During his conversation with @EdEastonJr, retired NFL quarterback Tim Tebow discussed the Wuerffel Trophy legacy
Even Coach Bednar Can’t Keep Up with MacKinnon’s Historic Pace
DENVER — Whether you’re a casual observer or a devoted hockey aficionado, keeping pace with Nathan MacKinnon’s ever-expanding list of milestones can feel like a daunting task. But take heart — even Coach Jared Bednar admits he finds it difficult to track them all.
The Avalanche scored a 6-2 victory over the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. MacKinnon pushed the Avalanche ahead 4–1 at 7:18 of the second period, ripping a wrist shot through a quartet of bodies for his 25th goal of the season. The tally — the 392nd of his career — lifted him past Joe Sakic for the most goals in franchise history since the team’s move to Colorado in 1995–96.
Bednar Unaware of Milestone
The Hockey News asked Bednar for his thoughts on MacKinnon’s historic night — assuming he was aware of the record — and invited him to reflect on what it has meant to watch MacKinnon evolve into one of the NHL’s premier players.
His reaction said it all.
“It’s awesome. I mean whenever you have a guy with that type of determination and leadership style, you want him to have success, and you want him to be firing on all cylinders,” Bednar said of MacKinnon. “And he was a horse on the puck tonight.
“I can’t keep track of his milestones because it seems like he’s getting one every game, so I don’t even know which one you’re talking about, but he was really good tonight, highly competitive at the point of the puck and patient with the puck and still making plays, making dangerous plays and difficult plays all night.”
Milestone City
Bednar isn’t wrong. Since early November, MacKinnon has been amassing milestones at a remarkable pace. On November 10, he surpassed franchise icon Peter Stastny with his 381st career goal, moving into sole possession of third place on the Avalanche’s all-time list.
Just 10 days later, a goal against the New York Rangers propelled him past Stastny once more — this time for second place in franchise history in points. And on Thursday, MacKinnon reached yet another pinnacle: first place on the Avalanche’s all-time goals list since the franchise relocated to Colorado.
Of course, this should not be conflated with combined Nordiques–Avalanche history. Joe Sakic still maintains a commanding lead in that broader category, having scored 625 goals over his illustrious career. Yet, considering the Avalanche have existed in Colorado for just over 25 years and MacKinnon has been in the league for only 12, the fact that he now stands alone atop any franchise leaderboard is a testament to his extraordinary talent and sustained excellence.
And perhaps, by season’s end, MacKinnon will continue to raise the standard even higher. His 25 goals and 53 points currently lead the NHL, while his 28 assists place him tied for fifth, just behind three players who sit at 29. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid holds the league lead with 32 assists.
The significance of this cannot be overstated: it has been nearly three decades since a player led the NHL in goals, assists, and points at the conclusion of a season. Mario Lemieux was the last to accomplish the feat, back in 1996. In an era where elite talent is separated by the narrowest of margins, Nathan MacKinnon may well be the player capable of achieving such a rare and extraordinary milestone.
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Pastrnak hits Bruins milestone as win streak reaches four games
Pastrnak hits Bruins milestone as win streak reaches four games originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins entered Friday tied for first place in the Atlantic Division, and the return of David Pastrnak is a huge reason why.
The superstar right wing recently missed five games with an injury. Since returning to the lineup against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Pastrnak has completely dominated offensively with seven points and 10 shots in two games.
He picked up three assists in a 5-2 win over the Blues, and then he scored twice with two more assists in a 6-3 victory over the Jets in Winnipeg on Thursday night.
“I’m feeling good. I feel like with every shift I’m a little better,” Pastrnak told NESN postgame. “It’s not easy coming back from injury. Sometimes it can be more mental than the physical (aspect). It’s been good.
“I came into the (team) winning and the boys were playing unbelievable hockey before I came back, so I’m just trying to jump in and join. It’s always easy when the team is winning.”
His performance against the Jets was particularly impressive. Pastrnak got the Bruins on the board in the first period with a power-play goal.
