Mixed Martial Arts lost one of its favorite sons, as Stephan Bonnar, died of heart issues at the tender age of 45.

From Hammond, Indiana, Bonnar became a permanent fixture on the MMA scene when he made the Ultimate Fighter 1 Finals, in a unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin.  Despite his loss, Bonnar was so impressive in defeat that Dana White signed him to a UFC contract.

Bonnar went on to have a good career, but was never a champion in the UFC, though he would have many high-prominent fights, including losses to Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Mark Coleman and Anderson Silva.  He retired in 2014 with a record of 15-9.

At UFC 162, Bonnar’s first fight with Griffin was inducted into the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Stephan Bonnar.

If you are a regular visitor at Notinhalloffame.com, you know that we created the Notinhalloffame NBA Cup, where in every regular season game, we award points (5-4-3-2-1) to the top five performers.  This is the third year that we have done this, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic won the first two.

To keep everyone regularly in the loop this time, we have decided to give regular updates, starting at when the first player cracked 120 Points, and tell all of you the top ten.  We will this going forward with every update as the first player breaches the elevated ten-point threshold afterward.

Here is the current top ten, based on the first player to breach 120 Notinhalloffame Cup Points:

1 (Tie). Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets, 121 Points:  31 Games, 30.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 27.0 PER, 5.0 WS.  (#2 on last ranking)

Durant moves back up to the top spot, albeit in a tie, and sure enough, he also shares the most amount of Points (934) with Luka Doncic, though KD has played two more Games.

1 (Tie). Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, 121 Points:  29 Games, 32.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 30.3 PER, 5.3 WS.  (#1 on last ranking)

Doncic remains at the top (though now tied with Durant) and should be considered the top contender for the MVP.  At present, he is second in Points per Game behind Joel Embiid, and is also topping the stat line in VORP (3.6).

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder, 113 Points:  29 Games, 31.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 27.0 PER, 4.5 WS.  (#5 on last ranking)

Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be an All-Star this year, and is shattering last year’s averages, which were already good.  How great will this Canadian be?

4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, 111 Points:  30 Games, 30.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 24.9 PER, 4.4 WS.  (#3 on last ranking)

Tatum continues to get better which should scare the hell out of anybody cheering against the Celtics.  He has never finished a season averaging over 30 Points per Game, and Tatum is over that now.

5.  Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, 110 Points:  26 Games, 31.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 5.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 28.8 PER, 3.7 WS. (#5 on last ranking)

Giannis is back where he belongs in the top five and the two-time MVP’s Bucks look ready to win it all.  He is in the top five in Rebounds and Points per Game.

6. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, 103 Points:  27 Games, 24.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 9.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 32.0 PER, 5.5 WS.  (#10 on last ranking)

The “Joker” is on fire lately, and we know someone wants to get that third Cup!  He is currently leading the NBA in Box Plus/Minus (12.0) and Win Shares (5.5).

7 (Tie). Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, 102 Points:  30 Games, 26.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 19.8 PER, 2.3 WS. (#7 on last ranking)

Brown’s appearance here gives Boston the only team to have two players in the top ten, and he currently has the highest traditional numbers of his career.  

7 (Tie). Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, 102 Points:  26 Games, 30.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 26.7 PER, 4.1 WS. (#4 on last ranking)

Curry is now out with an injury, and will likely be out of the top ten by the next update.

9. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers, 99 Points:  29 Games, 29.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 24.8 PER, 4.9 WS.  (Not on last ranking)

Mitchell returns to the top ten, and more and more it looks like he was the true star of his previous team, Utah.

10.  Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies, 98 Points:  25 Games, 27.0 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 23.8 PER, 2.6 WS. (#10 on last ranking)

Morant is the face of the Grizzles, and he is posting similar numbers from last year, when he took Memphis to the next level.

Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers fell off the top ten.

Our next update will happen after the first player breaches 130 Cup Points.

The MLS Cup occurs each year in the American soccer calendar and sees the winning team of both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals go against one other in the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. It has existed since 1996 and since then has celebrated 15 different winners – here are the clubs that have won the most trophies.

LA Galaxy (5 wins)

Not only have LA Galaxy celebrated the most title wins, but they have also featured in the most finals (9). Despite reaching three finals without success (1996, 1999, and 2001), their first taste of glory came in 2002 with a 1-0 victory over New England Revolution. Another win in 2005 followed before the Galaxy began their so-called ‘dynasty’ categorized by their multiple high-profile players, such as Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and David Beckham.

The Galaxy featured in four finals between 2009 and 2014, winning three of them. Keane scored in their most recent victory in 2014, while at the time his former side Liverpool came within two points of Premier League glory behind Manchester City. Jurgen Klopp’s side was among many bookmakers’ football betting tips to be up there again this season, however, a slow start to the campaign saw them enter the international break sixth in the league. The Reds could certainly do with Keane’s firepower up top, although his two years in Los Angeles beyond 2014 garnered no further trophies, as their last MLS Cup to date remains the 2014 edition.

D.C. United (4 wins)

While just below LA Galaxy in terms of title wins, D.C. United achieved that feat in just five finals. In fact, the inaugural MLS Cup actually featured a final between United and the Galaxy, the latter of whom threw away a two-nil lead before Eddie Pope eventually scored the golden goal to make it 3-2 and D.C. United is the tournament’s first-ever winner. This launched the beginning of a true dynasty in the late nineties and early noughties.

Under the management of American soccer legend Bruce Arena, United featured in each of the first four finals, losing only the 1998 edition. Three MLS Cups formed part of the eight major trophies won by Arena and co. before the turn of the millennium, marking the club’s most prolific period to date. Since then, United returned to celebrate their fourth MLS Cup in 2004, again by a 3-2 margin. The side from the capital has since struggled to replicate that form in the modern day, though, with their most recent major trophy coming in 2013.

Seattle Sounders (2 wins)

There are several teams that place third on this list with two wins to their name. Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, Colombus Crew, and San Jose Earthquakes all boast a duo of titles, however, Seattle Sounders have been the most recently prolific side. The Sounders were only founded in 2007 – some 11 years after the first MLS Cup was formed – and didn’t come close to glory until 2014. Then, they won their first Supporters Shield, two years later playing in their first MLS Cup final.

The Sounders duly won that match on penalties against Toronto, before playing in three more finals between then and the present day (2017, 2019, and 2020). Their second taste of success came in the 2019 edition in what was a rematch of 2016 final. This time, goals from Kelvin Leerdam, Victor Rodriguez, and Raul Ruidiaz helped the Sounders to a 3-1 victory over their Canadian counterparts in regulation time. However, they then fell to a 3-0 defeat the following year to Columbus Crew, which is their most recent MLS Cup final to date.

As American football continues to grow, the competitive nature of the MLS Cup is steadily increasing. This is reflected in the high number of diverse winners, which is seeing the dynasties of the early years coming to an end. The glory is now shared between a wide selection of impressive sides, the most recent being Gareth Bale’s Los Angeles FC in November 2022.

The Naismith Basketball released their preliminary nominees for the Class of 2023, which contains candidates from six different categories.  The Finalists will be released on NBA All-Star Weekend, on Friday, February 17.  The Class will be announced during the Final Four on April 1.

Here is the list of nominees: 

*Indicates first time nominee.

NORTH AMERICAN NOMINATIONS:

Ken Anderson (Coach)

John Beilein (Coach*)

Gene Bess (Coach)

Chauncey Billups (Player) Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com

Tom Chambers (Player) Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com

John Clougherty (Referee)

Michael Cooper (Player) Ranked #28 on Notinhalloffame.com

Joey Crawford (Referee)

Jack Curran (Coach)

Mark Eaton (Player) Ranked #32 on Notinhalloffame.com

Cliff Ellis (Coach)

Michael Finlay (Player) Ranked #59 on Notinhalloffame.com

Pau Gasol (Player*) Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com

Leonard Hamilton (Coach)

Lou Henson (Coach)

Ed Hightower (Referee)

David Hixon (Coach)

Mark Jackson (Player) Ranked #67 on Notinhalloffame.com

Marques Johnson (Player) Ranked #14 on Notinhalloffame.com

Gene Keady (Coach)

Jim Larranaga (Coach*)

Maurice Lucas (Player) Ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com

Shawn Marion (Player) Ranked #18 on Notinhalloffame.com

Rollie Massimino (Coach)

Dick Motta (Coach)

Dirk Nowitzki (Player*) Ranked #1 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jake O’Donnell (Referee)

Tony Parker (Player*) Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jim Phelan (Coach)

Gregg Popovich (Coach*)

Bo Ryan (Coach)

Stan Spirou (Coach*)

Reggie Theus (Player) Ranked #70 on Notinhalloffame.com

Dwyane Wade (Player*) Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com

Buck Williams (Player) Ranked #9 on Notinhalloffame.com

John Williamson (Player)

Paul Westphal (Coach)

WOMEN’S NOMINATIONS:

Leta Andrews (Coach)

Jennifer Azzi (Player)

Gary Blair (Coach)

Doug Bruno (Coach*)

Becky Hammon (Player)

Becky Martin (Coach)

Debbie Miller-Palmore (Player)

Kim Mulkey (Player)

Valerie Still (Player)

Marian Washington (Coach)

INTERNATIONAL DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

Jackie Chazalon

Mirza Delibasic

Dusan Ivkovic

Semen Khalipski

Vladimir Kondrashin

Eduardo Lamas

Marcos Leite

Shimon Mirrabi

Amaury Pasos

Manuel Sainz

Togo Soares

Ranko Zerzvica

WOMEN’S VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

1976 U.S. Olympic Team (Team*)

1982 Cheyney University NCAA Final Four Team (Team*)

Alline Banks Sprouse (Player)

Edmonton Commercial Grads (Team)

John Head (Coach)

Yolanda Laney (Player*)

Nashville Business College (Team)

Lorneta Odom (Player)

Hanley Redin (Coach)

Hazel Walker (Player)

Valerie Walker (Player*)

Dean Weese (Coach*)

CONTRIBUTOR DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

Pete Babcock

Dick Baumgartner

Henry Bibby

Marty Blake

Vic Bubas

Doug Collins

Wayne Duke

Bill Foster

Bob Gibbons

Simon Gourdine

Tim Grgurich

Junius Kellogg

Johnny “Red” Kerr

Tom Konchalski

Bobby Lewis

Fred McCall

Jack McCloskey

Jon McGlocklin

Speedy Morris

Dennis Murphy

Curly Neal

Jack Powers

Will Robinson

Gene Shue

Jim Valvano

Donnie Walsh

VETERANS DIRECT-ELECT NOMINATIONS:

1936 U.S. Olympic Team (Team)

1972 U.S. Olympic Team (Team)

Dick Barnett (Player) Ranked #61 on Notinhalloffame.com

Tom Blackburn (Coach)

Sid Borgia (Referee)

Charles Brown (Player)

Freddie Brown (Player*) Ranked #63 on Notinhalloffame.com

Jack Coleman (Player)

Charles Eckman (Referee)

Leroy Edwards (Player)

Lou Ferris (Contributor)

Hy Gotkin (Player)

Travis Grant (Player)

Jack Hartman (Coach)

Cam Henderson (Coach)

Robert Hopkins (Player)

Charles Keinath (Player)

Greg Kelser (Player*)

Kentucky Wesleyan 1966, 1968 & 1969 (Team)

Bob Love (Player) Ranked #52 on Notinhalloffame.com

Loyola of Chicago (Team)

Billy Markward (Contributor)

Ed McCluskey (Coach)

Jack McKinney (Contributor)

Bill Melchionni (Player*)

Francis Meehan (Player)

Lucias Mitchell (Coach)

Donald “Dudley” Moore (Coach)

Joe Mulaney (Coach)

Willie Naulls (Player) Ranked #45 on Notinhalloffame.com

North Catholic High School Junior Varsity (Philadelphia) (Team)

Don Otten (Player*)

Philadelphia SPHAS (Team)

Kevin Porter (Player*)

Glenn Roberts (Player)

Lennie Rosenbluth (Player)

Kenny Sailors (Player)

Fred Schaus (Contributor)

Sam Schulman (Contributor)

Paul Silas (Player) Ranked #26 on Notinhalloffame.com

Dick Van Arsdale (Player)

Tom Van Arsdale (Player)

Lambert Will (Cobtributor)

Max Zaslofsky (Player) Ranked #4 on Notinhalloffame.com