The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid have agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Friday.

The max contract extension is worth $193million over three years, multiple media outlets reported, guaranteeing Embiid over $299million through the 2028-29 season.

Embiid announced the deal with a post on Instagram.

“Philadelphia is home. I want to be here for the rest of my career,” Embiid said in his social media post. “I love this community and everything you’ve given me and my family.

“There is a lot more work to do. You guys deserve a championship and I think we’re just getting started!”

The team announced the extension without disclosing terms, citing a team policy, with managing partner Josh Harris saying Embiid is “one of the greatest Sixers of all time and is well on his way to being one of the best players to ever play the game.”

With the start of the NBA regular season just over a month away, Embiid’s extension caps a massive offseason spending spree by the 76ers.

Philadelphia committed an estimated $550million in new money with extensions for Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, plus the free agent signings of Paul George and several role players.

Embiid has established himself as a franchise cornerstone and perennial MVP candidate but is still seeking the corresponding play-off success while dealing with several injuries.

Embiid was voted the 2022-23 MVP after second-place finishes in the two previous seasons.

He scored 34.7 points per game last season, but his 39 games played did not qualify him for the scoring title.

A seven-time All-Star, Embiid is coming off a summer in which he helped Team USA win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

Tina Charles became the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder on Thursday, when the Atlanta Dream center recorded her 4,007th career board against the New York Liberty.

Charles broke Sylvia Fowles’ mark with an offensive tap-out in the first quarter of Atlanta’s 78-67 win.

Finishing the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds, Charles also broke Fowles’ record by recording her 194th career double-double.

Charles, who played six seasons with the Liberty from 2014-19, was honoured by the New York crowd during a video tribute. The New York native was inducted into the city’s Basketball Hall of Fame before the game.

Charles has averaged 9.3 rebounds over her 14-year career. She signed with Atlanta before this season after taking last year off.

Charles ranks second behind Diana Taurasi on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list.

The WNBA announced Wednesday it has awarded an expansion franchise to the City of Portland that will begin play in 2026.

Portland joins the California Bay Area and Toronto as new franchises set to enter the WNBA within the next two years, bringing the league to 15 teams. The Golden State Valkyries will debut in 2025, with Portland and Toronto starting the following season.

The Portland franchise will be owned and operated by the Bhathal family, which paid $125 million for the club. Lisa Bhathal Merage will serve as controlling owner and WNBA Governor, while Alex Bhathal was named Alternate Governor. 

“For decades, Portland has been the global epicentre of sports lifestyle and today, we are now the global epicentre of women’s sports,” said Lisa Bhathal Merage. “We believe in the transformative power of women’s sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home.

"We know that Portland’s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team. Our goal is to grow this organisation in partnership with the Portland community, and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.”

The Bhathals also own the National Women's Soccer League's Portland Thorns and are investors in the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

Portland previously had a WNBA team, known as the Fire, that folded after three seasons in 2002. 

“As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Portland has been an epicentre of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family’s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.”

Engelbert said in April the WNBA's goal is to expand to 16 teams by 2028, though it's unlikely the league adds another franchise before 2027.

A'ja Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to score 1,000 points in a season in the Las Vegas Aces' 84-71 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.

Wilson finished with 29 points and reached the 1,000-point mark on a pull-up jumper with two minutes remaining.

Wilson's latest milestone came just four days after she established the WNBA single-season scoring record, breaking the mark of 939 points set by Jewell Lloyd in 2023.

The Aces have won seven of eight games and own a one-game lead over the Seattle Storm for the No. 4 seed in the play-offs and home-court advantage in that series.

Wilson wasn't the only WNBA star with a memorable performance on Sunday, as Caitlin Clark scored a career-high 35 points in the Indiana Fever's 110-109 win over the Dallas Wings.

Clark also added eight assists and combined with Kelsey Mitchell to hit 12 of Indiana's 16 3-pointers.

Clark has already established a WNBA rookie record with 761 points, and her 329 assists are the most by any player in a single season in league history.

Caitlin Clark set the WNBA single-season record for assists with 320 in the Indiana Fever's 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night.

Clark scored all 18 of her points in the second half and finished with nine assists and eight rebounds. The rookie broke the mark of 316 set last season by Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.

Clark was scoreless on 0 for 5 shooting in the first half and picked up her third foul when she was called for a charge late in the second quarter as the Aces took a 43-35 lead into the break. She scored 14 points in the third quarter to help the Fever trim a 13-point deficit to 60-57 heading into the fourth quarter. 

Clark has continued to make history throughout her first year in the WNBA, surpassing the single-season three-point record among rookies on Aug. 28. She also dished out 19 assists in a loss to the Dallas Wings in July, setting a single-game record.

Tom Brady has taken to social media to congratulate A'ja Wilson for breaking the WNBA record for most points scored in a single season on Wednesday.

The Las Vegas Aces star scored her 941st point in the competition this term late in the first half of Wednesday's game against the Indiana Fever, having entered the matchup 11 points shy of the record.

She beat Jewell Lloyd's 2023 mark of 939 points, with her big moment coming when she sank a jumper from the free throw line with 26.4 seconds left in the second quarter.

Wilson ended the game with 27 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. She is averaging 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists this season. 

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady bought a minority stake in the Aces in March, and he took to X to hail Wilson in the aftermath of her achievement.  

"There are so many incredible players in the WNBA right now," Brady wrote. "But there's only one A'ja Wilson!"

Wilson responded to the NFL legend, simply telling him: "Appreciate you!"

Wilson still has four more regular-season games in which to improve on her historic haul, with another trip to Indiana the team's next assignment on Friday. 

A'ja Wilson now stands alone as the WNBA's leader for points scored in a single season.

The Las Vegas Aces star scored her 941st point late in the first half of Wednesday's game against the Indiana Fever to establish a new WNBA single-season scoring record.

Wilson arrived in Indiana 11 points shy of the record, and broke the mark of 939 points set by Jewell Lloyd in 2023 with a jumper from the free throw line with 26.4 seconds left in the second quarter.

The two-time league MVP came into the game averaging 27.3 points and 11.9 rebounds and went into half-time with 12 points and eight boards.

Wilson has plenty of opportunities to add to her scoring mark, as Las Vegas still has four regular-season games scheduled.

Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese will miss the rest of the WNBA season with a wrist injury.

Reese was listed as questionable on the Sky’s latest injury report heading into Sunday’s game against the Dallas Wings.

“What a year. I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol,” Reese wrote. “Through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed. All I have ever wanted was to come into the W and make an impact. I can confidently say I have done that and will strive to keep doing so.”

Reese, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 draft after a stellar career at LSU, finishes the season averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds - the highest rebound average in league history. Reese also set the rookie record with 26 double-doubles - her last coming in a win over Los Angeles on Friday night.

Earlier in the season, Reese had 15 straight games with a double-double to break the league's record. She also set the mark for total rebounds in a season, passing Sylvia Fowles' mark.

The Denver Nuggets and star guard Jamal Murray have agreed to a four-year, $208million max contract extension, multiple media outlets reported Saturday.

Murray had been scheduled to be a free agent next offseason but will now earn a total of $244million through the 2028-29 season.

Murray, 27, has emerged as the primary sidekick to three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and helped the Nuggets win the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2023.  

Since returning from a torn ACL that cost him the 2021-22 season, Murray has emerged as one of the premier perimeter scorers in the NBA and a seamless fit with Jokic.

Murray averaged 21.2 points and 6.5 assists last season while shooting a career-high 42.5 percent from 3-point range.

Over 469 career games, all with Denver, Murray has averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 assists.

Murray has two 50-point play-off games and has averaged 24.2 points over 65 career post-season games.

The offseason spending of the Nuggets’ front office has become a controversial topic since they elected not to re-sign Bruce Brown and Jeff Green after winning the 2023 championship. This offseason, starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left in free agency to sign with the Orlando Magic.

With several veteran role-players leaving over the last two seasons, the Nuggets will rely even more on the two-man game between Murray and Jokić, as well as younger players like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a one-year deal for the return of free agent Tristan Thompson, according to his agency.

Thompson, who spent his first nine professional seasons with the Cavs and is represented by Klutch Sports, played a key role in their first championship success back in 2016 alongside LeBron James.

The 33-year-old has since turned out for the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers, but his best years have come with the Cavaliers. 

He was the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and has averaged nine points and 8.3 rebounds for the Cavaliers in 10 seasons.

Thompson was re-signed by the Cavs as a free agent before the 2023-24 season, appearing in 49 games around a 25-game suspension he received after testing positive for a banned substance. 

With Thompson's impending arrival, the Cavs are hoping they can make a deeper run in the playoffs this campaign after falling to the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs last season.

They will be doing so under new management, after parting ways with J.B. Bickerstaff and bringing in Kenny Atkinson, who had been the assistant at the Golden State Warriors for the last four campaigns.

Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese set a WNBA record for the most rebounds in a single season on Sunday when she pulled down 19 boards in a 79-74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

Reese pushed her season total to 418 rebounds, surpassing Sylvia Fowles' record of 404 established in 2018 with the Lynx.

The 6-foot-3 Reese set another record Sunday by reaching 165 offensive rebounds this season to move past Yolanda Griffith, who had 162 for the Sacramento Monarchs in 2001.

Reese, the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, added 17 points against Minnesota to post her 24th double-double and extend her league rookie record.

Before a sellout crowd of 9,445, Caitlin Clark scored a career-high 31 points to go with 12 assists in her final regular-season matchup with fellow rookie sensation Angel Reese to lead the Indiana Fever to a100-81 rout of the reeling Chicago Sky on Friday night.

Clark became the only player in league history with three games of at least 25 points and 10 rebounds in a season. She was 8 for 14 from the field, including 5 for 9 from 3-point range, in her 11th double-double.

Reese tallied 10 points and 11 rebounds, breaking a tie with Tina Charles for rookie double-doubles with 23 and passing Sylvia Fowles for the Chicago season record. Reese got the record with 1:32 remaining, long after Clark and the other Indiana starters left the game. She also has a rookie record 399 rebounds.

