Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman has made history after completing his move to Spanish La Liga side Atlético Madrid from Atalanta.
With the transfer now completed, Lookman becomes only the second Nigerian player to feature for Atlético Madrid’s men’s team. The 28-year-old forward joins the Spanish giants following a €40 million deal, marking a major milestone in his career.
Atlético Madrid have had very limited Nigerian representation in their history. The first Nigerian to play for the club was Abass Lawal, who featured for Atlético B between 1997 and 2000 before going on to make appearances for the first team during the 2000–01 season.
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Since Lawal’s time at the club, no other Nigerian had played for Atlético Madrid’s senior team until Lookman’s arrival. His signing therefore places him in a very exclusive group and adds another chapter to the history of Nigerian footballers in Europe.
Lookman’s move highlights the continued rise of Nigerian talents at the highest level of European football. Having already built a strong reputation in Italy, he now carries the hopes of continuing that Nigerian legacy at Atlético Madrid.
This past weekend saw Fury make his return to the ring after not competing since his two defeats to Usyk in 2024, taking on imposing Russian Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Usyk himself has now weighed in on his former rival’s performance, telling The Ring that he thought it was a good victory for Fury.
“Tyson’s win is good. I watched the first six rounds. I remember maybe fourth/fifthround, Makhmudov punched Tyson and I say ‘be careful, woah woah Tyson hands up please.’ Congrats. Great. Good [come]back.”
Some fans have criticised Fury for being unable to stop Makhmudov inside the distance, and in a separate interview with The Stomping Ground, Usyk also admitted that he wanted to see that happen.
Tyson’s win is good. It’s a win. It’s not loss. Maybe a lot of people want Tyson to knock him out. Me too. 12 rounds. Tyson win. Congrats.”
Fury is now hoping to finally secure a showdown with long-term rival and countryman Anthony Joshua, with ‘AJ’ also having suffered two losses to Usyk earlier in his career.
Two-time green jacket winner, Rory McIlroy, is taking a well-deserved break after the Masters, so you won’t be able to target him when constructing a 2026 RBC Heritage parlay. However, any PGA picks or golf props can utilize several others who competed at Augusta, such as Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas or Shane Lowry. After his runner-up last week, Scheffler is the +390 favorite in the RBC Heritage 2026 odds, followed by Schauffele (+1500), Matt Fitzpatrick (+1600), Cameron Young (+1800) and Russell Henley (+1800). Four of the top five favorites this week finished in the top 10 at the Masters, with Fitzpatrick being the exception.
Meanwhile, Lowry recorded an ace at Augusta, and predicting a hole-in-one is an RBC Heritage pick that could go into your golf longshot parlay. Every player in the field has +10000 golf odds to notch an ace at Harbour Town Golf Links, and the four par-3s on the course give several chances to do so. Play begins at 7:05 a.m. ET on Thursday. Before making any 2026 RBC Heritage picks or golf parlays, you need to see this PGA Tour parlay from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June 2020.
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This same model has also nailed a whopping 17 majors entering the weekend, including the 2026 Masters — its fifth Masters in a row — as well as last year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its golf betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
Now that the 2026 RBC Heritage field is locked in, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times. It has locked in betting picks to form a golf parlay that pays out almost $90,000 for a $10 bettor. See the picks and full parlay by heading to SportsLine.
Top 2026 RBC Heritage parlay, PGA Tour picks
For the RBC Heritage 2026, one of the picks featured in the model’s PGA Tour parlay is Chris Gotterup Top 10 finish at +310. Gotterup has three top 10s this season, incudling a pair of victories, and he held his own in his first Masters appearance, notching a top 25 finish. He’ll compete at the RBC Heritage for the first time, but his strengths as a ball-striker should play well at this course.
Gotterup bombs off the tee, ranking fourth in driving distance, as his driver should eat up a course which is among the shortest on the PGA Tour at just over 7,200 yards. Overall, Gotterup ranks in the top 16 in strokes gained: total, SG: tee-to-green and SG: off-the-tee. With a sixth place finish in his last non-major, and with Gotterup ranking sixth in FedEx Cup standings, betting him to record a top 10 this week is a golf prediction worth making. See the rest of the PGA Tour parlay legs here.
