Sports

Russell Westbrook Divulges On Relationship With Patrick Beverley

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Russell Westbrook is looking to bounce back this season after having one of the worst campaigns of his life last year. Westbrook is a player who has always been known for giving it his all, and fans were concerned over his poor play last year.

In addition to all of this, Westbrook now has to play with Patrick Beverley, who used to be his nemesis. These two went at it quite a bit and they had some bad things to say about each other in the media. With that being said, reporters have been curious about whether or not Russ feels like he has had to compromise who he is.

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Russ was very adamant that things are fine between him and Beverley. As you can see in the tweet down below, Westbrook claimed to be an easygoing guy who has never held a grudge, especially not when it’s related to battling on the court.

“[There was] no process,” Westbrook said. “I’m an easygoing guy. I don’t hold grudges against anybody—life is too short. We’ve been blessed with too many opportunities and platforms to walk around and hold grudges. I just continue to move forward. Obviously, when I’m on the court, I don’t have any friends other than that basketball and the people that’s on my team, so I compete. Other than that, off the floor, I’m just a normal guy that likes to have fun.”

This should be good news for the Lakers, who will need everyone to be getting along if they want this season to work out. After last year, any improvement will be a massive improvement.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, & Russell Westbrook Compete In 3-Point Contest

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If you are a Lakers fan, then you are aware of the fact that this team is not very good when it comes to three-point shooting. They have very few players who can actually hit threes at a consistent clip, and it was a huge reason for their downfall last year. In the offseason, they did not address this need, and now, it is up to the current roster to improve.

Yesterday, training camp began for every single team in the NBA, and the Lakers took full advantage of this. The team’s big three consisting of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook are all looking to make big moves this year, and they decided to work on their shooting during practice.

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As you can see in the clip below, LeBron, AD, and Russ all participated in a three-point shooting competition. It was a great way for the three stars to improve their game, and while we don’t know who won this competition, it was probably LeBron given just how bad Russ and AD were from beyond the arc last season.

This is a good bonding exercise for the Lakers, who are in desperate need of improvement this year. If they keep these practice habits up, perhaps they can surprise some people once the season starts.

Shaq Explains Why He Won’t Comment On Ime Udoka Scandal

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Ime Udoka’s cheating scandal has rocked the Boston Celtics. This season, the team will be without its head coach, and there is no doubt that the players are concerned about the future.

When it comes to Udoka’s actions, there are plenty of analysts looking to weigh in on what Udoka may or may not have done. As it turns out, Shaq will not be participating in this conversation. While Shaq is typically very opinionated when it comes to the world of basketball, there are some things he would just rather sit out.

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While speaking on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the Lakers legend noted that he has made some horrible mistakes in his previous relationships and that he cannot pass judgment onto Udoka.

“I am going to step down from this conversation,” Shaq said. “I was a serial cheater. It would be crazy and blasphemous for me to get up here and say, ‘Boom, boom, bam.’ I can’t do that. I know these guys personally. I know they’re going through a lot because I went through a lot.”

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It’s refreshing to see Shaq be so honest about this, as he could have taken the easy road and roasted the Celtics coach. Either way, this is a story with many moving parts, so stay tuned to HNHH for updates.

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Matt Barnes Clarifies Why He Backtracked On Ime Udoka Remarks

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At this point, every single NBA fan is aware of Ime Udoka and his extra-marital relationship with a member of the Celtics staff. Udoka cheated on Nia Long with this woman, and now, he will be suspended for the next year. Udoka could face plenty of other penalties, and it is not looking good for his career.

Many analysts have weighed in on this news, including Matt Barnes. Initially, Barnes thought the suspension was a bit much, however, he ultimately retracted his statement, noting that this is a very ugly situation.

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“I clearly have to say, last night, without knowing all the facts, I spoke on Ime Udoka’s defense and after finding out the facts after I spoke, I erased what I posted because this situation in Boston is deep,” he said. “It’s messy. It’s a hundred times uglier than any of us thought and that’s why I erased what I said. […] Some things happened that I can’t condone, I can’t back and it’s not my place to tell you what happened. If it ends up coming out, it ends up coming out. But that was the reason why I erased my post last night.”

Recently, Barnes went on VladTV where he got to speak on the Udoka situation and why he ultimately backtracked. As you will see down below, Barnes found out who within the organization Udoka slept with, which ultimately gave him a new perspective on this whole ordeal. Of course, Barnes did not give any information, however, it’s clear that this is a story that could get uglier within the coming months.

Stay tuned to HNHH as we will continue to bring you the latest news and updates pertaining to the Udoka situation.

LiAngelo Ball’s Relationship With Miss Nikki Baby Scrutinized Over Age Gap

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LiAngelo Ball has been having a good week. Just a couple of days ago, he signed a contract with the Charlotte Hornets that gives him yet another shot at the NBA. Fans are excited for Gelo and there is a real chance that he will get to play alongside his brother LaMelo this season.

As for his personal life, LiAngelo’s relationship with Love And Hip-Hop’s Miss Nikki Baby, went public on Tuesday. Miss Nikki Baby posted Gelo on her Instagram story and in her most recent Instagram posts, Gelo has been making some flirty comments.

While relationships are usually something to celebrate, there are some fans out there who are hitting Gelo with some warnings. As you can see in the Hollywood Unlocked post down below, commenters told LiAngelo to use condoms and not make any mistakes that he will regret. Miss Nikki Baby is 32 while he is 23, and fans don’t want another Brittany Renner-PJ Washington situation on their hands.

Fans on Twitter had very similar reactions, with many lamenting about the age gap here. Some are worried that LiAngelo might be getting groomed, and they want to know what Nikki Baby’s intentions are for him.

“’Miss Nikki Baby’ is 32… LiAngelo Ball is 23… she was in the 4th grade when his mom gave birth to him…? While she was drinking legally… he was in middle school… idk… I kinda feel like she about to try & groom him for [money] reasons,” one Twitter user wrote. Another fan asked LaVar was in this situation, as his son might be in need of some guidance.

This is a developing story, so stay tuned to HNHH for any news or updates.

Brittney Griner’s College Coach Refuses To Give Her Opinion On Griner’s Imprisonment

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Brittney Griner is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in Russia after being convicted of drug possession and smuggling. In the eyes of many, this sentence is a massive injustice that needs to be fixed immediately. The United States is looking into a prisoner swap, but for now, nothing is set in stone.

Most of Griner’s former teammates have spoken about this injustice, except for her former Baylor Coach Kim Mulkey. Today, Mulkey was asked directly about Griner’s imprisonment, to which she said that she would not be commenting on the story, at all.

This was a pitiful response when you consider how Griner helped Mulkey win a National Championship while also bringing her to two final fours. Her career at Baylor was phenomenal, and Mulkey owes much of her success to the WNBA champion. Queen Ego, a former Baylor player, commented on Mulkey’s remarks, noting that it is pretty despicable.

“A player that built Baylor, 2 national titles, & a 40-0 record,” Egbo wrote. “Yet her former coach refuses to say anything or simply just show any kind of support. Keep that in mind when you’re choosing schools.”

Interestingly enough, the current coach for Baylor Nicki Colleen had a much better answer when asked about Griner. As you can see, Colleen noted that Griner means a lot to the Baylor program and that she sees Griner as a human first. Colleen also believes 10 years is way too long for a simple mistake of this magnitude.

“No one’s saying she didn’t make a mistake. None of us are perfect,” Colleen said. “But I guess I would wanna know if I did something and was stuck in a foreign country, what it was, what it wasn’t. I think we all know that 10 years is a long time. I see her as a mother, as a sister, as a spouse, as a daughter, as an unbelievable ambassador for the game of basketball.”

Griner’s Phoenix Mercury were instrumental in the efforts to get her home and we’re sure they will continue that fight.

Stay tuned to HNHH for updates on this developing story.

Ben Simmons Shoots Threes At Nets Practice: Watch

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Ben Simmons is known for having a bad shot. Throughout the first few years of his NBA career, Simmons has been roasted on numerous occasions for not getting off shots, while only making enough three-pointers to count on one finger.

When you are a point guard, this kind of playing style is pretty well unacceptable and it has forced his teams to try him out in different roles. Having said that, Simmons is still working on his three-point shot as he just wants to prove everyone wrong. It’s something he works on every year, and now that he is in Brooklyn, fans will be watching him closely to make sure he has truly improved.

Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

This week, Simmons got to start training camp with the Nets, and by all accounts, he will be available to play come opening night.

In the following clip below, Simmons can be seen getting off to a solid start at Nets camp thanks to some three-point shooting drills. Simmons was making his shots and his jumper looks a lot better. Of course, we’ve fallen into this trap before, so there is no telling whether or not this translates into next season.

Hopefully, Simmons can finally prove everyone wrong and show that he can actually hit jumpers. Until then, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the NBA world.

J. Cole Was A Walking Bucket During A Recent Black Ops Basketball Session

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J Cole
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J. Cole is a dual-threat. The Dreamville founder has expertly balanced his hoop dreams and rap dominance over the years, but Cole was all ball and commanded the floor in one of Chris Brickley’s Black Ops Basketball sessions during New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Brickley, a sought-after basketball trainer, posted Cole’s highlight reel to Instagram.

