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Victor Wembanyama Explains Why He Refused Drake’s Offer To Get Up On Stage

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Victor Wembanyama is already living up to the massive expectations everyone had for him in the NBA. Wemby and the San Antonio Spurs were far from the playoffs, but Wemby had a rookie season to be remembered. Wembanyama capped off his rookie season with a jaw-dropping performance against Nikola Jokic and the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Wemby put up 34 points in a comeback win, clearly cementing his Rookie of the Year award.

Wembanyama has been a wonder even before he stepped onto an NBA court. The hype around him had sports fans and celebs turning out in droves to watch him play. Drake has been on the Wemby train early, linking up with the rook back in October. Drake is a known NBA superfan. He’s reps his Toronto Raptors any chance he gets. Stories about Wemby’s leadership ability and off-the-court demeanor have been coming out. The biggest story involves how the rookie phenom turned down joining Drake on stage at the rapper’s concert.

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Victor Looked Out For Teammates At Drake Concert

According to JJ Redick, Victor Wembanyama has been a model teammate in the mold of Tim Duncan, even as a rookie. JJ said, “There was a Drake concert…. and he got asked to come up on stage…. Wemby was like ‘can my teammates come up on stage with me?’… And Drake’s camp was like no. And he’s like, ‘then I don’t want to do it.’” It shows a lot of maturity to pass up on linking with Drake at his concert. The expectations that have been put on Wemby have been astronomical, but he has lived up to the hype. Additionally, the rookie has shown that he knows the people he shares the court with are important and that he wasn’t ready to be a leader.

Drake has met up with Wemby before, so there’s likely no beef there. Wemby was still at the concert but just didn’t get up on stage. Maybe it was a calculated move on Wemby’s part not to get dragged into the many feds Drake is in right now. Whatever the case, it’s a good example of somebody knowing they are the top dog on their team and making sure everybody under him is happy. Victor is a team-first guy, even if his team could only get 22 wins in the season.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Signs Massive Deal With Converse And Named Creative Director

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Shai Gilgeous Alexander has become a true superstar. Shai and the Oklahoma Thunder secured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. They are set to face off against the winner of the final play-in game between New Orleans and Sacramento. The Thunder’s success can be largely attributed to Shai becoming a legitimate MVP candidate. He averaged 30 points per game and put on a show through the entire season. Additionally, Shai is positioned to be one of the new faces of the league, and his off-the-court business is reflecting that.

Shai cemented his partnership with Converse today with a massive deal. The extension is major news for Converse. Fans know Gilgeos-Alexander for his style off the court as well as his MVP play. Converse is betting on Shai’s overall persona to be the face of their basketball division. Brands like Nike, Adidas, and Converse dominate the basketball shoe economy. Above all, snatching up an MVP candidate is a big move. In any case, Shai signing with Converse is just another high point this season for Shai.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Argues His Pick For NBA MVP

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Creative Director Of Converse Basketball

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has signed a lucrative extension with Converse. Additionally, there will be a signature shoe, which will be released in 2025. Additionally, Converse has named SGA the Creative Director of Converse Basketball. He will be the face of the brand and, hopefully, for Converse, usher in a basketball renaissance for the company. It’s a gamble for Shai as well. He could have easily linked up with Nike or Adidas, but this is a move to build something unique. Hopefully, Converse and Shai can cook up a serious signature shoe.

Shai is preparing for a potential deep playoff run. Talking heads like Shannon Sharpe have downplayed the young Thunder team. There is something to prove on the court, and everyone is looking for Shai to rise to the occasion. SGA is in a three-horse race for MVP with Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic. Undoubtedly, A couple of pieces of hardware for Shai would be a major boost for himself and Converse. In any case, the deal is a major milestone for Gilgeous-Alexander and a sign of many things to come.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe Disrespects The Thunder: “Weakest No. 1 Seed”

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Jimmy Butler Feared To Have Suffered A Major Injury Against Joel Embiid & The Sixers

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Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat fell to the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid last night in the NBA play-in tournament. Butler suffered a painful-looking injury at the end of the first quarter but miraculously played the rest of the game. He was obviously hampered by the injury and unable to affect the game. Despite his injury, the Heat almost beat the Sixers, losing 105 – 104 in a close game. The Sixers secured a playoff spot and will face the New York Knicks. The Miami Heat will face the Chicago Bulls on Friday for the final playoff spot in the east.

The Heat struggle offensively, and scoring the basketball will only be harder without Butler. The Heat had success early against Embiid, and the Sixers played fantastic defense. Particularly, they deployed a zone that confused and caused some bad turnovers from Embiid, who is still getting up to speed after being injured. It is still possible for the Heat to make the playoffs. it will be tough against the Chicago Bulls, who beat the Atlanta Hawks 131-116.

Read More: Joel Embiid And The Sixers Beat Jimmy Butler And The Heat To Secure Playoff Spot

Jimmy Butler Is Out Indefinitely After an MCL Injury

Jimmy Butler is feared to have sustained an MCL injury last night. Butler was writhing in pain at the end of the first quarter. It looked like he would definitely have to leave the game, but he played the rest of the game. It’s very on-brand for Butler, whose whole persona is that he is built differently and played through such an injury. But that toughness may have made the injury worse, and now he will not only miss the final play-in game on Friday but will be out for multiple weeks.

The Heat have a tough task ahead of them. They will play the Bulls on Friday, who defeated the Hawks last night. The Bulls were led by an incredible performance from Coby White. White finished the game with 42 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Heat struggle to put points on the board, and they are going to face a team that just scored 131 points. Jimmy Butler will be sidelined indefinitely. The Heat might beat the Bulls and make the playoffs. But Butler will likely not be available for the first-round matchup against the Celtics.

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Joel Embiid And The Sixers Beat Jimmy Butler And The Heat To Secure Playoff Spot

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Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers have officially made the NBA playoffs. The Sixers faced off against the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat in a close game. Philly won the game in dramatic fashion, overcoming a 13-point deficit and ultimately winning 105-104. Embiid and the Sixers will face the no. 2 seed New York Knocks, led by Jalen Brunson, in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Embiid and the Sixers struggled early in what was an ugly game of basketball. The Heat dug in defensively and deployed a zone defense that caused headaches for Embiid and his teammates. Nevertheless, the Sixers figured out Miami’s scheme. They erased the deficit and closed out the game with a surprising offensive explosion from Nic Batum. The Knicks are a similarly gritty team with a lot more offensive power. With Embiid still trying to shake off the rust after a prolonged absence due to injury, it’s going to be a tough series.

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Joel Embiid Found Nic Batum To Close Out The Heat

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 17: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers is guarded by Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat during the third quarter during the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament at the Wells Fargo Center on April 17, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The most important stretch of the game saw Nic Batum start to go off. All the attention Joel Embiid receives when he has the ball leaves his teammate with some good looks; once he starts to find Batum, the game changes, and Philly is able to fend off a gritty Miami Heat team. Batum went 5-7 from three, and the Sixers wouldn’t have won the game without his offensive explosion. Jimmy Butler was hampered by an injury he sustained in the first half. Although he played through it, he wasn’t as effective down the stretch. The Heat will play the Bulls tomorrow to decide the 8th seed in the East.

The Sixers will try to get Joel Embiid back to peak performance. He’s the most dominant player in the East when he is at his best. The Knicks will zero in on Embiid much like the Heat did, leaving the rest of the Sixers to step up. Tyrese Maxey will have to perform like the all-star he is, and the rest of the supporting cast need to fill in the gaps. It will be a much closer series than the seeding suggests. The Sixers face off against the Knicks on Saturday.

Read More: Klay Thompson Roasted For Shocking Stat Line As Warriors Miss Playoffs

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Zion Williamson’s Latest Injury Update Is Bad News For The Pelicans

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Zion Williamson left Tuesday night’s game against Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers late in the fourth quarter. Williamson left the game after giving one of his best-ever performances, scoring 40 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Zion was a force all game and rallied the Pelican’s comeback. Despite falling short, the Pelicans can still earn a playoff berth. They are set to play the Sacramento Kings on Friday, but they may be without their star player.

It was initially reported that Zion experienced some soreness in his left leg. Earlier today, it was confirmed that the issue was his left hamstring, a recurring problem for the highflyer. His reaction when being taken out of the game last night said it all. Visibly frustrated with yet another injury, Zion stormed off into the locker room. His injury status has been updated, and it doesn’t look good for Zion and the Pels.

Read More: LeBron James Gets Decked Taking Charge From Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson’s Hamstring Injury Is Worse Than Expected

Zion will miss the Pelican’s play in a game against the Kings and will be evaluated in the coming weeks. It is a major blow to the Pelican, who, despite losing to the Lakers, had more than a good chance of making the NBA playoffs. Without Zion, the likes of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum will have to step up for the Pels. They can’t afford to have games as bad as they did against the Lakers if they want to beat the Kings. Zion had an incredible game and physically bullied LeBron and the Lakers for much of the game. Even if the Pelicans win, there’s no timetable for Ion’s return. Therefore, it’s possible he wouldn’t be available for the first round anyway.

It’s another setback for Zion, who has had numerous injuries since being drafted in 2019. When he is on the court, he is electric. Just look at his game against the Lakers. It felt like he was finally turning a corner and was going to be able to perform in the playoffs for the first time in his career. Zion’s ex, Moriah Mills, will certainly be ecstatic about the news, as she previously celebrated his injury in a petty fashion. Zion will be evaluated again in two weeks.

