The NBA recently announced plans to sign a new TV rights contract with Amazon as part of their media rights negotiations. This means that TNT will be the network losing their rights to broadcast games, which they’ve held since 1989. Charles Barkley, co-star of the award-winning Inside The NBA, shared a statement regarding the NBA’s media rights negotiations with TNT. He made his disappointment in how things went very clear.
“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,” said Barkley in his statement, shared by Bleacher Report. “It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans,” he added. Barkley has often stressed that the worst aspect of Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT’s parent company) losing its NBA rights is that it immediately puts many people out of work. He, like many fans, believes it’s unfair for people to suffer because of two multi-billion dollar businesses fighting each other.
Charles Barkley Statement On TNT Losing NBA Rights
Earlier Friday, TNT announced that they planned to take legal action against the NBA. They referred to the NBA’s rejection of their offer “unjustified,” adding that they believe keeping NBA coverage on TNT is in the best interest of fans. Charles Barkley told The Athleticthat he hoped TNT decided not to pursue a lawsuit. “If you have to sue somebody to stay in a relationship, do you think that is a healthy relationship?” Barkley also previously announced that he intended to retire from television at the end of the 2024-25 season. He has been on the air since 2000, joining TNT after retiring from a Hall of Fame basketball career. However, he sounded less committed to those original comments when his money came into question.
Barkley, who is in the third year of a 10-year contract worth $210 million, could become a free agent if Warner Bros. Discovery fails to honor the full terms of his deal. “TNT Sports has to come to me ASAP and they have to guarantee my whole thing or they can offer me a pay cut, which there is no chance of that happening and I’ll be [a] free agent,” Barkley told The Athletic. “My thing was, ‘Wait, y’all f*cked up, I didn’t f*ck up, why do I have to take a pay cut?’” If TNT loses rights to the NBA, Inside the NBA will cease to exist in its current form. It would be a bleak ending to one of the most beloved sports shows of all time.
Liz Cambage came roaring back into the US sports consciousness in a bombshell interview with Bleacher Report. Speaking with Taylor Rooks, Cambage alleged that her departure from the WNBA last year was a result of disrespect from the staff and her teammates on the LA Sparks. A number of sources have come out to dispute this. Jordin Canada, who played alongside Cambage on the Sparks, even tweeted at Bleacher Report to tell them to call her if they wanted the “real truth.”
However, the interview wasn’t the only Cambage story that was doing the rounds. At the same time as the interview, a video appeared on social media showing an altercation that occurred during an Olympic warm-up match between Australia and Nigeria. In the clip, Cambage can be seen taking a punch from a Nigerian player. Allegedly, Cambage had used racially derogatory language towards the Nigerian players, referring to them as “monkeys”. Cambage has repeatedly denied the allegations and even claimed that she was in talks to join the Nigerian national team. However, once again, people are calling cap.
Liz Cambage responds to footage from the 2021 scrimmage between the Australian national team and the Nigerian national team being released pic.twitter.com/UDQtZN14YR
Footage has surfaced of the infamous Australia vs. Nigeria game where then- WNBA star Liz Cambage was seen elbowing and slapping opponents in the face. In the same incident, Cambage allegedly called opponents, ‘monkeys.’
Cambage released a lengthy statement after the video was released to once again reiterate her denial of using racially offensive language. “The circulating video portrays a highly physical game with no officiating, resulting in me being attacked and sustaining a concussion. Contrary to false claims, I did not use racial slurs or refer to anyone as a monkey, which is evident from the footage. To the set the record straight, I never stated that I had officially joined the Nigerian national team. Instead, I expressed my interest in joining the team and representing Nigeria,” her statement read in part.
However, many people have spoken out against Cambage’s version of events. Players from both teams claim that Cambage referred to Nigerian players as “monkeys, including Australian captain Jenna O’Hea. Furthermore, Cambage was issued a formal reprimand by Basketball Australia. She withdrew from the Olympics citing mental health concerns and has not played for the Opals since. Additionally, Nigerian officials have denied that there is an ongoing progress to bring Cambage to the D’Tigress.
Safe to say that Draymond Green and Jordan Poole aren’t the best of friends. The two famously got into a fight in a preseason Warriors practice in 2022. That incident has been attributed to causing the Warriors’ failure by both Green and head coach Steve Kerr.
