JuJu Watkins, Flau’Jae Johnson and Azzi Fudd are three of 14 top women’s college basketball players that Unrivaled is signing to NIL deals, the league announced Saturday.

It’s the second consecutive year that the 3-on-3 league that was founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart has had name, image and likeness deals with college players. In it’s inaugural season, Unrivaled had deals with Paige Bueckers and Johnson.

Watkins, who plays for Southern California but is sidelined with an ACL injury, has also previously been involved with Unrivaled as an investor in its Series A funding round.

Johnson, who is at LSU, and Fudd, at UConn, both were on hand for the announcement, as were Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and UConn’s Sarah Strong.

“Unrivaled is doing something amazing for women sports. It’s a big reason why we’re all here today,” Johnson said at Unrivaled’s pop-up headquarters in Indianapolis. “They’re doing it in the W and really giving us a chance in college to really go at it.”

MLB

White Sox place All-Star Smith on IL >> White Sox rookie Shane Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle, four days after the right-hander pitched in the All-Star Game as Chicago’s lone representative.

The White Sox did not immediately provide details on how or when the injury occurred. Smith pitched three innings in a loss to Cleveland on Jutly 11, an abbreviated start that manager Will Venable said was planned.

The 25-year-old Smith is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 18 starts. Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December, and he became the second player to make an All-Star team in the year immediately after being taken in that draft.

Racing

Elliott wins Pole at Dover Qualifying >> Chase Elliott took advantage of heavy rain at Dover Motor Speedway to earn the pole for NASCAR Cup Series race.

Elliott and the rest of the field never got to turn a scheduled practice or qualifying lap because of rain that pounded the concrete mile track. Dover is scheduled to hold its first July race since the track’s first one in 1969.

Elliott has two wins and 10 top-five finishes in 14 career races at Dover.

Chase Briscoe starts second, followed by Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick and William Byron.

Cycling

Arensman wins toughest stage of Tour de France >> Dutch rider Thymen Arensman won the Tour de France’s toughest stage after a long solo effort over mammoth climbs and Tadej Pogacar increased his overall lead.

Arensman, who rides for the Ineos-Grenadiers team, posted the biggest victory of his career. After crossing the finish line in the deep fog enveloping the ski resort of Superbagnères, Arensman lay exhausted on the road with his head in his hands.

He went solo with 37 kilometers (23 miles) left from a breakaway, and quickly opened a comfortable lead. He started the final ascent to Superbagnères, which is more than 12 kilometers long, on his own and resisted the return of the main contenders.

It was Arensman’s second Grand Tour stage win, having previously won a stage at the 2022 Spanish Vuelta.