Aussie stars in a pickle
What do Aussie NBA star Patty Mills, tennis gun Nick Kyrgios and cricket run machine Steve Smith have in common?
They are now part-owners of Australian Major League Pickleball teams.
Basketball great Mills is the latest Australian sports star to join an ownership craze that has become common in the US, putting his name and money behind the Brisbane Breakers. It comes after former Australian cricket captain Smith secured ownership rights of the Sydney Smash in Major League Pickleball Australia. Pickleball is a US game resembling tennis.
In the US, LeBron James, Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios have thrown their money and support behind a booming professional league there.
Currently playing for the Atlanta Hawks with his eyes on another medal with the Australian Boomers at the Paris Olympics, Mills said he believed in the “power of sport” and was happy to get involved.
“This opportunity is not just an investment in a team but in the future of the sport, the athletes who play it, and the community that supports it,” he said. “I believe in the power of sport to inspire, unite, and create positive change, and I see the Brisbane Breakers as a pivotal part of this vision.
“Together, we aim to cultivate talent, foster a culture of excellence and make a lasting impact both on and off the court. I am excited to embark on this journey and contribute to writing a new chapter in Australian sport”.
Manchester City’s super striker Erling Haaland scored five times as the FA Cup holder ran riot in a 6-2 rout of Luton in the fifth round.
Aided by Kevin De Bruyne’s trio of assists, Haaland completed his hattrick inside the first 40 minutes of play at Kenilworth Road.
Jordan Clark struck twice to briefly reduce Luton’s deficit to just 3-2.
But any Luton hopes of an incredible comeback were ruthlessly erased as the
Norway striker scored twice more after the interval to send City into the quarterfinals.
Mateo Kovacic netted to cap City’s second six-goal haul this season after its 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth in the English Premier League in November.
Haaland now has 27 goals in all competitions this season, making a mockery of the critics who took a swipe at him after a misfiring display in a recent draw against Chelsea.
It was the second time Haaland had netted five goals in a single game for City after his heroics in the Champions League last-16 second-leg triumph against RB Leipzig in March 2023.
On his own form since returning from a foot injury that sidelined him for two months, Haaland said: “I’m getting back to my best. Finally I’m feeling good.
“It’s an amazing feeling. It’s coming, we’re coming.
“Exciting times ahead. We are ready to attack.”