Lani Pallister puts years of setbacks behind her to spark Australia gold rush
Australian wins 400m freestyle, Forrester stuns in 200m backstroke
Women’s and men’s 4x100 freestyle relay teams cap dominant day one
Lani Pallister has consigned years of struggle and setbacks to history, opening Australia’s medal tally at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games with the first of six gold medals in the pool. Pallister’s dominant win in the 400m freestyle – the first final on the Games swimming program – was the perfect start to a Glasgow campaign that is expected to reap her a rich medal haul.
Mollie O’Callaghan later spearheaded a comfortable win in the women’s 4x100 freestyle relay, while the men’s 4x100 freestyle team rounded out the session by ruthlessly capturing Australia’s sixth gold medal. Kyle Chalmers closed clinically to ensure Australia smashed their Games record from Birmingham 2022, winning in 3:09.49.
Continue reading...The Lakers best perimeter defender might be on a two-way contract
NBA games in July are not just for incoming rookies to get their first taste of professional basketball, but also a chance for teams to give their G-League standouts a national spotlight. The Lakers’ Summer League roster was littered with players from their developmental team, the newly named Coachella Valley Lakers.
Out of those coming from that side, Mañon was the only one to play NBA minutes out of the group and get league-wide recognition with the G League.
The Vanderbilt product was named First Team All-Defense and runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year in the G League. The stock collection was as advertised in the summer games, giving way to possibly being a useful player on the parent team that’s currently void of defensive perimeter talent.
Mañon averaged 11.6 points, six rebounds, 2.1 steals, and a block per game in 46 G-League games. He led the team in steals by a mile, and the rebounds were the most for any non-center on the roster.
He picked up right where he left off this summer. At 6’4” with a 6’9” wingspan, Mañon can leverage size with quick hands and tenacious attacks on ball handlers in the vicinity. No matter the time or score, it’s nonstop aggression.
Watch below on the opening tip, where he hounds the recent fifth overall pick guard, Keaton Wagler.
As he crowds the incoming rookie, a poke at the ball frees it. Like a shark in water, he smells blood. Another swipe and it’s a foot race to the ball.
Off-ball, he mixes the length with impeccable timing and instincts. He blew up switches and coverages by jumping the ball handler and took away transition opportunities or lobs with quick jumps to time the hit ahead passes.
Mañon can lull offensive players to sleep before a cat-like pounce. Watch below as he sits in a semi-ball denial, reads that the two offensive players aren’t on the same page, and picks the dribble handoff for a bucket on the other end.
His seven steals in Vegas were second on the team behind fellow defensive standout Adou Thiero, who had ten.
An area where he’s unique defensively as a guard is the block rate. He has a good feel for when to leave his man and time a rejection before the offensive player notices he’s come over.
Watch below as he makes his way from the top of the key and springs up with two hands. He engulfs the offensive player and cleanly takes the basketball while still keeping it in play, netting one of his three blocks in the contest.
A prerequisite with any defensive-first role player, Mañon has a fantastic motor. It shows itself in transition defense, rarely giving up on a play. It led to a few highlight blocks, like the impressive one shown below on a dunk attempt.
The questions on a pathway to minutes remain on the offensive end. Summer League provided few answers in that regard. In eight Summer League games spanning the California Classic and Vegas, Mañon attempted just 13 3-pointers.
Some of it was a lack of playmaking on the roster, while others were turning down open shots to drive. He hit a respectable 38% on them, but the volume will need a real increase to be a viable rotation player for the purple and gold.
Mañon even flashed some on-ball skills and feel as a cutter, converting 58% of his two-point and even showing off a pull-up mid-range jump shot. The team’s reliance on his playmaking tied him for second in total assists in Vegas.
While the offense clearly needs refinement, having a potentially elite defender at the end of the bench creates opportunities for minutes on a team that is overly indexed for shot creation and scoring.
Mañon was asked at Summer League what players he compares his game to.
“A lot of different guys,” Manon said. “Alex Caruso, Jrue Holiday. All these different guys that are pests on the ball and off the ball.”
The Lakers re-signed Manon to a two-way contract over the summer. The team and Mañon hope those comparisons hold up and he’s able to earn a standard contract by the end of the season.
You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.
Today in White Sox History: July 24
1956
On the fourth at-bat of the game, and with the Yankees already leading, 1-0, Moose Skowron drove a Billy Pierce pitch over the roof at Comiskey Park. It was the 14th roof shot ever by a White Sox opponent and 15th overall.
The good news for the Good Guys is that it took the White Sox a while to get warmed up, but once they did they won in a rout, 11-5. Tied 4-4 at the seventh-inning stretch, Chicago struck for three in the seventh and four in the eighth. Larry Doby and Minnie Miñoso teamed up in the No. 3-4 slots in the batting order to go 5-for-7 with two homers, six runs and six RBIs.
Pierce overcame two solo homers in the first inning to go the distance and improve to 15-4 on the season.