It was the 403rd goal of his Bruins career (he scored an empty-net goal in the third period, too), moving him past Rick Middleton for sole possession of fifth place on the team’s all-time leaderboard.
- Johnny Bucyk: 545 goals
- Phil Esposito: 459
- Patrice Bergeron: 427
- Brad Marchand: 422
- David Pastrnak: 404
Pastrnak has a great chance to reach No. 1 in a couple years, and he could get as high as No. 3 before the end of the season. What did Pastrnak think of hitting this impressive milestone?
“I’m honored,” Pastrnak told NESN postgame. “I’m very aware of where I play, and the organization and the amount of history the Boston Bruins organization has. I’m very honored and humble. Just trying my best and keep working harder. There’s only one thing missing for me, and that’s what I’ll be chasing.”
Pastrnak also showed off his elite playmaking skill. He’s one of the best goal scorers in the league, but his passing remains underrated. Pastrnak has tallied 63 assists in each of the last two seasons, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him reach that level again in 2025-26.
He does a tremendous job setting up his teammates with Grade A scoring chances. His pass to Elias Lindholm to set up a goal that gave the B’s a 5-3 lead with 5:17 left in the third period was a good example.
Pastrnak’s four points Thursday gave him a team-leading 36 points (13 goals, 26 assists) in 27 games.
It could be tough for anyone to overtake Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon in the Hart Trophy race. Not only is MacKinnon leading the league in scoring, the Avalanche have a league-best 22-2-7 record.
But if the Bruins make the playoffs and Pastrnak hits the 100-point mark for the fourth straight season, it’s possible that he could be a finalist for the award. Few players are more valuable to their team than Pastrnak.
The Bruins have overachieved to this point. A lot of experts picked them to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. And while there’s still a lot of hockey left to be played, the ability for this Bruins team to overcome adversity of all kinds has been impressive.
“The whole year we’ve been put in different situations and we’ve been able to win different kinds of games,” Pastrnak told NESN. “That gives the team confidence. Same thing with injuries. Some top players came out and the guys who stepped in played amazing hockey and helped the team win and be productive.
“That’s the identity — next man up and we stick together as one team.”
William Nylander Produces In Third Line, But Costly Late-Game Blunders Sink Maple Leafs in Overtime vs. Sharks
William Nylander picked up a pair of assists in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
“It was the best game I've seen him play in a while,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Nylander. “He was engaged. When I see him skating and handling the puck and keeping the puck and doing things he did tonight with the puck, I know he was ready to go.”
Nylander’s line was Toronto’s best at 5-on-5, with Dakota Joshua scoring Toronto’s only even-strength goal of the game. The unit had an expected goals share of 85 percent in the 11:15 of ice time they logged together, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
“I thought they played great. But we had a lot of chances tonight. So it's a positive thing,” Nylander said. “I mean, if we would have scored a couple more, we would have won. But, yeah, I thought we played a good game.”
Nylander slid into the role while Bobby McMann served a one-game suspension for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand. With McMann set to return, does it make sense for Nylander to move back up, or should he remain on the third line?
It’s a question the Leafs will have to mull over before taking on Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
While Nylander lamented not scoring enough, Berube chose to focus on the Leafs' inability to hold the lead in the third period—particularly during a late 6-on-5 sequence where Nylander was one of several players unable to clear the puck from harm's way.
“I still think we're not where we need to be. We could be better. And it's the third period for me showing that,” Berube said. “Goalie out, we have an opportunity to get the puck out a couple times. We don't do it. It's things like that that cost us tonight in the game.”
John Klingberg ties it late pic.twitter.com/h6aypB9Fkc
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 12, 2025
The difference in emphasis between Berube and Nylander speaks to how differently they view things at times. Nylander leads the Leafs in points with 34, four more than the next player (John Tavares with 30).
It is difficult for the head coach to be too critical, especially when Nylander provided all the offense. However, the mistakes Berube highlighted didn’t occur while Nylander was skating with his third-line unit.
That success builds a case to keep him there, but it creates a roster puzzle regarding McMann. The solution might be as simple as scratching Nick Robertson, but Berube has a decision to make.
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Canadiens: Fowler’s Fantastic Debut Leads Montreal To Win
All eyes were on the Montreal Canadiens’ crease on Thursday night as Jacob Fowler was making his NHL debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The rookie was attempting to follow in some sizeable footsteps as three goaltending greats of the Habs’ past had had their first start there as well: Ken Dryden (a 5-1 win in March 1971), Patrick Roy (a 5-3 win in October 1985) and Carey Price (a 3-2 win in October 2007). The latter reached out to Fowler after hearing he had been called up and told him to go out there and have fun.
The collective effort was also under the microscope after the Tricolore had given a few questionable performances over the last few weeks, prompting GM Kent Hughes to recall not only Fowler, but also Adam Engstrom and Owen Beck.
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The Blueprint Of A Perfect Frame
The Sainte-Flanelle came ready to play and was firing on all cylinders in the first frame, not only offensively speaking, but on the other side of the puck as well. As soon as they lost the puck, Martin St-Louis’ men flipped their internal switch to defence, and their forecheck allowed Alexandre Texier to score the first goal of the game, but also his first as a member of the Canadiens.
On paper, it was an unassisted goal because it came from a Kris Letang turnover, but the Canadiens had done such a good job of trapping the Pens in their zone that the quintet had been on the ice for almost two minutes, and a tired player is prone to mistakes.
After 20 minutes, Montreal had a 1-0 lead and was leading 9-4 in shots on net.
The Man Of The Hour
If Fowler was nervous about making his NHL debut, it didn’t show, not even for a second. The youngster had to wait a long time to receive his first shot as the Habs were playing such a good defensive game, but he was ready when it came. He looked calm and collected in net, wasn’t overplaying the puck and was not wasting any energy with unnecessary movement.
If the first frame was like dipping his toe in the water, the second was like diving in the deep end. After playing a fantastic first, the Canadiens’ collective effort dipped in the second stanza, but Fowler welcomed the challenge with open arms. He faced 16 shots in those 20 minutes, and he saved them all, not once looking panicked or out of his depth.
Even when a hard shot from the blueline was deflected right in front of him, he picked it up like a ripe apple from a tree, effortlessly and calmly. His rebound control, when he gave rebounds, was also impressive. On one play, he made a pad save and sent the puck right to Juraj Slafkovsky, who launched the attack which led to Brendan Gallagher’s goal.
Fowler faced another 15 shots in the final frame and surrendered two goals. One came from in close as Sidney Crosby fed Bryan Rusk with a backhand, and the second was a point shot through heavy traffic on the power play. Lane Hutson came to the rescue in the dying minutes as the Penguins were attacking with an extra skater, but overall, this was as good a debut as Fowler could have hoped. 36 saves on 38 shots for a .947 save percentage.
The American netminder’s family looked on as he claimed his first career win and made what they all had dreamt of for so long a reality. They were initially set to attend a Christmas party tonight, according to the young netminder, but they had to change their plans, something they won’t complain about. As much as the Canadiens tried to downplay his call-up, this performance is sure to excite this fanbase.
Jacob Fowler's mom, Kerri, was emotional seeing her son get his rookie lap ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kwxtp5TfC6
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 12, 2025
As a side note, he faced seven shots from a player who was the best in the world for a long time in Sidney Crosby, and he stopped them all. The youngster wasn’t star-struck or intimidated at all. He has one job to do, and he did it.
After the game, Gallagher said that he thought he was calm in the net, didn’t need to make a lot of movement, and had a good demeanour—three essential qualities for a goaltender that can inspire his teammates.
Secondary Scoring
The Canadiens had struggled to score at even strength of late, but on Thursday night, the bottom-six showed up and had an impact. As previously mentioned, Texier scored the first goal, and Gallagher the second. The veteran has had a tough time this season, and this goal is sure to ease some of the pressure he’s under. Still, the goal was his 241st; he now trails Mats Naslund by only two goals for 14th place in franchise history.
