The Golden State Warriors organization and thousands of their loyal fans flooded market street in San Francisco for their championship parade. The confetti-lined route saw many notable moments, including a rally and tons of champagne. There were also plenty of trending moments like Klay Thompson stumbling into a woman along the parade route.
Thompson left the championship bus and was strolling toward fans when he stumbled, he then would fall into a lady who would be knocked over. Being the gentleman and champion he is, Thompson immediately turned to the woman and helped her up.
Thompson was also spotted dancing like Michael Jackson, dropping his championship ring and chugging Hennessy.
Elsewhere during the parade, Draymond Green found Mistah F.A.B. along the parade route who was working for NBC in parade coverage. After asking was it a live TV segment and receiving a, yes, Green would drop an F-Bomb directly into the camera.
NBA great Shaquille O’Neal is returning to his hometown of Natick, New Jersey to help improve the community. O’Neal unveiled two projects last week, including a new basketball and multi-use court.
The four-time NBA champ held a 3-point shooting contest, offering up laptops to local students who made a shot. O’Neal shared “I played here in the morning and until late at night. When those street lights went on, I ran my butt home.” He continued motivating the Brick City kids and told them to “follow their dreams.”
Shaq also showed off a 33-story affordable apartment tower, where the basketball superstar will be living in its penthouse, called “Shaq Tower 2.” The $80 million building will be the largest mixed income complex in New Jersey. Governor Murphy said the new apartment complex is a win-win for Newark. Twenty percent of the units will be affordable. The historic development project will also offer 12,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space.
The Larry O’Brien trophy is headed back to The Bay Area. The Golden State Warriors walked into Boston’s TD Garden and beat the Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals 103-90, securing another championship to their dynastic run. For the first time in his historic career, Stephen Curry was named Finals MVP.
As the win became realistic for the Warriors, the emotions were clear on Steph Curry’s face as he fought back tears, eventually letting them flow in the game’s final seconds.
“This one is definitely different because of the three years of baggage we carried coming out of that Game 6 in 2019,” Curry said in postgame. “I can say it now, I don’t know how many teams could carry that as long as we have with the expectations of comparing us now to teams of past and make it to the mountaintop again.”
That baggage included injuries to Curry, Draymond Green and the two-year absence of Klay Thompson due to major leg injuries, the departure of Kevin Durant, losing in the 2019 NBA Finals, blending new pieces, relocating to a new stadium in San Francisco after years of being based in Oakland and some of the toughest competition in NBA history.
“People called me crazy. I said championship or bust because I saw how we came out of the gates,” Thompson said. “I knew we had a chance to do something special, and here we are. It’s so incredible. Wow.”
In close-out Game 6, Curry scored 24 points on 12-of-21 shooting, dropping six threes in just one game after going 0-9 from long range. Green added a box score stuffing 12 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
It has been seven years since the last time iconic MMA fighter Ronda Rousey (12-2-0) stepped into the octagon. When asked about a possible return to MMA during the Kurt Angle Show last Sunday (June 12), Rousey revealed there’s only one fight she’d be interested in returning to competition for — Gina Carano.
“There’s only one person … there’s only one person I would come back for,” Rousey told Kurt Angle. “I mean, I’ve said it a million times. It’s not like it’s something new. (I’d come back) for Gina, man – Gina Carano. She’s the reason why I got into fighting. She’s the reason why I knew it was a possibility. I will always be forever grateful. If she ever was like, ‘Ronda, I want to fight you tomorrow at 205 pounds’ – like, whatever the hell she’d want. I’m not saying she’s 205 pounds; she’s very svelte.”
Rousey continued: “If she wanted to come into my backyard and do the ‘Rocky’ thing, you know, ‘Ding-ding,’ and we just do it in the backyard, I don’t care. I will fight Gina wherever she wants. And if she doesn’t want to, forever, I will leave that offer there. It’s a respect thing, not like a, ‘F*ck you, I’m coming to get you.’ It’s just like, ‘Hey, if you ever want to pull that card out, it’s there.’ I love her. Thank you, Gina, for everything you’ve done.”
Gina Carano, 40, retired from MMA in 2009 after her first loss against current Bellator MMA champ Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino at Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg in August 2009. Transitioning to acting shortly after defeat, Carano is recognized as the pioneer of women’s MMA.
Rousey has had no interest in returning to MMA for a “final” bout since her loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. In her prime, Rousey was the face of the women’s UFC division. A reigning champion from 2013 to 2015, she headlined five UFC events with her first against Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 in February 2013.
In 2019, Carano shared with ESPN that a potential “super fight” with Rousey was presented to her — a fight Rousey always wanted — with a million-dollar offer to fight a then-undefeated Rousey; however, didn’t materialize because of Dana White — according to Carano.
