Sports
The biting barb that spurred Chelsea Gray and the Aces
CHELSEA GRAY HEARS A’ja Wilson talk. A lot. About trophies. About buckets. About blocks. About boards. But of the millions of words her outspoken teammate has uttered throughout their five seasons and two WNBA championships together as teammates on the Las Vegas Aces, 11 stand out to Gray.
She heard them in June, when nothing was going right for the Aces or Gray or Wilson. Las Vegas, among the preseason favorites to win the 2025 title, was hovering around (or below) .500, and Gray remembers Wilson calling her out.
“There’s no way I should ever have more assists than you,” Gray recalls Wilson telling her.
The words stung.
Through the end of June, the reigning WNBA MVP had out-assisted the “Point Gawd” in six games, and the Aces turned the calendar to July with an 8-8 record. At the time, the 32-year-old Gray, who has filled hours of video with flashy passes over the course of her career, averaged 4.3 assists.
“Our relationship is super honest and raw,” Gray said. “I’ve cried in front of her. She’s cried in front of me.”
From July through the end of the regular season, Gray averaged 7.1 assists, including a season-high 14 in an August game against Dallas when the Aces were in the middle of a 16-game winning streak. In the playoffs, Gray pushed that average up to 7.8, the highest postseason average in her career. She has had 10 assists in three of the Aces’ 10 postseason games so far.
Her response to Wilson’s challenge has helped guide the Aces to a 2-0 series lead over the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals, two wins away from their third championship in four years. Game 3 is Wednesday in Phoenix (8 ET, ESPN).
“It’s that kind of bond that we can have conversations in the middle of the game,” Gray said. “And we understand where we’re coming from.”
GRAY TAKES THE HANDOFF along the sideline and heads to an open spot. She sits down on the bench wielding a marker and a dry-erase board. It’s Game 1 of the Finals and the score is tied 23-23 with 8:49 left in the second quarter. Gray draws up the play she wants so her teammates can see her thoughts.
After the Aces’ 79-76 victory, Gray is quick to clarify that she isn’t using coach Becky Hammon’s personal board. Not even she is that bold. “They have two boards back there,” Gray said. The one she used doesn’t technically belong to Gray. She just happens to be the one who asks an assistant coach for it.
Gray started taking control of the board in huddles and timeouts from time to time when she came to Las Vegas in 2021 after spending her first six seasons in Connecticut and Los Angeles.
She already had built a reputation as a player with extraordinary vision and a high IQ, and she has only built on that since.
“When she takes the clipboard, everybody locks in,” said Aces guard Dana Evans, who had 21 points in the Game 1 win. “We know that she’s about to show valid points. She’s not doing it just to do it.”
For Gray, it’s about helping her teammates see what she or Hammon are talking about. It’s something she has done more frequently this year.
“They have to see it sometimes on the board rather than just saying it,” Gray said. “It’s made me a better player and a better leader, to be able to explain stuff. And people listen. It’s allowed our huddles to be a little bit tighter.”
Ceding some control to Gray is an easy decision for Hammon when the results are buckets. Hammon may call one out of bounds play, but if Gray sees something different, she’s empowered to make a different one.
That was the case during Game 3 of the Aces’ semifinal series against the Indiana Fever. With 3.6 seconds left in the third quarter, the referee handed Gray the ball to inbound from the sideline on their side of half court. Gray recognized that Jackie Young had leverage on her defender, who’d inadvertently given Young a free run to the basket. Young took off, and Gray launched the ball down the court. It dropped into Young’s hands in stride and she laid it in.
“My thing is, I always want them to have an aggressive nature,” Hammon said. “These possessions where it’s like they’re running routes over the top, that’s the kind of pace I want all the time. So when they do it without me saying it, I love it.”
GRAY SNAGS THE BALL out of the air and turns up court. The Aces lead by 17 midway through the fourth quarter of Game 2. As Gray trots toward the Aces’ basket, Young flanks her on the outside. Young gets a step ahead of Mercury guard Kahleah Copper and turns up the speed.
