Saturday, April 18, 2026

Inside the numbers: Some notes going into NBA playoffs

A winning season usually gets you to the NBA playoffs. Not this year.

There were a record-tying three teams — Charlotte at 44-38, Miami at 43-39 and the Los Angeles Clippers at 42-40 — that finished over .500 this season but failed to qualify for the playoffs.

The only other years when that happened were 1971 and 2022.

In NBA history, teams with records over the .500 mark have gone to the playoffs just over 95% of the time. For teams going at least 43-39 (or the equivalent in shorter seasons), that in-the-playoffs rate was 97.3%, until this season.

Miami now has finished over .500 in 25 of its 38 seasons. Of the first 24 Heat teams with winning records, 100% wound up going to the playoffs.

“My first year as a head coach, we won 43 games and we were the fifth seed,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We were the 10th seed this year with 43.”

If playoff teams only counted ...

If the playoff teams were their own 16-team league, counting only their games against one another in the standings, the top overall seed in these playoffs would be Detroit.

The Pistons went 30-12 against the other playoff clubs, just ahead of Oklahoma City (31-14) and San Antonio (29-14).

The Thunder had the biggest point differential in games against other playoff teams (8.4 per game), while the Thunder and the Spurs both had the most double-digit wins (18 apiece).

The money matters

The playoff pool for this season is the most in NBA history, with $35,740,226 to be divided up between the 16 teams.

As the team with the NBA’s best record, the Oklahoma City Thunder are already assured $2,161,408 from that pool. If the Thunder win the NBA title, they will claim more than one-third of the pool — $12,805,503.

Teams get shares for finishing with a top-six record in their conference, plus for making the playoffs and the size of the shares increase for advancing to later rounds. There’s about a $5 million difference between winning and losing the NBA Finals.

Hawks hit 50

Atlanta is in the playoffs for the 50th time, the Hawks becoming the fourth franchise to hit that total.

The other three? The Los Angeles Lakers (66), Boston (63) and Philadelphia (55).

It’ll be at least another four years before the 50-playoff-aappearance club grows. New York has made 46 appearances, including this year’s.

It's 17 and counting for James Harden

James Harden has yet to win an NBA championship. But at least he gets into the playoffs — every single year.

That's right: 17 years in the league, 17 playoff trips for Harden.

He and the Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Toronto Raptors in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Cavs will be the sixth team that Harden appears with in the postseason, after stints with Oklahoma City, Houston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Clippers and now Cleveland.

Harden enters the series with the Raptors 14th on the league's career playoff scoring list, two points behind No. 13 Larry Bird. He's 59 points behind No. 12 Dwyane Wade, and if the Cavs make any sort of deep run would figure to have a chance to reach the top 10 in playoff scoring sometime this spring.

Milestones await

Some stat milestones that could await in these playoffs:

— Houston's Kevin Durant is 15 points shy of 5,000 for his playoff career. He'll be the seventh player to hit that number.

— The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James — who already holds league records for playoff games, games won, games lost, points scored, field goals made, field goals attempted and steals, among other things — needs seven more steals to get to 500. Nobody else even has 400.

— If New York gets to the Eastern Conference finals, Mike Brown (who has 50 playoff wins) would pass Tyronn Lue (57) and move into the top 20 all-time for coaching playoff victories.

Nuggets playing? Take the over. Celtics? Take the under.

When the Denver Nuggets play, you're going to see a lot of points.

How many points? Well, probably more than what oddsmakers tell you to expect.

Denver's games went over the Vegas over-under total — the number of total points expected in the game from both teams — 63.4% of the time this season. That's the second-highest rate in the last 12 seasons, topped only by Indiana's games going over the total 65.3% of the time in the 2020-21 season.

Other betting nuggets from this season:

— Among the 16 playoff teams, Boston (59.8%) covered more often than any other team, followed by San Antonio (57.3%). Charlotte covered in 61% of its games but missed the playoffs.

— Speaking of the Celtics, only 36.6% of their games went over the total. That's the lowest rate in the NBA in at least 12 years.

