Sports
Thunder's Nikola Topic back after cancer battle
Oct 5, 2025; North Charleston, South Carolina, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (44) drives up the court against the Charlotte Hornets at North Charleston Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Arthur Ellis-Imagn Images Nikola Topic, an Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, made his debut in the G League Monday night as he returned from fighting testicular cancer.
The 12th overall pick in that draft, Topic scored seven points and added seven assists in 16 minutes for the Oklahoma City Blue in their 137-135 overtime win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
He is a 6-foot-6 point guard from Serbia.
Topic, 20, has yet to play in a regular-season game for the Thunder. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee a few weeks before the draft and did not play as a rookie. Then, in October, he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy.
“There was probably a ton of emotions that he was going through,” Blue head coach Daniel Dixon told reporters postgame. “Having something taken away from you that you loved from a young age cannot be easy, and so, just to see his resilience and him to know that the whole organization is behind him, we’re pushing him forward.”
He added: “Just seeing him crack a smile while being out there on the court again, doing what he enjoys doing, what he loves to do, being out there with his teammates. I mean, there was so many positive things.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin out vs. US
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Feb 8, 2026; Milan, Italy; Kristin O’Neill of Canada celebrates scoring their first goal with Marie-Philip Poulin of Canada and Ella Shelton of Canada against Czechia in women’s ice hockey group B play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin won’t play in Tuesday’s Group A game against the United States after sustaining a lower-body injury in Monday’s 5-1 win over Czechia, Hockey Canada announced.
A three-time gold medalist who has earned the nickname “Captain Clutch,” Poulin is considered day-to-day after leaving Monday’s win in the first period following a hit into the boards from Czechia’s Kristyna Kaltounkova. The latter was assessed a penalty for an illegal hit.
Poulin, 34, is playing in her fifth Olympics, winning gold in 2010, 2014 and 2022 along with a silver in 2018.
Canada and the U.S. have combined to win all six gold medals in women’s hockey since it was introduced in the 1998 Nagano Olympics — Canada claiming four and the Americans two. They’ve faced off five times in the gold-medal game and are heavy favorites to meet there again in this year’s Games.
Both teams are undefeated entering Tuesday’s Group A game. Canada is 2-0 with a 9-1 goal differential, while the U.S. is 3-0 with a 15-1 differential.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: F1 driver Kimi Antonelli unhurt in car accident
Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli (12) is introduced before the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Formula One driver Kimi Antonelli was unhurt in a single-car accident near his home in San Marino, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
“We can confirm that Kimi was involved in a traffic accident on Saturday night close to his home in San Marino,” read a statement from his team, Mercedes, that was provided to the media outlet.
“The police attended the scene, after being called by Kimi. His was the only car involved and while his vehicle was damaged, Kimi was completely unhurt.”
Antonelli is 19. He has only had his license to drive on city streets since January 2025.
Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian newspaper, said the accident is under investigation. According to the report, Antonelli was driving a Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro 4Matic+ Motorsport Collectors Edition supercar.
Antonelli is expected in Bahrain this week to test the Mercedes F1 cars along with teammate George Russell.
Antonelli finished seventh in the F1 driver standings in 2025 after replacing Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes. Russell was fourth.
The teenager finished on the podium in Montreal, Sao Paulo and Las Vegas last season.
The 2026 F1 season begins March 8 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Patriots QB Drake Maye won't need offseason shoulder surgery
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images After battling through a shoulder injury that required pain-management injections ahead of Super Bowl LX, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye told reporters Tuesday that he won’t need offseason surgery to address the issue.
“Time is the best healer,” Maye said. “Just need time off. Nothing that needs anything to be done. Just need time to rest and time away from football.”
Maye, 23, became the second-youngest quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl, just 35 days older than Dan Marino. He underwhelmed in New England’s 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, throwing for 295 yards — most of which came in the fourth quarter when his team was down multiple scores — and two touchdowns but also throwing two interceptions and fumbling once.
He finished the first half with just 48 passing yards.
It was a sour ending to a breakout season for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye finished second in MVP voting, receiving 23 first-place votes while Rams QB Matthew Stafford claimed 24 to narrowly win.
Maye led New England to a 14-3 record in the regular season.
Even the disappointing end didn’t deter Maye as the team begins to turn the page to 2026.
“Ten weeks until we’re back here,” Maye said. “That don’t sound too far away. It turns around quickly on you. I’m looking forward to it.”
–Field Level Media
Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin out vs. US
Report: F1 driver Kimi Antonelli unhurt in car accident
