rookie

Tre’ Harris watched as Oronde Gadsden II burst by him, the 6-foot-5 tight end chugging over the turf at Golden West College’s football field.

Months before Harris and Gadsden suited up as Chargers rookies, the duo were catching passes from Jaxson Dart — now the starting quarterback for the New York Giants — during pre-NFL Scouting Combine training sessions at the Huntington Beach community college as the trio took advantage of sunny weather in Southern California.

“I saw his talents immediately,” Dart said of Gadsden. “Skill set-wise, I thought he was a very unique athlete, being, you know, the stature that he is. I thought his footwork was some of the best that I’ve seen.”

Over the past two weeks, the footwork that Harris said separates Gadsden from the rest of the NFL, has been on display.

Gadsden, 22, ranks fifth in NFL tight end receiving yards this season (385) despite not playing in the first two games. Two weeks ago, against the Colts, the son of former NFL wide receiver Oronde Gadsden emerged for 164 receiving yards and a touchdown. Against the Vikings last week, the former Syracuse standout, who set the program record for receptions in a season with 73 catches, recorded another 77 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Those accomplishments — which he credits to studying the likes of Chargers teammates Keenan Allen and Will Dissly — earned Gadsden earned NFL Rookie of the Week honors in Week 7, the first Charger to claim the award since Asante Samuel Jr. did it twice in 2021.

“It’s been good, getting in passes with Justin [Herbert], whether it’s a practice, and then following up in the game,” Gadsden said. “It feels good to see all the hard work that I’ve been doing, all the hard work that the whole team has been doing, come forward and translate into the game.”

Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II (86) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 23.

(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)

Jim Harbaugh can’t help but smile when talking about Gadsden. Asked about the Chargers’ rookies — and the efforts they’ve put in to keep the team afloat amid a rash of injuries — the usually stoic Chargers coach remarked about how wide his grin was before slamming his hands down onto the podium in front of him.

“I mean, Oronde Gadsden,” he said, “of course, has been great.”

Herbert added: “It was only a matter of time until he put together two games like he has back-to-back, and he’s gonna make a ton of plays for us. He’s gonna have a super long career.”

Gadsden had his first opportunity to relax during the mini bye week in the 10-day gap between the Chargers’ win over the Vikings and their game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. He said it’s been non-stop football for him since the beginning of his senior year at Syracuse; from the college season to pre-draft training, rookie mini camp, and now the NFL season.

Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II tries to fight off Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks during a Chargers’ win on Oct.12.

(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

For the first time since those training sessions at Golden West, Gadsden decided to visit Disneyland. It was a rare break for Gadsden since his daily pre-draft days working alongside trainer T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the former Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.

What makes Gadsden a special player, Harris said, is his never-stop attitude. During minicamp, Gadsden would arrive at the facility at 5 a.m. — using his East Coast-wired clock to his advantage to get extra work in.

“I’m not gonna say I knew he was gonna do this,” Harris said of Gadsden’s recent success, before pausing. “There’s not a lot of tight ends that can move like he does. And, you know, I’ve seen it firsthand.”

Chargers running back Omarion Hampton will be placed on injured reserve, coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday, meaning the rookie first-round pick will be out for at least the next four games.

Late in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-10 loss to Washington, Hampton came up limping after colliding with a Commanders pass rusher. After the game, the running back rode by the Chargers’ locker room on the back of a golf cart, wearing a protective boot on his left foot. Harbaugh declined to elaborate on the situation in his postgame comments.

However, Harbaugh revealed Monday that Hampton will be out for at least a month.

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Sam Farmer breaks down what went wrong for the Chargers in their 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

Hampton, a University of North Carolina standout selected 22nd overall last spring, rushed for 44 yards in 12 carries Sunday and had six receptions for 26 yards.

“He’s been getting in a really good rhythm, playing really well,” Harbaugh said. “Special player. That was an unfortunate occurrence.”

The Chargers, who play Sunday at Miami, are looking to halt a two-game losing slide. They had put more on the shoulders of their rookie running back after losing veteran Najee Harris to a torn Achilles tendon in the second quarter of a Week 3 victory over Denver.

The team is already dealing with a slew of injuries along the offensive line and needs a reliable running game to take pressure off of quarterback Justin Herbert, who was hit a combined 21 times in the past two games.

In a Week 4 loss at the New York Giants, Hampton ran for 128 yards in 12 carries, including a 54-yard touchdown run.

