Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot will miss the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season after suffering a torn ACL in her right knee during Chicago’s eventual 27-point loss to the Indiana Fever, the team announced Sunday.

Vandersloot sustained the injury at the 5:29 mark of the first quarter of Saturday night’s loss to Indiana while driving to the basket. Teammates gathered around her on the court as she lay on the floor in pain, and Vandersloot was eventually carried to the locker room before quickly being ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Sky rookie guard Hailey Van Lith said after Chicago’s loss.

“She’s our engine,” coach Tyler Marsh added. “She’s our captain and our leader out there, so obviously, it’s a huge blow.”

Angel Reese, the second-year forward from LSU, posted her reaction on X.

🙏🏽

— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) June 8, 2025

Vandersloot, 36, was the No. 3 pick of the Sky in 2011 and spent the first 12 years of her career with the franchise, leading Chicago to its first championship in 2021. She played the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the New York Liberty, where she won the 2024 title, before returning to the Sky on a one-year deal this past offseason.

“We’re thinking of her,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello told reporters on Sunday. “She’s playing great. She’s the leader out there.”

Heading into this season, Vandersloot had already been Chicago’s all-time assists leader, and she became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer in late May, passing her wife, and fellow former Sky guard, Allie Quigley on the Sky’s scoring list.

Vandersloot started the first seven games of Chicago’s season, averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 assists. Her injury will likely thrust Van Lith, the No. 11 pick in April’s draft, into the Sky’s starting lineup. Van Lith replaced Vandersloot after the injury occurred and played a career-high 26 minutes in Saturday’s loss, which was the first WNBA game at the United Center.

The Sky will also likely lean more on guards Ariel Atkins and Rachel Banham as they look to proceed and draw the most out of their developing frontcourt of Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese.

Their first test without Vandersloot comes Tuesday, against her former team, as the Sky travel to Brooklyn to play the Liberty.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Chicago Sky, WNBA

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The Oklahoma City Thunder (and the Seattle Supersonics before them) have 51 jersey numbers worn by the players who have suited up for the franchise since its founding at the start of the 1967-68 season. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Thunder Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.

And while those Supersonics jerseys may not remain part of the franchise history should a new team be established in Seattle as was the case with the return of the Charlotte Hornets, they are part of the Thunder’s history today.

For this article, we continue with the 33rd jersey number in the series, jersey No. 33, with 17 players in total having donned the jersey in the history of the franchise.

The fourth of those players did so in the Seattle SuperSonics era, forward alum Ray Tolbert. After ending his college career at Indiana, Tolbert was picked up with the 18th overall selection of the 1981 NBA draft by the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets.

After a dozen games, the Anderson, Indiana native was dealt to Seattle. His stay with the team would span parts of two seasons, coming to an end when he was traded again, this time to the Detroit Pistons in 1983.

During his time suiting up for the Sonics, Tolbert wore only jersey No. 33 and put up 4.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Thunder jersey history No. 33 – Ray Tolbert (1981-83)

The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the “New Jersey Americans”.

Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today.

To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise’s jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. The 18th of those 52 different numbers is jersey No. 16 which has has had a total of three players wear the number in the history of the team.

The third of those players wearing No. 16 played in the Brooklyn Nets era, forward alum Jaylen Martin. After ending his high school career, Martin would go unselected in the 2023 NBA draft, instead playing in the G League until he signed with Brooklyn in 2024.

His stay with the team would span just three games, coming to an end when he was cut in 2025.

During his time suiting up for the Nets, Martin wore only jersey No. 16 and put up 1.0 points per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets jersey history No. 16 – Jaylen Martin (2024)

The Golden State Warriors have had over 600 players don the more than 60 jersey numbers used by their players over the more than 75 years of existence the team has enjoyed in its rich and storied history.

Founded in 1946 during the Basketball Association of America (BAA — a precursor league of the NBA) era, the team has called home the cities of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Oakland, and even San Diego.

 To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Warriors Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. For this article, we begin with the fourth of 13 players who wore the No. 14 jersey for the Warriors.

That player would be Golden State wing alum Estes Foster Parham. After ending his college career at Texas Wesleyan University, Parham was picked up with the 35th overall selection of the 1948 BAA draft by the (defunct) St. Louis Bombers.

The Fort Worth, Texas native would play the first two seasons of his pro career with the Bombers, and was picked up by the Dubs in the Bombers dispersal draft in 1950 for his final season in the league.

During his time suiting up for the Warriors, Parham wore only jersey No. 14 and put up 1.3 rebounds per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors jersey history – No. 14 – Estes Foster Parham (1950-51)

Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson Earn Bears Top PFF Guard Duo Ranking originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Chicago Bears spent this offseason laying the groundwork for a new era—literally. With second-year quarterback Caleb Williams ready to take the reins and new head coach Ben Johnson crafting a fresh offensive identity, the team’s front office focused on reinforcing the line of scrimmage. After a year full of growing pains and inconsistent protection, they knew changes had to be made. And now, those moves are getting noticed. A new round of rankings has the Bears near the top of the league in a key position group.

Pro Football Focus just dropped its latest rankings—’PFF Guard Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2025 NFL season’—put together by Mason Cameron and shared by former NFL tight end Clay Harbor. And guess what? The Bears landed at No. 2 on the list of top guard duos heading into the new season. 

That’s no small feat considering where things stood just a year ago. The ranking is a nod to the new talent Chicago has brought in and how much faith analysts are placing in the revamped interior line.

PFF has the Bears with the 2nd best Guard duo in the entire NFL.

If Jonah Jackson can stay healthy they might be the best. #DaBears#Bears#ChicagoBearspic.twitter.com/ez1tl5NnL6

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) June 8, 2025

Let’s talk about those new faces. Joe Thuney, 32, arrived from Kansas City with a Super Bowl resume and recent Pro Bowl honors under his belt. He’s long been one of the steadiest pass protectors in the league. 

Lining up next to him is Jonah Jackson, 28, who made his mark in Detroit and earned a Pro Bowl alternate nod back in 2021. Together, they bring toughness, leadership, and experience to an offense that’s betting big on Caleb Williams.

As for PFF, they’ve built a reputation as one of the go-to sources for player grading and advanced football analytics. Their rankings combine deep stats, film study, and consistency metrics to evaluate talent beyond the surface. So when they rank a duo this high, it carries weight.

With the Bears turning heads before a single snap is played, the message is clear: they’re done rebuilding—they’re ready to compete.

Related: Past Hopeful Bears Draft Pick Facing Roster Battle – Three Threats to His Spot

Related: Bears O-Lineman Turns Heads at Camp With Highlight Moment – Sparks Talk of New Role

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.

Where Shedeur Sanders Stands in Browns’ QB Depth Chart Today originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Shedeur Sanders may be the fourth quarterback on the Cleveland Browns’ depth chart, but he remains one of the most talked-about players in the building. As the Browns continue offseason workouts, the rookie quarterback is quickly learning that the NFL is a different world, especially when you’re trying to climb from the bottom of a crowded quarterback room.

During Wednesday’s OTA session, Sanders didn’t take any first-team reps, according to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. That’s not unexpected. Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett currently headline the depth chart, while third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was drafted two rounds before Sanders and appears to be ahead of him for now.

Despite the limited opportunities, Sanders made the most of his reps. Per ESPN Cleveland, he completed 9 of 14 passes in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, throwing three touchdowns and one interception. The Browns even shared a highlight of one of those scores, a sharp throw to receiver Kaden Davis that drew praise from reporters on site. Joe Reedy of the Associated Press called it “the best throw of the day.”

For most fifth-round quarterbacks, stat-tracking at OTAs would be rare. But Sanders isn’t most quarterbacks. Thanks to his college pedigree, high-profile family, and the unexpected drop in the draft, every move he makes will be heavily watched. He’s one of the most scrutinized fourth-string quarterbacks in recent memory.

Still, his status on the roster comes with real challenges. Sanders is fighting for attention and reps, which are hard to come by when the team has three quarterbacks ahead of you. Without significant snaps in training camp or preseason games, it’s difficult to make a case for meaningful regular-season action.

