Paolo Mariano Articles - Page 25

Things got extra physical between the Charlotte Hornets and the Sacramento Kings in the finals of the NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on Sunday. With less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Hornets center James Banks III tried to wiggle out of the tight defense of […]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Shilo Sanders manning the drive-thru of a restaurant chain sounds like the plot of a terrible movie that will never get made. But that is exactly what a lucky fan experienced in Tampa Bay. Perhaps knowing that Sanders was in the building for a promotional event, he went to the drive-thru […]

The Detroit Lions’ impressive campaign last season came to a screeching halt after they were upset by the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. The Lions were tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the best record in the league at 15-2 and looked primed for their first-ever trip to the […]

The Kansas City Chiefs are on a mission to reclaim the throne they relinquished to the Philadelphia Eagles last season. Despite losing in Super Bowl LIX, the Chiefs are still viewed by many as the team to beat in the upcoming season due to their stacked roster led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis […]

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green does two things very well: 1. Defend and 2. Talk. Green is known for his outspokenness. He has never blurted out an opinion he didn’t like. He never shies away from speaking his mind, even if it’s about a sensitive issue or criticizing an opposing player. On Thursday, he […]

Many things are known about Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, including that he is a big fan of Coldplay. That fact was revealed in the second season of the “Quarterback” documentary series on Netflix, which premiered in mid-July. In one of the scenes, Cousins said Coldplay was “one of the best concerts I’ve been to.” […]

The orange carpet was rolled out at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for this year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend, which will feature the league’s biggest names, including Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins. As usual, Diggins arrived in style. She sported an all-black ensemble, accentuated by her sparkly top. But the bigger highlight was her moment with Minnesota […]

Amid the controversies surrounding his leadership, Lloyd Howell Jr. on Thursday announced his resignation as the executive director of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). Howell has come under fire following the release of a 61-page arbitration report about a supposed “collusion” with league owners. According to ESPN, the NFL and the NFLPA made an “unusual […]

It’s home sweet home for Damian Lillard as he is set to return to the Portland Trail Blazers. ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news on Thursday, sending Rip City to a state of pure joy. As expected, Lillard quickly found a team after the Milwaukee Bucks unceremoniously waived him amid his Achilles injury. Not […]

The NFL world received unfortunate news on Thursday after retired linebacker Bryan Braman passed away due to a rare form of cancer. He was 38 years old. Braman played for three teams in his seven-year career, namely the Houston Texans, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New Orleans Saints. He won a Super Bowl ring with […]

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein has indeed come a long way in his basketball career. After playing in his home country of Germany and Lithuania, Hartenstein took a gamble and applied for the NBA Draft in 2017. He was selected by the Houston Rockets as the 43rd overall pick. He, however, didn’t make it […]

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark tried not to cry on the bench as she watched the closing moments of their win over the Connecticut Sun, 85-77, at TD Garden in Boston on Tuesday. They were far from tears of joy. In the final minute of the game, Clark appeared to have aggravated her groin injury […]

The Indiana Fever captured their third straight win after rolling past the Connecticut Sun, 85-77, at a sold-out TD Garden in Boston on Tuesday. More than 19,000 fans trooped to see the Fever take care of business. They started as hot as a clam chowder, hitting their first eight shots, including 10 points from Natasha […]

The Philadelphia 76ers hardly broke a sweat in their win over the Washington Wizards, 74-58, in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on Tuesday. After a slow start, the 76ers outscored the Wizards, 26-17, in the second quarter to take control of the game. The team never looked back and notched its first win […]

It is undeniable that Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has become a must-see attraction everywhere she goes. Amid her second year in the WNBA, her fans continue to grow in numbers—and they come in different shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and beliefs. Luckily for them, Clark has always been gracious with her supporters. Prior to the Fever’s […]

The Charlotte Hornets have failed to advance to the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons, the longest active drought in the NBA. At this point, the Hornets need any form of help they can get. While the team has a talented nucleus in guards LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller and forward Miles Bridges, roster depth remains […]

The San Antonio Spurs remained undefeated in the NBA Summer League after notching their third straight win in nail-biting fashion at the Thomas & Mack Center in Nevada on Monday. With the game tied with only 1.9 seconds left in overtime against the Utah Jazz, Riley Minix sank a tough fadeaway jumper from the baseline […]

Another year, another offseason filled with optimism for the New York Jets. This time, the Jets are pinning their hopes on quarterback Justin Fields, who agreed to a two-year contract worth $40 million this offseason. He will take over under center from veteran Aaron Rodgers, who had an eventful two-season stint in New York. There […]

With limited roster spots at stake, players in the NBA Summer League can get highly intense at times. Just ask the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. On Monday, Celtics forward Jordan Walsh was ejected from the game at Cox Pavilion in Nevada after shoving Heat guard Pelle Larsson in the second quarter. He was […]

The Chicago Sky tapered off after a strong first half and absorbed a sorry defeat against the Minnesota Lynx, 91-78, at Wintrust Arena on Monday. The Sky held a two-point lead at halftime but couldn’t sustain their momentum. The Lynx, playing their fourth game in six days, avenged their upset loss to Chicago on Saturday, […]

