Athlete activists Ejike Ugboaja and Deo Kato champion change through sports
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USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
2024-25 Thunder player grades: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The calendar has flipped to August, which means we've officially hit the low point of the NBA calendar. The next couple of months are the driest part of the year. Everybody has headed to vacation and awaits training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. They had a historic 68-14 regular-season campaign that eventually led to the franchise's first title with a 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 win. They'll enter next season as a favorite to be a rare repeat winner. To reflect on their title run, Thunder Wire will conduct 2024-25 season grades for all 19 players who suited up for the squad at one point during the year. First up is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won MVP and NBA Finals MVP: 2024-25 statistics: Advanced stats: Significant Percentile Finishes: Contract: Thoughts: Oh boy, where to even start? Let's just list off the major awards and accolades Gilgeous-Alexander won this past season. He won the MVP award, the Western Conference Finals MVP, the NBA Finals MVP and the scoring title. He was named to his third straight All-NBA First Team. Oh, and he brought home a championship ring. Every possible goal imaginable, Gilgeous-Alexander achieved this past season. It's one of the greatest individual campaigns the NBA has ever seen. Hovering around the top-five player conversations the last couple of seasons, he smashed through that ceiling and is now seen with the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Whenever you think Gilgeous-Alexander has finally reached his apex, he takes another step. This past season saw his best scoring campaign yet. The drive-heavy scorer upped his usage and was once again lethal from the mid-range. A resurgence of his 3-point shot helped him average nearly an eye-popping 33 points. He shot a career-high 5.7 outside attempts. Only six players have averaged at least 32 points on a 62-plus true shooting percentage. Gilgeous-Alexander joined a prestigious group filled with future Hall-of-Famers. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry headline the rest of that exclusive club. At 27 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander has accomplished everything you could imagine in basketball. All in one season, too. He's the NBA's best scorer with a third straight 30-plus point campaign. His consistency is his best trait. But his peaks were also higher. Before last season, his career high was a modest 44 points. He broke that seven times this past season. Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in 20-point games, 30-point games, 40-point games and 50-point games. He passed the half-century mark twice for the first time in his career. He's reached the status of all-time great, where all the opposition can do is pray he doesn't have a superbly efficient scoring night. And then there's the playoffs. The deeper the Thunder got into the playoffs, the better Gilgeous-Alexander played. Any silly concerns of being a postseason dropper were completely silenced. He was the best player in a playoff series against three-time MVP winner Nikola Jokic. He led OKC to its first championship. The scoring numbers remained the same despite an uptick in intensity. That's not always the case with superstars. The celebrations continued into the offseason, too. After Gilgeous-Alexander paraded around downtown OKC, he received a handsome new supermax extension that'll make him the richest player in the NBA. As of now, at least. Then was named the NBA 2K26 cover athlete. He also won a couple of ESPY awards. The last two items may be trivial, but they show how this has truly been the Summer of SGA. For years, Thunder fans debated who the best player in franchise history was. The two candidates were Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. We now know the answer. It's the third candidate who usurped both franchise icons and wears the crown. Gilgeous-Alexander cemented his spot at the top of OKC with one of the greatest individual seasons ever, capped off with bringing home the Larry O'Brien trophy. Moving Forward: Just keep doing what you're doing. Conventional wisdom has finally caught up to just how dang good Gilgeous-Alexander is. A third straight season of perennial MVP performance has finally forced fans to put him in their top-five player conversation at the very worst. The scary part is, it's just the start. At 27 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander is in his prime. His arrow should only continue to ascend. He's now broken through as one of the NBA's best players fresh off a historic season and championship, ala Curry in 2015. It's now about maintaining that status. Expect Gilgeous-Alexander to flirt with another 30-point campaign this upcoming season. No reason not to. He's reached the status where you have to see him drop off first before you can predict it. The drive-heavy scorer will continue to fluster defenses and get to the lane. He can back you down in the post. He'll