#nba all star 2019

[nba24highlights]

Today in 2019 Damian Lillard Hits EPIC Game Winner! April 23, 2019 #dametime#damianlillard#shorts

[laylasverse]

OF ALL STARS AND SUNS

ꪆৎ my short 'n sweet dating history in my actress dr. ( mind you, it is such a short list because i don't value romantic relationships as a necessity for me. during these years i was focused on high school then college ) . . .

MAR 2016 - AUG 2016 ✶ ETHAN DAVIS

he was my first boyfriend while we were in our freshman year of high school. yes, he was a basketball player ( i have a type ik ). the reason we didn't work was because we were both just immature and didn't know what we wanted. he had other girls in his phone and i had to convince myself he was interesting. he was definitely not the one lol.

OCT 2018 - FEB 2019 ✶ JAMES CURRY

unfortunately this one is a case of chalant!gf and nonchalant!bf. james wanted something casual & lowkey and i am not really into that. need my people completely chalant about me, foaming at the mouth some might say.

APR 2021 ✶ QUENLIN BLACKWELL

okay so she doesn't like technically count as an ex because we never officially dated but we did test it out for a few weeks. but like it just didn't work because we wanted two different things from each other & our dynamics were clashing. we decided to just be friends. i have been on her yt channel multiple times and stuff.

MAY 2023 - ∞ ✶ LAMELO BALL

this relationship has been like five years in the making. we were friends in high school but finally get together in may of 2023 after the nba season is over. i had just finished my junior year at university of chicago and had a little party. afterwards lamelo was like "please?" and i said "fs". ( not actually how the conversation went by the way ).

2025 ⓒ LAYLASVERSE

[rmbaloncesto]

Happy 25th birthday, Luka 🌟

5× NBA All-Star (2020–2024)

4× All-NBA First Team (2020–2023)

NBA Rookie of the Year (2019)

NBA All-Rookie First Team (2019)

FIBA World Cup Top Scorer (2023)

All-FIBA World Cup Team (2023)

Olympics All-Star Team (2020)

EuroBasket champion (2017)

All-EuroBasket Team (2017)

EuroLeague champion (2018)

EuroLeague MVP (2018)

EuroLeague Final Four MVP (2018)

All-EuroLeague First Team (2018)

2× EuroLeague Rising Star (2017, 2018)

EuroLeague 2010–20 All-Decade Team (2020)

3× Liga ACB champion (2015, 2016, 2018)

Liga ACB MVP (2018)

All-Liga ACB First Team (2018)

2× Spanish King's Cup winner (2016, 2017)

[heavenboy09]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU

1 OF THE GREATEST ICONS IN BASKETBALL 🏀🧔🏿👑 SINCE THE LEGENDARY MICHAEL JORDAN & SHAQUILLE O'NEIL

Born On December 30th, 1984

He is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed “King James,” he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in basketball history and is frequently compared to Michael Jordan in debates about the sport’s all-time best. James has won four NBA championships from 10 NBA Finals appearances, having made eight consecutive appearances between 2011 and 2018. He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers, three Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team, and the Olympics MVP in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

He was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2005, 2013, 2017, and 2019 – the most selections for a professional athlete. James has won 20 ESPY Awards, hosted Saturday Night Live, and starred in the sports film Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021). He has been a part-owner of Liverpool F.C. since 2011 and leads the LeBron James Family Foundation, which has opened an elementary school, housing complex, retail plaza, and medical center in Akron, Ohio.

PLEASE WISH THIS AMERICAN BASKETBALL 🏀🧔🏿👑LEGEND IN THE MAKING OF THE 21ST CENTURY

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

YOU ALL HAVE ROOTED FOR HIM

YOU ALL SEEN HIM PLAY THE GAME 🎮 AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN

& HE IS STILL KING OF THE COURT 🧔🏿🏀👑

THE 1 & ONLY

MR. LEBRON RAYMONE JAMES AKA KING 👑 JAMES 🧔🏿🏀

HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU

KING JAMES 👑🧔🏿🏀 & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS FOR YOU TO COME

#LeBronJames #KingJames #SpaceJamANewLegacy

[wrestlinghistorywithkay]

From The Sidelines To The Squared Circle: Wrestlers Who Were Once Cheerleaders

Hey Everyone! I am super excited about this article! I used to be an All Star Cheerleader and I wanted to do something fun involving cheerleading and wrestling . This article will be about wrestlers who were once cheerleaders.

Stacy Kiebler - The WWE Hall of Famer was once a cheerleader for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Kiebler made the team when she was only 18 years old . Her cheer and dance experience would lead her to audition for the Nitro Girls , the dance troupe that would entertain the live crowds of WCW fans during TV commercial breaks. Her name for the group would be , Skye.

