Omar Zahran
@omarzahran.bsky.social
Sports writer on Medium
Staff writer for KnicksFanTV
Host of the Deep Cover Podcast
Lover of sports, tech, and amazing food
Staff writer for KnicksFanTV
Host of the Deep Cover Podcast
Lover of sports, tech, and amazing food
Pinned
Omar Zahran
@omarzahran.bsky.social
· May 1
Deep Cover | Omar Zahran | Substack
Weekly sports analysis that goes beyond hot takes and highlights. Click to read Deep Cover, by Omar Zahran, a Substack publication. Launched 2 months ago.
deepcover.substack.com
Hey everyone.
If you ever want to read my stuff please subscribe to my Substack below. It’s free! And you’ll get a couple rambling sports essays from me every week!
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deepcover.substack.com
If you ever want to read my stuff please subscribe to my Substack below. It’s free! And you’ll get a couple rambling sports essays from me every week!
It would mean the world to me if you subscribed!
deepcover.substack.com
Something that's been concerning for a month or so about KAT is that he seems to have lost some burst when he drives.
I think that's a big reason why he keeps getting called for offensive fouls. Feels like he has to make a sort of style pivot and embrace this new reality for him.
I think that's a big reason why he keeps getting called for offensive fouls. Feels like he has to make a sort of style pivot and embrace this new reality for him.
February 20, 2026 at 3:34 AM
Something that's been concerning for a month or so about KAT is that he seems to have lost some burst when he drives.
I think that's a big reason why he keeps getting called for offensive fouls. Feels like he has to make a sort of style pivot and embrace this new reality for him.
I think that's a big reason why he keeps getting called for offensive fouls. Feels like he has to make a sort of style pivot and embrace this new reality for him.
Something I noticed towards the end of the game tonight was that Jeremy Sochan absolutely annoyed the fuck out of Cade. Just in a pest perspective, Cade was still hitting shots. Might be something to bookmark if these teams meet in the postseason.
February 20, 2026 at 3:18 AM
Something I noticed towards the end of the game tonight was that Jeremy Sochan absolutely annoyed the fuck out of Cade. Just in a pest perspective, Cade was still hitting shots. Might be something to bookmark if these teams meet in the postseason.
Cade Cunningham was magnificent tonight. Got everything look he wanted and got bucket after bucket. Was orchestrating the pick and roll masterfully and showed you why he is a very real MVP candidate.
February 20, 2026 at 3:11 AM
Cade Cunningham was magnificent tonight. Got everything look he wanted and got bucket after bucket. Was orchestrating the pick and roll masterfully and showed you why he is a very real MVP candidate.
Very discouraging loss for the Knicks. Shot was nowhere to be seen most of the night. But the bigger issue was defensively. Repeatedly they lost track of players on the baseline and gave up easy looks at the rim. OG and Bridges completely absent tonight. Terrible look coming out of All Star break.
February 20, 2026 at 3:10 AM
Very discouraging loss for the Knicks. Shot was nowhere to be seen most of the night. But the bigger issue was defensively. Repeatedly they lost track of players on the baseline and gave up easy looks at the rim. OG and Bridges completely absent tonight. Terrible look coming out of All Star break.
Phil Jackson's 40-20 rule has long been a gold standard for contending teams. But in today's era of load management, top-level parity, and three-point variance it is not as foolproof of a metric as it once was. Wrote more about how we gauge title contention in my latest on Medium below!
February 19, 2026 at 8:23 PM
Phil Jackson's 40-20 rule has long been a gold standard for contending teams. But in today's era of load management, top-level parity, and three-point variance it is not as foolproof of a metric as it once was. Wrote more about how we gauge title contention in my latest on Medium below!
Has the dominance of Fanatic created a bit of a fast fashion model in sports apparel? Lauren Teague of FanWagn joined me to discuss the way the market leader in apparel has shifted the calculus of the industry with their various aquisitons of other memorabilia and apparel entities.
February 18, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Has the dominance of Fanatic created a bit of a fast fashion model in sports apparel? Lauren Teague of FanWagn joined me to discuss the way the market leader in apparel has shifted the calculus of the industry with their various aquisitons of other memorabilia and apparel entities.
