Hilary Knight isn’t happy with what President Donald Trump said to the men’s hockey team on a phone call shortly after they beat Canada to win gold at the Olympics on Sunday.
But she’s just trying to move on from that “distasteful joke” he made and focus on actually celebrating the women’s team’s gold medal win at the Milan Cortina Olympics instead.
“I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold medal feats,” Knight said on ESPN on Wednesday.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”
Trump drew significant criticism on Sunday after a video emerged of him congratulating the men’s hockey team for also winning gold at the Olympics. Near the end of the call, after inviting the men’s team to his State of the Union address, he laughed and told players that, “We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that. I do probably believe I would be impeached [if I didn’t].”
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That comment drew laughs from men’s players in the locker room. FBI director Kash Patel was the one who called Trump after Team USA’s win. Patel flew to Italy and celebrated with the team in the locker room, something that also received blowback.
Though they were eventually invited, the women’s team declined to attend the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, citing “previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.” Trump has since claimed that they “will soon be coming,” but the women’s hockey team has not committed to a visit.
“We’re really happy for them,” Quinn Hughes, a member of the men’s hockey team, said on Tuesday. “[There’s] a lot going on around social media right now surrounding our team and their team, but in the last couple summers, we did a lot of training with them and got to know a lot of those girls really well.”
Kight said that feeling was mutual, even if everything that has happened since the win has dominated the story.
“I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect,” she said. “I think that’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse. I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on.”
Knight wasn’t alone on the women’s team in speaking out, either.
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Hayley Sacamurra was asked about it on “The Hockey Lifers” show on Tuesday, and said simply that “the call was what it was.”
“Honestly like, the outpouring of love and support we’ve kind of received since that has outweighed any other feelings that I have,” she said. “I’m really just focused on the positives … Honestly, I just want to focus on how great our team is and how dominant we were the whole tournament. We got double gold, men’s and women’s side, like that is so incredible. I want to celebrate that, and I don’t want that to be overshadowed.”
Knight, 36, announced in May that she would retire after the Olympics. She won her second gold medal and is now the most decorated U.S. women’s hockey player in history. She leads all American hockey players, men or women, with 15 Olympic goals and 33 points in her career. She scored the tying goal to force overtime with Canada in the gold medal game, too.
The win was Team USA’s third gold at the Olympics since women’s hockey was added to the Games in 1998.
“[This is a] really good learning point, to really focus on how we talk about women, not only in sport but in industry,” Knight said. “Women aren’t less than and their achievements shouldn’t be overshadowed by anything else other than how great they are.”
Real Madrid are staring down a potentially humiliating Champions League exit — can they steady the ship against Benfica in the Round of 32? The boys break down what’s gone wrong, whether Madrid’s aura still carries weight in Europe, and give their official predictions for all Round of 32 matchups.
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Then we’re joined by the legendary Glenn Crooks, who gives incredible insight into how Emma Hayes developed into the elite manager she is today. Crooks also reflects on his own journey in soccer, shares thoughts on NYCFC’s upcoming season, discusses Pascal Jansen’s evolution as a coach, and weighs in on what the club’s new stadium means for the future of football in New York City.
To close it out, we react to Carlo Ancelotti being spotted at Carnival — is that a bad look for Brazil’s head coach given the national team’s current form? Plus, we discuss Tottenham’s new manager, Raheem Sterling’s move to Feyenoord, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s first La Liga loss, and Antoine Semenyo’s absolutely unhinged pizza opinion. Another packed episode full of insight, debate, and chaos.
NBA skills coach Drew Hanlen joins Kevin O’Connor to break down the season’s hottest topics, from star player development to the reality of tanking in the league. Drew shares inside stories about working with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jayson Tatum and others and explains why self-belief can be both a gift and a curse for rising talent.
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(0:48) When will Tatum return for Celtics?
(12:13) Player development & Deni Avdija
(21:43) Can Hornets maintain their winning ways?
(26:25) How can NBA stop tanking?
(31:09) Joel Embiid’s recovery and development
(43:02) How teams use data & analytics to improve
(49:03) Chris Paul retires from NBA
(56:43) How will defensive coaching evolve?
(01:00:11) Future of the All-Star game
Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on February 2, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
Andrew Siciliano deep dives on the 2026 NFL Draft with Nate Tice & ESPN’s Matt Miller. Andrew kicks things off with Nate Tice as they parse through Nate & Charles McDonald’s latest mock draft and cover a few of the more interesting selections, including EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. going second overall to the New York Jets, RB Jeremiyah Love in the top ten, EDGE David Bailey to the Washington Commanders and more. Next, Andrew & Nate set their sites on Indianapolis for the NFL Combine as Nate gives his top prospects he’s most excited to watch test next week.
