The Lead

The NBA All-Star Game is this weekend and there are expected to be many tributes to the late Kobe Byrant. Kobe is, of course, a king in Los Angeles, but his relationship with his hometown, Philadelphia, was complicated. The Athletic’s Michael Lee, who covers the NBA and lives in Philadelphia, joins us to talk about how the city made Kobe the competitor he was, but didn’t give him much love until t...

The U.S. Women’s National Team qualified for the Olympics this past weekend and leading the way, once again, was Rose Lavelle. The talented young midfielder also turned heads at the World Cup last year, capturing the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third best player. The Athletic’s Megan Linehan joins us to talk about Lavelle’s rapid ascent to stardom, how she cracked a U.S. lineup that is heavily...

It's been a heck of a week for the Boston Red Sox. The team agreed to send their best player, Mookie Betts, to the Dodgers in a blockbuster trade, along with former Cy Young Award winner David Price in a three-team deal. But the trade almost fell apart in spectacular fashion. The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey joins us to talk about what went on behind the scenes, why the Red Sox made this move now and...

The Rooney Rule requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate when hiring a head coach or senior executive. But there are currently just three black head coaches in the league and the most recent round of hiring saw only one minority candidate get hired for five open positions. The Athletic's Mike Sando joins us to talk about the Rooney Rule’s effectiveness (or lack thereof) and...

On Friday, there was yet another development in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal. The Wall Street Journal reports that the team used a powerful algorithm called "Codebreaker" to figure out their opponent's signs. How much did the sign-stealing scheme help the Astros on the field? The Athletic's Jayson Stark and Eno Sarris recently ran the numbers to answer that question. Stark joins us to...

If you go back to the very FIRST season of the NFL -- a hundred years ago -- there were just a handful of black players. And one of them was Duke Slater. Slater was the first black lineman to suit up for the NFL. He was known for being unstoppable. And now, he will finally be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As part of our Black History Month coverage at The Lead, we’re joined by The Athletic’s S...

There was a time when Portland belonged to Brandon Roy. The former Trail Blazer's career was cut short by knee trouble and he has been more or less invisible ever since. But after years of trying, The Athletic’s Jason Quick finally tracked him down. Today, Quick joins us to talk about Brandon Roy’s short but remarkable career and how he has overcome an identity crisis, a divorce, and a drive-...

The Houston Astros hired Dusty Baker to take over in the dugout just weeks after firing manager AJ Hinch in the aftermath of the team's sign stealing scandal. At 70 years old, Baker is the oldest manager in baseball, but with that comes a wealth of experience and stability the Astros desperately need. Baker is known as a players' manager and has a stellar reputation in the league. So how will he d...

Connor McDavid has been shredding defenses since he entered the league five seasons ago. But there are signs that the NHL's most talented player has grown frustrated with his team’s lack of success. The Athletic's Jonathan Willis joins us to talk about McDavid's incredible skills, his secretive recovery from a devastating injury, and whether or not the clock is ticking on his Edmonton career. Foll...

The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions. It was another impressive comeback for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, who trailed 20-10 in the fourth quarter before rattling off 21 unanswered points. Kavitha breaks down the game for us from Miami, discusses what it means for the legacies of Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan, Jimmy Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes, and talks about the reactions of Chiefs fan...

Football stars, celebrities, and fans have descended upon Miami for the greatest side-show on Earth. Kavitha wades into the madness of Radio Row to speak with former Super Bowl winner turned spiritual guru Martellus Bennett, Giants running back Saquon Barkley, omnipresent fan "Marlins Man," former NBA journeyman Stephen Jackson, and a host of other characters. We also hear how people are betting o...

Tyreek Hill has a history of domestic violence charges that many people find disturbing. The wide receiver has been an integral part of the Chiefs' offense all season long and is expected to play a major role in the Super Bowl on Sunday, but some people have trouble rooting for the team when he's on the field. The Athletic's Lindsay Jones joins us to talk about Hill's past, how the Chiefs organiza...

Superstar QB Patrick Mahomes and veteran head coach Andy Reid complete each other's sentences in team meetings. Chiefs fans are on their way to the Super Bowl after 50 years of suffering. And defensive tackle Mike Pennel broke down sobbing after Kansas City's victory over the Tennessee Titans, knowing he'd be playing for his hometown team in a Super Bowl. The Athletic's Nate Taylor joins us to tal...

One year ago, Raheem Mostert and the San Francisco 49ers were 4-12 and Kyle Shanahan was coaching at the Senior Bowl. Now, they're one win away from being crowned Super Bowl champions. The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami joins us to talk about how the 49ers have pulled off this remarkable turnaround, the players who have been key to their playoff run, and how, despite their success, they still see themsel...

The tributes to Kobe Bryant and other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash continue. A number of NBA players who were close to Kobe, including Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving, have missed games . NBA teams have continued to let the 24-second shot clock run out during games to honor the former #24. The Athletic’s Andy and Brian Kamenetzky join us to reflect on the remarkable life and career of Kob...

After Kobe's tragic death from a helicopter crash on Sunday, we walk through the latest news on the accident and ongoing investigation. Plus, we look at how people across the country have expressed their love and support for the late superstar and his family. And we travel to Staples Center, where thousands of people gathered to share stories and mourn the loss of the basketball icon. Follow The A...

New reporting from The Athletic has revealed problems inside the Clippers locker room. Kawhi Leonard has been red hot on the court, but his aloofness and unusual leadership style has created some friction within the team. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha joins us to talk about how the Clippers have been struggling to adapt to life with the reticent star, and what it could mean for the team's championship...

Zion Williamson made a splash in his debut last night. But his fellow rookie, Ja Morant, has been dominating defenses all season and creating an incredible highlight reel along the way. Today, The Athletic’s Omari Sankofa II joins us to talk about Ja’s impressive rookie year, why he has a chip on his shoulder, and whether or not he, and not Zion, should have been the number one pick in the draft....

In perhaps the most anticipated NBA debut ever, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson finally takes the floor tonight. Williamson had surgery in October for a torn meniscus and was slated to miss somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks. It's now been 14 weeks since the team announced he would be sidelined. So what can we anticipate from Zion's first NBA game? The Athletic's Will Guillory joins us to...

The WNBA signed a monumental collective bargaining agreement with the players union last week. The maximum player salary was nearly doubled, the league minimum was increased by 35 percent, and elite players could now see their total income more than triple. The deal also includes new allowances for travel and maternity leave. The Athletic’s Lyndsey D'Arcangelo joins us to discuss how the deal came...

After convincing wins yesterday, the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs have advanced to Super Bowl 54. The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia joins us to break down the two Championship games, to discuss what went right for the winners, and to talk about what to expect on February 2nd in Miami. Oh, and we also discuss Rob Lowe's hat. Follow Sheil Kapadia's NFL coverage: https://theathletic.com/auth...

The Titans came into the playoffs as a long-shot Wild Card team. But after knocking off the Patriots and Ravens, Derrick Henry and Tennessee are the talk of the postseason. And in a league where passing is king, they’re winning with an old-school brand of smashmouth football. The Athletic's Joe Rexrode joins us to talk about how the Titans have pulled off this unlikely playoff run and just how far...

Liverpool have been absolutely unstoppable this season. They now have a fourteen point lead over second-place Manchester City and are on pace to win their first league title in thirty years (among other historic accomplishments). Much of Liverpool’s success has been attributed to head coach Jurgen Klopp. The Athletic’s James Pearce joins us to talk about how Klopp has transformed the team through...

Major League Baseball levied unprecedented penalties against the Houston Astro for electronically stealing signs in 2017, through the team's World Series run and into the 2018 season. Citing reporting from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich , Commissioner Rob Manfred announced in a statement that Astros Manager AJ Hinch and General Manager Jeff Lunhow would be suspended for the entire...

Now that LSU has been crowned college football champions, it's time to look forward to the NFL draft. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is the consensus pick at #1 to the Bengals, but after that, anything can happen. As we enter the college football offseason, the combine and then the draft, there will be plenty of prognostication and projections. So who is landing where? The Athletic's Dane Brugler join...