FOR

THE
WIN
Volume 7 | Issue 3
FTW Contributors Editor’s Note
Editors-In Chief Dear readers,
Robbie Werdiger Welcome to For The Win Issue 3! This issue is
Rohan Bhatia dedicated to the life and legacy of the late Kobe
Bryant, who tragically passed away on January
Managing Editors 26th in a helicopter crash which  claimed the
Jonathan Mong
Ryan Webb lives of eight others. Kobe was a generational
Maxwell Resnick player who won five NBA Championships, two
Joshua Underberg Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP, and was
Bradley Bennett
selected to the All-Star game 18 times over the
Design Editors course of his 20-year career with the Los Angeles
Bradley Bennett Lakers. Kobe’s “Mamba Mentality” made him
Robbie Werdiger one of the most clutch players in NBA history,
Berk Balkir and his diligent work ethic inspires current and
future basketball players around the world. Also
Issue Editors killed in the crash was Kobe’s oldest daughter
Adrian Arnaboldi
Yotam Hahn Gianna, who was a promising young player with
Avi Kapadia aspirations to play in the WNBA. Together, the
Jacob Schorsch FTW community mourns the passing of Kobe
Louise Kim
and Gianna Bryant, John Keri and Alyssa Alto-
Staff Writers belli, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Maus-
Nicholas Butera er, and Ara Zobayan. In the aftermath of this
Zachary Ludwig tragedy, we hope to honor Kobe Bryant, but also
Maxwell Resnick to report on the other developments over the last
Sam Perlman
Jonathan Mong
few months which have seemed insignificant in
Joshua Underberg comparison. Recent stories include the Chiefs’
William Bramwell Super Bowl victory, the Australian Open, and the
Mikail Akbar upcoming NFL draft and 2020 Olympic Games.
Berk Balkir
Samuel Korff
Enjoy reading this issue, and, while you’re at it,
Josh Winiarsky take a few moments to reflect on the lasting im-
Yesh Nikam pact of the life of Kobe Bryant.
Connor Bernard Sincerely,
Eshan Mehere
Louise Kim
Robbie and Bradley
Max Meyer
Ethan Waggoner
Jonas Jacobson
Sam Singh
Zach Goodman Fair Use Notice
Daniel Schlumberger
This publication contains or may contain copyrighted material, the use of which has not
always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material
available in our efforts to [advance understanding of issues of ecological and humanitarian
significance.] We believe this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.
Section 107, this publication is distributed without profit for research and educational pur-
poses. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this publication for purposes of your
own that go beyond “fair use”, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Remembering Kobe Bryant
By Josh Underberg and Yesh Nikam

On Sunday, January 26th, people all around the world were in disbelief upon hearing the news: Kobe Bryant,
along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and 7 other people were tragically killed in a helicopter crash in
Calabasas, CA. Less than 24 hours after congratulating Lebron James for passing him for third on the all-time
scoring list, Kobe was no more.
Most of us will remember Kobe Bryant as the “Black Mamba,” one of the greatest basketball players of all
time. He led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships, two of which he won as the only “superstar” on
his team. He was undoubtedly the second-best shooting guard of all time, and the best shooting guard the league
had seen since Michael Jordan. Widely considered one of the greatest scorers of all time, Kobe cemented himself
in the “GOAT” conversation, alongside Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and James.
Arriving into the NBA as a high school phenom from Philadelphia, Kobe quickly established himself as a
household name in the NBA. By his third season he was already an NBA champion, defeating the Indiana Pacers
in six games, and an all-star. Since then, he only improved. Known for his legendary work-ethic, Kobe spent tire-
less hours in the gym honing every aspect of his game, and the results showed: Kobe’s accolades are astounding.
In his twenty-year career, he was an 8-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of
the All-Defensive Team, 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), two-time NBA Finals MVP winner. In No-
vember 2015, Kobe announced that he would be retiring the following season, beginning an epic farewell tour in
which players and fans across the league thanked him profusely for his contributions to basketball. On April 13,
2016, Kobe played his final NBA game against the Utah Jazz. In front of 20,000 electric fans, and over 3.5 mil-
lion more watching live at home, Kobe scored 60 points, a fitting end to one of the greatest and most impactful
careers in sports history.
Despite his incredible accomplishments on the court, much of Kobe’s legacy revolves around the impact
he had off the court. In 2002, he started the Vivo Foundation, a charity dedicated to promoting education and
reaching out to students who needed financial aid. He repeatedly went out of his way to engage with people who
he had never met personally, from teammates to reporters, to his youngest fans. Kobe was extremely involved in
the Los Angeles community and strived to be a role model for all his fans; he repeatedly emphasized the im-
portance of education when speaking to younger kids and encouraged them to follow their dreams. He was not
a celebrity that solely cared about fame; instead, he used his position to make the world better, and that is why
he was deeply loved from every corner of the globe. He was a friend, a mentor, and most of all an involved and
loving father to four daughters. Part of the reason he retired was to spend more time with his family. “For me to
make the trip up to Staples Center, that means I’m missing an opportunity to spend another night with my kids.
… I want to make sure the days that I’m away from them are days that I absolutely have to be. I’d rather be with
them than doing anything else,” Kobe told the Los Angeles Times in 2019. He was deeply invested in his daugh-
ter’s lives, making sure that they had the tools to succeed in life. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in 2018, he
proudly praised his daughter Gianna’s basketball achievements, saying, with a smile on his face, that she wanted
to carry out his legacy. The world did not only lose an incredible basketball player but a loving and doting father.
Kobe’s life was not only filled with glory, however. On June 30, 2004, his reputation took a major hit when
he was accused of raping a nineteen-year-old woman. Bryant repeatedly claimed innocence and the case was
ultimately settled in 2005 and never resulted in a trial. After the case was dismissed, Bryant issued a statement
maintaining his innocence and apologizing for his actions. He suffered a tremendous blow to his character but
ultimately rebounded, providing an example of how one can recover and mature from their past actions.
Kobe’s death left the whole world in shock, with many people wondering how someone so influential
could be gone so quickly. As the news broke, athletes, politicians, actors, and heartbroken fans across the world
expressed their sorrow surrounding his death. Former President Barack Obama expressed tremendous sadness
surrounding Kobe and Gianna’s passing on Twitter, the Lakers honored the Bryants with an emotional ceremo-
ny before their first game after his death, and artists in the Philippines painted an enormous mural depicting
Gianna with his arms lovingly wrapped around her father’s neck as a tribute to their lives. Kobe’s was not only a
phenomenal basketball player but an inspiration to millions of people across the world. He left ardent basketball
fans in awe with his natural athleticism and incredible talent while simultaneously serving as a role model to the
community and a loving father. Simply put, he was a good human being and one that the world will sorely miss.
The Tragedy of the NBA’s One-and-Done Rule
By Zachary Ludwig

The one-and-done rule is one of
the most controversial circumstances
of college basketball, as well as sports in
general. Beginning in 2005, players had
to be at least one year removed from high
school to be eligible for the NBA draft.
With a massive payday awaiting these
top prospects in the NBA, paired with
the risk of injury in college, athletes and
fans alike continue to be irate at this rule.
Yet, college basketball would lose much
of its flare without these big names in
its league, such as Anthony Edwards or
Nico Mannion, and according to Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, this rule is too light to be
the only thing between players and college
education. This debate was re-ignited in
February 2019 when Zion Williamson’s
shoe burst open during a game, causing
him to suffer a chronic knee injury that later resur- The second reason why the rule is detrimental
faced during the preseason. By playing at Duke, not is money. I can agree that an education is good enough
only did Zion earn no money, he put his health at risk “payment” from the colleges, but the real failure of
playing for college. Despite this event, Zion expressed this rule is the regulations around scholarships. Play-
his desire to return to college but was finally convinced ers should always be allowed to receive sponsorships,
to enter the draft by his family and coach. These exam- gifts, or a cut from the sale of their names, but rules for
ples beg the question: Do the benefits of the one-and- players on scholarship prevent this. Not only does this
done rule outweigh the harm? not allow players to capitalize on any of their talent or
The obvious answer should be no. There are fame they’ve worked for, but they also can’t receive any
many different points to consider, but the first one of the school’s profit based on them. The rules are so
addressed will be tanking. How will allowing 18-year- outrageous that at one point, it was even against the
olds into the draft stop tanking if the flattened lottery rules for a coach to buy cream cheese for a recruit’s
didn’t? Allowing 18-year-olds into the NBA draft bagel. Further, according to the rules, independent
creates randomness by giving teams less time to scout brands are not able to give athletes sponsorships. This
and analyze. For instance, the lack of scouting led to is not related to their age, but only the college barring
Kobe Bryant falling to the 13th pick, while Kwame players from capitalizing from their work and reputa-
Brown was selected first. A draft like this could make tion; LeBron James received a sponsorship from Nike
it harder for bottom-feeders to rise, thus de-incentiv- straight out of high school as he was drafted before
izing tanking. In addition, with less time to scout, big the application of this rule.Players don’t even receive a
market teams with more assets will have to pick and cut when teams sell and profit off of merchandise with
choose who to scout exactly like the rest of the teams, their name on it, which is part of what sells the jer-
making the process fairer. This change would make it sey— this alone is outrageous enough to put this rule
so all teams had to pick and choose who to pay close under serious question.
attention to, as well as travel to high schools around The third and central reason for the removal of
the country, leveling the playing field between big and this rule is the players’ huge risk of injury, the biggest
small market teams, something the NBA is desperately risk in basketball.. injury in the NBA is possible, but
in need of. to get injured and jeopardize your future while at an
intermediary spot in your journey should be unaccept- Mudiay) or go the G League, but even playing for only
able. Some of these college injuries can even prevent a scholarship for a college team with advanced facilities
players from playing in their rookie seasons. Recently, and rabid fan bases might beat riding on buses through
injuries to Zion Williamson and Michael Porter Jr., the snowy back roads of the Midwest to play in empty
have made this point extremely evident. Zion’s injury G League arenas or living alone in a country where
could be an issue in years to come, as he has already few speak your language. With a situation so dire in
hurt his knee in the preseason. And even in his return college and no good option outside of it, the NBA must
on January 22nd, he still was on an extreme minutes discard the one-and-done rule for the league, the fans
restriction, limiting the amount of highlight plays we who watch it, and the players that this league should
all know and love. Even worse than this is the case of support at all costs. They deserve better, and removing
Kevin Ware— a former star at Louisville, Ware suffered this rule is a simple and easy way to make that happen.
one of the most gruesome injuries ever seen on a bas-
ketball court. In an NCAA Tournament game against
Duke back in 2013, Ware suffered an open fracture to
his right leg. Those on the scene were visibly shaken as
his the bone of his right leg protruded several inches
out of his right shin. Ware would not play another
game for Louisville and went undrafted. This injury
likely cost the NCAA champion a spot in the NBA and
a shot at stardom. It’s illogical why the NBA would ever
enforce this rule; when we look at situations like these,
they demonstrate how unnecessary, harmful, and un-
productive this rule is to the players, fans, and league
alike.
Finally, there are other options, but none are
appealing enough to make a real change. Players could
go overseas (like Brandon Jennings and Emmanuel
MLB Preseason Outlook
By Jonathan Mong