Harbaugh said the Chargers will turn to reserve running backs Hassan Haskins, Kimani Vidal and Amar Johnson and “look at other avenues as well.”

The Chargers are coming off a loss in which they got off to a 10-0 lead before surrendering 27 unanswered points. They have been penalized 24 times in the past two games.

“In really all phases, every group’s got fingerprints on it, every position group, every coach,” Harbaugh said. “We’re all looking at that, wall to wall, going back, seeing every way we can attack and be better.”

Bueckers averaged 19.2 points on 47.7 percent shooting along with 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals in the season.

Dallas Wings’ basketball star Paige Bueckers has won the WNBA Rookie of the Year honour after one of the best debut seasons in league history.

Bueckers received 70 of the 72 votes from sportswriters and broadcasters in balloting announced by the league on Tuesday. The other two went to Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron.

Bueckers was a bright spot for a team that tied the Chicago Sky with a league-worst 10-34 record after being drafted with the number-one overall pick and the first Dallas Wings player to win the award since Allisha Gray in 2017. The former UConn star averaged 19.2 points on 47.7 per cent shooting along with 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals.

But those numbers do not tell the complete story.

Her 692 points and 194 assists were the third most by a WNBA rookie. The highlight was when she scored 44 in a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on August 20.

It was the WNBA’s highest point total this season and the most ever by a rookie. She also became the first player in league history to score 40 or more while shooting 80 per cent in a game.

That performance came near the end of a 30-game double-digit streak, the third longest to start a career behind A’ja Wilson’s 33 games in 2018 and Candace Parker’s 32 games in 2008.

Paige Bueckers is the 2025 WNBA @Kia Rookie of the Year 🏆

Averaging 19.2 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.9 RPG, Bueckers led the @dallaswings as one of the most dynamic rookies the league has ever seen.
#KiaROY | #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/VtT01Qwzr0

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 16, 2025

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese says she has apologized to her teammates for a Chicago Tribune article in which she criticized the organization and indicated she might eventually leave the team “if things don’t pan out.”

Following the Sky’s 88-64 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night, Reese was asked by a reporter about the frustration she seemed to express in the article, which was published earlier that day.

“I don’t think I’m frustrated. I probably am frustrated [with] myself right now,” Reese said during a postgame news conference.“I think the language is taken out of context, and I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates, because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year. They’ve busted their a—, just how I bust my a—, they showed up for me through thick and thin, and in the locker room when nobody could see anything.

“So I would apologize to my teammates, which I already have, about the article and how it was misconstrued about what was said, and I just have to be better with my language because I know it’s not the message, it’s the messenger and understanding what I say can be taken any kind of way so I just have to be better and grow from this.”

First-year coach Tyler Marsh told reporters he spoke with Reese concerning the article before the game.

“That will stay between me and Angel,” Marsh said of that discussion. “But I think that everyone had their opportunities to speak. And we’ll leave it at that.”

Selected by Chicago at No. 7 overall in the 2024 draft, Reese averaged 13.6 points and a league-record 131 rebounds and finished second to Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever in voting for rookie of the year . This year, Reese is averaging 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds and was an All-Star selection for the second time.

The Sky, however, have missed the playoffs both years. They finished 13-27 in 2024 and are currently 10-30 with four games remaining this season. Injuries were a factor this year — star point guard Courtney Vandersloot suffered a season-ending ACL injury after seven games and Reese missed three weeks with a back injury — but Reese told the Tribune that the organization needs to do better.

“I’m not settling for the same s— we did this year,” Reese said. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me.

“I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason. So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”

Reese’s rookie contract with the Sky runs through the 2027 season, with the final year being a team option.

“I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me,” Reese told the Tribune. “But while I am here, I’m going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can.”

The Tribune also stated that Reese wants Marsh to coach players harder.

“I think that everyone is entitled to feel how they feel,” Marsh said of that portion of the article. “For me, the most important thing is staying authentic and genuine to who I am and have that translate in whatever way it translates.

“But I think the overarching theme is that none of us are happy with where we’re at in terms of what our record has been. That’s the core of where frustration is organizationally. We’ve just got to continue to finish this season strong.”

Even before Keenan Allen returned to the Chargers last week, he was already having an influence in the receiver room.

As a rookie, Ladd McConkey studied Allen’s practice film on his team-issued iPad, trying to absorb lessons from one of the league’s best route runners — the very player whose rookie records for receptions and receiving yards McConkey would eventually surpass.

“You sit in team meetings, pull up your iPad and just watch,” McConkey said. “Watching his one-on-one stuff from previous years, when he was here. I’m going to check this out, see what he’s got.”

Now, the 33-year-old Allen and 23-year-old McConkey are inseparable on the field. Throughout practice, McConkey picks the veteran’s brain — something he says “would be dumb if I didn’t.”

“He’s been doing it at a high level for a long time, so any knowledge I can get, I’m going to take it,” McConkey said. “He’s very decisive and smart… He knows how to win using leverage. He doesn’t just run past you — he can set you up at the top, stick and he has great hands.”

The prospect of the two playing in the same offense excites McConkey, who says any doubts about their chemistry can be set aside because “in this offense, we can all move around.”

“We can all rotate in different positions and scheme it up the way they want,” McConkey added. “That’s something that’s really good about our receivers, and we’re all very versatile.”

It was the first day the two were able to participate in the same 11-on-11 session, with McConkey returning from an undisclosed injury that sidelined him for several practices and Allen just coming back last week.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Allen’s presence has already made a difference, noting, “We always knew he was a great player, but now that he’s here, he’s proven it once again… Keenan creates flexibility for us and also makes us stronger.”

“Our training staff is doing a great job acclimating him, getting him up to speed,” Roman said. “We’re taking it slow, in a gradual manner… Getting into football shape.”

Running back rotation

At times last season, when healthy, the Chargers rotated as many as three-deep at running back.

With Najee Harris — expected back at some point — and first-round pick Omarion Hampton projected to handle the bulk of the carries, there’s still an opening for a third back in Roman’s system.

With Hampton sitting out Sunday’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints, plenty of reps were up for grabs. Roman called it a “wide-open competition.”

“There’ll definitely be a rotation no matter what happens,” Roman said. “We’ll try to keep guys fresh throughout the game. I think the days of one running back taking every rep are going the way of prehistoric creatures.”

That leaves the spot up for grabs between second-year back Kimani Vidal — who started Sunday and finished with six carries for 16 yards — and undrafted rookie Raheim Sanders, who had 10 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown.

“He [Sanders] did a great job, kind of created some things on his own,” Sanders said. “Leaned on the defense in the fourth quarter… A lot of it [drive] was him pounding the rock. He did a really nice job for his first game.”

Sanders faces an uphill climb, though. Vidal is coming off a rookie season in which he worked his way from a fringe roster hopeful to contributor, making the 53-man roster and appearing in 10 games.

At practice, the two continue to fight for a good share of reps, with Hassan Haskins mixed in.

Etc…

Quarterback Trey Lance sat out full-team drills Tuesday, which Roman said was simply a rest day after Lance played most of Sunday’s game — stressing it was not injury-related… Guard Mekhi Becton has now missed two full weeks of practice as he continues to “work through something.”

In 2020, inside the clang-and-clatter of Neshoba Central High’s powerlifting gym, Jarquez Hunter’s coach laid down a dare: squat 645 pounds on three counts.

With a nod and quick coat of chalk, Hunter went to work. Challenges don’t faze him.

At a Mississippi water company three years prior, Hunter’s co-workers coaxed him into a pickup basketball game. Still in his button-down shirt and cowboy boots, the 5-foot-9 Hunter went airborne. And dunked.

In those same boots, the Rams’ rookie running back completed more delicate tests: He patiently broke and nurtured a horse that he eventually rode across Auburn’s campus.

“Stay true to the thing you’re doing,” Hunter said.

On Saturday at SoFi Stadium, Hunter made his NFL debut in a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, Lining up behind quarterback Stetson Bennett, he took a handoff on a third-and-six play and mimicked a sprinter stealing a head start — his shoulders low and knees churning. Hunter knifed through the defense and broke for an 11-yard gain.

“That was a great run,” said Rams coach Sean McVay. “He’s knocking guys back and finishing forward where what might be a four-yard run ends up being an eight-yard or seven-yard run.”

That bruising style helped Hunter rush for 3,371 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns in four seasons at Auburn. The Rams selected Hunter in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, adding him to a running back corps that features starter Kyren Williams and second-year pro Blake Corum.

“He’s definitely laser-focused on what you’re saying,” Rams running backs coach Ron Gould said during training camp.

Or, as McVay illustrated it: “He can stare a hole through you.”

