Author: lehang

Shaq’s Prediction For Lakers’ 2024-25 NBA Season Causes A Stir

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most beloved players in Los Angeles Lakers history.

Because of that, his takes on the team generally receive a lot of attention.

This week Shaq appeared on Pat McAfee’s show and offered his thoughts on how the Lakers’ upcoming season will turn out.

“That is the LeBron show, LeBron is in charge over there,” Shaq said.

“I think personally they’re gonna have a rough start. And what I mean by that is that it’s all about respect. And if I’m a guy who has played 7, 8 years and I’m getting a young coach who I think I was a better player than, there’d going to be a level of disrespect there.

“LeBron and Anthony Davis will do a great job of keeping everybody in order but you always said that if you really respect your coach you will really go out there and play hard. I was fortunate enough to play with Phil Jackson and Pat Riley because I knew they knew what they were talking about. All the other coaches,s there were times where I was like ‘I don’t know if that’s gonna work.’”

Fans had some strong reactions to Shaq’s take:

This is the second time in recent days Shaq has seemingly taken an anti-Lakers stance.

The first came with his strong take on J.J. Redick’s first season in L.A.

One way or another, Shaq will either be proven wrong or right when the 2024-25 NBA season tips off. Which one it will be remains to bge seen.

Shaq’s Brutal Criticism For Victor Wembanyama

Shaq’s Brutal Criticism For Victor Wembanyama

Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the most dominant player in NBA history.

While Michael Jordan can obviously lay claim to the designation, he could at least be stopped when he didn’t have proper help on the Chicago Bulls.

At his peak, regardless of who his teammates were, nobody in the league could slow Shaq down.

Because of that, Shaq is uniquely qualified to speak on other big men in the NBA. This week he did just that regarding Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.

“Wemby is a great player. But I don’t really think you can be dominant when you shoot jumpers a lot. I think if he was an inside player at 7’5″, the answer would be yes but when you shoot jumpers you’re always going to go up and down,” he saod.

“But he’s a fine player and I wish him well. I’m just glad, after not being in the league for so long, to still have my name in that category.”

During that same interview, Shaq also offered his vote for the worst player in NBA history.

Unsurprisingly, it was pretty controversial.

For better or worse, Shaq has never been one to bite his tongue. This is just the latest example of that .

Novak Djokovic hoped to achieve better results this year, especially in the Grand Slam tournaments. The former world number 1 – who had won three Majors in 2023 and lost the Wimbledon final after a tremendous battle with Carlos Alcaraz – did not shine in the biggest tournaments in 2024 and showed some cracks in his legendary armor.

At 37, the Serbian champion is no longer as strong as a few years ago and is forced to select events to attend. In addition, the rise of young champions like Carlitos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner has created additional difficulties for him. The Spaniard defeated him again in the final of the Wimbledon Championships, while the Italian ace prevailed over the Serbian in the semifinals of the Australian Open earlier this year. Novak Djokovic© YouTube screenshot

During the French Open, the 24-time Grand Slam champion suffered a knee injury that forced him to undergo surgery. Nole’s season cannot be considered disappointing because the Serbian won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, fulfilling one of his greatest dreams.

Novak played a near perfect tournament, enhanced by a monstrous performance against Alcaraz in the final. Clearly underdog according to the bookmakers and on his opponent’s favourite surface, the 37-year-old from Belgrade has shown why he is a legend of modern sport.

A tough season

Many wonder if Nole will be able to stay motivated at this point in his career. The 24-time Grand Slam champion knows that next year will be decisive and that – if he does not win a Major next year either – the hypothesis of retirement would begin to become concrete. Novak Djokovic© YouTube screenshot

During a recent interview with Sportklub, former World No.4 James Blake commented on Novak’s future: “Physically, he is still in perfect shape. Now the only question is whether he wants to. He has done everything and won everything in this sport. Does he still want to sacrifice everything to continue being the best? He’s been doing that for almost 20 years. If he wants to, he’ll have a good year or two ahead of him. His tennis is incredible even at 37. The question is not whether he can, but whether he wants to. If he wishes, he will be a candidate for the Grand Slam titles until the age of 40.”

Nole is still not satiated

The former world number 1 is likely to miss the Nitto ATP Finals this year, especially after Taylor Fritz reached the final at the US Open. ATP legend and top analyst Mats Wilander paid tribute to Nole: “It’s complicated to play on clay in the middle of the season and not have a single match before the US Open. It’s quite amazing that he won 24 Grand Slam titles considering the following – when he’s not playing so well, suddenly his shots seem ‘normal’ compared to others.

