Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers on court against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Intuit Dome on April 02, 2026 in Inglewood, California. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES–Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto is on hold pending conclusion of the NBA’s probe of whether the Los Angeles Clippers skirted salary cap rules by paying him through a phony endorsement deal.

“The NBA league office informed us that as a result of the ongoing investigation involving the Clippers, we would assume the risk of any potential outcome of the investigation impacting Kawhi,” the Raptors said in a statement on Thursday.

READ: NBA: Kawhi Leonard going back to Toronto after deal with Clippers

“In light of this, we will wait until the league’s investigation is complete.”

The Clippers and Raptors had agreed a trade on June 30 that would send Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, back to Toronto, where he won a title in 2019.

The Clippers would get All-star forward Brandon Ingram, backup guard Gradey Dick and first-round draft selections in 2031 and 2033 in the proposed deal.

Leonard, a seven-time All-Star who also won a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging 27.9 points per game.

But his season was clouded by the investigation, which was launched in September after allegations that Leonard’s $28 million endorsement contract with the now-bankrupt company Aspiration was merely a means of providing indirect payments to circumvent the salary cap.

The Clippers, their owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard have denied wrongdoing, and the NBA has given no timetable for an end to the probe.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in June that his instruction to the law firm handling the probe had been “we can’t be investigating forever.

“At some point we have to wrap it up. But at the same time, the most important thing is that we get it right,” Silver said.

The Clippers issued a statement on Thursday saying the team “did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration.”

The Clippers said they remain confident they will be exonerated and the trade will go through, and the Raptors said they hoped to see that happen.

“The Raptors remain eager to bring Kawhi back to Toronto and look forward to a swift resolution for our players, our organization, and our fans,” the Raptors said.

Coco Gauff may have fallen just short of reaching her first Wimbledon final, but the American believes the painful defeat will only make her stronger.

Gauff lost a dramatic semifinal to Karolina Muchova 6-2, 1-6, 7-6(10) after holding a match point in the deciding-set tiebreak.

Rather than dwelling on the missed opportunity, the 22-year-old chose to put the defeat into perspective by looking at some of tennis’ greatest champions.

“I look at… Roger lost match points here. Jannik obviously at Roland Garros. So every great champion has this happen in their career. Maybe this is something I need to be on their level.”

Despite the disappointment, Gauff believes there were plenty of positives to take from her Wimbledon campaign.

“You know, you hate me or love me, you can’t deny the progress that’s been made this tournament. There’s a lot of positives that get me excited for the future.”

The American also revealed she had already received criticism online following the loss but insisted it would not affect her.

“I already got some hate comments and stuff, but it’s OK. It just makes you stronger. Bettors who are mad, the usual.”

She even joked about responding the next time she wins.

“Whatever, I’ll come on the winning end next time. I’ll be sure to tag ’em.”

Gauff also had nothing but praise for Muchova, describing the Czech star as one of the toughest opponents on tour.

“She’s someone that deserves more success with how talented she is. She’s not an opponent you want to face at any point in the tournament.”

Although the defeat ended her Wimbledon run, Gauff walked away encouraged by her progress and confident there are bigger moments still to come.

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed how the Reds laid on a private jet and food for Kylian Mbappe and his family in an attempt to sign the France striker before he opted to join Paris St-Germain in 2017.

The German said it was the “most expensive non-transfer” the club had invested in, as they courted the then-Monaco forward, now aged 27.

Speaking before France beat Morocco to reach the World Cup semi-finals, Klopp – who is working for Magenta TV as a pundit at the tournament – said the Real Madrid man had been wanted by Liverpool.

He went on to explain how a flight was taken from Blackpool to Nice in France, where “the entire Mbappe family boarded a private jet with five rooms or something”.

Mbappe is represented by his mother, who runs a consulting company for professional footballers.

“We really went all out. Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food,” Klopp said at pitchside.

He said they had not wanted to be seen having talks – but the meeting proved fruitless.

Mbappe later joined PSG on loan in a deal with an option for the move to become permanent for 180m euros (£153m). He went on to spend seven years in Paris, becaming the club’s record goal scorer before leaving for Real Madrid in 2024.

“We flew in a circle. It was fantastic. And then he went to Paris,” Klopp said.

Klopp, 59, spent nine years on Merseyside, delivering a Champions League and Premier League title before quitting in 2024.

He is widely expected to be named as the next head coach of the German national team.

Achraf Hakimi greets the all-Argentinian referee crew before the France-Morocco World Cup quarter-final. (AP Photo)

France added another remarkable chapter to an unlikely FIFA World Cup statistic by defeating Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals on Thursday, extending a record that has become increasingly ironic given the controversy surrounding the match’s officiating.Despite fierce debate before kick-off over FIFA’s decision to appoint an entirely Argentinian on-field refereeing team, France improved to six wins in FIFA World Cup matches officiated by Argentinian referees — the most victories by any nation under officials from Argentina in tournament history. The statistic gained extra significance because the appointment had sparked accusations of bias from some supporters, given the lingering rivalry between France and Argentina following the dramatic 2022 World Cup final. Instead of hurting Didier Deschamps’ side, however, another Argentinian-led officiating crew coincided with yet another French victory.France’s 2-0 triumph also repeated history on the pitch, eliminating Morocco by the same scoreline for the second consecutive World Cup after beating the Atlas Lions in the semi-finals of Qatar 2022.

All-Argentinian refereeing team sparks debate before kick-off

Days before the quarter-final, FIFA confirmed that Argentine referee Facundo Tello would oversee the contest, assisted by compatriots Juan Pablo Belatti and Gabriel Chade, with Darío Herrera serving as fourth official and Christian Navarro as reserve assistant referee.It marked the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to feature all five on-field officials from the same country.The announcement immediately generated criticism on social media, with many supporters questioning whether assigning an all-Argentinian crew to a France match was appropriate given the sporting rivalry between the two nations.Some fans accused FIFA of favouritism, while others described the appointment as controversial. However, FIFA’s selection was consistent with its refereeing policy throughout the tournament, where referees and assistant referees have regularly come from the same nation.Ironically, France had also benefited from French officials being involved in Argentina’s dramatic Round-of-16 victory over Egypt, another match that triggered significant refereeing debate.

Kylian Mbappe speaks with Referee Facundo Tello, right, and assistant referees Juan Pablo Belatti, left, and Gabriel Chade. (AP/PTI Photo)

France let football do the talking

Once the match began, France ensured the focus quickly shifted from the officials to their football.They controlled proceedings against a Morocco side that struggled to create opportunities, allowing the Atlas Lions just one shot on target, which arrived only in the 82nd minute after France had already established a two-goal advantage.The victory mirrored France’s 2-0 success over Morocco in the 2022 semi-finals, once again ending the North African nation’s World Cup dream.Beyond reaching another semi-final, France also quietly extended one of the tournament’s most unusual statistical streaks.Having now won six World Cup matches under Argentinian referees, Les Bleus have enjoyed more success with officials from Argentina than any other country in World Cup history — a remarkable twist considering the suspicion that surrounded Thursday’s appointment.

FIFA stands firm over refereeing independence

The controversy came against the backdrop of growing scrutiny over officiating during the tournament, particularly following Argentina’s controversial Round-of-16 victory against Egypt.FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina strongly defended the integrity of match officials, rejecting claims that referees could be influenced externally.“Nobody can question the integrity of the FIFA World Cup match officials,” Collina said, adding that such accusations can lead to threats against referees and their families.He also dismissed suggestions of political or institutional interference.“Nobody can claim that FIFA refereeing can be influenced by anyone, not even by the FIFA president,” Collina said, insisting officials make “honest decisions” while working with complete independence.

The opening match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2026-27 will take place in Chennai, with the Melbourne Renegades taking on the Perth Scorchers at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on December 12. The announcement was made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, forming the centrepiece of a wider initiative to build a relationship between the two countries known as ‘G’day Namaste’. It will be the first time ever that a Big Bash League match will take place in another country, and BBL organisers said that they expect a huge crowd for the encounter.  

“We know there are incredibly passionate cricket fans all over India, but particularly in Chennai. Everyone we’ve spoken to has been really optimistic that we should expect a good crowd,” Alistair Dobson, CA’s executive general manager of Big Bash Leagues, told reporters.  

Wonderful to visit the Melbourne Cricket Ground with PM Albanese. The passion for sport continues to bring the people of India and Australia closer.@AlboMP https://t.co/4agouUbx69

Advertisement

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2026

“What has become clear to us as we’ve built this event out is just how popular the BBL already is in India. It’s got nothing on the IPL, obviously, but the BBL is well-liked and respected. We can’t wait to see all the fans turn out, albeit I suspect there’ll be a fair chunk of yellow in the crowd,” he added.  

The match will be a ‘home’ game for the Renegades, and both teams will be given extra time to return to Australia ahead of their next fixtures. The complete BBL schedule will be announced next week, according to media reports. Multiple BBL teams were interested in the fixture, but some teams did not formally apply in order to avoid a ‘hectic’ schedule.

