SI.com's 10 most popular stories from the week ending June 26
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.
Lakers embrace the future with D'Angelo Russell
In drafting Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell with the No. 2 overall pick over Duke big man Jalil Okafor, the Lakers joined the NBA's small-ball revolution instead of dipping into the franchise's legendary past. By Lee Jenkins.
Big business with the USWNT
This is a story about sports and trust, about good intentions and unanticipated consequences, about an emerging U.S. star and the ruthless world of big business that now governs the U.S. women's national team. By Grant Wahl.
How mobile apps impact recruiting
Technology has brought college athletics a number of devices, practices, gadgets and formulas to increase performance and efficiency. Recruiting is no exception, and it has made the lives of coaches a lot lighter—literally. By Lindsay Schnell.
Special needs dad: A football life
Over the past decade, Digger O'Brien, an Emmy award-winning producer for NFL Films, has learned to cope with the fact that his autistic son will never love the game the way he does. But in life—just like in football—gameplans often change. By Digger O'Brien.
Albert Pujols on his resurgence
Early this spring, the Angels sensed something different about Albert Pujols. It wasn't that Pujols, their 35-year-old, $24 million-a-year first baseman, was doing new things: It was that he was doing old ones. After an injury spell, Pujols is experiencing a career resurgence. By Ben Reiter
From Congo to the NBA
Robert Beck/SI
From losing his father to living in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the midst of a bloody African war to playing basketball abroad in China, Emmanuel Mudiay's journey to the NBA hasn't been easy. But now, with his brothers by his side, he's ready for the next step. By Chris Mannix
The evolution of film study
Modern film technology has made sharing and studying video easier than ever before. College football programs are adapting to the digital revolution in the film room. By Zac Ellis.
The next Mr. 3000
Alex Rodriguez is the latest player to join the 3,000-hit club. But the wait for the next Mr. 3000 shouldn't be long: In the next four years, we could see as many as four players reach 3,000 hits. By Cliff Corcoran.
The curious case of Sam Bradford's contract
The Eagles had a chance to leverage an extension when they traded for quarterback Sam Bradford, but didn't. What does it mean for the future? By Andrew Brandt.
2015 NBA draft winners and losers
From Karl-Anthony Towns going to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 1 overall pick, to Luka Mitrovic, Mr. Irrelevant, the 2015 NBA draft is officially in the books. See the winners and losers from Thursday night.By Ben Golliver.
SI Vault: Pittsburgh lands Lemieux
In Pittsburgh, the arrival of Mario Lemieuxchanged the course of the Penguins and excited a fan base that often couldn't believe what it was seeing from him on the ice. By E.M. Swift.
