It’s no secret that most around the league expect the NBA to expand in the near future, likely adding teams in Seattle and Las Vegas once the new broadcast-rights deal is finalized.
Let's preview what an expansion draft might look like and which players would be available.
Read MoreFrom a climate perspective, the world is in peril. It’s undeniable at this point. Today, though, there are organizations working to find solutions. But when it comes to the universe of pro sports, which has long been a source of pollution like other big businesses, where can answers be found? That’s the question those within leagues like the National Basketball Association are debating now. While the NBA has its own challenges when it comes to air travel and its carbon footprint, the league is also progressing forward with substantive changes, small and large, to assuage the climate crisis. And it’s in a unique position to do just that.
Read MoreIn life, there is one constant – change. For professional sports, the biggest change of late has to do with gambling. Most US states now offer fans the chance to bet on games and player props legally. And big professional sports leagues like the NBA have embraced that recent change in legislation, too. What was once a third-rail topic is now a major source of income, with ESPN’s financial guru Bobby Marks saying this year the NBA is “projected to receive $167m in revenue from casinos and betting, an 11% increase from last season.”
Read MoreTo be in communion with your brother, to create something with him that you’re proud of and, perhaps most importantly, keeps you close—what could be better? For Kevin and Michael Bacon, the two brothers from the City of Brotherly Love who comprise the singer/songwriter duo The Bacon Brothers, harmony—both literally and figuratively—is why their work as musicians is only getting better, as evidenced by their new album Ballad of the Brothers, which drops on Friday (April 19).
Read MorePhiladelphia 76ers basketball fans know one sentence above all else: Trust the process. It was used often when the team was struggling in the 2010s as the team appeared to tank for the sake of high draft picks and long-term team building. But two of the franchise’s ensuing No 1 selections – Ben Simmons and Markel Fultz, both of whom are no longer on the team, despite being dubbed saviors – seemed to lose sight of the maxim when it came to their own on-court games. Both players came into the NBA with sky-high potential. But they both came under unwelcome scrutiny: Fultz for a hitch in his shooting technique, and Simmons for a reluctance to shoot at all. The pair were inevitably accused of succumbing to the “the dreaded yips.”
Read MoreIn 1961, inventor John Burgeson created the first-ever computerized baseball simulator game. In the decades since, there have been literally hundreds of video games released that, at least in part, are based on his concept. And although every baseball fan can’t play in the majors, anyone can practice their sliders and home-run swings on their gaming consoles.
As spring training approaches, it’s time to continue along the path that Burgeson set out by enjoying these nine classic baseball video games. Batter up!
Read MoreThere is no bigger name in college basketball than Caitlin Clark at the moment. The Iowa star is becoming a brand unto herself having recently broken both the NCAA women’s and men’s scoring marks, held previously by Lynette Woodard and Pete Maravich, respectively. She already boasts a net worth estimated to be in the millions.
Clark, who started playing in boys’ leagues when she was five, is the surefire top pick in the upcoming WNBA draft. Standing 6ft, she is a big guard for the women’s game, with her passing drawing comparisons to Magic Johnson and her shooting to Steph Curry.
With the women’s NCAA Tournament starting this week, we reached out to a handful of hoops luminaries for their takes on Clark’s talent and how it may translate to the next level.
Read MoreAmerica has long obsessed over celebrity and the quest for fame. Thirty years ago, millions of moviegoers got to see that desire up close thanks to the groundbreaking documentary Hoop Dreams, which focused on two teenage basketball players, Arthur Agee and William Gates. The pair never fulfilled their dream of making the NBA, but Agee and Gates ended up making more of an impact than many who did.
Read MoreEvery chance he gets, Kevin Durant talks glowingly about Seattle. He said recently that he wants to be part of the franchise in the future. (And Seattle’s mayor hinted that the team could be back soon.) Many in the city would welcome Durant back with open arms. Maybe the team would even retire his jersey, even though he only played for it for a single season in 2007-08.
Below, we talked with a number of Seattle basketball figures to get their take on Durant’s rookie year, from the promise of his early career to the devastation from his departure months later.
Read MoreLet’s get this out of the way at the beginning: Everyone loves Gregg Popovich. He’s a five-time NBA champion, the league’s all-time winningest coach and he led the US men’s national team to a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Furthermore, if some tragic world event occurs, Pop is the person in the NBA most would want to hear from (Doc Rivers and Steve Kerr being next). But affection can’t get in the way of a difficult question. So here goes: Why are the San Antonio Spurs so bad?
Read MoreIt’s 4 am somewhere and James Edwards’ alarm begins to shriek. Bleary-eyed, he tries to remember where he is: What city, what hotel and what time does his plane take off? Can he take a shower, and get a quick breakfast? And where is he headed next – Toronto, Atlanta, L.A.?
Edwards, who is the beat reporter for the Detroit Pistons, employed by The Athletic, has been covering the team for seven years and it’s another losing season. It’s an epic poem of a losing season. Detroit is the worst team in the league and it recently endured a 28-game losing streak. Yet, Edwards dutifully tracks the team, coming up with stories and wondering both aloud and in print if there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Read MoreCOVID-19 ravaged the music industry. Venues shut down, tours stopped, vinyl plants went on hiatus. It was mass-confusion, mass-worry and potentially the end of many a livelihood. Thankfully, in the several years since, things have come back to life. Some order has been restored amidst the concern over disease, loss of life and the pandemic shutdown.
But how did artists come back after some two or even three years away from their fans and even each other? To find out, we asked six artists one question: “How did COVID-19 affect your music and how have you since recovered?” Here below are their answers.
Read MoreVideo games sometimes get a bad rap, despite being one of the most popular forms of entertainment on the planet. Seen by some as fodder for a lazy lifestyle, it can be tempting to imagine a couch potato sunken into the sofa with a glazed look over his eyes as he plays the dozenth hour of a war game, moving only his thumbs.
But video games aren’t only meant for the sedentary. Indeed, there are many titles specifically designed to get people out of their seats, to move their bodies and even build up a healthy sweat. Here are 10 games sure to get your blood flowing. Play them and it will be as if you’re in your own personal fitness class!
Read MoreThis year, several players are on the brink of the very real opportunity of making their first All-Star team. Here, we’ll rank 11 such talents – from speedy guards to nimble big men – who are making a real case for themselves to be added to the 2024 All-Star roster.
Check it out below.
Read MoreBaseball, basketball and hockey all have their place, but it’s clear that America’s favorite sporting pastime is football. Every weekend, tens of millions of fans tune in to watch modern-day gladiators battle it out between the hashmarks. Whether it’s a long pass, an electrifying run or a bone crunching block, audiences simply can’t get enough of the physical matchups the game entails.
But the popularity of football doesn’t stop there. Millions more enjoy playing football video games, and they have for decades. Here are 10 of the best and most popular titles — the games that have captivated players ever since video arcades and home consoles started to pepper the landscape.
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