Gould dubbed Hunter’s speed as his “super power,” a gift confirmed by a 4.44-second 40-yard dash. But Hunter’s ability to twist defenders out of position mid-chase is his calling card. Proof? He amassed 278 yards in 23 carries last October against Kentucky.

“Since I was in middle school growing up, I did a lot of squatting,” Hunter said. “I do a lot of leg workouts. I run hills and pull sleds. That’s really how I get the power in my legs.”

Rams linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr., a fellow rookie, played against Hunter three times at Arkansas before Paul transferred to Mississippi. Every matchup against Hunter’s Tigers, Paul said, was the same headache.

Rams running back Jarquez Hunter is tackled by the Dallas Cowboys defense during a preseason game Saturday at SoFi Stadium.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“We knew he ran hard,” the Rams linebacker said. “We knew he was hard to bring down. We knew he had speed. Very good in pass [protection]. … Man, he’s very dangerous.”

But that danger vanishes once the pads come off. They’re replaced by the patience of a country boy.

Hunter, who also stashes party tricks like leaping out of a swimming pool, grew up in the rolling greens of central Mississippi. And back home, Hunter’s most loyal running mate doesn’t wear pads. Danger, a chestnut quarter horse with a white blaze down his face and a deep copper coat, was born the same summer Hunter first wore an Auburn jersey.

The colt was born while Hunter was driving home for a short break before fall camp, its spindly legs still wobbly in the pasture.

The patience to break a horse, the stubbornness to work one until it trusts you, the dawn-to-dusk commitment of tending to something that can’t speak back — Hunter said he swears it all bleeds into his game.

“When you’re out there working with animals, you gotta stay true,” Hunter said, “you gotta go with the training. You still gotta work with them.”

That same discipline shows when Hunter rides his ATV up a steep hill, hauls in catfish by hand, or waits patiently for a buck in the woods — and it’s the same grit he’ll lean on as he pushes for a place in the Rams’ running back rotation.

For now, Hunter will line up again Saturday against the Chargers, with a chance to outpace the 41 yards he logged in 11 carries in his debut.

“Pretty decent,” Hunter said, “but it’s things I got to fix.”

Because for Hunter, the fixes are the fun part of challenges — whether it’s mending a missed block, pumping out another squat or winning the trust of a restless colt.

Staff writer Gary Klein contributed to this report.

Receiver Konata Mumpfield made multiple plays. So did running back Jarquez Hunter and other Rams rookies during training camp and a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys.

A true evaluation about their progress, however, cannot be completed by coach Sean McVay and his staff until the first-year players perform in a live-tackling situation.

The first opportunity for rookies and others to truly demonstrate that they are worthy of regular-season roles comes Saturday when the Rams play the Cowboys in a preseason game at SoFi Stadium.

But the most notable development for the Rams will probably occur hours before kickoff.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, sidelined during training camp because of an aggravated disc in his back, is scheduled to go through his first significant passing workout at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills. McVay said the 17th-year pro would begin practicing next week.

McVay does not play starters or other significant players during preseason games, so veteran backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will not play.

Tight end Terrance Ferguson, a second-round draft pick, probably won’t play because of a hamstring issue that has sidelined him for the last week.

Here are five things to watch Saturday when the Rams face the Cowboys at 4 p.m. PDT (ABC):

For Chargers rookie Tre’ Harris, the opportunity to see the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, proved to be an eye-opening experience — a moment of validation for his budding NFL career.

“Being able to go to the Hall of Fame, seeing all of the busts, all the players and the history of the game, just tells you, ‘You made it to the NFL,’” Harris said.

Getting the chance to play in the Chargers’ 34-7 win over the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game fulfilled a childhood dream for the Lafayette, La., native. But the Hall of Fame week experience left him with a clearer understanding of what it takes to be a legend in the sport.

“Being able to see all those players, those legends who’ve done it at the very pinnacle of the game — it really shows how much work you have to put in to be as good as them, or even really sniff their sneakers,” Harris said.

His path to greatness began quietly: zero catches on just one target against the Lions. Still, offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Harris looked comfortable in the passing game despite limited opportunities.

Harris has turned heads in camp with his sharp route running and big-play potential. Motivated to prove what he can offer an offense desperate for receiving weapons to support Justin Herbert, the second-round pick is focused on two things: learning plays and speed.

“[I’m] making sure that I’m comfortable in this playbook and I’m playing fast,” Harris said. “We want to play fast and be decisive. … Whenever I go out there, that’s really the main goal. … I’m not really worried about what the defense is doing — just worried about, how can I get myself open?”