Rafa Nadal had that big spin, Roger Federer’s serve and slice, and with Novak – if he’s a little out of rhythm, I think others can feel a bit more comfortable on the court with him. That’s why it’s even more incredible that he’s so much better than everyone when he’s in shape. This is just a reminder that he is still a human being. He had one main goal this year – gold at the Olympics. He had knee surgery at the worst possible time and still won the gold. This defeat only shows that he will be even more ready for the end of the season and for the Australian Open.”

He continued: “It’s not usually like that, Popyrin was an outsider, but you could feel the crowd’s love and respect for Novak, especially because he was trying to come back and not get angry. On the other hand, the fact that there was no ‘burn’ at all means that he did not feel the ball as well as he should. I know that feeling, and then it’s easy to say, ‘Hey, I should get stuck, get fired up,’ but if you don’t feel the ball, you just shrug your shoulders like, ‘Oh, God.’ It’s hard to motivate yourself when you’re not playing well.” James Blake and Novak Djokovic© YouTube screenshot

The 2025 Australian Open will be a key event for Djokovic’s ambitions, as he looks to win his 11th title in Melbourne. The current world number 2 has broken almost all records in recent years and has proven never to be full, but age is beginning to weigh on him too. Fans and insiders are waiting to see how many tournaments Novak will play in this season finale to try to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. His next official tournament should be the Masters 1000 in Shanghai.

 

Football fans are teeing off on Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders after cameras caught him leaving the field early during the team’s ugly blowout loss against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Shedeur Sanders (Photo via @CFBONFOX Twitter)

Saturday was a forgettable night all around for Shedeur Sanders and the Buffaloes. They were no match for Dylan Raiola and the Cornhuskers, who cruised to a 28-10 victory to snap a three-game losing skid against the longtime rivals.

With two minutes left in the game, cameras caught Sanders heading to the visitors’ locker room instead of sticking around to congratulate the Cornhuskers:

And social media wasted no time teeing off on Shedeur Sanders for choosing to leave the field early:

Almost nothing went right for the Buffaloes on Saturday, and the game was practically over by the second quarter. When Shedeur Sanders threw a pick-six to Tommi Hill from his own end zone in the first quarter, it felt like it would be all Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers took a 28-0 lead into halftime, and they were able to play conservative football in the second half. The high-powered Buffaloes’ offense was limited to 15 first downs and 260 yards in the loss.

Shedeur Sanders completed 23 of 38 pass attempts for 244 yards, one touchdown and an interception in the blowout loss. The Buffaloes will try to rebound next Saturday when they visit the Colorado State Rams.

Shedeur Sanders Needs More Help

Sanders’ superb 2023 season was especially impressive considering that he took more sacks than any other quarterback in the country last year. And yet, the Buffaloes’ overhaul on the offensive line has not changed the results.

Sanders is still under way too much pressure, and he’s getting little support from a Colorado defense that lacks game-changers outside of two-way star Travis Hunter. As great as Deion Sanders’ son is, there’s just no way the Buffalos will be able to take that next step forward if Sanders and the passing game have to shoulder the bulk of the load.

 

Former Chicago Bulls shooting guard Craig Hodges told DJ Vlad of Vlad TV shortly after ESPN’s “The Last Dance” docuseries came out in 2020 that NBA icon Michael Jordan thought Clyde Drexler was just as good as him.

Michael Jordan.© Imagn Images

However, Jordan didn’t think Drexler knew how to play the game.

“Not every great athlete is marketable,” Hodges said. “I remember having a conversation one time. It was like four of us, MJ included. And the conversations came up about Clyde Drexler. And MJ said this: ‘Clyde Drexler is just as good as me. He just don’t know how to play the game.’ And we ain’t talking about basketball.”

Hodges brought up Jordan’s comments about Drexler while discussing Jordan’s marketability with DJ Vlad. Jordan and Drexler may have had similar talent on the court, but Drexler didn’t know how to use it to his advantage to become a global icon like Jordan.

Jordan and the Bulls faced off against Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1992 NBA Finals. The series was sold to NBA fans as the battle between Jordan and Drexler, the two best shooting guards in the league.

During the 1991-92 season, Jordan averaged 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.9 blocks. He won his third MVP.

Meanwhile, Drexler put up 25.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

Even though Jordan won MVP, Drexler was just as dominant as a scorer and averaged more rebounds and assists.

During “The Last Dance” docuseries, Jordan admitted he was offended when pundits compared Drexler to him. MJ was so angry Drexler was being compared to him that he attacked the Blazers guard the entire ’92 Finals.

