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Nike needs to finally give A’ja Wilson a signature shoe or let someone else do it instead

This needs to happen. Now.

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you.

Mind if I get a little deep in my sneaker bag this morning?

News of Caitlin Clark’s new signature shoe deal with Nike hit the streets late on Wednesday night. Clark reportedly signed a multi-year, ten-figure signature shoe deal with the Swoosh, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

That’s well deserved. Seeing a rookie get a signature shoe deal is extremely rare, but this was largely expected for Clark. Her popularity is obvious — her Indiana Fever jersey sold out within an hour after she was drafted. Nike is banking on that same fever (pun very much intended) carrying over into the sneaker world.

But, yo. I’m sorry. Where on Earth is A’ja Wilson’s signature shoe?

Look, I don’t mean to railroad this Caitlin Clark news. I’m genuinely happy for her and glad Nike is capitalizing on her popularity.

But A’ja Wilson has been in line for a sneaker for a long time now and it just hasn’t happened yet. It’s getting pretty ridiculous.

The Aces’ superstar has been in the WNBA since 2018. She’s become a two-time WNBA champion, a two-time MVP, a Defensive Player of the Year winner and a five-time All-Star.

Even before that, her stardom bubbled at South Carolina. She actually won a championship there, too. She was also named as a Naismith Award winner and the 2017-18 National Player of the Year.

Off the court, she’s popping. She’s one of the W’s brightest personalities and easily one of the most likable characters in the league. She just made TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list. She’s also now a New York Times best-selling author. She’s done every single GTA side mission at this point.

She’s even proven herself as one of Nike’s most valuable faces. Wilson was the headliner for the brand’s Cosmic Unity sneaker line and she got her own LeBron 21 Player Exclusive model that people reacted well to.

What else must this woman do to get a signature shoe on her feet? No one can say she isn’t marketable or good enough. So what’s the hold-up, then?

That’s what makes the announcement of a Clark signature shoe deal so frustrating. You see just how easily that deal reportedly got done before Clark even played a minute of WNBA basketball. What does it take to make this happen for A’ja?

We genuinely don’t know the answer to that question because Nike hasn’t said much about the situation. As of 9:00 a.m. E.T. this morning, I’ve contacted the brand for comment but have not gotten a response.

Instead of speculating, let’s focus on the facts. When you do that, this doesn’t look great for Nike.

Nike is expanding into women’s basketball again. That’s a good thing — especially as the brand searches for a new face with LeBron James’ retirement looming over everything. It could easily be a WNBA player who takes over that mantle — especially with how quickly the league is growing.

But here’s the problem: The most prominent female faces of Nike basketball are set to be two white women in a league that is 70 percent Black. There go those racial disparities in the WNBA again.

I’m not saying that Nike is doing this on purpose or that there’s some sort of malicious intent here. I’m just saying that Wilson needs a signature shoe, like, yesterday.

And, whatever it takes to make that happen? I hope it happens. Even if that means the shoe doesn’t come from Nike at all.

So long, Coyotes

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

This entire Arizona Coyotes saga has been so strange. A move for this team has always felt like it’s been in play, but never actually serious. Until now.

The team is reportedly moving to Salt Lake City and it just all feels so sudden. One day, the move was proposed. The next, the NHL’s Executive Committee approved the deal. Yesterday, the team played its final game in Mullett Arena.

This has all been so strange. Charles Curtis captured the most emotional moments from the game here:

“With the Arizona Coyotes franchise packing up and heading to Utah in Salt Lake City, the NHL team that’s had a long history of struggles in the area, there was one last game in Tempe on Wednesday night. The awesome part is the Coyotes won it, but it was a night filled with poignant moments for fans, players and staffers.”

My heart goes out to you, Coyotes fans. It’s never easy to see a team move. But to have it ripped away like this? That’s tough. Hopefully, hockey will return to Arizona someday soon.

The Jontay Porter fallout

Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Jontay Porter’s lifetime ban from the NBA is well-deserved. Not only did the dude bet on his own team, but he also influenced his prop bets in a way that violated the game and the intrinsic trust built between the league and its viewership.

That just can’t happen. He couldn’t be allowed to return after that. Our Prince Grimes has more on the situation here with five key takeaways from it all. Adam Silver is a man of his word:

“The first thing to understand here is Porter is done in the NBA. While the official release doesn’t put a time frame on the ban, it’s safe to assume it’s permanent. Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters last week Porter could face a lifetime ban if the accusations against him were confirmed. This is confirmation.”

It’s good the NBA caught this happening. At the very least, this proves its system is working. That’s the good part.

The bad part is that this happened in the first place and that it got as far as it did. Porter placed 13 NBA bets via someone else’s account before getting caught here. This went on for a while.

Hopefully, Porter is a good enough example for this to never happen again.

Quick hits: Speaking of Caitlin Clark jerseys … Another amazing Mike Breen call … and more

— Caitlin Clark’s jersey is going to be on hold for a while, man. Bryan Kalbrosky has more here.

— Mike Breen and free chicken are an amazing combination. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Meghan Hall has more on Tom Brady’s glowing A’ja Wilson tribute in Time Magazine.

— Zion Williamson’s latest injury is so heartbreaking. Prince has more here.

— Charles Barkley and Shaq roasting Kendrick Perkins is the best. Robert Zeglinksi has more.

— Here’s Meg with the eight best moments from Caitlin Clark’s introductory press conference.

Thanks so much for reading TMW today, folks! We appreciate you. Have a fantastic rest of your day. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Caitlin Clark and the 2024 WNBA draft class have arrived but the next part is the toughest

Making it in the WNBA is one of the hardest things in sports.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you taking the time.

Hopefully, you watched the WNBA draft last night! That felt like a real watershed moment for the league. I don’t know how the ratings will turn out, but everyone on my social feeds was tapped into it.

Caitlin Clark was the night’s big draw, but folks were also there to see where Kamilla Cardoso, Angel Reese, Rickea Jackson and more would go. The names we know all now have homes in the WNBA.

But I’ve got to be honest, folks. I know some of us are new to the league. And I’m so glad you’re still watching. But for some of those names? I wouldn’t get too attached.

There’s a solid chance some players you heard getting their names called on Monday night might not be on those same teams by the end of the season.

Making it in the WNBA is hard. Just look at the 2021 draft class — four of the top five picks from that class were cut by the teams that drafted them within two seasons. That’s how it goes.

It’s a numbers game. There are only 12 teams in the league and 12 available roster spots per team. That’s 144 players without a ton of churn. Making room for 36 more players yearly is a tough proposition — especially when there’s no developmental space like the G League to place them.

This is why expansion matters so much for this league. More teams mean more roster spots. More roster spots mean more space for talent. The W is working on it — Cathy Engelbert said she expects the league to have 16 teams by 2028.

In the meantime, though, rookies remain at a disadvantage. It’s not that they’re not good — they just don’t know the tricks of the trade like the W’s vets do. They’ve been there already. They’ve done the work. The rookies still have a lot of heavy lifting to do.

This is why folks like Diana Taurasi scoff at the idea of a rookie dominating the league. The truth is, if Indiana wanted to (and this will absolutely never happen), it could cut Caitlin Clark in a month with no repercussions.

Best of luck to every single one of those ladies who heard their names called last night. They’ll need every bit of it over these next few years.

A wild finish on the ice

Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

We’re just a few days away from the start of the NHL playoffs and almost everything is settled…except the Eastern Conference race for the wild card. The landscape has changed a bit from a week ago.

You’ve got two spots available for four teams: The Washington Capitals (89 points), Detroit Red Wings (89 points), Pittsburgh Penguins (88 points) and Philadelphia Flyers (87 points).

The Capitals are in a “win and you’re in” situation on Tuesday night with the Flyers on schedule for their season’s final game.
A Washington win would give the Caps 91 points on the year and the top wild-card spot in the East since the team owns the tiebreaker over the Red Wings.
A Flyers win would give the Flyers, Caps and Red Wings 89 points on the year with the Flyers in pole position through tiebreakers.
Pittsburgh would have to beat the Islanders on Wednesday to get 90 points and become the conference’s top wild-card team.

It’s chaotic. It’s a mess. It’s playoff hockey. You love to see it.

One way the NBA In-Season tournament worked

Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Debates on whether the NBA should’ve considered the NBA In-Season Tournament a success or failure raged on in the middle of December when we had nothing else to talk about.

It was the classic NBA ratings talk. Were people watching the games more because of the tournament? Sure. But was the impact large enough for the NBA to tout it as a huge win? Probably not.

However, the league did make some gains in another area because of the tournament: in-person attendance. The NBA released numbers on game attendance this year and set sellout records for the second consecutive year.

“The total attendance of 22,538,518 in the 2023-24 regular season surpasses the previous record of 22,234,502 set last season. The other records include 873 sellouts (up from the previous record 791 in 2022-23), 71% of games sold out (up from 63% in 2022-23) and an average attendance of 18,324 (up from 18,077 in 2022-23). Additionally, NBA arenas were filled to an all-time-high 98% capacity.”

It’s hard to get people to come to games between the improving at-home experience and expensive ticket prices. The NBA getting these numbers is impressive.

Does it mean the In-Season Tournament is a no-brainer win? No. But it is a good sign that shows people are still interested in NBA basketball.

Quick hits: Nikola GOAT-ic … The Knicks made The Sopranos wack … and more

— Robert Zeglinksi has Nikola Jokic at the top of his MVP ladder again. A third MVP would put him in some pretty rare air.

— The Knicks making The Sopranos uncool is such a Knicks thing. Here’s Christian D’Andrea with more.

— What a fun Caitlin Clark photobomb. Charles Curtis has more.

— Here’s Cory Woodroof on the 11-man roster of Team USA’s men’s hoops squad. We’ve got one roster spot left to give.

— Mitchell Northam has you covered on everything you need to know about the Indiana Fever.

— And here’s Tyler Netunno with the best outfits from the draft.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate it. Let’s do this again tomorrow! Until then. We out. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Rooting for Tiger Woods at The Masters is just simply hoping that he can still do this

Here’s to Tiger Woods just giving it his best shot.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for tapping in with us today. We appreciate you here.

It’s about that time, people. The tradition, unlike any other, has returned. The Masters is back and Tiger Woods is in it again. He’s been a fixture in this tournament for so much of our lives. For most of it, we’ve expected him to dominate.

Sure, he’s old. But he’s still Tiger Woods. And he told us, “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more.”

He’s earned having that mentality with his long history of dominance on this course. Of course, Woods believes that. Why shouldn’t he? This is the same guy who Augusta altered its course for back in 1997. I’m always going to give that guy the benefit of the doubt. Plus, we’ve seen what it looks like when everything comes together for him. Just go back and watch clips from his incredible 2019 run at The Masters that still feels so improbable today.

But we’ve got to be realistic. As much as we want to believe in this guy, rooting for Tiger Woods at The Masters in 2024 is simply hoping he can complete the course these days.

While that 2019 Masters run does exist, it feels like centuries ago. When you look at Woods’ recent history, things aren’t so rosy.

He withdrew from the Genisis Invitational earlier this year because of an illness. Last year, he withdrew from The Masters after making the cut for a record-tying 22nd time because of plantar fasciitis. After all his body has been through over the years, it isn’t cooperating anymore. It can’t operate like this for long stretches.

That’s why Woods simply making the cut would be an accomplishment. A good 36 holes from Tiger would be great. If he can finish the tournament? Whew, boy. We’re cooking with gas there.

The reality is that this Tiger isn’t that superhuman Tiger we’re all used to—he’s a bit closer to you and me these days. That’s OK. That’s life. That’s what makes him even going for it here so special.

Let’s hope he can give us a few special moments here to cheer for. We don’t know when it’ll be the last one.

Shohei Ohtani is in the clear

Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Shohei Ohtani translator scandal seems to be over, I guess? We all still had questions about Ohtani’s involvement with Ippei Mizuhara’s gambling problems and how his former translator could steal money from right under his nose.

It seems that those questions have been answered. Well, at least they were for federal investigators, anyway.

Mizuhara is reportedly in negotiations with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to theft, according to the New York Times. Ohtani has been cooperating with the federal investigation into the theft and an MLB investigation that seemingly puts him in the clear.

Things are still confusing, though. We don’t have any answers to how on Earth Mizuhara managed to move such massive amounts of money from Ohtani’s accounts without being caught.

Once details of this investigation are revealed, we may get the answers we’re looking for. Until then, we’ll just be confused.

SO. MUCH. CAITLIN. CLARK.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Caitlin Clark hasn’t even been drafted yet and she’s already a huge part of the WNBA’s plans for this season. We’ll see a lot of her on TV this year — more than we’ll see the defending WNBA champs, the Las Vegas Aces.

Meg Hall has more here:

“On Wednesday, they released their television broadcast schedule for the upcoming season, which will have several games shown on networks like ESPN, ABC and CBS but will also spotlight the Indiana Fever with 36 nationally televised games. That’s more than the defending champion Las Vegas Aces (35 games) and the runner-up New York Liberty (31 games). That’s also a 35 percent increase from the 2023 season when the Fever had 22 games on national television.”

I’ve got to be honest, folks. This is ridiculous. To be fair, all of them aren’t on ESPN. Some games will appear on Ion and NBA TV. You can argue that those games might not count. But still, man. This is a lot of Caitlin Clark. It’s easy to see why players like Diana Taurasi will go so hard at her. The league is doing all this for Clark and she hasn’t done anything yet.

Good luck, Caitlin. You’re going to need it this year.

Quick hits: Coyotes on the move? … New Masters tee times … and more

— Here’s Mary Clarke with more on a potential move for the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City.

— Charles Curtis has you updated here on the new tee times for The Masters after a rain delay.

— This morbid joke from Tara Van Derveer on her retirement is so on-brand. Meg Hall has more.

— Prince Grimes has five picks to finish in the top 10 at The Masters here.

— Here’s a hole-by-hole look at the course at Augusta National. This is so beautiful, man. Charles Curtis has the details.

— John Calipari’s blunt assessment of his roster at Arkansas is hilarious. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

Thanks so much for reading today, folks! Hope you enjoyed the newsletter. Let’s do it again tomorrow. Until then! Peace. We out.

-Sykes ✌️

NBA officiating has reached its all-time weirdest point with the Bucks-Celtics matchup

The NBA’s officiating just keeps getting weirder and weirder this season

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thank you for rocking with us this morning. Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is going well.

Watching the Celtics and Bucks play last night was…such a weird experience.

Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s calf injury threw everything off. Anytime you see a non-contact injury to anyone, your heart sinks into your stomach. There were fears that he’d torn his Achilles during the game, which Milwaukee apparently avoided here. Antetokounpo just has a strained calf, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. What a relief.

But that injury wasn’t what made yesterday’s game so weird. It was the free throws — or a lack thereof.

The two best teams in the Eastern Conference combined for two (!!!) free throws in Tuesday’s game. Boston became the first time in league history to not shoot a free throw during a game, according to Yahoo! Sports’ NBA analyst Tom Haberstroh. Milwaukee only shot two and they came from Antetokounmpo.

The combined total of two free throws in this game is the fewest for two teams since 1983. The previous record for the fewest free throws in a game was 11, set back in 2019 during a Pacers-Magic game, per the Associated Press.

You can explain this away a bit if you try hard enough. Boston is mostly a jump-shooting team — they don’t shoot many free throws per game as is. Milwaukee lost Antetokounmpo, who tends to draw most of the team’s fouls.

One of the major stories in the league has been how officials have essentially swallowed their whistles during the second half of the season. The NBA had a mid-season crackdown on foul hunting in silence, and these are the results.

The result is a scoring crash around the league with shooting foul rates dipping across the NBA. This game seems to be the most extreme example of that.

But there’s something about this that I can’t shake. It’s strange to see two of the league’s premiere teams officiated this way with all the star power on both rosters.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is an interesting question. Of course, the games are quicker and fewer questionable fouls are called. The added physicality gives defenders some much-needed support. We can’t complain about that.

But this shadow protocol to officiate shooting fouls out of the game feels strange. There was no notice and teams had no adjustment period. That’s how we get games like this one where things are a little too unbelievable.

We’ll see how this works in the playoffs. That’s all that matters. Hopefully, it will make for better basketball in the end.

Happy Trails, Tara VanDerveer

One of the most fascinating things to come across my timeline today is this incredible quote from Tara VanDerveer when she left Ohio State for Stanford in 1985 after winning four consecutive Big Ten titles.

She was looking for a challenge.

“It’s probably hard for some people to understand when we’re doing so well, but it was a decision I had to make,” VanDerveer said at the time. “I felt I was becoming very one-dimensional. I feel very comfortable that I will be rewarded both personally and professionally. Stanford doesn’t have near the talent Ohio State has and the competition is not there yet, but I consider this to be the ultimate challenge.”

Ultimate challenge accepted. Ultimate challenge crushed.

After 38 seasons, three championships, 14 Final Four appearances and 15 Pac-12 championships, VanDerveer is finally calling it a career. And what a glorious one it’s been. Her 1,216 wins are the most ever in NCAA basketball history. If there was ever a time to walk away, it’s now.

Congratulations on an incredible career, Tara. Happy trials.

Tiger Woods still believes

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Network

Tiger Woods hasn’t won a major tournament since the 2019 Masters.

Doesn’t matter. If you put him on that green, we’ll all believe he can make something special happen even if we haven’t seen it in a while. It doesn’t matter how old he is. That’s still Tiger freakin’ Woods.

It’s good to know Tiger feels the same way. Charles Curtis has more on that.

Tiger Woods has been through so many struggles at Augusta and beyond in the last year with his health.

But once again, he believes in himself, which makes sense. He’s Tiger Woods. That competitive streak is always going to be there.

The thing is: he’s being honest about his chances given all those injuries and aches. When asked if he could win on Tuesday while meeting with reporters, he had this to say: “If everything comes together, I think I can get one more.”

Would a lot have to go right? Absolutely. But it’s Tiger. I won’t stop believing until it’s time to stop believing. He won’t, either. I suggest you do the same.

Quick hits: Diana Taurasi’s beef with Caitlin Clark … The best 30-and-over players in the NFL … and more

— We’ve got an explainer cooked up on the beef Diana Taurasi has with Caitlin Clark. This is an interesting one.

— Christian D’Andrea and Robert Zeglinski cooked up a list of the best 30-and-over players in the NFL at each position. Yes, Dak Prescott is included.

— Here are five sleeper picks from our Prince Grimes to win The Masters this year.

— Haven’t seen the latest Mel Kiper mock draft at ESPN? No worries. Charles Curtis has you covered here.

— Blake Schuster has five good bets to miss the cut at The Masters.

— Victor Wembanyama just continues to be a walking video game. Cory Woodroof has more.

Thanks so much for reading, folks. Appreciate you taking the time. We’ll be right back at it again tomorrow. Talk soon. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

The Chiefs and Royals need to do the right thing and stay in Kansas City

Kansas City deserves these teams.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with this today. We appreciate your time.

The reigning back-to-back NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs might not actually be in Kansas City for much longer. Or, at least not the Missouri one, anyway. The same goes for the Royals, too.

On Tuesday, Jackson County citizens voted in the Missouri general municipal election. A stadium sales tax was one of the big-ticket items on the ballot.

If Jackson County citizens voted “yes” to Question 1, the county would’ve enacted a 3/8th cent sales tax for the Royals to fund a new $2 billion downtown ballpark and for the Chiefs to renovate Arrowhead Stadium completely for $800 million, according to ESPN.

The best-laid plans often go awry, however. A whopping 58 percent of voters voted no on the measure, completely killing it.

It’s time to start from ground zero. The Chiefs and Royals very clearly need to rebuild their proposal into something more amenable for Kansas City’s citizens. The Royals need to pick a better location for their downtown build. The Chiefs may need to throw in more private funding for an Arrowhead renovation. The process needs to be more thorough in its planning and more transparent. That’s what the citizens have been asking for. That’s all that’s needed.

What we don’t need are veiled threats, like the ones Team President Mark Donovan is sending right now.

Team president Mark Donovan said the Chiefs would do “what is in the best interest of our fans and our organization” as we move forward. Let me translate that for you: the Chiefs will move the team if the organization feels like there’s a better deal elsewhere.

Team owner Clark Hunt has made it clear that the team is not interested in renewing its lease for another 25 years in Kansas City without a major renovation. But the lease expires in 2031 — there’s still plenty of time to make this work. There’s really no need to allude to moving at this point. Instead, the Chiefs should be steadfastly committed to staying in Kansas City.

In the end, the organization owes that to those fans. The same goes for the Royals. They rooted for those teams through both the highs and the lows. Chiefs fans filled the stands when championships didn’t even seem possible. Royals fans waited decades for another World Series in 2015.

Both franchises have seen success more recently — especially the Chiefs after winning three titles in four years. And now you’re telling people it’s possible that you just pick up and leave? That’s gross, man. That’s not what this thing is supposed to be about.

I get that this is a business. Bottom lines are at the center of everything for these teams. Whatever it takes to improve that, these teams will do.

But come on, man. Let’s be real. Neither of these teams have a backup plan. This was just a poor effort to get something done. Let’s just set profit maximization aside for a second and do what makes sense.

Go back to the people of Kansas City and figure this thing out.

All eyes on Iowa and LSU

We knew that the Iowa and LSU rematch would get plenty of attention from sports fans everywhere, but y’all. The viewership numbers on this one are kind of insane.

Iowa vs. LSU clocked in 12.3 million viewers, according to ESPN. That number is pretty insane on its own. Here’s our Andrew Joseph with a little more perspective on that number.

“To put that figure into perspective, the NBA Finals — which aired on the more accessible ABC — averaged 11.64 million viewers. The 2023 World Series averaged 9.08 million viewers on Fox and didn’t have a single game average more than 12 million viewers. So, yeah, this was an incredible number for ESPN.”

It’s incredible how far women’s college basketball has come. The best part is it’ll only continue to grow with names like Juju Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo and more leading the way.

The future is bright, folks.

The sad state of the A’s

Nobody knows what’s going on with the Oakland Athletics anymore.

We thought they were moving to Las Vegas but there’s not even a stadium built there yet. So now the team is trying to stay in Oakland for a few more seasons through 2027 until it can officially move to Vegas, but that might not work either. So the A’s are in talks with … Sacramento for a potential temporary relocation now?

It’s a lot. It’s confusing. And it’s clear fans are fed up with it. How do we know? Because these empty stadium photos pulled by our Charles Curtis make it clear that no one cares anymore.

Just look, man.

Tragic, man. Just tragic.

Quick hits: Bronny’s future … DJ Burns on the NFL … and more

— Rumors about Bronny James entering the transfer portal came and went on Tuesday. We don’t know what’s next for him, but his dad is fully behind him. Cory Woodroof has more here.

— DJ Burns didn’t say yes to potentially playing in the NFL someday…but he didn’t say no either. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.

— Charles Curtis has details on this latest NBA mock draft with Zach Edey heading to the Milwaukee Bucks. That’s a nice fit.

—Here’s Prince Grimes with odds and picks for the women’s Final Four. This is going to be fun.

— Aaron Rodgers’ hilariously low performance bonus from the NFL is the best.

— Geno Auriemma is trying to butter up Caitlin Clark. Probably not going to work. Robert Zeglinski has more.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading today. We appreciate you taking the time! Y’all are the best.

P.S. … I got my days mixed up yesterday! I’ll be out for tomorrow’s newsletter, not today. You’ll be in good hands tomorrow, though. Don’t worry! Talk soon.

-Sykes ✌️

Angel Reese’s humanity is exactly why she’s one of the best players college basketball has ever seen

Thank you for everything, Angel Reese

Goooood morning, folks! Welcome back to the Morning Win! Thank you so much for being here with us this morning. We appreciate you taking the time.

Last night’s instant classic between Iowa and LSU might’ve been the last time we see Angel Reese suit up for the Tigers. She has a big decision to make — is she returning for another season at LSU or is her future with the WNBA?

She’ll figure that out in due time. When she does, we’ll know it. But for right now, I want to give her so many flowers for how incredible she’s been through it all.

So many incredible hoopers and their stories were but on the backburner in the year of Caitlin Clark. Reese might be chief among them. She’s been an amazing ambassador for women’s basketball through it all. Not perfect, of course. But always visible. And always being herself, authentically, through both the good and bad.

It hasn’t been the most fun ride. Let her tell it: The year she’s had since winning a national championship in 2023 has been awful. Follow the news stories, and you can see why.

At the start of the season, LSU loses to Colorado and the vultures begin circling. Then you’ve got Reese’s mysterious suspension that we still don’t know much about. That didn’t stop people from speculating — we heard rumors about everything from something as minuscule as a low GPA to something more soap opera-y like beef with teammates and their parents.

That time was awful. It felt so gross. And it wore on her. Her words from her press conference after the Iowa loss paint that picture for us. She felt the need to remind us of her humanity. Think about how that feels at 21 years old. She spilled her heart out in that presser:

“I’ve been through so much; I’ve seen so much. I’ve been attacked so many times. Death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened. I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time, and I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and, like, not be there for them. So, I just want them to always just now, like, I’m still a human.”

That’s a lot. But you can understand why she feels that way with all that she’s been through.

But that’s the thing, man. That’s why, to me, Reese is so admirable. Through it all, she’s never backed down. She’s never stopped talking. She’s never stopped playing. She never quit. She’s always been the same Angel Reese we’ve come to know, respect and love. That’s the best part about her.

No matter what happens next for Reese, she’ll always be one of the best ambassadors college basketball has ever seen. And I’m so thankful we get to watch her.

Up next: Caitlin vs. Paige

Folks, the moment has arrived. Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and part two. I cannot wait. They haven’t played against each other since 2021, when they met in the Sweet 16.

Honestly, it’s looking back on that moment is funny. Bueckers’ and Clark’s dispositions have flipped since then.

Clark was an incredible talent back then, too. But Bueckers was regarded as the best player in college basketball as a freshman. Watching that game, you can see why. She didn’t even give her best but still nearly came away with a triple-double on a stacked UConn team.

Today? Clark is a living legend. She’s the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer and a player who some think is the best player they’ve ever seen. Because of injuries, Bueckers has moved to the back burner. It’s been an out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing. She went 720 days between playing in tournament games.

Don’t let that fool you, though. Paige is still nice. Dawn Staley thinks she’s the most elite talent in the game today. I can’t disagree with her.

Friday can’t come soon enough.

Tiger? Is that you?

There’s a chance that Tiger Woods just might be playing in the Masters this year, folks. At least, according to the internet sleuths out there, anyway.

Here’s our Charles Curtis with more:

“Here’s what we do know: Per those who track his private jets, Woods took a plane to Augusta earlier this week, presumably to start ramping up his practice for the tournament next week, which is the first major of the PGA Tour season.

Which means that until you see absolutely official word from the actual PGA Tour or Tiger himself, assume that he’ll be teeing it up next week.”

Please, Golf Overlords. Let this happen.

Quick hits: RIP Vontae Davis … The reverse Jordan shrug … and more

— Rest in Peace Vontae Davis. Here’s more on the former NFL corner’s tragic death from Robert Zeglinski.

— You know how Michael Jordan once shrugged after hitting a bunch of 3s? Caitlin Clark was so good she made her opponents shrug for her. Here’s Cory with more.

— Tyrese Haliburton calling Buddy Hield to brag about a dunk during his press conference is the best. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.

— Robert Zeglinski has two best friends at the top of his NBA MVP ladder this week.

— Paige Bueckers classily consoling Juju Watkins after UConn beat USC is what the tourney is all about. Here’s Charles Curtis with more.

— Christian D’Andrea ranked all 43 Wrestlemania events from worst to best here.

