Mark Williams shares his first comments on Lakers canceling trade
Mark Williams looked like he was going to be heading to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the trade deadline, but then things came undone when the trade was rescinded. Now Williams is finally weighing in on the matter.
The Lakers had acquired Williams in a trade made on Feb. 5. They sent Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish, as well as an unprotected first-round pick in 2031 and pick swap rights in 2030, to the Charlotte Hornets for Williams. The Lakers thought they were getting an answer at center after they had shipped out Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. But things changed.
On Feb. 10, we learned that the Lakers had rescinded the trade after their medical staff identified multiple issues during Williams’ physical.
Williams was shocked that he had been failed over his physical considering how he had been playing.
“I didn’t think I had failed my physical. That didn’t even cross my mind,” Williams said in comments to The Charlotte Observer. “The night I got traded I played hella minutes. I didn’t think in any world that was possible. Since I’ve been back at the start of the year, I’ve played games with a lot of minutes. I feel like every injury I’ve had has been well-documented and I’ve recovered, and been 100% since. So, I don’t know what went into that decision. I think that’s up to them.”
Williams had played in 25 minutes in his Hornets’ 112-102 loss to the Bucks on the night he was traded. He had 6 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in the game.
Williams has played in 23 games this season and is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.7 steals per contest. He was the No. 15 overall pick by the Hornets out of Duke in 2022. He’s struggled with his health and has only played in 85 games over three seasons. Williams has had multiple issues with his back that has prevented him from playing full seasons.
After the trade for Williams fell through, the Lakers added Alex Len.
AJ Brown created the best Super Bowl souvenir
AJ Brown just won the Super Bowl, and he has created the best souvenir from the event.
Brown had 3 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in his Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9. Brown caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter to make it 24-0 and help Philly dominate.
This was Brown’s sixth season in the NFL and the first time he went all the way, so you can understand why he wanted to memorialize the championship accordingly.
According to a post on his girlfriend’s Instagram account, Brown bought a mannequin and then put his unwashed Super Bowl uniform on it.
In addition to the pants, jersey and cleats, Brown put his helmet and mouthguard on the mannequin. It looks official.
Brown has been with the Eagles for three seasons and has to be celebrating the fact that he was traded there in April 2022. In his three seasons with the Eagles, Brown has averaged 87 catches, 1,343 yards and 8 touchdowns per year. He has been named a second-team All-Pro player in all three seasons. And now he has a Super Bowl ring to top it off.
There are some ups and downs during his time with the Eagles, but as long as he keeps winning, Brown should remain happy. He also has a nice contract that should keep him happy as well. Brown signed a 3-year, $96 million extension with Philly that keeps him under contract through 2029. He originally signed a 4-year, $100 million extension with the Eagles upon being traded to them in 2022 and is still playing out that deal. And if he gets any royalties off the book he helped turn into a best-seller, he should be golden.
Roki Sasaki drew a huge crowd at Dodgers’ spring training
Everyone was excited to see Roki Sasaki throw at spring training for the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Sasaki threw his first live batting practice session since signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent from Japan. He got warmed up in the bullpen and then headed out to the mound to face some hitters at the Dodgers’ spring training site at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.
You can see a video of the 23-year-old pitcher delivering a pitch from the stretch.
Everyone wanted to get a glimpse of Sasaki facing some hitters. Take a look at the huge crowd he drew from those within the organization.
Sasaki gave up hits to Tommy Edman and David Bote but got a few strikeouts in two innings of work.
The Dodgers’ first spring training game will be on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, though Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to start in that one.
The Dodgers and Cubs are operating on a different schedule from everyone else this spring. The two teams will open the season in Japan by playing games on March 18 and 19. After they play two games against each other, they will return to America and get set for their state-side openers along with several other teams on March 27.
Sasaki is the latest addition to the Dodgers. He signed a minor-league deal as an international amateur free agent and received a $6.5 million signing bonus. Much like Shohei Ohtani did when he left Japan to come to the U.S., Sasaki left a lot of money on the table by coming early in his career. But he wants to compete against the best in the world and is getting a head start on his MLB career. The Dodgers already having Japanese stars on their team helped convince Sasaki to choose them.
Report reveals potential asking price in Matthew Stafford trade
Matthew Stafford is once again facing an uncertain future with the Los Angeles Rams, but it sounds like it would take a lot for the star quarterback to be traded this offseason.
Stafford has no guaranteed money remaining on his contract and is set to make just $23 million in 2025. While the Rams supposedly remain committed to him, the 37-year-old will almost certainly want a raise and/or a stronger guarantee before the start of next year.
According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, Rams head coach Sean McVay and the team’s front office want to keep Stafford for at least another year. That has not stopped teams from inquiring about the availability of Stafford.
Schultz said the belief is that the Rams would ask for a first-round pick if they were to entertain the possibility of trading Stafford.
Stafford would carry a cap hit of nearly $50 million if the Rams were to release him. That is not a viable option after he was solid again this season and led the team to the playoffs.
Though he did not produce Pro Bowl numbers, Stafford still managed to complete 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,762 yards and 20 touchdowns. It makes sense that there has been trade interest in him, and it would hardly be a surprise if a QB-needy team were willing to give up a first-round pick.
The Rams are planning to try to trade veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp in the coming weeks. Stafford’s wife recently hinted that the quarterback is not happy about that.
Stafford has made it clear that he does not plan to retire, so his situation in L.A. will be one of the biggest storylines of the offseason until there is a solution that satisfies both sides.
NFL makes decision on Jameson Williams gun case
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has already been suspended twice during his NFL career, but he will not face any further disciplinary action in the wake of his latest off-field incident.
Williams was the passenger in a car that was pulled over for speeding in October. The former Alabama star’s brother was driving. During the stop, Williams’ brother told police that there were two firearms in the vehicle — one in the back seat and another under the seat that Williams was sitting in.
Police said the gun in the back seat was registered to Williams’ brother, who had a concealed pistol license (CPL). The gun under Williams’ seat was registered to the Lions receiver, but Williams did not have a CPL. Williams was handcuffed during the stop but released without charges.
Detroit police later launched an investigation into why Williams, who eventually obtained his gun permit, was not charged. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced in November that Williams was not charged because the gun was not on his person. Worthy said Williams’ status as an NFL player had no bearing on the case.
The NFL has suspended players in the past even in the absence of charges, but that will not be the case with Williams. A league spokesperson told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday that the matter is considered “closed” after Williams was not charged.
Williams was suspended two games this season for a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. He also served a four-game ban at the start of the 2023 season for a gambling violation.
Though he missed two games, Williams had a breakout season in 2024. He set career highs across the board with 58 catches for 1,001 yards and 7 touchdowns.
LaVar Ball gets his foot amputated
LaVar Ball had his foot amputated recently, according to a report.
TMZ Sports reported on Wednesday that Ball had suffered a “serious medical issue.” The issue led to him having his right foot amputated.
Ball is said to be in “great spirits” and doing well despite the matter.
LaVar Ball became famous in 2017 when he started to make outlandish statements while hyping up his sons. He had declared that his basketball-playing sons, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo, would all be NBA players. It turns out he wasn’t too far off as LaMelo has become a star, while Lonzo has been a solid pro. LiAngelo’s basketball career didn’t pan out, but he has had new life thanks to a budding music career.
LaVar also developed a clothing and shoe line called Big Baller Brand, but that fizzled out. Ball has faded into the background and has mostly allowed his sons to have the spotlight in recent years. That likely explains why the news of his amputated foot wasn’t public until now. And it also explains why you haven’t heard much about the guy who was once banned from ESPN.
ESPN announcer has request for US hockey fans ahead of Canada rematch
Fans in Canada helped fuel the intensity of their team’s first game against Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last week by booing the American national anthem, and Sean McDonough is hoping the insult will not be returned.
The U.S. beat Canada 3-1 in the round robin game between the countries on Saturday in Montreal. Fans booed loudly during the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to puck drop. You can see a video here.
McDonough will be the lead announcer for Thursday night’s 4 Nations Face-Off final between Canada and the U.S. That game will be played at TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
During a Tuesday appearance on WEEI in Boston, McDonough urged American fans to be respectful when the Canadian national anthem is played.
“I hope the home crowd has a lot to do with it. I hope it helps spur on Team USA. I really hope our people don’t boo the anthem, you know. Let’s be better than that,” McDonough said. “I think we all have a lot of respect for what a great country Canada is. … The booing of the anthem is a very recent development. I think we know why. I understand it from their perspective, especially having been up there for several days. Let’s be better than that and be respectful of their anthem and cheer like hell for our own.”
There has been increased tension between Canadian and American fans because of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs against Canada and talk of having the country become 51st U.S. state. Team USA general manager Bill Guerin appreciates the “political flare” Trump has added to the 4 Nations Face-Off and is hoping Trump will attend Thursday night’s game.
Three fights broke out during the first 9 seconds of the round robin matchup between the U.S. and Canada. Fans absolutely loved it.
It remains to be seen if fans in Boston will boo the Canadian anthem, but the rematch will likely be just as intense as the first game either way.
Rob Manfred weighs in on Dodgers’ crazy offseason
The Los Angeles Dodgers have infuriated many baseball fans with their spending spree this offseason, and commissioner Rob Manfred has certainly taken note of the complaints.
Coming off a second World Series win in the last five years, the Dodgers have operated with the type of urgency you would expect from a team in a massive championship drought. Their competitive balance tax payroll, which takes deferred contracts into account, is somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 million. That places L.A. more than $150 million above the luxury tax threshold.
Manfred was asked again on Tuesday about the calls for a salary cap that would keep teams like the Dodgers from outspending everyone. He reiterated that he does not view L.A.’s spending as a negative but insisted he is not ignoring the concerns.
“It’s clear we have fans in some markets that are concerned about the ability of the team in their market to compete with the financial resources of the Dodgers,” Manfred said, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “If we’ve been consistent on one point, it is we try to listen to our fans on topics like this.”
That does not mean Manfred believes a significant change like a salary cap is needed. Nightengale noted that Major League Baseball made a record $12.1 billion in revenue last season. The game also thrived in the 1990s when the New York Yankees consistently outspent everyone and became known as “The Evil Empire” because of it.
The Dodgers have signed star free-agent pitchers Blake Snell and Tanner Scott this offseason. They also re-signed Teoscar Hernandez and brought in Japanese star Roki Sasaki. Manfred applauded the franchise for operating within the rules and seemed to indicate that teams that refuse to spend are the issue.
“I think that’s a great thing for the game. That type of competitive spirit is what people want to see. … If I’m going to be critical of something, it’s not going to be the Dodgers. It’s going to be the system,” Manfred said.
Manfred has said he would like teams to share their television revenue, which is the structure that exists in the NFL.
Even some big-market teams have had complaints about the Dodgers. But if a team has the resources to spend, it is better for the game that they use the money on players rather than having ownership line their pockets. Manfred understands that element of the equation and is not in favor of anything radical that would change it.
Joe Buck has great comment about returning to call MLB game
Joe Buck is set to call another MLB game, and the legendary announcer has some excellent reasons for wanting to return to the baseball booth.
ESPN announced on Tuesday that Buck will be in the booth on March 27 for the Opening Day game between the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees. The game will be the first nationally televised MLB broadcast that Buck is involved with since he left FOX in 2021.
After ESPN shared the news, Buck took to social media with a great comment about why he has decided to take on an MLB assignment.
“Only doing this because I missed the ‘why do you hate the Yankees’ shots on twitter (it was twitter then) and add the Brewers fans who think I don’t like Milwaukee or the Packers or cheese. Both sides are WRONG. Anyway, it’s gonna be fun. Can’t wait actually. Saddle up!” Buck wrote on X.
Buck is one of the most well-known broadcasters in sports, which is why he has been accused of every type of bias you can imagine. It simply goes with the territory. Boston Red Sox fans would tell you he loves the New York Yankees and hates the Sox. Yankees fans would say the exact opposite.
As Buck mentioned, the same is true for fans in Milwaukee and probably every other sports market.
Buck turned his focus solely to NFL games when he and partner Troy Aikman signed on with ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” ahead of the 2022 season. The 55-year-old announcer had a one-off appearance calling a local MLB game last year. Buck seemed to think that would be his only return to calling a baseball game, but he is giving it another go.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. interested in buying stake of NFL team
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is reportedly looking to get into the NFL business.
Mayweather is leading a group that is preparing an offer to buy a stake in the New York Giants, according to TMZ. The former boxer and his business partner Meyer Orbach, a real estate mogul, are said to be putting together an offer that will be somewhere in the range of $700 million for a 10 percent stake in the Giants.
Orbach already owns a roughly 17 percent stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves, so he has experience with investing in professional sports franchises. He would neither confirm nor deny that he and Mayweather are looking to join the Giants’ ownership group.
“My partners and I are always looking at different opportunities, including ownership of sports teams. I can’t comment further than that,” Orbach told TMZ.
Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch announced last week that they are looking into the possibility of selling a 10 percent stake in the team. Recent estimates have valued the Giants at around $7.5 billion, making them one of the most valuable franchises in sports.
Jeffrey Lurie sold an 8 percent total stake in the Philadelphia Eagles in December via two separate transactions. The Eagles were valued at $8.1 billion in one sale and $8.3 billion in the other. The Giants would likely have a similar valuation.
The 47-year-old Mayweather would need approval from NFL owners to become part of an ownership group. TMZ reports that he has already received letters of support from at least two.
Mayweather went 50-0 during his career and is the highest-earning boxer of all time. His net worth is valued at more than $400 million. He has had some legal issues, however, which could potentially create an obstacle for him with the NFL.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr reportedly has his eye on one team
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. revealed on Tuesday that he is going to test free agency after the upcoming season, and the slugger reportedly has his eye on one specific American League team.
Guerrero told the Blue Jays he would not be willing to negotiate a contract extension after the start of spring training, and the 25-year-old insists he is sticking to that deadline. With no agreement in place, Guerrero said Tuesday that the Blue Jays are “going to have to compete with 29 other teams” to sign him next winter.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, Guerrero has already told people close to him that he would love to play for the Boston Red Sox.
If Guerrero does hit free agency, he will almost certainly become one of the highest-paid free agents in MLB history. Thought the Red Sox have made some nice additions this offseason, they have not been close to the highest bidder on recent marquee free agents like Juan Soto.
It remains to be seen if Boston would be willing to reverse that recent trend for Guerrero. Though, some believe their recent big signing makes a pursuit of Guerrero even less likely.
Guerrero hit .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI last season. If he has a similar year in 2025, the cost to sign him will only increase.
Guerrero has long said that he would be open to finishing his career in Toronto, but he obviously is not pleased with where the two sides stand in negotiations.
Even if the Red Sox were at the top of Guerrero’s wish list, we doubt he would be willing to give them any type of discount on the open market.
US hockey GM wants President Trump at game against Canada
Donald Trump has attended multiple sporting events since he took office last month, and the general manager of the U.S. hockey team is hoping the president will continue that tour on Thursday night.
Former NHL star Bill Guerin, the GM of Team USA, said during an interview with FOX News this week that he would love to see Trump at Thursday night’s 4 Nations Face-Off final between the U.S. and Canada. The game will be played at TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
“We would love it if President Trump was in attendance. We have a room full of proud American players and coaches and staff. And listen, we’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can,” Guerin said during a Monday appearance on “America’s Newsroom.”
The US beat Canada in the round robin game between the countries 3-1 on Saturday in Montreal to clinch a spot in the final. Canada advanced to the final with a 5-3 win over Finland on Monday.
Guerin thought the first game between the U.S. and Canada was the “highest level of hockey ever played.” He credited Trump for adding “political flare” to the matchup with the president’s threats of tariffs against Canada and talk of making the country the 51st U.S. state.
“I think there was a little bit of a political flare to it. It’s just the time that we’re in. I think our guys used that as inspiration,” Guerin said. “If you let it get the better of you, then you’re in trouble. But I really do think the players used it as inspiration.”
Canadian fans booed the U.S. national anthem before more than one round robin game. That almost certainly contributed to the three fights that broke out in the first 9 seconds of the U.S.-Canada game.
With the final being held in Boston, the U.S. should have a huge home-ice advantage. One Canadian star does not seem all that concerned.
Trump attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans earlier this month and was at the Daytona 500 on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if he adds the 4 Nations Face-Off final to his schedule.
Everyone made the same joke after Patrick Mahomes got a haircut
Patrick Mahomes got his hair cut, and that led to fans all making the same joke.
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback decided to cut his hair not long after his team’s loss in the Super Bowl. Mahomes long curls on top and mohawk are gone and have been replaced by a shorter cut.
It’s certainly Mahomes’ prerogative to get a haircut, and of course there is nothing wrong with it. But the funny thing is what this made fans think of: how it might impact Dylan Raiola.
Raiola is a quarterback at Nebraska, and he loves Mahomes. He models his game, his style, and his mannerisms after the Chiefs quarterback. He looks almost identical to Mahomes at times, and that’s not an accident.
Fans all joked that Raiola would be heading to the barbershop immediately to cut his hair too.
How long before Raiola gets his hair cut too?
As for Mahomes, he had talked in the 2023 Netflix show “Quarterback” about wanting to get his hair cut.
“This is my last year with the hair,” Mahomes said in 2023. “The hair is gone next year. I’m going different hairstyle (than) this year. … I almost did it this year, but Head and Shoulders would have been mad. I can’t have two kids and a Mohawk. … Cause I gotta be a dad at some point, know what I mean? Imagine being 40 years old with this haircut. I mean, come on.”
Mahomes kept the hair for a year longer than he said he would, but now it’s gone. Raiola’s hair may be next.
Georgia closer had the most disrespectful gesture
Georgia closer Brian Curley made the wackiest, most disrespectful move right before ending his team’s game on Tuesday night.
Georgia beat Kennesaw State 6-4 in a midweek clash at Kelly Field in Marietta, Ga., to improve to 4-1 on the season. The Bulldogs fell behind 4-0 but rallied back and scored two in the top of the 9th to take the lead.
Georgia closer Curley entered the 9th and put two runners on, one on a walk and the other on a fielder’s choice. He had runners on first and second with two outs facing cleanup hitter Cam Suto.
Curley had Suto 0-2 and was pitching from a stretch to hold the runners. Curley looked over at second base and then gave a wild tongue wag before delivering a breaking ball that froze Suto for a game-ending strikeout.
That was wild.
As if wagging his tongue at second base wasn’t enough, Curley also threw off his glove after the game ended and held out his hands to his teammates in the dugout. He was doing an arms out “are you not entertained?” type of gesture.
Curley is making a name for himself just a few games into the season. The VCU transfer drew attention over the weekend when he threw 100 mph despite using a weird pitching windup.
Yes, Brian, we are very entertained.
Rich Paul makes honest admission about Luka Doncic trade
Basketball agent Rich Paul has opened up about the Luka Doncic trade that has directly altered the trajectory of two of his biggest clients.
Paul, whose Klutch agency represents both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, appeared on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast during the All-Star break. Paul was asked to weigh in on the trade that sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Davis.
The 44-year-old agent admitted that the deal was a rare moment wherein he was completely blindsided. But he qualified that by stating he was better off not knowing to ensure the trade would go through.
“99.9% of the time, I’m going to know what’s going on,” Paul told podcast host Gilbert Arenas and company. “The one time I didn’t was the one time we all didn’t, per se, know what was going on. It was a shock to everybody. … But you don’t move mountains with everybody knowing. You can’t. And so, I’m glad I didn’t know … because it probably wouldn’t have happened if you did know.”
Paul added that he has always known about Mavericks GM Nico Harrison’s affinity for Davis, which made the latter landing in Dallas unsurprising. The timing of it all was what stunned Paul the most.
With his star-studded pool of clients, Paul has built up significant influence across the NBA. Last year, the man reportedly blocked a potential LeBron trade that would have also had the basketball world buzzing. But even a man of his stature did not hear a peep about the Doncic deal.
With LeBron getting to form a bond with Luka in Los Angeles, it’s obvious that Paul is not upset about being kept in the dark.
Everyone made the same Bill Self joke after BYU embarrassed Kansas
Bill Self became the butt of the joke Tuesday after No. 24 Kansas got completely outplayed by BYU at Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.
Self’s Jayhawks never led throughout the 91-57 beatdown they received from the Cougars. A Mawot Mag three-pointer gave BYU a double-digit advantage late in the first half. The lead ballooned to 20 at halftime and neared 40 toward the end of the game.
Many fans on X joked that Self’s firing is imminent after allowing his squad to get embarrassed by a BYU that entered Tuesday’s contest with an identical 17-8 record.
The 38-point margin of defeat was Kansas’ largest as a ranked opponent against an unranked opponent in program history.
The Jayhawks have struggled of late in conference play, losing five of its last eight games against Big 12 opponents.
Utah has not been a friendly place for Self over the past full year. Last March, Gonzaga blew Kansas out of the NCAA Tournament 89-68 at the Utah Jazz’s Delta Center in Salt Lake City. After that game, Self infamously admitted that he had already been “thinking about next season” at that point.
Self’s “next season” is here, and it has hardly looked any better for the Kansas coach.
Alex Bregman speaks out amid third base controversy with Rafael Devers
Alex Bregman is not letting himself get bogged down by the Boston Red Sox’s ongoing dilemma at third base.
Since the Red Sox signed Bregman last week, Boston’s longtime third baseman Rafael Devers has been adamant that he does not plan to cede the position to his new teammate.
Bregman spoke to reporters Tuesday as the Red Sox prepared for spring training at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla. When asked about Boston’s positional uncertainty at third base, Bregman expressed his excitement to play alongside Devers. Bregman also added that he’ll leave the decision up to manager Alex Cora.
“I’m super excited to just be his teammate,” Bregman told reporters, via WEEI’s Rob Bradford. “He’s a great player. I think everybody in this clubhouse is worried about winning. And whatever it takes to help the team win, that’s all I’m focused on. I’ll player wherever [Alex Cora] tells me to play.”
Bregman is widely considered to be better defensively than Devers. But Devers has maintained that the team had promised him the position when he signed a huge contract extension with the Red Sox two years ago.
Cora, however, did not sound too bothered about potentially breaking the promise Devers received if it’s for the good of the team.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes bold midseason change
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can now add “agent” to his growing list of accolades.
The Thunder star plans to serve as his own agent going forward, according to independent reporter Chris Haynes. Gilgeous-Alexander had previously been represented by Wasserman. Shai will reportedly be hiring different representation for “marketing and all off-the-court ventures.”
SGA is currently in the third year of a 5-year, $172 million extension he signed back in 2021. This offseason, the 3-time All-Star is eligible to sign a 4-year extension worth nearly $300 million.
The NBA Players Association currently has a 4% cap on how much commission agents can make from their clients’ contracts. Had he kept an agent, his representation would have been in line to receive as much as $12 million.
With Gilgeous-Alexander playing like a perennial MVP candidate over the last two seasons, it’s hard to imagine the Thunder giving their 26-year-old star anything but a supermax contract. SGA seems to feel the same way. Through 53 games, Shai has averaged an NBA-best 32.5 points per game to go along with 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.0 blocks for the 44-10 Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander is not the first high-profile athlete who opted for the self-representation route. Fellow NBA star Joel Embiid and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson have also ditched the traditional agencies to handle contract discussions on their own.
Paige Bueckers was so upset about doing a postgame interview
Paige Bueckers thought she was clear of the spotlight on Sunday, but she thought wrong as a viral video has shown us.
Bueckers scored 12 points and added 7 rebounds and 10 assists as her UConn Huskies beat South Carolina 87-58 on the road Sunday to end the Gamecocks’ 71-game home winning streak. The win was a big one for UConn, so of course ESPN was going to ask for a Huskies figure to do a postgame interview. Bueckers just didn’t want it to be her.
A great video shows UConn’s players clearing off the floor after the game. Bueckers was running off until being called by ESPN’s Holly Rowe to do an interview.
Bueckers immediately tossed her head back in annoyance and put her hands over her head before turning around to meet Rowe. Rowe could be seen saying “I’m sorry” to Bueckers, who did cooperate.
The only thing missing from that video was Bueckers giving a “mommmm” in a complaining voice.
Bueckers was obvsiouly ready to head to the locker room. It’s also possible she felt that teammate Azzi Fudd, who scored 28 points, deserved to be interviewed more.
At least Bueckers’ halftime interview with Rowe went better:
Former Mavs lottery pick eyeing NBA comeback
Former Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. is hoping to make his way back to the NBA.
Smith Jr. signed with Real Madrid in January. According to independent reporter Chris Haynes, Smith has already decided to part ways with the Spanish team with an eye toward the NBA.
Smith reportedly had a difficult time adapting to the European game. While Real Madrid was said to be satisfied with Smith’s effort and attitude, the 27-year-old was not in the proper physical shape to contribute to one of Europe’s best squads midseason. He had not played professionally for almost a year when he signed with Los Blancos.
The 6’2″ point guard played in two EuroLeague games for Madrid, scoring a combined eight points on 3/6 shooting. Smith was later left off the active roster for Real Madrid’s recent Spanish Copa del Rey tournament run despite having a clean bill of health.
The Mavericks drafted Smith 9th overall in 2017. The explosive guard was initially viewed as a potential core piece with Dallas entering the twilight years of Dirk Nowitzki’s career. The following year marked the arrival of former Real Madrid star Luka Doncic. Smith’s questionable fit with Doncic pushed the team to include the former in the deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas.
After stints with the Mavericks and Knicks, Smith bounced around from team to team without finding a permanent home. He last played for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2023-24 season, averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 56 games played.