General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: May 22, 2026, 2:57 AM ET

Motor Sports

NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch was hospitalized with severe illness and ruled out of Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with representatives confirming the two-time champion died at age 41 just days after his hospitalization. The loss reverberated through the NASCAR garage where Busch had been regarded as embodying the sport's greatest compliments, having won more races across NASCAR's three national series than any other driver in history. Meanwhile, former LSU championship coach Ed Orgeron returned to the program as a special assistant on recruiting and defense under Lane Kiffin, reuniting with the school where he led the Tigers to the 2019 national title. Kevin Harvick earned NASCAR Hall of Fame recognition after a career that began under tragedy but concluded with distinction in the broadcast booth.

Tennis

The French Open faces player protests over prize money as leading competitors plan to limit pre-tournament media commitments to 15 minutes, while tournament director Amelie Mauresmo confirmed prize pools will remain unchanged despite ongoing complaints about revenue sharing. Britain's Toby Samuel moved within one win of his first Grand Slam main draw appearance after defeating David Goffin in qualifying, and Jannik Sinner opens his career Grand Slam bid against French wildcard Clement Tabur, with the world No. 1 seeking to complete his collection of major titles. Emma Raducanu faces a challenging opening round against Argentine clay-court specialist Solano Sierra, while Max Verstappen hinted at continuing in Formula 1 as planned engine rule changes aim to restore racing "almost back to normal" next season.

Basketball

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to even their playoff series against San Antonio at 1-1, while the Chicago Sky cracked the top five in WNBA power rankings following their dramatic turnaround from last season's struggles. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named Grand Marshal for the Indy 500 while navigating back soreness that kept her out of Wednesday's game, and Nneka Ogwumike returns to Los Angeles with unfinished business as the Sparks push for playoff positioning. The Thunder optimize for player happiness in their basketball utopia, with those content players favored to capture another NBA championship.

Golf

PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai revealed pivotal advice from his wife before embarking on the biggest round of his career, catapulting him to his first major victory at Aronimink. Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell secured one of the final qualification spots for this year's championship at Shinnecock Hills, while the golf world looks ahead to the US Open in June following Rai's breakthrough performance.

Boxing & Mixed Martial Arts

Dutch kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven discussed his path to challenging Oleksandr Usyk, with promoter Eddie Hearn acknowledging the novice has a mountain to climb despite describing him as "not a normal man." Usyk revealed his secret plan for the future including possible moves into acting, while the Enhanced Games launched amid dismay and intrigue as the so-called "Steroid Olympics" force sport and society to confront challenging questions about performance enhancement. Former Bellator and Strikeforce boss Scott Coker announced plans for a new fight league targeting global MMA brand status.

International Competition

Great Britain's ice hockey campaign stumbled against tournament favorites Switzerland and suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to Hungary at the 2026 World Championship in Switzerland, while England's cricket prospects faced questions ahead of the T20 World Cup with fitness and selection concerns mounting. Alice Capsey hit an unbeaten 74 as England defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in their T20 opener, though Scotland's Neah Evans had her Commonwealth Games hopes hampered by illness. Ulster prepares for their Challenge Cup final against Montpellier with 10 debutants featuring in their warmup loss to Hull KR, while fit-again Robert Baloucoune was named to start Friday's European showdown.

College Sports

Georgia's baseball team continues relying on home-run hitting prowess in pursuit of the SEC tournament and College World Series, while Kansas transformed into a top program by scouring junior college ranks for talent. Top-10 recruit Kam Mercer committed to Cincinnati while planning to reclassify into the 2027 class, and Eve Long became the No. 5 recruit to commit to Notre Dame as the top forward in the 2027 class. Florida center Rueben Chinyelu withdrew from the NBA draft to return for his senior season, while former St. John's star RJ Luis committed to LSU though his eligibility remains in question. The college football transfer portal has diminished quarterback competitions as starters often lock in due to portal investments.

Rugby & Cycling

Belfast's Caoimhin Agyarko will challenge for Josh Kelly's IBF light-middleweight title this summer, while Belgium's Alec Segaert claimed his first Grand Tour stage victory at the Giro d'Italia, keeping teammate Afonso Eulalio in the overall lead. Ecuador's Jhonatan Narvaez won Giro stage 11 continuing his team's extraordinary run, and Italy's Filippo Ganna dominated the stage 10 time trial by nearly two minutes as Jonas Vingegaard failed to seize the overall lead. Ulster appointed Clarke Dermody as forwards coach while Iain Henderson and other key players will miss the Challenge Cup final but still contribute from the sidelines.

Other Notable Stories

Joey Chestnut will defend his hot dog eating title while on probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor, and the Wienie 500 returns as a viral appetizer to Sunday's Indianapolis 500 spectacle. The University of Georgia men's basketball program received a $10 million donation from a daily fantasy sports company founder, while Madison Air filed for a Nasdaq IPO targeting a $500 million valuation. Former high school teacher connections reunited with Michael Jordan during hospice care, completing a bucket list item, and the NAACP launched a boycott campaign targeting some college programs over voting restrictions.