The New York Mets have activated first baseman Pete Alonso from the injured list.

Alonso suffered a bone bruise and sprain of his left wrist after he was hit by a 96 mph fastball in a June 7 game against the Atlanta Braves. The Mets had expected Alonso to be out three to four weeks, but instead he is being activated after the minimum 10 days.

"We always hoped it would be quick," Mets manager Buck Showalter said Sunday. "Just felt good, the progression was such that a couple days ago we thought it could be a possibility. ... Talking to him, we felt like he was going to be sooner rather than later, but we didn't want to jump the gun."

Alonso is second in the majors with 22 home runs and leads the Mets with 49 RBIs.

New York has won two of its past three games and is looking to win its series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The Mets have not won a series since completing a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on June 1.

Treadmill running became a key tool for the distance running international on her way back from injury

It wasn’t the story she wanted to write, but Hannah Irwin’s opening line perfectly captured her mood in the aftermath of an injury-hit Commonwealth Games debut. “Sport can be brutal,” she wrote on Instagram. “But it is the love that keeps me coming back.” 

It had all been going so well for the 24-year-old Cambridge & Coleridge athlete. Having joined forces with Cardiff-based coach James Thie in the autumn of 2020, she went on to deliver a series of personal best performances, most notably an impressive 32:25.34 at Highgate Harriers’ Night of the 10,000m PBs in 2022.

Her first Great Britain and Northern Ireland vest followed at the European 10,000m Cup in France, then in June she was selected to represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. 

In a cruel twist – and on an otherwise incredible night at the Alexander Stadium – Irwin was forced to withdraw from the 10,000m mid-race due to pain in her foot. She was later diagnosed with a metatarsal fracture.

For an athlete who loves structure, the early stages of recovery and rehabilitation were particularly testing. “It really frustrated me to think about what I’d done,” she says. “I just felt like I’d wasted that opportunity and let people down, and when I didn’t have a routine, I struggled to deal with those emotions. 

“Before we reintroduced running there wasn’t really any direction. They said eight weeks, but it became 10 weeks, then 12 weeks, then longer, and I think I struggled not knowing where the end point was.”

Irwin’s return to running took longer than expected. It wasn’t until the end of November, almost four months post-Games, that she eventually took her first tentative steps – a total of three minutes of running (3 x 1min of running, 9min of walking) – back to fitness.

“We spoke as much as we could, but it was really tough,” says Thie. “It was trying to catch up every couple of days, even if it was just a message to say: ‘How are you?’ or positive messages of reinforcement, and also not dwelling on things.

“So, when there was a mini aim like the European Cross Country, once you know that’s gone, it’s moving it on to the next goal. And actually, the goal shifted – and it was a really conscious decision – from getting back and thinking about racing, to just getting back and running.

“You just have to be super smart and listen to the experts, and that’s what we did. I think we were over cautious in the end, because neither of us wanted to regress or to be too greedy too soon.”

Using a treadmill was crucial to Irwin’s comeback due to the ability to create a controlled environment – temperature, gradient and pace – on a safe surface. For the first eight weeks, almost every run took place on a NoblePro in her house.

“At that time, just being able to run for three minutes was a really exciting prospect, but if someone had said to me: ‘Oh, is that all?’ I’d have questioned whether it was even an achievement,” she says. “Everyone in my village knew I’d gone to the Commonwealth Games, so they’d stop me to ask how it had gone. Running at home on the treadmill was a lot better, I could just be in my little happy zone.”

As training progressed, Irwin’s running duration and frequency increased, her walking decreased, and the speed of runs was subtly altered, along with the reintegration of outdoor runs into her programme. 

With the gradual introduction of fartleks, in and out tempos and continuous tempo blocks, the shifting goalposts eventually stood still. Race stimulus was needed and race plans became realistic.

