If Gonzaga's going to keep up in the recruiting race for five-star prospect Tyran Stokes, the Bulldogs will have to contend with some of the deepest pockets in college basketball.
Kentucky, Louisville, Kansas and Arkansas are considered the "early contenders" to land the class of 2026's No. 1-ranked recruit, according to an On3+ article from Joe Tipton.
Schools like Houston, Oregon, UCLA, Michigan and others have also gotten in the mix after extending offers to the Louisville, Kentucky, native. Stokes, who told ESPN earlier this month that he plans on visiting Gonzaga, didn't mention anything of the sort to Tipton in his latest recruitment update.
Stokes has been on two visits so far with Louisville, which hosted him this past fall; and Kansas, which had the 6-foot-7 forward on a trip to Lawrence, Kansas, last month. Per Tipton, USC and North Carolina are two other schools to monitor as well.
Kentucky was supposed to have Stokes on a visit last week, but that visit has been postponed, per Tipton. Stokes is ranked by 247Sports and ESPN as the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2026. He attends Notre Dame High School (California); the alma mater of former top-35 recruit and ex-Gonzaga wing, Dusty Stromer.
Coming off an impressive showing this past weekend at the EYBL Memphis Live Period, Stokes recently accepted an invite to participate in the 2025 USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this June. Should he earn a spot on the 12-man roster, Stokes would have an opportunity to gain some valuable experience competing against high-level competition in the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup in Switzerland.
Members of Gonzaga's coaching staff flocked to star-studded AAU circuits this past weekend to get a closer look at some of the best players in the 2026 class. The Bulldogs were reportedly in Memphis to see four-star Kohl Rosario compete in the Nike EYBL Circuit. Other reports indicated that the Zags also watched five-star Toni Bryant.
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Caitlin Clark is expected to sit out for a fourth straight game on Sunday when the Indiana Fever take on the Chicago Sky in a much-awaited rivalry matchup. The 23-year-old is still dealing with a reaggravated groin strain and has no timetable to return. The rest of her Fever teammates have had to step up in her absence. There is, perhaps, no other player who has taken a bigger role on the offensive end amid Clark’s injury spell than three-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell, however, struggled with her shot in Thursday’s win against the Las Vegas Aces. The 5-foot-8 guard shot the ball poorly in the first three quarters, going just 4-of-19 from the field for 12 points. Mitchell caught fire in the fourth, though. She went 4-of-5 in the final frame for nine points, finishing with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-24 shooting. This is exactly why head coach Stephanie White remains completely confident in Mitchell’s scoring ability. The veteran coach has made it clear that she has given Mitchell the green light to shoot the rock. “The biggest thing with Kelsey is just telling her, ‘Let it fly.’ It’s going to go,” White said after Thursday’s win against Las Vegas. "... Keep shooting it from outside. She made some big ones when we needed them.” Kelsey Mitchell Has Stepped up Amid Clark's Injury Mitchell has answered the call for the Fever of late. In the three games Clark has been sidelined, Mitchell has put up averages of 22.0 points on 42.9% shooting. She also knocked down 2.7 triples during that stretch on a 34.8% clip. The 29-year-old veteran will need to keep her foot on the gas on Sunday as the Fever try to take down the Sky at United Center. With Clark watching from the bench, the Fever will rely on Mitchell’s scoring against Chicago as they look to improve on their 13-12 record. The Fever and Sky meet at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC.
Luis Díaz’s move to Bayern Munich for a reported €75 million (around £65.5 million, including add-ons) wasn’t just a blockbuster summer transfer; it was a prime example of Liverpool playing the market smartly. While fans might feel watching the Colombian winger leave after three impactful years at Anfield, the reality is that the Reds cashed in at the right time, on their own terms. Bayern’s earlier bid of €67.5 million was turned down, but when Díaz made it clear he was ready for a new challenge, and Liverpool saw contract extension talks stalling, they took control of the situation. The club chose to sell at full market value rather than risk losing a valuable asset for less down the line. In today’s climate, getting top dollar for a player pushing 30 with no new deal in sight is no small achievement. They signed him from Porto in January 2022 for £37.5 million, rising to £50 million with add-ons. The sale now not only brings in profit but also helps Liverpool enhance their galactic transfer window even further. The Reds Played This Window Like Pros Liverpool has had a busy, record-breaking summer of high spending, with over £300 million spent on fresh faces like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, and Hugo Ekitike. Those names don’t come cheap, but while many clubs overextend during rebuilds, Liverpool has kept things tidy on the financial front. Offloading Díaz, along with departures like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Jarell Quansah, has brought in nearly £125 million in total, helping to balance their books and avoid falling foul of FFP regulations. Liverpool found the sweet spot between emotion and economics in a transfer market where clubs either panic-buy or cling onto stars for too long. No Room For Stalemates Let’s not forget, this wasn’t just about money. Behind the scenes, Díaz’s future was uncertain for months. Liverpool made two attempts to extend his