However, Green and Poole may have played their last game together. Green is set to become a free agent on June 30. While he is widely expected to re-sign with the Warriors, there is the potential for him to take his elite defense elsewhere in the league. Meanwhile, Poole was recently traded to the Wizards for Chris Paul. Despite this, Green may have shaded Poole in a recent TikTok. The video was recorded while Green was attending The Match golf event in Nevada.
Green Picks Kuzma Over Pool In Roster Builder Challenge
Draymond laughing at the Wizards when building a team and not picking Poole is crazypic.twitter.com/RCTVTL2RnN
In a TikTok for Bleacher Report, Green jumped on the “roster builder challenge”. Essentially, you have to create an NBA roster using one player from five randomly-selected teams. The video started simply enough, with Green choosing Cavs PG Darius Garland and Utah F Lauri Markkanen. Then came the Wizards as Green’s third team. “Who still on Washington’s team?” Green said with a laugh before taking F Kyle Kuzma. Additionally, Green rounded out his team with Damian Lillard (Blazers) and Bam Adebayo (Heat). When asked how they would do, Green argued that “they should win. But they don’t have me, Steph, or Klay. This is an Eastern Conference team. They lose in the Finals to the Warriors.”
Perhaps the bigger story here is the lowkey indication that Green is more than likely headed back to the Warriors. But of course, you can’t talk about the Wizards without mentioning their newest addition. Green took Kuzma over Jordan Poole, the newest Wizard excluding draft picks. But is this really shade? Or is it just an objective assessment? Kuzma had a line of 21.2/7.2/3.7 in 64 games. Poole went 20.4/2.7/4.5 in 82 games. While Green couldn’t predict the next team, taking Poole would also mean losing out on Lillard. So while there’s definitely maybe a little bit of shade, it also just shows Green’s good basketball IQ.
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) game between the Hamilton Honey Badgers and the Scarborough Shooting Stars will be live-streamed on Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Bleacher Report. The Shooting Stars’ lineup will include the multi-talented J Cole, who has now appeared in three CEBL games after previously appearing in three games for the Rwanda Patriots BBC in the Basketball Africa League. The unique live stream event will be available only on the B/R app in the United States, and it will be Bleacher Report’s debut CEBL broadcast.
J. Cole warming up before his first pro game in Canada @JColeNC
Rod Black, Warren Ward, and Savannah Hamilton will cover the game. This is the Scarborough franchise’s first home game, as they take on Hamilton for the first time in CEBL history.
Fans using the B/R app will be able to use the platform’s features to interact with other B/R app users in real-time while watching the game. All of the action will be covered and amplified by Bleacher Report’s #1 most engaged social platform.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Bleacher Report to deliver a CEBL live game experience to their vast audience. The exposure of the CEBL and our entertaining brand of basketball through B/R will ensure fans everywhere have access to watch NBA and top-level international talent on a platform that fits so perfectly with the cultural and global component of our game,” said Mike Morreale, CEO & Commissioner, CEBL.
Last summer, I wrote a piece about rappers who moonlight as amateur basketball players based on their Instagram posts showcasing their workouts. When I interview Louisville, Kentucky upstart Jack Harlow about his upcoming B/R Open Run showdown with fellow rap ballers 2 Chainz, Lil Baby, and Quavo, I blame Jack’s absence from that list on the dearth of hoops-related content on his Instagram page.
Save for a post promoting the song celebrating his fellow cultural outsider, “Tyler Herro,” Jack doesn’t like to advertise his roundball prowess, despite hailing from one of the sport’s legendary basketball loci. In fact, one of the few posts depicting Harlow actually playing basketball is the oldest one on his page, a grainy photo from spring 2014 of Jack defending a brawny player in what looks to be a local gym. Despite his opponent’s choice of athletic apparel — it looks very much like he’s playing basketball in jeans — Jack is the one who looks out of place, with his curly hair, baggy gym clothes, glasses, and yes, because of that glaringly obvious difference between the two men. It’s one Jack isn’t shy about pointing out, either in his music or his interviews — again, see “Tyler Herro.”
He tells me the story behind the photo as we discuss his next upcoming hoops project. The Bleacher Report event will take place during TNT’s NBA All-Star pregame coverage airing Sunday, March 7 at 5 pm ET. Harlow and fellow rap-hooper Quavo will play a game of 2-on-2 against 2 Chainz and Lil Baby — first to 21 wins. The winners will choose an HBCU to receive a donation, while the broadcast will be hosted by Taylor Rooks and DJed by LVRN DJ Kitty Cash.