Irwin’s first outing was a parkrun (16:39) on March 11, seven months after her stress fracture was diagnosed. She has since run 33:15 at the Cardiff Bay 10km and a 16:01 PB at the Friday Night 5km Under the Lights in Battersea Park.

“The return from injury is never easy, but I don’t want it to be,” she reflected post-parkrun. “I’m not here for the easy option, I’m here to put in the grind, be sensible and enjoy the process. The line is in the sand and I now have something to work with. The only way is up.” 

Typical training week

“When things are ticking along pretty well, we keep a fairly structured routine,” says Thie. “It obviously changes depending on time of year, but we’ve found what works. Hannah does a fair amount of cross training to supplement her running. We’re also still using the treadmill for key runs (eg, progression runs) and recoveries, and that has really helped in terms of impact and controlling the paces and environment.”

Monday: 40-50-minute progression run – pace starts easy and picks up towards tempo feel by the end 

Tuesday: (am) race-pace session. eg, 16 x 400m off 45sec (track); (pm) 20-30min recovery run

Wednesday: recovery run or cross training session (bike or cross trainer)

Thursday: easy to steady run. eg, starting around 7min/miles and progressing to just inside 6min/miles

Friday: tempo-based run. eg, 8-mile tempo around half marathon pace (plus warm-up/cool down) 

Saturday: total rest day every two weeks/alternate weeks cross training

Sunday: long run up to 80min currently – focus on time on feet but around 6:40-7min/miles and 140 HR

READ MORE: AW’s how they train series

Favourite session: 8-mile tempo session (as above)

Least favourite session: Rest day or anything super-fast, like 1200m (slightly faster than 5km pace) – 1min recovery – then 400m (around 1500m pace) – then 4min recovery
(x 3 sets)

This article first appeared in the May issue of AW magazine, which you can buy here

Emma Raducanu said "sometimes I think to myself 'I wish I'd never won the US Open'" as she spoke about her physical and mental struggles since then.

Raducanu has suffered a series of injuries since then and is currently sidelined after wrist and hand surgery.

"I was struggling with the physical pain but the mental side of it was really difficult for me too," she said.

Speaking to The Times, the Briton added: "I always want to put forward the best version of myself, or strive for that, but I knew I couldn't."

Raducanu split with coach Sebastian Sachs, her fifth coach in less than two years, in June.

She has played only 10 WTA Tour matches in 2023, winning just five, with three of those victories coming at Indian Wells.

"I very much attach my self-worth to my achievements," she said.

"If I lost a match I would be really down, I would have a day of mourning, literally staring at the wall. I feel things so passionately and intensely."

Raducanu did not drop a set on the way to victory at the US Open in New York when she beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 in the final.

But she has not gone beyond the second round of a Grand Slam since then and her ranking has tumbled from 10th in July 2022 to 128th.

She missed this year's French Open and will also be absent from Wimbledon after minor operations on her ankle and hands.

"That moment on the court, when I was celebrating [the US Open win], I was like, I would literally trade any struggle in the world for this moment," said Raducanu.

"Anything can come my way, I will take it for what I have right now because this is the best thing in the world. I promised myself that, on the court that day.

"Since then I've had a lot of setbacks, one after the other. I am resilient, my tolerance is high, but it's not easy. And sometimes I think to myself 'I wish I'd never won the US Open, I wish that didn't happen'.

"Then I am like, 'remember that feeling, remember that promise', because it was completely pure."

Raducanu, who signed a number of commercial deals after her US Open victory, said she has "had to mature very quickly" since her rise to fame as she had been "extremely naive".

"What I have realised in the past two years, the tour and everything that comes with it, it's not a very nice, trusting and safe space," she added.

"You have to be on guard because there are a lot of sharks out there. I think people in the industry, especially with me because I was 19, now 20, they see me as a piggy bank.

"It has been difficult to navigate. I have been burned a few times. I have learned, keep your circle as small as possible."

Katie Boulter won her first WTA title with a dominant victory in Nottingham over Jodie Burrage in the first all-British tour-level final in 46 years.

"I'm definitely going to be sleeping with this trophy tonight," Boulter said in her on-court interview.

Earlier, Andy Murray won the men's event as Britons find form on grass before next month's Wimbledon.

Boulter and Burrage were contesting the first all-British WTA final since Sue Barker beat Virginia Wade in San Francisco on 28 February 1977.

Both players were also appearing in their first WTA finals after excellent performances in Nottingham this week but it was Boulter who took control from the start.

The day's order of play had been changed because of the forecast of rain, and with dark clouds hanging heavy, Boulter stormed into a 5-1 lead with a double break in the opening set.

But she then failed to serve it out at the first opportunity as Burrage's forehand clicked. That was the only blip for the 26-year-old though as she immediately broke back to seal the set.

She barely paused for breath at the start of the second, taking the first two games to love and faced her only real challenge at 3-1 when she had to fend off break point with a stunning backhand winner.

Boulter delivered her first ace of the match when she was serving for victory but she missed her first match point when she sent a backhand narrowly wide - Burrage's puff of the cheeks a big indication of just how close that had been. But she was soon celebrating victory when 24-year-old Burrage sent a forehand long.

The pair shared a warm hug at the net and then sat next to each other chatting and laughing while they waited for the trophy presentation at the end of a memorable week for both of them.

"I dreamed of this moment, to win this tournament, as a little girl when I was four years old," said an emotional Boulter, who considers this her home tournament after growing up in Leicester.

"Having come here as a fan and now as a player and somehow finding a way to win it means more than everything to me."

Boulter, who took over as British number one from the injured Emma Raducanu last week, is now set to rise into the world's top 80 on Monday for the first time in a career that has been disrupted by injuries over the years.

Positive response after criticism

The home success at the British grass-court tournaments this year has come just a few weeks after criticism of the state of tennis in the country when no British women appeared in the main draw of the singles at the French Open and only three men did.

British player Dan Evans had suggested that Raducanu's 2021 US Open victory had "papered over the cracks" in British tennis.

Less than four weeks after those comments, Murray has won back-to-back tournaments here and at Surbiton last week, while three of the women's semi-finalists at Nottingham were British.

There were also Britons in the women's doubles final, where Heather Watson and Harriet Dart lost to Norway's Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia's Ingrid Neel, while on Saturday Jacob Fearnley and Johannus Monday won an all-British men's doubles final against Liam Broady and Jonny O'Mara.

There are far stronger fields at some of the next grass-court tournaments before Wimbledon at Eastbourne, Queen's and Birmingham but there will also be a new sense of confidence among some of the Britons who have enjoyed their best tournaments, including Boulter and Burrage.

Burrage said it had been "such a positive week" and that she had proven "a lot of things" to herself, while Boulter added: "I've played so many British players, we appreciate an all-British final and what an incredible achievement it is.

"I don't doubt we [Burrage and I] will be back here playing more finals."

The summer transfer window is open for some leagues in Europe and there's plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Kim Min-Jae picks Bayern over Man United, Liverpool

Napoli centre-back Kim Min-Jae has decided that he wants to join Bayern Munich this summer, according to a report by Foot Mercato.

The 26-year-old played a key role in lifting Napoli to the Scudetto in a historic year, which has resulted in interest from across Europe, including from Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain.

In addition to Kim's performances, Europe's top clubs also had an eye on him due to a release clause in his Napoli contract that means the South Korea international will soon be available for around €47m.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)
- Read on ESPN+: Is Mbappe using Lebron's contract tactics?

Despite the interest from the Premier League and beyond, it seems his next destination will be in the Bundesliga. Bayern reportedly convinced Kim and Napoli by meeting the release clause and offering the defender a long-term contract with a net salary of €10m-per-season, per the report, with his agents also receiving a large commission.

The other clubs interested in Kim have already been made aware of his decision and will need to look to other defenders as they prepare for the 2023-24 campaign.

