take place this week, beginning on Monday, July 14 from the College Football Hall of Fame and Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park.

Watch SEC media days live with Fubo (free trial)

There, coaches and player representatives from each of the conference’s 16 teams will discuss the impending 2025 season, offering at least a glimpse at what fans can expect in what may yet again be college football’s deepest and most talented conference.

As is often the case, the SEC won’t be lacking in storylines.

USA TODAY Sports had updates and highlights from Day 1 at the SEC media days in 2025. Check them out below:

SEC media days live updates

This section will be updated throughout SEC media days.

Diego Pavia returned to Vanderbilt to win national championship

Diego Pavia is back at Vanderbilt after an exciting first season which saw the Commodores pick up an upset victory over then-No. 1 Alabama. The rest of the season was up-and-down for Vanderbilt, as it finished with an 7-6 record.

Pavia has higher aspirations for the Commodores this season.

‘Going 7-6 (last year) wasn’t good enough,’ Pavia said at SEC Media Days. ‘I came back because I want to win a national championship.’

Greg Sankey embellishes bold claims about SEC football schedule

‘True to his form, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey boasted Monday that nobody outside of his conference would trade its own conference schedule in favor of an eight-game SEC schedule.

‘Sankey’s biased, but is he wrong?

‘Well, he’s exaggerating – a bit, at least.’

Clark Lea says Vanderbilt has what it takes to play in January

Last season, Vanderbilt earned an upset win over Alabama when the Crimson Tide held the No. 1 overall ranking. At SEC Media Days, Lea believes Vanderbilt can take the next step.

‘We believe that we have what it takes to play into January,’ Lea said on July 14.

Netflix announces SEC football series

SEC football is coming to Netflix. During Day 1 of the SEC media days, the streaming platform announced the ‘SEC Football: Any Given Saturday’ sports series will premiere on August 5.

The ‘SEC Football: Any Given Saturday’ will be a seven-episode series — produced by Box To Box Films, the team behind Sprint, Full Swing, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, and Break Point — and will provide SEC (and college football) fans an inside look at the conference from the 2024 season. The docuseries won’t feature all 16 SEC teams, however, as Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Missouri, Ole Miss and Oklahoma all opted out of it, according to Yahoo Sports.

Will Nick Saban return to coaching?

The 2025 college football season will mark Year 2 of Nick Saban’s retirement from the sidelines, as he is now an analyst for ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ in his retirement.

But is the legendary Alabama coach set to make a return to coach? Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, now a broadcaster for ESPN, and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who coached under Saban at Alabama, think it’s on the table.

‘I don’t think he’s done,’ Kiffin told reporters in a breakout session in Atlanta on July 14 at SEC media day. ‘… Whether it’s college or NFL, I think he’ll be back.’

Click here to read more on McElroy and Kiffin’s thoughts on Saban from USA TODAY’s Austin Curtright.

Lane Kiffin ‘excited’ Ole Miss schedule

Lane Kiffin said he is excited about Ole Miss’ schedule in 2025. The Rebels will play nine home games at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

Lane Kiffin takes podium

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin takes the podium as the third coach to talk on the first day of the SEC Media Days. Kiffin is entering Year 6 as the Rebels’ coach.

South Carolina entering 2025 season with momentum

South Carolina football finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record, which included six straight wins before a bowl game loss to Illinois. Gamecock coach Shane Beamer believes his team is entering the 2025 season with serious momentum.

‘There’s a lot of momentum going into this season because of what we did last season,’ Beamer said. ‘… There’s plenty of examples throughout college football of teams who get pumped up all summer long, and then they go out in Week 1 and get smacked in the face.’

Brian Kelly says LSU is ‘Death Valley’

Both LSU and Clemson claim stakes to ‘Death Valley’ as their home-field advantage. However, Kelly said Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the home to Death Valley, not Clemson.

‘We still think we are the Death Valley,’ Kelly said. ‘They could use the name, too. We’re letting them borrow it. But I would say at the end of the day,

LSU coach Brian Kelly acknowledges season-opener struggles

LSU football coach Brian Kelly is the first coach to speak at the 2025 SEC Media Days. He acknowledges the Tigers need to get off to faster starts in the season opener. LSU is 0-3 under Kelly in the season opener. The Tigers open the season on Aug. 30 vs Clemson.

