CNN – Sports

By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN London (CNN) — When David Raya steps out onto the pristinely manicured grass of Budapest’s Puskás Aréna for Saturday’s Champions League Final, he’ll do so to the soundtrack of nearly 70,000 boisterous spectators. The sparkling pinnacle of European soccer’s elite club competition will be a far cry from the

By Rosa de Acosta, Matias Grez, Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN (CNN) — It’s late spring, heading into the summer and that can only mean one thing: the French Open is back and tennis fans around the world rejoice at the news of the return of the iconic clay court grand slam. Heading into the 125th

By Ben Church, CNN London (CNN) — On a boiling hot day in England, Jordan Dawson walks into a London pub with a tote bag by his side. He plonks it on the floor, its contents rattling around inside, before he digs inside and places a pair of soccer cleats (or boots in the UK)

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — The World Cup in the US is a once-in-a-generation moment, a chance for the country to welcome the world to its shores for the greatest spectacle in sports. Try selling that line to a New York Knicks fan trying to make it into the city from New Jersey on

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — It may be cliché, but it doesn’t make it untrue – there’s nothing quite like the World Cup. As is true for over a billion fans around the world, my life has been punctuated every four years by the tournament. It evokes memories of pure elation and takes you

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — Four-time grand slam winner Naomi Osaka dazzled the Roland Garros crowd with an eye-catching, two-part outfit ahead of her first-round French Open win over Germany’s Laura Siegemund. Osaka walked out at Court Suzanne-Lenglen wearing a black corset and matching pleated cascading skirt that skimmed over the red clay. Her

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — Two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud overcame extreme heat – and a defiant Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin – to advance to the second round at Roland Garros. The 15th-seeded Ruud was up two sets and leading 5-2 against Safiullin in the third set, but the 27-year-old Norweigan failed to

Story by Reuters (Reuters) — Iran’s national soccer team will sleep in Mexico and travel to the United States on the days of its three World Cup matches after Washington declined to host the squad for the tournament, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday. Sheinbaum said FIFA approached her government after US authorities said

By Emile Nuh, Coy Wire, CNN (CNN) — Almost a decade has passed since Michael Phelps set the world alight on the Olympic stage at Rio 2016, when he took home the most medals of any athlete with five golds and one silver. And when he called time on his legendary career after those Games

By Eryn Mathewson, CNN (CNN) — Sometimes the hardest news comes at the end of the day. Late afternoon on May 12, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that former NBA player and LGBTQ advocate Jason Collins had died. The 47-year-old had been battling stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive and often terminal form of brain cancer,

By Wayne Sterling, Dianne Gallagher, CNN (CNN) — Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died from complications of severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, his family announced on Saturday. “The Family asks for continued understanding and privacy during this difficult time,” Dakota Hunter, Kyle Busch Companies vice president, added. Sepsis is the body’s “overwhelming

By Dianne Gallagher, Kyle Feldscher, CNN Charlotte, North Carolina (CNN) — The shock and devastation of Kyle Busch’s sudden death at just 41 years old has shattered the racing world as it heads into one of its premier weekends of the year. The two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s family announced on Thursday that he would

CNN By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — Racing driver Katherine Legge is preparing to tackle one of the most daunting feats in all of sport: The Memorial Day “double.” Also known as the Indy-Charlotte double, she’s only the sixth driver, and the first female, attempting to race the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on

By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — Racing driver Katherine Legge aimed on Sunday to tackle one of the most daunting feats in all of sport: The Memorial Day “double.” Also known as the Indy-Charlotte double, she was only the sixth driver, and the first female, attempting to race the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Pep Guardiola will leave his role as Manchester City manager at the end of the season, the club said Friday, bringing an end to an era-defining legacy. In a club press release, Guardiola reflected on his departure: “When I arrived, my first interview was with (Oasis frontman) Noel Gallagher.

By Emile Nuh, CNN London (CNN) — An intense soccer match is being played at a packed out Wembley Stadium. Barely a minute into the second half, the 90,000-strong crowd has already seen eight goals in a 4-4 match when a player receives the ball just inside his own half and starts striding off. About

By Thomas Schlachter, CNN (CNN) — Lucky New York City residents will be able to purchase World Cup tickets at a reduced price, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced at a press conference on Thursday. These 1,000 tickets will be available at $50 each – split across the five group stage games and two knockout games played

By Christiane Amanpour, Ben Church, Alicia Lloyd, CNN (CNN) — It’s undeniable that Rafael Nadal enjoyed one of the greatest tennis careers in the history of the sport. A total of 22 grand slams, including a record 14 French Open titles and 209 weeks as world No. 1, all while playing in arguably the most

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — After he signed his card, the one that made official his in-the-clubhouse best 9-under for the PGA Championship, Aaron Rai grabbed the hand of his wife, Gaurika Bishnoi. The two ambled around the metal gates that keep out the people who don’t belong in the official

By Kevin Dotson, CNN (CNN) — English golfer Aaron Rai on Sunday won the PGA Championship with a winning score of 9-under par, finishing three shots above Spanish star Jon Rahm and American Alex Smalley. Rai, who had just one career win on the PGA Tour before this week, becomes the first Englishman to win

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — Napoleon Solo won the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, surging into the lead in the final straightaway to win the middle race of horse racing’s Triple Crown. The favorite in the race, Taj Mahal, led the race for the vast majority of the contest until the

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — With his own third round of the PGA Championship finished by midafternoon, Rory McIlroy got to think about how to spend the rest of his Saturday afternoon. He did not, understandably, have grand plans. “I’ll watch a little bit (of the golf) and go back to

By Ben Church, CNN Wembley Stadium, London (CNN) — When US billionaire businessman Todd Boehly arrived at Chelsea in May 2022, he had massive plans. “We’re all in – 100%,” he told fans, promising the BlueCo consortium would help bring in the very best players and cement the club’s long-term future at the top of

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Doug Siberski grew up on Boulder Creek Lane, in a house his father designed and had built back in 1961. Stanley Siberski was a dentist – for some time the only one in Newtown Square – who loved to serenade his patients with country songs. He

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Newton Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Somewhere around the 16th tee, just as Aldrich Potgieter was about to take a cut, a man in the gallery asked a pertinent question: “Is there anyone in this group worth watching?” At the time, Potgieter, at 5-under, was atop the leaderboard at the PGA Championship.

By Hannah Keyser, CNN New York (CNN) — Before hiring a manager for his mid-market franchise, a general manager and five other team stakeholders sat in a room with a whiteboard to brainstorm what they believed to be the attributes of a championship skipper. The last manager had been fired at the end of a

By Thomas Schlachter, CNN (CNN) — They say three things are certain in life. Scottie Scheffler being among the frontrunners at a major championship is definitely one of them. With favorites falling to the wayside all over the undulating greens at Aronimink Golf Club, the ever-unflappable Scheffler sits atop the leaderboard after the opening day’s

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — After signing his scorecard to make official a round of golf he’d largely like to forget, Bryson DeChambeau cut through the player’s parking lot and kept going, directly to the driving range. He plopped two buckets next to him and started swinging, stopping only to either

By Karina Tsui, CNN (CNN) — Shakira, Madonna and K-pop superstars BTS will headline the first-ever World Cup final halftime show, FIFA announced in an Instagram post on Thursday. The World Cup Final is set for July 19 at New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium and is expected to draw millions of viewers worldwide on top of

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — It’s been a week to remember for Real Madrid, but for all the wrong reasons. From player fights to bizarre news conferences, arguably the world’s biggest soccer team has been buffeted from one attention-grabbing revelation to another. So what is happening at the club? And what can we expect

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Not since the littlest piggy cried “wee, wee, wee all the way home” will a pinky toe face so much scrutiny. Less than 48 hours before his assigned tee time to start the PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy stood on the side of the fairway at No.

