© The Associated Press Venus Williams of the United States returns to Japan's Naomi Osaka during their Women's Singles Match on day five at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London Friday, July 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Tennis star Venus Williams legally entered an intersection but was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car, police say video released Friday shows.

The video, taken by a security camera, shows Williams heading north as she stops her 2010 Toyota Sequoia SUV at a stoplight behind a white car as she exits her Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood shortly after 1 p.m. June 9.

When the light turns green, the white car turns left onto a six-lane, heavily traveled boulevard, but Williams heads straight. A dark colored sedan turns left in front of her, causing her to stop.

She then continues straight into the far, westbound lanes, where her SUV is struck in the passenger's side by a 2016 Hyundai sedan driven by Linda Barson.

Palm Beach Gardens police said in a statement Friday that Barson's light had turned green just before Williams moved in front of her. Barson's 78-year-old husband, Jerome Barson, died June 22 from injuries suffered in the crash.

Williams, who was not hurt, has not been cited or charged. Police spokesman Maj. Paul Rogers said Friday the video has caused investigators to rescind their original conclusion that Williams was at fault and that no blame has yet been determined.

Jerome Barson's estate has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Williams seeking unspecified damages. Linda Barson, 68, suffered numerous fractures to her arm.

Williams, 37, is now in England competing at Wimbledon, a tournament she has won five times. The 10th-seeded Williams, who has won her first three matches, broke down in tears Monday when asked at a press conference about the crash.

Michael Steinger, the attorney for the Barson family, said the video shows Williams caused the crash by "violating the Barsons' right of way. "

"There is nothing that disputes Ms. Williams' was in the intersection on a red light, and the witnesses clearly confirm the Barsons had a green light and lawfully entered the intersection," Steinger said in a statement.

Williams' attorney, Malcolm Cunningham, disagreed, saying in a statement that Linda Barson was at fault.

Williams "had the right to proceed through the intersection and other vehicles including those with a red light changing to green, were obligated to yield the right-of-way," Cunningham said, adding, "she remains deeply saddened by the loss suffered by the Barson family and continues to keep them in her thoughts and prayers."

Williams has career on-court earnings of more than $34 million and her own clothing line, EleVen. According to Forbes Magazine, she also has endorsement deals with Ralph Lauren, Kraft foods, Tide detergent and Wilson sporting goods.

Her younger sister, Serena Williams, the world's fourth-ranked women's player, is sitting out Wimbledon as she is pregnant with her first child.

8:59 AM

Read more »

     
   Think about the LeBron James rumors over the past few weeks. Most of them have involved the Lakers next summer, and they give way to several stages of reactions. The first: "Really? C'mon. Stop." It takes a few days and maybe one cap-clearing Timofey Mozgov trade to get past that stage. Then the questions get more practical: "OK, but could he get away with leaving Cleveland a second time?" People loathe Dan Gilbert enough to find a way to blame him for this, so let's say yes. Then the question turns to basketball: "But if LeBron leaves, why would he ever, ever, ever go to the West?" Trying to answer that question eventually leads to an even tougher one: "OK. But if LeBron wanted to leave Cleveland and stay in the East, where would he even go?" That question stuck with me in the aftermath of the Paul George trade Friday, and it hit me again when Paul Millsap signed with the Nuggets Sunday night. I understand the people who say that more superstars should push for moves to the East because it's wide open. It makes sense. The problem is that none of these teams have been competent enough to earn a superstar's trust.

Eastern Conference incompetence has been a joke for the better part of 20 years, but it's official as of this weekend. There are memes and everything. Of the 20 best players in the NBA, there are four who play in the East: LeBron, Giannis, Wall, Kyrie. You could probably include Isaiah Thomas as well, but either way, roughly 75% of the league's superstars will be in the West next season. It's a bloodbath out there, and the East looks like Division 1-AA by comparison.

