The BEST episodes of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel season 23

#1 - One Last Shot/March Myth/Curveball

Season 23 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/21/2017

Texas Rangers reliever Matt Bush opens up about what it's like to be called MLB's biggest draft bust. Plus, Real Sports sits down with Juan Dixon, the star of Maryland's 2002 NCAA basketball title team, to learn that Dixon's storybook tale of overcoming daunting odds wasn't what it seemed.

#2 - The Game He Loved / Mind Games / The Hooper's Pass

Season 23 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/24/2017

Correspondent Jon Frankel revisits the story of Kevin Turner, a former NFL player who died in 2016 from ALS and whose brain is being studied for CTE. Plus, Bryant Gumbel explores why young star athletes in Chicago are no longer protected from the city's gun violence.

#3 - Man vs. Beast/Unbreakable/American Dream

Season 23 - Episode 6 - Aired 6/20/2017

Profile of American tennis prodigy Frances Tiafoe; the world of Spanish bullfighting; after losing his right leg in a farming accident, Jeff Glasbrenner continues to compete in sports; revisiting a teenager's campaign to resdiscover the Negro League.

#4 - 10-Year Agreement/Youth Sports Inc./Ball Hawk

Season 23 - Episode 8 - Aired 8/22/2017

Examining the NFL Players' Association and its leader, DeMaurice Smith; the new industry of travel sports tourism; profile of notorious sports fan Zack Hample, the infamous "ball hawk"; the Isle of Man hosts a dangerous sporting event.

#5 - Gurantee Games/Lewis Hamilton/McDonough Family

Season 23 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/26/2017

A profile of three-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton; exploring the consequences surrounding "guarantee games" in college sports; a profile of the McDonough family, which is rooted in the sports industry; revisiting obsessive runners.

#6 - GeorgeTown/Patrick Ewing

Season 23 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/24/2017

#7 - Episode 11

Season 23 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/21/2017

Segments include profiles of basketball's Chris Collins and his dad Doug Collins; a visit with soccer development coach Tom Byer; a Texas high-school football teams' comeback after Hurricane Harvey; and surfer Kelly Slater's efforts with man-made waves.

#8 - Episode 12

Season 23 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/12/2017

A roundtable review of the show's most memorable moments of 2017, with Gumbel leading the correspondents in a discussion of the most significant stories of the year. Included are segments with Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, pinball wizard Robert Gagno and fomer top MLB draft pick Matt Bush.

#9 - Valley of Death/Race Against Time/Uncaged

Season 23 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/18/2017

Following the deaths of several Dominican MLB players in violent car accidents, Real Sports travels to the island nation to learn why it's one of the most dangerous places to drive on earth. Plus, correspondent Soledad O'Brien reports on the bittersweet story of brothers and triathletes Lucas and Noah Aldrich, who are in a race against time due to health challenges.

#10 - King Kraft / No Average Joe / Bloodsport

Season 23 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/21/2017

Topics include a profile of Patriots owner Robert Kraft; a chat with baseball manager Joe Maddon, coming off a World Series triumph with the Cubs; a report on cockfighting; and a visit with Ashrita Furman, the world-record holder for world records, as recognized by Guinness.

#11 - Soccer’s Darkest Secret/Latino Voice/Pinball Wizard

Season 23 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/23/2017

Segments include a report on abuse in youth soccer programs in England; a profile of the Dodgers' Spanish broadcaster Jaime Jarrin; and a visit with Robert Gagno, the autistic defending winner of the World Pinball Championships.

#12 - MMA Fight Club/Dying Down Under/Rod Karew

Season 23 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/18/2017

Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, creates a world-class MMA fight club to bolster his regime; global warming has a devastating effect on the Great Barrier Reef; baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew discusses his heart transplant.