Sports
Allen Graves impresses in Raptors debut at Summer League
LAS VEGAS — As advertised.
There’s only so much a rookie can do in his first Summer League game to establish any kind of value at the NBA level.
It’s not that hard to diminish it. It’s never an encouraging sign when a first-round draft pick looks overwhelmed, even if the rosters are populated by a wide swath of experienced pros working hard to keep their opportunities afloat.
But it’s a much better story when a recent draftee shows up in Las Vegas and plays pretty much exactly how he played to get drafted in the first place.
There are multiple ways to evaluate the performance of Toronto Raptors rookie Allen Graves in his first professional game.
The most obvious is his box score contributions, which were impressive on their own. Even if Summer League games are ultimately meaningless, the level of competition is high and the defensive intensity is tangible as players try to ace their collective job interviews.
So it’s not for nothing that the versatile six-foot-eight forward Graves popped off for 22 points, 13 rebounds (five on the offensive end), three steals and two blocks while converting three of eight three-point attempts in what ended up being an 83-80 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics.
But there was music between those high notes that brought the whole piece together.
The simplest way to explain Graves’ showing — with all the ‘it’s just one game’ caveats in place — is that the 19-year-old from Santa Clara has a real knack for playing basketball. He’s got great timing, good hands and the kind of vision that allows him to always be in motion, finding the next opportunity to get a hand on a ball or track a rebound or cut off an opposing ball handler. His feet keep moving, and he flows from one opportunity to the next.
It’s hard to explain. He had a steal and two offensive rebounds in the first five minutes of the game. Down the stretch of what ended up being a fun, competitive contest, Graves was even better. He missed his first four looks from three but then hit three straight in the fourth quarter and overtime. With the Raptors down three on the final possession, Graves secured not one but two highly contested offensive rebounds in the last 13 seconds to set up potentially game-tying threes for his teammates. It was impressive.
“He’s got gifts, that’s all I got for you,” said Chucky Hepburn, the second-year point guard who struggled with his shooting (4-of-16, 1-of-9 from three) but was otherwise sound in his first competitive game since he had knee surgery last season. “He just reads the game really well, and when you got a guy that already plays hard like he does, and reads the game really well, like how he does. It’s just natural for him (to make plays).”
The Raptors have a few players on their roster who have similar attributes, headlined by Scottie Barnes, with second-year forward Collin Murray-Boyles — who was held out of this game with a sprained index finger — having a lot of those qualities too.
But Barnes and Murray-Boyles are elite NBA athletes. They can make things happen at times because they are bigger, stronger or faster. Graves is certainly athletic but doesn’t have quite the size or burst that that pair do. It’s one of the reasons he was available for the Raptors to take with the 19th pick in the draft a couple of weeks ago. There were some questions about whether Graves’ ability to be active and disruptive would translate at the NBA level, given he played for a smaller school outside of the glamour college conferences.
Graves wondered too, but he felt confident as he took the floor at Cox Pavilion on campus at the University of Las Vegas that he would find a way, mostly because he always has.
“I mean yeah, I was (curious), but also I knew that (my game would) translate very well because of my IQ,” he said. “I feel like I can adapt at an elite level, and I feel like that’s what I’m going to do and continue to do as I’m going forward, is just use my brain. That’s my biggest asset. So you know, finding ways to impact the game, no matter what I’m doing, whether that’s offensive rebounding, whether that’s shooting a three, whether going to dive on the floor.”
It has impressed Ivo Simovic, the Raptors assistant who is the head coach of their Summer League entry.
“He’s a high-IQ guy. I don’t have to tell him twice to do something,” said Simovic. “We talk about offensive rebounding. The guy goes out and rebounds. He wants to win. That’s the main thing. I think he has an amazing feel for a game. When that ball goes up, he really has a great feel for where the ball gonna bounce after the shot. Certain players they have really good nose for that type of stuff.”
They are the elements of Graves’ game that the Raptors were excited about when they drafted him and in his professional debut they were obvious for all to see.
