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Tadej Pogacar wins Tour de France Stage 4, yellow jersey in reach

The battle for the yellow jersey at the 2025 Tour de France is heating up after a thrilling finish on Tuesday, July 8, involving some of this year’s favorites at cycling’s biggest event.

Three-time Tour de France and current world champion Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia surged past Mathieu van der Poel and rival Jonas Vingegaard near the finish line to take Stage 4 and inch closer to grabbing control of the yellow jersey. It was Pogačar’s first stage win this year, and 18th overall stage win at the Tour de France. The race, which took place on a 174.2-kilometer course between Amiens and Rouen and featured several late climbs, also became the 100th victory of his professional career.

Van der Peul began the day with the yellow jersey and will retain it heading into a crucial individual time trial in Caen on Wednesday, July 9 for Stage 5. He and Pogačar are currently tied in overall time, eight seconds ahead of Vingegaard. American Matteo Jorgenson sits in fourth. Pogačar, who races for UAE Team Emirates XRG, also moved ahead of Belgian Tim Wellens to claim the polka dot jersey as the top climber at the Tour de France through Stage 4.

Here’s a look at the complete stage 4 results and 2025 Tour de France standings after Tuesday, July 8, as well as what’s coming up for cycling’s biggest race:

Stage 4 results

Final results of the 174.2-kilometer Stage 4 from Amiens to Rouen at the 2025 Tour de France on Tuesday, July 8.

Tour de France 2025 standings

  1. Mathieu van der Poel, Netherlands: 16h 46′ 00”
  2. Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia: 16h 46′ 00”
  3. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark: 16h 46′ 08” (8 seconds behind)
  4. Matteo Jorgenson, USA: 16h 46′ 19” (19 seconds)
  5. Kevin Vauquelin, France: 16h 46′ 26” (26 seconds)
  6. Enric Mas, Spain: 16h 46′ 48” (48 seconds)
  7. Oscar Onley, Great Britain: 16h 46′ 55” (55 seconds)
  8. Joao Almeida, Portugal: 16h 46′ 55” (55 seconds)
  9. Remco Evenepoel, Belgium: 16h 46′ 58” (58 seconds)
  10. Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark: 16h 47′ 02” (1 minute, 2 seconds)

2025 Tour de France jersey leaders

Yellow (overall race leader): Mathieu Van der Poel, Netherlands

Green (points): Jonathan Milan, Italy

Polka dot (mountains): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia

White (young rider): Kevin Vauquelin, France

Who’s wearing the rainbow jersey at 2025 Tour de France?

In addition to the four traditional colored jerseys at the Tour de France, the reigning world road race champion wears a rainbow-colored jersey. It’s white with five colored stripes – blue, red, black, yellow and green (same as the colors of the Olympic rings) – and is currently worn by Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia.

2025 Tour de France next stage

Stage 5 is a 33-kilometer individual time trial in Caen on Wednesday, July 9.

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Brock Purdy calls 49ers’ LT Trent Williams his security blanket

The San Francisco 49ers endured a tough 2024 campaign following their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58.

Things took a turn late in the offseason when top draft pick Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery. Injuries and more off-field issues contributed to a six-win campaign, tied for the fewest in the last five years for the franchise.

Injuries piled up on both sides of the ball but hit some on the offense hardest. Star running back Christian McCaffrey missed most of the season and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7.

One of the biggest losses came on the offensive line as first-team All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams missed seven games with an ankle injury.

For quarterback Brock Purdy, that was a key loss down the second half of the season.

‘Last year he got hurt towards the end and it’s just different,’ Purdy said on the July 8 episode of the ‘Bussin with the Boys’ podcast. ‘Obviously, whoever gets thrown in I trust and we’re good… [but] he’s locked down over there.

He’s my little safety blanket. I’m like ‘I need my binkie’ and I need him to be in the game.’

Prior to 2024, Williams had made the Pro Bowl in 11 of the last 12 seasons. The lone exception was 2019 which he missed when recovering from surgery to remove cancer. He was a first-team All-Pro from 2021 to 2023 with San Francisco.

‘You watch his run game and the stuff, the moves that he does, it’s like ‘what the heck?” Purdy said. ‘He does this ninja move thing and then pushes guys in the ground… as a right-handed quarterback, knowing that my left side dude is good, I can’t even describe to you.’

