Jerry Brewer

Column | The shooting at NFL headquarters raises hard truths, but no easy answers Football didn’t turn Shane Tamura into a murderous gunman, but we need to take some time to wrestle with why he thought it did.

What drives a young man once chasing a football dream to take a rifle to the NFL's doorstep? The truths are hard. The answers aren't easy.

Please read and reflect on today's column:

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Column | Bradley Beal’s contract will soon be gone. But it won’t be forgotten. As Beal works toward a buyout with the Suns, it’s worth looking back at his deal, which he signed as a Wizard, to help ensure such an error never happens again.

As Beal works toward a buyout with the Suns, it’s worth looking back at the deal he signed with the Wizards to help ensure such an error never happens again.

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Column | The American-born NBA superstar is disappearing. Enter Cooper Flagg. Can the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick from Newport, Maine offset the dearth of younger American players capable of dominating the league?

Cooper Flagg enters the league as the new great American hope in an era ruled by international stars.

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social

Column | The breakout star of the NBA playoffs now has a new foe: Scrutiny Tyrese Haliburton needs to step up in the NBA Finals. But he doesn’t need to step out of his body, no matter what the pundits and social media screamers say.

Tyrese Haliburton must do more. He doesn’t need to operate differently, however.

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social

Column | It’s finally time to bid farewell to the ‘face of the NBA’ The new NBA doesn’t want or need a single face anymore, but this transition will be a bit uncomfortable for a league accustomed to superstardom.

The face of the NBA is a title with diminished meaning and murky criteria that punishes candidates as much as it promotes them.

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social

Column | In Seattle, the Thunder’s success reopens wounds never fully healed Seventeen years after the Sonics left town, Oklahoma City’s run to the NBA Finals feels to fans like “they’re making you watch your ex get married.”

Column: On the Sonics ... and the Thunder. Not the Sonics/Thunder! And Seattle's persistent passion to get a team back and continue its NBA story www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Column | Lay it on the line: Foul artists have ruled the NBA playoffs It’s not a magic trick: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson have hacked the system for their benefit.

The NBA playoffs are usually a reckoning for foul merchants. But this year?

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social

Column | The NBA will have another new champion. Get used to it. Owners negotiated a financial system that has brought about a level of parity the league has never experienced

Column: In a conference finals round of wet-behind-the-ears contenders, let us say one final farewell to the Dynasty Era -- the only era that NBA had ever truly known www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Thank you, Tricia! 🙏🏾

Column | As the Mavericks go from broke to fortune, the NBA lottery looks sketchy The league’s draft order process isn’t rigged, but Dallas landing the top pick months after trading a superstar certainly raised eyebrows.

Is the NBA draft lottery rigged? I mean, probably not, but ...

Read today's column here:

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Column | The only agenda targeting Draymond Green is the one he created The Warriors’ star is a lot of things, but he’s not a victim.

Draymond Green is again playing the victim, when he is anything but, writes @jerrybrewer.bsky.social.

Column | The Nuggets might want to stop testing Nikola Jokic’s patience Nikola Jokic has become the most responsible superstar in the NBA, but he deserves a supporting cast worthy of his basketball genius.

Nikola Jokic deserves a Nuggets roster worthy of his basketball genius, writes @jerrybrewer.bsky.social.

I'm so grateful!!! What a day.

Why the ‘Tiger Woods Effect’ failed to reshape the PGA Tour Nearly three decades after Woods’s game-changing Masters win, the tour is still struggling to capitalize on his success to diversify the game.

Nearly three decades after Tiger Woods won the Masters, Black golfers still have a minimal presence on the PGA Tour. I wanted to explore what challenges remain in changing the complexion of golf & what Woods felt his purpose was instead of leading the crusade. wapo.st/4icb7ku

Column | Florida-Houston’s messy ending was the perfect metaphor for college sports Florida-Houston was an uplifting title game. And then it just ended.

From today's column: "It was not the ending that this men’s basketball national championship gamedeserved. But during a capricious time in college athletics, does anything resolve in a clean and fulfilling way?"

Read here:

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Column | Kelvin Sampson is relentless. This Houston program is his masterpiece. The veteran coach has rebuilt the Cougars with grit, substance and character. He just earned his greatest victory in the Final Four against Duke.

Read @jerrybrewer.bsky.social on the game of the tournament, won by Kelvin Sampson's tough, gritty Houston Cougars:

Column | Cooper Flagg is a true freshman in all the best ways Duke’s baby-faced star hasn’t used his time in college as just a gap year on the way to being the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

Cooper Flagg turned 18 just 3½ months ago. He should be attending prom right now, not leading Duke to the Final Four. Yet despite his acne and aw-shucks demeanor, Flagg is the man of the moment.

Read @jerrybrewer.bsky.social:

My column on Cooper Flagg and the value of staying in the moment ...

Column | ‘Nobody controls college basketball:’ How programs build amid anarchy Auburn, Duke, Florida and Houston are an impressive Final Four quartet, but they’ve merely circumvented the sport’s instability.

"Their methods work, for now. They’ll have to build a little differently next time. They’re shooting jumpers at a moving basket."

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social

Column | Maryland’s season is over, but the drama is just getting started It’s time for Kevin Willard to make his choice: Finish the job at Maryland, or wander again?

Maryland and Kevin Willard now face the scariest foe: Tomorrow.

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Column | With one stunning shot, Derik Queen becomes a Maryland legend The freshman star’s buzzer-beater sent the Terps to the Sweet 16 and made him an icon in College Park.

"Who wants the ball?"

"I want the [mutha effin'] ball!"

How Derik Queen -- a nice, playful, extremely gifted kid -- became The Man during a forever moment.

Read column here: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Lovely press row memorial for John Feinstein here at Climate Pledge Arena.

Column | From polarizing to beloved, George Foreman sold us on his authentic self A controversial Olympian, a menacing champ, an ordained minister, a ubiquitous salesman: Foreman lived a quintessentially American life.

A controversial Olympian, a menacing champ, an ordained minister, a ubiquitous salesman: George Foreman lived a quintessentially American life.

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Column | The critics ‘never gave me any grace,’ but Penny Hardaway persisted Through controversy and criticism, Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway keeps going and growing.

Column: On Penny Hardaway, four-mile walks in Maui and keeping the faith along the path from legend to coach www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...

Column | The relentless genius of Rick Pitino The native New Yorker has St. John’s poised for a tournament run. But his life is a complex character study, gripping and raw and full of comebacks.

"Take away the fancy suits, Italian swagger and quick wit. Expose him as a man as flawed as he is brilliant. Force him out of the spotlight. And then watch him come back with a ferocity that supersedes everything else."

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social

Congrats, dude! Excited for your new chapter.

Red Panda: halftime GOAT!

I think the Commanders trading for Deebo Samuel was a solid move, even though he is aging. Shared some thoughts about it here:

Column | Gene Hackman gave us Norman Dale, a basketball coach we can’t forget In “Hoosiers,” Gene Hackman, whose death was announced Thursday, created a man with understated strength, a taskmaster with emotional intelligence and a tormented winner.

The Oscar-winning actor’s portrayal of a small town coach in “Hoosiers” showed us a man with understated strength, a taskmaster with emotional intelligence and a tormented winner.

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Column | Despite his greatness, Luka Doncic needed this wake-up call Luka Doncic was a generational star who became too comfortable in his stardom, and this trade to Los Angeles might be the best thing to happen to him.

On one hand, it’s heaven for him, landing with an organization with a history of amplifying the game’s best players. On the other, he must live up to an exacting standard with the Lakers.

Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social