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How to make PGA Tour parlay picks
The model has also picked an outright winner, plus a prop that returns well over +500 among its six PGA picks for the 2026 RBC Heritage parlay that pays almost $90,000 on just a $10 bet. You can only see the picks and the full parlay at SportsLine.
Liverpool have confirmed Hugo Ekitike has sustained a serious Achilles injury and will miss this summer’s World Cup with France.
The 23-year-old was injured during the first half of Tuesday night’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final second-leg defeat by Paris St Germain at Anfield and the full extent of the injury became clear on Wednesday.
France boss Didier Deschamps revealed Ekitike would have to sit out the World Cup and Liverpool have now revealed scans confirm a rupture of the Achilles tendon.
“Liverpool FC can confirm Hugo Ekitike has sustained a serious Achilles injury,” the Premier League club said in a statement on Thursday.
“The forward had to be substituted during the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain at Anfield after a slip on the turf.
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“Scans on the issue have subsequently confirmed a rupture of the Achilles tendon.
“Ekitike will therefore be sidelined for the remaining weeks of the club season and unable to participate at this summer’s World Cup with France.
“Further updates will be provided at the appropriate time, with Hugo receiving the full support of everyone at LFC.”
Ekitike, a £69million summer signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, was carried from the field on a stretcher, 31 minutes into Tuesday’s game.
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He has scored 17 goals in all competitions for Liverpool this season and become a firm favourite with Reds’ fans.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani pitched one-run ball over six innings and struck out 10, which he had not done since 2021, and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Mets 8-2 Wednesday night, sending New York to its seventh straight defeat.
Dalton Rushing, who replaced Ohtani as designated hitter, hit his first career grand slam off Mets closer Devin Williams in the eighth. Kyle Tucker added a two-out solo shot — his first at home as a Dodger — off Austin Warren, making it 8-1.
Ohtani (2-0) had tossed 33 consecutive innings without an earned run before MJ Melendez’s RBI double in the fifth trimmed New York’s deficit to 2-1. It was his first earned run allowed since Aug. 27 against Cincinnati.
Ohtani wasn’t in the batting lineup during a mound start for the first time since May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels. Manager Dave Roberts said it was because Ohtani was still sore after getting hit in the back of his right shoulder by Mets pitcher David Peterson on Monday.
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Ohtani’s strikeouts were a season high by a Dodgers pitcher. He twice fanned Francisco Lindor in a battle of All-Stars. The second time, Lindor laughed as Ohtani blew a 99 mph fastball past him on his 11th and last pitch to end the third. Ohtani smiled wryly.
Ohtani walked two on 95 pitches, 63 for strikes. He struck out the side in the sixth to end his outing. Ohtani had 22 swing and misses, his most with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers (14-4) swept the Mets at home for the first time since June 19-22, 2017. Along with sweeps of Arizona and Washington, the Dodgers are 9-0 against National League opponents this season.
The Dodgers led 2-0 on Hyeseong Kim’s two-run homer off Mets starter Clay Holmes (2-2) in the second. Teoscar Hernández added an opposite-field solo shot leading off the sixth against reliever Tobias Myers.
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The Mets managed five hits playing their 11th game without injured slugger Juan Soto (calf). They were outscored 14-4 in the series.
Melendez was the only Met with any success against Ohtani, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles after being called up from triple-A Wednesday.
The Dodgers improved to 18-4 on Jackie Robinson Day — best mark in the majors — since MLB first declared a special day in 2004 for the player who broke baseball’s colour barrier in 1947 with Brooklyn.
Mets RHP Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07 ERA) starts Friday against Chicago Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62). Also Friday, Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00) starts at Colorado against Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16).
The 2026 World Snooker Championship takes place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield from 18 April to 4 May – and you can watch every shot of the tournament live on the BBC.
Zhao Xintong, who became the first champion from China by beating Mark Williams in last year’s final, will get the 17-day tournament under way against qualifier Liam Highfield at 10:00 BST on Saturday.
Zhao is one of a record 11 players from China in the field of 32, beating the previous high of 10 from last year.
Ronnie O’Sullivan hopes to win a record eighth world title at the age of 50 – 25 years after claiming his first – to finally move clear of Stephen Hendry as the championship’s most successful player.
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World number one Judd Trump will aim to lift the trophy for the second time, while other contenders include four-time champions Mark Selby and John Higgins, three-time winner Mark Williams and 2024 champion Kyren Wilson.
