The Lead

This past weekend, we saw the roller coaster nature of the New Orleans Pelicans season, as they lost a game where they got outscored 41-12 in the 4th quarter, then turned around and pulled off the biggest comeback in franchise history two days later. Zion Williamson made some big plays late in that game against the Celtics, and today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Will Guillory to look at how a noticeable change in his game has made the inconsistent Pelicans a lot more dangerous.

Read Will Guillory’s story about Zion Williamson: https://theathletic.com/2382506/2021/02/12/zion-williamsons-new-orleans-pelicans-nba/?source=theleadpodcast

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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has long enjoyed a friendly -- and mutually respectful -- relationship with NBA players. So, when superstars like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokonmpo and others recently criticized the league's decision to hold the NBA All-Star Game during the pandemic, many people were taken aback by the frankness of their comments. The Athletic's Sam Amick joins us to break down the forces at work behind the commissioner's decision, why LeBron might not actually be speaking on behalf of the players this time around, and how Adam Silver's decision might complicate his relationship with the players.

Read Sam Amick's story about Adam Silver and the NBA All-Star Game:

https://theathletic.com/2376897/2021/02/09/nba-all-star-game-inside-the-factors-fueling-leagues-decision-to-play/?source=theleadpodcast

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Marcell Ozuna was one of the best hitters in baseball last season, and a key component of an Atlanta Braves team that nearly reached the World Series. After a long offseason and months of uncertainty, the Braves finally agreed to a deal with the free agent to keep him in Atlanta for an extended run. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s David O’Brien to discuss why it took Ozuna so long to re-sign with the Braves, and how his personality as much as his bat has changed the dynamic for Atlanta.

Read David O’Brien’s story about Marcell Ozuna: https://theathletic.com/2372023/2021/02/06/atlanta-braves-resign-marcell-ozuna/?source=theleadpodcast

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During this college basketball season, the player who has arguably been more dominant than anyone else is the nation’s leading scorer, Iowa big man Luka Garza. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Brian Hamilton to look at how Garza developed his game by studying old VHS tapes in his basement — from Hakeem Olajuwon to Jack Sikma to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — and why despite his gaudy numbers, there are still many who don’t believe in his NBA future.

Read Brian Hamilton’s story about Luka Garza: https://theathletic.com/2266313/2020/12/18/luka-garza-iowa-hawkeyes-nba-kareem-abdul-jabbar-hakeem-olajuwon-kevin-mchale-jack-sikma/?source=theleadpodcast

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The Utah Jazz are on an incredible tear. They're 19-1 in their last twenty games, they have the best record in the NBA, and they've beaten the 76ers, Heat, Bucks, and Celtics in their last four games. Much of their success, of course, is due to budding superstar Donovan Mitchell, who has his fair share of both believers and skeptics. So, are Mitchell and the Jazz for real this season? And do they have what it takes to win a championship? The Athletic's Tony Jones, who covers the team up close, joins us to discuss.

More from Tony Jones:

https://theathletic.com/author/tony-jones/

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The struggles of the Arizona Coyotes have been well documented over the years. There has been a revolving door of owners, difficulty building a permanent fan base, and a bankruptcy filing that led to an NHL takeover of the team back in 2009. So, when self-made billionaire Alex Meruelo swooped in to purchase the team in 2019, the future finally looked bright for 'Yotes fans. But after a series of high-profile departures and reports of strange financial practices, The Athletic's Katie Strange decided to investigate what life under the new ownership group has actually been like, and she found a deeply troubling picture.

Read Katie Strang's full story about the Arizona Coyotes:

https://theathletic.com/author/katie-strang/?source=theleadpodcast

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When Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski connected for two touchdown passes in Super Bowl LV, it marked the latest chapter in their storied history. So, in honor of their record-setting partnership, we're revisiting the moment when, to many people's surprise, Gronk came out of retirement and signed with the Bucs. The Athletic's Greg Auman joined us to discuss how the move came about and what it could mean for the prolific due and the Buccaneers. (This story originally aired on April 22, 2020)

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There has never been a sports broadcaster quite like Bill Walton. For more than three decades, the NBA legend has graced the airwaves with his unique blend of goofiness, passion, head-scratching analogies, and all of the Grateful Dead t-shirts. So, what can a reporter learn from a late-night conversation with the broadcaster who makes on-air references to everything from 50,000 year-old meteors to former Idaho Senator Larry Craig? The Athletic's Christopher Kamrani went to find out -- and found himself inspired.

Read Christopher Kamrani's story about Bill Walton:

https://theathletic.com/2361958/2021/02/03/bill-walton-espn-the-athletic-interview/?source=theleadpodcast

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When Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David won the Super Bowl on Sunday, it was the culmination of years and years of hard work. And the victory also meant the world to someone from David's past -- his best friend and former high school teammate (who outshined him on the gridiron growing up), Quavon Taylor. The Athletic's Andy Staples joins us to tell the story of two best friends who forged a brotherly bond growing up in Northwest Miami, and how Taylor drew life-changing inspiration from David's success after spending time in prison.

Read Andy Staples's story about Lavonte David, Quavon Taylor, and the Miami Northwestern High School football team:

https://theathletic.com/2362823/2021/02/03/miami-northwestern-2007-lavonte-david/?source=theleadpodcast

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Last week, Fred VanVleet scored 54 points against the Orlando Magic, passing DeMar DeRozan for the Toronto Raptors’ franchise record, and Moses Malone for the most ever by an undrafted player in the NBA. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Eric Koreen to look at VanVleet’s rise as a player, including the big bet he made on himself the night of the draft in 2016 — and how that gamble is now paying off.

Read Eric Koreen’s story about Fred VanVleet: https://theathletic.com/2364939/2021/02/03/fred-vanvleet-raptors-record/?source=theleadpodcast

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