The NBA dunk of the year, plus the Rams-Stafford mess (that shouldn't exist)
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We start today with the simplest joy: watching a highlight and collectively whispering holy sh under our breath.
Lets start with Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, who went full send on the Wizards last night: SHAEDON SHARPE DUNK OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE?? @NBA pic.twitter.com/Scc3T6e8T2 The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 27, 2025 Lordy.
This was better than anything that happened in the dunk contest.
Can we get Sharpe in that next year? And we finish in College Park, Md., where Michigan State snatched souls with this half-court game winner: TRE HOLLOMAN AT THE BUZZER!!!!!!! @MSU_Basketball pic.twitter.com/clqNj65VHk FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 27, 2025 Thats Spartans junior guard Tre Holloman housing a half-court shot at the buzzer to break a 55-55 tie, seconds after Maryland attempted its own game winner.
Doing that on the road against a conference rival has to be intoxicating.
(Can we note that kept Michigan St.
atop a loaded Big Ten?!) We like watching cool stuff.
Lets move on: In theory, I understand why the Rams and Matthew Stafford are in a stalemate.
Stafford wants to be paid like the high-end QB talent he is.
Los Angeles doesnt want to break the bank for a 37-year-old.
In short, this checks out.
It just feels ...
off.
Let me explain: The quibbling is also very funny coming from the same regime that embraced the f them picks mentality when trading for Stafford back in 2021, which brought them a Super Bowl.
Also: Whos replacing Stafford in L.A.
if this goes through? Sam Darnold? After Darnold, the free-agent market weakens significantly.
We predicted a trade for Kirk Cousins this week, but that remains a worse outcome to me.
I wonder if this is just some very detailed bluster while the sides figure out a salary number that works.
Stay tuned.
USWNT falls Japan beat the USWNT 2-1 last night to capture the SheBelieves Cup title in an upset, marking the first loss of Emma Hayes tenure coaching the Americans.
It was just the second loss to Japan in the history of the program and ended a five-year winning streak at the Cup.
Brutal.
See how it happened here .
Advertisement Durant opens up on Dubs snub One of the bigger stories about this months NBA trade deadline was a deal that didnt happen: Kevin Durant returning to the Warriors, which was on the table, the star confirmed yesterday.
Durant said on Draymond Greens podcast, of all places that the move just didnt make sense to him and that he felt a sense of commitment to the Suns.
Durants full comments are worth a read .
Saints back Carr Derek Carr will be New Orleans starting quarterback next year, general manager Mickey Loomis and new coach Kellen Moore indicated yesterday, which ends speculation on at least one of our mystery QBs we wrote about this week.
Its a slight shift from Moores initial noncommittal remarks on Carrs status at his introductory news conference.
Read more context here .
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NCAAW: No.
8 North Carolina at No.
16 Duke 7 p.m.
ET on ESPN Carolina-Duke when both teams are ranked and were a week away from March? Yes, please.
NBA: Nuggets at Bucks 8 p.m.
ET on TNT/truTV/Max Denver quietly looks like a finals contender again, while the Bucks continue to underperform compared to their star power.
Ill sign up for Nikola Jokic vs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo any night, though.
Get tickets to games like these here .
Will Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson still be in Cincy next year? The Athletic Football Show has ideas.
At Apple and Spotify .
Sam Amicks well-reported Luka Doncic column from Los Angeles on Tuesday night remains an important read.
Still stunned by some of those Mavericks -related details.
Related: Jovan Buha argues the Lakers are legitimate title contenders now.
I agree.
Jeremy Rutherford has an incredible story about a St.
Louis man whose life was changed forever after writing a letter to his favorite Blues player.
Make time for this one .
Advertisement The vibes are immaculate at TGL , but our golf writers wonder if its actually a success .
Helpful, because I had been wondering the same thing.
Heres the sell on rugby coming to Las Vegas : brutal hits, no pads and inflatable baseball bat trouble.
Im in.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday : Our story on Doncics comments after his first game against the Mavericks.
What a night.
Most-read on the website yesterday : Our anonymous NHL agent poll .
Juicy stuff.
(Top photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty Images).
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