Good Morning, Stumpers!

Close to a month after one of the biggest trades in NBA history, Luka Doncic faced off against his former team in his new home! This one had everything! We’ll dissect the game, a WNBA legend retiring, and some NFL Combine quotes as well. Let’s do this thing!

Today’s Rundown

Everything you’ll get in today’s edition, and more:

• 🐐 Women’s basketball GOAT calls it a career after 20 WNBA seasons

• 🎤 Quotes from around day one of the NFL Combine

• 🏀 Luka. Lakers. Mavs. Wow.

• 🎵 Back-to-back days with EPIC throwback tune of the day

On This Day

On This Day…

😲 Cowboys Fire Their Legendary Ball Coach

You don’t often see a team fire a coach who has been the guy for almost 30 years, but then again, not many people are Jerry Jones.

On this day in 1989, the Dallas Cowboys fired Tom Landry. A two-time super bowl champion as the head man in Dallas, Landy held the position for 29 years. He was first hired in (math, math, math) 1960. He turned Dallas from being one of the worst franchises in the NFL to a perennial powerhouse. Dallas was the only place Landry would call home as a head man, amassing a 250-162-6 record in 418 total games.

🧠 Test your sports knowledge…

Yesterday’s Trivia Answer: (C) Klay Thompson. Back in 2015, Klay erupted for a record 37 points in the third quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings. He shot a perfect 13-13 from the field, including 9-9 on three pointers. The nine three in a quarter is an NBA record, and 13 field goals in one quarter tied an NBA record.

Before We Dive In…

👀 Here’s Yesterday’s MUST-See’s

• 🔥 EPIC Keegan Bradley quote about the 2025 Ryder Cup

• 🚨 Ovi is ONE. GOAL. CLOSER.

• 👀 Mavs GM watched Luka warm up in LA

• 🏀 Unbelievable pass from LUKA MAGIC! WOW!

The Hot Stove

WNBA

🐐 Taurasi Leaves Legacy Behind

What to know: The best way to describe Diana Taurasi’s career is by one simple word: winner. Here’s a highlight of her career on the court:

• 3x WNBA Champion

• Retiring as the leading scorer in league history (10,646)

• 5x scoring champ, 11x All-Star, 10x WNBA 1st team

• 6x Olympic Gold Medalist (the only player to ever achieve this, man or woman)

• 3x collegiate national champion at UConn

• 3x FIBA Women’s World Cup

That’s just what she did on the court. But what she did for the game of women’s basketball is so much more. She transcended the sport. For as long as people talk about women’s basketball at any level, Diana will be in the conversation. She was a winner at every level, a passionate player, an even better teammate, and the women’s basketball GOAT.

Growing up a Huskies fan, you always heard the stories of Diana Taurasi, you always saw the epic videos of her celebrating her national championships, and people always talked about what she was accomplishing at the next level. Now, 20 WNBA seasons later, we finally get an opportunity to take a step back, draw a deep breath, and thank her for all she did for the game.

The game of women’s basketball has never been in a better place, and it’s because of trailblazers like Diana that we’re in our current spot. There’s so much more work to be done, and I can’t imagine she’s going anywhere too far.

NBA

🏀 LUKA. LAKERS. MAVS. CINEMA.

What to know: It’s been three and a half weeks since the trade that shook the NBA universe. Today we got to see friends become foes, and it was an absolute masterpiece.

The only thing this one was missing yesterday was Dallas at full health, other than that it had a little bit of everything. It had some pre-game scenes of Luka warming up on the court while Mavs GM Nico Harrison was also in attendance. It had storylines out of the wazoo as well! Not only was this a Luka return, but it was an AD return (inactive but still in the building), it was a Max Christie return, it was another edition of LeBron vs Kyrie, as well as LeBron vs Klay, and we also got to see Jason Kidd try and scheme up defenses against his former superstar.

After the nerves seemed to subside midway through the first, Luka hit back-to-back threes, the second of which warranted a HEALTHY staredown somewhere on the Mavs bench (or maybe a few rows above it…). Luka was vintage Luka this game, ending with a triple-double (19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists). LeBron tacked on 27 and Austin Reeves added 20 of his own. This is one of the best offensive big threes in the league. Austin Reeves is averaging the quietest 19 points in the league!

The Lakers seemed to almost pull away a few times, but it was the veterans in Dallas who wouldn’t let that happen. Kyrie had a game-high 35 points, and after a quiet 6-point first half, Klay Thompson ended up with 22 of his own!

With just under three minutes to go, this was down to a one-possession game. The Lakers would end up getting the win, 107-99. It’s not a matter of if, but just a matter of when this team will be an absolute juggernaut once AD, Gafford, and Lively all come back. Those will be trees that won’t be contained!

Luka and the Lakers won the battle, but that by no means is all this will be. This will be a multi-season, maybe even multi-decade WAR.

It will not be decided based on playoff wins, accolades, or stats. It will be based solely on one thing.

Championships!

Episode 1 of this clash was great, can’t wait to do it again in 6 weeks when they do it in Dallas!

NFL

🏈 Quotes NFL Combine Day 1

What to know: The NFL Combine is maybe the biggest quote factory of the NFL season as head coaches, general managers, and future NFL stars all get a chance to sit in front of a mic and talk to the media. Here are some of our favorites from day one:

🍿 “Ja’Marr’s always going to be our priority. He’s going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league. We’re there. Let’s get it done.” - Duke Tobin, Bengals GM

Well, it’s not like we didn’t think that the Bengals weren’t going to give it their all to get Ja’Marr long-term, but last years franchise tag/holdout situation really raised some eyebrows. Looks like Mr. Tobin and the Bengals are all in, but nothing surprises me anymore until pen is to paper.

👏 “How we left at the end of the season is that he was fired up. I think we left it as he’d be back and were excited to get him back and get him going.” Brett Veach, Chiefs GM talking about Travis Kelce.

So, what you’re saying is… Travis is back?

“We want to create real competition. I think it’s good for the team. I think it’s good for Anthony (Richardson).” - Chris Ballard, Colts GM

Colts GM Chris Ballard did NOT hold back when it came to discussing the future of the franchise at the QB position. It’s not like Anthony Richardson has done anything to say he’s the guy, but it’s always interesting to see how GM’s discuss their guys.

“The fact that it’s [portrayed] as an automatic thing, we work really hard, and our guys are talented at this play, and so it’s a little insulting to say we’re good at it so it’s automatic. We work really hard at it.” - Nick Sirianni, Eagles HC on the tush push

I’m actually with coach on this one. No other teams, aside from maybe the Bills, have figured it out. Even without Jason Kelce at center the Eagles were good at it. So, yeah, the Eagles are good at it. Want to be good at it, too? Practice.

Quick Hitters

• 🥳 Georgia STUMPSETS No. 3 Florida, hold off late comeback

• 👏 Messi, Suraez, lead Inter Miami to home win

• 🤝 49ers officially promote Klay Kubiak to OC

• 🏀 Highest scoring game of NBA Season! Ja on top!

What We’re Watching

🏀 ESPN Double-Header within a 9-game slate!

• ESPN: 76ers @ Knicks (7:00 PM ET), Spurs @ Rockets (9:30 PM ET)

• More to watch: Celtics @ Pistons (7:00 PM ET), Raptors @ Pacers (7:00 PM ET), Hawks @ Heat (7:30 PM ET), Thunder @ Nets (7:30 PM ET)

🏒 3-game NHL night to fulfill your hockey needs:

• Jets @ Senators (7:00 PM ET), Devils @ Avalanche (9:30 PM ET), Canucks @ Kings (10:00 PM ET)

⚾️ SPRING BASEBALL! Yup. It’s here.

• Cardinals vs Yankees (1:05 PM ET), Pirates vs Braves (1:05 PM ET), Rays vs Red Sox (1:05 PM ET), Dodgers vs Brewers (3:10 PM ET), full schedule

🏀 College Basketball ranked action:

• Men’s: (8) Michigan State @ (16) Maryland (6:30 PM ET), Georgetown @ UConn (6:30 PM ET), Notre Dame @ (13) Clemson (7:00 PM ET), Ole Miss @ (1) Auburn (7:00 PM ET), (7) St. John’s @ Butler (9:00 PM ET)

• Women’s: (23) Michigan State @ (12) Ohio State (7:00 PM ET), (2) UCLA @ Wisconsin (8:00 PM ET)

⚽️ International Futbol!

• Spanish Copa del Ray: Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid (3:30 PM ET - Tied 0-0)

• English Premier League: Tottenham vs Manchester City (2:30 PM ET), Liverpool vs NEWCASTLE (3:15 PM ET)

• Coppa Italia: Juventus vs Empoli (3:00 PM ET)

The Moment You’ve Been Waiting For

Can’t thank you enough for sticking to the end of this thing we call The Daily Stump. If you know anybody who might want this bit of daily juice in their life, send them this link, it would go a long way. Appreciate the hell out of you all!

Trees may get chopped. Stumps hold strong 🌴