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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
NBA announces over 70 HBCU interns for the summer
The NBA Foundation has officially welcomed the fourth cohort of its NBA HBCU Fellowship Program, a 10-week summer internship designed to provide undergraduate and graduate students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with hands-on experience in the business of basketball. Launched in 2022, the program has grown rapidly. According to 265 students from 42 HBCUs have participated, with 21% securing full-time roles or early career positions within the NBA ecosystem. This summer, 73 Fellows will work across the NBA, WNBA, and league offices, representing 23 HBCUs, including four new additions: Fayetteville State, Talladega College, South Carolina State, and Johnson C. Smith University. Orientation kicked off at league headquarters with workshops, panels, and insights from league executives. NBA Head of Talent Adam Mitchinson, quoted by called the experience "a springboard for your career and your life in general," encouraging Fellows to "embrace ambition." The NBA Foundation partners with Fearless Dialogues and Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) to execute the program. New this year, MLT led recruitment and will offer career coaching throughout the summer. MLT's founder, John Rice-himself a former league executive-shared via "This isn't just a summer job. It's a launchpad for long-term success." Fellow Michael Clark, a Howard and Columbia graduate, will intern with the Apparel and Merchandising Partnerships team. Clark said he hopes to contribute to the game off the court, inspired by NBA legends like Magic Johnson and Allen Iverson. "I may not have the same global impact as LeBron James or Stephen Curry, but I want to do my part," Clark said. Clark, who applied multiple times before his acceptance, credits his success to shifting his focus from personal gain to community impact. "It's obvious what the NBA can do for you, but when you have a concept about how you can be an asset to a community, I think that makes people buy in," he told Networking is another pillar of the fellowship. During the Business of Basketball Luncheon, Partnerships Lead Genisha Metcalf emphasized: "Every moment is an opportunity that builds upon the next phase of your career path.' Former Fellow Ameer Robertson echoed that sentiment. "It changed my life, and I know it can change theirs," she said, reflecting on her experience and her excitement to see the program expand. With the 2025 class off to a strong start, the NBA Foundation continues its mission to elevate Black talent, build professional pathways, and fuel future leadership. The post NBA announces over 70 HBCU interns for the summer appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kobe Bryant swore to never play with a dominant center after Shaquille O'Neal left: "Michael didn't, and Kobe didn't want to either"
Gary Vitti had a front-row seat to Kobe Bryant's iconic career. Right after Shaquille O'Neal left the Los Angeles Lakers, Vitti revealed that Bryant was eager to prove that he could achieve greatness and lead the team without "Diesel." The former Lakers athletic trainer still vividly recalls the moment Bryant voiced his thoughts on never wanting to coexist with a dominant center like Shaq again. Advertisement "Kobe had finally accepted that he needed a low-post player to win. Kobe didn't want to play with a dominant center. Michael didn't, and Kobe didn't want to either. He told me that," Vitti told "After the Shaq trade [in 2004], Kobe said, 'I don't want to play with a dominant center.'" Pau was no Shaq Bryant faced a series of challenges without O'Neal by his side. The Lakers encountered difficulties, not making the playoffs in 2005 and getting eliminated in the first round of two straight postseasons in 2006 and 2007. With Kobe as the team's sole superstar, some critics believed he was overly selfish, focusing too much on proving himself rather than fostering teamwork. Advertisement However, Bryant firmly believed the issue wasn't his reluctance to share the spotlight but his struggle to find the right player to complement his talents. The Lakers were looking for someone who could match Kobe's greatness and competitive demands. In 2008, they found their guy in Pau Gasol. From the moment Gasol arrived in L.A., he brought a skill set and personality that perfectly complemented Kobe's. More importantly, he didn't bring an ego. "Pau was not dominant in the sense that Shaq was," Vitti said. "But Pau was absolutely one of the most talented low-post players, especially of his time. Pau was willing to be Batman's Robin. Shaq wasn't. Pau had an ability to read the game, read