Maria Taylor (Photo Courtesy/Maria Taylor/Facebook)
THIS IS EPISODE 132 OF THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST
Maria Taylor is becoming a household name on sports broadcasts. In 2018, the ESPN host and reporter has covered college football’s National Championship game, college basketball, the NFL Draft, the NBA Combine, the NBA Draft and the ESPYS — and it’s only July.
A graduate of the University of Georgia in 2009, Taylor played basketball as well as making All-SEC honors in volleyball for the Lady Bulldogs.
It was also during her time in college that she began to investigate her faith. After joining FCA, Taylor began a journey that culminated in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Her passion to serve the Lord and give back culminated in 2014 with her co-founding the Winning Edge Leadership Academy. The Academy provides a place where college student and young professionals, particularly women and minority leaders, can get professional development to prepare them for the sports business world.
On this episode of the podcast, Taylor shares about her journey to faith, covering her first NBA Draft, what it was like working college football’s National Championship as a Georgia alum, why she wanted to start a leadership academy, and why prayer is the first thing she would do if someone asked her about her faith in Jesus.
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST HOSTED BY SCOTT LINEBRINK & JASON ROMANO, FEATURING MASON MILLER
Mason Miller is the stud closer for the San Diego Padres. He was originally selected by the Oakland A’s in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft after a college career at Division-III Waynesburg University and one year at Division-I Gardner Webb. He made his MLB debut in April 2023, and in 2024 was named to the American League All-Star team. In July 2025 he was traded to the Padres, and in 2026 he was named to Team USA’s World Baseball Classic roster.
Today on the podcast, Mason Miller joins Jason Romano and Scott Linebrink to talk about throwing 104 mph, his newfound stardom, finding identity outside of baseball, growing in his faith, what “Jesus Won” means to him, and the experience of being traded in 2025 from the Athletics to the Padres.
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
From 2012-2016, Harrison Barnes was a key piece of a Golden State Warriors team that went to the postseason four straight years and the NBA Finals twice. He averaged 33.0 minutes, 8.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in the 2015 Finals for the squad that won the world championship.
Now at 34 years old, he’s back in the NBA Finals for the first time in a decade, this time with a new team and a much different role. After starting 52 games during the 2025-26 regular season for the San Antonio Spurs, he’s made no starts this postseason and is averaging 8.5 minutes with no points during the Finals. His role now is more as the wily veteran helping provide leadership to a young Spurs team led by emerging stars like 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama, 21-year-old Stephon Castle and 20-year-old rookie Dylan Harper.
The Spurs are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, and Barnes is grateful to have another crack at winning a title. Though much of the team’s core is young players with the majority of their career still ahead of them, he’s reminding his teammates not to take this opportunity for granted.
“This may be the last time both teams are in the Finals for a while. We have no idea,” Barnes said after shootaround on Friday, via Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.
The Spurs will have to dig out of a 3-1 hole after surrendering a 29-point lead that eventually led to a 107-106 New York Knicks win in Wednesday’s Game 4, the largest comeback in NBA Finals history. If the Spurs are to come back, the leadership from Barnes could be a factor.
His teammates have already noted how valuable his presence is. As they navigate this deep playoff run early in their career, the wisdom provided by someone who’s been there several times is invaluable.
“Shout out to HB,” forward Devin Vassell told the Express-News. “It’s been great for us so far and just his wisdom and his knowledge being in so many different games, Game 7s, championship games, whatever the case may be. He’s been able to just kind of calm us down and just tell us kind of what to expect.”
After a decorated three-year career at North Carolina, Barnes was drafted by the Warriors in 2012 with the No. 7 overall pick and made the All-Rookie Team. He stayed with Golden State through the 2015-16 season, when the Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. He’s since played for the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings before joining the Spurs ahead of the 2024-25 season. His last playoff appearance before this season was in 2023, when he averaged 28.0 minutes and 10.7 points per game for the Kings during a first-round series loss to the Warriors.
Now in his 14th NBA season, the Ames, Iowa, native is relishing the opportunity to play in the Finals once again. He told KCCI in Des Moines, Iowa, that he didn’t expect to be back in the Finals this late in his career.
“There were a lot of years where we were missing the playoffs,” he said. “…To be here this year where we’re in the NBA Finals, it’s a very unique and special situation.”
Earlier this year, he played his 1,000th career NBA game. He said he attributes his longevity to “having a village and day-to-day work and commitment. Obviously, it starts with my faith, but also my wife, Brittany, being the rock for me,” he told KCCI.
Barnes’ faith in God has been central to his life and career, and he’s been open about sharing how important it is. He calls himself a “devout Christian” on his website, lists the Bible verse Acts 4:12 in his X bio, and writes “#IJNIP” (In Jesus’ Name I Play) in his Instagram bio.
“Money, fame, and talent can be the top priorities for most professional athletes, but for Harrison Barnes, it’s his relationship with God that comes first. He is a Christian,” his website says. “Ever since he was young he grew up in the church. His faith has always been a big reason why he plays.
“On the inside of his shoes he has TGBTG, which is ‘To God Be The Glory’ and he just plays for Him. … He just realizes it is not his work, but His.”
Barnes’ faith began to take shape in high school, thanks in part to attendance at retreats, Sunday School and Bible studies. He even led some of those Bible studies.
“I wanted to leave an impact on the school, and I wanted Christ to be represented there,” Barnes told Iowa State Daily in 2009 after committing to play at North Carolina. “So I wanted to start that Bible study just to get a coalition of believers together and also integrate non-believers in there and just have that fellowship.”
He continued later: “I try to make [God] the center of my life and then just have that infiltrate all other spheres, such as glorifying Him on the basketball floor with all the gifts that He’s given me.”
The Spurs and Knicks continue the NBA Finals back in San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Browns LB Carson Schwesinger (center) getting baptized by teammate Daniel Thomas (left) and chaplain Nobles Darby. (Photo courtesy of Lucas Cochran/IG@lucascochranmedia)
Jesus was exalted on Sunday evening at Berea Municipal Pool near Cleveland during an event dubbed “Cleveland for Christ.”
Numerous Browns players and staff members were in attendance, including quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Taylen Green, defensive tackle Mason Graham, and safeties Chris Edmonds and Zion Washington. The event was open to the public as well.
“Cleveland for Christ” is similar to other Christ-centered events that have popped up on college campuses throughout the country, perhaps most notably at Ohio State University just a couple hours’ drive southwest.
“It’s so important to share your testimony,” Thomas told Sunday’s crowd. “I encourage my teammates, anybody around me, because I look at it like this: A lot of people are not going to church, so you might be the only Bible that somebody ever reads. It’s important how we carry ourselves on and off the field.”
Prior to the event, Darby revealed a message he often shares with Browns players.
“I always challenge them and encourage them to leverage their platform to point other people to Jesus Christ,” he said in a promo video, “and this (event) is gonna be an opportunity to do that.
“This event is really rooted in Acts 2:38, where Peter says, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and then you’ll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
At this time last season, neither Campbell nor Thomas were members of the Cleveland Browns; Campbell was traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars part of the way through last season, while Thomas signed a free-agent contract with the Browns in March.
However, Campbell and Thomas were teammates in Jacksonville for four seasons (2021-24), and during the offseason before the 2024-25 campaign, Thomas appeared on the Sports Spectrum Podcast, where he was asked about football and faith in Christ.
He explained that he wants others to come to know Jesus. Along with Darby and Campbell at “Cleveland for Christ,” he created an environment where the glory of God was on full display.
“Having a true relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Thomas said on the podcast. “He’s been there for me in times of need, times where I was in my highs and especially times in my lows.
“… When I have Him, I have everything that I need.”
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST HOSTED BY MATT FORTE, FEATURING MARK MCKENZIE
Mark McKenzie is a defender with Toulouse in France’s top league, and a member of the U.S. men’s national team preparing for the 2026 World Cup. He played college soccer at Wake Forest in 2017, and then turned pro, signing with the Philadelphia Union of MLS in 2018.
Today on the podcast, Mark McKenzie shares his God-story, takes us inside his preparation for the FIFA World Cup, and talks about what it means to represent the U.S. in the biggest soccer tournament in the world. He also shares how soccer became his sport of choice and why he places his identity in Jesus Christ.