Despite starting camp a few days later than other rookies because of a contract holdout, Harris is competing for a starting role in the wake of Mike Williams’ sudden retirement.

Harris, who agreed to a $7.8-million deal with the Chargers, said the only thing that bothered him about his holdout was missing time with his teammates.

Over the first few months, Harris has leaned heavily on the support of rookie receiver and roommate KeAndre Lambert-Smith. The two have built a bond since first meeting at the NFL scouting combine in February.

Chargers wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, right, celebrates with wide receiver Tre’ Harris after making a touchdown catch against the Lions in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.

(Nick Cammett / Getty Images)

That bond has sparked an iron-sharpening-iron dynamic, with both standing out in camp so far. Harris has impressed, but Lambert-Smith has emerged as a hidden gem, consistently making downfield grabs and winning one-on-one battles with crisp route running.

“It’s almost like college in a way, just having that guy you’re always with,” Harris said. “It’s been good to bounce ideas off, and we always talk to each other about the practice, game, everyday life.”

Harris also has embraced a subtle, but meaningful change in his life. He recently added an apostrophe to his first name, now stylized as “Tre’.” The update reflects family and cultural history, he said.

Harris’ father, who spent a decade working offshore in Brazil, learned to speak some Portuguese during that time. Harris was born Cleveland Harris III, but his father shortened the name to tres — Portuguese for “three.” Somewhere along the way, the “s” was dropped, and “Tre’” came to be.

With the Chargers set to open the regular season in São Paulo, Brazil, Harris said his dad is already making plans, telling him he has “some friends back there who are super excited to see me play.”

LAS VEGAS — Yanic Konan Niederhauser received the pass near the half-court line from a Clippers teammate who had just stolen the basketball. The 6-foot-11 center maneuvered down the court, his long strides allowing him to use just two dribbles before he took flight outside the circle and threw down a thunderous dunk over helpless Lakers defender Cole Swider.

The crowd inside Thomas & Mack Center went into a frenzy, including Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who leaped out of his courtside seat, pumped his fists and yelled.

At that moment Monday night, Niederhauser displayed his agility, speed and ballhandling skills. It was another step taken in his progress while playing in the NBA Summer League on the campus of UNLV.

The Clippers had used the 30th and last pick in the first round of the NBA draft to select Niederhauser out of Penn State because they saw potential.

That exciting, and in many ways unexpected, play was an encouraging sign for the Clippers.

“I didn’t see Mr. Ballmer because I was in the moment,” Niederhauser, laughing, said late Monday night. “That’s the guard skills I was talking about and I had a couple of fast breaks these last few days and I passed the ball away. Now I said, ‘Naw, man. I can go up by myself.’ I told myself I was going to dunk it and I did.”

In his first three games in the NBA Summer League, Niederhauser has shown different skills.

It was his defense and rebounding in the first game, against the Houston Rockets in which he blocked four shots and collected 10 rebounds. Though he missed all four of his shots and scored just one point, Niederhauser found other ways to contribute.

It was a little bit of everything in his second game, against the Milwaukee Bucks in which he had two points, three rebounds, two steals and one block.

It was his offense in the third game against the Lakers in which he scored 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and had two steals.

“He just sticks with it,” Clippers assistant and Summer League coach Jeremy Castleberry said. “No matter if it’s going good or bad, he sticks with it. He’s trying his best to do everything we ask him to do. And just like I said after the last game, he continues to get better. From the last game [against the Bucks] to this game [against the Lakers], he was a little bit better than he was last game. He’s getting the dunks, catching the basketball, finishing it, being a rim-protector, consistently running the floor. Like, you can see the progress.”

Niederhauser was born in Bern, Switzerland, a town of about 135,000 an hour from Zurich. Even so, at 15, the Clippers’ international scouts became aware of Niederhauser when he played on the under-16 Switzerland national team. At that time, he was a 6-1 guard.

Niederhauser had a growth spurt at 17 that pushed him into playing center position. He said he was 6-5 when he broke his knee and was forced to sit out for a year.

Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser elevates for a shot over Lakers center Christian Koloko during a Summer League game in Las Vegas.

(Garrett Ellwood / NBAE via Getty Images)

“I was like out for a whole year and once I came back, after a whole year of sitting out and I get back on the court, now I’m 6-11,” he said. “Yeah, in one year, I had to change my whole game from being like a forward/guard to being a center. So, yeah, I had guard skills. That’s why sometimes I be dribbling the ball.”

Niederhauser laughed, agreeing those guard skills helped him make that electric dunk against the Lakers.

His size, weight (242 pounds) and youth (22) are all part of the package the Clippers like.

“We think there’s plenty of upside,” Clippers general manager Trent Redden said. “You know, the famous draft word, obviously. But for a guy that’s his age, he’s still learning and growing into his frame that he hasn’t really had his whole life. We just haven’t had a guy that size at that position in a backup role that’s young that we can feed into and give to our developmental staff.”

As a kid growing up in Switzerland, Niederhauser learned to speak four languages — Swiss, German, French and English.

His parents, Dominique and Nadege Niederhauser, made sure their son was well-versed.

“Since I was a baby, I was speaking all those languages,” Niederhauser said. “My mom, she speaks French. She’s from the Ivory Coast and that’s where I learned French, and my dad speaks mostly German and so that’s how I learned my German.”

Now that Niederhauser is with the Clippers, he’ll have tutors to teach how the NBA game is played.

He will be able to learn from centers Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez.

Lopez is 37 and a 17-year veteran who signed with the Clippers this summer.

He mentioned how he played with great players like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now it’s up to him to pass on knowledge to Niederhauser like others passed on to him.

“I’m absolutely ready to get on the court, help him out and help him adjust and become a great player in this league,” Lopez said.

Niederhauser is soaking it all in while in Las Vegas, from the games to the practices to the conversations he’s had with Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.

“He’s been giving me advice. I can just tell that he has a lot of knowledge,” Niederhauser said. “I’m loving this. I’m in a great situation with experienced players to learn from. I’m just taking time to learn and get my experience. Everything is new to me so I’m just trying my best to soak everything in and just get better every day.”

Zach Neto hit a leadoff homer and rookie Christian Moore had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in a four-run eighth inning that sent the Angels to a 9-5 win over the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.

LaMonte Wade Jr. opened the eighth with a single off reliever Garret Whitlock (5-1). Wade stole second and went to third when catcher Connor Wong’s throw bounced into center field for an error.

Luis Rengifo walked, and Moore hit a sacrifice fly for a 6-5 lead. A single by Neto, who had three hits, and an intentional walk to Mike Trout loaded the bases with two outs. Taylor Ward walked to force in a run, and Travis d’Arnaud’s two-run single made it 9-5.

Angels left-hander Reid Detmers escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh by striking out Roman Anthony and Trevor Story with 96 mph fastballs. Sam Bachman (1-0) retired the side in order in the eighth to get the win for the Angels (38-40).

Angels closer Kenley Jansen left because of injury after four pitches in the ninth, and Hector Neris got the final three outs.

Handed a 3-0 lead before he took the mound, Boston starter Walker Buehler walked four and hit two batters with pitches during a five-run first. The right-hander finished with a career-high seven walks in four innings. But the Red Sox took him off the hook when Story hit a solo homer off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn for a 5-5 tie in the sixth.

Boston (40-40) scored three runs on five hits, including Wilyer Abreu’s two-run single, off Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz in the first and later pulled to 5-4 on Wong’s sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Key moment: The Red Sox squandered a chance to tie it in the fifth when they ran into two outs on the bases on the same play. Jarren Duran led off with a double but hesitated on Abraham Toro’s grounder to shortstop.

Duran was tagged out by Moore in a rundown, and the second baseman spun and threw to second to nail Toro trying to advance. Boston manager Alex Cora was ejected — for the second consecutive game — while arguing that Rengifo blocked second base with his knee.

Key stat: Neto has six leadoff homers this season, one shy of the franchise record set by Brian Downing in 1987.

Up next: Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (7-4, 2.20 ERA) opposes Angels lefty Tyler Anderson (2-5, 4.56) on Tuesday night.

He wasn’t under the watchful eye of Chargers executive director of player performance Ben Herbert this offseason. He didn’t train in the team’s El Segundo practice facility. But it doesn’t mean Rashawn Slater wasn’t working this offseason.

Making his first offseason appearance at the Chargers’ facility this week as the team started mandatory minicamp, Slater immediately passed the team’s conditioning test. In fact, Jim Harbaugh said, Slater reported the test was too easy.

“Too easy,” the coach said, “because he trains.”

Slater’s return highlighted the Chargers’ perfect attendance on the first day of three-day minicamp Tuesday. The star left tackle had missed all of voluntary organized team activities while in discussions for a contract extension.

Since the Chargers took him 13th overall in 2021, Slater has earned two Pro Bowl appearances and was named second-team All-Pro in 2021. After the team picked up his fifth-year option last season, Slater reestablished himself as one of the top tackles in the league with the second-best overall grade and third-best pass blocking grade among his position, according to Pro Football Focus. In the final year of his contract, he is due to make about $19 million in 2025, which ranks sixth-most among left tackles, according to overthecap.com.

“Speaking on behalf of everyone in the organization, fully support Rashawn and what he’s trying to accomplish for himself and his family,” said Harbaugh, who added he chooses not to worry about discussions as they continue between general manager Joe Hortiz and Slater’s representatives. “We’re all in support.”

Slater has maintained his standing in the organization because of his respected work ethic that earned him the distinction of being a team captain last season. Harbaugh counts Slater as part of an exclusive club made up of the team’s nine hardest workers. The coach’s so-called “Elite Nine” also includes Derwin James Jr., Khalil Mack, Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Daiyan Henley, Tuli Tuipulotu, Zion Johnson and Justin Herbert.

Now in his second year at the helm, Harbaugh expects confidence and polish during training camp from experienced players. The coach has already found a standard bearer in Herbert, who is still searching for his first NFL playoff win after having four passes intercepted in last year’s wild-card loss to Houston,

“I wouldn’t change a thing about Justin Herbert,” Harbaugh said. “I think the important thing is everyone else, especially the guys he’s counting on, on the offensive side of the ball, just look at his example, how he goes about his business, how he trains and they attempt to get to that level.”

The quarterback’s training was so relentless that he missed his planned media availability Tuesday. He was lifting instead.

J.K. Dobbins signs with Denver Broncos

Former Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins signed a reported one-year, $5.25-million deal with the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after the Chargers placed a rarely used unrestricted free-agent tender on the 25-year-old. The Chargers would have had Dobbins’ exclusive negotiating rights if he hadn’t signed with another team by July 23.

Dobbins is coming off a career-high 905 yards rushing last season when he finished as the runner-up for the NFL’s comeback player of the year in his first full season since 2020. But his return to the Chargers has been in question since the team picked running back Omarion Hampton 22nd overall in April’s draft.

Hampton, who rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior at North Carolina, has joined with free-agent addition Najee Harris to form an impressive one-two backfield punch.

“I like Omarion, how he’s hitting the hole,” James Jr., said when asked which rookies are standing out to him. “Can’t really tell right now, but I like Omarion a lot.”

Hampton leads a rookie class that Harbaugh lauded as being “as good of a rookie class as I’ve ever been around in terms of being about their business.”

“Being where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there,” Harbaugh said. “We have to kick them out of the building.”

But even the staff’s best attempts sometimes aren’t enough. Harbaugh said he often notices the rookies looking for safe harbor in other rooms.

Etc.

The Chargers brought in receiver Willie Snead IV for a veteran tryout. The 32-year-old last played in an NFL game in 2023, appearing in four games for the San Francisco 49ers, catching two passes for 14 yards.

Tarheeb Still said his farewells and was ready to leave for a three-day weekend. On a Thursday this offseason, the second-year cornerback told Ben Herbert, the Chargers’ executive director of player personnel, that he would “see him Monday.”

A deep voice in the background suddenly changed Still’s schedule.

“Why aren’t you coming in tomorrow?” Khalil Mack asked the 22-year-old.

Motivated by Mack’s example, Still is poised for a breakout season as he competes for a larger role in a stacked secondary group. The former fifth-round pick who started 12 games as a rookie has been working with the 34-year-old, nine-time Pro Bowl selection every Friday, picking Mack’s brain on football and life.

No wonder why Still “seems like he’s a different person,” defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale said.

“I love when you see young players run towards great players, greatness and not the other direction,” Clinkscale said. “It’s awesome to mimic their habits and what they do, especially their good habits, and Tarheeb has really done that. He’s really grown up and matured.”

Still was already working with Herbert from Monday through Thursday, but soon added Fridays with Mack. They begin their strength training around 9 a.m. together, but Still knows Mack gets to the facility earlier in the training room. There’s no way Mack could have built his Hall of Fame-worthy career without putting in every ounce of extra work.

“Khalil is just showing me how to be intentional,” Still said. “Every day, taking advantage of small incremental gains every day to get to where I want to be.”