“Clyde was a threat,” Jordan said in The Last Dance doc. “I’m not saying he wasn’t a threat. But me being compared to him, I took offense to that. Based on the way I was playing at that time, it wasn’t even close. So I attacked him every night.”

Jordan opened the 1992 Finals by hitting six three-pointers in the first half and scoring 39 points in Game 1. The Bulls defeated the Blazers in six games to capture their second straight championship.

Jordan averaged 35.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.3 blocks and won Finals MVP for the second consecutive season.

Drexler put up 24.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game against the Bulls in the 1992 Finals. However, he only shot 40.7% from the field.

Meanwhile, Jordan shot 52.6% overall.

Jordan and Drexler were teammates on the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team. It must have been awkward for Drexler to play with the guy who had torched him a few months prior.

Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He finished his NBA career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in 1,072 games with the Bulls and Washington Wizards. MJ won five MVPs, one DPOY, six championships, six Finals MVPs and 10 scoring titles.

Drexler didn’t win six rings, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs and 10 scoring titles like Jordan. However, he had a fantastic career and made the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Drexler won his lone championship in 1995 as a member of the Houston Rockets. He finished his NBA career with averages of 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.7 blocks in 1,086 games with the Blazers and Rockets.

Martina Navratilova, former WTA tennis legend, focused on the moment that Novak Djokovic is facing. The Serbian champion comes from a season in which he did not win a single title and in which he did not play his best tennis, both physically and technically. A season sweetened by the moving victory in the final for the gold medal at the Paris Olympics against Carlitos Alcaraz. And partly also for the unexpected Wimbledon final lost against the young Spaniard, but which came a month after surgery to the meniscus of his right knee.

However, according to Navratilova, the time has come for Noel to retire.

“He got what he really wanted, which was the Olympic gold medal, but he still wants the 25th Grand Slam to get one more than Margaret Court. Time will catch up with him, or maybe it has already, because in the last match he was not himself,” she said, referring to her US Open third-round loss.

“It all depends on how much the fire is still burning. If it is still burning, I will never say: you should not play, because it will never tarnish his legacy, he is incredibly good. I am sure his wife says: Is it time to retire, how many more do you need?” she added. Novak Djokovic© YouTube screenshot

Regarding a possible retirement for the Serbian champion, Martina said: “Maybe just one more, but on the other hand, if he wins the Australian Open, he will want to play Roland Garros and Wimbledon, right? He will not stop like that. It is up to him. In any case, you cannot criticize him because it is a fantastic career.**, but if he enjoys playing then why not?” she analyzed

Nole had not accustomed his fans to such difficult moments. The incessant advance of age, perhaps the loss of motivation, a few too many physical ailments, have led the Serbian champion to live one of the worst seasons of his career, from a physical point of view. The only highlight experienced by the former number one this season was that Olympic gold that he sought so much throughout his career, but that he had not managed to achieve. Paradoxically, he did it in a season that, at least so far, has not yet seen him win an ATP title.

 

Caitlin Clark has starred in her rookie WNBA season and the Indiana Fever has turned its fortunes around, leading to speculation that the first-overall pick could be in the MVP conversation.

Caitlin Clark has been told she could catch A’Ja Wilson and win the WNBA MVP award.
Clark entered the WNBA with the same hype as NBA legends LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, due to the noise already surrounding her before going pro. Clark left Iowa as the all-time leading points scorer in NCAA history across both men’s and women’s competitions and is averaging 18.9 points in her first season with the Fever.

The Fever is 18-16, the first time they’ve been over .500 for five years and it’s down to an active five-game win streak, the current best in the WNBA. Clark has been leading the Rookie of the Year conversation, but Undisputed host Skip Bayless believes she could be considered for an even higher honor.

Former MVP winner A’ja Wilson is leading the race with an average of 27.5 points this season at the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson is a two-time MVP winner and two-time WNBA champion, but Bayless has sent the 28-year-old a warning.

“Caitlin Clark’s Fever have won 9 of the last 11 – 10 of 11 at home with the next 6 at home. Fever was 13-27 last year,” Bayless wrote on X. “Does she have a chance to catch/pass A’ja for MVP? You better believe it. Despite the record turnovers, nobody takes over games and orchestrates wins the way she does.”

Wilson was also the first-overall pick back in 2018 and won Rookie of the Year. The center out of South Carolina has been dominant in the WNBA since her arrival, but Clark has captured all of the attention.

The beef between Clark and Angel Reese has also carried over to the WNBA, with their original altercation coming during the national championship game two years ago. Reese and LSU beat Clark and the Hawkeyes back then, and Iowa failed at the final hurdle again last season after being outclassed by the unbeaten South Carolina.

Although Reese has enjoyed a breakout rookie season of her own, Clark could have the last laugh if she’s awarded Rookie of the Year over her college rival. However, Clark showed her class when finally responding to the ongoing ROTY debate.

“I think me and Angel would both give you the same answer,” Clark said. “You don’t wake up and think about individual awards. I know that’s what all of you think we do. I know we don’t. That’s what everybody wants to make this about.

“Both of our teams are competing for playoff spots, that’s our main focus. That’s a selfish thing to just care about an individual award. And she would give you the same exact answer. I’m sure she has given you the same exact answer. If you’re playing basketball to win individual awards, no matter what level you’re at, you’re doing it wrong.”

An unstoppable force and an immovable object

There might not be a more polarizing WNBA debate these days than the one involving Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.

Compared to each other since college

Since their college basketball days, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been compared to one another. They’ll always be linked, especially considering that they entered the WNBA at the same time after their memorable NCAA battles.

We’ll analyze both players to see which will have the greater WNBA legacy when all is said and done. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

Captivating fans

We’ll start by looking at the legacy Caitlin Clark may leave behind. It’s hard to argue that there has been a more entertaining player to watch in recent women’s basketball history than Clark. Rivals’ website believes that she’s already the best women’s basketball player who ever lived, although time will tell if that becomes the case.

Barstool Sports wrote in July 2024 that Caitlin Clark was taking deeper three point shots on average than NBA stars Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and Trae Young. Her confidence and prolific ability has made her a favorite amongst the basketball public, as no shot seems to be off limits for her.

Burning desire

Although Clark’s game is an aesthetically pleasing one from a skills perspective, she brings a competitive fire that is not often seen. Athlon Sports commented on footage revealed to the public showing Clark yelling at Indiana Fever teammates at practice as they worked on their defensive switching.

Legendary company?

USA Today wrote a piece comparing Clark’s competitive nature to the likes of LeBron James and Tom Brady. Nancy Armour wrote “It’s an asset, not a flaw,” and that assessment has proven to be accurate given the great heights Clark has reached in her career thus far.

Clark isn’t just a dynamic shooter from all areas of the court. She’s one of the best WNBA players at setting up her teammates for open looks.

Dishing and swishing

Former WNBA player and current analyst Rebecca Lobo believes that Clark is the best passer in the WNBA already. Marca wrote about the rate at which Clark is recording assists, which is also unfolding at a previously unforeseen clip for a rookie.

Improvement

The Fever struggled to get victories out of the gate as Clark got accustomed to the WNBA, but she’s stepped it up since the rocky start to the season. The learning curve has proven to be a pretty short one, which bodes well for her ability to get Indiana to where they want to go sooner rather than later.

Everyone wants a piece

According to Fanatics, Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey sold out before the 2024 WNBA Draft, which is the first time that had ever happened. According to NBC News, coverage of the 2024 WNBA Draft set records that far exceeded anything that had previously been seen before.

We’ve dived into the impact Clark has had and continues to have on the WNBA, and we’ll take a closer look at Angel Reese’s potential in the league. She also has an enormous following, although it might be for slightly different reasons than Clark, which is the way Reese likes it.

Reese told Sports Illustrated, “I’ll take the bad guy role and I’ll continue to take that on and be that for my teammates. I know I’ll go down in history, I’ll look back in 20 years and be like the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person, it’s because of me too, and I want y’all to realize that.”

Reese also told People, “Everybody’s always going to have an opinion, if you’re the greatest or the worst. I am who I am and I accept who I am. People are going to either love it or hate it. I think that separates you from whoever else.”

Turning up the volume

During her rookie season, Angel Reese launched her own podcast, titled ‘Unapologetically Angel’. It’s an interesting move that gives her a platform to speak her mind on a variety of topics. This might allow fans to feel more connected to Reese than they would to Clark or many other WNBA players.

On the floor, Reese has not let anything get in her way of grabbing rebounds. She set a WNBA record during the 2024 campaign by posting 15 consecutive double-doubles. It stands to reason that Reese is a candidate to improve on that mark as her career goes on.

Boundless energy

It’s pretty apparent that Reese’s drive to pursue the ball is a notch above everyone else. Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon told CBS Sports, “That’s grit and grind like we always say. It’s a will and a want to… That’s all her desire to go get a rebound and create second-chance opportunities.”

Chip on her shoulder

Perhaps the effort Reese plays with comes from a motivation stemming from the fact that she may have been overlooked. She told USA Today, “It was a blessing I dropped to seventh, putting me with these amazing teammates and amazing coaches. She (Weatherspoon) told me just believe in myself. Surprise yourself before you surprise others.”

While Clark figures to shoot the lights out and dazzle with dynamic passes, Reese has the ability to dominate a game in the paint with her presence and energy. This could be a good thing, considering that she will be judged on a completely different scale with regard to statistics and production.

Will Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese have the more impressive WNBA legacy? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment!

 

Fresh off her second career WNBA triple-double, Caitlin Clark was back making noise, but this time, it was for what she was wearing.

The Indiana Fever rookie has turned heads with many of her pregame outfits this season, and she did it again on Friday night.

Clark arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to face the Minnesota Lynx, rocking a bright green blazer over a white dress that exposed her legs.

Clark smiled and gave two peace signs to the camera.

Fans loved it

 

Caitlin Clark came into the game all smiles, but she would not leave that way.

On Friday, the Minnesota Lynx came into Gainbridge Fieldhouse with winning on their minds as they sent the crowd home upset.

In the 99-88 victory, Lynx star Napheesa Collier scored 26 points to help snap Indiana’s five-game winning streak.

Clark still wrapped up another impressive performance.

She finished with 25 points in 36 minutes, adding eight rebounds and eight assists while shooting 8-21 from the field, per her stats on ESPN.

Her teammate, Kelsey Mitchell, dropped 23 points in 38 minutes, while Aliyah Boston also chipped in with 20 points and five rebounds while shooting 9-15 from the field.

Caitlin Clark Sets Fever Record In Loss To Minnesota

The Indiana Fever had their five-game win streak snapped on Friday night despite Caitlin Clark almost dropping yet another triple-double.

The 22-year-old connected on five of her ten shots from behind the arc against Minnesota, setting a new single-season franchise record in the first quarter.

Caitlin Clark has set the record for most threes in a season in franchise history.

she’s at 103 and counting 🎯 pic.twitter.com/ZxDREX7moD

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 6, 2024

Andy Roddick once admitted that he had an altercation with Novak Djokovic at the 2008 US Open.

Both Roddick and Djokovic were ranked in the top 10 back in 2008. The eighth-seeded Roddick booked his place in the quarterfinals of the New York Major with wins over Fabrice Santoro, Ernests, Andreas Seppi, and Fernando Gonzalez.

The American was next up against Novak Djokovic, who survived a scare against Tommy Robredo in the fourth round. During that match, the Serb called the trainer on multiple occasions for an injury.

In light of this, Roddick said during the press conference ahead of the quarterfinals that Djokovic had “16 injuries”.

The Serb went on to beat Roddick 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) and reach the semifinals. After the match, Djokovic took a dig at Roddick’s earlier comments.

“Well, obviously Andy was saying I had 16 injuries. Obviously I don’t, right?” the Serb said.

He added that it wasn’t nice of Roddick to suggest that he was faking his injuries.

“That’s not nice anyhow to say in front of this crowd that I have 16 injuries and that I’m faking it,” the then-22-year-old said.

While speaking to Fox Sports Live in 2013, in front of panelists that included former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb, Roddick said he had an altercation with a tennis player whose name rhymed with “Schmovak Schmokovic”.

The American claimed that Djokovic “beat the pants off him” in the match and after his statements, confronted him in the locker room. Roddick added that he had Djokovic up against the locker but ended the altercation there because of the Serb’s trainer’s size.

“I was talking trash, and he came out and beat the pants off me (in the match), as he would, but then kind of chirped afterward,” Andy Roddick said. “So he comes straight (into the locker room), I went right up to him, had him up against the locker. But then I realized his trainer was a little bit bigger than Donovan and I kind of checked myself.”

Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick played each other on nine occasions

Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick at the US Open 2023
Novak Djokovic faced Andy Roddick on nine occasions, with the American leading the head-to-head 5-4.

Their first meeting came in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Rogers Cup (now known as the Canadian Open), with the Serb winning 7-6(4), 6-4. Roddick won their next encounter 7-6(5), 6-3, in the semifinals of the 2008 Dubai Tennis Championships. That was the farthest stage they ever met in a tournament.

The two squared in two Grand Slam matches, the 2008 US Open quarterfinal being the first. They next locked horns in the last-eight stage of the 2009 Australian Open.

Djokovic won the opening set 7-6(3) but Roddick took the next two sets 6-4, 6-2 and led 2-1 in the fourth before the Serb was forced to retire due to heat stress.

The last match between the two came in the second round of the men’s singles event at the 2012 Olympics in London, with Novak Djokovic winning 6-2, 6-1.

15 years on from their altercation, Roddick was the one who handed the 2023 US Open trophy to the Serb, who won it by beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar