Scottie Pippen Says Lebron James Is The GOAT Because ‘he Does Everything’ On The Field And Off

Scottie Pippen’s Bold Claim: LeBron James Earns ‘GOAT’ Title for His On and Off-Court Mastery

In a recent revelation that sent shockwaves through the basketball world, Scottie Pippen, the legendary former Chicago Bulls player, boldly declared LeBron James as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). The statement came as a surprise to many, considering the longstanding debate surrounding Michael Jordan’s undisputed GOAT status. Pippen’s reasoning behind his assertion sheds light on James’ multifaceted brilliance both on and off the court.

Pippen emphasized James’ unparalleled ability to dominate every aspect of the game, transcending traditional positions and redefining what it means to be a complete player. He praised James for his scoring prowess, defensive tenacity, court vision, and leadership qualities, highlighting his versatility as a once-in-a-generation talent. According to Pippen, James’ impact extends far beyond the basketball court, citing his philanthropic endeavors, activism, and business acumen as further evidence of his greatness.

The assertion reverberated across social media platforms, sparking intense debates among fans and pundits alike. While some staunchly defended Jordan’s legacy, others embraced Pippen’s perspective, acknowledging James’ undeniable contributions to the sport and society at large.

Pippen’s endorsement of James as the GOAT carries significant weight, given his illustrious career and intimate knowledge of the game’s intricacies. As a six-time NBA champion and one of Jordan’s closest teammates, Pippen’s insight into basketball excellence is unparalleled. His endorsement adds a new dimension to the ongoing GOAT discourse, challenging conventional wisdom and prompting fans to reassess their perceptions of greatness.

The debate surrounding the GOAT title is unlikely to be settled anytime soon, with passionate arguments on both sides. However, Pippen’s endorsement serves as a compelling reminder of James’ enduring legacy and his impact on the sport beyond statistical achievements. Whether one agrees with Pippen’s assessment or not, his bold declaration has reignited conversations about basketball’s ultimate honor and the evolving nature of greatness in the modern era.

Christian Horner has been mocked on Instagram on the back of his tribute to Red Bull mastermind Adrian Newey.

Horner’s Red Bull team were dealt a major blow on Wednesday when they confirmed Newey, the person responsible for their dominant car, will leave the team after 18 years.

The news is the latest development in a series of events that have unfolded since Horner was accused of ‘coercive behaviour towards a female employee’, before being investigated and subsequently cleared.

 

Red Bull, meanwhile, insist Newey’s departure is not directly linked to the allegations that have engulfed the team since February, but driven by growing resentment at how he has been less than fully credited for the team’s success.

Red Bull boss Horner took to Instagram to pay tribute to ‘friend’ Newey, but was hit by backlash from fans who seem to refuse to move on from the allegations, which have gone to appeal.

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Christian Horner has been mocked on Instagram following his tribute to Red Bull mastermind Adrian Newey

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Horner, husband of Spice Girl Geri Halliwell (left), was previously accused of ‘coercive behaviour towards a female employee’

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He took to Instagram to pay tribute to Newey (left), who will leave Red Bull after 18 years

The tribute, however, backfired, with fans commenting that the Red Bull boss is to blame

The Los Angeles Lakers had a rollercoaster of a 2023-24 campaign. They won the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament, a sign that head coach Darvin Ham and the Lakers could be a contender when the postseason came around, and played phenomenal basketball when their backs were against the wall at the end of the regular season.

That effort was led by resurgent performances by guards D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves. But in between the two stretches, the Lakers simply couldn’t put anything together.

From Dec. 12 to Jan. 13, the Lakers went 5-12, including two four-game losing streaks. Ham decided to make some significant lineup tweaks during that stretch, including sending Reaves and Russell to the bench while starting more wing-heavy lineups that included Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish.

The Lakers’ late-season surge almost directly correlated with Ham putting Russell and Reaves back into the starting lineup in mid-January. Russell was placed back in the starting lineup on Jan. 13, and from Jan. 15 to the end of the season, the Lakers went 29-14.

Now that the season is over, reports are coming out that some within the Lakers organization were not just unhappy with the losing streak, but the specific ways that Ham responded to it, according to Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic:

During the 13-game skid, the Lakers used six starting lineups, including two variations of an all-wing lineup — James, Davis, Taurean Prince, Vanderbilt and either Cam Reddish or Hachimura — for five games (the team went 2-3). The decision to bench both Reaves and Russell, the team’s consensus third- and fourth-best players, did not sit well with many within the organization and locker room, according to team and league sources.

Ham’s decision was viewed as a panic move that backfired, a divergence from the team’s stated goals of developing reps and continuity with the core players and groups from last season. Instead, those lineups and groupings didn’t play as much as they could have, even as bench or closing lineups.

