French star forward Kylian Mbappé will miss France’s upcoming Euro 2024 match against the Netherlands on Friday after sustaining a broken nose in their opening game against Austria.

The French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed that Mbappé avoided surgery, which would have sidelined him for the remainder of the tournament. Instead, he will wear a custom-made mask upon his return to the pitch.

Despite his initial hopes of playing, further medical assessments have determined that Mbappé needs to sit out the next game. France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the severity of the injury and indicated that while Mbappé showed some improvement, they would monitor his condition daily.

“There will be more tests tomorrow to see how things are developing. Obviously, it was a big collision,” Deschamps said. “The medical staff have done what they needed to reduce it as much as possible. This morning, he was a bit better, so we will see that, and we will follow it closely each day.”

France aims to be cautious with Mbappé’s recovery, given his crucial role in the team’s aspirations for the tournament. Depending on his progress, they hope he can return for the match against Poland on June 25.

France began their Euro 2024 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Austria, setting a positive tone as they aim to add another significant title following their 2018 World Cup triumph. After the match, Mbappé, who was hospitalized in Düsseldorf, Germany, humorously sought suggestions for a mask on social media.

FFF President Philippe Diallo expressed optimism regarding Mbappé’s return, emphasizing the positive outlook from the medical team and the avoidance of surgery. “There won’t be an operation in the short term. Concerning his return, it is premature today to give a timetable; we’re going to wait for the latest information from the doctor this morning,” Diallo said.

Kevin Danso, the Austrian defender involved in the collision with Mbappé, said on social media: “To French supporters: I am sorry that Kylian Mbappe was injured from our duel.”

With 10 weeks to go until the 2023 season ends and free agency begins, Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani entered a doubleheader Wednesday against the Reds as the most highly sought after player in MLB history. He sustained a UCL injury on the mound in the top of the second inning, casting doubt on what once seemed to be a certain future.

The Angels announced the injury shortly after the doubleheader, and though it is still unknown if Ohtani requires surgery, he will not pitch again this season. The star two-way player underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018. He will continue to contribute for Los Angeles as a designated hitter and outfielder as the team continues to fight an uphill battle to the playoffs.

Ohtani’s injury does not only derail his own future, but also that of the sport itself. For the better part of three seasons, he has competed at the highest levels of baseball as both a pitcher and hitter, something no one has ever done in the modern era. If not for Aaron Judge’s record-breaking 62-home run season in 2022, it’s likely that Ohtani would have won back-to-back AL MVP awards with another on the way in 2023.

Entering the last year of his contract with the Angels, free agency talks around the star began last offseason and have only intensified since. At first, insiders claimed that he would get at least $500 million. Ohtani led Japan to a win in the World Baseball Classic and began the MLB season with an ERA below 2.50. The prospective number rose to $600 million.

By the end of July, a month in which he hit 15 home runs and catapulted Los Angeles back into the playoff race, it was widely accepted that the winning team in free agency would need $700 million to secure the most versatile player in the history of the sport. But that versatility is now being called into question, and with a single setback, it’s likely that hundreds of millions of dollars just evaporated in an instant.

Even if Ohtani never pitches again, he will still likely demand a massive contract as one of MLB’s best sluggers. But with an arm injury lingering into the offseason, he may have to make a difficult decision between surgery and giving up pitching for good. The latter option is one many speculated he would have to make at some point anyway, but it could not have come at a worse time. Teams will now be more inclined to pay for his bat alone.

As Ohtani’s final contracted season with the Angels winds down, the team is 10.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot. It would have been nearly impossible for him to push the team into the postseason anyway, but his final month with the team will be quieter than it could have been. Baseball fans around the country, many of whom have been transfixed by Ohtani’s phenomenal ability, will likely grow quieter too. For now, and perhaps for the foreseeable future, the greatest show on the diamond is over.

Tragedy struck the Atlanta Braves as Charlie Morton, their star pitcher, broke his leg on the mound.

Morton spun a curveball past Jose Altuve for a called third strike, his 16th pitch after taking a 102 m.p.h. comebacker off his right leg, Morton stumbled and started to fall. Nobody knew that his leg was broken, yet Morton delivered with stride until the end.

“I wouldn’t think it’s possible,” catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “It’s incredible that he even thought of going out there.”

Morton’s right fibula was fractured by Yuli Gurriel‘s one-hop screamer leading off the second inning of Tuesday night’s World Series opener, a ball hit so hard it ricocheted to first baseman Freddie Freeman for an out.

“You don’t wish bad on anybody,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “Charlie Morton is one of the best guys around, too.”

Braves manager Brian Snitker said that an initial X-ray after the second failed to show a break. “He wanted to keep going, because he was down in the tunnel and he was throwing against the wall,” Snitker explained. “He said, ‘It kind of hurts more when I run. I feel good when I throw.'”

Morton went back out for the third. Still reaching up to 95.9 mph, he struck out Altuve. The 37-year-old right-hander braced himself with both arms after the pitch and grimaced as he popped back up, then rubbed at his right ankle.

“To go out there and strike out the next guy with a broken leg, it blows my mind,” d’Arnaud said, repeating for emphasis. “It blows my mind.”

Morton’s World Series was over soon after it started, but even without Morton, they took a series lead on one of the best hitting teams of this generation. They even secured their first win in a World Series game since 1996 as they seek their first title since 1995. Whether Atlanta can survive the loss of Morton remains to be seen. The 37-year-old star player seemed certain to start again later this series, probably at an even more crucial moment.

“That’s Charlie,” Snitker said. “He wants to be on this stage. God bless him, I hate it for him. Really hate it for him. He’s such a great person, great person and teammate.”

The Braves are scheduled to play against the Astros on Wednesday night. Without their star pitcher, who knows if the Braves will be able to pull out another win.

Kevin Kiermaier, Tampa Bay Rays center fielder, has been dealing with a peculiar injury regarding his left eye. This injury was described by the Associated Press as “left eye irritation stemming from an eyelash.”.

Kiermaier was forced to leave the contest against Saturday with this injury. He did not start in a game against the Blue Jays the next day.

“A couple of minutes in, I was like dang it, I got an eyelash in my eye,” Kiemaier told reporters. “There was an eyelash in there and then we rinsed my eye, and then it disappeared or kind of went into one of these crevices or whatever. Once that happened, everything took a turn for the worse.” Kiermaier said.

“Just one of those weird things” Kiermaier stated. “It seems like this stuff could only happen to me. Got to get through it and roll with the punches I’ll be fine. I assume I’ll be 100% whenever my eye chooses to cooperate.” This is not the first time Kiermaier has suffered an odd injury. His past history includes a hand injury from a slide and an injured wrist during a falling catch.

“Wasn’t happy or proud about (coming out) at all,” Kiermaier added. “These things happen, unfortunately… After being on the (injured list) a couple of times already, this is the last thing I want to deal with. I’ll be fine. But definitely didn’t want to miss any other time other than what I have already, especially with the fluky thing like this,”

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash revealed that the organization did not plan to start him in Sunday’s game, but he was an option if needed.

Kiermaier also reported that he was still feeling “a little bit of a scratch or irritation, whatever we’ve got going on in there” but that his condition had improved slightly.

The star power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers will be watching his team from the sidelines for the immediate future.

Anthony Davis reportedly strained his calf in Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. The injury came in the second quarter of the game, when Davis planted his foot awkwardly on Nuggets center Nikola Jokic while driving to the rim. Davis was able to shoot two free throws before limping to the locker room. An MRI on Monday confirmed the calf strain, as well as tendinosis, which caused Davis to miss two games last week. Davis is not expected to suit up prior to the NBA All-Star break, which is from March 5 to March 10.

This injury comes as a major blow to the Lakers, as Davis played a critical role in the Lakers’ run to an NBA championship last season. Without him on the court, the burden will weigh heavily on 36-year-old LeBron James to keep the team afloat. Considering the history of achilles injuries in the NBA, particularly superstar Kevin Durant’s injured achilles that prevented him from seeing the court in 2020, the Lakers may want to be cautious in how soon they ease Davis back into game action. Nevertheless, without Davis in the starting lineup, the door becomes much wider for teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers and the Utah Jazz to sneak by the defending champions in the Western Conference. And in the East, the Brooklyn Nets are more poised than ever to prevent the Lakers from repeating as champions.

That being said, Davis will be back well before the end of the regular season, and as long as he does not aggravate the injury, the Lakers will still be heavy favorites to win the NBA Finals. Although the injury may prevent the Lakers from locking up the No. 1 seed in the West, it is hard to imagine any scenario in which Los Angeles is not playing in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers know that without Davis, the team’s hope for back-to-back titles is nothing but a pipe dream. So Los Angeles will ease Davis back slowly, not worrying about how his absence will affect the regular season standings.

Los Angeles currently holds the No. 2 seed in the West with a 21-7 record. They are two games behind the Jazz and only half a game ahead of the Clippers. Although they would love to secure home court advantage and for the road to the finals to run through the Staples Center, the Lakers know that the priority has to be keeping Davis injury-free for a playoff run. If Los Angeles had to choose between the No. 1 seed (but with a hobbled Davis) or the No. 2 or No. 3 seed (with a healthy and explosive Davis), they would forego home court advantage in order to have their superstar at full strength.

Laker fans may be a bit worried as we gear up for the All-Star break, but the team is in great shape right now. With the second-best record in the NBA, Los Angeles can afford to rest Davis so that he is injury free and firing on all cylinders when the Lakers make their championship run. Not to mention, it is still quite possible that the Lakers finish as the top seed in the West despite Davis’ absence over the next few weeks. Don’t forget that they only trail the Jazz by two games and that this is the same Lakers squad that has five players averaging double-digit points per game. With Davis out, Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma will be asked to shoulder a heavier load.

The fight for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference will be a very intriguing battle to watch. Don’t be surprised if the playoff seeding isn’t determined until the final day of the regular season. Get ready for an exciting stretch of competitive play prior to the ultra exciting NBA playoffs. And as long as Davis rejuvenates and is healthy for the postseason, the Lakers will be the team to beat in the West.

THE BEST LOS ANGELES LAKERS TICKET DEALS HERE!

In the Oakland Raiders’ win last week over the Detroit Lions, defensive end Arden Key suffered a broken foot. He has now been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Key will seek a second opinion, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

Though not a starter for the Raiders this year, Key has certainly been impactful on the defensive side of the ball. In his rookie season for the Raiders last year, Key started ten games but only managed to record one sack. After a rigorous offseason, however, Key has really proven himself to the 4-4 Raiders, recording a sack in each of his last two games.

“I got a little stronger, which helps with the bull rush, and now that’s my [baseline] move,” Key said during training camp when asked about his offseason improvements. “So much of the credit goes to Buck (defensive line coach Brentson Buckner). I’m really starting to use my hands now. Last year, I didn’t use hands at all. I was using my shoulder and a lot of forearm. If I can use my hands to keep guys off me, I can make moves and use my bend and length and things of that sort.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

After winning a measly four games last season, the Raiders have already matched last year’s total with their 4-4 record. On the other hand, the team had only amassed 15 sacks up until recently, so Key’s production was vital to the defensive unit.

In his absence, the Raiders will rely on defensive ends Clelin Ferrell — a first-round draft pick this year (No. 4 overall) — and Benson Mayowa, who currently leads the team with 5.5 sacks so far.

The Raiders, with Jon Gruden back at the helm for his first season in a decade, will certainly miss the former LSU standout as they host the 4-5 Los Angeles Chargers next weekend.

Stephen Curry will not be able to help his team until at least February after being ruled out for the next 3-4 months with a broken left hand.

The All-Star point guard, who has led the Golden State Warriors to five consecutive NBA finals appearances, sustained the injury in Wednesday’s 121-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

With Curry out, the Warriors are likely to struggle through this NBA season and could potentially not make the playoffs — let alone the finals — this year. These struggles are further compounded by the loss of deep-threat guard Klay Thompson, who is most likely out for the entire season as he needs to rehab his surgically repaired ACL.

“It’s been a tough start for us on many levels,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Obviously this puts us in a tough spot.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

With a shortened season and more time to rest, Curry has begun to turn his focus to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Even after all of the accolades that Curry has amassed over his career — personal or team — the one thing he is still searching for is an Olympic gold medal. After this past summer’s FIBA World Cup, the U.S. team will certainly be looking for redemption after an abysmal seventh-place finish. Team USA got bounced by Serbia much sooner than they were supposed to.

The Warriors star’s father, Dell Curry, also remained adamant that the point guard will be ready for the Olympic games in late July:

“Absolutely. That was definitely a goal coming into this year. He wants to play in the Olympics,” Dell Curry told The Undefeated on Friday night. “This is a little setback, but hopefully it’s a goal he can strive for through his rehab.”

The United States team will likely count on Curry heading into the Olympics and greatly benefit from having him on the court, especially because it remains unlikely that Thompson will be healthy in time for those games. The Americans will definitely be hoping to put on a much better showing in Tokyo next July than they did this past summer.

With just under three minutes left in the first half of the New York Giants’ electrifying 32-31 win on Sunday, Buccaneers safety Mike Edwards brought down Giants running back Saquon Barkley, accidentally catching his ankle underneath him and bending it awkwardly.

Barkley, the second overall pick in last year’s NFL draft, left the game with Giants fans everywhere fearing the worst.

On Monday, an MRI confirmed that Barkley suffered a high-ankle sprain, an injury that oftentimes carries with it a sentence of roughly four to eight weeks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter, on the other hand, indicated that the prognosis will likely leave the Giants’ sophomore running back sidelined for closer to eight weeks.

Down but not out, 22-year-old Barkley — the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — quickly spoke out after the game:

SLIDESHOW: TOP DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2020

“I’m not out for the season,” said Barkley. “‘m going to do whatever I can to get back as quickly as possible. Not for myself, but for my team. That’s what I continue to think about. I caught myself getting a little upset on the sideline just because I wasn’t able to be out there with those guys.”

In his rookie year last year, the former Penn State Nittany Lions running back rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 91 receptions for 721 yards and 4 TDs. Poised for another breakout season, this injury will certainly deal a blow to the Giants’ offense as they look to take over control of the NFC East.

In Barkley’s absence, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones led the Giants to victory after recently taking over the starting duties from veteran Eli Manning. Jones went 23-of-36 passing for 336 yards and 4 touchdowns en route to boosting the Giants to a one-point victory.

After their first win, the 1-2 Giants will return home next Sunday to face their division rival, the Washington Redskins. Though Jones looks to be off to a great start as the Giants’ quarterback, the team will certainly hope that Barkley can return as soon as possible to solidify their backfield.

The Golden State Warriors may have had a bigger loss than the 31-point lead they blew in Monday night’s Game 2 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, which tied up the first-round playoff series 1-1.

They’re now facing the chance that All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins may have suffered a torn left quad. They’re uncertain but figure it’s likely. Cousins reportedly underwent an MRI on Tuesday.

Cousins Injures Quad Vs. Clippers

He’s expected to miss the rest of the postseason but some say there’s a slight hope that “Boogie” could return if the Warriors reach the NBA Finals. Golden State will hope that their fifth All-Star only suffered a quad strain but there’s evidence that the injury is serious. In fact, Charles Barkley compared it to his career-ending quad injury in 1999.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

“There’s a pretty significant quad injury,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “We’ll get an MRI, but he’s going to be out for – I’ll just say a while because I think it’s unclear right now how long he’ll be out. It’s significant.”

Cousins missed the entirety of the playoffs last year and almost sat out a full 365 days following a torn left Achilles he suffered while with the New Orleans Pelicans. The former Kentucky star hoped that a bounce-back season in the Bay Area would catapult his career earnings after signing a one-year deal.

“It’s tough, for sure,” Warriors guard Steph Curry said. “You feel for him considering what he’s been through this last year. This is a big stage, the playoffs. He’s been looking forward to this. I don’t know the extent of the injury at this point. Hope he gets back sooner than later. Just man-to-man in terms of him, what he’s been through, it’s tough for sure. There’s no sugarcoating it at all. You hate seeing that opportunity again on this big stage taken away from him like that.”

With the absence of Cousins, the Warriors will turn to Andrew Bogut or Draymond Green to lock up the center position as they had done previously.

Around the NBA, fans, players, and executives sent out their prayers and reactions to the news about Cousins. Here are a few:

Jusuf Nurkic was the player of the game for the Portland Trail Blazers. With guard CJ McCollum out for his fourth game in a row Monday night and a playoff spot on the line, Nurkic pushed himself to another level. Portland went out and pushed the Brooklyn Nets to double overtime. Even though Rip City came out victors in a 148-144 battle, they didn’t celebrate.

Blazers’ Jurkic Injures leg Vs. Nets

During the second overtime, Nurkic went in for a rebound. First, you heard the snap of his tibia and fibula breaking. Then, you saw his shin bend almost 90 degrees. Players on both teams retreated down court after seeing the gruesome injury and medics were called, though not before one ref stepped on Nurkic’s dangling leg. The center was stretchered off in an air cast with his hands on his head. Coach Terry Stotts called the injury “devastating.”

It seems close to certain that Nurkic will miss the entirety of the playoffs, if not most of the 2019-2020 regular season.

“He’s been having one hell of a season, he was having a great game tonight,” reserve Zach Collins said. “For it to end like that for him is tough.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Nurkic was in the midst of a breakout season before joining a growing list of Portland big men who fell victim to injuries. As the Blazers find themselves in the middle of the pack, Nurkics injury is all the more devastating.

Here are some reactions from around the NBA:

The Indiana Pacers were facing off against conference rival the Toronto Raptors at home. It was late in the second quarter with only 4 minutes remaining when the all star guard Victor Oladipo went down with what seemed like a serious knee injury.

Oladipo Suffers knee Injury Vs. Raptors

Oladipo had to be carried off in a stretcher to the locker room as trainers didn’t want him to put any weight on it. The Pacers eventually won the game despite this major blow to the team.

Oladipo’s rise to stardom wasn’t an easy one. Last year, Oladipo won Most Improved Player, an award given to signify the league taking notice of his hard work on the court. Several NBA players, celebrities and media figures reached out to show support for him after his brutal injury. LeBron James and James Harden were among the players who tweeted messages of support.

Myles Turner, a longtime teammate of Oladipo, had this to say about his injury: “Vic’s obviously in our prayers and the whole city of Indianapolis, hopefully he’s in their prayers as well.”

While the the tests that are being run on Oladipo’s knee aren’t finished, sources say the Pacers fear Oladipo suffered a season-ending injury, making the Pacers’ mission to get to the finals seem even more unlikely.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Teammate Thaddeus Young was one of the few players to speak on the team’s mindset when Oladipo first went down. ” We just wanted to stick together through thick and thin,” said Young. “Vic going down it, would definitely be tough for us but we wanted to keep fighting for him”

And that they did, as the Pacers came back to win the game. General Manager Kevin Pritchard was impressed with the way the team played in the second half despite Oladipo’s injury right before halftime.

The Pacers are currently sitting in third place of the Eastern Conference, while the Raptors are in second. With last night’s game being a potential playoff matchup, it was definitely a big win for the Pacers, especially considering the loss of their star player.

Midway through the third quarter on Tuesday night, Oklahoma City Thunder center Nerlens Noel was carried off the court unconscious.

Andrew Wiggins Elbows Nerlens Noel In The Face

Moments before this, Minnesota Timberwolves star Andrew Wiggins had driven in for a routine dunk. Noel went to block the attempt but was struck by Wiggins’ elbow. He then fell over ten feet head first onto the hardwood floor.

In a video of the incident, Noel isn’t seen bracing for a fall, leaving some to believe that the elbow knocked him out. Here’s a video of the play that led up to the injury:

Note that trainers first check Noel’s vitals and activate the Emergency Action Plan, seen with the raised fist signal. Then, they have their hands around his neck, performing “in-line stabilization.” This is done to prevent the cervical neck from moving and injuring the spinal cord if there is a cervical vertebrae fracture. Luckily, Noel only sustained a concussion and avoided any fractures.

