AP Sports

Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members.

NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025

The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press.

F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that “we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later.

NFL’s next coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates: Analysis

The next NFL coaching cycle will feature an impressive list of candidates ranging from proven champions to up-and-coming coordinators. Six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick heads the list of recognizable names that includes 2021 AP Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buccaneers OC Liam Cohen, Bills OC Joe Brady and Eagles OC Kellen Moore are among a lengthy list of young offensive-minded coaches who will garner plenty of interest.

Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue

Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness.

Pride, bragging rights and more than $115M at stake when final college playoff rankings come out

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There’s more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football’s first 12-team playoff. Try the more than $115 million that will be spread across the conferences at the end of the season, all depending on who gets in and which teams go the farthest. When it’s all said and done, the teams that make the title game will bring $20 million to their conferences, all of which distribute that money, along with billions in TV revenue and other sources, in different ways.

Juan Soto could decide on his next team this weekend

NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto appears on a timetable to decide on where to sign either before or during baseball’s winter meetings in Dallas, which start Sunday and run until Dec. 12. Soto met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations has said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, asked teams to submit initial offers by Thanksgiving and says Soto has started to eliminate clubs from consideration.

Will Juan Soto top Shohei Ohtani’s deal? In the era of deferred money, it might depend on the math

NEW YORK (AP) — Deciding whether Juan Soto tops Shohei Ohtani for baseball’s largest contract could be in the eye of the beholder because of all the deferred money in Ohtani’s deal. Ohtani agreed last December to a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, easily exceeding the previous high set when Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels struck a $426.5 million, 12-year agreement through 2030. Ohtani’s deal includes $680 million in deferred money payable from 2034-43. There are several interpretations for how to value that deal in current dollars.

Julien Guerrier leads Nedbank Golf Challenge with defending champion Max Homa 2 strokes back

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) — Julien Guerrier has taken a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City. Defending champion Max Homa is two strokes back. Guerrier shot an impressive 4-under 68 in windy conditions. Guerrier needed nine playoff holes in his 230th tournament to claim his first European tour win at the Andalucia Masters in October. Homa led for much of the day in South Africa before back-to-back double bogeys on the 16th and 17th erased a two-shot advantage. Guerrier’s fellow Frenchman Romain Langasque and home favorite Ockie Strydom were tied one stroke off the lead.

North Carolina interviews Bill Belichick for head coaching job, AP sources say

North Carolina has interviewed former New England Patriots coach and six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick for its head coaching position. That’s according to two people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school isn’t commenting publicly on its search. Belichick’s interview was first reported by Inside Carolina. It comes a week after the school fired its winningest all-time coach in 73-year-old Mack Brown. The 72-year-old Belichick completed a 24-season run with the Patriots after last season and has been linked to NFL jobs.