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has come out swinging this offseason—literally. Curry has been busy trying to defend his title in the American Century Championship Celebrity Golf Tournament in South Lake Tahoe. But while he’s currently focused on an entirely different goal, he couldn’t escape the realities of what’s coming next for the Warriors. […]

Indiana Fever forward Natasha Howard knows how to play in two modes: Intense and more intense. The Fever picked up Howard in the offseason, and the move has paid off well. She has been the perfect complementary player to the star trio of Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, doing the dirty work and […]

The New York Knicks shocked the basketball world last month after firing Tom Thibodeau despite coaching the team to its first conference finals since 2000. Fans felt it was a knee-jerk reaction after the Knicks’ tough loss to the Indiana Pacers. The front office, however, stressed that the squad needs to head in a new […]

If there’s one athlete who would truly enjoy the new “Superman” movie, it’s NBA legend Dwight Howard. In fact, that’s exactly how he felt after watching it—twice. Howard gave himself the nickname “Superman” during his illustrious basketball career. While he received flak for stealing it from fellow NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal, the three-time Defensive Player […]

NFL legend Jim Kelly and his family are going through a difficult period right now, and they are seeking help from fans. In a statement, Kelly revealed that his daughter, Erin, and her husband, Parker, welcomed their first child last week. It was, however, a bittersweet moment as the birth resulted in “unexpected medical complications.” […]

While she’s known for her fiery competitiveness, it has become pretty common to see Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark having fun with her teammates. During their celebration in the locker room after the Fever won the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup, a video of Clark making her teammates drink from the trophy went viral. Clearly, she has […]

After showing promise in 2023, the Cleveland Browns were sent crashing back to earth the following year and missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The Browns finished with a woeful record of 3-14 in another forgettable campaign. But as they say, there’s always a silver lining. For the Browns, it’s the […]

One of the most anticipated games of the season ended with a lopsided result, as the Indiana Fever made easy work of the Dallas Wings, 102-83, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday. Fans were eager to witness the first matchup between Fever star Caitlin Clark and Wings rookie Paige Bueckers, the last two top overall picks […]

The Orlando Magic made the first splash in the offseason after acquiring Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and a slew of first-round picks. The move was panned by fans, saying Orlando gave up way too much for Bane, who has struggled with injuries over the past few […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder picked up where they left off last season after winning their first assignment in the NBA Summer League on Thursday. The defending champions defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 90-81, behind the trio of Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic, and Chris Youngblood. Drew Timme, meanwhile, was a bright spot for the Nets, finishing with […]

Cooper Flagg showed a glimpse of what he can do for the Dallas Mavericks after making his much-anticipated debut in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on Thursday. Flagg helped the Mavericks to a tight win over the Los Angeles Lakers, 72-70, at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Lakers had a chance to […]

Just imagine if the San Antonio Spurs added another young player with a long wingspan, athleticism, and rim-protecting abilities to pair with their unicorn star Victor Wembanyama. Oh, yeah, that’s right. That’s exactly what the Spurs have done. The Spurs landed the rookie they were targeting after drafting Carter Bryant as the 14th overall pick […]

The Pittsburgh Steelers did a major reset in the offseason to finally make a deep run after a string of mediocre campaigns. Obviously, their biggest move was signing quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal worth $30 million. It’s a high-risk, high-reward gamble for the Steelers, with the 42-year-old Rodgers already on the tail-end of […]

The much-anticipated return of superstar Caitlin Clark ended on a whimper for the Indiana Fever after losing to the Golden State Valkyries, 80-61, on Wednesday. The Valkyries held off a strong run by the Fever in the third quarter and ultimately took control of the game. Indiana suffered its second straight defeat and dropped to […]

What’s an offseason in the NBA without some drama from the Los Angeles Lakers? Rumors are swirling that LeBron James is not happy with the front office. While several teams have already stacked up in preparation for next season, the Lakers have only landed Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia. The team also lost Dorian Finney-Smith […]

Following a strong performance last season, the Houston Rockets made sure to make bold moves in the offseason to build on their momentum heading into the next campaign. The Rockets made arguably the biggest splash this summer by acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in a historic seven-team trade. Despite being the second seed, […]

The Las Vegas Aces could be dealt a double black eye after their loss to the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on Tuesday. Aside from absorbing their 10th defeat of the season, 87-78, the Aces also lost star center A’ja Wilson to a right wrist injury in the second quarter. She was visibly in […]

It must be extremely difficult being Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker right now. After all, how can he live comfortably with a meager annual salary of only $72.5 million? In this economy? On Wednesday, Booker signed a two-year contract extension with the Suns worth $145 million through the 2029-30 season. It is the highest annual […]

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker could treat the whole state of Arizona to a round right now after signing a massive extension on Wednesday. Booker agreed to a two-year maximum contract extension worth $145 million through the 2029-30 season. It is now the highest annual extension salary in league history at $72.5 million. It surpassed […]