Kim Kardashian appeared somber as she emerged from the glamorous Beverly Hills restaurant E Baldi this Thursday evening.

Late that night, Taylor Swift explosively reignited her feud with Kim by releasing two ‘diss tracks’ on her new album The Tortured Poets Department – in what fans are describing as the ‘ultimate f**k you.’

Taylor, 34, dropped the hotly anticipated record at midnight ET on Friday, before making the shock announcement of a ‘second instalment,’ titled The Anthology, featuring nearly twice the number of songs as originally expected.

Among the tracks included in the second release is a song titled thanK you aIMee, which fans are now convinced is about Kim, noting that the letters K, I, and M are pointedly capitalized in the title.

When she was spotted leaving E Baldi the night of the album release, Kim kept her head down as she was guided out of the venue.

Kim Kardashian appeared somber as she emerged from the glamorous Beverly Hills restaurant E Baldi this Thursday evening

Late that night, Taylor Swift explosively reignited her feud with Kim by releasing two ‘diss tracks’ on her new album The Tortured Poets Department

Among the tracks included in the second release is a song titled thanK you aIMee , which fans are now convinced is about Kim

Taylor’s fans have been spamming Kim’s Instagram posts with the song title and lyrics which appear to reference the reality star’s children

The 43-year-old reality star was decked out in a muted black ensemble and could be seen clinging to a fuzzy, leopard-print accessory.

As the night wore on, her Instagram comments were flooded with ‘Swifties’ writing: ‘thanK you aIMee,’ messages to demonstrate their loyalty to Taylor.

Kim also believes the track is a pointed reference to her, according to insiders, who claim she feels backed into a corner and unable to speak out for fear she will be annihilated by Taylor’s ‘army’ of devout fans.

‘Taylor has humiliated Kim, and she knows that there is nothing she can do about it,’ a source told DailyMail.com exclusively. ‘Kim got what she feared was coming to her eventually, and is now backed in a corner because she knows Taylor’s army will destroy her if she says anything.

‘She is going to stay silent and hopes it will go away – but her friends know that it has only just started.’

The source continued: ‘Fans are already spamming her Instagram posts with “thanK you aIMee.” The most malicious part of all of this is the song title.

‘Taylor has done a lot of diss tracks but she has never named anyone that her songs are written for.

‘There can be no other interpretation. It is spelled out and will last forever.’

The insider said Kim is ‘aware of the pain’ she caused Taylor and that she has ‘tried hard to make amends in recent years,’ adding: ‘But she never did the one thing that she really needed to all along – simply apologize.’

Her track thanK you aIMee centers on Taylor’s apparent dislike for a mean school girl she refers to as ‘Aimee’ – who fans believe is actually Kim as Taylor confirms she changed the name of the woman in question.

In one line she sings: ‘There’s a bronze spray-tanned statue of you and a plaque underneath it/That threatens to push me down the stairs, at our school.’

Swifties speechless as Taylor Swift releases double album

Taylor sings in one line: ‘There’s a bronze spray-tanned statue of you and a plaque underneath it/That threatens to push me down the stairs, at our school’ (pictured with Kim in 2015)

Taylor and Kim’s ongoing feud started over a dispute between Taylor and Kim’s ex husband Kanye West

Fans have also suggested a second song, Cassandra, from the album could be another subtle jab at Kim, owing to multiple references to ‘snakes’

‘All that time you were throwin’ punches, I was buildin’ somethin’ / And I can’t forgive the way you made me feel / Screamed ‘F**k you, Aimee’ to the night sky, as the blood was gushin’ / But I can’t forget the way you made me heal.’

She goes on to add: ‘And it wasn’t a fair fight, or a clean kill / Each time that Aimee stomped across my gravе / And then she wrote hеadlines/ In the local paper, laughing at each baby step I’d take.’

She also seems to references Kim’s 10-year-old daughter North West dancing to her 2014 single Shake It Off on TikTok back in January, finding it ironic as the ‘song is about you.’

