SOURCE SPORTS: NBA Insider Shams Charania Joins ESPN Following Wojnarowski’s Departure

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On Monday, the NBA insider Shams Charania confirmed on social media that he is joining ESPN, marking a significant shift in the network’s NBA coverage. Charania’s move comes just weeks after Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN’s longtime insider, left his role to become the general manager for the men’s basketball program at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.

Charania spent the last six years at The Athletic and Stadium and two years on FanDuel TV. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, his transition to ESPN is expected to fill the void left by Wojnarowski’s departure.

Known for his timely and accurate reporting, Charania has become a trusted source in NBA circles and will now be a key figure in ESPN’s basketball coverage.

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Fan-Favorite Announcers Join NBA 2K25, Including Shams Charania and Stan Van Gundy

NBA 2K25 Logo 2

Today, 2K announced exciting additions to the NBA 2K25 lineup, featuring beloved commentators and announcers who will enhance the game’s realism. For the first time, NBA Insider Shams Charania, historic Golden State Warriors PA announcer Matt Hurtwitz, and renowned NBA broadcaster Stan Van Gundy will lend their voices to the popular basketball simulation.

Shams Charania, known for his breaking NBA news, will bring real-time transaction updates and franchise trade reports to the game. He will join the commentary team with Kevin Harlan and make special appearances in MyCAREER via his social media videos, adding a dynamic layer to the game’s immersive experience.

The introduction of the Steph Era in MyNBA, where players can relive the 2016 Golden State Warriors’ historic run, will be highlighted by the iconic Matt Hurtwitz. The former Warriors PA announcer’s voice will capture the electrifying atmosphere of that legendary period.

Stan Van Gundy, a veteran NBA broadcaster and former head coach, will join an already star-studded commentary team. His deep knowledge and insight will complement the game’s other commentators, including Greg Anthony, Brian Anderson, Doris Burke, and more.

With Early Tip-Off access beginning on September 4 for those who pre-order, NBA 2K25 is set to deliver its most immersive and detailed experience yet. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements as the release date approaches!

The post Fan-Favorite Announcers Join NBA 2K25, Including Shams Charania and Stan Van Gundy first appeared on The Source.

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Shams Charania Seemingly Takes Shot At Adrian Wojnarowski Over Lakers Dan Hurley Scoop

There is still no basketball coach on the Los Angeles Lakers roster to take over Darvin Ham’s role. After weeks of speculation, ESPN commentator JJ Redick appeared to be the clear favorite to land the position. However, in the final days, Dan Hurley, the coach of UConn, emerged as the front-runner and later declined a contract offer from the franchise. The campaigns of Redick and Hurley were closely linked to reporting by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic, respectively. Wojnarowski broke the news of Hurley’s interest in the role. Charania was often the most well-known national reporter, stating that Redick was in the lead.

The two had a lengthy connection. Last year, a feature in New York magazine compared their back and forth to a “cold war.” On Tuesday, Charania appeared to be relishing the chance to outdo his former master, seemingly taking a shot at him. “Then they, last week, on Wednesday, turned their attention, I’m told, to Dan Hurley,” Charania said on FanDuel TV. “And, he was not the No. 1 candidate, the No. 1 guy to go pursue from the start, from the beginning.” he refutes Woj’s assertion that Dan Hurley was the Laker’s number one option from the beginning.

Read More: Over Lakers Dan Hurley Scoop

Shams Charania Seemingly Takes Shot At Adrian Wojnarowski

This contradicts several reports by Wojnarowski. Woj said in his original piece that “Hurley has been at the forefront of the Lakers’ search from the beginning of the process, even while the organization has done its due diligence interviewing several other candidates.” Notably, Wojnarowski reported a month ago that the Lakers were considering Redick as part of their “wide-ranging and lengthy search.” Both Charania and Wojnarowski concur that Hurley was not the only person the organization interviewed.

However, Charania made other remarks about Hurley’s candidacy that gave the impression that he was disparaging Wojnarowski. When Charania went on Pat McAfee’s show, which is shown on ESPN naturally, she came across as rather skeptical of the Hurley issue as a whole. “If the Lakers wanna go hire James Borrego, they’ve had a month to hire James Borrego,” Charania said. “They’ve had this week, after losing out on Dan Hurley, I guess, they’ve had this time to go get James Borrego.” overall, the battle between Shams and Woj will wage on. 

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

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Shams Charania & Adrian Wojnarowski Reportedly Have A Contentious Relationship

If you are an NBA fan who spends time on Twitter, you have probably encountered the reporting of Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania. Firstly, Charania works for The Athletic, which is more of an online magazine. Secondly, you have Woj, who works for ESPN, although he used to be with Yahoo! Sports. Both of these men are extremely fast when it comes to reporting on trades, free agency signings, and anything else that has to do with the NBA.

Recently, both men have been criticized by fans for their moral standing in the journalism world. Some believe that Woj is too critical of players who stand up to the NBA establishment, while Shams is too friendly with the NBA and its players as a means to get a scoop. Simply put, they are both playing “the game.” However, their desire to be “first” on a story has created an unwritten rivalry. Everyone knows the rivalry exists, especially since they never talk to or about each other. Well, a new report from The Washington Post reveals just how far the rivalry goes.

Read More: Kyrie Irving Checks Adrian Wojnarowski For His James Harden Reporting

Shams Charania Vs. Woj

People around the NBA are very much aware of the feud brewing between the two. Essentially, The Athletic refuses to use reports from ESPN, while ESPN avoids The Athletic, at all costs. If one of them reported on something first, the other would not engage with it. They will do their own reporting and keep it at that. Additionally, as mentioned before, they will not be uttering the other’s name, anytime soon. Reporters across publications can usually be seen chopping it up with one another. For Woj and Shams, however, that rivalry runs extra hot.

That said, NBA fans probably follow both of these men. They both report the same information extremely fast. Moreover, on big days like the trade deadline and free agency, you get to keep track of who was the fastest throughout the day. Let us know which reporter you prefer, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from around the sports world.

Read More: Shams Charania Roasted For Tweeting Wrong Damian Lillard Trade

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Shams Charania Roasted For Tweeting Wrong Damian Lillard Trade

There were two losers in the Damian Lillard trade – the Miami Heat and journalist Shams Charania. Shams has been slowly building himself to be a viable rival in the NBA news wars to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. However, The Athletic and Stadium reporter took a major blow to his credibility while trying to beat Woj to the Damian Lillard trade news. Shams tweeted the news just after Woj did. However, Shams’ tweet was full of errors. His tweet listed the Raptors as Lillard’s destination rather than the Bucks. Furthermore, Shams erroneously reported the trade as a four-team trade despite only listing three teams.

The tweet was widely roasted online, with people clowning on Shams for getting the trade report so wrong while also still being beat to the scoop by Woj. Meanwhile, many journalists noted that even in the battle to be “first to report”, it’s still better to be right than first. However, for many people, it also showed exactly why Woj is and remains king of the NBA scoops.

Read More: Jimmy Butler Reacts To Damian Lillard Trade, Wants Bucks Investigated For Tampering

Is Shams Cooked?

However, it’s not the first time this year that Shams has made a questionable reporting decision. In the hours before the NBA draft, Shams reported that the Hornets were considering Scoot Henderson over Brandon Miller at #2. This led to a wave of people putting money on Henderson to the Hornets. However, the Hornets chose Miller and said after the draft that he was always going to be the pick. Shams’ integrity was brought into question given his ties to the betting platform FanDuel.

Many fans, rightfully, questioned if Shams had knowingly released information he knew to be shaky at best because it would help FanDuel’s margins. It briefly raised questions as to the impact that sports bettors having sway over journalists is having on the sports media industry. While Woj’s record isn’t perfect, it’s hard not to draw comparisons between the two reporters. After all, Shams managed to be both late and wrong to the Lillard trade. As SB Nation staffer Kofie Yeboah said in his response – “X having an edit button doesn’t mean anything. Shams was still late and wrong about the trade.”

Read More: Cam’ron Reveals Texts With Damian Lillard Following Bucks Trade

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Ja Morant Suspension Length Revealed

As soon as the NBA Finals ended, attention turned to Memphis. Ja Morant had been suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies since May 14 after he flashed a gun on Instagram Live. It was the second time that Morant had done this, earning an eight-game suspension in March after the first incident. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appeared to imply that the league would be coming down hard on Morant. After revealing that Morant’s punishment would be issued after the Finals, Silver gave a hardline response about the incident.

Amid the support and condemnation of Morant and his actions, there was much debate about how long he would be suspended. The first concrete indication came from Morant’s team. While claiming that the gun was fake, Morant’s team said that they still expected a suspension of around 30 games. This was a prediction echoed by a number of NBA pundits. Furthermore, many people lobbied the NBA to be lenient on Morant. They argued that harsher punishment would not mean the underlying issues went away. However, we now know how much time Morant will miss.

How Long Is Ja Morant’s Suspension?

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Ja Morant will be suspended for 25 games during the 2023-24 NBA season. Around three times the length of his suspension in March, the revealed punishment is in line with most expectations for his punishment. However, this means that the Grizzlies will likely be without Morant until early December.

While the punishment is certainly impactful, it could have been far worse for Morant and the Grizzlies. However, it’s clear that Adam Silver, despite his vocal bravado about gun safety, is unwilling to remove one of the league’s biggest names. While it pales in comparison to other punishments the NBA has handed in the past, it’s on par with contemporary suspensions given out by the league. Mikail Bridges was given a 30-game suspension in April 2023 after pleading no contest to felony domestic assault charges. Morant has since issued a statement, apologizing for his behavior and promising to do better. Follow all the latest sports news here at HotNewHipHop.

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Dillon Brooks’ Agent Lashes Out At Reporter For “Fake News”

Much has been said about Dillon Brooks. The Memphis Grizzlies forward put himself in the spotlight during the team’s first-round matchup against the Lakers. Primarily, Brooks angled himself as beefing with LeBron James. However, Brooks struggled to back up his words on the court. The Grizzlies would be eliminated in six games by the Lakers. Brooks averaged 10.5 points per game versus the Lakers, even while being frequently left open on the perimeter. His three-point shooting sat at a dismal 23.8%, going 10-for-42 from behind the arc.