contract, but neither went anywhere. Sources close to the player had hinted at his decision to leave as early as summer 2024, especially after his stock rose following a strong 2023/24 campaign. Bayern came knocking with a better deal in July 2025, and the writing was on the wall. The club’s decision to leave Díaz out of the pre-season friendly against AC Milan, despite no injury concerns, was a clear sign that things were moving quickly. Rather than drag the saga out and risk it affecting the dressing room, Liverpool acted decisively. A Big Departure, But Vision Remains Since his Liverpool debut, Díaz has made 148 appearances, scoring 40+ goals and providing around 23 assists. He was electric, unpredictable, and crucial for the club during the 2024-25 season, notching 17 goals and eight assists in 50 games as the Reds lifted the Premier League title. He offered more than just stats; his flair on the left wing, defensive work rate, and ability to change games were undeniable. Liverpool has a long history of letting stars go when the timing is right, and this move feels consistent with that tradition. A Squad Ready To Evolve With Díaz gone and Darwin Núñez also rumored to be on his way out, Liverpool’s front line is undergoing a reshuffle. The likes of Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, and new boy Ekitike give Slot plenty to work with, but the real excitement lies in the club’s pursuit of Alexander Isak. The Newcastle striker is being lined up as a potential record-breaking signing, with Liverpool preparing a huge bid to bring the Swedish international to Anfield, and they’re thinking of breaking the British transfer record for the second time in a single window. Isak has reportedly rejected offers from Saudi Arabia, making Liverpool his preferred destination. The Díaz funds could prove vital in landing him, proof that Liverpool aren’t just cashing in, they’re already preparing the next chapter.
Boasting a 62-44 record in the NL Central, the Chicago Cubs are still searching for a way to pull ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers took sole possession of first place in the division from the Cubs in an 8-4 win on Monday. Chicago will get its chance before the three-game set is over, but if the Cubs should fall to the Brewers, the trade deadline will be viewed as essential for their World Series chances. Several rumors of Chicago’s interest in starters, relievers and third basemen have swirled nonstop. And while they have shown interest in several quality names — Mitch Keller, Eugenio Suárez, MacKenzie Gore — some of their other trade targets are less than ideal. Among their worst sources of interest (if not, the worst) is struggling Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias, who is in his walk year. Hiding behind his shining 2.99 career ERA is a rather shocking, career-high 4.97 ERA, to which he has pitched this season. He is still a strikeout pitcher, having accumulated 46 Ks in 41.2 innings, but his run prevention capabilities have seemingly deteriorated. It was only last season when Iglesias posted a stellar 1.95 ERA. Since then, his home run total doubled, from surrendering just four last year to eight so far this year. His opponent batting average has also jumped, from .160 to .250. Iglesias is no stranger to success. He threw to ERAs south of 3.00 in eight of his 11 MLB years. However, this season, he just doesn’t appear to have it. Any team that trades for Iglesias in the last year of his contract would be betting that he can return to elite form before the season is over. Taking a risk on a pitcher like Iglesias in his current condition, especially when there are several other more reliable arms on the market, would be ill-advised. And for the Cubs, who are in a win-now position, having secured one guaranteed year of Kyle Tucker, taking a gamble on Iglesias could easily risk everything they worked for this season.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic silenced his critics Monday by sharing a new physique. He revealed what drove him to become shredded. The perennial all-star showed up leaner, highlighted by Men’s Health magazine. Doncic is also more muscular and toned at the arms. What became his drive to better health? He revealed why during a New York Yankees game. “I needed a fresh start after everything that happened,” Doncic said to the Yankees broadcast team. He added how this time, he had more time to dive into new workouts. Doncic left basketball for one month to “focus on other things.” Turns out it involved transforming his body. “It was a really good fresh and healthy start for me,” Doncic said. What was in Luka Doncic’s workouts before second Lakers season? Doncic and the Lakers rattled the league ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline in February. But he still faced critics. The former Dallas Mavericks star was ripped for his lack of conditioning and off the court work ethic. Doncic weighed at a reported 260-pounds after the trade was made. At 6-foot-6, 260-pounds — Doncic looked more like a blocking tight end not required to run routes on third and long. Now he’s entering season two with the Lakers ripped. So what type of workouts did Doncic hit? Andrew Heffernan of Men’s Health unveiled Doncic did a 90-minute workout. One that blended weight training, agility work and shooting drills. Another workout featured Doncic shooting with a resistance band strapped at his waist. That became part of a circuit workout with his trainer Anže Maček. Doncic needed to trust his lower body too. Trap-bar deadlifts became a part of his routine. Same with sprints and jumps on an outdoor track. Doncic now looks like a natural guard. And he’s sent an early message too before Doncic plays his next Lakers game. Now Laker fans will hope his second season in L.A. becomes more stellar than his first.
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