Brett Chatz

The Toronto Raptors NBA team was founded in 1995, with its arena located at Air Canada Center in the heart of Toronto. This highly talented basketball outfit has performed exceptionally well in the division championships 7 times, including 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. They racked up a conference title in 2019, the same year they won the NBA title.

Alabama Crimson Tide #13 player, Tua Tagovailoa is a quality quarterback. At a height of 6'1" and a weight of 218lbs, this superstar-in-the-making is ready to take the NFL by storm. In 2019, he season stats indicated he managed 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. While certainly not masterclass level, he has the makings of an NFL champion.

To fully appreciate his potential value for the NFL, in his case the Miami Dolphins,  it's worth reflecting on his performances since 2017, when he exploded onto the scene:

NFL is the ultimate league for professional football players. This sport is all about gaining the advantage over the opposition, and that means steamrolling them at every opportunity. Don't let all the protective gear fool you for a second – when a 300-pound athlete stops you dead in your tracks, it's like getting T-boned by a semi on an icy road. Ask any of the NFL players who have been involved in the hardest tackles ever, and they’ll certainly attest to the brute force of these bone-crunching sacks.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is made up of many up-and-coming stars. Most of these players get to fulfil their contracts and go on to do great things in their careers. A small number of players meet a different fate, some through no fault of their own. We often hear of the legends who passed on like Kobe Bryant, John Havlicek, Cal Ramsey, Jo Jo White, Connie Hawkins, and Nate Thurmond. But what of the others?

The NBA draft – one of the most highly anticipated events in the basketball sporting calendar – is also a time of great uncertainty. Legendary teams are pinning their hopes on up-and-coming players, with no guarantee that these signings will pay dividends. Many new players don't show their full potential until they've fully settled in with their team, but some teams simply lose patience and trade these players too early. Would you believe that the now talented Kobe Bryant was one of these players who was traded within days of being signed in 1996. That's right!