Ja Morant Is The NBA Rookie Doing Things His Way

Memphis point guard Ja Morant isn’t planning to wait his turn, the 20-year old wants to take over the league right now.

Many world religions, fables, and social epithets teach the young to mind their elders. We’ve all heard the chimes. “Respect those who came before you” or “show some deference.” This may be true for most of us, in many walks of life. But on the basketball court, age ain’t nothing but a number - and as Aaliyah said “throwing down ain’t nothing but a thang.” Twenty-year-old phenom Ja Morant isn’t waiting around to pay any dues or allot homage to the more established players in the league. The Memphis guard wants his respect right now. Ironically, the rookie is earning that esteem by being down-right nasty to his opponents. No exaggeration, there have been at least a dozen times this season when Morant pulled a move out of his bag and the best commentary I could provide after seeing it was “Oh, that’s just disrespectful.” Whether he’s barking at 2018’s MVP James Harden after nailing a three-pointer, yelling “[you better] tell that mother f**cker about me,” or trying to jump clean over Kevin Love - Morant has given fans several reasons to look at their television screen or cell phone with the “stank face,” and utter things like “don’t do him like that.” He is quickly becoming one of the league’s must-see attractions - routinely delivering unforgettable moments well worth the price of admission.

I knew Ja Morant was a different kind of animal when the kid told Chris Hayes of Yahoo Sports that he wasn’t a point guard but a “point god." When asked what made him garner such a title, Morant said "the ability to not only make plays for me but also my teammates. And just everything I bring to the table. Try to play an all-around game and do whatever I can to help my team win." Morant likely gets that edge from his father who he says was his “first hater.” Morant’s dad was very instrumental in his growth as a player. The two would often run drills in the backyard, then laying the foundation for Ja’s tremendous work ethic and competitiveness. When asked about the way he plays, Morant told ESPN "It's just my edge. The chip I have on my shoulder from what I had to go through to get to the NBA." Later saying, "My dad always told me that I was trained to go, basically that I'm built for the moment. And my mom always told me I'm beneath no one." Ja was selected with the second overall pick in the 2019 draft following his sophomore year at Murray State (where they recently retired his jersey)

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Morant welcomes any and all challengers. It’s because of this relentless attitude that the Grizzlies are in playoff contention when some thought that’d be back in the lottery. He relishes the opportunity the play against the game’s best point guards. In fact, his finest moment perhaps came in a game against Kyrie Irving, whom he idolized, and the Brooklyn Nets. As time wound off the clock, the Grizzlies needed someone to step up and make a big play to force overtime. Morant answered the call, blocking the shot of Kyrie Irving and then later dishing the assist which led to the game-winning shot. He scored some big buckets down the stretch as well.

"He came out and it wasn't about, 'Aw man, I look up to you. I'm wearing your shoes,'" Grizzlies forward Solomon Hill said. "It's about, 'I'm trying to get this W.'" It could be James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Stone Cold Steve Austin or the Easter Bunny. If you’re in between the lines. Ja is going for your neck. Plain and simple.

No one and I mean, no one is exempt from the wrath of Ja. Morant is even in the crosshairs of a social media spat with established veteran forward and NBA champion Andre Igoudala and Steph Curry. It all started after a report by David Aldridge that Iggy was prepared to sit out the entire season if Memphis wasn’t able to trade him. After this Morant and teammate, Dillion Brooks mirrored the sentiment they couldn’t wait for the former Finals MVP to be traded. Curry then threw some shade back at Morant who of course didn’t take it lightly and sprayed back at Steph. Morant also liked a tweet that read “Fuck Iguodala.” Just goes to show you he’s not your average rookie.

Morant was named rookie of the Month for January after posting 17 points, 8 assists and 3 rebounds per game. January marks the third consecutive month he has earned such honors. He is the first Grizzlies player to win the award in back-to-back months. In January Morant led Memphis in an 11-4 record, best in the Western Conference over that span. He became the first rookie since 2001 to post those averages while shooting 50% from the field.

As the season has grown so has Morant’s game. Both his shooting percentages and overall efficiency have improved significantly since October. Ja is learning to harness his explosive athleticism and leverage that advantage using heady execution. He is great off the live dribble, with a tight handle and terrific change of pace-direction. Not to mention some dynamic playmaking ability. Russell Westbrook meets Chris Paul.

With his brash banter and even bolder play on the court, Ja Morant is swiftly making a name for himself despite being only 40 or so games into his NBA career. Whether he’ll be able to maintain this productivity, only time will tell. Playing a flashy style, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant are fueling the new era of Grizzlies basketball - from Grit Grind to Sizzle and Shine.

D’Angelo Russell Heavily Pursued By Knicks, Warriors Won’t Budge

The Knicks could use a young star right about now.

Of all the names being thrown around throughout the NBA trade deadline cycle, D'Angelo Russell is one of the players we have heard the most about. Ever since joining the Golden State Warriors, it was believed he would be a rental to replace Klay Thompson for a little while. Over the past couple of weeks, it has become apparent that various teams are trying to get him, including the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, yet another team is throwing their hat into the ring, this time, the New York Knicks.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Knicks have been pursuing Russell and have even proposed some trade packages. So far, the Warriors have denied all of them as the Knicks aren't close to matching their demands.