The 2019-2020 off-season has been abnormal

by anyone’s standards. The Yankees threw money at
top free agents (normal), the Mets fired their manager
before he managed a game (normal for them, but it’s
the Mets we’re talking about), the Red Sox traded a star
right fielder and pitcher to the Dodgers for nothing
(they’re usually smarter than that), and the commis-
sioner handed down the weakest and flimsiest pun-
ishment for cheating ever seen in modern sports (the
whole situation is so bizarre). But was this off-season
normal? Will the 2020 season be normal? The short
answer is no. The long answer is no, and here’s why.
Beyond the off-season, which involved two
smaller market teams (the Reds and White Sox) ag-
gressively spending money on a lot of average-to-good
players, at least two, maybe even up to four divisions
will be tossups this year. The NL Central, as usual, will
be a dogfight to the top. The Reds are surging, with
myriad acquisitions such as CF Shogo Akiyama, the
Reds’ first Japanese player, and 3B Mike Moustakas,
who was solid for the Royals and Brewers.
Meanwhile, the once-dominant Cubs did abso-
lutely nothing to bolster themselves, so expect them to
fall to as far as fourth in the division. The Brewers did
their best, but they’re not a big market. Their biggest
signing was arguably 1B Justin Smoak. But as long as
they have Yelich, they’re probably going to be fine. The
Pirates…are going to Pirate. That means spending no
money and being bad at baseball. Bob Nutting needs
to sell the team to someone who cares about baseball,
someone who’s not going to pocket the revenue sharing
money and just cry poor until the fans stop supporting
the team, and then abandon Pittsburgh citing a “poor
fanbase,” going to a bigger city…but that’s off-topic.
They weren’t a good team in 2019, and they won’t be a
good team this year. The Cardinals didn’t do much to
bolster their putrid offense, either. The top team in the
division might be 90-72. It’ll probably be the Cardinals
since great pitching beats great hitting, but with this
division, all bets are off.
On the other hand, the NL East will be compet-
itive (well, maybe not the Marlins) because they have:
the Mets (who always look good until May 1), the
Phillies (who finally have a manager that knows what
they’re doing), the defending World Series champion
Nationals, and the Braves (who, since they have neither
Judge, or 1B Luke Voit, or 3B Miguel Andújar, or SP
SP Mike Soroka, CF Ronald Acúña Jr., and 2B Ozzie
Albies, will be good for a long time). On top of this,
the NL East teams aggressively spent money this year.
SP Stephen Strasburg got $242 million to stay with the
Nats. The Mets signed RP Dellin Betances as well as SPs
Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha. The Phillies became
even more of a retirement home for former Yankees
by signing SS Didi Gregorius and manager Joe Girardi.
They also signed SP Zack Wheeler. The Braves don’t
even need to do much to stay good, but they still signed
SP Cole Hamels, OF Marcell Ozuna, and RP Will Smith.
I would be surprised if there were no NL East represen-
tatives in the NLCS, but I have to give the division title
to Atlanta at around 95-100 wins.
This brings me to the two divisions that might
be competitive. The first is the AL East. Yes, the Yankees
are probably favorites to win the AL pennant now that
the Astros and Red Sox are regressing and the Twins are
completely helpless against them, And yes, they have a
new ace in SP Gerrit Cole. But a lesson I’ve learned is
that you are never allowed to sleep on the Rays because
then you’re going to get completely hosed when they
win 95 games. I’d also watch out for the Jays. Between a
shiny new SP Hyun-Jin Ryu and the emergence of all the
old legends’ kids (3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., SS Cavan
Biggio, and 2B Bo Bichette), they could shock the base-
ball world. I’d still imagine that the Yankees are the team
to beat in the AL—OF Giancarlo Stanton is not going to
be missing 150+ games this season, will RF Aaron
Luis Severino, or SP Jordan Montgomery, or C Gary
Sánchez, or…let’s just say that we won’t be playing
Random AAA Guy #37 in the outfield (or infield)
again this year, although they didn’t do poorly at all
(Exhibit A: Tauchman, Mike). While SPs James Pax-
ton and Domingo German will be out until the sum-
mer (surgery and suspension, respectively), Mont-
gomery and J.A. Happ are perfectly fine stand-ins for
the 4 and 5 spots in the rotation until they return.
Meanwhile, the Orioles are bad, what else is new, and
as for the Red Sox? I’ll just be content to sit back and
watch the team and the fans melt down, now that they
traded Mookie Betts and just hired a new manager
only days before spring training. Yankees probably
have this one at 103-59, with the Rays not far behind.
The other one is the AL West. Without be-
ing able to put a quantifier on how much the trash-
can helped the Astros (let’s award it the 2017 MVP
though), we cannot truly know how well the Astros
will do offensively. As for pitching, Cole is gone to the
Yankees, and SP Lance McCullers Jr. is coming back.
This is a downgrade, if only because Cole was pitch-
ing out of his mind. Meanwhile, they lost RP Will
Harris to Washington. Meanwhile, the A’s look scary,
with SS Marcus Semien finally coming into his own,
1B Matt Olson and 3B Matt Chapman continuing
to be studs, SPs A.J. Puk and Jesus Luzardo return-
ing from Tommy John surgery, and SP Sean Manaea
pitching a whole season. Finally, the Angels bolstered
their lineup by signing 3B Anthony Rendon from the
Nats, and maybe finally addressed their rotation (for
the first time in twenty years) by trading for SP Matt
Andriese and signing SP Julio Teheran. I see Houston
and Oakland battling it out, with whoever the winner
is (likely still the Trashtros, unfortunately) winning
roughly 92-95 games.
The last two divisions, which are the AL
Central and NL West, will not be competitive. The
Twins were good in 2019 and improved upon that by
trading for SP Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers and
signing 3B Josh Donaldson, RP Sergio Romo, and SP
Rich Hill; meanwhile, their entire division is sniffing
glue, and that’s with the White Sox trying to compete.
The Dodgers are so good that it’s unfair. They have
OF Cody Bellinger, shiny new RF Mookie Betts, 1B
Max Muncy, 3B Justin Turner, SS Corey Seager, and
2B Gavin Lux, and I haven’t even mentioned their
pitching yet, which even with the losses of Ryu and
Maeda, still has SPs Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler,
newcomer David Price, returner Alex Wood, Ross
Stripling, and Julio Urias. The NL West is in pretty bad
shape too, with the Rockies and Giants being god-awful,
the Padres consistently underperforming expectations,
and the D-Backs being aggressively mediocre. Expect
the World Series to be Yankees-Dodgers if you had to,
but this is baseball, nothing’s predictable.
Here’s what the playoff picture might look like in
the AL:
1. Yankees (103-59) - They are insanely good. If this
team gets rolling, they’ll be even better than 103 wins.
2. Twins (100-62) - They get to play 57 games against
the Tigers, Royals, and White Sox.
3. Astros (93-69) - I’m attaching a massive drop this
year. They lose Cole, and the entire team will probably
have to stop cheating and lose a step because of that.
Not to mention that 107 wins is unsustainable either
way.
4. Rays (95-67, WC1) - Never underestimate these guys.
They will always find a new way to beat you.
5. A’s (92-68, WC2) - They demand to be taken serious-
ly.
And here’s what it might look like in the NL:
1. Dodgers (108-54) - They’re the Juggernaut…I’m not
allowed to finish this sentence in a school publication,
am I?
2. Braves (98-64) - Acúña and Albies, need I say more?
3. Cardinals (91-71) - Cardinal Devil Magic™ strikes
again. They’ll survive the NL Central Hunger Games
and lose in the NLDS.
4. Nationals (96-66, WC1) - They’ll play the Braves
hard, but fall short. If they get lucky, they’ll knock off
the Dodgers again.
5. Reds (88-74, WC2) - Who knows? Honestly, be-
tween the Reds, Brewers, Cubs, Mets, and Phillies, any
of those teams could make it. I’m going with the Reds
because unfortunately, the team around Girardi, Didi,
and Robertson in Philly is significantly worse than the
2017 Yankees, and neither of the players I mentioned
is a star. The Cubs are probably going to keep sliding
under freshman manager David Ross. The Mets…well,
they’re the Mets. And the Brewers are going to just miss
out—they got carried hard by Christian Yelich last year
and it’s not sustainable, especially as they got worse this
off-season. This leaves the Reds as the last team stand-
ing.
Does the Rockets Small Ball Lineup have what it takes to
win it all?
By Eshan Mehere
The Houston Rockets have been one of the best
teams in basketball for the past couple of years. Led
by superstar guard James Harden, the Rockets have
made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons, but
have consistently come up short of their end goal: a
championship. The Golden State Warriors have elim-
inated them in four of the previous five postseasons,
and Harden has often been criticized for his lackluster
performance in postseason play. In hopes of finally
getting over the hump, executive Daryl Morey pulled
off a blockbuster trade in July, acquiring former MVP
PG Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thun-
der. Expectations remained high for the Rockets as
the season approached, but doubts about their ability
to show up when it mattered remained. Those doubts
were reaffirmed with solid, but not otherworldly re-
sults midway through the 2019-20 NBA Season. The
Rockets sat at 32-18, tied for #4 in the Western Con-
ference, and 6.5 games behind the Lakers for the #1
seed. Fans were certain a move needed to be made, but
they did not know the extent of the trade Daryl Morey
was about to make. In the wee hours of February 5, the
Rockets pulled off a four-team deal with the Hawks,
Timberwolves, and Nuggets, shipping their All-Star
center Clint Capela to the Hawks, and receiving pro-
lific wing player Robert Covington from the Timber-
wolves. Houston’s rotation now consisted of zero play-
ers above the height of 6’7”, raising the question: would
the Rockets be able to win with this new “small ball”
lineup? How would they fare in the postseason when
matched up with elite big men such as Nikola Jokic
and Anthony Davis? For me, the answer has become
increasingly apparent. Morey’s new and radical ap-
proach to the game of basketball is precisely the spark
the Rockets need to go to the Promised Land. Morey
has made moves to maximize the abilities of his two
superstars, and I’m here to tell you that the Rockets are
in the best position they have ever been in to win a title
during the James Harden era.
It is no secret that Harden, one of the most pro-
lific scorers in the history of the game, loves to get his
points from iso-ball. Harden has the highest isolation
play frequency in the NBA this season at 44.7%.
He has held that mark for the past two seasons as well,
coming in at 48.7% in 2018-19 and 35.0% in 2017-
18. However, during this stretch of Harden’s isolation
dominance, Clint Capela has been camped in the
paint the whole time. Capela has never been known
for his prowess outside the paint. In every year since
he became the Rockets’ starting center in the 2016-17
season, at least 75% of his attempted shots came within
3 feet of the basket. Moreover, he has only attempted
two 3-point field goals in his career. It is quite remark-
able that Harden has become proficient in this style
of play, given the nightmares that a player like Capela
creates. When Harden drives to the basket, he is likely
to be met by not only his own defender but also Cape-
la’s, leading to an unfavorable result at the rim. How-
ever, if the Rockets’ primary lineup were to be Harden
and four other shooters, Harden would have no issue
driving to the rim or making things happen on the
perimeter. Luckily for him, Daryl Morey has done just
that. Now, the Rockets rotation consists of P.J Tucker,
Robert Covington, Danuel House, Eric Gordon, Ben
McLemore, and Austin Rivers, all players who have
shot better than 33% from 3 point range on the season.
Harden will be able to do his thing with the ball in his
hand, and when the defense breaks down, the Rockets
have the cream of the crop in terms of shooting talent
on their roster, ready to sink an open three. Players
such as Covington and Tucker are not only known for
their shooting ability, but also for being “lockdown”
defenders on the other end of the court. When the
playoffs come, and Houston needs to put a body on
elite scorers such as LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard,
they certainly have the personnel to do so. One of the
significant bonuses to having Capela on the roster used
to be the pick and roll game between him and either
James Harden or former PG Chris Paul. However, this
season he is in the 50th percentile for pick and roll
production as opposed to being in the 91st percen-
tile two seasons ago. Capela had not been adding any
value to the offense, and as described above, his role
as a “lane stuffer” took away from his efficiency when
paired with Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Speaking of Westbrook, he, like Harden, is
most effective when in Iso-ball. He comes in at 2nd to