On a trivial note, Yankees starter Don Larsen entered the game in the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter for second baseman Jerry Coleman, and singled. Three months later, Larsen would author the only perfect game in World Series history.
1960
In the first game of a doubleheader at New York, future Hall-of-Famer Nellie Fox banged out his 2,000th career hit. On the afternoon he’d have a pair in the 6-3 White Sox victory. The hit came in the first inning, on a single to left field off of Jim Coates.
The Sox split the doubleheader for the day.
1968
White Sox relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm took a 2-1 loss in a doubleheader nightcap against Oakland, but in the doubleheader opener set the record for most appearances by a pitcher. The future Hall-of-Famer broke Cy Young’s record of 906 games. “Old Tilt” would appear in a staggering 1,070 games before he retired.
In Wilhelm’s six years with the White Sox, he won 41 games and saved 98 others, while producing some astonishingly low ERAs considering he threw a knuckleball. His highest ERA between 1963 and 1968 was 2.64 — every other season it was below 2.00! In 1968, pitching in 72 games at the age of 45, Wilhelm had a 1.73 ERA and 3.3 WAR.
2004
After a Paul Konerko sacrifice fly in the eighth tied the game, 6-6, Joe Crede stepped up with one out in the ninth and clubbed a sayonara home run out to left-center to win over Detroit, 7-6. After Aaron Rowand struck out to lead off the frame, Crede fell behind 0-2 and worked the count to full before ending the game with his 13th homer of the season.
The win put the White Sox back in first place, by a half-game. But, sadly, it was the last day that season the team would sit atop the division, eventually falling to third before recovering and ending the year at 83-79, nine games out.
2020
Because of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, the regular season started four months later than normal. A 60-game season was ordered by commissioner Rob Manfred after the owners and players union could not agree on a longer schedule.
There were also new, bizarre rules put in place, including doubleheaders consisting of seven-inning games and extra innings starting with a runner already on second base. Meanwhile, many people questioned the wisdom of sports being played while thousands were getting infected and many still dying.
The White Sox, hoping to build on three years of retooling the team and a terrific offseason, hosted the Minnesota Twins on this late Opening Day — and were beat up, 10-5, immediately putting a damper on things.
2022
After 22 unsuccessful votes by the BBWAA and Hall of Fame Veterans’ Committees, and many years of waiting and coming close, White Sox great Minnie Miñoso was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The “Cuban Comet” was the first Latin player to excel in the Major Leagues and opened the door, much like Jackie Robinson did for Blacks, to the wealth of talent in Mexico and Central America.
Minoso was a six-time All-Star representing the White Sox, was named the American League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News in 1951, won two Gold Gloves with the White Sox and led the league at various times in triples, stolen bases and hit-by-pitches. He batted better than .300 seven times with the Sox, scored 100 or more runs four times, and drove in at least 100 runs four times. His combination of speed and power were unique for the time period.
He ranks among White Sox leaders all-time leaders in triples, at bats, walks, runs, RBIs, hit-by-pitches, hits, total bases, on-base percentage, doubles, extra base hits and OPS.
Meanwhile on the field, on this day …
White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease was masterful against Cleveland at Guaranteed Rate Field, going six scoreless innings on seven hits, striking out four in a 6-3 win. That marked his 11th consecutive start allowing one run or fewer, which tied the modern era record for pitchers.
It had only happened twice before: Bob Gibson of the Cardinals in 1968, and Jacob deGrom of the Mets in 2021.
2024
With a 10-2 loss at Texas, the White Sox lost their 10th straight — the first time in team history the club bore two losing streaks of at least 10 games in the same season.
It would get worse, as this losing streak would stretch from 10 games to a club-record 21 straight.
The 10-2 loss also dropped the White Sox to 27-77, 50 games worse than .500. To put that in perspective, the White Sox had finished a season at 50+ games worse than .500 in just three of their 124 years.
MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets, Picks, Parlay & Odds for Friday, July 24
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The weekend has finally arrived! Let's get the night rolling by backing some guys to go yard!
These are my top looks to leave the yard, featuring Alec Burleson and Tyler Soderstrom in these MLB player props.
Here are my favorite MLB picks & home run predictions for Friday, July 24.
- UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
| Player to hit a HR | Odds |
|---|---|
 Alec Burleson | +434 |
 Tyler Soderstrom | +362 |
 Bryce Eldridge | +392 |
| 💲Today's HR parlay | +12038 |
Home run pick: Alec Burleson (+434)
It is time to back the burly boy from St. Louis, Mr. Alec Burleson!
Entering Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals slugger carries an elite rating on Batters-Box while also covering 100% of Cincinnati Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder's pitch mix.
The big fella has been seeing the ball extremely well against right-handed pitching, posting a .308 BA, .343 wOBA, 45.5% hard hit rate, and 18.2% barrel rate over his last 30 plate appearances.
Lowder, meanwhile, has been getting crushed by left-handed hitters, especially on the road. Lefties are batting .350 against him with a .583 SLG and .444 wOBA, while producing a 41.2% hard hit rate and 68.6% elevation rate.
