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Shannon Sharpe Announces Massive Multi-Year ESPN Deal On “First Take”

June 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Three-time Super Bowl winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe has signed to a multi-year arrangement with ESPN. Sharpe’s role on First Take, ESPN’s popular morning discussion program with Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim, will grow as a result of this new agreement. “Shannon Sharpe has been an incredible addition to the First Take team, enhancing the show’s dynamic with his engaging presence and insightful commentary,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s Head of Event & Studio Production. “Shannon’s chemistry with Stephen A. Smith has elevated our debates and been another key reason First Take is the premier destination for morning sports discussion.”

Thanks in part to Sharpe’s contributions, First Take just achieved its most-viewed May ever and its 22nd straight month of year-over-year growth. Sharpe, who started working at First Take in August 2023, will also play a bigger part in a number of other ESPN shows that will be revealed later. Said Sharpe in a statement, “Being a part of this family has been a blessing. Everything about this relationship with ESPN, Stephen A., and First Take, has been tremendous. I look forward to expanding my role and showing more of the world what I have to offer. The show goes on!” Sharpe, Molly, and Stephen A. announced the news to kick off this morning’s First Take.

Shannon Sharpe Announces ESPN Deal

Shannon Sharpe’s new long-term deal with ESPN was officially announced on Tuesday.

Shannon: “Stephen A., I know this moment is not possible without you. As you mentioned to me earlier, you have bosses, but you extended the olive branch and let them know that you wanted me to be… https://t.co/d9i07PhIeg pic.twitter.com/XCrpGm4uIo

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 11, 2024

Molly and Stephen A. Smith were both over the moon for Shannon Sharpe, and the group shared a special moment to open up First Take. Sharpe took in all the love and thanked everyone, then singled out Stephen A. Smith. He said, “Stephen A., I know this moment is not possible without you. As you mentioned to me earlier, you have bosses, but you extended the olive branch and let them know that you wanted me to be a part of this family.” Overall, Shannon Sharpe has been a fantastic addition to the debate program.

Sharpe’s ESPN contract will expire sooner than Smith’s current one, according to the rumored four-year arrangement. Smith’s contract with ESPN expires in July 2025, and during First Take last year, he made hints about seeing Sharpe take over. To be sure, the Hall of Famer has two really popular podcasts, Club Shay Shay and Nightcap, so it’s difficult to envision him wanting ESPN to be his full-time job. First Take is a fantastic side employment, but just as Smith frequently talks about comparable career objectives, Sharpe can aim higher thanks to his vast digital platform.

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Kendrick Perkins Fires Shots At LeBorn, Calls Him Sensitive For Unfollowing Him

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Every time a prominent NBA player follows or unfollows another prominent NBA player, the Twitter account NBA Alerts announces the change. Throughout a season, there are many good reasons why media people and active athletes might follow and unfollow one another, but occasionally, an update sticks out. LeBron James reportedly made the decision to unfollow several users on X on Friday, including ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, Ben Simmons, and Blake Griffin. On Monday, the First Take crew made the perplexing choice to discuss LeBron James unfollowing ESPN commentator Kendrick Perkins on social media for 12 minutes.

On his podcast Mind the Game a few days prior to the NBA Finals, LeBron James gave Dallas Mavericks player Kyrie Irving kudos for reaching the championship round once more. James complimented him and said that although he was happy for him. In the 2016 NBA Finals, the two helped the Cleveland Cavaliers pull off an incredible comeback victory over the Golden State Warriors. Perkins called James out for purposefully interrupting the discourse, as Perkins understood the remark to be. LeBron apparently unfollowed Perk after this comment. Then, on Monday, First Take invited Perkins to discuss being unfollowed despite the NBA Finals going on.

Kendrick Perkins Calls LeBron James Sensitive For Unfollowing Him

Kendrick Perkins calls LeBron James ‘sensitive’ for unfollowing him pic.twitter.com/94akF2Wqjb

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 10, 2024

“Imagine unfollowing me on Twitter, but you still gotta wake up and watch me on TV every day because I ain’t going nowhere any time soon,” Kendrick Perkins said. “That’s no. 1. No. 2, I think LeBron James got sensitive over the last couple weeks because I’ve been calling him out or have to speak on certain things that he may disagree with — like the firing of Darvin Ham or the coaching search for the Lakers, or even having to touch on the Bronny James situation when it comes down to dealing with the draft.” Perkins clarified that he was dissatisfied after years of publicly defending James.

