It felt apt that Carlos Alcaraz's victory over Rafael Nadal at the Madrid Open - which seemed like a seminal moment in the passing of power - was watched by Spain's King Felipe VI.

Alcaraz, long touted as a future Grand Slam champion after being identified as a potential superstar aged 11, has dominated the ATP Tour in recent weeks.

The next step is transferring this form into a Grand Slam and the best-of-five sets format, with the first opportunity coming at the French Open, which starts on Sunday.

If Alcaraz was to win at Roland Garros - where 35-year-old Nadal has been almost unbeatable over the past two decades - then the leap from tennis sensation to mainstream recognition would be complete.

Fellow players and pundits have tipped him to do just that, while bookmakers have made him one of the favourites alongside 13-time winner Nadal - who is trying to manage a foot injury - and defending champion Novak Djokovic.

So just who is this youngster once branded 'a piece of spaghetti' who has got the tennis world salivating? And will he deliver?

'Best player in the world right now'

Winning this month's Madrid Open - the most prestigious tournament in his homeland - was Alcaraz's fourth title of 2022. No other man has won as many.

A tally of 28 match wins this year was also unparalleled going into the Italian Open, which Alcaraz skipped to preserve himself for Roland Garros.

In May 2021, he was ranked 120th in the world. A year later, he is sixth.

"People are going to think that I'm one of the favourites to win Roland Garros," Alcaraz said after he thrashed defending champion Alexander Zverev to win the Madrid title.

"I don't have it as tension, I have it as a motivation."

Djokovic thinks there is "no doubt" Alcaraz can lift the Coupe des Mousquetaires on 5 June, while Zverev labelled the teenager the "best player in the world right now".

After losing to Alcaraz in Madrid, Nadal conceded it was the start of the "handover".

"If it's today or not, we will see it in the next months," the 21-time Grand Slam champion added.

Alcaraz's best performance at a Grand Slam so far has been reaching the US Open quarter-finals last year and many expect the sixth seed to match that run, if not better it, at Roland Garros.

Clay is the surface on which he grew up playing in Spain and four of his five ATP titles have come on the red dirt.

Winning a major title this year is Alcaraz's next goal and, to help him achieve it, he can count on guidance from a man who has been there and done it - coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"The fact that I have lived all these situations makes me realise better about how he feels and how to manage those situations," the Spanish former world number one and 2003 French Open champion told BBC Sport.

"Winning a Grand Slam is really hard. It is competing against the best in their peaks in pretty long matches.

"We need to keep working, keep focus on our work and let all the noise happening around not affect him.

"As I used to say to him: he hasn't matched the achievements of anyone yet."

How a 'piece of spaghetti' has become the newest star

Alcaraz's sharp rise in a stunning year has been down to his discipline and commitment on and off court.

Particular focus has been put on improving shot selection and building a body that can cope with the physical demands placed upon the world's best players.

"We worked a lot on his fitness because before, as I joke sometimes, he was like a piece of spaghetti," said Ferrero.

"We also work on all strokes and make special emphasis on his shot selection. He has a lot of talent and needs to order all the options he has while hitting.

"Being orderly off the court has been important to work on too. To be one of the best, you need also to make this effort."

In Madrid, Alcaraz beat three of the players ranked inside the world's top four. No player had achieved that at a Masters 1000 event since Argentina's David Nalbandian in 2007.

Nadal was the first to fall in the quarter-finals before 20-time major winner Djokovic and Olympic champion Zverev were also despatched.

Alcaraz's performance in a one-sided win against Germany's Zverev was described by 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova as "a downright beating".

"He has got no weaknesses. I don't know what I'd do if I was playing him," said Navratilova, who was a courtside analyst in Madrid for Amazon Prime.

Zverev looked stunned by the manner of his destruction, while Greek world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas said he has been "inspired a lot" by Alcaraz's success.

As leading members of the 'Next Gen' group - the wave of early 20-somethings aiming to fill the void soon to be left by Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer - Zverev and Tsitsipas fully realise the younger Alcaraz is now another major obstacle in their quest for Grand Slam titles.

"I really do think he has leapfrogged them [the Next Gen players], he is ahead of them now," said Annabel Croft, the former British number one who is also an analyst for Amazon Prime.