for his ability to get to the rack and The Houston Rockets pulled off a trade that has undoubtedly
create offense for himself out of iso- sent ripples throughout the entirety of basketball. This radical switch
lation, as he is averaging a league 2nd to “positionless” basketball is the next step in the evolution of the
best, 6.8 ppg in isolation, but also to game, and the Rockets are ready to take on the bold task of winning a
get his teammates involved. He aver- championship with this roster. James Harden and Russell Westbrook
aged over ten assists per game for the are two of the most dynamic players in the league, and it is clear that
past four seasons in Oklahoma City. the Rockets move to a perimeter centric style of basketball will go a
However, this season his numbers long way towards their hopes of winning an NBA Championship.
have taken a sharp dropoff to around
seven assists per game. With this new
lineup, Westbrook will surely take
advantage of the shooters around him
to employ the “drive and kick” strat-
egy and increase his assist numbers.
Offensively, it is clear that the Rockets
have set up a system to dominate,
pairing their iso-heavy superstars
with some of the best shooters in the
league. However, in other facets of the
game, many experts have pointed out
potential flaws with the Rockets’ new
system. For starters, the Rockets sim-
ply do not have the height to match up
with Western Conference centers such
as Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and
Anthony Davis. 6’5” P.J Tucker is likely
to play the center position for them in
big-time games, and this could prove
to be a real problem. However, Tuck-
er may not be tall but he is definitely
big. He clocks in at 246 lb which is
heavier than not only former center
Clint Capela but also players such
as Gobert. Tucker doesn’t have the
height to contend with these players,
but he most definitely has the weight
and physicality needed to play center
down the stretch for Houston. An-
other potential issue seems to be the
Rockets’ ability to rebound with their
new small lineup. However, Russell
Westbrook has consistently rebounded
like a center in his career, posting 10+
rebounds per game in each of the pre-
vious three seasons. His rebounding
numbers took a dip in Houston this
season, but I am confident that he will
take on his new role as lead rebounder
effectively.
NFL Quarterback Offseason
By Max Meyer
Just like every other off-season, this off-season
there are several NFL teams in need of a quarterback.
With typical off-season rumors floating around, I will
explore the options for each of the quarterback-needy
teams.
The Cincinnati Bengals just finished their 9th
season with Andy Dalton as their starting quarterback.
While they have enjoyed moderate success during this
time, a dismal season under first-year coach Zac Taylor
afforded the Bengals with the opportunity to pick first
in the upcoming NFL Draft. Joe Burrow is a tantalizing
prospect coming off of an incredible Heisman Season
for LSU, and will most likely be the Bengals’ selection.
Alternatively, the Bengals can gain draft capital by
trading down in the draft and taking Tua Tagovailoa
from Alabama or Justin Herbert from Oregon.
The Miami Dolphins also struggled this season,
surprising many by starting Ryan Fitzpatrick for most
of the season, despite trading for young quarterback
Josh Rosen, who has disastrously failed in his two NFL
seasons. The Phins hold the number 5 spot in this
year’s draft and have the draft capital to move up in the
draft, holding three first-round picks. At number 5,
they can draft Tua Tagovailoa, who would have been a
near-lock for a top pick in the draft, had it not been for
the scary hip injury he suffered during the season. On
the other hand, the Dolphins can sign a veteran quar-
terback in free agency, such as Teddy Bridgewater or
Philip Rivers, who just moved permanently to Florida
with his family. The final option for Miami could be
Josh Rosen. It is a possibility that the Dolphins’ plan all
along was to develop Rosen for a year before handing
him the reigns of their offense, as the franchise QB.
Next, the Los Angeles Chargers hold the
number six spot in the draft. After nearly twenty years
of stability under Philip Rivers, a new era must begin
in LA. Potential options include Justin Herbert in the
draft, who will likely be available at the Chargers’ posi-
tion in the draft. Another option for Los Angeles could
be last year’s backup, Tyrod Taylor. Taylor has several
years of starting experience and is a well-respected
locker room presence with his teammates.
The most confusing team with quarterback
trouble is the Carolina Panthers because we don’t know
whether or not they are in the quarterback market.
Rookie head coach Matt Rhule has the option to stick
with 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton, who missed almost
the entire season with an injury. Rhule could also draft
a QB at number nine or attempt to sign one in free
agency. Last year’s starting quarterbacks, Kyle Allen
and Will Grier, may have played their ways out of the
starting job with dismal play down the stretch.
The Colts and Buccaneers have a pair of inter-
esting quarterback situations as well. The Colts have a
returning starting quarterback in Jacoby Brissett, how-
ever, he is only under contract through next season, so
the Colts could attempt to sign or trade for a QB this
offseason. The Bucs, on the other hand, have one of the
most inconsistent quarterbacks in the league in Jameis
Winston, who led the league in passing yards, but also
interceptions. The Bucs, picking at fourteenth, could
draft a quarterback such as Herbert or Jordan Love
from Utah State.
The Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville
Jaguars both have returning quarterbacks, but both
squads could be looking for improvement at the posi-
tion following significantly underwhelming seasons.
The Raiders are rumored to be in the market for Tom
Brady, which would be a magnificent splash for the
newly-minted Las Vegas team.
Archery in the Olympic Games: Who will win at Tokyo 2020?
By Louise Kim
To win a gold medal at the Olympic Games
is every professional athlete’s dream. The exhilara-
tion of standing on the podium with the entire world
watching is said to be one of the greatest feelings for
an athlete. This year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo will be
a central topic of discussion in the months leading up
to the event in the sport of archery. Much has changed
since the Rio Olympics of 2016, and the international
archery community has one central question: what
archers and countries will receive a medal at the Tokyo
Olympics?
Archery appeared in the Olympic Games in 1900,
1904, 1908 and 1920, then again, after an absence of 52
years, from 1972 to the present. The Republic of Korea
has been the dominant force of Olympic archery; its
athletes won gold in all four events staged in Rio 2016,
while its women’s team has never been beaten in the
Olympic competition since the introduction of the
event in Seoul 1988. Korea has won 23 gold medals in
archery at the Olympic Games, the most of all nations.
The United States has won 14 and France has won 6.
One of the unique aspects of the Tokyo 2020
Olympics’ Archery is that it may be the most his-
torically diverse competition yet. Under the current
qualification system, a maximum of 79 countries could
qualify. Four countries added their first Olympic ar-
chery quota places for Tokyo 2020 at the Asian quali-
fication tournament in Bangkok, bringing the current
number of nations with spots to 36. The qualification
period for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games runs until
the final quota tournament at the third stage of the
2020 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Berlin, Germa-
ny. The number of countries represented in archery
competitions at the Olympics has been increasing since
2008. There were 49 nations in Beijing 2008, 55 in
London 2010, and 56 in Rio 2016. Although the num-
ber of countries has increased, the number of athletes
competing in the Games has remained the same since
1996: 64 men and 64 women.
The Tokyo 2020 Archery Test Event took place
from July 11, 2019, to July 18, 2019. The mixed team
finals happened on July 13th, while the women’s and
men’s finals were held on July 17th and 18th. The
Republic of Korea, comprised of Jeon Ina and Kim
Woojin, won the mixed team event. The Russian Fed-
eration received second place and Colombia ranked
third. Kim Woojin is ranked third in the world and a
star of Korean archery. He expected to win a medal
as soon as he stepped onto the stage. However,
Jeon Ina, ranked 28th in the world, surprised
the international archery community as she
recently made her international debut in 2019.
Jeon scored 688 points to seed top in the wom-
en’s ranking round, while Kim topped the men’s
ranking round with 679 points, making them
prospective winners of the individual rounds.
However, the results of the women’s and men’s
individual rounds were surprising. For the
women’s event, Chinese Taipei’s Tan Ya-Ting
placed third, India’s Deepika Kumari placed
second, and 18-year-old Korean archer An San
took the gold medal. An, who is ranked fifth
in the world, beat Kumari in straight sets, 6-0.
“At this moment, I’m not sure if I will make the
national team for the Olympics next year. But
I’m happy to have shot here,” An said. “I think
there is some pressure on the Korean team [for
the Games next year]. But I will try hard so I
can stand in the same place.” The 18-year-old
only made her international debut in 2019 at
the most recent stage of the Hyundai Archery
World Cup in Berlin, which she also won.
Lee Seungyun beat his teammate Kim
Woojin in straight sets in the recurve men’s final
to take Korea’s third gold medal of the Ready
Steady Tokyo test event, while American Brady
Ellison, ranked first in the world, received the
bronze medal. “I thought about it as the real
Olympics so that I could finish it with a more
relaxed mind at the next Games,” Lee said.
“I’ve been working very hard but I think that I
was lucky at this tournament because I did not
always have good scores.” Lee won a gold medal
in Rio for the men’s team event and is ranked
eighth in the world.
Gracenote, a company that provides data and re-
search services for the Olympic Games, issued its six-month-
out predictions for the medal table at Tokyo 2020. The mod-
el, which takes into account recent results and past Olympic
records, predicts that Korea will take three golds in Tokyo
2020, with the USA and China winning one each. There will
be five medals available at the Games for the first time with
the debut of the mixed team event. The company picked
world number ones Brady Ellison and Kang Chae Young
to take the individual titles. In 2019, Ellison won the world
championships for the first time in his career and Kang only
lost one major international match. Both archers won gold
medals at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final last season.
Korea will likely remain unbeaten in the recurve women’s
team competition at the Olympics and win the first mixed
team title. The Chinese men, who were a surprise victor at
the 2019 Hyundai World Archery Championships, are ex-
pected to win the men’s team medal. Athletes from Chinese
Taipei, Malaysia, Russia, India, Italy and the Netherlands
are also predicted to be on the podium. However, the tour-
nament at the Games rarely goes as expected. In 2016, Kim
Woojin and Choi Misun arrived at the Olympics as world
number ones, but Ku Bonchan and Chang Hye Jin took the
individual titles. Four years prior, in London, Oh Jin Hyek
and Ki Bo Bae won golds despite Brady Ellison and Deepika
Kumari being ranked first in the world before the event.
The Olympic Games are a source of great patriotism
and pride, and this year’s games are no exception. With re-
cent breakthrough archers, a diverse array of countries, and a
new mixed team event, the world will closely watch the stage
to see how the dynamics of international archery have shifted
since four years prior. Although predictions have been made
for potential winners and winning countries, the diversity
and spontaneity of archery events will be showcased to their
fullest at the largest global sports event in the world.
NFL Top Fifteen Mock Draft 2020
By Jonas Jacobson, Sam Singh, and Zach Goodman

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

The Cincinnati Bengals finished the season with an abysmal 2-14 record, earning them the first overall pick in
the NFL Draft. While you cannot blame a single positional unit for the Bengals’ woes, the quarterback is a glar-
ing weak spot. Andy Dalton, the team’s longtime starter, started thirteen games before being benched for rookie
quarterback Ryan Finley. With Dalton turning 33 next season and Finley’s poor play, selecting a quarterback
in the upcoming draft is most certainly the right decision. The unanimous top quarterback in this draft class is
Joe Burrow. He led the nation with 5,671 passing yards and 60 touchdowns. Burrow topped off his incredible
Heisman-winning campaign by defeating Clemson in the College Football National Championship. Burrow’s
dazzling play has locked him in as the number one pick.

2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, DE, OSU

The Washington Redskins began their rebuild last year by selecting a franchise quarterback in Dwayne Haskins.
With the arrival of defensive-minded head coach Ron Rivera and the stability at quarterback, expect the
Redskins to take a defensive player. Chase Young must be the pick here. Young is regarded as a generational
talent who disrupts the rhythm of every offense he faces. Young totaled 16.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles in just 12
games played. There is no reason to pass on the Chuck Bednarik Award winner, given to the nation’s top defen-
sive player.

3. Detroit Lions: Jeffrey Okudah, CB, OSU

The Lions have holes to fill on both sides of the ball. They would have chosen Chase Young here, but the
Redskins will almost certainly select him with the second overall pick. The Lions’ defense was dreadful; they al-
lowed the second-most total yards and most passing yards. With the addition of Jeffrey Okudah, the Lions would
gain a top-tier man coverage defensive back that would make an immediate impact in their secondary. The
Buckeyes had the top-ranked defense in all of college football last year in part to the leadership and physicality of
Okudah.
4. New York Giants: Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson

The Giants’ improving play towards the end of the season dropped them from the second pick to the fourth
pick. With quarterback Daniel Jones proving that he is the Giants’ future, the team has many options here. If the
Giants choose to help Daniel Jones on the offensive side, the choice could be an offensive tackle such as Andrew
Thomas or Tristan Wirfs, or the selection could be an explosive wide receiver such as Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee
Lamb. With the emergence of rookie wide receiver Darius Slayton, I anticipate the Giants to select a defensive
player. Newly-appointed head coach Joe Judge has preached versatility, and Isaiah Simmons is just that. The
Clemson linebacker has experience playing safety and defensive end. He is an all-around athlete that can domi-
nate in many aspects of the game.

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

Tank for Tua! The Dolphins need a makeover in the quarterback room—the Josh Rosen experiment ended ter-
ribly, and Ryan Fitzpatrick proved to be a subpar bridge quarterback. In the midst of a disappointing season, the
Dolphins reshaped their roster by trading valuable pieces in exchange for draft picks. The Dolphins are poised to
pick Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa here. Tagovailoa led Alabama to an impressive 8-1 record before dislocating his
hip and fracturing his posterior wall. However, before his hip injury, Tagovailoa was projected as the number one
overall pick. His electric play and elite accuracy will allow him to fit right into Miami’s system.

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

As per the trend of most teams in the top ten, the Chargers’ season was wildly disappointing. Just after a year
making it to the divisional round with a 12-4 record, the Chargers fell to 5-11. The unexpected drop off was due
to the atrocious play of 8-time Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers seems to be focused on a change of
scenery, and the Chargers have been scouting quarterbacks throughout the college football season. Justin Her-
bert is just what the Chargers need. Herbert is the prototypical quarterback that can provide the Chargers with
stability at the position in years to come.

7. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

The Panthers were lousy against the rush this year. They allowed the most rushing touchdowns and were bot-
tom four in rushing yards allowed. The Panthers should look to draft a premier run-stopper with their pick. For
this reason, Auburn’s Derrick Brown should be the pick. Brown is perceived to have low-bust potential and will
provide an immediate impact in the run game. Brown won SEC Defensive Player of the Year in part to his 11.5
tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks in just 12 games.