either finish through traffic or get to the free-throw line. If not on drives, Gilgeous-Alexander is deadly with his pull-up jumper. Ask Aaron Nesmith in the final minutes of Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The mid-range game has been resurrected thanks to the MVP winner. Everybody knows that's his spot and is unstoppable when he gets into a groove. Gameplanning against him is conceding 30 points from the top. Let's see if Gilgeous-Alexander can be a repeat MVP winner. He's slowly ascended the ladder from a fifth-place finish three seasons ago to runner-up to finally winning the award last year. Now it's about keeping his top spot. If the Thunder have another first-seed finish and he scores 30-plus points, there's a real chance he continues to climb the ranks of all-time greats with another MVP award. Final Grade: A-plus
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Raphinha talks Flick, Lamine, Ter Stegen, Ballon d'Or, captaincy, Champions League
Currently on the pre-season tour of Asia with the rest of the squad, FC Barcelona captain and winger Raphinha sat down for an interview with SPORT earlier today, during which he touched upon various matters related to the team. Entering his fourth season at the club, Raphinha has firmly established himself as one of the most important players in the team after having had some issues in his first couple of years. One of the club captains now, the Brazilian international reflected on his three years at Barça thus far, claiming that he has been living his dream. 'I had a dream: to wear this shirt and, at least, to fulfil it until the end of my contract. I was able to renew my contract at the end of last season, and this means that I am doing a good job. For me, it is a dream that is being fulfilled,' said Raphinha. Much may have changed since his transfer from Leeds United back in 2022, but Raphinha insists his core has not. 'I'm the same, maybe more mature, but the same Raphinha. The desire to do a good job and to be able to play good games in this shirt has been with me since day one, and I would say that I'm the same,' he noted. The Brazilian also expressed his delight at having been given the captain's armband – something he did not quite expect. 'Well, the truth is that, if I said it was a dream, I would be lying, because in the end I hadn't dreamt of being captain. It was something that happened, and to be able to see my teammates see me like that, as a captain in the dressing room, is very gratifying.' As such, when asked whether Marc-Andre ter Stegen should remain first captain, Raphinha spoke with respect, saying: 'Yes, in my opinion, but in the end it's not something that depends on us. Since I arrived he has always helped me, and he was already the captain. In football, there are hierarchies, and we have to respect them. 'For me, even if he is not, he will still be a special person. Whether there are votes or not is a question for the coach or the president.' One of the captains for Barcelona. (Photo by) Asked what manager Hansi Flick does to keep the Barcelona squad motivated, Raphinha replied: 'Well, I think if you are not motivated to play for this club, you don't have to be here. What the coach gives us is the opportunity to show our value in this shirt, and the work we do well in training. This is the most important thing to arrive well for the matches.' It is no secret that Flick has been a pivotal figure in his progression at Barcelona. Talking about their relationship, the winger said: 'He was the person who trusted me to show the talent I have, the work I do. And he was the person who made me captain. 'The players decide, but in the end it's the coach who decides, and if the coach decides no, it wouldn't be. He has decided yes. For me, he is a very special person.' The arrival of Marcus Rashford this summer has meant more competition for places in the attacking unit – something that does not faze the Brazilian. 'To play in this shirt, in this club, you have to be ready for all the competition that you have. In my opinion, the more competition we have, the better. In the end, that way one helps the other to develop, and that's the most important thing if we want to win titles.' On being asked whether this is Barça's best squad since his arrival, he said: 'I think we have always had a good squad. In the first season I arrived, we won two titles. 'Obviously, things change, the players change, the coach changes, but in my opinion, since I arrived, we have had a good squad and good players.' Looking back on his own performances, he did not hesitate when asked if the last season was the best of his career. 'Yes,' he replied. But Raphinha believes the best is still to come, as he said: 'I always try to look for my best version in training, in matches, in the season. And well, last season I tried to be better than the one before, and this season I will also try to be better than previous season.' Raphinha stated that he remains intent on winning the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona, saying: 'The Champions League is a personal challenge in my career, and it is also an objective for the club: to win the sixth Champions League. I, in particular, will do everything I can to make sure we can do it. And I'm sure the players are thinking the same thing.' Discussing his new contract, which was extended until 2028, whereas many players are renewing long-term until 2030 or 2031, Raphinha remarked: 'The truth is that if the club is happy with me, I will stay here as long as I can. Obviously, if I see that I'm not giving my best or I'm not contributing enough, I'm also aware that it will be time to leave. 