(NEW YORK) — As the U.S. women’s national soccer team prepares to pursue a third straight Women’s World Cup, the squad is being honored for a different fight.
The team is set to be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY Awards next month for its fight for equal pay with the men’s soccer team, Good Morning America announced exclusively on Wednesday.
The award is presented to someone whose contributions transcend sports, such as the team’s lengthy three-year legal battle that ended last year with an agreement to pay all players the same. The women’s team has used its platform to bring global attention to pay inequity and social injustice in the U.S.
Megan Rapinoe, Team USA’s star forward, said Tuesday at a press conference before the World Cup that she thinks women’s sports are on the verge of something much bigger.
“It feels like this is a paradigm shift, or a moment we’ll look back to, and say nothing was ever the same after this Women’s World Cup and what we’re gonna be able to do,” Rapinoe said. “All bets on the Women’s World Cup.”
The U.S. broke its own record for the most FIFA Women’s World Cup wins of any country with four titles after the 2019 competition in France and joined Germany as the only other country with back-to-back titles.
After its historic World Cup win and ticker tape parade celebration in 2019, the squad took home best team at the ESPY Awards. Alex Morgan also took home best female athlete.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off in Australia and New Zealand in three weeks and the 2023 ESPY Awards are on July 12 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
(DESTIN, Fla.) — Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett has died in an apparent drowning off the Gulf of Mexico, authorities said.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and first responders were called to a beach in Destin, Florida — approximately 50 miles east of Pensacola in Florida’s panhandle — at 2:12 p.m. to a report of a group of people in the water near a sandbar who had been struggling to make their way back to shore.
“One of the individuals, an adult male, went under and lifeguards say he was not breathing when pulled out,” said the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in a statement following the incident. “Lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken but the man was pronounced deceased at the Destin Emergency Room.”
Police initially did not identify the victim who died in the apparent drowning but said they had received confirmation from next of kin in a subsequent update that the man who died was 35-year-old former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett.
Mallett, who played in the NFL for seven seasons, was selected as the 74th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Arkansas by the New England Patriots to serve as a backup, at the time, to seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Mallett also played for the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens before he played his last game in the NFL in 2017.
“We are shocked and saddened by the passing of Ryan Mallett,” the Arkansas football program said in a statement posted to Twitter. “He was a Razorback legend with larger-than-life talent and a personality to match. He led our program to some of our best moments in recent memory. He will be missed by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his mother Debbie and his extended family.”
Many of Mallett’s former NFL colleagues paid their respects to the veteran quarterback on social media after learning of his death.
“I am extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing,” said New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick according to the team. “My thoughts and prayers are with [Mallett’s] family and the many people whose lives he touched.”
““Our hearts go out to Ryan’s family and we offer every condolence to them today. Ryan was a part of us,” said Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in a statement released by the team. “I will always remember the love he had for his teammates and for making the most of, and enjoying every football day while here. Once a Raven always a Raven, R.I.P. Ryan.”
Retired defensive end J.J. Watt said it was “horrible news to read about Ryan Mallett. Gone way too soon. Rest in Peace brother.”
“It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett,” White Hall, the Arkansas school district where Mallett had been coaching high school football before his death, wrote on its website. “Coach Mallett was a beloved coach and educator. We ask that you remember his family, team, students, fellow coaches, and the White Hall School District staff in your prayers.”
Mallett finished his NFL career having played in 21 NFL games — eight of which he started — and completed 190 of 345 attempts, finishing with a total of 1,835 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Washington 7, Seattle 4 (11)
Miami 10, Boston 1
Cincinnati 3, Baltimore 1
San Francisco 3, Toronto 0
Atlanta 6, Minnesota 2
St. Louis 4, Houston 2
Arizona 8, Tampa Bay 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
LA Angels 4, Chi White Sox 2
Cleveland 2, Kansas City 1
Texas 8, Detroit 3
Oakland 2, NY Yankees 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 9, San Diego 4
NY Mets 7, Milwaukee 2
Philadelphia 5, Chi Cubs 1
LA Dodgers 5, Colorado 0
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
New York 89, Connecticut 81
Minnesota 104, Seattle 93
Dallas 77, Phoenix 62
(LONDON) — Kate, the Princess of Wales, faced off in a playful match against Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer in a new video released Sunday in celebration of Wimbledon’s ball boys and girls ahead of the famed tournament.
“Wimbledon is renowned for its amazingly professional ball boys and ball girls, the amount of work it takes, it’s incredible to see it behind the scenes… With all the discipline and everything you’ve learned, you’ll be able to take it into so many other parts of your life, things like confidence and […] that feeling of pride with being on any of the courts is such a big moment,” Princess Kate said in the video.
The Championships 2023 at Wimbledon will take place from July 3 through July 16 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.
In the newly released video, Her Royal Highness can be seen visiting the club to meet Federer, as well as a few prospective Wimbledon ball boys and girls to hear about training for the role.
Each year, nearly 1,000 children from the ages of 13 to 15 apply to be ball boys or girls at Wimbledon, according to a press release from Kensington Palace. The role includes months of regimented training sessions, including learning how to signal, roll balls up the net, and the correct technique to bounce a ball to a player.
In the video, Princess Kate is seen rallying against Federer before the pair participates in a ball boy and girl training session.
“This is proper practice, I’m really impressed at how much effort and training goes into being a ball kid during The Championships. I used to be a ball kid in Basel when I was 9 or 10 and as I have always said: Once a ball kid, always a ball kid,” Federer said.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Toronto 6, Miami 3
Houston 10, NY Mets 8
LA Dodgers 2, LA Angels 0
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay 7, Baltimore 2
Detroit 9, Kansas City 4
NY Yankees 4, Seattle 2
Cleveland 7, Oakland 6
Minnesota 5, Boston 4
Texas 6, Chi White Sox 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta at Philadelphia (Postponed)
San Francisco 4, San Diego 2
Cincinnati 5, Colorado 3
Chi Cubs 8, Pittsburgh 3
Arizona 5, Milwaukee 1
Washington 3, St. Louis 0
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Las Vegas 99, Phoenix 79
(NEW YORK) — The San Antonio Spurs are set to make a historic selection with the No. 1 overall pick at the 2023 NBA draft on Thursday by adding 7-foot-3 French prospect Victor Wembanyama to their roster.
The 19-year-old Le Chesnay native and basketball phenom is one of the most highly anticipated draft prospects in decades and all-but-certain to go as the draft’s top pick. Many sports insiders — including four-time NBA champion LeBron James — have hailed Wembanyama as ” a generational talent” — the best since James himself in 2003.
ABC News’ Robin Roberts met with Wembanyama for Good Morning America ahead of the draft at one of his favorite cafes, the famed Café De La Jatte, situated on the Île-de-la-Jatte in a posh suburb of Paris, as the world awaits his league debut.
“It’s an event that I’ve been waiting for and I’ve been thinking about for the last years,” Wembanyama said, adding how special it is for his whole family. “Our life is gonna change from one day to another — for sure one of the most important nights in my life.”
Wembanyama told GMA over plates of truffle pizza, calamari and truffle pasta that he has eagerly trained his entire life for this moment.
“I gotta eat whenever I can. Before practice, after practice, before I go to bed, after waking up, before the nap, after the nap,” Wembanyama, who is looking to add weight to his lanky frame, told Roberts.
Wembanyama, who played for Metropolitans 92 in the top French basketball league, is instantly recognized for his height and wingspan, but plays more like a guard.
“Ever since I touched a basketball, you know? I’ve never stopped,” he said. “I’ve always practiced to play the way I play today — that play style, that agility, that dexterity.”
Wemby, as he has been nicknamed by announcers, commentators and fans alike, has gained international attention from other NBA greats who have related to his journey to the league, including Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, and James, the league’s all-time leading scorer.
When asked by Roberts how he deals with the pressure of it all, Wemby said, “The most important thing for this is to have your goal in sight.”
“I have such high expectations for myself. And I’m so determined that the expectations of others are nothing compared to — what I expect of myself,” he said.
ESPN reported that his athletic trainer, Guillaume Alquier, manually records Wemby’s sleep schedule, aiming for the athlete to ideally log 10 hours a day.
Wembanyama has a strict training and recovery regimen on and off the court, which includes his pregame warm-ups of mobility and strengthening drills for injury prevention, like one that focuses solely on his feet.
“Having your feet actually connected to the ground is really important as a basketball player,” he said, explaining that “it gets the feet stronger.”
“If your feet are strong. You can then get better on every other aspect of your body,” he added.
When it comes to any critics who have raised concerns about Wembanyama’s readiness for the grueling NBA schedule, he countered, “They don’t know my work ethic.”
“I know how I work, how we work — with my surroundings, with my environment, you know — I could never have any doubt,” he said confidently.
As for how some have assessed his build, suggesting Wemby needs to “bulk up,” he retorted “Why?” with a laugh.
“What for? You should tell others to skinny up,” he joked.
Wembanyama was born to very athletic parents; his mom is a former basketball player and little league coach and his dad is a former competitive long jumper.
“The first thing people think about — when they think about my family — is that they were also sports players. But the thing is, they didn’t really interfere with my sport. They let me be how I wanted to be,” he said.
“They made a lot of sacrifices,” but “on the other hand — they’re gonna be able to retire early,” he said with a laugh alluding to his future NBA success.
As for NBA draft night, Wembanyama said he expects to feel “so high on emotions.”
“It’s really special for me and my family. Our life is gonna change from one day to another,” he said. “I also want to enjoy my country, my family and my friends as much as I can before I leave.”
Before he enters the next arena of his career, Wembanyama is soaking up the everyday culture around his home country.
Last summer, when Wembanyama visited the U.S., he said, “I only spoke English all day — and night I call my family on the phone and I can finally speak French, and it’s like, it’s really relieving. I gotta think about every sentence before I speak them out.”
His English is a product of his deep-seated vision to be standing in this position.
“I’ve wanted to be an NBA player for many years. So you know, I have no choice,” he said of how he learned English. “At some point if you wanna learn a new language, you gotta act like you already know the language.”
As for other nuanced differences from his hometown to the states, Wembanyama said he plans to “find a way to bring some European, French food back over there.”
The French athlete, who is soon to be catapulted to American basketball fame, said he has already visualized what it must be like to play against the world’s greats.
“The most important is to not step on the court being too humble,” he said of his mentality for the next professional chapter. “You gotta be humble enough — to be able to respect the game — but if you step on a court too humble and scared, you can’t do anything.”
Finally, when asked if he can picture himself on that court, he answered with a confident grin, “Of course.”
The NBA draft is Thursday at 8 P.M. Eastern on ABC and ESPN.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
LA Dodgers 2, LA Angels 0
Toronto 2, Miami 0
Houston 4, NY Mets 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City 1, Detroit 0
NY Yankees 3, Seattle 1
Baltimore 8, Tampa Bay 6
Cleveland 3, Oakland 2
Boston 10, Minnesota 4
Chi White Sox 7, Texas 6
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Francisco 4, San Diego 3
Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 2
Chi Cubs 4, Pittsburgh 0
St. Louis 9, Washington 3
Cincinnati 8, Colorado 6
Milwaukee 7, Arizona 5
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Connecticut 85, Seattle 79
Minnesota 67, Los Angeles 61
Dallas 85, Atlanta 73
(NEW YORK) — Chris Paul made major NBA headlines on Sunday as part of a reported blockbuster trade between the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards that includes him and Landry Shamet for Bradley Beal, according to ESPN.
The 12-time NBA All-Star told ABC News’ Good Morning America he was en route to New York City when he got the call about the trade.
“I was surprised, too,” Paul said with a laugh Monday on GMA. “I found out on the plane yesterday flying here. In this league anything can happen, so you just figure out what’s next.”
Three years before he was selected as the No. 4 NBA Draft pick by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005, Paul, then a high school senior, put up some impressive and meaningful points during a high school basketball game in honor of his grandfather Nathaniel “Papa” Jones — lovingly referred to as Papa Chilly — who was killed during a robbery attack at 61 years old.
“It was unbelievable. My grandfather was my best friend. I lost my grandmother when I was 7 to lung cancer, and when you have a best friend like that, it’s everything,” Paul said. “The way he was taken from me, and to score 61 points the day after his funeral, and actually come here [to ‘GMA’] right after — that was the first time I ever did some type of national interview — I was so nervous. I remember I had water and I was shaking. It’s crazy how life has come full circle.”
The two-time Olympian recently penned a new book, Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court, dedicated to his late grandfather, who helped raise him and shaped Paul as both a person and a player, he said.
“My grandfather taught me everything. He taught me discipline, taught me about hard work. He had the first Black-owned service station in North Carolina, so I used to change tires, check oil, do all these different things. He just always showed me and my brother the work, right? Regardless what happens, the results, it’s just all about the work,” Paul said.
The 38-year-old future hall of famer was putting in work long before his NBA days and said he’d actually “like to say ‘thank you'” to his high school varsity basketball coach, “because sometimes you can be given things just a little bit too early and it humbled me.”
“I practiced with JV and varsity every day. On JV, I got a chance to hone my confidence, to really build myself up. Then my junior year I was ready. So, Coach Layton, I appreciate you, know that,” he said.
The father of two, who has a 14-year-old son who’s currently at basketball summer camp and 10-year-old daughter who just got into basketball, added, “You just understand so much in life when you have kids — they are everything.”
Paul has also honed his leadership off the court: Last year, President Biden appointed him to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, under the U.S. Department of Education.
“I’m born and raised in Winston Salem, North Carolina, so I grew up around a lot of different HBCUs — I actually graduated from Winston Salem State University back in December,” he said. “And it’s just been really cool for me because as a kid, you only know what you know. So, when I started growing up and learning why HBCU’s are so important and why they are underfunded, I wanted to try to help as much as I could.”
