Entertainment
South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso is the center of attention for the title-hunting Gamecocks
When Cardoso is unstoppable, America’s best team cannot be stopped
CLEVELAND (AP) – Kamilla Cardoso, her frizzy hair dyed a burgundy color closely matching South Carolina’s navy blue, couldn’t be missed as she stood near half court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday night.
At 6 feet 7 inches tall, she doesn’t appear like she blends in.
Spotlight. In some circles, a mean girl.
Minutes before the biggest game of the season, Cardoso showed no nerves on the Final Four stage. She achieved this by dancing, showing off her soccer dribbling skills developed in her native Brazil, after which repeatedly attempting to shoot the ball off an enormous scoreboard hanging 30 meters above her head.
Cardoso is Cardoso.
“She’s just stupid,” said teammate Ashlyn Watkins, “and she always does crazy stuff like that for no reason.”
Perhaps misunderstood by opponents and outsiders alike, Cardoso, who left her family in 2016 at the age of just 15 to pursue her dream of playing basketball at a high level in the U.S., is a serious reason why the undefeated Gamecocks (37- 0) are favored to win their second national title in three years on Sunday once they face Iowa and superstar Caitlin Clark.
The Hawkeyes (34-4) haven’t got anyone who can physically match Cardoso.
Nobody does this.
In Friday’s first semifinal, Cardoso almost single-handedly took down North Carolina State, scoring 22 points in 23 minutes and shaking off a right leg injury, as the Gamecocks advanced with a 78-59 victory and arrange a rematch with Iowa.
She scored South Carolina’s first 12 points in the second quarter and had six more in the third quarter as the Gamecocks went on a 29-6 run.
It was the kind of performance the Gamecocks have at all times wanted and have not at all times gotten from Cardoso, who is coming off her senior yr of college with the WNBA.
When Cardoso is unstoppable, America’s best team cannot be stopped.
“It makes us a much better team,” Gamecocks defenseman Raven Johnson said. “When we can play through her, the guards get better. Just look at her, she’s 6-7 years old. There really is no one like her. She is truly key to this team and when she brings her A game every day, I don’t see anyone being able to stop her.
Cardoso was not available for interviews on Saturday. A team spokesman said she was receiving medical attention during press sessions.
But Cardoso, who had 14 points and 14 rebounds in last year’s Final Four loss to Iowa, didn’t seem concerned about her leg during an open practice that drew thousands of fans. She moved freely and usually with a smile as the Gamecocks went through drills.
Cardoso has had ups and downs throughout the season.
With the Gamecocks in danger of losing to Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, she made the first 3-pointer of her career – her second attempt after missing a game against Syracuse in 2020 – to defeat the Lady Vols.
The next day, Cardoso gained attention for all the wrong reasons.
Tensions simmered during a heated matchup with LSU, and Tigers star Angel Reese was caught on TV pulling Cardoso’s hair, leading to laughter from the stars. Moments later, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson shoved Watkins and Cardoso flew to her teammate’s side, pushing Johnson to the floor.
Both benches emptied, women’s basketball deteriorated and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley apologized. Cardoso did the same, but was suspended for her first-round NCAA tournament game against Presbyterian.
The incident did not help Cardoso’s image, which her teammates say is unfair.
“She’s just something different,” guard Bree Hall said. “I think it’s unfortunate that the media labeled her as a vile person. Is not. She is a beautiful Brazilian fighter. She is so sweet, always smiling, always happy for all of us.
“She’s a very funny, just happy and cheerful person.”
It took a while for Cardoso to fit in with the Gamecocks.
When she left Brazil eight years ago, she only knew three words in English – “hello”, “yes” and “bye”. Although she later became more comfortable when she arrived on campus in 2021, there were awkward moments as she tried to learn more about her teammates and vice versa.
“I remember she didn’t know any English,” Johnson said. “She looked at us like we were weird. I thought to myself, “Why is she looking at us like that?” Over the years, she started learning English and her progress kept getting better and better.”
Once the language gap was bridged, Cardoso’s personality modified from gruff to sweet.
“She was so mean when she came here,” Johnson said. “She was so mean to us. It developed over time.”
