Sports
Latest Lakers intel: Sources view JJ Redick as a leading coaching candidate
As the Lakers continued meeting with prospects in the final days of the NBA draft combine, their coaching search continued to be a strong topic of conversation among rival scouts and executives.
Internally, Lakers sources not authorized to speak publicly have tried to describe their coaching search as being a “wide-open” process, with things still in the early stages.
Following the dismissal of Darvin Ham, the team began researching a batch of candidates that included top assistants, former head coaches and, yes, broadcaster/podcaster JJ Redick.
Candidate interviews are close, but as of now, anything being discussed with certainty has been called “hypothetical” by candidates involved in the process.
But despite what the Lakers are saying, many around the league view Redick is the favorite and offered varying levels of approval.
Some see Redick as a bright, analytically driven basketball mind with a top understanding of the game and excellent communication and presentation skills.
Some wonder if Redick’s business relationship with LeBron James would poison his ability to connect with the rest of the locker room, an opinion prominently voiced on television by Udonis Haslam.
Others see nothing but inexperience and view the Lakers’ job as a disaster waiting to happen for even experienced coaches, never mind someone moving from the broadcast booth to his first coaching job.
Part of what’s driving the expectation Redick will get the Lakers job is a belief that he’ll have incredibly strong interviews, according to sources discouraged from discussing personnel moves for competitive reasons.
The reality is, at this stage, no one can say for sure.
New Orleans assistant James Borrego does have strong support in his candidacy and has been highly valued by New Orleans staffers and executives who spoke with the Times.
Boston’s Sam Cassell, an NBA assistant since 2009 after a 15-season NBA career, is expected to interview soon and has real support from others around the NBA.
The same can be said for candidates like Miami’s Chris Quinn, Minnesota’s Micah Nori and Denver’s David Adelman.
The race is seemingly open enough that anyone with a direct or second-hand connection to candidates was comfortable making their pitch in Chicago.
The Lakers’ offseason plans, and to some degree their coaching plans, also hinge on LeBron James and his future with the organization.
Lakers forward LeBron James smiles during a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics Monday in Cleveland.
(David Dermer / Associated Press)
James’ courtside appearance in Cleveland on Monday night definitely raised suspicions around the league regarding his future intentions. Sources largely believe the Lakers will ultimately re-sign James, with the 39-year-old star merely working through different scenarios for the terms of the contract.
There were also discussions about the Lakers and their interest in Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell, which does exist according to sources.
The Lakers’ best offer in any blockbuster trade looks somewhat similar, with the team able to offer their first-round pick in the year’s draft — No. 17 — in addition to first-round picks in 2029 and 2031. Their best young player, Austin Reaves, is still regarded highly within the organization on two fronts — as a prospect for their future and a player on a team-friendly contract.
The team’s willingness to push all in on Mitchell or any other player is still unclear. Other options include using draft picks in smaller deals to try to improve around the margins, with Dallas’ acquisitions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington providing real-time examples of how small transactions can make a meaningful and immediate impact.
Other players commonly mentioned as potential trade targets this offseason include New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, Atlanta’s Trae Young and DeJounte Murray and Chicago’s Zach LaVine — none seriously linked to the Lakers at the combine.
In terms of the draft, the Lakers seem like they’ll be the draft floor for Bronny James at pick 55, a player the team conducted an interview with in Chicago, according to sources not authorized to publicly discuss draft strategy.
James undeniably boosted his stock in Chicago with strong interviews, impressive athletic testing and strong play in a scrimmage on Wednesday, helping counteract the bad feelings after measuring 6-feet 1 ½ inches in socks.
Some other players who helped themselves in scrimmages, according to scouts, included Houston’s Jamal Shead, UCLA’s Adem Bona, Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro and Colorado’s KJ Simpson.
The Lakers’ first round pick at 17 is near the middle of the draft’s second tier, some scouts believe. That tier includes players like Ja’Kobe Walter, Terrence Shannon, Tidjane Salaun, Jared McCain, Devin Carter, Yves Missi, Kyle Filipowski, Tyler Smith and Tristan da Silva.
