There are two absolutely gigantic continental soccer tournaments happening side by side across the globe. In the western hemisphere Copa America features the United States, the Caribbean, and the best of South America on the pitch. Giving Uruguay a spotlight to shine. While across the pond the UEFA European Championship, better known as the Euros, are giving us all of the traditional national rivalries we’re used to seeing. Of course, it wouldn’t be soccer on a global stage, if the USMNT didn’t have some sort of controversy going on, and following their upsetting loss to Panama last week, the questions about Gregg Berhalter’s fitness to lead the team are starting to swirl. So today, Luis Miguel Echegaray is here to: Get us set for tonight’s U.S. vs Uruguay matchup, breakdown everything he’s been seeing in both tournaments, and to let us know who he likes to take home championships on both sides of the Atlantic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a big week for the UFC. Out in Vegas, the premier combat sports company is celebrating International Fight Week, and on Thursday night, inducted its latest class to the Hall of Fame. Saturday night, the festivities culminate in UFC 303.  But the sport’s biggest star, Conor McGregor, won’t be there, after pulling out of the main event due to injury, and forcing UFC to scramble and find other fighters to carry the card.  So today, our Andreas Hale explains why McGregor’s three year absence has proven detrimental for him on all fronts, and why another delayed return has everyone wondering if Mr. Notorious will ever step into the Octagon again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Three years ago, a positive marijuana test forced Sha’Carri Richardson off of team USA, robbing her and her country of a chance at an all-time Olympic moment. But in the years since, with a style reminiscent of the great Florence Griffith Joyner, Richardson has more than made her mark on the sport.  So with 100-meter qualifications complete and the 200-meter on the horizon this weekend, our Coley Harvey explains how Richardson bounced back and why the Summer Games could make her one of the biggest stars on the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From his time in Negro Leagues as a teenager to his epic run of success with the Giants, Willie Mays was always student and ambassador of America’s Pasttime Mays’ performance on the field has him in the conversation as one of the best players ever. 24 All Star Games, 12 Gold Gloves, two MVP awards, and 660 homers leave him in the most rare of air.  In short, putting his legacy into words is almost impossible, so we let his actions tell his story.  And the stories you will hear about Willie are that he was the one player from Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle to Reggie Jackson and Ken Griffey Jr. that left every major leaguer simply star struck by his otherworldly skills and his graceful presence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With all of the air in the WNBA room being sucked up by loud takes on Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and what their rivalry means to America, it’s easy to forget that we’re about a month and a half into the season. So today ESPN women’s basketball writer Michael Voepel takes us around the league to fill us in on what we’ve been missing. Tonight’s Commissioner Cup final between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx is one of the stories that has gotten lost in the shuffle.  Ironically, we haven’t been talking much about what’s happening on the court with the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky. And A’ja Wilson is doing it again, looking like a pretty solid bet to take home her third MVP award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the end of tonight, the world will know if the Edmonton Oilers will be the first Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup in more than three decades.  Despite an initial 3-0 lead by the Florida Panthers, the Oilers have pushed forward and forced a Game 7.  Our own Emily Kaplan is here to tell us how both these teams got to the finals, why key players like Connor McDavid and Stuart Skinner have been crucial to the Oilers’ comeback, and what tonight’s outcome could mean for all of hockey.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2024 Olympics are almost upon us. Trials are taking place around the world to determine who will represent their countries in Paris. And next week, all eyes will be on USA gymnastics trials in Minneapolis – as 16 women compete for one of five coveted spots on Team USA.  Olympic superstar gymnast Simone Biles is looking to make it to her 3rd Olympics, but alongside her are 15 other women with just as much a shot to make the team as her.  So today, our Olympics expert D’Arcy Maine joins us to break down how we got to trials and why this Olympic team might be the hardest to make in the history of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Copa América is South America’s fiercely competitive international soccer tournament, historically dominated by Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. But this summer, the games are happening in the United States, and the Americans have been invited to compete along with other North and Central American teams. So, as this unprecedented tournament gets underway Thursday night, our soccer savant Luis Miguel Echegaray explains how it all landed in the states to begin with, why it will be a major measuring stick for the American squad, and whether Argentina’s Lionel Messi has anything left to prove. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants will meet in a special ballgame at Birmingham, Alabama’s historic Rickwood Field tomorrow. That ballpark is 114 years old, the oldest professional field in America, and was the home to two teams named The Barons: one black and one white. And what happened on that field: a community gathering to cheer both squads, and the nation’s first integrated baseball game was a reflection of what happened in the city during the Civil Rights struggle. Today we are joined by Roy Wood Jr. Comedian, Daily Show veteran, baseball fan - who grew up in the shadow of Rickwood Field. He explains: what the city was like during his life, how ready Birmingham is for its spotlight, and how the lessons he learned on the diamond still carry weight in his life today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Indianapolis 500 is a sacred tradition in the racing community. But so is the Coca Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race. And both of these events just happen to fall on the same day. So when a brave driver decides to tackle all 1100 of these miles — a challenge affectionately known as the Memorial Day Double – the eyes of the race world fall on them.  This year, NASCAR champion and IndyCar rookie of the year Kyle Larson took his shot, battling: the logistics; the tracks; and, most of all, Mother Nature. And our good friend Ryan McGee was there to chronicle the attempt. So today, McGee shares the history of folks trying to tackle The Double, and explains how the people who dare to get behind the wheel are built differently from the rest of us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s difficult to identify a true contemporary to Jerry West.  He’s the man who spent 14 consecutive years as an All Star for the Los Angeles Lakers. The guy who helped engineer and sustain not one, but two dynasties with the team. A figure whose silhouette literally loomed above the league as the NBA’s logo. So when the news broke last week of his death, at the age of 86, it marked the passing of a giant. Today, Jeremy Schaap memorializes the great Laker. He explains West’s West Virginia origins, explores his life and legacy with the Lakers and across the NBA, and tells us how, in spite of all of his great accomplishments, the harshest critic of Jerry West was always Jerry West. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yankees vs. Red Sox. It’s one of the fiercest rivalries in all of sports and includes names like: Derek Jeter, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Bucky Dent, and of course Babe Ruth. But these days Major League Baseball has become so obsessed with data, that it feels like the human element can fall by the wayside. So, ahead of their three game weekend series, culminating with a matchup on Sunday Night Baseball, Jeff Passan joins the show to explain just what this rivalry is like in 2024. And to tell us why things have been uncharacteristically quiet these days in Fenway Park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first month of the WNBA season has been full of compelling on-court storylines. The Connecticut Sun look ready to contend for a title. The defending champion Las Vegas Aces have struggled to find their footing with veteran Chelsea Gray injured.  But all of that is getting crowded out by one big distraction –– a debate over whether or not the league is being fair to its megastar rookie, Cailtin Clark. Chennedy Carter’s hard foul on Clark last week is the match that lit the flame, but the firestorm had been brewing long before that.  So today, Elle Duncan, host of ESPN’s women’s basketball coverage, is here to help understand how we got here, unpack what’s really going on in this conversation, and gauge if and when we can get back to actual basketball.  Check out ‘The Elle Duncan Show’ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two games into the NBA Finals, and it looks like nothing can keep the Boston Celtics away from lifting an 18th championship banner to the rafters. They’ve been able to limit the Dallas attack to just Luka Doncic, and everything seems to be going their way. ESPN NBA reporter Tim Bontemps has been at both games of the series, and he joins the show to explain just how Boston is keeping the Dallas attack in check. And explore if a shift in venue to the Lone Star state will be enough to give the Mavs a fighting chance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For Americans who’ve never watched a cricket match before, now may be the best time to start. Because for the first time ever, Team USA has drawn global attention, after shocking the world in an upset over Pakistan last Thursday. And that feat looks all the more improbable when you learn who exactly is on this roster.  So today, ESPN’s own Aishwarya Kumar explains how they pulled it off, and why this Men’s T20 World Cup tournament looks like a watershed moment for American cricket.  You can stream Team USA’s Wednesday and Friday matches against India and Ireland at 10:30 AM Eastern Time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With all of the energy surrounding women’s basketball these days, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that the interest in women’s sports is growing beyond just the hardwood. We’ve seen a professional women’s hockey league return to the ice this season, stars continue to shine on the tennis courts and the track. And interest in the Women’s College World Series has steadily increased year over year leading to an average of two million fans tuning in to the most watched title series ever. So today, Jake Trotter, who covers college sports at ESPN, introduces us to Maya Brady, a prolific shortstop at UCLA, who just completed a decorated college career on the softball field. And Jake tells us why Maya’s rise is about more than just her shared family lineage with her uncle, one Tom Brady. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The teams meeting in the Stanley Cup Final this season, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers, are both trying to get over the hump. For the Panthers, this is year three in their recent turnaround. Having the best record in the NHL two seasons ago didn’t get it done, and last year they fell a step short of lifting Lord Stanley’s trophy into the air for the first time as a franchise. Up in Edmonton, the Oilers haven’t won it all since 1990, when a guy named Wayne Gretzky was still lacing them up. And after falling short in the playoffs themselves over the past few seasons, they are looking to bring home the cup not just for their city, but for the entirety of the nation. So today, ESPN NHL reporter Emily Kaplan tells us what to watch for ahead of Saturday’s game one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the WNBA continues to be a hot topic, showing fans and the world that excitement around women's basketball is expanding beyond a “moment.”  With all the chatter about aggression towards rookies, vet players, crazy record stats, and even team mascots dominating the floor, there is one thing that has been looming top of mind for many over the last few weeks: money. The two-time reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces are again at the forefront, as all twelve of the players on the team are negotiating with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) on a $100,000 sponsorship deal. A number even higher than the league salary minimum. The news came as a welcome surprise to many, but also sparked an investigation from the league. So today Aces beat reporter, Callie Lawson-Freeman of the Las Vegas Review-Journal is here to share what she has been able to find out on the ground about this sponsorship and what it could mean for the league.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This year’s NBA finals feature one team everyone saw coming and, according to Brian Windhorst, another we probably should have seen coming.  The Boston Celtics have been on a hot streak all season long –– easily claiming the league’s best record –– while the Dallas Mavericks have been pushing their way towards the mountaintop week by week. Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off Thursday night and there’s so much to think about, including how Dallas might actually have the two best players on the court, whether or not Kyrie Irving can shake his Celtics curse, and why it’s win now or maybe never for this iteration of the Celtics. Brian Windhorst has been in the building with both teams as they’ve made their run through the playoffs and joins us to share what we can expect as the Finals begin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For years, names like Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and Satchel Paige were well known as legends in the Negro Leagues, but unrecognized in the record books alongside their white contemporaries. Last week that changed, as a nearly quarter-century long endeavor to collect and verify decades of statistics was unveiled for the first time. The news seems to have been met with every emotion under the sun: confusion, anger, disdain, but not joy. And part of that is because many are confused as to what’s actually happening. This story was never about Josh Gibson unseating Ty Cobb as the single season batting average leader. It was about presenting the statistics of major professional baseball leagues as evidence to support the legends that played. So Today, our host Clinton Yates sits on the other side of the table and joins our very own Alex Hyacinthe to break down what this process undertook, and what this really means for baseball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major League Baseball teams have developed a habit of manipulating contract rules so as to prevent a player from realizing his true financial value. Many contend it’s all part of a player exploitation system perpetrated by the league under the guise of “maximizing efficiency.” But five years ago, while pitching for the Brewers, reliever Josh Hader and his agent employed an unprecedented strategy to fight back. Today, Buster Olney joins us as we explore Hader’s story, the greater context of how MLB uses and abuses pitchers, and the impact this new tactic could have not only on their contracts, but also their long-term health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Birmingham Southern College sits on a lovely campus three miles from downtown Birmingham, Alabama. But today, that college is officially ceasing operations.  Nonetheless, the school’s baseball team will play on, as they take the field this afternoon in the Division III college world series.  So our Kyle Bonagura is here to explain how the school’s looming closure actually inspired the Panthers to turn their season around. And how the team’s final run may turn out to be its best ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bronny James has been in the public spotlight his whole life. Being the son of all-time great LeBron James has set expectations that would be too high for most NBA Draft prospects, let alone one with a less-than-guaranteed shot in the NBA. Bronny James won’t be a lottery pick, and probably won’t be picked in the first round either.  What makes this more complicated than your average draft prospect analysis is LeBron has the opportunity to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this summer, and has stated publicly that he would like to play with his son. So today, ESPN’s resident NBA Front Office expert Bobby Marks joins the show to break down Bronny’s value as a player, and how his father plays a part in where and when Bronny gets drafted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Memorial Day the world lost one of the gems of the sports world –– the one and only Bill Walton. He was a two-time NBA champion and won two NCAA titles as a young man at UCLA. But his reputation as the most cheerful, colorful, and contemplative personality in sports, especially in his many decades as a broadcaster, has extended his legacy beyond the generations who first watched him on the court.  