Zachary Draves Articles - Page 2

Without question, JJ Watt is one of the Houston Texans greatest. But in addition to his gridiron greatness, he knows a thing or two about how to hoop it up.  After all, it was Watt who threw it down on Pat McAfee’s show, showcasing his elevated hops just before the start of the NBA Finals. […]

In fAlabama freshman quarterback Keelon Russell, whom the Crimson Tide recruited from SMU, lost his twin sister Kierston on Wednesday.  The Tuscaloosa Police Department officially recognized her death, per Chris Low of ESPN. An official police statement stated that her death “at this time appears to be non-criminal in nature.“”  Russell’s family coordinated with the […]

It has been an uphill battle for Los Angeles Sparks second-year center Cameron Brink. Last season, Brink tore an ACL and was out for her rookie season. This year, she is back and in recovery mode. Off the court, Brink made time for an appearance on Wheel of Fortune, where she stole the show, per […]

A few things are looking a bit different for the Chicago White Sox. On Thursday, long-time owner Jerry Reinsdorf agreed to let Justin Ishbia into the organization. Also, a young up-and-comer will get his shot at the back time. 23-year-old catcher Kyle Teel from Triple-A Charlotte was called up for his first game, per Chris […]

First, there was Reggie and Cheryl Miller. Now, there is TJ and Megan McConnell as the next basketball brother-sister/duo. On Wednesday, Megan signed a WNBA contract with the Phoenix Mercury to attend training camp.  Before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, TJ of the Indiana Pacers arrived at the arena wearing his sisters’ jersey. All […]

The Dallas Wings have problems, dire problems. Their rookie sensation Paige Bueckers was under concussion protocol and missed two games. Though Bueckers participated in practice, she will be out for the Wings game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday.  If that wasn’t enough, Wings veteran Arike Ongunbowale is off to a slow start to […]

Amid high-profile teams, there is no counting out the Minnesota Lynx. Even when Napheesa Collier was out with a knee injury, the Lynx kept on surging.  They managed to scrape by the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday with a 74-71 win. A late-game shot by Natisha Hiedeman kept the Lynx in the company of history.  They are […]

The Dallas Cowboys were criticized for fumbling the ball concerning Micah Parsons and his contract negotiations. Parsons is seeking a $200 million extension and was holding out on training camp.  However, the Cowboys recovered the ball at the right time but still needed to cross the end zone. Parsons made clear his intentions to attend […]

The Minnesota Vikings know how to dish them out. The Vikings have produced at least 10 of the greatest players in NFL history. Among them include Randy Moss, Cris Carter, and Justin Jefferson.  On Tuesday, one of their greatest defensive ends, Jim Marshall, left this earth at the age of 87, per Adam Schefter of […]

The PWHL is growing by leaps and bounds. Their first expansion draft is set for June 9th, with Seattle and Vancouver entering into the mix. Thus creating more opportunities for current and future players. On Tuesday, the PWHL officially announced that a team of great talent will be available for the expansion teams, per ESPN. […]

It has been a roller coaster ride for Cincinnati Reds’ shortstop Elly De La Cruz. On Sunday, Cruz hit a home run in honor of his sister, who passed away the previous day.  When he touched home plate, he made a heart gesture, likely in tribute to her.  As he deals with his grief, Cruz […]

Former Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant knows a thing or two about shooting his mouth off. After all, it was Bryant who lashed out at Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones after a loss to the 49ers in late October.  His gift for gab has gotten him into hot water again on Monday. Bryant took to social […]

Nobody can get enough of Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley’s face will be immortalized on the cover of Madden 26, set for release on Aug. 14. Now, the Philly favorite is officially partnering with the city’s Geno’s Steaks for his cheese steak sandwich, per Complex Sports.  Geno’s rebranded itself into “Steakquon’s’ to celebrate Barkley […]

The friendly confines are friendly again. The Chicago Cubs, disappointing players notwithstanding, are surging to one of their best starts.  As of Monday, the Cubs currently have the best record in the National League, per Bleacher Nation. They are 37-22 and leading the National League Central by four games over the St. Louis Cardinals.  In […]

South Carolina Women’s Basketball coach and basketball legend Dawn Staley is all over the place. In late April, the city of Columbia honored Staley with a statue celebrating her accomplishments for the state and the sport.  Her recently published memoir  “Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All […]

The Florida Panthers are in their third straight Stanley Cup Final as they face the Edmonton Oilers beginning June 4. They are also looking to repeat as champions, and the way to do so is to remain healthy.  On Saturday, coach Paul Maurice spoke on the status of three players who missed practice, per Jordan […]

Los Angeles Angels fans are waiting on pins and needles for Mike Trout to recover from a recent injury. Meanwhile, they got a lot of bang for their bucket, seeing one of their most significant step up to the plate most unexpectedly.  On Friday, former Angel Troy Glaus pinched a hit for the exhibition team, […]

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is not broken but battered. Freeman continues to perform despite a recent ankle injury. So far, he’s batting .368 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs.  However, Freeman’s ankle troubles are getting the best of him, per Matthew Moreno Dodger Blue 1958. He admits to aggravating his ankle […]

Two days ago, Detroit Tigers pitcher Jackson Jobe was absent from the post-game press conference after defeating the San Franciso Giants. His absence sparked injury concerns. Those concerns became a reality on Friday when the Tigers placed Jobe on the injured list, per Evan Petzold of The Detroit News. The rookie right-hander is out with […]

Just a few days after Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams refuted rumors he didn’t want to play for them, coaches are saying something different.  According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, the new coaching staff are questioning Williams’ commitment. Breer said as much during an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast on Friday.  “I kind […]

The old saying is, “When one door closes, another one opens.” For USC Football, a door closed when five-star LB Xavier Griffen decommitted earlier this month.  But that door was opened up again on Friday. The No. 1 TE Mark Bowman officially committed, per Hayes Fawcett of On3Sports. The top pick in the class of […]

Two years ago, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey issued a stark warning about on-court/field stormings. He was seriously considering punishing fans for engaging in such behavior.  Fast forward to Friday, and that is becoming a reality. During SEC meetings, Sankey specifically outlined the following consequences for teams whose fans participate in storming, as reported by Jordan […]

USC men’s basketball is strengthening its roster from top to bottom. Recently, USC secured top scorer Jordan Marsh from UNC Asheville in the transfer portal.  Now, they’re adding a new dimension to their coaching staff with the hiring of former NBA player Earl Boykins as an assistant coach, per Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles […]

Illinois football coach Bret Bielema has a way with words and deeds. Last year, Bielema extended a T-Bar gesture to South Carolina coach Shane Beamer during the Citrus Bowl in a perceived taunt. Now, he is taking his ire out on the SEC, with his fingers on a keypad doing the talking. On Friday, Bielema […]

The NBA is shaping to look a little bit different, particularly with the futures of veterans LeBron James and James Harden. James’ sustained dominance at 40 years old has defied traditional athletic expectations. Whereas, playoff shortcomings hamper Harden following the Los Angeles Clippers’ Game 7 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of […]

The Los Angeles Dodgers recently traded utility player Chris Taylor across town to the Los Angeles Angels. Even though he is now on the red team, he still has some allegiance to the blue team. Especially when it comes to the Dodgers defeating the Yankees in last year’s World Series. At the time, Taylor hit […]

Is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s time with the Milwaukee Bucks over? It seems so, given all the rumors swirling about Antetokounmpo possibly being traded. Bill Simmons is hinting at a three-way deal with the Knicks. ESPN’s Shams Charania is floating around with the Spurs, looking to snatch Antetokounmpo and maybe Kevin Durant. Now ESPN analyst Jay Williams […]

It’s been two months since Texas basketball hired Sean Miller as head coach after firing Rodney Terry. It was an offer Miller couldn’t pass up after coaching at Xavier. Texas is coming off a challenging debut season in the SEC, where they went 19-16 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Speaking […]

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is on a tear. Earlier this week, Judge retook the home run lead when he hit his 18th against the Colorado Rockies. Now he is seemingly poised to surpass the Sultan of Swat in a lesser-known category. Judge could break a record held by Babe Ruth in Batting Average […]

It’s been almost three years since Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach passed away at 61. Three years later, he’s on the verge of being cemented among the games’ greats. On Thursday, Leach officially became eligible for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame thanks to a technicality, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network. […]

Sports can bring out the best and worst in those who play them. San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. used both after his ejection from a game against the New York Yankees earlier this month. It helped get his teammates motivated to come from behind and win 4-3.  Fast forward to Tuesday, Tatis […]

The Arizona Diamondbacks are experiencing a rough patch. In particular, three Diamondback players are feeling the brunt from fans for their struggles. Eduardo Rodriguez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Zac Gallen.  The latter of which is coming off a shellacking on Tuesday, losing 10-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The right-hander gave up five earned runs in […]

Coco Gauff is all smiles and laughs at the French Open. On Monday, Gauff laughed off a racket mix-up to cruise to a first-round win over Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2.  On Tuesday, she talked about a moment in 2019 when she exchanged funny DMs with Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, per Bleacher Report. She initially ghosted him […]

Gotham FC is back on top two years after hoisting the NWSL trophy on the Empire State Building. Last Saturday, they defeated Liga MX’s Tigres UANL 1-0 to win the first-ever Concacaf W Champions Cup, per Just Women’s Sports.  Striker Esther Gonzalez scored the only goal in the 82nd minute. The win allows Gotham FC […]

The Dallas Wings are fortunate to have selected Paige Bueckers. On Tuesday, Bueckers put up high numbers against the Connecticut Sun in a 109-87 win.  She finished with 21 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in a career-high performance thus far. Furthermore, Bueckers solidified her place among an elite class of rookies that doesn’t include […]

The New York Liberty are gunning to repeat as WNBA champions and then some. The Liberty are looking to live up to their record $450 million valuation. So far, they are off to a solid start at 4-0, led by their trifecta of Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones.  Speaking of Jones, on Tuesday, […]

Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin is not one to mince words about anything. After all, it was Kiffin who exposed a difference between USC and Ole Miss football, the former of which he had previously coached. He said that at USC, it is primarily about education, whereas at Ole Miss, it is about football.  […]

In February, the Las Vegas Aces traded guard Kelsey Plum to the Los Angeles Sparks. A move that marked the end of an era as Plum helped lead the Aces to back-to-back WNBA championships in 2022 and 2023.  She did so in the company of Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and, of course, A’ja Wilson. On […]

The tandem of Caitlin Clark and Taylor Swift is a pop culture match made in heaven. Clark met Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs game to watch Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, last winter.  On Tuesday, the Indiana Fever’s Instagram page posted a picture of her wearing a Taylor Swift shirt as she traveled with the […]