Greg Sankey says SEC will ‘continue evaluating’ eight-game conference schedule

The SEC is not yet ready to adopt a nine-game conference schedule, unlike the Big Ten. Sankey said on July 14 that the conference will ‘continue evaluating’ the eight-game conference schedule.

Greg Sankey calls SEC ‘superconference’

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey opened the first day of SEC Media Days by taking the podium. He called the SEC a ‘super conference,’ and then honored former head coach Mike Leach, journalist Bob Holt and the victims and first responders of the Texas Floods in his opening statement.

SEC media days interview schedule

Each day of SEC media days will highlight four teams from the conference, with players and the head coach from those squads speaking on a designated day.

Here’s a look at which teams will be appearing on each day of the event, with schools listed in alphabetical order, not the order in which their coach will be speaking at their press conference:

Monday, July 14

LSU
Ole Miss
South Carolina
Vanderbilt

Tuesday, July 15

Auburn
Georgia
Tennessee
Texas

Wednesday, July 16

Alabama
Florida
Mississippi State
Oklahoma

Thursday, July 17

Arkansas
Kentucky
Missouri
Texas A&M

Where are SEC media days 2025?

Location: College Football Hall of Fame and Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park (Atlanta, Georgia)

The 2025 edition of SEC media days will be held at the College Football Hall of Fame and Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park in Atlanta. It will mark the third time since 2018 the event has been held in the Georgia capital, where the league stages its annual football conference championship game.

SEC media days schedule

Here’s a look at the player representatives for each of the league’s 16 teams at 2025 SEC media days, as well as the dates they’ll be appearing:

Monday, July 14

LSU

Chris Hilton Jr., WR, Senior
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, Senior
Whit Weeks, LB, Junior

Ole Miss

TJ Dottery, LB, Junior
Cayden Lee, WR, Junior
Austin Simmons, QB, Sophomore

South Carolina

LaNorris Sellers, QB, Sophomore
DQ Smith, DB, Senior
Nick Barrett, DT, Senior

Vanderbilt

Randon Fontenette, S/OLB, Junior
Martel Hight, DB, Junior
Diego Pavia, QB, Graduate

Tuesday, July 15

Auburn

Jackson Arnold, QB, Junior
Keldric Faulk, DL, Junior
Connor Lew, OL, Junior

Georgia

CJ Allen, LB, Junior
Daylen Everette, DB, Senior
Gunner Stockton, QB, Junior

Tennessee

Arion Carter, LB, Junior
Miles Kitselman, TE, Senior
Bryson Eason, DT, Senior

Texas

Anthony Hill Jr, LB, Junior
Arch Manning, QB, Sophomore
Michael Taaffe, DB, Senior

Wednesday, July 16

Alabama

Tim Keenan III, DL, Senior
Deontae Lawson, LB, Senior
Kadyn Proctor, OL, Junior

Florida

Caleb Banks, DL, Senior
Jake Slaughter, OL, Senior
DJ Lagway, QB, Sophomore

Mississippi State

Blake Shapen, QB, Graduate
Isaac Smith, S, Junior
Brenen Thompson, WR, Senior

Oklahoma

John Mateer, QB, Junior
Robert Spears-Jennings, DB, Senior
R Mason Thomas, DL, Senior

Thursday, July 17

Arkansas

Cam Ball, DL, Senior
Taylen Green, QB, Senior
Xavian Sorey Jr., LB, Senior

Kentucky

Alex Afari Jr., LB, Senior
Jordan Lovett, DB, Senior
Josh Kattus, TE, Senior

Missouri

Daylan Carnell, S, Graduate
Connor Tollison, C, Graduate
Zion Young, DE, Senior

Texas A&M

Will Lee III, DB, Senior
Ar’maj Reed-Adams, OL, Graduate
Taurean York, LB, Junior

What channel are SEC media days on?

TV channel: SEC Network | ESPN2
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)

All four days of SEC media days will air live on the SEC Network. ESPN2 will air one hour of the proceedings, from 8 p.m. ET until 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 15.

