Month: July 2024

Bronny James’ move to the LA Lakers has been heavily criticized by the NBA community. He was tagged with narratives of nepotism and scrutinized for his previous performances at USC. However, when the young guard set foot on the hardwood, fans started showing their support, which also surprised Bronny.

The young rookie appeared in the Purple and Gold jersey no. 9 for the first time to face the Sacramento Kings in the Summer League. What the 19-year-old didn’t see coming was the huge fan base cheering for him.

Talking about the enthusiastic crowd at the Chase Center, Bronny said, “Maybe the atmosphere. It was more than I expected. I mean, it’s a big game for me, but I didn’t know if people from Golden State would come and rep for me.” He concluded by saying, “So that was pretty nice to see.”

Bronny James on the biggest surprise in his summer league debut: "Maybe the atmosphere. It was more than I expected. I mean, it's a big game for me, but I didn't know if people from Golden State would come and rep for me. So that was pretty nice to see."

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) July 6, 2024

The youngster has made a separate fan base, who were drawn towards his match, even before he could show his moves in the NBA. However, Bronny failed to impress them with his performance in the game.

Bronny James Performance in Summer League

Most basketball lovers eagerly looked forward to the day Bronny James would make his debut. That was either out of love for the former USC guard or to further criticize him, and Bronny couldn’t make the most of it.

Amid the high expectations, Bronny attempted 9 shots from the floor, raising hopes for his fans who were there to witness his first game with the Lakers. But the fans were left disappointed when only 2 of those shots reached the target. He also hit three shots from downtown but couldn’t convert them into buckets. Bronny finished with four points in the 94-108 game that ended in favor of the Kings.

Bronny James first basket as a member of the Lakers in Summer League 🔥https://t.co/lhdBxlvtm9

— Backcourt Alerts (@BackcourtAlerts) July 6, 2024

Nevertheless, his superstar father, LeBron, was thrilled to see his firstborn perform in the franchise’s colors. Bronny still has ample opportunities to showcase his abilities when the regular season begins.

The Los Angeles Lakers made headlines by selecting Dalton Knecht as the 17th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. This move is being hailed as a major steal, considering Knecht’s impressive college performance. Even before the draft, Lakers star LeBron James recognized Knecht’s exceptional athleticism after watching his games at Tennessee.

LeBron recently opened up, claiming the former Tennessee star is his favorite college basketball player apart from his son, Bronny James.

“Dalton, besides Bronny, was my favorite player in college basketball. I did not think he would fall to 17 at all. I’m glad he did,” LeBron said.

Lakers’ LeBron James on rookie Dalton Knecht: “Dalton, besides Bronny, was my favorite player in college basketball. … I did not think he would fall to 17 at all. … I’m glad he did.” pic.twitter.com/TGe9OUoGtX

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 6, 2024

After Knecht’s stunning last college season, in which he earned SEC Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American honors, he was expected to be a top-10 pick.
LeBron even claimed he watched the Purdue vs. Tennessee game due to their rookie player.
“He’s a great player. We watched that Purdue, Tennessee, game because of Zach Edey and Knecht. Players, depending on who they are, will drive attention,” James said.

Nevertheless, Knecht had to wait until the Los Angeles Lakers made their decision. Now, with the Lakers, Knecht is anticipated to contribute to areas beyond scoring and outside shooting. His role will likely involve complementing the talents of LeBron James and Anthony Davis on both ends of the court.

Dalton Knecht and Bronny James Begin Lakers Journey in the Summer League Showdown

Dalton Knecht and Bronny James made their summer league debuts on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers’ No. 17 pick, Knecht, scored 12 points despite shooting 3-for-12 from the field in his first game.

Like his draft experience, Bronny James’ debut for the Lakers drew some criticism. He finished his first game with 4 points on 2-for-9 shooting, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal in 22 minutes.

Taylor Swift performed her 2006 number Mary’s Song for the first time in 16 years when she hit the stage in Amsterdam this Saturday.

The 34-year-old pop star had not sung the song live since 2008, when she delivered a rendition of it at the McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Now, however, she has brought the song back into her repertoire, in a medley with her 2012 single Everything Has Changed and her new song So High School.

When she broke into Mary’s Song onstage in Amsterdam this Saturday night, the fans went wild because of its unexpected connection to Taylor’s blossoming romance with NFL heartthrob Travis Kelce.

One of the lyrics has now acquired a special significance because of Taylor’s relationship to Travis, who joined her onstage in Amsterdam that night.

Taylor Swift performed her 2006 number Mary’s Song for the first time in 16 years when she hit the stage in Amsterdam this Saturday; pictured at the same venue Friday

In the song, Taylor sings to the object of her affection: ‘I’ll be 87, you’ll be 89. I’ll still look at you like the stars that shine in the sky. Oh, my, my, my….’

Travis’ number in the Kansas City Chiefs is 87, while Taylor was famously born in 1989, which is the title of one of her most beloved albums.

Mary’s Song was included on Taylor’s self-titled debut album, which dropped in 2016 when she was still a rising teenage country star.

Taylor and Travis delighted the singer’s army of Dutch fans as they left stage holding hands Saturday, which was the final night of her Eras Tour shows in Amsterdam.

The Kansas City Chiefs star reunited with his girlfriend in the Dutch capital on Friday night, having also attended recent shows in London and Dublin during his summer trip to Europe.

Kelce spent Thursday playing golf with Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes in London before flying out to The Netherlands to support Swift.

