The Lead

Jrue Holiday. Gordon Hayward. Montrezl Harrell. The NBA off-season is in full-swing and several players have already made big moves. The Athletic’s John Hollinger joins us to break down the biggest signings (some great, some questionable), the moves that could happen in the coming days, and which teams are looking most like title contenders.More from John Hollinger:https://theathletic.com/author/john-hollinger/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Indiana Hoosiers have been arguably the biggest surprise in college football this season, thanks in part to their high-energy head coach, Tom Allen, and emerging star quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Bob Kravitz to look at just how good this Indiana team is, whether they have a chance against No. 3 Ohio State this weekend, and why Penix mania has taken over Bloomington. Read Bob Kravitz’s story about Michael Penix Jr.: https://theathletic.com/2184340/2020/11/07/indiana-michigan-michael-penix-jr/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joe Burrow is just over halfway through his rookie season and, while his team has not been great, he has been. In addition to putting up big numbers and closing in on the rookie record for 300-yard games in a season, Burrow has also become the face of the franchise overnight and has stirred up more excitement among Bengals fans than anyone in recent memory. The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. joins us to discuss what Burrow's coaches say makes him so special, why his teammates selected him as their captain as a rookie, and how he stacks up in his talented rookie class.More from Paul Dehner Jr.:https://theathletic.com/author/paul-dehner-jr/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LaMelo Ball is projected by many to be the first overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, the culmination of a basketball journey that has taken him from California to Lithuania to Ohio to Australia. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Joe Vardon to discuss LaMelo’s growth and setbacks during his basketball odyssey, and why LaVar Ball’s youngest son remains such a polarizing player.  Read Joe Vardon’s story about LaMelo Ball’s time in Ohio: https://theathletic.com/2195542/2020/11/17/lamelo-ball-nba-draft-2020-doing-lamelo-things-the-ball-familys-quiet-wild-year-in-ohio/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For more than two decades, Kim Ng has been expected to become the first woman to be named general manager of a Major League Baseball team. On Friday, that happened when the Miami Marlins announced that she would be leading their franchise. The Athletic’s Molly Knight, who got to know Ng during her time with the Dodgers, joins us to reflect on the veteran's long journey to becoming a sports pioneer, why it took so long for a franchise to hand her the keys, and how she’s more than equipped for the challenges ahead.Read Molly Knight's column on Kim Ng:https://theathletic.com/2196689/2020/11/13/kim-ng-first-woman-gm-marlins-dodgers/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A last-minute Hail Mary pass to pull out a dramatic victory, a quarterback catching a touchdown pass, and an NFL team stranded on the tarmac for over seven hours -- Week Ten of the NFL season was all totally, perfectly normal. The Athletic's Robert Mays joins us to break down the drama of an unforgettable weekend, and to offer his expert analysis of Kyler Murray, Tom Brady, the surging Miami Dolphins, and more.More from Robert Mays:https://theathletic.com/author/robert-mays/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last weekend, the world lost an icon when legendary Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek died after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, who recently spoke to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers about his lifelong love of the show, his admiration of Trebek, and his experience meeting him as a Celebrity Jeopardy! contestant in 2015.Read Matt Schneidman’s story about Aaron Rodgers and Alex Trebek: https://theathletic.com/2188517/2020/11/10/aaron-rodgers-remembers-his-jeopardy-moments-with-host-and-goat-alex-trebek/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are the NFL’s only remaining undefeated team, but they’ve had a number of extremely close games this season, including a narrow escape against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly to look at how Roethlisberger and the Steelers have managed to keep winning, and just how easily the whole thing could fall apart.Follow Mark Kaboly’s coverage of the Steelers: https://theathletic.com/author/mark-kaboly/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Portland Trailblazers guard Gary Trent Jr. turned heads in this year’s NBA playoffs with a breakout performance and impressive shooting from behind the arc. But not a lot of people knew about the journey he was embarking on off the court. The Athletic’s Jason Quick has the story of the rising star's relationship with his childhood best friend, who suffered a terrible accident two years ago, and how the two of them keep pushing each other to get better at their respective pursuits, through communication, encouragement, and a heavy dose of smack-talking.Read Jason Quick's story about Gary Trent Jr. and Jordan Bolton:https://theathletic.co.uk/2158071/2020/11/02/gary-trent-jr-determined-to-help-paralyzed-lifelong-friend-move-again/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Sunday night, in a much-anticipated showdown against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 38-3 — the most lopsided loss of Brady’s NFL career. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Greg Auman to break down what went wrong for Brady and Bruce Arians on Sunday night, whether or not it was a sign of things to come, and why the team is taking a chance on controversial wide receiver Antonio Brown. Follow Greg Auman’s coverage of the Buccaneers: https://theathletic.com/author/greg-auman/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.