The Chargers progressed to the next step of their offseason program Tuesday, opening organized team activities. The sight of offense and defense lining up against each other for the first time during the offseason brought excitement to the facility, but frustration for Cam Hart. The second-year cornerback, who, like Still, was drafted in the fifth round last year, is not yet fully cleared after undergoing shoulder surgery in January.

Hart sustained a torn labrum against the Houston Texans in the playoffs, but said he expects to be cleared to return around mandatory minicamp, which begins June 10.

The shoulder injury was a punctuation mark on a promising, but injury-riddled rookie year for Hart. Despite making six starts in 14 appearances with 37 tackles, Hart also battled two concussions and an ankle injury. The injuries tormented Hart as he went through the offseason program, rehabbing twice a day since the shoulder injury.

Chargers cornerback Cam Hart speaks during a news conference in El Segundo on Tuesday.

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)

“I showed a small percentage of who Cam can be in the NFL last year,” Hart said. “With 17 healthy games, I think I got a lot more to show.”

Although they return most of their top performers from last year’s secondary that ranked seventh in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game compared to 30th in 2023, the Chargers have renewed competition at cornerback without Kristian Fulton and Asante Samuel Jr. Fulton parlayed a resurgent season with the Chargers into a multi-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent, and Samuel remains a free agent after a shoulder injury limited the former second-round pick to just four games last year.

Wanting to bolster the secondary with more size and speed, the Chargers brought in free agents Benjamin St-Juste and Donte Jackson. The 6-foot-3 St-Juste started in 42 of his 45 appearances for the Washington Commanders in the last three seasons, and Jackson, an eight-year NFL veteran, is coming off a career-best five interceptions with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year. Still and Hart, who were rookies hoping to make any positive impact a year ago, are now “the cream of the crop,” Clinkscale said.

The newest crop of rookies even flashed their potential Tuesday as seventh-round selection Trikweze Bridges and undrafted free agent Jaylen Jones each got an interception during the no-contact 11-on-11 periods.

The secondary depth could cause headaches for Clinkscale. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Nobody has a spot,” Clinkscale said. “We want to see who’s going to earn it.”

With more than three months remaining until the Chargers open their season in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Still knew he had to dial back the competition Tuesday during practice. The drills are still meant to be non-contact during the voluntary sessions. Keeping everyone on their feet and healthy was more important than breaking up a pass or grabbing an interception, Still said.

Still was attached to receiver Ladd McConkey’s hip on a deep route down the sideline, but didn’t dive or reach for the ball to breakup a slightly underthrown pass from quarterback Justin Herbert. McConkey’s tightrope catch drew cheers from his teammates.

Still said the no-contact periods were perfect opportunities to hone his technique, but when asked if he would have picked off the pass intended for McConkey, Still covered his face.

“No comment,” he said, trying to hide his smile.

The confident look on his face was comment enough.

On this date in history:

In 1804, the French Senate declared Napoleon Bonaparte emperor.

In 1871, U.S. Marines landed in Korea in an attempt to open the country to foreign trade.

In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had its first Academy Awards ceremony. Wings was named Best Picture in the event at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

In 1932, following the assassination of Premier Inukai Tsuyoshi, fears began to spread that a militarist “super-party” was beginning to take shape in Japan.

File Photo courtesy of the Japan’s National Diet Library

In 1969, the unmanned Soviet spacecraft Venera 5 landed on Venus.

In 1985, the NBA named the Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan rookie of the year after he led all players in points.

In 1988, U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop said nicotine was as addictive as heroin or cocaine and called for the licensing of tobacco product vendors.

In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address a joint session of Congress.

UPI File Photo

In 1997, Mobutu Sese Seko — who ruled Zaire for more than 30 years, allegedly looting it of billions of dollars — fled the capital as rebel forces advanced. He died in exile less than four months later.

In 2006, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano appointed Romano Prodi premier amid charges of election fraud from outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

In 2012, Vermont became the first state to ban hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract gas from underground deposits.

In 2013, Britain’s David Beckham announced he would retire from soccer.

In 2014, election results in India gave Narenda Modi and his opposition Bharatiya Janata Party a major victory elevating him to prime minister.

In 2019, the final episode of The Big Bang Theory aired after a 12-season run. The comedy series starred Jim Parsons (Sheldon), Johnny Galecki (Leonard), Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Simon Helberg (Howard), Kunal Nayyar (Raj), Melissa Rauch (Bernadette) and Mayim Bialik (Amy).

File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI