You just had to be there.

March 31, 2009: John Calipari leaves Memphis for Kentucky, officially introduced on April 1. DeMarcus Cousins commits on April 8, joining Billy Gillispie holdovers Daniel Orton and Jon Hood. Darnell Dodson followed on April 24, then Eric Bledsoe on May 5 before Patrick Patterson pulled his name out of the draft on May 8.

May 19, 2009: John Wall commits to Kentucky, choosing the Wildcats over Miami, Duke, North Carolina and NC State. It was a landscape-altering move that solidified Coach Cal’s first top-ranked recruiting class in Lexington, the start of college basketball’s polarizing one-and-done era.

October 16, 2009: Calipari’s first Big Blue Madness — and the night Wall becomes college basketball’s biggest rockstar as a viral sensation. He already had the most popular high school mixtape of all time, and now, he had the John Wall Dance.

“A 6-4 freshman from Raleigh, North Carolina, number 11, John Wall.”

Fireworks explode over Dorrough’s “Ice Cream Paint Job” instrumental, the spotlight shines on the program’s newest five-star in the rafters of Rupp as he flexes for the camera, going back and forth to the sound of the ear-piercing cheers. That was ‘aura’ before the phrase became popular, bringing an it factor with him that signaled Kentucky was ready to be the ‘cool’ basketball program again — Wall the face of that resurgence.

He wasn’t a show pony, either, his play living up to that otherworldly hype with the perfect balance of both flash and substance. He hit a game-winner against Miami (OH) in his very first game, then put the Wildcats on his back to open December in back-to-back top-15 wins over No. 10 North Carolina and No. 14 UConn. Leading the team with 16.6 points and 6.5 assists per game, he carried Kentucky to SEC regular season and tournament championships, then the Elite Eight as a No. 1 seed, before closing out as the SEC Player of the Year, a Consensus First Team All-American, National Player of the Year and the program’s first-ever No. 1 overall NBA draft pick.

Wall made it all look easy, setting the standard of individual success overlapping with team success Calipari was looking for when he took over. There was now a path to playing for the names on the front and the back of your Kentucky jersey, a two-way relationship that opened the door to banners and trophies for the school and generational wealth for the players and their families. It was proof winning with superstar freshmen making a quick pitstop before the NBA was possible — and you could still be a diehard fan of theirs at the next level.

He got his own song — Troop 41 telling you how to ball like Wall and do the dance is now up to 16M views on YouTube — entering his rookie year and had kids running around in Reebok ZigTechs as the face of the company. Then he did the same for adidas with multiple signature sneakers, including the aptly named J Wall 1 and J Wall 2, on his way to becoming a five-time NBA All-Star with $267M in career earnings.

A devastating run of injuries ended his time on the floor as a superstar talent, leading to his decision this week to retire from the game at age 34, but man, those highs were something else.

And he did it all repping the blue and white, fighting through tears at his UK Athletics Hall of Fame speech in 2017, the same year he earned All-NBA Third Team honors. That’s when he talked about his mother, Frances Pulley, and the sacrifices she made to get him where he ended up, paying for AAU tournaments instead of light bills on occasion because that’s what it took.

She’d pass away two years later after a hard-fought battle with cancer, his grandmother dying just a year later, too. Those moments, along with the knee and Achilles injuries that took him away from the game he loved most, pushed him to a tragic mental health crisis that nearly took Wall from the world.

“I put a gun to my head twice, and a lot of people that’s close to me and my friends at the time didn’t know,” he heartbreakingly shared in 2024.

His larger-than-life status and impact on the game allowed him to build a platform where people would listen. In that devastating conversation about suicide, he advocated for therapy and others getting help the same way he did — what ultimately kept him alive. He shared that he had so much more to live for, specifically his two sons, showing that even rockstars can be vulnerable.

Life is infinitely bigger than basketball, but he’s pretty good at using that platform to talk hoops, too. In fact, one of the more underrated aspects of Wall’s impact on the UK program actually came after his playing days at Kentucky and in the NBA. When the Coach Cal vs. Big Blue Nation fire ran wild following Calipari’s move to Arkansas and Kentucky’s decision to hire Mark Pope, he poured cold water on the flames rather than gasoline.

