Quick Hits

• WNBA Superfund: A'ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces take on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Thursday night in what fans are calling a potential WNBA Finals preview.
• NFL Cash Out: Running backs and guards are getting paid ahead of the new season. The Colts signed star running back Jonathan Taylor to a two-year, $44 million extension, while the Titans made Peter Skoronski the highest-paid guard in NFL history with a massive $100 million deal.
• Preseason Panic: The NFL preseason officially kicks off tonight with the Hall of Fame Game, but don't overreact to the rookies. Quarterback Carson Beck looked flawless in his debut, but history shows early August performances are notoriously misleading.
• MLB Blooper: Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a home run this week thanks to two Marlins outfielders completely colliding in the outfield—an early favorite for "blooper of the year."

Minnesota Teams

While it's a relatively quiet day for our local pro teams, there's a fantastic Minnesota connection making headlines ahead of this weekend's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Legendary receiver Larry Fitzgerald is heading to the Hall, and his journey reportedly started right here with the Minnesota Vikings. Fitzgerald actually served as a ball boy for the team—after initially getting fired, he was brought back and assigned to work with the receivers, a quirky twist that ended up shaping his entire football career.

NFL

Football is officially back! The preseason begins tonight with the Carolina Panthers facing the Arizona Cardinals in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

Training camp intensity is already boiling over in Las Vegas, where newly acquired Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins got into a heated scuffle with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby during Friday's practice. Teammates had to step in and separate them after Cousins took issue with Crosby hitting him multiple times.

In other league news, the Indianapolis Colts suspended cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, following a five-day jail sentence he served earlier this year. Meanwhile, fans are still waiting for veteran NBA free agents like James Harden and Jalen Duren to find new homes as the basketball offseason slowly winds down (yes, you read that right—NBA free agency is somehow still dragging on).

NBA

All eyes in the basketball world are on Thursday's massive matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the Indiana Fever. It’s being billed as the ultimate showdown between the WNBA's biggest current stars: A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark.

Both players are operating at peak levels. Clark is gearing up for the showdown by playing the best basketball of her career in Year 3, having already notched the most 20-point, 10-assist games in WNBA history. Wilson, who just turned 30, already has four MVP awards and three championships under her belt, leading many to argue she may already be the greatest WNBA player of all time.

MLB

As the playoff races heat up following the trade deadline, ESPN has graded all 30 MLB rosters to see who actually has a shot at the postseason. The baseball spotlight also shines on Philadelphia this weekend, where six-time All-Star and 2008 World Series champ Chase Utley was inducted into the Phillies' Wall of Fame on Friday night.

Over in the National League MVP race, keep an eye on Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. According to recent betting odds, he is currently overtaking two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani as the favorite to take home the hardware.

College Sports

There is major news off the field that could shake up the landscape of college athletics. The "Protect College Sports Act" is facing long odds in Congress right now. After suffering some late setbacks, lawmakers are scrambling to pass the legislation before the August recess runs out.

Other Sports

• Golf: The PGA Tour's regular season comes to a close this weekend at the Wyndham Championship. Sahith Theegala is off to a hot start, though Beau Hossler set the early pace as players make one final push to secure their playoff spots.
• Soccer: Welcome to Wrexham? The wildly popular lower-league Welsh soccer team is facing a harsh reality check in the Championship. With spending down and key players departed, the team faces steep odds as they chase their ultimate goal of a Premier League promotion. Over in Europe, Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United are both reportedly eyeing Inter Milan striker Pio Esposito.
• Combat Sports: UFC Fight Night heads to Las Vegas on Saturday featuring a pivotal lightweight main event between Mateusz Gamrot and Quillan Salkilld. In Ireland, top middleweights Aaron McKenna and Etinosa Oliha are set to headline Zuffa Boxing 10 in Dublin.