That’s a wrap for today, folks! I’ll be out tomorrow, so I’ll chat with you again on Thursday. Until then! Peace. Thank you so much for reading TMW.

-Sykes ✌️

The NCAA still doesn’t care about women’s sports and the Texas-NC State 3-point line debacle proves it

We’re so tired of waiting on the NCAA to be better.

Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate you spending a bit of time here with us today. Hope you had a fantastic weekend.

The NCAA had an opportunity to really put women’s sports on a pedestal it’d never been on before this season with the women’s NCAA Tournament.

Unfortunately, it’s failing. Badly.

Don’t get me wrong. The basketball so far has been excellent. These ladies know how to put on a show. The Elite 8 is going to be absolute must-watch television. LSU and Iowa’s rematch will be one of the most-watched college basketball games ever.

The players are holding up their end of the bargain. The NCAA is not. That’s the only explanation for what happened in Portland this weekend.

NC State and Texas played an Elite 8 game where the 3-point lines on the court were different distances. That’s unfathomable to me. Could you imagine a Duke-UNC game on the men’s side like that? The answer is no. Because it’d simply never happen.

It was discovered only because NC State and Texas pointed it out just before their Elite 8 matchup. But, by then, it was too late. The teams had already warmed up and players were prepared to play ball, so they just continued as if it was business as usual. It essentially was because, well, that’s how the NCAA has always treated women’s sports.

No, those things aren’t quite the same as skimping on weight rooms or canceling entire golf tournaments, but let’s be honest. How far is that stuff from sending Utah off to Idaho Coeur d’Alene or making Hannah Hidalgo remove her nose ring in the middle of a game because of an obscure rule? Or painting 3-point lines wrong, for that matter? It’s all in the same bucket.

The women’s basketball tournament is still looked at as secondary despite all the inroads women’s basketball has made. You’ve got stars galore in the game. College basketball’s most popular players play on the women’s side these days. Their NIL deals are crazy. One would think that, with that being the case, the NCAA would make sure these ladies get the best and only the best.

But no amount of NIL deals or Instagram followers matters here. Women’s basketball — and women’s sports overall — just don’t seem to be a priority at this point. And that’s so unfortunate because the game is so good. The stars are so bright and fun. They all deserve so much better. We’re all just waiting for the NCAA to give it to them finally.

Maybe they will someday. It’s just unfortunate that today does not seem to be that day.

Thank you so much, UVA, for giving us NC State in the Final Four

Man. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone’s downfall so ironically bring so many people joy in this way. But if not for this missed free throw from UVA in the ACC tournament, do we even know who DJ Burns is?

NC State misses the tournament if not for this shot. Now they are headed to the Final Four 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ccJl2z4kzK

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) March 31, 2024

The answer is probably not. But here we are. UVA missed. NC State won. And, now, Gen-Z Bo is America’s favorite player. It’s incredible how things work out sometimes.

Things only get tougher from here. NC State is playing Purdue in the Final Four, and Burns will face Zach Edey, who’s been quite the problem himself. It’ll be a tough one.

No matter how things end, though, we’ll always be pulling for you and your thicc boi buckets, Big Burns.

The MVBiid is back

Joel Embiid is nearing his return with the Philadelphia 76ers after tearing his meniscus, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.

ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is nearing a return and expected to play this week. The reigning MVP has been out since January 30 with a left meniscus injury. His status for Tuesday vs. OKC is expected later today. pic.twitter.com/Rn4mb6Qizv

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 1, 2024

He’s been out since January 30 but could play later on Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This is huge news. The 76ers are currently the 8th seed in the East and need every win they can get to get out of the play-in tournament. Embiid’s return should help with that.

Quick hits: More on those awful MLB jerseys … DJ Burns in the NFL? … and more

— MLB players aren’t wearing the see-through Fanatics pants to start the season. I can’t blame them. Andrew Joseph has more.

— Could DJ Burns be playing left tackle for somebody in the NFL next season? Here’s Charles Curtis with more.

— ESPN is out here accidentally tipping pitches. This is wild. Mary Clarke has more.

— I don’t know what kind of magic The Simpsons have, but I do know I need it. Here’s Prince Grimes with more.

— Here’s Angel Reese explaining her relationship with Caitlin Clark. They don’t hate each other. Here’s Andrew again with more.

— Here’s Dan Hurley with a perfect explanation on why so many people hate UConn. Charles has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Tap back in tomorrow for more. Thanks so much for reading today. We out. Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Nate Oats has Alabama looking more like a legit basketball school instead of a football powerhouse

The Crimson Tide look legit.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win! Happy Friday! We’ve made it through the week, folks. Happy Easter if you’re celebrating this weekend.

Alabama-UNC was everything that we love about March Madness. It had a David vs. Goliath vibe to it, you know?

On one side, you had a college basketball blue blood in UNC. On the other hand, you had Alabama, who was considered the underdog coming into this game. That was the weird part about this thing. I’m not quite sure that Bama should’ve been the underdog that it was.

Most people expected UNC to pull this one out, which is reasonable considering how good that team has been all season long. But Alabama doing this shouldn’t be shocking. This program has been pretty good under Nate Oats.

In the last five years, Bama has:

— Made it to the Elite 8 for the first time in 20 years.

— Made it to the Sweet 16 three times (2021, 2023, 2024).

— Been named a No. 1 seed (2023) and a No. 2 seed (2021) in the tournament.

That all seems basketball-school-ish to me.

But that’s the thing, right? This is the wrong sport. When we talk about this school, it’s usually because of something Nick Saban has done. That’s why Charles Barkley called the team frail (and why Nate Oats can have his snappy comeback now). We’re not used to seeing Alabama basketball do this.

But we’d better get used to it — at least as long as Oats is there. I don’t know if he’ll be poached by one of college basketball’s more traditional schools. I don’t even know if Alabama allowed that to happen.

But, until that day comes, put some respect on Alabama Basketball’s name.

Leaving it on the floor

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes, winning looks ugly. It did for Dejounte Murray and the Hawks on Thursday when they beat the Celtics.

Murray dragged the Hawks to a win. He took 44 shots (!!!!!) to score 44 points, which sounds awful. But, man. Honestly? The Hawks needed every single shot to win that game.

The last one was the most crucial — Murray hit a game-winner over Jrue Holiday for the win.

DEJOUNTE MURRAY IS HIM AGAIN pic.twitter.com/Ghq5ar4kHO

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 29, 2024

This was one for the history books, folks. Murray is the third player in the last 20 years to take at least 44 shots in a game. per Stat Muse. You can probably guess the other two: Russell Westbrook and Kobe Bryant.

“I don’t want to take that many shots. But I know Kobe would be proud of me,” Murray said after the game. Yeah, I agree.

A dazzling start

The Juan Soto era is off to an amazing start in New York. He saved opening day for the Yankees with an incredible throw home from the outfield.

Here’s Blake Schuster with more.

“The latest superstar to wear the pinstripes got to play hero on Opening Day, helping the Yankees come back from a 4-0 deficit after the second inning by going 1-for-3 at the plate with two walks and an RBI. But it was what he did at the end of the game that made his debut really stand out.

As the Yankees clung to a 5-4 lead with runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth inning, Soto gathered a Kyle Tucker hopper to right field and fired a dart back to home to nail Maurico Dubón before he could score the tying run.”

This throw was unfair, man. Soto is unreal.

Juan Soto unleashes the cannon to cut down the tying run! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/HejWK7I7IS

— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2024

Must be nice being a Yankees fan.

Photo Friday: A’s fans have had enough

A’s fans showed up to the game…but didn’t go into Oakland Coliseum to watch their favorite team. Instead, they partied and protested outside to voice their displeasure with team ownership.

Quick hits: The best bets on the Sweet 16 … The latest NBA mock draft … and more

— Prince Grimes has you covered again on Sweet 16 bets — this time on the women’s side. I told you he was cookin’.

— Here’s Bryan Kalbrosky with his latest NBA mock draft and the rise of Donovan Clingan.

— 14 women are fighting for roster spots on Team USA’s basketball roster this summer. This camp is STACKED. Meg Hall has more.

— Charles Curtis has the 10 best songs from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album.

— Speaking of Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé put a twist on Dolly Parton’s hit record “Jolene.” This is pretty cool. Caroline Darney has more.

— Dan Hurley is funky. Blake Schuster explains.

That’s all, folks! Thanks so much for reading! Enjoy the weekend. We’ll talk again next week. Until then! Peace.

-Sykes ✌️

Draymond Green can’t keep writing checks that Steph Curry has to cash

The Warriors are probably regretting that contract extension right about now.

Goooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

Many of you probably didn’t watch the entire Warriors game on Wednesday, but I’m certain you’ve seen clips of Draymond Green getting himself ejected just four (!!!!!) minutes into Golden State’s game against the Magic.

It was so silly, man. Officials called an obvious foul on Andrew Wiggins, who was guarding Paolo Banchero. Green went over to complain about the foul. OK. Fine. Players do that all the time.

But he just never stopped. And then he appeared to call the official a name that I’m not going to repeat here and started walking toward the locker room because he knew his night was over.

The entire sequence is ridiculous:

Full sequence of Draymond Green ejection pic.twitter.com/V724fbCMSk

— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) March 27, 2024

This is just four minutes into the game, man. If Green wanted a night off, he probably could’ve just asked the Warriors for one. I’m sure they would’ve been willing to give it to him instead of watching him throw a tantrum on the court.

Steph Curry was visibly exasperated, and rightfully so. All the talk about the Warriors over the last week or so has been about finding Steph Curry some help. He’s been carrying too much of a load with this team, and here Green is dropping even more weight onto it.

Luckily, in the end, Curry was able to save the Warriors here like he usually does. He hit a game-clinching 3-pointer and let all his anger out on a chair.

It’s hard to blame him. This is how it goes with Draymond, man. He does something ridiculous, gets ejected or worse, apologizes to the team and then acts like nothing happened. It’s tiresome for us as viewers. It’s visibly wearing on Curry.

This has become way too common. Green is still an excellent defensive player and a key contributor to the Warriors’ offensive flow. But, man. The bad is beginning to catch up to the good. He’s just not dependable anymore. Maybe he never was — he couldn’t even hold himself together in the NBA Finals.

But the Warriors need him. Steph Curry said as much after Wednesday’s game.

“All I’ll say is we need him. He knows that. We all know that,” Curry said to reporters after the game. “So whatever it takes for him to be on the floor and available, that’s what’s got to happen.”

It sounds like the Warriors might need to Draymond-proof their roster for next season. That might mean not having him there at all anymore. We’ll see.

Baseball is BACK, folks

There’s actual baseball to talk about now! Or, at least, there will be after tonight.

Major League Baseball’s opening day is finally here with a full slate. Two games have been postponed (MIL @ NYM, ATL @ PHI), and somehow, we still have a 13-game slate to watch.

What I’m watching this year:

— Juan Soto’s forever home? Juan Soto will make his debut with the Yankees today. New York will be his third team since 2022. Will this be the one that keeps him for the long haul or will he take that Soto shuffle elsewhere? We’ll see.

— Did the Orioles do enough? The Orioles were the best team in the American League last season and should still be elite if healthy this year. Pitching was their biggest pitfall last year and it doomed them. Baltimore spent the offseason bolstering its rotation — particularly with the Corbin Burnes trade. This could be Baltimore’s year.

— Is the spending worth it in LA? This is the thing it feels like everyone wants to see. The Dodgers spent over $1 billion on roster moves this season between Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s signings alone. That’s before you get to massive extensions for Will Smith and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers are all in. This better work.

There’s going to be a ton to watch this season. Exciting stuff, man. Welcome back, MLB.

Don’t believe the hype

You probably saw Ice Cube’s reported $5 million Big 3 offer to Caitlin Clark on Wednesday.

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer to take that money. But Meghan Hall has more on why this isn’t something we should be taking seriously:

“There’s just one problem: The Big3’s season — which starts in June — runs smack dab in the middle of the WNBA’s season. That means while the offer is substantial, but it’s likely more a gesture to show that the league understands Clark’s value.

Also, the current WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prioritization clause, which requires players to prioritize the WNBA over other leagues, would complicate Clark’s involvement. This is part of the reason why several players go overseas or play in other leagues during the offseason.

Pair the schedule and CBA restrictions with the major injury risk Caitlin Clark would assume by getting involved with the BIG3, and it’s very easy to see why this is not entirely feasible right now.”

That’s an extremely well-put breakdown from Meghan there. This just isn’t going to happen. It shouldn’t, either.

Ice Cube is painting this as a good for women’s hoops. But if he truly cared and wanted to bring women into the Big 3, he would’ve offered this to other college and WNBA players before Clark.

This is just him attaching his league to the hype train. Nothing more.

Quick hits: MLB predictions … Jayden Daniels’ weird elbow … and more

— Prince Grimes has you covered with MLB awards predictions and picks for division winners. That boy is cookin’

— Have you seen Jayden Daniels’ elbow? You should look at Jayden Daniels’ elbow. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— Dan Hurley made the weirdest comparison for the NCAA’s transfer portal. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Blake Schuster has you covered with MLB over/unders this season. Go win some money.

— The Rhode Island Scumbag has your betting guide to the men’s Sweet 16 as it starts today.

— Here’s a list of guest stars for Beyoncé’s new Cowboy Carter album. Fun! Caroline Darney has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for locking in with us today. We appreciate your time! Let’s do it again tomorrow. Talk soon. Peace! We out.

-Sykes ✌️

Draymond Green can’t keep writing checks that Steph Curry has to cash

The Warriors are probably regretting that contract extension right about now.

Goooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

It was so silly, man. Officials called an obvious foul on Andrew Wiggins, who was guarding Paolo Banchero. Green went over to complain about the foul. OK. Fine. Players do that all the time.

But he just never stopped. And then he appeared to call the official a name that I’m not going to repeat here and started walking toward the locker room because he knew his night was over.

The entire sequence is ridiculous:

Full sequence of Draymond Green ejection pic.twitter.com/V724fbCMSk

— Alex 👋 (@Dubs408) March 27, 2024

Luckily, in the end, Curry was able to save the Warriors here like he usually does. He hit a game-clinching 3-pointer and let all his anger out on a chair.

But the Warriors need him. Steph Curry said as much after Wednesday’s game.

It sounds like the Warriors might need to Draymond-proof their roster for next season. That might mean not having him there at all anymore. We’ll see.

Baseball is BACK, folks

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

There’s actual baseball to talk about now! Or, at least, there will be after tonight.

Major League Baseball’s opening day is finally here with a full slate. Two games have been postponed (MIL @ NYM, ATL @ PHI), and somehow, we still have a 13-game slate to watch.

What I’m watching this year:

There’s going to be a ton to watch this season. Exciting stuff, man. Welcome back, MLB.

Don’t believe the hype

You probably saw Ice Cube’s reported $5 million Big 3 offer to Caitlin Clark on Wednesday.

On the surface, it seems like a no-brainer to take that money. But Meghan Hall has more on why this isn’t something we should be taking seriously:

“There’s just one problem: The Big3’s season — which starts in June — runs smack dab in the middle of the WNBA’s season. That means while the offer is substantial, but it’s likely more a gesture to show that the league understands Clark’s value.

Also, the current WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prioritization clause, which requires players to prioritize the WNBA over other leagues, would complicate Clark’s involvement. This is part of the reason why several players go overseas or play in other leagues during the offseason.

Pair the schedule and CBA restrictions with the major injury risk Caitlin Clark would assume by getting involved with the BIG3, and it’s very easy to see why this is not entirely feasible right now.”

That’s an extremely well-put breakdown from Meghan there. This just isn’t going to happen. It shouldn’t, either.

Ice Cube is painting this as a good for women’s hoops. But if he truly cared and wanted to bring women into the Big 3, he would’ve offered this to other college and WNBA players before Clark.

This is just him attaching his league to the hype train. Nothing more.

Quick hits: MLB predictions … Jayden Daniels’ weird elbow … and more

— Prince Grimes has you covered with MLB awards predictions and picks for division winners. That boy is cookin’

— Have you seen Jayden Daniels’ elbow? You should look at Jayden Daniels’ elbow. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— Dan Hurley made the weirdest comparison for the NCAA’s transfer portal. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Blake Schuster has you covered with MLB over/unders this season. Go win some money.

— The Rhode Island Scumbag has your betting guide to the men’s Sweet 16 as it starts today.

— Here’s a list of guest stars for Beyoncé’s new Cowboy Carter album. Fun! Caroline Darney has more.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for locking in with us today. We appreciate your time! Let’s do it again tomorrow. Talk soon. Peace! We out.

-Sykes ✌️