The 7-Foot-1 Mystery Who Just Became the Most Shocking NBA Draft Pick in Years
When the most shocking pick of the NBA draft heard his name called in the first round this week, it marked the end of a long basketball journey.
It also marked the beginning of another long journey—just to reach the stage to shake commissioner Adam Silver's hand.
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UPI
26 minutes ago
- UPI
Toronto Raptors fire president Masai Ujiri one day after NBA Draft
June 27 (UPI) -- The Toronto Raptors fired president and vice chairman Masai Ujiri, the franchise announced Friday, less than 12 hours after the 2025 NBA Draft and days before the start of free agency. Ujiri joined the Raptors as general manager in 2013 and helped them win their first and only title in 2019. The Raptors went 30-52 in 2024-25, failing to make the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. "During his 13 seasons with the Raptors, Masai has helped transform the organization on the court and has been an inspirational leader off it," said Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley said in a news release. "He brought an NBA Championship to Toronto and urged us to believe in this city, and ourselves. "We are grateful for all he has done and wish him and his family the very best. As we plan for the franchise's future, and its return to the NBA playoffs, a search for the successor as president of the Raptors, led by CAA executive search, will begin immediately." Ujiri, 54, previously worked as a scout for the Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets. He was hired for the first time as a general manager in 2010 by the Nuggets and went on to win Executive of the Year honors in 2013 before taking the Raptors job. The Raptors said Friday that general manager Bobby Webster and other key personnel will remain in place with extensions. "We are confident that the Raptors organization, under the guidance of Bobby and his team, is in a great place," Pelley said. "They have a plan in place for next season and beyond as the team continues its rebuild, and we have confidence in their ability to execute and ultimately, to excel. We feel the team is in a strong, stable place, and we believe the addition of a new president will continue to move the Raptors forward, towards our next NBA championship." The Raptors selected former South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles with the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday in Brooklyn. They picked up former Florida guard Alijah Martin in Thursday's second round.
Forbes
28 minutes ago
- Forbes
UFC 317 Fight Card: Odds, Lines, Prop Bets, Predictions And Picks
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Ilia Topuria of Germany and Charles Oliveira of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Saturday's UFC 317 fight card features two title fights at the top of the marquee. In the main event, two former champs battle for the vacant UFC lightweight belt. In that contest, former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria tangles with former UFC lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira. In the UFC 317 co-main event, UFC flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja faces Kai Kara-France. Also on the main card is a high-stakes 125-pound contest between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van. We look at the betting odds, line movement, potential prop bets, and picks for the UFC 317 main card. UFC 317 takes place on Saturday, June 28, from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view card is the focal point of the UFC's 2025 International Fight Week. The UFC 317 PPV fight card streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass. UFC 317 Fight Card Main Event: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions - Ilia Topuria Vs. Charles Oliveira LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Ilia Topuria of Germany and Charles Oliveira of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Ilia Topuria (16-0) is a former Cage Warriors champion. He joined the UFC in 2020 with a 9-0 record. It did not take him long to make a name for himself. He was ranked No. 14 in the featherweight division after three UFC bouts at 145 pounds and one contest in the 155-pound division. Three of those scraps ended with Topuria winning via knockout. In his first fight as a ranked featherweight, Topuria dispatched Bryce Mitchell via submission in the second round, earned his first 'Performance of the Night' bonus and moved to No. 9 in the rankings. A matchup with No. 5 ranked Josh Emmett followed the Mitchell win. Topuria picked up a decision in a 'Fight of the Night' scrap. Topuria's next fight, saw him face Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298. Topuria entered that bout as the No. 3 ranked featherweight. He left as the champion after knocking out Volkanovski in the second stanza. In his first defense of the UFC featherweight crown, Topuria made history, becoming the first fighter to finish former 145-pound champion Max Holloway via strikes, knocking out the ex-champion in the third round of their UFC 308 meeting in October 2024. When Topuria decided to move to lightweight and give up his featherweight title, he vowed to sit until he got a 155-pound title shot. That fight takes place at UFC 317. Topuria has a 16-0 record with eight of those wins coming under the UFC banner. Charles Oliveira (35-10-0-1) has been fighting with the UFC since 2010. He won the vacant lightweight title with his win over Chandler and defended the title once, beating Dustin Poirier. He