Sports Illustrated’s March Issue Features the Gonzaga Bulldogs, College Basketball’s Newest Superpower

The Gonzaga Bulldogs could be the first NCAA Division I men’s team to go undefeated since Indiana in 1976. In the March cover story, senior writer Greg Bishop speaks with coach Mark Few and current and former players about Gonzaga’s rise over the last 21 years, exploring the evolution and persistence it takes to build a national powerhouse. Along with coach Few, the cover features Jalen Suggs, Drew Timme, Corey Kispert and Joel Ayayi.

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Sports Illustrated’s March issue featuring the Gonzaga Bulldogs hits newsstands Feb. 23 (Photo: Business Wire)

The print edition hits newsstands Feb. 23 and feature stories are available to digital subscribers now on SI.com.

The March issue includes features such as:

Power QB: Even for stars, the NFL’s player-movement power dynamic has always heavily favored owners and teams. That has changed quickly in 2021 when, in a matter of seven days in January, three superstar quarterbacks -- Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson and Matthew Stafford -- plotted their next moves from their current teams. Writer Conor Orr answers the question, what will happen to football once the franchise quarterbacks start to roam?

The Ball is Live: For several years now, as home run totals have risen and fallen and risen again, it’s been the biggest mystery in baseball: is MLB juicing the baseball? Senior writer Stephanie Apstein teamed up with astrophysicist Meredith Wills to find out. After some ball smuggling, code-breaking and expert measuring, SI found out: the answer is yes.

These Men Can’t Dunk: Dunking is basketball’s most recognizable, marketable act—and yet even in the NBA, there’s a small subset of players who have never attempted an in-game slam. Contributor Shaker Samman takes a closer look at NBA life below the rim.

The Unlikely Closer: The Lakers’ Alex Caruso is an undrafted former G Leaguer and might be the NBA’s most memeable player. And come crunch time, he might be the league’s best team’s most dangerous player. Caruso feels he’s living the sweet life, and staff writer Rohan Nadkarni talks to him about the winding road that led him here.

Loaded for Bear: New Jersey’s black bear population is booming, creating more opportunities for human interaction. Animal rights groups argue against relaxed hunting laws designed to help control the population, but as contributing writer Brian Burnsed explains, the details of a ghastly bear attack that killed a state park hiker leave the state divided on what to do with its 2,500 black bears.

Other highlights

• Leading Off: At 18 years old, Dusty Henricksen is carving out a niche as one of the world’s best snowboarders. SI snapped photos of Henricksen during a training session on California’s Mammoth Mountain.
• Scorecard: Senior writer Jon Wertheim discusses how YouTube is transforming -- and saving -- boxing.
• Game plan: Deputy editor Mark Bechtel reviews a new Cool Papa Bell biography.
• SI Full Frame: Jeffery Salter looks back at an iconic Serena Williams shoot.
• Newsmakers: Senior writer Pat Forde walks us through how Klete Keller veered from Olympic gold medalist to Capitol insurrectionist.

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