Streaming options include the ESPN app (requires a TV provider login) and ESPN+, which requires a subscription. Another option is Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Hawley urges DHS Secretary Noem to declassify all Trump Butler rally assassination attempt documents

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to declassify all documents related to the assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.

Hawley’s request comes a year after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired off several shots at Trump from a rooftop near the presidential rally grounds. The gunman had a clear shot and grazed the president’s ear.

Even after a year, though, questions still remain about how Crooks was able to get a clear shot.

In his letter to Noem, Hawley mentions the one-year anniversary of the first assassination attempt on Trump.

‘This occasion marks a deeply troubling chapter in our nation’s history and serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency in preserving public trust during moments of national crisis,’ he wrote. ‘To that end, I urge you to take the necessary steps to declassify all documents within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) related to the events of July 13, 2024.

‘As you know, assassination attempts against current and former presidents are rare but profoundly consequential events in American life,’ Hawley continued. ‘And the American people rightly expect full transparency from their government.’

The senator pointed to investigation stonewalling tactics from the Biden administration’s Secret Service and DHS, which he said ultimately denied basic facts to the American people.

‘The public learned far more from whistleblowers than they did from public officials, and I released a report documenting these disclosures, many of which have been corroborated to date,’ Hawley wrote. ‘In October of last year, in a unanimous vote, the Homeland Security Committee passed my legislation requiring the Secret Service release to the public all pertinent documents.

‘Now, I am requesting that you immediately declassify and release all documents relating to the first assassination attempt on President Trump within the full extent of your authority, subject only to the narrowest possible redactions necessary to protect ongoing operations or individual safety,’ he said. ‘The public deserves a full and accurate account of this event, the circumstances that allowed it to happen, and the steps the government has taken since to strengthen protective measures.’

Hawley requested a complete inventory of all classified or non-public materials related to the first assassination attempt on Trump, including reports, internal communications, threat assessments, after-action reviews and coordinated records with other agencies.

He also requested a formal explanation for the continued classification of materials Noem believes must remain restricted, as well as a proposed plan and timeline for the immediate declassification and public release of all remaining documents, all by July 30, 2025.

Fox News Digital has reached out to DHS for comment on the matter.

Hawley released a report in September, detailing the failures of the Secret Service in connection with the attempted assassination of Trump in July, which included whistleblower allegations that are ‘highly damaging to the credibility’ of the agency.

The report uncovered a ‘compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding.’

Hawley accused the Secret Service, FBI and DHS of all trying ‘to evade real accountability.’

‘These agencies and their leaders have slow-walked congressional investigations, misled the American people, and shirked responsibility,’ the report states. 

After the first of two assassination attempts against Trump in just over two months, Hawley visited the Butler rally site to interview whistleblowers and opened up a whistleblower tip line, encouraging those with relevant information to share with officials. 

Documents subpoenaed by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs also show major failures among the six U.S. Secret Service (USSS) agents who were suspended without pay in response to the assassination attempt.

The documents were based on interviews with the agents and their colleagues and revealed that several agents admitted the existence of major security concerns at the Butler rally, but none of them elevated the concerns or helped produce a plan to properly cover the roof that provided Crooks a clear shot of Trump.

The documents show that some agents in charge never even conducted walk-throughs of the site. For example, the lead advance agent, documents show, never did a final security walk-through of the rally site because she was in the hospital for heat exhaustion, the special agent in charge said when questioned.

Some of the agents were suspended without pay for various terms, though none of the agents were fired.

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Philadelphia 76ers star undergoes procedure on left knee

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee on Monday, July 14 “to treat an injury sustained during a recent workout,” the team said in a news release.

George will begin rehab and will be re-evaluated before the start of training camp, according to the 76ers.

The news comes a day after 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told reporters that for the Sixers to contend for a title in 2025-26, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George need to be healthy. Last season, George averaged 16.2 points and shot 43% from the field and played in 41 games. Maxey played in 52 games and Embiid in just 19.

Injury-ravaged Philadelphia was 24-58 last season and used the No. 3 pick in the June draft to select Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe.

Training camps for the 2025-2026 season begin in September. The Sixers have two preseason games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, against the New York Knicks on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4.

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