was booked to face Justin Gaethje in his second title defense, but Oliveira missed weight for that fight, which he won by submission, losing the title on the scale. Oliveira had a chance to regain the belt in October 2022, but Islam Makhachev submitted him and claimed the vacant belt. Since that loss, Oliveira is 1-1, beating Beneil Dariush by TKO in June 2023 and losing to Arman Tsarukyan via split decision in April of this year. Oliveira is coming off a November 2024 decision win over Michael Chandler. Oliveira is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings. When the betting odds opened for this fight, Topuria was a -425 favorite over the +310 Oliveira. Today, Topuria is listed at -450, while Oliveira is the +350 underdog. The betting public seems to be invested in an upset, as Oliveira has 90 percent of the bets and 63 percent of the handle. ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26: Ilia Topuria of Spain reacts after a knockout victory ... More against Max Holloway in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Oliveira has had a fantastic UFC career, and that career is far from over. However, he is part of the 'old guard' of the UFC's lightweight division. That group of fighters includes the men Oliveira has beaten as of late: Michael Chandler, Beneil Dariush, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier. The fighters who are not in that group are the men who have defeated Oliveira, competitors such as Arman Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev. Ilia Topuria is part of that new generation. If Oliveira approaches this fight like he has been competing as of late, he will be in trouble. That means Oliveira cannot opt to strike in range against Topuria, who is a powerful striker with good footwork and finishing skills. Oliveira must fight at distance and keep Topuria from getting in close. Oliveira has not shown a willingness to fight that type of battle. The betting pick is for Ilia Topuria to beat Charles Oliveira to win the UFC lightweight title by knockout. UFC 317 Fight Card Co-Main Event: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions - Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil and Kai Kara-France of New ... More Zealand face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) is on a seven-fight winning streak heading into UFC 317. The 35-year-old Brazilian made his UFC debut in July 2017 with a split-decision win over Eric Shelton. Pantoja's career had its ups and downs over the next three years, where he went 5-3, but he has not lost since he dropped a decision to Askar Askarov in July 2020. Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title in July 2023 on the heels of two 'Performance of the Night' submission wins. Pantoja secured the 125-pound title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno. Since that victory, Pantoja has defended his three times, beating Brandon Royval in December 2023 and Steve Erceg in May 2024. Both fights ended in decision victories. Pantoja picked up his 19th career finish in his third title defense, submitting Kai Asakura at UFC 310 in December 2024. Kai Kara-France (25-11-0-1) was 17-7-0-1 when he got the call from the UFC in 2019. In his first fight with the promotion, the New Zealander faced a short-notice opponent in Elias Garcia. The two won 'Fight of the Night' honors for their efforts, with Kara-France picking up the decision win. Kara-France followed that victory with two more wins on the judge's scorecards. Then, in December 2019, he faced future champion Brandon Moreno on the early prelims of the UFC 245 pay-per-view card. Moreno won that bout by decision. Kara-France went 1-1 in his next two outings. He then tore off three straight wins between March 2021 and March 2022 and found himself as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the division. In his next outing, he faced Moreno, who was ranked No. 1, in the co-main event of UFC 277. At stake was the interim UFC flyweight title. Moreno won that contest by TKO in the third round. Kara-France followed that setback with a split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. Kara-France was booked to face Manel Kape in September 2023, but a concussion during training camp prevented Kara-France from competing on that card, UFC 293. The 32-year-old would not return to action until August 2024, where he earned a first-round TKO win, and a 'Performance of the Night' bonus against Steve Erceg. Kara-France enters UFC 317 as the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. The betting odds for the UFC 317 co-main event have held steady. Pantoja opened as the -250 favorite, while Kara-France came in at +200. The line is the same today. Kara-France has picked up 67 percent of the bets and 53 percent of the money. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil reacts to his win against Kai Asakura ... More of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) We're looking at a grappler vs. striking battle in the co-main event of UFC 317. The champ is the grappler and the challenger is the striker. These two fought in an exhibition match in 2016 during The Ultimate Fighter. Pantoja won that two-round affair by decision. Don't put much stock in that contest. Look for Pantoja to move forward and strike with Kara-France early, but then look for the takedown where he will be able to drag Kara-France into deep water and outwork him on the mat. Yes, Kara-France has a punchers chance, but not much more than that. The betting pick is for Pantoja to beat Kara-France by decision to retain the UFC flyweight title at UFC 317. UFC 317 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions: Beneil Dariush Vs. Renato Moicano LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Beneil Dariush of Iran and Renato Moicano of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) joined the UFC in January 2014. At the time, Dariush sported a 6-0 record with five stoppage wins. In his promotional debut, Dariush scored a first-round submission win over Charlie Brenneman. Three months later Dariush tasted defeat for the first time, suffering a knockout loss to Ramsey Nijem. Dariush bounced back from that loss with five wins in a row, besting the likes of Daron Cruickshank (submission), Jim Miller (decision) and Michael Johnson (decision). A submission loss to Michael Chiesa ended that winning streak in April 2016. Wins over James Vick (knockout) and Rashid Magomedov put Dariush's record at 14-2, but a rough patch between March 2017 and March 2018 left Dariush at 14-4-1 as he lost to Edson Barboza (knockout), fought to a draw with Evan Dunham and was knocked out by Alexander Hernandez. Dariush rebounded in a big way from that winless run, picking up eight straight victories between November 2018 and October 2022. The most significant win during Dariush's impressive run was his UFC 280 decision win over Mateusz Gamrot. Following that victory, Dariush found himself as the No. 4 ranked fighter in the official UFC rankings and matched up against former UFC 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 289. Oliveira entered the contest as the No. 1 ranked fighter in the promotion's lightweight division. Oliveira won the fight via TKO at 4:10 of the first round, ending Dariush's winning streak. A December 2023 knockout loss to Arman Tsarukyan put Dariush on the first losing skid of his career. He has not competed since the loss to Tsarukyan. Renato Moicano (20-6-1) was riding the first four-fight winning streak of his UFC career when he stepped in to face Makhachev at UFC 311. The 36-year-old opened his run with the promotion at 3-0 record between 2014 and 2017. Since then, Moicano has been up and down. He followed that by going 5-5 over his next 10 outings before beginning his current unbeaten streak in 2022. Moicano is 7-1 dating back to June 2021. His only loss prior to his UFC 311 setback to Makhachev was a March 2022 unanimous decision defeat to former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in a 160-pound catchweight battle. In April 2024, Moicano picked up his first knockout as a member of the UFC, decking Jalin Turner on the early prelims of the UFC 300 fight card. Then, in September 2024, the UFC tapped Moicano for the first main event of his UFC career against Benoît Saint Denis. That fight ended after the second round after Moicano left Saint Denis' face bloody and swollen. The damage Moicano put on his opponent forced the doctor to wave off the fight as Saint Denis' right eye was nearly swollen shut. Moicano enters UFC 317 as the No. 10 fighter in the UFC's 155-pound weight class. When the betting odds opened for this fight, Moicano was a -155 favorite over the +130 Dariush. Today, the bout is a pick 'em with Moicano at -115, and Dariush at -105. The bettors are looking for a Dariush win. He has 57 percent of the bets, and 79 percent of the money in his favor. AUSTIN, TEXAS - DECEMBER 02: Beneil Dariush of Iran prepares before his lightweight fight against ... More Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia during the UFC Fight Night event at Moody Center on December 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) We all know that in MMA a fighter is only as good as their most recent outing, or at least that's the logic that many follow. Had this fight been booked before Dariush's two recent losses, he would have likely have been the betting favorite. After all, he is the more skilled competitor in this bout. However, Dariush has lost two straight and Moicano, who might have been considered more of a journeyman than a legit lightweight contender before the winning streak that earned him a last-minute title fight, was on the best run of his UFC career before UFC 311. The betting pick is for Beneil Dariush to use his better overall MMA skills to pick up a decision win and end his losing skid. UFC 317 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions: Brandon Royval Vs. Joshua Van LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Brandon Royval and Joshua Van of Myanmar face off ... More during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Brandon Royval (17-7) joined the UFC in 2020 with a 10-4 record. At the time, Royval was coming off a November 2019 submission win over Nate Williams, earning him the LFA flyweight title. Royval did not get an easy matchup in his first UFC bout, as he was booked against former UFC flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott in a slight upset. The matchup won 'Fight of the Night' honors. Royval followed that win with another stoppage in another 'Fight of the Night' bonus-winning scrap, submitting the favored Kai Kara-France in the second round of their September 2020 matchup. Royval ended 2020 with a TKO loss to Brandon Moreno and began 2021 with a submission setback to Alexandre Pantoja. Both those men would go on to hold the UFC flyweight title. Bouncing back from those losses, Royval went on a three-fight winning streak, picking up another two performance-based bonuses. Then, in December 2023, he got a chance to avenge his submission loss to Pantoja in a matchup for Pantoja's title. That bout took place at UFC 296, and although Royval went the five-round distance, he was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision. Royval returned in the win column in February 2024 with a split decision triumph over Moreno in another five-round scrap. In October, Royval defeated the rising Tatsuro Taira in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card, beating the 25-year-old by split decision. The 32-year-old Royval has four knockout wins, nine submissions, and four decisions. Royval's losses have come by knockout (one), submission (one), and decision (five). Joshua Van (14-2) won the vacant Fury FC flyweight title in his eighth pro bout, submitting Cleveland McLean in the second round of that matchup. Not long after that, Van was booked to face Kevin Borjas on a Dana White's Contender Series Card, but the UFC plucked him from that event to face Zhalgas Zhumagulov in June 2024. Van won that contest by split decision. Van followed that victory with wins over Kevin Borjas and Felipe Burns. In July 2024, the UFC booked Van against the more experienced Charles Johnson. While Van had success in the first two rounds, he wilted under Johnson's pressure early in the third stanza. Johnson won the bout via knockout. Since that loss, Van has gone 4-0 with three decisions and in his most recent trip to the Octagon, a knockout. Van has looked better in each of his UFC fights and he seems ready to face high-level competition, but the No. 1 ranked contender? No one should question Van for accepting the opportunity to face Royval, but it could be too much too soon for the 23-year-old. Van has seven knockout wins, two submissions and five decisions. His losses have come by knockout and submission. When the odds opened for this fight, Royval was -115, while Van was -105. The lines have shifted. Today, Royval is +105 to Van's -125. Most of the bets (57 percent) are on Royval, while 57 percent of the money is on Van. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: Brandon Royval reacts after a victory against Tatsuro Taira of Japan ... More in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) First things first, Joshua Van has nothing to lose in this matchup and everything to gain. If he beats Royval, he gives himself an excellent chance to score a shot at the winner of the UFC 317 co-main event matchup between UFC flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara-France. If Van loses, he'll walk away from T-Mobile Arena with the type of high-level experience that he and his team can build upon to make him a better overall fighter. Under ideal circumstances, Van would have had a full camp to fight an opponent ranked between No. 5 and No. 10 following his UFC 316 win. But we know UFC fighters don't always get to compete under ideal circumstances, so Van and Royval find themselves in a fight that neither gets a real opportunity to prepare for. With the way this booking came to be, it benefits the more experienced and more well-rounded fighter, which is Royval. The betting pick is for Royval to hold onto his No. 1 ranking in the UFC flyweight division by turning away another young, rising prospect. Look for Royval to win via decision. UFC 317 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions: Payton Talbott Vs. Felipe Lima LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Payton Talbott and Felipe Lima of Brazil face off ... More during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Payton Talbott (9-1) joined the UFC in August 2023 when UFC CEO Dana White awarded him a deal for his decision win over Reyes Cortez Jr. on a Dana White's Contender Series card. With his win that night at the UFC Apex, Talbott moved to 6-0. At the time, White said, "Payton broke the record for significant strikes tonight, I think it was 145, in that ball park, I don't have the official number (145 of 282). "This kid is an absolute predator. He keeps moving forward. He seems unfazed by by everything that happened. He plays the mental game. He's talking to his opponent… Payton hit him (Cortez) with everything tonight. Big shots, combinations, leg kicks, head kicks, you name it. He's only 24 years old. 'If this kid can keep his head together, I can't wait to see him at 27' Talbott shined in his first three UFC bouts, picking up stoppage wins over Nick Aguirre (submission), Cameron Saaiman (TKO), and Yanis Ghemmour (KO). In his third outing with the promotion, the UFC decided to give Talbott a test, matching him up against a veteran competitor in Raoni Barcelos. Barcelos was a +675 betting underdog to Talbott, who was listed at -1050, at UFC 311. Barcelos picked up eight takedowns and nearly 10 minutes of control time and added two submission attempts during the matchup. Sure, Talbott had the better striking, but he had no answer for Barcelos's focus on getting the fight to the mat. Talbott appears to be skilled and coachable. At UFC 317, he gets the opportunity to show how he has improved his overall MMA game. Talbott does not turn 27 until September 9. Felipe Lima (14-1) joined the UFC in June 2024 as a late replacement for the injured Melsik Baghdasaryan against Muhammad Naimov. Lima, a former Oktagon MMA bantamweight champ, was training for a defense of that title when he accepted the call from the UFC to compete at 145. Lima ended Naimov's six-fight winning streak via submission on that night, earning a 'Performance of the Night' bonus in the process. Lima followed that with a December 2024 decision win over Miles Johns on the UFC Tampa card. Lima lost his first professional fight in 2015, but the 27-year-old is undefeated since then with 14 consecutive wins. Lima opened as the -180 betting favorite over the +145 Talbott. Today, Lima is -190, while Talbott checks in at +155. Talbott has picked up 82 percent of the bets for this contest and 73 percent of the handle. TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 14: Felipe Lima of Brazil prepares to face Miles Johns in a featherweight ... More fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Talbott has a lot to prove on Saturday. He went from being a +1050 favorite in his last fight to a +165 underdog in this matchup because Barcelos showed that the young man was not a well-rounded competitor. It's now up to Talbott to show that he deserved the hype he had heading into that Barcelos matchup. As for Lima, this is a fight that could allow him to steal some of the shine that Talbott had on him. Lima is a well-rounded fighter who has good wrestling and strong striking. Plus, the wins he has picked up in the UFC are better than the wins Talbott has. From what we've seen, Lima is the better all-around fighter in this matchup, and unless Talbott has done a 180 on his grappling, Lima should get the decision win at UFC 317. *Odds via BetMGM UFC 317 Fight Card Popular Prop Bets To Consider Charles Oliveira by Submission +650 Charles Oliveira by KO/TKO or DQ +1100 Ilia Topuria by KO/TKO or DQ -175 Charles Oliveira by Decision/Technical Decision +1400 Ilia Topuria in round 2 +400 *All bets and odds via BetMGM UFC 317 Fight Card: Date Saturday, June 28, 2025 UFC 317 Fight Card: Location T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV UFC 317 Fight Card: How to Watch Or Stream Main Card: ESPN+ PPV Preliminary Card: ESPN and ESPN+ Early Prelims: UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ UFC 317 Fight Card: Fight Card Time Early Prelims: 6:00 p.m. ET Prelims: 8:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET We will have more on the UFC 317 fight card as the event nears. Also, look for live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 317 pay-per-view card on fight night.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT Sports to Stop Producing Content for NBA TV at End of 2024-25 Season
Warner Bros. Discovery's partnership with NBA TV is coming to an end as TNT Sports will no longer produce content for the basketball league's cable network, an individual familiar with the matter tells TheWrap. After managing NBA TV's operations for nearly two decades, TNT Sports chairman and CEO Luis Silberwasser said Warner and the NBA 'mutually decided to part ways at the end of the 2024-25 season.' 'We made several proposals to continue to provide services and operate the NBA TV network and related digital assets. However, we were unable to agree on a path forward that recognized the value of our expertise, quality content and operational excellence that our fans and partners have come to expect from TNT Sports,' Silberwasser said in a memo to staff. 'We will work closely with the NBA on a transition plan for the league to assume the responsibility of programming and operating NBA TV and which will be effective Oct. 1.' A spokesperson for the NBA did not immediately return TheWrap's request for comment. The end of the collaboration, which first began in 2008, comes after the NBA struck new media rights deals with Amazon, NBCUniversal/Peacock and Disney's ESPN/ABC last year. TNT Sports had been a national rights holder with the NBA since 1984. However, the NBA's relationship with TNT Sports will continue. After settling WBD's rights dispute with the league, TNT Sports and its portfolio of brands were given a global license to create, produce and distribute new and existing NBA content across its platforms. The agreement includes expanded global content and highlight rights for TNT Sports, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, with the ability to produce and distribute NBA content across the WBD portfolio, along with promotion, sales and creative commitments across both NBA and WBD platforms. It also gives WBD international rights to NBA games in Northern Europe and Latin America, excluding Mexico and Brazil. Additionally, TNT is licensing its 'Inside the NBA' show to ESPN. The news also comes as Warner Bros. Discovery is gearing up to separate its global linear networks business from its streaming and studios business in 2026. Global Networks will include CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., Discovery, top free-to-air channels across Europe, Discovery+ and Bleacher Report (B/R). It will retain a 20% stake in the studios and streaming business to help the company deleverage and is expected to take the majority of WBD's roughly $37 billion in gross debt. The Studios & Streaming business will include Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO and HBO Max, Warner Bros. Games, Tours, Retail and Experiences, as well as studio production facilities in Burbank and Leavesden. 'The U.S. sports rights will reside at the Global Networks, and its management team will determine how best to monetize the streaming and digital rights over time,' WBD chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels told investors on a call earlier this month. 'Internationally, sports will largely coexist, both on linear and streaming, as they do today.' 'Inside the U.S., sports have been less critical,' WBD CEO David Zaslav added. 'It's viewed, but it hasn't been a real driver for us. So it will continue to be on HBO Max, but the Global Networks business will evaluate over time where the best place for that is.' The post Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT Sports to Stop Producing Content for NBA TV at End of 2024-25 Season appeared first on TheWrap.
