AV’s H -Town Sports Minute: Trades, NBA, Nuns And More.

San Antonio Nun Squad Pray For Success Of Spurs In Playoffs

As the Spurs continue in the NBA playoffs, they have a squad of holy sisters on their side.  San Antonio’s Salesian [[ sa-LEE-zian ]] Sisters of St. John Bosco have been praying at courtside at Spurs games for the team’s success.  They’ve gone viral and have become widely known as the “Spurs Sisters.”  Prior to Game 7 against the Thunder, the sisters received offers to fly to Oklahoma City for the matchup.  But they chose to stay home and celebrate in San Antonio while continuing their mission, which is – in their words – “to lead young people closer to Christ.”

OTAs Roundup

NFL teams are back on the field for Organized Team Activities.  The Texans got back to work yesterday and will continue practice today.  In other news, the team waived offensive lineman Sidy Sow.  Meanwhile, the Cowboys gathered for their first session of OTAs yesterday and will also return today.

Astros Host Pirates Tonight

(Houston, TX)  —  The Astros are back on the diamond tonight.  The team battles Nick Gonzales and the Pirates in the first of three games at home.  Mike Burrows gets the start opposite Bubba Chandler.

WCWS Recap

The Women’s College World Series championship series has been set.  Texas and Texas Tech will face off in a rematch of last year’s finals, which UT won in three games.  The Longhorns beat Tennessee 5-2 and 4-0 to advance to the finals, while the Red Raiders took out Alabama 5-4 and 2-0 in their games.  Game one of the championship series will be played on Wednesday.

Browns Trade Pass Rusher Myles Garrett To LA Rams

The Cleveland Browns have traded star edge rusher Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams.  The Browns received pass rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first round pick, 2028 second round pick and 2029 third round pick.  Garrett was selected as the first overall pick by the Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft.  He’s a seven time Pro-Bowler and broke the single season sack record last year.

Reports: Eagles Trade AJ Brown To Patriots

  NFL star wide receiver AJ Brown is headed to New England.  Multiple reports say the Philadelphia Eagles are receiving a 2028 first round pick and a 2027 fifth round pick from the Patriots.  Brown spent four seasons with the Eagles, winning Super Bowl 59 with the team.  He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2019 with the 51st overall pick.  Brown has been named to three Pro Bowls in his career.

Giants Bring Back OBJ, Sign Smith-Schuster

The New York Giants are bringing back wide receiver Odell Beckhman Jr.   The team announced they had signed OBJ on Monday.  The Giants drafted Beckham Jr. in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and he would spend five seasons with the team before being traded to the Cleveland Browns.  New York also reportedly signed veteran receivers Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster to deals on Monday as well.

Russell Wilson To Join CBS Sports

NFL quarterback Russell Wilson is reportedly set to join CBS Sports as an analyst.  That’s according to ESPN.  Wilson had an offer to be the backup QB for the New York Jets but will head to television instead.  Wilson began his NFL career in 2012 with the Seattle Seahawks and would go on to help them win Super Bowl 48 in 2014.  The QB isn’t officially retiring just yet but is pressing pause on his playing career.

NBA Finals Begin Wednesday In San Antonio

The NBA Finals tip off this week.  Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs square off against Jalen Brunson’s Knicks in Game One from San Antonio on Wednesday.  The Spurs outlasted the defending champion Thunder in seven games of the Western Conference Finals to advance while the Knicks wiped out the Cavaliers in a four-game sweep to claim the East.  This is a rematch of the 1999 Finals, which ended with San Antonio dominating New York in five games to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Curry Signs With Li-Ning

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is signing an endorsement deal with Chinese company Li-Ning.  Curry left Under Armour in November after 13 years with the company, now expanding his Curry Brand venture globally. The agreement will include basketball products, athletic wear, a full golf line, and allows Curry to sign male and female athletes under his brand.

Rick Adelman, architect of some of the NBA’s best offenses and Hall of Famer, dead at 79

Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Adelman passed away at the age of 79, leaving behind a legacy of 1,042 wins across 23 seasons. Tributes poured in from players, reporters, and the NBA community, highlighting his impact on the game and the people he coached. Adelman’s successful coaching career included stints with the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets, among others. His influence on the Sacramento Kings, where he was the winningest coach in franchise history, was particularly profound. Adelman’s son, David, currently coaches the Denver Nuggets, carrying on his father’s coaching legacy.

Serena Williams To Make Return To Tennis

Serena Williams will make her return to tennis next week.  The 23-time Grand Slam champion announced she will play in the doubles tournament at the HSBC Championships in London.  This will mark her first competitive tennis match since she lost in the 2022 U.S. Open.  Williams never officially announced her retirement, but said she was “evolving away from tennis.”  In a statement, Williams said, “Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter.”