Kobe and react to what Kobe was doing and not get frustrated. Pau played the game the right way." Advertisement "They complemented each other," he continued. "Pau knew when to back off and let Kobe do his thing. Kobe probably wanted Pau to bang more and be more physical. But once he realized that wasn't the way he played the game, then Kobe adjusted. They adjusted to each other and figured it out." Related: "I just got tired of hearing it and just thought it was best for me to move on" - Patrick Ewing admits he regrets leaving the Knicks out of spite The co-star Kobe needed Gasol understood that this was Bryant's team, and his role was to serve as the most dependable player right after the main guy. With his exceptional skills and basketball IQ, Pau became the crucial component that Bryant and the Lakers had searched for since O'Neal's departure. Their synergy on the court was instant and evident. Advertisement Gasol's presence allowed Bryant to flourish in a way he didn't get to do during his time with O'Neal. Ultimately, this resulted in three-straight NBA Finals trips, with the Lakers winning two straight NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. "They made each other better. Pau was able to take some of the pressure off of Kobe with defenses and game planning," former Lakers forward Luke Walton said. "Kobe clearly trusted Pau and was more willing to play within the system more often. He trusted us all, but he trusted himself more than anyone (laughs). As we continued to get better and Pau got in there, Kobe was more willing to let the offense do what it does. Pau would take over at certain times. That impact made Kobe better and made our team better." "On the other side of the coin, Kobe would push Pau and challenge him to be better than he'd ever been," he continued. "Pau embraced that challenge. It wasn't always easy. Phil did the same thing. Ultimately it clearly worked. We would've never had that success without Pau. But I don't think Pau would've had that success without that partnership with Kobe and Phil." Bryant and Gasol spearheaded the Lakers back to prominence. During that stretch, they etched their legacy as one of the best duos in the organization's history. Advertisement In retrospect, Kobe was right. What he needed wasn't a superstar big like Shaq but a team player like Pau. Related: "Guys would just point fingers and the wheels came off so quickly" - Rick Fox says '04 Lakers were completely blindsided with how easily the Pistons shut them down
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors' Draymond Green wins 2025 NBA Hustle Award
Draymond Green is the winner of the NBA Hustle Award for 2024-25, the league announced Friday. The Golden State Warriors forward is a first-time winner of the award, which was created in 2017 to honor players who make "effort plays that don't often appear in the traditional box score, but impact winning on a nightly basis," according to the NBA's announcement. The league tracks "hustle stats," including deflections, loose balls recovered, charges taken, screens set and shots contested to determine the winner of the award. Interestingly, Green only ranked among the top 10 in charges drawn and contested 3-pointers, while placing in the top 20 in deflections and contested 2-point shots. Looking at the hustle stats page on one might conclude that Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks or the New York Knicks' Josh Hart should have won the award. However, Green ranked among the top 40 in all nine hustle categories, which made him the winner. At 35, he's the oldest player to win the award. Previously, Green has been among the top five finishers, including runner-up in 2017 and 2023. Green is also the second former Defensive Player of the Year to win the Hustle Award, joining Marcus Smart. Green won Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and was a finalist for the honor this season. During his 13 NBA seasons, Green has also earned All-NBA status twice and All-Defensive Team honors eight times. The winner of the 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award is... Draymond Green! #NBAAwardsThe award honors a player who makes the effort plays that do not often appear in the box score but help determine team success. — NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2025 Finishing behind Green as the top five finishers were Cason Wallace of the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Philadelphia 76ers' Guerschon Yabusele, OKC's Luguentz Dort and Daniels, according to the league. Patrick Beverley was the inaugural winner of the award in 2017. Smart won the honor in 2019, 2022 and 2023 with the Boston Celtics. Last season's winner was Alex Caruso, then with the Chicago Bulls.
Newsweek
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Experts in Unanimous Agreement on Outcome of Thunder-Nuggets Series
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs is off and running, with more series set to begin soon. One of the more interesting series comes from the Western Conference as the Denver Nuggets will be taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder. More NBA news: Warriors Owner Had Major Reservations About Trading For Jimmy Butler Denver is coming off a thrilling seven-game series victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Nuggets were tested in almost every way imaginable by Los Angeles, but still found a way to survive the series. Oklahoma City has been off for multiple days after they swept the Memphis Grizzlies out of the postseason. The top-seeded Thunder enter this series as the prohibitive favorites, despite the experience that the Nuggets bring to the table. had a panel of experts weigh in on the series before it starts. Every single one of them is going with the Thunder to win the series over the Nuggets. Here is how the panel shook out: Steve Aschburner, Thunder Charles Barkley, NBA on TNT: Thunder Brian Martin, Thunder Shaquille O'Neal, NBA on TNT: Thunder Shaun Powell, Thunder John Schuhmann, Thunder Kenny Smith, NBA on TNT: Thunder DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 6: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on November 6, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 6: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on November 6, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. Photo byThe Thunder were the best team in the NBA all season long, pretty much obliterating teams along the way. They entered the postseason as the favorites to win the NBA title, and the first-round series against the Grizzlies helped to justify that thinking. More NBA news: Another Cavaliers All-Star Could Miss Game 2 vs Pacers But the Nuggets are only two seasons removed from winning the title themselves, and they have a very similar core group of players. This Denver team is experienced and has the tools to pull off the massive upset. The series also features two of the three finalists for the NBA MVP award this season. Both Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had spectacular seasons, but Gilgeous-Alexander holds the edge in the race. Even with every expert picking the Thunder, this series could end up being the best of the second round. Both sides have something to prove, potentially making for pure entertainment on the court. More NBA news: Giannis Antetokounmpo Makes Cryptic Post With Bucks Future In Doubt Lakers' LeBron James Makes Major Announcement After Suffering Knee Injury Massive Trade Proposal Has Pistons Land Perfect Co-Star For Cade Cunningham For more NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Financial Implications Of Evan Mobley Winning Defensive Player Of The Year
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 23: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reaches for a ... More rebound during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 23, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by) Thursday, Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award. Mobley beat out fellow finalists Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks, who finished in second, and Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green, who came in third. From this author's vantage point, he was the most deserving of the potential recipients. The threshold for becoming eligible for the league's awards and All-NBA spots is 65 games. According to among those who logged at least that many this season, Mobley tied for the third-most blocks per contest. He matched Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers. The two swatted 1.6 shots per contest. Among those who registered at least 65 appearances and averaged 30 minutes per game, Cleveland's burgeoning star ranked in the top five in minimizing opponent's second-chance points, per His outsized role in limiting teams to 8.6 of those per contest captures his knack for helping the Cavaliers win a crucial battle on the margins. Coupled with his elite shot-blocking abilities and defensive versatility, the case for this defensive pillar for the top team in the East became too difficult for other nominees to overcome. Mobley's netting Defensive Player of the Year comes at an ideal time for him financially. He signed a five-year, $224.2 million rookie extension in July of 2024. His deal escalates from 25 percent of the league's salary cap to 30 percent next season, per Keith Smith of Spotrac. Mobley's salary increases from $38.7 million for the 2025-26 campaign to $46.4 million. His total salary is now north of $269 million. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Cavaliers, with $219 in estimated payroll next season, are now projected to go over the second apron. That's with 11 players under contract and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ty Jerome scheduled for free agency. While the rest of Cleveland's rotation is under contract for at least the upcoming campaign, the importance of re-signing Jerome could lead to trading a player like Isaac Okoro. The former first-round pick is on the books for $11 million for the 2025-26 season. Mobley's well-deserved Defensive Player of the Year honor is a personally gratifying and financially rewarding achievement. However, it could have significant roster-building repercussions for an NBA title contender.
