Rixon Sports Report - Tue. May 13th, 2025

Draft Lottery Shocker - Mavs take #1 pick (NBA.com)

NCAA President Charlie Baker talks Presidential Commission (ESPN.com)

Chris Berman extends contract through 2029 (USA Today)

Rich Eisen returning to ESPN in the fall (The Athletic)

Michael Jordan contributing to NBCs NBA Converage (CBS Sports)

WNBA Connecticut Sun are hitting the market (Sportico)

Transcript

Good morning.  This is the Rixon Sports Report, the fastest three minutes in sports business, with the top stories for Tuesday, May 13th, 2025.

The Draft Lottery left us with a shocker - the Dallas Mavericks coming in with a 1.8% chance of pulling in the top overall pick winning what is probably the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.  Mavs are the fourth largest underdog to win the lottery since it started in 1985.  San Antonio, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Utah rounding out the top 5.  Teams with the top three odds wound up finishing 4th, 5th and 6th.  Just wild.  76ers were also big winners, needing to finish 6th or higher, otherwise losing the pick to the Thunder as well as the Spurs, who drafted back-to-back rookie of the year winners the past two years now with the second overall pick.  Full breakdown at NBA.com.

NCAA President Charlie Baker breaking his silence about President Trump’s proposed college athletics commission.  During an informal media availability at ACC meetings down at Amelia Island, Baker stated “I’m up for anything that gets us somewhere.”  Baker also noted that the NCAA has spent significant time in Washington DC pushing congress to take action on the patchwork on state laws managing NIL and whether student-athletes are employees.  More at ESPN.com

Chris Berman has a new contract that will keep him at ESPN until 2029, and he’ll become the network’s first 50-year employee.  USA Today with the story.  Berman will continue to host “NFL Primetime” on ESPN plus and will be part of the network’s first Super Bowl in 2027.  Berman was hired in September of 1979 and has covered 43 Super Bowls, 30 World Series and 31 MLB All-Star Games.

The Athletic with the scoop on Rich Eisen, reporting that his show will be returning to ESPN in the fall.  Rich made his debut in 1996 and is best known for his co-hosting efforts on SportsCenter with Stuart Scott.  He moved over the NFL Network in 2003, and with rumors that ESPN is in talks to purchase NFL Network, this move makes even more sense.  

Michael Jordan is officially making his return to TV as part of the NBA on NBC broadcast crew, the network labeling him as a “special contributor.”  A big-get for NBC as they battle with Amazon to line up the broadcast teams for next season as Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin have already been announced as part of coverage teams for next season.  More at CBS Sports.

Sportico breaking Tuesday with new of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun hiring Allen & Company to explore a sale of the franchise.  Good news for the Mohegan Tribe that purchased the defunct Orlando Miracle and moved them to Connecticut for a $10 million expansion fee, and now valued at more than 8x that - still one of the lowest valuations in the league but still a pretty good ROI.  The last WNBA team sold was Atlanta is 2021 for $10 million but we are in a brand new world now with valuations blowing up since then.  Bad news for Sun fans though as a relocation of the franchise is likely.

Thank you again for listening to the Rixon Sports Report, as always you can find links to these stories at RixonSports.com, have a great Tuesday!