last season

Tino Sunseri is spending the next two weeks in Costa Mesa while a large chunk of his heart resides on the East Coast.

That’s where the new UCLA offensive coordinator’s wife and 3-month-old son are living with one set of grandparents, allowing Tino to focus the best he can on training camp with the Bruins.

The first-time father is buoyed both by what he’s seeing with his team and reports about his infant, who giggled for the first time the other day. Santino Michael Sunseri Jr. already has a nickname — “We’re calling him Sonny, like ‘The Godfather,’ ” Tino cracked, referring to Santino “Sonny” Corleone from the movie — and curiously studies his father in FaceTime sessions.

“Right now,” Tino said Saturday morning, “he’s kind of giving me that look, like, ‘Hey, I know your voice, but who are you right here?’”

There’s also plenty of getting to know you between Sunseri and his new quarterback.

Nico Iamaleava enrolled in June after transferring from Tennessee, making this the fifth consecutive season that Sunseri will be working with a new quarterback. In 2021, Sunseri’s first season as quarterbacks coach at James Madison, veteran quarterback Cole Johnson led the Dukes to the semifinals of the Division I-AA playoffs.

A year later, Sunseri worked with Todd Centeio, a transfer from Colorado State who led James Madison to the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division title. In 2023, Sunseri and Jordan McCloud, a transfer from Arizona, helped the Dukes notch another division title.

Last season might have been Sunseri’s most impressive working with a newbie quarterback. Kurtis Rourke, a transfer from Ohio, led Indiana to a historic season that included an 11-2 record and appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Sunseri’s first impressions of Iamaleava align with the sort of immediate success he’s enjoyed with other quarterbacks.

“He’s a self-driven person,” Sunseri said. “He has a certain standard of how he wants to be able to operate each day. And the great thing about my past is I’ve been around a lot of guys that have the same kind of feel and thought process.

“So the only thing you’ve got to do with these guys is you’ve got to be able to give them the information, and you’ve got to keep being able to stimulate them to be able to make sure that every single day, there’s something that they’re being able to attack and chase, and there’s not one day that he hasn’t come in here that he’s not focused on being able to become the best player that he can be for UCLA.”

In the limited media viewing period Saturday, Iamaleava had more success on the ground than through the air, faking a handoff and cutting to his right for a touchdown run. The only pass he threw, intended for Ezavier Staples, was broken up by defensive back Jamir Benjamin in the end zone.

Iamaleava has impressed Sunseri with a relentless approach — whenever he’s not practicing or working out, he’s studying the offense.

“It’s infectious to him; he can’t get enough of it,” Sunseri said. “And when you have those kind of guys, you can start to be able to see how they can be able to develop, and now you can be able to start to be able to formulate a mindset and starting to be able to see where they think, how they think and start to be able to have it to where you can really understand how to coach them.”

Having such a condensed window to work with Iamaleava before the season opener against Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl isn’t a concern to Sunseri.

“It’s not about us being able to install the offense,” Sunseri said, “it’s about being able to make sure that it’s not too much too fast to where he can be able to grasp it, because we’re not playing next week, we’re playing in three weeks — it’s still a ton of time for us to be able to utilize.”

Those wondering what UCLA’s offense will look like might have to wait until the season opener because Sunseri isn’t divulging much besides its goal to stretch a defense so that it must account for “every single blade of grass.” Sunseri did suggest that there will be an ample amount of running the football.

“Let me say this: We’re gonna be a physical football team,” said Sunseri, whose first coaching stops came as a quality control coach at Florida State and Tennessee and a graduate assistant at Alabama. “It’s where I’ve always been raised, coming from the SEC, you’ve got to run that ball, and me being a Nick Saban disciple, that’s just my thought process, right?”

A speedy duo

UCLA running back Jaivian Thomas carries the ball during preseason training in Costa Mesa on Friday.

(Nate Donlevy / UCLA Athletics)

Jaivian Thomas, the transfer running back from California, is so fast that his father called him “The Jet” growing up.

During informal sprints with his new team, Thomas said fellow running back Anthony Woods stayed with him step for step.

So does that make this a twin-jet offense?

“Ant got gas,” Thomas said of his teammate, “but I feel like I’m the fastest in the room.”

The hope is that alongside returners Jalen Berger and Anthony Frias II, the Bruins can spread their carries and wear down defenses. While Thomas and Woods are the speedsters of the group, Berger and Frias might feature slightly more power to their rushing styles.

Berger said he had fully recovered from the sprained ankle he suffered against Iowa last season that hindered him over the season’s final four games. Thomas was the Golden Bears’ leading rusher last season, averaging 6.3 yards per carry while gaining 644 yards and scoring seven touchdowns.

Coach DeShaun Foster called Thomas a threat to score every time he touched the ball. If all goes as planned, multiple running backs will cross the goal line while challenging defenses.

“It allows those guys to be able to stay fresh, and as those defenses align, they’re playing 40, 50, 60 snaps in the game, and you’re getting to the fourth quarter, those guys are a little worn out,” Sunseri said of playing a bevy of running backs. “So then whenever you put a guy in with fresh tires, then he could be able to have it to where he’s running through a couple of those tackles, maybe he’s able to continue to be able to play at a different speed than those [defensive] guys in the game.”

