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Bronny James finally made his highly anticipated NBA debut on Saturday, but it was a modest start. We’re being nice and patient but it was definitely modest. 

The rookie scored four points during his first Summer League game, where the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Sacramento Kings 108-94 in the California Classic.

Let’s be real. It was his FIRST game. He dropped four and got his ankles crossed. Yes, it was bad but it was his FIRST game. Let the kid breathe. But the crossover he caught was crazy. Still, he survived. 

That still numbers don’t lie. 

James logged 21 minutes on the court, contributing two rebounds, two assists, and a steal. 

His shooting was off target, hitting only 2-of-9 from the field, missing all three attempts from beyond the arc, and failing to convert his two free throws.

Get this, his first NBA points came from a layup in the second quarter, followed by a midrange stepback shot. 

Although his father, LeBron James, could not attend the game due to his commitments with the Team USA basketball roster, he showed support from afar. LeBron watched a clip of Bronny’s first points and praised his son for being “tough.”

Okay, how cool is that. His father/teammate is showing love while working out for team USA getting ready for the Olympics. Wild. 

The game saw Kings guard Adonis Arms, who went undrafted in 2022 but has two seasons of G League experience, lead with 32 points and 11 rebounds. Now THAT should be the story. Adonis Arms. He has an NBA name if there ever was one. 

Guard Antoine Davis added 20 points off the bench for Sacramento. No big deal, just dropped a light 20.

For the Lakers, forward Blake Hinson led the scoring with 17 points off the bench, shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range. Guard Tommy Kuhse added 15 points and 8 assists, while center Colin Castleton contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Solid performances from Bronny’s teammates but he’s the focus. His last name is the story. 

ICYMI, last week, Bronny signed a multi-year guaranteed contract with the Lakers, securing a four-year, $7.9 million deal on Wednesday.

The post Bronny James NBA Summer League Debut Scores 4 Points on 2 for 9 Shooting first appeared on The Source.

The post Bronny James NBA Summer League Debut Scores 4 Points on 2 for 9 Shooting appeared first on The Source.

This summer’s NBA free agency just made another splash in the market. The Sacramento Kings are set to acquire free agent guard DeMar DeRozan in a three-year, $74 million sign-and-trade deal, sources informed ESPN on Saturday night. That’s it, Mr. 4th quarter is out of Chicago.

Breaking down the deal, the Kings will send forward Harrison Barnes and an unprotected 2031 pick swap to the San Antonio Spurs. 

In addition, guard Chris Duarte, two second-round draft picks, and cash will be sent to the Chicago Bulls, sources indicated. So the Bulls aren’t really the victors in this deal or this summer, but when are they ever in free agency.

The Kings targeted DeRozan to join forces with All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, and promising young forward Keegan Murray, aiming to bolster their offensive firepower in the highly competitive Western Conference.

DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who will turn 35 next month, is coming off a strong three-year tenure with the Bulls, during which he made the All-Star team in his first two seasons and averaged 24 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists this past season. He finished second to Stephen Curry in voting for the NBA’s 2024 Clutch Player of the Year Award.

On Saturday, DeRozan traveled to Sacramento to meet with team officials and Kings coach Mike Brown, who recently signed an offseason contract extension. Brown has led the franchise to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2006.

A three-time All-NBA selection, DeRozan was the ninth pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors and has since played for the Raptors, Spurs, and Bulls over his 15 NBA seasons. Throughout his career, he has averaged 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 1,110 NBA games.

The post DeMar DeRozan Lands with Sacramento Kings in 3-year $74 million Sign and Trade first appeared on The Source.

The post DeMar DeRozan Lands with Sacramento Kings in 3-year $74 million Sign and Trade appeared first on The Source.

Khyree Jackson, a promising Minnesota Vikings rookie and former standout at Oregon, tragically passed away at the age of 24 following a car crash early Saturday morning. The accident, which also claimed the lives of two others, was confirmed by the Maryland State Police.

Khyree Jackson drafted by the Vikings with the No. 108 overall pick in April 2024. 

