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Author page: Matthew McKibben

cavs September 19, 2017
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Keep whispering fam: An open letter to Kyrie Irving from a Cavs fan

Dear Kyrie Irving,

My first thought when I saw you on First Take yesterday: you’re not as cool as I thought you were. Yeah, you have a cool sneaker line and throw dope parties on boats in Miami but yesterday was not your finest moment.

You were trying so hard to come across as a thoughtful athlete but all we wanted was for you to speak the fuck up and answer questions that, frankly, were fairly reasonable.

Kyrie feels he didn’t owe LeBron an explanation for leaving Cleveland.

A post shared by First Take (@espnfirsttake) on

If you were unhappy in Cleveland or something happened with LeBron but you don’t want to address it publicly, that’s perfectly fine.

But, YOU WENT ON FIRST TAKE BRUH, a show where you know they are going to push your buttons, just to bullshit and berate Max Kellerman and Stephen A. Smith.

We all know they’re a pair of blowhards, you don’t need to turn this into some thought experiment to prove to the world how unfair sports media is or how debate shows unfairly spin narratives. WE FUCKING KNOW.

We’ve been through a lot together, Kyrie.

You made the shot that delivered Cleveland our first championship in roughly three generations and I’ll be eternally grateful for that.

Flaunt It Cleveland Cavaliers GIF by NBA - Find & Share on GIPHY

We all recognize that you’re a special player but I’m not sure you will ever be great and I think your biggest flaw is that you lack an understanding of your limitations.

You will never be able to dominate an entire conference like Kobe – though I know you wish for nothing more than to ride in the backseat of his Maybach and listen to stories about how he scored 81 on that fateful night.

But let us not forget that for two full seasons, the Cavs were better when Matthew Dellavedova shared the court with LeBron instead of you. LET THAT SINK IN.

https://giphy.com/gifs/lebron-james-jr-smith-matthew-dellavedova-pPslM59sCxdpC

You wanted to leave Cleveland, a city that would have revered you for the rest of your career no matter what you did. You left that behind for a city whose fans will boo you in your third week if you get off to a slow start.

You think First Take was rough, get ready for whole segments about your psychology on WEEI where a bunch of dotty old racists named Sully try to dissect your every move.

You played on a really good team before and you play on a nice team now. You guys are cute and fun but you still have to play LeBron and you know he’s coming for you.

https://giphy.com/gifs/3oEjHKQLR8SSwL2jm0

I guess what I really want to say is, so long Kyrie and honestly, get it together homie.

Sincerely,

A Cleveland Sports Fan

russell okung, silicon valley
10K80 July 28, 2017
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Russell Okung isn’t just an NFL star, he’s Silicon Valley’s next tech mogul

Early in his career, Russell Okung realized he had a platform that he could use to achieve some lofty goals. As a young player on a great Seattle Seahawks team, Okung quickly established himself as a premier offensive lineman in the NFL.

He signed a massive rookie contract, won a Superbowl, and made a Pro Bowl.

But Okung wanted more. He wanted to accomplish something special off of the field. So along with his business partner Andrew McGee, Okung established the GREATER Foundation with the goal of diversifying the tech sector.

To meet that goal, Okung works with young people from underserved communities to teach them skills for 21st century opportunities in the tech world. A handful of students have graduated from the program and gone on to jobs at Amazon and IBM.

Playing in Seattle opened the Houston native’s eyes to the burgeoning tech world. Since then, Okung has been an active investor in tech startups, including some wearable tech companies. But he doesn’t just sign a check and walk away.

Okung is active in the day-to-day operations of his investments, a role he feels is very important. He told SportTechie in January:

“If I’m a founder, I want someone who can really support my company’s growth and the work that I do. So many players can do that. That’s why it’s become so appealing.”

Okung is a rising star in the tech world and signed a 4-year contract worth $53 million with the Chargers this summer.

Playing on the Chargers during their first season in Los Angeles should be a great opportunity to expand his brand.

