David Aldridge

Senior Columnist, NBA

David Aldridge is a senior columnist for The Athletic. He has worked for nearly 30 years covering the NBA and other sports for Turner, ESPN, and the Washington Post. In 2016, he received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Legacy Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Why Jimmy Butler is the alpha the 76ers need to pair with Joel Embiid

Philly has the cap space and front-office smarts to make a major move this summer. A reunion with a familiar face could be the way to go

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Thursday’s NBA playoffs takeaways: Bucks, 76ers eliminated as Pacers and Knicks move on

The Athletic Staff149

76ers played the right way, but lost, again, when it mattered most in postseason

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Sunday's NBA playoffs takeaways: Wolves finish sweep, Clippers hold off Mavs, Knicks open lead

The Athletic Staff298

Commanders, starved for a generation, pin their dreams for renewal on Jayden Daniels

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76ers lament 'unacceptable' officiating after blowing golden Game 2 opportunity

"We should be 2 and 0," Joel Embiid said after the loss. "We're gonna win this. ... And we're gonna keep fighting."

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Knicks' unbelievable comeback shocks 76ers: Donte DiVincenzo's dagger clinches Game 2

The 76ers, up five with 47 seconds to go, may have coughed up the series in a matter of seconds.

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Making Stephen Curry 'giddy' is only part of Grant Hill's to-do list for USA Basketball

While Team USA's men's roster is one of the best assembled, there will be tough, real challengers in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Jontay Porter pays the price, as NBA and other leagues play with fire on gambling

On Wednesday, the NBA laid out a devastating case against Porter, the latest example of the danger betting brings to pro and college sports.

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O.J. Simpson saga will forever be tragic intersection of fame, wealth, race, TV and murder

It was an American event that captured and captivated so many. And then we recessed to our neutral corners, believing what we still believe.

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How Ted Leonsis, Muriel Bowser made most of second chance to keep Wizards, Capitals in D.C.

With the franchises ready to go to Virginia, a chance meeting got the ball rolling to keep them in D.C.

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New scene at NBA games: Fans screaming at players about their losing bets

The surge in legalized gambling has impacted American sports in ways thought unimaginable, and players and coaches are caught in the middle.

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Aldridge: Nationals' prospects may get chance to swim quicker than expected

When it comes to Washington's top prospects, is there hope? Certainly. But not certainty.

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Aldridge: The Warriors, behind the eight ball, have road wins in their corner pocket

There's no good reason to think Golden State has much magic left — except its road record, which will be important come playoff time.

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Philly booed James Harden, but the 76ers will only be cheered by Joel Embiid's return

A controversial finish in a one-point loss caused more consternation with the Sixers than Harden's return to Philly.

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Capitals, Wizards to remain at Capital One Arena as Potomac Yard proposal falls through

The mayor of Alexandria said Tuesday that his city will no longer consider a proposal to bring the teams to Potomac Yard.

The Athletic Staff291

Wladimir Klitschko uses his voice for Ukraine as forcefully as he fought for championships

The world has a habit of making us sit up and pay attention. The Ukrainian former heavyweight champ was in D.C. this week to disrupt.

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With Virginia arena deal blocked, Ted Leonsis and Muriel Bowser have a chance to save face

The Owner and The Mayor now have a mulligan to repair what they had a hand in breaking: the good faith of a city. And it can still be fixed.

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As Jordan Poole struggles to find his equilibrium, Wizards hang on for the ride

For the Poole-Wizards partnership to work, both the player and the front office that brought him here will need to raise their games.

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How can the NBA fix the All-Star Game? Our writers share their ideas

Someone has to solve the All-Star Game malaise. So we'll give it a shot.

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NBA's scoring binge requires a small but necessary recalibration to find balance

The NBA is not a broken league or damaged product. But the game feels out of balance. Are there fixes?

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NBA player poll: 2024 All-Stars sound off on best player, team and rule changes they want

The Athletic spoke to 18 players about being Adam Silver for a day, the 65-game awards threshold and more in our All-Star player survey.

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Oscar Robertson, and Indianapolis, deserve center stage during NBA's showcase weekend

"You say Oscar Robertson, you're defining greatness," says Wayne Embry, Robertson's Hall of Fame teammate with the Cincinnati Royals.