It’s always pretty cool when they have one of those all-star, multi-generational sessions at the Kennedy Center Honors or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony or the Grammys, with pop/rock/soul pioneers from the 1960s and 1970s jamming with musicians half their age. They come from different generations and different worlds, but what they have in common is a love for what they do — and of course they can all play.

We get the acting equivalent of that in the 10-part Hulu comedy/drama crime series “Only Murders in the Building,” a whip-smart and wryly observational gem starring longtime amigos and frequent collaborators, the 76-year-old Steve Martin and the 71-year-old Martin Short, who are as sharp and funny and brilliant as we’d expect them to be. The two comedic legends are joined by Selena Gomez in what turns out to be inspired casting. The 29-year-old Gomez is a true co-star in the series and does a superb job of meshing with Martin and Short to form one of the more entertaining albeit unlikely friendship trios in recent memory. They’re just a ball to watch together.

The tone is set for “Only Murders” in the opening credits sequence, which looks like a series of New Yorker covers turned to animation. Martin (who co-created the series with John Hoffman) plays Charles Hayden-Savage, who had a long and lucrative run as “Detective Brazzos” on a TV crime show in the 1990s but hasn’t worked much since. Short is Oliver Putnam, a pompous theater director who had some hits back in the day but is best known for his notorious flop: “Splash! The Musical,” which had a disastrous opening when the hydraulics designed to open the stage and reveal a gigantic swimming pool failed — and the unwitting chorus dancers wound up landing with one splat after another on the stage. (Chorus dancers tend to blindly follow one another, notes Oliver.) Gomez is Mabel, a quirky loner who is haunted by her past.

They all live in the Arconia, a posh Manhattan co-op, but they don’t really know each other until a fire alarm evacuates the building and they wind up sitting at the same table in a restaurant across the street — and all three turn out to be huge fans of the sensational hit true crime podcast “All is Not OK in Oklahoma” (the host is played by Tina Fey in a fantastic extended cameo). When it’s revealed a young man named Tim Kono has been found shot dead in his apartment in the Arconia, the police quickly rule it a suicide — but Charles, Oliver and Mabel think it could be murder, and they decide to team up to investigate the crime, and of course chronicle their adventures in their very own podcast.

Let the hijinks begin, with twists and turns around every corner. Mabel is the best investigator of the bunch, coming up with some great clues and key pieces of evidence, while Oliver is more concerned with reviving his career as the producer of the podcast, with Charles as the narrator and Oliver giving him notes such as, “[This sounds] like a Ken Burns documentary on the history of boredom.” Meanwhile, the Arconia is filled with colorful characters who might also be suspects, including Sting in a wonderfully self-effacing turn as, well, Sting; Nathan Lane as a chicken wrap mogul who has bankrolled a number of Oliver’s stage productions and is now the sponsor of the podcast, and Amy Ryan as a bassoonist and possible love interest for Charles, who has been alone for many years.

The title of the series comes from an exchange when it’s learned there’s been a murder in the park and perhaps the podcast should expand to include that crime, but the trio decides the series must be about “only murders in the building.” That kind of deadpan humor runs throughout the series, but there are also moments of genuine emotion and heart, as we learn the back stories of all three main characters. True, they didn’t meet under the best circumstances, but these were three lonely souls who found each other at just the right time — and now they’re podcast buddies, and maybe even crime-solvers as well.

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Moon Alert

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The moon is in Gemini.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

How something begins is often how it unfolds, which is why good beginnings are auspicious. You begin this week in a productive frame of mind. You will notice details and have more concern about practical matters. Good day to teach or learn.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Today, you’re in a practical mood about money, earnings and shopping. This means you will be inclined to buy long-lasting, practical items. If making financial decisions, you will be careful and willing to heed the advice of others.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Today the moon is in your sign, which gives you a bit of extra good luck. Nevertheless, you begin this week with a more sober and realistic view of life. You have patience to deal with what’s on your plate. Someone older or more experienced might have advice for you.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

This is an excellent day to do research or study the past. You also might be involved in the care of someone older. It’s also a good day to look for answers to old problems and solutions to situations that concern you right now because you’ll get results.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

A conversation with someone older or more experienced might benefit you today. You will enjoy talking to others; nevertheless, you’ll be less inclined to discuss your feelings and more inclined to exchange practical information. You might want to go off somewhere by yourself to take a breather.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

People will notice you today, but this is a good thing because they see you as reliable, conscientious and up to handling anything. In fact, bosses or someone older or more experienced might listen to what you have to say. Possibly, they will have advice to share with you, as well.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Any kind of study that you choose to do today will yield practical results, which is why this is a good day to look for answers, especially in an academic way. You might also deal successfully with legal problems. Certainly, it’s a good day to deal with the myriad of details required to make travel plans.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

As this week begins, take a moment to clear up loose details regarding shared property, taxes, debt and insurance matters. You might also address issues related to inheritances. Fortunately, you will not overlook details. You’ll get things done!

