Ja’Marr Chase’s ridiculous toe-tap TD might be best NFL catch this season
Tracking the ball downfield is an essential skill for a wide receiver in the NFL.
While all receivers need this trait, the elite players can make the impossible … possible.
Like Ja’Marr Chase.
Chase was on the other end of a deep throw downfield from quarterback Joe Burrow in the first half of Sunday’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans. With the Bengals offense facing a 1st-and-10 at the Houston 32-yard line, Burrow dropped deep in the pocket and targeted Chase on a vertical route.
Somehow, the receiver was able to track the ball, make a tough adjustment — more on how tough in a moment — and then drag his feet inbounds to complete the play for an improbable touchdown:
Joe Burrow LAUNCHES it to Ja’Marr Chase for the TD 🔥
Just how tough was this play? First, look at this alternate angle, which highlights the adjustment and the toe drag along the sideline to complete the touchdowns:
But now, consider this angle, where you see Chase almost stumble to the turf before he begins to track the ball in flight. Instead of falling, however, Chase manages to stay upright, make the adjustment, and secure the throw for a touchdown:
I don’t know this Ja’Marr Chase catch is even physically possible
Minnesota coach Chris Finch talks LaMelo Ball in offense, Joan Beringer role
Minnesota is going to look very different this season with Julius Randle and Naz Reid gone and LaMelo Ball in.
Coach Chris Finch understands he has a lot of puzzle pieces to fit together, and he discussed that with Britt Robson of MinnPost. That starts with how LaMelo and Anthony Edwards fit together, and what that means for the team’s offensive identity.
“As I sit here now, I want to see how it plays out. Your identity is driven by your best players, for sure, and we still have them. I can see a lot of our offensive identity still flowing through Ant. It is just that I think we have a chance to play faster, be a better passing team, maybe people benefit from off-ball movement more. With Rudy, a lot of different things, so I can see everything kind of get a little polished, if you will. But ultimately a lot of our identity is still going to flow through Anthony a lot.”
Finch also talked about the Timberwolves needing another step forward from Jaden McDaniels, and how he wants to play faster and get more passing into the offense (Minnesota was 16th in the league in assists per game last season).
He also said they need 19-year-old big man Joan Beringer, who showed promise as a rookie, to step up into the backup center role behind Rudy Gobert.
“You have to realize, as with all young players, there is going to be inconsistency. The way I’m looking at it, is it self-imposed inconsistency or is it just young-player-growth inconsistency? I think with Joan you are certainly going to have the latter…. He’s got to figure out the balance of retaining the effort while regulating wanting to go after everything all the time…
“The fouls. He always ends up on the ground, you know? And oftentimes takes himself out of position by being overly aggressive. But learning to dial that back is better than the other way around, trying to ramp somebody up all the time.”
It’s a lot of questions, but it is what makes Minnesota one of the must-watch teams to start the season.
The Falcons TV schedule somehow has three straight primetime games coming up
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Cooper Rush #13 of the Atlanta Falcons fumbles the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter of the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Falcons are off to a difficult start this season.
With both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa sidelined to start the season — with Tagovailoa suffering an injury in practice in the days leading up to the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers — Atlanta was forced to turn to veteran Cooper Rush under center to begin the year.
The results have not been pretty.
Rush completed just 12-of-22 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown, along with a pair of interceptions, in Atlanta’s Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Atlanta losing by just a touchdown, in a 20-13 loss, the fact that the second interception was this Pick-Six was rather decisive:
It is also a tough look when the Pick-Six comes on a simple swing route to the running back out of the flat.
Things have not improved for Atlanta here in Week 2. While Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers is not yet over, the visiting Panthers opened up a 20-3 lead at the halftime break.
And the Atlanta offense again struggled with Rush in the game, managing just 162 yards in the first half of play, and converting only 2-of-7 third-down chances.
As for Rush himself, he finished the first half having completed just 9-of-15 passes for 80 yards and this interception:
And yes, that came on the first play from scrimmage in this game.