To understand we got here, the George trade itself is telling. The Pacers could not have handled that situation worse over the past five months. They fumbled it first by refusing to acknowledge George's discontent in February, then by apparently panicking and grabbing an underwhelming OKC offer. In the end they came away looking hamfisted and clueless, and it would have been baffling if it weren't a note-for-note sequel to what the Bulls did with Jimmy Butler a week earlier. And the story for both teams—one team buying up Victor Oladipo stock, another trying to convince fans that Kris Dunn has lottery pick potential—helps explain how this entire conference has gone off the rails.

Teams in the East have suffered from consistently, amazingly mediocre management during an NBA era where smart management has become more important than ever. That's how 75% of the league's superstars end up in one conference.

Put yourself in LeBron's shoes. A return to Miami is off the table (because Riley), and Boston isn't happening (because LeBron in Boston isn't happening). Beyond the Celtics and Heat, how many other teams in the East would you entrust with your future? The Cavs could've made the list, but they fired David Griffin a week before free agency and still don't have a GM. The Bucks have Giannis as a building block, but reading that "the other owners and their attorneys double-checked the team's ownership agreement" doesn't scream stability. Meanwhile, the Knicks are in New York City, but the Knicks are the Knicks. The Nets are hopeless.

Elsewhere, teams like the Pistons and Magic are even sadder than Brooklyn. The Hornets are talking themselves into Dwight Howard in 2017. This is the East.

                                                       © Ron Hoskins/Getty Images

   Some of this is luck. Derrick Rose was the youngest MVP in league history before injuries derailed his career and a potential 5–7 years of Bulls contention. The Pacers could've spent five or six years building around Danny Granger and Paul George, but Granger's body fell apart. No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett was out of shape for his entire career, while Joel Embiid has been hurt for most of his. Likewise, had the Warriors won the 2016 Finals, there's a good chance Kevin Durant lands with the Celtics last summer. That's another title contender, and Durant's presence alone could've silenced any national worries about the East.

But even if Durant had gone to Boston, it wouldn't have prevented the mistakes made in Chicago the past 12 months, or Indiana stubbornly ignoring the writing on the wall with George. The mediocrity would've been easier to ignore with KD-LeBron battles to distract us, but all the problems have been the same for years.

If there's a baseline among teams in the East, it's a lack of self-awareness that manifests as impatience. Maybe it's because the conference is always mediocre enough for decent teams to trick themselves into thinking they're closer to contending than they really are. In any case, teams like the Bulls and Pacers have spent the past few years clinging to broken rosters, and spending on short-term solutions that never made sense. They are not alone.

The Knicks had one smart, conservative summer—drafting Kristaps, signing Robin Lopez and Aaron Afflalo to reasonable deals—and they followed that by trading for Derrick Rose and giving Joakim Noah $73 million the following year. The Wizards responded to a surprising playoff run a few years ago by ignoring obvious Randy Wittman flaws and extending a bad coach who stunted the growth of their best players, and may have cost them a chance at Durant last summer. When Durant turned the Wiz down, they spent KD's money on Ian Mahinmi—a sentence that will only get more amazing as years pass. In Detroit, the Pistons gave Reggie Jackson a max deal, traded for Tobias Harris, and went all-in on a nucleus that still hasn't broken 45 wins and probably never will.

The Raptors talked themselves into DeMarre Carroll and could never talk themselves out of Jonas Valanciunas, and they're currently doing everything they can to trade either one. The Bucks traded a Lakers lottery pick for Michael Carter-Williams. The Hawks refused to trade Al Horford, waffled on paying him when he hit free agency, then lost him for nothing. Then they lived the exact same timeline with Millsap. Meanwhile, the Hornets are all-in with Kemba Walker, Nic Batum, Marvin Williams, and Dwight Howard, a sentence that almost certainly ends with a first-round playoff loss. I still have no idea what the Magic were trying to do last year, but you could say that after every Orlando season for the past five years.

Running an NBA team isn't easy. It's also not as hard as teams in the East have made it look. So many of these franchises are making the exact same mistakes and selling fans on hope that isn't rooted in any kind of reality. When almost every team in one conference settles for half-baked solutions, it's only a matter of time before they all look depressing.

There are three outliers in the East. First, the Sixers. Obviously. Sam Hinkie turned patience into its own extremist religion. It wasn't always rational or well-executed, the degree of self-awareness was debatable, and I don't know if I would recommend trying The Process at home. But it could very well pay off if Embiid is healthy, and the plan makes sense with Markelle Fultz on board. As it stands now, the rest of the conference has made so many mistakes that Philly could make the playoffs by default. What's interesting is that Jerry Colangelo isn't reacting to the opportunity like an Eastern Conference GM. Instead of jumping at the chance to be decent and overpaying someone like J.J. Redick on a multi-year deal that could've limited them down the line, the Sixers really overpaid him on a one-year, $23 million deal. It allows them to get help immediately, take their shot at the playoffs and see what they have, but keep their options open for next summer and beyond. It's bold, but smart, which feels like a minor revolution next to the rest of the conference. Then there are the Celtics and Heat. Both teams are among the smartest in basketball, and they've navigated the post-title rebuilding process faster than anyone could've expected. This probably deserves a longer conversation, but Gordon Hayward has to sign with one of them. Right?

This is where we end. The Jazz have an uphill battle to even make the conference finals the next few years, and the East can't be this irrelevant forever. Hayward has to sign with the Celtics or Heat this week. As much as skill plays a role in how conferences shake out, luck is important too, and the East is due.

(Of course, LeBron could still go to L.A. next summer.)

This article was originally published on SI.com

Related slideshow: NBA free agents on the move (Provided by USA TODAY)

                                      NBA free agency: Players on the move

10:57 AM

Read more »

The 2017 Confederations Cup kicks-off with hosts Russia facing underdogs New Zealand in the tournament’s opening fixture on Saturday 17th June. The two sides are joined by the champions of Europe and North America, Portugal and Mexico, respectively. But who are the group favourites, key men, and leaders of these four nations, as they bid for international glory just 12 months before the 2018 World Cup gets underway?

Russia – The Hosts

FIFA World Ranking: 63

As hosts of the World Cup, Russia have also qualified automatically for the 2017 Confederations Cup, an honour which they will also benefit from in 12 months’ time.

And, having exited the 2016 European Championships at the group stage, accumulating just one point and playing some of the poorest football of all sides at the competition, such qualification was certainly something of a luxury for the 63rd best team on the planet.

Russia will be missing key men as they host the 2017 Confederations Cup, such as Alan Dzagoev - who also missed the Euros last summer – and Roman Zobnin to injury, while manager Stanislav Cherchesov has opted against selecting 26-year-old striker Aleksandr Kokorin, even after the Zenit man netted his nation’s only goal in a 2-1 friendly defeat to the Czech Republic this month.

Key Man: Fyodor Smolov

The Krasnodar striker has netted 18 times in just 22 appearances this season, and will be relied on for more goals, should his side have any hope of progressing to the knockout stages.

Striker Fyodor Smolov will lead the line for Russia at the 2017 Confederations Cup.

Coach: Stanislav Cherchesov

The former USSR goalkeeper was appointed in August 2016 with the objective of reaching the semi-finals of his country’s own World Cup Finals less than two years later.

New Zealand – Champions of Oceania

FIFA World Ranking: 95

Regular participants in Confederations Cup competitions, New Zealand have again qualified as champions of the Oceania region.

The All Whites have traditionally struggled in major international competitions, and, with regular captain and star man Winston Reid injured, it is their defence that could struggle against some of the best attacking players in world football.

However, one thing that New Zealand do boast is a talented front line, with the likes of Kosta Barbarouses and Marco Rojas regular service suppliers to key man Chris Wood, who finished an exceptional season in club football as the top scorer in the English Championship.

