Ranking NBA Draft Picks, MLB’s Dark Week & NASCAR Legends Let Loose

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Today’s WOW moments from sports world!

⚾ MLB’S WEEK FROM HELL
🕴️ NBA DRAFT NIGHT DID DAMAGE
🏀 CLARK COLD, REESE WON’T MISS
🏎️ NASCAR LEGENDS TALK THEIR TALK

⚾️ Wander Franco Verdict & Disgraceful Fan Incident Rock the League

Tough, disturbing week in the MLB world. Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was officially found guilty in a sexual abuse case involving a minor. The allegations first surfaced in 2023 when a social media post accused Franco of having a relationship with a 14-year-old girl. MLB placed him on administrative leave immediately after.

Now, a court in the Dominican Republic has handed Franco a two-year suspended sentence. If he fails to comply with court orders, he’ll serve actual jail time. Even more shocking — the girl’s mother was sentenced to 10 years for sexually trafficking her own daughter.

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Meanwhile, a sickening incident took place at a White Sox–Diamondbacks game. A fan hurled insensitive, personal remarks at Arizona’s Ketel Marte about his late mother, who tragically died in a car accident in 2017. Marte was visibly emotional and left shaken after hearing the comments.

Ballpark security quickly ejected the fan, and MLB later issued an indefinite ban, barring him from every ballpark in the league. The White Sox also showed class by publicly supporting Marte during his next at-bat, while players and fans across baseball rallied around him online.

🏀 Ranking: 15 Best 2025 NBA Draft Day Picks

The 2025 NBA Draft had its fair share of drama, surprises, and a little chaos. While Cooper Flagg going No. 1 was the least surprising move of the night, several players found themselves in interesting situations — and a few clearly weren’t thrilled about it. Here’s a quick ranking of the 15 best picks from draft night, factoring talent, fit, and future impact.

1) Cooper Flagg — No-brainer. A generational prospect and the kind of player who can turn the Dallas Mavericks into an instant title contender.

2) Dylan Harper — Ron Harper’s son went to the Spurs and could be the ideal backcourt mate for Victor Wembanyama. Electric scorer, fearless leader, and already has that big-game gene.

3) VJ Edgecombe — Might be the most NBA-ready wing in this class. The 76ers wanted instant impact, and his athleticism and defensive versatility will deliver.

4) Ace Bailey — Talent for days, but his attitude reportedly dropped him down to No. 5 with the Jazz. His draft-night reaction said it all — not thrilled, but if he locks in, he might haunt a few teams.

5) Jeremiah Fears — A dynamic slasher for New Orleans. Tough, aggressive, and already built like a pro. He’s fearless attacking the rim, and the Pelicans may have landed a future star.

6) Kon Knueppel — Underrated shooter with far more to his game than the 3-ball. The Hornets need steady scoring threats, and Knueppel can give them options.

7) Tre Johnson — If he reaches his potential, the Wizards could have their next Kevin Durant-lite. Can score from anywhere on the floor.

8) Khaman Maluach — Raw but with huge upside. There’s a reason Duke trusted him next to Flagg. A long-term project for whoever’s patient.

9) Kasparas Jakucionis — Big, skilled, and NBA-ready. The Lithuanian fits Miami’s tough culture and could push them into the playoff mix immediately.

10) Derik Queen — Pelicans quietly planning for a Zion contingency? Queen is a power-packed forward who could blossom with the right development.

11) Collin Murray-Boyles — Some draft-night tension here, as reports hinted he wasn’t thrilled about landing in Toronto. Still, he’s polished and could fight for a starting job.

12) Noa Essengue — Another young French big with upside. Intriguing, but he’ll need time to fill out and adjust.

13) Carter Bryant — Classic 3-and-D prospect, but scouts believe there’s more offensive upside waiting to be unlocked.

14) Egor Demin — A 6'9" point forward with ridiculous passing vision. If Brooklyn handles this right, they may have a real gem.

15) Joan Beringer — Minnesota’s future defensive anchor? The Frenchman is already a solid rim protector and could be Rudy Gobert 2.0 for the Wolves.

Draft Night Drama: Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe gave emotional interviews post-selection, while Ace Bailey made headlines for his visible frustration after slipping to No. 5. Rumors swirled that his agent warned teams not to draft him unless they met his preferred destinations. Collin Murray-Boyles had a similar reaction — and the second day of the draft was no less dramatic.

⭐️ Clark’s Cold Streak, Reese’s Rise, and WNBA Chaos Off the Court

Caitlin Clark’s return from injury was a success with 2 straight wins. But since then, the Fever lost 2 and won 1. More importantly, she shot a poor 1-23 from three-point range. Fans are wondering if she is struggling with something, as she did not look as excited as she usually is.

In the last of those three road games, Clark suffered a groin injury. She sat out the latest loss against the Sparks, and is listed as day-to-day. Now, fans fear that she will be unable to play against Paige Bueckers in their 1^st WNBA game.

Her veteran teammate DeWanna Bonner left the team after not being able to fit into the roster. Now, fans are not happy with the Fever’s front office and head coach after the retooled team has been struggling to stand in the middle of the table.

Angel Reese and her Sky have started to make good progress as the star forward continues to become comfortable with the point forward role. She and her fellow draftee, Kamilla Cardoso, dominated the interior to win against the same Sparks that the Fever lost to.

Elsewhere, Natasha Cloud sent out tweets asking for President Donald Trump to be impeached after he dropped bombs on Iran without the approval of Congress. Clark’s teammate, Breanna Turner joined in to ask for justice to be served.

🏁 Chase’s Slump, Martin’s Warning, and Danica’s Bold Stance

It’s been a frustrating stretch for 2020 NASCAR Cup champ Chase Elliott — and Kyle Petty’s had enough. In a new NASCAR YouTube breakdown, Petty called out Elliott’s lack of wins in the Next-Gen era, especially compared to teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron. While Larson’s grabbed 16 checkered flags and Byron’s taken 12, Chase has just one win since 2023. For a guy voted the sport’s most popular driver, Petty says it’s just not good enough.

Petty wasn’t pulling punches either. He pointed out that Elliott’s huge fanbase, big sponsors, and seat at Hendrick Motorsports should have him dominating the track. Instead, he’s become the third-best driver in his own garage. And with Larson building his star power, Chase’s quiet run isn’t just a stat problem — it’s a spotlight problem too.

Meanwhile, NASCAR’s new $1.1 billion-per-year TV deal has drawn some skepticism. Hall of Famer Mark Martin praised the league’s salesmanship but admitted in a chat with Kenny Wallace that it might be more cash than the product’s truly worth. Martin’s concern? That big-dollar deals push NASCAR toward over-the-top gimmicks in a desperate chase for ratings.

Martin even compared the danger to NASCAR turning into “WWE on wheels,” with forced drama replacing pure racing. He boldly said he’d gladly take a smaller deal if it meant keeping the sport authentic and away from cheap thrills and manufactured storylines. A throwback stance — and one a lot of old-school fans probably agree with.

And finally, former driver Danica Patrick made headlines for a different kind of trackside drama. She publicly backed President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks about the Israel-Iran ceasefire breakdown. Patrick shared a clip of Trump’s fiery comments on Instagram, calling them “epic,” as tensions continue overseas. NASCAR politics rarely stay quiet for long.

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! 🙏