NBA

Chris Paul Fractures Hand, Out 4-6 Weeks

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Chris Paul will miss 4-6 weeks as he will require surgery to repair a fracture in his left hand. It will be the sixth surgery on his left hand, and his 12th hand surgery overall. The recovery timeline means that the Warriors will be without the 19-season veteran until after the All-Star break. Paul is averaging 8.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists a game. The Warriors acquired Paul from the Wizards after Washington briefly acquired him from Phoenix.

With Paul sidelined, rookie Brandin Podziemski is expected to play a bigger role in the Warriors’ rotation. The Warriors took Podziemski 19th overall in the 2023 draft after the guard played two seasons of college ball, one at Illinois and one at Santa Clara. Podziemski is averaging 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists a game. Now he will get a bigger chance to prove himself part of the Warriors’ young revolution.

Read More: Lil Wayne Urges Caution From Fans Saying Draymond Green Needs Help

Draymond Green Returns As Chris Paul Ruled Out

However, Paul’s sidelining comes as the Warriors begin ramping Draymond Green up to being court-ready. Green has been reinstated from his indefinite suspension, having missed 12 games after striking Jusuf Nurkić in the head. Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors expect Green to need about a week to get back up to playing strength. With that timeline in mind, Green might return to the court for Golden State’s game in Memphis on January 15. The Warriors have four more games between then and now, meaning they will have to hold on a little longer without Green. After Green’s build-up week, the Warriors are next at home on January 19.

The news comes a day after Wojnarowski reported that Green was returning to the Warriors’ facility. The Warriors have gone 7-5 without Green and currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference. However, Green will likely return on thin ice with the league. With two suspensions under his belt this season, the league will likely come down even harder if anything else happens this season. The Warriors host Toronto on Sunday.

Read More: Rudy Gobert Feels “Empathy” For Draymond Green Following Suspension

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Draymond Green Reinstated After 12-Game Suspension

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Draymond Green has been reinstated from his indefinite suspension, having missed 12 games after striking Jusuf Nurkić in the head. Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors expect Green to need about a week to get back up to playing strength. With that timeline in mind, Green might return to the court for Golden State’s game in Memphis on January 15. The Warriors have four more games between then and now, meaning they will have to hold on a little longer with Green. After Green’s build-up week, the Warriors are next at home on January 19.

The news comes a day after Wojnarowski reported that Green was returning to the Warriors’ facility. The Warriors have gone 7-5 without Green and currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference. However, Green will likely return on thin ice with the league. With two suspensions under his belt this season, the league will likely come down even harder if anything else happens this season. The Warriors host Toronto on Sunday.

Read More: Rudy Gobert Feels “Empathy” For Draymond Green Following Suspension

Stephen A. Thinks Warriors Will Move From On Draymond Green

A lot has been said about Green’s suspension. Furthermore, at least one pundit believes it could be the end of his time with Golden State. “I think the appropriate question is – is this the end of Draymond Green in Golden State? Because if I’m the Golden State Warriors, if they are looking to trade him and move on from him, who could blame them at this particular moment in time? Because I don’t know what future Draymond Green has with this team,” Stephen A. Smith said on Get Up! the morning after Green’s suspension.

However, Green does have his defenders. “😆This fool is my favorite basketball 🏀 player, WTF Is wrong wit him. 🤷🏽‍♂️that was a mistake, I will apologize for him. 🤨come on it’s a physical game,” 50 Cent wrote on Instagram the day after the incident that got Green suspended. Green has remained mostly silent himself since his suspension. He is yet to release a statement about his reinstatement.

Read More: Lil Wayne Urges Caution From Fans Saying Draymond Green Needs Help

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LeBron James Blasts Lakers For Losing Streak, Pressure Mounts On Head Coach Darvin Ham

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LeBron James was blunt in his assessment of the Lakers as the team dropped their fourth consecutive game and remained at a dismal 2-8 record in their last 10 games. “I mean, we just suck right now,” LeBron told reporters after the 127-113 loss to Memphis. Furthermore, LeBron pushed back at people using the Lakers’ In-Season Tournament title as evidence of the team’s trajectory. “That was just two games. It’s a small sample. Everyone is getting so cracked up about Vegas and keep bringing up Vegas. It was two games. We took care of that business. It was the in-season tournament, we played it, we won it. But that was literally just two games.”

Meanwhile, head coach Darvin Ham does not appear concerned about his job security despite the Lakers’ skid. “I’m solid. My governor, Jeanie Buss, the boss lady; our president, Robert Pelinka — we’re all aligned. As long as they’re not saying it, I guess I’m good. Which I know how they feel about me and the situation we’re currently in,” Ham said. However, those comments were made before the Grizzlies beat LA.

