The Dallas Mavericks have mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Jason Kidd on Tuesday following a five-year tenure in Texas.
The outgoing coach leaves the franchise despite having four years and more than $40m remaining on his current contract.
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont gave newly appointed president Masai Ujiri full authorization to determine the coaching future upon his recent arrival.
Search for new direction
“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Ujiri said in a statement.
“We will conduct a thorough, disciplined search for our next head coach and continue to evaluate our entire basketball operations staff to ensure we compete at the standard Mavs fans expect and deserve.”
The former point guard had previously expressed a desire to transition into the front office following the dismissal of general manager Nico Harrison in November.
However, ownership informed the Hall of Fame player months ago that he would not be considered for the president of basketball operations vacancy.
Doncic departure and decline
During his half-decade at the helm, the 52-year-old guided Dallas to a 205-205 regular-season record and 22 post-season victories.
His tenure peaked with a run to the 2024 NBA Finals, but the organisation made a shocking pivot shortly after by trading franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The controversial February 2025 exchange brought Anthony Davis to Dallas, but the move ultimately proved disastrous and contributed to Harrison’s exit.
Rebuilding phase ahead
Minority owner Mark Cuban recently claimed the coaching staff were directly involved in the decision to move Doncic, although these allegations were strongly denied.
The Slovenian superstar was the undeniable driving force behind the team’s success, with Dallas boasting a 136-87 record when he featured in the lineup.
Without their talisman, the Mavericks struggled immensely, culminating in a dismal 26-56 record last season.
The oft-injured Davis was subsequently traded to the Washington Wizards at the deadline to create financial flexibility for an impending rebuild.
Enzo Fernandez scored and assisted as Chelsea secured a 2-1 Premier League victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in their final match at Stamford Bridge this season.
Calum McFarlane earned his first home victory as manager to ease the nerves in west London.
The Argentine midfielder opened the scoring before setting up Andrey Santos for a decisive second goal.
Richarlison struck late for the visitors to create a tense finish.
However, the Blues held firm to claim all three points against their cross-city adversaries.
Fernandez leads by example
The on-field captain delivered a talismanic performance to drive his team forward.
His composure and vision were crucial in unlocking a stubborn visiting defence.
Moises Caicedo provided a relentless engine alongside him in the middle of the park.
The Ecuadorian disrupted opposition attacks and distributed possession effectively throughout the contest.
Santos seizes his opportunity
Brazilian youngster Santos capitalised on a rare starting berth after struggling for recent minutes.
He covered extensive ground before applying a confident finish to double the advantage.
Jorrel Hato also proved instrumental with a spectacular late block to deny Conor Gallagher.
The young defender preserved the lead just moments after nearly turning the ball into his own net.
Late scare at Stamford Bridge
Marc Cucurella had operated as a dangerous attacking outlet during the opening period.
Unfortunately, a poor header from the Spanish full-back invited the opposition back into the match.
Richarlison pounced from close range past Robert Sanchez, who otherwise enjoyed a quiet evening.
Despite the late concession, a youthful defensive line featuring Josh Acheampong saw out the dying moments successfully.
The Vancouver Canucks have fired head coach Adam Foote and his three assistants following a dismal campaign that saw them finish with the worst record in the NHL.
New general manager Ryan Johnson initiated the comprehensive coaching change just five days after formally taking charge of the struggling Canadian franchise.
Assistant coaches Scott Young, Kevin Dean and Brett McLean were also relieved of their duties as part of a sweeping organisational overhaul.
The 54-year-old former Colorado Avalanche defenceman departs after compiling a severely underwhelming 25-49-8 record during his solitary campaign at the helm.
Rebuilding phase prompts leadership change
Johnson acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding the outgoing staff but insisted that a fresh perspective is entirely necessary for the team’s impending rebuild.
“It was a challenging year on several fronts and truthfully, Adam and his staff were dealt a very difficult hand,” Johnson stated.
“That said, as we head into a rebuild, our group feels new coaching voices are needed to chart the path forward.”
The two-time Stanley Cup winner was initially promoted to the top job by former general manager Patrik Allvin after serving as an assistant under Rick Tocchet.
There was widespread speculation that his initial appointment was designed to appease star defenceman Quinn Hughes, though the highly rated American was ultimately traded to the Minnesota Wild in December.
Internal candidate emerges as early favourite
The process to identify a permanent replacement begins immediately, with Abbotsford Canucks boss Manny Malhotra emerging as a leading internal candidate.
The 46-year-old recently guided Vancouver’s top minor league affiliate to a Calder Cup victory while working closely alongside Johnson in the American Hockey League.
This latest shake-up concludes a dramatic week of restructuring for the Pacific Division club.
Hockey Hall of Famers Daniel and Henrik Sedin have assumed co-president roles, while former president Jim Rutherford has transitioned into a senior advisory position.
Benjamin Sesko has revealed the details behind his recent transfer to Manchester United and his ambition to win major trophies under manager Michael Carrick.
The Slovenian international recently sat down for an exclusive interview at Carrington to discuss his early adaptation to life in the Premier League.
Following his high-profile move, the forward opened up about the immense pressure that comes with leading the line at Old Trafford.
He has already begun to settle his nerves by scoring his first goal for the club, easing his transition into English football.
Embracing the Old Trafford pressure
The former RB Leipzig striker detailed exactly what it feels like to step out onto the pitch wearing the famous red shirt.
He firmly believes the current squad possesses the quality required to challenge for the biggest honours in domestic and European competitions.
A key focus for the towering attacker has been building strong relationships with his new offensive team-mates both on and off the training pitch.
He also cited the lasting influence of former United frontman Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his own development as a formidable target man.
Carrick and European ambitions
Working closely with head coach Michael Carrick has been a significant factor in integrating the new signing into the tactical setup.
The dressing room is reportedly full of high expectations as the team prepares to make their long-awaited return to elite European competition next season.
With his first goal already secured, the lightning-fast goalscorer looks primed to play a vital role in restoring the club to its former glory.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been ordered to immediately serve 30 days in a Texas jail after a positive marijuana test violated his probation terms.
The 24-year-old was booked into a Dallas County facility on Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled for release on 16 June.
This timeline means the pass-catcher will miss organised team activities and mandatory minicamp for the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Kansas City franchise has declined to comment on the ongoing legal situation.
High-speed crash consequences
The original probation sentence stems from a severe multi-vehicle collision on a Dallas highway in March 2024.
Authorities determined the former SMU standout was driving a Lamborghini SUV at 119 mph when he caused the major accident.
Alongside his college teammate Theodore Knox, who was driving a Corvette, the group fled the crash scene on foot without checking on the injured victims.
Legal and professional repercussions
In July, the American football star pleaded guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway.
He received deferred adjudication, which would have seen the case dismissed upon successful completion of his five-year probation period.
The NFL previously suspended the receiver for six games last season under the league’s personal conduct policy.
Knox also pleaded guilty and received an identical criminal sentence, while the broader legal process continues with another trial scheduled for 9 June.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi struck a blistering 93 off 38 balls to lead the Rajasthan Royals to a crucial Indian Premier League victory over the Lucknow Super Giants.
The Indian wonderkid smashed 10 sixes during a staggering innings that moves him back to the top of the tournament’s run-scoring charts.
A remarkable 88 of his 93 runs came from boundaries as he completely dominated the already-eliminated Super Giants bowling attack.
He appeared certain to register his second century of the campaign before mistiming a shot off Mohsin Khan straight to Abdul Samad in the deep.
India A selection follows white-ball omission
Earlier in the day, India selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the teenager’s omission from the national team’s one-day squad to face Afghanistan next month.
Despite growing calls for the prodigy to join the senior white-ball sides, he has instead been named in an India A squad to tour Sri Lanka after the franchise tournament concludes.
“We picked him for the India A team because he is young and immensely promising,” said Agarkar.
“The idea is to give these youngsters exposure. Yashasvi Jaiswal is already part of the ODI set-up as well. As impressive as he has been, there are others who have performed strongly too.”
“We are very excited about him and hopefully he can showcase his talent when he travels with the A team.”
Royals edge closer to knockout stages
The Royals’ scoring rate dropped significantly once the dynamic opener departed, but Dhruv Jurel stepped up with an unbeaten 53 off 38 deliveries to secure the win.
This vital victory elevates the franchise into fourth place in the league table.
It guarantees that a win against the Mumbai Indians in their final group match will seal their spot in the coveted knockout stages.
Marsh fireworks in vain for Super Giants
Earlier in the contest, Mitchell Marsh crunched 96 off 57 balls to continue his rich vein of form for the visitors.
The Australian all-rounder put on a commanding 109-run partnership for the first wicket alongside compatriot Josh Inglis, who contributed a rapid 60.
England fast bowler Jofra Archer proved to be the pick of the hosts’ attack, finishing with figures of 1-39 and executing a crucial run-out to dismiss Rishabh Pant.
NFL team owners have voted to award Super Bowl LXIV to Nashville, with the 2030 championship game taking place at the Tennessee Titans’ new $2.1bn enclosed stadium.
The decision was confirmed on Tuesday following a league ballot, bringing the showpiece event to Music City for the very first time.
Construction on the state-of-the-art venue began in February 2024 and is scheduled for completion ahead of the 2027 season.
This timeline grants the local franchise three full campaigns to settle into their new home before hosting the global sporting spectacle.
Goodell praises Music City readiness
The destination has long been viewed as a strong contender to host the league’s premier fixture.
A highly successful staging of the 2019 draft process previously demonstrated the region’s capacity for accommodating major events.
“Nashville lacked only the stage.”
Those were the words of commissioner Roger Goodell in November, hinting heavily at Tuesday’s eventual announcement.
Capacity concerns regarding the existing open-air ground were swiftly addressed in prior discussions with league officials.
Future hosts and recent history
The Tennessee venue joins an impressive roster of upcoming championship locations across the United States.
SoFi Stadium in California will host the grand finale in 2027, followed by Atlanta in 2028 and Las Vegas in 2029.
Meanwhile, the league also revealed Minnesota and Washington will host the annual player draft in 2028 and 2027 respectively.
This follows a remarkably successful draft event in Pittsburgh this past April, which drew a record-breaking crowd of 805,000 fans.
The awarding of the 2030 showpiece follows a dramatic 2026 Super Bowl held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
The Seattle Seahawks claimed a 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in that matchup, avenging their previous heartbreak against the same opponents in 2015.
That game also featured a historic, Spanish-language halftime performance by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny.
Southampton have been sensationally expelled from the Championship play-offs after an analyst was caught spying on Middlesbrough’s training sessions ahead of their semi-final tie.
The English Football League has also handed the south coast club a four-point deduction to be served during the 2026-27 season.
Following the unprecedented ruling, the Teesside outfit have been reinstated into the promotion bracket after initially losing the semi-final matchup.
The reinstated side will now face Hull City in Saturday’s Wembley showpiece for a lucrative spot in the Premier League.
Rockliffe Park espionage operation
The illicit activity took place on the morning of Thursday, 7 May at Boro’s Rockliffe Park training base.
A tactical analyst employed by the Saints reportedly parked at an adjacent golf club before taking up a vantage point overlooking the pitches.
BBC sources indicate the accused was filming the session on his mobile phone while wearing in-ear headphones.
Staff members believe the individual may have been live-streaming the crucial tactical preparations via a video call.
Confrontation and speedy escape
When approached by a member of the home staff, the disguised observer outright refused to identify himself.
He was witnessed hastily deleting content from his device before fleeing back towards the golf club facilities.
The analyst then sought refuge in public toilets, changed his clothing, and abruptly left the premises.
However, the home team’s photographer captured images of the suspect, which were quickly cross-referenced and matched with a staff profile on the official Southampton website.
Regulatory breaches and final reshuffle
Furious officials immediately reported the blatant sporting violation to the governing body.
Consequently, the EFL charged the former Premier League side with breaching two core directives regarding sporting integrity.
These include Regulation 3.4 regarding good faith, alongside Regulation 127 which strictly prohibits observing opponent training within 72 hours of a scheduled fixture.
Saturday’s final under the Wembley arch will proceed as planned at 16:30 BST, with Hull City rapidly preparing for a radically altered opponent.