New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson is just like so many of us: He can’t live without video games.

Brunson, 29, was asked about the one thing he couldn’t live without in an interview with his mother. His mother said family, and the two had very different answers.

“The one thing that I can’t live without is family,” Sandra Brunson said in a recent interview with Lindsay Czarniak. The full interview with Brunson and his mom will premiere during the third season of Czarniak’s podcast.

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Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks celebrates after winning the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 13, 2026. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE)

“So my answer was going to be video games, but I can’t do that now,” Brunson said on the show, drawing a laugh from his mother.

Brunson said he is currently playing FC 26, EA’s latest soccer game, and is waiting for the next edition of the game.

As a kid, the NBA Finals MVP was allowed to play video games on the weekend, but he had to earn his time on the console.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Jalen Brunson is seen at the New York Knicks ticker-tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes in New York City on June 18, 2026. (NDZ/Star Max/GC Images)

“Any amount of hours he put into the video games he had to give back in the form of education whether it was reading a book so that limited (it),” Sandra said.

The former Villanova star said there was a trick, though, because he was allowed to play video games as long as he had a friend over. If his parents’ old rules still applied to Brunson, he would still be able to play a lot during the NBA season, as two of his closest friends from college, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, are on the Knicks.

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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson speaks during a ceremony at New York City Hall on June 18 after the championship parade. Brunson was the Finals MVP. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

That trio was instrumental in helping bring the Knicks their first title in 53 seasons in June.

The Knicks’ captain will look to try to follow up this year’s title with another one next summer, all while still managing to play a lot of video games.

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Gulf Giants have strengthened their squad ahead of the ILT20 Season 5 Player Auction, securing the services of South African powerhouses David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen as pre-auction signings. The inaugural champions have also retained the services of Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai and Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, bringing four established international names into their squad for the upcoming season, which will run from November 22 to December 20, 2026. The signings give Gulf Giants considerable firepower across departments as they look to reclaim the title they won in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2023.

Gulf Giants head coach Simon Helmot welcomed the additions, saying, “We are delighted to welcome David and Heinrich to the Gulf Giants family while bringing back Azmatullah and Blessing. They are world-class players and proven match-winners who add tremendous quality and depth to our squad. We’ve built a strong foundation, and the Player Auction gives us another opportunity to complete our squad as we prepare for Season 5.”

Miller brings extensive experience to the Giants’ batting unit. The South African has featured in 571 T20 matches and accumulated more than 12,000 runs across international and franchise cricket. His résumé also includes a key contribution to Gujarat Titans’ IPL title triumph in 2022.

Klaasen, meanwhile, adds another explosive option to the middle order while also providing wicketkeeping cover. The South African wicketkeeper-batter has scored more than 6,900 runs in 294 T20 appearances and is set to make his first ILT20 appearance in the upcoming season.

Omarzai’s return follows an impressive debut campaign with the franchise. The Afghanistan all-rounder contributed 233 runs and 12 wickets in 10 matches last season, establishing himself as an important two-way option for the Giants.

Muzarabani is also back after injury ruled him out of the previous campaign. The Zimbabwe quick has taken 22 wickets in 17 matches for Gulf Giants since joining the franchise in 2023. His most productive season came in 2024-25, when he claimed 16 wickets in 10 games.

With four key pieces now secured, Gulf Giants will head into the October Player Auction with the core of their Season 5 squad already in place.

The franchise will be aiming to build on its status as the competition’s inaugural champions when the fifth edition of the ILT20 gets underway on November 22.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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One Manchester United rivalry stands tall above all when it comes to ferocity, according to Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted Manchester United‘s fixtures against Leeds United were the scariest he managed. The long-time rivals meet again in pre-season on Wednesday at Croke Park in Dublin, in what is likely to be a raucous atmosphere at the 82,300-capacity stadium.

However feisty the crowd will be, it probably won’t live up to the shocking scenes Ferguson once witnessed when he faced the Yorkshire side. Ferguson’s team travelled to Elland Road in September 2011 in a third-round League Cup clash.

United won in resounding fashion as they claimed a 3-0 win in enemy territory, but it was the animosity prior to the game that left Ferguson stunned by what he and his players had experienced.

The Premier League giants prepared for the game in Leeds’ city centre and required police protection, resulting in the legendary Scotsman ranking the matches against the Whites as the most ferocious he’d encountered.

Ferguson said: “Historically, it has been there for a long time. I have always said Liverpool-Manchester United games are fierce in many aspects. Sometimes supporters can play a bad part in that particular game.

“But it never reaches the levels of Leeds United. Never. It was frightening at our hotel. We had seven police vans round the hotel protecting the team. I don’t know why it is like that. I don’t understand it. But it is there and it is not nice.”