Williams is entering his age-37 season in 2025 but says he is not considering retirement anytime soon.

“I just feel like I do myself and my teammates a disservice if I’m looking toward the end,” Williams said during minicamp. “I’m paid, people count on me to be here now. We got goals and aspirations as a team. I just don’t think putting brain power toward that helps us get to where we want to go.’

San Francisco starts training camp on July 15 for rookies and July 22 for veterans like Williams and Purdy.

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Iran says it can strike the US and Israel for two years. Does it really have that power?

Even amid a fragile ceasefire, Iran continues to warn the United States and Israel that it retains the ability to inflict serious damage if provoked. 

Iranian officials have declared the country can sustain daily missile strikes for two years — a claim drawing increasing scrutiny from military experts and Western intelligence analysts.

‘Our armed forces are at the height of their readiness,’ said Major General Ebrahim Jabbari of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), speaking to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. ‘The warehouses, underground missile bases, and facilities we have are so enormous that we have yet to demonstrate the majority of our defense capabilities and effective missiles.’

‘In case of a war with Israel and the U.S., our facilities will not run out even if we launch missiles at them every day for two years,’ he added.

Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior military advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, echoed that warning: ‘The Zionists know that some of our forces, such as the Navy and the Quds Force, have not yet entered into battle,’ he said. ‘So far, we have produced several thousand missiles and drones, and their place is secure.’

But intelligence analysis suggests Iran’s claims mask serious losses.

Tehran began the conflict with an arsenal of about 3,000 missiles and 500 missile launchers to 600 missile launchers, according to open-source intelligence. By the end of the so-called ’12-Day War’ — a series of attacks by Israel on its military storage warehouses and production facilities followed by U.S. attacks on nuclear sites and Iran’s counterattacks — it was down to between 1,000 missiles and 1,500 missiles and only 150 launchers to 200 launchers. 

‘The regime has increasingly been forced to choose between using or losing these projectiles as Israel targeted missile launchers,’ said Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 

Replacing the missile launchers after Israel degraded their production capabilities will be extremely difficult, according to Danny Citrinowicz, Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies. 

‘Israel attacked every place that the Iranians manufacture missiles,’ he told Fox News Digital. 

Iran may have the capacity to attack Israel with its missiles, but ‘not in the hundreds.’ 

Could Iran strike the US homeland?

Iranian rhetoric occasionally has floated the idea of striking the U.S. directly, but analysts agree that the threat is far more limited.

‘The theoretical way they can strike the U.S. is just using their capacity in Venezuela,’ Citrinowicz said, referring to Iran’s growing military cooperation with its capital of Caracas. ‘Strategically, it was one of the main goals that they had — to build their presence in Venezuela. But it’s a long shot. It would be very hard to do so, and I’m not sure the Venezuelan government would like that to happen.’

Instead, any retaliatory strike would likely focus on U.S. assets and personnel in the Middle East.

Can Kasapoglu, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and Middle East military affairs expert, said Israel’s war aims went beyond missile factories, targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and advanced weapons development.

‘We are not 100% sure about the damage to centrifuges, so we cannot say the nuclear program is annihilated,’ Kasapoglu said. ‘But we can safely assume the nuclear program had a setback for years.’

He added that Israel focused heavily on Iran’s solid-propellant, medium-range ballistic missiles — many of which have ‘very high terminal velocity, close to Mach 10,’ and are capable of evasive maneuvers. 

‘That makes them even more dangerous,’ he said.

Still, despite the setbacks, Iran ‘is still the largest ballistic missile power in the Middle East,’ he emphasized. ‘We saw that during the war, as Iran was able to penetrate Israeli airspace — even when Israeli and American interceptors were firing interceptor after interceptor to stop a single ballistic missile.’

Comparing ‘magazine depth,’ Kasapoglu noted Iran still maintains a deeper stockpile of missiles than Israel, even with U.S. assistance, and has interceptors.

Proxy forces and Chinese involvement

The regional threat isn’t limited to Iran’s mainland arsenal. Iran’s proxies, particularly the Houthis in Yemen, remain a potent force.

‘The Houthis are the one Iranian proxy I am really concerned about.’ 

