Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.

For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, including agate, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477.

The New York sports desk can be reached at 800-845-8450, ext. 1630. Sports photos, ext. 1918; graphics, ext. 7636.

——————————

UPCOMING

——————————

SOF--NCAA-WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

DESCRIPTION: OKLAHOMA CITY -- No. 2 seed Oklahoma is seeking its fifth straight national title. The Sooners open Women’s College World Series play against Tennessee and hard-throwing Karlyn Pickens. Four games on opening day: Florida vs. Texas, 11 a.m. Central. By Tim Willert. Oklahoma vs. Tennessee, 1:30 p.m. By Cliff Brunt. Texas Tech vs. Mississippi, 6 p.m. By Tim Willert. UCLA vs. Oregon, 8:30 p.m. By Cliff Brunt. All stories 450 words.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 2:00 p.m. EDT, Text

___

FBC--SEC MEETINGS-RULEMAKERS

DESCRIPTION: MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla -- The newest bit of alphabet soup in college sports is the SIC, the Settlement Implementation Committee. It’s a group of 10 athletic directors across the country in charge of counting the money, deciding what a “fair market” deal for players looks like and, if things go well, avoiding trips to court whenever a decision comes down that someone doesn’t like. By Eddie Pells.AP Photos.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 3:00 p.m. EDT, Text

___

FBN--JETS-FIELDS

DESCRIPTION: FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Justin Fields is settling in as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback, using organized team activities to bond with his new teammates on and off the field. By Pro Football Dennis Waszak Jr.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 4:00 p.m. EDT, Text

___

HKN--ISLANDERS-DARCHE

DESCRIPTION: NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders introduce Mathieu Darche as the team’s new general manager and executive vice president. Darche was hired last Friday to replace the fired Lou Lamoriello. Darche spent the last three years as assistant GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning. UPCOMING: 450 words.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 5:00 p.m. EDT, Text

___

BKN--NBA PLAYOFF COVERAGE

FORMATS: Photo, Text

1. WITH: BKN--TIMBERWOLVES WRAPUP

2. DESCRIPTION: MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards vowed that nobody will work harder than him this summer to improve his game, after a second straight Western Conference finals appearance fell well short for him and his team of a championship-caliber performance. By Dave Campbell. 600 words, photos.

3. UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 6:00 p.m. EDT

4. WITH: BKN--THUNDER BREAK

5. DESCRIPTION: OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City Thunder will have more than a week to rest before the NBA Finals. For now, they don’t even know whether they’ll play the Indiana Pacers or New York Knicks for the championship. By Cliff Brunt. UPCOMING: 400 words, with photos.

6. UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 6:00 p.m. EDT

7. WITH: BKN--PACERS-KNICKS

8. DESCRIPTION: NEW YORK -- The Indiana Pacers try to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history by beating the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers won both games in New York to start the series. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. UPCOMING: 450 words, photos.

9. UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 11:00 p.m. EDT

___

GLF--MEMORIAL

DESCRIPTION: DUBLIN, Ohio — Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion as the Memorial begins Thursday at Muirfield Village, the 50th year of the tournament Jack Nicklaus built. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. Upcoming: 700 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 7:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

___

GLF--U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

DESCRIPTION: ERIN, Wis. - Yuka Saso is the defending champion and Nelly Korda has the world’s top ranking heading into the first round of the 80th U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills, located less than 40 miles northwest of Milwaukee. By Steve Megargee. UPCOMING: 600 words, with photos, expected by 7 p.m.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 8:22 p.m. EDT, Text

___

FBN--RAIDERS-SMITH

DESCRIPTION: HENDERSON, Nev. — New Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith is back with a familiar face in Pete Carroll while working under a new offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly. By Mark Anderson. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 05/29/2025 9:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

___

——————————

NEW AND DEVELOPING

——————————

LT--ARGENTINA-MARADONA

Argentine court declares a mistrial in the death of soccer star Maradona

SUMMARY: An Argentine court has declared a mistrial in the case of seven health professionals accused of negligence in the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona. It was the latest dramatic twist in a trial that has captivated the nation and the soccer world for more than two months. The whiplash decision comes after one of the three judges overseeing the trial stepped down over criticism surrounding her participation in a forthcoming documentary about the case. Her withdrawal compelled the court to either appoint a new judge in her place or to retry the entire case from scratch. The judges have decided the latter.

WORDS: 396 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 1:38 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ad44fc5d1e871224663bd27408be8a04&mediaType=text

___

EU--BRITAIN-LIVERPOOL-CAR RAMMING

Driver charged with causing grievous bodily harm after Liverpool soccer parade tragedy

SUMMARY: Prosecutors say that a 53-year-old British man who injured nearly 80 people when his car rammed into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans celebrating their team’s Premier League championship has been charged with intentionallly causing grievous bodily harm. Prosecutor Sarah Hammond said Thursday that Paul Doyle was also charged with dangerous driving and five other counts. The victims ranged in age from 9 to 78. Seven people remained in the hospital in stable condition. The city had been celebrating Liverpool’s record-tying 20th title when the driver turned down a street full of fans and joy quickly turned to tragedy.

WORDS: 374 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 1:30 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:9023da916e49a85c1a775648e75f946b&mediaType=text

___

TEN--FRENCH OPEN

French Open 2025: Coco Gauff’s serve is not at its best but she gets the breaks for a win

SUMMARY: Coco Gauff has managed to move into the French Open’s third round despite some shaky serving. The 2023 U.S. Open champion kept getting herself in some trouble by getting broken on Thursday but kept putting herself back in position to win by breaking right back. The second-seeded Gauff wound up eliminating 172nd-ranked qualifier Tereza Valentova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4 in 75 minutes on a partly cloudy, muggy afternoon in Court Suzanne-Lenglen. Gauff only managed to produce 11 winners, five fewer than her far-less-experienced opponent. Gauff also finished with 23 unforced errors, a total that included a half-dozen double-faults.

WORDS: 569 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 12:25 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c56e8b46834a925e80dfff7b57285b88&mediaType=text

___

BKN--PACERS-KNICKS

Pacers aim for second NBA Finals appearance, Knicks face uphill battle

SUMMARY: The NBA Finals matchup will be set if the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks on Thursday in Game 5 to win the Eastern Conference title. The Pacers will be trying to reach the finals for just the second time in franchise history. They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000 in their only previous trip. Indiana would advance to meet the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the West on Wednesday night with a 124-94 rout of Minnesota in Game 5. The Pacers won both games in New York to start this series and have won six straight on the road.

WORDS: 240 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 12:14 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:efbf1c85bca35d43b27c388996ba94d3&mediaType=text

___

BKC--NCAA TOURNAMENT-EXPANSION

March Madness bracket expansion would add value and could be decided in next few months, Baker says

SUMMARY: NCAA President Charlie Baker sees value in expanding the NCAA Tournament by a handful of teams and wants to reach a decision on the matter in the next few months. Baker spoke Thursday during Big 12 spring meetings, where conference leaders are discussing everything from the multi-billion dollar revenue-sharing settlement to complexities brought on by the transfer portal and name, image and likeness. Baker said there are flaws in the current formula and it would be beneficial to provide an opportunity to four or eight more teams.

WORDS: 327 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 12:12 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4178f494d068e21d24193ffe45dcdc46&mediaType=text

___

HKN--OILERS-STARS

Oilers look to close out Stars in West final again and advance to Stanley Cup rematch with Panthers

SUMMARY: The Edmonton Oilers have the opportunity to close out the Western Conference final and head to a Stanley Cup Final rematch. Edmonton takes a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 at Dallas on Thursday night. Edmonton has won three games in a row while holding the Stars to only two goals. Defending Stanley Cup champion Florida is awaiting the West winner after closing out the East final with a 5-3 win at Carolina in Game 5 on Wednesday night. The Panthers beat Edmonton in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final last June. That was after the Oilers beat Dallas in a six-game West final.

WORDS: 333 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 12:07 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:220f665c1f769d9a8278156b17fd13fa&mediaType=text

___

OLY--WADA PRESIDENT

World drug-fighting leaders get unprecedented 3rd term in move critics call ultimate bait and switch

SUMMARY: The president and vice president of the World Anti-Doping Agency have been reelected to unprecedented third terms in a move the agency’s critics say undercuts its promise to make meaningful governance reforms after years of doping scandals. The third terms for president Witold Banka of Poland and vice president Yang Yang of China will run through the end of 2028 and extend their time in office to nine years. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency called it the “ultimate ‘bait and switch’, first promising governance reforms following the Russian anti-doping scandal and then quietly changing the rules the second the world looked away.”

WORDS: 492 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 11:57 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:cf6d4450f6fb644ec218c3aa7a9e1dfd&mediaType=text

___

BKN--THUNDER ADVANCE

Dominant: The Thunder are putting together numbers never seen before on their way to the NBA Finals

SUMMARY: The manner in which the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched their spot in the NBA Finals seemed fitting. It was a blowout. Those have been the story of the Thunder season. There hasn’t been a team in NBA history with at least 12 wins by 30 points or more in a season — or with four such wins in a single postseason — until now. NBA MVP and West finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says “we didn’t start the season like we want to win the West. We want to win the NBA championship. Now we are a step closer to our goal and we’re happy about that.”

WORDS: 707 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 11:45 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:687e0e21c40b60d4ff4465f552e881c2&mediaType=text

___

BBO--YANKEES-DODGERS PREVIEW

Yankees have a busload of momentum heading into World Series rematch against Dodgers

SUMMARY: Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees will have a good head of steam as they bus 30 miles up the 5 Freeway for their World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. New York’s 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night gave the AL East leaders 16 wins in 20 games.

WORDS: 1049 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 10:04 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:8d7b048142312ca7c25273756f4f48e3&mediaType=text

___

BKL--STORM-DYNAMIC DUO

Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins at forefront of next era for Seattle Storm

SUMMARY: The dynamic duo of Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike is ecstatic about this season with a high-powered Seattle Storm roster. They led Seattle to the playoffs last year after the Storm missed the postseason in 2023. Seattle is off to a 3-2 start, which includes a commanding 20-point victory over the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces bounced the Storm from the playoffs last season in the first round. Diggins and Ogwumike have known one another for two decades, but the 34-year-olds were exclusively opponents rather than teammates prior to the storm.

WORDS: 778 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 10:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d138b29dea56467c9d0d6078568b0ca9&mediaType=text

___

TEN--FRENCH OPEN-DJOKOVIC-BICYCLE RIDE

Novak Djokovic trades his racket for a bicycle and takes a nighttime ride around Paris

SUMMARY: Novak Djokovic has swapped his racket for a bicycle and taken a ride around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Wearing a tracksuit and helmet, the 24-time Grand Slam champion navigated the famously chaotic roundabout with ease on Wednesday night. Someone filmed Djokovic and posted a short clip on social media. Wearing a dark blue track suit, sneakers and a properly fastened helmet — safety first! — the 38-year-old Serbian star pedaled through the famously hectic roundabout at one end of the Champs-Élysées.

WORDS: 182 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 9:07 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b9261fcb00e47e1e96e4714cfd778abb&mediaType=text

___

BBO--MLB-AUSL PARTNERSHIP

MLB invests in Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of June debut

SUMMARY: Major League Baseball is investing in Athletes Unlimited to support its softball league that will debut next month, marking the first time MLB will have a comprehensive partnership with a professional women’s sports league. MLB said Thursday it was making a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League of an undisclosed amount for operational costs and a commitment to help it gain visibility in various ways, including assistance with content, marketing and sales, events, distribution, editorial, and digital and social platforms. That includes marketing the AUSL and its athletes during MLB’s All-Star Game and throughout the postseason.

WORDS: 838 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 8:15 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d250a0b3a5bdf861bc56bf2faad25a6d&mediaType=text

___

HKN--PANTHERS ADVANCE

In Barkov They Trust: The Panthers, led by their captain, are headed back to the Stanley Cup Final

SUMMARY: Florida captain Aleksander Barkov is an unassuming star. He dislikes praise. He avoids attention. But it’s unavoidable now after leading the Panthers back to the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season. Barkov set up Carter Verhaeghe for the game- and series-winning goal against the Carolina Hurricanes that gave Florida the East title again. His teammates have come to expect that he will show up in the biggest moments.

WORDS: 755 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 6:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3f9f7c38a7a9e6e26ffa9b8be9c676b9&mediaType=text

___

SOC--HEYSEL-40 YEARS

Heysel remembered: A look at the 1985 stadium disaster and how soccer recovered

SUMMARY: On May 29, 1985, 39 people went to the biggest club game in soccer and never returned home. Heysel Stadium in Brussels was staging the European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool exactly 40 years ago. Crowd disorder culminated in a surge by Liverpool fans into an adjacent stand containing mostly Juventus supporters. In the ensuing chaos, some were trampled or suffocated to death as they tried to flee and others died when a retaining wall collapsed. A total of 39 people died and around 600 were injured. This is a look at the background and consequences of one of soccer’s darkest days.

WORDS: 1124 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 4:30 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:d709dba7d360520d1f970f699b14f318&mediaType=text

___

TEN--FRENCH OPEN-PLAYING THROUGH PAIN

French Open: Playing through pain is common for players worried about tennis’ rat race

SUMMARY: Casper Ruud is hardly an up-and-comer simply trying to make his way — and a living — in professional tennis. He’s a three-time Grand Slam finalist, ranked No. 8, the owner of more clay-court victories than any other man since 2020 and someone who’s earned nearly $25 million in prize money. And yet Ruud felt the need to play through pain for the better part of two months. He voiced concerns, also expressed by other players, that there is an overwhelming sense of obligation to take the court as often as possible, no matter one’s health, thanks to a schedule and a system Ruud called a “rat race.”

WORDS: 844 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 3:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:c35a5601cd7eb0f15fb13b1b2dccb479&mediaType=text

___

BKN--THUNDER-GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER

MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still hasn’t achieved his main goal for the Thunder

SUMMARY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94, win the Western Conference finals series 4-1 and advance to the NBA Finals. He averaged 31.4 points on 45.7% shooting, 8.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game during the series and earned the Magic Johnson Trophy for MVP of the conference finals. Gilgeous-Alexander says he has one more goal and knows that none of that will matter when the Thunder play either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks in the Finals, starting June 5.

WORDS: 565 - MOVED: 05/29/2025 2:22 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:576b782414c75ba3319064db028e39c1&mediaType=text

___

______________________

MOVING TOMORROW

______________________

___

—Yankees-Dodgers

—BKL--Sparks-Plum’s Return

—BBO--Online Abuse

—US--California-Transgender Athletes

Coverage of the California Interscholastic Federation’s state track-and-field championships, which have drawn attention over the participation of a transgender student-athlete in several field events.