Sports
UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez learned to handle bruising hits while leading Mexican team
When Gabriela Jaquez noticed three of her UCLA teammates passionately representing Serbia and Germany during Olympic qualifiers, she was motivated.
Emily Bessoir and Lina Sontag qualified to make their Olympic debuts playing for Germany. UCLA teammate Angela Dugalić, of Serbia, also qualified to compete during the Paris Games.
“I saw them and they inspired me,” said Jaquez, explaining why she decided to play for the Mexican national team.
Jaquez, 20, then talked with her father and older brother about playing for Mexico during the summer in her first international tournament. Mexican basketball federation officials had long sought her participation after her brother, former UCLA star and current Miami Heat player Jaime Jaquez Jr., played for Mexico during the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
“Mexico had always asked me to play with them, but I didn’t know if I was going to be ready,” Jaquez said. “I took the initiative to play with them and I’m super grateful I got to do it.”
Her dad warned her, “You’re not going to get the fouls at FIBA that you get at UCLA,” Jaime Jaquez Sr. recalled while laughing. Her brother told her the same thing.
But Gabriela was not intimidated and called the coach of the Mexican women’s team, Lindsey Harding, a successful Duke player and former pro, who welcomed her. Harding made Jaquez feel comfortable and told her that her first adventure with Mexico could be in August in the pre-qualifying tournament for the FIBA 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
“It was very cool that she was the coach. I admire the way she is, how much I can learn from her,” Jaquez said of Harding, who was recently named an assistant coach with the Lakers, becoming the first woman to hold that title in Lakers history.
Jaquez had the support of UCLA coach Cori Close, who urges her players to seek international competition experience to broaden their repertoire of play.
Unlike college basketball, the FIBA game is generally more physical. Jaquez’s role on the Mexican team also was different from what she is used to with UCLA, a team on which she has very tall teammates. In Mexico, Jaquez, at 6 feet, is one of the tallest players.
“I knew it was going to be physical, but I tried to have fun and that’s what I did,” Jaquez said of the strong FIBA style.
“After every game, she had new bruises,” said Jaime Jaquez Sr., who accompanied his daughter to every game in Mexico City.
Harding said Gabriela Jaquez adapted quickly.
“The game is different than college basketball in the United States, it’s different than anywhere else you play. You’re allowed to do more things, more contact than you’re used to,” Harding said at the news conference after the first game, where she noted that it only took Jaquez one half of the game to adjust.
During the seven-day tournament in August, played at the Juan de la Barrera Olympic Gymnasium in the Mexican capital, the Mexican team was not the favorite but debuted with a win over Mozambique and then defeated New Zealand. Mexico then lost a competitive game to Montenegro and in the semifinals, they were eliminated by the powerful Czech Republic.
The Jaquez family gathered for a fundraiser benefitting the Jaquez Family Scholarship Fund. From left, Angela, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Gabriela, Marcos and Jaime Jaquez Sr. Gabriela Jaquez played for Mexico during the summer, following her brother’s path competing fo the country.
(Cortesía UCLA)
Jaime Jaquez Sr. said he was proud of how his daughter connected with her teammates, including Sofia Payan and Carla Martinez.
“I think they are going to be her friends forever,” he said.
Gabriela Jaquez is grateful she decided to play for Mexico.
“Honestly, it was a lot of fun, it was a great experience,” said Jaquez, who led the Mexican team in points and rebounds. “At the beginning, I was a little nervous. I didn’t want to think about it too much because I didn’t want to stress myself out. But at the end of the day, it’s basketball, it’s what I love to do.”
The competition exceeded the Mexican team’s expectations and confirmed how much Jaquez can help the team. The Camarillo native averaged 21.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
“We are very happy. … Gabriela integrated very quickly with her teammates. The senior women’s national team had an outstanding pre-World Cup event,” said Modesto Robledo, president of the Mexican Basketball Sports Assn. “They played with a lot of grit.”
Jaquez said her teammates and coaches were very welcoming. The crowd also stole her heart.
UCLA’s Gabriela Jaquez dribbles during a game against California Baptist on March 23 in L.A.
(Kyusung Gong/AP)
“The people from Mexico who went to our games were incredible. They were saying they were grateful that I would play for Mexico, but no, I was the one who was more grateful,” she said.
Omar Quintero, Mexico’s national team director, believes the Jaquez siblings can have a big effect on the Mexican national team.
“She came to revolutionize Mexican women’s basketball,” Quintero said of Gabriela. And he wants to see her brother return next summer to represent Mexico.
Last season, Jaquez and UCLA reached the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 before falling to Louisiana State. She averaged 10 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 34 games, starting six of them and averaging 25.2 minutes per game.
Jaquez wants to help UCLA win the Big Ten and hopes the more physical play she adapted to during the summer will help her during the NCAA tournament.
“The Big Ten championship and being in the Final Four are always our goals,” Jaquez said.
During the tournament in Mexico, Harding learned she had landed the Lakers assistant coaching job. It is unclear whether she will continue coaching Mexico during international tournaments, but federation officials hope she still has time in her schedule.
Meanwhile, the Mexican Basketball Sports Assn. is intensifying the search for players for its national teams. A FIBA rule requires players who represent a national team be born in that country or have obtained their passport from that country before the age of 16. There is only one exemption spot on the roster for a player who got their passport after the age of 16. Jaime and Gabriela Jaquez both used exemptions.
Mexican federation officials are trying to process as many passports as possible for young Mexican American basketball players in the United States so that if they continue to develop their talent, they can play for Mexico without relying on exemptions. The federation has scheduled a camp in Los Angeles for boys and girls under age 3 for January 2025.
UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez, left, shoots over Purdue forward Alaina Harper during a game on Nov. 6.
(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)
“We may have to set up 300 passports, but if five or six players come out of those 300, we’re good,” Quintero said.
Some of the young basketball players they have in their sights include the children of former Laker Matt Barnes, who have Mexican roots through their mother.
“We are looking for boys and girls from the United States who have the same dream as Gabriela,” Quintero said.
This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times es Español.
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Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
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But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
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Quarterback Ty Simpson arrived in Los Angeles on Friday — and the Rams’ first-round draft pick sounded as if he couldn’t wait to start learning from coach Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford.
“The best head coach in the league, the best quarterback in the league, the best … franchise in the league — it’s a perfect situation,” Simpson said during a news conference at the Rams’ draft headquarters in Inglewood.
How the situation plays out — short and long term — remains to be seen.
Stafford, 38, will enter his 18th NFL season as the reigning NFL most valuable player.
With free agent Jimmy Garoppolo mulling retirement, McVay said Thursday night that Simpson would compete with Stetson Bennett to be Stafford’s backup.
The Rams used the 13th pick to select Simpson, 23, who started 15 games for Alabama.
McVay said that he had informed Stafford that the Rams would select Simpson.
“He was great,” McVay said of Stafford’s reaction. “He’s a stud. He’s always first class in every sense of the word.”
But McVay and general manager Les Snead were not their typically ebullient selves when discussing Simpson during their Thursday night news conference. Some observers perceived that as a break in what is regarded as one of the NFL’s best coach-general manager partnerships.
On Friday, Snead said in an interview with ESPN radio that he and McVay work “in lockstep.”
So their muted reactions Thursday might have been out of sensitivity, warranted or not, to not upset Stafford after drafting his heir apparent in the first round. McVay took pains to remind that the Rams are Stafford’s team, seemingly to not offend the Rams’ most important player.
After last year’s draft-day trade with the Atlanta Falcons, the Rams went into the offseason with two first-round picks — their own at No. 29 and the one acquired from the Falcons at 13.
Ty Simpson poses for a photo with his family during a news conference in Inglewood on Friday.
(Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
In March, the Rams used the 29th pick in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, so perhaps the 13th pick was regarded as a luxury.
They spent it on a player who was at Alabama for four seasons, but started only one.
Snead acknowledged that as Simpson pondered whether to remain at Alabama or make himself available for the draft, Snead spoke with Simpson’s father, Jason, who like Snead played college football in the Southeastern Conference and is now the coach at Tennessee Martin. Snead said it was in the role similar to the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, which evaluates prospects and lets them know in what round, if any, that they might be selected. Snead reportedly told Jason Simpson his son was first-round caliber.
“You try to get across it’s not about where you get drafted,” Snead said Thursday night. “It’s more about where you go and what situation you go and what you do with that opportunity after.”
A few months later, the Rams drafted Simpson, who was upbeat as he met with reporters, while his parents and his brother and sister sat nearby.
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The Rams drafted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft in Pittsburgh.
Simpson, who passed for 28 touchdowns, with five interceptions last season, was in Southern California last January when Alabama lost to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide did a walkthrough at SoFi Stadium.
Now he will begin his NFL career there.
“I’m, I guess, like a redneck in Southern California,” he joked. “So we’ll see how that goes. But I’m super excited to be here. This is a great place, with great people and I can’t wait to get started.”
Simpson said that Rams safety Quentin Lake had texted him. He also received a social media message from Stafford’s wife, Kelly, inviting him and his family to reach out if they need anything.
“Can’t wait to talk to Matthew,” said Simpson, who characterized the veteran as “an assassin” on the field. “I’m super excited because I just want to pick his brain about everything.”
Simpson met with McVay on Friday.
“He’s got the juice, man,” Simpson said, “like that dude … he’s a fireball.”
Simpson said he benefited from the years he spent at Alabama before he got his opportunity to play last season.
“The years that I sat were … probably more important,” he said, “because I had to learn how to practice. I had to learn how to study when I wasn’t playing because I didn’t know when that time was going to come.
“And so whenever that time did come — it was this year — I made the most of it.”
Now he is ready for the next phase of his career.
He said his faith was his foundation, and that he aspires to be “not only be the best football player I can be,” but also a better teammate and person.
“I want people to come into the locker room and smile, knowing that ‘Hey, Ty’s here,’” he said. “I want to lead, influence people and I think at the quarterback position that’s what you need to do.”
His immediate goal is modest.
“My plan is just to get better each and every day,” he said, “so, eventually, I have a long career like Matthew.”
Sports
Olympic legend Kaillie Humphries signs with activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics amid political rise
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The most accomplished Olympic women’s bobsledder in history is now an official brand ambassador in the movement to “save women’s sports”.
Olympic bobsled legend Kaillie Humphries has signed with the activist sportswear company XX-XY Athletics, becoming the latest medal-winning Olympian to represent the brand.
“Being able to partner with a brand that believes in the same things I do, that’s willing to stand up and actively work on protecting the women’s space and women’s sports is huge,” Humphries told Fox News Digital.
Humphries first spoke out about her support for protecting women’s sports from biological male trans athletes in a Fox News Interview that went viral after the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February.
Humphries had just returned after winning bronze in women’s bobsled, marking her sixth career Olympic medal. She later revealed that she received backlash for coming out as a Republican with other conservative stances in that interview, but didn’t back down.
Humphries went on to be honored at a White House Women’s History Month event by President Donald Trump in March, and gave her Order of Ikkos medal to Trump, citing his actions to protect women’s sports.
“Being able to come back to the USA after the Olympics and then be able to make connections and meet some people, I was able to, when I went to the White House, I was able to meet people that were connected obviously in working with XX-XY and that’s how the conversation started,” Humphries said.
Humphries, who is originally from Canada and competed in her first three Olympics for Canada, moved to the U.S. in 2016 and then competed for Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
FEMALE ATHLETES ANXIOUSLY AWAIT SUPREME COURT DECISION TO TAKE UP TRANSGENDER PARTICIPATION IN WOMEN’S SPORTS
Kaillie Humphries, U.S. Olympic bronze medalist bobsled athlete, presents the Order of Ikkos to President Donald Trump during a Women’s History Month event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 2026. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)
Just months after that, America was rocked by the news that male transgender swimmer Lia Thomas was winning championships for UPenn’s women’s swim team.
Humphries, who was following the story in the news, found it startling.
Now, as a California resident and the mother of a newborn son, she is energized to help combat the wave of trans athletes in girls’ sports in the state, as California has become the nation’s biggest hotbed for the issue.
XX-XY Athletics co-founder and former U.S. gymnast Jennifer previously told Fox News Digital one of her biggest goals for the brand was to land high-profile superstar women’s athletes as brand ambassadors, especially Olympic medalists.
Now, with Humphries, the brand has a three-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time Olympic podium finisher across her stints for Canada and the U.S.
Humphries joins Olympic silver medalist gymnast MyKayla Skinner and gold medal swimmer Nancy Hogshead on XX-XY Athletics’ growing roster of Olympians.
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USA’s Kaillie Humphries holds a USA flag after winning bronze in the bobsleigh women’s monobob heat 4 at Cortina Sliding Centre during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Feb. 16, 2026. (Marco Bertorello/AFP)
“Kaillie is the GOAT of her sport. She is the only Olympian to win gold for two different countries. She is an elite athlete and a courageous, fierce woman who has fought for female athletes to have equal opportunities in sport.” Sey told Fox News Digital.
“The women’s monobob event exists because of Kaillie’s leadership, and she has gold-medal proof that women have the skill, strength, and speed to compete at the highest level. She has driven meaningful change and expanded opportunities for women at the Olympic level — more female athletes represent Team USA because of Kaillie. And that’s exactly why we’re leading with her as we grow in how we support female athletes.”
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