The BYU Cougars have been making waves this season, but if you ask head coach Kalani Sitake, they haven’t accomplished anything significant yet. Despite being undefeated and holding the No. 22 spot in the rankings, Sitake insists that the team still has much to prove. "Our approach this week is to stay humble and hungry," Sitake remarked ahead of BYU’s upcoming clash with Baylor. This will be the Cougars' first Big 12 road game of the season, and according to the ninth-year coach, "We only get 12 guaranteed opportunities, and we have to take advantage of every one of them."

The Denver Nuggets training camp has barely begun, and they’re already dealing with some unfortunate injury setbacks. Two players are sidelined after just one day, which has created an early challenge for the team as they gear up for the preseason. The most recent casualty is Peyton Watson, who’s out due to a soft-tissue hamstring injury, a blow that may keep him off the court for the team’s first two preseason matchups. The Nuggets are set to play two games in Abu Dhabi next week against the Boston Celtics, and Watson’s absence is already being felt.

Caitlin Clark was destined for greatness, and now it’s official—she’s the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year! Fans, analysts, and even fellow players had all but crowned her since the start of the season. With The Athletic’s Shams Charania reporting Friday that Clark had officially clinched the coveted award, it’s a moment that’s being celebrated far and wide.

Less than a week after the Washington Nationals made the surprising decision to option CJ Abrams to Class AAA Rochester, General Manager Mike Rizzo was quick to affirm that Abrams still plays a crucial role in the team’s future. This move, although shocking to some, was not based on performance but rather a reflection of the team's internal standards and accountability. Rizzo wanted to make it clear that the 23-year-old shortstop, who made his first All-Star appearance this past July, remains central to the Nationals’ plans.

Ishiba Shigeru is on the cusp of becoming Japan’s next Prime Minister, a significant milestone following his recent victory in the presidency of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). His success was cemented during a ballot of party lawmakers and members held on a Friday afternoon. This marks a pivotal moment in Japanese politics, especially considering Ishiba's reputation as a plain-spoken populist and his previous attempts at securing the LDP leadership—this victory being his fifth, which he described as his “final battle.”