“We looked across all our clubs and worked with them on what would need to be true for them to play in this game,” Dobson explained. “It was a combination of a range of factors, including scheduling and different commercial considerations. Fitting this game into a hectic BBL schedule, for those teams to be able to travel back to the Australian market and continue on a successful BBL campaign, was important.”

Featured Video Of The Day

IPL 2026 News | Shami’s Sensation Leads Lucknow to First Win of Season

The Minnesota Vikings experienced a rough season from veteran cornerback Jeff Okudah in 2025, so much so that the club put its foot down in free agency and signed James Pierre, a 29-year-0ld from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And don’t look now, but Pierre is somehow the top “breakout” candidate for the Vikings, according to ESPN.

Pierre’s 2025 Coverage Surge Makes the Case Credible

Ben Solak: Vikings Breakout Player Is Pierre

Pierre isn’t young, but Solak didn’t care, picking the veteran corner as his breakout prediction: “The Vikings like to rotate cornerbacks on cheap contracts, as coordinator Brian Flores’ zone-heavy and blitz-happy approach requires fewer snaps of prolonged man coverage than most other defenses.”

“This offseason, they snagged Pierre in free agency after he made some strong spot starts with the Steelers. Pierre had only 219 coverage snaps last season, but his passer rating allowed of 49.8 was second only to Jamel Dean among cornerbacks last season. (Dean, ironically, is who the Steelers signed in free agency).”

The Vikings added defensive passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander from the Steelers this offseason, and he just brought Pierre with him. That’s how that worked.

Solak continued, “It’s worth noting that Fabian Moreau was third in passer rating allowed at 50.5 in Flores’ defense. But the Vikings still elected to cycle Moreau out for Pierre, who was coached by Flores and passing game coordinator Gerald Alexander during their time in Pittsburgh.”

“That’s a clear sign they trust him more — and might ask for more man coverage accordingly.”

It probably wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world to re-sign Moreau, who remains a free agent.

Is 30 Years Old an Appropriate Breakout Time?

Pierre will turn 30 three days after the Vikings’ Week 1 showdown with the Green Bay Packers. While it’s fine and dandy to forecast a big season and breakout party for anyone, it’s a little odd to do it for a soon-to-be 30-year-old. Generally speaking, younger players get the ‘breakout’ adjective.

For example, Dalvin Cook, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2024, is 30. His career is over. He’s not much older than Pierre. Solak is forecasting an emergence from someone not far off Cook’s age, and Cook feels all the way retired.

If one agrees with the Pierre assessment, the saying “better late than never” comes to mind.

All the Power to Him

Listen, you can’t knock Pierre for possibly busting out in Year No. 7. He should, in fact, be applauded if he brings Solak’s prediction to life.

Pierre’s 2025 season marked a huge improvement, particularly given his limited playing time. Despite appearing in only 377 snaps and starting 5 games, he still managed to record 30 tackles. His coverage statistics were exceptionally strong. Pierre allowed a mere 42.9% completion rate on 35 targets, surrendering only 130 yards and no touchdowns. Quarterbacks targeting him posted a dismal 41.4 passer rating, which is unholy good.

Pro Football Focus also recognized his stellar play, assigning him an 86.2 overall grade — the highest of his career. Even more impressive was his 88.9 coverage grade. Additionally, he secured an interception and broke up nine passes.

However, his season wasn’t without its weaknesses; his run defense proved to be a liability. A 45.9 tackling grade was poor, and six missed tackles resulted in a 16.2% miss rate.

Nonetheless, in the grand scheme, Pierre transformed from a depth piece on the roster to a legitimate defensive contributor in a single season. For a Vikings secondary seeking affordable cornerback depth, his 2025 breakout is precisely the kind of fit that made sense for the Vikings in March, who sought value-based free agents.

Our Kyle Joudry noted on Pierre last month, “Watching him on the field means seeing an easy mover who isn’t afraid to blanket a receiver. He’s a long guy who can lean on a receiver in the same way a power forward in basketball drapes himself over somebody trying to back toward the rim.”

“Gotta assume, folks, that receivers don’t love going against James Pierre.”

