Sports
Jalen Brunson honored three times at 2026 ESPY Awards
Jul 15, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Jalen Brunson and Ali Brunson arrive on the red carpet before the 2026 ESPY Awards at Lincoln Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Jalen Brunson was on center stage in New York again Wednesday, this time for a trio of ovations at the 2026 ESPY Awards.
Hosted by Marcello Hernandez of “Saturday Night Live” fame Wednesday evening at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York, the show kicked off with Brunson winning the first major award of the evening, before he capped things with another award a couple of hours later and then joined his teammates on stage for the final award of the evening.
Brunson won “Best Championship Performance” and then “Best Athlete – Men’s Sports” for guiding the New York Knicks — the ESPY’s “Best Team” — to their first NBA championship since 1973. Brunson averaged 32.6 points per game in the Finals, to go along with 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals. That came after a regular season where he averaged 26.0 points, 6.8 assists and 0.8 steals for the 53-29 Knicks.
During his first acceptance speech, Brunson shouted out his family before thanking his coaches and teammates.
“I am forever indebted to them, thank you,” Brunson said.
Later in the evening, Jim Abbott, the former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the majors for a decade despite being born without a right hand, won the “Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.”
“I was born missing my right hand, and I never wanted to make a big deal about that,” Abbott said. “Being born this way, I knew what it was like to be different, I knew what it was like to be on the outside looking in and I knew what it was like to be on a team.
“Of all the great blessings sports has given me, that sense of belonging is the best.”
Alyssa Liu won “Best Breakthrough Athlete” following her gold medal for figure skating at the Winter Olympics. “I had some really rough times in (the sport), and I took two years off, and so it really feels like I did break through in my own way, and for my sport,” Liu said.
Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry took home the “Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian” award. His charity “Eat, Learn, Play” has helped feed children and provide them playgrounds to play on in the Oakland area.
“When you hear Ali’s name, you think about greatness,” Curry said. “This award being connected to his legacy is incredibly humbling.”
After crediting volunteers, teachers, and all those involved in the program, Curry implored other athletes to give back to their communities.
“Don’t ever forget you have a platform, you have a voice, you have everything you need to make a true impact, and I encourage you to find your Oakland.”
The “Best College Athletes” were Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and UCLA basketball player Lauren Betts, the latter of whom spoke about the importance of mental health in her acceptance speech.
“Your mental health is not separate from your success,” Betts said. “It is the foundation of everything that you do.
“The strongest people aren’t the ones who never struggle; they’re the ones who have the courage to let someone walk through the struggle with them.”
The “Pat Tilman Award for Service” went to Scott Ruskan, a former cross country athlete at Rider University who helped rescue 165 Texas flood survivors last July as a member of the Coast Guard.
“There were a lot of heroes that day who aren’t getting an ESPY Award,” Ruskan said. “It took a complete army of people to get (the rescue) done.”
Other 2026 ESPY Awards:
Best Athlete – Women’s Sports: A’ja Wilson
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Jason Collins
Best Single-Game Performance: Shohei Ohtani
Best Play: OG Anunoby
Best Record-Breaking Performance: Myles Garrett
Best High School Athletes: Maddie DiMaria, Grady Emerson
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orlando City reunite with F Daryl Dike
Orlando City forward Daryl Dike (18) scores on a penalty kick during the second half against Nashville SC at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.
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Forward Daryl Dike is returning to his first professional club, signing with Orlando City SC through the 2027 MLS Sprint Season with a club option for 2027-28, the club announced on Friday.
In exchange for Dike’s Discovery Priority, Orlando City sent $75,000 in 2027 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Seattle Sounders FC. If certain performance-based metrics are reached, Orlando City will send Seattle an additional $75,000 GAM.
Dike, 26, was the No. 5 selection of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft and made 33 starts in 41 appearances across all competitions with the Lions. He scored 19 goals and compiled seven assists, highlighted by his team-leading 11 goals in 2021.
“Daryl is a player our club and our fans know well, and we’re very excited to welcome him back to Orlando,” Orlando City SC General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a statement. “He brings a powerful combination of strength, speed and physical presence, and his ability to hold up play, bring teammates into the attack and finish chances gives us another important option up front. Daryl has already shown what he can do in our league and in this city, and we look forward to helping him make an impact again in purple.”
Dike, originally from Edmond, Okla., played the past five seasons with West Bromwich Albion F.C. in England’s EFL Championship. In 138 professional matches, he scored 43 goals and added nine assists.
“I’m thrilled to be back where it all started. Orlando is where I first got the opportunity to play professionally, and returning here feels like coming home,” Dike said. “From the moment I arrived the first time, I felt welcomed, and that same feeling has only grown since I’ve come back. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, and I’m grateful to be back in Orlando.”
In 10 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Dike has three goals and helped the team win the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Orlando City returns to league play Wednesday against the host San Jose Earthquakes.
–Field Level Media
Sports
ATP roundup: Top four seeds all eliminated in Gstaad
May 28, 2026; Paris, France; Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina returns a shot during his match against Jannik Sinner of Italy on day five at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images The top four seeds were all eliminated Friday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad, with Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik, Casper Ruud of Norway, Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech of France each exiting the clay-court tournament in Switzerland.
Quentin Halys of France completed a rain-delayed 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (5) upset of the top-seeded Bublik after returning to serve at 5-6 in the deciding set. Aleksandr Shevchenko also finished a suspended second-round match, beating Swiss wild card Dominic Stricker 7-6 (5), 6-2. Shevchenko later defeated Halys 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the quarterfinals.
No. 6 seed Juan Manuel Cerundolo of Argentina rallied past second-seeded Ruud 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 after trailing by a break in the second set. Seventh-seeded Raphael Collignon of Belgium edged No. 3 Vacherot 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-5, while Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas completed the sweep of the top four by defeating fourth-seeded Rinderknech 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Nordea Open
Top-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev needed just 59 minutes to dispatch No. 8 Sebastian Baez of Argentina 6-1, 6-2 in the quarterfinals at Bastad, Sweden.
Rublev converted four of his eight break opportunities while reaching the 50th ATP Tour semifinal of his career. The 2023 Bastad champion will next meet third-seeded Alejandro Tabilo of Chile, who advanced when No. 7 Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina withdrew before their match because of an injury.
Second-seeded Luciano Darderi of Italy saved three set points in the opening-set tiebreaker before defeating No. 5 Nuno Borges of Portugal 7-6 (9), 6-4. Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo claimed the remaining semifinal berth with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over Italy’s Stefano Travaglia.
Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag
Spain’s Daniel Merida continued his run in Croatia by defeating Argentina’s Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals.
Merida secured his place in the second championship match of his career after losing in the final of the Tiriac Open in April. The 21-year-old broke Burruchaga early in both sets and won five of the final six games to close out the victory.
Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be Merida’s opponent in the final after rallying past Slovakia’s Alex Molcan 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Dzumhur recovered after dropping the opening set and finished the comeback in about two hours, 45 minutes. It will mark his first appearance in a final since 2018.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tiger-Cats turn to QB Tre Ford's running ability for Argos showdown
Jun 7, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Edmonton Elks quarterback Tre Ford (2) looks to pass the ball during the second half against the BC Lions at BC Place Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images In nearly six quarters since star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell went down July 5 with a broken ankle, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have managed a grand total of seven points.
Two field goals and a rouge are all this once-potent offense has scored in Mitchell’s absence. Little wonder, then, that Hamilton coach Scott Milanovich has settled on a new starting quarterback for Saturday night’s home contest against the Toronto Argonauts.
Former Edmonton starter Tre Ford will get the start Saturday night after coming in late Sunday for Jake Dolegala, who completed 17 of 30 passes for only 122 yards and an interception while being sacked twice versus the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Ford isn’t the precision passer Mitchell is, but, unlike the slow-footed Dolegala, he can make big plays with his feet, which could provide a spark the offense desperately needs.
“Obviously, Tre has a different skill set that we’re going to try to utilize this week,” Milanovich said. “He’s got to protect the ball first and foremost. And when they want to play coverage and things aren’t open, he’s got to create with his legs and God-given talent.”
While Hamilton (2-3) tries to create a new identity on offense, Toronto (2-3) has its own problems to work through. The Argonauts fell 30-21 on July 10 in Winnipeg despite 320 passing yards and two touchdowns from Chad Kelly.
Kelly has thrown for a league-high 1,804 yards through five games, but he has also had issues with turnovers. That’s put pressure on a defense that has allowed 36.6 points per contest.
One of the beneficiaries of Kelly’s season-opening surge has been receiver Dave Ungerer III, who’s on pace to shatter his career bests across the board. He already has 25 catches for 330 yards and three scores, which puts him on pace to grab 90 passes. His career high was last year with 53.
Going above 1,000 yards for the season would mean a lot to Ungerer.
“I’ve always felt it’s a symbol of consistency,” he said.
This is the first of three matchups between these teams over the next eight weeks.
–Field Level Media
Orlando City reunite with F Daryl Dike
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on July 18
