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Anthony Edwards heads up new-look Timberwolves’ trip to Paris

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On a recent night in Paris, Rudy Gobert was taking a video of a shimmering Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s most recognizable cultural symbols. With the lights reflecting off the Seine River, a familiar Georgia drawl interrupts the tranquility.

“That looks like Walt Disney,” the voice says, as the camera pans to Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. “That Walt Disney, Rudy.”

Gobert can be heard chuckling in the background, a moment embodying Edwards’ leadership style and what awaits these Timberwolves next season. Nearly the entire team flew to Paris to work out together and strengthen its bond as Minnesota prepares for a new playing style.

This time last year, continuity and stability were the biggest buzzwords being used in Minnesota. The Wolves were coming off two straight trips to the Western Conference finals and brought back almost the entire roster in an effort to take that last step to the NBA Finals. That familiarity instead bred a complacent, moody team that never put it all together. Last season ended with a step back, a second-round exit against the San Antonio Spurs that led to some soul-searching this summer.

Team president Tim Connelly made another of what has been a series of splashy trades, this time sending Naz Reid and draft capital to the Charlotte Hornets for point guard LaMelo Ball. Julius Randle, the team’s second-leading scorer and one of several tenured veterans, was shipped to the Brooklyn Nets. The trades mean the Timberwolves’ identity will shift from one that relied on frontcourt size to trusting a leaner, sleeker team that will need to move the ball, space the floor and run in transition to mitigate its lacking bulk.

The locker room dynamics have also changed. Veterans Kyle Anderson and Mike Conley left in free agency. Trading Reid, the team’s longest-tenured player and an important metronome in the community, stunned the league. Joe Ingles retired from the NBA and is finishing his playing career back home in Australia.

Those departures leave a big hole in the leadership category. Edwards has gotten increasingly more vocal over the years and is stepping it up even more this summer. He has been spending time at the team’s practice facility in Minnesota and taking extra care to make sure Ball feels welcome in his new home. And it was Edwards and Ball, according to team sources who spoke to The Athletic on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on team discussions, who offered to foot the bill for the entire team to fly to Paris for the workouts.

The risk behind trading for LaMelo Ball

Esfandiar Baraheni

“He’s extremely excited about the (Ball) deal,” Chris Finch told The Athletic at summer league in July. “Now, it’s up to him to take the next step in leadership. His voice has grown intelligently and appropriately over the last few seasons. And now, it’s got to be the combination of the voice plus the everyday presence.”

Edwards and Jaden McDaniels are entering their seventh seasons in Minnesota. They are the Wolves’ longest-tenured players. In the past, they were always surrounded by high-profile veterans such as Karl-Anthony Towns or Randle or savvy mainstays such as Conley and Anderson, who could say what needed to be said in the right moments. Now, Gobert remains as the oldest player on the roster and a real veteran leader, but Edwards and McDaniels will be relied upon even more to use their voices and instincts to push the team to new heights.

Seeing the attendance in Paris is a strong opening statement on their ability to deliver. A photo posted by Ayo Dosunmu and Gobert showed almost the entire roster, including two-way players Zyon Pullin, Enrique Freeman and Rocco Zikarsky. Donte DiVincenzo, who is rehabbing a torn Achilles, and Bones Hyland were the only ones not pictured.

Gathering the team in the summertime for practice and fellowship has become something of a guiding principle for Edwards. Before last season began, he spoke about the importance of spending time together to build the kind of connection that strengthens a team through a long season.

“I think winning starts with being together, and it starts in the summertime, man,” Edwards said at media day last year. “We’ve got to be together. We’ve got to be a team.”

Gobert took pains to have things laid out for his teammates in his home city to make sure they enjoyed their visit while also having all the amenities they needed to make this a work trip. It was his first time being on the court with Ball, and he wanted to make sure that they started to build their chemistry early, a team source said. The Wolves believe Ball’s ability to throw the lob pass will help unlock another aspect of Gobert’s offensive game that has not been used through the first four seasons of his stay in Minnesota.

Will this trip guarantee a deep playoff run next season? No. But it does show the Wolves realize more is required of them than merely showing up for training camp in October. And Edwards is going to make sure they are doing everything they can to make sure the steps this new-look team takes next season are going in the right direction.

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US President Donald Trump issues backing for under pressure Fifa chief Gianni Infantino

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US President Donald Trump says it would be a “terrible mistake” if under pressure Fifa president Gianni Infantino was ousted from his position.

Trump’s backing followed Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation issuing an open letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” with his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.

“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote on social media.

“He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again.”

The 2026 World Cup was co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, this summer, with Spain crowned champions after beating Argentina in the final.

More to follow.

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Cricket World Cup: Scotland and Netherlands criticise format changes to 50-over tournament announced by ICC | Cricket News

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Scotland and the Netherlands have criticised the restructuring of next year’s 50-over World Cup, saying the changes “risk weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket”.

At last month’s board meeting in Edinburgh, the International Cricket Council announced the main part of the tournament in southern Africa will contain a dozen teams split into two groups of six.

