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Stockbyte / Getty / Katie Martin / The ... The Four Quarterbacks to Watch This NFL Season
A rookie, a comeback hopeful, a virtuoso, and an all-time great—here are the players fans should pay attention to in the coming year.
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Mark J. Terrill / AP The Dodgers Aim for History—and a Championship
In baseball, having the best regular season rarely leads to a World Series win. But the Los Angeles team is hoping to defy the odds.
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Reuters Don’t Take Mike Trout for Granted
The Los Angeles Angels centerfielder shouldn’t need to be on a contending team for baseball fans to appreciate his consistent excellence.
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Brad Penner / Reuters Baseball’s Eyes Are on Aaron Judge
The New York Yankees’ rookie slugger may already be the sport’s biggest star. Will he keep it up?
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Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Will Years of Losing Make the Philadelphia 76ers Winners?
The team’s notorious “Process,” founded on tanking games, inched closer to paying off with this year’s NBA draft.
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Ron Schwane / AP The Warriors’ Perfect Basketball
Golden State's dominance could grow stale in the future, but for now the team presents nightly masterpieces in pursuit of excellence.
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Soobum Im / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters The Unpredictable Draymond Green
The Golden State Warriors forward is the likeliest candidate to offer a lackluster postseason the dose of raw drama it needs.
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Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Better, Slower, Safer Pitching
Throwing is one of baseball’s most physically demanding tasks. But the Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel has mastered a less flashy yet more sustainable style.
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Tony Gutierrez / AP Francisco Lindor Is Baseball’s Future
As the sport struggles to attract a new generation of fans, the Cleveland Indians shortstop shows how the game might be able to draw classicists and young viewers alike.
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Rich Pedroncelli / AP March Madness, Plus Future NBA Stardom
Beyond busted brackets and buzzer-beaters, the men's NCAA tournament offers the broader public an early look at likely professional draftees.
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Jessica Hill / AP The UConn Huskies Make Perfection a Thrill to Watch
The unparalleled University of Connecticut women’s basketball team is hoping to claim its fifth NCAA Tournament championship in a row—an outcome that seems all but inevitable.
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Mary Cybulski / HBO Crashing Is an Antidote to Cynical Comedy Shows
Pete Holmes’s new HBO series is a refreshing break from the darkness of similar prestige shows about the lives of stand-ups.
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Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports / ... The Super Bowl That Felt Like Destiny
The 51st NFL championship game saw an incredible win for the New England Patriots, who overcame a huge lead by the Atlanta Falcons in the final stretch.
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USA Today Sports / Jim Tanner / Mario ... Super Bowl 2017: It’s Not Too Late to Choose a Side
Not rooting for either the Atlanta Falcons or the New England Patriots yet? The Atlantic will help you pick.
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Reuters / Jessica Rinaldi How Iván Rodríguez Captured an Era of Baseball
The all-time great catcher, soon to be inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame, embodies the qualities of his time—for better and for worse.
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Marvin Gentry / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Will the Alabama Crimson Tide Keep Rolling?
In Saturday’s game, the college-football powerhouse will either reinforce their brilliance, or suffer a historic upset. Whatever happens, it’ll be an incredible watch.
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Craig Mitchelldyer / AP The New Aesthetic of James Harden
The Houston Rockets guard doesn’t exactly play “beautiful” basketball—but fans will come to appreciate his efficient style of play.
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Jason Bridge / USA Today Sports / Reuters How the Dallas Cowboys Prop Up the NFL
The team, which will play its annual Thanksgiving Day game, is a reminder of the excitement the league used to produce on a regular basis.
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Bob Donnan / USA Today Sports / Reuters How to Make the Most of a Predictable NBA Season
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will almost certainly make the Finals next June. So here’s how fans can appreciate all the games in the meantime.
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Charlie Riedel / AP This World Series Isn’t Just About Making History
It’s also about defining baseball’s future, with two teams hoping to break losing streaks via forward-thinking approaches.