"They are going to be chasing him and trying to figure out ways to bring their level up. He is sending shockwaves through the locker room."

A 'special talent' with lofty aspirations

While he has high aspirations, there is nothing cocky about Alcaraz.

Born and raised in El Palmar, a town outside Murcia in southern Spain, he typifies the characteristics of the people from a traditionally agricultural region heavily reliant on the export of fruit and vegetables.

Hardworking and determined, but enjoying the moments that life throws up.

Recently he was invited on to El Hormiguero - a popular chat show on Spanish television - and celebrated with Real Madrid's footballers on the Bernabeu pitch after they clinched another La Liga title.

That does not distract him from the day job. Since Alcaraz was 15, the hard work has been put in with Ferrero at his academy about an hour's drive from Alcaraz's home.

Ferrero was persuaded by Alcaraz's agent Albert Molina, who spotted the youngster aged 11 and convinced international sports agency IMG to manage him a year later, to commit to what he saw as a long-term project that can reap rich rewards for everyone.

"He came to play some tournaments that we used to arrange at the academy," Ferrero said.

"At that moment he already had a great level and something different. He was surprisingly weak physically and hadn't any order while playing.

"But his forehand was already something special, I truly could see a great difference with others. He already showed pretty special talents."

The constant comparisons between Alcaraz and Nadal are already wearing thin for some people, with both players pleading for the younger Spaniard to be given his own recognition.

"I know that there will never be another like Rafa in history. I am Carlos," Alcaraz said last year.

While their physical endurance is similar, Alcaraz plays closer to the baseline than Nadal, likes to come forward more and regularly uses the drop shot as a potent weapon.

But Alcaraz does possess the same important attribute as Nadal in his quest for greatness: an insatiable appetite for self-improvement.

"I think that I have to improve everything still. I have always said that you can improve everything. You never reach a limit," he said.

"Look at Rafa, Djokovic, [Roger] Federer, all of them improve and they have things to improve. That's why they are so good, and that's why they are so much [of the] time up there, because they don't stop. They keep on working and improving.

"That's what I want to do. I want to keep on progressing. I have really good shots. I don't say that I don't have them, but I know that I can improve them and they can be even better."

PITTSBURGH -- Evgeni Malkin wants to stay in Pittsburgh. So does Kris Letang. There's comfort in the only NHL city they've ever called home. Success too.

It's why neither three-time Stanley Cup champion has ever hit the open market during their long careers. Until now, anyway.

While Malkin and Letang hoped to put off any speculation about their future until early summer at the earliest, they can't anymore. Not after Pittsburgh's season ended with a draining Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs, an all-too-familiar result lately for this proud franchise.

Rather than prepping for an Eastern Conference semifinal, Malkin and Letang spent Tuesday cleaning out their lockers and trying to talk about their uncertain future as diplomatically as possible.

Both stressed that their preference would be to keep playing alongside captain Sidney Crosby for as long as they possibly can. They're both well aware, however, that, for the first time, what's best for themselves and what's best for the Penguins might not be the same thing.

"I'm ready to go away," Malkin said. "If I stay, so much [happier]. If not, it's OK. [I'll] move my family to another city and hopefully play my best hockey."

Malkin, who turns 36 in July, scored 20 goals despite missing basically the entire first half of the season after undergoing knee surgery last June. He remains a force on the power play and stressed that he is looking forward to using the offseason to return to form.

"I know I'm older," he said. "I believe in myself. I know it's [a] hard year for me, big injury, but ... [last summer was] probably hardest summer in my whole life. I want to get back to next level next year and show my best, for sure."

The question for Pittsburgh is, at what price? Malkin's expiring deal carried an average annual value of $9.5 million. Although he stressed that money is "not a big deal," his next contract will almost certainly be his last chance to cash in. He estimated that he'd like to play 3-4 more years and dismissed a report that said he's considering a return to his native Russia, which players often do toward the tail end of their careers, choosing the KHL over the NHL.

A four-time All-Star who also happens to have Hart, Conn Smythe and Calder trophies on his résumé, Malkin won't lack for suitors. Yet none of them will offer the chance to play with Crosby and Letang. The trio have served as the cornerstone for a remarkable run that includes three Cup championships and 16 straight playoff appearances, the longest active streak in major North American professional sports.