Russell Okung is ready to dominate both the gridiron and Silicon Valley, just watch.

aau July 27, 2017
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The future of the NBA? LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson face off for first time

The hype around high school and AAU basketball has been building for years.

That excitement culminated last night when LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson faced off in an exhibition game at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas where there were between 3,000 and 4,000 people on hand to watch the prized teenage recruits.

Both of these boys put on a show for the packed out crowd.

Another 1,500 people were left outside waiting to get in, even LeBron James was turned away at the door because of the the amount of people that would lose their shit.

There was some talk about canceling the game due to the crowd size but police and fire department officials eventually decided they could manage the crowd.

NBA players Damian Lillard, Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray, Thon Maker, Eric Gordon, and Lonzo Ball were all in attendance.

“Unreal,” Kansas coach Bill Self told ESPN. “Never seen anything like it.”

The game was broadcasted on the Ballislife website and streamed on Facebook live, drawing over 100,000 viewers.

The play on the court was often sloppy and resembled a pickup game at the playground more than anything. In the end there were several highlight plays and the Big Ballers lost 104-92.

Twitter

But LaVar Ball, the BBB coach, made sure the fans were entertained.

“They’re gonna have to get a bigger venue,” LaVar said after the game.

“When the Big Baller Brand come to town, better get something big.”

LaVar is known for making hyperbolic statements but this one may ring true.

As AAU continues to grow in popularity and these high school athletes develop enormous profiles on YouTube and Instagram they will continue to draw kids to their games.

“Hope y’all enjoyed the show,” LaVar called out as he entered his van with the team.

Is AAU trash for the game of basketball though?

https://kulturehub.com/aau-basketball-nba-stars/

cavs July 25, 2017
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LeBron is reportedly ready to put the hands on Kyrie, would wash him crazy

It was only a month ago that LeBron James embraced Kyrie Irving as they left the court following a Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals and told him “we’ll be back.”

But it appears the two stars can no longer coexist in the same orbit.

ESPN initially reported that LeBron was “blindsided and disappointed” when he heard that Kyrie wanted to be traded away from Cleveland.

Now, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is reporting that if LeBron were in a room with Kyrie he would be tempted “beat his ass.”

Remember when LeBron referred to Kyrie as his little brother and said he would one day win the MVP?

Nba Playoffs History GIF by NBA - Find & Share on GIPHY

Of course, we have to take all Stephen A. reports with a grain of salt because who knows how deep his sourcing is in LeBron’s camp.

Unless this came from Randy Mims, Rich Paul, or Maverick Carter, I don’t think there is an validity to it.

I think there is a great possibility that the LeBron-Kyrie relationship has deteriorated to a degree in which LeBron is not gonna beg for the point guard to stay in Cleveland, but I highly doubt they would ever come to blows.

The Cavs are continuing to shop Kyrie, though it doesn’t appear as though any trade is imminent.

Zach Lowe and Brian Windhorst both said yesterday that the Cavs will take their time in dealing Irving, as they seek a massive return.

Well, who knows if LeBron would ever scrap Kyrie but I think we all know who would win.

aau July 24, 2017
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LaVar Ball teaches his AAU team a terrible lesson in sportsmanship

The world’s most famous helicopter parent is making headlines again but this may have been the strangest stunt LaVar Ball has pulled to date.

After several calls went against his Big Baller Brand team in an AAU basketball game over the weekend, LaVar began ripping into the refs.

The play that pushed him over the edge occurred during a trap on the sideline where it appears a BBB player fouls the ball handler.

Ball disagrees and can be heard saying “that’s not a foul” repeatedly.

In the competitive world of youth basketball, it is common for the coach to work the refs throughout the game, hoping to encourage his team while coaxing the officials into a call that would benefit their team down the line.

But Ball disagreed with the call so vehemently that he yanked his team off the court and they left the gym, leaving many of the players puzzled. It was a playoff game and the BBB team was actually ahead 69-60 at the time of the forfeit.

