Trying To Understand People Who Don’t Like Sports

Okay, so I am starting this off by saying that this isn’t a shot at anyone who does not embrace in the world of sports in any kind, but it is just trying to get and understand of what are you doing if they aren’t in your life.

Listen up people, sports make the world go round. I truly feel that way. Every single day, there is some sport going on that thousands, probably millions are witnessing live on TV, streaming, or in person. Every day there can be a unique storyline that involves your favorite sport. Look at the NBA recently, Anthony Davis going from being apart of the Pelicans future plans to wanting to be traded has been in the news for days it feels. And that isn’t even the game part, that is the front office aspect. There is so many layers in sports to appreciate, which is why I just want to understand.

“I don’t like sports.” A definition – Sports: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. So you are trying to tell me, there isn’t one single form of a sport that you enjoy? It literally can be a game of hockey, a swimming meet, a car driving around the track, a dance competition, a wrestling match, or a simple baseball game. If you like none of these, good on you I guess.

I feel bad really, I do. Think of the best moments in sports. I know from experience that they can give you the absolute best emotions in the world – where you jump up, hug everyone in the room, scream from the rooftops – and the worst – where you’re angry, sad, miserable, collapse onto the floor. Those emotions can all be reached within seconds when it comes to the sports world. Look back at the Patriots-Chiefs AFC Conference Championship Game. When CB Jonathan Jones almost picked of Patrick Mahomes, I rose to my feet and collapsed within a second span. It all hits you, the stress, the sadness, the hopelessness, the excitement, and the pure happiness.

So really, if you hate sports, how do you not experience a reaction when you see this:

In these five videos, I can tell you first hand I felt both excitement and pain. When Malcolm Butler picked the ball off on the one yard line, I can’t say I had ever been happier in a single moment in my life to truly be honest. The Sale strikeout, just absolutely awesome. Another jump to your feet after your heart was pounding even though there should have been doubt at that point. Michael Phelps breaking a world record? Witnessing that? He is the greatest Olympian of all time, and in cheering for him, you may have been jumping up and down as the record was in sight. Ronda Rousey losing for the first time and getting knocked out to do so. Devastation. Heart sinking defeat for me personally and I can’t even explain why. It’s just tough. The Blackhawks coming back and winning in game six of the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 in 17 seconds. That feeling will never be topped because it is the weirdest of them all. Your heart drops when they tie it up with a minute to go, and somehow they score again and you can’t accept or stomach the fact that the Bruins just lost the Stanley Cup because it all happened faster than you could say “At least there may be overtime.”

Yes, I had all these emotions. Because Sports are beautiful people. Sure, maybe someone doesn’t want to work in sports and just keep them in your heart somewhere special, I totally get that. But not having this excitement for any sport in the world ever in your life? I just don’t get it.

What I’m asking for is for this to be shared, get the question out there and give me an answer how people go on in their lives without sports. Please, there are people truly missing out and lying to themselves.

And for the people who understand the feelings that I have, the Super Bowl is Sunday. Here goes another live changing experience of fear, anger, (hopefully) happiness, and more.

– Scott Edwards, Creator

 

New Year, Old Klay

For the first time in the Steve Kerr era, the Golden State Warriors are back to the reality of the NBA and not in dream land, destroying teams every other night. Surprisingly this team isn’t in first place in the West and they even had a 7-7 in November. Fans were starting to panic, even though the dubs are still one of the best teams in the NBA and the regular season for the Warriors is just practice for them anyway. Golden State struggled at times in the first half of the season because of a few injuries and the usual sloppy turnovers. The main reason they would lose a few close games is because Klay Thompson’s production dropped out of nowhere.

