Virginia head coach Tony Bennett in March 2019. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
After leading the Virginia Cavaliers to the first national championship in program history, it was only natural for the school to offer coach Tony Bennett a pay raise. Athletics director Carla Williams and Bennett discussed revisions to his contract that would have included a significant bump in salary.
Bennett talked it over with his wife, Laurel, and decided to decline the raise.
Instead of taking the money, Bennett asked Williams to focus on increasing the salaries of his staff and other improvements that would benefit the program. He did, however, extend his contract an additional year and now has seven years remaining on the deal.
The Bennetts also pledged $500,000 toward a career-development program for current and former Virginia men’s basketball players.
“Laurel and I are in a great spot, and in the past I’ve had increases in my contract,” Bennett said. “We just feel a great peace about where we’re at, all that’s taken place, and how we feel about this athletic department and this community and this school. I love being at UVA.
“President (Jim) Ryan and Carla were very gracious in what they offered to me as a potential contract, but I have a very good contract. I have more than enough, and if there are ways that this can help out the athletic department, the other programs and coaches, by not tying up so much [in men’s basketball], that’s my desire.”
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In his 10 seasons at Virginia, Bennett has led the program to four ACC regular-season championships, two ACC Tournament titles, six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and the NCAA championship. He holds an overall record of 254-89 as the Cavaliers’ head coach.
“Tony’s decision — to turn down a well-deserved raise and instead invest in his players and UVA athletics more broadly — tells you everything you need to know about him as a leader and as a human being,” President Ryan said. “Tony is one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met, and this is just the latest example.”
“The Lord is more than ample. He’s enough. In Him there is all sufficiency. In Him there is great joy and great rest, regardless of what the world is screaming at you through great success or through failure,” he said on the podcast.
Virginia kicks off the 2019-2020 season Nov. 6 at Syracuse.
Mississippi State head coach Samantha Ricketts, May 24, 2026. (Photo By Hallie Walker/Mississippi State Athletics)
The student beat the master.
Mississippi State, led by head coach Samantha Ricketts, knocked off perennial power Oklahoma on Sunday with a 6-0 shutout win in Game 3 of the super regional to advance to the Women’s College World Series for the first time in program history.
For Ricketts, the upset came in familiar territory. A former Oklahoma star, she played first base under legendary coach Patty Gasso from 2006-09, setting then-program records for career home runs (48) and RBIs (239). She later spent two seasons as a graduate assistant on Gasso’s staff.
Now leading Mississippi State, Ricketts made history twice in one weekend. Friday’s 11-9 victory marked the first time a former Oklahoma player had defeated Gasso as a head coach. Sunday’s win raised the stakes even higher, making Ricketts the first former player to knock off her former mentor for a tournament or regional championship.
She was quick to give praise to her mentor following the win.
“They’re the standard of college softball,” Ricketts said during her postgame press conference. “What Coach Gasso has built cannot be denied — what this program is and what she’s done. I know, for myself and the relationship to the program, I am so thankful for her and her guidance. I would not be in this seat and in this moment without Patty Gasso.”
Mississippi State took Game 1 of the series 11-9 but lost 7-1 in Game 2. That provided a teaching moment for Ricketts, who’s been at the helm since 2019.
“We talk a lot about perspective,” she said in the press conference. “Even in those tough moments, even after yesterday’s loss when we got punched in the mouth, this is something we get to do. Nobody has to be here. Nobody’s forcing us to be here. We are all very blessed to be in this moment in the wins and the losses.”
The defeat for OU marks the first time in 399 games that it was held scoreless, and this year’s Women’s College World Series will be without OU for the first time since 2015.
Because of Oklahoma’s pedigree, MSU knew it wasn’t expected to win, which allowed the Bulldogs to play from a perspective of just having fun.
“It’s not life or death at the end of the day; it’s softball. And we’re going to go out there and give it everything we’ve got, have fun with our friends, and give glory to God at the end,” Ricketts said in the press conference. “This group, I think, did a really good job of that. We kind of embraced the David-versus-Goliath mentality, and just knew that all the pressure was in their dugout.”