Realistically, the Knicks don't have very much to offer the Warriors when it comes to roster players. The Warriors will be fine when Steph Curry and Thompson get back so there is no point in trying to look for quick replacements. Meanwhile, the Knicks are rebuilding for their future and can't afford to give up first-round picks for Russell, who isn't a proven franchise player.

Stay tuned for updates on the trade deadline as we will be sure to bring them to you.

Tia Mowry Debuts New Pixie Haircut

Tia Mowry wanted to “start over” with a new look.

Last month Tia Mowry shared the results of her DNA ancestry test that gave her even more detail on her roots and where her relatives. “One of the main reasons why I wanted to do this is because as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been more intrigued with who I am and where I come from,” she said. “I’ve always known some information about my mom’s side, but I didn’t know a lot about my dad’s side.”

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The 41-year-old mother of two has made even more moves to become comfortable with her true self and this time it’s in the form of a new haircut. Tia recently debuted to her latest style update to Instagram that sees her glowing self and her much shorter locks. “It was time! #shorthair #dontcare ☺️ #skin #nofilter #nomakeup This.Is.Me #selfcare isn’t selfish ??,” she captioned the selfie.

Tia chatted with Refinery29 on just why she decided to chop off her curls. “If I’m honest with you, 2020 was just starting pretty rough,” she said. “Between the natural disasters to worrying about viruses, and then the sudden loss of Kobe Bryant… I just wanted to chop my hair off and start over.”

Nelly Goes Off On Casino Employee After Scrap With Fellow Gambler: Watch

Nelly goes on nuts-filled rant.

On Saturday morning, Nelly may have felt inspired by Uncut Gems to hit up Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun casino. If he watched this new Safdie brothers film, it could also explain why Nelly was exhibiting as much rage and frustration as Adam Sandler’s character, Howard Ratner. TMZ has shared a clip of the rapper going off on a pit boss at a poker table. It got pretty hot in there.

If you watch the 50-second clip, you could get a pretty good idea of what went down. It starts with Nelly shouting at the pit boss: “He’s talking about his balls ’cause I said ‘you don’t know how to play,’ and you said, ‘yo get under my nuts.’ So I’m wrong?” Okay, this excerpt might seem a bit confusing at first, so let me break it down. The “he” that Nelly refers to is a fellow gambler at the table who oddly instructed him to “get under my nuts” after Nelly criticized his poker skills.

The pit boss ends up being the target of Nelly’s wrath since he didn’t intervene in the little dispute at the table. “I didn’t hear any of this,” the pit boss is heard saying. To which Nelly retorts, “I’m telling you what he said!” The pit boss remains indifferent to Nelly’s plight, probably hoping he could just make it to the end of his shift without dealing with any drama. “Just stop. Alright? Enough’s enough,” Nelly is told. The irritated rapper surrenders, repeating “I expect you to be on their side.” At this point, the vibes at the table were totally thrown off and the other player decides that he just wants to take his chips and leave.

Meek Mill Finally Claims His Pregnant Girlfriend Amidst Nicki Minaj Feud

Meek Mill confirms he’s expecting a baby with Milan Harris.

In the midst of this heated social media back-and-forth we’re experiencing between Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill, some good news was confirmed by the Philadelphia rapper regarding rumors we’ve been hearing about for months. For the last year, Meek Mill has been linked to fashion designer Milan Harris, of Milano di Rouge, but the rapper never cared to justify the terms of their relationship. When she got pregnant a few months back, speculation grew even more rampant with fans assuming Meek was the father. Again, he didn’t address the topic but still, we were seeing them around each other far too often for it not to be a thing. Finally, confirmation has been granted with the “Dreams & Nightmares” star dropping some knowledge in the middle of his rant against Nicki Minaj.

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The most scathing headlines coming out of this beef have to do with the accusations Nicki is making against Meek, claiming that he beat up his sister and filmed the entire thing. Another has to do with Meek bringing up Minaj’s defense of her brother, who was just sentenced in a child rape case. On the positive end of things, Mill finally claimed Milan Harris as his girl, explaining that she’s the reason why he’s no longer entertaining this feud.

“My girl is with me pregnant watching me tweet about my ex is very clownish … Ima exit,” wrote the rapper on Twitter.

Milan Harris announced her pregnancy late last year and now, we’ve got official word that Meek is the father. Congratulations to them!

Meek Mill Finally Claims His Pregnant Girlfriend Amidst Nicki Minaj Feud

Joe Rogan Named Highest-Earning Podcaster By Forbes, Making $30 Million A Year

Joe Rogan is raking it in.

When comedian and TV host Joe Rogan launched his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, over 10 years ago, he probably didn’t realize that a decade later, he’d be the highest-paid podcaster in the world. According to Forbes magazine, Joe is at the top of their inaugural list of The Highest-Earning Podcasters, as the famous media personality raked in a whopping $30 million last year.

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Senior vice president at Edison Research, Tom Webster, told Forbes that Rogan is “delivering scale and engagement” that puts him at “no. 1 in terms of reach in the U.S.” Hosts of the uber popular My Favourite Murder podcast, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, are sitting just below him at the no. 2 spot, who made $15 million in 2019 off their podcast. The list was determined using “earnings figures include revenue from advertising on a host’s flagship program only, as well as ancillary revenue from touring, paid memberships and other media (like books and YouTube videos) derived from it.” These estimates are based on data from Apple, Stitcher, Magellan AI, Edison, and Pollstar, as well as interviews with industry insiders.

It’s hardly a surprise that someone like Joe Rogan would top such a list. The Youtube channel for The Joe Rogan Experience, which was first established in 2013, has accumulated over 7.39 million subscribers and has garnered over 1.8 billion views total. In 2019 alone, the host interviewed plenty of fascinating figures, such as Mike Tyson, UFO believer and alleged Area 51 worker Bob Lazar, Kevin Hart, Robert Downey Jr., and more. While his most-viewed interview of the year was Alex Jones, Joe’s sit-down with Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders received plenty of attention, particularly due to Joe’s later endorsement of him for the 2020 U.S. election. Bernie received some backlash for Joe’s public support of him, as many brought up Joe’s past transphobic and homophobic comments.

Stephen A. Smith Reveals Who Should Be The Next Knicks President

Smith also has an idea of who should be their next head coach.

New York Knicks fans around the world were jumping for joy yesterday when it was revealed that president Steve Mills was fired from his post. For years, decades even, Knicks fans have been lamenting about how bad their front office is. While much of this has to do with owner James Dolan, many were happy to see Mills get his walking papers. In light of this firing, the Knicks will now have to get themselves a new president and rumors are already starting to swirl.

Today, the always entertaining Stephen A. Smith went on First Take and made a bold suggestion in regards to who the Knicks should hire. Smith seems to think Inside The NBA analyst Kenny Smith should get the job since he is a sound basketball mind who is also from New York. Smith also went on to say the Knicks should hire Mark Jackson as head coach.

Kenny Smith is a great analyst who knows quite a bit about what it takes for a team to be successful. As someone who has critiqued the Knicks for years, Smith would certainly make his presence felt around the Knicks front office. As for Jackson, he would be a huge upgrade and we're sure the players would respect him. Having said that, the Knicks aren't known for their great decision making so we'll see how hard they fumble the bag here.

Stay tuned for more NBA news as the trade deadline takes place tomorrow.

Mitt Romney Votes To Remove Trump

Mitt Romney’s deting vote to remove President Donald Trump from office goes against the majority of the Republican Party.

Though many expected that the Republican Party would hold steadfast in their decision to acquit Donald Trump of all impeachment charges, Senator Mitt Romney has officially deted from the pack. With Trump facing charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, Romney decided to vote in favor of conviction, making him the first –and possibly final– Republican to do so.

Making the announcement, Romney expressed a desire to stand on the right side of history. “I sought to hear from John Bolton not only because I believed he could add context to the charges,” he states. “But because I hoped he would add reasonable doubt and thus remove the awful obligation for me to vote for impeachment.” As the decision to hear from witnesses was ultimately vetoed, Mitt never had that chance. “We’ve come to different conclusions fellow senators, but I trust we have all followed the dictates of our conscience.”

Mitt Romney Votes To Remove Trump

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“Voters will make the final decision, just as the President’s lawyers have implored,” he continues. “My vote will likely be in the minority in the senate, but irrespective of this vote, I will tell my children and their children that I did my duty to the best of my ability. Believing that my country expected it of me. I will only be one name among many, no more, no less, to future generations who look at the record of this trial. They will note merely that I was among the senators who determined that what President did was wrong. Grievously wrong.”

Though he predicted that President Trump and many of his supporters will turn their wrath upon him, many on both sides have already begun praising Romney as courageous. Check out Mitt Romney’s full speech below. As of this moment, the Senate stands on the verge of acquitting Trump from all impeachment accusations.

Nike Introduces "Space Hippie" Sneaker Line Made From Trash

Nike unveils four environmentally-friendly “Space Hippie” sneakers.

Nike has today introduced their innovative, environmentally-friendly “Space Hippie” sneaker collection, featuring four different styles constructed with Nike’s own “space junk.” In other words, sneakers made from scrap material from factory floors.

According to Nike, the result is the creation of Nike footwear with their lowest carbon footprint scores ever.

Each and every detail of the four initial Space Hippie sneakers, including the materials and methods of packaging, was chosen with consideration for its environmental impact.

“We believe the future for product will be circular,” says Seana Hannah, VP, Sustainable Innovation. “We must think about the entire process: how we design it, how we make it, how we use it, how we reuse it and how we cut out waste at every step. These are the fundamentals of a circular mindset that inform best practices.”

The Space Hippie 01, 02, 03 and 04 will be available this spring for Nike members in SNKRS and SNEAKERS, as well as at Nike House of Innovation flagship locations and select retailers. Check out a breakdown of how the Space Hippie 02 was made, as well as official photos of all four silhouettes, below.