Carmella - Before she began her career in the WWE , Carmella was once a cheerleader for the NFL’s New England Patriots and in the NBA as a Lakers Girl for the Los Angeles Lakers. She cheered for the Lakers in 2011 and was a Patriots Cheerleader from 2007-2010. She was signed to WWE in 2013 and made her NXT Debut in 2014. She is the inaugural and second Ms. Money In The Bank , winner of the second Wrestlemania’s Women’s Battle Royal, former cast member of Total Divas , 1x Smackdown Women’s Champion and 1x Women’s Tag Team Champion alongside Queen Zelina ( Zelina Vega ).

Alexa Bliss- Little Miss Bliss was a former high school and All Star Cheerleader . She was even the cover girl for American Cheerleader Magazine in 2008. She even had her own article. Bliss was signed to WWE in 2013 and made her NXT debut the same year. She went to become a 3x RAW Women’s Champion, 2x Smackdown Women’s Champion, 3x Women’s Tag Team Champion ( 2 with Nikki Cross and 1 with Asuka ) , 2018 Women’s Money In The Bank Winner , 1x 24/7 Champion, and the 2nd Women’s Triple Crown Champion in WWE, with Bayley being the first.

Julia Hart - Julia was a two time cheerleading champion before she became a professional wrestler. She was signed to AEW in 2021 where she would become a manager to The Varsity Blondes ( Griff Garrison and Brian Pillman Jr ( Lexis King )). She would have a cheerleader gimmick before turning Heel on the Blondes after having mist sprayed into her eyes by Malakai Black. She joined the House of Black in 2022 and went on to become the youngest TBS Champion at 22 years old.

Maxxine Dupri - Maxxine Dupri was a Cheerleader for the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and a Dancer for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. She would attend a WWE tryout in 2021 and was signed the same year. In 2022, she made her NXT debut as a manager/valet alongside Robert Stone for Von Wagner. She would make her main roster debut the same year as the kayfabe younger sister of Max Dupri ( LA Knight) , and the ‘ Director of Talent ’ for the Heel stable , the Maximum Male Models. She would join Alpha Academy and made her in ring debut the same year after performing an Arm Drag on the valet of The Viking Raiders , Valhalla ( Sarah Logan).

Rebel - Tanea Brooks joined the Dallas Cowboys Cheeleaders at the age of 18 years old after being a member of dance team at the University of Tulsa , where she was student . She was also in a dance troupe alongside Christy Hemme. She was signed to TNA/Impact Wrestling in 2013 , making her in ring debut in 2014. She also managed The Dollhouse ( Marti Belle and Jade/Mia Yim/Michin). She was signed to AEW as a makeup artist in 2019 before making her TV debut alongside Britt Baker.

My Final Thoughts:

This was a fun article to do. As a former cheerleader myself , this was interesting to reasearch. I’m thinking of adding a Part 2 to this article.

Love You All,

-Kay

[turboacek-blog]

NBA 2020s: the USA vs World Era

In nba 2k the past two games they named 2010-14 the Lebron Era and the Steph era being apparently from 2017 to I’m guessing 2019?

There been some talk about the division and timeframe like would it not all be Lebron era for example or why specifically 3-5 years and so on like I would just say 15-19 to make it even with Lebron or just call it Lebron vs Curry era

But I want to discuss the current era of 2020-24 and potentially onwards

I want to call it the USA vs the World Era

Championships

Unlike the past decade the 2020s have had no repeat champions so can’t say a team dominated like Lebron Heat or Superteam Warriors

It’s been a different team each year and not in the 2010 way where every year has either Lebron or Steph in it

Something I noticed is that the main player of each team has been alternating between a U.S. player and a foreign player

2020: Lebron & AD (US)

2021: Giannis (World)

2022: Stephen (US)

2023: Jokic (World)

2024: Tatum & Brown (US)

So it’s been back and forth this decade so far and while we don’t know 2025 and on at this time if an era is 5 years like 2K did then this is a good frame to go off of

Foreign player dominance

Players such as Jokic Giannis and Embiid if you count him as foreign have won the past 5 MVP awards showing to at least a lot they have been the best players in the NBA

Not even counting Luka Doncic, Shai, and even Wemby now

And there has been a talking point about foreign players both positive and negative because of their dominance recently

To the point where the negative can be seen as xenophobic

Which has created a sort of USA players vs foreign player debate

Rivalry’s

While in a sense team rivalry’s are dead in the nba they’re are some player rivalries that make it a point touching on

Doncic vs Booker (Suns vs Mavs)

Doncic vs Kawhi/PG (Mavs vs Clippers)

Lakers vs Nuggets (Lebron vs Jokic) (I know those fans might deny it but they played three times in the playoffs in 5 years two of them in the conference finals and both teams are definitely trying harder against each other than others)

Bucks vs Heat (Heat with Butler has been one of those teams that stop the Giannis Bucks or at least give him trouble and they’re matchups in the post season has been consistent)

