The Best of the Sports Shop

Pam, Dr. Deborah Stroman and Alex discuss the latest in NFL Free Agency, Dwight Howard, Aliyah Boston and more.

Kyler Murray, the former No. 1 overall pick who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Arizona Cardinals, has signed a one‑year deal with the Minnesota Vikings after being released by Arizona earlier this week. The contract is reportedly for the veteran minimum of around $1.3M, giving the Vikings a low-risk opportunity while the Cardinals still absorb a significant portion of his previous guaranteed salary. The deal also includes a no‑tag clause, preventing Minnesota from using a franchise or transition tag on him after the 2026 season. Can he be the difference for the Vikings?

Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, a key member of Team USA’s women’s program, has suffered a right lower‑extremity injury that will keep her out of the rest of the current Unrivaled season and has forced her to miss the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament as well. She Boston have been playing in Unrivaled or focused on preparing for her WNBA season?

Pam, Dr. Stroman and Alex speak with Ian Parks to discuss his weekend picks and Pam honors Dr. Stroman during Women's History Month.

Ian Parks from Always Bet On Black w/ Ian Parks joins the Sports Shop to share his picks in the NBA. Who will win this weekend: Arizona Wildcats or Iowa State Cyclones? 

Kara Lawson currently serves as the head coach of the USA women’s national basketball team through the 2028 Olympics after leading the Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball team to another ACC Championship. Lawson has received praise for her leadership with Team USA, notably for her support of players like Caitlin Clark, who made a strong debut with the national team off the bench, posting a double-double and contributing significantly to the team’s offense.

However, Lawson has faced criticism from some fans and observers who worry that her dual responsibilities with Team USA and Duke could create a conflict. With her Blue Devils preparing for the NCAA Tournament while she is actively coaching the national team, critics argue that she may be distracted or unable to give her Duke players the full focus and preparation they need to succeed on the biggest stage. Is the criticism fair? Should Lawson be coaching Team USA, focus on Duke, or can she really do both?

Pam, Dr. Deborah Stroman and Alex discuss the dramatic finishes, including Duke’s narrow escape over Florida State, UNC’s heartbreaker against Clemson and what these results mean for the ACC tournament semifinals and each team’s momentum heading into the postseason.

The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament in Charlotte delivered an exciting night of quarterfinal action Thursday. The Duke Blue Devils survived a late scare to defeat the Florida State Seminoles men's basketball 80-79 in a thrilling finish. Duke was led by Isaiah Evans, who poured in 32 points and knocked down seven three-pointers to keep the Blue Devils in front during key stretches of the game. Florida State made a late push in the final minute, but Duke held on defensively to secure the one-point victory and advance to the semifinals, where they will take on the Clemson Tigers men's basketball with a spot in the ACC championship on the line.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina Tar Heels saw their tournament run come to an end in a heartbreaking 80-79 loss to Clemson. North Carolina trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half but mounted an impressive comeback behind strong perimeter shooting and defensive pressure. The Tar Heels closed the gap in the final minutes and had a chance late, but Clemson managed to hold on in the closing seconds to secure the win. The loss ends UNC’s ACC tournament hopes and puts more focus on their postseason outlook heading toward Selection Sunday.

Pam, Dr. Deborah Stroman and Alex discuss the highs and lows of Thursday’s ACC Tournament action, breaking down NC State’s tough loss to Virginia, Miami’s strong performance against Louisville and other ACC action yesterday in Charlotte.

The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament in Charlotte delivered an exciting night of quarterfinal action Thursday. The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball was eliminated from the tournament after falling 81-74 to Virginia in the quarterfinals. The Wolfpack stayed within striking distance for much of the second half and even trimmed the deficit to a few possessions late, but Virginia’s disciplined offense and strong free-throw shooting down the stretch helped seal the victory. Despite the loss, NC State showed resilience throughout the game, battling against one of the conference’s toughest defensive teams before ultimately coming up short.

The Miami Hurricanes men's basketball also picked up a big quarterfinal victory, defeating the Louisville Cardinals men's basketball 78-73 to move on to the semifinals. Miami leaned heavily on the scoring of Malik Reneau, who finished with 24 points and dominated the second half offensively. The Hurricanes controlled the tempo late in the game, hitting key shots and free throws to hold off Louisville’s attempts to rally. With the win, Miami advances to face the Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball in the semifinals as they look to continue their push toward an ACC title. Did you enjoy yesterday's ACC action?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex discuss whether Caleb Wilson truly deserved his 3rd Team All-American nod from Sporting News and how he stacks up against other top college stars this season.

North Carolina Tar Heel star Caleb Wilson was selected by Sporting News as a 3rd Team All-American. Did the voters get it right?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Dr. Deborah Stroman.

Dr. Stroman presents questions to the Sports Shop crew and they must answer, explaining why or why not they made their selection. Why or why not?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with CL Brown and GameDay Charlie.

CL Brown and GameDay Charlie discuss the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament, Mikel Brown's injury, Duke's chances, the dark horse of the ACC Tournament and more.

Reese, Pam and Alex discuss whether NC State’s win over Pittsburgh was enough to secure an NCAA Tournament spot and how Kara Lawson’s leadership is shaping the future of Team USA women’s basketball.

The NC State Wolfpack men’s basketball team defeated Pittsburgh 98-88 in the second round of the ACC Tournament in Charlotte yesterday. NC State had lost four of its previous six games and needed a strong performance to stay competitive heading into Selection Sunday. Quadir Copeland led the team with 24 points and 8 assists, while Ven-Allen Lubin added 18 points and several other players finished in double figures, giving NC State a balanced offensive attack. The victory advances the Wolfpack to the ACC quarterfinals, where they will face No. 2 seed Virginia and it strengthens their case for an NCAA Tournament berth, giving the team valuable momentum heading into the next round. Was this win enough to get the Pack into the NCAA Tournament?

Kara Lawson is currently serving as the head coach of the USA Basketball women’s national team for the 2025-28 cycle, leading the program through both the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Under her leadership, Team USA is competing in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where they opened with a dominant 110-46 win over Senegal. The roster blends veteran stars like Chelsea Gray with rising talent, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese, all of whom made their senior national team debuts. How will this play out?

Reese, Kmac, Pam and Alex speak with Nolan Smith.

Nolan Smith is a basketball coach and former professional player who currently serves as the head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers men's basketball in the Ohio Valley Conference. Smith first gained national recognition as a standout guard at Duke University, where he helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship and was later named ACC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American in 2011. He was selected 21st overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and played professionally in the NBA and overseas before transitioning into coaching. After assistant coaching stops at Duke, Louisville, and Memphis, Smith became Tennessee State’s head coach in 2025. In his first season, he led the Tigers to a share of the OVC regular-season title, earned OVC Coach of the Year honors, and was named a finalist for the Hugh Durham Award and the Joe B. Hall Award. Smith also guided Tennessee State to the Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament championship, securing the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament since 1994 and ending a 32-year tournament drought.

Reese, Pam and Alex discuss last night’s ACC Tournament action, Duke’s injury challenges and upcoming quarterfinal matchup, Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point game and the fallout from Maxx Crosby’s voided trade.

The ACC Tournament is underway! What happened last night and what's on tap for today?

The Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team has had an outstanding 2025-26 season, finishing with a 29-2 overall record and 17-1 in ACC play, earning the No. 1 national ranking and the ACC regular-season title under head coach Jon Scheyer. However, as the ACC Tournament begins in Charlotte, Duke has faced some setbacks. Caleb Foster is out with a fractured foot and Patrick Ngongba II is also unavailable due to foot soreness, meaning the team will have to lean more on other contributors, like Cayden Boozer. Despite the injuries, Duke holds a double bye in the tournament as the No. 1 seed and will not play until the quarterfinals tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET, where they will face the winner of the Florida State vs. California second‑round game. Will these injuries stop the Blue Devils from winning the ACC Championship?

Bam Adebayo delivered one of the most historic individual performances in NBA history last night, scoring 83 points for the Miami Heat in a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. Adebayo's 83 points is the second-highest single-game scoring performance in NBA history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962 and surpasses Kobe Bryant’s famous 81-point game from 2006. How impressive was his performance?

The situation involving Maxx Crosby has turned into one of the strangest stories of the NFL offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders had reportedly agreed to a blockbuster trade that would send Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks, which would have been a huge move for both teams. Baltimore would have added one of the league’s elite pass rushers, while Las Vegas would have gained major draft capital to help reshape its roster. However, the deal suddenly fell apart after Crosby reportedly failed his physical with the Ravens due to concerns related to his knee following meniscus surgery. Because the physical is required for the trade to be finalized, the Ravens backed out and the deal was voided before it became official. Now Crosby is effectively back with Las Vegas while continuing his recovery, but the failed deal has raised questions around the league about his health and whether another team might still try to trade for him. What does this mean for the Raiders?