"I love both [of them]," Malkin said. "Again, like, it's not just hockey. It's life."

Letang, who at 35 appears to be getting better with age after piling up a career-best 68 points, would like to play another five years and figures to have played his way to a significant pay bump from the $7.25 million he averaged over the course of the contract he signed in 2014.

Letang declined to negotiate in public, saying he made a promise to general manager Ron Hextall to keep their talks private. Letang pointed to his long history with the team as proof of his loyalty.

"I certainly [tried] to help build something good here and obviously want to keep it going," he said, later adding: "It's a special group, a group that can win anything."

The Penguins haven't advanced out of the first round since 2018. They feel they outplayed the Rangers for long stretches during their seven-game thriller. Ultimately, it didn't matter. They gave away leads in each of the final three games with a chance to close New York out.

The first season for new owner Fenway Sports Group -- which bought the team from Ron Burkle and Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux last fall -- will be a litmus test of sorts. It could give Crosby, Malkin and Letang a chance to keep it going. Or it could hit reset and try to retool around Crosby, who turns 35 in July but looked as dangerous as ever against the Rangers before missing a portion of Game 5 and all of Game 6 after taking a hit to the head.

Crosby demurred when asked whether he thinks he has earned the right to have a say in what direction the club moves in the offseason while reiterating that he intends to play to the end of his current deal, which runs through 2025.

Besides, Crosby pointed out that he has hardly kept his desire to have Malkin and Letang stick around a secret.

"We understand it's not something that can happen forever," he said. "Hopefully a little bit longer we can continue to play together. It's unique, it's special."

By mid-July, it might be over.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild stocked their net with a three-time Stanley Cup winner at the trade deadline, fetching Marc-Andre Fleury to form an accomplished goalie tandem with All-Star Cam Talbot down the stretch of the best regular season in franchise history.

The Wild would prefer to keep the pair in place, general manager Bill Guerin said Tuesday, despite their lack of salary cap space and the recent reminder that such enviable depth typically doesn't mean as much during the playoffs.

"There's no controversy. There's no drama. We like both goalies. We like both people," Guerin said. "We want them both back, and we think we can be successful with both of them."

Fleury with his clutch-time credentials was given the net for the first five games of the first-round series against St. Louis. Once the Wild decided it was time to turn to Talbot, it was too late. The Blues finished off the Wild in six games.

"Obviously I was disappointed I didn't get to play more in the playoffs, but who's not? We're competitors. You want to play," Talbot said. "But the coaches had a decision to make, and I don't think there was a wrong decision. Obviously, you trade for a guy like that with his pedigree and his past, why wouldn't you start him Game 1?"

Talbot went 13-0-3 in his last 16 starts prior to the postseason. He allowed four goals in Game 6. With one year remaining on his deal, Talbot said he expects to return for 2022-23 and expressed no lingering ill will about being mostly left out of the playoffs.

"Because it's not about me. It's about the 23, 24 other guys in that room," Talbot said.

The 37-year-old Fleury went 9-2 with a 2.74 goals against average and a .913 save percentage in 11 starts in the regular season. He arrived in the trade with Chicago that will cost the Wild a second-round draft pick. In the playoffs, he gave up 15 goals in five games.

Fleury's contract carried a cap hit of nearly double that of Talbot this season, but he will be a free agent in July. Being away from his family after the sudden change in teams was emotionally draining, but he raved about the chemistry within the team, the culture of the organization and the support around town.

"It was good to live this," Fleury said.

The Wild have 2021 first-round draft pick Jesper Wallstedt waiting behind them. The 19-year-old native of Sweden signed his entry-level contract this season and is likely bound for a development season in the AHL in Iowa.

But there's no reason why the Wild won't again push for a deep run in the playoffs, despite the dead weight from the buyouts of former franchise players Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. They'll each cost more than $6.3 million against the Wild's cap next season.

"We'll deal with it. I think we'll be every bit as good next year. I do," Guerin said. "Would we love to have that cap space? Of course we would. But we knew exactly what we were doing."

Even if both goalies aren't back, the Wild will have a tough time keeping left wing Kevin Fiala, who will be a restricted free agent after a career-high 33 goals. He was scoreless in the playoffs.

