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When the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Championship all the way back in 1971, the franchise was full of hope. Their superstar player was none other than Lew Alcindor, who everyone now knows as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Just a few years after the Bucks’ big win, Alcindor was able to lead his team to yet another NBA Finals appearance, although they would eventually lose to the legendary Boston Celtics in seven games. A year later, Alcindor left Milwaukee for the Los Angeles Lakers, and he eventually went on to win five more titles all while cementing himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, Alcindor’s absence put the entire franchise in a deep and dark hole that last decades. In the early 2000s, the Bucks were able to find some success with Ray Allen, however, once he went to the Celtics, their reign came to an abrupt end. From there, the team drafted Brandon Jennings with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 draft, and for the most part, he was nothing short of fantastic. If you’re a Bucks fan, then you probably remember how Jennings ran into injury problems which ultimately led to a shortened career. With all of that being said, it’s clear that the Bucks had been struggling to find a superstar who not only had staying power but a desire to remain in a small market like Milwaukee, as well.

In a shocking turn of events, the Bucks somehow found that player in the unlikeliest of places: Greece. With the 15th overall selection in the 2013 NBA Entry Draft, the Bucks took a relatively unknown scrawny 18-year-old by the name of Giannis Antetokounmpo. At the time, this selection was scrutinized by critics who felt as though Giannis hadn’t done enough to prove himself. In fact, it was a common opinion at the time that Giannis wouldn’t even see any playing time in his first season and that there were no guarantees he would grow into his body and become the man we see today.

What many didn’t account for at the time, was Giannis’ determination. His background shaped him into one of the most determined young men the game had ever seen, and while it would take a few years for fans to realize this, there is no denying that a storm was brewing within him. Antetokounmpo was born in Greece and raised by two Nigerian immigrants who didn’t have a lot of money to their name. As Giannis described himself, there were times where he didn’t know where his next meal would be coming from. He would help his mom sell items in the street and would even sometimes play games on an empty stomach. These experiences ultimately shaped his mentality and forced him to work harder so he could one day realize his dream, and become an NBA Champion. 

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As a European player, Giannis was always going to have to go the extra mile to prove himself. When it comes to scouting, teams usually prefer guys who have been through the American college system. One could just look at the discourse surrounding Luka Donic to understand what we mean. Having played for a club team in Greece, the expectations surrounding Giannis were fairly low, although the Bucks felt like they had struck gold, and in the end, they were right. Throughout his first season, Giannis would log about 24 minutes per game and averaged a respectable 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds. Over the next few seasons, Antetokounmpo would steadily improve his numbers as it became clear that the Bucks were building their entire future around him.

During the 2016-2017 season, Giannis’ physique matured to the point where he was no longer the frail kid from Greece that he once was. Now, he was a grown man with a ton of muscle and athletic capabilities that could rival any player in the league. Fans began to call him “The Greek Freak” and his numbers backed up the nickname. After averaging 22.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in 2017, Giannis received Most Improved Player honors and he only got better from there. In 2019 and 2020, Giannis was crowned league MVP, and he even picked up a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2020. All of these accolades were piling up at an excessive rate, however, there was one thing missing: playoff success.

In 2019, Giannis led the Bucks to the Eastern Conference Finals where they had a 2-0 lead on the Toronto Raptors. Eventually, the Bucks lost four straight games to Kawhi Leonard and company, while being shut down by the Raptors’ defensive wall. It was one of the biggest disappointments of his career and it was only exacerbated by a horrific showing in the bubble where the Bucks lost in 5 to an underdog Heat squad in the second round.

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At the start of the 2020-21 season, there were questions surrounding Giannis’ ability to be the best player on a championship team. Sure, he had the accolades, but the results simply weren’t there, yet. Not to mention, after signing a $250 million contract to remain in Milwaukee, there were questions as to whether this was a smart idea and whether or not the Greek Freak should consider a trade to a contender. Giannis had no interest in succumbing to the media’s rumblings, and instead, he put on a clinic throughout the regular season and stepped up his game even further in the playoffs. By early July, Giannis’ team was in the NBA Finals and for the first time in 47 years, the Bucks had another shot at glory. After years of agony, the Bucks finally had their superstar and the fanbase couldn’t be more excited about it.