She sings: ‘And so I changed your name, and any real defining clues/And one day, your kid comes home singin’ a song that only us two is gonna know is about you.’

Sharing their thoughts on social media platform X, one fan described the song as ‘The ultimate f**k you,’ while another shocked listener said: ‘OMFG thanK you aIMee is about Kim Kardashian. This album is SO unhinged.’

Others are relentlessly spamming the comment sections on her Instagram and TikTok accounts with ‘thanK you aIMee’ and snake emojis.

Fans have also suggested a second song, Cassandra, could be another subtle jab at Kim, owing to multiple references to ‘snakes.’

Many believe the title character, Cassandra, is Taylor, while references to ‘the call’ are meant to allude to a phone call between the singer and Kanye, which Kim secretly recorded and posted online.

Taylor Swift in advert for Tortured Poets vinyl at Target

Taylor also seems to reference Kim’s daughter North, 10, dancing to Shake It Off on TikTok as she writes: ‘Your kid comes home singin’ a song that only us two is gonna know is about you’

Kim Kardashian and daughter North West dance together on TikTok

The snake emoji has played a major role in the ongoing feud between Taylor and Kim which started over a dispute between Taylor and Kim’s ex husband Kanye West.

The rapper famously stormed the stage at the 2009 VMAs when she won the prize for Best Female Video, telling the audience: ‘Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you. I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.’

After tying the knot with Kanye in 2014, Kim was at his side the following year when Taylor presented him with the lifetime achievement prize at the VMAs.

The pair appeared to have brought an end to their row – but in an interview with Rolling Stone Taylor noted that this was far from the case.

‘I’m standing in the audience with my arm around his wife, and this chill ran through my body,’ she recalled.

Taylor’s exes Joe Alwyn (left) and Matty Healy (right) also found themselves at the center of furious speculation over supposed digs the singer made at both of them in her songs

‘I realized he is so two-faced. That he wants to be nice to me behind the scenes, but then he wants to look cool, get up in front of everyone and talk s**t. And I was so upset. He wanted me to come talk to him after the event in his dressing room. I wouldn’t go.’

Adding an explosive new level to their feud, Kanye shocked the internet when, in 2016, he released his new song Famous, featuring the vulgar lyrics: ‘I feel like me and Taylor Swift might still have sex/Why? I made that b***h famous.’

Kanye furiously defended himself in a now-deleted tweet in which he claimed Taylor ‘thought it was funny and gave her blessings.’

Taylor’s representative hit back claiming she was never made aware of the ‘misogynistic message.’

Kim then sparked a social media firestorm when she shared a Snapchat video of Kanye during a phone call with the Cruel Summer singer, which appeared to prove he had asked Taylor for permission to include lyrics about her in his new song.

After rapping the line, West can be heard saying: ‘I think this is a really cool thing to have.’

Swift responds: ‘I know, it’s like a compliment, kind of. Yeah, I mean, what’s dope about the line is it’s very tongue in cheek either way. And I really appreciate you telling me about it, that’s really nice.’

Taylor became the subject of furious backlash when the video was shared online, with many accusing her of being a snake.

After Kim’s post made her the subject of multiple ‘snake’ memes, Taylor stood by her version of events in a furious social media statement.

‘That moment when Kanye West secretly records your phone call, then Kim posts it on the Internet,’ she wrote before asking: ‘Where is the video of Kanye telling me he was going to call me ‘that b****’ in his song?

‘It doesn’t exist because it never happened. You don’t get to control someone’s emotional response to being called ‘that b****’ in front of the entire world.’

‘He promised to play the song for me, but he never did. While I wanted to be supportive of Kanye on the phone call, you cannot ‘approve’ a song you haven’t heard.

‘Being falsely painted as a liar when I was never given the full story or played any part of the song is character assassination. I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never asked to be a part of, since 2009.’

Taylor took a break from the limelight before returning in 2017 with her new single Look What You Made Me Do – a pointed dig at Kim and Kanye which took aim at the trolls who had furiously branded her a ‘snake.’