Now for the really bad news.
You might be seeing a lot of this Falcons team over the next few weeks.
All three of Atlanta’s upcoming games are in primetime. The Falcons kick off Week 3 with a visit to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football. Then in Week 4 Atlanta heads to New Orleans to play the Saints on Monday Night Football.
Then in Week 5, the Sunday slate concludes with the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Saints on Sunday Night Football.
Three games, all in primetime, for a national audience.
If there is any solace, Penix is reportedly “nearing his return” and “could” be back for Week 3, per this report.
Caleb Williams injury: Bears star carted off after collapsing on run
Caleb Williams looked like a potential MVP candidate during Week 1, as he led a Chicago Bears offense that hung 59 points on the board against the Carolina Panthers.
But the combination of weather in Chicago — and a Brian Flores-led Minnesota Vikings defense — has made for tougher sledding in Week 2.
And now the Bears quarterback could be dealing with a lower-body injury.
Williams had to be helped off the field after a short run midway through the fourth quarter, and the injury brought backup quarterback Tyson Bagent into the game.
You can see the moment here, as it appears Williams goes down with a non-contact injury:
The only sound you could hear after the play was Williams crying out in pain, as the Bears-heavy crowd at Soldier Field was stunned into silence. Williams as helped off the field, as Bagent entered the game.
Making matters worse, Chicago’s possession stalled and a potential game-tying field goal was blocked, just as Williams was being taken to the locker room on a cart:
Caleb Williams gives a thumbs up as he’s carted off the field.
NBA Scouting Report: An Anthony Edwards Prospect Retrospective
Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
Editor’s Note: It is our pleasure to introduce a second Leo to the Canis-verse. This is Leo Li’s first piece for CH, and he will be adding more insight into all things player development going forward. Please welcome him in the way only Canis commenters can!
Anthony Edwards’ development trajectory since entering the league in 2020 has been a topic of attention for several seasons now, and at first glance, it’s easy to see why. He was a 247Sports consensus 5-star recruit coming out of Holy Spirit Prep in Georgia, receiving comparisons to players like Dominique Wilkins and Dwyane Wade, among other all-stars and all-time greats.
However, after a one-and-done season for the Georgia Bulldogs marked by tantalizing highs and scoring explosions, as well as inconsistencies that exposed flaws in his game, serious concerns emerged about Ant’s decision-making, shooting, defense, and even his mentality and love for the game.
Heading into the 2020 draft (which was viewed as relatively weak), he wasn’t seen as a surefire star bet, and several mock drafts had him going behind future teammate LaMelo Ball, as well as the likes of James Wiseman and Killian Hayes (Kevin O’Connor, what were you thinking?), which seems absurd looking back.
As we all know, Ant would go on to be picked first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and soon bloomed into a bona fide superstar and one of the best players in the sport.
Many would claim that Ant has significantly exceeded expectations, even considering the high pre-draft praise and excitement about his ceiling. I wouldn’t argue too hard against that. Most would agree that he has left the “realistic” or “sweet spot” comparisons of Victor Oladipo, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine in the dust. Is there any way that the projections were misinformed or unjustified? The red flags were certainly there, but perhaps scouts and fans were too hasty in taking them at face value. Given all the information we had access to pre-draft, is there a way to explain his current success?
All this is to say that, although hindsight is 20/20, was Ant perhaps underrated by many as a prospect? That is what I will be making the case for. By taking a look at the scouting reports and draft profiles, we can see exactly where assessments fell short and use evidence and data to paint a different picture of Anthony Edwards, the prospect.
