General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

College & Pro Basketball Roster Movement

The WNBA offseason saw several high-profile signings and returns, with the Phoenix Mercury re-signing four-time All-Star Kahleah Copper alongside two-time champion DeWanna Bonner. In Los Angeles, the Sparks acquired two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins via trade from the Sky for the 2024 No. 4 pick, while sources confirmed that Dearica Hamby is finalizing a multiyear deal to remain with the club, joining Kelsey Plum who is reportedly signing a one-year, $999,999 contract to return. Across the league, the Minnesota Lynx retained Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride on two-year contracts, and the Dallas Wings secured a seven-figure, multiyear commitment from four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale, amidst news that Brittney Griner is finalizing a seven-figure deal to join the Sun. On the college front, transfer activity ramped up as former Providence star Stefan Vaaks committed to Illinois, while Louisville landed commitments from Kansas big-man Flory Bidunga and Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, and Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic entered both the NBA draft and the transfer portal.

Golf & Major Tournament Drama

Rory McIlroy secured his second consecutive green jacket at the Masters, holding off Scottie Scheffler by a single stroke, despite a Saturday where Scheffler fired a career-low 65 to return to contention. The event also featured drama from Sergio García, who broke his driver on the No. 2 tee box after an outburst and received a code-of-conduct warning, an unusual occurrence at Augusta National, while his playing partner Jon Rahm added spice to the early pairings. Meanwhile, Shane Lowry etched his name in the record books by becoming the first golfer with multiple career aces at the tournament, and China's Li Haotong managed to move into contention despite being severely ill. Separately, in the buildup to the event, McIlroy's achievement was already being measured against the greats, as he aims to climb the list of major victories.

UFC & Combat Sports Shakeups

The recent UFC 327 event delivered significantly above expectations across nearly every bout, headlined by Carlos Ulberg's stunning first-round knockout victory over Jiří Procházka to claim the vacant light-heavyweight title. Ulberg achieved the win via a left hook moments after suffering an apparent knee injury, leading to takeaways suggesting he perhaps showed Procházka too much mercy. Following his victory, the question of who should challenge Ulberg first has arisen, though an existing obstacle may prevent an immediate defense of the newly won championship. In boxing news, Regis Prograis, a two-time super-lightweight world champion, announced his retirement at age 37 following his points loss to Conor Benn.

European Rugby & Domestic Cups

European rugby saw intense quarter-final action, with holders Bordeaux defeating Toulouse to set up a Champions Cup semi-final clash against Bath, while Leinster secured a home semi-final by comfortably beating Sale Sharks to face Toulon. In the Challenge Cup, Ulster advanced to their first semi-final since 2012 after a decisive 41-24 victory over La Rochelle, and Dragons reached their first semi-final in a decade by downing Zebre 35-32, setting up a match against Montpellier who eliminated Connacht. On the domestic front, the Rugby League Challenge Cup saw Wigan edge Wakefield in a thriller, leading to semi-final draws that pit St Helens against Catalans conquerors, and Hull KR—who thumped York Knights with a Tyrone May hat-trick—against Warrington Wolves.

English Rugby & Cycling Volatility

England's Women's Six Nations campaign suffered a blow as the squad's existing lock shortage deepened following injuries to Natasha Hunt and Morwenna Talling, ruling both out of upcoming matches. Despite this, the Red Roses machine continues its march, with star Ellie Kildunne noting that record attendance, such as the 77,120 spectators for the match against Ireland, is now becoming the standard. Elsewhere in rugby union, Wales faces an uphill challenge in their campaign after an opening defeat to Scotland, while the Welsh Rugby Union prepares for another crisis meeting during its latest extraordinary general meeting. In cycling, the brutal Paris-Roubaix race proved volatile, where Wout van Aert out-sprinted Tadej Pogacar in a thrilling finish to claim the title, though the race also saw Lucinda Brand suffer neck pain after a collision with a spectator.

Tennis & Track Speed Records

Britain's Jack Draper was forced to retire during his first-round match at the Barcelona Open against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third set due to a knee injury, continuing a run of injury woes for the player. In track and field, Scottish Olympian Beth Dobbin announced her retirement after a three-year battle with a "life-changing health issue". However, Australian sprinter Gout Gout, aged 18, posted a time quicker than Usain Bolt achieved at the same age to win his national championships, signaling immense future potential.

Wrestling, NASCAR, & Other Sports Notes

ESPN compiled a list of the Top 10 Wrestle Mania moments in history, combing through over 450 matches to rank the most iconic occurrences, including celebrations of double turns and the famous streak-ending bout. In NASCAR, 23-year-old Ty Gibbs, grandson of Joe Gibbs, secured his first Cup Series victory in overtime at Bristol Motor Speedway, outdueling Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson. Meanwhile, heavyweight boxing saw Tyson Fury's comeback win over Arslanbek Makhmudov described as an "optimal performance" by David Haye, prompting speculation on who the Gypsy King will fight next, as Deontay Wilder's return also reignites the division. Furthermore, World Aquatics permitted Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their respective national flags in senior events, lifting a previous ban.

Fantasy Strategy & League Governance

As WNBA draft day arrived, projections placed star guard Fudd back at No. 1 across the three-round mock draft, which featured four UCLA players and a trio from South Carolina in the first round. For those preparing for the season, ESPN released its Top 10 tips covering research, drafting, and roster management for winning fantasy women's basketball, alongside publishing the Top 100 player rankings for the 2026 fantasy season. In other league governance news, a U.S. senator raised concerns over the expansion of prediction markets partnering with major sports leagues, citing the "ugly takeover" of gambling.