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A man was in jail Sunday after it was alleged he drove a vehicle into a post office in San Jose, California, early in the morning, sparking a blaze that damaged the location, police said. No injuries were reported in the 2:30 a.m. blaze, but the fire damaged the post office building, particularly the front part where the vehicle entered, San Jose Fire Battalion Chief Josh Staley said. The fire was knocked down 90 minutes after it was reported, he said, but not before it most likely burned some mail. Staley described it as a two-alarm fire that drew three city fire battalions. The vehicle and the collision apparently sparked the blaze, Staley said. The driver was later identified as Richard Tillman, 44, of San Jose, according to San Jose police. The charred frame of a car that was driven in to a U.S. Post Office in San Jose.AIOFILMZ He was jailed based on an allegation of arson and was being held Sunday afternoon, according to police and jail records. He was due in court Wednesday. Video showed the vehicle with its backside into the structure. This photo provided by the San Jose Fire Department shows firefighters responding to a fire burning after a car crashed into a Post Office, early Sunday, July 20, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (San Jose Fire Department via AP)AP Though investigators believe the collision was deliberate, motive was unknown and still being investigated, police said in a statement. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the lead agency investigating the incident, San Jose police said. It did not immediately respond to a request seeking more information. Dennis Romero Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Lindsay Good , Madeline Morrison and Michelle Acevedo contributed . Read More

An off-duty Customs and Border Patrol agent was shot in New York City’s Riverside Park late Saturday in an alleged robbery that did not appear to target him because of his job, police said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday that the perpetrators were two unauthorized immigrants who had been arrested multiple times. Both suspects have been detained, Noem said. Noem said the first suspect is a Dominican national named Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, 21, who had allegedly been arrested four different times in New York City. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Sunday that he was hospitalized with gunshot wounds that investigators believe he sustained during the incident. Shortly after the news conference, Noem said on X that the second suspect was Christian Aybar-Berroa, who is also from the Dominican Republic. Noem said on X that Aybar-Berroa entered the country in 2022 and was ordered to leave a year later by an immigration judge. Two law enforcement sources told NBC News that the encounter appeared to be random and that it was an attempted robbery. Tisch said the CBP agent was sitting on the rocks along the water in the Manhattan park when two men rode up to him on a scooter and one of them got off, approaching him from behind. One of the men took out a gun, at which point the agent realized he was being robbed and took out his firearm in defense, Tisch said. The gunman fired at the agent, who returned fire, she said. The CBP agent was hit in the face and on the forearm, Tisch said. Mayor Eric Adams said he had visited the agent in the hospital as the agent recovered with family members. His condition was unknown. The incident was caught on CCTV, allowing detectives to match Mora with the person shown firing at the CBP agent, Tisch said. Mora went to Bronx Care Hospital after midnight with gunshot wounds to the groin and a leg consistent with those sustained by the person who shot the agent, Tisch said, citing the security video. Trump highlights shooter’s immigration status Adams said Mora is known by law enforcement and has had repeated and violent past encounters with officials. Tisch said Mora is also in the United States illegally, having entered through Arizona in 2023. He has two previous arrests for domestic violence in New York and an active warrant after he did not show up in court in one of those cases, Tisch said. Mora was also wanted by New York police in connection with an alleged robbery in December and an alleged stabbing in January, she said. Mora was in police custody at Lincoln Hospital, where he had surgery, Tisch said. Adams said of Mora at the news conference Sunday: “In less than one year, he has inflicted violence in our city. And once he is charged for last night’s crimes, we will be able to add attempted murder to his rap sheet.” President Donald Trump called the person of interest an “Illegal Alien Monster” on Truth Social on Sunday and said Democrats “have flooded our Nation with Criminal Invaders.