Kevin Durant speaks on sharing court with Warriors' Stephen Curry
Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry were both part of Shaquille O'Neal's "OG Squad" for the 2025 All-Star game. The former Golden State Warriors duo quickly reminded the world of their on-court connection, as they both fed off each other's gravity and experience.
Curry and Durant won two championships together during their time in the Bay Area, and it's clear that the respect between the two is still there. When speaking to the media following the All-Star game, Durant explained why playing with Curry is so easy, and how their on-court chemistry remains at such a high level.
"He doesn't having a demanding personality, plays within the flow of the game and those are the type of players are easy to play with," Durant said.
The "OG's Squad" won the All-Star weekend, with Curry earning All-Star MVP in the process. Golden State's superstar sharpshooter dropped four of his eight perimeter attempts, ending the game with 12 points in 10 minutes of play. Durant went scoreless during that final game but did pull down two rebounds.
Warriors fans had hoped to see Durant and Curry reunite in a Warriors jersey this season. However, Durant has re-affirmed his commitment to the Phoenix Suns. As such, Golden State pivoted toward Jimmy Butler, and now, the Warriors are hoping they can make a push toward a championship this season.
This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Kevin Durant speaks on sharing court with Stephen Curry
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USA Today
6 minutes ago
- USA Today
Caitlin Clark's new line of Wilson basketballs reflect who she is off the court
INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark's favorite color is blue. Outside of the gym, she's happiest being on the water or a golf course. She says the same thing to teammate Aliyah Boston before every Indiana Fever game. When you buy one of the basketballs in Clark's new line from Wilson, you're not just getting a ball. You're getting a glimpse of Clark herself. The colors, the patterns, the detailing — all are the result of months-long conversations between Clark and Wilson's design team about who she is, what she likes and what messages she wants to send to young fans. 'It was a really fun process for me to go through,' Clark told USA TODAY Sports. 'It's things that are super important to me and all very different things, too, throughout my life. So hopefully they can make an impact on whoever's going to pick the ball up.' Clark joined Michael Jordan as the only athletes to be brand ambassadors for Wilson, signing a multiyear sponsorship deal in May 2024 with the official manufacturer of basketballs for the WNBA, NBA and NCAA. In part because of the short turnaround time before the release of her first signature ball last October, Clark's first line leaned heavily into history. The records she broke at Iowa. Her historic rookie season with the WNBA's Indiana Fever. But Clark and Wilson knew they wanted future lines to be more personal, reflecting who Clark is as a person as much as a player. 'She's actually influencing this. It's not just people at Wilson picking the design,' Hudson Vantrease, director of product design at Wilson, said. 'We never wanted to just put her name on a ball and call it a day,' he added. 'We want to tell the most compelling story, and having her as part of that is a positive to it.' Wilson invited USA TODAY Sports to attend the design team meeting in April where Clark saw the finished basketballs for the first time. The design team also gave USA TODAY Sports a behind-the-scenes look at the collaboration process with Clark for the latest collection, which will be released June 23. There are four balls in the collection, and they differ in both purpose (one is an indoor-only ball, one is outdoor-only and two can be used either indoors or outdoors) and price point. One, the Embrace, is an Evo NXT basketball, meaning it has the same construction as a regulation W ball and could be used in official games. 'Awesome. Awesome, awesome, awesome,' Clark said when she walked into the Indiana Fever's practice gym and saw the four new basketballs. 'You guys killed it.' The team responsible for developing Clark's line has about a dozen core members. They met with Clark at last year's All-Star Game and got her initial thoughts about the collection, including what a young Caitlin Clark would have wanted. 'I think she said a blue ball,' said Hailey Reines, the product line manager at Wilson. Afterward, Reines and product designer Julia Muscarello sent Clark a detailed questionnaire, asking her everything from her favorite color (blue) to her hobbies outside of basketball (golf, being on the water) to what she'd be if she wasn't a basketball player (chef). They also monitored social media, taking note of Clark's clothes — there's an Instagram account devoted to her fits — and what she does off the court. 