mag.bleacherreport.comB/R Mag | Bleacher Report Longform Storytelling Worth Your Time

Sports storytelling worth your time wherever you are. THE LATEST A RUMBLE TO REMEMBER How Steve Austin became a "Stone Cold" icon and supercharged wrestling's Attitude Era at the Royal Rumble in 1997. BY JONATHAN SNOWDEN Get B/R MAG on the go in the B/R app Bleacher Report on Instagram Bleacher Report on Twitter Bleacher Report on Snapchat Bleacher Report on Facebook on Bleacher Report AND DON'T MISS... 'HE JUST GOT LEFT BEHIND' In 2009, Hasheem Thabeet was the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft. Now, after disappointing teammates and coaches and seeing the game evolve beyond his skills, he may not even have a place in the G League. BY DAVID GARDNER JAYLEN BROWN ISN'T 'FED UP' ANYMORE Frustrated with his role last season, the Celtics' 23-year-old swingman was done 'with everything,' but after a long look within himself, and a new haircut, he's becoming a star on his own terms. BY YARON WEITZMAN THE EDUCATION OF D'ANGELO RUSSELL You'd Think A Career's Worth of Trades and Drama Would Have Left the Warriors' 5th-year Guard Jaded and Exhausted. You'd Be Wrong. BY LEO SEPKOWITZ 'ALL WE DO IS FIND REASONS FOR GUYS NOT TO WORK' Superstars and trainers have convinced fans that ‘load management’ is vital to player health, but some coaches, execs and players see an NBA where 'you're not expected to go to work every day.' BY RIC BUCHER WHY THE STEELERS DIDN'T JUST FOLD How defiance, togetherness and Mike Tomlin propelled Pittsburgh to survive and even thrive in a season of adversity. BY TYLER DUNNE 'LEBRON KNOWS HE KNOWS' Kawhi’s snubbing of LeBron and the Lakers adds a new layer to one of the NBA’s most intense personal rivalries. We asked those who know them how they really feel about each other now. BY RIC BUCHER DEVONTE' GRAHAM ISN'T 'SUPPOSED TO BE HERE' Perhaps the NBA's most fearless scorer you never heard of wasn't a phenom, but with the guidance of a mom who had him at the age of 14, he learned there's no one in the game who can check him. BY JONATHAN ABRAMS RUSSELL WILSON'S MIND GAMES Overlooked despite his historic streak of winning seasons, the Seattle QB takes us inside a competitive drive that is both procedural and relentless. BY MIKE FREEMAN 'THERE'S REALLY NOTHING' KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS CAN'T DO Nothing thrills the basketball world like a unicorn. And though the game was slow to embrace his fantastical skills, the Timberwolves' 2-time All-Star may be the best one in NBA history. BY JONATHAN ABRAMS WHAT RICHARD SHERMAN'S MADE OF At 31, he's still not holding back on anyone—on the field or off it. What's the 49ers cornerback's secret? He'll be happy to tell you. BY TYLER DUNNE THERE'S NO CHANGING THE ONE AND ONLY JAYGUP Whether it's his unique flair for fashion or the swag he delivers with every dunk, Josh Christopher is an event unto himself, and he just might be one of the best high school ballers in the country. BY ERIC YEBOAH 'HE WILL BE A HERO TO A LOT OF PEOPLE' Meet Bijan Robinson, the record-breaking running back recruit who could save Texas football—if the Longhorns can keep his commitment. BY ADAM KRAMER 'HE WAS AN UNDERDOG:' THE INSPIRING LIFE AND PUZZLING DEATH OF RASUAL BUTLER Beloved as a teammate, father and son, the former longtime NBA veteran died almost two years ago in a car crash that still has those who loved him trying to understand how it happened. BY JUSTIN ROBERTSON EVERYTHING DEVIN BOOKER WANTS 'IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HARD' After years of losing, the Suns' sharpshooter gained his share of critics, but with a revamped squad around him, one of the NBA's best scorers is out to prove he's one of its best players, period. BY JONATHAN ABRAMS THE LEGEND OF PATRICK MAHOMES Revolutionizing the NFL is only the latest feat in a lifetime of making the impossible look normal—in everything from football to basketball to baseball to pingpong to axe-throwing. BY TYLER DUNNE ONCE 'A PILE OF BRICKS,' CHET HOLMGREN IS NOW BASKETBALL'S DREAM HOUSE