Sports
Commanders hire Bob Myers. Can ex-Warriors GM help Magic Johnson turn franchise around?
Josh Harris and his investment partners coughed up $6.05 billion to purchase the Washington Commanders last summer. The purchase price was a record for a North American sports franchise and the sale was approved by a unanimous vote of NFL owners desperate to rid their exclusive fraternity of the villainous Dan Snyder.
Harris stayed in the shadows while the Commanders stumbled to a 4-13 record and last-place finish in the NFC East. One day after the season ended, however, he pounced, firing coach Ron Rivera on Monday.
He also brought on two new advisors, one of whom seems odd at first blush but makes perfect sense upon examination: Bob Myers.
UCLA’s Bob Myers reaches for a rebound against Oregon State during a game on Feb. 2, 1996. Myers was hired Monday as an advisor to the Washington Commanders.
(Patrick Downs / Los Angeles Times)
Yes, the same Bob Myers who as general manager built the Golden State Warriors into an NBA juggernaut. The same Bob Myers who worked as a sports agent under Arn Tellem. The same Bob Myers who played basketball at UCLA in the 1990s and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated when he lifted teammate Tyus Edney into the air after the point guard’s legendary baseline-to-baseline basket beat Missouri in the 1995 NCAA tournament.
Myers isn’t the first executive with a basketball background to have Harris’ ear — Magic Johnson is part of the Commanders’ ownership group. Clearly, Harris — who also is co-owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils — recognizes that qualities that make a coach or executive successful transcend any particular sport.
Myers and former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman will serve on a committee with Harris, Johnson and two other Commanders co-owners that will “make the best decisions for the franchise,” Harris said in a statement. Top of the agenda will be hiring a general manager and a head coach.
Myers, who is in his first year as an NBA analyst at ESPN after 12 years as Warriors general manager, is a longtime friend of Harris, who according to Bloomberg has a net worth of $8.42 billion.
“In speaking with Josh and his team, it is clear they will do everything it takes to build out a world-class organization — one that can win on the field and make a positive mark in the [D.C., Maryland and Virginia] community,” Myers said in a statement. “This is the type of opportunity that truly inspires me.”
Myers, 48, has long recognized opportunity. He walked on to the UCLA basketball team after a chance meeting on campus with then-assistant coach Steve Lavin. Although he didn’t score a point until the last regular-season game during the championship season, Myers enjoyed the limelight along with the team’s stars, meeting President Clinton, appearing on the “Tonight” show, and parading down Main Street at Disneyland.
By his senior year he was an important cog on the team, and went on to graduate from Loyola Law School while working his way up in Tellem’s SFX agency. He moved to the Wasserman Media Group a decade later and eventually negotiated contracts worth close to $600 million.
After only one year as an assistant general manager with the Warriors, he was promoted to the top job, and by the 2014-15 season he was named NBA executive of the year. The Warriors won their first of four NBA championships under Myers that season.
Now he’ll turn his attention to the NFL, helping Harris attempt to turn around a franchise marred by Snyder’s disastrous ownership and Rivera’s poor record (26-40-1) and the team missing the playoffs for the third straight season.
Myers should align well with Johnson, who explained why he joined the Commanders’ ownership team in an exclusive interview with The Times: “As soon as the Commanders went up for sale, I got that call from Josh. The first thing I said to him, just like I said to Mark Walter of the Dodgers, ‘Do you want to win?’ That’s my No. 1 question to everybody. I want to win. He said yes. And what I love about him is he said he wants me to have a major role.”
The head coaching search has already begun. Washington has requested permission to interview Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and Baltimore Ravens associate head coach Anthony Weaver, according to ESPN and the NFL Network.
“In my experience, championship infrastructure begins with a strong ownership group that prioritizes culture and invests in the industry’s most talented and innovative leaders,” Myers said.
No doubt Myers is one of those leaders in the eyes of Harris.
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An Olympic medalist and 13-time X Games winner suffered serious head injuries after a stunt went wrong.
Nyjah Huston, who won bronze in Paris in 2024, said he suffered a fractured skull and eye socket.
“A harsh reminder how death-defying skating massive rails can be…” Huston wrote in an Instagram post which included a photo of himself in a hospital bed. “Taking it one day at a time. I hope yall had a better new years then me. We live to fight another day.”
Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men’s street prelims during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at La Concorde 3. (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY Sports)
The post also featured Huston being treated by first responders and friends, along with another photo showing a large black-and-blue mark on Huston’s eye.
Numerous skating legends showed their support for Huston, who is considered one of the best skateboarders in the United States today.
Nyjah Huston of Team USA reacts at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
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“Been watching @nyjah grow up into one of the best skaters to ever do it and it amazes me the amount of grit this kid has,” Shaun White shared on his Instagram story, via Pro Football Network. “You got this brother. Heal quick!”
Even Tony Hawk shared well-wishes on Huston’s Instagram post.
“Heavy. Stay strong; we know you’ll be back,” the skateboarding legend wrote.
“Man.. prayers for healing brother!” added Ryan Sheckler.
It is unknown whether Huston was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
Nyjah Huston, of the United States, celebrates during the men’s skateboard street final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Huston has seven gold medals and five silvers in world championships. He has not competed since the 2024 Olympics, but the California native has his eyes set on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
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JuJu Watkins is returning to Sierra Canyon High on Friday, the place where she was a high school basketball All-American.
The school will hold a ceremony retiring her jersey at halftime of the boys’ basketball game between Sierra Canyon and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.
She will be presented with a framed jersey.
Watkins is sitting out this season at USC while recovering from a knee injury.
Sierra Canyon girls’ basketball coach Alicia Komaki said, “She raised our standards, which was hard to do because we had won four state championships. She was an incredibly talented player.”
Watkins was also making a huge impact in the college game until her injury last season during the NCAA playoffs.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Miami beats Ole Miss behind Carson Beck’s game-winning touchdown to reach CFP National Championship Game
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The Miami Hurricanes are heading to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, coming away with a narrow victory over Ole Miss, 31-27, in an all-time postseason contest.
The Hurricanes will now await the winner of the other semifinal between the Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks to see who they will play on Jan. 19. But Miami will do so on their home turf, with the National Championship Game being played at Hard Rock Stadium – the site of their home games.
The game began slowly for both teams, with only Miami getting on the scoreboard in the first quarter with a field goal on their 13-play opening drive. But the fireworks came out from there for the Rebels thanks to the speed of running back Kewan Lacy.
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Charmar Brown of the Miami (FL) Hurricanes celebrates a run in the first quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Steve Limentani/ISI Photos)
On just the second play of the second quarter, Lacy was off to the race, finding a seam and busting out a 73-yard touchdown run to go up 7-3 after the extra point.
But this game was back and forth for quite some time, including the ensuing Hurricanes drive as quarterback Carson Beck led the way on a 15-play touchdown series with a CharMar Brown rushing score from four yards out.
The game was deadlocked at 10 apiece when Beck decided to air it out to Keelan Marion, and it was worth the risk. Marion made the grab for a 52-yard touchdown to help Miami go up 17-13 at halftime.
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The third quarter was an odd one for both squads, as their opening drives resulted in a missed field goal apiece. Then, after Beck threw an interception, the Rebels were able to cut the lead to 17-16 in favor of the Hurricanes heading into the fourth quarter for the ages.
There was no absence of electric plays when it mattered most in the final 15 minutes, as Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss got his team downfield enough to take a 19-17 lead with a field goal.
But the speed of Malachi Toney changed the scoreboard for Miami in the best way possible, as he took a screen 36 yards to the house, capping a four-play, 75-yard answer drive for the Hurricanes right after Ole Miss took the lead.
Trinidad Chambliss of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
With a 24-19 lead and five minutes left to play in the game, Chambliss and the Rebels’ offense had quite enough time to retake the lead. He did just that, finding trusty tight end Dae’Quan Wright for 24 yards to send the Rebels faithful ballistic.
Ole Miss wanted to go for two in hopes of making it a three-point lead, and Chambliss came through again, finding a wide open Caleb Odom for the key score.
It was up to Beck and the Miami offense to keep the game alive with at least tying the game at 27 apiece. On a crucial third-and-10 just inside field goal range, Beck was confident with his pass to Marion to get well within range. Another pass to Marion made it first-and-goal, and it was clear Miami wasn’t trying to force overtime. They wanted to win it all.
How fitting was it that Beck, scanning the field, found a seam to his left and just sprinted for the colored paint to score the game-winner with 18 seconds left.
But things got fascinating at the end, with Ole Miss going 40 yards in just a few seconds to set up a Hail Mary for the win. Chambliss had the space to loft a pass to the end zone, and though it hit off the hand of a teammate, it landed incomplete for the Miami victory.
Carson Beck of the Miami Hurricanes passes the ball against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on Jan. 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
In the box score, Beck was 23-of-37 for 268 yards with his two passing touchdowns and an interception. Marion was a key player in the victory with seven catches for 114 yards, while Mark Fletcher Jr. set the tone in the ground game with 133 yards rushing on 22 carries. Toney also tallied 81 receiving yards for Miami.
For Ole Miss, Chambliss also went 23-of-37 for 277 yards with his touchdown to Wright, who finished with 64 yards on three grabs. De’Zhaun Stribling was five for 77 through the air, while Lacy rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries.
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