BASKETBALL
Al Attles dies at 87
Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, has died. He was 87. The Warriors announced on Wednesday that Attles had died in his East Bay home on Tuesday surrounded by family. Nicknamed “The Destroyer” for his physical style of play, the Warriors were his love and his only team after they selected him in the fifth round of the 1960 draft. It marks the longest stint with a single franchise for one person in league history. Attles, one of the first black head coaches in the NBA, was witness to some of the greatest games in different eras. He played in Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game for the Philadelphia Warriors in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 1962. Attles made all eight of his field-goal tries for 17 points. He also coached Hall of Famer Rick Barry the day he scored 64 against Portland on March 26, 1974.
SOCCER
Gundogan likely to return
Manchester City and Ilkay Gundogan look set to be reunited. The former Germany midfielder was pictured at the airport on Wednesday and was reportedly catching a flight from Barcelona, Spain, to Manchester, England, to wrap up his return to City on a one-year deal, with the option of another 12 months. Neither City nor Barcelona have commented publicly on any deal for the 33-year-old Gundogan. Gundogan left City after the 2022-2023 season, during which he was captain of the team that won the English Premier League-FA Cup-UEFA Champions League treble. He spent seven years at the English club, but decided to move to Barcelona for a new challenge, and was one of former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez’s favorite players during his sole season with the Catalan club. However, Barcelona’s delicate economic situation appears to have forced the new coach, Hansi Flick, to part ways with the veteran playmaker. Gundogan retired from German national team this week.
BASEBALL
Joey Votto retires
Former NL MVP and six-time All-Star Joey Votto announced his retirement from baseball in a short video posted to social media on Wednesday. The Toronto-born Votto signed a minor league contract with his hometown team in March and, following a lengthy layoff because of an ankle injury, had been playing at Triple-A Buffalo. He went 6 for 42 with one homer and four RBIs in 15 games, striking out 22 times. The 40-year-old first baseman became a free agent last fall following the end of a US$251.5 million, 12-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, his only team over 17 major league seasons.
SOCCER
Dortmund fans to protest
Borussia Dortmund supporters are planning to start the Bundesliga season with major protests against the club’s sponsorship deal with German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall. “We won’t allow ourselves be hitched to your wagon,” the supporter association Sudtribune Dortmund said in a statement on behalf of more than 90 Dortmund fan groups on Wednesday. “We firmly reject the idea that management and its committees at BVB have agreed to use Borussia Dortmund’s appeal to improve the public image of an arms company and throw their own values overboard in the process.”
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
‘HIGH STANDARD’: The Thunder are on track for a Finals-Cup double after they scored 22 three-pointers in equaling the best 25-game start to a season in NBA history The Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday bagged a 16th straight victory, thrashing the Phoenix Suns 138-89 to romp into an NBA Cup semi-final clash with the San Antonio Spurs, who stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119. NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to lead the reigning NBA champions Thunder, who improved to 24-1 to equal the best 25-game start to a season in league history. They dominated from start to finish to book their place in the final four of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, where they are tomorrow to take on the Spurs. The New York Knicks and
TOP OF THE TABLE: Evann Guessand put the visitors ahead early in the game and Flavius Daniliuc equalized before Youri Tielemans got the winner in the second half Aston Villa on Thursday extended their winning streak to eight games in all competitions with a 2-1 victory against Basel in the UEFA Europa League to secure at least a playoff spot. Villa were tied with Olympique Lyonnais, who beat Go Ahead Eagles 2-1, and Midtjylland, 1-0 winners over Genk, atop the standings of the second-tier European competition on 15 points with five wins from six games. They have bounced back from a poor start to the season and are third in the Premier League, including a 2-1 victory over leaders Arsenal on Saturday. At St Jakob-Park in Basel, summer signing Evann Guessand
Tony Jefferson intercepted a Jalen Hurts pass in overtime to give the Los Angeles Chargers a 22-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in an NFL thriller between playoff contenders. Justin Herbert, playing a week after surgery on his broken left (non-throwing) hand, withstood a career-high seven sacks to throw for 139 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers. Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals, including the 54-yard game winner in overtime. The Chargers defenders forced Hurts to throw four interceptions and surrender a fumble for a career-worst five turnovers as the Eagles fell to 8-5 with a third
RSS