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X that Mora is from the Dominican Republic. Trump has long highlighted crimes committed by undocumented migrants as reasons for harsh immigration crackdowns, despite evidence showing that the undocumented population commits fewer crimes than natural-born U.S. citizens. Expert analysis and available data from major-city police departments reviewed by NBC News last year showed that despite some high-profile incidents, there was no evidence of a migrant-driven crime wave in the United States. In December 2020, researchers studying Texas crime statistics found that “contrary to public perception, we observe considerably lower felony arrest rates among undocumented immigrants compared to legal immigrants and native-born U.S. citizens and find no evidence that undocumented criminality has increased in recent years.” In the first months of his second term, Trump and his administration have been cracking down on arrests of undocumented immigrants, with promises to deport violent criminals. Most of those in immigration custody, however, do not have criminal records, according to data. As of June, after six months of aggressive immigration enforcement, only a small fraction of undocumented immigrants known by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers as having been convicted of sexual assault and homicide had been arrested, internal ICE data obtained by NBC News showed. From Oct. 1 through May 31, 185,042 people were arrested and booked into ICE facilities. Of that group, 65,041 had been convicted of crimes, the data showed. Other ICE data showed that nearly half of those in ICE custody had neither been convicted of nor been charged with any crime. In a statement Monday, acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons said that “sanctuary city policies and the Biden administration’s open border policies allowed two criminal illegal aliens to enter this country, roam free and commit multiple crimes with no repercussions.” “Habitual criminals who weren’t even supposed to be in the United States shot an off-duty federal officer in one perpetrator’s second armed robbery this year,” Lyons said. “I’m tremendously relieved that this CBP officer will recover, but the bottom line is that this shouldn’t have happened.” Rebecca Cohen Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Jonathan Dienst Jonathan Dienst is chief justice contributor for NBC News and chief investigative reporter for WNBC-TV in New York. Chloe Atkins Chloe Atkins reports for the NBC News National Security and Law Unit, based in New York. Read More

A SkyWest flight had to perform a go-around maneuver after it nearly collided with a B-52 bomber Friday before landing in North Dakota. The air traffic control tower had cleared the plane to approach the airport, but the pilot “performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path,” SkyWest said in a statement. The SkyWest pilot identified the second plane as a B-52 bomber. The Air Force said Sunday evening that it was “looking into” reports of a military aircraft “operating in the same airspace” as a commercial airplane. It added that a B-52 assigned to Minot Air Force Base had conducted a flyover of the North Dakota State Fair on Friday evening. Delta Flight 3788, operated by SkyWest, landed safely in Minot, North Dakota, after it flew in from Minneapolis, the airline said. SkyWest said it is investigating the incident. The near-collision Friday comes just six months after a military helicopter hit a passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, killing 67 people. In video posted to social media and verified by NBC News, the plane’s pilot explains to passengers what happened in the air and apologizes for what he called an “aggressive maneuver.” The pilot says that the ATC tower instructed him to turn right but that when he looked over, he saw a B-52 bomber. He says that he was then instructed to turn left but that at that point, he looked over and “saw the airplane that was kind of coming on a converging course with us.” The second aircraft was moving faster than the SkyWest plane, the pilot says, so he made the decision to turn behind it. “So, sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise,” the pilot says in the video. “This is not normal at all. I don’t know why they didn’t give us a heads up.” The pilot concludes: “Long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it, and thank you for understanding.” The passengers applaud, the video shows. The passenger who recorded the video, Monica Green, said she was “so sick to my stomach that that was so close to happening.” She said she felt the plane take a hard turn and then “I just remember the plane going, like, sideways … and just looking straight out the window and just seeing grass, like you weren’t seeing the skyline anymore.” She said she is anxious about returning to the airport in Minot to fly home. In the video, the pilot also mentions that the tower that serves Minot International Airport does not have a radar and that controllers rely only on visuals to make calls. The Air Force Base nearby does have radar, the pilot says, which causes him to wonder why nobody said, “Hey, there’s also a B-52 in the pattern.” NBC News aviation analyst Jeff Guzzetti said the lack of radar capability at smaller airport is not at all uncommon. “There are many small airports across the country that have commercial service that don’t have radar. Instead, they’ll have some sort of coordinating communication with another radar facility several miles away, perhaps with a military base,” Guzzetti said. Since the airport in Minot is so small, the federal government allows it to be a “contract tower,” Guzzetti said. That means the air traffic controllers are not federal employees but are contractors hired by the FAA who are usually retired controllers. Contract towers are also not unheard of, he said — there are 265 of them in the United States. The key question, Guzzetti said, is how much coordination there was between the Air Force base and the airport. “I wouldn’t think that you would need a more powerful radar system or a larger tower to prevent things like this,” Guzzetti said. “I just think that you need good coordination between the military base and the local civilian airport to work together to avoid these types of near misses.” Rebecca Cohen Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Maggie Vespa NBC News Correspondent Selina Guevara Selina Guevara is an NBC News associate producer, based in Chicago. Jay Blackman Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues. Courtney Kube and Samantha Wei contributed . Read More

President Donald Trump wants Washington’s football franchise and Cleveland’s baseball team to revert to their former names. Trump said Sunday on his Truth Social site that “The Washington ‘Whatever’s’ should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team. There is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen. Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them. Times are different now than they were three or four years ago. We are a Country of passion and common sense. OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!” Josh Harris, whose group bought the Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023, said earlier this year the name was here to stay. Not long after taking over, Harris quieted speculation about going back to Redskins, saying that would not happen. Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti indicated before Sunday’s game against the Athletics that there weren’t any plans to revisit the name change. “We understand there are different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago, but obviously it’s a decision we made. We’ve got the opportunity to build a brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future that’s in front of us,” he said. Both teams have had their current names since the 2022 seasons. Washington dropped Redskins after the 2019 season and was known as the Washington Football Team for two years before moving to Commanders. Cleveland announced in December 2020 it would drop Indians. It announced the switch to Guardians in July 2021. In 2018, the team phased out “Chief Wahoo” as its primary logo. The name changes had their share of supporters and critics as part of national discussions about institutions and teams dropping logos and names considered racist. The Guardians are the fifth name for Cleveland’s baseball franchise. It joined the American League in 1901 as one of the eight charter franchises as the Blues. It switched to the Bronchos a year later and used the Naps from 1903 through 1914 before moving to the Indians in 1915. Washington started in Boston as the Redskins in 1933 before moving to the nation’s capital four years later. Washington and Cleveland share another thing in common. David Blitzer is a member of Harris’ ownership group with the Commanders and holds a minority stake in the Guardians. Read More

The country’s largest wildfire this year has burned over 95,740 acres, fire officials in central Oregon said Sunday, as ground crews made progress to partially contain a blaze that could still intensify to become a so-called megafire. The size of the Cram Fire was adjusted slightly downward from Saturday after “more accurate mapping” was completed, officials said. They added that the massive blaze — which has drawn more than 900 fire personnel, destroyed a handful of homes and prompted evacuations in two counties — was 49% contained after crews struggled to keep back the flames last week. “Yesterday was another favorable day with us with the weather, and so a lot of good work was done,” Scott Stutzman, operations section chief of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, said Sunday in a Facebook video. “We’ll have those crews out there continuing to maintain a presence mopping up, and also assisting our wildland partners on the perimeter.” Crews attempt to quell the wildfire.Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Cooler temperatures and higher humidity over the weekend are expected to continue early this week, potentially aiding firefighting efforts, but the sheer size of the fire has been staggering: If it grows to at least 100,000 acres, it would be classified as a megafire, becoming the first one in the U.S. in 2025, said Stanton Florea, a spokesman with the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, which coordinates the country’s wildland firefighting operations. Oregon saw six wildfires reach megafire status last year, federal data shows. The phenomenon is considered rare, but it has grown in frequency as wildfires in general become more widespread and intense. Megafires “are more common now,” Florea said. “We’re having longer fire seasons — what we’re calling, the ‘fire year.’ And more intense fires that are lasting longer.” So far this year, there have been 40,934 wildfires, the highest year-to-date total in at least a decade, according to National Interagency Fire Center data. But of the 1.6 million wildfires that have occurred since 2000, just 254 exceeded 100,000 acres burned, and only 16 were at least 500,000 acres, a Congressional Research Service report said in 2023. “A small fraction of wildfires become catastrophic, and a small percentage of fires accounts for the vast majority of acres burned,” the service said. “For example, about 1% of wildfires become conflagrations — raging, destructive fires — but predicting which fires will ‘blow up’ into conflagrations is challenging and depends on a multitude of factors, such as weather and geography.” The higher chance of extreme weather conditions, such as prolonged drought and strong winds, is being fueled by human-caused global warming, recent reports indicate. That means wildfires may not only ignite suddenly, but also strengthen in magnitude at a furious pace. The Cram Fire, which led to evacuations in parts of Jefferson and Wasco counties, began a week ago, exploding amid extremely hot, dry and windy conditions in the West. The cause remains under investigation. Florea said the Pacific Northwest is the highest-priority area in the country at the moment, with the country’s wildland firefighting resources being directed there, including to help battle at least nine large fires burning in Oregon. The country’s largest wildfire this year has burned over 95,740 acres.Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Such heavy demand means officials must prioritize how resources are used. An increase in the number of wildfires strains the system and the fatigued crews who work around-the-clock shifts, Florea added. While 88 engines and eight helicopters continue to be deployed to prevent the Cram Fire from spreading, the Oregon State Fire Marshal said Sunday it would begin modifying its response as containment improves. At least four homes and two other structures have been destroyed so far. The fire is no longer threatening residences to the same degree, officials said. Kyle Butler, whose home in rural Jefferson County was nearly burned in the blaze, said one neighbor fled the flames with her life, but returned to find her home severely damaged. “Everything’s gone,” Butler told NBC affiliate KGW in Portland. “Her house is pretty much in shambles.” Erik Ortiz Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. Read More

By Adeola Adeosun is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news, politics and trends. Adeola joined Newsweek in 2024 and has previously worked for CNN, Bossip, and The Messenger. You can get in touch with Adeola by emailing a.adeosun@newsweek.com. Languages: English. Adeola Adeosun Weekend Night Editor 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed an immediate clinical hold on Sarepta Therapeutics’ investigational gene therapy trials for limb girdle muscular dystrophy following three patient deaths potentially linked to the company’s treatments. The agency announced the action on Friday, citing serious safety concerns and “unreasonable and significant risk” to study participants. The FDA also revoked the company’s platform technology designation and requested Sarepta voluntarily halt shipments of its approved drug Elevidys, which the company refused to do. Newsweek reached out to Sarepta Therapeutics via email on Sunday after normal business hours for comment. Why It Matters This regulatory intervention represents a significant safety measure in the gene therapy field, affecting both ongoing clinical trials and an already approved treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The decision could impact treatment options for families dealing with these devastating muscle-wasting diseases. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare and serious genetic condition that worsens over time, leading to weakness and wasting away of the body’s muscles. What To Know The three deaths resulted from acute liver failure in patients treated with either Elevidys or investigational therapies using the same AAVrh74 viral vector technology. One fatality occurred during a clinical trial for limb girdle muscular dystrophy treatment. Elevidys is an adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy designed to deliver a gene that leads to production of a shortened protein that contains selected domains of the dystrophin protein present in normal muscle cells. The disease occurs due to a defective gene that results in abnormalities in, or absence of, dystrophin, a protein that helps keep the body’s muscle cells intact. The drug received traditional approval for ambulatory DMD patients aged 4 and older on June 20, 2024, while maintaining accelerated approval for non-ambulatory patients since June 22, 2023. Under accelerated approval, companies must conduct confirmatory studies to verify clinical benefit. Given the new safety concerns, the FDA has notified Sarepta that the drug’s indication should be restricted to ambulatory