New Orleans Pelicans first-round pick Zion Williamson is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, per a team statement.
Why it matters: Williamson's health and his knees have already proven to be an issue, despite the 6-foot-7, 285-pound forward not having played a regular-season NBA game. The 19-year-old Williamson — one of the highly anticipated rookies to enter the NBA since LeBron James — suffered a right knee sprain earlier this year while playing college basketball at Duke.
The NBA is bracing for a wave of pro-Hong Kong protests during the opening week of its season thanks to the league's showdown with China over free speech, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The big picture: The NBA forbids signs with political messages at games, and most of its arenas have policies in place to eject fans for continued disruptive behavior — but a person familiar with the matter told the WSJ that the league "respects peaceful demonstrations and does not believe they will be a disruptive issue."
Angela Ruggiero, a four-time Olympian and former member of the International Olympic Committee executive board, believes that esports will eventually become part of the Olympic Games.
The state of play: Don't expect gold medals in Fortnite or Overwatch, due to both IOC rules about profit and fears that what's popular in 2020 might no longer be popular in 2024. Instead, she says a nonprofit governing federation might develop its own game for Olympic competition.
The 2019 World Series begins tomorrow night in Houston, with the Astros looking to build on their dynasty while the Nationals attempt to win their first title in franchise history.
The intrigue: After a regular season dominated by juiced baseballs and home runs, this series features historically great starting pitching.
In an effort to expand the pool of potential team buyers, the NFL, NBA and MLB are considering drastic changes to how business is done.
Why it matters: Team valuations have skyrocketed in recent years, creating a dearth of individuals wealthy enough to buy the next teams put up for sale.
A José Altuve walk-off home run sent the Houston Astros to the World Series as the team beat the New York Yankees 6-4 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday night.
The big picture: The victory at Minute Maid Park, Houston, which ended the Yankees' season, means the Astros are heading to the World Series for the second time in three years, the Washington Post notes. The Astros will face the Washington Nationals for the title, starting with Game 1 in Houston on Tuesday, per the New York Times.
