It was a week ago when Team USA announced the 24 players who will represent the country at the 2026 Olympics in Milan next month. And to suggest there were more than a few questionable decisions would be an understatement.

Seven of the country’s top-13 scorers were left off the roster. The top scorer among forwards and the top scorer among defencemen were both not chosen. Neither was a Norris Trophy winner, as well as a two-time Olympian who is ranked second all-time among U.S. scorers.

We’ll have to wait and see if GM Bill Guerin made the right call. But already, those who snubbed are already making it clear that they believe they should have been selected.

Here are five of the bigger omissions, with a look at how they have performed in the seven days since the roster was announced:

Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars

The biggest snub, Robertson was ranked first among Americans scorers with 48 points in 41 games and was second with 25 goals when the U.S. team was announced. While Guerin refused to specifically indicate why a talented offensive player like Robertson was not chosen, he told reporters: “We’re putting together a team, not just a group of individuals.” Since then, Robertson has continued to produce at a world-class level, scoring a goal and four points in three games for a Stars team that has gone 1-1-1 in the past week.

Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens

Last year’s Calder Trophy finalist was not even invited to the U.S. selection camp in September — which prompted his Manitoba-born father to suggest at the time that Hutson might switch allegiances and play for Canada instead — so it was not exactly surprising that Hutson went unpicked. Still, it was a curious omission. No American defenseman has produced more than Hutson, who is ranked third among all NHL defensemen with 43 points in 43 games. In the past week, the Canadiens blueliner has scored two goals and three points in three games, with a plus-4 rating.

Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens

You have to figure that if Caufield were a little taller, then the 5-foot-8 winger would have made the team. Despite his lack of size, there’s no denying that he can fill the net. Caufield is tied for fifth among American goal-scorers with 21 goals in 43 games this season. In the past three years, only six Americans have scored more. Curiously enough, two of them (Robertson and Alex DeBrincat) were also left off the team. Led by Caufield, who had a goal and assist in a 4-1 win against Calgary on Wednesday, the Canadiens have gone 2-1-0 in the past week

Adam Fox, New York Rangers

It was five years ago that Fox was named the NHL’s best defenseman. But despite his pedigree and the fact that his coach with the Rangers is also the head coach of Team USA, Fox was left off the team in favor of Florida’s Seth Jones. Some of suggested that the decision was based on Fox’s struggles at the 4 Nations Face-off, where he was on the ice for Canada’s overtime winner. But Guerin denied the link, saying “If you think we made a decision on one play, then you must not think we’re very smart.” Fox, who suffered a lower-body injury in Monday’s game against Utah, was placed on the injured reserve so he might not have been available anyway

Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings

Arguably the greatest American player of all time, Kane — like Canada’s Sidney Crosby and Drew Doughty— would have been the only player on the U.S. team that played at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. It’s another way of saying that the 37-year-old is old. Still, with six goals and 24 points in 29 games, it’s clear that Kane still has some more to give. Since being left off the team, Kane has gone two games without a point. But for a team lacking in experience, his leadership might have been invaluable.

But Beck and the Hurricanes decided they weren’t done, and the sixth-year senior delivered. Beck capped off a 15-play, 75-yard drive ending in a 3-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left after making huge throws to set up the scramble.

The Georgia transfer completed 23-of-37 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns to an interception, also rushing for a score. Beck never started in a CFP game at Georgia but is now leading the Hurricanes into the national championship game.

Now, Miami gets to return home, with the Jan. 19 national title game being held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been a storybook run for the Hurricanes, who have gone from CFP bubble team to the national championship, where it’ll face the winner of Indiana and Oregon.

Here are the highlights from Miami’s 31-27 win over Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl.

Fiesta Bowl: Ole Miss vs Miami score

Fiesta Bowl: Ole Miss vs Miami highlights

This section will be updated.

Miami heading to national championship

Chambliss’ throw for the end zone is too long, and Miami comes back to win 31-27. The Hurricanes make a statement and are heading to the national championship game despite barely reaching the CFP.

Ole Miss not done yet

Chambliss hits on gains of 23 and 17 yards to put Ole Miss on Miami’s 35-yard line with five seconds left. The Rebels going to have a shot at the end zone here.

