Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.’s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
From Ben Bolch: For years, Chip Kelly’s assistant coaches sounded a we’ll-get-back-to-you refrain with high school recruits as part of an agonizing, slow-speed pursuit. The staff’s reluctance to pounce on prospects was among the reasons UCLA ranked last in the nation in scholarship offers and built little buzz in recruiting circles, with the results to match.
Scott Taylor was among the last players to feel that hesitation. Though he was told the Bruins were interested in February, the edge rusher from Loyola High was also cautioned that the staff needed to meet before officially extending a scholarship offer.
Later that week, Kelly was gone and so was the indecision about Taylor. Warmth radiated during a visit to the Wasserman Football Center in early March when everyone the prospect encountered made him feel like they wanted him on the team.
“I had never met 99.9% of these guys and they all said, ‘Oh, hey, Scott, how’s it going? Good to see you,’ ” Taylor remembered. “From the first second I set foot on campus, it was a whole different type of love they had for me.”
The new staff gave Taylor a lot more to chew on than a 24-ounce New York strip during his official visit. Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe discussed his vision for using Taylor as a hybrid linebacker-edge rusher. Recruiting bosses Butler Benton and Chris Carter engaged the prospect in lengthy discussions about his potential major, internship opportunities and the best way to accumulate course credits.
When Taylor told assistant coaches he was ready to commit in April, they brought him and his family up to coach DeShaun Foster’s spacious third-floor office. Relayed the same message, Foster opened his office door and started yelling indecipherable gibberish as other coaches filled the room.
“Just insane excitement,” Taylor said of the scene.
For the first time in years, there’s something to celebrate in UCLA high school recruiting. A recruiting staff that’s tripled in size has aggressively pursued a wider swath of prospects, lending an air of sincerity to the coaches’ mantra of “Do more.”
Enjoying this newsletter? Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times
Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber.
DODGERS
From Mike DiGiovanna: It has been only two weeks since Miguel Rojas replaced the injured Mookie Betts as the Dodgers’ starting shortstop, more than enough time for the 35-year-old veteran to alter the makeup of the team’s infield come playoff time.
The slick-fielding Rojas has reminded the Dodgers just how important it is to have a reliable defender at shortstop in October, one who won’t make the team’s front office, manager, coaches, players and fans squirm when the ball is hit to him.
Rojas, who has not committed an error in 215⅔ innings at shortstop this season, is clearly that guy. He has excellent range to his left and right, soft, sure hands, a strong and accurate throwing arm, and he’s adept at starting and turning double plays.
Rojas is athletic enough to make plays from a variety of body positions and arm angles. His internal clock, which helps infielders know how much time they have to make a throw based on a runner’s speed, is as finely tuned as a Swiss watch.
“For me,” Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel said, “he’s one of the top five defensive shortstops in baseball.”
Betts, for all his athleticism and his willingness and ability to move from right field to second base last winter and from second base to shortstop — a position he hadn’t played regularly since high school — this spring, is not.
LAKERS
From Dan Woike: More than 24 hours into free agency, armed with LeBron James’ willingness to take less than a maximum salary should the Lakers find worthy use for their midlevel exception, and the team has yet to make any moves of note.
While the Lakers did agree to re-sign Max Christie ahead of the opening of free agency, when teams can negotiate with players from other teams, the Lakers’ roster crunch and salary-cap situation have kept them from making any moves.
The Lakers’ pursuit of Klay Thompson ended Monday with the four-time NBA champion leaving Golden State to accept a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
The team’s next step could be to pursue free-agent wing DeMar DeRozan, an elite midrange scorer and playmaker without the qualities as a point-of-attack defender and three-point shooter that made Thompson the Lakers’ priority. It’s unclear how serious interest would be from either side.
The Mavericks reportedly agreed to a contract with Thompson for three years and $50 million. And while some people with secondhand knowledge of the negotiations between the Lakers and Thompson believe he was offered more years and more money by the Lakers, the team would’ve needed to execute a sign-and-trade deal to create that space. If not, the most the Lakers could’ve offered him was the full midlevel exception, which could be for four years beginning with a starting salary of $12.8 million — provided James’ next contract with the Lakers allows for them to use that exception.
If the Lakers are unable to make meaningful moves with that exception, James is expected to sign for the maximum.
CLIPPERS
From Broderick Turner: On July 24, 2019, the Clippers held a news conference with big fanfare to announce the arrival of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, two of the best two-way players in the NBA, who had joined forces.
The Clippers were considered an elite team at that time, a team with championship-level potential with the pairing of Leonard and George.
On June 30, 2024, the Clippers announced they and George couldn’t come to an agreement on a contract extension and that they were going their separate ways, ending a partnership that didn’t lead to a title.
The Clippers are not considered a championship-level team now with their current roster, the departure of George to the Philadelphia 76ers for a four-year, $212-million deal a big loss to overcome in the uber-competitive Western Conference.
The health of Leonard will be paramount for the Clippers going forward. He signed a three-year extension for $152 million during the past season, signifying his commitment to the Clippers and them to him.
The Clippers made a nice recovery from losing George by agreeing to a deal on Monday with Nicolas Batum for $9.6 million over two years, said people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
KINGS
The Kings added depth to their roster by signing forward Warren Foegele to a three-year deal and defenseman Joel Edmundson to a four-year contract. Foegele’s deal carries an annual average value of $3.5 million and Edmundson’s is valued annually at $3.85 million.
Foegele, 28, had 20 goals and 41 points in 82 games last season, one of five Edmonton Oilers to reach the 20-goal mark. He has 80 goals and 163 points in 431 career NHL games.
Edmundson, 31, appeared in 53 games while with the Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs last season. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Edmundson will help fill the void left by defenseman Matt Roy, who signed a six-year, $34.5-million deal with the Capitals.
The Kings re-signed goaltender Pheonix Copley and forward Trevor Lewis to one-year contracts.
OLYMPIC DIVING
From Kevin Baxter: Gaby Agúndez has been diving for more than half her life. Yet she’s still frightened by the long climb to the top of the 10-meter platform.
“It happens to all divers,” said Agúndez, a two-time Pan American champion and a bronze medalist in the Tokyo Olympics. “We continue to feel butterflies in our stomach when we stand on the platform.”
But if the 59 steps up the tower are terrifying, the exhilaration of the 33-foot plunge to the water below more than makes up for the fright.
“The adrenaline you feel when you jump, it’s an inexplicable sensation,” Agúndez said in Spanish during a Zoom call from Mexico City. “It’s what captured me about my sport since I was little. I really liked that feeling of challenging myself, of overcoming a fear to show myself what I’m capable of.”
COPA AMÉRICA
The United States was eliminated from the Copa América with a 1-0 loss to Uruguay on a Mathías Olivera’s questionable second-half goal Monday night, a defeat that will increase pressure on the U.S. Soccer Federation to remove coach Gregg Berhalter before the 2026 World Cup.
Uruguay scored in the 66th minute when Nicolas De La Cruz swung a free kick in front of the U.S. goal. Matt Turner parried a header by Ronald Araújo, who outjumped defender Tim Ream, but the rebound went right to Olivera and he tapped the ball in with his left foot.
Olivera appeared to be offside on the initial header, but the goal stood after a video review.
Using a lineup of players entirely from European clubs, Berhalter and the U.S. hoped to show the team had advanced since its round-of-16 elimination against the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup. Instead, the U.S. opened with a 2-0 win over Bolivia before being upset 2-1 by Panama.
MLS ALL-STARS
From Kevin Baxter: LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Hugo Lloris and the Galaxy’s Riqui Puig were among the 30 players selected Monday to the MLS team for this month’s all-star game against a team from Mexico’s Liga MX. The exhibition will be played July 24 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.
Also selected to the team was Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and his three former Barcelona teammates, defender Jordi Alba, midfielder Sergio Busquets and forward Luis Suárez.
Twelve players on the roster were selected through a combination of fan, player, and media voting. Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy chose another 16 players with the final two picked by MLS commissioner Don Garber.
Goalkeepers: Roman Bürki (St. Louis City) Hugo Lloris (LAFC), Maarten Paes (FC Dallas)
Defenders: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF), Rudy Camacho (Columbus Crew), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake), Aaron Herrera (D.C. United), Thiago Martins (New York City FC), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Keegan Rosenberry (Colorado Rapids)
Midfielders: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami CF), Mathieu Choinière (CF Montréal), Evander (Portland Timbers), Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Héctor Herrera (Houston Dynamo FC), Robin Lod (Minnesota United FC), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew), Riqui Puig (Galaxy)
Forwards: Cristian Arango (Real Salt Lake), Christian Benteke (D.C. United), Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Juan Hernández (Columbus Crew), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF), Luis Suárez (Inter Miami CF), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew)
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1921 — The Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier heavyweight match at Rickard’s Orchard in Jersey City, N.J., becomes the first million-dollar gate in boxing history. The receipts total $1,789,238 with $50 ringside seats. In front of 80,183, Dempsey knocks out Carpentier at 1:16 of the fourth round.
1927 — Helen Wills becomes the first American to win at Wimbledon since May Sutton in 1907, beating Lili de Alvar 6-2, 6-4 for the title.
1937 — Don Budge beats Gottfried von Cramm, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon.
1938 — Helen Wills Moody wins her eighth and final singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Helen Jacobs 6-4, 6-0.
1966 — Billie Jean King wins the first of her six singles titles at Wimbledon, beating Maria Bueno of Brazil 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
1967 — Catherine Lacoste of France becomes the first foreigner and first amateur to win the U.S. Women’s Open golf championship. At age 22, she is also the youngest champion.
1976 — Chris Evert beats Evonne Goolagong, 6-3, 4-6, 8-6, to win the women’s singles title at Wimbledon.
1988 — Steffi Graf ends Martina Navratilova’s six-year reign as Wimbledon champion with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 victory. It is the first time in nine finals that Navratilova loses a Wimbledon singles match.
1994 — Colombian defender Andres Escobar, 27, is killed outside a bar in Colombia in retaliation for deflecting a ball into his own goal in a 2-1 loss to the United States in the World Cup.
1995 — Tom Weiskopf withstands a charge by Jack Nicklaus to win the U.S. Senior Open by four strokes.
1995 — Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo is first Japanese player to be selected for a MLB All Star game when he is named to the NL squad.
2005 — Venus Williams overcomes an early deficit and a championship point to beat top-ranked Lindsay Davenport 4-6, 7-6 (4), 9-7 for her fifth major title and her first in nearly four years.
2010 — The United States beats Japan 7-2 to win its seventh consecutive world softball championship.
2017 — Hometown underdog Jeff Horn upsets Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines on points in a highly controversial WBO welterweight title fight in Brisbane, Australia.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.