Gray sees the beginning of separation and turns her head away from Young as she drops a perfectly weighted bounce pass past Copper’s outstretched fingers. Young scoops up the ball in stride and lays it in for two of her 32 points on the day. The basket is Gray’s 10th assist, marking her second career Finals game with 10 points and 10 assists. Only three other players have multiple such games in their careers: Alyssa Thomas, Courtney Vandersloot and Sue Bird.
Gray finished with 10 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks in the Aces’ 91-78 Game 2 win.
“She does so many little things,” Hammon said Sunday. “Her passing is elite, but it’s all the other little things that she’s doing that really helped us win the basketball game.”
A year ago, Gray was working her way back from a fracture in her left foot suffered during the 2023 WNBA Finals. She lacked her usual mobility and power. She couldn’t get the separation she needed for her pinpoint passes, and she couldn’t get the lift she needed to hit her fadeaway jumper. The Aces lost to the eventual champion Liberty in the semifinals.
Gray experienced injuries at the end of her college career at Duke that bled into the beginning of her professional career. A right kneecap fracture sidelined her for the entirety of her 2014 rookie season with Connecticut. But until that foot fracture, she hadn’t been seriously injured as a pro, and she’d never returned midseason before.
She wasn’t herself physically last season, but Gray said that has changed this year. She said she’s in her best shape since the 2023 championship run.
“It really helps our team,” Gray said. “I’m able to play for longer stints at a high level both offensively and defensively.”
Gray, who will play in her 20th WNBA Finals game on Wednesday, the most among active players, is showing why she is the only pure point guard to ever win Finals MVP, which she did in 2022. She is shooting 45% from 3-point range this postseason, up from 37% during the regular season, and her best postseason percentage since that 2022 run. Her hands-on defense is creating additional opportunities and possessions. Gray averaged 1.4 steals in the regular season, but is averaging 2.2 steals in the postseason.
Mercury assistant Kristi Toliver knows how difficult it can be to slow down Gray. Toliver watched her development up close when Gray was the starting point guard in L.A. for the 2016 season, Gray’s first in a Sparks uniform.
“She’s fearless,” Toliver said. “She’s clutch and wants that moment. She wants that smoke.”
What Gray doesn’t want is another game where Wilson can point out her lack of production. If Gray were so inclined, she could rib the co-defensive player of the year about out-blocking her in Game 2. It is, after all, the kind of relationship they have. The kind of relationship champions have.
“She’s always going to be her true self, and it allows you to be your true self,” Wilson said. “I think that has always been our friendship and our bond. She’s calm through the storm. I’m so grateful for her to be our point guard.”
Sports
Diego Pavia accepts Ravens rookie minicamp invite after making unfortunate NFL Draft history: reports
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Diego Pavia, the polarizing former Vanderbilt quarterback who was runner-up in Heisman voting last season, has reportedly found a home in the NFL after going undrafted this weekend.
Pavia accepted an invitation to the Baltimore Ravens’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, per multiple reports. He doesn’t have a spot on the roster yet, but it’s a start as he looks to crack into the NFL with Baltimore.
Of course, Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP quarterback, is cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, but perhaps Pavia can stand out enough in rookie minicamp to earn an invitation to training camp this summer.
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Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 31, 2025. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Pavia was not expecting to be undrafted this weekend, but he became the first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2014 to not hear his name called through the seven rounds in Pittsburgh.
Pavia won the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award for best upperclassman quarterback after throwing for 3,539 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, both of which single-season school records, to give the Commodores its first-ever 10-win season.
Vanderbilt just missed out on the College Football Playoff after finishing 10-3.
POLARIZING COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAR, HEISMAN TROPHY FINALIST GOES UNDRAFTED
Pavia ultimately finished second in Heisman voting to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza – the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. So, what ultimately led to Pavia not getting drafted?
While his personality may have factored in, Pavia’s official height at the NFL Scouting Combine turned some heads. Vanderbilt had him listed at 6-foot, but he was measured at 5-foot-9 7/8, which would make him the shortest quarterback in the NFL if he were to step foot on the gridiron today. The average height is 6-foot-2 for an NFL quarterback.
However, those shorter than the average have seen success, including Minnesota Vikings newest member, Kyler Murray, who went first overall to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 coming out of Oklahoma. He’s listed at 5-foot-10.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates after the team’s win against Kentucky at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 22, 2025. (Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Pavia barked back at critics during the Senior Bowl in January regarding his height.