There are four debutants including England’s Stan Moody, 19, and Liam Pullen, 20.
This year is the 50th championship to be held at the Crucible since the tournament moved to Sheffield in 1977.
The two-day final starts on 3 May, with the winner taking home £500,000.
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He will need to win 71 frames over four matches to lift the trophy.
Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder have just secured themselves two more first-round picks in this year’s NBA Draft, including one that is in the lottery.
After Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers from the Play-In Tournament on Wednesday night, OKC now has the right to a 2026 pick swap with the Clippers. They also acquired the 76ers’ first-round pick after Philadelphia beat the Orlando Magic to secure the No. 7 seed in the East.
The Clippers’ pick was acquired in 2019 as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Paul George to Los Angeles in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and numerous picks.
Depending on the play-in results, the pick could be No. 11 in the lottery if Golden State beats the Phoenix Suns to secure the No. 8 seed, or No. 12 if the Warriors fall short.
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The 76ers’ pick had been top-four protected, but now goes to the Thunder as part of a 2020 trade that saw Philadelphia offload Al Horford’s contract to the Thunder in exchange for Danny Green.
The Thunder, who finished the regular season with an NBA-best 64-18 record and are the defending NBA champions, will open its playoff run on Sunday against the winner of the Suns-Warriors matchup.
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington wideout Denzel Boston (WO08) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images.
For the last five weeks, nine out of ten NFL mock drafts have featured Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman to the Minnesota Vikings. Only very recently has the mock-draft community begun to diversify. Among those examples is The Ringer‘s Todd McShay, formerly of ESPN. connecting Minnesota to Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston in Round 1.
McShay may have reopened Minnesota’s WR debate at No. 18.
Fans shouldn’t rule out a WR pick, and one week before the draft, McShay is all over it.
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Why a Receiver at No. 18 Has Real Traction
The idea sounds jarring, though the logic is easy to find.
Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) reacts after hauling in a touchdown reception during second-quarter action, Oct. 12, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, celebrating the scoring play as Washington builds momentum against Iowa in a cross-conference matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
McShay: Boston to MIN at No. 18
Passing on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, McShay rolled with Boston to Kevin O’Connell’s team.
He defended the selection, “The Vikings had real issues catching the football last season, and the situation hasn’t exactly improved. With Jalen Nailor now in Las Vegas, they’re currently planning to give Tai Felton and his three rookie receptions a starting role. That’s a problem.”
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“This pick might feel a bit rich for Boston, but based on conversations I had with a couple of teams over the weekend, the gap between him, KC Concepcion, and Omar Cooper Jr. isn’t nearly as wide for some teams as the draft community may think. It really comes down to stylistic preference, and for Minnesota, the need is clear: a big, physical outside receiver to complement Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Boston fits that mold perfectly.”
It’s the first prominent mock draft to link Boston to the Vikings.
Boston’s Rookie Profile
Boston is 6’4″ and 210 pounds. He’s 22 and ran a 4.6 forty at the NFL Combine. The Washington alumnus is a deep-ball killer, touchdown scorer, and yards-after-catch guy on top of it all. On the downside, he might struggle to beat man coverage early in the pros, and the 4.6 speed obviously isn’t dazzling.
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At Washington in the last two seasons, Boston tabulated 125 receptions, 1,715 yards, and 20 touchdowns.
NFL Draft Buzzon Boston: “Boston isn’t going to run past NFL corners with pure speed, and his decision to skip the 40-yard dash at Washington’s pro day only adds to the questions about his long speed. When a receiver with his profile chooses not to run, evaluators notice.”
“The vertical jump improvement to 37.5 inches at the pro day was a nice touch, reinforcing the short-area explosiveness, but it doesn’t answer the straight-line concerns. Still, he plays the position with intelligence and physicality that should translate.”
The Vikings don’t have many tall receivers, and Boston would instantly fix that.
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Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) celebrates after reaching the end zone during first-half action, Sep. 20, 2025, at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium in Pullman, marking a touchdown in the Apple Cup rivalry matchup against Washington State. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images.
NDB added, “The adjustment period at the next level will center on his release package and ability to defeat press coverage consistently. Physical NFL corners will test him early, and he’ll need more variety and craftiness off the line to avoid getting rerouted.”
“The speed questions won’t go away until he proves it on Sundays, and that’s a fair concern for a receiver being discussed in the first-round conversation. That said, his ball skills are dependable, his competitive makeup suggests he’ll put in the work, and he has the tools and mentality to develop into a productive starter who wins his share of one-on-one opportunities.”
Yes, a WR Could Be the Pick
Some fans will see wide receiver for the Vikings in mock drafts and think, “What are we even doing?” On the surface, that’s a fair assessment.
However, Justin Jefferson’s guaranteed money runs out after 2026, Jalen Nailor no longer works for the Vikings, Jordan Addison’s off-the-field patterns are sketchy, and no one knows if last year’s rookie, Tai Felton, is any good. Then, that’s it for Vikings wide receivers.
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Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) secures a touchdown catch during second-quarter play, Nov. 8, 2025, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, completing the scoring play against Wisconsin as Washington’s offense capitalizes on a key drive in conference action. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
The position is not an urgent need, but the case for a Round 1 wideout in Minnesota is not silly. Also remember that Minnesota has a rich, rich history of drafting wide receivers. It’s the Vikings’ thing.
Other Frontrunners
If you want the Vikings to pick a wide receiver next week, with the plan for that man to contribute sooner rather than later, but Boston isn’t quite the guy, then the draft list looks like this with one week to go:
Makai Lemon (USC | R1)
Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State | R1)
Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana | R1)
Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M | R1)
Chris Bell (Louisville | R2)
Chris Brazzell (Tennessee | R2)
Germie Bernard (Alabama | R2)
Zachariah Branch (Georgia | R2)
Antonio Williams (Clemson | R3)
Malachi Fields (Notre Dame | R3)
Elijah Sarratt (Indiana | R3)
Ted Hurst (Georgia State | R3)
Skyler Bell (UConn | R3)
Bryce Lance (North Dakota State | R3)
Deion Burks (Oklahoma | R3)
Ja’Kobi Lane (USC | R4)
Brenen Thompson (Mississippi State | R4)
De’Zhaun Stribling (Mississippi | R4)
The Vikings have reportedly met with Williams, Hurst, and Stribling.
Angels center fielder Mike Trout is enjoying his time in the Bronx. He homered against the Yankees, again, Wednesday night. Here’s the video proof:
Trout homered twice on Monday and then hit another on Tuesday, so this gives him four homers in the series and at least one in each of the three games so far. If that seems rare to you, you’re correct.
This is the first time an opposing player has homered in three consecutive games in Yankee Stadium since Miguel Cabrera did it for the 2013 Tigers (via MLB Stats). Of course it was Miggy and then Trout, right? Those two are destined to be tied together forever in baseball lore.
Remember, in 2012, there was a massive debate between old- and new-school baseball people regarding whether Trout or Cabrera should win the MVP. Cabrera won the Triple Crown in the AL, but Trout had 10.5 WAR to Cabrera’s 7.1. Cabrera prevailed. The next season, we were treated to a similar argument and Cabrera again won the MVP after slashing .348/.442/.636 (all three marks led the majors) while Trout led in WAR over Cabrera, 8.9 to 7.5. Trout had two full seasons and two MVP runner-up finishes behind Cabrera. In 2013, Trout was his first of three MVPs.
Trout now has 410 home runs in his career. This means he’s passed Mark Teixeira on the all-time list and sits 57th all-time, two shy of Alfonso Soriano. He’s signed through 2030, so the hallowed mark of 500 is on the table, health permitting.
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Trout is likely done winning MVPs. He’s 34 and has had trouble staying on the field the last several years. He last won MVP in 2019 and last finished in the top 10 in 2022, when he finished eighth despite appearing in only 119 games.
We still see plenty of flickers of his all-time great prowess, though. Through the first 17 games this season, Trout had already racked up 1.1 WAR and led the AL with 17 runs scored. He’s now up to six homers and 15 RBI in 18 games — and he can still do things that very few other players can.
This series in Yankee Stadium has been a nice reminder of that.
Since the first NFL Draft in 1936, a total of 376 players from schools in the West have been taken in the First Round.
USC leads all 25 schools with 88, followed by UCLA with 37, Washington with 31, Arizona State and Cal with 27, Stanford with 25, Colorado with 25, and Oregon with 24.
All others have less than 20.
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Here are tables of all the players from the region for each school that has had players drafted in the First Round.
You’ll find a breakdown of the picks by program in a table at the bottom.
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