Kasapoglu pointed to new intelligence accusing Chinese satellite companies of providing real-time targeting data to the Houthis, who have resumed maritime attacks in the Red Sea. 

‘Two days ago, they attacked a Liberian-flagged Greek merchant vessel,’ he said.

With advanced Chinese satellite support and hardened anti-ship cruise missiles, the Houthis could destabilize shipping lanes and widen the conflict beyond the Israel-Iran front.

‘Iran still has significant asymmetric capabilities in the maritime domain and transnational terrorist apparatus, but it’s hard to see how deploying these assets would not invite further ruin,’ said Taleblu. ‘Bluster and hyperbole have long been elements of Iran’s deterrence strategy.’ 

The so-called ’12-Day War’ ended in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, but the region remains on edge. Iran’s leaders continue to boast about untapped military capabilities, but battlefield losses, manufacturing disruptions and previous counter-attack measures have limited its options. 

While Tehran retains the power to project force and threaten both Israel and U.S. regional assets, experts agree that its ability to launch sustained, high-volume attacks has been meaningfully curtailed.

Iran may still be dangerous, but its bark, for now, may be louder than its bite.

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New book reveals what top ex-Biden aide was thinking during disastrous debate

President Joe Biden’s former chief of staff and a fixture of his re-election campaign, Ron Klain, privately announced during Biden’s disastrous debate performance: ‘We’re f—ed.’

‘2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,’ a new book released Tuesday by journalists Josh Dawsey of The Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of The New York Times and Isaac Arnsdor of The Washington Post, is the latest analysis of how Biden lost the White House. 

The authors described how, during the June 2024 debate, ‘Biden’s aides winced as the president started answering the first question about the economy and voters who felt they were worse off under his presidency.’ 

And backstage, as Biden stumbled over an answer that questionably ended with, ‘We finally beat Medicare,’ back in the holding room, Klain stood up and announced, ‘We’re f—ed,’ according to the authors. 

Mike Donilon, Bruce Reed and Klain were among those leading Biden’s final prep ahead of the debate, according to the book. 

Despite Klain expressing doubt internally, Klain continued to defend the president amid calls from donors and politicians for Biden to step down. 

On June 30, 2024, Klain reshared an X post that urged Americans to ignore the ‘news reports’ with ‘anonymous sources about Dem donors calling for Biden to withdraw.’

‘We are the Democratic Party! These people don’t get to decide to oust a pro-labor pro-people President,’ Klain said on July 4, 2024, in response to The New York Times reporting about the Democrats’ pressure campaign against Biden. 

According to the book, after the debate, Klain called Jeff Zients, his successor as Biden’s chief of staff, to say he was ‘disturbed that Biden was planning to spend the weekend at Camp David.’

‘We have an emergency,’ Klain told Zients, according to the book. ‘We have a crisis on Capitol Hill, and the crisis is going to accelerate.’

But Zients insisted Biden was going to Camp David to be with his family, instead of Klain’s plan to appease the progressive wing of the party with a bold second-term agenda. 

‘I have no f—ing clue why he’s going to Camp David this weekend,’ Klain said, according to the authors. ‘He needs to be working the phones, day and night.’

Even before the debate, when concerns about the first octogenarian president’s ability to lead the country through a second term came to a boiling point, Klain had concerns, as portrayed in the book. 

Klain had overseen debate prep for every Democratic presidential candidate since 2004, according to the authors. Between Biden’s cold, a shorter prep window than usual and staffers privately expressing concern, debate prep in Camp David did not quite go as planned, the authors claimed.

‘This is going to be really touch and go in Atlanta,’ Klain told Donilon and Reed ahead of the debate, according to the book. 

Fox News Digital has written extensively dating back to the 2020 presidential campaign about Biden’s cognitive decline and his inner circle’s alleged role in covering it up.

When reached for comment, Klain told Fox News Digital, ‘I have nothing to add.’

Biden did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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TSA expected to end shoes-off policy at many airports across US

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are expected to roll back the ‘shoes-off’ airport security protocol at a Tuesday press conference in Washington.

DHS sources confirmed a 5 p.m. ET announcement at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, following widespread reporting that TSA will allow more passengers going through security to remove their shoes.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said ending the protocol is ‘big news from @DHSgov’ in a post to X.

The policy was first implemented in 2006 and was prompted by ‘shoe bomber’ Richard Reid, a British citizen with ties to al-Qaeda, who attempted to detonate explosives he had hidden in his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001.

‘TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture,’ a TSA spokesperson said in a statement. ‘Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels.’

TSA PreCheck and partners CLEAR, IDEMIA and Telos have kept passengers from taking their shoes off in security for a number of years, but the latest change would impact everyone traveling through the main security line.

This change comes as the Trump administration’s TSA looks to alleviate some of the hassles of travel, and just last week began rolling out a new security lane exclusively for active-duty service members.

Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston

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Trump administration moves decisively to block China from ‘weaponizing’ American farmland

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled its National Farm Security Action Plan on Tuesday morning.

The plan is specifically meant to address threats from foreign governments, like China, and how those threats impact American farmers. It presents legislative and executive reforms such as banning Chinese nationals from obtaining farmland in the U.S., as well as assessing who holds land near military bases.

‘The farm’s produce is not just a commodity, it is a way of life that underpins America itself. And that’s exactly why it is under threat from criminals, from political adversaries, and from hostile regimes that understand our way of life as a profound and existential threat to themselves,’ USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a press event in Washington, D.C.

‘For them, agricultural lands and our farms, because they are a previous inheritance, are weapons to be turned against us,’ she continued. ‘We see it again and again, from Chinese communist acquisition of American farmland to criminal exploits of our system of agriculture, to the theft of operational information required to work the land and beyond. All of this takes what is profoundly good and turns it toward evil purposes.’ 

Rollins was joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

‘As someone who’s charged with leading the Defense Department, I want to know who owns the land around our bases and strategic bases and getting an understanding of why foreign entities, foreign companies, foreign individuals might be buying up land around those bases,’ Hegseth said.

Bondi directly referenced how agroterrorism is becoming a top concern for the administration. Two Chinese nationals were arrested in Michigan last month for allegedly smuggling what FBI Director Kash Patel described as a ‘known agroterrorism agent.’

‘A country who cannot feed itself, cannot take care of itself, and cannot provide for itself, is not secure, and we have to be able to feed ourselves to make sure that no other country ever controls us,’ Noem said.

Noem said that during her time as governor of South Dakota she signed a law that banned the governments of China, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela and Russia and entities related to them from buying farmland in the state.

‘And I’ve watched for decades as evil foreign governments, including China, have come into this country, and they have stolen our intellectual property. They’ve manipulated their currency, they’ve treated us unfairly in trade deals. They’ve come in and purchased up our processing companies, stolen our genetics,’ she continued.

Numerous states have laws on the books restricting land purchases by those with ties to China and other foreign adversaries. In 2021, over 383,000 acres had ties to China, but the number has dipped in recent years, according to Agriculture Dive. 

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Trump dishes on Milley clash over leaving military equipment in Afghanistan: ‘I knew he was an idiot’

President Donald Trump disclosed he and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley clashed over leaving equipment in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrew troops in 2021. 

Trump, who historically has pushed to recover billions of dollars’ worth of equipment U.S. troops left in Afghanistan, said Milley argued at the time it was cheaper to leave the equipment there. 

‘That’s when I knew he was an idiot,’ Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. ‘Didn’t take long to figure that one out. But they left all that equipment. But they left their dignity behind. It was the most embarrassing moment, in my opinion, in the history of our country. Not that we got out. We should have not been there, but that we got out the way we got out with great embarrassment and death.’ 

Milley, who is now retired, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

The Taliban seized nearly all of the more than $7 billion worth of equipment U.S. troops left in Afghanistan during the withdrawal process, according to a 2022 Department of Defense report.

While U.S. troops removed or destroyed most of the major equipment, aircraft, ground vehicles and other weapons were left in Afghanistan. The condition of these items remains unknown, but the Pentagon said in the report the equipment likely would fail operationally without maintenance from U.S. contractors. 

In 2021, President Joe Biden signed off on pulling U.S. troops from Afghanistan, following up on existing plans from the first Trump administration in 2020 with Taliban leaders to end the conflict. 

However, Biden bore the brunt of criticism for the withdrawal after the Taliban rapidly took over Afghanistan again, and more than a dozen U.S. service members died supporting evacuation efforts. 

Thirteen U.S. service members were killed during the withdrawal process due to a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate, outside the then-Hamid Karzai International Airport, as the Taliban gained control of Kabul.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced in May that he had instructed the Pentagon to launch a comprehensive review of the U.S. withdrawal to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the event and to hold those responsible accountable. 

‘The Department of Defense has an obligation, both to the American people and to the warfighters who sacrificed their youth in Afghanistan, to get to the facts,’ Hegseth said in a memo in May. ‘This remains an important step toward regaining faith and trust with the American people and all those who wear the uniform and is prudent based on the number of casualties and equipment lost during the execution of this withdrawal operation.’ 

While Trump tapped Milley to serve as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2019, the relationship between the two unraveled after Milley issued an apology for appearing beside Trump in uniform during a photo-op outside the White House during the 2020 protests following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer.

Milley said in his apology that his appearance ‘created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.’

‘As a commissioned uniformed officer, it was a mistake that I have learned from, and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it,’ Milley said in the apology. 

Since then, Trump has issued various threats toward Milley, such as appearing to suggest Milley deserved to face execution for actions, including speaking to Chinese officials. Prior to departing office, Biden issued a preemptive pardon to Milley to safeguard the retired general from retributive actions by Trump. 

Hegseth yanked Milley’s security clearance in January. 

Milley told lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee in March 2024 that he and the commander of U.S. Central Command at the time of the withdrawal, Marine Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., both advised Biden to keep some U.S. troops in Afghanistan after pulling most forces. 

‘The outcome in Afghanistan was the result of many decisions from many years of war,’ Milley told lawmakers. ‘Like any complex phenomena, there was no single causal factor that determined the outcome.’

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Former NFL All-Pro criticizes Dolphins’ lack of leadership

The Miami Dolphins still need cornerback reinforcements after trading away Jalen Ramsey. But if they were planning to sign Asante Samuel Jr. to fill that need, they may want to reconsider.

The Miami Herald reported Monday that the Dolphins have checked in on Samuel, who remains a free agent as he works his way back from neck surgery. Even if Miami likes what it sees, it may have to deal with one other complication.

Samuel’s father, two-time Super Bowl champion cornerback Asante Samuel Sr., harshly criticized the Dolphins and their leadership on a recent episode of his podcast, ‘Say What Needs To Be Said.’

Samuel Sr. said he believes the only reason Miami traded away Ramsey was because the team’s current regime – head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier – are weak leaders who are unable to stand up to outspoken players.

‘The Dolphins had no reason to trade Jalen Ramsey other than they’re sensitive,’ Samuel said. ‘There’s no leadership in the Dolphins organization. Mike McDaniel is a push-over. Chris Grier, the general manager, has no backbone.

‘They are running this team like a little league team. No one can stand up to the players. They’re terrified of their own players, and they have no control over their players.’

Samuel Sr. played 11 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons. He won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, was an All-Pro in 2007 and earned four Pro Bowl nods between 2007-2010.

Samuel Jr. is a free agent after his rookie contract with the Los Angeles Chargers expired at the end of the 2024 season. He tallied two interceptions in each of his first three seasons, but his most recent season was cut short by a shoulder injury. Samuel Jr. underwent neck surgery in April and is still waiting to sign with a team as he recovers.

Other notable free agents at the cornerback position are Rasul Douglas, who played with the Bills last year, and Stephon Gilmore, who spent 2024 with the Vikings.

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NBA power rankings: Free agency, draft alter league hierarchy

The pace of NBA free agency has eased, with teams mostly settled headed into their summer vacations.

Yet, there are still a few pieces out there, namely some intriguing restricted free agents who could sill move the needle.

Bulls point guard Josh Giddey and Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga are the players who would most impact new teams, though Chicago and Golden State each have the chance to match any offer sheets prospective teams can offer those players. Damian Lillard (Achilles) is another name to watch, though any team that signs him wouldn’t stand to benefit until next season. The biggest issue facing each of these players is that it’s a depressed market, with few teams having adequate cap space to make additional moves.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ post-playoffs, post-draft, post-free agency NBA power rankings:

NBA power rankings, 2025 free agency edition

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The champs return the heart of their roster, and reached a long-term extension with 2024-25 MVP and 2025 Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Plus, the Thunder will get a chance to see how 2024 first-round pick Nikola Topic and 2025 first-round pick Thomas Sorber fit into the rotation.

2. Houston Rockets

The Rockets shoved all their chips to the center of the table. They added Kevin Durant, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith, reached deals to bring back Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr., Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday, Jeff Green and Jae’Sean Tate. Yes, they have to give up players (Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Cam Whitmore) to make it happen. But it’s obvious the organization thinks a title is doable.

3. Denver Nuggets

Trading Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson, bringing back Bruce Brown and getting Tim Hardaway Jr. elevates the Nuggets. The offseason will look even better if Jonas Valanciunas doesn’t leave for Europe and stays with Denver.

4. New York Knicks

The Knicks reached a deal with Mike Brown to be their new coach, and reached deals with Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, giving Brown and the Knicks much-needed depth for a team that is desperately trying to win its first championship in more than 50 years.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

Lonzo Ball adds backcourt depth, Larry Nance is a solid vet and reserve Sam Merrill comes back to Cleveland on a four-year deal.

6. Los Angeles Clippers

Losing Norman Powell’s scoring hurts, but John Collins and Brook Lopez will help offset that, while helping defensively. James Harden and Nic Batum also signed new deal and with Kawhi Leonard the Clippers should again be a quality (though aging) team capable of another 50-win season.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves made sure they retained Julius Randle and Naz Reid, but they did not keep Nickeil Alexander-Walker. It’s a solid team led by Anthony Edwards, but enough to keep pace in the West?

8. Los Angeles Lakers

It’s LeBron James and Luka Doncic — or Luke Doncic and LeBron James if you like reading NBA tea leaves — so that gives the Lakers a chance. They’re hoping to get a motivated Deandre Ayton for a full season.

9. Boston Celtics

The Celtics made financial decisions by trading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, but let’s see how free agency unfolds and what the Celtics add beyond Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang in trades with Portland and Atlanta.

10. Detroit Pistons

The addition of Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson plus the return of Paul Reed mitigates the departures of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schorder. Detroit is still in the mix for other players, too, including Malik Monk. They’re also hoping to return value on Chaz Lanier, the No. 37 pick in the June draft.

11. Golden State Warriors

It’s a slow start to free agency as Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency lingers. Al Horford, another veteran, might be an addition who provides front-court help and extensive playoff experience.

12. Indiana Pacers

Losing Myles Turner hurts — especially to a conference and division rival in Milwaukee — Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury sustained in the NBA Finals leaves the Pacers down starters.

13. Orlando Magic

Orlando acquired scoring and defense in the trade for Desmond Bane, signed Tyus Jones for backcourt depth, re-signed Moe Wagner and drafted Jase Richardson at No. 25 and Noah Penda at No. 32. The Magic are trying to return to the playoffs — and win a first-round series for the first time since 2010 behind Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

14. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs were quiet in free agency — adding Luke Kornet to bolster front court depth — but they didn’t need to be loud. They have a young and dynamic core, particularly at guard, with plenty of players who can feed Victor Wembanyama.

15. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies changed their roster, adding Cole Anthony and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope via trade, and signing Ty Jerome and Jock Landale while giving Jaren Jackson Jr. a long-term extension. They’re hoping 2025 first-round pick Cedric Coward can make an immediate contribution.

16. Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks waived Damian Lillard and traded Pat Connaughton, but added Myles Turner, Gary Harris and Vasilije Micic and resigned Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins, Jericho Sims and Gary Trent Jr. Will that produce enough to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy with the Bucks?

17. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks made solid moves: traded for Kristaps Porzingis, drafted Asa Newell and reached deals to get Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. Is it enough to make a serious push for one of the top seeds in the East?

18. Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg will be fun to watch, and the Mavs signed D’Angelo Russell to help while Kyrie Irving recovers from a knee injury.

19. Miami Heat

A bland start to free agency indicated the Heat were trying to cook up something and improve the roster. And they did, trading for Norman Powell and his scoring punch.

20. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls traded Lonzo Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro, re-signed Tre Jones and draft Noa Essengue at No. 12 in June draft. But where does that leave them in the East? Can they get a long-term deal done with restricted free agent Josh Giddey?

21. Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers built around the edges, re-signing Eric Gordon and Justin Edwards and signing Trendon Watford. Selecting VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick in the draft should be beneficial now and in the future.

22. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors’ biggest loss in the offseason was losing longtime front office executive Masai Ujiri. But the Raptors should a roster that is more competitive with RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and 2025 first-round lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles.

23. Sacramento Kings

Based on their moves so far (bringing in Dennis Schroder), the Kings aren’t ready to start a rebuild.

24. Phoenix Suns

25. Washington Wizards

The Wizards were active as they try to assemble a roster of young players who will be part of the future, and veterans who can help and create financial flexibility that will allow them to go after free agents in the summer of 2026. Washington traded for Cam Whitmore from Houston and drafted Tre Johnson No. 6 and also added C.J. McCollum and Kelly Olynyk.

26. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers certainly are big with three 7-footers (Donovan Clingan, Deandre Ayton, Yang Hansen), and they traded for Jrue Holiday.

27. New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans are reshaping their roster under executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars. Through the draft, they landed Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, and via trades they landed Saddiq Bey and Jordan Poole, and via free agency they signed Kevon Looney.

28. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets traded for Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann, re-signed Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams, and drafted five players in the first round, including Egor Demin at No. 8.

29. Utah Jazz

The Jazz are focused on a youth movement, so this free agency was just as much about shedding certain players than adding.

30. Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets acquired Collin Sexton in a trade with Utah and Pat Connaughton in a trade with Milwaukee, and added Mason Plumlee, Tre Mann and Spencer Dinwiddie. Charlotte also had a solid draft (Kon Knueppel at No. 4, Liam McNeeley at No. 29 and Ryan Kalkbrenner at No. 34) in an attempt to boost its rebuild.

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Big 12 college football power rankings ahead of unpredictable season

Let’s take a quick history lesson – very, very recent history lesson – before trying to peg how the Big 12 will play out in 2025.

Last year’s official preseason poll had the eventual conference champion, Arizona State, ranked 16th out of 16 teams. The preseason favorite, Utah, went 2-7 in Big 12 play. The team picked third last July, Oklahoma State, went winless.

We were promised unpredictability in this expanded, new-look Big 12, and the conference definitely delivered.

Looking ahead to this season, it’s easy to point to six or seven (or more) teams capable of winning the conference and earning a College Football Playoff bid. There is Arizona State, of course, and annual contenders such as Kansas State and Iowa State. Baylor is on the national radar. Brigham Young is fresh off a breakout season, albeit with quarterback questions.

But choosing which team rises to the top of the conference standings still feels like a fool’s errand. With media days set for Tuesday and Wednesday, here’s how USA TODAY Sports picks the Big 12 to unfold:

1. Arizona State

There are 17 returning starters, including a rising star in quarterback Sam Leavitt, and some major momentum after last year’s explosive growth under coach Kenny Dillingham. But there is one huge loss in running back Cam Skattebo, who carried the Sun Devils for much of his final season. How they replace that production will go a long way toward determining whether the Sun Devils can repeat.

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2. Kansas State

Avery Johnson has to take the next step in his development for the Wildcats to reclaim the Big 12 title belt. He’ll get a big boost in the backfield from do-everything running back Dylan Edwards. If Kansas State can recapture last year’s pass rush and its receiver corps helps Johnson develop, this could easily be a playoff team.

3. Baylor

The Bears are ready to roll on offense with an experienced front and a top passer in Sawyer Robertson, though the receiver group needs Alabama transfer Kobe Prentice to step up on the outside. Where Baylor could be even better in 2025 is on defense. Five returning starters are joined by a transfer group that include Travion Barnes (Florida International) to form a unit that could be one of the league’s best.

4. Iowa State

Locking in on two or three new receivers for quarterback Rocco Becht will be the biggest key to fall camp for the Cyclones are losing last year’s top targets to the NFL. Transfers Chase Sowell and Xavier Townsend are expected to pick up a huge chunk of that lost production. Defensively, Iowa State is extremely well-coached but will not have a ton of room for error given losses up front and in the secondary. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cyclones notch 10-plus wins in back-to-back years for the first time in program history.

5. Utah

The Utes are in a bit of a reboot mode after slumping way down the Big 12 ladder as preseason favorites in 2024. The biggest change comes by way of New Mexico: Kyle Whittingham hired Lobos offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, and then landed quarterback Devin Dampier in the portal. Dampier brings a new dimension to the Utes’ style with his running ability; he’s likely the most impactful transfer in the Big 12. In potentially Whittingham’s final year, whether the Utes rebound will come down to how quickly the offense hits its stride and if the team can avoid another rash of injuries.

6. Texas Tech

An eye-popping transfer class holds the key to Texas Tech’s season. There are some major additions, including maybe the best overall defender in the portal in edge rusher David Bailey (Stanford). He’s part of an overhaul of the defensive front. There are other additions on offense that could help quarterback Behren Morton play with more consistency. That’ll be needed for the Red Raiders to crack through eight wins and become a national factor.

7. TCU

The two big questions ask whether TCU has amassed the help at receiver to offset losses to the NFL and if the Horned Frogs will have the bodies in the secondary to run with Big 12 offenses. If so, this is a definite sleeper team with quarterback Josh Hoover leading the offense capable of making another unexpected march to the playoff. If not, TCU will win its share of shootouts but isn’t built to win the conference.

8. Houston

This is a program on an upswing under second-year coach Willie Fritz. After leaning on the defense last year, the Cougars look to be more offense-focused with new quarterback Connor Weigman (Texas A&M) and new coordinator Slade Nagle, who held the same job under Fritz at Tulane. With the defense expected to take a step back, the other side of the ball will help deliver a bowl berth.

9. Kansas

The Jayhawks look to carry over a really strong second half of last season and get back into the postseason, if not earn a spot in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. One reason for optimism is the health of veteran quarterback Jalon Daniels. The Jayhawks lost a ton of experience, though, and coach Lance Leipold will need to dig into his bag of tricks to get his lineup in order before September.

10. Colorado

The Buffaloes lose some high-profile star power from last year’s nine-wins quad, namely quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. While it will be hard to match that win total, the foundation has been set to win at least six or seven games and factor into the Big 12 race. Sophomore left tackle Jordan Seaton is a likely All-America pick.

11. Brigham Young

The outlook for BYU changed quickly. The Cougars have become much more of a wild card with would-be starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s departure. That changes the complexion of the offense and, combined with a ton of attrition on the defensive side, makes it very hard to picture the Cougars remaining in the playoff picture into November.

12. Cincinnati

While way off the pace set by the league’s best, Cincinnati seems better constructed heading into coach Scott Satterfield’s third year and ready to avoid the extended losing streaks that defined 2023 and 2024. The front six on defense looks good, though transfers will determine the secondary. There’s experience at quarterback and a nice group of tight ends on offense, though the receiver corps looks spotty.

13. Oklahoma State

Who knows what the Cowboys will bring to the table in 2025. After a nightmarish year, Mike Gundy completely rebuilt his coaching staff, brought in a pair of new quarterbacks and basically redid the Cowboys’ roster with transfers. His track record remains strong despite last season’s step back, so maybe Gundy still deserves the benefit of the doubt.

14. Central Florida

Scott Frost is back in Orlando after a failed stint at Nebraska and a few years off the sidelines. He’s clearly very comfortable at UCF and will have the runway to build a Big 12 contender. (In other words, no one is expecting another winless-to-unbeaten jump in two years.) The roster was decimated by the transfer portal and there is no sure thing among a group of potential quarterbacks, so patience will be needed.

15. West Virginia

WVU turned back the clock even farther than UCF by bringing back Rich Rodriguez, the architect of one of the finest stretches in program history before his departure for Michigan. While his return sparks high long-term hopes for the Mountaineers, this team is thin and inexperienced. For now, the roster just isn’t there for Rodriguez to turn things around from day one.

16. Arizona

There’s a pretty negative perception of Arizona’s program just one year into the Brent Brennan era, after last season’s team opened the year in the Top 25 before running aground in league play. There are some things to like, including quarterback Noah Fifita, but the Wildcats were wrecked by attrition and will need multiple Championship Subdivision transfers to hit to avoid another putrid finish.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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