Check out five Fort Worth-area sports stories you might have missed this week
From an AI-powered basketball academy in North Richland Hills to Arlington’s controversial $273 million Cowboys deal, it was a busy week in Fort Worth-area sports. Here are five stories worth catching up on:
• A new kind of basketball school: Deep Water Prep, a basketball academy operating out of Richland Hills, uses AI-driven academics so students spend just two hours a day on core subjects and about four hours training. The school has fewer than 10 students in its inaugural year, but has big plans for growth. Check out Charles Baggarly’s profile of the school.
• Tampering troubles in the transfer portal: Columnist Mac Engel reported on flagrant tampering after TCU lost quarterback Josh Hoover to Indiana and forward David Punch to Texas. TCU athletic director Mike Buddie acknowledged the problem, saying, “We know it’s happening.”
• TCU’s new quarterback showed promise — and inconsistency: Harvard transfer Jaden Craig had an up-and-down spring camp, according to an analysis by Steven Johnson. Craig offers more size and mobility than Josh Hoover but struggled with accuracy, throwing multiple interceptions in the final scrimmage.
• Arlington approved $273 million for the Cowboys — without a public vote: Mac wrote that the Arlington city council passed the 20-year agreement, drawing criticism from residents and former Mayor Richard Greene.
• The Cowboys went defense-heavy in the NFL draft: Dallas made seven picks, including two first-rounders — Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF defensive end Malachi Lawrence. Five of seven selections were defensive players. Our tireless beat writer, Nick Harris, profiled all the new Cowboys.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
