Bronny James' first road game in the G League resulted in the highest-scoring output of his young career Thursday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers rookie scored a game-high 30 points on 13-of-23 shooting as his South Bay Lakers fell to the Valley Suns 106-100 in Tempe, Arizona.

The No. 55 pick in this year's draft added three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. He's now averaging 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists across four G League games overall.

James, 20, was recently sidelined for several weeks while dealing with a bone bruise in his left heel. The Lakers were cautious in his recovery, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, because the heel injury was affecting the same leg that required left knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus when he was in high school.

James has played seven games in the NBA this season, most recently Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers, but is averaging less than 3 minutes per contest.

James' father, LeBron James, will miss a second straight game Friday when the Lakers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. He's dealing with foot soreness, according to the team.

The NBA's Last Two Minute Report confirmed that officials made the correct call when Jonathan Kuminga was assessed a personal foul on Jalen Green on a loose ball scramble, resulting in Green hitting the winning free throws during the Houston Rockets' 91-90 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

A livid Steve Kerr said after the game that the officiating crew, led by crew chief Bill Kennedy, had made an "unconscionable" call that the Warriors head coach had never seen in his NBA career. Kerr argued that the officials had allowed physical play up until that foul call with 3.5 seconds left.

Green's free throws sent the Rockets to Las Vegas to play in the NBA Cup semifinals against Oklahoma City on Saturday.

"I'm pissed off," Kerr said, echoing how his team also felt on late Wednesday night. "I wanted to go to Las Vegas. We wanted to win this Cup and we aren't going because of a loose ball foul, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line. I've never seen anything like it in my life, and that was ridiculous."

On the possession that Kuminga fouled Green, Stephen Curry missed a 3-point attempt. A chaotic scramble for the loose ball ensued. Gary Payton II was able to gain possession of the ball on the floor as Fred VanVleet dove for the ball, too. Payton then tried to pass the ball to Kuminga, resulting in Green diving on the ball. The NBA said Kuminga "reaches over Green in an attempt to get to the ball and pulls his shoulder down."

As for Payton and VanVleet, the NBA determined it was a correct non-call as both made "incidental contact with each other in pursuit of the loose ball."

"I've never seen a loose ball foul on a jump ball situation, 80 feet from the basket with the game on the line," Kerr said. "I've never seen that. I think I saw it in college one time 30 years ago. Never seen it in the NBA. That is ... unconscionable. I don't even understand what just happened. Loose ball, diving on the floor, 80 feet from the basket, and you're going to give a guy two free throws to decide the game when people are scrambling for the ball. Just give them a timeout and let the players decide the game. That's how you officiate. Especially because the game was a complete wrestling match. They didn't call anything.

"So you've established you're just not going to call anything throughout the game. It's a physical game. And call a loose ball foul on a jump ball situation with guys diving on the floor? With the game on the line? This is a billion-dollar industry. You got people's jobs on the line."

This is the second loss in eight days in which the NBA confirmed a late call was correct that Kerr believed cost the Warriors a game. At the end of a 119-115 loss at Denver on Dec. 3, Kerr argued that Denver's Christian Braun signaled for a timeout after securing a loose ball while Denver had no timeouts left. The officials said they did not see Braun clearly signal for a timeout, which would have resulted in a technical foul and possession for the Warriors with 1.9 seconds left down four. The officials called for a jump ball instead.

"I am stunned," Kerr said after the Houston loss. "I give the Rockets credit. They battled back. They played great defense all night. But I feel for our guys. Our guys battled back, played their asses off and deserved to win that game or at least have a chance for one stop at the end to finish the game.

"And that was taken from us by a call that I don't think an elementary school referee would've made because that guy would've had feel and said, you know what? I'm not going to decide a game on a loose ball, 80 feet from the basket."

The trial of Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who is due to stand trial on charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking that could result in a sentence of up to 20 years, was postponed on Thursday until June 2, 2025 after a judge in the Dominican Republic ruled that key witnesses were not located in time to meet the originally scheduled Dec. 12 date.

Of the 36 witnesses scheduled to testify, only three were present in the courtroom in Puerto Plata on Thursday.

Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing at the request of prosecutors. Franco's lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February.

"There is no case against Wander, for as many witnesses as they present, there is no case now," Franco's lead lawyer Teodosio Jáquez told The Associated Press after the hearing.

The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment.

The 23-year-old shortstop said that his career is not over yet, that he wants justice to be done and that "everything is in God's hands."

Franco was a little upset when reporters ask him if his MLB career was over.

"I did not had a career," he said, implying that he still has it. "This is not over."

Franco, who was present in the courtroom to hear the news of the rescheduled trial, was placed on indefinite administrative leave from Major League Baseball on Aug. 22, 2023 in the midst of his third season. He was added to MLB's restricted list in July of 2024, sources had told ESPN, after prosecutors in the Dominican Republic accused him of having a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl.

Documents that prosecutors presented to the judge in July and were viewed by The Associated Press alleged that Franco, through his mother Yudelka Aybar, transferred 1 million pesos (about $17,000) to the mother of the minor on Jan. 5, 2023, to consent to the abuse. The mother of the minor has been charged with money laundering and is under house arrest.

Prosecutors say the minor's mother went from being a bank employee to leading an ostentatious life and acquiring assets using the funds she received from Franco. Prosecutors say $68,500 and $35,000 were found during raids on the house of the minor's mother, which prosecutors allege Franco delivered.

Franco is also under an MLB investigation based on its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy until the case is resolved.

The new court date for Franco and the mother of the girl now extends three years past the time that an investigation was opened in 2022. The case will be heard by a panel of three or five judges.

Franco is also facing charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm related to his arrest in an armed altercation in the Dominican Republic countryside last month. No court date has yet been set for his arraignment in that case. Prosecutors said a Glock with its magazine and 15 rounds of ammunition but no registration papers was found in Franco's black Mercedes-Benz at the time of the altercation.

The Rays gave Franco an 11-year, $182 million extension in 2021, just 70 games into his major league career.

He made the All-Star team for the first time in 2023.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Willy Adames wasted little time making one thing clear: He wants to play all 162 games for the San Francisco Giants.

So when introduced as their new shortstop Thursday, Adames looked to his left and gently put a hand on manager Bob Melvin's right shoulder, smiled and said, "if he lets me."

Melvin might not need much convincing, thrilled to suddenly have stability at a position that lacked continuity this year in his first season as skipper.

Adames didn't hesitate to also offer a thought to new boss Buster Posey: He plans to win a few championships with the Giants just like the catcher-turned-executive did here.

Surrounded by his parents and other family and friends, Adames was formally introduced and welcomed at Oracle Park after signing a $182 million, seven-year contract - the first big, splashy move made by Posey since he became President of Baseball Operations in late September.

"There's no words to describe my feeling right now to be here in this beautiful city, I'm just so happy to be here," Adames said. "... This is a dream come true for me. I'm thrilled to be here, I'm so excited. Hopefully we can win a few championships like you did, and that's one of the main reasons I'm here."

Everyone who has encountered Adames so far can't wait for him to get to work as an example both on the diamond and in the clubhouse.

"He's a unique connector of people," Posey shared from Craig Counsell's description of the 29-year-old infielder from the Dominican Republic. "That really struck me because I think to win championships you have to have personalities like Willy that they're able to identify with everybody in the clubhouse, and that's not just players. I heard from multiple people that Willy treats everybody with the utmost respect. He plays with energy, he plays with joy and I know that our fans are just going to be thrilled to watch him compete on a daily basis."

Adames' deal marks the richest contract for San Francisco since Posey reached a $167 million, nine-year pact in 2013.

"I didn't know 'til it was done. I was like 'wow,'" Adames said.

From afar, Adames watched the legacy left by his hero Derek Jeter that went far beyond the baseball diamond.

And that's as important to Adames as playing all 162 after he appeared in 161 games last season for Milwaukee. He considers part of his role to help the young players learn "to be a professional" and lead a club that has missed the playoffs the past three years in winning the right way.

"For me that comes first, it comes first to be a great human being. I've got to thank my parents for that, they raised me the right way, to try to treat everybody the same, it doesn't matter what you're doing," Adames said. "I think that's something that I'm really proud of, just to be the same guy every day, to be kind, just to give love back to people because there's a lot of hate out there and I don't really like that."

The Giants know Adames' positive influence could go far.

Asked about the instability at shortstop, Melvin noted, "Well, it's not a problem now."

Adames gives the Giants a power bat and reliable defense at his position. This year for the Brewers, he produced his best offensive season in the big leagues, batting .251 with a career-high 32 home runs and 112 RBI.

"Look, every team wants a Willy Adames on their team. I think the thing that strikes me the most is when I'd watch him play a couple times a year on the other side was he never looked like he had a bad day," Melvin said. "It always looked like every day was opening day to him. That enthusiasm when your best players are like that - Matt Chapman is like that, too - it's easy for everybody to have to fall in and play in that type of style. It's easier said than done but really for me that's the thing that struck me most is how much he loved playing baseball."

Adames is close friends with former Giants third baseman Matt Duffy, who shared his own experiences being part of the San Francisco franchise.