“I am absolutely crushed by this news,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “Khyree brought a contagious energy to our facility and our team. His confidence and engaging personality immediately drew his teammates to him. In our short time together, it was evident Khyree was going to develop into a tremendous professional football player, but what was more impressive was his desire to become the best person he could be for his family and those around him. I am at a loss for words. My heart goes out to Khyree’s family, friends, teammates, and coaches.”

From reports, it all happened around 3:14 a.m. on Saturday when police in Prince George’s County responded to reports of a crash involving three vehicles. Upon arrival, state troopers found a maroon Dodge Charger, a silver Infiniti Q50, and a silver Chevrolet Impala involved in the collision.

Jackson, a passenger in the Charger, and 23-year-old Isaiah Hazel, who was driving the car, were pronounced dead at the scene. Another passenger, 23-year-old Anthony Lytton Jr., was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The three victims were reportedly former teammates at Dr. Henry Wise Jr. High School in Maryland. Unbelievably sad on so many levels.

Get this, according to the early investigation, the driver of the Infiniti, identified as Cori Clingman, crashed into the Charger while attempting to change lanes at a high speed, subsequently hitting the Chevrolet. Clingman had two passengers in her car, neither of whom were injured. The driver of the Chevrolet was also uninjured.

Police believe that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the crash, and charges are pending as the investigation continues.

Do not drink and drive. Period.

The post Vikings Rookie Khyree Jackson Dies at 24 With Two HS Teammates in Maryland Car Crash first appeared on The Source.

The post Vikings Rookie Khyree Jackson Dies at 24 With Two HS Teammates in Maryland Car Crash appeared first on The Source.

Ice Cube recently announced the expansion of his BIG3 basketball league, to Houston and Miami. 

Earlier this year, Cube expressed his vision to transition the BIG3 from hosting games on the road to establishing home teams across the nation, with Los Angeles being his first acquisition. Looks like he’s making progress.

Get this, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday (July 3), that Eric Mullins and Milton Carroll purchased a franchise in Houston, and last month, businessman Heath Freeman acquired a unit in Miami. Freeman stated, “I am honored to join Ice Cube and [co-founder] Jeff Kwatinetz at the BIG3 and bring a new professional basketball team to Miami.”

He added, “BIG3 is shaping the future of basketball; the gameplay is dynamic and nuanced, and the product on the court appeals to the audiences in this incredibly fast-growing region. Basketball fans across South Florida can rest assured that this franchise will soon add to our great region’s winning sports pedigree.”

Here’s what Cube said in an exclusive interview with VIBE prior to the announced expansion: 

“We’d love to be in Toronto, New York, Miami, Chicago, the Bay Area, DC area, Baltimore, DMV, St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit,” he said. “We’d love to be in Jersey. We actually got a game in Newark this year.”

ICYMI, Cube also mentioned his attempts to recruit newly-drafted Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark ahead of the 2024 WNBA season. Genius PR move. Here’s what he said:

”Her impact on the ratings is something that’s undeniable. She was doing better ratings than the NBA,” he said of the talented athlete. “As a league, you want that kind of star power. It would raise the bar for everybody. If another player comes along with that kind of impact, of course, we would go after them.”

Cube added, “It’s something that our sponsors and everybody was looking at, and if we would’ve landed her, it would have meant the league would’ve been able to collect more dollars from all our partners and sponsors. It would’ve been a big win for the whole league.”

The post Ice Cube Expands BIG3 Bringing New Teams to Miami and Houston first appeared on The Source.

The post Ice Cube Expands BIG3 Bringing New Teams to Miami and Houston appeared first on The Source.

It’s almost time for the Summer Olympics in Paris, France and the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team is gearing up for their run at another gold medal. 

Head Coach Steve Kerr reflect and eluded that if other countries are improving, the U.S. must also find ways to advance.

“Maybe we’ll show that one to the guys,” Kerr said. “I love that. And it has to be our attitude this summer.”

After extensive planning, the U.S. Olympic team, aiming for a fifth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Games, is set to begin training in Sin City.

The first practice is on Saturday, marking the start of a four-day training camp before their exhibition opener against Canada on Wednesday. 

Hear me out, team Canada has a crew and they should not be taken lightly.

