NBA basketball
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Rashad McCants, a former first-round NBA draft selection, is now enjoying a second career as a broadcaster who talks basketball and other matters. A clip of McCants is now going wide after the North Carolina native said that he believes Kevin Durant will go down as a better basketball player than LeBron James when it’s all said and done.
The statement in question came courtesy of the No Chill with Gilbert Arenas podcast with Rashad McCants comparing the career tracks of Kevin Durant, who turned 35 this past September, and LeBron James, who will be 39 this December.
In McCants’ view, “real hooper” to use his words would place KD over King James when it comes down to it. Both are definitely world-class basketball players with James having a championship advantage with four rings compared to Durant’s two rings. James is also the leading scorer of all-time in the NBA and showing no signs of slowing down as he leads the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant, currently playing for the Phoenix Suns, is still an explosive player capable of taking games as anyone else in the league.
Arenas didn’t push back heavily on McCants’ statement but did say something interesting about the NBA and the whispers some observers have shared that the league promotes different teams based on their market. Arenas said that the NBA thrives and makes more money when the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers are powerhouses.
There has to be more to this conversation as the clip never offers any manner of closure or following thoughts from Rashad McCants but on X, formerly known as Twitter, the segment of users known as NBA Twitter has plenty to say.
Also, to all the accounts trying to go viral off the clip, why not give those views to Arenas so he can keep feasting? That’s nasty work. We’ve added the clip of Arenas’ account below to help.
Check out the reactions below.
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Photo: Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images / Getty
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Draymond Green will never be accused of being a player who lacks intensity, which has both benefitted his game and worked against him over the course of his career. On Tuesday (November 15), that same passion took a serious left turn after Green applied a chokehold straight from the mixed martial arts handbook on Rudy Gobert during a scuffle.
The Golden State Warriors hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves for an In-Season Tournament showdown in the Western Conference that got off to a rocky start early. The entire game unfolded into chaos after Warriors star Klay Thompson was tussling with Timberwolves Jaden McDaniels and the two grabbed each other’s jerseys on the way down to the court during a transition play.
The two swung each other around and both teams saw their benches emptied in an attempt to split them apart. Rudy Gobert tried to play a peacemaker role, prompting Draymond Green to leap into action and apply a vicious chokehold and grimacing as he applied pressure to the center’s neck.
From there, it was an all-out melee of bodies on the court with Thompson, McDaniels, and Green all being sent to the locker room. Thompson protested his ejection and Green was later assessed for a flagrant foul 2 for choking Gobert. The NBA saw no fault in Gobert, who was clearly trying to end the scuffle.
This is the 18th ejection for Green over the course of his career, leading all active players in that category. Further, it appears that these ejections happen more often when Stephen Curry isn’t playing. The sharpshooter sat out the game due to knee soreness.
After the game, Gobert called Green’s actions “clown behavior” and noted that the point forward often has trouble staying in games when Curry is out.
Across NBA Twitter, fans are discussing how many games Draymond Green should be suspended for putting the choke on Rudy Gobert. Check out those reactions below.
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James Harden brought his high-octane offense to the Philadelphia 76ers but found himself at odds with management entering the new season. After making a trade demand that nearly didn’t happen, sources say that James Harden will now don a Los Angeles Clippers jersey next to some future fellow Hall of Famers.
As reported by ESPN, the 76ers traded away James Harden, the versatile P.J. Tucker, and Serbian player Filip Petrusev. In exchange, the 76ers received Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap, and an additional first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Clippers are handing over a 2027 first-round pick swap to OKC which will allow the team to provide the 76es with a 2026 protected first-round pick. The Clippers also gave a 2024 and 2029 second-round pick to the Clippers as well.
Danny Green, a veteran defensive specialist and three-time NBA champion, was waived by the team to make roster space.
Harden, according to some observers, is on the tail end of his prime despite putting up an impressive 21 points and 10 assists last season along with 6 rebounds and 1 steal. At 34, Harden still has a lot of pop in his game, and alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook, the Clippers are suddenly a team that could easily outscore a number of teams in the Western Conference.
Of course, the biggest issue is chemistry and Harden has been accused of being a team killer. However, with Harden returning to his native Los Angeles and getting away from a situation he no longer felt served him in Philadelphia, this could be a strong year.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the segment of the social media network known as NBA Twitter had plenty to say about the James Harden trade. Check out the reactions below.
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Brandon Hunter, a former NBA player who also had a lengthy career overseas, has died. Hunter played collegiately at Ohio University.
Brandon Hunter was born November 24, 1980, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and played high school ball at Withrow High School, where former NBA player and coach Tyrone Hill also played. According to a report from NBC News, Hunter’s passing was announced by his college alma mater this past Tuesday (September 12), and issued a moving statement for the Kermit Blosser Hall of Fame member.
From Ohio University:
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Brandon Hunter,” head men’s basketball coach Jeff Boals said. “Brandon was a phenomenal player at Ohio who went on to have a great pro career. He was up on campus last year, with his son, for his well-deserved induction into the Ohio University Athletics Hall of Fame. Brandon was a great ambassador for Ohio, a great teammate, a great competitor, and a great family man. Brandon had an infectious personality that touched many people along his journey and will be truly missed. We are thinking about and praying for his wife Mary and three children during this time.”
NBC News learned that Hunter collapsed after doing hot yoga at a facility in Orlando, Fla. according to statements from the family.
After playing two seasons in the NBA, Brandon Hunter played for several teams across Europe and Puerto Rico.
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Kevin Porter Jr., a rising NBA player for the Houston Rockets, was arrested in New York this week for allegedly assaulting a woman who reports say is his girlfriend. The incident occurred in a hotel early Monday morning (September 11) after officials received a 911 call from the location.
As reported by ESPN, Kevin Porter Jr., 23, and the woman 26, were at a New York hotel with sources stating that the victim of the alleged assault is a former WNBA player. According to a police spokesperson, the woman suffered significant to her face and neck.
“Upon arrival officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around the neck.”
Porter’s team also issued a statement saying that they’re looking at the matter internally before taking further action.
“We are in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr.,” the Rockets said via a statement. “We have no further comment at this time.”
The NBA issued a similar statement via Mike Bass which read,”The league office is in contact with the Houston Rockets and in the process of gathering more information.”
Porter is facing assault and strangulation charges, both considered felonies in the state of New York.
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LeBron James thrilled his legion of fans and put haters on notice when he announced at the ESPY Awards last week that he will return to the Los Angeles Lakers for his 21st NBA season. LeBron James has worn the number 6 but with the league retiring the number after the passing of NBA legend Bill Russell, King James will switch back to 23 out of respect.
News of the jersey number switch for LeBron James came via a report from ESPN that over the weekend, Rich Paul, James’ agent, and member of his inner circle, shared that his client will be donning the new number on the back of his jersey this coming season.
“It’s LeBron’s decision,” Paul told ESPN. “He chose to out of respect for Bill Russell.”
Russell, who brought championship glory to the Boston Celtics many times over, died last year at 88. The NBA decided to retire Russell’s No. 6 jersey number league-wide, which was the first that that has ever happened. If a current NBA player donned the No. 6, they could keep the number if they so choose.
As the outlet suggests, jersey sales with James’ number will be in high demand as his No. 6 replica jersey was a hot seller last year. Fans can expect to be on a long list of potential owners of a No. 23 LeBron James jersey when the season launches this fall.
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LeBron James, in the eyes of many, will go down as one of the best basketball players to ever lace them up and the accolades are numerous. Still, King James cast doubt if he’d return to the court for his 21st NBA season but that chatter was silenced at this year’s ESPYS Award ceremony.
LeBron James, 38, received the Best Record-Breaking Performance ESPY award Wednesday night (July 12) but before he went to deliver his moving acceptance speech, James’ wife, Savannah James introduced her husband to the Dolby Theatre crowd in Los Angeles in humorous fashion. Mrs. James was flanked by their three children, sons Bronny and Bryce, and daughter Zhuri.
James showed all of the poise of a veteran as he took the stage and thanked his supporters while taking note of his long list of detractors. In his speech, James told the crowd that his devotion to the game is still strong as it ever was and despite his advanced age, he still has a lot left to give. And it was in this speech that the kid from Akron, Ohio let the world know that he was running it back.
“I don’t care how many more points I score or what I can or cannot do on the floor,” James said. “The real question for me is, ‘Can I play without cheating this game?’ The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”
Among the attendees were some of James’ former teammates such as Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and others. James’ speech was met with approving nods and applause from the crowd, and the news certainly delighted Lakers Nation who all assumed that after the team was swept by the Denver Nuggets in this year’s Western Conference playoffs, James would retire.
On Twitter, LeBron James saw his name trending with people celebrating the news along with some requisite hate, something James mentioned in his speech. We’ve got reactions from all sides below.
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Shaquille O’Neal often refers to himself as the quote, “most dominant big man ever” and it’s hard to debate his stance. However, a meme stating that Joel Embiid would give The Big Aristotle the business on defense has Shaquille O’Neal himself egging on the contest of elite NBA centers.
O’Neal, 51, reshared a meme that’s been floating around posing a scenario that the Philadelphia 76ers superstar would lock Shaq up on defense. Like O’Neal, Embiid, 29, is swift on his feet despite his massive frame and even takes up ball-handling duties in certain play schemes. O’Neal was a bulldozer on the court in his prime, commanding automatic double-teams and even getting triple-teamed.
The NBA game of today is now a game of speed, and finesse, with elite shooting and passing taking over from the slow grind of pick and roll and other fundamental staples. Shaq, one of the most knowledgeable analysts in the game, wrote in the caption of the tweet, “i like these conversations. give me your thoughts. you already know mine. #barbecuechickenalert.”
In so many words, Shaq believes Embiid would have a hard time with him. There are also clips floating around with O’Neal dunking powerfully on the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, and others.
With a career average of 23.7 points per game along with 10 boards, O’Neal’s numbers were exceptional for his era. Embiid, who is averaging 27 and 11, might have better numbers but still has a long way to go in matching Shaq’s laundry list of achievements, including being a four-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP.
On Twitter, the debate is going strong. Check out the reactions below.
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Marcus Smart was the starting point guard for the Boston Celtics and one of the team’s better players in its last playoff rum but will now suit up for a new team in the upcoming season. Smart was moved in a three-way trade that sent him to the Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis guard Tyus Jones to the Washington Wizards, and the Wizards shipping Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics.
Marcus Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of The Year and three-time NBA Hustle Award winner delivered his best assist total at 6.3 per game this past season for the Celtics and elevated his scoring during the playoffs. However, he was sent to Memphis with Boston getting the Grizzlies’ 25th pick in exchange along with Golden State Warriors’ protected first-round pick in 2024.
Tyus Jones joins a new-look Wizards team who recently traded star guard Bradley Beal for Chris Paul and Landry Shamet, part of a rebuild for the Washington squad that welcomes a new front office looking to spark a long-discussed rebuild. The Celtics are sending its 35th pick in tonight’s draft to Washington. Much of the details of the trade between the details can be found in his report from ESPN.
As the outlet noted, the Celtics were in talks with the Los Angeles Clippers in hopes of sending guard Malcolm Brogdon, the 30th pick in tonight’s draft to the Wizards, and Porzingis to the Celtics. When the deal didn’t materialize, Memphis came into play.
On Twitter, the discussion of the Marcus Smart trade was largely celebrating the Texas native’s time in Boston and we’ve got some of the reactions below.
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Michael Jordan was an inspiration to many as the only Black majority stake owner of an NBA franchise but now he’s relinquishing that title for a potentially huge payout. According to swirling reports, Michael Jordan will offload his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets for a reported $3 billion dollars.
News of the sale went wide last Friday (June 16) after the Charlotte Hornets issued a statement leaguewide that Michael Jordan will sell off his ownership stake to The Buyer Group consisting of Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall.
More from the Hornets’ PR team via NBA.com:
Plotkin, who acquired a minority stake in the Hornets in 2019, has been an alternate governor on the NBA Board of Governors since 2019 and is the founder and chief investment officer of Tallwoods Capital LLC. Schnall is co-president of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC, where he has worked for 27 years, and has been a significant minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and an alternate governor on the NBA Board of Governors since 2015. Schnall is in the process of selling his investment in the Hawks, which is expected to be completed in the next several weeks.
The Buyer Group will also include Chris Shumway, Dan Sundheim, Ian Loring, Dyal HomeCourt Partners, North Carolina natives recording artist J. Cole and country music singer-songwriter Eric Church, and several local Charlotte investors, including Amy Levine Dawson and Damian Mills.
Jordan, 60, will retain a minority stake in the Hornets and will reportedly still work with the team’s front-facing actions in some capacity. A report from CNBC states that Jordan, who initially purchased his stake for $275 million, will net 10 times as much if the sale is approved by the NBA Board of Governors.
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