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Ferrari’s horror 2020 paved the way for Red Bull to surge into second in the constructors’ standings, but the energy drink team still finished more than 250 points behind the Silver Arrows.

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Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will be looking to close that gap — with Verstappen in particular desperate to put more pressure on Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in the race for the world title.

Pundits believe the time is ripe for Red Bull to make a serious challenge and bring an end to Mercedes’ incredible run of dominance that has seen it win the past seven constructors’ championships.

While Hamilton remains the man to beat, Verstappen’s hot form to end 2020 has some predicting the 23-year-old is ready to give the Brit and his teammate a serious scare — a mission that will be boosted by Red Bull’s developments during the off-season.

There was plenty of mystery at Red Bull’s launch of its new car last month when it kept the new RB16B in the garage during a filming day at Silverstone. The team released 76 photos of its day on the track — but none of them showed the newly-designed car it will use this season, preventing outsiders from getting a look inside the inner sanctum.

Former driver turned analyst Karun Chandhok said the secrecy suggests Red Bull has big plans.

“Are Red Bull going to pick up where they left off in Abu Dhabi? Max was frankly dominant, it was a brilliant win and Red Bull were coming on strong,” Chandhok told Sky Sports.

“They’ve got a new gearbox for 2021 which they’ve kept very secret. In fact, everything they’ve unveiled from their launch was of an old car — so they’ve been super secretive, more so than normal.

“There’s something there with the rear end and this new gearbox they’ve got so I’m waiting to see whether that pays dividends.”

Fellow Sky Sports analyst Ted Kravitz agreed Red Bull was keeping its cards close to its chest, and is interested to see what developments have been made to its power unit as well as the chassis.

After abandoning Renault to have its engines supplied by Honda in 2019, the Japanese company announced last year it will exit F1 at the end of 2021, so will be hoping to leave on a high note.

“What I’m more interested about with the Red Bull is how Honda are doing with this new engine. They’ve brought forward all the good stuff they were planning for 2022 to this year’s engine because Honda, of course, are not going to be around in 2022,” Kravitz said.

“This is their swan song season. They’ve got some good stuff on the engine, and let’s see what that does.

“That will really dictate the battle, I think. We know the Red Bull chassis is good, they won the last race in Abu Dhabi, and they’ll be there or thereabouts — it just depends on the engine.”

F1 commentator Martin Brundle believes “the pack is really going to be closed up in the next year or two” and has high expectations of Red Bull.

“I think Red Bull are actually going to be very strong,” he told Sky. “That performance they put in at Abu Dhabi and how they have developed the car over the winter, if they hit the ground running and deliver their potential straight away — which they haven’t often done, it must be said — I think Red Bull will be incredibly fast.”

Profiteer and Stay Inside retained their rankings the top of Golden Slipper betting despite losing their unbeaten records in the best two-year-old form race of the season, last Saturday’s Todman Stakes.

Godolphin’s Anamoe came off his third placing in the Blue Diamond behind Artorius to win the Todman, finishing powerfully to beat Profiteer with Stay Inside having a luckless run before closing late to finish fourth.

But the Todman result didn’t alter Golden Slipper betting with Profiteer the $5 favourite ahead of Stay Inside at $6 then Blue Diamond winner Artorius on the third line at $8.

Field is the man with the midas touch and has a second Golden Slipper in his sights.

He was a part-owner of Capitalist who was also beaten in the Todman Stakes before bouncing back to win the 2016 Golden Slipper.

“I left the course a lot happier last Saturday than I did the day Capitalist was beaten in the Todman,’’ Field said.

“Profiteer and Stay Inside were both beaten but mathematically, I feel their chances of winning the Golden Slipper are as good as they were on Saturday morning,

“I’m sure there is improvement in both horses, the plan has always been to have them peak on Grand Final Day (Golden Slipper, March 20).