His attendance on Friday night was confirmed when Swift performed ‘Karma’ and sang ‘Karma is the guy on the Chiefs’ – which she typically only does when Kelce is there.

The tight end was joined by Mahomes and his wife Brittany in their hospitality suite for Saturday’s show but made sure he was ready at the side of the stage to accompany his girlfriend backstage.

When she broke into Mary’s Song onstage in Amsterdam this Saturday night, the fans went wild because of its unexpected connection to Travis Kelce, pictured with her in January

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were greeted by huge cheers as they left stage in Amsterdam

Swift had just completed her third and final night of her smash-hit Eras Tour in Amsterdam

Fans waiting in the wings were anticipating the couple walking in front of them and went wild when they finally emerged.

Kelce was hyping his lover up, waving his arms in the air to signal more cheers from the crowd for her.

Holding hands as they walked together, Swift continued to soak up the adoration as she waved goodbye to her Dutch fans as she prepares to take her show to yet another city.

Mahomes and his wife, meanwhile, were spotted in hospitality seating by eagle-eyed Swifties who shared videos of the couple singing and swaying along to Swift’s many hits, while Kelce could be seen behind them belting the lyrics out.

At one point the high school sweethearts shared a sweet, loving moment with Brittany resting her head on her husband’s shoulders.

Brittany also shared a boomerang of herself and a friend beaming as they prepared to head to the concert, before posting a clip of Swift performing her hit, ’22’, with Patrick seemingly singing along in the background.

Despite his presence in Amsterdam, there was no repeat of Kelce’s on-stage antics from Swift’s Wembley show last month.

He sent the London fans wild on night three of Swift’s sold-out Eras Tour show there when he appeared on stage as part of the back-up dance crew.

Kelce flew to Amsterdam to watch Swift perform on Friday and soaked up the Dutch delights

Kelce was joined in his suite by Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany

As the 90,000-strong crowd screamed, he even swooped Swift off her feet and carried her across the stage.

Kelce spoke for the first time about the viral moment on the New Heights podcast on Wednesday, and even hinted that it may not be his last appearance on the tour.

‘Big shout out to Tay for letting me crash her stage!,’ he said. ‘Who knows, this might not be the last time you see me busting moves out there.

‘You guys are just going to have to keep buying those tickets to the Eras Tour to see if I magically appear from under the stage or something.’

In response, his brother Jason fired back: ‘A little teaser, huh? What’s he gonna do next? What crazy shenanigans will Taylor let him get away with this time?’

Travis responded: ‘Yeah, I warned her. I was like, “Look, once I get comfy, I stop following the script and start freestyling”. It’s a Travis thing, you wouldn’t understand.’

Fans took to social media instantly to speculate over when the next appearance could occur, and many believe it would have to be in the next three weeks, before Travis heads back to Kansas City to begin training camp ahead of the NFL season.

During that podcast recording, Swift fans were convinced the singer was in the room with Kelce.

Travis Kelce stunned the crowd at Wembley by appearing on stage with girlfriend Taylor Swift

At one point, he even carried his girlfriend across the stage in front of 90,000 adoring fans

The Chiefs tight end appeared to look off to the side of the camera and smile mid-recording.  Eagle-eyed fans noticed Travis’ slight smirk, and theorized that the Grammy winner was watching him film the show.

‘who are you looking at trav?’ one fan wrote on X alongside a clip of the sweet moment.

‘It’s so funny the way it’s literally so obvious he’s looking at her bc of the way he looks over and his taysmile,’ another responded to the video.

A third wrote, ‘Ok usually when people say he’s looking at her on the podcast it seems clear to me he’s not, but this time… yeah.’

The loved-up couple are currently enjoying some down-time together between Swift’s tour shows but time is ticking on their summer together as the new NFL season draws near.

After Amsterdam, Taylor then moves on to Zurich and Milan, before venturing into Germany in the middle of July.

Training camp for Kelce and the Chiefs begins on July 20, but he is due to be back on US soil for the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament from July 10 to 14.

After the end of the tournament at Lake Tahoe, Kelce will have six days before returning to work, meaning he could feasibly head back to Europe for the Gelsenkirchen, Germany shows on July 17, 18 and 19.

The Prince of Wales has won over the nation with his boyish charm and fun antics this summer – a side to him most welcomed following a very traumatic year for the Royal Family.

In just a few months, Prince William, 42, has lived through what many would call a nightmare, having endured the news of his wife, Kate Middleton and his father, King Charles‘s cancer diagnoses.

But his supporters will be happy to see that, amid his turmoil, the father-of-three has been able to let his guard down and show the public his jolly side.

At yesterday’s Euros game, the future king captured the nation’s hearts as he grimaced, cheered and punched the air with joy when England defeated Switzerland through penalties.

Later on, his emotional hug with winger and man of the moment Bukayo Saka left fans impressed with his ‘enthusiasm’ as they loved that he was ‘not afraid to show it’.

At yesterday’s Euros game, the future king captured the nation’s hearts as he grimaced, cheered and punched the air with joy when England defeated Switzerland through penalties

Add that to a lively display of ‘dad dancing’ at Taylor Swift‘s sold out London gig last month and a rare sight of him whizzing around Windsor Castle on an electric scooter this week – it’s safe to say Royal fans are enjoying the dawn of a brand new prince.

Fans have taken to X to declare their excitement after witnessing this side of the royal, while many have lauded him for his relatability.

Many pointed to Prince William’s animated reaction yesterday night when England sent Switzerland home after beating them in a tense penalty stand-off at Dusseldorf Arena.

While the Three Lions clawed their way to victory, the Prince, who is also the President of the FA, embarked on a roller-coaster of emotions which saw him thrusted from his seat and punching the air.

At various points throughout the match he was seen shouting and grimacing, while at one point it all proved too much for him as he sat down and covered his face with his hands.

Dubbing the game ‘nail-biting to the very end’, it was only right the Prince reward match hero Bukayo Saka with a hearty congratulations – but he went one step further by extending a warm hug.

After the game William embraced the 22-year-old Arsenal player in the tunnel for a heartwarming hug which he reciprocated with an excited grin.

Wearing a navy suit and a football print tie, William praised the baller after the Three Lions won against their opponents to penalties after finishing 1-1.

Prince William put on a lively display of ‘dad dancing’ at Taylor Swift ‘s sold out London gig last month

Royal fans were treated to a rare sight of the prince whizzing around Windsor Castle on an electric scooter in July

He captured hearts with his animated reaction to England’s win against Switzerland at Dusseldorf Arena

Prince William’s emotional hug with winger and man of the moment Bukayo Saka left fans impressed with his ‘enthusiasm’ as they loved that he was ‘not afraid to show it’

Bukayo scored in the tense shoot-out which saw England earn a place in the semi-finals.

The prince’s ecstatic reaction ‘unified’ the nation say some, while others have hailed the future monarch for boldly showing his passion for football.

One person drew attention to his ‘”come on England” face’, adding: ‘He is well passionate’.

‘Prince William is every England fan as we enter penalties,’ wrote another.

One fan commented: ‘Prince William enjoying the beautiful game unifies the world’.

‘When it comes to football, Prince William is all of us’ said another.

Agreeing, one wrote: ‘Prince William displaying the emotions of the nation!! Brilliant!’

Similarly Taylor Swift fans were delighted when they caught William busting out ‘dad dancing’ moves at a Taylor Swift concert last month.

At one point during the match it all proved too much for the royal as he sat down and covered his face with his fans

People have declared their excitement after witnessing the royal’s fun side, while many have lauded him for his relatability

The Prince of Wales attended the gig with his three children, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis, and was seen shaking a leg to a performance of his old friend’s hit single ‘Shake it Off’.

The Prince of Wales was among a 90,000-strong crowd who witnessed the megastar kick off her record-breaking Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium. She performed to fans, celebrities and politicians alike – as well as her American footballer boyfriend Travis Kelce.

Fans once again took to X, but this time they praised the prince for acting like just another ‘Swiftie’.

One person wrote: ‘This is my favourite thing ever!!! I never knew I needed to see Prince William dancing to Taylor Swift!’

Another poster wrote: ‘Prince William is a Swiftie. Immense dad dancing there’.

‘Can’t wait to shake it off like Prince William’ said another.

Prince William and Taylor Swift have long known each other – the pair shared the stage at Kensington Palace to perform Livin’ On A Prayer with Jon Bon Jovi at a charity event in 2013.

Earlier this week, fans went wild when the future king was seen whizzing around  Windsor Castle on an electric scooter.

The video, which was shared on social media, appeared to show the eco-friendly Prince of Wales zooming around the royal residence in Berkshire on July 4.

The Prince of Wales was among a 90,000-strong crowd who witnessed the megastar kick off her record-breaking Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium. She performed to fans, celebrities and politicians alike – as well as her American footballer boyfriend Travis Kelce

At yesterday’s Euros game, the future king captured the nation’s hearts as he grimaced, cheered and punched the air with joy when England defeated Switzerland through penalties

Prince William celebrating the goal of Bukayo Saka of England during the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match between England and Switzerland

William was very expressive as he passionately watched the football game in Dusseldorf yesterday

The royal was the image of passion as he stood up from the stands to watch the incredible game

The royal looked chilled and relaxed in a blue jumper with a white shirt underneath, as well as black trousers and a pair of stylish sunglasses.

It was first reported in July 2023 that the father-of-three had invested in an electric scooter to zip around the Windsor estate.

Royal fans delighted in the prince ‘being himself’- while others branded the move ‘funny and so cool’.

‘Prince William the original London Boy riding on his scooter broke at Windsor is too funny and so cool. Love this from the Future King #PrinceWilliam’ wrote one fan.

Another explained: ‘I absolutely love that Prince William can be himself no matter what he is doing – with his children/family, a concert, riding a scooter, a football game, then is completely serious about the work his is passionate about – Earthshot, Homelessness, mental health, Duchy of Cornwall.

Meanwhile one person said: ‘Prince William whizzing around Windsor castle on an electric scooter is my favourite video actually’.

Royal watchers will likely notice the Prince’s inspiring resilience following a year of distressing events.

Royal watchers will likely notice the Prince’s inspiring resilience following a year of distressing events. Pictured last month

Kate, 42, revealed she was battling cancer in March this year, just weeks after her father-in-law, King Charles, announced his own diagnosis with the illness

Kate, 42, revealed she was battling cancer in March this year, just weeks after her father-in-law, King Charles, announced his own diagnosis with the illness.

In the message revealing the diagnosis, Kate said: ‘This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time.

‘It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.

‘But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.’

Since revealing the diagnosis, the Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be ‘enormously touched’ and ‘extremely moved’ by the public’s warmth and support.

Xander Schauffele is on top of the world right now.