“J a bucket,” Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield praised in the comments. “In the Kobe’s too!!” added Minnesota Timberwolves big man Eric Paschall. (Cole was crossing dudes up in the Nike Kobe 8 “What The Kobe” sneakers, for reference.)

NBA players aren’t just fans of Cole; they’re peers. The North Carolina-bred icon played professionally for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League for three games in 2021 before suiting up for the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League for a similarly short stint earlier this year. The 37-year-old left the team in early June to go on tour.

To start September, Cole was revealed as the first-ever rapper to grace the cover of NBA 2K, starring on the cover of NBA 2K23‘s “Dreamer Edition.”

“Three and a half years ago, when he dunked during one of the breaks of the All-Star Weekend Saturday Night, J. Cole, said, ‘Ronnie, I’d love to be in MyCareer and help think about the ideation around that,’” 2K digital marking director Ronnie Singh told Complex in an interview published earlier this month, explaining the origin of Cole’s 2K23 involvement. “I worked with our team on bringing this to life, but it was very fitting to work with him. When we put out that tease [of the 2K23 cover], everybody thought it was going to be another basketball player.”

There’s a strong argument to be made that it was a basketball player.

Rihanna Will Perform At The 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Getty Image / Edward Berthelot

Rihanna and the NFL have seemingly confirmed that the Bajan pop star will perform at next year’s Super Bowl halftime show. Earlier today, Rihanna shared a picture of a football on Instagram, which the official NFL account liked.

Shortly after, the NFL shared a tweet with the same picture, tagging Rihanna, Apple Music, and the NFL on Fox Twitter account.

Rihanna was reportedly offered to perform at the Super Bowl in 2020, however, turned down the opportunity due to the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick.

Fans of Rihanna are also eager for new music, as she’s been teasing her ninth studio album for more than six years. The Super Bowl halftime show seems like the perfect opportunity to share new songs.

This past May, Rihanna and ASAP Rocky welcomed their son. While it may seem she has her hands tied, as a new mom, an artist, and a business woman, Rihanna said in a recent interview with Vogue that she doesn’t feel restricted or hindered in any way.

“I think I even say yes to more now,” she said, “because I know it will be different on the other side of this. At first, I expected some magical change, but really I remain who I am.”

She continued, saying, “none of the dials are turned down.”

Stormzy Drops The Powerful Single ‘Mel Made Me Do It’ Along With A Star-Studded Video

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Stormzy released Heavy Is The Head, his sophomore album, in December 2019. With his first solo single in three years, the UK grime pioneer is putting everyone on notice that he still wears the crown. Produced by Knox Brown and mixed by MixedByAli, “Mel Made Me Do It” arrived Friday (September 23). “I been the GOAT so long, I guess it’s not exciting when I win,” Stormzy spits in the opening line. And the flex only gets stronger from there.

The cinematic KLVDR-directed music video spans nearly 11 minutes and packs in over 30 cameos, including Dave, Ian Wright, Jose Mourinho, Stylo G, and Usain Bolt. 90 seconds in, we’re transported to a fictional talk show aptly titled Mel Made Me Do It hosted by Jonathan Ross and Zeze Mills. Stormzy is their guest alongside British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith and journalist Louis Theroux (aka the “My Money Don’t Jiggle Jiggle” guy). Ross asks Stormzy what’s on his mind, which launches him back into his braggadocios bars: “Any time I do a big flex, just ignore me / N****s wanna hear my side of the story / N****s wanna hear a n**** chat like it’s Maury / F*ck that, you n****s better bask in my glory.”

Midway through, Stormzy is flanked by Mourinho. He delivers the line, “I prefer not to speak like I’m Jose.” The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager puts his finger over his mouth famous as audio cuts in of his famous quote, “I prefer not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble.”

Despite all the clever references and name-drops, the song’s inspiration is singular and simple. According to press release, “Mel Made Me Do It” is “a direct reference to the influence of his long-time personal stylist, Melissa’s Wardrobe.” Her appearance in the video comes roughly one minute before a soul-stirring monologue about Black excellence written by Wretch 32 is narrated off-camera by Michaela Coel, the Emmy-winning creator and star of I May Destroy You.

Over the summer, Stormzy received an honorary doctorate from the University Of Exeter for “outstanding achievements in the field of higher education philanthropy and widening participation.” If anything, “Mel Made Me Do It” reaffirms that he’s more locked into his greater purpose than ever.

Watch the powerful video above.

Stormzy is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.