Rumors

Richard Deitsch: NBC Sports said Game 6 between Spurs-Thunder averaged 11.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. Most-watched game of the season which will surely be topped by Game 7. Blue Jays-Mariners Game 7 on Fox properties did 9.1 million viewers; Daytona 500 this year did 7.49M; CFP semis averaged 16.8M on ESPN Networks if you want some random comps.

Twitter

Former Duke star Kon Knueppel continued his podcast tour this summer, making an appearance on the "Dale Jr. Download," hosted by none other than former two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. This comes not long after appearing on a podcast with Milwaukee Brewers star Christian Yelich. Earnhardt Jr. is the son of former racing icon Dale Earnhardt, who is tied with both Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for the most NASCAR championships (7) in the sport's history.

USA Today

Michael Jordan has won six NBA championships in his legendary career, but he’s ready to be fitted for another ring for his latest accomplishment. Tyler Reddick won the Dayton 500 on Sunday while racing for the Jordan-owned 23XI racing team. The six-time NBA champion raised the Harley J. Earl Trophy as co-owner of the winning team, and said it ranks with his greatest achievements. “I’m ecstatic, I don’t even know what to say,” Jordan, who turns 63 on Tuesday, said on Fox after the trophy ceremony. “It feels like a won a championship, but until I get my ring I won’t even know.”

Newark Star-Ledger

The 2025 NASCAR season begins Sunday at the Daytona 500 with a big change, and one major outstanding issue, off the track. On a positive note, NASCAR is entering the first season of new seven-year, $7.7 billion media-rights deals. On the flip side, the season begins with an unsettled antitrust lawsuit from two teams, including one owned by Michael Jordan. Also in 2025, NASCAR will race in a new country and launch an in-season tournament as the sport looks to continue its push into the mainstream.

Front Office Sports

Michael Jordan has been a pitchman, an NBA team owner and a tequila connoisseur — and on Sunday, with Bubba Wallace at the wheel, he makes his official debut as a NASCAR team owner with 23XI Racing in the Daytona 500.

NBA.com

NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin today announced the formation of a new NASCAR Cup Series race team that will begin competition for the 2021 season. Rising NASCAR star Bubba Wallace has signed a multi-year deal to drive for the yet-to-be-named, single car team.

NBA.com

Yup, meet the Daytona 500 driver who had his ankles broken by AI. Before Gaughan started a lengthy NASCAR career and Iverson became of the NBA's greats with the Philadelphia 76ers, they were teammates in the 1990s at Georgetown. Gaughan was a role player with the Hoyas under coach John Thompson, and had one big assignment — roughing up Iverson in practice. "It was a lot of fun," Gaughan said Wednesday. "You know the old joke where they say he'll cross you so hard, he'll break your ankles? Actually, he crossed me so hard I did break my ankles. It was black-and-blue two years guarding him. Chipped a bone and tore some ligaments."

AP