Players began arriving in Las Vegas on Thursday, with Stephen Curry being the first to check in, highlighting his eagerness for his Olympic debut. Although the 12 players are familiar with each other, the process of becoming a cohesive team starts in earnest on Saturday.

“I feel like it starts when it gets there, because that’s when you really see each other eye-to-eye,” said Bam Adebayo, who is pursuing his second gold medal after winning in Tokyo three years ago. 

“You have those conversations, you have those many conversations within what we’re going through, what we’re trying to do. And that’s when it’s time to really be honest about what we want to do.”

ICYMI, last year’s World Cup was another humbling experience for the U.S.; after finishing seventh in 2019, they placed fourth in Manila. 

The explanation for these stumbles was that the U.S. wasn’t fielding the best possible roster for those tournaments. 

While securing big names like Kevin Durant and LeBron James for the Olympics is one thing, getting them to commit to the World Cup in back-to-back summers is another.

This team has been assembled with a different outcome in mind. James returns to the Olympic team for the first time since 2012, seeking his third gold, and Durant aims for a record fourth basketball gold. 

Five other players—Adebayo, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, and Anthony Davis—each have one gold. The first-time Olympians include Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and Joel Embiid, whom the U.S. persuaded to play despite France’s efforts to have the Philadelphia star represent the host nation in Paris.

Good luck team USA. 

The post USA Men’s Olympic Team Arrives Vegas for Training Camp first appeared on The Source.

The post USA Men’s Olympic Team Arrives Vegas for Training Camp appeared first on The Source.

We are warning you ahead of time, the following report regarding Ryan Garcia is disturbing. 

Boxer Ryan Garcia, known for his endearing support of Donald Trump, has been banned by the World Boxing Council (WBC) following racist comments made on social media platform X.

Let’s be clear. He seemingly made the remarks from his account on a Spaces session, and after he was barely apologetic. Disgusting.

ICYMI, Garcia, is already serving a suspension for steroid use, allegedly made the offensive remarks about Muslims, the Ku Klux Klan, and George Floyd. Yes, we dragged George Floyd into his diatribe. 

In the recorded content from on X, Garcia reportedly stated, “I hate n—–s” and “I’m anti-Black.” 

He allegedly said he is anti Black. What a deplorable loser.

Garcia even went on to claim affiliation with the KKK. The Klan. You can’t make this up.

When a voice on the call suggested killing “the next George Floyd” with an AK-47, Garcia allegedly responded by saying they should “bring George Floyd back to life and kill that n—– again.” 

His comments also targeted Muslims, reportedly saying, “F— all you Muslims that rape little kids.”

The remarks quickly spread online, prompting WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman to expel Garcia from the organization. 

Good. Goodbye. Good riddance.

In response, Garcia posted a now-deleted message on X, where he appeared to retract his statements: “I was trolling I want all the killing to stop … I love everyone sorry if I offended you,” according to The Associated Press.

Garcia has transformed himself into a right-wing social media influencer over the past year as his boxing career declined. Somebody told him this was a winning brand. They lied to him.

Earlier this year, the Trump campaign highlighted Garcia’s endorsement, reflecting a reliance on social media clout over reputable figures with institutional knowledge. 

This endorsement was part of Trump’s broader strategy to use combat sports figures to bolster his campaign.

Garcia’s connections to Trump’s movement are evident, and his racist remarks, along with his connection  to QAnon-adjacent conspiracies, align him closely with many other Trump-supporting MAGA influencers.

Anyway the Trump support is what it is. But the open Klansman racism is probably the end of Garcia’s already faltering career. Bye!

The post Ryan Garcia Expelled From World Boxing Council After Racist Rant on ‘X’ Using N-Word, Disparaging Muslims and George Floyd first appeared on The Source.

The post Ryan Garcia Expelled From World Boxing Council After Racist Rant on ‘X’ Using N-Word, Disparaging Muslims and George Floyd appeared first on The Source.

Bronny James is officially playing alongside his father, LeBron James now that the Lakers rookie just signed a guaranteed contract. 

Bronny, selected late in the second round in the 2024 NBA Draft, has inked a multi-year again, guaranteed contract with Los Angeles. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the four-year deal is valued at $7.9 million and includes a team option for the fourth season. That’s a real contract for a 55th draft pick.