Aaron Civale pitched one-hit ball into the seventh inning and the Chicago White Sox beat the Angels 1-0 on Saturday night to surpass their win total from last season.

Chicago improved to 42-69 with its 10th win in 14 games since the All-Star break. It finished with a 41-121 record in 2024, breaking the modern major league record for most losses in a season.

The White Sox scored their only run on Kyle Teel’s RBI single in the second against Kyle Hendricks (6-8). Teel drove in Luis Robert Jr., who reached on a leadoff single.

Civale (3-6) struck out eight in 6⅓ innings. He is 2-0 in his last three starts, yielding an unearned run and seven hits in 17⅓ innings.

The Angels (53-58) got their only hit when Zach Neto beat out a slow roller down the third base line leading off the fourth. It was the team’s third consecutive loss. Nolan Schanuel walked after Neto’s hit. But Civale retired the next three batters.

Mike Trout sat out a second straight game after he missed Friday’s series opener with illness.

Brandon Eisert retired each of his five batters, and Jordan Leasure finished the one-hitter for his third save in seven opportunities.

Brooks Baldwin had two of Chicago’s six hits.

The White Sox (42-69) played without infielder Miguel Vargas, who was scratched because of a left oblique strain.

If you’re looking for a football team that almost certainly will be improved over last season, Bellflower High fits the profile.

The Buccaneers went 0-10. Amir Neal was a starter and never quit. His mom kept telling him, “It’s going to get better, it’s going to get better.”

And it has with the hiring of first-year coach Keith Miller, who has brought along his 14-year-old freshman son, Austin, who’s 6 feet 5.

“We’re going to compete for championships and scholarships,” Miller vowed at a media day on Saturday.

Miller was an assistant at Bellflower when his brother, Jason, was head coach. His daughter plays flag football at Bellflower, so the Millers figure to be influential in the sports programs.

Having Austin around should help. He’s a receiver who’s still growing. New quarterback Elacion Saxton will try to use Miller’s size and athleticism for big plays.

Austin was asked if during a car ride his father treats him differently depending on his performance.

“There’s no difference whether there’s a good game or bad game,” he said. “My dad still loves me.”

After a follow-up question, Austin finally admitted a good game gets him a stop at Chipotle.

Let’s see how many stops he gets this season.

LAS VEGAS — It’s easier for everything to go according to script when you have one.

As DeShaun Foster strode across the stage inside a convention center here Thursday afternoon, the UCLA football coach clutched several pages of prepared remarks that helped him navigate a lengthy opening monologue with poise and confidence.

Poking fun at his widely mocked and memed performance from a year ago, when he delivered a short, unrehearsed address filled with awkward pauses and an uneasy smile, Foster indulged reporters in a short recap of the lowlights.

“Last year I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which looking back might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,” Foster said. “But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A., and we’re proud to be in L.A. This year we’re ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders.”

The Bruins can only hope their turnaround on the field is as stunning as their coach’s transformation onstage.

A year ago, as UCLA stumbled to a 1-5 start, “We’re in L.A.” became a catchphrase freely wielded to ridicule a team that often looked as lost as its coach had while delivering his opening remarks inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Rather than run from his troubles, Foster barreled ahead like a running back who found an opening in a wall of defenders. The rookie coach found his footing with a team that won four of its last six games, narrowly missing an opportunity to play in a bowl game.

His offseason was even more impressive. Foster overhauled his staff (only two assistants from last season remain) and redoubled his recruiting efforts, leading to a 2026 high school class ranked No. 21 nationally by 247Sports.com. Landing Nico Iamaleava from the transfer portal after the quarterback’s spring of discontent at Tennessee generated immediate buzz.

“We’re just excited to have a playoff quarterback, somebody that was able to lead his team to the playoffs,” Foster said. “They might not have gotten the outcome that they wanted, but he still was able to play. He showed how tough he was in that game. Just being able to come back home and be comfortable and being in a familiar environment, I think the sky is the limit. We’re excited about this.”

While Iamaleava’s arrival isn’t expected to vault the Bruins into contention for the Big Ten title, much less the College Football Playoff — UCLA was picked to finish 15th in the 18-team conference by a media poll conducted by Cleveland.com — there is recent precedent for teams taking a big leap in their coach’s second season.

Colorado finished 9-4 last season after going 4-8 in Deion Sanders’ debut season and Arizona State went 11-3 and made the CFP one year after going 3-9 in Kenny Dillingham’s first season. Foster said he hopes this season goes as well as his second in the NFL, when he helped the Carolina Panthers reach the Super Bowl.

Questions abound, particularly on a defense that loses every key playmaker, as the Bruins prepare to open training camp in Costa Mesa on Wednesday. The team will practice off campus for the first time since training in San Bernardino in 2016 because of the installation of a grass field outside the Wasserman Football Center.

Some changes around the program feel more than cosmetic. UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said that Foster’s willingness to make wholesale changes on his coaching staff after just one season and the associated recruiting surge are signs that this is a program on the rise.

“He’s just brought a vibe back, a buzz and energy about UCLA football that we haven’t had since I’ve been here, quite honestly,” Jarmond said. “And that’s what you want to see.”

A few hours before Foster took a few sips of water and dabbed his head with a handkerchief before ascending stairs to the podium inside the Mandalay Bay, his boss predicted that he would have a better showing than he did last year.

