The Lead

Luka Doncic is one of the hottest players in the NBA right now, and the hype around the 20-year-old Slovenian is reaching a fever pitch. Some are now comparing him to LeBron, and he even got some high praise from King James on the court earlier this season. The Athletic’s Tim Cato traveled to Slovenia to try and understand what makes the Mavericks star tick, and he joins us to talk about Luka’s origins, how he is seen back home, and just how good this kid can become.Read Tim Cato's story about Luka and Slovenia: https://theathletic.com/1315663/2019/10/23/slovenias-enormous-passion-is-willing-luka-doncic-to-superstardom/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weeks after their vicious late-game brawl, the Steelers got revenge against the Browns thanks in part to an unlikely hero: rookie quarterback Devlin "Duck" Hodges, who also happens to be, that's right, a champion duck caller. The Athletic’s Sean Gentille joins us to talk about Hodges's rapid ascent to the spotlight and the Steelers prospects with "Duck" as their new starter. Plus, The Athletic’s Zac Jackson talks about the aftermath of the Pittsburgh-Cleveland brawl and performs a post-mortem on the hapless Browns.Read Sean Gentille's story on "Duck" Hodges' unusual connection with James Washington:https://theathletic.com/1423890/2019/12/01/gentille-in-duck-hodges-james-washington-has-a-hunting-buddy-and-a-qb-connection/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joel Embiid and Hakeem Olajuwon have never met, but the 76ers star idolized 'The Dream' when he was growing up in Cameroon and taught himself Olajuwon's moves by watching a DVD of his highlights on repeat. The Athletic's Michael Lee recently sat down with both superstars to talk about their careers, their journeys from West Africa to the NBA, and what Embiid wants his own legacy to be.Read Michael Lee's story about Joel Embiid and African centers in the NBA:https://theathletic.com/1372227/2019/11/19/standing-on-the-shoulders-of-giants-joel-embiid-is-determined-to-build-a-new-legacy-of-greatness-by-an-african-center/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and hauled in 8 rebounds last night in an emphatic win over the Bulls. After more than a year away from the NBA, the aging superstar signed with the Trailblazers last Tuesday amid much fanfare. Considered one of the best players of his generation, Melo has earned a reputation for prioritizing himself over his team. The Athletic’s Frank Isola joins us to talk about the missteps of Melo's career, to question some of the criticisms, and to look at what lies ahead. Read one of Frank Isola's recent columns about Carmelo Anthony:https://theathletic.com/1383404/2019/11/16/isola-if-melo-makes-it-back-to-msg-he-deserves-warm-welcome-hell-get-as-much-as-kp-didnt-deserve-what-he-got/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After two concussions last month (and five in his career), wide receiver Brandin Cooks is back in the lineup for the Rams on Monday Night Football. But The Athletic's Rich Hammond wonders, should he be? Rich joins us to discuss how, with the help of an outside neurologist and his wife, Cooks made the decision to return to playing football so quickly.Read Rich Hammond's column about Brandin Cooks:https://theathletic.com/1399339/2019/11/21/brandin-cooks-is-coming-back-from-another-concussion-but-should-he/?source=theathleticpodcastCheck out The Athletic's "The 2010s: Decade in Review," featuring the best NBA, WNBA and college hoops teams and players from the past ten years: https://theathletic.com/tag/the-2010s-decade-in-review/?source=theathleticpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christian Pulisic has scored five goals in his past three Premier League games for Chelsea, including a hat trick last month against Burnley. There has been a lot of buzz around Pulisic since he became Chelsea’s third most expensive signing in January, and questions about how good the 21-year-old American really is. The Athletic's Liam Twomey joins us to explain how Pulisic is now turning some skeptical Brits into believers. Read more of Liam's coverage of Chelsea FC: https://theathletic.com/author/liam-twomey/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cocaine and molly have become the drugs of choice in the NHL in recent years, according to a new report from The Athletic's Katie Strang. She joins us to explain why these particular drugs have become popular among hockey players and what the league is and isn't doing to combat substance abuse. We also hear from retired NHL player Daniel Carcillo who dealt with substance abuse issues for years.Read Katie Strang's story about drug use among NHL players:https://theathletic.com/1324841/2019/11/05/the-secret-everybody-knows-drugs-like-cocaine-and-molly-becoming-more-popular-in-nhl/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rising hoops star RJ Hampton made a bold decision earlier this year. He turned down scholarship offers from top schools and moved to New Zealand to play in the NBL, the pro league in Australia and New Zealand, to help him prepare for the NBA. The Athletic’s Dana O’Neill traveled to Auckland to find out why Hampton made that choice, how his life is going over there, and whether overseas play might become a real alternative to college hoops. Read Dana O'Neill's story about RJ Hampton:https://theathletic.com/1346721/2019/11/04/im-taking-that-risk-all-access-with-r-j-hampton-as-he-tries-to-find-success-in-new-zealand/?source=theathleticpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Saints linebacker Demario Davis believes in a hands-on approach to social activism. The New Orleans star has handed out water in Flint, fought for bail reform in New York, and traveled to both sides of U.S.-Mexico border to give out blankets and backpacks. And, earlier this year, he helped bail out an ICE detainee. The Athletic's Katherine Terrell joins to explain how Davis's transformation into athlete-activist has grown out of his faith and his own history with the law. Read Katherine Terrell's profile of Demario Davis: https://theathletic.com/1284297/2019/10/11/they-just-gave-me-back-my-life-inside-what-fuels-demario-davis-humanitarian-efforts/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After the NFL invited Colin Kaepernick to a private workout last week, there were disagreements about how it should be conducted. On Saturday, Kaepernick turned the tables at the last minute by canceling the NFL event and announcing a workout on his own terms. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue was there and she joins us to give an insider account of how the chaos of the day unfolded, what it was like inside the stadium, and what could happen next with Kaepernick.Read Jourdan Rodrigue's story about the Kaepernick workout:https://theathletic.com/1384295/2019/11/17/colin-kaepernick-cuts-through-a-chaotic-day-to-deliver-a-solid-workout/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.