Category: Sport

So far, so good for Jonathan Kuminga in Atlanta.

The formerly disgruntled Golden State Warriors forward made his Atlanta Hawks debut Tuesday night following a trade-deadline deal that moved him from Golden State. It was pretty much all the Hawks could have hoped for from his first game in Atlanta.

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Kuminga came off the bench. But he developed into the No. 1 Hawks option in a game in which All-Star Jalen Johnson left the first quarter with a hip injury.

Kuminga finished with a game-high 27 points to lead the Hawks in a 119-98 blowout over the Washington Wizards. He added 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. He did it from inside and out and in transition while shooting 9 of 12 from the field and 3 of 4 from 3. He did it all in 24 minutes.

Kuminga introduces himself to Atlanta

Kuminga made his debut with 6:22 remaining in the first quarter as one of the first three Hawks players off the bench alongside Zaccharie Risacher and Gabe Vincent.

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He almost immediately flashed the athleticism that made him so tantalizing in Golden State but never materialized into anything of substance on the basketball court. His first bucket as a Hawk was a cutting layup through traffic in transition.

Not long after that, he took an outlet pass from Risacher for an uncontested dunk.

He capped his first-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer to finish with seven first-quarter points. And the Hawks extended a 12-9 run when their subs entered the game to 35-20 by the end of the first quarter.

Johnson injury opens door for Kuminga to take over

Johnson sustained his injury in the first quarter and didn’t return. He watched from the sideline in warmups after the Hawks eventually ruled him out with a left hip flexor injury. The severity of the injury wasn’t initially clear.

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But Johnson’s absence opened up more opportunity for Kuminga, who continued to work inside and out as the Hawks opened up the score against a woeful Wizards team playing without several of its top players.

Kuminga re-entered the game midway through the third quarter still sitting on seven points and opened his second-half scoring with another 3.

From there, he took over the lead role for the Hawks in a debut that will surely generate some smiles in Atlanta. He left the game with 6:16 remaining and the Hawks holding a 111-80 lead.

Trae Young’s return

While Kuminga introduced himself to Hawks fans, Trae Young made his first trip to Atlanta as a visiting player. He did so in street clothes as one of several injured Wizards players.

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The Hawks traded Young to the Wizards before the trade deadline in a deal that signaled the end of an era. Young had played his entire seven-plus-season NBA career with the Hawks, making four All-Star teams as the face of the franchise.

But with the emergence of Johnson as the leader of the team, the Hawks parted with Young, ending a tenure that produced three playoff appearances but none since 2023.

The Hawks greeted Young with a tribute video in the second quarter. Fans responded with a standing ovation.

Young has yet to make his Wizards debut. He remains out with an MCL sprain and quad contusion that’s sidelined him since late December.

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The Wizards are also waiting on the debut of Anthony Davis, whom they acquired from the Dallas Mavericks before the trade deadline. He’s been sidelined with a significant finger sprain. Standout second-year forward Alex Sarr missed a fifth straight game with a strained hamstring.

Tuesday’s loss dropped the Wizards to 16-41, the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference.

A pretty big fight broke out early in the second half at John Paul Jones Arena on Tuesday night, leading to an ejection in the victory for the Virginia.

No. 11 Virginia rolled to a dominant 90-61 win over NC State on Tuesday. But things got heated, and fast, in the second half of that contest.

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Not even three minutes into the second period, Virginia’s Sam Lewis and NC State’s Darrion Williams got into a brief confrontation at midcourt. It’s unclear what started it, but Lewis appeared to shove Williams, and both he and Paul McNeil Jr. retaliated and shoved Lewis back. That sparked a big scrum in the middle of the floor, which took several coaches and officials to get separated.

NC State’s Scottie Ebube was ejected from the contest for leaving the bench. He had not played in the game at that point. Both Lewis and Williams were hit with technical fouls, and the game continued on normally.

Despite that incident, Virginia had no issue rolling to the 29-point win. The Cavaliers led the entire way on Tuesday, held the Wolfpack to just 19 points in the first half and had five players hit double figures. Thijs De Ridder led the way with 19 points after he went 7 of 10 from the field, and Lewis added 16 points and three rebounds.

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McNeil led NC State with 22 points and six rebounds, and Williams added 14 points. The Wolfpack fell to 19-9 on the season with the loss, which marked their third in a four-game span. The lone win came in the form of a 24-point victory over North Carolina last week.

Virginia, meanwhile, is quietly rolling to an impressive run in the ACC. The Cavaliers have now won nine straight and sit at 25-3 on the season. They are in second in the conference standings, and will take on No. 1 Duke on Saturday in Durham, North Carolina. A win there would give them the lead in the conference race entering the final week of play.

“Virginia’s a great team. They can go to the Final Four,” NC State coach Will Wade said, via 247 Sports’ Jacquie Franciulli. “They steamrolled us. They’re better than we are.

“If we played them 10 times, I’m not sure we would beat them. Maybe once.”

INDIANAPOLIS — As Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan prepared to address media at the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday, the flashbacks hit.

Only two years ago, as the Steelers finished their second season with a bottom-10 offense led by quarterback Kenny Pickett, a reporter asked Khan: Did he have full faith in Pickett entering Year 3?

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“We have — I have full faith in Kenny,” Khan said Feb. 29, 2024. “He’s shown us some good things, and obviously there were some issues with the offense. And I’m excited about the impact that Arthur Smith’s going to have on him.

“Arthur’s very optimistic about Kenny. I know they’ve communicated and said we’ll have some strong competition there and see where it goes.”

Less than two weeks later, the Steelers signed quarterback Justin Fields. Kenny Pickett was a Philadelphia Eagle by March 15 and Russell Wilson a Steeler by March 29.

Sure, Khan had indicated the club would invite “strong competition.” Even so, the general manager’s “full faith” endorsement rang hollow in near-record time.

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So as Khan fielded questions this week about the future of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, it was worth asking: How much should fans take his words at face value?

The Steelers signed Rodgers last season to a one-year deal after Rodgers wanted to play for longtime head coach Mike Tomlin. Rodgers completed 65.7% of his passes for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions while leading the Steelers to a playoff berth and home wild-card loss. When Tomlin stepped down days later, team owner Art Rooney II said “Aaron came here to play for Mike, so I think it will most likely affect his decision.”

Clarity has not yet arrived.

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Khan expressed interest Tuesday in Rodgers returning for a second season.

“The door’s open to have Aaron back,” Khan said. “I’ve had conversations with him. I spoke to him last week. Mike McCarthy has spoke to him, and he knows how we feel about him. Right now we’re proceeding [like] he’s a free agent and he’s on the roster.

“But he knows how we feel about him.”

[Get more Steelers news: Pittsburgh team feed]

Will that lead to a reunion?

Khan’s Rodgers-specific comments seemed to indicate that the ball was in Rodgers’ court. A return would mean not only a reunion for Rodgers and his 2024 team, but also a reunion for Rodgers and his 13-year Green Bay Packers head coach in McCarthy. That track record and deep understanding could sway Rodgers.

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But the Steelers can’t afford to wait.

If Rodgers isn’t Pittsburgh’s 2026 QB1, who might be?

In hiring McCarthy rather than an up-and-coming talent, Rooney made clear that he’s not interested in a rebuild. He wants to win now. That necessitates a quarterback.

The Steelers selected Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but a fractured finger in his throwing hand limited Howard’s exposure. The 2026 NFL Draft is widely considered shallow at quarterback, while the 2027 class allures personnel executives. That combination could further increase the Steelers’ desire for Rodgers to serve another season as bridge, or could prompt Pittsburgh to give Howard the keys with an understanding that higher-end talent is one year out.

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“Like all the fans, we’re all searching for the next franchise player,” Khan said. “[The] guy who’s going to be our quarterback for 10 to 15 years, and it might be Will. We don’t know …

“Unfortunately he got hurt and we didn’t get a chance to see him in preseason, but we’ve watched his progression in practice and it’s been exciting. I know the new coaching staff, specifically Coach McCarthy, is excited to work with him.”

A free-agent quarterback could be in the mix for Pittsburgh, too.

Khan spoke multiple times Tuesday about the “flexibility” the Steelers have while not paying a quarterback top dollar. But even paying a pending free agent like Green Bay’s Malik Willis around $30 million per year would still be well below the 11 league quarterbacks making north of $50 million per year. The Steelers pursued Sam Darnold last offseason when Minnesota let him walk and he ultimately signed with the Seattle Seahawks, a person with knowledge of the pursuit told Yahoo Sports. That strategy could suggest that Pittsburgh is willing to pay for what executives view as the “middle-class” quarterback rather than only developmental prospects, if Rodgers does not return.

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Khan was asked Tuesday whether Rodgers’ free-agent decision had narrowed only to the Steelers and retirement, or whether the 42-year-old would consider playing his 22nd season with another team.

“That’s a question for Aaron,” Khan said. “I mean, he knows how we feel and I think we know how he feels about us. It was a good experience for both sides. Unfortunately we didn’t reach our goals on winning the games that we wanted to win at the end, but there’s a mutual respect there.”

Khan said he doesn’t expect the waiting game to last until June as the Steelers’ pursuit of Rodgers did a year ago.

“The circumstances are a little different,” Khan said. “But just conversations we had, I think neither side wants to have this drag on like it did last year.”

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With free agency looming, a decision from Rodgers would allow the Steelers to fully understand their options before quarterbacks like Willis, the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa find their new homes. The Atlanta Falcons confirmed Tuesday they’re releasing veteran Kirk Cousins and not re-signing him, which will influence the quarterback supply-demand puzzle. But signing Cousins for a lower-end version of what Rodgers did in 2025 seems illogical.

Instead, the Steelers will continue posturing that they’re waiting for Rodgers and leaving the door open for his return. Their conversations in free agency, and perhaps even their 30 visits for the draft, may tell another story.

Are the Steelers really homing in on Rodgers and Rodgers alone for their 2026 quarterback?

Perhaps fans shouldn’t have full faith.

The Dallas Cowboys have offered kicker Brandon Aubrey a contract that would make him the NFL’s highest-paid kicker, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.

That offer is apparently not enough. Per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are offering Aubrey a multiyear deal valued at close to $7.5 million per season. Per Watkins, Aubrey is seeking closer to $10 million per year, a contract that would dramatically reset the market for kickers in the NFL.

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Kansas City’s Harrison Butker is the highest-paid kicker in football with a four-year, $25.6 million contract ($6.4 million per year).

Is Aubrey worth it?

Aubrey has leverage like no other kicker in the NFL. He’s a one-of-a-kind weapon who through his first two seasons was virtually automatic from 50-plus yards. He hit all 10 of his 50-plus-yard field-goal attempts during his 2023 rookie season with a long of 60.

He went 14 of 17 from 50-plus in 2024, including a 65-yard kick that at the time was the second-longest field goal in NFL history. His six career field goals of 60 yards or more are the most in NFL history.

He fell off a bit in 2025, going 11 of 17 from 50-plus yards. But that’s still a remarkable success rate, and Aubrey has been named All-Pro in each of his three NFL seasons.

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Aubrey has reached the end of a three-year, $2.7 million contract that was his first in the NFL. And now’s the time for him to leverage his talents for a significant payday.

Cowboys: Aubrey negotiations a ‘journey’

Per Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones, Aubrey and the Cowboys have been engaged in negotiations since prior to the start of last season. In a media scrum Monday at the NFL combine, he called the negotiations a “journey.”

“We’ve been in talks with Aubrey since before the season started,” Jones told reporters. “That’s been a journey. We haven’t been able to get to a point where we can all agree, so it hasn’t gotten done, but we’d love to get him done.”

Jones previously told the Morning News that the Cowboys intend to tender Aubrey if they don’t reach an agreement on an extension. Aubrey is a restricted free agent, and the Cowboys have the option of placing a first- or second-round tender on him.

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Absent an extension, the Cowboys are expected to place a second-round tender on Aubrey valued at roughly $5.8 million, ESPN reports. Competing teams would have the option of exceeding that tender number, and the Cowboys would have the right to match it on a one-year deal. If Aubrey were to leave to another team in that scenario, the team that signs him would owe the Cowboys a second-round pick.

Aubrey hasn’t discussed negotiations in public. But it sounds like he and the Cowboys have some significant work to do to find common ground.

Aubrey’s isn’t the only deal the Cowboys are working on prior to the start of the new league year on March 11. They’re also contemplating placing the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens and are leaning toward doing so.

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Kevin O’Connor is joined by Jason Timpf to check in with unhappy fan bases across the NBA. They discuss whether the criticism of Karl Anthony-Towns is fair and offer solutions to the problems in New York. Then, they break down the root of Atlanta’s issues since the Trae Young trade. Plus, what’s going on in Los Angeles and can it even be fixed?

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Next, KOC shares why Collin Murray-Boyles could be the next Draymond Green and why the Celtics-Pistons matchup is the game of the week. Who should the Pistons target before the trade deadline? KOC gives his picks! Plus, is Ja Morant’s stock rising? Do the Timberwolves need to make a trade to find success this season?

Later, Justin Boone joins to discuss why the Buffalo Bills parted ways with Sean McDermott, recap the wild NFL divisional games and preview the upcoming championship weekend.

(0:15) Jason Timpf joins

(1:23) Unhappy fan bases: New York Knicks

(9:18) Unhappy fan bases: Atlanta Hawks

(15:49) Unhappy fan bases: Los Angeles Lakers

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(25:16)  Collin Murray-Boyles = Draymond Green

(29:13) Celtics vs. Pistons preview

(41:56) Is Ja Morant’s stock rising back up?

(49:19) Do Timberwolves need to make a trade?

(1:06:23) All-Star starters announced

(1:10:26) NFL 6 Points! with Justin Boone

🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channel

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family athttps://apple.co/3zEuTQj or atyahoosports.tv

Nate Tice & Matt Harmon react to the latest NFL coaching hire news before determining what went wrong for playoff losers and what each team can do to get further next season. The duo start with their thoughts on the latest coaching hires, including the Miami Dolphins hiring Jeff Hafley, the Tennessee Titans getting Robert Saleh, the Detroit Lions hiring OC Drew Petzing and the Kansas City Chiefs hiring OC Eric Bieniemy.

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Next, Nate & Matt deep dive on the four Divisional Round losers, determining what direction each team needs to take to retool and get even closer to a Super Bowl next season. The duo cover the post-Sean McDermott Buffalo Bills and their need to nail the next coaching hire, the Chicago Bears and how they can fix their defense, the Houston Texans and next steps to fix C.J. Stroud and the San Francisco 49ers, who are entering a sketchier offseason than you may realize.

(5:00) – Titans hire Robert Saleh

(14:10) – Dolphins hire Jeff Hafley

(20:30) – Key OC hires: Petzing to Lions & Bieniemy to Chiefs

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(41:00) – Bills deep dive

(1:00:45) – Bears deep dive

(1:06:45) – Texans deep dive

(1:20:15) – 49ers deep dive

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The New York Mets struck big last year when they reeled in Juan Soto from the Bronx to headline an eventful winter. However, after a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Amazin’s have been on a mission to retool this offseason, and thanks to David Stearns, they’ll go into 2026 with plenty of new faces and hope for success.

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On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the retooled lineup that the Mets have assembled, which includes signing Bo Bichette and trading for Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. In addition to the signings of Devin Williams and Jorge Polanco, the new-look Mets are looking forward to a redemption season in 2026.

Later, Jordan and Jake talk about Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, why the Houston Astros cheating scandal caused Beltrán to have to wait and the improbable climb for Jones to make it into the Hall. Then the guys discuss the Philadelphia Phillies bringing J.T. Realmuto back to the City of Brotherly Love, Elly De La Cruz rejecting a big contract extension from the Cincinnati Reds and take a look at the LIDOM Championship Series.