8. Arizona Cardinals: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

The Arizona Cardinals just capped off a season in which rookie quarterback Kyler Murray showcased his athleti-
cism and speed. However, Murray needs more weapons. 36-year old Larry Fitzgerald and former second-round-
er Christian Kirk are not sufficient for Murray to grow as a quarterback. Adding a wide receiver such as Jerry
Jeudy would make the most sense. In 2018, Jeudy took home the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top
wide receiver. Over the past two seasons, Jeudy recorded around 2,500 receiving yards along with his 24 touch-
downs. His explosive potential and high speed are attributes that make Jeudy the best wide receiver in this year’s
draft.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

The Jaguars’ unpredictable season took a turn when quarterback Nick Foles broke his collarbone and sidelined
him until week 10. Foles’ replacement, Gardner Minshew, garnered plenty of media attention, but the overall
poor play from the Jaguars dropped them to a record of 6-10. The Jaguars could look to improve many areas of
their roster, but if Georgia’s Andrew Thomas is available here, he should be the pick. The Jaguars will get great
value if Thomas, a presumed top-five pick, is still available. Thomas manages to stay engaged and create large
holes in the running game as well as providing excellent protection in the passing game.

10. Cleveland Browns: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

The Browns had high expectations coming into this season. Adding star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to com-
plement Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb and Baker Mayfield appeared to be the recipe for a top-five offense. Instead,
offensive line woes and defensive struggles dragged the Browns down to a 6-10 record. Although the statistics
show that the Browns’ offensive line played well, the media and administration within the Browns have expressed
their desire to draft an offensive tackle. The Browns will have a hard choice here as Tristan Wirfs, and Jedrick
Wills are both exceptional options. The Browns should lean towards Wirfs as his pass protection is unmatched

11. New York Jets: Jedrick Wills Jr., OL, Alabama

The biggest need for the Jets is the o-line. They need to protect their young star QB. The Jets went through 9 dif-
ferent formations, and none of them could block. If the Jets want to be a playoff contender, they have to fix their
O-line now.

12. Oakland Raiders: Ceedee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

In the wake of Antonio Brown’s meltdown, the Raiders were left with minimal weapons for Derek Carr to use
in 2019. Though the likes of Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow emerged as potential building blocks for the
offense in the future, they could use a #1 for Carr or the new option they may bring in.

13. Indianapolis Colts: Mekhi Becton OL Louisville

The Indianapolis Colts o-line is regarded as one of the best in the NFL; however, with their LT Anthony Caston-
zo aging and most likely becoming a free agent in 2020, the Colts will have a hole at LT, and Mekhi Becton could
be just the guy to protect their QB’s blindside.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Grant Delpit S LSU

The Bucs had a very mediocre season 7-9, but it was not a terrible year for a team with a first-year coach. I’m sure
they wanted to do better, but Jameis Winston’s 30 interceptions forced the defense to be on the field a lot. Their
secondary was a big problem, so Grant Delpit will be the piece that they are missing, and he will lead them to the
playoffs next season.

15. Denver Broncos: Kristian Fulton CB LSU

Unfortunately, the no-fly zone that was the 2015 Broncos defense has been decimated. Only 6 players from that
Super Bowl-winning roster are currently on the team. Their 4x pro bowler Chris Harris is set to become a free
agent, and the Broncos need someone to step up and be the second piece in creating the new No Fly Zone with
their free safety Justin Simmons.
Top 5 MVP Candidates
By Ethan Waggoner and Connor Bernard
What I look for in an MVP? (Ethan)
I usually look at the advanced stats when ranking MVP
candidates. Some of the stats I will be looking at are true shooting
percentage, Win Shares, VA, and PER, and normal per game stats.
True shooting percentage is a measure of shooting efficiency using
field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws. This stat still favors
bigs who take easier shots but favors them a lot less than field goal
percentage, showing a player’s true efficiency. Win Shares estimates
how many wins a player adds to his team. PER which is a player’s
efficiency rating on offense; the league average is 15. VA shows the
value a player adds to the team compared to a replacement player,
like the 12th man on a team. This is the statistic I find most import-
ant because it calculates how much a player’s value is, which is what
Most Valuable Player is about.
1. James Harden- Shooting Guard, Houston
Rockets
This was a very tough choice for me, but Harden deserves it
the most. Harden has a TS% of 61.6% and a PER of 28.9, which are
second and third among players on this list. Harden’s stats of 35.6
pts, 6.4 rbs, 7.4 ast, 1.7 stl, 0.9 blks. These statistics are first in the
NBA and demonstrate one of the best offensive seasons in modern
NBA history. TS% and PER, which are the best ways to determine
efficiency, have him as one of the most efficient high volume scor-
ers in history. Ultimately, Harden’s VA and
Win Shares make him a real MVP candi-
date. He is first in the NBA in VA with 460
and in Win Shares with 8.7. With his 6.8
offensive Win Shares, Harden is first in
the NBA, even though his team is fifth in
the West. Giannis’s team may have a better
record, but Harden gives his team more
wins and is more valuable of a player this
year.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo-
Power Forward, Milwaukee
Bucks
Like last year, the MVP race has
come down to Giannis and Harden. Gi-
annis has a TS% of 61%, 3rd on this list,
and a PER of 32.6, the best in NBA history.
He is averaging 30.0 pts, 13.0 rbs, 5.7 ast,
1.1 stl, and 1.1 blk. He is fifth in the NBA
in rebounds and second in the NBA in
efficiency points. His team is in first in the
NBA with a record of 41-7, on pace for 70
wins. Even with Giannis’ team’s record, he
is third in the NBA in Win Shares with 8.2
and second in the NBA in VA with 428. In
both, Giannis is behind Harden. Harden
needs to play 37 minutes a night to get his
team a win, as Harden has less help and has
to do more. Giannis only needs to play 31
minutes a night because his team doesn’t
need him as much. The Bucks’ Net Rating,
a team stat showing how good a team is,
without Giannis on the floor is 8.0. With-
out Harden on the floor, the Rockets have a
Net Rating of 1.1. The Bucks have the best
Net Rating in the NBA, even when Giannis
is off the court, which shows the team’s
ability. For Giannis to win MVP, he needs
to put more of the load on his back by
playing more minutes and having a higher
usage, which will increase his Win Shares
and VA.
3. Damian Lillard- Point Guard,
Portland Trailblazers
Lillard is having the best season of his career.
He has a career-high TS% of 62.4% and a career-high
PER of 26.8, making this his most efficient season
ever. This TS% is ahead of everyone on this list and
the PER is in front of Lebron. He is averaging a ca-
reer-high in points and assists with a stat line of 29.4
pts, 4.4 rbs, 7.8 ast, 1.0 stl, 0.3 blks. Coupled with his
efficiency, he is having the best offensive season in the
NBA. His most impressive stats are his VA and Win
Shares. His VA of 411 is third in the NBA and he is
on pace to have a VA of around 682. His Win Shares
are 8.3, second in the NBA, which is amazing as the
Blazers’ record is 22-27. VA and Win Shares favor
players with teams that have many wins, showing
that Lillard is carrying the Blazers on his back. While
Lillard’s defense isn’t amazing at all, his offense makes
up for it. Lillard’s 7.7 offensive Win Shares lead him to
be second in the NBA in total Win Shares. Lillard will
carry the Blazers back to the playoffs and even make
another run like last year if he can keep this up.
5. Lebron James- Small Forward, Los
Angeles Lakers
Lebron James’ raw numbers are amazing, with
averages of 25.2 pts, 7.7 rbs, 10.7 ast, 1.3 stl. 0.5 blks.
Lebron is having an amazing passing season and the
Lakers are first in a loaded Western Conference. His
10.7 ast is first in the entire NBA. Lebron’s assists on
full display for the league this year as the Lakers seem
to be trying to recreate showtime. Although his scoring
has slipped a bit, it hasn’t made him any less of an MVP
candidate. He is efficient with a TS% of 57.2% and a
PER of 25.8, but these numbers are lower than his career
averages and previous MVP years. They are fewer points
on efficiency than any other person on this list. Lebron
is fifth in the NBA with a VA of 360, behind every player
on this list. Lebron is seventh in Win Shares, behind
everyone on this list as well as Davis. Lebron’s scoring
doesn’t compare to anyone on his list, and Davis on his
team hurts his chances a lot. Lebron’s defense this year
hasn’t been bad but isn’t enough to move him any higher
on the list.

4. Luka Doncic- Point Guard/Small

Forward, Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic is having the best season ever
Honorable mentions:
for a twenty-year-old— he has blown everyone away. Anthony Davis- Power Forward, Los Angeles
Doncic has a stat line of 28.8 pts, 9.5 rbs, 8.7 ast, 1.0 Lakers
stl, 0.2 blks. His 8.7 ast is fourth in the NBA, and his Nikola Jokic- Center, Denver Nuggets
28.8 pts is fifth in the NBA. His 28.8 pts are on a TS% Kawhi Leonard- Small Forward, Los Angeles
of 58.9 and his PER is 28.9, 2nd in the NBA, showing Clippers
his amazing offense. His win share is 7.0 and is VA
Kemba Walker- Point Guard, Boston Celtics
is 393, sixth and fourth in the NBA. The quality of
Luka’s teammates makes it even more impressive that
he is sixth in Win Shares. However, his Win Shares,
TS%, and VA are all behind the top three on this list.
Although Doncic has only missed five games this
season, it seems that he will miss at least six more
due to his ankle injury. This is something you can’t
afford to do in an MVP race. His minutes played are
lower than Lillard and Harden, affecting his VA and
Win Shares. His defense is no better than anyone on
this list. To win MVP, Doncic needs to increase his
usage and minutes, as well as carry the team more,
something he will not yet be able to do with his ankle
injury and young age.
 1. Giannis Antetokounmpo- Power
What
I look for in an MVP? Forward, Milwaukee Bucks
Coming off of a stellar 2018-19 60 win MVP

(Connor) campaign, Giannis is currently making the strongest
case for this year’s MVP honor. With the Bucks cur-
rently sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference with

By definition, the MVP is the player most valuable to
their team, but there are other factors to consider when a 40-6 record, Giannis is the best player on the best

analyzing a player’s MVP standing. For example, if a team. Giannis is having an even better season than
his last year’s MVP stats, a feat no doubt meriting this

player’s individual stats are so high that they make up
year’s MVP as well. Currently, Giannis’s statline reads
for their team’s lack of success, they can still be consid-
ered an MVP candidate. Another factor is individual 30.0 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.0 bpg. Also,
statistics. Although stats are not directly correlated Giannis holds the second-highest defensive rating in
with team success or value, they can be used to eval- the league at 98.3. The main criticism of Giannis’s play
uate a player’s skill level. Some stats I will be using to last season was his inability to shoot the three-point-
analyze my top 5 MVP candidates are fg% and points er. This season, Giannis has improved his three-point
per game, Win Shares and true shooting, and team shooting, going from 25.6% on .7 makes per game last
value and success. season to 32.1% on 1.6 makes this season. Giannis is
first in defensive Win Shares with 3.5, second in Win
Shares with 8.2, and has the most Win Shares per game
at .298. Giannis is the MVP because he is the most
valuable player on his team. Without Giannis, the
Bucks are a collection of pieces-- Giannis is what gives
the team their identity and makes them the best NBA
team.

2. Luka Doncic- Point Guard/Small

Forward, Dallas Mavericks
Last year, Luka Doncic shocked the NBA with
his all-round game and cool temperament of a veteran
player under pressure. This year, his level has only sky-
rocketed and Doncic is making quite a compelling case
for MVP. Kristaps Porzingis is failing to succeed and
giving Doncic the burden of carrying the talent-lack-
ing Mavericks roster. Doncic, only in his sophomore
season, has stepped up to the challenge and has led
the Mavs to the fifth seed in a competitive west with a
record of 29-17. Not only has Doncic carried his team
to success this season, but he has done so while put-
ting up an impressive statline of 28.8ppg, 9.5rpg, and
8.7apg. Doncic’s high involvement in the Mavericks
offense has led to the Mavericks’ all-time high offensive
rating of 117.0. Doncic is the runner-up in this year’s
MVP race due to his great individual season and the
fact he led the Mavericks to achieve their highest offen-
sive rating.
3. James Harden- Shooting Guard,
Houston Rockets
The reason why Harden is under Doncic is
that Doncic is more valuable to his team and carries a
heavier load. The difference in quality between Hard-
en’s teammates and Doncic’s teammates is immediately
noticeable. Harden has Russell Westbrook, Capela,
Austin Rivers, Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, and Daniel
and 10.7apg on 49.4% from the field and 34.2% from
three. Although Lebron’s stats may seem to suggest he
should be placed higher on this list, Lebron is only at
the 5 spot because of the help he has around him. Next
to him, Anthony Davis is also having an MVP cali-
ber season averaging 26.5ppg, 9.1rpg, and 3.2apg; the
league MVP is almost never a player who has an MVP
candidate teammate.

