Sports
Mystics' hopes hinge on clash with first-place Liberty
Aug 15, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) shoots the ball against LA Sparks guard Layshia Clarendon (25) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images In Tuesday’s penultimate regular-season game for both teams, the Washington Mystics are trying to hang on to the final WNBA playoff spot as the visiting New York Liberty close in on the No. 1 seed.
Washington (13-25) started the season 0-12 but has rallied to a three-way tie with the Chicago Sky and Atlanta Dream for the final playoff spot. At least one team will drop from that No. 8 spot Tuesday since the Sky and Dream face each other at Atlanta.
First-place New York (31-7) holds a two-game lead over the second-place Minnesota Lynx, with two games remaining for each team. Red-hot Minnesota holds the tiebreaker over New York and is set to play at third-place Connecticut on Tuesday.
Washington narrowly missed a chance to enhance its playoff chances with a 76-73 overtime home loss to Atlanta on Sunday. The Mystics’ Ariel Atkins scored 16 points, but Washington went cold after drawing a 73-70 lead early in the extra period.
Atkins and Brittney Sykes each missed potential game-tying 3-point tries in the final 34 seconds as Washington failed to gain an upper hand on the final playoff spot.
Before the loss, Washington coach Eric Thibault announced that the Mystics would be without starting center Shakira Austin for the remainder of the season. Austin averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds, but only played in 12 games (11 starts) due to hip and ankle injuries.
“Along with medical staff consulting with Shakira, we’ve made the decision to shut her down for the remainder of the season,” Thibault said. “She just needs time to rehab and strengthen that ankle and surrounding area.”
New York comes in off an 88-79 home loss to the Lynx. Breanna Stewart had 38 points and 18 rebounds, but Minnesota shot 53.0 percent to keep alive its slim hopes of the top playoff seed.
“We didn’t come out with the urgency that I would have liked or would have expected,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “The only great thing about it is that hopefully, we meet them again, and it should be fresh, and we can learn a lot from that.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wizards F Jamir Watkins recovering from ACL surgery
Apr 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Wizards forward Jamir Watkins (5) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Porter Jr. (9) during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Second-year forward Jamir Watkins could miss the 2026-27 season for the Washington Wizards after undergoing surgery to reconstruct his torn left ACL.
The Wizards said Watkins underwent surgery on Thursday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. It was performed by Dr. Riley J. Williams III, the chief of the hospital’s Sports Medicine Institute.
The 6-foot-6 Watkins was a second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Florida State, and he signed a two-way contract with the Wizards before the 2025-26 season.
He appeared in 50 games as a rookie, starting seven. He averaged 7.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 20.6 minutes per game.
Watkins, 25, suffered the knee injury on July 9 in the Wizards’ first game of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Playing against the Utah Jazz and guarding No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson, Watkins slipped and fell to the court, clutching his left knee, at the 8:40 mark of the first game. He returned to play almost 20 total minutes but did not appear in another Summer League game.
The Wizards added 2026 No. 1 draft pick AJ Dybantsa from BYU as well as a former first overall selection, Deandre Ayton. They also will look for injury-free seasons from veterans Trae Young and Anthony Davis, acquired last season in trades.
Davis played in just 20 games last season with the Dallas Mavericks due to hand and groin injuries. He did not play with the Wizards after the trade. Young appeared in 10 games for the Atlanta Hawks and five for the Wizards, limited by lower back and right quad ailments.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Austin FC sign F Jorge Alastuey to first-team contract
Apr 22, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Earthquakes defender Jamar Ricketts (2) and Austin FC midfielder Jorge Alastuey (24) battle for the ball in the second half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images Austin FC signed Spanish midfielder Jorge Alastuey to a first-team contract on Friday.
Alastuey, 23, is signed through the end of the 2026 season with options through 2027-28.
“I’m very happy to sign a contract with the first team and I want to thank the Club, and all my coaches and teammates, for their support and belief in me,” he said. “I got a first taste of what MLS is like in making my debut earlier this season, and I’m hungry to keep improving and to help the team achieve its goals this season.”
Playing on a short-term agreement, Alastuey made his MLS debut on March 14 against Real Salt Lake and logged his first start on April 22 against the San Jose Earthquakes.
“Jorge has consistently displayed a high level of performance with Austin FC II and has impressed when given the opportunity to train and play at the first team level,” Austin FC interim coach Davy Arnaud said. “We congratulate him on earning a first team contract.”
Alastuey has recorded 19 goals and eight assists in 39 MLS NEXT Pro matches with Austin FC II since January 2025.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CBS puts Tony Romo on indefinite leave after arrest
Feb 6, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; CBS Sports play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz (left), analyst Tony Romo (center) and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson at press conference at the Super Bowl 58 Media Center at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images CBS Sports has placed No. 1 football analyst Tony Romo on indefinite leave following his arrest on suspicion of operating while intoxicated.
The news was announced Friday in a terse statement from the network.
“Tony Romo is on leave from his role at CBS Sports until further notice,” read the statement.
ESPN reported that JJ Watt, former NFL defensive player of the year, will replace Romo and partner with play-by-player caller Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on CBS’ top broadcast team while Romo is on leave.
Romo, 46, was pulled over July 23 at around 6:15 p.m. while traveling southbound on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee. He had been in Wisconsin to play in a golf tournament.
Romo has been the lead analyst at CBS since 2017. The former quarterback took the job following his final season with the Dallas Cowboys.
He is working on a 10-year, $180 million contract that runs through the 2030 season.
Romo, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, was arrested after he “performed poorly” on standardized field sobriety tests, per the police report, and released at approximately 11 p.m.
A citation issued by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office noted an “open bottle of an alcoholic beverage” was found in the passenger side during an inventory of Romo’s vehicle.
According to the citation, Romo faces a $267 fine for the alleged offense. He has a court date scheduled for Sept. 21 on the charge of operating a vehicle while under the influence.
A first-offense OWI generally is a civil offense, not a criminal charge, in Wisconsin. The police report indicated a fine of $1,066 for this charge, as well as a $235 fine for “unsafe passing on the right.”
–Field Level Media
Wizards F Jamir Watkins recovering from ACL surgery
Austin FC sign F Jorge Alastuey to first-team contract
