
By SuperWest Sports Staff
Sports
Updated 2027 SuperWest Football Commitment Tracker
Welcome to our 2027 SuperWest Football Commitment Tracker, where you can search or sort by player, program, position, and 247Sports composite stars and ratings.
The table is updated regularly as new commitments are reported.
You’ll also find a breakdown of each category in the table below the trackers.
| Player | Program | Position | Stars | Rating | Commit Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rashad Streets | Oregon | Edge | 4 | .9734 | 04/03/2026 |
| Javon Vital | USC | RB | 3 | .8800 | 04/02/2026 |
| Cooper Cook | UNLV | DL | 0 | .0000 | 04/01/2026 |
| Mikey Barth | ASU | K | 3 | .8200 | 03/31/2026 |
| Tytan DeJong | BYU | ATH | 3 | .8550 | 03/30/2026 |
| Caleb Camping | ASU | TE | 3 | .8550 | 03/30/2026 |
| Josiah Poyer | USC | LB | 3 | .8700 | 03/29/2026 |
| Myles Baker | Cal | S | 4 | .9167 | 03/29/2026 |
| Drew Fielder | USC | OT | 4 | .9371 | 03/28/2026 |
| Colton McKibbel | UCLA | LB | 4 | .9090 | 03/27/2026 |
| Jon Ioane | Washington | DL | 4 | .9143 | 03/26/2026 |
| Danny Lang | USC | CB | 4 | .9522 | 03/25/2026 |
| Jackson Batch | Ore St | ATH | 3 | .8300 | 03/19/2026 |
| Keshawn Barkus | Nevada | RB | 0 | .000 | 03/18/2026 |
| Jeremy Adeyanju | Washington | RB | 4 | .8975 | 03/15/2026 |
| Honor Fa’alave-Johnson | USC | ATH | 5 | .9913 | 03/14/2026 |
| Zane Rowe | Oregon | DL | 4 | .9533 | 03/13/2026 |
| Troy Bowens | Cal | Edge | 4 | .9176 | 03/13/2026 |
| Rufai Azeez | Nevada | WR | 3 | .8400 | 03/13/2026 |
| Max Bates | UNLV | LB | 3 | .8000 | 03/11/2026 |
| Isaiah Leilua | Washington | LB | 3 | .8800 | 03/10/2026 |
| Blake Gunter | Cal | WR | 3 | .8600 | 03/07/2026 |
| Luke Farrell | UNLV | QB | 3 | .8600 | 03/05/2026 |
| Matamatagi Uiagalelei | Washington | DL | 3 | .8550 | 02/22/2026 |
| Quentin Hale | USC | WR | 4 | .9763 | 02/20/2026 |
| Jack Devine | SDSU | QB | 3 | .8400 | 02/20/2026 |
| Isaia Vandermade | USC | DL | 3 | .8650 | 02/17/2026 |
| CaDarius McMiller | Oregon | RB | 4 | .9300 | 02/14/2026 |
| Justin Coach | Washington | LB | 3 | .8600 | 02/12/2026 |
| Ethan Coach | Washington | LB | 3 | .8650 | 02/12/2026 |
| Davon Dericho | Colorado | CB | 3 | .8700 | 02/12/2026 |
| Eli Woodard | USC | WR | 4 | .9285 | 02/10/2026 |
| Tycen Johnson | ASU | WR | 3 | .8700 | 02/06/2026 |
| Gunnar Perry | Cal | LB | 3 | .8500 | 02/06/2026 |
| Braxton Huynh | SDSU | WR | 3 | .8300 | 02/05/2026 |
| Mike Davis Jr. | UCLA | LB | 3 | .8500 | 02/04/2026 |
| Nasim Eason | SDSU | CB | 3 | .8550 | 02/02/2026 |
| Michael Farinas | UCLA | WR | 3 | .8650 | 02/02/2026 |
| Avery Michael | Oregon | OT | 3 | .8900 | 02/01/2026 |
| Titus Osterman | Washington | LB | 3 | .8550 | 01/31/2026 |
| Justin Ortiz | Fresno State | OT | 3 | .8400 | 01/30/2026 |
| Zerek Sidney | Washington | WR | 3 | .8850 | 01/29/2026 |
| Sam Ngata | Oregon | LB | 3 | .8650 | 01/24/2026 |
| Giovanni Hodge | Cal | Edge | 3 | .8750 | 01/23/2026 |
| Aaryn Washington | USC | CB | 4 | ..9553 | 01/10/2026 |
| Phoenix Pollard | UNLV | OL | 3 | .8450 | 01/09/2026 |
| Tayven Collins | New Mexico | S | 3 | .8550 | 01/04/2026 |
| Maurice Williams | Washington | ATH | 3 | .8811 | 12/24/2025 |
| Alijah Landrum-Hamilton | Wyoming | WR | 3 | .8400 | 12/16/2025 |
| Braylon Pope | Washington | WR | 4 | .9325 | 12/15/2025 |
| Weston Nielsen | ASU | QB | 3 | .8900 | 12/13/2025 |
| Nico Bland | ASU | WR | 4 | .9191 | 12/02/2025 |
| Trey Smith | Arizona | WR | 3 | .8700 | 12/01/2025 |
| Kingston Parks | Utah | WR | 3 | .8450 | 11/20/2025 |
| Blake Nadler | Nevada | QB | 3 | .8000 | 11/15/2025 |
| Jalani Culpepper | Arizona | ATH | 3 | .8400 | 10/29/2025 |