LIVE BLOG

16.03 BST: Barcelona are ready to swap midfielder Franck Kessie for Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic, says Sport.

Kessie, 26, arrived on a free transfer from AC Milan last summer but the club are ready to move him on to acquire Croatia midfielder Brozovic, 30.

Barca coach Xavi has spoken on his desire to find a midfielder to replace Sergio Busquets and Brozovic is evidently on his radar.

15.12 BST: Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves could move to Al Hilal for €55m, according to Relevo.

Neves, 26, was of interest to Barcelona last summer and has emerged as an option once again following Sergio Busquets' announcement that he will leave the Catalan club when his contract expires in the summer.

However, with no agreement reached, the Portugal international is tempted by a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.

14.50 BST: European clubs should not be afraid of a player exodus to Saudi Arabia, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said on Sunday, suggesting the country was making a mistake investing in stars at the end of their careers.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have been paid record-high contracts to join Saudi Arabian clubs this year, and similar offers were made to Lionel Messi and Luka Modric. They have combined to win every Ballon d'Or awarded since 2008, and all are at least 35.

More players are expected to follow after four top Saudi Arabian clubs were effectively nationalized this month when taken into majority ownership by the Public Investment Fund sovereign wealth operation chaired by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Ceferin was asked by Dutch broadcaster NOS if he was afraid of a player exodus, and answered emphatically: "No, no, no. I think that it's mainly a mistake for Saudi Arabian football. Why is that a problem for them? Because they should invest in academies, they should bring coaches, and they should develop their own players.

"The system of buying the players that almost ended their career is not the system that develops football. It was a similar mistake in China when they all brought players who are at the end of their career."

14.25 BST: Liverpool are ready to make a move to sign Bayern midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, says Bild.

Gravenberch, 21, is unhappy with life in Munich after featuring in 33 games since arriving from Ajax for €18m in the summer.

The Netherlands international wants a more prominent role and Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding their midfield, so could be willing to offer him an escape route.

13.39 BST: Midfielder Thomas Partey could leave Arsenal this summer, says Fabrizio Romano.

Partey, 30, has two years left on his contract but the club are willing to let him depart to raise funds to land their priority midfield target: West Ham's Declan Rice.

Romano adds that the Gunners also have an interest in Southampton's Romeo Lavia. The 19-year-old impressed last season and Saints are open to offers after they were relegated from the Premier League.

Chelsea and Man United have been tracking the Belgian and Man City have a clause to re-sign him for £40m in 2024.

12.45 BST: Alessia Russo has her pick of clubs when she leaves Man United.

12.11 BST: Sky Germany says that Arsenal are closing on an €80m move to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea.

Havertz, 24, scored nine goals in 47 games last season, having moved to a central striking role after he joined from Bayer Leverkusen as a midfielder in 2020.

Chelsea paid around €80m to land him then, so they are looking to recoup that fee and Arsenal are keen to wrap up a deal quickly.

Bayern have also shown interest but could lose out, while Chelsea have already agreed a €60m-plus deal for RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku.

11.30 BST: The Guardian says Chelsea would add a player in their bid to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton. And that player is midfielder Conor Gallagher.

Caicedo, 21, was the subject of interest from Arsenal and Chelsea in January but Brighton's demands for a transfer fee of over £80m scuppered any move.

Arsenal have now dropped their interest in signing the Ecuador international in favour of West Ham's Declan Rice, while Brighton could be keen on a deal with the Blues that sees Gallagher arrive as a replacement.

10.26 BST: Chelsea are looking to raise some money and are ready to offload Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy to Saudi Pro League clubs, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Aubameyang and Ziyech have caught the eye of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, while Karim Benzema's Al Ittihad (who are closing on the capture of N'Golo Kante) are also interested in Aubameyang.

Newly promoted Al-Ahli are keen to sign Senegal goalkeeper Mendy, though Tottenham are reported to be in the running as well.