“I think he’s just more comfortable,” Jarmond said. “You know, everybody is new at something and you don’t nail the landing every first time. And so, thankfully, you’re not graded on what you say; you’re graded on how you perform and how you lead, and that’s what he’s done exceptionally well. I mean, the last half of the season, we finished 4-2 — the momentum he had going into the second half of the year and then the recruiting, that’s what matters, what you’re doing with the program.

“So I think he’s excited about today. I think he’s going to feel more comfortable because he’s done it before. And that’s just part of the deal. But he’s going to be himself and he’s going to be great.”

Foster said his verbal stumbles from a year ago taught him a valuable lesson.

“Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection,” he said. “Our players saw me being human, and it brought us closer together. We’ve been joking about it for about a year now. The players know that that same genuine approach is how we coach, recruit and build this program.”

Entering his second season, Foster said he expected significant improvement not just from his team but also from himself.

“Growth is part of the process, and we’re all committed to being better than we were last season,” Foster said. “I know there are questions about our progress, expectations and how well we’re performing in this conference. That’s totally fair. We’re here to earn respect, not demand it. However, I can tell you this: My team is ready. They’re confident. They’re prepared, and they’re hungry to show up and show out and redefine what UCLA football can be. So, yes, we’re still in L.A. We’re proud to be Bruins, and we’re ready to make it happen starting now.”

And with that, Foster announced that he was happy to take any questions, having answered a big one about himself.

Jalen Hurts is ready to move on.

The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback spent nearly 10 minutes talking to reporters Wednesday after the team’s first day of training camp. From the first question to the last, Hurts was clear that he has no interest in dwelling in the past — even if that past includes hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after the Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX and being named that game’s MVP a mere five months ago.

“It’s a new journey, it’s a new season, and those things are far behind us,” Hurts said. “The past is behind us, and the future’s too far away, so we have to stay present and worry about right now.”

It’s not that Hurts doesn’t look back fondly at what he and his teammates accomplished last season, when they thwarted the Chiefs’ attempt to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. He allowed himself to do so last week when the Eagles received their championship rings.

“It was honestly surreal to see it in person,” Hurts said of the Super Bowl ring, “almost — not nostalgic, but to see something that you’ve earned, have a moment to appreciate that one last time.”

And now, Hurts reiterated, “that moment’s behind us.”

One reporter noted that Hurts wasn’t seen actually wearing the ring at the ceremony and asked if he’s put it on at any point.

“I’ve moved on, moved on to the new year,” Hurts replied, “It’s as simple as that.”

Another reporter noted that Hurts has spent time this offseason with Michael Jordan, who led the Chicago Bulls to three consecutive NBA titles two times (1991-1993, 1996-1998). The journalist asked if the basketball legend had any advice about how to approach a season after winning a championship.

“He used every word but ‘repeat,’” Hurts said, “and I can appreciate that.”

Hurts isn’t the only one at Eagles camp with that mindset. Offensive lineman Jordan Mailata told reporters it irks him to hear the team described as the “defending champions.”

“We’re not defending nothing,” Mailata said. “We just won the title and now we gotta go win it again. Prove it all over again. And that’s the mentality this team is going to have.”

Similarly, coach Nick Sirianni said: “Every year at training camp feels the same. You’re not looking back, you’re not looking forward, you’re solely focused on today and how we can get better today.”

So, yeah, don’t expect to see Hurts strutting around camp wearing his shiny new Super Bowl ring.

“Ultimately, it’s a new journey,” Hurts said. “It’s a blank canvas. And we are who we are. We have what we have. And regardless whether you win a championship or lose a championship the next year, you have to be able to reset, have the right focus and pursue it with great intensity, great passion. And I think that’s where we are.”

As college athletic departments across the country brace for a new era of sharing revenue directly with their athletes, USC is eliminating a dozen jobs in its athletic department in an effort to reduce costs in the wake of the House vs. NCAA settlement.

Six athletics employees were told late last week that their roles in the department had been eliminated, a person familiar with the decision not authorized to disucss it publicly told The Times. The most senior among them was Paul Perrier, an executive senior associate athletic director, who spent two six-year stints at USC working under three different athletic directors.

Six other vacant roles have also since been eliminated, the person said.

USC is planning to share the maximum of $20.5 million with its athletes that’s permitted by the settlement in 2025, the vast majority of which will go to the football program. That’s no small expenditure — especially for a university in the midst of serious financial issues.

USC, like other schools, continues to explore other revenue streams to help pay for the costs associated with this new landscape of college athletics. USC recently signed a 15-year multimedia rights deal with Learfield that should help ease some of the burden of revenue sharing. Last season, the school sold ad space in the Coliseum end zone to DirecTV.

Some schools have opted to cut sports, in an attempt to reduce costs. But USC has yet to choose that route. Instead, athletic director Jennifer Cohen announced last month that USC would invest revenue-sharing dollars, in some form or fashion, with all 23 of the school’s athletics programs.

Bronny James stood with his back to the wall with both hands buried in his workout shorts, his practice with the Lakers summer league team complete, his voice sounding more confident now that he’s entering his second season in the NBA.