By Patrick Snell, CNN Newtown Square, Pennsylvania (CNN) — With the PGA Championship taking place just a few miles outside of the City of Brotherly Love this week, it’s certainly appropriate that two English siblings find themselves in contention for a major title. Last month, Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick teamed up to share an emotional

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — University of Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is in stable condition after being shot early Sunday morning in Mississippi, the school’s football team announced Monday morning. “Ahmad underwent surgery Sunday in Mississippi and is in stable condition,” the statement read. “Ahmad is deeply loved by his teammates, coaches, friends,

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — It was over four minutes of pure, unadulterated cinema. A total of 266 seconds that put soccer fans across the world through the entire spectrum of emotions. If you missed it live, you’ve likely seen the fallout debated across your social media platforms over the last 24 hours. We

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — It’s now just one month until the first game of this summer’s FIFA World Cup kicks off, and there is plenty to talk about already. From diplomatic tensions to ticket pricing and travel costs, the tournament has been creating headlines before a ball has even been kicked, and that

By Associated Press (AP) — Bobby Cox, the folksy manager of the Atlanta Braves whose teams ruled the National League during the 1990s and gave the city its first major title as well as World Series trips that fell short, has died. He was 84. Cox died in Marietta, Georgia, according to the Atlanta Braves.

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — Back before they had a name, before a generation crowned such things as “vision boards” and started talking about “manifesting” their dreams, Cherie DeVaux wrote down her goals and pinned the notes to her bedroom walls. Sports, grades, life – whatever it was that the self-described Type A personality

By Hannah Keyser, CNN Pittsburgh (CNN) — Pittsburgh baseball first broke Don Kelly’s heart in the early ‘90s. And those were in the good years. Born months after the team’s last World Series win in 1979, Kelly was 10, 11, and 12 years old when the Pirates won three consecutive division titles, only to fall

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — In the moments before the Kentucky Derby began, two incredible women – one stepping off the grandest stage in horse racing and another about to step onto it – strode together to Churchill Downs’ paddock. Donna Brothers, a former jockey with 1,130 career wins, was working her final race

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) — Conveniently plopped just across the street from the backside stable gate of Churchill Downs, Wagner’s Pharmacy has served horsemen since 1922 – back when Leo Wagner let them buy their food and cigarettes on credit. It is, to this day, exactly as it should be – serviceable

CNN By Glen Levy, Elizabeth Pérez, CNN Miami, Florida (CNN) — For Kimi Antonelli, time is of the essence. The Italian driver, who competes in Formula One for Mercedes – replacing no less a legend than Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows – is still just 19 years old, but he isn’t biding his time,

By Glen Levy, Elizabeth Pérez, CNN Miami, Florida (CNN) — For Kimi Antonelli, time is of the essence. The Italian driver, who competes in Formula One for Mercedes – replacing no less a legend than Lewis Hamilton at the Silver Arrows – is still just 19 years old, but he isn’t biding his time, fully

CNN By Max Feliu, CNN (CNN) — For nearly five years, dozens of Afghanistan’s women soccer players have lived in exile — scattered across Australia, the United States and Europe — unable to officially represent their country’s national team. A landmark amendment to the regulations of soccer’s worldwide governing body is set to change that.

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) — In 2004, an old fraternity brother gave Ken McPeek a call, looking for a favor. Bruce Casella went to Eastern Kentucky, a few minutes’ ride from McPeek’s University of Kentucky but they both were Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers with a shared affinity for horse racing. McPeek came

By Amanda Davies, Ben Church, Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — LIV Golf will look to restructure and seek new investment after its Saudi backers are pulling funding from the league at the end of the season, a senior source familiar with the situation told CNN Sports. On Thursday, LIV made it official, announcing a new

By Max Feliu, CNN (CNN) — For nearly five years, dozens of Afghanistan’s women soccer players have lived in exile — scattered across Australia, the United States and Europe — unable to officially represent their country’s national team. A landmark amendment to the regulations of soccer’s worldwide governing body is set to change that. The

CNN By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN Madrid, Spain (CNN) — 50-50. With just over two years to go, a coinflip is the chance Simone Biles has put on competing at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The most decorated gymnast of all-time has previously stated she’ll be at the Games in “some capacity.”

