The Lakers legend, who died on Sunday, delivered five championships and countless brilliant plays. We run down some moments to savor from his careerFrom throwing paper in a trash can, to playground horse games, to high school, college and professional games, you’re bound to hear someone shout ‘Kobe!’ Bryant’s cold and calculated playing style became the stuff of legend over a glittering 20-year career. Here are some memorable moments from his time on court. Continue reading...
ESPN pundits’ criticism of rookie’s weight draws backlash Williamson delivered on hype with fourth-quarter outburst New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson, the No 1 overall pick in last year’s NBA draft who’s been hailed as the best prospect since LeBron James, made his long-awaited professional debut on Wednesday night, a wait that had been made even longer by the team’s cautious approach to his rehabilitation from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.The 19-year-old prodigy managed to deliver on the extraordinary hype that’s preceded him since high school, whipping the sold-out Smoothie King Center into chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” during an electric fourth-quarter stretch where he poured in 17 unanswered points on seven consecutive possessions over a three-minute span.No. 1 overall...
This week’s roundup also features steeplechase drama and an astronaut being brought back down to Earth with a bump1) Nashville Predators’ Pekka Rinne joins the short list of NHL goaltenders with an eye for finding the opposing net thanks to this effort against Chicago Blackhawks. He’s the first since 2013, when Mike Smith just beat the buzzer for Phoenix Coyotes.New York Islanders’ Billy Smith, back in 1979, is credited with the earliest example, as the last player on his team to touch the puck before Colorado Rockies’ Rob Ramage passed to empty ice and watched forlornly as it made its way to an unguarded net. However, Ron Hextall shot and scored for Philadelphia Flyers in 1987 – and also contributed...
With the Olympics looming and England’s form poor the games in the US in March carry significance – and a chance for revengeFriendly tournaments do not generally warrant much attention. The sponsored mini cup competitions that clubs sign up for in pre-season are a prime example of games that have very little bearing on, well, anything. The US-hosted SheBelieves Cup, though, is seen a little differently generally, as national teams pit themselves against the world champions in their own back yard. This year, for the Lionesses, March’s tournament is about more than bragging rights and the confidence boost of beating the best. Here’s why ... Related: Phil Neville and England relishing tough task of SheBelieves Cup title defence Continue reading...
The two codes need to show greater leadership and ask why so many of its number are suffering from brain injuriesYou may not have heard of the former professional baseball player Pete Frates but you may just be familiar with his work. Five years ago, a Facebook video in which Frates upended a bucket of ice-cold water over his head in order to raise money for motor neurone disease – or ALS, as it is known in the United States – swiftly went viral. Within weeks, something that became known as the Ice Bucket Challenge was on the way to becoming a global sensation, raising almost £100m in that initial summer alone.A couple of weeks ago, Frates died peacefully at...