Just like her game. Cardoso hasn’t at all times embraced the idea of being the Gamecocks’ leading lady, although she leads the team in scoring and rebounding. Her tournament scoring average is 17.0 points per game, which is higher than her season average of 14.3
“Her presence inside did so much for us,” said guard Te-Hina Paopao. “It was a lot of fun watching her develop throughout the season. It was great fun watching her and experiencing her. As summer came, she didn’t want to be as dominant as she was now.
“It’s a wonderful sight. I’m very excited about her journey. We have one more. I know she will dominate (Sunday).”
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Entertainment
Kendrick Lamar Releases Surprise Album ‘GNX’; group chats are going crazy
There are few things more exciting than receiving an infinite barrage of text messages at the very same time in numerous group chats. This normally implies that something vital has happened in popular culture. Well, the exact same thing happened about noon on November 22, within the yr of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, higher often called Kendrick Lamar, released the album “GNX”, nod towards Buick Grand National Regal GNXa rare muscle automobile released in 1987 – which also happens to be the yr Kendrick was born.
“GNX” is coming to the tip of what has been a banner yr for Kendrick Lamar. From epic diss records geared toward Drake, to creating the largest song of his profession (and a Drake diss track) on “Not Like Us”, to the “Pop Out” concert streaming live to tell the tale Amazon Prime, Kendrick won this yr. He even received seven Grammy nominations, mostly for “Not Like Us.” And this victory will proceed in the brand new yr. In September, it was announced that Kendrick would stay Super Bowl 2025 headliner will happen in New Orleans. This announcement sparked some controversy and comments from several New Orleans legends similar to Juvenile and most notably Lil Wayne, who felt disrespected; Kendrick immediately refers to this topic within the opening song of the album (all stylized in lower case), “wacced out murals”.
The thing is, Kendrick didn’t sleep for many of 2024. And then, while the remaining of us were minding our own business, listening to other albums that had just dropped, like Ice Cube’s “Man Down,” I began receiving text after text… and I knew that would only mean that something vital happened.
At this point in my life (and possibly even yours), Kendrick Lamar releases are a drop-everything-and-listen event. I immediately went to the streaming service, launched “GNX” and pressed “Play”.
I need to admit that the primary time I heard the album I used to be a bit confused. Kendrick has probably never been more popular or famous; if there was ever a time to drag a Kanye West and release his own version of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” – an album largely produced as Kanye’s best and most representative of Kanye’s greatness – now could be the time. “GNX” has a far more modern West Coast vibe and is certainly more for his die-hard fans than anyone who just began gaining attention due to his beef with Drake. Maybe that was the purpose; possibly not.
Either way, I can imagine that folks whose favorite lines are “OV-Ho” won’t be immediately thrilled. I wasn’t immediately blown away (though very amused by how sensitive Kendrick is to what people say about him on social media, well, everyone), but as is all the time the case with Kendrick albums, repeated listens are likely to correct any immediate monotony that I even have about his projects. For example, now that I’ve listened to it just a few times, I can not wait to listen to black college bands playing “tv off” style, which seems like a cousin of “Not Like Us.” The Shoot, Bayou Classic, which also takes place yearly in New Orleans on Thanksgiving Day, stands out as the first time we hear a band playing “TV off.”
Since the album didn’t come out long enough to be reviewed, group chats and social media were abuzz with immediate reactions. This is the a part of music releases I really like, where everyone seems to be listening to the identical thing, offering premature takes that will not even delay the following day. I’m not different; I’m sure I’ll say something about this album that can sound silly by Monday. Shoot, I can have already done it. But that is what happens when great artists release music. We spend time with others after which we refer to them, analyze them, criticize them, praise them, destroy them and let all our prejudices fly free. Love it.
It’s value noting that certainly one of Drake’s diss tracks that did not appear during last summer’s fracas was titled “The Heart Part 6,” and was an apparent try to usurp Kendrick’s pre-album practice of removing a non-album song titled “The Heart.” Well, Kendrick has a song on his recent album called, you guessed it, “The Heart, Pt. 6,” which I feel will probably be released soon Drake. Good job, Kenny.
Argue.
Entertainment
New music this week: Tyla, Lola Brooke, Coco Jones and more – Essence
Happy Friday, people! Whether you are drinking a warm beverage or preparing for a fun-filled weekend, this week’s latest music releases set the tone. From sensual R&B melodies to powerful hip-hop anthems, these songs have something for everybody.
Coco Jones leads the pack along with her seasonal album, and Tyla offers a heartfelt change of tone with “Tears.” Miguel’s smooth “Always Time” and Jorja Smith’s tender “Stay Another Day” showcase R&B at its finest, while Lola Brooke and Killer Mike turn up the warmth on “Go To Yo Head” and “Warryn’s Groove,” respectively. Today’s list also includes music from Eric Bellinger, Coi Leray, Blxst and more.
Below you possibly can read our list of latest products.
Entertainment
Serena Williams is cutting short divorce talks for a second time after the couple reunited and put months of rumors to rest
Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian are still doing well despite months of unconfirmed divorce rumors.
On November 17, Williams and the Reddit co-founder took a walk down memory lane and tested one another by asking questions on themselves and their family in a recent promotional ad. The couple ate a few of their favorite meals and meanwhile checked their glucose levels using Hello Lingo, a glucose monitoring device.
Nearly five minutes into the recording, Williams tested her husband’s memory by asking, “Who said I love you first?”
Ohanian, who shares two daughters, Olimpia and Adira, with the tennis legend, responds quickly by saying, “Mmm,” before writing his answer on the board.
“It’s like ‘The Newlywed Game,'” Williams said, writing down her answer, referring to the mid-Nineteen Sixties show “The Newlywed Game,” which tested couples who had been married for lower than two years to see if how much they learn about their relationship. amplifier.
Both Williams and Ohanian turn the board over to reveal their answers and, quite shockingly, they received two different answers. Ohanian wrote that Williams said it first, but Williams claims it was Ohanian.
“Come now. Are you going to lie about this? he declared to Williams, who responded with a laugh: “I said I would be honest.”
“That’s not an honest answer,” Ohanian continued. “I still keep in mind that phone call. Oh, you realize I felt the same, but you certainly said it first.
Williams joked: “My glucose levels were high. I ate some ice cream, my glucose level was too high. Then I tell this guy and I feel like saying things I would not normally say. The moment ended with Williams replaying how she told Ohanian those three special words.
Of course, there was no shortage of reactions from fans who showed their love for the couple and how well they interact of their normal element.
One YouTube commenter he wrote“It’s great to see Serena and Alexis in this normal environment, they are so lovely and have great charisma. I love them even more now and I feel great chemistry between them.”
Someone else said: “I liked this part. They seem to really like each other.”
However, as rumors swirled about problems of their marriage, one fan was confused by the video shared on Instagram.
“I thought I read that they got divorced?” he wrote one person in Williams’ comment section.
Someone else also addressed the rumors, writing: “Where are the haters who said divorce was imminent? Sometimes people will be crazy. Seriously, how are you going to even start assuming things like that about people you have never met?
We got married here 7 years ago. Now we will take these two out for donuts. Happy anniversary 🎉 Thank you for giving me two of the best people we’ve got ever met. You are a tremendous mom. I’m very glad to have met you @serenawilliams @olympiaohanian @adiraohanian pic.twitter.com/5ntPujrYDh
— Alexis Ohanian 🇦🇲 (@alexisohanian) November 17, 2024
This summer, fans began speculating that Williams and her seven-year marriage to Ohanian were in trouble after they noticed she hadn’t posted from him on her social media pages in some time.
Moreover, Ohanian was noticeably absent from the June premiere of the documentary “In the Arena: Serena Williams” and was also absent from her side at the Met Gala in May.
But they got back together this summer after they attended the Paris Olympics with their daughter Olympia in July.
Among the many viral moments spent with the Ohanian family, she organizes: umbrella for his wife and the European commentator – who didn’t realize he was her husband – and called Ohanian Serena’s “umbrella holder”.
The tech guru reacted to the moment hilariously by snapping a photo of himself holding an umbrella over himself and his daughter.
Ohanian joked, “I am also a personal Olympia umbrella owner. Sidebar: You all set the bar too low for me and celebrity daddies only get flowers for *admitting* they have kids.”
The proud dad is probably also Adira’s personal umbrella holder.
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