LINEUP

NHL PLAYOFFS

56 Alexander Ovechkin

The Capitals' star winger has found a new comfort zone off the ice, and he's soaring on it

BY SARAH KWAK

• Playoff maxims, true or false?

FEATURES

THE GAY ATHLETE

34 Jason Collins

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black and I'm gay. Let the conversation begin

BY JASON COLLINS WITH FRANZ LIDZ

His twin brother's words

41 So Here We Are

Is this how you thought the first gay male player in a major team sport would come out?

BY S.L. PRICE

NFL DRAFT

48 St. Louis Rams

On Day 1, the future of one NFC West climber hinged on a series of gutsy gambles

BY PETER KING

• Geno Smith's long wait

BOOK EXCERPT

62 Red Smith

A new collection of columns shows how the sportswriter became a master of the page

BY DANIEL OKRENT

BONUS

66 Indian Basketball

The NBA has its eyes on the world's largest untapped hoops market

BY PETE THAMEL

DEPARTMENTS

2 Editor's Letter

4 Leading Off

12 The Mail

15 Scorecard

Saving the Sacramento Kings

26 Faces in the Crowd

28 Just My Type

Does EJ Manuel have slow eyes?

BY DAN PATRICK

76 Point After

Life lessons from a union man

BY MICHAEL WEINER

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ON THE COVER: Photograph by Kwaku Alston for Sports Illustrated

PHOTO

EVAN HABEEB/USA TODAY SPORTS