All these have a world player against a U.S. player

There’s other rivalries like Celtics vs Heat but these I feel are consistent and fit the theme in the past 5 years

Plus it’s a still a US dominated (in number of players) league so just lower odds for other rivalries with foreign players

Olympics

This isn’t technically the NBA but a big thing that occurred was the Olympics and is a good “finale” for this 5 year era

Not even discussing the “World Champions” / best in the world topic brought up by Noah Lyles

It was questioned if they could win Gold due to how much better a lot of countries have gotten and it was definitely tested in the 2024 Olympics

This while putting a pin in the U.S. vs World debate for Olympics since USA won, does bring up that when Lebron Steph & Durant retire the scales seemingly heavily tip in the worlds favor in some eyes going forward as it took 3 top 15 players ever to squeeze out those wins against the other top teams like Serbia and France

Plus other talking points like Tatum the recent nba champion barely playing, is Anthony Edwards ready to take over, and so on

Misc

Until 2022 the rising star game was USA vs World

There’s been a want for that to return and be applied to the main All Star game

More foreign players coming over to the NBA now more than before including top draft picks

NBA being more global by having games in Africa and other places in the world

If you include 2019 the champions were the Toronto raptors which is the only non US team in the NBA so while not led by a foreign player it is the “foreign” team and continues the back and forth pattern

All these make the aspect that narratively it’s been USA vs World players believable to me

I do think if a team like the Celtics repeat as champions it could skew some points here but overall at just these five years I prefer this than just calling it the Jokic Era because he has three mvps

Written Sep 19 2024

[lboogie1906]

Kawhi Anthony Leonard (born June 29, 1991) is a basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers A two-time NBA champion, he is a six-time All-Star with six All-NBA First Team selections. Nicknamed the “Claw” or “Klaw” for his ball-hawking skills, he has earned seven All-Defensive Team selections and won Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

He played two seasons of college basketball for the San Diego State Aztecs and was named a consensus second-team All-American as a sophomore. He opted to forgo his final two seasons of college eligibility to enter the 2011 NBA draft. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 15th overall pick before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night.

With the Spurs, he won an NBA championship in 2014, when he was named the Finals Most Valuable Player. After seven seasons with the Spurs, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors in 2018. In 2019, he led the Raptors to their first NBA championship in franchise history and won his second Finals MVP award (one of only three players to win Finals MVP with multiple teams). He moved to his hometown of Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers as a free agent in July 2019.

In 2018, he reportedly signed a multi-year endorsement deal with New Balance, the multinational sports footwear and apparel corporation. He had signed with the Air Jordan brand, a subsidiary of Nike. In June 2019, he filed a federal lawsuit against Nike. According to the lawsuit, Nike copyrighted Leonard’s “Klaw” logo without his consent. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[laresearchette]

Monday, April 01, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: VANDERPUMP VILLA (Disney + Star) THE SYNANON FIX (HBO Canada) 9:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: 2024 iHeartRadio MUSIC AWARDS (FOX Feed) LOVERS AND LIARS (CW Feed) ALL AMERICAN (Premiering on April 08 on Showcase at 8:00pm)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA ALLAN QUATERMAIN & THE LOST CITY OF GOLD AT CLOSE RANGE BLAME IT ON RIO BLOODSPORT BREATHLESS BULLETPROOF MONK CASINO CLASS DARK BLUE DARK ANGEL DR. SEUSS’ THE CAT IN THE HAT EYE OF THE NEEDLE FLAWLESS FLESH+BLOOD HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE MARLBORO MAN KOYAANISQATSI THE LAST WALTZ LOL: CHI RIDE E FUORI (Season 4) MOBY DICK NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER THE PARTY ROLLING THUNDER TOP GEAR (Seasons 14-25) THE TRAIN VALLEY GIRL VAMPIRE’S KISS WARCRAFT WHITE NIGHT

CBC GEM DYLAN’S PLAYTIME ADVENTURES

CRAVE TV LITTLE JESUS THE SYNANON FIX (Season 1, Episode 1)

DISNEY + STAR VANDERPUMP VILLA (Three-Episode Premiere)

NETFLIX CANADA THE MAGIC PRANK SHOW WITH JUSTIN WILLMAN

CURLING (TSN/TSN5) 8:00am: LGT World Men's Curling Championship: Canada vs. Italy

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 7:00pm: Panthers vs. Leafs (SN Now) 9:00pm: Oilers vs. Blues (TSN3) 9:00pm: Kings vs. Jets

MLB BASEBALL (SN1) 8:00pm: Jays vs. Pirates (SN Now) 10:00pm: Giants vs. Dodgers

NBA BASKETBALL (SN Now) 8:00pm: Suns vs. Pelicans

MURDOCH MYSTERIES (CBC) 8:00pm: After a man dies in a drunken brawl at the Starbright Lounge, Murdoch's suspect is another detective.