"It's just such a shame to go out like that," Fiala said.

Maybe for good, despite racking up 85 points in 82 games at age 25.

"We'd love to have Kevin back," Guerin said. "I don't know if it's going to be possible."

FRISCO, Texas -- Rick Bowness has been on an NHL bench for a record 2,562 regular-season games as a head coach or an assistant over nearly four decades. The 67-year-old coach is not ready to be done yet even though he is at the end of his contract with the Dallas Stars.

"The playoffs bring out your passion. ... That excitement and that pressure and everything, that's what we live for," Bowness said Tuesday. "It's tough to walk out of that rink losing in overtime in Game 7, but it also shows you that, yeah, I'm an old man, but still lots of fire left in me."

Two days after the wild-card Stars ended their season in a 3-2 loss at Calgary, and two seasons after he took them to a most unusual Stanley Cup Final, it was unclear if Bowness will be back.

General manager Jim Nill, who has only one year left on his contract, did exit interviews with players Tuesday. He said he would be sitting down with owner Tom Gaglardi to determine the team's direction, including the coaching situation.

Bowness landed a two-year contract after that 2020 final as interim head coach, a stint that included the 4½-month pause in the season because of the pandemic and two months in a postseason bubble in Canada. There was then a shortened, 56-game season when the Stars had an NHL-high 14 losses after regulation and missed the playoffs. They had 98 points this season and secured the No. 1 wild-card spot in the West during the final week of the regular season.

"The players respect him. He's handled the situation very well," Nill said. "He's done a good job. But as I said, we'll sit down with everybody, reassess everything here over the next five or six days and go from there."

Scotty Bowman and Pat Quinn, both members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Bowness are the only other head coaches with games in five different decades. Bowness did so with Winnipeg (1989), Boston (1991-92), Ottawa (1992-96), the New York Islanders (1996-98), Phoenix (2004) and Dallas (2019-22). He also was an assistant for Vancouver and Tampa Bay.

Bowness is 89-62-25 with Dallas, and he said a one-year contract would be perfect for him. The hockey lifer could go elsewhere in a different role if not brought back by the Stars.

"If I want them, the options will be there," Bowness said confidently.

Whether with Bowness or another coach next season, the Stars need to find more consistent scoring outside their top line that didn't include six-time All-Star Tyler Seguin or captain Jamie Benn. The Stars were the only one of the 16 playoffs teams that were outscored during the regular season.

Young skaters Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson were on the top line with 37-year-old Joe Pavelski, already re-signed for next season, that combined for 232 points, second-most in franchise history for a trio, with Robertson only the fourth 40-goal scorer. In many ways, as the season progressed the Stars matriculated into a team that was more led by Hintz and Robertson than Seguin and Benn.

Dallas does feel like it now has its franchise goalie in 23-year-old Jake Oettinger, whose 64 saves in the final game were among 272 in seven games against Calgary before Johnny Gaudreau's series-ending goal.

"I'm even more motivated to get back to that position," Oettinger said. "Every second I was on the ice, I was having the time of my life, and it was it a dream come true. ... I've never wanted to win more than I do right now."

Oettinger began this season in the minors even after making his NHL debut in a couple of 2020 playoff games and playing in half of the Stars' games last season. With injuries to Anton Khudobin (hip) and Braden Holtby (lower body), and veteran Ben Bishop having to end his playing career because of a degenerative knee issue, Oettinger took advantage of his opportunity to be the top netminder.

"A phenomenal young goalie. He's going to be great for this organization for a long time," Benn said.

Benn had only 18 goals (46 points) and a career-worst rating of minus-13. Seguin, who missed all but three games last season because of a torn hip labrum and knee surgery, was minus-21 with 24 goals (49 points), but played the end of this season and against Calgary with a fractured bone in his left foot. Benn had only one playoff goal and Seguin two, one an empty-netter.

"They've still got some prime years ahead of them. Tyler's had some injuries, Jamie's had some injuries, but they're still got more to give," Nill said. "They're a big part of our team, and we need them to be better."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom condemned what he called "assault" on team captain Billy Sharp by a fan following a loss to Nottingham Forest in their Championship playoff match second-leg on Tuesday night.

Video showed a fan run up to Sharp and headbutt him to the ground as supporters stormed the pitch following Forest's win in a penalty shootout.

"It's assault. We've seen one of our players attacked," Heckingbottom said on his club's official Twitter account. "He's [shuck] up, bleeding, angry. It'll be dealt with."

Nottingham Forest also issued a statement saying they were appalled by what happened and apologised to Sharp.

"Nottingham Forest Football Club are appalled to learn that our former player, Billy Sharp, was assaulted leaving the pitch after tonight's match at The City Ground," said the statement on the team's website. "The Club will work with the authorities to locate the individual in order they are held to account for their actions, which will include a life ban from Nottingham Forest.

"The Club would also like to apologise to Billy personally and to Sheffield United Football Club."

Forest, who won the match 3-2 on penalties, will play Huddersfield Town at Wembley on May 29, with the winner earning promotion to the Premier League.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.

SOUTHAMPTON, England -- After a case of history repeating, Liverpool have earned the chance to find out if destiny is calling.

The Premier League title race will go to the final day of the season after Takumi Minamino and Joel Matip struck to overturn Nathan Redmond's 13th-minute opener to ensure the Reds beat Southampton 2-1 here at St. Mary's Stadium.

For the second time in seven days, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made a host of changes, watched his team fall behind before responding impressively to earn a deserved win on Tuesday. Last week it was Aston Villa, and although Southampton were much more culpable, this still felt like a stiffer test of Liverpool's resolve, coming less than 72 hours after their marathon FA Cup final win over Chelsea on penalties, a draining exertion that prompted nine changes to Klopp's starting lineup.

Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were missing as expected after picking up injuries at Wembley, but the sheer volume of absentees felt even greater than first feared: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane were all left out completely while Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and Luis Diaz were rotated onto the bench.

To perfectly encapsulate the madcap menagerie Klopp assembled for this task, James Milner began as a No. 6 with Harvey Elliott playing slightly ahead of him in midfield. It was the first time they had even been named in a starting lineup together, and Milner, 36, made his Premier League debut in November 2002, 145 days before Elliott was born.

Liverpool really are a team for the ages. The quadruple bid remains alive, albeit firmly in the balance with Manchester City holding a one-point advantage ahead of Sunday's final round of matches.

"Making nine changes, if it hadn't have worked out it would have been 1,000 percent my responsibility," Klopp said. "Now it worked out and it is 1,000 percent the boys' responsibility because I can ask for a lot, the boys have to do it. I thought they did exceptionally well, some incredible performances.

"Actually, I am so happy about the performance because it was a bit touching to be honest. Wow, these boys. Like having Ferraris in the garage and then you let them out and they directly go like this. Harvey, I'm not sure when he played last time, Curtis [Jones], no rhythm, Minamino, it is a crime he is not playing more often.

"It is really tough for the boys but whatever happens this year happens because of this group. It is exceptional and tonight they showed it again."

Southampton offered a contest largely in name only. Redmond's opening goal was a bolt out of the blue, a well-struck shot which benefitted both from a deflection of Milner and VAR's decision not to revisit a foul by Lyanco on Jota in the build-up.

Minamino's 27th-minute equaliser was the product of a fine move that began with Joe Gomez firing a ball into Jota, who laid it off to the Japan international to fire home his 10th goal of the season.

Minamino is something of a statistical curiosity in that he spent the second half of last season on loan at Southampton, starting nine Premier League matches, more than the five he has managed for Liverpool in almost two years since arriving from Red Bull Salzburg. Yet no other player has scored at least three goals in the League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup this season and, remarkably, Minamino was Liverpool's top-scorer in the latter two competitions.

After Liverpool lost Gomez at the break to an ankle injury, Henderson came on with Milner switching to right-back but the pressure on Southampton's goal was unchecked.

Matip may not have known much about the winner, coming as it did as he battled with Kyle Walker-Peters to head Kostas Tsimikas' corner after Mohamed Elyounoussi's inadvertent flick-on, but it was no less than Liverpool deserved on the night.

Southampton ended with an xG, or expected goals, of 0.14 from four shots, 29% possession and boos from the home crowd, many of whom showed what they thought of the planned "lap of appreciation" by immediately heading for the exits.

Arguably the most defiant resistance all night came from the stadium DJ, intent on several halftime swipes at the opposition. Three days on from Liverpool supporters booing the English national anthem and multiple members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, the interval playlist was particularly pointed. Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen" was followed by Spin Doctors "Two Princes" and Meatloaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad." It might yet be three out of four for Liverpool or, remarkably, all four after a precious win that keeps them in the hunt.

However, all that stands in the way of City and a fourth title in five years is Steven Gerrard, the most iconic and influential Liverpool player of the Premier League era now in charge of their opponents on Sunday, Aston Villa. Pep Guardiola's side hold a one-point and six-goal advantage over Liverpool, who must beat Wolves and hope for a favour from their former talisman. Klopp won't be making contact.

"He prepares now for Burnley," Klopp said. "There's no reason to talk to him, we all know Villa wants to win because Villa wants to win, that's it.

"Of course [the title] is unlikely because City play at home against Aston Villa, who play only on Thursday," Klopp said. "It will be tough against Burnley [for Villa] -- they fight for survival."

The mischievous Southampton DJ greeted full-time with the Killers' song "Mr. Brightside," the chorus of which includes the line: "But it's just the price I pay, destiny is calling me."

Liverpool have paid the price for a mammoth 63-game campaign which has left many players fatigued or carrying injuries. We will all find out on Sunday if destiny really is on their side.

An MRI has revealed that former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a training session being livestreamed on his Instagram account. a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

The hard-luck player, released in March by the Bears because of past injuries, grabbed the back of his leg after going down during the workout on Tuesday. The incident was seen on Instagram Live, with Cohen falling to the floor after backpedaling.

Cohen, now a free agent, played three full seasons with Chicago but made it to only three games in 2021 before tearing knee ligaments. He missed the rest of that season and then was released by the Bears.

A fourth-round draft pick in 2017, Cohen had a strong rookie year as a running back and kick returner. He made All-Pro as a punt returner in 2018, when he led the NFL with 33 run-backs for 411 yards.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday that he is working "side by side" with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to try to bring Brittney Griner home.

Silver, speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews in a televised interview from Chicago prior to the NBA draft lottery, said his league was following the advice of experts when it did not take an aggressive approach during the early stages of Griner's detention in Russia.

"We've been in touch with the White House, the State Department, hostage negotiators, every level of government and also through the private sector as well," Silver said. "Our No. 1 priority is her health and safety and making sure that she gets out of Russia."

The State Department also said Tuesday that it still is pushing to have regular contact with the Phoenix Mercury star.

A consular official was able to meet with Griner last week, when her pretrial detention in Russia was extended for one month. Griner has been detained -- wrongfully, U.S. officials have said -- since February, after vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage at an airport in Moscow.

"That consular official came away with the impression that Brittney Griner is doing as well as might be expected under conditions that can only be described as exceedingly difficult," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington. "But sporadic contact is not satisfactory. It also may not be consistent with the Vienna Convention to which Russia has subscribed."

The 31-year-old Griner -- a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. -- faces drug smuggling charges that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The Biden administration says Griner is being wrongfully detained. The WNBA and U.S. officials have worked toward her release, without visible progress.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked with Griner's wife in recent days, Price said.

"He conveyed once again the priority we attach to seeking the release of all Americans around the world, including Brittney Griner in the case of Russia, Paul Whelan in the case of Russia, those Americans who we consider to be wrongfully detained," Price said. "That has been a priority of Secretary Blinken since the earliest days of his tenure."

Whelan is a corporate security executive from Michigan who has been held in Russia. He was arrested in December 2018 while visiting for a friend's wedding and was later sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage-related charges that his family says are bogus.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jahmal Mosley was feeling lucky.

Heading into Tuesday NBA draft lottery, the Orlando Magic were going to be represented by president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman on stage. But early Tuesday morning, a switch was made because of a feeling Mosely had.

So when the lottery took place Tuesday night at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, it was Mosley who took the stage instead to represent the franchise.

Turns out, the audible worked as the Magic won the lottery for the fourth time in franchise history and will pick first in June's 2022 NBA draft.

"I haven't been very good at this," Weltman told reporters via videoconference. "It's funny. Coach was feeling lucky and we let him roll the dice and tonight, he's the Coach of the Year."

Orlando had a 14% chance to get the top pick, along with the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons.

It's the Magic's first chance to pick No. 1 overall since 2004, when they selected Dwight Howard. Orlando also won the lottery in back-to-back years in 1992 (Shaquille O'Neal) and 1993 (Chris Webber, who was traded to Golden State for Penny Hardaway and three future first-rounders).

Tuesday marked 30 years to the day since the Magic won the lottery that allowed them to draft O'Neal.

"The fans, the organization, it's so exciting," Mosley told ESPN's Mike Schmitz on the draft lottery broadcast. "It's so much to look forward to with this organization and this group and this fan base, it's gonna be special."

It's a chance to continue to build for Orlando after the Magic added a pair of top picks a year ago in Jalen Suggs (No. 5) and Franz Wagner (No. 8).

Available to Orlando are top big men prospects Jabari Smith of Auburn, Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren or Duke's Paolo Banchero.

"Obviously with that will come a lot of conversations and it'll be interesting to see some of the calls that come up, but mostly it means that we get to familiarize ourselves now with elite prospects and we get to add one to our team," Weltman said.

Weltman feels there are "a lot of elite level prospects" at the top of the draft, and the team will do its due diligence.

"I do feel that as [these top prospects] start to make the rounds, teams will start to fall in love with guys which is what generally happens," Weltman said. "And generally leverage will kind of unfold from there, but I know we'll have a lot of interesting discussions with teams. Obviously we don't go into this thing looking to trade our pick.

"We look to add a really talented young high-character guy to our talent base and our roster. I have no expectations on it. Obviously, we'll continue to do our work. This really doesn't change much of the way that we'll approach the draft. We're just really excited to be able to fall in love with somebody and pick that player."

The Oklahoma City Thunder will select at No. 2, the franchise's first top-four pick since 2009 when it drafted James Harden. The Thunder also have a second lottery pick at No. 12 as a result of the trade that sent Paul George to the LA Clippers.

This is the fifth time the Thunder have moved up from their pre-lottery draft position in franchise history dating back to their days as the Seattle SuperSonics, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Aside from Harden in 2009, the team has drafted Kevin Durant (2007), Gary Payton (1990) and Xavier McDaniel (1985) when moving up in the lottery. Both Durant and Payton were selected at No. 2 overall.

Drafting at No. 3 will be the Rockets, who had the No. 2 pick in last year's draft. It's the first time the Rockets have picked in the top four in consecutive years since 1983-84.

The Sacramento Kings had a 7.5% chance to jump into the top four and were the only team to leap into the top group that didn't have the best four odds. This will be just the fifth time the Kings have drafted in the top four in the past 40 seasons, and the first time since selecting Marvin Bagley III in the 2018 draft.

The Kings jumping up knocked out the Pistons, who had the No. 1 overall selection a year ago, into the No. 5 spot.

The Indiana Pacers will draft at No. 6, the first time they've had a top-nine pick since 1989. The last time Indiana picked as high as sixth, it took Rik Smits No. 2 overall in 1988.

Having Damian Lillard on stage didn't work as a good-luck charm for the Portland Trail Blazers, as they slid one spot down to No. 7.

Because the Los Angeles Lakers' pick fell in the top 10 at No. 8, that selection goes to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade from the summer of 2019. New Orleans is the only 2022 playoff team currently with a lottery pick.

The pick had a 99.6% chance of conferring to the Pelicans; if it didn't, it would have gone to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the trade that sent Jonas Valanciunas to New Orleans and Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe to Memphis.

Instead, Memphis gets Cleveland's 2022 second-round pick via the Pelicans, as well as New Orleans' 2025 second-round pick.

The final seven picks of the lottery -- starting with the Pelicans at No. 8 -- remained unchanged from their pre-draft position. The San Antonio Spurs, slotted at No. 9, could have their first top-10 selection since selecting Tim Duncan.

The Washington Wizards (No. 10), New York Knicks (No. 11), Thunder (No. 12, via the Clippers), Charlotte Hornets (No. 13) and Cavaliers (No. 14) round out the lottery.