Other Breakout Candidates

Of course, Pierre isn’t the only Vikings player capable of breaking out in 2026. Other candidates could include:

• Charles Demmings | CB
• Tai Felton | WR
• Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins | DT
• Donovan Jackson | LG
• Dallas Turner | OLB
• Jay Ward | S

Dallas Turner especially makes sense as an option to take off in his full-time starting role now that Jonathan Greenard plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Most productive cornerbacks can play well into their 30s. We shall see if Pierre follows suit.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

AAMI Park will play host to Sunday’s
Round 19 NRL game between Melbourne Storm and
Gold Coast Titans. The game kicks off at 6:15 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Storm vs.
Gold Coast Titans
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday July 12, 2026 at 6:15 pm

Where: AAMI Park

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Melbourne Storm vs Gold Coast Titans Odds

Melbourne Storm vs Gold Coast Titans Preview

Melbourne will be eager to respond after a disappointing defeat to Manly when it hosts Gold Coast in the final match of the round. The Storm welcomes back several key players, including Jahrome Hughes and Nick Meaney, while Cameron Munster and Harry Grant have also been named to back up after Origin. Gold Coast has shown flashes of promise throughout the season but continues to struggle for consistency, particularly away from home. Melbourne has dominated this fixture over the past decade and boasts an imposing record at AAMI Park against the Titans. With a near full-strength squad returning, the Storm looks well placed to bounce back.

Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova (AP Photos)

Czech women’s tennis is set to celebrate another historic chapter at Wimbledon as two of its brightest new stars, Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova, booked places in an all-Czech women’s singles final, ensuring the All England Club will crown yet another champion from the nation’s remarkable production line.The blockbuster showdown guarantees a third Czech women’s singles champion in four years, following Marketa Vondrousova’s triumph in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova’s title run in 2024, underlining the country’s enduring dominance on grass.Noskova, 21, defeated Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-4, 6-4, while ninth seed Muchova survived a breathtaking battle against Coco Gauff 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10) after an unforgettable deciding-set super tiebreak.

A legacy built by champions, carried by a new generation

For Noskova, reaching the Wimbledon final carries a deeper emotional significance. The young Czech revealed that watching compatriot Petra Kvitova lift the Wimbledon trophy in 2011 was the moment that introduced her to tennis.“That is maybe one of the first moments when I realised that such a sport as tennis exists,” Noskova said after making her Centre Court debut.Now, she hopes her own journey will inspire another generation of Czech youngsters.“It’s a tradition at this point,” she said with a smile, referring to her country’s extraordinary success at Wimbledon.The Czech connection with the All England Club stretches back decades. Martina Navratilova‘s record nine Wimbledon singles titles laid the foundation, Jana Novotna captured the crown in 1998, while Krejcikova famously thanked Novotna after winning last year, saying the late champion had encouraged her to pursue professional tennis.Muchova believes that constant exposure to successful compatriots has fuelled Czech excellence.“We have a great history of Czech tennis,” she said. “When I was younger, looking up to the girls who were maybe five years older than I was, you could see them doing so well. So it gave me the belief that I can as well do it.”Watching from Centre Court was Navratilova herself, who expects another memorable Czech celebration.“I can relax and just enjoy, because we’re going to have another Czech winner,” Navratilova said. “Czech women are certainly pulling their weight at Wimbledon. This is crazy good.”Noskova also offered her own explanation for why Czech players thrive on grass.“We are very creative,” she said. “Grass allows us to use every side of tennis — serve and volley in the old days, slices and volleys in this new era. We have all these sides that grass allows us, and it’s showing.”

Muchova survives Gauff thriller

Muchova’s route to the final was anything but straightforward.The Czech star squandered a match point before eventually edging Gauff in a dramatic super tiebreak that featured momentum swings, breathtaking rallies and a spectacular full-stretch diving forehand volley reminiscent of Boris Becker’s famous Wimbledon exploits.“It was such a big fight,” Muchova said. “It was a roller coaster.”Reflecting on the nerve-racking finish, she added: “You’re up and down in 10 seconds. You have a match point, then match point down. It’s no time to think, but very nerve-wracking. I’m really kind of shaking and trying to sink it in.”Gauff was left ruing a missed opportunity after netting a forehand drop shot on her first match point.“The bounce kind of caught me off guard. I just panicked a little bit,” the American admitted.Calling it “a learning experience,” Gauff added: “Every great champion has this happen in their career. Maybe this is something I need to be on their level.”

A lack of suitable races in his home state has prompted Murray Bridge-based trainer Darryl Hewitt to seek opportunities in Caulfield with two of his gallopers.

The consistent Sir Now is headed for the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) this Saturday, while Snoopy Now will contest the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1700m) carrying topweight.

Hewitt stated that interstate travel was necessitated, particularly for Sir Now, who has been carrying significant weights in races within his home state.

Sir Now, a winner of nine of his 24 starts with eight placings and over $400,000 in prize money, had been assigned weights of up to 65kg in recent outings before the claim of apprentice Alysha Warren.

“He can’t race here because there’s no races for him,” Hewitt commented.