During our interview, Harlow accuses me of being biased for the other team, but like everyone watching Sunday, I’m just rooting for a good game. I also find out he’s never seen White Men Can’t Jump, what he brings to the court, and whether he and Quavo have a strategy for beating the 6’7 2 Chainz.
How did this partnership come about? Why did you want to participate in this two-on-two with Quavo, 2 Chainz, Lil Baby, and Bleacher Report?
You know I’m a basketball guy, so anything involving basketball I at least keep an ear open to, and I heard there was some money involved and I like money. So there’s a few incentives.
As far as how the teams are broken up, what made you want Quavo as opposed to one of the other guys?
Well, I didn’t choose my teammate, but I got to say, I’m very happy with who I got [Ed. note: Quavo has been NBA Celebrity Game MVP]. Out of the three other players, that would be my number one choice because he brings something to the game, based on everything I’ve seen on YouTube, that I don’t bring to the game. He’s a shooter, he seemed like a ball handler. I like his confidence on the court and I think I’m going to be complimenting him perfectly with my game and some of my grit. And I’m going to let him cut.
What would you say you bring to the team?
Grit, determination, anger, passion.
I feel like these are all euphemisms for you’re going to play hard and try to D-Up. Is that what’s happening?
They’re euphemisms for we’re going to win.
I don’t know if you’re an Uproxx reader, but last summer I did a listicle about rappers who play ball, but I based them off entirely on Instagram.
I noticed I was left out of that.
When I was researching, I kicked myself because I was like, “Oh Jack Harlow’s not on here.” Then I realized you don’t have anything on your Instagram about hoops, except for one thing. I scrolled all the way back to the very beginning, the very first picture is you and some guy, he’s playing in jeans. I need to know this story. I feel like the world needs to know this story.
That’s a classic image. Yeah, I think that might be my first picture on my IG. I used to go up to this community center where I’m from called Douglas Community Center. It’s in the highlands of Louisville, Kentucky. And it was kind of a place where everyone would meet after school, people from all over the city. It was just a good place to play because it was a gym that was open every day. You can’t get that everywhere. And this dude that was in the picture with me, started showing up and I think he had six, seven, eight years on all of us; we were all in high school, sophomores, juniors. And he would just come and destroy high schoolers, myself included. But he made me better because of it. I can’t even remember his name, but he was dominant.
He played in jeans, he had to be. You are not necessarily the typical person that you would look and be like, “Oh, he plays ball and he raps,” which is obviously something you reference on “Tyler Herro.” How often do you get called Billy Hoyle?
Literally not one time in my life.
Never?
I’d never heard that name.
I am so upset. I get called every light-skinned basketball player in the world, and you don’t get Billy Hoyle. Have you seen White Men Can’t Jump?
No. That’s one of the movies that the entire culture grills me for not having seen. And I’m doing my best man, I’ve seen Boyz N The Hood, I’ve watched all these movies, man. I can’t see them all.
You can, we’re in a pandemic. You have nothing better to do.
I need to see White Men Can’t Jump, just for the title alone.
Is that the name of the white guy in the movie?
His name is Billy Hoyle. It was Woody Harrelson. He’s actually a killer. He’s a sharpshooter from beyond the line. I think he might actually be part of where that “white boys are shooters” stereotype comes from. Have you ever played with any of these guys before?
The four we’re playing with? No, I’ve just studied their game.
Do you have a strategy?
I’ve watched the film. You strike me as a 2 Chainz fan, man.
I strike you as a 2 Chainz fan?
Yeah. You don’t have to tell me, brother. I just tried to figure out why you’re going for 2 Chainz and Lil Baby.
I’m not going for 2 Chainz and Lil Baby. I’m asking you if you have a strategy. I got to do my journalistic due diligence. What would you say is the most surprising thing about the leap that you’ve made over that period of time from Confetti to That’s What They All Say?
I haven’t been surprised yet.
Okay, I like that. That’s confidence right there.
I wish I could give you an answer, bro. I wish I could give you an answer.
What’s next for you, man? You’ve got your all-star thing. You’re doing basketball. What’s next on the music front?
I’m about to take over this whole sh*t, man. I got a lot of good music in the can, but I’m going to let my album cook for awhile. We got some videos to drop. We just going to keep doing this. The next time we talk, there’s going to be great things that have happened.
The next time we talk I’m going to ask you one question. It’s going to be, “Have you seen it yet?” And I better hear a yes.
Next time we talk, what you need to do is ask me how that million felt.
Watch B/R Open Run on Sunday, March 7 at 5 pm ET on TNT.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