— Oklahoma City was favored in 78 of its 82 games, as would probably be expected.

A Game 1, in Detroit

It's been a long time since Pistons fans can say this: Game 1 is at home.

The opener of the Detroit-Orlando series on Sunday will be the first time the Pistons open any playoff series on their home floor since 2008 — an Eastern Conference semifinal matchup, also against the Magic.

Detroit wound up winning in five games before falling to Boston in that season's East finals.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA



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Giants news, 4/18: Sonny Styles still top pick, Joe Schoen at Jordyn Tyson workout

New York Giants News

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

From Big Blue View

Other Giant observations

Giants draft trade scenarios: How New York can accumulate more picks for 2026 | The Athletic

With the Giants seeking more picks, a trade back from No. 37 is a strong possibility. The 37th pick, and other picks in that neighborhood, have been dealt frequently in recent years. An ideal package to duplicate would be the Seahawks’ 2019 trade that sent the 37th pick to the Panthers for the 47th pick and a third-round pick (No. 77). Adding a mid-third-round pick to move back 10 spots in the second round is the type of deal the Giants should be seeking if they decide to trade back.

A similar concept applies to the 105th pick, which is the fifth pick of Day 3. Teams could be tempted to trade up for a target still on the board after Day 2. It’s not worth breaking down those possible trades, however, since those types of deals would involve late-round picks.

Tom Pelissero on Giants’ front office dynamics

2026 NFL mock draft: Scouts, execs predict the top 10 picks | ESPN.com

5. New York Giants. AFC college scouting director’s pick: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State. Love is off the board, but the Giants have every wide receiver and offensive lineman available to them. Those are two positions of need for a team that likes where it’s at defensively. Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is also going to get matched with New York a lot, but the Giants added free agent linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to an already stout group.

“It’s hard to pass on Styles and Downs here,” the AFC college scouting director said, “but I have to build up the talent on this offense. Tate is, at minimum, a really good WR2 but has the route-running ability and sure hands to emerge as a go-to X while freeing up Malik Nabers to move around and find matchups.”

Ideal Pick for Every Team in 1st Round of 2026 NFL Draft | Bleacher Report

5. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State. If a deal doesn’t materialize, the Giants will find themselves in an odd setup, because the roster doesn’t have a major need area to directly address with a top-five pick. Wide receiver makes the most sense based on the current setup.

Carnell Tate is a fantastic route-runner and reliable target to provide the ideal complementary piece in the Giants offense. The 21-year-old prospect isn’t the biggest or more explosive option. However, he doesn’t need to be since the Giants roster already features Malik Nabers, who will be returning from last year’s season-ending ACL tear. Tate can simultaneously offset any rust that Nabers shows early in the season, while providing Jaxson Dart with another talented threat to help in the quarterback’s development. In Tate’s case, he’s a fantastic route-runner and reliable target to provide the ideal complementary piece in the Giants offense.

2026 NFL Draft Guide | The Ringer

5. New York Giants: Jeremiyah Love. I know, I know. The Giants took Saquon Barkley with the no. 2 pick in 2018, and then they were basically the worst team in football for his entire tenure. But if Love is still on the board at no. 5, the Giants seem likely to take him. Head coach John Harbaugh will want to run the ball to help young QB Jaxson Dart. The team will convince itself that Love’s (fantastic) receiving ability makes him more valuable than most running backs. There is a whole debate to be had about whether taking a running back this high is smart. But an offense made of Dart, Malik Nabers, Love, and Cam Skattebo is certainly cool.

New DC Dennard Wilson on the top priority for the Giants defense

2026 NFL Draft: Six potential trades that could rock¢ Round 1 | NFL.com

Chargers send first-round pick to Giants for all-world DT. Three months into his tenure as Giants head coach, John Harbaugh has encountered his first dilemma, with superstar DT Dexter Lawrence asking to be traded. Immediately following Lawrence’s request, Harbaugh publicly stated the team’s desire to repair the relationship, but said “there’s business involved.” It appears that business has gone south, with NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reporting on Tuesday that the Giants have reached an impasse in extension talks with the three-time Pro Bowler. Maybe it’s time for John to pick up the phone and call his brother. For counsel? No, to make a deal! I’m thinking Jim Harbaugh could be interested in beefing up the Chargers’ defensive front with a 6-foot-4, 340-pound game wrecker. And with cap space galore, Los Angeles can give Lawrence the new megadeal he craves. Is the No. 22 overall pick enough to get a deal done with New York? If not, the Bolts could toss in Quentin Johnston — a name that’s drawn trade rumors this offseason — as a sweetener for the WR-needy Giants.

2026 NFL draft: Osi Umenyiora will announce New York Giants’ selections | USATODAY.com

New York Giants great Osi Umenyiora will announce the team’s Day 2 selections at the 2026 NFL draft, the league announced on Thursday. The retired defensive end, a cornerstone of two Super Bowl championship teams in New York, is set to take the stage during the second round on April 24 in Pittsburgh.

Deonte Banks gets Giants ‘clean slate’ at critical point in his NFL career | New York Post

Had things broken slightly differently during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Giants would have traded up to select receiver Zay Flowers, and the Ravens might have pivoted to cornerback Deonte Banks. 

Instead, Flowers went to Baltimore at No. 23, Banks landed with the Giants after a trade up from No.

Around the league

Nick Foles: A.J. Brown wants to be traded | Pro Football Talk

Commanders will ‘more likely than not’ stay and pick at No. 7 in draft, GM says | The Athletic

Source: Texans, Anderson agree to 3-year, $150 million extension | ESPN.com

NFL Network: Jacoby Brissett wants extension, not attending Phase 1 of Cardinals’ offseason program | NFL.com

Joe Flacco sounds off against NFL’s plan for 18-game schedule | CBSSports.com

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Friday, April 17, 2026

Patriots draft profile: Kaleb Elarms-Orr fits the mold of a Mike Vrabel linebacker

Sep 20, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr (3) rushes the line during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the SMU Mustangs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Speaking to reporters earlier this week, New England Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf gave some insight into the state of the linebacker class in this year’s NFL Draft. While he didn’t sound overly excited about the group, he did point out that there would be plenty of talent in the late-round range.

The Patriots taking advantage of this would not come as a surprise. Neither would them ending up with Kaleb Elarms-Orr out of TCU.

Hard facts

Name: Kaleb Elarms-Orr

Position: Off-back linebacker

School: TCU (RS Sr.)

Opening day age: 23 (8/29/2003)

Measurements: 6’2”, 234 lbs, 31 1/2” arm length, 9” hand size, 4.47s 40-yard dash, 7.10s 3-cone drill, 4.41s short shuttle, 40” vertical jump, 10’4” broad jump, 19 bench press reps, 9.33 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: Cal (2021-23), TCU (2024-25)

Career statistics: 47 games (24 starts) | 1,899 defensive snaps, 387 special teams snaps | 276 tackles, 28 missed tackles (9.2%), 19 TFLs, 1 FF, 2 FRs | 48 QB pressures (7 sacks, 10 hit, 31 hurries) | 78 targets, 56 catches surrendered (71.8%), 548 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 8 PBUs | 4 special teams tackles, 4 missed special teams tackles (50.0%) | 2 penalties (incl. 0 declined/offsetting)

Accolades: First-team All-Big 12 (2025), Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP (2025), Second-team All-Big 12 (2023)

A two-way player who saw action at both linebacker and tight end, Elarms-Orr was rated as a three-star recruit out of Moreau Catholic in Hayward, CA. He received several scholarship offers from FBS programs starting his junior year, and eventually agreed to play college ball at Cal, less than 20 miles from his hometown.

Elarms-Orr redshirted his first year due to an ACL tear suffered his senior year in high school, and in his second season played exclusively on special teams. By Year 3, however, he had become a starter on the Golden Bears’ defense and finished 2023 as the team leader in tackles. Despite his promising trajectory, he opted to enter the transfer portal and spent the final two seasons of his college career at TCU.

A backup his first year with the Horned Frogs, he started all 13 games in 2025 and as the team leader in tackles and sacks was voted to the first All-Big 12 team. In total, Elarms-Orr registered 184 tackles and six sacks during his 26-game stint in Fort Worth.

Draft profile

Projected round: 4-5 | Consensus big board: No. 134 | Patriots meeting: N/A

Strengths: Very much fitting the mold of the modern-day off-ball linebacker, Elarms-Orr is an explosive player who combines true sideline-to-sideline speed (95th-percentile 40-yard dash) with some impressive agility and a quick downhill trigger. He can chase down ball carriers in pursuit even from the backside of the play and also run with tight ends or running backs in coverage. He maneuvers well through traffic and has shown some proper contact balance to finish tackle attempts. He meets blockers head-on and is effective as a blitzer from the second level or the edge.

Weaknesses: Elarms-Orr is on the smaller side, with his weight and arm length in the 32nd and 27th percentile among linebackers, respectively. He doesn’t always play as fast as his athletic skill would suggest and at times is a step slow to react to plays; he has room to grow as an instinctual player and his lack of experience shows up from time to time. Adding to that is his angles to the ball sometimes being insufficient; he can be moved from the play by not properly using leverage to his advantage. He also has a tendency to overcommit on misdirection or play action concepts, and has not had the most impressive ball production.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Elarms-Orr is an off-ball linebacker best suited to serve as a classic Mike in the heart of the formation. In New England, he would join a room also featuring projected top two Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss, and potentially start out as a rotational late-down/passing game sub as well as a core special teamer.

Does he have positional versatility? Even though he played most of his defensive snaps in college off the ball (80.4%), Elarms-Orr did move down around on occasion. He has experience playing on line of scrimmage as an edge linebacker and also kicking out into the slot. In addition, he was used on five special teams units — the core four units plus field goal/extra point block — albeit irregularly and depending on his defensive exposure.

What is his growth potential? Despite what is on paper a five-year college career, Elarms-Orr is still a relatively raw player from a processing and reactionary perspective. If he can work on that part of his game and possibly add a bit more bulk to his frame, there is little standing in the way between him and becoming a starting off-ball linebacker by his second or third season in the NFL.

Why the Patriots? The Patriots’ linebacker group experienced some changes this offseason but is still lacking some long-term perspective. Elarms-Orr would provide that, while also bolstering the position’s overall depth and athleticism from the get-go. He also could help out on special teams, and therefore effectively play a role similar to the one held by free agency departee Jack Gibbens in 2025.

Why not the Patriots? Elarms-Orr is an NFL-ready athlete, but his success in the league will depend on making some improvements to his game. There is a chance the Patriots don’t feel comfortable in his ability to make them relative to other Day 3 linebackers available; if they value readiness above all else, they might go in a different direction.

One-sentence verdict: Elarms-Orr is an athletic and violent linebacker that fits the mold of player Mike Vrabel is looking to have on his defense.

For more information about Kaleb Elarms-Orr and the rest of this year’s class of prospects, please take a look at Adam’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide.

Also, what do you think about Elarms-Orras a potential Patriots target? Do you like him? Where would you pick him? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.



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Thursday, April 16, 2026

49ers News: One week away

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 07: (L-R) General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan speak during San Francisco 49ers practice ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at Fertitta Football Complex on February 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) | Getty Images

49ers host Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor on pre-draft visit
“Proctor posted strong production in the 2025 season, earning an 86.1 overall offensive grade, an 81.1 run-blocking grade, and an 84.2 pass-blocking grade. The 6-foot-7, 352-pound tackle allowed 21 pressures and two sacks across 611 pass-blocking snaps. At the NFL Scouting Combine, Proctor ran a 5.21-second 40-yard dash with a 1.84-second 10-yard split, along with a 32.5-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-1 broad jump.” 

49ers hosted Oregon OL Alex Harkey on pre-draft visit
““NFL teams believe he has true 5-position versatility,” Melo noted.” 

49ers host Oklahoma LB Kendal Daniels on pre-draft visit
“In 2025, Daniels started every game at the hybrid “Cheetah” position, finishing with 53 tackles, including nine for loss. He also added three pass breakups and one fumble recovery.” 

49ers hosting ‘prime Deebo Samuel’-type receiver ahead of 2026 NFL Draft
“The wideout is coming off his most productive season in 2025, recording 69 receptions for 937 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns. His breakout campaign helped Indiana secure a College Football Playoff National Championship, earning him second-team All-Big Ten honors.” 

49ers mock draft roundup: Kiper, Brugler, others address San Francisco’s long-term future
“I don’t think the 49ers are going into draft night stressing that they must find a long-term solution at left tackle,” Brugler wrote. “But if the right player falls in their laps, it would make sense for them to go that direction — and Lomu could be that player. He is a work in progress (in several areas), but his athletic footwork and body control form a great foundation.” 

Brugler also has the 49ers selecting former Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in Round 2.…Kiper wrote, “The legendary left tackle is turning 38 during training camp this summer, meaning San Francisco has to think about the future no matter what. 

“Iheanachor started 31 games in college, has long 33 7/8-inch arms, and is quick out of his set. But he’s also relatively new to football, having never played before 2022. He could use a little time to develop before eventually becoming the guy.”

San Francisco’s next selection comes at No. 58 overall, where Kiper addresses a pressing need along the defensive front. He projects the 49ers selecting former Illinois defensive end Gabe Jacas to bolster a pass rush that struggled with consistency last season.” 

49ers host WR Colbie Young, DT Tyler Onyedim on pre-draft visits
“Young totaled 116 receptions for 1,437 yards and 13 touchdowns across four collegiate seasons split between Miami and Georgia. 

Onyedim recorded 138 tackles (20.5 for loss), 5.5 sacks, an interception, one pass defensed, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery over 53 games at Iowa State and Texas A&M.”  

49ers’ need to upgrade safety position requires bold 2026 NFL Draft strategy
“Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) is a lanky safety (6-foot-3, 201 pounds) with good ball skills and is very good at punching the ball out, as he forced nine fumbles in his college career. 

Others who might be of interest to the 49ers in the second round are Keionte Scott (Miami), A.J. Haulcy (LSU) and Bud Clark (TCU). San Francisco’s second-round pick comes at No. 58 overall. 

Cole Wisniewski (Texas Tech) was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but he is squarely on the 49ers’ radar. Wisniewski (6-3, 219) visited San Francisco during the pre-draft process. He registered eight interceptions during the 2023 season at North Dakota State.” 

Who could fill the 49ers’ offensive line need? Ten options, with help from ‘The Beast’ (paywall)
“Let’s say six offensive linemen get drafted before the 49ers pick, and that they pass on Utah tackle Caleb Lomu (who visited the team facility Tuesday), Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor and Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis at No. 27. If so, Pregnon would be the best option left in the second round. He made stops at Wyoming, USC and then Oregon to wrap up a six-year career as a first-team All-American at left guard in 2025. 

His large hands (11 inches) aren’t great yet, but he moves well and has some power at 6 feet 4 and 314 pounds. He’s a glass-eater who would start from Day 1.” 

‘Low-maintenance’ Mike Evans is a different kind of 49ers WR1 (paywall)
“Rick Stroud, the Buccaneers beat writer at the Tampa Bay Times since 1990, is familiar with prima donna pass-catchers: He covered Johnson for four seasons. In Stroud’s 12 seasons covering Evans, he appreciated his “all-out” approach to all aspects of his position, including blocking and clearing out the middle of the field by running go routes on which he wasn’t even a secondary target. 

“We know in the NFL there’s a lot of divas,” Stroud said. “There’s a lot of guys that come back to the huddle and they’re always open. And I’m sure Mike felt that way at times, too. But Mike was never that guy. It’s rare to talk about ‘unselfish’ at a position that is intrinsically selfish. But that’s who Mike is. He truly is.” 

Stroud noted that Evans is fiercely proud. And he was deeply disappointed last year when injuries forced him to miss nine games and prevented him from passing Rice with a 12th straight 1,000-yard season. But he said Evans’ primary focus has been winning, pointing to the bargain contract he signed with the 49ers as the latest evidence.”



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Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Daily Dawg Chow 4/15; speculation continues over possible draft trade

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 24: Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns speaks during a press conference at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The latest Cleveland Browns coverage from Dawgs By Nature:

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Tuesday, April 14, 2026

How Jerry West found catharsis by speaking openly before his death in 'The Logo'

Jerry West’s legend was so well established when he retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1974 that he’d already been the inspiration for the NBA’s logo. Half a century later, West remains seventh all-time in points per game and holds the points-per-game record for a playoff series, numbers even more remarkable because he did it without the three-point shot.

But, of course, West wasn’t done. As a scout and general manager, he was a key architect of the Showtime Lakers teams of the 1980s and later acquired both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal to build another dynasty. West also was an executive for the Golden State Warriors in their heyday, providing crucial advice on player personnel.

Through it all, however, West struggled with depression and a sense of self-loathing, and had trouble with intimacy, much of it a by-product of a hardscrabble childhood in West Virginia with a domineering father.

That dichotomy, his outer success and inner turmoil, are the heart of “Jerry West: The Logo,” a new documentary for Prime Video, from “black-ish” creator Kenya Barris, directing his first documentary.

“I’m from L.A. and was a fan of the Showtime Lakers growing up,” Barris says, so he put his name in for the project figuring he’d at least get to meet a hero. “But we immediately hit it off and I felt a kinship with him.”

That ability to connect was part of West’s magic, as attested to by the string of NBA legends who pay tribute to him in the documentary, including Lakers such as Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Pat Riley and O’Neal, along with Steph Curry and Michael Jordan.

Vlade Divac was traded by West to secure the rights to Bryant, but he selected West to introduce him at his Hall of Fame induction. In a recent phone interview, Divac praised West as “a father figure when you needed it and a friend when you needed it. He was very honest and he cared about people and helped you achieve your goals. He's one of the best guys I ever met. Period.”

Barris, who did extensive interviews with West before the Laker icon died in 2024, spoke by video recently about making the documentary, which also includes NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledging for the first time that West was the sport's logo. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Read more:Jerry West, Lakers legend and architect of 'Showtime' era, dies at 86

Jerry had already opened up about his life in his memoir, "West by West," but do you think this was still cathartic for him?

His book really drew me to doing the documentary because it was so honest. I think the idea of him actually saying these things out loud in front of a camera with his kids and his grandkids around was a catharsis for him.

Did he feel he was nearing the end?

Jerry would say, "I feel like I'm in God's waiting room." He didn't like getting old because he was so much in touch with his body as an athlete — he could jump higher and run farther than his friends. When I first met him, he was on the treadmill and jogging with weights. He was in his 80s but was saying, "I used to be able to jog with more weights."

He was feeling old but I don't think that he thought he was about to pass.

Was he annoyed by his depiction in HBO’s Lakers series “Winning Time,” which generated controversy in 2022?

The show was entertaining, but it really bothered him and he didn’t think it was fair. I think that series might've pushed him into wanting to do this, if I'm being completely honest.

He and his family talk openly on camera about his mental health issues.  Was it hard to balance that tonally with his great accomplishments in basketball?

I did not want to make something that was morose or a melodrama. But it would not be complete if he didn't talk about the struggles. When I first met him, he was just coming out of a depression and anyone who's ever been through that understands that it is actually a struggle. So forming a whole picture of who this character was was really important. And also it was important for his family because they lived through this with him as well. They were sad to see him suffer, but they had suffered through it too.

We wanted to really talk about who this character was and what formed him. Most of who we are is formed between the ages of 0 and 12 and in those years, Jerry saw a lot and went through a lot of stuff.

Read more:How Jerry West vs. HBO became TV's biggest feud in years

When his older brother was killed in Korea and his father put the casket by the Christmas tree …

That was crazy. If we could get the audience to understand who this man was, it would give them empathy for everything after.

As a GM [general manager], he was a white guy in this predominantly Black sport, but he came in with a chip on his shoulder, too, and he saw these young players who hadn’t had strong father figures and came from socioeconomically deprived places like he did and he was able to build real relationships with them.

He didn't want to talk about it a lot in the doc, but he did a lot for civil rights and for players' advocacy of the NBA, for the Black players, who didn’t have the same voice that he had. But he did it quietly.

One thing the documentary avoids is the contentious relationship with Phil Jackson — who isn’t even mentioned — and the cause of West’s departure from the Lakers right after he built that dynasty. Did he not want to discuss it?

We spoke about it. You can't have that long a career and not rack up some controversial things. But I did not want this to be a salacious look at the negative accounts. I got in there the idea of a strain with the Lakers, but I wanted to make sure to not defile that relationship based upon certain things that I wasn't going to dig into. It was not a gotcha sort of documentary. It was more of a tribute to him.

People have wondered if he had stayed on, whether he could have stopped the relationship between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal from going south, and I would have been interested to know what he thought.

We did talk about that. He believes that he could have got them to stay together and he said that he believes they could have gone on and won four or five more championships.

Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyone’s talking about from the L.A. Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.



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Monday, April 13, 2026

Former NFL player Chris Payton-Jones, 30, dead in a Florida car crash: ‘A great player but even better person’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Chris Payton-Jones in a white football jersey with blue accents and the UFL logo, Image 2 shows Football players Chris Payton-Jones and Nick Whiteside posing for a photo

Former NFL player Chris Payton-Jones died in a Florida car accident on Saturday night. He was 30.

Payton-Jones, who was driving a sedan, collided head-on with a pickup truck in Alachua County, according to News 4 Jacksonville.

He was the only person killed in the crash. The truck’s three passengers suffered only minor injuries. His family confirmed his death.

Chris Payton-Jones #9 of the St. Louis Battlehawks poses for a portrait on March 07, 2024. Getty Images

Payton-Jones signed with the Lions, Titans, Vikings and Raiders, playing in 29 games over six seasons in the league. He recorded 48 tackles and seven passes defended in the NFL.

The 6-foot, 230-pound defensive back out of Nebraska most recently played for the Seattle Battlehawks of the UFL in 2024 after spending 2022 in the XFL with the SeaDragons.

Former coaches of Payton-Jones have praised him as a role model, dedicated athlete and community pillar following his death.

Sandalwood High School coach Adam Geis — who coached Payton-Jones as a three-star cornerback prospect in 2014 — remembered him as a genuine, dedicated player, driven by an elite work ethic.

“He was one of my all-time favorites! The kid never missed a workout, never missed practice, and never wanted to come off the field. Everyone loved him,” Geis said, according to News4Jax.

“He was always unbelievably positive. I’ve never heard that kid ever say anything negative about anyone or anything. … It was always a pleasure to be around him. You were always happy to see him.”

Chris Payton-Jones #3 and Nick Whiteside #10 of St. Louis Battlehawks pose for a photo after a game against Arlington Renegades at The Dome at Americaâs Center on May 02, 2025. Getty Images

Another of his high school coaches, Patrick Clark, described him as the “hardest working human being I’ve ever been around.”

“A great player but even better person. He was never the biggest or fastest, but he did things the right way, and the game paid him back for it,” Clark said.

“Ultimately, he was going to make his biggest impact off the field as he was transitioning to a career of service in media and development of young athletes. I credit Chris as a huge inspiration to my coaching career as I moved up in the ranks. He is everything you want in a student athlete.”

Anthony Becht, who coached Payton-Jones during his time with the Battlehawks, said his “heart was broken” over the news of his former player’s death.

“Chris was an outstanding player, a fantastic teammate and an incredible human being. Chris was a joy to coach and be around the past two seasons in St. Louis,” Becht said.

“I love that young man. Sending out deepest respect and condolences to the Payton-Jones Family from myself, my staff, and from all his teammates that loved and worked with him. The world lost a good one.”

In recent years, Payton-Jones became well known in his local community for his Flashflix media company and YouTube channel, which has more than 1.3 million views. The channel was focused on local sports in Jacksonville. 

“He just was an honest, genuine, true-to-himself type of person,” Clark said.



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