By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN Madrid, Spain (CNN) — 50-50. With just over two years to go, a coinflip is the chance Simone Biles has put on competing at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The most decorated gymnast of all-time has previously stated she’ll be at the Games in “some capacity.” Now

By Associated Press (AP) — The NCAA is still deliberating expanding March Madness on both the men’s and women’s sides to 76 teams for next season — a much-expected development that’s been in the works for years. The NCAA released a brief statement Tuesday in the wake of an ESPN report that cited unnamed sources

By Kevin Dotson, CNN (CNN) — LIV Golf aims to postpone its event scheduled for this summer in New Orleans, according to a statement from Louisiana government officials, who say the breakaway league has expressed a desire to reschedule the event for later this year. The announcement from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and Economic Development

By Sophie Tanno, CNN (CNN) — Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe made history by becoming the first athlete to run a marathon in under two hours in a competitive race to win the London Marathon. Sawe broke the world record to complete the London Marathon in 1:59:30. His time shatters the previous world record, held by

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Louisville, Kentucky (CNN) — Minutes after his beloved St. John’s basketball team lost to Duke in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, a dejected Mike Repole stood in the Capital One Arena stands in his Red Storm jacket and shrugged. Smiling morosely, he said to CNN Sports, “At least we

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Even as one of the best athletes in the world, Hellen Obiri says she’ll still be nervous lining up at the start of this weekend’s London Marathon. It’s incredible, though, that the Kenyan would have any doubts at all. After all, the 36-year-old is a double world champion in

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — If you and three friends wanted to go watch the World Cup final in person this year, you’re in luck. Four tickets, all sitting together, have been made available behind one of the goals at MetLife Stadium for July 19. But if that sounds too good to be true?

By Jonathan Hawkins, CNN (CNN) — At 29 years old with three world titles and millions of followers on social media, you could forgive most sports stars for easing back a little and enjoying their success. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, however, is not interested in resting on any laurels. Instead, this year the former World Superbike star

By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) — Formula One has, in the year of 2026, perhaps never been as unpredictable and unexpected as demonstrated by the opening scenes of the still nascent season. Three races in, there’ve been unforeseen winners, unpredicted changes to the schedule and the unanticipated reality of regulation changes

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — Fernando Mendoza has had a remarkable last 12 months and the 22-year-old added another milestone on Thursday to his constantly growing resume: Becoming the top selection in the NFL draft. The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback with the first overall pick The 22-year-old, who was watching

By Kyle Feldscher, Jill Martin, Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — The New England Patriots are backing head coach Mike Vrabel after a second report in the New York Post raised questions about the reigning coach of the year’s relationship with a former reporter from The Athletic. Vrabel has been under the microscope in recent weeks

By Sebastian Shukla, Claudia Otto, CNN Berlin, Germany (CNN) — Marie-Louise Eta received a typical German welcome at Union Berlin’s Stadion An der Altern Försterei on Saturday. “Fußballgöttin!” (“football goddess”) they bellowed in deafening unison. Eta, 34, was named interim manager of the Bundesliga club last week after the sacking of the under-performing Steffan Baumgart.

CNN By Ben Church, Amanda Davies, Aleks Klosok, CNN (CNN) — It was a big night for tennis as both Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka won individual awards at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday. Alcaraz, who was sporting a brace on his wrist, opened up about his brilliant 2025 season, as

By Ben Church, Amanda Davies, Aleks Klosok, CNN (CNN) — It was a big night for tennis as both Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka won individual awards at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday. Alcaraz, who was sporting a brace on his wrist, opened up about his brilliant 2025 season, as well

CNN By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) — Sprinting legend Usain Bolt has told CNN Sports he hopes teenage phenom Gout Gout “finds the right people” to have around him as the 18-year-old continues his meteoric rise in the world of track and field. The Australian has set the sport alight with

By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) — Sprinting legend Usain Bolt has told CNN Sports he hopes teenage phenom Gout Gout “finds the right people” to have around him as the 18-year-old continues his meteoric rise in the world of track and field. The Australian has set the sport alight with a

By Emile Nuh, CNN (CNN) — The NBA regular season is in the rearview, the playoff bracket is set, and for the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the journey back to the mountaintop really begins. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will understandably command much of the spotlight. The reigning NBA MVP – who is the frontrunner for the