Basketball's newest unicorn may have crossed up Steph Curry, but the 7-foot teen didn't become a prize in the 2021 recruiting class because he was a natural. He's just learned how to look like one. BY DAVID GARDNER NICO MANNION CAN'T AVOID STARDOM ANYMORE He may not look like one of the country's best players, but the Arizona star has been playing like one for years, and it won't be long before everybody knows why even KD has taken notice of his game. BY DAVID GARDNER BRANDON INGRAM THROUGH THE FIRE The breakout NBA superstar opens up to B/R Mag on his new life in NOLA and how a health scare and his trade out of Los Angeles have changed him. BY MIRIN FADER ARE THE NEWMANS READY TO BE MORE THAN STARS? Julian and Jaden Newman dazzle opponents on the court, have almost a million fans each on social media and star in their own reality series, but can the two teens prove they're legit players? BY DAVID GARDNER THE LIFE OF LAMELO The youngest Ball brother and potential 2020 top NBA pick has taken his show to Australia, but even half a world away, the spotlight and the weight of his name are inescapable. BY MIRIN FADER 'WE'VE NEVER HAD A TALENT LIKE HIM' Deni Avdija has it all: Model looks, the love of his Israeli countrymen and an NBA future. How the top-5 prospect copes with rising expectations and his own doubts will define his future. BY YARON WEITZMAN 'I GOT MY JOY BACK': ISAIAH THOMAS' TRIP TO HELL AND BACK Two years ago, he reached the pinnacle of his long NBA journey, but in a matter of weeks, he lost his sister and his career. Now the two-time All-Star is back and finding a reason to smile again. BY LEO SEPKOWITZ 'BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF' Army football means more than wins and losses. It's part of a grueling curriculum that aims to prepare cadets to face the likes of Michigan and, more important, face live artillery on a battlefield. BY MATTHEW FOLEY THE EVERLASTING LEGACY OF HEFTY LEFTY Jared Lorenzen was a highlight machine, Super Bowl champ and early prototype for QBs like Cam Newton and Patrick Mahomes before dying at 38 after a long battle with obesity and other issues. BY ADAM KRAMER THE RISE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S NEXT GREAT QB Bo Nix understood route concepts by the time he was in third grade and was starting for his high school team by eighth grade. Now a freshman at Auburn, he's poised to become the next elite college QB. BY LARS ANDERSON DONOVAN MITCHELL WANTS MORE Nicole Mitchell made sure her son had all he needed to succeed. Now, after an up-and-down start to his career, the Utah star is chasing his NBA dreams with his mom's wisdom and a new layer of help. BY JONATHAN ABRAMS THE NBA CAN'T CHANGE CHINA; DEAL WITH IT The league's response to the tweet that enraged China has drawn critics from the right and left, but few seem willing to acknowledge the relationship between the two is long and complicated. BY HOWARD BECK DESHAUN WATSON HAS NO OFF SWITCH The Texans superstar can diagram a play at a moment's notice, he's taken up chess to calm his mind in the huddle and he just might be the NFL's best QB—if his team can keep him standing. BY TYLER DUNNE THE PACERS' CIRCLE OF TRUST Star free agents may not have considered Indiana worthy, but that hasn't stopped the franchise from believing it can build a contender by being honest with players and asking for the same in return. BY JONATHAN ABRAMS IS GERRIT COLE PITCHING HIS WAY OUT OF HOUSTON? With every dominating performance he posts, the Astros ace is increasing the money that will be thrown his way in free agency this winter...and the chances he'll be elsewhere in 2020. BY SCOTT MILLER WHAT MAKES PATRICK BEVERLEY TICK The NBA's ultimate pest is hungrier than ever heading into a season that could be the culmination of a life and career of willing his way to success. BY MIRIN FADER 'IT CAN MESS YOU UP': THE PERILS OF PLAYING WITH YOUR NBA IDOL Taking the court with the superstar who inspired you might seem like a fantasy for any young player, but the reality of trying to win over the likes of LeBron or Kobe ca...