'I don't want to say borderline stalking, but yeah,' Muscarello said with a laugh. 'I was trying to stay on the Caitlin pulse.' Those answers and details drove the design process, which involved 'hundreds' of hours. Christopher Rickert, the senior director of global production at Wilson, said the team began with 50 design ideas and whittled them down. Sometimes the color wasn't right. Sometimes the pattern didn't work. Sometimes what seemed like a great idea on paper didn't quite translate into reality. When the team had 10 ideas, they sent the designs to Clark for her thoughts. There were further tweaks, and prototypes were made to make sure the designs looked the same on an actual basketball as they did in drawings. The four designs ultimately chosen for this year's line all have very different looks, but there's a commonality to all of them. Clark. 'Whenever I do something, I want to make it the best product possible for people. But also I feel like this is an easy way for me to connect with my fans,' Clark said of being so involved in the design process. 'I want it to feel very personal for them, too. They can connect with me, not just by watching me on TV or coming and buying a ticket to a game.' Take the Oasis ball, which can be used indoors and outdoors. Clark told Reines and Muscarello that her favorite color is blue, she likes pastels and her happy places are the water and golf course. So the panels of the Oasis ball are white and light blue, and the light blue panels have what looks like pink and green splashes of paint but is actually an abstract drawing of a golf course. Clark picked up on it right away when she saw the ball. 'That looks like a hole on a golf course!' she exclaimed. Light blue is also the shade used for the pattern on the Envision, an outdoor ball. At first glance, it looks like a maze, but it's really the words 'DREAM BIG.' That phrase is also on the Aspire, an indoor/outdoor ball that at first appears to be white or grey. Put it in the sunlight, however, and the phrases 'Dream Big,' 'Keep Going' and 'You're Going to Be Amazing Because You Are Amazing' emerge in bold, Fever-red letters. That last phrase is what Clark says to Boston before every game. 'See, she loves it!' Clark said, pointing to a picture of her and Boston on the bench that was on the design team's planning whiteboard. 'We'll get her a free basketball. She'll love it. I'm going to put it in her locker.' Because the Embrace is an official basketball, it cannot have any obvious detailing. Look closely, though, and you can see a pattern — again, light blue — within the Wilson logo and in what looks like a sunburst around the airhole. Both are the visual representation of the decibel level at a Fever game; the Wilson team took an audio file of the sound and made a graphic out of it. 'Fans really admire how she just plays so well under pressure,' Muscarello said. 'Sometimes it's OK to embrace the noise.' Though Clark had been involved in every step of the design process, seeing the basketballs on a computer screen is very different than holding the finished product. Clark picked up each of the basketballs and examined it, taking note of the different details. She spun each ball and shifted it from one hand to the other. She also studied the design team's white boards, pointing to some of the notes and photos. Though she initially seemed most taken by the Oasis ball, she was fascinated with the Envision's UV technology and said she'd have loved to have had a basketball that revealed 'secret' messages when she was a kid. She also was impressed that Wilson's design team was able to turn a decibel meter reading into a design. 'They're all unique in their own way. They all have different things I love about them,' Clark said. 'I think they each serve their own purpose and are different. 'So I guess you have to buy 'em all!' she added, laughing. While there will be some fans who buy the whole collection, whether to use or keep as memorabilia, Clark was conscious of not pricing any fans out of the new line. Two of the balls are less than $50, with the outdoor Envision ball costing $27.95 and the Oasis indoor ball priced at $49.95, while the Aspire outdoor ball is $54.95. The Embrace, which is Wilson's premium Evo NXT basketball, costs $124.95. All the balls will be available on Wilson's website and at retail sporting goods stores. Last year's collection sold out almost immediately and, given the appetite for all things Clark, it's a good bet this one will, too. 'It's kind of cool to see how the balls came back and they feel very `me,'' Clark told USA TODAY Sports. 'That's what I love about it. I feel like I'm sharing part of my life and my journey with people. "I could have never dreamed (as a child) to have something like this," she added. "It's pretty special." Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
New York Times
23 minutes ago
- New York Times
This Week in Mets: Which Mets deserve to be All-Stars?