Coming into the Finals, Giannis had just suffered a hyperextended knee although he decided to power through things as he had one objective in mind: win. That mentality he had always brought with him since childhood was in overdrive and it led to a pair of 40-point performances in Games 2 and 3. After Game 2, Giannis and the Bucks were down 2-0 to the Suns and things looked bleak. As soon as the team touched down in Milwaukee, the entire series shifted and the Bucks won three-straight matches en route to Game 6 where they had a shot at winning the title in front of their home crowd.

Game 6 would ultimately become Giannis’ magnum opus. It was a culmination of his days in Greece to his humble beginnings in the NBA when he had very little muscle and was barely a blip on other teams’ radar. With five all-star appearances, five all-NBA honors, two MVPs, and a DPOY to his name, Giannis knew this game would be what defines his career, and he showed up. By now, you all know what happened. He recorded a whopping 50 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks all while making 17 out of 19 free throws. This performance won his team that elusive title, and it also won him Finals MVP. It was truly one of the greatest performances in the history of the NBA Finals and it’s a game that will forever cement his legacy amongst the all-time greats.

Following the match, Giannis showed off the goofy side of his personality. In a league where players take themselves too seriously, Giannis isn’t afraid to make a fool out of himself. It’s what has made him such a fan-favorite and it is ultimately why so many dub him the most likable player in the league. He’s a man you can’t help but root for and after all he’s been through, it’s hard to find a player more deserving than Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After winning a championship the hard way, there is nothing more for Giannis to do except win more titles. Even if he doesn’t win another Larry O’Brien trophy, his legacy will always be bulletproof. He’ll always be the kid from Athens who defied the odds and brought NBA glory back to a small market that had been afterthought since 1975. When you consider how Giannis is only 26, you can’t help but be impressed.

Yesterday was massive for the baseball world as it was announced that the Cleveland Indians would officially be changing their name to the Guardians. For years, the team’s nickname had been criticized by activists, and just last year, they announced that they would look for a new name that would better suit the community. After a long wait, the name was finally unveiled and we even have some new logos to feast our eyes on.

For the most part, fans are happy with the new name although they do feel as though the logo could have been slightly better. One of those people is none other than Hollywood director James Gunn who is the man behind Guardians of the Galaxy. The Guardians name is one that is near and dear to Gunn’s heart, and he was hoping the MLB team would pay homage to the movie with their logo.

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In the tweet below, Gunn explains how the team should have made Rocket Racoon their logo, and that he could have even been holding a machine gun. A fan even made a nice rendering for Gunn, which definitely looks pretty badass. Of course, the Guardians would have to get the license from Marvel, which probably isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

Regardless, Marvel fans can only fantasize about what could have been. With that said, let us know what you think of the actual logo, in the comments below.

Travis Scott is one of the biggest artists in the world right now and when it comes to his standing in the music industry, there is no doubt he has big things on the horizon. If you were listening to Kanye West’s DONDA live stream on Thursday night, then you heard Travis on a song with Baby Keem. This track was easily the most complete song on the album, and fans are excited to get a proper version on streaming services.

In the meantime, Scott is working on his brand new album UTOPIA which could very well drop sometime this year. At this point, Travis fans have a lot to look forward to and it’s expected that La Flame will deliver in a big way.

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Scott’s young fanbase is one of the more energetic ones in all of hip-hop and whenever he goes somewhere, you can be sure the supporters will follow suit. This is exactly what happened recently as Travis made his way to a local 7/11. In the video clip below, you can see that fans had the 7/11 packed and they were even crowded around outside just to get a glimpse of the artist, whose body was hanging out of the front door.

It was a pretty wild scene and it only speaks to Scott’s stardom these days. Following the release of Astroworld, Scott became a global megastar and with another album coming down the pipeline, there is no doubt his profile will only continue to grow from here.

Draymond Green is gearing up to play some summer basketball with Team USA as part of the Olympic roster. The United States is favored to win the gold medal and if they want to do it, Green will have to be a large part of that effort. Over the last couple of weeks, fans have been underwhelmed by Team USA’s roster as they feel like it simply isn’t good enough to win the tournament. 

Fortunately, the team has been given a huge upgrade as players like Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton have all flown in last minute after competing in the NBA Finals. In a report by Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Green expressed jubilation when it comes to having these players on the roster, and he had quite a bit of praise for their determination.

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“I have a lot of respect for those guys for not only committing to do this but actually keeping their word,” Green said. “You’re talking about three true professionals, three extremely competitive guys that wouldn’t be on their way here if this didn’t mean something.”

Green knows they didn’t have to make the sacrifice, especially when you consider everything they have been through in the postseason.

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“We could’ve very easily got to the last game … and Devin Booker saying, ‘Man, we lost, I’m pissed off, I’m out,’ or Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday saying, ‘We just won a championship, I want to celebrate and stay home with my family, I’m out,'” Green said. “It’s on us to make sure that we do our parts to make sure they’re rewarded with what they ultimately came here for, which is to help us to compete and win a gold medal.”

With Booker, Holiday, and Middleton on the roster, Team USA has a much better shot at glory, and it will be interesting to see how they all come together.

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Drake’s OVO label has maintained a small but successful team of game-shifting artists. Popcaan, PartyNextDoor, and dvsn are among those currently part of the OVO roster but it’s been a while since they’ve brought any new artists on board. This week, that changed as they formally announced the latest artist to join the label. 

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On Friday, Smiley shared his new single, “Over The Top” featuring The Boy. Though Smiley and Drake have been close for some time, this collaboration symbolized the official announcement of Smiley’s debut on the OVO roster. Per KTT 2, Smiley now appears as an artist on the OVO Sound website. The song’s credits also reveal it was released under OVO Sound and Warner.

Smiley recently sat down with Complex where he explained that Drake’s has been keeping a close eye on his moves since 2014. “A long time ago, it was 2014 or something like that. He heard those songs and I guess he paid close attention,” he said of. “And then when I took a break and I came back, I dropped this one song called ‘Hit.'”

Smiley’s been delivering a streak of bangers recently leading up to the release of “Over The Top.” Songs like “In My Zone” and “Moving Different” arrived earlier this year, along with the release of “Name Brand” with LB Spiffy and 6ixbuzz TV. 

Check out “Over The Top” below and let us know how you feel about Smiley. 

Kanye West commanded the attention of the entire hip-hop community this past week as we were all expecting the release of DONDA. After showcasing the album in Las Vegas last Sunday, it was revealed that the album would be dropping on Friday and that a listening party would be broadcasted on Thursday night. In the end, the live stream took place in Atlanta although it was clear that Ye’s new album wasn’t entirely finished.

Over the last 24 hours, there have been numerous updates on the album, and for a minute, it seemed like we would get the album last night. Instead, Justin Laboy dashed our dreams as he announced the album had been pushed back to August 6th as Kanye looks to add verses and fix up the mixes.

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Despite these delays, Kanye is still receiving quite a bit of praise from his peers. For instance, longtime friend and collaborator Jerry Lorenzo took to Instagram last night with a lengthy paragraph about Kanye’s mindset right now and how Lorenzo admires the artist.

Per Lorenzo:

“None of us know the weight and responsibility of the gift of this level of influence… i spent nearly 3 and a half years on the road with this dude… without doubt the hardest working human i’ve ever met or worked with. so happy my guy is re-connected to that eternal source… can’t wait to hear the final edit. until then i’m on the last train with @johnmayer …there are many things ye does that i may see differently, but that has zero to do with my love and respect for him… he might bend slightly, but this cat ain’t breaking. …you don’t have to agree to understand. you don’t have see things the same way to love.”

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Numerous Kanye fans are upset with the delays, and for now, Lorenzo’s comments might not sit right with Ye supporters. Regardless, those around Kanye are excited for what’s to come, which should be a good sign, moving forward.