🏀 Could They Have Been Stars?

Hey you! How was your week? Hopefully you didn’t spend too much time out in the heat—at least it’s the perfect time for two insanely-hyped movies to drop! While we don’t know a lot about film, the least we can do is share a little bit of hoops knowledge before a weekend of great cinema. Let’s dive in!

Today’s Lineup

Dual Threats ⛹️: A look at some athletes who hooped once upon a time!

Around The W ⭐️: Crina takes you through this weekend’s W slate, highlighted by some themed outfits!

Enjoy Gaming 🎰: Our new favorite NBA-themed online game…

Bur first, some trivia:

Dual Threat Part 2!

On Wednesday, we talked about NBA players who are great at other sports. But what about the other way around? Today, we’ll be breaking down a few elite athletes who you didn’t know dominated on the court in their day.

Antonio Gates - Kent State

Long before he was catching touchdowns from Phillip Rivers in San Diego, Antonio Gates was getting his jersey hung in the rafters for an entirely different sport.

Seriously, Gates was all-in on making his hoop dreams a reality. This is a guy who turned down playing under Nick Saban because Saban wouldn’t let him play basketball at the same time! After bouncing around the transfer portal for a couple of years, Gates wound up at Kent State with his focus solely on basketball.

And he was incredible. Over two years, Gates averaged 18 points and seven rebounds per game, was an All-American Honorable Mention, and led the Golden Flashes on a Cinderella run to the 2002 Elite Eight.

However, at just 6’4”, Gates was just too small to get serious NBA attention as a bruising interior forward. Turning his attention to the NFL, Gates signed a contract with the Chargers despite not playing a single snap of college football. And the rest is history.

Tony Gwynn - San Diego State

Quick trivia question; who has the most assists in San Diego State men’s basketball history?

Malachi Flynn? Maybe Kawhi Leonard? Nope. Of all people, it’s none other than Mr. Padre himself, Tony Gwynn!

Before he joined the 3,000 hit club and cemented himself as a first-ballot Hall-Of-Famer, Gwynn was running the Aztec offense to perfection in the late 70s.

Just like Antonio Gates, Gwynn originally went to school pursuing a career in basketball. He didn’t even play on the baseball team his freshman year! But unlike Gates, he wound up playing—and excelling—in both throughout his time in college, becoming the only WAC athlete to ever be named to an All-Conference team in two sports.

Gwynn was drafted in the 3rd round of the MLB Draft by the Padres and the 10th round of the NBA Draft by the Clippers, and eventually he chose to continue his baseball career. And even though he was a certified baller, it’s hard to say he made the wrong decision.

Also, doesn’t one of baseball’s greatest contact hitters being a pass-first PG just make sense? Very similar vibes from those two playstyles—maybe that’s just us.

Julius Peppers - North Carolina

Peppers made a name for himself by terrorizing NFL offenses for the better part of two decades, but he also shined as a multi-sport athlete at the highest levels of college basketball.

Peppers didn’t just play for UNC Basketball. He played incredibly. As a hulking 6’7” forward, the future 6X All-Pro was practically unstoppable at the rim, even dropping 21 and 10 during an NCAA tournament game in his sophomore year.

At the end of the day, it was clear to everyone that Peppers was destined for greatness on the gridiron, but that didn’t mean he didn't have some iconic moments in the Dean Dome. In fact, he was actually a part of one of the most legendary plays in UNC basketball history, when he threw down a thunderous second-half alley-oop in a top-ranked matchup against Wake Forest.

And you wanna know something crazy? The guy who passed it to him was none other than Ronald Curry, another future NFL player! Small world.

Around the W With Crina: Barbie x Oppenheimer Weekend

One ticket for Barbie, one for Oppenheimer, and one for the WNBA games this weekend! Whether you’re spending the next couple days watching movies or watching hoops, players all around the W have been giving us some CRAZY themed fits! Here’s this weekend’s schedule:

Friday, July 21

• New York Liberty vs Washington Mystics at 7 p.m. on ionTV

Both the Liberty and the Mystics are looking to bounce back after losing their first games after the All-Star break. Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will walk into Washington with their Barbie and Oppenheimer vibes and try to get back on track against a Mystics team depleted by injuries.

Saturday, July 22

• Connecticut Sun vs Atlanta Dream at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN

• Las Vegas Aces vs Minnesota Lynx at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN

• Los Angeles Sparks vs Dallas Wings at 8 p.m. ET on Twitter

This Sparks/Wings matchup already happened in a way—look at these outfits! The Wings are coming off a big win over the Liberty, so the Sparks have their work cut out for them.

• Chicago Sky vs Seattle Storm at 9 p.m. ET on NBA TV

Which Barbie/Oppenheimer themed looks are your favorite? Let us know by replying to this email or on social media!

Frozen Moments

• Clyde Drexler gives us his music festival headliners…

• KG hypes up a ROY candidate in this great interview!

• Cade Cunningham can’t get enough of that PB&J.

What We’re Enjoying

Sports Under 150: Today, we’ve got something simple and fun for you. Sports Under 150 is a game where you get ten sports and ten countries, and your goal is to match up the countries and the sports so that the cumulative international ranking is under 150. It’s seriously harder than it looks, especially in All Countries mode. Check it out!

Signing Off

That’s it from us today! Whether you’re chilling with friends, hanging out with the family, or cooking random people on 2K this weekend, just do it with a positive attitude. At the end of the day, life’s too short to not Enjoy.

Until next time,

-Spencer Poole

Trivia Answer: Butler (5.3), Hayes (6.2) and KPJ (5.7) all led their respective teams in assists per game, but De’Aaron Fox lost out to teammate Domantas Sabonis! The Lithuanian Legend averaged 7.3 assists per game compared to Fox’s 6.2.

Happy birthday to OG Enjoyer Alex! A day 1 fan with a 99% open rate, you're an absolute legend. If you want a birthday shout-out of your own, help us improve the newsletter experience by filling out our survey below!