Giddey, 21, was allegedly involved in a relationship with a girl who was 15 or 16 at the time; in California, the age of consent is 18.

The Newport Beach Police Department investigated the matter after the allegations were posted on social media and despite information and photos posted online, police were "unable to corroborate any criminal activity."

TMZ, which was the first to report that Giddey would not face charges, previously reported that the girl and her family were refusing to cooperate with the police investigation.

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Newport Beach police said detectives had conducted a "thorough and exhaustive examination" of the case. The Police Department, which was relatively quiet throughout the process, said it was committed to "ensuring that accurate information was disseminated to the public, while also ensuring the rights of those involved."

The Australian star has not commented on the allegations.

Despite the active police investigation, Giddey continued to play for the Thunder who are currently second in the NBA's Western Conference.

The NBA has previously indicated it was conducting its own independent investigation but commissioner Adam Silver said in December that the league would "take a backseat" and wait for the criminal investigation to conclude.

The league could still suspend the rising star under its player conduct policy, but it remains to be seen if such a punishment will be made.

The answer, according to sports betting research company Oddspedia, is yes; L.A. offers visiting basketball watchers some of the best overall gameday experiences in the NBA. 

A study conducted by Oddspedia ranked all 29 NBA arenas by assessing their quality (including capacity and local ratings), gameday costs, travel and accommodation ease, nearby entertainment options and each city’s sports culture. Each category was put on a 100-point scale and then averaged, with scores closer to 500 representing more visitor-friendly arenas. 

L.A. and Crypto.com Arena ranked fourth on the list of best destinations, the study found, noting that while the legendary home of the Lakers and Clippers is one of the most expensive in the league, the gameday atmosphere is among the NBA’s best, not to mention that the City of Angels is home to some of America’s most popular tourist attractions. 

When coming to Los Angeles and Crypto, Oddspedia researchers advised traveling fans to “plan on spending more than you might expect [in order] to get your visitations’ worth.” 

Taking the cake as the most visitor-friendly city and stadium, according to Oddspedia, is the home of the reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets.  

The study found that Ball Arena, located in downtown Denver and surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, is among the most pocket-friendly venues in the league and offers seats with some of the best sightlines, meaning that the experience of watching your team take on 2021 and 2022 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is that much more enjoyable. 

Oddspedia's best NBA arenas for visiting fans can be viewed in the table below: 

"We are absolutely devastated by Dejan's sudden passing," said Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr. "This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him. In addition to being a terrific basketball coach, Dejan was one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known."

"We grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa," said the Warriors in a post to X, formerly Twitter.

Milojević was in his third season as an assistant coach with the Warriors. He was a member of the team's coaching staff during the Dub's run to the 2022 NBA Championship. Milojević is from Belgrade, Serbia. He played professional basketball internationally for 14 years prior to becoming a coach.

The news of Milojević's passing was first reported in TMZ and in a tweet from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Warriors away game Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz has been postponed. A date for the rescheduled game will be announced at a later date, the NBA said.

The $2 billion privately financed Intuit Dome in Inglewood is the labor of love for former Microsoft CEO and current Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.

The new arena promises to continue the tech titan's legacy by ushering in a new era for the city of Inglewood and reimagining the idea of what an entertainment and sports venue can be.

So what can you expect when visiting Intuit Dome for the first time?

The 17,700-seat arena will feature seats that are closer to the action than ever before. For example, seats in the upper bowl are 45 feet closer at Intuit Dome than at the team's current home in downtown.

Speaking of seats, the new arena boasts the most spacious seats in the NBA with the most legroom and more space between the person next to you. Some sections come with seats that have climate control options and all seats are implanted with chips that provide data that could be used to improve the overall experience.

And the experience, Ballmer says, is designed to keep you in your seats and involved in the action, rather than standing in line.

“We do not want people to wait in line, we want them to get back to their damn seats,” Ballmer told reporters during a tour of the construction site in 2022.

Concession stands will offer seamless purchasing options, and the team promises zero lines when buying foods and drinks.

The arena also has three times as many toilets and urinals compared to other NBA arenas, meaning less time waiting in lines to do your business and more time cheering for the Clippers.

Cheering for the Clippers specifically is something the team says was imperative for leaving Crypto.com Arena and getting out of the shadow of their crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers.