Owen Beck almost had his first career goal, but it was waved off for offside after a coach’s challenge. That would have been some more secondary scoring.
The Right Reaction
If the Canadiens were unable to stop the hemorrhage against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night, they didn’t have that problem in Pittsburgh. On the contrary, when the Pens found the back of the net, it took the Canadiens just 15 seconds to regain their three-goal lead when Juraj Slafkovsky set up an Oliver Kapanen goal. That was the rookie’s 10th of the season, meaning he now leads all rookies in goals ex aequo with the Anaheim Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke. Furthermore, he’s now the second-highest goal scorer for the Canadiens; Cole Caufield, with 17 goals, is the only one who has more.
Un 10e but cette saison pour Kapanen!
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 12, 2025
KAPPY ANSWERS RIGHT BACK#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/AiQtgRjsvF
After the game, the Canadiens flew to Newark, where they will enjoy a day off ahead of their Saturday night game against the New York Rangers. Considering the state of the goaltending in Montreal right now, it would make sense to have Fowler in net then as well, but we’ll see what the bench boss decides.
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'Still Have To Work On Our Game': Red Wings Lament Missed Chances in 4-1 Loss To Oilers
While the Detroit Red Wings got off to a good start in Thursday evening's game against the Edmonton Oilers by generating multiple offensive chances, they weren't able to convert on them during the opening 20 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, the host Oilers capitalized on their first power-play opportunity of the night and controlled play on the scoreboard en route to a 4-1 win, giving the Red Wings their first regulation loss of their season-high six-game road trip and first since Nov. 28.
Dylan Larkin, who leads Detroit with 17 goals on the season, said it simply came down to one team capitalizing on their chances and one not going so.
“I thought it was maybe one of our better games of the trip in O-zone time and generating chances,” Larkin said. “They capitalized on their chances. We didn’t.”
“They started with a power-play goal to get their offense going. That was something we tried to avoid and weren’t able to tonight.”
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Oilers forward Zach Hyman registered a hat trick by scoring once in each period, including an empty-net tally late in regulation to seal the victory.
The Oilers also got a goal from defenseman Mattias Ekholm, while goaltender Stuart Skinner picked up the win by making 27 saves.
Detroit's Cam Talbot surrendered three goals while making 25 saves in the venue he once called home earlier in his career during his tenure with the Oilers.
Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, who once coached Edmonton, explained that there were still holes in Detroit's game to work on.
https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings“The wins and points in the bank are great, but obviously we didn’t get them tonight, and sometimes, that can fool you a little bit," he said. "But at the end of the year, it doesn’t really matter how you got them. We still have to work on our game.”
The Red Wings will conclude their road trip on Saturday evening with a matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center, and will hope to avenge their 5-1 setback at Little Caesars Arena on Nov. 9.
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Giants' search for offseason upgrades continues after quiet MLB Winter Meetings
Giants' search for offseason upgrades continues after quiet MLB Winter Meetings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
ORLANDO — When it comes to the front office hierarchy for the MLB Winter Meetings, it doesn’t matter how you fared on the field last year, or how big your payroll is, or whether your lead executive is headed for the Hall of Fame.
Suites are handed out based on the seniority of your baseball operations leadership, which means the Giants, despite having Buster Posey atop their depth chart, are down near the bottom of the list. Their meeting space at the Waldorf Astoria was a bit cramped at times, but team officials also spent less time than expected in the suite.
On night one, Jeff Kent was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the entire front office — including Posey and Bruce Bochy — attended his press conference the next afternoon. The following days brought awards for their VP of media relations, clubhouse managers and executive assistant, and those ceremonies were also well attended.
When it came to celebrating their own, nobody had a better week in Orlando than the San Francisco Giants, and on Tuesday, they got a cherry on top when they moved up 11 spots in the draft lottery, thrilling an amateur scouting staff that now will pick fourth overall.
It was a good week for the organization. It was also a very quiet one for the actual roster.