Kendrick Perkins said, “Bron, I’ve been knowing you since 1999, brother.” He continued, “We played AAU basketball together… We played in the McDonald’s All-American Game together. We were in the same draft. You have my phone number! If you had a problem with anything I said, we could’ve picked up the phone and had a conversation, but instead, you took to the public. You knew the world was gonna see it, eventually, that you unfollowed me because they have all these stalkers that have their stuff on alert. We’re living in weird times.” Overall, Big Perk might be the most sensitive person in this situation.

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Shannon Sharpe Reveals Why LeBron James And JJ Redick’s Podcast Is Destined For Failure

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Shannon Sharpe has two successful podcasts, so he is familiar with what makes a good show. However, the success of Nightcap and Club Shay Shay is not really due to anyone’s intelligence of any specific subject matter. Of course, Sharpe has an edge and offers insight and understanding about football that goes beyond the surface. The same is true for Chad (Ochcino) Johnson. However, each show’s entertainment value is its primary selling point. Shannon Sharpe said on First Take today that Lebron’s podcast with JJ Redick won’t survive because it is solely about Xs and Os and not entertainment.

For this reason, Sharpe provided his evaluation of the Mind the Game podcast with LeBron James and JJ Redick. On Monday’s First Take, Sharpe contended that James and the Los Angeles Lakers’ prospective head coach would need to change their conversational approach from discussing Xs and Os. Sharpe appears to believe that the podcast won’t last very long if that’s all they talk about. The podcast is more of a mission of educating and celebrating the game of basketball by sharing knowledge, but Shannon Sharpe does not care and says it won’t last long doing that.

Shannon Sharpe Says LeBron James And JJ Redick’s Podcast Will Fail

Shannon Sharpe on LeBron James and JJ Redick’s ‘Mind the Game’: “If you ever start a podcast, and this is what I tell Stephen A., you’ve got to be able to adapt. You’ve got to be able to branch out. Because if all you talk about is Xs and Os, it ain’t gonna last very long.” pic.twitter.com/USQ1igdUZX

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 10, 2024

“I know you said that he and JJ had that podcast — Mind the Game — and it’s supposed to be Xs and Os,” Sharpe said. “Let me tell you something: if you ever want to start a podcast, and this is what I tell Stephen A., you’ve got to be able to adapt. You’ve got to be able to branch out. Because if all you talk about is Xs and Os, it ain’t gonna last very long.” Smith concurred, pointing out that Kendrick Perkins has been making similar statements for months. Even if a video of them drawing Xs and Os from three days ago on the account’s official YouTube channel has 428k views as of the writing of this piece, a basketball podcast about basketball seems like a bridge too far.

Even if a video of them drawing Xs and Os from three days ago on the account’s official YouTube channel has 428k views as of the writing of this piece, a basketball podcast about basketball seems like too unique a notion. The podcast probably won’t appeal to everyone, but James would have launched a podcast much sooner if he felt the need or wanted to discuss other topics. Not to mention Redick’s incredibly popular podcast, The Old Man and the Three. Overall, Shannon wants more hot takes and opinionated arguments in his podcast consumption.

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Dan Hurley Shockingly Turns Down $70 Million Contract Offer From Lakers

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It seems like the Lakers have missed out on their top choice to replace Darvin Ham. Despite being offered a six-year, $70 million contract, Dan Hurley made the decision on Monday to stay at UConn and decline Los Angeles’ offer to become the team’s next head coach, according to ESPN. Hurley expressed he was “extremely impressed” with owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka to ESPN on Sunday, saying the Lakers presented a “compelling case.” Along with his wife Andrea and UConn assistant Luke Murray, the two-time national champion was in Los Angeles on Friday to meet with the Lakers. Hurley has rejected the massive offer from the Lakers.

According to early reports, the Lakers were looking to add more bench stability to their team by pursuing JJ Redick, an ESPN NBA analyst without any prior professional coaching experience. The Lakers were reportedly “zeroing in” on the former NBA guard as the front-runner for the position, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Coincidentally, Redick and LeBron James of the Lakers co-host a podcast. Now we will see if the Lakers give JJ another look now that Dan Hurley has passed on the job.

Dan Hurley Turns Down The Lakers

BREAKING: Connecticut’s Dan Hurley has turned down the Los Angeles Lakers’ six-year, $70 million offer and will return to chase a third straight national title, sources tell ESPN. LA would’ve made him one of NBA’s six highest paid coaches. pic.twitter.com/hEXo3o00SR

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2024

The Lakers had been interested in Hurley, the two-time NCAA Tournament champion coach, since the start of the hiring process, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Despite Shams claiming that JJ Redick was the front-runner, it was apparently Huelry all along. According to the NBA insider, Pelinka and Buss were very excited about the UConn coach. They believed Hurley had excellent player development tools at his disposal and could develop young players. LeBron James was also someone who has been impressed with Hurley. Hurley signed a $32.1 million contract extension with UConn that spans through 2029 following his first national championship victory.

Dan Hurley has become the most sought-after coach in the sport following his historically successful back-to-back national title seasons. Hurley’s team dominated college basketball and produced the first repeat champion in 17 years. The return of a preseason top-five squad raises the prospect of a third consecutive UConn championship. Despite losing some talent, this seems to be a great opportunity to pass up. Overall, The Lakers have missed out on their guy.

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James Harden Goes Viral With Hilarious Reaction To His Girlfriend Paije Speights Catching Bouquet At Wedding

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Thanks to his response when his girlfriend Paije Speights accidentally caught the bouquet at retired NBA player Rajon Rondo’s wedding this past weekend, James Harden is once again headed for legendary meme status. The film of the humorous reception scene, in which Speights caught the bouquet of white flowers that almost fell at her feet, started making the rounds on the internet amid the happy news that Rondo had married his longtime partner Latoia Fitzgerald. The Clippers guard looked at her as if she had seen a ghost, and her man gave her a dumbfounded look.

Since collecting the bouquet is thought to indicate you’ll be the next to get married, fans couldn’t help but express their reactions to Harden seemingly seeing his life flash before his eyes. But as soon as Paije gave him an embrace, Harden’s eyes widened, and he became still. There’s a new meme circulating on social media that features Harden receiving a forehead kiss while staring emotionless. On Sunday, Paije shared her thoughts about the popular video on her Instagram Story.

James Harden’s Girlfriend Paije Speights Catches Responds To Catching Bouquet At Wedding

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As previously mentioned, Paije commented on the viral video on Sunday on her Instagram Story. “I wasn’t even participating, lol. I’m standing outside the circle in the back. The bouquet landed right at my feet. Hey, a win is a win,” she wrote. “I do this sh*t with no effort,” she added hilariously. Following their September 2022 engagement, Rondo and designer Latoia Fitzgerald tied the knot on Friday, June 7, on Lake Como in Italy. A star-studded guest list and family bopped along to Future’s “March Madness” as the pair entered their opulent location, reveling in their love. The two also swayed to the soothing sounds of smooth jazz after dancing to Usher’s “Superstar.”

It appears like James Harden and Paije are a real couple. In addition to forging her own path in fashion, Paije is a Detroit-born vocalist. In contrast to Harden, who is childless, Paije is the mother of Prynce, a four-year-old son from a previous committed relationship. Overall, James Harden has once again provided the internet with another classic reaction meme.

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Jayson Tatum Roasted For Weak NBA Finals Performance Despite Celtics Domination

June 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The Boston Celtics have taken a commanding 2-0 lead on the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Despite the two straight wins for the Celts, their star player, Jayson Tatum, has had an underwhelming Finals, as many fans have pointed out. Last night, the Celtics won a close game in convincing fashion, beating the Mavs 105-98. Jayson Tatum finished the game with 18 points, most of his scoring happening in the second half. NBA fans were roasting him all night after he missed several layups and generally wasn’t effective scoring the ball.

The Celtics victory was led by Jrue Holiday, who had one of the most efficient 26 points in NBA finals history. Kristaps Porzingis had another great game coming off the bench after being out for almost 40 days. Jaylen Brown had strong moments, especially on the defensive end against Luka Doncicn and Kyrie Irving. For Much of the game, Jayson Tatum wasn’t the dynamite scorer that everyone knows he can be. Many fans recognize that the Celtics are so good that Tatum doesn’t have to score the ball at an elite level for his team to win. However, his potential to dominate the game is undeniable, and this is a point of discussion among fans and media, who often view the team sport as an individual game, and they are insinuating Jayson Tatum is coasting during the Finals when he should be dominating.

