Sports
What is Aspiration, the company behind the Kawhi Leonard deal?
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and the team are under investigation by the NBA following a report that Kawhi Leonard allegedly accepted a $28 million endorsement from a company called Aspiration as a way to circumvent the league’s salary cap.
Ballmer, who had previously invested $50 million in Aspiration, has denied he had knowledge of the deal or that he directed the company to strike one.
Here’s what we know about the now-defunct Aspiration at the center of the accusations.
What was Aspiration and who were its founders?
Harvard alumni Joe Sanberg, an entrepreneur, and Andrei Cherny, a lawyer who worked as a speechwriter for the Clinton administration, co-founded Aspiration Partners in 2013. The company’s mission was to provide “socially-conscious and sustainable banking services and investment products,” according to their archived website from 2019. Their slogan: “Do Well. Do Good.”
Sanberg served on Aspiration’s board of directors and held about 30% of its shares as of September 2021, according to court filings. He was also an early investor in start-ups including Blue Apron. Cherny was Aspiration’s chief executive officer for nearly a decade.
What was Aspiration’s business model?
Think of Aspiration as a digital bank, but environmentally conscious. According to its website, the company claimed to be unlike other banks because customer deposits would “never fund fossil fuel projects like pipelines, oil rigs and coalmines.”
The company’s products included savings accounts and debit cards with cash back from a select number of businesses who were “doing the right thing,” plus an option to plant a tree with every purchase roundup. The company also offered access to investment funds that are “100% fossil fuel free.”
Who were the big-name investors in Aspiration?
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings show that Aspiration drew backers including Robert Downey Jr., Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, now-Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers and Cindy Crawford and her daughter, Kaia Gerber.
Their corporate partners included the likes of Meta, Microsoft and eventually the LA Clippers.
How are Ballmer, Leonard and the LA Clippers connected to Aspiration?
Last week, podcaster and journalist Pablo Torre reported, citing internal documents, that Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration through his personal LLC on Sept. 14, 2021. Ballmer, one of the richest owners in sports and a philanthropist, is known to contribute to climate initiatives.
Also in September 2021, the LA Clippers signed a $300 million deal with Aspiration, making the company the “first founding partner” of the Intuit Dome. The multiyear partnership included a “Planet Protection Fund,” which would allow fans to “offset their own carbon impact whenever they purchase a ticket to cheer on the Clippers,” according to a statement about the partnership at the time.
“Aspiration becoming our first Founding Partner supports the stake we are planting in the ground to make Intuit Dome the most sustainable arena in the world,” Ballmer said in the statement.
In an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne last week, Ballmer said Aspiration asked him to introduce it to Leonard, which he said happened in November 2021.
According to Torre’s report, Leonard agreed to a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal from Aspiration through his LLC KL2 Aspire in April 2022, nine months after he re-signed with the Clippers. An unnamed employee who purportedly worked for Aspiration told Torre that the payment to Leonard “was to circumvent the salary cap.”
This week Torre, citing more documents, reported that Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong also invested nearly $2 million in Aspiration through a personal LLC in 2022, nine days before Leonard was paid $1.75 million by the company.
According to a report in The Athletic on Friday, which cited legal documents, Ballmer invested an additional $10 million into Aspiration in March 2023 in a funding round that included other previous company investors.
How is the NBA reacting?
The NBA is investigating whether Ballmer and the Clippers violated league rules. Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking at his annual news conference at the conclusion of the league’s board of governors meetings in New York this week, said that the “burden is on the league” to prove wrongdoing and that the league needs to look “at the totality of the evidence” rather than just “mere appearance.”
“Just by the way those words read, I think as a matter of fundamental fairness, I would be reluctant to act if there was sort of a mere appearance of impropriety. … I think that the goal of a full investigation is to find out if there really was impropriety. Also, in a public-facing sport, the public at times reaches conclusions that later turn out to be completely false. I’d want anybody else in the situation Mr. Ballmer is in now, or Kawhi Leonard for that matter, to be treated the same way I would want to be treated if people were making allegations against me.”
Sources told ESPN that while there will be a thorough investigation of the matter by New York-based law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, there is no set deadline to find a conclusion.
What happened to Aspiration?
Cherny, co-founder and CEO, departed the company in 2022. In a statement posted on his X account Friday, Cherny said Leonard’s contract was not a “no-show” deal and had “three pages of extensive obligations.” He said he signed the contract in 2022 following “numerous internal conversations about the various things Aspiration was planning to do with Leonard.”
“I can’t speak to what was done or not done after I left — or why,” Cherney said in the statement.
When contacted by ESPN Friday, Cherny said that he had no further comment beyond the statement.
Aspiration filed for bankruptcy in March, with a reported debt of $170 million. When it filed for bankruptcy, the company said it owed the Clippers $30 million, the most out of all its creditors. Aspiration said at the time it owed Leonard’s LLC $7 million.
Last month, Aspiration co-founder Sanberg pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. Federal prosecutors said Sanberg defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million by fraudulently obtaining loans, falsifying bank and brokerage statements and concealing that he was the source of some revenue booked by the company.
Each of the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Ballmer told ESPN he was “embarrassed” that he didn’t detect trouble in reviewing Aspiration’s financial statements and business plans.
“These were guys who committed fraud. Look, they conned me. They conned me,” he said. “I made an investment in these guys thinking it was on the up-and-up, and they conned me at this stage. I have no ability to predict why they might have done anything they did, let alone the specific contract with Kawhi.”
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Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers’ ace and two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner, is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow that will keep him sidelined for months, manager A.J. Hinch said on Monday.
Skubal isn’t done for the season, but he is expected to be out two to three months following the surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow, ESPN reported.
Hinch called it an “easy process and procedure” while delivering the news, but it’s certainly a blow to the Tigers’ staff and Skubal personally that he is sidelined for months.
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Detroit pitcher Tarik Skubal watches during the Atlanta Braves game on April 29, 2026, at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. (Rich Von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)
Skubal’s arm locked up during a bullpen session on Sunday ahead of his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night. Now, he will undergo the surgery, with Hinch providing no specific timeline for his return.
Skubal’s last start came in a 4-3 win over the league-leading Atlanta Braves this past Wednesday, where he allowed two runs on five hits across seven innings of work. He struck out seven Braves hitters during his outing.
TIGERS ACE TARIK SKUBAL WINS RECORD-BREAKING $32M IN ARBITRATION: REPORTS
However, in that game, Skubal was spotted rubbing his left arm, leading to Hinch and a Tigers trainer going to the mound to check on the pitcher. Skubal, though, remained in the game after tossing a warm-up pitch, and he went on to pitch seven strong innings.
As a result of Skubal being out, the Tigers recalled Ty Madden to the big leagues. Tyler Holton will also be making the spot start on Monday night, serving as the Tigers’ opener before Hinch needs to get creative with his bullpen.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal reacts after giving up a hit against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 14, 2025. (Jesse Johnson/Imagn Images)
Skubal is the latest Tigers starter to be placed on the injured list, joining Casey Mize and Justin Verlander. That leaves Framber Valdez and Jack Flaherty as the only healthy starters at the moment.
For Skubal, the timing isn’t great, especially with impending free agency looming.
Skubal won a record-breaking arbitration case this offseason, where the Tigers were told to pay the left-handed ace $32 million for the 2026 campaign after they proposed a $19 million salary. The victory beat Juan Soto’s arbitration pay by the New York Yankees in 2024 by $1 million.
Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers between pitches during the Braves game at Truist Park in Atlanta on April 29, 2026. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
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But, with no long-term deal in place for Skubal, the electric starter is set to be one of the top free agents after the season, unless he and the Tigers don’t figure something out before then. It seems unlikely that will happen at this point.
All teams interested in Skubal will be watching his recovery and eventual return closely. Until then, Hinch and the Tigers will need others to step up in the meantime for the starting rotation.
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Fernando Mendoza skyrocketed to the top of every NFL pundit’s draft board during the 2025 college football season as the Indiana Hoosiers standout won the Heisman Trophy and led the school to a national championship.
Mendoza’s status stayed clean as the Las Vegas Raiders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. He will be tasked with returning the franchise back to glory under head coach Klint Kubiak and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is set to serve as Mendoza’s mentor.
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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza runs through a drill during a rookie minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nev., on May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
A detractor came out of the woodwork on Monday as an anonymous ACC coach told ESPN that he didn’t believe Mendoza had the “NFL traits.” The coach competed against Mendoza when the quarterback was tossing the pigskin around for the Cal Golden Bears.
“He’s a good decision-maker, but I don’t think he’s got the NFL traits,” the coach told ESPN. “They’re all back-shoulder (throws). That’s not working in the NFL. His receivers made plays to make him look better than he is. In the NFL, those throws are getting picked off.”
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza warms up during a rookie minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, Nev., on May 2, 2026. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
Mendoza showed grit and determination with some of the throws he made at Indiana. One that comes to mind is the game-winning touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. against Penn State.
Cooper made the catch and an incredible toe-tap for the touchdown with 36 seconds left in the game, which kept Indiana’s dream season alive.
Raiders general manager John Spytek said last month he nixed any talk of trading the No. 1 pick because he was sure Mendoza would be their guy.
“I think any coach is excited to work with a big, athletic, talented thrower that is extremely smart and a very driven worker, and that’s been our experience with Fernando,” Spytek said. “That’s a great starting spot for any quarterback.”
It’s the heart that Mendoza showed throughout the season, including in the national title game against the Miami Hurricanes, that made him an attractive prospect for NFL teams.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, attends a news conference at the Raiders Headquarters in Henderson, Nev., on April 24, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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He had 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes in his lone season at Indiana.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Team of the Tournament, naming Babar Azam skipper after a title-winning campaign.
The Team of the Tournament comprises three players each from Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen, two apiece from Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United, and one player each from Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators.
The selection was made by a five-member panel drawn from the commentary team. The jury also finalised the Emerging Team of the Tournament, recognising the standout young performers of the season.
A total of 44 matches were played from March 26 to May 3 across Lahore and Karachi.
Babar Azam, who lifted his third PSL title as a player and first as captain, finished as the leading run-scorer with 588 runs.
Opening the innings, he also claimed the Hanif Mohammad Cap and equalled the record for most runs in a single PSL season, matching Fakhar Zaman’s tally from 2022.
His campaign featured two centuries in four matches against Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United.
Peshawar Zalmi are further represented by Kusal Mendis and Sufyan Moqim. Mendis scored 550 runs, including four half-centuries and a century, while also contributing eight dismissals behind the stumps.
His century came against Karachi Kings at the National Bank Stadium on April 9. Left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim took 22 wickets at an average of 14.40 and an economy rate of 7.20, earning both Player of the Tournament and Best Bowler honours.
Hyderabad Kingsmen have three representatives in Usman Khan, Hassan Khan and Hunain Shah. Usman finished fourth among the top run-scorers with 389 runs, including a century and three half-centuries.
Hassan contributed 139 runs at a strike rate of 195 alongside six wickets and strong fielding performances. Hunain Shah impressed with 17 wickets in 10 matches, emerging as a key bowler in the latter stages of the competition.
Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi also feature in the XI. Fakhar scored 401 runs to finish third overall, while Shaheen claimed 16 wickets at an economy rate of 7.86.
Multan Sultans’ Shan Masood is included after scoring 367 runs at an average of 45.87 and a strike rate of 158.18. Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan also makes the side after a strong all-round season, scoring 173 runs and taking 17 wickets, earning the Best All-Rounder of the Tournament award.
Teammate Richard Gleeson is selected for his impactful new-ball performances, finishing with 12 wickets at an economy rate of 7.13.
Quetta Gladiators’ Hasan Nawaz has been named as the 12th player after scoring 291 runs.
PSL 11 Team of the Tournament
Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi) (c), Fakhar Zaman (Lahore Qalandars), Kusal Mendis (Peshawar Zalmi) (wk), Shan Masood (Multan Sultans), Usman Khan (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Shadab Khan (Islamabad United), Hassan Khan (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Lahore Qalandars), Hunain Shah (Hyderabad Kingsmen), Sufyan Moqim (Peshawar Zalmi), Richard Gleeson (Islamabad United) and Hasan Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators) (12th player).
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