| Kael Snyder | Boise State | QB | 3 | .8700 | 10/19/2025 |
| Jaxson Wilson | UNLV | DL | 3 | .8250 | 06/03/2025 |
| Cameron Pritchett | Oregon | Edge | 4 | .9202 | 06/02/2025 |
Breakdown by Program, Player, Stars, and Average Rating
| Team | Avg | Commits | 5-star | 4-star | 3-star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC | 91.00 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Oregon | 89.50 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Cal | 87.80 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Washington | 87.80 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Colorado | 87.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| UCLA | 87.00 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Boise State | 87.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ASU | 86.60 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| New Mexico | 85.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Arizona | 84.50 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| BYU | 84.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Utah | 84.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wyoming | 84.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fresno State | 84.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| SDSU | 84.00 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| UNLV | 83.00 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Ore St | 83.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nevada | 82.00 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Sports
NBA news: Austin Reaves out for rest of Lakers season with left oblique injury
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The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to have taken another hit to their lineup with only five games remaining before the playoffs tip-off.
The Lakers will be without Austin Reaves for the rest of the regular season as the guard suffered a left oblique muscle injury, ESPN first reported on Saturday. Reaves is reportedly expected to miss 4-6 weeks. The team will have a road game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell during the first half of an NBA game in Oklahoma City on April 2, 2026. (Gerald Leong/AP)
The franchise later announced the injury.
Reaves has emerged as one of the Lakers’ top players since he joined Los Angeles before the 2021-22 season. The former Oklahoma and Wichita State player joined the Lakers as an undrafted free agent. He started to earn starting time during his third season with the franchise.
The 27-year-old has played in 51 games this year. He’s averaging 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. He played 27 minutes in the team’s 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
NBA FACES PRESSURE TO ALTER 65-GAME ELIGIBILITY RULE FOR PLAYERS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR AWARDS

Lakers guard Austin Reaves brings the ball up court during the second half against the Washington Wizards in Los Angeles on March 30, 2026. (Ryan Sun/AP)
Word of Reaves’ season-ending ailment came a day after the team also lost Luka Doncic for the rest of the regular season with a left hamstring strain. Doncic was in the running for the NBA MVP award and scored 600 points in the month of March.
“Our mission, it hasn’t changed,” Lakers head coach J.J. Redick said earlier Saturday. “The rest of these guys and my staff, we’re going after the 3-seed, and we’re going to try to win a playoff series.”
Reaves will be eligible for a lucrative contract extension in the offseason if he declines his player option for the 2026-27 season. Reports indicated that Reaves will likely decline the option.
