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Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball has been fined $35,000 by the NBA after making an obscene gesture during Tuesday night’s 144–117 loss to the Miami Heat. The league announced the penalty Thursday, citing Ball for “making an obscene gesture on the playing court.”

The incident took place late in the fourth quarter, with 4:02 remaining on the clock. After being called for an offensive charge while driving to the basket, Ball—frustrated by the whistle—briefly flipped off the referee. Ball was assessed a technical foul for making the gesture; he finished the game with 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Despite the setback, Ball’s on-court performance has been impressive early in the new season. Now in his sixth year in the league, the 24-year-old guard is averaging a career-best 26.3 points, 9.5 assists, and just over 8 rebounds through Charlotte’s first four games. He’s also adding 1.8 steals per game, showing a well-rounded and healthy return after an injury-riddled 2024–25 campaign. Last season, Ball appeared in only 47 games due to lingering ankle and wrist issues that eventually required surgery in March.

The fine is the first infraction of the 2025–26 NBA season; however, not the first disciplinary issue for Ball. In 2024, he was fined $100,000 for using an anti-gay slur during a postgame interview following a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

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The Minnesota Twins have officially named Derek Shelton as their new manager. The team confirmed the hiring Thursday morning and announced that Shelton will be introduced at a press conference on November 4.

The hiring marks a homecoming for the 55-year-old Shelton, who was the bench coach for the Twins in 2018 and 2019 under two managers – Paul Molitor and Rocco Baldelli – before landing his first managerial position with the Pirates in 2020.

Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said in a statement: ““Derek brings a tremendous amount of experience from his many years coaching and managing at the Major League level. He cares deeply about this community and our fans, and he’s genuinely driven to take on the challenge of bringing winning baseball back to Minnesota.We’ve seen firsthand the trust and respect he earns from players and how he helps them reach their best. His journey, through both the successes and the tough stretches, has given him real perspective as a leader. That balance and his connection to what this place means to people will serve our players and staff well as we work to build something lasting for our fans and for Minnesota.”

Shelton was fired May 8 by the Pirates, and will replace Baldelli, who was fired by Minnesota on Sept. 29. The Twins finished 70–92 in 2025, placing fourth in the AL Central, following an 82–80 campaign in 2024 – which ultimately led to the dismissal of Baldelli, who had guided Minnesota to three postseason appearances over his seven-year tenure.

Shelton, a former minor league catcher and first baseman in the New York Yankees system, spent two seasons as a player before transitioning into coaching—a move that launched a long career across multiple MLB organizations. In Pittsburgh, Shelton guided the Pirates through a difficult rebuilding period, managing parts of six seasons before being dismissed in May after a 12–26 start. He finished his tenure there with a 306–440 record (.410), earning a reputation for his steady leadership and player development during a challenging stretch for the franchise.

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The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 in Game 5 of the World Series, taking a 3-2 series lead. The Blue Jays are now just one win away from their first World Series title since 1993.

Toronto’s win was powered by a standout performance from pitcher Trey Yesavage, who at 22-years-old set a World Series rookie record with 12 strikeouts and no walks over seven innings; allowing just three hits and one run. Back-to-back homers from Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., on Dodgers’ pitcher Blake Snell’s first and third pitches, were the first consecutive home runs in World Series history. Toronto went on to add to their lead in the seventh and eighth innings, with RBI singles from Bo Bichette and Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

The World Series now heads back to Toronto, where the Dodgers must win to fight off elimination — and the Blue Jays will have two opportunities to clinch the championship at home.

Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, October 31st at Rogers Centre.

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Veteran defensive back and Super Bowl champion C.J. Gardner-Johnson has found his next NFL home, joining the Chicago Bears’ active roster. The move comes after a turbulent stretch that saw the 27-year-old cycle through multiple teams in just a few months.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported: “Bears are signing S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to their active roster after his visit yesterday, per his agents Kevin Conner and Robert Brown of @unisportsmgmt. Gardner-Johnson now reunites with Bears DC Dennis Allen, who coached him with the New Orleans Saints.”

The Florida product entered the league as a fourth-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in the 2019 NFL Draft, where he remained for 4 seasons before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. While in Philly, he recorded six interceptions in just 12 games to help lead the team to a Super Bowl appearance. After spending the 2023 season with the Detroit Lions, Gardner-Johnson returned to Philadelphia in 2024, where he notched 59 tackles, 12 passes defended, and tied his personal best with six interceptions, while helping to bring the Eagles the Super Bowl championship. Over his NFL career, Gardner-Johnson has appeared in 77 games, totaling 319 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 18 interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 51 passes defended.

This past offseason, the Eagles traded Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a future pick swap. His stint in Houston was brief — he appeared in three games, logging 15 total tackles before being released on September 23. Gardner-Johnson was then briefly with the Baltimore Ravens after signing to their practice squad on October 7, before being released a week later in a mutual decision following the team’s acquisition of safety Alohi Gilman from the Chargers.

Chicago is hoping that Gardner-Johnson will become a key addition to a Bears defense that was hit hard by injuries – with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon on injured reserve, and Tyrique Stevenson battling a shoulder issue. With starters Kevin Byard and Jaquon Brisker expected to remain at safety, Gardner-Johnson is expected to slide into a slot role to help stabilize the secondary.

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