It would have been interesting if some of the players had resisted their coach’s request and remained on the court. His son LaMelo quickly followed his father’s orders, scooping up his bag and quickly exiting the gym.

Man, LaVar is really losing it.

He’s the leader of 15 and 16-year-old kids, is this the example he wants to set for them?

Maybe a few bad calls went against them, but was it worth forfeiting the game?

All of those kids’ parents have forked over a good deal of money for them to play on that team, I can’t imagine they were too happy.

Come on LaVar, I think you owe everyone involved with the team an apology.

cavs July 22, 2017
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Kyrie Irving wants to leave Cleveland. 5 landing spots for Uncle Drew

Let’s rewind to 2013. Kyrie Irving is the cornerstone of the Cleveland Cavaliers and his teammates are Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson, Andrew Bynum, Spencer Hawes, and Luol Deng — a nice mix young players and veterans.

Irving led that team to a 32-50 finish and the Cavs were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs in March.

That was the last season when Kyrie had “the team to himself.” He was the best player, he dominated the ball, and he took all of the big shots.

The next season, LeBron James returned home and everything changed. LeBron dominated the ball, he garnered all of the attention and Kyrie was left to play second fiddle. But you know what else happened: the Cavs won big.

They made the Finals in 2015, 2016 and 2017, winning it all in 2016.

Now, ESPN and multiple outlets are reporting that Kyrie has asked the Cavs front office for a trade. Uncle Drew thinks he’s ready to lead a club all on his own.

I’ve watched Kyrie closely over the last three years and while he’s an amazing talent I don’t think he will ever be able to do that.

Flaunt It Cleveland Cavaliers GIF by NBA - Find & Share on GIPHY

Night to night, Kyrie won’t be able to put a team on his back, play both ends of the court while making plays for himself and others. LeBron was the perfect player for Irving to play with because all he had to worry about was going out and getting buckets.

LeBron was the playmaker and Irving was the finisher. Case in point, Game 7 of the Finals in 2016.

Here’s a little sneak peak of how Kyrie fared without LeBron. Last season, the Cavs were outscored by 90 points in 574 minutes when Irving played and James didn’t.

In the playoffs, they were outscored by 30 points in 61 minutes. In the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, the Cavs were outscored 37-13 when Irving was on the court and James was off. SHEEEEESH. Hey Kyrie, looks like you need LeBron.

Lebron James Basketball GIF by NBA - Find & Share on GIPHY

I’m interested in seeing what Kyrie’s trade value is. Irving thinks he’s a top-15 player, but he isn’t. In 2016, the Cavs fared better with Matthew Dellavedova on the court instead of Kyrie.

I honestly believe a Patrick Beverley type of point guard will give the Cavs a better chance to beat the Warriors.

Kyrie is an amazing offensive force who can score from anywhere on the court but he gives up so much on the other end, I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Remember last year against the Celtics and Warriors when Ty Lue had to scrap their defensive game plan because Kyrie was dying on every screen, leading to open shots all over the court?

(Yes, I also remember when he scored 42 points in Game 4 and saved them.)

I love Kyrie’s game and watching him play is certainly entertaining but I’m skeptical that he will ever learn to play passable defense or become a true point guard who involves his teammates every night.

So if Kyrie is bolting from the comfy confines of Northeast Ohio, where could he end up?

Also keep in mind Kyrie has a 15 percent trade kicker but no no-trade clause so wherever the Cavs send him is where he ends up.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers could use the assets they obtained from the Chris Paul trade and flip them for Kyrie. I mentioned Beverley earlier but they could also include DeAndre Jordan, Sam Dekker, and a draft pick.

The Clippers would then have a core of Irving, Blake Griffin, and Danilo Gallinari. While the Cavs could look to attach Tristan Thompson to that deal to avoid redundancy with Jordan.

The Cavs might miss Irving’s scoring punch but they could make Kevin Love more of a focal point on offense.

San Antonio Spurs

Kyrie told the Cavs that he would prefer to go San Antonio but they will have to involve a third team in this trade because they don’t possess the assets to make a move for Irving.

They could start with Dejounte Murray but then where do they go from there?

I also think Gregg Popovich would hate coaching Kyrie, an isolation heavy player who still has no clue how to play defense.

Phoenix Suns

This trade makes the most sense for the Cavs.

The Suns could include, Eric Bledsoe (a Klutch sports client), a nice young wing player like T.J. Warren and a draft pick.

I think that would satisfy the Cavs and would be a win-win for both teams.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets could send Jamal Murray, Juan Hernangomez, and Wilson Chandler to Cleveland in exchange for Irving.

The Nuggets could then go forward with Kyrie, Paul Millsap, and Nikola Jokic. That would be an interesting team

New York Knicks

YOOO: HE’S NOT GOING TO THE KNICKS. But since he said he would like to play in New York, I’ll include them. The main issue is, what could the Knicks offer besides Carmelo?

college football July 21, 2017
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Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze escorted out of town for calling hookers

Just six weeks before Ole Miss is set to open its season against Alabama, coach Hugh Freeze resigned effective immediately Thursday night, a stunning move that will surely hurt an ascendant program.

ESPN is reporting that Ole Miss athletic department officials found a pattern of phone calls to a number associated with a female escort service.

Freeze might have a been a nice god-fearing man in public, but my man was trying to get it in.

“While Coach Freeze served our university well in many regards during his tenure, we simply cannot accept the conduct in his personal life that we have discovered,” Vitter said.

It is clear from his Twitter page that Freeze has a deep relationship with the man upstairs. His bio reads:

Twitter

His decision to resign is very sus: Freeze will leave roughly $13 million on the table over the next three years.

Freeze is a master recruiter who turned around a once dormant program.

Ole Miss had been on the brink of making a National Championship for several seasons but had never turned that elusive corner and entered the upper-echelon of college football.

Ole Miss Athletic Director Ross Bjork didn’t comment on the number of phone calls made to numbers similar to the female escort service or how far back the calls went.

He also said that not all of them were connected to different escort services, but that they were similar in nature. He said the pattern of calls was “troubling.”

Well then.

Maybe these calls explain how Ole Miss suddenly being one of the best recruiting programs in the country.

10K80 July 20, 2017
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The LeBron Effect: Literally everything The King touches turns into gold

LeBron James was crowned at a very early age as the greatest player since Jordan.

His personal success has been widely reported but is there really a LeBron effect for those around him?

He’s been King of the NBA for the last decade and he’s been expanding his reach off the court since his days at St. Vincent’s-St. Mary’s in Akron, Ohio.

Celebrities in other professions have always been drawn to James’ unparalleled talent and charisma off the court. He’s translated sports into universal success and literally everything he touches turns into gold, including those around him.

LeBron’s rise to greatness and the explosion of social media happened almost simultaneously, allowing him to update his fans on his day-to-day life.

In addition to being a generous player on the court, The King also knows how to throw a great assist off of it.

LeBron is known for posting videos while he is driving in his car listening to music, and with roughly 40 million Instagram followers he has an insane reach. James has done this for Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, Tee Grizzley and Nipsey Hussle, just to name a few.

Those who play with LeBron know to expect increased production due to his vision and unselfishness. This increased production can lead to big pay days that can be unwarranted.

Think about the Donyell Marshall, Damon Jones, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert contracts. All nice players but were paid like stars while they played with LeBron.

But Bron doesn’t only generate money for his teammates. The city he plays in can also expect increased revenue due to the King’s presence.

A Harvard study showed that local bars and restaurants near the Cavs arena made more money and hired more workers after LeBron returned to Northeast Ohio in 2014.

LeBron rules over his Kingdom and it’s unclear if he will ever be dethroned.

kyrie irving July 19, 2017
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Nike unveils tough new NBA jersey designs for the 17-18 season

It appears the days of short-sleeved jerseys in the NBA are over.

Nike revealed the first look at each team’s four primary 2017-2018 game uniforms yesterday and none featured any sort of material extending below the armpit.

According to their press release,

“Nike tuned the uniform design to the rigors of the league’s increasingly intense 82-game season by employing 3D-body maps of players, including heat and sweat maps. This research led Nike’s designers to make significant changes to the weight, fit and construction of the uniforms — paying special attention to enabling agility.”

Nike is taking over for Adidas, which had been league’s official apparel outfitter since 2006. Nike and the NBA signed an eight-year deal that could be worth $1 billion.

https://giphy.com/gifs/26ni4wD3BBU5jIpZC

After getting input from a number of NBA players, Nike made substantial changes to the jerseys. Kyrie Irving spoke about the new jerseys saying,

“The mental advantage of a quality uniform is priceless. The fact that Nike listened to all of our feedback while developing the new NBA uniforms speaks volumes. I’m excited for the new fit and feel.”

The most significant changes come to the back shoulder of the uniforms and the hemlines on the bottom of both the jersey and shorts were modified to allow for full range of motion.

Nike

This dude Draymond chimed in to and said,

“When you look and feel good, you play good. I welcome any competitive advantage on the court and the new Nike NBA uniforms deliver on the feedback that we’ve provided.”

No longer will there be “home” and “road” uniforms. Starting this year, the home team will pick a uniform and then the visiting team will choose a contrasting uniform.

Nike

Each uniform will feature the iconic swoosh logo and eight teams will have a “Classic Edition” that is expected to be available this fall.

The Charlotte Hornets are the only team that will play with the Jordan brand logo on their uniforms.

celtics July 19, 2017
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Summer League was lit. Here’s five takeaways from Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Lakers are champions… of the Summer League.

The Lakers topped the Portland Trailblazers Monday night sans MVP Lonzo Ball, capping an interesting two weeks in Las Vegas.

While it’s tough to read too much into the play during Summer League, several top prospects shined and made it clear they will be ready to put their stamp on the league in the upcoming season. We also learned some teams may have fucked up.

Here are five takeaway’s from the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League.

The Knicks fucked up… again.

https://twitter.com/WinsIowHive/status/886756058848481284

Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is going to be a beast. From highlight reel dunks to a silky smooth jumper, Smith looks like a bonafide star.

The Knicks drafted Frank Ntilikina who might turn out to be a nice player but he will never electrify the Garden like Smith could have.

Smith and Porzingis would have formed an awesome young duo that Knicks fans could get excited about. He was sitting right there for them and they blew it.

Lonzo Ball might just revolutionize the game of basketball.

Lonzo’s potential is clear, his vision and playmaking ability will make him an effective point guard for years.

But the long hit-ahead passes are something we haven’t seen from a point guard before and if teams are slow to get back he will make them pay.

Instead of pounding the ball like Chris Paul or Kyrie Irving, Lonzo always has his head up ready to fire a pass.

Jayson Tatum is ready right to make an impact right now.

From the Dirk fallaway jumper to his solid handles, Tatum clearly has the juice to make an impact in the league from day one, especially on the offensive end.

In Summer League Tatum was consistently able to post up smaller players and shoot over them. He also showed some catch-and-shoot ability.

Tatum is going to average 20 points per game in this league for a long time.

How will all the Suns’ young guys fit together?

https://twitter.com/TheNBABulletin/status/887166047446552576

After drafting Josh Jackson, the Suns are hoping they have added a significant piece to their roster. But Jackson didn’t kill it in Summer League and his jumper is still broken.

Outside of Devin Booker, the Suns have a ton of young guys who are still projects and years away from contributing night to night in the NBA.

They better hope one of their young guys pops this year or they’ll find themselves back in the top 5 of the lottery.

“Fuck Gordon Hayward, we have Donovan Mitchell.”

This must be what Utah Jazz fans are saying to each other.

After Hayward left in free agency, Mitchell shined in Summer League, draining threes, getting to the rim, and playing physical defense.

Mitchell has clear upside and should be a solid combo guard for years to come.

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