23XI Racing, co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, along with Front Row Motorsports, kicked off a massive confrontation with NASCAR, claiming anti-competitive practices. They argue that NASCAR has monopolized control over the sport, which not only restricts competition but also harms the teams involved. It’s a bold move that aims to challenge the status quo in a sport where competition should thrive.
The lawsuit levels some serious allegations against NASCAR. For starters, they claim NASCAR bought up a majority of the premier racetracks, making them exclusive to their events. It also contends that NASCAR restricts teams from racing in other stock car events and retains ownership over the Next-Gen parts and cars, further tightening their grip on the sport. And recently, there has been a big update on the situation.
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports fighting to get the upper hand
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In a recent update from Bob Pockrass, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports (FRM) have taken a significant step in their ongoing legal battle with NASCAR. They filed a reply to NASCAR’s response regarding their motion for an injunction. According to Pockrass, the 23XI Racing/FRM team pointed out that the open team agreement specifically requires them to waive the right to pursue lawsuits like the one they’re currently involved in. Without it, they risk being sidelined from the race, which is a huge deal, especially when every point counts in the competitive world of NASCAR.
The argument from the teams is clear: they believe that granting the injunction wouldn’t cause any harm to NASCAR. Instead, it would simply maintain the current status quo of the 36 charter teams. Although the two teams have filed lawsuits against the governing bodies, they still want to continue racing in NASCAR. Both 23XI and FRM have hundreds of people working within the teams to ensure things run smoothly.
Michael Jordan’s efforts from the start were to get a chance to negotiate the terms of the charter agreement. The two teams filed a preliminary injunction that aims to keep them racing as chartered teams in 2025 while they hash out their ongoing antitrust case against NASCAR. This is a big deal for them because racing without charters could mean significant financial setbacks. 23XI/FRM filed a reply to NASCAR’s response to the injunction motion. For both teams, there are millions of dollars on the line since sponsors already signed deals beyond 2024.
-23XI/FRM state open team agreement also requires them to waive right to pursue this type of lawsuit so injunction needed to race.
-Teams argue injunction wouldn’t harm NASCAR, just keep status quo of 36 charter teams.
NASCAR filed a formal response opposing the preliminary injunction, arguing that the extraordinary circumstances needed for such an injunction simply aren’t present. NASCAR insists this whole issue is more about contract terms than it is about antitrust laws. In their view, it’s a straightforward contract dispute rather than a legal battle that could shake the foundation of how things are run.
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Michael Jordan is not one to sit on his hands
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The legal drama between Michael Jordan and NASCAR is heating up, and it’s not a typical game of basketball. Jordan, along with attorney Jeffrey Kessler, claims that NASCAR and CEO Jim France are behaving like “monopolistic bullies” in their attempts to silence dissenters. In their latest court filing, they argue NASCAR pushes back against anyone who dares to challenge their authority.
On the flip side, NASCAR isn’t backing down, branding Jordan and Kessler’s request for a preliminary injunction as a “masterclass in contradiction.” They believe it’s just a tactic to secure more cash and better contract terms that they couldn’t nail down in negotiations. In this back-and-forth, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are seeking a court order that would allow them to compete as chartered teams for the 2025 season, even though they haven’t signed NASCAR’s charter agreement.
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NASCAR, however, is pushing back hard, arguing that the two teams are trying to use the antitrust process as a weapon to hurt the organization while avoiding the responsibilities of the charters they didn’t sign. Their legal filing states that the request for documents predating the four-year statute of limitations for antitrust claims is also off-base.
Kessler has countered these arguments, maintaining that the request for expedited discovery is completely reasonable and necessary to prove their case.
NASCAR Lawsuit: Michael Jordan & Co Question NASCAR’s Ultimatum Threatening 23XI & FRM’s Legal Leverage
Savannah Bananas to visit 3 football, 18 MLB stadiums in ’25
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The Savannah Bananas, the unconventional independent baseball team that has become a nationwide phenomenon, will take its unique brand of
Savannah Bananas expanding 2025 tour to football, MLB stadiums
The Savannah Bananas are taking their baseball hijinks to the gridiron in 2025.
Team owner Jesse Cole said his barnstorming squad, which has packed stadiums around the country with its rollicking, freewheeling version of the national pastime known as Banana Ball, will play at Clemson’s 81,000-seat Memorial Stadium on April 26.
The Bananas also will host a pair of games at NFL facilities, Cole said. They will play at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, the 69,000-seat home of the Tennessee Titans, on May 10, followed by 75,000-seat Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., home of the Carolina Panthers, on June 7.
“These will be some of the biggest crowds in baseball history to see Banana Ball,” Cole told the Associated Press.
Since a full-sized baseball field does not fit in the tighter confines of a football stadium, especially at the home of the Clemson Tigers, the Bananas plan to install netting at least 50 feet high to make it a bit tougher to hit one out in the shortest portion of the outfield.
Cole — ever the promoter — noted the barrier in all three football stadiums will be significantly taller than Fenway Park’s 37-foot-high Green Monster. And, of course, the Bananas plan to use the unusual dimensions to full comedic advantage.
“In Banana Ball, we like to make things a little different,” said Cole, who is known for the yellow tuxedos he wears to games. “We’re going to have fun with it.”
The Bananas, who started as summer-league team for college players, have become a touring sensation with their carnival-style version of the game, which includes choreographed dance routines, players on stilts and unusual rules such as outs counting when a fan catches a foul ball in the stands.
They even have an exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Cole said the Bananas and their affiliated teams, the Party Animals and Firefighters, have drawn more than 1 million fans this year. The goal for next year is 2 million.
“We’re not just building a team, we’re building a sport,” Cole said, “It’s all about creating the fastest, most entertaining sport for the fans.”
He takes umbrage with those who call the Bananas nothing more than the Harlem Globetrotters with bats and gloves, pointing out that the winner is never predetermined.
“We have people say, ‘Hey, these guys can really play,’” he said. “The Bananas actually lost their tour in 2023. They lost more games than they won against the Party Animals. That’s not going to happen to the Globetrotters.”
Cole said Clemson plans to install a baseball diamond, complete with a dirt infield, on the grass field at Death Valley. The stadiums in Nashville and Charlotte, which have artificial turf surfaces, will paint in the basepaths and other features to make them look more like ballparks.
The Bananas also will headline 18 weekends at major-league stadiums in 2025, including the Chicago White Sox’s Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 15-16 and stops at Yankee Stadium in New York, Camden Yards in Baltimore and Truist Park in Atlanta. They will play two games each at those parks.
During their 2024 campaign, the Bananas played before sellout crowds at big-league ballparks in Houston, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland, with another packed house expected next week for a game at the Miami Marlins stadium.
The Bananas also will hold 30 games in their home base of Savannah, the quirky city on Georgia’s coast where they were founded in 2016. They play at 5,000-seat Grayson Stadium, which opened in 1926.
“It’s our home,” Cole said. “We have 200-plus people who travel around the country with us, but we always come back to Savannah. It’s the smallest stadium we play at by far, but it’s where it all started for us.”
The Bananas will have a new opponent next season, as a team known as the Texas Tailgaters will join the Party Animals and Firefighters. Cole is now planning to start his own circuit, the Banana Ball Championship League, with two more squads coming aboard in 2026.
One can only imagine what the prize will be for the title-winning team.
A trophy shaped like a banana, perhaps?
“In between the football stadiums and MLB stadiums and 2 million fans, we’re dreaming as big as we can,” Cole said. “We might as well start a league while we’re at it.”
Stunning New Images of Barcelona’s £1.25bn Redesigned Camp Nou Emerge
Catalan giants Barcelona have unveiled stunning new images of their revamped Camp Nou stadium, as well as revealing ambitious plans to return before the end of the season. Following their triumphant La Liga victory in June 2023, the Catalan club kicked off a massive £1.25 billion renovation project aimed at transforming the iconic arena.
Initially, the plans were met with skepticism, with fans around the world concerned that one of football’s most beloved stadiums might lose its universal gleam. However, those doubts have quickly been allayed, as the redevelopment promises to be well worth the effort. The renovation will not only elevate the stadium’s visual appeal but also increase its capacity to a remarkable 105,000, further cementing the Camp Nou’s reputation as one of the most iconic sporting venues.
Back in August, Barcelona declared on their official website that the renovated Camp Nou would be a
AI Shows How Iconic Stadiums Would Look if They Hadn’t Been Demolished
While the same names remain at the top of their respective leagues, they are always evolving with the ever-growing pressures of looking pristine and, thus, achieving the most. Evident, and rather expensive, changes to a club’s persona can often consist of shutting up shop and moving to another stadium.
Of all 20 current Premier League sides, a grand total of eight of them have changed stomping grounds since the turn of the millennium, perhaps suggesting the need to provide a state-of-the-art experience for match-going fans continues to intensify.
Related Presenter Ranks Top 10 Stadiums in English Football After Visiting All 92 Adrian Durham’s own ranking demands curiosity, as only four Premier League grounds made the cut.
The likes of Highbury and White Hart Lane have both been replaced and demolished in recent years – but what would they look like nowadays? Using AI, with the help of the folks over at BonusCodeBets, let’s take a look at what some of the most iconic stadiums in the UK would look like nowadays – if they were still around, of course.
Highbury, Arsenal
Demolished in May 2006
Before the 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium, which is now used by both the men’s and women’s teams, Arsenal fans made the trip to the iconic Highbury. Staying at the latter was not on the agenda, however, as the East Stand is a Grade II-listed building and houses would’ve needed to be knocked down in order to redevelop it.
Between 1913 and 2006, Highbury was the true statement of Arsenal incremental changes over the years epitomising the club’s ever-changing style. Now converted into north London flats, AI’s version of the iconic ground is smart and clean, but it also has a traditional feel to it – much like Arsenal football club as a whole.
Highbury – Fact File Opened 1913 Closed 2016 Final capacity 38,500 Highest attendance 73,295, a 0-0 draw with Sunderland in 1935
White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur
Demolished between June and August 2017
Forget the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a second, a large part of the club’s fanbase will remember tipping up to White Hart Lane for sections of their lives. The north Londoners enjoyed the old-school nature of the 36,240-seater for 118 years, but it was demolished in 2017 in order to make way for a trailblazing stadium.
Having outgrown the old stadium down the road, they moved to – after a two-year stay at Wembley – moved to a newer, fresh-looking stomping ground. AI has predicted that White Hart Lane would have lost its classic touch, feeding into the modern era of football stadia anyway.
White Hart Lane – Fact File Opened 1899 Closed 2017 Final capacity 36,240 Highest attendance 75,038, a 1-1 draw with Sunderland in 1935
Maine Road, Manchester City
Demolished between 2003 and 2004
Pre-Premier League dominance, Manchester City plied their trade at Maine Road. But, once relegated in 1996, they moved to the City of Manchester Stadium, which was later renamed to the Eithad Stadium. The club were reluctant to move, but any plans for redevelopment were abandoned after falling down the English football pyramid.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Upon opening in 1923, Maine Road was the second-largest stadium (85,000) in England – behind Wembley.
It took just a year for Maine Road to be demolished and subsequently made into a housing estate and school – but many were under the belief that staying put made more sense. If they had, the computer-generated image shows they could have remained within the realms of a box-like stadium, increasing the height of their three stands to match that of the main Kippax terrace.
Maine Road – Fact File Opened 1923 Closed 2003 Final capacity 35,150 Highest attendance 84,569, a 1-0 win over Stoke City in 1934
Boleyn Ground, West Ham United
Demolished in March 2017
One of the Premier League’s most storied and fondly remembered football grounds, West Ham United’s departure from the Boleyn Ground was one filled with sorrow and potential regret. Moving to a modern-looking London Stadium – one that helped to host the Olympics in 2012 – many fans of the east London-based club complained that it wasn’t “fit for football”.
Doubling their capacity in the process, AI believes that West Ham’s old stomping ground would’ve remained pretty much the same – in its shape and its culture. The raucous ‘Chicken Run Stand’, located on the east side of the 35,016-seater ground, would have kept its originality – an aspect that fans now dream of.
Boleyn Ground – Fact File Opened 1904 Closed 2016 Final capacity 35,016 Highest attendance 42,322, a 2-2 draw with Tottenham in 1970
Related Every Premier League Stadium Ranked From Best to Worst Every Premier League stadium for the 2024-25 season has been ranked – including Portman Road, King Power Stadium and St Mary’s.
Griffin Park, Brentford
Demolished between 2021 and 2023
Before capital club Brentford could class themselves a regular Premier League outfit, Griffin Park was their stomping ground. Albeit a rather modest affair, it was called home by the west Londoners between 1904 and 2020, before they moved to the less-homely Gtech Community Stadium, which can hold a maximum of 17,250 match-goers, just four years ago.
As a result, their final home game – a Championship play-off semi-final, was played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Interestingly, the AI-generated image of Griffin Park dwarfs that of their current home, with it seeing vast improvements from its days in the English second division.
Griffin Park – Fact File Opened 1904 Closed 2020 Final capacity 12,763 Highest attendance 38,678, a 2-0 loss to Leicester in 1949
Wembley, England
Demolished between 2002 and 2003
Home of the much-maligned England national team, The Old Wembley was as traditional as stadiums came. The well-documented twin towers were swapped for the arch of The New Wembley in 2000 and the former was demolished just three years later after it shut its turnstiles for the very last time.
A sad day for football fans as it represented a changing of the guard, AI has predicted that its iconic appearance – which included the aforementioned twin towers – would have been long gone anyway. Now playing their games at The New Wembley – widely considered to be one of the best stadiums in world football – the stadium in London remains the Home of Football.
Wembley – Fact File Opened 1923 Closed 2003 Final capacity 76,000 Highest attendance 126,047, Bolton beat West Ham 2-0 in the 1923 FA Cup final
Ninian Park, Cardiff City
Demolished in October 2009
Demolished in 2009 to make way for a housing development, Cardiff City’s former ground, Roker Park, was a cornerstone of Welsh football. With the solitary wooden stand to show for, it was opened in September 1910 and homed the Swans for almost a century after it closed its door for the very last time in 2009.
Its tiring stands and perceived lack of stability, according to AI-generated images, would’ve been completely transformed into a modern-looking arena – one fit for a team the size of Cardiff. Instead, they now ply their trade at the Cardiff City Stadium – located in the epicentre of the nation’s capital.
Ninian Park – Fact File Opened 1910 Closed 2009 Final capacity 21,508 Highest attendance 62,634, a 1-1 draw between Wales and England in 1959
Roker Park, Sunderland
Demolished between 1997 and 1998
The successor of a site on Newcastle Road that Sunderland used in the late 19th century, Roker Park became the loving home of the Wearside-based outfit in 1898 and served them until three years shy of the turn of the millennium, overseeing all manner of fixtures in that period.
Construction of the Stadium of Light, just a few hundred yards from Roker Park, started in 1996 and the latter was then demolished and replaced by housing estates as the Black Cats settled in at the former. Had they opted against the move, the 22,500-seater stadium’s unfit-for-purpose nature would have been eradicated. According to AI, it would’ve grown in size and maturity.
Roker Park – Fact File Opened 1898 Closed 1997 Final capacity 22,500 Highest attendance 75,118, a 1-0 win over Derby County in 1993
All stadium information per The Stadium Guide – correct as of 13/10/24
20 Best Football Stadiums in Britain [Ranked]
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Key Takeaways Anfield The top 20 stadiums in Britain have been ranked based on a variety of different factors.
Manchester United’s Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge of Chelsea miss out on the top 10.
Anfield and Ibrox are among the highest-ranked arenas in the UK, partly thanks to their incredible atmospheres.
Where a team plays football can make a major difference to how they perform on the pitch. Some atmospheres may intimidate the opposition into defeat and submission, while others may be so vast that, even with vocal supporters behind them, players may be swallowed up by the pressure to come out on top.
There are several incredible arenas across the UK, from modern greats to historical landmarks that have been etched in football history. Below, we have decided to name the top 20 stadiums in the British Isles, using several key factors to rank them as accurately as possible.
Ranking Factors
History
Longevity
Atmosphere
Capacity
Design
Construction
Location
20 Best Football Stadiums in Britain [Ranked] Rank Stadium Home Team 1. Celtic Park Celtic 2. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tottenham 3. Anfield Liverpool 4. Ibrox Rangers 5. Millennium Stadium Wales National Team 6. London Stadium West Ham 7. St James’ Park Newcastle 8. Emirates Stadium Arsenal 9. Goodison Park Everton 10. Elland Road Leeds United 11. Old Trafford Manchester United 12. Hillsborough Sheffield Wednesday 13. Hampden Park Scottish National Team 14. Wembley Stadium England National Team 15. Villa Park Aston Villa 16. Etihad Stadium Manchester City 17. Craven Cottage Fulham 18. Stamford Bridge Chelsea 19. King Power Stadium Leicester City 20. Murrayfield N/A
Related 10 Best Stadium Atmospheres in British Football [Ranked] Some grounds in Britain are known for their sizzling atmospheres, here’s a list of the very best.
20-16
Murrayfield, King Power Stadium, Stamford Bridge, Craven Cottage, Etihad Stadium
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While technically more commonly used as a Rugby Union arena, it felt unfair not to include Scotland’s biggest stadium in the list at all, which is why Murrayfield takes its place at the bottom. If not for the fact that the most recent game of football played there was Leny Yoro’s Manchester United debut, there’s every chance the 67,000-seater would have climbed above the King Power Stadium and Stamford Bridge, homes to Leicester City and Chelsea respectively.
Fulham’s Craven Cottage is one of the more unique stadiums in English football. Located on the banks of the River Thames, it is also home to the most expensive season tickets available in the Premier League. They follow Manchester City and the Etihad Stadium, which, despite jokes about the Premier League champions’ struggle to fill the stands, is an arena worthy of one of the top teams in the country, given its remarkable upkeep and its role as a centre point for the area.
15-11
Villa Park, Wembley Stadium, Hampden Park, Hillsborough, Old Trafford
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Villa Park has witnessed some glorious nights throughout the years, with a recent victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League being among the best in recent times. Aston Villa’s home has become iconic in name and still retains a touch of the old-school charm, helping it maintain a sense of mystique in modern times. Meanwhile, the home of English football, Wembley, seems to have lost some of its revered stature since the opening of the new stadium in 2007. Frequent complaints about the pitch surface and a lacklustre atmosphere in the singing section have certainly tarnished its reputation.
Hampden Park, on the other hand, offers one of the more unforgettable matchday experiences in the region. Whether it’s a Scottish Cup final or Steve Clarke leading out the Tartan Army, a trip to the Glasgow-based ground is bound to be memorable.
The bottom half of the list is rounded off by two of the most historically significant stadiums, both tied to football tragedies. While Hillsborough may no longer be on par with state-of-the-art arenas, the events of 1989 and their impact on English football and politics in the aftermath of the disaster mean it deserves recognition. The same goes for Old Trafford, which remains one of the most iconic arenas in the world, despite years of neglect and decay under the mismanagement of the Glazer family. The Theatre of Dreams was once a place of hope for Manchester United following the Munich Air Disaster but has now turned into football’s no man’s land.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Old Trafford is home to the largest capacity in the Premier League (74,310).
Related Man Utd Prepared to Demolish Old Trafford if They Build New Stadium Manchester United’s hierarchy are prepared to make a huge decision on the future of Old Trafford if they press on with plans for a new stadium.
10-6
Elland Road, Goodison Park, Emirates Stadium, St James’ Park, London Stadium
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There are very few places in England that can replicate the cauldron that is Elland Road. Leeds United’s brief Premier League return at the start of the 2020s gave one of the most passionate and visceral fan bases in the game a chance to be heard at the top level once again, exactly where they belong. However, they have been edged out by Goodison Park, which will soon be vacated as Everton move to their new stadium during the 2025/2026 season.
Much fuss was made about Arsenal’s move from Highbury to the Emirates in 2006, with claims that the money poured into the new stadium hindered Arsene Wenger’s ability to compete in the transfer market, affecting results on the pitch.
Newcastle’s love for football and all things black and white ensures that St James’ Park, the northernmost stadium in English football, ranks seventh. Through thick and thin, the Magpies have always been able to rely on their supporters to visit St James’ Park a daunting prospect for any opposition. Similarly, West Ham’s London Stadium blends modern design with a nostalgic nod to Upton Park, where the spirit of the old ground can still be felt among the fans.
5-1
Millennium Stadium, Ibrox, Anfield, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Celtic Park
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The top five on this list could easily be placed in any order without much argument. The Millennium Stadium in Wales famously took on the role of hosting the English Cup finals during the rebuild of Wembley and remains one of the most impressive arenas to this day.
Stadiums like Ibrox and Anfield will always be steeped in history due to what has happened on the pitch. But in the stands, few singing sections can send shivers down the spine like these two. In terms of pure atmosphere, they surpass the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, the sheer quality of Daniel Levy’s creation has become the standard-bearer for modern stadiums and has hosted a range of other sporting events.
That leaves the top spot, with the crown going to Celtic Park. When combining all the ranking factors, Celtic Park excels in every category. History, longevity, atmosphere, you name it. It stands as the pinnacle of football stadiums in the British Isles.
NFL stadiums could experience $11 billion in climate-related losses by 2050, a new report finds
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Hurricane Milton’s damage to Tropicana Field in Tampa, Florida, was so devastating it likely means the Tampa Bay Rays will be looking for another place to play ball for opening day next spring.
Like many baseball stadiums around the country, Tropicana Field’s geographic location makes it vulnerable to hurricane winds or tornado-force winds, hail, storm surge and flooding.
The Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres and others play on or near the water and could see insurance premiums rise and repair costs soar as weather-related losses hit.
But it’s not just baseball stadiums at risk. NFL stadiums could experience $11 billion in climate-related losses by 2050, according to a new report released by the climate risk analysis company, Climate X.
As football stadiums are increasingly being used for concert venues, storm shelters and community events, the impact could be severe for the economy.
Climate X said it’s a wake-up call for state and local governments.
“The problem with climate change is non-linear and non-stationary. If you had a problem there yesterday, that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be there tomorrow,” said Kamil Kluza, co-founder of Climate X. “Places that have been unimpacted will become impacted, because the climate will change and move around.”
The risks from changing weather patterns go far beyond hurricane winds and flooding.
Dangerous heat is a problem for the Arizona Diamondbacks playing in Phoenix. The team has a lease until 2027 at Chase Field and is responsible for upkeep and repairs. But the facility is struggling to keep fans cool, much less players, in a city where the temperatures this summer broke even Phoenix’s own scorching records.
Up north, a massive snowstorm in 2010 collapsed the roof of the Minnesota Vikings’ Metrodome.
Some of the most harrowing images of stadium damage are still from 2005, of a SuperDome surrounded by floodwaters in New Orleans, housing Katrina victims trying to take cover from the storm.
The Climate X report ranks the vulnerability of the 30 NFL stadiums when it comes to climate hazards such as flooding, wildfires and storm surge. It’s calculated by comparing the projected damage costs to the stadium’s current replacement value.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home of the New York Giants and the New York Jets, is projected to incur the biggest losses. Climate X projects a total percentage loss of 184%, with cumulative damages exceeding $5.6 billion by 2050 due to the stadium’s low elevation in the marshy Meadowlands and exposure to flooding and storm surge.
The new state-of-the-art $5 billion Sofi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, and State Farm Stadium in Arizona, where the Arizona Cardinals play, are the next-most vulnerable stadiums to climate risk.
Climate X said Lumen Field in Seattle, home to the Seattle Seahawks, and Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to the Green Bay Packers, are projected to have a much lower relative loss rates. Their non-coastal locations and limited exposure to extreme heat events could benefit them.
Some teams are trying to tackle the climate change problem head on. For example, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas ran the Super Bowl completely off renewable energy.
Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home to the Atlanta Falcons, said its energy-efficient design reduces electricity usage by 29%.
“The bottom line is that climate change is happening, whether we like it or not, and I think the instead of fighting climate change with just sustainability and reducing CO2, we need to start acting to put adaptation measures in place,” Kluza said.
As for Tropicana Field, there are questions about whether it should be repaired at all, as it’s slated for demolition anyway to make way for a new $1.3 billion ballpark for the Rays to play in time for the 2028 season.
Shakira cancels Chicago show, moves tour to stadiums in 2025
Pop singer Shakira has cancelled her Chicago tour stop originally scheduled for Dec. 14. Fans who purchased tickets can return them for a full refund. Omar Vega/Getty Images
Pop singer Shakira has canceled her tour stop in Chicago that was scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14.
The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer released a statement that cites an evaluation of her tour that had been slated for several arenas, including Chicago’s United Center, which was now being shifted to ballparks and stadiums.
“The production of my show is also now so much larger and unlike anything I’ve done before,” Shakira’s statement posted on the United Center’s website reads. “As a result, we’re elevating my North America run from arenas to stadiums and the dates will be shifted to May 2025, right after my Latin American tour. Get ready-cities and dates will be announced on Monday (Oct. 21).”
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The new dates were posted on Shakira’s Instagram page, but the Chicago show is not one of the rescheduled dates.
Fans who purchased tickets can return them for a full refund.
10 Ugliest Stadiums in British Football History [Ranked]
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A team’s stadium is much like a church for their supporters, who visit every week to worship their team. Some venues are grand, with history and character, without a bad view in the house, whereas others are quite the opposite. The fans may still love the stadium they watch their beloved club at, but aesthetically, many of them are an eyesore to everybody else.
With that in mind, some of the ugliest stadiums in British football have been ranked, taking into account a vast array of factors. West Ham’s London Stadium and Oxford’s Kassam Stadium both feature, as do many other eyesores.
Ranking Factors
Condition
Character
Overall Aesthetics
Related Every Premier League Stadium Ranked by Presenter Who’s Visited Them All A presenter who has visited all 20 Premier League stadiums has ranked them in order.
10 Madejski Stadium (Select Car Leasing Stadium)
Club: Reading
This position on the list could have gone to any number of clubs. A lot of modern stadiums, including Cardiff’s, Southampton’s and Leicester’s have a distinct lack of character, and all appear to be the exact same. Although the stadiums are technically better quality than the older grounds, they are without soul and the same energy.
Madejski Stadium (currently named Select Car Leasing Stadium for sponsorship reasons), which opened in 1998, is just like the others. However, due to its dismal attendances, and the fact it is in the middle of nowhere, it makes the list. Filling just over 50% of the stadium during the 2024/25 season, the Madejski Stadium is far from the ideal place for fans to go to, and it is very uninspiring to look at.
Madejski Stadium Statistics Capacity 24,161 2024/25 Average Attendance 12,270
9 Gtech Community Stadium
Club: Brentford
A stadium which you have to walk under a motorway to get to, the Gtech Community Stadium, is far from nice to look at.
The main stand out is the stadiums’ lack of character. It features multi-coloured seats, which have nothing to do with Brentford, which was done in order for the ground to ‘appear full’ when on TV, which is not a great sign. Overall, the stadium, which was opened in 2020, is incredibly underwhelming, and lacks soul, but maybe that will come with time, although that appears unlikely.
Gtech Community Stadium Statistics Capacity 17,250 2024/25 Average Attendance 17,001
Related 20 Best Football Stadiums in Britain [Ranked] From Anfield and Old Trafford, the 20 best stadiums in Great Britain have been named.
8 The John Smith’s Stadium
Club: Huddersfield
The John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield is certainly unique. With four arched stands and empty corners, the ground looks rather unusual. Opened in 1994, the ground was ahead of its time, but it now appears dated and rather ugly. Often, taking a risk and opting to go against the grain can be a good thing when it comes to designing a new stadium, but in this case, the John Smith’s Stadium is simply unusual. If the corners were to be filled in, it may appear better, but with the club currently in League One, it is unlikely the stadium will be expanded any time soon.
The John Smith’s Stadium Statistics Capacity 24,500 2024/25 Average Attendance 18,320
7 Stadium MK
Club: MK Dons
One of the most controversial and unpopular clubs in the English football pyramid, MK Dons stadium is much like the things they are accused of being.
Soulless, and in the wrong place, Stadium MK would be the 15th biggest stadium in the 2024/25 Premier League, yet they barely fill 20% of it on a match day. A club which has caused a lot of unrest in English football for their treatment of Wimbledon, Stadium MK is equally unpopular due to its basic nature, and it arguably shouldn’t really exist.
Opened in 2007, the modern stadium is accused of lacking atmosphere and being everything wrong with modern football.
Stadium MK Statistics Capacity 30,500 2024/25 Average Attendance 6,136
6 Peninsula Stadium
Club: Salford
A very small stadium which had to develop quickly as the club rose through the leagues, Salford’s Peninsula Stadium is not the prettiest to look at.
With renovations completed in just 10 months, the stadium is unrecognisable from what it was before, for the worse. Although the floodlights in the shape of the club crest are a nice touch, the stadium itself is very basic, and lacks any sort of personality. Owned by the ‘Class of 92’, including Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, Salford had to make quick adjustments to their stadium as they rose through the divisions into League Two, and this has left them with a still very small, but now dull and basic stadium.
Peninsula Stadium Statistics Capacity 5,108 2024/25 Average Attendance 2,831
Related Which Premier League stadium has the most intimidating atmosphere? Premier League football is back over the weekend, so it seems a good time to ask a question to traveling fans. Which stadium has the most intimidating atmosphere? Let us know your thought below.
5 Kenilworth Road
Club: Luton
Although it was a revelation when Luton arrived in the Premier League in 2023, due to the unique nature of their stadium, objectively, it is an ugly ground.
Situated among houses, which away fans have to walk through to enter the stadium, Kenilworth Road is not attractive to look at. It appears old and squished into a bit of land that isn’t really there, so it is no surprise that they have imminent plans to build a new stadium. The ground certainly doesn’t lack character, but it is absolutely not the best to look at, whether that be in the stadium or on TV. Unlike some of the other teams on the list, Luton can’t be accused of not filling their stadium, but they can be accused of having a stadium that is not fit for the modern game.
Kenilworth Road Statistics Capacity 12,000 2024/25 Average Attendance 11,707
4 Priestfields Stadium
Club: Gillingham
As a stadium, Gillingham’s home, Priestfields, is distinctly average. It has four stands, one with two tiers, and is just a rather basic lower-league stadium. However, the away end doesn’t have a roof.
Although the attempt to irritate visiting supporters is commendable, the open nature of the stand does result in the stadium appearing a lot more unattractive and unusual. If all four stands were to be open, like they are in some stadiums across Europe and South America, the ground would, although impractical in the British weather, appear a lot better.
The stand itself is temporary, although it has been there since 2003, so maybe they one day will add a roof to it, but for now, Priestfields Stadium looks worse for it.
Priestfields Stadium Statistics Capacity 11,582 2024/25 Average Attendance 6,682
Related Troy Deeney Names 5 Most Intimidating English Stadiums to Play Football Deeney played in all four of England’s major divisions and has named the most intimidating stadiums he played at.
3 Kassam Stadium
Club: Oxford
The Kassam Stadium is a nice stadium, which features three stands and a car park. The ground has a North Stand, an East Stand, a South Stand, yet no West Stand. Behind the goal is simply just a car park. For a club who are now in the Championship, it would be expected that they would at least have four stands, not just for the visual improvement, but also to accommodate more supporters.
Balls regularly fly over the bar into the car park behind the goal, and the lack of a stand makes for very unappealing viewing. Other clubs, who have had three stands, have made an attempt to have a larger wall with great designs on it, namely Rayo Vallecano, but not Oxford.
If they were to put a new, small stand behind the goal, the Kassam Stadium may not have made this list at all, let alone be in third place.
Kassam Stadium Statistics Capacity 12,500 2024/25 Average Attendance 11,453
2 London Stadium
Club: West Ham
There have been few bigger downgrades when moving stadiums than West Ham’s move from Upton Park to the London Stadium.
Upton Park was famed for its incredible atmosphere, great character, and being very close to the pitch, yet the London Stadium, which the Premier League club moved to in 2016, is none of those things – essentially the anthesis to the most atmospheric grounds in world football. Due to the stadium formerly being used for the London 2012 Olympics, there is a large running track around the pitch, which means supporters are sat a long way away from the action, making it difficult to see what is going on, particularly for those sitting higher up.
These sentiments are felt equally on TV, as the lack of atmosphere in the ground makes it a bad stadium to view games in, and the fact it is not a football stadium at heart leads to it being a very ugly ground to look at.
London Stadium Statistics Capacity 65,513 2024/25 Average Attendance 62,468
Related AI Shows How Iconic Stadiums Would Look if They Hadn’t Been Demolished The likes of Highbury and White Hart Lane have been demolished in the last couple of decades – and AI has predicted what they’d look like now.
1 Blundell Park
Club: Grimsby
The crown for the ugliest stadium in Britain goes to Grimsby’s Blundell Park.
With stands of completely different sizes and lengths on the side, Blundell Park looks very skewed, and not well thought through. In desperate need of refurbishment, with parts of the stadium appearing to be falling apart, Blundell Park is very unattractive.
Considering it was opened in 1899, it is quite remarkable that it is still standing. Although the ground is absolutely full of history and character, it is not suitable to host modern football as it stands, and changes must be made in order to improve its condition. Therefore, Blundell Park is the ugliest stadium in Britain.
10 Most ‘Beautiful’ Stadiums in Football History [Ranked]
![10 Most ‘Beautiful’ Stadiums in Football History [Ranked]](https://sportsmedia.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/news_74260-768x384.png "10 Most ‘Beautiful’ Stadiums in Football History [Ranked]")
In football, it is often the players, managers and even fans who are discussed the most, and the football stadiums are forgotten. These magnificent arenas, where supporters go to worship their team every week, are pivotal to the sport. Sometimes these stadiums are old, ugly, and falling apart, but certain venues are works of art.
With this in mind, here are the most beautiful football stadiums in history, ranked from ten to one.
Ranking Factors
Design
History
Overall Aesthetics
10 Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
Team: Real Madrid
Opened in 1947, the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.
Home to one of the most successful teams of all time, Real Madrid, the Santiago Bernabeu has seen some incredible moments, and legendary players. The stadium itself is ever getting more remarkable, with a five-year renovation between 2019 and 2024 improving the stadium further. Adding more seats, redesigning the exterior, and inputting a state-of-the-art retractable pitch and roof, there are few stadiums like the Santiago Bernabeu.
An arena every football fan would love to visit, the home of Real Madrid is an unbelievable venue.
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Statistics Year Opened 1947 Capacity 85,000
9 Allianz Arena
Team: Real Madrid
An incredible stadium, home to Bayern Munich, the Allianz Arena is a beautiful stadium.
Inside, the picturesque pitch and seat designs leave fans in awe, with a large Bayern badge printed on the seats, which stands out from a mile away. Yet perhaps the most amazing part of the Allianz Arena is the exterior. Designed by the architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, the stadium features 2,800 air cushions, which have LED lights underneath and can display 16 million different colours. On a match day, the stadium lights up red, which is a sight to behold.
A beautiful stadium, home to one of the world’s best teams, the Allianz Arena is a unique and mesmerising arena.
Allianz Arena Statistics Year Opened 2005 Capacity 75,024
8 Wembley Stadium
Team: England
After deciding to leave the old Wembley, England had to create a venue fit for an ever-improving nation, which would also be hosting international tournaments and domestic cup finals.
A huge stadium, the largest in the United Kingdom, Wembley Stadium stands out from miles away, and the iconic arch which goes over the stadium adds to the spectacle. The beauty of the stadium is hard to incredible, but the size and magic really add to the beauty.
With a perfect playing surface, which requires constant care and attention, Wembley Stadium always looks pristine and is already a legendary arena.
Wembley Stadium Statistics Year Opened 2007 Capacity 90,000
Related Every England Defeat at The New Wembley Wembley Stadium re-opened in March 2007 and is England’s home venue. We list every time the Three Lions have lost in competitive games since then.
7 Birds Nest Stadium
Team: China
Perhaps less iconic than some of the other stadiums, the Birds Nest Stadium in Beijing is truly beautiful.
Opened for the 2008 Olympics, but now being home to the Chinese football team, the Birds Nest Stadium features a unique design, which makes it stand out among the rest.
Clear eyes, blocked views, bad seats: Meet the fan who exposes stadium view obstructions
Former Florida QB Jesse Palmer recalls how the hostile environment of Death Valley at LSU contributed to his No. 1 Florida Gators losing on the road. (1:03)
Open Extended Reactions
Michael Barker remembers the most iconic play that he missed because of an obstructed view.
When Barker was looking for a ticket to watch the Gardner Minshew-led Washington State Cougars take on the Oregon Ducks in 2018, the average price was over $700. He ended up finding one for $250, but it came with an unexpected problem.
Once he arrived at his seat, he was surprised to find a giant light pole blocking his view of the game — an obstruction that wasn’t marked on the ticket. It ended up causing him to miss a 6-yard touchdown pass in the far-right corner of the Washington State end zone.
The only thing Barker could see were his fellow fans throwing their hands up in excitement after the play.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Blunt Saudi Admission Impresses Tennis Insider Over Jannik Sinner’s Polished Take Despite Bagging $6 Million
Money matters. That is as realistic as one can get; even Carlos Alcaraz did. The Spaniard is minting some crazy numbers with his stellar tour results; lately, that number has only increased. The same goes for Italian star Jannik Sinner. However, a difference in the duo’s opinion over monetary gain has elicited a response from a renowned journalist—he doesn’t particularly agree with Sinner.
The Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh was a massive change in pace. Six elite players, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune, Alcaraz, and Sinner, contested the lucrative event. Overpowering formidable challenges, the Italian sensation came out on top after downing rival Alcaraz in the summit clash.
To the victor belongs the spoils, so naturally, the organizers were ready to oblige. Sinner was awarded a jaw-dropping $6M in prize money – notably the highest in the history of tennis. Subsequently, the World No. 1 was asked how he felt about cashing in on a lucrative amount as such.
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“I don’t play for money. It’s very simple. It’s a nice prize and everything but for me, I went there because there were possibly the six best players in the world. You can measure yourself with them”. Later, when his Spanish rival posed a similar query after pocketing $1.5M over just four days in Riyadh, he lent his ‘realistic’ opinion. The young talent expressed that money motivated him to jet to Saudi Arabia. “You have to think that you want to earn money and that’s it. In Arabia is the highest prize money ever in history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me”. This, in turn, gained a thumbs-up from Eurosport commentator Guido Monaco.
In a recent episode with ‘Tennis Mania‘, Manaco ‘preferred Alcaraz’s statement’, finding it more “genuine and realistic”. Furthermore, he noted that finances control what a player hires in their team and determine their touring bandwidth. “It’s true that money allows you to build a competitive and cutting-edge team around yourself. It’s not the same thing that the 30th, 40th, 50th in the world can afford. Money counts, even to stay at that level”.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (@carlitosalcarazz)
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With a heavy paycheque in hand and upcoming participation at the Paris Masters in sight, fans were excited to see Sinner’s athleticism in action again, but, Sinner’s 2024 season might be over.
Jannik Sinner withdraws from Paris Masters amid medical struggles
Italian superstar Jannik Sinner has been consistent all year; almost. Apart from troubles stemming from his doping saga, the ATP’s world ranking leader has given no excuse for disappointments. However, he has stumbled upon a problematic medical issue, an intestinal virus, that forced him out of the season’s final 1000 Masters event, the Paris Masters.
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Confirming the update, Sinner revealed that: “I’m very disappointed to tell you that I am not able to play here in this tournament. I came very early here to prepare and then felt sick, having a virus at the moment which is going to pass in the next two to three days so body-wise I’m not ready to compete. I’m very sorry for that but see you guys next year and hopefully, it’s going to be a great year.”
With no timeline for his recovery, there’s no certainty that he will return to action at the remaining events on his calendar. Though he qualified for the race to Turin, he might have to skip all commitments and come back in 2025, if his health doesn’t allow it.
Emotions Take Over Coco Gauff After Her Grandmother’s Soul-Stirring Message Fuels Her Indomitable Spirit
According to a famous saying, “A grandmother is both a sword and a shield!” This means a grandmother can be a source of protection and support and also provide the strength and tools to stand up for oneself. When it comes to standing up for oneself and also the community as a whole, we’ve seen how Coco Gauff raises her voice to defend what’s right. She’s just 20, but her ability and courage to take on challenges are really quite admirable. However, according to Gauff, these challenges are nothing if it’s compared with the challenges her grandmother had to go through at this age. Recently, we saw Gauff getting a bit emotional over her grandmother’s heartwarming words for her.
Coco Gauff created history by winning the US Open title in 2023, and her grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom, was the first black student at Delray Beach’s Seacrest High School, So, Gauff’s grandmother made history in her own rights in the 1960s. Odom has battled even greater odds than those that tennis can bring. For example, in 1961, during a time of segregation and prejudice, Odom was banned from a bus carrying white pupils, and teachers even asked her not to use the same loos. Not only that, despite being a sprinter and captain of her old school’s basketball team, Yvonne Lee Odom was cruelly denied the chance to play at Seacrest simply because she was black.
It had literally shattered her dream of a college sports scholarship. However, Odom now has perhaps achieved her unfulfilled wishes through the eyes of her super-talented granddaughter. While speaking about Coco Gauff in a recent video clip, we heard her say, “Coco to me was destined for greatness! Coz as a little girl she displayed that in many ways. I love you. I always say I love you but do your best. You know I’ve always said that because when you do your best, win or lose…you already made me proud. Always do your best and you know that your granddad said, ‘Never Say Die, (laughs).‘” Coco Gauff commented on that post put up by Fast Living Productions LLC’s IG page with three ‘heart’ emojis. Later on, she even shared that on her IG story with a caption saying, “Love my grandma 🥲.”
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Coco Gauff has now become a hero to all the kids back in Delray Beach, where Odom lives with her husband Eddie. The grandparents live just streets away from their grandchildren. Speaking about her super-talented granddaughter, during the 2018 French Open girls’ singles, Odom said, “Proud is not a word that does enough to say what I feel. I am so happy she has played her own game. I have watched her for years and I have seen her practice, practice, and practice. Her competitiveness is enormous. I knew it was going to show itself at this championship. I have seen that fire and I know how good she is.“
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fast Living Productions LLC (@fastliving_shoota)
So, this wasn’t the first time that we saw her grandmother heaping praise on her incredible talent right from a young age. Yvonne Lee Odom once spoke about how people initially used to call Coco Gauff as, Odom’s granddaughter, but now things have reversed. People now refer to her as “Coco’s grandmother.” How did Odom inspire Gauff to create her own voice and be an identity that would represent the community on the global map?
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Coco Gauff reveals how her grandmother has inspired her in her journey to achieving greatness on and off the court
We’ve often seen Gauff speaking against anti-LGBTQ laws in her home state of Florida. We’ve also seen her demanding racial justice at a BLM rally and there have been many such instances in which we saw her taking a few bold steps and raising her voice on what she feels is right. Speaking about her real inspiration to speak her mind on and off the court, Coco Gauff once revealed, “She’s (grandmother) the sole, or one of the main, reasons why I use my platform the way that I do and why I feel so comfortable speaking out.“
She explained all the hardships that her grandmother had to go through during her childhood days to fight against injustice. So, according to Gauff, “For her to go through what she did during that time [makes me think that] putting out a tweet or saying a speech is so easy compared to that. That’s why I have no problem doing the things that I do. She always reminds me that I’m a person first instead of an athlete.” Coco Gauff revealed how her grandmother has taught her to approach every situation with kindness and understanding.
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Even during the 2023 BJK Cup when Yvonne Lee Odom was there to show her support for her granddaughter, we saw Gauff sharing a few heartwarming words for her ‘true inspiration.’ In front of a jam-packed stadium, Coco Gauff said, “Yeah, my grandmother. Grandparents in general just mean a lot to me. I know a lot of you probably know what my grandmother or grandfather has done for this community regarding racial justice, equality, and equality in general.” She said that she’s grateful to be a part of a family that has often been involved in several noble endeavors for the community. Share your thoughts on the journey of Coco Gauff and her grandmother in the comment box.
‘Don’t Need to Play Tennis’- Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach Dishes Out True Reality of Top Players as She Opens Up on Brutal Scheduling
The grueling tennis schedule has fans thrilled with nonstop action almost year-round but for the players? It’s an exhausting ride. With 9-10 months of intense tournaments, the toll on athletes is undeniable, and criticism of the relentless WTA calendar has been simmering for a while. Enter Rennae Stubbs, former coach of Serena Williams and a voice unafraid to speak her mind.
The Australian coach and former player engaged in an interaction on the October 30th episode of The Rennae Stubbs Podcast. She deliberated on a wide range of factors including the recently concluded and ongoing tournaments and also spoke about the schedule of the year that has continued to be in the limelight. Answering a question from a fan who asked for Stubbs’ perspective on the mandatory tournaments, the 53-year-old explained that while these are necessary, the frequency and the duration of the tournaments must be looked into.
Stubbs highlighted that it becomes difficult for players to participate and fare well in back-to-back mandatory tournaments and pointed out scheduling challenges. Speaking on the podcast, Stubbs rhetorically questioned, “How many times have we seen a player win in Canada and they come and win in Cincinnati?” Answering it, she shared, “It’s a rarity. It’s really hard to do so and you know those tournaments suggest tough and you want to win a lot of money, there’s a lot of money.”
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Continuing further, she shared that money no matter tends to influence the top players and hence, the schedule has to be carved out wisely, signaling that despite the huge money that might be at stake, players can choose to stay from the tournament. “You have to remember, these players, the top players are making millions and millions and millions off the court. They don’t need to go play tennis to make money. Not anymore. So you have to be better strategically weave the calendar.” she shared. For those unaware, the top players are mandated to compete in 21 tournaments which include 4 Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 tournaments, 6 WTA 500 events, and the WTA finals. However, the spontaneous organization of these tournaments sometimes takes a toll on the players who are forced to withdraw from such tournaments.
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Point to note, this is not the first time when Stubbs has pointed out the scheduling challenges. In a recent episode of the same podcast, Stubbs said, “Scheduling is killing everybody. You know, I do remember having to go to Europe after the US Open, Asia is like another it’s just, it’s just an added right? It’s more hours.” And it’s not just Stubbs who points out the challenges. Another vocal name who has been criticizing the WTA schedule is the former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
“Makes tennis less fun for us,” Iga Swiatek feared burnout due to scheduling
Iga Swiatek has expressed her concerns about scheduling time and again. She has continued to highlight how back-to-back tournaments take a toll on the players physically as well as mentally, thereby making the sport less fun for them.
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After winning her quarterfinal match at the Cincinnati Masters said, “I think we have too many tournaments in the season. It’s not going to end well. It makes tennis less fun for us.” She reiterated her stance ahead of the US Open as well during an interview with Eurosports. “I do not expect that I will ever rest 100 percent at this point in the season, or that I will feel fresh. With our calendar, it is simply impossible. There are many tournaments, they are extended and there is not much time for regeneration, “ the Polish star had said.
As the current season draws to a close soon, it would be interesting to see if the organizers would take a lesson from these remarks and make the schedule more player-friendly the next season.
Taylor Townsend Leads Tons of Wishes for Belinda Bencic as She Takes ‘Baby Steps Forward’ Ahead of Her Highly-Anticipated Tennis Comeback
Belinda Bencic is back to playing competitive tennis following a long break to embrace motherhood. The former World No.4 has been working hard to make sure she’s in the best possible form ahead of next month’s Billie Jean King Cup. She’s leaving no stone unturned in doing so. Amidst her preparations, she’s received a huge support from another tennis mom who’s got nothing but praise for the Swiss player’s commitment to the game.
Belinda’s last major appearance was in 2023’s US Open where she showed a phenomenal display of her skills. For the first time in her career, she reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam event. However, the player had to take a break to welcome her first child and focus on her family. Earlier this year, she then expressed a strong desire to come back. Now that she’s back in action, Belinda Bencic is wasting no time in preparing for the Billie Jean King Cup where she will make her grand return. To stay at the top of her game, she’s currently participating in the ITF75 event in Hamburg. What’s really heartwarming is that her little one is also by her side. Belinda recently shared a post on Instagram, giving a glimpse into her sessions from the tournament. One of the pictures also featured her daughter, Bella.
Giving a sweet caption, Belinda wrote, “And we are back! With one more member to our team🥰 thank you to @hamburger_tennisverband for the WC, and round 2️⃣ we go tomorrow! „Baby“ steps forward”
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Belinda Bencic (@belindabencic)
Not long after this post, American Tennis star Taylor Townsend, who’s a mother herself, came forward to extend her wishes. In the comments section, Taylor pumped up Belinda with a positive, confidence-inducing reaction. Lifting up the Swiss player’s spirits, she wrote, “Well damn!! That was fast!! Congrats my girl!! ❤️❤️❤️”
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Townsend appreciated Belinda’s will to come back strongly and quickly despite turning a mother just almost a year ago. It’s simply because she didn’t let motherhood to hinder her professional goals at any point whatsoever.
Motherhood isn’t an obstacle for Belinda Bencic
After giving birth to Bella, Belinda has learned to maintain a balance between her work and private life. In her own words, “I can now separate my private life and my career better, my priority is Bella and tennis is almost secondary. In the past, I often fought against myself on the court. It may be that this will relieve me of some of the pressure.”
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So far in her inspiring career, Belinda hasn’t won any Grand Slam trophy. This is something she really wants to achieve going forward. “I still believe that I can win a Grand Slam tournament,” she said during an interview with SRF, dated September 16, 2024. Her avid fans will also want their favorite star to not only win a Majors title but also jump back into the top 5 in women’s singles ranking.
It will be intriguing to see how Belinda Bencic will perform at the Billie Jean King Cup. Do you think she will lead her country to an astounding victory in the event? Let us know in the comments below.
Aryna Sabalenka’s Beauty Leaves Beau Georgios Frangulis Stunned as He Drops a Heartfelt Reaction to Her Scintillating Looks
Sometimes a little bit of effort can mean so much in our lives, isn’t it? To have a healthy relationship, it’s very important to appreciate each other in whatever ways we can. Aryna Sabalenka and her boyfriend, Georgios Frangulis show us time and again, how it’s done! Just a few days ago Aryna Sabalenka shared a few glimpses from their dinner date with her boyfriend in Dubai. Before that, we saw her share an IG story captioning, “@georgiosfrangulis Evening shopping with meu amor.” Now, yet again these two love birds were found expressing their love and affection for each other on social media through a few heartfelt reactions.
Both Aryna Sabalenka and Georgios Frangulis have frequently expressed their admiration for each other since coming into a relationship in April this year. Sabalenka recently a few more sets of pictures from their Dubai trip on IG with the caption, “Dubai dump.” It took just a few minutes for Frangulis to drop a heartfelt reaction to her post. He expressed his admiration for her beauty by dropping a, ” 😍🤩” reaction in the comment section. Then Sabalenka replied, “❤️❤️❤️,” to his comment.
How amazing it is to see these little moments of appreciation can do wonders to building a strong relationship! Both Sabalenka and Fragulis love traveling around the world with each other. After winning the US Open, we saw them enjoying a trip to Switzerland. Aryna Sabalenka shared a few moments from their memorable trip with her fans on her social media account. She uploaded a video featuring the beautiful streets of Switzerland and captioned that post with, “September…❄️😂.”
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aryna Sabalenka (@arynasabalenka)
Then later on they were also seen spending time together during their vacation in Greece. In one of those pictures featuring their trip to Greece, they were seen enjoying their date near a seashore. Aryna Sabalenka captioned that post, “🥰.” Then in another picture, she was seen hugging her boyfriend while giving a pose for the camera. She showered her love for that picture by dropping three ‘heart’ emojis. Throughout their relationship, Georgios Frangulis has been a big supporter of Aryna Sabalenka. He’s often seen with the Belarusian tennis star at her matches, cheering her during crucial moments. What does Sabalenka think of getting so much love and support from her boyfriend?
Aryna Sabalenka’s heartfelt revelation about her boyfriend’s constant support
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Be it on the court or off it, the road was never a bed full of roses for the ‘Tigress’! She has had multiple ups and downs throughout this year, however, she still somehow managed to pull things back on track at the right time. And, according to Aryna Sabalenka, her boyfriend has been one of the strongest pillars of support through thick and thin!
During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in September, Aryna Sabalenka extended her gratitude towards her boyfriend saying, “There was a really tough period where I was really happy to have him by my side. Always cheering me up, always making sure that we are doing some fun stuff.” She further added, “But I make sure I kind of forget about tennis and focus on the good things and enjoy my life. Even when things are going wrong in my career. So yeah, he was my biggest support, and yeah, really happy to have him by my side.”
Do you know Aryna Sabalenka also gave her boyfriend a new tag on their Dubai trip? Earlier when Aryna Sabalenka shared a few pictures from their Greece trip, she had put up a cheeky caption in one of her posts. She wrote, “training @georgiosfrangulis to be an IG boyfriend 😎📸.” After that, we saw Frangulis coming up with a reply stating, “😂❤️I’m a natural, αγάπη μου (my love).” Then Sabalenka replied to his comment saying, “meu amor 😂🐒❤️❤️❤️ (my love).” However, as things stand as of now, it seems Sabalenka has finally managed to teach Frangulis how to become an “IG boyfriend.”
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Recently, the Belarusian superstar posted a few photos of their vacation in Dubai and this time she put up a caption saying, “@georgiosfrangulis is becoming a content king.” The Georgios Frangulis came up with a reply under this post stating, “Learning from the best meu amor.” So, it’s all about enjoying and appreciating these tiny moments in life, and these two show us how exactly it’s done! Share your thoughts on this beautiful couple.
Iga Swiatek’s Hopes for Top-Spot Vanish in Thin Air as Aryna Sabalenka Emerges as the Hot-Favorite for Tennis Insider
The WTA fans are currently preparing themselves for another round of intense action. After a long time of missing the “queen of clay” Iga Swiatek, it is time that the dominant force finds her way back to the courts. While updates have already started to emerge from Riyadh where the Pole is currently training, anticipation levels are touching the skies. However, despite the new coach, doubts are still lingering around the world no.2. Amid discussions of her current form, a renowned journalist made some bold predictions.
Aryna Sabalenka is in prime spot. Esteemed journalist Marek Furjan recently shared his thoughts on the heated battle between Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek ahead of the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The Pole gave a clear assessment of the situation, saying, “Sabalenka has a better chance of being number one at the end of the season.”
Continuing his verdict in support of the Belarusian, he added, “Iga has the responsibility of winning the entire tournament, and she is also dependent on Sabalenka’s result. She has a difficult task ahead of her,” in an interview with WP SportoweFakty. He also pointed out Sabalenka’s strong form, noting her recent victories at the US Open and Wuhan, which make her the favorite to grab the title in Riyadh this time. Furjan added that Swiatek’s performance in Riyadh “will be a mystery,” suggesting that uncertainty surrounds the defending champion’s form.
