In the issue's opening essay, poet, writer and cultural critic Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib notes that heroes are made to be broken. The piece explores what it means to be famous in sports in the social media era, describing this iteration of fame as a "living, breathing thing. A machine that grows and is, in many ways, fed by the athletes themselves." Examining the curse of modern fame, starring Kobe Bryant, Bryce Harper, D'Angelo Russell, Damian Lillard ... and a white Ford Bronco.
ON THE COVER: In "The Secret History of Tiger Woods," senior writer Wright Thompson explores Woods' relationships, career and history-and how the death of his father set a battle raging inside the world's greatest golfer. How he waged that war, through an obsession with the Navy SEALs, is the tale of how Tiger lost his way. To download cover: http://bit.ly/26rIAyB
Issue highlights and features:
Waiting for LeBron
Cavs fan Charles Wakefield's 5-month-old daughter was shot in Cleveland in October, the fourth infant killed by random gunfire in a historically terrible time for gun violence in the city. Hours after it happened, LeBron James tweeted about it, condemning gun violence in Cleveland and elsewhere and then calling for gun restrictions. Then he went silent. Against that backdrop, The Magazine examines LeBron's struggle to embrace activism and establish his cultural legacy under the intense scrutiny his fame engenders. By Eli Saslow
Kobe's final hour: How advice from the King of Pop shaped one of the NBA's most legendary careers
This is the story of how a random phone call in 1997 from Michael Jackson greatly informed and influenced Kobe Bryant's exceptional 20-year career, encouraging him to surround himself only with those at the very highest level of their fields. For the next 19 years, Kobe's reputation as a bad teammate and mentor preceded him, but he did have a circle around him: Kareem, Michael, Larry, Magic. And it all stemmed from a 15-minute call from the King of Pop, who Kobe claims is the most influential mentor he's ever had. By Jackie MacMullan
Digital Dating
What's it like to be an athlete-bachelor in the digital age? It's fun. It's frightening. Welcome to a brave new world of digital-born-and-bred romance where Tinder, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Vine, Snapchat, etc., create romantic connections and, all too often, heaps of drama for a new generation of jocks on the prowl. In interviews with The Mag, some 80 athletes across all sports talk openly about scouring social media for Mr. or Mrs. Right (or Right Now), the tricks to find lasting love (or safe flings) in this emerging trade, and the horror stories that have some athletes itching to get out of the game-or at least the apps. By Sam Alipour
Fame Index
Who is the most famous professional athlete in the world? We set off to find out using data: earnings, endorsements, social platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and Google search interest. Now we present the list of sports' 50 most famous athletes. By Ben Alamar
Photo Act
When boxer Claressa Shields won gold in London in 2012, she thought she would arrive back in the U.S. to attention, sponsorships and media interviews. Instead, she got back to Flint, Michigan, and discovered that not much had changed. As she prepares to return to the Olympics in Rio, she's starting to regain some attention, but with a new knowledge of the reality of Olympic success. By Maya A. Jones
Image courtesy of ESPN
