It’s late December, and the calendar (the Gregorian one, not the Islamic one) is about to turn over to a new year — which means the time has come for end-of-year lists and rankings.

No need for a long intro here. You’ve seen these before, and you know what they’re about; an opportunity to reflect and reminisce and remind you of the events of the last 12 months, for better or worse. This one is simple: It’s a rundown of the best sports stories, moments, and highlights of 2024, according to me. In no particular order…

Quarterbacks (Almost) Silencing the Haters

It’s not that I dislike quarterbacks; I just developed a distaste for them while spending most of my football-playing days on defense, then added a layer of annoyance with the culture of QB worship I’ve witnessed working in sports media. But I really do appreciate what it takes to play the position. I don’t dismiss the pressure that falls on QBs to be the vocal team leader, face of the franchise, savior of the city, and bearer of most of the blame. Honestly, some of my favorite players are quarterbacks.

That’s why, in 2024, it’s been satisfying to see a handful of QBs that have taken a lot of criticism in recent years flip the script and silence their detractors … at least temporarily.

Lamar Jackson has done just about all he can do to kill the dumb (and often racist) “He’s not a real quarterback” narrative, putting together another MVP-worthy season for the Ravens buoyed by spectacular passing numbers. Russell Wilson has mostly squashed the allegations that he’s washed up, helping lead the Steelers to the playoffs. Sam Darnold has escaped “draft bust” territory, producing a Pro Bowl-type season for the Vikings. Derek Carr even had a redemption arc going for a couple of weeks before the Saints completely fell apart around him. And on the college level, Shedeur Sanders shed the “all sizzle, no steak” label and is now the No. 1 prospect in next year’s NFL draft.

Of course, all it takes is one bad game (or, for Carr, a seven-game losing streak mid-season) and all of that criticism could come storming back. But for most of this year, those aforementioned QBs have changed the conversations around them.

Running Backs are Back

One thing you can’t say about quarterbacks — even the most nitpicked among the paid ranks — is that they’ve been devalued. QBs are taking up increasingly larger chunks of salary caps and NIL budgets, while important players at other positions fight for whatever’s left. Running backs have been hit the hardest in that regard. Not only have ignorant fans and hot-take media types piled onto the idea that RBs are no longer important, but NFL teams were also reflecting that concept in the way they were paying — or not paying — some of the game’s best ball carriers.

But in 2024, running backs regained some respect. Pro Bowl vets Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs were each discarded by their teams (Giants, Titans, Raiders) in the offseason. All three joined new teams (Eagles, Ravens, Packers), and now heading into the final week of the regular season, all three are on pace to finish among the league leaders in rushing yards, all three are playing for legit Super Bowl contenders, and all three got to watch their old teams sink to last place in their respective divisions.

Seattle U Beats U-Dub

I had never seen my college alma mater defeat our cross-town rivals on the basketball court. I wasn’t even sure if Seattle University vs. the University of Washington should be called a “rivalry.” Washington had won 19 consecutive men’s basketball games over Seattle U before this year. The last time SU beat UW was in 1976 — before I was born, and before my parents graduated from high school. Granted, there was a long stretch of years in which SU and UW didn’t play each other, but that was because SU demoted itself from NCAA Division-I status and dropped as far down as the NAIA level. So even if the teams had met, there’s no way my school would’ve had the talent to be competitive.

Even after the Redhawks returned to D-I in 2009, we couldn’t get a W over UW. As hard as SU would try — I remember one time we had to finish the game with four players on the court because so many had fouled out or were injured — we couldn’t overcome UW’s advantages in size and skill.

But then, last year, it was close. Close enough to go to overtime, where Seattle U lost by only one point. It felt like a win could actually be coming this decade, with SU gradually improving as a program (the Redhawks won the postseason CBI tournament in 2024, and are soon leaving the lowly, appropriately named WAC conference for the West Coast Conference) and UW starting to slip as a power-conference force.

