Messi leads Argentina to World Cup comeback,LeBron inches toward decision

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⚽ Five things to know Wednesday

1. Lionel Messi led Argentina to an incredible comeback against Egypt. Even at the age of 39, Messi is building upon his already impeccable legacy. With Argentina down 2-0 well into the second half, Messi brought his team back from the dead with a goal and an assist to beat Egypt, 3-2. Messi scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute, his World Cup-leading eighth goal of the tournament, and legendary announcer Andres Cantor lost his voice on the call. In the other round of 16 matchup, Switzerland upset Colombia on penalty kicks after playing to a 0-0 draw.
2. LeBron James is inching closer to a decision. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is still on the market, but it seems like he has narrowed his list of potential destinations. After Donovan Mitchell inked a $237 million contract extensionthe Cavaliers suddenly appear to be one of the favorites to land James. If you’re waiting for a decision to drop any moment now, don’t hold your breath. There’s a good chance James pushes his decision to at least mid-July.
3. Jalen Brunson will undergo offseason wrist surgery. Staying in the NBA, if you weren’t already impressed by what Brunson did in the playoffs, you will be now. Brunson played through a wrist injury severe enough that he will require offseason surgery to get it fully repaired. Despite that, he averaged 28.1 points per game in the playoffs en route to winning Finals MVP. Don’t worry, Knicks fans, Brunson is expected to be back at full strength later this summer.
4. Royals OF Tyler Tolbert made MLB history with a red-hot streak at the plate. Unbelievably, the last-place Royals are here for the second consecutive morning after making baseball history. This time, it was Tolbert entering the record books with hits in 12 straight plate appearancestied for the longest streak since 1952. I look forward to seeing what Kansas City has in store for us tonight. Speaking of history, Pirates 1B Ryan O’Hearn set a franchise record with 10 RBI vs. the Braves.
5. Aces waived Chennedy Carter as her tumultuous career takes another turn. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Carter is about to be a free agent yet again following her release from the Aces. Since then, however, Carter has played just 97 games across four different teams. Injuries and off-field drama have derailed Carter’s career, but she has produced when healthy and on the court. There should be at least a few teams lined up to give her another chance.

🌟 Do not miss this: NFL top 25 under 25

There is an abundance of young talent in the NFL these days, and that wave of up-and-coming stars will become the faces of the league sooner rather than later.

Our team of NFL experts put their heads together to identify the best and brightest of that bunch — resulting in our ranking of the top 25 NFL players under 25. As you might imagine, there were plenty of tough calls, both in terms of placement and which players were left on the cutting room floor.

Commanders QB Jayden Danielswho is coming off a disastrous sophomore campaign, remained inside the top 10. That’s a testament to the strength of Daniels’ rookie season, as well as the faith that he can bounce back with more talent around him, as Tyler Sullivan explains.

• Sullivan: “Still, we’re giving him the benefit of the doubt with this high ranking. Daniels’ rookie season, when he led Washington to the NFC Championship and a 12-5 record, was awe-inspiring. That year, he accounted for 31 total touchdowns and just nine turnovers to go with a 100.1 passer rating. That quarterback is still there in Washington; he just needs to stay healthy.”

You want a quick preview of the full list? OK, fine. Here’s a taste:

21. De’Von AchaneRB, Dolphins
22. Cooper DeJeanCB, Eagles
23. Sauce GardnerCB, Colts
24. Joe AltOT, Chargers
25. Colston LovelandTE, Bears

One player who hasn’t been on this list for 17 years is Aaron Rodgers. As the 42-year-old QB prepares for his second season with the Steelers, what can we reasonably expect from him at this point in his career?

🏈 Building the ultimate CFB team

Who doesn’t love a little fantasy football exercise in July?

(Side note: Our industry-best fantasy football team is already prepping you for your 2026 drafts).

Our own Chris Hummer set out to build the ultimate college football teamusing the best position groups from around the country. The usual suspects, such as Georgia, Ohio State and Miami, are represented, but don’t sleep on the defending champs. Between Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, Indiana has an elite one-two punch at WR, even if they aren’t household names … yet.

• Hummer: “Becker is a 6-foot-3, 207-pound contested catch machine — he caught 13 of 17 contested balls thrown his way last season — and combines that with high-end speed that saw him hit 22.5 miles per hour on the GPS, per an Indiana source. He should build on his 679-yard, four-touchdown 2025 campaign. Marsh arrives in Bloomington from Michigan State, where the 6-foot-3, 203-pounder caught 100 passes for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns as an underclassman.”

Here’s the breakdown of teams represented in our CFB Voltron by conference:

• SEC (5)
• Big Ten (3)
• ACC (1)
• Big 12 (1)
• Independents (1)

Spoiler alert: One team that failed to make an appearance in that piece was Auburnwhich is now on its seventh coach (including interims) since 2020. Alex Golesh will now get his shot to right the ship on The Plains, but he faces one big question. How long will it take him to beat Alabama?

👍👎 The best (and not-so-best) of the rest

📺 What we’re watching Wednesday

🎾 Wimbledon: Quarterfinals8 a.m. on ESPN
⚾ Yankees at Rays6:40 p.m. on Prime Video
⚾ Phillies at Reds7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Lynx at Sun7:30 p.m. on USA Network
⚾ Diamondbacks at Padres10 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Fever at Sparks10 p.m. on USA Network