With Burleson being one of the hottest hitters in the Cardinals lineup over the last week, I love this spot for him to do damage against Lowder.
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: CARD, CINR
Home run pick: Tyler Soderstrom (+362)
One of my all-time favorite pitchers to fade is Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews. Why? Well, he is always getting crushed.
Over his last three starts, Matthews owns a 10.54 ERA and 2.19 WHIP while allowing a 42.55% hard hit rate and 12.77% barrel rate. That is why I want to target one of the hottest bats in the Athletics lineup this evening.
Tyler Soderstrom stood out the most to me, as he is batting .346 with a .731 SLG and 1.164 OPS over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching. He also covers 99.2% of Matthews' pitch mix.
Matthews has struggled against left-handed hitters all season, with the last 60 he has faced posting a .438 xBA, .848 xSLG, and .399 xwOBA.
With how well Soderstrom has been seeing the ball and how poorly Matthews has been pitching, this is a great spot to back the Athletics slugger to go yard in Minnesota this evening.
- Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NBCSCA, MNNT
Home run pick: Bryce Eldridge (+392)
San Francisco Giants young slugger Bryce Eldridge finds himself in a prime spot against Los Angeles Angels right hander Grayson Rodriguez, who has struggled mightily this season. The Angels starter enters with an 8.49 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, while allowing nearly 50% hard contact and a 9.17% barrel rate to opposing hitters.
Eldridge enters Friday with an elite rating on Batters-Box, along with 84.2% arsenal coverage against every pitch in Rodriguez's mix. He has also been seeing the ball extremely well against right-handed pitching over his last 30 plate appearances, posting a .500 SLG, .867 OPS, .381 wOBA, and .231 ISO while producing a 62.5% hard hit rate and 12.5% barrel rate.
Against his last 60 left-handed hitters faced, Rodriguez has allowed a 61.7% hard hit rate and 70.6% elevation rate, with hitters posting a .382 xBA, .643 xSLG, and .296 ISO.
Everything points toward a big opportunity for Eldridge, and I think he is in a great spot to collect extra bases this evening.
- Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NBCSBA, ABTV
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
- HR picks: 86-302, +7.96 units
Today’s HR parlay
| Alec Burleson | Bet Now +12038 |
| Tyler Soderstrom | |
| Bryce Eldridge |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers
Editor's note: Get live updates on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers here.
It took 24 days, but LeBron James has made up his mind.
After informing the Lakers in late June that he would be moving on from the franchise, James announced Friday, July 24 that he will sign with the Philadelphia 76ers to form a super team in the East, as James looks to win his fifth career NBA championship.
This comes after weeks of speculation about where James would land. James was deliberate in his process and weighed his options, deciding between the Sixers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Although James will turn 42 in December, this is nonetheless a massive, power-shifting move with significant ramifications across the league.
Here are the winners and losers of LeBron James’ decision to sign with the 76ers.
WINNERS
Mike Gansey, Bob Myers and the revamped 76ers front office
Consider this: not even two months ago, the 76ers fired former basketball czar Daryl Morey after the Knicks unceremoniously swept Philadelphia in the conference semifinals. Since then, Bob Myers, the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and former general manager of the Warriors, hired Mike Gansey as the president of basketball operations.
All Gansey has done is flip the cumbersome contract of Paul George for Jaylen Brown, a 29 year old five-time All-Star, and lure James to Philadelphia. Gansey has extensive ties to James and the Cavaliers. Suddenly, with the 76ers he has shaped one of the more imposing starting fives in all of basketball.
Tyrese Maxey
Also a Klutch Sports Group client, the same agency that reps James, 76ers star Tyrese Maxey has had a tremendous offseason. Not only did he get a massive relief valve on offense in the form of Jaylen Brown, but now with James, Philly has another playmaking ball-handler, and another player with championship experience. Maxey was among the players involved in pitching the 76ers to James, and the 25-year-old two-time All-Star is now poised to break out even further.
At times over the last two seasons, he has had to carry a massive offensive burden, especially since the 76ers have dealt with numerous injuries. Now, there’s a lot less pressure on Maxey to carry the Sixers to contention.
LeBron James
He took his time, deliberately weighed his options and came to a decision on his own terms. And while many people — NBA commissioner Adam Silver, included — may have chafed at the 24-day timeline, James ultimately decided this was best for his family and for his career.
James also joins a team where he doesn’t need to be the focal point and can be a complementary player. Given his age and declining availability, that’s essential. The loaded 76ers roster also means James won’t need to overexert himself during the grind of the regular season, maintaining his freshness for the postseason.
Nick Nurse
There will be a lot of mouths to feed, so it’s incumbent on coach Nick Nurse to scheme a system that highlights everyone’s strengths, but James’ passing and creation should assimilate nicely.
