AP Sports

Analysis: When the 2024 NBA champion is crowned, a young star will likely lead the way

LeBron James will turn 40 in December. Stephen Curry is 36. Kevin Durant will turn 36 and Jimmy Butler will turn 35 by the time training camps start in the fall. They have been stars of the playoffs for years, players who come up biggest at the biggest times. But not this year. The next wave isn’t waiting its turn anymore. The NBA’s final four is Boston, Dallas, Indiana and Minnesota. And the best players on those teams — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for the Celtics, Luka Doncic for the Mavericks, Tyrese Haliburton for the Pacers and Anthony Edwards for the Timberwolves — are all 27 or younger. Their time is now.

Xander Schauffele gets validation and records with one memorable putt at PGA Championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Xander Schauffele made one putt that turned out to mean so much. His 6-foot birdie on the final hole gave him a one-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau in the PGA Championship. He quieted whispers about whether he could close. He showed he could stand up to the best of them after having lost to Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in two previous chances. Schauffele doesn’t even remember the way the winning putt swirled into the cup. He’s now the No. 2 player in the world. And he doesn’t have to answer questions whether he can win. This was the big one.

Is Man City’s Premier League dominance making soccer’s most popular league boring?

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — After the celebrations come the questions. A fourth straight Premier League title for Manchester City marks an unprecedented period of dominance by one team in English soccer. A sixth in seven seasons underlines City’s superiority in a league that is widely regarded as the most competitive in the sport. But does City’s pre-eminence mean England’s top division is in danger of becoming a turn-off for billions of fans around the world? City’s run of success bares comparison to the likes of Germany where Bayern Munich had turned the Bundesliga into a one-horse race until its 11-year winning streak was ended by Bayer Leverkusen this season. The German league is not as popular as England’s top flight and a lack of competition could be a reason why.

Scottie Scheffler’s Louisville court date postponed after arrest during PGA Championship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky court is postponing pro golfer Scottie Scheffler’s appearance on charges he injured a police officer and disobeyed commands during the PGA Championship. Scheffler was handcuffed and taken to jail outside the Valhalla Golf Club on Friday. He was due in court Tuesday, two days after finishing in the top ten. Now a judge is postponing the court date until June 3. Scheffler faces four charges, including felony assault over injuries a Louisville police officer suffered. Scheffler’s attorney, Steve Romines, says the situation is a misunderstanding and the golfer never disobeyed any officer’s orders.

Ricky Stenhouse could face suspension after throwing punch at Kyle Busch after All-Star Race

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (AP) — The most compelling part of Sunday night’s All-Star Race wasn’t on the racetrack at North Wilkesboro Speedway but rather in the infield afterward. Ricky Stenhouse confronted Kyle Busch after the race face-to-face, then after a brief exchange threw a right hook at the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet setting off a brief melee that involved several members of each driver’s crew and Stenhouse’s father following a race that was dominated by pole sitter Joey Logano. The antics potentially could result in a suspension for Stenhouse.

Power conferences, NCAA to vote on landmark $2.7 billion settlement as smaller leagues balk at terms

University presidents around the country are scheduled to meet this week to vote on whether to accept a proposed settlement of an antitrust lawsuit that would cost the NCAA nearly $3 billion. The deal would also create a landmark revenue-sharing system with college athletes. The terms of the agreement have met some pushback from the Division I conferences that do not compete in major college football. They say they are being asked to bear an undue financial burden on the damages portion of the settlement. Attorneys for the defendants in House vs. NCAA gave college sports leaders until Thursday to agree.

Analysis: Larson enters conversation with Verstappen as best drivers in the world

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Many consider Max Verstappen the best motorsports driver in the world right now. He has won three consecutive Formula 1 championships. Still, IndyCar’s Alexander Rossi has raced against Verstappen and he has raced against NASCAR star Kyle Larson. He says he thinks Larson belongs in the discussion. On Sunday, Larson will be the fifth driver in history to race in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Only one driver has completed all 1,100 miles. Some believe Larson might be a contender to actually win both races.

French sports minister calls for sanctions after Monaco player tapes over anti-homophobia badge

PARIS (AP) — France’s sports minister has called for soccer club Monaco to be sanctioned after one of its players covered over an anti-homophobia message on the team’s shirt during the team’s final league game on Sunday. The French league staged its annual campaign against discrimination during this weekend’s final round with each team wearing a badge featuring the word “homophobia” crossed out. However, Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara taped over the badge during his team’s 4-0 win over Nantes, and also skipped the pre-match group photo where all players stood before a banner with the same message. French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra called Camara’s actions “unacceptable” and called for “firm sanctions” against both the player and the club.

Former Red Sox pitcher arrested in Florida in an underage sex sting, sheriff says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Austin Maddox has been arrested in Florida as part of an underage sex sting. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters announced a total of 27 arrests Monday as part of a multi-agency operation that ran late last month. An arrest report says the 33-year-old Maddox began communicating with an undercover agent pretending to be an underage girl on April 28. Officials say he expressed his intent to have sex with the girl even after she told him that she was 14. His attorney says he intends to fight the allegations.

Zverev’s stock is rising for the French Open amid questions over Djokovic, Nadal, Sinner and Alcaraz

ROME (AP) — Top-ranked Novak Djokovic hasn’t won a tournament all year. Record 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal has been far from his best. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have been out injured. And Daniil Medvedev has won only one clay-court title in his career. Alexander Zverev’s credentials entering Roland Garros are looking pretty good following his second Italian Open title. Especially when considering the state of his rivals in the top five. The clay-court Grand Slam in Paris starts on Sunday. Zverev won 44 of his 49 service points in a 6-4, 7-5 victory over 24th-ranked Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-5 in the Rome final to earn his biggest trophy since tearing his ankle apart two years ago.