General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 22, 2026, 3:40 PM ET
WNBA
The Dream beat the Valkyries by 26 points to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals. Separately, Enes Kanter Freedom was denied entry to Game 3 after refusing a suite Atlanta had arranged for him. Meanwhile, ESPN ranked the 30 best players in the league's 30-season history, with a companion piece on snubs and underrated stars.
Premier League & Soccer
Man United endured a rough night in the Champions League, a result ESPN's panel dissected in its talking points. Swansea City face a blow as in-form winger Ronald is ruled out for up to two months. Wales are without Dylan Lawlor until after the November internationals.
College Basketball
Villanova will leave the Big 5 series at the end of this season. Bob Huggins, the Hall of Fame coach, revealed he has a progressive cognitive condition. Kansas coach Bill Self said Jayhawks fans crossed the line with profanity aimed at former player Flory Bidunga. Jay Bilas picked his top players to watch, while early recruiting rankings put Houston and UConn at the top. Fears and Haugh were near-unanimous picks as AP preseason All-Americans, and ESPN predicted all 32 conference players of the year.
NBA
Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg said he "lost all respect" for Luka Doncic after a testy matchup. Philadelphia got creative on opening night by playing LeBron James at center.
College Football
Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning face pressure to rescue Texas, while Maryland fired coach Mike Locksley after seven seasons. A bottom-ten ranking recapped the upsets that toppled several top teams in Week, and a Texas judge's fraternity story revisits Colorado's lost playbook. Matchup rankings flagged Jaylen Warren as an upgrade and Patrick Mahomes as a downgrade.
Cricket
South Africa completed a famous win over Australia by an innings and 31 runs, with Australia routed for 99 in Gqeberha. Harry Brook hit 202 for England, the first England batter to score a double century in that format. New Zealand and India's first T20 is underway, and a Spanish eco-stadium is eyeing Test matches.
Mixed Sports
Freddie Slater will drive for Audi in first practice at Mexico City. Utah defensive tackle Jamal Wallace is under investigation over an alleged rape. Alexander Volkanovski, at, says retirement and fighting at 40 don't scare him, ahead of his UFC 333 bout. The 2027 Tour de France UK stages were announced, and a French amateur rugby player died after an on-field injury.
Coming Up
Volkanovski and Evloev meet at UFC 333 alongside the Yan and Dvalishvili title bout. The WNBA Finals continue with the Dream holding a 2-1 series lead.