H
House. Doncic has Kristaps Porzingis, who is having
an underwhelming season, and Seth Curry, a three-
onorable mentions:
point specialist. This shows how much more work
Doncic needs to put in to sustain his team. During Anthony Davis- Power Forward, Los Angeles
January, Harden averaged 37ppg on 48% from the Lakers
field, while in February, he averaged 28ppg on 35%
from the field and 25% from the three-point line. Al-
Kawhi Leonard- Small Forward, Los Angeles
though Harden has to carry less of a load than Doncic Clippers
and has had a bad February, he is still a top-three MVP Nikola Jokic- Center, Denver Nuggets
candidate. He leads the league in Win Shares at 8.5 and Jimmy Butler- Small Forward, Miami Heat
continues to put up offensive stats not seen since Kobe
Bryant.

4. Damian Lillard- Point Guard,

Portland Trailblazers
Like Doncic, Damian Lillard is a player that
encapsulates the concept of carrying one’s team. With
two of the Blazers’ key players suffering from injuries,
he has carried the team on his back by keeping them in
playoff contention. Lillard is having a career year and
has completely lit up the league this February: averag-
ing 33.1ppg, 8.3apg, 4.9rpg, all on 48% from the field
and 44% from three. On the season, Dame is averaging
29ppg, 7.8apg, and 4.3rpg all on the sixth best play-
er efficiency rating of 26.34, astonishing for a guard.
When it comes to Win Shares, Dame sits at first in the
league for offensive Win Shares with 7.3 and places
third in the league in total Win Shares with 7.9. Having
his best regular season to date, Lillard is a legitimate
top 5 MVP candidate.

5. Lebron James- Small Forward,

Los Angeles Lakers
In his 17th NBA season, Lebron James is still
one of the most dominant forces in the NBA. Lebron
is currently averaging a statline of 25.3ppg, 7.7rpg,
Ten Current NBA Players That Will Dominate the Next Decade:
By Daniel Schlumberger and Nick Butera
10. Brandon Ingram:
Brandon Ingram, drafted second in 2016, has
had tons of potential since the beginning of his ca-
reer. However, Ingram struggled on a starless Lakers
team. After the addition of Lebron James before last
season, Ingram improved to averaging 18.3 points, 5.1
rebounds, along with 3.0 assists. This off-season, he
was involved in a blockbuster trade that sent him to
the New Orleans Pelicans and Anthony Davis to the
Lakers. Again on a starless team, Ingram has stunned
the league, averaging 24.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.3
assists on his campaign toward a MIP award. If Ingram
continues to stay healthy, we can potentially see a very
dominant player entering his prime.
9. Nikola Jokic
The 24-year-old big man has been crucial to the
Nuggets’ success over the past two years. After claim-
ing the second seed in the West last year, they are on
pace to break 50 wins again this year. With role play-
ers providing depth, Jokic has stepped up and led the
team. Due to his crafty performances and impressive
statistics, Jokic even reached fourth in MVP voting last
year. Although Jokic has not taken his expected leap to
superstardom, he has still put up consistent numbers
this season, averaging 20.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and
6.7 assists per game. An even bigger breakout season is
certainly expected soon.
8. Donovan Mitchell
The 23-year-old All-Star for the Utah Jazz has
shown the potential to become a dominant player
this decade. Mitchell’s flashy dunks have displayed his
athleticism and his impactful playoff performances
over the last two years have indicated his potential as a
leader. This year Mitchell has averaged 24.6 points, 4.3
assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. With Rudy Gobert
and veteran additions such as Mike Conley and Bojan
Bogdanovic, Mitchell will likely lead a very strong Jazz
team throughout the decade.
7. Jayson Tatum
As shown in his performance throughout his
first three NBA seasons, Tatum’s development into
stardom is unfolding before our very eyes. The 6’8
Celtic has become an offensive threat with his slash-
ing and sharpshooting capabilities. During the 2018
playoffs, Tatum’s strong performance led a Celtics
team without Kyrie Irving to the Eastern Conference
Finals. However, his isolated (ISO) offensive play style
has made him a lethal scorer but a less involved team
player. This year, Tatum has averaged 21.7 points, 6.8
rebounds, and 2.9 assists. If Tatum learns to become
a more selfless team player, we can potentially see the
21-year-old All-Star become one of the NBA’s best
players this decade.
6. Joel Embiid
Embiid has been among a small group of elite
players in the NBA over the last two years, averaging
26.0 points and 13.1 rebounds. Over 7 feet tall, Embiid
is an uber-powerful defensive and offensive force. If
Embiid improves his play in the postseason, the 76ers
have a strong chance of winning a championship this
year. However, Embiid’s young career has been riddled
with injuries, and at almost 26 years old, it’s unlikely
that Embiid will be in his prime during the later por-
tion of the decade. If he stays healthy, he can easily be a
top-three player this decade.
5. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is without a doubt the best big
man in the league. For many, Davis is a top-five MVP
candidate, averaging 26.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and
2.5 blocks on the 37-11 Lakers. Though the seven-time
All-Star was on a losing Pelicans team until last year,
he and LeBron James are likely to lead the Lakers to a
championship this year and the next couple years. Da-
vis is almost 27 though, and he will be past his prime
by the end of the decade.
4. Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns emulates the perfect
center of the new NBA. The two-time All-Star (and
All-Star snub this year) has been a consistent force,
playing 94% of his games in his first five seasons. This
season, he has averaged 26.9 points and 10.8 rebounds
on 51% shooting and an extraordinary 41% three-
point percentage. Though he has been on a mediocre
Timberwolves team for the first few years of his career,
it is unlikely that a talent such as Towns, at only 24
years old, will continue his losing ways during the new
decade.
3. Trae Young
The deadly sharpshooting point guard is one
of the most dominant offensive players in the league.
In only his second year in the NBA, Trae has averaged
29.2 points and 9.0 assists, which are fifth and second
in the league, respectively. However, due to his size, the
All-Star starter has become a defensive liability for the
Hawks. Additionally, Trae has not yet proven himself
to be a winning player, as the Hawks stand at fifteenth
in the Eastern Conference. But, Trae’s incredible three-
point shooting has ranked him higher on this list due
to the NBA’s recent focus on shots behind the arc.
1. Giannis Antetokoumpo
Nobody in the league can stop Giannis An-
tetokounmpo. The 25-year-old, 6’11 Greek Freak is
coming off an MVP season and is even better this
season. He and the Milwaukee Bucks are on pace to
win 70 games, which would be the third-best team in
NBA history. This season, Giannis has averaged 30.0
points, 13.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists on 55% shooting
in just 31 minutes per game. He is on pace to have
the most efficient season in NBA history with a 32.61
player efficiency rating (PER). The current leaders in
single-season PER include Wilt Chamberlain, Michael
Jordan, Lebron James, and Stephen Curry. Giannis has
already established himself as one of the all-time greats
in terms of single-season stats and he has a full decade
of dominance ahead of him to continue establishing
himself as an all-time great player.

2. Luka Doncic
After a phenomenal Rookie of the Year cam-
paign last year, Luka Doncic has emerged as an MVP
candidate this season. The All-Star starter averages
28.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists, and he leads
the league in triple-doubles. At just 20 years old, Don-
cic might just be having the best sophomore season in
NBA history. Moreover, he has led the Mavericks to
the sixth seed in the competitive Western Conference,
after just a 33-49 record last year. If Doncic can carry
his spectacular regular season play into the playoffs, he
has the potential to become an all-time great player.
Grading This Season’s NFL Head Coaching Hires
By Sam Korff

Cousins had the best season of his career under Ste-

This year in the National Football League, five fanski, and under Stefanski’s previous role as quarter-
teams hired new head coaches: the Carolina Panthers, back coach, former Vikings quarterback Case Keenum
the Cleveland Browns, the Dallas Cowboys, the New had the same result. Stefanski has many years of ex-
York Giants, and the Washington Redskins. These head perience of being part of an NFL organization, and he
coaches come from a variety of positions around the will have a good relationship with the general manager,
league with varying levels and degrees of experience. Andrew Berry, since Berry pushed for Stefanski’s hire
Each hire has its pros and cons, but some hires may be last season over now-fired head coach Freddie Kitch-
more impactful than others. Read on to see analyses ens.
and letter grades for each of the new hires. Cons: In the NFC divisional round this year, Stefanksi
faced off against another candidate for the Browns’
CAROLINA PANTHERS: MATT RHULE-FORMER head-coaching job, Rob Saleh, the San Francisco 49ers
BAYLOR HEAD COACH defensive coordinator. In the NFC divisional-round
game, Saleh’s defense held the Vikings to only 147 total
Pros: In just a few years at Baylor University, and previ- yards and just seven first downs. However, instead of
ously at Temple University, Matt Rhule transformed choosing the victor of that showdown for the job, the
both programs, shifting them from undistinguished Browns chose the loser. Additionally, although Stefans-
teams to highly competitive stars. Temple was 2-10 in ki has been with the Vikings for a while, he only spent
his first year of coaching, and by his last year, Temple one season in his role as offensive coordinator, and he
went 10-3, also winning a conference title. In Rhule’s is still relatively young. Finally, similar to the Redskins,
first year at Baylor, they went 1-11, but this past sea- the Browns have had constant organizational turmoil
son, Baylor went 11-3 and made their conference throughout this century, going through countless head
title game. His innovative, bold play-calling led to the coaches and general managers; it is imperative that the
success of his offense. During the last season at Baylor, owners remain patient with Stefanksi.
Rhule’s offense averaged 33.8 points per game, while
his defense only allowed 19.8 points per game. He may Grade: B-
bring that same mindset to the NFL.
Cons: Rhule is being paid sixty million dollars, which DALLAS COWBOYS: MIKE MCCARTHY - FOR-
is a lot of money for someone who has never had MER PACKERS HEAD COACH
any NFL job experience. The NFL standards are very
different than that of college football, which means it Pros: Mike McCarthy had a 125-77-2 regular season
could be difficult for him to adapt to a new environ- career record as head coach of the Green Bay Packers,
ment. Will he be able to get NFL players to respond to and won Super Bowl XLV. He also made the playoffs
him as well as his college players did? nine of thirteen seasons with the Packers. He has been
Grade: B coaching in the NFL since 1993 and has plenty of
experience and success that will appeal to his players,
CLEVELAND BROWNS: KEVIN STEFANKSI - FOR- such as his successful development of quarterbacks. He
MER MINNESOTA VIKINGS OFFENSIVE COOR- coached Aaron Rodgers, who won MVP in 2011 and is
DINATOR widely considered one of the best quarterbacks of his
generation. Before Rodgers, McCarthy worked with
Pros: Kevin Stefanski was the Vikings offensive coor- Brett Favre, who is now in the Hall of Fame. Addition-
dinator this season, leading them to the eighth-ranked ally, he took a year off from football after being fired
offense in the league. This year, quarterback Kirk by the Packers. After being criticized for being too
“old-school” and not adapting to successful new trends
around the league, he then reanalyzed his game plans.
McCarthy was able to learn from new ideas enacted
by other head coaches, such as going for it on fourth
down, and focusing more on creative pass plays.
Cons: One of the reasons McCarthy was fired by the
Packers was his soured relationship with star quar-
terback Aaron Rodgers due to McCarthy’s conser-
vative game plans. Having a strong relationship with
one’s quarterback is a key trait of a head coach, as the
quarterback is the most important player on the field.
Moreover, McCarthy’s offense grew stale with out-
dated and unanalytical ideas, as Aaron Rodgers had
complained; moving on, he must ensure this does not
repeat. Finally, in his interview with Jerry Jones, the
owner and general manager of the Cowboys, McCa-
rthy said that he had watched every play of the past
season, while he later admitted he had not. A strong
relationship between the coach and general manager is
critical to a team’s success— telling a lie is not the best
first impression.
Grade: B+
NEW YORK GIANTS: JOE JUDGE - FORMER NEW
ENGLAND PATRIOTS SPECIAL TEAMS AND
WIDE RECEIVERS COACH
Pros: Joe Judge spent eight seasons as an assistant
coach on the Patriots under Bill Belichick, who is
considered to be the greatest NFL coach of all time.
Prior to that, he served under Nick Saban at Alabama,
who is considered to be the greatest college coach of
all time. Although he has yet to have head coaching
experience of his own, learning from two of the most
renowned coaches will likely give him a head start.
Additionally, Judge has been called smart and analyti-
cal, two key traits of a head coach, by many, including
Belichick and Saban. Lastly, his experience as a special
teams coordinator serving under Belichick and Saban
gave him experience working with the lower third of
the roster to maximize their talent, a key component of
a head coach.
Cons: When the Giantshired Joe Judge, the public’s
overall reaction was, “Who is that?” His anonymity is a
result of his work only in the position of special teams
and wide receivers, as well as his relatively young age.
his past season was Judge’s first as the Patriots wide re-
ceivers coach, and during the season, the Patriots wide
receivers were one of the worst groups in the league.
None of the Patriots wide receivers made the Pro Bowl,
and the highest rating Pro Football Focus gave a Patri-
ots receiver was a 72 for Julian Edelman. For context
the top receivers rank in the 90s. Further, he hired
Patrick Graham, the former defensive coordinator of
the Miami Dolphins, to be his defensive coordinator,
when the Dolphins had one of the worst defenses in
the league. The Dolphins allowed 30.9 points per game,
which was the worst in the league.
Grade: C+
WASHINGTON REDSKINS: RON RIVERA - FOR-
MER PANTHERS HEAD COACH
Pros: Ron Rivera had a winning 76-63-1 regular season
record as head coach of the Panthers. As a former NFL
player who has spent many years in the league, he is
experienced and has the potential to connect with his
players. He is a proven leader, making the playoffs in
four of his nine years as the Panthers head coach. Were
it not for injuries to his starting quarterback, the Pan-
thers likely would have made the playoffs in additional
seasons. These playoff runs included a run to Super
Bowl 50. Additionally, people around the league think
of him as someone with high character who can instill
a “winning culture.” Many think that Rivera can lead
the Redskins to success through his experience and the
respect he commands.
Cons: Despite not having a starting quarterback for
a few of his seasons with the Panthers, the mark of a
talented coach is being able to adapt, and Rivera was
unable to do so. Rivera had a record of 3-4 in the play-
offs, including a loss to the Denver Broncos in Super
Bowl 50. However, the biggest problem facing Rivera is
the organizational dysfunction that has pervaded the
Redskins for many years, stemming from the team’s
owners’ many questionable decisions that led their
team to only one playoff win this century. Additionally,
the Redskins roster isn’t very talented, as none of their
players made the Pro Bowl. Additionally, their record
3-13, which was second worst in the league, with the
27th best defense, and the worst defense in the league.
Because of these flaws, they likely won’t win right away
so it is critical that the owners are patient with Rivera,
which might be difficult if they don’t have success right
away.
Grade: A-
2019-2020 NFL Season Recap
By William Bramwell
From Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement to Antonio Brown’s demise to Ryan Fitzpatrick’s dismantling of
the Patriots in Week 17, the NFL’s centennial season brought with it a new generation of quarterbacks, breakout
players, an iconic mustache or two, and many other important takeaways.

Changing of the Guard in the AFC

Perhaps the most prominent development in the NFL is taking place in the AFC. In a conference that has
for decades been dominated by the likes of all-time greats like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger,
and Phillip Rivers, a new generation of quarterbacks has arrived to take the torch. The names that immediately
come to mind are Deshaun Watson, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes, all of whom defeated the previous
crown jewel of the AFC, the Patriots, at some time this year. After their crushing Wild Card loss to the resurgent
Ryan Tannehill-led Titans, the great Patriots dynasty looks more vulnerable than it ever has, with an aging and
ineffective Tom Brady hitting free agency for the first time in his career, and many other issues to address. Roeth-
lisberger and Rivers have cloudy futures themselves, too.

Growing Trends
The NFL is in a constant state of change. However, there are general trends that the league tends to
move toward. The most significant of these is the use of dual-threat quarterbacks, who can produce with their
arms and their legs. These quarterbacks took the NFL by storm this year; Lamar Jackson led the pack with over
1,000 rushing yards and 36 passing touchdowns. The inclusion of college football concepts, such as spacing, the
run-pass-option, and the Air Raid, to the NFL has certainly helped these dual-threat quarterbacks. Teams have
increasingly moved away from the standard drop-back quarterback who lacks the athleticism to move out of the
pocket. Eight out of the twelve starting quarterbacks on playoff-bound teams can be considered to be “mobile.”
More and more coaches from the college ranks have risen to the NFL in the past few years. This suggests that
teams are becoming more creative and beginning to embrace quarterbacks of different dimensions and skill sets.

Important Takeaways
Every season provides many takeaways that teams will keep in mind for the future, and the 2019-2020
season was no different. For the past two years, certain running backs, including David Johnson, Todd Gurley,
Ezekiel Elliott, and Le’Veon Bell, have all been given huge contracts. Besides the fact that all these players’ teams
did not make the playoffs, they have all underperformed since their big payday. While Gurley and Elliott have
remained somewhat productive, Le’Veon Bell and David Johnson are shells of what they once were. Looking
forward, general managers may be more reluctant to give out beefy contracts to running backs.
The 49ers and Chiefs, both in the Super Bowl, each made aggressive moves to find their franchise quar-
terbacks. They both traded away veteran quarterback Alex Smith and set up their franchises well with exciting,
young quarterbacks, in Jimmy Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes. The same kind of aggressive decision making
can be found with the Ravens (Joe Flacco to Lamar Jackson), the Texans (Brock Osweiler to Deshaun Watson),
and the Eagles (Sam Bradford to Carson Wentz), all of whom made the playoffs. Especially in a league when
only the top is rewarded, success favors the bold. Franchises take advantage of star quarterbacks on cheap rookie
deals, allocating the extra money to other positions of need to make a strong push towards a title.

Season Awards
MVP - Lamar Jackson, quarterback, Baltimore Ravens.
Jackson had a season like none other. In offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s incredibly innovative scheme, La-
mar broke the single-season quarterback rushing yards record with 1,206 and led the NFL in all-purpose touch-
downs with 43. Though the Ravens’ season ended short of their Super Bowl aspirations, the future is bright in
Baltimore.

Honorary Mentions: Russell Wilson, Christian McCaffrey, Michael Thomas.

Offensive Player of the Year - Michael Thomas, wide receiver, New Orleans Saints.
Thomas slightly edges out Christian McCaffrey’s 1,000 receiving yard and 1,000 rushing yard season for the
award. In his fourth year, Michael Thomas caught an NFL record 149 receptions this season. He also led the
league in receiving with 1,725 yards, 231 more than anyone else. Honorary Mentions: Christian McCaffrey, Dal-
vin Cook, Derrick Henry, George Kittle, Russell Wilson.

Defensive Player of the Year - Stephon Gilmore, cornerback, New England Patriots.
Gilmore led the league’s best defense by allowing just one touchdown in coverage all year and always shutting
down the opponent’s best receiver.

Honorary Mentions: T.J. Watt, Joey Bosa, Tre’Davious White, Chandler Jones, Aaron Donald.

Offensive Rookie of the Year - A.J. Brown, wide receiver, Tennessee Titans.
After the burden of Marcus Mariota was taken off his shoulders, Brown averaged seventy-five yards per game
with Ryan Tannehill, proving himself a true number one wide receiver. At his size and speed, Brown has a very
bright future ahead of him.

Honorary Mentions: Josh Jacobs, Kyler Murray.

Defensive Rookie of the Year - Nick Bosa, defensive end, San Francisco 49ers.
Besides MVP, DROY was the easiest choice. Bosa has reinvigorated the 49ers by recording the most quarterback
pressures by any rookie in history. A factor in the passing game and running game, Nick Bosa will be the leader
of the 49ers defense for years to come.

Honorary Mentions: Josh Allen, Devin Bush.

The Chiefs’ Journey from Heartbreak to Miami
By Maxwell Resnick

The score was 38-10. The Chiefs possessed a commanding third-quarter lead against the Indianapolis
Colts in the 2013-14 wild-card game. The Kansas City faithful felt confident they were headed to the
divisional round in no time. Yet somehow, due to the heroics of Andrew Luck and the collapse of the
Chiefs’ defense, the KC team managed to find a way to lose that game 45-44, commencing a common
theme of the next few years in KC: playoff collapses. The 2015-16 season featured a rejuvenated Chiefs
team: winning ten straight, including a wild-card beatdown of the Houston Texans 30-0. This marked
their first postseason victory since 1993. The Chiefs headed to New England to play for a trip to the AFC
Championship Game, with a losing mentality. As a result of poor clock management and getting out-
played, they did lose. The next year, Kansas City’s regular-season looked even better, securing the second
seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. They hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ever-noisy Arrowhead
Stadium, entering the game as heavy favorites. But the offense failed to keep up in the loss.

While quarterback Alex Smith was above-average, he did not have what it took to lead the Chiefs to a
Lombardi Trophy. They decided to look for answers. Nonetheless, Smith was given one more chance to
quarterback the Chiefs to the promised land. In the regular season, he delivered. The Chiefs offense was
explosive, accumulating 5488 total yards on the season. In the divisional round, they faced the inex-
perienced Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead. At halftime, the Chiefs led 21-3; However, they allowed the
Titans to come back. The front office had to make a change.

The Chiefs possessed the 27th pick in the 2017 NFL draft. It seemed unlikely they would obtain a fran-
chise signal-caller at that slot. The Chiefs moved up seventeen spots to draft a franchise QB. Even with
a cannon arm, most critics felt Mahomes was too raw to be an NFL star. Analyst Steven Ruiz wrote,
“Calling Mahomes a project is a major understatement. He’s nowhere near ready to play in the NFL.”
The Chiefs disagreed and selected the Texas Tech product with their pick.

While the Chiefs knew their future was in the hands of Mahomes, they still viewed Smith as a compe-
tent starting QB. Mahomes spent his rookie year learning from Smith. However, the dramatic choke to
the Titans made it clear that the quarterback for the Chiefs for the 2018-19 season was Mahomes, so
Smith was traded. In his first game, Mahomes threw for four touchdowns against the Chargers. He fol-
lowed that up with six against the Steelers. Mahomes sent the entire football world into a frenzy, creating
highlight after highlight. The Chiefs finished the year 12-4, and by the season’s end, Mahomes had accu-
mulated 5,097 passing yards and 50 passing touchdowns, putting him in the exclusive company of Tom
Brady and Peyton Manning. The Chiefs secured the first seed, eventually hosting the same Indianapolis
Colts that broke their hearts years before. However, this game was different, as the Chiefs jumped out to
an early lead and never let go, winning 31-13 against the under matched Colts.

Next, the Chiefs hosted the New England Patriots in what was a match between the greatest of all time
and the future. In the first half, Bill Belichick had Mahomes figured out, holding the Chiefs scoreless.
Chiefs fans feared they were heading down a familiar road. But the Chiefs had not lost faith, roaring
back by putting up 24 31 points in the second half. Mahomes dazzled once again, sending the game to
overtime. However, the Patriots won the coin toss, and Mahomes never touched the ball again. Tom
Brady marched his team down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown. Although the season
was over for the Chiefs, they knew they had a lot to look forward to, as their star QB was awarded the
NFL MVP shortly after.

To open the 2019-20 season, Mahomes and the Chiefs did not disappoint. Although they won their first
four games, things took a turn for the worst, as they dropped games to the Colts and Texans. Follow-
ing the losses, Mahomes injured his knee. Thanks to a Patriots collapse to the Dolphins in week 17, the
Chiefs earned a first-round bye. In the Divisional Round, the Texans entered Arrowhead in the hands
of DeShaun Watson. The Chiefs were expected to win comfortably. However, they came out flat, finding
themselves down 24-0 in the second quarter. Nevertheless, Mahomes assumed a superhero-like role and
provided the Chiefs with a lead entering halftime. The Chiefs scored touchdowns on seven consecutive
drives and pummelled the Texans after the first quarter. While they expected to face the Ravens in the
next round, they had been upset by the Tennessee Titans. Once again, the Titans entered Arrowhead
and gained an early lead of 10-0. This was nothing compared to the hill the Chiefs had climbed a week
ago, and shortly they found themselves hoisting the AFC Championship Trophy. The Chiefs were off to
the Super Bowl, and it remains to be seen what will happen. If Patrick Mahomes plays like Patrick Ma-
homes, expect to see the Chiefs emerge victoriously.
The G.O.A.T. Status of LeBron James
By Sam Perlman