Miami goes on top

Carson Beck takes it himself for a 3-yard touchdown scramble to give Miami a 31-27 lead with 18 seconds left. What a drive for Beck, who leads the Hurricanes on a 15-play, 75-yard scoring drive where he made numerous big throws.

The sixth-year senior quarterback has delivered tonight.

Ole Miss takes lead

Ole Miss and Miami keep trading punches, and the Rebels deliver the latest jab. Trinidad Chambliss finds Dae’Quan Wright for a 24-yard touchdown, then hits Caleb Odom for the 2-point conversion.

The Rebels lead 27-24 with 3:13 left in the fourth quarter after the huge drive by Chambliss.

Miami responds

Carson Beck fires a quick pass to Malachi Toney, who does the rest as he runs 36 yards for the touchdown to give Miami a 24-19 lead with 5:04 remaining in the fourth quarter. It’s a huge response for the Hurricanes, who need only four plays and 1:56 of game clock on the scoring drive.

Ole Miss has to go find the end zone now.

Ole Miss takes lead

Miami holds Ole Miss out of the end zone, although the Rebels take a 19-17 lead on a 21-yard field goal by Lucas Carneiro. Ole Miss caps off its 13-play, 86-yard drive inside Miami’s 5-yard line without a touchdown.

Xavier Lucas disqualified for targeting

Xavier Lucas is called for targeting on Cayden Lee on a third-and-9 catch for a first down. The play results in a 15-yard penalty and Lucas being disqualified for the remainder of the game and likely the first half of the national championship game, should Miami win.

Kewan Lacy re-enters

Kewan Lacy takes his first carry of the second half. He’s now wearing a sleeve on his right leg as he battles a hamstring injury.

Ole Miss forces punt after back-to-back sacks

Ole Miss gets to Carson Beck on second and third down sacks by Suntarine Perkins and Will Echoles, respectively. The Rebels are up to four sacks on the night and have a chance to take the lead with 12:19 left in the fourth quarter.

This one is shaping up to have a fun finish.

Ole Miss makes field goal

Lucas Carneiro hits the upright again, however this time it doinks in for a 54-yard field goal make. Ole Miss trails 17-16 with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.

Carneiro is 3-of-4 on field goal attempts tonight.

Ole Miss intercepts Carson Beck

Ole Miss gets a huge turnover, as Carson Beck’s pass is tipped into the air at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by Kapena Gushiken in the red zone.

The Rebels take over at their own 24-yard line after the huge play, which keeps Miami from potentially taking a two-score lead late in the third quarter. Ole Miss still trails 17-13.

Ole Miss misses field goal

Multiple Miami defenders bobble a would-be interception on third-and-10, but it doesn’t matter as Lucas Carneiro misses a 51-yard field goal off the left upright. The miss is Carneiro’s first of his eight field goal attempts in the College Football Playoff.

Miami misses field goal

Carter Davis misses a 51-yard field goal to end the opening drive of the second half. Miami was set behind the chains on an intentional grounding penalty from Carson Beck, which came after Ole Miss dialed up some pressure.

Kewan Lacy injury update

Ole Miss star running back Kewan Lacy is dealing with a hamstring injury, and coach Pete Golding told ESPN’s Holly Rowe at halftime that the team would go over his issue in the locker room. Losing Lacy, who led the SEC in rushing touchdowns this season, would be a huge blow for the Rebels.

Lacy appeared to suffer the injury on his touchdown run in the second quarter and hasn’t appeared since.

Read more on Lacy’s status here.

Lucas Carneiro hits deep field goal

Wow, Lucas Carneiro sinks a 58-yard field goal to reduce Ole Miss deficit to 17-13 with 11 seconds before halftime. That kick would’ve been good from much deeper than 58 yards, as it had plenty of distance.

Ole Miss punts

Ole Miss hasn’t found much success offensively outside of Kewan Lacy’s long touchdown run. The Rebels have gained 43 yards on 17 plays outside of the 73-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.

Trinidad Chambliss is 6-of-8 passing for 42 yards.

Miami scores again

Keelan Marion is wide open downfield, and Carson Beck hits him easily for a 52-yard touchdown. Looks like a busted coverage by Ole Miss.

Beck is off to a fabulous start, as he has completed 14-of-18 passes for 156 yards with a touchdown. His yardage is already more than he had against Texas A&M and Ohio State in Miami’s other CFP wins.