Today is the first day of Ramadan, and I'm reminded of my first Ramadan after I moved to Jordan.
🧵
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February 17, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Today is the first day of Ramadan, and I'm reminded of my first Ramadan after I moved to Jordan.
🧵
🧵
Sports apparel is often a reflection of our identity and a representation of who we are. Lauren Teague of FanWagn joined me to discuss this and why we love our apparel so much on the latest episode of Deep Cover.
February 17, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Sports apparel is often a reflection of our identity and a representation of who we are. Lauren Teague of FanWagn joined me to discuss this and why we love our apparel so much on the latest episode of Deep Cover.
I just finished watching the "Soul Power" doc about the ABA. And I had a thought.
I wonder why the four teams that made it as part of the merger (Nets, Spurs, Nuggets, Pacers) don't have a few "ABA Nights" every season.
I wonder why the four teams that made it as part of the merger (Nets, Spurs, Nuggets, Pacers) don't have a few "ABA Nights" every season.
February 17, 2026 at 6:30 AM
I just finished watching the "Soul Power" doc about the ABA. And I had a thought.
I wonder why the four teams that made it as part of the merger (Nets, Spurs, Nuggets, Pacers) don't have a few "ABA Nights" every season.
I wonder why the four teams that made it as part of the merger (Nets, Spurs, Nuggets, Pacers) don't have a few "ABA Nights" every season.
Only I would draw a comparison in a piece between early marriages declining in the Millennial generation with the decline of the mid-range jump shot in basketball. I'm a lunatic.
February 17, 2026 at 4:52 AM
Only I would draw a comparison in a piece between early marriages declining in the Millennial generation with the decline of the mid-range jump shot in basketball. I'm a lunatic.
One of my favorite movies is "Thank You For Smoking", it just hits so many notes and I come back to it often. One of the best supporting roles in that movie comes from Robert Duvall". He's so good and is one of the reasons I come back to it. An absolute Hollywood legend and icon, RIP.
February 16, 2026 at 10:58 PM
One of my favorite movies is "Thank You For Smoking", it just hits so many notes and I come back to it often. One of the best supporting roles in that movie comes from Robert Duvall". He's so good and is one of the reasons I come back to it. An absolute Hollywood legend and icon, RIP.
When it comes to creating a new marketplace for sports apparel, it can be difficult attracting both sellers and buyers. Lauren Teague of FanWagn discussed how she and her company approach tackling that problem on the latest episode of the Deep Cover Podcast.
February 16, 2026 at 10:45 PM
When it comes to creating a new marketplace for sports apparel, it can be difficult attracting both sellers and buyers. Lauren Teague of FanWagn discussed how she and her company approach tackling that problem on the latest episode of the Deep Cover Podcast.
As a Palestinian, I took LeBron James' comment at the All-Star Game to be a further indication of the NBA's general inclination to stay silent and largely ignore the pain of Palestinians. Wrote more about what it feels like when a sport you love has indicated that it doesn't care about you. 👇
February 16, 2026 at 10:33 PM
As a Palestinian, I took LeBron James' comment at the All-Star Game to be a further indication of the NBA's general inclination to stay silent and largely ignore the pain of Palestinians. Wrote more about what it feels like when a sport you love has indicated that it doesn't care about you. 👇
We all love our fan gear, but how does sustainability fit into that picture? I talked with Lauren Teague, founder of FanWagn, to discuss how her company approaches making sustainability a core goal in an industry filled with fast fashion and textile waste.
February 15, 2026 at 8:16 PM
We all love our fan gear, but how does sustainability fit into that picture? I talked with Lauren Teague, founder of FanWagn, to discuss how her company approaches making sustainability a core goal in an industry filled with fast fashion and textile waste.
Kevin Durant recently said that he wants to be indicted into the Hall of Fame wearing a Team USA jersey. At first it sounds like a joke, but it is also an incredibly honest one. Wrote more about Durant, the wandering superstar that has never truly found an NBA home in my latest on Medium 👇
February 15, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Kevin Durant recently said that he wants to be indicted into the Hall of Fame wearing a Team USA jersey. At first it sounds like a joke, but it is also an incredibly honest one. Wrote more about Durant, the wandering superstar that has never truly found an NBA home in my latest on Medium 👇
I love when people make comments like this because the jokes on them because I already know my podcast isn't going to blow up 😂
February 15, 2026 at 7:06 PM
I love when people make comments like this because the jokes on them because I already know my podcast isn't going to blow up 😂
This is a really interesting video. I have done the leave the phone in the other room trick and it is amazing to notice how conditioned we are to reach for them at all times of the day. I think a controlled occasional detox is a great idea.
youtu.be/SBnSoDzkQ4A?...
youtu.be/SBnSoDzkQ4A?...
this was the only digital detox that worked
YouTube video by Becca Farsace
youtu.be
February 15, 2026 at 3:06 PM
This is a really interesting video. I have done the leave the phone in the other room trick and it is amazing to notice how conditioned we are to reach for them at all times of the day. I think a controlled occasional detox is a great idea.
youtu.be/SBnSoDzkQ4A?...
youtu.be/SBnSoDzkQ4A?...
Who wins and loses the most with the increase in players being drafted and going back to school? Francis Carlotta joined me on the podcast to discuss.
February 15, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Who wins and loses the most with the increase in players being drafted and going back to school? Francis Carlotta joined me on the podcast to discuss.
Just finished a piece about Kevin Durant that clocked in at about 3900 words. I might be insane.
February 14, 2026 at 5:54 AM
Just finished a piece about Kevin Durant that clocked in at about 3900 words. I might be insane.
My partner and I usually get each other some.snall gifts for Valentine's Day. This year she got me this beauty. A pen that is made with wood sourced from the floor of Madison Square Garden. I cannot tell you all how excited I am about this!
February 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
My partner and I usually get each other some.snall gifts for Valentine's Day. This year she got me this beauty. A pen that is made with wood sourced from the floor of Madison Square Garden. I cannot tell you all how excited I am about this!
New podcast episode!
I'm joined by Lauren Teague from @fanwagn.bsky.social to talk about sports apparel, re-commerce, sustainability, and changing the norm in a massive industry. It was such a fun conversation, check it out below!
open.spotify.com/episode/5AjP...
I'm joined by Lauren Teague from @fanwagn.bsky.social to talk about sports apparel, re-commerce, sustainability, and changing the norm in a massive industry. It was such a fun conversation, check it out below!
open.spotify.com/episode/5AjP...
#100 - The Future of Sports Re-Commerce w/ Lauren Teague (FanWagn)
open.spotify.com
February 13, 2026 at 10:19 PM
New podcast episode!
I'm joined by Lauren Teague from @fanwagn.bsky.social to talk about sports apparel, re-commerce, sustainability, and changing the norm in a massive industry. It was such a fun conversation, check it out below!
open.spotify.com/episode/5AjP...
I'm joined by Lauren Teague from @fanwagn.bsky.social to talk about sports apparel, re-commerce, sustainability, and changing the norm in a massive industry. It was such a fun conversation, check it out below!
open.spotify.com/episode/5AjP...
Has NIL shifted the calculus for a lot of potential draft picks deciding on when to enter the draft? Francis Carlota joins me on the podcast this week to discuss.
February 13, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Has NIL shifted the calculus for a lot of potential draft picks deciding on when to enter the draft? Francis Carlota joins me on the podcast this week to discuss.
Decided to have some steak tonight. Mushroom and garlic white wine reduction on top 🥩
February 13, 2026 at 4:42 AM
Decided to have some steak tonight. Mushroom and garlic white wine reduction on top 🥩
Feel like the Knicks have been very clear with their intention and what they value at this deadline. They move off of Yabusele who had clear defensive limitations. They bring in Jose Alvarado who is a known defensive specialist that has always ranked in the top 10 percentile of steal rate.
February 12, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Feel like the Knicks have been very clear with their intention and what they value at this deadline. They move off of Yabusele who had clear defensive limitations. They bring in Jose Alvarado who is a known defensive specialist that has always ranked in the top 10 percentile of steal rate.
How bad is the trend of pro players coming back to college basketball? Francis Carlota joins me this week on the podcast to discuss the ever changing landscape of college hoops in the current era.
February 12, 2026 at 3:14 PM
How bad is the trend of pro players coming back to college basketball? Francis Carlota joins me this week on the podcast to discuss the ever changing landscape of college hoops in the current era.