There will still be 14 participants, but the tournament is slated to start with a preliminary round involving the three lowest-ranked qualifiers, with only one team progressing to the group stage.

A qualifying tournament will be held from February 22 to March 23 next year, with the winner going through to the main tournament and the second, third and fourth placed teams entering the first round.

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Australia are reigning 50-over champions having defeated India in the 2023 World Cup final

In a joint statement, Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) said they were “deeply disappointed” by the ICC’s decision, announced less than 18 months before the tournament is due to start.

The statement said: “At a time when cricket is seeking to expand its reach, attract new audiences and strengthen its position on the international sporting landscape, reducing meaningful opportunities for emerging nations sends entirely the wrong message.

New Cricket World Cup format

  • Round One: Teams 12, 13, 14 in round-robin ‘Super Series’
  • Top team progresses to Round Two
  • Round Two: Two groups of six teams (30 matches)
  • Top three teams in each group plus next best across both qualify
  • Round 3: Super 7 – Round robin (21 matches)
  • Top four teams progress to semi-finals
  • Semi-finals
  • Final

“We have significant concerns about both the impact of these changes and the process through which they have been introduced.

“The changes risk weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket, and only highlight the importance of strong governance, transparent decision-making and effective engagement with members.”

Scotland and the Netherlands are currently 13th and 14th respectively in the men’s ODI rankings.

Monday’s statement follows the World Cricketers’ Association expressing its concerns about the tournament revamp although Cricket Scotland and the KNCB say they are “fully committed to working constructively with the ICC and fellow members to strengthen the global game”.

However, the statement added: “Following the announcement of the changes, Cricket Scotland, the KNCB and other associate members met twice with the ICC, seeking official written communication on the changes and greater clarity around the processes involved.

“We also requested positive action to strengthen future operational decision-making and an invitation to bilateral planning meetings with full members.

“Since the second meeting more than two weeks ago, there has been no further response from the ICC, which is disappointing and disrespectful given the significance of the issues raised.”

Sky Sports News has contacted the ICC for comment.

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Solheim Cup – Anna Nordqvist captain’s column: Team Europe’s pairings ‘puzzle’ and why ‘aggressive’ rookies can impress | Golf News

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Team Europe is finalised!

I feel this is a big milestone in this captaincy and the Solheim Cup journey, because we can now focus on preparing the 12 players for the Solheim Cup and the event ahead.

It was a quite hard and emotional part of the journey having to make so many phone calls, letting players know they didn’t make it and they weren’t getting a pick.

Speaking to some past captains, they encouraged me to do my best and try to get through it because once it was done, then the hardest part would be behind me.

Surprising the three rookies – Julia López Ramirez, Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes – by letting them know they were among my four picks was very exciting!

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Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, France’s Nastasia Nadaud and England’s Mimi Rhodes have been named as Anna Nordqvist’s Solheim Cup captain’s picks for Team Europe

Julia, Nastasia and Mimi all joined me for interviews and a live show down at the Sky Sports News studio, the day after the AIG Women’s Open, where the team was finally announced.

I feel very good about the team we have selected and who has qualified. We have a great mixture of experience and personality, plus four rookies who bring a sense of fresh air and aggressive playing styles.

I’m excited to continue to work on the pairing “puzzle” over the coming weeks and figure out the best strategy for us to take on Team USA. I’m also excited that everyone is so supportive and looking forward to what is ahead next month.

There is still a couple more weeks until we all head to the Netherlands, but there is constant work and preparation being done behind the scenes – including from the vice-captains, backroom team, helpers and caddie captains!

Anna Nordqvist’s column was provided by the Ladies European Tour ahead of the Solheim Cup, live from September 11-13 on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

When is the Solheim Cup and who features for Team Europe?

Team Europe will be looking to regain the trophy at Bernardus Golf from September 11-13, the first time the tournament has been held in the Netherlands, with Nordqvist having four rookies in her 12-strong line-up.

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Highlights of the final day from the 2024 Solheim Cup, where Team USA secured a 15.5-12.5 victory over Europe in Virginia

Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit qualified through the LET Solheim Cup Points List, while Lottie Woad, Maja Stark, Linn Grant, Céline Boutier, Carlota Ciganda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen earned their spots via the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Leona Maguire, Ramirez, Nadaud and Rhodes were the four captain’s picks for Team Europe, while defending champions Team USA – captained by Angela Stanford – will announce her team later in August.

Leona Maguire will make her fourth consecutive Solheim Cup appearance for Team Europe
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Leona Maguire will make her fourth consecutive Solheim Cup appearance for Team Europe

Sky Sports Golf will have exclusive live coverage from all three days of the biennial contest, with live coverage getting under way at 6am on Friday September 11. Coverage then starts at 6am on September 12 and 10am on September 13.

Team USA need 14 points to retain the trophy after their 15.5-12.5 victory in 2024, while Team Europe would need 14.5 points to claim their first outright Solheim Cup win since 2021.

Who will win the Solheim Cup? Watch Team Europe’s bid to regain the trophy exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all three days live from September 11-13 on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract.

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