She appeared to reignite the feud again in 2019 when she hit out at celebrity manager Scooter Braun, who had purchased the rights to her masters.

She wrote: ‘Some fun facts about today’s news: I learned about Scooter Braun’s purchase of my masters as it was announced to the world.

‘All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I’ve received at his hands for years. Like when Kim Kardashian orchestrated an illegally recorded snippet of a phone call to be leaked and then Scooter got his two clients together to bully me online about it.

Taylor and Kim’s longtime row actually began thanks to the singer’s dispute with Kanye in 2009, when he famously stormed the stage at the VMAs

‘Or when his client, Kanye West, organized a revenge porn music video that strips my body naked.’

It all exploded once more in 2020 with Taylor’s film Miss Americana, in which she noted that she felt ‘alone and bitter’ during her fall-out with Kanye and Kim, adding that she was branded ‘wicked and evil.’

Around the time leaked footage of her call with Kanye appeared to suggest Taylor was telling the truth about the conversation.

Days later, Kim posted a series of messages claiming Taylor was not being fully truthful and slammed the singer for her timing in rehashing the feud.

‘To be clear, the only issue I ever had around the situation was that Taylor lied through her publicist who stated that “Kanye never called to ask for permission…” They clearly spoke so I let you all see that,’ she wrote.

Taylor’s long time publicist Tree Paine quickly responded with a social media post of her own, tweeting: ‘I’m Taylor’s publicist and this is my UNEDITED original statement. Btw, when you take parts out, that’s editing.

‘P.S. who did you guys p*** off to leak that video?’

Taylor Swift urges fans to pre-save her new album on Spotify

Kim clapped back claiming ‘nobody ever denied the word “b****” was used without her permission,’ adding how she felt actions she and Kanye took were ethical.

After being named as TIME’s Person Of The Year back in December 2023, Taylor slammed Kim for ‘taking her down psychologically’ and forcing her into hiding during their long-running feud – while subtly branding the reality star and her ex-husband Kanye West as ‘trash’.

Tortured Poets Department is Taylor’s 11th studio album since she burst onto the music scene in 2006.

Many believe she also targets her ex boyfriend Joe Alwyn on the record, accusing him of cheating on her in her acerbic song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.

Taylor was in a relationship with actor Joe, 32, for six years before their shock split in early 2023.

Fans have also speculated that her latest work references her short romance with The 1975 frontman, Matty Healy.

DeMar DeRozan (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The likelihood of DeMar DeRozan joining the LA Lakers or Miami Heat has decreased. According to the most recent sources, the Chicago Bulls guard is not interested in signing a $13 million MLE. NBA expert Chris Haynes stated that both clubs would need to be resourceful with their salary space if they wanted to sign the six-time NBA All-Star, following reports that the Heat was among the teams interested in his talents.

DeRozan’s name has been associated with the Lakers after their elimination from the Klay Thompson tournament. The 34-year-old signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, which included a player option.

DeMar DeRozan has zero interest in taking the MLE for $13M, per @ChrisBHaynes

Teams like the Lakers and Heat would have to get creative to create cap space or work out a sign-and-trade.

(Via @BleacherReport ) pic.twitter.com/qvwsVxEnwq

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 2, 2024

This meant LA had to turn their attention to the following well-known free agent quickly. However, a contract with DeMar DeRozan is still in the works. The Bulls were purportedly amenable to a sign-and-trade agreement with the Lakers in recent reports.

At this point in his career, the player is more of a forward than a guard. Thus, he will try to sign and trade to increase his chances of signing a longer deal for the upcoming campaign.

Lakers’ Genuine Interest in DeMar DeRozan Revealed by Bulls Insider

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports said the Bulls are prepared to carry out a sign-and-deal with LA. He continued by saying that the Lakers truly are interested in DeMar DeRozan.

“The Lakers’ interest is genuine, and the Bulls are open to sign-and-trade possibilities, sources confirmed. But any sign-and-trade would have to be for at least three years and at less annual salary than what DeRozan wants.”

