Latest news with #FinalsGame7
Boston Globe
27-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Longing for good old days of Celtics trades for championship-caliber talent, not payroll flexibility, and other thoughts
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up We loved it. Through the years, the Celtics traded Paul Westphal for Charlie Scott, Cedric Maxwell for Bill Walton, and let's not forget Red's Mormon grandson, Danny Ainge, swapping Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and two future first-rounders for Advertisement Fast forward to June 2025 when NBA players' contracts are moved in order for teams to get under the dreaded 'second apron.' Successful, stable rosters are broken up in the name of mid-level exceptions, supermax players, frozen first-round picks, expiring deals, matching salaries and TPE (traded player exceptions) as basketball operations bosses bow at the almighty altar of luxury tax penalties. Advertisement Got all that? Neither do I. Related : All you need to know is that NBA salaries are really large and the league legislates against dynasties. Red couldn't win eight championships in a row in this century. The league won't allow it. This is 2025 and teams trade portfolios instead of playmakers. And that is why Celtics fans woke up to read painful headlines on back-to-back days this week. First it was Fans were still shaking that one off when We knew this was coming and now it is happening. New Celtics owners just saved almost a quarter of a billion in future salary and penalty payments, while the team got younger and able to improve thanks to newfound payroll flexibility. Advertisement Swell. So now what are you supposed to do with that 2024 championship poster featuring Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Al Horford, Holiday, and Porzingis? Oh, and as you already know, Tatum shredded his Achilles' and is lost for most (if not all) of next season. So it turns out that that wonderful group came away with only one banner. Just like One championship. When it felt like they were bound for multiple rings. Related : It used to be possible to win more — back in the days before LeBron took his talents to South Beach, forever scarring NBA owners and putting them on a path to a stifling collective bargaining agreement that promotes parity and punishes smart teams willing to spend (like the Celtics). Larry Bird and Co. went to five Finals in the 1980s and won three. John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, and Dave Cowens won two championships and had a 68-win season in a three-year-span in the '70s. And, of course, Bill Russell and Red combined for 11 rings in 13 seasons between 1957-69. Advertisement That's all gone now. It went away with the low-post game, the pick-and-roll, the give-and-go, and the white picket fence. And as the Celtics descend to the big middle, we're left with a less interesting league that covets 3-pointers and payroll flexibility. ⋅ Quiz: 1. The Pacers became the latest NBA team to fail to win a Finals Game 7 on the road. Name the four teams that have done it; 2. Name eight men named Joe who won at least one baseball MVP award (answers below). ⋅ John Henry, who also owns the Globe, and Related : ⋅ Red Sox jersey No. 11 is free again. Baby Boomers remember 11 as the Sox number of Frank Malzone and Luis Aparicio. Bill Mueller and Clay Buchholz wore it for world champion Red Sox teams in this century. Devers had it from 2017 until he was traded. 'Carita' is wearing No. 16 for San Francisco, only because the Giants retired Carl Hubbell's No. 11 in 1944. Advertisement ⋅ Devers is the Giants' best hitter since Barry Bonds. Here's a comparison of Bonds's first eight big league seasons matched up against where Devers stood when he was dealt to the Giants last week: Bonds — 4,123 AB … .283 BA … 222 HR … 679 RBIs. Devers — 4,074 AB … .279 BA … 215 HR … 696 RBIs. ⋅ Devers clearly deserves a lot of the scorn he's received in Boston, but some of the post-trade smearing was out of bounds. Nobody believes Devers cared about Kristian Campbell taking grounders at first base. Similarly, there was too much noise about Devers poisoning teammates in the clubhouse. He certainly set a poor example at the end, but largely kept to himself and had little impact on anyone else. Too many folks who've never been in a locker room made a big deal about Sox players not rushing to Devers's defense to speak up for him. This is a universal truth in professional sports. When you've gone, you're gone. ⋅ Can we agree that David Ortiz should no longer be taken seriously? Before taking to X to display photos of his unreturned texts from Raffy, Ortiz said, 'Devers disrespected the Red Sox and his teammates by arriving at spring training out of shape.' Related : ⋅ Intent on cramming in more commercials, ⋅ On the plus side