“The Freedmans (trainers of Stay Inside) and Mick Price (trainer of Profiteer) know the scorecard.’’

Field said Profiteer’s effort to be narrowly beaten after over-racing early proved he is a deserving Golden Slipper favourite.

“If we assume that was the best two-year-old race so far this season and Profiteer is beaten in a photo, his run was extraordinary,’’ Field said.

“Stay Inside couldn’t get a clear run at them but I liked the way he was strongly through the line.

“The form has been franked with the performance of Anamoe so it is all taking shape. I’m just hoping they all get to the Golden Slipper in one piece as they should run well.’’

DIAMOND WINNER ON TRIAL FOR SLIPPER

Artorius, trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, will barrier trial at Randwick on Thursday before the $150,000 late entry fee is paid to secure a Golden Slipper start.

The crack Melbourne colt is staying at the Randwick stables of trainer Michael and Richard Freedman who have Stay Inside, Reisling Stakes winner Glistening and Tiger Of Malay aimed at the Golden Slipper.

“Anthony and Sam are having a good run at present but hopefully not too well in the Golden Slipper – family is family but business is business,’’ Michael Freedman said.

“Artorius is staying at my stables and I did say to Anthony if they get a good result in the Slipper then surely there is something there for me!”

Tiger Of Malay gets his chances to qualify for the Golden Slipper when he runs in the Group 3 $175,000 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

“I’ve been working Tiger Of Malay in blinkers and we will probably put them on for the Pago Pago,’’ Michael Freedman said.

The Pago Pago Stakes is shaping as a strong race with the likes of Shaquero, Head Of State, Hilal and Captivant all likely starters.

Michael and Richard Freedman also have top filly Forbidden Love primed to take on the older mares in the Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) on Saturday.

Forbidden Love, a last start winner of the Group 1 Surround Stakes, is expected to get around 54.5kg in the Coolmore with champion jockey Nash Rawiller wasting hard to retain the ride.

MERIT IN NATURE STRIPS’ NARROW LOSS

The Eduardo-Nature Strip speed stoush was one of the great sprint clashes in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes.

Eduardo, trained by Joe Pride, was a deserved winner, fighting back gamely under pressure to edge out Nature Strip and stop the clock at an incredible 55.20s, smashing the Randwick 1000m course record by 0.53s.

Chris Waller’s Nature Strip was beaten as an odds-on favourite for the fifth time in his career but criticism of the enigmatic sprinter is misplaced.

But the facts are Nature Strip has broke the old track record recording 55.21s including an early 200m sectional split of 9.83 when he was trying to get across from his outside barrier.

Nature Strip’s top speed was timed at a staggering 71.7kmh – racehorses just don’t run any faster – and he covered 3.4m more than Eduardo during the race which proved the difference between winning and losing.

LEES DOMINATES NEWCASTLE FEATURES

Kris Lees completed the rare Newcastle feature race double when Gem Song won the Newmarket at Broadmeadow on Friday.

In a thrilling finish, Gem Song edged out Bottega to give Lees his third successive Newmarket after winning the feature sprint with Special Reward (2020) and Princess Posh (2019).

Gem Song has 52kg in the Doncaster Mile is eligible for a weight penalty after his Newmarket win.

Earlier in the season, Lees finally won his first Newcastle Gold Cup with Mugatoo.

The last trainer to win both Newcastle races in the same season was Gai Waterhouse with Agincourt Express (Cup) and Hey Pronto (Newmarket) in 2001-02.

RANDWICK SNAPSHOT: WITH RON DUFFICY

RUN OF THE DAY

The master of the tried horse Joe Pride produced the very brave and courageous 7YO Eduardo in magnificent order first-up. After doing early work he did an amazing job fighting back and smashing the Randwick track 1000m record held by Redzel in great style. It was a herculean performance.

FORGET THEY RAN

It was a horror watch for supporters of the up and coming Mo’unga in the G1 Randwick Guineas. After being held up for what seemed an eternity he had the hide to charge to the line looking desperately unlucky. His turn will surely come.

