When the Game Ends, DeMaurice Smith Fights for the Players

The WNBA officially kicks off this weekend, with its first regular-season game between the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun. And the Sun will be appearing on the court with a brand new weapon: Brittney Griner, a 10-time WNBA all-star and three-time Olympic gold medalist.You might consider it a miracle that we get to watch Griner play at all. That’s because, in 2022, she found herself behind bars in a Russian prison. She wasn’t sure when, or if, she would make it home to her family — or to basketball — again. In this episode, Brittney Griner tells her story: from joining the WNBA as a first-round draft pick, to being locked away in a Russian penal colony, to finally coming home.Show Notes Coming Home by Brittney Griner and Michelle Burford Why Brittney Griner was in Russia and what it has to do with U.S. women's basketball | NPR Photos: Brittney Griner freed from Russian penal colony in high-level prisoner swap | LA Times Basketball’s Gender Pay Gap is Worse Than You Think | Vice Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike VillersTile Art: Bea WallingTheme Song: Emma MungerSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

In the last few years, Major League Baseball has been tweaking the rules in specific ways, like adding a pitch clock and making the bases bigger, all in the name of making the game faster and bringing in more fans. This week, we talk with baseball writer Molly Knight to hear how these changes are actually working.Then, we learn about an exhibition team that’s fundamentally changing what it means to go to a baseball game. Jared Orton is the president of the Savannah Bananas, best known for their outrageous dance moves and wild surprises on the field. What happens when an organization truly puts the fan at the center of the sporting experience? And, in a country with such rich ties to baseball, what does it take to innovate America’s pastime?Show Notes Savannah Bananas 101: Teams, rules, and more baseball facts | ESPN Savannah Bananas Story Best Entertainment Moments | The Savannah Bananas Top 10 Banana Ball Moments of 2025 | The Savannah Bananas The Long Game | Molly Knight Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike VillersTile Art: Bea WallingTheme Song: Emma MungerSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

It’s time for the 2026 NFL Draft — when all 32 teams get to pick new talent from the best college football programs across the country. Who will be the players to watch next season, and how will they help shape the future of the game? We’ll talk all of this out with Nick Baumgardner, a senior writer and NFL Draft analyst at The Athletic.Then, we’re going to sit down with DeMaurice Smith. For 14 years, he was the president of the NFL Players Association. That’s the union for professional football players. Basically, he was the guy who had to protect 300-pound dudes who are smashing into each other for a living.In his time with the union, he went head to head with NFL leaders on contentious issues like the 2011 lockout, Colin Kaepernick’s 2016 protests for racial justice, and Damar Hamlin’s near-fatal cardiac arrest on the field during a game. He unpacks these moments and more in his autobiography “Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America’s Game.”Show Notes Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America’s Game by DeMaurice Smith Who Won the 2011 NFL Lockout? | Forbes A timeline of the NFL’s response after Damar Hamlin collapsed | CNN Predicting 2026 Draft Picks 1-100, starting with Fernando Mendoza | The Athletic Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike VillersTile Art: Bea WallingTheme Song: Emma MungerSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

Shea Serrano always has perfect analogies; comparing a Ray Allen jumpshot to a violin made of butter or Sue Bird’s backpedal to a 20th-century poem.This week, with the NBA postseason tipping off, we sit down with Shea to learn how he developed his unique style of storytelling and why it feels so approachable. We’ll hear how he went from a middle school basketball coach to a five-time New York Times bestselling author and catch a glimpse inside his latest book, “Expensive Basketball.”We’ll also sit down with The Athletic’s Katie Woo to talk about what we’ve learned during the first few weeks of the baseball season and raise the question: Are we okay with franchises buying their way to the top?Show Notes A Story About Tim Duncan | Shea Serrano for The Ringer Six Trophies with Shea Serrano and Jason Concepcion Expensive Basketball | Shea Serrano Good Movie | Shea Serrano on Substack After receiving World Series rings, Dodgers’ comeback victory shows why they’re favorite for another | Katie Woo   Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike VillersTile Art: Bea WallingTheme Song: Emma MungerSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

At just 25 years old, Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland is making a name for himself as a point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, going head-to-head with some of the best in the league like Steph Curry and LeBron James. This week, we sit down with Bones to relive some of his most electric performances during his rookie season, and learn how he performs so well under pressure. We’ll hear about how his tough upbringing in Wilmington, Delaware — and the sudden loss of those closest to him — motivate him to this day to excel on the court.We’ll also talk with The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski about some of the hot topics in the NBA in the runup to the championships.Show Notes The often dour Minnesota Timberwolves needed an injection of fun. Enter Bones Hyland | The Athletic From tragedy to exile to new life in Minnesota, Bones Hyland embraces the journey | The Athletic Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets - Full Game 4 Highlights | The CCB Network Bones Hyland shares big night with firefighters, first responders who saved him four years ago | NBC Bones Hyland Rookie Mixtape | Denver Nuggets Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike VillersTile Art: Bea WallingSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

Last year, Shayla Smith broke Philadelphia’s all-time scoring record for girls and boys basketball. That’s a huge deal, especially in Philly — a city known for basketball legends like WNBA guard Shawnetta Stewart, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, and NBA Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain. None of them scored as many points in high school as Shayla did.We sat down with Shayla and her coach, Kevin Slaughter, to hear how she became a high school phenom and changed the reputation of her high school’s basketball program. We’ll find out what it takes to score more points than anyone who came before her, and how Shayla enters a flow state on the court — and makes it look easy. We’ll also talk to Coach Jackie Johnston, known on social media for her obsession with women’s sports, to talk through what to expect at the NCAA finals this weekend.Show Notes Shayla Smith guides her team to Philadelphia Public League Championship | Rare Footage Sports High school basketball star Shayla Smith hopes to become first WNBA player to wear hijab | CBS Philadelphia Penn State Commit Shayla Smith Imhotep Charter Highlights | Rare Footage Sports Shayla Smith Penn State Player Profile | ESPN Follow Coach Jackie on TikTok Show CreditsExecutive Producers: Tom Grahsler and Joan IsabellaSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaEngineer: Mike VillersTalent Booker: Britt KahnTile Art: Bea WallingSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

Baseball season is officially in full swing, and with every home run robbery, oppo taco, and walk-off eruption, it feels like, even for a few hours, baseball restores our faith in humanity. But outside of the stadium, life is anything but calm.A country gripped by fear, a heightened sense of political suspicion, and athletes pulled into the discourse. Any of this sound familiar? This week, we talk with award-winning sports historian Howard Bryant to take us into the moment America asked its biggest sports hero to prove his loyaltyWe also sit down with Tim Lambert, a Pittsburgh sports writer, to talk about the irrational hope that all of us feel at the beginning of baseball season and ask the question on everyone’s mind: could this be our year? Show Notes ‘The most dangerous man in America’: how Paul Robeson went from Hollywood to blacklisted | The Guardian Paul Robeson Biography | PBS The Story Behind Jackie Robinson’s Moving Testimony Before the House Un-American Activities Committee | TIME Venezuela’s historic WBC title fueled by power, pitching — and passion | The Athletic Kings and Pawns | Howard Bryant Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike Villers, Adam StaniczeskiTile Art: Bea WallingSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

Just after the closing ceremonies of the Olympics in Milan, we sat down with Emmy award-winning commentator Bomani Jones for a special live recording. We get into FBI director Kash Patel’s locker room antics after the US men’s team won gold, why Bomani calls them the “whiter Olympics,” and we ask who gets to define America as the US gets ready to host the World Cup this summer. We also sit down with producers Paula Lavigne and Dan Arruda from ESPN’s 30 for 30 Podcasts to discuss their latest true crime series, “Murder at the U,” which investigates the killing of former Miami Hurricanes star Bryan Pata and the 20-year saga of trying to find justice for him and his family. Show Notes FBI director joins US men's hockey team celebration | ABC Why is ICE going to the Winter Olympics in Milan | The Guardian Trump discourages Iranian soccer team from attending the World Cup, citing safety concerns | PBS The Right Time with Bomani Jones Podcast Introducing: Murder at the U | 30 for 30 Podcasts Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike Villers, Adam StaniczeskiTile Art: Bea WallingSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

The National Women’s Soccer League kicks off its regular season with games all over the country. So this week, we sit down with one of the biggest stars to ever play, Carli Lloyd.Carli is a two-time World Cup Champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Hall of Famer. Her talent on the field is undeniable, but the media has long misunderstood her. We’re going to unpack her 17 years as a professional to learn about the unrelenting hard work that got her to the international stage and the sacrifices she made to stay there.We’ll also hear from Meg Linehan, the women’s sports lead at The Athletic, who believed in Carli when nobody else did. Meg gives us a preview of what to expect from the NWSL this season, who the key players are to watch, and answers the question, has women’s soccer in the US finally arrived?Show Notes Women's World Cup Final: USA vs. Japan - FIFA Women's World Cup 2015 Highlights | FOX Soccer Stone Cold Weirdo Carli Lloyd Leads U.S. Into World Cup Final | VICE ‘Beast,’ ‘weirdo,’ choker, winner: World Cup star Carli Lloyd is bundle of contradictions | Washington Post #ThankYouCarli - Carli Lloyd Career Highlights | U..S. Soccer Carli Lloyd was estranged from her family. How the postponed Olympics healed a 12-year rift | TODAY Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike Villers, Adam StaniczeskiTile Art: Bea WallingSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

Claressa Shields is one of the most decorated female boxers ever. She’s a two-time Olympic gold medalist and is the only boxer — male or female — to hold undisputed titles in three separate divisions. She’s also currently undefeated. But for Claressa to climb to the top, she had to face her toughest opponent yet: her past. This week, we relive Claressa’s historic journey to her first Olympics, learn how she finally let go of resentment, and find out what it takes to become a champion. We’ll also check in with Andreas Hale, a combat sports reporter at ESPN. With Floyd Mayweather’s recent announcement that he’s coming out of retirement, Andreas helps answer the question: How old is too old to compete?Show Notes The Fire Inside  2012 Women’s Middleweight Final | Olympics Claressa Shields fighting for gender equality for women’s boxers | CBS News Claressa Shields: From poverty and abuse to boxing greatness | BBC Sport Mayweather to unretire, resume boxing after Tyson exhibition | ESPN Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineer: Mike Villers, Adam Staniszewski Tile Art: Bea WallingSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.