Thompson was having numerous amounts of bad shooting nights, taking tough shots, and missing some easy buckets, sure he still had some amazing games, but the second Splash Brother was mostly having some cold performances. He wasn’t getting consistently great field goal percentages in games and it wasn’t the same Klay we have seen year after year. You can see the frustration from time to time, especially when the dubs were playing average basketball. Above all, the threes weren’t going down and that was a huge problem. The Warriors were getting beat at the three point line by bad three point shooting teams and it was because the threes weren’t flowing from the power of both Curry and Thompson. This teams main source of excellence comes from the three point depth and when that goes down, this team becomes vulnerable. However, the new year came and the Klay of old returned.

In the first four games of the New Year, Klay has put some amazing numbers up. He shot well over 50 percent from the field in a few of the games and got on some quick hot streaks in those games, to give the Warriors those quick leads, that teams can’t come back from. He also scored over 30 plus points in his last two games and he surprisingly hasn’t done something like that all season. Thompson and the Warriors probably wish that they could play the Chicago Bulls more because he scored 52 against them early in the season and recently put up 30 points against Chicago, while also shooting 63 percent from three point land. You can see Thompsons confidence and numbers slowly coming back again, and it’s helping the dubs get a streak of blowout wins together again.

Most of the Warriors game this season have gone like this: Slow start, get on a run or two, play careless, other team comes back, and the dubs either close it out or lose it late. You can definitely see that this team lost its hunger a bit this season and the players just don’t bring their A game against okay teams because they don’t feel they need to. This leads to a bad habit and then when the elite teams play Golden State, the dubs get run off the court because the compete level is down. You know who the secret ingredient is who usually plays well when the Warriors are struggling in a game? That’s right, it’s Thompson and now that he’s found his groove again, the dubs all stars roles are whole, and the Globetrotter Warriors will slowly put on another terrific show.

– Michael Garaventa, WTF Sports Intern

The Resurgence of D-Rose and My Interest in the NBA

In 2010, I would say I was a big-time fan of the NBA. It was a time where Lebron went to the Miami Heat and created a new Big 3 with Wade and Bosh, while the Celtics still had the grizzled Big 3 who had enough in them for one more attempt at the Finals. However, it wasn’t my team that brought me the interest that I had then when it comes to the NBA, but it was the man who I would happily call my favorite player to this day. And it is a guy who I honestly forget because my interest in the NBA has fallen since this player has also fallen, but I have kept my eyes on him even when my interest is at the lowest. That man is Derrick Rose. Rose to me was the most entertaining player on the court night in and night out from his first season in 2008 to his MVP season in 2010-11. The player that people love in Russell Westbrook was literally nothing in comparison to MVP Rose in 2010. The ability that he brought to the court night in and night out was simply electrifying, and he was honestly the only player in the past eight years or so to take the MVP honor away from Lebron. However, the injury bug hit Rose like none other and completely derailed his career, sending him out of his hometown of Chicago and essentially becoming a journeyman suddenly. However, a reunion with his old coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota last season into this one has given D-Rose something he hasn’t had in a long time, which is excitement.

Rose has averaged 18.5 points in 30 games this season and considering he has only started 9 games this season, those are impressive numbers. He even dropped a career high 50 points this season, which brought tears to his eyes after so many had given up on him and thought his career was over. A resurgence of the league’s once most exciting player is something that drives interest, not some super team that is almost a guarantee to win the whole thing once again. Rose has made me become more interested in the NBA through his resurgence, and tonight showed that a certain city missed him like I have as well –

D-Rose enjoyed the MVP chants in Chicago 👏 pic.twitter.com/X2T1Ry8OTs

— ESPN (@espn) December 27, 2018

While the MVP Rose will never be back, this version of Derrick Rose at 30 years old is something that should be peaking your interest, as it is fair to say he has been not only the comeback player of the year this season, but the story of the season to this point. D-Rose, I am incredibly happy to see you back playing at a high level like I knew you could someday, thank you for giving me interest in the league once again.

A 24 point, 8 assist performance in his return to Chicago in front of friends and family is truly something to smile about.

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

Is Steph Curry The New Michael Jordan?