To build on and maximize their new home court advantage, the team is drawing on some inspiration from overseas, as well as the amateur ranks. Taking a page from European soccer and collegiate sports, the Clippers will have a dedicated supporter section aptly named "The Wall."

The Wall is comprised of 51 uninterrupted rows of seats, filled with 4,500 fans stacked high and close to the action. Tickets for the section are limited to Clippers fans, according to Front Office Sports. Fans in that section are encouraged to be loud and proud for the Clippers and only the Clippers. They can't cheer or sport gear for the opposing team and tickets can only be sold on the team's official resale market.

The team, which has put in the work to grow its fanbase by giving back to the L.A. community through a number of initiatives, hopes the section will help foster a strong and reliable audience for Clippers home games.

If you're not sitting courtside or in "The Wall," the Clippers still have you covered with the pièce de résistance: a technological marvel that brings the entire arena together.

A more-than-38,000-square-foot double-sided "halo" board comprised of more 233 million LEDs will hang from the roof of Intuit Dome, giving every single person in attendance clear view of the current action, score, time and in-arena entertainment.

A larger, similar-style video board can be found next door at SoFi Stadium, but Intuit Dome's will be the largest ever built for an indoor arena. The video board is so massive that the entire building's roof was engineered specifically with it in mind.

Intuit Dome will also feature a number of amenities for Clippers players and staff, as well as several improvements to the Inglewood community and green-energy initiatives that aim to keep the project as earth-friendly as possible.

For a complete breakdown of all Intuit Dome has to offer, click here.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the arena had been chosen to host the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

Los Angeles is also slated to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and Super Bowl LXI in 2027, both of which will take place at SoFi Stadium.

The city will also be the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics; the men's and women's World Rugby Championships will come to town in 2031 and 2033, respectively.

The team will begin moving into the arena this summer and Ballmer said it will be able to host concerts as soon as August.

An exact date has not yet been set for when Intuit Dome will see its first home game, but season tickets are already on sale for the team's inaugural season in its new home. The 2024-25 season will tip off sometime in autumn 2024.

KTLA 5 is a broadcast partner of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer joined NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the mayors of Inglewood and Los Angeles at a media event inside the arena, which was attended by dozens of workers in hard hats and safety vests.

“I was giddy when I heard it was possible and even giddier when the NBA said we were getting it,” an enthusiastic Ballmer told the crowd, while also wearing a hard hat and vest. “We want this to be the penultimate basketball experience on the planet ... as good as it gets. The pinnacle. The peak.”

The futuristic-looking 18,000-seat arena, currently under construction just south of SoFi Stadium and the Kia Forum, is set to open in August ahead of the 2024-25 basketball season.

The $2 billion, privately financed venue will house all of the Clippers' basketball and business operations, and host other sporting events and concerts in addition to Clippers home games.

"There is technology [here] that is unmatched in any facility I’ve seen," Silver said. "I eagerly await the first opportunity to see a Clippers game in this fantastic Intuit Dome and of course, all NBA fans are eager to see an NBA All-Star game here."

The 2026 NBA All-Star Week will include several events for players and fans, including events at the Kia Forum and Los Angeles Convention Center.

The first on-court action is Friday, Feb. 13 at Intuit Dome with NBA Rising Stars, an annual showcase for top rookies and second-year NBA players. On Feb. 14, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will feature the Kia Skills Challenge, the Starry 3-Point Challenge and AT&T Slam Dunk.

The NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The Clippers have shared Crypto.com Arena with the L.A. Lakers and L.A. Kings since 1999 when it first opened as the Staples Center. Ballmer, a former CEO of Microsoft, purchased the franchise in 2014.

L.A.'s Very Own KTLA 5 is a television partner of the Los Angeles Clippers.

According to reports by ESPN's Adam Schefter and the NFL Network itself, Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce informed his teammates Monday night that he is retiring.

Following the game, Kelce declined to speak to reporters but appeared emotional walking back to the locker room.

The 36-year-old Kelce spent the past 13 seasons playing as a center for the Eagles.

Kelce, a six-time All-Pro and future Hall of Famer, has been hinting at his retirement since the end of the 2022 season following the Eagles' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57.

Kelce was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft out of Cincinnati. 

He is set to become a free agent in March, meaning he could re-sign with the Eagles if he changes his mind.

