The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (9-0) are preparing to face the No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) in what is expected to be a raucous and rowdy Beaver Stadium crowd in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. The matchup will go a long way in determining the winner of the Big Ten East which also features No. 3 and undefeated Ohio State, who already defeated the Nittany Lions in a matchup earlier this season.
The matchup comes on the heels of the Wolverines’ sign-stealing allegations scandal that seemingly grows more legs everyday.
The latest development in the situation has seen Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh suspended for from the sidelines for the remainder of the regular season. Harbaugh will be permitted to coach the team during the week, and be a part of other team activities, but he’s not allowed to enter venues on game days. The move comes at a time when the Wolverines look poised to win its third-consecutive Big Ten title and make their third straight College Football Playoff.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, the conference made it clear that they believe the Wolverines are in violation of what is known as The Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy.
“For conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition.”
Earlier this week it was reported by Yahoo Sports that the 59-year-old Harbaugh, who’s also a “Maize and Blue” alumnus had no direct awareness of the illegal sign-stealing operation.
“The NCAA’s findings do not connect the in-person scouting and recording of opponents’ sidelines to Harbaugh.”
But with Friday’s ruling the Big Ten now seems to singing a different tune, and it’s one that for now has the leader of the Wolverines not able to lead his team on game day.
Following the news of the suspension, Harbaugh and the Michigan brass met on what looked like a tarmac to discuss the next plan of action. Per reports, they’re hoping a judge in Michigan will grant Harbaugh a temporary restraining order before today’s noon kickoff.
If granted he’ll be able to lead his team into Beaver Stadium on Saturday. Then they’ll need to reconvene in about two weeks to see if it will continue to be granted, or if the suspension will now be upheld. Either way the expectancy is that the Wolverines, who’ve looked like the most complete team in CFB this season, respond in a big way.
The NBA season is almost three weeks old and a lot of the data, advanced or traditional, is noisy. Small sample size and all. But one thing that is evident is the Minnesota Timberwolves are a legitimate squad. They’re the only team to defeat the defending champion Denver Nuggets so far and they beat the previously unbeaten Boston Celtics. Are the Wolves for real?
They’ve made the playoffs the past two years and have won a total of three playoff games in that time. But something about them looks different to start this season.
Remember last year when they traded for three-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and gave up five first-round picks and a pick swap?
It was widely mocked by NBA fans and many in the media. For what it’s worth, the Wolves finished last season 10th in aDRTG. It took some time for the roster to learn how to defend with a player like Gobert.
This season the Wolves are first in aDRTG. Yes, it’s only been eight games. But they’ve had the toughest strength of schedule so far, and Gobert is not a man on an island.
Fourth year wing Jaden McDaniels (6 feet 10) looks like an All-Defensive first team stud that you put on the opponent’s best player. Mike Conley is still very good on defense, and even Karl-Anthony Towns is a plus defender.
But what’s really pushing the team over the top is ascendant superstar Anthony Edward’s commitment to the defensive end of the floor. At 6 feet 5 with a long wingspan and incredible athleticism, he is taking pride in his defense. It was evident in the overtime win against the Celtics when Jayson Tatum called for a pick and roll to get Edwards in isolation.
“One of the best players in the league. He was talking smack at the jump ball in overtime and I told him, ‘I’m comin’ again,’ Edwards said after the game. “Luckily, he called me up for an iso, and I’m like, ‘I play defense, I just got 5 fouls.'”
Edwards does indeed play defense. He was down in his stance and disciplined on Tatum in OT, locking up the perennial All-NBA player on multiple possessions.
If this is who Edwards and the Wolves are defensively, this team will be a legitimate contender. Their top-10 rotation of players are all plus defenders in early DBPM metrics.
Now, it’s not all roses for the Wolves. On offense they’re ranked 15th, middle of the road. KAT has not played up to his level on that end of the floor and there is scuttlebutt about the team wanting to trade him for players that better fit around Edwards.
Their next four games will tell us more about who this team is and wants to be.
They play the San Antonio Spurs and rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama on Friday night. The Wolves are better and should beat them going away.
They then play two straight in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday and Tuesday and then head to Phoenix to play the Suns on Wednesday in the second night of a back-to-back.
The Warriors’ offense is dizzying and destroys the best defenses. Let’s see how disciplined the Wolves remain. In Phoenix, Bradley Beal is back, Kevin Durant is still playing elite basketball and Devin Booker should be back by then as well.
If the Wolves are 3-1 with a close loss or 4-0 out of that stretch, look out.
Since the unfortunate injury to quarterback Aaron Rodgers the New York Jets have been trying to figure what type of team they are.
With a stout defense and an offense still trying to find its way, the Jets have grinded their way to a respectable 4-4 record.
One key figure in their dominant defense is defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who hasn’t quite put up the numbers he did a season ago, but his effect is still being felt.
During Monday night’s home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN analyst and three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Troy Aikman made a comment that didn’t sit too well with Williams.
Following a tackle for loss, Aikman made mention of the former Alabama star saying he’s a decoy.
“He calls himself the highest-paid decoy in football.”
Aikman never said where the comment stemmed from, but it didn’t amuse Williams, who signed a huge four-year, $96 million extension in July. The 2022 First-team All-Pro didn’t find the remark funny, and he says it also isn’t true.
Williams Rebuts Aikman’s Statement
Speaking with reporters, Williams called the comment “weird,” “upsetting,” and “misleading,” mainly because he says that he and Aikman didn’t talk.
“I never talked to Troy Aikman,” Williams said. “I never said that to Troy Aikman. Like I don’t know where he got that from.”
Aikman’s comment was in response to the Jets pass rush, which has been good this season without Williams having the same kind of season he had in 2022 numbers wise. That’s when he tallied 12 sacks, this season he has just a half a sack after nine weeks of football.
