basketball

DDG Sets Himself Up For A Barrage Of Jokes In New Promo Video With Angel Reese

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DDG recently posted up with Angel Reese to promote his new song with Real Boston Richey, and it was a bit of a backfire in one particular way. Of course, you can probably imagine what the mistake was in the video, and we’ll let the rapper himself explain it in his comment under the Instagram post below: “she had heels on, we the same height i swear.” A lot of people joked about the height difference here more than actually focus on the track itself. Well, that was probably the point, as any sort of engagement online is positive as long as you don’t mind the ends justifying the means.

If you want to actually check the song out, it goes by “What U Bad For” and it sees DDG talk about his recent breakup with Halle Bailey. “Thing about Halo mommy, you know that’s my baby forever,” he rapped about their son and his mother. “Y’all know that I love that [girl].” If only he and Real Boston Richey used a more compelling beat to maybe emphasize these points more.

Read More: Shaq Gets Dragged For His Creepy Comments Towards Angel Reese

 
 
 
 
 
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Nevertheless, a lot of people are still curious about what happened between DDG and Halle Bailey, especially since they welcomed their son Halo into the world so soon ago. He admitted that he still hasn’t moved on from their split back in October, whereas she hasn’t said much about the whole thing other than chastising him for taking Halo to a Kai Cenat stream without letting her know about it. Still, amid a lot of online attacks that both receive, they always defend each other and course-correct wherever possible to take the load off the other person.

So maybe this clowning over this height difference is all worth it if it eventually leads people to look at DDG and Halle Bailey’s relationship. After all, it’s something he still seeks closure with and the closest thing on “What U Bad For” to a personal thematic focus. We can only wonder as to what other antics will come next in this often prolific saga. A nice, funny height joke is pretty reliable, so we’ll see what the next strategy is.

Read More: DDG Wishes He Was A “Deadbeat”

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LaMelo Ball Speaks Out Following $100K Fine Over Homophobic Post-Game Comment

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Charlotte Hornets superstar LaMelo Ball was fined $100,000 by the NBA this past weekend and for good reason. Following a game, Ball said the term “no homo.” Overall, a simple “pause” probably would have sufficed. However, he ended up taking it way too far. Although there were plenty of fans who were not offended, the league has to protect its image. Consequently, they came through with a well-deserved fine.

Following the fine, Hornets head coach Charles Lee spoke out on what happened. As he explains, LaMelo is very apologetic. “As an organization, that’s obviously not something that we condone. Our standards and what is required of our players in our environment that we create is really important to us,” Lee said. “I spoke to Melo and he’s obviously very apologetic from what I’ve seen since I’ve been around him. He loves everyone and he’s a joy to have around in the facility, and that’s not typically how he operates.”

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LaMelo Ball Made A Big Mistake

“He and I talked about the seriousness of the situation and how he needs to conduct himself going forward, he understands what’s going to be expected of him. I look forward to seeing him grow from this moment. We apologize for what happened,”Lee continued. “He and I talked about it and he definitely said, ‘going forward, I want to be better and I don’t want to see that happen.’ So, for somebody to use those words and say it out of his mouth, we will make sure that we hold him accountable to that.”

This is a teachable moment for LaMelo and we hope he learns from it. So far this season, he has been playing incredibly well. You never want to see a young player squander that because of a poor judgment call. Only time will tell whether or not Ball truly changes his ways.

Read More: LaMelo Ball Has Been Sued For Allegedly Running Over A Fan’s Foot

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“Inside The NBA” Is Headed To A New Network Amid TNT Licensing Drama

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TNT’s iconic talk show, Inside the NBA, will reportedly be headed to ESPN and ABC following the end of this season after the original network lost the rights to the NBA over the summer. The update comes after fans have worried for months that this will be the final season with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson all together to cover the league. Both Alex Sherman of CNBC and Joe Flint of The Wall Street Journal have confirmed the news as of Saturday night.

“Can confirm WBD has reached a settlement with the NBA,” Sherman wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Inside the NBA will continue and be licensed to ESPN. All the talent will remain TNT Sports employees and can be used in other future shows or projects for warner bros Disocvery. [sic]”

Read More: TNT Is Reportedly In Talks With The NBA To Save “Inside The NBA”

Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, & Charles Barkley Speak During The NBA Awards

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 26: (L-R) Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles. Barkley speak onstage during the 2017 NBA Awards. Live on TNT on June 26, 2017 in New York, New York. 27111_002 (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TNT)

Charles Barkley has been particularly vocal about his disappointment regarding TNT’s loss of the rights to broadcast the NBA. “Clearly, the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning. I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance. TNT matched the money, but the league knows Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future. The NBA didn’t want to piss them off,” he said in a statement from earlier this year, as caught by Bleacher Report. “It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans.”

