Minnesota Teams

Since we're in the heart of summer, your Minnesota sports calendar is a bit quieter these days! The Twins are grinding through the summer heat as they battle for their spot in the MLB playoff picture, while the Timberwolves are busy reshaping their roster after a busy NBA Draft. Over on the court, the Lynx are pushing through the WNBA season, and the Vikings, Wild, and Gophers are simply waiting for their training camps to open up in a few weeks.

NFL

The NFL is currently in its summer downtime, but the league is still making headlines off the field. The Atlanta Falcons just locked up star tight end Kyle Pitts on a massive four-year, $54 million contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid players at his position after a fantastic season. In league drama, the NFL sent a strict message about sports betting by denying quarterback Brendan Sorsby entry into the supplemental draft (a special mid-summer draft for players with unique circumstances) due to gambling violations. Sorsby will not be allowed to enter the NFL right now and will likely have to return to college football.

NBA

The biggest story in sports right now is the 2026 NBA Draft, which wrapped up with the Washington Wizards selecting teenage phenom AJ Dybantsa with the number one overall pick. It was a historically deep draft class, but the offseason drama has already begun. The Boston Celtics reportedly tried to trade star Jaylen Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks in a failed attempt to acquire superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, signaling that Brown might be on the trade block this summer. In the draft's only veteran trade, the Detroit Pistons sent center Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies to free up money for their own free-agent moves.

MLB

Baseball's biggest headlines are coming from a massive off-field investigation and a tech revolution. Major League Baseball officially cleared the Los Angeles Dodgers' team doctor after investigating his tie to a performance-enhancing drug scandal involving MMA fighter Conor McGregor, finding no evidence of wrongdoing. On the field, left-handed batters are absolutely crushing the ball this year, and many think it's because of MLB's new "ABS" (Automated Ball-Strike) challenge system, which uses technology to call perfect strike zones and seems to be heavily favoring lefty hitters.

NHL

Hockey is getting ready for its big summer event, with the 2026 NHL Draft kicking off this Friday. While the top two prospects—Gavin McKenna and Anton Stenberg—are widely expected to be the first names called, the rest of the first round is shaping up to be totally unpredictable as teams prepare to make their picks.

College Sports

The NCAA just passed a massive rule change allowing college football teams moving up from the lower division (FCS) to the top division (FBS) to immediately qualify for bowl games and the playoffs, rather than making them wait out a two-year probation period. Meanwhile, the NCAA's new rule limiting athletes to five years of eligibility is already facing potential lawsuits from graduated basketball seniors who want an extra season. Fans of college football dynasties are also debating which powerhouse programs (like Georgia or Ohio State) are set up to dominate the rest of the decade.

Other Sports

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway! Today features a massive match between Brazil and Scotland; a tie will be enough for Scotland to advance to the knockout rounds, while Brazil is fighting to win their group. In the WNBA, Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum will miss at least four weeks with a leg injury, which is a tough blow for a team fighting to make the playoffs. Over in the UFC, Conor McGregor is making his highly anticipated return to fighting at UFC 329, admitting he "lost his love" for the sport during his long absence. Finally, the PGA Tour announced sweeping changes to its format starting in 2028, introducing new "Championship" and "Challenger" series to completely shake up how professional golf tournaments are run.