Latest news with #NickWright
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Nick Wright says he'd feel bad 'ripping' Panthers QB Bryce Young because of his size
Nick Wright says he'd feel bad 'ripping' Panthers QB Bryce Young because of his size The skepticism regarding the size of Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young never has, and probably never will, go away. FOX Sports' Nick Wright was the latest talking head to offer his two cents on the stature of the 5-foot-10, 204-pound passer. While breaking down the state of the NFC South on a recent episode of First Things First, Wright insinuated that people hold back on their criticism of Young due to his measurables. Take a listen . . . Concerns about Young's build are, of course, nothing new. Despite being widely considered and selected as the No. 1 overall prospect of the 2023 NFL draft, the former Heisman Trophy winner has been doubted for that very reason since entering the pros. Young, however, doesn't seem to be bothered by that talk—as he stated back in February on the Dan Patrick Show. "I don't mind, at all," Young said of the jokes about his size. "I've seen some, like, hilarious stuff about my height. Like, it's fine. Again, I'm used to it. I embrace it. "But I only know one way to play football. So I've never had to adjust, I've never had to, like, 'Okay, dang, this is way different now.' This is just how I know how to play the game." He played the game awfully well in the final 10 outings of this past season—where he threw for 2,104 yards while totaling 20 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Young, even with his "limitations," also finished the year with just one batted pass—the fewest among all quarterbacks with at least 200 passing attempts in 2024. So don't feel bad, Nick—because Bryce certainly doesn't. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nick Wright's ‘all-time' take will catch Thunder's fans' attention
The post Nick Wright's 'all-time' take will catch Thunder's fans' attention appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Oklahoma City Thunder are heading to the NBA Finals after having one of the best teams in the league this year. Throughout the season, the Thunder showed that they were dominant on both sides of the ball, and their net rating was the best in the league. Also, they had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the team, who won MVP for what he was able to accomplish. Advertisement With all of this, Nick Wright shared a take where he thinks the Thunder had a great single season, but won't put them on the pedestal as an all-time team. 'They are four wins away from one of the single greatest seasons in NBA history… I am okay with saying this is an all-time single season, I am not okay with saying this is an all-time team,' Wright said. 'Because what the other all-time teams had was multiple finals appearances, multiple championships, and the teams kind of bleed together.' The Thunder are the fourth team to enter the Finals with 80 wins, and they beat teams all season by an average of 13 points, which Wright gave them credit for. There are still some things that he isn't quite sold on, and it was their path to get to the Finals, and if Gilgeous-Alexander should be considered an all-time player. Advertisement In Wright's case, in order for them to be considered an all-time team, they need to keep winning for years to come. Can the Thunder become an all-time team? The Thunder have the pieces in place to be a team that could be dangerous for years to come. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are still on their rookie deals, and that bodes well for them from a cap space perspective, because they could possibly go out and get some more talent if they wanted to. As currently constructed, this team hasn't hit its prime yet, and they could be at the top of the Western Conference for years to come. Gilgeous-Alexander is still young and has already won MVP, and it could be more coming his way if he continues to get better. This core group has the chance to do something special while they're still young, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they ended up being the next dynasty in the league in the next few years. They'll have to keep winning at a high level, and they have the talent to do so.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Nick Wright is ready for Baker Mayfield to get the coverage he deserves
Nick Wright is ready for Baker Mayfield to get the coverage he deserves Fox Sports 1 has its fair share of morning sports talk shows that always drum up interesting debates and talking points. The latest, however, may have been one of the more on-the-nose points made by an analyst in recent weeks. Nick Wright spoke on the network's show First Things First and talked about Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield. He discussed how no one is talking about the former Heisman Trophy Winner coming off a career year as he heads into a 2025 campaign with even more firepower around him. Wright points out that, "When Baker wasn't great, he was over-discussed, and now that he's really good, I think he's under-discussed. The fact that he's established himself as a conventional-wisdom top-ten quarterback is pretty remarkable. Take the guys on the rookie scale deals out—it makes him the best bargain at the position in the league." There has not been a more accurate take on Baker Mayfield in a long time. Mayfield has been the focus of everyone's magnifying glass with the focus of the sun ever since his days at Oklahoma. He has been ridiculed, overanalyzed, and lambasted his entire NFL career as well. He was chased out of Cleveland for Deshaun Watson and then moved from the Panthers to the Rams before settling in at Tampa Bay. The Bucs are happy to have him, but Nick Wright makes a great point: Baker Mayfield played at a near-MVP level in 2024, and no one talked about it.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nick Wright Says Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Falls Like A Sniper Shot Him While Thunder Defenders Get No Whistle