The fixture ended with 14 fans being charged with numerous offences, with sections of both sets of fans hurling insults at each other during United’s victory. The home supporters had cast taunts about the 1958 Munich air crash that resulted in 23 deaths, eight of those being United players.

Fans of the then-Premier League champions had held up a banner with the word “Istanbul”, a reference to the two Leeds fans who were tragically killed the day before their UEFA Cup semi-final clash against Galatasaray in 2000.

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United and Leeds have both lost one game in pre-season, with those defeats occurring against Wrexham. Michael Carrick’s side are unbeaten since the loss to the Championship side, with only AC Milan to play after Wednesday to round out their pre-season preparations.

They begin their Premier League season away to Hull City at the MKM Stadium on August 22, with their first home game coming eight days later when they welcome newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

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Having lost 2-1 in the first leg, Lyon turned the tie around with a 3-0 victory over Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. OL will face Fenerbahce in the playoffs to secure their place in the group stage.

The Vikings officially made the call.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter sent along word: “ESPN sources: the Vikings have named Kyler Murray their starting QB.” And then some more insight: “Kyler Murray signed a minimum deal with the Vikings this offseason while still getting paid by Arizona, with the hope of becoming their starting QB, which he now is. Murray has a no-tag clause, meaning he can become a free agent next offseason if he wants.”

The Vikings Officially Make the QB Call

Opting for Murray allows Minnesota to rally around the newcomer for a long time as the Vikings prepare for what is hoped to be a competitive 2026. Consider, as well, that we’re considering a two-way street. Murray gets to acclimate while the team gets to acclimate to Murray.

Still, the timing isn’t going to go over well with some. Many will think that J.J. McCarthy wasn’t given a fair shot.

Recent days have featured many insisting that McCarthy had the on-field edge. Worse yet, the reports insisted that he didn’t get the same amount of opportunities to work with the starters. What prompted the flip to Murray at this stage?

Ben Leber — the former linebacker and current team analyst — didn’t go that far while nevertheless saying that he was surprised by the timing: “Well this happened faster than I expected. No more splitting reps. Ownership of the offense starts now.”

Kevin Seifert of ESPN: “Kevin O’Connell will talk with us at 1 CT. This was the near inevitable final answer but was clouded by a rough weekend. But ultimately it was hard to see it going any other way.”

No doubt, Mr. Murray was the favorite. Still, the timing is curious and will generate questions. Naming Murray as the main man means having roughly a month to rally around the passer to Week 1 versus the Packers. That debut game of the 2026 season occurs on Sunday, September 13th.

Let the record show that it was on Tuesday, August 11th that Minnesota anointed Murray as the QB1.

J.J. McCarthy is looking like the QB2 for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026. We’ll see, though, if there are any teams that make the call about a trade.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

The Premier League’s footprint in India continues to expand, with the competition recording more than 9 billion minutes of watch-time during the 2025/26 season across the JioStar network, according to a new study conducted by Nielsen.

The report, titled The Beautiful Game’s Indian Decade, examines how the Premier League has evolved from a predominantly urban football following into a much broader sports community, with audiences now spread across India’s metropolitan and non-metropolitan markets.

The study, based on BARC data and Nielsen consumer research, found that the Premier League’s combined reach across linear television and digital platforms has increased 2.4 times in five years, while its Indian fanbase has grown to 144.5 million.

9.04 billion minutes of Premier League football watched

Indian viewers consumed a total of 9.04 billion minutes of Premier League action during the 2025/26 season across JioStar’s television and digital network.

The scale of that engagement becomes even more significant when compared with other international football properties. Watch-time on linear television for the Premier League was three times that recorded for the UEFA Champions League, according to the report.

The figures underline the depth of the competition’s following in a country where cricket continues to dominate the sporting landscape. Nielsen’s India lead for audience measurement, Hemant Kewalya, said football has become India’s second-most popular sport among adults, behind cricket.

“Based on a global Nielsen report, Football is India’s second-most popular sport among adults, trailing only to cricket,” Kewalya said.

He added that the study provides an understanding of how audiences engage with football across regions and platforms, offering insights into changing viewing behaviour.

Premier League breaks out of India’s biggest cities

One of the most notable findings from the study is the changing geographical profile of the Premier League audience.

The competition’s growth is no longer being driven primarily by the traditional metropolitan centres.

Rajasthan, Bihar/Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh together accounted for around 12% of Premier League viewership five years ago. Their combined contribution has now risen to nearly 25%, representing growth of more than 200% over the period.

The numbers point towards a broader football culture emerging across India.