By Aleks Klosok, Amanda Davies, CNN Geneva, Switzerland (CNN) — Eileen Gu is never one to shirk a challenge. From exploring the boundaries of quantum physics as a Stanford undergrad to becoming one of the world’s highest-earning female athletes, her potential on and off the slope is seemingly limitless. Now, as the most decorated athlete

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — The Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams will be taking a Roman holiday next season. In a nod to the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope and a Villanova graduate, the two Catholic universities will officially announce today a doubleheader to be played

By Ben Church, CNN (CNN) — Standing alone in a Swedish laundromat, Alfie Whiteman set a 10-second timer on his camera and pondered what to do next. For much of his life as a professional soccer player, there was always someone to make decisions for him – what to eat, where to go and what

By The Associated Press (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that Iran will participate in the World Cup “for sure” despite its war with the United States. Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino said it is important that Iran participates in the World Cup even though its participation has been in

By Kyle Feldscher, David Close, CNN (CNN) — LIV Golf – the sport’s controversial breakaway league – is denying any changes to its operation after multiple reports suggested the future of the organization is in doubt. “LIV Golf’s funding and operations are continuing as planned,” a source with knowledge of the situation told CNN Sports

By Wayne Sterling, CNN (CNN) — Monday night in New York didn’t feel like a standard draft; it felt like a launchpad. The 2026 WNBA draft class descended on The Shed at Hudson Yards into a transformed financial landscape, powered by the landmark seven-year labor deal struck just last month. For the second consecutive year,

By Kyle Feldscher, Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — Rory McIlroy held off a crowded field, his own erratic play and the weight of history to win the 2026 Masters, becoming only the fourth player in history to win two straight green jackets. With his victory, McIlroy joins Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as

By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — There’s no such thing as a sure thing at the Masters – just ask Rory McIlroy. In 2011, his 4-stroke lead imploded during an excruciating final round that scarred him until he finally won the tournament in 2025. On Saturday, his record-breaking six-stroke advantage completely evaporated. The

By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — At the Masters this week, a thought stuck in the minds of the patrons: Surely, it’s Justin time. On a golf course where every hole is named after a flower, only one player bears the name of one, and none has been as close to full bloom

By Associated Press Miami (CNN) — Terry Rozier, who is facing federal charges related to a gambling operation, was waived by the Miami Heat on Friday in an expected and procedural move that allows the team to sign another player to its roster before the postseason. Rozier was with the Heat for one game this

By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — It took some time, but Rory McIlroy realized there are more mountains left to conquer. “Honestly, I felt like the career grand slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realized it wasn’t the destination,” he told CNN Sports on Tuesday. “You think every

By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — As you’d expect, much of the conversation around this week’s Masters revolves around the golfers competing at Augusta National for the famed green jacket. But just beneath the surface lies a somber discussion about the most famous man in the sport, who is a long way from

By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta National (CNN) — Gary Woodland is back at Augusta for the first time since 2024 and he is highly emotional. He also thinks that somebody might try to kill him. Woodland suffers from severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, having endured a series of personal trials and tragedies, including a

CNN By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — As you’d expect, much of the conversation around this week’s Masters revolves around the golfers competing at Augusta National for the famed green jacket. But just beneath the surface lies a somber discussion about the most famous man in the sport, who is a long way

By Don Riddell, CNN (CNN) — Jack Nicklaus says that he gets chills when he drives up Magnolia Lane at the Augusta National Golf Club, and I know exactly how he feels about the hallowed grounds where The Masters is played every April. Like most of the visitors to Augusta, I’m here for the golf,

By Leah Asmelash, CNN (CNN) — When King Bacot took the floor in the starting lineup for Petersburg High School in the Virginia state championship game, it was in front of a sellout crowd and his coaches sported matching burgundy suits. King was already used to a big-time basketball atmosphere. He has multiple recruiting offers

CNN By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — Rory McIlroy is one of only six golfers ever to have won all four majors and achieved the career grand slam, but even he will experience a few nerves when he pulls up a chair at the champions dinner at the Augusta National clubhouse on Tuesday

By Don Riddell, CNN Augusta, Georgia (CNN) — Rory McIlroy is one of only six golfers ever to have won all four majors and achieved the career grand slam, but even he will experience a few nerves when he pulls up a chair at the champions dinner at the Augusta National clubhouse on Tuesday night.

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — The one-man tour began just above the 3-point line, not far from where the ladder stood beneath the recently cut nets. Elliot Cadeau brought his favorite new bauble, the brown-wood 2026 NCAA basketball national championship trophy, over to where his mother, Michelle, and older brother and doppelganger Justin

By Jill Martin, CNN (CNN) — One of the biggest names in the WNBA is changing teams. The Chicago Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream, both teams announced Monday. The Dream acquired Reese, a two-time WNBA All-Star, in exchange for Atlanta’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. The Dream also receives the right

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — A new CNN FlashDoc “Money Madness: College Basketball at a Crossroads” examines how betting culture, wealth-creating NIL deals, and fixers preying on the vulnerable have led to a perfect storm. Stream the special now on the CNN app. In 1999, a Boston Southie with daddy issues fueling an

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — A new CNN FlashDoc “Money Madness: College Basketball at a Crossroads” examines how betting culture, wealth-creating NIL deals, and fixers preying on the vulnerable have led to a perfect storm. Stream the special now on the CNN app. UCLA put on a masterclass performance to down South Carolina 79-51

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — So, this is the clearest way to explain what Michigan did to Arizona in a national semifinal billed as a battle between two heavyweights: Yaxel Lendeborg played the second half after spraining his MCL and rolling his ankle. Yet, upon draining a 3-pointer at the 16:27 mark, the

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — A new CNN FlashDoc “Money Madness: College Basketball at a Crossroads” examines how betting culture, wealth-creating NIL deals, and fixers preying on the vulnerable have led to a perfect storm. Stream the special now on the CNN app. Minutes after UConn gutted out its 71-62 national semifinal win

By Wayne Sterling, Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — UConn women’s basketball head coach Geno Auriemma on Saturday issued an apology and taken full responsibility for his conduct during the closing moments of the Huskies’ season-ending loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday night. “There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — As their lives have darted and stretched in different directions, Tommy Lloyd, Mark Few and Dan Monson have tried to keep the Wednesday night of the Final Four sacrosanct, a standing date to reconnect. The three have been intertwined since 1999, back when Monson left his job as

By Jacob Lev, CNN (CNN) — South Carolina and UCLA will face off for the women’s basketball national championship on Sunday after their victories in the Final Four. Here is what to know from Friday’s madness: South Carolina shocks UConn South Carolina came into Friday’s game in a position they don’t usually find themselves in:

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — A new CNN FlashDoc “Money Madness: College Basketball at a Crossroads” examines how betting culture, wealth-creating NIL deals, and fixers preying on the vulnerable have led to a perfect storm. Stream the special now on the CNN app. The hour will premiere Sunday, April 5 at 8 p.m.

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — The homemade picture hangs in Camryn Crocker’s Illinois basketball office. “Dad, you’re a slam dunk,’’ it reads, next to an imprint of Sienna Bobbie Crocker’s tiny little hand. Nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Carle Foundation Hospital in Champaign, Illinois, made it for Crocker, the

By Dana O’Neil, CNN Indianapolis (CNN) — Asked if he recalled that he once suggested a young Alex Karaban might “turn his socks yellow” upon entering his first college basketball game, Dan Hurley did not pause. “Did I say he’d poop his pants, too?” Hurley said. This as he zipped through the hallways of Capital

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN (CNN) — The NFL is coming back to Topps as both the league and the iconic company look to capitalize on the trading card boom. The league, Topps’ owner Fanatics Collectibles and the NFL Players Association announced on Thursday that the league is once again making Topps its exclusive trading card

By Dana O’Neil, CNN (CNN) — Marcus Domask was not good enough and no one could convince Brad Underwood otherwise. As he watched the Southern Illinois would-be transfer on film, Underwood repeatedly told his staff no, as a power forward, Domask was simply not a Big Ten player. Until, that is, one of his assistants