Ant’s physical profile was universally viewed as a remarkable combination of positional size, explosive power, and quick-twitch burst. Standing at 6’5 with a 6’9 wingspan and weighing a hefty 225 lb, while boasting a 41.5-inch vertical according to BleacherReports’ Jake Fischer, he was unequivocally an athletic specimen; an elite NBA guard’s frame with the power and mass of a running back is extraordinarily rare even among the best of the best, and it allowed him to rise for athletic finishes and dunks frequently (27 dunks in the 2020 season). However, even with respect to the athleticism, I feel some of the nuance regarding Ant was neglected in pre-draft discussions.
The prevailing sense was that he was vertically explosive, big, and fast, which helps him finish at the rim and in transition. However, scouts were still understandably concerned about his ability to score efficiently at the next level. After all, even given these extreme athletic traits, he posted a mere 51.7% true shooting percentage at Georgia, landing in the 13th percentile positionally. So how do you explain his massive improvements as a scorer? It’s easy to chalk it up to any number of factors, but the most important one is a part of his athleticism that tends to fly under the radar, even today.
Prior to the draft, the P3 Peak Performance Project measured Ant’s eccentric force production in the 98th percentile (FYI, eccentric force is the force produced by a muscle during the stretching/lengthening phase, used for deceleration movements). They note that, crucially, this is a trait shared by James Harden and Luka Dončić, players who excel at scoring using change-of-direction, stop-start moves – which is also something that Ant improved at by leaps and bounds, and was key to his ascension into one of the league’s premier scorers.
While Ant didn’t enter the league with Luka-level polish skill-wise or decision-making-wise, the athletic foundation for his current dynamic skillset was already there. Using repeated bursts and sharp brakes is a proven formula for efficient self-created volume scoring at the highest level, and Ant had brakes of the highest caliber on an extremely powerful engine.
While this was already observable during his explosive, fluid downhill forays and several of his off-the-dribble jumpers, most scouts and fans seemed more enamored with his north-south and vertical traits. Part of the reason for this is that the sheer level of shooter Ant has become is, by any stretch of the imagination, a surprise, and not many thought it likely that these qualities could become the basis of an elite, efficient pull-up 3-point shooting game, hence the comparisons to players like DeRozan and even optimistic ones like Wade, whose deceleration qualities are often overlooked.
Ant’s jump shot, which is arguably his most deadly weapon today and a focal point of his skill set, was a question mark going into the draft. His raw three-point percentage at Georgia was certainly uninspiring (29%, 10th percentile positionally), but scouts noted that the mechanics generally passed the eye test, and it was evident that he was able to shoot off the dribble with very little daylight off a bevy of moves.
A free throw percentage of 77% and 60% on non-dunk rim attempts also indicated some level of touch, which pointed towards eventual improvements in jump shot efficiency. Still, becoming a good 3-point shooter, let alone one of the very best in the world, was, nevertheless, a “maybe” even in an ideal situation.
However, it’s important to draw attention to the sheer volume of shot-creation load-bearing Ant pulled off, which is a quality that tends to get underrated. The 18-year-old managed to get up 13.5 3-point attempts per 100 possessions (92nd percentile, around 52% of which were unassisted), on a 45 offensive load (95th percentile).
His ability to shoulder a large offensive burden by generating self-created threes on demand was extremely high. In fact, it’s historically unique for a player of Ant’s level of slashing ability: Ant was the only freshman in Barttorvik’s entire database (which begins in 2008) to post more than 12 3-point attempts per 100 while also dunking 27 times over the course of the season. A special intersection of youth, 3-point creation, and athletic finishing – foreshadowing a similarly unique status in the NBA today.
At the time, his high volume of self-created, often contested jump shots was interpreted by scouts, such as Rafael Barlow for NBA Draft Junkies, as bad shot selection and poor decision-making. Prez of The Strickland believed that to translate to the next level he ought to “learn good shot from bad shot”.
Draft profiles suggested that he should shift more of his focus to attacking the rim and operating more off the ball, while toning down the volume of off-the-dribble jump shots, and that if he failed to do so, he would struggle to score efficiently. Such judgments were premature. Ant was a raw 18-year-old who was stuck on a suboptimal roster – it is only natural that these conditions would lead to several ugly looks.
In a vacuum, yes, Ant should have taken fewer contested jumpers at Georgia if you look at each decision on an individual level. However, self-created jump shot volume is an important indicator of superstar potential, as it speaks to scoring feel, stamina, confidence, and the ability to create offense when the structure of the play breaks down. It can’t be your only skill, but you certainly need it if you want to be among the best.
Far from being a detriment to his NBA career, his aggression in hunting jumpers has translated beautifully, becoming the crux of his impact on the court and a significant separator between him and several of his comps.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that all shots are good shots, and a superstar who can’t find the open man when the defense loads up on him will struggle in the NBA, where his scoring aggression can become a detriment to the team.
But despite popular takes, Ant showed promising flashes as a playmaker at Georgia, and most scouting reports acknowledge as much. He was particularly adept at interior passes, averaging three rim assists per 100 (88th percentile). It was quite conceivable that he could have refined his ability to capitalize on his scoring gravity. If anything, this is one area that he hasn’t quite outperformed expectations in thus far in the league.
Add up what’s been discussed, and what did the Wolves have on their hands in 2020? An extremely young super-athlete who could both dunk on the opposing team’s center and get up 10 threes in a single half, who was used to carrying large offensive loads, who had the stop-start foundation reminiscent of historically great NBA scorers, who showed high-level playmaking flashes, and who had solid touch indicators.
Seems a lot different than how the NBA’s media was making it seem.
This is not to say that scouts were wrong about all of Ant’s shortcomings (defense and some aspects of decision-making in particular), and certain analysts, credit to them, saw the bullish case for his shot creation. But the aversion to Ant’s “hero ball” style at Georgia was a blind spot for many, as it was that tendency to aggressively create jumpers at volume that laid the groundwork for who he is today.
The Wolves are better off today for believing in Ant’s traits, stats, and tape than in the beliefs of those outside the building.
3 reasons Adou Thiero could steal the fifth starter spot
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 18: Adou Thiero #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in the second half of a 2026 NBA Summer League semifinal game against the Golden State Warriors at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 18, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Most fans seem to agree that second-year Lakers forward Adou Thiero isn’t quite ready to open the season in the starting lineup.
However, the 2025 second-round draft pick displayed three traits during his brief G League and Summer League stints that suggest he may be less “two years away from being two years away” and closer to being mere months away from permanently stealing LA’s fifth starting spot.
So, while he almost assuredly will not open the season in the starting lineup, it’s a long season, and Thiero is a young player who could develop fast. If he does, these are the most likely reasons he slides past the competition into that starting lineup.
Superhero athleticism and explosiveness
In Adou’s G League appearances, the bouncy youngster often spotted a driving angle and exploded past his defender with such force and speed that most hapless opponents just fouled him. If he didn’t, he ended up watching Adou swing from the rim.
This pattern repeated throughout the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League tournaments. Thiero’s combo of elite athleticism and strength also showed up on the backboards. In Vegas, the human pogo-stick often jumped so high to chase a board that it looked like he was using a trampoline, finishing the summer averaging 6.2 rebounds per game.
Sure, the G League and Summer League aren’t the league. However, athletes with Adou’s size and strength are rare, even in the NBA.
When he steps onto the court, he is almost always the most athletic player. So, if Adou can keep focusing his elite athleticism on defense and rebounding while finding ways to use his explosiveness on offense, he may improve enough to literally and figuratively leap over the competition.
Speaking of improvement…
Rapid improvement
Thanks to an expanded media package, virtually every 2025-26 G League game appeared somewhere last season. Even so, fans didn’t see much of Adou.
The promising rookie only appeared in 10 games, averaging 22.5 minutes per contest. He also missed his whole rookie-year Summer League. As a result, it was initially hard to get a read on his game.
Sure, the explosiveness was always there. In fact, it sometimes seemed like rookie Adou would hammer down a dunk in the first few plays of every game he entered. He also looked like a viable 3-point shooter last year, completing 10 of his 20 attempts in those 10 appearances.