In 2023, Kelce was named one of People's Sexiest Men Alive and continues to gain popularity through his "New Heights" podcast, recorded alongside brother Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jason Kelce was part of Philadelphia's core four of stars that have experienced droughts and championship runs, multiple coaches and one of the worst collapses in the city's sports history. Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham are the lone holdovers from former coach Andy Reid’s last season with the Eagles in 2012. Lane Johnson completes the four veteran anchors and was a rookie in former coach Chip Kelly’s first season in 2013.

They won a Super Bowl under former coach Doug Pederson and won just four games in 2020. They’ve played hurt and set records. They’ve also raised the standard on what it means to be an Eagles player.

The Core Four is no more. Jason Kelce is the first to call it quits.

He has not yet made any public comments.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NFL insider Ian Rapaport broke the news on X, formerly Twitter, adding that Williams' decision had been expected.

"No surprise for one of the most talented prospects," he wrote.

Williams confirmed the news in a tweet of his own.

"Since I was 10, all I ever wanted to do was to play football," he wrote. "The journey would be empty without the people who have supported and loved me. I will Fight On forever and rep Hornsdown4Life. I’m ready to do whatever it takes. I am officially declaring for the NFL Draft."

Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy as the top player in college football in 2022, has been coveted by NFL teams for years, though this upcoming draft in April will be the first for which he is eligible.

He is a strong contender to be the first overall pick, though the three teams at the top of the order — the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots — all could either draft a quarterback, draft another position or trade their pick to another team more in need of a passer.

According to Rapaport, Williams is not picky about which team picks him.

"The Heisman trophy winner enters the process excited for whoever ends up selecting him," Rapaport reported.

L.A. was named as a host city for the 2026 World Cup last June, with SoFi Stadium selected as the stadium where the matches would take place. 

However, Stan Kroenke, who owns the top-of-the-line stadium in Inglewood, refused to adjust the playing area to accommodate a soccer field, which uses wider dimensions than a football field. 

ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe had earlier indicated that SoFi was “practically out” of the running to host any World Cup games due to Kroenke’s disagreement with FIFA, however new reports from The Messenger now say otherwise. 

Los Angeles and SoFi Stadium are still a World Cup 2026 host city and venue, per The Messenger’s Arash Markazi, who also noted that L.A. “may not get the final but [is] expected to get marquee matches.” 

According to Markazi, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass confirmed that the city recently secured the World Cup, telling him that she was not “exactly sure if we were going to get it but we are.” 

In addition to owning SoFi Stadium and the L.A. Rams, Kroenke owns Arsenal F.C. in the English Premier League and the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. 

The 2026 World Cup will be played in 16 venues across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday that she had been in contact with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the "dangerous conditions" ahead of the matchup. 

“In consultation with our emergency response teams, Buffalo Bills leadership and the NFL, the Bills game will be postponed to 4:30 p.m. Monday,” Hochul said on social media. 

The game was initially scheduled to kick off at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York – just outside Buffalo -- at 1:30 p.m. ET. on Sunday. 

The Bills had previously announced that they would pay all eligible individuals $20 per hour and provide them with free food in exchange for shoveling snow from the stadium grounds. 

According to the National Weather Service, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the Greater Buffalo area until Sunday night, with a High Wind Warning and a Lakeshore Flood Warning also in effect until late Saturday. 

The area is expected to get 18 to 24 inches of snow along with blustery winds that will create whiteout conditions through the weekend, NWS said. 

The Texans will face off against the Cleveland Browns, marking the first time in four years the Texans have made it to the playoffs.

The 22-year-old rookie quarterback will be cheered on by his loved ones back home in the Inland Empire. 

“It’s mind-blowing,” said Bill Burke, Stroud’s former varsity high school basketball coach. “We are so proud of the person that he’s become.”

Stroud attended Rancho Cucamonga High School, where he graduated in 2020.

“He loves the I.E.,” said Kimberly Stroud, C.J.’s mother. “These are his stomping grounds and he still loves the people here.”

A banner honoring C.J. is displayed at the high school where he excelled on the football field for four years before attending Ohio State University.

“When he first got here, they put him on the freshman team and I said, ‘That’s not going to last long,’” recalled Kimberly. “I think it lasted one week of practice.”

During his first two years on the high school team, Kimberly said C.J. was a backup quarterback who worked hard to move up the roster.

“I would say to this very day, he’s a better teammate for it,” Kimberly said. “He’s a better person for it.”