Carano told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani: “When Ronda Rousey became popular, I remember they (Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta) had finally called for a meeting, and I walked in this restaurant, and they looked like these two big muscly guys at the table in like the middle of Hollywood. I remember thinking, ‘What took you guys so long? I’ve been … what took you so long?’ So they were like, ‘OK, we’d love to offer you a million dollars. We’d love to have that fight.’ And I was like, ‘Well, that sounds great, but I’m going to need you to do me a favor, then, because I’ve been acting, I’m not active in any gym. So it’s going to take me, you know, you’re going to have to give me some time to build a team or join a team.”
It’s no secret that the idea of Rousey versus Carano would easily be one of the biggest fights in MMA history and draw record-breaking Pay-Per-Views buy. Unfortunately in combat sports, super fights often fall through due to a variety of reasons, ranging from money to politics to proper preparation.
“And it’s not an easy thing, as I’m sure all the fighters know,” Carano continued. “You have to find a team or build one that’s going to be into what you’re doing, and if you haven’t actively been a part of anything, you can walk in as Gina Carano or whoever, but you’re still going to have to find the people who are really going to be there for you, and that takes time. So I told them, ‘You got to be able to just sit on this for about six months, Dana. You can’t say anything and let me get situated with that, because that sounds great and I’d love to do it.’ So it was a nice dinner, and we all left positive. I left stoked, and I was like, ‘OK, well this makes sense. This is my moment to come and be back in there.”
Fans of the two icons have created dream fight simulations that showcased possible outcomes in support of the UFC’s UFC 2 video game. You may watch the full women’s bantamweight dream bout above via EA Sports.
Since the UFC, Rousey has become a WWE Superstar and the current Smackdown Women’s Champion, alongside a flourishing acting career with roles in blockbuster film franchises Fast and Furious and Expandables.
Gina Carano has established herself as an action star with high-profile roles in blockbuster franchises like Fast and Furious also, Marvel’s Deadpool and Star Wars.
More celebrity boxing is coming this summer with the announcement Thursday evening (June 16) of popular recording artist and recurring celebrity boxer DDG (“Moonwalking in Calabasas”) set to return to the ring to face off against chart-topping Atlantic Records recording artist and first-time celebrity boxer PnB Rock(“Selfish”) on July 30 in Los Angeles, California at Crypto.com Arena and Pay-Per-View.
“I said I wasn’t getting back in the ring unless it was another artist,” tweets DDG on Twitter with a promotional flyer featuring PnB Rock and himself. “LETS GET IT!!! Get tickets now.”
Brought to you by Social Golves Entertainment and Bash Boxing, the two hip-hop stars will join as co-headliners of the upcoming boxing match between Los Angeles recording artist Blueface and NBA champ-turned-podcaster Nick “Swaggy P” Young. Bout against PnB Rock marks DDG second celebrity boxing match with a decisive win against YouTuber Nate Wyatt in June 2021 at Battle of the Platforms in Miami.
In his fight against PnB Rock, DDG hopes to inspire the end of senseless gun violence in today’s hip-hop that has taken the lives of so many prominent hip-hop stars in recent years. He encourages other artists to join celebrity boxing and settle their differences with their fists, instead of resorting to gun violence.
In a follow-up tweet, DDG tweets with money bag emojis: “This shit more than a boxing match, it’s a movement! Rappers put the GUNS down & put on the Gloves. Ni**as out here killing for free when u can just punch it out for a BAG.”
This shit more than a boxing match, it’s a movement! Rappers put the GUNS down & put on the GLOVES niggas out here killing for free when u can just punch it out for a BAG
PnB Rock has yet to comment on the upcoming bout at press time.
DDG is scheduled to perform headlining shows in Chicago, Atlanta and New York City leading up to the fight with more show announcements on the way.
In related news, DDG and popular recording artist Toosii agreed to a boxing match last summer after the two exchanged words over DDG’s ex-girlfriend Rubi Rose. More as the story develops.
Tickets for DDG vs. PnB Rock are available now at AXS.
Wrestling titan Vince McMahon is under investigation by the World Wrestling Entertainment Board of Directors after revealing a secret $3 million settlement. According to the Wall Street Journal, McMahon agreed to pay an employee as she left the company. The employee allegedly had an affair with McMahon.
The employee was hired as a paralegal for McMahon in 2019. The legal agreement was created in January 2022, forbidding the former employee to discuss or talk against the WWE executive.
The investigation into McMahon and the agreement has revealed additional nondisclosure agreements involving McMahon and his friend and head of talent relations at WWE, John Laurinaitis. The initial belief is that the previous agreements included payouts in millions.
The board is represented by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in the investigation and has already discovered McMahon used personal funds to pay the employees. McMahon’s attorney is aligned with the personal funds being used, citing “WWE did not pay any monies” to the former employee.
In an email to the board, McMahon is accused of hiring the paralegal at $100,000 per year, which would double once she engaged in a sexual relationship with him. McMahon then allegedly “gave her like a toy” to Laurinaitis.
On the board of directors is McMahon, daughter Stephanie McMahon, who is currently on a leave of absence, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and the McMahon family is believed to hold the controlling shares of the company. The full report of payouts and more in the introductory emails to the Board of Directors can be read here.
A Klay Thompson impersonator made it all the way into Chase Arena and onto the floor of the arena to get shots up before he was realized to be a fake and escorted out the arena. The impersonator is now banned for life.