Still, he looked raw and several years of development away from harnessing his superhero frame and abilities.
Then the 2026 Summer League took place, and things suddenly changed.
While he started slowly, it was clear as far back as the California Classic that Adou hadn’t stopped working since the season ended. Sure, his 3-pointer looked rough all summer, with just one make in 10 attempts in Vegas. But several parts of his overall game looked significantly better.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 18: Adou Thiero #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the Semifinals on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Tom O’Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For example, Thiero’s on-ball defense and disruption looked like they were already at a plus NBA-wing level, a trait that came and went in his South Bay stints. This summer, as soon as he entered games, his relentless pressure regularly forced turnovers or had opposing ball handlers running away from switches.
Adou also looked light on his feet for his size, making it hard for all but the quickest players to get past him. He finished Vegas averaging a healthy 1.8 steals per game.
Perhaps most striking was Adou’s improvement as the summer progressed. Shots blocked at the rim in San Francisco and early Vegas games started turning into timely head fakes and easy lay-ins in later contests.
Adou’s improvement also showed up in ball handling and driving. Early in the summer, the fleet-footed forward repeatedly beat his man with an explosive first step only to dribble the ball off his feet or throw it out of bounds. Too often, those early drives produced a flash of explosiveness, followed too quickly by an unforced turnover.
Surprisingly, within just a few games, we saw this trend begin to change.
Lastly, Adou’s passing reads showed signs of improvement. Turnovers became quick hitters to open corner shooters. It wasn’t flawless. But like other parts of his game, you could see it improve in real time. Adou finished Vegas averaging three assists a game.
Of course, steady improvement doesn’t come without hard work. And achieving true greatness, like earning a starting spot as a second-year player, requires another, almost intangible quality that Thiero may also already possess.
The Eye of the Tiger
At the top of John Wooden’s infamous Pyramid of Success, the winningest college coach of all time placed a seemingly immeasurable quality. Above skill, poise, confidence, and a whole host of other critical traits, Wooden placed something he called “competitive greatness.”
Kobe Bryant sometimes described this ephemeral quality as hating to lose more than loving to win. As fans, we turned that belief, Kobe’s infamous work ethic, and his on-court success into the Mamba Mentality. Even today, that mantra has become as much a part of his legacy as any specific title or season.
But my personal favorite comes from the 1980s cinematic classic, Rocky III. In that iconic sports film, star Rocky Balboa’s former foe and current trainer, Apollo Creed, called the desire to win over anything else, “The eye of the tiger.”
Maybe I’m reading too much into his stern, potent brow or sharp, piercing eyes. But when I look at Adou, I see the eye of the tiger.
It wasn’t there in his G-League games last year, which could’ve been due to extended injury rehab or simply being a rookie. But even when Adou made more mistakes than he should have in his opening Summer League shifts, his face looked completely different from the start.
He looked more than serious. He looked mad. To be honest, he kind of looked like Kobe.
Sure, Adou’s prospects of becoming a high-level NBA player may ultimately lie with his ability to hit open threes at a respectable rate and little else.
But his combination of superhuman physical tools and proven ability to improve quickly with reps gives him a real shot at carving out a long career as a viable rotation player.
And, if I’m reading his steely-eyed gaze and relentless effort correctly, Adou may also employ a little bit of Mamba Mentality, Eye of the Tiger, or good old-fashioned John Wooden-style competitive greatness that accelerates his progress in a shorter time frame than most predict and helps the young man steal the Lakers’ fifth starting spot this season.
Given those three qualities, I’m betting on Adou.
Christopher Plain has spent the last six years as Associate News Editor and Head Science Reporter at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his novels at plainfiction.com, or email him at christopher@thedebrief.org.