“Yeah, my size has been doubted my whole life,” he said at the time, via AL.com. “I feel like the only thing the NFL cares about is can you win, and I view myself as a winner. I’ve been fortunate with all these great teams that I’ve had — we’ve never had a losing season. So that’s something to look forward to, I hope, for the rest of my career, that’s how it’s going to be.
“I feel like God has blessed me in so many ways to be a connector, and I feel like that’s one of my superpowers that I’ve got — I can connect. We unite, and then once you unite, you want to play for one another, and once you give 120% effort, there’s no one that can stop your team.”
Pavia’s personality, viewed by some as more cocky than confident, may have played a factor as well. After finishing runner-up to Mendoza in Heisman voting, Pavia was spotted at a New York City nightclub next to a sign that read, “F— Indiana.” Then, he posted on social media a photo with friends and a caption that read, “F— ALL THE VOTERS, BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws a football during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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Pavia later apologized for his decision to post that on his socials.
No matter the case, Pavia has a shot now with the Ravens and new head coach Jesse Minter, as he aims to show enough to join the quarterbacks group in training camp. Other than Jackson, the Ravens have Tyler “Snoop” Huntley on the roster to start the season.
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Trevor Bauer, the former Cy Young Award winner and MLB All-Star, tossed a no-hitter for the independent Long Island Ducks in a 13-0 win over the Lancaster Stormers on Sunday afternoon at Penn Medicine Park in Pennsylvania.
It was just Bauer’s second start in the United States since 2021, and he faced just one batter over the minimum in a scheduled seven-inning game of a doubleheader against the Stormers.
Bauer threw 84 pitches, striking out seven hitters and walking just one to lose out on the perfect game.
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Trevor Bauer smiles after pitching no-hitter for Long Island Ducks on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
But Bauer unleashed a roar on the mound after a called strike three to notch the third no-hitter in Ducks history.
Combined with his first outing for the Ducks on April 21, Bauer has a strong 1.64 ERA to start the season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), which is a “Professional Partner League” of MLB.
Fans might have been supporting the opposing Stormers, but they understood what was at stake as Bauer was mowing down hitters throughout his start. They were even heard chanting his name at one point, hoping he could keep his hitless streak alive.
After the game, Bauer returned the favor for those at the Pennsylvania ballpark, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans after entering his name into the Ducks’ record books.
TREVOR BAUER SIGNS WITH PRO BASEBALL TEAM IN UNITED STATES AMID MLB RETURN HOPES
“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” said Bauer when he signed with the Ducks earlier this month. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”
Ex-MLB stars like Dontrelle Willis, Daniel Murphy, Rich Hill and Eric Gagne have played for the Ducks in the past. New York Mets legends Gary Carter and Bud Harrelson both managed the team, with the latter also being a part-owner.
Bauer’s first start for the Ducks impressed an AL team scout in attendance, saying he was pretty impressed by Bauer’s arsenal on the bump.
“He showed flashes of the guy he used to be and a guy who can help a club,” the scout told the New York Post. “He went out and handled himself well. He showed flashes of the breaking ball he had in the past. Certainly the velocity is not what it once was, but it’s still solid, mostly 92-94. He didn’t throw the ball particularly well on the inside part of the plate with his fastball, but I think it was a really good first outing. You’d expected him to get sharper and probably tick up in velocity.
Trevor Bauer and catcher high-five after finish inning for Long Island Ducks in no-hit bid on Sunday April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
“You’re talking about a guy who was at the top of the game. Is he back there? No, but he looked like a guy who could go out and compete.”
Bauer pitched in Japan in both 2023 and 2025, while a stint in Mexico came in 2024. He pitched to a 2.59 ERA and 9.2 K/9 in Japan in 2023, and in Mexico, those numbers improved to 2.48 and 13.0. Last year in Japan, though, his ERA shot up to 4.41, and he struck out just 8.2 batters per nine innings.
This June will mark five years since Bauer, as the reigning Cy Young Award winner, last appeared in an MLB game. On June 28 of that year, he tossed six innings of two-run ball while striking out eight batters, recording the win.
Two days later, Bauer was hit with sexual assault allegations, which eventually led to a 324-game suspension (the equivalent of two seasons). It was eventually reduced to 184 games for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
Bauer has maintained his innocence, settling with one accuser while another is facing 16 years in prison after being charged with fraud for faking a pregnancy and asking Bauer for money for an abortion.
Trevor Bauer pitches for Long Island Ducks during no-hitter on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (Jordan McGregor)
Bauer and Lindsey Hill, who accused the pitcher of beating and sexually abusing her in 2021, settled their case in late 2023. Bauer revealed texts from Hill, who said that Bauer would be her “next victim,” among other damning messages. Hill has since said that MLB has more evidence of Bauer’s alleged misconduct.
Last June, Hill was ordered to pay Bauer more than $300,000 for violating settlement terms. Hill breached their settlement agreement with each other by discussing Bauer on podcasts and in public appearances, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Nearly two years ago, Bauer said he “may have no other choice” but to sue Major League Baseball “if I continue being kept out” of the league. Bauer has said he’d “play for the league minimum,” but he has yet to sign with an MLB team.
“Anyone that’s willing to sit down with me and listen: I’d like to play the second half of my career in a better way than I played the first half,” Bauer told Fox News Digital in January 2024. “I’d like to be an example that you can make mistakes, recognize them, adjust and then be better in the future. I think that’s something us as humans have to do and should be doing constantly.”
Long Island Ducks pitcher Trevor Bauer throws against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, N.Y., on April 21, 2026. (Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday RM/Getty Images)
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Bauer has since called out MLB after Pete Rose and other deceased former players were taken off the league’s permanently ineligible list.
“So, since Pete is welcome back now, does that go for everyone who has been blackballed?” Bauer asked on X. “Or do you actually have to be guilty of something to qualify for that?”
Bauer was performing well for the Dodgers at the time of the allegations, pitching to a 2.59 ERA.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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Sports
Kai Trump reveals ‘scary’ medical moment during her trip to Masters Tournament at Augusta National
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Kai Trump, the granddaughter of President Donald Trump, revealed a “scary” medical moment that occurred while she was attending the Masters Tournament earlier this month in a new vlog.
The future University of Miami golfer traveled to Augusta National Golf Club to take in the first major of the year, but the trip to Georgia hit a speed bump after she had an allergic reaction to a hand soap she used on her face.
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Amateur Kai Trump of the United States plays her shot from the 16th tee during the first round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., on Nov. 13, 2025. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
“I was using hand soap on my face, when I was at Augusta, to wash off my makeup and I started getting these bumps on my neck,” she said in the vlog.
The 18-year-old had to get medical attention, ultimately receiving a steroid shot to counteract the allergic reaction.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU HITS GOLF BALLS ON WHITE HOUSE SOUTH LAWN DURING VISIT WITH TRUMP
“Now, I don’t have a rash anymore, but I had an allergic reaction to the hand soap on my face,” she said.
“I have very sensitive skin. It was so, so scary.”
Amateur golfer Kai Trump looks on from the 11th tee before The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, on Nov. 12, 2025. (Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Once the rash was put to rest, Kai appeared to enjoy her weekend at Augusta. She posed for a photo she shared on Instagram with Bryson DeChambeau, a supporter of her grandfather and fellow YouTuber, and his caddie, Greg Bodine.
It wasn’t the best week for DeChambeau, though, as he missed the cut at Augusta National after shooting 6-over in his first two days of the tournament.
In the end, Rory McIlroy, who finally completed the career Grand Slam last year at the Masters, retained the green jacket with a second-straight win. He finished one shot ahead of Scottie Scheffler, who finished 11-under for the week after going 4-under in his final round on Sunday.
Kai Trump poses for a photo with Bryson DeChambeau during the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., on April 9, 2026. (Instagram/@KAITRUMPGOLFER)
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Russell Henley, Cam Young, Tyrell Hatton and Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy in a playoff at last year’s Masters, all finished tied for third place at 10-under.
Kai is currently scheduled to enroll at the University of Miami later this fall, where she intends to play for the women’s golf team. She is a high school senior at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.. She discussed her upcoming senior prom in her latest vlog.
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