09.53 BST: Newcastle United are interested in Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, according to Football Insider.

Thuram, 22, has been on the radar of Liverpool after a fine season in Ligue 1 and could cost around €40m to sign.

The France international had two goals and eight assists in 48 appearances in all competitions last season and Newcastle are keen to add him to their squad.

09.22 BST: Julian Nagelsmann will not become the next Paris Saint-Germain manager after talks between the two parties broke down, sources have told ESPN.

The French champions have now turned attentions away from Nagelsmann, sources have told ESPN, narrowing their shortlist to four candidates: Luis Enrique, Sergio Conceicao, Marcelo Gallardo and Thiago Motta.

Porto manager Conceicao has been contacted by the club, while former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique has has some strong support from club officials in Doha.

PSG are also interested former players Gallardo, who now coaches Argentine side River Plate, and Motta, who is in charge at Serie A side Bologna.

09.00 BST: Brentford B have signed Romeo Beckham on a permanent transfer after the forward spent the second half of last season in England on loan, the Premier League club said on Saturday.

Beckham, who began training with the team in October last year and joined them in January on a six-month loan from Inter Miami, has signed a one-year contract with an extension option for an additional year.

The 20-year-old was part of the squad that in May lifted the Premier League Cup, a competition run by the Premier League for under-21 sides.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Danny Lewis)

- Chelsea will submit an official offer worth €35m for Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson next week, reports Fabrizio Romano. That figure matches the 21-year-old's release clause, with instalments and payment terms being discussed before a medical is scheduled. Jackson is set on joining Chelsea despite three other clubs attempting to bring in the Senegal international.

- Arsenal are confident that Chelsea's need to offload players means they will be able to sign forward Kai Havertz for £60m, despite the Blues asking for £70m, as reported by The Guardian. The Gunners remain favourites to sign the 24-year-old despite competition from Bayern Munich, who have seen moves for Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Napoli's Victor Osimhen come to nothing so far.

- Amid a stalemate over David De Gea's Manchester United contract, the Daily Star has reported that the Red Devils are readying a £45m offer for Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The Toffees' financial situation means they could be willing to accept a deal as Sean Dyche aims to rebuild after securing Everton's Premier League safety on the final day of the season.

- Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella is among the players Newcastle United are looking at this summer as they plan for life in the Champions League, according to The Mirror. Mauricio Pochettino is willing to let the 24-year-old leave just a year after he joined for £60m, although any deal now would likely be worth half that figure.

- Olympique Lyonnais could lose some of their most talented players this summer, Foot Mercato reports, offering the example that Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs keeping an eye on 23-year-old midfielder Maxence Caqueret. In addition, Ekrem Konur reports that Real Madrid are planning to check on 19-year-old forward Rayan Cherki.

Whether your father is a Hall of Famer like Kurt Warner or your grandfather is a Green Bay Packers legend like Bob Skoronski, following in the footsteps of family members who came before you can be tricky for some, and blazing one's own path can be a lot to shoulder. But the lessons learned can be endless.

What advice on and off the field is shared? How much pressure comes with carrying on the family name? How will they adapt to life as a professional?

This Father's Day, ESPN took a look at the stories of five NFL rookies and how their family members have helped them as they embark on their own professional journeys.

Still taking advice from his first coach

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Colts third-round pick Josh Downs' first football coach was his father, former NFL player Gary Downs. And while Gary hasn't coached his now-NFL rookie son since the seventh grade, the younger Downs still turns to his original coach for advice at critical moments.

"There's been times when I've called my dad at halftime during a game to ask, 'What do you see?'" Josh said. "I know that his point of view is going to be the hardest point of view besides my own."

A few of those calls came during Josh's three-year college career at North Carolina.

Gary helps guide Josh using his perspective as a former player -- he was an NFL running back from 1994 to 2000 -- and a current coach -- as he now serves as East Tennessee State's running backs coach.

"I would ask, 'Hey, what do you see out there? What do I need to fix? How is it looking with the defense? What [coverage] are they playing? I can see it as a player, but what do you see?'" Josh said. "And he'll say, 'You need to do this with your breaks, or you need to do that. They're doubling you every single play. But just keep your head on straight.'"

Josh was the fourth-leading receiver in Tar Heels' history with 2,483 career receiving yards, and he recorded the program's second-most career touchdown receptions (22).

"It's just that little [comfort]," Josh said. "It lets me chill."

But, really, some of the most critical advice he has received from his father is about his actions off the field. Gary leans on lessons learned from his six-year pro career to impart knowledge to Josh about the pitfalls of NFL life.

"He always told me to keep the main thing, the main thing," Josh said. "There's just a lot of things that can distract you."

Gary learned this when he was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round in 1994.

"He was in New York City as a rookie," Josh said. "He told me that's not a good place to be as a rookie because there's too much stuff going on. ... [My dad] didn't have a lot of those same [advantages] and tips that he's given me."

Among those tips: Be smart with your money. Josh, who signed a four-year, $5.5 million rookie contract in May, is leaning on that advice.

"A lot of guys, they get that first signing bonus and they're like, 'Oh snap, I'm about to go get a Lamborghini!'" Josh said. "Not me. ... I know a $500,000 signing bonus is not going to last me 50 years."-- Stephen Holder

Following the path of a Hall of Famer

Kade Warner, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

While some might assume it was inevitable that Kade Warner, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner, would follow in his father's footsteps to the NFL, it almost didn't happen.

Kade remembers one morning getting ready for a youth football game, and telling his mother, Brenda, "I don't want to do this anymore."

Kurt was on the road, so it was Brenda helping him put on his shoulder pads.

Her response? "You don't have to. [You] can create your own path."

"That kind of opened [things] up and gave me that freedom," Kade recalled. "I kept playing and playing, and I grew to love it."

He discovered the game on his own terms and study sessions not only bonded Kade and Kurt, but taught Kade how to see the game like a quarterback, an invaluable tool as a slot receiver.

"We're the same person in so many ways. And one of those ways is that work ethic," Kade said. "There's also sometimes where neither of us can just chill out and have a normal moment and talk about a day-to-day or talk about how school was today. It's always football, football, football. But at the same point, that's all we love to talk about."

Their football journeys have taken a similar path -- undrafted and overlooked.

After going undrafted in 1994, Kurt spent his first four seasons unable to land on an NFL roster. He took a job stocking groceries in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and also went back to his alma mater, Northern Iowa, to serve as a graduate assistant and played for the Iowa Barnstormers for three years in the AFL. His big break came in 1998 when he earned a backup job with the St. Louis Rams, and in 2000, he would become the only undrafted player to be named Super Bowl MVP and to win a Super Bowl in his first season as a starter.

The younger Warner began his college career as a walk-on at Nebraska. He didn't earn a scholarship until 2020, and it wasn't until his second and final year at Kansas State in 2022 that he caught his first collegiate touchdown (he had five en route to a career-best 456 receiving yards). Despite not hearing his name called during the draft, it was an emotional moment when he received a phone call from the Buccaneers once the draft was over. He signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent.

"It's great to have somebody that's been in a situation very similar to mine," Kade said. "My dad, he didn't get those chances that he thought he earned or deserved through his work ethic. And I felt the same way for a long time. And it's tough, but you got to have that patience and that faith in what you're doing. ... And so that's what he preaches to me." -- Jenna Laine

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Baltimore Ravens

Kyu Blu Kelly didn't know if he would even play the same sport as his father, Brian Kelly, much less the same position.

Kyu didn't start playing football until he was 10 because, as he put it, his mother didn't want him "banging and knocking 'round too young." Instead, his parents put him in soccer, basketball and baseball -- with not much success.

When Kyu was 3 years old, he was sitting in the outfield during one of his baseball games, more interested in picking at the blades of grass than what was happening at the plate. Then, in the middle of the game, Kyu walked off the field, went to his parents in the stands and asked if he could leave.

"They threw me in different sports just to see where I landed, but the apple didn't fall [far] from the tree," Kyu said.

His father spent 11 seasons in the NFL from 1998 to 2008, primarily playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brian finished his career with 413 tackles, 104 passes defended and 22 interceptions. In 2002, he won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers and tied for the league lead with eight interceptions.

Kyu was 7 when his father retired and doesn't remember much about his father's playing days beyond eating ice cream at Raymond James Stadium. But he realized his father's impact much later when he watched tape.

"I'd say everybody knew I was BK's son growing up, especially the more I started to make a name for myself," Kyu said. "I embraced it. It was not too much pressure. I was glad I had such a role model in my life."

Initially choosing a different path from his father, Kyu was a wide receiver until his junior year at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas before switching to cornerback.

"We know your dad played so we know you can pick it up," his high school coach told him.

With the help of his father, Kyu quickly picked up the position and eventually became a four-year starter at Stanford. After a productive college career, he was selected by the Ravens in the fifth round of the draft.

"As I got older, [my dad] was just like, 'If you want to do this thing and get to the level I got to, let's do it. If not, I won't push you as hard,' Kyu said. "I made that choice. And from then on, he pretty much gave me the keys to get here."

Kyu is competing for a top backup spot at cornerback, a position that lacks experience in Baltimore outside of starters Marlon Humphrey and Rock Ya-Sin.

As he starts his own NFL journey, Kyu continues to lean on his father's guidance, recalling the best advice he has given him: "Good play, bad play, next play."

"He was my toughest critic and also my biggest supporter at the same time," Kyu said. "He would never let me get too high and never let me get too low and just tell me how it is." -- Jamison Hensley

Practice makes perfect

Dante Stills, DT, Arizona Cardinals

Dante Stills, the Cardinals' sixth-round pick out of West Virginia, knew he had a unique resource coming out of college. His father, Gary Stills, played 10 years as an NFL edge rusher for three different teams. He knew the ins and outs of rushing the passer -- and life in the NFL -- as well as anyone. But Dante also knew that while both liked to get at the quarterback, they were two different players.

Dante was 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds coming out of college. Gary was 6-2, 225.

"I was able to really talk to him about certain pass-rush moves, but I had to realize that I wasn't him," Dante said. "So, it was kind of hard for me to watch film on him 'cause he's a lot faster."

That didn't stop them from watching Dante's tape, however.

In college, whenever Gary would go to a WVU home game, they'd end up back at Dante's place to watch the game on DVR. It didn't matter if he played great or awful, the two would sit together and Gary would fix minor mistakes to his son's technique.

"It's definitely awesome," Dante said.

Dante leaned on his dad's experience throughout the draft process, especially while he prepared for interviews with teams. Gary shared advice on communicating with scouts and understanding the types of questions they'd ask. He talked Dante through identifying splits and where the running backs and tight ends were -- basically, how to talk football.

When Dante wasn't talking enough football during phone or video calls, Gary would stop him.

"He was like, 'No, I need you to talk football and be able to use the right terminology,'" Dante remembered his dad saying.

Gary continually stressed the importance of the opportunity awaiting Dante.

"It helped me a lot because I was already prepared for the questions that I asked," Dante said. "I feel like, overall, it was just a blessing and great help because I felt like I wasn't too anxious or too nervous because I was already prepared mentally."

It took Dante, who was born toward the end of Gary's rookie year in 1999, until high school to fully appreciate his dad's longevity. Now he will look to fight for a spot on Arizona's roster in hopes of following his dad's footsteps.

"I feel like I'm following it right now," Dante said. "...He spent 10 years in [the] NFL, so it's really just the longevity, and I have [number] 55 just like he had 55 at Kansas City, where he got drafted.

"So, it was definitely a great feeling for sure." -- Josh Weinfuss

Striving to emulate in a different landscape

Peter Skoronski, G, Tennessee Titans

Football, specifically offensive line play, runs in the family for Peter Skoronski -- who was the Titans' No. 11 overall selection in April's draft. His grandfather, Bob Skoronski Sr., was an offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers in 1956 and served two years in the U.S. Air Force before returning to play for the Packers from 1959 to 1968.

The elder Skoronski had an 11-year career -- nine played under legendary coach Vince Lombardi -- that led him to be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame. Primarily playing left tackle, he won five NFL championships, two Super Bowls and was named All-Pro in 1966. Peter hopes to emulate a career similar to his grandfather's.

"You know, it's just wanting to follow in his footsteps," Peter said. "So it's been a goal of mine since I knew what football was. I'm super happy to carry on his legacy."

Skoronksi played left tackle from youth league in Park Ridge, Illinois, to college at Northwestern.

Before his grandfather's death in 2018, the two used to bond over their shared and differing experiences from football. For example, practices were tougher in his grandfather's day because there was no collective bargaining agreement to regulate what the players went through. Peter also said his grandfather had to work in the offseason because the salaries hadn't exploded to the levels now. That put things in perspective for Peter, who signed a four-year, $19.7 million contract last month.

"His mentality of just grinding and doing your job resonated," Peter said of his grandfather. "You have to just keep working."

Peter's father, Bob Skoronski Jr., was a defensive lineman at Yale, where he was coached by David Kelley, the grandfather of fellow 2023 Titans draft pick quarterback Will Levis. Peter will now be charged with protecting Levis.

Despite the elder Skoronski's legacy with the Packers, it won't stop the family from switching their allegiance to the Titans.

"Having my grandfather play there will always be a part of our family history and a part of me," Peter said, "but definitely all Titans now!" -- Turron Davenport

The Charlotte Hornets are expecting to conduct a second-round of workouts and interviews with Alabama's Brandon Miller and G League Ignite's Scoot Henderson on Monday -- with an audience that will include outgoing owner Michael Jordan, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Miller and Henderson -- auditioning for the No. 2 overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft -- are offering Jordan his first in-person assessment of the two prospects vying to follow the San Antonio Spurs' selection of Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick. Miller remains the front-runner to go No. 2, but Henderson had a strong workout and meeting with Hornets officials last week, sources told ESPN.

Jordan finalized the sale of his majority stake in the Hornets to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall on Friday, but arguably the greatest player in history will remain with a minority stake and a presence around the franchise. Jordan remains the team's governor and final decision-maker until the new group is vetted and approved by the league's board of governors, which isn't expected for several weeks.

Both players and their camps have expressed enthusiasm about going No. 2 to the Hornets, partly because of the proximity to their homes in the South and also because of the anticipation of a new ownership group that is expected to invest in the team's future, sources said.

Miller, a 6-foot-9 forward, was the SEC Player and Rookie of the Year. Henderson averaged 17.6 points and 6.6 assists for the G League Ignite team.

Lou Williams, who made his mark in the NBA coming off the bench over the course of a 17-year career, announced his retirement Sunday.

Williams revealed the decision in a YouTube video narrated by his daughter that covered his journey to the NBA and time in the league.

The 36-year-old Williams won three Sixth Man of the Year awards (2015, '18, '19) -- tied with Jamal Crawford for the most in NBA history -- while appearing in 1,123 career games with only 122 starts. He scored an NBA-record 13,396 points off the bench, which is 2,117 more than Crawford.

Williams averaged 13.9 points and 3.4 assists per game while playing for six teams: the Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and LA Clippers. Williams' final game came in April 2022 with the Hawks.

Williams was the 45th pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Out of the 60 players taken that year, only Chris Paul scored more points in the NBA than Williams, who went straight to the league out of high school.

He finishes his career with 15,593 points, 131st in NBA history.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.