Jayson Tatum Roasted For Weak NBA Finals Performance

“Is Playoff Jayson Tatum a thing?”

pic.twitter.com/5XFDD12Z38

— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) June 10, 2024

Fans were frustrated with Jayson Tatum during game 2, especially in the first half, where he only scored 5 points and had a lot of missed shots. The good news for Boston is twofold. They are up 2-0 on the Dallas Mavericks despite their best player not having a great series Additiioanklly, Jayson Tatum will eventually have a great scoring game. His all-around game has not been bad at all. He is playing good defense and mixing it up with the Dallas big men’s rotation, grabbing boards at a high rate. He is also passing the ball extremely well, given all the attention he draws when he is aggressive. Overall, Tatum doesn’t need to play like Luka Doncic for the Celtics to win, and that’s probably a good thing for Boston.

The Mavs will look to get their first win of the series in Dallas on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving has been hounded by the entire Celtics roster. He has not played well, and it’s because of the dogged defense the Celtics are playing. Luka isnt 100% healthy but is still putting up serious scoring numbers despite the losses. Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis may have tweaked the injury that kept him out the entire playoffs, so that is something to monitor for both teams. Overall, I would bet that Jayson Tatum will have a great game sooner or later.

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Drake Gifts “NBA Today” Crew with Special OVO Jackets To Commemorate The NBA Finals

June 7, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In honor of the 2024 NBA Finals, Drake and the worldwide leader have linked up. Drake’s October’s Very Own brand and ESPN have collaborated to create a special varsity jacket. The robust OVO x ESPN jackets, which fuse the worlds of sports, music, and fashion, are certain to become collector’s items. Furthermore, only 175 were made, and the retail price was $698. Drake gifted the cast of ESPN’s NBA Today with their own personal letterman to kick off the network’s NBA Finals coverage.

With a golden outline, the October’s Very Own and 2024 NBA Finals insignia stand out on the sleek breastplates of the jacket. Also of note, the rear of the stylish sleeves. They are made of superior leather and have the NBA On ESPN logo on them. Additionally, the style combines the ESPN trademark badge with the iconic OVO owl. Additionally, the model number out of the 175 produced is imprinted inside the coats. Malika Andrews, Kendrick Perkins, Richard Jefferson, and the rest of the crew got their hands on special jackets from Drake himself.

Drake Gifts “NBA Today” Cast with OVO Jackets

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Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson had a good time laughing at Perk’s jacket size. The jackets will be extremely hard to get for Drake super fans, and the reselling market is probably a wild palace right now. Through his collaboration with Stake, Drizzy was able to post two $500,000 gambling slips. “Dallas cause I’m a Texan Oilers are self explanatory Picks are in @stake,” he captioned the post featuring the six-figure betting slips. He wagered $500,000. Furthermore, with the Dallas Mavericks, he will win $875,000. It will be a total payout of $1.375 million if they beat the Boston Celtics for Kyrie Irving’s second Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Drizzy is rooting for Canada on the ice. He is hoping that Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers may win the Stanley Cup. Drake is betting $500,000 to win $525,000, making them a small underdog with a combined payout of $1.025 million. Additionally, the OVO CEO’s luck with his bets hasn’t been as good lately. Furthermore, he bet $565,000 on boxer Tyson Fury in May, but the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk prevailed. Overall, Drake is making bets and brand deals with all the postseason sports going on right now.

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Austin Rivers Fires Back At Stephen Jackson: “Poor Dude Starving For Attention”

June 6, 2024 by newhiphopnews

In recent days, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson both criticized Austin Rivers. “I just don’t wanna be in no conversation when Austin Rivers’ name is involved,” Jackson said on the “Gojo and Golic” podcast. “Why is his name even involved? I don’t even want to answer a question when his name is phrased in it. Austin Rivers is somebody not relevant nowhere.” Jackson was questioned by host Mike Golic over a statement that Rivers had made on X, claiming that more NBA players than NFL players could play in both leagues. Rivers shot back at Jackson’s jab on X.

“This is so ironic considering he stays having my name in his mouth,” Rivers posted. “(I have never met this guy btw lol) The comments say it all. He’s at it again lmao!! Pour dude starving for attention. Sad sight tbh. I honestly wish him nothing but the best fr. Good God bro… grow up.” In addition to ripping Rivers, Barnes, who Jackson co-hosts the podcast “All The Smoke,” was on the “Gojo and Golic” podcast with Jackson and previously ripped Rivers’ father Doc Rivers.

Austin Rivers Claps Back At Stephen Jackson

Barnes recently responded to an Instagram comment claiming the “Utah Jazz broke that sh–t up” regarding the Lob City Clippers that featured Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan. Austin and Barnes were teammates on the 2014–15 team, during which Doc served as both head coach and president of basketball operations. Barnes believes the Rivers are to blame for the club’s lackluster performance. “nah Doc broke that sh–t up when he paid his son that money,” Barnes wrote in the comment.” He lost the team after that.”

The Clippers had five straight seasons with 50 wins and two Pacific Division championships during the “Lob City” era, which ran from 2011 to 2017. The club did not, however, make it past the conference semifinals. In four seasons with the Clippers, Austin Rivers averaged 11.1 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.1 rebounds. Although the Lob City Clippers enjoyed a strong off-court rapport in 2022, Barnes claimed that this did not convert to on-court success. Overall, this is not the last time we will hear from Autin Rives, Jackson, or Matt Barnes

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Joe Budden Hates The Casting On The New Clippers Drama “Clipped”

June 6, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Clipped, the new FX drama series that follows the NBA’s Donald Sterling Saga, premiered this week. The series comes after a taped conversation between Clippers owner Donald Sterling (Ed O’Neill) and his arm candy, mistress, assistant, and “silly rabbit,” V. Stiviano (Cleopatra Coleman) was released in 2014. The shocking racism on the tape caused a huge uproar, which ultimately resulted in Sterling’s dismissal. When the first look at the series dropped, fans were quick to roast the casting of the real-life players and figures. Joe Budden says he can’t get into the show because he can’t get over the casting.

The casting of iconic actor Laurence Fishburne as Doc Rivers, the then coach of the Clippers, was a point of comedy for NBA fans. Now that the first episode is out, NBA fans are roasting the casting of players like Chris Paul, balke Griffin, and Steph Curry. It is hard to get a one-to-one casting, but it is pretty funny that these well-known figures have these accurate doppelgangers. Joe Budden and some viewers just can’t get past the casting choices, and it’s hard not to blame them.

Joe Budden Hates The Casting But Clipped Is Pretty Good

A decade after the scandal broke and on the eve of the NBA Finals, the series, which is an adaptation of Gina Welch’s ESPN podcast The Sterling Affairs, explores the challenges the league faces. Up to the NBA’s 2014 ban and forced sale of the team by new commissioner Adam Silver, Sterling is shown brushing the entire situation off as “A big nothing.” Joe Budden and viewers of the first two episodes had some takes on the casting choices. Fans roasted the actors who played Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Fishburne’s Doc Rivers has also been the subject of many jokes on social media.

The casting may be a turnoff for Joe Budden and many fans who know these real-life individuals intimately, but the show is pretty good. It’s a trashy and entertaining drama that explores a period in time that isn’t that long ago. The casting does add a layer of comedy that makes it fun to watch if you are an NBA diehard. People like Joe Budden may have been expecting a very serious retelling of a time of upheaval in the NBA’s ownership due to racism. But the series is having fun telling a juicy story with a lot of moving parts. Overall, what do you think about the Clipped casting?

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

June 6, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The NBA is close to signing a new media rights agreement. In this agreement, ESPN, NBC, and Amazon may contribute $76 billion to the league’s books over the following few years. Warner Bros. Discovery, which has partnered with the NBA since 198. Despite that, they have been left out of the conversation surrounding the league’s new media partnerships for weeks. This is a huge issue because Turner Sports, the parent company of Warner, is what runs the NBA on TNT and the popular Inside the NBA, which stars Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny “The Jet” Smith.

Though much discussion has focused on Inside the NBA’s termination due to the NBA’s Warner collaboration disintegrating in the wake of the new media rights agreement, it seems like things might be heading in a different direction. According to Front Office Sports, Warner Bros. Discovery is still pursuing a new agreement with the NBA. Now, they are negotiating a potential fourth media rights package with commissioner Adam Silver and the organization.

TNT Is Fighting To Save “Inside The NBA”

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The NBA may be interested in a fourth package, given the money involved. Despite the fact that the league has concentrated on the three deals it has negotiated with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon. This fourth, smaller media package may include the regular season and a few postseason games. With all the talk about Inside the NBA, the NBA might be on to something, creating a smaller media package right now. Globally, Barkley, Smith, O’Neal, and Johnson are revered by hoops fans. Many people consider their show to be the greatest sports program on television since it has been so successful over the years.

Salvaging Inside the NBA will be at the top of both parties’ lists during these talks since Silver and the league acknowledge the success Warner Bros. Discovery has had building the NBA brand. It is also important to note that TNT runs NBA TV and NBA.com, which may cause issues if the league were to sever ties with the business. Overall, all hope is not lost for Inside the NBA fans.

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