for NESN, we had intrepid sideline reporter Jahmai Webster renting a kayak to broadcast live from the choppy waters of McCovey Cove. Advertisement ⋅ Does any professional athlete break more bones than ⋅ The Red Sox were swept in their May series in Detroit and won't see the Tigers again until the final three games of the season at Fenway. No one in baseball is sleeping on the Tigers. Detroit went 31-11 down the stretch last season and arrived at this weekend 51-31, tied with the Dodgers for the best record in baseball and good for a ⋅ I guess ⋅ Gleaned this nugget from Mike Sielski's 'Magic In The Air' book on the history of the slam dunk: In the summer of 1968, after graduating from high school in Roosevelt, N.Y., Julius Erving dunked over Bob Beamon in the middle of a pickup game at the Kennedy Rec Center in Hempstead. 'The whole gym fell on the floor,' reported Doc's high school teammate, Leon Saunders. A couple of months later, Beamon won the gold medal in the long jump at the Mexico City Olympics with a jump of 29 feet, 2½ inches, a world record that lasted 23 years. '[Beamon] probably would have dusted Julius in the long jump,' Saunders told Sielski. 'But going straight up? That was a different story.' Related : ⋅ Hope ⋅ Former St. Sebastian's basketball star AJ Dybantsa, an incoming freshman at Brigham Young projected as the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA Draft, is scheduled to ⋅ RIP Scott Miller, a terrific baseball scribe and wonderful man who died from cancer last weekend. A pillar of integrity and grace, Miller's latest book, 'Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter and Always Will,' is fresh off the presses and a great read. ⋅ Quiz answers: 1. 1968-69 Celtics vs. Lakers, 1973-74 Celtics vs. Bucks, 1977-78 Bullets vs. SuperSonics, and 2015-16 Cavaliers vs. Warriors; 2: Joe Cronin, Joe Medwick, Joe Gordon, Joe DiMaggio (3), Joe Torre, Joe Morgan (2), Joe Mauer, Joey Votto. Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
Business Upturn
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Is ‘Starting 5' returning for season 2? Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on June 24, 2025, 17:30 IST Last updated June 24, 2025, 11:15 IST Man, Starting 5 on Netflix was a wild ride, wasn't it? Dropping in October 2024, it threw us courtside with NBA giants like LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis, and Jayson Tatum. The show wasn't just about dunks and three-pointers—it got real, showing these guys as dads, sons, and regular people with big dreams and bigger pressures. After binging Season 1, fans like me are dying to know: Is Starting 5 Season 2 a thing? Here's the scoop on what's cooking. Has Starting 5 Season 2 Been Greenlit? Good news! Netflix confirmed Starting 5 Season 2 on October 30, 2024, just a few weeks after the first season premiered. That's a fast turnaround, which shows how much faith the streaming giant has in the series. Word is, cameras are already rolling for the next installment, so the production team isn't wasting any time. Fans can rest easy knowing more NBA drama is on the way. Who's in the Lineup for Starting 5 Season 2? The first season featured a killer roster of players, and Season 2 is switching things up with a fresh group of NBA stars. Here's who's confirmed to be in the spotlight: Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics' championship wing – Boston Celtics' championship wing Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns' scoring legend – Phoenix Suns' scoring legend Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder's MVP hopeful – Oklahoma City Thunder's MVP hopeful Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers' playmaking wizard – Indiana Pacers' playmaking wizard James Harden – Los Angeles Clippers' bearded icon This mix of veterans and young guns promises some juicy storylines. From Brown chasing another title to Durant hunting for redemption, there's no shortage of narratives to explore. Fun fact: Utah Jazz's Lauri Markkanen was approached for the show but turned it down, saying he wanted to keep his personal life private and avoid any team distractions. What's the Story for Starting 5 Season 2? If it's anything like the first season, Starting 5 Season 2's gonna mix sweaty game nights with real-life feels. Last time, we saw Jimmy Butler deal with his dad's sickness and LeBron open up about Bronny's heart scare. It hit hard. This season'll probably track the 2024-25 NBA grind, zooming in on these guys' highs and lows. With this crew, we might get spicy playoff moments or even trade buzz—imagine Harden in a new jersey! Some X fans are losing it over a possible Finals Game 7 getting big screen time. I'm crossing my fingers for scenes of Haliburton clowning with teammates or Brown celebrating with Boston fans. It's gonna be hoops and heart, no doubt. Starting 5 Season 2 Potential Release Date No exact date yet, but let's do some detective work. Season 1 followed the 2023-24 season and landed on October 9, 2024, right after the Finals. Season 2's tagging along for 2024-25, which wraps in June 2025. So, I'm betting on a late 2025 vibe—maybe September or October. Netflix's got it on their 2025 list, so it's coming, y'all. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Miami Herald