When the injury first happened, the worst was expected. In the video, Russell Westbrook can be heard screaming from the bench for help. After the game, some called for the league to look into offensive fouls. In this case, Noel was in the correct defensive position, Wiggins made a completely legal play with his elbow, and yet Noel still ended up unconscious.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

“I just tried to make an aggressive move and dunk,” Wiggins said. “He tried to contest it. I think he fell wrong. I didn’t really see it until I saw him on the ground. Hopefully he’s good. I hope nothing but the best for him. I hope he gets healthy soon and comes back stronger.”

After the game, Wiggins tweeted out prayers for Noel. He wrote, “My prayers out to you.”

Wiggins ended the game with 40 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Wiggins received loads of criticism this season but seems to be fighting back after the Timberwolves made a coaching change. This season has been a career-rejuvenating one for both him and Noel.

Exactly one year ago, Ryan Shazier was strapped to a backboard and carted off the field at Paul Brown Stadium during a Monday Night Football game against the Cinncinatti Bengals.

He’d spend the next year trying to regain movement in his lower extremities. Today, the former Pro Bowl linebacker is a step closer to pre-injury form.

Steelers LB Shazier Back At Practice 

After tackling receiver Josh Malone, Shazier went limp on the field with a spinal contusion on Dec. 5, 2017. He’d spend two days in a hospital in Cincinnati then head back to Pittsburgh to focus on his long-term recovery.  Though active with the Steelers — he was in a Heinz Field suite less than two weeks after surgery and walked across the stage at the NFL Draft — Shazier has guarded his rehab and his personal life. He’s spoken publicly only a handful of times. The linebacker is still declining interviews.

But according to Steelers linebacker coach Joey Porter, Shazier jogged on Friday for the first time since the injury. Then, in an Instagram post on Tuesday, he recounted the months since it happened.

He wrote, “Today is a day to remember. Just a year ago my life changed forever. It was a scary moment for many people. I’m not going to lie, I was one of them. Ive learned this was an amazing opportunity for the Lord to show how great He is. It’s been a crazy, long journey, but it is not over yet. The best worst part about this journey that I’m on is the unknown. Day by day it’s getting better than the the day before. Today is and was a day of joy.”

Shazier continued: “I want to thank all of the amazing people that have been a part of this process with me, starting with the one and only Michelle. And let’s talk about my ride or die boy.. my number one man..my son RJ knows how to keep a smile on my face. My parents and siblings have been there through the thick and thin. There was more than a million tears cried over this year, but now they are all of joy. Love you guys. My friends and teammates, man y’all don’t understand just the little things you’ve done that have pulled me from darkness to the light. To the Steelers-there’s no better organization. Thank you for being family to me. The UPMC trainers and staff for getting me back on my feet. Steelers and Buckeye Nation-your prayers and love honestly keep me going. And to the fans everywhere, I feel your support honestly everyday. CAA-thank you guys constantly for giving me amazing advice and being the best agency in the world. And Iast, but not least, I have to give Jerome Howard and Mike Micca an extra thank you for dealing with my foolishness, excuses, pain, and joy everyday. These two are with me working everyday and I cant say thank you enough to these guys. Love you all thank you so much. #SHALIEVE“

The 26-year old still intends to return to the NFL. After going from hospital bed to wheelchair to canes to nothing, he thinks that the Pro Football Hall of Fame is still within his reach.

He’s already overcome the seemingly impossible, jogging after being given only a 20 percent chance of walking. But to be cleared to play after a spinal injury might be medically impossible, if not reckless.

Still, Shazier takes joy in the progress he has made and continues to move towards his goals.

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa withdrew from school to focus on the rehab of an injured core muscle, according to a Buckeyes announcement on Tuesday. The All-American presumably made the move to use his time and prep for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Ohio State’s Nick Bosa To Nurse Injury

“I was hopeful that Nick would be able to return to play again for us,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said in a statement. “I know this was an extremely difficult and emotional decision for Nick and his family, and I wish him well as he moves on to get himself 100 percent healthy and ready for his next chapter. I want to thank Nick for the remarkable efforts he gave for this program. He is a first-class young man who we have been honored to coach.”

Meyer also described meeting with the Bosa family. “It was very emotional,” he said. “We love Nick. The Bosa family has been awesome for Ohio State and the program. Nick is a first-class guy.”

Bosa, a junior, injured a core muscle during a 40-28 win over TCU on September 15. He’s been out recovering since after undergoing surgery to repair the muscle on September 20th. Bosa, the 2017 Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, wasn’t cleared for team activities and was ruled out for the team’s game against Purdue this week.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Through three games, Bosa put up an incredible four sacks and six tackles for loss. He was also leading the team in tackles when he was injured.

Nick is the younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa, who also was a star at Ohio State. The elder Bosa went on to be the third overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Nick Bosa is currently ranked as the number one prospect in the upcoming draft, according to draft experts.

The injury isn’t expected to change Bosa’s draft status, and his move to withdraw from school should only help his draft stock as it reduces the risk of aggravating the injury.

Meyer has said he has yet to address Bosa’s departure with the team.

An MRI confirmed that San Antonio Spurs starting point guard Dejounte Murray has a torn ACL, the team announced Monday.

Dejounte Murray Tears ACL In Preseason Game

In a preseason loss to the Houston Rockets, Murray pushed to the basket and planted sharply in the paint against James Harden, and the fast-break led to a cut that was ugly and unpromising. He was able to leave the court on his own strength, although ligament damage was confirmed in his right knee.

Although the injury occurred in the preseason, it is likely Murray will miss the entirety of the 2018-2019 season. San Antonio says there is no timetable for his return. A devastating loss for the Spurs, the impassioned guard produced well in the absence of Tony Parker.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

With 48 starts under his belt last season, Murray averaged 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 81 games. Sophomore guard Derrick White looks like the starter for now, with coach Gregg Popovich discussing his potential role for the team.

The association’s veterans are confident in his ability on the court and his persistnece, assuring that he’ll be back soon.

“Lil bro you’ll be back stronger, quicker, faster and more athletic when you return,” said Lakers forward Lebron James on Instagram. “Just remain patient and confident throughout the entire process … You know how to reach me and where to find me.”

Cleveleand Caveliers guard George Hill took to Instagram as well to air his condolences for the blossoming Spurs guard. “Prayers up to the little bro @dejountemurray,” he posted. “Minor setback but I know for a fact you’ll be back better than before.”

After placing him on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday, the New York Yankees are expecting to be without catcher Gary Sánchez until at least the end of August, with the possibility of his absence extending into September. Sánchez was placed on the DL due to a strain in his right groin, the same injury which forced him to miss 20 games from June 25 to July 15.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who announced the gravity of Sánchez’s injury to the public on Wednesday, also indicated that it is unlikely that the Yankees will attempt to pursue another catcher on the trade market before the non-waiver trade deadline on Tuesday, July 31. Instead, he expressed confidence in using backups Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka until Sánchez returns.

Cashman said, “We’ll certainly look at all those aspects [on the trade market], but seeing how other clubs have had to deal with that over the course of this season as well, I already recognize it’s a very thin position. It’s not easy to solve if there are issues there. … Thankfully, what Gary has is a solvable health issue. It’s just a timing one. We’ll just have to wait on it. Hopefully we’ll be in a better position when he returns.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

While Sánchez is a very valuable player on the Yankees roster, his 2018 season has, so far, been the worst of his career. He’s batting for a lowly .188 batting average and a .283 on-base percentage with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs. Whether or not this can be chalked up to a nagging injury is unclear at the moment, but hopefully he can perform more so up to his standards upon his return from injury. Sánchez has also recently taken heat for not hustling down to first base on what could have been a game-tying infield single against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

In the meantime, the Yankees remain second in the AL East to the Red Sox, but are still favorites to snag a Wild Card spot come season’s end. We’ll see how Sánchez’s absence impacts their progression toward the postseason.

The Philadelphia Eagles are being very careful with their franchise quarterback, as they have announced that Carson Wentz will be reporting to training camp Wednesday on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The move is being made in order to make sure that Wentz fully recovers from ACL and LCL tears, which ended his brilliant 2017-18 campaign in a Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

SLIDESHOW: 30 BEST SPORTS INSTAGRAMS

It’s unlikely that moving Wentz to the PUP list guarantees that he’ll be ready for Week 1 of the 2018-19 season and is more so just another step in his rehab process. The drastic nature of his injuries have made the rehab a long and arduous process, and the Eagles will likely not take any risks that could compromise Wentz’s progress. However, almost every update on Wentz’s injury made public by the Eagles camp this offseason indicates that he should play in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, which just so happens to be the first game of the NFL season. Just don’t expect him to play much in the preseason.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Although Wentz is almost definitely not going to miss much of the beginning of the season at all, it’s not as if the Eagles will be in bad hands, as Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles is still on the roster. While Foles was fantastic during the postseason, Wentz was masterful during the regular season. He looked to be the clear favorite for the MVP prior to his injury, as he completed 60.2% of his passes for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns in just over 12 games. Even though he missed the last three games of the season, those 33 touchdowns were still good for second in the NFL behind Russell Wilson‘s 34.

If Wentz comes back fully healthy and doesn’t miss much of the season, look for Philly to make another epic Super Bowl run.

According to reports given to ESPN by NBA insider sources, Spurs superstar forward Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio.

Leonard has expressed frustration with the Spurs organization ever since he suffered a quad injury during this past season. He felt that the team did not handle his recovery properly and that they ultimately turned there backs on him when he requested a second opinion. Leonard apparently feels betrayed and lied to, making it seem as if his tainted relationship from with the franchise is all but irreparable.

Leonard has spent all 7 years of his career in San Antonio and has proven himself to be among the leagues elite players. He has excelled on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, making the All-Star game in both 2015 and 2016. During those two seasons, he scored 21.2 and 25.5 points per game respectively and took home the Defensive Player of the Year by both seasons’ ends, an exceptional feat for a player who doesn’t play a majority of their defense in the post. Leonard also won the 2014 NBA Championship with San Antonio, where they defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 in the series, with Leonard taking home the Finals MVP award.

However, Leonard played only 9 games during the 2017-18 season due to his quad injury, which eventually resulted in him being shut down for the entire season in January. It was during this time that Leonard’s relationship with the organization soured, ultimately becoming the main catalyst for his desire to leave San Antonio.

In regards to his future, Leonard has informed sources that he sees the Los Angeles Lakers as his ideal destination. The Lakers are expected to make some big moves over the summer, possibly signing LeBron James and/or Paul George in free agency. The addition of one or both of those superstars would make LA even more tantalizing for Leonard, so it will be really interesting to see how this situation pans out.

Basketball has never been a game of modesty, and Missouri freshman forward Michael Porter Jr. is showing us exactly why that is by claiming he’s the best player in this year’s NBA draft. While claims like these aren’t new by any means, what makes Porter’s statement particularly noteworthy is the fact that he only played in three games during his one year at Missouri due to ongoing problems with his back, although he says he’s “100 percent” healthy following his lengthy rehab.

During a Thursday media session, Porter said, “I know without a doubt. I played against all these guys, they’re all great players. But I’m the best player in this draft, and I just can’t wait to show what I’m capable of.”

With his college playing experience being pretty much as limited as possible, Porter’s claims are largely based on the fact that he was one of the most highly-touted basketball players coming out of high school despite having initially suffered the back injury during his sophomore year when he fell on his back after being “undercut” by an opponent. He indicated that he tried to continue playing and work out as time went on, but it ultimately only made his injury worsen. According to Porter, though, doctors are confident that he should be fine so long as he keeps up with his stretching and core exercises.

How this will affect the upcoming NBA draft is anyone’s guess, if it affects it at all. Porter undeniably has a ton of talent which alone makes him worthy of a pick somewhere toward the middle or end of the lottery, but the ongoing injury leaves his status way up in the air. Picks 1-5 belong to the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas Mavericks respectively, all of whom have either met with or plan to meet with Porter in order to figure out whether or not to trust claims like these before the draft is underway on June 21.