Sports
Dashcam video shows former WWE executive Vince McMahon rear-ending vehicle on Connecticut highway
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Police have released new video showing former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon speeding before crashing his 2024 Bentley Continental GT into another luxury car on a Connecticut highway last summer.
McMahon appeared to be followed by a state trooper in Westport moments ahead of the eventual collision. McMahon’s vehicle reached speeds of more than 100 mph, state police said.
A trooper’s dashcam video showed McMahon accelerating and then braking too late to avoid rear-ending a BMW. The car McMahon was driving then swerved into a guardrail and careened back across the highway. A cloud of dirt, apparently mixed with vehicle debris, was visible in the immediate area of the crash.
WWE owner Vince McMahon enters the arena during WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium on Apr 3, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports)
“Why were you driving all over 100 mph?” a state trooper asked McMahon after catching up to the wrecked Bentley.
“I got my granddaughter’s birthday,” McMahon replied, explaining he was on his way to see her. The encounter was recorded on police bodycam video.
No serious injuries were reported in the July 24 crash, which happened the same day former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack in Florida.
In an image taken from Connecticut State Police police bodycam video, Vince McMahon is questioned in his car after an accident on July 24, 2025, in Westport, Connecticut. (Connecticut State Police via The Associated Press)
Aside from the damage to the rear of the BMW, another vehicle driving on the opposite side of the parkway was struck by flying debris. The driver of that third car happened to be wearing a WWE shirt, police video suggested.
McMahon was cited for reckless driving and following too closely. In October, a state judge allowed him to enter a pretrial probation program that could erase the charges if he completes it successfully.
He was also ordered to make a $1,000 charitable contribution. His attorney, Mark Sherman, called the crash simply an “accident.”
“Not every car accident is a crime,” Sherman said. “Vince’s primary concern during this case was for the other drivers and is appreciative that the court saw this more of an accident than a crime that needed to be prosecuted.”
Vince McMahon attends a press conference to announce that WWE Wrestlemania 29 will be held at MetLife Stadium in 2013 at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 16, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images)
State police said a trooper was trying to catch up to McMahon on the parkway and clock his speed before pulling him over. They said the incident was not a pursuit, which happens when police chase someone trying to flee officers. They also said it did not appear McMahon was trying to escape.
“I’m trying to catch up to you, and you keep taking off,” State Police Det. Maxwell Robins said in the video.
“No, no no. I’m not trying to outrun you,” McMahon clarified.
An accident information summary provided to the media shortly after the crash did not mention that a trooper was following McMahon.
The trooper’s bodycam video also shows him asking McMahon whether he was looking at his phone when the crash happened. McMahon said he was not and added he hadn’t driven his car in a long time.
After Robins tells McMahon that his car is fast, McMahon replies, “Yeah, too (expletive) fast.”
Fox News Digital submitted a public records request to obtain the police video, which was first acquired by The Sun.
McMahon stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. He also resigned as executive chairman of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, in 2024, a day after a former WWE employee filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against him. McMahon has denied the allegations. The lawsuit remains pending.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
‘Just go out and pitch.’ Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow is efficient in his first spring start
PHOENIX — Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow is an admitted overthinker. But you wouldn’t know it based on his efficient first spring training start Thursday against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.
Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, retiring the first six batters before coming out after giving up a single to start the third inning. Using a pitch mix that included a fastball that sat at 97 mph, Glasnow struck out the side in the first inning before recording another strikeout to close out the second. Having thrown just 28 pitches, Glasnow started the third inning and threw three more pitches before coming out of the Dodgers’ 7-6 win.
“Very in rhythm,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “Very efficient, used his entire pitch mix, it was really good. Good to see him get into the third inning. Positive day.”
The 32-year-old entering his third season with the Dodgers credits his coaches for keeping his mechanics on point.
“It allows me to just go out and pitch and be athletic,” Glasnow said after his outing. “I’m able to just go out and play baseball as opposed to trying to tinker and fix certain stuff.”
Though he was plagued by injuries in his second season with the Dodgers, Glasnow finished on a high note, giving up just four earned runs over 21-1/3 postseason innings, good for a 1.69 ERA, pitching as a starter and a reliever. It was Glasnow’s first taste of the postseason as a Dodger, since a right-elbow injury ended his 2024 campaign in August, and was highlighted by his first career save in Game 6 of the World Series.