The former Cowboys quarterback also mentioned that Williams might’ve asked coaches about scheming him away from the constant double-teams he faces weekly.
Jets Coach Robert Saleh Is Happy With Williams’ Play
Saleh, a former defensive coordinator himself, isn’t a huge fan of sacks. In fact he even labels it an “overrated stat.”
In defense of Williams’ low sack numbers this season, the opinionated and outspoken coach told reporters, “Unfortunately, we live in a society where sacks production is the measure of how good a player is and it’s not even close. Williams is wrecking games.”
Williams, along with brother Quincy and fellow linebacker C.J. Mosley, are the heart and soul of the Jets’ top-five defense, one that isn’t getting the offensive support but continues to step up weekly.
Jeannie Buss is the current Los Angeles Lakers owner and was bred into the NBA through her father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss. After taking the purple and gold reins in 2013–14, she became president of the Lakers, and Buss has been living life on her terms. Now married to comedian Jay Mohr, Buss revealed recently that her marriage is not typical, as she and her husband live together but apart.
“OK, everybody is gonna want to live exactly the same way,” Buss said on In Depth with Graham Bensinger. “Right now, we live in a building that has three units. So I live on the top floor, and Jay lives on the first floor. And so there’s a couple that live in between us.
“So where we live together, we’re at the same address except I’m unit three and he’s unit one,” she continued. “We don’t really want to change anything because I like my space, and I have my schedule, and he likes his space, and he has his schedule, but I can take the elevator down in my slippers and hang out a little bit and go back up. I would recommend it to any couple that feels the same way.”
The living arrangement for a married couple might seem strange to most. Still, the revelation that super couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been living separately in the same house for seven years shows that rich people live by different rules.
Jay Mohr explained the arrangement further.
“It’s like, ‘All right. I’m gonna go up stairs,'” Mohn said. “And we see each every morning, every afternoon, and every night. When you’re home alone in your bed it’s like, guys are gross. We just make sounds, like we sweat, the sheets get all wrinkly and weird. It’s like, ‘Aw, just let her sleep like a princess or a Barbie still in the box.’ She doesn’t need to be subjected to me, and my wrestling sweatpants, just belching in my sleep.”
Buss took the time to explain a longstanding rumor that she once dated Dennis Rodman while he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. Buss contends that they had a babysitting relationship based on Rodman’s penchant for outrageous adventures.
“I did not date Dennis Rodman,” Buss confirmed. “I did, he became a member of the Lakers…in other words, when my dad brought on Dennis Rodman to the team it was kind of like, ‘Let’s make sure that we know where he is at all times,” Buss said when Graham reminded Buss that it was who Rodman said they dated.
“So, if it’s about, ‘Hey where are you gonna be tonight? OK, we’re all going to this restaurant, or we’re going to this club, or we’re going to this beach, or we’re going to wherever Dennis is going to be.’ You could say it was dating to say that it was making sure that I had an eye on him.”
Jeannie Buss’ life isn’t for everyone, but it works for her and Jay Mohr and probably many other rich and famous yet unnamed couples.
The Los Angeles Clippers are 0-2 in the two games they’ve played with new guard James Harden, suffering defeats to the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. After Wednesday’s loss in Brooklyn alleged video of Harden partying in the club after the loss made its way around the internet. Does it matter that Harden was in the club and what is it specifically about him that seems to get people so irritated?
Through two games Harden is averaging 14 points and five assists per game on 55/44/100 shooting splits. Small sample size, nothing really to go on here. He’s still in a feeling-out process with his new teammates.
This is Harden’s fourth team in four seasons. The way he left Houston, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia leaves a sour taste in fans’ mouths. There is no getting around that.
On the court alone he’s earned over $330 million in his career, add in conservatively another $100 million in off-court earnings and its good to be Harden. That part surely bothers people.
Then there are the playoff failures. Though a lot of that is a bit overblown. He’s been to an NBA Finals and multiple conference finals. His Rockets teams couldn’t beat the Kevin Durant Warriors. A lot of teams couldn’t.
In last season’s playoffs the 76ers were up 3-2 on the Celtics and he played well that series. He had a bad Game 6 and the whole team had a bad Game 7. When you look at the final numbers for that series, the biggest indictment was MVP Joel Embiid played well below his MVP level.
Does Harden party a lot and have a lackluster disposition on defense, especially in the regular season? Yes. There is no denying that.
But let’s not act like he’s some bum. His seven-year peak with the Rockets is some of the best basketball in the history of the sport. Look it up. Put his seven-year peak up against any of the all-time greats and you’ll probably be shocked. The man is a basketball savant.
The Nets were a juggernaut with Durant, him and Kyrie Irving. The latter’s unwillingness to get vaccinated derailed that train.
Last year when he didn’t make the All-Star team, an egregious error, the common thought was he was done as a player. He finished in the 96th percentile in EPM and 97th percentile in EW. He hasn’t been below the 95th percentile in either metric since 2011, his last season in Oklahoma City.
Here are some players he finished ahead of in EPM last season: Paul George, Devin Booker, Ja Morant, Trae Young, Chris Paul, Zach LaVine, De’Aaron Fox and Jaylen Brown.
Rumors of his demise have been greatly overstated. You kind of understand what he meant in his initial press conference as a member of the Clippers about being a system.
“When I said ‘on a leash’, I don’t mean just shooting the basketball every time. I think the game. I’m a creator on the court. If I’ve got a voice, someone that trusts me, believes in me, understands me – I’m not a system player, I’m a system” Harden said. “If I have someone who can have a dialogue with me, make adjustments on the fly throughout the course of the game, that’s all I really care about. It’s not about having the basketball, or scoring 30, 40 points a night. I’ve done that already.”
Yes, he might like the club too much and he may never win an NBA championship. But the two are not mutually exclusive.