This, to be sure, is a good problem to have. But if expectations aren’t met, the letdown would be massive; the Sixers, like the Knicks before them, are looking to snap a multi-decade championship drought. Philadelphia’s is currently at 43 years. Now it’s on Nurse to end that.
LOSERS
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors
It has been a rough go for the Warriors, who were looking to add elite playmaking to capitalize on the shrinking window the franchise has with Stephen Curry. Arguably no player in the NBA bore more responsibility for his team being in contention than Curry, who is now 38.
Golden State lost out on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and now on James, who has been a longtime friend and admirer of Curry and veteran Warriors forward Draymond Green. James certainly would have made this roster even older, but Golden State has desperately lacked another playmaking creator to pair alongside Curry, who is one of the hardest-working players in the league. Curry constantly moves off the ball to try to create space but is also tasked with creating off the dribble. Golden State’s hopes now rest on Curry sustaining that pace and Jimmy Butler, 36, eventually returning to form after his torn anterior cruciate ligament from January 20.
The Miami Heat still need another playmaker
It’s not so bad of a letdown when you already nabbed the premier move of the offseason. And Giannis Antetokounmpo will make Miami far better than it has been. But pairing James with Antetokounmpo would’ve given the Heat the two best fastbreak players of the modern generation — if not all time.
Heat point guard Davion Mitchell recently worked out with Antetokounmpo in Greece, and Mitchell did post a pristine 4.19 assist-to-turnover ratio, but Miami could still use another ball handler and creator. And now with the market essentially dried up, options are limited.
New Heat teammates Giannis and Davion Mitchell working on their game together in Greece! 💪
— NBA (@NBA) July 21, 2026
(via: giannis_an34 & davionmitchell) pic.twitter.com/zEpqdEMyvi
Boston Celtics
They weren’t even in the James sweepstakes, but this decision nonetheless reinforces Boston’s downturn this offseason. James signing with the Sixers, at least at a significant basketball level, happened because the 76ers have infused young talent onto their roster. And no name was bigger than Jaylen Brown, whom Philadelphia acquired July 1 in a deal with Boston.
The Sixers, even without James, were already looking like a legitimate competitor in the East. Now with him, the 76ers have become among the short favorites to win the conference, just behind the defending champion Knicks. It’s not a stretch to say that James doesn’t sign in Philadelphia if Brown isn’t traded there.
Making matters worse, the Celtics are fresh off of blowing a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs. The team that beat Boston was these very 76ers. And, as it stands now, the Sixers got far better and the Celtics went backward.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 7 biggest winners and losers from LeBron James joining the 76ers
Ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas claims LeBron James’ wife ‘didn’t approve’ 76ers in NBA blockbuster
Gilbert Arenas is flabbergasted by LeBron James’ move to the 76ers.
The former NBA star posted a video on X after the reveal that NBA’s all-time points leader would be joining the Sixers, questioning the move.
“This doesn’t look right, I’m sorry,” Arenas said. … “I know (wife) Savannah (James) didn’t approve this. Nobody approves of going to Philly.”
Whether or not Savannah agreed with the move, James ultimately decided to head back East and possibly finish his career in the City of Brotherly Love.
He posted on X after the deal was reported that he made the decision for himself.
“This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for a family,” he wrote. “What am I really playing for at this point?
“I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning.”
LeBron also mentioned that he was seriously considering retirement after the 2025-26 season, but spent the last few weeks realizing how much he still loves the game of basketball.
Arenas continued his video with a joke about the “little a– statues” that they give players in Philadelphia.
Gilbert Arenas reaction to LeBron James going to the Sixers:
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod
“This shit don’t look right, I’m sorry who is this, I know Savannah didn’t approve this.. nah man congrats but I’m booing” pic.twitter.com/zkiCBC835N(@big_business_) July 24, 2026
Referring to the “Legends Walk” outside the Sixers practice facility in New Jersey, he said Lebron must not know about it.
The walk features legendary players such as Julius Erving, Wilt Chamberlain, Charles Barkley and Maurice Cheeks, but are unanimously on the smaller side.
Allen Iverson received the most recent statue in 2024, which Arenas poked fun at in the video.
“Congratulations, but I’m booing,” Arenas concluded.
Part of Arenas’ reaction could be his confidence in a different outcome.
At Fanatics Fest on Sunday, the former Wizard and Warriors player said he had talked to Giannis Antetokounmpo and he was confident LeBron was joining the Heat.
Arenas and James’ relationship is limited to the times they scrimmaged together for Team USA.
The two did face off multiple times during their careers, most notably in the 2006 playoff series between the Cavaliers and Wizards.
Cleveland won the series 4-2 thanks to 32 points from James in Game 6.
Colorado Rockies vs. Milwaukee Brewers game discussion: Tomoyuki Sugano vs. Shane Drohan
The Colorado Rockies (41-63) begin a three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers (64-38) with some daytime baseball on a Friday afternoon. Brewers legends will take the field after the real game for a postgame alumni contest — an idea the Rockies should feel free to borrow.
