Pelicans' trip to Australia for preseason games is a first for the NBA

Pelicans' trip to Australia for preseason games is a first for the NBA

Australia has seen plenty of its players in the NBA over the years: Patty Mills, Joe Ingles, Andrew Bogut, Ben Simmons, Luc Longley, Matthew Dellavedova and Josh Giddey, to name a few. Kyrie Irving was born there as well. And now, an NBA team is going to play Down Under. The New Orleans Pelicans made the nearly 10,000-mile trip this week for a pair of games — first Friday against Melbourne United, then Sunday against the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Both of those clubs are from Australia's top league, the NBL. The Pelicans arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday. There's a historical aspect, in being the first NBA team to go to Australia, and there's also a slew of other perks that can bring a team together on such a trip, Pelicans coach Willie Green said. NBA players have competed in Australia before, including on United States teams during the 2000 Sydney Olympics and ahead of the 2019 Basketball World Cup, but this is the first time a franchise has traveled there together. "This is a great bonding opportunity for all of our guys," Green said. "We're excited about interacting with the fans in Australia. For many of us, it's our first time in Australia. They're super excited. We're going to really get a good look at our guys, get some dinners together, do some fan engagements and come out of this stronger." A pair of Hall of Famers, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, planned to appear at the games. An open practice, a fan night, a Junior NBA clinic for 50 Australian kids and more activities are planned, with the Pelicans expected back in New Orleans late Sunday night. "I've never been to Australia before, so this is a personal bucket list travel experience," forward Trey Murphy said. "I get to make this trip with some of my best friends and play basketball. It's something I love, and I'm really excited about that. This is a game you play as a child, and it's taking me and my teammates all across the globe." These games will be Murphy's first since his 2024-25 season ended prematurely because of injury. "It's great to be back on the court with my brothers and get this show started," Murphy said. These games are among eight in international locales during the NBA preseason. Philadelphia and New York play Thursday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Orlando and Miami open their preseasons on Saturday in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Denver and Toronto play Monday in Vancouver, and on Oct. 10 and 12, Phoenix and Brooklyn will play in Macao, China — the league's first time playing in that country since 2019. There are also a number of U.S. cities that don't have NBA teams hosting preseason games, including San Diego; Palm Desert, California; Oceanside, California; North Charleston, South Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Las Vegas. Talks about the Pelicans' trip to Melbourne began when Dyson Daniels — an Australian product — was playing for the club. He was traded to Atlanta in the deal that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans in 2024, but the Pelicans saw plenty of value in making the trip to Australia regardless. "Any time we get an opportunity to use the platform that we've been blessed to have and impact other people, especially by going to different countries, it's an honor, really," Green said. "Credit to the NBA, credit to our organization, all the folks in Australia. Because to put this on, it takes a lot. It just goes to show you the reach of the NBA and how global the game has become. So, we're grateful to have this opportunity." ___ AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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September 30, 2025

Pelicans' trip to Australia for preseason games is a first for the NBA

Pelicans' trip to Australia for preseason games is a first for the NBA Australia has seen plenty of its players in the NBA over the year...

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Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill has season-ending knee surgery

Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill has season-ending knee surgery

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill underwent a "major knee procedure" Tuesday to repair his torn ACL and other ligament damage, coach Mike McDaniel confirmed. Hill will miss at least the rest of the 2025 season after dislocating his left knee and suffering the ligament tears during Monday's 27-21 victory over the New York Jets. McDaniel told reporters that he had heard "good things" about any nerve damage to Hill's knee and said the eight-time Pro Bowler may not need more surgeries beyond Tuesday. "It hasn't been deemed to be anything beyond this surgery and we're very hopeful for it to turn out well," McDaniel said. "But no, it hasn't been explained (that multiple surgeries are) an absolute necessity. It's just executing this procedure and seeing what happens from there." Hill was injured when he caught a 10-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa near the New York sideline with 13:21 left in the third quarter. His leg twisted awkwardly as he was going out of bounds, and Hill immediately grabbed for the knee. While being carted off with an air cast on his leg, Hill forcefully clapped his hands several times, smiled and laughed in response to the crowd. "He was probably in the best spirits of any player that I've ever -- it's just such a terrible experience when you go out and see guys when they have issues like that," McDaniel said immediately after the game. "But he immediately had wide eyes and was talking, 'I'm good. Just make sure the guys get this win.' He was focused on the team." Those high spirits continued Tuesday, when Hill posted a video to social media showing him in a hospital bed before his surgery. "Keep your boy in your prayers," Hill said. "You guys have been awesome, man. Fins Nation, just the whole entire NFL has been amazing, sending me lots of love, lots of prayers. I'm absolutely honored." Hill, 31, had six receptions for 67 yards before exiting. He has 21 receptions for 265 yards and one touchdown in four games this season. Hill is in his fourth season with the Dolphins after playing his first six campaigns with the Chiefs. Hill helped Kansas City win the Super Bowl after the 2019 season. He is a five-time first-team All-Pro who was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-2010s Team as a punt returner. --Field Level Media

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September 30, 2025

Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill has season-ending knee surgery

Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill has season-ending knee surgery Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill underwent a "major knee procedure"...

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Angels move on from manager Ron Washington, interim Ray Montgomery

Angels move on from manager Ron Washington, interim Ray Montgomery

Neither Ron Washington nor Ray Montgomery will return to manage the Los Angeles Angels in 2026. The Angels announced Tuesday that they had declined the option on Washington's contract for 2026. They said they will begin the process of hiring a new manager "immediately," marking the end of Montgomery's interim stint. The Angels (72-90) finished last in the American League West for the second straight season, 18 games behind the division champion Seattle Mariners. The Angels were 36-38 on June 20 when Washington took an indefinite leave due to undisclosed health concerns. Washington, 73, revealed in August that he underwent quadruple bypass surgery. Los Angeles went 36-52 the rest of the way with bench coach Montgomery as the interim skipper. Washington told The Athletic in an interview that the Angels' decision to part ways with him was related to the team's performance, not his health. "I have to accept that," Washington said. "I can't go back to argue with them to try and tell them different when they've made a decision. ... We were starting to perform better." General manager Perry Minasian's status is uncertain after the team missed the playoffs for the 11th consecutive season, per The Athletic. Minasian has been in his current position since 2020. Washington was in his second season with Los Angeles. He previously managed the Texas Rangers from 2007-14, reaching the World Series twice. Montgomery, 56, became the team's bench coach after the 2021 season. He previously worked as a scouting director for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers. --Field Level Media

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September 30, 2025

Angels move on from manager Ron Washington, interim Ray Montgomery

Angels move on from manager Ron Washington, interim Ray Montgomery Neither Ron Washington nor Ray Montgomery will return to manage the Los A...

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See which Democrats broke ranks to fund the government

See which Democrats broke ranks to fund the government

WASHINGTON – As the clock ticked on Sept. 30 to apartial government shutdown, several Senate Democratsbroke ranks with their partyto vote for a Republican-backed funding measure that would have kept the lights on. Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada threw their support behind a GOP bill to keep the government open until Nov. 21. Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, also voted for it. "President Trumpand Congressional Republicans are already hurting Nevadans who are dealing with high costs, an economic slowdown, and a looming health care crisis," Cortez Masto said in a statement after the vote. "That's why I cannot support a costly shutdown that would hurt Nevada families and hand even more power to this reckless administration." Still, thefunding extension failed to passon a 55-45 vote, with every other Democrat and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, opposing it. Republicans have a narrow majority in the Senate and would need more than half a dozen Democrats to join them to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. Earlier in the evening, a separate budget bill from Democrats also failed on a party-line vote, 47-53. That measure would have reversed cuts to Medicaid and public media, extended health insurance subsidies and created safeguards to prevent the White House from withholding funding appropriated by Congress. Read more:These people have found their health care at the center of a shutdown showdown The relatively small number of defections came hours before the federal government was slated to plunge into a shutdown and underscored the general unity within the Democratic party to stand up to the Trump administration in a fraught political moment. But it also emphasizedhints of fear among some Democrats about the consequences a shutdown could reap for Americans, particularly for federal workers. The White House has threatenedwidespread civil service layoffs, on top of furloughs, in the event of a shutdown. Government agencies are already on track to lose roughly 300,000 employees this year due to firings, buyouts, retirements and other departures. Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:See which Democrats broke ranks to fund the government

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September 30, 2025

See which Democrats broke ranks to fund the government

See which Democrats broke ranks to fund the government WASHINGTON – As the clock ticked on Sept. 30 to apartial government shutdown, several...

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Hegseth wants 'male standard' for combat roles. Many female veterans say that's already the case

Hegseth wants 'male standard' for combat roles. Many female veterans say that's already the case

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth inan address Tuesdayto the military's top leaders waded back into a topic that nearly derailed his confirmation early this year and helped elevate his voice as a Fox News commentator — thefitness of womento serve in combat. Hegseth told hundreds of military commanders at a hastily called gathering in Virginia that there would be new directives to ensure that the requirement for every position in combat "returns to the highest male standard." He said that "if that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it," while stressing that the military will continue to welcome women into its ranks. "I don't want my son serving alongside troops who are out of shape, or in combat units with females who can't meet the same combat arms physical standards as men," he said. "This job is life and death. Standards must be met." The remarks rekindledcriticism of the defense secretarythat arose afterPresident Donald Trumpnominated him to the post last year and renewed concerns about his approach to women in leadership and front-line roles. Hegseth's house-cleaning at the top ranks of the military has includeda disproportionate number of women,including an admiral and vice admiral in the Navy and the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Several prominent women who are combat veterans pushed back on Hegseth's remarks to emphasize that women who serve in combat roles already are subjected to the same standards as men.Those standardsapply to specific combat special operations, infantry, armor, pararescue and other jobs regardless of age or gender. Female veterans call out Hegseth Elisa Cardnell, president of the Service Women's Action Network, said the standards have not been lowered for women serving in combat roles. She said the requirements for serving in the infantry, for example, are the same for men and women, whether it's carrying a certain amount of equipment or marching a certain distance. Capt. Lory Manning, who served for more than 25 years in the Navy and at times commanded units of over 400 people, said skepticism about women's capabilities is nothing new. During her time in the Navy, the military expanded opportunities for women to serve in air, sea and some ground combat. "Women have had to prove they were capable before positions became officially open," said Manning, whose responsibilities at one point also included oversight and evaluation of the Navy's physical fitness standards. Manning said "there would have been some sort of uproar" if women consistently failed to perform or compromised military standards throughout that time. She said the secretary seemed to conflate physical requirements with requirements for specific military roles. "He hasn't changed anything basic with regards to women," she said of Hegseth. "He's just got it in his head that women are somehow cheating." Amy McGrath, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who was the first woman to fly an F-18 fighter jet in combat andlost a Democratic challengeto Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell in 2020, said Hegseth continues to lie about women in the military. "He claimed the military needs to 'return to the male standard' in combat jobs (of 1990!), but here's the truth: there has never been a separate male and female standard," she posted on X. "When women entered combat roles, one standard was set, and we've been meeting it ever since." U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee for New Jersey governor who served as a Navy helicopter pilot, said Tuesday that what she had heard about the speech "comports with everything I've seen from the most incompetent secretary of defense we've ever had." She questioned the decision to call generals and admirals from around the world for what she said amounts to a meeting "just to kind of show his tough guy creds." Many Republican women show support Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican and Iraq War combat veteran who grilled Hegseth during his nomination hearing in January beforeproviding a crucial confirmation vote, said his comments Tuesday were "appropriate." "I'm not worried about that," she said. "So there should be the same set of standards for combat arms. I think that's what he probably was referring to, combat arms." Ernst noted, however, that women who go through Ranger School or into the infantry are already subjected to the same standards as men. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, thefirst womanto graduate from The Citadel, said she likes Hegseth's approach, specifically his promises to get rid of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the military. "President Trump and Secretary Hegseth are right: the U.S. military isn't a playground for Left-Wing gender bending ideology. Our military is a fighting force that must return to mission-first readiness," the Republican told AP in a statement. U.S. Rep. Sheri Biggs of South Carolina, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, said she also supported Hegseth's efforts to change military culture. Hegseth focused much of his address on eliminating what he has called "woke" policies from the military, saying too many leaders have been promoted based on race, gender quotas and "historic firsts" rather than qualifications. Any leader who disagrees with his approach should resign, he said. "Returning to standards that prioritize excellence and accountability puts America's security and our servicemembers where they belong — first," Biggs said in a statement. ___ Associated Press writers Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, Meg Kinnard in Houston, and Joey Cappelletti, Stephen Groves and Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

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September 30, 2025

Hegseth wants 'male standard' for combat roles. Many female veterans say that's already the case

Hegseth wants 'male standard' for combat roles. Many female veterans say that's already the case Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ...

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