The Bulls were where DeRozan played for the last three seasons. His season, which saw him average 24.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 79 games, is over. His efforts, meanwhile, did not result in Chicago qualifying for the playoffs. Recall that DeRozan and the Bulls last made it to the postseason in the 2021–2022 campaign.

DeMar DeRozan is currently the most excellent free agent on the market, and his ties to Los Angeles help him. Along with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he undoubtedly gives the Lakers offense more bite despite the legitimate worries about where he fits into the team. He is a qualified bucket with a track record of clutch performance, making him a valuable asset to the side.

Taylor Swift fans are convinced the ‘Tied Together With a Smile’ songstress was in the room with her boyfriend Travis Kelce when he recorded his latest podcast episode.

The Chiefs tight end, who detailed his trip to London to visit the pop star on Wednesday’s episode of New Heights, appeared to look off to the side of the camera and smile mid-recording.

Eagle-eyed fans noticed Travis’ slight smirk, and theorized that the Grammy winner was watching him film the show, which he co-hosts with his brother Jason.

 

‘who are you looking at trav?’ one fan wrote on X alongside a clip of the sweet moment.

‘It’s so funny the way it’s literally so obvious he’s looking at her bc of the way he looks over and his taysmile,’ another responded to the video.

Taylor Swift fans are convinced she was in the room during Travis Kelce’s podcast recording

The tight end appeared to smile at someone off-screen in the middle of the episode

A third wrote, ‘Ok usually when people say he’s looking at her on the podcast it seems clear to me he’s not, but this time… yeah.’

The three-time Super Bowl champ is currently enjoying the NFL off-season, and may have remained in Europe with Swift, who will take her Eras Tour to Amsterdam this week.

Elsewhere in the podcast episode, the NFL player lifted the lid on the viral moment he appeared on stage during Swift‘s third show at London’s Wembley Stadium.

The athlete stunned more than 90,000 fans when he walked out as a backup dancer for Swift as she performed ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’.

‘It’s very unlike me, I don’t love going on stages,’ Travis said sarcastically as his brother Jason grilled him on the moment.

‘I initially mentioned it to Tay but was like “How funny would it be if I rolled out on one of the bikes for the 1989 era,” and she started laughing and was like “Would you seriously be up for doing something like that?”

Kelce made a shock appearance on stage at Swift’s Eras Tour show in London last month

‘She found the perfect part of the show for me to come in,’ Travis said of his cameo

‘I was just like, “what? I would love to do that, are you kidding me?” I’ve seen the show enough, might as well put me to work here.

‘Sure enough she found the perfect part of the show for me to come in. No bike in case I ran into somebody else or hit one of the dancers. It was the safest option.’

Travis joined backup dancers Kameron Saunders and Jan Ravnik on stage to ‘bring Taylor back to life’ during the interlude between her performance of ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’ and ‘I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,’ from her latest album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’

‘It was the perfect time for me to up there and have some fun, with her and the crowd. It was awesome. It was a blast, I had so much fun. It was an honor being on stage, obviously with Taylor but also Kam and Jan,’ Travis added.

Jaylen Brown (Image Source: Instagram/ @fchwpo)
While they wait for the historic ring ceremony on opening night, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics have been living the life of winners. Speaking of rings, Brown had already pleaded with anyone who may have located his championship parade “7uice” ring to get in touch. Fortunately for Brown, he was reunited with his item when two admirers managed to find it.

Jaylen Brown was spotted getting together with the supporters who had helped him find his misplaced ring. The 2023 NBA Finals MVP honored his promise to provide a gift in return. But he did not arrive with a single, unique present.

Brown posted, “I got it back thank you to Luke and Adi. I’ll see you courtside at the ring ceremony.”

Jaylen Brown lost his “Juice” ring at the Boston Celtics’ championship & he offered a special reward for whoever found it.

