Sports talk is easy when it’s pop culture and sports combined.
What like it’s hard?
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
The sports world lost its mind last night with the airing of “The Last Dance,” the 10-part docuseries about Michael Jordan. It went from letters Jordan wrote to his mom in college requesting money and postage stamps to the G.O.A.T. walking out on a drug-fueled Chicago Bulls party as a rookie to arguments with Bulls general manager Jerry Krause. The moment everyone is talking about this morning? Producers labeled former President Barack Obama as “former Chicago resident” during his interview. SOMEONE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR
Overtime
Saturday would’ve been Vanessa and Kobe Bryant’s 19th wedding anniversary and one of his former teammates stepped up big time in the wake of Kobe’s death. His former Lakers’ teammate Pau Gasol and his wife sent Vanessa flowers to mark the occasion, saying “We love you V! You are so loved. Happy anniversary mama!” Kobe, his daughter Gianna, two of her basketball teammates and their families all perished in a helicopter crash earlier this year. SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS
The WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) also recognized the three girls as honorary draft picks during the WNBA draft on Friday night. ALL THE FEELS
Sideline stat
The big three of men’s tennis – Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – are working together for a common cause. The three are working with the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) to help ease the financial burden for lower ranked players since the sport is suspended until July. They’re raising upwards of $3 million to help players ranked No. 200-700 in the world. Since mid-March, 21 ATP tournaments, including Wimbledon, have been suspended. MAKING A DIFFERENCE WHERE IT MATTERS MOST
Coaches’ corner
Sabrina Ionescu could be the best college basketball player, male or female, of this generation. She was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, going to the New York Liberty. Within minutes of her selection, her jersey sold out. If you’ve never seen her play, she’s amazing but you might also recognize her as a speaker from Gianna and Kobe Bryant’s memorial service. INSPIRING GIRLS EVERYWHERE
What to watch
The NFL (National Football League) Draft begins this week on April 23. This three-day affair looks a little different than previous years since it’ll be virtual. We’ll see what happens when a bunch of “old football guys” use modern day technology to determine the future of their team. We’ll have more in Wednesday’s 5 Things To Know About The NFL Draft or check out the podcast which will be released this afternoon. SNEAK PEEK