WARDENS OF THE NORTH (Discovery Canada) 8:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Conservation officers crack down on boaters not complying with the law; a routine fishing patrol has officers tracking down over-the-limit anglers; a kayaker is reminded that lifejackets work best when worn, even when close to home.

SOCIAL MEDIA MURDERS (T&E) 8:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Alex Rodda, a 15-year-old teenager, is murdered by 18-year-old Matthew Mason in December 2019, six weeks after they first exchange messages via social media.

SECRETS IN THE ICE (Super Chanel Fuse) 8:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): A grim discovery in a Swedish lake reveals ancient practices; in the Canadian Arctic, the fossil of a previously unknown mammal is found; bizarre ice formations in the Antarctic Ocean; a discovery off the east coast of Canada.

BELGRAVIA: THE NEXT CHAPTER (CBC) 9:00pm (SEASON FINALE): As Frederick grieves the loss of Clara, Enright receives a letter that pushes Frederick to confront his past; Clara and Davison adapt to life in the North, as Clara grapples with happy memories of home.

OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): The Bushmen bring in an explosives expert to blast through the toughest rock in Grawin; plus, a brand-new team brings cutting edge technology to the opal fields.

SPOOKED IRELAND (DTour) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): The team ventures to Charleville Castle, where they face a multitude of spirits who seem to have turned against the castle's current occupants by trapping them in cupboards and keeping them up at night with screams and singing.

EXPEDITION X (Discovery Canada) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Phil and Jess explore the world's most haunted forest near the site of the Dracula legend and where Josh Gates had his most terrifying experience; during a night investigation, Jess finds herself being watched by someone or something sinister.

THE PLAYBOY MURDERS (Investigation Discovery) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): In the late '90s, Playboy twins Sandy and Mandy Bentley's fame soars until an affair with a Vegas High Roller leads to a fall from fame, stolen jewels, a shadowy buyer and a brutal double murder in the Hollywood hills.

MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA (CTV Life) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): A group of 12 home cooks will compete with 12 former contestants.

MURDER AT MY DOOR WITH KYM MARSH (documentary) 10:00pm/11:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): The story of 17-year-old Thomas Griffiths, who killed his girlfriend and arranged the crime scene to look like a suicide after she broke up with him. In Episode Two, 19-year-old Mundill Mahil lures a young TV executive to his death in an act of revenge following an attempted rape six months earlier.

[izzykish]

Kevin Durant is a professional basketball player known for his scoring ability and versatility. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, he played for the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA.

Kevin Durant is a professional basketball player born on September 29, 1988, in Washington, D.C. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the NBA. Durant played college basketball at the University of Texas for one season before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft.

He was selected as the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics (later relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder). Durant played for the Thunder from 2007 to 2016, earning multiple scoring titles and MVP awards.

In 2016, Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, where he won two NBA championships (2017, 2018) and earned NBA Finals MVP both times. In 2019, Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets, but he missed the entire 2019-2020 season due to an Achilles injury. He returned to the court in the 2020-2021 season with the Nets.

Durant is known for his scoring ability, versatility, and basketball IQ. He has been selected to numerous NBA All-Star Games and has won various awards throughout his career. Keep in mind that specific statistics and achievements may have changed since my last update in January 2022.

[dnaamericaapp]

Black-Owned SIA Collective Captures Imaginations Of Sneaker Heads And NBA Players

Twenty years ago, Devlin Carter was in the Coast Guard, serving his country on the waters around the United States. All the while, however, his passion for fashion, sneakers in particular, traveled with him.

When he was stationed in his hometown of New York in 2011, Carter scrolled through Instagram one day and realized that social media was an efficient, inexpensive way to get his unique talent for transforming an existing shoe into a fashion statement in front of countless eyeballs.

That revelation led Carter on a creative endeavor that by 2019 evolved into SIA Collective, which is now a multimillion-dollar brand that produces trendy shoes with futuristic designs and contrasting colors that are distinct from mainstream options.

Each pair often becomes a conversation piece among sneaker heads and casual shoe buyers alike, which is no small feat in a $70 billion industry dominated by behemoth brands that had largely shut out Black retailers and Black-owned sneaker makers.

Carter and SIA Collective caught the eye of both sneaker collectors and NBA fans when basketball star Kyrie Irving acknowledged to NBC News earlier this year that he is considering a partnership with Carter’s brand.

A potential deal between Irving and a Black-owned company like SIA Collective could shift the standard of “how young Black athletes look at endorsement deals moving forward,” Carter said. “It would show they don’t have to be locked into a deal… They can take ownership of their off-the-court game.”

Earl West, a self-described sneaker head said, “This is a hot industry and to learn about this brand, and Black-owned creating these high quality shoes is amazing.”

“The way to stand out was to produce more than anyone else,” said Delvin Carter about competing with other independent brands seeking to break through. “So, when my competition was doing one shoe a month or every week, I was creating new shoes every day, sewing materials on shoes, something no one else was doing.” -(source: nbc news)

DNA America

“it’s what we know, not what you want us to believe.”

#dna #dnaamerica #news #politics

[musicmaniahub]

Victor Wembanyama: Biography, Wikipedia, Age, Family, Networth, Career, College, Congo

Victor Wembanyama Biography Victor Wembanyama is a French professional basketball player currently playing for Metropolitans 92 in the LNB Pro A. Born on January 4, 2004, in France, Wembanyama stands tall at 2.20 meters (7 feet 3 inches) and excels as a power forward. Considered one of the most promising European players of his generation, he is widely anticipated to be the number one overall selection in the NBA draft in 2023. Victor Wembanyama Early life and youth career Wembanyama was born in Le Chesnay, France, and began his athletic journey as a goalkeeper for a football team before transitioning to judo. Guided by his mother, a former basketball player, Wembanyama developed his basketball skills from a young age. He started at his hometown club, Entente Le Chesnay Versailles, and later joined the youth program of Nanterre 92 at the age of 10. Despite receiving offers from prominent clubs such as FC Barcelona and ASVEL, his parents decided to stay with Nanterre. Wembanyama's impressive performance in the Minicopa del Rey tournament, where he secured third place with his team, showcased his talent with 16 points and 15 rebounds in a crucial game. Victor Wembanyama Professional career Wembanyama joined Espoirs Nanterre for the 2019-20 season to compete in the French under-21 league, LNB Espoirs. In the Kaunas Tournament, a qualifier for the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT), he set a new ANGT record with nine blocks, along with 22 points and 15 rebounds in a victory over Zaragoza's under-18 squad. He led the tournament in blocks and earned a spot on the all-tournament team. With consistent contributions, he averaged 15.8 points, 12 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and six blocks per game. Wembanyama made his debut with Espoirs Nanterre in September 2020, showcasing his skills with an impressive performance of 22 points, 18 rebounds, five blocks, and four assists against Espoirs JL Bourg. He also played for Centre Fédéral, an amateur squad associated with INSEP, where he continued to impress with his abilities. In October 2019, Wembanyama made his professional debut for Nanterre 92 in the EuroCup. He made his first appearance in the LNB Pro A in September 2020, contributing to the team's victories. He was honored as the best young player in the Pro A division during the 2020-21 season. Afterward, he made the decision to join ASVEL, where he displayed his talents in the Pro A and the EuroLeague. Presently, Wembanyama has signed a contract with Metropolitans 92 in the Pro A. Victor Wembanyama National team career Wembanyama has represented France in various international competitions. In the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship, he played a crucial role in France's success, contributing 12 points, 21 rebounds, and eight blocks in the quarterfinals. He was instrumental in securing the silver medal for France, earning a spot on the all-tournament team. He also participated in the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in 2021, helping France win the silver medal and receiving recognition as an all-tournament team member. Victor Wembanyama Personal life Basketball runs in Wembanyama's family, with his mother being a former player and his father having competed in long jump. His older sister, Eve, is a professional basketball player who won a gold medal with France in the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship in 2017. Victor Wembanyama's heritage traces back to the Democratic Republic of Congo through his father's side. Overall, Victor Wembanyama's impressive skills, towering height, and remarkable performances have established him as a rising star in the world of basketball, garnering attention and anticipation for his future achievements. Read the full article

[hotgirlmeg]

2019 nba champion and 3x all-star pascal siakam 😭😭❤️

[eclecticprincessdreamland]

MVP Rome Flynn leads Team Bonds in 2025 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

MVP Rome Flynn scores 22 points to lead Team Bonds to victory over Team Rice as celebrities from entertainment and sports compete.

Winner: Team Bonds Final Score: Team Bonds 66, Team Rice 55 MVP: Actor Rome Flynn, Team Bonds

OAKLAND — For the first time since the Toronto Raptors celebrated a championship in the summer of 2019, an NBA event took place in the former Oracle Arena.

The Ruffles All-Star Celebrity Game was held there Friday as the NBA shared the basketball wealth with Oakland at All-Star Weekend. The teams were coached by a pair of Bay Area legends and all-time greats in their sports — Jerry Rice and Barry Bonds.

Advantage to the Giants slugger: Team Bonds took the victory, 66-55, pulling away in the second half after a defensive struggle.

The MVP was awarded to Rome Flynn, the Emmy-winning actor (“The Bold And The Beautiful”, “How To Get Away With Murder”) and also a bit of a ringer — he has trained with Olin Simplis, who worked with Kevin Durant and Breanna Stewart.

Flynn showed impressive basketball moves, a solid dribble game and a jumper, making one shot from 35 feet near the top of the key.

The highlight for Team Rice was Shelby McEwen, a silver medalist in the high jump for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. He had a pair of dunks, one of them a wind-up that could’ve ranked in Saturday’s dunk contest.

–Shaun Powell

[realworld025]

The other one I looked at is the Nike Jordan 1 commercial, because it's classic and affective. Exactly forty years ago, the Air Jordan 1 made its debut on the court and in the sneaker market, completely changing the game.

Designed specifically for Michael Jordan, the very first AJ1 was released in the “Bred” colorway—black and red. This choice directly defied NBA regulations, which required players to wear shoes with a higher percentage of white. As a result, the sneaker became an icon. It is even said that Nike chose to pay a fine for every game rather than pull it from the market. This is why it went down in history as the Air Jordan 1 “Banned.”

It all started in December with the release of a short video on Instagram. However, the Jordan marketing and communications team soon decided to take the “Banned” nickname quite literally. First, the brand’s social media profiles were “banned,” and now they have completely disappeared. Even on the Nike website, many Jordan images have been censored. But it doesn’t stop there.

The censorship has extended to the real world: the Jordans worn by Michael Jordan’s statue at the entrance of the United Center—the arena that hosts the Chicago Bulls’ games—have also been “banned.”

I do like the marketing strategy that Nike did in here, and that's why I chose to research it. However, the whole story that Nike and the media saying it's all lies, it's all a part of their marketing strategy, which I am not a fan of ,but it's genius, because it is just telling lies to hype up the sneakers, so Nike can make more and more money by that.

The real truth of the "banned" is, in the Speaking on the matter in the 2019 Documentary Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1, retired NBA Commissioner David Stern said, “They didn’t comply with league rules but they were never banned”.

The NBA sent the infamous letter to Nike on February the 25th 1985 after Michael Jordan had worn the black and red Jordan 1 during the Slam Dunk contest at All-Star weekend earlier that month. Matching his Jordans to his Chicago Bulls jersey was clearly not enough for the league as the white midsoles did not account for over 51% of the shoe.

Placing a piece of white tape on the foul line, Jordan would then perform a flying dunk that sent a wave of applause around the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. All eyes were glued to MJ’s shoes and history had been made.

The letter also mentions October 18 1994, the date of a preseason game that Jordan played at Madison Square Garden. On that day Jordan took to the court in a pair of black and red Nike Air Ships, making it officially the first time Michael broke NBA rules and regulations for footwear.

Although no footage exists of the game, there are a number of black and white photos which show Jordan dunking in the Air Ships. After the game, the NBA contacted Nike telling them that the shoes were not in compliance with the uniformity rules.

https://thesolesupplier.co.uk/news/why-were-air-jordans-banned-from-the-nba/

[influencermagazineuk]

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks finalized a monumental trade, moving Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, sending Anthony Davis to Dallas, with Utah Jazz as a part of this trade, in the three-way trade deal early Sunday morning as per the ESPN's Shams Charania. Charania reports the Lakers are giving up Davis, a and Max Christie in exchange for Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris. In this three-way trade, Jalen Hood-Schifino will go from the Lakers, along with a 2025 second-round pick from the Mavericks and another from the Clippers through the Lakers to the Jazz as the third part of the deal. Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons This shocked the basketball world. Even Charania posted on social media to assure his fans of its validity while still basking in the general skepticism that befell most Lakers' fans. It later turned out that the Mavericks started trading for the youngster and proposed the sending of Doncic to Los Angeles. This is something Los Angeles front office sees as an extremely rare opportunity to introduce the long-term face of the franchise: a young superstar. Doncic, widely considered one of the NBA's elite talents, finished third in MVP voting last season and has been the foundation of the Mavericks' success. Neither he nor Davis knew anything about the trade talks before the deal was done. At 31, Davis is one of the biggest men in the league, still dominating games at this point in his career. This season, he's averaged 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game for the Lakers. For all that he's doing on the court, the Lakers have decided to make the bold move, opting to build around a younger star in Doncic. Davis was ruled out with an abdomen injury during this win over the Knicks on Saturday night, in which Christie put in 15 points.  Doncic, meanwhile had been out of action since Christmas due to calf strain. Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison spoke with ESPN's Tim MacMahon about the rationale behind the trade, saying, "I believe that defense wins championships. Bringing in an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a strong defensive mindset puts us in a better position to compete now and in the future." Reports indicate that Dallas had been growing increasingly concerned about Doncic's conditioning, especially as he became eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax contract this summer. The timing of the move is particularly shocking given that the Mavericks made the NBA Finals last season, led by Doncic and Kyrie Irving, before losing to the Boston Celtics in five games. Christie, who put up a stellar performance against the Knicks just prior to the trade, is now part of the new-look Mavericks. Meanwhile, the Lakers, who have been fifth in the Western Conference, have struggled to regain championship form since taking the 2019-20 title. Through Doncic, they may be able to make a deeper playoff run alongside LeBron James and other key contributors. The trade shook the sports world to its core, with many questioning whether Charania's report was hacked, as the sheer magnitude of the deal was hard to believe. Even LeBron James was caught off guard, finding out about the trade while dining, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Knicks player Jalen Brunson reacted in disbelief, asking if it was "April Fools'". Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton echoed that sentiment, questioning whether Charania's report was real. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also weighed in on social media, expressing his shock with a simple but telling reaction: "I’m sick rn…." Basketball fans won’t have to wait long to see Doncic take on his former team, as the Lakers are set to host the Mavericks on February 25 in what will undoubtedly be one of the most highly anticipated games of the season. Read the full article