Two people named Luke & Adi found it & Brown met up with them to get the ring back, while gifting them a signed basketball, a signed jersey, & courtside… pic.twitter.com/0RumzLBl4Y

— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) July 3, 2024

In exchange, the stars gave the fans tickets to the team’s ring celebration on the opening night of the forthcoming regular season and an autographed basketball and Boston Celtics jersey. They snapped a photo of each other before their meeting ended, and Jaylen Brown kept thanking them.

He first revealed his predicament on Instagram Stories and requested assistance from his followers. He promised a “big reward” to the first person to discover it. Several fans reposted the Celtics star’s post on X after it was initially made on June 22.

Jaylen Brown Shares the Photo of the Ring on His Social Media

Later, Jaylen Brown uploaded a photo of himself thanking the people who got his ring back, clutching it tightly with his fingers.

In addition, Brown’s apparel line “7uice”—a play on his Celtics jersey number—was included on the ring. The design also includes several etched diamonds.

Got it back thank you to Luke and Adi I’ll see you courtside at the 💍 ceremony pic.twitter.com/ull3D7WgBV

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 2, 2024

Following a 16-year championship drought in the city, many people celebrated the Celtics’ championship victory as they marched back in the parade. Players, including Brown, who seemed ecstatic the entire time, were put on duck boats and paraded across the city.

LeBron James (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Social media is going in on LeBron James following the news of his new deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

James entered free agency a few days ago in a bid to help the team sign another top player, suggesting he was willing to take a pay cut.

However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday morning that the veteran has agreed to a two-year $104 million deal inclusive of a no-trade clause and a player option. James and the Lakers are still discussing the possibility of going $1 million below the maximum to allow the team more flexibility in building the roster.

So LeBron James returns on a 1-plus-1 deal for his 22nd season and takes his future year-to-year now in the NBA. https://t.co/o1YPztpbMT

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2024

Fans are now accusing James of knowing how this would play out all along. Check out some of their reactions below:

Perfectly played by LeBron, honestly. Says he'll take a paycut – but for only the guys he wants – great PR move, that. They don't get anyone, because who wants to join a team where you're always trade bait & always to blame.

And some think he's not running the show there. Crazy.

— Adam (@AdamJoseph) July 3, 2024

 

“Lebron is gonna accept a lot less money in order to bring in some stars”

Instead he takes over $50 mil a year and makes the team draft his son 😂

— Brad Bets ⚽️🪜 (@BradBetsFooty) July 3, 2024

So, no LePayCut, huh? No one wants to be part of realiry show, Keeping up with the Jameses 😂

— JBond (@jbondwagon) July 3, 2024

https://twitter.com/SkyedOKC/status/1808477739613376826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1808477739613376826%7Ctwgr%5E38a9ee258d5c8fd70a97258285c8e4a934c0b7f9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalprosports.com%2Fnba%2Fsocial-media-is-accusing-lebron-james-of-blatantly-lying-after-he-re-signed-with-the-los-angeles-lakers%2F

Pulled off a phenomenal PR stunt with the whole pay cut for specific players to show how bad the Lakers front office really is

— Brunshim (@Jmbrunshim) July 3, 2024

LeBron James Hasn’t Surprised Anyone

Of course, it’s no surprise that LeBron James chose to return to L.A., given that the team just drafted his first son, Bronny James, as a second-round pick last month.

James had made no secret about wanting to play with his son, although his agent, Rich Paul, insisted that that was no longer the case heading into the draft and that Bronny’s destination would have no bearing on where the player chose to sign.

He will have a hard time getting anyone to believe that, however.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are working on signing Bronny to his rookie contract after taking him at 55 overall. The 19-year-old is now set to become part of the NBA’s first father-and-son pairing, which will make the 2024 season a historic one for the league, LBJ, and his son.

The four-time NBA champion will turn 40 in December and is heading into his 22nd season. He is considered by many to be the greatest of all time.

James iss the league’s all-time top scorer and the first to pass 40,000 points while also fourth in all-time assists, eighth in steals, eighth in made threes, and third in made free throws.

LeBron James (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
LeBron James has been linked to several free-agency teams. Yet, the Los Angeles Lakers star has revealed his intention to stay with the Lakers by expressing his willingness to take a pay cut. Nevertheless, reports indicate that LeBron has not taken a pay cut. Rather, he signs a 2-year, $104 million max contract with the Lakers.

This deal includes a no-trade clause and a player option, ensuring James remains with the Los Angeles Lakers until he is 41. The 39-year-old star is about $20 million shy of becoming the first player in league history to surpass $500 million in on-court earnings.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers and James’ agent, Rich Paul, are still discussing James taking approximately $1 million below the maximum to allow for more flexibility in roster building.

There’s still a conversation with agent Rich Paul and Lakers on James taking $1 million or so below max to keep team below second-apron and able to keep a little more roster-building flexibility, source tells ESPN. https://t.co/6OjREPfe17

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2024

“There’s still a conversation with agent Rich Paul and the Lakers on James taking $1 million or so below max to keep the team below second-apron and able to keep a little more roster-building flexibility,” Wojnarowski reported.

Due to a quirk in the NBA salary cap rules, the Lakers cannot offer James a contract longer than three years. Nonetheless, his new deal is enough for the Lakers to build a championship-caliber team.

LeBron James’ Son Intends to Sign a Multi-Year Guaranteed Rookie Contract

LeBron James’ new deal follows the news of his son, Bronny James, being drafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Lakers legend has often expressed his desire to play alongside Bronny, which is why this draft has become a meaningful moment for both father and son. Reportedly, Bronny plans to sign a multiyear guaranteed rookie contract with the Lakers.

BREAKING: Bronny James plans to sign a multi-year guaranteed rookie contract with the Lakers, per @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/ojSHlWaRK3

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 2, 2024

LeBron has faced considerable backlash regarding Bronny’s draft. Critics have accused him of nepotism, suggesting that Bronny’s selection was influenced more by his father’s name than his abilities.

It will be interesting to see if the Lakers offer Bronny, a second-round draft pick, an unprecedented, fully guaranteed contract.

Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan (Image Credits: Getty Images)
In a recent episode of the Big Podcast with Shaq, host Shaquille O’Neal shared his opinions on several current NBA topics, including Bronny James’ draft prospects, the Lakers’ hiring of JJ Redick, and the comparison between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Additionally, the former NBA player also addressed the controversy surrounding Michael Jordan’s inflated stats.

“I knew they were. I sat there and watched John Stockton’s last game, where he threw it to a guy, the guy took 10 dribbles and two steps, and he was able to break the assists record. Do they give extra love at home? They do. But it doesn’t matter.” Shaquille O’Neal said during a recent episode of his podcast.

Shaq, who is also known as the Big Diesel, mentioned that home statisticians may have given greater weight to Jordan and other legendary players. He also noted that the past should be ignored, and the present should take precedence.

The Origin of Jordan’s Inflated Stats That Shaq Mentioned

Shaq further mentioned that if someone were to go back and change Jordan’s stats, they should also change the stats of other great players, including John Havlicek and Pete Maravich.

“Do you want to impress me? Go back and change it. If you go back and change the Jordan stats, let’s go back to all the guys, Havlicek and Pete Maravich, who shot behind the three. Let’s give them an extra point for all the deep-range shots they got if you want to do that. Let it go. It’s unconfirmed.” Shaq added.

The debate began when NBA insider Tom Haberstroh shared his opinion about Michael Jordan’s steals and blocks during his Defensive Player of the Year 1988 season. He mentioned that Jordan was accused of manipulating stats because he had a significant advantage in steals and blocks at home compared to road games. This sparked a debate among NBA experts and fans about the accuracy of Jordan’s achievements.

During the same podcast, the owner of the Big Chicken brand, Shaq, also issued a public apology to Drake for a social media misstep.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls faced the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals.

The SuperSonics were coached by George Karl, who went to UNC, the same school as Jordan. MJ and Karl knew each other pretty well and occasionally played golf together in the summers.

That’s why Jordan was furious when Karl didn’t say hello to him when the two were at the same spot for dinner.

“He walked right past me,” Jordan said in “The Last Dance” documentary. “I say, ‘Really? So that’s how he’s gonna play it.’ It’s a crock of sh-t. We went to Carolina, we know Dean Smith, I’ve seen him in the summer, we play golf. You gonna do this? Okay, fine.

“That’s all I needed. That’s all I needed for him to do that and it became personal with me.”

The Bulls won the first three games of the 1996 NBA Finals. Jordan averaged 31.0 points while shooting 46.0% from the field, 50.0% from beyond the arc and 81.1% from the free-throw through the first three games, and it appeared the Bulls would sweep the SuperSonics.

However, Seattle responded by winning Games 4 and 5. SuperSonics star Gary Payton guarded Jordan and did a great job. MJ averaged 24.5 points while shooting only 41.5% overall and 0.0% from three.

“A lot of people back down to Mike,” Payton said in “The Last Dance.” “I didn’t. I made it a point. I said, ‘Just tire him out. Tire the fu-k out of him. You just gotta tire him out.’ And I kept hitting him and banging him and hitting him and banging him. It took a toll on Mike. It took a toll.

“And then the series changed and I wish I could’ve did it earlier. I don’t know if the outcome would’ve been different, but it was a difference and beating him down a little bit.”

With the Bulls up 3-2, the series shifted back to Chicago. Jordan didn’t shoot the ball well in Game 6. He shot just 5-of-19 from the field.

However, MJ did shoot 11-of-12 from the free-throw line. He finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and the Bulls won by 12 points for their fourth championship.

Jordan won the 1996 NBA Finals MVP Award. He averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.2 blocks in the series.

Travis Kelce joins Taylor Swift on stage during Eras Tour in London

NFL star Travis Kelce is all smiles as he joins girlfriend and pop star Taylor Swift onstage during “The Tortured Poets Department” set of The Eras Tour. (Credit: @amynrogers/TikTok)

Being an NFL tight end translates quite nicely into being the boyfriend of a pop superstar. It all comes down to protecting the most coveted asset.

Last month, Travis Kelce took his ball security prowess and fancy footwork with him as he ventured onto girlfriend Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour stage.

Surprising fans in London, Kelce revealed how everything came together on the season 2 finale of his podcast “New Heights,” which he co-hosts with brother and former NFL center Jason Kelce.

During Taylor Swift’s performance in London, Travis Kelce surprised fans by emerging to perform during the “Tortured Poets Department” era. (Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

“On night three, something magical happened,” Jason said. “Somehow, you made your way onto the Eras stage.”

“It’s very unlike me,” Travis quipped, laying on the sarcasm. “I don’t love going on stages.

Travis Kelce says he attended so many of Taylor Swift’s shows on her Eras Tour, he’s comfortable with the choreography. (Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

“I initially mentioned it to Tay. I was like, ‘How funny would it be if I just rolled out on one of the bikes during the ’1989′ era?’” he explained to Jason. “She started laughing, and she was like, ‘Would you seriously be up for doing something like that?’ And I was just like, ‘Are you — what? I would love to do that. Are you kidding me?’ I’ve seen the show enough. Might as well put me to work here.’

“She found the perfect, perfect part of the show for me to come in. There was no bike, in case I like ran into somebody else or hit one of the dancers or anything. It was like the safest option.”

Taylor Swift’s backup dancers ride around the stage on bikes during a portion of her “1989” set. (Marcelo Endelli/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

Instead, Travis emerged during “The Tortured Poets Department” segment of Swift’s show, accompanying her backup dancers Cam and Jan.

“[They] are trying to bring Tay back to life, right? Trying to bring her back to life and get her ready to perform the rest of the show, so to speak. Knowing that she ‘Can Do It With A Broken Heart,’” Travis said, referencing Swift’s popular track off her latest album.

“I’ve seen the show enough. Might as well put me to work here.”

