Sports
Washington set to open Danny Sprinkle era vs. UC Davis
Oct 3, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Washington head coach Danny Sprinkle takes a question at the podium during the 2024 Big Ten Menís Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Melissa Tamez-Imagn Images The University of Washington men’s basketball team has a new look this season.
The Huskies will officially debut the Big Ten Conference logo on their home court Tuesday night when they meet UC Davis in the regular-season debut for coach Danny Sprinkle.
Sprinkle, who came to Washington from Utah State to replace Mike Hopkins, said he’s still learning about the team he’s assembled.
“With this group, we’ve made pretty good strides in the last three, four weeks,” Sprinkle said. “The older guys are sensing the first game is coming. So, there’s a little more urgency and a little more intensity and focus to what they’re doing. But until you really go up against somebody with the lights on, I don’t know what we have.”
The Huskies defeated NCAA Division II foe Western Oregon 105-68 in an exhibition Tuesday.
Guard DJ Davis, a transfer from Butler, led UW with 16 points, making four 3-pointers. Freshman guard Zoom Diallo had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench and Portland transfer Tyler Harris also scored 14.
Preseason all-Big Ten forward Great Osobor had 12 points and eight rebounds and center Franck Kepnang, whose past two seasons have been shortened by injuries, had 12 points and three blocked shots.
“Hopefully, they’re all like that, but they’re not going to be,” Sprinkle said when asked about the upcoming schedule.
UC Davis finished third in the Big West Conference last season and came within a game of making the NCAA Tournament, losing to Long Beach State in the conference tournament’s championship game.
Big West player of the year Eli Pepper graduated, but guard TY Johnson returned after putting his name in the transfer portal in the offseason.
Johnson, a preseason all-Big West selection, averaged 17.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game as a junior.
Aggies coach Jim Les called Johnson “one of the best on-ball defenders in college basketball.”
As for staying at UC Davis?
“It was a tough decision, but it really wasn’t,” Johnson said. “After talking to these coaches and stating what I was looking for, I was able to make a pros and cons list which made it easy for me to come back and make my last year my best year at Davis.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Broncos sign GM George Paton to new 5-year deal
Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Denver Broncos signed general manager George Paton to a new five-year contract Friday that runs through the 2030 season.
Paton, 56, joined Denver as the GM in 2021 after 14 seasons in the Minnesota Vikings’ front office (2007-20).
“We are pleased to announce a new five-year contract for George Paton that reflects our confidence in his leadership, vision and the overall direction of our team,” owner and CEO Greg Penner said. “As our general manager, George has demonstrated a strong commitment toward building a winning roster while forming a collaborative and supportive partnership with Sean Payton.
“I’ve enjoyed working with George over the last four seasons and appreciate the alignment we share in positioning the Broncos for sustained success.”
Since Paton brought in head coach Payton ahead of the 2023 season, the Broncos have averaged 11 wins per season with back-to-back playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Denver earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 14-3 record last season before losing to the New England Patriots in the conference championship game.
Paton has aggressively worked to improve the Broncos through all avenues during his tenure, including 36 trades, 45 draft selections, 55 unrestricted free agent signings and 13 contract extensions, according to the team.
Paton’s biggest draft hits include 2021 first-round cornerback Patrick Surtain II — the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year — and 2024 first-round choice and franchise quarterback Bo Nix.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum calls a timeout against the Florida Gators in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Ben McCollum is finalizing a deal with Iowa that would keep him as the Hawkeyes basketball coach for the next six years, ESPN reported Friday.
McCollum is coming off his first season at the helm in Iowa, when he took the Hawkeyes on their deepest NCAA tournament run in almost 40 years.
Compiling a 24-13 record, the Storm Lake, Iowa, native led the No. 9 Hawkeyes on a run to the Elite Eight that included a 73-72 second-round upset win over top-seeded Florida and another win over No. 4 Nebraska before being eliminated by Illinois in the regional final.
McCollum, 45, came to Iowa last spring after one season at Drake, which he led to the NCAA Tournament after guiding the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley regular season and conference tournament titles in his first year with the program. Drake finished with a 31-4 record after falling to Texas Tech in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
He previously spent 15 seasons with NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State University, helping his alma mater capture four national championships (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022).
During his 17-year coaching career, McCollum has amassed a record of 450-108.
McCollum was reportedly pursued by North Carolina in their search for a head coach to replace Hubert Davis, who was fired after five seasons. Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was ultimately hired to coach the Tar Heels.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao agree to rematch
May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather (right) talks with Manny Pacquiao as celebrates after his welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have agreed to terms on an amended deal for a proposed boxing match on Sept. 25 in Las Vegas.
Manny Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur told The Ring magazine on Friday that the sides reached terms to go ahead with the anticipated bout at T-Mobile Arena. The fight will stream live on Netflix.
The initial plan was for the bout to be held at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 19, however that fell through. The rock band The Eagles are performing on that date as part of their residency at the venue.
Mayweather could be rather busy given that he has exhibition bouts lined up against Mike Tyson and Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis. The Tyson fight does not have a specific date or location, while the Zambidis bout is set for June 27 in Athens, Greece.
Mayweather, 49, and Pacquiao initially fought in 2015 after years of buildup, with the former winning by unanimous decision. That bout wound up being the highest grossing boxing event of all time.
Pacquiao, 47, retired from boxing in September 2021 as the only eight-division world champion in boxing history before coming out of retirement last year for a WBC welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, which ended in a majority draw.
Mayweather, who has a perfect 50-0 career record and won 15 world titles, hasn’t fought competitively since his highly controversial boxing match against UFC legend Conor McGregor in August of 2017.
–Field Level Media
Broncos sign GM George Paton to new 5-year deal
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