Glasnow called the experience “great.”
“When you go in with all those nerves and that pressure and that excitement, it’s just such an unbelievable feeling to go out [there],” he said last week. “Especially to be a starter and a reliever and just to be thrown into different situations. It was awesome. It was extremely memorable for me, and I’m craving to do it again. And hopefully we can do it again and get a three-peat.”
Looking to build off his impressive postseason, Glasnow enters the season with a newfound confidence.
Last year Glasnow was placed on the injured list because of right shoulder inflammation at the end of April and did not pitch again until just before the All-Star Break. The Santa Clarita native has a long history of injuries — including Tommy John surgery in 2021 — and never has clocked more than 135 innings in a season.
Over the winter he got married and made adjustments that he hopes will better his health. A successful season means staying off the IL.
“Pitching well and staying healthy,” Glasnow said when asked about goals. “Just doing all that and trying to make as many starts as I can, and just executing every start and being healthy in the postseason.”
Sports
Tage Thompson Responds To MAGA Hat Criticism After Team USA Gold: ‘Proud To Be An American’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
NEWARK, N.J. – It’s been a long few days for Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson. He scored a critical goal for Team USA in the team’s semifinal match against Slovakia, and then went on to help the U.S. ultimately defeat Canada on Sunday to capture the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Thompson admitted after Wednesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, the first NHL game for Buffalo since the Olympic break, that he was tired, rusty and sluggish on the ice. But most fans wouldn’t know it. Thompson scored Buffalo’s first goal of the night and assisted on the second as the Sabres emerged with a 2-1 victory over the Devils.
New Jersey Devils’ Jack Hughes, right, and Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson gesture to fans before an NHL hockey game in Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Jack Hughes, a Devils star and the Team USA skater who scored the game-winning goal in overtime to defeat Canada, was honored by the team during a pregame ceremony. Hughes pulled an incredibly classy move and brought Thompson out to center ice, so the crowd could cheer the pair together.
Still, as impressive as Thompson’s return to the ice was, the story for much of the media following Team USA’s historic gold medal win revolves around the team’s trip to the White House and appearance during Tuesday’s State of the Union address by President Trump.
White House Visit, MAGA Hat Photo Spark Backlash
Thompson, in particular, found himself in the crosshairs of the radical left-wing media mob because he was photographed wearing Trump’s famous “Make America Great Again” hat alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt and several teammates.
Karoline Leavitt shared a photo to social media posing with deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, and several members of Team USA. The photo included Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Jack and Quinn Hughes, and Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson. Both Hughes brothers wore red and white USA hats, while Thompson sported a “Make America Great Again” hat, prompting widespread backlash on social media. (Karoline Leavitt via Instagram)
I asked Thompson after the game if he had any response to the criticism over his hat choice.
“I’m proud to be an American, and I have my own faith, my own beliefs, and everyone’s entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, as well,” Thompson said diplomatically as he sat at his locker after the game. “I think we should be able to live in peace knowing that not everyone’s going to agree with you.”
Speaking of Thompson’s faith, I also asked him about his Christian beliefs that helped shape everything in his life.
“Jesus is everything to me. Obviously, we’re made imperfect. We’re all sinners, and we need him. And I fall short every single day, and he’s the one I rely on,” Thompson said.
Buffalo Sabres’ Tage Thompson (72) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
“I think when you have that sense of hope, the grace and the mercy that I receive every day from him is something that gives me peace and joy in life, no matter what I do. And he’s blessed me with this game and this opportunity to play the game I love at a high level, a beautiful family and friends, people surround me that I love. And I’m just very grateful.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
I think American hockey fans can confidently say they are grateful to Tage Thompson and all the players on the Team USA men’s hockey squad that helped deliver one of the most monumental gold medals in U.S. Winter Olympics history.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
World1 day agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Oklahoma1 week agoWildfires rage in Oklahoma as thousands urged to evacuate a small city
-
Louisiana4 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology6 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Denver, CO2 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology6 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making