[dankusner]

Mavericks hire Rick Welts, Hall of Fame NBA executive, as president and CEO

It is not hyperbole, but rather a statement of fact, that Rick Welts has conquered every conceivable challenge during his legendary 46-year career as an NBA executive.

How legendary? He

was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018, a class that included Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.

Why, then, has Welts, at age 71, signed a multi-year contract to succeed Cynt Marshall as the Dallas Mavericks’ CEO?

“Life was going great,” a smiling Welts explained during an exclusive sit-down with The Dallas Morning News, “and then I got introduced to this guy, Patrick Dumont.

“There’s a set of circumstances here that fits the pattern of what I’ve done in the past. As historically successful as the Mavericks have been, I think the next 10 years have the opportunity to be pretty extraordinary."

Dumont has been the Mavericks’ governor since last December, when his family purchased the franchise’s controlling interest from Mark Cuban.

During a news conference Wednesday, Dumont will formally introduce former Golden State Warriors president and COO Welts as his first major Mavericks hire.

How major?

Dumont told The News that Welts will serve as his alternate at NBA Board of Governors meetings.

Marshall’s six-year tenure won’t formally end until her retirement becomes official Dec. 31, but Dumont stunningly was able to replace a transformative figure in Mavericks history with a Hall of Famer.

“Whenever you have potential to have a leadership change in an NBA franchise, there are a few executives you dream of working with,” Dumont said.

“Rick’s name is always at the top of that list.”

A hire of historic proportions

Welts’ NBA career began in 1969 as a 16-year-old Seattle SuperSonics ballboy.

He rose to become Seattle’s public relations director, receiving the first of his four NBA title rings in 1979.

Hired by then-NBA executive vice president David Stern in 1982, Welts eventually became the league’s third-in-command from 1996 to 1999 as executive vice president, chief marketing officer and president of NBA Properties.

He was president of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury from 2002 to 2011 and oversaw Golden State’s business operations from 2011-2021, a period during which the Warriors went to five NBA Finals and won championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

The Mavericks in effect are getting the Bill Belichick of NBA executives, but without the gruff persona.

On Jan. 21, Welts coincidentally will be the same age as new North Carolina football coach Belichick.

“We are serious about being a top franchise and winning championships,” Dumont said.

“We will invest in top personnel and bring great leadership to this franchise.”

Welts is best known for creating NBA All-Star weekend (1984); coordinating Magic Johnson’s 1991 announcement that he contracted AIDS; marketing the 1992 Dream Team; co-founding the WNBA (1996); and, in 2011, becoming the first high-ranking executive in men’s pro sports history to publicly acknowledge he is gay.

Of greater and more recent relevance to the Mavericks and Dumont, Welts shepherded every aspect of Golden State’s seven-year efforts to build and open (in 2019) San Francisco’s $1.4 billion Chase Center.

Dumont in multiple interviews with The News has made no secret about wanting to build a new arena for the Mavericks, perhaps as part of a casino-resort development if gambling is legalized in Texas.

“That’s a big factor,” Dumont said.

“Rick oversaw the development and opening of one of the world’s top arenas. That’s very relevant experience for the type of investment and what we’re trying to create here in Dallas with the Mavericks.”

Welts’ fit with Mavericks culture

Perhaps as remarkable as the hire was its covertness.

Welts said he and Dumont were connected through mutual friends about two months ago, shortly after Marshall’s October retirement announcement.

“Our initial conversation was just about, ‘Would there be some way we could work together?’” Welts said.

That led to Welts traveling to Nevada and spending a day with Las Vegas Sands COO Dumont; his wife, Sivan; and her mother, Mavericks majority owner Miriam Adelson.

The more they spoke, Welts realized Dallas’ similarities to Phoenix and Golden State, the notable difference being that the Suns were near-perennial first-round playoff losers from 1995 to 2003;

the Warriors missed the playoffs all but one season between 1994 and 2012.

“The Dallas market? Unbelievable,” Welts said.

“The number of headquarter businesses that are here. Historically great fan support. What’s different about this place is it’s a hell of a basketball team. So, boy, talk about being ahead of the game.”

On Nov. 19, Welts came to Dallas to spend part of the day meeting with Marshall and Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison; touring a half-dozen prospective homes; and attending reigning NBA Finalist Dallas’ home game against New Orleans, seated with Harrison.

Welts has close relationships with Harrison and Marshall. Welts and Harrison met in Phoenix about 15 years ago, when Harrison was a Nike player representative.

Marshall says Welts was among the first NBA executives to reach out when she became CEO in 2018, amid reported allegations of two decades of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct within the franchise’s business operations. “I have unbelievable admiration for what she walked into and how she created a culture that addressed all the issues,” Welts said.

“So, great news is I think the culture’s terrific. That’s the least of my concerns.

“In fact, it’s only a concern that we can maintain that level of culture in the organization that she accomplished. She made a profound impact, not only on the Mavericks, but I think also within the NBA as well.”

Dumont and Welts agreed that the top of the Mavericks’ hierarchy will be the triangle structure that was employed at Golden State and Phoenix during Welts’ time there.

Welts will oversee the Mavericks’ business operations; Harrison the basketball operations.

But the basketball and business halves will work closely together whenever possible.

Welts cites the fact that when Steve Kerr became Phoenix’s general manager in 2007, he asked whether he could attend Welts’ weekly business operations meetings.

“Nico and I don’t have a reporting relationship with each other,” Welts said.

“We both report to Patrick, and I think that’s the right way to do it.

“In 2024 you need an engaged owner, but Patrick’s mandate, and my belief and Nico’s, is when you have your business and basketball operations working together, you really have an opportunity to do something.”

While speaking to The News about Welts’ potential Mavericks impact, Dumont made a point to laud Marshall’s six-year tenure — and to thank Cuban for hiring Marshall, Harrison and Kidd.

“The culture Cynt created and the success she’s helped foster has been amazing,” he said.

“Cynt is larger than life in the community and the good news is she’s still going to be around, still helping us, still part of the family.

“I’d also like to recognize Mark Cuban for what he’s contributed as a leader of this organization. We hope to build upon the legacy that he left for us — and consult and work with him going forward.”

Make no mistake, though:

Hiring an executive of Welts’ stature is Brooklyn-raised Dumont making his own Texas-sized imprint on the organization.

It’s also a statement to fans, the city of Dallas and the NBA that Dumont intends to make the Mavericks franchise elite in every sense.

“It’s wonderful to have Rick back in the league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told The News via email.

“The Mavericks are getting a terrific marketer and team operator who has a long history of success in establishing strong relationships with fans, business partners and the local community.

“Rick will be a fantastic addition in Dallas.”

Naturally, as he nears his 72nd birthday, many will wonder how many years Welts will invest in the Mavericks and Dallas.

Although he left the Warriors in 2021, saying he’d accomplished all he could with that organization, it’s not as though he’s slowed much.

For the past three years he’s devoted considerable time to helping his hometown of Seattle and the owners of the NHL’s Kraken prepare for the possibility of NBA expansion, specifically to Seattle, which lost the Sonics to Oklahoma City in 2008.

Welts also has been an advisor for San Francisco-based Sixth Street Partners, a global investment firm whose $75 billion in investments include a 25% stake in FC Barcelona, 20% ownership of the San Antonio Spurs and full ownership of Bay FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.

NBA conflict of interest rules require him to pause his expansion efforts for Seattle, but Welts is eager to devote time to his new role, once he and husband Todd Gage are done unpacking the multitude of boxes in their new Dallas home.

If not for his silver hair, it would be difficult to believe Welts is a septuagenarian.

“Dallas has always seemed like a really intriguing place to live,” he said.

“I feel like I still have all the energy. I have 46 years of experience in trying to present this product in a way that fans enjoy.

“I just think the opportunity to do that one more time was irresistible. It’s the combination of Patrick as governor, his vision for what we want, and the city.”

Welts paused and laughed.

“And I had to follow Klay Thompson here because he’s one of my favorite players of all time. I can’t wait to see him again.”

Two nights earlier, Welts watched on TV as Thompson scored a season-high 29 points to help the Mavericks beat the Warriors in the state-of-the-art arena that Welts “poured seven years of my life into” building.

“It was so weird,” he said.

“I texted both Patrick and Nico during the game, saying, ‘You can’t imagine how strange it is sitting here, watching these two teams play each other.’”

Dumont is so exhilarated to land his first major hire — a Hall of Famer, no less — that if he’s concerned about Welts’ length of tenure, it certainly isn’t evident in his words or the excitement in his voice.

“Well, he looks ready to go to me,” he said. “All we’ve talked about is investing some money and going forward to do some great things together — and having a great franchise.

“That’s really where we went with this. So let’s see where it goes. I think it will be great for the Mavericks and great for our city.”