Read More: Zion Williamson Clowned By Moriah Mills After Latest Injury

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Jontay Porter Banned For Life From The NBA After Gambling Controversy

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Jontay Porter is officially banned from the NBA after the league handed down its ruling after accusations of gambling misconduct. Porter’s NBA career is over after the NBA found him guilty of manipulating his own prop bets. Suspicious activity on certain sports books sparked discussion a few weeks ago when it was found that a disproportionate amount of users were betting and winning on Porter prop bets. Additionally, Porter’s on-court behavior garnered suspicion. Porter would seemingly come down with injuries early into checking into games, which resulted in bets for a bad performance.

Porter was also found to have been betting on NBA games through a surrogate account belonging to someone he knows. The NBA released a statement detailing the decision and investigation that determined Porter’s guilt. The NBA is putting the hammer down. Furthermore, the league is setting the tone and is telling its players that gambling is grounds for a ban. NBA commissioner had recently alluded to a lifetime ban being completely on the table. The league followed through with that consequence.

Read More: LeBron James Gets Decked Taking Charge From Zion Williamson

The NBA Details Jontay Porter’s Lifetime Ban

The NBA found that Porter was guilty of providing sports bettors with his health status for games. This information would help them bet the under on Porter’s performance, winning guaranteed bets. Porter would check into a gameplay a few minutes and come out of the game with an eye injury, for example. The numbers that were being won due to Porter’s scheme are ridiculous. One bettor bet $80,000 on Porter and won over 1.1 Million dollars. The individual won the money in a game where Proter played but left the game almost immediately after telling his coaching staff he was sick.

Sports books started to take notice. So much money was being won on a role player on a team that isn’t very good. The alarm bells began to ring, and pretty soon, the NBA was investigating after the information started circulating on social media. The NBA also found Porter was betting on NBA games for what looks like pocket change when compared to an NBA paycheck. Jontay Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets forward and NBA champion Michael Porter Jr will never play in the NBA again.

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LeBron James Gets Decked Taking Charge From Zion Williamson

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Last night, Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers went up against Zion Williamson, the New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers came out on top, beating the Pelicans 110-106, securing the 7th seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers will face the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the first round. Lebron and the Lakers closed out the game in the end mainly due to some LeBron heroics. Zion Williamson did everything he could against the Lakers, scoring 40 points and bringing the Pelicans back from double digits. Zion’s performance was a physical exhibition as he bullied his way to the basket throughout the entire game.

When playing physically strong players like Zion, you usually have to make a couple of business decisions. Do you get in his way and have his giant frame crash into you? Or do you stand your ground and take charge and deal with the pain later? LeBron went viral last night after opting to take a charge from Williamson, for which he should absolutely get a pat on the back.

Read More: LeBron James Furious He Was Never Awarded Defensive Player Of The Year

LeBron Gets Crashed Into By Zion Williamson

Lebron James stood his ground and made a big play against Zion Williamson. Williamson, who reportedly weighs between 280 and 300 pounds, is a scary sight driving into the paint. LeBron took a vicious shot, and it ended up being a great play, resulting in a charge on Zion. When the team leader and arguably the best player of all time puts his body on the line, the rest of the Lakers have no excuse. LeBron is still a physical marvel himself, but Zion is an unstoppable force when he has momentum. LeBron took the punishment, won the game, and earned some props from fans.

The Lakers secured their spot in the playoffs but have a tough task ahead. LeBron James and the Lakers will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers have historically struggled against the defending champions, losing to them in the conference finals last season. It is going to take yet another herculean effort from James, who, in his 21st season, is still one of the best players in the league. It’s going to take plays like this for the Lakers to challenge Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

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Steph Curry’s Half-Time Heave Goes Viral As Warriors Fall To Kings

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Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors took on the Sacramento Kings in the NBA’s play-in tournament last night. The Kings ran away with the game, which was close throughout the first half despite struggles from Curry and teammate Klay Thompson. The Warriors will miss the playoffs after a tumultuous season full of injuries and suspensions for the likes of Draymond Green. Curry has carried Golden State all year, but the team overall wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs.

Steph Curry finished the game with 22 points and two assists, a poor showing considering his standard. The story of the night was misses from both Curry and Klay Thompson, who did not hit a shot all night. As the first half was winding down, Curry, known for hitting long-range buzzer beaters, heaved a shot from half-court. The shot was almost perfectly banked at the buzzer, causing an uproar on social media. Even Steph Curry’s misses are incredible, and this shot is proof of that.

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Steph Curry Almost Banks A Half Court Buzzer Beater

Steph Curry’s miss was not just a normal heave at the buzzer. Steph was being hounded by the Kings, who were fully aware that Curry hits these types of shots for fun. After crossing up the four defenders surrounding him and creating space, Curry launches his shot and almost banks it in. The first half ended 54 – 50 with the Kings leading the Warriors. Making that shot could have been the park Curry needed to carry the Warriors once again, but it wasn’t to be. Steph finished the first half with only five points, and the second half, while better, wasn’t nearly enough.

Steph Curry’s miss is another reminder of how he is just built differently. You can’t really blame him for the loss either, as his teammate Klay Thompson went 0-10 from the field and 0-6 from three. The Warriors are the Steph Show now more than ever, as his teammates have declined. It is more than possible Steph, Draymond, and Klay shared the floor for the last time last night. Whatever the next iteration of the Warriors looks like, Steph is the only sure thing left of their dynasty.

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Zion Williamson Clowned By Moriah Mills After Latest Injury

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Zion Williamson has had a season full of criticism. Talking heads like Stephen A. Smith have criticized his weight and work ethic. NBA fans have lamented the fact that he has rarely been healthy. Williamson has missed so many games since being drafted number one overall in 2019. Last summer, Zion made headlines for his off-the-court problems, which involved Zion cheating on former pornstar Moriah Mills and the wild social media pressure she was putting on him. Problems seemed to keep multiplying for a player everyone knows is box office when he’s actually on the court.

Despite the criticism and drama, Zion had a great season. He played the most games he has in his entire career. Furthermore, Zion has led the Pelicans to a potential playoff birth. Unfortunately, Zion suffered another injury toward the end of the Pelican’s play-in game against the Los Angeles Lakers. After putting up 40 points against LeBron, Zion, who was visibly frustrated, headed back to the locker room. Now Moriah Mills is back with more ammo for the Pelican’s star.

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Moriah Mills Has Jokes For Zion Williamson After Injury

After Zion Williamson’s late-game injury, one person obviously couldn’t wait to chime in. Moriah Mills posted a video of herself laughing at Williamson, implying it’s what he deserves for wronging her. Zion is her obsession, as evidenced by her stunts, including getting Williamson’s name tattooed on her face. Mills has also called for Zion to get on the treadmill, poking fun at his weight problems and bedroom performance. We should expect more content from Mills especially as it seems Zion has turned a corner in his career despite this latest injury.

Zion and the Pelicans fell to the Lakers but still have a chance to make it to the playoffs. They will face off against the Sacramento Kings to decide the final playoff spot in the west. Williamson’s health is the biggest question yet again. It’s believed he suffered a hamstring injury, with tests to be done in the coming days. NBA fans should be rooting for a swift recovery because he is legitimately electrifying on the court. Don’t be surprised if Moriah Mills makes another video when his status for the play in the finale is confirmed.

Read More: Shaq Has One Major Issue With Zion Williamson’s Recent Dunk Contest Comments

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LeBron James Furious He Was Never Awarded Defensive Player Of The Year

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LeBron James is arguably the best player of all time. After 21 seasons, he has won pretty much every award available in the NBA. He has the most points in NBA history and will break a couple more records before he is ultimately done with playing. His resume is pretty spotless, but players of LeBrons caliber aren’t always awarded fairly due to their greatness. Lebron is known for his playmaking, scoring, and overall mind for the game combined with his athleticism. However, there is one thing missing from his resume that has to do with a part of his game that he hasn’t been officially the best at. Which is defense.

LeBron has one MVP, two Finals MVPs, and countless All-NBA selections. The one award that has escaped him is the Defensive Player of the Year award. The chase-down block has been one of LeBron’s signature plays throughout his career. His most famous play is a defensive one: his block on Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. The King is in a mode where he is looking back at his career, and he has some thoughts on never getting a DPOY.

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LeBron James Thinks He Was Robbed Of A DPOY

LeBron James remarked on not winning a DPOY on The Shop, and points were made. LeBron specifically references the 2013 DPOY race, in which the Memphis Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol won the award over James. Marc Gasol won the award but was not selected as the 1st Team All-Defense, which, looking back, is eyebrow-raising. Lebron is right that it doesn’t make sense the award for best defender of the year wasn’t even on the 1st team. Additionally, 2013 was probably James’s best defensive year. He was a juggernaut all around, able to truly hold his own against all five positions. Two years before, LeBron took the challenge of Guarding MVP Derrick Rose, shutting him down in the playoffs.

LeBron has pretty much always been a great defender. However he doesn’t have the hardware that he probably deserved. LeBron Will have to make do with all the records and awards he does have. LeBron and the Lakers face off against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight in the NBA play-in tournament. We will more than likely be seeing a signature chase-down block by LeBron for old-time’s sake.

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