The golfer enjoyed one of his finest career moments in May as he won the PGA Championship to bag his first major title on the PGA Tour.

But he’s also experienced quite the golfing low as he’s lost a game to someone he should never be losing to.

Even at age 61, Michael Jordan should still be able to beat most people at basketball. But he shouldn’t be beating one of the best golfers in the world at golf, which is exactly what happened to Schauffele.

The PGA Championship winner revealed losing straight up to MJ in the last three holes of a match after trash-talking basketball’s GOAT.

“He beat me straight up, which was embarrassing,” he admitted while warming up for this week’s U.S. Open.

“I started talking s**t to him, and then he got all quiet and focused. And then he birdied 15-16, no strokes, and beat me straight up.”

⛹🏿🏌🏻‍♂️ Xander Schauffele played a match with Michael Jordan recently: “He beat me straight up which is embarrassing…”

(Via: @GolfonCBS)

pic.twitter.com/Vcf7nZmtir

— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) June 10, 2024

Sure, His Airness is pretty good at golf and is known for his competitive nature. But beating a golfer of such caliber was probably unexpected.

Coming through in the clutch, though? Perhaps not so surprising.

Taylor Swift is the biggest star on the planet thanks to her record-breaking The Eras Tour and chart-topping hits, but has proved herself an accomplished actress over the years.

The Bad Blood hitmaker, 34, made her acting debut in 2009 when she landed a ‘dream’ job starring on her favorite show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – playing a troubled teen-turned murder victim with a murky family history.

The musician, then aged just 19 and fresh off the success of second album Fearless – and that interruption from Kanye West at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, played Haley Jones on the season nine episode, Turn, Turn, Turn.

The star, known for her fresh-faced looks and signature blonde hair, debuted a shock gothic transformation with raven locks, smoky eye make-up and facial piercings.

Further drama ensued when Haley was found stabbed to death in a parking lot – with Taylor playing a bloody corpse in the autopsy room – in scenes which shocked her mother.

Taylor Swift is the biggest star on the planet thanks to her record-breaking The Eras Tour and chart-topping hits, but has proved herself an accomplished actress over the years

The episode began one year prior when Haley formed a friendship with CSI Nick Stokes (George Eads) as he investigated crimes at the motel she lived at.

The gritty role saw Haley feuding with her mother Nicole (Lisa Darr) and transforming herself into a goth after she was bullied online.

It is revealed Haley was accidentally stabbed to death with a pair of scissors by Nicole in a fight about her behavior and reaction to her birth mother Tanya (Mim Carrow) dying from an overdose.

Nicole also killed Tanya after she accidentally caused the death of Nicole’s baby daughter years before – and gave her Haley as a result.

Taylor said of her mom Andrea’s reaction to the gory scenes: ‘My [own] mom was a little freaked out. I was open-eye dead, literally had to stare off into nothing and not breathe during the close ups… not flinch or anything.

‘I even got to meet Jerry Bruckheimer and Cuba Gooding Jr.!

In a 2009 interview with MTV, she said: ‘All my friends know that my dream is to die on CSI. I’ve always wanted to be one of the characters on there that they’re trying to figure out what happened to.

‘The character Nick Stokes, it’s his crime that he deals with. It was really cool, because he’s my favorite character.

The Bad Blood hitmaker, 34, made her acting debut in 2009 when she landed a ‘dream’ job starring on her favorite show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – playing a troubled teen-turned murder victim with a murky family history in episode Turn, turn, turn

The episode began one year prior when Haley formed a friendship with CSI Nick Stokes (George Eads) as he investigated crimes at the motel she lived at

The gritty role saw Haley feuding with her mother Nicole (Lisa Darr) and transforming herself into a goth after she was bullied online

It is revealed Haley was accidentally stabbed to death with a pair of scissors by Nicole in a fight about her behavior and reaction to her birth mother Tanya (Mim Carrow) dying from an

The hitmaker – who back then had just released fourth album Red – and was on the brink of superstardom ahead of the release of 1989 – showed off her acting chops in the iconic show starring Zooey Deschanel.

Taylor made a glamorous appearance at the nuptials of Jess (Hannah Simone) and Shivrang (Satya Bhabha) – and caused chaos.

The beauty  played a woman named Elaine, who stood up in the middle of the wedding and loudly declared her love for her childhood pal Shivrang.

She said: ‘Oh Shivvy! I’ve loved you since the first grade. I’m so lonely without you. I just lie awake at night and I write about you in my journal and I paint pictures of you on my easel

‘Will you take me away from this madness? You are not too short for me, I don’t care what your mother says!’

The pair then embrace before Shivrang lifts Elaine and runs off with her.

New Girl had referred to the star a few times in its history even featuring her tune 22 in one scene.

Taylor said of her mom Andrea’s reaction to the gory scenes: ‘My [own] mom was a little freaked out. I was open-eye dead, literally had to stare off into nothing and not breathe during the close ups… not flinch or anything – pictured with Andrea and dad Scott in 2013

Taylor was a fan of the cast too and was reeling off her favourite quotes when she met them.

‘She was quoting lines to us from the show. It was a really exciting night,’ Liz explained.

Swift is currently in the final months of her The Eras Tour and in a high-profile romance with NFL star Travis Kelce, 34.

On the heels of the Kansas City Chiefs star joining the pop icon on stage at her Eras Tour gig in London last month, a source revealed that the lovebirds ‘really are very, very happy together’ as they approach their one year anniversary.

‘They’re very serious about each other, and the relationship feels different for both of them,’ the insider told People.

The source close to the pair raved that they ‘have so much fun together.’

‘It’s funny to their friends because at first everyone wondered what they had in common, but you realize how similar they are,’ the insider noted. ‘They both wear their hearts on their sleeves and are all-in with everything they do, whether it’s with career, family or friends.’

The couple are currently making the most of their time together while she continues the UK and Europe leg of her world tour, before he returns to training camp for the Chiefs on July 21.

Swift is currently in the final months of her The Eras Tour and in a high-profile romance with NFL star Travis Kelce, 34

On the heels of the Kansas City Chiefs joining the pop star on stage at her Eras Tour gig in London last month (seen above), a source revealed that the lovebirds ‘really are very, very happy together’

The source close to the pair raved that they ‘have so much fun together’

‘Football is definitely still his priority but so is his relationship,’ the source said. ‘He makes romantic gestures to show he’s thinking of her when they’re apart. She’s going to try to attend as many games as possible.’

A second insider told the outlet that the football player ‘loved being onstage’ to join the 14-time Grammy winner on stage.

‘He is confident and fun, and it was one of her tour highlights,’ the source added.

Last month, while appearing on the Bussin’ With the Boys podcast, Kelce gushed that ‘really’ started to fall for Swift as soon as he saw ‘how genuine she is around friends, family.’

‘It can get crazy for somebody with that much attention, and she just keeps it so chill and so cool. . . . She wants to be a part of it. She wants to support me,’ he revealed.

The Chiefs tight end went on to say that while they want ‘to keep things private,’ they’re not hiding anything either.

‘That’s my girl, you know what I mean? That’s my lady, so it’s like… I’m proud of that,’ he said. ‘I’m not sitting here trying to juggle like, “how can I keep this under wraps?” You just don’t want to let everyone into your personal life and be able to comment on it, knowing that everything she does is getting a headline.’

Indiana Fever star rookie Caitlin Clark has secured a deal that puts her in league with Michael Jordan.

The former Iowa Hawkeyes point guard has partnered with basketball manufacturer Wilson to release the signature “Caitlin Clark Limitless Series” of balls, marking the first collection resulting from the deal.

Clark signed a multi-year contract with Wilson in May, joining MJ as the only signature athlete to ever sign a deal with the company.

“Made for Defying Limits,” Wilson announced via Instagram on Friday. “The first collection from Caitlin Clark and Wilson Basketball arrives 7/9.”

Check it out below:

“changed the wnba forever,” a user wrote.

“Can’t wait for this one!!!!” said another.

“I have an excited girl! This will be just in time to get for her birthday,” a third disclosed.

Caitlin Clark Is Having An Impressive Rookie Season On a personal Front

Clark is leading all WNBA rookies in points and assists this season, averaging 16.0 points and 7.1 assists. She was selected as an All-Star this week, joining Angel Reese as the only other first-year player to make the roster.

Clark, who entered the league as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer after four seasons with Iowa, has attracted millions of eyes to WNBA basketball and is being paid very well for it, though not through her deal with the Fever.

The 22-year-old landed the most lucrative deal ever signed by a female basketball player before the start of the season, with Nike handing her a $28 million contract.

She’s likely to garner several more endorsements throughout the early stages of her career in the pros.

The Caitlin Clark-themed Wilson basketball will launch on July 9.

Paul George spoke to NBA legends on tips for longevity.

In a chat with John Clark on the ‘Takeoff’ podcast, legendary sportscaster Kevin Harlan revealed some of Paul George’s hidden mentors. According to Harlan, George has been looking to the careers of LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant to help guide his game as he gets older.

“He’s worked on his shot. As he’s gotten older, he has watched the guys who came before him: the late Kobe Bryant and others — how they have adjusted their game,” said Harlan. “I think he’s talked a lot to LeBron James. [LeBron] and Michael, I think he has really watched and studied how the great ones can do anything in their 20s and slacked off when they hit 30 and then in their mid-30s, have to adjust their game. I think he has really followed that path well.”

George, 34, is approaching the final stage of his career and he’ll have to adapt if he wants to avoid a sharp decline. After 14 years in the NBA, George has made 9 All-Star teams and 6 All-NBA teams. Over his stints with the Pacers, Thunder, and Clippers, he’s led his teams to various playoff runs.

This summer, George made yet another switch by striking a deal to join the Philadelphia 76ers. As he transitions to join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, Paul George will have to take on a new role as the third option and sacrifice his stats for the sake of the team.

It’s the same thing that Jordan, Kobe, and LeBron had to do done the stretch of their careers. In the case of Jordan, he retired as a champion in 1998… before returning to join the Wizards at 38 years old. At that point, Jordan (a 6x champion) was far from the MVP he was in his prime, but he was still more than serviceable on the court with averages of 20.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 44.5% shooting. Michael stayed effective until the very end and he tweaked his game to help preserve his longevity.

The late Kobe Bryant had a much more dramatic and prolonged decline but he still managed to get the most out of his body until the day he retired. He changed his shooting form to be more energy-efficient and took more jumpers than ever to avoid contact at the rim. Bryant was a shell of himself after tearing his Achilles but through hard work and a smart gameplan, he was able to go out on his terms and drop an NBA record 60 points in his final game.

Perhaps the best example of maximizing your career is LeBron James. George didn’t just watch film on LeBron, he spoke to him personally about tips to help him stay ahead of the game. James, 39, is still an elite-level player after 21 seasons and it’s unprecedented territory for any NBA superstar.

It’s no secret that LeBron is constantly tweaking and adjusting his game, especially with his volume of jump shots, but the real secret comes in the way he takes care of his body. James spends millions of dollars and countless hours every year on treatment and workouts to maintain his strength and durability.

For George to have a similar level of success into his late 30s, he’ll need to utilize strategies from all three players to accept his new reality and adjust his game accordingly. Fortunately for George, he already has the makings of a great third option, and if he can focus on being a three-and-D star for the 76ers it could be all they need to compete for a title in the East.

Here’s a look at some of the most underrated talent in the AFC heading into 2024

Sometimes you need to shine the light on the unsung heroes. In the NFL, quarterbacks and the other superstar positional players get the majority of the glory and a boatload of the salary cap. That said, football is a team sport with 53 men on a given roster, and each one of them contributes to the winning product.

 

In that spirit, we’ve combed through the rosters of each team in the AFC and decided to highlight one player on every squad that has gone a bit underappreciated. These players range from semi-star receivers who produce like studs to middle-of-the-roster guys who are key cogs in the overall operation.

Baltimore Ravens

Fullbacks are a dying breed in the NFL, but Ricard continues to be a key cog for the Baltimore Ravens. The 30-year-old has reached the Pro Bowl four times throughout his career and is coming off a 2023 campaign where he was named second-team All-Pro. While Ricard has already proven himself to be among the best fullbacks in the league, he is currently gearing up for a 2024 season where he’ll be paving the way for not only Lamar Jackson in the running game but also star running back Derrick Henry. For as much success as Henry is expected to have, it’ll be, in part, thanks to Ricard.

Buffalo Bills

If you’re outside of Buffalo, you may not know who Christian Benford is yet, but he’s slated to take on a rather significant workload in the Bills secondary in 2024. After Tre’Davious White departed in free agency, Benford is in line to take on a starting spot on the boundary opposite Rasul Douglas. The former sixth-round pick out of Villanova started 14 of his 15 regular season games for the Bills last season. In that stretch, he broke up 10 passes, recorded two interceptions and held opposing quarterbacks to a respectable 88.8 passer rating when targeting him.

Cincinnati Bengals

Ted Karras has been a great find for the Bengals since they brought him in as a free agent in 2018. After working as a swing interior lineman in New England and having a one-year stint as the Dolphins starting center to begin his career, Karras found his footing in Cincinnati. In the past two seasons, Karras has been a team captain and started every game he’s played at center. Recently, he was ranked as the No. 8 center in the league by Pro Football Focus after a strong pass-blocking grade for the 2023 campaign.

Cleveland Browns

Cooper is probably the most high-profile player on this list, but there’s a case to be made that he’s slept on when talking about the top receivers in the league. Despite the Browns starting five different quarterbacks last season, the 30-year-old wideout put together a career year hitting a high of 1,250 receiving yards, which had him inside the top 10 in the league. Cooper is currently set to enter the final year of his contract and is seeking an extension from the Browns. While he may not have the ceiling of some of the other wideouts in the NFL, he’s a star in his own right that isn’t exactly treated as such.

Denver Broncos

After being drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, Meinerz has blossomed into a reliable piece on the interior of Denver’s offensive line. He is coming off a 2023 season where he started all 17 games for Denver at right guard and was the fifth-highest-graded interior lineman in the league, according to PFF. He was also the best in the league among interior linemen in run-blocking when pulling.

Houston Texans

Harris was selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Alabama and could be gearing up for a career year as he enters his third season in the league. In 16 games played for the Texans in 2023, he totaled 101 tackles (second-most on the team) and two sacks while breaking up seven passes. He was an underrated piece of their success last season and could prove to be a stud linebacker under head coach DeMeco Ryans as the franchise looks to continue its ascent in 2024.

Indianapolis Colts

Ebukam proved to be a heck of a find for the Colts last offseason and an ideal replacement for Yannick Ngakoue along Indy’s defensive line. The veteran mirrored his sack totals with a team-leading 9.5 in 2023 (a career-high) and also finished the year with 57 tackles, 17 quarterback hits three forced fumbles. In a defense that features DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and first-round rookie Laiatu Latu, don’t sleep on Ebukam.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Engram is perennially slept on as one of the best receiving tight ends that the NFL has to offer. Last season, the 29-year-old erupted with 114 receptions and 963 yards, which were both career-highs. To put Engram’s season into better context, he was fourth in the league among pass-catchers in receptions behind only CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill and Amon-Ra St. Brown. While he won’t be lauded for his ability as a blocker, he’s shown to be a reliable pass-catching weapon at the position.

Kansas City Chiefs

Tranquill ended up being a key piece for the Chiefs en route to their second consecutive Super Bowl title last season, especially when fellow linebacker Nick Bolton missed time due to a wrist injury in the middle of the year. In his first season in Kansas City, he routinely made plays within Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, finishing the year tied for third on the team in tackles and tied for fourth in sacks, in addition to forcing two fumbles. Tranquill continued that production in the playoffs with 21 total tackles in four games.

Las Vegas Raiders

Meyers continues to be one of the more underrated receivers in the NFL. While almost anyone will be lost in Davante Adams’ shadow on a given depth chart, Meyers produced in a major way in his first season with the Raiders. He was second in the team in both receptions and receiving yards, only trailing Adams. He matched his star teammate with eight receiving touchdowns but added two more on the ground to give him 10 total scores on the season (a team-high). Meyers also caught 67% of his targets.

Los Angeles Chargers

It feels like Slater is looked at as a fringe top-10 offensive tackle in the NFL, but there’s room for him to climb even higher. After missing most of his sophomore season in 2022, Slater played all 17 games for the Chargers and logged 100% of the team’s offensive snaps. In that bounce-back season, PFF graded him as the fifth-highest among pass-blocking tackles. With Jim Harbaugh now running the show in L.A. and another year removed from his biceps injury, Slater could push to be considered a top-five tackle in the league by the end of the year.

Miami Dolphins

It sort of feels like Miami has been trying to find a long-term answer at running back over the last couple of seasons and ended up settling back with Mostert. And the 32-year-old back has only continued to produce. While Christian McCaffrey took a bunch of the running back limelight last season, Mostert matched his league-leading 21 total touchdowns on the season and bested him with 18 rushing scores. The veteran’s 1,012 rushing yards were also a career-high. While De’Von Achane could finally unseat Mostert this coming season, he has proven to be a reliable piece in Mike McDaniel’s offense.

New England Patriots

Peppers has been one of the more underrated signings the Patriots have executed in recent seasons. The versatile safety has been a key piece to a defense that is oftentimes headlined by Matt Judon, Christian Barmore and fellow safety Kyle Dugger. Last season, Peppers ranked fourth on the team in tackles (78), led the team in pass breakups (eight), and was tied for the most interceptions (two).

New York Jets

Conklin has been a worthwhile addition to the Jets ever since they signed him to a three-year deal in 2022. Even with erratic quarterback play, the tight end has been a steady hand and one of the most productive pass-catchers. Conklin was second on the team with 621 receiving yards in 2023 — only looking up to Garrett Wilson — while his receptions ranked third. According to PFF, Conklin has caught 21 contested targets over the past two years, which is the second-most in the league.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Freiermuth is coming off an injury-plagued season, so his numbers did dip. That said, he’s a wildly talented tight end who isn’t exactly talked about as much as his skill should warrant. He’s only 25 years old and has two 60-catch seasons under his belt along with a 2022 campaign where he logged 732 yards. With the Steelers likely to get improved play under center in 2024 and Freiermuth back to full strength, he should put himself in the conversation as one of the better young tight ends the game has to offer.

Tennessee Titans

A lot of attention in the Titans receiver room will be paid to the arrival of Calvin Ridley, but don’t sleep on how important of an addition Tyler Boyd was. The veteran has been a reliable and underrated pass-catching option throughout his career and should help Will Levis tremendously as he steps into Year 2. Over the past four seasons, Boyd has caught 70.6% of his targets.

 

It’s that special time of the NFL offseason where we are caught in limbo between OTAs and training camp. For the most part, there’s not all that much happening on a day-to-day basis. Teams are gearing up to start gearing up for the season, if that makes sense.

But given that we do have this nice break, it’s a good time to take stock of what we expect to see during the 2024 season. That’s why we’ve been running through each position, breaking down the top 20 players for 2024. We’re continuing that effort here by working through the league’s best safeties.

Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order by last name): Vonn Bell, Julian Blackmon, Jaquan Brisker, Ji’Ayir Brown, Kevin Byard, Alohi Gilman, Julian Love, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Josh Metellus, Trevon Moehrig, Jabrill Peppers, Jordan Poyer, Jalen Thompson, Jimmie Ward, Jordan Whitehead, Xavier Woods. Because this position is so deep, you could really take anyone after the No. 14 or 15 player on the list and switch them with any of the honorable mentions and it would probably make sense.

Without further ado…

20. Camryn Bynum, Vikings | 19. Harrison Smith, Vikings

Let’s group these two guys together. Along with the aforementioned Metellus, they were weaponized by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in fascinating ways during the 2023 season. All three of them lined up all over the place:

PLAYER
FS
BOX
SLOT
CB
DL

Bynum
561
186
282
49
42

Smith
346
390
151
39
185

Metellus
55
377
396
29
206

Metellus had the most unusual role for a defensive back, essentially being utilized as a pass-rushing linebacker. His 29 pressures lead all DB, with the next-closest player having just 18. But Bynum and Smith arguably had larger responsibilities, with Bynum patrolling the back end and Smith covering tight ends, flying down in the run game, and captaining the defense as a whole. All three could belong on this list, but we went with the two more traditional safeties here.

18. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Eagles

CJGJ missed most of last season due to an injury. But when last we saw him, he was playing an important role on one of the NFL’s best defenses, and his versatility makes him a rare asset in any scheme.

17. Kamren Curl, Rams

Curl remains highly underrated, to the point that the Rams were able to sign him for $9 million over 2 years. Perhaps because he has plied his trade up to this point for the decrepit Washington franchise, people are just unfamiliar with his game. The 2023 season wasn’t his best, but he had been very good in each of the previous two, and he still played a versatile role and finished the year with 29 run stops, four pass breakups and 87 total tackles. He should shine in L.A.

16. Grant Delpit, Browns

Delpit spent more time than ever last season dropping down into the slot, despite the fact that he missed a few games and played fewer snaps overall. He remains strong in coverage on the back end, and a new role in Jim Schwartz’s defense allowed him to make an impact closer to the line of scrimmage as well.

15. Geno Stone, Bengals

Stone never played more than 41% of the defensive snaps until last season, when he finally took over something resembling a full-time role in Baltimore’s three-safety defense. He stood out in a big way playing primarily as the deep safety, finishing the season with seven interceptions, and he was also able to contribute down in the box and against the run. Heading to Cincinnati, where he’ll play for Lou Anarumo, should allow him to continue his progression.

14. Malik Hooker, Cowboys

Seemingly past the injury issues that plagued him early in his career, Hooker has played 47 of 51 possible games since arriving in Dallas. He’s retained his abilities patrolling the deep part of the field, and during his three years with the Cowboys has gotten much better at defending the run. He doesn’t get his hands on the ball quite as often as he did during his days at Ohio State, but some of that is because opponents don’t test him all that often, preferring to throw elsewhere against Dallas.

13. Justin Simmons, UFA

We’ll simply repeat here what we said about Simmons in our top free-agent safeties story, because it still applies:

Simmons is the best safety on the market, and still one of the top players in the NFL at his position. It’s frankly pretty surprising that he didn’t land a deal during the early portion of free agency. There are plenty of teams with salary-cap space who could potentially hand him a sizable deal, but that’s also not usually the kind of thing that happens at this point in the offseason. Maybe he gets something more like a one-year contract with the ability to hit the open market again next winter.

It honestly makes no sense that he hasn’t been signed yet.

12. Talanoa Hufanga, 49ers

After surprisingly breaking out as an All-Pro in 2022, Hufanga missed some time due to injuries last year, but he didn’t really lose a step. He arguably got better at the non-pass-coverage responsibilities as a safety, and heading into Year 4 should continue to improve in all areas of his game. Moving on from former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and back to the kind of system the Niners played during his debut campaign as a starter should help, too.

11. Budda Baker, Cardinals

Baker is a strange player. He’s 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds but plays like a monster-sized safety, attacking downhill against both the run and the pass, and flying off the edge on the occasional blitz. He had the second-lowest missed tackle rate of his career last season, via Pro Football Focus, and allowed the lowest completion rate on throws in his direction. And that was on a defense sorely lacking talent. If they add more players around him, he should be able to solidify all areas of his game.

10. Tyrann Mathieu, Saints

The Honey Badger just keeps plugging along as one of the NFL’s best, most versatile, and most dynamic players at the safety position. The model for many of today’s hybrid safeties, Mathieu has long played bigger than his size, even if his coverage abilities are what separate him from the rest. He’s still a terrific player, even heading into his age-32 season.

9. Kyle Dugger, Patriots

Dugger showed way more versatility last year than ever before, playing more snaps as a deep safety than during his first three NFL seasons combined. He can still slide into the slot, and he can still come up and play the run, and he can still guard just about any tight end in the league. He gets his hands on the ball and generates pressure when tasked with rushing the passer. Oh, and he has elite size and athleticism for the position.

8. Derwin James, Chargers

James has as high a ceiling as any safety in the NFL. He doesn’t always tap into it, but his combination of size, strength, length, agility, and the ability to do whatever is asked in any role a safety can be tasked with is enviable. At the peak of his powers, he could be No. 1 one this list. At his median contribution level, this ranking is more appropriate.

7. Xavier McKinney, Packers

McKinney is coming off the best season of his career, and he deservingly got paid by the Packers. A new defensive coordinator in Green Bay should get better use out of him than the previous one would have, even if after a year in which he dropped down into the box and the slot more often than ever, he returns to being more of a center-fielder.

6. Marcus Williams, Ravens

Williams is one of those guys who can just erase the deep portion of the field. He did it in New Orleans and he’s doing it in Baltimore. He had a career-high 10 pass breakups last season, and in seven years he has allowed just 14 touchdowns in coverage while picking off 21 passes. Williams has somehow never made either a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro team, but hopefully that gets remedied soon.5. Jevon Holland, Dolphins

In just three seasons, Holland has emerged as arguably the NFL’s most diverse safety. He plays deep and in the box and in the slot. He even flexes out wide. He’s fantastic in coverage and more than holds his own as a run defender, and he rarely misses tackles in open space. With a new defensive coordinator coming in from Baltimore, he should be able to tap into the full extent of his skill set again.
4. Jessie Bates III, Falcons
Bates is perhaps the league’s pre-eminent ball-hawking safety, with 10 interceptions across the two seasons since he arrived in Atlanta. He plays the deep part of the field and pretty much just takes it all away. Playing for Raheem Morris now, he should flourish in a similar way as he already has, if not more. Morris has tended to get the best out of even less talented safeties in his previous stops.
3. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers
This next group is on a different level than most other safeties. Even with Fitzpatrick missing some time last year, he still found a way to make an impact at all three levels of the defense. After beginning his career as a corner, he still has some of the best coverage abilities of any safety, and he is a turnover-forcing machine both deep down the field and close to the line of scrimmage.
2. Kyle Hamilton, Ravens
Essentially a monster-sized slot corner who can also play in the box and up high on the field, Hamilton is one of the league’s most unique players. He finished last season with four interceptions, five pass breakups, 16 pressures, and 40 run stops. That makes no sense on any level. Mike Macdonald is gone, but Hamilton’s role should remain the same in Baltimore’s defense, and he should only get better at it as he progresses in his career.
1. Antoine Winfield Jr., Buccaneers
Winfield can do pretty much anything you want from a safety. Patrol the deep portion of the field? Check. Cover backs and tight ends? Check. Stop the run? Check. Blitz? Check. Anything and everything of which he is asked, at which he excels. He recently became the highest-paid defensive back in the league, and he deserved the payday.