As fans of the National Basketball Association, we are witnessing the final seasons of one
of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James. From his four regular-season and three finals
MVP trophies to his 15 all-star game appearances, James is truly one of the best to ever grace the
court. However, with his move to the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2018 off-season, some think
LeBron’s career is on the decline. To analyze this claim, we must take a dive into what the stats
say.
This season, James is averaging 25.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game. To
put this into perspective, in the 2012-2013 season, LeBron’s most recent MVP season, he aver-
aged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. Aside from the 0.4 rebound decline, his
stats this season are better than those of his MVP season. At age 35, LeBron is putting up better
bare numbers than his 28-year-old MVP self.
The stats obviously show that LeBron still has what it takes to dominate the league, but
what about his team? After losing for the second straight year to the seemingly unstoppable
Golden State Warriors in the 2018 finals, LeBron did not resign with the Cleveland Cavaliers
and instead opted to make his way out west to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Last year, James
and the young, inexperienced Lakers won just 37 games while losing 45. This past off-season, the
Lakers traded away a package of young assets and acquired veterans, including Anthony Davis,
Danny Green, Javale McGee, Demarcus Cousins, Jared Dudley, and Dwight Howard. The Lakers
acquired a group of seasoned players, who are hungry for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The primary asset that the Lakers held onto throughout all of these transactions was
LeBron James. LA was building its championship-caliber team around James. Already off to a
great start this season, the LA Lakers have the best record in the western conference and the
second-best record in the entire league. The Lakers are winning, and if they continue doing so in
the playoffs, LeBron’s legacy will become richer.
 Many believe that LeBron James struggles in the finals. No wonder he didn’t go to college!
But in all seriousness, James has won just three out of his nine finals appearances, being swept
during two of his six losses. Just look at the statistics. LeBron James is averaging 27.1, 7.4, and 7.4
(PPG, RPG, APG) in his career. For comparison, Michael Jordan, the player most regard as the
best to ever play, averaged 30.1, 6.2, and 5.3 (PPG, RPG, APG) in his career. Notice how James
has Jordan beat in every one of these categories besides points per game? The stats show that the
two were at least equally dominant, if not favoring LeBron. If LeBron didn’t frequently lose in the
finals, there would be much more serious conversation around LeBron surpassing Michael Jor-
dan as the greatest player of all time.
With this current Lakers team, a run to the finals seems like a very possible outcome.
After this season, LeBron will have just two more years left on his contract with the Lakers. The
clock is ticking for him to add to his impressive résumé. As a fan of the league and someone with
a great appreciation for the NBA, it would be sad to see a player like LeBron fall short of a cham-
pionship with the Lakers. If James can overcome the powerhouse Milwaukee Bucks and finish
his career with one, two, or even three more finals wins, many fans of the NBA will likely be
persuaded into reconsidering who the greatest of all time is.
Making it to the NBA is every young basketball player’s dream. For most NBA players,
an All-Star selection is the defining moment of their career. For others, the atmosphere of play-
ing in the NBA Finals is invaluable. For the best, winning an MVP and leading your team to a
championship is the peak of anyone’s career. Now, imagine you enter the NBA, fresh out of high
school at 18 years old, and becoming a 15x All-Star, making the finals nine times, winning the
MVP award three times. Yet, you are still told that your career is incomplete. For LeBron James,
that something is an indisputably historic finals record. If LeBron can squeeze out a few more
finals appearances and wins in these last few seasons of his memorable career, the argument for
LeBron being the GOAT will strengthen, and the history of the NBA and its current state will
change. Until then, we are witnessing an all-time great come out onto the court night after night,
fighting for a title with the Lakers, and his own title as the greatest basketball player to ever live.
Rewinding the 49ers’ ascent to the Super Bowl
By Jonathan Mong

In the 2013 NFC Championship Game against Seattle, San Francisco 49ers linebacker
NaVorro Bowman stripped the ball from Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse. What seemed
like a triumphant moment soon became grim, as Bowman tore his ACL and MCL on the play
for nothing as the Seahawks were wrongly awarded the ball, and consequently the victory. The
next year, the Niners, hampered by many injuries and the suspension of star linebacker Aldon
Smith, limped to an 8-8 finish. At the same time, general manager Trent Baalke and head coach
Jim Harbaugh constantly butted heads. Owner Jed York had seen enough and forced Harbaugh
out at season’s end. York and Baalke then elevated defensive line coach Jim Tomsula to HC for
the 2015 season. The 2014-15 offseason later proved to be one of the worst offseasons for any
team ever. Despite drafting defensive end Arik Armstead, the Niners lost several stars, such as
Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Willis, both Aldon and Justin Smith, as well as their entire coach-
ing staff. The season went no better. Vernon Davis was traded, the oft-injured Armstead under-
performed, and quarterback Colin Kaepernick was benched en route to a 5-11 season that cost
Tomsula his job. 2016 was somehow even worse. After hiring head coach Chip Kelly and drafting
DeForest Buckner, the 49ers went 2-14, losing to literally everyone except the Rams, and again
became embroiled in off-field drama. Kaepernick and safety Eric Reid famously started kneeling
for the national anthem before games, kickstarting a three-year-long media controversy. Kelly
and Baalke lost their jobs, and York faced chants of “Sell the team!” amid his complete misman-
agement and meddling. The 49ers had truly hit rock bottom.
York, however, did do one thing right: sign HC Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch, then
back off. The Shanahan-Lynch duo used 2017 as a rebuilding season, acquiring Robbie Gould,
Kyle Juszczyk, Kendrick Bourne, Matt Breida, Nick Mullens, Solomon Thomas, George Kittle,
and Laken Tomlinson through free agency, the draft, and trades. However, the crown jewel of the
season arrived when the 0-8 Niners traded a second-round pick for QB Jimmy Garoppolo from
New England in Week 8. After sitting a few games to learn the playbook, Garoppolo made his
first start in Week 13 and promptly led the 49ers to five straight wins, including wins over four
playoff-bound teams. 2018 suddenly looked promising.
In the 2017-18 offseason, the Niners remained aggressive by adding Weston Richburg,
Mike Person, Richard Sherman Emmanuel Moseley, Mike McGlinchey, Dante Pettis, Fred War-
ner, and Richie James Jr to their talented core. Suddenly, the 49ers’ bandwagon started to fill up...
until Garoppolo tore his ACL Week 3 against Kansas City, and everything went downhill from
there. However, the season was not a total loss. Breida emerged as a really good and really fast
running back, Kittle established himself as the league’s best tight end, and Mullens showed that
he can actually start at quarterback should the worst happen again. Additionally, the Niners were
awarded the 2nd overall pick in the draft, which they used on DE and Rookie of the Year candi-
date Nick Bosa.

 The 49ers’ 2019 draft was one to behold. In came Bosa, Deebo Samuel, Dre Greenlaw, and
Mitch Wishnowsky. They added to this by trading for Dee Ford and signing Tevin Coleman and
Kwon Alexander. They were ready to make a run. They started the 2019 season 8-0, but soon a
plethora of crucial players caught the injury bug and missed time. Both sides of the ball, espe-
cially the offense, suffered as a result. Due to the team’s struggles, Lynch traded for Emmanuel
Sanders, who buoyed the offense back to their heights, and Raheem Mostert suddenly emerged
as a valuable running back. The Niners then had an unusually large number of close games to
close out the season, including games against Seattle (L), Baltimore (W), New Orleans (W),
Atlanta (L), the Rams (W), and Seattle (W) again that came down to the final play. This, how-
ever, failed to stop them from gaining home-field throughout the playoffs. After their bye week,
they thoroughly dominated Minnesota 27-10 in the divisional round and Green Bay 37-20 in the
championship game, with Garoppolo only attempting a total of 27 passes throughout the play-
offs, thus earning themselves a Super Bowl LIV berth against Kansas City.
What caused this resurgence, and why does that mean the 49ers can win the Super Bowl?
First off, Shanahan and Lynch work together instead of fight each other—a quality that they
have brought to the locker room as well, with several veterans and NFL legends (including Jerry
Rice!) giving advice to the young team. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh also finally has the
pieces to achieve his Seattle-style Cover 3 defense, which relies heavily on a strong defensive line
to generate pressure. The Niners’ wide-9 D-line technique is really good at doing that: the Niners
rarely, if ever, need to blitz. This defense is especially effective against speedy offenses because
they shut down plays before they have the chance to develop. Shanahan’s offense is incredibly
balanced, innovative, and versatile, utilizing pre-snap motion and deceptive play design to throw
off defenses. They can win run-heavy games, shootouts, and hard-hitting slugfests. Addition-
ally, the 49ers have solely relied on their run game so far in the playoffs, which could prove to
be an issue against Kansas City’s weak run defense. They will be forced to stack the box to stop
Mostert, opening up the Niners’ effective play-action attack. If the red-hot Niners continue their
remarkable play, they will surely hoist the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night.
Final NBA Standings Prediction
By Mikail Akbar
The NBA has been full of surprises this season. From the eventful off-season to the emergence of new
superstars, we fans cannot ask for anything more enticing. Giannis Antetokounpo and the Bucks are unstoppable

in the East, as Giannis looks more and more capable of winning the MVP for the second season in a row. Highly
anticipated rookie of the year Ja Morant and the Grizzlies have put up an impressive fight in the West, as they
struggle to inch their way for a playoff spot. In my opinion, the most intriguing aspect of the NBA so far this
season is the polarizing gap between the winning and losing teams in both conferences. For a second consecutive
season, may see teams with sub-500 records participate in the playoffs, something unknown to NBA fans. Here
are my predictions for the final NBA standings this season:

Eastern Conference

Milwaukee Bucks - The Milwaukee Bucks proved that they are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is having another MVP-caliber season, and he is surrounded by quality players such as
Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, and Brook Lopez. They have the potential to be a 70-win team this season.

Toronto Raptors - The absence of Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard proved to be not a problem for the defending
champions. Pascal Siakam is the Raptors’ most prized possession, as this All-Star starter may even win back-to-
back Most Improved Player of the Year awards, improving from a quality starter to a perennial all-star.

Boston Celtics - The Boston Celtics may have the best well-rounded team in the NBA. With Kemba Walker,
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Enes Kanter, the Celtics are one of the best teams in the NBA and are genuine
contenders for the Larry O’ Brian.

Miami Heat - Nobody expected the Miami Heat to have such an impactful team this season. With newly ac-
quired All-Star Jimmy Butler, in addition to crucial rookies like Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kendrick
Nunn, the Heat should certainly not be overlooked.

Philadelphia 76ers - The Sixers are stacked with a talented group of young men who are voracious for winning.
With Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Al Horford, and Josh Richardson, Philly has a championship-winning squad,
as long as they make sure that injury-prone players such as Joel Embiid stay healthy.

Indiana Pacers - The Pacers are a dark-horse team in the Eastern Conference. The emergence of Domantas Sa-
bonis, along with Victor Oladipo, proved to be a dynamic duo. If the Pacers can fight off the top guns in the East,
you can expect them to have a higher position on this list.

Chicago Bulls - The rebuilding Chicago Bulls has a lot of young blood that can break out in upcoming seasons.
Coby White, Lauri Markannen, Zach Lavine, and Thaddeus Young are an influential young core that can un-
doubtedly top the Eastern Conference in future years.

Orlando Magic - Even though the Magic are a sub-500 team, they still can creep into the back door of the
playoffs. A dominant frontcourt consisting of Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon can be a threat for many teams
lacking height.

Just missed the cut:

Brooklyn Nets - Although the Nets acquired sought-out free agents Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, their team
on paper hasn’t contributed to their success. We can envision the Nets in the playoffs once Durant comes back
healthy next season.
Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers - After the groundbreaking trade for Anthony Davis, the Lakers are and will continue to be
the favorites to win the NBA championship. Expect nothing less.

Los Angeles Clippers - The Clippers also asserted themselves to the top of the league by trading for Paul George
and signing Kawhi Leonard. This star-studded duo is a scare to many teams and will fight the Lakers for the best
team in LA.

Utah Jazz - Although the Jazz do not consist of multiple superstars like some of the other teams, the Jazz remain
fierce competitors with a deep squad, including Donovan Mitchell, Rody Gobert, Mike Conley, Bojan Bog-
danovic, and Joe Ingles. They are unquestionably a top-5 team in the West and have the potential to serve some
excruciating burns to some of the league’s best teams.

Denver Nuggets - Like the Jazz, the Nuggets aren’t flooded with superstars, yet they remain one of the top teams
in the West. Nikola Jokic leads this young team and is backed by Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, Michael Porter Jr.,
and Gary Harris.

Houston Rockets - The Rockets made some exciting moves this off-season signing James Harden’s former team-
mate Russell Westbrook. This menacing backcourt can achieve lots of success as long as the duo finds a way to
share the load and become efficient scorers.

Dallas Mavericks - Very recently, Mavericks have shifted from one of the league’s worst to best teams. Luka
Doncic is an MVP-caliber superstar, backed up by the Unicorn. Although the Mavericks may not win anything
this year, when Luka gets in his prime, bad things will happen.

Oklahoma City Thunder - After the Thunder traded away Russell Westbrook, everyone predicted that the
Thunder would plummet to the bottom of the table. However, the Thunder surprised us all, as veteran Chris Paul
took charge, leading the Thunder to a playoff spot.

San Antonio Spurs - Although Popovich and the Spurs are nothing like their old days, their revamped squad of
Demar Derozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Dejonte Murray have a faint chance at making the playoffs. Coach Pop
needs to integrate more 3pt shooting in his arsenal for the Spurs to have a higher spot on this list.

Just missed the cut:

Portland Trailblazers - The fall of the Trailblazers surprised many this season. After years of making the playoffs
and going on deep runs, this Portland team looks helpless. Let’s hope the Blazers improve with the return of Josef
Nurkic.
Memphis Grizzlies - The Grizzlies, even without a playoff spot, have to be proud of what this team has accom-
plished. Ja Morant’s athletic ability assures future All-Star selections, as well as Jaren Jackson Jr, who has a very
high potential.
Erling Haaland’s Future
By Berk Balkir

Erling Haaland is a 19-year old wonderkid from Norway who was transferred to the
Bundesliga (German soccer league) and signed with Borussia Dortmund during this win-
ter break. While many believe that the fate of the German team is to have an awful year
and that a mere teenager can’t change their fortunes, many sports analysts believe that the
youngster can completely rebuild this dysfunctional team and bring it back to its glory
days. While Haaland has not actually played in many games for Dortmund this year, and
it may be too early to make predictions about his future, there are many reasons for Dort-
mund fans to be optimistic about their young star.

For example, in his first game with Dortmund on January 18th versus Augsburg,
Haaland led Dortmund back from 3-1 down to win 5-3 after he was subbed in during
the 56th minute. Haaland heroically led his team to victory by scoring a hat trick in only
23 minutes! The only other person to achieve this feat in Bundesliga history was Pierre
Emerick Aubameyang, who was transferred to Arsenal for a then-record fee of 56 million
pounds! Later, in his second game against Koln, Haaland scored two goals in only 30 min-
utes and led his team to a 5-1 victory. In his third game, Haaland scored two more goals
in 77 minutes and led his team to a 5-0 victory over Union Berlin. Additionally, Haaland
scored 17 goals in 16 games during his time in Red Bull Salzburg, his former team. While
all of these are plausible reasons for Dortmund fans to be excited about their newfound
gem, many critics have pointed out multiple shortcomings of Haaland: they say that he
is ‘too young’ or that he has only played a few games for the team. However, I personally
believe that Haaland’s youth is not a disadvantage, but instead an advantage for him and
his team. Haaland’s youth makes him a very profitable prospect if Dortmund were to sell
him to an English or a Spanish team. His age also indicates that he is only at the start of
his career and that he has many more years to play.

Finally, and most importantly, when a player is young he or she is more able to alter
his or her game according to his or her coach’s needs and is able to develop into a typical
‘coach’s player’. These types of players are usually athletes that end up becoming very suc-
cessful in their professional careers. Basically, Haaland could be to Lucien Favre (Dort-
mund’s head coach) what Tom Brady is to Bill Belichick, what Michael Jordan was to Phil
Jackson, what Sidney Crosby is to Mike Sullivan, or what Stephen Curry is Steve Kerr.
While Haaland has yet to prove that he will be the savior of Borussia Dortmund, it is only
a matter of time before he shows the world his incredibly valuable skills and soccer vision.
7 Improved NBA Players to Watch Out For
By Josh Winiarsky

2. Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Peli-

cans

Shipped off to the Pelicans in the block-

buster Anthony Davis trade, Ingram hoped to
revive his seemingly mediocre career in New
Orleans. Clearly, Magic Johnson, the Lakers’

former general manager, had no faith in In-

gram, who, this season, has made it seem like
the Pelicans won this trade. In the 2018-2019
season, Ingram scored 18.3 points, obtained
1. Devonte’ Graham, Charlotte Hornets 5.1 rebounds, and dished 3 assists per game.
By no means was he a bad player, but none-
You’re probably lying if you said you theless, he has taken his game to a new level
knew who Devonte’ Graham was before the this season, posting 25.5 points, 6.6 rebounds,
start of the 2019-2020 NBA season. In his 2018 and 4.3 assists per night. Although the Pelicans
rookie season, 34th overall pick out of Kan- are far below .500 this season, Ingram, Ball,
sas. Graham played just 46 games, averaging a and rookie Zion Williamson are all promising
mere 4.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. pieces that can hopefully begin a dynasty in a
He seemed like just another second-round pick few years.
that never amounted to anything. However,
due to the departure of star point guard Kem- 3. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
ba Walker, the Hornets gave him a chance this
season. Graham is averaging 18.6 points, 7.7 The Miami Heat have not been a top
assists, and 3.6 rebounds. He’s on pace to win team in the league ever since the LeBron James
the Most Improved Player Award, and is the Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh formed a super
primary reason the Hornets are still in playoff team. In the 2018-19 season, the Miami Heat
contention. won just 39 games, finishing as the 10th seed
in the Eastern Conference and missing out on
the playoffs once again. Now, about halfway
through the 2019-20 season, the Heat are in
the 4th spot in the East. Miami acquired one
of the best all-around players the NBA has to
offer in Jimmy Butler through a sign-and-trade
over the off-season, but just one player can’t
make that kind of impact on a team. Adebayo
took a huge leap this season, going from about
9 points and seven rebounds to 16 points and
10 rebounds. Throughout the regular season
thus far, Adebayo has proven himself to be a
top-five center in the league and has earned his
first All-Star bid.
4. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
The prodigious sophomore from Slove-
nia put up numbers last year that draw com-
parisons to LeBron James during their rookie
seasons. James scored 20.9 points a game,
along with 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists, while
Doncic scored 21.2 points, grabbed 7.8 boards,
and delivered 6 assists, both good enough to
secure the rookie of the year award. In reali-
ty, nobody believed Doncic would follow in
James’s footsteps solely due to a promising
rookie season. However, Doncic has shocked
the basketball world, presenting himself as an
MVP candidate. He is not only averaging 29
points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, but he’s also
leading the Dallas Mavericks to a playoff spot
in the competitive Western Conference, as
they’re on pace to finish as the 5th seed. Don-
cic is currently playing even better basketball
than LeBron James did during his sophomore
season, who, per night, dropped 27.2 points,
obtained 7.4 rebounds, and dished 7.2 assists.
Who knows? Maybe we do have LeBron James
2.0 in our hands right now.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma
City Thunder
After the Oklahoma City Thunder
traded away former MVP Russell Westbrook
and the All-Star small forward Paul George,
it seemed as if they had entered a rebuilding
phase. They searched for a new beginning
in order to make up for a disappointing de-
cade, in which the Thunder had 3 former/
later MVPs on one team—Russell Westbrook,
Kevin Durant, and James Harden—yet they
did not manage to secure an NBA title. Shai
Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s averaging 20 points
a game, is the exact player that could fuel this
turnaround. In the long run, perhaps trading
Paul George for Gilgeous-Alexander, among
other assets, will prove to be beneficial for the
Thunder.
6. Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
Quite ironic, isn’t it? The winner of the
2018-19 Most Improved Player award is once
again one of the most improved players in
the NBA. Admit it, after the departure of the
2018-19 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard,
you expected little out of the Toronto Raptors.
Siakam, along with Kyle Lowry and Serge Iba-
ka, is the reason why the Raptors are in second
place in the Eastern Conference as of now, and
why their team didn’t fall apart after Kawhi
headed for Los Angeles. It’s safe to say that
Siakam is now one of the best forwards in the
entire league.
7. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers
Sabonis, one of the most underrated
players in the league, has earned the first All-
Star selection of his career. Victor Oladipo, the
leader and most talented player on the Indiana
Pacers, went down with a leg injury about a
year ago, and the rest of the Pacers had to do
their best to keep themselves together until
Oladipo returned. Since that injury, Sabonis
has been the glue that held the team togeth-
er, leading the Pacers to the 5th seed in the
Eastern Conference. Sabonis is averaging a
double-double at roughly 18 points and 10 re-
bounds. Once Oladipo becomes fully healthy,
Sabonis and the Pacers will look to be a force
in the East.
French Open Prediction
By Yesh Nikam
As the tennis season moves westward, the tennis world shifts its focus from the hard-courts to the red clay. Last
year’s French Open saw Roger Federer play the tournament for the first time in three years, Stanislas Wawrin-
ka outlast Stefanos Tstsipas in what was arguably the match of the year, and Dominic Thiem take down Novak
Djokovic for the first time at a grand slam. However, for the twelfth time in his career, Rafael Nadal was crowned
champion - a familiar ending to the tournament - giving him his 18th grand slam and further cementing himself
as the greatest clay-court player of all time. This year’s tournament is surrounded with even more uncertainties.
Will Federer be able to play a full tournament on the most grueling surface in tennis? Can Daniil Medvedev
continue his meteoric rise to the top of the sport on a surface that he’s repeatedly struggled with? Outside the top
four, who will step up and challenge the stars for the title? Will Rafael Nadal prevail for the fourth straight year,
or will Paris crown a new champion?

Busts:

Daniil Medvedev: An astonishingly successful summer hard court season culminating with a five set marathon
final at the US Open cemented Daniil Medvedev as a household name in men’s tennis. However, placing the
Russian in the same tier as Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic is premature. Medvedev’s success has occurred over an
extremely short period of time (a four month period exclusively on hard courts): prior to last year’s US Open, he
had never reached the second week of a major. His 2020 campaign began with a surprising early loss to Waw-
rinka in the 4th round of the Australian Open. Medvedev is also exceptionally poor on clay, suffering first round
losses in Madrid, Rome, and the French Open in 2019. While he has significantly improved both the mental and
physical sides of his game, Medvedev’s flat groundstrokes and serve do not bode well for the slow red clay. He is
an exceptional hard court mover, but his lankiness and speed may not transfer well to the dirt. Expecting him to
make a deep run in Paris over players who have proved themselves on clay, such as Dominic Thiem, Fabio Fogni-
ni, and even Matteo Berretini is unrealistic. While I do believe that the Russian will ultimately grow accustomed
to the unique surface, I struggle to see him live up to the lofty expectations he has set for himself this year.
Prediction: 4th round loss

Grigor Dimitrov: Dimitrov’s 2019 was highlighted by an impressive run to the US Open semi-final. However, the
success of that tournament is glorified - he beat two seeded players and took five sets to beat a hobbled Federer.
Furthermore, that event seems to overshadow the rest of his year, which was absolutely horrendous. He repeat-
edly suffered losses to unseeded players, including Taylor Fritz, Kevin King, and Jan-Lennard Struff, and saw his
ranking plummet to number 78 in August. The expectations will once again be high for Dimitrov, but his rank-
ing inside the top-20 is extremely deceiving, as his performance over the last year would suggest that of a border-
line top-50 player. He already suffered an early exit in Australia, and expecting anything more than a third round
finish from the Bulgarain may be asking for too much.
Prediction: 2nd Round Exit

Sleepers:

Andrey Rublev: Out of the crop of young-stars, Rublev shows the most promise. He put together an impressive
string of results towards the end of last year, highlighted by wins over Federer, Kyrgios, Wawrinka, and Cilic. This
year, the Russian started the year on fire, with tournament wins in Qatar and Adelaide and a second week finish
at the Australian Open. His ranking soared to 16 in the world, after falling to 115 last February. He’s playing the
best tennis of his career, and even though he missed the French Open last year due to injury, his style of play
suits the clay. The 22-year old is a solid mover, and is able to dictate play with his heavy forehand - a phenomenal
weapon on clay. Look out for the Russian to upset a potential title favorite early in the tournament and make a
deep run in Paris.
Prediction: Quarter-final finish

Milos Raonic: Raonic’s career has been severely halted by a laundry list of injuries: right hip, right foot, left wrist,
elbow, and right ankle to name a few. However, when the Canadian is playing his best tennis, he is easily a top
ten player in the world. A former finalist at Wimbledon and quarter finalist in Paris, Raonic has the tools to
make a deep run at the French Open this year. Despite having one of the biggest serves on tour, Raonic backs
that up with a solid ground game, and he recently hired former grand slam champion Goran Ivanesevic to im-
prove his net play. He has developed into a solid all-around player, and the results are paying off. His year got off
to a solid start with a quarter final finish at the Australian Open. Raonic is poised to have a successful 2020, and
could be one of the few players to challenge the Big Four’s hold on the majors. While big servers tend to struggle
on clay, Raonic’s kick serve and big forehand will carry him towards a successful French Open campaign.
Prediction: Semi-finalist

Winner:
Rafael Nadal: This is obvious; there is no one better on clay than Rafael Nadal. His domination on clay is unprec-
edented in professional sports. He is 93-2 all time at the French Open and has won the tournament an aston-
ishing twelve times. While Thiem and Djokovic could present tough challenges, Nadal is simply too good of a
competitor to lose. His last legitimate loss in Paris came in 2015 to Djokovic (he withdrew in the third round the
following year) and he’s only lost three total sets in the past three years at the French. While his season got off to
a somewhat disappointing start with a four-set loss to Thiem in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, that is
not an indication for the way he will play for the rest of the year. For example, in 2018, he lost in the quarter-fi-
nals in Australia before winning the French Open, only dropping one set all tournament. No one has dominated
a single surface in tennis the way Nadal has; at times his play on clay is so good that he doesn’t need to be playing
his best tennis to win the match. This May, the Spaniard is poised to win his 13th French Open and tie Federer
for the most overall grand slam titles in men’s tennis history.
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