It’s easy to hate on Harden and some of it is justified. But whether or not he goes to the club will not be the determining factor in the Clippers’ quest for a championship.
Following the USC Trojans’ third loss in four games last week to the Washington Huskies, reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams showed us a side of himself we’d never seen.
The supremely talented quarterback, who’s also the projected top pick in April’s NFL draft, couldn’t hold back the tears as his Herculean effort was once again not enough in the 52-42 home loss.
In previous losses, Williams would sit with a towel on his head as the final seconds ticked away, but this week Williams did something totally different.
The former Gonzaga College High School star climbed into the stands and wept on his mom’s shoulder as she covered his face with what looked like a seat cushion. With football being a game of physicality and toughness, seeing Williams like that caught most by surprise. Some even criticized him for being “soft” in the moment.
On Wednesday, the former five-star recruit explained the situation, and he has a very good reason for his actions.
During an interview with the Orange County Register, Williams talked about mental health and why it’s important to talk about it and not be ashamed to display emotion and being sensitive.
“I’ve been an advocate for mental health, trying to show your emotions and express yourself, things like that,” Williams said. “It’s something I’ve been doing since I was young and now, being on the national level, being able to try and show that awareness with the public.”
“Me doing what I just did on Saturday, even though it was far from what I was trying to do, it showed and spread that kind of awareness,” Williams continued. “It just shows the truth in what I speak. Being able to share that, being authentic is important.”
Strong and confident words from one of the most confident players in the country. Williams speaking in this manner will hopefully help other athletes speak up and be willing to show that raw emotion, and not hold everything in because that’s what they’re supposed to do.
In a sport where showing emotion and feelings is often perceived as being weak or soft, Williams could care less, and that in itself is greater than any of the amazing things he does on the gridiron.
Williams’ mental health awareness sheds light on that, and although he’s under heavy scrutiny he hasn’t let that force him to deviate from who he is without the helmet and shoulder pads.
It’s time to rank rookies after another week in the NBA.
Hawkins, who’s arguably the best shooter in the 2023 NBA Draft, helped lead the UConn Huskies to their fifth national title in 24 seasons last April.
Now knocking down long-range bombs near the French Quarter, the smooth-shooting Hawkins is showing why many likened his skill set to that of Hall of Fame shooter Ray Allen.
In a loss to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the former DeMatha Catholic High School standout had his best game as a pro with 31 points (seven threes).
He joined the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama as one of the two rookies to score at least 30 points in a game this season.
This season he’s averaging 12 points, four rebounds and two assists per game.
Pelicans head coach Willie Green told reporters, “He’s fearless. When he’s open he’s going to shoot it. He’s aggressive.”
The rangy unicorn has shown a plethora of unique skills in just a short time. Able to play and guard multiple positions, Holmgren is a chess piece for the young, rising OKC Thunder team. Along with guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey, the uber- talented trio could wreck the league for a long time.
This season Holmgren, who sat out last season because of a foot injury, is averaging 17 points, eight rebounds and nearly three blocks per game. He’s also shooting nearly 56 percent, 54 percent from three, and 90 percent from the free throw line.
The No.1 overall pick has looked the part most nights thus far, and although he struggled mightily in his first trip to Madison Square Garden, the Frenchman has been as advertised. Leading all rookies in scoring, field-goal attempts, free throws and blocks, Wemby has been a real presence on both ends for the young, and inexperienced Spurs.
There’s no doubt that he’ll have to get stronger, and he will over time. Lack of strength hasn’t stopped him from averaging 19 points, eight rebounds and nearly three rejections per game.
The Pistons Swiss Army knife has been doing it on both ends since day one. Blessed with elite athleticism that’s helped him lead all rookies in rebounding with nine per game. That athleticism and grit has also shown in Thompson’s great defense that’s getting noticed around the league.
Warriors star Draymond Green talked to reporters about Ausar and other rookies recently.
“I feel a way about the Thompson twins and Wemby, because those guys are making it much harder for me to continue to make All-Defensive teams,” Green said.
Drafted for his elite rim protection, rim running and athleticism, Lively has been a bright spot for the 6-2 Mavs. The former Duke standout and No. 1 overall recruit is providing Jason Kidd’s team with the things it lacked all last season.
He’s averaging 9 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game. If there were a stat for shots changed around the rim he’d likely lead it or be near the top.
Former NBA center and one-time NBA champion Tyson Chandler had this to say about Lively, following a workout with him:
“He reminds me of myself.”
Big Baller Brand co-founder Alan Foster filed a lawsuit in a California court on Monday against Charlotte Hornets’ star LaMelo Ball, his family and Puma seeking $200 million damages. Foster claims he helped build the family’s company and LaMelo’s branding company, MB1 Enterprises, and he’s not being compensated properly.
“He knew that his Big Baller Brand signature shoe was called the ‘MB1’ and that the name was protected by federal trademark,” the lawsuit says. “Yet, despite his knowledge of all of this, LaMelo willfully and deliberately chose to name the signature shoe he created and designed with Puma the ‘MB1’ in violation of the LaMelo trademarks.”
This isn’t the first time the Ball family and Foster have engaged in a legal battle. Back in 2019, Lonzo Ball sued Foster after $1.5 million from his bank accounts went missing.
There has been no response from the Ball family or Puma.
The latest version of LaMelo’s signature shoe, the MB.03, is now releasing in “Chino Hills.” The new colorway pays homage to Ball’s roots and his high school triumph where he once scored 92 points in a game at Chino Hills High as a sophomore.
On the floor LaMelo is off to a slow start this season, averaging 19 points, five rebounds, and nine assists per game on horrible 38/32/81 shooting splits, alhough he had an outstanding game in Wednesday’s loss to the Washington Wizards with 34 points (13-22 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 5-7 FT), four rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 36 minutes.
