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NBA Player Tiers 2025

This article is part of our Rankings & Tiers series, an evaluation across sport about the key players, front offices, teams, franchises and much more. Player Tiers 2025: Tier 5 | Tier 4 | Tier 3 | Tier 2 This is the tier that we’ve all been building toward, but we also gave everyone the […]

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NBA Player Tiers 2025

This article is part of our Rankings & Tiers series, an evaluation across sport about the key players, front offices, teams, franchises and much more.

Player Tiers 2025: Tier 5 | Tier 4 | Tier 3 | Tier 2


This is the tier that we’ve all been building toward, but we also gave everyone the ground floor to the top of the pyramid. As Kevin Durant said, you know who these players are.

Tier 1 in this project has always been a short list of the most impactful players — basically, the All-NBA First Team. I have maintained that spirit, but I also wanted to expand this list to get to 10 players. Instead of this being an exclusive tier, it’s more inclusive in that these players are all first-team-caliber players, even if they’re not necessarily on the first team for All-NBA.

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While everyone knows who these Tier 1 players are, there are levels to where those players stand, and even these players have weaknesses or shortcomings that leave them short of perfection. Many things can befall a Tier 1 player; it’s not like their status is guaranteed to stay in this spot forever. What are you capable of now, and how can you reasonably impact winning over the next year? That is what we are determining.

I certainly valued establishing a round number for this tier as to what kind of players you’d want to build a potential championship team around. I can understand how others would cut that off. But in general, this is the group I think of when it comes to the best combinations of size, skill, production, consistency and impact.

For a little suspense, in this tier, we’ll work our way from bottom to top.

If you were to say that Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama are Tier 2 players, I wouldn’t necessarily debate that. There may be a little bit of putting the cart before the horse here, especially when it comes to playoff performance. Edwards has played in only one conference semifinal in his career, while Wembanyama has yet to play in an NBA game with any stakes. Their status as Tier 1 players is a projection more than a reality. But we also have seen some real indications in NBA settings that they could take this league over in the short-term future.

Edwards has the kind of positional size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and athleticism that gives him advantages simply getting off the bus. He combines those physical gifts with elite availability, as he played in every game as a rookie, missed 10 games in his second season, then nine combined over the last three. Only Mikal Bridges, Buddy Hield and Georges Niang have played in more games than Edwards since the 2020 NBA Draft, when Edwards was selected first. Only Bridges has played more total minutes in that span. And only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić have scored more points than Edwards since the Georgia native entered the league.

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This season saw Edwards be one of the best pick-and-roll ballhandler scorers in the league, and even though he’s not as dangerous in isolation, he still is effective at scoring without ball screens as well. Per Synergy, the only other player in the NBA this season who ranked in the top five in total points scored as a pick-and-roll ballhandler and as an isolation scorer was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Even though Edwards is a shooting guard, the Timberwolves play through him the way the Houston Rockets played through James Harden when the Beard first got traded from Oklahoma City.

Also like Harden, Edwards has decided that he’s going to unapologetically shoot 3s, leading the league in makes and attempts while shooting just under 40 percent. He averaged a 3-pointer made per quarter this season. Harden didn’t approach 4.0 3s made per game until his 10th NBA season. Stephen Curry didn’t until his seventh, when he turned 28.

Sticking with the Harden comparison, the playmaking is where Edwards continues to develop. He’s a decent passer, but his overall decision-making has room for improvement. A 1.43 assist-turnover ratio isn’t terrible, but especially in the postseason, Edwards will be challenged to beat teams while making plays for others more often.

It’s the same thing with Edwards’ defense: He’s acceptable on that end, and often good. But his offensive workload is always going to keep him from being at a physical peak on defense, so it will be interesting to see how his engagement to be consistently locked in mentally progresses.

At least Edwards has been to the postseason to understand where he needs to continue growing. Wembanyama’s quest to at least get the Spurs to Play-In Tournament territory was cut short by his deep vein thrombosis, ending his season after he made his All-Star debut.

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San Antonio had only a 21-25 record with Wembanyama on the court this season. We aren’t even at the point where a team with Wembanyama can win in the regular season, to say nothing of the playoffs.

He has a ton of room left for improvement offensively. He attempted only 4.1 free throws per game while making only 47.6 percent of his shots from the field. That relatively low field goal percentage is more of an indication of just how much he selects shots outside of the paint despite his 7-foot-3 frame. He is very good inside! He makes 75.4 percent of his shots in the restricted area and 50.5 percent of his shots in the paint outside of the restricted area. But only about 36 percent of his field goal attempts came in the paint.

Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with Wembanyama’s ability to shoot. He has made over 80 percent of his free throws for his career. He improved to 35.2 percent from 3, and that’s with some audacious range and the ability to shoot off the dribble; he made 37.7 percent of his 3s off the catch. Wembanyama shows a third level as a scorer, making 57 midrange field goal attempts in 46 games while hitting 40 percent of those non-paint 2s. In all 12 of his 30-point games this season, he made at least four 3-pointers.

Shooting jump shots isn’t a bad thing. It’s the same thing with Edwards; being able to get hot from 3 at that size gives Wembanyama an infinite ceiling. He just has to play with more force to explore that ceiling more often. Also like Edwards, Wembanyama is a decent passer who can still stand to improve in his playmaking and decision-making. Unlike Edwards, the Spurs have point guards who they primarily play through, bringing on Chris Paul to start all season before acquiring De’Aaron Fox in February. Wembanyama doesn’t have a pathway toward leading the Spurs in touches just yet.

The reason I am so bullish on Wembanyama now, though, is because his defensive impact is out of this world. He nearly won Defensive Player of the Year as a rookie, and was in contention again before his season-ending condition. He’s a feared rim protector while blocking nearly a shot per quarter. He has active hands, averaging 1.1 steals per game, and he has a Tim Duncan-like ability to avoid fouls while being a shot blocker. In 117 games, Wembanyama has 430 blocks and only 258 personal fouls. He also has two 10-block games.

When Wembanyama was on the floor, the Spurs held offenses to 110.0 points per 100 possessions. That’s a top-five rating for a team. With Wembanyama off the floor, San Antonio has allowed 118.3 points per 100 possessions. That’s a bottom-five defense this season.

Wembanyama hasn’t done all that he needs to do to be a true lock in this tier. But he already has shown that he makes a team competitive, and he has a size/skill intersection that can unlock unforeseen possibilities as he continues to gain experience and have better teammates around him. I’m much more comfortable being early on Wembanyama than I am putting players who don’t have anywhere close to his potential in this spot.

What are we calling this? OGs? Friends & Rivals? Banana Split?

Ten years ago, Steph Curry won his first MVP award and led the Golden State Warriors to the first of era-defining championships. At the time, Kevin Durant was a year removed from his MVP award. Perhaps some knew that LeBron James was done winning MVP awards already, but he still had NBA Finals MVP awards to obtain.

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That was then, and I’ve said often that this is not a lifetime achievement award, so let’s be brutally honest about where Curry, Durant and James are in 2025: They each need help, and they absolutely have felt the pain of not having enough of it in recent years.

Curry’s Warriors were 46-36 in 2023-24, but in the Western Conference, that was only good enough to be the 10th seed. The year before, the Warriors had a worse record (44-38) but were the sixth seed as a defending champion. The 2022 Warriors championship netted Curry an elusive NBA Finals MVP, but that year has been the outlier since Durant left the franchise in 2019. Even with Curry getting a much-needed star on his timeline in Jimmy Butler III, his team was back in the Play-In Tournament in 2025.

Curry is 37 and, most critically, only 6-2 and 185 pounds. He needs to be protected defensively, though he did his part to participate in Golden State’s defensive strength by collecting 1.1 steals per game this season, a three-year high. Even offensively, there are areas where Curry is relatively mortal. He averages only 4.3 free-throw attempts per game, which ranked 32nd in the NBA this season, even though his 18.0 field goal attempts ranked 15th. Curry’s assists bounced back to 6.0 per game after they dropped to a career-low 5.1 per game a year ago while being Chris Paul’s teammate. But Curry always has split playmaking duties to a significant extent with Draymond Green.

Curry is here because he is still the most feared shooter in basketball. Edwards took the 3-point totals crown, but Curry led the NBA in 3-point volume on a per-game basis. Despite the advancing age, Curry put together back-to-back 70-game seasons for the first time since 2017. And Curry’s scoring and efficiency took a leap after the All-Star break with Butler in tow. The last time Curry was in the playoffs, he averaged a postseason career-high 30.5 points. He’s still a major problem when he has the support around him.

Durant is not a point guard like Curry. That’s always been the weakest part of his offensive impact, and under Mike Budenholzer this season, Durant averaged a 10-year low 4.2 assists per game. Listed at 6-11, 240 pounds, Durant has the size of many centers. He even averages 1.2 blocks. But Durant defends forwards, not centers, and he just averaged his fewest defensive rebounds in 16 years. Phoenix was a bottom-five defense in 2025.

Rumors are swirling about Durant’s future, and wherever he plays next, his best fit is at power forward, so that it minimizes the physicality that comes with playing center while not having to chase perimeter players. Durant has not led his team in touches per game since Second Spectrum started tracking in 2013. He’s a first-option bucket getter — and still one of the most lethal players when it comes to four-level scoring: paint, midrange, 3s and getting to the free-throw line. Thirteen players averaged at least 25 points per game this season; the only other player besides Durant to make more than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3 was Jokić.

Phoenix went 33-29 in Durant’s games. That win percentage still would have been good for only ninth in the West over 82 games. But the Suns lost 17 of the 20 games Durant missed. Make no mistake, they wasted Durant this year.

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James can relate somewhat to Durant’s challenges in Phoenix. Bradley Beal’s no-trade clause put Durant’s Suns in jail at the February trade deadline, but you may recall another member of the 2021 Wizards having a contract that made team-building difficult around one of the faces of the game.

Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for that Wizards team and had a player option for 2022 worth $47.1 million. The Lakers acquired him from the Wizards shortly after the 2021 NBA Draft, the first part of silly roster building from the Lakers as they surrounded James, Westbrook and Anthony Davis with unplayable big men and a severe lack of shooting. Making matters worse, Davis missed 42 games and James missed 26. The Lakers finished 33-49 and, like the 2025 Suns, missed the Play-In Tournament while finishing in 11th place.

Curry helps a good (not great) team when he’s on the floor due to his offense. Durant made the Suns better when he was on the floor this season, but Phoenix was an uninspiring team. James’ impact numbers were not good this season.

Like 2022, the Lakers were outscored when James was on the floor. Unlike 2022, the Lakers outscored their opponents with James off the floor in 2025. That was the case both before and after the All-Star break.

James, however, still does just about everything on the floor. Even though this is the first time he dipped below 25 points per game since his rookie season, and he averaged a career-low 4.7 free-throw attempts per game, James still scores at a good rate on and off the ball. He made 51.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from 3 (including 42 percent off the catch); he’s still a four-level scorer who averaged 8.2 assists per game.

Defensively, James still rebounds at a high level and averaged a steal a game. He never gets called for fouls, and you can’t just go right at him with repeated success. But he’s not a rim protector, and he isn’t asked to guard top options. When James is off the floor, the Lakers have been strong defensively.

But what really makes James and the Lakers dangerous for as long as James can be at his current level, even at 40, is how he got help. Curry’s help came in the form of an old star in Butler. Durant’s help never came, in part because of Beal’s no-trade clause keeping a player like Butler out of Phoenix. James went from “Maybe It’s Me” in February 2023 when Kyrie Irving went to Dallas, to getting the one player in Dallas better than him as a teammate in February 2025.

Has Dončić shown some floor? Certainly, in bad times (like the Mavericks needing to tank in 2023 to avoid a Play-In Tournament) and good times (like the NBA Finals).

Dončić’s durability has never been great, as he has missed at least 10 games every season, and he played in only 50 games this season. The strategy against Dončić is usually to reap the benefits of him wearing down throughout a game or a series. When Dončić’s effort wanes, it rarely shows up in volume, but it does in decision-making mistakes, defensive effort and shooting efficiency. Dončić fouls more than he used to, and the less said about his relationship with the officials, the better.

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Despite all that — imagine trading him in his mid-20s! Tier 1 is made up of players who should cost a small country to acquire. The only other player in this tier who has changed teams in the last five years is Durant, who was 34 and cost Phoenix two starters (Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson), another player who started in the NBA Finals two years prior (Jae Crowder) and control of five first-round picks. We’re not going to disrespect Anthony Davis, but we’re also not going to act like Davis, Max Christie and one first-round pick is an appropriate return for Dončić. Given LeBron’s and Davis’ own (and more pronounced) durability issues, Dončić saved the Lakers from Play-In territory.

Dončić is a force on the ball, and he imposes his will on games early. Only Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić average more first-quarter points per game than Dončić (9.0). Only Antetokounmpo averages more first-quarter free-throw attempts than Dončić (2.4). Nobody makes more first-quarter 3s (1.3) than Dončić.

Even with Dončić’s perceived shortcomings defensively, he’s listed at 6-6, 230 pounds. He rebounds like a big, and he averaged a career-best 1.8 steals per game. Los Angeles allowed 111.5 points per 100 possessions with Dončić on the floor this season, compared to 113.8 points per 100 possessions overall. You can execute your defensive game plan with Dončić on the floor, something Dallas was well aware of last year when it upgraded the personnel around Dončić at the 2024 trade deadline.

We learned last year that Dončić can get you to the NBA Finals. We also learned at the finals just how much Tatum has grown, even with his perceived shortcomings.

No, Tatum isn’t asked to guard the best player, and his shooting percentages plummeted in the postseason to 42.7 percent from the field and 28.3 percent from 3. But Tatum didn’t fight the game in the finals. He averaged 7.2 assists in the five-game series. And as a defending champion, Tatum took that playmaking to the next level, averaging 6.0 assists per game after never reaching 5.0 assists in his first seven NBA seasons. Tatum isn’t just merely Boston’s top option; a team that was criticized for years for not having a true point guard next to Tatum basically told Tatum to do it.

Per Second Spectrum, Tatum has led the Celtics in touches per game each of the last five seasons and has led the Celtics in passes per game in each of head coach Joe Mazzulla’s three seasons. Tatum just finished with twice as many assists as turnovers for the first time in his career. It’s Tatum in ball screens, where he’s one of the best scorers in the league. It’s Tatum in isolation, where he’s one of the best scorers in the league. And Boston posts Kristaps Porziņģis and Jaylen Brown more often, but Tatum is still effective there, too.

Tatum is on the ball so much that he attempts the fewest catch-and-shoot 3s of Boston’s rotation, outside of the backup centers. But Tatum is a 40 percent shooter on those attempts.

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Defensively, Boston has plenty of players to take on heads of snakes, but Tatum contributes by guarding bigger bodies. Sometimes, he will guard centers to allow Boston’s rim protectors a chance to play off non-shooters.

Most importantly, Tatum is available. He missed 10 games this season for the first time in his career. Boston has a supreme roster, but the Celtics play through Tatum to make it work.

I mentioned earlier in this process how every player has flaws. I have three players in this tier who weren’t even top-10 picks in their draft, and even after establishing themselves as first-team players, they have certain shortcomings. But more importantly, they’re consistently dominant.

Gilgeous-Alexander said in November that he feels like he could have equipped his teammates better throughout the regular season for the 2024 postseason. Specifically: “Part of my job is to make sure that my teammates are confident and are ready for big moments.”

The Thunder ask a lot of Gilgeous-Alexander. He led the NBA in points, field goal attempts and free throws made per game. He averaged only 2.4 turnovers per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from 3. This was the first season in Gilgeous-Alexander’s career where he made more than 100 total 3s. He averaged a career-best 6.4 assists per game. He’s about as powerful and versatile as it gets on the ball, as he is one of the few players who averaged more than 1.0 points per possession while averaging at least 1.0 possession per game as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, in isolation and even in the post.

Defensively, Gilgeous-Alexander is rarely asked to guard top options — one look at his teammates shows why — but he doesn’t get beat often, and the only player in the league who collected more steals this season was Dyson Daniels. Of the 33 players who had at least 90 steals this season, the only players with more blocks (77 in 76 games) than Gilgeous-Alexander were Jaren Jackson Jr. and Amen Thompson.

Gilgeous-Alexander was the best player on a team that set a record for point differential and turnover differential. That last part is what makes Gilgeous-Alexander really special, as he averages only 2.4 turnovers per game. The only question now is whether he can do what he said he needed to do, and that’s lift his teammates in the playoffs; the only postseason series his team has won was against an eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans team missing Zion Williamson.

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Antetokounmpo is trying to make it through a full postseason for the first time in three years. Injuries to himself, the departed Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard have ruined each postseason since Antetokounmpo was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2021.

But Antetokounmpo remains arguably the most forceful player in the game. That 3-pointer never came around, and he was woeful from 3 (22.2 percent) and the free-throw line (career-low 61.7 percent). But he still earned a league-high 10.6 attempts per game from the line while attempting his fewest 3s in a decade. Antetokounmpo traded in 3s he wasn’t making for midrange field goals he could; he made a career-best 44.2 percent of his non-paint 2s, and he still led the NBA in paint points.

This was the first year of Antetokounmpo’s career where he had twice as many assists as turnovers. Defensively, he is a 6-11, 243-pound power forward who can guard in isolation and protect the rim, and he averaged his fewest fouls per game since his rookie season.

And then there’s Jokić, the best center in basketball and arguably the best player in 2025. Like Antetokounmpo, he’s 30 now. He just averaged a career best in points (29.6) and assists (10.2) per game, adding 12.7 rebounds for the first triple-double average of his career. If it weren’t for Westbrook, entire websites would have created trackers to mark Jokic’s potential feat throughout the season. Instead, we’re numb to it.

Also numbing is how great Jokić has been for a relatively underwhelming team. His Nuggets are 0-4 when he scores at least 50 points in his career, including one of two losses to the Washington Wizards this season and a career-best 61-point performance against the Timberwolves. Denver has a bottom-10 defense this season, and Jokić is arguably the worst rim protector among starting centers in the NBA.

But he is the only player in the entire league averaging more than 100 touches per game. That was the case last season as well. He has led the NBA in touches per game each season since 2018, which also correlates with Denver’s postseason streak. What Jokić lacks at the rim defensively, he makes up for with active hands, coming up with a career-best 1.8 steals per game. Only Daniels, Gilgeous-Alexander and the LA Clippers’ Kris Dunn had more total steals than Jokić.

Jokić somehow made more 3s than ever, made them at a higher percentage (41.7 percent) than ever and averaged more free-throw attempts per game than ever. He had a career-low 2.3 personal fouls per game. He averaged more than three assists per turnover. Off the ball, Jokić was one of six players to attempt at least 200 3s off the catch and make at least 45 percent. Denver scored 125.6 points per 100 possessions with Jokić on the court and only 104.1 with Jokić off the floor. That’s the difference between the NBA’s best offense and the NBA’s worst.

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We’ll see how long it takes for a player to join or surpass Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander or Jokić here. The playoffs have a way of redefining value across a variety of roles, even in the most important ones on the ball. We’ll see which players are driving the bus and which players are going to need better seats.


The Rankings and Tiers series is sponsored by E*Trade from Morgan Stanley. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.


(Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; top photos: Patrick Smith, Dustin Bradford, Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)

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'Marty Supreme' trailer

A24 has released the first trailer for Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie’s 1950s-set sports dramedy starring Timothée Chalamet as a table tennis player chasing respect and recognition. The film marks Safdie’s first directorial effort since co-helming Uncut Gems with his brother Benny, and his first solo feature in more than a decade. ‘The Smashing Machine’ trailer: […]

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'Marty Supreme' trailer

A24 has released the first trailer for Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie’s 1950s-set sports dramedy starring Timothée Chalamet as a table tennis player chasing respect and recognition. The film marks Safdie’s first directorial effort since co-helming Uncut Gems with his brother Benny, and his first solo feature in more than a decade.

Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a gifted but underestimated ping pong player whose ambitions take him on a turbulent journey toward greatness. Along the way, he begins an affair with a glamorous movie star, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, while navigating the personal and professional challenges of life on the road. The ensemble cast includes Fran Drescher as Marty’s mother, rapper Tyler, the Creator, magician Penn Jillette, Odessa A’zion, Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, and filmmaker Abel Ferrara.

Co-written by Safdie and longtime collaborator Ronald Bronstein, Marty Supreme is a fictionalised retelling inspired by the life of Marty Reisman, a five-time World Table Tennis Championships bronze medalist who became a showman for the sport.

Chalamet reportedly underwent extensive training to capture the physicality and technique of a professional player. Cinematographer Darius Khondji noted earlier this year that the actor “wanted to be like a real [professional] ping pong player when he started shooting.”

The film is produced by Safdie, Bronstein, Eli Bush, Anthony Katagas, Chalamet, and A24.

Chalamet, who has previously praised the Safdie brothers’ “raw and untethered” approach to filmmaking, now takes center stage in one of the year’s most anticipated releases. Marty Supreme is set to open in theaters on December 25, positioning itself as both a holiday release and a potential awards contender.

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'Marty Supreme' Trailer

The trailer for Josh Safdie’s highly anticipated film “Marty Supreme” features Timothée Chalamet as ping pong player Marty Mauser in the 1950s. The synopsis teases: “A young man with a dream no one respects goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.” Chalamet stars in the film opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays a famous […]

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'Marty Supreme' Trailer

The trailer for Josh Safdie’s highly anticipated film “Marty Supreme” features Timothée Chalamet as ping pong player Marty Mauser in the 1950s. The synopsis teases: “A young man with a dream no one respects goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.”

Chalamet stars in the film opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays a famous movie star that Marty begins an affair with on the road. The wide-ranging cast also includes Fran Drescher as Marty’s mother, rapper Tyler, the Creator, magician Penn Jillette, Odessa A’zion, “Shark Tank” personality Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful) and “Bad Lieutenant” filmmaker Abel Ferrara.

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“Marty Supreme” marks Josh Safdie’s first time directing since co-helming “Uncut Gems” with his brother Benny Safdie, and his first solo feature since his 2008 debut, “The Pleasure of Being Robbed.” Josh Safdie wrote “Marty Supreme” with Ronald Bronstein; the two produce alongside Eli Bush, Anthony Katagas, Chalamet and A24.

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The sports dramedy is a fictionalized account of the real-life Marty Reisman, a five-time bronze medalist at the World Table Tennis Championships who died in 2012. Cinematographer Darius Khondji said earlier this year that Chalamet did thorough training to play the ping pong star. “He wanted to be like a real [professional] ping pong player when he started shooting,” Khondji said.

Chalamet has long been an outspoken fan of the Safdie brothers, writing an essay for Variety in 2019 about their Adam Sandler thriller “Uncut Gems.” “The pair have continuously put out contemporary, raw and untethered work over the last decade, each film building on the traits of the prior, but never once sacrificing their innate grittiness,” the Oscar-nominated actor wrote.

“Marty Supreme” opens in theaters Dec. 25. Watch the official trailer below.

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How and where to bet MLB home run picks, lines, odds for Aug. 13

MLB home run betting continues to increase in popularity but sifting through hundreds of options on a busy day can be a grind. All 30 MLB teams will be in action on Wednesday, but by using splits, pitching matchups, MLB weather forecasts and other available data, you can start to hone in on a handful […]

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How and where to bet MLB home run picks, lines, odds for Aug. 13

MLB home run betting continues to increase in popularity but sifting through hundreds of options on a busy day can be a grind. All 30 MLB teams will be in action on Wednesday, but by using splits, pitching matchups, MLB weather forecasts and other available data, you can start to hone in on a handful of top MLB HR picks. You can also use profit boosts and MLB bonus bets to further enhance the value of each MLB home run bet you place today. If you’re interested in MLB betting and wish to use the best sportsbook promos to wager on MLB home run picks on Aug. 13, check out all available offers below:

You can also get our best MLB HR bets from SportsLine’s team of Data Scientists, which uses the SportsLine Projection Model to reveal their betting projections for some of the most-bet MLB HR prop bets on Wednesday. The model simulates every game 10,000 times and we are up 58.15 units on our individual MLB HR picks this season after nailing Alex Bregman (+425) to homer on Tuesday. You can find even more picks in their daily blog, and see their game picks for Brewers vs. Pirates.

Best MLB home run picks for Wednesday, August 13:

Sportsbook promos for MLB HR picks on Wednesday, Aug. 13

The latest FanDuel promo code offers new users $300 in bonus bets if their first $5 wager wins while the bet365 bonus code gives new users $150 in bonus bets when they make an initial wager of $5 or more. The latest DraftKings promo code offers users $200 in bonus bets instantly + $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket.

The BetMGM bonus code and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code also dole out bonus bets but in a different way. BetMGM covers a user’s first bet for up to $1,500 in bonus bets but users have to wager at least $1,500 to be eligible for the entire amount. Fanatics gives users up to $1,000 in FanCash, but they’ll need to wager $100 each day for 10 consecutive days to be eligible for the full amount.

The Caesars Sportsbook promo code awards profit boosts instead of bonus bets. The sportsbook is providing 10 100% profit boosts to users after they wager $1 or more.

Best MLB Best Home Run Bets on Wednesday

For more real-time, free sportsbook picks every day: Inside the Lines Blog.

Julio Rodriguez, Mariners (+500, BetMGM)

Our model sees value here despite Trevor Rogers’ impressive 1.44 ERA over 10 starts. Rogers had a 4+ ERA from 2022–2024, and some regression could be due. Julio is swinging a hot bat with 12 HRs in his last 36 games. He’s also been better on the road, hitting .292 with an .885 OPS and 15 of his 23 HRs away from home. Rogers has allowed 44 career home runs—41 of them to right-handed hitters. While he’s been tough on both sides, righties have had slightly more success. We set Rodríguez’s line at +350 to homer, but you can find the listed price at BetMGM:

Riley Greene, Tigers (+450, DraftKings)

Greene remains a model favorite, especially when facing right-handed pitching—he’s hit 25 of his 27 HRs against RHPs. He’s heating up again with 3 doubles and a HR in his last 3 games. Greene is 2-for-2 in his career against Shane Smith. While Smith has been a bright spot for the White Sox, he’s struggled recently with an 8.49 ERA and 7 HRs allowed over his last 6 games. We set Greene’s line close to +300 to homer, but you can find this price at DraftKings and also use the latest DraftKings bonus offer to get $200 in bonus bets instantly after your first wager of $5 or more and over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket:

Brandon Lowe, Rays (+400, BetMGM)

Lowe has 4 HRs in his last 7 games and continues to mash right-handed pitching. He’s hitting .297 with a .909 OPS and 20 HRs against RHPs this season. On the road, he’s batting .314 with 11 HRs in just 43 games, and he’ll be in a hitter-friendly park in Sacramento. A’s starter JT Ginn has allowed an .875 OPS at home and 8 HRs in 8 home starts. We set Lowe’s line at +314 to homer, but you can find this price at BetMGM, where you can also get up to $1,500 in bonus bets back if your first bet loses:

More MLB picks for Wednesday 

You’ve seen the model’s MLB HR prop picks for several players on Wednesday. Now, get MLB projections for every player prop at SportsLine.

Need more from SportsLine? See today’s best MLB picks from SportsLine’s Bruce Marshall, who is on an 93-83-1 roll (+1709) on MLB picks. 

Responsible gaming

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College Sports

Pokes Insider

LARAMIE – Cort Roberson, one of the revered “Blue-collar Boys” from the 2022 NCAA Tournament team, set the standard for Wyoming walk-on players. “To do a thankless job for four years, well now I have a chance to thank him,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said after surprising Roberson last season with a scholarship for his […]

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LARAMIE – Cort Roberson, one of the revered “Blue-collar Boys” from the 2022 NCAA Tournament team, set the standard for Wyoming walk-on players.
 
“To do a thankless job for four years, well now I have a chance to thank him,” UW head coach Sundance Wicks said after surprising Roberson last season with a scholarship for his final semester. “That was a special moment to me because I know how much this place means to him, I know how much sacrifice he has put into this. And he’s seen the best and the worst of it here, but that’s what makes him a real guy because we never get out of this thing unscarred.
 
Cort Roberson will forever be a foxhole guy for me.”
 
Talan Taylor, a freshman walk-on Wicks added to complete the Cowboys’ 2025-26 roster, has had conversations with Roberson and aspires to earn respect from his coaches and teammates while doing the dirty work to get the program back into the spotlight.
 
The 6-foot-4 guard grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, dreaming of playing in the Arena-Auditorium because his father and other family members are proud UW graduates.
 
“Getting the opportunity to be a walk-on here just knowing Sundance, I felt like I couldn’t pass that up because I love the University of Wyoming and the opportunity to wear the brown and gold has always been a special thing in my life,” Taylor said. “My dad grew up in Star Valley and I have family throughout the whole state. He raised me to love Wyoming and going to sporting events, so I’ve always just loved the Pokes.”
 
Former UW head coach Jeff Linder, who recruited Roberson, contacted Taylor before leaving for Texas Tech. During a visit to campus last season, Wicks told him to think about walking on with the Cowboys instead of pursing opportunities to play in junior college.
 
“I wanted a walk-on who has a deep-seeded love for the Cowboys more than anything else,” Wicks said. “Somebody who has got a past here. His dad and his uncle both got two degrees from the University of Wyoming. Talan has pictures of himself with Larry Nance Jr. He loves the Cowboys, and I wanted that to be in our locker room, just a love for Wyoming.”
 
Admittedly, Taylor was not feeling the love during the grueling eight weeks of summer workouts Wicks and his staff put the team through. He was injured during the early portion of the sessions and was still catching his breath long after the final sets of sprints at 7,220 feet.
 
Adjusting to the Mountain West level of play is an ongoing process for Taylor and other newcomers coming up from high school, junior college and Division II ranks.
 
“I’m doing everything with the team, and I feel just as much a part of it as everybody else. Sundance has made that clear and talked about how I have the same opportunity as everybody else. I’m just trying to prove myself like everybody else,” Taylor said. “I definitely have to improve level wise. (Last week) we did a running competition, and I need to be in better shape if I want the opportunity to show everything I’ve got. It’s a step up and these eight weeks have shown that, but I felt I’ve improved.”
 
Taylor averaged 14.0 points and 4.3 rebounds while leading Hillcrest High School to the Idaho state tournament title game. He recorded over 100 made 3-pointers in his final two high school seasons and shot 41 percent from behind the arc as a junior with 60 makes.
 
“You can always have an idea in your mind what it’s like, but until you get in the trenches it’s like Mike Tyson, everybody’s got a plan until I punch you in the face,” Wicks said of Taylor’s early transition from high school to UW. “I think this summer kind of punched Talan in the face a little bit and that’s a good thing because you learn how to handle hard. …
 
“One thing I know, if you have a deep seeded love for something it’s going to be really hard for you to hang those sneakers up. He’s got a real chance to be a Cort Roberson type in the future.”
 
(Editor’s note: This is the 10th in a 12-part series introducing fans to UW’s new men’s basketball players. Next up: Simm-Marten Saadi).
 
If you are interested in learning more about NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) or would like to support our student-athletes, please visit 1wyo.org. 1WYO was created out of Wyoming’s culture of neighbor helping neighbor. The mission is to promote and strengthen local charitable organizations and develop Wyoming student athletes. 
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.

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Professional Sports

Dana White's Contender Series Picks

This show features prospects who hope to earn UFC contracts by showcasing their skills inside the octagon. The most notable graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series is former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the UFC. UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena is also a DWCS […]

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Dana White's Contender Series Picks

This show features prospects who hope to earn UFC contracts by showcasing their skills inside the octagon. The most notable graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series is former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the UFC. UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena is also a DWCS graduate.

A DraftKings Sportsbook bettor had a big win on the first episode of DWCS last season, turning $150 into over $2,200 with a four-leg Dana White’s Contender Series Parlay Bet featuring the following picks:

● Jose Delgado Moneyline

● Bruno Lopes Moneyline

● Mansur Abdul-Malik Moneyline

● Rami Hamed To Win By Decision

As a result of all of these outcomes hitting in the Parlay Bet, the DWCS bettor took home $2,211.62.

Dana White’s Contender Series airs on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Week 1 features an exciting fight between two large middleweights: Ilian Bouafia and Neemias Santana.

Dana White’s Contender Series Odds: Week 1

● Neemias Santana (+190) vs. Ilian Bouafia (-250)

● Ty Miller (-154) vs. Jimmy Drago (+120)

● Baysangur Susurkaev (-425) vs. Murtaza Talha (+300)

● George Mangos (-154) vs. Radley Da Silva (+120)

● Chris Ewert (-154) vs. Yuri Panferov (+120)

Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app or check out Dana White’s Contender Series Odds Page!

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College Sports

Rhinos and Elephants Dominate SA Water Polo Series

The inaugural SA Water Polo Winter Series delivered world-class action, record crowds, and a big boost for South African water polo. Gqeberha, South Africa (12 August 2025) – The Newton Park Indoor Pool in Gqeberha was the stage for a thrilling debut of the South Africa Water Polo Winter Series that took place from 8 […]

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Rhinos and Elephants Dominate SA Water Polo Series

The inaugural SA Water Polo Winter Series delivered world-class action, record crowds, and a big boost for South African water polo.

Gqeberha, South Africa (12 August 2025) – The Newton Park Indoor Pool in Gqeberha was the stage for a thrilling debut of the South Africa Water Polo Winter Series that took place from 8 to 10 August, where the Rhinos men’s and Elephants women’s teams powered their way to overall victory.

The three-day tournament brought together 112 of South Africa’s top senior water polo players. Drafted into four franchise squads, namely the Rhinos, Buffaloes, Elephants, and Lions. All battling it out for a share of the R224,000 prize purse.

The men’s final was a heart-stopper. After a tense 13–13 draw in regular time, the Rhinos edged past the previously unbeaten Lions with an 8–7 penalty shoot-out win.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Rhinos captain Jonathan Swanepoel. “To have a game of such swings up by two, down by two and then an opportunity to win it at the end with three rounds of penalties  that was definitely one for the spectators!”

The 24-year-old, who has competed at three world championships, believes events like this are vital for the sport’s growth.

“A tournament of this level of quality and professionalism is exactly what this country needs, and what the world needs, so I’m feeling really inspired and looking forward to many more of these to come.”

In the women’s competition, the Elephants were unstoppable, going unbeaten into the final. They led from the first chukka against the Rhinos and held on for an 11–10 win, despite a strong late surge from their opponents.

A high-calibre event indeed, as 2020 Tokyo Olympian and veteran of four world championships, Nicola Macleod praised the franchise system for its competitive balance.

“I’m so proud of the team,” said Elephants captain Nicola. “Last night we had to play catch up, so we weren’t going to do that again. Being out in front gave us a lot more composure, as you don’t necessarily need to score, you just have to make sure you don’t concede.”

Bronze went to the Buffaloes men’s team with a 13–11 win over the Elephants, while the Lions women claimed a 10–8 victory over the Buffaloes.

Tournament director Siegfried Lokotsch was thrilled with the response.

“The standard of water polo on display and the level of intensity was incredible. I haven’t seen water polo like that in at least 15 years,” he said. “For a first event, the vibe was also fantastic… we got much more support than we anticipated.”

The Winter Series, the first national tournament under South Africa Water Polo (SAWP), also hosted a development clinic for 68 young players. This included those from under-resourced communities. Coached by big names in the water polo fraternity like Lwazi Madi, Kelsey Thomson, and Chad Roman.

It was a weekend of high-intensity action and big wins.


Sources: Supplied 
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