Marco Belinelli, the Italian wing who spent 13 seasons in the NBA and won a ring with the San Antonio Spurs, officially announced his retirement from basketball at age 39, something he announced on his Instagram page.
"I gave it my heart. Every piece of me," he wrote. "Every single day. Basketball gave me everything… and I gave it everything I had. Saying goodbye isn't easy. But it's time. I carry with me every emotion, every sacrifice, every cheer. Thank you to those who always believed. To the next generation — I leave a dream. Make it count."
Belinelli was the No. 18 pick of the Golden State Warriors in 2007 and went on to play a couple of seasons in the Bay Area before stops in Toronto, New Orleans (with the Hornets), Chicago, San Antonio, Sacramento, Charlotte, Atlanta and Philadelphia. He may be best remembered for the four seasons with the Spurs, which included him being a key sixth man for the 2014 championship Spurs, averaging 11.4 points a game off the bench that season. For his NBA career he averaged 9.7 points a game shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc.
Belinelli played the last five seasons in Italy for the club he started his career with, Virtus Bologna. He was named the Lega Basket Serie A MVP in 2024, the Sixth Man of the Year for the two seasons before that, and helped lead Bologna to two Serie A titles.
SAN DIEGO — On paper, this is a week that should end the Giants’ very, very slim playoff hopes. They’ve got four games against a San Diego Padres club that dominated them at Oracle Park last week, followed by three against the Milwaukee Brewers, who seemingly don’t know how to lose.
But there’s still belief in the clubhouse that a run is possible, and on Monday, the group got a daunting road trip off to a strong start. The Giants hit three homers in the first inning at Petco Park and held on from there, winning 4-3 to take a second straight game for the first time in 10 days.
The lineup has struggled against lefties all season long and didn’t do much against Nestor Cortes last week at Oracle Park, but they hit him so hard in the first that he probably went back to the dugout and tried to figure out if he was tipping.
Heliot Ramos kicked things off with a solo homer to left, and before the visiting dugout could even finish celebrating, Rafael Devers smoked a solo shot to right-center. They became the first Giants to go back-to-back to start a road game since Chuck Hiller and Duke Snider did it to St. Louis Cardinals legend Bob Gibson in 1964.
The four-run lead held up, as lefty Robbie Ray took a shutout into the seventh. Here are three things to know from a tense night in San Diego …
Road Rallies
At some point in time — either over the next five weeks or at the start of the 2026 MLB season — this group of hitters is going to have to figure out how to more consistently do damage at Oracle Park. But right now, the Giants at least look like a normal offense on the road.
The four-run first included blasts to left from Ramos and Flores, who took advantage of a relatively short porch. Devers’ homer was smoked, leaving the yard at 110.4 mph, although in a funny twist it would not have been a homer at Oracle Park, according to Statcast.
All three of the first-inning blasts would not have gone out at Oracle, which is a good example of the conundrum facing the front office this offseason. They probably need to have a more athletic and bat-control-heavy lineup at home. At the same time, this is a group of players who have hit for power in the past and should do well on the road.
Digging Deep
Manager Bob Melvin said before the game that he didn’t intend to take Ray past 100 pitches since the lefty threw 113 last week, but when Ray finished six scoreless innings at 89 pitches, it was a pretty easy call to let him start the seventh.
Ray ended up allowing three runs in the inning, but they were all unearned after a play that included two errors from Schmitt. He lowered his ERA to 2.85, which ranks seventh in the National League.
Ray allowed just one hit through his first six innings, although he probably should have been charged with a solo homer. Xander Bogaerts hit a fly ball that plopped out of Ramos’ glove and dropped over the left field wall, but a long review overturned the call because of fan interference. It was a charitable interpretation, but the Giants certainly won’t complain about any breaks right now.
Xander Bogaerts was ruled out on what initially was called a home run after review showed there was fan interference on this play pic.twitter.com/ddBghYrc9W
Aside from the lineup, the biggest problem Melvin has every night is how to get from his starter to closer Randy Rodriguez. On Monday, he leaned heavily on right-hander Ryan Walker, who was fresh after missing the weekend series for the birth of his second daughter.
Walker got Fernando Tatis Jr. to ground out to end the chaotic seventh and then breezed through the top of the order in the eighth. After a Luis Arraez single, he struck out Manny Machado and got Ramon Laureano to bounce into a double play.
Walker by far is the best candidate to fill the void left by the Tyler Rogers trade, and long term, he’s also the player most likely to be able to set up for Rodriguez next season. The other top candidate, Erik Miller, has been shut down after feeling more discomfort in his elbow.
Lukas Nmecha came off the bench to score from the spot after James Tarkowski was adjudged to have committed a handball
“Greetings from California,” says Mary Waltz. “This Everton fan is so hyped about the new stadium. stadiums don’t put goals in the net. But it will give them the economic heft to keep talent and attract talent as well. Watching Richarlison score on that amazing bicycle kick was so bittersweet because he used to be ours, not Spurs. COYB.”
“Evening, Will,” writes Ian Copestake. “Glad to see Leeds investing in physical players.rather than AI-generated ones.”
The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan. The opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, and with the two-year deal signed last month with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks. With just over a month before training camp, the odds are that an addition like that will have to happen during the season.
Lawson Crouse has been a target of teams looking for a big crash-and-bang power forward, but the 28-year-old seemed to be a commodity the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Mammoth would not part with. The former Florida first-rounder has played all nine NHL seasons in Arizona/Utah, and after three straight 20-goal seasons, his production declined precipitously to 18 points in Salt Lake City last season.
At 6’4”, 214 lb., Crouse would provide the Sabres with the type of player that most Eastern Conference clubs are looking for in response to the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers physicality, and with the addition of Peterka, and the direction of the Mammoth going towards more offense with players like Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, and Clayton Keller front and center, GM Bill Armstrong may be willing to deal the big winger during the season, depending on where Utah is in the playoff race.
The Mammoth are hoping to challenge for a playoff spot in the West, but their division is extremely deep and difficult, and other teams like Anaheim, St. Louis, Minnesota, Calgary and Vancouver will be in the mix for the two wildcard spots. Crouse would be attractive to the Sabres for two reasons; he is not a rental (he has two years left at a $4.3 million AAV) and does not have any trade protection. Armstrong will likely be looking for a younger player with team control, such as Zach Benson, but Utah’s defense needs help after Mikhail Sergachev and Sean Durzi. Utah would likely target Bowen Byram, but the deal would have to include more than Crouse to make that attractive to Buffalo.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have signed forward Hudson Fasching to a one-year, two-way contract.
Fasching recorded two goals and four points in 42 games with the New York Islanders and two points in seven games with the Bridgeport Islanders last season.
The 30-year-old has 17 goals and 40 points in 175 career NHL games with the Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, and Buffalo Sabres.
Originally a fourth round selection of the Los Angeles Kings in 2013, Fasching has 78 goals and 162 points in 308 career AHL games with the Islanders, Tucson Roadrunners, and Rochester Americans, he served as captain with the Roadrunners in 2021-22.
Fasching will fit in to the Blue Jackets' bottom-six or could play in the top six for the Cleveland Monsters. He is a great locker room presence and will be able to contribute in the NHL and AHL.
After three successful seasons at the University of Minnesota and two appearances at the World Junior Hockey Championship Fasching was a member of Team USA at the 2016 World Championship.
Welcome to this edition of The Hockey News' Vancouver Canucks Mailbag. In this series, we answer your questions about what is going on with the Canucks. Today, we answer questions about Adam Foote, Vitali Kravtsov, and more.
Why Did The Canucks Hire Foote Instead Of Malhotra?
The decision to promote Adam Foote to head coach has been widely debated this off-season. The former NHL defender does not have head coaching experience at the pro level, but has been with the organization for the past few seasons. As for Manny Malhotra, he is coming off a Calder Cup championship with the Abbotsford Canucks and should not have to wait much longer for a chance to run his own bench at the NHL level.
One of the reasons why the Canucks may have made this decision is experience working with this group. While Malhotra has worked with the younger players, Foote has built relationships with the core of this team, including captain Quinn Hughes. In the end, both have the potential to be successful coaches in the NHL, with Foote getting the call next season.
Who Is The More Important Canucks Prospect: Cootes Or Willander?
This is a tough one as both will play key roles in the future. Tom Willander has the potential to be a top-four defender, while Braeden Cootes could be Vancouver's 2C of the future. Ultimately, the Canucks need both to hit if they want to have success, not just now, but in the future.
In the end, Willander is the more important prospect as of right now. While it is difficult to find centers like Cootes, right-shot, mobile defenceman like Willander are currently at a premium in the league. Both have the potential to be special players, but Willander is currently the most important prospect in the organization.
Whose The Prospect In The System Who Could Shock Us All And Be A Top 6 F Or A Top 4 D This Season?
Another excellent prospect-related question. Before answering, it is important to rule out Willander, Elias Pettersson and Aatu Räty, as they have been hyped up enough that there would be no surprise if they move into those spots. As for the answer to the question, one prospect who could have a big season at the NHL level is Jonathan Lekkerimäki.