THE BLACK BOOK

This was a high quality meeting with so many to follow but Trifaccia although still work in progress could well be a star filly in the making. Others I’m keeping close watch on include Mount Popa, Collide, Masked Crusader and Harmony Rose.

RIDE OF THE DAY

I admit I may be enamoured with Anamoe but the clinical ride by jockey Rachel King certainly helped him get the desired result in the Todman. He was given the lovely soft run which will really help him bounce back beautifully in 2 weeks.

NSW RACING – THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday: Coffs Harbour

Tuesday: Wyong, Wagga Wagga

Wednesday: Kensington

Thursday: Goulburn, Moree

Friday: Kembla Grange, Taree

Saturday: Rosehill Gardens, Gosford, Ballina, Gunnedah

Sunday: Coonamble, Grafton

But even for a man capable of belting 414-yard drives, this seemed maybe a stretch too far.

In an interview with GOLF.com, DeChambeau claimed he wanted to attempt to drive the green of the par-5 6th hole at Bay Hill Club and Lodge.

The sixth hole at Bay Hill is a 590-yard dog leg par five.

There is a direct line from the tee to the green though which makes it only around 340 yards but it would require the ball to remain in the air the whole way.

DeChambeau is no ordinary golfer though, constantly testing the boundaries of the sport and captivating even the most casual viewers in the process.

So at the time he boldly declared to GOLF.com: “If I play this year I will definitely do it.”

“No. 6 at Bay Hill is one of those I’ve been eyeing. I think I can do some pretty cool things on it.”

DeChambeau had cheekily played with the crowd in the opening rounds and later teased on social media that he may try it if the conditions were favourable.

“Thought I would attempt to carry the 6th hole today (340 with the carry),” he wrote.

“Wind was brutal and I came up short (only gave it a few tries) but might be something I go for if the conditions are right. We’ll see.”

Then it happened on Sunday morning, with DeChambeau becoming the first player to go for the green on the 6th at Bay Hill since John Daly as he successfully cleared the water with a 370-yard carry.

The end result of course had the golf world stunned.

It was the longest drive on the 6th hole since 2003.

As some wonder why he’s bothering to return at age 39 after a year-long absence from the tour following two knee surgeries, the Swiss master has provided the evidence.

He’s as excited as a kid on Christmas morning just getting on an aeroplane to travel to his first tournament back in Doha.

Federer said Saturday it had “been a long hard road” but he was “pumped up” to play his first match since a semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January 2020.

The 20-time Grand Slam title winner also raised expectations of being the same player he was, declaring he was training well ahead of the Qatar Open.

“I’d like to thank all the people involved who made this possible,” the Swiss star said in a video message as he prepared to fly to the Gulf.

“It’s been a long and hard road, I’m not at the finish line yet but I feel I am in a good place.

“I’ve been practising very well and feel just really pumped up. I am in a good place and progressing really well.”

Federer, who will slip out of the top five next week, will have extra motivation on his return.

Monday will see Djokovic surpass Federer’s record of 310 weeks in the world number one ranking.

After Doha, Federer could play again in neighbouring Dubai but he will not travel to the United States for the Miami Masters.

Federer has also said he intends to play the European clay court swing this year ahead of Roland Garros which he won in 2009.

— with AFP

“We just had to say this again … thanks for the continued support, Penguins fans,” the team’s official Twitter account posted alongside an image showing all fans properly wearing face coverings. “We can’t wait to see you tomorrow night.”

The NHL franchise had returned to PPG Paints Arena to face the Philadelphia Flyers en route to a 5-2 win. Just 2800 people were allowed inside to watch the action and a zero-tolerance mask policy was in place.