“He didn’t have that big 7-on-7 coach or a QB coach guy that he paid money for,” said Mark Verti, Stroud’s former football coach. “He did it the old-school way. Worked hard — the right way to do things.”

In November 2023, Stroud shattered the record for passing yards thrown by a rookie in a single game. 

According to NFL data, he threw for a total of 470 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, surpassing Andrew Luck’s rookie record in 2012. 

“It’s not a surprise, but back when he was a freshman or sophomore, was I going to say he would break NFL records as a freshman?” asked Verti in disbelief. “Probably not. You just can’t picture that.”

Last weekend’s win against the Indianapolis Colts allowed the Houston Texans to clinch a spot in the AFC Playoffs, marking a pivotal moment in Stroud’s career.

The proud son gave the game-winning football to this mother.

“I love my mom to death,” Stroud said. “She’s so supportive of me. She’s been with me through thick and thin.”

Kimberly proudly showed the football to KTLA, where her son signed the ball with a message saying, “Love you, Momma.”

“When I got [the ball], I just cried,” Kimberly said.

The coaches, teachers and loved ones who saw him grow up said they will always support the hometown hero wherever he goes, even if that means changing their team allegiances.

“I was not a huge Texans fan before, but I have now become a huge Texans fan,” said Burke.

Coach Verti agreed saying although he wasn’t a fan of the Texans before the April draft, he now wholeheartedly supports the team.

“Whatever C.J.’s team is, that’s my favorite team,” Kimberly said.

The quarterback has created The C.J. Stroud Foundation based in Fontana which is dedicated to helping low-income families and youth. The foundation also offers free youth camp programs for aspiring athletes. 

As first reported by Shams Charania of the Athletic, the Intuit Dome in Inglewood is expected to be awarded the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend.

The weekend festival is held every February and includes a full slate of events, including the All-Star Celebrity Game, Three-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk Contest.

But the biggest event falls on Sunday evening during the NBA All-Star Game. The annual competition pits 24 of the league's biggest stars in an East-versus-West exhibition game for charity.

In 2026, it appears the games are coming to the Intuit Dome.

The 18,000-seat arena located at the intersection of Century Boulevard and Prairie Avenue will be the home of the Clippers beginning next season as L.A.'s other team looks to carve out its own legacy in its own arena.

The team has called the Crypto.com Arena, aka, Staples Center, its home since 1999, but the team has only been a tenant of the space. Crypto.com Arena is owned by AEG, which also has an ownership stake in the crosstown rival Lakers.

The Intuit Dome, like the Clippers, will be owned entirely by Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft, and the richest owner in the NBA.

Ballmer said when he purchased the team that building them a dedicated arena was a high priority. He's promised that the $2 billion arena will be the most technologically advanced arena in the NBA upon its completion.

The Intuit Dome features a 51-row section called "The Wall" that's inspired by European soccer stadiums that puts fans closer to the court and create a literal wall of sound. There's a massive two-sided "halo board" comprised of 44,000 square feet of LED lights.

Unsurprisingly, Ballmer said the new arena will have no shortage of technological advancements that are geared toward making the best experience for fans.

The seats are wider and are implanted with chips that provide data that could improve the overall experience, some sections offer climate control options and Ballmer says there are three-times as many toilets and urinals compared to other NBA arenas.

“We do not want people to wait in line, we want them to get back to their damn seats," Ballmer told reporters during a tour of the construction site in 2022. The enthusiastic tech billionaire says he visits the site once a month to check on the construction progress, which is creeping ever closer to completion.

The 2026 NBA All-Star game is another in what is becoming a jam-packed decade for sporting events in the Los Angeles area.

Super Bowl LVI in 2022 was held at the nearby SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and last month the NFL announced the Super Bowl would return to the venue again in 2027. In 2026, the FIFA World Cup will be played in North America, and it’s widely believed Los Angeles will be among the host cities, either at SoFi Stadium or elsewhere.

The city will also be the site of the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. The World Rugby Championships will come to town in 2031 and 2033.

Los Angeles County is rapidly expanding and improving its public transportation services in anticipation of the Summer Games in what is being referred to by County leaders as “Vision 2028.”

A $1.8 billion “people mover” project is set to break ground in Inglewood next year, transporting up to 11,000 people per hour and providing easier and improved connectivity between L.A. Metro’s K Line, the KIA Forum, SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome.

That project, however, is not expected to be operating until 2028, barring any accelerated timelines to accommodate the millions of visitors to the Inglewood area for those upcoming events.

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is slated to be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana followed by the 2025 NBA ALL-Star Game at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

For the first time, a playoff game -- Saturday night's AFC wild card match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins -- will be behind a streaming paywall.

That is, NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service has the rights to the game, so if you're not a subscriber, you're not watching.

In the past, of course, anyone with a TV would be able to see all postseason action at no additional cost.

But as more live sports make their way to digital streaming platforms, fans are put into the uncustomary position of shelling out extra cash to see key events.

"You’ve decided to rip off fans by exclusively broadcasting tomorrow’s Chiefs vs. Dolphins wild-card game on Peacock," an angry Rep. Pat Ryan (D-NY) wrote to execs at the NFL and NBC Sports.

"For the first time ever, fans will be forced to choose between signing up for yet another expensive streaming service or missing out on a major playoff game."

Yeah, pretty much. And they'll probably have to get used to it.

Professional sports have always followed the money, and the big bucks for sports licensing is now coming from the streaming world.

Amazon has gone heavy into football with its Thursday night games, and Netflix has been dipping its toes into the worlds of golf and tennis.

There's a good reason the streamers -- most of which remain unprofitable -- are bullish on live sports: It's appointment television.

In other words, it's live TV with big audiences, and that's what advertisers crave. That means the streamers can charge more for commercial time.

While football fans are justifiably cheesed about potentially missing out on a playoff game, streaming services and event organizers will be watching closely to see how big an audience Peacock manages to attract.

If the service draws a crowd, it's a sure bet more sports and appointment TV will go digital, which means the Super Bowl, the World Series, maybe even the Oscars eventually will find streaming homes.

What can you do? Well, you can subscribe to everything, but that's not financially feasible for most people.

Otherwise, look around for free trials for specific services ahead of a desired program.

Pro tip: Don't forget to cancel when you're done.

NATAS has taken back 37 awards given for the "College GameDay" program, which won multiple awards for outstanding weekly studio show.

At the time of the show's victories, on-air talent was prohibited from winning outside of individual categories to "prevent front-facing talent from winning two awards for the same work (termed “double-dipping” in the NATAS rulebook)," The Athletic reports.

In an attempt to honor on-air talent, however, ESPN executives included employees with names "similar to the names of on-air personalities – and with identical initials," according to Katie Strang's report.

"Since at least 2010, ESPN inserted fake names in Emmy entries, then took the awards won by some of those imaginary individuals, had them re-engraved and gave them to on-air personalities," Strang reported.

Some of those who took awards home intended for fictitious "associate producers" were faces of the network like Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso and reporters like Shelley Smith and Gene Wojciechowski.

The Athletic also analyzed some on-air talent's social media posts about their Emmy Awards and noted that some, like "SportsCenter" anchor Linda Cohn, received awards for which they were not eligible.

The award winners declined to comment or could not be reached by The Athletic, though in a statement, ESPN confirmed they brought in outside counsel for an investigation and "the individuals found to be responsible were disciplined by ESPN."

"Some members of our team were clearly wrong in submitting certain names that may go back to 1997 in Emmy categories where they were not eligible for recognition or statuettes," the statement said. "This was a misguided attempt to recognize on-air individuals who were important members of our production team. Once current leadership was made aware, we apologized to NATAS for violating guidelines and worked closely with them to completely overhaul our submission process to safeguard against anything like this happening again."

As a result of the revelations, NATAS has barred ESPN executives from future Emmy consideration, and the "senior leadership of 'College Gameday'" is also barred from this year's ceremony, NATAS told The Athletic.

"While it is not known who orchestrated the scheme, Craig Lazarus, vice president and executive producer of original content and features, and Lee Fitting, a senior vice president of production who oversaw 'College GameDay' and other properties, were among the ESPN employees NATAS ruled ineligible from future participation in the Emmys," the report said.

So Leonard signed a three-year contract extension worth $152.3 million on Wednesday.

A person familiar with the agreement confirmed the value of the deal to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial terms were not released.

“It was time to do it. I'm happy,” Leonard said after he scored 29 points in the Clippers' 126-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. “I'm just focused on the right now. I'm in a moment in this season of trying to get us to a place we haven't been before.”

The two-time NBA Finals MVP is averaging 24.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in his 12th NBA season. The 32-year-old forward has been in good health, playing in 33 of 37 games so far. He recently returned after missing four games with a hip injury.

Lawrence Frank, the team's president of basketball operations, said there was never a doubt in his mind that an extension would be reached.

“It just made sense from both sides. We both wanted the same thing,” Frank said. “We wanted Kawhi to be a Clipper for a long time and Kawhi wants to be a Clipper for a long time.”

Leonard signed with the Clippers during the 2019 offseason after leading the Raptors to an NBA title. He was in the third year of a four-year deal he signed in 2021 that calls for him to earn a base salary of $45,640,084 this season. He had a player option for next season at $48,787,676.

“When you can get a top-tier player to sign back, it says a lot about your organization and all the work put in to to get to this position. It is a great day for the organization,” coach Tyronn Lue said.

Leonard is a five-time All-Star and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. He also won an NBA title with San Antonio in 2014.

The Clippers are fourth in the West with a 24-13 record. Their 16-3 record since Dec. 1 is the best in the league as the core unit of Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook has gelled with James Harden, who was acquired in a Nov. 1 trade with Philadelphia.

George, who arrived with Leonard in 2019, and Harden are also eligible for extensions. Frank said talks with George are still ongoing, but discussions with Harden can not begin until after the NBA Finals.

Lue said the addition of Harden has meant Leonard and George have run fewer pick-and-roll plays, which has helped decrease the amount of wear and tear on their bodies.

“I think James also has made it easier for Kawhi and Paul to have more catch-and-shoot 3-pointers and to play off closeouts. That's been really good for us,” Lue said.

___

AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this story.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Saban took over the Alabama football program in 2007 and compiled an official 206-29 record during his time coaching the Crimson Tide.

Under Saban, Bama made 23 bowl game appearances with 16 victories, 10 SEC West titles, nine SEC Championships and won six national championships.

“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,” Saban said in a statement. “It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way.”

Saban is famed for his sideline scowl and fiery demeanor -- and for winning. He has won more national titles than any other major college coach. He won six of his titles during his 17 seasons at Alabama. He won his first with LSU in 2003.

Saban's wife, Terry, posted about their “incredible run” at Alabama on the Facebook page for Nick's Kids Foundation.

“We hope that the Saban legacy will be about helping others and making a positive difference in people’s lives as well as the winning tradition on the field,” Terry Saban wrote.

Saban began his coaching career in 1973 with Kent State as a graduate assistant. He is 297-71-1 as a college head coach, with stops at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU. But Alabama is where he cemented his status as one of college football's greatest coaches.

He has also worked with multiple NFL teams, including the Houston Oilers, the Miami Dolphins, and the Cleveland Browns.

“I think he’s the greatest coach in the history of football,” Michigan State basketball coach and longtime Saban friend Tom Izzo said in a telephone interview Wednesday night. “There are a lot of great coaches, but what he’s done and the consistency that he did it — in an era where so many people and things are coming at you — is remarkable.”

Saban's latest team dealt with plenty of adversity early on, including a loss to Texas, but rebounded with the emergence of quarterback Jalen Milroe to upset then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC championship game.

Saban didn’t sound like a coach looking to give up the job any time soon after the game. But it wasn't a bad way to go, even without the title.

“This is one of the most amazing seasons in Alabama football history in terms of where this team came from, what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to do, winning the SEC championship, and really, really proud of this group,” he said.

“I just wish that I could have done more as a coach to help them be successful and help them finish, and all we can do now is learn from the lessons that sometimes failings bring to us.”

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey feels Saban isn't done entirely with college football.

“Knowing Nick? He’s not walking away from the game. He’s walking away from a role,” Sankey said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Jody Allen, chair of the Seahawks, made the announcement on Wednesday, adding that the coach and team "amicably agreed" that Carroll's "role will evolve from Head Coach to remain with the organization as an advisor."

"Pete is the winningest coach in Seahawks history, brought the city its first Super Bowl title, and created a tremendous impact over the past 14 years on the field and in the community," the statement said. "His expertise in leadership and building a championship culture will continue as an integral part of our organization moving forward. Pete will always be a beloved member of the Seahawks family."

In addition to his Super Bowl win and another appearance in the NFL championship game, Carroll coached USC from 2001 to 2009, winning national championships in 2003 and 2004 and winning the Rose Bowl four times.

A touchdown catch. Two NFL records. A celebration with mom. And a win for the Los Angeles Rams.

Nacua caught a touchdown pass on the opening drive of the game and then had to wait until the third quarter until his task was complete, having set the NFL rookie records for catches and yards receiving in a 21-20 win over San Francisco on Sunday.

That allowed him to leave a game with little at stake for good and rush over to the sideline where he was able to exchange a long embrace with his mother, who was wearing his No. 17 jersey. He gave her his game ball after the game.

“That was super sweet,” Nacua said. “I saw my mom at the beginning of the game and we were able to have a moment. It was cool for her to be here in this environment. ... I'm glad my family was to be here to experience it with me.”

Nacua had four catches for 41 yards in the first 34 minutes of the game before being pulled for good.

That gave him 105 catches and 1,486 yards on the season.

That breaks the record of 104 catches set by Miami's Jaylen Waddle in 2021 and 1,473 yards set by Bill Groman for the Houston Oilers in 1960.

“For him to be able to break both of those records, it’s such a credit to this team and also his consistency and his body of work over a 17-game season,” coach Sean McVay said. “I’m really happy for him.”

Nacua tied the record for yards when he caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz in the first quarter on a play he initially believed was the record-setter.

“I thought it was the record, but then nobody was celebrating with me and I was wondering what happened,” he said. “I was so lost at that moment that I was on the floor. I slipped a little bit but to catch that touchdown, it was sweet too. It was a nice little cherry on top.”

Then it took until the opening drive of the third quarter for him to break them as the Niners tried their best to delay it in what coach Kyle Shanahan called a “small victory.”

“Our goal was to keep him going the whole game,” Shanahan said. “It was going to be tough. He needed just one more catch, one more yard but we were trying our hardest.”

He caught a 7-yard pass to break Groman's 63-year-old record and then started to head to the sideline to end his game. But he stayed on for one more play and caught a 6-yard pass to break Waddle's record.

“It was so exciting to just still be part of the game and the flow and just trying to find that,” Nacua said. “The other guys on the team were aware too. Just to find it in the flow of the game, it was sweet. And the Rams won again.”

McVay rested several starters for the season finale after the Rams had already clinched a playoff berth, but played Nacua to give him a chance to set those records.

It's been a remarkable rookie season for Nacua, who developed into one of the NFL's most productive receivers despite being drafted in the fifth round in April. He has seven games this season with at least 100 yards receiving, including three games with at least 150.

That performance has him made one of the leading contenders to win the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

But regardless of how that turns out, Nacua will have his records.

“It was fun to see that, and just kind of feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, it was a big responsibility on me to help him get that record,” Wentz said. “So, pretty impressive kid, pretty impressive record.”

The Dodgers and Guggenheim Baseball are donating $1 million to support those affected by the 7.6 magnitude quake that struck in western Japan on New Year’s Day, the team said in a statement on social media. 

“Our thoughts are with all of Japan in the wake of this tragedy,” the team’s statement read. 

Ohtani is also making his own personal contribution, the Dodgers said, but exactly how much was not immediately disclosed. 

“I would like to thank those who have joined in the recovery effort, and my hope is that we continue to come together to support those whose lives have been upended,” Ohtani said in a statement released along with the team's statement. 

The New Year's Day earthquake killed at least 84 people, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The former Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher and Cy Young award winner appeared on Fox News Channel on Thursday in his first television interview since he was suspended by MLB amid allegations that he sexually assaulted and beat a woman in 2021. 

Charges were never filed and Bauer and his accuser settled dueling defamation lawsuits out of court last year. 

“I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone. Never will. Never have. It's not who I am as a person,” Bauer told FNC’s Bill Hemmer. “It’s been excruciating the last two and a half years being seen that way.”

In February 2021, Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Dodgers after winning the National League Cy Young Award the previous year.  

Once the assault allegation surfaced, the North Hollywood native was placed on administrative leave by MLB in July 2021. He was suspended an unprecedented 324 games, which was later reduced to 194 games.

After the suspension ended, the Dodgers released Bauer and no MLB team picked him up. 

The 32-year-old pitched in Japan for the Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars in 2023 where he went 11-4 in 24 appearances with a 2.59 ERA.

Now, as he and his agent search for a new major league home for his talents, he insists the experience has left him a changed man.

“I’ve done a lot of reflecting … and made a lot of changes in my life to address that. I’m not having casual sexual relationships anymore, for example,” Bauer said. 

He also said he regrets the way he handled the assault allegations in the media, calling his response “immature” and driven in part by a desire to “stand up” for himself after suffering bullying as a child. 

In October 2023, Bauer, spoke out on X, formerly Twitter, about the allegation that derailed his career and also shared a video to bolster his claim that his accuser, Lindsey Hill, set him up to take his money.

He shared a selfie video of Hill smiling in his bed that was purportedly recorded the morning after she said Bauer raped and beat her at his Pasadena home.

Hill alleged that Bauer choked her into unconsciousness, punched her repeatedly, and had anal sex with her without her consent during two sexual encounters. The pitcher has said the two engaged in rough sex at her suggestion and followed guidelines they agreed to in advance.

Addressing several other allegations leveled by different women, Bauer told FNC there is still one pending lawsuit that he is confident he will "win."

The 2018 All-Star admits to making “mistakes” in his personal life but insists he does not see himself as a victim.

“I know that I’ve made mistakes,” he acknowledged. “I agreed to do things that I shouldn’t have done … was reckless. It hurt a lot of people along the way [and] made things very difficult for Major League Baseball, for the Dodgers, my teammates, friends, family, people close to me.”

The Los Angeles Rams will have four representatives in the 2024 Pro Bowl games, including a future first ballot hall-of-famer and two newcomers.

Defensive lineman Aaron Donald was selected to his 10th consecutive Pro Bowl, extending his streak of earning the honor every single year of his career since entering the league in 2014. Donald has notched 53 total tackles and eight sacks in 16 games this season. His eight sacks are second-most on the team.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was named a Pro Bowler for only the second time in his career and his first as a member of the Rams. He's completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 3,965 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 starts. Stafford was previously selected as a Pro Bowl alternate in 2022, but did not appear because his team was busy playing in the Super Bowl.

Two first-time Pro Bowlers who surprised Rams fans (and fantasy football owners) were chosen to represent L.A. in Orlando.

Running back Kyren Williams and rookie phenom Puka Nacua have each earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors this season, with Nacua being awarded the honor a league-high four times.

Williams was thrust into the starting lineup following a tumultuous season for the Rams which saw incumbent starter Cameron Akers traded to the Minnesota Vikings and familiar face Darrell Henderson briefly returning to lead the team's backfield.

He missed four games, but Williams was elite when he played, leading the Rams with 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 32 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns. His 95.3 rushing yards per game currently lead the NFL.

Nacua has 101 receptions, 1,445 yards and five touchdowns through 16 games this season. He is four receptions and 29 yards short of breaking the NFL rookie records for both categories.

In addition to the four Pro Bowlers, special teams ace Ben Skowronek was selected as an alternate for the Rams.

The Rams are hoping none of their four players will be suiting up for the Pro Bowl Games after the team secured a spot in the upcoming NFL Playoffs. Their sights will be set on the Super Bowl LVIII.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Chargers fans can watch their two Pro Bowl players without having to worry about that dilemma.

All-Pro mainstays Khalil Mack and Keenan Allen have been honored once again.

Mack will be starting at outside linebacker for the AFC for the second-straight year and will be attending his eight Pro Bowl. He was the team's defensive captain and notched 16 sacks this season, which was the highest total of his Hall-of-Fame career.

In November, Mack was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month after he posted six sacks, including two strip-sacks, five tackles for loss and three pass breakups.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen proved he is still Old Faithful for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Allen has been named to six Pro Bowls in the past seven seasons. In the 2023-24 season, he set a single-season franchise record with 108 receptions, despite missing three games with injury. This season he eclipsed 900 career catches faster than any player in NFL history.

The Chargers had only two players named to the Pro Bowl rosters, but a stunning seven were named as alternates.

Safety Derwin James Jr., tackle Rashawn Slater and return specialist Derius Davis were all selected as first alternates while outside linebacker Joey Bosa, long snapper Josh Harris, kicker Cameron Dicker and quarterback Justin Herbert are all further down the list.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games will be held on Feb. 1 and Feb. 4 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. For the second consecutive year, the event will feature skills competitions and a flag football event rather than the contact football event of years past.