SPORTS

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain as the Los Angeles Lakers push through their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, but encouraging signs of progress have Lakers fans hopeful the superstar could return in the second round if the team advances.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama remained in the NBA's concussion protocol Sunday as the San Antonio Spurs prepared for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, with the 23-year-old superstar's availability still uncertain after a scary face-first fall in Game 2 that has disrupted San Antonio's postseason plans.

MIAMI — As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws near, the eternal debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo reaches its climax. The two icons, both chasing a record sixth appearance, stand on opposite ends of the contention spectrum: Messi with defending champions Argentina viewed as top contenders, and Ronaldo with talented but less favored Portugal seeking its first title at age 41.

LOS ANGELES — As the 2026 NBA playoffs intensify, two generational superstars sit sidelined with significant injuries, forcing their teams to adapt on the fly. Luka Doncic's Grade 2 hamstring strain with the Los Angeles Lakers and Victor Wembanyama's concussion with the San Antonio Spurs raise the same urgent question: Whose absence is more damaging to their squad's postseason hopes?

LONDON — With just hours until the gun fires on Sunday, April 26, 2026, the 46th TCS London Marathon promises to be one of the largest and most spectacular editions yet, featuring a record-shattering field of more than 59,000 runners, elite athletes chasing world-class times on a famously fast course, and millions raised for charity across the globe.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama is progressing well through the NBA's concussion protocol and remains on track for a full recovery, though he is not yet cleared for Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers, leaving open the possibility that the 22-year-old phenom could still lead the San Antonio Spurs on a deep 2026 playoff run and potentially their first championship since 2014.

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee delivered one of the most memorable moments of the young 2026 MLB season Friday, crushing a majestic home run that splashed into McCovey Cove during a game against the Miami Marlins, sending fans into a frenzy and quickly going viral across baseball highlight reels.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic has not fully recovered from his Grade 2 left hamstring strain and remains sidelined indefinitely, with the Los Angeles Lakers not expecting their superstar to return during the first round of the 2026 playoffs against the Houston Rockets, though he has begun progressing toward on-court activity.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama is not fully recovered from his concussion and remains in the NBA's concussion protocol, keeping his status questionable for Friday night's Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers despite traveling with the San Antonio Spurs to Oregon.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama remains in the NBA's concussion protocol and is listed as questionable for Friday's Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers, though the Spurs phenom traveled with the team to Portland as he continues progressing through league-mandated steps following a scary head injury in Game 2.

HOUSTON — Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history Thursday with a three-year, $150 million contract extension, then opened his news conference with a heartfelt prayer giving all glory to Jesus Christ and emphasizing that the massive payday was never about the money.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama remains in the NBA's concussion protocol but traveled with the San Antonio Spurs to Portland on Thursday as the team prepares for Game 3 of its first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers, leaving his status for Friday night's contest officially listed as questionable.

LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, but the Los Angeles Lakers received a modest positive update Thursday as the superstar edges closer to on-court activity without a firm return timeline for the ongoing first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's availability for Game 3 of the San Antonio Spurs' first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers hangs in the balance as the 22-year-old phenom continues progressing through the NBA's concussion protocol following a hard fall in Game 2.

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft opened with a bang Thursday night at Acrisure Stadium as the Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, kicking off a first round heavy on skill-position talent and defensive playmakers.

PITTSBURGH — As the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway Thursday night in Pittsburgh, all eyes are on a loaded class filled with franchise quarterbacks, shutdown cornerbacks, dominant edge rushers and versatile offensive weapons. With the Las Vegas Raiders holding the No. 1 overall pick, this year's talent pool could reshape multiple franchises for years to come.

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night from Pittsburgh's iconic North Shore, and football fans across the country have multiple ways to watch all three days of the event live on television and streaming platforms.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama has started light training and individual on-court work as he progresses through the NBA's concussion protocol, offering cautious optimism for the San Antonio Spurs as they navigate their first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers without their franchise cornerstone.

RIYADH — Cristiano Ronaldo delivered another memorable performance as Al Nassr advanced to the Asian Champions League Two final with a hard-fought victory in the semifinals on Wednesday, keeping alive the Portuguese superstar's quest for a major trophy in Saudi Arabia.

PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday night with Round 1 starting at **8 p.m. ET** on April 23, as the league brings its marquee event to Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948 in a highly anticipated three-day spectacle at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has emerged as the overwhelming frontrunner to win the 2026 NBA Most Valuable Player award, with the three finalists now confirmed as Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's latest injury — a diagnosed concussion suffered in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers — has renewed scrutiny of the 22-year-old superstar's injury history and raised questions about his long-term durability as he navigates the physical demands of the NBA.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker unleashed rare public criticism of NBA officiating Wednesday night, calling the work of crew chief James Williams "terrible through and through" and warning that inconsistent calls are harming the league's credibility and turning games into entertainment resembling professional wrestling.

SAN FRANCISCO — Patrick Bailey delivered the decisive blow with a three-run home run in the seventh inning, lifting the San Francisco Giants to a 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night at Oracle Park and handing the two-time defending World Series champions their fourth loss in five games.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts is not yet fully recovered from a right oblique strain suffered in early April, with the 33-year-old still in the early stages of baseball-specific activities and facing an uncertain timeline that could keep him sidelined well into May or longer.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama has officially been diagnosed with a concussion following a frightening face-first fall in Game 2 of the San Antonio Spurs' first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, with further testing on Wednesday yielding no immediate clearance and raising serious doubts about his availability for the remainder of the series.

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic remains sidelined with a grade 2 left hamstring strain, and the team is not expecting the Slovenian sensation to return during its first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, dealing a significant blow to championship aspirations in the 2026 NBA postseason.

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama's frightening face-first fall in the second quarter of Game 2 has left the San Antonio Spurs without their franchise cornerstone and raised serious questions about how a concussion will impact the towering 7-foot-4 phenom's play if and when he returns in the 2026 NBA playoffs.

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion after a frightening fall in Game 2 of the team's first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers, thrusting the 22-year-old phenom into the NBA's strict concussion protocol and raising questions about his availability for the remainder of the postseason.