How Dikembe Mutombo, Josh Okogie, and Yves Missi elevate African basketball
CNN's Larry Madowo explores the legacy of NBA great Dikembe Mutombo and introduces emerging African stars Yves Missi and Josh Okogie.
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Indianapolis Star
25 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
One phone call brought Haliburton, Siakam together, turned the Pacers into a contender.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Outside of a handful of interactions in summer workouts, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton didn't know Pascal Siakam very well, when he learned Indiana might trade for the Toronto All-Star a year ago January. Haliburton and Siakam had exchanged pleasantries at Rico Runs — the well-known UCLA-based summer pickup games organized by longtime NBA assistant Rico Hines — but otherwise the pair hadn't often crossed paths. Now, with his front office considering a move to pair him with Siakam, Indiana's emerging franchise face thought it would be a good idea for the two to connect. Stepping out of a dinner during the team's mid-January swing through Atlanta last season, Haliburton talked with Siakam for roughly an hour. That phone call provided the building blocks of a relationship that's anchored the Pacers' run to the NBA Finals 17 months later. Re-live the Pacers unbelievable run to the 2025 NBA Finals with IndyStar's commemorative book 'I wanted to have a conversation, 'Hey, is this something you actually you want to do? Do you want to be here?'' Haliburton said Saturday, recounting the conversation. 'Because I think that the guys who have been a part of the nucleus of this group, we cherish this organization and what we have been able to build here. I think every team, when you ultimately win a championship or play at a high level, there's a trade that happens or you bring in somebody from the outside to be a part of it and you don't want to make the wrong move, right. 'If you go in for Pascal, you want it to be about the right things.' In Siakam, the Pacers were looking for an high-caliber complementary piece to Haliburton. At that point a two-time All-Star, Siakam had also garnered All-NBA second- and third-team nods during his career, and won a title with Toronto in 2019. And in Indiana, Siakam saw the forming momentum of a franchise rallying around a superlative young point guard. The kind of creative ball handler who could score in bunches but create for teammates with equal ease. 'We had a great conversation, and I think we just very much so aligned on wanting to win and that being the emphasis,' Haliburton said. 'I told him that, 'Hey, we could really play well together. I think I could get you the ball in space and allow you to do what you do.' He preached that there's many things that he could do to help me succeed.' And so it's been in the year and a half since a three-team trade brought Siakam to Indianapolis. After re-signing with the Pacers on a four-year contract worth close to $190 million in July, Siakam turned in the third All-Star season of his career this winter. He led Indiana in points and rebounds per game, and thus far is doing the same in the playoffs. He even narrowly edged Haliburton for Eastern Conference finals MVP, after Indiana dispatched the Knicks in six games. Together, their adaptable skillsets embody a team whose versatility has become one of its greatest strengths. These Pacers can play big or small, defend well, run the floor and find their offense all over it. Trading for Haliburton handed Indiana a franchise cornerstone around which it could build a winner. Siakam became the final, crucial piece to that puzzle. Together, they have positioned the Pacers as an NBA title contender for the first time in a quarter century, all of it starting with one forthright phone call between two men crucial to making it possible. 'The biggest thing that I can respect about him is just his work ethic,' Haliburton said. 'He comes in the gym, I know he's going to be there every day. I know the exact hoop he's going to be on, so I try not to take his hoop. I let him get his one-on-one work in. 'Seeing him work that hard makes me want to work harder, and I think that goes through our group. I love having him as a teammate.'
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pacers vs. Thunder: On-court NBA Finals logo needs to return to give the event the special feel it deserves
It's the most important and biggest event of the year for the NBA, but you wouldn't know it by the mere optics of the Finals. No gold trophy at center court. And more importantly, no Finals script logo anywhere on the floor. Advertisement Short of Oklahoma City fans wearing all white, you couldn't tell the magnitude of the moment. Tyrese Haliburton's winning shot in Game 1 will be etched in history regardless of the series outcome, but visually something was missing. Fans took to social media in the last few days to remark how the floor looks sterile and bare compared to NBA Finals series of the past, and they were especially dismayed when bringing up the special courts the NBA uses for the early-season Emirates NBA Cup. A closeup view of the 2014 NBA Finals logo at American Airlines Arena in Miami. (Photo by John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (John W. McDonough via Getty Images) 'We have the opportunity to plan well in advance and to design a specific neutral court for a Cup championship game, and the teams design their own Cup courts,' commissioner Adam Silver said Friday. 'And it actually takes a significant amount of time to create new courts in terms of how they're painted, et cetera.' Advertisement Here's a solution for the league, which they could employ starting next year: At the start of the conference finals, start making four versions of the floor for each arena so something will be ready for the Finals. Of course, two will go unused, but the payoff of fan satisfaction could be worth the investment. It's simple, and it doesn't affect the style or quality of play. But the visual of the logo makes the moment feel big, and the NBA should focus on making moments feel bigger — especially for a television audience. 'There was a sense that maybe the logos added some slipperiness to the court, and it was a change on the court that was coming just at the time of the Finals,' Silver said Friday afternoon at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County ribbon-cutting ceremony, where the league refurbished educational spaces, among other things. Advertisement 'And again, maybe it's for superstitious reasons or just a sense from teams. We shouldn't be changing things around such important competition.' Maybe it was somehow slippery, although no moments come to mind when injuries occurred around the logo. Or maybe the NBA didn't think it was that important. The World Series has significant logos on the grass, and the Super Bowl has its unique signage at both 20-yard lines. Silver, who seems to be online more than people would expect, saw the reaction and indicated perhaps a change can be made in the future. 'I hadn't thought all that much about it till I thought it,' Silver said. 'I'm nostalgic as well for certain things and and also, I think, for, you know, media-driven culture, whether it's people watching live or seeing those images on social media, it's nice when you're looking back on highlights and they stand out because you see that that trophy logo or some other indication that it's a special event.' The Finals script design made its return in 2022 after a few years of a very bland, Microsoft Word-style design that was panned by all. When the script returned for the first time since the 2017 Finals, fans across the league rejoiced. Advertisement It felt important. It felt big. It was first put on the floors in the 1989 NBA Finals, and two years later, decals for the entire NBA playoffs were placed. Like Silver said, it created a nostalgia that for some reason the league went away from reinforcing. During the ABC broadcast, there seemed to be nothing special — no televising the national anthem or starting lineups, and in last year's Finals, digital advertising signage was placed on the floor instead of the Finals script. It seems like an easy solution, and the league pays enough attention to social media and the like that it wouldn't be a shock to see some level of visual change. Advertisement Are numerous different champions better? Not only will this be the seventh straight year the NBA will crown a new champion, Oklahoma City and Indiana joining the party means 11 teams have played for the NBA title during that span — with Boston, Miami and Golden State making multiple appearances since 2019. Who knows if it's a good, great or terrible thing — the lack of connective tissue between the Finals year after year? But it's clear Silver believes this being a function of the collective bargaining agreement is a positive. 'I remember when I first joined the league,' Silver said Thursday during his Finals availability news conference. 'David used to joke early on in his tenure, David Stern, as commissioner, he said his job was to go back and forth between Boston and L.A. handing out championship trophies. Advertisement 'I think it was very intentional, it didn't begin with me, it began with David and successive collective bargaining agreements, that we set out to create a system that allowed for more competition in the league, with the goal being having 30 teams all in position, if well managed, to compete for championships. That's what we're seeing here.' In Stern's 30 years as commissioner, he handed trophies to Chicago, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, Detroit, Golden State, Houston and Cleveland. Silver is already close to topping that number in less than half the time. 'I've said before, the goal is that market size essentially becomes irrelevant.'
