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Newsweek
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Sheamus Predicts Released Superstar Will Return To WWE
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE Superstar Sheamus has directly addressed the recent fan disappointment surrounding the news that R-Truth's WWE contract is not being renewed. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday, "The Celtic Warrior" offered a his perspective. He thinks R-Truth's WWE story is far from over and also commented on Carlito's similar situation. The conversation came about when Pat McAfee noted how difficult it is for WWE fans when popular Superstars depart unexpectedly. "The fans get to know who that person is and they fall in love with the character.. R-Truth is one of the most beloved because he's one of the most entertaining.. There's no way he isn't gonna come back at some point" ~ @WWESheamus #PMSLive — Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 4, 2025 Sheamus acknowledged the strong bond WWE fans form with performers. "Sometimes people don't know... from a perspective of what we do—entertainment—it's about entertaining the fans," Sheamus explained. "And people... from our perspective, the fans get to know who that person is. They get to fall in love with the character and the personality. With Truth, for example—he's one of the most beloved because he's one of the most entertaining." More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Sheamus then fondly recalled his own early history with the veteran. "I had my first dark match against him when I came up in '07, I think. '08 I joined—'07/'08... he had just come back after he was with the company, went to TNA, and came back again," Sheamus shared (H/T to Fightful). Sheamus makes his entrance during Monday Night RAW at Moda Center on September 16, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. Sheamus makes his entrance during Monday Night RAW at Moda Center on September 16, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. WWE/Getty Images "So we had a dark match together on the road, and from then we bonded. That fella walks in the dressing room and it's just... laugh. He's got a contagious laugh that would just light up the room." Despite the current news of R-Truth's contract expiring, Sheamus emphasized that departures in wrestling are often not permanent. "But there's no way of knowing. You just gotta go out there and do what you can," he said of a wrestler's career. "Sometimes you can't tell when that time is. But a lot of guys come back though—that's the wrestling business." He then delivered a strong message of hope specifically for R-Truth's supporters. "And it's not the end. It's not the end," Sheamus stated. "So many people—so many guys and girls—have left and come back. It's not the end. Sometimes it's a bit of a break. There's no way Truth's not going to come back at some stage. I'm sure you'll see him again. A Hall of Famer. He's definitely a pillar." Sheamus extended this optimism to Carlito, whose contract is also reportedly not being renewed. "And the same with Carlito. Carlito was gone for a while, he came back," Sheamus noted. "It's not the end. If you truly want to find your way back, you'll find your way back. It's not the end for anybody." More WWE News:
New York Times
18-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Deni Avdija thriving for Trail Blazers after last summer's ‘very hard' trade from Wizards
PORTLAND, Ore. — As the Moda Center blared Queen's 'Another One Bites the Dust' in celebration of the Portland Trail Blazers' comfortable 112-97 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night, Deni Avdija walked from the Trail Blazers' bench toward midcourt to say hello to and hug his ex-teammates. Advertisement There was only one problem: In a sign of how thoroughly the Wizards' roster has been transformed, only seven of Avdija's former teammates remain on the roster. Tristan Vukčević said hello, and hugs and conversations followed with Bilal Coulibaly and Jordan Poole. But gone are veterans from last year's roster such as Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones and Landry Shamet. Anthony Gill, one of Avdija's best friends in Washington, greeted his pal and also introduced Avdija to Bub Carrington. On draft night last June, the Wizards traded Avdija to the Blazers for Carrington's draft rights, Malcolm Brogdon, a 2029 first-round pick and two future second-round picks. 'I just wanted to make sure there was nothing there,' Gill told The Athletic about introducing Avdija and Carrington. 'A lot of people on social media say different things about, 'Someone was traded just so that this person could come into the organization.' (Those are) two great men right there, and I wanted them to meet. Deni was a big part of what this organization was building before. Bub is now (a big part of what we're building). I would love for them to meet, and maybe that way, the next time we come into town, we can all go eat together.' Avdija is thriving in his new digs, emerging as perhaps the young Blazers' best all-around player. His performance Monday was middling by his recent standards; he contributed only 15 points, six rebounds and two assists, all below his season averages. Then again, Portland didn't need much from him, or anyone else. Washington, which had been surging, took definitive steps to protect its lottery odds, holding out Poole and Khris Middleton from the second half and not playing backup center Richaun Holmes. The trade from Washington is not something the usually affable Avdija enjoys talking about. Before the 2023-24 regular season, he and the Wizards reached a rookie-scale contract extension, which kicked in this season, worth $55 million over four years. At the time he inked that extension, and for months afterward, Avdija considered his new deal as a vote of confidence in him, and rightly so. Advertisement The draft-night trade stunned him — and hurt him. In an Instagram story that he posted shortly after the trade, he wrote: 'Dc u will forever be in my heart' and included a broken-heart emoji. When asked about the trade on Sunday, after the Blazers' win over the Toronto Raptors, he said, 'It was nighttime at my place (in Israel), and I woke up. I saw I got traded, and it was very hard for me. All the friendships that I had with the guys there, the city, the fans — it all just disappeared in a second. But everything's for the good. I feel like I found a nice home in Portland.' He also took the high road, saying, 'I can only control how I play, how I practice, how I prepare myself for the season. If people wanted to trade me, it's above my paycheck, you know what I'm saying? I don't control it. I just do whatever I can to win games. That's about it.' It took him a little while to adjust to a new team, but he found his groove. On March 10 against Golden State, he scored 34 points on 11-of-15 shooting, collected 16 rebounds and distributed six assists. He followed up two days later versus New York with a 27-point, 15-rebound, five-assist game. Late in Sunday's victory over Toronto, he extended Portland's lead to 98-95 on a magnificent driving dunk as he absorbed a foul. 'We've let him have a lot more responsibility with the ball, and he keeps proving to get better and better at it,' Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. 'He's like a one-man fast break when he gets the ball. Some of these things, I didn't even know about when we got him, because we only played him twice a year, so I didn't know that much. But he's been a pleasant surprise. The fire that he plays with, I think, takes our team to another level. The edge that he plays with, the toughness that he plays with — we need it.' Advertisement Washington has missed Avdija's one-on-one defensive ability, rebounding and playmaking. His toughness has been filled by this season's trade-deadline acquisitions of Middleton and Marcus Smart and the elevation of Holmes into the backup center role. The Wizards also miss the camaraderie Avdija brought to their locker room. 'We were always together,' Coulibaly said. 'Me, him and A.G. (Anthony Gill) going to dinner together and all that. On and off the court, he was helping me all the time.' Coulibaly and Gill said they spent time with Avdija on Sunday night, after the Wizards arrived in Portland from Denver and after the Blazers faced the Raptors. 'It's such a blessing, honestly, to be able to see him,' Gill said. 'He brings so much joy. He brought so much joy to this organization.' Avdija remains close with coach Brian Keefe and with the Wizards' support staff. '(He has an) infectious personality,' Keefe said. 'I loved his care about the game, how much time he put into it and how much better he got during the year (last season). I really enjoyed watching him progress.' Now the Trail Blazers and fans in Portland are enjoying that progression for themselves. Sign up to get The Bounce, the essential NBA newsletter from Zach Harper and The Athletic staff, delivered free to your inbox.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tennessee basketball signee selected for 2025 Nike Hoop Summit
Tennessee women's basketball signee Deniya Prawl has been selected to participate in the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit. The world's top talent will join forces to face teams from the United States, including several who won gold medals last summer at the FIBA U17 World Cup and the FIBA U18, and will represent the high school graduating classes of 2025. The World team features 19 and under players across six continents. The event will take place April 12 at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon and can be watched on USA Network and Peacock. Tipoff for the women's game is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT. Prawl, a a native of Toronto, Canada, plays high School basketball at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. She was named a 2025 McDonald's All-American. Prawl is one of the top-rated prep basketball players in the class of 2025, ranking No. 6 by 247 Sports and No. 14 by ESPN. This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Tennessee basketball signee to play in Nike Hoop Summit