“He’s running around 65 kilos on his back, but he’s been pretty honest all the way through.”

“Ideally you would stay in your own backyard as he’s been pretty competitive, but he deserves a chance over there.”

“The track is going to be a soft five or six come Saturday, but he can handle heavy going, if it goes that way, and he comes down four-and-a-half or five kilos on his last run.”

Punters have shown support for Sir Now, with his odds shortening from $15 to $6.50 in early betting.

Hewitt is no stranger to Victorian racing, having been based out of Benalla approximately 20 years ago with a small number of horses – Merlot Now and Sparkling Now – who were similar types to the two horses competing at Caulfield on Saturday.

Merlot Now outgrew the Adelaide racing scene due to his rating, a situation Hewitt noted is currently happening again with Sir Now.

This will be Sir Now’s second trip to Melbourne, having previously finished fifth at Flemington over 1000m on VRC Oaks Day.

“They came home pretty quick that day and we went over thinking it was going to be a wet track and it ended up being a Good 3, and he finished not far behind Rey Magnerio.”

“He won’t disgrace himself over there on Saturday.”

Senior rider Connor Murtagh will replace Warren for Saturday’s race.

Stablemate Snoopy Now is coming off a recent win in a benchmark 78 race and will be ridden by the in-form apprentice Jackson Radley.

Hewitt expressed concerns about Snoopy Now facing Melbourne opposition given the weight the horse is assigned to carry.

“It’s like the SANFL over here, against the AFL over there, and we’re getting rated the same,” Hewitt remarked.

“He’s taking an 85 rating over there against other 85 rated horses that are racing against better quality week in, week out.”

Check out the latest Australian betting sites for a wide range of racing betting markets.

Whether or not France’s World Cup campaign ends with a third world title, few will remember Kylian Mbappe’s penalty miss in their quarter-final victory over Morocco.

The match in Foxborough was goalless when Mbappe was fouled by Noussair Mazraoui. The France captain stuttered in his run up, looked up at goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, and saw his tame penalty easily saved.

Mbappe made amends on the hour mark when his sensational curling effort broke a stubborn Morocco defence, before Ousmane Dembele doubled France’s lead six minutes later to secure a 2-0 win.

But his earlier blunder, uncharacteristic for the joint-top scorer in this tournament, begs the question: Is it time players stopped with the ‘stuttering’ penalty kicks?

In the list of things football traditionalists hate about the modern game, stuttering run ups are high up alongside players wearing gloves with short sleeve shirts, diving, and of course the video assistant referee (VAR).

There is no strict definition of a stutter, but under Fifa rules, a player is allowed to stop or feint during the run-up as long as they don’t do it directly before kicking the ball.

It’s nothing new – John Aldridge, Mexico legend Hugo Sanchez and Pele all used the stutter to gain an advantage – but it can backfire spectacularly if the goalkeeper doesn’t commit to diving early.

Mbappe joins Bruno Guimaraes, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane (though he was able to retake his penalty against Croatia, which he scored without having a stutter in his approach) in missing penalties after stuttering in the run-up.

Of the 26 ‘stutter’ penalties taken during this World Cup – penalty shootouts included – 11 have not been scored, which leads to a conversion rate of 57%.

“This stuttering penalty seems to be the one. The goalkeepers seem to have got a march on it now,” said Ian Wright on ITV.

Marko Arnautovic, Raul Jimenez, Neymar, Mbappe, Cristiano Ronalo, Yoane Wissa and Kai Havertz have used the technique successfully.

Meanwhile, 24 of the 35 ‘non-stutter’ penalties taken have been scored, a conversion rate of 68%.

In general, this has been a poor World Cup for players looking to convert from 12 yards.

A total of 30% of non-shootout penalties have been missed this summer, the second most of any World Cup since records began in 1966.

When shootout penalties are added to the equation, then the miss rate rises to 35%, the highest of any World Cup since 1966.

“There is an arms race going on. It is definitely harder to score a penalty now. The reason being, the goalkeepers are bigger now, more athletic,” former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“If your keeper goes the right way, you must hit the side netting with pace, even then it still might be saved.

“A very good penalty is no longer a certainty, so you have to re-think it. I need to make sure he goes the wrong way, hence the stutter, you try to send them the wrong way.

“Of course the goalkeepers have the data, they know what everybody does, there is no hiding what you prefer because it shows up. There is a constant running battle to figure out how you get the advantage.

“Mbappe knows what his advantage is: preparation. He has a set up [placing the ball before taking the penalty], he went through it twice today but problem is that he had to go through it three times, and the third time [he missed].”