Latest news with #NBAFinalsMostValuablePlayer
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
NBA's 80th season tips off with Houston Rockets at OKC Thunder on Oct 21
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91. NEW YORK – Reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City will play host to the Houston Rockets on Oct 21 to tip off the league's 80th season, league officials announced on Aug 12. The Thunder will raise their championship banner before reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates face the Kevin Durant-led Rockets. The game will be the first of two on opening night for the 2025-26 season with the later start featuring the Golden State Warriors at the Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State star guard Stephen Curry and Lakers' playmaker LeBron James – both four-time NBA champions – will meet for the 57th time in their iconic careers. James, a 40-year-old forward, will become the first player in NBA history to compete in a 23rd NBA campaign while teammate Luka Doncic plays in his first season opener as a Laker. Durant, a two-time NBA champion and 2014 NBA MVP, was traded from Phoenix to Houston last month as part of an NBA record seven-team deal. The league also confirmed some other contest dates, including its Christmas schedule, ahead of Thursday's release of the full NBA schedule for the 2025-26 campaign. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Asia Southern Taiwan shuts down ahead of Typhoon Podul's arrival, hundreds of flights cancelled Business Singtel Q1 profit soars 317.4% to $2.9 billion on exceptional gains of $2.2 billion Asia Diamonds, watches and shoes: Luxury items at heart of probe into South Korea's former first lady World AI eroded doctors' ability to spot cancer within months in Lancet study Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Sport New Hui Fen becomes first Singaporean bowler to win PWBA Tour Player of the Year Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story The Dec 25 lineup includes five NBA games, starting with Cleveland at New York, the Knicks having made a record 57 Christmas appearances. San Antonio will visit Oklahoma City in the Thunder's first game on Dec 25 since 2018, followed by Dallas at Golden State with ex-Warrior Klay Thompson returning to San Francisco with the Mavericks, then Houston at the Lakers and Minnesota at Denver. On the second night of the season on Oct 22, the Cleveland Cavaliers will visit New York while the San Antonio Spurs open their season at Dallas in the NBA debuts for top NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg of Dallas and second choice Dylan Harper of the Spurs. San Antonio also welcome back French star Victor Wembanyama after he missed the end of last season with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder. The following night sees Oklahoma City at Indiana in a rematch of last season's NBA Finals, followed by Denver at Golden State with three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets facing two-time NBA MVP Curry. Oct 27 will see Cleveland at Detroit and Denver at Minnesota. Martin Luther King Jr. Day games on Jan 19 will include Milwaukee at Atlanta, Oklahoma City at Cleveland, Dallas at New York and Boston at Detroit. AFP
Forbes
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
The Mind Of A Champion: Inside The NBA Sports Medicine Series
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JUNE 22: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder ... More celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy after defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game Seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center on June 22, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) It takes a comprehensive team to bring out the best in an NBA player and organization. In addition to the team focused on maximizing the performance during the game, a team of clinicians, executives, and scientists that spans sports medicine professionals. Data analytics, physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers, nutritionists, and many more collaborate to bring out the elite performance in world-class athletes. Sometimes this work is done in silos, and best-in-class tips may not be shared effectively across a team or across a league. That is where the vision of the NBA Summer League Sports Medicine Series enters, led by Dani Lonford, Manager of Player Rehabilitation Golden State Warriors. Dani Langford The goal is to break down walls, create dialogue between NBA and non-NBA professionals, and support those helping athletes guests included NBA veteran Brook Lopez, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, and league executives that included Alvin Gentry, Vice President of the Sacramento Kings, and Tommy Sheppard, former General Manager of the Washington Wizards. I had the opportunity to sit down with several of them during the event to discuss the intricate ecosystem of team sports and the specialized career skills that are essential to develop in order to advance in this pathway. INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 23: Head coach Alvin Gentry of the Sacramento Kings looks on in the ... More second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 23, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The following are five key takeaways from the Sports Medicine Series that may redefine how you think about success in the arena of sports. 1. Learn the Language of the league The most effective professionals can connect their expertise with others around them. In sports, silos between athletic trainers, data scientists, and medical staff can slow down performance improvement. In business, similar gaps exist between strategy, operations, and execution. This rapid and efficient communication is critical when it comes to managing or preventing injury, maximizing team dynamics, and staying ahead of potential challenges throughout the season. Brook Lopez & Mena Mirhom NBA veteran Brook Lopez emphasized that the most trusted people on his care team are not always the ones with the most credentials. They are the ones who communicate clearly and collaborate across roles. Danielle Langford said it best: 'Creating more fluidity between levels, departments, between people, is how we grow. Getting everyone in the same room shifts the conversation.' One of the key panels of the conference highlighted the importance of this efficient, effective, and thorough communication across the organization. MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 28: Alize Johnson #27 of the Washington Wizards talks with general manager ... More Tommy Sheppard prior to the game against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena on December 28, 2021 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Tommy Sheppard, a veteran executive of the NBA for over 30 years, emphasized the importance of being great at the specific role that we have. We must all embrace how important it is to understand our roles. The professional athlete needs support in so many areas, and it is crucial that everyone embraces their role to provide support to the best of their ability. Career takeaway: Learn your craft deeply, but also learn how to speak the language of others. Progress often happens in the spaces between specialties. 2. Focus on the Players, not the Prestige Across every panel and conversation, one idea kept resurfacing. If the athlete does not feel seen, none of the work matters. There is a lot of glamour that comes with being around professional athletes. It's important to go beyond the show and focus on the humans themselves. Dani Langford puts it this way when asked about the most important career skills needed in this work: The top ones are adaptability and flexibility. Your schedule can change the night before a game. Communication and teamwork are also huge. At the Warriors, the people make the place special, so connecting with others and checking your ego at the door are important. You need to be here for the people, not the principle extends beyond sports. In leadership, entrepreneurship, and healthcare, people are more likely to thrive when they feel personally understood. Career takeaway: Beware of fandom in professional sports careers. In order to create a sustainable career, the player must be central to your work, not just the prestige of the role. 3. Translate complex data into daily insight Sports science is advancing rapidly. Metrics like heart rate variability and sleep efficiency are now standard in elite environments. But what happens when the data says one thing and the person says another? Jalen Suggs & Mena Mirhom MD Jalen Suggs offered a candid insight: 'The numbers help, but sometimes you just know your body's not there yet.' Danielle Langford added: 'You can bring positive energy, create a good environment, and contribute. But in the end, it's really about the athlete.' In complex fields, numbers provide clarity, but intuition and relationships built from experience still plays a vital role. Career takeaway: Data should inform your decisions, but it cannot replace judgment. The best professionals learn how to blend both.4. Respect the Complexity of Recovery Recovery is a major theme in professional sports. This goes beyond a specific injury but expands to the daily process that involves micro-recovery of the sleep schedule, managing difficult headlines, and maintaining an elite routine. This process is often not just physical but engages the entire team. The process involves timing, focus, and comprehensive recovery. Jalen Suggs explained it well: Trusting your body again is a whole different level of emotional and mental layer is true in professional life outside of sports as well. Reentering after burnout or disappointment requires more than just reengagement. It requires self-awareness and support. World-renowned Senior Sports Psychiatrist, Derek Suite, MD, who has over 15 years of guiding elite athletes across the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLS, explains how he trains the next generation of sports psychiatrists to approach helping players with sports injuries navigate the recovery process: Derek H. Suite, MD, senior sports psychiatrist and performance consultant with 15 years of ... More experience across the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLS, specializing in injury recovery and return-to-play diagnostic precision- distinguishing grief over lost ability from clinical depression, because the interventions are worlds apart. Second, somatic integration-the body keeps the score of injury trauma, so we rebuild neural pathways through graded exposure, not just positive thinking. Third, ecosystem leadership, an athlete's recovery lives in the spaces between medical appointments, so we orchestrate care teams like conductors, not consultants Career takeaway: Growth and recovery are not linear. Understanding the dynamic ecosystem of a team allows you to become indispensable to an organization. 5. Understand that information is currency The balance between privacy and transparency can be a difficult one to strike. One of the most important principles in professional sports is that it must always be player-driven. I spoke with Maggie Bryant, President of Performance Health and Wellness, who often navigates this nuanced approach to keeping staff informed while fiercely guarding players' Bryant, President of Performance Health and Wellness, Los Angeles Clippers 'Information is gold. The ability to communicate at a high level and know when to share something, and who needs to know, is key. Having a clear-cut process in mind establishes trust. The more trust you can develop with players, the more effective you will be. She discussed that at this level, you can be a very skilled clinician but be entirely ineffective if players do not trust you or buy into your approach. She credits her father as well as key mentors, who walked her through foundational skills of establishing these long-term relationships with authenticity. Career takeaway: The discipline of developing trusting relationships is a career skill that is sometimes even more valuable than the technical skills of a position. Bottom Line The Sports Medicine Series was more than an event. It was a snapshot of what sustainable, fulfilling careers look like in high-performance fields of sport. Building a great career in sports is about learning across disciplines, respecting the complexity of team dynamics, and never losing sight of the people you serve.
Toronto Sun
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Hamilton to hold rally for NBA MVP and champion Gilgeous-Alexander
Will be recognized on Thursday Aug. 7 at "Shai Rally Day" in Hamilton. Get the latest from Ryan Wolstat straight to your inbox Published Jul 21, 2025 • Last updated 2 minutes ago • 1 minute read Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy. Getty Images Canada's king of the court has won just about everything possible this year, but is about to receive another honour. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was born in Toronto but claims Hamilton as his home, will be recognized on Thursday Aug. 7 at 'Shai Rally Day' in Hamilton. Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA MVP after finishing second last season (Steve Nash was the only Canadian to previously win the award), and helped Oklahoma City win its first NBA title last month after a stirring playoff run. He was also named NBA Finals MVP and led the league in scoring in the regular season. Gilgeous-Alexander also took home the ESPY last month as best male athlete. The rally will start at 3:30 p.m. at Hamilton Stadium, Hamilton mayor Andrea Horwath will present Gilgeous-Alexander with the key to the city there. Later he'll make an appearance at the Canadian Football League game between the Tiger-Cats and B.C. Lions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I'm absolutely thrilled to bring Shai Rally Day to Hamilton,' Horwath said in a release. 'This is our city's official celebration of NBA Champion, NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Scoring Champion, ESPY Best Athlete — Men's Sports, and proud Hamiltonian, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.' Gilgeous-Alexander makes his off-season home in Hamilton with his wife and son. Previously, a mural and commemorative banner went up Gilgeous-Alexander's former high school in Hamilton, Sir Allan MacNab Secondary. Read More Celebrity Canada Toronto & GTA Other Sports World
The Province
03-07-2025
- Sport
- The Province
Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander agrees to NBA record $285 million contract with Thunder
Would give him the highest single-season average salary in NBA history at over $71 million. Published Jul 01, 2025 • 2 minute read Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy. Getty Images OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed on a record-setting 4-year, $285 million extension that would give him the highest single-season average salary in NBA history, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Tuesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been publicly announced and likely won't be until the league's moratorium on most offseason signings is lifted on Sunday. ESPN first reported on the agreement. News of the deal comes on Canada Day, a fitting coincidence for the 26-year-old from Ontario who is coming off a season like few others in NBA history. Not only did Gilgeous-Alexander lead the Thunder to their first NBA championship and the league's best record, he swept most major individual awards — winning regular-season and NBA Finals MVP honors and the scoring title. The supermax extension was not unexpected. It was a question of timing; he could have taken a deal with an even higher total value next summer. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Based on the NBA's most recent salary cap projections — the exact numbers will not be finalized until June 2027 _ Gilgeous-Alexander would make somewhere around $63 million in the first season and nearly $79 million during the 2030-31 season. That would put him at an average payout of about $1 million per regular season game, and would be the highest single-season salary in NBA history. Gilgeous-Alexander didn't enter the league with superstar expectations. He was the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft, and he was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Thunder after his rookie year. He has been on an upward trajectory ever since, and Thunder general manager Sam Presti believes that will continue. 'He's gotten better every single year,' Presti said. 'His mindset has allowed him to take these steps and also not — I don't feel like his progress is, like, volatile. I don't know if that makes sense, but I don't feel like it's built on things that can't be repeated and built up again.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Presti referred to Gilgeous-Alexander as a 'basketball artist' because he has the emotional intelligence to know when to call upon his various gifts. 'I just think he's got left and right brain working, and I think when you think about people that are extremely successful in what they do, they can't operate all on one side or the other,' Presti said. 'People have to have — to me, the great people in life, business, sports, any industry, have to be able to access both sides, a creative side and then also a very objective side.' The Thunder are set to be contenders for years. Their best player is in place long-term, all their major players are under contract through at least next season and Presti has a slew of draft picks stashed from previous trades. 'We definitely still have room to grow,' Gilgeous-Alexander said after the Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers. 'That's the fun part of this. So many of us can still get better. There's not very many of us on the team that are 'in our prime' or even close to it.' Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Opinion News Local News
