LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever. The 41-year-old entered the NBA at just 18 years of age and has spent the last 23 years as one of the biggest stars in the league. His sustained excellence at the highest level has been remarkable, while his longevity is unlike anything basketball fans have witnessed before.

The Los Angeles Lakers star has scored more points than any player in NBA history, owns the record for the most consecutive games with a point scored and is a four-time league MVP. Simply put, he has overwhelmed opponents throughout his career and, with his rare blend of power, quickness and athleticism, very few players have found a way to stop him on the hardwood.

That doesn’t mean his career has been without challenges, though. James revealed the toughest defender he ever faced, and it is a name long associated with physicality and defensive excellence.

LeBron James Named Metta Sandiford-Artest as His Best Defender

During an episode of the ‘Mind the Game‘ podcast alongside Steve Nash, a fan asked LeBron and the Hall of Fame point guard to identify the best defenders they had ever competed against. The King wasted little time before selecting Metta Sandiford-Artest. Previously known as Ron Artest and later Metta World Peace, the 45-year-old spent 18 seasons in the NBA and suited up for franchises including the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and Lakers.

He is perhaps best remembered for his stint with the Indiana Pacers, where he captured the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He was also a central figure in the infamous ‘Malice at the Palace’ incident, which involved a confrontation with Detroit Pistons fans. Throughout his career, he became renowned for his toughness, intensity and willingness to do the dirty work on defence.

Speaking about Sandiford-Artest, as quoted by Yahoo! Sports, LeBron said:

Check out the full episode below:

That is certainly significant praise from a player who is widely considered one of the greatest in NBA history. Since being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has spent the majority of his life in the league and gone head-to-head with some of the finest defenders basketball has ever produced.

He has faced the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Gary Payton and Ben Wallace, players widely regarded among the best defenders ever, but it was Sandiford-Artest who left the biggest mark on the Lakers forward. A mark that remains with James even nine years after the former small forward called time on his playing career.

One of the most iconic names in football history is set to have a representative at the 2026 World Cup this summer.

The player in question carved out a professional career very much in his own right, spending his career to date in Spain and putting in work that has earned him international recognition. But it’s his surname, and the man who made it famous, that inevitably draws the attention. This summer, he will have the opportunity to step out of a massive shadow on the biggest stage football has to offer.

What makes his inclusion particularly notable, however, is not simply who he is. It’s how he’s been selected, with his squad inclusion raising more than a few eyebrows.

Zinedine Zidane’s Son Named in World Cup Squad, as One of Four Goalkeepers

As reported by TalkSport, Luca Zidane, son of French football legend and 1998 World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, has been named in Algeria’s 26-man squad for the World Cup by head coach Vladimir Petkovic. The 28-year-old goalkeeper, who plays for LaLiga 2 side Granada, has been selected as one of four goalkeepers in the squad, an unusual decision given that the vast majority of nations travel to a World Cup with no more than three.

Zidane represented France at under-16 level, up to the under-20s, but never earned a senior cap for Les Bleus. He’s been capped six times for Algeria at senior level, qualifying through his Algerian descent. His appearances include matches at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, where he was involved in a mass brawl during Algeria’s 2-0 defeat to Nigeria. His club form has been rather solid, with 26 appearances in La Liga 2 this season, keeping eight clean sheets.

He’ll be joined in the squad by some considerably higher-profile names, including Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri and former Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, while Riyad Mahrez, now at Al Ahli following his departure from City, leads the attacking options.

Algeria’s Prospects, and Their Path Through the World Cup

Algeria and Zidane arrive at the tournament in decent form, having navigated CAF qualification impressively, winning eight of their ten matches and finishing seven points clear of Uganda to progress automatically.

Their group stage draw is a stern one, however. Reigning world champions Argentina await in Group J on the 17th of June, before fixtures against Jordan and Austria. It’s a group that demands Algeria hit the ground running if they are to progress, but should they finish second, a potential last-16 tie against England in Arlington, Texas on the 6th of July could be on the cards, assuming England come through their own group as runners-up and both sides navigate their last-32 ties.

For Luca Zidane, the World Cup represents a chance to write his own chapter and step out of the enormous shadow of his father. The name on the back of his shirt will always invite comparison, but what happens on the pitch this summer is entirely up to him.

Manchester United want to add more firepower to their squad this summer, and they are ready to make a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, according to CaughtOffside.

Man United were the third-highest scorers in the Premier League this season, only scoring two fewer than champions Arsenal, but it appears as though club chiefs want to further boost the frontline next season, especially with the return of Champions League football to Old Trafford.

Much of the talk in recent weeks has been around the new midfielders the Red Devils could add to their squad, with up to three new faces expected to arrive in that position should Manuel Ugarte follow Casemiro through the exit door.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that only something ‘crazy’ will stop United completing a deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson, while they continue to be linked with a host of other midfielders as they look to complete a major rebuild.

Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson is their top target, but a deal is unlikely because of Forest’s transfer fee demands and the fact that the player’s preference would be to join Manchester City instead.

Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes are among their other targets.

Man United Make Dusan Vlahovic Big-Name Target

According to CaughtOffside, United are also ready to complete a ‘major attacking rebuild’ this summer, and they have five strikers on their radar ahead of the transfer window opening on June 15.

While Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen is the ‘dream’ target, they have also identified Juventus centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic as another big-name player on their shortlist.

Benjamin Sesko is currently leading the line at Old Trafford with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo playing back-up, but the club are said to want stronger depth and different profiles alongside the impressive Slovenian.

United are likely to look to replace Joshua Zirkzee in the squad, with the Netherlands international being linked with a move back to Serie A.

Dusan Vlahovic Faces Uncertain Summer

With his contract due to expire at the end of next month, Vlahovic is about to be one of the hottest free agents on the market.

CaughtOffside claim that should his exit from Juventus be confirmed in the coming weeks, then United won’t be alone in their pursuit of the Serbia international.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are also keen on the 26-year-old, who has scored 68 goals in 168 matches for Juve since joining them in 2022.

One of the potential hurdles to any deal for the big striker is his salary, with Vlahovic currently earning around £400,000-a-week at the Allianz Stadium.

He will need to reduce that wage significantly if he wants to secure a move to most clubs in Europe, including United, who are looking to offload more high earners this summer following the departure of Casemiro, with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford also on huge wages at Old Trafford.