Home Articles Multimedia Best Work

Anthony Gharib

I am a graduate of the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in journalism with a minor in sports business and management. I am currently an associate editor at ESPN.com on the trending topics team. I spent the 2023 Summer as a sports intern at USA Today. Before USA Today, I was a Sports News Intern at ABC7 Los Angeles from August 2022 to June 2023. My previous reporting contributions were with LakersNation and 247Sports covering USC sports (began in spring 2022 and continued as a contributor before joining ABC7). I also freelanced with the Daily Breeze covering prep sports in Fall 2021. I was the sports editor of USC's independent student newspaper, the Daily Trojan, during the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters.

ESPN •

'The sun always sets': Timberwolves troll Suns after sweep

Brian Windhorst joins "SportsCenter" to explain where the Suns go following a sweep at the hands of the Timberwolves. (1:40)

Windhorst: Suns looking for answers after getting swept (1:40)

As if sweeping the Phoenix Suns on Sunday in the Western Conference first round of the NBA playoffs weren't enough, the Minnesota Timberwolves are throwing more (virtual) punches on social media.

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 40 points -- 31 of which he scored in the second half -- to cap off a 1
ESPN •

Jalen Williams wears eye-catching look before Game 4 of Thunder-Pelicans

Jalen Williams turned heads with his look Monday night as the Oklahoma City Thunder face the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 4.

Williams arrived in an all-black fit that included leather pants and a shirt. But the real eye-catching element was a black headpiece with three rows across his face. Three stripes also run from his head toward his neck.

The outfit looks similar to one a boss in the video game Escape From Tarkov would wear. It also has branding for Adidas, which Williams signed with in 2
ESPN •

'We can't wait': A timeline of the bad blood between Nuggets and Lakers

Nikola Jokic drops 24 points as the Nuggets extend their series lead to 3-0 against the Lakers. (2:10)

There's no love lost between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers as their first-round series continues Saturday night with Game 4 (8:30 EST on ABC).

It's been an entirely one-sided matchup in recent years -- the Nuggets are riding an 11-game win streak against the Lakers. Denver's win streak also includes seven straight in the playoffs, though that total is far from the longest playoff
ESPN •

J.J. McCarthy is latest national champion QB-turned-NFL first-rounder

Multiple quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams was picked No. 1 by the Chicago Bears, while LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye went No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. In the weeks leading up to the draft, a familiar name gained steam in mock drafts: Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

McCarthy is coming off a season where he threw for 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns en route to the Wolverines' first natio
ESPN •

Marvin Harrison Jr., Joe Alt the latest additions to the NFL's father-son club

The Arizona Cardinals select Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. (0:18)

There is no shortage of players in the 2024 NFL draft who come from families with football backgrounds.

Whether it's Luke McCaffrey or Brenden Rice, a handful could have their names called in Detroit.

However, only two players whose fathers were also NFL stars were taken in the first round -- Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Los Angeles Chargers tack
ESPN •

Flight connection: Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze land in Chicago together

Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze went from running into each other on the same flight en route to the NFL draft Tuesday to becoming teammates Thursday.

The Chicago Bears selected Williams as the No. 1 pick then drafted Odunze at No. 9, pairing the two together in the Windy City. Odunze joins a wide receiver room that already has Keenan Allen and DJ Moore, while Williams is tasked with leading the Bears back to the postseason.

Moments after being drafted, Odunze shared his excitement about gettin
ESPN •

'One of one': The inspiration behind Terrion Arnold's 2024 NFL draft suit

Molly McGrath speaks to Terrion Arnold as he shows off his tailor-made suit ahead of the 2024 NFL draft. (0:15)

New Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold arrived at the 2024 NFL draft in style with a salmon skin print suit designed by Tom Marchitelli, also known as "Gentleman's Playbook."

Marchitelli describes the look as "one of one" with special designs on the inside of the jacket, an idea that the former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back came up with himself.

One side of the jacket has
ESPN •

Rams unveil 60-yard turf football field on shore of Hermosa Beach

The Los Angeles Rams appear prepared to make a splash during the 2024 NFL draft, literally and figuratively.