In new book on sports owners, Joe Tsai talks about unexpected lessons learned
Joe Tsai, co-founder and chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., winner of the VivaTech x Bloomberg Leadership Award, in Paris, France, on Thursday, June 18, 2026. Winners of the VivaTech x Bloomberg Awards, celebrating global leadership, innovation and impact in the technology sector, were announced today in a ceremony at the VivaTech Conference in Paris. Photographer: Benjamin Girette/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Bloomberg via Getty Images
In a new book out next Tuesday, David Rubenstein, owner of the Baltimore Orioles, interviews sports franchise owners across America about what the view is like from the executive suites at arenas and stadiums across America.
Per the promotion, “From the Owner’s Box” examines, “the financial strategies, leadership secrets, and billion-dollar deal-making behind championship franchises through conversations with America’s most powerful owners.” And in the case of Brooklyn Nets Joe Tsai, how being a fan and reacting to fans is a big part of the job.
In an excerpt of the book, New York Post writer Eric Spitznagel, Tsai described first few months as an owner … and the ramifications of making a big move early.
Tsai, 62, knows how quickly an expensive trade can turn an owner into a target. The Alibaba cofounder, worth an estimated $12.1 billion, still takes heat from fans for the January 2021 trade that brought James Harden to Brooklyn alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Durant and Irving had arrived in 2019, before Tsai became controlling owner. Harden was his gamble, acquired at the cost of players and valuable draft assets. The trio never delivered a championship.
“The Harden decision was definitely on my watch,” Tsai tells Rubenstein. “That’s why I’m hated by fans on social media.”
(The excerpt, however, doesn’t make mention of Tsai’s decisions re: Kyrie Irving’s antics during the first months of Tsai’s ownership, including the superstar’s decision not to get vaccinated against COVID or his implicit endorsement of a book filled with antisemitic tropes. Both led to lost time, lost games and a lot of controversy for Tsai. We’ll have to wait for the book to see whether it is mentioned there.)
Rubenstein’s book does address a lesser-known part of Tsai’s legacy, a proposed trade that would test his personal fandom.
In July 2018, while still a 49% owner of the Nets, Tsai heard from Sean Marks about a trade the Nets GM was planning to make, a deal that would send Jeremy Lin to the Atlanta Hawks. Lin wasn’t just a Chinese-American whose LinSanity while a Knick years earlier had ignited pride among Asians and Asian-Americans worldwide. When he bought into the Nests Tsai had called Lin his “favorite player” and a “good friend,” praising his leadership and representation of the underdog.
“Sean, if you trade Jeremy Lin, I will be hated in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong,” According to the book, Tsai recalls telling Marks “The entire Chinese community will hate me forever.”
Marks replied, “That’s why I’m calling you.”
In the deal, a classic salary dump, Nets traded guard Jeremy Lin, a 2025 second round draft pick and the right to swap second round picks in 2023 to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the draft rights to a French guard Isaia Cordinier and a protected 2020 second round draft pick. (For you draft sickos out there, that 2025 pick got moved three more times and wound up back with the Nets and was used last June on Tyler Bilodeau!)
Tsai accepted the rationale but his prediction came true. Asian fans were not pleased that an owner with Chinese heritage had traded a player with Chinese heritage. He was heavily criticized across Asia. Later, Tsai and Lin did business together and Lin joined the advisory council of The Asian-American Foundation, an organization co-founded by Tsai.
As Rubenstein wrote, that episode taught Tsai a lesson.
He realized he needs a way to explain himself to fans, so he opened a Twitter account despite objections from his communications team, according to the book. He promised to discuss sports rather than Alibaba or politics, a promise he has stuck with although he’s not that active on the renamed x.com.
“I need to have a direct channel to communicate with our fans,” he told Rubenstein. “I can’t have the New York Post interpret.”
The book also noted Tsai’s basketball memories include skipping constitutional law classes at Yale to play pickup games. One opponent was future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who he calls a “decent player.”
His current ambitions require better players, per the book. “We need to win a championship,” Tsai tells Rubenstein. “We need to prove ourselves.”