The most popular voice of that era chose not to pick sides in the breakup and instead bridged the gap, saying he’ll always support his former coach “no matter what school he’s at,” but Lexington is “always home.”

“It’s sad to see a breakup like that happen, but I think it was time,” Wall said of Calipari. “… Sometimes you need a new fresh start, even though you might want to be with that person and stay with that person. I think he needed a fresh start and he’s doing what’s best for him and his family.”

“I’m still part of Kentucky. I’m still going to be Big Blue Nation,” he added of the Wildcats. “They gave me the opportunity to play on the highest level you can in college basketball in D1, one of the biggest schools ever, and then get an opportunity to go to the NBA. That’s always family. I have the jersey tatted on me. I’m in the Hall of Fame. It’s always love and support for Kentucky, and that’s never going to change.”

When people experience change with emotions pulling them in a million different directions, considering the memories and current circumstances, sometimes they want to be told how to feel. Sometimes they say things in the heat of the moment, considering loyalty over reality — remember DeMarcus Cousins telling Rajon Rondo, “Everything Calipari brings to a program is going to go down if they replace this guy”?

Rondo, obviously, took up for his alma mater and the rich history he was a part of years before Coach Cal’s arrival.

“Don’t disrespect the University of Kentucky,” he said. “It’s been one of the greatest colleges of all time way before Cal got there. He didn’t just come there and accept the standard that it’s winning basketball now.”

Can you blame either side for their passionate beliefs? Obviously not. You’ll never convince me Cousins doesn’t bleed blue just because he wanted to defend his coach. He’s said as much, sharing later, “(Kentucky) is always gonna have a place in my heart. I mean, they helped me — it wouldn’t be no Boogie without that place. It wouldn’t even exist.”

But that’s what makes it so easy to appreciate Wall for making an awkward time for all of us feel normal — and doing it as it was all unfolding, not after the fact. For him, it was never about pointing fingers or being on the right side of history, whatever you thought that was. It was about respect, going out of his way to introduce himself to Pope at a recruiting event right after the coaching change to show support, then sitting down with Calipari to catch up minutes later, like all players with their former coaches.

All love.

It’s fitting, in a way, that the very first rockstar to begin the Coach Cal era ended up being the voice of reason to end it, doing his part to help pave what could have been a bumpy road for Pope in his first spring at Kentucky. That’s continued in the year since, regularly talking about his love for the Wildcats on podcasts and radio shows. Just last month, he shared that he’s “always reppin’” his former school, wearing UK apparel in photos and posting new gear from Pope.

“Kentucky’s always home for me,” he said. “There’s always love.”

That’s just who John Wall is and what he’s always been, starting back when he became a Wildcat on May 19, 2009 until the ball stopped dribbling for him on August 19, 2025 — and everything this point forward. Big Blue Nation is certainly proud to have been a part of that journey.

Like his jersey number in Lexington, No. 11 is one of one.

FINAL: Pegula/Draper 4-1, 4-1 Medvedev/Andreeva

A dominant performance from Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper. Carrying on the form from their first match against Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, the top seed dispatches Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva in straight sets.

Pegula and Draper showcased their all-court game, from efficient serving to big groundstrokes. On match point, Draper’s overhead smash proved too powerful for Medvedev, who dumped the groundstroke in the net.

Pegula/Draper will now face Iga Swiatek/Casper Ruud in the semifinals tomorrow.

It is that time of the year when fantasy football teams are starting to take shape, and they will begin drafting players in the next week or so. While there is usually a general consensus on which NFL players go in the top five or so picks, mistakes can be made.

More news: Stephen A Smith Slams Bengals HC for Joe Burrow Decision

A fantasy football manager has now gone immediately viral after he made the biggest mistake while drafting.

The above video contains strong NSFW language.

In a video from Sheffield Shuffler, a fantasy football manager jumps up to make his selection at the No. 1 overall pick. The manager thought he was picking Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson with the top pick, but he instead picked Brian Robinson Jr.

