Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has confirmed he will no longer pursue an ownership stake in a potential NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas.

The 40-year-old had previously been highly vocal about his desire to bring a professional basketball organisation to Nevada.

However, the four-time NBA champion definitively ruled out the venture following his team’s 124-116 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

“No, I’m not. Not at all.”

James told reporters when asked about his potential involvement in joining a formal bidding group.

Board of governors vote looms

The NBA’s board of governors is scheduled to meet next week to officially vote on opening the expansion bidding process.

This highly anticipated upcoming vote is expected to pave the way for establishing new franchises in both Las Vegas and Seattle.

Industry executives anticipate that successful proposals for each new team could demand a staggering entry fee of between $7bn and $10bn.

A sudden change of heart

This definitive withdrawal marks a significant public reversal for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

During a 2022 episode of his digital talk show, the former Cleveland Cavaliers star emphatically stated his ownership ambitions.

“I want a team in Vegas. I want the team in Vegas.”

Despite those past declarations, the American superstar has now firmly closed the door on spearheading an ownership syndicate.

Instead, his immediate focus remains strictly on the court after delivering a 30-point performance to help secure a crucial away victory in Houston.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has backed drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to recover from a disastrous start to their 2026 Formula 1 campaign following consecutive race weekends ruined by reliability issues and crashes.

The reigning two-time constructors’ champions have endured a miserable title defence across the opening rounds in Australia and China.

World champion Norris secured a fifth-placed finish in Melbourne, which remains the Woking-based outfit’s only race classification so far this year.

His Australian team-mate crashed out before his home race began, while both cars later suffered electrical failures that prevented them from starting the Chinese Grand Prix.

Early deficit in the standings

Those severe reliability setbacks leave the British squad trailing a distant third behind early championship leaders Mercedes and Ferrari.

In the drivers’ standings, the reigning champion sits sixth on 15 points, while the 24-year-old from Melbourne languishes in 12th after collecting just three sprint points.

Despite the lack of track time and race finishes, Stella insists the mood inside the garage remains resilient.

“It is a tough moment, that’s for sure.”

The Italian engineer admitted that failing to start a single Grand Prix has been particularly difficult for the younger driver to process.

However, the team boss praised the positive attitude both men displayed during post-race debriefs in Shanghai.

Relying on a winning mindset

The papaya team have developed a strong internal culture since their dramatic turnaround during the 2023 season.

Stella believes this winner’s mindset allows the team to focus strictly on elements within their direct control.

“In this case in China, there wasn’t much we could have controlled, so we just take any possible learning and we go again.”

He pointed to the difficulties they overcame during their double championship-winning campaign last year as proof of their inherent resilience.

“The victory was in Qatar and in Vegas, for the way we withstood the difficulties. That’s where you really become a champion.”

The defending champions will aim to resurrect their season at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix in late March.

Real Madrid have eliminated Manchester City from the Champions League round of 16, continuing Pep Guardiola’s frustrations against the Spanish giants in Europe’s premier club competition.

The 15-time European Cup winners proved too strong for the reigning English champions across the two-legged tie.

City’s premature exit adds to a disappointing continental record under their Catalan manager.

Familiar foes haunt Guardiola

Despite widespread domestic dominance, the former Barcelona boss has secured just one Champions League title during his lengthy tenure in Manchester.

The Premier League heavyweights have now suffered repeated eliminations at the hands of the La Liga powerhouse in recent seasons.

Critics have suggested that the psychological weight of facing European royalty often forces unnecessary tactical adjustments from the City dugout.

During the opening exchanges of both legs, the English side dominated possession but failed to capitalise on their advantage.

Belgian winger Jérémy Doku created multiple openings, yet the decisive final ball was ultimately lacking.

At the other end of the pitch, veteran goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a resilient performance to keep the English attackers at bay.

“It’s hard to avoid the feeling that Madrid get into Guardiola’s head every single time, forcing him to overthink his tactics and team selection even more than usual.” European football analyst Alex Kirkland

Heavyweights cruise into quarter-finals

Elsewhere in the tournament, Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Barcelona all comfortably navigated their respective ties.

The Gunners will now consider themselves among the strong favourites to reach the final in Budapest on 30 May.

Paris Saint-Germain delivered a footballing lesson to Chelsea, abruptly ending the London club’s European campaign.

Meanwhile, Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale run in the competition was ruthlessly halted by Portuguese outfit Sporting CP.

Lionel Messi has become only the second player in football history to reach 900 career goals, scoring for Inter Miami during their Concacaf Champions Cup tie against Nashville SC on Wednesday.

The historic milestone arrived just seven minutes into the last-16 second leg at Geodis Park in Tennessee.

It adds another astonishing chapter to a glittering career that has fundamentally redefined the modern game.

Record-breaking numbers in America and Europe

Since arriving in the United States in June 2023, the veteran playmaker has netted 81 times in 92 appearances for the Florida franchise.

His remarkable strike rate helped David Beckham’s co-owned side secure both the League Cup and MLS Cup.

Prior to his transatlantic move, the legendary forward cemented his status as a footballing icon during a 17-year spell with Barcelona.

He registered a staggering 672 goals in 778 matches for the Catalan giants, lifting four Champions League trophies and 10 La Liga titles.

How the Argentine maestro reached the milestone

A brief two-season stint with Paris St-Germain yielded an additional 32 goals while playing alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

On the international stage, the talismanic captain has earned 196 caps and scored 115 times for Argentina, famously leading them to World Cup glory in Qatar.

Data from Opta reveals the sheer variety behind his astonishing 900-goal haul.

Joining an exclusive club of goalscorers

Sevilla remains his most punished opponent, conceding 25 times to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Athletic Club, Atletico Madrid, Valencia, and Real Madrid also feature prominently among his favourite victims.

Reaching the 900-goal threshold puts him in highly exclusive company alongside his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese superstar reached the same landmark in September 2024 during an international fixture against Croatia.

Ronaldo has since extended his career tally to 959 goals for club and country, keeping the ultimate scoring record fiercely contested.

Blackstone Valley Co-op have won the Rhode Island Division 2 hockey championship just weeks after a deadly mass shooting at their home arena, with grieving captain Colin Dorgan inspiring a dramatic 3-2 quadruple-overtime victory against Lincoln.

The number five seeds captured the emotional state title at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence on Wednesday.

Jaxon Boyes delivered the decisive game-winning strike deep into a fourth period of overtime to trigger wild celebrations among the supporters.

Captain inspires emotional turnaround

At the very centre of this extraordinary playoff run stood the team’s senior captain.

Dorgan lost his mother, brother, and grandfather when a targeted mass shooting erupted in the stands during a Senior Day game on 16 February.

Authorities confirmed that Robert Dorgan was the shooter responsible for the tragic attack at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena before taking his own life.

Despite the unimaginable grief, the brave teenager repeatedly laced up his skates to lead his teammates through the postseason.

Dramatic late equaliser forces overtime

With his side trailing in the final minute of regulation time, the resilient forward scored from a crucial deflection to tie the game with just 30 seconds remaining.

His late heroics followed a stunning double-overtime winning goal in the semi-finals last week.

Wearing a custom heart patch bearing the initials of his late family members, the inspiring youngster spoke movingly about his return to the ice.

“Throughout all of the playoffs, even this game and the overtimes, I truly felt it in my heart and my soul that they’re still with me.”
“I love them so much.”

Community healing through hockey

Head coach Chris Librizzi carefully guided his traumatised squad through the immediate aftermath of the horrific incident.

The retired firefighter, who boasts over three decades of coaching experience, arranged 10 days of vital counselling sessions for the deeply rattled community.

Every single player ultimately chose to return to the sport despite being offered the option to sit out the remainder of the campaign.