He had to endure the outsized pressure and criticism of playing last season with his superstar father, LeBron James, a season in which Bronny and his dad made history by becoming the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game.

Now, Bronny is more assured about his talents and he’ll get to showcase what he’s worked on when the Lakers play the Golden State Warriors in the California Classic on Saturday in San Francisco.

The Lakers will play three games there and then head to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League.

That is where the most anticipated summer game could take place because the Lakers open the action against Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft, and the Dallas Mavericks on July 10.

Like all last season, James knows a lot of people will pay attention to that game — to him, still, and to Flagg.

“Last year it was a crazy environment for me to step in and produce right off the rip, like being nervous too,” Bronny said. “So, I feel like this year, I’ll be able to go out and play freely and know what I’m gonna go out and do for me and my teammates. So, yeah, I’m just really excited to be able to play nervous-free.”

Dalton Knecht got some extra shots up after practice Wednesday, his stroke looking just as impressive as it did last season when he shot 37.6% from three-point range during his rookie season with the Lakers.

Knecht, too, is especially looking forward to playing in Las Vegas.

“Vegas, I mean, I feel like all of us didn’t care who we played [last summer],” Knecht said. “It was just go out there and play. Our fans always show up. We go out there all the time and it’s pretty much Laker fans that sell out that arena and show us so much love. We’re just trying to go out there and try to put on a show no matter who we are playing.”

Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, their second-round pick (36th overall) out of Arkansas whom they acquired in a trade with the Timberwolves, is dealing with a left knee injury and will not play this summer. The Lakers said Thiero is in the final stages of his return to play and expected to be fully cleared for training camp.

For James, one year of playing in the NBA has made a difference as he approaches this summer.

He appeared in 27 games last season, starting once, and averaged 2.3 points per game on 31.3% shooting, 28.1% from three-point range.

“Yeah, it’s definitely some more excitement than nervousness, for sure,” James said. “I’m just ready to go out there and play and be better than I was the last time I was playing. Just having that mindset of being ready to play and ready for whatever’s thrown at me, no matter the role, what I gotta do on defense, offense, everything. Being a good teammate for my new summer league team, stuff like that.”

Besides skill work, James said his plan for the summer is to be in “elite condition” and to “be disruptive on the defensive end.”

“So that’s my main focus, probably why I’m getting a little leaner,” he said. “But I still got 215 [pounds] on me still. So, I’m just running a lot, getting a lot of conditioning in. And then just staying on top of my diet, eating healthy, being a professional. It’s just Year 2, so I gotta lock in on the things that I didn’t know before my rookie year and being better and excel with that. Yeah, my main focus is this year, or this summer, has been being in elite condition. That’s what I’ve been talking to my coaches about.”

Knecht played in 78 games last season, averaging 9.1 points over 19.2 minutes per game.

As the season progressed, Knecht said the game slowed down for him and that allowed him to improve.

When the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Timberwolves, Knecht said he went to work right away. In his eyes, there was no time to waste.

“Right after the [playoff] loss, I pretty much started right away. Didn’t take much time off,” he said. “So I was getting in the gym, starting at 6 a.m., going with the guys at 10 and then coming back later at night just to get as many shots as I can, just working on my game and my cuts.”

The Lakers were busy making moves Thursday, doing all they could to move up in the second round of the NBA draft.

Moving up to No. 36 in the draft with their second trade of the day, the Lakers acquired Adou Thiero out of Arkansas.

To get what many with the Lakers and around the NBA view as a “super athletic wing” in the 6-foot-6 Thiero, the Lakers first traded their 55th pick and about $2.5 million in cash to the Chicago Bulls for their 45th pick. Then the Lakers sent that No. 45 pick and cash considerations to the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire the rights to Thiero (originally selected by the Brooklyn Nets), according to a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly.

The deal will be finalized at a later date.

Thiero averaged 15.1 points on 54.5% shooting from the field and 5.8 rebounds last season for the Razorbacks.

He needs to improve his shooting, as do many second-round wing players, but the Lakers think Thiero will improve on that over time.

Adou Thiero speaks on the phone after being acquired by the Lakers at the NBA draft on Thursday.

(Jeff Haynes / NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers and other NBA scouts compare the 220-pound Thiero to Knicks forward OG Anunoby, a three-and-D player that L.A.’s scouts thought might be drafted in the first round.

Though the Lakers are in need of a center, they also need athleticism at the wing to play alongside Luka Doncic, and Thiero helps address that need.

One scout said Thiero is athletic and will “catch lob passes” from Doncic.

“It feels good. A dream come true,” Thiero said. “Just happy to be here. Playing for the Lakers, too, that’s a blessing for sure.”

When asked about the Lakers’ roster, Thiero said: “LeBron! It’s going to be fun learning from everybody. But you got Bron, you got Luka, AR (Austin Reaves). It’s a lot of people on that team. I’m just ready to get with the guys and work.”

And the Lakers were happy to go from No. 55 to No. 36 and not give up future assets to draft Thiero. The Lakers didn’t have a first-round pick in Wednesday night’s draft.

People around the league said the Lakers had their eye on Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton, but the 7-foot-1 center didn’t last on the board long, going to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 34.

In other Lakers news, Austin Reaves declined the team’s maximum offer of four years for $89 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

Reaves, 27, still has two years left on his deal, for $13.9 million next season and $14.9 million in the 2026-27 season, and he holds a player option for the last year of his deal.

He was third on the Lakers in scoring last season, averaging career-highs in scoring (20.2), assists (5.8), rebounds (4.5) and minutes per game (34.9). He shot 46% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.

Clippers move up to get Kobe Sanders

Nevada’s Kobe Sanders shoots a free throw during a game against Colorado State in December.

(Andrew Wevers / Getty Images)

The Knicks drafted guard Kobe Sanders out of Nevada at No. 50 and traded him to the Clippers for Mohamed Diawara, the No. 51 pick.

Sanders, 23, is a 6-9 wing player who averaged 15.8 points per game last season.

The Clippers chose Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser with the 30th and final pick in the first round on Wednesday.

WAILUKU, Hawaii — Warm, breezy and feeling good.

That was the prevailing feeling among the Rams this week as they ended their off season with a “Mauicamp,” a low-key event heavy on bonding and light on drills for a team expected to contend for a championship.

Star quarterback Matthew Stafford is under contract for another potential Super Bowl run.

The Rams also added star receiver Davante Adams, drafted tight end Terrance Ferguson and bolstered depth to an ascending defensive front.

The Rams, however, have areas of concern as they head into a break before reporting to training camp at Loyola Marymount in July.

Offensive tackle and cornerback could be vulnerabilities for a team aiming to improve upon last season’s 10-7 record and an NFC divisional round loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Here’s how confident the Rams were in those positions going into free agency and the draft: They did not sign or select a player at either spot.

Whether that was wise is another matter.

Stafford, 37, remains the Rams’ most important player and — other than coach Sean McVay — their most valuable asset. So the tackles must foil edge rushers hellbent on hitting the quarterback while playing perhaps the most pressure-packed position other than Stafford’s.

With his play last season, Alaric Jackson convinced the Rams he was their longtime solution at left tackle. They awarded him a three-year contract that included $35 million in guarantees.

But uncertainty now reigns. Jackson sat out the final week of offseason workouts because he is dealing with blood-clot issues for the second time in his career. If, or when, he will be able to practice and play is unknown.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford passes during organized team activities on June 3.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Rams hurriedly signed D.J. Humphries, but the veteran is of late something of an unknown quantity. He played only two games last season for the Kansas City Chiefs after returning from major 2023 knee surgery and then suffering a hamstring injury.

Right tackle Rob Havenstein, 33, is entering his 11th season and the final year of his contract. He is coming off two shoulder surgeries.

Swing tackle Warren McClendon Jr. started five games last season, but he has not established himself as a frontline player. The Rams also recently signed eight-year pro David Quessenberry, who made 17 of his career 30 starts in 2021.

The Rams are confident in the secondary — in large part because of the defensive front.

A rush led by rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske helped the Rams rank 20th among 32 teams in pass defense last season. That rush is expected to improve with the addition of tackle Poona Ford and rookie edge rusher Josaiah Stewart.

So the Rams stood pat with the same defensive backs from last season.

Cornerback Darious Williams, 32, does not have salary guarantees beyond this season, according to Overthecap.com. Ahkello Witherspoon, 30, is playing on a one-year deal for the third consecutive season but was signed early enough this time to participate in offseason workouts.

Cobie Durant is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. is trying to prove that the Washington Commanders erred by releasing the 2023 first-round pick last season.

Derion Kendrick, coming off a knee injury that forced him to sit out the 2024 season, was waived last week in a cost-cutting move and then re-signed with the Rams for a veteran-minimum contract. Josh Wallace and Charles Woods, undrafted free agents in 2024, also are on the roster.

McVay this week indicated that there were probably too many obstacles to trade for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the three-time All-Pro who was an integral part of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI championship team.

Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was recently released by the Green Bay Packers, but McVay said last week that was “not a direction” the Rams would go. Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens, the Rams’ Week 6 opponent.

While the NFL largely shuts down until the start of training camp, general manager Les Snead in the past has added players before it opens and after it begins.

But for now, with their Hawaiian excursion behind them, the Rams appear ready to go with what they’ve got.

The Rams made a move in their secondary, but it was not an addition.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick, sidelined last season after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament during training camp, was waived, the team announced Friday.

Kendrick, a sixth-round draft pick in 2022, participated in the Rams’ offseason program and organized team activities. He was scheduled to earn $3.4 million this season, according to Overthecap.com.

The secondary is something of a question mark for a Rams team that is regarded as a potential Super Bowl contender.

After finishing 10-7 and advancing to the NFC divisional round last season, the Rams neither signed a cornerback during free agency nor drafted one.

Veterans Darious Williams, 32, and Ahkello Witherspoon, 32, are the projected starting cornerbacks. Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Josh Wallace are among others expected to play.

When asked, coach Sean McVay has not ruled out the possibility of trading for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI. But Ramsey is due to earn $24.2 million this season and will have a salary-cap number of at least $25 million in the following three seasons, according to Overthecap.com. McVay has repeatedly pointed to “a lot of layers” that would have to be addressed for a reunion with Ramsey to take place.

Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was recently released by the Green Bay Packers.

“Nothing but respect for the player but I don’t know if that’s a direction we would go,” McVay said this week about Alexander.