“I’m just going to say I always feel like myself no matter what,” Ball said after the game. “When I am hurt, or not hurt, I’m always going to be Melo. I’ve been feeling better playing, so yeah, definitely (rhythm carrying over).”
LaMelo signed a five-year $260 million extension in July. This is his fourth year in the league and it seems like a pivotal year for his development and the growth of the Hornets.
The Hornets are 2-5, ranked 25th in aNET rating, 28th in aORTG, and 22nd in aDRTG.
Allen Iverson is one of the most iconic basketball players to pick up the orange. He was also the franchise superstar for the Philadelphia 76ers in the early-to-mid 2000s and commanded the respect of any team he went up against and/or played for throughout his career.
But according to AI, as his career entered the later stages, the Detroit Pistons didn’t get the memo and figured his skill set would be best served as a reserve.
AI told ESPN that the then-head coach of the Detroit Pistons flat-out lied to him about his role when he joined the Detroit Pistons for the 2008-09 season.
“They told me, straight up, ‘Allen, we would never disrespect you or your career like that,’ by making me come off the bench,” Iverson said in an interview with ESPN Page 2 columnist Scoop Jackson. “That’s what they told me to my face. And after that, I never thought about it again. I just went back to playing. Then, they came to me saying that they felt it would be in the ‘best interest of the team’ if I came off of the bench behind Rip [Richard Hamilton].”
Iverson said, “After that, they told me that if I didn’t come off the bench, the team was going to lie down on [not play with] me. … When he told me that, that’s when I felt that this was the worst career move I’d ever made and it was the worst year of my career.”
Iverson spent two all-star years in Denver before he was ultimately traded to Detroit, where, according to Iverson, everything went downhill from there.
Though Iverson still managed to produce another All-Star season in Motown, averaging 17.4 ppg on 41% shooting from the field, and 4.9 assists per game, he only lasted for that one season before he went to Memphis.
But in Detroit, he revealed that he didn’t see eye to eye with anybody in the Pistons organization besides general manager Joe Dumars.
“I don’t have [anything] bad to say about the organization, especially Joe [Dumars, the team president]. I never had a problem with Joe. He’s a stand-up person that I have love for and respect. He was not part of any of the problems I had in Detroit,” Iverson continued.
“But for [the coach] to tell me these things and for him to go back on his word like that, it was the hardest and the roughest season I’ve ever had,” he said
Coach Michael Curry’s approach didn’t prove to be fruitful; he was fired after one season with Detroit.
But Iverson went on to play decent basketball for the last few years of his career, being named an All-Star in Memphis and in his return to Philly, all the way up until his NBA retirement.
It seems that the Pistons missed out on a chance to pair their roster — which still featured a lot of stars from their 2004 championship squad — with another All-Star who was still playing at a high level.
Related: The Retirement of Mr. Me Too (theshadowleague.com)
Many will blame Iverson’s ego and attitude, which was famously put on display throughout his career in the NBA, even after his prime years. But at the time Iverson was still putting up great numbers, although it seems that the league was trying to force him into a box and eventually out of the game. His reputation followed him to Detroit, where, AI says, he wasn’t given a fair chance.
The Los Angeles Angels are making a shift in their managerial ranks, hiring former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington to lead their team in the hopes that he turns the trajectory of a franchise that despite having superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani has not had a winning campaign in the past eight seasons.
According to reports, the Angels are hiring Washington after they relieved former manager Phil Nevin of his duties after 1 1/2 seasons.
“I’m lost for words, but not the work it will take!” Washington told The Associated Press by text message.
It’s understandable why Washington is excited. This is his first managing gig since he led the Texas Rangers from 2007-2014, making two World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011, while building a record of 664-611. Washington also spent the past seven seasons as the third-base coach and fielding guru for the Atlanta Braves, helping them build a solid baseball structure and developing young talent enroute to winning the 2021 World Series championship.
The Angels are currently dealing with a postseason drought, having missed the playoffs the past nine seasons, and having losing records in the last eight. With three-time AL MVP Mike Trout on the roster, still one of the best players in all of baseball, the Angels aren’t looking to continue this streak any longer and hired Washington with the idea of winning now.
Though another top baseball player, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani hit free agency and doesn’t seem to look like he’ll be returning to the Angels, Washington is looking past that, as he is one of the best developers of talent in all of baseball, specifically as an infield coach.
Washington’s tenure with the Atlanta Braves bred four 2023 NL All-Stars, all coming from the Braves infield. He was also influential in the ascension of former Braves Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson.
Now Washington signing with the Angels is huge news, but he doesn’t come without his own set of skeletons in his closet. He offered to resign after testing positive for cocaine use in 2009, but the ever-resilient Washington stayed on and guided his club to back-to-back World Series appearances.
Ron Washington cited family issues for his resignation in 2014, and it turns out he had an affair that was the root cause of his departure.
Everyone has ups and downs, and this is Washington’s chance at his own redemption story. After working his way back up the food chain as a base coach for the Braves, he’s getting his shot at manager glory again.
The spotlight will be on him. With the retirement of Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker, Washington is now the second active Black manager next to L.A. Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts.
Related: MLBbro 2022 Managers Of The Year | Dusty Baker & Dave Roberts | mlbbro.com
“He’s everything you could want, he deserves the opportunity,” ESPN quoted Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos as saying. “He’s excited. Obviously, I’m excited for him. It’s a huge loss for us. I emphasize that in caps, bold, italicized, all of it. Huge void. But I had six years with him, and I can’t imagine I’ll be around a guy like that in my entire career.”
Washington has some work to do in L.A., but he will maximize his talent and fans should see immediate results in 2024.
The New York Knicks beat down the San Antonio Spurs 125-106 on Wednesday night, spoiling Spurs’ rookie Victor Wembanyama‘s Madison Square Garden debut. The rookie had a rough night as the Knicks played him physical and the Knicks faithful let him here it, chanting “O-ver-rated, O-ver-rated.” Are they right?
Wemby’s MSG debut was certainly not one for the highlight reel. He finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, one block and three turnovers in 30 minutes. Though he did shoot it better in the second half.
He is going to have many nights like this as a rookie. He is playing in the best basketball league in the world, and there is NBA game action of him that’s made the rounds now. Teams have an idea of what he likes to do, strengths and weaknesses.
To expect him to show up as a rookie, eight games into his NBA career against a physical Knicks team and dominate was not realistic.
No, Knicks fans, it had nothing to do with the mystique or aura of MSG. It’s a wonderful arena steeped in history and tradition, but that and the Knicks crowd had nothing to do with his performance.
“We did have a rough start, collectively,” Wemby said postgame. “I think no matter how many times I’ll play here, it will always be special.”
Through eight games he’s averaging 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks per game. But like most rookies, he’s grading out as a net negative in advanced stats. That is to say he is not contributing to winning possessions. To be fair, neither is the entire team.
The Spurs are 3-5 and ranked last in aNET rating, 24th in aORTG and last in aDRTG.
The closest the team has to a winning player is Doug McDermott, who is a net neutral, according to BPM, and he is a 32-year-old that comes off the bench and plays about 17 minutes per game.
Meanwhile, the player who will be battling Wemby for Rookie of the Year honors, Chet Holmgren, plays for an Oklahoma City Thunder that’s 15th in aNET rating, ninth in aORTG, and 20th in aDRTG.
Holmgren shares the starting lineup with an All-NBA guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and two net positive players in Jalen Williams and Luguentz Dort.
The Spurs are a bad team and when they’re good and ready to win in a couple years, the only player for sure we know will be a part of the team is Wemby. Devin Vassell has a shot, given the extension he received, five years at $135 million. And maybe Keldon Johnson.
For comparison, Kevin Durant averaged 20 points, four rebounds and two assists per game and was also a net negative as a rookie for the 20-62 Seattle SuperSonics.
LeBron James was a net neutral player as a rookie who averaged 20 points, five rebounds, and six assists per game for the 35-47 Cleveland Cavaliers.
Both those players turned out OK.
This isn’t to say Wemby will have a career as good as KD’s or a GOAT career like Bron. But he has the talent and skillset that suggests it’s possible.
Failure is baked into the process of becoming elite at anything, never mind an all-time great.
Knicks fans had their fun, got the win and got to chant overrated. He’s far from that.
The Knicks have never had anyone in their franchise history with the upside of Wemby. The rest of the league should get their licks in now, because in the next two years or so he’ll be an ascending superstar.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver was a recent guest on JJ Redick’s “Old Man And The Three” podcast, and he shared some thoughts about the media coverage of the league. In a wide ranging discussion, Silver said he wanted NBA coverage to “become more NFL like.” Are we finally headed to a different look on our game broadcasts?
“Historically, if you asked casual fans, ‘Are you going to watch the NBA Finals?’ They would say, ‘Who’s going to be in it?’ ” Silver explained in an interview with JJ Redick, released on Wednesday. “And if you asked an NFL fan if they were going to watch the Super Bowl, they would never say, ‘Only if the Giants are in it.’ It’s a national holiday.”
Hallelujah! If you know anything about me and how I like to discuss NBA basketball, this is music to my ears!
But first we have to be fair.
You can’t compare a single elimination championship game that lasts for three to four hours to a best-of-seven series played out over 10 or 11 days. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison.
However, what NBA broadcasts can borrow from football is talking more about the actual game play.
The NBA has never been better as a league. The depth of talent is unparalleled. There is elite play everywhere, and contrary to the opinion of many the style of play isn’t homogenous. Yes, every team shoots three-pointers. But not every team goes about hunting threes the same way.
Team basketball is at its apex right now. If you think all you need is a bunch of superstars and you can dominate the league, think again.
The NBA’s last two champions, the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors, play a completely different style of basketball.
The Nuggets play a five-out motion offense with a seven-foot two-time MVP center as its fulcrum. With Nikola Jokic at the top of the key with various cuts, screens and motion, defenses have a lot to think about and process in a short amount of time.
The Warriors run a hybrid motion offense that consists of motion weak and principles from the famous triangle offense. They are led by their own two-time MVP, a 6’3″ guard with deft handles who can shoot from 40 feet away. Stephen Curry is as dangerous on the ball as he is off.
How do defenses defend these dynamic offenses? What are ways to tilt the advantage back in the defense’s favor?
That’s just the tip of the iceberg of things that can be discussed on an NBA broadcast or pre-, half-time or post show.
“There’s really complex defenses, what is the offense like? Why is this team losing the way they are? Why is this team successful? Explain what the pick and roll is … explain what’s happening on the court,” Silver said to Redick.
“There is this sense (in football) where the coaches are viewed as these field generals, going out there with these complex schemes. Then in basketball, it’s just about athleticism. That somehow the coach’s job is just to get the guys to play hard. Rather than … these incredibly sophisticated defenses and offenses.”
Of course, the other built-in advantage football has is there’s often :25 seconds in between plays, which allow for this type of analysis. Basketball is a constant flow of action, making it more challenging. But it’s not impossible.
At the dead ball if a player is shooting two or three free throws, why do we need to watch that? Make that screen smaller and go picture-in-picture and break down the action that a team has runs successfully or that a defense has blown up.
The level of basketball played in the NBA is beautiful and nuanced. It deserves to be shown that way.
Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeannie Buss is trying to lead the franchise to its league-leading 18th NBA championship which would break a tie with the archrival Boston Celtics. The 62-year-old Buss has been in the spotlight since the age of 19 when she became the general manager of a professional tennis team.
