Month: May 2021

Kyrie Irving is one of the best point guards in the NBA and while he is extremely talented, he is also very polarizing. There are a lot of fans who don’t like him and many of those fans just so happen to be in Boston. As it stands, the Brooklyn Nets are taking on the Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, and last night, Kyrie’s team took a 3-1 series lead as the series heads back to Brooklyn where they will look to put the final nail in the coffin.

After last night’s game, Kyrie was leaving the court when all of a sudden, a water bottle was thrown at his head by a fan. Eventually, the fan was escorted out of the building, arrested, and banned from TD Garden. After the game, Irving got to respond to the incident, noting just how disrespectful it was and that fans treat the players like they are animals.

Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images

“It’s unfortunate that sports have come to this crossroads,” Irving said. “You’re seeing a lot of old ways come up. It’s been that way in history in terms of entertainment, performers and sports for a long time. Just underlying racism and treating people like they’re in a human zoo, throwing stuff at people, saying things.

“There is a certain point where it gets to be too much so I called it out. I just wanted to keep it strictly basketball but you see people feel very entitled out here. They pay for their ticket, great. I’m grateful that they are coming in to watch a great performance but we’re not at the theater. We are not throwing tomatoes and other random stuff at the people that are performing. It’s too much and it’s a reflection on us as a whole when you have fans acting like that. Hopefully, people learn their lessons from being banned or however many years of being arrested, but it’s always going to be an occasion.”

Swizz Beatz and Timbaland embarked on an epic journey that was a rematch via their popular Verzuz series on Sunday. Fans were blessed with a treat though, as Swizz dropped off a J. Cole verse on DMX’s “Bath Salts.” The original version of the track exists on the rapper’s posthumous album and features Jay-Z and Nas. The two icons have been collaborating more as of late, in both music and business. However, Cole’s appearance was definitely a nice surprise. 

The Verzuz rematch took place in LIV Miami, with some fans in attendance. Missy Elliot offered some words of inspiration for Swizz and Timbaland before the match as well. 

J. Cole recently dropped off The Off Season, and was playing basketball professionally in Africa before he left due to a family priority. The talented lyricist went on a crazy feature run two years ago before disappearing to work on the album. It appears it is Cole season once more though. His verse on bath salts has not been officially released, and we wonder if it ever will be. Swizz should drop an album with verse out the vault for fans one day. 

Fans have been getting pretty bold in the NBA this year. Trae Young was spit on and Russell Westbrook had food dumped on his head during these playoffs, and the disrespect will seemingly continue. Tonight, after the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Boston Celtics 141-126, Kyrie Irving was targeted by an irate fan. The fan threw a bottle at Kyrie’s head, but it missed. However, the team immediately noticed and began trying to discern who threw the bottle.  

According to the Boston Globe’s National NBA writer Gary Washburn, the fan was apprehended and is now being detained. Kevin Durant supported Irving after the game, saying, “grow the fuck up and enjoy the game. It’s bigger than you.” In another statement, Durant said, “we know how these people are in Boston, and we know how passionate they are about Kyrie in particular.”

Celtics fans, however, are taking exception to what is being called “disrespect” to their logo. As seen in the video below, Kyrie appears to wipe his show on the Celtic logo’s head in disgust after the game was completed. It seems like the dislike for each runs both ways for Irving and Boston. 

Last year, Michael Jordan pledged to donate $10 million over a decade to different diverse programs through his Black Community Commitment platform, and he is following through with that promise. This year, Jordan and Nike’s Jordan Brand are donating $1 million to Morehouse College for their journalism program. The money will also be used to help support careers focused in sports. 

“Morehouse is grateful to Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand for an investment in the education of talented men of color who will ensure there is equity, balance, and truth in the way sports stories are framed and the way the Black experience is contextualized within American history,” said Monique Dozier, vice president for institutional advancement at Morehouse.

Jordan’s organization has also donated to Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Ida B. Wells Society, among others. “Education is crucial for understanding the Black experience today,” Jordan said. “We want to help people understand the truth of our past and help tell the stories that will shape our future.”

The school’s journalism program was initially launched with a donation from director and actor Spike Lee. Lee, who graduated Morehouse in 1979, said there would be a “rich legacy of storytellers who will be supported by these programs.” He continued to state, “many people are influenced to think a certain way about Black folks based on what they see on television and in Hollywood. We’ve got to tell our story.”

[Via]

The loss of Chadwick Boseman rocked Hollywood and the world. But his legacy will live on through his work. Disney is most likely sitting on some unreleased footage of Boseman as Black Panther from the multiple movies he played the character. That includes Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. However, there must still be another character to take center focus in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sequel. 

According to Collider, Danai Gurira will be returning in Wakanda Forever. She will also be involved in an origin series for Disney+. There appears to be two Black Panther spin-offs brewing over at Disney, because another series focusing on the entire kingdom of Wakanda is also in the works (and may also include Gurira). 

“Ryan Coogler is a singular storyteller whose vision and range have made him one of the standout filmmakers of his generation. With Black Panther, Ryan brought a groundbreaking story and iconic characters to life in a real, meaningful and memorable way, creating a watershed cultural moment. We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship and look forward to telling more great stories with Ryan and his team,” Disney’s Bob Iger said in a statement when Ryan Coogler‘s Disney deal to make more Black Panther content was announced. The talented director will be the driving force behind all the growing Black Panther spin-off shows and films.

[Via]