'Sometimes Is a good answer to any existential question.' — 'American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin,' Terrance Hayes This was a good week for the New York Mets. New York clinched the season series over the Los Angeles Dodgers with a split in Chavez Ravine, and it took care of business over the weekend at Coors Field to complete a season sweep of the wretched Colorado Rockies. Oh, and elsewhere in the division? The Philadelphia Phillies put Bryce Harper on the injured list, were swept at the Pittsburgh Pirates and have lost nine of 10. The Atlanta Braves are 0-for-June so far. Advertisement Let's put it this way: The Mets won five games last week. The other four teams in the NL East combined to win … four. So now's as good a time as ever to think about awards for this Mets team — specifically, how many players might be making an extra trip to Atlanta next month for the All-Star Game. Voting for the starters commenced last week, and the rosters will officially be announced in July. Which Mets, right now, deserve a spot, and which might make the conversation? Alonso hasn't always had the easiest path to an All-Star berth at a position of depth in the National League. He's competed with the likes of Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Olson and Harper. That shouldn't be a problem for Alonso this year. He should be a shoo-in to be on the team, and the only question is whether his fifth trip to the All-Star Game is his first start. He's tied with Freeman in wins above replacement (according to FanGraphs) to lead all first basemen, and his 17 homers and 61 RBIs are well ahead of Freeman's. Yep, it's going to happen: Francisco Lindor is going to make his first All-Star team as a Met. Lindor's five consecutive summers without an All-Star appearance will go down as a historical anomaly — a product of one canceled Midsummer Classic and four years when he wasn't at his peak when voting was held. His OPS on the morning of June 9 during his years as a Met: .637, .758, .716 and .723. This year it's .842. That gives him a leg up at a loaded position, ahead of last year's starter Trea Turner, converted shortstop Mookie Betts and the Arizona Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo, whom every Mets fan remembers chiefly for getting an All-Star nod over Lindor in 2023. Senga has yet to sound all that pleased with his results this season, yet here he is, into June, with a 1.59 ERA that leads the National League. Advertisement The peripheral numbers are not as enthusiastic on what Senga's done this season, and the likelihood from here is that Paul Skenes is making his second consecutive start for the senior circuit. But provided the bottom doesn't fall out over the next few weeks, Senga should be on the team for the second time. How's this for a sneaky candidacy? Peterson is seventh in the NL in ERA at 2.80, backing up the 2.83 mark he posted over the final four months last season. Again, his peripheral numbers aren't as sparkling, and it's tough to crack the pitching staff in this game since a lot of teams with only one All-Star send a pitcher. However, that he belongs in the conversation is worth noting. You could probably put Griffin Canning (2.90 ERA) and Clay Holmes (2.95) in this same bucket. Díaz has been especially sharp lately, allowing a single run over the past six weeks. He's 14 for 15 in save chances this season and right next to San Diego's Robert Suárez as the best closer in the National League. (Hey, and each can opt out of their contracts at season's end!) We've seen a few more setup men crack the All-Star roster in recent years, and in that context, Garrett has a strong case with an ERA that, even after a hit last week, sits below 1.00. Garrett's problem is that, in San Francisco, Randy Rodriguez is pitching in the same role just a little bit better. Rodriguez is the only reliever in the NL with a better ERA than Garrett's, and he owns the league's top strikeout rate. It will be interesting to see whether Soto can build a stronger case for himself over the next few weeks. Because right now, there isn't much of one to be made for him. He's seventh among NL outfielders in weighted runs created, and he doesn't offer much value elsewhere. Furthermore, outfielders who are behind him in production such as the Miami Marlins' Kyle Stowers and the Rockies' Jordan Beck have reasonable shots to make the squad as their teams' only representatives. Advertisement The Mets swept the Rockies for the second consecutive weekend. They won't see Colorado again this season unless it's in the postseason. New York is 41-24 and has built its lead in the National League East out to 4 1/2 games over the floundering Phillies. The Washington Nationals cooled a bit this week, losing consecutive series to the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers at home. Washington is 30-35 and in third place in the NL East. The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past three weeks. With its series win over the Marlins this weekend, Tampa Bay improved to 14-4 over its last 18 games. It's at 35-30 and in second in the AL East heading into a three-game set at the Boston Red Sox starting Monday. vs. Washington RHP Griffin Canning (6-2, 2.90 ERA) vs. LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-5, 2.87 ERA) LHP David Peterson (4-2, 2.80) vs. RHP Jake Irvin (5-2, 4.02) RHP Kodai Senga (6-3, 1.59) vs. RHP Michael Soroka (3-3, 4.86) vs. Tampa Bay RHP Clay Holmes (7-3, 2.95) vs. RHP Taj Bradley (4-5, 4.58) RHP Tylor Megill (5-4, 3.76) vs. RHP Drew Rasmussen (5-4, 2.22) RHP Griffin Canning vs. RHP Shane Baz (5-3, 4.96) Red = 60-day IL Orange = 15-day IL Blue = 10-day IL • Mark Vientos landed on the IL this week with a low-grade hamstring strain. Vientos should be able to start baseball activities by the end of this week or early next week. • Sean Manaea started his rehab assignment Friday night for High-A Brooklyn with 1 2/3 innings. He'll build up inning by inning, a process that will take his return close to the All-Star break. • Frankie Montas made his fourth rehab start Sunday with Syracuse, throwing 76 pitches over 3 2/3 innings. That's a good build on his pitch count, but the innings stagnated; he'd thrown four innings the start before earlier in the week. The results have also been less than encouraging, with Montas carrying an ERA over 9.00. As mentioned last week, the Mets' next need for a sixth starter is in the final week of June, and Montas figures to be targeting that spot on the calendar. Barring a setback, his rehab assignment must be completed by June 24. Advertisement Triple-A: Syracuse at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (New York, AL) Double-A: Binghamton at Richmond (San Francisco) High-A: Brooklyn vs. Asheville (Houston) Low-A: St. Lucie at Daytona (Cincinnati) • Why the Mets' pitching staff is better equipped to handle the Dodgers now compared with last year • Griffin Canning on how he's revived himself with the Mets • Broken toe and all, Francisco Lindor saves the Mets again • Some sloppy defense and other takeaways from a split with the Dodgers • How Ronny Mauricio fits the Mets roster • Paul Blackburn returns and stars in a start against L.A. • TWIM: Looking ahead to potential trade deadline needs I told you I was in a poetry phase! Paul Blackburn recorded a four-inning save Sunday — the Mets' first save of that long since Brian Stokes in 2008. My initial question was going to be 'Who is the only Met to record a five-inning save?' However, it would be weird if the answer, for two consecutive weeks, was Doug Sisk. So, which Mets reliever, known to a different generation as 'the second spitter,' owns the most career saves of at least three innings in franchise history? Bonus question: This is a straight over/under: Is the largest margin of victory in a game in which a Met recorded a save over or under 14 1/2 runs? (I'll reply to the correct answers in the comments.) (Top photo of Kodai Senga: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
USA Today
24 minutes ago
- USA Today
On this day: Robert Parish, pick used for Kevin McHale traded for; Bird, Ainge drafted
On this day: Robert Parish, pick used for Kevin McHale traded for; Bird, Ainge drafted On this day in Boston Celtics history, President of Basketball Operations Red Auerbach pulled off one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history in 1980. Auerbach dealt a pair of first-round picks used to select big man Joe Barry Carroll and center Rickey Brown to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for big man Robert Parish and the draft pick used to select Kevin McHale. In one fell swoop, Boston's head honcho scooped up two-thirds of one of the greatest frontcourts ever assembled. Forward Larry Bird, who had already been drafted, completed the trio that win titles together in 1981, 1984, and 1986. It is also the anniversary of the 1978 NBA draft, in which the Celtics took three players of note. They selected small forward Jeff Judkins out of Utah with the 30th pick of the draft. Judkins played two seasons for Boston, averaging 7.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game before being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1980 NBA expansion draft. The Celtics also took shooting guard Freeman Williams out of Portland State with the eighth overall pick of the draft. Williams was immediately dealt with Kevin Kunnert, Kermit Washington, and Sidney Wicks to the (then) San Diego (now, Los Angeles) Clippers for Tiny Archibald, Marvin Barnes, Billy Knight, and draft assets. They also drafted a player you may have heard of -- forward Larry Bird. Bird was taken with the sixth pick of the draft despite still being enrolled in Indiana State University, exploiting a since-closed loophole in the Collective Bargaining Agreement to do it. He finished his final season at Indiana State before joining Boston for his Hall-of-Fame career that included three titles, 12 All-Star nods, 10 All-NBA teams, three Most Valuable Player Awards, and many other honors. The 1981 NBA draft also fell on this date, with the Celtics again taking three noteworthy players. The first was shooting guard Charles Bradley, a Wyoming standout, taken with the 23rd pick. Bradley played two seasons with Boston, averaging 3.3 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per contest before being waived in October 1983. The Celtics took shooting guard Tracy Jackson out of Notre Dame with the 25th pick. Jackson played 11 games with Boston before having his contract sold to the Chicago Bulls. In those 11 games, he averaged 2.4 points, 1.1 boards, and 0.5 assists. The Celtics drafted shooting guard Danny Ainge -- formerly of BYU -- with the 31st pick. The move was a gamble since Ainge had already signed with Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays. However, the move paid off big for Boston. Ainge won two titles with the team as a player which laid the groundwork for him to return later in life as an executive and win another in 2008.