This year, Seattle U finally did it. On December 23rd, the Redhawks went into the Huskies’ gym and came out with a 79-70 victory that really wasn’t that close. SU led by as much as 22, and forward Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (23 points, 16 rebounds) outplayed UW’s star big man Great Osobor (19 and 10). The Redhawks won the game despite shooting worse than UW from the field, worse from 3-point range, and getting edged in offensive rebounds.

On paper, it didn’t make sense. Comparing rosters, it shouldn’t have happened. Looking at the records and resumes, it was an anomaly of a result. (Seattle U followed up the big win over UW with a loss at home to Nicholls, and is now 5-9 going into the new year. Washington is 9-4.) But somehow, it happened. And a lot of Seattle U alums like myself got to see something we maybe hadn’t imagined possible.

LeBron Is Clutch in a Couple of Classics

LeBron James has done something great and memorable every year for the last 20-plus. The two that stood out most to me in 2024 were a pair of high-profile games in which he showed that, at 39 years old, he wasn’t too old to take over.

On January 27th in the Bay, the Lakers went to overtime with the Warriors after a fourth quarter in which LeBron had gone scoreless. So you’re thinking he’s running out of gas, right? Wrong. LeBron scored 12 points in the two overtimes, trading buckets in another classic duel with Stephen Curry. With 1.2 seconds left in 2OT and the Lakers down by one, LeBron went to the free throw line with a chance to win it. Even a LeBron fan has to admit that’s a cringe-y scenario, as LeBron has a history of missed free throws in the clutch. This time, though, he calmly knocked them both down. He finished with 36 points (6-for-6 from the line), 20 rebounds, and 12 assists.

On February 28th in L.A., the Lakers were down 19 to the Clippers at the start of the fourth quarter. A few minutes later, and a trio of LeBron 3-pointers later, the lead had shrunk to nine points. Then, LeBron assisted D’Angelo Russell on a 3, hit a banker of his own, made another 3, scored on a putback, and hit another 3. Now it was a two-point game with about 4:30 to go. The Lakers took the lead when LeBron assisted Rui Hachimura on a 3, and extended the lead when he assisted Russell on another 3 with just over a minute left. The Clippers got back within two, but in the final seconds, LeBron forced Kawhi Leonard into a miss and then got a final assist to Cam Reddish on a dunk to put the game away. He finished with 34 points (7 triples), 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks.

You’ll see him here again next year…

The Statues at the Old Staples Center

In October, I was in L.A. for a work trip, and our hotel was walking distance from where the Lakers play. So I made a plan: Put on the only Lakers jersey that I own, get down to the arena early one morning before work — which just happened to be the night after the team’s season opener — and get some up-close time with the statues of Los Angeles legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, and Oscar De La Hoya, among others.

Kraken Comebackin’ vs. Vancouver

Call it recency bias, but the most unexpected rally I witnessed this year was turned in by my Seattle Kraken hockey club. On December 28th, on the road against the Vancouver Canucks, the Kraken were down 4-1 with just under 17 minutes to play in the third period. As the time ticked away, a miracle comeback seemed less and less likely. Then, the miracle materialized.

With 4:45 to go, Jaden Schwartz scored for Seattle to make it 4-2. Still not a big deal; still not much time left. The Kraken were down by two goals with 1:12 remaining before Vince Dunn scored off a turnover. 4-3. Still, though, only a minute and some change left. Schwartz then scored again with 48 seconds to go. Tie game. It goes to overtime.

Two minutes into OT, Dunn gets the puck on a breakaway and scores. Kraken win. Crazy.

King Rico Keeps His Crown

GLORY Kickboxing world heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven hasn’t lost a bout in that promotion since 2012. He won his title in 2014 and has held onto it this whole time. He’s beaten every aging legend, rising star, power striker, technical savant, giant, and quicksilver put in front of him. At 35 years old he doesn’t look unstoppable all the time anymore, and yet … no one’s been able to take that championship belt from him.

On March 9th, Rico took part in the GLORY Heavyweight Grand Prix, an eight-man tournament in which the winner would have to win three fights in one night against some of the best and biggest kickboxers in the world. As the champion, Rico didn’t have to be in this thing; he could’ve watched it play out as a No. 1-contender competition, with the winner getting the next shot at his title. But the champ opted to take on the challenge, and he ended up prevailing. After Rico and Levi Rigters put on a show in the (non-title) tourney final, which Verhoeven won via TKO, it was only a matter of time before they would meet again with the title on the line.

The rematch was on December 7th, and unlike the last time when Rigters entered the ring with a beat-up leg from his previous fights, this time everyone would be fresh and at full strength. Levi put Rico down in the third round, but just like he’d done nine months prior, Rico got up and dropped Levi in return. After five rounds, Rico won via decision. For Verhoeven, it was four fights in one year, three of them on one night, 4-0 and still the king of the hill.

The Raiders Didn’t Tank

I’ve written about tanking for Ummah Sport before; I hate it. Losing on purpose with the goal of getting a higher draft pick just doesn’t sit right with me, from an organizational management level all the way down to a fan level. I’m OK with my team not being good; I’m not OK with my team trying to be bad. And no, you’ll never convince a San Antonio Spurs supporter that tanking to get Victor Wembanyama wasn’t the right thing to do; but think about the many other pro sports franchises that tanked and didn’t wind up with a generational superstar. Better yet, think about the franchises that found its superstars without tanking. Patrick Mahomes and Stephen Curry are living proof that you don’t have to lose on purpose to reach the ultimate goal.

In 2024, the anti-tanking crowd scored a victory when the Atlanta Hawks landed the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. The Hawks have undeniably been trying to win throughout the Trae Young era, almost made the playoffs last season, and lucked out with the lottery balls to get the top pick. (Unfortunately, it happened in a year when everyone agreed that the draft class was weak, and No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher has shown to be solid but a bit underwhelming. It would’ve been great for a team like Atlanta to win the lottery in a year when a highly touted prospect like Zion Williamson or Cooper Flagg was at the top of the board.)

But throughout this NFL season, tanking just will not go away as a topic of debate. Because there are a bunch of bad teams piling up losses who need a franchise quarterback, and only two college quarterbacks that look like first-round picks in next year’s draft, every week it seems tanking is an NFL story line. One of those bad teams is my favorite team, the Las Vegas Raiders. And at one point recently, they were 2-12 and had sole possession of the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.

What bothered me was how many Raiders fans were happy about that. And what bothered me even more happened over the next two weeks, when the Raiders put together two straight wins (over Jacksonville and New Orleans, two teams who might be tanking themselves), and fans were upset that the team was winning. But I was proud of the Raiders for not falling into the trap of trying to lose. That was a highlight of the year for me, a rare positive for a team that’s 4-12 going into the final week of a lost season.

UNLV Football Plants Its Flag

Literal flag-planting was a big story in college football for about a week, after some high-profile rivalry games devolved into brawls when one team would plant its logo flag at midfield on the other team’s logo. But one program figuratively planted its flag over the course of the entire season.

UNLV has historically been one of the worst football programs on the West Coast, but the last two years have been good. Under head coach Barry Odom and offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, the Rebels rolled out a high-scoring unit with a solid defense and suddenly became a Mountain West conference powerhouse. In 2024, UNLV made its second straight trip to the Mountain West championship game, where it lost again to established power Boise State, but ended the season with a school-record 11 wins and its first bowl-game victory since 2000 and its first-ever appearance in the AP Top 25 poll.

Odom and Marrion both left Vegas for bigger head-coaching opportunities after the season, but the foundation has been laid for UNLV to keep things going on an upward trajectory.

Joel Embiid vs. Nikola Jokic, the Occasional Rivalry

I’ve been touting the idea that Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is the best basketball player in the world over the last two or three years — which shouldn’t be too crazy considering that, in that time, he’s led the NBA in scoring twice and won a league MVP while also being considered a great defender and a do-it-all talent from a skills perspective.

But it’s hard to win those arguments when Nikola Jokic exists — the man who plays the same position as Embiid but has won three MVPs and averages nearly a triple-double and actually led his Denver Nuggets to a championship in 2023 while Embiid still hasn’t gotten Philly past the second round of the playoffs.

My saving grace and go-to evidence has been that, whenever Embiid and Jokic meet face-to-face, Embiid is dominant and tends to win the matchup. On January 16th this year, the two 7-footers faced off in Philly, and Embiid delivered the goods: 41 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists while leading the Sixers to a win over the Nuggets, while Jokic produced 25 points, 19 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Thing is, these two don’t matchup often. They’re only scheduled to play each other twice in the regular season, being that one is in the Eastern Conference and one is in the West, and for the last few years, Embiid always seems to miss at least one of those games with some kind of injury or illness. And so the wait in between games is long, but the payoff is worth it when Embiid proves me right. Or at least proves that I’m not crazy.

Pacers-Knicks in a Vintage Game 7

Game 7 of this year’s Eastern Conference semifinal series between New York and Indiana gave us ’90s kids flashbacks of the classic Knicks-Pacers matchups of a past era. And since Reggie Miller was one of my favorite players back then, watching these Pacers bang 3-pointer after 3-pointer as the Madison Square Garden crowd deflated was especially nostalgic and fun. In a blowout win for the Pacers, star guard Tyrese Haliburton hit six 3-pointers, and as a team Indiana made 54 percent from beyond the arc. It was just like old times.

The Rock Rolls Into WrestleMania

Talk about a nostalgia moment. For the first time since 2013, The Rock took a break from making movies and had a proper match at pro wrestling’s Super Bowl, teaming with Roman Reigns against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 of WrestleMania. Of course Rock got the win, and the next night he made another main-event cameo where he had run-ins with John Cena and The Undertaker.

South Carolina’s Undefeated Season

The South Carolina women’s basketball team went undefeated, led by a top-4 WNBA draft pick and one of the three greatest coaches in women’s college basketball history, and yet they couldn’t get out from under the shadow of Caitlin Clark’s polarizing fame. For what it’s worth, the Gamecocks did their part with a decisive victory over Clark’s Iowa team in the national title game. But Kamilla Cardoso, Dawn Staley and Co. were still portrayed as supporting cast in a story for which they should’ve been the stars of the show.

Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul (< Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor)

The spectacle was Tyson-Paul. The fight of the night was Serrano-Taylor, a bloody and brutal brawl between two rivals that ended in a controversial decision. The Tyson-Paul thing was scandalous for all the wrong reasons, but I can say one highlight for me was that brief thrill and optimism when Mike made his ring walk and was introduced before the opening bell. After that? Ugh.

Las Vegas Aviators vs. El Paso Chihuahuas

There was nothing particularly special about this Triple-A baseball game on May 17th, except that it was the first father-son baseball game where I was in the role of father. Not sure if my son will remember it (he wasn’t quite 4 years old at the time), but I’ll never forget it. He’s more likely to remember when I took him to his first Monster Jam show a few months later, as he’s a huge fan of anything with an engine. (I’ll never forget the noise at that one.) But who knows? Maybe we saw a future MLB superstar play that spring night at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Chiefs Win the Super Birthday Bowl

One more sappy one: We had the party for my daughter’s first birthday on Super Bowl Sunday, as we watched the Chiefs beat the Niners in Las Vegas. I’m guessing not many Super Bowl watch parties include princess decor and pink-and-purple cake, but that’s where we are.

MLB Does Right By the Negro Leagues

It’s eye-rolling how, on April 15th every year, Major League Baseball throws itself a big pat-on-the-back party honoring Jackie Robinson, who on that day in 1947 became the first Black player to break the color barrier that had been established by … Major League Baseball. In addition, throughout recent seasons MLB teams will occasionally honor the old Negro Leagues by wearing throwback uniforms that pay homage to the countless Black players who weren’t allowed to don Major League uniforms during their careers.

In May of this year, MLB inarguably did the right thing by officially integrating Negro League statistics into the Major League Baseball record books. Which means that hidden stars like Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige and some 2,300 other Negro Leaguers who played from 1920 to 1948 can get some of their historical due.

Clutch Long Jumps

Long jump is a sport that allows for mistakes and inconsistency. As they say, “All you need is one” to win the event. But there comes a time for every long jumper when you only have one chance to nail one jump. Those clutch performances littered the 2024 season: USC sophomore J.C. Stevenson snatched the NCAA men’s outdoor championship on his sixth and final attempt; Monae’ Nichols qualified for the Olympics on her final jump at the U.S. trials; Malcolm Clemons clinched his spot in the Olympics on his last-chance jump, going from sixth place to second at the U.S. trials; Malaika Mihambo of Germany had to stick her final attempt in the qualifying round at the Olympics to advance to the final, where she ultimately earned a silver medal; and Tara Davis-Woodhall had to make good on her last qualifying attempt at the U.S. trials to advance to the final, where she’d go on to win the trials and eventually secure a gold medal at the Olympics.

Alex Pereira’s Year of Dominance

Kickboxers are my favorite MMA fighters, although in today’s climate it seems competitors who come from a wrestling background are having the most success. UFC Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is holding it down for the strikers, though, as the GLORY Kickboxing Hall of Famer was the most exciting thing going for UFC in 2024.

Pereira went 3-0 this year with three highlight-reel knockouts. He dropped Jamahal Hill with one punch in the UFC 300 pay-per-view main event; he starched Jiri Prochazka with one kick at UFC 303; and he finished Khalil Rountree Jr. with punches at UFC 307. Pereira is currently ranked No. 3 on UFC’s pound-for-pound list, but he might be their No. 1 draw and MVP.

Rodtang’s Year of Chaos

One could reasonably argue that 27-year-old Rodtang Jitmuangnon is the best Muay Thai fighter in the world.

One could more easily argue that Rodtang is the most entertaining, controversial, and polarizing practitioner of the “Art of Eight Limbs.”

Ranked No. 5 in the most recent Combat Press pound-for-pound Muay Thai ranking, Rodtang (who recently converted to Islam) went 2-0 in 2024, putting him just two victories shy of 275 in his professional career. But that doesn’t mean things went smoothly for him. Prior to his November 8th defense of the ONE Championship flyweight Muay Thai title, Rodtang missed the 135-pound weight limit and was stripped of his championship. Rodtang and Jacob Smith still went through with the fight, and had Smith won, he’d be crowned the new champion. Rodtang won pretty comfortably by unanimous decision, though, and the title was left vacant.

It wasn’t the first time Rodtang failed to make weight for a big fight — it wasn’t even the first time in 2024 that he failed to make weight. In June, ahead of his kickboxing bout against Denis Puric at the ONE 167 event, Rodtang came in six pounds over the 135 limit and was docked 25 percent of his pay. As with the Smith bout, Rodtang fought Puric anyway and won by decision.

Missing weight is always a hot-button topic in the fight community, with many believing it’s unprofessional and disrespectful to one’s opponent. Given his history of issues on the scale, on top of his clowning antics in the ring and a general attitude that some view as cocky, Rodtang has turned a lot of people against him, but also has a legion of fans who can’t get enough of him. That dual play was on full display in 2024.

Sting’s Last Match

On March 3rd, at AEW’s Revolution pay-per-view, one of pro wrestling’s all-time greats put on his last great performance in the last match of his career. Just a couple weeks shy of his 65th birthday, Sting teamed with Darby Allin to defeat the Young Bucks in a match for the AEW Tag Team Championships.

This was pro wrestling in all its greatness and all its ridiculousness wrapped in one. Sting was accompanied to the ring by his two sons, who each dressed as former versions of the Sting character (and got involved in the match to help their Dad win). Sting used his trusty baseball bat. He got suplexed through a table, and powerbombed through another table. He got thrown through a pane of glass. He hit all of his signature spots: the Stinger Splash, the Scorpion Death Drop, the Scorpion Death Lock. And the crowd in Greensboro, North Carolina … and the millions watching at home … ate it all up and loved every minute. At least I did.

Longtime pro wrestling podcaster Jason Solomon called it the best farewell/retirement match in the history of the industry, and I think he’s right.

Kyrie Irving’s Heroics During Ramadan

On March 17th, Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving hit an incredible left-handed, buzzer-beating, game-winning shot against the Nuggets. It’s important to point out the left-handed part because Kyrie is not left-handed, and even the greatest NBA players don’t often hit big-time clutch shots with their weakside hand. It’s important to point out the date because it happened during Ramadan, when Irving was fasting in observance of the Muslim holy month.

In the postgame press conference, Irving talked about Islam and basketball:

Jaylen Brown’s Postseason Breakout

At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown had the richest contract in NBA history ($304 million), and a lot of critics who peddled narratives such as he couldn’t dribble with his left hand and he wasn’t good enough to be the second-best player on a championship team.

At the end of the season, Brown — who mocked the “he can’t use his left” crowd during All-Star Weekend by wearing a shiny white glove on his left hand for his final attempt in the Slam Dunk contest — was arguably the best player on a championship team. While Boston’s Jayson Tatum earned first-team All-NBA honors and finished sixth in league MVP voting for the regular season, Brown (who is Muslim) won both the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and the NBA Finals MVP trophies. In Boston’s title-clinching series against the Mavericks, Brown averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in five games.

Mariners’ Make-Believe Postseason Drama

Over the course of 162 regular-season games, no matter how bad your favorite Major League Baseball team is, you’re bound to experience some thrilling victories that have all the tension and drama of the postseason.

My hometown Seattle Mariners fell short of the playoffs again in 2024 (just ONE game away from the last AL wild-card spot), but they provided plenty of those teaser moments: Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena, Mitch Haniger, J.P. Crawford, and Leo Rivas delivered walk-off game-winning hits that I can remember off the top of my head. Mitch Garver had my favorite, a bomb against the Braves on April 29th punctuated with a bat flip that screamed/sighed “FINALLY!” for a guy who’d been in a major slump at the time. (Plot twist: He never really got out of that slump.)

Uzbekistan, a.k.a. Uz-boxing-stan

The Muslim-majority central Asian country is the new international boxing juggernaut — and they’re pretty good in other combat sports as well. The Uzbek men won gold in five of the seven men’s boxing weight classes at the Paris Olympics, headlined by heavyweight thumper Bakhodir Jalolov and flyweight technician Hasanboy Dusmatov. Former boxing powers Cuba and the United States have a lot of catching up to do — or perhaps not, since boxing might not even be part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Uzbekistan also won three medals in judo, two in wrestling, and two in taekwondo at this year’s Olympics.

Other Olympic Triumphs

Too many for stand-alone write-ups, but all of these moments and medalists helped make the Paris Olympics one for the history books:

* Mijain Lopez, making his retirement official on the mat after winning a fifth straight Olympic gold in Greco-Roman wrestling

* Quincy Hall, an improbable comeback in the 400 meters

* The Netherlands’ 4×400 mixed relay team, an even more improbable comeback over the last 400 meters

* Team USA men’s relays, once again owning the 4×400 and once again fumbling the 4×100

* Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, breaking her own world record for the fourth time in the 400-meter hurdles

* Team USA men’s basketball, fighting for its life against Serbia in the semifinals and surviving a tough test from France in the gold-medal game

* Team USA women’s basketball, finally getting a tough test and having to fight for its life against France in the gold-medal game

* Breakdancing, when it wasn’t being made into a mockery, putting on a real showcase for hip-hop culture

* China, winning every gold medal in men’s and women’ diving

* Simone Biles, putting the disappointment of Tokyo 2021 behind her to re-establish herself as the gold standard in gymnastics

* Lasha Talakhadze and Li Wenwen, already the respective men’s and women’s heavyweight world record holders, lifting unfathomable amounts of weight over their heads to claim a little more than one pound of gold

* Noah Lyles, baaarely hanging onto his title as the World’s Fastest Man

* Julien Alfred, overnight celebrity to the global audience after winning the 100-meter dash, instant legend in Saint Lucia after winning the nation’s first-ever Olympic medal