Key Man: Chris Wood

After a string of disappointing seasons in Championship football with Leicester City and Ipswich Town, Wood has taking the division by storm since signing for Leeds United on 1 July 2015, netting 43 times in the past two seasons, 30 of which came from 47 appearances this campaign.

Coach: Anthony Hudson

New Zealand’s English Head Coach, Anthony Hudson, has transformed this traditionally rugby-playing nation into one which takes the sport of football incredibly seriously. The son of former England international Alan Hudson, Anthony refuses to downplay his side’s potential.

Portugal – Champions of Europe

FIFA World Ranking: 8

Winners of Euro 2016 thanks to a wonderful extra-time winner from striker Eder, Portugal are one of the surprise qualifiers for the 2017 Confederations Cup, and will be making their competition debut as they line-up against Mexico on 18 June.

The Portuguese are also three points away from pace-setters Switzerland in FIFA World Cup Qualifying, and, with only one team securing an automatic place from each European qualification group, the European Champions are some way from guaranteeing their spot at the finals.

Portugal failed to win a match in normal time in France this time last year, and they are unlikely to play the type of football required to light up the Confederations Cup this time around, relying on solid defensive displays under the guidance of former Greece boss Fernando Santos.

Key Man: Cristiano Ronaldo

A Selecção’s star man needs no introduction, and the want-away Real Madrid striker finished the season in breath-taking form, scoring yet another hat-trick for his club as they lifted a record 12th Champions League title to partner La Liga glory.

Cristiano Ronaldo may be eyeing a move back to Manchester United this summer, but first he will attempt to guide Portugal to the 2017 Confederations Cup title.

Coach: Fernando Santos

Manager Fernando Santos achieved a feat no one before him was capable of by winning a major international tournament with Portugal 12 months ago. Do not expect too much to change from Santos’ side this time out.

Mexico – Champions of North America

FIFA World Ranking: 17

Consistently the number one nation in North America, Mexico have qualified for a second successive Confederations Cup and a seventh in the competition's 25-year history.

El Tri will be hoping to improve on the three points they accumulated four years ago, which led to a disappointing elimination at the first hurdle.

Currently sitting in pole position to qualify for the 2018 World Cup Finals, Mexico are one of only two nations in this group who can be confident of a return to Russia in 12 months time.

Should the 1999 winners get the result they are hoping for against group favourites Portugal in their opening fixture, boss Juan Carlos Osorio will be confident of guiding this squad into at least the semi-finals this time around.

Key Man: Javier Hernandez

Better known as ‘Chicharito’ to football fans the world over, Javier Hernandez has recently become his nation’s all-time record goal scorer, having netted number 47 in a friendly against Chile less than a month ago.

Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio

A former Colombian international, Osorio has enjoyed an exceptional couple of years in charge of Mexico, boasting a 75% win record that includes just one competitive defeat, while also uniting a talented squad yet fiery squad since taking over from Miguel Herrera in 2015.

Former New York Red Bulls Head Coach Juan Carlos Osorio has enjoyed great success with Mexico in his two years in charge of the national team.

12:43 PM

Read more »

Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks summer keeps getting more complicated. We first hear about all these free-agents not wanting to play in NY because of Phil Jackson and the triangle. Now there are reports by Brian Windhorst that the Cavs could potentially be a destination for Melo if he gets bought-out. Jackson has already said that Melo is comfortable with where he is, so I don't think Melo will waive his no trade clause anytime soon. What does that mean for the Knicks?

It comes down to this for the Knicks, they either can wait out Melo, hoping that with struggles he may waive his no-trade clause or buy him out, which means they can use the provision rule and spread the money over a few years. I don't think buying him out is the right way because it hurts the franchise going forward. I would rather pay Melo and let him walk at the end of the year. If the Cavs want him, they need to trade for him thats how the Knicks should play it. Plus you add in the fact that LeBron has come out against the Knicks franchise on a few occasions, we should not be looking to help him. We know he wants Melo in Cleveland to help against the Warriors, so don't make it easy and just give him for free.

The Knicks have to stay firm, there is no point paying Melo and getting rid of him, it gets added to the books for next handful of years and who knows where the franchise will be then, we may need the cap. The people arguing that Melo would hurt the tanking process there is a solution for that, they don't need to play him. They could easily just bench him or cut his minutes. In no way should the Knicks feel that they are not in control. Yes Melo has a no-trade clause and that hurts our chances of trading him but for Melo he gets a year older, one less year to compete for a title and next year with his age and his struggles on defense not many contenders will look to sign him at the amount he is looking for. There is pressure on Melo to look to get out of NY this year.

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

• Knick fans have to realize there is no trade market for Melo. Sure, if he waives his no-trade clause there will be some teams that may consider a trade but the biggest issue is that Melo makes a lot of money and gets 15% more in a trade, so its very hard for another team to match that. It has become obvious that the Knicks should just play the contract out and use the cap space as their reward. Buying him out would be a weak move because you would be giving him what he wants after he would not waive his no-trade clause to help the franchise trade him. To me buying him out is not a solution as it does not help the Knicks in any way.

10:58 AM

Read more »

Cristiano Ronaldo has been under the scanner for allegedly evading taxes. After news broke out of the Portuguese superstar defrauding tax authorities, there has been speculation regarding the forward’s future in Spain and he has even been linked with a mega transfer to former club Manchester United.
However, things seem to have simmered down after club president Florentino Perez spoke to the player and now, Spanish public broadcaster TVE has reported that the player will pay the Spanish treasury, a sum of €14.7 million “as a gesture of goodwill”. The report added that despite deciding to pay the said sum, Ronaldo will continue to deny any wrongdoing, and will equally continue to “litigate to prove his innocence”.

The Spanish authorities have actively been finding tax wrongdoings involving notable names in football. Recently, former Real Madrid manager José Mourinho was accused by prosecutors of defrauding Spain of €3.3m (£2.9m; $3.6m) in taxes while he was Real Madrid coach from 2011 to 2012.

Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho are both clients of the football agent Jorge Mendes. Other Mendes clients being investigated for alleged tax evasion while playing in La Liga include Ricardo Carvalho, Ángel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao.
Contrary to both Ronaldo and Mourinho, Di Maria has admitted to two counts of tax fraud and has been given a suspended one-year jail sentence and fined £1.76m for tax fraud in Spain during his four-year spell with Real Madrid between 2010 and 2014, related to his image rights. The PSG forward will almost definitely not spend any time in jail for the same reason Lionel Messi wouldn’t – in Spain, sentences of under two years are suspended providing the convicted person has no

3:36 PM

Read more »

Adnan Januzaj set to join Real Sociedad this summer

Belgian winger Adnan Januzaj is all set to leave Manchester United permanently this summer. Januzaj has failed to impress Jose Mourinho so far and the young midfielder is no …

[Continue Reading...]

Tottenham looking to sign Fiorentina midfielder Matias Vecino

Tottenham are interested in signing the Fiorentina midfielder Matias Vecino this summer. According to Tuttomercatoweb, The 25-year-old midfielder had a very good season in Serie A last year and …

[Continue Reading...]

Barcelona teenage star Jordi Mboula joins Monaco on five-year deal

Chris David 21 June, 2017

AS Monaco have confirmed they have completed the signing of Jordi Mboula from Barcelona on Wednesday. The 18-year-old striker, who has a Congolese father and a Spanish mother came …

[Continue Reading...]

Ronaldo to pay €14.7 million “as a gesture of goodwill” to Spanish treasury

Aakriti Mehrotra 21 June, 2017

Amidst tax fraud speculation, Cristiano Ronaldo to pay the Spanish treasury a sum of €14.7 million "as a gesture of goodwill".

[Continue Reading...]

Bayern Munich fire warning to Chelsea and Manchester United amid Robert Lewandowski exit reports

Ashish Thakur 21 June, 2017

Bayern Munich have warned off clubs making approach to sign their Polish star striker Robert Lewandowski. According to Sky Sports, Chelsea and Manchester United have held preliminary talks to discuss a …

[Continue Reading...]

Swansea City set to sign Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham on loan

Sai 21 June, 2017

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is all set to join Swansea City on loan for next season. According to BBC, the highly talented 19-year-old forward was a target for Newcastle …

[Continue Reading...]

Mexico boss gives defence for long-standing homophobic chant used by fans

Aakriti Mehrotra 21 June, 2017

Mexico's football federation (FMF) has made a strong appeal to its fans at the Confederations Cup in Russia and asked them to stop using the chant which has been …

[Continue Reading...]

Manchester City agree new deal with Tosin Adarabioyo

Sai 21 June, 2017

Manchester City have agreed on a new deal with the highly talented young defender Tosin Adarabioyo. The Premier League giants have confirmed the agreement on their official website. Tosin …

[Continue Reading...]

Leeds United keen on signing Ezgjan Alioski

John Blake 21 June, 2017

Leeds United have made it clear they will back their new manager, Thomas Christiansen, in the summer transfer window. The Whites agonisingly came close to securing a play-off berth …

[Continue Reading...]

Tottenham eyeing Ricardo Pereira as potential Kyle Walker replacement

Soccerlens 20 June, 2017

Porto defender Ricardo Pereira is among the player consider by Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino as the possible replacement for Kyle Walker, should the England international leave the north London …

[Continue Reading...]

Torino provide transfer update on Manchester United target Andrea Belotti

Ashish Thakur 20 June, 2017

Torino chief Urbano Cairo has reiterated the club’s desire to keep hold of their star striker Andrea Belotti this summer. After scoring 28 goals in Serie A last season, Belotti has …

[Continue Reading...]

Newcastle United should consider making a move for Alfie Mawson

John Blake 20 June, 2017

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly shown an interest in signing Swansea City’s highly rated defender, Alfie Mawson, this summer. According to reports from The Sun, Spurs will make an offer in …

3:26 PM

Read more »

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

       With reports that the Philadelphia 76ers will sign Markelle Fultz with the acquisition of the Celtics #1 pick, Lonza Ball will likely be available for the Los Angeles Lakers to sign at the #2 pick. However, word has travelled that the Lakers were unimpressed with his performance in workouts, especially after the promise from Lavar Ball about how great his son was. Lonzo's conditioning was questionable for a Lakers team that is built on their young core's fast-paced offense. So, does this mean that Lonzo Ball needs to hit the road and beg for other teams to take him?

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

      To answer that, let's look at what exactly Lonzo Ball brings to the table. As a 6'6 point guard, Lonzo possesses the ability to match up against some of the smaller guards in the NBA, as well as survey the court with a broader vision of what's happening around him. As a Freshman, Ball led the NCAA in both Assists per game (7.6) and total Assists (274). He was also the recipient of various awards and accolades during his brief NCAA career, being named First Team All-American, First Team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and more.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

    Yet, it's not always about what a player brings to a table, but more importantly which table he brings it to. The Los Angeles Lakers ranked #24 in the NBA for total Assists per game for the 2016-2017 season, posting only 20.9 Assists per game as a team. Furthermore, their Assist leader, Point Guard D'Angelo Russell posted only 4.8 APG, placing him at #34 in the nba. On the other hand, Russell is still young at 21 years old, and he leads the Lakers in both Points per game (15.6) and Steals per game (1.4).

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

   So, how can two young Point Guards fit together on the same team? Well, during his career, Russell showed prowess at the shooting guard position, and his ability to score in important situations. A Lonzo Ball, D'Angelo Russell backcourt can offer the Lakers both a promising playmaker and a talented scorer to help push them back into playoff contention. So, while Lonzo may have underperformed slightly during workouts, it should not be the end-all, tell-all regarding his future as a Laker.

https://twitter.com/NbaPortfolio

3:28 PM

Read more »