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Because the moon today is in a sign that is opposite your sign, it means you have to go more than halfway when dealing with others. No biggie. This simply requires a little accommodation and cooperation, qualities that you have in abundance.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

This is a productive day for you, which makes this a great way to begin your week. For starters, you’re taking a sober and realistic view of things, which is why you might choose to the finish loose ends of a project. Plus, someone older or more experienced might help you. Bonus!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Children might be an increased responsibility today. Certainly, parents will take a more serious view about things. Meanwhile, this is a solid day to deal with the details necessary to plan a vacation or deal with sports events.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Issues from the past will have a strong attraction for you today. In fact, you might want to seek out some privacy to ponder something, especially at home. Many of you will help a parent or an older relative. (Do what you can.)

If Your Birthday Is Today

Billionaire, philanthropist Warren Buffett (1930) shares your birthday today. You are a good friend to others because you are generous and thoughtful. You like to help people, even if you micromanage them. You are attracted to people who are interesting and stimulating. Because this is a year of learning and teaching for you, grab every opportunity to learn something new that will be useful or enriching to your life.

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A felon on probation went on a drug-fueled joy ride last week that ended when he crashed into a Gold Coast boutique and attempted to grab a responding officer’s gun, prosecutors said during his initial court hearing Sunday.

Adrian Guiterrez, 34, of the Avondale neighborhood, faces a list of charges in connection to the incident, including felony counts of attempting to disarm a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance and criminal damage to property over $100,000, according to Cook County prosecutors. He was also charged with driving under the influence.

About 11:20 a.m. Friday, Guiterrez was driving “erratically” through the downtown area in his Chevrolet Camaro, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Ravin. He drove the wrong way down several streets, hit an occupied parked car and “narrowly missed” pedestrians before barreling into the glass window of the Dior store, 931 N. Rush St.

Guiterrez, who was the Camaro’s sole occupant, then created a disturbance in the store and pulled a fire alarm, Ravin said. When Chicago police arrived, Guiterrez allegedly put his hand on the butt of an officer’s gun before he was arrested.

Several officers and the store’s security guard noticed a “white powdery crust” on Guiterrez’s face, Ravin said. A toxicology report later found that his system contained cocaine and a benzodiazepine, a type of drug commonly used to treat anxiety.

He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he remained hospitalized. The initial estimate for the damage to the store was between $250,000 and $300,000, Ravin said.

On July 7, Guiterrez pleaded guilty to a felony count of aggravated battery to a senior citizen and was sentenced to 24 months probation, Ravin said. He was previously sentenced to a year in the Illinois Department of Corrections on a possession of a controlled substance charge.

Mark Joslin, Guiterrez’s public defender, declined to provide mitigating evidence on his client’s behalf.

Judge Charles Beach ordered Guiterrez held without bail for violating his probation, setting his next court date in that case for Monday. In the new case, Beach set Guiterrez’s bail at $350,000 and scheduled his next appearance for Sept. 9, noting that he couldn’t hit him with a second no-bail hold under the law.

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Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago at our city’s best museums and galleries. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.

‘Chicago Works: Caroline Kent’

The Museum of Contemporary Art presents “Chicago Works: Caroline Kent,” the first solo museum exhibition of work by the multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist. Nathan Keay, (C) MCA Chicago

When: To April 3

Where: 220 E. Chicago

What: The Museum of Contemporary Art presents the first solo museum exhibition of work by the multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist. In this site-specific installation, Kent explores the abbreviated forms of communication that develop in intimate relationships such as those between sisters. Inspired by the experience of communicating with her own twin, she transfers her visual language to painting, sculpture and installation. Admission: $15.

More information: mcachicago.org

‘Origins’

Paul Nicklen, “Face to Face,” Svalbard, Norway, 2008.Courtesy the artist

When: Aug. 27-Oct. 2

Where: Hilton/Asmus Contemporary, Morgan Arts Complex, 3622 S. Morgan

What: The work of National Geographic photographers, filmmakers and marine biologists Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier are featured in this new exhibit. Nicklen, one of the world’s prominent nature photographers, has spent the last 20 years documenting the beauty and the plight of our planet. Mittermeier, whose work documents the conservation movement, is globally recognized as an influential wildlife writer and conservationist. Admission is free.

More information: Hilton-asmus.com

‘The Art of Banksy’

Banksy’s “Flower Thrower”The Art of Banksy

When: To Oct. 31

Where: 360 N. State

What: The identity of the artist known as Banksy has for years been the art world’s most intriguing mystery. But while we don’t know the man, we do know the art. The English-based street artist has created some of the most iconic images of the past few decades. A new exhibit brings more than 80 of these original works to Chicago. World-famous pieces from private collections including “Flower Thrower,” “Rude Copper” and “Girl with Balloon” will sit alongside other works rarely seen by the general public. As the artist-provocateur Banksy says: “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Tickets: $40, $30 for 16 and younger.

More information: banksyexhibit.com

‘Helmut Jahn: Life + Architecture’

“Helmut Jahn – Life + Architecture”Chicago Architecture Center

When: To Oct. 31

Where: 111 E. Wacker

What: Chicago Architecture Center presents a new exhibit honoring the late Chicago architect, which highlights his designs ranging from signature early projects like the Michigan City Public Library (1977) and the James R. Thompson Center (1985) to the Sony Center in Berlin (2000) and the Pritzker Military Archives Center, currently under construction in Somers, Wisconsin. Photography, models and sketches illuminate each project and explore the collaborative design and engineering process, while personal imagery, video and recollections by those who knew and worked with Jahn underscore his flair for the dramatic and zest for life. Admission is $15.