Ricketts has learned a lot from Gasso, but perhaps some of the most important lessons were in how to build a sustainable, winning culture. Much of that has helped Ricketts lead with her faith in God out front and foster an environment where faith is at the core.
“I think what I’ve really learned to do, and starting with Coach Gasso, is just surrounding yourself with people that are strong in their faith, that have the same values and beliefs,” Ricketts said on the Sports Spectrum Podcast in 2021. “Just making sure you have good leaders and mentors in place and strong people of faith for your players to look up to.”
She recalled being at Oklahoma and being introduced to team chaplain and Fellowship of Christian Athletes area director Sarah Roberts. Ricketts started attending Sunday chapels, and eventually it became essentially “a whole team event.”
“Everyone just really loved her and her passion and wanted to start off the Sunday on the right foot,” Ricketts said on the podcast. “That’s something we’ve been able to do here [at Mississippi State]. We’ve got a great FCA program as well.”
Join us today on the podcast for a conversation with @HailStateSB coach Samantha Ricketts (@Coach_Ricketts) for a conversation about on leadership and coaching for greater purpose.
Now a coach, her schedule is every bit as busy as it was as a player, if not more. But she knows she can’t let that be an excuse for her time with God to be put aside. She understands she has to keep her priorities in order and make intentional time to be in the Word, because when she’s busy or tired, that’s usually the first thing that gets sacrificed from her schedule.
“I like to journal,” she said on the podcast. “I use typically the Bible app and the verse of the day. I’ll use that to dive in, just pick a verse, and then from there, journal what that looks like for me, what I think the meanings of it might be, and then use that to spark my prayer over my players, my team, my family.
“But that just helps me stay in a routine as well. That [verse is] something that changes every day and something I know is going to be there that I could use to sit down with and spend 15 minutes, 30 minutes, whatever I have, and just try to stay locked in to what I know my priorities are.”
Ricketts and Mississippi State begin WCWS play on Thursday against Texas Tech at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
The much-anticipated Western Conference Finals between what many consider the NBA’s two best teams tipped off on Monday, and it lived up to all the hype and more.
The No. 2-seeded San Antonio Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama, outlasted league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, 122-115, in two overtimes in Game 1 to notch a road victory and seize early control of the seven-game series.
San Antonio battled to a seven-point halftime lead, but a fourth-quarter surge from the Thunder sent the contest to OT tied at 101. The Spurs finally pulled away in the second overtime to cap the instant classic.
The Last 15 Minutes of Game 1: Oklahoma City Thunder vs San Antonio Spurs 🍿🎬 PURE CINEMA pic.twitter.com/1XsgZkXswV
— Not Locked On Fantasy Basketball (@MaarkyBoy) May 19, 2026
Game 1 marked the first real adversity the Thunder have faced in this year’s playoffs. After winning the NBA Finals a season ago for the first time since the franchise has been in Oklahoma City, the Thunder cruised to two four-game sweeps in the first two rounds of these playoffs. OKC dispatched the Phoenix Suns in the first round and the Los Angeles Lakers in the second. Only two of those eight wins came by less than 10 points.
An unexpected star for the Thunder during the team’s dominant run has been 23-year-old second-year guard Ajay Mitchell. The 2024 second-round pick started the last two games of the series with the Suns and each of the four games against the Lakers, and the crafty lefty has performed admirably. He’s averaged 17.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds so far in these playoffs while shooting 35.1% and providing stout defense in more than 30 minutes per game. Each of those totals is an improvement on his season averages.
After that Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about what the former UC Santa Barbara standout brings to the team.
“He’s a gamer,” SGA said of Mitchell. “Works super hard, never shaken by the moment. He’s just ready for his opportunity and he takes full advantage of it. It might be a shock to the world, but it’s no shock to us. We knew who Ajay Mitchell was the day he stepped foot in the building, and he’s just showing it to the world.”
Mitchell was born and raised in Belgium until he moved to France at age 17 to advance his basketball career. In France, he played briefly with Wembanyama, who now provides the opposition on Mitchell’s path to a second straight title.
During his postgame press conference after Game 3 against the Lakers, Mitchell was asked to reflect on where basketball has taken him in life.
“It’s been more of just being grateful,” he said. “I think looking back to where I was, looking back to myself as a little kid in Belgium just dreaming of playing in the NBA, and then God putting me in those positions, I just truly feel grateful for those opportunities. I feel like I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder, and every time I step out on the court I just want to prove myself and be a winning player and help my team win.”
Mitchell writes “All glory to God” in his Instagram bio, and he’s been known to post about faith on the social media platform. In January, he opened up about his journey with His Huddle.
“Faith plays an important role in my basketball career,” he said. “There’s a lot of pressure and stress from basketball, and being able to pray and talk to God about it really helped me throughout the years. Praying and talking to God helps me remind myself of what I’m grateful for.”
Mitchell spent his youth attending church in Belgium, but it wasn’t until his time in college with the Gauchos that a true relationship with God blossomed. Now as a rising NBA star, he wants to use his platform to tell others about all that Christ has done.
“The impact I would like to have is just to be able to share God’s Word,” he told His Huddle. “Understanding that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins really changed my perspective. It helped me to seek forgiveness from God, and also forgive others.”
Mitchell wasn’t in the starting lineup for Game 1 against the Spurs on Monday and registered a quiet four points on 2-of-5 shooting with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. He did lead the Thunder bench with 34 minutes played and was +7 on the night.
The Thunder hope he can return to the kind of production he exhibited in the first two rounds of the playoffs as they seek to bounce back in Game 2 in Oklahoma City on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Last year at this time, New York erupted as the Knicks advanced to the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter of a century. The city didn’t have to wait quite as long for its return trip. With a dominant 144-114 win on Sunday in Philadelphia, No. 3-seeded New York capped a convincing four-game sweep of the No. 7-seeded 76ers to become the first team to earn a spot in this year’s conference finals.
The Knicks won the four games by an average of 22.25 points per game, and their 144 points on Sunday were the most in Knicks playoff history (besting the 140 they scored in Game 6 against the Atlanta Hawks last week in the opening round). Including its three wins to close out Atlanta, New York has now won a franchise-record seven straight playoff games.
In Game 4 against the 76ers, New York held a 43-24 advantage after the opening quarter and never looked back as the home crowd inside Philly’s Xfinity Mobile Arena ceded to Knicks faithful.
Much of New York’s advantage was thanks to a record-setting 3-point barrage (25-of-44 for the game, 57%) — 25 tied the NBA postseason record for most threes in a game, 18 tied the postseason record for most threes in a half (first half), and 11 tied the postseason record for most threes in a quarter (first quarter).
A Knick who made four of those 25 was starting guard Josh Hart.
Overall, Hart scored 17 points, grabbed a team-leading nine rebounds, and tied for the team lead with 29 minutes played. His 17 points were the most he’d scored so far this postseason.
“No relief, no jubilation,” Hart said after the game via ESPN. “Just another step in the process. … Here, it’s business as normal, and we got to make sure we’re locked in and focused.”
The 31-year-old has been in the playoffs each of his four seasons in New York, and he’s hoping that this year he’ll finally walk off the court in celebration rather than defeat. In order to do that, he knows the Knicks can’t be satisfied with simply a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. They faltered in the conference finals last season.
And as many of his younger teammates follow his veteran leadership on their quest for an NBA championship, Hart himself seeks to follow his Lord and Savior. He declares himself a “Follower of Christ” in his Instagram bio, and he often expresses his faith in Jesus on social media platforms.
He seeks to submit all he does to Christ, including his exploits on the basketball court. Two seasons ago, when he managed to play back-to-back complete games in the playoffs, he was asked in the locker room afterward how he did it. He revealed that he relied on Scripture.
“My Lord works in mysterious ways,” he said. “… Today, I felt like I didn’t have it at all. The whole game I was reciting Isaiah 40:29. The weak, He renews strength. That was the biggest thing. He allows you to walk and not faint.”
Hart also prays before games. As the eyes of thousands of fans are on him and his team, he seeks to keep his eyes on his Heavenly Father.
With the sweep of the 76ers, Hart and the red-hot Knicks are now headed into an extended break as they await their conference finals opponent. The No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons lead the No. 4-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, 2-1, in the other Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 4 is Monday.
The 37-year-old made the announcement on Tuesday and closes out her career with 8,396 career regular-season points to go along with 4,262 rebounds.
“It was all a dream, that’s the thought that keeps finding me,” she wrote in a statement posted on social media announcing her decision. “That, and deep gratitude. God has covered my life in ways I can’t fully put into words, and by His grace and mercy, I’ve been able to live out something bigger than I ever imagined.”
Charles was selected No. 1 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2010 WNBA Draft and quickly delivered on the hype, earning Rookie of the Year honors before being named league MVP in 2012. Ahead of the 2014 season, she was traded to her hometown team, the New York Liberty, where she spent six seasons and made five All-Star appearances.
Over the course of her career, she also had stints with the Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream, before returning to Connecticut for her final season in 2025. Charles was named to the All-WNBA first team five times and the All-Defensive first team once, while also leading the league in rebounding four times and in scoring twice. She helped the U.S. win three Olympic gold medals, and in 2021 she was selected to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team.
Before turning pro, Charles starred at UConn, leading the Huskies to national championships in 2009 and 2010. As a senior, she swept nearly every major national honor, including AP Player of the Year, John Wooden Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year, and Big East Player of the Year.
“Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game,” Charles wrote in her post. “I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it. Through it all, I learned how to show up. When doubt got loud and narratives were written about me, I kept showing up. That’s the New Yorker in me, where resilience is built, not talked about.”
Her bio on X references her faith in God: “His time. His way. His glory.” She’s also been public about her faith in interviews. She told The Ballers Magazine in August 2025 that she accepted Christ through Athletes In Action, and that faith helped her grow in how she was able to handle the mental and physical transition from the college game to the pros.
“My faith is everything for me,” she told the magazine. “Athletes in Action was on our campus and Maya Moore was a part of it. I had another teammate, Kaili McLaren (as well). I went to the camp and I was really able to learn how to make Jesus my motivation for my sport, so just giving thanks to Him for the blessings that I have. Once I accepted Christ — that was in 2009 — every time I took the floor my junior and senior year that’s when I started to turn the corner. I just kept saying to myself: ‘I’m playing for Him. I’m playing for an audience of One.’
“That was my motivation out there. That was the reason why I was going hard. That was the reason why my effort was what it was. That’s why I wanted to get in the gym because it was just my way of glorifying God when I was out there playing. That’s when things started turning for me my last two years at UConn.”
In August 2024, after becoming the WNBA’s second-leading scorer, she gave glory to God in her press conference comments.
“Just a whole bunch of gratitude,” Charles said. “I know this moment is big, but I have to give glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I’m just so much in awe at just how faithful He is … it’s unimaginable, and God just really gets the glory.”
She sat out the 2023 season and thought she was done playing. Not in a great space emotionally or mentally, she wasn’t sure if she still had a place in the league.
“So for me to be here right now, this is really special,” she said in the press conference.
She posted on Instagram at the end of 2023 reflecting on what had been a trying year for her and gave praise to God through it. She also referenced Hebrews 12:11, which says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
“Trials are apart (sic) of life, but God always provides what we need in order to endure,” Charles wrote. “He sifts & refines us & closes doors to position & put us in our right place. Through the disappointments & losses, God’s purpose in all His choices for us is His glory. His goal is not to inflict pain unnecessarily but to let Christ’s life shine through us in hardship, to stabilize our confidence in God’s goodness, and to strengthen our trust in His loving sovereignty.
“His grace is always sufficient. Remember, it’s not the trial that develops or destroys us, but rather our response to that hardship.”
Then, in September 2024, after becoming the WNBA’s all-time rebounding and double-double leader, she gave glory to God in her postgame locker room speech after thanking her coaches and teammates.
“I have to give glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” she said. “Last year, my faith is what carried me. My faith is what allowed me to be standing here right now.”
Charles now retires as one of the most decorated players in college and pro basketball history. Perhaps the only thing missing was playing in the WNBA Finals.
“This game gave me everything, and I’ll miss it deeply,” Charles said in her statement. “But my mom always taught me, don’t stop at what you’ve done, keep going toward what you still see. And I still see so much. There are still dreams in my heart waiting to be lived, and I can’t wait to share that journey with you all.”
