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Bo Nix, Zach Wilson, Jarrett Stidham, and Broncos’ QB depth chart, explained bo,nix,zach,wilson,jarrett,stidham,and,broncos,qb,depth,chart,explained,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,dot-com-grid-coverage

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There has been a lot of change at the quarterback position for the Denver Broncos in 2024. In came rookie first-round pick Bo Nix and beleaguered former first-round pick Zach Wilson; out went former Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. The lone holdover, Jarrett Stidham, was the Broncos’ starting quarterback in their final two games last season.

As with any situation involving a rookie quarterback, there will likely be talk of a competition and all that heading into training camp. However, given the Broncos long run of bad seasons, we may be safe to assume Bo Nix will be starting sooner rather than later.

Will Bo Nix land at the top of the Broncos depth chart?

Here is where I predict the Broncos depth chart lands on Week 1 and why I think each player is poised to secure their respective spots on the positional depth chart.

QB1. Bo Nix

A perennial losing team over the last eight season isn’t going to draft a quarterback 12th overall and have him sit for a year. This is Bo Nix’s time to shine… or flop.

All the rumors and reports ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft seemed to center around the Broncos being the perfect fit for Nix, but most analysts had him as the fifth or sixth best quarterback in the draft. That would suggest he would be a late first or early second-round pick at best. However, the run on quarterbacks in the top 10 forced Denver’s hand. Many called it a horrible reach, but imagine the Broncos quarterback situation right now had they risked losing out on Nix by playing the value game? It would not be good to say the least.

Despite being the sixth quarterback taken in the draft, Nix was the No. 3 guy on the Broncos’ board all along and they absolutely love the kid.

“I would say, you can feel his 61 games played in college,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said of Nix after mandatory minicamp in mid-June. “With experience, a calmness comes along with it. So he certainly doesn’t feel like a rookie. He’s learning a brand-new system, so whether you’re a veteran or a rookie coming in, that’s common to all these people. He has seen a lot and doesn’t make the same mistake twice very often. There is a maturity level. I think when you draft a guy who is a little bit older, you hope that that comes with it, but he’s certainly shown that.”

Given the amount of games Nix has played and his age, it is unlikely Denver drafted him to sit for a year. They need a starting quarterback now.

Zach Wilson has been in the league for three seasons already and is just six months older than rookie Bo Nix. It just wouldn’t make sense for Bo Nix not to start Week 1. If he doesn’t, then the Broncos’ draft class is in serious doubt right out of the gate considering how little draft capital they had in the first two days of this year’s draft.

QB2. Zach Wilson

When Denver traded for Zach Wilson, I loved the idea of bringing in a project like him to potentially salvage his career. As a top draft picks, the pedigree is there and coaches will just need to work on bringing back the confidence.

The former No. 2 overall pick by the New York Jets has struggled to live up to his draft status with just a 57% completion rate and 6,293 yards with 23 touchdowns against 25 interceptions in his three-year career. It didn’t help that he was drafted by the Jets, who have struggled — like the Broncos — to field a competitive football team in recent years.

If he could get a few years under a coaching staff led by Sean Payton, I could see his later career being revitalized for a guy like Wilson.

QB3. Jarrett Stidham

At the end of the day, I do think Jarrett Stidham will likely be the better option as the Week 1 backup to Bo Nix. However, due to his contract and Wilson’s draft pedigree, I think he ends up the odd man out.

The main reason I think Wilson ends up beating out Stidham is on the money side of things. Both he and Wilson are under contract just for this year, but Wilson’s cap number is just $2.7 million compared to Stidham’s $7 million. From a pure numbers standpoint, it would seem like if they are somewhat close for that backup spot that Wilson will get the nod due to his contract and his draft pedigree.

I like Stidham as a backup a lot, and if he ends up beating out Wilson then I will not be sad about that.

What to expect from a Bo Nix-led Broncos team in 2024

There was a reason why many draft analysts had Bo Nix pegged as a top prospect for Sean Payton and his offensive system. The two seemed to be a perfect match for what Nix excels at and what Payton wants to do in his offense. We should also remember that Payton had a broken Russell Wilson in prime position to challenge for a playoff run late last season before those wheels finally came off, so perhaps the ceiling should even be raised a bit with a rookie quarterback at the helm.

As someone who watched a lot of film on the Broncos last year, Wilson left a lot of big plays out there. If Nix can begin seeing just a fraction of those wide-open receivers, then this offense is poised to make a respectable leap forward.

Obviously as a fan, I’ll be hoping for that outcome, but there will be growing pains — the kind that always come with a first-year starting quarterback. Denver will need to maintain a good defense and a strong rushing attack for Nix to excel and lead this team to the playoffs this season.

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Nets and Knicks kick off 2024 NBA Draft with massive, complicated Mikal Bridges trade nets,and,knicks,kick,off,nba,draft,with,massive,complicated,mikal,bridges,trade,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-trade-rumors,nba-draft,draftkings,dot-com-grid-coverage

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The Nets have regained control of their future heading into the 2024 NBA Draft by making two massive deals on the eve of the big day.

In the first, Brooklyn will send Mikal Bridges to reunite with his Villanova buddies across the city with the New York Knicks in exchange for FIVE first-round picks, a pick swap and a second-rounder, and in another, they will get their own 2026 first-rounder back from the Houston Rockets for a hefty price.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was all over the news:

Our own Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily noted that the Bridges trade is historic not just for the treasure trove Brooklyn got back, but as the first trade since the two franchises started sharing a city:

As Woj noted, the biggest takeaway from all these musical chairs is that Brooklyn has now retaken control of its future to a greater degree. With their 2026 pick back from the Rockets — it was originally sent out in their deal for James Harden, who has since (in)famously been traded two more times — the Nets can freely tank and not have to worry about sending a potentially valuable future pick to the Rockets.

For examples of the possible ramifications of this, one only needs to look at the draft tomorrow: Houston has the No. 3 pick in this draft because the Nets weren’t good enough around Bridges to avoid giving up lottery picks as part of the ongoing Harden deal fallout, so they sold one of the NBA’s most valuable role players for more picks while reclaiming their ability to get the benefits of being bad.

The price they paid to the Rockets for that right was steep — more complicated multi-team pick swaps, and a Suns first-rounder that could be gold if that team continues its expensive implosion, but ultimately likely… nets… out as a win for Brooklyn because it allowed them to get a haul for Bridges from the Knicks without having to worry they would just send a valuable pick to Houston as part of a lengthy rebuild.

For the Knicks, this a steep price that massively cuts into their war chest of assets, but it may be worth it to add Bridges to their core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as the final Villanova infinity stone. With Julius Randle’s contract still available to use in deals and OG Anunoby’s future increasingly uncertain — even with Woj noting New York still wants to keep him — it remains to be seen how strong this Knicks foundation can be.

Still, it’s hard not to imagine a devastatingly dangerous team if Bridges — a notorious NBA ironman — can hold up under Thibs’ infamous minutes loads after watching how well they did without that perfect type of 3-and-D wing in the 2024 NBA playoffs while dealing with so many injuries. This could be an NBA Finals team with a bit of luck and some more smart moves.

Or, as Posting and Toasting put it…

For Houston? It seems like the goal is still in flux, and as usual for the Rockets, perpetually chaotic: Trying to get Kevin Durant. Yes, seriously.

The ramifications of this huge, complex deal will surely continue to trickle out, but for now, beyond Brooklyn taking back control of its own destiny, only one thing is clear: If these are the fireworks teams are setting off on the eve of the draft, the next week of draft and free agency madness promises to be explosive.

This breaking news story may be updated as it continues to develop. Follow Nets Daily, The Dream Shake and Posting and Toasting for the latest on the Nets, Rockets and Knicks angles of all this, respectively.

JJ Redick denies using racial slur as old and new allegations surface about Lakers coach jj,redick,denies,using,racial,slur,as,old,and,new,allegations,surface,about,lakers,coach,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,dot-com-grid-coverage

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A day after he was introduced as new Lakers head coach, representatives for JJ Redick issued a denial of allegations that he called a fellow Duke alum the N-word while in college.

Reps for Redick were responding to a tweet from author, speaker and self-described social impact pro Halleemah Nash that was sent Tuesday, in which Nash accused Redick of calling her the N-word when she was working with the Duke basketball team Redick played for in college:

Within a few hours, TMZ had gotten a denial of the story from Redick’s team:

We reached out to Redick’s camp for a response to the claim … and they completely shut it down.

“No, it never happened,” a spokesperson tells TMZ Sports.

The Lakers have not commented on the situation publicly as of publishing time.

However, while Redick’s reps denied Nash’s story, other disturbing moments from Redick’s past came to light in the wake of her social media post on Tuesday. They included 2014 allegations that Redick called an ex-girlfriend racial slurs in leaked emails related to an alleged abortion contract with the same woman; Redick denied the woman was ever pregnant in since-deleted tweets from 2013 calling the reports “outrageous, false and malicious.”

Additionally resurfacing on social media was an apology Redick issued in 2018 for appearing to accidentally use a racial slur in a Chinese New Year video from the NBA, as well as a bizarre story in which he claimed on his podcast to have potentially witnessed human trafficking before temporarily deleting his Twitter account.

We will update this story when and if more details/responses come to light.

Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz are must-see TV elly,de,la,cruz,and,oneil,cruz,are,must,see,tv,sbnation,com,front-page,mlb,dot-com-grid-coverage

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If you’re surveying the baseball landscape for games to watch, I have a pretty good idea of how the process should go for tonight. If your favorite team is playing well, you’re probably going to watch them first. Other than that, if you’re going to pay attention to any baseball game that doesn’t involve your favorite team for the next couple of days then your eyes should be locked in for what’s going on in Cincinnati this week.

At first glance, a matchup between two 37-41 teams in what is collectively the most mediocre division in baseball doesn’t seem like much to write home about. It’s especially the case when you consider that the Cincinnati Reds have only been to the Postseason four times since 2010 and won a grand total of two games in those appearances while the Pittsburgh Pirates only made it three years in a row from 2013 through 2015 and also won a grand total of two playoff games during that span. There hasn’t been much of a reason to pay attention to these two clubs and they haven’t really given anybody a real reason to pay attention to them outside of the occasional insane-looking brawl.

That changes this week, as we’ve now got two very good reasons to tune in to this series: Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz. One of my favorite things about baseball is that despite the everyday nature of the sport, there’s always a chance that if you tune in or go to the ballpark then you’re going to see something that you’ve never seen before. It’s true for any game, it’s especially true when any one of De La Cruz or Cruz is playing in the game and it only doubles when both of them are going to be sharing the same field for at least two-and-a-half hours for the next couple of nights.

While Elly’s exploits on the diamond have been widely documented right here on SB Nation, it’s somewhat understandable that Oneil Cruz’s action has kind of gotten lost in the shuffle when it comes to the Pirates. After all, Bryan Reynolds is still the face of the franchise over there, Andrew McCutchen has returned to wear the only uniform that he’s looked completely right in (outside of maybe these throwback Phillies uniforms) and Paul Skenes has exploded onto the MLB scene and has quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the mound. While this hasn’t translated to the Pirates winning ballgames on a regular basis, it’s not completely boring to keep up with the Pirates nowadays.

However, Oneil Cruz is absolutely worth paying attention to because his highlight reel consists of stuff that is scarcely believable at times. This is the guy who currently holds the record for the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast Era of MLB at 122.4 mph and used to hold the record for the hardest throw from an infielder during the Statcast Era with a 97.8 mph laser that he uncorked as a rookie back in 2022. His arm strength is in the 99th percentile. His bat speed is in the 100th percentile, which naturally means that his Average Exit Velocity is also comically high, his Barrel percentage is just as lofty and his Hard-Hit percentage is in the same neighborhood. While he’s not up there with the real burners in terms of foot speed, his 87th-percentile Sprint Speed seems to indicate that he still blaze across the basepaths if needed.

Cruz is still in the process of putting all of these facets together in order to become a truly great baseball player but his potential is right there for everybody to see. It’s very difficult to figure out who has a higher ceiling than than Cruz and it’s one of many reasons why he doesn’t just have Pirates fans excited about any progress that he can make. If Oneil Cruz can realize his full potential at some point, it’ll be essentially as if a fully maxed-out create-a-player from the video games has come to life.

Millions of baseball fans have always dreamed of somehow becoming a physical force of nature who could run like the wind, throw harder than some pitchers and hit dingers nearly 500 feet while basically leaving a mark on everything else he hits. The difference between aspirational video gamers and Oneil Cruz is that he has the real and tangible chance to actually become what was always figured to be a digital wild dream for most fans.

Speaking of players who have ceilings that are higher than the Empire State Building, that’s where Elly De La Cruz came in. While there’s debate as to whether or not Oneil Cruz is the top star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, there’s no debate when it comes to the situation in Cincinnati. Elly De La Cruz is the man around there — whether we’re talking name recognition, highlights or production, Elly has got it all in spades.

As I alluded to in the aforementioned links to other articles about Elly De La Cruz, the guy just appears to be a sentient highlight reel. You want tape-measure home runs? He’s got em. You want Web Gems that would’ve made him a staple on Baseball Tonight? He’s got those, too. You want to see him tear up the basepaths? He’s got you on that as well. You want to see him do it all in the process of terrorizing the Dodgers? It’s funny you should ask because there’s video evidence of that as well.

What makes it so gratifying to watch Elly De La Cruz do the things that he does on a nightly basis is that it was plainly obvious from the moment that he showed up in Major League Baseball that he was capable of becoming this type of player. However, just like Oneil Cruz right now, it was also evident that he still needed to put it all together. After all, you can do plenty of amazing things on the field but it won’t particularly matter all that much if you’re hitting .235/.300/.410 with a .305 wOBA and only 89 wRC+, which is what he finished with in 2023 after playing 98 games. Heading into action on June 25, De La Cruz is now hitting .249/.342/.464 with a .352 wOBA and a wRC+ of 123. It’s clicking for him even when he’s not doing anything spectacular and his team leading fWAR of 3.3 is also proof that he hasn’t sacrificed any other portion of his game in order to improve in another facet.

