LeBron Punks Stephen A, NFL’s Million-Dollar Positions Ranked, and Miami Open History

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Today’s WOW moments from sports world!

🏀 LEBRON ANNHILATES STEPHEN A
💰️KNOW WHAT THE BIG LEAGUES PAY
🎾 HISTORY AT MIAMI OPEN
🏈 WHO REMAINS IN FREE AGENCY?

🔥 LeBron Goes Savage Mode on Stephen A Smith

Last week, the world watched Stephen A. Smith continuously take shots at LeBron James after his confrontation. But the Los Angeles Lakers superstar was quiet until now. Since he was in Indianapolis, he hopped on The Pat McAfee Show to call out the analyst.

He clarified why he confronted Smith and trolled him for going on a Taylor Swift-like tour trying to defend his side. James also clarified why veteran media heads like Smith do not know basketball, even if they discuss it. 📰 FULL STORY

After this, Stephen A. Smith clarified that he would punch LeBron James if it came to it. This led to a furor on social media, with fans ripping into the First Take host. Then, James went to work and came away with the game-winner despite having a horrible shooting night.

Soon after the game, the 40-year-old took to social media to troll Smith for talking about punching him. That episode was James’ way to get back at the ESPN analyst and other veteran media heads. At the same time, he also shunned a lot of theories. But he did confirm that the Cleveland Cavaliers picking him in the draft was the NBA’s idea.

In Women’s Basketball…

Networks assigned 41 out of the 44 games Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever will play to be broadcast nationally. That means she would command 93% of the league’s nationally televised games.

That again caused some discontent among some in the league, even though others believe it is for the greater good. There is a reason why the NFL has reached out to help them grow women’s flag football. 📺️ FULL STORY HERE

Another budding women’s basketball star, JuJu Watkins tore her ACL in the second round of March Madness. This was a big blow to not only her team but also to the tournament. Athletes around the world sent prayers, hoping for a speedy recovery.

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NFL Positions Ranked by Highest Average Salary (2025)

💰 Where does your favorite position stack up?

1️⃣ Quarterback 🏆

• Dak Prescott (Cowboys) – $61.6 million

• No surprises here! QBs run the show, and their paychecks reflect it.

2️⃣ Wide Receiver 🎯

• Ja’Marr Chase (Bengals) – $40.2 million

• WRs are making serious bank as offenses become more pass-heavy.

3️⃣ Defensive End 💪

• Myles Garrett (Browns) – $40 million

• Elite pass-rushers get paid to terrorize QBs.

4️⃣ Offensive Tackle 🏗️

• Penei Sewell (Lions) – $30 million

• Protecting the QB is nearly as valuable as playing the position itself.

5️⃣ Cornerback 🚫

• Derek Stingley Jr. (Texans) – $30 million

• Shutdown corners who lock up WRs are now premium assets.

6️⃣ Offensive Guard 🛡️

• Trey Smith (Chiefs) – $23.6 million

• The big men inside are starting to cash in.

7️⃣ Safety 🦅

• Antoine Winfield Jr. (Buccaneers) – $21 million

• Safeties who can cover and hit get PAID.

8️⃣ Running Back 🏃‍♂️

• Saquon Barkley (Eagles) – $20.6 million

• The position is undervalued, but elite RBs can still break the bank.

9️⃣ Linebacker 🎯

• Roquan Smith (Ravens) – $20 million

• Defensive captains in the middle of the field earn top dollar.

🔟 Center 🎯

• Creed Humphrey (Chiefs) – $18 million

• The anchor of the O-line deserves a bigger slice of the pie

1️⃣1️⃣ Tight End 🔥

• Travis Kelce (Chiefs) – $17.1 million

• Top TEs are essentially WRs and getting paid accordingly.

1️⃣2️⃣ Kicker 👟

• Harrison Butker (Chiefs) – $6.4 million

• Pressure-packed position, but still the lowest-paid among non-specialists.

1️⃣3️⃣ Long Snapper 🔄

• Mitchell Fraboni (Broncos) – $4.1 million

• The most overlooked position... unless something goes wrong.

1️⃣4️⃣ Punter 🏈

• Michael Dickson (Seahawks) – $3.6 million

• Not bad for a guy who only touches the ball a few times per game.

Big Takeaways:

• QBs dominate the salary game.

• Offensive & defensive linemen are cashing in big-time.

• Running backs are still struggling for respect (despite Barkley’s payday).

• Special teams players make less, but a top kicker like Butker is still raking in millions.

Who’s the most overpaid or underpaid in your opinion? 🤔

💸 Diggs’ Mega Deal, Wilson’s Surprise Move & Rodgers’ Uncertain Future

NFL free agency now only has a few top names remaining to be signed. Most were expected to be small insignificant contracts until Stefon Diggs broke the internet. His $69 million deal had everyone shell shocked. 🤓 EXPLAINING THIS MOVE

Hot on his heels was Russell Wilson, who signed with the New York Giants. Even Big Blue’s fans were surprised, considering they just signed Jameis Winston a few days before. At least now it seems their plans to draft Shedeur Sanders or any other QB might be moot.

This signing, though, leaves Aaron Rodgers with one less option to continue his NFL career. Although all signs seemingly point toward the Pittsburgh Steelers, nothing is assured until it happens with the Cleveland Browns still in the mix.

The NFL world received confirmation on what caused Tom Brady to pack his bags and leave the New England Patriots. Tension with Bill Belichick made the situation difficult and the GOAT had to make a choice. All that said, later on they seem to have resolved those issues.

🎾 Filipino Sensation Shocks Miami Open with Semifinal Run

Alexandra Eala’s tennis journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Filipino star left her home country at just 13 to train at the Rafael Nadal Academy, where she recently celebrated her graduation with none other than Nadal and Iga Swiatek handing her the certificate. Now, she has scripted history by defeating the reigning French Open champion to secure her place in the Miami Open semifinals. Overwhelmed by the moment, Eala described her emotions as being on “Cloud 9” after match point.

Her rise to prominence has been remarkable, making her the first player from the Philippines to ever reach a tour-level semifinal. With this achievement, she is set to break into the Top 100 of the PIF WTA Rankings next Monday, another first for her country. As a wild card entry, she joins an exclusive club, with only Justine Henin (2010) and Victoria Azarenka (2018) having reached the Miami Open semifinals under similar circumstances. The left-handed teenager now has a chance to emulate Mirra Andreeva’s recent breakthrough at Indian Wells by continuing her deep run in Miami.

Ranked No. 140, Eala’s path to the semifinals has been filled with upsets, including wins over Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys. She has now taken down three Grand Slam champions in a single tournament, a feat only Elina Svitolina had previously accomplished at Wimbledon 2023. Before this event, Eala had never defeated a Top 40 player or even faced a Top 20 opponent. Now, she boasts two Top 10 victories, proving she belongs among the best in the world.

For Iga Swiatek, this loss is a rare setback, marking only the third time she has fallen to a player ranked outside the Top 100 in a WTA main draw. The world No. 1 previously suffered similar defeats to Karolina Muchova in Prague 2019 and Ana Konjuh in Miami 2021. Eala’s next challenge will be a battle against either No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula or former US Open champion Emma Raducanu as she fights for a spot in her first-ever WTA final.

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! 🙏