Miami Swim Week is here and it is already causing a stir.

Hanna and Haley Cavinder, the renowned “Queens of NIL,” are in Miami, diving into the Swim Week festivities with full force, stealing the show with their unique blend of charisma, charm and physical beauty.

The Cavinder Twins, much like Olivia Dunne in the gymnastics world, were not merely spectators at the event.

They took an active role by making their runway debut for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, a prime opportunity they seized in the same way they have every NIL deal the twins have secured during their respective collegiate basketball careers.

Returning for their fifth year of college basketball, the twins showcased their versatility by stepping onto the runway for the first time.

Their return to the University of Miami doesn’t mean they’re slowing down their off-court endeavors.

Instead, they’re reigniting their NIL ventures, promising a farewell tour filled with exciting content, again proving that under the current rules it is more profitable for them to stay in college, rather than declare for the WNBA draft.

From the Court to the Catwalk

The Cavinder Twins didn’t spend a year away from basketball just to halt their growing brand and new business ventures.

Their decision to return to the game comes with a commitment to continue expanding their brand, aiming to help the Hurricanes make another deep NCAA Tournament run. And what better stage to do that than the runway at Miami Swim Week?

Now, with “runway models” added to their resumes, the Cavinder Twins can leverage the prestigious Sports Illustrated Swimsuit brand to further their influence.

It’s a rare feat for college athletes, blending athletic prowess with modeling on such a significant platform.

The Baltimore Orioles are an incredibly deep organization.

Not only do they have stars everywhere on their Major League roster, but they also have the top farm system in baseball with many of those players sitting in Triple-A waiting for their opportunity.

Entering the 2024 season with massive expectations following their surprise year where they won their division and the most games in the American League, the front office decided to be aggressive and trade for Corbin Burnes.

That move has worked out incredibly so far.

Not only is he in the mix for an AL Cy Young award with a 2.35 ERA across his 12 starts, but he also made this rotation one of the best in the MLB with Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez slotted behind him.

The Orioles had plenty of candidates they could choose from to fill out the backend of their rotation, especially with John Means returning from his Tommy John surgery.

Unfortunately, Baltimore was dealt a major blow when it was announced both Means and Tyler Wells are undergoing surgery to repair the UCLs in their throwing arms that will cause them to miss the rest of the year.

All of a sudden, their depth is going to be tested.

That’s why Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report lists the Orioles as one of the top candidates to go out and acquire Miami Marlins ace Jesus Luzardo ahead of the trade deadline.

The left-hander was on the radar of Baltimore during this past offseason as they were looking for an elite starter to slot into the top of their rotation. Ultimately, they pivoted to Burnes, but they could resume trade conversations centered around Luzardo following this news.

Two positives would come from general manager Mike Elias pulling this off.

One, they would land yet another high-end arm that likely gives them the best rotation in the entire sport.

Secondly, Luzardo is under contract through 2026, so they would have a cost-controlled player for multiple years to have as a contingency plan in case they aren’t able to re-sign Burnes in free agency after this season.

However, it’s going to be a hefty asking price to meet, something they found out during the winter.

Reuter thinks it would take a package of Enrique Bradfield Jr., Cade Povich, and Connor Norby to land the ace.

All three of those prospects are ranked inside the Orioles’ Top 10, with Bradfield being the highest at No. 5. This would allow Baltimore to keep Jackson Holliday, Samuel Basallo, Heston Kjerstad, and Coby Mayo which would be a win.

Still, this might be too much for Elias to give up considering he doesn’t normally like to ship out some of his best prospects.

But, if the Orioles are truly serious about being contenders this year and beyond, then landing someone like Luzardo would have them on that path more so than holding onto unproven prospects would.

Inter Miami and St. Louis City played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Chase Stadium, a game that will go down as one of the best of the MLS season to date.

The visitors were never likely to be cowed but they exceeded all expectation with a daring, front-foot display kick-started by a stunning opener from Chris Durkin, spinning to fire home form the edge of the box. Soon after Lionel Messi levelled things with an equally clinical strike on 25 minutes but that was just the start. 

Former Heron Indiana Vassilev nudged his side back ahead with five minutes of the first half remaining. Then it was Miami’s turn as Messi, Jordi Alba and finally Luis Suarez combined in a sweeping attacking move, the Uruguayan finishing coolly at the back post. 

The pace slowed slightly in the second half but St. Louis remained a threat and took a deserved lead on 68 minutes when Suarez nodded into his own net from a corner kick. Inter Miami pushed for a leveller but were frustrated by Roman Burki, who made a string of good saves.

Finally, however, the Herons were level when Jordi Alba latched onto a clever through-ball from Julian Gressel and beat the impressive Burki from close range. 

No farewell victory for Messi as he prepares to leave for Copa America, but fond memories for those who witnessed a six-goal thriller in South Florida.