This week, the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets announced that it will retire Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues’ jersey.

Retiring a jersey is a way of honouring one of the team’s all-time great players and means no future players for that team can play with the same number on their back.

What makes Bogues’ story interesting is that he holds the record as the NBA’s shortest-ever player, at five feet and three inches (160cm). The average height in the NBA at the time was six feet and seven inches (200cm).

Despite his shorter stature, Bogues played 14 seasons in the world’s top basketball league.

Hornets co-chairmen Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin said in a statement: “He became a role model for generations, showing young people that their size doesn't have to limit what they can achieve.”

Poll result: 70% of respondents will not be tuning in to watch Jay Z’s halftime show at next year’s Super Bowl.

28 years
The record age difference between 46-year-old tennis star Venus Williams and her most recent opponent, 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger. Tagger won the Guangzhou Open first-round match in straight sets (6-2, 6-2). Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, has now lost 16 consecutive singles matches. Meanwhile, Australia’s Maya Joint pulled off a stunning upset in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open, defeating world No.16 Sorana Cîrstea in straight sets (6-3, 7-6).

“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset.”
French football star Kylian Mbappé’s apology after he referred to late Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a dictator while talking about memes in an interview with a French talk show. During the World Cup, memes circulated calling Mbappé a dictator and superimposing his head onto the body of famous dictators. His recent comments led to several Chinese brands halting their endorsement deals with the 27-year-old. Beverages manufacturer Dongpeng said: “Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments.” La Liga, the top Spanish football league in which Mbappé plays for Real Madrid, also apologised for the offence caused to Chinese fans.

On the subject of dictators, the great-grandson of Benito Mussolini, Romano Floriani Mussolini, is a 23-year-old professional football player. On Tuesday, he scored his first goal for Lazio, one of the teams in Italy’s top professional football league, Serie A.

When the group chat can’t agree on plans, suggest the football.

Football Starts Here makes a first A-Leagues game easy, with limited adult tickets starting from $25 at every regular season match. You don’t need a team or to know the rules. Just bring your mates.

🏏 Australia bowled South Africa out for 329 runs on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test at Newlands in Cape Town. Captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that was criticised as South Africa’s opening batters Marques Ackerman and Aiden Markram scored 158 runs without losing a wicket. Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon took the breakthrough wicket before fast bowler Mitchell Starc starred by claiming the last six wickets, including four in six balls, to turn the day around. Australia will begin their first innings at the crease tonight (AEDT).

🏀 The Townsville Fire defeated the Bendigo Spirit 91-68 on Tuesday, bouncing back from Sunday’s loss to the Sydney Flames. Captain Courtney Woods produced a season-high 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while American import Lauren Jensen added 22 for the league’s reigning champions.

🏉 The Tasmania Devils have let go of inaugural captain Robbie Fox a year out from the club’s first AFL season, with the former Sydney Swan not offered a playing contract for 2027. The club cited “player behaviour” standards alongside its focus on developing talent ahead of its 2028 AFL and AFLW entry. It’s understood the call follows 33-year-old Fox’s removal from a Hobart pub over alleged disorderly conduct two weeks ago.

Nobody has ever been glad to find their water bottle open at the bottom of their gym bag.

After close to 12 years making reusable drinkware, frank green is fixing that with Edition II, its new generation of bottles and cups. Lockable lids and secure seals keep your drink where it belongs. Four-wall insulation keeps it hot or cold for longer, and every piece is dishwasher safe.

The AFL has confirmed a string of changes for next season, from the fixtures to the style of the jerseys in the AFLW.

Here’s what to know.

The first round of the AFL in 2027 will return to a traditional nine-game format, with all 18 clubs playing in the same week.

The last three seasons have kicked off with Opening Round, a four-game, eight-club format that launched the season a week early in NSW and Queensland. The concept was designed to grow the game outside Victoria.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said: “We have listened to feedback and are pleased to be able to deliver a Round One for all our 18 clubs and fans.”

The season opener between the Sydney Swans and the Geelong Cats will be held on Wednesday 17 March. It will mark just the third time this century that the AFL has started its season on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, in the AFLW, clubs have been told player surnames will be compulsory underneath jumper numbers from 2027. The format was trialled in August for the inaugural Australia vs Ireland AFLW exhibition match. The AFLW is hoping that the rule will boost player recognition among fans.

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The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) have officially unionised.

It comes after years of pay disputes, one of which appeared in the Netflix documentary series covering the cheerleaders.

Here’s what to know.

The DCC perform at the NFL team the Dallas Cowboys’ home games.

According to Forbes, the Cowboys have been the most valuable sports team in the world since 2016.

The cheerleading team, founded in 1961, is a highly recognisable part of the team’s brand, with its signature blue-and-white uniforms and dance routines.

The cheerleaders’ cultural reach extends beyond the field. They have performed with musicians including Dua Lipa, Kacey Musgraves, and Dolly Parton, and appeared in TV and film. Two series have documented the process of building the cheerleading team each season, the most recent being Netflix’s 2024 documentary ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’, which was recently renewed for a fourth season.

Despite their fame and the demands of the gig, the DCC typically hold other jobs. Season 2 of ‘America’s Sweethearts’ highlighted their financial struggles and ended with the announcement of a roughly 400% pay rise for the 2025 season.

There is a history of legal challenges over cheerleaders’ wages and working conditions.

In 2014, 74 cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills (the Jills) sued the team over alleged wage violations, settling for $US3.5 million ($AU4.98 million).

In terms of the Cowboys, former DCC Erica Wilkins filed a lawsuit in 2018, alleging she was paid less than the team’s male mascot. The case settled in 2019, with the cheerleaders’ hourly rate to $US12 ($AU17) and game-day pay doubling to $US400 ($AU568).

Cheerleading requires hours of practice each week, plus games, appearances and off-season commitments. Cheerleaders often train privately and cover their own beauty treatments. Some pay for their own uniforms, which can cost hundreds of dollars.

Unions represent workers in workplace disputes and negotiations, advocating for their interests. They can negotiate pay and conditions on workers’ behalf, raise concerns, or investigate suspected breaches of workplace laws. The Jills were the first NFL cheerleaders to unionise in 1995.

Sociologist Victor Chen told The Associated Press the DCC’s high profile and Netflix series likely helped their unionisation.

In a joint statement shared to multiple outlets, the Cowboys and the new union, called the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association, said the “cheerleaders are an esteemed part of the Cowboys organisation” who are “deeply respected for the talent and dedication they exhibit”.

It added: “They remain one of the most sought-after opportunities for talented dancers worldwide.”

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.