📈 Victor Wembanyama, NASCAR, & MLB Payroll

🏀 Wemby Has Arrived in the NBA 

One of the most polarizing prospects from a year ago made his mark on the league in his rookie season, as expected. Standing 7’4” from France, Wembanyama was drafted first by the San Antonio Spurs in 2023. Although the Spurs finished last in the Southwest division this past season, Wembanyama was a bright spot winning NBA Rookie of the Year. He was the sixth unanimous pick to win the award in league history.

Playing Center & Forward, Wemby averaged 21.4 points per game, 10.6 rebounds per game, and 3.6 blocks per games. Besides winning Rookie of the Year, Wembanyama also was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. He is the first player from France to ever win the Rookie of the Year award.

🏁 Kyle Larson wins closest race in NASCAR Cup Series history

In a thrilling showdown at Kansas Speedway, Kyle Larson snatched victory from Chris Buescher by the slimmest margin recorded in NASCAR's history. During the final lap of the race, Larson made a daring move around the outside of Buescher, leading to a neck-and-neck finish. Initially uncertain of the outcome, Larson's victory was confirmed only after officials reviewed a photo finish, which showed him winning by a mere thousandth of a second.

The race not only marked Larson's second win of the season for Hendrick Motorsports but also set a historic precedent with its record-setting close finish. It added a significant highlight to Larson's racing month, as he prepares for the double-header of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend.

⚾ Highs & Lows of Spending in the Bigs

Studying the correlation of spending big + winning so far in 2024, the Astros and Mets are the only two teams out of the top five that currently do not sit at least in a tie for first place in their division. The Guardians and Orioles are defying the argument against high payrolls as both of them currently sit in the lead of their divisions. The Marlins, Pirates, & As sit in third place or below in their respective divisions.

How much is your team and your team’s owner willing to spend? That is the question when it comes to Major League Baseball. Unlike the three other professional sports leagues (NHL, NBA, NFL), MLB does not have a salary cap. Teams can spend money and acquire players as they please. What comes along with no salary cap though, is a luxury tax that each team must pay if they exceed a certain threshold.

"Each year, clubs that exceed a predetermined payroll threshold are subject to a Competitive Balance Tax — which is commonly referred to as a 'luxury tax.'"Those who carry payrolls above that threshold are taxed on each dollar above the threshold, with the tax rate increasing based on the number of consecutive years a club has exceeded the threshold." per MLB.com.