The Sacramento Kings have waived six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, allowing the veteran guard to enter NBA free agency.
DeRozan and the California franchise mutually agreed to his release on Monday to facilitate a move to a new home.
The veteran possessed a partial guarantee on his contract for the upcoming season prior to his departure.
Multiple championship contenders are now expected to express significant interest in securing his services on the open market.
Consistent scoring and remarkable durability
Despite entering the twilight of his career, the former Chicago Bulls star remains one of the league’s most reliable offensive threats.
He averaged 18.4 points on nearly 50% shooting during his 17th professional campaign.
The guard has also maintained an exceptional record of physical durability throughout his time in the sport.
He missed just five games this past season, continuing a remarkable streak of making at least 70 appearances in each of the last five years.
Brief stint in Sacramento concludes
Sacramento originally acquired the three-time All-NBA selection in a trade during the summer of 2024.
The Kings later paired him with his former teammate Zach LaVine at the 2025 trade deadline, attempting to recreate their previous chemistry.
However, the franchise has now chosen to move in a different direction, releasing a prolific scorer to navigate the open market.
The incoming 37-year-old currently sits within the top 25 all-time career scorers in basketball history.
Before this recent campaign, he had famously engineered a 12-year streak of averaging at least 20 points per season.
France captain Kylian Mbappe has fiercely condemned Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla for directing “brazen racism” towards him following his nation’s World Cup victory over the South Americans.
The Real Madrid forward scored the decisive penalty during a fractious 1-0 win against Paraguay.
Tensions boiled over at full-time when the striker reportedly refused a handshake from opposition goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
Instead, the 27-year-old chose to celebrate his team’s progression, prompting a severe reaction from Amarilla on social media.
‘Despicable’ online attacks
Amarilla launched a highly offensive tirade on X, formerly Twitter, comparing the French international’s upbringing to a chimpanzee and stating he “sucked coconuts” instead of milk.
The politician also suggested that Gill should have made an obscene gesture at the victorious forward.
She then escalated her abuse on Instagram with further derogatory remarks.
Amarilla described the World Cup winner as “Cameroonian, colonised” and complained that a Paraguayan player did not physically assault him after the final whistle.
Mbappe’s firm rebuke
The prolific attacker quickly issued a powerful response on his own social media channels to denounce the politician’s actions.
He labelled the senator as an incompetent and despicable woman whose behaviour gave the worst possible image of her country.
“You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honor throughout the competition,”
Mbappe wrote on X.
“Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished during this World Cup.”
The global superstar concluded his statement by vowing to never allow people like Amarilla the freedom to spread hatred across the world.
Context on the pitch
The French talisman has been in imperious form this summer, netting seven goals in just five tournament appearances.
His latest decisive strike came against a resilient Paraguayan side who frequently resorted to underhanded tactics and reckless challenges.
Despite repeated attempts at provocation from his opponents throughout the knockout tie, the forward maintained his discipline to secure a vital victory for Les Bleus.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has officially completed his blockbuster trade to the Miami Heat, ending a historic 13-year tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Greek forward confirmed his departure in an emotional social media video released on Monday afternoon.
Speaking in a sit-down interview with veteran Bucks broadcaster Jim Paschke, the 2021 Finals MVP expressed his deep affection for the city that drafted him.
“I hope bringing a trophy to this city meant something to them because it meant so much to me,” Antetokounmpo said.
“I want you to hear it from my mouth: The city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart.”
A franchise-altering deal
Milwaukee agreed to send their talisman and forward Bobby Portis to Florida last month in exchange for a massive haul of players and draft assets.
The Heat parted ways with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr and Kasparas Jakučionis to secure the two-time regular-season MVP.
This comprehensive package also included multiple future first-round picks, a pick swap, a second-round pick, and the number 13 selection in the 2026 NBA draft.
That valuable 2026 selection has already been utilised by the Bucks to draft highly-rated forward Nate Ament.
Leaving a historic legacy behind
The eight-time All-Star departs Wisconsin as the undisputed statistical king of the franchise.
He currently stands as Milwaukee’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, minutes played, and triple-doubles.
“I believe the city of Milwaukee is blue collar,” the former first-round pick explained during his farewell video.
“It’s people that work extremely hard every single day, and give all their hard-earned money to come watch the Milwaukee Bucks.”
Bucks bid farewell to a generational talent
The Bucks organisation released a formal statement on Monday to thank their departing superstar for delivering the 2021 NBA championship and transforming the team’s fortunes.
“Since we drafted him in 2013, Giannis has transformed the Milwaukee Bucks in every way — on the court, in our locker room and throughout the community,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst stated.
“Over 13 seasons, he became an extraordinary leader, teammate and representative of this city, and one of the defining players of his generation.”
Horst acknowledged that authorising the departure of their franchise cornerstone was an incredibly difficult decision, though ultimately made with the long-term future of the team in mind.
The heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua could take place at Wembley Stadium if London authorities agree to a later start time.
Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is organising the all-British showdown and aims to secure a broadcast schedule that caters to an international audience.
Alalshikh intends to hold formal talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan to obtain special permission for a delayed curfew in the capital.
Global audience dictates schedule
Staging major sporting events at the national stadium typically requires strict adherence to local noise and public transport regulations.
However, promoters are pushing for an exception to ensure the monumental fight reaches peak viewership across multiple time zones.
A delayed bell time would logically align the headline bout with lucrative prime-time broadcasting slots in the United States.
A long-awaited domestic showdown
Boxing fans have clamoured for a definitive meeting between the two renowned British heavyweights for several years.
The prospect of seeing the former Olympic gold medallist face off against the self-styled Gypsy King on home soil remains the ultimate draw for the sport.
If an agreement cannot be reached with city officials, organisers may be forced to explore alternative international venues for the historic contest.
Jasmine Paolini has ended Alexandra Eala’s historic Wimbledon campaign, defeating the trailblazing 21-year-old 6-4 4-6 6-3 in a thrilling fourth-round encounter on Centre Court.
The history-making Philippine international fell just short in a gruelling two-hour and 22-minute tussle against the experienced Italian.
Eala arrived at this stage following an epic straight-set victory over world number three Iga Swiatek, but struggled to replicate that momentum early on.
A costly break of serve in the deciding set left her trailing 5-3, before two unforced errors ultimately handed her opponent a place in the last eight.
A groundbreaking tournament
Despite the heartbreaking exit, the left-hander departs London having firmly established herself as a rising star of the grass-court season.
She made national history this week by becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a main-draw match at the Championships and reach the second week of a Grand Slam.
Her unprecedented success has sparked a sporting frenzy in her home country, with arenas packing out for watch parties to support their new tennis heroine.
The staggering impact of her run was reflected online, as highlights of her third-round triumph generated a tournament-leading 1.2 million views on the official Wimbledon platform.
Looking back with no regrets
Rather than showing devastation, the youthful trailblazer waved and blew kisses to an adoring crowd as she exited the sport’s most famous arena.
“I think it’s important that every match I played this week, and every match that I play, I go in with self-esteem and the thought that I’m able to win.”
“If I’m able to approach them with bravery, with a steady mind and with intensity, then I’m able to look back and feel no regret.”
The former finalist Paolini will now advance to the quarter-finals, having utilised her booming groundstrokes to overpower her younger opponent during the crucial final exchanges.
American Madison Keys has crashed out of Wimbledon following a straight-set defeat to ninth seed Linda Noskova, while Jasmine Paolini also advanced to the quarter-finals on Monday.
Noskova secured a 6-4 7-6 (2) victory over the American to reach her first ever quarter-final on the London grass.
The Czech rising star has now won 17 of her 21 matches on grass since the start of 2025, recording the most victories of any woman over that span.
Her impressive triumph snapped an eight-match winning streak for the 26th seed, who previously claimed her maiden major title at the Australian Open.
Paolini wins with Federer watching
Elsewhere at the All England Club, Italian 13th seed Jasmine Paolini ended the historic run of qualifier Alexandra Eala with a hard-fought 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory.
Eala had proudly become the first player from the Philippines to reach the second week of a Grand Slam tournament in the Open era.
Paolini produced the crucial victory while tennis legend Roger Federer watched intently from the prestigious Royal Box.
The 2024 Wimbledon runner-up admitted that playing in front of the eight-time men’s champion was an incredibly special experience.
“He’s my idol,” Paolini said of Federer.
“I was like during the match, ‘Please stay focused, stay focused, don’t think about he’s here.'”
Kostyuk sets up Paolini clash as seeds dominate
Paolini will next face Marta Kostyuk after the Ukrainian 12th seed dispatched Ashlyn Krueger 6-4 6-4.
The former competitive gymnast was asked if she would celebrate her latest victory with her signature backward somersault.
“I save it for the only moment I win my first Grand Slam,” Kostyuk joked after her victory.
In the bottom half of the draw, Elise Mertens booked a quarter-final clash with Noskova following a 6-4 6-4 win over Marie Bouzkova.
Historic all-American quarter-final awaits
With Keys and Krueger both eliminated, the remaining US hopes rest entirely on a Tuesday showdown between Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula.
Their highly anticipated clash will mark the first all-American ladies’ match at Wimbledon between top-10 seeds since Serena and Venus Williams contested the 2009 final.
Remarkably, this tournament represents the first time since 2007 that all eight women’s quarter-finalists are seeded players.
Furthermore, the bottom half of the draw guarantees a brand new champion will be crowned at SW19 for the 10th consecutive year.
Mexican tennis player Giuliana Olmos was forced into a swift apology after accidentally striking opponent Ulrikke Eikeri in the head during a women’s doubles match at Wimbledon on Sunday.
The incident occurred during a tense third set between Olmos and partner Ingrid Neel against Eikeri and American Quinn Gleason at the All England Club.
With Gleason serving in the second game, a baseline rally was unexpectedly intercepted at the net by the 33-year-old Mexican.
The powerful return struck a ducking Eikeri squarely on the head, prompting an audible gasp from the watching spectators.
Immediate concern and swift recovery
Realising the severity of the close-range impact, the former world number six instantly rushed forward to check on the Norwegian.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry.”
The 33-year-old from Oslo shrugged off the blow without issue, taking a quick drink before returning to the baseline within seconds.
While Eikeri and her American partner managed to secure that specific game, they ultimately fell short in the grueling three-set encounter.
Olmos and Neel advance to next round
The newly formed grass-court partnership of Olmos and Neel triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to book their place in the round of 16.
They followed up the dramatic victory by defeating third seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic in another hard-fought three-set contest on Monday.
The winning duo made their debut as a pairing at the Libema Open in June, where they successfully reached the final.
Olmos brings significant pedigree to the team, having claimed seven doubles titles on the WTA Tour and reaching a career-high ranking of sixth in the world last year.
Ruben Amorim has described becoming AC Milan head coach as a greater challenge than his previous role at Manchester United after arriving in Italy to sign a three-year contract.
The 41-year-old Portuguese manager addressed the media on Monday following his appointment as Massimiliano Allegri’s successor.
He was dismissed by the Premier League side in January following a difficult 14-month spell at Old Trafford.
Despite planning to take on a less demanding position, the former Sporting Lisbon boss admitted the lure of the Rossoneri was too strong to ignore.
“It’s a very big challenge that I accepted even if after the last one I told myself to accept a smaller one.”
“Perhaps it is a greater challenge than the last, but I’m proud to be here, we all are, me and my staff.”
Rebuilding after Old Trafford exit
The tactician managed just 25 victories from 63 matches in charge of the Red Devils before departing with the club sitting sixth in the English top flight.
His departure paved the way for Michael Carrick to assume control, eventually guiding the Manchester outfit to a third-place finish and elite European qualification.
Now, the newly appointed San Siro chief faces a significant rebuilding project in northern Italy.
The seven-time European champions missed out on Champions League football last season after finishing fifth in Serie A.
Winning mentality demanded at San Siro
A dismal end to their domestic campaign saw the Italian giants finish a massive 17 points behind city rivals and reigning champions Inter Milan.
Despite the daunting task ahead, the returning manager insists his focus is firmly fixed on delivering immediate success.
“I’m at Milan to win, if you’re Milan coach you have to have this mentality.”
“I’m not naive, I know there’s a lot of work to do, but if you’re the Milan coach you have to play to win.”
The new head coach will be joined in Italy by the same backroom team that accompanied him in England.
Assistants Carlos Fernandes, Emanuel Ferro, Adelio Candido and goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital have all signed on as part of his trusted coaching setup.