patients only. The FDA revoked the platform technology designation for Sarepta’s AAVrh74 Platform Technology because the preliminary evidence is insufficient to demonstrate that the technology has the potential to be incorporated in multiple drugs without adverse safety effects. What People Are Saying FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.: “Today, we’ve shown that this FDA takes swift action when patient safety is at risk. We believe in access to drugs for unmet medical needs but are not afraid to take immediate action when a serious safety signal emerges.” Dr. Vinay Prasad, Director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research: “Protecting patient safety is our highest priority, and the FDA will not allow products whose harms are greater than benefits. The FDA will halt any clinical trial of an investigational product if clinical trial participants would be exposed to an unreasonable and significant risk of illness or injury.” FILE – The Food and Drug Administration seal is seen at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File What Happens Next The FDA will continue investigating the risk of acute liver failure and other serious outcomes following gene therapies using Sarepta’s AAVrh74 platform technology. The agency has committed to taking additional regulatory actions as needed to protect patients. For current Elevidys patients, the FDA is focusing its safety investigation on ambulatory patients while restricting the drug’s use in non-ambulatory patients. Is This Article Trustworthy? Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Slide Circle to Vote No Moderately Yes VOTE Top stories About the writer Adeola Adeosun is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news, politics and trends. Adeola joined Newsweek in 2024 and has previously worked for CNN, Bossip, and The Messenger. You can get in touch with Adeola by emailing a.adeosun@newsweek.com. Languages: English. Adeola Adeosun Adeola Adeosun is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news, … Read more Read More

🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. Could the reunion between the New York Giants and Odell Beckham Jr. actually happen? So far, there hasn’t been any real steam regarding that scenario outside of Beckham’s consistent teasing of the idea. Once again, Beckham left many Giants fans hoping for a potential reunion as he revealed on social media that he recently worked out in Giants gear. The No. 13 helmet was present for one of his recent sessions. With training camps across the league beginning this week, Beckham remains an NFL free agent. He last played for the Miami Dolphins last season. When the star wideout sat on a stage at Fanatics Fest recently, a fan shouted out to Beckham, suggesting he should reunite with the Giants. Beckham made it clear he was open to that idea by simply responding: “I got you.” Not even two days later, Beckham posted a photo on his Instagram with MetLife Stadium as the backdrop. In the photo, Beckham is with his son, facing the stadium he once played in. The caption read as a player who was looking back on his most fond memories as a member of the Giants, but also left the story open. “Mannn yo daddy did some Krazy [expletive] here,” Beckham said via Instagram. “We changed the game [and] inspired a generation who came behind us. We still got more to do.” Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants warms up prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on November 25, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images When Beckham left LSU in 2013, he was a projected first-round pick. During the 2014 NFL Draft, the Giants called on the star wide receiver with their 12th overall selection. Beckham would spend five seasons with the Giants. In 59 games, the wide receiver caught 390 passes for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns. He established himself as one of the biggest stars in the game, collecting three Pro Bowl appearances and multiple All-Pro awards. In 2019, the Giants-Beckham pairing ended. Beckham was sent to join the Cleveland Browns for a few seasons. During the 2021 NFL season, Beckham was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. While he didn’t have a major impact in LA, Beckham was a part of the Super Bowl-winning squad. He suffered an injury during the big game, which sidelined him for the entire 2022 NFL season. Beckham played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. He caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three scores. During his nine-game showing in Miami, Beckham caught nine passes for 55 yards and zero touchdowns. As Beckham searches for his next team, the Giants seem to be on his radar. However, recent reports have suggested that the organization doesn’t seem to see a fit at this time. For more New York Giants and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports. Read More

By Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Evan Massey Contributing Sports Writer 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield are looking to continue their success from the last two years. In each of the last two seasons, the Buccaneers have made the playoffs. Led by Mayfield, who has been playing at a very high level since joining Tampa Bay, the team has looked the part of a sleeper Super Bowl contender. Over the last four years, the Buccaneers have retained the NFC South division crown. They’re looking for another division win and a deep playoff run this year. Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates during an NFL Wild Card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Mayfield has found his path after a rocky start to his NFL career. He is finally starting to show why he was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. Read more: Vikings’ Justin Jefferson Sends Strong Message to NFL Recently, former NFL star quarterback Cam Newton revealed his top-10 signal callers in the league. He placed Mayfield on his list at No. 10, but also revealed a bluntly honest take about the Tampa Bay star. “He’s too erratic,” Newton said. “When he’s good man, he’s good. But man, when he’s bad, it’s like ‘Bake, why’d you throw that pick?’” He has had his fair share of turnover problems. Even last season in what was one of his best career years, Mayfield threw 16 interceptions. Speaking of his 2024 season, Mayfield played in all 17 games. He completed 71.4 percent of his pass attempts for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions, while also running for 378 yards and three more touchdowns. At 30 years old, Mayfield is in his prime. In his last two seasons with the Buccaneers, he has been playing the best football of his career by far. He has shown no signs of slowing down. Read more: Steelers Legend Reveals Brutal Prediction for Aaron Rodgers’ NFL Conclusion Newton clearly has his issues with Mayfield’s game, but he still placed him as the No. 10 overall quarterback in the NFL. That alone speaks volumes about just how good Mayfield has been to overcome 16 interceptions and still earn that kind of ranking. It will be interesting to see what the 2025 season has in store for Tampa Bay and Mayfield. Chris Godwin returned in free agency and Mike Evans is back for more. The Buccaneers also brought in former Ohio State standout wide receiver Emeka Egbuka in the 2025 NFL Draft. All signs point to yet another big-time season for Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense. For more Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports. Top stories About the writer Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and … Read more Read More

By Michael Gallagher covers national trending news across the NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, college football and entertainment for Newsweek. He brings over a decade of writing and editing experience in sports journalism, has won multiple Tennessee Press Association awards, and covered several notable events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game, and an NHL Stadium Series. His previous bylines can be found on Athlon Sports, Yahoo Sports, The Hockey News, Fox Sports, the Nashville Scene, the Nashville Post, Yardbarker, and SB Nation. You can read more of Michael’s work by following him on X @MGsports_. Michael Gallagher Contributing Sports Writer 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. It’s no secret that WNBA players are hoping to leverage the league (and Caitlin Clark’s) popularity to negotiate higher salaries in their next collective bargaining agreement. The message was also sent loud and clear during Saturday’s All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana when players wore black shirts with a simple message printed across the front: “Pay Us What You Owe Us.” Fans also chanted “pay them” during warmups and when WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert presented Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier with the game’s MVP award as well. “That was a powerful moment,” Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said, via ESPN. “We didn’t, at least as players, we didn’t know that was going to happen. So it was a genuine surprise. Those chants tonight, those signs, it just shows that as players, we are united, but the fans are united in believing what we’re seeking.” Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty wears a shirt saying “Pay us what you owe us” prior to the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at… Steph Chambers/Getty Images More WNBA: Chicago Sky Send Clear Message to Angel Reese After All-Star Game This all happened two days after a group of players met with league officials in the latest round of CBA negotiations, which several players agree didn’t yield the kind of progress they’d like to have seen regarding the salary range they are hoping to get into. The Team Collier and Team Clark (Caitlin Clark’s team) All-Stars agreed hours before tipoff on Saturday that a statement needed to be made, and they decided that during one of, if not the league’s most-watched games of the year with a sold-out capacity crowd of 16,988 fans was the place to do it. And while an increase to the WNBA wage scale has been a hotly debated topic since Clark entered the league last season as the No. 1 overall pick, sports media pundits haven’t been afraid to weight in. ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale has been an outspoken supporter of Clark, and on Sunday morning he took to social media to make his stance on the situation known. “Since the arrival of @CaitlinClark22 the @WNBA’s growth has been fantastic (Ticket sales – TV ratings) – the players are so UNDERPAID ! They DESERVE a big increase!” Vitale wrote on X. More WNBA: Paige Bueckers Makes WNBA History During 2025 All-Star Game This isn’t the first time Vitale has drawn attention to Clark’s impact on the WNBA. He told Front Office Sports nearly three weeks ago that he believes Clark is responsible “What she has done to help the WNBA has been unbelievable,” Vitale said. “Think about it. PR excitement. Ticket sales. TV Ratings and interest. Salary increases. More charter flights than the past. Plus, she is so exciting to watch.” Vitale has called Clark “the best thing to happen to the WNBA,” pointing to the surge in the league’s television ratings, merchandise sales, and public recognition since Clark’s arrival. For more WNBA news, check out Newsweek Sports. Is This Article Trustworthy? Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Slide Circle to Vote No Moderately Yes VOTE Top stories About the writer Michael Gallagher covers national trending news across the NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, college football and entertainment for Newsweek. He brings over a decade of writing and editing experience in sports journalism, has won multiple Tennessee Press Association awards, and covered several notable events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game, and an NHL Stadium Series. His previous bylines can be found on Athlon Sports, Yahoo Sports, The Hockey News, Fox Sports, the Nashville Scene, the Nashville Post, Yardbarker, and SB Nation. You can read more of Michael’s work by following him on X @MGsports_. Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher covers national trending news across the NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, college football and entertainment for Newsweek. He brings over … Read more Read More

By Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Evan Massey Contributing Sports Writer 🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur. The Indiana Pacers and point guard T.J. McConnell are fresh off of a run to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, they came up just short against the Oklahoma City Thunder and lost Game 7 of the series following star point guard Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles injury. During the Finals, McConnell became a household name. Everyone in Indiana had already come to love him, but he hadn’t been a name talked about much around the league. With fans getting to see him on the biggest stage in basketball, McConnell stepped up and played at an incredibly high level. T.J. McConnell #9 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 24, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images Throughout the course of the series against the Thunder, McConnell averaged 12 points per game off of the bench to go along with 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.1 steals. Read more: Lakers Linked to Potential Trade for 2-Time All-Star Guard Now that his name has grown, McConnell is being much more active in the media. Recently, he spoke out with a strong opinion about who the toughest player in the NBA is to guard. Of course, McConnell is known as a tenacious defender. He wreaks havoc on many opposing guards. However, there is one guard that he has difficulty with in particular. That guard is none other than Dallas Mavericks’ superstar point guard Kyrie Irving. During an appearance on the “Christian Kuntz Podcast,” McConnell spoke out with a strong message about Irving. “Who’s the hardest guy I’ve had to guard? Kyrie Irving,” McConnell said. “The ball’s on a string. You’re on an island, and you just don’t know what he’s gonna do. You could force him one way, but he still ends up getting the way you don’t want him. His handle is impeccable. It’s impeccable. “He’s got the greatest handle I’ve seen. He could really shoot it like, he’s fast, it’s just, it’s a tough place to be mentally when you’re when you’re guarding Kyrie.” Read more: Warriors’ Stephen Curry Doesn’t Hold Back About Ja Morant Irving is currently working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered. There is no concrete timetable for his return to the court, but the Mavericks are hoping that he’ll be playing during the 2025-26 season. All of that being said, McConnell showering Irving with this kind of praise is telling. Irving has been a lethal scorer and ball-handler his entire career. McConnell and the Pacers will have their work cut out for them during the 2025-26 campaign. Without Haliburton on the court, they’ll have a steep hill to climb to remain as one of the top teams in the NBA. For more on the Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports. Is This Article Trustworthy? Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article. Slide Circle to Vote No Moderately Yes VOTE Top stories About the writer Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and … Read more Read More