Sports
Reports: Mavs hiring former Raptors exec Masai Ujiri
Sep 30, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Raptors vice chairman and team president Masai Ujiri talks to the media during media day at Scotiabank Area. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images The Dallas Mavericks are hiring former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as their new team president and alternate governor, multiple outlets reported Monday.
Ujiri, 55, spent 12 seasons in the Raptors’ front office (2013-25) and was the architect of the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2018-19.
Before joining Toronto, Ujiri was the general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2010-13 and was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year for 2012-13. The Raptors and Nuggets were a combined 690-504 with 12 playoff appearances in his 15 seasons in charge.
Ujiri’s hiring ends a six-month search process for a new leader in Dallas, which fired general manager Nico Harrison on Nov. 11. Harrison’s tenure ended after a 3-8 start to the 2025-26 season and the continued fan backlash over the February 2025 trade of superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
ESPN reported that a news conference with Ujiri and team governor Patrick Dumont is planned for Tuesday in Dallas.
Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi ran the Dallas front office as co-interim general managers following the dismissal of Harrison.
The Mavericks finished 26-56 this season, the team’s worst record since 2017-18 (24-58), despite the play of Rookie of the Year and No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg. The 19-year-old forward averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Longtime Yankees broadcaster John Sterling dies at 87
John Sterling, Edgewater, NJ resident and the voice of the Yankees on radio on Aug. 17, 2012 in Bronx, New York. Legendary New York Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling has died at 87.
Sterling joined the team in 1989 and spent 36 years in the booth, calling 5,420 regular-season games and 211 playoff games before retiring in April 2024. He worked 5,060 consecutive games from 1989 to 2019.
“We are devastated to hear about the passing of John Sterling, a WFAN and Yankees radio icon whose voice was synonymous with an entire generation of Yankee fandom,” WFAN said in a statement.
Sterling suffered a heart attack in January. The announcement of his death from WFAN and confirmation by the Yankees did not include where or how he died.
The Yankees mourn the loss of legendary broadcaster John Sterling. Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and loved ones at this time. pic.twitter.com/1rCeRC1D61
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 4, 2026
The New York native was known for his enthusiastic delivery and signature catchphrases like “It is high, it is far, it is gone!” and “Thuuhhh Yankees win!”
“Through his unique style and passionate play-by-play calls, Sterling endeared himself to generations of players and fans as radio voice of the Yankees from 1989 to 2024,” Major League Baseball said in a statement. “His signature punctuation of Yankees victories included calling the final out of five World Series championships.”
Sterling was on the air for seven World Series with the Yankees, including championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. His career spanned every single game played by shortstop Derek Jeter and every pitch thrown by fellow Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera.
“He’s synonymous with those five championships (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009),” longtime broadcast partner Michael Kay said, per The Athletic. “If you’re coming into people’s homes, at the beach, the pool or their car, and you’re constantly telling them good news – it made him part of the Yankee firmament. He became a part of forever, because those championships are never going to go away.”
Sterling was a 12-time Sports Emmy Award winner and a member of the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
“I am a very blessed human being,” Sterling said in a statement announcing his retirement. “I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Collin Morikawa withdraws from Truist Championship
Apr 30, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Collin Morikawa lines up his birdie on the 17th hole during the first round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images World No. 6 Collin Morikawa has withdrawn from this week’s Truist Championship, the PGA Tour said Monday.
Andrew Putnam takes his place in the field for the Signature Event at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
No reason was provided. Morikawa, 29, has been dealing with a back issue since his first-round withdrawal at The Players on March 12.
Since then, he has recorded a T7 finish at The Masters and T4 at the RBC Heritage before finishing tied for 62nd at last week’s Cadillac Championship, 20 strokes behind winner Cameron Young.
Morikawa is a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour, including two major titles at the PGA Championship in 2020 and The Open Championship in 2021. He won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
Putnam, 37, finished T18 last week at Trump National Doral for his third top-20 effort of the season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Magic fire Jamahl Mosley after first-round collapse
Apr 27, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley talks with guard Anthony Black (0) during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Head coach Jamahl Mosley was fired by the Magic on Monday, one day after a Game 7 loss to the Detroit Pistons in a first-round series that Orlando led 3-1.
The Magic lost in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They had navigated the play-in round to earn the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando built a 24-point lead at home in Game 6 on Friday but managed only 19 points in the second half to drop the game and send the series, tied 3-3, back to Detroit for Sunday’s elimination game.
Mosley took the blame Sunday night, saying the defeat in Detroit and series collapse was “on me.”
“I’ve got to be able to do a better job of preparing them for what they were going to see tonight,” Mosley said. “We talked a little bit about it, but probably not enough.”
The Pistons dominated the second half again in Game 7, a 116-94 victory, as Detroit became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs.
Orlando also lost in Game 7 of the 2024 first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mosley, 47, spent five seasons as head coach in Orlando and accumulated a record of 189-221. Orlando won 41 or more games each of the past three seasons.
Former Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, previously the coach at the University of Florida, is considered a top target in Orlando’s search, according to multiple reports. Donovan resigned as coach of the Bulls last month in a franchise reset that included multiple changes in the front office.
–Field Level Media
