ASSOCIATED PRESS

Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün will replace Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the World team in the All-Star Game on February 15, according to ESPN's Sham Charania. 

Gilgeous-Alexander will be sidelined through the All-Star Game with an abdominal injury he suffered on February 3 in a win over the Orlando Magic. He is expected to be reevaluated after the All-Star break. 

Last year's MVP has averaged 31.8 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds. The Thunder lead the NBA standings at 40-13.

This is the second straight All-Star appearance for Şengün. The 23-year-old has averaged 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 6.3 assists this season. Şengün will represent Turkey in the new All-Star format that will played, featuring two US teams and one world team.

This story will continue to be updated.

Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images

All sides appear open to quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning to the Pittsburgh Steelers. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that while Rodgers has not decided whether he will return for a 22nd NFL season, his odds are increasing that he could return to the Steelers next year.

Rodgers has reportedly had multiple conversations new head coach Mike McCarthy and wide receiver DK Metcalf. 

McCarthy coached Rodgers with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018. The pair went 108-62-1 together and won a Super Bowl over the Steelers in 2011. Rodgers also won two MVPs under McCarthy's leadership.

Despite the Steelers reportedly not hiring McCarthy as a recruiting tool to bring back Rodgers, their new head coach expressed his interest in the pair's reunion during the opening press conference.

"Definitely," McCarthy said on Rodgers returning. "I don’t see why you wouldn’t. I think just like anything, knowing Aaron long enough. … When guys are up at that stage of their career, they need to step away and decompress. I think that’s very important."

Rodgers was rejuvenated this past season with the Steelers. After a three-year postseason drought, Rodgers threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while battling a wrist injury late in the season. He led the Steelers to their first AFC North title since the 2020 season.

This story will continue to be updated.

Dylan Buell via Getty Images

Former Athletics first baseman Mark McGwire returns to the franchise as special assistant to player development. McGwire spent 12 seasons with the Athletics from 1986 to 1997.

McGwire got off to a fast start with the Athletics. In his first season, he won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1987 after hitting 49 home runs, which was a record at the time. He also helped lead the A's to three straight World Series appearances from 1988 to 1990 and won it all in 1989. That was the last year the Athletics won the World Series.

Big Mac finished with 363 home runs, 941 RBIs and 1,1157 hits during his time with the A's. Later in his career, McGwire was traded to St. Louis in the 1997 season. In his time there, he broke Roger Maris’ single-season home run record with 70 home runs.

Despite being inducted into the A’s Hall of Fame in 2019, McGwire has been kept out of the MLB Hall of Fame after being tied to a steroid scandal.

After McWire's playing days ended, he had multiple stints on MLB teams' staff. He served as a bench coach for San Diego (2017-18) and as a hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2013-15) and Cardinals (2010-12).

McWire's time with the Athletics in player development will look a lot different than his playing days. The A’s are about to play the second of at least three seasons at a Triple-A ballpark in West Sacramento, California. This is the Athletics temporary home until their scheduled move to Vegas in 2028.

The Athletics went 76-86 and have promising young players such as Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler. The Athletics also acquired Jeff McNeil from the New York Mets in a trade this offseason.