Brooks’ trash-talking and other off-court behaviors appear to have cost him his future in Memphis. Reports suggest that Brooks, who has played for the Grizzlies since a draft day trade in 2017, will be allowed to explore free agency. During the playoffs, Brooks also told the media that he felt that they had turned him into a “villain”. Now his representatives are taking that one step further.

Brooks’ Agent Says Shams Charaina Is Spreading “Fake News”

Shams Charaina is a very well-respected basketball reporter who has been with The Athletic since 2018. However, he appears to have drawn the ire of several people for initially breaking the story that the Grizzlies were allowing Brooks to walk in the offseason. Specifically, people point at Charaina as “scapegoating” Brooks for the Grizzlies’ first-round exit. Notably, Brooks’ comments during the Lakers series do appear to have impacted his future with the team. “We’re going to take a different approach as it pertains to [trash talk] next season,” Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said Sunday during the team’s exit interviews. “You’ll see a different approach from this team, but at the same time, confidence is important. … There’s a line there, certainly.”

This sentiment was echoed by Brooks’ agent, Mike George. George spent most of May 3 retweeting media clips of people criticizing the Grizzlies for their decision. As former NBA pro, and well-known beef haver, JJ Reddick sounded off on First Take, George added his thoughts to Reddicks’ defense of his client. “@ShamsCharania the leader of spreading false news and attacking players. Why any player in the league talks to this guy blows my mind. #weirdo”. George is obviously going to defend his client, who will likely find a landing spot in the NBA next season. However, while there is a valid argument for a negative media narrative around Brooks, he still said the things he said while playing poorly in crucial games.

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LaMarcus Aldridge Announces Retirement

LaMarcus Aldridge is calling it a career. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Aldridge is officially retiring. Aldridge’s last action in the league came last season. The former Texas Longhorn spent last season with the Brooklyn Nets, where he appeared in 47 games. Aldridge has dealt with health issues recently. Additionally, those health issues almost forced Aldridge to walk away from the game a few years earlier. Now Aldridge can walk away on his own terms, while knowing he left it all on the court.

Aldridge spent 16 years in the NBA. First with the team who gave him his start, the Portland Trailblazers. Aldridge spent the first nine seasons of his career in Portland. After Portland, Aldridge spent another six years in San Antonio with Greg Popovich and the Spurs. Finally, Aldridge rounded out his great career in Brooklyn for two seasons. The Texas big man made an impact at every stop in his career. Undoubtedly an amazing career for Aldridge.

LaMarcus Aldridge Decides To Ride Off In The Sunset

Aldridge finishes his career with solid numbers on the hardwood. The seven-time NBA All-Star has a career average of 19 points and 8 rebounds. Not only did Alridge receive All-Star accolades, but the big man also earned All-NBA honors on five separate occasions. One can’t help but wonder if Portland could have made more of a run with Aldridge and Damian Lillard. The pair were together for three seasons in Portland. In that time, the team didn’t reach the Western Conference Finals. Portland is still seeking its first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2019.

The NBA says goodbye to another exceptional talent. 16 years of service in the NBA is an impressive feat for anyone. Some don’t even get the chance to be in the league for two years. However, now the debate begins. As much as I believe it, do you believe Aldridge is a Hall-of-Famer? Without the health scares, could Aldrige have been the missing key for a Brooklyn Nets title run? Let us know in the comment section below how you feel about Aldridge’s career. For the latest NBA breaking news, stay locked in with us here at HNHH.

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Kevin Durant Does Not Care About His Legacy

Kevin Durant is very much someone who fights back against NBA media narratives. Overall, he doesn’t have much time for all of the talk about who is better than who. He really couldn’t care less whether or not he makes it inside of your Top 5. Additionally, if you don’t put him on your Mount Rushmore, he probably wouldn’t think twice about it. Simply put, KD plays for the love of the game. He wants to have fun while playing basketball and no one will stop him from doing that.

Recently, KD returned to the floor for the Phoenix Suns. He had been out for a few weeks with an ankle injury and wanted to show he’s still got it. Although he did struggle, there is no doubt that Suns fans were excited to see him. Alongside his return to the court was a recent report from Shams Charania of The Athletic. Within this interview, Durant spoke about all of the legacy talk that surrounds him. As you will see, Durant has some strong words about those who want to debate his many contributions to the sport.

Kevin Durant Talks Boldly

“I don’t care about legacy,” Kevin Durant said. “I truly, truly don’t care. I truly just want to go out there and produce. Be the best that I can be, go home, hang with my family. That’s it.” Some fans may hate this mentality, although, you cannot help but respect it. Some athletes are extremely wrapped up in what they need to achieve. However, these guys are all human beings with real lives away from the court. At some point, you have to seek happiness from something other than your day job.

Ironically enough, KD may very well affirm his legacy very soon. The Phoenix Suns are primed and ready for a deep playoff run, and there is this sense that they could go win it all. With Devin Booker and Chris Paul next to Kevin Durant, it is easy to see why people would think this. Let us know what you think the Suns’ chances are, in the comments down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.