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Later, Andrew is joined by ESPN’s Matt Miller to get his thoughts on the draft (including Ty Simpson, Caleb Downs and more) before talking through his latest NFL mock draft.
(6:55) – Nate Tice breaks down latest NFL mock draft
(21:55) – Nate’s top prospects to watch at the NFL Combine
(44:00) – Matt Miller talks latest NFL mock draft
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 19: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers takes the field during pregame warmups before the 2026 CFP National Championship between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
(Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
Inside Coverage would be nothing without the impact of our beloved Terez Paylor, who was a pillar of Yahoo Sports’ NFL editorial and podcast coverage. We will continue to produce this NFL podcast in his honor, and hope that you can support Terez Paylor’s legacy in one of three ways:
• Buy an “All-Juice Team” hoodie or tee from BreakingT.com/Terez. All profits directly fund the Terez A. Paylor scholarship at Howard University.
• Donate directly at giving.howard.edu/givenow. Under “Tribute,” please note that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under “Designation,” click on “Other” and write in “Terez A. Paylor Scholarship.”
The Cooligans welcome former MLS head coach and analyst Giovanni Savarese for a deep dive into the 2026 MLS season. Gio shares his predictions, breakout teams to watch, and how the league continues to evolve ahead of a massive 2026 on home soil. The conversation also turns to the USMNT, as the guys assess expectations, pressure, and what success should realistically look like at the 2026 World Cup.
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Christian and Alexis then tackle the troubling racist incident involving Vinícius Júnior during Real Madrid’s clash with Benfica. They unpack how these situations are currently handled, question whether the responsibility to stop a match unfairly falls on the player experiencing abuse, and debate what meaningful structural changes could better protect players moving forward.
Finally, it’s a jam-packed Champions League recap. Folarin Balogun shines in a statement performance against Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus suffer a shocking defeat to Galatasaray, and Bodø/Glimt pull off a stunning win over Inter Milan. The boys react to all the drama, surprises, and what these results mean going forward.
Timestamps:
(6:30) – 2026 MLS preview and predictions
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(30:00) – Gio Savarese’s USMNT World Cup outlook
(39:00) – Vinicius Junior deals with racism again: time for a rule change?
(59:00) – Folarin Balogun shines in Champions League loss to PSG
(1:04:30) – Serie A teams suffer shocking Champions League losses
LAFC sent a loud message in their 3-0 dismantling of Inter Miami, and it wasn’t just about the scoreline. Los Angeles FC looked sharp, organized, and ruthless, while Inter Miami CF looked frustrated and overwhelmed. We break down what went wrong for Miami, what this result means long-term, and whether Lionel Messi’s heated postgame interaction with referees is a sign of deeper cracks. Plus, we recap the rest of MLS opening weekend and highlight the teams that set the tone early.
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Across the pond, the Premier League title race is heating up once again. Manchester City and Arsenal continue to push each other to the limit at the top of the table. Can City pull off another late surge, or is this finally Arsenal’s year? We examine the remaining fixtures, squad depth, and pressure points that could decide the title.
Off the pitch, concerns are growing around the 2026 tournament. With New Jersey canceling its World Cup fan zone and Gillette Stadium reportedly resisting FIFA licensing without additional funding, we ask whether the 2026 World Cup is starting to show serious organizational strain. Is this just early logistical turbulence—or a warning sign for what’s ahead?
Timestamps:
(7:00) – LAFC thrash Messi and Inter Miami
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(23:00) – MLS opening weekend recap
(32:00) – Arsenal and Man City continue to battle in PL title race
(47:45) – World Cup in danger of falling apart already?
Kevin O’Connor sits down with former Denver Nuggets GM Calvin Booth for an unfiltered look inside team building, executive strategy and the realities of finding success in the NBA. How did he manage the team during their championship run?
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Booth also shares candid reflections on his relationship with former head coach Michael Malone, insights on sustaining a championship window and his philosophy behind drafting players and developing talent.
(1:11) Keys to building a championship team
(10:06) Bruce Brown’s development
(11:30) Jokic’s growth in Denver
(16:30) Nuggets post-championship
(31:33) Friction between Booth & Malone
(40:43) What would Booth do differently looking back?
(49:42) Is Denver on the path to a dynasty?
(52:18) College basketball landscape & impact on Draft
(1:03:53) Overrated traits & underrated players
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on February 22, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
With the Winter Olympics in the rearview, it’s time for baseball’s international competition to move into the spotlight. That’s right: We’re one week away from the start of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the sixth edition of the tournament.
Tournament history: This is Brazil’s second WBC. The team went 0-3 in 2013 but kept things respectably close against Japan and Cuba.
First game: March 6 vs. USA, 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
Key players: Just three arms on Brazil’s roster — Eric Pardinho, Daniel Missaki and Gabriel Barbosa — pitched in an affiliated baseball game last season. Missaki, who appeared in the 2013 WBC as a 16-year-old, is probably the most qualified character to start against Team USA. He threw 74 innings of 4.38 ERA ball in Triple-A last season. Enzo Sawayama punched out six in a crucial qualifying game against Germany last March. He has never pitched in affiliated ball but suits up in Japan for Yamaha’s company team, which won the country’s Amateur Baseball Championship last year. Presumably, he will start one of Brazil’s games.
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Guy you don’t know yet but should: Joseph Contreras is the son of longtime MLB starter José Contreras but could end up being a lot more than that. Still just 17 years old, the younger Contreras is committed to pitch at powerhouse Vanderbilt next year, but he might get enough money in the upcoming draft to ditch college altogether. While understandably raw, Contreras’ heater is comfortably in the mid-90s.
Biggest strength: The inherent randomness of baseball. Listen, the best hitters on the planet return to the bench seven out of 10 times. A 120 mph lineout counts the same as an infield fly. Bloops, dunks, infield hits and other batted-ball tomfoolery tend to ensure a relative balancing of the scales. Perhaps Brazil can coax the baseball gods to sleep for long enough to conjure a miracle.
Biggest weakness: The roster. Perhaps the following sentiment is unnecessarily cruel or rude, but Brazil’s opening game against Team USA might showcase the single largest talent discrepancy to ever grace a ballfield. Nobody on the Brazilian squad has ever appeared in an MLB game. The Americans might have 10 Hall of Famers. We’ve never seen such a fascinating baseball experiment.
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Tournament outlook: For Brazil, simply qualifying for the WBC is an incredible accomplishment. These will be the biggest games of every player’s life. That is legitimately cool. With that in mind, avoiding a football score against the United States would be an enormous moral victory. A showdown with Great Britain presents Brazil’s best opportunity for an improbable win, but just looking like a normal, competent, not embarrassing baseball club would be enough. Vai, Brasil, and good luck.
Tournament history: After debuting in 2023, Great Britain is back for its second WBC. The fightin’ Union Jacks were a nice surprise last time, with a win against Colombia and close, hard-fought losses against the USA and Mexico.
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First game: March 6 vs. Mexico, 1 p.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Key players: Jazz Chisholm Jr., born and raised in the Bahamas like much of this roster, appeared for Great Britain numerous times during his amateur career, but this will be his first WBC appearance. The swaggering second baseman was named a co-captain of Team GB alongside Nationals catcher Harry Ford, who went deep twice as a 20-year-old in the 2023 tournament. That relatively proven tandem will lead the offense, but it’ll be up to Rays pitching prospect Gary Gill Hill to set the tone on the bump. As a 20-year-old, “GGH” threw 136 ⅔ strong innings in High-A last year. Sashimi raw he might be, but Gill Hill’s stuff is a tier above that of anybody else on this staff.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Heading into 2020, Kristian Robinson was a consensus top-50 prospect in the sport, an athletic unicorn built like an NFL tight end with elite power potential. But a mental health episode during the pandemic, during which Robinson punched a police officer after being found wandering on the side of a Phoenix-area highway, derailed his march to potential stardom. After missing all of 2020, ‘21 and ‘22, Robinson has gradually crawled his way up the minor-league ladder. He’ll probably never become the player he could have been, but that he has gotten this far is a testament to his perseverance.
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Biggest strength: Team speed. Chisholm swiped 31 bags for the Yankees last year. Robinson stole 34 in the minors. BJ Murray took 20. Harry Ford stole 34 two years ago. Indie ballers Justin Wylie and Nick Ward stole 37 and 20. Nate Eaton had only nine steals in limited big-league time, but he graded out in the 98th percentile of sprint speed. The point is this group can fly. They’ll need to sneak their way on base, but if they do, watch out.
Biggest weakness: Pitching. Only two British arms are currently on 40-man MLB rosters: Miami’s Michael Peterson and San Francisco’s Tristan Beck, both of whom are relievers. This rotation looks paper thin, with 38-year-old former big leaguer Vance Worley set to get a start despite not having pitched in MLB since 2017. Remember, Team USA put up 18 on these guys in 2023.
Tournament outlook: In a weaker group, Great Britain would be a fun dark horse, thanks to all that Bahamian position-player talent. Unfortunately, it’s tough to see this squad upping either the USA or Mexico, which it would need to do to escape this pool. But maybe Chisholm catches fire, and this fleet-footed lineup overcomes the total dearth of impact pitching.
Aaron Judge leads a Team USA squad that is the heavy favorite to win the 2026 WBC. But which two teams will advance from Pool B?
(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports)
Tournament history: Italy, participants in all six editions of the WBC, made it beyond pool play for the first time in 2023.
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First game: March 7 vs. Brazil, 1 p.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Key player: Aaron Nola is easily the most accomplished MLB pitcher to ever take the mound for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. It’ll be interesting to see if he starts against Team USA or if the Italians opt to use him against Mexico, considering the Mexicans are Italy’s likeliest competitor for a trip to the knockout stage.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Andrew Fischer was taken by the Brewers with the 20th overall pick last summer out of the University of Tennessee. Fischer was born in Brick, New Jersey, a fitting origin story considering this guy is built like a wall. At the plate, he’s as demonstrative as they come, shuffling, head-shaking and gesturing like an Italian-American Juan Soto. And when he does swing, Fischer deploys a wild, uppercut hack that is as fun as it is violent.
Biggest strength: Raw juice. Between Fischer, Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, Dominic Canzone and Jakob Marsee, the Italians will almost always be a swing away from putting runs on the board. This is one of a surprisingly small number of WBC lineups expected to start nine big leaguers. That’s not nothing.
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Biggest weakness: Luck of the draw. The Italians find themselves in the proverbial group of death, alongside Team USA and Mexico. Besides that, this is a very balanced roster with a much-upgraded bullpen compared to the 2023 vintage.
Tournament outlook: In 2023, the Italians were sent to Taiwan for pool play. That helped them emerge from a very even group, but it also made it much harder to convince Italian-American big leaguers to fly across the world to participate. That task was simpler this go-around, as evidenced by the plethora of MLBers on this roster. As such, expectations are high for this group. Besting Mexico for the second ticket to the quarterfinals won’t be easy, but Italy raised the bar last time. This team has the talent to reach the semifinals.
Tournament history: Mexico’s third-place finish in 2023 was its best-ever WBC result. This team has appeared in every tournament.
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First game: March 6 vs. Great Britain, 1 p.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Key players: Randy Arozarena dominated the 2023 WBC with both bat and charisma. The Cuban-born Mexican citizen finished that tourney 9-for-20 with six doubles and a homer to go alongside a string of stellar defensive plays. Mexico needs him to get hot again. And Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk didn’t play in 2023, which makes his inclusion this time a potential difference-maker.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Alexander Armenta is the only pitcher on this roster without any professional stateside experience, but the 21-year-old is no schlub. The 5-foot-9 southpaw signed with the NPB Softbank Hawks as an 18-year-old back in 2022 and has slowly matriculated up the Japanese minor-league system. He sits 93 mph with real deception and a pair of breakers.
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Biggest strengths: Defense and relief pitching. Defensively, the Mexicans are loaded up the middle of the diamond, with Kirk behind the dish, Joey Ortiz at short and Alek Thomas in center. And this bullpen unleashes more cheese than a cotija farm. Andres Muñoz, Viktor Vodnik and Alex Carillo all sit 98. Robert Garcia and Brennan Bernardino are capable late-inning lefties.
Biggest weakness: Starting pitching. Taijuan Walker, José Urquidy, Javier Assad and Taj Bradley are all Big Leaguers™, sure. But that quartet is dangerously lacking in the raw sauce necessary to quiet cacophonous lineups like the ones USA and Italy have.
Tournament outlook: It’ll be difficult to come back late against Mexico, which features one of the best bullpens in the entire tournament. But this starting staff is weak enough that opposing teams might be able to jump to early leads. While Mexico upset Team USA in 2023 and very well could do so again, its whole tournament likely comes down to the game against Italy on March 11. The winner of that one almost certainly makes it out of the group stage. For a Mexican team coming off a rousing semifinal appearance, that would be the bare minimum.
Tournament history: Team USA has generally underwhelmed on the national stage when defending the so-called “American Pastime.” Despite having access to around 70% of active MLB players in any given year, the Stars and Stripes have won this tournament just once, in 2017, and appeared in the final only one additional time, in 2023.
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First game: March 6 vs. Brazil, 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
Key players: For all the hoopla about how much better USA’s starting rotation is compared to 2023, the real reason Japan won it all last time is because most of the American position players didn’t hit. Team USA managed just three extra-base hits in the final, two of which were solo homers. Mike Trout went 1-for-4. Mookie Betts grounded into a crucial double play in the ninth. It was only one game, but you know, it was only one game. This year, an entire new crop of stars takes center stage. Instead of Trout, Betts and Arenado, it’s Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Cal Raleigh and Bryce Harper. Kyle Schwarber and Will Smith are the only regulars back from three years ago. To return to the mountaintop, the American squad needs its special players to do special things.
Guy you don’t know yet but should: Garrett Cleavinger is probably the most anonymous guy on this star-studded roster, but let’s focus on Mets phenom Nolan McLean. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy made just eight starts down the stretch for a depressing, doomed 2025 Mets club, but they were eight sensationally dominant starts. The runaway favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year in 2026, McLean certainly has the right temperament to shine on the international stage.
Biggest strength: Star power, duh. Thirteen of the 22 non-relievers on Team USA’s roster were All-Stars last season. And that doesn’t include dudes such as Gunnar Henderson, Bryce Harper, Roman Anthony, Mason Miller and Nolan McLean.
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Biggest weakness: Probably the bullpen. This is admittedly a strange way to do this, but only three of the top 11 MLB relievers by fWAR last year were American. That’s Garrett Whitlock, David Bednar and Mason Miller, all of whom are on this roster. This is still probably the best and deepest group of relievers in the tournament, but I was asked for a weakness. What do you want me to do?
Tournament outlook: On paper, this is the most talented team in WBC history. But the only things won on paper are crosswords and hangman. Much has been made of the news that two-time defending Cy Young Tarik Skubal will start only one WBC game, likely against Great Britain. But even if Skubal were to denounce his citizenship and move to Belarus in the next few weeks, Team USA would still have the best rotation in the tournament. Still, this is baseball, the most volatile of all sports. The Americans could easily lose once again, but the odds are very much in their favor.
Tony Bennett shocked many in 2024 when he abruptly retired as the University of Virginia’s men’s basketball coach just days before the season started, but it turns out he wasn’t done with basketball. Bennett will serve as a “draft advisor” for the Los Angeles Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka, the team announced Wednesday.
The team confirmed the move in a release, with Pelinka saying the team was “thrilled and honored” to bring Bennett on board.
In a statement, Bennett said he was excited about “the chance to help out such a storied organization.” The Lakers did not announce Bennett’s exact responsibilities as part of the team’s release.
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Prior to his surprising 2024 retirement, Bennett spent 15 seasons coaching Virginia. He put up a 364-136 record with the team, winning the 2019 NCAA championship and two AP Coach of the Year awards.
Before that, Bennett spent three years at Washington State, where he compiled a .676 winning percentage.
Over his college career, Bennett helped develop 11 different players — including Malcolm Brogdon, De’Andre Hunter and Klay Thompson — who went on to be selected in the NBA Draft.
At the time of his 2024 retirement, Bennett cited the rise of NIL and the changing college basketball landscape as some of the reasons he chose to walk away from the game. Neither issue will be prevalent in the NBA, which may have played a role in Bennett’s decision to return to basketball.
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While Bennett has never held a coaching or front-office job in the NBA, he did spend three seasons in the league as a player. Bennett was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round of the 1922 NBA Draft. He appeared in 152 games over his playing career, averaging 3.5 points per game.
Bennett’s hiring comes a day after new Lakers business president Lon Rosen said the team will retain Pelinka as its general manager. In early February, Pelinka hinted that the team was looking to expand its front office. It made good on that promise on Wednesday with the addition of Bennett.
The Cleveland Cavaliers made one of the more impactful moves at the NBA trade deadline, acquiring 11-time All-Star James Harden from the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden’s time in Cleveland, however, has already hit a snag, as the guard suffered a fractured right thumb during the team’s win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
The injury was discovered after Tuesday’s 109-94 win over the Knicks. The team’s medical staff did an initial examination on Harden before sending him for X-rays Monday, which revealed the extent of the injury.
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Harden is undergoing further evaluation and is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced.
The news comes a day after Harden scored 20 points and played 32 minutes during the contest. It’s unclear when he sustained the injury.
Harden has seen a slight decline in his numbers since joining the Cavaliers, and is averaging 18.9 points with his new team. While he hasn’t been the same scoring threat in Cleveland just yet, the team has played well since bringing him on board. The Cavaliers have gone 6-1 since the trade, and are tied for third place in the Eastern Conference.
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It’s unclear how much time Harden will miss due to the injury. The fact that the team listed him as questionable for Wednesday’s game provides hope Harden might be able to return to action quickly, though that’s not a guarantee. The team may eventually downgrade Harden to “out” for the contest after further evaluation.