Benching Russell and Reaves seemed to not only set the Lakers back a few weeks on the season, but could be the ultimate downfall for Ham. Had he stayed the course, perhaps the Lakers finish higher than the No. 7 seed and avoid the Denver Nuggets in the first round, leading to a deeper run that could have potentially saved his job.

Now, it feels more than likely that Ham does not begin the next season as Lakers head coach, even though changes need to be made to the roster as well.

D’Angelo Russell ready to use leverage

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has an $18.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season and he knows that this is a real opportunity for him to have leverage entering an offseason. At this rate, Russell declining the player option and becoming an unrestricted free agent seems to be by far the likeliest outcome.

With their heartbreaking Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers were officially eliminated from the postseason for the second straight year in disappointing fashion.

Now, the spotlight shifts to head coach Darvin Ham and if he is going to be around when the the 2024-25 season kicks off.

With all the noise surrounding his future, it seems Ham had to go out and try to extend the series to keep his job safe. But once again, the game script played out the same way as L.A. got out to an early lead only to lose it in the third quarter.

In similar fashion as Game 2, Jamal Murray iced the game with a go-ahead jumper that ultimately became the shot that sent the Lakers home. Ham spoke to how tough it is to see Game 5 play out that exact same way.

“It’s tough. It’s tough, man,” Ham said. “Some unfortunate circumstances. AD getting hurt. Not having to leave the game per se, but just threw off his natural rotations, normal rotation. They make that run…we’ve already challenged the call earlier in the game, tried to hang on to timeouts just in case we need to challenge again, we may have an extra. It’s one of those games. It’s helluva team. They’re defending champs for a reason. I’ve been saying it the entire year, the entire series. They know how to gut out wins, they’ve been there before.

“But I couldn’t be more proud of our group despite everything that happened. Obviously the series didn’t go in our favor, didn’t start out the way we wanted it to but to win that one at home, to fight tooth and nail to try to get this one…our guys showed a lot of guts, a lot of character and their resilience to continue to to fight. But the intangibles, they got us again. Missing free throws, giving up some second-chance points late. It is what it is. You just have to learn from it, grow from it, be better mentally, spiritually and physically.”

With now Ham’s second season as coach finished, he reflected on the season ending by the hands of the defending champion Denver Nuggets once again.

“It’s tough,” he said. “The completion of my second year in this seat, it’s a lot. This is from where the year started last year to us getting to the deadline and making the moves we made try to make a push on the fly which we’re able to do. Fell short to the champs, the same team. Tried to maintain our core, some continuity in the summer which we were able to do. And then the injury bug hit us and it just seemed like it wouldn’t get off of us for the first third, maybe half of the season. Once we start hitting rhythms, it seemed like every time we hit a rhythm a key piece would fall out of the lineup.

“But it is what it is. I’m not gonna feel sorry for myself or ourselves. It’s an unbelievable franchise to represent. Couldn’t ask for a better governor and president of ops in Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss. But I’ve seen a lot in my first two years in this seat, so I’ll continue to work, get better and control what I can control.”

A roller coaster of a season for the Lakers is finished and changes are expected to be made. The first structural change that may be made is the dismissal of Ham after being unable to get the Lakers over the hump in his two seasons.

Darvin Ham ‘highly unlikely’ to return as head coach for 2024-25 season

Shortly after Game 5, multiple reports were released and indicated that Darvin Ham is ‘highly unlikely’ to return as the head coach of the Lakers for the 2024-25 season.

The Los Angeles Lakers have always been a franchise built on star power. That has not changed under owner Jeanie Buss as the team is currently built around a pair of superstars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

But now that the 2024 season has ended for the Lakers, questions about James’ future are, of course, coming to the forefront. Not only did LeBron just finish his 21st NBA season, but he also has the ability to opt-out of his current contract and become an unrestricted free agent this offseason if he wants.

The Lakers are going to do everything they can to make sure LeBron remains in the purple and gold if he does indeed choose to continue his NBA career. And one thing they reportedly have on their side is the relationship between LeBron and Buss which, according to Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic, has never been better:

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, in particular, believes James’ return is of paramount importance to their plan. This franchise has always been buoyed by the stars, and James’ ability to still play at an elite level at his advanced age has only strengthened the desire to have him retire in a purple-and-gold jersey one day. And after six seasons together in which there has been no shortage of ups and downs, Buss and James, team sources say, have a relationship that is better than ever these days.

It may not seem like a huge deal, but a star believing in the owner and being on the same page with their vision is imperative. Great franchises are all aligned from the top down and Buss is at the top of the Lakers franchise, so LeBron being locked in with her is a good sign that he won’t be going anywhere.

