The National Basketball Players Association criticized the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday for wanting to sit superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo despite his being “healthy and ready to play,” implying the team is “tanking.”

The union’s statement was in response to reports last week that Antetokounmpo refused the Bucks’ request to play. He is currently sidelined by what the team said is a left knee injury with a bone bruise with no timeline for his return, but the 31-year-old wants to play before the season ends, per reports.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in its statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, has endured an injury-plagued season that has caused him to miss a career-high 35 games. The team, which had rebuffed trade offers for its superstar, has argued that it’s best for Antetokounmpo’s future as well as for the organization that he cut short the season, per reports.

Milwaukee (29-42) is 12-23 without the 10-time All-Star this season and 17-19 with him. With 11 regular-season games remaining, the Bucks are the first team outside of the Eastern Conference play-in tournament in 11th place through Monday, trailing the Charlotte Hornets by eight games for 10th place.

Antetokounmpo missed 15 games due to a calf strain before returning on March 2, then sat out another two games when the team went 2-6 with him and 0-2 without him. A left ankle sprain was cited as the cause of his absence from the 122-99 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on March 14.

He exited during the third quarter after landing awkwardly on a dunk during a home victory over the Indiana Pacers on March 15. Then he missed a home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 17 and road games against the Utah Jazz on Thursday (loss), against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday (win) and the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday (loss).

He is averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 36 games and already is set to play the fewest games of his 13 seasons with the Bucks. His previous low was 61 games during the shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Antetokounmpo has career averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 895 games (830 starts).

–Field Level Media

The WNBA Board of Governors has unanimously ratified the terms for the new collective bargaining agreement, the league announced Tuesday.

The seven-year agreement goes into effect with the 2026 season and runs through 2032.

The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association will now finalize the long-form agreement.

“This marks the beginning of a bold new era of the WNBA — one made possible by the passion and dedication of the players, team owners, fans, investors, partners and the entire WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “We remain focused on building on the unprecedented momentum around the league and preparing for our milestone 30th season, tipping off in May.”

WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike announced Monday that the players had voted to ratify the CBA with a nearly unanimous vote.

The revenue-sharing deal agreed to in the new CBA hammered out this month will increase the average salary to $583,000 this season and the maximum salary to $1.4 million, while providing more than $1 billion in salaries and benefits over the contract.

The salary increases represent a significant jump for WNBA players. Team salary caps will be $7 million this season — a huge leap from $1.5 million in 2025 — and will be adjusted annually based on teams and league revenue growth.

The deal projects the maximum salary to reach $2.4 million by 2032, and the average salary to surpass $1 million by then. The minimum salary this season will range from $270,000 to $300,000, depending on service time. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft will earn approximately $500,000.

All players on the WNBA championship team will receive $60,000 — the payout was $22,908 in 2025 — and the runners-up will receive $20,000 (up from $8,521). The Finals MVP will get a $30,000 bonus (up from $5,000).

The season MVP will receive a $60,000 bonus, the Defensive Player of the Year will get $30,000 and the Rookie of the Year will receive $15,000. The All-Star Game MVP will receive $20,000.

The length of the regular season will increase to 50 games in 2027 and 2028 and 52 from 2029-32.

The WNBA Draft is slated for April 13 with training camps opening six days later.

–Field Level Media

Liverpool superstar forward Mohamed Salah announced on Tuesday that he will leave the Premier League club at the end of the season after a nine-year run as one of its greatest players.

The club confirmed the news later, saying that it had agreed to forego the final year of the two-year extension Salah signed at the end of the 2025 season.

“Salah expressed his wish to make this announcement to the supporters at the earliest possible opportunity to provide transparency about his future due to his respect and gratitude for them,” Liverpool said in a statement.

The 33-year-old, nicknamed the “Egyptian King,” joined Liverpool in 2017. Salah has 255 goals (third in club history) in 435 appearances, and his 281 combined goal contributions (189 goals, 92 assists) in 310 Premier League appearances are the most in league history.

His total of 191 goals in Premier League career matches (including two with Chelsea in the 2013-14 season) is fourth all-time.

“I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people would become part of my life,” Salah said in a video posted on X. “Liverpool is not just a football club. It’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit that I can’t explain in words to anyone not of this club.”

Salah helped lead the Reds to Premier League titles in 2019-20 (their first top-division crown in 30 years) and 2024-25 as well as the FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022-24) and UEFA Champions League trophy (2019).

“We celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies and we fought together through the hardest time in our lives,” Salah said in the video. “I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the teammates past and present.

“And to the fans, I don’t have enough words. The support you showed me through the best time of my career, and you stood by me in the toughest times. It’s something I will never forget and something I will take with me always.”

The “toughest times” he referenced might include in December, when second-year manager Arne Slot didn’t play him for three consecutive matches. Salah said at the time that he was being thrown “under the bus” for the team’s poor play, suggested he had no relationship with Slot and questioned his future with Liverpool.

After being left off the squad for a Champions League match with Inter Milan, Salah later became a regular starter again. He has 10 goals and nine assists in 34 appearances this season.

“Leaving is never easy,” Salah said in Tuesday’s video. “You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home, to me and to my family. Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone.”

Last May, Salah scored a league-best 29 goals and won the Premier League Golden Boot for the fourth time in his career, matching the record set by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.

Salah also was awarded the Premier League Playmaker of the Season award, after leading with 18 assists. His 47 combined goals and assists were the most ever in a 38-game season.

It was the second time Salah has completed the Golden Boot-Playmaker sweep in his career. Salah became the first player ever to win the Golden Boot, Golden Playmaker and Player of the Season awards in a single campaign.

Salah also claimed the Golden Boot in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2021-22.

–Field Level Media