Eagles’ Rodgers reinstated by NFL after yearlong gambling suspension
Philadelphia’s Maxey edges Chicago’s White, wins NBA’S Most Improved Player award
Tyrese Maxey was sixth in the Most Improved Player voting two years ago, a tribute to the jump he made between his first and second seasons in the NBA.
Voters thought the jump he made from his third year to his fourth was even more impressive.
Philadelphia’s All-star guard on Tuesday night was named the league’s most improved this season. Maxey’s scoring rose for the third consecutive year, and he finished the regular season averaging 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game — all career bests.
It’s not uncommon for players to see their numbers soar when given a new role, but that wasn’t the case with Maxey. Consider: two years ago, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 35.3 minutes per game. This year, he topped all those numbers and averaged only 2.2 more minutes per contest.
“It feels great,” Maxey said on the TNT broadcast where the award was announced. “Somebody like myself, who prides myself on putting in a lot of work and outworking people and finding ways to get 1% better every single time I step in the gym, it feels good for that to come to light, honestly.”
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Isaiah Rodgers, who was suspended last season for violating the NFL’S gambling policy, was reinstated Tuesday.
The league said Rodgers, 26, is cleared to participate in team activities, effective immediately.
The Eagles signed Rodgers in August 2023, two months after the Indianapolis Colts waived him. The Colts let him go shortly after the NFL suspended Rodgers and two other Colts players indefinitely for gambling on NFL games during the previous season.
At least 12 players have been suspended for gambling, beginning with the 2022 season-long suspension of receiver Calvin Ridley. He was reinstated in March and now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Five players were suspended for gambling infractions last April, four from the Detroit Lions.
Rodgers, a fourth-year player drafted in the sixth round from Umass, has played in 45 career games with 10 starts. He has three interceptions, all in 2021.
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo remains out for Game 2 of series against Pacers with calf strain
Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Game 2 of the Milwaukee Bucks’ Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night because of a lingering left calf strain.
The two-time MVP also missed Game 1 and the Bucks’ last three regular-season games.
“(He) shot today, was on the floor a bunch,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said during his pregame media session. “He’s getting closer.”
Game 3 is Friday at Indianapolis. Antetokounmpo was struggling to run up the court in the third quarter of an April 9 victory over the Boston Celtics when he grabbed his left calf and took a seat on the floor before eventually heading to the locker room. An MRI revealed the muscle strain.
Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since.
The Bucks have gone 6-5 in the games Antetokounmpo has missed this season, including a 109-94 Game 1 victory over the Pacers on Sunday night. Damian Lillard picked up the slack by scoring 35 points, all in the first half.
Antetokounmpo has dealt with injuries in the postseason before.
Clark is set to sign a new Nike deal valued at $28 million over 8 years
The most prolific scorer in NCAA Division I history and the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft will continue her association with Nike by signing a $28 million contract that spans eight years and includes a signature shoe.
The Wall Street Journal and The Athletic reported the pending deal, citing unnamed people familiar with the negotiations between the sportswear giant and Clark’s agents.
Excel Sports Management, which represents Clark, declined to comment. Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Clark’s initial name, image and likeness deal, signed in 2022, expired at the end of the 2023-24 season.