The Lakers’ final game of the season will come on April 12 against the Utah Jazz.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives against Washington Wizards guard Will Riley during the second half of an NBA game in Los Angeles on March 30, 2026. (Ryan Sun/AP)
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
Chisora v Wilder: Derek Chisora beaten by Deontay Wilder on points
Derek Chisora suffered a points defeat by Deontay Wilder in a wild heavyweight contest at London’s O2 Arena in what is expected to be his final professional bout.
Chisora, 42, was dropped in the eighth round and sent through the ropes. The Briton looked close to being stopped several times as Wilder pushed for the finish, but the veteran somehow fought his way back.
American Wilder was awarded a split decision with scores of 115–111 and 115–113, while one judge scored it 115–112 to Chisora.
Post-fight, Wilder said: “I had an adorable opponent. I knew Derek was going to bring everything he had.
“In the ring I saw his temple start to swell, I said ‘you’ve got to live for your kids’. Too many lives have been lost in this ring, nobody gives a damn about us. Us fighters have to look out for each other.
“Tonight, I looked out for him, I want him to live for his kids. It’s time for us to take care of each other. I have seven of my own, those are my best friends. Kids, I’m coming home.”
Both men absorbed heavy punishment as the contest, almost inexplicably, went the distance.
Chisora had his moments, notably stunning Wilder, 40, in the fifth round, but the former world champion ultimately deserved the decision.
Remarkably, it was the 50th bout of both men’s careers. Londoner Chisora – now with 14 defeats – had said beforehand it would be his last fight, but he hesitated to confirm his retirement when joined in the ring by his family.
It was not pretty, nor particularly elite, but it was undeniably entertaining. For Wilder, this represents his best win in recent years and extends a career that may also be nearing its end.
Sports
Masters 2026 odds, picks, predictions, props: Expert fading Tyrrell Hatton in best bets at Augusta National
After completing his career grand slam at last year’s Masters, Rory McIlroy will try to make it two in a row at Augusta National Golf Club. He enters the 2026 Masters as one of the favorites at +1200 (risk $100 to win $1,200), behind Scottie Scheffler, who is +500 in the 2026 Masters odds, and Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, both at +1000. McIlroy, 36, has 44 professional wins, including 29 on the PGA Tour. Besides last year’s Masters, he has major wins at the PGA Championship (2012, 2014), U.S. Open (2011) and The Open Championship (2014).
The Masters 2026 gets underway on Thursday, April 9, and this will be the 90th edition of the event. The tournament, with a $21 million Masters purse, will be played on a par-72 course measuring 7,555 yards. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will not play this year for personal reasons. Before making any 2026 Masters picks, you need to see the 2026 Masters predictions and best bets from golf expert Brady Kannon.
Kannon is an elite golfing betting handicapper with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. He has called eight major winners since 2013 and hit six PGA winners, including 110-1 longshot Harris English at the Farmers Insurance Open, in 2025. He also hit on Matt Fitzpatrick (15-1) at the Valspar Championship on March 22 for an outright winner. Additionally, he’s 32-27-4 on head-to-head bets since joining SportsLine.
Now, Kannon has focused his attention on the 2026 Masters Tournament field and locked in his best bets, sleepers and golfers to avoid. You can only see them here.
Top 2026 Masters expert picks
One of Kannon’s 2026 Masters Tournament predictions: He’s fading Tyrrell Hatton at 70-1, avoiding him in outright bets and head-to-head bets.
“I see the other three majors as better fits for Hatton and not the test that the Masters presents. Furthermore, his game has been quite inconsistent on the LIV circuit this season with finishes of 47th, 45th and 38th wrapped around a 3rd and a 10th. The Masters, or any major, really, is not necessarily receptive to volatility in one’s current game. Remember: Here, we are dealing with 50-some players on LIV and Hatton ranks 44th in scrambling, 33rd for greens in regulation and 27th in putting average. Normally, I might say Hatton is worth a look at a top 20 finish, but with the way he’s been all over the place this season on LIV, another missed cut at the year’s first major championship could be in Hatton’s near future.” See who Kannon is backing at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Masters picks
Kannon has revealed his best bets, and his top outright pick is a surprising longshot who hasn’t won an event in more than three years. He’s a perfect course fit, and anyone who backs him could hit it big. You can only see who it is at SportsLine.