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Can Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander make the squeak squeak squeak of Converse a force again on the court?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates with the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy and his new Converse signature basketball shoe, the SHAI 001, after defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Finals. (Matthew Stockman / Getty Images) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puzzled people when he debuted his signature Converse shoe during All-Star weekend. Converse? Where Chuck Taylor retros reside? Sure, Gilgeous-Alexander — known simply as SGA — was a rapidly improving player on a rapidly improving Oklahoma City Thunder team. But him as the face of a fading performance sneaker outfit didn't compute. Advertisement Fast forward to the NBA Finals. Moments after the Thunder's 103-91 Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers, SGA ascended the stage to accept his most valuable player trophy with a golden colorway of his signature shoe hanging from his neck. Then on Tuesday, SGA doubled down, enjoying the championship parade with 'Trophy Gold' Converse SHAI 001s on his feet. Who would have thought Oklahoma City would become a flash point of foot fashion. And during Paris Fashion Week no less, when big brands from Nike and New Balance to Adidas and Asics introduce new product lines. Read more: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC to NBA title, and the Clippers must be cringing Advertisement Nothing enhances marketing like winning, and SGA is the undisputed NBA victor of the season. He's the anointed MVP of the regular season as well as the Finals, leading the league in scoring and doing it all with an impish grin and requisite humility. As creative director of Converse, the shoe fits. 'I'm able to essentially do whatever I want to do with the shoe. How it's going to play out, the ball is really in my court,' SGA told Boardroom TV in December. 'It's something that I could imagine every athlete would want to ask for, to try and tell their story and show themselves to the world how they want to do it. To have complete control, it's a blessing.' But can SGA elevate Converse from the bargain rack? His SHAI 001s aren't grandpa's Chuck Taylor All-Stars, those classic shoes of timeless design consisting of a white toe cap over cotton canvas adorned with a distinctive All-Star logo. Advertisement They made a comeback last year when presidential candidate Kamala Harris wore them but Converse recorded year-over-year sales declines of 15% or more in each of the last three fiscal quarters. Chuck Taylor was a semi-pro basketball player and traveling salesman for the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in the early 1920s when he designed the shoe. By the 1950s nearly everyone on a basketball court wore them, but they declined in popularity by the end of the 1970s before enjoying a comeback as nostalgic casual footwear. A few years after going through bankruptcy, Converse was swallowed up by Nike in 2003 for $305 million. So, technically, SGA is just another massively paid shill for Nike, standing in line behind Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Selena Williams, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rory McIlroy. But by aligning himself with an all-but-forgotten underdog of a brand, SGA has an opportunity to author a chapter in the signature shoe wars that could rival his already substantial accomplishments on the court. Advertisement There is one problem. The Shai 001 won't be available for sale until the fall. Converse can't capitalize on OKC and SGA fans wanting to rock the golden "butter" footwear of their new hero, and wanting them NOW. Read more: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton latest to succumb to torn Achilles during NBA playoffs A limited release, at least, did take place in downtown Oklahoma City for two hours Tuesday before the parade. Aligning with a current player always involves an element of risk for a shoe company. Converse learned this firsthand in 1997 when it dropped Latrell Sprewell as an endorser and spokesman after the NBA star choked coach P.J. Carlesimo during a Golden State Warriors practice. Advertisement And the risk isn't always about misbehavior. Puma unveiled the Hali 1, its first shoe in collaboration with the Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton on the day this year's NBA Finals began. Haliburton tore an Achilles tendon in Game 7 and will miss most, if not all, of next season. So Converse must continue to be quick on its feet to capitalize on its so far fortunate choice of SGA to represent the brand. He's only 26 and displays leadership and other qualities of a role model in addition to otherworldly hoop skills. Can Converse become relevant again in the performance space? Can SGA become as linked to the brand as Chuck Taylor? First the shoes must hit the market. One step at a time. "I wanted to create something new," SGA told Boardroom TV. "I wanted to bring Converse into my world and have Converse through my lens.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