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Where Can I Stream 'Good Night, and Good Luck'? How to Watch George Clooney's Broadway Play Live from Home
George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck will air on CNN on June 7 It will be the first Broadway play to be televised Good Night, and Good Luck is an adaptation from Clooney's 2005 Oscar-winning film of the same nameGeorge Clooney is making history with his five-time Tony-nominated play Good Night, and Good Luck. On Saturday, June 7, at 7 p.m. ET, CNN will air his stage adaptation of the 2005 film of the same name — marking the first-ever televised Broadway performance. 'I can't tell you how exciting it is to do something that's never been done,' the Wolfs star said in a statement. 'CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone.' Good Night, and Good Luck chronicles CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow's pivotal 1954 broadcast challenging Senator Joseph McCarthy, which helped turn public opinion against his anti-Communist campaign. Though Clooney played producer Fred Friendly in the 2005 film, he stars as Murrow in the stage production. The cast also includes Clark Gregg, Ilana Glazer, Glenn Fleshler and Carter Hudson. The play, which opened in April 2025 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City, marks the Oscar-winning actor's first time on Broadway. Here's everything to know about George Clooney's play Good Night, and Good Luck, including the plot and how to watch it live on TV. Set in the 1950s, Good Night, and Good Luck recounts the real-life CBS broadcast that contributed to the downfall of Senator McCarthy. Murrow challenged the politician's fear-mongering tactics on-air, calling out his tendency to label anyone who opposed him — including the journalist himself — a communist. The story originated in Clooney's 2005 Oscar-nominated film, which he co-wrote, directed and starred in. He again partnered with co-writer Grant Heslov to pen the Broadway adaptation. Good Night, and Good Luck will be televised on CNN on June 7 at 7 p.m. ET. Viewers can tune in on CNN, CNN International and with no cable login required. The show will also air live on Max. The night will kick off with host Pamela Brown's pre-show coverage at 6:30 p.m. outside of the Winter Garden Theatre, followed by the live play which runs for approximately one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. The broadcast will end with an exclusive post-show special hosted by Anderson Cooper to discuss the production and the state of global journalism. 'You want it to be a big event. You want it to land big,' CNN Originals' executive vice president of talent Amy Entelis told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the broadcast. If you're craving more, the original movie is available for purchase on AppleTV, Prime Video and YouTube. Yes, Good Night, and Good Luck is based on the real-life conflict between Murrow and Senator McCarthy and the CBS broadcast that helped expose him. In 1954, Murrow reported on the Red Scare and the Wisconsin senator's role in fueling the hysteria as chair of the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. 'The actions of the junior senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad and given considerable comfort to our enemies,' Murrow said during the now-infamous See It Now episode examining McCarthy's methods, per CBS. He continued, 'And whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn't create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it — and rather successfully.' Following the broadcast, McCarthy accused Murrow of engaging in Communist propaganda, which Murrow denied. The response only accelerated McCarthy's downfall. He was formally censured by the Senate in December 1954 for abusing his committee powers, effectively ending his political influence. He died three years later of acute hepatic failure, per The New York Times. In addition to Clooney, who plays Murrow in the stage production, Good Night, and Good Luck features a stellar cast portraying the real-life people behind the landmark broadcast. The political drama stars Fleshler as See It Now coproducer Fred Friendly, Gregg as CBS journalist Don Hollenbeck, Hudson as CBS correspondent Joe Wershba and Glazer as CBS journalist Shirley Wershba. While portraying Shirley, the Broad City alum met her real-life counterpart, the only person from Murrow's CBS team still alive. 'Shirley Wershba is not a household name, but she's a founding foremother of broadcast journalism,' Glazer captioned a series of Instagram pictures from their meeting in May 2025. 'Shirley's zest for life, curiosity and strength was infectious.' Good Night, and Good Luck closes its theatrical run on June 8. There are two shows (a matinee and an evening performance) on June 7, the latter of which will be televised live on CNN. The show's final run will be a matinee the following day. Tickets for live performances are still available and can be purchased on the production's website. In a February 2025 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the actor said he was inspired to write the original movie after he was called a traitor for 'being against the war in Iraq.' "Forever, we've had this issue where power kind of hates the fourth estate, they hate journalism,' he said, noting that his father worked in broadcast news. 'We've always believed in the idea that when the other three estates — the judiciary branch, the executive branch [and the legislative branch] — when they all fail you, you need that fourth estate.' Read the original article on People