Not for nothing, this contract solidifies Bronny’s place on the Lakers’ roster for the 2024-25 season, marking a notable exception for a second-round pick who usually must compete intensely in the NBA Summer League and training camps to secure even a two-way contract. 

Nope, not Bronny. Forget that, ha!

Rich Paul, Bronny’s agent, was adamant that Bronny would not sign a two-way contract, telling Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, “Yes, that’s absolutely true. Teams know that. I’m not doing that.” I’m not doing that he said, like he’s suiting up. That power is real. 

While Bronny’s guaranteed contract is unusual for a second-round pick, it’s not unprecedented, just rare. In the previous year’s draft, Jalen Pickett, selected 32nd by the Denver Nuggets, signed a four-year, $8.2 million contract with $5.8 million guaranteed. Key numerical value – 32. 

Similarly, Chris Livingston, the last pick in the second round, signed a four-year, $7.6 million deal with $3 million guaranteed. Notably, Rich Paul also represented Livingston, highlighting his influence in NBA negotiations. A ha. 

Naturally, during his introductory press conference on Tuesday, as we reported, Bronny expressed his excitement about joining the Lakers and playing alongside his father. “Everything has been so surreal. Just trying to take it all in day by day,” he said. “Extremely grateful for everything that JJ [Redick] and Rob [Pelinka] have given to me. I’ve just been extremely excited to get to work.”

Bronny is aware of the heightened expectations and scrutiny that come with his high-profile entry into the NBA. “For sure an amplified amount of pressure. I’ve already seen it on social media and stuff on the internet, talking about how I might not deserve an opportunity,” he said. “But I’ve been dealing with stuff like this my whole life. It’s nothing different. It’s more amplified for sure, but I can get through it.” Uh, ya think?

New Lakers coach JJ Redick, who himself has immense pressure, emphasized that Bronny earned his spot through hard work. “Rob and I did not give Bronny anything. Bronny has earned this through hard work. For us, prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as a case study. His base level of feel, athleticism, point of attack defender, shooting, passing; there’s a lot to like about his game.”

Whelp, let’s see how that goes. Not like the Lakers needed a veteran outside shooter or anything. 

The post Late Second Round Pick Bronny James Signs Guaranteed 4-Year $7.9 Million Contract first appeared on The Source.

The post Late Second Round Pick Bronny James Signs Guaranteed 4-Year $7.9 Million Contract appeared first on The Source.

About that potential payout for the right free agent LeBron James was talking about. Whelp, that feels like ages ago. 

ESPN reports the NBA’s greatest scorer of all time has decided to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers, agreeing to a two-year, $104 LeMillion (sorry we had to do it) contract that includes a player option for the 2025-26 season and a no-trade clause.

Get this, the reported new contract ensures James will be with the Lakers for his 22nd NBA season. His flexibility also sets up a “one-plus-one deal,” that allows him to take time to ponder his future with the Lakers next summer. 

LeBron now joins Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal as one of the only two players in the NBA with no-trade clauses. Full stop. Bradley Beal has a no trade clause? Phoenix, ya’ll are some awesome negotiators. 

Diving into the financials for the team, ESPN also states the maximum deal of $104 million puts the Lakers approximately $1 million over the league’s new punitive salary second apron, which would significantly restrict the team’s roster flexibility. 

Super Agent Rich Paul, James’ rep and the CEO of Klutch Sports, is expected to discuss with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka the possibility of reducing the contract by about $1 million to keep Los Angeles under the $188.9 million second apron, according to sources. How generous. 

The Lakers are also working to finalize a rookie contract for Bronny James Jr., the 55th pick in this year’s draft. If successful, Bronny will join his father on the Lakers roster, potentially making them the first father-son duo to play in the NBA simultaneously. And word is, Bronny’s deal will NOT be a two way contract. Wow. 

The post LeBron James Reportedly Will Resign with Lakers for Max $104 Million Over 2-Years first appeared on The Source.

The post LeBron James Reportedly Will Resign with Lakers for Max $104 Million Over 2-Years appeared first on The Source.