July is almost upon us, which means plenty of fireworks, baseball and World Cup tournament action to go around! It also means you’ll have the chance to get out and get active with some summer sports. In fact, we’ve partnered with Silly Pickles to get you ready to hit the courts in July!

Sign up today for Silly Pickles’ 8-week pickleball ladder league at Chicken N Pickle in Webster, starting July 19th! You’ll get $10 off your league entry for signing up through our page, plus you can even enter for a chance to win a Silly Pickles paddle of your choosing to get in the game with the latest and greatest gear!

PLAY BALL

• Independence Day may be a week away, but the Space Cowboys are kicking off the celebration early with a special America 250 celebration and jersey giveaway this week against the Padres-affiliated El Paso Chihuahuas!

• One of the World Cup’s best stories continues at NRG Stadium tomorrow when Cape Verde looks to keep its momentum going against Saudi Arabia in the final group stage match in Houston!

• New Texas Pro Wrestling opens the doors to its new home tomorrow night with Hustle Town, featuring a star-studded card of AEW, MLW & international talent.

• Sneaker culture combines with contemporary art during the KICKS Sneaker Ball and Art Show at Elevate Creative Studios this Saturday.

• It’s a great time to take the family out to Daikin Park to catch some Astros action as Houston hosts SpongeBob and Hello Kitty theme nights during a three-game series against the Twins early next week!

TOP HOUSTON SPORTS EVENTS IN JULY

Catch fireworks on the field this July with can’t miss sports events spread throughout the month! The Astros renew rivalries with the Rangers, the Dynamo face off against a pair of elite global squads, BIG3 basketball dribbles into the Toyota Center and a massive World Cup Round of 16 match caps off tournament action at NRG Stadium! Find all those must-see events and so many more inside our top sports picks for July!

THIS WEEK

LOCALS ONLY

• Houston Sports Highlight of the Week: While the Houston Rockets may have entered the NBA Draft without a first round pick this year, that certainly didn’t stop the team from making some headlines with a big draft day move. The Rockets kicked off the second round by trading up in a four-team deal with the Knicks to select Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton with the 31st overall pick. As a result of the deal, Thornton became the Rockets’ lone addition during the draft. Find out why Sports Illustrated called Thornton a “home-run pick” in this breakdown of the new Houston star here.

• College Sports Report: A trio of University of Houston stars heard their names called during the NBA Draft, a first in program history for the Cougars. Guard Kingston Flemings led the way as the 8th overall selection by the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics would go on to draft forward/center Chris Cenac Jr. later in the first with the 27th overall pick before the Kings took guard Emanuel Sharp with the 45th pick in the second round.

• The Sports Story You Need to See: The World Cup group stage is about to wrap on Saturday, which means there are several high-profile matches on the books over the next two days with major tournament consequences. Check out this Yahoo Sports piece to discover five of the biggest matches remaining, including a massive showdown for the Group I lead between Erling Haaland’s Norway and Kylian Mbappe’s France tomorrow afternoon. Don’t forget to head to the Do713 World Cup Watch Party guide to find the best spot to see the big games, too!

• What We’re Watching: While the NBA Draft is complete, it’s now time to take the draft day action to the ice. The NHL Draft starts tomorrow, with some major trades paving the way for an exciting evening. See The Athletic’s two-round mock draft to learn more about some of the new prospects skating our way soon.

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