Malika Andrews

it's also like holding people's time hostage yes Anyways, one of the things that I think that was most positive that came out of this entire U.S. Open for me about him was that a reporter called him, quote, sausage Zverev on air.

ESPN's Malika Andrews covered the U.S. Open and tried to use Zverev's nickname Sasha, but mispronounced it on air and called him sausage Zverev.

It was quickly clipped

and spread

around and I'm always going to call him sausage from now on.

I like that.

Malika Andrews was best dressed of the whole tournament.

No question.

Of course, our senior writer, Tim McMahon.

I'm George Adano, in for Malika Andrews.

Taking the place for a little spin today, so it'll be nice.

Look, regular season is coming soon, but first we got the preseason.

So for years ESPN was like, "We'll put, uh, Michelle Beadle and Chauncey Billups and Tracy McGrady.

Oh, no, no, no, oh, let's do, uh, uh, Malika Andrews." They have no idea what's good or t- what's not.

Right.

But they're like, "Everyone loves Inside the NBA." So what do they do? They just buy Inside the NBA.

... set to get underway in just a few hours.

And what about the men? Is it time for an American to hoist the trophy once again? ESPN's Malika Andrews is joining us now.

Malika, good morning to you.

Good morning.

We are sure to be inundated by everything and anything that LeBron James does in Philadelphia, along with weekly, at the very least, speculation about whether or not this will be his last season, accompanied by a list of his career accomplishments, which will no doubt lead to debates over a greatest player ranking.

Malika Andrews of ESPN has already signaled as much, saying that the things that she is most looking forward to are LeBron's appearance at Madison Square Garden on ring night, as if the festivities are more about LeBron than Jalen Brunson and the Knicks ending the city's 53-year NBA title drought, and LeBron's first game in Philly, because he chose to go from Beverly Hills to Philly when most people, according to Malika and Peter Schrager, make the opposite pilgrimage.

The ability to aggrandize everything LeBron does at the four letters truly is impressive.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs on opening night apparently does not compare, according to Andrews, to LeBron in MSG or the Cavs visiting Philly.

But I do think, one, they're going to be a playoff team.

I don't see them being in a playing tournament like Malika Andrews said, barring injury.

But I think they're going to be a good team, and I think Charles believes that too.

Now, in terms of him saying it's because LeBron James is not on the team, maybe he feels like this team is better off without LeBron.

Venus was maybe the best player on the court.

Um, Serena did a, an interview with, uh, Malika Andrews, and we've been playing clips, and it was on Good Morning America the other day, and she just asked her, "You know, are you gonna play singles again in a major?" And she said, "Yeah, I want to.

I'm going to."

Oh my gosh.