'But, for the moment, I think I'm fine and I'm at a good physical and tactical level as well. Then we'll see what we're going to do, but, as I said, if I'm well and the club wants me here, I'll continue to give my best.' Targeting another successful season. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Barça famously beat Real Madrid four times last season – and in all of them, Raphinha made a difference. Reflecting on the Clasico dominance, he stated: 'In my opinion, every season is complicated. And they are . They are played game after game, and even if people think they were easy games, for me they were not. 'To be honest, the games maybe seemed easier because of the intensity we had and the concentration, but they weren't easy at all. And they won't be this season either. They are and every game is a different story.' When asked if a Barcelona player deserved to win the Ballon d'Or after the success the team enjoyed last season, he replied: 'I think the award has to be fair, just that.' 'Maybe what I see doesn't matter, it's very complicated, really. For me, it's often a complicated prize, but what matters to me is to be the best in the world at home for my family, for my children, for the people I care about,' he added. On whether his teammate Lamine Yamal deserves the honour, Raphinha remarked: 'For me, he is a spectacular player, if it depends on him, he will be the best player in the world for many years. There is a lot of work to do, but he has the talent.' Regarding the criticism that the youngster has faced for his lifestyle and his lavish 18th birthday celebrations, Raphinha defended Lamine. 'I don't understand the criticism for what he does on a personal level. The people who criticise him, at 18 years old and doing what he is doing and what he has, would do what he is doing or worse,' he said. 'He has to make the most of it, when he's on holiday, he has to do what he wants, and it doesn't matter what anyone thinks, he's a kid who is super committed to the team, to the squad, and the results shut up those who talk.' Talking about the new talents emerging from La Masia such as Pedro Fernandez 'Dro', Guille and Toni Fernandez, and Jofre Torrents, Raphinha remarked: 'The club has a very, very strong DNA, and this allows players to get to the first team a little better adapted than what happens in other teams. 'And in the end, there is quality, which is a blessing, and everyone has their own. It's a good job together with their talent, and their being from here.'
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lakers React With 3 Words to Marcus Smart News on Tuesday
Lakers React With 3 Words to Marcus Smart News on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Lakers landed a major two-year, $11 million deal with two-way guard Marcus Smart, who reached a buyout with the Washington Wizards. The move wasn't made official until Tuesday, after the Lakers cleared cap space by waiving Shake Milton, Jordan Goodwin, and Trey Jemison. The team later confirmed the signing with a simple three-word message. 'He's a Laker,' the team posted alongside a purple heart emoji and an image of Smart in a Lakers uniform—an unexpected sight for fans who watched him spend the bulk of his career as a cornerstone of the rival Boston Celtics. Fans quickly reacted after the Lakers and Marcus Smart made the news official, with Smart reposting the announcement photo to his Instagram—the first time he acknowledged the deal publicly since ESPN's Shams Charania first reported it on Saturday."THIS JERSEY SO TUFF," a fan said. Someone else added, "He will help the Lakers beat the Celtics in the finals. It'll be glorious." Another person wrote, "The Lakers got themselves an absolute menace on defense." "we're gonna need his help on defense for sure," one more fan commented. Marcus Smart is widely known for his gritty, hard-nosed, and emotionally charged style of play—qualities the Lakers have lacked in recent years, especially on the defensive end at the guard position. According to reports, Luka Doncic even played a role in recruiting Smart to Los Angeles. Smart spent the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Boston Celtics, helping lead them to multiple deep playoff runs, including an appearance in the 2022 NBA Finals, where they fell to the Golden State Warriors. He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2023 and later dealt to the Washington Wizards, a team currently focused on rebuilding. Now 31, Smart is looking to contribute to a contender, making the Lakers an ideal landing spot. Over his career, Smart has averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game. He earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022 and has been selected to the All-Defensive team three story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