“Inside The NBA” Will Continue On A New Network

Fans were also very vocally disappointed by the originally presumed loss of Inside The NBA. Now, however, they’re ecstatic. “This is FREAKING MAJOR … but I’m waiting to read the fine print,” one user on X wrote in response to the new report. Another added: “INSIDE THE NBA IS STAYING LETS GOOO.” Check out Alex Sherman’s report about Inside The NBA below.

Read More: Charles Barkley Issues Strong Statement On TNT Losing NBA Broadcasting Rights

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Drake Makes Toronto Raptors Broadcast Focus On Jessie Reyez And Gushes Over Her

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Drake always reps his city, whether it’s attending NBA games and hopping on broadcasts to support his beloved Toronto Raptors or shouting out the 6ix’s musical talent. During a Raptors game versus the Sacramento Kings this month, he combined both by urging the Toronto basketball team’s broadcast to turn the cameras over to Jessie Reyez, who was watching the game from the sidelines. “Put the camera on Jessie Reyez,” the OVO mogul remarked on air. “She looks 29 out of ten tonight. Let’s get a camera shot of her, forget these clowns. Oh, yeah, let’s get a shot of her real – Look at that. Wowzers. Wowzers. An absolute national treasure right there.”

Meanwhile, in other Drake-related sports news, he didn’t have the best gambling luck in the world recently, adding more fuel to the “Drizzy curse” fire. He bet on Mike Tyson to beat Jake Paul in their boxing match last night (Friday, November 15), but Paul’s victory resulted in him losing $355K. As a proud Stake affiliate and betting man, we’re sure that Aubrey Graham’s stacks of millions don’t make him sweat over a six-figure loss.

Read More: Drake’s Ranking On Billboard’s “Greatest Pop Star” Of The 21st Century List Causes Internet Fervor

Drake Shouts Out Jessie Reyez

 
 
 
 
 
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Nevertheless, there are some other rumblings concerning Drake in the sports world these days, and they have to do with the aforementioned Sacramento Kings. One of their players, DeMar DeRozan, was a Toronto Raptor at one point before moving to other teams, eventually landing with the Kings in his native California. The superstar rapper shaded DeRozan through various means when he attended the Raptors’ first game against the Kings this season, and it was all due to the basketball player’s choice to attend Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth concert and appear in the “Not Like Us” music video dissing the 6ix God.

“I think Drake was hurt a little bit because of the relationship he built with DeMar in Toronto,” NBA star Carmelo Anthony recently posited. “Representing the 6ix, Raptors — You know that was a lot of connection with those two. He’s a Raptor for life from a basketball standpoint. Yes, that jersey should be going up. Drake did a lot when he said, ‘I’ma go up there and take it down.’ That part is a lot. Those are shots. You my man, we in the crib, we hanging, we building the 6ix up. From that standpoint, that would f**k me up, too.”

Read More: Pharrell Williams Has The Perfect Response For Drake’s “Meltdown” Diss

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Former NBA Player Kyle Singler Sparks Mental Health Concerns With Shirtless Video

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Former NBA player Kyle Singler has fans worried about his mental health after sharing a video of himself shirtless, ranting about fearing for his life. The video began circulating online, this week, five years after he last played for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I have been mistreated and abused, neglected, made into a mental example,” Singler said in the post. “And I fear for my life every day. And people in my community make me look out as if I’m going to be someone that’s going to be a problem and make things difficult for people when I’m only trying to be helpful. I feel like I have a certain way about myself and strength and purpose that does not get valued or get treated properly.”

Read More: Delonte West Has Been Arrested Again, Collapsed While Running From Police

Kyle Singler Plays For The Oklahoma City Thunder

Apr 19, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kyle Singler (15) leaves the game during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

In response to the clip, several NBA players have reached out with supportive messages. “I love you Kyle. Hit me whenever. Please,” Kevin Love wrote. Andre Drummond added: “You aren’t alone brother! I’m here for you.” Chandler Parsons also called for the league to get him help: “HELP @NBA @TheNBPA. @KyleSingler needs you. we’re with you buddy.”

Kyle Singler Sparks Concern

Later, Kevin Love shared a lengthier message about his relationship with Singler. “To everyone who has spent time with Kyle Singler and whose lives he has touched – please shower him with the love and support he needs+deserves,” he said. “I would not be who I am today without him. I am forever indebted and love him. To the NBA family, Duke BB family, & South Medford community – let’s show up for one of our own.” Check out Singler’s video on social media below.

 
 
 
 
 
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Read More: Dwyane Wade Couldn’t Contain His Disappointment Over Horrendous Statue

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LeBron James Responds To Rumors That He Spends $1.5 Million A Year On His Body

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LeBron James, like many other legendary athletes, puts a lot of hard work and cash into maintaining his desired and necessary physical state and well-being. However, rumors persist about just how much money he spends on a “biohacking” health routine, especially given his longevity in the NBA. The Nike collaborator still pulls off impressive feats that keep him in conversation as a stellar player, but people’s skepticism is sometimes too spicy to deny. As such, the 39-year-old was recently asked about this during his appearance in the Netflix series Starting 5, and he had a pretty simple response to a question about the speculation that he blows a $1.5 million bag a year on this routine.

“I kind of just chuckle,” LeBron James remarked about these rumors. “That is a number that I will not disclose, but, more importantly, I think it’s just the time.” Writer Bill Simmons was among the first to speculate about this alleged $1.5 million back in 2016 concerning his health routine. Bronny James’ father’s regimen reportedly includes daily cryotherapy, red light therapy, hyperbaric chamber time, a nap at around mid-day, and low sugars and high carbs for his diet.

Read More: LeBron James & Bronny Sued For Alleged Involvement In 2022 Car Accident

LeBron James Responds To “Biohacking” Spending Claims

Elsewhere, when it comes to the hip-hop world, LeBron James is in a very interesting position these days when it comes to the GOAT conversation. That’s because he seemed to pick a side between two contenders to the rap crown that he’s praised many times before. Well, at least that’s what Drake thinks, as the basketball superstar went to Kendrick Lamar’s Juneteenth concert following their explosive battle. Is this all just the result of social media speculation? Maybe. But the 6ix God did pettily unfollow LeBron, so they’re either toying with fan perceptions or they really had a rift. Who knows? Or rather, who cares?

Jokes aside, this isn’t the only recent debate that surged around LeBron James’ name. Fans issued split responses to his celebration of Big Meech’s release from prison, with some understanding the respect and others painting it as an endorsement of criminal behavior. It’s part of the difficult weapon of responsibility and public support that celebrities as big as Bron have to contend with… And another is people pocket-watching your health.

Read More: LeBron James’ Signature Nike LeBron 22 Unveiled In “Monopoly” Colorway

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Drake Dissed By Sacramento Kings Owner After DeMar DeRozan Jabs

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It seems like the Sacramento Kings and the Toronto Raptors might have quite the rivalry on their hands for the rest of the NBA season. By now, you’ve probably heard how Drake showed up to his Raptors’ home game against the Kings, where Cali native DeMar DeRozan eventually ended up after leaving the Toronto team some years ago. The 6ix God was mean-mugging DeRozan and verbalizing insults in his direction, all because of how the basketball player popped out for Drizzy’s sworn enemy Kendrick Lamar’s concert and music video dissing the OVO mogul. While DeMar maintained that he still had love for both MCs and for the competitiveness of the genre, it seems like that’s not there anymore.

Furthermore, even Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive popped out to support DeMar DeRozan, dissing Drake with a very simple sweatshirt at a recent game that read “They Not Like Us.” Whether or not all this rap battle drama and loyalty talk actually bleeds into the court is a mystery that these NBA teams’ fans will likely keep their eyes on for the foreseeable future.

Read More: Joe Budden Calls Drake A “B***h” For His Beef With DeMar DeRozan

Kings Owner Has A Message For Drake

In addition, this whole ruckus prompted conversations around whether or not the Toronto Raptors should retire DeMar DeRozan’s jersey, which Drake threatened to pull down if that ever happened. “Yeah, I think it should,” Houston Rockets player Fred VanVleet (a Raptors hooper from 2016 to 2023) said of whether or not DeRozan’s jersey should be in the Toronto rafters. “I think it should. I think that when you look at what he did, you know, especially when you want to give the history of the franchise and what Vince and all of those guys meant at the beginning and what that meant for Canadian basketball.”

Some people completely understand where both Drake and DeMar DeRozan are coming from here, whereas others think it’s a pretty silly matter. After all, this is the NBA, not the URL or a concert. Nevertheless, people will continue to offer their split reactions to this beef extension. We’ll see whether or not Kendrick Lamar pops out for a game or two… Well, apart from his Super Bowl halftime show for the NFL, that is.

Read More: Cam’ron & Mase Stick Up For Drake Amid Trolling Over His DeMar DeRozan Feud

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Kevin Durant Slams “Clown” Stephen A Smith Amid Leadership Criticism

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Kevin Durant slammed Stephen A. Smith during an interview with The Athletic published on Sunday night, labeling the ESPN pundit a “clown.” Smith has been critical of Durant over the years, but recent comments about his abilities as a leader have particularly irked the Suns star.

“Yeah, Stephen A., I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.,” he told the outlet. “I’ve been in the league for 18 years, I’ve never seen Stephen A. at a practice, or a film session, or a shoot-around. I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking s— about players. … He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that, too.”

Read More: Stephen A Smith Claims The Suns Are Desperate To Trade Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant During The Suns’ Win Over The Trail Blazers

Nov 2, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Kevin Durant (35) react after a time out late in the second half during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Addressing the criticism of his leadership specifically, Durant added: “To say that I’m just sitting here, you paint this picture of me coming into the locker room, not talking to my teammates, quiet, not talking to my coaches,” Durant said. “Like, come on, man. It’s just ridiculous.” Former Suns assistant coach Kevin Young as well as the team’s current head coach, Mike Budenholzer, both defended Durant’s leadership to the outlet. “He set the tone for us as an organization, for us as a team. And it’s not just been by leadership. It’s been his voice,” Budenholzer said. “He’s put his arms around young players, he’s put his arm around veterans. He’s put his arm around me. It’s something that’s important to us. I don’t know if he likes it or knows it, but I’m going to keep pushing him to be his best, in all ways, including as a leader.”

The interview comes as the Suns improved to 5-1 with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. Durant posted 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists in that game. The team’s next contest will be against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kevin Durant and Stephen A. Smith on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Says Kevin Durant Is Unhappy In Phoenix

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DeMar DeRozan Mocks Drake Once More After Mean-Mugging At Raptors-Kings Game

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Drake and DeMar DeRozan were once good friends, but the former Toronto Raptor chose his side in the Kendrick Lamar beef and ended up going to the Sacramento Kings later in his career. Now, the 6ix God is pretty peeved. He attended the Kings-Raptors game in his home city, and we’re sure he’s pretty pleased that Toronto won. But what likely made the OVO mogul happier was being able to mean-mug DeMar the whole game, even spouting insults in his direction when he walked by. He said it was “unfortunate we’re playing this goof tonight” on his team’s broadcast, even remarking on what he’d do if the team honors DeRozan. “If you ever put up a DeRozan banner, I’ll go up there and pull it down myself.”

Well, DeMar DeRozan issued a pretty unbothered response to the whole thing. “He’s going to have a long way to climb to take it down, so tell him good luck,” he remarked about the Drake situation in a post-game press conference. In addition, the NBA player posted an Instagram Story of a clip of the classic film Friday in which Chris Tucker’s character Smokey tries to act tough against a bully named Deebo, much like Drizzy attempted. “I got mind control over Deebo,” Smokey boasted. “He be like, ‘Shut the f**k up.’ I be quiet. But when he leaves, I be talking again.” A lot of people thought that the Certified Lover Boy did the same thing.

Read More: DJ Akademiks Claims Drake & Future Haven’t Actually Squashed Their Beef

DeMar DeRozan Trolls Drake

For those unaware, DeMar DeRozan not only got a lyrical shoutout on Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” but he also appeared in the Drake diss’ music video. Previously, DeRozan had expressed that he still has love for the Canadian superstar, although that love clearly disappeared.

“Drake’s still my man, still my man, none of it changed,” DeMar DeRozan explained. “It’s so easy to get overlooked and look at it for what it looks like. But at the end of the day it’s music, entertainment. Two of the biggest rappers in the world went at it from a competitive standpoint and they battled it out. That’s what you want to see as a fan: Kobe (Bryant) playing (Michael) Jordan 1-on-1 and see who wins, see the trash talking, and whoever wins out of that, you’re still going to have the debate, so that’s all that is.”

Read More: DeMar DeRozan Addresses Choosing Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Video Over Drake Friendship

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Lola Brooke Teams Up With Kurtis Blow On Remake Of His 1984 Hit ‘Basketball’ Including WNBA Players Like Angel Reese

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Basketball and hip-hop have been joined at the hip as long as both have been at the forefront of American (and eventually global) pop culture. This is largely a result of ’80s rap pioneer Kurtis Blow‘s 1984 breakout hit “Basketball.” You know it. You love it.

The song’s been remade a couple of times over the years — most notably by Bow Wow in 2002 — but Blow himself teamed up with DoorDash and contemporary hitmaker Lola Brooke for “Basketball 2.0,” a remake capitalizing on the WNBA’s breakout 2024 season. Adding new verses to the traditionally heard “I like the pick-and-roll / I like the give-and-go,” the two rappers name check a variety of contemporary players, from LeBron James and Kevin Durant to WNBA stars like A’ja Wilson, Jonquel Jones, Sue Bird, and of course, rookie sensation Angel Reese.

The video for the song, which includes a demonstration of DoorDash’s DashPass benefts, takes place at New York’s legendary Rucker Park, where the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart take on all comers with some help from Bird, ending with a cheeky visual reference to NBA Jam — that’s right, “HE’S ON FIRE!” Fortunately, Kurtis has a fire extinguisher handy to put out the burning backboard.

You can check out Kurtis Blow and Lola Brooke’s “Basketball 2.0” video above.