Ole Miss ties it

Lucas Carneiro, the hero of Ole Miss’ win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, hits from 42 yards out to even the score at 10-10 with 4:38 left before halftime.

Miami might have been bailed out there, as it avoids being flagged for a late hit on Chambliss on third-and-7 from the 24-yard line.

Miami responds with long scoring drive

Miami responds with a huge drive ending in a 4-yard touchdown run by CharMar Brown to regain the lead. The Hurricanes take a whopping 7:41 of game clock after the 15-play, 75-yard drive.

Miami’s blueprint of long, grinding drives in the CFP continues to work.

Ole Miss strikes

All it takes is one play for this Ole Miss offense. Kewan Lacy houses a handoff after outrunning Miami for a 73-yard touchdown. The Rebels lead 7-3 after the first play of the second quarter, gaining its first first down of the game in the process.

Miami punts

A holding penalty and a false start on third-and-9 result in Miami punting on its second possession. Ole Miss takes over on its own 20-yard line and can likely run a play before the first quarter ends.

Miami forces another three-and-out

This Miami defensive just keeps getting pressure, as it has all postseason. The Hurricanes force another three-and-out and are living in the backfield so far, making things quite uncomfortable for Chambliss.

Miami takes 3-0 lead

Miami caps off a 13-play, 44-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. The Hurricanes’ drive burns 6:59 of clock as Beck attempts four passes.

Ole Miss goes three-and-out

Miami picks up right where it left off defensively, forcing Ole Miss to a three-and-out. The Hurricanes take over with good field position on their own 45-yard line.

Ole Miss starts on offense

The first of two CFP semifinal games is underway. Ole Miss starts with possession in the Fiesta Bowl, and here comes Trinidad Chambliss.

Nick Saban assistants in CFP

All four remaining head coaches in the CFP are former assistants under Nick Saban at Alabama, including Ole Miss’ Pete Golding and Miami’s Mario Cristobal. ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ asked each coach what they learned from Saban:

Will Trinidad Chambliss play next season?

Chambliss is currently awaiting a decision from the NCAA for a retroactive redshirt for the 2022 season, which would allow him to play the 2026 season.

The fifth-year senior spent four seasons at Ferris State, although he redshirted as a true freshman in 2021 before sitting out in 2022 as he battled health issues. He has already agreed to return to Ole Miss for next season, should he receive the eligibility waiver.

Mark Fletcher stats

Miami running back Mark Fletcher has been the Hurricanes’ best offensive player in the CFP so far. Here’s a look at how he performed in Miami’s two CFP wins, along with his season stats.

• vs. Ohio State: 19 carries for 90 yards with two receptions for 25 yards and a touchdown
• at Texas A&M: 17 carries for 172 yards
• 2025-26 stats: 177 carries for 943 yards with 10 touchdowns; 16 receptions for 132 yards with two touchdowns

Where is Miami vs Ole Miss game today?

• Location: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

Miami and Ole Miss will face in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals play their home games.

What TV channel is Miami vs Ole Miss on today?

• TV: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

The CFP Fiesta Bowl semifinal between Miami and Ole Miss will air nationally on ESPN, with Chris Fowler (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) calling the game and Holly Rowe serving as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a cable login) and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Miami vs Ole Miss time today

• Date: Thursday, Jan. 8
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

Miami and Ole Miss are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Miami vs Ole Miss predictions, picks, odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Sunday, Jan. 4

• Spread: Miami (-3.5)
• Over/under: 51.5
• Moneyline: Miami (-180) | Ole Miss (+150)

Prediction: Ole Miss 27, Miami 20

The magical run for Ole Miss continues, while the clock strikes midnight for Cristobal and Miami’s run. While the Hurricanes’ defense has carried them, Chambliss presents a different challenge and continues to make heroic plays to help the Rebels advance to the championship game. — Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY.