This is the start of a quick road trip. After three games in Milwaukee, the Rockies will have Monday off before playing a rare two-game series against the Friars in San Diego. Another off-day follows Thursday.
Colorado was off yesterday and could have used the break. The Rockies are 3-7 over their past 10 games and are coming off a disastrous loss to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
On paper, this is not an especially compelling matchup. The Brewers carry baseball’s second-best record, while the Rockies own the worst mark in the National League.
Milwaukee is a deep team that pitches brilliantly and applies consistent offensive pressure. The Brewers rank first in starting-pitcher ERA, first in starter strikeouts per nine innings and second in starter WHIP. Their offense ranks fourth in on-base percentage and fifth in runs scored. They lead the NL Central by seven games and have scored 133 more runs than they have allowed.
The Rockies have a much-improved offense of their own, ranking fourth in batting average, fifth in OPS and eighth in runs scored. However, their rotation ranks 30th in ERA, WHIP and hits allowed per nine innings. The bullpen has not been much stronger, and the defense continues to struggle.
The intrigue comes from within the Rockies themselves.
With the trade deadline approaching, several players could be appearing in a Colorado uniform for the final time. The Rockies have said they intend to be active and have already completed an intra-division trade. We do not know exactly who will be moved, but today’s starter, Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之), has reportedly generated interest.
Sugano has been more than serviceable during his time in Colorado and will look for his 10th victory this afternoon. The veteran right-hander enters at 9-4 with a 4.76 ERA.
That ERA is considerably better than his 7.00 xERA, which ranks in the first percentile. Sugano’s actual results have consistently outpaced his underlying metrics, just as they did with Baltimore in 2025.
His success is not built on premium velocity or exceptional movement. Nearly every pitch in Sugano’s seven-pitch mix moves less than the typical offering of its type.
Sugano has survived by distributing his pitches evenly and avoiding predictable patterns. He has also limited damage in the most perilous situations. Opponents have slugged .575 against him with the bases empty but only .388 with runners in scoring position.
That helps explain why his 4.76 ERA remains so far below his 7.00 xERA.
Taking the ball opposite Sugano will be 27-year-old rookie Shane Drohan. The left-hander has appeared in 20 games and will make his 11th start after working primarily out of the bullpen during March and April.
Drohan enters with a 5-3 record, a 3.20 ERA and 76 strikeouts across 76 innings. He generates plenty of chase, rarely gives away free bases and limits hard contact. His chase rate ranks in the 88th percentile, his walk rate in the 79th percentile and his average exit velocity allowed in the 65th percentile.
His four-seamer, sinker and slider form the foundation of the arsenal.
Both fastballs sit around 95 mph. His four-seamer stays up and carries roughly 3.5 inches more arm-side run than the typical left-handed four-seamer. The sinker arrives at nearly the same velocity and moves even farther arm-side.
The mid-80s slider gives him a tighter breaking pitch off those two fastballs and has been one of his more effective offerings. Drohan also mixes in a slower curveball and a cutter around 90 mph, while using his changeup sparingly.
The sinker presents the clearer opportunity for Colorado. Hitters have batted .332 and slugged .618 against it, while the four-seamer and slider have been much harder to square up.
Hunter Goodman continues to pace the Rockies on Fridays, with five home runs and a .985 OPS in 16 Friday games. Jake McCarthy follows with three homers and a .973 OPS.
Ezequiel Tovar has endured a horrendous season but has also produced on Fridays. Tovar has three home runs and a .941 OPS in 16 Friday games.
Enjoy a rare daytime Friday tilt and a chance to watch a few Rockies who may be playing their final games in purple.
The details…
First Pitch: 2:10 pm MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
BrewersSB Nation site: Brew Crew Ball
Lineups:
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Takeoff: Charles Barkley reacts to LeBron signing, dissects Boston rivalry
Takeoff: Charles Barkley reacts to LeBron signing, dissects Boston rivalry originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Charles Barkley reacts to the massive news of LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers. Barkley breaks down how LeBron will fit alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the implications for the Eastern Conference, and why the new Sixers-Celtics rivalry is going to be epic.
Watch the full episode below:
00:00 – Charles Barkley
00:26 – Charles Barkley’s Initial Reaction to LeBron in Philly
01:57 – Tough Eastern Conference
03:18 – Celtics Rivalry
04:12 – What This Means for Philadelphia Sports
06:29 – Celtics Mistake Trading Jaylen Brown?
07:18 – Are the Sixers the Team to Beat in the East?
08:50 – Barkley’s Hilarious Complaint About Missing Golf
LeBron James signing with 76ers has Tyrese Maxey feeling like John Calipari
John Calipari built his career landing five-star recruits. Tyrese Maxey just helped the 76ers land LeBron James, taking a page from his former coach.
Maxey was in the middle of a workout when news broke that James had agreed to a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers. He quickly turned on the camera, screamed in celebration and gave himself a new title.
“I’m like Coach Cal,” Maxey wrote on the video.
Honestly, the comparison works. Calipari became famous for convincing elite players to join his programs.
Maxey does not have a recruiting staff or a collection of national championship banners, but he reportedly played a major role in convincing the 41-year-old James to choose Philadelphia.
The two are represented by Klutch Sports, and Maxey remained in contact with James throughout his long free-agency process. His efforts helped the Sixers beat out Cleveland, Miami, Golden State and Minnesota for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
No wonder Maxey was screaming.
Philadelphia can now roll out a starting lineup featuring Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James and Joel Embiid. That group brings scoring, passing, athleticism and plenty of playoff experience, putting the Sixers firmly in the NBA title conversation.
James and Maxey could be especially dangerous in transition.
According to The Athletic, they ranked first and second in fast-break points last season. Maxey scored 382, while James finished with 343.
Of everything Calipari taught Maxey during his lone season at Kentucky, recruiting may have been the most unexpected lesson.
Years later, Maxey used it to help Philadelphia land one of the biggest names in basketball history.
Why it’s championship or bust for LeBron James’ final act with 76ers
LeBron James had a lot to weigh.
After deciding to return for his unprecedented 24th NBA season, he needed to choose where he would play.
He mulled over his options for 24 days.
Or 576 hours.
Or 34,560 minutes.
Various factors tugged at his heartstrings for what would be the swan song for one of the greatest athletes of all time.
There was the family factor. His wife, Savannah, 11-year-old daughter, Zhuri, and son, Bronny, are in Los Angeles.
There was the happiness factor. Golf had become his new passion.
There was the legacy factor. Returning to Cleveland, where he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in 2003, would be the perfect storybook ending.
Ultimately, James didn’t prioritize any of those things.
The player who devoted his life to greatness, showing up to arenas five hours before games and three hours before practices and missing countless family celebrations, decided to chase what has motivated him for two decades.
Winning a championship.
James stunned the basketball world Friday morning by agreeing to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers.
He doesn’t have history in Philadelphia, as he does with Cleveland and Miami, where he won three of his four championships. He doesn’t have deep ties to the players on the roster, as he does with Draymond Green and Steph Curry in Golden State.
But he believes the 76ers give him something that has been his life force since he entered the NBA as an 18-year-old with the most pressure on his shoulders of any prospect ever.
A chance to be on the mountaintop again.
So, James will pursue his fifth ring with a new team in a sports-obsessed city. This is a gamble. This is championship or bust. He’s putting it all on the line.
James could’ve released the pressure valve by picking Cleveland or Miami, where he has nothing left to prove.
He could’ve prioritized fun by choosing Golden State, where an old-men-versus-the-league narrative would’ve captivated fans regardless of wins or losses.
Instead, James turned up the pressure to the highest level for his final act.
He entered the league under those conditions. There’s something poetic about him exiting under them, too.
“This is my last decision,” James wrote on X on Friday. “I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”
James is joining a roster headlined by Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers needed a power forward. They got the best free agent on the market in James, a 41-year-old who’s arguably still a top-10 player even though he’s the oldest guy in the league.
The basketball fit is beautiful. James is one of the best playmakers we’ve ever seen. He’ll free up Maxey and Brown to score. If Embiid stays healthy, this team could challenge the reigning champion Knicks.
James won a gold medal alongside Embiid at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He questioned why Brown wasn’t getting more consideration for the MVP Award last season, even though Brown was caught on camera at a 2024 Las Vegas Summer League game saying, “I don’t think Bronny is a pro.” He has publicly touted Maxey, who’s also represented by Klutch Sports Group.
Now they’re joining forces to deliver a championship to Philadelphia, which hasn’t won a title since 1983 when the franchise was led by Julius Erving and Moses Malone.
You can’t help but think James’ decision was influenced by the Knicks’ title run. He watched Jalen Brunson lead a famished fan base to their first championship in 53 years. He saw the joy. The passion. The emotions.
He wanted to recreate that for himself.
Ultimately, he decided it’s all for naught if winning isn’t the end goal. So, he’s going somewhere cold where he can’t play golf year-round. Somewhere far from his family. Somewhere he has no history.
James genuinely contemplated retirement after an eight-season stint with the Lakers.
But the guy who has been the NBA’s sun for two decades still deeply felt the gravitational pull that has been his oxygen for over 20 years.
So he decided to return for a final act.
He won a championship in Miami in his second season with the team. When he returned to Cleveland, it took him two seasons to lead the franchise to its only title. And after going to the Lakers, he led them to a title in his second season.
He’s giving himself the same timeline in Philadelphia.
After rumors swirled for three weeks about his priorities, in retrospect it makes sense that only one mattered.
And he’s putting everything on the line to achieve it.
He wants to hear the crowd roar. He wants to see a deluge of confetti fall from the rafters. He wants to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy once again.
The greatest is going for greatness.
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Three Players to Avoid at the Trade Deadline
There are often players who change teams and don’t put together the same results. Think of Ryan Helsley and Cedric Mullins for the Mets last season. It can happen and sometimes it’s easy to see.
Once again, the Phillies will be buyers at the trade deadline, looking to bolster their club for a trip into October and hopefully longer.
There are just some players that you’re better off not paying the price for.
AJ Minter- New York MetsLHP
AJ Minter makes a lot of sense for the Phillies on the surface, he carries a 1.71 ERA over 21 innings. The Phillies could use a left handed reliever with how Jose Alvarado, Tanner Banks, or Kyle Backhus has pitched for them. Minter has pitched in plenty of big games with the Atlanta Braves, and has a ring on his finger from the 2021 season.
But the 32-year-old left-hander is a regression risk. He has come back from his lat tear throwing over a tick slower and has had to change his pitch mix because of it. He’s leaned even more on his cutter, yet is still getting barreled often along with the lowest strikeout rate of his career.
He has pitched very well for the Mets because of a 2.4% walk rate and a very high strand rate. Could it work? It’s possible but it is hard to imagine either sustaining.
In four of Minter’s previous five seasons, he possessed a walk rate over 8%, with the exception being 2022, without question the best season of his career. There might be some walk regression coming, given that he cannot rely on throwing the fastball as much in the zone and the assumption that there is at least some command regression.
If he is already dealing with batted ball issues and strikeout issues, it is going to be hard to assume he can trade some walks. Minter just looks like a declining reliever that pitches worse moving forward.
Heliot Ramos- SF Giants Outfielder
Over the last three seasons, Heliot Ramos has a 115 OPS+ and has three additional seasons under club control at just 26 years old. It can be enticing but given his price, limitations, and potential regression, it might be best to avoid him.
Yes, the Phillies could really use a right handed bat this run and Ramos would be the de facto cleanup hitter. A lot of that says more about the current state of the Phillies than Ramos but there are other limitations.
As a hitter, Ramos’ numbers against right-handed pitching are bordering on a platoon risk already. He carries a .718 OPS against righties this season despite an outlier season against sliders and carries significant approach concerns. He has a chase rate of 37.2%, a high strikeout rate, and is allergic to walks. Sounds familiar?
While it is unfair to characterize him as a platoon player right now, the results are enough to justify him in the lineup, he is a slight slip away from being a short-side platoon corner outfielder and giving up premium prospect capital is just not worth it.
This is all forgetting that Ramos is limited as a player; he is not a good defensive left fielder on a team that already struggles to catch the ball. It would force Brandon Marsh to slide to right field, which is probably not what you want defensively, even if it could work fine.
There are also the longer-term team-building concerns that come with a trade like this. Trea Turner is no longer a shortstop, and may not even be an infielder anymore. Are they forcing him to stay in the infield with a move like this? Trading Brandon Marsh to make Turner work in the outfield? Maybe they could, it just feels like a lot for a player that might never have a three-win season.
Foster Griffin- Washington Nationals LHP
How we view starting pitchers with as much information as we do is tricky. I don’t think anyone views Foster Griffin as a top-of-the-rotation breakout after pitching three seasons in Japan. It would also be unfair to label Griffin as someone who actually stinks.
The cutter is a really good pitch for him, limiting hard contact and it gets enough whiffs. His sweeper and changeup are good pitches and the fastball isn’t getting crushed.
It is just that he is still at probably the highest ceiling he can get to, Griffin has pitched to a 2.68 ERA and made the All-Star Game for a Nationals organization that already looks like one of the sharpest in the sport. He has a very good strand rate, that could regress moving forward. He is also susceptible to pulled flyballs and home runs because he does not throw overwhelming stuff.
It is just hard to see him not regressing to the mean. Stuff has gone great for him over his first 20 starts of 2026, if he starts regressing to more like a high 3s, low 4s ERA pitcher, which is probably closer to who he is, that probably means really bad results moving forward.
Given the other rental starting pitcher options like Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, or even Robbie Ray, it just might be best to avoid Griffin.
Stephen A. Smith’s warning to Knicks after LeBron James signs with rival
The Knicks’ reign in the Eastern Conference may be over, Stephen A. Smith says.
On ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith reacted to LeBron James signing with Philadelphia , warning that the 76ers are now “right in with New York as the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference.”
Smith credited Sixers president of sports Bob Myers for crafting a team that can compete with anyone, including the defending champion Knicks that swept Philadelphia in the second round of the playoffs this season.
“Now you have Jaylen Brown, who’s big time, with Tyrese Maxey, who’s big time, with VJ Edgecombe, who signed as a rookie and has tremendous potential…” Smith said. “If Joel Embiid is 50%, I mean, if he can give you anything during the playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers could win the championship.”
Myers has plenty of experience building championship teams, spending 2012-23 as the Warriors’ general managerand winning four NBA championships.
Smith explained that while he’s impressed with executives’ ability to get Lebron, he is equally surprised.
The sports personality didn’t think James would join a team in the East other than Cleveland.
Smith isn’t the only one surprised, though. The prediction market Kalshi had the Sixers at just an eight percent chance of claiming the 41-year-old entering Friday.
James also took a larger paycut than many were expected to fit the Philadelphia roster.
The Akron, Ohio, native signed a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option marking a nearly $50 million pay cut per year from his $52 million salary with the Lakers.
James was always expected to take a paycut, with widely reported suitors such as Cleveland, Miami, Golden State limited to veteran-minimum or exception-level offers, yet the figure is still surprising.
Even with the slim salary, ESPN cap expert Bobby Marks says the Sixers are around $572,000 above the first apron after the signing.
Myers and co. will have to cut someone or make a trade before the season in order to create the cap room James needs.
For now, though, Philadelphia fans can be satisfied looking at a starting lineup of Maxey, Edgecombe, Embiid, Brown and James and dream of beating the Knicks in 2027.
Will Bronny follow LeBron James to Philadelphia 76ers? What we know
Editor's note: Get live updates on LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers here.
Now that LeBron James has announced stunned the NBA with his decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers and close his eight-year chapter with the Los Angeles Lakers, a new wave of speculation has erupted: Will Bronny James join his father in Philadelphia?
The Lakers have made it clear that they have no intention of trading Bronny James. Meanwhile, the 76ers’ roster features a deep backcourt, leaving little immediate need or space to acquire another guard.
Also, Rich Paul, the agent for both players, told ESPN that "they are not a package deal" and there's no plan to request that Bronny join LeBron in Philadelphia.
The network also said Bronny recently picked up his player option with the Lakers.
Bronny appeared in 27 regular-season games for the Lakers during the 2024-25 season and 42 regular-season games and eight playoff games last year, often splitting his time with the South Bay Lakers, the franchise’s G League affiliate.
Bronny averaged 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game last season with the Lakers.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Bronny follow LeBron James to Philadelphia 76ers? What we know
Does LeBron James to 76ers seriously threaten Knicks' Eastern Conference supremacy?
At the ripe age of 41, LeBron James still managed to hold the basketball world hostage and shock it, announcing he’s signing with the Philadelphia 76ers after weeks of deliberation.
He joins forces with the newly-acquired Jaylen Brown, and familiar postseason foes of the Knicks, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
With this move, some oddsmakers have Philly neck-and-neck or even ahead of New York to take the East in 2026-27. Are the 76ers now a true threat to the reigning champions?
You look over their roster on paper and it reads like a 12-year-old’s NBA 2K franchise jumped the shark. Four All-Star level guys who peak a tier higher when healthy, flanked by a rising prospect in V.J. Edgecombe and some solid depth pieces in Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade, is nothing to scoff at.
Their deep bench has some lottery tickets as well, with Dominick Barlow, rookie Labaron Philon Jr., and former Knick Ariel Hukporti. Barring a bad string of injuries, they should be able to piece together a reliable eight-to-nine man group for the postseason. Brown and James bring real championship mettle. Their top four are high-IQ players who can all create for themselves and others, and if they’re able to sacrifice their individual scoring they won’t be an easy group to guard.
If Maxey and Brown are the primary creators, they have roll and pop opportunities for days with James and Embiid. James can also be the screen man in any combination and facilitate himself in an offense that can pressure the paint and theoretically spread the floor five-out.
There’s enough production here to have different options carry them through the regular season, then come the postseason they can be deadly if everybody is bought in. Embiid and James will have to revert back to their defense from a few years ago come that time, but if they can Philly has no ceiling.
On the flip side, they still have plenty of questions.
It will take a lot of sacrifice and experimentation to get the offensive cohesion right, especially among four guys who have stakes in being lead initiators.
Not only will the hierarchy be blurry to start, but Brown, James, and Embiid will have to put up career shooting years to punish defenses for packing the paint. All three like to operate out of the mid-post, but their biggest test will come on the other end.
Embiid hasn’t been an elite defensive anchor in years, James has backtracked on that end, and the guards plus Brown don’t make up much ground there. The Sixers can skate by during the regular season but would need to stack all-out performances together in the playoffs to advance far.
The biggest time bomb on the roster is their health, especially Embiid’s and James'. The former hasn’t played 40 ore more games in three seasons, with two young backups, while the latter is fighting his own battles now playing professionally for over 20 consecutive years.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are coming off one of the most dominant postseason runs in recent NBA history, which included sweeping a slightly dissimilar Sixers team. Sure, they’ve made additions, but four more wins of them?
There will likely need to be some trial-and-error before we get to truly judge this team’s chances. As we’ve seen from the 2013 Lakers, the James Harden-Kawhi Leonard-Paul George Clippers, the 2021 Nets, and 2024 Suns, a super-team lacking cohesion or injury luck is as susceptible to complete failure than to legitimate contention.
The Knicks have proven themselves to be championship caliber and shouldn’t be written off to underdog status until proven otherwise. But Philadelphia is coming for the throne, and won’t be as easy to beat this time.