More information: architecture.org

‘Van Gogh for All’

“Van Gogh for All”Lou Bank

When: To Sept. 26

Where: 333 N. Michigan Ave.

What: The immersive art experience that debuted in Chicago in 2019 returns for a limited run. The exhibit allows attendees to step into many of the artist’s works and learn about them in a whole new way. Fly through the Starry Night or step behind the shutters of his iconic Yellow House and walk through a re-creation of his studio. Open seven days a week 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tickets: $20, $10 for 12 and under.

More information:vangoghforall.org

‘Mimi Cherono Ng’ok: Closer to the Earth, Closer to My Own Body’

“Untitled” by Mimi Cherono Ng’ok(C) Mimi Cherono Ng’ok

When: To Feb. 7

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: This new exhibit features the work of a photographer who travels extensively across the tropical climates on a mission to understand how natural environments, botanical cultures and human subjects coexist and evolve together. In this solo exhibit, she presents photographs and a film in which she tracked flowers and floral imagery across varied contexts and a range of hidden associations. Admission: $14-$22.

More information: artic.edu

Hyde Park Art Center

Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill ProjectProvided/Courtesy of the artist

When: July 25-Oct. 24

Where: 5020 S. Cornell

What: Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill Project as well as works by LaToya Ruby Frazier and Fazal Sheikh are on display at the Hyde Park museum as part of “Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40.” Chin’s 13-year-project, here titled “Chicago Fundred Initiative: A Bill for IL,” invites people to create their own “Fundred,” a form of currency that affirms the right of each maker to equal protection against lead contamination; Frazier’s film “Flint is Family” uses her photographs and voiceover by Flint, Michigan, resident Shea Cobb to understand the Flint water crisis; Sheikh’s landscape photography examines the connection between desertification, colonialism, and the displacement of Bedouin communities from ancestral lands in Israel’s Negev desert. Admission is free.

More information: hydeparkart.org

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

When: Ongoing

Where: 2430 N. Cannon Dr.

What: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, where children of all ages can connect to nature and science, reopened July 8. Exhibits include “Without a Trace,” selections of photographs by Zbigniew Bzdak; “Patterns in Nature: A Bridge between Art and the Natural World,” mixed media work by artist Katherine Lampert; “Judy Istock Butterfly Haven” “Birds of Chicago” and many more. Admission: $6-$9, children under 3 free.

More information: naturemuseum.org

‘Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40’

Toba Khedoori’s “Untitled” at the Smart Museum of Art.Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner and Regen Projects, Los Angeles (C) Toba Khedoori.

“Toward Common Cause — Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40” is a multi-museum venture organized by the Smart Museum of Art that explores the current sociopolitical moment, challenging questions of inclusion, exclusion, ownership and rights of access. In its gallery, the Smart Museum features works by Mark Bradford, Mel Chin, Nicole Eisenman, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Jeffrey Gibson, Toba Khedoori, Inigo Manglano-Ovalle, Julie Mehretu, Fazal Sheikh and Xu Bing. From July 15-Dec. 19 at Smart Museum, University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood. Admission is free. Visit smartmuseum.uchciago.edu; for a list of participating museums visit towardcommoncause.org.

Stony Island Arts Bank reopens with its contribution to “Towards Common Cause.” The group show features work by Carrie Mae Weems, Kerry James Marshall, Gary Hill, Whitfield Lovell, Trevor Paglen, Deborah Willis, Dawoud Bey, Fred Wilson and Nicole Eisenman. From July 18-Dec. 19 at Stony Island Arts Bank, 6760 S. Stony Island. Admission is free. Visit rebuild-foundation.org.
The reopened DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl., participates with an exhibit of “Presenting Negro Scenes Drawn Upon My Passage through the South and Reconfigured for the Benefit of Enlightened Audiences Wherever Such May Be Found, By Myself, Missus K.E.B Walker, Colored,” a signature black silhouette installation from the artist Kara Walker. Admission: $3-$10 (Sundays free), children under 5 free. Visit: dusablemuseum.org.

‘Chicago: Where Comics Come to Life (1880-1960)’

A 1954 “Brenda Starr” panel at the Chicago Cultural Center exhibit.DCASE

When: To Oct. 3

Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph

What: This exhibit looks at Chicago’s significant role in the development of the early comic strip. Curated by artist-author Chris Ware and the City of Chicago’s cultural historian emeritus, Tim Samuelson, it focuses on comics in popular publishing, African American cartoonists, the first women cartoonists, the first daily comic strip and more. Admission is free. (The exhibit is a historical companion to “Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now,” the survey of contemporary Chicago comics at the Museum of Contemporary Art.)

Visit: chicagoculturalcenter.org

National Museum of Mexican Art

“We the People” by Chaz BojorquezNational Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection, gift of Chaz and Christina Bojorquez

When: Ongoing

Where: National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th street

What: After being closed for 15 months, the museum has reopened with a handful of exhibits. “Spotlight on Chaz Bojorquez and Enrique Alferez” features the museum’s newest acquisition, “We the People,” a painting by Bojorquez, and Alferez’s iconic bronze sculpture “La Soldadera.” Plus “Adlateres and the Unexpected Journey: Works by Carmen Chami” features paintings inspired by Mexican Baroque painting and figurative style. Admission is free.

More information: nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

‘Toward Common Cause’

“Mother and Child,” Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2016). Courtesy the artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.(C) Njideka Akunyili Crosby

When: To Nov. 21

Where: National Public Housing Museum, 625 N. Kingsbury, and at the Minnie Riperton Apartments, 4250 S. Princeton

What: The National Public Housing Museum partners with the Chicago Housing Authority to display artwork by MacArthur Fellow Njideka Akunyili Crosby as part of “Toward Common Cause,” a multi-site exhibition organized by the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the MacArthur Fellows Program. Crosby uses acrylic, colored pencil and photo collages to create her distinctive portraits of African American life. “I almost want people to feel like the door is open and they’re walking by a scene into someone else’s life,” she says, “because that really is what I’m doing… mining my life to tell a story that is global but really wanting people to feel like they’re getting a glimpse into my world.” Crosby’s artwork installation is displayed on 70-foot banners on the sides of two buildings.

More information: nphm.org

‘Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War’

Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Bill MauldinCopyright the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

When: Through spring 2022

Where: 104 S. Michigan

What: Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bill Mauldin, who studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and was a cartoonist for the Chicago Sun-Times, is the subject of a retrospective at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. “Drawn to Combat” covers Mauldin’s career as a wartime cartoonist focusing on soldiers’ experiences and as a political cartoonist. The exhibit draws from more than 5,000 cartoons and objects donated to the museum by the Mauldin family. Tickets: $8, $10, children under 12 free.

More information: pritzkermilitary.org

‘Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now’

Nick Drnaso’s painting for the cover of his graphic novel “Sabrina” in “Chicago Comics.”Provided

When: To Oct. 3

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago

What: A new exhibit celebrates Chicago’s pivotal role as a national and innovative center for comics and cartooning. With a focus on rediscovering the work of women and BIPOC comic artists, this major exhibition presents the last 60 years of the city’s artful cartooning history, showing how comic art is a democratic medium that allows artists to speak directly to people in relatable ways. Over 40 cartoonists are featured including Lynda Barry, Lilli Carre, Daniel Clowes, Nick Drnaso, Edie Fake, Emil Ferris, Nicole Hollander, Charles Johnson, Kerry James Marshall and Chris Ware. On display are comics, graphic novels, zines, original drawings, dioramas, commissioned films, installations, rare ephemera and books. Admission: $8, $15.

More information: mcachicago.org

‘Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall’

Hugo van Lawick/National Geographic

When: To Sept. 6

Where: Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.

What: Generations have been inspired by the work of primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, who has not only shown the urgent need to protect chimpanzees but also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environments. A new exhibit follows her journey from a curious young child in England to a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Included in the exhibit are a re-creation of her field research tent, a hologramlike projection of Goodall sharing her fieldwork memories, augmented reality activities and a projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. Tickets: $18-$32.

More information: fieldmuseum.org

‘Vivian Maier: In Color’

Vivian Maier, “Three Highland Park firemen,” Highland Park, August 1964, inkjet print. Gift of Jeffrey Goldstein/(C) The Estate of Vivian Maier

When: To May 8, 2023

Where: Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark

What: Much has been heralded about street photographer Vivian Maier’s black-and-white photographs in exhibits, books and films. Now this multimedia exhibit features 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, many of which have never been seen before. Maier, who died in 2009, was a bit of a character and always had a Roloflex camera around her neck as she walked the streets snapping images of women, children, the old, the poor, the abstract. While her motives remain elusive, her photographs continue to speak volumes. Tickets: $17, $19.

More information: chicagohistory.org

‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’

When: Through Sept. 6

Where: Cleve Carney Museum of Art in the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn

What: Here’s the not-too-miss art exhibit of the summer. Dolores Olmedo (1908-2002), a Mexican musician, businesswoman and friend of artists Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera, amassed an impressive list of works by both artists that reside in Mexico City’s Museo Dolores Olmedo. Her collection of paintings and works on paper by Kahlo have now traveled to the newly expanded Cleve Carney Museum of Art. The long-awaited exhibit, delayed a year because of the pandemic, features an array of oil paintings and works on paper, pivotal pieces created by the artist. Also featured are a multimedia timeline that offers a framework of Kahlo’s life, more than 100 photographs, a Kahlo-inspired garden and a family-friendly children’s area featuring a replica of Kahlo’s Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Mexico. Tickets: $23, $40.

More information: theccma.org/frida-kahlo/

Polish Museum of America

The Paderewki Collection at Polish Museum of America.Courtesy Polish Museum of America

When: Ongoing

Where: 984 N. Milwaukee

What: The museum, since 1935 a repository for a wide variety of materials pertaining to Poland and the Polish-American community, has reopened after being shuttered for more than a year. Among the many permanent exhibits are “Polish Chicago 1850-1939,” “Folk Art Collection” and “The Paderewski Collection,” which documents the life of Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Tickets: $6-$10.

More information: polishmuseumofamerica.org

The Hartwell Memorial Window

The Hartwell Memorial Window bears a design attributed to Agnes F. Northrop of Tiffany Studios.The Art Institute of Chicago

When: Permanent

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: A magnificent stained glass window made by Tiffany Studios in 1917 is now on permanent display at the Art Institute. The Hartwell Memorial Window, attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, Tiffany’s leading landscape window designer, was originally commissioned for a church as the gift of Mary L. Hartwell in memory of her husband Frederick W. Hartwell. It consists of 48 different panels, and is a scenic view of Mount Chocorua, a peak in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The window, located near the museum’s entrance, is one of the most ambitious landscape window projects produced by Tiffany. Museum admission: $14-$25.

More information: artic.edu

McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum

Gears that open the bridge.Friends of the Chicago River

When: Ongoing

Where: 99 Chicago Riverwalk

What: This five-story museum celebrates the Chicago River and its world-famous movable bridges. Visitors explore a historic bridgehouse, watch the massive gears of a moving bridge and learn about the history of the Chicago River. Plus from the top floor, there’s a 360-degree view of the city and river. Find the museum at 99 Chicago Riverwalk. Admission: $5, $6; children 5 and under free.

More information: bridgehousemuseum.org

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Playing for a small Class 2A school in the hardly-watched Metro Suburban Conference didn’t matter.

Neither did a COVID-19 basketball shutdown in 2020, an abbreviated 2021 high school season or not playing for a high-profile club basketball program.

Timothy Christian’s Ben VanderWal, once the most under-recruited prospect in Illinois, would eventually be noticed. It was just going to take some time.

Just over two months ago the 6-6 senior didn’t have a single Division I offer.

“I was definitely frustrated,” admitted VanderWal. “Every kid wants their offers and believes with all the work they put in that they deserve them.”

VanderWal says there was no reason to start doubting himself. He believed his time would come. This was a player who continued to produce, week after week, with a combination of toughness, heady play and stretching the floor as a three-point shooting threat.

“I had the right people telling me the right things,” said VanderWal, who averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds a game as a junior. “I just believed that I would keep working my butt off until it happened.”

He parlayed a strong weekend with Timothy Christian during a late June live period, along with some stellar play with his Breakaway club team in July, into a bevy of offers. By the end of July he had 15 Division I offers to choose from.

Yes, VanderWal believed. But he also remembers his “I can’t believe this happening” moment.

While VanderWal did pick up a couple of offers following his June weekend with Timothy Christian, it was a weekend in July that provided that moment of validation. Following a weekend in Atlanta, where VanderWal shined with his Breakaway team with college coaches watching, he picked up a half dozen more offers.

“I remember going up to my parents after having a good weekend in Atlanta and getting six offers in 48 hours and just saying, ‘I can’t believe this. It’s finally happening,'” said VanderWal. “There was such a sense of relief.”

After sorting through all his options, VanderWal set four official visits, He visited Bucknell last week and Furman this past weekend. He had plans to visit William & Mary and Yale, but there was no need for any other visits. Furman had solidified a growing feeling he had.

With each phone call he had with Furman head coach Bob Richey and his staff, VanderWal said he would get off the phone and “his mind would be rolling about Furman.” There was an obvious connection that was growing and that was cemented while on his official visit.

“That family feel,” VanderWal said of the difference he felt with Furman. “The whole program felt like one big family. And that feel extended to everyone — from the players to the coaches to the support staff, strength and conditioning people. There was this great connection between everyone in the program.”

That connection he felt started with Richey and his coaching staff through the recruiting process.

“There isn’t always a whole lot of transparency in recruiting,” the obviously astute VanderWal said. “But with Furman they were so transparent. I always understood where they were at in the process with me and my recruitment. They were so personable and genuine.”

VanderWal was also impressed with where the program is headed after averaging 22 wins a year over the past four seasons.

“The program is trending in the right direction,” said VanderWal. “They’re winning, getting better and better each year. They want to operate at a different level. I knew Furman was my place. I’m so pumped.”

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For the longest time, the Big Ten spelled “September” B-O-R-I-N-G.

The conference moved through the early weeks of the football season at a snail’s pace, the schedule packed with opponents from lesser leagues and lower rungs of the sport. Head-to-head Big Ten matchups were unthinkable. Rivalry games? Key division matchups? The Big Ten kept all that locked away for later in the season.

But just look at Woody’s and Bo’s old stomping grounds now. We already got Illinois’ 30-22 upset victory against Big Ten West mate Nebraska in the first game of the college season, after which new Illini coach Bret Bielema alluded to the possibility of winning the division race. Was he serious? Is the man insane? No, he’s 1-0 and — at least for a fleeting, definitely-not-boring moment — the talk of the league.

This week, we get Ohio State-Minnesota, Michigan State-Northwestern, Penn State-Wisconsin and Indiana-Iowa openers. Who’s getting off to a more compelling start than the once-dusty old Big Ten? Nobody. This is the way it should be.

And with the NFL on a one-week game break between the preseason and Week 1, college football has full ownership of the sports stage for what will be the last time until the playoff rolls around. It isn’t just the Big Ten that’s delivering the goods. A Saturday doubleheader of Alabama-Miami and Clemson-Georgia on neutral fields in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, will have a playoff feel to it. Those games certainly will have heavy-duty playoff implications.

No, it’s never too soon to talk about the playoff. In case you were wondering.

Here’s what’s happening:

MON 30

Braves at Dodgers (9 p.m., ESPN)

The visitors sure must want a piece of Dodgers starter Julio Urias, who was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of last year’s riveting National League Championship Series. One slight problem: Urias is 14-3 since then.

TUE 31

Pirates at White Sox (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Listen, this is the big leagues — the Sox can’t afford to let their guards down even against the worst (OK, fine, second-worst) team in the NL Central.

Sky at Mercury (9 p.m., NBA TV, The U)

The Sky lost twice to the Mercury — each time without Candace Parker — earlier this season. It’s a fairer fight when Brittney Griner isn’t the only legendary big on the floor.

WED 1

Cubs at Twins (7:10 p.m., Marquee)

Would you believe it if we told you that last time the Cubs and Twins met — way back in September of 2020 — both of them were headed for division titles? Yeah, it sounds like a lie to us, too.

THU 2

Ohio State at Minnesota (7 p.m., Fox-32)

Get to know the name, people: C.J. Stroud. Or, if you prefer, you can refer to him as “Justin Fields’ replacement.” Pressure? Not at all — just as long as he hits the ground running and throwing like a Heisman Trophy contender.

FRI 3

Pirates at Cubs (1:20 p.m., Marquee)

Was it only six years ago that these titans tangled in a wild-card showdown, Jake Arrieta dominating on a night drenched with breathless possibility? But now we’ve gone and depressed ourselves again.

White Sox at Royals (7:10 p.m., NBCSCH)

Just spit-balling here, but maybe the Sox should at least try to avoid losing a third straight series to this supposedly inferior team?

Michigan State at Northwestern (8 p.m., ESPN)

Best case: Hunter Johnson looks the part and delivers a “W” in his second shot to be the Wildcats’ starting quarterback entering a season. Worst case: It’s 2019 all over again.

SAT 4

Penn State at Wisconsin (11 a.m., Fox-32)

To the winner likely goes a spot in the top 10 of next week’s national polls.

Alabama vs. Miami (2:30 p.m., Ch. 7)

Is The U finally ready to get back to being The U? And is Tide QB Bryce Young able to do a decent impression of Mac Jones or Tua Tagovailoa?

Indiana at Iowa (2:30 p.m., BTN)

Hey, look, it’s the Big Ten’s second Top 25 matchup of the day. Admit it: This is kind of fun.

Clemson vs. Georgia (6:30 p.m., Ch. 7)

Get to know the name, people: D.J. Uiagalelei. It’s pronounced, “Holy crap, how am I supposed to follow Trevor Lawrence?” But we kid Clemson’s new QB1, a monster talent in his own right.

UTSA at Illinois (6:30 p.m., ESPN)

Losing to the Roadrunners would be an instant momentum-killer for Bielema and the Illini, but don’t think for a minute it can’t happen.

SUN 5

Aces at Sky (2 p.m., Ch. 7)

You want to be the best? You’ve got to beat the best. And reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson and the Aces are looking very much like the best.

Notre Dame at Florida State (6:30 p.m., Ch. 7)

Let’s have a good look at former Wisconsin starting QB Jack Coan in an Irish uniform, shall we?

USMNT vs. Canada (7 p.m., FS1, UniMas)

The American men have moved up to 10th in the FIFA world rankings, but that and a mountain of hipster soccer fans’ scarves counts for squat toward qualifying for the World Cup. Just win, baby.

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The White Sox have been in operation since 1901, but they arguably are on the nation’s baseball consciousness now more than ever.

(Let’s overlook that little game-fixing scandal in the 1919 World Series, which surely didn’t sit well with baseball fans.)

The Sox have had teams that were revered locally. The 1959 “Go Go Sox,” the 1983 “Winning Ugly” Sox and, of course, the 2005 World Series champion Sox. But those teams didn’t catch the nation’s attention like the 2021 Sox have. Heck, ESPN has forgotten [ital]twice[ital] that the 2005 Sox won the Series.

The current Sox hold an 11-game lead in the American League Central and are poised to be World Series contenders for a while. As the Cubs enter another rebuilding phase, the question is, how will Sox fans react to the new dynamic. The Sox finally have gained a foothold nationally, but can they attain a stronger one locally?

They have something for everyone. There’s the flair for the dramatic with Tim Anderson, the stoic, steady leadership of Jose Abreu and the childlike flamboyance of Eloy Jimenez. There’s the old-school, tough-as-nails nature of Lance Lynn and the rollicking behavior of Liam Hendriks.

And the national TV networks have noticed. ESPN chose the Sox-Angels game for its first “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcast of the season. When the network found an opening to air an “SNB” game on ABC for the first time, it chose the Sox-Cubs game.

The Sox have had several appearances on Fox and FS1 on Saturdays, and ESPN has picked them up for multiple weeknight broadcasts. They were picked for the YouTube game of the week, and they played in the game to end all games at the Field of Dreams – a rare instance in which the Black Sox scandal went in their favor.

The Sox first grabbed the nation’s attention before the season, hiring 76-year-old Tony La Russa to manage the team. The decision was not welcomed warmly by fans, who feared La Russa would be out of touch with the game, having last managed in 2011. He has had some hiccups, but winning is winning.

“Tony is very interesting to people,” said Sox senior vice president Brooks Boyer, the team’s chief revenue and marketing officer. “Here’s a Hall of Famer coming out of retirement. We all heard what was going on, whether social media or sports media. We knew there were risks associated with it. But the conviction was we had a club that, with the right manager, could win a division and get into the tournament and see what happens.

“Someone got thrown out [of a game], and Tony went out and he ended up getting thrown out. And as he was walking back to the dugout, there was a chant of ‘To-ny! To-ny! To-ny!’ I was like, ‘Man, in April or May, I never would have thought I’d hear that.’ It was like Rocky fighting in Russia [in the movie ‘Rocky IV’]. Now all of a sudden they’ve turned.”

That could be the situation with Chicago baseball fans if merchandising is any indication. Brad Rosen, an owner/partner of Sports World Chicago, said he has been “killing it” with Sox gear, especially jerseys. That’s saying something for a store located across from Wrigley Field.

“I haven’t sold this much Sox stuff in the past 10 years combined,” he said.

Rosen said the Sox’ City Connect jerseys – the black tops with white pinstripes and “Southside” across the chest – sold out in 48 hours. He has regular Sox jerseys in stock, having planned his inventory well, but that isn’t the case everywhere.

“I was in a Dick’s Sporting Goods in the west suburbs, I was like, ‘Hey, you’ve got Cubs jerseys. I was just curious, where are the White Sox jerseys?’ ” Boyer said. ” ‘We can’t keep ’em in.’ There’s a shortage of jerseys. That’s the impact this team is having.”

Rosen said Fanatics, which manufactures MLB-licensed fan apparel, was understandably lean with its Sox inventory, as opposed to better-selling teams such as the Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees. Hence, the company hasn’t been able to meet the demand. The pandemic has played a significant role, as well, with the cost of shipping dramatically increasing and logistical issues causing significant delays.

But does interest in buying Sox apparel equal interest in buying Sox tickets? We might see some evidence this week. The Pirates, who have the second-worst record in the National League, are in town Tuesday and Wednesday. What will attendance be after the park was sold out for three games against the Cubs?

Consider: When the A’s – who have a similar standing in the Bay Area as the Sox do here – hosted the Giants on Aug. 20-22, they averaged 35,569. But when the Mariners visited the next two days, the games drew 4,140 and 4,508.

Granted, there are other factors hurting the A’s attendance (the stadium, its location and frustration with ownership). And the Sox’ attendance for the Pirates games probably isn’t going to be in four figures. But it also probably won’t touch the 38,375 average for the Cubs series, not with school starting.

When the Sox return home after the Pirates series, they have a homestand Sept. 10-16 against the Red Sox and Angels. They figure to draw well with the Bosox in over the weekend. Those midweek games against the Angels will be interesting. You’d figure that Shohei Ohtani would draw a crowd.

But that’s just it: These Sox shouldn’t need a guest on their own show.

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A month after she was fatally shot by Dolton police, major questions remain about the death of 19-year-old Alexis Wilson — killed just weeks before she was to enter college.

It’s still unclear what sparked an argument with a worker at a drive-thru window that drew officers to Wilson’s red van around 1 a.m. July 27.

The worker called police and said Wilson was knocking on the window with a gun, but on surveillance video it appears to be a long pipe or other object. There is also no mention of a gun on bodycam video from responding officers.

The video does appear to show one of the officers punching Wilson after telling her to get out of the van – something the police chief has not denied.

Wilson then sped off, allegedly dragging an officer who was getting into the van on the passenger side. The officer starts shooting at her, and another officer also opened fire.

The family’s lawyer says Wilson was shot seven times, twice in the head. An autopsy report has not been made public.

Authorities said the police shot Wilson because she was using the van as a weapon, but selected video released by police doesn’t clearly show that.

The family lawyer said he has seen other video not released publicly that shows Wilson wasn’t aware the officer had jumped into the van. The officer also appears to be in the van, not outside being dragged, he said.

“From the beginning, Dolton started to spin a false narrative,” attorney Rashaan Gordon said.

The shooting is being investigated by the Illinois State Police, which has refused to comment on the ongoing case. Village officials did not respond to questions from the Sun-Times.

Wilson’s parents have repeatedly raised questions at demonstrations at the mayor’s home and at a village board meeting. They say they are frustrated about not getting answers while officials continue to criminalize their daughter.

“She had a lot of plans,” said her mother, Cara Wilson.

The 19-year-old was hours away from completing training to become a certified autism therapist and was working to open her own lash stylist studio, and she was preparing to attend Prairie State College in the fall.

“She was putting them all into action, and I was watching, and I was amazed by that,” Wilson said. “And now that’s gone, everything she planned, everything is just gone.”

Alexis Wilson, 19, was preparing to head to college in the fall. Provided by Wilson family

‘Didn’t make it’

On the morning of July 27, Cara Wilson thought it was her daughter knocking at the door, but instead she found Dolton police officers out front. There had been a crash and a shooting overnight, they said, and her daughter “didn’t make it.”

Wilson said she was not given any details, just a phone number for a detective.

Later that day, her husband, Alonzo Wilson, began seeing news stories about a young woman killed in a police shooting in Dolton. He assumed officials would have told him if this was his daughter, but still he called the detective and again was told there had been a “crash, gunshots and your daughter didn’t make it.”

It was not until officials released a statement to the media the family learned those gunshots had been fired by police, they said.

“They’re making statements on the news without ever having informed us it was our child they were talking about,” Cara Wilson said. “There was no compassion, no consideration, no empathy, no sympathy, nothing.”

Days later, the village allowed the parents to view surveillance and police bodycam video of the shooting. The couple said they could not keep watching after the shots were fired.

They and their lawyer asked the Illinois State Police to alert them before the footage was made public, but they say Dolton officials released the videos without warning.

“Just to know that I could have been watching the news, her mother could have been watching the news,” Alonzo Wilson said.

What video shows and doesn’t show

The video, released by Dolton police the week after the shooting, shows a red van pulling up to the Baba’s Famous Steak & Lemonade restaurant at Oak and Sibley Boulevard around 1 a.m.

After a few minutes, the van leaves then returns. The driver, identified by police as Alexis Wilson, knocks on the window several times with a long object shaped like a pipe.

An employee from the restaurant calls 9-1-1 reporting a “person outside with a gun” who is “banging on the drive-thru window.” The employee tells police to hurry up because they were “trying to go home.”

The van is still at the window when officers arrived minutes later. Alexis Wilson hadn’t driven away because she thought the employee was either getting her order or was going to provide a refund, according to Gordon, the family lawyer.

The officers order Wilson and a male passenger out of a car. The passenger steps out, but Wilson remains behind the wheel, repeatedly telling officers she has no clothes on.

Suddenly, Wilson’s head jerks back against the seat as if she has been punched. She drives off, screaming, as an officer jumps into the passenger seat. Bodycam footage becomes obstructed at this point, but seconds later shots ring out.

Wilson crashes into an unoccupied bicycle shop about a block away on Sibley Boulevard. An officer runs to the scene and yells for Wilson to put her hands up, but there is no response. He discovers the injured officer inside the van and administers aid.

The video ends before anyone attends to Wilson. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Police Chief Robert M. Collins Jr. told reporters shortly after the shooting he believed the officer inside the van fired the first shots, followed by other officers. The chief said the van was being used as a weapon and the officers feared for their lives.

He would not directly answer whether Wilson was punched by one of the officers before speeding off. “It can be assumed that it was a punch, but I can’t assume that it is and I can’t assume that it isn’t,” he said.

Community members gather at a memorial set up for Alexis Wilson near the site of the crash. Provided by Wilson family

‘You scared that child’

Alexis Wilson’s parents are demanding a fuller explanation.

“That was a decision not to grab the taser, to grab the gun. That was a decision,” Cara Wilson said. “It was a decision when that child said, ‘I don’t have any clothes on.’ Why didn’t you call the lady officer then to address her?

“She had both hands on the wheel, she was not a threat to him,” she added. “She is a 19-year-old girl taking a punch from a grown man. You scared that child … She couldn’t fight them, so she ran.”

The family, along with community activists, are pushing for an internal investigation of the officers involved. Dolton police have not released their names.

“They were acting like we were wrong for even inquiring about the situation, like we were bugging them almost,” Alonzo Wilson said.

Activists say the shooting shows how little police accountability there is in some parts of the Chicago area.

“We definitely need policy changes within the south suburban and Cook County communities,” said Camellia Williams, a community organizer and adult adviser to GoodKids MadCity. “When it comes to police, there is no real oversight.”

Williams has helped organize protests outside Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s house and at a village board meeting.

“If she says she’s the people’s mayor, we the people — black women, people who have a heart, people that believe in police accountability — we are going to fight for Alexis Wilson,” Williams said. “We have too many families out here, we have too many families across this country with no justice.”

‘She’s not a story on the news, she’s my child’

Wilson’s death has been particularly hard on her 8-year-old brother, Alonzo Jr., the family says.

Her brother has autism, and when he was growing up Wilson worked as a “little speech therapist,” her mother said. But since the shooting, the boy has struggled to communicate.

“He’s having an extremely hard time recognizing and dealing with what’s going on,” Alonzo Harris said. “Since this happened with Lexi, he’s had these outbursts. He’s not saying anything, he can’t express it.”

The parents said they understand they have a long journey ahead but feel it is their duty to fight for the “whole truth.”

“She was a real girl, she’s not a story on the news, she’s my child,” Cara Wilson said. “She’s somebody that we loved.”

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