He’s still stealing bases at an absurd clip — he’s already surpassed his stolen base total of 35 last season, he’s currently sitting on 37 stolen bags and the sky is the limit when it comes to how high that number can get. His defense has also improved as he’s no longer simply leaning on his prodigious arm strength. He’s currently in 95th percentile of fielders with an OAA of 6. He’s steadily turning into a complete baseball player, which should be exciting for both Reds fans when it comes to potentially turning the ship around in Cincinnati and it’s also exciting for us neutral fans since that just means he’s capable of doing something truly absurd no matter if he’s hitting, fielding or running the bases. Stuff that was figured to be impossible in the past is just part of another day at the ballpark for Elly De La Cruz.

Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz may not be miracle workers who can drag their respective teams to the promised land but they’re both doing more than their fair share of the work in making their respective teams fun to watch. While Oneil Cruz is still in the process of showing quick glimpses of his potential, we’re starting to see Elly De La Cruz fully blossom into a real-deal superstar in baseball. Both of them will be on the same field this week when the Pirates and Reds face off with each other in Cincinnati. While these two teams may not command your attention, these two players certainly should.

Odell Beckham Jr. is exactly what Tua Tagovailoa needed for Dolphins’ offense odell,beckham,jr,is,exactly,what,tua,tagovailoa,needed,for,dolphins,offense,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Now in the twilight of his career, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. joins the Miami Dolphins, a franchise desperate to win their first playoff game since 2000. Is Beckham the missing piece for Miami’s offense? Probably not, but he can still be very good for them.

Beckham is no longer an offense’s North Star, one to shoulder the load of an offense. He hasn’t been for some time now. That’s not to say he won’t help a Dolphins offense brimming with talent, that finished second in the NFL in points in 2023. His skillset fits their high-flying attack, and he proved last season with the Baltimore Ravens he can contribute.

The ability to create separation is still Beckham’s hallmark. His agility remains a staple of his game, complementing his route running. He brings dynamic cuts in his breaks that still shake defenders and find him in the open field. His one-step slant continues to gash cornerbacks and the speed to take it the distance.

Beckham finished 2023 with 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He also drew repeated defensive pass interference flags due to outmaneuvering defensive backs, forcing them to clutch his jersey and impede him with the ball in the air. He remains an artisan in route-running.

Beckham won’t be the figurehead of the Dolphins’ offense. That goes to wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is shattering defenses in ways no other can. But as a complementary piece beside Hill and Jaylen Waddle, he’ll bust single-coverage cornerbacks.

In space or in the red zone, Beckham’s lethal in single coverage. Against the Seahawks in November, Beckham carved up Tariq Woolen with ease and gifted Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley an easy floater to the back corner.

Defenses will struggle to contain the trio of Hill, Waddle and Beckham. And that’s not including tight end Durham Smythe, or the Dolphins’ one-two punch running back tandem Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane.

And, as always, Beckham brings pizazz. He brings arguably the widest catch radius in the NFL. He brings highlights and wizardry.

Beckham has playmaking left in the tank. His “drop off” — if you want to call it that — still has him as a viable receiving threat. In an offense where Beckham is given easier matchups due to the outstanding playmakers surrounding him, there’s a high likelihood he’ll flourish.

The third receiver for Miami last season was Braxton Berrios, who went for 27 receptions, 238 yards, and a single touchdown. It’s not hard to imagine OBJ eclipsing those numbers in 2024, even with Berrios still on Miami’s roster in 2024.

NBA Mock Draft 2023: SB Nation writers project the first round nba,mock,draft,sb,nation,writers,project,the,first,round,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-draft,nba-mock-draft,dot-com-grid-coverage

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The 2024 NBA Draft isn’t seen as the strongest class in the league’s history, but between Alex Sarr, Zaccharie Risacher, Reed Sheppard, Nikola Topic, Ron Holland and the many other players who will be selected in the first round on Wednesday night, there will surely be a few more difference-makers than expected.

And in a continuation of an annual tradition, experts from around our NBA team communities and national writers tried to pick them out from the crowd by making a selection for their club in the first round of our annual SB Nation NBA mock draft.

Trades were not allowed.

For more draft coverage, check out the latest mock drafts from our own Ricky O’Donnell, who projected the entire first round and ranked the top 60 prospects here, and you can find complete draft coverage from our team communities at our NBA draft hub.

The Atlanta Hawks were on the clock first with the No. 1 pick, and made things interesting right off the bat.

1. Atlanta Hawks – Alex Sarr, C/F, Perth Wildcats

Wes Morton, Peachtree Hoops — With the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, I select for the Atlanta Hawks: Victor Wembanyama! …I’m not allowed to do that? Dang.

Well, this pick isn’t nearly as much of a surefire selection. Both Zaccharie Risacher and Donovan Clingan were heavily considered here, but Sarr’s defensive versatility, mobility skills, and (all too brief) offensive flashes just barely win out. With the way the NBA game is trending, banking on a bouncy, rangy, 7’1 marvel who can guard on the perimeter gives you a solid defensive floor.

There are some clear downsides to his game, more than most would like to admit: he’s slender, has inconsistent hands for catching passes, and can’t reliably set screens for a team that wants to pick-and-roll you to death with Trae Young. On top of that, his jumper and handle are much more theoretical than practical at this stage.

But the Hawks don’t have control of their next three first-round picks, so it may be wise to grab as much young talent as possible and hope for a spring forward in production by the third or fourth year. If he can commit to playing the 5 a good portion of time — given the presence of last year’s breakout star Jalen Johnson — it’s hard to pass up on Sarr here.

2. Washington Wizards – Zaccharie Risacher, F, JL Bourg

Gabe Ibrahim, Bullets Forever — Zaccharie Risacher’s high floor and positional value wins the day for the Wizards. His performance over 64 games for JL Bourg provides a good view of what he could do in the NBA. He put up 11 points and 4 rebounds while shooting 39% from three in 23 minutes a game. That’ll get the job done offensively for a 3-and-D player in the NBA, and he should be able to scale his production up as he grows.

Risacher also shines defensively with his length and feel for the game. He could turn into Mikal Bridges if everything goes perfectly, but, more importantly, he should be a good wing if everything goes just okay. Of course, there are risks. Richaser struggled to consistently hit threes as a junior and rode an early shooting hot streak to his stats this season. If his shooting isn’t real, he will struggle to do anything offensively due to his lack of shot creation. The Wizards take Risacher because he’s a solid bet to be solid and he can fit into whatever they build going forward.

The other players I considered for this pick — Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, and Reed Sheppard — simply didn’t have enough upside or versatility to pass on Risacher.

3. Houston Rockets – Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky

Darren Yuvan, The Dream Shake — If I’m the Rockets, I trade this pick. Houston has a plethora of young talent all fighting for court time, and injecting another kid (he’s 19) might not be ideal. I’d prefer the Rockets move this pick either for a vet or, better yet, assets in a future draft.

But since we can’t trade for our purposes, Sheppard it is. He’s the best shooter in this draft, and Houston is short on them. Despite his size (6’3), he’s also an active defender and an adequate distributor, and could find playing time at backup point guard, with Amen Thompson sliding to forward. I’d also consider Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, and Matas Buzelis here, but Sheppard is the pick.

4. San Antonio Spurs – Stephon Castle, G, UConn

Jesus Gomez, Pounding the Rock — Castle’s rumored desire to be a point guard in the NBA could scare off a lot of teams, but probably not the one that trotted out Jeremy Sochan as initiator last season. The questionable shooting is a serious concern, but Castle’s defensive versatility and secondary playmaking should be useful no matter what position he ends up playing.

5. Detroit Pistons – Donovan Clingan, C, UConn

Sean Corp, Detroit Bad Boys — The Pistons need a lot of help, and they can’t really do better than having Clingan fall to them at 5. Not only does it allow them to draft a defensive anchor on a team desperately looking for consistency on that end of the floor, it opens up a world of trade down possibilities with teams looking to add the big man themselves.

Clingan also gives the team flexibility to consolidate some youth already on the roster like Jalen Duren into a multi-player package for a more established player to slot alongside Cade Cunningham. You keep him, it’s a win. You trade him to the highest bidder, it’s a win. Winning has been in short supply, so the Pistons would be thrilled to see the draft board shake out like this.

6. Charlotte Hornets – Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite

James Dator, SB Nation Writer and Hornets Fan — In a perfect world Charlotte would have access to someone like Donovan Clingan to strengthen their interior defense, or Stephon Castle to offer depth at the guard spot — but with both gone they pick the next-best option. The Hornets have myriad youth at multiple positions, but an athletic wing is something the team needs a future plan for.

It’s unclear whether Miles Bridges will remain with the Hornets long-term, so there’s a lot to like about imagining rotations with Buzelis alongside Brandon Miller. There’s work to be done for sure, as Buzelis’ 27% from three wont suffice in the NBA — but in a weak draft he’s the best long-term upside pick at this position.

7. Portland Trail Blazers – Cody Williams, F, Colorado

Steve Dewald, Blazer’s Edge — The Blazers’ Colorado brain trust lands one of their own by selecting Cody Williams. As a player, Williams is unproven with a small sample size of effective production, but he has frame made for the NBA. If Williams develops like his brother at the next level, he could be the steal of the draft. The stakes are low and this prospect pool leaves a lot to be desired. At least Williams is a high-ceiling player at a premium position. Williams will also take time to develop, which keeps the Blazers on track for the 2025 NBA Draft.

8. San Antonio Spurs – Tidjane Salaun, F, Cholet Basket

Jesus Gomez, Pounding the Rock — At this stage, Salaun seems too raw to contribute much as a rookie but his youth, size, motor and budding skillset make him a worthwhile project. If he reaches his ceiling, Salaun could be a do-it-all forward who offers shooting, passing and defense while also being able to play center for stretches on small lineups. The Spurs would need to be patient with him, but they could mold him into a uniquely valuable player.

9. Memphis Grizzlies – Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite

Clint Nielson, SLC Dunk Draft Expert — Ron Holland was once considered the top prospect for the 2024 draft, before the G-League Ignite’s abysmal season. His elite athleticism, measurements, defense both on the perimeter and in the paint, ability to get to the rim, and motor make him a great choice for the Grizzles. In a draft lacking star potential, Holland certainly has the potential to make multiple all-star games, though he needs to improve his 3-point percentage.

While some say the Grizzles need a starting center, Jaren Jackson Jr. could be a full-time starting center and Ron Holland could start at the power forward spot in today’s small-ball era. Morant and Holland on the fastbreak could be one of the most terrifying sights for opposing teams all season.

10. Utah Jazz – Nikola Topic, G, Red Stars

James Hansen, SLC Dunk: Danny Ainge in his postseason presser said that he’s not sure that Keyonte George is a point guard, and drafting Topic could potentially fill that need. Topic had some underwhelming recent measurements recently including a negative wingspan. He’s also recovering from a partial ACL tear. Those things combined are why it’s possible he’s there for the Jazz at 10.

But despite all that, he’s arguably the best point guard prospect in this draft, with good size and numbers while playing in a good league. Even if it takes time for Topic to come back from his injury, the Jazz aren’t under huge presssure to rush to any wins. With a fantastic 2025 draft coming, the Jazz can stand to give Topic plenty of time to recover and develop this season.

11. Chicago Bulls – Isaiah Collier, G, USC

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation Draft Expert — I made this pick before the Bulls traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey, and admittedly it doesn’t make much sense now. Giddey has to play on the ball because of his lack of shooting, and that makes it unlikely the Bulls draft another on-ball player with a shaky jumper in Collier. Chicago’s loss will be someone else’s gain: the USC freshman is one of the best creation bets in this class as a speedy guard who can consistently pressure the rim, and brings plus passing vision. Providence’s Devin Carter makes a lot more sense now if he’s still on the board at No. 11.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation Draft Expert — Dillingham is the best player available on the board, and the Thunder would have good reason to end his slide. Oklahoma City lost a little bit of shot creation in the Josh Giddey trade, and Dillingham would immediately fill that hole by adding shooting at the cost of size.

The Kentucky freshman is one of the best shooters in this class — whether he’s on or off the ball — with a quick trigger, deep range, and excellent relocation chops. He’s also one of the best ball handlers and passers in this class. Dillingham is just very small, but OKC has enough size and length to insulate him on the defensive end.

This would feel like something of a luxury pick for the Thunder, but they have cap space and so many potential draft picks to trade to fill bigger needs later this summer — starting with adding some more size and rebounding on the interior.

13. Sacramento Kings – Devin Carter, G, Providence

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation Draft Expert — There’s so much to like about Carter’s game: he’s a monster athlete, a lockdown defender, a fantastic rebounder, and an improved shooter who proved he can get up three-pointers with volume this past year at Providence. Though he only measured just over 6’2 barefoot at the combine, Carter plays so much bigger than his size with long arms, a strong chest, and explosive leaping ability. He can play next to either De’Aaron Fox or Malik Monk in the Kings’ backcourt, and add a tenacious defender and another shooter.

14. Portland Trail Blazers – Dalton Knecht, F, Tennessee

Steve Dewald, Blazer’s Edge — Ideally, the Blazers avoid making two lottery selections this year. If Portland is unable to trade out of this slot, Dalton Knecht is a serviceable option. Knecht is a proven scorer and would boost the Blazers’ floor spacing immediately.

Knecht was a subpar defender in college and that weakness could serve as an advantage for Portland next year. In order to increase their lottery odds for the loaded 2025 class, the Blazers could feature Knecht early and often.

15. Miami Heat – Jared McCain, G, Duke

JP Acosta, SB Nation Writer and Heat fan — The Heat need some more spacing and shooting from their guards, and with Terry Rozier missing the last stretch of the season due to injury and Tyler Herro being a bit of a problem defensively, I could see the Heat going with a sweet-shooting guard like McCain here. He would open the floor up a bit more for Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, while also having the upside of a second or third-option scorer.

16. Philadelphia 76ers – Ja’Kobe Walter, F, Baylor

Paul Hudrick, Liberty Ballers — If this scenario presents itself on draft night, expect Daryl Morey to trade back — maybe even out of the first round entirely to maximize cap space and collect more draft capital — but Walter is the pick here for me.

His floor is a high-level 3-and-D wing, something that is always coveted in the NBA. While the consensus seems to be that his ceiling isn’t that high, he’s only 19 years old. Some will suggest a plug-and-play prospect here, but Morey’s track record suggests he’ll take the best player available, regardless of age or position.

17. Los Angeles Lakers – Tristan da Silva, F, Colorado

Jacob Rude, Silver Screen and Roll — The Lakers have a handful of ways they could go in the draft, whether it be drafting a big or a wing. As has been their approach for quite some time, they’ll take the best player available, and that turned out to be da Silva in this draft.

He’s a wing that can step in and contribute from day one, whether through his 3-point shooting or his defense. And there is no such thing as too many 3-and-D wings, especially alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

18. Orlando Magic – Bub Carrington, G, Pitt

Sven Karabogovic, SLC Dunk draft expert — During their post-season run, the Orlando Magic displayed their most glaring needs: shot creation and playmaking. While the guard core of Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, and Cole Anthony offered a valiant conglomerate effort at addressing these issues, their sub-par shooting led to their offense lacking enough torque to cut through the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense.

Bub Carrington, while inefficiant at times, showed the ability to generate offense for the Pittsburgh Panthers through creative shot creation and solid court vision. With this pick, the Magic can hope that Carrington develops into a serviceable lead ball handler who decreases the pressure on Wagner and Banchero when the offense stalls.

19. Toronto Raptors – Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana

JD Quirante, Raptors HQ — The Toronto Raptors have been searching for the ideal center to pair with Siakam (failed), and now, not just with the soon-to-be-extended Scottie Barnes, but would also fit coach Darko Rajakovic’s offense.

Kel’el Ware’s a “modern big starter pack” with plenty of upside. He’s a lottery talent hidden outside of the lottery, as it would take the right team to bring out his upside into actuality. The Raptors have a solid developmental record, and given how they dropped the ball for the past two or three years, and how the NBA’s new salary cap rules are affecting roster construction, we have to believe that getting back into producing diamonds in the rough is something that was a mandate for President Masai Ujiri when he made a coaching change last year.

20. Cleveland Cavaliers – Johnny Furphy, F, Kansas

Jackson Flickinger, Fear the Sword — The Cavs lack of wing options was exposed in their series with the Celtics. They need wings that can stretch the floor and fit in alongside other high-usage players. Cleveland also needs team defenders who can guard opposing wings without being physically outmatched. Furphy isn’t the perfect solution, but he’s likely the best that can be found in the bottom third of the first round.

21. New Orleans Pelicans – Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette

Lake Hale, SLC Dunk Draft Expert — If Brandon Ingram leads your team in assists with just 5.7 a game, things could be better for you from a playmaking perspective. Tyler could be a true, pass-first point guard who can set up lobs with Zion Williamson, hit CJ McCollumn and Trey Murphy III coming off screens, and can shoot the ball well himself.

He might have some diet TJ McConnell in him, but his ability to push the pace and pass ahead feels more like Lonzo Ball to me.

22. Phoenix Suns – Yves Missi, C, Baylor

John Voita, Bright Side of the Sun — What do the Suns need (outside of an attitude adjustment)? Athleticism. Defense. Size. Yves Missi from Baylor gives Phoenix all three at the 22nd pick. While we had our eyes and hearts set on Tyler Kolek (we need a plug-and-play point guard, damn you Pelicans), drafting Missi gives Phoenix an upside play as Missi oozes with potential.

His affinity for offensive rebound — coupled with his rim-running ability — would be a welcome sight in the Valley of the Sun. He could replace Drew Eubanks by the end of training camp. Yay!

23. Milwaukee Bucks – Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia

Kyle Carr, Brew Hoop — The Bucks’ struggles for the entire season were on the defensive side, and their playoff series loss to the Indiana Pacers exposed how their lack of athleticism played a large role in that.

Ryan Dunn’s defensive ability has been highly praised by scouts, and he is someone who can come in and help Milwaukee immediately — especially if paired with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. There are concerns about his offensive abilities, but the potential defensive impact is too good to pass up.

24. New York Knicks – Zach Edey, C, Purdue

Russell Richardson, Posting and Toasting — Zach Edey, the reigning two-time Naismith College Player of the Year, fits Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s preference for traditional big men. Offensively, Edey excels in the post, although he needs improvement in passing and ball security. Defensively, he’s a strong rim protector but lumbers a bit and may struggle with the NBA’s pace and spacing.

But despite his limitations, Edey’s work ethic, durability, and offensive rebounding could make him a valuable asset for the Knicks, especially with the looming possibility of losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.

25. New York Knicks – Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite

Russell Richardson, Posting and Toasting — With Precious Achiuwa possibly departing this offseason, the Knicks may need another power forward in their stable.

Meet 19-year-old Tyler Smith of G League Ignite. Ranked No. 12 among 2024 prospects by our own Ricky O’Donnell, Smith is a 6’10 forward who averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, shooting 36% on 3-pointers. Plus: A seven-foot-one wingspan! Gimmie those offensive boards!

Smith aims to emulate players like Jabari Smith, Kyle Kuzma, and Michael Porter Jr. — which might be a stretch (pun sort of intended) — but he does have promise. At best, he starts out giving Julius Randle 10-15 minutes of rest per night; at worst, he chops it up with the Westchester Knicks for a season.

26. Washington Wizards – KJ Simpson, G, Colorado

Renzo Salao, Bullets Forever — Picking Colorado point guard KJ Simpson this early may be a reach. But given the state of the Wizards’ backcourt, Simpson is worth the additional stretch. The 21-year-old junior was the top scorer on a team with projected top-20 picks Cody Williams and Tristan Da Silva.

Simpson averaged 19.7 points on stellar efficiency: 47.5% from the field, 43.4% from three, and 87.6% from the line. Standing under 6’1 without shoes, Simpson will be limited defensively at the next level. But he does possess NBA range, can shoot off the bounce, and is adept off the ball. He was also a top-15 rebounder in the Pac-12 averaging 5.8 per game – the only player on the list under 6’6”. Adding Simpson to arguably the worst guard rotation in the NBA is an easy call.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves – Baylor Scheierman, G, Creighton

Thilo Widder, Canis Hoopus — I don’t think it is physically possible for this draft to have gone worse for the Wolves’ needs.

Mike Conley is older than the internet and Nickeil Alexander Walker is entering 2025 on an expiring contract. Unfortunately for everyone involved (me), it seems that the rest of the league is looking at point guards as well. While it was certainly ambitious to hope for a Rob Dillingham to fall, seeing as KJ Simpson was the last draftable point guard on my board, I was forced to pivot.

That brings us to Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman. Before any amount of basketball analysis, before a discussion of skillset and fit, we need to talk about the numbers. Not the statistics, but about Scheierman’s preference for number 55. That’s right folks, I drafted a player to have him play against Luka Garza for a jersey number.

But Baylor is an excellent shooter and off-ball mover and would add a movement shooter to buoy the offense that the Wolves have lacked ever since the departure of Malik Beasley. While Conley’s successor may have been the clear need, Scheierman provides a different approach to solving the offensive problems that a young point guard would have been asked to fix.

28. Denver Nuggets – DaRon Holmes II, F/C, Dayton

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation Draft Expert — Holmes was one of the most productive players in the country as a junior for Dayton, packing the box score with blocks, rebounds, assists, free throw attempts, and consistent scoring all season long. At 6’8.75 barefoot with a 7’1 wingspan, Holmes knew he couldn’t bully opponents forever and needed to add more skill to his game.

He came back as a much improved 3-point shooter, ball handler, and passer. Holmes could play some minutes at the five backing up Nikola Jokic, and it’s possible he could also play with him at times if his shot continues to develop. Holmes has proven himself to be a very good basketball player, and those guys usually find a way to make it work.

29. Utah Jazz – Kyshawn George, F, Miami

James Hansen, SLC Dunk — The Utah Jazz need size and shooting and that’s what Kyshawn George brings. There’s some questions about his production, or at least the lack thereof, but he shot 40% from three and looks like he can likley get his shot off being 6’8, but he’s not explosive, and so there are some concerns about getting his own looks reliably.

That said, there are flashes of playmaking to his game as well as some high-IQ plays on the defensive end. If he’s crafty in the league, he could potentially be a secondary shooter/playmaker in the mold of former Jazzman Joe Ingles.

30. Boston Celtics – Kyle Filipowski, C, Duke

Jeff Clark, CelticsBlog — What do you get the team that has everything? Well, given how expensive this team is going to get, the answer is probably cap relief. So don’t be too surprised if the Celtics trade out of this spot in order to avoid locking into a guaranteed salary for someone that might not contribute next season.

However, if they keep the pick, they should look to add long-term, cost-controlled depth. There’s no Al Horford replacement in the draft (or in the whole world for that matter), but the Celtics could always use some more depth at the big man spot. Filipowski has the tools to be a stretch option with good offensive skills.

And he can swap Duke stories with Tatum on the bus, which might be as close to game action as he’ll get.

How close did we get to how this thing will actually shake out? Find out when the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft starts at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 26 on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese rise in latest WNBA rookie rankings caitlin,clark,angel,reese,rise,in,latest,wnba,rookie,rankings,sbnation,com,front-page,wnba,womens-sports,all-womens-sports,wnba-content,dot-com-grid-coverage

Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rise in latest WNBA rookie rankings
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It’s been well-chronicled that the 2023 NCAA women’s championship game was a turning point for the popularity of women’s basketball — millions tuned in nationwide as LSU defeated Iowa to win the championship, and a media-driven rivalry between LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was born.

Two years later, both Reese and Clark players are pros, and are tearing up the WNBA. Their games could not be more different; Clark is a playmaking sharpshooter, while Reese is known for her tenacious rebounding and defense, but both players have managed to effectively transition to the professional level with relative ease.

Meanwhile, Cameron Brink — who was ranked No. 1 in the previous edition of the Rookie Power Rankings after a dominant defensive start to the season — is out for the year with a torn ACL. It’s a big loss for the Sparks, who relied on her defensive presence, and for Brink herself, who was due to compete on the 3v3 Olympic basketball team in Paris next month.

But those aren’t the only rookies who have made their impact felt, so let’s get to the June edition of SB Nation’s WNBA rookie power rankings.

8. Kate Martin, Las Vegas Aces

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Stats: 4 points (34.7% FG), 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Previous ranking: #8
Team Record: 8-6

Kate Martin has been a reliable bench piece for the two-time defending champions, averaging 17.2 minutes per night when most expected her to go undrafted or be cut from the team’s final roster. Martin has been in and out of the rotation, but has been an effective connective piece when given the minutes.

“I couldn’t ask for a better experience,” Martin said. “I’ve been welcomed with open arms. I have great vets surrounding me. I have great coaches surrounding me. I love Las Vegas, we have great fan support. It’s been tremendous so far.”

Martin maintains her 8th spot on the list despite limited minutes, as she’s been a strong defender and serves as a reliable option on what is likely the most star-studded roster in the WNBA.

7. Sevgi Uzun, Dallas Wings

Dallas Wings v Washington Mystics

Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images

Stats: 7.3 points (36.2% FG), 4.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds
Previous ranking: #7
Team Record: 3-13

Sevgi Uzun helped lead the Turkish Fenerbahçe to back-to-back Euroleague championships, and has adjusted well in her first season in the WNBA.

At age 26, Uzun has far more basketball experience than most rookies, and it’s shown in her decision-making. She’s struggled with her shot, however, shooting just 23.6% from three. Uzun’s ranking spot hasn’t taken a hit since last month, but her three-point percentage has dipped — she shot 41.7% from three this time last month, and that number has fallen by 18%.

6. Julie Vanloo, Washington Mystics

Dallas Wings v Washington Mystics

Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images

Stats: 7.9 points (36.1% FG, 33% from three), 5.4 assists, 3 turnovers
Previous ranking: #5
Team Record: 4-13

Julie Vanloo, who is 31 years old but in her first year in the WNBA, has been one of the premier playmakers in the league. Her 5.4 assists per game are good for 8th overall, and second among rookies.

It’s all led to an effective transition into the league for the 5’8 Belgian guard, whose energy has helped the Mystics.

“Vanloo’s just got a different kind of motor,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said after the two teams faced off. “She gets after it and you can’t relax.”

Vanloo’s efficiency has decreased in recent weeks, however; her field goal percentage has waned, and she hasn’t shot 50% or better on any given night since May 21st. Still, she’s been an effective playmaker, and the Mystics — after a brutal start to the year — have won four of their last five games.

5. Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks

Los Angeles Sparks v Atlanta Dream

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Stats: 9.8 points (46.3% FG, 29% from three), 3.3 rebounds,
Previous ranking: #4
Team Record: 4-13

Rickea Jackson, picked fourth overall, has been another solid rookie for the Sparks. Already one of the most efficient rookies in this class, Jackson could see increased minutes with Brink out for the season.

She’s averaged 23.4 minutes per game this season, but that’s trended downwards in the last few. But when given increased minutes, Jackson has had several big offensive outings this year, including three games in which she’s scored at least 16 points.

But, the Sparks have lost six straight and Jackson’s production — and offensive touches — have fallen a bit. She’s scored 6 and 7 points, respectively, in her last two games, while grabbing a total of only two rebounds.

4. Aaliyah Edwards, Washington Mystics

Washington Mystics v Indiana Fever

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Stats: 8.8 points (50% FG), 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Previous ranking: #6
Team Record: 4-13

The Mystics had a very slow start to the season — losers of their first 12 games — but Aaliyah Edwards has been one of the big bright spots for a franchise in a difficult spot. Her two best games of the season have been against the Sky; on June 6, she put up 23 points (10-12 FG) and 14 rebounds, and on June 14 she had 16 points (6-7 FG) and 9 rebounds in a win.

“Aaliyah is one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever been around,” teammate Ariel Atkins said earlier this month. “Just her ability to learn so quickly, which is so important at this level.

The Mystics have won two of their last three games, and all of their June losses except for one were in the single digits, so they’re trending in the right direction.

3. Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star

Jacob Musselman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Stats: 9.3 points (51.5% FG), 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Previous ranking: n/a
Team Record: 6-9

Kamilla Cardoso missed the first couple weeks of the season with a shoulder injury. But, the third overall pick has looked increasingly comfortable in her minutes with the Sky, grabbing double-digit rebounds in each of her last three games. She put together her best game of the season on Sunday – 16 points on 7-9 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and 3 assists – and is averaging an efficient 9.3 points in nine games played so far this year.

Cardoso and Angel Reese have formed a formidable frontcourt, particularly on the glass, and Cardoso is the only rookie shooting better than 50% from the field. Her well-rounded performance, combined with Brink’s season-ending injury, has catapulted her to third in the rookie rankings.

2. Angel Reese, Chicago Sky

Dallas Wings v Chigaco Sky

Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

Stats: 13.2 points (40.6% FG), 11.1 rebonds (4.7 offensive), 2.1 assists, 1.7 steals
Previous ranking: #3
Team Record: 6-9

Angel Reese, drafted seventh by the Sky, was one of the WNBA-ready players in the class from the jump, and has already established herself as one of the most tenacious rebounders in the league. Most recently, she set a WNBA rookie record for most consecutive double-doubles after a 16-point, 18-rebound performance in a Thursday win against the Wings.

“I just want to win. I came to Chicago to win,” Reese said. “Luckily, I was drafted No. 7 and came to Chicago and was able to come here and thrive. Being able to have great teammates, great coaches, and just a great atmosphere and culture here that really, really loves me, that’s what’s important to me.”

She followed that up with her best game as a pro — a 25-point, 16-rebound outing in a win over the Fever.

“I’m a dog,” she told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the game. “You can’t teach that.”

Reese is already the second-leading rebounder in the league — averaging 11.1 a night — and is the leading offensive rebounder (4.7). Her field goal percentage has room to improve (she’s shooting just 40.6% from the field) but she’s otherwise impacting the game at a very high level, especially for a first-year player.

1. Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever v Atlanta Dream

Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images

Stats: 16.3 points (39.9% FG, 35.2% from three), 6.6 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 5.6 turnovers
Previous ranking: #2
Team Record: 7-11

After a tough start to the WNBA season, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have managed to turn things around. Clark had a big week last week — she followed a 23-point, 8-rebound, 9-assist outing in a win over the Sky with another near triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Then, on Sunday, she broke a Fever franchise record of most assists in a singular game (13) in a loss to the Sky, while also putting up 17 points.

The turnover numbers are still not ideal — she’s leading the league with 5.6 a night — but Clark has become increasingly efficient and connected to her teammates. That’s evidenced in the Fever winning 4 of their last 5 games. As teammates get comfortable with her passing, that number will go down as well. Her turnovers are indicative of a desire to playmake; Alyssa Thomas, who leads the league in assists, has the second-most turnovers per game with 3.9 a night.

“I’m trying to get to know my teammates and the coaching staff, but I feel like I have gotten more comfortable over the course of these games,” Clark said last week. “There’s still more than half a season left, and I really feel like we’ve grown so much.”

If she — and the Fever — keep growing at this speed, she may hang on atop these rankings for quite a while.

Travis Kelce joined Taylor Swift in London for ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’ travis,kelce,joined,taylor,swift,in,london,for,i,can,do,it,with,a,broken,heart,sbnation,com,front-page,nfl,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour hit London over the weekend, and it’s no surprise that her boyfriend of nearly one year, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was there. But what was unexpected was Kelce joining Swift on stage.

The European tour kicked off in May and saw the Eras setlist rearranged a bit. Taylor’s three-hour set opens with songs from her album Lover, then goes to Fearless, Red, Speak Now, Reputation, and she’s condensed and combined the set from Evermore and Folklore, which is a switch from the previous leg of the tour. The iconic 1989 is up next, and then comes Taylor’s new section from her latest, The Tortured Poets Department. That’s where Kelce comes in.

The song Kelce joined Taylor on stage for is one of my favorites from TTPD. It’s called ‘I Can Do It with a Broken Heart’ and it’s about how Taylor’s had to keep performing no matter what personal and professional heartbreak she’s experiencing. It’s a bop with incredibly honest lyrics:

I’m so depressed, I act like it’s my birthday
Every day
I’m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me
Like the plague
I cry a lot, but I am so productive
It’s an art
You know you’re good when you can even do it
With a broken heart

The intro to this one about broke the internet — even without Kelce involved — when Swift performed it during the Paris show that kicked off the European tour.

The coolest thing about this is just how much fun Kelce appears to be having being a part of it.

And Kelce seems to be having the time of his life cheering on Taylor whether he’s on stage or not.

Especially when she changed the lyrics to her song ‘Karma’ to, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me.”

The Tortured Poets Department is the first Taylor Swift album that features songs written about Travis Kelce. My personal favorite is called ‘So High School,’ a sweet song about how fun and easy their relationship feels. There’s also speculation that the last verse of ‘But Daddy I Love Him,’ a song that’s otherwise assumed to be about Taylor’s ex, The 1975 front man Matty Healy (aka ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,’ another song off of TTPD) is about Travis. Those lyrics:

And I’m dancin’ in my dress in the sun and
Even my daddy just loves him
I’m his lady, and oh my God you should see your faces
Doesn’t it give some perspective
And no, you can’t come to the wedding
I know he’s crazy, but he’s the one I want

As a matter of fact, Taylor goes straight from the end of that song into a snippet of ‘So High School’ in the current version of her Eras show, which is helping fuel that speculation. And she and her backup dancers even swag surf during it — which has got to be a nod to Chiefs fans.

Taylor Swift has performed with former flame John Mayer, but it was way back in 2009. She brought Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame — who she dated in 2009 — onstage at Arrowhead Stadium last July and introduced him, but he didn’t perform with her and it was more than a decade after they’d dated. As far as I can tell (from Google and polling every Swiftie I know), this marks the first time Taylor Swift has had a love interest come onto stage and perform with her in any way.

Swift has been criticized endlessly for her relationships in ways men aren’t — something she addresses on her song ‘The Man’ off of Lover:

They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to
And that would be OK
For me to do
Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you

But this relationship with Kelce seems very healthy, happy and mutually supportive. Here’s hoping they keep having this much fun together.

Joe Mazzulla jumping off a duck boat roof on a torn meniscus is most unhinged moment of Celtics’ parade joe,mazzulla,jumping,off,a,duck,boat,roof,on,a,torn,meniscus,is,most,unhinged,moment,of,celtics,parade,sbnation,com,front-page,nba,nba-playoffs,nba-playoffs-powerhouse-2024,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Anyone unfamiliar with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has certainly become more aware of one of the NBA’s strangest characters in the wake of Boston’s championship celebrations.

Mazzulla, likely the only head coach in the league who had to be told by his bosses to stop trying to block opposing player’s shots this year, has taken over the internet in the wake of the Celtics’ title celebrations. In addition to carrying the championship trophy around the city to various restaurants, Mazzulla went on an absolutely bonkers celebratory podcast tour that included him breaking down how he would plan to rob a bank, among other wild anecdotes.

Mazzulla has done it all, including coaching the Celtics to banner No. 18, on a meniscus he has apparently needed surgery on since tearing it in March during a loss to the Hawks, because of course he did. After all, this is a man who once tried to turn down health insurance while working in the G League because he “didn’t have time to get hurt.”

Well, he certainly put that mindset to the test during the Celtics’ championship parade, jumping both off the roof and out the window of the duck boat carrying him multiple times — again, on A TORN MENISCUS THAT WILL REQUIRE SURGERY — to celebrate with fans:

Mazzulla’s son even got in on the fun, showing he’s well on track to matching his father’s delightfully chaotic energy:

Perhaps fittingly, all this comes on a day the governor of Mazzulla’s native Rhode Island has officially dubbed “Joe Mazzulla Day.” That was obviously in the works before Friday, but after watching Joe Mazz at the parade, it would be hard to call the day anything else.

The Brewers have refused to leave the top of the NL Central the,brewers,have,refused,to,leave,the,top,of,the,nl,central,sbnation,com,front-page,mlb,dot-com-grid-coverage

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Back in spring training when we were previewing each division, my view of the National League Central Division was that it was anybody’s game where anybody could win. That was also to say that this probably would be the end of the two-season run as NL Central champions for the Milwaukee Brewers. Here’s my reasoning below:

If they’re going to do it again in 2024 then it’ll be a bit of an upset because it appears that they’ve fallen right back into the pack after the offseason that they had. Corbin Burnes is in Baltimore now and Brandon Woodruff is likely to miss the entire season as he recovers from shoulder surgery. They also lost their manager to their rivals on the North Side of Chicago, as the Cubs snatched away Craig Counsell almost immediately after his contract with the Brewers expired. That’s a lot to lose in a division that’s as wide open as the NL Central is.

Well, here we are in mid-June and it’s looking like this division may not be as wide open as I had expected it to be. While there are still plenty of questions as to whether or not any of the other four teams in the NL Central will have what it takes to go on the type of run that could propel them into the Postseason, it’s obvious who currently has the massive upper hand when it comes to winning the division. As it turns out, the more things change, the more they stay the same — manager Pat Murphy’s Milwaukee Brewers once again look like they’re the class of the NL Central.

Heading into this season, the Brewers were only given the third-best odds from FanGraphs to win the division at 18 percent. They were given a 30 percent shot to make the Postseason, which is a perfectly fine chance to have going into any season but it was definitely a bit low for a club that had made it to the Postseason in five of the past six seasons.

Now, Brewers fans can’t complain about the odds being against them since their team has surged their way into the position of being massive favorites. Heading into action on June 20, the Brewers are now being given a whopping 73 percent chance to make it three divisional titles in a row and are also being given an 86 percent shot to make the playoffs either way. Most importantly, the Brewers 44-30 and are 7.5 games ahead of the Cardinals for first place in the Central and also hold the second-largest divisional lead in the National League.

While a lot of this may have to do with the fact that the Cubs and Cardinals both have yet to really put it together like most observers expected them to, it also has to do with the fact that maybe the Brewers themselves didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to fade away into the pack. At the very least, Willy Adames and William Contreras both definitely missed the memo as both of them have been fantastic in Milwaukee’s lineup so far this season.

Willy Adames in particular has been killing it both at the plate but out in the field as well. Adames currently has a wRC+ of 118 to go with a wOBA of .336 and 12 home runs as well. If he can keep on producing at the plate at this rate, then he’ll be celebrating a career year once the season ends. Combine that with the fact that he’s currently in the 98th percentile of all fielders when it comes to Outs Above Average and you’ve got a player who has been the total package for the Brewers here in 2024. Adames has rarely had a season where he’s put it together with both his bat and his glove so it’s definitely encouraging for Milwaukee that this appears to be the year where it’s all connecting in his favor.

Meanwhile, William Contreras has simply just been mashing the ball like crazy this season. If he’s made contact with a ball, there’s a very good chance that it’s going to fly long and far and get to where it’s going in a hurry. Contreras is in the 95th percentile of all hitters when it comes to both Average Exit Velocity (93.1 mph) and Hard-Hit percentage (53 percent). Combined with his 89th percentile average bat speed and suddenly it’s easy to envision how Contreras got to a point where he’s sporting a 134 wRC+, which is second-best among all qualified catchers and only one point behind Salvador Perez for first place. While Wild Bill’s defense has taken a step back compared to where he was at last season, you aren’t going to hear anybody in Milwaukee complain about what he’s been doing with the bat this season.

Adames and Contreras haven’t been the only ones killing it for Milwaukee this season. Joey Ortiz has gone from struggling mightily in his first 34 big league plate appearances back in 2023 as a member of the Orioles to succeeding wildly as a breakout candidate for the Brewers. He might be doing it in a weird way (and for more on that, check out this article from Ben Clemens of FanGraphs) but you aren’t going to hear about anybody trying to “fix” what he’s doing when it’s working to the tune of a .369 wOBA and a 140 wRC+ so far. Brice Turang has also turned things around in a major way, though he didn’t have a change of scenery like Ortiz did. Instead, he appears to have found his footing in the bigs and is now sitting on a .328 wOBA and 112 wRC+ after struggling through 137 games with a 60 wRC+ in 2023. It also helps that Turang has been a terror to deal with on the basepaths as well, as he’s already stolen 26 bases this season.

The Brewers have also been getting positive contributions in the outfield from guys like Blake Perkins (and his 97th percentile-rated OAA) and even Christian Yelich. As it turns out, his resurgent 2023 campaign wasn’t just a flash in the pan and Yelich looks primed to improve upon a season that saw him start to look like the old dynamo that was playing MVP-caliber baseball just a few years ago. Yelich’s wOBA is currently at a lofty .394 and his wRC+ is at 157, which is easily as high as it’s been since the halcyon days of 2018 and 2019 when he was truly among the game’s elite players. While Yelich probably won’t fully return to that level again, the Brewers don’t need him to be a world-beater — they just need him to continue being what he is, which is a reliable hitter to slot into what’s been an impressive lineup for Milwaukee so far this season.

Between the high level of production that Milwaukee is getting from impact guys and the fact that they’ve already built up such a large lead in the division, it’s hard to see the Brewers messing this up as we get into the actual second half of this season. Additionally, the Brewers currently have the joint-fifth-easiest strength-of-schedule going forward at .492 while their divisional rivals in Chicago (.508 remaining strength-of-schedule) and St. Louis (.514) each have tougher roads ahead. The Pirates have a similarly-tough SOS remaining (.507) and while the Reds have a slightly-easier road ahead (.491), they also need to get their act together outside of Elly de la Cruz doing cool stuff on a nightly basis.

All this means is that the Brewers have bucked all the odds and have managed to play themselves into a very good position for another season. It’s all coming up sunshine and roses for the Brewers and the only thing that’s really gone wrong for them here in 2024 has been one of their employees getting caught failing miserably in an attempt to do assassination work as a side job. I didn’t make up a single word of that last sentence, either. I’m not going to hold that insane bit of news against the Brewers though since I believe that this squad is smart enough to not find themselves in such an incredibly hot mess. Either way, y’all should keep an eye on Milwaukee this season as they are once again right in the thick of the Postseason conversation.