What are the best bets for the 2026 Masters, and which overlooked golfer should you target? Check out the 2026 Masters odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Brady Kannon’s top picks for the 2026 Masters, all from the expert who nailed six outright winners last season.
2026 Masters odds, field
See Masters picks, best bets and predictions here.
Odds via FanDuel (subject to change)
Scottie Scheffler +500
Bryson DeChambeau +1000
Jon Rahm +1000
Rory McIlroy +1200
Xander Schauffele +1600
Ludvig Åberg +1600
Matt Fitzpatrick +2200
Cameron Young +2200
Tommy Fleetwood +2200
Justin Rose +3000
Robert MacIntyre +3300
Patrick Reed +3300
Collin Morikawa +3500
Hideki Matsuyama +4000
Jordan Spieth +4000
Brooks Koepka +4000
Min Woo Lee +4000
Si Woo Kim +4500
Chris Gotterup +5000
Viktor Hovland +5000
Russell Henley +5500
Shane Lowry +6000
Akshay Bhatia +6000
Adam Scott +6500
Justin Thomas +6500
Sepp Straka +7000
Tyrrell Hatton +7000
Patrick Cantlay +7000
Jason Day +7000
Jake Knapp +8000
Jacob Bridgeman +8000
Marco Penge +8000
Sungjae Im +10000
Sam Burns +10000
Harris English +10000
Corey Conners +10000
J.J. Spaun +10000
Cameron Smith +10000
Nicolai Højgaard +10000
Maverick McNealy +10000
Gary Woodland +10000
Max Homa +10000
Daniel Berger +12500
Ben Griffin +12500
Rasmus Højgaard +15000
Kurt Kitayama +15000
Aaron Rai +15000
Wyndham Clark +15000
Ryan Gerard +15000
Brian Harman +15000
Sam Stevens +17500
Max Greyserman +17500
Ryan Fox +17500
Jarvis Casey +17500
Keegan Bradley +17500
Haotong Li +17500
Dustin Johnson +17500
Alex Noren +17500
Harry Hall +17500
Nicolas Echavarria +17500
Sami Valimaki +22500
Nick Taylor +22500
Sergio Garcia +22500
Carlos Ortiz +22500
Kristoffer Reitan +25000
Matt McCarty +25000
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +25000
Andrew Novak +25000
Aldrich Potgieter +25000
Tom McKibbin +25000
Michael Brennan +35000
Michael Kim +35000
Davis Riley +50000
Bubba Watson +50000
John Keefer +50000
Zach Johnson +50000
Charl Schwartzel +75000
Angel Cabrera +100000
Mason Howell +100000
Fifa Laopakdee +100000
Ethan Fang +100000
Brian Campbell +100000
Vijay Singh +100000
Jose Maria Olazabal +100000
Brandon Holtz +100000
Naoyuki Kataoka +100000
Danny Willett +100000
Jackson Herrington +100000
Fred Couples +100000
Mateo Pulcini +100000
Mike Weir +100000
Sports
Arsenal’s cracks starting to show after shock FA Cup elimination

Just over a week ago, Arsenal were dreaming of a potential quadruple, and now they’ve crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of Championship side Southampton in the quarterfinals. Defensive errors were punished as the Gunners lost 2-1, and a goal from Viktor Gyokeres to tie the match wasn’t enough. It’s quite a setback in what is a critical week for Arsenal, facing Sporting CP in the Champions League quarterfinals beginning on Tuesday, live on Paramount+.
While that’s a team that Arsenal will expect to brush aside, they also would’ve expected that facing a Championship team and fell there as they seek their first major trophy since winning the 2019-20 FA Cup title. Despite the team’s improvement under Mikel Arteta, at the end of recent seasons, the result has been the same, with Arsenal failing to win a trophy before finishing as Premier League runners-up three consecutive times.