— Travis Kelce on joining Taylor Swift on stage during her London Eras Tour stop

“It’s such a fun, like playful part of the show. And it was like the perfect area or perfect time for me to go up there, just be a ham, and have some fun not only with [Taylor], Cam and Jan, but the crowd,” Travis said. “I played with Tay and got her makeup right.”

At one point during the skit, Travis picked Swift up and carried her in his arms.

“The one thing I told myself is, ‘Do not drop the baby. Do not drop this. Do not drop Taylor on your way over [to] this damn couch.’ The golden rule was do not drop Taylor. Get her to the couch safely,” he joked.

Travis admitted it wasn’t totally out of the realm of possibility he would perform; he does so offstage on a regular basis.

“I’ve seen the show so many times at this point,” he said. “I’ll find myself in the crowd just like, doing like the choreography.”

Taylor Swift played three shows in London. Travis Kelce attended each show, making a guest appearance on stage the third night.

“I didn’t disappoint Taylor. So, that’s all that really matters,” he said.

Later in the podcast episode, Travis alluded to more potential appearances.

“Shoutout to Tay for letting me jump on the stage with her. Who knows? Might not be the last time. You guys will have to keep showing up to these — the Eras Tour — to see if I pop out of the stage or what not,” he told listeners.

“What could I do next? I told her, I was like, ‘Yeah no. This is how it works. Once I get comfortable, I just stop listening to what everyone says, and I start doing my own thing.”

Many celebrities have been spotted recently at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, including Stevie Nicks, Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts. (Getty Images)

The debates about the GOATs of the game will go on in the NBA forever. However, despite hearing numerous takes almost daily, some opinions especially from the veterans succeed in raising eyebrows. Recently, former NBA player JJ Redick criticized Michael Jordan‘s era of basketball while supporting his podcast partner, LeBron James.

JJ Redick was a guest on Shaquille O’Neal‘s ‘The Big Podcast’ where the duo spoke about the greats of the game. As Shaq did not have a specific name for his vote, Redick, despite refusing to take part in the conversation, leaned towards LeBron James by slamming Michael Jordan‘s era in the league.

Michael Jordan, during his Heyday, six teams were added to the NBA. There were 90 players added to the NBA. Does that not water down?… You’re not telling me that the league for a little bit is gonna be watered down? JJ Redick on The Big Podcast

As the star had issues with MJ’s legacy, Redick sang high praise of King James. The former athlete praised James’ consistency throughout his 21-year career despite never averaging 35 points a season. The Los Angeles Lakers star has been the great of the modern era for a long time now.

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1785406771839828351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1785406771839828351%7Ctwgr%5Ebbc3ae40a664075bf3198812b33d89a1d41fc636%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ffirstsportz.com%2Fjj-reddick-tells-shaquille-oneal-nba-was-little-watered-down-during-michael-jordans-prime-while-talking-about-lebron-james-greatness%2F

However, Jordan’s impact on the game and the NBA as a whole is something that takes place once in a lifetime. Considering all this, Redick’s take received a wide spectrum of reactions, as some agreed with the star while the MJ followers believed that the Bull’s legend would dominate in the modern era as well. It is safe to say that a proper conclusion may not be decided anytime soon.

JJ Redick never hung out with LeBron James before the podcast

The NBA netizens were surprised when James announced the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with Redick last month. As it was surprising that James would start a podcast in the first place, fans were more confused by his partner. Despite the duo playing against each other for many years, the pair was never seen as friends.

During the podcast, Shaq could not help but ask Redick the reason for the two partnering up for a podcast. Redick revealed that he never had a bond with the 39-year-old but they always had mutual respect.

I’ve never hung out with the guy prior to us doing the podcast. I think part of it for me was tryna create something that is different than most podcasts…and the fact that it was with him. JJ Redick on The Big Podcast

In a short time, the podcast has received a lot of love from the fans as both the hosts have high basketball IQs. James and Redick discuss everything around the game including the past and current. O’Neal also praised the podcast for being interesting and intelligent.