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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
When Shaquille O'Neal had the LA Times publish full-page advertisement thanking Lakers Nation: "You have been there with me through it all"
When Shaquille O'Neal had the LA Times publish full-page advertisement thanking Lakers Nation: "You have been there with me through it all" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Turning free agent ahead of the 1996-97 season, Shaquille O'Neal had a tough call to make. The 1993 ROTY could either continue his four-year association with the Orlando Magic or represent a bigger market like the Los Angeles Lakers that had just drafted Kobe Bryant. Advertisement Famously describing his Orlando situation as a big fish in a small, dried-up pond, Shaq signed a seven-year, $121M contract with the Lakers. A decision that the Louisiana State University product would never regret, establishing himself as the most dominant center to play the game. Donning the 'Purple and Gold,' Shaq played eight seasons for the Lakers between 1996-2004. Delivering three titles to the city of Los Angeles, the 'Big Diesel' was Finals MVP every time. Completing the 3-peat in 2002, the following years were nothing short of a soap opera. The internal tensions reached a point where a decision was made to trade Shaq to the Miami Heat. Bidding farewell to the Lakers fans, the fifteen-time All-Star issued a full-page advertisement in the LA Times, which stated, 'I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible support over the last eight years. I am moving on to the next chapter in my career, but I will never forget the support that you gave me,' the article mentioned. Advertisement The message further stated, 'I will miss each and every one of you. You have been there with me through it all. We never could have won any of the championships without you.' The ad included a picture of Shaq gripping the basketball in one hand. Locker room tensions The friction between Shaq and Kobe was more than evident, with the two superstars not shying away from taking digs at each other publicly. After the 3-peat in 2002, reports surrounding the seven-foot center's unprofessionalism began doing the rounds. Whether it was his reduced efforts in practice, dealing with injuries, or lacking the required conditioning. On the other end, there was Kobe's Mamba Mentality, which paved the way for friction between the two Lakers teammates. This was heightened courtesy of them not winning the chip in the coming two years. Eventually, a call was made to trade Shaq, breaking the tandem and marking the end of an era. Nonetheless, the former teammates would bury the hatchet during the 2009 All-Star Game when they were named Co-MVPs. Advertisement Related: "I think it's a waste of time" - Tracy McGrady explains why it's pointless for young players to play in the G-League Getting his statue In 2017, the Lakers honored Shaq's contributions to the franchise with a bronze statue of him dunking. The statue ceremony had greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Phil Jackson and the late Kobe Bryant in attendance. Marking an emotional moment for the O'Neal family. During his tenure with the Lakers, Shaq averaged 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks on 57.5 percent shooting from the field. The veteran center helped the franchise make it to four NBA Finals, winning three of them, with his unparalleled dominance setting a new precedent. Advertisement Related: "I can't get so close to it, too, because of my competitive nature" - Michael Jordan on why he can't get himself to be a fan of any one player in the NBA This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song receive custom team jerseys at Los Angeles Lakers–Minnesota Timberwolves showdown
Image credit: NBA/X A host of celebrities made their way to the much-anticipated Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers playoff match on Tuesday, and among them were Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin and fiancée and actor Brenda Song . The two were seated in the front row and got a pleasant surprise as the Los Angeles Lakers Girls gifted them custom team jerseys with their names on them. Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song receive custom Lakers jerseys There were quite a few famous faces in the stands as the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the first-round matchup in the playoffs. Brenda Song, who chose to sport a black Lakers top along with matching pants for the outing, was given a team jersey with her surname 'Song' and number 3 printed on it. Macaulay Culkin, in a plain T-shirt and jeans paired with a blue jacket, was also given a team jersey with number 8 printed on it along with his surname 'Culkin.' The video was shared by NBA's official X page and had fans dropping mixed reactions. An X user reacted, 'Loveeeee seeing Macaulay out and about looking great.' Another said, 'Haha, that's dope! Brenda and Mac getting love from the Lakers Girls with those custom jerseys? Living the dream! #LakersNation.' Praising Brenda, a fan also tweeted, 'BSong knows ball. She's a real one.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo A few fans, however, were disappointed about not being showered with free fan goodies. One commented, 'while die-hard OG purple and gold Laker fans are home watching on television.' Another said, 'ou gotta love to see rich people get free stuff.' Culkin, 44, is one of the most famous child actors in Hollywood for his role in the hit 1990 film Home Alone and its sequel. Brenda, 37, also worked as a child actor in many TV series and films, including playing London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. They met in 2017 on the set of the film Changeland, which was released in 2019, and have been together since then. They are now parents to two sons, Dakota and Carson. Also Read: Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers attracts star-studded Hollywood crowd including Jack Black There were many other celebrities at the game, including actors Jason Segel, Dustin Hoffman, and Jack Black, at the Arena in Los Angeles. The Lakers defeated the Timberwolves, with LeBron James and Luka Dončić playing pivotal roles in the win. Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India , including match schedules , team squads , points table and IPL live score for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Don't miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap .
New York Times
10-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Hurt by Mavericks trade, Luka Dončić is now feeling the love in L.A. and beyond
DALLAS — In February, at the Lakers' UCLA Health Training Facility in El Segundo, Calif., Dončić sat hunched over, staring at the ground or into the distance. There were respites for smiles and smirks, but Dončić, a typically reserved but jovial personality, was still processing the shock of the blockbuster trade that shipped him from Dallas to Los Angeles. Advertisement 'That first day was really hard,' Dončić said at his introductory news conference. 'I felt like these last 48 hours were one month.' Dončić returned to Dallas on Wednesday, playing in American Airlines Center as an opponent for the first time. But beyond the emotional return, which included the 'Hvala za vse' T-shirts — Slovenian for 'Thank you for everything' — and a tribute video during starting lineup introductions that moved Dončić to tears, the purple and gold jerseys dotting the crowd made it feel like anything but a road game. Dončić received cheers whenever he scored and 'MVP!' chants at the free-throw line. And that part, the embrace of Lakers Nation, the superstar has most certainly welcomed. 'Oh, yeah, big time,' Dončić said in an exclusive interview with The Athletic last week. 'I remember the first couple games, they were always cheering me up. It's been amazing for me.' Dončić's Dallas exit had been hurtful. At a time when he was expecting a super-max contract in the summer and closing on his $15 million home, he was instead awoken from his sleep to the news he was being traded — losing out on over $100 million — all while being disparaged on the way out. The Mavericks questioned Dončić's defense, conditioning, weight and work ethic, according to league sources. To many, the trade was nonsensical from the Mavericks' perspective. They were trading away a generational superstar not yet in his prime. But the message from Dallas was that they wanted to go in a new direction and build a different culture. The Lakers, meanwhile, saw a basketball genius and the heir to their next era. There were questions about who the face of the franchise would be following LeBron James' retirement. The Lakers hoped it would be Anthony Davis — or he'd at least bridge them into their next era — but they were clearly open to alternative paths. The golden off-ramp, to bring in a 25-year-old global superstar still on the rise, was too attractive to pass up. Advertisement 'I think Luka Dončić joining forces with the Los Angeles Lakers is a seismic event in NBA history,' said Rob Pelinka, Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager, at Dončić's introductory news conference. 'The reason I say that is because we have a 25-year-old global superstar that's going to get on the stage with the most popular and influential basketball brand on the globe. … 'If you think about kids in Barcelona, or kids in Buenos Aires, or children in Shanghai or Sydney, they're going to be wearing a No. 77 Luka Dončić Lakers jersey and bringing joy to basketball, just like he does. And that's why it's powerful.' Like the one-name Laker greats — West, Baylor, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Shaq, Kobe and LeBron — that came before him, Dončić has quickly built an emotional connection with the Lakers fan base that helped him get back on his feet. Shortly after the Dončić trade, Carrera Cafe commissioned artist Arutyun Gozkuchikyan to paint a food mural on the wall next to the Melrose Avenue restaurant. But the lifelong Los Angeles Lakers fan convinced the cafe that he had a better idea: he would paint the first Dončić mural for them. Gozkuchikyan, 42, had experience painting basketball murals, having done multiple Kobe Bryant paintings over the past half-decade, including one of the first in 2020 of the late superstar. When the cafe obliged and asked Gozkuchikyan for a reference for his vision, there was only one option in his mind. 'It was Kobe and Luka,' said Gozkuchikyan, who is also known as ArToon. Back in December 2019, in the final Lakers game that Bryant would attend, he took his 13-year-old daughter, Gigi, to watch Dončić, her favorite player. During the game, Bryant playfully trash-talked Dončić in Slovenian, Dončić's native language. The two chatted afterward and embraced in a photo that was eventually memorialized after Kobe and Gigi's deaths on Jan. 26, 2020. 'I remember the exact moment that happened,' Dončić said of the interaction in his introductory news conference on Feb. 3. 'It will always stay in my mind. It was an amazing moment. Just for Kobe to know my name was amazing for me. I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment.' Over five years later, Gozkuchikyan wanted to welcome Dončić with a mural of him alongside the late Lakers legend. Only Gozkuchikyan wanted to make a notable change — he painted Dončić in a Lakers jersey and changed Bryant's orange WNBA hoodie and green Eagles beanie to purple and yellow, respectively. Advertisement The mural immediately went viral, being shared on all corners of social media. Dončić even reposted it to his Instagram story. 'I thought it was just the most proper way of an introduction to Luka coming to L.A.,' Gozkuchikyan said. 'LA has a lot of GOATs, but Kobe is our GOAT.' 'It's unbelievable,' Dončić said in late February about the mural. 'You know how much I admire him.' Dončić is a man of few words during his news conferences. He's respectful, but he prefers to keep his answers and availability as quick as possible. 'I like short answers,' Dončić joked three weeks ago. But when it comes to his love for the fans, he is giving with his time. Dončić routinely stops to sign autographs at games — at home and on the road — and even outside of the team's hotel when arriving on the team bus or leaving for shootaround, practice, or games. It's an uncommon act, especially from a superstar of Dončić's status. Some players might occasionally stop for an autograph or photo, but Dončić makes it a point to fulfill as many as he can. His mentor, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, was similar, and Dončić decided as a rookie that regardless of how great or famous he became, he'd always make time to give back to his fans. 