Legal Online Sports Betting in the US – 2025 Guide

After yet another exit in the first round in the playoffs, LeBron James opts in with the Los Angeles Lakers with his player option to play one more year with the Purple & Gold as he seeks to come up with another championship run heading into the 2025-26 NBA season. With this decision, James now becomes the first player to play a 23rd season in the history of the league.

James is slated to earn $52.6 million on his final deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and will become a free agent by July 2026 provided that he does not sign any other deals with the Lakers or other teams. On top of that LeBron also returned to on-court workouts this week after taking some time to recover from his sprained knee ligament that he suffered in Game 5 of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

In that regard, it seems that Los Angeles will be keeping its main star for one more year as they hope to come up with a promising campaign that will have them ready for another competitive run. After all, James is still seeking his first NBA title since winning last 2020, and that would be a legendary finish to his already majestic NBA career.

Was There Any Doubt?

Ahead of the final games of the 2025 NBA Finals, James has released a few videos detailing his future and hinting at one more season to play in the NBA at the very least. LeBron, at the very least, didn’t have any doubts about staying in the league as he still has a very healthy finish compared to most players.

“I have a lot of time to take care of my injury, my knee, the rest of my body and make sure I’m as close to 100% as possible when training camp begins in late September,” James said in that interview.

James is known well for his longevity in the league. He has rarely missed a lot of games in a single season, and is rarely hurt and struck by major injuries that we have seen from the likes of Tyrese Haliburton most recently. So far, it seems that LeBron is keen to return to play one more year for now.

While talks about his retirement are still largely buzzing, this decision by the four-time MVP is certainly going to trim a lot of those discussions moving forward into the offseason.

Big LeBron Run Coming Up

As he is set to return, LeBron will now be playing alongside his co-star Luka Doncic for the first time in a full year. Doncic was traded last February to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. While they did made better strides en route to the playoffs, Los Angeles eventually fell to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in five games.

Still, the Lakers finished at a satisfactory pace as the third seed in the West. James is also set to turn 41 this December – although it is unlikely to affect his level of play. If you are not impressed, note that James has averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in the previous campaign – that is way better than many other young players in the league right now. Oh, and he is still slated to add more to his points tally as the NBA’s All-Time scoring leader.

João Fonseca’s journey to Wimbledon 2025 is already one for the ages. At just 17 years old, the Brazilian phenomenon has embarked on a path that has seen him rewrite history and electrify tennis audiences worldwide – and now, he’s set to make his much-anticipated main-draw debut at the sport’s most venerated stage.

Just six months ago, Fonseca was little more than a promising junior, ranked outside the top 200. But that began to change at the Australian Open, where in his very first Grand Slam main-draw match he defeated world No. 9 Andrey Rublev in straight sets – a stunning breakthrough that made him only the second teenager since 1973 to beat a top‑10 player in his debut match.

It was a moment that sent shock waves through the tennis world – and one that served notice: Fonseca was not simply a rising talent, he was a force. His rapid ascent continued as he became the youngest Brazilian ever to crack the ATP top 100, soaring from No. 651 to No. 99 within a few months. In February, he clinched his first ATP title in Buenos Aires – becoming his country’s youngest tour-level champion and only the seventh-youngest ATP champion since 2000.

The Testament to Growth in Tennis

All of these successes by Fonseca is just proof that he thrives well under pressure – showing grit, resilience through adversity, and maturity well beyond his years. As the grass-court season commenced, Fonseca continued to break new ground. He displayed gritty determination at the Halle tournament, narrowly losing a well-fought three-set opener, and used it as critical experience to prepare for Wimbledon.

His grass game showed significant progression – during practice sessions alongside two-time defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, Fonseca demonstrated an uncanny ability to match the rhythm and intensity of one of the sport’s elite.

“For me this tournament is a dream. Everything you can see is perfect, even the flowers. Every detail is just perfect. When you come here, you just see how amazing it is,” the 18-year-old Fonseca said. “It's just a dream come true. It's for sure my favourite Grand Slam because of the culture and the history of Wimbledon. Every kid that plays tennis and wants to be a professional wants to come here.”

Wimbledon represents another milestone. Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Fonseca dreamt of playing on its manicured lawns. Now, he’s walking out onto Court One, that dream materialized, filled with the cultural weight of Wimbledon’s tradition. Reuters reports him acknowledging that everything he sees, the manicured grass and the storied flowers – all feel extraordinary; it is his dream realized. And as he steps onto the grass, he’s not just a debutant; he’s a history-maker in the making.

A History Waiting to be Written

Of course, the path forward remains uncertain. Grass is unforgiving, and the margins are razor-thin. But Fonseca has shown a willingness to learn, adapt, and evolve – qualities that underpin greatness. His coach notes he “likes playing with pressure,” channeling it into performance. He’s entering Wimbledon as more than just a talent; he’s armed with belief, grounded by family, and buoyed by global applause.

So when the first serve is struck on Court One, João Fonseca won’t just be making history – he’ll be continuing it. From junior world No. 1, to a Grand Slam debut that shocked the sport, to becoming Brazil’s youngest tour-level champion, and now crossing the iconic threshold at Wimbledon, his trajectory is nothing short of cinematic.

Nothing has been easy for Walker Buehler so far, and his continued struggles on the pitching side have been quite disappointing given the way he has played so far. While there are still a lot of games to play in the season, the Red Sox star has been quite on the fence about his chances to improve his play, and finally get back on track with his level of play now more than ever.

If there’s going to be a list of struggling players in the 2025 MLB season, it seems that Buehler would definitely be topping the list with the way he is playing right now. He has been struggling to find ways to win in his games, and it is clear that he could not come up with a promising stretch that would see him thrive on the biggest stage now more than ever.

Buehler is a great player in his own right, but it is the untimely struggles, albeit a hint of promising pitches from time to time, that have bothered his game. So far, this is expected to be the big issue in his game, and consistency is going to be quite a serious matter if he is going to stay in the lineup.

Struggles Happen in MLB

Despite being one of the most experienced players in the game, Buehler has seen the toughest stretch of his career now more than ever. In that regard, the two-time World Series winner has lost his rotation spot and could not find a way to break out of his slump. But then again, if injuries can happen – struggles are definitely more possible as well.

“Yeah, I think I'm fighting for my spot in the game honestly,” said Buehler. “I think at some point, the way that I’ve thrown, there’s not a lot of places for 7 ERA starting pitchers in the big leagues. I don’t know what the next step is, and obviously I want to take the ball every fifth day and keep going and keep fighting.”

There was even a day when Buehler even gave up four hits and four runs – and walking three and striking out three on 72 pitches. At this point, his ERA has swelled up to 6.45. Even for manager Alex Cora, it is not the time to think about Buehler’s spot in the Red Sox’s rotation.

Can Buehler Bounce Back?

Boston’s rotation depth, fortunately, is messed up enough to the point that they are buying Buehler some time to get back on his best game now more than ever. Tanner Houck is yet to come up with a great return from rehab, and Hunter Dolphins is still dealing with right elbow soreness. However, all of these help Buehler stay in the team – at least for now.

“At the end of the day, we have depth and talent in this organization and there are realities in this game,” Buehler said. “I’ll kind of keep going and keep trying to figure it out. I think I kind of owe that to my family and to myself, given the rehab that we go through, and what that does to you. I’m going to find it and have a run. I just don't know when or where that'll be.”

But he’s still grinding. After all, his one-year, $21.05 million contract in December isn’t endless.