They’re very much in the driver’s seat for the Premier League title with a nine-point lead over Manchester City, but these kinds of losses are ones that can cast doubt over whether Arsenal can go wire to wire, especially with a looming clash with Pep Guardiola coming on April 19. The Gunners have still performed well, but looking at their xG as of late, it’s clear that they haven’t been at their peak for a few weeks now.
CBS Sports
From injuries to Mikel Merino and Noni Madueke to William Saliba also not being available in defense, this wasn’t the best team that Arteta could’ve called upon, but at this stage of the season, it can be tough to manage absences for every team around. With Sporting CP coming, it won’t get any easier in their upcoming matches either. Martin Odegaard getting back into the starting XI to shake off rust is something that will help, but they can’t dwell on these missed opportunities. City are lurking, waiting to strike in the Premier League, and any off day in Champions League play could see that slip away too, as this season could quickly switch to what could’ve been.
Sports
Derek Chisora falls to defeat against Deontay Wilder in final bout of his career
Deontay Wilder consigned British heavyweight Derek Chisora to defeat in his final fight but only after an exhilarating fight of the year contender at a raucous O2 Arena.
In the 50th bout of Chisora’s eventful professional career, ‘Del Boy’ showed remarkable powers of recovery to come back from a punishing eighth round and take former WBC champion Wilder to the distance.
After the American showed the power early on in London which once made him one of the most formidable punchers in heavyweight history, Chisora’s farewell threatened to turned into a nightmare during a one-sided start.
However, Chisora rallied back in sensational fashion in a thrilling fourth and after he got up off the canvas in round eight, the 42-year-old made it through to earn a hero’s reception before, during and after the last three-minute round of his journey in the professional ranks.
It was not enough to seal Chisora one last victory after the judges scored the bout 115-111, 112-115 and 115-113 in favour of Wilder to earn the ‘Bronze Bomber’ a split-decision triumph, which may put his name back in the mix for the biggest fights in the division.
Sports
2026 NBA playoff picture: Standings, tiebreakers as Lakers try to hang onto No. 3 seed without Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) are going to miss the rest of the regular season, which makes the Lakers’ fight for the No. 3 seed in the West a lot tougher. They have an effective two-game lead over the No. 4 Nuggets with the tiebreaker secured and five games to play.
In the East, the Pistons are one win or one Boston loss from officially clinching the No. 1 seed.
The final day of the regular season will be on Sunday, April 12. Between now and then, we will be updating this playoff picture each day to keep you up to date on the standings, important magic numbers, all relevant tiebreakers and our SportsLine projections.
Here is where we stand entering play on Saturday, April 4.
*Tiebreaker note: All tiebreakers are included for teams currently within one game (or one seed) of each other, but will only be listed in the current higher seed’s section.
2026 NBA Playoff Picture
If the season ended today…
Play-In Tournament
East first round
No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 76ers
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Hawks
West first round
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Rockets
Western Conference standings
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (61-16)
- Tiebreaker vs. Spurs: Spurs clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 1 seed
2. San Antonio Spurs (59-18)
- SportsLine projection: No. 2 seed
3. Los Angeles Lakers (50-27)
- Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Lakers clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 3 seed
4. Denver Nuggets (49-28)
- Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Nuggets clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Nuggets clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 4 seed
5. Houston Rockets (48-29)
- Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Tied with one game remaining
- SportsLine projection: No. 6 seed
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-31)
- SportsLine projection: No. 5 seed
7. Phoenix Suns (42-35)
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Series tied 2-2, Suns hold because of division record
- SportsLine projection: No. 7 seed
8. Portland Trail Blazers (40-38)
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead 2-1
- Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Blazers clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 8 seed
9. Los Angeles Clippers (39-38)
- Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Clippers lead 2-1
- SportsLine projection: No. 9 seed
10. Golden State Warriors (36-41)
- SportsLine projection: No. 10 seed
Eastern Conference standings
1. Detroit Pistons (56-21)
- Tiebreaker vs. Celtics: Pistons clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 1 seed
2. Boston Celtics (52-25)
- Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks lead 2-1
- SportsLine projection: No. 2 seed
3. New York Knicks (50-28)
- Tiebreaker vs. Cavaliers: Knicks clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 3 seed
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-29)
- Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Raptors clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 4 seed
5. Atlanta Hawks (45-33)
- Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Raptors clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. 76ers: Hawks clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 6 seed
6. Philadelphia 76ers (43-34)
- Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: 76ers via division record
- Tiebreaker vs. Hornets: 76ers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Magic: 76ers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Series tied 1-1
- SportsLine projection: No. 7 seed
7. Toronto Raptors (43-34)
- Tiebreaker vs. Hornets: Raptors via conference record
- Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Raptors own
- Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Raptors lead 2-0 (two to play)
- SportsLine projection: No. 5 seed
8. Charlotte Hornets (42-36)
- Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Hornets clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Heat clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 8 seed
9. Orlando Magic (41-36)
- Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Magic clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 10 seed
10. Miami Heat (40-37)
- SportsLine projection: No. 9 seed
Notable magic numbers
- Pistons’ magic number to clinch East’s No. 1 seed: 1
- Wolves’ magic number to clinch playoff spot: 2
- Thunder’s magic number to clinch West’s No. 1 seed: 4
- Hawks’ magic number to clinch playoff spot: 3
Sports
BREAKING: Deontay Wilder beats Derek Chisora on points in epic heavyweight brawl
Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder went to the judges’ scorecards and the Bronze Bomber won the fight by split decision
Deontay Wilder beat Derek Chisora on points in an epic heavyweight brawl at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday night.
Both fighters went toe-to-toe in the capital in a fight full of twists and turns but it is Wilder who prevailed with the American winning by split decision.
“I had a durable opponent, I knew Derek was going to come, I knew he was going to bring everything that he had,” Wilder said immediately after the fight.
“This is his retirement fight and I was telling him in the ring as I started seeing his eyes swelling and his temple start to buckle a bit and I said ‘brother, you have got to live for your kids. I don’t want you to hurt too much.”
This is a breaking news story with more details to follow…
Sports
Cambridge happy to defy ‘brutal’ Boat Race weather and extend men’s winning run
Champagne-clutching Cambridge bow Simon Hatcher wanted to win the men’s Boat Race by the “curvature of the earth” but by the finish was simply satisfied to beat both Oxford and Mother Nature.
Heavy favourites Cambridge made it four straight victories on Saturday, beating underdogs Oxford by three and a half lengths on a blustery afternoon on the Thames, where wind gusts were predicted to reach 38 miles per hour.
It made for sea-like conditions in some sections, with both crews electing to take the relatively rare step of risking added weight by employing electric pumps to displace any water the boats were likely to take on.
“The conditions tend to make equals of us all,” said Hatcher, an American PhD student in engineering, when asked about the small margin between the rivals in the opening stages.
“A lot can happen that’s unexpected when the conditions rear up like that. We handled it well enough to get our bow well enough ahead at the end. Whether the margin would have held on a flatter day, we’ll never know.
“I mentioned before that I wanted to win by the curvature of the earth. We might not have won by the curvature of the earth, but we got the bow well ahead and I think that’s the most important thing.”
Hatcher’s word for the conditions was “brutal”, adding, when asked about the especially punishing white-capped section at Chiswick, “in those moments you’re blown to a halt, essentially, by the wind.”
Cambridge entered the 171st men’s edition of the Boat Race unbeaten this season, but Oxford held them to just a narrow lead at the start – less than four seconds at Mile Post – before the light blue boat pulled ahead at the midway point and crossed the finish with a lead of just over 11 seconds.
“It’s just the greatest feeling in the world,” Hatcher added. “You put so much time into a campaign like this, and you really become brothers with every person in your boat and every person in the club, to deliver like that and to be a part of history.
“It’s just everything. It’s everything you hope for, and regardless of the margin or anything, it’s the greatest feeling ever.”
Cambridge’s win takes the men’s head-to-head record to 89-81 in favour of Saturday’s victors.
Sports
What to make of the expansion rosters drafted by the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo
The Portland Fire selected Bridget Carleton with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft.
A member of the Minnesota Lynx since 2019, the Canadian sharpshooter will be a founding player for the rebirth of the Fire. Canada’s first WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo, selected Julie Allemand with the second pick in the expansion draft. The Belgian point guard has three seasons of WNBA experience, most recently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2025.
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Here’s how the whole expansion draft unfolded:
First round
-
Portland: Bridget Carleton (Minnesota; unrestricted free agent)
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Toronto: Julie Allemand (Los Angeles; restricted free agent)
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Portland: Carla Leite (Golden State; under contract)
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Toronto: Nyara Sabally (New York; under contract)
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Portland: Luisa Geiselsöder (Dallas; reserved)
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Toronto: Marina Mabrey (Connecticut; unrestricted free agent)
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Portland: Emily Engstler (Washington; reserved)
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Toronto: Aaliyah Nye (Las Vegas; under contract)
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Portland: Maya Caldwell (Atlanta; reserved)
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Toronto: Lexi Held (Phoenix; reserved)
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Portland: Chloe Bibby (Indiana; reserved)
Second round
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Toronto: Mariá Conde (Golden State; contract expired)
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Portland: Haley Jones (Dallas; reserved)
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Toronto: Maria Kliundikova (Minnesota; reserved)
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Portland: Nyadiew Puoch (Atlanta; rights held)
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Toronto: Adja Kane (New York; rights held)
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Portland: Sarah Ashlee Barker (Los Angeles; under contract)
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Toronto: Nikolina Milić (Connecticut; reserved)
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Portland: Sug Sutton (Washington; restricted free agent)
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Toronto: Kitja Laksa (Phoenix; reserved)
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Toronto: Kristy Wallace (Indiana; contract expired)
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Portland: Nika Mühl (Seattle; under contract)
Although free agency and the college draft still are to come, let’s evaluate the current state of the inaugural rosters for the WNBA’s 14th and 15th franchises.
Portland Fire roster analysis
The Fire roster reflects the basketball philosophies of general manager Vanja Černivec and head coach Alex Sarama. Černivec came to Portland after a season with the Valkyries, a team that prioritized system and culture over traditional star power to great success during their inaugural season, while Sarama, most recently an assistant with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, is known for his constraints-led approach, an offensive philosophy that empowers players to adapt to on-court circumstances rather than adhere to more scripted sets.
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Even more than the Valkyries did, the Fire, at least as currently consistuted, lack a typical star, but, headlined by No. 1 pick Carleton, the players seemed suited to help realize the vision of Cernivec and Sarama. It’s also a roster that provides an infrastructure for a higher-wattage star to eventually slide into, whether that happens in the upcoming free agency period, through the college draft or next offseason.
It makes sense that Carleton, with her experience in the Lynx’s sophisticated offensive system, appealed to Portland as their one unrestricted free agent draftee. Carleton also has demonstrated malleability across her pro career. Although a role player in Minnesota, she has assumed primary scorer responsibilities when playing overseas, as well as for the Canadian national team.
Considering Cernivec came from Golden State, it’s also unsurprising that Portland grabbed Leite with their second selection. It’s the second-straight year Leite has been an expansion draft selection, something that should be considered a compliment to the upside she’s flashed with both the Valkyries in the WNBA and Casademont Zaragoza in EuroLeague Women. Her value not only comes from her potential as an off-the-bounce scorer, but also from the fact that she’s under contract for three more seasons, including 2026.
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Emily Engstler, Maya Caldwell and Haley Jones, drafted from Washington, Atlanta, and Dallas, respectively, and all of whom are reserved players, bring different flavors of multi-positional versatility that would seem to fit with Portland’s philosophies. Sarah Ashlee Barker, a first-round pick by the Sparks in last year’s college draft, sports a skillset that suggests she could replicate the combination of high-volume 3-point shooting and creation of Carleton. Barker also has three years remaining on her rookie-scale contract.
On the big front, offensive skill was the priority for Portland, as both Luisa Geiselsöder and Chloe Bibby, arriving via Dallas and Indiana, are comfortable behind the arc and with the ball in the their hands, although, due to a lack of foot speed and strength, both leave something to be desired on the defensive end.
At the moment, Portland profiles as a potentially fun offense, one that will need to score a lot of points because they may also sacrifice a lot on the other end. After the draft, Černivec did suggest the team intended to prioritize bigs during free agency, with such players potentially enhancing the team’s defensive viability.
The point guards drafted can at least provide some defensive resistance, as former Mystic Sug Sutton and former Storm Nika Mühl, who will miss the 2026 season as she recovers from an ACL injury, can heat up the ball at the point of attack. Based on comment from Černivec, it appears the team intends to invest in Mühl as a longterm piece, in spite of her current unavailability.
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Toronto Tempo roster analysis
While the Fire’s roster seems to reflect a clear identity, it’s more difficult to discern the Tempo’s vision for their expansion season.
Thus far, it’s a roster much different from the ones head coach Sandy Brondello has manned in her previous two spots, both of which produced championships. In Phoenix, Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, along with one Skylar Diggins season, were the centripetal stars. In New York, she again was in charge of a super team, guiding the likes of Brenna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones.
Currently, Marina Mabrey most approximates a star. But while capable of star-level scoring nights, as she showed at Philly is Unrivaled, Mabrey lacks the night-to-night consistency of true WNBA stars, as demonstrated during her tenure with the Sun last season. After the draft, general manager Monica Wright Rogers emphasized that the organization valued Mabrey’s competitiveness, suggesting that Toronto’s decision to presumably make her their featured offensive player, as she was the team’s unrestricted free agent selection, extends beyond her on-court production.
Including Mabrey, Toronto has compiled a more traditional roster.
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With Brondello herself being a former point guard, nabbing restricted free agent Allemand, a steady offensive orchestrator, with the team’s first pick shouldn’t have been too surprising. Lexie Held, Mariá Conde and Kritsy Wallace, from Phoenix, Golden State and Indiana, respectively, give Toronto more on-ball operators. An experienced EuroLeague standout, Conde, a Spanish national who played collegiately at Florida State, has never suited up in the W; it will be interesting if she decides now is the time to take her talents stateside. Brondello also has extra familiarity with Wallace from the Australian national team.
Familiarity also describes Toronto’s frontcourt strategy, as they selected New York bench bigs Nyara Sabally and Adja Kane. Drafting Sabally with their second first-round selection was a bit curious, even though she is under contract for the coming season. While talented, injuries have prevented her from consistently playing, much less fulfilling her potential. Potential certainly describes Kane, a 6-foot-3 and 21-year-old big from France who was drafted by the Liberty last season but stayed overseas. Maria Kliundikova and Nikolina Milić give Toronto two more bigs with good size and a measure of offensive versatility, as both have experimented with a 3-point shot. Not in the WNBA since 2019, Kliundikova played for the Lynx last season. While drafted from the Sun, Milić last played in the WNBA in 2023, when she was a member of the Lynx.
Aaliyah Nye, certainly, will be expected to provide 3-point shooting for the Tempo. As rookie, she had some big games for the Aces, with her prowess as a 3-point shooter exceeding her 31 percent mark. Toronto can also benefit from her rookie-scale contract. Kitja Laksa offers the possibility of more 3-point shooting, although she also scratched under 32 percent from behind the arc in her first WNBA season with the Mercury.
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More than the Fire, the Tempo likely need a significant move or two in free agency, or to really hit on the No. 6 pick in the college draft, for this roster to credibly compete on a nightly basis, which, according to Wright Rogers, is the intention. Right now, Toronto seems too reliant on Mabrey outbursts or the occasional hot shooting night from Nye to generate wins.
What’s your assessment? Are you intrigued by the Fire? Do you see the vision with Tempo?
And, what do you wish we knew about existing teams’ protected player lists, who was actually available for drafting and any behind-the-scenes agenting or angling that influenced the selections made by Portland and Toronto?
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Share all your expansion draft analysis, curiosities and questions.
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