Daniel Susac, a Rule 5 pick, was the only player acquired over four days in Orlando. As the holidays approach, the Giants have committed just $1.4 million (reliever Sam Hentges) to free agents this offseason. It’s a far cry from Posey’s first offseason, when he gave Willy Adames $182 million before the Winter Meetings even started.
“It’s quiet as far as news. It’s certainly not quiet in the suite,” Posey said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “There are a lot of different ideas being thrown around amongst ourselves and with other teams. I learned last year you think you might have something and you don’t, and maybe you think you have something again and you don’t, and a lot of times you don’t. That’s kind of the way things are.”
The high point of the week from a baseball perspective was the draft lottery, and that surprising development might cause the Giants to double down on some internal thinking. After giving up two second-round picks, a third and a fifth in back-to-back years by signing Matt Chapman, Blake Snell and Adames, their preference would be a player who doesn’t have the qualifying offer attached.
Signing a QO player would cost them a second-round pick and international bonus pool money, which is no small thing at a time when they are poised to sign Venezuelan shortstop Luis Hernandez, the best international prospect available during the period that opens January 15. Hernandez’s bonus will easily surpass the $3 million the Giants gave Josuar Gonzalez a year ago, and that pursuit required a late trade with the Miami Marlins to stockpile more bonus money.
When it comes to the traditional MLB Draft next July, the Giants estimate they added as much as $4 million to their pool by moving up 11 spots in the lottery, and that gives them plenty of options in what is considered a very deep class with multiple position players who would go No. 1 most years. By keeping all of their picks, the Giants could take a huge swing at No. 4 and still have the capital to go way over slot with their second-round pick and potentially add another first-round talent.
Posey declined to indicate a preference one way or the other on qualifying-offer players when asked early in the week, but it’s a big group that includes pitchers Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen and Michael King.
Valdez and Suarez, along with Japanese star Tatsuya Imai, are the remaining starters most likely to get nine-figure contracts, which chairman Greg Johnson has somewhat come out against publicly. Giants officials say there is no blanket policy, though, and while there’s a general payroll number that they have been given, Posey is always allowed to go to his partners in ownership and make the case for specific players.
“Greg and the rest of the ownership group, from my experience, has always been very willing to listen,” Posey told NBC Sports Bay Area. “So, if we find a player that we think is going to help us win games and compete for a World Series, they’ll listen on it. At the same time, they’re pragmatic people as well. That’s part of my job and Zack’s job is being able to say we believe in this player and then there’s a conversation to be had with them.
“I go back to the (Rafael) Devers trade last year. We took on a lot of money. The willingness is there, it just needs to make sense for us.”
That last part might be crucial. Per sources, the Giants are simply not that enamored with a lot of this winter’s class, especially at their current prices. Posey jumped the line on Adames and Devers, but there has been no player to force that kind of urgency over the past month.
The front office knows, though, that plenty of help is needed. Internally, there is significant concern about the current state of the rotation, and the hope is that multiple arms can be added. If free agency doesn’t solve all those problems, a trade will be needed, and there should be good options.
Freddy Peralta — who overlapped with Minasian in Milwaukee and is close friends with Adames — is an obvious target. While San Anselmo native Joe Ryan is seemingly off the market, Cupertino’s Kris Bubic could still be an option. The Kansas City Royals are said to be looking for outfield help, and the Giants at least have a large and diverse group on their 40-man roster.
Even with nine outfielders, they’re still somewhat involved in that market. A lot of their conversations this week were about potential depth pieces for a group that doesn’t have an obvious Opening Day starter in right field. Agent Scott Boras also indicated that he has discussed Cody Bellinger with the Giants front office.
While the Giants haven’t spent much this offseason, they have done a nice job of filling some cracks. The additions of Justin Dean and Joey Wiemer give them better defense in the outfield; lefties Reiver Sanmartin and Hentges will compete for bullpen jobs; Susac, added in a trade right after the Rule 5 Draft, could be the backup catcher.