Unified squad completes fairytale ending

The veteran manager revealed the gentle approach he took when checking on his grieving captain before the playoffs began.

“I sent Colin a text saying, ‘Bud, playoffs are this Friday night, it’s your call’.”

That difficult decision to return ultimately culminated in a profoundly cathartic championship victory for the entire Rhode Island community.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht insists he does not feel betrayed by Mike Evans’ departure to the San Francisco 49ers, stating the veteran wide receiver earned the right to choose his next destination.

The franchise’s all-time scoring leader agreed a three-year deal worth $42.5m (£33.4m) with San Francisco last week.

Evans had previously expressed a strong desire to remain a Buccaneer for his entire career.

However, the highly sought-after offensive weapon ultimately opted for a fresh challenge despite receiving a more lucrative financial offer to stay in Tampa.

A difficult departure

Licht, who made the formidable pass-catcher his very first draft pick back in 2014, addressed the media regarding the exit on Wednesday.

“Mike gave us everything he had for his 12 seasons here and established himself as one of the best players in the league.”

Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager

The Buccaneers executive reiterated that he harboured no ill will towards the departing legend.

“I don’t feel betrayed. He earned the right. He earned the right to make this decision.”

The five-time Pro Bowler was instrumental in securing the Vince Lombardi Trophy for his former employers at Super Bowl LV.

Financial terms not the deciding factor

Licht revealed that the Buccaneers presented a significantly higher opening proposal than the contract ultimately accepted by their former star.

Representatives for the new Niners recruit quickly moved to clarify that his decision was not motivated by monetary gain.

During his introductory press conference in California, the record-breaking receiver echoed those exact sentiments.

“The money was not the biggest factor for me. It was just football and something that I can be excited about.”

Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver

The Super Bowl champion added that relocating to the West Coast felt like it was providing him with a vital second wind for the latter stages of his playing days.

Nottingham Forest manager Pereira has urged his squad to show complete unity as they attempt to overturn a 1-0 deficit against FC Midtjylland in their Europa League last-16 second leg on Wednesday.

The Premier League side arrived at the MCH Arena knowing their European campaign hangs firmly in the balance.

Following a frustrating first-leg defeat, the visitors must produce a flawless performance in Denmark to secure quarter-final qualification.

Crucial test in Scandinavia

The Danish Superliga outfit hold a slender, yet crucial, one-goal advantage heading into this decisive encounter.

Facing a fiercely passionate home crowd, the two-time European Cup winners will need to heavily rely on their extensive continental pedigree.

“We must stand together and fight for every single ball if we are to turn this tie around.”

Pereira emphasised the absolute importance of collective resilience during his final pre-match media duties.

Tactical adjustments required

Overcoming the disciplined home defence will require a significantly more potent attacking display than was witnessed in the reverse fixture.

The English club’s coaching staff are widely expected to deploy a highly aggressive tactical setup from the very first whistle.

Progression to the final eight of the tournament would mark a monumental achievement for the travelling contingent.

The Philadelphia Eagles have acquired veteran quarterback Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round draft pick.

The 38-year-old will relocate to Pennsylvania to join an offensive unit led by established starter Jalen Hurts.

His arrival provides highly experienced cover for the NFC East franchise, who also feature Tanner McKee on their current depth chart.

Panthers reshape quarterback room

Carolina opted to move on from the seasoned professional after securing the services of Kenny Pickett just last week.

Pickett was specifically brought in to serve as the primary backup to starting signal-caller Bryce Young, a move that ultimately made the 15-year veteran expendable.

A proven track record

During the previous campaign, the experienced playmaker made four regular-season appearances and one start while stepping in for an injured Young.

In those outings, he successfully completed 67.6% of his pass attempts for 293 yards, registering one touchdown and a single interception.

Across his extensive career in the National Football League, the veteran has amassed 39,793 passing yards alongside 254 touchdowns and 151 interceptions.