A’ja Wilson, ‘Sinners,’ Shedeur Sanders and more. Here’s our favorite sports and pop culture moments from 2025

Somehow, 2025 has felt like the slowest drag ever and a year that disappeared in the blink of an eye. It’s been a year, and feel free to take that however best applies to your life. That said, in the worlds of sports and pop culture, it’s been a time we won’t soon forget.

That’s why we’re here: to recap the year and what made us laugh, cry, think and debate. As a teaser, get used to seeing, reading, and hearing a lot from the three of us in 2026, cuz we’ve got something in store. Trust us. This isn’t even the appetizer. So stay tuned. 

Here are our 2025 faves. 

Shelia Matthews

Angel Reese and “Mebounds” flip the script

The internet is loud, opinionated, and rarely original. So when a nickname meant to critique a person starts trending, the usual playbook is to ignore it or fight it. “Mebounds,” a term coined by online critics to downplay Angel Reese’s historic rebounding stats by suggesting she only grabs her own misses, was supposed to be a punchline. Reese, who plays for the Chicago Sky, chose a third option: capitalize.

Instead of getting defensive or disappearing, Reese did what the girls who really get it do. She owned it. Trademarked it. Monetized it. And reframed the moment on her own terms. What started as timeline chatter quickly became merch, money, and another reminder that Angel Reese understands the business just as well as the game.

She took in the moment, fixed her crown, and kept it moving. Very cutesy, very confident, very much in her bag. 

Coco Gauff makes history in Paris

There are champions, and then there are champions who make winning look fun. Coco Gauff’s first French Open title felt like more than a trophy moment. It felt like joy meeting excellence, like watching someone step fully into who they already knew they were.

Off the court, Coco is TikTok fluent, playful, and very much in her girly pop era. She dances, jokes and lets herself be young and vibrant in public. On the court, though, she is all business. Locked in, fearless, and relentless when it matters most. The switch flips, the focus sharpens, and the competitor shows up every time. Peak duality vibes!

Coco Gauff is proof that softness and strength are not opposites. You can laugh, twirl, and have fun online and still be a complete problem once you cross the baseline. 

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour reclaims the narrative

This ain’t Texas. This is Beyoncé’s world, and we’re all just living in it. The Cowboy Carter tour arrived at a moment when 2025 already felt like a year of reclaiming, of ownership, and taking back what was always ours. Watching Beyoncé step into country music felt like a reminder straight out of American Requiem. History matters, and so does who gets to tell it.

Night after night, Bey reminded everyone that reclamation can still be spectacular. The vocals were flawless, the visuals were intentional, and the storytelling was layered. Beyoncé doesn’t just perform, she curates worlds, and this one honored history while pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made Cowboy Carter special wasn’t just the music or the scale. It was the message. Black roots run deep in every genre, and when Beyoncé reclaims space, she does it with grace, power, and undeniable excellence.

Superfine Black dandyism takes the Met Gala stage

Seeing Superfine and Black dandyism centered at the 2025 Met Gala felt overdue in the best way. Yes, there were hits. And yes, there were misses. That’s fashion. But the real moment wasn’t about visibility or validation. It was about presence. In a year of heavy erasure of Black history by our current leaders in D.C., it was a reminder, on the biggest stage, of what Black people have been embodying, refining, and redefining forever.

Because let’s be clear: This wasn’t a trend debut. Black dandyism has always been about intention, precision, and presence. Tailoring as self-definition. Style as resistance. Elegance as power.

What made the moment special wasn’t perfection. It was affirmation. We been clean. We been superfine. And yes, we are dandy. Everyone else just finally caught up.

A’ja Wilson owns the year

If there was any doubt about who defined the season, WNBA star A’ja Wilson put it to rest early and often. League MVP. Record-breaking performances. A season that rewrote expectations and reminded everyone what sustained excellence actually looks like is. If her year had a theme song, it might as well have been Summer Walker’s “Go Girl,” because Wilson was very much in her Goyard, doing her thing, and leading the league while she was at it.

On the court, Wilson was relentless, leading the Las Vegas Aces to their third title. Off the court, she reminded us that Black women don’t have to choose. You can be locked in on your craft and still be soft, loved, and supported in a healthy relationship.

What makes this year even more special is the legacy she’s building in real time. A’ja Wilson is the kind of woman girls will look up to for years to come, and the kind of contemporary figure we can all draw inspiration from right now. Call it A’MVP. Call it A’Queen. Call it what it is. The GOAT. 

David Dennis Jr.

Rap’s old guard shines

It started with the Clipse. The brothers promoted their reunion project, Let God Sort Em Out, like an album from the ’90s, sitting for interviews and doing old-school media rounds. They didn’t invent the wheel, but gave us that feeling from when they were releasing records on the regular. But that doesn’t mean anything without the album. And LGSEO is maybe the album of the year. Add to that some pretty great projects from Raekwon, Havoc, Ghostface and other Gen Xers, and we were reminded that some of rap’s best work is coming from the OGs.

We’ll see what this means in 2026 as the Clipse are up for a Grammy for Best Rap Album. It’ll be fascinating to see what happens when two men, 48 and 52 respectively, are awarded for the best rap had to offer in the year. It’s uncharted territory for hip-hop, but it’s great for the culture. 

Jade Cargill, Naomi and Bianca Belair

WWE’s Big 3 took wrestling by storm in 2024 and were primed to be the stars of one of wrestling’s biggest storylines. The year started with the revelation that Naomi was the secret assailant who attacked Jade last year. The big reveal was one of the coolest moments of the year, showcasing all three women’s strengths. The result was a fabulous heel turn from Naomi and a dramatic story that would have had the three clash sometime in the year.

But things went sideways for various reasons. One, Bianca suffered a hand injury that sidelined her for most of the year. This caused the story to shift and focus on Naomi and Jade. Naomi’s villain character was one of the most dynamic we’ve seen all year, propelling her to a women’s championship. But that was cut short when she announced her pregnancy, which will, of course, keep her out for a year or more. That left Jade Cargill floundering, trying to figure out what’s next.

And figure it out she did. 

Jade reconfigured her personality and emerged as a vicious heel, destroying everyone in her path. That heel turn earned her a championship, which is how she’s closing out 2025. The three women’s ability to pivot their stories and characters in the midst of unexpected changes is another example of their greatness. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if Bianca returns and we get a 2026 Wrestlemania match between her and Jade.

Cardi B’s return

It had been seven years since Cardi B dropped her star-making debut album, Invasion of Privacy. Since then she’s become a Super Bowl commercial pitch person, a mom, married, divorced, a political pundit and one of pop culture’s biggest stars. But the more time passed, the more pressure was on her sophomore project to also be a massive success — which is a central reason it took so long. Cardi, though, finally gave us everything we’ve been looking for: a project that showcases her personality, her skillset and enough hits to last the rest of the year.

Away from the studio, Cardi B would stay on headlines across the internet, thanks to her messy divorce from rapper Offset and her ensuing relationship with NFL star Stefon Diggs. The two now have a baby together and are primed to be the next music/athlete power couple. 

Pretty safe to say Cardi had nothing to worry about with her second album. Just don’t make us wait seven more years for the third.

That scene in Sinners

You can’t talk about music without talking about the best musical moment in movies all year. Ryan Cooger’s film Sinners not only cleaned up at the box office, but also made us think, too. One of the standout moments is an intergenerational exploration of how music traverses time and geography. We get hip-hop and West African drumming, Blues and Rock & Roll. It’s one of the great musical scenes in cinema. Here’s what I wrote about it after watching the film.

“The history of Black art collapses into a long, one-shot scene that brought me to the verge of tears.

“The musical number ends with the juke joint metaphorically in flames; a structure unable to contain the multitudes of our infinite genius.” 

Sinners is as much a musical as it is a horror movie. And the scene in which Sammie first reveals his voice, rumored to have been unscripted to capture Michael B. Jordan’s genuine reaction, still gives me chills. 

The NBA has an official rivalry

Every generation sees the NBA at a crossroads. When the GOATs fade off into the sunset, there’s always consternation about what happens next. As we near the post-LeBron/KD/Curry era, there’s been a lot of concern about who’ll carry the league into the future. It looks like what’s next is years of Oklahoma City Thunder dominance. They are heavily favored to win the championship and are threatening to break the single-season record for wins. Add in the fact that they will have up to three lottery picks in a loaded draft in 2026, and we are possibly in the midst of a dynasty.

But what’s a dynasty without a rivalry? That’s where Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs come in. Wemby is the next possible GOAT who could be the league’s best defender and offensive player in a given year. He’s also good enough to challenge OKC with the talent around him. They’ve already had the game of the season in the NBA Cup semifinal, and it’s only going to go up from there.

These two teams are going to define the NBA for years to come, and I can’t wait to watch it. 

Justin Tinsley

A World Series for the history books

The greatest sports moment of the year wasn’t the Super Bowl. That was over before Kendrick Lamar and SZA performed. It wasn’t the NBA Finals. Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles tear zapped all the energy out of what had the makings to be a historic Game 7. Believe it or not, it wasn’t even A’ja Wilson cementing her GOAT status with her fourth MVP and third WNBA title — and being named TIME’s Athlete of the Year.

The World Series was the most chaotic (in a beautiful way) in sports all year, hands down. It was like taking three espresso shots for seven straight games! What more could you ask for? Two dynamic teams in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. Starpower was an unbelievable surplus with names like Shohei Ohtani, Vlad Guerrero Jr., Mookie Betts, and a list that’s honestly too long to name. Pitching duels, massive momentum shifts, an 18-inning classic, Ohtani being Ohtani, and a Game 7 that went 11 innings. Oh, yeah, and the whole Kendrick Lamar and Drake of it all.

No disrespect to the Fall Classics in 1991, 2001 or 2016. But there simply was nothing better in sports in 2025 than the greatest World Series I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes.

Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion take it there

Sometimes when you see celebrity couples, it’s evident that it’s either A) set up in an inorganic way or B) you’re not sure how long it’s going to last. But then, sometimes, just sometimes, you see two people and you think to yourself, “Wow, they really like each other.”

That’s Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion.

Whether it’s Meg cooking and gaining the approval of Klay’s parents for her culinary skills during Thanksgiving, or Klay teaching Meg how to play golf, or both of them just rocking out to Michael Jackson, the Grammy-winning rapper and future basketball Hall of Famer seem normal. This is the world of celebrities, so who knows what’ll happen, but, still, let’s just see where this goes. Let Meg and Klay cook.

Kendrick’s tour and Drake’s lawsuit

Drake and Kendrick Lamar left the war of words in 2024 and kept it lyrically quiet in 2025. Well, that’s not including Kendrick performing “Not Like Us” every night on his GNX Tour with SZA — including in Toronto. It became the highest-grossing co-headlining tour in history.

The story of their tension stayed at, or near, the top of the headlines this year thanks to Drake’s lawsuit against his own record label, Universal Music Group, for its supposed role in maliciously promoting the aforementioned “Not Like Us.” Those in support of Drake saw it as a viable decision and his challenge to “the system.” But others saw it as a feeble attempt to come out on top after being on the losing end of a rap battle.

This eventually came to a close in October when a judge dismissed Drake’s lawsuit. Now, the questions around Drake are these: He turns 40 next year. The music he’s released since the battle hasn’t really moved the needle. Can Drake find the magic again? Or is the thrill gone?

The Shedeur Sanders Conversation

No single athlete stirred a more passionate debate in 2025 than quarterback Shedeur Sanders. It started with his presence at the NFL Combine, then his slide to the fifth round in the draft and to his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns. Shedeur is a polarizing figure, with people feeling one way or the other about him, and the passion is intense on both sides.

Shedeur’s long-term future in Cleveland is unknown at this point. The team still needs to drastically improve its offense even to give Sanders (or any QB, for that matter) a realistic chance to succeed. 

One thing that’s for sure is that as long as Sanders is on the roster, the Browns won’t have to go searching for attention. Sanders, much like his daddy, has never had a problem getting people talking. 

50 Cent’s nuclear bomb on Diddy

Make no mistake, director Alexandra Stapleton was the driving force behind the year’s most talked-about docuseries, Sean Combs: The Reckoning. Yet, in terms of marketing and promotion — good, bad or indifferent — that’s been all 50 Cent. Comedian Josh Johnson said of 50’s feelings toward Diddy: “This is a biblical amount of hate.”

The four-part series is a culmination of a year for Sean “Diddy” Combs that included the high-profile trial that netted him 50 months in prison. Over four episodes, Combs’ life is dissected in a manner that has never been done before. Though no bombshell revelation is uncovered, the entire experience is jaw-dropping for its depth and breadth of voices. The docuseries isn’t the reason for the season. But it’s honestly a fascinating holiday binge-watch if you’re ready for a ride that’ll leave you saying, “Wow.” And “What the hell did I just watch?” 

BONUS: 6-7

I’ve never felt more like an almost 40-year-old man than the 6-7 phenomenon this year. To be honest, I don’t get it. I understand it comes from Skrilla’s “Doot Doot.” But I just don’t get everything else. And you know what? That’s more than OK. Let the kids have fun.

The post A’ja Wilson, ‘Sinners,’ Shedeur Sanders and more. Here’s our favorite sports and pop culture moments from 2025 appeared first on Andscape.