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Kelsey Plum trade to Golden State Valkyries makes too much sense not to happen Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the ValkyriesPlum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching. #Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen

Kelsey Plum trade to Golden State Valkyries makes too much sense not to happen

Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.

The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.

At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.

With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.

Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

#Kelsey #Plum #trade #Golden #State #Valkyries #sense #happen

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Few expansion teams in the modern history of American sports have ever established an identity as quickly and successfully as the Golden State Valkyries. As they debuted in the WNBA last season, the Valkyries immediately became known as a nasty defensive team that shut off the paint, pressured the ball, and got back in transition. It was a formula that helped Golden State punch a ticket to the playoffs, break the league record for most wins by a first-year team, and earn Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors.

The Valkyries’ defense has only gotten better this season, and it’s turned them into one of the best teams in the WNBA. Golden State exits the All-Star break with the W’s second-best record at 19-8, including a recent nine-game winning streak. The Valks are No. 1 in defensive rating, and only the Lynx are within shouting distance.

At this point, the Valkyries are simply too good to settle for being an uplifting story. If they’re really going to compete for a championship, they have to address the other end of the floor. Golden State’s offense is middling, ranking No. 8 out of 15 teams in points per 100 possessions. The best thing you can say about the Valkyries’ offense is they limit turnovers, jack threes, and hit the offensive glass hard. That works for the regular season, but creation is king in the playoffs, and the Valkyries still don’t have a ton of it.

With the Aug. 2 trade deadline looming, the Valkyries have a golden opportunity to load up for a championship run, and there’s one name that makes a ton of sense.

Kelsey Plum is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and she doesn’t intend to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks, according to WNBA insider Annie Costabile. Costabile reports that the Sparks haven’t shopped Plum, but they also can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Los Angeles is sitting at 10-16 on the year, and it sure feels like the only thing left to do this season is tank for JuJu Watkins ahead of the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Plum could be a perfect fit in Golden State. The Sparks will want future draft picks, and the Valkyries have all of theirs moving plus, plus an additional second-round pick from Seattle via the Flau’Jae Johnson trade. Golden State could seemingly send Kaila Charles, Tiffany Hayes, and a first-round pick or two to Los Angeles for Plum. In my mind, that would immediately make Golden State a real threat to win it all.

Why Kelsey Plum is perfect for the Valkyries

Plum has been out for the last month with a soft tissue strain in her left leg. If she can heal from that injury before the end of the regular season, she could give Golden State the halfcourt scoring and playmaking it desperately needs to make a deep playoff run.

Plum dropped 43 points in 37 minutes in an overtime thriller against Phoenix on June 13 in her third-to-last game before the injury that showed the full extent of her brilliance. At age-31, she still has plenty of burst as a ball handler to get into the paint and collapse the opposing defense. Though she’s only 5’8, Plum has always been a very good rim finisher at 64.7% within three-feet, per basketball-reference. She’s money in the short mid-range area too when she can’t get all the way to the rim, with an astounding 48% career field goal percentage from 3-10 feet.

Plum is also one of the league’s better three-point shooters. She’s making 38.3 percent of her triples on 9.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions this year, which is an outstanding blend of both volume and accuracy. She has a super quick trigger on spot-up attempts, which makes her a valuable floor spacer when she doesn’t have the ball.

Golden State has been a terrible two-point scoring team this season, ranking dead last with a 47.8% field goal percentage inside the arc. Plum is making an absurd 63.6% of her twos in a small sample of 12 games this year. Her two-point scoring efficiency had fallen off a bit the previous two seasons, but she’s still good enough to help Golden State majorly in that department. She’s also a natural fit for a team leading the WNBA in three-point attempts this season.

Plum’s playmaking is still really good, too. While Veronica Burton has done an excellent job as Golden State’s de facto point guard this season, Plum is a more natural floor general who brings increased downhill scoring juice, which helps unlock the Valkyries’ drive-and-kick game. Plum has always blended scoring and playmaking at a high level, and that’s exactly what Golden State needs to take the next step offensively.

The issue for Plum has always been defensively. She’ll get targeted on that end because of her lack of length, and she can have issues fighting over a good screen. The Valkyries could insulate her defensively better than anyone, with two defensive monsters in Burton and Gabby Williams on the wings, plus a really good rim protector in Kiah Stokes inside. The Valkyries’ whole defensive system is geared toward shutting off the paint, and they have the bodies to keep Plum out of trouble.

Golden State has the cap space to re-sign Plum in the offseason. Even if they have bigger plans for the winter, Plum would make a lot of sense even as a rental. The championship picture in the W is pretty wide open with Napheesa Collier yet to play a game (though she’s returning soon) and the Aces aging a bit and also lacking depth around A’Ja Wilson.

The Valkyries are already so good that maybe they feel like they don’t need to take a big swing on an iffy defensive player like Plum who doesn’t really fit their identity. It’s just hard to win it all without real balance, and Plum would give Golden State the halfcourt offensive boost it needs to reach another level.

The Sparks already gave up the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft (All-Star Dominque Malonga) to get Plum, but it hasn’t worked out. They can’t afford to lose her for nothing. Golden State feels like the ideal partner with the trade deadline approaching.

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Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026. One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home. After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison. Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad: People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life. But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story. It’s a thank-you letter. I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes. I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention. You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word. For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it. Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from. It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry. You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain. On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way. When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough. Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Belonging. And that sense of belonging changed me. After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own. So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton. It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything. Thank you, Arizona. Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own. Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man. You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football. You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong. Most of all, you gave me a home. With love and gratitude, (signed) Larry Fitzgerald HOF 26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #homePro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.


When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026. One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home. After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison. Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad: People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life. But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story. It’s a thank-you letter. I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes. I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention. You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word. For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it. Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from. It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry. You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain. On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way. When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough. Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Belonging. And that sense of belonging changed me. After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own. So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton. It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything. Thank you, Arizona. Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own. Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man. You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football. You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong. Most of all, you gave me a home. With love and gratitude, (signed) Larry Fitzgerald HOF 26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it. #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8 Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky BhaskerTiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026 #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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