General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: May 22, 2026, 11:44 PM ET

Basketball & NBA

The NBA free agency window is already creating tremors as LeBron James and James Harden top the money board, with Bobby Marks breaking down contracts for 20 players headlined by the league's career scoring leader. Oklahoma City continues to flex its championship muscles, optimizing for happy players who are favored to repeat while signing Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso to specific rotational roles that level up the Thunder's title case. Across the league, Victor Wembanyama is defying conventional playoff experience expectations, and veteran Nneka Ogwumike has returned to the Los Angeles Sparks looking to lead them back to the playoffs after helping broker a new CBA. In the WNBA offseason, trade acquisitions and free agents have reshaped ten rosters with the most impact, while at the college level Florida's Rueben Chinyelu opted to return for his senior season and Notre Dame landed the No. 5 overall recruit Eve Long. Over in the SEC, Georgia's home-run-hitting Diamond Dogs are chasing a run at the conference tournament and beyond, and Kansas has turned itself into a top program by scouring the junior college ranks.

Baseball & Fantasy

Major League Baseball's trade deadline looms with six early X factors shaping the market, and Houston's front office faces a fork in the road between competing, soft rebuilding, or starting over entirely. Gerrit Cole made his first start since 2024 in a Tommy John comeback, while Si Woo Kim came within one stroke of history at the Byron Nelson, bogeying the final hole to finish at 60. Fantasy players are stocking up on Saturday's action with Ginn making his first start and streaming targets that include impressive rookies. The betting landscape around the Byron Nelson has Scheffler as a top pick given his form and course history, and Cincinnati has landed top-10 sophomore Kam Mercer who will reclassify into the 2027 class. Meanwhile, the University of Georgia men's basketball program received a $10 million boost from a daily fantasy sports founder.

NASCAR & Motorsports

The NASCAR world is processing the loss of Kyle Busch as Steve O'Donnell called him an American badass and the sport mourned a racer who embodied its greatest compliments. Richard Childress Racing announced the No. 8 car will be retired until Busch's 11-year-old son Brexton is ready to take over, and Busch himself was hospitalized with a severe illness that kept him out of the Coca-Cola 600. Kevin Harvick received the ultimate honor with his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday. On the racing calendar, the Indy 500 guide lays out everything fans need to know for Memorial Day weekend, and the Wienie 500 viral appetizer is set to debut as Indianapolis hosts the Greatest Viral Sensation in Racing. Max Verstappen hinted that planned engine rule changes would return Formula 1 racing almost back to normal, while Lewis Hamilton insisted he has no thoughts about retiring from F1. McLaren's F1 program is developing three Ellas — Häkkinen, Lloyd and Stevens — through its junior ranks.

Giro d'Italia & Cycling

The Giro d'Italia delivered another stage of drama as Belgium's Alec Segaert claimed his first-ever Grand Tour stage to keep teammate Afonso Eulalio in the pink jersey, and Ecuador's Jhonatan Narvaez powered to victory on stage 11. On the final climb of stage, Alberto Bettiol's stunning acceleration earned him the win while Eulalio retained the overall lead. Elsewhere in the peloton, Jaume Guardeno was transferred to a neurological clinic after a March crash with a vehicle, and the Tour Down Under will become the first World Tour race to host men's and women's stages on the same course and day.

Tennis & International Soccer

At Roland Garros, Alex Eala continues her French Open campaign with a motivation that extends beyond personal glory, while Emma Raducanu faces a tricky first-round test against clay-court specialist Solano Sierra. Britain's Felix Gill fell in the final round of qualifying but Toby Samuel is one win away from his first Grand Slam singles appearance after beating David Goffin. In ice hockey, Great Britain slid to a 4-0 defeat by Finland at the World Championship and later suffered a 4-1 loss to tournament hosts Switzerland. In rugby, Leeds ran in nine tries to thrash Huddersfield and reclaim the Super League top spot, while Leigh Leopards' Josh Charnley scored a hat-trick that brought him within reach of Ryan Hall's try record. Ulster named fit-again winger Robert Baloucoune to start Friday's Challenge Cup final, and Leinster head coach Leo Cullen warned of a serious challenge ahead against Bordeaux in Saturday's Champions Cup final. Bordeaux themselves have risen from bankruptcy to chase back-to-back Champions Cups after gaining promotion in 2011. Gloucester Hartpury will lose England captain Zoe Stratford and World Cup winner Tatyana Heard at season's end, and Cardiff City signed left-back Joel Bagan to a long-term deal.

Boxing, MMA & Misc

Oleksandr Usyk remains the undisputed heavyweight king, telling BBC Sport about his secret plan and possible move into acting, while Rico Verhoeven discussed how a kickboxing friendship landed him a shot at Usyk. Mayweather is suing a former associate for $175 million over an alleged yearslong fraud scheme, and Usyk stands alone atop the division with nothing left to prove. Ronda Rousey's return generated 17 million viewers for her fight with Cris Cyborg on Netflix, and Scott Coker is launching a new fight league next year aiming to become a global MMA brand. The Enhanced Games — dubbed the Steroid Olympics — took place this weekend, forcing sport to confront uncomfortable questions. In other news, Joey Chestnut will defend his Nathan's hot dog title on July 4 while on probation, and Lewis Hamilton said he has no plans to retire from Formula 1.