Here’s who experts within the USA TODAY Sports Network picked to win the Fiesta Bowl:

• Ole Miss 31, Miami 24: The Hurricanes’ pass rush put Julian Sayin in a blender in the Cotton Bowl. Trinidad Chambliss’ mobility and whirling dervish style should give the Rebels’ offense a chance the Buckeyes never had. On the other side of the ball, I trust Pete Golding to scheme up a defense that forces Carson Beck to win the game. Beck hasn’t thrown for more than 150 yards in either of Miami’s CFP wins, while the Rebels have proven you’ll need to score more than 24 points to beat them – heck, you may have to score 40. — Matt Glenesk, USA TODAY
• Ole Miss 23, Miami 7: Miami has come out and exceeded all expectations, and that should be recognized. Beating Texas A&M and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks is huge for a program that backed into the CFP at the last moment. But Pete Golding proved his mettle as a coach going toe-to-toe against an SEC behemoth in Georgia, and he should find a way to make Carson Beck’s life difficult. Combine that with how difficult it is to contain Trinidad Chambliss, despite the utterly elite pass rushers Miami has, and it’s a tough matchup for Miami. To its credit, the past two have been tough as well. But the buck stops in Glendale. — Kevin Skiver, USA TODAY
• Miami 27, Ole Miss 23: At some point —and this may just be stubbornly holding on to a week-old opinion — the inherent instability and awkwardness of the Rebels’ situation is going to be a factor, though it obviously hasn’t through two games in the playoff. Trinidad Chambliss is mesmerizing, but he hasn’t faced a pass rush quite as ferocious as Miami’s, and the Hurricanes’ offense will do just enough to keep their run going all the way to the title game. The prospect of a turnover-filled dud for Carson Beck only makes me so confident in this pick, though. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY

The Philadelphia Phillies, frustrated in their negotiations to bring back free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto, are looking into the possibility of shaking up their roster and finding a creative way to add free-agent infielder Bo Bichette, a high-ranking Phillies executive told USA TODAY Sports.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing talks, but confirmed a report by The Athletic that the Phillies scheduled a virtual meeting with Bichette on Monday, Jan. 12 to discuss the possibility of joining the Phillies.

Two Phillies executives cautioned that signing Bichette remains a long-shot, insisting it would be complicated and involve significant roster changes, but that it’s certainly possible.

The Phillies would have to cut off negotiations with Realmuto, trade third baseman Alec Bohm and his $10.2 million salary, find a team who would take right fielder Nick Castellanos and pay at least a small portion of his $20 million salary, and perhaps move others as well.

The Phillies’ interest in potentially signing Bichette came about after the holidays when Bichette expressed a desire in playing for them, particularly after the hiring last week of Don Mattingly as their bench coach. Mattingly was the Toronto Blue Jays’ bench coach the past three years and became close to Bichette.

Bichette, 27, who has played shortstop throughout his career, also said he would be willing to move to second base, where he appeared during the World Series, or even third base.

Certainly, there is competition for Bichette, who is seeking a long-term deal likely worth at least $250 million. If the Boston Red Sox can’t re-sign shortstop Alex Bregman, they’ll turn to Bichette. The Chicago Cubs have expressed interest in both infielders. The Los Angeles Dodgers would gladly sign Bichette if he was interested on a short-term contract. And the door isn’t shut on a return to Toronto, where he has spent his entire career.

Still, with a projected luxury payroll of about $300 million, according to Spotrac, the Phillies say they would need to clear salary for Bichette. They would also need to find a catcher to replace Realmuto, 35, their three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, who has been instrumental in their four-year playoff run.

The Phillies say they’re serious, and perhaps by next week we’ll find out just how realistic this could actually become, with Bichette being the latest high-priced star to join the Phillies.

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.

The Fiesta Bowl matchup between No. 6 Mississippi and No. 10 Miami turned into an instant classic, with the Hurricanes coming from behind to win 31-27 and advance to the College Football Playoff championship game.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a true CFP game without at least a little controversy — and the Hurricanes and Rebels delivered on the game’s final play.

After giving up a 3-yard go-ahead touchdown to Carson Beck with 18 seconds left, Ole Miss advanced to the Miami 35-yard line as Trinidad Chambliss completed passes of 23 and 17 yards, respectively, to set up one final shot at the end zone. Ultimately, his pass to De’Zhaun Stribling fell incomplete, with Miami defensive back Ethan O’Connor in defense.

However, Chambliss and the Ole Miss sideline were quick to call for a flag in the immediate aftermath of the incompletion, believing O’Connor had committed pass interference, which — had officials thrown a flag — would have set up another shot at the end zone, this time from the 20-yard line. Officials swallowed their whistles, ending the game.

Here’s a look at the play:

Here’s another vantage of the play, which shows O’Connor grabbing onto Stribling’s jersey as they both ran to the back of the end zone. O’Connor also appears to impede Stribling’s chances at making a play on the ball.

Ultimately, officials elected not to call pass interference, and Ole Miss fans and neutral observers alike weren’t happy officials did not call what they believed to be a game-changing penalty:

Did Miami commit pass interference? Social media reacts

Thursday night’s Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls game has been postponed ‘due to moisture on the floor rendering the court unplayable,’ the NBA said in a statement.

The announcement that the game at Chicago’s United Center was off came nearly two hours after the contest was supposed to tip off.

Per the NBA, ‘the date for the rescheduled game will be announced at a later time.’

The Jan. 8 game was scheduled to start a little after 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local). CHSN’s K.C. Johnson had reported at 8:49 p.m. ET that players had returned to the locker room and at 9:46 p.m. ET, Johnson reported that players had come back out to ‘mingle/talk and now are headed back to locker room.’

The Bulls said tickets for Thursday’s game ‘will be valid for the rescheduled game.’

‘We apologize for any inconvenience,’ the Bulls said.

Johnson reported the decision to postpone ‘was reached by the NBA in consultation with the officiating crew and both head coaches.’

‘We always want to try to go. But players were complaining about it on both sides,’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Johnson. ‘Staff went out there and pretty much immediately we felt that it wasn’t playable.’

This story has been updated with new information.

AI-assisted summary
• Figure skater Maxim Naumov honored his late parents with his short program at the U.S. championships.
• Naumov’s parents, both former Olympic skaters, were killed in a plane crash in January 2025.
• He held a photo of his parents while awaiting his score, which temporarily put him in first place.
• Naumov finished the short program in fourth place and is a contender for a spot on the 2026 U.S. Olympic team.

ST. LOUIS — Maxim Naumov wasn’t going to find out his score alone.

As the 24-year-old figure skater awaited the results of his short program at the U.S. championships on Thursday, he pulled out a photo. It was a picture of him, about 3 years old, holding hands with his mom and dad. It was the first time on the ice with white skates.

Naumov’s parents, Russian Olympic pair skaters Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were two of the 67 people killed in the January 2025 plane crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, that devastated the figure skating community. Vadim and Evgenia were two of the 28 coaches, young skaters and parents who were returning from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, held in conjunction with last year’s 2025 U.S. nationals.

Naumov gave the photo a kiss. All he could think about were their smiles and what they would say to him.

The score was revealed. An 85.72. It put Naumov in first place for the moment. He burst into tears, holding that photo to his face as the crowd erupted in ovation.

It was his parents who got him on the ice, and in one of the biggest moments of his career, they were there to hold him one more time. 

“This program is very meaningful to me, and I spent so much time in practice connecting with it and evolving it and developing it to be as good as I can possibly make it,” Naumov told USA TODAY Sports. “To go out there and really share that emotion with everybody has been unreal.”

It’s been an emotional 12 months for Naumov. He didn’t know if he was going to continue competing after he lost his parents. But he decided to return to the ice, and it led to the beautiful moment inside Enterprise Center.

Anticipation had been building. The crowd gave him one of the loudest cheers of the night when he was announced for the warmups, and it only got louder when it was his time to take the ice. He told the NBC broadcast his family has a mantra: We have to fight. He was repeating it in his head as he walked the hallway before his performance.

He admitted it wasn’t a perfect skate, adding his dad probably would’ve told him to be “a little bit more confident.” However, he landed his jumps and avoided any major tumbles. He conveyed the emotions of the skate, the crowd taking the journey alongside him.

“I felt like I learned something new about myself every single competition that I did. Something new to work on after each one, something to focus on, something to drill in training, all leading up to this exact thing right here,” Naumov said. “It wasn’t perfect, but we still did so many of the things that we worked on, and I continue to do so.”

When he finished and he sat on the ice, the audience gave him a standing ovation. He soaked up all of it as he looked around the arena to see all the people applauding him.

“Sharing the vulnerability with the audience and me feeling their energy back has been something I remember for the rest of my life,” he said.

By the end of everyone’s short program, Naumov was in fourth place, less than three points behind third-place Jason Brown. He finished fourth at each of the last three nationals, but there is a chance for him to finish this year on the podium – and possibly achieve more by the end of the weekend.

