Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg all business as he makes his professional debut at NBA Summer League
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg made his professional debut Thursday night in the NBA Summer League and celebrated an 87-85 win over Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Flagg finished with 10 points on 5-for-21 shooting, including 0 for 5 from 3-point range. He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. Though Flagg struggled at times to find his groove, there were flashes as to why he was chosen No. 1 overall last month, doing plenty of little things that helped the Mavericks seal the win, including a key block near the end of the game. Flagg swatted DJ Steward’s attempt with 1:10 left in the game, and Ryan Nembhard made a 3-pointer at the other end to give Dallas the 87-85 lead.
Amanda Anisimova upsets No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon and faces Iga Swiatek in the final
LONDON (AP) — Amanda Anisimova has upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Wimbledon and will face Iga Swiatek in the final. Swiatek has won five Grand Slam titles elsewhere but earned her first berth in a final at the All England Club by overwhelming Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals Thursday. Anisimova reached the first major final of her career a little more than two years after taking a break from tennis because of burnout. The 13th-seeded American lost in the semifinals at the 2019 French Open at age 17. She took time off from the tour in May 2023.
Athletics’ Brent Rooker and Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. join Home Run Derby lineup
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Brent Rooker and Jazz Chisholm Jr. have joined the lineup for Monday night’s All-Star Home Run Derby in Atlanta. Rooker, representing the Athletics, says he won’t change his usual approach at the plate. This marks the first time an A’s player has participated since 2021. Rooker has hit 58 home runs since 2024, third among American League players. His former youth coach, Joe Caruso, will pitch to him during the event. Chisholm, a Yankees infielder, is making his Derby debut. Other participants include Ronald Acuña Jr., Byron Buxton, Junior Caminero, Oneil Cruz, Cal Raleigh and James Wood.
The new college sports agency is rejecting some athlete NIL deals with donor-backed collectives
A new college sports agency has rejected certain NIL deals involving donor-backed collectives. These collectives, formed to funnel money to athletes or schools, fail to meet NCAA rules requiring deals to serve a valid business purpose. A letter sent to Division I athletic directors explained that deals solely raising funds for athletes, like selling merchandise or hosting events, do not qualify. Since July, schools can now pay players directly under the $2.8 billion House settlement. Meanwhile, collectives tied to schools like Georgia and Alabama are shutting down. Over 1,500 deals have been approved through NIL Go, a clearinghouse launched in June.
Jake Knapp shares Scottish Open lead with 64 as McIlroy shakes off rust and salvages 68
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland (AP) — Jake Knapp is loving his taste of links golf. Now he’d like to make sure he stays for more than one week. He opened with a 64 in the Scottish Open to share the lead with Sepp Straka, Nico Echavarria and Victor Perez. Scottie Scheffler was at 67 while Rory McIlroy finished with three straight birdies to salvage a 68. Knapp is not yet in the British Open at Royal Portrush next week. The leading three players from the Scottish Open not already in the field will earn exemptions. Knapp says he’d love nothing more than to delay his trip home.
Olympic champ Semenya did not get a fair hearing in sex eligibility case, human rights court rules
GENEVA (AP) — Two-time Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya has won a partial victory at the European Court of Human Rights in her seven-year legal fight against track and field’s sex eligibility rules. The court’s 17-judge highest chamber says Semenya had her rights to a fair hearing violated at Switzerland’s Supreme Court where she had appealed against a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in favor of track and field’s World Athletics. Her case should now go back to the Swiss federal court in Lausanne. Europe’s top human rights court in Strasbourg, France, dismissed other aspects of Semenya’s appeal.
English golfer Charley Hull withdraws from Evian Championship with illness after collapsing
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — English golfer Charley Hull withdrew from the first round of the Evian Championship on Thursday after collapsing to the ground twice because of a virus. Organizers say Hull felt unwell on the fourth tee and received medical attention after collapsing. She then got up and hit her tee shot before going to the ground again. Organizers said Hull underwent medical checks that showed she had a virus but was otherwise OK. Hull had started on the back nine and was 1-under par after 12 holes. She was taken off on a stretcher by a golf buggy at Evian Resort Golf Club, which is hosting the fourth women’s major of the year.
Jacob deGrom is vintage again, now an All-Star ace in Texas after several injury-filled seasons
Jacob deGrom is an All-Star ace again after several injury-filled seasons. This is his fifth All-Star nod, his first for the Texas Rangers and in the American League. DeGrom says it’s a little bit of validation after coming back from his second Tommy John surgery. The lanky right-hander is 9-2 with a 2.29 ERA this season in 18 starts, twice as many as he had combined the past two seasons after joining the Rangers. It is already the most starts for deGrom since 2019, when he won his second National League Cy Young Award in a row while pitching for the New York Mets.
Red Bull signals it will keep up title fight after Horner was fired. It faces many other challenges
Red Bull has pledged not give up on the Formula 1 title fight until it’s mathematically impossible for Max Verstappen to win, even after Christian Horner was fired as team principal. Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko dismissed suggestions Thursday that the move might mark a shift of focus to 2026. Turning around a disappointing season is just one of many urgent demands facing new team principal Laurent Mekies. He has to sort out Max Verstappen’s contract situation, decide his struggling teammate Yuki Tsunoda’s future and deal with sweeping rule changes for 2026.