Clark may have locked up the top spot in the much-hyped Rookie of the Year race as the Fever (16-16) beat the Sky (11-20) for the third time in four matchups, solidifying their probable playoff berth while Chicago is barely hanging on to the last spot as the season winds down.

The Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry have agreed to terms on a one-year, $62.6million contract extension that will keep the four-time NBA champion with the only franchise he’s ever played for through the 2026-27 season.

That campaign will be the 18th in the NBA for Curry, who is slated to earn $55.7million next season and $59.6million in 2025-26.

Curry, who captured a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, has won four NBA titles and two league Most Valuable Player Awards while also earning 10 All-Star selections.

The 36-year-old guard was the MVP of the 2022 NBA Finals as well as the MVP of the NBA All-Star Game that season, and he’s been named to the All-NBA First Team four times.

Drafted by Golden State with the seventh overall pick in 2009, Curry is the all-time NBA leader with 3,747 made 3-pointers and is 10th in league history with a 42.6 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

Curry is also the best free-throw shooter in NBA history at 91.0 percent.

Caitlin Clark has again written her name into the record books following her latest performance for the Indiana Fever.

Clark, the first overall pick in this year's draft, has already set a number of benchmarks in her rookie WNBA season.

And that continued on Saturday even as the Fever lost 90-80 to the Minnesota Lynx.

Clark finished with 23 points and eight assists, and in doing so improved her seasonal tally to 520 points and 240 assists.

She is now the youngest player in WNBA history to pass 500 points and 200 assists.

Clark had already set a new record for assists in a rookie WNBA season, with her performances keeping the Fever on course for the playoffs.

Team Takeover delivered a dominant performance to clinch the championship title at the inaugural JamRockerz Basketball Classic, steamrolling Team Kingston 62-21 in the finals held on Sunday at the Montego Bay Community College. The victory capped off an undefeated run for Takeover, solidifying their status as the best team in the six-team, three-day competition.

 From the opening whistle, Takeover set the tone for the match, establishing a commanding 17-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. They continued to assert their dominance in the second quarter, extending their lead to 35-13. By the third quarter, the score had ballooned to 53-19, effectively sealing Kingston's fate. Takeover eased off slightly in the final quarter, closing out the game with a 9-2 run to secure the emphatic win.

 Cole Riley was the standout performer for Takeover, contributing 15 points, three rebounds, and four steals. Kingston’s Lebron Lewinson, despite his team's struggles, managed to score nine points, including a three-pointer, and added five rebounds and a steal.

 Takeover's assistant coach Marvin Riley praised his players for their outstanding effort throughout the tournament. “The kids played exceptionally well. They did what they were supposed to do—come to Jamaica and take over,” he said, highlighting the team's focus and determination.

 Riley also offered high praise for the Jamaican players, acknowledging their hard work and athleticism. “You guys have great players. More than anything, you play hard. You play exceptionally hard. You have good athletes. You need skill development, better facilities, and you need to really pour into the kids and have them believe they can play at an exceptionally high level because you have the talent,” Riley added.

 In the third-place play-off, Team International edged out Hardwood Kings from Ontario, Canada, in a close 49-46 victory. International’s Dwain Cummings posted an impressive double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Hardwood Kings’ Elijah Deyon contributed 16 points.

 Earlier in the day, Kingston earned their place in the final by defeating International 49-44 in their semifinal match-up. Lewinson again led Kingston with 12 points, five rebounds, two steals, and three assists, while Cummings was International’s top performer with eight points and five rebounds.

 Takeover’s path to the final was marked by a commanding 70-22 victory over Hardwood Kings in the other semifinal. Liberty Fusire led Takeover with a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Elijah Brown of Hardwood Kings managed nine points.

 The JamRockerz Basketball Classic, which also featured teams from Montego Bay and Trelawny, was deemed a resounding success by event organizer and coach of Kingston, Wayne Dawkins of P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy. “I think that it is amazing. The support, you saw the energy, the kids on the floor, they understood what this was about. It doesn’t matter that Team Takeover is the number one club in America, they came out and they fought, and that’s what we want to see,” Dawkins said. He also expressed gratitude to the event's sponsors and partners, including Dr. Carey Wallace of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), NBA Houston Rockets player Tari Eason, and Kingston Marley, the grandson of Bob Marley.

 Cole Riley was named MVP of the tournament, receiving his award from Dr. Wallace. Liberty Fusire was recognized as the Defensive Player of the Tournament, with his award presented by Kingston Marley.

 The tournament’s All-Star team featured six standout players: D’Aire Patterson (Montego Bay), Daniel Clarke (Trelawny), Elijah Deyon (Hardwood Kings), Dwain Cummings (International), Lebron Lewinson (Kingston), and Doran Clausell (Takeover).

 The JamRockerz Basketball Classic successfully showcased top-tier talent and competition, setting the stage for what promises to be a highly anticipated annual event in Jamaica's basketball calendar.