It’s a team thing: The Raptors regulars were out in good numbers and sitting courtside to watch the Summer League version go at it, with Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Jamal Shead, Immanuel Quickley, Jamison Battle and Trace Jackson-Davis on hand. They were vocal and Graves listened.
“I mean, they’re my vets.,” he said. “They’re the people I want to listen to. I want to learn and grow from. So definitely was listening to them. They were telling me to get an angle, get in help position, just stuff like that. Just trying to listen to them, trying to learn.”
Block party: The Raptors finished with 12 blocked shots with Nate Bittle — newly signed to a training camp deal — counting six of them and seven-foot-five Jamario Sharp checking in with four. The Raptors are intrigued by Bittle, the 23-year-old undrafted centre out of Oregon. The seven-footer has long arms, sets decent screens and stepped out and hit a pair of threes to go along with eight points and 10 rebounds.
When in doubt, keep shooting: Graves shot 41.3 per cent from three in his one college season but averaged just 2.6 attempts. His career high for attempts in college was eight. But Graves showed no hesitation on Friday night, even after his first four attempts didn’t drop.
“I want to shoot the ball at a high level, and you know, that’s what I’ve worked on, just trying to get more consistent with it,” he said. “And like you said, the first two didn’t fall, but just knowing, you know, keep shooting. That’s the that’s the only mindset that I can have. You know, don’t get disappointed.”
Sports
Vinicius’ Real Madrid current contract details as renewal talks deadlocked due to image rights
Vinicius Jr.’s contract situation remains one of Real Madrid‘s biggest unresolved issues, with negotiations stretching back to the aftermath of the 2025 Club World Cup, shortly after Xabi Alonso took charge.
Indeed, as reported by AS, it was during that period that the player’s representatives held their last face-to-face meeting with the club, when an agreement appeared close before talks unexpectedly stalled.
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Negotiations are now set to resume from that point.
A deal that nearly happened
During that meeting at Valdebebas, Vinicius reportedly made a significant concession on his original salary demands, which had initially been close to €30 million net per season.
Real Madrid also improved their offer, bringing both sides much closer together. Despite the progress, the renewal was never finalized.
Neither party was willing to make the final compromise, leaving an agreement that seemed imminent unsigned.
Still no agreement over renewal. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Current salary and new demands
Vinicius is now seeking a salary of around €20 million net per season, an increase of roughly €5 million over his current earnings.
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His existing contract, signed in 2022 and officially announced in October 2023, runs until 2027 and is worth €75 million net over five seasons, averaging €15 million per year.
The agreement was structured progressively. He began on approximately €10 million net per season. His salary rose annually to reach around €18 million in the final year.
The 26-year-old Brazilian also received an additional €2 million per season after winning FIFA’s The Best award, a bonus that would also have been triggered by winning the Ballon d’Or.
Image rights the major issue
While salary remains important, image rights have become one of the biggest sticking points in negotiations.
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Kylian Mbappe controls almost 100% of his image rights, a structure that helps facilitate his overall financial package at Real Madrid.
Vinicius is now looking for a similar arrangement. As one of football’s biggest commercial stars, the Brazilian has endorsement deals with 18 international brands.
Image rights are proving to be an issue. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
These include Nike, Apple, PlayStation, Pepsi, Gatorade, Boss, Visa, Marriott Bonvoy, Havaianas, UNESCO, Clear, Rexona, Omo, Vivo, Prada, Dubai Tourism, and Betnacional.
The winger is also believed to be interested in receiving a renewal bonus, similar in concept to the signing bonus Mbappe received when joining Real Madrid.
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A tense situation
Vinicius’ current deal expires in 2027, meaning that from January he would be permitted to negotiate freely with clubs outside Spain if no renewal is agreed.
As such, Real Madrid are seeking a quick resolution, one way or the other.
The latest information from the Brazilian’s camp suggests his priority remains staying at Real Madrid by signing a new contract.
