Sports
Angel Reese, happy with Dream, prepares for first return to Chicago
Jun 4, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) looks on against the Indiana Fever during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images WNBA star Angel Reese will face her former team for the first time when the Atlanta Dream visit the Chicago Sky on Tuesday night.
A two-time All-Star who was selected seventh overall by the Sky (4-7) out of LSU in 2024, Reese was traded this spring from Chicago to the Dream (7-3) for a pair of first-round draft picks.
Reese set the WNBA’s single-season rebounding record with the franchise as a rookie — grabbing 446 boards, or 13.1 per game. The 6-foot-4 forward from Baltimore also became the fastest WNBA player to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds in a career, surpassing a pace set by Tina Charles.
Reese is also just the fourth player — in the NBA or WNBA — to tally 50 double-doubles in their first 75 professional games.
With the Dream, Reese has continued to play at a high caliber under coach Karl Smesko, averaging 13.3 points, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals and a league-leading 11.7 rebounds per game.
“I think just being able to sit with someone that really works with you,” Reese said of Smesko recently. “He continues to trust and believe no matter how many shots I miss. We’re happy when we see it in the game and it transitions easily. He told me from the beginning I need to be patient and give myself grace.”
The Dream, in Smesko’s second season at the helm, lead the WNBA in steals (9.4) and offensive rebounds (11.4) per game. Allisha Gray leads the team in scoring with 19.7 points per game.
Chicago has struggled since losing star Rickea Jackson — who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Ariel Atkins — for the season with a knee injury. They were 3-1 when Jackson got hurt and just 1-6 since. They’re coming off an 85-68 loss to the Toronto Tempo, and after the game Skylar Diggins voiced her disappointment with the team’s performance and composure.
“We gotta have more maturity and more leadership on and off the floor from the players on the floor, and from the staff as well,” Diggins said. “It’s been an extremely frustrating experience.”
In her first season with the Sky, Diggins is averaging 14.4 points and 4.7 assists per game. The Sky rank last in the league in rebounding rate (45.7 percent) and are second-to-last in 3-point shooting with a 26.3 percent clip.
Brionna Jones continues to be sidelined for the Dream with a knee injury, while DiJonai Carrington (left foot) and Courtney Vandersloot (right knee) are out for the Sky.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Defender Chris Richards returns to USMNT practice
June 8, 2026; Irvine, California, U.S.; Chris Richards of the U.S. signs an autograph for a fan during training. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Defender Chris Richards is back on the field with the United States Men’s National Team on Monday and appears to be on track for the World Cup opener against Paraguay this week.
“We will see … first time with the team,” coach Mauricio Pochettino said Monday. “Nearly everyone ready to be selected for the game.”
Richards sustained an ankle injury last month and is viewed as a vital defender in the center of the backline.
Miles Robinson and Mark McKenzie filled in for Richards on Saturday in the final World Cup tuneup against Germany in Chicago.
At Monday’s practice in Irvine, Calif., Tyler Adams was not on the field. He worked in the gym for load management purposes, Pochettino said.
Richards, 26, suffered a pair of torn ligaments in his left ankle on May 17 as his Crystal Palace team played Brentford in a Premier League match. He did complete the match but limped off the field and has not competed since.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Kings to hire Peter Laviolette as head coach
Mar 29, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; New York Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette instructs his team as left wings Artemi Panarin (10), Chris Kreider (20) and Brennan Othmann (78) look on against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Kings are set to hire Peter Laviolette to a three-year deal as their next head coach, Sportsnet and ESPN reported Monday.
Laviolette had been in talks to become the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs as recently as last week, according to multiple reports, and the Edmonton Oilers had also reportedly looked at him as a candidate to fill their head coaching vacancy.
Laviolette, 61, has been an NHL head coach for 23 seasons.
He won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He also reached the Stanley Cup Final as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and the Nashville Predators in 2017.
He most recently coached the New York Rangers from 2023-25. The Rangers went 55-23-4 (114 points) in Laviolette’s first season and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, where they were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in a six-game series. New York went 39-36-7 (85 points) the following season to finish six points out of a playoff spot, leading to Laviolette’s dismissal in April 2025.
He owns an 846-562-161 record (25 ties) as head coach with the New York Islanders (2001-03), Hurricanes (2003-09), Flyers (2009-14), Predators (2014-20), Washington Capitals (2020-23) and Rangers.
His 846 regular-season wins are the most among United States-born coaches in NHL history and seventh all-time.
Laviolette appeared in 12 NHL games during his playing career as a defenseman, all during the 1988-89 season with the Rangers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Top 2 seeds ousted in chaotic opening day at Libema Open
Aug 27, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia serves against Wang Xinyu of China in the second round of the women’s singles at the US Open at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds each fell in straight sets on a chaotic first day of women’s competition in the Libema Open at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands on Monday.
No. 1 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia — a two-time winner at the event in 2022 and ‘23 — fell 6-4, 7-6 (5) to Hungary’s Panna Udvardy, who ranks nearly 50 spots lower (65th to 17th). In a match that was statistically even in a number of spots, the difference may have been Udvardy’s one more converted break (3 of 6) in an equal number of chances.
Second-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark lost 6-4, 6-4 to Slovakia’s Mia Pohankova, a 17-year-old who won the final five games of the match to secure her first career top-30 win. No. 3 seed Belgian Elise Mertens avoided the same fate with a thorough 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Canada’s Bianca Andreescu.
In other Monday action, Poland’s Magda Linette rallied for a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Australian Kimberly Birrell, Robin Montgomery pulled out a 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 victory against Daria Kasatkina of Australia and Ukraine’s Daria Snigur swept Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-1, 7-6 (2).
HSBC Championships
Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic rallied for a 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-3 defeat of McCartney Kessler in first-round action at London.
Pliskova was sloppy on her serve with three aces and 11 double faults but made up for it by winning 51% of her return points and converting 8 of 11 break-point opportunities.
In the only two other matches completed on Monday, when multiple matches were delayed or postponed by rain, Great Britain’s Harriet Dart beat Liudmila Samsonova of Russia 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, while Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian swept Qinwen Zheng 6-4, 7-6 (4).
The final match of the day, which pitted No. 8 seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada against Great Britain’s Katie Boulter, was suspended due to darkness with Fernandez up a set and the second set level at 3 games apiece.
–Field Level Media
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