The growth is particularly significant because it suggests that Premier League fandom is becoming less dependent on the country’s largest cities and increasingly reaching audiences in smaller urban centres.

Smaller cities become a major part of the audience

The shift is also visible in digital consumption.

According to the report, towns with populations of more than one million account for approximately 55% of mobile and web viewing of Premier League content. The figure rises to around 63% for Connected TV viewing.

That gives the league a substantial audience outside India’s biggest metropolitan markets and highlights the role of digital platforms and connected television in making international football more accessible.

For JioStar, the trend represents an opportunity to expand the league’s reach among younger and increasingly digitally connected audiences.

Anup Govindan, Head of Sales, Sports at JioStar, described the development as an integration of football into the everyday routines of Indian fans.

“The story of the Premier League in India today is one of integration where football has become part of the daily routine of millions of fans,” Govindan said.

World Cup success gives Premier League a boost

The report also highlights the connection between major international tournaments and subsequent interest in club football.

The FIFA World Cup has emerged as an important gateway for new and existing fans.

Indian viewers who watch Premier League stars represent their national teams during international tournaments can develop a stronger connection with those players. That familiarity can then carry over into the club season.

The effect was particularly visible following the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

According to the study, Premier League viewership in India rose by 58% in the season immediately following the World Cup, with double-digit growth continuing in subsequent seasons.

The finding suggests that international tournaments can act as a catalyst, introducing casual viewers to players who subsequently become entry points into club football.

A highly valuable consumer audience

The study’s findings extend beyond viewing figures.

Premier League supporters in India were also identified as a particularly attractive consumer segment, with indicators pointing towards relatively high purchasing power.

The report found that:

• 
  70% of Premier League fans pay monthly credit card bills exceeding ₹40,000.
• 
  67% have a CIBIL score of 751 or above.
• 
  87% are paid subscribers to OTT, music or sports platforms.

Together, the figures suggest that Premier League audiences are not simply large in number but also represent an engaged and commercially valuable group for brands and advertisers.

The combination of sports interest, digital consumption and purchasing power could become increasingly important as football’s commercial ecosystem in India develops.

Late-night football becomes a viewing ritual

The Premier League’s traditional scheduling has also created a distinctive viewing habit among Indian supporters.

With 380 matches spread across a season running from August to May, fans consume the competition through a combination of live matches, highlights and social media conversations.

Late-night viewing is particularly significant.

The study found that 27% of total Premier League watch-time takes place between midnight and 3 am.

For Indian supporters, that means following the league often involves deliberately staying up late for matches played in England’s evening slots.

That pattern has helped turn Premier League viewing into a recurring weekly routine rather than an occasional sporting appointment.

The role of JioStar in the next phase

The findings come at an important stage in the evolution of football broadcasting in India, where television and streaming are increasingly operating alongside each other.

The Premier League’s 2.4-fold increase in combined reach over five years demonstrates the importance of having the competition available across multiple screens.

JioStar’s strategy is increasingly focused on bringing together television audiences, mobile viewers, web users and Connected TV households.

The result is a viewing ecosystem in which fans can follow matches live while also consuming highlights, clips and other digital content around the competition.

Premier League sees India as a key growth market

The Premier League itself has identified India as one of its most passionate and rapidly expanding international markets.

Paul Molnar, the league’s Chief Media Officer, said the latest findings demonstrate the growing connection between Indian supporters, Premier League clubs and players.

“India has one of the Premier League’s most passionate and rapidly growing fanbases,” Molnar said.

He added that the league was pleased to see more Indian supporters engaging with its clubs and players and watching greater volumes of Premier League football.

The league also said it would continue working with JioStar to improve the viewing experience for Indian fans.

Football’s Indian decade is entering a new phase

The figures paint a picture of a Premier League audience that is no longer confined to a handful of India’s biggest cities.

A fanbase of 144.5 million, more than 9 billion minutes of watch-time, rapidly growing non-metro consumption and strong engagement with digital platforms all point towards a competition that has become deeply embedded in India’s sports-viewing culture.

The most significant development may be the geographical expansion.

The rise of audiences in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar/Jharkhand suggests that the next chapter of Premier League growth could come from markets that were once considered peripheral to India’s international football audience.

At the same time, the connection between the World Cup and club football gives the Premier League another route to attract new supporters.

For JioStar and the Premier League, the challenge now is to turn that enormous reach into deeper engagement.

The 2025/26 season suggests that the foundations are already in place. The Premier League’s Indian audience is bigger, more geographically diverse and increasingly connected across television and digital platforms — and the numbers indicate that the growth story is far from over.

Conversations have already begun as it relates to the 2027 Pro Football Hall of Fame class and the insane number of notable players who will be eligible for the first time. Among those players is former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whose career includes two Super Bowl wins, 64,088 passing yards and 418 touchdowns and the fifth-most wins in NFL history among starting quarterbacks. 

While Roethlisberger’s status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer is apparently up for debate, there is usually no arguing the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ former quarterback is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer. However, LeSean McCoy, a former All-Pro running back, doesn’t think that Roethlisberger had a Hall of Fame career based on his lack of individual accolades. 

“You should never be in the Hall of Fame if you never had no All-Pros,” McCoy said on his podcast. “Think of how that sounds. All-Pro, for the guys that don’t play football. All-Pro is the best in the league. You feel me? But I’m being serious, how the hell he not have (an) All-Pro? So, take him off.”

McCoy didn’t change his opinion when it was pointed out to him that Roethlisberger likely would have garnered more individual honors had he played in a different era that didn’t include Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. 

“For me, I can’t push your Hall of Fame with the best players of all time if you never had an All-Pro,” he said. “Think about that though. That mean you never was the best quarterback or never was the best player in your position ever.”  

Roethlisberger’s lack of individual accolades will likely be discussed when his candidacy is debated by the voters. And while McCoy doesn’t agree, it won’t keep Roethlisberger out of the Hall of Fame altogether. Roethlisberger’s individual numbers — that include his impressive wins total — are just too good for him not to earn induction at some point if he is not inducted in 2027. 

The third quarterback taken in the 2004 NFL Draft (behind Eli Manning and Philip Rivers), Roethlisberger enjoyed one of the most successful rookie seasons in NFL history. He won his first 12 starts (an NFL record) en route to winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

The following season, Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl after helping the Steelers become the first sixth seed to win it all. His game-saving tackle in Pittsburgh’s divisional round playoff win over the Colts kept the Steelers’ championship run alive. 

Three years later, Roethlisberger engineered one of the most famous game-winning drives in NFL history that culminated in his game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes at the end of Super Bowl XLIII. 

Two years later, Roethlisberger again helped lead the Steelers to the Super Bowl, where they were defeated by Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. And while they did not get back to another Super Bowl after that, the Steelers continued to be a perennial contender for the majority following decade largely because of Roethlisberger. 

Roethlisberger also accumulated some big numbers over that span that included becoming the first player to throw six touchdowns in consecutive games (doing so in 2014). He also owns the NFL record for most 500-yard passing performances (four). 

From 2014-18, Roethlisberger won a pair of passing titles and was named to four Pro Bowls. He also led the NFL in average passing yards per game on three occasions over that span. 

In addition to his numbers, Roethlisberger’s reputation as one of the toughest quarterbacks in NFL history to bring down also strengthens his Hall of Fame argument. 

While he isn’t sold on Roethlisberger, McCoy, thinks that one of Roethlisberger’s former teammates, Antonio Brown, is not only of being inducted in his first year of eligibility, but he also believes that Brown was better than Jerry Rice, who is considered the greatest receiver of all time. Like Roethlisberger, Brown will be eligible for induction for the first time in 2027. 

“What can Jerry Rice do that AB can’t do?” McCoy said. “I’m just saying, if AB played as long as (Rice) did, he would have more yards than him.” 

Next month, Conor Benn will return to the welterweight division in an immediate challenge for Ryan Garcia’s WBC world title in one of the highest profile bouts of 2026. Now, Frank Warren has offered his thoughts on the fight.

Back in April 2022, in his most recent welterweight outing, Benn knocked out Chris van Heerden and looked to be on the verge of a challenge for world honours, before opting to take on Chris Eubank Jr instead.

However, a failed drugs test led to the cancellation of that contest and derailed Benn’s career, which was then revived when he twice fought Eubank as a middleweight in 2025, suffering a first career defeat and then avenging it.

This year, Benn has made headlines once again as he announced plans to return to welterweight and then ditched career-long promoter, Eddie Hearn, in favour of a switch to Zuffa Boxing, where he made his first outing in a 150lb catchweight clash with Regis Prograis in April.

In September, Benn has the chance to emerge as a global superstar by bringing Garcia’s reign to an early end, but Warren told Playbook Boxing that he makes the Briton a ‘massive underdog’.

“Conor, at this moment in time, for me he is a big underdog in that fight. I am sure he will do his best and fight his best, but you have got to make Garcia a massive favourite. 

“Conor has not boxed at a high level yet. He boxed Chris Eubank Jnr, 36 years old and he [Eubank] has never done it, at all, at the top.”

Regardless of the outcome of his September 12 showdown with Garcia, Benn has declared that the scrap will be his last at 147lbs, planning to campaign at either super-welterweight or middleweight in the future.