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Greg Cote's Hot Button Top 10: Panthers celebrate, Messi rises, NBA Game 7 & more
GREG COTE'S HOT BUTTON TOP 10 (JUNE 22): WHAT IN SPORTS HAS GRABBED US THIS WEEK: Our Sunday Hot Button Top 10 notes column brings you what's on our minds, locally and nationally but from a Miami perspective and accentuating stuff that's big, weird, damnable, funny or otherwise worth needling as the sports week just past pivots to the week ahead. Welcome to the 108th edition of your HB10: 1. PANTHERS: Lord Stanley sunning on the beach; Bennett says he's staying: Rain is expected but the Florida Panthers again are celebrating a championship with particular South Florida style -- with a day the beach. So they'll be back on stage on the sands off the Atlantic Ocean for a second straight year today, after a parade down A1A in Fort Lauderdale. Thutsday night at Miami nightclub E11even, pending free agent and Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett told a cheering crowd, 'I ain't [bleepin'] leaving!' Fourth straight great season, third straight Stanley Cup Final, second straight championship. That's a dynasty, or close enough for a toast. 2. INTER MIAMI: Messi leads rise in FIFA Club World Cup with win over Porto: Lionel Messi cashed a trademark left-footed free kick into the upper right corner Thursday to lead a 2-1 victory over Portugal's Porto FC in Atlanta -- a needed three points after an opening 0-0 draw with Egypt's Al Ahly. Messi's 50 goal for Inter Miami in 63 matches across all competitions made Herons the first MLS club to beat a top-tier European opponent in an official competition. Miami faces Brazil's Palmeiras in a final group-stage match Monday and will advance to the round of 16 with a win or a draw, or even with a loss if Porto and Al Ahly tie. 3. NBA: Indiana roars back big, forces Sunday Finals Game 7 in OKC: Pacers led by as many as 31 Thursday night in a 108-91 rout of Thunder that forces a Finals Game 7 -- the NBA's first since 2016 and only the fifth this century -- Sunday night in Oklahoma City. Indy had nobody top 20 points but was ferocious on D, holding Thunder to 8-for-30 on 3's. But the Thunder is 18-2 this season and playoffs following a loss. The nontraditional small-market Finals has been a low ratings draw so far but expectation is Game 7 will lift the average to respectability. [Quick aside: Indiana's playoffs T-shirt slogan -- Yes 'cers -- is pretty awful.] 4. HURRICANES: Miami being sued for tampering to get football transfer: University of Wisconsin has filed a lawsuit alleging Miami Hurricanes football broke the law by tampering with a Badgers player -- a groundbreaking legal shot at enforcing the financial contract between player and school. The suit refers to 'Student Athlete A' but reports are it involves the offseason transfer of freshman defensive back Xavier Lucas, who renolled at UM in January after saying Wisconsin refused to add his name in the transfer portal. Suit claims a Miami staff member and a prominent alumnus met with Lucas and his family and offered him money to transfer. 5. SOCCER: U.S. men calm doubts, sail into Gold Cup knockout quarters: The USMNT and coach Mauricio Pochettino were under fire with five straight losses in the runup to the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, but advanced to the quarterfinals Thursday with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia that followed a 5-0 spank of Trinidad & Tobago. [The Saudis were neither from North or Central America or the Caribbean when last I checked a map but are guests of CONCACAF.] The Americans face Haiti in a meaningless group-stage match Sunday before awaiting their yet-unknown quarters foe. 6. POLITICS: U.S. immigration crackdown seeping into sports: We have seen it during games in the FIFA Club World Cup including at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, with a presence by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) there lloking for undocumented immigrants. Now, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security set up outside Dodger Stadium this week, sparking outrage on social media and more protests against immigration enforcement in L.A. The Dodgers say they denied the feds access to the stadium's parking lot. 7. DOLPHINS: Ready or not, football's near as Fins set camp dates: Players will report July 22 for start of full preseason training camp, with the first of 10 open-to-the-public practices on July 26. Miami will have joint practices with their three preseason foes prior to those games Aug. 10 at Chicago, Aug. 16 at Detroit and home Aug. 23 vs. Jacksonville, with Fins' NFL regular season opening Sept. 7 in Indianapolis. Off an 8-9 season, '25 ushers in a year of possible win-or-out pressure on coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier, and the latest chance for QB Tua Tagovailoa to try to stay healthy. 8. COLLEGE BASEBALL: It's LSU-Coastal Carolina in CWS in Omaha: LSU won 1-0 Saturday behind Kade Anderson's gem to open the best-of-3 men's College World Series championship series in Omaha. Coastal Carolina had prior won 26 straight games. Game 2 is today/Sunday and Game 3, if needed, is Monday. LSU is playing for its second national championship in three years. Careful casting Coastal Carolina as a Cinderella. The Chanticleers were national champs in 2016. (Google the word 'chanticleer.' I did, and was more confused than ever.) 9. MARLINS: Shutout loss dampens Miami's warm(ish) streak: Marlins are a dispiriting 30-45 on the season but had won six of previous 10 games before Saturday's 7-0 home loss to Atlanta, whom they face again today. Can Fish leap Washington and escape the NL East cellar? You take the bright spots where you find them ... like manager Clayton McCullough being named by the Dodgers' Dave Roberts to his coaching staff for the upcoming All-Star Game. 10. NFL: Time to wonder ... does football even need cheerleaders?: In the second season of the Netflix series, 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders,' it is revealed the women will be getting a 400 percent rise, after a previous hike to $400 per game. For me, cheerleading, like beauty pageants, is a rather antiquated throwback. Almost quaint. It leads one to wonder if NFL teams benefit from cheerleader squads. I have never met a sports fans who was not adept at cheering and needed leading in that category. Almost a quarter of teams, seven of 32, presently do not have cheerleaders. Trend? THE LIST: South Florida's major sports champions: A timeline of the 14 times South Florida has celebrated a championship in the traditional Big 4 American pro leagues and major college football: Year Team How title was won 1972 Miami Dolphins d. Washington, 14-7, in Super Bowl 1973 Miami Dolphins d. Minnesota, 24-7, in Super Bowl 1983 Miami Hurricanes d. Nebraska, 31-30, in Orange Bowl 1987 Miami Hurricanes d. Oklahoma, 20-14, in Orange Bowl 1989 Miami Hurricanes d. Alabama, 33-25, in Sugar Bowl 1991 Miami Hurricanes d. Nebraska, 22-0, in Orange Bowl 1997 Florida Marlins d. Cleveland, 4-3, in World Series 2001 Miami Hurricanes d. Nebraska, 37-24, in Rose Bowl 2003 Florida Marlins d. N.Y. Yankees, 4-2, in World Series 2006 Miami Heat d. Dallas, 4-2, in NBA Finals 2012 Miami Heat d. Oklahoma City, 4-1, in NBA Finals 2013 Miami Heat d. San Antonio, 4-3, in NBA Finals 2024 Florida Panthers d. Edmonton, 4-3, in Stanley Cup Final 2025 Florida Panthers d. Edmonton, 4-2, in Stanley Cup Final Other select most recent stuff from me: Champions! Panthers crush Edmonton, McDavid, make history with 2nd straight Stanley Cup // Poll Dance: Panthers playoff MVP // Panthers one win from repeat Stanley Cup as Marchand shines again for 3-2 series lead // Panthers blow lead, command of Final as Edmonton's 5-4 OT win ties series // Panthers crush Edmonton 6-1 for 2-1 Final lead. Is McDavid's dream slipping? // Previous HB 10 // Hated to hero: Marchand's Panthers goal in second OT beats Edmonton 5-4, ties Stanley Cup Final // Road magic fails Panthers in 4-3 OT loss to open Stanley Cup Final rematch // Stanley Cup preview: On Connor 'McOverrated,' dream Cup rematch, Panthers as face of changed NHL // Florida Panthers oust Carolina in five, reach 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final // Major news on future of Dan Le Batard Show, Meadowlark Media, DraftKings // Game 7 magic as Panthers rout Toronto 6-2, reach 3rd straight East finals // Panthers' 4-1 ouster of Tampa declares intent, and ability, to repeat as champs // Giannis? Durant? Embarrassed Heat need major help after 55-point loss and playoff sweep // Miami Dolphins should be fed up with Tyreek Hill, but team is too desperate to trade him // To owner Bruce Sherman of low-hope Marlins: Spend more on payroll, or sell team // Dolphins' 18-month decline, quiet offseason heap pressure on Tua, coach, GM in '25 // A tribute to Miami sports legend Jimmy Johnson as he retires from Fox TV // 15 years later, Dolphins Cancer Challenge is the life-saving legacy of Jim Mandich // Unprofessional Jimmy Butler quit on Heat, ruined his legacy in Miami // And my latest podcast:
The Hindu
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
NBA 2025 Finals Preview: 2 teams, 1 game, 1 trophy—Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder will decide a champion
It started with 30 teams, most of them fairly optimistic about their chances when the season began eight months and 1,320 games and 35,543 3-pointers and 299,608 points ago. Only two teams remain. For one game. Game 7. The NBA season ends on Sunday night when Indiana Pacers visits Oklahoma City Thunder to decide which team will hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy, take over from Boston Celtics as champion and become the league's seventh different title winner in the last seven years. It's the first winner-takes-all game in the NBA since 2016, when Cleveland beat Golden State. 'I'm very much looking forward to Game 7,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'The last time we've had one of these in the finals, I think, was '16. These are special moments certainly for both teams but for our league, for the game, for the worldwide interest in the game. It's a time to celebrate.' THE JOY. WHEN THE BUZZER SOUNDS. AND YOU'RE CROWNED CHAMPS. Indy and OKC battle to join the 19 teams that have celebrated a Finals Game 7 victory 👏⚔️ 🏆 Tomorrow, 8pm/et, ABC — NBA (@NBA) June 22, 2025 Yes, but only one team will celebrate on Sunday night. For Pacers, it would be a first NBA title and the capper to a season that started with Indiana banged up and getting off to a 10-15 record through the first 25 games. No team has ever been below .500 that deep into a season and went on to win a championship. For Thunder, it would be a first NBA title — kind of, sort of, Seattle won one in 1979 and even though the franchise moved to Oklahoma City from there, the Thunder don't recognize it as one of their own — and wrap up a season in which the team scored more points than any other club in NBA history and posted the best record. 'We have to understand the work is done and we have to trust the work,' Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said on Saturday, the final practice day of the season. 'The muscle is built. We have to flex that muscle. That's what tomorrow will come down to for us.' It has been the epitome of a back-and-forth series, with both teams having the lead at some point. Indiana led 1-0 and 2-1; Oklahoma City led 3-2 but got blown out in Game 6, its first chance at winning the title. So, here we are, tied at 3-3, one game away from a decision. 'Grateful for the opportunity,' Thunder guard Jalen Williams said. 'That's one thing I can say is throughout the whole entire thing, you always have to remain grateful for where you are because there's a lot of NBA players that will trade their spot with me right now. That's how I look at it. But as far as history, I want to be on the good side of that, for sure.' Oklahoma City has looked every bit the part of a championship contender all year; going 68-14 in the regular season cemented the Thunder into the favourite's role. Being the best team in the regular season is for this very privilege, to play host for Game 7. Pacers peaked at the right time and took the more circuitous route here. But they've already started this series with a win in Oklahoma City. They see no reason why it can't end the same way. 'I think we just have done a great job of just staying together,' Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. 'There's not a group of guys I'd rather go to war with. I'm really excited to compete with these guys in a Game 7, and it's going to be a lot of fun.' 🚨 CLUTCH GAME 7 FINALS MOMENTS 🚨 2016: Kyrie Irving pull-up triple with under a minute left to complete the Cavs 3-1 comeback — NBA (@NBA) June 21, 2025 The strained right calf is still an issue for Haliburton, but he played in Game 6 with the injury and — no surprise — he's going to play in Game 7. 'I'm pretty much in the same standpoint I was before Game 6,' Haliburton said. 'A little sore. Good thing I only had to play like 23 minutes. I've been able to get even more treatment and do more things. Just trying to take care of it the best I can. But I'll be ready to go for Game 7.' Counting all games this season, Oklahoma City's two lowest-scoring outputs were 81 points against Milwaukee and 91 points against Indiana. The Bucks game was in the NBA Cup final. The Pacers game was Game 6, when OKC had a chance to win the NBA title. So, in the two 'championship' games Thunder have played this season, they're averaging 86 points. In all other games, they're averaging 119.7 points. 'We obviously have to get better offensively,' Thunder guard and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'Last game, clearly, was not good enough and not going to cut it, and we know that. We watch film for those type of things. You have games like that. Now, it sucks to have it at that stage obviously, but we know we have to be better, for sure.'
Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Tyrese Haliburton warns Indiana Pacers of ‘poison' of outside noise before NBA Finals Game 7
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton gets a hug from his girlfriend after Game 6 of the NBA Finals. PHOTO: EPA-EFE OKLAHOMA CITY – Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton says the Pacers must keep their focus firmly on the Oklahoma City Thunder and block out the 'poison' of narratives popping up around Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which will take place on June 22. The Pacers pushed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder to a winner-take-all title showdown with a stunning blowout victory on June 19 – Haliburton inspiring his teammates with a 14-point performance two days after he limped through Game 5 with a right calf strain. Now the Pacers have a chance to claim the first NBA championship for a franchise that won three American Basketball Association titles before joining the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. 'The narratives are going to be almost poison,' Haliburton said. 'To talk about what this would mean to our city and our organisation and legacy talk, and how we played so well and now the pressure is on (the Thunder)... there's going to be narratives that we can't really pay attention to. 'We've got to control what we can. So much of these games has come down to who is going to start the fight from a physicality standpoint, take care of the ball better, rebound the ball better. 'Those are the important things that we need to focus on... we've got to be ready to compete in Game 7.' The NBA title-decider in Oklahoma City will be the 20th Game 7 in Finals history, and the first since 2016 – when the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors on their home floor to complete their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and claim the title. The LeBron James-led Cavs were the first road team to win a Finals Game 7 since 1978. Home teams are 15-4 in championship Game 7s and Haliburton knows the Pacers face a monumental task in trying to polish off the 68-win (regular season) Thunder on their home court. 'There's no such thing as, like, a pretty Game 7. They're usually ugly bloodbaths,' he added. 'We've got to go in and just figure it out. These guys are going to play hard. They make shots at a higher clip at home. Their crowd is amazing. 'This is why we do what we do. This is the peak, the pinnacle of our sport.' Meanwhile in other news, NBA star Kevin Durant has purchased a minority stake in French football club Paris Saint-Germain, the Champions League winners said on June 20, and the Phoenix Suns forward will provide expertise on their planned expansion into basketball. Durant, a two-time NBA champion and four-time Olympic gold medallist, has signed a share purchase and strategic partnership agreement with PSG's majority shareholder Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), through his company Boardroom. 'It is an honour to partner with QSI and to be a shareholder of Paris Saint-Germain, a club and a city that is deeply close to my heart,' Durant, who won gold at the Paris Olympics last year, said. 'This club has big plans and I look forward to being part of the next phase of growth and exploring new investment opportunities with QSI.' One of those opportunities is likely to come in the world of basketball, with PSG already involved in early-stage talks with the NBA regarding potential investment and venues for a new basketball league in Europe. Durant, who had already forged a link with PSG through the club's minority shareholder Arctos Partners, will partner on a wide range of commercial, investment and content production initiatives. The 36-year-old will also support the club in its strategy of diversification and growth on sporting and commercial fronts, including developing the club's strategy in the United States and other international markets. PSG said in a statement that Durant would provide 'expertise on PSG's multi-sport strategy, particularly regarding future projects in the field of basketball'. Durant was recently included in Forbes' 2025 list of the world's highest-paid athletes, coming in at No. 10 with earnings of US$101.4 million. AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