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Currently ranked No.2, Swiatek is preparing for her first competition since her US Open quarterfinal loss to Jessica Pegula on September 4. A lot has changed since including her coach. A couple of weeks back, she announced the hiring of coach Wim Fissette on October 14. Fissette, who has previously coached top players like Victoria Azarenka and Naomi Osaka, joined Swiatek for her first training session in Riyadh, alongside her trusted team members, sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz and hitting partner Tomek Moczek.
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Swiatek has been working hard and she has also updated fans about her rigorous training. She shared a hopeful message to her physiotherapist Maciej Ryszczuk, saying, “We’re waiting for you,” as her team continues to prepare for the tough challenge ahead. But will Aryna Sabalenka prove to be too much for the former world no. 1.
Tensions arise for Iga Swiatek as Sabalenka drops a confident verdict
Aryna Sabalenka has been in excellent form lately amid her rise to the top of the WTA rankings. The Belarusian has a strong chance of finishing the year as the top-ranked player. Sabalenka, however, is not letting the pressure of rankings distract her from her game. She remains focused on her performance and her goals.
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“Of course, this is something I really want to do, it is one of my goals,” Sabalenka shared. “But I learned in the past that if you focus on the rankings and defending points and all that kind of pressure, things can easily go wrong.”
Instead of letting the pressure consume her, Sabalenka has shifted her mindset to focusing on what she can control—her effort on the court. “I prefer to focus on myself, and when I’m on court I just try to bring my best tennis and fight for every point,” she added. This grounded approach will be crucial as she prepares to face stiff competition in the WTA Finals. With Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, and Zheng Qinwen in her group, Sabalenka will need to stay sharp to secure the title in Riyadh and cement her year-end no.1 ranking. The stage is set for the Tiger as she looks to finish the season on a high note.
WTA Finals: Besides Dominating Tennis, What Did Iga Swiatek Recently Confess as Her Biggest Weakness?
Iga Swiatek and weakness are two opposite ends of a coin. Rarely has she shown any weakness, when it comes to her game. The Pole has gone on to dominate the WTA circuit and won numerous big titles, including 5 Grand Slams. However, the case is not the same when it comes to her personal life. The Polish star once candidly confessed her biggest weakness in her personal life.
Owing to the hectic schedule, Swiatek has had hardly any time to spend at home. As a result, cooking is something that is alien to her. Despite trying her hands at it, the Polish star hasn’t been very successful in this regard and she recently made an honest confession during an interview, as she said, “For cooking. I can’t even follow a recipe and that’s it, I guess. I know that when a stage in my life comes when I care about it, I will learn it, but now I don’t even have time for it.”
via Getty LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 06: Iga Swiatek of Poland looks dejected as she plays against Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in her Ladies’ Singles third round match during day six of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 06, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
While she serves bagels and breadsticks on the court, Swiatek has found it difficult to follow recipes whenever she has tried her hands at it. Even a few years back, during a conversation with Tennis Klub, Swiatek was asked if she could cook and the Polish star firmly responded in negative, saying, “Oh no, I can’t cook. I’d really like to and I’d probably even find the time for it, but I’m completely untalented in the kitchen. I hope that won’t stop me from finding a husband (laughter).”
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Further, Swiatek has been in much news of late in regard to the changes in her coaching team. Earlier this week, her psychologist broke her silence on the matter.
Daria Abramowicz admits to Iga Swiatek being a good boss
After the US Open setback, where she lost in the quarterfinals, Swiatek abruptly ended her partnership with Tomasz Wiktorowski and replaced him with Wim Fissette, who is Naomi Osaka’s ex-coach. However, there was widespread speculation that Swiatek’s partnership with her ex-coach did not end on good terms. Amid this, Swiatek’s psychologist, Daria Abramowicz was asked if the Polish star was a good boss.
Abramowicz said, “It’s hard for me to answer this question, also because I’m bound by professional secrecy – she began. – However, she is the kind of person who certainly finds her way around all challenges. I think that a good boss. And this is a feature that Iga has – a good boss, a good leader in a sense, is also the kind of person who understands the value of a team, who is able to surround themselves with competent and valuable people, and this is also a great value.”
Swiatek will feature in the WTA Finals next month, where she will open her campaign against Barbora Krejcikova. The other two players in Swiatek’s group are Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. It’ll be interesting to see how Swiatek performs in the year-ending championship. What do you think?
LeBron James’ Breaking Silence on Trump & Kamala Harris Sparks Presidential Buzz, Excites John Legend & Ex-Tennis Star
LeBron James seems to have made up his mind about who he wants, to lead his country. Known for being vocal about politics, the NBA superstar had remained silent on the upcoming election—until now. Taking to Instagram, the 22-season veteran officially and ‘clearly’ endorsed Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Captioning, “What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!!” the 4x champion posted a video highlighting controversial remarks from Trump and his supporters, addressing issues of racism and violence. It also included historical images and clips of protesters fighting for the right to vote.
Clearly, the father of three believes Vice President Harris is the future of America. LeBron James has long supported Democratic candidates. He backed Joe Biden in the last election, writing, “We need EVERYTHING to change,” and was vocal for Hillary Clinton’s campaign back in 2016. The veteran hooper went as far as hosting a free concert, where Jay-Z performed to raise money and awareness for the campaign.
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Going even further back, he supported Barack Obama by hosting a concert in 2008 to encourage voter turnout. As for Kamala Harris, Bron met with her when she visited the Las Vegas training center, as Team USA was preparing for the Paris Olympics.
LeBron James’ political involvement really shows how committed the hooper is to backing leaders who focus on social issues and community development. Plus, the 20x All-Star’s public endorsements have garnered much support from popular figures.
LeBron James endorses Kamala Harris, earns support of popular names!
Now, this support comes from not just ‘King James’ fans, but also from quite a few notable figures across various industries. One of the leading figures in contemporary music and the first African-American musician to achieve the EGOT status (win the four major North American entertainment awards), John Legend, kept it simple with four crown emojis, clearly reflecting his respect and admiration. It also likely conveys his support for the endorsement, as well.
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He wasn’t the only one, though. Retired Australian tennis star Rennae Stubbs was grateful for LeBron James’ support, commenting, “Thank you,” under his post. The 6x Grand Slam winner has publicly endorsed Kamala Harris and even called for a female president. Much like James, she’s been vocal about her political views and advocating for women in leadership roles.
Another prominent name expressing support for Bron’s endorsement was Nathan Hale Williams, the producer of award-winning films like Dirty Laundry and All Boys Aren’t Blue. “Let’s GO King James!! Thank you for using your voice to be on the right side of history. “What are we even talking about” when THIS is the message from them. #harriswalz” he commented, followed by a pair of blue hearts and the American flag emojis. We don’t have to tell you that he is clearly an avid supporter of Harris for President.
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Moving on, Django Unchained actor and comedian Jamie Foxx also commented 3 flexing arm emojis, showing his support. And finally, Real Housewives Beverley Hills star, Garcelle Beauvais, also went the emoji route, commenting 3 folded hands emoji.
This strong display of support from prominent figures underscores the significance of LeBron James’ endorsement as a rallying point for those advocating for Kamala Harris and women’s leadership in politics. Thoughts?
Venus Williams’ Rumored Actor Beau Charms His Way to Her Heart With a Swoon-Worthy 2-Word Message to Her Tennis Milestone
Looking back and embracing the incredible journey! Tennis star, Venus Williams turned professional on October 31, 1994, at the age of just 14. On Thursday, Williams shared a few pictures from her incredible journey on her social media accounts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her professional tennis debut. Several fans and familiar faces across the tennis world congratulated her on her remarkable journey, but the comment that stole the limelight was from an actor-producer! Who was it? Venus Williams’ rumored boyfriend, Andrea Preti.
Venus Williams started her professional tennis career at the Silicon Valley Classic in Oakland, She defeated former NCAA singles champion Shaun Stafford by two sets in the first round. Her recent pictures on social media gave us a glimpse of that iconic moment. She was seen signing autographs after the match in that picture. Starting from the alleys of Compton, then moving to West Palm Beach, Florida before landing herself on the summit of the tennis world on February 25, 2002. What a journey this has been for Venus Williams! Recalling those fond memories in a single glance, she captioned her IG post saying, “30 years ago today, I stepped on the court for my pro debut! 🙏🎾✨.” Andrea Preti was among the first to share a heartfelt reaction to this post.
He wrote, “Hunny Bonny ❤️” in the comment section, and then Williams thanked him in the Italian language, “@andreapreti88 grazie! ✨👵🏾😅.” After that, Preti came back with a reply in the same thread writing, “@venuswilliams prego🖖🏻🖖🏽,” which means “you’re welcome!” For those who have been following these two closely, there have been several such moments in the last few months where we’ve seen them engaging in some heartwarming scenes.
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Venus Williams (@venuswilliams)
Take for example, in July this year both Venus Williams and Andrea Preti were seen spending vacation together in Nerano, Italy along the Amalfi Coast. Are they dating each other? Well, previously we heard Williams say, “I’ve had a single life for a long time and I think it’s really easy to get stuck in a single life and sometimes – at least for me – harder to get out.” However, in Italy, we saw her enjoying the company of Andrea Preti with a broad smile. Neither of these two has yet confirmed anything about their relationship, however, their chemistry was palpable through multiple scenes from that trip. There was an instance when we saw Preti wrap his arm around Venus Williams and even offer her a shoulder massage.
Then after this, a week later, Venus Williams was yet again spotted with this 36-year-old Danish actor on the streets of NY. They were seen holding hands with each other as they took a stroll along the streets of this beautiful city. Andrea Preti wore a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants while Venus Williams was spotted donning a white tank top and green shorts, carrying a jacket of the same color. Fans have now started to love watching them together! However, Preti wasn’t the only one who showered love and praise on this post portraying Venus Williams’ incredible milestone. Who else commented on Venus Williams’ post, though?
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Venus Williams’ close friend portrays his admiration for the tennis star
Apart from that post, Venus Williams also shared a couple of pictures on her IG stories. In the first story, she captioned, “When you come to play, come to change the game.” In the next one she penned down a long note saying, “This day 30 years ago I brought braids, beads the beginning of a game never seen before in tennis, it was the vision of my day. This day changed my life and I had no idea at 14 years old it would change so many others. So proud of those who came next. Never compromise, be unapologetically and authentically you, and be proud of you, you are and where you come from You never know, you just might change the game.”
We also saw American men’s tennis player and Venus Williams’ close friend, Reilly Opelka comment, “greatness” to her recent IG post. Although Venus Williams has vehemently denied dating rumors with Opelka multiple times in the past, their social media interactions always kept their fans hooked. For example, during the Met Gala 2024, we saw Opelka literally running out of words as he swooned over Venus Williams’ classy look in shining attire. Both of them often show their support for each other in person and on social media. In 2021, Williams was also spotted showing up in several tennis matches featuring Reilly Opelka.
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We also saw renowned tennis coaches, Rick Macci and Rennae Stubbs commenting on Venus Williams’ recent post celebrating her historic feat. Macci wrote, “On fire!! ❤️🔥” in the comment section. Rick Macci has played a pivotal role in shaping the career of the Williams sisters. After watching Venus Williams play for the first time, Macci told her father Richard that she would be the Michael Jordan of tennis. Truly she has now become a legend of the sport. Even Rennae Stubbs has seen the Williams sisters very closely. She commented, “Omg and i was there !“. Share your thoughts on Venus Williams’ incredible journey.
‘Iga and Aryna (Sabalenka) Respect Each Other’- Tennis Journalist Bursts the Bubble After WTA Finals Brings Out Fresh Equation Between Top-2 Stars
How is the relationship between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka? Well, these two have now become two of the most talked about players in women’s tennis. Recently, both these tennis stars were spotted training together in Riyadh. Although it was all smiles most of the time during the practice season ahead of the WTA Finals, there were some nervy moments too during the match. For example, they were seen teaming up for a playful TikTok video during the practice session. Then there was a moment in the match when we heard Swiatek raise a question mark over a call by asking, “Was it definitely an out?!” After seeing all these fans have started asking are rivals turning into friends?
Well, there was another hilarious moment in this epic practice match, where Swiatek was spotted apologizing to Sabalenka for accidentally breaking her phone during the match. Overall, it was quite exciting for the fans to witness them share the stage before the mega battle. Speaking about this practice session we heard, Aryna Sabalenka’s coach, Anton Dubrov say, “When two girls like that train, there will always be tension. Because each wants to show that they are well prepared for the tournament.”
Now talking, about tensions between these two, we’ve seen quite a few controversial moments in this season. Remember Swiatek’s indirect jibe at Sabalenka after the 2024 Madrid Open final surrounding the Belarusian’s claim of preferring to watch men’s tennis over the “boring” women’s tennis matches? Then a few eyebrows were raised when recently, Sabalenka took over the top spot from Iga Swiatek with the help of a controversial rule. Have these things impacted their relationship? How is the bonding between the two? Well, according to the latest Canal+ report, a tennis insider, Joanna Sakowicz-Kostecka claimed, “I understand that there is some made-up, media conflict between them. And the truth is that even if there is no great friendship, Iga and Aryna respect each other a lot.“
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She further added, “Despite everything, many people were shocked when we heard that Iga had arranged to train first with Zheng, and then with Sabalenka.” Now, we have previously seen both these tennis stars portraying their mutual respect for each other through multiple statements. Take for example, earlier this year we heard Iga Swiatek say, “For sure when we play against each other, I feel like it’s a challenge. I think it’s also pushing me to become a better and better player, so I think we both kind of need each other to grow.”
Even Sabalenka spoke in a similar line during one of her interviews. The Belarusian said, “I think that’s amazing the rivalry we are having with Iga. She definitely motivates me a lot to get better, and I think I improve so many things just because of her.” Last year, even Swiatek’s father, Tomasz Swiatek was asked to reflect a bit on her daughter’s relationship with Sabalenka. In reply, he said, “We never talked about it, but I’m sure they respect each other as players. It’s also not like all these girls are sitting together in the locker room and socializing there.” With the WTA Finals knocking at the doors, it’s perhaps time for us to shift our focus back to this epic rivalry in women’s tennis.
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Iga Swiatek vs Aryna Sabalenka: Chances in the WTA Finals
Well, both these tennis stars have met each other twelve times in their careers. Currently, Iga Swiatek leads the H2H scoreline against Aryna Sabalenka by an 8-4 margin. If everything goes right, we may see the thirteenth encounter in the SF of the 2024 Finals. Aryna Sabalenka will enter this tournament as a heavy favorite. Especially considering the form she has been in the last few months, she will be a strong candidate to retain the crown at the end of the season.
With a lead of 1106 points over her nearest rival, the Belarusian is in a much more comfortable position than she was in last year with just a 630-point lead. If Aryna Sabalenka wins all three group-stage matches, then she retain her top spot in the singles ranking. Doing so, Aryna Sabalenka will reach 9616 points while Iga Swiatek may end the season with a maximum of 9470 points. Will this make the SF clash less interesting? Perhaps a bit, but nevertheless, fans love watching their rivalry no matter what.
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Does Iga Swiatek have any chance of finishing the year on the highest note? Well, for that, equations are pretty simple, she needs to win the title! Even renowned journalist, Marek Furjan made an honest confession saying, “The Polish woman is not the main favorite to win the WTA Finals, Aryna Sabalenka will play this role in Riyadh,” during a recent interview with Sport.pl. Do you agree with his statement?
Shaquille O’Neal’s “Soft” Jibe at Joel Embiid Gets Destroyed by Ex NBA Star on Live TV With “Silly” Retort
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to controversy. From questioning Dwight Howard’s dedication to challenging LeBron James’ “killer instinct,” Shaq has frequently put current stars under the microscope. Now, as he had just started to settle on his recent feud with Rudy Gobert, it seems like the seven-footer has got himself into another one. In a recent episode of the Run it Back podcast, former NBA forward Chandler Parsons quickly jumped to Joel Embid’s defense after O’Neal had commented on the latest development of the 76ers star’s injury issue.
“He’s [Joel Embiid] put in hours and hours of work and still hasn’t been able to be available which I get is frustrating, and sometimes it comes off, maybe soft or doesn’t want to play or you see a guy at a dinner and he didn’t play that night and the fans react. I hate it so much because they don’t see the 10 hours of rehab that he was just doing before that, so I disagree with this… These comments were a little premature but the fact, the idea that he doesn’t want to be the man to me is silly,” said Parsons during the show.
The 76ers have decided to hold Embiid out till now for what they have termed left knee management. Last season, he played in just 39 games due to knee injuries but returned in time for the playoffs and for a short stint with Team USA’s gold medal run at the Paris Olympics this summer. While the status of Embiid’s injury has not been revealed by the Philadelphia 76ers as of late, Embiid was quick to weigh in.
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“If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career,” said Embiid ahead of the season opener last week. This particular comment by Embiid forced Shaq to deliver a bold criticism of him. “I actually want him to take it personal. Like you can’t come out before the season and say and I’m not playing back to back… Say it again spell it S-O-F-Capital T,” the 4x NBA champ said on The Big Podcast with Shaq.
Certainly, the numbers back up Parsons’ argument in support of Embiid. Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers center averaged 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. In the 2022-23 season, he became the first center to be named the MVP since Shaquille O’Neal himself in 2000.
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NBA observers aren’t missing what’s ironic in Shaq’s criticism – O’Neal was the epitome of playing himself into shape during the regular season and saving what he had for the playoffs. Maybe what’s happening today is that today’s stars, such as Embiid, are just taking as much control as possible about their health so that they’re in the best position to deliver when it truly matters. However, this wasn’t the only criticism given by Shaq.
Shaquille O’Neal questioned Joel Embiid’s determination to win the championship
The phrase “History is the Witness that testifies to the passing of time” worked quite well in the case of the seven-footer. Why? In the past, we have seen that whenever the Los Angeles Lakers legend had gone into a feud with someone, it has taken days to settle. The same is the case now.
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After Joel Embiid got temporarily out of the game due to his knee injury, criticism has constantly pored in. During the same episode of his podcast, Shaq questioned Embiid’s motive for the championship and even gave a hint that the 30-year-old is not serious about it. “He’s picking and popping and shooting jumpers. I don’t understand. To me, it just shows that he doesn’t want to win the championship,” said Shaq during his podcast.
Not only this but O’Neal even tried to state that Embiid’s behavior is not his injury history, but rather money. “When you’re making that much money, are you really that motivated?” added Shaq. Embiid is making $51.4 million this season and is set to earn almost $70 million in the last year of his new contract. The NBA community is, however, divided on this issue, with opinions varying widely. While some support Embiid’s decision to prioritize his health, others share Shaq’s concerns about his commitment to winning a championship.
Shaquille O’Neal Grants G-14 Classification to Matt Barnes Only Due to One Personal Reason
It’s no surprise Shaquille O’Neal has an impressive list of career achievements, but for NBA insiders, there’s something that stirs just as much talk as his rings: Shaq’s so-called “G-14 classification.” This fictional badge of honor, coined by O’Neal himself, isn’t for just anyone. According to Shaq, it’s reserved for athletes who have demonstrated their abilities and success at every level of their career. Even Charles Barkley, his longtime colleague on Inside the NBA, hasn’t made the cut. But recently, Shaq surprised everyone by adding a new name to his exclusive club: Matt Barnes. And the reason?
Shaq’s The Big Podcast clip, shared by All the Smoke, sheds light on why Barnes made the list. O’Neal admits, “I played with Matt… I like guys that play hard. I like guys that don’t take no s**t.” And true to form, Barnes has always been known for his fierce on-court presence and undeniable drive. Shaq’s fondness grew when Barnes joined his team, often sinking the clutch shots and always “making the right play.”
Off the court, the Lakers legend also appreciates his easygoing nature, saying simply, “He’s cool off the court.” It’s clear: in Shaq’s eyes, Barnes has grit and that ever-elusive “G-14 quality.” Beyond basketball, O’Neal sees a shared journey in Barnes’ story. “(I) Know his family. Know the things he’s been through. He knows the things I’ve been through.” It’s clear their bond goes beyond basketball, rooted in mutual respect and shared experiences.
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Interestingly, even Stephen Jackson got the G-14 classification due to similar reasons. But not everyone gets this stamp of approval. When Shannon Sharpe criticized Shaq’s antics during the MVP ceremony for Nikola Jokic, Shaq fired back, saying Sharpe had “Not enough G-14 classification to speak to me.” O’Neal’s G-14 label isn’t just a joke; it’s a marker for those who meet his standards.
In the end, Shaquille O’Neal’s G-14 classification isn’t official, but in his world, it’s as real as any honor. And for those in the club, like Barnes, it’s a rare badge of respect from a legend.
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The origins of Shaquille O’Neal’s “G-14 classification”
It all goes back to the 1998 classic Rush Hour. The movie’s Agent Carter, played by Chris Tucker, is assigned a case with an absurd clearance level, the infamous “G-14 classification,” just to keep him out of trouble. Though it started as a joke, Shaq took that concept and made it his own.
Now, the term “G-14” has become part of Shaq’s unique vocabulary. Sure, it’s comedic at its core, but O’Neal’s serious tone when using it adds a layer of mystique. His “G-14” criteria seem to be reserved for a select few players who, in his eyes, have earned the right to comment on his level.
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While many assume Shaquille O’Neal only recently adopted the phrase, he’s been using it for years. Back in 2017, Shaq shut down Kevin Durant for criticizing his treatment of JaVale McGee, saying, “KD doesn’t have G-14 classification…He’s a great player, but you ain’t in the club yet.” The message was clear – only championship-level icons get to sit at Shaq’s table.
Ultimately, Shaq’s “G-14 classification” seems to be his way of keeping a bit of distance from those he considers less accomplished. His mastery of the sport is undeniable, but his use of this insider tag sometimes comes across as Shaq flexing his superiority. Just a touch.
Adam Silver’s $18 Million Segue Stuns Ayesha Curry as Steph Curry Breaks the Internet With NBA Stars
The NBA likes to do all things with glam. From the championship rings to the Larry O’Brian trophy. Trying to attract more fans. Adam Silver introduced the NBA Cup, or In-Season Tournament, to boost viewership and revenue during the league’s typically quieter period. A maneuver that is going to cost them $18 million. From November through early December, select regular-season games on two specific days each week carry extra significance. A motivating prize is designed to encourage players to approach these matchups with heightened intensity.
The winner of the first NBA Cup was the Los Angeles Lakers, with LeBron James as the MVP. Just another day at the office for the King. The genius plan to innovate with an in-season cup worked. The TV rating increased when it was telecasted last season and the NBA hopes to bring entertainment to viewers this year as well.
USA Today via Reuters Jul 20, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry and wife Ayesha Curry arrive at the Red Carpet for the 2022 ESPY at Dolby Theater. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
To add to the excitement, the NBA has released a promotional film “The Heist II” for the upcoming 2024 NBA Emirates Cup. The film, crafted by independent creative agency Translation, produced by PRETTYBIRD, and directed by Paul Hunter, unites some of the league’s biggest stars in a thrilling, crime drama-inspired adventure. Serving as a sequel to 2023’s “The Heist,” the film sees “The Sopranos” actor Michael Imperioli return as the mastermind behind it all, while “Ahsoka” star Rosario Dawson joins the cast as a clever thief. And it broke the internet!
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Amidst all the promotions, Ayesha Curry shared the on-set pictures for the film on her Instagram story. She captioned the story “This is so cool”. Naturally, this big-budget NBA ad wouldn’t feel complete without a star-studded lineup of elite athletes, featuring her husband and Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, and Jamal Murray.
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As I said, it’s a costly maneuver. So let’s take a look at the breakdown.
What is the prize money on offer?
Following the group stage, where each team competes in four games, cash rewards become locked in. Quarterfinalists see each player pocket $50,000, while those who fall in the semifinals double that to $100,000. The pattern continues for the runners-up, as each player takes home $200,000. And for the champions? Every player collects a half-million dollar prize. Adding to the excitement for the final four teams is a trip to “Sin City” itself—the semifinals and finals take place at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena.
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TNT and ESPN are set to broadcast 14 games, with NBA TV airing three more during the initial phase of the Emirates NBA Cup. These channels are your go-to for catching the live action, bringing all the excitement of the games right to you. Meanwhile, the LA Lakers will no doubt put forth their best effort to defend their title. As the reigning champions of the In-Season Tournament, LeBron James and his team are eager to stay at the top, but rival teams are ready to challenge the gold and purple squad for the championship.
Adam Silver’s ambitious vision takes another step forward this year, promising a thrilling ride. Get ready for endless drama and action, with your favorite players bringing their A-game. Just make sure to tune in at the scheduled times to soak in the NBA’s mini-tournament magic. The anticipation only grows as the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup is about to unfold.
James Harden becomes 20th player with 26,000 career points
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The points continue to come for James Harden, who became the 20th player in NBA history to reach 26,000 points in his career in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 125-119 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.
Harden was more worried about the points the Clippers have been giving up, having squandered double-digit leads in both games of a back-to-back. Los Angeles led by as many as 21 on Thursday, following a wasted 10-point advantage in a 106-105 defeat to Portland the night before.
“It’s definitely frustrating, just ’cause we was up double digits in both games,” Harden said. “Last night, we didn’t (play well) and we still had a double-digit lead. Tonight, we played well, especially in that first half and up 20-something. Like, it’s there. We just got to find ways to not lose it and continue to play our brand of basketball.”
Harden joined the elusive group when he made his second free throw with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. It came in his first triple double of the season and 78th of his career, tying Wilt Chamberlain for seventh in NBA history, as Harden finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.
Harden also had six turnovers, including fumbling the ball away when the score was tied at 105 with 5:20 remaining. Phoenix ended up turning that mistake into a 3-pointer from Devin Booker and a lead it would not relinquish.
“You’ve seen the usage rate I got, it’s going to happen,” Harden said. “Like, turnovers is gonna happen. … But the ones that is unforced, I gotta control those a lot better. But I don’t think it’s necessarily turnovers that lost the game. That third quarter, defensively, they just didn’t feel us, defensively, our presence.”
The Clippers’ three losses this season have been by a combined 10 points. Harden views those narrow defeats as something that could end up benefitting them later on, especially taking into account the ongoing absence of Kawhi Leonard because of a knee injury.
“We just got to find ways to execute and win ’em,” he said. “The last two was tough, but we’ll get there sooner than later.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Robert Horry Sparks Curiosity with Revelation About Lincoln Lawyer Absence Amid Cameo Weight Controversy
Are we getting another Robert Horry cameo in The Lincoln Lawyer? NBA players stepping into acting gear to showcase their flair isn’t uncommon. Some of the best and least expected names are also on the list. For starters, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the first player to go Hollywood, as well as former Lakers star Horry. After an interesting cameo in Season 2 of the hit Netflix show, the 7x NBA champion looks forward to something more interesting.
Horry previously made a cameo in the show The Lincoln Lawyer. He appeared in episode 4 of season 2, titled, “Discovery” and gave his best, which impressed the fans too. It was a brief appearance, and he hasn’t returned since. However, it seems he wants to play a recurring role in the show. Unfortunately, no official confirmations came about.
As Brandon Harper shared a Netflix post promoting season 3 of the show, he asked Horry why he didn’t make another appearance. “Love the series. Aye @roberhorry7x why no cameo in season 3??” with a fire emoji.
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But has he worked on the matter that previously disturbed him? While appearing in front of the cameras for season 2, Horry expressed fear of looking too heavy. In response to his concern, his friend and podcast co-host reassured him, claiming he looked healthy and well-fed.
“I had texted him out he was I was like bro I saw you did well he was like yeah I hope I didn’t look too fat I said I wouldn’t call you fat I just said you just look like you were healthy like you were missing no meals,” Harper said.
via Getty (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
While that was just his friends poking fun at the former NBA star, Horry indeed looked fantastic. Like Horry, many athletes were exceptional on the court and in front of the camera.
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NBA stars who went to Hollywood before Robert Horry
Did you know Lakers star LeBron James appeared in the movie Trainwreck? He also owns a movie production company. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar showcased his talent in the film Airplane! Shaquille O’Neal is often seen playing fun characters, such as in Kazaam, Uncle Drew, and more. Michael Jordan is a man who doesn’t need an introduction to the movie field.
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Vince Carter also appeared in the film Like Mike, where he played a villain role. Nevertheless, it was an interesting cameo. Do you remember Charles Barkley in Modern Family? He also appeared in Suits and more.
So, can we hope to see a recurring role for the former Los Angeles Lakers player Robert Horry? The Lincoln Lawyer is a hit show that even ranked in the top 10 of trending shows on Netflix with season 3 released on October 17. But the twist is we are yet to get the official confirmation of Season 4. As much as we want to, fans will want the official confirmation of the show’s release.
Despite Constant Denials, Carmelo Anthony’s Son Kiyan Makes an Emotional Plea to Channel Dad’s Olympic Spirit
Did you catch that iconic moment during the Paris Olympics? No, it wasn’t just another gold medal victory. It was Carmelo Anthony stepping into the role of “Coach Melo” alongside Steve Kerr, getting involved like never before. Yet, after the games, Melo brushed off any talk about coaching in the NBA. However, his son, Kiyan, recently shared a heartfelt desire to see his dad as “Coach Melo” one day. His dream? To have his dad in his corner when he steps into the league.
Kiyan recently appeared on WNBA star Angel Reese’s podcast Unapologetically Angel, where he opened up about everything from college plans to growing up under the shadow of his famous dad. When Reese asked if Melo had ever coached him, Kiyan laughed, revealing he had tried to get Melo to coach him during his last year of college, but his dad wasn’t keen on the idea. “He was like, he gonna be there, he gonna be on the sidelines, but he don’t want to coach. I don’t know why,” Kiyan admitted. But Kiyan’s not giving up. When he gets to the NBA, he plans to ask again, though he knows his dad just prefers “watching, observing, and telling” him what he sees.
Interestingly, Carmelo Anthony recently opened up on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast about that moment in Paris and the Olympic spirit that took over him. Despite his coaching reluctance, he admitted, “In this, it was no holds barred. This is real. It was us against the world.” That passion, that drive to contribute—even from the sidelines—came alive. “I have to do everything I have to do to give back to this game to help you win this game,” he said, echoing the intensity that only Olympic competition could ignite.
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He even shared a pep talk he gave to LeBron and others during the games, reliving his strategic mindset. “Bron, we gotta dig deep… KD [Kevin Durant], go get the ball, Joel [Embiid], go get the screen… This is what we want.”
For Melo, his just “being competitive from sideline”. so why doesn’t he start coaching?
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Melo doesn’t want to make a career out of it
It’s not rare for former NBA stars to turn to coaching after their playing days. The experience they bring from the court can be a tremendous asset on the sidelines. But Melo? He doesn’t see himself following that path. Sure, he’s got a wealth of knowledge, but not every great player makes a brilliant coach. And as Melo pointed out, that’s especially true for him.
Before the Paris Olympics, Carmelo Anthony had made it clear—NBA coaching wasn’t in the cards. He’s active with youth leagues and backs his own Team Melo in the Nike EYBL, even helping out with his son’s squad. Still, the NBA sidelines don’t appeal to him. He’s open to coaching at the high school level, where he’d have more control. “I don’t want to be just another failed NBA coach,” he’s said plainly.
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Melo drove the point home on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “That is exactly why I can’t be a coach,” he shared. High school? Maybe. But in the NBA? “No big-time player has gotten back on the sideline and was successful… we operating at a different level,” he added, pointing to legends like Magic Johnson, who struggled in coaching roles.
And he’s got a point. “If you a big-time player, you got ego, you got pride, right?” Melo explained.
Who is Nick Nurse’s Wife? Meet Roberta, Volleyball Coach and Mother to 76ers HC’s Two Adorable Kids
Nick Nurse rose to NBA fame after he helped the Toronto Raptors win their maiden championship in 2019. It wasn’t just that. He was influential in stopping the Golden State Warriors‘ dynasty run, as they were chasing a three-peat. Moreover, he took over the Philadelphia 76ers‘ leadership and has a lot to expectations set around him. Despite the chaos involved in his stress involved in his stressful job, Nurse seems to handle it effortlessly. Well, all we can say is thanks to his family.
No, we’re not going to bore you by saying that he had a supportive family, and they always had his back. Technically, the Nurse’s family provided him with all of this, but there’s something special about his family that has influenced his career on the court. In his book, “Rapture” by Nick Nurse with Michael Sokolove, Nurse has written about his father, Richard, a 6-foot tall, well-built man during his athletic prime. Sports ran in his alongside his 8 siblings. Yes, you read it right. Nurse was the youngest of them all.
Moreover, the sport in the line didn’t end with his blood relations. It carried with his life partner as well. Nick Nurse met Roberta, a former star college volleyball player in 2012, and married her in 2015. Since then, the couple has been together and also gave birth to two sons, Leo and Rocky Levi, born in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Let’s find out more about Roberta Nurse, a journey from a volleyball star to an entrepreneur.
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Who is Nick Nurse’s wife? What are her volleyball exploits?
Roberta Santos was born in Recife, Brazil, in 1985, but she spent most of her youth on American soil. She completed all her higher education in the US and this is when she began her journey as an amateur volleyball player. She picked up the sport at the Hutchinson Community College. And immediately got the hang of it, securing herself a spot in Second Team All-American honor, First Team All-Region, and First Team All-Conference. Above all, she also led the team for school records for most assists, recording 1608 assists.
Following that, she pursued her bachelor’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast University, studying resort and hospitality management. The volleyball dream didn’t stop here, as she donned the Eagles’ thread. Moreover, Roberta continued to collect accolades. In her junior year, she topped the season, recording 253 kills, 75 blocks, 46 aces, and 626 assists. This herculean effort fetched her First Team All-Atlantic Sun honors, and 3x MVPs in various tournaments.
Roberta’s volleyball hunger didn’t subside easily, as she continued to excel in his senior year as well, once again fetching accolades. She collected First Team All-Atlantic Sun selection and A-Sun All-Academic honors. After her undergraduate, the volleyball sensation pursued a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Texas at Brownsville.
Despite her commitment to education, Roberta managed to satisfy her passion for sports. She served as the assistant coach for the university’s Ocelots volleyball team until 2014. She took care of the team’s travel planning and recruitment. Moreover, five seasons after completing her master’s degree in 2010, Winthrop University’s women’s volleyball squad hired her assistant coach. Nevertheless, Roberta’s coaching career lasted only till 2016, as per her LinkedIn.
What did Roberta Nurse do after her coaching career?
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She gave birth to her son Leo in 2017 and then Levi in 2019. So, it’s quite understandable that Mrs. Nurse may have shifted her focus toward her small family. However, that isn’t the only case. The star volleyball player’s LinkedIn also says that Roberta has taken her career in the direction of entrepreneurship in Des Moines, Iowa.
Nevertheless, she also got the opportunity to spend a lot of time with her family during the pandemic. Speaking of the time spent together, Nick Nurse said, “With the pandemic, we stayed in Toronto the whole time. Roberta sneaks down here a little more than I do, maybe when I take a West Coast road trip. She’ll come down for 10-12 days or something like that. Most of her friends that she played volleyball with at Florida Gulf Coast are also living in the area, so it’s a nice situation for us.”
USA Today via Reuters Mar 14, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse reacts after a play against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Notably, Roberta was in attendance during Nick Nurse’s emotional moment when he won the 2019 NBA Champion. It was the same season when he lost his mother, Marcella Nurse. With a wife, who herself has coaching experience, Nurse couldn’t have asked for a better life partner, who can understand the difficulties in the business. Importantly, on the personal side, Roberta has kept a low profile as she had put her IG profile in private. We can share what her IG reads, and it’s very wholesome – Philadelphia, PA. Former Volleyball Athlete and Coach, Boy mom, Wife, Fitness Enthusiast, Sports Fan, Travel Lover.
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Can Roberta and Nick have yet another special year, as the Sixers have increased their odds of winning the championship again? Let us know in the comments below.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves odds, line, score prediction, time: 2024 NBA picks, Nov. 1 best bets by proven model
The Denver Nuggets will battle the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference semifinals matchup. Denver is coming off a 144-139 overtime win at Brooklyn on Tuesday, while Minnesota dropped a 120-114 decision to Dallas that same night. The Nuggets (2-2), the 2022-23 NBA champions, were the second seed in the West last season at 57-25. The Timberwolves (2-2), who were the third seed in the West at 56-26 last year, have reached the postseason in each of the last three seasons.
Tip-off from Target Center in Minneapolis is set for 9:30 p.m. ET. The Nuggets lead the all-time regular-season series 89-56, but the teams have split the last two season series. The Timberwolves are 4-point favorites in the latest Nuggets vs. Timberwolves odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 219.5. Before making any Timberwolves vs. Nuggets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 2 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 98-63 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,900. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Nuggets vs. Timberwolves and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets:
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves spread: Minnesota -4
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves over/under: 219.5 points
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves money line: Minnesota -184, Denver +153
DEN: The Nuggets have hit the Under in 45 of their last 77 games (+10.95 units)
MIN: The Timberwolves have hit the fourth-quarter Over in 55 of their last 96 games (+11.70 units)
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves picks: See picks at SportsLine
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Timberwolves can cover
Shooting guard Anthony Edwards has been red hot to start the season. In four games, he is averaging 30 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 39.3 minutes. He is hitting 45.6% of his field goals, including 41.5% of his 3-pointers. He is coming off a 37-point, six-rebound and three-assist effort in the loss to Dallas. He had 32 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a 117-115 win at Sacramento on Oct. 24.
Power forward Julius Randle is one of three Minnesota players averaging in double-figure scoring. In four starts, he is averaging 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and five assists in 35 minutes. He scored a season-high 33 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists against Sacramento. Randle is coming off a 20-point, seven-rebound and seven-assist performance against Dallas. See which team to pick here.
Why the Nuggets can cover
Veteran center Nikola Jokic continues to power the Denver offense. He has two triple-doubles and one double-double on the year. In four starts, he is averaging 31.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals in 39 minutes of action. He is connecting on 57.3% of his field goals, including a blistering 55% from 3-point range, and 77.8% from the free throw line. He has scored 40 or more points twice, including 41 points in a 109-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
Point guard Jamal Murray is one of five Denver players averaging double-figure scoring. In four starts, he is averaging 18.8 points, five rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 38 minutes of play. He is connecting on 35% of his 3-pointers and 90% of his free throws. In the win over the Nets, he poured in 24 points, while grabbing three rebounds and adding three assists. See which team to pick here.
How to make Nuggets vs. Timberwolves picks
The model has simulated Nuggets vs. Timberwolves 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 217 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nuggets vs. Timberwolves spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 98-63 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
What is Kevin Durant’s Ethnicity? Everything About 2x NBA Champ’s Family Roots and Religious Beliefs
“If I wasn’t a basketball player, what kind of man would they look at me as?” Kevin Durant was left wondering during an interview in 2017 as he talked about his experiences as a Black athlete. Obviously, everyone knows him as the most accomplished Team USA hooper, especially after he recently won his fourth Olympic gold in Paris. And he is a proud American through and through. However, his ethnic background opens him up to a whole different world.
Yes, born to parents Wanda Durant and Wayne Pratt, KD is of African-American descent. And he realized at a very early age that this comes with a lot of struggles, “Just kind of seeing how rough it is for an average black man, you know what I’m saying? And on top of that, a black man makes one mistake… I see how far we get pushed down.”
Kevin Durant’s Parents and their impact in his life
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When Kevin was young, his father stranded his family and later divorced his mother. And born and raised in Washington DC amid a lot of hardships, The Slim Reaper could have easily gone on a wrong path and ruined his life. Fortunately, his passion for basketball kept him inside the gym and out of trouble. “Nobody really tried to get me to be in the street life because I was either always walking to the gym or I was always in the gym.” He remarked. And KD rose above it all and became one of the greatest hoopers in the world.
However, not all the people he knew were this lucky, “I had friends that got into bad s—, as far as drugs, as far as hanging around the wrong crowds, as far as just trying to make money some way, because we’re stuck.” And Durant claimed that more than a lifestyle choice, it’s the lack of resources and opportunity that leads people on this path. “My mom grew up on that, my brother grew up on that.” He added.
As KD stepped into his teenage years, his dad surprisingly re-entered his life and made an effort to connect with him. Despite separating with his mother, Wayne travelled with Kevin to his basketball tournaments and became an active part of his hoop journey. But it was his mother who was there every step of the way, doing her best to make Kevin and his siblings’ dreams come true. And he is eternally grateful for it and even addressed it during his MVP acceptance speech, “We wasn’t supposed to be here. You made us believe. You kept us off the street. You put clothes on our backs, food on the table. When you didn’t eat, you made sure we ate. You went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. You the Real MVP.” And with her support, KD has achieved legendary status in American sports history.
Kevin Durant Nationality and Religious Beliefs
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Well, KD is an American national and has spent his entire life here. And he is very religious as he grew up in a Christian household with his mother and grandmother, even going to church every weekend. Sure enough, he talks about his faith with immense pride, “I read my Bible now all the time.” Although he claims that he is not perfect and has a long way to go in his spiritual journey, he is determined to stay on that path, “I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord and get to know Him as well as I can.”
USA Today via Reuters Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) celebrates with his mother Wanda Durant after defeating France in the men’s basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Moreover, he believes that his faith in God helps him get through all hardships in life, “I believe God’s love for me, the sacrificial death of Jesus for my sins, and His grace, not my good works, are what saves me. That humbles me and makes me worship Him.” And Durantula also has several tattoos representing his religious beliefs including a Cross on his ribs and a Jesus portrait on his back along with multiple Bible scriptures.
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Maybe, its his faith combined with his talent and family’s support that has helped him become the most accomplished hooper to ever wear a Team USA uniform. Yes, he headed to Paris with three gold medals, tied only with Carmelo Anthony. However, he raised the bar in this year’s tournament by becoming the only NBA player with four gold medals. Adding to the accolades, he also broke Lisa Leslie’s scoring record, accumulating 518 points in four Olympic appearances. And he did not even make a big fuss about it, “Records are meant to be broken. Somebody will come along to do the same.”
Sure enough, he earned the respect of his teammates as LeBron James said, “KD is one of the all-time greats.” Meanwhile, Bam Adebayo deemed him the “Greatest Olympian.” Obviously, it has been an incredible journey from a young African-American kid in DC to one of the most popular athletes. And the surprising things is, Kevin Durant continues to add to his legacy even at age 36. More power to him.
NBA Power Rankings: Milwaukee Bucks Slide, Los Angeles Lakers Rise
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Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Previous Rank: 8
Net Rating: -8.2
The Milwaukee Bucks aren’t just losing games. They’re getting embarrassed.
That net rating is 28th in the league right now. Only the Pelicans and Jazz are worse in that category. This week alone, they lost by double digits to the Nets and got blown out by a short-handed Memphis Grizzlies team that was missing Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart.
And when your numbers are this bad, the problems typically aren’t confined to one end of the floor. Teams are scoring at will on the Bucks, who simply look old on defense.
And on the other end, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only reliable source of offense. Damian Lillard is averaging 23.2 points, but he’s shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from deep.
It’s fair to point out that Khris Middleton is missing, but it’s also hard to imagine a 33-year-old wing coming off surgery on both ankles being an instant fix.
Last season, Milwaukee thought a midseason coaching change would provide the jolt of life it desperately needed. At this point, it’s fair to say that jolt never came. And now Bucks fans have to be wondering what’s next.
Jay Monahan’s PGA Tour Becomes a Laughing Stock in Golf World After It’s ‘Ridiculous’ Proposal Hits Internet
The PGA Tour has seen many drastic changes since its inception in 1968. One of the most recent changes that shook the pro golfing world was the PGA Tour’s announcement in 2022. The league proposed a shift from a multi-year season format to a calendar-year season format. The rescheduled format came into effect in 2024 as the new season began in January of this year.
Nearly 11 months after the near schedule began, the PGA Tour has proposed another major change to stay in competition with LIV Golf. Let’s take a closer look at the proposal.
New PGA Tour proposal
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The PGA Tour has experienced some serious loss of play due to bad lighting issues. This especially occurred in tournaments that were played after daylight savings time. This often leads to many top pros missing the cut. This also removes them from contention for a part of the purse in that specific championship.
But all this may change soon as per the newly proposed field size for the PGA Tour. Golf journalist of Sports Business Journal, Josh Carpenter, shared the breaking news about the proposed changes on his X account. He posted screenshots of the proposal in his tweet that provided all the details of the changes. It showed a cutdown in the field size to improve the quality of the events. Limiting the number of players in a tournament ensures that fewer players are involved in every round and there are better chances of completing the round on the same day. Regarding the tournaments played after daylight savings time, the clauses state that the field size should not accommodate more than 120 players. For the remaining year, the list can go up to a maximum of 144 players.
via Getty PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – MARCH 07: Jay Monahan the Commissioner of The PGA Tour speaks to the media as a preview for THE PLAYERS Championship on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 07, 2023 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
The post also included a reordered priority ranking list for every event. The changed proposal also showed the revamped Pace Of Play Policy where the rules of out-of-position play were drastically modified. They also suggested lower slow-play fines, with bad times fines reduced from $50,000 to $10,000. The excessive shot fines were also lowered from $10,000 to $5,000 with subsequent offenses fined $10,000. The only fine that has been proposed to increase is for the Average Stroke Time Policy. It has gone up from $20,000 to a lump sum of $50,000. If approved, the new field size will be applicable from 2026.
Infuriated by the drastic changes proposed to the PGA, the fans had quite a lot to say.
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What do the fans think of the new proposal?
Fans were frustrated about the fact that players are not held liable for slow plays and instead the lowest-ranked players in the entry list are made to suffer. @ATLcpa1 said, “Rather than enforcing employee pace of play rules, this tour will effectively fire 10% of their employees. Great place to work“. Speaking about the reduced opportunities for pros from lower leagues, @Ku_Bball_Fan said, “It’s hard enough for KFT/DPWT/Q-School grads to get spots in these early season tournaments. Is cutting 12 spots in a field really going to improve pace of play, be better for the broadcast and fans, etc.??? You’re just taking away chances for your members.”
One particular fan had an issue with a specific tournament. @MotownMike4 said, “The zozo proposal seems ridiculous. Others from a fan perspective are probably better for fall/winter/spring tourneys where today’s rounds don’t complete because of daylight, but also a cheap way to avoid the pace of play issue,” as Zozo Championship field size has been reduced from 78 to 72. Another fan @GolfTilDeath gave a short overview of the plan from the fan’s perspective. He said, “when the employee becomes the client… the customer loses. so now I get to see less interesting stories and watch the same guys continue to play slow, with lots of commercials. they’re mimicking their “success” on the “champions” tour and turning pro golf into a pension fund“.
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@BrooceKoopka has predicted what would happen if this goes through. He said, “There is no other way to interpret this as Players in control now insuring they have smallest chance possible to lose their Cards. if I’m a KFT guy I’m pissed. If I’m in the 30-50 range I’m taking calls from LIV.” He also added another sarcastic response saying, “lol and we try to say LIV is the closed-off tour with less opportunity and field turnover“. @cicioCASTRO summarized the proposal well by saying, “So that tracks to what? Top 110 keep their card? And 10 less spots for Qschool/KFT? Take it down 25 total?”
What are your views about this entire episode? Do you think it’s fair for Jay Monahan and co. to reduce opportunities in the Tour just to compete with LIV Golf? Let us know in the comments section.
PGA Tour Players Propose Adjusted Field Sizes, More Rule Changes for 2026 Season
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The PGA Tour’s advisory council has proposed several changes that if approved by the PGA Tour policy board would take effect starting with the 2026 season.
Per ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and Paolo Uggetti, the proposed changes include reducing the maximum number of players in a starting field for tournaments from 156 to 144; reducing the number of players who maintain their Tour card and full status from the top 125 finishers in the FedEx Cup to the top 100; reduce the number of Tour cards awarded annually to players on the Korn Ferry Tour from 30 to 20, and capping the Q-school cards at five.
There is also the possibility for reduced fields in certain circumstances when a tournament could be impacted by certain natural forces.
The example cited by the advisory committee in the executive summary noted that 28 percent of tournaments during the 2024 season had at least one round that wasn’t completed on the scheduled day due to darkness.
In those particular instances, tournament fields would be reduced from 132 players to 120. One tournament that would be impacted by that proposed change is the Players Championship, which currently features a 144-player field and would be reduced to 120.
Another proposed change would be to eliminate the open qualifying positions during the week of a tournament to fill any open spots in the field because 65 to 75 percent of those qualifiers don’t make the cut in the actual event.
Schlabach and Uggetti noted PGA Tour player advisory council chairman Camilo Villegas recently sent a letter to members in which he mentioned an
Calls Mount for Jay Monahan To Be Fired Hours After Greg Norman’s Allegations Against PGA Tour Chief
The American Tour is changing. For worse or better, we will find out. The PGA Tour has proposed several changes that will be enforced from the 2026 season. The proposal sent to players Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press was developed by the 16-member Player Advisory Council. It has been crafting the changes since May. The driving force was to make a full PGA Tour card have real value.
Among the new changes that have been sent out, the full status on the PGA Tour given to 125 players will be reduced to 100, and most of the events will have a field of 144 players instead of 156, except for the signature events, which will have the same format. Some of them might have a total field of as few as 120 members, which includes the PLAYERS Championship. Dan Rappaport took to his official X account, sharing the news concluded with the major changes, “Korn Ferry cards down from 30 to 20. Monday Q’s gone for any event with 120 players or less, down from 4 to 2 in events with 132”.
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The PIF-PGA Tour merger was signed almost fifteen months ago. The missed deadline for the framework agreement to come into motion is nearing almost a year. With no concrete updates so far, fans and golfers are frustrated. It turns out Greg Norman too had his set of accusations for Jay Monahan for the same. In an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated, he spoke about the ongoings of the golf world.
Talking about the merger between the two leagues, he stated, “I can only speak on LIV’s behalf, and we’re moving forward irrespective (of a deal). Would it make things easier? Yes, it would.” However, just like the rest of the golf community, he is also unaware of the timeline. But what confuses him is how long the simple process is taking and he holds Monahan accountable for making it so complex.
The PGA Tour members had earlier shown their dislike for at least the reduction of the Monday qualifiers. This new proposal for 2026 seems to have struck a chord in the golf community.
The golf community advises firing Jay Monahan
According to the Sports Business Journal Reports, this season has witnessed a 2.2 million drop in the viewership rate, excluding the majors. It is around 20% down (2.7 m) from its previous year. While this might be because of star players moving to LIV Golf, a part of it is also because of the channels cutting down their resources and investing money in the players. NBC has been fixating on commercializing the game. The golf has become a center of entertainment lately with matches like The Showdown, and Creators Classic taking place. It would be wrong to assume that fans care as much about these events as they do about other historic events.
Taking to this, one of them wrote, “Professional golf as we “knew” it will continue to shrink….wouldn’t surprise me if we end up at 10-15 events that people care about across the world, plus majors, and the rest is entertainment… indoor, team, exhibition, YouTube, etc.”
The PGA Tour will continue to prioritize the stars of the game and reduce opportunities for growing players if proposed changes are passed. While the PAC members believe it is in the best interest of the Tour to bring about more merit. However, the reduction in the number of players retaining their cards is certainly controversial. Since 1983, the top 125 players have enjoyed full playing membership, but these changes will restrict entry while allowing for smaller fields. Taking to this, one of them wrote, “As they cut the number of players due to not getting all the players in on Thursday and Friday.. all due to horrific slow play.. now their answer is the slow them down more. Typical incompetence on Jay Monahan.. and the boys’ club players advisory council.. time for LIV”
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The PGA Tour commissioner has faced constant criticism over how he has been handling the peace of the league with his board members with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) bankrolling LIV Golf. Many people have straight away asked him to resign, and well, this includes the PGA Tour pros too. This is because of the lack of transparency in the negotiations with PIF and LIV.
On June 6th, players were so confused about the direction of the PGA Tour that at least one reportedly called for commissioner Jay Monahan’s resignation. Well, the calls have not been stopped yet, given that with every decision taken by him, he seems to only have left the golf fans with disappointment. Taking to this, one of them once again reiterated, “Fire Jay Monahan.” Another commented, “PGA pros can make a good living giving lessons, etc.; they are the only ones allowed to do it for money. Jay Monahan is horrible, though. Make a deal with Liv. Consolidate the tours. Get rid of the old money and make it accessible to the average person.”.
The Shriners Children’s Hospital was the longest sponsor name for the tour being associated since 2007. However, after 18 years, they have decided not to renew the contract, without stating any official reason, after the 2024 edition. Taking to this, one of them commented, “Jay Monahan is single-handedly destroying the @PGATOUR. gee, I wonder why they just lost another big sponsor on the fall tour (18 years for Shriners)???”
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What are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know in the comments section below!
‘Stop Saying You’re Having a Productive Meeting’: Tiger Woods & Co Accused of Lying by PGA Tour Star in Latest Rant
The PGA Tour and PIF have been locked in talks since June 2023. Actually, it started even before that. The top brass of both sides were negotiating for a few months before the June 6 announcement. The initial ‘peace treaty’ was scrapped in favor of a more dynamic and all-encompassing deal that’s currently being chalked out.
The snail-like progress has frustrated players to no end. Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour Commissioner, has been asked to resign more than once. And, by more than one player. But none quite expressed the frustration as Harry Higgs did in a recent appearance on the No Laying Up podcast.
Higgs was seemingly frustrated with a bombardment of emails in his inbox about hints of an impending deal and upcoming changes. The 32-year-old let go of his frustration: “If I get one more damn email about the progress that’s being made without any details, I mean unsubscribe. Just send me an email when you know the details. On maybe the field size and eligibility and whatever the hell else they are trying to change, and the update on the PIF and LIV – merger wouldn’t be the right word – the (sic!) deal.”
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The Tour is mulling over a cluster of changes to become effective in 2026. The initial letter to the players suggests the PAC has already approved them. Among them, the field size will be reduced to 120-144 for full-field events. The number of cards on offer to the Korn Ferry Tour graduates will be reduced to 20 from 30. There is a new proposal to improve the pace of play as well.
A letter from Camilo Villegas reached players’ inboxes that hinted to them about an upcoming change. More details followed. As for the merger, the PGA Tour generally releases a memo to the players about the meeting.
Tiger Woods is part of the six-member policy board that is actively involved in talks with PIF officials. The 15-time major champion is also a member of the Transaction Committee with Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott. However, as Jay Monahan said in a press conference, it’s not feasible to hash out a colossal agreement in full public view. So, both have been tight-lipped about the progress.
via Reuters Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 7, 2022 Harry Higgs of the U.S. on the 2nd green during the first round REUTERS/Mike Blake
Higgs understands. But then why send vague emails, asks the Dallas resident. “I don’t care. Stop saying you are having a productive meeting. Clearly, you’re not. You’re having productive meetings for the better part of the two years.”
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Higgs’s frustration is not against any particular person, however. Regardless, the PGA Tour pro sounds ‘baffled’ that there has been no clear update on the future direction the PGA Tour will take.
Harry Higgs hopes the PGA Tour top brass cares a little more
The updates on the merger have been sporadic. And there are only signs from both sides. Yasir Al-Rumayyan teed off with Jay Monahan in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Greg Norman is likely to move into an advisory role after next year. Reading the tea leaves is the best that most could do.
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Keeping in mind the entire development, Harry Higgs said in the No Laying Up podcast, “I care about pro Golf. And all these people that (sic!) are in these meetings and trying to make these decisions do care about pro golf too. But for some reason, they don’t care enough to just get it done and move it forward. It’s baffling.”
Higgs, however, jokes that LIV Golf has managed to survive so long that very few actually care about punishing the defectors. The only hope for him – even Rory McIlroy would agree – is to bring back players. Higgs doesn’t want their money or anything. Just end this fiasco; that’s his only plea.
Months After Grayson Murray’s Death, One Tragic Detail About PGA Tour Still Torments Mourning Golfer: ‘Need To Do Better’
PGA Tour Pro withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge Challenge on May 24, citing uneasiness. Hours after that, on Saturday he passed away. His parents Eric and Terry Murray confirmed that he died by suicide. “Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now,” they said. A lot of the players paid their tributes to him. PGA Tour golfers even wore red and black ribbons at the 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge to honor the 30-year-old golfer.
A few weeks later, Harry Higgs won at the Visit Knoxville Open, but instead of giving a winning speech, he paid his regards to Murray and stated the importance of being there for one another. “One thing that I thought of last night, especially laying in bed, is I would challenge everybody here—and I’m going to do this myself as well—each day to say something nice to someone you love. And also, make it a point to say something nice to somebody you do not even know,” he concluded his speech.
Five months have passed, however, Higgs believes that the Tour players are still reluctant to check on each other. He appeared in the latest episode of the No Laying Up Podcast. During the conversation, he brought up the loss of Murray, and being disappointed, stated, “We need to do a much better job of taking care of ourselves and taking care of our one another.” The game of golf is so competitive, that one often gets very lonely. Additionally, the trauma of not being able to make certain putts and shots can also have a deep impact on the players.
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“If you throw in results and money and statues and all this other stuff that we in theory play for, that can become burdensome,” he added to the context. According to him, Grayson Murray has battled mental illness for decades and still managed to bag two victories on the PGA Tour, which is remarkable for him.
After the 2024 US Open, when Rory McIlroy missed the final 3-foot putt, he was devastated. He took a small break from the Tour, missing the next couple of events including the Travelers Championship because he needed to recuperate from what had happened. He remarked the final round was the “toughest” he has “had in nearly 17 years as a professional golfer.” Golf is a physical sport, we all know it. This goes to prove that it is equally a mental sport as well.
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Nonetheless, the way Murray’s story ended was rather sad; instead, if he had had the support, maybe today things would have been different. Higgs’s remarks go to show that everyone, even the pros needs to do better at taking care of each other since they all truly go through the same thing every week.
Did Grayson Murray ever seek help?
Grayson Murray had always been pretty transparent about his mental health struggles and alcoholism and said he wasn’t ashamed of his depression and anxiety. He even stated that during the tournament, things got very lonely, and he would sit in his hotel room, and drink alcohol all by himself. That was what turned him into an alcoholic. In 2021, he took to his social media and stated that the PGA Tour life was nothing but a scapegoat.
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However, things changed in 2022 when he got into a motorcycle crash during the Bermuda Championship. He had to undergo fifty stitches, most of which were on his face. “I should have died. If I didn’t have my helmet on, I probably would have died. It should have been my rock bottom, but I had to keep going,” he confessed. He then got into rehab for a month, to turn his life around for good. He wanted to inspire others with his story, and in a way he did.
Mental health is important. Don’t forget to check on everyone around you. What are your thoughts on Harry Higgs’s remarks?
Amid Tiger Woods & Co’s Loud Silence, Jay Monahan Finally Rescued by PGA Tour Veteran: ‘Don’t Know the Value..’
Jay Monahan is trying his best to bring new changes to the PGA Tour. But they seem to be controversial. Getting heat is something Monahan is not new to. According to a report by No Laying Up, he was asked to resign back in December 2023. That was when the PIF merger deadline was scheduled, and there were no final calls to it. Well, it is almost a year and the status remains the same.
Among several other proposed changes, some of them are reduced field size, fewer golfers with full status on the PGA Tour, and reduction of the Monday qualifiers. This is what has gotten him into hot waters. While other members of the PAC like Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, and Patrick Cantlay are yet to react to it, it turns out Peter Malnati comes to Monahan’s rescue. Although the chances are that these changes are discussed with them, but golf world has yet to hear about it from them.
Peter Malnati appeared as a guest on the Sirius XM PGA Tour, snippets of which were posted on their official Instagram account. When asked about the newly introduced policies, he said, “I just think the direction that they’re going is toward magnifying the value of having a PGA Tour card.” He added that the transition might turn out to be hard in the initial days; however, with time, the Tour will only turn out to be a better product. Earlier, 125 players got a full exemption on the Tour, and now it will be only 100, which, according to him, will increase the value that the Tour card holds. Mathematically, it makes sense.
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“The membership of the tour is too big. Our events are too big. And there are people at the bottom who are supposed to be fully exempt players on tour who don’t know the value of the card,” he added. He believes that the decisions are rightly made, and they are indeed headed in the ‘right direction.’ This is not just for the PGA Tour pros but for the golf fans too since they deserve the best version of the America Tour after all the tricky times that have been going on. All that is needed now is patience to see the results.
View this post on Instagram. A post shared by SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (@siriusxmpgatour)
The proposed changes have indeed managed to bring about a storm in the golf world. While Michael Kim is one of the players who is not happy with the decision but thinks it is in the best interest, PGA Tour Pro Billy Horschel goes south on the decision.
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Billy Horschel raises his concerns about the new rule
Billy Horschel appeared on the Any Given Monday podcast and shared his views on the Tour getting smaller. He also addressed the easy concerns of removing Q-school and said, “When I came through it in 2009 to get my card for the first time. Now there’s only Q school gone away, which I thought was the dumbest thing the tour could have done.” He added how it would deeply affect the Tour, killing opportunities for young players coming out of college who are good enough to get through the Q-School and directly be a part of the league.
He stated that the PGA Tour acknowledged its mistake early on, which prompted the creation of the PGA Tour University for top collegiate golfers. The highest-ranked players will receive a PGA Tour card, similar to Ludvig Aberg in 2023, while the other nine in the Top 10 will either earn Korn Ferry Tour cards or conditional status.
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What are your thoughts on the changes that the Tour will have in effect from 2026? Let us know in the comments section below!
Jay Monahan Turns Blind Eye to ‘Lay-Off’ Calls as $930 Billion Giant PIF Seeks Out PGA Tour Boss Yet Again
The rival bosses will meet again at the Aramco Ladies Team Series Event sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour in Riyadh. Every time Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan share the stage, the golf world is always shaken. First, it was on June 6th for the PGA Tour and PIF merger and then they played the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Pro-Am.
Now the Monahan and Al-Rumayyan duo will be playing the Pro-Am at the Riyadh Golf Club at the women’s event, the Bunkered reported. And fret not, both will be registered under their names, unlike when Al-Rumayyan used a different name for one of his Pro-Am appearances. This news hits the golf world at a time when the $3 billion merger between the PGA Tour and PIF is practically at a halt.
Yes, there have been meeting after meeting, but the result has been nothing but that it is complicated and the merger will soon be finalized. Amidst this drama, golf enthusiasts have also asked Monahan to give up his CEO seat from the PGA Tour as many new changes in the Tour have been proposed for the 2026 season.
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via Getty NORTH BERWICK, SCOTLAND – JULY 10: PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan looks on during Day Four of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 10, 2022 in North Berwick, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The PGA Tour will start the 2026 season in January with The Sentry as usual. Before that happens many big changes will be seen in the Tour. As Billy Horschel confirmed, all of it will be foreseen by the “pack” aka the player directors and the Player Advisory Committee before the approval. But what are the changes the PGA Tour introduced for the 2025 season?
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Jay Monahan & Co. to change the PGA Tour for 2026
Forget whatever you knew about the PGA Tour’s field because soon, it will all change. A day before, the golf world was shaken as the PGA Tour sent a memo to the PAC, asking them to vote in favor or against all the changes that will be implemented in 2026 on November 18th. One of the biggest changes in the PGA Tour events will be that the PGA Tour will allow only the top 100 on the FedExCup Standings the full status for the upcoming season instead of the top 125.
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The full field event will be shortened to 144 instead of 156 and the full field of The PLAYERS Championship will go down from 144 to only 120. On the qualifying level, the cards given to the Korn Ferry Tour pro will be decreased from 30 to 20 and the Monday Qualifiers will be ripped off altogether. There will also be a change in the FedEx Cup points for second-position golfer and below.
Overall, the players who do not finish on the top of the leaderboard will be affected and the competition will turn up a notch. Notably, these changes will only be implemented if PAC guys vote for them. However, even the proposal forced the fans to ask for Jay Monahan’s resignation letter. As Monahan meets with the PIF chief again, hopefully, and finally, the merger may take shape and the fans get happy news amidst all the action.
Jeffrey Guan: Australian golfer vows to ‘be back’ after freak accident leaves him blind in one eye
CNN —
Australian golfer Jeffrey Guan’s dreams came true in September, as he made his PGA Tour debut. A week later, the 20-year-old was left blinded in one eye after being struck in the face by a golf ball.
The freak accident occurred during a pro-am tournament at Catalina Golf Club in New South Wales, Australia. Detailing the incident on social media, Guan said he had just taken a shot and turned towards his golf cart to put his club away. As he did so, he was struck by a ball.
“The instant ringing and pain rushed to my head, and I dropped to the ground. Voices sounded pretty muffled, and the next thing I knew, I was in an ambulance being transported to a hospital,” he said in a statement on Instagram Thursday.
Guan was later airlifted to Canberra, where he underwent surgery on his eye.
“I was in unbearable pain, and anxiety about my future was swirling in my mind,” he added.
He then had another surgery in Sydney, before spending two weeks in intensive care, to ensure his eyeball was stable.
Doctors told Guan that he had suffered multiple fractures to his eye-socket and “had lost vision completely in my left eye.”
PGA of Australia has said the loss of vision is permanent.
“During my nights in hospital, I almost drowned in thoughts about the injury and my future in the sport,” he added.
“Not only was I utterly distraught by the news I had received, but the whole situation made me very depressed and somewhat angry.”
‘Ready to conquer any obstacle’
In his statement, Guan went on to thank everyone for their support and insisted he “will be back” in order to “achieve my dream.”
“These four weeks have been the toughest of my life, but I am stronger mentally and will be ready to conquer any obstacle in the future,” he said.
An online fundraiser has been set up to support Guan financially through his recovery, as well as giving him “peace of mind” to help him “on his journey back to playing golf at the elite level.”
The fundraiser has raised just over 9,000 Australian dollars (around $5,900). The goal is to raise 500,000 Australian dollars (around $328,000).
Guan is a two-time junior national champion in Australia and was primed to start his breakthrough in the professional game.
He competed in the PGA Tour’s Procore Championship in September, but failed to make the cut.
Min Woo Lee, Joel Dahmen among players to watch over stretch run of 2024 FedEx Cup Fall schedule
A rare week off for the PGA Tour will serve as the last chance for players to catch a breath ahead of the final three-tournament stretch of the FedEx Cup Fall. With playing privileges, status in signature events and jobs on the line, a wide array of players ranging from budding stars to former major champions will need to muster together their very best.
Expectations are relatively set at this stage of the season. Players such as Netflix star Joel Dahmen are hoping to keep full-time status on the PGA Tour. After enjoying a strong campaign in 2022, during which cameras were following his every move, the PGA Tour winner has since struggled with not only his newfound stardom but also his game. He finds himself firmly on the bubble heading into the last three weeks of the season at No. 124 in the FedEx Cup standings with only the top 125 maintaining a full-time PGA Tour card.
Moving up the rankings, there are plenty of PGA Tour winners from this past season such as Davis Riley, Peter Malnati, Harry Hall, Jhonattan Vegas, Patton Kizzire and Nico Echavarria who are secured for the next two seasons but not secured in the upcoming signature events. Nick Taylor also finds his name among this group of players but on the inside lane as he checks in at No. 57 in the FedEx Cup standings — just inside the top 60 which gains entry into the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational.
Despite the constant movement in the standings and the number of various cut-off points, most players are more or less set in their position. For example, Rickie Fowler at No. 92 is firmly inside the top 125, which will grant him entry into the Players Championship next March. But he’s also far enough outside the top 60 where, without a win or a future sponsor’s exemption, he will likely be an omission from the first two signature events.
Below we’ll take a look at five players in precarious positions with three tournaments remaining in the 2024 PGA Tour season.
Five players to watch in FedEx Cup Fall
The Match to feature celebrities, not PGA Tour, LIV Golf stars
A new format of ‘The Match’ is coming to prime-time television in mid-November.
Instead of PGA Tour or LIV Golf stars, eight celebrities will tee it up in the latest iteration of The Match—a two-night event on Thursday, Nov. 21, and Friday, Nov. 22, on TNT and HBO MAX. The competition will tee off with two matches of 2-v-2 scramble match play for the quarterfinals, with the following teams squaring off:
Bill Murray and Wayne Gretzky versus Charles Barkley and Ken Griffey Jr.
Mark Wahlberg and Michael Phelps versus Nate Bargatze and Blake Griffin.
The two winning teams will then advance to the semifinal round but with a twist.
In the semifinal round, teammates will split up and face off against each other. For instance, if Billy Murray and Wayne Gretzky win their quarterfinal matchup, they will face off in the semifinal round. Whoever wins that match will advance to the finals, which will also be a 1-on-1 matchup.
Whoever wins will take home $1 million in prize money.
The Match began in 2018, and the first iteration featured Tiger Woods taking on Phil Mickelson in Las Vegas.
Eight matches have followed in the six years since, and they have included numerous pro golfers and top athletes such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes. But during this same period, professional golf has changed substantially, with Mickelson helping create LIV Golf and Woods becoming a permanent fixture on the PGA Tour Policy Board.
Golf at the top of the sport remains divided, which explains why many are intrigued about next month’s ‘Showdown,’ which defers from ‘The Match’ series. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will take on Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in a PGA Tour versus LIV Golf heavyweight bout. Like the original Match, the Showdown will take place in Las Vegas, too.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
NASCAR’s Successful Plans With Goodyear Opens Doors With Massive Outcome Soon to Change the Sport
NASCAR for long has remained hesitant towards racing on wet tracks, for the obvious risks involved. The racing organization was comfortable using wet tires on road courses for the slower speeds and high braking. However, it wasn’t until 2023 that they first featured on ovals, which form a majority of NASCAR’s track lineup. NASCAR used it at the North Wilkesboro All-Star race last year in a non-points event.
Owing to its success, they were also brought out when Richmond’s spring race saw some showers. This was the first point-playing event when the wet tires were in action. This was also followed by their use at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in June. However, NASCAR has limited the use of wet tires to short tracks, shying away from intermediate tracks, which form a larger part of NASCAR’s track compared to short tracks. But, recently, Goodyear did a wet tire test at Homestead, and the results point towards a big change coming in the future of intermediates.
NASCAR takes a crucial first step in wet-tire racing at intermediates
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The reason for staying away from intermediates is possibly the higher speeds than short tracks, making it more dangerous. However, after the recent Homestead Miami playoff races, NASCAR created artificial damp conditions on the 1.56-mile track to test Goodyear’s new tire compound. Three drivers from three manufacturers were picked – Alex Bowman (Chevrolet), John Hunter Nemechek (Toyota), and Ryan Preece (Ford). They were given five sets of tires, with four of them being different wet weather options, and the results have been promising.
Recently, NASCAR Cup Series managing director Brad Moran was on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Where he spoke about how the test went down. He said, “They were running up against the wall and kind of all over the racetrack in the wet. There was some spray, which we anticipated. The speeds are obviously much higher when we go to mile-and-a-halfs, so we’ve probably got a little work to do there. But overall, it was a really good test. All three drivers agreed on the tire they all liked; they were all in agreement that it was the best tire. We gained a lot.”
This is significant since NASCAR can reduce rain delays or postponement of races on intermediate tracks. There is a long list of rain-delayed races with intermediates. In 2023, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was postponed a day, and Ryan Blaney won after it resumed. Or how the Kansas spring race faced a 3-hour delay this year because of the rain. The Las Vegas race has also seen some delays. Even the Texas Motor Speedway in 2020 saw postponement due to rain delay.
Recently NASCAR analyst Eric Estepp revealed the significance behind Goodyear’s recent development. Estepp said, “This is wild it took years for NASCAR to run wet weather tires at road courses. Recently, we’ve seen them used at short tracks, but a mile and a half? Science said it couldn’t be done credit to NASCAR credit to Goodyear for giving us another tool that could potentially be used to fight back against mother nature.”
However, the tires are still a work in progress and would probably take a long time before they make it to points races. “Obviously, we won’t see these tires used this season, probably not next season, but it’s cool that this is a real work in progress,” Estepp added. However, the progress in bettering wet racing is promising!
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Bran Moran opens up on the progress of wet tires in NASCAR
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Wet tires were the first feature in NASCAR in the late 1990s. The first time they were seen was in the 1997 qualifying event for the NASCAR Cup Series exhibition event in Suzuka, Japan. But Road courses are only a fraction of the NASCAR tracks. However, NASCAR’s efforts to make oval races more rain-resistant are crucial. Moran said, “From my reports – and we’ll go through this thoroughly later today in our competition meeting – the tires held up really well. They did a great job.” The reports would enable NASCAR to incorporate the changes and get them ready.
Even Fox News’ Bob Pockrass agreed it is too early to conclude anything. He took to X to write, “More of an exploratory test. Nothing planned for use in the short term (like at least early next year) but mainly to develop a plan, if there can be one, of what they need to research/develop for intermediates.”
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However, according to Moran, the efforts to improve wet racing have been going on for many years. “This is a directive from Jim France a couple of years back; we’ve been working hard at it. We started doing some testing a few years ago. Obviously, we got to see more of it this year, and it worked out very well in New Hampshire as well as North Wilkesboro. It certainly helped us get back to racing and helped the fans have the opportunity to enjoy the race when they come.”
Although NASCAR is still cautious of racing in the rain as the tires are only used when the rain has stopped. Maybe in the near future, with Goodyear’s constant efforts, we could also see racing happening in a downpour. Won’t that be interesting to watch? What are your thoughts on how NASCAR racing has evolved over the years when it comes to tackling the rain? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below.
Prize Money Reaches Over $10 Million at Martinsville With Truck Series Taking Home 6% of the Purse
Do you know the most exciting part of being a NASCAR driver? Surely, it is the fact that you get to live every kid’s dream by driving around super-fast cars for a living. Well, once you get over the thrill of driving, it’s the money that matters most. NASCAR teams often pay drivers a salary, but what becomes more lucrative is the purse money. The purse money gets decided depending on the standing of each driver.
This directly rewards drivers for their performance on that track, and some tracks can be worth more than others. This year Martinsville seems to have garnered an increase in overall purse for their Cup and Xfinity series. As if there was not enough on the line already, with this being the final playoff race, the purse increase has made things more spicy.
Purse money increases and crosses the $10 million mark
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Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick move into Martinsville with secured seats to the Championship at Phoenix. Next in line, we have Christopher Bell, who is at a very comfortable spot and currently sitting 29 points above the cutline, along with William Byron, who is +7 above the cutline. However, just below the cutline, we have drivers like Kyle Larson, who is 7 points down, along with Hamlin, who is 18 points down. While all these drivers will be setting their eyes on victory to secure a direct seat to the Top 4, purse money is a major motivator for their non-playoff competitors.
The Martinsville Speedway will be nail-biting and all for the right reasons. Although the stress might seem to be too much for the drivers, it is the prize money that might seem to offer some kind of solace, especially when it has just crossed the $10 million mark!
Recently, Bob Pockrass revealed the purse money for the various NASCAR series and it does look attractive. He posted on X saying, “Purses for Martinsville weekend, includes all payouts, all positions, contributions to year-end points fund, contingency awards, etc., and for Cup, charter team payouts for racing and historical performance: Cup: $8,991,338, Xfinity: $1,441,088 and Truck: $672,417”. The prize money for Martinsville has increased if you compare the same to Cook Out 400 in spring this year. While for the latter, it was around $7,669,028, the current purse shows a significant growth of $1,667,135.
The Xfinity Series purse, since the last year, has seen a slight increase of $37,465. However, things are not looking very good for the Truck Series. Instead of an increase, there has been a slight decrease in the purse by $21,425 from its original $693,842 last year. While the purse money for Cup Series looks promising crossing the $10 million mark, the Truck Series is yet to make that impact. Currently, it stands at about 6% of the Cup Series purse. Why this difference? Usually, it is the sponsorship, revenue, and similar factors that decide the purse money. Given the popularity of the Cup series, it is this series that takes the most onus.
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Who is going to take the bulk of the Martinsville purse?
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While the $10 million purse does seem to be inviting, some drivers are slightly more motivated with playoff berths yet to be decided. Going into Martinsville, Christopher Bell sits at the top and won this race in 2022 en route to his first Championship 4 appearance. A win at Martinsville on Sunday would secure his three-peat of championship 4 appearances. Since the Next Gen Cars made its debut, Bell has marked his presence at each final 4. However, he has come up short on each occasion, finishing 3 in 2022 and 4th in 2023.
Following him in the standings is William Byron, who has been incredibly consistent these playoffs as he comes into this race with top-6 finishes in each of his last four races. The Hendrick Motorsports #24 is also the defending Martinsville champ, winning on the track in April this year. Bell and Byron seem to be the favorites for this race but let’s not rule out Kyle Larson. Despite his dip in form over the last few races with consecutive finishes outside the top-10, Larson has an impeccable record recently at Martinsville. He finished in the top 3 in three of his last four races, and in the race where he wasn’t top, he still finished P6. His last win at the track came in April 2023 where he led 30 laps after starting 19th on the grid and got the win.
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With the Martinsville Speedway nearing and NASCAR increasing in purse money, who do you think will take the checkered flag?
NASCAR is venturing into uncharted territory. The sanctioning body recently conducted a wet-weather tire test at Homestead Miami, and early reports indicate a positive outcome. It was the first time testing was held in damp conditions on a 1.5-mile speedway, as the wet weather package has been restricted to road courses and short tracks in the past. However, this could be the start of a new beginning for the sport. But how?
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece was one of three drivers who participated in the tire test. The 34-year-old shared his views about the experience and complimented the tire manufacturer for how well the car responded under damp conditions.
Ryan Preece reflects on the pros and cons of tire testing.
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Ryan Preece was not alone at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Three drivers representing three manufacturers were present on the racetrack, including Alex Bowman of Chevrolet and John Hunter Nemechek of Toyota. A total of five different sets of tires were used during testing, which included four wet-weather compounds, and they were tested on an artificially damp surface to recreate the optimal conditions to test their performance. In many ways, the test was a significant one as it could change the way racing is conducted on ovals larger than one mile without the need for long disruptions.
Sharing his views about the wet-weather package at Homestead-Miami, Ryan Preece told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, “It was honestly incredible how well they handled, to be honest with you. It gets really really difficult to be able to do that with really any cars around you. It’s the spray. The spray that was coming out behind the cars, it just made it difficult to either see the car in front of you, if you were within, I would say half a straightaway in front of everybody, their car would completely disappear. I would say the visibility side is probably the biggest challenge of it all.”
NASCAR has always had a bit of a cautious approach when racing in wet weather. While road courses have been immune to the condition of the track, with necessary tires and windshield wipers being used, the same can’t be said about oval tracks.
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Only in the last two years has the sanctioning body normalized using wet weather tires in the Cup Series, with tracks such as North Wilkesboro, Richmond, and New Hampshire using them to great effect. However, Homestead-Miami represents a turning point, as the track is over a mile long and expects drivers to race at faster speeds and show more skill in challenging conditions.
It seems like Ryan Preece wasn’t the only one who complimented how well the tires performed at the intermediate speedway. Cup Series managing director Brad Moran praised the tire manufacturer by saying, “Goodyear has done a fabulous job with the tires.”
With NASCAR looking to use its wet weather package more frequently during the 2025 season, will we see it implemented on longer ovals in the foreseeable future? Time will tell, but given the reports from the test at Homestead-Miami, one can’t help but feel that it’s only a matter of time.
NASCAR executive happy with tire test outcome
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Even though FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass has previously said that the Homestead-Miami tire test was “exploratory,” the results gained from it could bring intermediate racing under damp conditions one step closer. While there remains plenty of work to do to improve its wet-weather package, Jim France’s goal of shortening the amount of time it takes to resume racing after a passing storm is getting closer. While plenty of work still needs to be done to improve the wet weather package, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that significant strides will be made next season.
Sharing his takeaways from the test, managing director Brad Moran told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, “From my reports—and we’ll go through this thoroughly later today in our competition meeting—the tires held up really well. They did a great job.” He went on to say, “The speeds are obviously much higher when we go to mile-and-a-halfs, so we’ve probably got a little work to do there. But overall, it was a really good test. All three drivers agreed on the tire they all liked; they were all in agreement that it was the best tire. We gained a lot.”
Moran also accidentally let slip Ryan Preece’s next Cup Series destination while sharing his views about the test. The executive said, “Preece was in the 60 car, which is his drive for next year,” revealing that the Connecticut native will be driving for RFK Racing next year.
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Whether Brad Keselowski’s team will buy a third charter or lease from Rick Ware Racing remains to be seen, but the development may have something to do with the team’s deal with new sponsor Kroger during the 2025 season.
Jeff Gordon Confesses Being Reminded of Championship Regrets Leaving Him Short of Jimmie Johnson’s Elite Club
Only three drivers so far in NASCAR have entered the 7 championship club. “The King” Richard Petty started this club when he bagged his seventh Cup Series championship in 1979. Post this started the era of “the Intimidator,” the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. Earnhardt’s first championship came in 1980 and the 7th came in 1994. The latest to join the club was Jimmie Johnson, winning his 7th one in 2016. Since then, no driver has achieved this feat.
Jeff Gordon came closest, winning four championships (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001). Notably, no one else has entered the 4-championship club. Despite this impressive achievement, Gordon has expressed disappointment about not winning more, given his exceptional skill and numerous near-misses. Recently, he reflected on how he’s sometimes reminded of the opportunities that slipped away.
Jeff Gordon opens up on feeling dissatisfied at times
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Gordon, feeling unsatisfied, is something that seems unbelievable. Because, if anything, he had one of the most decorated NASCAR careers in the history of the sport. In a career that stretched for more than two decades, Gordon made 805 race starts in the Cup Series and on 93 occasions the California native visited the victory lane. Making him the third-winningest driver ever, even Jimmie Johnson is 10 short of matching this record. Not just that, his consistency was impeccable, with 325 top 5s, 477 top 10s, and a finishing average of 12.5 over his career.
Recently, Fox Sports had an interview where Jeff Gordon reminisced about some of his past regrets. Gordon said, “I relish the wins, I relish the championships, a lot of great moments and memories that will live with me forever. But it’s also hard not to sometimes be reminded because of FOX or NBC or NASCAR or somebody putting these videos out there to remind me of things that happened at Texas, to remind me of things that happened at different tracks and races along the way that were not so good. You’re always going to wish that you had a few more wins and a few more championships if the opportunities were there. And they were.”
If we look back at Jeff Gordon‘s career, there were definitely some seasons that could have given him more championships leading him to join the prestigious club. Gordon was the most dominant driver in the late 1990s. And what makes it even more impressive is that he was up against Dale Earnhardt Sr. The 1996 Cup Series, (then called the Winston Cup) could have been Gordon’s, he dominated the entire season winning 10 races, however, had to be satisfied with 2nd place to his teammate Terry Labonte. Even in 1999, despite winning 7 times, he could only get a 6th place season finish. He crashed in the Texas race and missed a weekend after that, followed by four more 30th-place or worse finishes in the season, which led to the upset.
Gordon also came really close to bagging a championship in 2004 and finished 3rd after 5 wins. He could have also bagged a championship in 2007 when he finished 7th after bagging 6 wins in the season and finishing in 2nd place. Even in 2009 and 2015, Gordon ended the season in 3rd place. If we count all these near misses, he could have just as easily crossed the 7 Cup championship mark. However, post-2004, Gordon’s performance kept deteriorating, some attribute it to the changing formats, as this is when the playoff system was first introduced. Gordon only managed four top-season finishes.
via Imago Jeff Gordon
Some also credit the downfall to Ray Evernham’s exit as Gordon’s crew chief in 1999. The pair were the most dominant in their tenure (’92-’99) together, winning three championships. More than half (49) of Gordon’s Cup career wins came with Evernham. Well, whatever the reason may be, no one can deny that Jeff Gordon is one of the greatest drivers ever. In the interview, Gordon also dwelled on how the championships changed his life forever and his time with Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Jeff Gordon dwells on his championship years
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Gordon further said, “I know they changed my life forever — big events like the Daytona 500, the Brickyard, 400 and championships, that kind of molds your career and your future and where you’re at with your team. Winning that first championship in 1995 was just huge because not only were we going up against the greats at that time, but Dale Earnhardt, Sr, one of the best of all time.”
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The Gordon-Earnhardt rivalry is one of the greatest in NASCAR. ’94 was the year Earnhardt won his 7th championship, the same year young Gordon got his first Cup victory and a Cup title in the very next. No one had imagined that the 23-year-old would win a championship in just his third full Cup season, that too against Dale Sr. That year, Sr won 5 races and fell short of Gordon’s 7. The two then went on to race against each other for 8 seasons before Earnhardt died in a crash in the 2001 Daytona 500 race.
via Imago Dale Earnhardt Sr
Remembering the old days Gordon said, “And to be able to go toe to toe with him (Dale Sr) and Richard Childress Racing and actually pull that championship (1995) off, from that point on, it just felt like, All right, we have a car and a team that can do this every year. Even though that wasn’t necessarily the case, it certainly was a string there for about four or five years that we were one of the top teams and went into every race feeling like we could win it, and every season that we could win the championship because of what we accomplished in ’95.”
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What are some of your favorite Jeff Gordon moments? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Stewart-Haas Racing Releases Heartfelt Tribute As NASCAR Exit Looms
Stewart-Haas Racing has announced the upcoming closure of its NASCAR operations at the end of the 2024 season, marking the end of an era for the storied team. To commemorate their successful journey in the sport, the team released a heartfelt tribute video featuring testimonials from team members sharing their fondest memories.
SHR was founded in 2002 by Gene Haas and later rebranded in 2009 when NASCAR legend Tony Stewart became a co-owner. Since then, SHR has made a lasting imprint on NASCAR, securing more than 100 victories and winning multiple championships.
The video tribute shared on social media features various team members recounting their cherished moments. Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 car, reminisced about his triumphant 2024 win at Darlington. He reflected:
“You Physically Can’t See Anything”- Tony Stewart Uncovers Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Dark Side That Left Him Spooked
Sports are about winning and losing, but auto racing pushes the boundaries further, becoming a sport of life and death. Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a history of deaths that precedes the first Indy 500 race. Since 2015, there has been no death recorded at the iconic racing venue, but the historical deaths have led many to believe the place is haunted.
Like most of the racing enthusiasts, Tony Stewart wasn’t sold on the stories about the track being haunted. But all of that changed in 1999 when he stayed at the racetrack overnight to complete his double.
Tony Stewart recalls his sinister experience staying overnight at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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After bidding farewell to his open-wheel racing career, Stewart entered Cup racing with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1999. But he wanted to follow in the footsteps of John Andretti and be able to pull off “The Double.” Running the 600 miles at the Coca-Cola 600 Cup race followed by the Indy 500. At the time nobody was allowed to stay inside the racetrack, but Stewart had special access, and this is when he experienced a super-natural phenomenon.
Recalling this incident, Tony Stewart said, “I got back about 1:00 in the morning from running in at Charlotte, and I’m not joking, it was alive; the whole place was alive. I’ve told this story to people, and they look at you like, Come on, man, and the amount of noise that was inside that place and the activity you could hear was like a movie filled with dreams.”
Stewart needed to rest well before the big race, but the creepy noise and sound just didn’t help. “I’m telling you that night there was so much stuff going on and I was going looking around like you’re gonna see somebody at some point or groups of people; it was that loud. And it was like there’s nothing moving; you physically cannot see anything, but you close your eyes and you can hear everything,” he added.
Not sure if it was a curse or something else, but Tony Stewart wasn’t able to complete 200. Driving the #22 Tri-Star Motorsports car, he only managed to run 196 laps and came just shy of 4 laps to complete the historic double. However, he would return back in 2001, settling his unfinished business. However, he didn’t have such a storied end to his stint as a NASCAR team owner as he decided to call quits on Stewart Haas Racing at the end of 2024.
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SHR’s exit from NASCAR was bitter for Stewart
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NASCAR racing isn’t the same as it was in the early 2000s. There’s no technology, new players, and more competition. Unfortunately, the Stewart Haas Racing team wasn’t able to transition into the new era. They were a dominant force in the last decade, from 2011 to 2020. But a lack of results and performance on the track and burdening finance forced the owner’s hands into making a tough call.
The NASCAR fans were very critical of Stewart in how his decision affected the livelihood of people working at SHR. But he’s now cleared the air about announcing the closure of the team so that people would be able to find new opportunities. “We did what we did to take care of our people, and we created great severance packages for them to take care of their families. The announcement was to give all these guys an opportunity throughout the season to secure new jobs for next year, and it was really successful, I would say. 80% of the employees that are at SHR have found homes for next year, and that was the goal.” He said this in an interview with Bob Pockrass.
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Although his ownership stint came to a stop at the NASCAR level, he is focused on carrying on the winning mentality driving in his rookie season in the NHRA Top Fuel division.
NASCAR Fans Melt Over As Rick Hendrick & Co. Drop Adorable Halloween Surprise
The spookiest holiday of the year, Halloween brings out the creativity among the NASCAR stars and their families. For years, NASCAR drivers have been sharing their Halloween costumes on social media, and this year has been different. While creativity is subjective, some costumes are instant hits, and some not so much.
This year, Hendrick Motorsports decided to do something different. They did their research on all four drivers and shared their costume designs from their childhood days. Fans are often treated to throwback schemes on the racecars, but a throwback on Halloween costumes was indeed a fresh idea. “Check out these Halloween throwbacks!” Rick Hendrick’s team shared this on Instagram along with adorable pictures of the drivers.
Alex Bowman was dressed as a tiger and even had his face painted in black whiskers. He had the cutout mask mounted on his head; he sure bags the award for the most innocent tiger ever. Chase Elliott opted to dress like his favorite superhero, Batman. He had it all, right from the face mask to the black drape.
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William Byron dressed up a Ricky Bobby from the Talladega night. It looked like he had a custom-made fire suit that looked identical to that of the one Ricky wore in the movie. The best part about his costume was the curly hair wig. Last but not least, Kyle Larson was dressed up as a clown. He had an inflated clown costume, and it looked like he was about to jump in a midget car with the scenery in his background.
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This Halloween throwback photo dump was a sneaky surprise by Rick Hendrick and the HMS team. Needless to say, the fans loved this post and couldn’t help but share what they felt about the creative costume designs.
Fans react to HMS driver’s Halloween costume throwback
Kyle Larson couldn’t help but click his Halloween costume photo near a racetrack. There was a winged sprint car in the frame of his photo. And it looked like he was preparing for a race event with multiple trailers parked behind him. Highlight the same a fan replied, “Of course Kyle is still at a track 😂💙”
Batman is arguably the greatest superhero ever. While the modern era has seen the likes of Iron Man and Captain America take over popular culture, Batman is just evergreen. Chase Elliott had an eye for excellence and supremacy, and it looks like he’s implemented a few traits from his Halloween character to his racing. “Now I FINALLY understand why Chase is always voted the favorite driver…he’s Batman 🦇 !!! 😂”
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Given how Larson has always been passionate about racing since his childhood days, a few fans expected to dress him like a race car driver. Jeff Gordon from Hendrick Motorsports or Dale Jr., something along those lines, but a clown wasn’t something this fan expected from the HMS driver. “I was expecting Larson in a Gordon suit never a clown suit 😆”
If Hendrick Motorsports didn’t tag the respective drivers, it would’ve been a pretty engagement exercise to identify who was who. While Larson and Byron’s picks were easy, the same cannot be said for Elliott and Bowman. This race fan had a hard time believing that Alex Bowman was the one dressed like a tiger. “Alex Bowman cracked me up. I was like, who is this NASCAR driver I was like oh it’s Alex Bowman.”
It is indeed wholesome to see the younger version of the drivers who have now grown up to be fierce competitors. This sentiment was shared by this user on Instagram who wrote, “They were all cuties when they were little especially chase and alex.”
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Dale Jr. did hint that he was pretty excited about his Halloween costume for this year. So keep an eye out on the social media feed; you would not want to miss out on what drivers are up to this Halloween.
Tyler Reddick Lets Slip Son Beau’s Biggest Denny Hamlin Pet Peeve Amid Growing Fascination for Truck Series Star
Tyler Reddick’s son Beau was elated at the race’s outcome when the checkered flag was waved at Homestead-Miami. During the now-customary photo op with the playoff grid, the boy was seen taking the sticker with his father’s name on it and carefully applying it to the board with pride. It’s fair to say that the 23XI Racing driver’s son is also his biggest fan, but Beau Reddick also has other drivers he is fond of across NASCAR’s three national series.
When asked about Beau Reddick’s favorite drivers, the regular season Cup Series champion revealed a surprising name from the Truck Series while explaining his son’s mixed emotions regarding Joe Gibbs Racing veteran Denny Hamlin.
Tyler Reddick reveals his son’s favorite drivers
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Tyler Reddick is on a high. The No. 45 Toyota driver recently secured his third win of the season in the penultimate Round of Eight playoff race at Homestead-Miami. By securing a clutch result, he has earned a place in the Championship 4 alongside Joey Logano and will compete for the title at Phoenix Raceway in the coming weeks. Cheering for the 28-year-old in the stands will be his wife Alexa Reddick, and their four-year-old son Beau, who will be eager to see his father win the title despite his other favorite drivers also being on track.
When asked if Beau is still a Chase Elliott fan, Tyler Reddick revealed, “Yeah, you know, on the Cup side he does like Kyle a lot and he enjoys interacting with him. I know he still likes Chase, Chase has always been really good to him. He does like Denny, there’s been a couple times where I’ve lost to Denny where he, you know, immediately after the race, like ‘I don’t like Denny right now’. When he sees the #45, he’s always like, there’s the number, there it is. So I feel like, when we watch Truck races, he sees the 45 number and he’s always pulling for Kaden Honeycutt.”
Beau Reddick’s mixed feelings towards Denny Hamlin are understandable. The four-year-old will want his father to win under any circumstances, even if it comes at the expense of the 23XI Racing co-owner. Recognizing that the No. 45 car is where his loyalties must lie, the youngster has also begun rooting for Niece Motorsports driver Kaden Honeycutt, who drives the #45 Chevrolet Silverado in the Truck Series. Even though the 21-year-old may have gained a young fan by default, Honeycutt is more than happy to accept Tyler Reddick’s son in his fandom.
Responding to the tweet, Honeycutt graciously said, “@TylerReddick Tell your son Beau I am honored for him as a fan of the 45🫶😁”. The part-time driver has made 12 Truck Series appearances so far, with both of his highest finishes (4th) coming at Kansas Speedway this year. The Texas native will compete at Martinsville Speedway as well and will hope to finish the penultimate race of the season on a positive note. At least he will be assured that a young fan will be cheering him on from the sidelines, which would give Honeycutt plenty of encouragement on the short track.
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Will Beau Reddick follow in his father’s footsteps?
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The NASCAR world has seen plenty of father-son duos in the past. Dale Jr. followed in his legendary father’s footsteps, and Keelan Harvick seems to be following suit. So it should come as no surprise that despite being just four years old, speculation is rife about the possibility of Beau Reddick pursuing a career in NASCAR. While some might say that he’s too young, Tyler Reddick began his motorsport journey at the tender age of four and a half. However, the 23XI Racing driver is being patient when it comes to his son, despite keeping the option open.
Speaking to Alex Weaver about his son’s future, Reddick said, “It’s really interesting. It’s pretty obvious that he only really talks to Alexa about it, he doesn’t like mentioning it to me. I want to see how well he would commit himself to something. Baseball is a lot cheaper than racing so he has been playing T-ball. I just want to see how much he’s willing to commit to something, on the good days, bad days, not-so-fun days, practice, games that don’t go good. How much you’re willing to commit yourself to it. I think in racing that’s important.”
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With one race to go before the championship fixture at Phoenix Raceway, the stage is set for Tyler Reddick to go wheel-to-wheel for the ultimate prize. As the outcome of the race at Martinsville Speedway is irrelevant, the 28-year-old will use the coming weeks to prepare himself for the biggest event of his career so far. Adding fuel to the fire, 23XI Racing is currently involved in a legal battle with NASCAR by suing the sanctioning body for ‘monopolistic practices’. Won’t it be quite a statement if a driver lifts the Bill France Cup in front of the sport’s hierarchy?
NASCAR Martinsville Schedule: Line-Up, Practice, Qualifying, Tickets, Where and How to Watch
The NASCAR 2024 season is nearing its end and the tension is rising. Martinsville will play the penultimate race before we get the champions of all three NASCAR series. After Grant Enfinger won both the races of the round of 8 in the Truck Series, three spots remain in Phoenix. Would it be Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, or Ty Majeski? or will any driver from the bubble rise to the occasion? As opposed to the Truck Series, only two spots are remaining in Xfinity. Justin Allgaier and Cole Custer are the favorites to fill them. But don’t underestimate the drivers below the cutline, as all have shown consistent performances at Martinsville in the past.
Even in the Cup Series, it’s a battle to fill the final two spots after Joey Logano won Las Vegas and regular season champion Tyler Reddick won Homestead. Christopher Bell is the top-seeded driver in points, but William Byron is the most recent winner of the track. Also, Kyle Larson might find himself in the elimination zone, but we all know his short-track dominance this year. Martinsville’s winningest active driver is Denny Hamlin, having won 5 times, starting -18 below the cutline. And while Ryan Blaney probably cannot point his way in, he’s the most consistent driver amongst all at Martinsville, his average finish is 8.8 here. Overall, it’s going to be a tight battle and only time will tell who succeeds!
Are you ready for the action-packed races? when and where to watch
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In addition to the already present uncertainties, NASCAR is bringing a new tire compound for its shortest, short track. The left tire on the Cup cars is going to be the softest compound the drivers have ever driven with. The softer the tire, the faster the car and the higher the wear. It’s going to be challenging for the teams and will surely make the race interesting. The right tires would be the same one we saw in Richmond. Also a soft compound, adding to the challenge of teams to balance between the two. A lot of racing awaits as the NASCAR Series reaches Martinsville.
The NASCAR weekend will kick off with the Truck Series practice from 1:30 -2 p.m. ET, followed by the Truck Series qualifying at 2:05 ET, both events will be broadcast on FOX Sports 2. After we find out the pole sitter for the Truck elimination race, the Xfinity Series practice will commence at 3:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Xfinity qualifying at 4:05 p.m. ET; Xfinity fans can catch the events on NBC Sports App. The sundowner for Friday is the Truck Series race scheduled to begin at 6:18 p.m. ET. All the action will be broadcast on FS1, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
The intensity will keep increasing with each passing day of the race weekend. On Saturday, the Cup Series garage will open at 8 a.m. ET, starting the day with the Cup practice at 1:00 p.m. ET and then the qualifying at 2:05 p.m. ET. The Cup action can be watched on the NBC Sports App. Soon after, we’ll get the final two drivers to join AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill at Pheonix after the Xfinity Series race kicks off at 4:17 p.m. ET, the race will be broadcast on CW Network, MRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. And finally, Sunday will feature the race we all have been waiting for, the race that will determine the final 4 in the Cup series finale. The race will take the white flag at 2:03 p.m. ET for the 500-lap race. Would Ryan Blaney reach the final four to defend his title? Well, things are about to get intense!
Tickets for the events have mostly sold out but for those still looking to attend the race, they can be booked on Richmond Raceway’s official website, https://www.martinsvillespeedway.com. The Cup Series tickets might already have been sold out, but there is a good chance of availing the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series race tickets.
Weather forecasts, qualification lineup
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According to the Weather Underground report, the Truck Series race will be partly cloudy with there being a 5% chance of rain. The highest temperature of the day would reach up to 71 degrees. The same kind of weather will continue into Saturday, with it being mostly cloudy during the Cup qualifying as well as the Xfinity Series race. The forecast shows that there is no chance of rain for both events, the highest temperature would be 66 degrees on the day. Lastly, for the Cup Series eliminator, the highest temperature would be 64 degrees, with the sky being mostly cloudy. According to the forecast, Mother Nature will remain kind, with no chance of rain.
The qualification lineup for the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Truck Series is as follows:
Cup Series:
(Group A)
#51 Corey LaJoie #7 Justin Haley #42 John Hunter Nemechek #71 Zane Smith #3 Austin Dillon #1 Ross Chastain #47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. #21 Harrison Burton #2 Austin Cindric #6 Brad Keselowski #17 Chris Buescher #41 Ryan Preece #99 Daniel Suarez #14 Chase Briscoe #22 Joey Logano (P) #9 Chase Elliott (P) #12 Ryan Blaney (P) #Christopher Bell (P)
(Group B)
#66 Josh Bilicki #15 Kaz Grala #31 Daniel Hemric #16 Shane van Gisbergen #8 Kyle Busch #43 Erik Jones #54 Ty Gibbs #10 Noah Gragson #38 Todd Gilliland #19 Martin Truex Jr. #34 Michael McDowell #23 Bubba Wallace #4 Josh Berry #77 Carson Hocevar #48 Alex Bowman #5 Kyle Larson (P) #24 William Byron (P) #11 Denny Hamlin (P) #45 Tyler Reddick (P)
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Xfinity Series:
#50 Preston Pardus #174 TBA #153Mason Maggio #35 Carson Ware #145 Garrett Smithley #92 Dawson Cram #107 Patrick Emerling #114 Greg Van Alst #29 Blaine Perkins #38 Matt DiBenedetto #15 Dylan Lupton #91 Myatt Snider #42 Leland Honeyman #26 Bubba Pollard #43 Ryan Ellis #31 Parker Retzlaff #11 Josh Williams #27Jeb Burton #39 Kyle Sieg #51 Jeremy Clements #19 William Sawalich #44 Brennan Poole #5 Anthony Alfredo #9 Brandon Jones #97 Shane Van Gisbergen #28 Ryan Sieg #48 Parker Kligerman #98 Riley Herbst #18 Sheldon Creed #8 Sammy Smith (P) #81 Chandler Smith (P) #1 Sam Mayer (P) #16 AJ Allmendinger (P) #7 Justin Allgaier (P) #2 Jesse Love # (P) #21 Austin Hill (P) #20Aric Almirola (P) #00 Cole Custer (P)
Truck Series:
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#6 Norm Benning #16 TBA #81 Corey Day #19 Justin Carroll #22 Clayton Green #44 Matthew Gould #4 Brett Moffitt #02 Dylan Lupton #66 Johnny Sauter #42 Matt Mills #76 Spencer Boyd #41 Bayley Currey #91 Jack Wood #56 Timmy Hill #33 Lawless Alan #13 Jake Garcia #77 Chase Purdy #7 Connor Zilisch #25 Dawson Sutton #1 William Sawalich #38 Layne Riggs #5 Dean Thompson #15 Tanner Gray #99 Ben Rhodes #88 Matt Crafton #45 Kaden Honeycutt #43 Daniel Dye #52 Stewart Friesen #2 Nick Sanchez (P) #71 Rajah Caruth (P) #18 Tyler Ankrum (P) #17 Taylor Gray (P) #19 Christian Eckes (P) #98 Ty Majeski (P) #11 Corey Heim (P) #9 Grant Enfinger (P)
Who do you think will be the final four in all three series? Let us know your picks in the comments down below.
HMS Legend Downplays Goodyear’s Martinsville Genius With Bold Cup Teams Verdict
NASCAR has taken steps to improve its short-track package. There were high hopes of entering the recent Bristol race to see some entertaining racing. But it proved to be a Kyle Larson show after he led, 462 out of the 500 laps. Only eight times was the lead changed. Now NASCAR is heading to its shortest short track at Martinsville Speedway. And with so much at stake, they have yet again attempted to up the short-track package.
The cars at the Martinsville race will run on a new tire compound for the left tire. Goodyear is claiming it to be the softest one yet. The right tire would, however, be the same one we saw in the North Wilkesboro Speedway all-star race and then at Richmond. While NASCAR is claiming it to make things challenging for the teams, NASCAR veteran, Steve Letarte, thinks otherwise. Letarte has asked fans not to get their hopes too high!
Ex-HMS crew chief isn’t too excited about the new tire compound
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Introducing a new tire compound is NASCAR’s attempt to enable more passing on the track. Softer tires equal higher speed but it also increases the tire wear. With a good amount of falloff, we are expected to get to see more passes being made. And the track position won’t become as crucial. Like how it worked out at Richmond, with teams having to choose between speed and durability producing some good racing. On the new tire, Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, said, “We come to Martinsville with that same right-side tread compound as part of the setup teams will run, along with a left-side tire that utilizes the ‘softest’ tread compound in our tire lineup…We had a good test there in August and came out of it with this setup, which is another step forward on our short-track package.”
While NASCAR is hoping for the new tire compound to up the game, they aren’t a hundred percent sure that it will work. “We sure hope it creates some interesting racing, and how it’s all going to work out, it’s one of those deals where we’re really not going to know until we get them all out there on Sunday,” This is what NASCAR Cup Series managing director, Brad Moran said on the new tires. However, while NASCAR probably expects to produce some never seen before racing action, Ex-crew chief of HMS, Steve Letarte, doesn’t think it will happen.
According to Letarte, every time NASCAR has thrown a tire challenge at the teams this year, they have managed to overcome it. Letarte in the Dirty Mo Media podcast episode said, “We had tires at the all-star race that weren’t going to run 25 laps, they could have run them 200. Then we had tires at Watkins Glen, I mean they were going to slow down five seconds. You weren’t going to be able to race that whole nine yards. Like the garage area adapts, I’m not saying Goodyear’s wrong, I’m not saying their approach is wrong. I’m saying let’s give credit to the 36 teams, the engineers, the drivers. They are not out there driving with a freaking sledgehammer like they know what they are doing, they can feel the tire.” So according to Letarte, it’s going to be a good old-fashioned short track race. Perhaps our regular short-track masters, like Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, would dominate.
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Heading into Martinsville, we have many championship favorites in the elimination zone, including Denny Hamlin. Martinsville had been the #11’s stronghold. The Joe Gibbs driver also happens to be the winning among the active drivers. Hamlin has won the Martinsville race on 5 occasions. Letarte thinks Hamlin is going to be dominant on the track as he understands tire management better than most.
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Denny Hamlin’s chances at Martinsville?
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Letarte further in the conversation said, “Someone like Denny, I actually think this suits Denny very very well. I think he knows how to use the tire on the restart, then settle in and save a ton of tire. So it may look a little different. But if someone is thinking it’s going to look like nothing we have seen the last four years then they are going to be disappointed it’s not going to completely change what it looks like.”
However, Denny Hamlin isn’t so sure himself. Ahead of the race, the veteran is hoping for the fall to be as much as NASCAR is claiming. Hamlin on the Actions Detrimental podcast said, “I wish I knew, because I would try to prepare for it. But we’ve got a new tire there that’s going to be the softest left-side tire that I think NASCAR has ever made, or Goodyear has ever made. The right-side is the, I think, like the prime tire softness. Hopefully, we get some tire wear. I mean that’s what we hope is that we have tires that wear out and then you start to see some comers and goers and lots of passing. That’s what we hope.”
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Even though Hamlin has the maximum amount of wins, he’s not won a single race at the track in the next-gen car. His last win at Martinsville came in 2015. And in the spring race at the track this year, the JGR driver finished 11th. However, other than Martinsville, Hamlin has made good runs on short tracks this year. Winning both Richmond and Bristol in the spring. Currently, he is -18 points below the cut line; the deficit is not great, but the competition is tight. While the aim would be a win for the #11 faction, a top 3 finish could also be enough, depending on how the other drivers finish on the track.
Overall, it’s going to be a neck-to-neck battle to the finish. Which two drivers do you think will make it to the championship 4? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below.
Jorge Soler trade: Braves send veteran slugger to Angels for pitcher on first day of MLB offseason
The Los Angeles Angels have acquired veteran outfielder and DH Jorge Soler in a trade with the Atlanta Braves, who in return are receiving right-hander Griffin Canning. The Braves announced the deal on Thursday, roughly 14 hours after the Dodgers defeated the Yankees to win the 2024 World Series.
Soler, 32, is coming off a 2024 season in which he slashed .241/.338/.442 (121 OPS+) with 21 home runs and 34 doubles in a combined 142 games for the Giants and Braves. For his career, Soler has an OPS+ of 113 across parts of 11 major-league seasons. Over that span, he has 191 home runs and 197 doubles. Soler put up a 48-homer season for the Royals in 2019, and he made his first and only All-Star appearance with the Marlins in 2023. In 2021, Soler earned World Series MVP honors as a member of the Braves, who reacquired him ahead of the 2024 trade deadline.
Jorge Soler ATL • RF • #2 BA 0.241 R 84 HR 21 RBI 64 SB 1 View Profile
Soler is under contract through the 2026 season and owed a total of $32 million over those next two seasons.
On the Braves’ side of things, the 28-year-old Canning this past season registered an ERA of 5.19 in 31 starts and one relief appearance for the Angels. In his career, he has an ERA+ of 92 over parts of five MLB seasons, all with the Angels. Of Canning’s 99 career games pitched, 94 have been starts. He’s arbitration-eligible for 2025, which will be his walk year.
Griffin Canning LAA • SP • #47 ERA 5.19 WHIP 1.4 IP 171.2 BB 66 K 130 View Profile
In addition to adding some pitching depth, this trade allows the Braves to shed salary in the form of Soler’s contract. Whether it’s a straight dump on Atlanta’s part or a precursor to an active offseason of spending remains to be seen.
Can big-market Rangers even compete with Dodgers, Yankees’ advantages in MLB’s newest era?
If my hand-wringing today in the wake of a Yankees-Dodgers World Series seems a bit outdated, it’s only because it is. Rivals have been whining about the Dodgers since Brooklyn had 27 farm teams in 1949, and crying foul against the Yankees goes back a century to the Babe Ruth trade with Boston.
More recently (am I the only one who considers the ‘50s more recently?), the Yankees built much of their foundation for World Series titles in the ‘60s (Roger Maris, Clete Boyer, Ralph Terry and more) on very shady deals with a Kansas City A’s owner who formerly owned Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers moved west and all of a sudden had all of Southern California coming to their games, an attendance advantage on the league that kept Dodger Blue in the black for years.
But there’s something different at play now, and I say this recognizing that this was the first Yankees-Dodgers World Series since 1981. The Rangers had been to three World Series since the Yankees’ last visit (that still boggles the mind), and this was LA’s first Series triumph played in home stadiums in front of full houses since 1988. The game of baseball itself tends to save MLB from its worst excesses and mistakes, and an expanded playoff also creates a more level platform in which, say, a 90-win wild card team (Texas) can beat an 84-win wild card team (Arizona) while three 100-win teams (Baltimore, Atlanta, LA) watch from the sidelines.
As MLB heads toward its offseason and the usual free agent frenzy, the Rangers are one of a number of teams still trying to solve the local TV revenue puzzle that the Diamond Sports Group (formerly Bally Sports) going into Chapter 11 in 2023 produced. It’s happening across the board in sports, as you’ve noticed with the Mavericks and Stars, teams having to find new ways to generate the millions in local revenues they previously took for granted.
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Leagues share the greater pie that comes from national broadcasts, but local TV money is to each its own.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are the principal owners of the YES Sports Network and can count on something close to $200 million while the Dodgers have a 25-year deal worth more than $8 billion (roughly $330 million per season). That gives LA an incredible running start when it comes to pursuing players such as Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, two players they landed by spending $1.025 billion last winter — blowing away the half billion Texas pledged to Corey Seager and Marcus Semien three years ago.
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This isn’t to suggest the shedding of tears for any MLB owners, in particular Texas’ Ray Davis. But in the only uncapped league in major American team sports, every hundred million counts, you know?
“The beauty of baseball is that star power does not guarantee championships,” Rangers GM Chris Young said Thursday. “But it does enhance your chances. And certain teams have the ability to make mistakes and move on.”
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Even the Rangers could do that, in a sense, when they signed Jacob deGrom and got six starts out of him en route to the 2023 title. That was back in the golden era of guaranteed local TV revenues (or at least Texas and other teams thought they had guarantees prior to the network’s bankruptcy filing). The game has changed.
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The built-in advantage that the Dodgers and Yankees possess now is a greater weapon than any they have ever wielded. As those teams begin their offseason plans following the end of the World Series, they have certain known quantities in their oversized budgets that other teams lack. Even the Rangers, with the D-FW area representing the No. 5 market in the country, lack the certainty of resources for making plans beyond the immediate future. So imagine what that means for Cincinnati, Pittsburgh or Kansas City. Imagine being Tampa Bay (without a roof) or the Athletics moving for an unknown period of time to Sacramento.
What kind of fairness exists in a sport where the disparity of revenues and the ability to spend is as great as this one?
It’s only creative management, good luck with pitching and the awkward bounces of the game that occasionally allow the Rays or Guardians or Royals to ever really compete with the big boys. I’ve never understood why MLB players fight so hard against a cap when a cap also means a spending floor for small market teams that automatically increases spending at the below-superstar levels.
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The Rangers had their moment in the sun in 2023, and it could surely happen again. But a team that’s working to create its own sports network is not playing on the same field as those with the high-octane revenues that fuel the Dodgers and Yankees.
When free agency first came to baseball in the late ‘70s, the Yankees and Dodgers reaped the benefits and met three times in a span of five World Series. We thought they might always dominate because of their market size advantages. It didn’t happen then.
If it doesn’t happen now, it’s mostly because expanded postseasons create short playoff series in which being the hot team trumps being the best team. But when even a club with the market size of the Rangers is short-handed to compete with New York and LA, you have to ask if the modern advantages the Yanks and Dodgers possess make a mockery of the notion that competitive balance is even a goal?
LA already knows it’s adding Ohtani to the rotation in 2025. What if the Dodgers pencil in free agent Juan Soto in the outfield? Second-best team on paper might never have looked so far away.
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Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
MLB free agency tracker: Latest 2024-25 offseason trades, moves
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Just like that, the 2024-25 MLB hot stove has kicked off! We have a trade just one day after the Los Angeles Dodgers hoisted the World Series championship trophy.
All eyes this winter will be on the top free agent, young slugger Juan Soto. But he’s not the only one who could make a splash in the market.
Which teams will go all-in to contend for a 2025 World Series title? Where will other top free agents such as Corbin Burnes, Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman and? And who will make the trades and deals that have everyone buzzing?
Below is a running list of notable transactions and updates from throughout the MLB offseason.
Free agency and trade grades
Notable MLB offseason transactions
Oct. 31
Braves make first splash of offseason
The Atlanta Braves are trading outfielder Jorge Soler to the Los Angeles Angels and will receive right-hander Griffin Canning, sources tell ESPN. Story » | Grade »
Key MLB offseason dates
Dec. 9-12: Winter meetings in Dallas, Texas
Dec. 11: Rule 5 draft
Jan. 9: Deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit salary figures
End of January: Arbitration hearings begin
Feb. 22: Spring training games begin
2024-25 MLB free agency, trade grades: Offseason analysis
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The 2024-25 MLB offseason has arrived, and we have you covered with grades and analysis for every major signing and trade this winter.
Whether it’s a nine-figure free agent deal that changes the course of your team’s future or a blockbuster trade that rocks baseball, we’ll weigh in with what it all means, for next season and beyond.
Follow along as our experts evaluate each move. This story will continue to be updated, so check back in for the freshest analysis from the beginning of the hot stove season through the start of spring training.
Corbin Burnes among 8 Orioles entering MLB free agency pool
Corbin Burnes slides to field the ball and throws out the runner at first for the Orioles. (0:28)
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NEW YORK — Outfielder Juan Soto, pitchers Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler and Max Fried and first baseman Pete Alonso were among 136 players who became free agents Thursday morning.
Third baseman Alex Bregman, outfielder Anthony Santander and shortstop Willy Adames also went free.
There were 64 more players with pending option decisions who could become free agents by Monday, the fifth day after the World Series.
Teams and players can start discussing contract terms at 5:01 p.m. EST on Monday, after the deadline for teams to make $21.05 million qualifying offers to eligible free agents.
Pitcher Justin Verlander became a free agent after he failed to pitch 140 innings this year, the amount that would have triggered his ability to exercise a $35 million conditional player option. If he had exercised the option, the New York Mets would have been obligated to give an additional $17.5 million to Houston as part of last year’s trade that sent the three-time Cy Young Award winner back to the Astros.
Among those with pending club options are Atlanta designated hitter Marcell Ozuna ($16 million), and New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo ($17 million) and reliever Luke Weaver ($2.5 million).
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole can opt out of his contract but the team can void the opt out by adding a $36 million salary for 2029.
Those with player options include pitchers Blake Snell of San Francisco ($30 million, of which $15 million would be deferred), Nick Martinez of Cincinnati ($12 million), Sean Manaea of the Mets ($13.5 million), Nathan Eovaldi of Texas ($20 million) and Michael Wacha of Kansas City ($16 million), along with Chicago Cubs first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger ($27.5 million).
Jordan Montgomery of Arizona exercised his $22.5 million player option for 2025.
Snell and Flaherty are ineligible for the qualifying offers. A free agent can be made a qualifying offer only if he has been with the same team continuously since opening day and has never received a qualifying offer before.
Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only 13 of 131 offers have been accepted.
ORIOLES: Burnes, the Cy Young Award winner, and Santander were among the eight players from the Baltimore Orioles to enter free agency on Thursday.
The right-handed Burnes, 30, was 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA in 32 games in his first season with the Orioles after being traded by the Milwaukee Brewers, with whom he won the National League Cy Young Award in 2021.
Santander, also 30, hit .235 in 2024 but had 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs.
Also taking the step were right-hander Brooks Kriske, left-handed pitcher John Means, catcher James McCann and outfielder Austin Slater. Outfielder Daniel Johnson and right-handed pitcher Burch Smith chose free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.
RED SOX: Right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito exercised his $19 million player option for the 2025 season, the Boston Red Sox announced.
The move was expected after Giolito, 30, had surgery in March on his pitching elbow. The internal brace repair to his ulnar collateral ligament kept him from playing in his first season with the Red Sox after signing a two-year, $38.5 million offseason contract with Boston that included a player option for 2025.
An All-Star in 2019 for the Chicago White Sox, when he also finished sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting, Giolito has struggled in recent seasons, delivering a 4.90 ERA in 2022 and a 4.88 mark last season when he went 8-15 while pitching for the White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians.
In eight major league seasons, Giolito is 61-62 in 180 appearances (178 starts) and has a 4.43 ERA with 1,077 strikeouts in 1,013⅔ innings.
WHITE SOX: The White Sox declined to exercise their 2025 option on infielder Yoan Moncada, who will receive a $5 million buyout and become a free agent. He signed a five-year, $70 million contract extension after the 2019 season.
The White Sox acquired Moncada, now 29, in December 2016 as part of the trade that sent left-hander Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox. Injuries limited him to 92 games in 2023 and 12 games in 2024.
With the White Sox, he appeared in 739 games with a .254 batting average, 93 homers and 338 RBIs.
CARDINALS: The St. Louis Cardinals declined the options on right-handed pitchers Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn and Keynan Middleton.
Gibson, 37, was 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA after signing with the Cardinals last November. He earned $12 million last season and had an option for the same amount in 2025. He will receive a $1 million buyout.
Lynn, 37, signed a one-year, $10 million contract for 2024 with an $11 million option for 2025. He was 7-4 with a 3.84 ERA.
Middleton, 31, underwent season-ending flexor repair surgery on his right forearm in June and didn’t pitch all season.
He last pitched in 2023 with the White Sox and New York Yankees, finishing 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA and two saves in 51 relief appearances.
BREWERS: Pitcher Wade Miley’s $12 million mutual option for 2025 with the Brewers has been declined, making the veteran left-hander a free agent. He still gets a $1.5 million buyout.
Miley, who turns 38 on Nov. 13, made just two starts this season before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He posted an 0-1 record and a 6.43 ERA. That followed an impressive 2023 season in which he went 9-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts.
Miley owns a 108-99 career record with a 4.07 ERA and 1,361 strikeouts with eight teams since 2011.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
Bob Costas retires: Broadcaster stepping away from MLB play-by-play announcing after 44 years, per report
Legendary baseball broadcaster Bob Costas is retiring from play-by-play announcing, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports. Marchand writes that Costas has confirmed the news but said he would make his own announcement in the future.
Costas, 72, has been broadcasting Major League Baseball games since 1980 and, over the decades, has become one of the sport’s most immediately recognizable voices. More recently, Costas has served as MLB Network’s lead game broadcaster for its entire existence, and he’s also called playoff games for TNT. If Costas is indeed done with play-by-play duties, then his call of ALDS Game 4 between the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals would be his last. Costas will continue with limited MLB Network duties, according to Marchand, but those duties won’t include play-by-play broadcasting.
Prior to next season, TNT will find a new lead game broadcaster for the regular-season and playoff games to which it has rights.
In 2018, Costas was chosen to receive the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bob Costas retiring from baseball play-by-play after 42 years
NEW YORK (AP) — After 42 seasons, Bob Costas is retiring from baseball play-by-play.
Costas had done games the past couple seasons for MLB Network and TBS Sports. His final games were the American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals.
Costas’ contract with TBS expired at the end of the season, but his plans to retire from baseball play-by-play had been in the works for over a year.
The Athletic was the first to report on Costas’ baseball play-by-play retirement. Costas plans to address his decision at a future date.
Baseball has always been Costas’ favorite sport. He called games on NBC from 1982-89 and again from 1994-2000. He was one of the announcers for the 1995 World Series and then the main play-by-play voice for the Fall Classic in 1997 and ’99.
He joined TBS in 2021 to serve as studio host for its coverage of the National League Championship Series and then called games the past three seasons. TBS has had a package of Tuesday night regular-season games to go with its postseason coverage since 2022.
Costas had also done games on MLB Network since its start in 2009. He will continue to do some work for the network on key events, including the Baseball Hall of Fame announcement.
In 2018, he received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Costas is also known for being the prime-time host of NBC’s Olympics coverage from 1992 to 2016. He also has made appearances as a commentator on sports issues on CNN.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
A’s Owner John Fisher Invests $1B to Construction of Las Vegas MLB Stadium
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As the Oakland Athletics prepare to move to Las Vegas, team owner John Fisher will make a hefty investment into the construction of a new stadium.
Club executive Sandy Dean announced on Thursday that Fisher and his family will invest $1 billion into the construction of a stadium in Las Vegas while U.S. Bank and Goldman Sachs will offer a $300 million loan, according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and the Associated Press.
Dean revealed that final approvals will likely be made at a Dec. 5 authority meeting to allow construction of the $1.5 billion ballpark that’s expected to contain 33,000 seats as well as a dome.
The A’s previously released renderings of what the stadium could look like on Oct. 17.
Construction is on track to begin in the spring with a targeted opening prior to the team’s 2028 season, per Gonzalez and the Associated Press. As much as $380 million in public funding will also go into building the ballpark.
The A’s finished with a record of 69-93 in 2024, their final season in Oakland after 57 years.
In the meantime, the Athletics will call Sutter Health Park in Sacramento their home. The stadium is typically used by the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.
MLB All-October team: Stars who ruled 2024 playoffs
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The 2024 World Series ended with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning the championship in a stunning comeback in Game 5, with Walker Buehler the unlikely pitcher to close out the 7-6 win over the New York Yankees. First baseman Freddie Freeman was handed the World Series MVP award for his record-tying 12-RBI performance.
But that doesn’t tell the full story of everyone who played a starring role this October — a postseason that featured a record six grand slams, among other wildness. So, to honor the best of the entire postseason, we’ve created our first MLB All-October Team.
From wild-card-round sensations to World Series heroes, here are the players our ESPN MLB expert panel voted as the best of the best at every position along with some award hardware for the brightest stars of October.
2024 All-October Team
Catcher: Kyle Higashioka, San Diego Padres
Why he’s here: To be honest, it wasn’t a great playoffs for catchers — they hit just .184/.254/.310. Higashioka is the one catcher who did hit, belting three home runs and driving in five runs in the seven games the Padres played.
Honorable mention: Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
1B: Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why he’s here: Freeman didn’t have an extra-base hit and drove in just one run in the first two rounds of the playoffs as he tried to play through the severely sprained ankle he suffered at the end of the regular season. He didn’t even play in two games of the NLCS and required hours of physical therapy before each game just to get on the field. But the five days off before the World Series clearly helped, and he homered in the first four games, including his dramatic walk-off grand slam in Game 1 that will go down as not only the signature World Series moment of 2024 — but a World Series moment for the ages.
Honorable mention: Pete Alonso, New York Mets
2B: Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees
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Why he’s here: Torres had a solid October as he heads into free agency, although he had little competition here. Indeed, second basemen collectively hit just .219 with three home runs the entire playoffs — two of those from Torres — and drove in 24 runs, with Torres driving in eight himself. He had three multihit games and scored five runs in five games in the ALCS, while also taking walks to help set the table for Juan Soto.
Honorable mention: Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
3B: Mark Vientos, New York Mets
Why he’s here: Max Muncy set a record when he reached base 17 times in the NLCS, including a single-postseason-record 12 times in a row, but he went hitless in the World Series. Vientos, meanwhile, had a stellar first trip to the postseason, hitting .327/.362/.636 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in 13 games. That followed a breakout regular season in which he posted an .837 OPS with 27 home runs in just 111 games. He looks like he’ll be a fixture in the middle of the Mets’ lineup for years to come.
Honorable mention: Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
SS: Tommy Edman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why he’s here: Edman was an under-the-radar pickup at the trade deadline, in part because he was still injured and hadn’t yet played for the St. Louis Cardinals. Most of Edman’s starts came at shortstop, especially after Miguel Rojas was injured in the NLDS, but his bat got him here. Edman was the NLCS MVP after hitting .407 with a record-tying 11 RBIs in the series. He had started at cleanup just twice in his career but was slotted there twice against the Mets, driving in seven runs in those two games. Then he went 2-for-4 in each of the first two games of the World Series, including a home run in Game 2, and finished the Fall Classic hitting .294/.400/.588 with six runs.
Honorable mention: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
OF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
OF: Juan Soto, New York Yankees
OF: Enrique Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why they’re here: Betts entered this postseason in a 3-for-38 postseason slump going back to the end of the 2021 NLCS — and it initially looked like it would be more of the same when he went 0-for-6 the first two games of the NLDS, including a robbed home run courtesy of Jurickson Profar. Everything turned in Game 3 when Profar almost robbed him of another home run — but didn’t. After that, Betts was in the middle of most of the Dodgers’ big rallies, hitting .321/.394/.625 with four home runs and 16 RBIs over the Dodgers’ final 14 playoff games.
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Soto’s at-bats spoke for themselves: He never seemed to have a bad one. His big at-bat was the three-run home run in the 10th inning of Game 5 of the ALCS to send the Yankees to the World Series. Getting intentionally walked twice while batting in front of Aaron Judge speaks to Judge’s struggles, yes — but also to how locked in Soto was all postseason. He finished the postseason slashing .327/.469/.633 with 4 home runs, 9 RBIs and 14 walks in 14 games.
Hernandez actually began October on the bench, but we’ve seen him perform big in the postseason before, and he stepped up when Miguel Rojas was injured in the NLDS. Hernandez homered in the Dodgers’ 2-0 victory to close out the Padres in the NLDS, had a big two-run home run against the Mets in Game 3 of the NLCS and got the series-turning five-run rally against the Yankees in Game 5 started with a leadoff single in the fifth as well as the series-winning rally in the eighth with another leadoff base hit. Overall, he hit .294/.357/.451 with 11 runs and six RBIs.
Honorable mentions: Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians; Teoscar Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers; Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres
DH: Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees
Why he’s here: The Yankees were often a two-man show in the postseason, just like they were in the regular season — except it was Soto and Stanton, not Soto and Judge. Stanton blasted seven home runs throughout the playoffs, including in the final three games of the ALCS (earning MVP honors) and in Games 1 and 5 of the World Series. He finished the playoffs hitting .273/.339/.709, and those seven homers are the most in a single postseason in Yankees history.
Honorable mention: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers; David Fry, Cleveland Guardians
SP: Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
SP: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
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Why they’re here: Certainly, it seems as if the status of the starting pitcher in the postseason continues to decline — although, that doesn’t mean they’re not important. There were certainly some stellar individual outings along the way: Corbin Burnes allowed one run in eight innings (but lost 1-0) for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings (but that would be his only start) and the Padres’ Michael King fanned 12 to beat the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. Skubal had two scoreless starts against the Houston Astros in the wild-card series and Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, confirming his status as one of the best in the game — or maybe the best, as his soon-to-be AL Cy Young Award will attest.
Cole was really the one consistent starter throughout the postseason, making five starts with a 2.17 ERA. Unfortunately, that ERA doesn’t register the five unearned runs from the final game of the World Series when the Yankees’ defense turned into a comedy of errors — including Cole himself opening up the floodgates by failing to cover first base to get what would have been the inning-ending out.
Honorable mention: Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers; Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers; Sean Manaea, New York Mets; Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals
RP: Luke Weaver, New York Yankees
RP: Blake Treinen, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why they’re here: It also wasn’t the best of postseasons for closers — not even great ones. The Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase allowed five earned runs all regular season — and then eight in the playoffs. Milwaukee Brewers closer Devin Williams blew that wild-card game against the Mets. All-Star Jeff Hoffman lost two games for the Phillies. Weaver, however, was the one consistent late-game performer and was great while often pitching more than one inning. He posted a 1.76 ERA across 15⅓ innings. Who knows how the World Series ends if Yankees manager Aaron Boone keeps Weaver in the game in the 10th inning of Game 1. (Weaver had thrown just 19 pitches.)
Treinen, meanwhile, capped his comeback season — he had missed almost all of 2022 and then all of 2023 — with a 2.19 ERA across 12⅓ innings, winning two games and saving three others. In the World Series clincher, he recorded seven outs and got out of a two-on, no-out jam in the eighth inning to preserve the Dodgers’ 7-6 lead before handing the ball to Buehler to close out the ninth.
Honorable mention: Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians; Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers; Beau Brieske, Detroit Tigers
All-October Award Winners
October MVP: Freddie Freeman
Pitchers of the month: Gerrit Cole, Walker Buehler (tie)
Best October introduction: Mark Vientos
Clutch performer: Freeman
The Restrictions Surrounding Flying Over Or Near Major Sporting Events
Before we look at why you cannot fly planes, helicopters, and drones over or near major sporting events, let’s first define prohibitive airspace. Prohibitive airspace is an area within which aircraft cannot fly. Generally speaking, prohibitive airspace is any area associated with the military, government, and places considered essential for national welfare.
While some areas have permanently restricted airspace, others do not like sports stadiums and presidential retreats like Camp David in Maryland. Aircraft can fly over Camp David if the president is not there. Likewise, you can fly over stadiums if a sporting event is not happening.
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Black Sunday
You may remember the 1977 action film Black Sunday in which a group of terrorists wanted to hijack the Goodyear blimp. As the blimp was always a feature at significant sporting events, the plan was to seize it and fill it with explosives. Once this was achieved, they would fly it over the Miami Orange Bowl during Super Bowl X. When hovering over the field at a low height, they would detonate the explosives killing thousands of people. If you want to know what happened, you must see the movie or read the Thomas Harris novel.
Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here.
Drones have become a big problem
Forgetting about areas of strategic importance or planes where the president might be, flights are not permitted over stadiums to stop people illegally filming. High ticket prices and the fact that many big games sell out have, in recent years, made people come up with intuitive ways to watch sports without having to pay. The popularity of drones in recent years has even forced aviation bodies like the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to implement rules for drone use which include:
Flying a drone no higher than 400 feet above the ground.
Never fly a drone within 160 feet of another person unless they are with you.
Never fly over crowds of people.
Stay 400 feet from residential, recreational, or industrial sites.
Never fly a drone within a five-mile radius of an airfield or airport.
Always keep the drone in your direct line of sight.
Drones and aerial banners have been used to deliver political messages and fans’ displeasure about a club’s owners. In October 2014, during a Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania at Partizan Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia, an Albania supporter flew a drone over the pitch carrying a Greater Albanian flag.
Ethnic Albanians now live in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Greece. The flag symbolizes Albania taking back the land it lost. If you look at the problems in Kosovo, you will realize how this could inflame tensions. One of the Serbian players grabbed the flag from the drone, and a fight broke out, leading to the match being abandoned.
The FAA issues TFRs for sporting events
In the USA, flying banner planes near significant sporting events was commonplace and still takes place under specific guidelines. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for important sporting events. These are communicated to pilots via NOTAMs. TFRs are enforced one hour before the sporting event’s start, and executed for an hour after the event is over.
Regarding drones, they cannot be flown within three miles of a stadium with a seating capacity of more than 30,000 when an event occurs.
Hideki Matsui on the 2003 doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, Shea
It’s been 20 years since Hideki Matsui made his Yankees debut, and before his clutch hitting over six postseasons vaulted him to a place among the greats in the organization, there was a time as a rookie when Matsui was a slumping slugger, struggling to live up to wild expectations.
Through June 4 of his first season after coming over from Japan, Matsui had played 58 games and hit just three homers — one of them a memorable grand slam in his Yankee Stadium debut — with a .250 average and an anemic OPS of .656.
Then came June 5 in Cincinnati, where Matsui picked up his first four-hit game in the majors with three doubles and a homer.
And a few weeks later, Matsui further cemented himself as a force in the middle of the Yankees lineup with a volcanic showing while playing in both ends of a historic day-night Subway Series doubleheader split between Yankee and Shea Stadiums, following the first such twinbill in 2000.
Hideki Matsui’s memorable day against the Mets in 2003 helped establish the then-MLB-rookie as a Yankees fan favorite. Getty Images
“I remember it really well,’’ Matsui said by phone through an interpreter of that June 28, 2003 afternoon and evening. “I watched the 2000 Subway World Series in Japan and that was really memorable to me, so to experience something like that myself a few years later was very exciting.”
The day began at Yankee Stadium, where Matsui went 2-for-3 with five RBIs and a grand slam for the game’s first runs in a 7-1 Yankees victory behind eight innings from Roger Clemens.
In the nightcap, a 9-8 win in which the Yankees chased Tom Glavine and took a 9-0 lead before withstanding a furious Mets rally, Matsui went 4-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.
Derek Jeter tags out the Mets’ Raul Gonzalez to help stifle a rally in the Yankees’ 9-8 win in Game 2 of the doubleheader. AP
Between the two games, Matsui recalls the trip from The Bronx to Queens as something he never had experienced at home, where he played for the Yomiuri Giants.
“I knew it was going to be a long day and a very rare experience,’’ Matsui said. “To play in two different stadiums in New York City, I didn’t know what to expect. I just wanted to enjoy the day.”
Following the Game 1 win at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees received a police escort to Shea Stadium.
“That’s when I realized how big this was,’’ Matsui said. “That kind of spotlight, with the police escort from one stadium to the other, you could never imagine happening in Tokyo just for a baseball game. It’s something I won’t forget.”
Matsui gained an appreciation for how important the Subway Series was to the teams and the city when he and his teammates received a police escort to Shea Stadium for the second game of their doubleheader in June 2003. AP
Jason Giambi waves to fans as he boards the bus bound for Shea Stadium on the afternoon of June 28, 2003. AP
He followed through with another stellar game in the nightcap as the World Series-bound Yankees dominated the sub-.500 Mets.
“I think he’s going to be a great player here,” Joe Torre said that day. “Whether he is recognized as a great player league-wide, I don’t know. I don’t know if you would want anyone hitting with runners on base more than him. That makes him a great teammate and a great producer.”
Matsui proved to be an excellent player, and the doubleheader was a springboard that got Matsui going at the plate after he signed a three-year, $21 million deal to join the Yankees the previous offseason.
“It was definitely an adjustment period for me against major league pitchers, and that’s something I expected,’’ said Matsui, who turned 49 on Monday. “It took a little longer than I expected, but in my mind, at that time, I wasn’t really thinking about any pressure. But I was hitting fifth or sixth in the lineup, so I may have put some pressure on myself unconsciously.”
Jeremy Griffiths got the start for the Mets in Game 1 in The Bronx. It didn’t go well. AP
He still credits his Hall of Fame manager with helping him get going at the plate.
Earlier that June, Matsui said, Torre gave him two impactful pieces of advice.
“The first one was mental,’’ Matsui said. “He told me, ‘I know you’re not hitting right now, but I’m not taking you out of the lineup.’”
At the time, Matsui was playing center field because Bernie Williams was out with an injury.
Matsui credits Joe Torre for helping him find the space in his head and at the plate to catch a rhythm in his first season with the Yankees. AP
The next bit of advice Torre gave, according to Matsui, was technical.
“He talked about where I was in the batter’s box,’’ Matsui said. “He suggested standing a little closer to home plate. I did what he told me, and started to hit.”
Matsui’s career in pinstripes really took off that month, culminating in his heroics in the Subway Series. In the 23 games starting on June 5, Matsui went 39-for-85 (.459) with six homers, 28 RBIs and an OPS of 1.326.
He went on to become a force for most of his six years in The Bronx, finishing with 140 homers as well as a .933 OPS in 235 playoff plate appearances.
European Football Clubs & Middle East Airlines – What’s The Fascination?
Across Europe, airline sponsorships are common throughout the world of professional sports, with football emerging as the most prominent place for these partnerships to thrive.
Those who watched last Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final were bombarded with advertisements for Turkish Airlines, the event’s main sponsor. Furthermore, one could not ignore the Etihad Airways sponsorship across the jerseys of Manchester City players or the special Boeing 787 that the carrier used to transport the squad.
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Photo: Turkish Airlines
But what purpose does this strong partnership serve for the airlines? Etihad isn’t transporting Manchester City’s fans to their matches in London or Spain, and Emirates isn’t flying Real Madrid fans to Barcelona.
Clearly, there are more complex factors behind the relationship between airlines and European football that need to be explored more deeply.
The cases of the Middle East three
When most think of airline sponsorship of European football, they picture Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad’s names and logos written across players’ jerseys. Perhaps some might remember that Manchester City’s stadium is named after Etihad or that Arsenal’s bears the Emirates name.
These three airlines have been and remain some of the strongest promoters of European football. From Spain to France and most notably in England, the big three Middle Eastern carriers’ names accompany the sport.
But one might ask why airlines would choose to spend so much time advertising to football fans. Very little football is played in the Middle East (except for the Qatar World Cup, but airline sponsorship far predated that event).
Why would these carriers not advertise more directly to those demographics that would have a higher interest in traveling to the Middle East or to the destinations served by Emirates in Asia or Africa?
One false hypothesis that many suggest comes from ownership. Many Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds (state-run investment funds mostly to manage oil revenues) maintain large, if not complete, ownership shares over European soccer teams. Thus, with the large carriers in the region also state-owned, choosing to advertise via football teams would seem natural.
Photo: Qatar Airways
This notion is incorrect. The advertising revenue from jersey sponsorships and stadium naming rights is extremely lucrative. Take Manchester City, for example, the current UEFA Champions League winners, a club owned entirely by a member of the Emirati Royal Family.
If the Emiratis did not believe that Etihad’s sponsorship would serve a purpose, the club’s lucrative jersey sponsorship and stadium naming rights would have been sold off to the highest bidder.
So this begs the question: what purpose do football sponsorships serve for the Middle Eastern big three? The answer is, in fact, not quite what you’d expect.
Photo: Emirates
Winning football championships is accompanied by a sense of prestige, power, and luxury. Take Emirates’ sponsorship of Real Madrid, a carrier quite literally with “royal” in its name.
By partnering with a club whose name alone evokes prestige, Emirates can promote its image as an airline focused on luxury travel—a carrier that an elite soccer team’s fans would want to fly on.
Notably, all the clubs sponsored by the Middle Eastern big three carriers are legacy organizations, teams with a history of championship performance and dedicated fan bases.
Photo: Emirates
This marketing tactic is vital to these carriers’ business, as European travelers choosing to connect through Doha, Abu Dhabi or Dubai are a critical demographic for these airlines’ profitability.
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For European travelers, the only reason to stop in the Middle East on the way to Asia, Africa, or Australia instead of taking a nonstop itinerary is clear: the elevated quality of service on these carriers. Thus, it is critical that these airlines be perceived throughout Europe with a sense of prestige.
The Turkish Airlines case
For the flag carrier of Turkey, sponsorship in European football goes far beyond the normal reasons for which an airline may choose to engage in sports advertising. While one may argue that such marketing promotes tourist visits to Istanbul—and it quite certainly does—Turkish Airlines gains much more from its football sponsorships.
The carrier does sponsor two major local football teams in Turkey, Başakşehir, and Galatasaray, both partnerships that are not surprising at all. Airlines will often sponsor hometown teams in order to demonstrate support for the community and connection to a local fan base.
Photo: Galatasaray S.K.
This kind of advertising is very common in the United States, with large carriers like United and American both maintaining naming right sponsorships at their hubs. For the former, this is the home of the Chicago Bulls, the United Center, and for the latter, the home of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, the American Airlines Center.
However, this kind of direct promotion isn’t as common in Europe. For example, British Airways does not sponsor a major London football club. The airline doesn’t hesitate to advertise in sports, but the carrier will always partner with individuals (such as tennis superstar Emma Raducanu) or national teams (such as the UK’s Paralympic team).
In addition to sponsorships of Turkish teams, the flag carrier also serves as the primary sponsor of the UEFA Champions League, a piece of advertising which strongly promotes the airline’s image and long-term initiatives.
Turkish Airlines stands out as an airline focused on connecting people from across the world. Serving the most destinations of any carrier globally, the airline perfectly represents its namesake nation which bridges two different continents.
Beyond a symbolic perspective, the importance of connecting traffic to the airline’s profitability cannot be understated. Without connecting passengers through a prosperous and modern Istanbul hub, the airline simply could not exist today as it does.
Thus, what better organization to sponsor than the UEFA Champions League, which connects not just teams from across Europe, but also fans from across the world?
A look towards the future
Having discussed the current landscape of partnerships between airlines and football organizations, what are we likely to see going forward? Should we expect more sponsorships from carriers in the coming years? Will legacy carriers within Europe get in on the action?
Middle Eastern carriers not yet discussed could reap strong benefits from partnering with football clubs. One key player to watch might be Riyadh Air, a startup carrier owned by the Saudi Government that will likely utilize a business model similar to that of the established airlines in the region.
Photo: Riyadh Air
It is unlikely that legacy carriers in Europe will engage in sponsorships of teams due to the loyal nature of soccer fans. For example, if Air France were to sponsor Paris Saint-Germain, supporters of the team’s rival clubs would likely have a more negative view of the carrier. The same holds true for almost all major European airlines.
Overall, European airlines would not benefit from sponsoring individual football clubs, and this is not likely to change in the near future. However, such partnerships do align with the interests of Middle Eastern carriers and thus should continue and expand in the coming years.
Congo rushes to finish infrastructure ahead of Francophone Games
KINSHASA, June 20 (Reuters) – Authorities in Congo are scrambling to finish tracks, sports stadiums and accommodation for athletes taking part in the International Francophone Games, which kick off in the capital Kinshasa at the end of next month.
Organisers of the 10-day Jeux de la Francophonie have grown increasingly concerned about the state of preparations as the July 28 start date nears.
The Games, which are held every four years with the aim of promoting the French language, were already pushed back two years from 2021 to bring infrastructure up to international standards.
“The athletics tracks and judo area are not yet ready,” Daniel Zielinski, head of the Games’ French delegation said this week. “There is still a lot of work to be done,” he added.
The national committee organising the Games unveiled a 20-kilometre cycling route on Sunday.
“At the beginning of July, we’re going to clear up the potholes along the way,” said president Isidore Kwandja.
“All that remains is finishing work on the administrative offices,” he assured.
But workers at the Tata Raphael football stadium, which will be hosting the men’s tournament, doubted renovations would be completed on time.
“They asked us to finish the work on June 20 but that is impossible, there is still a lot of work to be done,” said one of the workers, who did not wish to be named.
A diplomatic source in Kinshasa warned there were also concerns about security provisions for the event.
Kwandja said a private company had been hired to secure the events inside while 4,500 police would be deployed outside.
The Games will include athletics, basketball, football, wrestling and cycling among other sports. Around 3,000 athletes from more than 40 countries will be taking part.
The last edition took place in Ivory Coast in 2017.
Reporting by Ange Kasongo Editing by Sofia Christensen and Christian Radnedge
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Allen ISD approves $75,000 sponsorship deal with H-E-B for Eagle Stadium
One of Texas’ largest and most notable high school football stadiums will be donned with a new, big-name sponsor this coming season.
At Monday night’s Allen ISD Board of Trustees meeting, the district unanimously approved a three-year, $75,000 deal, making Texas grocery chain H-E-B a new sponsor for its high school football stadium.
Allen ISD has 10 spots designated for “founding sponsors” — a $25,000 annual deal that can vary in length. H-E-B joins Stephen F. Austin University, Credit Union of Texas and various other organizations that hold the stadium’s highest sponsorship level.
With the sponsorship agreement, H-E-B will receive a static sign on the main scoreboard, 30-second commercial advertising before and during games, signage on the stadium concourse, signage on the sidelines and advertisements in the district magazine.
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H-E-B also announced earlier this month that construction had begun on a store in Allen. The store is set to open across the street from Eagle Stadium later this summer.
“H-E-B Grocery Company has been a longtime supporter of public education throughout the state of Texas, so we’re just thrilled to be able to have that location opening in Allen,” Allen ISD Chief Communications Officer David Hicks told The Dallas Morning News. “I think it’ll be great for the community and great for our public school system.”
The $60 million, 18,000-seat Eagle Stadium opened in 2012. The News reported upon its opening that the stadium had the potential to generate sponsorship deals worth more than $400,000 annually.
Allen ISD also added Children’s Health Andrews Institute as a sponsor at a late May board meeting. However, the Children’s Health agreement is not a monetary exchange, but rather the medical center will provide three full-time athletic trainers to assist during Allen ISD athletic events.
Children’s Health has the naming rights for Prosper ISD’s football stadium.
On Twitter: @Lassimak
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Hours Ahead of Roger Federer Day in Halle, German Tennis Star Alexander Zverev Professes His Admiration for the Swiss Tennis Legend – ‘The Stadiums Were Always..’
CHICAGO, IL – SEPTEMBER 23: Team Europe Roger Federer of Switzerland and Team Europe Alexander Zverev of Germany speak to the media after their Men’s Singles match on day three of the 2018 Laver Cup at the United Center on September 23, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for The Laver Cup)
Roger Federer is about to step back onto the tennis court. But this time around, as a tennis legend, not a player. The 41-year-old Swiss maestro is back in Halle, where he won ten championship titles and established himself on the German grass classic court. The Terra Wortmann Open is celebrating the tennis achievements of the 20-time Grand Slam winner as an honor.
And while everyone is delighted about the Swiss ace being honored. Hours before the honor, Alexander Zverev, a 26-year-old tennis player who previously faced the former world number one on the same court, recently expressed his enthusiasm at the idea of seeing Federer on a German court, once again.
Alexander Zverev is excited to see Roger Federer back at Halle
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The German tennis player is a part of the tournament’s 30-year history. Moreover, he was a regular guest before turning professional nearly 10 years ago. And whenever he looks back to the tournament, he has many great memories, including his first victory against the 41-year-old tennis player in 2016. Lastly, he faced Federer in the 2017 Championship round of the tournament.
via Getty Alexander Zverev of Germany congratulates Roger Federer of Switzerland on victory follwing their singles match on day three of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Currently, the 22nd-ranked tennis player is actively participating in the historic Grass court tournament. He has reached the 16th round of the match and will play against Denis Shapovalov to move further. Moreover, in a recent interview with Westfalen Blatt, Zverev talked about his excitement to see Fed again on the court. And Along with that recalled a fond memory of him.
He said, “It was always special to play against him. The stadiums were always full, there was always a special atmosphere. And apart from the square, he was and is simply a nice person. I am happy that he is here again in Halle.”
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Nevertheless, not only that a few days before the tournament director also recalled, the Swiss maestro’s bold move for the tournament, back when he was an active tennis player.
Halle Open director on Federer’s shocking move
In an interview with Tennis magazine, Ralf Weber, the tournament director, talked about Federer’s idea of extending his contract until he is an active tennis player. Weber focused on the fact that it was his idea to be a part of the tournament until the time he retires from this sport.
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WATCH THIS STORY – Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer
On the contrary, in 2010, he made a quick tennis move that shocked everyone. Additionally, the 20-time Grand Slam victor’s unexpected choice gave the competition a lot of good fortune. Consequently, he is the only tennis player to have claimed 10 victories on the illustrious court. And as the tournament approaches its 30th anniversary, the Swiss ace will be recognized for his contributions to the event.
San Jose Sharks will begin to accept cryptocurrency
Sharks Sports & Entertainment is set to become the first parent company of an NHL team to begin to accept cryptocurrency for large and recurring payments.
Starting June 15, the Sharks will accept cryptocurrency for season ticket purchases, luxury box leases, and sponsorship deals, an SSE spokesman confirmed. The Sports Business Journal first reported details of the initiative.
Team president Jonathan Becher said using cryptocurrency for smaller purchases such as single game tickets, food and beverage, and merchandise will be reviewed in the future.
In March, the Oakland A’s announced they were selling six-person private suites at the Coliseum for the 2021 season for one Bitcoin, which, at the time, was worth around $60,000. As of Monday, one Bitcoin was worth just over $35,000.
“The price of a season suite may fluctuate depending on when it’s purchased, which adds to the excitement,” said A’s President Dave Kaval in a statement. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation.
Other professional sports teams to accept Bitcoin include the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings of the NBA and Southampton F.C. of the Premier League in England.
The Sharks will be working with Atlanta-based payment processor BitPay, which also has an office in San Francisco. The Sharks are already accepting PayPal, which started to accept cryptocurrency last year.
“We’re accepting PayPal, so then by definition, we’re accepting cryptocurrency,” Becher said. “Why not embrace it and make it more visible as opposed to just doing it through a third party?”
BitPay accepts Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Ethereum among its payment options. For complete Sharks coverage
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Per a Sharks spokesman, event prices for suites at SAP Center, depending on the size of the luxury box and the type of event, range from $6,500 in the penthouse to $7,500 on the concourse. The cost of leasing a suite for one year ranges from $195,000 to $375,000. Related Articles Kurtis Gabriel’s LGBTQ activism makes him first Sharks player named finalist for humanitarian award
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SSE, which leases SAP Center from the city of San Jose, has started to schedule concerts at the downtown arena, including Harry Styles and Guns ‘N Roses in August. The NHL is targeting Oct. 12 for the start of the 2021-2022 season.
In ‘Arms Race’ For Mass Adoption, Crypto Companies Ink Sports Sponsorships Worth Hundreds Of Millions
The Philadelphia 76ers and a growing number of other sports teams and leagues have landed new … [+] sponsorship deals with cryptocurrency companies this year. ASSOCIATED PRESS
As cryptocurrency companies seek to reach mainstream audiences, some platforms are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to sponsor sports teams, stadiums and even leagues in a bid to woo new fans.
On Sept. 22, Crypto.com struck an eight-figure deal with the Philadelphia 76ers to sponsor the jersey patch and have visibility in the arena. The crypto trading app will also work with team management to develop non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and create a way for fans to use cryptocurrency to pay for tickets and other products. The Hong Kong-based company will also show up elsewhere alongside the NBA franchise—including on TV broadcasts and various other digital platforms.
Crypto.com Chief Marketing Officer Steven Kalifowitz recognizes that in order to build the brand, he has to also educate consumers about this new asset class.
“Crypto is not just another shoe,” he says. “It’s not a commodity thing or a suitcase or something. Getting into crypto is very much a cultural thing.”
Flush with money from eager investors, a growing number of crypto brands are spending big to reach a mass audience through sports sponsorships and mainstream events. Other deals this month include the cryptofinance company XBTO sponsoring the Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, the cryptocurrency exchange FTX sponsoring Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 team and the nonprofit Learncrypto.com sponsoring the English Premier League team, Southampton F.C.
Perhaps sports arenas are not a bad way to go when it comes to finding new fans for a new—and still largely unregulated—asset class that some critics dismiss as gambling and proponents say is the future of the internet as well as the economy. And in a fast-growing and cluttered market, the fight is to get not just recognition but market share.
“To me it looks like an arms race for user acquisition,” says Keith Soljacich, VP/GD of Experiential Tech at Digitas, a leading digital advertising agency. “It’s kind of like if you have a crypto wallet on a platform, it’s a lot like holding a Visa card, too.”
The 76ers deal is just one of many that Crypto.com has landed in the past year while it’s on an aggressive sponsorship spree totaling more than $400 million in deals. Earlier this month, the company became the first official crypto platform partner for the famous French soccer team Paris Saint-Germain. Crypto.com is also a sponsor of a wide range of teams including the NHL’s Montreal Canadians, Fox Sports’ college football midday coverage, UFC, and Aston Martin’s Formula One team—just to name a few. Each of these also includes various other integrations far beyond a logo.
Chris Heck, president of business operations for the 76ers, says the team had been looking for a new jersey patch partner for a couple of years and spoken with hundreds of companies. And because the jersey patch is the most important partnership a team has, it requires brands and teams to be “completely aligned.”
“As the world woke up to the crypto space a little over a year ago, we got a chance to venture down that road,” Heck says. “Think about it this way: Sports are entering into the crypto era world, and we get to the at the front of the line with Crypto.com. These are folks that are partnering with gold-standard brands like UFC, F1, PSG, and we get to be their brand and their of choice in the United States with major sports teams and that’s pretty cool.”
All this to go beyond the current crypto user base to reach the masses: A study Crypto.com conducted in July found that total global crypto users have doubled year-over-year from 106 million to 221 million. However, just a fraction of those are currently the company’s customers.
Earlier in September, FTX—a two-year-old startup also based in Hong Kong—announced a $20 million ad campaign starring football legend Tom Brady and his wife, the model and businesswoman Gisele Bündchen. And like Crypto.com, FTX is sponsoring a wide range of teams and leagues in rapid succession including a five-year deal with the Major League Baseball announced this summer.
“If we just stop at one deal and we’ll wait and see how it does and wait to see how that does before doing another one, the best opportunities might be gone,” says FTX.US President Brett Harrison.
According to Harrison, FTX founder and CEO Sam Bankman-Fried asked for ideas of how do something “that’s big.” Someone then came up with the idea to buy the naming rights for a stadium, and a few months later they won the rights to rename the Miami Heat’s arena FTX Arena in a $135 million deal approved in March.
“There is a group of tech companies that know it in their bones that if they don’t become brands quickly, there is a time in the future where there will be just a few left,” says Jamie Shuttlesworth, chief strategy officer of Dentsu Americas, which became FTX’s agency of record in June.
Traditional advertising methods are important for building trust in crypto brands, according to Harrison—especially since it deals with something like taking care of people’s money.
“When’s the last time you saw an ad for maybe a bank pop up on the top of your Google search and said, ‘Time to move all my money from my Chase account or Citi account?’”
Major stadium and team sponsorships are often held by brands that are already well known, but the crypto sector’s aggressive land-grab feels in some ways like strategies in games like “Risk” or “Monopoly”—where people can either wait for the right properties or buy everything they can as fast as possible.
When asked about the Monopoly metaphor, Harrison joked that “we’re trying plant our pieces on as many Park Places as possible.”
There’s plenty incentive for sports organizations to team up with crypto companies. Mike Proulx, a Forester analyst and marketing expert, said many sports leagues want—and need—to attract the next generation of fans.
“These kinds of deals look to tap into crypto companies’ young skewing userbase with NFTs that are, in a way, a modern/virtual take on old school baseball cards,” he says. “And the benefit to crypto companies is, of course, getting to leverage the league IP that legitimizes their platform with trusted brands while also growing their users.”
The crypto industry has exhausted its original market, says to R.A. Farrokhnia, a professor at Columbia Business School professor and Executive Director of the Columbia Fintech Initiative. However, blockchain technology isn’t something that’s easily explained to the average person—it involves cryptography, complex networks, and other concepts—and also still aren’t to a point where users can easily navigate.
According to Farrokhnia, there are still questions about whether the foundations and interfaces are advanced enough to warrant the aggressive push toward mass adoption. Or, he asks, “are we putting the proverbial cart before the horse?”
“These are all the moving parts in this ecosystem and it seems the pace for innovation has accelerated,” he said. “But are we doing things in the right sequence?”
Farrokhnia also points out the irony that despite all of cryptocurrency’s new innovations, the companies are still using classic marketing models. However, he adds that little for athletes to market unregulated digital economies than to pitch things like CPG products or other brand categories.
“What kind of reputation risk could this have for teams or sports figures or influencers or actors who are engaging in this kind of marketing campaign or activity? Most likely they have good lawyers that would protect them against such things, but you never know.”
Brooklyn Nets land $30 million per year jersey deal with Webull
Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots the ball against the Washington Wizards during a preseason game on December 13, 2020 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The Brooklyn Nets on Monday landed one of the National Basketball Association’s top jersey patch sponsorships with New York-based brokerage platform Webull, the parties told CNBC.
Terms of the agreement for the jersey patch weren’t announced, but people familiar with the agreement told CNBC it’s a multiyear pact that pays the Nets roughly $30 million per year. Since the NBA started its jersey patch asset in the 2017-18 season, the Golden State Warriors had the most expensive deal at $20 million per season with Japan-based e-commerce company Rakuten.
Webull is an online trading platform headquartered in New York and owned by Chinese holding company Fumi Technology. It competes with online brokers like Robinhood with its commission-free offerings and is valued at $1 billion, according to PitchBook.
With the agreement Nets owner BSE Global, Webull obtains the Nets jersey patch, and local and international rights to leverage the Nets’ intellectual property outside of North America. Webull also will have a jersey presence on other BSE properties, including the WNBA’s New York Liberty, the NBA G League’s Long Island Nets, and NBA 2K esports team.
Webull replaces Motorola, which took a one-year jersey patch deal with the Nets for the 2020-21 season. The team used that deal to make up for money lost due to the pandemic, which cost teams 40% of revenue due to fan restrictions. BSE CEO John Abbamondi called the agreement “transformative,” adding the two companies have matching consumer bases.
“When you look at what Webull is doing with democratizing access to the financial markets to a younger generation of investors that lines up well with our younger fan base,” Abbamondi said. “We have very similar DNAs in terms of our customers and cultures of our companies.”
Tech, gambling, alcohol helped NFL earn almost $2 billion in sponsorships
The National Football League is nearing $2 billion in partnership fees, the most in professional sports. Agreements from betting firms and technology companies helped the NFL lure a record $1.8 billion in sponsorship revenue, sports partnerships consultancy firm IEG told CNBC. The NFL’s figure is a 12% increase year-over-year from $1.62 billion it made in the 2020 season. It pulled $1.47 billion from sponsorships in the 2019 season. Sports gambling companies, casinos, and lotteries saw the most significant spike in NFL sponsorship agreements. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars became sportsbook partners in 2021 after the companies struck five-year pacts worth just under $1 billion combined. The NFL also landed secondary deals with BetMGM, WynnBet, FoxBet, and PointsBet. Partnership deals with the NFL usually run from three to seven years and cost a minimum of $10 million per year for smaller companies. More prominent firms could pay more than $200 million per year.
FanDuel app Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Verizon has one of the more prominent NFL deals and paid the league over $300 million annually. Last September, the communications company agreed to a new 10-year deal with the NFL and added 5G rights. But the new deal doesn’t include live streams of games, making it less valuable. That also means the NFL’s mobile rights are also up for grabs. IEG’s estimates come days after the NFL produced one of its most memorable playoff weekends that included the thrilling overtime game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills. That game attracted over 42 million viewers, the highest divisional postseason game since 2017. “It’s not coming from traditional places,” said Peter Laatz, IEG’s global managing director. “It’s coming from emerging categories. Not only are we seeing emerging talent on the field; we’re seeing emerging categories.” Although gambling sponsorships saw the biggest increase in the NFL’s 2021 season, tech deals ranked first in absolute dollar figures for 2021, led by Microsoft. The tech giant has an on-the-field deal with the league, which uses Microsoft’s Surface tablet. That agreement is worth roughly $100 million per year, according to IEG data. Gambling deals ranked second, and alcoholic beverage deals ranked third. Last December, the NFL renewed its deal with Anheuser-Busch, which pays the NFL more than $250 million per year for beer and hard seltzer rights. The company lost control of hard alcohol rights, which Diageo took over for a reported $30 million per year. The NFL put its wine and champagne rights up for auction but has yet to strike a partnership for that category. “They’ve cut those categories (tech and alcohol) pretty fine,” said Laatz, calling the NFL’s sponsorship money a “runway revenue train.” He then projected the NFL would endure a “finer cutting of categories” in the future to grow deals in the U.S.
NFL targets global revenue next
Although the NFL’s total sponsorship revenue increased significantly, the bulk of that growth went to league-wide sponsorships, which grew 23%. NFL clubs only took in 4% additional revenue in rights fees year-over-year. To grow revenue streams for clubs, the NFL is taking a page from the National Basketball Association’s playbook and allowing teams to leverage international markets. Last month, the NFL permitted 18 teams to market their intellectual property in 26 territories, including Canada, Germany, Mexico and the United Kingdom. But it could be a while before teams see real traction in that department. There’s no doubt the NFL is dominant domestically, but American football isn’t a big draw overseas like the NBA. In addition, Canada and Australia already have established football leagues, so the NFL has serious competition. Laatz said he’s “skeptical” of the NFL’s overseas plan, which the league labeled the “International Home Marketing Areas.” The NFL has tried to grow its product in London with its annual games, and Germany has shown interest in the NFL. But those sporadic overseas games may not be enough to vault the NFL into international prominence loik the NBA. “There’s a big difference between playing games internationally, which the NFL has clearly done, and having a prominent NFL footprint to grow the sport overseas,” Laatz said. Still, to get a sense of the value a U.S.-based sports club can earn from international deals: The Golden State Warriors – one of the most popular NBA teams abroad – agreed to a multi-year global rights sponsorship with crypto platform FTX for roughly $10 million total. Laetz believes NFL teams’ deals could be even more lucrative.
A Bitcoin symbol on an advertisement at Mass Transit Railway station in Hong Kong, China, on Oct. 27, 2021. Tyrone Siu | Reuters
Still waiting on crypto deals
EXCLUSIVE Washington man arrested for impersonating agent left trail of defaults and debt
Arian Taherzadeh is seen in an Arlington County, Virginia police mugshot taken in July 2013 after he was arrested for assault and battery on a family member, a charge that he was subsequently convicted of after pleading guilty. Taherzadeh has now been charged by U.S. federal prosecutors with impersonating a federal law enforcement agent and additional weapons charges in April, 2022. Arlington County Police/Handout via REUTERS.
WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) – Before Arian Taherzadeh was arrested for impersonating a U.S. law enforcement agent, he portrayed himself as a wealthy playboy who wore flashy watches, drove luxury cars and could afford sponsorships and VIP seats at Washington professional sports games.
There was only one problem with his cover story: He never paid any of his bills.
Taherzadeh and Haider Ali’s April 6 arrest by the FBI led the Secret Service to place four agents on leave for allegedly accepting gifts from them, news that stunned Washington and briefly raised worries of possible national security threats. read more
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In the years leading up to his arrest, Taherzadeh and his now-defunct companies left behind over $1 million in debt owed to car dealership financing arms, sports companies, financial institutions, former employees, county governments, apartment and office complexes, and a D.J. company, a review of court records and other documents show.
In at least 12 cases, Taherzadeh did not show up to court, leading judges to issue default judgments against him.
In a brief interview on Thursday at the front door of his father’s house in Sterling, Virginia, where Taherzadeh is on house arrest awaiting trial, he did not dispute the trail of defaults shown in the court records.
“I think a lot of it is being taken out of context,” Taherzadeh said. “I can’t say anything else, I’m sorry.”
He added that people can say whatever they want to say about him. “Everybody’s an opportunist right now,” he said.
Ali, who is also accused of impersonating a federal agent, tried unsuccessfully to sue Taherzadeh in 2017 for $150,000 in unpaid wages and for failing to repay a $1 million loan, court records show.
None of the money Taherzadeh owes has been recovered, court records show.
Taherzadeh’s public defender Michelle Peterson declined to comment. Taherzadeh and Ali have not yet entered formal pleas to the criminal charges.
Prosecutors say Taherzadeh and Ali lavished gifts on Secret Service agents, including one assigned to protect First Lady Jill Biden, such as rent-free apartments in a Washington luxury complex, drones, iPhones and firearms.
When the FBI raided properties associated with the men, it recovered so many weapons, surveillance equipment, hard drives and other evidence that it needed a moving truck to haul it all away.
A judge determined the two were not a danger or a flight risk and released them to house arrest.
Gregory Smith, Ali’s attorney, said in court that his client was duped by Taherzadeh. He told Reuters that prosecutors presented an inaccurate account of his client: “The facts have not matched the rhetoric.”
Court records and other documents reviewed by Reuters illustrate the debts and defaults Taherzadeh left behind before he began allegedly posing as a federal law enforcement agent.
“Ari went from being a entrepreneur playboy for like five years … to being reformed and police-like and a military wannabe,” said one former business associate who said Taherzadeh had taken money from his personal account.
The associate, who asked for anonymity out of concern for possible retaliation, showed Reuters communications with his financial institution complaining about the stolen funds. In one email, he attached a document which showed that one business where some funds were spent had agreed to credit him back for a portion of the alleged stolen funds.
In 2014, online domain and Washington, D.C., corporate records show Taherzadeh launched a company called AET Holdings, a technology consulting firm that also offered web hosting services.
Around the same time, he was an employee of the United Negro College Fund, which offers scholarships for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
People who knew Taherzadeh told Reuters they were wowed by his tech skills. An AET income statement dated December 2015 seen by Reuters said the company had about $15.8 million in revenue and recorded profit of more than $4 million that year.
“I was impressed,” said Moses Kamai, who was hired by AET in December 2015 as a program management director and offered a $190,000 salary, a few days after he attended a presentation Taherzadeh gave to United Negro College Fund and the NAACP. “His pitch was solid.”
The fund’s general counsel confirmed Taherzadeh worked there until 2014, and that he made a business pitch, but said the fund never took him up on his proposal.
Kamai said he tried to bring in business, and that he flew to Hawaii to set up a deal with state officials for AET to open an office there.
When it came time to reimburse Kamai for his expenses and sign the paperwork with Hawaii, however, Taherzadeh refused.
Then, Kamai’s paychecks never showed.
At the same time, Taherzadeh was posting photos on his private Instagram account of luxury Mercedes and a Centurion Black American Express card reserved for the wealthiest clients, according to copies seen by Reuters.
Taherzadeh also pursued sponsorship deals and VIP box seats with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Capitals NHL team and the Washington Wizards NBA team, and the owners of what is now known as Capital One Arena, according to court records, photographs and two people familiar the matter.
In February 2016, Taherzadeh purchased a two-year license for a six-seat luxury suite worth more than $400,000, court records show.
In September 2015, he entered a sponsorship deal with Monumental Sports, agreeing to pay more than $300,000 for his AET company name and logo to be displayed on the scoreboard and elsewhere during games, according to a court record.
Taherzadeh agreed to donate 50 game tickets to members of the U.S. military, in exchange for AET being recognized as an official sponsor on Military Night, the court records show.
Images posted on Taherzadeh’s AET Instagram account on Feb. 6, 2016, show him attending Military Night and standing next to high-ranking military officials, including Mark Milley, now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A spokesperson for Milley said he does not recall meeting Taherzadeh at the event.
A Monumental Sports spokesperson declined to comment.
Taherzadeh never paid the sponsorship bill, and the checks he wrote bounced, court records show.
A judge awarded the arena and Monumental Sports combined more than $376,000 in 2017, and Mercedes-Benz Financial won a 2019 default judgment for nearly $20,000 on unpaid leases.
Kamai won a default judgment for more than $292,000 for lost wages and unpaid expenses. But every time his attorney has tried to garnish potential bank accounts for Taherzadeh, he has hit a dead end, Kamai’s attorney said.
Court records from Kamai’s legal case show bank accounts Taherzadeh held with HSBC were closed in late April and early May 2016, a few months after a check he wrote for $65,000 to Monumental Sports bounced.
The closures did not stop him from pursuing other opportunities.
Taherzadeh started looking at homes around the Washington area and in June 2016 he placed an offer for a $5 million home in McLean, Virginia, according to a copy of the offer seen by Reuters and three people involved in the sale.
“He said he was worth millions,” recalled John Lueders, the former homeowner.
Taherzadeh presented a redacted HSBC checking account statement that showed he had about $1 million in the bank, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters.
The statement was dated for the period ending June 11, 2016 – about a month after his accounts at HSBC had been shuttered.
An HSBC spokesperson declined immediate comment.
Taherzadeh never came up with the funds, and the home was sold to another buyer.
At the same time, Taherzadeh also attempted to purchase a McLaren 650S Spider sports car for more than $356,000, according to a buyer’s order seen by Reuters, and two people familiar with the matter.
The sale never materialized, one of the people said.
By 2018, Taherzadeh was purchasing firearms, according to federal prosecutors, as he allegedly began to present himself as a Department of Homeland Security agent.
Meanwhile, those who are owed money say they were never able to get it back.
The ex-business associate who said he was scammed for thousands of dollars shared what he said was a text message exchange he had with Taherzadeh.
“You know everything,” Taherzadeh wrote. “Essentially I’m admitting I’m committing fraud to you… Delete this text please.”
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Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Additional reporting by Christopher Bing; Editing by Scott Malone and Daniel Wallis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
FTX, other crypto firms ditch sports deals as market collapses
Cryptocurrency companies poured billions of dollars into sports sponsorships in 2021 — but this year’s downturn has made the flood of cash dry up, The Post has learned.
As a so-called “crypto winter” takes hold and companies look to trim costs, firms that splurged heavily on sports deals last year are now looking to cut costs.
Crypto exchange FTX — which shelled out $135 million to rename the home of the Miami Heat in March 2021 — pulled out of talks to provide a jersey patch to the MLB’s Los Angeles Angels in recent weeks as the crypto market tanked, sources with direct knowledge told The Post.
Another patch deal between the NBA’s Washington Wizards and a crypto company also recently fell through, the sources said.
Both deals were nixed as the market crumbled, the sources said. The Washington Wizards patch had been seen as particularly desirable for crypto companies since the politicians and regulators who oversee the space attend their games.
The Angels declined to comment. FTX and the Washington Wizards did not respond to requests for comment.
The Washington Wizards also saw a crypto sponsorship deal fall through. NBAE via Getty Images
Columbia University sports management professor Joe Favorito told The Post he would be “shocked” if any major new crypto sponsorships are inked during the current downturn.
“What money hasn’t been spent already you’re going to see curtailed — just like we saw during the dot-com bubble,” he said.
The spending slump comes after large crypto exchanges binged on sponsorship deals in 2021 in an effort to woo sports fans, many of whom were flush with cash in a tight labor market, fresh on the heels of generous government stimulus from the pandemic.
In addition to renaming Miami’s arena, FTX paid an undisclosed amount to become the MLB’s “official crypto exchange,” spent $20 million for an October ad campaign starring Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen, and paid a reported $6.5 million for a Super Bowl Commercial featuring Larry David, among many other sponsorships.
Cryptocurrency exchange FTX paid $135 million to rename the home of the Miami Heat last year. Shutterstock / Johnny Michael
While FTX has not made any layoffs during the current crash, its founder Sam Bankman-Fried appears to have felt the pain of the current downturn as his net worth reportedly plunged by billions.
FTX is far from the only crypto firm that spent big on sports deals.
In October, the giant crypto exchange Coinbase paid an undisclosed sum to become the NBA’s “exclusive cryptocurrency platform partner.” In February, the company ponied up an estimated $14 million for a one-minute Super Bowl ad.
Last week, the morning after airing a TV ad during the NBA finals, Coinbase laid off 1,100 employees — about 18% of its workforce. Coinbase shares are down around 75% this year.
Coinbase did not respond to a request for comment.
Similarly, Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com shelled out a reported $700 million in November to rename Los Angeles’ Staples Center, where the Lakers and Clippers play. The company also splurged on a Super Bowl ad starring LeBron James, as well as another TV spot featuring Matt Damon.
Then on June 10, privately-held Crypto.com laid off 260 employees, roughly 5% of its workforce.
Both Coinbase and Crypto.com attributed the cost-cutting moves to the current bear market, which saw bitcoin plummet below $20,000 over the weekend after flirting with $70,000 last November. Ethereum has plunged 70% from its highs, trading at around $1,100 on Monday.
Crypto.com shelled out $700 million to rename Los Angeles’ Staples Center last November. Getty Images
The Post reported in November that crypto companies were being forced to shell out more money for sports sponsorships than firms in more established industries because arena owners and teams had bad memories of the dot-com bubble.
Two major stadiums — Baltimore’s PSINet Stadium and Boston’s CMGI field — had to be re-christened after their namesakes imploded in 2001.
Despite the current turmoil, there’s no indication Crypto.com or FTX are currently looking to back out of their stadium naming rights deals, according to Chris Lencheski, an ex-Comcast executive and adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies who has worked on arena naming deals.
FTX is led by Sam Bankman-Fried, who’s also a major Democratic donor. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
But if either of the companies were looking to back out, they would likely be forced to pay heavily, Lencheski told The Post. While the professor said he’s not privy to details of the Crypto.com or FTX arena deals, he said he has worked on contracts in the past where a company would have to pay out 55% of the remaining pact to exit a deal.
If Crypto.com were to withdraw from its 20-year, $700 million contract under such terms, the company would be on the hook for a whopping $385 million.
“There is always a negotiated ability to exit,” Lencheski said. “But it’s got to hurt. The reason that it’s got to hurt is because there’s some damage to the building regardless.”
Both Lencheski and Favorito noted that removing a dead or damaged company’s name from a stadium can hurt a franchise’s brand and can reduce the facility’s appeal to future sponsors.
A Crypto.com spokesperson said in a statement to The Post: “We remain focused on investing resources into product and engineering capabilities to develop world-class products, as well as our strategic sports partnerships and believe they will continue to play a crucial role in our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency.”
Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance — the world’s biggest crypto exchange — appeared to poke fun at his rivals for spending big on sports deals in a tweet last Wednesday that came shortly after Coinbase and Crypto.com announced layoffs.
“It was not easy saying no to Super bowl ads, stadium naming rights, large sponsor deals a few months ago, but we did,” the CEO wrote. “Today, we are hiring for more than 2,000 open positions.”
What Will Happen to FTX’s Sports Sponsorships Amid Its Implosion?
Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX poured millions of dollars into naming rights, partnerships, and sponsorships in the sports world.
With FTX’s survival in question, massive deals with the likes of Tom Brady, the Miami Heat, and MLB are in jeopardy.
Experts say Miami’s FTX Arena may see a name change soon, but some celebrities may have trouble getting paid.
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Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto-exchange platform FTX is facing an uncertain future.
Rival platform Binance had initially agreed to bail out FTX as the company faces a severe liquidity crisis after getting hit with $6 billion in withdrawals in just 72 hours, but Binance announced Wednesday that the deal fell through.
FTX was once worth $32 billion, as cryptocurrency prices surged in 2020 and 2021. During that time, Bankman-Fried poured millions of dollars into many high-profile sponsorships in the world of sports, including partnerships in baseball, basketball, football – and even Formula One.
Now that it is looking increasingly likely that the company may not survive its current predicament, questions loom about the future of these deals.
Here are some of FTX’s most high-profile sports deals and what experts say may become of them:
Amid Recent FTX Hit, Mercedes F1 Could Take Another Financial Blow as $2 Billion Worth Sponsor Pushed to End Partnership
Published 11/18/2022, 6:55 AM EST
Mercedes F1 team may lose one of its sponsors in the upcoming months. As an investment fund, Petrus Advisers is pressurizing German tech company Team Viewer AG to end the deal. Team Viewer currently sponsors the Mercedes-AMG F1 team and Premier League’s Manchester United. The fund has termed the sponsorships as a sign of ‘appalling judgment’ on Team Viewer’s part.
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Petrus Advisers owns less than 3% of the stake in Team Viewer. Although it has been taking the stand for several months, it won’t tolerate spending almost $73m on sports sponsorships. They wrote a letter to the company’s CEO Oliver Steil and Finance Chief Michael Wilkins.
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In the letter, they stated, “You are not SAP, Oracle, or Mercedes. Yet you do not seem to get it.”
They highlighted the ‘appalling judgment’ from the company to spend so much money on these deals. This letter was written by Klaus Umek and Till Hufnagel, managing partners at Petrus.
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA – JULY 11: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W11 on track during qualifying for the Formula One Grand Prix of Styria at Red Bull Ring on July 11, 2020 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Team Viewer is a remote working software that gained a lot of growth during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are reportedly paying $57 million to Manchester United annually for being a shirt sponsor. In March 2021, they struck the deal with Mercedes-AMG to sponsor both its Formula 1 and Formula E teams for a five-year term.
The German tech company’s valuation has come down significantly since the pandemic boom that it witnessed. The current valuation for Team Viewer stands at $2.07 billion. Mercedes F1 recently also has been sweating over its sponsorship with FTX, amidst the recent FTX slump.
DIVE DEEPER
Mercedes F1 Takes Major Hit In Crypto-Crash As $32 Billion Sponsor Faces Bankruptcy
With pressure from the investors, it will be worth watching if Team Viewer takes any actions to prematurely end its deal with Mercedes.
Who are Mercedes-AMG F1 Sponsors and Partners?
Irrespective of the on-track performance being good or bad, the Mercedes F1 team benefits largely from all of its partners. Besides Team Viewer, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team has a number of sponsors and partners. Here is a list of some of the team’s major sponsors:
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Petronas: A leading energy solutions company, Petronas has the been Title and Technical partner since 2010.
A leading energy solutions company, Petronas has the been Title and Technical partner since 2010. UBS: The Swiss investment bank is one of the major partners for the last 10 years.
The Swiss investment bank is one of the major partners for the last 10 years. Hewlett Packard Enterprise: HPE is a cloud platform service delivering solutions for improving business operations.
HPE is a cloud platform service delivering solutions for improving business operations. AMD: AMD is a global leader in high-performance computer graphics and computing.
Monster Energy: A famous energy drink brand, Monster sponsors several motorsports and adventure sports teams, including F1.
A famous energy drink brand, Monster sponsors several motorsports and adventure sports teams, including F1. The Ritz-Carlton: Part of Marriott-International, The Ritz-Carlton is the official hotel partner for the Mercedes F1 team.
Part of Marriott-International, The Ritz-Carlton is the official hotel partner for the Mercedes F1 team. Tommy Hilfiger: A premium lifestyle brand, the Tommy Hilfiger brand heavily features on all team clothing outfits.
A premium lifestyle brand, the Tommy Hilfiger brand heavily features on all team clothing outfits. IWC Schaffhausen: A Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, IWC has been the Official Engineering partner since 2013.
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Watch This Story: Mercedes F1 end their Black Livery run for Lewis Hamilton
Every F1 team on the grid has its own set of partners and sponsors that contribute and ease their operations besides racing on the track. Which is your favorite brand you wish to see on your F1 team’s car?
‘Crypto is done’: FTX collapse sends ripple through $78 billion sports sponsorship market
Imploded crypto company FTX’s hundreds of millions in sport sponsorships are being called into question and could cause other teams to review their crypto partners.
FTX — which had Tom Brady as its ambassador and became the world’s second-largest crypto exchange — signed a 19-year deal with the Miami Heat to take over naming rights of the former American Airlines Arena before filing for bankruptcy protection this month.
Now the team has terminated the $135 million FTX Arena deal and is left without a sponsor, according to a joint statement from Miami-Dade County and the Heat.
This may serve as a cautionary tale in the $78 billion global sport sponsorship market.
“Crypto is done” being a sports partner, said Jonathan Jensen, a former sports marketing executive at Omnicom and Publicis Groupe.
Other sports teams are creating distance from FTX, said Emily Sparvero, a sports management professor at the University of Texas in Austin. And after the crash in crypto prices last November, some crypto companies have already started to scale back on their sport sponsorship commitments, she said.
“I expect sport properties to honor existing partnerships with crypto companies, but they will be a lot more cautious going forward,” Sparvero said.
The issue is particularly relevant in Texas, a state known for its avid support of both sports and crypto. The Lone Star State tied with New Jersey as the fourth-best state for crypto enthusiasts, according to a study from SmartAsset.
A number of Texas teams have paired up with crypto companies in recent years.
The Dallas Mavericks announced a five-year partnership with Voyager Digital in 2021 that has also soured. Dallas Mavericks fans were upset when Voyager filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and said they had trusted that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wouldn’t endorse a financially unsound company.
In April, the Dallas Cowboys announced that the crypto platform Blockchain.com would be its exclusive digital asset partner, making it the first NFL team to enter the crypto space. Also this spring, The Texas Rangers linked up with Jupiter, Fla.-based Trade The Chain, which paid for the deal entirely in crypto. And in August, BitWallet became the official digital currency of the Houston Texans.
Crypto companies poured money into the sport sponsorship market while crypto prices were high, with FTX worth $32 billion at one point. But with the crypto crash last year that sent Bitcoin’s price down over 70% in the last 12 months, crypto players are having to pull back some from sports deals.
“As the crypto market is crashing, the brands in that space won’t have the money to invest in sport sponsorships, so it could be a problem that takes care of itself from a sport perspective,” Sparvero said.
Seeking legitimacy
When Texas executives were asked recently what the most overhyped tech trend is, nearly half of them said crypto, according to digital consulting firm West Monroe.
Players in the still newish industry saw an opportunity in sports marketing to help legitimize their businesses and quickly build recognizable brands, said Jensen, now a professor of sports administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“A large-scale sponsorship, like a naming rights sponsorship or a jersey sponsorship, can basically short-circuit the brand-building process that normally takes a long time,” he said. “It can basically take that from zero to 60 in one announcement.”
The instant brand awareness with the public and potential investors is why emerging industries often partner with sports teams, which, in turn, is also why it may seem like lots of sport sponsorship deals fall through, said Jensen.
Similar trends with emerging industries have happened before.
During the 2007 to 2009 recession, sub-prime mortgage lender AmeriQuest lost its naming rights to the Texas Rangers stadium, now called Globe Life Field.
The tech company CMGI had naming rights for the home of the New England Patriots until the dot-com bubble burst and it became Gillette Stadium. Similarly, the Baltimore Ravens’ stadium, called M&T Bank Stadium now, was once PSINet Stadium until 2002 when the early internet service provider filed for bankruptcy.
“An emerging tech firm would slap their name on a stadium because it gives them not only instant brand awareness but it also gives them instant credibility,” Jensen said.
Befriending crypto
Crypto still has its doubters, and not without reason. Since the start of 2021, more than 46,000 people have reported losing over $1 billion in crypto to scams, with a median loss of $2,600, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
But sports teams are not investors and don’t evaluate potential sponsors too deeply, Jensen said. The sports teams may have their eyes on the money and put blinders on, he said.
“The vetting process is, ‘Who’s going to pay the most?’” Jensen said. “Most do not undergo a great deal of scrutiny.”
Teams that signed deals with crypto companies knew that, if the industry went south, they could change sponsors. It’s not uncommon and isn’t too expensive, Jensen said.
“What’s expensive is not having a sponsor,” he said.
Sports teams also gained monetary value as crypto sponsorships emerged because it was a new category outside the more common ones like an official beer, said Sparvero. And coming out of the pandemic, sports teams were under pressure to maximize revenue, she said.
Lasting impacts
The uncertainty in the economy means teams associated with FTX may have a harder time finding new partners, Sparvero said. At the same time, crypto is still a relatively minor part of the sport sponsorship market, she said. It’s still dominated by traditional categories, like beer, soft drinks, cars, and banks and financial service companies, she said.
“These types of brands make sense for sport properties,” she said. “People consume beer and Cokes while watching a game, or there’s overlap between the fans of sports and the consumers of cars. There hasn’t been the same type of fit between sports and crypto.”
While sports teams will likely move away from the crypto industry moving forward, there will always be new emerging industries to take its place, Jensen said. At this point, people have gotten used to arenas and stadiums changing names, he said, noting that the Houston Astros dropped Enron as a stadium naming rights sponsor after it was caught in an accounting scandal.
“The real question is, will other new emerging tech firms have a hard time getting teams, leagues, arenas and stadiums to partner with them?” Jensen said. “And I have to be honest, I think the answer is no. It’s happened before, it’ll happen again.”
2022 SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS SPENDING UP 12%, SOCIAL MEDIA ADJUSTED AD VALUE TOPS $12B
2022 SPORTS SPONSORSHIPS SPENDING UP 12%, SOCIAL MEDIA ADJUSTED AD VALUE TOPS $12B
KORE Releases State of the Industry Report
Financial, Food & Beverage, and Technology Sectors Top Sponsorship Spend
Nike, Adidas, and Emirates Top Brands for Social Media Sponsorship Value, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eileen Gu Lead Athletes Social Media Value
NEW YORK, April 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — KORE has released its 2022/23 State of the Industry Report, featuring an annual review of sports marketing, sponsorship, and social media trends. In 2022, sports-related sponsorship spending increased +12% for the year. However, overall sponsorship deals were down slightly, as brands became more selective about who they choose to work with and spent more time quantifying the impact of those sponsorships.
In 2022, social media sponsorships saw overall engagement increase, with more effort on quality posts focused on subject matter and type driving engagement, while focusing less on overall quantity of posts. Branded social media posts and views were up for brands year-over-year, demonstrating the importance of understanding what content drives successful partnerships.
“The work we do with hundreds of rights holders and brands across the globe allows us to surface really valuable insights throughout the industry, that impacts the market and helps give our clients a competitive edge,” said KORE CEO Jason Fletcher. “Where it really gets exciting is when we see how our clients begin to innovate with this type of intelligence.”
Looking at the global state of sponsorship spend, KORE determined that the average annual deal size in 2022 was $326k versus $273k in 2019 (+23%) and $317k in 2021 (+12%). The average deal length increased to 3.3 years, indicating that brands and rights holders have shifted focus to more long-term objective setting and planning.
The big five North American leagues experienced similar trends in terms of increased sponsorship income through fewer deals. According to KORE data, spending is up +6%, while deals are down -4% year-over-year. Compared to 2019, spending is up +14% despite the number of deals being down by -5%.
KORE’s State of the Industry Report also tracked the top sponsorship categories, which sectors were spending more and less over the last year, as well as sponsorship asset trends and more. In 2022, the Financial sector led sponsorship spending for the fourth consecutive year. The other top sectors include Food & Beverage, Communications & Media, Retail, and Technology.
Social media drives significant exposure and value for brands, creating more than $12B in total adjusted ad value (AAV) across social platforms. In 2022, KORE tracked an -8% dip in brand value from 2021 and fewer partnership deals created, but a +39% increase over pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Branded posts, engagement, and views were all up for brands year-over-year and versus 2019, which demonstrates understanding what types of content such as video, images, text mentions, hashtags, keywords, and various topic analysis are key insights for successful partnerships.
Among all sports, global football had 54% of all social media followers, 53% of social engagement, and 42% of social brand value.
Instagram videos were the most engaging form of content in 2022, rising above the other platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram (IG), Facebook, and Twitter. Instagram continued to be the most engaging platform for four years straight.
The brands that benefitted most from partnerships in social media in 2022 included Nike, Adidas, Emirates, Puma, and Red Bull. The report also named the top 30 best promoted brands as well as top male and female athletes on social media. On the male side, global football stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar da Silva lead the list, while skier Eileen Gu, global footballer Alisha Lehmann, and tennis great Serena Williams top the women’s list.
KORE’s data footprint is the largest in the industry. The company’s sponsorship management data perspective covers more than 70% of major North American sport and entertainment properties and globally more than $52 billion in sponsorship spend. KORE actively tracks more than 500,000 entities across sport and entertainment on social media platforms, as well as more than 32-billion fan connections.
The complete KORE 2022 State of the Industry Report is available here.
KORE, now including Hookit, is the only single-source solution to offer a full suite of management, measurement, and optimization solutions for buyers and sellers of sponsorship, marketers, and organizations looking to better engage with their audiences.
Annually, KORE releases several sport-, league-, and team-specific Intel reports, case studies, and white papers. KORE’s next comprehensive report will be released at the end of the year, focused on brands, teams, leagues and athletes on the rise. Shorter industry sector reports will be released throughout 2023.
ABOUT KORE:
KORE is the global leader in engagement marketing solutions. More than 900 brands, venues, and sports organizations trust KORE’s tools and platform as a source of truth to manage assets and measure partnership impact, with real-time insights, across all channels.
Through Sponsorship Management and Evaluation, Ticketing and Fan Engagement, and Data Management and Analytics, KORE’s two-sided network unites corporate sponsors, sponsorship properties, and their fans with solutions that help enhance the fan experience, drive smarter decisions, and enable marketing and operations teams to spend time where it matters. Learn more at KORESoftware.com or follow us LinkedIn or Twitter.
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2023 Travelers Championship: Predictions, expert picks, odds, field rankings, best bets at TPC River Highlands
Eight of the top 10 players in the world make their way east after an emotional U.S. Open crowned a first-time major champion. Headlining the flights out of Los Angeles to Cromwell, Connecticut, for the 2023 Travelers Championship are the three men atop the Official World Golf Rankings.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler continues a torrid year during which he’s finished no worse than T12. The Texan is inching closer and closer to the winner’s circle for the third time this season as he arrives with four straight top-five finishes including podium results at the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.
Jon Rahm, world No. 2, still holds the title of most victories this season (4), but the Spaniard has been shutout in the trophy department since his triumph at Augusta National at the Masters in April. Like Scheffler, Rahm persists despite some perceived troubles on and around the green.
Then we have Rory McIlroy. The world No. 3 lays claim to one win this season but also a number of close calls, the latest coming at Los Angeles Country Club with his runner-up finish to Wyndham Clark. It was McIlroy’s 18th top-10 finish on the big stage since his last major championship victory in 2014.
Patrick Cantlay and defending champion Xander Schauffele look to break through for their first victories of the season while Matt Fitzpatrick, Tony Finau, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland and Clark all hope to add to their totals.
2023 Travelers Championship schedule
Dates: June 22-25 | Location: TPC River Highlands — Cromwell, Connecticut
Par: 70 | Yardage: 6,852 | Purse: $20 million
2023 Travelers Championship field, odds
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
Scottie Scheffler (13/2)
Patrick Cantlay (10-1)
Rory McIlroy (11-1): How do I put this eloquently? McIlroy drove the crap out of the golf ball at LACC. Gaining +2.25 strokes off the tee per round, McIlroy’s tee-to-green game shined only to be let down by his putter. He will need to put those woes aside as he travels to TPC River Highlands for the fifth time in his career. In four prior trips, he cashed in on top-20 finishes but failed to contend on Sunday. He’s been in the mix on three straight Sundays on the PGA Tour, so maybe this year will be different.
How do I put this eloquently? McIlroy drove the crap out of the golf ball at LACC. Gaining +2.25 strokes off the tee per round, McIlroy’s tee-to-green game shined only to be let down by his putter. He will need to put those woes aside as he travels to TPC River Highlands for the fifth time in his career. In four prior trips, he cashed in on top-20 finishes but failed to contend on Sunday. He’s been in the mix on three straight Sundays on the PGA Tour, so maybe this year will be different. Jon Rahm (11-1)
Xander Schauffele (14-1): Schauffele carded the lowest round in U.S. Open history and entered the weekend at 132 (the third-lowest total in championship history). That is as good as the week would get for the world No. 6 as he dropped five shots to par across the last 36 holes to finish T10. He continues to play incredibly consistent and returns to the site of the tournament that kicked off a sizzling summer a season ago.
Schauffele carded the lowest round in U.S. Open history and entered the weekend at 132 (the third-lowest total in championship history). That is as good as the week would get for the world No. 6 as he dropped five shots to par across the last 36 holes to finish T10. He continues to play incredibly consistent and returns to the site of the tournament that kicked off a sizzling summer a season ago. Viktor Hovland (20-1)
Collin Morikawa (25-1)
Tommy Fleetwood (25-1): The Englishman remains without a PGA Tour victory, but he’s close. Fleetwood booted away a golden opportunity at the Canadian Open when he failed to birdie the accessible par-5 finisher and later fell to Nick Taylor in a playoff. He bounced back with the second final-round 63 in his U.S. Open career to finish T5 at LACC. Fleetwood just needs a break here or there to entering the winner’s circle, and it may very well happen this week.
The Englishman remains without a PGA Tour victory, but he’s close. Fleetwood booted away a golden opportunity at the Canadian Open when he failed to birdie the accessible par-5 finisher and later fell to Nick Taylor in a playoff. He bounced back with the second final-round 63 in his U.S. Open career to finish T5 at LACC. Fleetwood just needs a break here or there to entering the winner’s circle, and it may very well happen this week. Tony Finau (28-1)
Tom Kim (33-1)
Russell Henley (33-1)
Matt Fitzpatrick (40-1): Fitzpatrick won the RBC Heritage the last time the PGA Tour traveled to a Pete Dye design the week following a major championship. He has found some consistency since then as the early-season neck injury is officially a thing of the past. He rides three straight top-20 finishes into Connecticut for what will only be his second appearance in the Travelers Championship.
Fitzpatrick won the RBC Heritage the last time the PGA Tour traveled to a Pete Dye design the week following a major championship. He has found some consistency since then as the early-season neck injury is officially a thing of the past. He rides three straight top-20 finishes into Connecticut for what will only be his second appearance in the Travelers Championship. Rickie Fowler (40-1): Fowler’s return to the spotlight is now on everyone’s radar. His final-round 75 at the U.S. Open may have disappointed fans, but he remains in good spirits and very much on an upward trajectory. Fowler has connected on 13 top-20 finishes in just 18 starts this season. If the season ended today, it would represent the best of his career in terms of approach play. The 34-year-old is as well-rounded as ever, and recent title runs at the U.S. Open and the Memorial should only serve him well moving forward.
Travelers Championship expert picks
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
Scottie Scheffler Winner (13/2): It’s time. It is time to put his putting issues aside and take a tournament by the reigns. The tee-to-green metrics suggest a massive run coming, and the slight uptick on the greens at LACC — thanks to a new wand in the bag — may be the catalyst. Over the last six months, he ranks first in total strokes gained, first in strokes gained tee to green, first in strokes gained off the tee, first in strokes gained approach and a measly fifth in strokes gained around the green. His last win came on another Pete Dye design at TPC Sawgrass.
Russell Henley Contender (33-1): Put some respect on his name. Henley comes off a nice weekend at the U.S. Open that saw him finish inside the top 15 and continued a stretch of play that is not being appreciated. Over the last three months, Henley ranks sixth in driving accuracy, seventh in total strokes gained and fourth in strokes gained approach. He has notched top-20 finishes in seven of his last eight tournaments, and the iron play that has served him well throughout his career is beginning to peak in a major way. He has three top-20 efforts here in five trips including a T6 in 2018.
Andrew Putnam Sleeper (225-1): He continues to hover on these big-time leaderboards. Putnam ranks 13th in driving accuracy, 21st in strokes gained approach and 24th in strokes gained putting over the last three months. He’s already collected a pair of top-10 finishes in designated events with a T9 result at the WGC-Match Play and, more recently, a top-five finish at the Memorial Tournament. The yardage buckets where competitors will be hitting their approach shots from play to his favorite clubs.
Who will win the Travelers Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that’s nailed nine golf majors and is up over $10,000 since June 2020.
PGA DFS, 2023 Travelers Championship: DraftKings, FanDuel daily fantasy golf picks, lineups, strategy, advice
Building the perfect PGA DFS strategy for the 2023 Travelers Championship will certainly be a difficult task. With golfers like Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele in the PGA DFS player pool, it’s hard to determine who to include in your 2023 Travelers Championship PGA DFS lineups. Rahm has been on absolute tear this season, securing four wins and nine top-10 finishes. However, the Spaniard struggled in his last start at TPC River Highlands, finishing T-37 at the Travelers Championship in 2020.
Should Rahm be part of your PGA DFS lineups for the Travelers Championship 2023? Or should you roster a player like Schauffele, who’s the defending champion of this event? Before you lock in your PGA DFS picks for the 2023 Travelers Championship, you’ll want to see the latest daily Fantasy golf picks, advice and player pool from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS pro with over $2 million in career winnings, and he’s been red-hot on his PGA Tour picks this season. McClure is also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every tournament 10,000 times, taking factors like statistical trends, past results and current form into account. This allows him to find the best PGA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any PGA DFS player.
Last week at the U.S. Open, McClure listed Rickie Fowler among his top PGA DFS picks. The result: Fowler set a U.S. Open record with 23 birdies over his four rounds at Los Angeles Country Club, securing a T-5 finish in the process. Anybody that included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable weekend.
In addition, McClure’s model is up over $10,000 on its best bets since June 2020, nailing tournament after tournament. This same model has also nailed a whopping nine majors entering the weekend. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.
Now, McClure has set his sights on the 2023 Travelers Championship and revealed his optimal PGA DFS advice, strategy and player pool. Head to SportsLine now to see his top golf DFS picks for the Travelers Championship 2023.
Top 2023 Travelers Championship PGA DFS picks
One of McClure’s top PGA DFS picks for the 2023 Travelers Championship is Russell Henley at $7,800 on DraftKings and $9,500 on FanDuel. Henley enters this week’s event as one of the most accurate players on tour, which will make him an extremely valuable PGA DFS asset at TPC River Highlands.
Henley currently ranks first in driving accuracy (72.68%), which has helped him finish T-19 or better in seven of his last eight starts. Henley is also accurate with his approach shots, ranking 39th in strokes gained: approach to green (0.391). He’s a complete steal at this price point, so confidently lock him in your PGA DFS lineups.
McClure’s optimal PGA DFS strategy also includes rostering Viktor Hovland at $9,900 on DraftKings and $11,400 on FanDuel. Hovland certainly has the game to return value at TPC River Highlands this week. The 25-year-old is full of confidence after securing his fourth PGA Tour title at the Memorial Tournament earlier this month. He’s also racked up seven top-10 finishes this season, making him a solid building block for your PGA DFS lineups.
Hovland is currently ranked sixth in strokes gained: off the tee (0.718), 12th in strokes gained: total (1.469) and 17th in strokes gained: approach to green (0.597). His ability to consistently put himself in advantageous positions has allowed Hovland to average 4.19 birdies per round, the 10th-best mark on the PGA Tour. See who else to back right here.
How to set 2023 Travelers Championship DFS lineups
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who’s primed to play well, giving you a huge return on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Picks like these could be the difference between winning your PGA DFS contests or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top PGA DFS picks for the 2023 Travelers Championship, and which undervalued golfer is a must-roster? Visit SportsLine now to see the complete Travelers Championship DFS player pool for FanDuel and DraftKings, all from the expert who’s made over $2 million in daily Fantasy sports, and find out.
2023 Travelers Championship and done picks, rankings, purse: Expert PGA Tour predictions, top betting advice
The PGA Tour heads to the northeast for another elevated event with the 2023 Travelers Championship set to tee off on Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Rory McIlroy headline an elite Travelers Championship field, with Scheffler coming in as the 6-1 betting favorite. Other top contenders in the 2023 Travelers Championship odds include Patrick Cantlay (9-1), McIlroy (10-1), Rahm (10-1), Xander Schauffele (12-1), and Viktor Hovland (20-1). The total 2023 Travelers Championship purse is $20 million, with the winner taking home $3.6 million.
Should you target one of the favorites like Scheffler, Rahm, or McIlroy when making your 2023 Travelers Championship one and done picks? Or would it make more sense to use a sleeper like Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau, or Collin Morikawa? Before locking in your 2023 Travelers Championship one and done picks, you need to see what SportsLine DFS pro and PGA expert Mike McClure has to say.
The One and Done format is growing in popularity. It has several noticeable similarities to NFL survivor pools, with the main difference being entries are not eliminated with a bad week. Players pick one golfer per week and earn points based on their selected golfer’s prize money for that tournament. Golfers can only be used once per season, and the point format makes nailing majors and elevated events critical.
McClure is a DFS legend with over $2 million in career winnings, and he’s been red-hot on his PGA picks dating back to the PGA Tour restart in June of 2020. McClure uses his proprietary simulation model to analyze the field and crush his golf picks.
McClure has nailed plenty of One and Done picks, including Luke List at the Sentry Tournament of Champions. At the Farmers Insurance Open, McClure’s top One and Done pick, Max Homa, outlasted the entire field to take home his sixth career PGA Tour victory and $1.566 million. At the WM Phoenix Open, McClure nailed Scheffler winning the tournament, taking home $3.6million. At the Genesis Invitational, he was all over Max Homa, who finished in second place and took home $2.18 million. At the Valspar Championship, McClure’s top OAD pick, Tommy Fleetwood, finished in third place.
Then, at the RBC Canadian Open McClure listed Nick Taylor and Tyrrell Hatton as two of his top one and done picks. Taylor would go on to win the tournament, while Hatton finished in third place. And last week at the U.S. Open, McClure’s top OAD pick, Scottie Scheffler, finished in third place.
Now, McClure has dialed in on the 2023 Travelers Championship golf tournament and just locked in his one and done picks and PGA predictions. You can only see McClure’s Travelers Championship one and done picks at SportsLine.
Top 2023 Travelers Championship One and Done picks
One of McClure’s top one and done picks this week for the Travelers Championship is world No. 5 Viktor Hovland. In a loaded field, McClure believes Hovland has huge upside, but may fly under the radar in One and Done pools due to the other big names available. Hovland has four consecutive top-20 finishes, including a win at the Memorial and a second place finish at the PGA Championship.
Scheffler enters the week ranked sixth on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee (0.718), 11th in strokes gained tee-to-green (1.328), 12th in total strokes gained (1.469), and 17th in strokes gained on approach (0.597). With his track record against top flight competition, McClure sees huge value in backing Hovland this week at TPC River Highlands. You can see who else to back at SportsLine.
How to make Travelers Championship 2023 One and Done picks
McClure is also targeting another golfer for his 2023 Travelers Championship one and done picks that excels in big events against top flight competition. This player has been red-hot all year, but consistently flies under the radar and has the ability to win any tournament he enters. You can find out who it is, and check out all of McClure’s Travelers Championship one and done picks at SportsLine.
Who wins the 2023 Travelers Championship, and which golfers should you target for your PGA one and done picks this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Mike McClure’s Travelers Championship 2023 one and done picks, all from the DFS pro with over $2 million in career winnings, and find out.
PGA Tour to assure players league has leadership safeguards in PIF deal as Davis Love III calls for patience
The landmark agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will contain safeguards to ensure the PGA Tour will maintain leadership of both the resulting for-profit entity and its existing circuit. This claim by PGA Tour officials will be shared with members during a players-only meeting set to be held Tuesday night in Connecticut ahead of the 2023 Travelers Championship, according to Golf Channel. The hope is to restore trust among membership and dispel concerns of a takeover of professional golf.
Though the PIF will make a “minority” investment as the lone investor in the new for-profit company, the PGA Tour will also reportedly have the right to decline subsequent investments as part of the agreement.
On Tuesday, 21-time PGA Tour winner Davis Love III addressed an open letter to commissioner Jay Monahan in which Love, a five-time member of the PGA Tour’s policy board, preached patience to players in the aftermath of the agreement. The letter, obtained and published by Golf Channel, comes the same day as the players meeting at TPC River Highlands.
“I am confident and trust that any decisions — in the future as in the past — will have the same due process and player input, “Love wrote. “Jay, as you have said, Rules made by the Players, for the Players. If we are patient and work together we will achieve the best result for our Tour, and our partners and fans. As always, you, the players and the Policy Board have my full support.”
Much of the golf community — PGA Tour members included — have been left asking questions about leadership as a potential ramification of the deal. Monahan faced backlash from players in what was reportedly aheated meeting the day the agreement was announced June 6. Monahan remains away as he recovers from an undisclosed medical condition.
The agreement came after the PGA Tour and the PIF, the latter of which funds LIV Golf, were embattled in a professional golf power-struggle that saw many notable players — major champions Phil Mickelson, Brooks Kopeka and Dustin Johnson among them — forced to resign from the PGA Tour in order to play in the new circuit as they chose to take millions of guaranteed dollars. Monahan preached loyalty to remaining PGA Tour members before the sides ultimately reached the agreement, one he said was influenced by the PGA Tour’s inability to compete financially with the PIF.
The new entity’s board of directors will reportedly feature an executive committee that includes both Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan. Also set to be included are PGA Tour policy board members Jimmy Dunne and Ed Herlihy, both of whom had considerable roles in forming the framework of the new agreement.
After Watching Rose Zhang Take the LPGA Tour by Storm, Nelly Korda Sparks a Rivalry With a ‘Completely Honest’ Revelation
Nelly Korda, the star golfer, would be returning to the greens this week after her over-a-month break. Since the time Korda withdrew from a couple of LPGA Tour events, a lot has happened in the golf world. One such highlight has been the rise of prodigy, Rose Zhang.
Especially given the display of her exceptional skills since she turned pro; she has amazed the entire LPGA Tour community through her talent and smart driving techniques. Thus, it was not all that surprising to hear some of the questions revolving around this new talent when the former World No. 1 sat down for the press meet. Though, what was surprising was her response to one of the questions.
Nelly Korda gets candid when asked about what makes Rose Zhang special
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The LPGA Tour icon hasn’t had an ideal year so far. Despite finishing in the top 10 for seven of her nine event starts this season, Korda is yet to find a win since November 2022. Hence, the KPMG PGA Championship provides a great opportunity for the golfer to break the jinx.
Despite Her Record-Breaking Prowess, Young Gun Rose Zhang Faces a Massive LPGA Setback
During the pre-tournament press conference, Korda appeared to be confident about her health and game. However, her preparations before the golf major weren’t the only thing the reporters were curious about.
One of the interviewers asked the experienced 24-year-old to provide an insight into what really sticks out for her about the young Rose.
The World No. 2 did not hesitate one bit and said, “Honestly, if I’m being completely honest, I haven’t seen her play at all”.
She explained that she hasn’t had the opportunity to see the 20-year-old take on the greens.
However, this might change soon. Considering that the 2020 Summer Olympics gold medalist might soon get to face Zhang as a rival if they get paired together in the New Jersey event starting from June 22.
Despite not having witnessed Rose Zhang deliver her shots, Korda acknowledged that all parts of Zhang’s “game are really good“. This statement was based on the amazing amateur career the Stanford graduate has had so far. Nelly Korda also put forth her opinion regarding the buzz and storm this rare talent has been creating in the golfing arena.
Korda shares her perspective on the anticipation Zhang is bringing to golf
Prior to one of the reporters asking Nelly Korda to share her insight on Zhang, another media person was curious to know that from a player’s perspective how Korda views the buzz the new prodigy is bringing to the game.
The 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner appreciated this young talent unequivocally.
She said it was great that Zhang had won her first professional tournament. Not only was this great for the golfer but for the game as a whole.
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She specially mentioned the importance it holds for women’s golf. This is true, given how time and again Zhang has shaken the golf ecosystem and proved that she is a reservoir of skills and techniques.
via Imago PGA, Golf Herren PNC Championship – First Round Dec 17, 2022 Orlando, Florida, USA Nelly Korda hits a drive on the 13th hole during the first round of the PNC Championship golf tournament at Ritz Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes Orlando Course. Orlando Ritz Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes Orlando Course Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xReinholdxMatayx 20221217_szo_mb4_0185
Though, in between all this, the World No. 2 also shed light on how she was looking forward to meeting Zhang on the greens in the coming years. This she believed will hopefully provide “some great battles“.
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Watch This Story: LPGA Star Slams the Door Shut in Unexpected Fashion to Possibly Her Biggest Fan
What do you think of Nelly’s opinion of the rookie star Rose Zhang? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
From the Awaited Return of Nelly Korda to LPGA’s Debutant Prodigy Rose Zhang, Here Are 5 Must-Watch KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Stars
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the year’s second major tournament, is all set to take place this time at the Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey. The 69th KPMG Women’s PGA Championship will feature 19 of the top 20 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
Young golfers as well as those who haven’t played in a while will be seen competing in this tournament. The winner will receive $1.5 million of the $9 million prize pool for the game, that will take place from June 22 to June 25, 2023.
Which top players are playing in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship?
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One of the most prestigious events on the LPGA Tour is going to feature some of the biggest names in women’s golf. To confirm the same, on July 21, 2023, Golfweek shared the news on their Twitter handle:
Although, the tournament will be featuring the best LPGA tour pros vying for the title, the five LPGA stars to watch out for include:
Rose Zhang
Rose Zhang is a young amateur golfer who has made waves in the golf industry recently. The 20-year-old made history by winning her debut LPGA Tour tournament, The Mizuho Americas Open, as a pro, by garnering amazing stroke numbers. She has thus become the top contender to win after her debut win.
via Imago JERSEY CITY, NJ – MAY 30: Rose Zhang of the United States is interviewed prior to her professional debut at the LPGA, Golf Damen Mizuho America s Open at Liberty National Golf Course on May 30, 2023 in Jersey City, New Jersey. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAY 30 LPGA Mizuho America s Open EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon23053016386
Linn Grant
Linn Grant is a talented Swedish golfer who has been making a name for herself in the world of golf. The 2018 European Ladies Amateur Championship winner was away from sports due to her vaccination status until last month. Grant is now back to show her exceptional talent in the 69th KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Leona Maguire
Young and brilliant Leona Maguire, recently won her second LPGA Tour championship at the 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic. The 28-year-old skilled player is ready to give her best attempt for the upcoming major in hopes to get a career defining win.
Jinn Young Ko
Ko, who is regarded as one of the top women golfers in the world, has won many championships. Her ability to strike the ball consistently and sink putts under pressure has led to her success on the golf course. Additionally, Ko is in the third position now for the greens in regulations.
Nelly Korda
The 2021 Australian Open champion and world number two, is now gearing up for a major return. Yes, Nelly Korda is going to compete again at the Women’s PGA Championship following a brief break after her back injury. Korda is a force to be reckoned with on any golf course. She is popular for her tremendous ball-striking and aggressive style of play.
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via Getty KAWAGOE, JAPAN – AUGUST 04: Nelly Korda of Team United States looks on from the 13th hole during the first round of the Women’s Individual Stroke Play on day twelve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club on August 04, 2021 in Kawagoe, Japan. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
But why was Nelly Korda away from Golf?
Nelly Korda was not playing the succeeding events due to her back injury right before Mizuho Americas Open. Due to the injury, she had to withdraw her name from that event to gain a speedy recovery. However, now that she is doing fine after four weeks, she is all set to rule the golf course.
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Who is your pick to win the major this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below.
Watch this story: Amidst the Anger and Confusion of the 3 Billion Deal It Is the LPGA Tour That Is the Latest Victim of Unfulfilled Promises
Hours Before the $20,000,000 PGA Tour Event, Scottie Scheffler and a Fellow Pro Set Aside Their On-Course Rivalry to Embrace a Special Day
Golf – The Masters – Augusta National Golf Club – Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 9, 2022 Scottie Scheffler of the U.S. reacts after chipping onto the 2nd green during the third round REUTERS/Brian Snyder
After the 2023 US Open, the next stop of the PGA Tour members is the $20,000,000 Traveler’s Championship. The players seem all geared up to take on the TPC River Highlands course in Connecticut.
One of the big names on the list of participants is Scottie Scheffler. Though, before his fourth appearance in the Championship, the golfer indulged in an equally important non-golf moment with another pro.
The on-course rivals Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler met to celebrate the biggest day of their lives. The combined celebration of the occasion made it all the more special.
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Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler get together for celebrations
Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler seem to share more than just their extraordinary golfing skills. It is their common birthday that looks to have created an off-field bond between the two players.
With the Traveler’s Championship starting from Thursday, both the golfers joined hands and celebrated their birthday together on Wednesday.
Moments After a Big Loss at the LACC, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler Becomes Down to Earth (Literally)
Kim took to Instagram to share a picture with Scottie with the caption: “21st birthday and sharing it on the same day with one of my closest friends, big bro, advice giver.”
He added how he has so much admiration for the one-time major winner, even though more often than not the American gives him a hard time on the field.
21-year-old South Korean Kim himself has impressed the golf world through his exceptional skills. The age difference between the two is just four years, and both appear to have a respectful and close connection.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tom Kim 김주형 (@joohyungkim0621)
Scheffler, meanwhile, uploaded multiple stories on his Instagram handle. The snippets from a typical American setting reflected how both professionals kept their special day simple — by sharing a pizza in a cozy setting.
Fans loved to see Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler’s combined celebration
The linksmen went all out to appreciate the presence of each other in their lives. While witnessing the mutual relationship between the two, fans could hardly hold back from cherishing the precious moments.
One fan commented, “The bromance I didn’t know I needed. This one is up there with the Spieth x JT x Rickie bromance.”
Another one, joining in excitedly, said, “Unbelievable. My 2 favorite golfers of all time.”
American model and golf channel reporter Kira K. Dixon also chimed in: “The wholesome golf content we need. happy birthday!”
Some fans chose to bring humor to the table.
USA Today via Reuters Mar 27, 2021; Austin, Texas, USA; Scottie Sheffler tees off on #10 during the fourth day of the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament at Austin Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
One said, “Get this man a soju.”
The most hilarious eye-catching comment though was from a fan who wrote down the whole title song of the famous kids’ television show ‘Thomas and His Friends.’
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The fans along with the official golf pages continued commenting in the same vein.
“Happy birthday boys!”
“Happy birthday!!!!! legends”
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One fan got so excited because he shares his birthday with these golf stars that he wrote: “That’s so dope – i have the same birthday.”
Watch the story: Against all the odds LIV Golf attains yet another achievement shortly after their massive $3,000,000,000 triumph
Travelers Championship 2023 prop bets, odds, field, sleepers: PGA expert shares head-to-head matchup picks
The final elevated event of the PGA Tour season is on tap this week with the 2023 Travelers Championship set to tee off at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the 6-1 betting favorite in an elite Travelers Championship field. Other top contenders in the latest Travelers Championship odds from Caesars Sportsbook include Patrick Cantlay (9-1), Rory McIlroy (10-1), Jon Rahm (10-1), Xander Schauffele (12-1), and Viktor Hovland (20-1).
Which 2023 Travelers Championship head-to-head matchup picks should you target, and what 2023 Travelers Championship prop bets could set you up for a strong payday? Before locking in any Travelers Championship 2023 picks of your own, be sure to check out the PGA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine golf expert Mike McClure.
We simulated the 2023 Travelers Championship 10,000 times, and there are some major surprises.
Our proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up over $10,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.
McClure’s model predicted Jon Rahm would finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express. And at the 2023 Masters, the model was all over Rahm’s second career major victory heading into the weekend. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the third round, but the model still projected him as the winner. It was the second straight Masters win for the model, which also nailed Scottie Scheffler winning in 2022.
In addition, the model included Nick Taylor in its best bets to win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. That bet hit at +7000, and for the entire tournament, McClure’s best bets returned nearly $1,900. McClure’s best bets also included Jason Day (17-1) winning outright at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, even though he hadn’t won a PGA Tour event since 2018.
This same model has also nailed a whopping nine majors entering the weekend! Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.
Now, McClure has set his sights on the 2023 Travelers Championship field and just revealed his top PGA prop bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see all of McClure’s 2023 Travelers Championship prop picks, sleepers, head-to-head matchups and best bets.
Top 2023 Travelers Championship prop picks
One of McClure’s favorite prop bet picks this week at the PGA Championship 2023 is Justin Thomas finishing in the top 20 of the final leaderboard at +250 odds (risk $100 to win $250). Thomas has battled inconsistencies all year, but is a proven winner on the PGA Tour. The 30-year-old has 15 career PGA victories, with his most recent coming at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Thomas has dipped to No. 18 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but still ranks well in multiple statistical categories. The former Alabama standout ranks seventh on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green (0.461) and 24th in strokes gained tee-to-green (0.949). While he hasn’t been playing his best golf as of late, McClure still sees plenty of value in taking Thomas to finish in the top-20 at the Travelers for a plus-money payout. You can see the rest of McClure’s 2023 Travelers Championship prop bet picks at SportsLine.
Find more 2023 Travelers Championship head-to-head picks, sleepers, props
McClure has also locked in plenty of other prop bets for the the Travelers Championship 2023, including a longshot listed at 55-1 to win it all. Anyone who backs one of his 2023 Travelers Championship sleepers could hit it big. You can only see his 2023 Travelers Championship best bets at SportsLine.
So what 2023 Travelers Championship prop picks should you target this week, and which massive longshot has a chance to stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine to see McClure’s 2023 Travelers Championship best bets, all from the expert who’s up over $10,200 since the PGA Tour restart, and find out.
2023 Travelers Championship odds, field, top contenders
See the full Travelers Championship 2023 picks, best bets, and predictions here.
Scottie Scheffler +600
Patrick Cantlay +900
Rory McIlroy +1000
Jon Rahm +1000
Xander Schauffele +1200
Viktor Hovland +2000
Tommy Fleetwood +2200
Tony Finau +2500
Collin Morikawa +2800
Tom Kim +3300
Russell Henley +3300
Wyndham Clark +4000
Max Homa +4000
Matt Fitzpatrick +4000
Rickie Fowler +4000
Cameron Young +5000
Harris English +5000
Justin Thomas +5000
Brian Harman +5000
Jason Day +5500
Sahith Theegala +5500
Denny McCarthy +6000
Sungjae Im +6000
Hideki Matsuyama +6500
Corey Conners +6500
Si Woo Kim +6500
Austin Eckroat +7000
Adam Scott +8000
Shane Lowry +8000
C.T. Pan +9000
Min Woo Lee +9000
Keegan Bradley +9000
Ludvig Aberg +9000
Cam Davis +10000
Gary Woodland +12500
Aaron Rai +12500
Eric Cole +15000
Sam Bennett +15000
Taylor Moore +15000
Seamus Power +17500
Matt Kuchar +17500
Justin Suh +17500
Lucas Herbert +17500
Byeong Hun An +17500
K.H. Lee +20000
Brendon Todd +20000
Will Gordon +22500
Emiliano Grillo +22500
Tom Hoge +22500
Thomas Detry +22500
Mackenzie Hughes +22500
Mark Hubbard +22500
Adam Schenk +22500
Chez Reavie +22500
Kevin Yu +25000
Andrew Putnam +25000
Nick Hardy +25000
Davis Riley +25000
J.T. Poston +25000
Stephan Jaeger +25000
Sam Stevens +25000
Sepp Straka +25000
Adam Svensson +25000
PGA DFS, 2023 Travelers Championship: FanDuel, DraftKings daily fantasy golf picks, lineups, strategy, advice
Jon Rahm will likely be among the top PGA DFS picks this week for the 2023 Travelers Championship. Rahm won the Masters in April, and he’s secured four victories and nine top-10 finishes this season. However, daily Fantasy golf players will have to decide if he can be trusted when setting their PGA DFS strategy for the 2023 Travelers Championship, which gets underway from TPC River Highlands on Thursday, June 22. With a PGA DFS player pool featuring fellow major champions like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas, PGA DFS players will have to decide which golfers are worth investing in.
Can any of those household names be relied on as PGA DFS picks this week? Or is it time to fade them in favor of players with a significantly lower price tag? Before you lock in your PGA DFS picks for the 2023 Travelers Championship, you’ll want to see the latest daily Fantasy golf picks, advice and player pool from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.
McClure is a DFS pro with over $2 million in career winnings, and he’s been red-hot on his PGA Tour picks this season. McClure is also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every tournament 10,000 times, taking factors like statistical trends, past results and current form into account. This allows him to find the best PGA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any PGA DFS player.
Last week at the U.S. Open, McClure listed Rickie Fowler among his top PGA DFS picks. The result: Fowler set a U.S. Open record with 23 birdies over his four rounds at Los Angeles Country Club, securing a T-5 finish in the process. Anybody that included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable weekend.
In addition, McClure’s model is up over $10,000 on its best bets since June 2020, nailing tournament after tournament. This same model has also nailed a whopping nine majors entering the weekend. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.
Now, McClure has set his sights on the 2023 Travelers Championship and revealed his optimal PGA DFS advice, strategy and player pool. Head to SportsLine now to see his top golf DFS picks for the Travelers Championship 2023.
Top 2023 Travelers Championship PGA DFS picks
One of McClure’s top PGA DFS picks for the 2023 Travelers Championship is Russell Henley at $7,800 on DraftKings and $9,500 on FanDuel.
In order to score well at TPC River Highlands, players will need to be extremely accurate off the tee and few do it better than Henley. In fact, the 34-year-old enters the Travelers Championship ranked first in driving accuracy (72.68%). He’s also finished T-19 or better in five of his last six starts on the PGA Tour. Those impressive results make Henley a complete steal at this price point, so confidently lock him in your PGA DFS lineups.
McClure’s optimal PGA DFS strategy also includes rostering Viktor Hovland at $9,900 on DraftKings and $11,400 on FanDuel. Hovland certainly has the game to return value at TPC River Highlands this week. The 25-year-old is full of confidence after securing his fourth PGA Tour title at the Memorial Tournament earlier this month. He’s also racked up seven top-10 finishes this season, making him a solid building block for your PGA DFS lineups.
Hovland is currently ranked sixth in strokes gained: off the tee (0.718), 12th in strokes gained: total (1.469) and 17th in strokes gained: approach to green (0.597). His ability to consistently put himself in advantageous positions has allowed Hovland to average 4.19 birdies per round, the 10th-best mark on the PGA Tour. See who else to back right here.
How to set 2023 Travelers Championship DFS lineups
McClure is also targeting an undervalued player who’s primed to play well, giving you a huge return on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Picks like these could be the difference between winning your PGA DFS contests or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
So what are the top PGA DFS picks for the 2023 Travelers Championship, and which undervalued golfer is a must-roster? Visit SportsLine now to see the complete Travelers Championship DFS player pool for FanDuel and DraftKings, all from the expert who’s made over $2 million in daily Fantasy sports, and find out.
US Senate panel invites PGA Tour commissioner, LIV CEO to testify on merger
[1/2] Players move to the next hole during the Canadian Open’s Championship Pro-Am after news was released of a new partnership between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit, at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada June 7, 2023. REUTERS/Nick Lachance/File Photo
WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) – A U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday invited PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman to testify at a July 11 hearing.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and the panel’s top Republican Ron Johnson invited them to appear.
“Our goal is to uncover the facts about what went into the PGA Tour’s deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and what the Saudi takeover means for the future of this cherished American institution and our national interest,” said Blumenthal. “Americans deserve to know what the structure and governance of this new entity will be.”
Blumenthal earlier this month asked the PGA Tour and LIV Golf for communications and records on their planned merger as part of an investigation, citing concerns about the Saudi government’s role in the deal and risks posed by a foreign government entity assuming control over the sport.
Last week, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden asked the Justice Department to open an antitrust investigation into the planned deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf, saying they believe it would result in a monopoly over professional golf operations.
The Justice department has been investigating the PGA Tour for trying to keep its players from defecting to LIV.
The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and rival Saudi-backed LIV circuit, which had been involved in a bitter fight that split the sport, announced an agreement to merge and form one unified commercial entity.
The LIV Golf series is bankrolled by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIV). Critics have accused it of being a vehicle for the country to improve its reputation as it faces criticism of its human rights record.
The PGA Tour and LIV did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
Much of the backlash against PIV and LIV Golf centers around the alleged involvement of the Saudi Arabian government in human rights violations, including the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter and Bill Berkrot
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Vegas Golden Knights and fans enjoy parade and rally celebrating 1st NHL championship
NHL Vegas Golden Knights and fans enjoy parade and rally celebrating 1st NHL championship The Golden Knights held their championship parade in Las Vegas on Saturday night. FILE – Vegas Golden Knights fans cheer after a Golden Knights goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, June 3, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights plan to parade this weekend with the NHL Stanley Cup beneath the glittery marquees of the Las Vegas Strip and rally with fans in front of their home arena to mark the team’s league championship victory. (AP Photo/John Locher) AP
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Thousands of Vegas Golden Knights fans lined the Las Vegas Strip on Saturday for a Stanley Cup victory parade and a rally in front of the team’s home arena to mark the city’s first NHL championship.
For the team that played its first game as an expansion franchise in October 2017 and for tourists in hotel rooms with windows overlooking the parade route in 2023, the event bore echoes of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history five years ago. Guests in high-rises with views of the strip were awakened by security guards asking to check around windows for guns or other weapons.
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The motorcade route proceeded from an area near Flamingo Road about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) to Tropicana Avenue before a fan rally at Toshiba Plaza and the Park District in front of T-Mobile Arena.
Las Vegas police said they prepared for upwards of 100,000 people to cram street-level viewing areas along Las Vegas Boulevard for the celebration that planners compared with annual New Year’s Eve fireworks shows that in past years drew estimates of 400,000 people.
It’s going to be a Golden Knight in Vegas 😆 pic.twitter.com/2GbuaX4IMW — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 18, 2023
At one point people separated barricades and climbed fences but the crowd otherwise remained orderly.
Above the arena stage where the hockey players gathered with the trophy, a banner displayed the names of victims of the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people and injured more than 850.
A lone gunman rained bullets from 32nd floor windows of the Mandalay Bay hotel into a crowd of 20,000 people at an outdoor country music festival across the street. Fifty-eight people died that night and two died later of their injuries. Authorities said more than 850 people were injured. The gunman killed himself before police reached him. His motive for the attack was never firmly established.
Jack Eichel is a vibe at the Vegas Golden Knights parade 😂 🎥 @GoldenKnights | #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/ksWHyAd97C — The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) June 18, 2023
People in the crowd Saturday recalled the shooting and the role the Golden Knights played in helping to rebuild the spirit of the community.
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Players who dubbed themselves the Golden Misfits after being drafted from other NHL teams embraced survivors, first responders and volunteers and the team has over the years become a key part of “Vegas Strong” events aimed at healing community trauma.
That first year, team owner Bill Foley famously predicted the Golden Knights would make the playoffs in three years and win the Stanley Cup in six years. The franchise surprised many by making the playoffs the first year and advancing to the championship before losing to the Washington Capitals in five games.
This year, the Golden Knights cruised through the playoffs, never facing an elimination game, and routed the Florida Panthers 9-3 in Game 5 on Tuesday. Team captain Mark Stone scored a three-goal “hat trick.” Jonathan Marchessault received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Marchessault is one of the six original members of the Golden Knights expansion team. He and the others — Reilly Smith, William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb and William Carrier — were among the first to hold the Stanley Cup during post-game celebrations.
William Karlsson’s moment on the mic at the Golden Knights parade 😂 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/SBiqi5ktlW — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 18, 2023
All week, players have been spotted celebrating at some of the same glittery resorts the procession passed. The casinos have familiar names: Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Bellagio, Horseshoe, Paris Las Vegas, Cosmopolitan, Planet Hollywood, New York-New York, Aria, MGM Grand.
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The parade route, arena and plaza also hosted a championship victory celebration last September, after the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Connecticut Sun to win the WNBA Championship. The women’s basketball team also plays at T-Mobile Arena.
Why Marty Walsh left the Biden administration to run the NHL players’ union
Local News Why Marty Walsh left the Biden administration to run the NHL players’ union “This job is more like being the mayor.” Labor Secretary Marty Walsh speaks during a briefing at the White House in Washington, May 16, 2022. Susan Walsh/AP
Marty Walsh wasn’t a man in a hurry to leave the Biden administration.
Less than halfway through the president’s term, Walsh was in a comfortable spot in the Cabinet as labor secretary. Then he got a call about an interesting opportunity: running the NHL Players’ Association.
The former mayor of Boston and longtime Bruins fan was intrigued and earlier this year accepted the role as executive director. Now three months in, Walsh is trying to get to know players and what they care about most, learning about everything from the Arizona Coyotes’ arena situation to the salary cap and future international competition.
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“This job is more like being the mayor,” Walsh said in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press during the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas. “You wake up in the morning, you’re planning on a smooth day and there’s an issue that pops, and that’s the issue of the moment. And then when that issue’s over, there’s another issue that comes right behind it. And if there’s a celebration on anything, that celebration’s short-lived because you’re on to the next issue.”
With the current collective bargaining agreement in place through the 2025-26 season, the most pressing issue concerns the Coyotes, set to go into a second season in a 5,000-seat rink on Arizona State’s campus after a referendum for a new arena in Tempe failed.
Walsh has met more with Arizona’s players than anyone else among the nearly 200 members he has spoken to so far.
“These are National Hockey League players playing in a college arena,” Walsh said. “Players that are heading into the prime of their career now playing in this arena for a couple seasons — it’s just not right. It’s not good for the game.”
When Walsh speaks to players, he finds out what they think is good or not so good for the game. Many, like Connor McDavid, prioritize returning to the Olympics after a lengthy absence and getting a World Cup of Hockey on the schedule, while others are more concerned with the cap going up and keeping escrow payments down.
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Several months after helping the U.S. avert a nationwide rail strike, this job hearkens back to the days when Walsh was president of the Laborers’ Union Local 223 in Massachusetts. With players aged 18-38 in various stages of their careers, he said the NHLPA membership is diverse in what it cares about, just like any other workplace.
“One thing I’ve learned quickly is that this truly is a union because every player has a different concern,” Walsh said. “And I think it’s important for me to get to know the membership so I can represent them the best I can, understanding the challenges they have.”
Walsh, 56, also has gotten to know Commissioner Gary Bettman since taking over in March. They attended an event together at the Canadian Embassy in Washington in April and have met several times to discuss the cap, the Coyotes and more.
“To me, the vital signs seem good,” Bettman told the AP recently. “We’re getting better acquainted. I like him. I respect him. I think he’s smart. I think he’s going to be good for the players, and I look forward to working with him.”
Walsh called it a “very cordial working relationship,” while acknowledging there will be disagreements ahead “that put us on two different sides of a fence — and we will have to deal with that when the time comes.” Collective bargaining talks in the coming years almost certainly will bring that conflict.
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Kevin Shattenkirk, a veteran defenseman who was on the search committee, said Walsh was engaging and commanding right away and gave out his cellphone number to players to call any time after his first interview.
“Part of his pitch was that he was going to be readily available to players at any moment — any time that we needed him,” Shattenkirk said Sunday. “With his experience in working in labor unions, I think he knows how important that is. It’s important for the head of it to be accessible and also at the same time to be strong and powerful and know which way he’s leading his organization.”
For now, Walsh is trying to lead the way in preparing players for life after hockey and growing the game beyond the nearly $6 billion in revenue. He watches football, basketball and baseball differently since shifting from politics to sports, thinking about what other leagues have done and how it might apply to the NHL.
Walsh is a fan of increasing interest in Sweden and other places in Europe with games there and wonders about opportunities for hockey in Latin American countries and among underserved populations in North America.
“We have teams like the Dallas Stars and the Coyotes and even the (Florida) Panthers to some degree: large Latino populations,” Walsh said. “You think of Boston — are we tapping into Latino population in Boston, New York, Chicago, places like that?”
Just getting a chance to tackle tasks like that excites Walsh, who said he still has a very strong, close friendship with Joe Biden. The president, when Walsh left in February, called him “one tough union chief” and a model for future labor secretaries.
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This is just a different challenge, one that Walsh feels his entire career has prepared him for.
“There’s not many opportunities that probably could have come on my plate that I would’ve been like, ’Oh, this is perfect,’” he said. “This is kind of my whole life coming full circle: labor movement, running a union, opportunities to grow the game, to be progressive in thinking as to how do we grow the game, how do we strengthen the union.”
Way-too-early 2023-24 NHL Power Rankings: Golden Knights will be challenged by contenders in West
1 Golden Knights The Golden Knights are the team to beat in 2023-24. How could they not be? They still have Mark Stone and Jack Eichel under contract for the next few years. That will be Vegas’ Stanley Cup window. I’m excited to see how aggressive the team can be in its pursuit of another championship. 7 51-22-9
2 Oilers The battle between the Oilers and Golden Knights will be fun to watch next season. Edmonton looked poised to make a Stanley Cup run of its own this past spring, but Vegas put an end to that in the second round. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl should be on a mission in 2023-24. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Oilers and Golden Knights meet in the playoffs again next year — 50-23-9
3 Avalanche The Avs will be without captain Gabriel Landeskog for the entire 2023-24 campaign, and they have eight pending unrestricted free agents. While some may see that as a problem, I see a lot of cap room and flexibility for GM Joe Sakic to reload. The team’s core is already locked in for the long haul, so it now becomes about strengthening the supporting cast. — 51-24-7
4 Devils New Jersey took a huge step forward this past season, and the team will have a boatload of cap space to work with this summer. A good chunk of that will have to go toward re-signing Timo Meier (they’ve already locked up Jesper Bratt), but there should still be some money left over to upgrade a very talented and very young roster. The Devils’ ascent will continue into 2023-24. — 52-22-8
5 Hurricanes The Hurricanes have been one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams for several years now, and their core is still somehow relatively young. Sebastian Aho is 26, Martin Necas is 24, Jesperi Kotkaniemi is 22 and Seth Jarvis is 21. If Carolina can use some of its roughly $24 million in cap space to upgrade its scoring touch — and perhaps tweak its offensive system — watch out. 1 52-21-9
6 Stars Somehow, the Stars have Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski under contract for the 2023-24 season for a combined cap hit of less than $20 million. That will allow them to tinker around the edges of a roster that went to the Western Conference Final this past season. Dallas should be considered a legit Cup contender next season. 1 47-21-14
7 Panthers Perhaps this is too low for the Eastern Conference champions, but we saw a wide range of outcomes from the Panthers in 2022-23. For most of the season, we saw the worst-case scenario, when they were out of a playoff spot. Then, we saw their peak, as they made mincemeat of their conference opponents in the postseason. The real Panthers are probably somewhere in between, so we’ll split the difference here. 6 42-32-8
8 Bruins Speaking of teams that might be too low, the Bruins just set the NHL record for most wins and points in a single season, and they barely sneak into the top 10. The issues in Boston are that the roster isn’t getting any younger, the team has eight pending UFAs and very little cap space with which to work. GM Don Sweeney has his work cut out for him. 7 65-12-5
9 Kings For each of the past two seasons, the Kings have run into the Oilers in the first round of the playoffs, and they have been eliminated both times. Los Angeles has potential to take a huge step forward in 2023-24. The question is whether their young prospects can start taking over. Much of the team’s success this past season was driven by older veterans. That can’t continue forever. 3 47-25-10
10 Rangers There needs to be a sense of urgency in New York, and there was at this past trade deadline, but it just didn’t work out. That happens sometimes. The Rangers need to keep that same approach in 2023-24, because core forwards like Mika Zibaneja, Atremi Panarin and Chris Kreider are on the wrong side of 30. Vincent Trocheck will be there too in July. 3 47-22-13
11 Maple Leafs Now we’re in the middle of a run on Eastern Conference teams I’m not quite sure about heading into next season. This past spring, Toronto got over that first-round hump only to hit a second-round hump against the Panthers. New GM Brad Treliving seems open to trading one of the Core 4: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares. That said, I’m not sure those players have been the problem for the Leafs recently. 2 50-21-11
12 Lightning The Lightning have done an excellent job of keeping their championship window open for a long time now, but that will prove to be even more difficult this summer. As usual, Tampa Bay is scraping up against the salary cap, and it needs to make decisions on a handful of players. 3 46-30-6
13 Sabres I bought stock in the Sabres throughout the 2022-23 season, and I’m not about to jump off the bandwagon as it gets ready to explode. Buffalo has a strong young core in place with Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Owen Power leading the way. The team now has some flexibility to improve its depth and shore up its goaltending situation. 3 42-33-7
14 Flames I was high on the Flames going into last season, and I got burnt. Looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, I’m cautiously optimistic, at least for now. I still really like Calgary’s roster, and the coaching change should help, even if it just means getting a new voice in the locker room. Assuming Jacob Markstrom doesn’t play like one of the worst goalies in the NHL next year, the Flames will be back in the playoffs. 6 38-27-17
15 Kraken The Kraken went from finishing last in the Pacific Division in 2021-22 to coming within one win of the 2023 Western Conference Final. It was a magical season in Seattle, and it culminated with the team taking down the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs. I still have questions about the sustainability of the Kraken’s success, but they have the room to make some upgrades this summer. 4 46-28-8
16 Wild Starting in 2023-24, Minnesota will battle some salary cap issues because the team is paying Ryan Suter and Zach Parise over $7.3 million to play for other teams in each of the next two years. The Wild need to upgrade their forward group, but the lack of cap space could hamper them in that endeavor. 6 46-25-11
17 Senators The Senators have a lot of great young players on their roster, but there are still some holes in the lineup. Ottawa must improve its middle-six forward group and its depth, but the pieces are in place for the franchise to contend for a playoff spot next season. The biggest problem is that Alex DeBrincat may be on his way out, but perhaps the Sens could get some NHL-ready players in a trade. 4 39-35-8
18 Red Wings The Red Wings took a slight step forward last season, but it probably wasn’t as big as GM Steve Yzerman had hoped. The good news is that Yzerman has some freedom to be aggressive on the trade market and in free agency. He will have to keep in mind that Moritz Seider has just one year left on his ELC. 6 35-37-10
19 Islanders The Islanders barely snuck into the postseason last year, and they lost to the Hurricanes in the first round. The Isles will probably be stuck in that position again in 2023-24. GM Lou Lamoriello doesn’t have much flexibility with his roster in the offseason, and a number of key players are approaching or over 30. Can Ilya Sorokin keep this team near the top of the Metro Division standings on his own? 2 42-31-9
20 Penguins Kyle Dubas has some work to do in his first season as the Penguins’ President of Hockey Operations. Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006 after losing to the Blackhawks in its home finale. The Penguins have 15 players under contract right now, and 10 of them are at least 30-years-old. The Pens have to inject some fresh blood into their lineup this summer. 2 40-31-11
21 Jets After stumbling to the finish line in the regular season, the Jets were unceremoniously ousted from the playoffs in five games by the Golden Knights. Head coach Rick Bowness seemed fed up with some of the veteran leaders after the season. Connor Hellebuyck might be on the trade block. Changes could be on the way in Winnipeg. 7 46-33-3
22 Blues The Blues are an interesting team here. They have a ton of draft capital and a little salary cap space now that their best young forwards have been signed long-term. The problem St. Louis will have this summer is finding a way to unload at least one of its big-ticket defensemen. If they can do that, the Blues could improve their roster rather quickly. 1 37-38-7
23 Capitals Much like the Penguins, the Capitals have an aging core and will struggle to get drastically better in one offseason. Washington was below .500 in 2022-23, and while the team did deal with a slew of injuries, it wasn’t in the same zip code as the best teams in the conference. It might be time for the Capitals to look to the future. 2 35-37-10
24 Predators After their fire sale at the trade deadline, the Predators went on a run and nearly got into the playoffs, but a lot of that had to do with the brilliant play of Juuse Saros. Nashville has a few elite players, but the roster is full of holes, and the young prospects need a couple more years to develop. A step back may not be the worst thing in the world for a Preds team that has a wealth of draft picks in 2023 and 2024. 5 42-32-8
25 Canucks Once Rick Tocchet took over as the head coach midway through the 2022-23 season, the Canucks showed some improvement, but this franchise is still in a tough spot. Vancouver has no salary cap room, and it doesn’t have a roster capable of being a serious contender. The Canucks are floating in no man’s land, and that will probably continue for at least one more year. 3 38-37-7
26 Canadiens Montreal is on the right track, but it may be a couple of years before the franchise gets back to being a playoff threat. If the Canadiens can get Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Jets, he would help expedite that process, but the Habs would still fall short when compared to other Eastern Conference contenders. At least one more year of selecting at the top of the draft would benefit this franchise. — 31-45-6
27 Blue Jackets There is some reason to believe that the Jackets will be better next season. The team recently traded for Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov in hopes of bolstering the blue line, but the latter is coming off a bad season in Philadelphia, and the organization made the interesting choice to hire Mike Babcock as its next head coach. Maybe that works, but it also has the potential to go south quickly. 1 25-48-9
28 Flyers Expect the rebuild to continue for the Flyers in the 2023-24 season. Philadelphia has plenty of draft picks this year, and they will be able to keep stocking their draft pool. That should be exciting for fans in Philly, but it won’t help the on-ice product next year. The return of Sean Couturier will, but even with him at full health, the Flyers will likely be wallowing near the bottom of the conference. 1 31-38-13
29 Ducks The 2022-23 season was a rough one in Anaheim. The Ducks got roasted on a nightly basis, finished with a -129 goal differential, and didn’t even get Connor Bedard out of the deal. Adam Fantilli is a nice consolation prize, and there are some fun young forwards on the team, just not quite enough. This past year underscored how just big the problems are on the pond. 3 23-47-12
30 Blackhawks Connor Bedard is going to sell a lot of tickets in 2023-24, and there is no way the Blackhawks can be as bad as they were this past season… but they will still be nowhere near good. At least not yet. The losses will probably hurt a lot less in Chicago knowing that the team’s future is set. 1 26-49-7
31 Sharks The Sharks made some progress in their rebuilding effort last year, but there is still a long road ahead. Finding a way to trade Erik Karlsson this offseason would be a big win, but getting rid of a 100-point player is not going to make them better in the short-term. In fact, it might make San Jose one of the worst teams in the league. 4 22-44-16
2023 NHL draft order: Full list of all 224 picks
The 2023 NHL draft will be held on June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, home of the Predators.
Round 1 will be broadcast on ESPN, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 28, while Rounds 2-7 will be broadcast on NHL Network, beginning at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, June 29.
Here is a list of all 224 picks in this year’s draft, starting with the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 1 and wrapping up with the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights at No. 224.
More: Prospect rankings
Connor Bedard’s rise
Round 1
1. Chicago Blackhawks
2. Anaheim Ducks
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Arizona Coyotes
7. Philadelphia Flyers
8. Washington Capitals
9. Detroit Red Wings
10. St. Louis Blues
11. Vancouver Canucks
12. Arizona Coyotes (from OTT)
13. Buffalo Sabres
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
15. Nashville Predators
16. Calgary Flames
17. Detroit Red Wings (from NYI via VAN)
18. Winnipeg Jets
19. Chicago Blackhawks (from TB)
20. Seattle Kraken
21. Minnesota Wild
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from LA via CBJ)
23. New York Rangers
24. Nashville Predators (from EDM)
25. St. Louis Blues (from TOR)
26. San Jose Sharks (from NJ)
27. Colorado Avalanche
28. Toronto Maple Leafs (from BOS via WSH)
29. St. Louis Blues (from DAL via NYR)
30. Carolina Hurricanes
31. Montreal Canadiens (from FLA)
32. Vegas Golden Knights
Round 2
33. Anaheim Ducks
34. Columbus Blue Jackets
35. Chicago Blackhawks
36. San Jose Sharks
37. Montreal Canadiens
38. Arizona Coyotes
39. Buffalo Sabres (from PHI)
40. Washington Capitals
41. Detroit Red Wings
42. Detroit Red Wings (from STL)
43. Detroit Red Wings (from VAN)
44. Chicago Blackhawks (from OTT)
45. Buffalo Sabres
46. Nashville Predators (from PIT)
47. Nashville Predators
48. Calgary Flames
49. New York Islanders
50. Seattle Kraken (from WPG via WSH)
51. Chicago Blackhawks (from TB)
52. Seattle Kraken
53. Minnesota Wild
54. Los Angeles Kings
55. Chicago Blackhawks (from NYR)
56. Edmonton Oilers
57. Seattle Kraken (from TOR)
58. New Jersey Devils
59. Anaheim Ducks (from COL)
60. Anaheim Ducks (from BOS)
61. Dallas Stars
62. Carolina Hurricanes
63. Florida Panthers
64. Minnesota Wild (from VGK via BUF)
Round 3
65. Anaheim Ducks
66. Columbus Blue Jackets
67. Chicago Blackhawks
68. Nashville Predators (from SJ)
69. Montreal Canadiens
70. Arizona Coyotes
71. Carolina Hurricanes (from PHI)
72. Arizona Coyotes (from WSH)
73. Detroit Red Wings
74. St. Louis Blues
75. Vancouver Canucks
76. St. Louis Blues (from OTT via TOR)
77. Vegas Golden Knights (from BUF)
78. Los Angeles Kings (from PIT)
79. Nashville Predators
80. New Jersey Devils (from CGY via SEA, CBJ)
81. Arizona Coyotes (from NYI)
82. Winnipeg Jets
83. Nashville Predators (from TB)
84. Seattle Kraken
85. Anaheim Ducks (from MIN)
86. Buffalo Sabres (from LA)
87. Philadelphia Flyers (from NYR)
88. Arizona Coyotes (from EDM)
89. Vancouver Canucks (from TOR)
90. Pittsburgh Penguins (from NJ)
91. New York Rangers (from COL)
92. Boston Bruins
93. Chicago Blackhawks (from DAL via ARI)
94. San Jose Sharks (from CAR)
95. Philadelphia Flyers (from FLA)
96. Vegas Golden Knights
Round 4
97. Anaheim Ducks
98. Columbus Blue Jackets
99. Chicago Blackhawks
100. San Jose Sharks
101. Montreal Canadiens
102. Arizona Coyotes
103. Philadelphia Flyers
104. Washington Capitals
105. Vancouver Canucks (from DET)
106. St. Louis Blues
107. Vancouver Canucks
108. Ottawa Senators
109. Buffalo Sabres
110. Montreal Canadiens (from PIT)
111. Nashville Predators
112. Calgary Flames
113. New York Islanders
114. Columbus Blue Jackets (from WPG via SEA)
115. Nashville Predators (from TB)
116. Seattle Kraken
117. Detroit Red Wings (from MIN)
118. Los Angeles Kings
119. Vancouver Canucks (from NYR)
120. Philadelphia Flyers (from EDM)
121. Nashville Predators (from TOR)
122. New Jersey Devils
123. San Jose Sharks (from COL via SEA)
124. Boston Bruins
125. Dallas Stars
126. Carolina Hurricanes
127. Florida Panthers
128. Montreal Canadiens (from VGK)
Round 5
129. Anaheim Ducks
130. San Jose Sharks (from CBJ)
131. Chicago Blackhawks
132. San Jose Sharks
133. Montreal Canadiens
134. Arizona Coyotes
135. Philadelphia Flyers
136. Washington Capitals
137. Detroit Red Wings
138. St. Louis Blues
139. Carolina Hurricanes (from VAN)
140. Ottawa Senators
141. Buffalo Sabres
142. Pittsburgh Penguins
143. Nashville Predators
144. Montreal Canadiens (from CGY)
145. New York Islanders
146. Winnipeg Jets
147. Nashville Predators (from TB)
148. Seattle Kraken
149. Minnesota Wild
150. Los Angeles Kings
151. Winnipeg Jets (from NYR)
152. New York Rangers (from EDM)
153. Toronto Maple Leafs
154. New Jersey Devils
155. Colorado Avalanche
156. Columbus Blue Jackets (from BOS via MIN)
157. Dallas Stars
158. Carolina Hurricanes
159. Florida Panthers
160. Arizona Coyotes (from VGK)
Round 6
161. Anaheim Ducks
162. Arizona Coyotes (from CBJ)
163. Carolina Hurricanes (from CHI)
164. San Jose Sharks
165. Montreal Canadiens
166. Arizona Coyotes
167. Philadelphia Flyers
168. Seattle Kraken (from WSH)
169. Detroit Red Wings
170. St. Louis Blues
171. Vancouver Canucks
172. Philadelphia Flyers (from OTT)
173. Buffalo Sabres
174. Pittsburgh Penguins
175. Nashville Predators
176. Calgary Flames
177. New York Islanders
178. New York Rangers (from WPG)
179. Tampa Bay Lightning
180. Seattle Kraken
181. Minnesota Wild
182. Los Angeles Kings
183. New York Rangers
184. Edmonton Oilers
185. Toronto Maple Leafs
186. New Jersey Devils
187. Colorado Avalanche
188. Boston Bruins
189. Dallas Stars
190. Carolina Hurricanes
191. Florida Panthers
192. Vegas Golden Knights
Round 7
193. Tampa Bay Lightning (from ANA)
194. Columbus Blue Jackets
195. Chicago Blackhawks
196. San Jose Sharks
197. Montreal Canadiens
198. Florida Panthers (from ARI)
199. Philadelphia Flyers
200. Washington Capitals
201. Detroit Red Wings
202. St. Louis Blues
203. San Jose Sharks (from VAN via ARI)
204. Ottawa Senators
205. Buffalo Sabres
206. San Jose Sharks (from PIT)
207. Ottawa Senators (from NSH)
208. Calgary Flames
209. New York Islanders
210. Winnipeg Jets
211. Tampa Bay Lightning
212. Seattle Kraken
213. Minnesota Wild
214. Boston Bruins (from LA)
215. Ottawa Senators (from NYR)
216. Edmonton Oilers
217. Pittsburgh Penguins (from TOR)
218. New Jersey Devils
219. Colorado Avalanche
220. Boston Bruins
221. Dallas Stars
222. Carolina Hurricanes
223. Pittsburgh Penguins (from FLA)
224. Vegas Golden Knights
2023 NHL Draft: Pronman and Wheeler debate Danielson, Moore, Swedish ‘D’ head-to-head
Last week, Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman debated their rankings of some of the most interesting players in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Today, they’re back for more — only this time, they’ll be debating two players of the same position head-to-head, stating their case for why a team should pick one over the other.
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Here’s part two of Pronman vs. Wheeler.
Read more: NHL Staff Mock Draft 2.0: Bedard is No. 1, but where do Fantilli, Carlsson, Michkov land?
Max Bultman: Let’s start with two of the top centers in this class, Oliver Moore and Nate Danielson. Scott, you have Moore in your top 10 and Danielson at 20, and Corey, you basically the opposite.
We’ll give Scott the opening statement here: Why would you take Moore ahead of Danielson?
Scott Wheeler: Ultimately, I think Moore will just be capable of impacting the game in more ways at the next level. They’re both workers and drivers. They’re both very competitive. They’re both strong athletes who play hard. Both showed they could carry a line this year. But outside of Danielson being a couple of inches taller, I think there are some important separators that favor Moore.
NHL Draft mailbag as we’re under two weeks to go https://t.co/uHwxoipsEf — Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) June 16, 2023
The speed is obviously the big one. Danielson is a good skater. Even a plus-level one. Moore is a world-class one — best-in-class — and will be able to transport pucks in transition and put defenders on their heels in ways that few can.
But I’d also argue Moore has the edge as a handler and shooter, too, with an ability to create more looks for himself inside the offensive zone, beat the first layer of pressure, and finish with a wrister that comes off a little harder.
There’s just more dimension in a couple of small ways (Danielson can finish around the slot, too, no question) and certainly one major one.
Bultman: Corey, why should Danielson go first?
Corey Pronman: I agree with a lot of the things Scott said above. The one major disagreement I have is the skill and creating. I think Danielson has excellent skill. He’s a play driver with high-end hands who can create at high tempos. He is more skilled than Moore. He is only a couple months older but his junior production is better, both in his draft season and as an underage in a better junior league. He is a better shooter, as I thought Danielson was a more consistent threat shooting from mid-range/faceoff dot this season and a multi-dimensional guy on the power play.
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Some may argue that Moore didn’t get PP1 time/premium offensive opportunities, but Danielson had very iffy linemates around him all season while being the guy teams always matched up so I think those issues balance out.
Moore gets a significant edge in the skating department, there’s no question about it. But otherwise Danielson is 2.5 inches taller, with better skill, finishing ability, and overall track record of scoring. That’s plenty of major differences for me to close the skating gap and make me think he will be the superior pro.
Bultman: It sounds like you’re split on the evaluation of these two centers, not just the value of their profiles. But I’m curious how you each would factor in the respective quality of the two teams they played on into that conversation — Moore on the loaded NTDP, where he has more talent around him but a lesser role, and Danielson as the focal point of a less talented team overall.
Wheeler: Anecdotally, I think that prompts the question of would the two players have accomplished the same if their roles were reversed? I’d be willing to bet that Moore would have been just as productive as Danielson, if not more, had he been Brandon’s first-line centre this year, even considering the lack of talent on that team.
I would also argue with Corey’s point about Danielson’s production being better to this point on that basis. If you’re just looking at their USHL-to-WHL splits, sure, Moore registered 25 in 23 in the USHL (1.09 points per game) and Danielson scored 78 in 68 in the WHL (1.15 points per game). But if you’re looking at the entire body of work and include Moore’s larger full-season sample featuring NCAA and international competition, he was actually 75 in 60 (1.25 points per game) and also more productive on a goals per game basis (0.52 to 0.49) while playing within lesser offensive usage. That included, and this might be the most compelling piece, 11 goals and 28 points in 20 games against NCAA opponents.
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Read more: NHL Draft confidential: What scouts and executives think of Bedard, Michkov and more
Pronman: We obviously have differences of opinion on the trait grades and would think one player would have had more success than the other in a given role.
Bultman: Let’s move on to our next topic, on a pair of right-shot defenders teams will certainly be deciding between in the coming days: Tom Willander and Axel Sandin Pellikka. Corey, we’ll start with you here, as Willander shot up your final ranks into the top 15, ahead of Sandin Pellikka. Why do you prefer him now?
Pronman: I think Sandin Pellikka is more of a natural offensive guy. Anyone who has seen him run a power play, or just compared the two players’ offensive totals will see there’s a difference there. I think Willander has a more translatable game to the pro level though. He is one of the very best skaters in the draft. Sandin Pellikka is a good skater, and while some scouts feel he’s high-end in that area, I see good, not great mobility. Willander is also 2.5 inches taller, while being a better skater, and he projects to be a much better defender in the NHL. We saw at the U18s how good of a shutdown player he could be against the top NHL talents on Canada and USA.
The question then becomes how big is the offense difference between the two relative to the defensive differences. I think the offense difference will be minor even though I think Sandin Pellikka is smarter with a better shot. I think Willander can move the puck. I think he showed that as the season progressed between his play in the second half at the Swedish J20 level including the playoffs, the U18 5 nations in February and the 18 worlds in April. The sample size isn’t overly inspiring but I saw the progression in his game to where at times the Swedish U18 coach was defaulting to Willander as the main power-play guy at times over ASP. With that in mind combined with his premium athletic toolkit, I think Willander will be the better NHL defenseman.
Bultman: Scott, you have Sandin Pellikka ahead still by a solid margin. Why should teams prefer him to Willander?
Wheeler: I think it’s close enough that either could have the better NHL career. We certainly both agree that Willander’s the better skater and that, with his length, probably gives him a higher ceiling defending. I like Sandin Pellikka to become a solid defender in his own right, though, too. He’s competitive. He’s physical. He plays tight gaps really effectively through neutral ice. He reads the game well. He held his own in the SHL this season. So it’s not as though we’re comparing an excellent two-way defenseman to an all-offense guy. I think I’d contend that ASP’s mobility is closer to great, too. Certainly he has great edges/backward skating, but I like his ability to pull away going forward as well.
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And then there’s a pretty wide gap between their sense/shooting/offensive instincts. Willander plays a comfortable game moving the puck, but his play off of the offensive zone blue line was vanilla all year, both in terms of playmaking skill and in terms of his ability to even see the ambitious offensive play to begin with (he almost always makes the simple one). The Swedes also ran two pretty equal power play units in terms of usage, and spread out the talent at forward and on defense.
If Willander can add a little more dimension to his game in time, I could see my position changing, but I just haven’t seen enough from him there at this stage.
Bultman: Corey, considering how Willander rose on your list after the U18 Worlds, is there any concern about putting too much emphasis on what he showed at that event?
Pronman: It is, but with him, I think it’s less an outlier performance and more of a trend. He wasn’t a top player for Sweden at the Hlinka. Then he got better at the November five nations. Then he was very good at the World Junior A Challenge. Then he was good at the February 5 nations. Then he helped lead Rogle to a J20 title. And finally, he had that monster April tournament at the worlds. So it wasn’t about one good week but a player who continuously got better as the season progressed.
Bultman: And Scott, there aren’t a ton of top-four defensemen who are under 6 feet in the NHL (although, it’s worth noting, some of the exceptions are some of the sport’s best players). The question might be, does Sandin Pellikka have the dynamic qualities to be the next one, or is there any concern he could trend more like Adam Boqvist or Nils Lundkvist?
Wheeler: There were 92 defensemen 6 feet or under (28 percent of the league’s D, almost exactly two out of every team’s seven defensemen), and 47 defensemen 5-foot-11 and under (14 percent, or one-in-seven), who played in the NHL last year. I don’t think it’s as rare as it’s perceived to be that way.
ASP is closer to Lundkvist than Boqvist stylistically, and Lundkvist showed promise in Dallas that he could become a second-pairing guy. I think he’s a better prospect than Rasmus Sandin and Sean Durzi were at the same age, too, and both have become good NHL defensemen who’ve beaten out good, bigger NHL defensemen for their jobs. If those guys are his floor (and I think ASP is a considerably better prospect right now than Lundqvist, or Sandin, or Durzi were), and a Josh Morrissey or a Vince Dunn-type is the ceiling, that’s worthy of a high-pick play. I see more than enough quality in the way he handles the puck, attacks, shoots, and sees the ice to believe there’s a medium chance he can get there offensively.
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Bultman: Eduard Sale entered the season as one of the premium names in this class, as a 6-2 forward who’s shown lots of offense. But, Corey, he’s fallen out of your top 20 now, while Samuel Honzek has risen all the way to 13. What did Honzek do to elevate himself that way, and why did Sale fall for you?
Pronman: Honzek was interesting towards the end of last season as a big forward who could skate, PK and showed some offense. I liked him against men and with Slovakia’s U18 team, but I wasn’t as sold on the skill and playmaking until I saw him in the WHL. He showed one-on-one skill, ability to find seams, to create off the rush and get to the net. The whole package made for a versatile and highly appealing pro prospect without a clear flaw. One question I’ve asked people this year is exactly how much worse is he than Juraj Slafkovsky? He has less skill and goal-scoring touch, and everyone agrees Slafkovsky is better, but most scouts don’t push back and say there’s a wide difference between the two players.
Eduard Sale looked like a premium talent when I saw him last spring at the U18s. Then I thought he was average at the Hlinka in the summer. His season in Czechia was up and down. His world juniors were solid and some of his best hockey this season. I was in on him up until January as a super skilled albeit not super competitive wing with speed and size. Then he laid two eggs in a row at the U18 5 nations in February and the U18 Worlds in April, combined with so-so play with his club down the stretch. The consistency in his game is a major flag, and makes it hard to go to bat for him as a premium talent when his best hockey versus his age group was a year ago.
Bultman: Scott, you’ve dropped Sale as well, but he’s still a top-15 player for you in this class, compared to Honzek at No. 25. Is that a sheer upside play, or is there something else keeping Sale ahead (and in a tier above) for you?
New @TheAthletic: 2023 NHL Draft class superlatives:
– Best skaters
– Best shot
– Best passers
– Best hands
– Most competitive
– Smartest
– Top two-way forwards
– Highest floor
– Highest ceiling More: https://t.co/APx8wYdwQ6 pic.twitter.com/oJLflbmHc9 — Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 15, 2023
Wheeler: I think part of it is that I certainly wouldn’t qualify his U18 Worlds as having laid an egg. That Czech team was as talentless up front as any I can recall at that level, they were in a really tough group, and he still registered 20 of their 98 shots (nearly twice as many as his nearest teammate and four per game, including eight against Canada and an assist on their only goal against the USA), was in on six of their 13 goals (two more than his nearest teammate), and flashed legit skill.
Honzek is certainly the more complete of the two players, and Sale can come and go in games for sure, so I can understand an argument that favors him on that basis. Sale gets higher grades as a skater, handler, shooter, and passer though and I think ultimately has a higher ceiling — certainly if he can add a little more fire to his game, but maybe even if he doesn’t and there’s enough of a gap between them offensively. Honzek is a projectable middle-six forward. I haven’t seen the top-six, PP1 tools in his game that I’ve seen in Sale’s.
Bultman: Corey, I know you have Honzek rated above Sale in your upside rankings. Do you want to make a case for Honzek’s ceiling? (is this redundant to the first question?)
Pronman: Using EliteProspects’ filters based on 6-3 players or bigger by points/game in their WHL draft season over the last 20 years here are the top six:
Cody Glass 1.36
Samuel Honzek 1.30
Dylan Cozens 1.24
Kirby Dach 1.18
Conor Geekie 1.11
Michael Rasmussen 1.11
He’s absolutely in top-pick offensive production territory and has legit skill. I think he’s a better skater than Glass and Rasmussen as well even though Ras moves well for his size. He’s a lot of player and that he competes well too makes him a highly appealing prospect.
Bultman: Last word to Scott: First, any response to Corey’s point? And second, given the consistency bit, how confident are you that Sale can approach the ceiling that his raw ability creates?
Wheeler: To your first question: I would just add that all of those players, outside of Cozens, look like they were drafted too high. Whether or not they were picked high is I think less relevant to whether they were good picks. With his November birthday, Honzek’s also the oldest player in that group at the time of the draft.
To your second: It’s a fair question. Once you’re into the teens, though, there are questions about every player. Colby Barlow’s pace, Sale’s consistency, etc. I do think you’re better off betting on the ability than making a difficult judgment about a player’s competitiveness/willingness to learn and/or adjust their habits.
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos of Eduard Sale and Nate Danielson: Minas Panagiotakis, Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images)
Pronman: Why NHL Draft prospect Matvei Michkov is worth the risk
Matvei Michkov is the most fascinating prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is a No. 1 pick type of talent under normal circumstances. The things he’s done in junior hockey for his age are incredible, and as one NHL executive put it, “his junior performance is so far to the right of the bell curve he falls off the curve.” He gets the highest grades on his pure skill level and hockey sense. He’s not the biggest or fastest winger, but his offensive touch is special, and nobody in the NHL is disputing that.
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While not every NHL scout agrees, most scouts I’ve talked to think Michkov is at worst the fifth-best prospect in the 2023 draft class, and many think he’s as good or better than Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson. In conversations with a large number of NHL scouts, several expressed that they would be comfortable taking Michkov at No. 4, 3 and some even at No. 2 over Fantilli because of his star potential.
However, Michkov is signed with SKA St. Petersburg through the end of the 2025-26 KHL season. With that fact comes obvious complications for a team with a high draft pick, between the wait, the need to get him signed and the obvious issues surrounding the war in Ukraine. All those factors have resulted in NHL teams currently feeling hesitant about selecting Michkov, and Russians in general, with a high pick.
Opining about politics and Russia is not in my wheelhouse. I can’t give any informed opinions about those areas. All I can do is discuss hockey players, and try to relate this situation to the closest analogous situation I’ve seen in the past.
This is not the first time the fear of taking Russians high in the draft has been widespread. The KHL was founded in 2008, and shortly after, the Russian Factor became very real in the NHL Draft as the KHL attempted to compete with the NHL for talent. Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov became examples of top Russian talents who slid in part due to that variable. Tarasenko and Kuznetsov, who were both considered top prospects going into the 2010 NHL Draft, are now top-five scorers on a per-game basis and have two Stanley Cup rings. Tarasenko went 16th and Kuznetsov 26th. Vasilevskiy was considered a top prospect as well going into his draft; he has two rings now and is probably the No. 1 overall pick in a 2012 redraft after going 19th.
There are elements about some lesser-known names in the 2023 NHL Draft that give them “sleeper” potential.@coreypronman on the players he thinks could elevate their prospect stock significantly with good development.https://t.co/qkrknBZmTa — The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 15, 2023
Some skeptics point to SKA’s relationship to the Russian government and the team’s vast resources, and worry that Michkov could stay beyond the current three-year deal. Michkov is saying the right things about how he wants to play in the NHL. He can’t guarantee when that is going to be.
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“The situation is volatile there, who knows what could happen next?” said one NHL scout, who, along with the other scouts and executives I interviewed for this article, was granted anonymity in order to speak freely about Michkov. “You saw with the Flyers last summer. They couldn’t get that goalie [Ivan Fedotov] over because he was arrested and enlisted. Maybe your guy gets arrested. Maybe he is forced to enlist. There’s all kinds of uncertainties.”
While the Flyers ran into major issues with Fedotov, plenty of Russian players have come to the NHL in the last 12 months, such as top free agent Andrei Kuzmenko and first-round picks Fedor Svechkov, Yarolsav Askarov and Ivan Miroshnichenko, although there have at times been obstacles in getting players back, like with Kirill Kaprizov last summer.
“At some point, the talent is so massive relative to the alternative that you take the gamble, but in the top five, top 10 even, you’re still getting an excellent player, and the difference between that guy and no player is rather huge to your organization” said an executive who was also skeptical of taking Michkov high.
That talent delta between Michkov and what will be the next best alternative is an important variable to consider. It’s close between him and Adam Fantilli in the eyes of most scouts, and it’s why most scouts will not fault a team for taking Fantilli. Enough believe Carlsson and Will Smith are close or close enough in ability to not question that either.
But when it starts becoming Michkov versus David Reinbacher, Zachary Benson, Dalibor Dvorsky, Nate Danielson, Gabe Perreault, Ryan Leonard or Colby Barlow, most scouts agree there is a massive gap in ability, and you are leaving a lot of talent on the board by picking someone other than Michkov. There are no guarantees as well on any of those players hitting to their potential.
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In my opinion, there is a significant drop in ability from Michkov to Carlsson. The drop in talent is equivalent of that from Carlsson to the 18th-ranked player on my draft board. I have Will Smith from the U.S. NTDP closely behind Carlsson, but in terms of Michkov to the next best non-Carlsson/Smith player, that drop is cataclysmic. It’s the equivalent of the difference between Carlsson and players rated as late-round picks in terms of hockey ability. If Carlsson, Smith and Fantilli are gone and you take someone other than Michkov, in my opinion, you are picking a dramatically worse player.
The opportunity cost is also massive if you say no to Michkov. This is a rare draft where a talent of his caliber could be available beyond the first few picks due to the unique strength at the top of the draft. If you decline to pick Michkov, a player with truly elite skill and hockey sense, as a management group, you may not get a second chance to pick a player again of that caliber of skill. They don’t come along every draft; they didn’t in 2022 or 2021. Lafrenière and Jack Hughes were elite skill No. 1 picks, although Michkov is notably more skilled than both at the same age, albeit nowhere close to as good a skater as Hughes and smaller than Lafrenière. As well, with the way the lottery format is currently set up in the NHL, even if that player is available, you likely won’t be able to select him even if your team is terrible.
There is an asset management argument to this decision too. Even if you aren’t enamored with the player due to something in his skill set, or the geopolitical situation, if he becomes a KHL star over the next few years there will be serious trade demand for that player once his deal is up.
“It always comes back to evaluation, right? If he’s a star, you take him. If he’s not, then you start evaluating trade-offs,” said one former NHL GM. “There are so few star players in a draft realistically — if you have a shot to take one, you take it.”
The risks posed by the three-year contract can arguably be overrated too, if you think about what the typical timeline is for a non-elite NHL prospect to both: 1) Make their NHL team, and 2) Make a difference on that team. For all the players I listed above, it is highly unlikely that within the next three seasons they are helping an NHL team in a meaningful way. Maybe one or two do, and I can’t confidently tell you which ones those are.
“If any of the teams in a position to take him believe they are going to make a quick turnaround they’re fooling themselves,” said the ex-GM. “Realistically all young players are going to take years to develop before you’re ready to win with them anyways. The timeline concern is not valid in my opinion.”
Whether you agree or disagree, a team’s specific situation is often referenced by NHL sources in making both the Michkov determination and picking Russians such as Daniil But and Dmitri Simashev high; teams generally rate them highly as NHL prospects. Does that club have multiple first-round picks? Is the GM new or on a short leash? Is ownership a willing participant? Does the club have a rich prospect pool or is it bare bones? Is ownership willing to give hockey operations enough time to let Michkov arrive before making a change? These are variables raised by a number of executives in discussing the decision making process. Kirill Kaprizov, who mind you was a fifth-round pick, not a top five pick, and was not considered a premium prospect at the time of his draft, was drafted by one GM and ended up playing for the Wild two manager changes later.
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“The opinions of hockey ops are not going to be that relevant,” said one scouting director. “Most evaluators agree he’s a top talent. This pick will come down to management and especially ownership. Can they stomach the risks?”
New post @TheAthleticNHL: 2023 NHL Draft confidential: what scouts think of the top prospects https://t.co/WpMdTW48Bk — Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) June 13, 2023
A very reasonable counter-argument posed to me from several executives for picking Michkov, is, frankly, that it’s not my job on the line if things go badly — if he signs another extension, if the geopolitical situation gets worse and getting players out of Russia becomes much more difficult or if the player simply doesn’t perform.
I get that argument. It’s much easier for me to say that teams should pick him from my keyboard. If things turn south with Michkov, The Athletic is not firing me (I hope!). Fans may not like it — they tend to want to win at all costs —but self preservation is a part of the human psyche and is absolutely a variable with teams. Management groups typically have five years to show meaningful progress, so it’s tough to go to bat for a guy who may join your team in four seasons. There are people in the league who have little appetite to risk their jobs on this pick. But there are also others who see the player as an avenue to turning their club around. If the pick doesn’t work out, is that a fireable offense? If you pass on him and it works out is it a fireable offense? That’s a question on the minds of many NHL personnel, I’m sure.
I personally have skepticisms that Michkov will sign an extension. Based on how he performed in the KHL this season, chances are that three years from now he will be a star KHL player looking for a new challenge. There is no guarantee that will be the case, though. Maybe on a top team like SKA he struggles to push his way to the top of a lineup consistently with his size and skating. But odds are he will be a top player by the end of his current deal. SKA’s public messaging has always been encouraging players to go to the NHL when “they’re ready,” although they may not always agree on when that is.
In terms of whether the geopolitical situation worsens, that is an unpredictable matter. The facts of the Ukraine war haven’t changed substantially since this time last year, where several Russian players went in the first and second round and none were close to the player Michkov is.
Among some evaluators I’ve spoken with, there is a personality question with Michkov too. It’s not a universal opinion in the industry, though. Based on the little in-person interaction I’ve had with Michkov, he was not exactly the most charming individual in the world and was a bit standoffish. I think he rubs people the wrong way, is a little arrogant, and may not be the most likeable personality in the world, but I also think that’s sometimes part of the process of being told you’re the next big thing since you were 12 years old. Jack Hughes rubbed people the wrong way too at times as a draft-eligible and safe to say he’s turned out OK. With personality issues, I look for the smoking gun. Is there a major incident I need to be aware of? Does it manifest itself constantly on-ice? I don’t think it rises to that level with Michkov. None of the team personnel I know who have interviewed Michkov via Zoom have come away saying there’s a major problem either.
Finally, some are just not full believers in the player. They see a small, average-skating one-way winger who has a ton of skill but they’re skeptical that it will translate into an impact NHL player. Some scouts reject the “best Russian prospect since Ovechkin” talk that has followed Michkov for years and say he’s closer to Tarasenko at the same age.
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If Michkov became an NHL star he would be a unique one. I can’t ever recall someone who was an elite player in the NHL with his frame and skating and without excellent compete. It’s not too dissimilar from what we saw in the NFL Draft a few months ago, where Bryce Young, a barely 5-foot-11 quarterback with average mobility went No. 1 overall despite almost no comparables in recent memory to his frame and play style at that point of the draft. But he had special football IQ and the track record to justify teams thinking he can be the exception to the rules. Will Michkov be the exception to the rule?
Michkov is one of the most interesting prospect cases in my time covering the draft. He has special qualities. He has major flaws as a player for a potential No. 1 overall pick type of talent in normal circumstances. Players of his caliber are typically in the NHL right after the NHL Draft, not four seasons later. The context and unpredictability of the Russia-Ukraine war hangs over Michkov’s selection as well.
New post @TheAthleticNHL: @scottcwheeler and I debate top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft https://t.co/xFJATir2lh — Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) June 12, 2023
I’ve heard the arguments against taking him. The long KHL contract. The war. His skating. He’s probably not actually 5-foot-10, but closer to 5-9. He’s not the most likeable kid. He couldn’t make SKA’s KHL team this season.
They’re all reasonable arguments, and in the context of 99% of quality prospects many of those arguments would be highly concerning and some would be fatal flaws.
But Michkov is in the other 1%. Inside the offensive zone, I can’t remember a better first-year draft eligible I’ve seen in my time covering the NHL Draft in terms of his combination of offensive skill, hockey sense and scoring ability. He’s a special player, “a hockey genius” as one scouting director put it. I believe you should stomach the risks on a player like him, even if the risks are massive, because if he hits, you are talking about the caliber of player who can be an NHL MVP candidate.
I respect the arguments against picking him and realize I won’t bear the career downside of this going sideways other than to my reputation. I ranked Michkov third on my big board, and I would pick him there if I were in charge of an NHL Draft. Time will tell if that would be the right move or not.
(Illustration: Sean Reilly / The Athletic; photo: RvS.Media / Basile Barbey / Getty Images)
NHL offseason dominoes: Moves that could create chaos
In the NHL, one thing always leads to another. Trades, signings and draft picks are never made in a vacuum. One move has reverberations leading to others, like a stone tossed in the water or dominoes tumbling into each other.
Please recall last summer, when the Pittsburgh Penguins traded defenseman John Marino to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round pick. That was to open up a roster spot and salary space so GM Ron Hextall could trade for 34-year-old Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry.
The dominoes kept falling. Marino was great for the Devils, helping to make Damon Severson expendable, who then signed a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets after the Devils traded him there earlier this month. Hextall, who made the Petry deal, is now the Penguins’ former GM.
This offseason will bring more chain reactions, some in close proximity to each other and others down the line.
The following five scenarios are presented for maximum chaos. Take them under consideration as possible outcomes in the multiverse of madness that is the NHL offseason, rather than firm predictions. In each case, the fallout will be as interesting as the catalysts.
Here are some offseason dominoes we’d like to see fall in the NHL:
Islanders sign Samuel Bolduc to two-year contract extension
The Islanders got another piece of offseason business done and dusted ahead of next week’s 2023 NHL Draft.
Defenseman Samuel Bolduc, a pending restricted free agent, signed a two-year extension, the team announced.
It’s a one-way deal with an $800,000 average annual value, according to an industry source.
The deal will keep Bolduc under contract through age 24, when he will again hit restricted free agency.
The Quebec native made his NHL debut last season, skating in 17 regular-season games and scoring twice with an assist.
While the Islanders dealt with various injuries on the back end, Bolduc acquitted himself well enough to be in the mix for a more permanent spot coming into training camp for 2023-24.
Bolduc had a standout year at the AHL level, too, scoring 35 points in 56 games as he bounced back from a disappointing 2021-22.
The Islanders re-signed defenseman Samuel Bolduc to a two-year contract extension. Getty Images
Islanders defenseman Samuel Bolduc battles Capitals forward T.J. Oshie for the puck on March 29, 2023. AP
The question now is whether he can beat out Sebastian Aho for the final spot on the left side of the blue line — or whether Scott Mayfield will depart in free agency, potentially forcing one of the two to shift to the right.
2023-24 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff odds, predictions and preview
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According to oddsmakers, there is no clear favorite in the NHL next season. At least not yet.
Perhaps that sentiment changes after what should be a manic offseason, but for now the bookies are not comfortable putting one team in its own tier like it did with Colorado ahead of the last two regular seasons.
Instead, BetMGM has tagged the Avalanche (+800) just a slight favorite over the Bruins and Maple Leafs (both +950), with the Oilers right on their tails at 10/1.
They have plenty of company, too, as the Devils, Hurricanes, and Golden Knights are all currently 12/1 while there are four other teams (Rangers, Stars, Lightning, and Panthers) between 14/1 and 18/1.
So what are the bookmakers trying to tell us ahead of what will be the busiest two weeks of the NHL offseason?
Parity is back.
The first two seasons after the pandemic hiatus were chalky.
Favorites were clipping at a historic rate in the NHL, and we had two powerhouses (Tampa Bay and Colorado) lift the Stanley Cup.
But the 2022-23 playoffs were full of surprises, and it looks like we could be dealing with more of the same in 2023-24.
One reason we can expect things to get a bit more chaotic is that there are serious questions (not just: Can they stay healthy for 82 games?) to be asked of every team at the top of the board and there’s an emerging middle class of upstarts that will be doing the asking.
Colorado’s depth is a problem, the Leafs are in flux, while the Oilers, Hurricanes and Golden Knights have murky goaltending situations.
And unlike in the past few seasons, this time around there are a handful of rising powers that are ready to steal a spot at the party if things fall apart for one of the big boys.
The Seattle Kraken are poised to make a leap this offseason NHLI via Getty Images
One thing this odds board makes clear is that nobody knows what to expect in the summer.
This could be the weakest free agency class we’ve seen in a decade, but there are plenty of massive names on the trade market, with a handful of teams like the Jets, Flames, and Maple Leafs all rumored to be considering trading away game-breaking players.
All the while, almost every team with aspirations of contending next season is dealing with salary cap problems.
This all adds up to a very unpredictable offseason.
That is good news for bettors, who stand a much better chance at beating the market to big NHL moves than they do in sports like the NFL or NBA, where a lot more people are paying attention.
That means that if you think a team on the outside (say, Los Angeles, Detroit, or Seattle) is setting up for a big move, you’re going to want to beat the market by betting on them before the acquisition becomes official because once it does the number will likely crash a bit.
Connor McDavid looks to lead the Oilers this upcoming season NHLI via Getty Images
Betting on the NHL?
The offseason has yet to even begin, so this is a very early look at the betting landscape for 2023-24, but there are a couple of teams that will likely see their odds adjusted as we get closer to October.
The Sabres and Senators are likely to be trendy sleeper picks, while we could see a big long shot like the Blue Jackets taking some money if they continue to be aggressive this summer.
One prediction I’ll make now: The Oilers will be the betting favorite on opening night.
2023 NHL Draft survey: Scouts, players and staff dish on Bedard, Michkov, more
The premise of my annual draft survey is simple and ambitious: three different questions for three different groups of people who are involved at three different levels of each draft. NHL scouts and staff get one question. The players themselves get another. The general managers and coaches in the leagues they play in get another.
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Each question is designed to elicit insight unique to their role in the draft. The goal is to provide a trio of differing perspectives on what is ultimately the same thing: this year’s draft-eligible prospects.
This year, the finished product includes a total of 95 respondents. Here are the results.
Note: The following answers are lightly edited for clarity and length.
NHL scout survey
I asked 16 scouts and team staff the following question this year: “Where would you rank Matvei Michkov in this class if all else was equal and the geopolitical and contractual considerations weren’t a factor?”
The goal was to garner a better sense of the consensus on the actual hockey player. Given how much readers have asked about him, I felt this was as good an opportunity as any to provide a baseline for what teams are passing up on because of extenuating factors.
Three scouts said they hadn’t seen enough of him to form an opinion. Another replied, “I am not going to touch that one haha.” Here’s where the rest landed.
Scout 1: He probably ranks No. 2. His play in the KHL has been as good as you could hope for from a draft eligible: solid production, strong underlying analytical metrics and glowing scouting reports. After Bedard, he is the only prospect that likely could make the jump to the NHL next year and has higher upside than (Leo) Carlsson or (Adam) Fantilli.
Scout 2: Second or third.
If third, who’d be second for you?
Fantilli.
*pause in texts*
Or (Connor) Bedard.
Scout 3: Third.
Behind Bedard and who?
Fantilli.
Scout 4: I haven’t seen Michkov play this year so I don’t have an accurate assessment. Though from what I’m hearing I would slot him in between 6-10.
Scout 5: Michkov would rank just behind Bedard in that scenario.
Scout 6: Hell of a question. I’m debating between 1 and 2. I think it’s probably 2. I think I value the goal-scoring upside in Bedard a bit more.
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Scout 7: 1B. Both players put together generational draft years.
Scout 8: Second.
Scout 9: Second. I would have Bedard in a tier at the top, next tier would be Michkov in his own tier before the group of Fantilli, Carlsson, (Will) Smith.
Scout 10: Good Q. No. 3 for me.
Behind Bedard and who?
Fantilli. Original, I know.
Scout 11: Given our standing situation MM was a guy I only watched once all year. So, not a situation I can weigh in on with any authority. In saying that, I still have him second on my list when weighing all those factors. But again, given my much lower sample sizes are on the “top” 3-4 guys, I can’t say with much certainty that it would still be the case if I watched those guys more.
Scout 12: Good question. Tough one, I had to think about it as we won’t be in consideration for either. I think Michkov over Fantilli at No. 2 for me.
Player survey
I ask the prospects of each draft class the same question each year: “Who is the most talented non-teammate you’ve played against in the class? Not necessarily the best, but the most talented.”
This year, I surveyed 61 prospects, but with one more caveat: They couldn’t answer Bedard, either.
Then I left them to think about it and come back with an answer. Their responses, I think, are illuminating of which players have impressed their peers.
Ethan Gauthier called Zach Benson “the best player I’ve played on a line with.” Michael Hrabal quipped “You know the players” and refused to answer when pressed, with a smile on his face. Multiple players credited Colby Barlow for how hard he is to stop. One said they told an NHL club in an interview that they’d take Brayden Yager with them to the NHL if they could pick. Only nine of the 60 votes went to defencemen because of the nature of the question, and five of those were for Axel Sandin Pellikka, who was most popular among U.S. NTDP players in what I thought was a notable sign of respect.
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Here was the final tally, ranked by most common (number of responses in parentheses).
1. Will Smith (8)
2. Zach Benson (7)
3. Colby Barlow (6)
T4. Calum Ritchie, Axel Sandin Pellikka (5)
T6. Leo Carlsson, Andrew Cristall, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg (3)
T10. Adam Fantilli, Jayden Perron, Brayden Yager, Etienne Morin (2)
T14. Eduard Sale, Quentin Musty, Luca Cagnoni, Luca Pinelli, Gracyn Sawchyn, Ryan Leonard, Nick Lardis, David Reinbacher, Riley Heidt (1)
Connor Bedard (AP Photo / Abbie Parr)
WHL coaches, GMs and player survey
Over the course of this season, I surveyed staff and players from around the WHL to try to find fresh perspectives and insights into Bedard. It has felt like everything that can be said or written about him has been said or written about him. By pundits. By people with Hockey Canada and the Regina Pats. By him. By his family. By us here at The Athletic, where we’ve written several features across several years, travelled to spend time with him and broken down the ins and outs of his game on tape and his game in the data.
But we haven’t actually heard much from his opponents and peers, at least not the ones who are most familiar with what it’s like to play with and against him. His world juniors teammates saw it — and were asked about it — for two weeks, sure, but few of them actually know it and so you get mostly “oohs and aahs.” But there are some who’ve been seeing it and around it for years. The coaches who’ve game-planned for or against him, the GMs who’ve tried to construct ways to do the same, and the players — and goalies! — who’ve played against him or skated with him, who’ve tried to stop him or tried to get him pucks, in many cases since minor hockey.
And so, 18 of those people were asked some version of the same question: “Tell me something I don’t know about Bedard. Something that flies under the radar. Something that other people don’t see or get wrong.”
Some of their answers were blunt. Some were funny. Some reinforced what we already know.
Here’s what they all said.
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Peter Anholt (Lethbridge Hurricanes GM): “Sorry Scott. Nothing that Connor does for me flies under the radar. No one has been more dissected than this kid. That’s probably what flies under the radar most, is how he has handled the attention.”
Jeff Chynoweth (Calgary Hitmen GM): There is nothing about his game in my opinion that flies under the radar. He was off the charts at the world juniors and has taken it to another level since returning to the WHL. It is like he is playing a video game.”
Steve Hamilton (Calgary Hitmen HC): His versatility on the power play. Could play any one of the five spots without a ripple. Flows into space based on where the good ice is.
Dave Struch (Everett Silvertips AHC, former Regina Pats HC for Bedard’s first two seasons): His preparation before and after a game or practice. It’s nothing fascinating but it’s a pro mentality. The work/rest/focus etc. that he has put (is putting) in to his game when no one is watching.
Luke Pierce (Edmonton Oil Kings HC): I would say recently it has been his playmaking ability. From early December on it has been incredible. Was “easier” to defend him as a pure shooter but his playmaking improvement has made defending him extremely difficult.
Kirt Hill (Edmonton Oil Kings GM): His playmaking in my opinion. Everyone talks about his shot and ability to score, but his passing and ability to be accurate all the time with his passes is a huge part of his game and success. That’s forehand and backhand, which are both elite.
Curtis Hunt (Prince Albert Raiders GM): How strong he is on his skates and how he has developed his physical game.
Bill LaForge (Seattle Thunderbirds GM): I would say his competitive nature. He is in every battle.
Matt O’Dette (Seattle Thunderbirds HC): Thankfully we didn’t have to face him when we visited Regina. Just from watching him, I’m always surprised with his competitiveness and feistiness. Nice combination for a player with that type of skill.
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Dennis Williams (Everett Silvertips HC/GM, HC with Team Canada at the 2023 world juniors): One thing for sure is his compete without the puck. His one-on-one battles. He pursues pucks very well and has a very good stick on takeaways. Strong on his skates with great puck protection skills.
Anonymous coach: He wants the puck all over the ice. It’s not like he just wants it off the rush. He wants the puck low, he wants the puck high, he wants it everywhere. And you just want the puck on his stick as much as possible, which is why I think he’s best as a centre. I think it would be wild to have him as a winger (in the NHL). And his competitiveness, I felt like that was something that people really undervalued. Like he’s chippy and he’ll self-govern himself. Like he’ll go after guys. People were taking full-blown runs at this kid and he’s throwing bigger reverse hits, he’s getting elbows up, and he’s right in the mix of things. I think it’s still underrated, even now.
Fraser Minten (Kamloops Blazers forward, former teammate at West Van Academy): I don’t know if there’s something that isn’t out there already (laughs). I think maybe just that he’s a normal kid. There’s nothing superhuman about him or anything like that. Everything he has gotten is from incredible amounts of hard work and passion. He’s just a super passionate, competitive, driven guy. You watch “The Last Dance” and you think of him as having that kind of drive and will to win. You watch him in the first round this year in the playoffs and he demonstrates that, you watch him in the world juniors, the bigger the game the bigger the moment and he always rises up. But a lot of people think he’s got some ability that’s genetic or born like that and it was all hard-earned and he has progressed every single year. So maybe just keeping in mind that he’s just a normal guy and anyone can do what he’s doing if they’re willing to sacrifice and put in as much work as he has.
Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors forward, does Power Edge Pro skates with Bedard in the offseason): He doesn’t really put too much out there. He’s just a great person. He’s confident but he’s just a great person away from the rink. He’s somebody I look up to. Obviously the stuff he does on the ice is pretty incredible so to just watch him is pretty special. He’s probably the best prospect since, I don’t know, (Sidney) Crosby. There’s obviously a lot of pressure on him and he seems to be handling it pretty well.
You look at the stuff that he’s doing every night, it’s incredible. You’ve got to know where he is on the ice because he’s super dangerous. Just knowing where he’s at on the ice because he’s going to make you look pretty silly if you don’t. Connor Bedard is an unbelievable player.
Jackson Unger (Moose Jaw Warriors goalies): The toughest thing as a goalie is undoubtedly his shot. He’s got a couple past me this season. He beat me off the rush. Off the rush he just does this toe-drag release, the Auston Matthews shot, and it works like a charm for him. He changes the angle so quickly that as a goalie you have to adjust to it, but when he does it so fast it’s easier said than done. It’s a lot of different angles he can give you. (And) I think his speed is underrated. He’s a really fast skater. Like once he gets going, he’s buzzing.
Scott Ratzlaff (Seattle Thunderbirds goalie): It’s just trying to get out, face him, and hope it hits ya. *smiles* And he can shoot from anywhere and he’s lethal from anywhere. You’ve just always got to be ready just in case he shoots it. And then he’s got a really good toe drag release, so it’s watching for that and making sure you’re lined up.
Luca Cagnoni (Portland Winterhawks defenceman): The one thing I think that’s underrated is his strength. He can definitely throw the body around. It happened to us when we played against him. He had a couple of good hits. And then a lot of people talk about his shot but I think he’s just as good a playmaker and he’s really deceptive. That’s what makes him so hard to play against is you don’t know if he’s going to shoot, dangle or pass it because he’s so deceptive and you never know what he’s going to do. He did walk me when I was there, unfortunately, but that’s a part of it. He’s also not as talkative as people might think he would be. He’s not quiet but he’s super humble and a great guy to talk to.
Growing up, he played North Shore so we played him and West Van a lot. That bantam prep year when he came in, he was still an underager and he led the league and everyone just knew that he was the next big thing — the next big Connor.
Zach Benson (Winnipeg Ice forward, former spring hockey teammate and current offseason training mate): I think the hardest thing to contain is his shot. He can just shoot from anywhere and put it in the net. I’d say his agility and his passing fly under the radar. Everyone is so focused on his shot because he can score from anywhere but he can also put a puck right on a platter for ya and he’s so agile. He can move left to right like no one I’ve seen before.
We have so many memories. We went to Europe to play together for a tournament and we were on a line there. It’s pretty special. He’s super humble, just a super nice human being and he’s all about his craft away from the rink. He’s rolling out, he’s doing recovery, he’s putting the right food in his body. It’s what makes him special on the ice.
Nate Danielson (Brandon Wheat Kings forward): I played against him once or twice in bantam and then we were in the same league in midget. He was always one of the better players as an underage. So we knew he was a special player. But I think he has even taken it to another level now. It’s pretty cool to see. Obviously his shot is something pretty special but his creativity as well, I don’t think he gets enough credit for his playmaking ability as well as his shot. It’s pretty tough to stop him. You actually have to almost not worry about him too much. He’ll just make you look silly if you just follow him around out there.
(Illustration: Sean Reilly / The Athletic; photos: Dave Sandford, Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Diagnosed With Sickle Cell Disease, NFL Star Tevin Coleman and Wife Detail 4 YO Daughter’s Gritty Fight: “No One Ever Talked to Me”
Beneath the glitz and glamor of the NFL world, some individuals silently fight against sickle cell disease. It’s certainly more common than you think. This genetic blood disorder brings challenges, from excruciating pain to increased infection risk. But amidst the struggle, advancements in medical care offer hope, and 49-ers RB Tevin Coleman is a star example.
He wasn’t aware that he carried sickle-cell disease until he suffered from fatigue during soccer training. Despite struggling to finish practices, he never gave up. However, it was a hard pill to swallow when, in 2017, Tevin and his wife Akilah discovered that one of their twins, Nazaneen, would have unique health needs thanks to this heart-wrenching disease.
Tevin Coleman and Akilah’s Battle Against Sickle Cell
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Despite facing challenges on the field, Tevin Coleman has proven himself a valuable asset to the 49ers. His record of five touches for 70 yards and two scores is a testament to his hard work and dedication. However, the star San Francisco 49ers RB has not always been just a player but has used the NFL platform to raise awareness for sickle cell. After all, it was tough to know how his, then 4-months old daughter, would have to push through the effects of this disease.
However, Tevin and Akilah quickly learned much about managing Nazaneen’s symptoms but weren’t ready to go public with their story immediately. “I just wanted to protect my daughter when I first learned she first had it,” Tevin has now shared. “I wanted to protect her — from the public, from everybody. So that’s why I didn’t say anything at first.”
“If You Were My Kid, We Wouldn’t Even Be…”- Former Super Bowl Winner Once Narrated the Chilling Tale of How Steelers’ HC Mike Tomlin Saved Him From Himself
However, in a recent interview with Inside, San Francisco 49ers running back Tevin Coleman opened up about how the duo manages the disease with a “playbook.” In this 40-second spot released earlier this month, Coleman and his wife Akilah outline their experience and share how “Communication is big for us and our daughter every day. Proactive care is vital for people living with sickle cell.”
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Raising Nazaneen’s Fierce Spirit by Eliminating the Fear of the Disease
For Coleman, juggling Nazaneen’s sickle cell disease with the fact that she is only four years old is part of the reality. He and Akilah work to keep Nazaneen focused on what she enjoys doing while also working to prevent a pain crisis and hospital visits. “We merely instill in her the skills of self-care and pain recognition. We show her how to see that through a child’s perspective.” Though Tevin and Akilah say Nezerah doesn’t know his twin sister’s diagnosis, they feel like “it’s almost as if he knows.”
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But the efforts don’t end here. It is heartwarming to know that this NFL running back put up his game-worn cleats for auction to benefit the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. They made the cleats keeping Nazaneen in mind. That’s why they’re extra special. Also, he recently bought a beautiful double-sided diamond pendant that features his two lovely children. We believe the spirit of family keeps you going, doesn’t it?
Watch this Story: Tom Brady Went to the Same High School as This Controversial MLB Hall of Famer Who Was Also a 14x All-Star
Where does Cowboys LB Micah Parsons rank among NFL’s top pieces to build around?
Year 3 of Micah Parsons’ professional career is almost upon us.
In a span of two seasons, the Cowboys linebacker has blossomed into one of the NFL’s premier defensive forces. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks had some high praise for Parsons when he broke down how championship rosters can be built around franchise quarterbacks. When it comes to title-contending rosters, non-quarterbacks are some of the most important pieces in a lineup.
Brooks compiled a list of the NFL’s top non-QB franchise players to build around, kicking things off with Parsons at No. 1.
“If defense wins championships, the first piece of a championship puzzle should be a dominant edge defender with take-over-the-game potential. In his two NFL seasons so far, Parsons has accumulated 26.5 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, 56 quarterback hits and six forced fumbles as a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, establishing himself as the most disruptive defender in the game,” Brooks writes.
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“The 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year is a unicorn, a premier pass rusher who moonlights as a spectacular off-ball linebacker on early downs. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is showing the football world how to deploy Parsons like the queen on the chessboard. The third-year pro is the perfect playmaker to build a franchise around.”
Parsons enters the 2023 season with big plans, focusing on the impact he can make in the game over individual accolades. He has spent the offseason bulking up for a bigger role and taking pointers from former Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth.
To make the list, Brooks focused on some of the NFL’s top playmakers under the age of 26. Other names on the list include Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers, Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings and Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets.
The Cowboys have focused on making their offense Dak Prescott-friendly this offseason, but they also made some moves that complement Parsons. The drafting of Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft could be viewed as one of those moves.
What else will Dallas do to build around Parsons?
See Brooks’ full list here.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Amazon Aims For ‘New Sports Holiday For NFL Fans’ On Black Friday
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 13: Amazon Prime broadcasters speak on stage on the field prior to an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders at Soldier Field on October 13, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
The future of sport for fans and advertisers alike lies in streaming, according to Marie Donoghue, Vice President of Global Sports Video at Amazon, as she offered a jaw-dropping statistic to support her case at a Cannes Lions event charting the evolution of live sports viewing.
“By 2026, 136 million fans will be streaming sports,” she quoted from New Marketer. “It’s the present and it’s the future. It’s a great opportunity to bring great content, convenience and value to fans, and for advertisers to interact and engage.
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“Viewers are younger, more affluent and spend a lot more time with the game. A lot of our audience wasn’t even watching NFL on other services.”
Donogue oversees all of Prime Video’s global sports video and was pivotal in last year’s launch of . She explained that the focus has remained on the fan since then. “We didn’t want to be different for the sake of being different. We needed to create a broadcast that worked. [That’s] not always easy on streaming, you needed to find it easily. Then we added alternate broadcasts and prime vision with data overlays. But it’s all about the fan.”
Now, Amazon has ambitious plans to further tap into the booming market. Donaghue mentioned the prospect of tying Black Friday to the NFL game that same afternoon — “it’s an opportunity to create a new sports holiday for fans.”
Unsurprisingly, her fellow speakers on a sports-themed panel were equally enthusiastic about the new global audiences streaming platforms are able to reach.
Matt Brabants, SVP, Head of International Content Partnerships, NBA, told the session: “For us it’s all about accessibility, innovation and customisation. We have a global brand, we have fans all around the world accessing content in time zones and on different devices. What can provide the most accessibility possible?”
He said NBA would be looking to expand its offering of local language feeds, and figuring out how to provide new features to make the game more personal to each fan. He also referred to the NBA’s launch of a streaming service in Brazil this year.
“Trying to link sporting stories to commercial opportunities around advertisers is something Prime Video has helped us tap into in Brazil, which was previously a lot harder with media companies. We can add scale, and provide ads for individual viewers. These are the types of technological innovation that is not just going to make the broadcast more interesting, but also more commercially relevant.”
Sporting greats
Two sporting legends-turned-pundits gave their personal experience of moving away from legacy media broadcasting to the streaming platforms.
Tony Gonzalez, Hall of Fame tight end and now postgame analyst for Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage, recognised that streaming viewing represents a big change for many.
“The biggest fear is, this is not normally how I watch the game. But you have all these different options: you can see the play-calls, so if you’re a hardcore fan, you can see the plays, how fast the players are running, automatic replay, different angles. It takes your viewing experience to a whole new level. I nerded out when I saw it. I would have loved to have had this growing up.”
Celebrated footballing great Clarence Seedorf shared his enthusiasm for the advances in technology propelled by streaming in the UEFA Champions League.
He said: “People have been used to a certain formula for so many years, so anything new is a challenge. Will I understand it? As a pundit, many times technology is a support tool, not just for those playing the game, but it’s a nice way to engage. You can feel, get feedback on the spot, there are so many important aspects.”
Earning $109,000,000 in Two Years, Aaron Rodgers “Begging Strangers for Money” Gets Flagged by NFL Insider
NY Jets QB1 Aaron Rodgers has taken up almost all the headline real estate this offseason. However, the charismatic passer, who is normally in the news for his gridiron prowess, finds himself under scrutiny for a surprising move in the entrepreneurship sector. The former Green Bay Packers signal-caller has sparked controversy this week after he turned to the masses, hat in hand, in search of financial support.
Aaron Rodgers received significant flak this week for requesting an infusion of $1.235 million from his fans for his start-up venture. Crowdfunding is not a strange concept for start-ups. However, given Rodgers’ immense wealth, PFF Insider Mike Florio didn’t expect the QB1 to resort to public donations.
Aaron Rodgers wants your money for his latest start-up venture
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Months after embarking on the Broadway-bound road to fulfil the Jets’ much-waited Lombardi aspirations, Aaron Rodgers looks ready for a ‘Shark Tank’ feature. The 39-year-old quarterback recently urged fans to join in on the ‘Online Sports Database’ hype. An online startup, that the Super Bowl XLV champion co-founded with actor, Ryan Rottman, OSDB aims to become “the IMDb (Internet Movie Database) of the sports market,” as per Rottman. After already raising $4 million in funding, Rodgers announced a crowdfunding campaign to raise an additional $1.235 million this week.
This did not sit well with Florio, given Rodgers’ $200 million net worth. Also, the quarterback is scheduled to make another $109 million over the next two years as part of his Jets contract. “I’m just astounded by it,” Florio said.
“Why are you trying to raise $1.235 million by begging strangers for money? Money for nothing. Donations. Crowdfunding. Fancy words for ‘Give Me Money’ please. I have no problem with people seeking online support for their causes. But usually, it’s people who don’t have a lot of money in their bank. And are not entitled to $109 million over the next two years,” the PFF writer added.
This isn’t Rodgers’ first start-up venture. The QB is also a co-founder of RX3 Growth Partners. The company has invested in some profitable businesses like ‘Therabody’, ‘Full Swing’, and ‘Manscaped’. However, instead of crowdfunding, A-Rod found investment elsewhere. Some of the notable investors in RX3 included Buffalo Bills QB1 Josh Allen and Olympian swimming icon Michael Phelps.
ALSO READ: Long-Time Rival Calls Out Aaron Rodgers’ Ability to Make Jets a Contender
However, this time, it looks as though the crowdsourcing idea came to Rodgers from his former team, the Packers.
The Green Bay Packers run on a crowdfunded business model
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Aaron Rodgers may have left Green Bay. However, he has taken with him some valuable business lessons. The crowdfunding lesson is definitely one of them. The Wisconsin-based NFL franchise is the only sporting organization in the nation that is publicly owned, with over 530,000 shareholders.
USA Today via Reuters Oct 30, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) after the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Given the success that ‘Titletown’ has enjoyed over the past decades, it’s no surprise that Rodgers wants to incorporate some of the same logic in his own business venture.
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Will Aaron Rodgers call off the crowdfunded campaign for OSDB or will the online chatter make no difference for the newest entrepreneur in Metropolis?
WATCH THIS STORY: Unleashing her wanderlust, Aaron Rodgers’ NASCAR ex-girlfriend Danica Patrick packs her bags for an epic solo vacation
“Your Franchise Will Crumble Without Him”: NFL Fans and Shaquille O’Neal Fight Back “Fire Him” Demands Against Coach Who Almost Stole Patrick Mahomes From Chiefs
Sean McVay recently became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl. However, long before McVay and his Los Angeles Rams, that accomplishment belonged to another titan of the league. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is known for his relentless pursuit of victory and his ability to transform adversity into triumph. However, with the Steelers not achieving the desired success for a long time, Tomlin is not a fan favorite anymore. That narrative took a positive spin this week when a viral clip of the Steelers HC surfaced on the internet.
A sideline chat between Tomlin and one of his players took the internet by storm as the Pittsburgh fan base recalled the true potential of their Lombardi-winning head coach. And it wasn’t just the Steel Curtain fanatics who were impressed by this inspiring clip. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal also rallied behind Tomlin and shared the video on his Instagram story.
Mike Tomlin had some Harsh but Meaningful Advice for a Steelers legend
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LaShawn Maurkice Pouncey is a Pittsburgh legend and a potential future first-ballot Hall of Famer. The 9x Pro Bowler played as a center for the Steel Curtain for 11 years. However, that didn’t stop Mike Tomlin from giving him an earful on the sidelines during an NFL game. When Pouncey decided to engage in a personal beef with two minutes left on the clock, Tomlin gave him a fiery speech.
“Why are you fighting with that clock running? Sometimes we have to put our personal pride aside when the cause is bigger than you,” Tomlin yelled at his veteran center. Lakers legend Shaq shared the clip on his Instagram.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Vargas (@centerlocked)
The comment section in the IG clip was filled with support for Tomlin. This was a complete U-turn in the franchise fan base’s sentiments, who started ‘Fire Him’ and ‘Fire Mike Tomlin’ petitions on social media in the past few years.
“I ain’t even a Steelers fan. I have to respect this coach. And to all the fans and others saying ‘Fire Tomlin’. I promise your franchise would crumble without him. He is a wise leader of men,” one fan wrote. “Didn’t disrespect him, got his attention, gave him the facts, and summed it up for what it’s actually about. THE TEAM,” another commented.
One fan, nevertheless, carried on the Tomlin hate. Reiterating the head coach’s words, the fan wrote, “The cause is greater. The cause is to win. Please resign.”
Unaware of New York’s Intentions, Pittsburgh’s Pride Mike Tomlin Planned a Covert Operation With Bill Belichick to Counter Jets
The Steelers could have probably reached the promised land once or twice in the past decade had Tomlin succeeded in landing the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
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Tomlin almost secured Patrick Mahomes back in 2017
Before drafting Kenny Pickett, Mike Tomlin had planned to rope in Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft. Mahomes was going to take the Steelers in the winning direction as the Ben Roethlisberger era was coming to an end. However, Mahomes went off the table long before the Steelers could pick. Andy Reid and the KC Chiefs secured the gunslinger’s talents, and the rest is history.
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Can Kenny Pickett revive the Steelers dynasty and help put an end to the ‘Fire Mike Tomlin’ social media campaigns?
WATCH THIS STORY: Patrick Mahomes’ teammate Chris Jones’ three-word statement fuels speculation over missing Chiefs Ring Ceremony
One non-QB each NFL team can least afford to lose in 2023, including Bills’ Stefon Diggs, Steelers’ T.J. Watt
Quarterbacks may be the driving force of the NFL; having one of the game’s few elite signal-callers is often the difference between contending for the playoffs and contending for a Lombardi Trophy. However, football is a team sport, which means the QBs still require help on both sides of the ball. And there are plenty of important pieces at other premium positions.
With that in mind, here’s a look at one non-QB each team can least afford to lose in 2023:
Presumably, they’ll already be down QB Kyler Murray at the start of the year. Losing their most accomplished tackle, whose injury-related absence in 2022 helped fuel offensive dysfunction, would put the next QB in danger as well.
With Tyler Allgeier behind rookie Bijan Robinson and Jonnu Smith now behind Kyle Pitts, neither RB nor TE is short on depth. Young QB Desmond Ridder needs to stay upright to feed the weapons, however, and Matthews is a solid blind-side bodyguard.
New WR Odell Beckham Jr. is already an injury risk, but Lamar Jackson’s chief concern in 2023 is staying on the field. Linderbaum was an underrated rookie cog up front, and he’s instrumental to their ground attack as the QB of the line.
This is why his reported offseason frustrations with Buffalo were such a concern. Without his killer route-running and alpha mentality, Josh Allen has only the mercurial Gabe Davis as a proven WR weapon, though rookie TE Dalton Kincaid could help.
At the end of the day, it’s all about keeping rookie QB Bryce Young comfortable in the pocket, especially at his unprecedented size. Ekwonu was solid as a rookie left tackle, and his continued presence there isn’t getting enough attention.
Justin Fields is an electric enough scrambler to avoid a collapsing pocket, but what he really needs in 2023 is improved decision-making through the air. Moore is the only legit No. 1 target in their revised WR corps, and could be key to unlocking the QB.
Star wideout Ja’Marr Chase is a home-run hitter, but Joe Burrow has proven he can survive by leaning on Tee Higgins and Co. Hendrickson, meanwhile, is sorely underrated as a persistent pressure artist, headlining Cincinnati’s defensive front.
If Deshaun Watson were to lose No. 1 WR Amari Cooper, he could be in big trouble, with Elijah Moore and Donovan Peoples-Jones better suited for secondary roles. But what is the Browns defense without Garrett, who single-handedly terrorizes opponents?
CeeDee Lamb is a star out wide, and his absence would surely affect Dak Prescott, who’ll be counting on Brandin Cooks to help him downfield. But Parsons is the heart and soul of the team, his rangy athleticism enabling Dallas to be creative on “D.”
No matter what happens with Russell Wilson’s supporting cast, Sean Payton’s chief hurdle will probably be getting the QB back into a comfortable scheme and mental rhythm. Surtain, on the other hand, buoys the stingy “D” with his cover skills on the outside.
An elite blocker in a 2022 breakout, Sewell is one of the biggest reasons Jared Goff was able to surprise skeptics with borderline top-10 production last year. His size and athleticism at right tackle are simply unteachable.
Left tackle David Bakhtiati is already such a frequent absentee that his loss wouldn’t necessarily upend offensive plans. But Watson is the most accomplished and explosive in a young receiving corps, on which new starter Jordan Love will be leaning.
Assuming rookie QB C.J. Stroud gets the nod under center, he’ll need all the help he can get up front, not only because the interior remains a question mark but because Stroud isn’t necessarily known for his mobility. Protect the signal-caller!
RB Jonathan Taylor is still their most dynamic all-around talent, but if rookie QB Anthony Richardson starts most of 2023 as expected, his own legs can help the ground game. Pittman, meanwhile, is basically the only sure thing at his position.
Why not new WR1 Calvin Ridley? Well, Trevor Lawrence and Co. fared reasonably well without him in 2022. Etienne, on the other hand, is an underrated multipurpose safety valve for the young QB, quietly accounting for 1,400+ scrimmage yards in his debut.
It wouldn’t have been crazy to vote for Kelce as MVP over Patrick Mahomes in 2022. He’s as reliable as they come, forever finding green grass over the middle. And with Mahomes’ WR room shuffling yet again, he’ll remain the de facto No. 1 pass target.
You can see why Jacobs is holding out for financial security. Davante Adams may play a more important position, but with Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow out wide, Las Vegas can at least get by with WR reserves. Jacobs’ power was their offense in 2022.
All eyes are on whether Justin Herbert can successfully grow as an aggressive passer under new coordinator Kellen Moore, but first he’ll need to feel comfortable in the pocket, where Slater was elite at LT before an injury wiped out most of his last season.
You might argue LT Joe Noteboom belongs here, considering Matthew Stafford isn’t built to withstand another year of hard hits. But Kupp is the only real weapon at the QB’s disposal, and his loss last year left them scratching and clawing for yards every week.
Nothing is more important in Miami than Tua Tagovailoa’s health after the QB’s string of concussions prompted retirement consideration at just 25. Armstead is clearly their best blocker, so his absence could throw everything into a tizzy.
Maybe the easiest pick of the entire list, Jefferson has rightfully drawn MVP consideration for his seamless play-making in Minnesota. Take him out of the lineup, and Kirk Cousins is left to lean on K.J. Osborn and rookie Jordan Addison out wide.
New England Patriots: OLB Matthew Judon
Most of Mac Jones’ supporting parts — both old and new — are fairly replaceable, which speaks to their offensive struggles. Bill Belichick leans on the “D,” however, and Judon’s been one of his most consistent performers coming off the edge.
Who else is rushing the passer if the longtime veteran goes down? New QB Derek Carr probably can’t afford to lose top WR Chris Olave, either, what with Michael Thomas’ injury history. But Dennis Allen’s team is still built on stuffing opposing offenses.
His 2022 success confirmed his arrival as a top young tackle a la Penei Sewell in Detroit. For all the talk about getting Daniel Jones more help out wide, Brian Daboll’s attack probably hinges more on Thomas standing pat at LT to keep the QB upright.
Sauce Gardner is infinitely more talented at corner, and Garrett Wilson could be Aaron Rodgers’ new Davante Adams. But what happens if Rodgers’ LT goes down? Is he conditioned, going on 40, to transcend a bad pocket? The fact Brown is 38 himself, and coming off an injury-riddled season, doesn’t necessarily bode well for A-Rod’s setup in the trenches, as currently constructed.
RT Lane Johnson, one of the best in the game at his spot, is probably more important overall. But he’s already an annual candidate to miss a few games due to injury, and if Brown weren’t active, DeVonta Smith would be Jalen Hurts’ only truly trusted WR.
Alex Highsmith filled out the stat sheet filling in for Watt in 2022, but the latter’s injury-related absence was still felt throughout Mike Tomlin’s defense. This remains a team built around that side of the ball, and Watt’s ferocious edge work can’t be replicated.
Regardless of which QB opens 2023, be it Brock Purdy, Trey Lance or even Sam Darnold, Kyle Shanahan’s going to need his top tackle to be in full form. We all saw what happened last year, when protection broke down and their QBs dropped like flies.
Once again, it’s all about giving the QB a clean pocket. Geno Smith’s turnover tendencies started to flare up down the stretch in his breakout 2022. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba joining the WR corps, Cross is an overlooked key to them staying in the mix.
Mike Evans is a fair candidate, considering he’s the most reliable, consistent member of a WR corps lacking many answers beyond teammate Chris Godwin. But imagine Baker Mayfield under center if Wirfs, their best blocker, is knocked from the lineup.
For years, they’ve made Henry the focal point of the offense. Nothing has changed. As Ryan Tannehill navigates yet another makeshift assembly of WRs, King Henry will be tasked with carrying Mike Vrabel’s attack on his bruising shoulders.
If Ron Rivera really believes new QB Sam Howell is capable of emerging as a long-term answer, he’d better hope the team’s WR1 stays healthy, providing the second-year gunslinger with a downfield threat who’s been relatively QB-proof in terms of production.
Bill Belichick on Patriots’ draft strategy, plans for Christian Gonzalez
Morning Sports Update Bill Belichick offered insight into Patriots’ draft strategy, plans for Christian Gonzalez Belichick used a historical example to illustrate his point. Bill Belichick during a press conference in June, 2023. AP Photo/Steven Senne
The Red Sox defeated the Twins 10-4 on Tuesday. Christian Arroyo went 5-for-5 with four RBIs. Boston extended its current winning streak to six in a row.
The two teams meet again this evening at Target Field. First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m.
Bill Belichick’s thoughts on picking Christian Gonzalez in the draft: It’s not often that Bill Belichick shares insight into his process for drafting players. The longtime Patriots’ coach has also received his share of criticism for some of New England’s picks in recent years.
Yet the team’s handling of the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft was widely praised. The Patriots traded down, but still managed to land talented cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th overall pick.
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How does Belichick calculate value in the draft? He recently offered an explanation during an interview with Mike Tannenbaum for The 33rd Team.
“When we go into the draft, we don’t really target one guy,” he explained. “Need isn’t as big of a criteria as [much as] good football players. I learned that at the Giants in [1984] when we took Carl Banks. We had [Lawrence] Taylor obviously, and it was kind of like, ‘Why are we taking another outside linebacker?’ As it turned out, that was probably one of the better picks that we had at the Giants.”
Banks, picked third overall in 1984 (and who remains the most recent linebacker the Giants have selected in the first round), went on to be named as a member of the 1980s All-Decade Team. He was part of a defense that — orchestrated by Belichick — helped New York win two Super Bowls.
The example of Banks demonstrated a clear point to Belichick, which he used to explain the Gonzalez pick.
“I don’t think it’s about where you need a player. If you’ve got a good football player, nobody’s ever gonna regret that,” Belichick noted. “I’m glad Gonzo was there. I think when you just go and look for one guy and then he’s not there, there’s other players in the draft that can help us as well. He’s been great to work with, and, you know, look forward to getting him ready to go for training camp.”
Christian Gonzalez showing off his HANDS 😳
Gonzalez ran with the first team at OTA’s and reportedly looks like a day one starter.
The Patriots added a PLAYMAKER. pic.twitter.com/4MOzcMrw8Y — NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) June 7, 2023
Gonzalez was recently in attendance for Patriots spring activities (including the recently concluded minicamp).
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Belichick also discussed New England’s approach for integrating the rookie cornerback into the Patriots’ defense, as well as his possible role.
“In spring the plan’s always kind of the same for these guys,” said Belichick. “It’s to bring them in, let them learn how to be a professional football player, and a New England Patriot. That encompasses a lot of things: How to study, how to train, how to prepare, how to learn the terminology and communicate with your teammates.
“We’ll work him into a number of positions like we do almost all players at this point in time in the spring, and then narrow it down a little bit when we get to training camp,” the Patriots’ coach added. “Ultimately, he’s most likely going to be a perimeter corner, but I think there are other situations where he could play inside or in a deeper part of the field, depending on what the call is or how things present themselves from a game-plan structure from time-to-time.”
Bill Belichick knows the #Patriots defense got a good one in rookie CB Christian Gonzalez @Andy_Benoit details how versatility and depth has helped keep New England’s defense thriving #ForeverNE — The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) June 20, 2023
Trivia: Since 1981, only three Red Sox players have totaled six hits in one game. One of them was Nomar Garciaparra (see below). Can you name the other two who have done it?
(Answer at the bottom).
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Hint: One was born in Fall River. The other made his Major League debut in 2017 and became the youngest Red Sox player to hit a home run since Tony Conigliaro.
More from Boston.com:
Mass. native Kristie Mewis heading to the World Cup: The U.S. women’s roster is being announced on Wednesday. Mewis, 32, is set to make her World Cup debut after charting a unique path back to the national team.
Congratulations are in order for Lynn Williams, Kristie Mewis, and Kelley O’Hara!
“Honestly, it felt like I was getting called for the first time to go to a World Cup,” O’Hara said. This is the first World Cup for Mewis and Williams. https://t.co/OGfUUFFH00 pic.twitter.com/mJRi8cVF58 — TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 21, 2023
Masataka Yoshida’s moonshot: The 29-year-old connected for a towering 447-foot home run in the Red Sox win.
447 ft of GONE. pic.twitter.com/uDl32VgLI4 — Red Sox (@RedSox) June 21, 2023
On this day: In 2003, Nomar Garciaparra tied the franchise record with six hits in a single game (going 6-for-6), but the Red Sox bullpen blew multiple leads during extra innings in a 6-5 defeat to the Phillies.
– Globe Archives
Daily highlight: Braden Taylor made a tremendous defensive play as TCU topped Oral Roberts at the College World Series on Tuesday.
Trivia answer: Jerry Remy, Rafael Devers
Ranking NFL 2023 ‘Triplets,’ Part II: Jaguars lead teams in middle of pack; QB situation doesn’t affect 49ers
Just as we did last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that and the year before that, the crew here at CBSSports.com recently set out to rank each NFL team’s “triplets.” Why not, right? It’s the middle of the offseason, and it’s an offseason tradition around these parts.
So in the space below, we’re once again counting down the NFL’s best QB-RB-WR/TE trios, grading the expected starters at quarterback and running back and their presumed top pass-catcher for the 2023 NFL season. For some teams, it was obvious who would fill each role. For others, less so. Where we had to make judgment calls on which player would start at quarterback or who would be the top target, we did.
In the space below, you’ll see our rankings of these triplets. The first number in parentheses is the team’s average ranking based on the votes of several of our staff writers and editors at CBSSports.com, while the second number reflects the high and low end of where our staffers ranked that individual team.
For example, our No. 13 team — the Seattle Seahawks — had an average ranking of 14.3, with a high ranking of 10 and a low of 23. We have denoted tier breaks in any place where the difference between the average ranking of one team and another exceeded 2.0. For example, the aforementioned Seahawks had an average ranking of 14.3 and the Vikings had an average of 11.9, so the Vikings begin a new tier.
The panel included myself, John Breech, Jeff Kerr, Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani, Cody Benjamin, Shanna McCarriston, Chris Trapasso, Kevin Steimle, Brett Anderson, Garrett Podell, Joel Magaraci, Kyle Stackpole, R.J. White, Eric Kernish and Eric Kay. The rankings reflect the collective wisdom of this crowd, while the corresponding analysis is mine.
We began this exercise on Tuesday with the bottom third of the league. We continue Wednesday with the middle of the pack, and we’ll finish up Thursday with the top tiers. Without further ado …
Tier 5: Pretty Good! With Some Questions
Last year: 30th
QB: Justin Fields RB: Khalil Herbert WR: D.J. Moore
This is a big step forward for Chicago’s trio. Fields’ performance as a runner last season was second to none, and the Bears did what several teams with young, ascending quarterbacks before them have done in going to get him a No. 1 receiver. Herbert seems likely to split the backfield duties with D’Onta Foreman and/or Roschon Johnson, but should be the leader among that group. If Fields can take a leap as a passer this season, Chicago could ascend significantly higher next year.
Last year: 17th
QB: Derek Carr RB: Alvin Kamara (or Jamaal Williams) WR: Chris Olave
Well, this seems about right for the Saints. Olave was fantastic as a rookie and looks every bit like a future star. But Carr has been somewhere between slightly above average and slightly below average for the majority of his career, and Kamara took a step back last year and may or may not be facing a significant suspension. (And Williams’ effectiveness is likely overstated right now due to his absurd touchdown rate last season.)
Last year: 28th
QB: Daniel Jones RB: Saquon Barkley TE: Darren Waller
Jones may have been the most improved player in the NFL last season, but most of that improvement was about limiting the downside of his play and not discovering the upside. New York took more off his plate and basically asked him to be a runner and short-passer and that was about it. What will things look like if and when the Giants ask him to do more? We’re going to find out over these next few years, and at least the team went out and got him a higher-quality pass-catcher in Waller to aid that development.
Last year: 6th
QB: Matthew Stafford RB: Cam Akers WR: Cooper Kupp
This is a steep fall for the Rams, and seems to be based mostly on health. What is the status of Stafford’s elbow? Who the heck knows. Is Kupp fully recovered from his ankle surgery? We won’t really find out until training camp. Can Akers rediscover any of what made him an exciting prospect before his Achilles tear? It remains to be seen.
Last year: 9th
QB: Jimmy Garoppolo RB: Josh Jacobs WR: Davante Adams
So, uh, is Jimmy G even going to suit up for the Raiders? Or is that clause in his contract about being released with no penalty before this season about to become very important? That’s a situation that seems wildly up in the air. Jacobs is coming off a First Team All-Pro season, but his play last year was wildly out of step with his performance through the first three years of his career. What should we expect going forward? Adams is one of the small handful of best receivers in the NFL, but we don’t know who will be throwing him the ball, or what Garoppolo will look like outside of the Kyle Shanahan cocoon if it’s indeed him.
Last year: 24th
QB: Jared Goff RB: David Montgomery WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Goff has shown at this point that if he is well protected, he can deliver the ball on time and on target with enough regularity to lead a pretty damn good offense. He doesn’t present much of a ceiling beyond what is schemed up for him within the confines of the offense, but when the scheme and the line are as good as Detroit’s, that’s not as much of an issue. Perhaps Jahmyr Gibbs should be the back here, but Montgomery seems much more likely to be the team’s leading rusher, with Gibbs operating as a secondary threat in both the run and pass game.
Last year: 11th
QB: Deshaun Watson RB: Nick Chubb WR: Amari Cooper
I’m honestly not sure how anybody chose their rankings for the Browns, because I have no idea what anybody should expect from Watson. He essentially did not play football for about a year and a half, and although it was due to a suspension and not an injury, that is a long time to be away and it is not like you come back and just automatically resume your prior level of play. Can he rediscover that form at all? There appears to be at least a mild degree of confidence here that he can.
13. Seattle Seahawks (Avg: 14.3, High: 10, Low: 23)
Last year: 31st
QB: Geno Smith RB: Kenneth Walker WR: DK Metcalf
The Seahawks were probably last season’s biggest (pleasant) surprise, with Geno Smith enjoying a delayed breakout season the likes of which we have rarely seen in the NFL. His combination of accuracy and playmaking was up there with some of the best in the league for most of the season, though he did slow down toward the end of the year. Still, it looks like he’s got the faith of our panel, which expects Seattle to be pretty firmly in the top half of the league once again.
Tier 4: Very Good, Maybe Not (Yet) Great
12. Minnesota Vikings (Avg: 11.9, High: 9, Low: 15)
Last year: 15th
QB: Kirk Cousins RB: Alexander Mattison WR: Justin Jefferson
Jefferson currently holds the crown as the best receiver in the league, but Cousins is basically the epitome of a league-average quarterback and we’ve only seen Mattison act as the lead back a few times in his career so it’s fair to have some questions about how he’ll fare in that role full time. A ranking just outside the top 10 seems about right.
Last year: 13th
QB: ??? RB: Christian McCaffrey WR: Deebo Samuel
Do you have any idea who will be playing quarterback for the 49ers in Week 1? We don’t. And it didn’t much matter here. Brock Purdy is still recovering from his elbow surgery. Trey Lance is working his way back from a broken ankle. Sam Darnold might actually have to take some snaps! But CMC and Deebo are so good (and Kyle Shanahan’s so good at establishing a high floor for quarterback play) that the Niners checked in just outside the top 10 anyway.
Last year: 18th
QB: Tua Tagovailoa RB: Raheem Mostert WR: Tyreek Hill
With the exception of a stray vote at No. 3, every other panelist placed the Dolphins between No. 8 and 13. That seems like the appropriate range for this group given the heights Tagovailoa achieved as a passer last year and the inherent risks involved with him as a player at this point. Hill showing what he did outside of Kansas City last season was pretty outrageous, and at least somewhat unexpected. Mostert will likely share work with Jeff Wilson Jr. and Devon Achane, and we didn’t really know which direction to lean with the choice at running back here.
Last year: 27th
QB: Aaron Rodgers RB: Breece Hall WR: Garrett Wilson
I’m at least a little surprised there weren’t more varied opinions on the Jets. Rodgers took a pretty sizable step backward last season and Hall is coming off a torn ACL. I thought there would be less agreement on whether Rodgers could bounce back and whether Hall would be healthy enough to lead the backfiield, but there was a pretty narrow band of rankings here. Wilson is a future (if not already present) superstar, though, and was able to show that essentially whenever anyone but Zach Wilson was on the field last season.
Last year: 8th
QB: Lamar Jackson RB: J.K. Dobbins TE: Mark Andrews
Baltimore is the only team to check in with the exact same ranking as it did last year. It helps that we’re using the exact same three players, even if the Ravens have changed out a lot of the pieces surrounding them — including the offensive coordinator. Jackson was on track to rediscover top form last season before injuries hit both him and the receiving corps, but the Ravens are clearly hoping Todd Monken can open things up for him and help find avenues to more explosive plays through the air.
Last year: 23rd
QB: Trevor Lawrence RB: Travis Etienne WR: Calvin Ridley
I think it will be quite a long time before we find a Lawrence-led group outside the top 10 ever again. His rise last season was a bit overshadowed, but he is elite at avoiding negative plays and over the second half of the season began tapping into his outside-of-structure playmaking and high-level ability to read each layer of the defense. With a true No. 1 wideout now on board in Ridley, he should be able to ascend another level this season.
Fantasy Football Rankings 2023: Sleepers, breakouts, busts by computer model that called Samuel’s down year
A tried-and-true method for success when it comes to Fantasy football is locking down volume-heavy running backs. While most NFL teams rely on more than one back, finding the one that most frequently maximizes his opportunities is one of the golden rules when putting together your 2023 Fantasy football draft prep. One potential 2023 Fantasy football breakout that falls into that category is Miami Dolphins rookie Devon Achane.
Even in a stagnant Texas A&M offense last season, Achane rushed for 5.6 yards per carry and 1,102 yards with eight touchdowns. He’s the latest Dolphins skill player whose explosiveness vastly outweighs his diminutive build, but will he get enough touches in a pass-first Miami offense? Before setting your 2023 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2023 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last year, the model accurately predicted that 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel was being dramatically overvalued. Samuel was the sixth receiver coming off the board on average, but the model had him ranked outside the top 10. The result: Samuel followed up a season in which he had 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns by producing just 864 yards and five scores.
The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as another sleeper in 2020 and nailing Jonathan Taylor’s enormous season in 2021. Additionally, it’s called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.
The model is powered by the same people who generated projections for all three major Fantasy sites, and it beat human experts last season when there was a big difference in ranking. The projections update multiple times daily, so you’re always getting the best Fantasy football advice.
Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2023, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2023 Fantasy football sleepers
One of the 2023 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting: Raiders receiver Davante Adams. The 30-year-old receiver has been one of the first off draft boards the majority of his career, but he still provides value based on his current projections and 2023 Fantasy football ADP. Adams has totaled more than 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns in each of his last two seasons.
Adams has averaged at least 83 yards per game each of the last five seasons. He’s earned a significant target share during that span and has made the most of those opportunities. Adams had 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season with the Raiders with two different quarterbacks splitting time. The Raiders don’t have the ideal quarterback situation entering the 2023 season, but Adams has proven the ability to stand out regardless of who is throwing him the rock. See more Fantasy football sleepers 2023 here.
Top 2023 Fantasy football breakouts
The model is also projecting Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs as one of its top 2023 Fantasy football breakouts. Alabama running backs have produced mixed results in the NFL, but Gibbs should have every opportunity to succeed in the Lions’ backfield. After the team cut ties with both Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift in the offseason, Gibbs realistically only has David Montgomery to contend with for carries.
Montgomery hasn’t always proved to be the most efficient runner despite his status as the bell cow in Chicago for the past few seasons. Gibbs has also proven to be a capable pass-catcher out of the backfield, and made 44 receptions for 444 yards and three scores last year in Tuscaloosa. Gibbs’ potential in the Lions’ offense has the model predicting he’ll have a better Fantasy season than others going ahead of him in drafts like Kenneth Walker III, Alvin Kamara and Isiah Pacheco. See more Fantasy football breakouts 2023 here.
Top 2023 Fantasy football busts
As for players to avoid, the model lists Panthers running back Miles Sanders as one of its 2023 Fantasy football busts. Playing in Philadelphia’s read-option offense, Sanders had career highs with 1,347 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns. He then joined Carolina in the offseason but is going to a vastly different offense without a dual-threat option at quarterback like Jalen Hurts.
No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young is mobile but not the running threat that Hurts is, so defenses won’t have to account for the QB like they did with Sanders’ former team. That means more attention will be on the running back, who is also a non-factor in the passing game. Sanders had just 78 total receiving yards in 2022, which ranked 306th in the NFL. After finishing 10th amongst RBs in Fantasy points last year, the model has Sanders as the RB22 in its 2023 Fantasy football rankings. See more Fantasy football busts 2023 here.
How to find proven 2023 Fantasy football football rankings
SportsLine is also extremely high on a surprising quarterback you aren’t even thinking about being taken in the middle rounds of 2023 Fantasy football drafts. This quarterback is listed as a shocking top-10 option ahead of stars like Trevor Lawrence and Aaron Rodgers. You can only see who it is, and the 2023 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.
So which 2023 Fantasy Football sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-10 performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2023 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that nailed Deebo Samuel as a bust last year, and find out.
After Spending $5,600,000,000 With Magic Johnson on NFL Team, NBA Millionaire Splurges to Battle Michael Jordan and More in NASCAR
For months, the hot topic of discussion revolved around the Washington Commanders. NFL owners reportedly wanted Dan Snyder gone, and so the bids came flying in. Many big names stepped up. At the end of the day, an ownership led by Josh Harris and involving Magic Johnson seems to be the front-runner. The group is rumored to have poured $5.6 billion into the project. Yet Harris wants to expand his network in sports.
After joining hands with Magic Johnson, he is now gearing up to throw down with Michael Jordan and other NASCAR owners. Notably, he just bought the minority stake in Joe Gibbs Racing.
Michael Jordan will have to face fellow NBA owner on a NASCAR track
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JGR is one of the most revered and successful NASCAR franchises. They won their first cup back in 1993. Since then, the team has collected 204 cups and 197 Xfinity wins under its belt. Their roster is led by Denny Hamlin, a driver who was named among NASCAR’s 75 greatest.
Many also know Hamlin as a close accomplice of Michael Jordan. The two are great friends and even began 23XI Racing together.
via Getty WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK – AUGUST 08: NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and co-owner of 23XI Racing looks on from the 23XI Racing pit box during the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 08, 2021 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Recently, Joe Gibbs Racing announced a sale of its minority stake. The buyers were the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, a group founded by Josh Harris.
Harris is a well-known owner in the sports realm. He previously butted heads with Jordan as an NBA team owner, operating the Philadelphia 76ers. He also owns the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. Speaking on their new partnership, Joe Gibbs had great things to say about Harris.
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5x NBA Champion Dennis Rodman Used Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame Night to Prove He Deserves to Be Next
“Josh Harris, David Blitzer, and their entire team have a vision that has delivered winning franchises in basketball, hockey, soccer and youth sports. Their teams are among the most successful in their leagues in growing audience and sponsorship and their commitment to the communities they work in are unparalleled,” said the JGR owner, as reported by NBC Sports.
Harris also educated the media about his project. The 58-year-old mentioned being friends with Gibbs and having a vision of helping JGR, “continue its track record of excellence long into the future.”
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WATCH THIS STORY: Jordan was the epitome of a sloth claims his father James Jordan.
Do you think Michael Jordan will beat his new nemesis on the track? Share your take in the comments below!
How Denver Nuggets really felt about Nikola Jokic when they drafted him in 2016
Denver Nuggets’ two-time MVP Award winner Nikola Jokic recently led his team to their first ever NBA championship, but the Nuggets organization never imagined the impact he’d go on to have with the team, believes NBA writer Mark Medina.
The 28-year-old Serbian was drafted by the Nuggets with the 41st pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, making the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016. Since then, he has established himself as one of the best centers currently playing in the league, while also putting his name in the conversation as being one of the top-10 centers since the NBA’s inception in 1946.
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Denver Nuggets – Nikola Jokić
NBA writer Mark Medina recently told GIVEMESPORT that he believes that when his career is all said and done, Jokić could well end up being either the sixth of seventh-best center, if not higher.
Standing at 7’0” in stature, his highlights package, in particular his range of passing is a beauty to behold.
The 5x NBA All-Star has received high praise from around the league, including some likening his play on-court to that of San Antonio Spurs legend and Hall of Famer, Tim Duncan.
According to Sports Illustrated, aside from his impressive scoring range and team-first approach to his play, his incredible court-vision and passing ability has made it virtually impossible for him to be double-teamed, causing headaches for NBA coaches alike.
Former NBA player turned ESPN analyst, JJ Redick, even argues that nobody on the planet is better at the game of basketball than Jokić is right now due to his unique all-around game and ability to unlock his teammates.
He is simply a match-up nightmare for any opposition, yet back in 2014, nobody could have predicted how much of a dominant force he would become.
What has Mark Medina said about how the Denver Nuggets viewed Nikola Jokić?
When asked about Nikola Jokić, Medina alluded to the idea that the Denver Nuggets didn’t expect his upside to be so high when they drafted him in the second round.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “They didn’t necessarily map this out – they drafted Nikola Jokić No. 41 in the 2014 NBA draft.”
“Talking to Tim Connelly [former Denver Nuggets GM] a few years ago, he admitted that they did not think that he’s all of a sudden going to become a two-time MVP or future NBA champion.”
“They viewed him as a very intriguing international prospect that can play the right way, and was seen as a project that they can develop and see what happens.”
How did Nikola Jokić perform during the 2022-23 NBA season?
Despite narrowly losing out on a third consecutive regular season MVP award to the Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid, ‘The Joker’ made up for it by going on to win the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award as the Nuggets clinched their first ever NBA title at the hands of the Miami Heat.
As per StatMuse, in 69 regular season games the Serbian averaged 24.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG and 9.8 APG on 38.3% shooting from the three-point line, close to a triple double.
He somehow elevated his game in the playoffs, and in 20 games he posted an average of 30.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG and 9.5 APG, all while shooting an improved 46.1% from three.
On his historic run, he became the first NBA player to record over 500 points, 250 rebounds and 150 assists in one postseason, while also recording 10 triple-doubles, also the most ever in a single postseason run.
Without Jokić, the Denver Nuggets would arguably not be in the position they are in now as the reigning NBA champions. By having him as their franchise-piece going forward, the sky is the limit on how many NBA championships they can win while he is in the prime of his career.
How the NBA’s greatest dynasty was built
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – CIRCA 1988: (L-R) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33, Magic Johnson #32 and Orlando Woolridge #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Indiana Pacers during an NBA basketball game circa 1988 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. Abdul-Jabbar played for the Lakers from 1975-89. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Tough decisions in Lakers Draft: To pick or not to pick by RC Nazemi
Today marks the 35th anniversary of the fifth and final NBA championship captured by the Showtime Lakers. On June 21st, 1988, they defeated the Pistons in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood to win the franchise’s 11th title and fifth of the Showtime era.
The Showtime years were indisputably the finest, most successful and most exciting era of Lakers basketball. After Elgin, Jerry, Wilt and Gail had all departed, and before Kobe, Shaq and Pau or LeBron and AD arrived, a top-notch roster was led by two of the greatest players in NBA history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Those Showtime Lakers won five championships in nine seasons, including triumphs over the 76ers and Celtics twice each. The players themselves are convinced that they would have won one or two more titles if not for untimely injuries.
Let’s take a look at that iconic era and the steps the franchise took to reach that point in 1988.
Building the Showtime Lakers dynasty:
Step 1: The Huge 1975 Trade
The seeds of that era were planted back in June 1975. It was then that Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke and general manager Pete Newell engineered a trade with Milwaukee, swapping four very good players, Junior Bridgeman, David Meyers, Elmore Smith and Brian Winters to the Bucks in exchange for one superstar, center Abdul-Jabbar.
Step 2: Two 1977 Player Acquisitions
Two years later, the Lakers made two other important moves. First, they selected point guard Norm Nixon with the 22nd pick of the draft. Two months later, they signed former UCLA star small forward Jamaal Wilkes as a free agent.
With Kareem manning the middle, the team averaged 48 wins a season from 1976-1979 and finished first in the Western Conference in 1977. But that group was unable to advance to the NBA Finals. In those final three years of the 1970s, with Bill Sharman as the new GM and the legendary Jerry West as coach, the Lakers lost once each in the first round, second round and conference finals.
If the team was going to win a title, the front office clearly had to do something more.
Step 3: The Steal of the 1978 Draft
The next important move the franchise made was totally off just about everyone’s radar. With the 60th pick in the third round of the 1978 draft, the Lakers selected a skinny poor-shooting forward out of New Mexico named Michael Cooper.
He promptly tore knee ligaments and missed the entire 1978-79 season. The following year all eyes were elsewhere when he barely survived the final roster cut. Nobody would have predicted what a vital role Coop would soon play for the team.
Step 4: Three Monumental Months in 1979
In what proved to be an incredible three-month span for the Lakers, the following occurred from May to July 1979:
1- Jerry Buss finalized a deal to purchase ownership of the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke. Buss wanted to build not only a winning team but one that would greatly entertain the fans and generate tremendous interest throughout the LA area.
2- Jerry West, who was tearing his hair out trying to coach the team, moved into the Lakers front office. West would go on to become one of the top talent evaluators and general managers in NBA history.
3- Fate or luck was on the Lakers’ side. NBA rules at the time required compensation when a player left his team in free agency. Back in 1976, Lakers free agent guard Gail Goodrich signed with the Jazz, and a complicated arrangement resulted in LA getting their first-round pick in 1979… which turned out to be the #1 pick of the entire draft!
The Lakers used that pick to select charismatic point guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the perfect player to help Buss implement his plan. The table was set for the Showtime Era to begin.
Highlights of the Showtime Lakers era
1980– The Lakers won 60 regular season games and began their playoff run by beating both Phoenix and defending champion Seattle in 5 games.
In the Finals, Abdul-Jabbar dominated Philadelphia, averaging 33.4 points and 13.6 rebounds throughout the first 5 games and leading the Lakers to a 3-2 game lead. But a sprained ankle forced Kareem to sit out Game 6.
That’s the game that will forever be remembered for Magic Johnson’s scintillating performance. The rookie seized control away from the Dr. J-led 76ers, scoring 42 points and snaring 15 rebounds. Along with ample support from Wilkes, who scored a career-high 37, the duo helped the Lakers capture their second championship in L.A.
1982– After losing to Houston in the first round in 1981, the Lakers looked to get back on top. But things looked grim when, just 11 games into the season, Magic publicly pronounced he could no longer play for Coach Paul Westhead.
Buss fired Westhead and then surprisingly promoted Pat Riley, who had no previous coaching experience, to become the head coach. At the time, people scratched their heads in wonderment. In retrospect, it is recognized as a bold and brilliant move.
At midseason, former NBA scoring leader Bob McAdoo was acquired for a second-round pick, joining Kareem, Magic, Wilkes and Nixon and providing a vital scorer off the bench. He played an important role as the Lakers recaptured the NBA title by sweeping both Phoenix and San Antonio, then once again beating the Sixers in the Finals in 6 games.
The Lakers’ good fortune continued after the season ended. Two years earlier, they had made a seemingly insignificant trade with Cleveland, swapping forward Don Ford, whose role on the Lakers had shrunk dramatically, and a 1980 first-round pick for Butch Lee and a 1982 first-rounder.
Lady Luck once again smiled at LA when the Cavs finished the 1982 season in last place, giving the champion Lakers the top pick in the draft. Buss and West wisely used it to select forward James Worthy, who would go on to become one of the all-time Laker greats.
1983– In his rookie season, Worthy combined with Cooper and McAdoo to form a potent trio off the bench for the Lakers. Worthy played both forward positions, sometimes subbing in for Wilkes and also often playing alongside him.
But his season ended in April when he broke a leg. Unfortunately, that was only the first of several injuries.
The Lakers had a successful run through the West, beating Portland in 5 games and San Antonio in 6. But McAdoo tore a hamstring in the final game against the Spurs. Then Nixon separated his shoulder in Game 1 of the Finals. Both were severely limited for the rest of the series.
Although the Lakers led every Finals game at halftime, they squandered those leads each time in the fourth quarter and were swept by a Sixers squad led by Dr J and Moses Malone.
During the offseason, the Lakers made another significant trade, swapping 6-1 Nixon for the #4 pick in the draft, 6-4 shooting guard Byron Scott. The trade would allow Magic to become the team’s full-time point guard while adding a younger, excellent outside shooter.
1984– The Lakers cruised to the NBA Finals, sweeping the Kansas City Kings in the first round, then beating Dallas in 5 games and Phoenix in 6. But instead of the 76ers, they would face an old, familiar foe in the Finals: the Boston Celtics.
Between 1959 and 1969, the Lakers had squared off seven times against the Celtics and lost all seven. Three times the series went a full 7 games.
In most of those years, the Lakers’ two future Hall of Famers, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, couldn’t get over the hump against a full contingent of future Boston HOFers, including Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn and John Havlicek.
This time around, the Lakers had the athletic edge. But the Celtics’ physicality proved to be the difference, as symbolized by Kevin McHale’s clothesline tackle of Kurt Rambis in Game 4. That takedown turned the tides not just of the game but the series, with Boston ultimately winning Game 7 at home.
1985– The Lakers to a man felt they should have won the ’84 title, and re-doubled their efforts in ’85. They won 62 regular season games as Worthy replaced Wilkes in the starting lineup and Scott became the full-time starter at shooting guard.
Once again LA waltzed through the West in the playoffs, sweeping Phoenix and losing just one game apiece to Portland and Denver to return to the Finals for the fourth straight year.
Their opponent once again was the Larry Bird-led Celtics. The Lakers were brimming with confidence that this time would be different.
But in Game 1, known as the “Memorial Day Massacre”, Boston soundly whipped the Lakers 148-114. At age 38, Abdul-Jabbar no longer looked like the game’s most dominant player, and yet another Celtics title seemed to be on the horizon.
However, Kareem, Pat Riley, Magic Johnson and company weren’t quite ready to concede. First, the Lakers rallied behind Abdul-Jabbar’s 30 points and 17 rebounds to capture Game 2 at Boston.
Next, they continued to ride Kareem’s coattails to win 3 of the next 4 games, clinching the title with a Game 6 victory at Boston Garden for their first-ever victory in the Finals over the Celtics. Kareem became the oldest player to win MVP honors.
1986– The Lakers once again won 62 games. But both Wilkes and McAdoo had moved on. And after 4 straight trips to the NBA Finals, they unexpectedly managed to lose 4 of 5 games to 51-win Houston in the Western Conference Finals to end their season prematurely.
1987– The 1986-87 team is regarded by many as the finest in Lakers history. It was buoyed by Jerry West’s masterful mid-season trade acquiring Mychal Thompson, who would back-up Kareem at center and also play alongside him at power forward.
After a 65-17 regular season record, the Lakers won 11 of 12 games in the Western Conference playoffs to return yet again to the Finals. There they would face a familiar opponent: the Boston Celtics.
Here’s where the presence of Thompson was keenly felt. He was probably the best player in the league at defending Boston’s Kevin McHale, a former college teammate. And Bird has admitted that Cooper was the best defensive player he faced.
The teams had already split their first two series in the ’80s. Now Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Scott and Cooper squared off against Bird, McHale, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge to determine which was the best team of the decade.
The singular moment of the series occurred in the waning seconds of Game 4 in Boston when Magic Johnson sank the “junior, junior skyhook” to win the game. A few days later the Lakers clinched the series in Game 6 at home, their fourth title of the ’80s.
In the victory celebration, Riley boldly guaranteed that the Lakers would repeat as champions the following season. No team since the Celtics of the ’60s had won two straight titles.
1988– Although the Lakers won 62 games in the regular season, the 1988 playoffs were not the typical Lakers cakewalk through the Western Conference.
They swept San Antonio in the first round but were pushed to the limit by both Utah and Dallas in the next two series. LA used home-court advantage to win series-clinching Game 7’s at the Forum against both teams to advance.
They met an unfamiliar opponent this time around in the NBA Finals: the Detroit Pistons, a team that had never won a title and hadn’t been to the Finals since 1956, when the franchise was still located in Fort Wayne, IN.
But these “bad boys”, including Isiah Thomas, Adrian Dantley, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer and a young Dennis Rodman, proved to be a deep, formidable foe.
By now 40-year-old Abdul-Jabbar had become more of a secondary offensive weapon. Instead, the Lakers were led by three players still in their prime, Worthy, Johnson and Scott, while Thompson and A.C. Green provided scoring support. And although Cooper struggled offensively, he was still a defensive stopper.
The Pistons, however, stole Game 1 in LA behind Dantley’s hot 14-16 shooting. The Lakers recovered to win Game 2 at home and Game 3 in Detroit. But the Pistons buried the Lakers by a total of 35 points in games 4 and 5 to grab a 3-2 lead heading back to the West Coast.
If the Lakers were to repeat as NBA champs, not only would they have to win two straight games at home, but they’d also have to become the first team to ever win three consecutive seven-game series. The only sure thing was that the Pistons wouldn’t make it easy.
In Game 6, Thomas sprained his ankle but somehow scored 25 points in the third quarter while hobbling on one foot to give Detroit a one-point lead heading into the final quarter. Thomas would go on to tally a game-high 43.
But the Lakers defense held the Pistons to just 21 fourth-quarter points and LA won 103-102 on a pair of late free throws from Kareem to force Game 7. To this day, Detroit fans claim that Laimbeer didn’t foul Abdul-Jabbar on the play.
In the series finale, James Worthy had one of the best Game 7’s in NBA history, scoring 36 points on 15-22 shooting along with 16 rebounds and 10 assists. The Lakers built a 15-point fourth-quarter lead only to have Detroit cut the margin to just one, 106-105, with six seconds remaining.
But Magic passed to Green for a layup to put LA up by 3. Then Thomas lost the ball while trying to launch a desperate shot in a collision with Johnson and time ran out. The Lakers had earned their repeat title the hard way in 7 grueling games.
1989– The Lakers were favored to make it a “three-peat” in Kareem’s final season, and looked like a championship squad when they swept Portland, Seattle and Phoenix in the conference playoffs, winning 11 straight games.
Because they would then have a full 8-day break before a Finals re-match with Detroit, Riley arranged for the team to have a 3-day mini-camp to keep the team sharp. Unfortunately during those sessions, both Magic and Scott suffered torn hamstrings.
Scott, who had averaged over 20 points per game against both the Blazers and Suns, couldn’t play at all in the Finals. Magic hobbled through parts of the first couple of games before he was forced to the bench for the remainder of the series.
Without their starting backcourt, the Lakers were unable to compete with the Pistons and lost all four games of the Finals.
1991– After losing to Phoenix in the second round in 1990, the squad was now minus Abdul-Jabbar and Riley. But behind the mainstays of the team, Johnson, Worthy and Scott along with new head coach Mike Dunleavy, the Showtime Lakers made a final, somewhat surprising return to the NBA championship round in 1991.
Their opponent was the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, making their first-ever Finals appearance. The question was whether experience would triumph over the heroics of the game’s greatest player of all time.
Unfortunately, the injury bug struck the Lakers once again when Worthy sprained an ankle in the conference finals. He struggled through the first few games of the Finals before aggravating it further in Game 4 and was forced to sit out the rest of the series. Scott soon joined him on the bench after spraining his shoulder.
The Lakers won Game 1 in Chicago. But the aging squad faded and lost four straight games, including the final three in L.A.
Despite the losses in 1989 and 1991, the Showtime Lakers had an impressive run. Over a 12-year span, they made the Finals 9 times, winning 5 titles. Key injuries in 1983, ’89 and ’91 prevented them from perhaps winning more championships. And the excitement they brought to the fans is unparalleled.
Happy 35th anniversary to the 1988 champions!
Victor Wembanyama: NBA prospect roasted online after ‘hilarious’ moment at Yankees game
Victor Wembanyama came in for a fair amount of criticism from people online for his performance ahead of the New York Yankees’ game against the Seattle Mariners.
Victor Wembanyama is arguably the hottest prospect that we have seen emerge ahead of an NBA Draft in quite some time. The French phenom, who stands at 7’4 and weighs 230lbs had a sensational start to his young career, averaging .470% shooting percentage from the floor, 21.6 points per game and 10.8 rebounds for Metropolitans 92 last season.
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Now though his destination is the NBA, where after last month’s draft lottery, and barring some drastic change of events between now and the draft on Thursday, he will be taken with the #1 pick by the San Antonio Spurs, where they will hope that he can help drive them back to the levels of dominance we saw from them between 2000-2010.
If for whatever reason basketball doesn’t work out for him, although we can’t see that happening, it’s always possible that he could turn his attention to another sport (his frame would make him the perfect redzone target for an NFL team for instance), but after what happened last night, it’s fair to say that baseball won’t be on his agenda.
Victor Wembanyama throws a far-from-perfect first pitch
Wembanyama is in New York this week for the NBA Draft, and as you might expect for a player in such a big spotlight, he’s being carried around all over the place for a variety of appearances and interviews ahead of the event. One such appearance saw him throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees’ game against the Seattle Mariners, where it’s fair to say he didn’t cover himself in glory with his efforts.
Video: Victor Wembanyama has disastrous first pitch experience:
Wembanyama joins a long list of celebrities who have had bad experiences when throwing out the first pitch, and it wasn’t long before there were a flood of comments from people online who were ready to roast him:
As a few people have expressed, it does seem strange that an athlete, especially one who is used to having a ball in his hands (even if it’s a different size), can’t put the ball where he needed to on command like that. Perhaps he should have thrown it two-handed out of his chest like a regular basketball pass just to make him more comfortable.
2023 NBA Draft: Five questions that will shape draft night, including No. 2 pick and Zion Williamson’s future
The 2023 NBA Draft isn’t short on intrigue. It features the most hyped prospect in recent memory in Victor Wembanyama, a plethora of other tantalizing talents eager to make their mark on the league, and several teams potentially poised to shake things up. Typically, the mystery of who the top overall pick will be is the largest looming question heading into draft day. That isn’t the case this year, but there are still a bunch of potentially league-altering questions that will be answered on Thursday night. Here’s a look at the five most pressing.
1. Who will Charlotte select with the second pick?
There’s little mystique at the very top of the draft, as French phenom Victor Wembanyama is universally expected the be the first overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs. At 7-foot-4 with tight handles and a smooth shot, Wembanyama boasts a crazy mix of size and athleticism, and as a result he’s already caught the attention of some of the league’s top players.
“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but [Wembanyama] is more like an alien,” Lakers forward LeBron James said of Wembanyama . “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor. At 7-4, 7-5, 7-3, whatever the case may be, his ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot stepback jumpers out of the post, stepback 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots, he’s for sure a generational talent.”
Wembanyama will provide an enormous, immediate boost — both on and off of the floor — to whichever organization lands him, and that’s why the Spurs will assuredly select him. With that decision locked up ahead of time, the most pressing question near the top of the lottery becomes: Who will the Charlotte Hornets select with the second pick?
The Hornets appear to have their choice narrowed down to two players, as Alabama’s Brandon Miller and G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson both had multiple workouts with the team. Both players have franchise-changing potential — something the Hornets certainly need as an organization that hasn’t made it past the first round of the playoffs in over 20 years. Charlotte’s decision at the second spot will have an enormous ripple effect on the rest of the draft, and in turn on the league as a whole. It’s tough to overstate the overall importance of this pick. All eyes will be on Charlotte on Thursday night as a result.
2. Will the Blazers trade the third pick?
Heading into the draft, there has been rampant speculation that the Portland Trail Blazers could look to trade the third overall pick in order to acquire established, win-now talent to pair alongside Damian Lillard. Some have even suggested that Lillard could seek a trade if Portland doesn’t make that move, as he has made it clear that he isn’t interested in being part of a rebuild with the Blazers. While the situation is more nuanced than that, it’s still certainly a central storyline surrounding the draft.
Lillard has said time and again that his first choice would be to spend his entire career in Portland, but he is also well aware that his window to help lead a team to a title is closing and he wants to maximize his remaining time at the peak of his powers, either in Portland or elsewhere.
“I want to have an opportunity to win in Portland…We got an opportunity, asset-wise, to build a team that can compete,” Lillard said recently. “If we can’t do that, then, you know, obviously, like I’ve said, you know, for months now, like then this is a separate conversation that we would have to have.”
It will be very interesting to see what the Blazers do here. They could add a very promising player with the third overall pick, but by doing so they could run the risk of aggravating Lillard, and in turn pushing him out of Portland.
3. Will the Pelicans trade Zion Williamson?
Zion Williamson’s name has popped up in trade rumors recently, and some reports have suggested that the Pelicans might be willing to part with the former top overall pick in order to move up into the top three in the draft in order to land top prospect Scoot Henderson.
Williamson getting traded prior to the draft is unlikely, according to The Athletic, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Williamson hasn’t been the reliable franchise cornerstone that the organization hoped he would be when he was selected with the first pick in the 2019 draft. When he’s been out on the floor, Williamson has been extremely impressive, but availability has been an enormous issue, and there’s certainly some frustration on both sides behind the scenes.
The Pelicans have long been enamored with Henderson, and even if they don’t want to trade Williamson, if the opportunity to turn Williamson into Henderson presents itself, it’s something the organization would at least have to consider.
4. Will the Thunder cash in some chips?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have a ton of draft picks in the upcoming drafts, including three (one first-round, two second-round) this year. They also have four first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. As a team with a ton of young talent already on the roster, could they look to trade in some of those picks for established talent in order to take the next step forward as a team? Or, could they potentially look to package a couple of picks — maybe their first round pick this year and one in 2024– to move up in the draft this year? They will have the No. 12 overall pick as it stands, but perhaps they’ll want another crack at the top five.
Maybe they’ll make a move, maybe they won’t, but regardless the Thunder are definitely a team to keep an eye on draft night since they possess the draft capital to shake things up in a major way.
5. Will the Mavericks make a move?
After missing the playoffs last season despite acquiring star guard Kyrie Irving prior to the trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks clearly need to upgrade the roster around Luka Doncic. One way to do that would be to trade the No. 10 overall pick in the draft to land some established talent. NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports recently stated that he fully expects the Mavericks to trade the pick, and others have expressed a similar sentiment.
In a way, this situation is similar to the one in Portland. Both teams are in win-now mode thanks to the presence of a superstar guard in his prime, and both teams are facing pressure to build better teams around those guys. Lillard is older than Doncic, so there’s a bit more urgency in Portland, but ultimately both teams could look to move their lottery pick in the name of immediate improvement.
NBA free agency: Player option tracker as Kyle Kuzma, Draymond Green, Bruce Brown opt out of deals
NBA free agency is less than two weeks away, and we’re getting a clearer picture of exactly who will be available this summer. Several players are facing decisions on player options for the 2023-24 season, and notable names like Draymond Green and Kyle Kuzma have already declined them.
Green, as expected, turned down his $27.6 million player option with the Warriors for next season, per The Athletic. The Warriors mainstay could stay in Golden State, he’ll just look to do so on a longer contract. Kuzma also expectedly turned down his $13 million option from the Wizards for next season to enter free agency, per ESPN. Kuzma hits the open market after averaging 21.2 points per game last season.
Bruce Brown, fresh off a key role in the Nuggets’ title, declined his $6.8 million option to enter free agency, per The Athletic.
The Raptors have been impacted by two player option decisions. Fred VanVleet declined his $22.8 million option to become a free agent, while Gary Trent Jr. is opting into his $18.6 million option to return to Toronto.
Below is a full list of the notable player options this offseason, which includes stars like James Harden and Khris Middleton.
NBA player option tracker
2023 NBA Draft: One trade idea for all 14 teams in the lottery ranging from realistic to utter fantasy
The NBA Draft’s order may be determined by lottery, but ultimately any team can pick in any slot if it wants to badly enough. Sure, getting to the top of the draft might cost you your entire roster, but with rare exceptions, no pick is truly untradeable. The team that holds a draft pick when the card is handed in will ultimately be the team that values that pick more than any other.
So let’s put that theory to the test. The draft is almost upon us. There will surely be several deals at the top of the board. So let’s go through all 14 teams in the lottery and try to find a trade for their picks. Some of the trades will be more realistic than others, but all of them will attempt to re-home picks with teams that value them enough to give up real capital to get them.
Spurs get: Luka Doncic
Mavericks get: No. 1 overall pick, Doug McDermott
This is a purely hypothetical exercise on both ends, and a pretty laughable one at that. Obviously, there is no realistic pathway to a Victor Wembanyama trade… but who is the most valuable player San Antonio could feasibly ask for? Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, as Finals MVPs in their primes, are untouchable. Stephen Curry likely is as well due to his status as a Warriors icon.
That leaves Doncic, who, to be clear, is not actually available. But reports have indicated that Dallas is afraid that another disappointing year could lead to Doncic, already on a max contract, asking out. If the Mavericks wanted to get out ahead of that possibility, Wembanyama would top any offer any other team could feasibly make. For the Spurs, they’d be exchanging a question mark for a surefire All-NBA player. Doug McDermott is here for cap purposes.
It’s not going to happen, but it’s a fun hypothetical. If these two teams have their way, Doncic and Wembanyama will be the two biggest stars in Texas for a long time, and they’ll hold those titles with their original teams.
2. Charlotte Hornets/No. 14 New Orleans Pelicans
Hornets get: Zion Williamson, No. 14 overall pick
Pelicans get: No. 2 overall pick, Gordon Hayward
Here’s where we go from completely unrealistic to unlikely, but plausible given the reporting, circumstances and general craziness of the modern NBA. The Pelicans reportedly want to move up to draft Scoot Henderson. They are most often cited as a possible trade partner with the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 3, but the Hornets can scoop them with the No. 2 overall pick. If the Pelicans are essentially willing to deal Williamson for Henderson, Charlotte effectively has the right of first refusal.
So the question then becomes… would the Hornets give up the right to draft Henderson (or Brandon Miller for that matter) in exchange for Williamson? Well… we don’t exactly know. Remember, Michael Jordan officially sold his stake in the team less than a week ago. If Mat Ishbia’s recent splurge has taught us anything, it’s that new owners typically like to make a splash. Even if the current front office wants to make the pick, there is the chance that ownership would prioritize the proven star in Williamson, who would fit perfectly next to LaMelo Ball.
So why is the No. 14 overall pick in this deal as well? Williamson’s injuries have to be taken into account here, obviously, but there’s also the matter of leverage. Charlotte is perfectly comfortable making a pick at No. 2. These talks were theoretically born out of David Griffin’s interest in Henderson. If he wants to move up, he has to pay the premium to do it.
3. Portland Trail Blazers
Blazers get: Paul George, 2028 first-round pick (top-8 protected, top-4 protected in 2029)
Clippers get: No. 3 overall pick, Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons
The Blazers are certainly in the running for Williamson if Henderson makes it to No. 3 and the Pelicans ultimately decide to move him, but what’s their alternative? Let’s look at some reporting by Marc Stein on Tuesday. The Clippers, it seems, are quietly gauging the market on Paul George. Only teams interested in winning now that have a need on the wing would trade for him, and the package would likely have to be substantial for the Clippers to pull the trigger.
That describes the Blazers to a tee. George is older than Williamson, yet, despite his own injuries, more reliable. He plays the wing, which has been a hole for Portland for Damian Lillard’s entire career. Ironically, George could be traded for a player very similar to the one he was dealt for four years ago: a bigger, explosive point guard. It was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2019 and it would likely be Henderson now.
So what about the rest of this deal? Portland has very little flexibility in terms of what matching salary it uses. Simons and Nurkic almost have to be in this deal, and considering the risks associated with George, the No. 3 overall pick alone is a fair return. If the Clippers are getting the young and explosive Simons, they not only have to eat the Nurkic contract, but they have to send out a lightly-protected pick of their own. Remember, in this scenario, they’d hope that by 2028 their pick at No. 3 would have matured into a star himself, so the risk of trading a pick that far away is lighter.
Cavaliers get: No. 4 overall pick
Rockets get: Jarrett Allen
The last two trades were at least grounded by some reporting. This one is pure speculation, and fairly flimsy speculation at that. Cleveland is in no rush to break up its core, and the Rockets already have Alperen Sengun at center. Both teams would likely need to be convinced here.
For Cleveland, it’s a financial reset of sorts. Evan Mobley’s long-term contract is coming up, and turning the $20 million Allen into a draft pick not only gives them a chance at the wing they’re missing, but also gets them four years of cost control at a critical slot. That probably isn’t enough to justify breaking up this team after only one year together, but realistically, if the Cavs lose a few more times and decide they need to invest in a high-end wing, Allen is their likeliest trade chip. This idea just accelerates that process.
And if Houston lands James Harden? Suddenly Sengun is a fairly awkward fit. Houston desperately needs defense somewhere on this roster, and Allen provides far more of it than Sengun. He’s a more traditional Harden pick-and-roll partner as a lob-finisher than Sengun, who is at his most valuable with the ball in his hands. Houston would have to flip Sengun elsewhere to justify this sort of move, but it would at least give them a somewhat sensible roster around Harden. At this point, it’s worth wondering if the Rockets should be tailoring their roster around a soon-to-be 34-year-old, but we abandoned reality long ago where this trade is concerned. If the Rockets are doing this Harden thing, why not really commit to it?
5. Detroit Pistons/9. Utah Jazz
Jazz get: No. 5 overall pick
Pistons get: No. 9 overall pick, No. 16 overall pick
OK, we’re back to the real world now. This one is straightforward, and even has some reporting behind it thanks to Yahoo’s Jake Fischer. The Jazz are stuffed to the brim with future draft capital after trading Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell last summer. The Pistons don’t have an asset surplus. Utah wants to jump ahead of Orlando to take guard Anthony Black, according to Fischer. Detroit seems to be targeting wings in a draft filled with them. This feels like a pretty classic case of one team needing quality and another needing quantity. Easy trade. Let’s move on.
Hawks get: No. 6 overall pick, No. 11 overall pick
Magic get: Dejounte Murray, No. 15 overall pick
We’re back to the realm of speculation here, but it’s slightly more informed. Atlanta has reportedly sought to move up in the draft, but their target isn’t clear. Meanwhile, Murray’s contract is uniquely difficult for the Hawks. He was extended at so far below market-value that even with the league’s new 140% raise rule, he essentially cannot get an extension for a fair price. That means that he is virtually guaranteed to become a free agent next offseason, and the Hawks didn’t exactly light the world on fire with him last season.
Orlando has plenty of young guards, but Markelle Fultz, Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony are all still projects at this stage of their career. Murray is a sure thing, a mid-range master to help their late-game offense and a top defender to help cover some of the gaps their offense-centric front-court will create. The Magic have so much young talent at this stage that picks really don’t need to be a priority for them. Murray is proven enough to lift them into the playoffs now, but young enough to help them win moving forward. If the Magic want to pursue a veteran like Fred VanVleet in free agency, this could be a way to get that player early and without a bidding war.
Raptors get: No. 7 overall pick, No. 29 overall pick, 2025 first-round pick (top-4 protected, unprotected 2026), Daniel Theis, Chris Duarte
Pacers get: OG Anunoby
Indiana reportedly wants a veteran wing in exchange for its lottery pick. The Raptors are a notoriously difficult trade partner to deal with, as they have reportedly turned down several hefty offers for Anunoby in the past. But he is only a year away from free agency, and to this point, there has been little reported progress on an extension. Perhaps this offer would be enough to pry him loose.
Toronto gets one premium pick in No. 7. They help the Pacers ease their roster crunch by taking No. 29, leaving Indiana with No. 26 and No. 32 to play with. The 2025 pick has upside, but hopefully, a Pacers team built around Anunoby, Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and Benedict Mathurin is contending by then. Duarte is a flier on a former lottery pick that has shown promise but struggled last season. Toronto has turned down three first-round picks before, but this offer exceeds that price. It’s three picks, but one is a premium selection, and the package comes with another former high draft pick. If this isn’t prying Anunoby out of Toronto, it’s likely that nothing will.
8. Washington Wizards/12. Oklahoma City Thunder
Thunder get: No. 8 overall pick
Wizards get: No. 12 overall pick, No. 50 overall pick, 2024 first-round pick (via Utah)
Another relatively simple swap. We’ve already seen the Thunder flex their asset muscles in the late lottery, as they gave up three future picks to land Ousmane Dieng in a trade with the Knicks last season. This deal follows a somewhat similar concept: the Thunder have more picks than roster spots, so they use one of their future selections to jump up and pick a preferred target. If Washington’s ideal pick is on the board, the Wizards will just stay put. But if they are targeting, say, Black, and Utah has already moved up to grab him? Then a move down makes sense, as the Wizards are still so early in their rebuild that every asset counts.
10. Dallas Mavericks
Celtics get: No. 10 overall pick, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Mavericks get: Robert Williams III, Danilo Gallinari
Dallas desperately needs to use its No. 10 overall pick to improve defensively. Boston has seemingly explored the trade market, and its guards have been frequently mentioned in the rumor mill. Marcus Smart is a realistic Dallas target. He’d do wonders for their defense and culture, but he also likes to have the ball in his hands. That isn’t exactly possible on a team with Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Here’s an alternative.
Williams, when healthy, is a legitimate defensive anchor. The “when healthy” qualifier is key here. Boston would essentially be giving up on a possible Defensive Player of the Year by making this trade, but after dealing with his health issues for five years now, they might be willing to swallow that loss for a lottery pick and four years of cost control. The Celtics won’t be cheap once Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum start their super max contracts. They have to find savings somewhere, and by trading Robert Williams, they might buy themselves enough financial flexibility to keep Grant Williams in restricted free agency.
13. Toronto Raptors
Grizzlies get: No. 13 overall pick, Chris Boucher
Raptors get: No. 25 overall pick, Tyus Jones
After fake-trading several All-Stars in this space, we close with a relatively modest trade involving high-end backups. In theory, Memphis should be holding onto Tyus Jones with Ja Morant set to miss the first 25 games of next season. However, there’s been plenty of reporting suggesting that he’s available. He’s probably the best backup point guard in the NBA, but he’s also a perfectly serviceable starter.
The Raptors have a point guard far better than that in Fred VanVleet, but there’s a good chance he’s about to walk in free agency. If he does, and the Raptors want to remain somewhat competitive next season, they are going to have to replace him. Jones is a relatively affordable way of doing so in the short term while the Raptors weigh their long-term options. Memphis, meanwhile, would pick up a better asset to use in its endless search for a wing. Given their draft history, a late lottery pick would be pretty valuable in the hands of the Grizzlies. Boucher is not only matching salary, but a useful backup as Brandon Clarke works his way back from a torn Achilles.
Denied $37,020,932 by Nuggets, Nikola Jokic Finds Relief as Celtics Star Thrown Out of Contention but Not Him in Elite Shaquille O’Neal-Led List
Nikola Jokic, despite not winning the regular season MVP award, showcased his exceptional skills during the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, leading the Denver Nuggets to secure the 2023 NBA Championship. As a result of his remarkable performance, Jokic was awarded the Finals MVP title. This recent accomplishment has placed him in a prestigious group of NBA players according to a basketball analyst, which includes legendary figures like Shaquille O’Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nikola Jokic displayed impressive averages of 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists, which played a crucial role in securing the first-ever NBA Championship for the city of Denver. As one of the rare foreigner players who have made such a significant impact in the league, Jokic has built a profound legacy. Comparisons are already being drawn between Jokic and other legendary Hall of Fame athletes, highlighting his potential to join the ranks of all-time greats in the basketball world.
Nikola Jokic joins an elite list
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Basketball critic and analyst Nick Wright recently praised Nikola Jokic for his dominant performances and labeled him as an All-time great player after less than a decade in the NBA. According to Wright, Jokic’s leadership in guiding his team, the Nuggets, to an NBA title places him among a select group of players, including the Big Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal, who have achieved remarkable success this century by being the main men in their team.
via Getty DENVER, COLORADO – JUNE 12: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets speaks with media after a 94-89 victory against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at Ball Arena on June 12, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Analyst Nick Wright included Nikola Jokic in a prestigious group of players that consists of Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. All of these players played main roles in leading their respective teams to NBA championships.
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However, it is worth noting that Kevin Garnett, despite winning an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 2008 and earning MVP honors in the past, was surprisingly omitted from the list. This exclusion came as a surprise given Garnett’s notable achievements and contributions throughout the course of his career.
However, Garnett is probably not missing out on how much Jokic himself is!
Nikola Jokic is denied a big amount by the Denver Nuggets
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Following the NBA Finals, Nikola Jokic’s market value is estimated to be approximately $70 million, while his current salary with the Denver Nuggets is around $33 million. It is surprising that the Nuggets are not compensating the Finals MVP according to his market worth.
Jokic is potentially missing out on a significant amount of nearly $37,020,932. It will be intriguing to hear Jokic’s perspective on this matter, and the situation will certainly add an element of interest to the upcoming season.
WATCH THIS STORY: Nikola Jokic receives a warm welcome by Shaq to the Big Man club
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What are your thoughts on Nikola Jokic’s latest achievement? Do you think Kevin Garnett should at least have been considered? Share your thoughts in the comments!
NBA Rumors: Dream Lakers draft trade emerges with Brooklyn Nets
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 23: Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers with Sean Marks before the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 23, 2020 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)
There has been a lot of speculation about what the Los Angeles Lakers are going to do with the 17th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While the Lakers could land a solid prospect with the 17th pick, it seems like the team is more interested in trading the selection.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, there is a growing likelihood that the Lakers will trade the 17th pick in the draft. There are two routes the Lake Show can take: the team can try to trade down in the draft to accumulate more draft capital or can try to trade the pick for veteran talent.
But what if the team could do both? It takes the perfect situation for that to happen and luckily, the perfect situation may now exist. The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly very active in shopping their two late second-round picks to move up in the draft while veterans Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith have also gained interest.
Alas, the Lakers could knock out two birds with one stone, moving back in the draft while also adding a veteran player to the rotation.
Lakers Get 22nd overall pick Royce O’Neale Nets Get 17th overall pick Mo Bamba
NBA Rumors: Why the Los Angeles Lakers would say yes
This is the best of both worlds for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team would be able to bring in a cost-controlled veteran that can log legitimate rotation minutes without having to sacrifice a first-round pick in the draft. With LA’s ability to scout and develop players, the difference between pick 22 and 17 may not be that large.
O’Neale is exactly what the Lakers should be looking for out of a rotation player off the bench. He gives the team the wing depth that is so desperately needed while also adding another shooting presence off the bench that the Lakers lacked.
O’Neale shot 38.9% from three last season and throughout his career, he has been incredibly consistent. He has shot 38.4% from beyond the arc while attempting 3.5 threes per game in his career.
He may not be able to do much more offensively but that is fine. His solid three-point shooting and above-average wing defense is valuable enough. Better yet, he is on an expiring deal that pays him under $10 million a year, so he does not break the bank in the slightest.
NBA Rumors: Why the Brooklyn Nets would say yes
O’Neale has value to a team like the Lakers but may not have as much value to the Nets. Brooklyn is a wing-heavy team and one year of O’Neale isn’t really moving the needle for Brooklyn. With large contracts given out to the likes of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris, the Nets may benefit from trading O’Neale for Mo Bamba for the sole purpose of waiving Bamba and his non-guaranteed contract.
Brooklyn would get to move up five spots in the draft and would get to free up just under $10 million in salary cap space in the process. The difference between the 22nd and 17th pick may not be large for the Lakers but it could allow the Nets to draft someone that they are in love with.
This kind of trade almost has to happen on draft night itself. It would take a prospect who Brooklyn is very high on falling to the 17th pick with the belief that he won’t fall to 21 (the Nets’ next pick in the draft). If that happens, this becomes an obvious no-brainer for the Nets.
2023 NBA Draft rumors, buzz: Scoot Henderson vs. Brandon Miller debate nearly settled; Cam Whitmore intrigue
The San Antonio Spurs are on the precipice of potentially changing the NBA landscape for the next decade with the expected selection of Victor Wembanyama at No. 1. Every other draft day plot, point of intrigue, all gossip fodder this year is overshadowed by the spectacle of the greatest basketball prospect in 20 years.
No matter which way this goes, 2023 will be remembered as the Wemby Draft.
That said, the NBA community is still abuzz with presumptions, assumptions and scuttlebutt over what’s going down after Wemby walks up to shake Adam Silver’s hand. With that in mind, I checked in with a number of NBA sources in the past week-plus. As always, Rule No. 1 of draft week is: believe nothing. These people are motivated to lie! That said, occasional kernels of truth do pop from time to time. Here’s some of what’s on the minds of those around the league as we head into Thursday night’s NBA Draft.
Scoot vs. Miller remains a very hot debate
T-minus 24 hours until the draft and the feeling around the league — likely bolstered by reporting from ESPN — is that Charlotte is going to select Alabama freshman Brandon Miller at No. 2.
But should it? Granted, this is a small sample size, but of the 10 people I talked to (not all of them general managers), seven of them said they’d take Scoot Henderson over Miller — and that’s with some of them taking into account Charlotte’s roster construction.
“These teams are building around these multiple, dynamic pick-and-roll players, and when you get deep in the playoffs, the ability to get to the basket and draw fouls [is significant],” one high-ranking Western Conference executive told CBS Sports. “Miller doesn’t have as much personal versatility, the combination of Scoot’s scoring and playmaking, that’s what teams are looking for. Brandon is exciting, don’t get me wrong, but this is more of an appreciation for Scoot.”
That executive said he expects Henderson to be a multiple-time All Star — and fitting alongside LaMelo Ball shouldn’t be a concern for Charlotte.
“To have the opportunity to play with two of these guys as playmakers, they’ll help each other,” he said. “It’s not a fit issue. LaMelo at the top of his apex, he should be playing multiple positions as the wing player. He doesn’t have to be a primary ball handler. If you look at his catch-and-shoot numbers, they’re elite. Scoot is almost too good to pass up.”
Said another Western Conference source: “Scoot has all the winning intangibles, and despite the possible oversaturation with ball handling, there’s too much there. In any other draft, he’d be a No. 1 pick, in my mind. We can kill the jump shot and kill his lack of efficiency in the second part of the year, but I think when that dude is locked in, with the right pieces around him, we’re talking about a Westbrook, a Ja, a John Wall.”
“Take Scoot,” another GM said. “Makeup, competitiveness, I’m betting on the human being. He’s what an elite point guard looks like in our league. I just love him more. I think he’s going to be really good. … With Miller, off-the-court stuff aside, when you look at the back at some of the games he had, something’s missing. Not very vocal, missing something. I don’t think he’s an elite-elite athlete like some of these wings.”
There are still plenty in Miller’s corner as the better choice. He’s easily the better shooter, and he’s taller and fits the mold of a prototypical NBA wing. One Eastern Conference source was plainly in on Miller over Scoot, and another evaluator ardently agreed. What ultimately matters is what Mitch Kupchak thinks. (And Michael Jordan, too, one last time.) At this point, the assumption is Charlotte will take Miller. Then again, the assumption a year ago was that Orlando was taking Jabari Smith Jr. … until that switched in the 11th hour.
Whitmore slide rumors: real or smoke?
The draft “starts” at the No. 4 spot with Houston. Amen Thompson is the favorite to go there. There was a time (just a few weeks back) when Villanova’s Cam Whitmore was considered a viable choice to go fourth. But there is a feeling spreading in the league that Whitmore’s stock is slipping more than any other player in the lottery. What does this mean, where does it stem from and will it actually come to pass?
Whitmore had a really good pro day workout in May, but a few of his team workouts weren’t as fruitful, sources said. Throw that on top of a somewhat-bumpy year at Villanova, and some are thinking he’s due to drop three or more spots from his previous top-five projection. One executive said it is possible Whitmore could drop to No. 9. Another source said he doesn’t believe it’s smoke, that Whitmore’s drop will bear out on Thursday. (Neither source is picking in the top 10, but as always, this is lying season, folks.)
“I think it’s real,” another source said of Whitmore’s slide. “There’s medical stuff that’s popped up. I think that’s one of the primary reasons, and I think it’s more so there’s other guys with more certainty there. The gap between how much better he is than everyone else is not there, and throw in maybe medical stuff and that’s what you got when you’ve got the Thompson twins, (Anthony) Black, Jarace (Walker), Taylor Hendricks. Then throw in the questions with consistency, production, his place on the floor, it all adds up.”
Cam Whitmore’s draft stock is a moving target heading into the draft. Getty Images
“From a basketball perspective, he’s got hard things to replicate: size and power and potential to get his own shot,” one front office executive said. “There’s a point in the top 10 where he becomes a no-brainer. If he were to fall to 9, that seems odd to me. I don’t fully grasp it.”
“I remember going to Seton Hall and he was buried at the end of the game,” another executive said. “This guy’s supposed to be a top-five pick and he’s not even on the floor against a very average team.”
The people who like Whitmore as a top-six prospect point to his physical tools and previous play against high-level competition, dating back to his time before Villanova. Another source said Whitmore’s been overanalyzed and there is usually at least one player in the top 10 every year who suffers from analytical fatigue in the final days leading up to the draft. Whitmore didn’t fare well in some workouts and interviews, according to sources, but we’ll see if he actually falls and how far. From my perspective, getting picked sixth or better wouldn’t constitute a fall. A lot of people are really curious where he lands.
Two who could overshadow the draft: Zion, Dame
The two biggest names attached to potential movement are Portland’s Damian Lillard and New Orleans’ Zion Williamson. The will-he-or-won’t-he with Lillard has been a talking point for years. The Zion rumormongering has grown louder as of late, but to hear one source lay it out, it’s going to take a huge package of talent and future first rounders to get New Orleans to shift off Williamson.
Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin knows his window to capitalize on building a contender is now — not two or three years down the road. Brandon Ingram is in his prime, C.J. McCollum has exited his, and Williamson is still waiting to enter into such a phase.
“I can 100% see them trading up,” one source said. “Griff is well aware the window is now. The franchise has underperformed. With another underperforming season, then there will be changes.”
The risk of letting Zion loose is still seen as too great, one source said. If he’s traded away and becomes elite, that can flip a front office. If they keep him and he’s still not healthy, Zion’s contract keeps him relatively cheap because he’s not paid as much if he doesn’t play a majority of games.
Then again: “We’d be surprised by Dame, Zion not so much,” one person in the Western Conference said.
So yeah, nobody knows anything. As a few people pointed out, the Lillard chatter is starting to venture into Bradley Beal territory. Hey, it took a long time, but Beal did eventually get dealt. What I can promise you is Zion or Lillard moving on draft night would be the biggest story of the evening, even bigger than the formality of San Antonio drafting Wembanyama.
Over/under 1.5 trades in the lottery
In asking around, this year’s lottery is considered below average. And yet, once again, the “there’s going to be so many trades” gossip has predictably arrived right on time. That in mind, if I’m setting the over/under at 1.5 trades in the top 14, I guess I’ll take the over. Dallas at No. 10 is considered — by a wide margin — to be the most likely trade target among all teams picking in the lottery.
“Dallas feels a little bit of pressure to deliver on Luka’s potential,” one Western Conference source said. “Aligning to get to the end of his contract without being on a pathway to being a championship contender is a little difficult.”
We’ve seen many teams enter the draft with a wide assumption they will make a move, only to keep the pick. So we’ll see about Dallas. The other teams (in order) considered potentially open to swapping more than others: Indiana at No. 7, Utah at No. 9, Orlando at No. 11.
Said one Eastern Conference evaluator: “This is all speculation right now and everyone’s bored.”
Perceived risers
We’ll soon find out how accurate the collective NBA mock draft community is on some guys who have jumped up a tier or two in the past couple of weeks. Here are the three hottest names relative to where their stock was more than a month ago.
BILAL COULIBALY : The Frenchman who played with Wembanyama. Some around the league believe he could go as high as No. 9 to Utah, and don’t think he falls beyond Toronto at 13. Said one source: “Are one of these teams in the top 10 quietly going to move on that? That’s one everyone’s monitoring.” Others have skepticism, due to the fact he’s jumped so far so fast. The feeling at this juncture is Coulibaly’s wingspan, fluidity, size and age will have teams on the back end of the lottery spooked to pass on him.
: The Frenchman who played with Wembanyama. Some around the league believe he could go as high as No. 9 to Utah, and don’t think he falls beyond Toronto at 13. Said one source: “Are one of these teams in the top 10 quietly going to move on that? That’s one everyone’s monitoring.” Others have skepticism, due to the fact he’s jumped so far so fast. The feeling at this juncture is Coulibaly’s wingspan, fluidity, size and age will have teams on the back end of the lottery spooked to pass on him. KOBE BUFKIN : The Michigan product has jumped up in a major way in recent weeks, going from late first-rounder to a guy who could be called in the lottery. His sophomore season was a plot twist. He played alongside Hunter Dickinson and Jett Howard on an OK Michigan team, and came out as the best pro prospect of the bunch. “He’s big, versatile, can handle/pass, looks like a multi, do-it-all who can play 1 through 3 at our level,” one source said. “He’s helped himself more than anyone.” The range feels 8-15 for Bufkin.
: The Michigan product has jumped up in a major way in recent weeks, going from late first-rounder to a guy who could be called in the lottery. His sophomore season was a plot twist. He played alongside Hunter Dickinson and Jett Howard on an OK Michigan team, and came out as the best pro prospect of the bunch. “He’s big, versatile, can handle/pass, looks like a multi, do-it-all who can play 1 through 3 at our level,” one source said. “He’s helped himself more than anyone.” The range feels 8-15 for Bufkin. BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI: One source said all three guys on this list here are products of the powers of the analytic staffs on teams. “The modeling is pretty standard league-wide, so those guys are darlings from an analytics perspective,” the source said. Podziemski would make it back-to-back Santa Clara players picked in the first round (Jalen Williams last season). That after the school went through a three-decade drought. He seems a lock to go top-25. Be sure to read this great profile of Podz by our own Kyle Boone
Perceived fallers
JETT HOWARD, MICHIGAN : Reads on Howard’s stock are all over the map. Huge knocks against his defense, and two sources suggested there might only be a couple of teams that have a top-25 grade on him. More polarizing than I realized.
: Reads on Howard’s stock are all over the map. Huge knocks against his defense, and two sources suggested there might only be a couple of teams that have a top-25 grade on him. More polarizing than I realized. BRICE SENSABAUGH, OHIO STATE : Was projected as a safe first round pick for most of this process. However, as we get closer to the big moment, word is spreading over concerns regarding his size and medical, multiple sources said. His range was once thought to be No. 15-25, but now it feels more like No. 23-35.
: Was projected as a safe first round pick for most of this process. However, as we get closer to the big moment, word is spreading over concerns regarding his size and medical, multiple sources said. His range was once thought to be No. 15-25, but now it feels more like No. 23-35. ANDRE JACKSON JR., UCONN: Perhaps his lack of a jumper is going to cost him first-round status. Jackson passes a lot of tests, but it’s worth considering that his decision to leave UConn wasn’t a no-brainer. Many teams (including some I talked to) have a second-round grade on him — and like him at that value.
Second-round sleepers
In polling some NBA minds, here are three guys who got a few nods for being valued slightly more than mock drafts would suggest.