Title: Clapping Hands to Balled Fists: Inside Sami Zayn’s quest for redemption in Montreal
Date: February 15, 2023
Original Source: Sportsnet
Synopsis: Ahead of WWE’s Elimination Chamber event in Montreal, I wrote about Sami Zayn’s resonant character development, wrestling’s hottest angle, and what it means to connect at exactly the right time and place.
Read an excerpt!
Title: Foreword: Wrestling Brain 2021 Year in Review
Date: December 31, 2021
Original Source: Wrestling Brain
Synopsis: I wrote the foreword to the annual pro wrestling year in review from my friends at Wrestling Brain.
Read an excerpt!
Title: Raptors’ Ishmail Wainright is a walking culture-builder: ‘Everyone wants to cheer for a guy like that’
Date: August 25, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Ishmail Wainright, the Raptors hopeful who brings culture with him everywhere he goes. Read an excerpt!
Title: Anas Mahmoud hopes to become Egypt’s first homegrown NBA player with Raptors
Date: August 25, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Anas Mahmoud and his desire to become Egypt’s first homegrown NBA player. Read an excerpt!
Title: Raptors’ Malachi Flynn ready for bigger role after year as understudy to Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet
Date: August 24, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Malachi Flynn’s year learning under Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, and how that got him ready for the opportunity ahead. Read an excerpt!
Title: Wesley Johnson takes first step into coaching career with Raptors 905
Date: August 20, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Wesley Johnson making the transition to coaching with Raptors 905 and why a young coach who can “expose you still” is so valuable. Read an excerpt!
Title: Inside the Raptors’ draft workout Toronto immersion experience: ‘A Territory Of Our Own’
Date: August 6, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about the Raptors’ Toronto immersion room they used to help draft prospects get to know the city from Tampa. Read an excerpt!
Title: Some of your favourite Toronto sports highlights of the last few years? You can thank Kianna Klauck for that
Date: June 28, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Kianna Klauck, one of the key replay operators for the Raptors and Leafs and one of the lone queer/BIPOC women in Canadian sports media. Read an excerpt!
Title: ‘He’s too smart to be in basketball’: How Raptors 905 assistant Eric Khoury turned a Master’s degree into an NBA gig
Date: May 31, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Raptors 905 assistant coach Eric Khoury, who has gone from aerospace engineering and a master’s in experimental fluid dynamics to the precipice of a G League head coaching gig. Read an excerpt!
Title: Alize Johnson carving out fans, a future with Nets: ‘He was not going to shrink’
Date: May 14, 2021
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Alize Johnson finally getting an NBA opportunity, winning fans in Brooklyn, and building a future with the Nets. Read an excerpt!
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 