What seemed like a heated, controversial interaction was just a moment of affection between two people with a long-standing relationship.

So claims Dan Hurley, the UConn coach who went forehead to forehead with referee Roger Ayers in the aftermath of Huskies freshman Braylon Mullins hitting a miracle March Madness 3-pointer with less than one second remaining to defeat Duke and send the Huskies to the Final Four.

“It was not, well — head hug? I don’t know. You ever see reindeer where they kind of, with each other’s nose … more of a nuzzle, an affectionate nuzzle,” Hurley said Wednesday on “Pardon My Take.”

Hurley, who is trying to lead UConn to a third national championship in four years, has a fiery personality and has been hard on referees, but he insists there was no ill intention behind the viral moment.

“With Roger — see, all these refs are different. They’ve all got different thresholds or personalities,” Hurley said. “Roger’s very playful. The guy is one of the greatest refs ever. He don’t mess up a lot of calls. When you’re going too far, he’ll give you a look. He’ll T your ass (give a technical foul), but he’s playful, he’s funny, he messes with you during a game, you bust his chops back. I would say that there’s a lot of coaches that he refs that you have a much different type of a relationship with Roger than you do with pretty much every other official.”

Ayers also downplayed the incident in comments made to ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg, the former Virginia Tech head coach.

“He’s a tremendous communicator. And he refereed a ton of my games. There were games he put his arm around me, walked me back to my bench. There were times where he said, ‘Seth, that’s enough,’” Greenberg explained Monday on ESPN.

“But that situation right there, that is absolutely nothing. I talked to Roger today. He said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He literally didn’t know what I was talking about. He said, ‘Nothing happened. The ball went in. I was running back. They were celebrating. Danny leaned in and said something to me. I said something to him. It was absolutely nothing.’”

Ayers was not selected to work the Final Four, where No. 2 UConn will play No. 3 Illinois Saturday at 6:09 p.m. in Indianapolis. No. 1 Michigan will face No. 1 Arizona afterward.

The semifinal winners will play for the national championship Monday night.

George Steinbrenner, for better or worse, stepped in as the face of the New York Yankees franchise when he led a group with E. Michael Burke and others to buy the franchise from CBS in 1973. It would be the launching pad to return the Yankees to relevancy in the years to come.

However, Mike Vaccaro wrote in his new book, “The Bosses of the Bronx,” that the Steinbrenner group wasn’t thought to have been the favorite to buy the team. Vaccaro wrote that a Lehman Brothers-led contingent with former New York Giants catcher Herman Franks set to run the team.

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New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner signs autographs in the stands during a 1993 spring training game at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium. (USA TODAY Sports)

Franks had already been courting Willie Mays as the team’s potential manager, according to Vaccaro. Mays would have been the first African American manager if the deal would have been made. He would have been a season ahead of Frank Robinson, who made his debut in the role on Oct. 3, 1974.

There were also rumblings, according to Vaccaro, about the team possibly being courted to a new stadium in New Jersey that would have had a fresh look compared to the crumbling Yankee Stadium that was hoping for city funding to make integral repairs.

Stunningly enough, the Steinbrenner group bought the Yankees for just over $10 million when the Lehman Brothers’ group reportedly offered between $13.5 million and $14 million. It was the last time as baseball team was ever sold at a loss.

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner signs autographs before their game with the Florida Marlins at Dolphin Stadium on June 14, 1997. (USA TODAY Sports)

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“This is the best buy in sports today. I think it’s a bargain,” Steinbrenner said at his introductory press conference, Vaccaro’s book recalled.

Steinbrenner made clear that the Yankees would stay in New York and not be swayed with a shiny new stadium in the Meadowlands where the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets would go on to play. Vaccaro wrote that Lehman Brothers “absolutely committed” to leaving the Bronx for Jersey, which turned out to be a “deal-breaker” for CBS.

The net purchase for the Yankees ended up being about $8.8 million as the deal included two parking garages that CBS bought back for $1.2 million after the deal was closed.