None of those moves were costly, but they reshaped some corners of the 40-man roster, potentially leaving more to throw at the starting pitcher and closer searches, although on that latter front, they have not been eager to spend big money. The Giants also need a top setup man, and while they have talked with old friend Tyler Rogers, it seems likely at the moment that he’ll find a bigger deal elsewhere.
The front office is still looking for upgrades to the lineup and bench, with St. Louis’ Brandon Donovan near the top of that list. The Cardinals are looking for young pitching, and that’s another area where the Giants have pieces to trade. They discussed Nico Hoerner with the Chicago Cubs at the 2024 deadline and he remains a possibility.
But relying on the trade market can be difficult, because you’re dependent on another team. The Giants were frustrated with the pace of some talks this week, but both Posey and Minasian said they still feel they can get to the right destination.
“I don’t know if there was much more that we could do as far as conversations, meetings — we feel like some things are heading in the right direction,” Minasian said. “It’s tough to handicap when a deal is going to get done, but we try to put our best foot forward and I think we’ve shown we’re willing to be aggressive.
“Some things we’re still working on, some things we feel like maybe there’s a path. We’ll see where it goes. Right now, it’s still kind of anyone’s guess.”
Despite the uncertainty and the questions about their financial restraints, some rival officials said this week that they have seen nothing but aggression from Posey. He shocked the industry with the Devers trade and that impacted his flexibility this winter, but Posey still believes he can put a playoff-caliber roster around Logan Webb, Devers, Adames, Matt Chapman and the rest of the core.
As he prepared to fly back to San Francisco on Wednesday, Posey said he’s willing to remain patient.
“I think everybody would tell you that you wish you could sign and trade for every player that you want, but the reality is that’s just not going to happen,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area. “I had to be patient as a player when I was 0-for-15 and wanted to try to find a way to get some sleep at night. It’s part of it and we’ll keep going and see what we can do to try to improve the team that we feel is in a really good spot.
“We really feel like we’re right there. We’re right there to getting back to where we all want to go and know that the Giants belong.”
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A Hollywood ending? Inside the final days of LeBron James in Los Angeles
In a book about LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s only fitting that one memorable scene involves a Hollywood star: Will Smith.
Yaron Weitzman’s latest book is titled A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers. Suffice to say the plot thickens when Smith goes to the Lakers’ film room to speak to the team in 2022.
Six months had passed since Smith had slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars. Now Smith was participating in a series of celebrity talks to the Lakers, an innovation brought in by general manager Rob Pelinka. According to the book, James asked Smith question after question until a scheduled half-hour visit had ballooned to nearly twice that amount, with fellow Laker Russell Westbrook growing visibly frustrated, frowning in a team photo with Smith.
“You get to see the personal, intra-office dynamics that impact the game that you don’t always think about,” Weitzman says of the scene.
He notes that those who’ve read the excerpt “seem to be cheering on Westbrook” and “latching on to the idea that it was LeBron’s fault, LeBron was a phony.” He points out that Westbrook has played for multiple NBA teams, and in LA, he was “awful on the court, hardheaded, no willingness to adjust his game.”
As for James: “He is the defining, not just basketball player … but athlete of my generation,” says the 37-year-old Weitzman. And, the author adds, “It seemed like the ‘merger’ between LeBron and the Lakers was fertile ground for the sort of reporting and storytelling” that’s fueled by what Weitzman calls behind the scenes drama.
Weitzman is no stranger to dissecting NBA franchises. It’s what he did in his previous book, about the Philadelphia 76ers, Tanking to the Top. With the Lakers, though, the spotlight was more intense. There was the team’s location in America’s entertainment epicenter. There was a legacy of championships won by stars from Magic Johnson to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Kobe Bryant to Shaquille O’Neal, the last two coached by the legendary Phil Jackson. (Last season brought another addition to the pantheon – Luka Dončić – but we’ll get to him later.) There was the role of the Buss family, especially the late longtime team owner Jerry Buss and his daughter, Jeanie, who succeeded him in the executive office. Then there was what Weitzman called the “merger” between the Lakers and James, who brought a star power all his own – as well as the increasingly powerful agency that represented him: Klutch Sports Group, run by James’ friend Rich Paul.
