The 2025 WNBA season hasn’t been the best start for the Chicago Sky. And now, the team was dealt a major blow to a star.

Guard Courtney Vandersloot suffered a torn right torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Fever, the Sky announced. She will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.

The injury happened in the first quarter against Indiana in the first ever WNBA game at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls. Vandersloot was driving to the basket when she immediately went down and was in visible pain as she grabbed her right knee. Her teammates huddled around her, and she was eventually taken back to the locker room with the help of medical staff. She didn’t return for the remainder of the contest. The Fever won the game 79-52.

It’s a brutal injury as the WNBA veteran was playing her first season back with the team that selected her No. 3 overall in the 2011 draft. Vandersloot spent the first 11 seasons with Chicago and was instrumental in the team capturing its first WNBA title in 2021. She signed with the New York Liberty in 2023 and spent two seasons with the team, helping the Liberty win their first championship last year.

A five-time WNBA All-Star, Vandersloot is second in league history in assists with 2,887 career dimes, trailing Sue Bird’s 3,234 assists. She also owns several franchise records in Chicago, including most games played, points, assists and steals, while ranking in the top five of several other categories. She re-signed with the team in February.

‘She’s our engine,’ Sky coach Tyler Marsh said following the game against Indiana. ‘She’s our captain and our leader out there, so obviously, it’s a huge blow.’

Vandersloot averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and a team-high 5.3 assists per game in seven games played.

Chicago is 2-5 on the season, standing in 11th place in the league as the team tries to get back to the postseason after missing it in 2024.

‘It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to watch anybody, but especially one of our teammates and someone that means as much as Sloot does to this team and organization,’ Hailey Van Lith said postgame. ‘Whatever is in store in the future for this team, I trust we will find a way to make this moment mean something in the end.’ 

Now that was a lead that was safe.

After dropping the first game of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder thoroughly controlled the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, June 8, in Game 2, 123-107.

Indiana, which has posted five comebacks this postseason of at least 15 points, could never seriously threaten Oklahoma City, which had five players score at least 15 points.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton did finish with 17 points, though he had scored just five through three quarters.

Here are the winners and losers from Game 2 of the NBA Finals:

WINNERS

Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins

It wasn’t just his defense, Thunder backup guard Alex Caruso also poured in 20 points — including four drained 3-pointers — in just 27:04 of playing time. He was steady and aggressive on the offensive end, cutting into the lane when gaps opened up.

Throw in fellow backup guard Aaron Wiggins, whose 18 points — including 5-of-8 from 3 — in just 20:32 also lifted the Thunder. That Caruso and Wiggins accounted for nearly 65% of Oklahoma City’s 14 made 3-pointers, is a testament to the Thunder’s depth.

Chet Holmgren

This was exactly the bounce-back game that the Thunder needed from center Chet Holmgren. Three nights after scoring just six points on 2-of-9 shooting, Holmgren got to work, though most of his production came early. Nine of his 15 points came in the first quarter.

The Thunder go big

After opting to play mostly small in Game 1, Oklahoma City leaned much more on its double-big lineup with its pair of centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, on the floor at the same time. The result was instant, with the Thunder dominating points in the paint in the first half, 26-12.

“It takes discipline, but we try to really use these early games in the series to learn what are options are and what our tradeoffs are — not assume anything,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “That was the intent tonight: just to get a little more information.”

LOSERS

Tyrese Haliburton waits way too long

Through the first three quarters, the most important player of the Pacers had scored just five points on just 2-of-7 shooting. Through the first three and a half minutes of the fourth, Haliburton had scored nine points, making all four of his attempts.

While Haliburton’s rep as a closer cannot be questioned, his inexplicably slow starts could become costly. The Thunder will clog the paint and gameplan to slow Haliburton’s attacks into the paint. He needs to find ways to score regardless.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle downplayed Haliburton’s sluggish production, saying that Indiana’s team is an ‘ecosystem’ and that it doesn’t matter where points come from.

“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring,” he said after the game. “Everybody’s got to do more.”

Regardless, Haliburton is the team’s most gifted player and the one who can score easiest.

The Pacers have no answer for OKC’s intensity and physicality

After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was asked his thoughts on how the Pacers responded to Oklahoma City’s ramped up defensive intensity. Carlisle answer was curt and straightforward.

“Not well,” he said.

The Thunder excel at crowding the paint when opposing players attack, collapsing, swarming and swatting at the ball. That is magnified particularly when Oklahoma City uses its double-big lineup with Holmgren and Hartenstein roaming down low. In the regular season, the Thunder ranked first in opponent points in the paint per game (42.5).

Indiana’s inability to attack the paint hurt its spacing and hurt its ability to get open looks from 3.

“The paint is our emphasis and the paint is our friend. The more that we’re able to attack the paint, usually better things happen for us,” Carlisle said.

