ESPN Daily

ESPN

Wake up to the best sports story you'll hear all day. Monday through Friday, we bring you an inside look at the most interesting stories in sports, as told by ESPN's top reporters and insiders. The breaking news of SportsCenter. The deep dive storytelling of 30 for 30. Get the very best of ESPN. Daily. Hosted by Clinton Yates. read less

Our Editor's Take

ESPN Daily is a podcast about much more than sports. Most daily sports shows focus on that day's news, game predictions, and player stats. This program has previews and recaps, of course. But many episodes discuss sports-adjacent stories, appealing to a different kind of listener.

Show creator and original host Pablo Torre is Harvard-educated. He joined ESPN in 2012, writing for ESPN.com, and started ESPN Daily in 2020. In 2023, he left the show, and a rotating group of ESPN names took over hosting this podcast.

Since the beginning, the ESPN Daily podcast has discussed topics rarely found in sports news. Torre talks about Creed III star Michael B. Jordan's directing debut. The host explains the events that led to the federal probe of the Washington Commanders. He even goes back in history with his retelling of the Orangeburg Massacre. That day, the police shot and killed three high school and college athletes during a protest.

ESPN Daily also explains the news one sees on SportsCenter. One episode goes through the reasons behind Lamar Jackson's contract woes. The show also explains the reasons behind Kevin Durant's trade. Torre talks about LeBron James' breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's scoring record. The NFL Super Wild Card Weekend gets its own episode. The show also discusses sports at the institutional level. One podcast episode reveals how MLB increased spending while claiming indigence.

The stories in ESPN Dailyaren't all serious. The show talks about ChiefsAholic. The Kansas City fan allegedly funded his football mania by robbing banks. Another episode features acrobat Red Panda, who performs halftime shows during NBA games. The show also reveals the history behind the Bills Mafia. A popular episode explains the strangest World Darts Championship final ever.

ESPN Daily is a great listen for sports fans who like to know what's happening between games. The podcast consists of material that makes great dinner-party conversation. Sports enthusiasts may appreciate listening to it as part of their daily routine.

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How a Family’s Bond Saved the Jazz GM

How a Family’s Bond Saved the Jazz GM

The life of a successful NBA executive requires you to fix everything, everywhere all at once. So when Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik found himself in a fight for his life, he was suddenly in the unfamiliar position of needing to be fixed himself. But this is nothing new to the resilient Zanick family who have been at the forefront of fighting diseases for their entire lives. ESPN senior insider Adrian Wojnarowski spent time with the Zanicks and tells the story of this inspirational family and explains how they have been able to rally themselves, and others, to their cause. You can learn more about RUN - the Rare and Undiagnosed Network at https://rareundiagnosed.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

How a Family’s Bond Saved the Jazz GM

How a Family’s Bond Saved the Jazz GM

The life of a successful NBA executive requires you to fix everything, everywhere all at once. So when Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik found himself in a fight for his life, he was suddenly in the unfamiliar position of needing to be fixed himself. But this is nothing new to the resilient Zanick family who have been at the forefront of fighting diseases for their entire lives. ESPN senior insider Adrian Wojnarowski spent time with the Zanicks and tells the story of this inspirational family and explains how they have been able to rally themselves, and others, to their cause. You can learn more about RUN - the Rare and Undiagnosed Network at https://rareundiagnosed.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Getting to Know the Real Caleb Williams

Getting to Know the Real Caleb Williams

We’ve been waiting for Caleb Williams to be the number one overall pick in the NFL draft for what seems like years. And this past weekend, it finally happened. But with all of the hype around Williams the football player, and the focus on how his unique sense of style will fit into the NFL, there’s been little conversation about who this guy is in the locker room and off the field. So today, ESPN Chicago reporter and host Courtney Cronin tells us who Caleb Williams really is. By talking to the people who know him best: his friends, coaches, and teammates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the NFL in the Golden Age of Mr. Irrelevant?

Is the NFL in the Golden Age of Mr. Irrelevant?

As the last pick of the 2022 NFL draft, Brock Purdy accepted the title of Mr. Irrelevant as he entered the league for the San Francisco 49ers. He’s already gone 17-4 as a starter, with 44 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He’s had a Pro Bowl appearance and of course, ended the season with an appearance in the Super Bowl. With the NFL draft continuing through the weekend, we will know who our next Mr. Irrelevant is on Saturday night. So today, ESPN writer Ryan Hockensmith joins us to explore Purdy’s relationship to the Mr. Irrelevant title and tells us the history of Paul Salata, the former NFL underdog who turned the final pick of the draft into an event in itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mina Kimes Previews the NFL Draft

Mina Kimes Previews the NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is one of the most anticipated events on the NFL calendar. Fans of losing franchises wait to see who will be their next savior, and fans of winning franchises look to see who will bolster their Super Bowl hopes. While first round picks get all the buzz, it's the later picks that make or break a teams’ fortunes. So today ESPN’s resident football expert Mina Kimes joins the show to break down who will be drafted where, and which teams’ futures will be determined this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Respect and Dedication to the Craft Saved Ron Washington

How Respect and Dedication to the Craft Saved Ron Washington

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington is the definition of a baseball lifer. The 71 year old has been a scrappy utility player, a pennant winning manager, and a coach with a knack for unlocking his players full potential. But there have also been downs in Washington’s career: a failed drug test, an extramarital affair, and a decade of thinking he would never manage again. Through it all Washington has done what he’s best at. Teaching the game. Today, senior ESPN journalist Howard Bryant, who has known and covered Washington for 30 years, tells us the story of his career. And explains why this current job could be his greatest achievement yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does everyone hate Rudy Gobert?

Why does everyone hate Rudy Gobert?

No one was surprised to learn that Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert experienced the same darkness retreat that Jets QB Aaron Rodgers made famous, or maybe infamous. And no one was surprised that the reaction was just as polarizing for Gobert, as it was for Rodgers. But what is it about the Timberwolves center that makes the Frenchman so dislikable to his peers? What exactly is it about his specific je ne sais quoi that has the man who’s won three Defensive Player of the Years awards, and a bank account to match, viewed as such a problem? ESPN NBA writer Tim McMahon actually knows Gobert quite well from his time reporting on him and breaks down the many things that sets Rudy apart from his peers in the NBA and the one thing that might be the key to his continued dominance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramona Shelburne Remembers the Sterling Affairs 10 Years Later

Ramona Shelburne Remembers the Sterling Affairs 10 Years Later

10 years ago this week, TMZ published bombshell recordings of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s private conversation with his mistress, V. Stiviano. Sterling’s racist and sexist dialogue captured the world’s attention, and less than a week later, new commissioner Adam Silver had banned him from the NBA for life, forcing a sale of the Clippers. Today ESPN senior NBA writer, Ramona Shelburne, who covered the story and hosted the 30 for 30 podcast, The Sterling Affairs: Takes us back through the events of the scandal, explains how it was a seminal moment in the NBA, and ahead of the release of the FX mini-series Clipped, and tells us what it was like transitioning from a reporter to a producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fallout From an NBA Betting Scandal + Playoff Preview

Fallout From an NBA Betting Scandal + Playoff Preview

As the playoffs are about to start, all eyes are on the NBA. Instead of the focus being on the court, the attention is all on former Raptor’s reserve Jontay Porter. Porter was caught manipulating his time and performance on the court that tilted multiple prop bets in a specific direction and, shockingly, resulted in one bettor taking home a $1 million payday. It was later found that Porter had also placed bets himself, breaking the leagues sports betting bylaws. So today, Brian Windhorst joins the show to break down the dangers of Jontay Porter’s story, where this saga heads next, and gives a NBA Playoff preview along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bo, Elway & Eli: Leveraging the NFL Draft

Bo, Elway & Eli: Leveraging the NFL Draft

Since the 2023 CFB season came to a close, USC’s Caleb Williams has been penciled in as the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team holding that pick is the Chicago Bears, who are well known for their inability to draft and develop quarterbacks to their potential. A couple of times throughout history, top prospects have used their leverage to force their ways out of unfavorable landing spots. The stories of John Elway, Bo Jackson, and most recently Eli Manning all come to mind. Even though Caleb Williams does not look to be joining their ranks, there is still a conversation to be had about how these “can’t miss’ players can and have used their standing to buck the system and how NIL adds new leverage to that dynamic. So today, Liz Merril tells us the story of those players who manipulated their landing spots, and why you never know what will happen until “the pick is in”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ohtani, Arm Injuries, and Availability with Jeff Passan

Ohtani, Arm Injuries, and Availability with Jeff Passan

So ESPN MLB expert Jeff Passan updates us on: the latest happenings in the Shohei Ohtani sports betting case, discusses how now isn’t the time for the league and the player’s association to go to battle over who is responsible for the slew of elbow injuries costing pitchers their season, and explains how players approach trying to be on the field for a full 162 games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Canada or New York End Their Stanley Cup Droughts?

Can Canada or New York End Their Stanley Cup Droughts?

Technically, the NHL regular season does not finish until Thursday, with a few teams still fighting for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. But the true contenders to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup have already become pretty clear. So with the playoffs officially starting this weekend, we find ourselves filled with pressing questions. Is Canada finally poised to end its three decade title drought? Can Connor McDavid get over the hump? Are the New York Rangers for real? Our NHL expert Emily Kaplan tells us what to watch for and why this year’s race looks as wide open and unpredictable as ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Happened to Jackie Robinson’s Statue?

What Happened to Jackie Robinson’s Statue?

When a six-foot tall, 265-pound bronze statue of Jackie Robinson went missing from McAdams Park in Wichita, Kansas, it felt like a hate crime. An ugly echo of America’s unjust past and a crime leveled not just at the man who broke Major League’s color barrier in 1947 but also at an urban community within the city. But as Bob Lutz, the founder of League 42, a youth organization geared towards exposing the city’s black and brown youth to baseball and more, learned, Jackie Robinson was more of an accidental victim than a target. So ESPN’s Anthony Olivieri, who spent weeks trying to understand what happened, joins the show to tell us how the people of Wichita reacted to the theft and how in the aftermath, the community could be made whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Limitless Potential of Marathoner Kelvin Kiptum

The Limitless Potential of Marathoner Kelvin Kiptum

When the starter’s gun goes off on Monday for the 128th Boston Marathon, sadly Kelvin Kiptum will not be among the runners. The Kenyan running superstar lost his life earlier this year and that tragedy has been compounded by what appeared to be limitless potential. In a brief three year marathon career, Kiptum had built a Hall of Fame resume that seemed to push the boundaries of what a human can accomplish. So today, ultramarathoner Kelaine Conochan joins us to explain just how much the world lost with Kiptum’s death and breaks down the possibility of the elusive record he was chasing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does Anyone Want to Coach at Kentucky?

Does Anyone Want to Coach at Kentucky?

John Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky included a national championship and four Final Fours. At most other programs, that kind of resume would have guaranteed him a job for life. But things are different in Lexington, as the Wildcats’ five year streak of no Sweet 16 appearances made Calipari’s recent decision to jump to Arkansas shocking but not surprising. So today, SportsCenter anchor and lifelong Kentucky fan Michael Eaves gives us the view inside the Big Blue fanbase and explains why picking the next head coach is an unenviable challenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America’s Caddie Untangles the Golf World at the Masters

America’s Caddie Untangles the Golf World at the Masters

On the eve of the Masters, it’s no secret that the world of men’s professional golf is currently in chaos. And there is nobody more in tune with anything and everything going on in that universe than Michael Collins, America’s Caddy. So as this year’s Masters gets ready to tee off down in Augusta, Collins delivers everything from the latest on the PGA/LIV cold war, who to watch on the course and why Tiger Woods isn’t ready to walk away just yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louis Vuitton, Pumps, and Feathers. The Fashion Behind Women's College Basketball

Louis Vuitton, Pumps, and Feathers. The Fashion Behind Women's College Basketball

This past Sunday, 18.7 million sets of eyes were on the women's NCAA Basketball National Championship game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks. But beyond the meteoric rise in the game’s popularity, there was another underlying story unfolding on the sidelines. That was the coaches, rocking all types of exciting fashion, from bold prints, to designer pieces worth thousands of dollars. The ladies leading these teams are setting a trend for how a coach can look. So today, Andscape writer Mia Berry breaks down the looks she's been watching, and explains how the styles mean so much more than just looking good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Myron Medcalf Previews the NCAA Men’s Championship

Myron Medcalf Previews the NCAA Men’s Championship

The finale of the men’s NCAA tournament is tonight, and features a matchup of the best two teams in the nation, UConn and Purdue, and the best big men in the country, Purdue’s Zach Edey and UConn’s Donovan Clingan. ESPN basketball writer and host Myron Medcalf breaks down the battle between the two behemoths, and explains how each side can come out on top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Men's Final Four Preview with Myron Medcalf

Men's Final Four Preview with Myron Medcalf

We spent much of the men’s college basketball season lamenting the lack of buzz and star power on the court. But few sporting events are as good at building stars and storylines as the NCAA tournament. And despite fewer upsets and no true buzzer-beaters, the 2024 edition has still delivered. It all comes to a head in Saturday’s Final Four as DJ Burns and NC State face Zach Edey and Purdue, followed by Mark Sears and Alabama taking on Donovan Clingan and Connecticut. So today, our Myron Medcalf shares everything you need to know about Saturday’s slate and gives his take on who’s on the verge of a history-making moment, as the tournament nears its end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women's Final Four Preview with Alexa Philippou

Women's Final Four Preview with Alexa Philippou

If you need any more evidence of the explosive growth of women’s basketball, look no further than Monday night, when Iowa’s elite eight victory over LSU drew 12.3 million viewers. It’s not just the most ever for a women’s college game, it also eclipsed average viewers for last year’s World Series and NBA Finals. So as the Final Four gets ready to tip off in Cleveland Friday night, our expert Alexa Philippou reads between the now-officially measured lines to tell us everything we need to know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could Max Verstappen Leave Red Bull?

Could Max Verstappen Leave Red Bull?

As expected, Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team are off to a strong start in the 2024 Formula 1 season. But despite Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez finishing first and second in two of the season’s first three races, the focus has been on things happening off the track. Team principle Christian Horner has had a complaint of sexual harassment, coercion, and abusive behavior lodged against him by a female employee of the team, leading to questions about whether Verstappen’s future is with Red Bull. So today, ESPN F1 Editor & co-host of the Unlapped podcast, Laurence Edmondson explains how this allegation opened the door to a power struggle at the top of Red Bull, that could ultimately lead to Verstappen switching lanes in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices