ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is caught playing solitaire during NBA finals, fans have thoughts
INDIANAPOLIS -- ESPN broadcaster Stephen A. Smith is known for his strong opinions, especially on the NBA.
But he was seen playing solitaire on his phone while Game 4 of the NBA Finals was being played in Indianapolis on Friday night and fans had thoughts:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
23 minutes ago
- USA Today
Does Boston Celtics guard Derrick White have more trade value in the NBA than Jaylen Brown?
Does Boston Celtics guard Derrick White have more trade value in the NBA than Jaylen Brown? Does Boston Celtics point guard Derrick White have more trade value in the NBA than Jaylen Brown does? At least one national league analyst believes that this is the case due to the ability of the University of Colorado alum to fit into pretty much any sort of roster and contribute to winning on both ends of the court. And there is also the contract of both players to consider. While Brown may hit higher heights when healthy than White is able to on a regular basis, he also makes nearly twice what the Colorado native does per year -- and has a better injury history as well. The analyst in question, Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports, recently sat down with the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Beat" podcast, Adam Kaufman and Evan Valenti, to talk it over. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about why White might actually have more trade value around the league. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network:
New York Times
30 minutes ago
- New York Times
NBA players and shoe deals: Motivation shifts to ownership, control vs. the brand
The NBA Finals are basketball's ultimate competitive showcase, including the sneakers worn on the court. Historically, that's been a showcase run predominantly by Nike, which includes a large roster of the NBA's biggest and highest-profile players, in addition to still producing merchandise under the Jordan Brand and Kobe Bryant. Advertisement It's impossible to watch the NBA without seeing the Nike influence. Nike is the league's official uniform partner, so the logo is on every player, down to the socks. The 2025 finals, however, aren't about the biggest shoe brands. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton used Game 1 to debut his first signature shoe with Puma: the Hali 1. Oklahoma City Thunder star and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is signed to Converse, a subsidiary of Nike. Two small-market teams are providing a big stage for shoe brands other than Nike and Adidas, which have dominated the conversation in basketball shoes for decades. Michael Jordan signed with Nike in 1984, setting the stage for its rise to the top. Adidas has a long basketball history, and has maintained the second spot in the market thanks to deals with the likes of James Harden, Damian Lillard and Tracy McGrady. Bryant also began his career with Adidas. But as more athletes have sought more input and control over their brands, they are turning to brands without the mainstream clout, or they're starting their own shoe lines. After Haliburton hit a game-winning jump shot in Game 1, he brought a pair of his signature Puma sneakers to his postgame news conference. Decked out in all white with black sunglasses and a smile that stretched from ear to ear, Haliburton, who signed with Puma in October, placed the pink basketball shoes on the podium. As he took questions and cameras flashed, Haliburton seized the opportunity to showcase his new shoes. Later, Haliburton tweeted an ode to a popular Air Jordan slogan. It was the perfect moment for a sneaker debut. Tyrese Haliburton unveiled his first signature shoe for PUMA the "Hali 1" and credits them with his game-winning shot over OKC in Game 1 👟 🔥 — Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) June 6, 2025 The greats have their own signature shoes. Bryant, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Damian Lillard, James Harden and Kevin Durant are among the NBA's top names from the past and present with signature shoe lines that have become part of on and off-court fashion. For many years, the path to a signature shoe was having a brand like Nike or Adidas — another former league uniform partner — to sign the athlete and make him or her a part of the exclusive club of players with a signature shoe. There are additional ways to make that happen while also having a bigger say in the process and a bigger role with the company beyond wearing apparel. Advertisement In some cases, players such as Haliburton opt to go with companies looking to reestablish themselves in the market like Puma, which has leaned into nostalgia with Clyde Frazier, the first NBA player with a signature shoe when the Puma Clyde was released in 1973, and is finding ways to connect with a new generation with LaMelo Ball. Haiburton's playoff run couldn't come at a better time for Puma. 'I heard many rumblings through my last year with my previous brand around brands that potentially could be interested in me, and Puma was a name that always came up,' Haliburton told The Athletic. 'I didn't know how I felt about it until I met them (and) got to know them better. I feel really good about it.' Others have found homes with newer companies, such as Kyrie Irving with Anta. And it's not just All-Star players. Cleveland Cavaliers wing Isaac Okoro has found a home with Holo and has a signature shoe. A post shared by CloseUp360 (@closeup360) Irving is one of the biggest names to step away from Nike. He and the company mutually parted ways in December 2023 amid controversy over his sharing an antisemitic film on social media. He signed with Anta in July 2024 and currently serves as the brand's chief creative officer. The China-based company already had Klay Thompson among its signature athletes. Irving said he enjoys the creative process, but he also values ownership of his ideas. Nike owned his logo, which meant his children couldn't benefit financially from it. He's happy to represent Anta and also see other players exploring ways to have a presence in the sneaker world. He likened shoe contracts to a 360 music deal, when artists surrender profits from all streams of income, even those not related to music. 'Being able to redefine this basketball shoe design space or signature athlete space, it's been a great ride, and I'm enjoying it,' Irving said during NBA All-Star Weekend. 'You're seeing others take the same blueprint, create their own, and more kudos to them. I feel like I'm an adviser at this point, too, because I'm not really in competition with my peers in the shoe space as much as people think.' Advertisement Jaylen Brown has been a critic of the sneaker industry and believes being left off the 2024 U.S. Olympic team was partly because of his critiques of Nike. Brown has worn Nike and Adidas, among other brands, in the NBA. He chose to start his own company, 741 Performance, giving him control and ownership of what he wears. 'I've been the CEO of my company and the CFO since the season started, so I've been really busy,' Brown said in February. 'But I did that on purpose so I can be able to explain to the next generation what it takes, how much time it takes, how much money. I'm very, very informed, and I can't wait to share with the next generation.' A post shared by Wealth (@wealth) Okoro is one of those players actively practicing the lessons Irving and Brown want their peers to learn. Okoro said he was approached by Holo last year. He didn't have a signature shoe, much less a company offering to allow him to have input, company equity and royalties for sales. Okoro said signing with Holo was a 'no-brainer.' 'Being able to actually be in the meetings and the discussions of how we would design the shoe, what colorways I want and just seeing the process of how shoes get designed was definitely eye-opening,' Okoro said. Okoro is involved in more than designing. He tested his shoe to make sure it worked for him. 'Being able to actually put the shoes on and tell them this feels good, this doesn't feels good (was important),' Okoro said. 'Then them going back and actually fixing those problems and then coming back and giving me the shoe again … it actually fits perfectly and feels great to play in. Also, just getting all the nicks and stuff out of it.' This generation isn't the first to go against the grain in signing shoe deals. During the 1980s, when Converse was the top shoe, James Worthy signed with New Balance in '82 and had the company's first signature basketball shoe and a deal worth $1 million. Advertisement Hakeem Olajuwon signed with Etonic in 1984 for something 'fresh' when Converse or Nike seemed like logical choices, given he was the first pick in the NBA Draft, followed by a deal with L.A. Gear. He later had a shoe deal with Spalding, the company best known for making basketballs, which released the shoe in 1995. Olajuwon wanted to offer an affordable shoe option with Spalding at a time when there were reports of deaths involving sneaker thefts. LA Gear (1990) ft. Hakeem Olajuwon & Joe Montana — 90s NBA (@NBA90s) June 3, 2024 Shaquille O'Neal had a signature shoe with Reebok but still managed to produce a more affordable line of his own, Shaq shoes. Stephon Marbury also bucked tradition with his affordable Starbury shoes. Dwyane Wade established a partnership with Li Ning, something other players have done, as well, including Golden State's Jimmy Butler and D'Angelo Russell. Steph Curry left Nike to become Under Armour's signature basketball player in 2013. Instead of being one of many Nike players, he became the top player for Under Armour and would have a signature shoe. By 2015, he was an NBA champion and one of the league's premier superstars. Curry is now president of Curry Brand, which signed De'Aaron Fox as its first signature athlete in October 2023. Kawhi Leonard left Nike for New Balance and has become a face of its basketball division. Cameron Brink, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, signed with New Balance to become the first woman to sign with the brand. All-Stars Joel Embiid and Julius Randle both play in Skechers. The Denver Nuggets duo of Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon and Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie all have shoes through 361 Degrees. Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has a signature shoe with Rigorer. Reebok is working its way back into the mix after being acquired by Adidas in 2005. Reebok was sold to the Authentic Brands Group in 2021. O'Neal and Iverson are still the biggest names associated with basketball shoes; O'Neal serves as president, and Iverson is vice president. Much of what Reebok is doing to make a dent in the industry is included in the Netflix docuseries 'Power Moves with Shaquille O'Neal.' Reebok is trying to find the next big star, similarly to what Puma has done for Haliburton this month. Reebok has signed two top WNBA players in Angel Reese and DiJonai Carrington and is trying to make inroads in the NBA with high-flying Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis and potential risers like G Leaguer Dink Pate and Tennessee Volunteers signee Nick Ament. Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky told The Athletic that Reese's signature shoe would be released later this season, and the plan is to grow with emerging young players. Advertisement 'The players that we've signed, like Nate Ament and Matas, these are young kids that we really feel speak to who we want to be as a brand,' Krinsky said. 'We didn't want to go out right away first day and sign some big NBA player. We wanted to connect a little more emotionally with some of the work you're seeing, have younger players wear the product first and then start to build the roster. We're hoping that a lot of the young players we're signing: grow with us and become big NBA players. But we're in year one of a pretty long journey, and the goal was to be young.' The same could be said of Converse, which is owned by Nike. Before Nike's ascension, Converse was a top brand. It's the shoe Worthy wore when playing for North Carolina. It had the classic 1986 commercial featuring Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Mark Aguirre, Bernard King and Larry Bird, the NBA MVP. It's also had relationships with league players such as Wade and Dennis Rodman, but Gilgeous-Alexander is giving the brand a modern-day elite-level talent to carry it. Puma had a presence at NBA All-Star Weekend with Ball and his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed collection, but it couldn't ask for a bigger spotlight than what it has with Haliburton, who has raised his profile with last-second, game-winning shots in each round of the postseason, including Game 1 of the finals. 'We had a great dinner, great meeting. (Footwear designer) Salehe Bembury is the new head of creative for basketball, and he obviously has a very big following and is well-knowledged in the game of sneaker designing,' Haliburton said. 'For him to bring that mindset where he's had so much success into basketball, and I was going to be his first basketball shoe, that was really exciting for me. I think that was appealing. 'For me, I wanted to go somewhere I was valued, and I think Puma from the jump just showed how much they valued me.' For Haliburton, being empowered to be a part of the creative process in designing the sneaker, as well as everything being an extension of his personal basketball story, was important. His involvement in the design can be seen in the unique rounded edges of his 'TH' and 'Hali' logos, in addition to the hibiscus pink colorway. 'There's a bunch of different colorways that we have in our planning moving forward, but the pink was important to me because my first pair of real basketball shoes, my first organized pair, was a pair of pink basketball shoes,' Haliburton explained. 'That was, like, fourth grade, at a time where wearing pink shoes wasn't a thing. 'Hey, that's the kid who wears pink shoes.' … We wanted to do something that was kind of a nod.' Advertisement Haliburton said he wanted everything about his debut shoe to be 'different,' and he feels the switch to Puma allowed him to do so. Doing things differently has worked for Haliburton. For other players daring to be different, there are now more ways than ever to carve out a niche in the sneaker world. (Photo of Tyrese Haliburton: David L. Nemec / NBAE via Getty Images)
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dwyane Wade wears many hats after the NBA: Father, entrepreneur, cancer survivor
Dwyane Wade's résumé could have stopped at three-time NBA champion, 13-time NBA All-Star and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. But his basketball success has given him access to a wide range of people and opportunities, in ventures involving sports, education, entertainment, food and wine. His post-basketball duties expanded with last month's announcement that he would join Prime Video's NBA coverage for the 2025-26 season as an in-game and studio analyst. Wade is considered one of the best players in NBA history because of his versatility on the court. In his post-NBA career, doing a little bit of everything still defines him. Advertisement Wade is the father of four children (and the guardian of a fifth), and he advocates for LGBTQ+ youth in solidarity with his daughter Zaya, who is transgender. He is married to actress Gabrielle Union. He's a brand ambassador, a fashionista, a podcaster. He's a cancer survivor, as well. With everything, Wade has a personal mission: Help people enter spaces they might not normally have access to. 'Not everyone is going to be invited into that room, so you can hold the door open to see if others can come in,' Wade told The Athletic. 'If not, make sure that you're doing your job, giving back to the people that you hope will walk through those doors.' Advertisement It's been a challenging 18 months for Wade. On the Jan. 30 episode of his podcast, 'The Why with Dwyane Wade,' he revealed he had a cancerous tumor removed from his right kidney on Dec. 18, 2023. Wade admitted he hadn't been as diligent about getting physicals since his playing days ended, but he eventually saw a doctor after having urinary and stomach issues. What specialists eventually discovered was a three-centimeter mass on his kidney: Stage 1 cancer. 'That moment was probably the weakest point I've ever felt in my life,' Wade said on the podcast. 'The moments I was by myself, I was struggling.' Wade, 43, tries to use his private experiences to lead public conversations that could help others, and he wanted to bring awareness to men's health issues. Advertisement Additionally, his experiences with fatherhood have been an ongoing teachable moment. Wade published a book in 2012 sharing stories about his journey as a parent. More than a decade later, Wade works to be a protector for Zaya. Wade didn't plan on parenting publicly, but celebrity status and social media have made it difficult — though he has been careful with Zaya. In being her biggest supporter, Wade has tried to be an example for other parents in how to handle attacks on transgender rights and vitriol aimed at their families. Wade's basketball career is revered in Miami (the nickname 'Wade County' is a play on Dade County), but his family moved to California after his playing career in part because he didn't believe his family would be 'accepted' amid Florida's anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Wade doesn't allow hate to change his parenting approach. 'I'm such a proud father, and I try to post my kids,' Wade said. 'So, as my child got older and got confident and comfortable with us talking more about her and talking more about her situation, that's when we did.' Through his Dwyane Wade Family Foundation, Wade aims to provide resources to marginalized communities. The foundation also assisted in starting Translatable, a digital platform and online community — operated by both Wade and Zaya — that states it's 'a safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth to express themselves and is a resource hub for our parents, families and support systems.' Advertisement 'We want to put our narrative out there, as well,' Wade said. 'We know that other families, other kids, other people will be dealing with this and will go through these things. This is happening in real time.' Since his cancer diagnosis, Wade has continued to live a busy life. His post-NBA biography includes ownership stakes in five sports franchises: the NBA's Utah Jazz, the NHL's Utah Hockey Club, the WNBA's Chicago Sky, the MLS' Real Salt Lake and the NWSL's Utah Royals. Other business partnerships include Versace; his wine brand, Wade Cellars; and PROUDLY, which makes hair and skin products for babies and children of color. Wade is also the founder of the production company 59th & Prairie Entertainment, and he has served as an executive producer on multiple projects, including award-winning Netflix documentaries ''The Redeem Team' and 'The Dads.' Add his new Prime Video duties to his growing list of projects. 'If you see a lot of the investments and things that I've done, it's in the world of entertainment, sports, the different teams I've invested in,' he said. 'That's how I can utilize myself, because that's where my strengths are. Advertisement 'I wanted to jump right into my strengths when I retired — and then obviously learn other things along the way.' Wade's interest in entrepreneurship increased after a shoulder injury briefly sidelined him during the 2006-07 season. His business manager, Lisa Joseph-Metelus, said she considers him a 'unicorn.' Wade has his hands on a lot of projects but tries to be intentional about what he attaches his name to, meticulously analyzing potential ventures. 'His curiosity is what drives a lot of the work that we do,' Joseph-Metelus said. 'He has no ego when it comes to understanding the process of something or learning or being put in a position where he says, 'I want to learn.'' Wade also takes risks, particularly with fashion. Jokes have been cracked about some of his choices. He's attended Fashion Week events in various cities around the world. He's worn capri pants and carried handbags when others wouldn't. Advertisement But he doesn't regret taking chances. 'I looked out in the space, and I didn't see many people in this fashion space that look like me as a Black American former athlete, someone 6-foot-4 who is a little unconventional when you think of fashion,' Wade said. 'No one is doing that, so why can't I?' He continued: 'Sometimes you have to understand that if you're comfortable in it, if you're so confident in what you're doing, (it's) going to take people an amount of time before they catch up. It's OK to be in the beginning phases of doing something. I've seen it in a lot of aspects of my life.' Wade has become a fixture in fashion. He has an apparel deal with Versace. He announced a deal with Swiss watchmaker Hublot more than a decade ago. Advertisement Wade also has made inroads — for himself and others — in the food and beverage industry. He visited Napa Valley during harvest season in 2014 and connected with the Pahlmeyer family, then partnered with them to create Wade Cellars. He then started Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon and Three by Wade Red Blend in 2015, to be sold in China. George Walker III is a Wade Cellars brand ambassador and was the company's first full-time employee. Walker worked in hospitality in Michigan but wanted to learn how to actually make wine. In 2020, he emailed Wade Cellars to ask about internships. While there were no internships, Wade Cellars told Walker there was a position available to run day-to-day operations. Walker pivoted and moved to Napa. He's now been with Wade's company for five years, and his role has grown to include marketing, social media and market share. When Walker started, Wade Cellars was in 10 states. By the end of 2021, it was in 44 states. Advertisement '(Wade has a) passion for creating space for people that aren't always represented,' Walker said. 'What convinced me was hearing his passion for that, but also just for connectivity in general.' Walker isn't the only person in Wade's orbit who credits the NBA Hall of Famer with providing an opportunity. Chef Richard Ingraham once was a hairstylist for Joseph-Metelus, and also taught culinary arts at Miami Northwestern High School. Joseph-Metelus reached out to Ingraham because Wade was looking for a personal chef. That connection allowed Ingraham — a non-sports fan who admittedly didn't know who Wade was at the time — to eventually quit his teaching job and live out a culinary dream. Ingraham credits Wade and Union with helping to start his first company, Chef RLI, a network to connect chefs with celebrities and sports figures. 'One day, (Wade) walked in the door and he was like, 'Hey, Chris Bosh asked if we knew of any chefs; we told him that you had a company and you put chefs in people's homes,'' Ingraham recalled. 'I was like, 'Yo, I don't have that.'' Advertisement But neither Wade nor Union took no for an answer. That unexpected nudge was a springboard for Ingraham's business, and his work with Wade also helped him write two cookbooks. 'Dwyane gave me the latitude to be able to have the time to write these books, to take pictures of food, to prepare the type of food that I've prepared,' Ingraham said. 'Every single dish in the books is something that has been prepared in this house. … I don't take those types of things for granted.' Wade also puts on the When We Gather Food & Wine festivals, which highlight chefs and sommeliers of color throughout the U.S. In September 2022, Wade brought his festival to an Inglewood, Calif., establishment owned by sisters LeAnn and Leslie Jones. 1010 Wine & Events calls itself 'the first and only wine bar in Inglewood.' Advertisement The Jones sisters had received media attention before, but Wade's association took their exposure to another level. 'Every time I get to speak about him in the wine space, I love to do it,' Leslie said. 'I think that he, better than anyone, has used his platform and used his celebrity (status) to push the Black wine community along.' 'He brought on all Black-owned wine brands to be the vendors,' added Leslie, referring to Wade serving as the first director of culture and vibes during the 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival in Napa, Calif. 'That's really powerful to me, because it's not just talking … it's putting action to it.' In 2021, Wade was asked to join the executive leadership board for the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology, a program that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees related to the wine industry. Wade, noting the lack of diversity in the field, said he wanted to create a program 'where we are able to bring in Black and Brown people so we can learn about the wine industry and understand it.' Advertisement Ben Montpetit, Ph.D., associate professor and department chair at UC Davis, said Wade has been a 'great partner' for the program. The university in 2023 held an Influencers Bootcamp, a two-day event hosting faculty and advisers from schools around the country, HBCUs included, to learn more about the program and potential careers in the industry. Wade served as host. 'He's done a tremendous amount of work to help us reach new communities and students who might not necessarily have been exposed to wine in the past (and) might not be thinking about this as a career in the future,' Montpetit said. The idea of reshaping the culture around him has always appealed to Wade. He made nearly $200 million for his NBA career alone, per Spotrac; that doesn't include outside endorsements and deals with other companies. Creating opportunities is fulfilling, he said. Particularly when it can benefit others. Advertisement 'You know how it is on Thanksgiving when that plate is full? You just keep adding stuff on top of it, or you go back and get another plate,' Wade said. 'I'm just getting started. So hopefully, I'm just in the middle ground and this is halftime as a 43-year-old man.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Utah Hockey Club, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Chicago Sky, Utah Royals FC, NHL, NBA, MLS, WNBA, NWSL, Sports Business, Culture 2025 The Athletic Media Company