Now the majority owner of one of the marquee franchises in all of sports, Buss is letting it be known that she isn’t ashamed of anything she might have done in her past, even posing for Playboy.
In May 1995 at the age of 34, Buss, the eldest daughter and third-oldest child of former Lakers owner Jerry Buss, posed for Playboy. Living her life with no regret, Buss told journalist Graham Bensinger on a recent episode of his hit show “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” that she has no problem signing those photos when asked.
Buss Says The Pics Are Forever
During her sit-down with Bensinger, Buss talked about how she went about pursuing the opportunity.
“I spoke to Jimmy Connors’ wife Patti McGuire — she was Playmate of the Year in, I think, 1976 or 77 — I asked her about the experience before I ever pursued it,” Buss tells Bensinger. “And she said, ‘It’s a great experience … but always be prepared wherever you are, somebody’s gonna approach you with the magazine to sign it … when you least expect it. The pictures never go away.’”
“And so now this is the early ’90s, really before the internet takes off,” Buss continued. “And so it never dawned on me that these pictures would have a life on the internet of their own and will always be out there.”
“And when you pose you accept that that’s part of the program, except the internet has made it that I literally, probably receive five to 10 requests a week where people printed the pictures and asked me to sign them. And they send a postal-paid envelope for me to send it back.
“And I always sign them because I don’t regret taking the pictures,” Buss revealed. “It’s a little bit like wow, it really doesn’t ever go away. But the idea that the pictures are kind of legendary.”
Buss Was Engaged To 11-Time NBA Championship-Winning Coach Phil Jackson
Throughout her legendary life, Buss has been linked to her fair share of beaus. None of them were as big as her relationship with former Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson. Per reports, Buss and the “Zen Master” himself dated for at least 16 years and were engaged for four years. Jackson led the Lakers to five NBA titles in 12 seasons as the head coach, while Buss handled the role of executive vice president of business operations.
The two mutually parted ways in 2016. Buss is now married to comedian Jay Mohr, as the two tied the knot in September of this year.
Buss has lived a life most can only dream of, and she’s doing it unapologetically.
Professional athletes often have the world at their feet. With the income and status that comes from being a pro, it also brings other things like women, which also can bring trouble.
Former NBA player and 2000 No. 1 overall pick Kenyon Martin, who enjoyed a solid NBA career, knows all about the pitfalls that come with newfound fame.
In an effort to hip his son, K.J., a 22-year-old forward for the Philadelphia 76ers, to the game, Martin keeps it real with the fourth-year pro.
That’s something Martin prides himself on, and during a recent appearance on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast, the former post presence opened up on an incident concerning his son, a teammate and a young lady from a couple years ago.
Martin, goes on to say he attempted to hip his son to the fact that he’d seen her being passed around a bit, and to watch himself.
But, with any youngster they must see for themselves, and that’s exactly what K.J. did.
Speaking to the others on the podcast, Martin then says, “I tell K.J. who’s talking to a little young lady before a couple years ago,” the elder Martin said. “I just seen her around a little bit. And I tell him, ‘Listen, don’t be surprised if she’s f— one of your teammates.’”
Martin then explained that later K.J. went to the Bahamas with the team and knocked on a teammate’s hotel room door, only for the same woman to open it from inside the teammate’s room..
“They go to the Bahamas to a little preseason team retreat. He go knock on the door. Who answer the door? He hit me right away.”
Dad knew he played in the league for 14 seasons, so he’d likely seen everything. He did his best to help his son avoid the pitfalls, but he had to learn for himself.
Martin isn’t the only young player who’s probably experienced something like this. With this era full of Instagram models and young professional athletes, this likely happens a lot more than it’s actually brought to light. Unfortunately, it’s part of the game, and to have someone like Kenyon as a dad who’s been through it and seen it is a blessing because it’s something most young guys don’t have.
Last season the younger Martin made 82 appearances for the Houston Rockets. The versatile 6-foot-6 forward, averaged 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds on nearly 57 percent shooting and just under 32 percent from three.
Martin, was a member of a Rockets team that finished tied for the second-worst record in the league at 22-60, and spent most nights looking to pad personal stats. Martin was dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers in the offseason, and then traded to Philly in the deal that sent former NBA MVP James Harden to the Clippers last week.
With the 2023 college football season winding down, that means NFL prospects must make the decision whether to stay or leave the college game. For some it’s a no-brainer what they should do, but for others that decision isn’t that easy.
Two players who have the option of leaving or returning to school are Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and his older brother Shilo, who’s a safety on the squad.
Both are eligible to enter the 2024 NFL draft, with both very likely to be drafted, with Shedeur going fairly early in April’s festivities. But, per dad and coach Deion Sanders, neither is leaving Boulder until the 2025 NFL draft which will take place at historic Lambeau Field.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer stopped by “The Dan Patrick Show” on Tuesday and expounded on what his boys intend to do come April.
Both Will Depart Scenic Boulder Together In 2025
The always insightful and pretty blunt Sanders is confident that both are staying for at least one more season as the Buffaloes rejoin the Big 12.
“They’re going to come out at the same time — next year. They’re not trying to leave Daddy this year, by the way.”
Both are different entities as to where they rank in the upcoming draft. For Shedeur, he’s currently ranked as the third-best QB prospect behind USC’s Caleb Williams and UNC’s Drake Maye on ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr’s big board. With both very likely to declare, Shedeur would jump to the top of the QB list for 2025 if he does in fact stay in school.
As of now that seems to be the best route for Shedeur, one more year at the Power Five level will do wonders for him. Already a pretty polished passer from in and out of the pocket, he needs some refining on his mechanics and just more game competition against top-flight competition. Another year at Colorado will give him just that. He’s already proven how tough he is from the beatings he’s taking weekly behind a very subpar offensive line.
Despite that he’s still passed for nearly 2,900 yards and 24 touchdowns this season, while going toe to toe with the projected top overall pick the aforementioned Williams in a 48-41 loss to the Trojans in Week 5.
Shilo’s Story Is A Bit Different
The hard-hitting safety could leave this year and likely not get drafted. Shilo’s best asset is his willingness to tackle and play near the line of scrimmage. His injury history isn’t the greatest, in fact he even missed time this season with a lacerated kidney. That’s the biggest fear for him going forward, and the fact that he arrived at South Carolina in 2019, two seasons earlier than his brother at Jackson State.
As of now, per the Mock Draft Database, Shilo hasn’t been listed on any, meaning teams and draft experts don’t currently see him as draft-worthy. That’s enough for him to return to Boulder for another season.
This season he’s arguably been the best defensive player on the Buffaloes squad with 45 tackles, two forced fumbles and a pick six against intrastate rival Colorado State.
As Dad said, both will be in Boulder for the 2024 college football season.
Shaquille O’Neal is a certified sports savage, and if he didn’t make it clear by his absolute dominant play on the court, then his response to an accusation from a former friend of his ex-wife would definitely make that savage reputation apparent.
O’Neal recently sat down with Carlos King on his YouTube show “Reality With The King,” where he responded to Royce Reed, the ex of former NBA player Dwight Howard, who accused the 15-time all-star of flirting with her during his marriage to his now ex-wife Shaunie Henderson.
His response was terse and savage:
“Somebody needs money.”
O’Neal’s savage response basically meant that he believed that Reed was simply trying to bring this accusation up now for some attention and opportunities to make money off of it.
But the reason he believes this, isn’t just because of someone’s clout chasing motive.
It was also revealed by Carlos King in an interview with Royce Reed herself that at the time when O’Neal allegedly flirted with her over text message, she brought the proof to directly to Henderson.
Shaunie Henderson and Royce Reed were both on the reality show “Basketball Wives” at the time, and Shaunie was one of the producers of the show.
Though Reed claimed that she confided in Henderson, she also didn’t know if she could trust her, because other members of the cast began questioning her.
“I had sent her a thread where her ex-husband had been texting me,” Reed said. “Nothing ever happened. He actually cursed me out cause I didn’t want to talk to him. I wanted everything to be out in the open. I wanted her to see everything so if anything happened or said, she’d knew it wasn’t true.”
But this was back in 2006-07 when Shaquille was still an active NBA player on the Miami Heat and Reed was a dancer for the Heat.
Reed, Christine Vest, Hope Alexa, and Tiffany Render are the respective mothers of Dwight Howard’s five kids, but all of that is old news.
It is now 2023, why is she just now trying to bring this to light?
Shaq was most likely having the same thought process when he figured she probably wanted to find another opportunity to make some quick money or move herself back into the social media mosh pit off his name and profile.
But regardless of the situation, O’Neal and Henderson are no longer together, and Shaq claims that he is on to bigger and better things and just wants to enjoy his peaceful life moving forward.
He explained as much in a tweet after these flirting accusations arose from Reed.
“The older you get the more you realize how precious life is,” O’Neal said. “You have no desire for drama, conflict, or stress. You just want good friends, a cozy home, food on the table, and people who make you happy.”
Shaq is excusing himself from this drama, especially because it was so long ago and those are skeletons from his past.
While Reed hasn’t made many big-time moves in the past 15 years, Shaq continues to ascend to historic levels as a businessman and sports personality.
He has many endorsements, business deals, and positive things happening in his life, which also includes watching his children grow and develop.
The last thing O’Neal wants to deal with is a situation from the past, from someone who is known to exploit opportunities for fame and probably “needs money”.
The new Las Vegas Raiders are feeling fresh in their victory over the New York Giants on Sunday with their retooled leadership roster.
The team is now Black on Black on Black with a president, GM, and head coach from the diaspora, but the head coach replacement of Antonio Pierce from the Josh McDaniels era is receiving most of the limelight.
McDaniels was in his second year as the head coach. However, after losing to the 2-5 Chicago Bears on Oct. 22 and then the Detroit Lions on Oct. 30, both away games, the writing was on the wall but came much more dramatically than expected.
Additionally, reports indicate that McDaniels created a demanding work environment, facilitating a culture where people felt “overworked,” per ESPN. His interpersonal skills reportedly created a culture that became one of the “primary issues” that led to his firing.
However, former Denver Broncos tight end Nate Jackson claimed that McDaniels once traded a star player that the coach’s wife was attracted to.
“McDaniels’ ego wasn’t only fragile on the field,” wrote Nate Jackson on Defector. “He famously shipped out running back Peyton Hillis because, rumor had it, McDaniels thought his wife was attracted to Hillis. For those of us accustomed to being handled with class —Shanahan, agree with him or not, could be counted upon for this — Josh’s approach to leadership left much to be desired.”
Jackson explained how he found out he was cut from the team was impersonal and rude.
“Case in point: I found out my Broncos career was over from a message left on my parents’ answering machine. ‘Honey, there’s something I think you need to listen to.’ When I tried to contact Josh for an explanation, his secretary told me he was in a meeting and that he’d call me back. He never did.”
Some Raiders players voiced their concerns to team owner Mark Davis in a team meeting, and ultimately, the decision to fire McDaniels, general manager Dave Ziegler and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi was made. McDaniels only made it two full seasons through his six-year contract with the Raiders in January 2022.
Now, with Antonio Pierce, the Raiders seem to be happier, and as the stories about McDaniels keep coming out, he is looking more like a culture shift as much as a play strategist.
This recent hot take about the Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is probably very flattering to the 2022 NBA MVP, but it also has a lot of fans at his neck, stirring up discussion on social media.
Embiid will probably go down as one of the greatest centers to ever play basketball. He’s physically dominant, he’s extremely skilled for a big man with his shooting and playmaking abilities, and he’s exceptional at getting to the line as well.
It’s honestly easy to say he’s the best if not one of the best scorers in the game right now, considering he is the consecutive two-time scoring champion and is currently tied for the lead early in this season.
One analyst took it a step further, claiming that Embiid is the greatest scorer of all time.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dan Roche wrote an article explaining why he believes Joel Embiid is statistically the greatest scorer of all time.
The main metric that Roche used was points per 36 minutes, a stat that shows how many points a player averages per minute if they all played 36 minutes.
From this metric, it shows that Embiid is at the top of that list.
Roche writes “Using Pts/36, Joel Embiid is far and away the NBA’s all-time leader. He holds a lead of nearly two full points on Doncic for second.”
He also uses a unique stat of points through a player’s first 400 games to show that Embiid is up there with some of the greats, including Michael Jordan, showing that he is an established GOAT scorer.
While Roche admits Embiid will most certainly not land anywhere near the upper echelon of the all-time points list, he believes that these smaller stats and numbers propel Embiid to the conversation as the greatest scorer of all time.
Roche promptly received a lot of backlash. Fans weren’t having it.
“This is cap on a global scale,” the fan tweeted.
Normally statistics and data can help bolster an argument, especially in sports.
But fans and analysts who also watch basketball and formulate their own opinions, will be quick to disregard statistics that can be manipulated like the ones that Roche used.
This is why his opinion of trying to place Embiid on the grand scale of scoring wasn’t received well.
With Embiid aiming for his third straight scoring title after securing his first MVP, Roche might’ve been cooking with his stat-based argument, but as of right now, there are too many great scorers overall — retired and active — to propel Embiid, whose statistical dominance hasn’t equated to anything close to a championship, to MJ status.
During a deep sit-down conversation with rapper-entrepreneur Jeezy, actress Nia Long gave insight into her breakup with former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka.
Long and Jeezy held a therapy-stylized interview session where the two explained each other’s traumas and discussed the recent high-profile breakups they went through.
“I had to come to a place where loving myself was bigger and more important than saving anybody,” Long said during the interview.
“Somedays I’m, like, totally good, and then other days I’m like, ‘Ugh, God, this feels like so much work!’ ” Long continued in the interview. “Then, other days, it feels like women shouldn’t have to be this strong. I don’t want to be this strong sometimes.”
Jeezy also was forthcoming — with how he was recovering amid his pending divorce from television personality Jeannie Mai. The conversation, released on Tuesday, connected with promoting Jeezy’s new album, I Might Forgive… But I Don’t Forget.
Jeezy discussed deep topics like how he is coping with being molested as a child by a babysitter, his “toxic” relationship with her mother, and how he is learning to forgive his parents for the issues that affected their relationship.
Long and Udoka have an 11-year-old son named Kez, and the actress said that the split was “a wakeup call” for her when it comes to parenting when she realized that, “You’re gonna do this on your own, and you’re gonna be fine!'”
As Long looked back on how her breakup played out under the scrutiny of the public eye, she “was not embarrassed” but instead was surprised by the way the culture supported her, especially Black women, as the news of Udoka’s affair with a Boston Celtics employee created the potential for shame.
“The way that Black people stood up for me, and the way that Black women were like ‘Oh no; you don’t do that to her,’ ” Long continued, “I was shocked because I didn’t realize that what I had done in my career has so much impact.”
Both Nia Long and Jeezy took a very healthy way to tell their truths, and if this is the new way to promote a project, the fans are certainly in for a mental health treat.
New city. Same energy. That sums up the attitude of Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks. His team takes on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, meaning the All-Defensive player will be matched up on LeBron James. The last time Brooks chirped at Bron it didn’t go well, but he remains undeterred.
“Ready to lock him up,” Brooks said Tuesday, according to The Houston Chronicle. “He’s shooting the ball well. He’s been playing well. So I’m just there to make him tired, make him get into that fourth quarter early.”
Last season during the playoffs when Brooks was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, he said “I poke bears” in reference to trash-talking Bron. He also called the four-time MVP “old.” The Lakers beat the Grizzlies in six games and Brooks had a terrible offensive series.
For some, that would have been enough of an experience to tone down this type of rhetoric. But not Brooks.
To guard the best player on the opposing team night in and night out takes a certain kind of mentality. You must be unfazed when you get scored on or embarrassed. You have to remain disciplined and keep executing the game plan.
When you are the primary defender of an elite player, it’s not about shutting out that player. You won’t be able to do that. Your job is to make it difficult for that elite player to do what they normally do. Make that offensive player eat up extra possessions and limit their efficiency.
A Bron stat line could read 30 points, five rebounds and four assists and you’d think he cooked his primary defender. But how many possessions did it take him to get those 30? Were any of those rebounds on the offensive end? How many turnovers did he have?
In the NBA, you’re trading possessions for points. A player can get “their numbers,” but if they have to use an excessive amount of possessions to do so, that’s a win for the defense. Over the course of a game that leads to a team win.
Brooks is having a good start to the season. He’s doing his usual work on defense and is shooting the ball well on offense. It’s early, but that’s a good sign for a team that was tied for the worst record in the league last season at 22-60.
He knows his young teammates need to approach games differently, and it starts with a commitment on the defensive end. It starts with him and how he plays Bron.
“Full-courting him when he wants to bring it up,” Brooks said of his plan for guarding James. “Any time he’s posting up on the block, I’m bumping him. Bumping him on the jog back. If he’s guarding me I want to attack him. Just getting him into multiple actions.”
It’s a smart game plan because Bron is old in terms of the basketball world. He’s 38 years old and has a lot of miles on that body. He’s still playing elite-level basketball, but that level of making him race up and down the floor constantly is not what he wants to do. Defending through multiple actions is also not what he would prefer.
Will Brooks and the Rockets be able to execute? We’ll find out on Wednesday night.