The rest of the managers began to laugh hysterically when it was revealed what a colossal mistake had just been made. The fantasy football manager pleads to correct the mistake, but it appears that his selection has counted since the player’s name placard is on the board.

Naturally, this led to fans joining in on the pain and hilarity of the moment.

One fan wrote, “Taking bijan with the first overall pick is the real crime here.”

Another stated, “Years ago I was in a league that someone took Shannon Sharpe that had retired.”

Another said, “With the 1.1 no less 🤣.”

“if they let that happen i would just draft every QB and take auto L on the league,” another added.

Clearly, the fantasy football manager who meant to take Bijan might have been able to correct his mistake, but that has not yet been revealed. The above video currently has over four million views, which is chock full of people sharing in the manager’s pain.

The biggest issue is that Brian might not have a team following this week. The disgruntled back is set to be traded by the Washington Commanders and might find himself backing up another running back soon.

For more NFL news, head to Newsweek Sports.

Follow live coverage of the U.S. Open mixed doubles

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the U.S. Open mixed doubles, which begins Aug. 19 in New York. The men’s world No. 1 in singles retired after five games of his Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness, and will recover before preparing for the U.S. Open singles.

Sinner was going to partner Kateřina Siniaková, probably the greatest active doubles player on earth, in a compelling alliance of the two tennis disciplines.

Siniaková, an 11-time Grand Slam doubles champion and a gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, never received a new partner. The official draw and order of play were updated Tuesday morning, but Sinner and Siniaková’s place was occupied by “Qualifier / Qualifier” as of 9:12 a.m., less than two hours before the start of the event.

Americans Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison then took the pair’s spot as first alternate, owing to their combined singles ranking.

Alcaraz traveled from Mason, Ohio to partner Emma Raducanu, while Iga Świątek, who won the WTA 1000 title with victory over Jasmine Paolini, also arrived on time to partner Norway’s Casper Ruud.

The new mixed doubles event, which will be played over two days and feature short sets, an array of singles stars and a $1 million prize, begins at 11 a.m. Aug. 19. The semifinals and finals will be played Aug. 20, starting at 7 p.m. The teams, prior to the confirmation of Sinner and Siniaková’s replacement, are as follows:

DIRECT ENTRIES

Jessica Pegula / Jack Draper
Iga Świątek / Casper Ruud
Elena Rybakina / Taylor Fritz
Amanda Anisimova / Holger Rune
Belinda Bencic / Alexander Zverev
Mirra Andreeva / Daniil Medvedev
Madison Keys / Frances Tiafoe
Karolina Muchová / Andrey Rublev
Danielle Collins / Christian Harrison

WILD CARDS

Emma Raducanu / Carlos Alcaraz
Olga Danilović / Novak Djokovic
Taylor Townsend / Ben Shelton
Sara Errani / Andrea Vavassori
Venus Williams / Reilly Opelka
Naomi Osaka / Gael Monfils
Caty McNally / Lorenzo Musetti

‘The U.S. Open has lost arguably its most interesting pair’

Analysis from Charlie Eccleshare, tennis writer

In Jannik Sinner and Kateřina Siniaková, the U.S. Open had unwittingly stumbled upon a fascinating mixed doubles pairing. How would the men’s world No. 1 in singles mesh with arguably the world’s greatest active doubles player, and holder of 11 Grand Slam titles across the women’s and mixed disciplines?

Sinner was originally paired with WTA singles world No. 11 Emma Navarro, but, having struggled for form of late, she pulled out of the event to play the Monterrey Open to try and get some matches in ahead of the U.S. Open.

Sinner’s withdrawal, and the end of his partnership with Siniaková before it had begun, is perhaps a fitting conclusion to his involvement in the competition. When Sinner was asked at Wimbledon about how his partnership with Navarro had come about, he could have tried to play it straight and trot out some line like: “Yeah, look, I’ve always admired Emma as a player and I really can’t wait to play the mixed doubles event with her in New York.”

Instead he started laughing and told the truth: “It was very unexpected, to be honest. I just met her yesterday for the first time. We never talked. We never texted to each other.” He explained that with other pairs partnered up, the U.S. Open had suggested her as one of a few options.

Fast forward nearly two months, and Sinner’s withdrawal is not a major surprise. Especially with tennis’ scheduling being such that the mixed doubles event begins less than 24 hours after the Cincinnati Open final.

Now the U.S. Open has been left to scramble for a replacement for Sinner, and has lost arguably its most interesting pair in the process. There was always likely to be a degree of chopping and changing, and some has happened already with other partnerships, but this will no doubt provide more fuel for those who are sceptical about the seriousness of this event.

(Photo of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz: Aaron Doster / Imagn via Getty Images)

The Athletic has live coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament with the new mixed doubles format.

For better or for worse, definitely for richer, and for who knows how long, the reimagined, star-spangled U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament gets underway Tuesday, Aug. 19 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

Sixteen pairs, comprised of the biggest names in singles and some of the best in the world at doubles, will compete for a $1 million payday over two days of tennis, before the tournament’s singles draws have even begun. The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) is hiring private jets at will; ESPN is doing interviews between sets and, until the final, the sets are first to four games, not six.

Stars of doubles say it devalues a Grand Slam trophy and their chosen discipline; the USTA says that the previous setup was doing that already.

So, what should a tennis fan expect from this two-day jamboree, affront to the sport, or maybe both?

How does the new mixed doubles format work?

When Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori lifted the U.S. Open’s mixed doubles trophy last September, they did so after coming through a 32-team draw, played alongside the tournament’s singles events.

Whoever lifts it this year will have come through four matches in two days, three of them shorter than a regular tennis match. In the mixed doubles’ new format, the round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals will be best of three sets, but first to four games, not six. If a game goes to deuce, 40-40, then it’s straight to a deciding point. If it’s 1-1 in sets, a 10-point tiebreak will decide the winners.

The final will follow the same format, but the sets there will stick with tradition and be first to six games.

This is all to align with the tournament’s priorities of “trying to get the game’s biggest stars on the court playing together,” said Eric Butorac, a former Grand Slam doubles finalist and the USTA executive whose baby this mixed doubles event became.

Butorac has spent much of the past year quizzing, cajoling and nudging those stars, ultimately devising a format geared to their needs.

Competing in mixed doubles during the singles events was a non-starter, which is why this competition ends four days before the singles draws begin on Sunday, Aug. 24. And they would need a bit of help qualifying, given their doubles rankings — with a few exceptions — aren’t all that. So eight teams got in on their combined singles ranking, and the next eight were drawn as wild cards. One went to Errani and Vavassori, who called the format “a profound injustice” when it was announced.

Here are those teams. Men’s singles world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Kateřina Siniaková, probably the greatest active doubles player on earth, were slated to play, but Sinner retired from his Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness, and later withdrew from the event. Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison took their place, as the alternate team with the best combined singles ranking.

What do the players think of the new mixed doubles?

Even singles stars uneasy about the format are getting involved.

Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam singles champion, is on record that awarding a major title for two days of tennis is weird. Yet he’s in, with Serbian compatriot Olga Danilović. Jessica Pegula, who reached the “old” mixed doubles final at Flushing Meadows in 2023, criticized how the USTA went about upending the event. She’s in too, with Britain’s Jack Draper as her partner.

The tournament has still irked longtime doubles players, who are now on the outside looking in. Before she got a wild card to play with Sinner, Siniaková said in an interview with media from her Czech homeland that her absence meant the event would have little to say.

But Butorac said that when he started talking to top singles players about the format this February, the interest was immediate.

Six-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion Iga Świątek and three-time major singles finalist Casper Ruud were one of the first pairs in. Reigning Australian Open women’s singles champion Madison Keys’ friendship with Frances Tiafoe made them a shoo-in. And Ben Shelton, who is enjoying a strong season on the singles circuit, knew he wanted to partner with Taylor Townsend, the women’s world No. 1 in doubles and a longtime friend. They made the U.S. Open semifinals in 2023, Shelton’s first full season as a professional.

