Wednesday, December 10, 2025
spot_img
Home Blog

“Where would he go?” – LeBron’s agent puts the brakes on transfer rumors

Phil Laffertey
-
0
“Where would he go?” – LeBron’s agent puts the brakes on transfer rumors

LeBron James will finish the 2025/26 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. That’s what his longtime agent Rich Paul made clear in a podcast appearance. At the same time, however, he openly doubted that the Lakers have a serious chance of winning the title in their current constellation.

In the first episode of the podcast Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, the agent was asked directly whether LeBron might finish the season with another team. Paul’s answer was short and clear. When asked whether a team change within the season was realistic, he said, “No.” And when asked whether LeBron would definitely finish the season with the Lakers, he added: “Yes. Where else would he go?”

Paul is thus putting a stop to all acute trade speculation. This is particularly striking because LeBron is playing with an expiring contract for the first time this season. The 40-year-old is in his 23rd NBA season and has never been traded in the “traditional” sense during his career. Only his move from Cleveland to Miami in 2010 was a sign-and-trade.

Harsh assessment: “Not good enough to be a contender”

Despite the Lakers’ strong start to the season (17-6, second place in the West), Paul does not see his client’s team at the absolute top in terms of athleticism. In the podcast, he said that he does not currently consider the Lakers to be serious title contenders and does not believe they will advance to the Western Conference Finals.

These statements contrast somewhat with Paul’s comments from the summer, when he emphasized that LeBron wanted to have realistic chances of winning the title in every remaining season and that they would carefully consider what was “best for LeBron at this stage of his career.”

In terms of sports, the 40-year-old is performing more modestly than in previous years: After a long break at the start of the season, LeBron has played seven games so far, averaging 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. With him on the court, the Lakers are 6-1. From the summer of 2026, LeBron James could once again be free to decide his future when his contract expires. Speculation about a possible final career move, including musings about teams such as the New York Knicks, inevitably accompany him. In the podcast, Paul at least hinted that LeBron would take the Knicks to another level athletically, without fueling any specific scenario.

“Lando Lane”: First street named after F1 world champion Lando Norris

Jeffrey Gooding
-
0
“Lando Lane”: First street named after F1 world champion Lando Norris

Lando Norris receives special recognition in his hometown—including memories from his former teacher about the early days of the future world champion.

Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris now has a street named after him: The English town of Street, where Norris went to school, has named a road near a local shopping center “Lando Lane” and put up a sign with his name on it.
Chris Davis, the shopping center’s manager, explained the decision: “Lando is a local hero, and everyone is absolutely thrilled that he became world champion.”

“He spent his formative years here and started karting during that time – a path that ultimately led him to become the world’s best Formula 1 driver. Renaming our street ‘Lando Lane’ is our way of honoring this incredible achievement by one of the region’s most beloved sons.”

What his former teacher says about Norris

The population of the small town of 12,000 in southwestern England shares this assessment, led by Norris’ former teacher John Bishop, who taught Norris at Millfield School. “I’m really proud of him and what he’s achieved.
It’s a pretty incredible journey, and something like this only happens to very few people,“ Bishop said in an interview with ITV. Although he hasn’t seen Norris since his school days, he still remembers the ”little boy“ from back then, as he calls him. Norris was ”really nice, very sociable, and extremely polite” at the time, Bishop said.
“He had a good sense of humor and just enjoyed being one of the boys.”

But Norris was under pressure from an early age to balance school and motorsport, as Bishop knows: “The school environment was good for him. Because part of our job was to help him cope with it all.”

The role of motorsport during his school days

Bishop witnessed firsthand how Norris won the Karting World Championship as a teenager in 2014 and entered formula racing – only to return to school as normal after a race weekend, but with his head still on the racetrack.

“When he came back from a bad race weekend, you could tell because he was thinking about it, analyzing it, and dwelling on it,” Bishop explained. “That was probably one of his strengths as a person—that ability to analyze, to self-reflect, and to constantly look for ways to improve. That probably helped him reach the peak of his career.”

Norris had always paid attention to “the small details” in the past, Bishop said. “He was constantly learning from his experiences. He was able to manage his school life and his racing schedule, and he had very little free time. That requires a certain maturity in his approach. He really seemed to have both feet firmly on the ground.”

Vasseur encourages Hamilton and Leclerc to criticize Ferrari

Lesley Summerville
-
0
Vasseur encourages Hamilton and Leclerc to criticize Ferrari

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur is unimpressed by the public criticism of his drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

The 2025 Formula 1 season was disappointing for Ferrari. No wins, only fourth place in the constructors’ championship. Last year, the Scuderia lost the title to McLaren on the final day. Expectations remained high, and the disappointment was correspondingly great.

Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth in the drivers’ championship. After many sessions, both seemed frustrated. In Brazil, the seven-time world champion spoke of a nightmare after a double retirement. The mood remained tense.

Elkann responded with clear words. Drivers should concentrate on driving and talk less, he said. The statement sparked widespread debate. Vasseur, however, remains calm. He is not particularly interested in what happens in the TV zone.

Criticism is normal

“I don’t pay attention to the reactions in front of the camera,” said Vasseur after the race in Abu Dhabi. “The important thing is that the drivers come to us and drive the team to achieve better results together.”

Emotions on the radio are part of it. Leclerc criticizes himself, the team, all areas. Vasseur has known him for years and is familiar with this behavior. “Charles has always been like this. He has always complained about everything,” explains the team boss. But this dissatisfaction drives him forward.
“The DNA is to work better. Whether it’s P4, P3 or P1 doesn’t matter,” says Vasseur. The decisive factor remains the ambition. This attitude should continue in the debrief. A better car, a better team, progress everywhere. That’s the only way Ferrari will improve.

Vasseur goes even further. He actively encourages criticism. For him, this is the way back to the top, especially with a view to the new 2026 regulations. “I would be devastated if the drivers told me we were doing a good job,” he explains.

“Their DNA and my DNA is to push the team,” says Vasseur. Leclerc and Hamilton should come and apply pressure. In every area, everywhere. The list of areas for improvement remains long. There is no comfort zone.

In 2024, Ferrari fought for the title until the very last corner. The reaction remained the same. Leclerc demanded improvements in the simulator, in the setup, in aerodynamics. A standing order that never ends.
“That’s the DNA of their job and our sport,” concludes Vasseur. “I’m not shocked when they come to me and say, ‘Fred, we need to improve here.’ That’s exactly what we demand of them.”

Hadjar frustrated: “I’m just pissed off” – Top 10 lost in Abu Dhabi

Lesley Summerville
-
0
Hadjar frustrated: “I’m just pissed off” – Top 10 lost in Abu Dhabi

Isack Hadjar falls far behind after starting in ninth place in Abu Dhabi, loses ninth place in the World Championship and is visibly frustrated at the finish line.

Isack Hadjar had a race to forget at the Formula 1 finale in Abu Dhabi. After an excellent qualifying session in ninth place, the Racing Bulls driver slipped to 17th in the Grand Prix – and lost his firmly planned ninth place overall in the Drivers’ Championship. The 21-year-old found clear words immediately after the race.

When asked for his summary of the day, Hadjar replied sarcastically: “The event went really well, as you can see.” Despite his disappointment with the finale, he considers his rookie season to have been positive overall: “Yes, I mean, I had a season that was good enough to get promoted, so that’s enough for me. I’m just pissed off that it ended so badly.”

“No pace” – and no explanation for it

Hadjar is brief and blunt in his comments on the race itself. When asked how the battle in the midfield went, he says: “No pace, as expected. I don’t even know how I managed to put the car in ninth place yesterday. No pace all weekend, it’s a shame.” When asked if he knew why the Racing Bulls were so alarmingly slow, the Frenchman shrugged: “No.”

Despite his bad mood, however, he doesn’t want to talk down the season: “Yes, as I said, it’s obviously good enough. I don’t care about this race. It’s just a shame for the team. I wanted to leave on a high note—and I didn’t. That’s a bit sad.”

Hadjar thus ends his time with Racing Bull with an unsatisfactory finish in Abu Dhabi, but nevertheless with a strong season. Particularly noteworthy is his podium finish at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Hadjar simply says of his time in the Red Bull junior program: “It was very hard. It’s just very hard, but I couldn’t feel more ready to be in the main team.”

Even though Hadjar’s race was disappointing, the team still finished sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, three points ahead of Aston Martin.
But that is only small consolation for the Frenchman: “Yes, sure. But I lost my ninth place in the championship, so I’m not happy.” In the end, he finished eleventh in the drivers’ standings, having lost two positions to Fernando Alonso and Nico Hülkenberg.

Bottas embarks on a new adventure: First day at Cadillac ahead of F1 comeback

Lesley Summerville
-
0
Bottas embarks on a new adventure: First day at Cadillac ahead of F1 comeback

Valtteri Bottas completes his first day at Cadillac and prepares intensively at Silverstone for his Formula 1 comeback in 2026

Valtteri Bottas has completed his first official day at work as a Cadillac driver at Silverstone. The Finn, who has been one of the most experienced drivers on the grid for years, will return to Formula 1 permanently in 2026 after a season as a Mercedes reserve driver. His involvement with Mercedes ended immediately after the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi, after which he will now be integrated into the structures of the new US team.
Cadillac is in the midst of building its first Formula 1 project. Bottas is joining a team that is literally starting from scratch—an appeal that the 34-year-old has deliberately sought out. “I am really excited to finally start as a driver for the Cadillac Formula 1 team,” says Bottas.

“This is a proud moment in my career, as it marks the beginning of a new chapter back on the grid with a team that is itself starting its journey in the sport. There is a lot of hard work ahead of us, and I want to contribute my experience now that I am fully on board.”

The first day: seat fitting and technical briefings

Bottas spent the day at the team center in Silverstone, where, among other things, the first seat fitting took place—a crucial step before he gets behind the wheel of the new car for the first time in January. This was followed by extensive meetings with engineers and aerodynamicists to understand processes, development statuses, and plans for the upcoming functional tests.

“Seeing everything come together for the first time is something special,” Bottas continues. “You can feel how much momentum there is in this project. It’s important that we get the preparation right, because these first steps are crucial to ensuring we’re ready for the first test. I can’t wait for the season to start and to be racing again.”

Team principal Graeme Lowdon is relieved that Bottas is now fully integrated: “It’s great to finally have Valtteri on board and involved. We’ve been planning this for a long time, so it’s fantastic to experience these moments now, before we contest our first season on the track.”

He adds: “I’m proud of the work everyone in the team is doing. Formula 1 is the biggest team game in the world, and it’s at this stage that you recognize the skills, talent, and expertise we have—and how well a driver like Valtteri will fit in here.”

Cadillac prepares for its baptism of fire

In order to rehearse procedures and operational processes at an early stage, Cadillac recently used a Ferrari SF-23 for testing in Imola. Sergio Pérez, Bottas’ future teammate, completed laps there and helped the team simulate operational routines – from pit stops to data analysis.

The team’s own car is currently under construction. Cadillac plans to bring the car to life for the first time before Christmas. The shakedown is scheduled for January, before the team takes part in the official pre-season test in Barcelona from January 26 to 30.

Mourning the former tennis star: Nicola Pietrangeli has died

T0m@dmin1
-
0
Mourning the former tennis star: Nicola Pietrangeli has died

In 1959, Nicola Pietrangeli made tennis history when he became the first Italian to win a Grand Slam title. Today, Italian tennis mourns his passing.

Nicola Pietrangeli has died. The two-time French Open winner passed away in Rome at the age of 92, the Italian Tennis Federation announced on Monday.

Pietrangeli was his country’s first Grand Slam champion and had already made Italian tennis internationally famous in the 1950s – long before players such as Jannik Sinner came to the fore. In 1959, he became the first Italian to win the French Open, followed by his second title in Paris in 1960. In the same year, he reached the semifinals at Wimbledon. As team captain, Pietrangeli led Italy to Davis Cup victory in 1976. As a player, he was denied this success, even though he set several records in the competition. No player has played more Davis Cup matches (164), and his 78 singles victories are also unmatched.

Even after his active career, Pietrangeli remained an influential voice in Italian tennis. In October, he criticized Jannik Sinner’s decision to withdraw from the Davis Cup, calling it a “heavy blow” for Italian sport. Pietrangeli lost his son Giorgio in the summer. The former top surfer died at the age of 59.

The unfortunate conclusion to a significant boxing night

Phil Laffertey
-
0
The unfortunate conclusion to a significant boxing night

Thirty years ago, Axel Schulz was on the verge of becoming heavyweight world champion for the second time. However, the fight with Francois Botha ended in controversy once again.

In front of 18 million German TV viewers, he thwarted Axel Schulz’s dream of following in the footsteps of the unrivaled Max Schmeling as heavyweight world champion.

However, Francois Botha was not remembered as the glorious victor of the big world championship fight in Stuttgart on December 9, 1995, 30 years ago today. Scandalous circumstances overshadowed the South African’s title win, which was later annulled.

Francois Botha came into play due to George Foreman’s withdrawal

The then 27-year-old Botha had come into play after Schulz’s fraudulent world championship defeat against legend George Foreman. Foreman refused a rematch, and the IBF world title was re-contested between Schulz and Botha at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart. Botha went into the fight undefeated (35 fights, 35 wins), but had not made a name for himself in any major fights. Nevertheless, the legendary shady promoter Don King gave him the chance to become the third heavyweight world champion under his wing at the time: King’s protégés Frank Bruno (WBC) and Bruce Seldon (WBA) were also reigning champions at the time, and King allegedly had a master plan to send them all into the ring one after the other against his most prominent protégé, Mike Tyson.

After Schulz caused a huge sensation in Germany with the Foreman fight, the fight against Botha became a ratings hit, with over 18 million viewers on RTL, surpassing all the fights of boom initiator Henry Maske and the later fights of Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Among the celebrities at the ring were Thomas Gottschalk, Udo Jürgens, and gymnast Magdalena Brzeska, while rock legend Meat Loaf was flown in as the musical act.

Bottles flew after Axel Schulz’s defeat

Schulz, who was too hesitant for much of the fight, once again failed to achieve the hoped-for victory, with the judges’ decision going in Botha’s favor. It was not as clear a misjudgment as against Foreman, but Schulz still feels cheated to this day.

“For me, the turning point came during the fight, after four or five rounds, when a coach told me that I was behind on the judges’ scorecards,” Schulz recalled in an interview with SPORT1: “At that point, I was already somewhat desperate at the thought that Don King was sitting at ringside pulling the strings.”

He still doesn’t know exactly what happened, “but in the end, as with Foreman, I had the feeling that I couldn’t win on points. And a victory by knockout: Well, I wasn’t really the killer type.”

The spectators at the venue were angry, bottles and glasses were thrown, injuring, among others, the wives of Maske and Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone. It was the reason for the German ban on glass bottles at major events.

Botha later challenged Mike Tyson and Wladimir Klitschko

In retrospect, the fight was declared null and void, as Botha tested positive for the steroid nandrolone, which he tried in vain to justify on medical grounds. In June 1996, Schulz got a third title shot against Michael Moorer, who had been dethroned by Foreman, and then lost on points in an undisputed decision.

Despite the scandal, Botha remained in the spotlight and fought several more big fights: against Tyson in 1999, in world championship fights against Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko in 2000 and 2002, and against the tireless Evander Holyfield in 2010. He lost every time.

Botha, now 56, who also tried his hand at kickboxing in K-1 and in an MMA fight, fought his last professional fight in 2014. This was followed by curious exhibition fights against Uwe Hück, the martial arts enthusiast and head of the Porsche works council.

There was later a reconciliation with Schulz, and Botha even symbolically presented Schulz with the title belt he had missed out on at the time.

“A few years ago, we got together again for three days in South Africa and had a really good time,” recalls Schulz: “The way I see it, he did everything he could to win back then—even unsportsmanlike things. I also tried everything I could, and it wasn’t enough. That’s just how it was. I don’t look back that much; I prefer to look ahead.”

Wolves end goal drought – and lose heavily: ManUnited wins at bottom club

T0m@dmin1
-
0
Wolves end goal drought – and lose heavily: ManUnited wins at bottom club

Wolverhampton Wanderers scored against Manchester United for the first time since the end of October, but still lost heavily in the end. United captain Bruno Fernandes collected three points.

Wolverhampton had lost their last eight competitive games, with their last league goal coming on October 26 against Burnley (2-3). At the end of matchday 15, Rob Edwards, who has been in charge since mid-November, faced ManUnited, who had recently been held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham. Ruben Amorim made a change, bringing on Mount for Zirkzee (bench).

The hosts’ uncertainty was evident early on and resulted in two dangerous shots from Diogo Dalot (8th minute) and Mbeumo (9th minute), which Johnstone was able to save. In the 25th minute, however, the Wolves keeper was finally beaten when Bruno Fernandes slid the ball into the net despite a sloppy pass from Matheus Cunha.

Bellegarde ends Wolverhampton’s goal drought

The Red Devils missed the chance to quickly extend their lead with a double opportunity from Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha (29th minute) and suddenly lost control of the game. The home side intensified their tackling, forced more ball wins and even developed a period of pressure. It was therefore not surprising that they finally managed to equalize before the break after a 550-minute goal drought: Bellegarde scored his first goal of the season in the second minute of stoppage time after an assist from Möller Wolfe.

ManUnited pull away after the break

As active as the Wolves had been going into the break, they came out of the dressing room just as passive. Initial attempts by Mbeumo (48′) and Matheus Cunha (50′) were followed by United regaining the lead through Mbeumo, who took advantage of the opponent’s high defensive line and ultimately only had to tap the ball in (51′).

The hosts did not abandon their proactive but extremely risky defensive style as the game progressed – and that was to come back to haunt them. In the 62nd minute, for example, Mount converted a silky cross from Bruno Fernandes to make it 3-1 to the visitors.

Late handball penalty for the visitors

Wolverhampton were now completely invisible in attack, and the home team struggled to prevent their already alarming goal difference from getting even worse. However, the bottom-of-the-table side conceded at least one more goal: after Mosquera handled the ball, Bruno Fernandes scored his second of the game from 11 meters out (82′).

While Wolves, who are away to league leaders Arsenal next Saturday (9 p.m.), remain on a meager two points, ManUnited are not in action again until next Monday. Then the Red Devils take on Bournemouth at Old Trafford (9 p.m.).

Podolski buys into his own club and becomes a major investor

admin3r
-
0
Podolski buys into his own club and becomes a major investor

In addition to his career as a professional soccer player, Lukas Podolski has also been involved in other business ventures in the past, such as advertising and owning a kebab shop. Now the 40-year-old is becoming a soccer investor.

As Lukas Podolski and Gornik Zabrze announced on Monday, the 40-year-old has bought into the Polish first division club through his company LP Holding GmbH. According to the announcement, Podolski has acquired 104,611 registered shares in Gornik Zabrze SA, which corresponds to a total of 8.3 percent of the total share capital.

Podolski is now the second-largest shareholder in Gornik—and suddenly something of his own boss. Only the city of Zabrze owns more shares, but it has already initiated a privatization process. The move also makes Podolski his own boss, as he has been playing for the club since 2021. Since then, he has played 128 games for the club, scoring 25 goals and providing 22 assists—only 1. FC Köln has seen the 130-time German international play more often (181 appearances, 86 goals, 41 assists).

“My club, my home and my football family”

“Gornik Zabrze is my club, my home and my football family. I am delighted to take the next step and officially participate in Gornik’s future. I believe in this project and the people behind it. I want the club to continue to develop on a solid foundation—athletically, organizationally, and economically,” Podolski, whose contract expires in the summer, is quoted as saying in a club statement.

The club is delighted with the commitment of the professional, who was born in nearby Gliwice, Poland. “Lukas Podolski’s entry into the shareholder structure is the first formal step towards taking over the club and underlines his long-standing and sincere commitment to the development of Gornik.”

Now it’s official: Müller will remain in Vancouver for the upcoming season

Sports Of The Day
-
0
Now it’s official: Müller will remain in Vancouver for the upcoming season

Thomas Müller was unable to secure the championship in his first year. However, the 36-year-old will have another opportunity to compete for the MLS title in 2026, as the Vancouver Whitecaps have confirmed that the veteran will remain part of the team next year.

On Monday, the Vancouver Whitecaps published a squad update with their personnel plans for 2026. Among the names listed was Thomas Müller. The 36-year-old had originally only signed until the end of 2025 when he joined the club, but with an option for an additional year. It appears that this option has now been exercised. “He still feels like he has something to prove to himself and he wants to find out every day how he can get even better,” coach Jesper Sörensen said of the 2014 World Cup winner. “He wants to know every detail, wants to know what we think and how we think so he can help his teammates on the pitch.”

“I’m really excited about what’s coming next year. I’m very happy to be part of this success – and our success isn’t over yet. Our journey isn’t over yet,” Müller recently announced his stay in Vancouver via Instagram. So that’s how it turned out – in any case, the Whitecaps don’t seem to be planning any major squad changes. “It will be mostly the same players, but not the same group, because so much has happened this season. I believe we will be a better team next season,” Sörensen explained, adding: “We’re not starting from scratch, but from a good level.”

Vancouver is ready for 2026

The squad for the coming season also includes former HSV professional Sebastian Schonlau. Like Müller, the 31-year-old moved to Canada last summer, but then played no role in the team due to Achilles tendon problems. “We are building this team over several years, and most of our players will return in 2026 to build on the strong foundation we have created,” said sporting director Axel Schuster, explaining the club’s personnel policy and emphasizing that preparations for the next season have been underway for a long time: “Although our record-breaking season has just come to an end, preparations for 2026 have been underway for months, and we are ready to hit the ground running in January.”

Müller, who has played 131 times for Germany, left FC Bayern last August after 25 years, 756 appearances, and numerous titles, and subsequently became a pillar of the team in the MLS. The attacking player quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his nine goals in 13 competitive games and his entertaining interviews, which are customary in this country, and immediately reached the MLS championship final. In Miami, however, his Whitecaps lost 3-1 to Inter Miami and superstar Lionel Messi.

123...1,717Page 1 of 1,717

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

Sports of the day is your sports news website. We provide you with the latest breaking news and videos straight from the sports industry.

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

Responsible Gambling, when the fun stops, stop.

© 2021 sportsoftheday.com