In tribute to Walton, today we revisit our January 2021 conversation with the man himself, and revel in the joy he brought into our lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the previous six seasons, Shohei Ohtani’s prowess as a hitter and a pitcher made him the most talked about player in baseball. But when the Dodgers signed him to a record-setting $700 million contract in December, they knew an elbow injury would prevent him from pitching in 2024.  Now, after 53 games this season, we’re seeing Ohtani reach new heights at the plate. Which begs the question: Do he and the Dodgers really want to mess with that?  Today, our Bradford Doolittle explains why, like Babe Ruth before him, Ohtani’s bat skills may keep him off the mound forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On April 6th, 2023, a startling scene played out on a baseball field in Fort Myers, Florida. Shortly after the start of the annual rivalry game against nearby Estero High School, nearly the entire roster for Fort Myers High School, along with the coaching staff, walked off the field, leaving two teammates of color behind. According to witnesses on the scene, chaos ensued, as parents on both sides of the divide began trading insults.  That incident was the latest manifestation of racial tensions that have existed in Fort Myers for decades. And the direct result of an assistant coach being dismissed for using a racial slur in a team group chat on Valentine’s Day of that year.  Today, our Howard Bryant takes us inside this story, unpacks a chain of smoldering racial resentments, and provides a new understanding of what it means to be outnumbered.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We know that the roots of NASCAR can be traced back to the American South in states like North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. But what you might not realize is that particular motorsport was conceived through the hills of those very same states by bootleggers running moonshine while racing for bragging rights.  So when a sinkhole was recently discovered under the famous North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina, there was no surprise to find more than just mud and dirt down there. Ryan McGee joins us to explain how one of the sport's oldest tracks might just have been the site of one of America’s oldest vices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time in 20 years, the Minnesota Timberwolves will make their way into the Western Conference Finals, and they couldn't have made it there without their star shooting guard Anthony Edwards. He has become a leader for this Timberwolves team at only 22 years old and has forged great relationships with teammates like Karl-Anthony Towns. So today, our Ramona Shelburne takes us into the mind of the ANT-man and breaks down his progress from starting at the top of a COVID season rookie class up until leading his team to the Western Conference Finals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Basketball has grown into a worldwide sport over the past several decades. Just look at the past six NBA MVPs: Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece, Nikola Jokic from Serbia, and Joel Embiid from Cameroon.  Waiting in the wings are Slovenia’s Luka Doncic and Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But this worldwide explosion of talent did not happen overnight. Like any other explosion, it starts with a single spark.  In Europe that spark was named Radivoj Korac.  Korac played for the Yugoslavian national basketball team in the 1950’s and 60s, and quickly gained acclaim after winning The Best Athlete of Yugoslavia (Zlatna značka), and Yugoslav Sportsman of the Year (Sportske novosti award). He laid the path for future European superstars to follow in the years to come. Sadly, Korac never got to see his true peak or join the NBA after passing away in a tragic car accident at the age of 30.  Today, Baxter Holmes joins the show to tell us the story of the legendary Radivoj Korac, and how his stardom spawned the European dominance we see today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA’s conference finals are set after two game sevens on Sunday. In the east the Boston Celtics will take on the Indiana Pacers, while out west, we’ve got the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Dallas Mavericks. It’s a star-studded affair, and frankly a window into the next chapter in the NBA. And the most important question is, who’s going on to the finals? So today ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontemps says goodnight to the Knicks, and explains how the Pacers, Celtics, Mavs, and TWolves got to the final four. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a 30 point win over the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, the New York Knicks are knocking on the door to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the year 2000. But we’ve already seen locale shift the momentum in this series, and with Game Six set to tip off tonight in Indianapolis, it could be a tall order for Tom Thibodeau and company to put the Pacers down in six games. So today, ESPN senior writer Chris Herring explains how the Knicks got to this point despite so many injuries, and tells us who has to do what to lock in a date with the Boston Celtics, and a shot at an NBA Finals appearance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nuggets and Timberwolves Western Conference Semifinals is truly a tale of two series. Just about a week ago, it looked like young phenom Anthony Edwards was going to lead the Timberwolves past the defending champion Nuggets to the promised land after starting the postseason with six-straight wins. But then, the inevitable happened. And it came in the form of 6-foot-11 three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic reminding everyone in the league who the defending champions are. With all these ups and downs we turn to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and he shares what he’s seeing and hearing behind the scenes in this roller coaster of a series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest move for Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball tournament and scouting service, is an expected multi-year memorabilia deal with Fanatics. While on the surface, the deal means Fanatics would produce and distribute trading cards and collectibles for Perfect Game athletes, it also raises agents’ concerns about amateur players’ rights, especially if they end up playing professionally.  Brittany Ghiroli’s reporting on the impending deal for The Athletic revealed that young baseball players have already been signing their rights away to Perfect Game. She joins us today to discuss why Perfect Game and Fanatics’ marriage is potentially harmful for players and how these companies’ machinations impact amateur baseball more largely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2024 WNBA season begins tonight, and you’ve probably heard that women’s basketball is having a moment. But with ratings and excitement skyrocketing around the college game, and an incoming rookie class stepping into the W, bringing along more social media followers than ever, the question is: has that moment turned into an era? Hall of Famer and ESPN basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo is here to tell us how the game is evolving right before our eyes, and what Caitlin Clark and the rest of this rookie class has in store for them. Plus, she breaks down whether or not we’re heading for a rematch of super teams from New York and Las Vegas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Formula 1 races seem to have everything – the pomp of an A-list party, exotic locations, excited fans, and global superstars on the grid. So what’s missing from this scene? Women behind the wheel. Formula 1 hasn’t had a female driver qualify for a race in almost 50 years and as women’s sports continues to make great strides, the world of elite racing seems to be falling behind. Today, ESPN’s Alyssa Roenigk brings the story of two drivers working together to break barriers in the world of motorsports one race at a time. For more on this story, watch Roenigk in a new documentary that spotlights the women breaking barriers in motorsports for the Emmy-winning "In Real Life" series, premiering Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern, 7p.m. Central on Scripps News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last month, news broke about Caitlin Clark’s $28 million shoe deal with Nike. It’s undoubtedly a great business decision for both Nike and Clark as she transitions into becoming the most hyped WNBA rookie of all time, but the announcement begets a conversation about equity in the WNBA. In a league that is nearly 64% Black, the most marketed, endorsed, and featured players are mostly white. ESPN’s Sean Hurd wrote about this for Andscape and ESPN’s Katie Barnes has extensively covered women’s basketball and its intersection with issues of race and gender. They’re both here today to discuss how Caitlin’s Nike deal will affect other superstars in the league like A’ja Wilson, Jonquel Jones and Angel Reese, and to provide context for how not only race, but also queerness and gender expression impact WNBA players’ access to capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Atlanta Falcons selection of Michael Penix Jr. in the first round was the biggest surprise of the 2024 NFL Draft. Especially when you consider that they had inked veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a massive deal just weeks before. So today ESPN NFL Draft and college football analyst Jordan Reid explains the plan to guest host David Dennis Jr. and tells us why there’s a chance that this leaves a huge mess down in Atlanta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Arizona Coyotes have been a struggling franchise for most of their history. They have faced turmoil both on and off the ice –– a bankruptcy in 2009 and, as of late, a years-long failure to secure a new arena. This winter, with the Coyotes in the midst of a second season in a college hockey barn, the NHL finally had enough.  Enter Ryan Smith, owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz. In an abnormal arrangement, Smith is taking over ownership and moving the team to Utah. But they won’t be called the Coyotes. Control of that brand, as well as its logos, records, and history remains in the hands of former owner Alex Meruelo, who intends to restore the Arizona club in the coming years.  Today, ESPN senior NHL writer Greg Wyshynski breaks down how we got here, how this sale works, and what the future holds for hockey in both Utah and Arizona.  Greg’s article is Inside the Coyotes' stunning move from Arizona to Utah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After coming off of a 4-8 season and losing more than two dozen players to the transfer portal, Coach Prime remains more optimistic and blunt than ever, promising long-time fan Miss Peggy and the world that the Buffaloes will make a bowl game this year. Today our Andrea Adelson recaps the Buffaloes’ spring game that got more than 20,000 fans excited for what’s to come and previews players to look out for and the future of Dieon Sanders in the chilling mountain tops of Colorado. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Frank Sinatra, Derek Jeter, Christopher Walken, and The Notorious B.I.G. They have all been considered the King of New York at some point in time. And now it appears the time has come to place the crown atop the head of Jalen Brunson. But what kind of king would Brunson be? And where does this idea come from in the first place? There’s no king of Baltimore, or Tulsa, so why does this title exist for that city? Andscape’s Justin Tinsley has explored this concept in his book It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him. So today he explains it all, and tells us why Brunson is perfectly suited to rule the five boroughs right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phillies star Bryce Harper has always been about blue collar hard work – and the spotlight. From his Sports Illustrated cover story at 16 years old to being the number one pick in the MLB Draft to his record-setting contract, Harper’s headlines have followed him wherever he went. It’s that worth ethic and willingness to take everything notoriety brings with it that made his arrival in Philadelphia a match made in heaven. And in a town notorious for wearing their hearts – and hate – on their sleeve, Harper has become one with the City of Brotherly Love. Today, ahead of the Phillies’ Sunday Night Baseball matchup with the Giants, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers joins us to break down how this all happened and why the Harper Effect isn’t going anywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The world watched as Reggie Bush's Heisman Trophy was revoked in 2010 after an NCAA investigation that uncovered improper gifts to Bush. Now, 14 years later, we watched him finally get it back.  The Heisman Trust announced last week the formal reinstatement of Bush's trophy, citing "enormous changes in the college football landscape" as the reason. So today, ESPN's Ryan McGee is here to tell the story of where we once were and how the NCAA evolved to allow for Reggie Bush to get his trophy back, and what will come next as college athletes’ power continues to grow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

​​From the suburbs of Chicago to the University of Tennessee, and onto WNBA courts. At every stage of her career, Candace Parker has left an indelible mark on the hoops world. But her influence extends well beyond basketball. So today, in the wake of Parker’s retirement announcement, Shakeia Taylor of the Chicago Tribune joins us to assess a career crucial to the sport's dynamic evolution and explores a legacy poised to resonate for generations. Shakeia’s Tuesday column for the Chicago Tribune examined Candace Parker’s impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The life of a successful NBA executive requires you to fix everything, everywhere all at once. So when Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik found himself in a fight for his life, he was suddenly in the unfamiliar position of needing to be fixed himself. But this is nothing new to the resilient Zanick family who have been at the forefront of fighting diseases for their entire lives.  ESPN senior insider Adrian Wojnarowski spent time with the Zanicks and tells the story of this inspirational family and explains how they have been able to rally themselves, and others, to their cause. You can learn more about RUN - the Rare and Undiagnosed Network at https://rareundiagnosed.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve been waiting for Caleb Williams to be the number one overall pick in the NFL draft for what seems like years. And this past weekend, it finally happened. But with all of the hype around Williams the football player, and the focus on how his unique sense of style will fit into the NFL, there’s been little conversation about who this guy is in the locker room and off the field. So today, ESPN Chicago reporter and host Courtney Cronin tells us who Caleb Williams really is. By talking to the people who know him best: his friends, coaches, and teammates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft, Brock Purdy accepted the title of Mr. Irrelevant as he entered the league for the San Francisco 49ers. He’s already gone 17-4 as a starter, with 44 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He’s had a Pro Bowl appearance and of course, ended the season with an appearance in the Super Bowl. With the NFL draft continuing through the weekend, we will know who our next Mr. Irrelevant is on Saturday night. So today, ESPN writer Ryan Hockensmith joins us to explore Purdy’s relationship to the Mr. Irrelevant title and tells us the history of Paul Salata, the former NFL underdog who turned the final pick of the draft into an event in itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL Draft is one of the most anticipated events on the NFL calendar. Fans of losing franchises wait to see who will be their next savior, and fans of winning franchises look to see who will bolster their Super Bowl hopes. While first round picks get all the buzz, it's the later picks that make or break a teams’ fortunes.  So today ESPN’s resident football expert Mina Kimes joins the show to break down who will be drafted where, and which teams’ futures will be determined this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington is the definition of a baseball lifer. The 71 year old has been a scrappy utility player, a pennant winning manager, and a coach with a knack for unlocking his players full potential. But there have also been downs in Washington’s career: a failed drug test, an extramarital affair, and a decade of thinking he would never manage again. Through it all Washington has done what he’s best at. Teaching the game.  Today, senior ESPN journalist Howard Bryant, who has known and covered Washington for 30 years, tells us the story of his career. And explains why this current job could be his greatest achievement yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices