22 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
WITH USA BASKETBALL’S TOP STARS SKIPPING
THE FIBA WORLD CUP IN BEIJING, FRESH FACES
WILL LEAD TEAM USA IN ITS LAST BIG TEST
BEFORE THE 2020 OLYMPICS
RED, WHITE AND NEW
FOOTBALL IS US:
THE COLLEGE GAME
Aug. 24 , ESPN
Airing after Miami
plays Florida,
director Jonathan
Hock ’s 90-minute
documentary
celebrates the
150-year history of
college football.
WATCH
THIS IS FOOTBALL
Available now on
Amazon Prime
A six-part
docuseries examines
the unique cultural
power of soccer
around the world,
from Rwanda
to Barcelona’s
Camp Nou.
STREAM
THE STERLING
AFFAIRS
Out Aug. 20 , ESPN.com
A new season of
30 for 30 Podcasts
delves into the 2014
scandal surrounding
ousted Clippers
owner Donald
Sterling.
LISTEN
WATCH
FIBA WORLD CUP
Aug. 31–Sept. 15, ESPN
Although it
doesn’t quite pack
the spectacle of
Olympic competition,
the FIBA World Cup in
Beijing should provide a
welcome appetizer before
NBA training camps
begin in the fall. Yes,
Team USA will be without
several prominent names,
as Anthony Davis, James
Harden and others opted to
rest before the NBA season.
But with Kemba Walker
(26) and Donovan Mitchell
leading a new-look roster,
there’s plenty at stake for
the Americans, most of
whom are making their
senior international debuts.
There’s also star power
across the board, such
as Greece’s Giannis
Antetokounmpo, the
reigning NBA MVP. The
Americans are favored,
but the World Cup isn’t
just about winning a
third straight gold
medal—it’s also a
chance to impress
before Tokyo
2020.
—Jeremy
Woo
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