Key players on Pacers bench no-show

Obi Toppin scored 17 points in Game 1. Thomas Bryant had five. Both players combined Sunday night to score 4 on 1-of-9 shooting.

Guards T.J. McConnell and Benedict Mathurin did combine for 25, but the Pacers will need much more balance from their contributions.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.

INGLEWOOD, CA — WWE fans wanted the truth, so they got the truth.

WWE Money in the Bank 2025 took place at the Intuit Dome Saturday and it was a thrilling night of action from start to finish.

A pair of favorites ended up the winners of the Money in the Bank matches, and they now have a prime chance to become WWE champion in the future. Plus, a new champion was crowned.

Yet the story of the night was what unfolded in the main event match: John Cena and Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. A stunning twist at the end had the crowd rocking as a beloved star returned.

Money in the Bank always invites mayhem, and there was plenty of it. USA TODAY Sports captured all the action from Money in the Bank:

John Cena and Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso

A rematch of WrestleMania 42 started the match with Cena and Rhodes locking up. However, Cena didn’t want to deal with it and tagged Paul. In return, Uso came in.

Paul got the upper hand against Uso and brought Cena in to be part of the attack. The 17-time champion berated Uso during it and he landed a five-knuckle shuffle. Despite all the hits he took, Uso was able to slow Cena down with an attempted sleeper hold. Yet it didn’t work in tagging Rhodes in with Paul coming back in to continue the onslaught.

As the attack went on, Cena and Paul argued and shoved each other over who would be in the ring. That allowed Uso to sneak to tag Rhodes, and “The American Nightmare” went to work. Then came a flurry of finishers from each star, but Paul inadvertently hit Cena.

After Rhodes and Uso took Paul out, Cena came out and delivered back-to-back AAs to his opponents. He went for a pin on Rhodes, who kicked out. Cena brought Rhodes to the announcer’s table to repeat the move, but Uso stopped it with a flying spear. As Uso laid on the announcer’s table, Paul flew off the top turnbuckle in a stunning moment.

Cena and Rhodes were left in the ring when the champion used the title to hit Rhodes again. But suddenly a masked person emerged to hit Cena. It was revealed to be R-Truth, who is shockingly back in WWE after his release was announced earlier in the week. The crowd went wild and Rhodes capitalized to hit a CrossRhodes and get the win.

Watch: R-Truth returns

Match analysis: It was a magnificent show, and this time, it had a great ending.

It was tough to predict what would happen in this one given Cena hadn’t had spectacular matches in his final run, but Paul always puts on a show. The match exceeded the bar, thanks to a major step up in performance from Cena. It looked reminiscent of prime Cena, something that hadn’t been seen in a long time. Paul is a perfect heel and he continues to perform his role at a high level while executing signature moments. The crowd was loving the match rather than booing it.

Just when it felt like a crazy moment wouldn’t happen, there comes R-Truth to shock everyone. Ever since his release on Sunday, WWE fans have voiced their frustrations with the veteran’s departure. The ‘We Want Truth’ chants weren’t going to go away. But he returns and it was the loudest moment of the night, showing appreciation of how great a star R-Truth is. He is indeed valuable, and he should remain a presence.

Rhodes got the pin on Cena and it sets the stage for a rematch soon, possibly at SummerSlam.

Watch: John Cena makes entrance

WWE announces WrestleMania 42 location, return of Nikki Bella

Before the main event match, WWE made two major announcements by revealing WrestleMania 42 will be returning to Las Vegas on April 18-19, 2026. After that, WWE revealed Nikki Bella will be returning to programming on the June 8 edition of Monday Night Raw.

Men’s Money in the Bank match

Seth Rollins has been a menace, and he quickly found himself getting ganged up on. After Solo Sikoa threw him out, he was then the victim of Penta, Andrade and LA Knight. With the rest of the field outside of the ring, Penta took to the skies to take them all down. Luckily, El Grande Americano wasn’t part of the attack, and he used the ladder as a weapon to inflict damage to everyone else.

Following several hard shots between everyone, all the stars met on ladders in the middle of the ring. Rollins and Sikoa cleared the field before facing off with dueling blows. Rollins landed a stomp on Sikoa and grabbed a ladder with the ring empty. As he neared the briefcase, El Grande Americano snatched him with an ankle lock and Penta emerged to clear them out. He and Andrade met at the top of the ladder to talk before trying to get the upper hand on each other. With a ladder balanced on another, Penta delivered a Mexican Destroyer to Andrade that broke the ladder.

Penta had the chance to snag the briefcase until El Grande Americano stopped it. The luchador grabbed the Fireball-sponsored ladder and used it to hit anyone in his way. He set the ladder up and Penta climbed up with him, taking out El Grande Americano. Rollins emerged to stop the attempt but was thrown down. Penta was by himself and about to grab the briefcase when El Grande Americano took him out with a headbutt. LA Knight raced up and launched them off the ladder in a wild sequence.

Rollins and Andrade had chances to win but failed. When LA Knight and Penta fought at the top of the ladder, Rollins’ henchmen Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed spoiled the party, taking out the field with crushing blows. But then came Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo to even the odds.

Fatu was able to get the upper hand and set Sikoa up for the victory. Sikoa climbed the ladder and was about to grab the briefcase when Fatu stopped him. The turn happened as Fatu told Sikoa ‘I hate you Solo’ before attacking him to end the long partnership between the two.

Following the carnage, Rollins had a chance to win until LA Knight stopped him. Rollins fought back and stomped him to clear the way for victory. Rollins went up and snagged the briefcase to once again become Mr. Money in the Bank as his warpath continues.

Analysis: What absolute mayhem that was. All the incredible displays plus the twists and turns made this one of the best men’s Money in the Bank matches in recent memory. The amount of brutality was excellent, but so was the storytelling. It was a given Rollins’ group was going to show up at some point, but credit WWE for letting the match have its time to breathe and develop.

When Breakker and Reed emerged, it looked like an easy win was in store for Rollins. But the match didn’t come close to ending at that point, and the appearance of Fatu and Mateo wasn’t expected. Hinted at for weeks, Fatu finally had enough of Sikoa’s antics and betrayed him, setting up a great storyline for the United States Championship in the future.

Ever since he stole the show at WrestleMania, Rollins has been on a path to completely changing the trajectory of WWE, and he has his sidekicks to help him accomplish it. But in order to make this run successful, he’s going to need gold around his waist. Rollins ensures that opportunity will happen, and he very well could be pulling off another heist in the near future.

Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch

It didn’t take long for the bad blood to boil over with Lynch attacking Valkyria before the prematch introductions were finished. It gave the challenger the early edge and she was extremely aggressive against the champion. Valkyria had small windows to counterattack, but Lynch was quick to regain composure and get back on offense.

Valkyria took to the top turnbuckle and launched Lynch off of it in a big fall for both stars. After an unsuccessful pin, Valkyria tried to do a moonsault and it didn’t land. Lynch then worked her way into the Disarm-Her as victory was within reach. But Valkyria got out of a hit and took the action outside of the ring. With Lynch hanging off the barricade, Valkyria jumped off the announcer’s table for a flying leg drop.

The champion locked in for the dagger when Lynch caught her with a power bomb, nearly getting the pin in the process. Lynch was first back on her feet and she went to the top turnbuckle. When Valkyria went to meet her, she executed the flying Manhandle Slam. Yet it wasn’t enough as Valkyria kicked out of the pin.

Lynch landed another Manhandle Slam out of the ring, then Valkyria countered with a Nightwing. The referee’s count nearly got to 10 before both stars got back in the ring. A flurry of roll-ups ensued, just like the last meeting, but this time, Lynch was on the right side of it to become the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion.

As part of the deal for the match, a dismayed Valkyria got up and raised Lynch’s arm. But the new champion wanted to do it to all sides of the ring, which she did. Lynch wanted Valkyria to put the title around her waist, but that was enough for Valkyria. She delivered a suplex before she walked away.

Analysis: The Lynch vs. Valkyria rivalry has made for good television and the two once again deliver a quality title match. Lynch clearly brings out the best in Valkyria — some of Valkyria’s best matches have come against ‘The Man.’ The chemistry is there and there’s never a dull moment when they are in the ring together.

Valkyria had several successful title defenses since becoming the inaugural champion, but a change was needed eventually. Lynch gets the title and a big name gets to hold it and continue to build the prestige of it. No matter whether she’s a heel or face, Lynch always brings attention to anything she does.

We finally got to see a more aggressive side of Valkyria, with her delivering the suplex after the match. Clearly this rivalry isn’t over, and what’s great is that it doesn’t feel tiring yet. Look for a match at SummerSlam to cap this feud, possibly with Bayley in the mix.

Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Octagon Jr.

Plenty of heat was generated when Mysterio called for this match at Worlds Collide, and the two sides were quickly moving right off the jump. Mysterio went back to his heel ways and tied Octagon Jr.’s mask around the rope while he taunted the AAA stars sitting ringside.

Mysterio tried an early finish with a 619 that Octagon Jr. was able to avoid. The challenger was gaining steam until a distraction by Liv Morgan ringside helped the champion regain composure. He dropped Octagon Jr. and set up the 619 again, this time in successful fashion. He then did the frog splash off the top rope to finish the job and retain the title in quick fashion.

Analysis: It felt like Worlds Collide carried over across the street from the Kia Forum to the Intuit Dome as lucha libre got a chance to shine in a bigger spotlight after the afternoon event. But this match felt as rushed as it was announced. It helped get Money in the Bank to the five-match event that WWE typically goes for, but it was as close as a squash match as you can get without it actually being one. Octagon Jr. got a couple shots in but it was all Mysterio.

Although the match was extremely quick and didn’t really add much to the night, it was something Mysterio needed as his title reign has felt uneventful since WrestleMania. He generated so much hype when he won the match, and it’s been a rocky road for him since. A victory could possibly bring some stardom back to him.

Women’s Money in the Bank match

After the stare down to start, Stephanie Vaquer and Alexa Bliss had early chances to shine. There was an open window for Giulia to be the first attempt, but she opted for blows with Rhea Ripley, a decision that didn’t pan out. Then came an impressive sequence from Roxanne Perez, who launched herself onto Ripley on top of a ladder twice. Perez became the first attempt at snagging the briefcase, and it was quickly thwarted by Bliss and Giulia. Understanding the danger of Ripley, Perez and Giulia teamed up and stacked several ladders on top of her to prevent her from getting involved.

Giulia tried to stop attempts up the ladder until Bliss got her out of the way. As four of the competitors tried to get on the ladder, Bliss knocked them down. Soon afterward, she took a hard drop onto the side of the ladder by Perez and Giulia. Then Ripley emerged from the pile of ladders, bringing carnage to the ones that put her down. Ripley nearly threw Vaquer onto a ladder, but it was countered with Vaquer’s signature Devil’s Kiss on the hardware.

Naomi, Perez, Vaquer and Bliss all tried to get an upper hand onto the ladder, and destroyers from Bliss and Vaquer wiped them all out. Giulia was the lone woman standing and had an opportunity until Perez got up to challenger her. They each traded blows on top of the ladder before Bliss and Ripley got involved. Bliss hit a Sister Abigail on Perez and Ripley landed a Riptide on Giulia, leaving the veterans standing in the ring.

Bliss and Ripley were on top of the ladder when Naomi rushed in and pushed them off. Naomi hurried to set the ladder up and climbed up to snag the briefcase to become Ms. Money in the Bank.

Analysis: Like usual, the women’s match was magnificent. Each star was given a chance to shine and the new main roster call-ups in Vaquer, Perez and Giulia each got a chance to boost their profile. If an MVP award was given out, it would have to go to Perez and Vaquer for all the spots they were able to generate. Ripley had her usual crowd-pumping moments, and Bliss showed she’s still capable of being a main event name if she gets the chances.

A case could have been made for each star to win, but Naomi just seemed destined to be the victor. She has mastered this heel turn and made herself more valuable when she could have been fading toward the back of the roster. Instead, she’s completely turned around the WrestleMania 41 loss into some solid momentum. She ensures her relevancy and could be another family member of The Bloodline to hold gold. History is also made as she’s the first Black woman to win a Money in the Bank match.

Naomi had become a dangerous woman in 2025. Now, Naomi becomes even more dangerous with the briefcase in her hand.

When is Money in the Bank 2025?

The 2025 Money in the Bank is Saturday, June 7.

Money in the Bank 2025 start time

Money in the Bank 2025 begins at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. local time). The preshow for the event begins at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT.

Where is Money in the Bank 2025?

The event takes place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

How to watch Money in the Bank 2025

Money in the Bank will be streamed on Peacock, but you must have their premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on Netflix in most markets.

Watch WWE Money in the Bank with Peacock

How to watch Money in the Bank 2025 preshow

The Money in the Bank preshow will be available to watch on Peacock, and on WWE’s social channels, including on YouTube.

Money in the Bank 2025 match card

Matches not in order

• Men’s Money in the Bank match
• Women’s Money in the Bank match
• Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch
• Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Octagon Jr.
• John Cena and Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso

Who’s in Money in the Bank matches?

Men’s Money in the Bank match participants

• Solo Sikoa
• LA Knight
• Penta 
• Seth Rollins
• Andrade
• El Grande Americano

Women’s Money in the Bank match participants

• Alexa Bliss
• Roxanne Perez
• Rhea Ripley
• Giulia
• Naomi
• Stephanie Vaquer

Money in the Bank 2025 predictions

USA TODAY Sports’ make their picks for Money in the Bank. To see the full predictions of what will happen, click here.

Women’s Money in the Bank match

• Jordan Mendoza: Roxanne Perez
• Richard Morin: Naomi
• James H. Williams: Naomi

Men’s Money in the Bank match

• Jordan Mendoza: Solo Sikoa
• Richard Morin: CM Punk
• James H. Williams: Seth Rollins

Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch

• Jordan Mendoza: Lyra Valkyria
• Richard Morin: Becky Lynch
• James H. Williams: Becky Lynch

John Cena and Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso

• Jordan Mendoza: Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso
• Richard Morin: No contest
• James H. Williams: Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso

How successful are Money in the Bank winners?

Winning the Money in the Bank match means a title bout against any champion anywhere, and it’s been fairly successful for cash-in opportunities. On the men’s side, 19 of 25 (76%) briefcase holders went on to claim the title they cash in on. The women’s side has seen perfection with all eight victors becoming champions.

See a full breakdown of Money in the Bank winners’ success here.

Men’s Money in the Bank match history

The Money in the Bank match was introduced at WrestleMania 21 in 2005 and it was held at WrestleMania until it became its own premium live event in 2010. For a few years, there were two men’s Money in the Bank matches until there became a sole men’s match. The past five winners of the match are:

• 2020: Otis
• 2021: Big E
• 2022: Austin Theory
• 2023: Damian Priest
• 2024: Drew McIntyre

Women’s Money in the Bank match history

The first women’s Money in the Bank match took place in 2017 and has been held every year since then. Here is the history of its winners:

• 2017: Carmella
• 2018: Alexa Bliss
• 2019: Bayley
• 2020: Asuka
• 2021: Nikki A.S.H.
• 2022: Liv Morgan
• 2023: Iyo Sky
• 2024: Tiffany Stratton

WWE Worlds Collide results

Before Money in the Bank, Worlds Collide took place at the nearby Kia Forum in the event featuring WWE and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. Here’s the results of the day:

•  El Hijo del Vikingo def. Chad Gable to retain AAA Mega Championship
• Ethan Page def. Rey Fenix, Je’Von Evans and Laredo Kid to retain NXT North American Championship
• Legado Del Fantasma def. El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Pagano and Pyscho Clown
• Stephanie Vaquer and Lola Vice def. Chik Tormenta and Dalys
• Octagon Jr., Aero Star and Mr. Iguana def. Dragon Lee, Cruz Del Toro and Lince Dorado

See the highlights of the action here.

Roxanne Perez living up to ‘The Prodigy’ nickname

One way to identify who are the top wrestlers is by who has a nickname. More often than not, those with a tag are some of the greats.

There’s “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. “The Viper” Randy Orton. “The Man” Becky Lynch. “The Champ” John Cena. The list goes on and on. 

Then there’s Roxanne Perez.

From the moment she signed with WWE at age 20, Perez has been dubbed “The Prodigy.” Meaning a highly talented youth, the nickname set incredible expectations for her. How can you be named “The Prodigy” and not become an instant success? The bar was set incredibly high for the woman standing at 5-foot tall.

So far, Perez has soared above every benchmark set on her. 

Read the full feature of Perezhere.

John Cena continues farewell tour

The final Money in the Bank appearance for John Cena has arrived as he embarks on his final year of wrestling. His tag team match will be the sixth match of 2025 as the year is nearly halfway complete. The 17-time WWE Champion is 4-1 on the year.

His matches during his farewell tour are:

• Men’s Royal Rumble: Lost (Royal Rumble, Feb. 1)
• Men’s Elimination Chamber match: Won (Elimination Chamber, March 1)
• Undisputed WWE Championship match vs. Cody Rhodes: Won (WrestleMania 41, April 20)
• Undisputed WWE Championship match vs. Randy Orton: Won (Backlash, May 10)
• Match vs. R-Truth: Won (Saturday Night’s Main Event, May 24)

OKLAHOMA CITY — Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti is a student of the game.

Not just of the people who played in the NBA, but the people behind the scenes, the GMs and front-office executives who helped define the position and made it what it is today – an indispensable role necessary to competing for championships.

When Presti was named NBA Executive of the Year last month, he released a statement and within, mentioned several former executives: Wayne Embry, Kevin O’Connor, Jack McCloskey, Rod Thorn, Sam Schuler, Mark Warkentien, John Gabriel, Bob Whitsitt, Carroll Dawson, Scott Layden and Geoff Petrie among others.

Some of those names are familiar. Some are forgotten. But not to Presti, who made sure the trailblazers are appreciated.

Presti, 47, started in this business when he was 22 – a video intern for the San Antonio Spurs in 2000. Quickly, Presti, who graduated from and played basketball at Emerson College in Boston, moved into the scouting and player personnel department.

He began traveling and got to know those executives he named. Sitting with them at airports. Visiting European cities with them in search of a hidden gem. They might arrive at a gym in Ljubljana only to find out the player they wanted to scout was no good. Maybe they traded NBA apparel for a VCR cassette recording of a potential prospect. Or maybe Presti saw something in a young Tony Parker and encouraged the Spurs to draft him.

Spending time with Embry, O’Connor, McCloskey, Gabriel, Dawson and others, Presti learned about team building. McCloskey’s work with the Detroit Pistons’ Bad Boys in the 1980s left an impression. McCloskey shipped fan favorite Adrian Dantley to the Dallas Mavericks for Mark Aguirre. The smaller trades were important, too, and acquiring Rick Mahorn helped shape Detroit’s 1989 championship.

Consider a couple of Presti’s moves: Trading Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and trading Josh Giddey to Chicago for Alex Caruso.

Embry drafted Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper and acquired Mark Price in a draft-day trade, turning the Cleveland Cavaliers into one of the top teams in the East.

Think about some other moves Presti has made: drafted Aaron Wiggins No. 55 in 2021; drafted Chet Holmgren No. 2 overall, Jalen Williams No. 12 and Jaylin Williams No. 34 in 2022; selected Cason Wallace No. 10 in 2023; drafted Ajay Mitchell No. 38 in 2024; signed Isaiah Joe and Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.

Presti has found value through the three-pronged approach to team-building: trades, draft picks and free-agent signings.

How Sam Presti built the Thunder for long-term success

A GM’s job is to win now and plan for the future. It’s not easy. Since taking the Thunder job in 2007, Presti has turned the franchise into one of the best in the NBA. From 2009-10 through 2019-20, the Thunder made the playoffs 10 times in 11 seasons, reaching the NBA Finals in 2012 with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden and the Western Conference finals in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016. They averaged 51 wins in that span.

After 2019-20, Presti promoted Mark Daigneault from assistant to head coach and embarked on a rebuild that has led to this Finals appearance.

Presti wants another decade of 50-win seasons and championship-caliber teams. The Thunder won 57 games last season, 68 this season and are set up contractually to keep Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

“I didn’t know much about professional basketball before I came here, and so my entire philosophy in professional basketball was underneath the umbrella of the Thunder organization,” said Daigneault, who was an assistant for Billy Donovan at Florida before joining the franchise in 2014. “Our philosophical alignment is so tight because of that, because this is the only place I’ve ever worked and this is the only way I’ve ever done it, and a lot of it is stuff I’ve learned from Sam and learned from being in this organization in terms of understanding that these organizations are robust.

“It’s not just you coaching your team. You’re part of a large ecosystem of developing players and developing a team, and you’re executing a large strategy for an organization. Those are things that have to exist in order to be a sustainably successful team in the NBA.”

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle first met Presti 25 years ago, and Carlisle told reporters that after the Pacers fired him in 2000, he spent time around the Spurs.

“He is from the Boston area. So, he had grown up a Celtics fan,” Carlisle said. “He actually remembered when I played, which was miraculous to me. Seemed like he was probably way too young for that. We had a couple of dinners together. He asked me, ‘What can I do? I got to somehow get a job out of this.’

“I said, ‘Just become a guy they can’t live without.’ ”

Presti has done that – first with the Spurs and now during nearly two decades with the Thunder. He has an expert eye for talent, a special knack for roster construction and a clear understanding of the collective bargaining agreement/salary cap machinations. He has the vision to see where the league is headed.

“Sam is a great demonstration of resourcefulness and wherewithal and stuff like that,” Carlisle said. “He’s forged himself a great career. He and (Indiana’s) Kevin Pritchard are two of the best franchise builders around.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sam Presti: ‘Seemed like a guy I can trust’

Presti also has built relationships with players. It’s not a one-way transaction. When the Thunder traded for George, Presti ‒ who has forged relationships with city leaders through philanthropy and commitment to Oklahoma City ‒ kept an open dialogue and when the time came, found a deal that worked for both sides. And he may have found an even better one for the Thunder and Gilgeous-Alexander, this season’s NBA MVP.

“He’s honest and upfront with me from day one,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That helped our relationship right away. You don’t get that very often, especially that early. Seemed like a guy I can trust. He’s been that. I just try to be the same back to him. Nothing more than just two guys with good character trusting each other and have one common goal in mind.”

You won’t hear much from Presti during the Finals. TV cameras may catch him watching a home game from a tunnel near the Thunder’s bench.

He does two interviews a year, at the start of the season and after it’s over, preferring the focus go to players and coaches. And other GMs who came before him and did the job with fewer resources financially, technologically and personnel-wise.

Presti has learned from the past while creating his vision for what a team that wants to capitalize on its NBA Finals window should look like today – and in the future.

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The NASCAR Cup Series got a new winner for the 2025 season last week in Nashville.

The field is back in action this weekend for the Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Race 15 of the 2025 Cup Series regular season is also the first race to determine seeding for NASCAR’s inaugural In-Season Challenge.

Here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s race:

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan start?

The Firekeepers Casino 400 is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET Sunday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan on?

The Firekeepers Casino 400 will be broadcast exclusively on Prime Video so there is no national TV broadcast for the race. This is the third week in a row on the streaming service and there will be two more NASCAR races exclusively shown on Prime Video. Pre-race coverage will start at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan?

Yes, the Firekeepers Casino 400 will be streamed on Prime Video.

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan?

The Firekeepers Casino 400 is 200 laps around the 2.0-mile track for a total of 400 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 45 laps; Stage 2: 75 laps; Stage 3: 80 laps.

Who won the NASCAR Cup race at Michigan last year?

What is the lineup for the Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan?

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
2. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
3. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
4. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet
5. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
6. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford
7. (21) Josh Berry, Ford
8. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
9. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
10. (38) Zane Smith, Ford
11. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford
12. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
13. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
14. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
15. (22) Joey Logano, Ford
16. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
17. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
18. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
19. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
20. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
21. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
22. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota
23. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford
24. (41) Cole Custer, Ford
25. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota
26. (88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
27. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
28. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
29. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford
30. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
31. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
32. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
33. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
34. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
35. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
36. (51) Cody Ware, Ford

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WrestleMania is headed back to Sin City.

WWE will hold WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium for the second consecutive year, the company announced at Money in the Bank 2025. It will be held April 18-19, 2026, with WrestleMania weekend events like SmackDown, the Hall of Fame Ceremony, NXT Stand and Deliver, and Raw After WrestleMania also taking place in the city.

Wrestling’s grandest event returns to Las Vegas after WrestleMania 41 took place there this year on April 19-20. This will be the second time in WWE history that WrestleMania will take place at the same venue in back-to-back years. The first instance was in 1988 and 1989 when WrestleMania IV and WrestleMania V was held at the Atlantic City Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The announcement comes weeks after WWE decided to move the host city for the 2026 edition of the event. In February, The Rock revealed during an episode of SmackDown that WrestleMania 42 would take place at the Caesars Superdome April 11-12. However, that changed three months later.

In a joint statement with TKO Group Holdings, Inc., owner of WWE, The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation said WrestleMania 42 wouldn’t take place in Louisiana, and instead the city would get the event in the future and New Orleans would get Money in the Bank 2026. No reason was given for why WWE changed plans.

Why did WWE choose Las Vegas for WrestleMania 42?

Not long after the news about the location being moved emerged, NOLA.com reported Las Vegas was the leading contender to host. While it wasn’t an ideal decision for most fans since WrestleMania just took place there and the show has traditionally gone around the U.S., it made sense why the move was made.

WrestleMania 42 was a major success for WWE with the largest gate for any event in its history, with more than 124,000 fans for both nights. The event also broke merchandise, sponsorship and hospitality experiences records. WWE also was granted upwards of $4.24 million in tax credits for having the event in the city, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Plus, it can’t be forgotten that TKO Group Holdings, Inc., owner of WWE, also owns the UFC, which is based in Las Vegas. Ownership’s familiarity with the location and how to maximize profits from it makes this an easy move.

The Las Vegas Strip was the ideal place to hold multiple events within close proximity of each other, rather than having to jump around different parts of the city. The city is also a top tourist destination that fans will definitely take over, generating millions for Las Vegas. WrestleMania 41 was too big of a success to not try again.

WWE chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque said there wasn’t one deciding factor in opting to return, but he said the success of WrestleMania 41 helped make the decision.

‘To be able to go back in (to Las Vegas), it’s built for stuff like what we do, and to be able to go there a second time, the things that we learned this time and how we handled the week there, and everything else … this one will be even better,’ Levesque said after Money in the Bank. ‘It’s a great opportunity for us to go in there, in a place that people love going to last year, will love going to again. We love New Orleans, and we love our partnership with them. We were able to grow that partnership with them along through this process, as well. So I think it’s a win for everybody.’

WrestleMania Las Vegas history

With WrestleMania returning to Allegiant Stadium, it will be the third time the event takes place in Las Vegas. Besides WrestleMania 41 in 2025, the first time WrestleMania was held in the city was in 1993 when WrestleMania 9 took place at Caesars Palace. It was a notable event since it was the first time WWE held the event outdoors.

For most of the early years, WrestleMania was held in arenas, but it has taken place in stadiums since WrestleMania 23 in 2007 – with the exception of WrestleMania 36, due to COVID-19.

This will mark the third WWE event Allegiant Stadium has hosted in its short history. SummerSlam 2021 took place at the indoor stadium and was the first professional wrestling event to happen there. The attendance of that event was 51,326.

While it hasn’t been confirmed, T-Mobile Arena is likely to host shows for part of the weekend. SmackDown, NXT Stand and Deliver, and Raw After WrestleMania took place at the arena in 2025, and the Hall of Fame ceremony was held at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel.

WrestleMania 41 was billed as John Cena’s final one: 2025 is his final year of in-ring competition. He beat Cody Rhodes in the main event to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship and become a record 17-time champion.

CHICAGO — Well, at least the Sky avoided setting a new franchise-low in points. 

The Sky managed just 52 points, matching the worst in the WNBA this season, in their blowout loss to the Indiana Fever on Saturday night. That’s better than the franchise-low 48 they scored against the Detroit Shock on Aug. 10, 2006, their first season. But it ties the fifth-lowest total in team history and worst since scoring 49 against the New York Liberty in 2011. 

The Sky also did not have a single player in double figures, with Kamilla Cardoso and Rebecca Allen leading the team with eight points each. 

The ugly showing came on a night the Sky played their first game at the United Center, in front of a sellout crowd of 19,496. 

Here are the latest updates from this matchup, including score and highlights.

Courtney Vandersloot injury update

CHICAGO — Chicago Sky coach Tyler Marsh had no update on Courtney Vandersloot’s injury, saying they’re ‘still assessing’ the veteran point guard. 

Vandersloot was driving to the basket midway through the first quarter when she went down, grabbing her knee. She had to be carried off the floor and was immediately taken back to the locker room. The Sky quickly said she would not return. 

Marsh said the injury took a toll on the Sky emotionally, and they were never able to regroup in the 79-52 blowout by the Indiana Fever. 

‘It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to watch anybody, but especially one of our teammates and someone that means as much as Sloot does to this team and organization,’ Hailey Van Lith said. ‘Whatever is in store in the future for this team, I trust we will find a way to make this moment mean something in the end.’ 

Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky highlights

Final: Fever 79, Sky 52

No Caitlin Clark? No problem in this one for the Indiana Fever.

Four Fever players hit double-digit points while no member of the Sky cleared 10 points. Angel Reese was held to just four points on 2-for-7 shooting. She did have a game-high 12 rebounds.

As a team the Sky shot just 32.7% from the field and hit just three 3-pointers on 15 attempts (20%). The Fever hit 45.8% of their shots and were 11-for-27 from 3 (40.7%). Kelsey Mitchell had a game-high 17 points.

Check out full stats from the game here.

Fever vs. Sky score: Indiana opens huge lead

The Fever is rolling and now leads Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky by 29 points. Without Caitlin Clark, Indiana has still managed to go 23-of-47 and is now 48.9% from the field as a team.

Score: Indiana Fever 68, Chicago Sky 39

Natasha Howard launches a deep dagger

With a quarter and a half still to play, Natasha Howard might have just delivered the dagger for the Indiana Fever.

The Sky had smothered the Fever for almost the entire length of the shot clock, only to have Kelsey Mitchell flip the ball to Howard, who drained a 3 as the buzzer sounded. It extended Indiana’s lead to 54-35 and gave Howard 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. — Nancy Armour

Fever vs. Sky halftime score: Indiana leads Chicago

That was a rough ending to the first half for the Chicago Sky. 

Both teams are short-handed, but the Fever has had a little more poise and controlled much of the first half. But the Sky cranked up the defense, limiting the Fever’s offense while making a few shots of their own, and managed to pare Indiana’s lead to 34-26 on a Kia Nurse 3 with 1:17 left in the half. 

But Lexie Hull hit a three, and the Sky got sloppy, sending Indiana to the foul line three times in the last 35 seconds. The Fever made 4 of their 6 free throws, extending their lead. — Nancy Armour

Score: Indiana Fever 41, Chicago Sky 28

Courtney Vandersloot injury update: Will not return to game

Unsurprisingly, Courtney Vandersloot has been ruled out for the rest of the game. 

The veteran guard was driving to the basket midway through the first quarter when she went to the ground, clutching her knee. She had to be helped off the floor and was carried straight to the locker room. — Nancy Armour

Fever vs. Sky: Highlights

Fever vs. Sky score update: Indiana up after Q1

No Caitlin Clark, no problem so far. Indiana leads the Sky 21-13. Kelsey Mitchell leads Fever players with eight points on a perfect 3-of-3 from the field.

Kamila Cardoso (shoulder) has four points on 1-of-2 shooting, also grabbing three boards in the first quarter.

Courtney Vandersloot injured

Courtney Vandersloot went down with a knee injury midway through the first quarter and this does not look good for her. Or the Chicago Sky.

The veteran point guard appeared to come down hard beneath the basket and immediately clutched her knee. Her teammates quickly gathered around her and she stayed on the ground for several minutes before being carried off the floor and right to the locker room. 

Vandersloot’s return to Chicago after two years with the New York Liberty was the Sky’s big move this offseason, signed for both her point guard savvy and veteran leadership. Angel Reese was praising her calmness before the game, saying it’s helped the team during a rough start to the season. 

Vandersloot was originally drafted by the Sky. She recently became the team’s scoring leader, breaking wife Allie Quigley’s record. — Nancy Armour

Kamilla Cardoso in game vs. Fever

Kamilla Cardoso is in the starting lineup for Saturday night’s game against the Indiana Fever.

Cardoso was held out of practice a couple of times this weekend for what Sky coach Tyler Marsh said was precautions over shoulder issues. But he said before the game that she was good to go and, indeed, she was on the court for the opening tip. — Nancy Armour

What time is Sky vs. Fever?

Saturday’s matchup between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky is set to tip off at 8 pm. ET, with the action taking place at the United Center in Chicago.

How to watch Sky vs. Fever WNBA game: TV, stream

• Time: 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT
• Location: United Center (Chicago)
• TV: CBS
• Stream: Fubo, WNBA League Pass, YouTube TV

Why is Caitlin Clark not playing today?

Clark said Thursday she would not play in the Fever’s matchup against the Sky on Saturday, marking the fourth consecutive game she’ll miss due to a left quad injury.

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