Having returned to Valdebebas today after his vacation, Vinicius is expected to hold a decisive meeting with Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid’s senior leadership in the coming hours to discuss his future.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino is under pressure after abandoning plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. Infantino’s plans fell apart after UEFA’s 55-member nations agreed to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions. CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also said they opposed the plan.
As we head towards the 2026 NFL season, I have been ranking the position groups and the head coaches of the NFC North teams. Now we come to the endgame – ranking the four teams for the 2026 season.
Check back on the position rankings through the following links QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, iDL, EDGE, LB, CB, S, HC
NFC North Team Rankings for 2026
To try and get the most unbiased rankings I can I am using all the rankings I’ve done so far to assign points to each team. Teams get points for where they ranked in each of the position rankings given out like this;
1st place – 4 points
2nd place – 3 points
3rd place – 2 points
4th place – 1 point
The point totals have been counted and the NFC North team rankings are decided.
1. Detroit Lions – 34 points
The Lions topped the rankings by four points and look like they have the strongest roster in the division. Of course, this was also the case last season, and Detroit finished last. If the Lions don’t prove that last season was a blip and get back to looking like genuine contenders then Dan Campbell’s position will come under fire.
Detroit is strong right across the roster, with the one area I have reservations about being the offensive line. They’ve lost big players from the OL but they do still have one of the best tackles in the game in Penei Sewell. Add to that exciting playmakers on offense like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Sam Laporta, as well as great defenders like Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, and DJ Reed, and this is a team that should still be thinking Super Bowl.
2. Chicago Bears – 30 points
at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
In Chicago, they will be hoping Ben Johnson can build on the success of his first season as head coach of the Bears. His division title win was built on his offense, particularly a strong offensive line, running backs, and tight ends, in a very similar way to the success he helped bring to Detroit.
Johnson helped get more consistent play out of Caleb Williams and the development of the former first overall pick will go a long way to determining how Chicago moves forward.
My biggest concern for the Bears is up front on the defensive line where the team is going to have to figure out ways to disrupt some good OLs that reside in the division. This is still a good team, though, that will be eyeing a return to the playoffs.
3. Green Bay Packers – 24 points
Despite the big trade for edge rusher Micah Parsons during last season, I sense the Packers are potentially a team on the decline.
There are plenty of good players on Green Bay’s roster but not many very good/great ones outside of Parsons and a strong group of safeties – Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard. A big rushing season from Josh Jacobs will be crucial for the Packers and they need at least one of their WRs to step up and have a big season.
They will be competitive but I don’t foresee playoff football in Wisconsin this season unless they can sneak into a wild card place. With both plenty of experience and a recent run of lots of playoff football, they shouldn’t be completely counted out.
4. Minnesota Vikings – 22 points
The Vikings have a lot of question marks across the roster. Most notably, QB, RB, CB, S, and the ability of Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores to get more out of the team than the sum of its parts will again be crucial – particularly on defense where the loss of Jonathan Greenard has left the Vikings lacking in top-end talent.
On offense, Minnesota needs to find consistent QB play to allow Justin Jefferson to take over games and let the rest of the offense come with him. A healthy offensive line would also help after a season that saw the unit decimated by injuries in 2025.
Through all the turmoil of last season, the Vikings managed to win nine games, so I expect them to be competitive again. Making it to the playoffs through a wild card place would constitute a good season.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
An Indian court on Monday acquitted the former head of the country’s wrestling federation of sexual harassment and stalking charges brought by female athletes.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had denied allegations that he groped wrestlers and demanded sexual favors.
What was the reaction to Singh’s acquittal?
Singh’s lawyer Rajiv Mohan said the New Delhi court found “inconsistencies” in witness statements and “contradictions on major issues.”
“I had complete faith that justice would be done,” Singh told reporters after the verdict. “I never considered myself a criminal at all.”
Supporters celebrated outside the court by setting off firecrackers, showering Singh with flower petals and offering him sweets.
Leading female wrestler Vinesh Phogat said the women would challenge the ruling in a higher court and continue their legal fight.
“It took a great deal of courage for us to take to the streets and get a complaint registered against a powerful leader of the ruling party,” she wrote on X.
What is the significance of the case?
The allegations triggered months of protests in New Delhi in 2023, led by prominent athletes including Phogat, Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik and Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia.
Hundreds joined sit-in demonstrations accusing authorities of failing to act against Singh.
Malik later retired from wrestling in protest, while Punia returned one of India’s highest civilian honors.
Delhi police charged Singh in 2023 after sustained pressure from the protesting wrestlers.
A court formally brought charges against him in 2024 over allegations involving five women.
Singh completed his parliamentary term that year and was not selected to run again. The BJP instead fielded his son from the same constituency, which he won.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
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Moses Itauma‘s possible career path has become a lot clearer after he was officially named as the mandatory challenger for a reigning world heavyweight champion.
Itauma is viewed as being the future of the heavyweight division, with the 21-year-old having won all 14 of his professional fights to date, 12 of them coming by knockout.
He has claimed wins over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Mariusz Wach and Demsey McKean, and last time out became the first man to stop former Whyte and Anthony Joshua foe Jermaine Franklin when he earned a fifth round TKO victory.
Itauma is set for his toughest test so far later this month when he takes on Filip Hrgovic at The O2 Arena on August 29, and with a win there, the youngster could now head straight into a world title shot.
That is after the WBA confirmed that Itauma is the mandatory for Murat Gassiev, correcting an earlier mistake where Jarrell Miller was wrongly listed as mandatory.
“The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee wishes to clarify an inadvertent error in the publication of the July heavyweight rankings, which incorrectly listed Jarrell Miller as the division’s official mandatory challenger.
“The heavyweight division has one official mandatory challenger: Moses Itauma, who currently holds the No. 1 spot in the rankings and has been awaiting his world title opportunity for several months.
“While Miller returned to the ring on April 24 and earned a unanimous decision victory over Lenier Peró in Las Vegas, it is important to clarify that the bout was not a final eliminator. As such, that victory did not make him the WBA’s official mandatory challenger.”
Gassiev became WBA Regular champion in December with a knockout win over Kubrat Pulev, and after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his unified world heavyweight titles earlier this summer, Gassiev was subsequently elevated to full champion.
It means Itauma now has another avenue for a world title shot, having already been ordered to negotiate with Frank Sanchez for a fight for the vacant IBF heavyweight title.
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Levi Wyatt, a former college football standout who played for the Jackson State Tigers and McNeese State Cowboys, has died. He was 23.
Jackson State mourned the loss of the former cornerback on Saturday. Wyatt was a 2024 Preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team selection before he joined the Tigers. He had 12 tackles and four pass breakups in 2025.
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Levi Wyatt #2 of Jackson State reacts against Prairie View A&M during the 2025 SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss., on Dec. 6, 2025. (Getty Images)
“The bond of this brotherhood does not end when the game clock expires,” Jackson State said in a statement. “Today, we mourn the loss of our brother, Levi Wyatt. His memory will forever live within the halls of Jackson State football and in the hearts of everyone who shared this journey with him.
“We ask the Tiger Nation to join us in lifting his family and loved ones in prayer during this incredibly difficult time. Rest easy, Tiger.”
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Jacob Bostick No. 11 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs after a reception while defended by Levi Wyatt No. 2 of the McNeese State Cowboys in the second half at Kyle Field on Sept. 7, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images)
Wyatt was killed in a car crash in Mississippi early Saturday, according to state officials.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said officers in Jackson responded to a report of a car crash just after midnight local time, according to WLBT-TV. Responding officers located two vehicles that sustained damage at the scene.
A Chevrolet Camaro reportedly struck a utility pole.
The Hinds County coroner identified Wyatt as one of the victims of the crash, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, WLBT-TV reported.
Levi Wyatt #2 of the Jackson State Tigers reacts against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during the 2025 SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Dec. 6, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. (Getty Images)
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Mississippi Highway Patrol was reportedly investigating the incident.
Jul 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt (32) delivers a pitch agains the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning t at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The Arizona Diamondbacks were in danger of falling into a deeper hole when they faced the San Diego Padres before the All-Star break. How things have changed.
After salvaging a split in the finale of a four-game set in San Diego on July 9, the Diamondbacks have the best record in the National League since that date and are tied with Philadelphia for the final two NL wild-card spots as they open a four-game series against the Padres on Monday.
Arizona is 14-6 since July 9 and leads the major leagues with 118 runs.
“It’s my favorite month of baseball,” said Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, whose team completed a 6-4 road trip as the calendar turned to August.
“I think the season starts to take shape. The contenders and pretenders start to separate. So I think the real teams, and the ones that are capable of carrying on for the next two months, start to separate themselves, and it’s the purest form of baseball.”
The Padres have been nearly as good in that span, going 12-8 with 110 runs, the third-most in the majors. They are one game behind the Diamondbacks and Phillies after a 5-1 homestand.
“How we’re playing right now, I think, is the true identity of this club,” said Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth, whose walk-off single beat the Giants 6-5 on Saturday.
Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt (5-1, 4.00 ERA) will seek to continue his recent dominance in the opener against fellow right-hander Michael King (6-7, 3.38), who was pushed back from a scheduled Sunday start against San Francisco for this matchup.
“We’re chasing them,” San Diego manager Craig Stammen said. “He’s our best pitcher. It would be nice to have our best pitcher pitching against them. He would miss them otherwise.”
King is 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in five career starts against Arizona.
Pfaadt is 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA since his June 30 return from Triple-A Reno, where he was dispatched after early-season ineffectiveness. Injuries to right-handers Ryne Nelson and Michael Soroka provided a rotation opening.
After tweaking his mechanics, Pfaadt has taken advantage. He shortened his windup and moved to the first-base side of the rubber. He had been going back and forth with his starting point.
“More simple and more consistent,” Pfaadt said. “I think when you move and change so many things over a long period of time, stuff becomes inconsistent. Just making that as consistent as possible.”
Pfaadt threw five scoreless innings in an 8-0 victory over the Padres in his second start back July 6, He gave up six hits in seven scoreless innings in his last appearance, an 8-7 no-decision at Pittsburgh last Tuesday.
“There’s just confidence with everything that he’s doing,” Lovullo said. “His timing’s great. His delivery looks great, and he’s executing.”
Pfaadt is 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 11 career appearances (10 starts) against San Diego. Cronenworth is 11-for-24 with three RBIs against Pfaadt, Manny Machado is 7-for-21 with a homer and Ty France is 3-for-9 with a homer.
King was 1-0 with 2.79 ERA in five July starts. He gave up a combined three runs in 12 innings in a win and a no-decision against Arizona this season. Against King, Gabriel Moreno is 4-for-8 and Corbin Carroll is 1-for-9.
–Field Level Media
Celtic have been drawn against Austrian champions LASK in the Champions League play-off round.
Meanwhile, Rangers will face either Northern Irish champions Larne or Iberia Tbilisi of Georgia in the Europa League play-offs should they defeat Jagiellonia Bialystok of Poland.
And Heart of Midlothian, who dropped down to the Europa League after losing to Sturm Graz in Champions League qualifying, will take on either AGF Aarhus of Denmark or Sabah of Azerbaijan should they defeat Benfica.
Should they lose, the Edinburgh side will face Paide Linnameeskond of Estonia or Rapid Vienna of Austria in the Conference League play-off round.
If Rangers lose, they will meet Jablonec of Czech Republic or RFS of Latvia.
Motherwell will take on Freiburg of Germany should they defeat Finland’s HJK Helsinki.
Meanwhile, Hibernian will take on IFK Gothenburg of Sweden or Gent of Belgium if they oust Shkendija of Macedonia.
Russian 16-year-old Kristina Liutova won the WTA Memphis title on Sunday, beating Darja Vidmanova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 to capture the crown in her first main-draw appearance. Liutova became the youngest player to win a WTA title since 15-year-old Coco Gauff triumphed in Linz in 2019. When she fired a stinging forehand to the corner to
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