The NBA is using the two-night draft format again this year, announcing Tuesday that the 2025 event will take place on June 25-26.

It’s the second consecutive year of the two-night process. Both nights will be at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.

Coverage both nights will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern across ESPN platforms, with the first night set to air on ABC. As was the case for last year’s draft, there will be a five-minute time limit between picks in the first round. For the second round, there will be a four-minute time limit between picks.

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is widely expected to be a frontrunner for the No. 1 overall pick should he elect to enter the draft.

Wembanyama named to rising stars team >> San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama is officially headed back to All-Star weekend.

The Rising Stars is a one-night tournament, featuring four rosters of seven players each. Teams will play semifinal games where the first to 40 points wins; those semifinal winners will then play in a championship game, with the winning team being the first one to 25 points.

The other second-year players selected: Washington’s Bilal Coulibaly, Toronto’s Gradey Dick, Utah’s Keyonte George, Portland’s Scoot Henderson, Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., Dallas’ Dereck Lively II, Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Houston’s Amen Thompson and Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace.

Baseball

Skenes, Henderson and De La Cruz are cover athletes for MLB The Show >> MLB The Show 25 announced that rising stars Paul Skenes, Gunnar Henderson and Elly De La Cruz will be the cover athletes on its upcoming video game.

It’s the first time MLB The Show has featured three athletes on the same cover. The game is scheduled to hit the market on March 18.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Skenes, 22, was last season’s National League Rookie of the Year.

Pirates reunite with Frazier >> Adam Frazier is heading back to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The club has agreed to terms with the veteran second baseman/outfielder on a one-year deal worth $1.525 million. The deal is pending Frazier passing a physical.

The 33-year-old Frazier spent the first five-plus seasons of his career with the Pirates from 2016-21. Frazier made the All-Star Game in 2021 before being traded to the San Diego Padres.Cubs officially acquire Astros’ Pressley >> The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Ryan Pressly and cash from the Houston Astros for minor league pitcher Juan Bello.

Pressly likely slides into the closer’s role with Chicago, which is looking to go back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. He had a 3.49 ERA in 59 appearances last year while serving as a setup man for Josh Hader.

The 20-year-old Bello went 4-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 22 starts for Class A Myrtle Beach last year. He is 4-8 with a 3.66 ERA in 35 career minor league games.

NFL

Bears hire Allen as defensive coordinator >> The Chicago Bears have hired Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator under new coach Ben Johnson.

Chicago also is keeping Richard Hightower as special teams coordinator as it looks to rebound after going 5-12 this season.

The addition of Allen, 52, puts a former head coach on Johnson’s first staff in his new position. Allen went 18-25 with New Orleans before he was fired on Nov. 4 after the Saints lost seven consecutive games. He also coached the Raiders for two-plus seasons, going 8-28.

Bills’ cook announced as Pro Bowl replacement >> Buffalo Bills running back James Cook and center Connor McGovern are heading to this week’s Pro Bowl in a replacement capacity.

Cook fills the spot left open by Baltimore’s Derrick Henry, who finished second in the NFL with an AFC-leading 1,921 yards rushing. Cook had 1,009 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns, tying Henry and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead.

Soccer

Neymar signs with former club >> Neymar has agreed to return to Santos nearly 12 years after he left the Brazilian team, club president Marcelo Teixeira announced. He had an injury-marred spell at Al-Hilal, where he played only seven matches and scored once.

The 32-year-old Neymar won six titles with his boyhood club Santos, including a Copa Libertadores trophy in 2011. Santos is a beachfront city outside São Paulo.

former German national arrested for drug trafficking >> Former Belgium international Radja Nainggolan has been charged with participation in a criminal organization as part of a probe into cocaine trafficking, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office said.

The prosecutor’s office said the 36-year-old Nainggolan was released on conditions. His next court date was not specified.

The investigation focuses on the alleged importation of cocaine from South America via the port of Antwerp and its redistribution in Belgium, the office said.

WNBA

Griner signs with Atlanta >> Brittney Griner plans to sign with the Atlanta Dream, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

WNBA free agents can’t sign contracts until Feb. 1.

Griner has spent her entire 11-year career with Phoenix since getting drafted No. 1 in 2013. The 6-foot-9 center decided this offseason to test free agency for the first time.