For many years Michael Jordan was the face of the NBA. Jordan changed the game of basketball with his playing style at forward and the frequency of dunks he featured each game. He was a one man show at times. His Air Jordan’s are still one of the best shoes to buy. Jordan was the player that came to mind when thinking of champions in the 90s. It’s tough to match up to Jordan’s all around legacy, but Steph Curry is on track to do just that.

MJ has a grocery list of awards that would take forever to list off. Some of his accomplishments that stand out the most include being 6-time NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP, a 5-time NBA MVP, a 14-time All-star, a 10-time NBA scoring champion, and he has won 4 Olympic gold medals. He may just be the greatest athlete of all time. Just looking at his amazing statistics and highlights of his prime, you just think of his dedication. To be that great at a sport means that Jordan must have put his heart and soul into his game. He brought crowds into every NBA arena and people were extremely entertained. One of his most inspirational performances was in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 1997. Jordan had flu-like systems, but still played, and scored 38 points and even got the deciding 3 pointer with 25 seconds left. This guy will always have legendary status and is a huge leader to people of all ages.

Now in comparison to Jordan, Steph Curry has matched what Jordan has meant to the NBA and the legacy will continue for many years to come. Curry has changed the playing style of basketball from three-point land. Instead of just driving to the hoop and taking close jump shots, players are taking more threes a game than ever before. There is a crazy statistic out there that Curry has a better shooting percentage from 30 feet out then a lot of players normal shots. Also, kids are even attempting to shoot more threes because they want to be like Steph. So, just like in Jordan’s time with dunk production, the NBA’s three point attempt numbers have gone up the same amount. Part of the reason might be because every team is doing their best to just keep up with the Golden State Warriors. He has the finisher factor that Jordan always had in the playoffs and then some. He is a special talent and who knows if we will see a shooter like this again. Curry is a 3-time NBA Champion, 2-time NBA MVP and so far making a case for a third this season, a 5-time All-star, and an NBA scoring champion.

Yes Curry’s numbers aren’t close to Jordan’s, but this article is about who is leading in NBA legacy and not who the best player of all-time is. Both of these players lead by example for the players of the NBA, the game of basketball, and the fans.

Jordan had the signature Dunk and Curry will always be known for the ability to make a splash anywhere on the court.

Two completely different stories, that changed the game equally, and brought magic to the game. MJ will always be the Airness, but that Curry flurry is definitely making a run of his own.

Michael Garaventa – Contributor – WTF Sports

 

Talking Shooty Hoops Ep 1: Debut of Shooty Hoops

Talking Shooty Hoops Ep 1: Debut of Shooty Hoops

Talking Shooty Hoops is the newest WTF Sports Podcast hosted by Stephen Mottram. This is a basketball podcast that covers the current NBA news in an entertaining fashion. We cover our preseason award predictions, Lebron to LA, Kawhi to TOR, Jimmy Butler rumors, Celtics Update, and Melo to HOU. Scott Neville was brought in to show Stephen the ropes in the debut of his brand new show. Click Here

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer/Podcast Host – WTF Sports

Witnessing the Best HOF Class Ever: NFL Class of 2018

Last night, the enshrinement of the 2018 Hall of Fame class took place. While I will admit I missed some of the older gentlemen, I took the time to witness the speeches of players that I have witnessed play, more so towards the end of their careers, but I was humbled to listen. Urlacher, Dawkins, Moss, and Lewis. All brought something completely different to the table, but it was amazing nonetheless. And I would like to show more appreciation here for each man individually, as each one touched me in different ways. So, let me start with Urlacher.

While Brian Urlacher didn’t bring the best speech of the pack, he brought so much thought and the exact type of character we always knew Urlacher had. The 2005 AP Defensive Player of the Year displayed the leadership, likability, and all-round emotion that anyone would expect out of Urlacher. He went out of his way to thank his teammates from every single season like the forms of Tillman, Briggs, and many others. He got teary eyed a few times, thanking his family, and finishing off his speech by saying all he wants to be remembered as was a good teammate who did all he could to back his team up and be there for him. Urlacher is the definition of the old time Middle Linebacker. Next up, Brian Dawkins.

Out of these four, Dawkins had the speech I was least looking forward to, more so because I never really got to seem him play much. Yet, what he brought to his speech was so powerful that I did not know how to react. I clapped, I gasped, and at times I just sat and listened deeply. Dawkins brought up how pain made him who he was, how pain drove him to the edge of his life where he did not want to be alive any longer. He considered ways to take his own life, leaving his money to his wife, but then he turned a corner in his speech. He said how his faith, his friends, and most importantly his family brought him in, especially his wife, to communicate and help him come back from such a hard time in his life. Dawkins, the five-time First Team All-Pro, gave a powerful speech, involving his family and how he was always told that he was too small, not strong enough, would never make it to the NFL. Well guess what, he defied the odds, changed the way people look at certain players, and even if he hit as hard as possible and bruised himself up, Dawkins was still able to lay down such an inspiring speech, bringing the Eagles’ Nation to their feet. Dawkins can now find himself enshrined in Canton, and thankfully he has surpassed his demons, set for his next chapter in life. Now, Randy being Randy.

Randy Moss is simply the greatest WR I have ever watched play the game of football. The ability he shows to go up and get a ball or say see ya to the defender and take off. Moss started his speech discussing his faith, and how without it, there is no way a guy like him who experience the life like he has gets to the point he is now. Moss acknowledged that he ended his career because he “wanted to come home for his kids”. The second all-time receiver in pretty much every receiving record in the book went out of his way to acknowledge his family early and often. And then he gets to talking about his roots, bring up the “30 for 30” in which was centered around him and about those difficult roots that found him in so much trouble. Randy had such a life and such a career. At times it seemed as though no one wanted to take a chance on the troubled kid from Rand, West Virginia. He acknowledges the Vikings for taking these chances on him, and why it meant so much for him. He singles out the Kraft family as well, for avoiding the noise that he is “trouble” and just let him prove to them he was worth it. And to wrap up his speech, it was simply awesome. He singles out Bill Belichick, who coached him for just three and a half seasons. He stated how he was a friend for him and how much it meant. How he was there for him when it wasn’t about football, how he believed in him and it meant the most. Randy was just being Randy, and his speech was shorter than the rest, but was so powerful and wonderful to hear. And while it was powerful, it just wasn’t Ray’s.

Ray Lewis did something no other inductee has done before. The two-time defensive player of the year and two-time Super Bowl Champion took the stage, not just as an inductee, but as the leader everyone has known him from. Having the portable mic attached to his head, Ray Lewis went to work. The greatest Middle Linebacker in the history of football focused on faith, his past, his family, and his fans. He used humor at times, bringing forward instances in his life that were difficult, his darkest, and his brightest. The Lewis you saw on the football field was in full form last night, discussing how he was doubted along with his young mother that he would never make it. How people never thought he could simply do it. He brought forward his University of Miami days and how he was the last to get a scholarship when it came down to it. Lewis is such an inspirational guy, and all the words he said made me want to run through a wall (in a good way). He is such a powerful speaker, and many times he discussed Martin Luther King and how he wanted to not be there for the completion, but just be able to spark the hope. But what hit me most about what Lewis said was him looking to his new family of Hall of Fame brothers, looking for unity in this country, and becoming legends together that are further than football. And what he looked to in this situation was simply, “love”. Everything Lewis said made so much sense. Ray Lewis wants all the pain to end. He no longer wants to see children being hurt, this country being hurt, or anyone else experiencing pain. Lewis made this speech not about him at the ends but wants unity more than anything. Lewis was absolutely incredible last night, along with the rest of the class, and the difference maker who does things a little differently truly made it his own. I have never heard a more powerful speech in the world of sports. This hit me harder than ever and i truly admire him.

The 2018 Class was everything a football fan could wish for. A night of stories, faith, truth, and truly incredible heart and words. It was the best class I have ever listened to in any sport. Maybe it was because of the uniqueness of stories that were told, the players who were inducted, and the fact that it became more than just a hall of fame speech.

If you missed it, make sure you at least go out of your way to witness the powerful words of them all. And if not, catch the last ten minutes of what Ray had to say.

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

Melo has to “mellow-out”

It can hard to realize when you’ve lost a step, especially when you were once considered to be the best at what you do. Ten years ago, heck, five years ago, Carmelo Anthony was considered by many to be a top five player in the NBA. Now, he has trouble trying to find a suitor in free agency. Many believe that his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will be better this year without him. Puzzling as it may seem, they’re probably right.

Carmelo Anthony was drafted back in 2003, when the game of basketball was quite different. The game very much still an inside-out style of play. Big men dominated the league such as Shaquille O’Neal, Yao Ming, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Alonzo Mourning, the list goes on. Mid-range isolation play was also extremely prevalent, and guards and small forwards such as Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and Allen Iverson thrived. This is the NBA world that Melo entered, and quickly thrived in.
Don’t get me wrong, 2018 Carmelo Anthony isn’t a bad player. He’s simply a relic from another time. Let me explain…

More than any other play in the past 10 years, Stephen Curry has revolutionized the sport of basketball. The poster child for ball movement and three-point shooting, every champion in the past five years has been a proficient shooting team. The players that are thriving the most right now in the league are shooters, particularly athletic wings who can guard multiple positions and spread the floor (Paul George, Kevin Durant, Gordon Hayward, Kawhi Leonard, etc.) Even the center position, which is historically the worst shooter on the floor, has to be able to step outside and knock down a jumper if they want to be successful. Curry and the Golden State Warriors have been an example to the rest of the NBA that the more the ball moves around on offense, the quicker the ball in in the half court, and the more space the offensive team spreads out, the more successful the team will be.

Carmelo Anthony is a slow-moving, ball-stopping, big ego forward who has never been good at defense and is getting worse by the year. He is a highly inefficient player by all advanced metrics, and although many would argue he belongs in the Hall-of-Fame, he spent much of the first round series against Utah riding the pines.

In July he opted out of his deal with the Thunder, then a week later opted back in and is traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He is expected to be waived by the Hawks, and the sign with the Houston Rockets. Reigning MVP James Harden has publicly come out recruiting Anthony to the team, and is calling that with him they’ll be unstoppable. While unstoppable seems to be a stretch, there is a way this would work. This is the message I would say to Carmelo

Mellow out, man. Take a look in mirror, and realize you’re not elite. At best, you’re a borderline starter on some teams. Stop trying to be the MVP. Be the sixth man of the year. Lead the second unit on the offensive end. Get your 15 points in 28 mins and get out. As a starter, you would be competing with two ball dominate guards in Chris Paul and James Harden for points and touches. Come off the bench, torch second unit scrubs, and turn some heads in the process. It’s time to “mellow out” before is “Melo out for good” It’s time to take a step back and let the kids play their game. If you do that, there will be a time and place play yours.

 

– Danny Lovell – NBA Contributor for WTF Sports

Kawhi Dealt to Raptors for Demar DeRozan

Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Kawhi Leonard has been traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for DeMar DeRozan. Both players are elite level players. Early reports are that neither player is enthused about the deal.

This trade will have ramifications felt throughout the whole league. Will Kawhi sit out another year? Will DeRozan join him? While this is unlikely, nothing is a guarantee in today’s sporting world.

DeRozan averaged 23 PPG. and 5 APG. Last season he was an East All-Star and lead the Raptors to the #1 record in the Eastern Conference. It will be interesting to see how he can fit into the Spurs system, as he is a gifted defender and athletic offensive player.