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has sparked controversy once again, this time in the midst of leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 114-88 Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. Despite the Thunder's overwhelming fourth-quarter performance and SGA's 31-point showing, media members and fans alike are focusing more on the whistle than the win. Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright voiced his frustration on his show What's Wright, taking aim at the disparity in how physicality is called in Thunder games. Advertisement "The officiating is the story because the dichotomy between how the Thunder guard, which is awesome playoff physical defense and the way Shai is allowed to be guarded, and the way Shai courts contact or initiates contact, and then reacts as if there were a sniper in the crowd and just flails to the ground, and time after time after time gets rewarded for it, is utterly maddening." "Listen, James Harden was different stylistically than Shai, but did a lot of this same stuff, obviously. Maybe this feels more jarring because Harden's teams were not the best defensive team we've seen in a quarter century, or at least 20 years, that was on the other end of the court roughing everyone up." "But it is impossible to watch and I like it, by the way—the way Caruso and Dort and Wiggins and Wallace and J-Dub are allowed to guard, and then see on the other end of the court how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is treated by the refs as if he's playing by a different set of rules." Wright compared Gilgeous-Alexander's tactics to those once employed by James Harden, noting that while the styles differ, the results, a parade to the free throw line, are similarly frustrating to watch. ' Advertisement In Game 1, the Wolves shot 15-of-21 from the stripe, while the Thunder went 21-of-26. The gap may appear marginal, but Gilgeous-Alexander alone went 11-of-14, and several of those calls were deemed highly questionable by viewers. NBA fans erupted online with criticism, some even labeling SGA a 'free-throw merchant.' Even broadcast legend Doris Burke added fuel to the fire. During the first quarter, with SGA already at the line seven times in under five minutes, Burke said, 'There's a reason NBA Twitter likes to call him the 'free-throw merchant,' Mike.' Though said in jest, the comment stunned fans and amplified scrutiny on Gilgeous-Alexander's game. Anthony Edwards' frustration was on full display during the game. After one of several foul calls on him, he hurled the ball at SGA, earning a technical foul. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch admitted postgame that he had warned his team about SGA's ability to draw fouls but acknowledged they were still rattled by it. Advertisement While Gilgeous-Alexander's tactics have come under fire, his effectiveness is undeniable. His second-half outburst, combined with his ability to get to the line, shifted the momentum firmly in OKC's favor. As the series progresses, it remains to be seen whether officials adjust to the backlash or if SGA continues to frustrate defenders and fans alike with his masterful manipulation of contact. Either way, he's got the Thunder up 1-0 and the spotlight firmly on him. Related: Michael Malone Betrays Nikola Jokic, Calls Shai Gilgeous-Alexander The Real MVP
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
John Harbaugh gets disrespected in a recent ranking of NFL head coaches
Take a few moments and mull something over. Is it possible that some of these sports analysts on television don't believe some of the things that they are saying? The term 'hot takes' exists for a reason. Here's something else worth thinking about for a few seconds. How would you rank Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh if you stacked him against the NFL's other head coaches? Few own a more impressive resume. The coming 2025-26 regular season doubles as his 18th at the Ravens' helm. Only Mike Tomlin of the rival Pittsburgh Steelers has been in the same position longer. Advertisement Harbaugh has won over 62% of his games with a 172-104 win-loss total. He's above .500 during the postseason with a mark of 13-11. He's won a Super Bowl. What else are we debating? John Harbaugh isn't just one of pro football's top coaches heading into the coming regular season. He's one of the best head coaches of the past two decades, but it seems the guy over at FS1 didn't get the memo. Nick Wright severely undervalues John Harbaugh of the Ravens. If you've found your way in front of the television screen to digest some sports talk, you've no doubt come across FS1's Nick Wright and his First Things First brand. If you elected against doing so recently, consider yourself lucky. One of his recent 'hot takes' will make you want to pull your hair out. Advertisement Nick spent a recent segment blasting Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles. That's nothing new, but the attention grabber was his unveiling of his top ten NFL head coaches. Check his list out: Andy Reid Sean McVay Kyle Shanahan Jim Harbaugh Mike Tomlin Kevin O'Connell Matt LaFleur Pete Carroll Dan Campbell Sean Payton What jumps out at you about this list? Is there anyone notable who is missing? Check out the segment below to fully digest the entire conversation. Lists like these are always subjective, but regardless of how you slice this one, it's confusing. Baltimore swept Pittsburgh last season. John beat his brother Jim Harbaugh when they locked horns during a Super Bowl. Shanahan hasn't won one yet. O'Connell, LaFleur, and Campbell haven't even qualified to lead their teams in football's biggest game. Advertisement While we know lists like these are always subjective. It's hard to understand what Wright was thinking here. This borders on disrespectful. Harbaugh is clearly one of the NFL's ten best coaches, and it isn't close. The challenge flag has been thrown on this one. This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: John Harbaugh is undervalued in Fox Sports' NFL head coach ranking