The impersonator is Dawson Gurley, aka Big Daws, who released a video showing his preparation to become Klay, hitting the bar with friends, fooling an Uber driver, fans and more. Once in the arena, after signing some autographs, fake Klay got off threes, impressively draining a few, before he was ousted. Gurley shared his ban letter online.
“On June 13, 2022, you entered through the employee entrance of Chase Center prior to a GSW vs Boston Celtics NBA Finals game without a valid ticket, valid credential, or pre-approved authorization by Chase Center, GSW, or the NBA League Office,” the letter reads. “You deliberately deceived Chase Center building personnel by impersonating a GSW employee. Your being in the Chase Center without proper credentials or authorization is in direct violation of the Fan Code of Conduct of Chase Center, GSW, and the NBA League.”
It’s officially scary hours in Boston as the Golden State Warriors relied on Andrew Wiggins, who stepped up for an ice-cold Stephen Curry and win Game 5. The Warriors will return to Boston for a Game 6 against the Celtics, which can clinch their fourth championship in eight years.
In the 104-94 victory, Wiggins scored 26 points and added 13 rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Although Wiggins led the team, the win placed the trio of Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson in rare air as they have the most Finals game wins of any trio in decades.
After the game, Green reflected on the trade that landed Wiggins, noting fans and analysts looked at Wiggins as just a “piece.”
“A lot of people looked at that trade like, oh, that’s another piece they can move,” Green said to ESPN. “We looked at the trade from the very beginning like that is a guy who can fit next to a healthy group absolutely well. … He’s continued to show that. He’s continued to get better. He’s taken on every challenge that we have thrown in front of him. And that’s been huge. And we need him to do that for one more win.”
“They have won before, and they have dominated the NBA,” Wiggins said. “When I got here, they put you in position to succeed. They always bring out the best in you. They want the best for you. You know, supportive.”
Game 6 of the NBA Finals will be this Thursday at 9 EST.
Steph Curry has been incredibly busy this week, trying to lead the Warriors to an NBA title in a gritty battle against the Boston Celtics. While Curry hopes to emerge a winner on the court, he is working for a more even playing field off the court.
Curry has been known for rocking some fits from up-and-coming minority designers in his tunnel walks, and he is also promoting gender equality with his custom Curry 4’s, which feature the hashtag #RetireInequality and draw attention to economic inequalities that still face many women around the world today.
Curry debuted the custom Curry 4’s in game three against the Celtics. The shoes feature a bright blue, pink, yellow, and white colorway with the hashtag #RetireInequality. A closeup of the shoe was posted on the official Curry Brand Instagram (@sc30) with the following caption:
For Game , @stephencurry30 wore a special pair of Curry 4s designed by our very own @azzi35. Major love to @tiaa @currybrand @dezcustomz and @kreativecustomkicks for helping make it all happen!
A small quantity of this special pair will be available for purchase on June 23 on @ntwrk, with all proceeds going to the Women’s Sports Foundation and @tiaa’s mission to bring awareness to the retirement pay gap affecting women today.
Learn more: https://retireinequality.com
SC30 Instagram
#RetireInequality is an initiative by TIAA bank to promote economic opportunity for women and work towards more equitable pay and retirement savings opportunities. Azzi Fudd shooting guard for the UConn Huskies. The shoe design was also courtesy of custom shoe designer @dezcustomz, which specializes in airbrush art design and @kreativecustomkicks, which specializes in intricately detailed custom painted shoes.
A heroic game four performance from Stephen Curry is why the NBA Finals is now tied 2-2. The Dubs won 107-97 last night in the TD Garden. In game 4, Curry dominated. He dropped 43 points and grabbed ten rebounds, including seven 3-pointers.
Fourth-three points is the third-highest scoring total in the postseason and the second-most points scored in the NBA Finals for the two-time league MVP. This game comes just one after Curry seemingly injured his foot in the game three loss.
“The heart on that man is incredible,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. “The things he does, we kind of take for granted at times, to go out there and put us on his back. We’ve got to help him out on Monday.”
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Warriors went on a 10-0 run, erasing a four-point Boston lead into a 100-94 Golden State advantage.
His splash brother Klay Thompson pitched in with 18 points with four 3-pointers, and Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.
The Warriors have won at least one road game for an NBA-record 27 consecutive playoff series since 2013. They will host Game 5 on Monday night, with Game 6 in Boston on Thursday; Golden State would hold the home-court advantage in a seventh game, if necessary.
For Boston, three different players scored at least 20 points. Jayson Tatum led the way with 23, and Robert Williams and Jaylen Brown scored 21 a piece.
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@Money23Green @warriors pic.twitter.com/p9zlpXIw2Y
LETS GET IT!! Get tickets now 
(@PontiacMadeDDG) 
win away 
, @stephencurry30 wore a special pair of Curry 4s designed by our very own @azzi35. Major love to @tiaa @currybrand @dezcustomz and @kreativecustomkicks for helping make it all happen!