James has said that he hasn’t given any thought to his future as of yet, and just wants to focus on his family for the time being. But the Lakers clearly want him to remain with the franchise for the remainder of his career and Buss plays a role in that as well, so it is a good sign that the two remain close.

Lakers open to ‘any deal’ that will bring LeBron James back

If LeBron James were to opt-out of his deal as is expected, it will not be cheap to re-sign him. But the Lakers apparently don’t care about that at all and are willing to do whatever is necessary to keep him in purple and gold.

A recent report stated that the Lakers are open to any deal that involves LeBron coming back, including a three-year maximum extension worth $164 million that would keep him with the team until he is 42 years old.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei and Kelly Piquet’s Instagram

Kelly Piquet’s daughter Penelope shares a great bond with Max Verstappen. Despite that, the 2024 Australian GP was the first time Penelope attended a Grand Prix to watch the Red Bull champion win and dominate the F1 grid. However, the four-year-old could not witness a victory for Verstappen, as he had to retire in the opening laps of the race. Still, Penelope shared a wholesome moment with the Dutchman’s peer Lando Norris after the race in Melbourne ended.

As seen in a video surfaced on Twitter (now X), Penelope is hugging and having a chat with Norris. The video showcases them in the Albert Park circuit paddock with Kelly Piquet capturing the duo’s adorable moment.

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Norris had a contrastingly great race in Australia, as the Briton stood on the podium after finishing P3. Naturally, he was happy with the result and would have cheered up Penelope, if she was sad on seeing Verstappen’s DNF.

Verstappen and Norris also share a close bond as the duo are great friends off the track too. They often hang out with each other and their common friend, DJ Martin Garrix. Though, during the winter break the Briton seemingly ditched Verstappen to go on a trip Down Under along with Garrix.

Norris posted about the same that showed him, Garrix, and Daniel Ricciardo hanging out in Perth. However, the Dutchman was also vacationing with Kelly Piquet and Penelope during the same time.

Regardless, this moment between Penelope and Norris is something fans are loving. Perhaps, the duo may plan a family and friends’ vacation together for their next break.

Fans love the “cute” moment between “Uncle” Lando Norris and Penelope

Several fans on Twitter have reacted quickly to this wholesome moment and are drooling over the cuteness of the duo. Naturally, Lando Norris is himself an adorable driver among several female fans and his interaction with Kelly Piquet’s daughter may be a memorable off-track moment for many.

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One of the fans labeled Norris as Penelope’s favorite “uncle”.

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Another fan was adoring Penelope’s Kangaroo bag too.

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The four-year-old also visited the Japanese GP where she finally got to see Verstappen win. This may become a trend this season with Penelope traveling more often with her mother to races.

With the Lakers getting eliminated from playoff contention and Lebron James reportedly opting out of his player option, it’s possible we saw the last game of the LeBron-Anthony Davis pairing.

AD, however, is adamant the duo still has a lot they can accomplish and said as much during his exit interview on Monday.

“I feel like we complement each other,” Davis said. “We’ve done something special together. The good thing about it is I’m going to be with him all summer. So, we’ll have a lot of conversations and things like that. He knows how I feel about him. He’s been in this game a long time. (He’s) in season 21, he’s been in this position a couple times to make these types of decisions.

“If he asks my opinion whenever we talk about it, I’m obviously going to try to recruit him back. But ultimately, he’s old enough where he’s going to make a decision, whatever’s best for him and his family knowing that his time is limited in this league, only a couple more years left. His goal is, obviously, to win. I feel like we can do that here but, ultimately, it’s how he feels and what he decides.”

AD will spend all summer with LeBron due to their Team USA commitment as they try to win Gold at the Paris Olympics.

Team USA has often been a petri dish for stars to mingle and come out with a super team. Davis knows this from his time with Team USA back in the 2012 Olympics and is clearly going to bend James’ ear this summer to keep him in purple and gold for the fall.

This isn’t the first time LeBron has made a decision on his career with the world watching and Davis will be there for his partner in crime regardless of what he does.

“He’s been in this position numerous times in his career where he had to make a decision, ultimately for himself and his family,” Davis said after Game 5. “Me right there supporting him whatever he decides to do. I’m not sure. I don’t know. I’m pretty sure it’s not even on his mind right now.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll come talk to me, tell me what’s going on before he comes public with the decision just to keep me in the loop. Obviously, it’s been a great five seasons with him. If he does decide to come back, this isn’t where we want to be left at, losing in the first round. If he does, obviously our goal is to come back and be a championship contender, stay healthy and give Lakers Nation what they deserve. But he has a decision to make and when that time comes, he’ll inform me, inform you guys.”

The good news for Lakers fans is it seems ‘in all likelihood’ LeBron will re-sign with the team. However, once he opts out, he’ll be completely unrestricted and you never know if he finds another destination alluring and decides to leave.

So, no matter how confident one is that Bron will return, until he signs on the dotted line, you have to do your best to convince him to do so and it seems AD is on board with that.

 Demystifyiпg the physical impact: How Michael Jordaп’s actioпs broυght Kwame Browп’s career back to zero.

The пarrative sυrroυпdiпg Michael Jordaп’s impact oп Kwame Browп’s career is a complex aпd coпtroversial oпe that has beeп the sυbject of mυch debate amoпg basketball faпs aпd aпalysts. While it is trυe that Browп’s time playiпg υпder Jordaп’s leadership with the Washiпgtoп Wizards was marked by strυggles aпd setbacks, attribυtiпg the eпtirety of Browп’s career trajectory to Jordaп aloпe oversimplifies a mυltifaceted issυe.

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Kwame Browп, drafted as the first overall pick by the Washiпgtoп Wizards iп the 2001 NBA Draft, eпtered the leagυe with high expectatioпs aпd immeпse pressυre to perform. Uпfortυпately, Browп’s developmeпt did пot progress as aпticipated, aпd he faced criticism for his oп-coυrt performaпce aпd coпsisteпcy.

Dυriпg his time with the Wizards, Browп was iпdeed υпder the tυtelage of Michael Jordaп, who served as both a teammate aпd later as the team’s presideпt of basketball operatioпs. Jordaп’s demaпdiпg leadership style aпd high expectatioпs υпdoυbtedly added pressυre to Browп’s already challeпgiпg sitυatioп.

However, it is importaпt to recogпize that Browп’s strυggles were пot solely dυe to Jordaп’s iпflυeпce. Factors sυch as iпjυries, persoпal challeпges, aпd the demaпdiпg пatυre of professioпal sports all played a role iп shapiпg Browп’s career trajectory.

Moreover, the iпteпse scrυtiпy aпd criticism that Browп faced throυghoυt his career, iпclυdiпg from faпs aпd media, likely coпtribυted to his strυggles oп the coυrt. The weight of beiпg labeled a “bυst” as the first overall pick υпdoυbtedly took a toll oп Browп’s coпfideпce aпd psyche.

While Michael Jordaп’s preseпce υпdoυbtedly looms large iп the пarrative of Kwame Browп’s career, it is esseпtial to approach the topic with пυaпce aпd recogпize the mυltitυde of factors that coпtribυted to Browп’s challeпges aпd setbacks. Ultimately, Browп’s career serves as a remiпder of the complexities of professioпal sports aпd the importaпce of sυpportiпg aпd пυrtυriпg yoυпg athletes as they пavigate the pressυres of the iпdυstry.

 

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The Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers appear to be unable to continue their pursuit of superstar LeBron James if the King’s multiple-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers becomes a reality, since he has expressed a desire to retire as a purple and gold player.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, LeBron James is looking for a multi-year deal with the Lakers this summer that may last 2-3 years and pay $60 million per year (max) and will make him 42 at the end of the pact.So the Lakers will need to spend roughly another 180 million dollars to retain LeBron James in Los Angeles and force him to retire as a member of their organization, which owner and governor Jeanie Buss has expressed a desire to see happen.

Lakers supporters want LeBron to take a pay cut so that the franchise may spend more money on developing a stronger squad capable of winning a new NBA championship, since many are losing faith in the present group.The Lakers stars have delivered; role players now pick up their game.James and Davis are no strangers to carrying the offensive burden for the Lakers, and Russell has been on fire since the end of January. The three have established themselves as the offensive hierarchy, but they will need aid from the rest of the squad to beat teams like the Suns.

GEORGE RUSSELL has revealed that his Williams contract contained a strict clause banning him from drinking on F1 race weekends.

But the Brit also added that he vowed not to expose the F1 culprits who routinely broke this golden rule.

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George Russell said some drivers have broken rules around not drinking alcoholCredit: Reuters

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Russell and Lando Norris appeared in a scene together in Drive to SurviveCredit: Getty
A fresh clip from the newest series of Netflix’s Drive to Survive has exposed the strict demands placed on drivers during the F1 season.

During the third episode, Russell and McLaren driver Lando Norris sit together in a private plane and joke about whether they want to party that night.

Russell, 26, answered in passing that he had a clause in his Williams contract that prevented him from drinking alcohol on race weekends.

He said: “I don’t want to name any names, but there were definitely people who still drank.”