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How rare is James’s status in the NBA? The book notes his estimated billion-dollar-plus worth while still on an NBA roster, and his dream of someday owning a franchise. Weitzman tracks the impact of James’ comments to the media – including some much-scrutinized remarks at a press conference after the Lakers’ 2023 playoff exit: “I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.”
Neither James nor team ownership would talk with Weitzman for the book. He filled in the gaps by reading the news coverage from as far back as 15 years ago, supplementing this by watching documentaries, listening to podcasts and speaking with whoever would talk to him, a list that grew to almost 300. Keep an eye out for the footnotes while reading the book. Weitzman describes them as “like someone winking at the reader.”
On page 54, you’ll find not one but two footnotes relating to Daenerys Targaryen. Why? Bryant is quoted urging Jeanie Buss to emulate the Game of Thrones character in early 2017. That’s when, according to the book, she won a George RR Martin-esque power struggle for control of the team. The next year, James came to LA for four years and $154m.
“The Lakers were in a dark period,” Weitzman says. “They certainly needed LeBron. LeBron saved Jeanie Buss’ legacy by coming there.” He adds that unlike past stars such as Magic, Kobe or Shaq, LeBron came to the Lakers as “a fully formed icon, which they had not had before.”
There were significant if not immediate benefits: A championship in James’ second season with the Lakers, 2019-20 – a season that ended amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests. It was also a season that saw the death of Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash. Coach Frank Vogel kept the team focused as it played before empty stands in the NBA bubble. It was title No 17 for the Lakers, tying them with the Boston Celtics for the all-time league mark.
Would there be an encore? Pelinka tried to add more talent around James, and in 2021 he brought in Westbrook. Yet the 2021-22 team couldn’t even qualify for the playoffs to defend its title, and Vogel lost his job.
Darvin Ham succeeded Vogel as coach. James continued to dazzle on the court, yet the team struggled around him. The book finds a perfect microcosm: On 7 February 2023, James broke the all-time NBA scoring record, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar, in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. There were cheers for James after he set the mark late in the third quarter, and a salute from commissioner Adam Silver. However, as the book points out, it was the Thunder who won the game. The Lakers stood at 25-30, in danger of missing the playoffs once more.
Cue more plot twists. The Lakers traded away Westbrook, and saw their fortunes surge. They made the playoffs, going all the way to the West finals, which Denver swept. It was an encouraging first season for Ham, yet the following season the Nuggets ousted the Lakers again, this time in the first round of the playoffs. The hated Celtics won the title that season, moving them ahead of LA for that record 18th banner.
Parting ways with Ham, the Lakers flirted with UConn coach Dan Hurley before he ultimately turned LA down. The Lakers hired player-turned-podcaster JJ Redick and made a unique decision in the draft: They selected James’ son Bronny at No 54, setting up a rare father-son pairing in the lineup. Then, earlier this year, Pelinka made a league-shattering move, dealing Anthony Davis for Mavericks superstar Dončić, who is already one his way to replacing James as the face of the Lakers.
By that point, Weitzman thought he was finished with the manuscript, which initially ended with Bronny joining James on the Lakers. As they say in Hollywood, get me a rewrite.
“I live in New York. The Lakers were playing the Knicks that night at Madison Square Garden,” Weitzman recalls of the Dončić trade. “I was at the game, then I was driving my way home, saw the tweet – oh my God.”
The book wraps up in where-are-they-now style, giving readers updates on the cast. Among them: The Buss family has sold its majority stake to Mark Walter, the owner of the cross-town LA Dodgers, with Jeanie Buss remaining as governor and keeping 15% ownership.
“I’m curious to see where this goes,” Weitzman says. “Is she going to stay or go? I’m dubious whether she actually can stay … Usually, people who pay the money want to be in charge.”
As for James?
“Playing into his 40s, it’s something unparalleled,” Weitzman marvels. “In the major professional American sports, the four major sports, Tom Brady is the only comparison. I’ve never seen anything like it.”