Yankees manager Joe Torre (left) and owner George Steinbrenner talk before the start of the third game of the World Series at Shea Stadium in New York on Oct. 24, 2000.  (Eileen Blass/USA TODAY/USA TODAY NETWORK)

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From 1973 until Steinbrenner’s death in July 2010, the Yankees won seven World Series titles.

The Yankees are valued at approximately $9 billion today.

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EDMONTON – It may have been his birthday, but goaltender Connor Ingram was the one handing the Edmonton Oilers a present on Tuesday.

Celebrating his 29th birthday, Ingram made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season and ninth of his career as the Oilers extended their winning streak to four games, getting past the Seattle Kraken 3-0.

“He played really well,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “We talk about our defensive zone coverage and how we’re playing really well, eliminating turnovers and all that, but if he doesn’t make those saves we’re probably talking about our turnovers and our defensive lapses.

“We did have turnovers, we did have mistakes in our coverage, but when your goaltender makes all the saves and plays as well as he did tonight we kind of ignore that stuff.”

Ingram became the first goalie in Oilers history to post a shutout on his birthday and the sixth in franchise history to record multiple shutouts in his first season with the club. The Saskatchewan native was picked up from Utah for future considerations on Oct. 1 as some insurance likely to remain on the farm, but has ended up becoming Edmonton’s starter, now sporting a 14-8-2 record.

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“The more you play the easier it is going to get,” Ingram said. “I thought everybody in front of me did a great job today. I didn’t really have to do much back there, maybe that bad bounce on the PK that kicks out to the slot. Other than that, I thought everybody in front of me made my job really easy.”

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Ingram has battled obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression, earning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2024 in recognition of his mental health struggles.

Max Jones, Kasperi Kapanen and Connor McDavid scored for the Oilers (38-28-9) who have won six of their last eight and became the second last team in the NHL to put together a four-game winning streak, with only Philadelphia unable to have a stretch that long this season.

“Our game isn’t sexy right now. It’s not fancy,” Knoblauch said. “It’s just a lot of little things, and that’s usually the difference between winning and losing. We have six D and 12 forwards each night who are doing it.”

Edmonton moved two points back of Pacific Division-leading Anaheim and three points up on third place Vegas.

“I feel like ever since we had the conversation about everyone stepping up a bit, it seems like everyone’s kind of just doing a little bit extra out there,” Jones said.

The Oilers have been playing stronger defence of late, especially since learning star forward Leon Draisaitl was lost for the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury,

“I think we’re just trying to simplify the game a little right now, trying not to do too much,” Kapanen said. “Obviously we still have amazing players that can play with the puck and make plays, but I think the general idea is to simplify. We’re obviously missing Leo out there, so it seems to be working right now and so we need to keep doing that.

“The main thing is that we’re playing the right way right now and that counts, so we just have to keep building.”

McDavid extended his goal streak to five games. He leads the NHL in goals since Dec. 1 with 32. The Oilers captain in now one point back of Dale Hawerchuk for the third-most points by a player before age 30. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux are first and second on that list.

The Kraken (32-30-11) have lost six of their last seven and remain two points out of a wild-card playoff berth.

“We know where we are,” said Kraken forward Matty Beniers. “Obviously tonight was very important and we didn’t get it done, but there is really no reason to dwell on it now, it’s learn from it and then win the next one. Then it’s win the next one, and that’s the mentality that we have in here.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2026.

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With five straight victories for the first time this season, the Montreal Canadiens faced a difficult challenge for number six.

It’s practically their archnemesis in the Tampa Bay Lightning. Whenever everything seems to be going right, the Lightning bring the kryptonite.

It always seems to get away from the Canadiens when they play Tampa. Not this time, though, as this Canadiens team is absolutely on fire.

Montreal posted a 4-1 win.

Wilde Horses 

Juraj Slafkovsky turned 22 on Monday. It’s difficult to believe that he is so young, because it seems like he’s been around so long. His career is just getting started, yet he’s already put terrific numbers on the board. This is clearly his breakout season.

He had four goals in a shortened first season, then 20, then 18 goals. He started slowly all three years, and he vowed that he was going to be ready to roll right from the opening faceoff this year, and he was true to his word.

Slafkovsky has become the player that the organization believed in when they made the bold choice to not go with the consensus Shane Wright first overall. In the first period, on a five-on-three power play, it was Ivan Demidov to Slafkovsky and he ripped his excellent one-timer.

It was goal number 29 for Slafkovsky. He wasn’t done. In the second period, Slafkovsky went for a skate down the left side. He’s learning how to protect the puck, so the defender had zero chance to take it from him. Slafkovsky then found Cole Caufield streaking down the side for an easy tally.

GM Kent Hughes hoped at the age of 25 that Slafkovsky could give the Canadiens a 30-goal season. He’s on the verge already the day after he turned 22. It was an absolutely vital moment for Nick Bobrov, and the head scout got it right.

Credit to Trevor Timmins for getting some choices right as well. Caufield is close to the best choice from the 2019 draft taken at 15. Caufield’s marker was his 47th of the season. He has eight games to get three goals. The last time a Canadiens player hit the 50-goal plateau was Stephane Richer in 1990.

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It was another stellar night in the net for the first star of the week in the NHL, Jakub Dobes. He has answered the call as the team’s number one in a stunning manner. He’s winning some of these games almost by himself. His last two starts he was a 2.84 Goals Saved Above Expected against Columbus, then followed it up with an even more remarkable 3.79 GSAE over Carolina.

Dobes is now seventh in the league in GSAE. The team’s weakness is no more a weakness.

At some point, certainly, he has to look human, but it wasn’t against the Lightning as he kept it going. It was a GSAE of 3.09 as he stopped 36 of 37 shots.

Dobes has always been athletic, and he’s used that athleticism to get to the NHL. However, against the best shooters in the world, technical skills are needed as well, and in the last month, the improvements are massive.

Under Marco Marciano, Dobes is looking entirely different. His positioning is tremendous. He’s cutting down the angles intelligently. He’s square to the puck. He is up and down and back up with outstanding balance meaning he is ready for a second shot.

There are times when the rebound control on long shots could be slightly better, but, overall, this is a much better goalie.

Wilde Goats 

A win over the Lightning in Tampa Bay when they’re battling for first place in the Atlantic Division is simply a remarkable achievement. No goats.

Wilde Cards

The Canadiens have lost the services of Alexandre Carrier to an upper-body injury for the next two to four weeks. It’s an unusual announcement from the organization, considering Carrier played over 19 minutes on Sunday in Carolina and didn’t miss a shift.

What’s more unusual, though, is who GM Kent Hughes called up from Laval as a replacement. Carrier is a right-shot defender, so this was the absolutely perfect opportunity to call on David Reinbacher to make his debut in the NHL. Reinbacher is the only player among the top 13 picks from the 2023 draft to not have played a game in the NHL yet.

However, the brass went to Adam Engstrom for the backup role. Engstrom is strong. It’s not a slight against him to suggest that he shouldn’t have been called up. It’s simply that Reinbacher is the obvious choice, and they refused to make it.

Engstrom is a left-shot defender. He is one of those defenders that can move over to his wrong side and still play a strong game, though. This has been a big theme inside the Canadiens for a long time — that they have to use a player on their unnatural side of the ice to fill out their top-six.

In fact, when trying this with Mike Matheson, it was an absolute nightmare. They’ve tried it with Kaiden Guhle as well with similar bad results. Lane Hutson is the only one who maintains some level of the same skill set when moving across the sheet.

A weaker right side is an organizational issue, and it’s one of the reasons that the Canadiens even drafted Reinbacher. They had a chance to minimize the issue Tuesday, and they didn’t choose it.

The most likely reason to pass up the opportunity to bring up Reinbacher is that the call-up isn’t likely to play a lot, considering Arber Xhekaj draws in as the sixth defender, leaving Engstrom in the press box anyway. Anyone watching proceedings this year knows though that the way they feel about Xhekaj, Engstrom is likely to play eventually in the next month.

Hughes may feel as if Engstrom’s tutelage in the minor leagues is over while thinking Reinbacher can still benefit from the ice time in Laval. They may not want Reinbacher to sit for two to four weeks not playing. This is a minor concern in itself, as why is Reinbacher not ready yet in their minds?

No one has the answer to that one, and no one is going to get that answer by asking. It’s simply a matter of wait and see on Reinbacher. He’s playing well in Laval. He probably wants the NHL test now, but apparently, it’s still time for sowing, and not time for reaping on this pick.

Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.

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Las Vegas may be Fernando Mendoza’s first NFL stop. But if he joins the Raiders as a rookie, his jersey may stay clean early if coach Klint Kubiak has his way.

Mendoza led Indiana to its first College Football Playoff national title in January and is widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, a selection held by the Raiders. 

Klint Kubiak was named the Raiders head coach in February, shortly after helping to lead the Seattle Seahawks to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title as offensive coordinator.

Kubiak believes rookie quarterbacks benefit from learning from an experienced player before seeing game action.

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Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks at an introductory news conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center on Feb. 10, 2026, in Henderson, Nev.  (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day 1,” Kubiak told reporters Tuesday. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”

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Aidan O’Connell is the only other quarterback on the Raiders’s roster after the team traded Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett signed with the Panthers. Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson are among the veterans who remain unsigned.

The Raiders’ playoff win drought dates to the 2002 season, when the franchise won the AFC championship. 

Kubiak pointed to Fernando Mendoza’s track record when asked about the quarterback. 

“He’s a national champion. He’s a winner,” Kubiak said of Mendoza. “He’s quick. He’s intelligent.”

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

On defense, the Raiders still have five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby after his trade to Baltimore was voided because he failed a physical.

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak speaks to the media ahead of the Super Bowl at the San Jose Convention Center Feb. 5, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

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Kubiak said he smiled when general manager John Spytek gave him the news about the nixed deal. 

“We got Maxx back. Are you kidding me? That’s great. Our team just got better,” Kubiak said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Despite leading the NFL in interceptions during a turbulent season with the Raiders, Geno Smith appears poised to take the New York Jets to new heights in his second stint, according to his coach, at least.

While Smith’s reunion with the team that drafted him is widely viewed as a short-term answer to the team’s quarterback questions, head coach Aaron Glenn suggested he is the right quarterback to end the Jets’ league-leading playoff drought.

“I just feel like he’s the guy that’s going to lead us to the promised land,” Glenn told reporters Tuesday at the NFL’s annual meeting in Arizona.

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New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn during a game against the Denver Broncos Oct. 12, 2025, in London. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

The Jets won just three games last season and have not reached the postseason since 2010. Smith returns after throwing 17 interceptions with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Smith had some success leading up to his move to Las Vegas, earning a second consecutive Pro Bowl selection in 2023 with the Seattle Seahawks. After missing the playoffs in 2024, he was traded to the Raiders.

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Glenn acknowledged the ups-and-downs of Smith’s career. 

“Listen, I know he had his struggles,” he said. “I think a lot of quarterbacks, they have their struggles.

New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith passes the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during a game at MetLife Stadium Oct. 23, 2016, in East Rutherford, N.J.  (Al Pereira/Getty Images)

“But I do know this: He understands exactly what happened last year. I don’t want to get too far into that because I wasn’t there, obviously, with the Raiders. But I do know that, man, there are some things that he knows he can correct. He’s at fault on some of those, but there are some things that he knows that he’s going to get better at, and I look forward to him doing that.”

The 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class continues to be highly touted. However, Glenn doubled down on the present and his belief in Smith as “the perfect guy to fit exactly what we’re going to do” from an offensive standpoint.

Geno Smith (7) of the Las Vegas Raiders walks on the field after halftime of a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium on Jan. 04, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.   (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

“I think he’s going to create some damage because of the arm talent,” Glenn continued. “And, man, he’s grown so much as far as his smarts, as far as IDs, as far as protection and things like that.”

After throwing 21 interceptions against 12 touchdowns in his rookie year, Smith evened his touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2014, throwing 13 in each category.  A broken jaw he sustained in an altercation with a teammate sidelined Smith for several weeks in 2015. After continued uneven play, he eventually lost his job permanently.

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Glenn said the Jets considered Smith’s history before the trade but concluded it would not be “a detriment to us as an organization.” He added Smith welcomed the return, calling it a “full-circle moment.”

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Allegiant Stadium will once again host the Super Bowl, with the NFL announcing Tuesday that the big game will return to Las Vegas in 2029.

The announcement came after NFL owners voted Monday in Phoenix to award Vegas with another Super Bowl. It comes just a few years after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime at Allegiant to win the Lombardi Trophy in 2024. 

LVCVA Chief Sports Officer Janis Burke, board member Michael Naft, and Las Vegas Raiders Chief Legal Officer Justin Carley speak during a press conference announcing Las Vegas as the host city for Super Bowl LXIII at Allegiant Stadium on March 30, 2026. (Ian Maule/AP)

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“We’re excited to bring the Super Bowl back to Las Vegas and provide our fans another incredible experience in one of America’s greatest sport and entertainment destinations,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. 

“Super Bowl LVIII demonstrated the scale, energy and hospitality the city brings to global events, and we look forward to working alongside the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Raiders and the community to deliver an even greater experience this time around.”

Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs holds the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said the last Super Bowl hosted at Allegiant Stadium “set a high bar.”

t’s a testament to the Raiders, the LVCVA, civic leaders, the community, and the NFL working together as one. Super Bowl LVIII set a high bar, and for Super Bowl LXIII we are committed to raising it even further,” he said in a statement. 

LVCVA board member Michael Naft speaks during a press conference announcing Las Vegas as the host city for Super Bowl LXIII at Allegiant Stadium on March 30, 2026. (Ian Maule/AP)

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Vegas has already hosted several notable sporting events outside the Super Bowl and will continue to do so in the lead-up to  Super Bowl LXIII. The College Football Playoff national championship will be played at Allegiant Stadium in 2027, and the Final Four will be there in 2028. The Athletics are also scheduled to begin play at their new Las Vegas stadium in 2028.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Tiger Woods is no longer getting the benefit of the doubt.

After his second DUI arrest in less than a decade, Stephen A. Smith implored the 15-time major champion, who he suggested as an “addict,” to “stop getting behind the damn wheel.”

“Compassion is running out for Tiger Woods. He got his money, he’ll never be poor, he’s fine, but you talk about somebody whose image has fallen off a cliff…” Smith began on his SiriusXM show on Monday. “My brother, you got issues with drugs, and I personally suspect… that it’s pain meds. I can understand that. What I don’t understand is this tendency to get behind the damn wheel of a car. 

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Stephen A. Smith ranted about Tiger Woods’ driving mishap, saying should start to call car services. (Adam Glanzman, Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

“You’re a billionaire, bro. You can afford car service. We are very fortunate that Tiger Woods hasn’t killed somebody yet… I’m not saying this to castigate and vilify Tiger Woods. Who doesn’t love Tiger Woods?… But how forgiving as a society are we supposed to be with this proclivity or tendency that you have to get behind the wheel of a car when you’re inebriated? Are we going to be satisfied until he kills somebody?”

President Donald Trump voiced his continued support for Woods, saying in a recent interview that the five-time Masters champion “lives a life of pain.”

“He lives a life of pain. He has a lot of pain. He’s an amazing guy. He’s an amazing athlete. He does have pain,” Trump added Tuesday of Woods. “He doesn’t have an alcohol problem, but he does have pain.”

Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026.  (Jason Oteri/AP)

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Shortly after the crash, Trump labeled Woods as a “very close friend of mine” with “some difficulty.” Woods dates Trump’s former daughter-in-law, Vanessa, the mother of the president’s granddaughter Kai.

Woods was arrested on Friday after crashing into another car while traveling at a “high rate of speed.” Woods’ car rolled over onto its driver’s side, and he had to escape out of the passenger door with the help of the driver he crashed into.

The five-time Masters winner was arrested on charges of driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a blood alcohol level (BAL) test after law enforcement said his vehicle collided with another vehicle Friday afternoon while he was driving impaired. Prescription opioids were found in his pocket.

According to the arrest affidavit, the pills were later identified as hydrocodone, a prescription opioid for pain relief. 

Woods previously told law enforcement prior to the field sobriety tests that he underwent seven back surgeries and “over 20 operations on his leg.” He told law enforcement that “I take a few” prescription medications.

Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after a crash in Florida on March 27, 2006. (AP/Martin County Sheriff’s Office)

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In 2017, he was taken into custody, also in Jupiter Island, after taking prescription drugs and being asleep behind the wheel of a running car at roughly 3 a.m.

Woods entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday and demanded a trial with a jury. 

Fox News Digital’s Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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NBA player Jaden Ivey went on a social media tirade after being waived from the Chicago Bulls on Monday. The Bulls claimed Ivey was waived for “conduct detrimental to the team” after he made comments critical of pride month, citing his Christian faith.

In a series of Instagram live posts, Ivey gave his thoughts on being waived by the Bulls. 

“They’re liars, bro. This is lying,” Ivey said in one Instagram live. “They’re lying saying my conduct is detrimental to the team. That’s a lie. Ask any one of them coaches in there, ‘Was I a good teammate?’ All I’m preaching about is Jesus Christ and they waived me. They say I’m crazy, right? I’m psycho.

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Jaden Ivey of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Feb. 9, 2026, in New York City. (Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

“They gonna try to stop me but I’m not, I’m going to keep speaking the truth. That’s why everybody around me turning their back on me because of my faith. I didn’t get myself waived. I was in the gym today, I was rehabbing, lifting, and doing what was required of me in my job… I could’ve quit on my own self but they kicked me out.”

Ivey later spoke about his addiction to pornography and how Christianity helped him overcome it. 

“Before I came to the Lord Jesus Christ, the NBA was everything to me,” Ivey said in one livestream. “I didn’t know God. I didn’t know Jesus when I came to the NBA. I was a fornicator, I was a pornography addict and I used to get drunk. That’s all I knew. And after a win, and after all those points, I felt good… I felt like I had everything set out for me.” 

Ivey also appeared to criticize Steph Curry and LeBron James, questioning their devotion to Christianity.

“That’s why you got Steph Curry… he don’t know Jesus, and I pray he comes to the truth, that him and his family be saved in Jesus’ name… ” Ivey said. “All them rings he got, all them rings LeBron got, all them rings Michael Jordan got, all them people in the Hall of Fame who don’t know Jesus Christ — No. It’s not gonna matter on Judgment Day if you don’t know Jesus and your name is not written in the book of life.”

PATRIOTS STAR APPEARS TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR EX-BULLS PLAYER AFTER RANT AGAINST NBA’S PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION

Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey passes against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Feb. 5, 2026. (Dan Hamilton/Imagn Images)

Ivey’s video calling out the league was posted on Monday morning, as he said it was “unrighteousness” that the NBA would celebrate pride month. 

“The world can proclaim LGBTQ, right?” Ivey said in that video. “They proclaim pride month and the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for pride month to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim in the streets. Unrighteousness. So, how is it that one can’t speak righteousness? Who are they to say that this man is crazy?”

Ivey also said in a different video that Catholicism was a “false religion,” which comes as a potential issue for Ivey’s mother. 

Ivey was the fifth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Pistons, who hoped he would be a key piece in their rebuild. He was solid to start his career, making the 2022-23 NBA All-Rookie team after averaging 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game, while shooting 41.6% from the field. 

Ivey was traded to the Bulls as part of a three-team deal involving his previous Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He posted a career-high 17.6 points per game during the 2024-25 campaign, as the Purdue product looked to be hitting his stride. 

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Jaden Ivey of the Chicago Bulls reacts during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9, 2026, in New York City. (Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

However, Ivey saw a regression in his production this year, primarily playing off the bench for the Pistons before the trade.

Ivey played just four games with the Bulls, averaging 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game before his release.

Fox News Digital’s Scott Thompson contributed to this report. 

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