It all became real when Adames pulled on his new cream-colored Giants jersey and buttoned it up, saying, "I'm a little nervous about this."

A few moments later, the cap went on his head and he felt right at home.

"It looks amazing."

NEW YORK -- Juan Soto's decision to sign with the New York Mets not only bolstered the organization's chances to win World Series titles for years to come. It also doubled as a blow to their crosstown rivals after Soto thrived in his only season with the New York Yankees.

On Thursday, after his introductory news conference at Citi Field, Soto said the Yankees "did everything in their power" to sign him, but he ultimately thought the Mets were a better fit.

"I don't think it was the Mets over the Yankees," Soto said. "I think it was five teams that [were] right there on the table. I don't think it had anything to do with the Mets over the Yankees. I think we had all five teams pushing until the last moment, until the last time of making the decision. And we went over to the Mets."

Soto shined in the Bronx, clubbing a career-high 41 home runs, finishing third in American League MVP voting and helping the Yankees reach their first World Series since 2009 in his age-25 season. Their final offer -- 16 years for $760 million with no deferrals, according to sources -- was competitive with the 15-year, $765 million deal he chose to sign with the Mets.

It also would have been the largest contract in professional sports history. But it wasn't enough.

"I had other four teams doing the same thing and trying to make me comfortable," said Soto, who didn't talk to any of his former Yankees teammates during his time as a free agent. "And at the end of the day, we looked at everything. We looked at the chances, and we looked at what the other teams wanted to do and what everyone wants to do for the next 15 years. And I think we have the best chance over here."

Mets owner Steve Cohen said Soto made a request for a family suite in his contract from the beginning of negotiations and he did not hesitate to include it, a step the Yankees were not willing to take based on precedence with other star players. The deal includes a $75 million signing bonus and an opt-out after the fifth year that the Mets can avoid by adding $4 million to Soto's annual salary over the final 10 years of the contract, raising the potential total value to $805 million.

"When you get to those numbers, you're in a stratosphere," Cohen said. "And so you got to make a judgement call that this is really going to matter to the Mets and be something that's going to drive our goal to win championships. To get a player of his caliber is really unusual. So you got to step a little bit further than you would expect."

Soto emphasized the Mets' vision for the future, the financial commitment Cohen insisted he would make and the way the organization treated players and their families as the drivers for his decision. He mentioned building a "dynasty" multiple times.

"The Mets are a great organization and what they have done in the past couple of years, showing all the ability to keep winning ... to try to grow a dynasty is one of the most important things," Soto said. "What you were seeing from the other side was unbelievable. The vibes and everything. The feel and the future that this team has, it has a lot to do with my decision."

Cohen said he found Soto to be a very detail-oriented person, peppering Mets officials with questions. At one point during Soto's second recruitment lunch with the club, held Friday in Florida, Cohen said the superstar right fielder asked him how many World Series titles he envisioned winning over the next 10 years.

Cohen told Soto he'd like to win two to four.

"I think this accelerates our goal of winning championships," Cohen said Thursday.

Accelerating the goal with Soto onboard was on Cohen's mind long before this offseason. President of baseball operations David Stearns said Cohen told him the Mets would make a strong push for Soto if he reached free agency this winter during discussions before Stearns was hired to lead the front office in October 2023.

"We talked about some of the generational players in our game and the difficulty of accessing some of those generational players and certainly Juan is one of them," Stearns said.

Stearns said the preparation to pursue Soto began in earnest in August. Scott Boras, Soto's agent, indicated that eight teams showed sincere interest in bidding for his services, but Soto chose to narrow the field to five: The Mets, Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Soto held meetings with four of the clubs at a hotel in Newport Beach, California, in November. The Mets were the only team not to meet Soto there. Instead, the Mets held their gathering at Cohen's $32 million mansion in Beverly Hills.

There, the Mets presented Soto a video, in English, created by Cohen's son, Josh, inside the home's movie theater. His wife, Alex, impressed Soto's camp with her focus on family with her 93-year-old father, Ralph, known at Citi Field as "Mets Grandpa," flying cross-country to be in attendance.

"My father-in-law is at every game, every home game," Steve Cohen said. "I wanted [Soto] to see how important baseball is to this family. You know, Alex grew up with one TV in her apartment and that Met game was on every night."

Over 30 members of Soto's family were in attendance for Thursday's news conference. The Mets served lunch with Dominican food items.

"It looks good on you!" a member of his family yelled out in Spanish when Soto put on his new No. 22 jersey standing between Stearns and Boras.

In the end, Soto wore that number only one season across town. The Yankees ultimately fell short of the ultimate goal. In Queens, the Mets made an unexpected run to the National League Championship Series a year earlier than expected on strong vibes and a solid foundation. Now it's about winning championships.

"It's been a Mets town for a long time," Soto said. "I think we just got to bring it to the top. Championships are going to tell you if it's a Yankees or a Mets town at the end of the day."

An England XV will host a France XV in an uncapped match at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, 21 June.

The game will act as a warm-up for England's three-Test summer tour of Argentina and the United States, while France are scheduled to play a three-match series in New Zealand.

Players involved in the English Premiership final on 14 June and those selected for the British and Irish Lions training squad will not be involved.

France will also be without players involved in their domestic Top 14 play-offs.

It follows an announcement last month by the French rugby union, which said it would not select players competing in the Top 14 final for the national team's summer fixtures.

"This game presents an exciting opportunity to see some of the rising stars of the game in action," said England head coach Steve Borthwick.

"It's always an incredible occasion when England faces France, and we're looking forward to creating a memorable experience for everyone involved.

"The match will be a valuable opportunity for the players to test their skills against a tough opponent and strengthen their chances for tour selection."

Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, R du Preez, James, O'Flaherty; Ford, Warr; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Harper, Bamber, Hill, JL du Preez, B Curry (capt), D du Preez.

Replacements: McElroy, McIntyre, John, Beaumont, Dugdale, Quirke, Nayacalevu, Wills.

Racing 92: Tedder, Arundell, James, Chavancy, Spring; Lancaster, Le Garrec; Gogichashvili, Chat, Sordoni, Kpoku, Rowlands, Woki (capt), Baudonne, Dayimani.

Replacements: Escobar, Julien, Kharaishvili, Sanconnie, Diallo, Le Bail, Gibert, Naituvi.

Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)

Ford also had to contend with boos from a section of the Twickenham crowd when it appeared he was going to again replace Smith against Australia, with head coach Steve Borthwick instead moving Smith to full-back.

"When you are representing your country and you've done it for a long time, you would expect the crowd to be fully behind you," Ford added.

"This isn't just me, it has happened recently in the past with people like Owen [Farrell]. It is a funny way to be [booing your own team].

"But if my team-mates know the value I bring, and the coaches know the value I bring, and my family know the value I bring, that's all that matters to me."

And Ford says he will use all his experience to help the younger fly-halves like Smith and namesake Fin, whoever ends up being selected going forward.

"I'm not saying I've got the answers to everything in rugby, but I have been around since 2014 on the international stage and I have a fair amount of experience, and if I can pass anything on to Fin, or even Marcus even though he is racking up the caps now to help those lads to help the team, then I will do that," Ford said.

"We are all team-mates and we all want to help each other out, and as much as I can help in whatever capacity that is that week, then I will do it.

"I try and pride myself on trying to be a good person and a good guy when it comes to helping others out who are potentially playing ahead of you."

Ford will be in Champions Cup action on Friday evening as Sale look to recover from defeat at Glasgow when they host Stuart Lancaster's Racing 92.

After being rested last weekend, other England internationals like Luke Cowan-Dickie and Ben Curry are also set to return to the Sharks fold, with Ford seeing it as a perfect opportunity to build some form and momentum from both an individual and team perspective.

"A lot of the things about the game these days both within games and outside games is how you respond to things," Ford said.

"There are so many ups and downs on the field, and it's the same in a bigger context. The England lads came back and were a little bit down; some lads didn't play a lot, some lads played a little bit and it didn't go the way we wanted it to go.

"But it is how you respond, and how you come back here and attack things at the club and hopefully get a run of games.

"I'm a big believer that there are going to be some bumps and some rocky road along the way, but to keep showing up and to keep responding is the main thing, and I think you'll come out the other end more often than not."

Born in the Philippines, Smith made his Harlequins debut against London Irish at Twickenham in September 2017.

He scored 199 points in 28 matches in his debut season and has gone on to amass 1,505 in total for the club.

Smith made his full England Test debut against USA in July 2021. He was part of the squad that finished third at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, often selected at full-back.

He was Steve Borthwick's preferred fly-half in the autumn internationals, starting in all four matches against New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Japan ahead of Sale's George Ford.

Smith made his Harlequins return in Friday's European Champions Cup defeat by Racing 92.

"Every time I play at The Stoop, I feel the love from the fans and their support for not only myself, but the team - I think they provide the best support this league has to offer," he added.

"Personally, and collectively, we are all so grateful for them.

"I've come through the academy and still play with a lot of my best mates hopefully we can achieve more of our dreams together."

Harlequins are seventh in the Premiership table with three wins from their opening seven matches.