1:12 – The Opener: New-look Mets

22:09 – Luis Robert Jr. trade

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33:24 – Hall of Fame results

54:26 – Around the League: Phillies re-sign Realmuto

1:03:02 – Three-team trade

1:06:47 – Elly turns down extension

1:09:33 – LIDOM Championship Series

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Team USA revealed its ski and snowboard roster for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games on Thursday.

Leading figures include Olympic veterans Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim. Vonn, who won gold in the downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics, returned to the sport in 2024 after retirement and a partial knee replacement. Three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist in snowboard slopestyle Jamie Anderson was not on the 97-person list.

Shiffrin, the most decorated Alpine skier, will compete in her fourth Olympics. Kim, a three-time Olympian, aims to be the first snowboarder to win a third straight gold in halfpipe.

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“In many ways, making this team is even harder than the Olympics themselves,” snowboard program director Rick Bower explained in a statement. “The depth of our field is incredible, and selection truly came down to the wire.”

On the men’s side, the U.S. team will be led by three-time Olympian and 2018 slopestyle gold medalist Red Gerard, snowboard cross racer Nick Baumgartner, and 17-year-old Alessandro Barbieri, who’s seen as a medal contender in halfpipe.

Four-time Olympian Nick Goepper will head the freeski halfpipe squad, which also includes two-time Olympic medalist Alex Ferreira, Birk Irving and first-time Olympian Hunter Hess. Irving’s sister, Svea Irving, qualified for the women’s freeski halfpipe. Defending Olympic freeski slopestyle champ Alex Hall is also set to compete in his third Olympics.

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Olympic champion and three-time cross-country skiing medalist Jesse Diggins will participate in her fourth and final Olympics. Chris Lillis is returning for the aerials team. He took gold at the 2022 Games.

At the 2022 Beijing Games, skiers and snowboarders earned 15 of the 25 medals for Team USA. For the 2026 Winter Olympics, they’ll make up nearly half of all the athletes representing the U.S.

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When the New York Mets signed Bo Bichette and traded for Luis Robert Jr., many wondered if President of Baseball Ops David Stearns was finished making major moves this offseason. On Wednesday night though, Stearns had one more big surprise up his sleeve when he acquired someone from his past days in Milwaukee.

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On this episode of Baseball Bar-B-Cast, Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the big trade that saw the Mets deal for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers in exchange for a package of top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams. With Peralta now headlining the Mets’ starting rotation, does this addition make them a World Series contender again? Also, how will the new additions to the Brew Crew’s prospect pipeline help them in the immediate future?

Later, Jordan and Jake talk about the New York Yankees and Cody Bellinger reuniting after his impressive 2025 season in pinstripes on a five-year, $162.5 million contract. The move further solidifies the Yankees’ belief in their offense, essentially running it back from last season—but could Brian Cashman and company have one more front-page deal before Spring Training kicks off? The guys then close the show by making their picks for this week’s edition of The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.

2:03 – The Opener: Freddy Peralta to the Mets

29:43 – Jordan’s Prospect Hut: The Brewers’ return

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38:28 – Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger

52:00 – Scott Boras Scoreboard update

54:37 – The Good

1:01:13 – The Bad

1:06:44 – The Uggla

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Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros react to a chaotic AFCON final and ask the uncomfortable question: was the spectacle a nightmare for the sport? The guys break down what went wrong, what it says about tournament organization, and why moments like this matter for global soccer’s credibility. Christian and Alexis dive into viral territory as iShowSpeed encounters his first ultra fans in Algeria — and quickly learns that not every football culture rolls out the red carpet.

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Next, Copa90 creative director Shawn Francis joins the show to talk World Cup 2026 coming to America, why he’s completely flipped his stance on MLS’s new schedule, and what the league needs to do to actually become “cool.”

The episode wraps with a look at Manchester City’s recent slump and whether Pep Guardiola has the answers to pull City out of their funk.

Timestamps:

(8:00) – Was the AFCON final an embarrassing moment for the sport?

(26:30) – IShowSpeed encounters Algerian ultras

(34:15) – Shawn Francis joins The Cooligans

(1:11:15) – Can Pep save Man City again or has he lost control?

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv