Christian Atsu, a winger for Turkish soccer club Hatayspor, was reportedly found alive after being buried under rubble in an earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. Now, according to Hatayspor manager Volkan Demirel, Atsu remains missing.
This unfortunate twist was also confirmed by Atsu’s manager Nana Sechere, on social media on Thursday.
I am currently in Istanbul.
The situation remains the same, Christian Atsu is yet to be found.
Unless I see Christian, or speak with him, I have no further updates. #prayforAtsu #PrayForTurkey
— Nana Sechere (@iAmNana7) February 9, 2023
“I am currently in Istanbul. The situation remains the same, Christian Atsu is yet to be found. Unless I see Christian, or speak with him, I have no further updates,” Sechere said.
On Wednesday, Sechere tweeted that there were false reports circulating about Atsu being rescued.
“Following yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) update from the club that Christian had been pulled out alive, we are yet to confirm Christian’s whereabouts. As you can imagine, this continues to be a devastating time for his family and we are doing everything we can to locate Christian,” he said.
Oddly, Sechere had initially told CNN on Tuesday that he had “official confirmation” from Hatayspor that Atsu “was in hospital and that he is stable.”
Atsu was first reported missing on Monday after a 7.8 magnitude quake rocked the region at around 4:17 am local time. At last count, The Guardian reports more than 19,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria and the damage is ongoing.
The Ghana Football Association tweeted news of Atsu’s rescue.
Update: We've received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment.
Let’s continue to pray for Christian🙏🏽
— 🇬🇭 Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) February 7, 2023
“Christian Atsu was pulled out injured. Our sporting director, Taner Savut, is unfortunately still under the rubble,” club vice president Mustafa Ozat told Radyo Gol.
Atsu was said to be receiving treatment but no further details about his injuries were provided.
Not sure why a rescue was reported, but once Hatayspor vice president Mustafa Ozat and Ghana’s Football Association confirmed that Atsu had been rescued from the carnage and taken to a local hospital, other news outlets naturally started picking up what seemed to be a triumphant story of survival.
Tragedy is once again on everyone’s minds as the truth has been revealed, that a search is now ongoing for Atsu’s remains. Any hope that he is still alive has been shattered.
According to CNN, “In a WhatsApp message to CNN on Thursday, Sechere says that all of his updates have come directly from ‘my communications with the club, the British Consulate in Istanbul, the Ghana Consulate, The Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Football Federation.’”
He played in the Premier League for Chelsea, Everton, and New Castle from 2013-2021.
The Ghanaian winger last played for his country in 2019. At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Atsu scored twice in a 3–0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals, and led the team to the final, where they lost in a penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast. He was named the Player of the Tournament and was awarded the Goal of the Tournament for his strike against Guinea.
Last September he signed with Hatayspor. Atsu scored the deciding goal in the team’s game last Sunday hours before the earthquake.
Ghanaian 🇬🇭 player Christian Atsu scored last minute goal for his club to win yesterday, and less than 24hrs he can’t be found as reported.
Pray for Christian Atsu pic.twitter.com/g03BmXcNFG
— Africa News 360 (@africanews_360) February 6, 2023
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake was followed by a 7.5 magnitude aftershock in the afternoon. The region is reeling, and the Turkish government has declared a three-month state of emergency.
Thousands more fatalities and damages of at least $1 billion in economic losses are expected. The search for Atsu and other survivors continues. #prayforturkey
The evolution of the Black signal-caller has Chicago Bears star QB Justin Fields believing franchises will continue to look to draft that dual-threat guy who can throw it and make plays with his legs.
The supporting proof is on full display as Sunday’s two Super Bowl starters, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, are known for their versatility.
Fields is a developing dual-threat weapon who also made some great strides in his second season. In an interview with Complex Sports, the former Ohio State star was pretty open with what he sees the league turning to more and more.
“I think the game is just changing to be honest with you. Unless you have a crazy offensive line where you can just sit back there and chill in the pocket, you’re going to have to be mobile. So I think you’re going to find more African-American quarterbacks who can extend plays. The game is just changing, when you step on the field and 260, 270-pound dudes running 4.6s that’s tough for an offensive line to hold up every play. As a quarterback, you’re going to have to use your legs and extend plays. Having that aspect of your game, it’s very important in today’s game.”
African American quarterbacks have moved to the forefront of the NFL, and Justin Fields sees that trend continuing.
We talked to the Chicago Bears quarterback about his growth in year two, the Bears future outlook, and much more!
FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/WvOYLZDJTb pic.twitter.com/3TFIpXafj1
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) February 2, 2023
Fields is part of that new era of dynamic playmakers at the position, and he sees what the rest of the league is beginning to see. The Black quarterback is now a most sought-after commodity.
In 2022, Fields himself played on a rebuilding Chicago Bears team that finished with the worst record in the league. The style of offense implemented by head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy flashed some real potential. The scheme resembled the one Fields ran at Ohio State. Designed runs and letting him use his big arm to push the football downfield. But it was Fields’ innate ability to create plays out of nothing that was the cherry on top. In all Fields finished with 1,143 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
He averaged nearly 77 yards per game, coming just 63 yards shy of Ravens dynamic QB Lamar Jackson’s single-season QB rushing set during his 2019 unanimous MVP season. Fields also passed for over 2,200 yards and 17 touchdowns on a Bears team devoid of talent on the offensive side of the football.
Now Justin Fields turn. Your friendly annual reminder to ignore NFL scouts/media on assessing the work ethic, character and adaptive abilities of Black QBs entering NFL draft. pic.twitter.com/eKUts7PMru
— #StopCopCity (@ChuckModi1) March 31, 2021
As for Hurts and Mahomes, they finished fourth and ninth in the league in QB rush yards, a credit to their dual-threat abilities that make life extremely difficult for defenses. Both play in systems that accentuate their strengths, and that’s a huge reason why they’re taking the field Sunday night in Glendale, Arizona.
Mahomes and Hurts are the top two finalists for league MVP as well, with Mahomes expected to take his second award home. That’s huge progress when the top two MVP candidates are Black dual-threat QBs.
For years it was always about finding what the league deemed the prototypical QB. Ideal measurements were between 6 feet 2 and 6 feet 3, 225-230 pounds and a big arm, able to process information quickly and capable of making all the throws. And while Blacks have proved they could do it, it was like pulling teeth for them to get an opportunity at the pro level. Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon, the greatest Black quarterback the game has ever seen, did it, but he never got the respect he deserved.
There’s Steve McNair and Cam Newton, who became the first two Black QBs to win an MVP. Newton even took the word dual-threat to another level by becoming the all-time rushing touchdown leader for QBs with 75. He has a 4,000-yard passing season under his belt as well.
.@ShannonSharpe agrees with Justin Fields saying Black QBs are getting more respect in the NFL: ‘The game is just changing:’
"The things that they used to criticize Black QBs are now an asset.” pic.twitter.com/GT5QsDYWKP
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 3, 2023
Now the likes of Mahomes, Hurts, Fields, Jackson and Deshaun Watson are all doing it at a high level. Then you have guys such as Arizona Cardinals diminutive dynamo Kyler Murray and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who leads the richest franchise in sports.
With Heisman winner Bryce Young and CJ Stroud expected to be the first two quarterbacks selected in April’s draft, the league could have as many as ten Black starters on opening day 2023. That’s the most since 2020, when 10 Black quarterbacks started on opening weekend for the first time in NFL history.
Just WOW, the evolution of the Black QB is here to stay.
The University of South Carolina women’s basketball team has defeated the UConn Huskies in their past three meetings.
After the most recent game last Sunday, Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma lamented about the Gamecocks’ physical play, and it prompted a response from head coach Dawn Staley.
“[We have success] we’re called something other than players that are locked in. They play the right way,” said Staley, “and approach it the right way whether they win or lose. We don’t denounce anybody’s play. They are always uplifting the game of women’s basketball, and when we were getting our heads beat in by UConn for all those years, I said nothing.”
Staley doubled down on her comments on Wednesday, reiterating that her players play the right way and play a physical brand of basketball. And that they shouldn’t be labeled as anything other than great players.
Today, Dawn Staley was asked further about Geno's physicality comments after the @GamecockWBB-UConn game.
For full transparency, here is every question she was asked and all of her answers from today on the topic:@wachfox pic.twitter.com/ohRwnErc3b
— Matt Dowell (@MattDowellTV) February 8, 2023
Auriemma was asked about Staley’s comments after UCONN’s loss to Marquette on Wednesday. The Huskies lost back-to-back games for the first time in 30 years.
“I don’t know whether Dawn was referring to me specifically or whether this has been happening to her team for quite some time now,” Auriemma said. “If people have been paying attention, seriously, I’ve been making that statement for 20-some years, since Diana (Taurasi) was playing for us.”
Auriemma and Staley are the two most prominent coaches in women’s college basketball. The UConn head coach has won 11 national titles with the Huskies, the last one in 2016. Staley has won two national titles, both coming after Auriemma won his last.
There are a few things at play here.
First, these are very two competitive individuals that don’t take losses well. Much of the commentary is coaches looking to gain an edge or plant a seed for the next time the teams matchup.
Second, the Gamecocks are a predominantly Black team. Saying the Gamecocks play physical and labeling what they do as “not basketball” has undertones rooted in racial stereotypes.
Third, the reality is things are shifting. UConn is still the standard bearer but they are not the overwhelming, unbeatable juggernaut they once were.
The Huskies’ two best players, Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, have been injured and robbed them of crucial on court reps. That more than anything is likely what’s frustrating Auriemma.
Staley has a right to be mad and defend her players if she feels they’re being attacked. The Gamecocks are defending champions and should be seen as such.
Auriemma also has a right to advocate for his players if he believes they’ve been wronged.
For decades UConn has dominated women’s college hoops, now it looks like things are in motion for South Carolina to build a dynasty.
“We’ve been called so many things and I’m sick of it,” Staley said. “I’m sick of it because I coach some of the best human beings the game has ever had.”
What Staley has built at South Carolina is incredible. They are pushing UConn and other programs to follow suit or get left behind.
Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay is taking full advantage of the media week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday.
Slay, who is riding the high of going from a rebuilding Detroit franchise to the Philadelphia Eagles — a team in position to win a Lombardi Trophy — talked about how his former coach Matt Patricia’s disrespect of him has fueled his success in Philly.
Slay says Patricia’s arrogance stood out from the moment he was hired. In one of the first team meetings as head coach in 2018, Patricia told Slay that he wasn’t an “elite corner,” and proceeded to show clips of him getting beat in practice. Slay’s recollection of the meeting was that the intent was more about demoralizing him and others and not helping them get better.
At Tuesday’s Super Bowl Media Day, Slay told reporters this about Patricia.
“He basically just said, You are not in that category yet. At that time, I only had one Pro Bowl, but now I’m at five, so I wanna know how he feels about that now,” Slay said. “I don’t wish bad on him, but as a man, me and him just don’t get along. He’s a smart coach, he knows his X’s and O’s, but the disrespect is not what I’m with.”
Slay was always considered a super solid cornerback during his days in Detroit, making five Pro Bowls, leading the league in picks in 2017 and even earning a coveted first-team All-Pro. However, his name never came up when the elite cornerbacks were mentioned.
When the franchise made a head-scratching move and fired head coach Jim Caldwell, who had one losing season in four years (11-5, 7-9, 9-7 and 9-7), Patricia was hired as his replacement. Patricia assumed the job with no prior head coaching experience, but he had three Super Bowl rings as a member of the Patriots dynasty. Two came as the team’s defensive coordinator.
While Slay’s skills may have been underrated and underappreciated by his coach, by 2018 he’d already begun to make a name for himself as an effective cover corner on a Lions team devoid of talent defensively. Two Pro Bowls under Patricia in two seasons is pretty damn good, no matter how you slice it.
Darius Slay still fueled by disrespect from Matt Patricia. https://t.co/T0XBGFKNXX
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 7, 2023
Philly enters Sunday’s festivities in Glendale with 80 sacks, and stats show 38 of those are a direct result of coverage on the back end, forcing opposing QBs to hold the football longer than they want to. That’s where Slay and teammate James Bradberry excel, in man-to-man coverage. Slay finished the regular season with three interceptions, 14 passes defensed and 55 total tackles.
"It's been a long journey. This is my first time making it past the first round in the playoffs, and I'm in Year 10. So I'm just very thankful for this moment and cherishing it."
Darius Slay is ready for #SuperBowlLVII ⬇️
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 7, 2023
The Eagles traded for the dynamic Slay in March 2020. Two Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl appearance later and it looks as if Slay is having the last laugh. As for Patricia, he fizzled out in Detroit, finishing with a 13-29-1 record before being fired 11 games into the 2020 season.
As part of the renowned “Good Ole Boy Network,” Patricia returned to New England under the iconic Bill Belichick. After a year in an advisory role, Patricia was given the keys to the offense and fell short in that role as second-year QB Mac Jones struggled all season.
If Slay wins this Super Bowl on Sunday who knows what he may say. Anybody who ever doubted him is fair game.
Colin Kaepernick has not stopped fighting against those social injustices that he initially took a knee for in 2016 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. His days of making impact plays at quarterback are a distant memory, but he is making an even bigger impact in society.
In 2021, Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp organization launched his Autopsy Initiative, which is centered on providing second autopsies for people who have been killed by the police or while in police custody. The idea came to him to start the initiative after the family of George Floyd hired two independent pathologists. Their reports contradicted the county medical examiner’s autopsy report that stated, it revealed “no physical findings to support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.”
Kaepernick mentioned that three main reasons behind his initiative are: the bias that could arise in state issued reports, the use of faulty forensics, and the significant financial burden can place on friends and family of the deceased typically ranges between $10,000-$15,000. He plans to fund his nonprofit through charitable donations. He realizes that this is a team effort, so his longtime girlfriend Nessa Diab and attorney Ben Meiselas are helping.
A 73-year-old unarmed man with dementia was shot five times and killed by the Bakersfield Police. He had a crucifix in his pocket. His name was Francisco Serna. This is #KillingCounty pic.twitter.com/yuEfUxjKAF
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) February 5, 2023
Kaepernick hired Nicole Martin in August 2021 to become the initiative’s legal program director and its first full-time employee. She noticed the level of diligence Kaepernick had when he would sit in on interview calls to make sure that the people hired are the right fit for what he is trying to do. Martin is a graduate of UC Riverside and devoted her senior thesis to analyzing the connection between race and police brutality. That caught the attention of Kaepernick during the interview process, and he knew she would be a perfect fit.
Roger Mitchell was the next hire for the former NFL star. He served as the chair of pathology at Howard University and accepted the invitation to join panel of board-certified forensic pathologists. A Feb. 7 Sports Illustrated feature on Kaepernick’s project described how Mitchell also was a huge fan of the former QB for his athletic achievements and social justice work he has done off the field.
Mitchell told Sports Illustrated, “Subsidizing autopsies for those who died in connection with the criminal legal system, that doesn’t exist anywhere else.”
SI also described one of the first cases the Autopsy Initiative took on.
Jennifer Schmidt’s father Gilbert Gonzalo Gil was a 67-year-old man that was found dead in his jail cell in February 2022 at Vista Detention Center near San Diego, California, 16 hours after he was booked. He was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance after a family member called 911 for help when he showed signs of erratic behavior that stemmed from complications of his hyperglycemia and dementia.
The cause of death explained to Schmidt by San Diego Sheriff’s Department, the statement begins with “pending laboratory results and further explanation,” Gil had tested positive for COVID-19 and there were traces of methamphetamine in his system.
The 41-year-old daughter didn’t believe the statement and start to do her own research. After visiting the county crematorium days later and viewing his body, she noticed a “big, red mark” stretching from his forehead to his hair. She knew she couldn’t afford for an independent pathologist to do their own examination and that’s when she seen a news segment on television about Kaepernick’s organization.
She filled out the form on their website but wasn’t expecting much of it. She thought they would only take bigger and higher profile cases. Her father’s case became the seventh the project accepted. The second autopsy’s ruling was Gil had died of asphyxiation, not drug use, and Schmidt went on to file a legal claim against San Diego County last August.
In case anyone’s forgotten, the murder of Tyre Nichols by Memphis police officers is why Colin Kaepernick took a knee.
— Lance Cooper (@lmauricecpr) January 28, 2023
The program has helped over 42 families to date, SI reports, and the biggest lawsuit filed because of their efforts was for $100 million by the family of 23-year-old Robert Adams against the city of San Bernardino, California.
Multiple-time undisputed champion Claressa “T-Rex” Shields put men’s boxing on notice when she recently called out the difference between the athletes in the women’s game as “not scared to fight each other.”
“Just to stir the pot! Yes womens boxing has a smaller pool of women…SURE! (I’m agreeing to disagree) BUT ATLEAST WE NOT SCARED TO FIGHT EACHOTHER! The men have a small of A CLASS FIGHTERS! They don’t ever fight each other.”
Just to stir the pot! Yes womens boxing has a smaller pool of women…SURE! (I’m agreeing to disagree 😜) BUT ATLEAST WE NOT SCARED TO FIGHT EACHOTHER! The men have a small of A CLASS FIGHTERS! They don’t ever fight each other 🗣️🗣️ #WOMENRUNBOXING
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) February 5, 2023
Her statement set up a tweetstorm from male boxers and fans that wanted to keep the debate going. The world is still disappointed that the two best welterweights on the planet, Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, are not agreeing to a fight. With the possibility of Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Ryan Garcia slowly fading from promoter and broadcast squabbles, Shields’ point is being made by proxy.
Damn what we do to y’all 😂 https://t.co/8FtxRX61Bx
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) February 5, 2023
“Damn what we do to y’all,” former two-division world champion Shakur Stevenson tweeted back with a laughing-crying emoji.
Other world champions felt the need to educate Shields on men’s challenges in the sport.
Men aren’t scared to fight each other champ, there are many factors that hold big fights up. Promoters, networks, money, but any1 getting in that squared circle isn’t afraid of anyone. Women have a smaller pool which make it easier to make fights, Im glad the best fight the best
— Ishé Oluwa Kamau Ali Smith (@IsheSugarShay) February 5, 2023
“Men aren’t scared to fight each other champ, there are many factors that hold big fights up,” said former IBF middleweight champion Ishè Smith. “Promoters, networks, money, but any1 getting in that squared circle isn’t afraid of anyone. Women have a smaller pool which make it easier to make fights, Im glad the best fight the best.”
Last October, Claressa Shields avenged the only loss in her illustrious career in fantastic fashion when she took a unanimous decision over Savannah Marshall at the O2 Arena in London, becoming the undisputed world middleweight champion again.
Marshall gave Shields her lone blemish in the amateurs ten years ago, kicking off the Shields-Marshall rivalry in the 2012 amateur world championships. Marshall went on to win the world championship a few days later; however, Shields won the Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games as Marshall was eliminated early in the tournament.
Now Shields has defeated Marshall as a pro and erased any doubt that she is her generation’s best women’s boxer.
“It’s not just a special moment for me, it’s a special moment for women’s boxing,” Shields said in a postfight interview in the ring. “Savannah Marshall, Alycia Baumgardner, Mikaela Mayer, Caroline Dubois. I mean, women’s boxing has been around for so many years and many great things happened before us.
“But here we are, in front of 20,000 fans in London at O2 Arena, and I think that’s fight of the year. I’m just so happy and it’s an unbelievable moment right now.”
This month, Alycia Baumgardner became the undisputed junior lightweight champion, cementing that women have been pushing the envelope with many fighting for undisputed, holding all the belts. From Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor’s historic undisputed lightweight championship fight that is now the first women’s boxing match to sell out Madison Square Garden to Claressa Shields promoting all women’s boxing cards, the women of boxing want to be heard and equal to the men’s game.
They can only hope that the world is paying attention, like the women’s game in MMA.
LeBron James made history on Tuesday night when he surpassed Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record. Along the courtside perimeter were those who supported him from his time as a high-school phenom at St. Vincent-St. Mary Catholic High School in Akron, Ohio. Jay-Z gave him a hug, his wife Savannah delivered a pouty kiss, his children, aspiring ballers, cheered with the sold-out crowd.
It is an arena that made Kobe Bryant an icon, placed a bronze statue of Shaquille O’Neal‘s destructive force on its front grounds, and prior to their arrival, gave the NBA a “Showtime” way of presenting the sport. Now in his 20th year in the NBA, LeBron James has done it all.
Immediately, the inevitable GOAT comparisons began, shining light on this being the only thing James hasn’t done: quell the notion that he is the greatest basketball player ever to live. That is still up for debate worldwide. Even while basking in the glory of his latest coup, surpassing Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 career points, he is dogged by the comparison to none other than Michael Jordan.
But what does it mean to be the greatest in basketball? Is it scoring records? Is it championship quantity? Is it the killer instinct energy?
The concept of the basketball GOAT is a debatable one based on what criteria and lens from which you are framing your candidate.
LeBron James‘ resume includes four championships: one in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers, one in 2016 with the Cavaliers, and one in 2012-13 with the Miami Heat. He also has four regular-season MVP awards, four Finals MVPs, and 19 All-Star selections. He’s also now the NBA’s all-time scorer, and his last accomplishment before that was becoming the NBA’s first actively playing billionaire.
Then there is Michael Jordan. Ubiquitous with athletic excellence, his dunking silhouette that sells highly coveted athletic apparel is akin to the NBA logo itself of Jerry West. He played for 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
He is a six-time NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998) and five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998). Jordan popularized and revolutionized the slam dunk competition, which he won twice back-to-back in 1987 and 1988, and is the epitome of most basketball players’ idol in competition.
Then there is the fact that he took the NCAA route instead of going straight from high school to the pros and, like James, won an NCAA title for the UNC Tar Heels, making the game-winning shot as a freshman.
James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, affectionately known as “Captain” for his preeminent role with the Los Angeles Lakers as the standard of dominance for an NBA center. Cap won six championships and after retiring in 1989, his scoring record was not beaten until 2023.
Magic Johnson is often overlooked for consideration as the GOAT. Still, he won everything young, an NCAA title as a sophomore, NBA champion as a rookie, and face of an era known simply as “Showtime.” However, he is now more widely considered the greatest point guard ever.
Each brought something immeasurable to the game, and each transcended sports. Financially, LeBron James is the poster boy for success and advocacy while still a player in the NBA. Michael Jordan is the virtue of any athlete seeking a legendary athletic and post-athletic career. They both have solidified their legacies, and their GOAT status depends on the generation you respect: foundational or new generational.
LeBron now enters ground reserved for one and his claim to it will forever be debated.
As the NBA trade deadline nears today at 3 p.m., Wednesday was moving day, as the Lakers traded Russell Westbrook to the Jazz.
But what happened in the wee hours of Thursday morning was a complete power shift as the Brooklyn Nets traded superstar Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns for forwards Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and four unprotected first-round draft picks.
The move suddenly makes the Suns the prohibitive favorite in the West with a nucleus that now consists of the aforementioned Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker and center DeAndre Ayton.
On Wednesday during new Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s introductory presser, he stressed wanting to be the best, and that meant taking chances.
“But I want to be the best, the best in class, the elite franchises in the NBA and WNBA,” Ishbia said. “We’re gonna focus on winning, community impact, culture and fan experience.”
Ishbia put his money where his mouth is by pulling off a deal to land one of the best players of this generation and in the history of the game.
Full Kevin Durant trade details:
Suns ➡️ KD
Nets ➡️ Jae Crowder, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation
(via @ShamsCharania) pic.twitter.com/5QrTOrys86
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 9, 2023
Over the summer, Durant requested a trade, and after weeks of little traction outside of the Suns, he rescinded his request, but the writing was on the wall.
KD had no intention of staying in Brooklyn if he could get out, and especially if Irving had already skipped town during the season.
The Nets once possessed what many thought was a can’t-lose “Big Three” of Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
That group never lived up to expectations, and last season Harden was traded to the Sixers at the trade deadline. This was supposed to finally be the year where Durant and Irving stamped their joining forces in 2019.
But with Irving’s off-the-court antics, plus injuries and other things, the two never really played much together. With owner Joe Tsai refusing to give Irving the max contract he covets with his expiring deal, Irving asked to be traded last Friday.
On Sunday, Tsai traded the talented but mercurial Irving to the Mavericks. The move ended three-plus seasons of Durant and Irving being teammates with just 74 games played together. The move left KD with an uninspired Ben Simmons in Brooklyn, and time waits for no man at age 34.
KD knew if he had any hope of winning more championships he needed to get out of Brooklyn. That team isn’t beating Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia or Miami in the East. The Brooklyn experiment had run its course and it was time to move on.
With Durant heading to the “Valley of the Sun,” it shakes up a very competitive Western Conference.
With just four games separating the fourth-seeded Mavericks and 13th-seeded Lakers, the Suns themselves are just four games behind the second-seeded and sputtering Grizzlies. As of now, only the Nuggets seem solidified in their top seed. They’ve been the best team out West all season.
But none of that means much when you put Durant with a Suns nucleus that had a 2-0 Finals lead over the Bucks in 2021 only to lose four straight and the title behind a dominant performance by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
And that’s exactly where a player like KD comes into play. His skill set will make things easier for everyone, but especially Booker and Ayton. Expect point guard Chris Paul to have some astronomical assist nights.
In essence, the Suns now have three closers in Durant, CP3 and Book. No other team in the NBA can boast such a claim. Which makes them even tougher to defend, because all three can score or create for others. Suns role players should be elated, because there’s going to be many open shots and fast break opportunities.
Kyrie, Russ, KD … all moved in a span of five days.
Quite a trade deadline …#thisleague https://t.co/nr4rZoCbZZ
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 9, 2023
With the KD acquisition, the Suns championship odds jumped from 18-1 to 5-1, the best in the West, and only second to the Celtics in the league.
Reigning Coach of the Year Monty Williams now has that megastar that changes a team’s fortunes overnight, and his name is Kevin Wayne Durant. And, guess what, he’s under contract for three more seasons.
Philadelphia native and longtime Eagles fan Kevin Hart took to his TikTok to show off what he claims is his new wild purchase. The comedian showed fans a real eagle that he claims he bought for $16.5 million and named after star Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I splurged a little bit. I went and bought an eagle,” Hart said. “I bought that. Sixteen-point-five mill. Cash. I’m the only Black man with an eagle during Black History Month,” said Hart in the TikTok video, which depicts a man holding what appeared to be a juvenile African fish eagle off to one side as Hart and another unidentified man stand behind a table set up with up with tequila and glasses.
Kevin Hart says he bought an Eagle for $16.5 million to celebrate the #Eagles playing in the Super Bowl
pic.twitter.com/Dbr2NyBk98— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) February 7, 2023
Hart’s eagle gag ahead of the game made us want to take a trip down memory lane to countdown the top five wildest Super Bowl moments over the past decade that had nothing to do with the actual game.
Super Bowl LI will forever be linked as the Atlanta Falcons meltdown game. The Falcons blew a late third quarter 28-3 lead, and the rest was history made by the Patriots.
Tom Brady’s game worn jersey from that 2017 contest was stolen and found after a two-month investigation. Martin Mauricio Ortega, a longtime writer and director at the Mexican-based publication La Prensa, was found in Mexico with Brady’s jersey along with other stolen sports memorabilia. Ortega was known for getting into locker rooms during big moments and swiping memorabilia, then reselling it.
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/848938799556120577?s=20&t=x7mwFVEv43bA1W86d29t-Q
Marshawn Lynch is known for having a love-hate relationship with the media and not wanting to speak with them.
Ahead of Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, Lynch did his required media session of five minutes and kept repeating “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.” The phrase ended up becoming a meme and was a theme for several months on social media. Lynch trademarked the phrase, and it eventually became a part of his brand.
Hart had a little too much to drink the last time the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl in 2018. He drank so much that he forgot he was not part of the Eagles roster and tried to make his way on stage during the trophy presentation. He was denied by NFL officials, and the video went viral the following Monday.
“You know when alcohol is in your system you do dumb stuff,” Hart said back in 2018.
Little longer version of Kevin Hart getting denied, lol pic.twitter.com/XIHEcdGuQS
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD2_) February 5, 2018
Super Bowl XLVII was lights out on Feb. 3, 2013, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Shortly after halftime, the lights cut completely out in the stadium and provided another memorable Super Bowl moment. Beyoncé headlined the halftime show and fans suggested she ‘stole all of the power’ on social media after her performance.
Fans had to sit through a 34-minute delay and it was never discovered what caused the power outage. NFL officials stated after the game that it was an “abnormality” in the power system triggered an automatic shutdown.
https://youtu.be/2NisA-AT60A
Sherman has always been vocal, but he was even left speechless after the ending of Super Bowl XLIX. The Seahawks were down 28-24 with 0:26 left in the fourth quarter but in position to win the game when an inexplicable pass play was called at the 1-yard line. It resulted in a game-changing interception and a priceless reaction by Sherman that was captured on camera. The reaction turned into a meme and was another theme for several months on social media.
Richard Sherman reading the Super Bowl XLIX script pic.twitter.com/CJ4cQGF2VT
— Swanny (@T_Swanee) February 2, 2023
A.J. Green took to Instagram on Monday afternoon to announce his retirement after a 11-year tenure in the NFL with the Bengals and Cardinals.
“I’ve never been a man of many words, so I’ll keep this short,” said Green on Instagram.
“Thank you. Thank you to all who have supported, encouraged, and inspired me throughout my career. Special thank you to the University of Georgia, Cincinnati Bengals, and Arizona Cardinals for the opportunity to pursue my dreams. I’ve stayed true to the game and it owes me nothing. Be blessed.. Love y’all! The next chapter begins.”
Green was a former five-star wide receiver from Summerville, South Carolina. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver was drafted fourth overall in the 2011 NFL draft. He was taken two spots ahead of Alabama star Julio Jones in a star-studded class that featured himself, Jones, Randall Cobb, and Torrey Smith. After a dominating five seasons to start his career, Green left much to be desired on the back end of his career that was plagued with injuries.
Green spent nine seasons with Bengals and two seasons with the Cardinals. He’s considered one of the all-time great Bengal receivers, only behind Chad Johnson as of right now.
He is second in Bengals history in all-time receptions with 649, and 9,430 receiving yards, and 65 receiving touchdowns with Cincinnati. His total career numbers are 727 receptions, 10,514 receiving yards and 70 receiving touchdowns.
Green joins Jones, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, and DeAndre Hopkins as the only receivers from 2011-2020 to eclipse over 10,000 receiving yards in their career.
Green is the only wide receiver in Bengals history to start his career with five straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards. Unfortunately, Green was only able to play in five career playoff games. He never had a 100-yard receiving game in the playoffs and had one touchdown reception in his short playoff career with the Bengals.
AJ Green spent the first 10 years of his career with the Cincinatti Bengals, producing 649 receptions for 9,340 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns. (Getty images)
After nine seasons with the Bengals, he signed back-to-back one-year deals with the Cardinals in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, Green showed signs of his glory days with 54 receptions, 848 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. He played in 16 of the 17 games that season as well.
Last season, his production fell off once again with only 24 receptions, 236 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
In his first five NFL seasons, he only missed four games and played all 16 games in three different seasons. Then, the injuries start to come more frequently.
In 2016, Green missed six games due to a hamstring tear that sidelined him in week 11 for the remainder on the season. He bounced back to play all 16 games in 2017 before being sidelined again in 2018 with groin injury that caused him to miss seven games.
Then he missed the whole 2019 season with ankle injury that he suffered in training camp.
Green finished his season as one of four players selected to every Pro Bowl from 2011-17 and has the third-longest consecutive 1,000-yard season streak (five) in NFL history.
Basketball is a global game. But it has roots deep within Black American culture before integration of the NBA and other professional leagues. The Big East Conference is set to honor that history as it extends its partnership with the Black Fives Foundation. The Big East will host 22 games honoring Black athletes, coaches and communities who played a critical role in America’s basketball history.
The BIG EAST is proud to celebrate Black History Month and renew our partnership with the @BlackFives Foundation. https://t.co/3AFQu0SGHw#BeTheChange x #MakeHistoryNow pic.twitter.com/8G2eWVBSOT
— BIG EAST Conference (@BIGEAST) February 7, 2023
The Black Fives Foundation is a nonprofit public charity whose mission is to research, preserve, showcase, teach and honor the pre-NBA history of African Americans in basketball.
“Black Fives” refers to the all-Black basketball teams that existed in the United States between 1904 and 1950, when the NBA signed its first Black players.
In the 22 games, Big East men’s and women’s hoops teams will be wearing shirts with the Black Fives mantra “Make History Now.” Coaches will wear pins with the mantra and fans will be educated through videos and other game-day presentations on the relevance and importance of the Black Fives.
“We are excited about partnering with the BIG EAST Conference again this season,” said Claude Johnson, executive director of the Black Fives Foundation. “This partnership provides an ideal opportunity for us to tell the stories of the players and teams whose contributions helped shape the sport of basketball we know and love today. Bringing greater awareness to this history will be especially meaningful with a conference like the BIG EAST whose member schools are among the finest academic institutions in the world.”
All-Black teams emerged during the Black Fives Era, in New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cleveland and other cities. They were sponsored by or affiliated with churches, athletic clubs, social clubs, businesses, newspapers, YMCAs, and other community organizations.
“Our basketball-centric identity and commitment to diversity and inclusion creates an optimal conference-wide platform for our men’s and women’s basketball teams to honor the Black Fives Era and educate individuals on this significant time in Black history,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “This is an opportunity to celebrate pioneers in the member schools’ communities and to highlight their impact on the game of basketball and the community as a whole.”
Teacher and NAACP pioneer Edwin Henderson is someone who should be featured in the game day programs. He is considered the “Grandfather of Black Basketball,” and is credited with being the first to introduce the game of basketball to Black people on a large-scale organized way, in the winter of 1904, in D.C., through physical education classes in the district’s racially segregated public school system.
This introduction took place roughly 13 years after basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith. Henderson learned the sport while taking summer classes at Harvard University.
Henderson didn’t see basketball as the end itself but rather a means to a better end for Black people. He thought organized Black athletics would allow more outstanding Black athletes to attend Northern white colleges, excel and debunk racial stereotypes.
The first men’s game to honor the Black Five will be the Feb. 15 matchup between Xavier and Marquette.
Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley were great friends during their playing days and even in retirement. They were thick as thieves, and for a couple of years they were the two best basketball players in the world.
Upon retirement MJ became an NBA owner. In fact, he’s the only Black majority owner in the four North American sports. As for Sir Charles, aka “The Round Mound of Rebound,” he embarked on a legendary career in television as a sports analyst on TNT.
That means Barkley has to call it as he sees it, and that’s exactly what Chuck did when he said, Jordan, his good friend at the time, needed to put better people around him in order to make better personnel decisions for his Charlotte Hornets team.
During a recent interview with “All The Smoke” on Showtime, Barkley spoke to co-hosts Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes and reflected on how things went south with MJ.
Barnes asked Barkley could he see the relationship between him and Jordan being mended. The outspoken Barkley was blunt in his response, and, from the sounds of it, don’t expect any reconciliation in the near future.
“That would be on his end,” Barkley said. He was my best friend at the time, and I love the guy and miss the guy, but I gotta do my job.”
Barkley points to those comments in 2012 as the turning point in their relationship, but he maintains that he was speaking the truth about MJ not having anyone around him that wasn’t afraid to tell him the truth. Barkley felt that there were too many “yes men,” and that led to MJ’s struggles as an executive.
“He was struggling as a manager or running the team, and I said, ‘I don’t know if he’s ever going to be successful ‘cause the people around him are never gonna tell him no,” Barkley said.
Per Barkley, Jordan’s rebuttal was fiery, animated and pretty heavy on swearing.
“He went ballistic,” Barkley said. ‘And he called me and that’s the last thing I heard was m—- f— you? You supposed to be my boy.”
That was ten years ago. And the two haven’t spoken since then.
(Charles Barkley | Ep 168 | ALL THE SMOKE Full Episode | SHOWTIME Basketball) https://t.co/Q8nO1HMyHJ pic.twitter.com/o68v5zOfyi
— HipHop NewsOfTheDay (@HHNewsoftheday) February 6, 2023
Barkley claims he was being an unbiased analyst, opting to say what those around MJ won’t ever say about His Airness’ skills as a team-builder. Only the Knicks, Magic, Pistons, TImberwolves and Kings have worse records during MJ’s reign in Charlotte.
Also, in that time frame, they’ve never won their division, finishing fourth or dead last six times. And he’s had six different head coaches.
What Barkley said has some real truth to it.
Things got so ugly that back in June Fox Sports personality Skip Bayless referred to MJ as the W.O.A.T or “Worst Of All Time.”
https://twitter.com/davidinho_21/status/1621184992335249411?s=46&t=e8FBFT88kycTblcbUDOsZA
Back when the two were friends they stole the show at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The “Dream Team” steamrolled all the competition the world had to offer. Jordan and Barkley were the unquestioned two best players at that time, and that’s not really up for debate. The two met in the 1993 NBA Finals, with Jordan and the Chicago Bulls winning the series in six hard-fought games.
That season Barkley was named NBA MVP, with Jordan finished third. Barkley often reminisces about that one opportunity he had to win a title, and he blames himself for not having his league-leading Suns prepared. In fact, they didn’t win a home game the entire series after boasting the best overall record and home record in the league that season.
Michael Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals…Undisputed GOAT. 🐐
(via @HistoryJumpman) pic.twitter.com/LrRvfkUIwY
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 12, 2021
Barkley and his Suns were one of the six victims en route to MJs unblemished NBA Finals record.
Christian Atsu, a winger for Turkish soccer club Hatayspor, has been found alive after being buried under rubble in an earthquake that hit Turkey. He was reported missing on Monday after a 7.8 magnitude quake rocked the region at around 4:17 am local time. At last count, Forbes reports more than 11,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria and the damage is ongoing.
The Ghana Football Association tweeted news of Atsu’s rescue.
Update: We've received some positive news that Christian Atsu has been successfully rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building and is receiving treatment.
Let’s continue to pray for Christian🙏🏽
— 🇬🇭 Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) February 7, 2023
“Christian Atsu was pulled out injured. Our sporting director, Taner Savut, is unfortunately still under the rubble,” club vice president Mustafa Ozat told Radyo Gol.
Atsu is said to be receiving treatment but no further details about his injuries were provided.
He played in the Premier League for Chelsea, Everton, and New Castle from 2013-2021.
The Ghanaian winger last played for his country in 2019. At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Atsu scored twice in a 3–0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals, and led the team to the final, where they lost in a penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast. He was named the Player of the Tournament, and was awarded the Goal of the Tournament for his strike against Guinea.
Last September he signed with Hatayspor. Atsu scored the deciding goal in the team’s game last Sunday hours before the earthquake.
Ghanaian 🇬🇭 player Christian Atsu scored last minute goal for his club to win yesterday, and less than 24hrs he can’t be found as reported.
Pray for Christian Atsu pic.twitter.com/g03BmXcNFG
— Africa News 360 (@africanews_360) February 6, 2023
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake was followed by a 7.5 magnitude aftershock in the afternoon. The region is reeling and the Turkish government has declared a three-month state of emergency.
“The scale of the earthquake of course makes us take certain extraordinary measures,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday in a televised address. “We will be completing all the necessary procedures and formalities very fast.”
Controversial former NBA player Enes Freedom (Kanter) born to Turkish parents and a former Turkish national, has a complicated history with the country and Erdogan. He tweeted that he had to check in with his brother to see if his parents, who still live in Turkey, are OK after the earthquake.
It’s heartbreaking that because of @RTErdogan, I had to call my brother who lives outside of #Turkey to ask him if my family is doing okay & if they were affected from the #Earthquake.
Thank you for your prayers & thoughts!
Let’s keep praying for those who have been affected.
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) February 7, 2023
Kanter became outspoken of Erdoğan over human rights violations in 2013. Since then he’s been branded an enemy of the state in Turkey. It was reported that Erdoğan placed a $500,000 bounty on Kanter and his name was added to Turkey’s “Most Wanted” terrorist list.
During the last few years since becoming a U.S. citizen Kanter has also become a favorite on conservative media platforms for criticizing Black athletes, namely Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
The road to recovery in Turkey and Syria will be hellish. Tremors and aftershocks have continued with southern Turkey reporting 285 aftershocks since. A Turkish official said they’re coming very frequently.
“Every minute new tremors are happening,” said Orhan Tatar from the country’s disaster management agency.
Cold weather and snowstorms have severely impacted the relief efforts in the region. The World Health Organization has sent aid in the form of medical supplies loaded onto three charter flights.
“It’s now a race against time. Every minute, every hour that passes, the chances of finding survivors alive diminishes,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization.
We are all shocked by the images and reports coming from #Türkiye and #Syria. Over 4,000 people have been killed and over 18,700 are injured, but these numbers will continue to rise as the situation evolves. My full update on how @WHO is supporting: https://t.co/WgpXz956Wn pic.twitter.com/LOh2ajnSMy
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) February 7, 2023
The earthquake could cause up to 10,000 fatalities and damages of $1 billion in economic losses, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
NASCAR champion Kyle Busch was sentenced to three and a half years in a Mexican prison for bringing a handgun on his trip to Cancun, Mexico last month without a permit to carry in the country. He was arrested on Jan. 27 after a scan of his luggage while leaving Cancun to go back to the U.S. showed there was a loaded .380 handgun inside one of his bags.
Busch posted a statement to Twitter accepting responsibility for breaking the law in Mexico.
“In late January, Samantha and I enjoyed a several day vacation in Mexico,” Busch’s statement read. “When departing the country, my handgun was flagged during routine screening at the airport. I have a valid concealed carry permit from my local authority and adhere to all handgun laws, but I made a mistake by forgetting it was in my bag.
“When it was discovered, I fully cooperated with the authorities, accepted the penalties, and returned to North Carolina. Discovery of the handgun led to my detainment while the situation was resolved. I was not aware of Mexican law and had no intention of bringing a handgun into Mexico.
“I apologize for my mistake and appreciate the respect shown by all parties as we resolved the matter. My family and I consider this issue closed.”
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) February 6, 2023
Busch’s conviction was announced by Mexican authorities. A Mexican law firm states speedy sentencing “is applied in custodial sentences not exceeding 9 years or in others of a different nature.”
He was fined $1,080 US dollars for the infraction as well, or about 20,748 pesos. It’s unclear how the sentence will be served.
Busch holds several NASCAR records, including the most race wins in a season across the top three NASCAR series in the modern era, with 24 wins, accomplished in 2010. He holds the record for most all time wins in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series with 223.
He also holds the record for the most Xfinity Series wins in a season with 13 in 2010, and the most overall with 102. Busch also holds the record for most overall wins in the Truck Series with 61. As of 2022, he is the only driver in history to have 60 wins in each of NASCAR’s top three series. At Dover on May 6, 2019, his 10th-place finish tied the record of consecutive top-ten finishes to start a season with 11. As of 2022, he is tied with Richard Petty for the most consecutive seasons with a win at 18.
Kyle is the younger brother of NASCAR and Daytona 500 driver Kurt Busch. Kyle Busch is currently entering his first season racing under the new banner of Richard Childress Racing after spending most of his career with Joe Gibbs Racing.
NASCAR will not be punishing Busch for the incident in Mexico.
“We do have a Member Conduct policy,” said a NASCAR spokesman. “With the information we received, we did not feel that this warranted any disciplinary action.”
Busch will be available for the Daytona 500 later this month, Feb. 19. While NASCAR won’t be punishing him, he will certainly be asked about it during his media availability.
LeBron James has done it. He is the NBA’s new all-time scoring leader with 38,390 career points and counting. He bested the mark of 38,387 held by the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 38 years. LeBron now stands alone atop a hallowed list of NBA legends, and is truly the greatest player the game has ever seen.
It was a fadeaway jumper with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter of a 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder that broke the record and catapulted him to number one all-time. James finished with 38 points on 13-of-20 shooting, along with seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
the shot that made history.
greatness personified 👑 pic.twitter.com/TDxkVLsMFe
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) February 8, 2023
That’s where we should begin when making the case for LeBron being the greatest. Not only is he the greatest scorer. He also impacts every other facet of the game, from playmaking to defense.
LeBron is the only player in NBA history with at least 30,000 career points, 10,000 career rebounds, 10,000 career assists, 2,000 career steals and 1,000 career blocks. Let that sink in for a moment.
The only player. Ever.
Of course, part of that is longevity. This is LeBron’s 20th season in the NBA. But to be playing elite-level NBA hoops at 38 is extremely impressive.
The men who sit behind LeBron on the all-time scoring list were all shells of their former selves when they crossed the 30,000-point barrier. LeBron in year 20 at age 38 surpassed 38,000-plus points. This season he’s averaging 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per game on 50/31/76 shooting splits.
He is eighth in the NBA in EPM. That’s the 98th percentile. In his entire career, he was below the 97th percentile in EPM one time. His rookie season.
LeBron may no longer be the best player in the world and a perennial MVP candidate. But he’s still playing basketball at an elite level — better than 98 percent of players in the league. That’s incredible.
We have to make mention of the advances in sports science and sports medicine that have allowed athletes to play better, later into their careers. It’s not the only reason LeBron is still elite. He has the talent, desire and will to keep striving to be the best. Nonetheless, the science and medicine still are factors, despite what Kevin Durant and his podcast co-host Eddie Gonzalez would like you to believe.
.@KDTrey5 salutes @KingJames. 🫡
"He's 38 years old, he goes through so much off the floor as a man in general. His family, he's got so many responsibilities. He still loves the game, still getting up playing back-to-backs… Still playing 40 minutes. Man, salute to that." pic.twitter.com/zpJ0RUUcuC
— Boardroom (@boardroom) February 7, 2023
LeBron is so elite at scoring, despite him telling us for years “I’m not a scorer”, that he has more points than his two title-winning running mates, Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving, combined.
LeBron James has scored more points in his career than Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving COMBINED. https://t.co/2cFjpwvs2h
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) February 7, 2023
“I just want to say thank you to the Laker faithful. You guys are one of a kind,” James told the fans who turned out in droves for the chance to see a once-in-a-generation achievement. “To be able to be in the presence of such a legend and great as Kareem, it’s very humbling. Please give a standing ovation to The Captain, please.”
Abdul-Jabbar made it clear once again through his Substack newsletter, that he is happy with LeBron breaking his record.
“Whenever a sports record is broken—including mine—it’s a time for celebration. It means someone has pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible to a whole new level. And when one person climbs higher than the last person, we all feel like we are capable of being more.”
LeBron’s list of NBA accolades is ridiculous: four-time champion, four-time Finals MVP, four-time MVP, a record 19X All-Star, a record 18X (soon to be 19X) All-NBA, six-time All-Defense, Rookie of the Year, a scoring title and assist title.
Since his second season in the league, he’s been a top player and that continues in year 20. Thirteen of his 18 All NBA honors have been first team. That’s the five best players in the league. That’s also a record number of first team selections. Three second teams and two third teams.
You could argue you’d take Michael Jordan‘s 1990-91 season over any of LeBron’s seasons. Or maybe you prefer Abdul-Jabbar’s 1971-72 season. But there is no player whose prime years were longer or better than LeBron’s.
Jordan and Abdul-Jabbar may have won more titles, but those are team awards, not individual. What LeBron did in leading teams to 10 NBA Finals is the stuff of legend.
In the history of the NBA, there has never been a player that has entered the league with as much hype and expectations as LeBron. Dubbed “The Chosen One” as a teenager, he entered the league and rewrote the history books, and won championships.
He didn’t simply meet expectations. He exceeded them.
“I’m gonna take myself against anybody that’s ever played this game,” said LeBron to Shaquille O’Neal postgame. “I always feel like I’m the best to ever play this game.”
.@SHAQ: “Does this now make you the greatest player of all time?”@KingJames: “I’m gonna take myself against anybody that’s ever played this game. … I always feel like I’m the best to ever play this game.” pic.twitter.com/5mzrZ59GTG
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 8, 2023
Point made, LeBron: 38,390 points and counting.
Rivalries are what make sports fun, and the Kentucky and Florida rivalry on the hardwood has become one of the better ones in college basketball.
Stemming from the Billy Donovan days in Gainesville and John Calipari still in Lexington, this rivalry has picked up some real steam and vitriol. That disdain regularly spills over to the fan bases. Over the weekend, that was the case as the Wildcats beat the Gators in Lexington. The win while great wasn’t really what made for great talk surrounding the game; it was more about longtime volunteer usher “Doug The Blue Coat” flipping the bird to some rowdy Gator fans in the stands.
Gotta love the Blue Coat Bird Flip to end the game pic.twitter.com/f4YzdNwEvf
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) February 5, 2023
For his actions, Doug was relieved of his duties on Monday, Feb. 6. Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio tweeted out the following about the situation.
“Doug the Blue Coat called into KSR and said UK Athletics told the Committee to no allow him to be a Blue Coat anymore because he flipped the bird at the Florida game. He said he has done the games for 19 years, loves the students and is sad. We need to help. #FreeDoug.”
Finding rowdy college students at a high-level college basketball game is normal, and from reports, this group was really over the top. And it seems as if Doug had enough of their antics and let his raw emotion get the best of him. Was it right? No. Should he be fired from a volunteer job? No. Maybe suspended.
Even the fans that Doug flipped off want to see him reinstated as a Blue Coat.
#freedoug @GatorsMBK @KentuckyMBB @UKCoachCalipari @CoachToddGolden @UFBarstool @UF @KySportsRadio @delatorre @TheAlligator @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/2STGANtr50
— Robert Streit (@rstreit13) February 6, 2023
Doug is a second-generation Blue Coat with his grandfather having served with the fraternity of Big Blue Nation. The responsibility of a Blue Coat is to love their team and usher fans to and from their respective seats, while helping to maintain peace in the stands. That’s why Doug’s reaction to the rowdy Gators fans was shocking, but it showed some real fire, something the Cats have been missing most of the season.
Despite Saturday’s win, the Cats’ band of highly touted recruits still haven’t looked like the team they can or should be. Coach Calipari stresses toughness and grit, and to this point of the season that hasn’t been Kentucky’s calling card. On Saturday and in a big road win over top five-ranked Tennessee is when the Wildcats really showed their physical prowess. That starts and ends with reigning National Player of the Year: center Oscar Schiebwe.
Assistant coach Orlando Antigua told reporters this on Monday:
“Physically, I think as the season has gone on, we’ve gotten into a great rhythm in terms of what we determine we need to do with this team in terms of controlling the glass when Oscar Schiebwe isn’t rebounding the ball — other teammates have to step in and rebound,” Antigua said Monday.
Listless losses to inferior opponents, poor rebounding efforts and shaky defense has defined Kentucky this season. That changed in Saturday’s big home win.
Maybe Doug’s bird flipping is what will be remembered as the Cats continue to try salvage their season. Maybe it could be used as a sort of rallying cry as we head to conference tourney and March Madness.
Coach Cal is probably safe as far as job security goes, and that’s more so because of his massive contract extension in 2019 that runs until 2028-29 at about $9M per season. Calipari’s production has not matched his salary. He’s produced some very uninspiring NCAA tourney results and won just a single NCAA championship despite annually hauling in a top recruiting class in the nation. Duke’s the only school to best Kentucky in recruiting class ranking since the one-and-done era of freshmen leaving after one year in school, began in 2010.
Is Coach Cal on the Hot Seat at Kentucky.
Kentucky hasn’t won a National Championship since 2012 when they had Anthony Davis.— Caleb George (@calebcgeorge13) March 22, 2022
That isn’t good enough in Lexington, where they eat, sleep and you know what Kentucky basketball. And when it isn’t playing up to standards, the noise echoes louder and louder weekly.
New Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is laying down the law about how his football team will be run. One order of business that Payton addressed when asked involved quarterback Russell Wilson having his personal QB coach Jake Heaps in the facility.
“I’m not too familiar with that,” Payton said when asked about Wilson having Heaps in the building with access this past season under one-and-done coach Nathaniel Hackett. “That’s foreign to me — that’s not going to take place. I’m unfamiliar with it. Our staff will be here, our players will be here and that will be that.”
Sean Payton was introduced as the #Brocos new coach today.
One of the things he said was that Russell Wilson will no longer be allowed to have his personal coaches in the building like last season. (@DMacRadio)
"That's not going to take place here."pic.twitter.com/FICk10YvB3
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 6, 2023
Payton is coming in looking to change a team that’s lost at least 10 games in five of the past six NFL seasons. For a once-proud franchise that track record of failure is unacceptable, and Payton has been tasked with righting the ship out in the Rockies.
And you can bet Payton has been awarded tremendous power and decision-making authority, so it’s definitely his ship. Whereas Wilson said last season that he and Hackett were “partners,” Payton is drawing a clear line in the sand from day one and taking full responsibility for the failure and success of this franchise.
Payton’s first priority includes fixing Wilson, who’s regression was evident last season. Wilson and Hackett never seemed to mesh. Wilson had the worst season of his illustrious career, finishing with a career-low 16 touchdown passes while being sacked 55 times. With Wilson at the helm the Broncos offense scored a league-low 16.9 points per game. In a loaded AFC West with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and possibly Aaron Rodgers under center, that won’t cut it in 2023.
Known as an offensive and quarterback guru, Payton will cater an offense to fit Wilson’s skill set. With Hackett it was too much of what he did when he had Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay and less of what made Russ successful in the Pacific Northwest. That’s why it never worked.
Payton let it be known how he plans to attack that and get Wilson back to Pro Bowl level.
“It wasn’t the type of season he wanted to have,” Payton said.
“I feel like the last couple of weeks, we saw a little bit more of maybe what we were expecting or accustomed to. … I think the No. 1 job for us as coaches in evaluating our players is deciding what are things that they do really well. … Then let’s try to put them in those positions. At least that’s the starting point, and I think that it is important to highlight their strengths and minimize maybe any weaknesses”
.@ShannonSharpe is excited that Sean Payton is the Broncos new head coach:
"I got a few dollars, if you need me to pitch in on Sean Payton's salary, ya boy's here for it cause I love everything he said!" pic.twitter.com/gUhT5NYF1s
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) February 7, 2023
Payton did just that with Jameis Winston in 2021, until a season-ending ACL injury threw Winston to the sidelines. At the time Winston had 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions, after throwing 30 picks his last season in Tampa.
Since 2015 when Peyton Manning retired the Broncos have had 11 starting quarterbacks. Wilson is by far the best and most accomplished of that mostly below average group. But even he struggled in year one in the Mile High City. Now Payton will look to re-create the magic that Seahawks fans witnessed often when Wilson led that franchise to eight playoff appearances in his ten seasons.
Report: New #Broncos coach Sean Payton took the Denver job "in spite of Russell Wilson.", according to @TomRock_Newsday who spoke directly with Payton's FOX teammate Terry Bradshaw.
Terry also said that Payton didn't want the #Cardinals job because of Kyler Murray. pic.twitter.com/xUPttAeSDq
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 7, 2023
Payton is a disciplinarian, but also known as a player’s coach, so the belief is he and Russ should mesh right away. For the sake of the dejected Broncos fan base one can only hope that is the case.
The Reese’s Senior Bowl is an opportunity for seniors to show out against their peers in preparation for April’s NFL draft.
Each year, players who receive less recognition from NFL scouts because of where they play or who they play for, show up and show out.
This year was no different as Jackson State Tigers do-it-all linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr., and FAMU Rattlers elite edge rusher Isaiah Land showed why they should hear their names called in April’s draft.
Miller made waves with the brute strength and physicality that made him a favorite of former head coach Deion Sanders, defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman and fiery linebackers coach Andre Hart.
Jackson State’s Aubrey Miller, Jr. (@Loose_Qannon)with the huge hit at the @seniorbowl🔥🔥🔥🔥#SWAC #HBCUS🏈🏈🏈🏈 pic.twitter.com/BtmKLro0hm
— yardtalkhbcu (@yardtalkhbcu) February 4, 2023
As for Land, it’s his speed and get off on the edge that teams crave in today’s NFL. In a passing league, his ability to harass the opposing team’s passer is a highly coveted skill.
And based on Saturday’s performance both took turns showing what they do best.
https://twitter.com/hbcusports1/status/1622354348851200001?s=46&t=hMYPSNcac67ZXujCV3aTLQ
Miller tallied seven total tackles and Land had 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Even more impressive for Land is he was moved to inside linebacker after playing his college career as a rush end.
Miller and Land were the two starting inside linebackers for the American team. Coach Prime and FAMU head coach Willie Simmons didn’t just coach players at HBCUs, they also developed NFL talent.
Prior to Saturday’s game Miller and Land both reflected on how far they’ve come.
Miller the 2022 SWAC DPOY, was also named Defensive Player of the Day during the week by The Draft Network.
The excitable yet always composed Miller told reporters this at the Senior Bowl.
“All it is is just work. If you work hard, you going to get what you put in. … Like I said, all it is just work,” said Miller. “I know, just make me keep playing the same game we’ve been playing. We, Jackson State, got coached by some real great coaches. Our coaches have been in the league. Coaches that had their explosion, had that opportunity, so know we got to make sure we representing and keep taking on what we’ve been learning.”
Land reflected on his time at in college as well, and how FAMU prepared him for this moment. The 2021 Buck Buchanan Award winner as the top defensive player in FCS, told the Tallahassee Democrat:
“I think about FAMU and where I came from every day. Doing well at the Senior Bowl will say a lot about the guys back home. I got to dominate and execute because people around the world don’t know too much about FAMU. And if they do, they don’t see us as the same level as the Georgias and Alabamas.
After having no players taken at all in the 2021 NFL draft and just one in 2020, HBCUs saw four players taken in last year’s draft. The Super Bowl-bound Chiefs drafted cornerback Joshua Williams out of D2 Fayetteville State, and he played a huge role in helping them get there. The Lions drafted James Houston a former teammate of the aforementioned Miller at JSU. He went out and had 8.5 sacks in just seven games played.
The Rams took former MEAC Defensive Player of the Year in cornerback DeCobie Durant, and he was so impressive the team is considering moving on from All-Pro Jalen Ramsey in a cap saving move. The Bears took swing offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter, who didn’t see much time but will be expected to help keep franchise QB Justin Fields upright next season.
Expect to hear both Miller and Land’s names called in April. They’re two HBCU standouts with skill sets that NFL teams covet, and they won’t be overlooked.
LeBron James has expressed his interest in acquiring Kyrie Irving, but a deal did not get done. Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks and James was left wondering what went wrong like many Lakers’ fans. He left fans speculating even more about the deal after he sent out a cryptic tweet on Feb. 5 from his personal Twitter account: “Maybe It’s Me.”
Maybe It’s Me
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 6, 2023
James recently did a sit-down interview with ESPN reporter Michael Wilbon. He discussed the Irving trade situation, potentially passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring record Tuesday night against the Thunder, and how great he has been playing at 38 years old. The record and his current greatness took a back seat to the Irving situation during this conversation because it was the first time James expressed his feelings about the potential trade since Irving dropped the bombshell on Friday afternoon.
Wilbon got straight to the point with James and asked him his thoughts on not being able to land Irving.
“Well, I’m definitely disappointed. I can’t sit here and say I am not disappointed in being able to land such a talent and someone I know I have great chemistry with on the floor. He’s someone I know can help you win championships,” said James. “But my focus has shifted to back where it should be and that is this club now and what we have in the locker room.”
LeBron on the Lakers not landing Kyrie.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 6, 2023
Wilbon responded, “Well, that’s a quick pivot, LeBron.”
James replied, “It’s a quick pivot. It doesn’t take me long. I don’t get too excited about the possibilities of things that can be. I kind of envision myself on what it can, but I don’t invest myself all the way in until it happens. When it doesn’t happen, I am back locked in on the job at hand.”
He also finished by saying that he feels the if the Lakers finish the season strong then they could get a bid into the postseason.
The Nets were able to acquire Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Markieff Morris, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2029 second-round draft pick and a unprotected 2029 first-round pick. The deal was slightly delayed after it was first reported on Sunday because the Nets were trying to include a third team in the deal. They had high interest in acquiring Fred Vanvleet or Pascal Siakam from the Raptors.
Sources: Brooklyn Nets received Los Angeles Lakers’ proposal that did include team’s two first-round picks (2027, 2029) and Phoenix Suns’ offer of Chris Paul, Jae Crowder and unspecified picks: @NBATV pic.twitter.com/cJuABbaYGy
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 6, 2023
Reports say the Lakers initially offered Russell Westbrook and their two first-round picks (2027, 2029), but the Nets responded saying they would need Austin Reaves and Max Christie as well.
The Suns offered Chris Paul, Jae Crowder, and one first-round pick.
The Clippers offered Terrence Mann, Luke Kennard, a first-round pick, and two pick swaps.
Irving made it clear that he wasn’t going to sign with Brooklyn this offseason. The Nets ultimately did what was in their best interest like any person or company has when they have the leverage.
Irving was traded to the Mavericks but there is still a small window of hope for the Lakers to acquire him this offseason. He hasn’t signed an extension with the Mavericks and is still set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Lakers will have Westbrook off the books this summer and are projected to have $120 million in cap space including their luxury tax space.
Report: The Lakers will remain active on the trade market;
“The 2 teams that have repeatedly popped up as Plan B options for the Lakers are the Jazz and Raptors…The Hornets, Spurs and Bulls are three other teams to watch.”
(via @jovanbuha, https://t.co/ge2Q6iEV30) pic.twitter.com/CVgljHjqR8
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 7, 2023
For now, the Lakers said they will remain active with the trade deadline being on Thursday Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. It is reported that they will on the lookout for bigger and smaller deals to improve their team this season.
They are currently 13th in the Western Conference Standings, three games back of the eighth spot, and 1.5 games back on the last play-in spot.
Cam Thomas is making the loss of Kyrie Irving an easier pill for Brooklyn Nets fans to swallow. The second-year guard out of LSU, at just 21 years and 116 games old, joined LeBron James as one of the two youngest players to score 44 or more in consecutive games.
“For real?” Thomas said when told of the accolade. “That’s great company to have my name mentioned with that guy. … He’s about to break the all-time scoring record in two games or one game. I’m just glad to have my name mentioned with him this young.”
Cam Thomas Ties LeBron James Scoring Record
Youngest players with back-to-back 40-point games:
1. LeBron James
2. Cam Thomas pic.twitter.com/tsQhoX4Dj5— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 7, 2023
For real, Cam! In his last two games with the Nets shorthanded and in desperate need of scoring due to the Irving trade and Kevin Durant‘s injury, Thomas has averaged 45 points, four rebounds and four assists on absurd 59/68/90 shooting splits.
Cam Thomas last 2 games:
45.5 PPG
4.5 RPG
4.0 APGThe only player with a 40-point game as a starter and bench player this season. pic.twitter.com/475t8djpVj
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 7, 2023
Yes, it’s a super small sample size of two games. But Thomas is a legitimate scorer in this league. Lots of players can score, but he has scoring talent, and it’s evident by his array of moves.
Cam Thomas: scoring machine pic.twitter.com/MCH7hb1wMC
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 7, 2023
Thomas is not an Irving replacement, nor is he even “Irving light.” But what he is is an offensive weapon the Nets can deploy off their bench when scoring becomes a slog, as it is bound to be when Durant is the only elite team member who can get his own shot or create for another player on the roster.
40-point games by a Nets guard:
2 — Kyrie Irving this season
2 — Cam Thomas in the last 3 days pic.twitter.com/Mz0TjE4maR— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 7, 2023
This scoring barrage by Thomas could also be a showcase. The NBA trade deadline is set for this Thursday at 3 pm. The Nets already sent Irving to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft capital.
If the Nets plan on keeping Durant, at least for the rest of this season, they likely want to show him they can still compete this year. A young player like Thomas who is proving he has scoring talent could entice a team like the Toronto Raptors to part ways with one of their proven playoff veterans. Someone like Fred Van Vleet, OG Anunoby or Pascal Siakam.
Either of those three would be welcome additions for Durant and the Nets this season as they look to go on a deep playoff run.
The extended run Thomas is getting now could also be a test to determine if he is a part of the future here if the team decides to move on from Durant at the trade deadline or this summer.
If the Nets decide to rebuild and acquire draft capital and young talent for Durant, Thomas and Nic Claxton could be a part of that rebuild.
This is the reality of life in the NBA when you’re a young player that wasn’t a top-five pick. The period before the All-Star break is fraught with emotions, because who knows where you’ll end up.
But all you can control is your play and how you approach your craft. Thomas has done that really well this season after being in and out of the rotation for most of the year and not playing as much as he would like.
He kept working with the Nets’ “stay ready” group, and now he’s taken this opportunity and run with it so far .
