Category: Poll

NBA players poll: Who do they pick as basketball’s GOAT?

HoopsHype polled 100 NBA players to determine who is the greatest player ever. Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and others drew votes in the poll.

The Athletic recently released their GOAT poll among active NBA players, which caused much grief in HoopsHype’s headquarters since we had been working on a similar project during the season. Our voter size is similar, with 85 player interviews and another 15 players tallied with their picks via social media or a public interview on the record. However, the results are slightly different, with Michael Jordan getting a bigger gap over LeBron James compared to The Athletic’s poll.

Our GOAT poll also includes a twist. HoopsHype has compiled a detailed breakdown of the players who voted based on their nationality, age, position, salary, star status, whether they have been teammates of LeBron at any point, and the reasoning behind their votes.

The results of our HoopsHype GOAT poll show there’s no clear answer anymore to a debate Jordan would have won clearly a few years ago. Believe it or not, people change their minds. That was the case with Devonte Graham, for example.

“I played for the GOAT, Michael Jordan,” Spurs guard Devonte Graham told HoopsHype. “He paid me. When I played there, he was definitely the GOAT. Once I got traded, it became LeBron.”

Below are the results of the poll and a detailed breakdown of the voting.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report.

Poll: Which team will win Super Bowl LVIII?

Share your thoughts on which team will win Super Bowl LVIII.

We want to hear from you! Sound-off and tell us which team you think will hoist the Lombardi Trophy following Super Bowl LVIII.

And then there were two …

 

Media poll: Ranking NBA arenas from best to worst

HoopsHype polled media members to rank NBA arenas from best to worst.

What are the top NBA arenas to attend games across the league?

HoopsHype polled 35 media members who’ve traveled to arenas across the country to find out which are the best in the league. Their criteria ranged from the crowd’s atmosphere and energy to the quality of the arena, culinary offerings, and lighting.

Below are the results of the poll, including a fiercely contested three-way battle for the top spot between New York, Los Angeles, and Boston.

NBA execs poll: Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama battle for top player under 25 to build around

NBA executives share their top players to build around under 25 years old in a poll conducted by HoopsHype.

With the start of the 2023-24 season here, HoopsHype polled 20 NBA executives for their Top 5 players under 25 years old.

After dominating this executives poll category for the past three years, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic battled with San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama for the top spot in a tight race. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey were among the top risers in the poll, while LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson were among the players whose stock slipped. In addition, 11 players earned votes for the first time.

In our scoring system, the top player received 10 points, the second received seven points, the third received five points, the fourth received three points, and the fifth player received one point for each ballot.

The results of the poll are listed below.

NBA executives poll: Who are the top breakout candidates for the 2023-24 season?

NBA executives predict who will be the top breakout players of the 2023-24 season in a poll by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Which players will make the biggest leaps in their games across the league?

HoopsHype polled 25 NBA executives to determine who will be the top breakout candidates this season. Each executive was asked to list his top three players who will have a breakout campaign.

Some executives voted for a younger player who’ll thrive with an increased role. Others voted for players on the cusp of becoming potential All-Stars for the first time.

Recent poll winners included Tyrese Maxey last season and Darius Garland the year before when he became an All-Star for the first time.

After receiving the feedback from the executives, the voting results were tabulated, with the top player receiving five points, the second receiving three points, and the third receiving one point for each ballot.

POLL: Are Kansas City Chiefs RBs Jerick McKinnon, Isiah Pacheco underrated?

In our latest weekly poll, we ask fans if #Chiefs RBs Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco are underrated heading into the 2023 NFL season.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are known for their high-octane offense fueled by the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but is their running back room underappreciated heading into 2023?

In ESPN’s recent top-10 rankings, which polls NFL executives, coaches and players, Chiefs RBs Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco didn’t even receive a single vote. The cornerback position was similarly left out of ESPNs top-10 rankings, but they at least received a few votes. For the running back room, there were no honorable mentions for the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Pacheco finished the 2022 NFL season ranked 25th in rushing yards (830) despite starting only 11 regular season games. He had the second-most rushing scores among rookies behind only Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III. If you include Pacheco’s playoff yardage, he exceeded the 1,000-yard mark last season, all in addition to playing the starting kick returner role.

As for McKinnon, his role is equally nuanced. He played an outsized role in the pass protection schemes last season, often staying in the backfield to pass protect for Patrick Mahomes. He finished the season with over 800 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. His contributions in the passing game were unmatched at the running back position in 2022.

Our friends at KC Sports Network pointed out earlier this offseason, McKinnon had more receiving touchdowns than some of the league’s best wide receivers. That group includes Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and former Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill.

The running game will probably never be the focus for the Chiefs during the Patrick Mahomes era, but it sure feels like these two are worthy of more recognition heading into the new year. What do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Vote in the poll atop the page and let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

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POLL: How many sacks will Chiefs rookie DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah have in 2023?

Our latest poll asks #Chiefs fans to predict Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s sack total for his rookie campaign.

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For the second consecutive season, the Kansas City Chiefs added an edge rusher in the first round of the draft. This time around they selected Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who played high school football just 15 miles from Arrowhead Stadium.

The situation heading into the 2023 NFL season for Anudike-Uzomah is wholly different than for George Karlaftis a season ago. With Frank Clark’s departure and Carlos Dunlap remaining a free agent, the Chiefs are missing a considerable amount of their edge rush production from 2022. Nine sacks in total and nearly 80 pressures between the two.

What does this mean for Anudike-Uzomah’s opportunity and rookie season sack production? For starters, expectations could be higher for the K-State Wildcat, given that the team has quite a bit of production to replace.

Last season, Karlaftis posted six sacks in the regular season, with 5.5 of those sacks coming in the final seven weeks. He added another sack in the playoffs, but it clearly took him some time to adjust to the NFL game.

It’s entirely possible that Anudike-Uzomah could exceed Karlaftis’ rookie numbers. He’s coming off of an 8.5-sack season with K-State in 2022 after posting an 11-sack season the year prior. How it all translates to the NFL remains to be seen, but what exactly is his ceiling in terms of sack numbers as a rookie?

Anudike-Uzomah would need an 11-sack season in 2023 to set the Chiefs’ franchise record by a rookie. The record is currently held by franchise legend Derrick Thomas, who recorded 10 sacks as a rookie in the 1989 NFL season. Anudike-Uzomah would need 15 sacks as a rookie to set the NFL’s record, which was set by former Titans and Eagles edge Jevon Kearse (14.5) in 1999.

What do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? How many sacks with Anudike-Uzomah have as a rookie? Be sure to vote in our poll at the top of the page and let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

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POLL: Which Chiefs position group improved most in 2023 NFL offseason?

In our latest poll, we ask #ChiefsKingdom to vote on the #Chiefs’ most improved position group of the 2023 NFL offseason.

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In just a short amount of time following Super Bowl LVII, the Kansas City Chiefs roster has been transformed ahead of the 2023 NFL season.

This year’s free agency period saw several veteran contributors depart, ranging from a former trade acquisition like Orlando Brown Jr. to former draft picks in Mecole Hardman and Juan Thornhill. It also saw some exciting additions such as Jawaan Taylor, Charles Omenihu, Drue Tranquill, Richie James and Donovan Smith.

The team found several new pieces in the 2023 NFL draft, making key additions at positions of need throughout all seven rounds. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Rashee Rice and Wanya Morris are sure to have expectations attached to their draft status, but history has shown that you can’t count out the late-round picks with Brett Veach as general manager.

The team even seems to have found an undrafted free agent gem in Deneric Prince, who has taken an outsized helping of first-team repetitions during the offseason program.

Change doesn’t always mean improvement in the NFL, but the Chiefs are bound to have improved the overall quality and depth of talent of at least one position group during the 2023 NFL offseason. Which position group in Kansas City do you believe is the most improved?

In this writer’s humble opinion, the offensive and defensive trenches are the most obvious groups.

The offensive tackle position, for instance, feels like it has vastly improved with Andrew Wylie and Brown Jr. leading the NFL in pressures by an offensive tackle duo last season. Taylor, Smith and Morris all seem to fit the prototype that the Chiefs have been lacking since Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz retired — athletic pass protectors with plus movement skills.

As for the defensive line, K.C. scooped a chess piece for Steve Spagnuolo in Omenihu. They added the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in Anudike-Uzomah, plus some key role-players in B.J. Thompson and Keondre Coburn. At the very least, it’s an infusion of young talent not unlike what the team accomplished in the secondary a season ago.

So what do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Which Chiefs position group has improved the most this offseason? Vote in the poll atop the page and let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

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POLL: Will the Chiefs have a 1,000-yard rusher in 2023?

In our weekly poll, we ask #Chiefs fans whether they think Kansas City will have a 1,000-yard rusher in 2023:

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The Kansas City Chiefs have never had a 1,000-yard rusher during the Patrick Mahomes era. Could 2023 be the season where that changes?

The Chiefs’ franchise has a storied history of developing running backs, but in recent years it has been all about the passing game in Kansas City. The last time the Chiefs offense had a 1,000-yard rusher was Kareem Hunt’s rookie season in 2017, where he led all running backs with over 1,300 rushing yards that season.

Looking at the 90-man offseason roster in Kansas City, not a single running back on the roster has recorded over 1,000 rushing yards in a single season in the NFL career. Isiah Pacheco’s 830 rushing yards on 170 attempts last season are the closest, with Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 803 yards on 181 attempts in 2020 close behind. A few have produced a season with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, but none solely produced a 1,000-yard season on the ground.

Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon haven’t reached 1,000 rushing yards in a single season since their college days at LSU and Georgia Southern, respectively.

It’s tough to imagine a scenario in which the Chiefs’ offense produces a 1,000-yard rusher this season. With the team expecting Pacheco sidelined into training camp, it means they could be looking at a committee approach in the backfield to start the season. It’s possible that we see a four-man room that features each of Pacheco, McKinnon, Edwards-Helaire and rookie Deneric Prince at various junctures of the season.

So what do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Will there be a 1,000-yard rusher in Kansas City in 2023? Let us know your thoughts about who that could be on Facebook and Twitter.

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POLL: Which playoff loss is Chiefs’ biggest missed opportunity?

In our latest poll, we ask #Chiefs fans to reflect on the team’s biggest missed opportunity in the playoffs.

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Playoff success has become synonymous with Kansas City Chiefs football in recent years, but it certainly wasn’t always the case. This team has seen some crushing losses in the playoffs, from the earliest rounds to the games that could send them to the Super Bowl.

Our friend Mark Lane at Touchdown Wire, recently recapped some of the most exciting playoff runs that didn’t result in a Super Bowl win. The article got us thinking about the playoff opportunities the Chiefs have failed to take advantage of, especially those in the AFC Championship Game.

Lane coved the Chiefs’ 1993 playoffs run with Joe Montana, which ended at the AFC title game when Montana went down with a concussion and was replaced by Dave Krieg. The biggest problem was that the Kansas City defense was unable to stop Thurman Thomas, who recorded over 200 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in the victory.

Could that loss be considered the team’s biggest missed opportunity in the playoffs? There is certainly an argument to be made, but there are others in more recent memory that should also be in consideration.

Since taking over as the team’s starting quarterback in 2018, Patrick Mahomes has known nothing but AFC title game appearances. It certainly feels like the team let the stage get the best of them back in 2018. It was the team’s first AFC title game appearance since that 1993 game and while the offense performed admirably, the defense fell short in a crucial moment. Dee Ford’s offsides penalty led to the inevitable Tom Brady game-winning drive in overtime.

Even more recently, the Chiefs’ collapse to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 AFC Championship Game should be considered. K.C. had a commanding 11-point lead at halftime before the team’s offense disappeared in the second half and allowed the Bengals back into the game. Cincinnati would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI.

So what do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? Which AFC title game loss is the biggest missed opportunity in the playoffs for Kansas City? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

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