It feels off selecting Lekkerimäki, but he has disappeared from people's radars over the past few months. He did win the Calder Cup with Abbotsford, but only scored three goals and recorded seven points in 16 games. While it is likely that he starts the year in the AHL, Lekkerimäki could jump into the top six once he is called up during the season.
Will Kravtsov Make The Canucks Roster?
After two seasons in the KHL, Vitali Kravtsov is back and ready for another chance in the NHL. The 25-year-old had 58 points in 66 games last season for Traktor Chelyabinsk, which earned him a one-year, two-way contract. Ultimately, this could be Kravtsov's last chance at an NHL career, which means he has plenty of motivation to have a successful 2025-26 season.
If Kravtsov is going to make the NHL team, it is most likely going to be on the fourth line. That being said, multiple players are fighting for the final spots, including Arshdeep Bains, Linus Karlsson, Nils Åman and Max Sasson. Despite the fact that Kravtsov needs waivers, there is a good chance that he starts the year in the AHL.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Alcaraz confident rival is ‘going to come back stronger’
Carlos Alcaraz has won the Cincinnati Open for the first time in his career after the world No 1, Jannik Sinner, his great rival, was forced to retire from their highly anticipated final with illness while trailing 0-5 in the opening set.
Sinner, who had looked under the weather from the start of the match, explained later that he had been struggling with illness since Sunday. “I’m super sorry to disappoint you,” the Italian said.
Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros break down Son Heung-Min’s impressive MLS debut and why Christian may already be wrong about his impact. They also react to the Premier League’s opening weekend with some bold overreactions—will Manchester United improve, or is it déjà vu? Finally, the duo celebrates 10 years of The Cooligans with heartfelt messages and reflections on their journey.
Replay review worked in the Giants’ favor during their game against the San Diego Padres on Monday at Petco Park.
What initially appeared to be an Xander Bogaerts home run that went in and out of Heliot Ramos’ glove in the second inning was called back and ruled a fly out, after umpires determined a fan reached over the left-field wall and interfered with the play.
Xander Bogaerts was ruled out on what initially was called a home run after review showed there was fan interference on this play pic.twitter.com/ddBghYrc9W
While the fan didn’t appear to touch the ball, MLB defines spectator interference as an instance where “a spectator clearly prevents a fielder from catching a fly ball by reaching onto the field of play.”
Since the fan’s arms went into the field of play and presumably into Ramos’ line of sight as he attempted to rob the homer, it can be assumed this play fell into that category in the eyes of umpires at the replay command center in New York.
Padres manager Mike Shildt wasn’t happy with the call and was ejected after exiting San Diego’s dugout to argue with home plate umpire James Hoye.
Padres manager Mike Shildt was ejected for coming out to argue the fan interference call pic.twitter.com/3Gf7JOhZbG
The overturned call kept Giants pitcher Robbie Ray’s scoreless outing intact, and was a much-needed boost for a struggling Giants team looking for some morale and their second consecutive win.
Scott Frost coached UCF to its best season in program history in 2017, when the undefeated Knights finished the season No. 6 in the AP poll as the only team to receive first-place votes alongside national champion Alabama.
Former Florida Panthers winger Rocco Grimaldi will join ex-NHL star Igor Larionov's KHL team SKA St. Petersburg.
Grimaldi was a second-round pick (33rd overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Panthers. After the selection, Grimaldi spent three seasons in the NCAA with the University of North Dakota. Following those three years, Grimaldi signed his entry-level contract and spent the better part of two seasons in the AHL.
Grimaldi was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche the following season, concluding his Panthers tenure. He played just 27 games, scoring four goals and six points.
The 32-year-old hasn't played an NHL game since the 2021-22 season. Grimaldi was a successful AHL player, recording 192 goals and 428 points in 499 games. Skill has never been the issue for Grimaldi, but standing just 5-foot-6, 181 pounds, Grimaldi is extremely undersized for an NHL player.
Internationally, Grimaldi won two gold medals for the USA at the 2010 and 2011 IIHF U-18 World Championships and another at the 2013 world juniors. He also played for the USA at the 2023 world championships, where he notched seven goals and 14 points in 10 games.
Joining St. Petersburg in Russia, Grimaldi will be playing in a league that values skill more than physicality, which should benefit Grimaldi.
St. Petersburg iced a star-studded lineup last year, featuring Ivan Demidov, Alexander Nikishin, Mikhail Grigorenko, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Arseni Gritsyuk, Nikita Zaitsev and Tony DeAngelo. Only Zaitsev remains, but the organization has added long-time NHL great Igor Larionov as head coach as well as North Americans Trevor Murphy, Brennan Menell and Joey Blandisi, who have some NHL experience.
