Forward Cristo Fernandez, the actor who portrayed Dani Rojas on the Apple TV series "Ted Lasso" has signed with El Paso Locomotive FC of the USL Championship to play soccer professionally. Terms of the deal announced Tuesday, which still must be approved by the second-tier league and soccer federation, were not disclosed. Fernandez earned the deal after a two-month trial with the team, appearing in a preseason match against New Mexico United. He played soccer at the youth level before an injury at the age of 15 led him to acting. "No matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart," Fernandez said. "Im incredibly grateful to El Paso Locomotive FC the club, coaches, staff, and especially my teammates for opening the doors and giving me the opportunity to compete from day one." Locomotive coach Junior Gonzalez said Fernandez is a great addition, giving them another attacking threat while bringing passion and leadership to the locker room. The USL Championship acts as the second tier of the American soccer pyramid, sitting directly below MLS. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya said that he has learnt a lot by watch Virat Kohli - both as a teammate and as an opponent.

Collins announced his diagnosis of stage 4 glioblastoma in December

As the final buzzer sounded and the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the organization enters the summer with questions and plenty of them.Will LeBron James return or will he seek greener pastures?What about Austin Reaves and his pending free agency?Will the franchise embrace the presence of Luka Doni and tailor a roster around him, loaded with pieces that actually fit, instead of pushing more on-ball players toward him?That last question, in particular, is one that should be heavily prioritized.Neither James nor Reaves has the same importance or influence as Doni, meaning building around the Slovenian is an outright necessity.Doni, who averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists this season, is under contract for at least two more years his age-27 and age-28 seasons and its crucial the Lakers capitalize on his physical prime.Let's get into their summer.2025-26 finishRecord: 53-29, fourth in Western Conference. Swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.Highlight of the seasonDoni's 60-point game against the Miami Heat on March 19. He shot 18-of-30 from the floor and hit nine 3s. It was fun, it was loose, and the Lakers played with a level of joy not often seen this season.Players signed for next seasonLuka DoniJarred VanderbiltJake LaRaviaDalton KnechtAdou TheiroKey free agentsLeBron James (UFA)Austin Reaves (player option)Rui Hachimura (UFA)Luke Kennard (UFA)Projected salary$74,280,568Draft pickNo. 25Draft focus: Shooting. If the Lakers are to build around Doni, which they should, it's essential they add floor-spacing elements to optimize his game.Roster-building toolsPending cap holds and whether they re-sign Reaves and James, the Lakers should have ample cap space to go out and make quality role-player signings. That is, of course, unless they wish to function as an over-the-cap team, which they can in order to secure the Non-Tax MLE.Needs and goalsAs is the theme today, it's all about Doni, and the optimization of building a sustainable product around him. That means shooting, that means a higher emphasis on two-way production, and a general need for depth. L.A. needs athletic length, defenders, finishers and shooters to make the most of Donis gifts. It isnt a difficult formula and the blueprint was laid out when Doni carried the Mavs to the Finals in 2024. But this is after all the Lakers, who couldnt competently surround LeBron with the right pieces.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns acknowledged that the front office needs to reexamine how it evaluates players after several free agent signings have spent the year on the IL.

Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player who went on to become a pioneer for inclusion and an ambassador for the league, has died after an eight-month battle with an aggressive form of a brain tumour, his family announced Tuesday.

Former NBA and Nets player Jason Collins, the first openly gay player in league history, has died at the age of 47.

The Grizzlies confirmed his passing in an emotional statement in which Clarke was described as an 'outstanding' member of the Memphis community.