Stephen A. Smith and Malika Andrews are easily the two most famous figures figures at ESPN. Smith has put in the work to become the face of the Worldwide Leader while Malika has gained a ton of attention based on several controversies that has had her go viral online.

The two of them butted heads live on TV about the Ime Udoka scandal, but Smith did not let that situation get in the way of him defending her actions when she caught criticism speaking about a player’s past.

The 28-year-old is known for asking tough questions and bringing up sketchy parts of a player’s past. She took major heat earlier this year for her pre-draft comments on Brandon Miller out of Alabama.

In a recent episode of ‘Podcast P with Paul George”, Smith defended Andrews after she faced severe backlash for her line of reporting:

“She getting crucified leading into the Draft because she’s asking Brandon Miller a question or bringing up somebody’s past. She had an obligation to ask those questions.”

“She did her job. If she doesn’t do her job, she’s off the air. They like what we need you for?” (1:02:27)

 

Although people dislike Andrews for asking tough questions, she is clearly doing her job and her employer seems to love it. Despite the constant backlash that she receives, Andrews never feels the need to explain herself online and simply goes on about her day. That is the best way to handle it.

After a standout freshman season, Alabama basketball freshman Brandon Miller was selected second overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. Miller became the highest-drafted Crimson Tide player since the 1995 draft.

In Charlotte, Miller joins point guard LaMelo Ball to create a fascinating young duo for the franchise to build around. He averaged 18.8 points per game, leading the SEC, and added 8.2 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc.

As far as the controversy surrounding him, Miller reportedly brought a teammate the handgun that was used to kill a woman. Miller brought Darius Miles’ gun to him on the night of the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Jonae Harris, after Miles texted him and asked him to do so.

Investigators wrote in a court document that Miles admitted to providing the gun used in the fatal shooting, but Davis fired the weapon.

Miller has not been charged with a crime.

What Is RAS? Everything You Need To Know About The Draft And Athletic Testing Metrics

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The NFL Draft is one of the most crucial events in football, where teams sift through a pool of talented prospects to shape the future of their franchise. While traditional scouting methods still hold value, modern analytics now play an important role in this evaluation process. Among the many metrics available, Relative Athletic Score (RAS) has emerged as a prominent tool in assessing a prospect’s athleticism.

Developed by Kent Lee Platte, RAS has transformed how scouts and analysts evaluate players’ raw athletic ability, providing insights that go beyond tape and in-game performance. But what exactly is RAS, and why is it so important for NFL teams?

What Is RAS And How Is It Calculated?

RAS stands for Relative Athletic Score, a metric that quantifies a player’s athleticism compared to their peers at the same position. It combines various physical measurements and drill performances from the NFL Combine and Pro Days into a single, standardized score on a scale from 0 to 10. A score of 10 represents elite athleticism, while a score of 5 indicates an average performance.

The algorithm evaluates attributes such as height, weight, arm length, and hand size, alongside combine results like the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, bench press, and shuttle drills. Each individual metric is ranked relative to other players in the same position, allowing for meaningful comparisons. For instance, a wide receiver with a vertical jump in the 95th percentile would score a 9.5 for that specific attribute.