Malika Andrews: Woj is peerless as a reporter: dedicated, competitive and an incredible writer who changed the industry. But to me, he’s the guy who took a chance on a 19-year-old student journalist and believed in me more than I believed in myself. Thank you for everything, Woj. Enjoy
Malika Andrews: Woj is peerless as a reporter: dedicate…
September 19, 2024 | 10:51 am EDT Update
Shaquille O'Neal on Rudy Gobert: A lot of these big men are sensitive
Shaquille O’Neal on Rudy Gobert: A lot of these big men, when I put out these challenges, they fail the test because they respond… Udonis Haslem: They sensitive now. Shaquille O’Neal: They sensitive. First of all, if you getting 250 (million) now what is your renewal check going say? You can answer it Mike (Miller). The way money is now and they just signed this $6 billion deal, if you making 250 and you playing up to par, what your next check going to be? Udonis Haslem: 300? Shaquille O’Neal: I’m trying to help, no, 500. Like I’m trying to help, I’m trying to help you get it. When I speak I try to speak from facts. It may come out wrong, and you may think I’m hating and his comments, you trying to stay relevant. I got 15 commercials, what the f*ck are you talking about? I want you to protect this thing of ours, because if you play well and get 500 million, there’s a kid right now in high school that could be making 700 million. But if you keep playing how you playing and you’re f*cking the money up, you have these owners saying ‘this guy, 250, he’s not worth it’, you’re f*cking the money up, then this thing of ours is ruined.
Greivis Vasquez: 'Kobe Bryant is even more significant than Michael Jordan in terms of lifestyle'
Who are your Top 5 all-time players? Greivis Vasquez: Well, obviously, the first man is Michael Jordan. I grew up watching him, although I was really young. The reason I like Jordan is that he did it both on and off the floor. But he’s a different breed. His mindset was different. He didn’t want to be like anyone else, not even his peers. If you really understand who MJ was as a player, you can see his competitiveness and how far ahead he was from the rest. There were good players, and there were great players, but at that moment, he was the super great player. The second man, my idol, my hero, and someone who means everything to me, is Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately, he’s no longer with us physically, but his spirit lives on. The Mamba Mentality is a lifestyle. Kobe’s approach, education, and willpower were extraordinary. He’s the definition of a winner. For me, Kobe is even more significant than Michael in terms of lifestyle. He was a different guy. He spoke three or four different languages and even spoke to me in Spanish a few times. Coming from Caracas, Venezuela, and playing against your hero – money can’t buy that. I don’t take that for granted.
Greivis Vasquez: 'Scottie Pippen was underpaid but people still talk about him because he was a winner'
What was more important to you: winning or money? Greivis Vasquez: I’ve always valued winning. If I had to take a pay cut to win championships, I would do that because I know it will benefit me in the long run. People remember winners more than those who just had a big contract without winning. Look at Scottie Pippen. He was underpaid, but people still talk about him because he was a winner.
Greivis Vasquez on Shaun Livingston: 'We were similar players, able to run a team'
Greivis Vasquez: In the NBA, 90 percent of players are role players. There’s only one LeBron James, one Steph Curry, and a few other superstars. The rest fulfill specific roles. Young players coming into the league shouldn’t focus on being the star, but on what they can bring to the team that’s different from the stars. My career was about fulfilling a role. I never had the chance to play for a team like Golden State, where a role player like Shaun Livingston thrived. But we were similar players, able to run a team. If I had been in the same position as him, I believe I could have done the same thing. You have to understand that most players in the NBA are there to complement the stars, not be the stars themselves.
Greivis Vasquez: Montrose changed my life for the better. I graduated high school with Kevin Durant, one of my great friends. It was a top basketball program, led by Hall of Fame high school coach Stu Vetter. David Atkins, who coached there, went on to coach Maryland’s women’s team and made the jump to the NBA as a great player development coach. So, Montrose was pivotal in shaping my basketball career.
Nets to retire Vince Carter's jersey on January 25
Michael Scotto: The Brooklyn Nets will retire Vince Carter’s jersey in a ceremony on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Barclays Center. This is the seventh jersey retirement in franchise history, joining Dražen Petrović, Jason Kidd, John Williamson, Bill Melchionni, Julius Erving, and Buck Williams pic.x.com/r4vl9c6qnf
Memphis Grizzlies PR: The @memgrizz today announced a partnership with @RobinhoodApp making the financial services company the official investing and jersey patch partner of the Memphis Grizzlies. pic.x.com/6ma5cojcvs
The Grizzlies are partnering with Robinhood Markets Inc., a financial services company that will serve as the jersey patch and official investing partner of the Grizzlies. Memphis will join the Washington Wizards as teams with a Robinhood jersey patch this season. Robinhood’s logo will appear on the upper left chest of all Grizzlies uniforms this season and can also be seen on each baseline at FedExForum. The Grizzlies haven’t had a jersey patch since 2021 after a three-year deal with FedEx came to an end. “We see the Grizzlies Grit and Grind spirit in our customers and it’s something we embody as a company to deliver some of the most innovative products in the industry,” Robinhood’s VP of Marketing and Communications Michael Goodbody said in a news release. “As Robinhood grows our NBA footprint, this partnership is a natural fit and will bring us into the world’s most famous arenas — at home and on the road.”
Shaquille O'Neal on 'Inside the NBA' with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson: 'Hopefully this is not the last year'
Shaquille O’Neal on: In a perfect world I would love for us to stay together forever but you know it’s in the hands of the powers right now so but this last year is going to be a phenomenal year. Chuck is gonna go crazy, I’m gonna go crazy. It’s gonna be fun and hopefully this is not the last year.
Chris Vernon: Have gotten overwhelming amount of messages about Mismatch episode that has not happened yet. Its my fault. The pod obviously won’t continue as it was, as @KevinOConnorNBA is moving to yahoo. I love Kev, and it makes me sad. I’m not sure what the future holds for me but I have asked them to hire Rudy Gobert and pair him with me to be called “The Real Mismatch” to spite kev haha. I love all of you that have been so loyal and made the show a huge success. Stick with me, and promise will let know as soon as I have news.
Another big news is coach Sergio Scariolo. In fact, the current Spain coach will be a television analyst for Movistar Plus, the channel that broadcasts the games of the Spanish basketball season. However, coach Scariolo will remain at the helm of the national team and will make his TV debut this weekend with the Supercup.
