General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 8:31 AM ET

NBA & WNBA Roster Moves & Playoff Seeding

The NBA playoff brackets were formally set following Sunday's action, solidifying the path for the Denver Nuggets who secured third seed in the West after Nikola Jokic powered them past the San Antonio Spurs 128-118, with Jokic contributing 23 points before halftime. In the WNBA, reigning champions Phoenix retained key talent as four-time All-Star Kahleah Copper and two-time champion DeWanna Bonner agreed to re-sign with the Mercury, while the Lynx confirmed the return of Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride on two-year deals to bolster their roster. The Los Angeles Sparks also made moves, acquiring two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins from the Sky in a trade for the fourth overall pick, Rickea Jackson, and simultaneously securing Kelsey Plum on a one-year, $999,999 contract to anchor the backcourt.

College Basketball Transfers & WNBA Draft Prep

As the professional season approaches, college basketball saw major movement, with former Providence freshman standout Stefan Vaaks choosing to transfer to Illinois, while Louisville landed commitments from former Kansas center Flory Bidunga and Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad via weekend announcements. Meanwhile, anticipation builds for the WNBA Draft, where final projections indicate a strong collegiate presence, with the first round expected to feature four players from UCLA and a trio hailing from South Carolina, as one final mock draft placed prospects at the top. In other college news, Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic announced he is entering both the NBA draft and the transfer portal.

Golf: Masters Drama & Player Reactions

Rory McIlroy successfully navigated a challenging final round at Augusta National, overcoming a Saturday collapse where a six-shot lead evaporated, to capture his second consecutive green jacket by holding off Scottie Scheffler by a single stroke in a tight finish. The tournament also featured moments of frustration, as Sergio García broke his driver on the second tee box following an outburst, resulting in him receiving a rare code-of-conduct warning during the final round; García was grouped with fellow Spaniard and former champion Jon Rahm earlier in the day creating an interesting pairing. McIlroy's victory now places him in the discussion for the all-time greats as he continues his pursuit of climbing the major championship leaderboard after defending his title.

Cycling: Paris-Roubaix Volatility

The grueling Paris-Roubaix classic lived up to its reputation as one of cycling's most volatile events, with Wout van Aert besting four-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar in a dramatic sprint finish to claim the coveted cobblestone trophy. The women's race was also marred by incident, as Lucinda Brand sustained neck pain after colliding with a spectator, though the event was ultimately won by Germany's Franziska Koch in the women's edition. For Pogacar, the defeat continues a trend, as the Hell of the North remains the one major race that the Slovenian legend has yet to conquer, despite his overall dominance in the sport thwarting the greats.

NASCAR & Combat Sports Updates

NASCAR saw a breakthrough victory as 23-year-old Ty Gibbs, grandson of Joe Gibbs, secured his long-awaited first Cup Series win, outdueling Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson in an overtime finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. Shifting focus to the octagon, UFC 327 delivered an exceptional night of action, with nearly every bout on the card receiving high fight grades for exceeding expectations. Meanwhile, in the light heavyweight division, Carlos Ulberg claimed the UFC championship, though questions immediately arose regarding who might challenge him first, as an unnamed obstacle could delay his first defense, and following his recent loss to Benn, two-time super-lightweight world champion Regis Prograis announced his retirement from boxing at age 37 due to the result.

Rugby & Soccer Stalemates

In European rugby union, Welsh rugby faces internal turmoil as officials convene an extraordinary general meeting at the Principality Stadium on Monday evening to address ongoing structural issues, a meeting that follows a Six Nations opening defeat where Wales was narrowly edged out by Scotland, leaving them facing an equally difficult fixture against France to continue their challenging wait. Simultaneously, Cardiff hooker Liam Belcher stressed that his immediate focus remains securing his club spot before he can concentrate on pushing for a debut appearance with the national Wales squad ahead of future international fixtures. In Rugby League, the Challenge Cup saw Wigan Warriors narrowly defeat Wakefield Trinity in a quarter-final thriller, setting up a semi-final clash against Warrington Wolves after Hull KR was drawn against them, though one Championship match between Goole Vikings and Whitehaven was delayed by 80 minutes after officials discovered a replica grenade at the ground. On the soccer pitch, Manchester City demonstrated their title-chasing intensity against Chelsea, putting pressure on Arsenal ahead of their decisive clash on April 19 as the Premier League race tightens, while in the Champions Cup, reigning holders Bordeaux defeated Toulouse to advance to a semi-final showdown against English holders Bath following their victory.