In a partnership with the city of Hermosa Beach, the Rams on Thursday revealed the creation of a 60-yard turf football field on Hermosa's shore, just steps from the water. It was placed on an "interlocking sub-base in the sand" between 10th and 11th streets in Hermosa, according to the Rams' website.

The field will be used for a weeklong series of community efforts. The team is partneri
ESPN •

'Don't let us get one:' Butler pokes fun at Boston after Miami evens series

The Heat torch the Celtics from beyond the arc, hitting 23 treys in a road win to even the series. (2:22)

The Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 111-101 to tie the first round of the Eastern Conference series 1-1, and Jimmy Butler is loving it.

The Heat star trolled the Celtics on Instagram after the game, photoshopping his face on top of Jaylen Brown's in a quote graphic from last season. Brown's quote "don't let us get one" came after Boston went down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference finals
ESPN •

LeBron James meets Jamal Murray at the rim for block, hits ridiculous and-1 in Game 2

LeBron James continues to defy Father Time in his 21st NBA season

The Los Angeles Lakers star stuffed Jamal Murray on a dunk early in the first quarter of Game 2. The Denver Nuggets guard leaped for a one-handed jam but was met at the rim by James, who used his right hand to send the basketball out of bounds.

James proceeded to stare at the Lakers bench after the play as his teammates stared back in disbelief. Lakers great Magic Johnson also reacted to the play.

It wasn't the lone highlight p
ESPN •

Jason Kelce receives wooden replica of Eagles stadium as retirement gift from wife Kylie

Jason Kelce received a special retirement gift from his wife Kylie -- a wooden replica of Lincoln Financial Field, the Philadelphia Eagles' stadium.

The design includes Jason's accolades and jersey number on the bottom with the field featured in the center. It is also placed on a wooden frame that can hang on a wall.

Kylie wrote on her Instagram story Monday that she messaged the designer, Dana Theobald, two years ago, but waited until the right time for the reveal.

"She came up with this bea
ESPN •

'This is so exhausting': The Knicks' season as told by Ben Stiller's social media

Ben Stiller's routine is simple. When the New York Knicks are playing, he clears his schedule and tries to be home.

He doesn't make dinner plans on game nights. Stiller guesses that might be the definition of "being maybe a little too into it." When not sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden, his preference is simply watching the team alone.

"I can then ... shout or scream at the screen or whatever," Stiller told ESPN. "And I find when I'm watching the game in public, I start releasing sou
ESPN •

From 'hydration station' to pizza: Notable home run celebrations of the 2024 season

Elly De La Cruz celebrates in the dugout wearing a viking helmet after hitting a 3-run home run vs. the Angels. (0:32)

Home run celebrations are back in full swing in MLB.

Bat flips and stare-downs are still in style, but home run props are bringing a new spin to the sport.

Some of last season's favorites, like the Seattle Mariners' trident, have returned, while the Baltimore Orioles' "hydration station" is among those that have joined dugouts. Unique celebrations have even gone as far as Dou
ESPN •

'A city like no other': New York Mets unveil City Connect uniforms

The New York Mets unveiled their City Connect uniforms Friday.

The look will debut April 27 against the St. Louis Cardinals and will then be worn for every Saturday home game except Darryl Strawberry's jersey retirement on June 1.

The inspiration of the uniform relates to the "concrete jungle, the strength and grit" that is the fabric of New York and a "city like no other," according to the team's news release. The color of the uniform is also a nod to the concrete jungle.

Andy Goldberg, Mets
ESPN •

Tracking MLB's City Connect uniforms

Uniform changes can be polarizing. Some sports fans like tradition. Others welcome innovation. One thing is certain: They get us talking.

Major League Baseball's City Connect uniforms, which launched in 2021, have done exactly that. Nike has worked with MLB teams to create a uniform that reflects each baseball city's culture and community, similar to the NBA's city jersey series that began in 2017.

There were 20 uniforms released prior to this year, with nine more to be added during the 2024 s
ESPN •

What's on the masks of Stanley Cup playoff goalies? Our guide to all 16 teams

The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs have arrived, meaning playoff beards, handshake lines and goalie masks with unique designs are in the spotlight.

Throughout the 2023-24 season, goaltenders haven't been shy about sporting special looks.

With the franchise in its 100th season, Boston Bruins goalies Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have worn masks to commemorate the mark. Toronto Maple Leafs starter Ilya Samsonov similarly paid homage to franchise legends. New York Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick h
ESPN •

De'Aaron Fox flies in for putback dunk in Warriors-Kings play-in tournament game

With the Sacramento Kings taking on the visiting Golden State Warriors in Tuesday's NBA play-in tournament game, De'Aaron Fox chose a right time to show off his hops.

Early in the first quarter, after teammate Harrison Barnes' layup bounced off the rim, Fox skied toward the basket for a putback slam past Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. The dunk put the Kings up three points with just over eight minutes remaining in the quarter. Fox had eight points in the opening 12 minutes.

The winner betwe
ESPN •

Travis Kelce will host spin-off game show 'Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?'

Travis Kelce has picked up a new gig this offseason.

The Kansas City Chiefs star will be the host of "Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?" a 20-episode spin-off of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" that will premiere on Amazon Prime. No official air date has been announced.

"I grew up loving game shows, and I'm excited to be following in the footsteps of so many TV icons by hosting my very first one with Are you Smarter than a Celebrity," said Kelce in a news release Tuesday. "The original sh
ESPN •

'Love seeing that Gronk spike': Brady reacts to Gronkowski's Red Sox first pitch

Rob Gronkowski's first pitch before the Boston Red Sox game Monday might have been better suited in the end zone.

Wearing a Red Sox jersey with "Gronk" on the back, the former New England Patriots star had a short windup before spiking the baseball into the mound and raising his right fist in the air.

It's a similar spike to what Gronkowski used to do after scoring a touchdown in the NFL. His 93 receiving touchdowns are the third most by a tight end.

The first pitch caught the attention of To
ESPN •

Baltimore Orioles' 'Warehouse Dog' is latest to join new MLB ballpark foods

Major League Baseball is back, marking the beginning of a season that will entertain us for the next seven months.

Fans will once again fill ballparks and consume peanuts and Cracker Jack along with hot dogs sold hot off the grill. However, some teams are heading into the season with food creations that are far bolder than standard ballpark fare.

The Baltimore Orioles debuted an item called the "Warehouse Dog," which is a footlong hot dog that includes horseradish-infused brick sauce, pit beef
ESPN •

Staley takes Paris: Meets with Serena, A'ja Wilson and Sha'Carri Richardson

After coaching the South Carolina Gamecocks to a national title win Sunday, Dawn Staley said she'd next be headed to Disney World.

Instead, she made a detour trip to Paris, meeting up with Serena Williams and Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson on Wednesday.

Staley posted a photo on X of her next to Williams and Wilson, who played for Staley from 2014 to 2018.

She captioned it "There's a GOAT sighting or (twenty) two #iykyk," followed by three emojis.

Staley attended the UEFA Champions League ma
ESPN •

Top trends from the last time a men's NCAA national champion won back-to-back titles

The UConn Huskies won the men's NCAA national championship for the second straight season with a 75-60 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers.

Tristen Newton led the Huskies with 20 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds, becoming the first player to have at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a national championship game since Carmelo Anthony in 2003, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Purdue's Zach Edey had 37 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks in his final collegiate game, joining Bill Wa
ESPN •

Undefeated team, iconic fits: Dawn Staley's notable looks during the 2023-24 season

Raven Johnson picks Caitlin Clark's pocket and makes the layup before the half for South Carolina. (0:26)

Raven Johnson strips Caitlin Clark and gets the layup for South Carolina (0:26)

The No.1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks have dominated opponents en route to an undefeated record -- and coach Dawn Staley has dazzled on the sideline with stylish looks.

Designer brands are the go-to for Staley, who has worn Gucci and Louis Vuitton in multiple games.

That trend continued Sunday against the No
ESPN •

Philadelphia Phillies celebrate the city's rich heritage with City Connect uniforms

The Philadelphia Phillies unveiled their City Connect uniforms Friday -- a modern look that's intended to celebrate the city's rich history, while appealing to a younger audience.

The reveal is the first in a line of nine Major League Baseball teams that will have a new City Connect uniform this season. It will debut on the field on April 12.

"We are excited and honored to be the first team this season to officially unveil our City Connect uniform, which features a new modern design that repre
Load More