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees praised Sanders’ preparation and grasp of the offense but also acknowledged that he’s still a rookie learning the ropes.“He’s really put in a lot of work, as all those guys are,” Rees told the Associated Press. “You can tell on the mental side, learning the system, calling it, getting into rhythm, he’s put a lot of time and effort into that. When you do that, the game slows down and you can focus on completions. He’s done a nice job of that as camp’s progressed.”

Sanders’ interception on Wednesday came off a tipped ball into traffic, another sign of the growing pains that come with transitioning to the NFL. His arm strength, vision, and mobility give him long-term upside, but he’ll need to show consistency to move up the depth chart.

For now, the focus is on development. Sanders isn’t expected to start this season, and the Browns aren’t rushing his timeline. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be closely watched. With his talent, work ethic, and media profile, Sanders remains a compelling figure in Cleveland’s offseason narrative, even as a fourth-string quarterback.

If he continues to progress, it’s only a matter of time before he forces his way into the conversation.

Related: Deion Sanders Made Transfer Earn Number—and it Paid Off

Related: Colorado’s Rick George Reacts to House Settlement Approval

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.

We are 13 weeks from Week 1’s Sunday games and done with another week of the NFL offseason. That means we take some time to check in with the Arizona Cardinals‘ NFC West rivals — the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.

What is new with the Seahawks?

Below are a few stories from the last week for Cardinals fans to know.

First look at first-team OL in OTAs

The Cardinals don’t allow reporters to reveal anything about which players are running with which teams or what the practice rotations look like, but the Seahawks do. Their first-team offensive line looks like this right now, from left tackle to right tackle — Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Olu Oluwatimi, Christian Haynes, Abe Lucas

Darnold up and down at OTAs

The Seahawks gambled big on Sam Darnold after his one good season with the Vikings. In his first offseason in Seattle, he was up and down in practices at OTAs.

LB Jones progressing from offseason surgery

LB Ernest Jones re-signed with the team and had offseason knee surgery. But he is making progress. While he has not done team drills in OTAs, he has been participating in walkthroughs and individual drills.

100% attendance

OTAs are voluntary, but Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald apparently has his players believing in the offseason work. All 90 players on the roster have been in attendance voluntary OTAs.

Rookie QB with great work ethic

The Seahawks drafted quarterback Jalen Milroe this year. They aren’t putting a lot on his plate yet, but Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has great things to say about how Milroe is working.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Seahawks news: Sam Darnold, starting O-line, more for Cardinals fans

Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Don Nelson made a rare trip off the island this weekend to accept the Chuck Daily Lifetime Achievement Award at the NBA Finals.

Before Game 2 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, however, Nelson made sure to take sides in the stunning Luka Dončić trade from earlier this season.

“I want everybody to know I’m wearing Luka’s shoes, his new shoes from Nike … and I’m wearing them in protest for the trade from Dallas,” Nelson said. “I think it was a tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him. I want everybody to know that.”

The Mavericks dealt Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this season in what was one of the most shocking trades in league history. It prompted plenty of backlash from Mavericks fans, too, who repeatedly and loudly called for the ouster of general manager Nico Harrison. Dallas then struggled the rest of the way and finished in 10th in the Western Conference standings.

The Mavericks, who landed Anthony Davis in the deal, have since won the NBA Draft lottery. They will presumably take former Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick later this month.

Nelson, a Hall of Famer and one of the best coaches in league history, led the Mavericks from 1997-2005. He also had long runs leading both the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors before retiring after the 2010 campaign. Nelson, who also won five titles during his time in the league as a player, was the NBA’s all-time winningest coach when he retired. Only former San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has won more.

Nelson has been living in Hawaii and largely staying away from the game ever since. His trip to Oklahoma City this weekend was the first time he’s left Hawaii in seven years.

“History has already reflected Don Nelson’s staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game,” Pacers coach and NBCA president Rick Carlisle said of Nelson, via ESPN. “Back in the ’80s and ’90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports.”

While the award is well-deserved, Nelson couldn’t help but share his thoughts on one of his former teams’ decisions. With the way the Mavericks’ fan base has reacted in the months since, even with the team landing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, it’d be hard to find many that disagree with him.