It was the Penguins’ first home game in front of fans since March 2, 2020, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

But some eagle-eyed Twitter users noticed something was amiss. In the original photo, taken by Jeanine Leech of Getty Images, a female fan wearing her mask incorrectly is seen in the top-right corner, while two others didn’t have their faces properly covered.

The woman’s mask was down below her mouth, while another man’s mask wasn’t covering his nose.

One critic quickly called out the seemingly doctored image as “terrible BS” from the team.

“Either enforce the rules or don’t, but don’t lie to us either,” the tweet read. “P*** poor jobs Pens.”

Another critic admitted “growing pains” with the mask policy was expected considering it was the first home game with spectators — but still said the team should “do better”.

Meanwhile, another person joked that the team’s account appeared to be operated by an “actual penguin”.

“Photoshop is hard with no fingers,” the reply read.

In a statement to The New York Post, the team acknowledged that a social media staffer sent out the “altered” photo and has since been reprimanded.

“We are excited to have our fans back to PPG Paints Arena, and following the advice of medical professionals, we are taking all precautions to enforce the use of masks to keep our fans safe,” the statement read.

“We have adopted a zero-tolerance policy, and our arena staff having roving teams to enforce during home games.”

The team said the “perhaps well-intended” staffer, however, should not have manipulated the wide crowd photo of “a few fans” who weren’t following the rules.

“Our social media team should never send out altered photos to our fan base,” the statement continued. “This is a violation of our social media and safety policy, and this staffer has been disciplined.”

Fans were allowed back into the arena after Governor Tom Wolf raised capacity at indoor venues to 15 per cent, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

“We’re grateful for the loyalty that our fans showed during this difficult time,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.

“We feel like we have some of the most loyal fans in sports. These guys have been so supportive of our players over the years. I know the players are appreciative of that.”

This story first appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Catalans Dragons boss Steve McNamara called the speculation about his star player “absolute rubbish”, emphatically denying the club had been left in the dark about Folau’s intentions of coming home because it was aware he was in Australia for “family reasons”.

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But the Dragons have dropped a huge hint his time with them may be over after they left him out of their squad for the upcoming season.

The dual international revived his rugby league career with Catalans, who offered him a lifeline when his Rugby Australia contract was torn up for making homophobic comments on social media. Folau signed a one-year extension to keep him at the Dragons in 2021, but that appears unlikely given he’s absent from McNamara’s 29-man squad.

Former New Zealand international Dean Whare has been given the No. 4 jersey Folau wore last season, adding to the intrigue.

St George was chasing Folau’s signature but pulled out of the hunt because of the fierce backlash that erupted when news of their pursuit to bring him back to the NRL was made public.

Even though the Dragons’ bid failed, Folau is reportedly still keen to return to the code where he announced himself to Australia as a teenage superstar more than a decade ago.

It was reported last month the 31-year-old wanted to meet with Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) chairman Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo to discuss whether he has a future in the code.

However, the NRL reportedly knocked back that offer, and won’t sit down with Folau unless a club makes a formal application to sign him.

The NRL hasn’t put a blanket ban on Folau returning but there have been suggestions he would be more trouble than he’s worth should he make a comeback. V’landys said in February the league would assess any application by a club to recruit the controversial footy player “on its due merits”.

“Like any other person in the community he deserves due process and natural justice and he will get that,” V’landys told Andrew Voss on SEN.

Folau debuted for the Melbourne Storm as a teenager in 2007 before moving north to play two seasons with the Broncos between 2009-2010. The explosive back played five Origins for Queensland and eight Tests for Australia before dropping a bombshell and quitting to play AFL.

A short stint at GWS was followed by a 73-Test run with the Wallabies before his acrimonious break-up with the 15-man code Down Under.

With COVID-19 causing havoc around the world, Folau returned to Australia during the summer because of personal reasons and it looks like he is keen to stay.

V’landys has said previously Folau’s views on homosexuality are not welcome in the NRL and in October 2019, poured cold water over the idea of Folau ever returning.

“The game is inclusive. Israel’s comments are not inclusive,” V’landys said back then.

The 11-time PGA Player of the Year recalls in GOATs: The Greatest of All Time how he became “the youngest ever to win” the Junior World Championships in the 10-and-under division at age eight, People reported.

It “showed me that I could play against the world’s best, even though I was only eight-years-old,” the golf legend says in the documentary, which airs in America this weekend.

“It got me started on the right path — I had the self-belief that I could do it. Coming back (after losing my first two years) to become the youngest ever to win the event, that meant a lot to me.”

People, which obtained a clip of the series, reported that Woods says that, for him, the sport is “also about competing within myself”.

“I have to overcome all my inner demons to perform, because no one’s gonna bail me out,” he explains. “It’s not like … (you can have) a bad game and just sit out.”

Compared to team sports where players can be swapped out, “we don’t have that”, Woods says.

“We’re stuck out there by ourselves. And you have to figure it out. And that’s the difficulty about our sport, is no one’s gonna bail us out.”

That mindset has taught him “how to hang in there, how to grind, how to fight, and (that) self-belief is earned”.

Woods appeared to not be paying attention in the moments before his devastating crash in Las Angeles — and may have fallen asleep at the wheel of the luxury SUV he was driving, according to a report citing forensic car accident experts.

He was driving a 2021 Genesis GV80 alone when he veered across the median strip on Hawthorne Boulevard in Rancho Palos Verdes, went off the road and struck a tree — causing the car to roll over.

Woods broke several bones in his lower right leg, which indicates he was applying the brake at the time of impact, experts told USA Today, adding that the evidence indicates he braked late into the collision sequence.

“To me, this is like a classic case of falling asleep behind the wheel, because the road curves and his vehicle goes straight,” Jonathan Cherney, a consultant who serves as an expert witness in court cases, told the news outlet.

The former police detective examined the crash site in person.

“It’s a drift off the road, almost like he was either unconscious, suffering from a medical episode or fell asleep and didn’t wake up until he was off the road and that’s where the brake application came in,” Cherney told USA Today.

LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has said there were no skid marks to indicate braking — but the vehicle had anti-lock brakes, so even if Woods slammed on the brakes, “you wouldn’t necessarily see tire marks”, Felix Lee, an accident reconstruction expert, told the outlet.

Lee said a key clue is how the SUV did not change direction entering the curve.

“My feeling is that speed wasn’t that much of an issue. It was just some kind of inattention that caused the kerb strike,” said Lee, who is part of the Expert Institute, a network that provides expert witnesses in court cases.

Cherney also said he didn’t see evidence of “any steering input” that would show the golfer tried to avoid the accident.

The sheriff has said investigators didn’t know the vehicle’s speed yet but said it could have been a factor, as well as inattentiveness.

“This stretch of road is challenging, and if you’re not paying attention, you can see what happens,” Villanueva said, adding that the crash was “purely an accident” in a preliminary assessment.

There was no evidence of impairment or medication involved, he added, and Woods will not face any criminal charges.

Earlier this week Woods thanked his colleagues for showing their support by donning red and black in honour of the golf legend.

In his first public comments since undergoing major surgery, the 45-year-old said it meant a lot to see such a touching tribute as he begins his long road to recovery.

“It is hard to explain how touching today was when I turned on the tv and saw all the red shirts,” Woods tweeted. “To every golfer and every fan, you are truly helping me get through this tough time.”

Throughout his career, Woods has famously worn a red shirt on the final day of a tournament. On Sunday (US time), pros including Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson were among those who kitted up in red and black for the final 18 holes at the Concession Club in Florida for the $13m Workday Championships.

Woods’ tweet came after his team announced a successful second round of surgery, as he was transferred from Harbor UCLA Medical Centre to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles.

One of the highest profile defenders in American football, Watt posted a photo of himself working out in an Arizona Cardinals shirt on Twitter with the caption, “source: me.”

The surprise announcement caught everyone in the NFL off guard.

NFL Network reported that Watt signed a two-year, $40 million ($US31m) deal with $US23 million guaranteed.

The decision has come as a shock, since talk of Watt prioritising a Super Bowl after 10 seasons with Texans and then signing with the Cardinals doesn’t quite add up.

Arizona finished 8-8 in 2020. The Texans released the 31-year-old Watt last month after he requested they do so.

His request came after his wife and soccer star Kealia Watt was traded to Chicago Red Stars in January.

The couple were married last month in the Bahamas.

After Watt’s free agency bombshell on Tuesday, the couple still have plenty to celebrate.

Watt had already made more than $US100 million in his playing contracts across his 10-year career — even before his latest deal with Arizona.

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Earlier in the day, a reporter posted a fake Peloton account that he thought was Watt’s, which indicated the defensive end’s final three were the Bills, Packers and Browns.

Those three teams were seemingly among the favourites to sign Watt before Monday’s Cardinals reveal.

“i don’t own a bike. stop,” Watt, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time first-team All-Pro, wrote on Twitter.

It will be interesting to see how much Watt has left. He produced just five sacks in 16 games last year, the fewest of his career when playing a full season. His 36 tackles were also a career-low. The positive was he did appear in all 16 games for Houston after injuries limited him to eight the previous season.

It is Ironic that Watt chose the Cardinals. He will be reunited there with former Texans star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was dealt by Houston last spring and had a monster season teaming up with quarterback Kyler Murray.

After Watt’s release, Hopkins posted a photoshopped image of the two together on Instagram with the caption: “Let’s finish what we started…”

Watt will also be playing under defensive co-ordinator Vance Joseph, the Texans’ defensive backs coach his first three years in Houston, and joining elite pass-rusher Chandler Jones. The Cardinals defence was 12th in scoring defence a year ago, allowing 22.9 points per game, and 13th in yards allowed.

The Channel 7 commentator has called more than 1000 AFL games, 20 grand finals and is one of the most iconic broadcasters in Australian sport, across horse racing and Olympics coverage.

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At 67, McAvaney has called some of the big moments in Australian sport over the years but has been slowly stepping back.

In 2019, he relinquished the Brownlow Medal hosting role he had held for 21 years, handing the gig to Hamish McLachlan.

Speaking to 7 News, McAvaney revealed that he has reached the point in his career that he wanted to step back from some of his commitments, with Richmond’s win in the 2020 AFL Grand Final the last call of his legendary career.

“I felt like I got to a stage in my career where I had to reduce my workload,” Bruce told 7NEWS.

“I’m going to miss it enormously, I just visualise when Richmond and Carlton run out there in round one, and the ball is bounced, I’m going to climb a wall somewhere.

“I’m going to have to move on and just be a fan like everybody else.”

McAvaney has had health issues in the past as well, revealing in 2017 he was fighting leukeamia, but maintained it wasn’t the reason he was stepping back from the AFL coverage.

He has revealed he will continue horseracing and Olympic Games commitments at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.

“(I’m) certainly not anything close to retirement, it’s just a new phase, where I cut back slightly, and anything I’m asked to do at Seven I’m going to do with the same enthusiasm and same commitment,” he explained.

“I still feel like there’s a bright future, in a ridiculous way I feel like I haven’t reached my potential, I still want to get better, and that’s what I’m hoping to do over the next few years.

“For those that like my on air they’re still going to see me, for those that say shoosh, bad luck.”

Speaking to the Heald Sun, McAvaney said the reason he decided to give away the AFL commentary came after reflection of the 2020 season, one of the most difficult in the sport’s history.

“It might have been a walk on the beach with Annie and the dog (where he reached the decision) … it might have just been the combination of a few weeks of slowing down (late last year), having a think and saying to myself, ‘Where do I want to be in terms of a well-rounded life in two or three years?’,” he said.

“I am going to be 68 this year … it was an opportune time to have a talk to my wife Annie, and to ‘Lewy’ (Martin) and it was about, ‘How are we going to navigate the next few years?’ Something had to give.”

McAvaney did have a mixed season last year in the AFL coverage, drawing criticism after delivering a flippant description of Collingwood star Jordan De Goey’s sexual assault charge and taking a shot at fellow commentator Brian Taylor’s weight.

But while the criticisms will always come for those who are in the spotlight across five decades McAvaney’s role as one of the great voices of Australian sport have seen an outpouring of tributes despite the fact he will continue to commentate.

The Herald Sun’s Glenn McFarlane tweeted: “Such a remarkable career … with more to come. Very privileged to have spoken to Bruce McAvaney about his decision to bring an end to his AFL calling career. He won’t be lost to channel 7. Will still be involved in racing and Olympics.”

The Age’s Daniel Cherny wrote: “The AFL wasn’t even called the AFL the last time Seven broadcast a season of football without Bruce McAvaney calling the game. It will not be the same.”

Netball star turned AFLW player and Fox Footy’s Bounce host Sharni Layton took to Facebook for a tribute.

“Onya Brucey. What a legend and such an honour to have met such an infamous voice of sport and our game. Thanks for all you have brought. We are so lucky to have had you! Enjoy your well earned retirement Bruce McAvaney,” she wrote.

ABC news journalist Sam Wilkinson tweeted: “There’s an art to sports commentary that Bruce McAvaney instinctively got. I can’t think of anyone else in the Seven’s AFL booth now that can do what he did. It’s all overly chummy, former players who think screaming at the big moments is the key to a good call.”

The Nigerian centre is blowing up around the world right now after a viral video showed off his insane basketball frame.

At 7ft 9inch, Adegoke, is already more than 7cm taller than the tallest players to ever play in the NBA. He is also a teenager — but that’s where the mystery begins.

The prodigy became an instant online star when video of him working out in the gym with coaches during a youth talent development camp in Dubai left jaws dropping all over the world.

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The video shows Adegoke, who even refers to himself as “Big Naija”, moving with surprising agility for someone who can dunk with both feet on the ground.

The video was shared by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently — and it means Adegoke’s life will never be the same again.

Not surprisingly, his hoop skills have been completely overshadowed by the sheer terror of his hight.

He shared a video to Instagram recently showing him dunking easily with both feet on the ground, looking like an optical illusion next to a teammate, claimed to measure a full 1.68m.

The teammate looks like an infant compared to the might of Adegoke. He is pure cheat code.

The video of Adegoke in the gym has attracted even more interest across American news websites.

However, the interest has come hand in hand with scepticism and intrigue about the NBA prospect’s background.

He remains a prospective college basketball talent, according to some reports, but is also reported to be a 21-year-old according to some unclear reports from his early teenage dates.

Adegoke has repeatedly joked about the interest in his age, but has never been able to prove in public he is 18-years-old as has been claimed.

In 2016 a report from Nigeria claimed Adegoke was already 17-years-old and was 2.18m tall at the time. The report claims he was a student of a sports high school academy in Lagos and needed help to fund his tuition after leaving school for a brief period.

However, Adegoke has reportedly continued to claim he is still a teenager, having played in the MPAC Elite Youth League in Dubai this year.

He is still training with the MPAC Sports UAE system ad his next career move remains unclear.

If he does make it to play professional basketball in the United States he will become the joint-record holder with China’s Sun Mingming, who ended up playing for the Harlem Globetrotters.

While he has been overlooked by American scouts thus far, Adegoke would create a new record as the tallest player to ever play in the NBA should he prove the doubters wrong and end up in the biggest basketball league on the planet.

Yao Ming and Manute Bol currently share the record for the highest players ever seen in the NBA at 2.29m.

Adegoke would shatter that.