SI.com's 10 most popular stories from the week ending June 12
Here is a roundup of SI.com's 10 most popular stories this week. Be sure to read to the bottom for a bonus story from the SI Vault.
High School AOTM: Hunter Gandee
Courtesy of the Cerebral Palsy Swagger
SI's June High School Athlete of the Month, Bedford High School freshman wrestler Hunter Gandee, walked 57 miles in about 32 hours over three days last weekend while carrying his eight-year-old brother, Braden, who has cerebral palsy, on his back.By Ali Fenwick.
Jerry West still wants to win
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images Sport
Despite being retired from professional basketball for 35 years, former NBA great Jerry West still craves the taste of victory on the hardwood. The lifetime Laker turned executive board member for Golden State, can sense a familiar championship flavor with his new team. By Chris Ballard.
The NFL's early retirement problem
Jeff Lewis/Icon Sportswire
Is the spate of surprising retirements by 49ers players this offseason an outlier or the start of a trend? The league hopes it's the former because it's unprepared to deal with the latter. Plus, thoughts on the NFL's antiquated stance on gambling. By Andrew Brandt.
Remembering the 1985 NBA Finals
Manny Millan for Sports Illustrated
The Celtics and Lakers faced off in the Finals for the second straight year in 1985, with the Lakers out for blood after losing in 1984. This time, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, the Lakers prevailed. By Jack McCullum.
Surviving conference realignment
Cody Duty/AP
Five years after the NCAA football conference realignment talks, former Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe’s work to keep the majority of the league together has kept it from completely falling apart. By Andy Staples.
A Triple Crown at last
Andrew Hancock for Sports Illustrated
It was a bay colt named American Pharoah who finally set everybody free from a 37-year Triple Crown drought.By Tim Layden.
The unbalanced Women's World Cup
Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts via Getty Images
As a result of questionable seeding for the Women's World Cup, some of the World's top teams are on collision courses to meet surprisingly early in the quarterfinals. How did this happen? By Grant Wahl.
The Warriors assistant with a big idea
Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty Images
Nick U'Ren is not a Warriors coach or a scout, but the 28-year-old assistant, whose job usually entails cutting film, offered a lineup change that proved key to Golden State's victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. By Lee Jenkins.
Young sluggers
AP
How six young power hitters — Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton, Joc Pederson, Kris Bryant and Joey Gallo — are ushering in a return of offense. By Tom Verducci.
50 thoughts from the French Open
PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images; KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty Images
50 thoughts from the the 2015 French Open, where Serena Williams won her third title in Paris (20th overall) and No. 8 Stan Wawrinka took down No. 1 Novak Djokovic to win his first French Open title. By Jon Wertheim.
SI Vault: Heaven Help Marge Schott
Bill Frakes/Sports Illustrated
By Rick Reilly.