Naumov is in the conversation to claim one of the three men’s spots the U.S. has for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Ilia Malinin is a shoe-in and Jason Brown will likely get the second selection, but the third spot is completely up for grabs. It could go to Naumov, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Andrew Torgashev or another skater.

Naumov has his eyes set on achieving “the ultimate goal” of his first Winter Olympics. He said one of the last conversations he had with his parents was about making it to Milano Cortina.

If he does get the nod, it won’t just be a major accomplishment, but also one of the biggest stories at the Games. But if he doesn’t, he has shown he is one of the most resilient skaters in the world, becoming someone you can’t help but root for.

“Even at a time like this, having the opportunity to be here again was just another example of how capable I am in really difficult times,” Naumov said. 

And he’s done it with mom and dad by his side.

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Corey LaJoie will take Brad Keselowski’s place in the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford for the Feb. 1 NASCAR Clash event that unofficially kicks off the 2026 Cup Series season.

The move comes as Keselowski continues his recovery from a broken leg suffered on a family ski trip in December.

‘I’m happy for Corey to get this opportunity. I’m laser focused on being ready for Daytona,’ Keselowski said in a statement announcing the move.

Keselowski, 41, spoke at length with Fox Sports about the decision to have LaJoie run the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium and his recovery from a broken femur that also caused some nerve damage.

‘I didn’t want to rush back,’ Keselowski told Fox Sports. ‘The team and I made the decision together that if all the rehab went absolutely perfect, we’d be ready like, literally, the day of the Clash.

‘And that seemed super foolish and didn’t give us any time to do any testing on myself or anything like that.’

Keselowski is determined to return for the Dayton 500, which is slated to run this year on Feb. 15.

The 2012 Cup Series champion called it ‘kind of a freak accident’ − he slipped and fell on ice getting out of his car.

‘I just fell perfectly on a spot that broke my leg,’ Keselowski told Fox Sports. ‘I wish it was some cooler story than that, like jumping or doing something on the slopes.

‘I think everybody thinks I did it on the slopes, which sounds a lot cooler than the actual story I have, but it just was a freak accident.’

The WNBA and its players association will not agree to a new collective bargaining agreement by Friday’s deadline.

That’s according to New York Liberty All-Star Breanna Stewart, the two-time league MVP and vice president of the players association.

‘We are not coming to an agreement by tomorrow, I can tell you that,’ Stewart told reporters in Miami following an Unrivaled practice on Thursday, according to multiple reports. ‘We’re just going to continue to negotiate in good faith.’

Stewart, who is a co-founder of Unrivaled, added that calling for a labor strike is ‘not something that we’re going to do right this second, but we have that in our back pocket.’ In December, players voted to give WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike and the executive committee the power to launch a strike.

The WNBA has no plans to lock out players, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

The key issues currently separating the WNBA and its players are increased salaries and revenue sharing, and whether the revenue that is shared is from the league’s gross or net. The two sides have pushed their deadline twice, as it was originally supposed to be resolved by Oct. 30.

However, WNPBA executive director Terri Jackson told USA Today Sports in a statement that no one should believe the latest offer by the league is a “good deal.”

The WNBPA announced this week that it has created what it’s calling “player hubs” across the globe so that players can continue to train and keep their fitness levels high in the event of a work stoppage. Universities like Stanford, Cal, UNLV and Manhattan are opening their facilities to WNBA players, as are fitness centers operated by Bay Club and Exos.

“These facilities are valuing our players, opening their doors, and saying, ‘We’ve got you.’ That kind of support means everything to our members,” WNBPA senior vice president of player relations Jayne Appel Marinelli said in a statement. “These hubs are about standing together and making sure every player has what they need to stay ready and keep doing what they love.”

Multiple players have spoken about how crucial these negotiations are to the future of the WNBA, including Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.

“This is the biggest moment the WNBA has ever seen, and it’s not something that can be messed up,’ Clark said last month in Durham, N.C., after a Team USA training session. ‘And, you know, we’re going to fight for everything that we deserve, but at the same time, we need to play basketball. That’s what our fans crave … because you want the product on the floor, and at the end of the day, that’s how you make the money, that’s how you’re marketable.”

While acknowledging the slim chances of an agreement by Friday, Stewart remained optimistic about reaching a resolution.

‘While we are both seemingly far apart, there is a place where we can come and find a mutual ground,’ Stewart said.