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Mark Blinch / Reuters Remembering Roy Halladay, Baseball’s Steady Marvel
Few pitchers were more committed to the daily work of the sport—and more present in the moment—than the eight-time All-Star who died at age 40.
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Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters How Kristaps Porzingis Became New York’s New King of Sports
The fans booed his arrival. He bided his time behind a hometown star. Now, this 22-year-old Latvian’s breakout moment is finally here—and the NBA may never be the same.
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Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters An Astros Win Ends a Wildly Entertaining World Series
Baseball will endure late-night finishes and endless mound visits if it gets the kind of drama and passion that Houston and Los Angeles provided in a seven-game classic.
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Ethan Miller / Getty Images Doris Burke’s Expertise Is Finally Paying Off
After a quarter-century working on the sidelines, ESPN’s newest full-time NBA announcer has broken through in a big way.
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Jamie Squire / Elsa / Getty / Bart ... World Series Hopes Ride on a Pair of Aces
Despite sluggers aplenty on Houston and Los Angeles, each club's title chances hinge on the pitching prowess of Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw.
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Chris Szagola / AP Kyrie Irving, the NBA’s Singular Star
While players around the league team up to chase the Warriors, the Celtics’ new point guard looks for a heavier burden.
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Mike Segar / Reuters / Katie Martin / ... Roger Goodell's Empty Letter to the NFL
The league’s commissioner pleaded for unity while masking the issues that led to the anthem protests in the first place.
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Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports / ... Baseball’s Wild Cards Are the Perfect Postseason Prologue
The exhilarating MLB play-in games break with the drowsiness of the regular season in the feverish lead-up to the World Series.
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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.