Read More: LeBron James Blasts NBA After Game-Tying Shot Controversy

“Growing Disconnect” Between Ham And Lakers

Speculation about Ham’s future with the Lakers reached fever pitch earlier this week. Per Shams Charaina, there is a “growing disconnect” between the Lakers roster and coach Darvin Ham over the latter’s lineup choices. “There’s currently a deepening disconnect between Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room, six sources with direct knowledge of the situation say, raising questions about the head coach’s standing. The people spoke with The Athletic on condition of anonymity so that they could speak freely on the matter. Those sources have described that the disjointedness between the coach and team has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham, leading to a fluctuating rhythm for several players across the roster,” Charaina and Jovan Buah wrote for The Athletic.

The report came after the Heat, without Jimmy Butler, beat a starting lineup of Anthony Davis, LeBron, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, and Austin Reaves. Ham used the same starters against Memphis. However, like he did before the Memphis game, Ham deflected any criticism after falling to Miami. “It’s a little bit of everything right now. We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now,” Ham said.

Read More: LeBron James & Giannis Antetokounmpo Lead Early All-Star Voting

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Orlando Magic Announce Shaq Jersey Retirement

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The Orlando Magic have announced that Shaq’s jersey will be the first to be retired by the team. “On behalf of the DeVos family and myself and all of us here at the Orlando Magic, we want to congratulate you as we make you the first jersey number retired in the history of the Orlando Magic. You had a great career here at the beginning of your career and we had some great times!” Magic CEO Alex Martins told Shaq on Inside the NBA. Furthermore, the jersey retirement is set for February 13.

Shaq was the Magic’s first-overall pick in the 1992 Draft and helped turn the team into a serious contender in the mid-90s. Addtionally, that included a Finals run in 1995, Shaq’s third season in the league. However, Shaq’s time in Orlando would only last until 1996 when he joined the Lakers in free agency. Shaq would later say that he felt like a “big fish in a dried-up pond” in Orlando. After leaving the Magic, Shaq would go on to win four NBA titles – three with the Lakers and one with the Heat.

Read More: Shaq Sides With Giannis Antetokounmpo In Pacers Game Ball Dispute

Shaq Speaks On Jersey Retirements

Jersey retirements have been something that Shaq has actually spoken on in the last few weeks. The Hall of Famer recently said that he doesn’t necessarily agree with league-wide retirements of certain player jerseys. “I hate the fact that they hang up other people’s jerseys. I hope I’m not disrespecting anybody by this term. This thing is ours. This is what we built. Michael Jordan ain’t never play for the Heat. Bill Russell ain’t never play for the Heat. You did your own thing with your little Celtics family and Chicago family. But this Miami thing? I was one of the original championship families… this is our thing. So, I don’t like that personally,” Shaq said.

Furthermore, Shaq, whose jersey is retired by the Heat, was opining on the retirements following the news that the team would be retiring Udonis Haslem’s jersey in January. Haslem’s jersey will be just the sixth jersey retired by the Heat. The other jerseys of Heat players that have been retired are Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O’Neal.

Read More: Shaq Bet Money On Episodes Of Maury During His NBA Career

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Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls Victor Wembanyama “Special” After First Matchup

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Giannis Antetokounmpo had high praise for Victor Wembanyama following his first game against the rookie French phenom. “He’s special. He’s going to be an extremely good player. He plays the right way. He plays to win. I’ve never seen anything like him,” Giannis said after the Bucks’ 125-121 win. After Wembanyama blocked Giannis at the rim in the final minute of the game, the French star was able to set up a potential game-tying three. However, Tre Jones’ shot from the corner fell short. Wembanyama finished the game with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

As for Wembanyama himself, the praise from Giannis held extra weight as the Greek star was one of the players he watched the most growing up. “It’s always extra motivation, and I know I’m a competitor. So I want to go at everyone and be the bad guy on the court. So it was a great matchup. I’m trying to gain knowledge from as many great players as there are. Giannis is one of the players I’ve watched the most. The way he uses his body, he makes 100% of what he can do with his body. That’s something I look up to and I still look up to. It’s a player I know pretty well,” Wembanyama said.

Read More: Victor Wembanyama Reveals His Favorite Off-Court Hobby

Victor Wembanyama Remains Hopeful Despite 5-29 Record

The loss dropped the Spurs to a 5-29 record, second-worst in the league behind the 3-31 Pistons. However, the close loss to Milwaukee gives Wembanyama hope for the future. “It’s promising. That’s the first thing [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] told us coming back in the locker room. We had some moments in the game where everything seemed to work. And I could feel the crowd believing in us and getting going. Some of this was satisfying tonight,” Wembanyama said.

The rookie has been going from strength to strength. Just before New Year’s, he had the first 30/5/5/5 game by a teenager in the NBA in a monster night against Portland. The French superstar rookie finished the night with 30 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 7 blocks as San Antonio snapped a five-game skid. Furthermore, Wembanyama’s star night game against fellow high-flying prospect, Scoot Henderson. “It’s always important to me to play against great players, especially players my age,” Wembanyama said after the game. “His length alone is just weird, it’s like he hovers over you. You can’t really feel him or bump him off because of his length,” Henderson said of playing against Wembanyama.

Read More: Jersey From Victor Wembanyama’s NBA Debut Sells For Over $700K At Auction

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NBA’s HBCU Fellowship Program to Empower Students for Third Consecutive Year

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NBA's HBCU Fellowship Program Empowers Students for Third Consecutive Year

In its third year, the NBA’s HBCU Fellowship Program is set to provide career development opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The paid 10-week summer internship initiative, running from June to August, places fellows in NBA teams and the league office across diverse departments, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, IT, social responsibility, and marketing.

Last year’s cohort saw participation from 24 HBCUs, contributing to 60 roles spread across all 30 NBA teams. The program, powered by the NBA Foundation in collaboration with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) and Fearless Dialogues, aims to foster skills and experiences in the business of basketball.

CDF, selected by the NBA Foundation, manages the program in a three-year partnership initiated in January 2023. This year’s expanded initiative, in collaboration with CDF and Fearless Dialogues, involves the education of 72 HBCU students on social justice concerns and servant leadership. The program incorporates virtual and in-person gatherings at CDF’s Alex Haley Farm in Clinton, TN, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience for the participants employed by all 30 NBA teams and their league offices.

Those interested in the Fellowship Program can apply here. The deadline to apply is this Sunday, Jan. 7 at 11:59 pm PT.

The post NBA’s HBCU Fellowship Program to Empower Students for Third Consecutive Year first appeared on The Source.

The post NBA’s HBCU Fellowship Program to Empower Students for Third Consecutive Year appeared first on The Source.

LeBron James & Giannis Antetokounmpo Lead Early All-Star Voting

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LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have both surpassed two million votes in the first round of public all-star voting. Meanwhile – Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton all broke the one million vote mark. Next month’s game, which will be held in Indianapolis, will also return to the old East v West matchup format. The return to the traditional method of team selection replaces the recently used Captain’s Draft method. Giannis and LeBron were both captains last year, with Giannis’ team winning a high-scoring game in Salt Lake City.

If selected, LeBron will become the NBA’s all-time All-Star leader with 20 selections. He is currently tied for 19 selections with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James Harden, who started the season benched by the Sixers, is currently in fourth place in Western Conference backcourt voting. Voting runs through January 20, with the next voting update released on January 11. Who do you want to make the All-Star Game? Let us know in the comments.

Read More: LeBron James Gives Every Lakers Teammate Personalized Greeting In Pre-Game Ritual

LeBron James Stars In New Louis Vuitton Campaign

Meanwhile off the court, LeBron James is the face of a new Louis Vuitton campaign. The Lakers star appeared in a range of sharp Louis Vuitton outfits in a cityscape setting. “LeBron James lends himself to Pharrell Williams’ debut collection, embodying the audacious energy and trailblazing vision of the Maison’s next menswear chapter,” the fashion house said. Of course, these fits aren’t for everyone, especially considering that the total outfit cost is nearly $14,000.

However, modeling for Pharrell isn’t the only venture that LeBron has been up to. He has also suggested that he wants to start livestreaming his Madden games when he plays against other people. “Thinking of live streaming my @EAMaddenNFL games when I play. 🤔. Who should I stream with? Meaning which platform brand 👑,” LeBron tweeted. Of course, the Lakers star was bombarded with suggestions ranging from Twitch to Rumble to Kick to OnlyFans. Overall, people are very excited to see it happen.

Read More: Lakers & Darvin Ham Suffering A “Disconnect” Due To Coach’s Lineup Decisions

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Draymond Green Returning To Warriors Facility

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Draymond Green is reportedly returning to the Warriors facility as he begins to work his way back towards the end of his indefinite suspension. “Golden State’s Draymond Green — on an indefinite league suspension since Dec. 13 — is expected to return to the Warriors’ facility in the coming days to start ramping up to resume play again, sources tell ESPN,” Adrian Wojnarowski reported on X. While Green’s suspension still allowed him to practice with the Warriors, he has reportedly been spending time away from the team to focus on his return and his recovery.

As mentioned by Wojnarowski, it has been nearly a month since Green was put on indefinite suspension. The decision came after the veteran hit a Suns player in the head. The incident came days after Green finished a five-game suspension for putting Rudy Gobert in a chokehold. In his absence, the Warriors have gone 6-4 but sit just outside the playoffs in 11th. This remains a developing story and we’ll have any updates as and when they emerge.

Read More: Draymond Green Hits Up LeBron James’ Birthday Party Amid NBA Suspension

Stephen A. Thinks Warriors Will Move From On Draymond Green

A lot has been said about Green’s suspension. Furthermore, at least one pundit believes it could be the end of his time with Golden State. “I think the appropriate question is – is this the end of Draymond Green in Golden State? Because if I’m the Golden State Warriors, if they are looking to trade him and move on from him, who could blame them at this particular moment in time? Because I don’t know what future Draymond Green has with this team,” Stephen A. Smith said on Get Up! the morning after Green’s suspension.

However, Green does have his defenders. “😆This fool is my favorite basketball 🏀 player, WTF Is wrong wit him. 🤷🏽‍♂️that was a mistake, I will apologize for him. 🤨come on it’s a physical game,” 50 Cent wrote on Instagram the day after the incident that got Green suspended. Green has remained mostly silent himself since his suspension

Read More: Lil Wayne Urges Caution From Fans Saying Draymond Green Needs Help

[via]

The post Draymond Green Returning To Warriors Facility appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Lakers & Darvin Ham Suffering A “Disconnect” Due To Coach’s Lineup Decisions

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Per Shams Charaina, there is a “growing disconnect” between the Lakers roster and coach Darvin Ham over the latter’s lineup choices. “There’s currently a deepening disconnect between Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room, six sources with direct knowledge of the situation say, raising questions about the head coach’s standing. The people spoke with The Athletic on condition of anonymity so that they could speak freely on the matter. Those sources have described that the disjointedness between the coach and team has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham, leading to a fluctuating rhythm for several players across the roster,” Charaina and Jovan Buah wrote for The Athletic.

The Lakers fell to 2-8 in their last 10 games as Ham started Anthony Davis, LeBron, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, and Austin Reaves against a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat. However, Ham deflected any direct criticism after the loss. “It’s a little bit of everything right now. We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now,” Ham said.

Read More: Bronny James “Finding His Groove” As He Throws Down Huge Dunk Against Cal

LeBron Blasts NBA For Missing “Obvious” Three

Meanwhile, the Lakers have simply been unable to catch a break for the past month or so. LeBron put the NBA on blast after a seemingly game-tying three-point was ruled as a two-pointer against the Timberwolves on December 30. Trailing 107-104, LeBron hit what he thought was a game-tying three. However, the bucket was ruled as a two and the Lakers would go on to lose 108-106 after Anthony Edwards drew a game-sealing foul. “What the hell do we got replay for? What do we have replay for if even the replay gets it wrong? It’s just like, who is a part of the replay center? Like, do we got robots in there making Teslas? Like, what’s going on?” LeBron lamented, discussing the NBA’s replay system.

Furthermore, LeBron argued it was an obvious three. “I mean, it’s obvious it’s a 3. My foot was behind the line. You can see the space between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. You can clearly see the wood on the floor, the space in between the front of my foot and the 3-point line. Stevie Wonder can see that, champ,” LeBron continued. However, the floor chief disputed LeBron’s claims after the game. “The play was ruled a 2-point field goal on the floor during live play. After video review, there wasn’t clear and conclusive evidence to overturn it from a 2 to a 3, and that’s why it stood as a 2-point field goal,” Tony Brothers said.

Read More: LeBron James Gives Every Lakers Teammate Personalized Greeting In Pre-Game Ritual

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SOURCE SPORTS: Detroit Pistons Snap Their Record-Breaking Losing Streak to End 2023

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The Detroit Pistons left their NBA record-losing streak in 2023. On Saturday (Dec. 30), the Pistons squeaked a 129-127 win over the Toronto Raptors. The now 3-29 Pistons were led by Cade Cunningham’s 30 points and 12 assists.

“I feel amazing,” Cunningham said. “We just kept battling. It’s been a long stretch, all these losses, but I’m just happy to be part of a group of guys who don’t quit.”

“I’m just so happy we were able to get that,” said Jalen Duren, who added 18 points and 17 rebounds. “We’ve been fighting hard for a couple of months to get one, and we’ve been through a lot of adversity.”

Up next for the Pistons is a matchup against the Houston Rockets on New Year’s Day.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Detroit Pistons Snap Their Record-Breaking Losing Streak to End 2023 first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Detroit Pistons Snap Their Record-Breaking Losing Streak to End 2023 appeared first on The Source.