Clark's All-Star Miss, Gillis's Tirade & Embiid's Outcry

Today’s WOW moments from sports world!

🏀 LEBRON TO MAVS?
😢 CLARK MISSES ALL STAR CONTEST
🏈 INKING MAJOR DEALS
🏁 SUAREZ SAGA & SVG ROAR

⚾️ 'Big Dumper' Dominates & All-Star Game Goes Wild

The 2025 MLB All-Star festivities delivered thrilling moments, starting with the Home Run Derby. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, known affectionately as 'Big Dumper,' took home the coveted title. Raleigh is having a phenomenal season, leading MLB with 38 home runs before the All-Star break, a feat not seen since Barry Bonds in 2001.

Raleigh's path to victory was anything but easy. In the first round, he faced Brent Rooker of the Athletics. Both sluggers tied with 17 home runs. This forced a tiebreaker, decided by the longest home run. In an incredibly tight finish, Raleigh's blast traveled 470.62 feet, just edging out Rooker's 470.54 feet – a mere 0.08 feet (less than an inch!) separated them.

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After that nail-biting start, Raleigh continued his power display. He went on to defeat O'Neil Cruz and Junior Caminero in subsequent rounds. His victory makes him only the second Mariners player to win the Home Run Derby, following in the legendary footsteps of Ken Griffey Jr.

The excitement didn't stop there. The 2025 All-Star Game itself made history with the first-ever swing-off contest. The National League initially held a comfortable 6-0 lead. However, the American League mounted a furious comeback, tying the game 6-6 in the ninth inning. With the game deadlocked, the unprecedented swing-off was called.

The AL took an early 3-1 lead, but Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber became the hero. He went three-for-three in his swings, giving the NL a 4-3 lead. The AL couldn't respond in the final round, handing the National League the win and Schwarber the MVP award.

😯 LeBron's Mavs Buzz, Bronny's Rise & Embiid's Outcry

LeBron James was again in the news after trade rumors to the Dallas Mavericks started picking up steam. The Lakers’ superstar chose to ignore requests for interviews as he was busy watching his son, Bronny James, dominate in the Summer League.

The 20-year-old has had 2 stellar games for the Lakers. Those performances helped to shut down many of his critics, as he has proved that he deserves a spot in the Lakers’ rotation next season.

The Lakers were rumored to be looking to sign Bradley Beal off waivers, but the star guard chose to sign with the Clippers. Another waiver target, Damian Lillard, decided to return home after signing a 4-year $42 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Joel Embiid revealed how the Philadelphia 76ers have ‘failed’ him in an emotional interview with ESPN. He detailed how his ‘cries for help’ did not materialize, and he was left to fend for himself.

Now, his teammate, Paul George, will also be out for a while after undergoing another knee procedure to repair damage sustained in a workout. The Sixers are going through a trying time.

Bleacher Report caused a furor after they ranked Kobe Brant at No. 11 on their Top 100 list. This drew a sharp response from former teammate Shaquille O’Neal, who called the ranking ‘criminal’.

🏀 Clark's All-Star Absence, Reese's Racism Row & Bueckers' Big Reveal

Ahead of the 2025 All-Star Weekend, fans were hyped to finally see Caitlin Clark battle Sabrina Ionescu and others in the 3-point contest. That excitement came to an abrupt end when the Fever guard’s eyes welled up after injuring her groin again.

She finally gave a statement confirming she would not participate in any event. She was, however, present for the party after the orange carpet arrivals. She was seen in full spirits, vibing with fellow players, R&B musician Mario, and chatting up with the StudBudz crew.

Her young brother, aunts, parents, boyfriend, and friends all appeared on the stream at one point of time or the other. Clark also won the ESPYS WNBA Player of the Year award. However, comedian Shane Gillis used her name to crack a racist joke that fell flat and drew the wrath of fans.

Robert Griffin III stoked fresh controversy when he shared a picture of a monkey in place of Angel Reese as the 2K26 cover star. The situation again turned for the worse with the Sky star labelling him a liar for his claims of knowing her true feelings for Caitlin Clark.

Reese slayed the orange carpet with a stunning outfit, then was in good spirits at the party. She wore a different outfit and was vibing with the music when Lynx guard and StudBudz host Natisha Hiedeman started to get too close for comfort.

Paige Bueckers did not have a problem revealing who is closest to her. She finally admitted that UConn teammate and best friend Azzi Fudd was her girlfriend. The 1^st time All-Star will likely wear a custom Nike All-Star shoe during the game.

🏈 McCaffrey's Joy, Jets' Big Bucks & Watt's Record Deal

It was a great week for NFL stars, with the first being Christian McCaffrey, who, along with his wife Olivia Culpo, announced the birth of their daughter. The star running back is looking to continue the joy into next season.

Garrett Wilson had $130 million reasons to be joyful after inking a 4-year extension with the New York Jets. The franchise has been locking up core young talent, and continued to do the same for Sauce Gardner, handing him a $120 million contract.

The Chiefs gave Trey Smith a $94 million extension to continue guarding Patrick Mahomes. WR Rashee Rice was slapped with a 5-year probation, within which he has to serve 30 days in jail. He might face a suspension from the league.

Trevon Diggs is losing out on $500K after deciding to rehab from home. His defensive teammate, Micah Parsons, is still waiting for Jerry Jones to agree on an extension. He wants to be the highest-paid non-QB.

That moniker is now firmly in the hands of TJ Watt, after the Pittsburgh Steelers gave him a new salary of $41 million per year. The 3-year extension will see Watt be a Steeler until the end of the 2028 season.

Comedian Shane Gillis stoked controversy after joking about Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson. Then he drew more controversy when he suggested that nepotism is what saw Shedeur Sanders’ Colorado jersey being retired after an average career.

🏎️ Suarez's Crossroads, SVG's Road Course Reign & Logano's Future Vision

The NASCAR world was abuzz with surprising news regarding Daniel Suarez. The Mexican-American racer is set to leave Trackhouse Racing after a five-year stint. The team and driver mutually decided to part ways as their future goals no longer align. This leaves Suarez searching for a new seat for 2026.

Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. offered some blunt advice to Suarez on his podcast. He urged the driver to be more aggressive on track. Earnhardt Jr. believes Suarez needs to stand out and create more defining moments. He noted that Suarez has gotten "lost in the midfield" and isn't generating the buzz needed to secure a top-tier ride. Earnhardt Jr. also conceded that a "lateral move" to a team as strong as Trackhouse seems unlikely for Suarez.

While Suarez faces uncertainty, Shane van Gisbergen is soaring. The Trackhouse rookie secured his third race win of 2025 at Sonoma. All four of his Cup Series victories have come on road courses, showcasing his clear dominance. Many are calling him NASCAR's greatest road course racer. However, Kyle Petty pumped the brakes on that claim. He praised SVG as "the greatest of the moment," but argued against using the "greatest of all time" tag too soon, mentioning other legends who mastered road courses.

Finally, veteran Joey Logano is eyeing the twilight of his illustrious career. The two-time Cup champion, known for cracking the playoff code, admits winning is his primary motivator.

Logano stated he will continue racing as long as he can compete for victories. If he can no longer meet that standard, he plans to explore other racing series where he can remain a strong contender. It's a champion's mindset as he looks towards his next chapter 

Thank you folks for reading our newsletter! Will see you in the next edition with more exciting highlights from the sports world curated for you! 🙏