Still, Tsai admitted ownership supplies a pleasure that running Alibaba cannot.
“I can be chairman of a public company, but there are thousands of public companies. There are only thirty NBA owners,” Tsai says. “When you have something that other people don’t have, it feels pretty good.”
In addition to Joe Tsai, Rubenstein interviewed Clara Wu Tsai for his book and she told him in an interview, separately excerpted on Bloomberg News that Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment is “selectively” interested in other sports investments and see sports as an “asset class” of its own, adding that sports is the anti-AI.
“As you know, sports has become legitimate asset class and they’ve become very good investment,” she told Rubenstein. “Who knew we’d have to develop an anti-AI? Who knew live experiences would become so valuable? Who knew something that was unscripted and unpredictable was something that bring people together in a shared experience would be something that was monetizable and also really valued. But it has happened and sports is some place where that can be manifested.”
2026-27 Fantasy Basketball Rankings: Centers (Points Leagues)
The 2026-27 fantasy basketball draft season is here. Soon enough, the points and categories won will start to count. It’s the perfect time to debut our points league center rankings, courtesy of Yahoo Fantasy Basketball analyst Dan Titus.
Kyler Murray injury: Vikings QB out with concussion vs. Bears, could play Week 3
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 13: Kyler Murray #1 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before a game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Update on Friday, September 18: Murray has been ruled out for Week 2 with a concussion. Carsen Wentz will start for the Vikings vs. the Chicago Bears. Murray is expected to clear concussion protocol next week, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings play at Tampa Bay in Week 3.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray suffered a scary injury in the first quarter of the team’s Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He was taken to the medical tent and replaced by Carsen Wentz. Update: Murray has been ruled out for the game.
Murray scrambled outside the pocket for a short gain when he was sandwiched by two Packers defenders. Murray walked off the field with the help of trainers, and seemed to have some troubles initially getting up. After being evaluated in the blue tent, he headed into the Vikings locker room. Update: Murray was diagnosed with a concussion, the team announced. Murray is in concussion protocol, which will determine his status moving forward.
Here’s two clips of Murray’s injury. Warning, it’s tough to watch.
Packers defenders Javon Bullard and Lukas Van Ness laid the hit on Murray. He lost his helmet on the play and immediately went into fencing position. Bullard was called for unnecessary roughing on the play.
Let’s hope Murray is okay. We’ll update this post as it develops.
Cleveland Cavaliers promote Brandon Weems to General Manager
Mar 30, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers executives Jason Hillman (left), Koby Altman (center) and Brandon Weems (right) watch a game against the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not done making off season moves. This time the changes are coming in the front office. It was reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday morning that the Cavaliers are promoting Brandon Weems to the role of General Manager under President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are promoting executive Brandon Weems to General Manager under President Koby Altman, sources tell ESPN. Weems has been in the Cavaliers organization for the last decade, rising through scouting and personnel roles before becoming assistant GM in 2022, and…
Weems, who has been with the Cavaliers organization since 2015, has taken the long road to becoming the Cavaliers GM. In the past decade, Weems has held the roles of director of scouting, director of player personnel, and most recently assistant general manager.
With Mike Gansey joining the Philadelphia 76ers this past offseason as their president of basketball operations, there became a vacancy for the Cavaliers GM role. Having served under Gansey, it became a natural transition for Weems as the team would look to continue the trajectory of the franchise and maintain consistency in their approach.
During the offseason there was the narrative that the Cavaliers would use Weems’s pre-existing relationship with LeBron James to lure him back to his third stint to Cleveland. This, as pointed out by Brian Windhorst, is a disservice to the body of work that Weems has put together and his standing within the organization. With LeBron taking his talents to the city of brotherly love, it only has become apparent that Weems’s rise in the organization is based on his own merit and not who he happened to play basketball in high school with.
Weems’s promotion already seems to be making waves across the local fan base.
