Minnesota Teams

There aren't any major national headlines for our local teams today, so consider this your quick weather report on Minnesota sports! The Twins are fighting through the grind of the MLB second half, while the Lynx are right in the thick of the WNBA season. Meanwhile, the Vikings, Timberwolves, and Wild are enjoying the calm before the storm as they prep for their upcoming training camps and preseasons this fall.

NFL

NFL training camps are officially opening, which means football is almost back! The biggest story to watch is the health of the league's biggest stars, as teams are closely monitoring injuries to superstars like Patrick Mahomes and George Kittle to see if they'll be ready for the start of the season. In off-field news, ESPN just released their annual top-10 players list, which always sparks fun debates because new stars inevitably knock veteran legends out of the ranking.

NBA

The basketball world is holding its breath because LeBron James says he still isn't ready to announce which team he'll play for next season. In other off-court news, the NBA is investigating the Milwaukee Bucks over a massive $64 million contract they gave to Gary Trent Jr., looking into whether the team found a sneaky way to cheat the salary cap rules. The league also decided not to punish Miami Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro after they got into a public altercation in Las Vegas, essentially telling them to hug it out and move on.

WNBA

The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game teams are officially set! It's going to be a star-studded showcase, with rookie sensation Caitlin Clark and MVP A'ja Wilson teaming up to face off against Paige Bueckers and Breanna Stewart. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also made headlines this week by stepping in to defend Clark, saying it's unfair how she has been turned into a "political football" by people arguing online about how the game is officiated.

MLB

The MLB All-Star break is over, meaning we are officially in the stretch run of the baseball season as teams push for the playoffs. The trade deadline is approaching fast, so expect plenty of rumors over the next few weeks about star players switching teams to join contenders. However, a dark cloud is looming over the sport, as experts are warning that a massive labor dispute between the owners and players could actually lead to a delayed or canceled 2027 season.

NHL

It's the quiet part of the hockey calendar, but the Winnipeg Jets made headlines by locking in their young center, Cole Perfetti, to a solid five-year, $30 million contract, successfully avoiding a tense arbitration (mediation) meeting. In the drama department, the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes is catching a lot of heat for deciding to engrave his entire family's names on the Stanley Cup—a move traditionalists feel cheapens the historic trophy.

College Sports

With the college football season rapidly approaching, sports outlets are rolling out their annual "Hot Seat" rankings, which is basically a tracker guessing which stressed-out coaches might get fired if they don't win enough games this Fall. Recruiting nerds are also buzzing because scouts are already releasing their top-25 player rankings for high schoolers who won't even graduate until 2027, 2028, and beyond.

Other Sports

Golf: The Open Championship (golf's final major tournament of the year) is currently underway at Royal Birkdale. Big-hitter Bryson DeChambeau is desperately trying to salvage a rough year, especially since his controversial LIV Golf contract is expiring soon.

UFC/MMA: Conor McGregor's highly anticipated return to fighting at UFC 329 was a massive ratings hit, drawing nearly 16 million viewers. However, the fight itself was a disaster—McGregor got injured less than a minute into the match, and he is now hilariously demanding that all bets on the fight be completely refunded.