Danny Lovell – NBA Contributor – WTF Sports

Editor – Scott Neville

Boston’s Brightest – Top 5 Players Under 25 who could see their Number Retired Someday

With all these articles I have been writing, and not having to cover baseball too much, it leaves me at a point where I feel as though I just have to come up with something fun and interesting. Well this may be the easiest one I have ever thought of. Boston Sports are enriched with young talent who could all be superstars someday, making Boston have hope for the present and the future. So why not do a list? It is fun to think that Boston has five legitimate guys who are under the age of 25 who can be remembered forever in the city of Boston, becoming all-time greats and possibly getting their number retired someday. So, let us get started!

 

5. Celtics G Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown gets the 5^th spot, not because of the skill and potential that he contains, but because he just more than likely will not be better than the men remaining. When I said enriched, I really meant it. Jaylen Brown was the 3^rd Overall pick by the Celtics in the 2016 NBA Draft. Since then, Brown has become a crowd favorite with his explosive athleticism, ability to grow more and more every game, and all-around ability on the court. While at times he shows his age, the 21 year old Guard has developed into a player who many see as a future All-Star. His improved jump shot, ability to play defense, and explosiveness that allows him to get the Garden on their feet. While this Garden stud is just five, another Garden stud may have his jersey retired in Black and Gold someday.

 

4. Bruins F David Pastrnak

After another incredible season, I am probably getting looked at like I have seven heads, however where Pasta ranks has nothing to do with his incredible scoring ability game in and game out, but it has to do with consistency. Pastrnak plays a position where he has to be consistent year after year if he wants to become one of the greatest Bruins to ever take the ice. This past season, Pasta took it to another level, putting up his best career point total with 80 in 82 games. He scored 35 goals while assisting on 45 others. Now people may yell at me for this rating, just because of how beloved Pasta truly is in Boston, and he may be the most proven one so far on this list at the young age of 22, but there are still three guys I think have more potential to see their number retired as Boston’s brightest. And the next one on the list also wears Black and Gold.

 

3. Bruins D Charlie McAvoy

With an article to look forward to soon, I look to go much more in-depth on the player who I think is now the Bruins Franchise player. Charlie McAvoy stormed onto the scene for the 2016-17 playoffs when the Bruins were down to pretty much no one. He proved himself then when he showed maturity at such a young age. And the 20 year old defenseman not only grew as a player in his first full season but became the Bruins best defenseman in his first season. While an injury sidelined him for 19 games, McAvoy was nothing short of a stud all season long. In 63 games played, Charlie scored 7 goals while adding 25 assists for a solid 32 points, however his impressive defensive abilities were much more important than his point totals. He had a +/- of 20. In the playoffs, he became the defenseman who averaged around 25 min per game. Charlie has quickly become one of the players in Boston who you can only see success for in the future. And at the incredibly young age of 20, I give him the spot over Pastrnak because he is only going to get so much better, defensively and offensively. Not only does he have future Norris Trophies in his future, but he also has a Stanley Cup in his future. Yet, Boston is so enriched in young talent that he ranks just third. The next option returns to the other Garden team.

 

2. Celtics F Jayson Tatum

S-T-U-D. While I will admit I am not the biggest NBA fan (as of late especially), I really enjoyed the Celtics season and playoff run this past season. And the main force came in the way of Jayson Tatum. Tatum was incredible in his rookie season, showing signs of pure dominance and even more signs of being an absolute superstar in the future. And what showed all of this more was when Kyrie Irving went down, and the Celtics needed to play that playoff push. No one, including myself, believed that the Celtics could make a deep run. They lost Hayward and Irving, and I don’t know if I could truly see Tatum making such a big step so early in his young career. He became “The Guy” when the Celtics needed a bucket. Tatum became a guy that makes me want to believe that the entire NBA isn’t crooked and there is a possibility that someone not named the Warriors could possibly win the Finals. Tatum managing to average 18 points in the playoffs and being in his rookie season just makes me think that this guy is going to be the next Super-Celtic player. Paul Pierce had his number retired this past season, and now I am ready for Tatum to be an absolute superstar for the Celtics. However, he doesn’t get number one because the best under-25 player in Boston who can see his number retired is currently on the best team in Boston.