'He was a big influence for me and he always stops no matter what,' Dončić told The Athletic. Dončić remembers what it's like to be a kid wanting to take a photo or have memorabilia signed by his idols. Those gestures mean something to him. 'I was raised like that,' Dončić said. 'I've always done it.' Dončić's acts within the Los Angeles community and the Lakers fan base have also not gone unnoticed. Within a week of his arrival, he donated $500,000 to the Los Angeles wildfire relief, which took place nearly a month before he was a Laker. Hours ahead of his first game against Dallas, Dončić had his Hollywood moment when Jordan Brand released an ad featuring a man, presumed to be Dončić, in a gray tracksuit removing a '77' Texas license plate off a purple Koenigsegg. As he moved away to reveal a purple '77' California license plate, 'All My Ex's Live in Texas' by George Strait played in the background. As the car revved, the screen went black and the message 'Full Tank. No Mercy,' flashed in red. Jordan Brand's ad for Luka Dončić's first game against Dallas since being traded to the Lakers features the song 'All my Ex's Live In Texas' — Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 25, 2025 Dončić and his shoe sponsor doubled down on his revenge game, teaming up to buy out a lot at the corner of South Figueroa and West 11th Streets. A purple and white sign said, 'Free parking. Courtesy of Luka.' 'It's a kind gesture that's never been done before,' said Rian, a Lakers fan who attended the game and parked in the free parking lot. Advertisement One of Dončić's under-the-radar acts of kindness happened when Dončić was scrolling through X and saw a tweet from Patrik Zrnko, a 16-year-old from Slovenia. Zrnko, his mom, Slavica, and younger brother, Brin, had planned a trip to Los Angeles to watch the Lakers play the Milwaukee Bucks on March 20. But with that game concluding a six-games-in-eight-days stretch for the Lakers, Los Angeles decided to rest several key players, including Dončić. Zrnko tweeted at the franchise that he was saddened that they made such a long voyage to not see the full squad. He tagged Dončić, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent (who's deactivated his X account), Jarred Vanderbilt and team reporter/broadcaster Mike Trudell. Dončić was moved by the post. He sent the tweet to his business manager, Lara Beth Seager, saying he wanted to arrange for his foundation to buy tickets for Zrnko and his family. 'For Luka to do that, it means the world,' Zrnko told The Athletic. 'He's the star of Los Angeles and the biggest name in Slovenia. So to reach out to us, it's like, we didn't have words.' Dončić finally said goodbye to Dallas on Wednesday, closing a chapter that saw him take the franchise all the way to the NBA Finals less than a year ago. As he walked off the floor after tying his season-high with 45 points, his teammates stood up, clapping and cheering for him. Doncic sat on the bench, with his team still on its feet and surrounding him. The imagery was poetic — Dončić's new team circling him and forming a barrier of protection. 'They all had my back,' Dončić said of the moment. 'That's what we talk about before the game, and everybody had my back, from coaches to players and we're trying to build something special here.' The 112-97 win over the Mavericks guaranteed the Lakers a playoff spot and a top-five finish (based on tiebreakers and the teams they're jockeying with still having remaining games against one another). Advertisement Dončić is tasked with leading both the end of this Lakers iteration and, eventually, the next one. Titles are the expectation and the feel-good vibes will only last so long before there is scrutiny about his place among the franchise's all-time greats. But the Lakers, as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, have a real shot to go on a deep playoff run, which would be the third time for Dončić over the past four postseasons. When asked if he feels like a Laker yet, Dončić told The Athletic he's still 'getting there.' But with each stepback 3-pointer and behind-the-back pass and lob to a rolling big man, he is looking more like himself — all while earning the adoration of the fan base. 'It just feels like getting into a new home, you know?' Dončić said of Los Angeles. 'Dallas was my home for seven years, almost seven years. It really felt like home. So, I'm just trying to build a new home and I'm getting more and more comfortable.'
USA Today
19-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
JJ Redick completely trashed the NBA All-Star festivities with NSFW response
Los Angeles Lakers coach and former NBA player JJ Redick didn't exactly come out in support of the NBA All-Star events held over the past weekend. On Tuesday, Redick gave a very blunt, NSFW answer about the NBA All-Star festivities. 'I didn't watch any of that [expletive],' Redick said, via Lakers Nation's Daniel Starkand. With Lakers superstar LeBron James not playing in the NBA All-Star Game, we get why Redick might have had less of a reason to tune in. However, his very dismissive response speaks volumes about the state of the annual event. There are real questions about what the future holds for the NBA All-Star weekend, even if a player like Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic doesn't think the game itself needs any changing. However, this year's NBA All-Star weekend was a bit of a mess, and changes will probably come to reinvest fans into the whole ordeal sooner than later. Redick doesn't… sound very interested in it. We wonder how many others share his stark opinion.