“He says, ‘I’m gonna play with Taylor. You know, we almost won the mixed a couple of years ago. She’s the best in the world. I want to win this thing’,” Butorac said.

Other players have different motives.

Draper missed this year’s hard-court swing with injury, so wants some competitive practice on the surface before the singles tournament starts. Siniaková had originally entered with Marcelo Arévalo, the men’s world No. 1 in doubles. They were sweating on a wild card. To get one, Siniaková ended up with Sinner after his original partner, Emma Navarro, withdrew, but has ultimately missed out.

Errani and Vavassori will have to fly the flag for doubles skill over starpower all by themselves, and doubles results at the Olympics in Paris last year suggest that they could upset a few famous faces. Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal were rolled over in the men’s event by Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, who put on a masterclass in court geometry and control.

How were the doubles pairings decided and what are the incentives?

Some of these partnerships know each other better than others. Alcaraz and Raducanu are friends, and also share a sponsor, Evian. The IMG agency represents Świątek and Ruud, as well as Keys and Tiafoe. When Sinner’s partnership with Navarro came to light, he suggested the USTA had paired them up. Buterac said he spoke to Sinner at the Italian Open in Rome, and gave him a few names to choose from, rather than actively nudging him and Navarro toward each other.

And for all of them, the prize money is a pretty good reason to take to the court with just about anyone. The total purse is $2.35 million. Just showing up is worth $20,000 per team, with $100,000 going to all quarterfinalists, $200,000 for all semifinalists, $400,000 for the runners-up and that coveted $1 million for the winning duo.

Last year, Errani and Vavassori received $200,000. That’s a fivefold increase, fueled by ticket sales across the two biggest stadiums at the U.S. Open, Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong, enhanced sponsorship interest and the other revenues that come from bringing top stars to play on ESPN.

Then there’s the private jet in Cincinnati. Sinner’s illness meant he did not need it, but the USTA had other players to whisk over to New York. Alcaraz was one; Świątek, who beat Jasmine Paolini in the women’s final of that same tournament, is the other. Paolini was also down to play the mixed at the U.S. Open too, but she pulled out earlier this week.

In the case of last-minute withdrawals, alternate teams are on standby. They will sign in before 10 a.m. Tuesday, with play starting at 11 a.m. If someone withdraws, they will get a place. The first two teams get hotels and food covered for the entire week, so there’s reason to stick around.

“There must be 20 teams on there,” Buterac said. “Is it gonna be the top teams? Who knows, but I expect people will be here ready to take that shot if an open spot presents itself.”

As well they should. Some 36 hours later, a Grand Slam title and $1 million might be theirs.

How to watch the event?

• Venues: Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong Stadiums — Queens, N.Y.
• Dates: Aug. 19 and 20
• Watching in person? Get tickets on StubHub.

The first two rounds air Tuesday from 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+, moving at 1 p.m. ET onto ESPNEWS and ESPN+. The semifinals and final air Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

They will be called by Mary Joe Fernandez, John McEnroe and Patrick McEnroe, with Chris McKendry as host. ESPN is trialing new coverage during the event, including interviews between sets and new camera technology.

Who is going to win this thing?

Shelton and Townsend have been here before and came close to winning the whole event. Raducanu and Alcaraz’s partnership is neat, but their doubles skills might come undone against Pegula — who has doubles pedigree of her own — and Draper’s lefty guile in the opening round. Errani and Vavassori might have liked their chances, but they’ve drawn the sleeper pair in the event first up.

Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, two of the best servers in the sport, decided to play together after winning the Eisenhower Cup — a mixed-doubles competition comprised of pairs of singles stars! — in Indian Wells, Calif. earlier this year.

With just one of Townsend / Shelton and Rybakina / Fritz able to make it to the final, if one of them does, they ought to be in the box seat for the $1 million.

Tell us what you think of the event — and who is going to win — in the comments.

(Photo of Taylor Fritz and Elena Rybakina: Robert Prange / Getty Images)