The return of EA Sports' College Basketball is hard to get excited for

When I first saw the tweet from EA Sports teasing the return of its NCAA Basketball series, I got excited. Like, really excited. So excited I had to ask myself what I was so excited about. Then, I wasn't so excited anymore. Reality sunk in. This game might actually stink.

Before I completely spoil the fun, I'll admit, it's at least fun to think about the return of a college basketball game. It would be the first since NCAA Basketball 10 was released in November 2009 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. That was a really long time ago. I was still in college! Those systems are almost three generations old (talk has already started about a Playstation 6 release). The graphics are so much better now.

The return of the College Football series last summer was such a breath of fresh air. The game wasn't perfect, but it had all the elements of the things we love about college football, which differentiated it from Madden. In theory, the return of NCAA Basketball can have a similar effect, especially with how dramatically different the college basketball landscape is in 2025 due to NIL, relaxed transfer rules and the ability to pay players to appear in the game.

But here's the thing: EA Sports stopped making good basketball games a long time.

That hurts me to say as someone who grew up on the NBA Live series. But the last Live was released in 2018, and I can't tell you if it was any good, because it stopped being worth buying a lot earlier than that. Judging by EA's decision to give up on the series -- just two years into a second attempt to revive it -- it's probably safe to say it wasn't. Or at least, it wasn't good enough to eat into 2K's hold on the NBA gaming market.

In college basketball, there's at least an opportunity for EA to carve out its own space, but that only matters if the game is fun to play. As someone who's soured on even the 2K basketball experience, I have serious doubts it will be.

Which takes me to my other reason for tempered expectations. Unlike college football -- which still churns out players like Heisman winner Travis Hunter -- college basketball doesn't really make stars anymore. The cover athlete for NCAA Basketball 10 was Blake Griffin, who even as a sophomore was marketable enough as the eventual No. 1 pick of the NBA Draft. With the way the biggest hoops stars leave after one year now, who gets you excited in the same way in 2025? I couldn't tell you who'd be a good cover athlete year to year. In fact, the biggest stars might be in the women's game, and it'd be a massive mistake for EA Sports to not just include women's basketball as a side option, but feature it as an equal component of the game.

That makes this an even bigger undertaking than it already is for a company that hasn't touched basketball in a long time, and I ultimately find myself less excited about EA's ability to pull it off. According to a report from Extra Points' Matt Brown, we could find out as soon as 2028-29 season. I hope EA is able to prove me wrong.

The WNBA is expanding

The WNBA is expanding into three new cities by 2030, the league announced Monday, adding teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, pending approval from the WNBA and NBA board of governors. Along with the additions of teams in Toronto and Portland next season, the expansion will bring the league to 18 teams.

WNBA ALL-STARS: Meet your starters for the 2025 All-Star Game

It's especially exciting news for fans in Detroit and Cleveland, because as some will remember, those cities had WNBA teams before. The Detroit Shock won three championships from 1998 to 2009 before moving to Tulsa then eventually becoming the Dallas Wings. The Cleveland Rockers were a playoff team in four of their seven years from 1997 to 2003.

It'd be great to see Detroit and Cleveland simply revive those teams, but if they decide to go in a different direction, we have a few ideas for new names. As for Philadelphia, it'll be the city's first team, and fans already have one local legend in mind to be the coach.

The Nuggets are so back

NBA free agency got underway Monday evening, and the Denver Nuggets are easily one of the early winners. Why? Because they were able to flip the inconsistent Michael Porter Jr. (and his contract) to the Brooklyn Nets for a cheaper and healthier version of the same player, Cameron Johnson.

And that extra cap space allowed them to bring back Bruce Brown, who was integral part of their championship team a few years ago.

Check out FTW's free agency tracker to stay on top of the latest signings and rumors.

WHO'S LEFT? The 15 best remaining free agents after Day 1

Quick Hits: An NFL blockbuster ... Marner trade grades ... and more

• It's not often we get a blockbuster NFL trade in the middle of the summer, but that's exactly what we got Monday when the Dolphins sent Jalen Ramsey (and Jonnu Smith?) to the Steelers for Minkah Fitzpatrick. FTW's Cory Woodroof graded the deal for both teams.
• Yesterday, we talked about how the Maple Leafs could come after Vegas for tampering with Mitch Marner. Well, that won't be necessary. The teams reached a trade agreement, and of course we graded it. Also be sure to check our list of the NHL's best remaining free agents.
• Where there's an All-Star Game starters announcement, there's an All-Star Game snubs list. Yes, there were some notable snubs among the WNBA All-Star starters.
• Aaron Rodgers' "marriage" continues to be the butt of jokes. This time it's his former teammate David Bakhtiari who took a little jab at the quarterback.

Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow.

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