 

1. Red Sox OF Andrew Benintendi

Andrew Benintendi is awesome. He is just so good at baseball. At the young age of 24, Benny has one of the most beautiful swings in all of baseball and is already one of the best players in baseball. While he was screwed over of being in the All-Star game this season, Benny has all the potential to be an MVP in this league. When Mookie Betts was out earlier in the season, Benny stepped up big time after struggling earlier on. His statistics now sit at a fantastic .297 with 14 HR, 57 RBI, and 17 SB. I won’t bore you with all of the slugging and on-base percentages, but I will tell you that Benny is showing the ability to be a Triple Crown someday, and one of the best Sox if he stays with it. Now, all of these players on this list could be affected by not staying with the team and moving somewhere else, but I can’t say I remember a player in Red Sox history who was homegrown and caught the eye quicker than Andrew Benintendi has. If it was because of his look, his ability, or some type of combination, Benny Biceps is a player to stay. When the Red Sox eventually move on from JBJ, Benintendi will have his official position of CF locked up and become one of the best in Red Sox history. The ability he already contains, while being a Boston favorite, seems like the perfect combination to see his number in right field someday. Benny takes the cake on my Boston’s Brightest stars list, he will be a Red Sox 4 life and 16 could be immortalized someday as well.

Well there you have it. My opinion on the Boston’s Brightest young stars, who I think will be forever remembered here in Beantown, and exactly what makes me think this way.

 

I hope you all enjoyed and also consider sending in your own list of who you think has the potential to be the next Boston great when it is all said and done.

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports Nation

The Spurs Dynasty coming to an end

The Spurs Dynasty is rooted in the same fundamental parts as other dynasties in American Sports: Great Coaching, Hall-of-Fame talent, and a whole lot of luck.

In 1997, the Spurs lucked into the number one pick, even while they still had an elite all-time center in David Robinson. They used that pick to select Tim Duncan, who with along with fellow draft steals like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, would lead the Spurs to five titles over the span of two decades.

In 2011, Kawhi Leonard fell to the 15th pick, and the Indiana Pacers, who focused on short term goals rather than the long term, traded away their draft pick Kawhi Leonard for George Hill. It had seemed like the Spurs were once again one step ahead of everyone else, when Leonard was named Finals MVP in 2014 and was an All-Star in 2015. Today he is debatably the best two-way player in the league.

To many, the Spurs were the model NBA franchise. Mid-size market team that got to where they were by good draft selections, consistent play, and good fundamentals. Not only that, but it was a team lead by superstar caliber players with low egos and a team-first mentality, a coach’s dream. Now, in the bright lights of 2018, the Spurs dynasty is crumbling from underneath them. Tony Parker has singed with the Charlotte Hornets, Tim Duncan retired two seasons ago, and Manu Ginobili is a 41-year-old shell of his former self, and though capable of dazzling fans here and there, he’s no-longer a franchise cornerstone.

The San Antonio Spurs future is contingent upon Kawhi Leonard, and he is not even expected to suit up for them this year. After Zaza Pachulia injured Leonard in the 2017 NBA playoffs, Kawhi was forced to sit most of last season. Rumors started swirling about his unwillingness to play, even when cleared by team doctors. A players’ intervention was believed to be held mid-season, where veterans implored Leonard to play, but to no avail. Now it’s come out that he is demanding a trade, preferably to the LA Clippers or Lakers.

The most intriguing thing about this is Kawhi’s silence throughout the whole matter. Known as a very quiet and unassuming off-the-court personality, Kawhi has said very little during this whole ordeal.

If he were to change teams, the ripple effect would be felt throughout the league. Could a potential team-up with Lebron dethrone the Warriors? Could he bring the Clippers to relevancy? Even if he opts to stay in San Antonio, the Spurs are immediately thrown in the Championship discussion.

Where will he go? What stories can we believe? Is his injury even fully healed? Will Kawhi speak up and set the record straight? Let’s see.

Danny Lovell – Basketball Contributor – WTF Sports

Editor – Scott Neville