Kendrick played in 32 games for the Rams. He started six games as a rookie and 12 in 2023. He intercepted one pass.

Puka Nacua is using organized team activities to hone his craft and prepare for his third NFL season.

But the Rams’ star receiver also recently took time to help others prepare to avoid potential health challenges.

Nacua last week returned from a trip to Samoa, where he and his mother joined medical professionals from Utah Valley University to provide testing, clinics and education about diabetes.

Nacua said his father, who died when Nacua was a youngster, experienced complications from the disease.

So the opportunity to travel with his mother to his maternal grandmother’s village was “kind of a full-circle moment” for his family, Nacua said Tuesday.

“To be able to go and improve the situation in the homeland was something sweet,” Nacua said after the team went through a workout.

Nacua, who missed the Rams’ first on-field workout because of the trip, appeared to be at full strength Tuesday, with no evidence of the knee injury he fought through last season.

Nacua is part of a remade Rams receiver corps that is expected to elevate the offense for a team regarded as a Super Bowl contender.

The Rams released veteran Cooper Kupp, who signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and replaced him with three-time All-Pro Davante Adams. They also re-signed Tutu Atwell to a one-year, $10-million contract. Second-year pro Jordan Whittington and rookie Konata Mumpfield also are competing for roles.

“It definitely is a little bit different,” Nacua said of Kupp’s absence from the receivers’ meeting room. “The spot he used to sit in, I think, it’s definitely occupied by somebody now, so everybody’s getting used to it.”

But Nacua said Adams, who was absent Tuesday, has come in and provided leadership.

“Somebody who’s played at a super high level his whole career — and the knowledge he has is something different from what we’re used to, having Coop in the system a long time,” Nacua said. “It’s been great to have him around and I feel like I’m learning something new every day.”

Nacua, 24, proved a quick study after the Rams selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of Brigham Young.

With Kupp sidelined at the start of the season because of injury, Nacua became quarterback Matthew Stafford’s primary target. Nacua enjoyed a record-setting season, catching 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He was a finalist for the NFL offensive rookie of the year.

During training camp before last season, Nacua suffered a knee injury during a joint workout with the Chargers. He then aggravated the issue in the opener against the Detroit Lions, and was sidelined for five games. He still caught 79 passes for 990 yards and three touchdowns for a Rams team that finished with a 10-7 record and advanced to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs before losing to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said Nacua was “continuing to work on his craft,” during organized team activities.

“He’s naturally just a leader,” LaFleur said. “Just the way he goes about it.”

In a few weeks, Nacua will play a prominent role for the Rams when they travel to Maui for a minicamp that will conclude voluntary offseason workouts. Nacua, who also is of Hawaiian descent, is expected to be warmly embraced by the locals during some activities that will be open to the public.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I can’t wait for everybody to come out there and have some shaved ice. I’m sure they’ll be waiting for us.”

Etc.

The Rams have four coaches working with them during organized team activities as part of the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching fellowship program. The coaches are Taylor Embree (tight ends), Chris Marve (defensive backs), Va’a Niumatalolo (outside linebackers) and Greg Stewart (offensive line).

Sitting in the Birmingham High bleachers wearing headphones before running the 400 meters at the City Section track and field prelims, 17-year-old senior Nathan Santa Cruz looks like a teenager comfortable and confident. Teammates gravitate to him. Maybe it’s his smile. Or maybe they want to be near someone enjoying each and every day.

A traumatic experience changed his outlook on life in the fall of 2022 when he suffered a brain injury in the opening football game for Venice High and underwent emergency surgery to stop bleeding.

“We don’t know if he’s going to make it,” his mother, Crystal Clark, remembers being told at the hospital.

Nathan Santa Cruz, who survived a brain injury in 2022, goes for a City Section title at 400 meters.

(Craig Weston)

Santa Cruz recovered so well that he played two more years of football, but his real love was using his speed in track. Last season he finished second in the City Section 400. This year, he ran a career-best time of 47.74 seconds at the Arcadia Invitational.

On Thursday, he’ll have a rematch against Justin Hart of Granada Hills in the 400 final. They ran one-two last season.

“I think it’s going to be a real competitive race,” Santa Cruz said. “I’m going to try to come out on top.”

If he doesn’t finish first, he’s already won. He has a track scholarship waiting for him at Cal Poly Pomona, where he plans to study business or criminology. And he has grown up fast because of what happened to him. He’s no normal teenager when you listen to what he believes.

“At the end of the day, it’s God giving you another chance to wake up,” he said. “Make sure I’m better than yesterday. That’s what I do.”

Granada Hills’ Justin Hart, the son of former NBA player Jason Hart, is favored in the City 400 and 200.

(Craig Weston)

His competitor, Hart, has his own story to tell. He’s the son of Kentucky basketball assistant coach Jason Hart, who spent 10 years in the NBA. An older brother, Jason II, also played basketball but Justin was different.

Justin played lots of sports, including basketball, but when he was 7, he told his father, “I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want you to waste your money.”

He wanted to run.

“I didn’t want to be in my dad’s shadow. I wanted to create my own identity in my own sport,” he said.

He won the 400 and was second in the 200 at last year’s City final. He’s going for a sweep on Thursday and is just getting started.

“I think the ceiling is really high,” Granada Hills coach Johnny Wiley said.

He’ll welcome his father and mother in the bleachers cheering loudly.

There really won’t be any losers when Hart and Santa Cruz square off. They come from great families and have learned lessons that will help them succeed for years to come.

Santa Cruz makes it clear he runs to make his mother proud because he’ll never forget a memory from his hospital experience.

“Seeing her cry at the hospital, I knew I had to go make an impact in her life, make it so she didn’t have to pay for her kid to go to college,” he said. “Seeing her smile, that’s why I do it.”

And when days don’t go as well as he might like, Santa Cruz said he has learned, “It’s just the way life goes. I think God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.”

Last November, gathered along the concourse of Crypto.com Arena, newly appointed Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts issued a clear directive on her first day for the 2025 season: to win. A tall order coming off the worst season in franchise history.

Seated beside her, general manager Raegan Pebley, certain she had chosen the right leader to revive a franchise that had tumbled far from its championship standard, echoed Roberts’ belief.

Five months later, back on that very concourse, Roberts’ message remained unmistakable: “We’re not just happy to be here. … We want to compete, and every time we put on that jersey, we want to win.”

The message, trickling down from the Sparks’ front office to the coaching staff to the players, is unified — it’s not a rebuild, nor a restart, but a reclamation.

After years of decline, an offseason injection of capital followed by a franchise-altering trade and the signing (and re-signing) of championship-experienced veterans, signaled a push to restore the reputation of a flagship WNBA team in one of the league’s marquee markets.

While desire alone won’t guarantee victories, especially for a team with just eight last season, this season has already started on a promising note with a dominant 84-67 victory that spoiled the expansion Golden State Valkyries’ first regular-season game on Friday.

With last year behind them, the focus is on ending a four-year playoff drought.

“I haven’t been shy about saying I want to make the playoffs,” Roberts said on what first-year success looks like. “With the roster we have, we can. Is it going to be hard? Yeah, climbing is hard. Changing things is hard.”

For a reclamation to take hold and a climb back into playoff relevance to become a reality, the Sparks will rely on the dogged leadership of their newest star, Kelsey Plum, acquired in a three-team trade in January. The fiery floor general is not just here to run the point. She’s here to lead.

A fresh voice on the team, Plum brings a superstar stature to complement fellow All-Star Dearica Hamby. Their reunion is a full-circle moment. After six seasons and a championship together in Las Vegas, they’re back on the same side, this time with something to prove in L.A.

“It’s no mystery that they’re our best players, and when your best players are also your hardest workers, they lead by trying to empower,” Roberts said. “The most impactful part is that they do it without ego. They’re very confident. … It’s impossible as a young player not to be affected by that. … But it’s in a way that’s never threatening or intimidating.”

This season, the team will lean on the duo’s championship pedigree, counting on them to instill the mindset and habits of a winning culture. So far, the two have led in different but equally impactful ways.

In stepping into a new leadership role, Plum sets the tone with fierce competitiveness, pushing younger teammates through example and empowerment. Hamby counters with understanding and steadiness, serving as a calming presence and mentor. This dichotomy of leadership styles could prove instrumental in a locker room filled with rookies and rising stars.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, bringing the ball up the court while defended by Valkyries guard Kate Martin, had 37 points, six assists and five steals in a season-opening win Friday.

(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)

Plum arrives with an impressive list of accolades — two-time champion, three-time All-Star, Sixth Woman of the Year, Olympic gold medalist. Those credentials could easily stoke ego or entitlement, but by all accounts, her demeanor in the locker room is anything but that. Teammates describe her as grounded and approachable. They’ve quickly rallied behind her.

“I enjoy coming to work every day,” said forward Rickea Jackson, entering her second season. “To be part of something like this, it’s a breath of fresh air. Some people try to overstep or be a stickler, but she [Plum] does just enough. She says just enough. Her energy speaks for itself — she doesn’t have to feel like she has to go out and get respect.”

For Plum, this season is about fulfilling the blueprint Pebley and Roberts outlined in their first conversation. Their shared commitment to restoring the Sparks’ championship standard — something the franchise hasn’t lived up to in nearly a decade — convinced Plum to approve the trade months ago.

“Everything starts and ends with vision — you operate out of a vision,” Plum said. “In life, you’ve got to adapt and continue to grow and get better. And I understand there’s been a lull here, and everyone’s aware of that. … I’m here to not only build culture, but affect winning, and I think they’re on the same trajectory.”

After years of contributing to championship-caliber teams, Plum is champing at the bit to lead her own squad. She believes that focusing on executing the game plan and driving team success will naturally lead to individual accolades.

“There are a lot of players who can put up empty stats, but for me, it’s about how I can help this team win,” Plum said. “I understand where we were last year, and my goal is to significantly change that.”

Statistically, Hamby and Plum rank among the WNBA’s elite duos. Last season, Hamby led the team, averaging 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Plum brings added offensive depth with a top-10 scoring average (17.8 points) and precision shooting from beyond the arc — she was third in the league with 110 made three-pointers.

After one game, the two are already thriving under Roberts’ new system, which stresses freedom — freedom to stretch the floor, create more open three-point opportunities and boost offensive output through a “positionless” approach. Plum scored 37 points — the most ever in a WNBA season opener — while Hamby recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Valkyries.

“It’s clear they have on-court chemistry,” Roberts said. “They’re not afraid to use their voice. … I can call something, and then those two are kind of whispering about how they’re going to run an audible, and it almost always works.”

As a team, everyone from decade-long veterans such as Plum and Hamby to rookies Sarah Ashlee Barker and Sania Feagin, is learning the system together, fostering a shared urgency to get on the same page and reap the benefits of a reset.

“I feel like we are ahead of the curve in terms of our newness,” said Jackson of the reimagined Sparks. “Everyone’s a hooper, everybody’s a dog. You can tell we just want to win at the end of the day… We hold each other accountable, and no one takes it personally.”

At their core, the Sparks are a youthful roster. Jackson, Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell — all under 25 — were starters last season and represent the foundation of the team’s future.

For now, Jackson appears poised to take a step forward from the start. She spent the offseason sharpening her skills in Unrivaled, the women’s professional three-on-three basketball league.

Jackson’s play has many picking her as the WNBA’s next breakout star — a high bar that comes with even higher pressure for last year’s No. 4 overall draft pick. A standout from one of the deeper draft classes in recent memory, Jackson is expected to ascend from rookie starter to potential All-Star.

Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, right, gets past Valkyries forward Monique Billings for a layup during a season-opening win on Friday.

(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)

Burrell also benefited from Unrivaled, but she suffered an apparent knee injury in Friday’s opener against the Valkyries and had to be carried off the court by teammates. It’s unclear how much time she could miss, but it might be significant.

Brink, Jackson’s rookie classmate, is still rehabbing from aknee injury. On media day, she offered a positive update, saying she feels confident about her recovery.

Barring setbacks, Brink is expected back around the All-Star break in mid-July. She participated in parts of training camp, building chemistry with Plum, but was occasionally absent and seen in a walking boot due to “foot discomfort,” per the team. The organization remains cautious in its approach and says Brink “continues to move in a positive direction.”

Azurá Stevens is stepping up to fill the frontcourt gap in Brink’s absence. A former champion with the Chicago Sky, now in her second stint in L.A., Stevens also competed in Unrivaled this offseason. She helped lead Rose BC to the inaugural championship.

Pebley and Roberts shaped the roster through close collaboration. While they aligned on many decisions and diverged on others, Pebley says every move stemmed from open dialogue and thoughtful debate.

Now in her second year as GM, Pebley is intrinsically linked to Roberts, with their roster-building synergy central to the team’s foundation. A unified approach is believed to give Roberts, an accomplished leader with 27 years of college coaching experience but new to the pros, the best chance to succeed in her first WNBA season and years to come.

“We are really working hard to make sure that we’re building to a win-now mentality, but also win in the future,” Pebley said. “And there’s a balance. … There’s a lot of thoughtfulness that has to go into all of these decisions to make that happen.”

Against the Valkyries, the starting lineup featured Plum — the lone newcomer — alongside 12-year veteran Odyssey Sims in the backcourt, Jackson and Hamby at forward with Stevens anchoring the frontcourt. The plan is to stick with this lineup until Brink returns.

Winning is at the forefront this season. The hope is that the organization has built a roster around Plum and Hamby, a pair of All-Stars capable leading the team on a postseason run. .

Plum is ready for the task.

“I was put in this position to be able to carry a heavier load,” Plum said. “And I have broad shoulders.”

The Chargers’ season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be the NFL’s first game streamed exclusively on YouTube, the league announced Tuesday, further expanding the NFL’s streaming footprint to include the ubiquitous free video platform.

Despite now having a home team and TV partner for the matchup, the Chargers’ opponent was the only piece of the NFL’s seven-game international slate that was not announced Tuesday. Front Office Sports reported the Chargers will face AFC West rival Kansas City on Sept. 5 at Arena Corinthians. The Chiefs have won seven consecutive games against the Chargers while becoming one of the league’s most popular TV draws.

Kansas City star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce were at the center of the NFL’s expanded streaming influence last year as the Chiefs played in the league’s Christmas Day takeover of Netflix. The doubleheader that also featured Houston playing Baltimore drew an average of 26.5 million viewers, which made them the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history. But the ratings lagged slightly behind recent linear broadcasts. In 2023, the NFL boasted its most-watched Christmas Day game since 1989 with the Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders drawing 29.2 million viewers on CBS.

Last season, the Chargers faced the Arizona Cardinals in a “Monday Night Football” game that was the first ESPN+ exclusive to not be included in the international series.

Played as the second game of a staggered doubleheader that featured a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers’ loss to the Cardinals attracted less than 2 million viewers, according to NBC’s Pro Football Talk, which made it the least-watched NFL game since 2008.

Putting a star-studded division matchup at a neutral site on Friday of Week 1 would remove a marquee game from the Chargers’ SoFi Stadium slate. While local fans would miss the highly anticipated rivalry game, the Chargers will still host the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and NFC rookie of the year Jayden Daniels, the San Bernardino native who led the Washington Commanders to their first NFC championship game appearance since 1991 last season.

The home schedule also features AFC West counterparts Las Vegas and Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Minnesota. On the road, the Chargers will play their three AFC West rivals, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Dallas, the New York Giants and Miami.

The remainder of the schedule will be released Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT.