google-site-verification=cXrcMGa94PjI5BEhkIFIyc9eZiIwZzNJc4mTXSXtGRM New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “never changed” on his rise to stardom - 360WISE MEDIA
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New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “never changed” on his rise to stardom

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New York has long been known for celebrating great sports icons akin to Babe Ruth, Joe Namath, Joe DiMaggio, Patrick Ewing, Pele, Lawrence Taylor, Derek Jeter, Darryl Strawberry, Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Reggie Jackson. name a couple of. There’s also the present king of the New York sports scene who has little interest in the intense lights of Broadway: Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.

“Nothing would be possible without my teammates, and they and my coaching staff wouldn’t believe in me,” Brunson said.

While these words are somewhat modest, Brunson made a powerful statement by leading the Knicks to the second seed within the Eastern Conference within the NBA Playoffs. On Saturday (ESPN, 6 p.m. ET), the Knicks will begin the playoffs at Madison Square Garden against the Philadelphia 76ers and stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Brunson, making his first NBA All-Star appearance, was fourth within the NBA in scoring (28.7 points per game) and thirteenth in assists (6.7) this season. The six-year veteran also scored a career-high 61 points on March 29 against San Antonio. But with fellow All-Star Julius Randle sidelined since Jan. 27 and other key injuries to OGs Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, Brunson took over the Knicks not only as a scorer, but in addition as captain and the guts and soul of the team.

“He’s the ultimate leader,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeaux said. “When you take a look at him, his entire profession and individual achievements, it was off the charts. But the team’s achievements were amazing. He was an ideal teammate in highschool. He was an ideal teammate in college. They won at a really high level in college. He won big in Dallas and brought it here.

“And you’ll be able to’t replace Julius Randle, OG (Anunoby) or Mitch (Robinson) individually. We cannot do it, but we will do it together. And that is what I like about Jalen. He not only brings the most effective out of himself, but in addition the most effective of the team, and typically the most effective team wins. He at all times had this trait and was never satisfied. He at all times thinks he can do higher. Always wanting to learn more. “You can’t say enough about what he did.”

Said Knicks guard Josh Hart about Brunson: “We really just give him the keys and go as far as he goes.”

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (right) celebrates with filmmaker Spike Lee (left) after the Knicks’ victory over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on December 1, 2023 in Toronto.

Mark Blinch/Getty Images

The Knicks put their faith in Brunson, signing him to a four-year, $104 million contract after 4 years with the Dallas Mavericks. For Brunson, the trip to New York was also a chance to reunite with his family.

His father, Rick, is an assistant coach on the Knicks staff, and Jalen Brunson has known Thibodeaux since he was 10 years old. In addition to the Knicks, Rick Brunson was an assistant coach under Thibodeaux with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Knicks even have two of Jalen Brunson’s former Villanova teammates in Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who love to tease Brunson at every opportunity.

While Brunson’s contract could have looked like overpayment when he signed with the Knicks, his two stellar years make it seem to be he’s underpaid. Playing on the USA Basketball team for the 2023 FIBA ​​World Cup raised his profile. It currently has a national TV ad with AT&T and partnerships with DoorDash, NBA2K, Samsung and Catalina Crunch. Brunson’s T-shirt was the fifteenth bestseller amongst NBA players this season. Renowned filmmaker and Knicks fan Spike Lee also wore a custom-made vest constituted of Brunson’s jersey to games.

Although it’s going to take a while for Brunson to adjust to his celebrity status, he enjoys the love he receives from New York’s royal family.

“When you see celebrities come and sit on the court and hang around with them, I say, ‘Man, I’m an enormous fan.’ And they said, “No, I’m a big fan.” It’s quite surreal at times,” Brunson said. “I’m happy about it. It’s a dream come true. That’s all I want.”

Even though Brunson has shone under New York’s brightest lights, he is not feeding on his rising star or changing who he’s.

“I’ve had the same circle since I came into the league. They make me humble. They keep me grounded. And that’s what I want…” Brunson said about his life since first becoming an NBA star.

“I do various things. But I’m resting. I prepare for matches, I do all of the needed things first. All your extracurricular activities can wait. I’m just ensuring I do my job.

Hart said: “I feel like he’s getting more respect nationally. It was good, but he never changed. He will be the person he has been all along.”

So who deserves credit for Brunson’s humility?

“(My parents) Sandra and Rick Brunson, (sister) Erica Brunson and my wife (Ali Marks Brunson). That’s how I used to be raised. I give them credit. It’s sort of second nature to me,” Brunson said.

New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson (right) talks with son Jalen Brunson (left) during a preseason game on October 9, 2023, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

In 4 games against Philadelphia this season, Brunson is averaging 22.3 points, 7.8 assists and three.0 rebounds. Maxey talked concerning the need to contain Brunson in hopes of stunning the Knicks within the upcoming “dogfight” between the longtime rivals.

“It starts with the head of the snake,” Maxey told NBATV. “We saw the season Jalen Brunson had. He was extraordinary. We have to slow it down first.”

Knicks fans will likely include Lee and other stars old and recent. Hart, nevertheless, said Brunson was a greater fit for the blue-collar Big Apple.

“He matches this toughness, this decisiveness, this mentality of not being satisfied and wanting to keep working. That’s a very powerful thing,” Hart said.

Brunson has won at every level of his profession. He led Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, Illinois) to the 2015 state championship. He won two NCAA championships at Villanova in 2016 and 2018. The biggest challenge of his basketball profession is finally getting one other title banner at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks’ two titles in 1970 and 1973 were won long before the 27-year-old was born.

While Knicks fans have long dreamed of a championship, Brunson says his focus is on the primary game against the Sixers.

“It happens one day at a time,” Brunson said of his title hopes. “Of course I want to get there. Of course, that is goal No. 1.”

Marc J. Spears is Andscape’s senior NBA author. He used to give you the chance to dunk on you, but he hasn’t been able to do it for years and his knees still hurt.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Kenny Smith will make more money in one year than he made in his entire career as an NBA player

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Kenny Smith, TNT, NBA Player, Sports


New York native and former NBA player Kenny “The Jet” Smith is currently the host of TNT and shares the duties with fellow former NBA players Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. One sec Shaq ($292,198,327) I Barkley ($37,505,000) made large sums of money during their playing days, Blacksmith just done $11,972,100 while playing in the NBA. Now, as an analyst, Smith earns more in one year than he did in his entire playing career.

Currently “The Jet” based on Essentially Sports. lasts make $16 million a year as a broadcaster on . The former Houston Rockets star played 10 seasons in the NBA from 1987 to 1997, winning two championships with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995. After being drafted and playing for the Sacramento Kings for 3 years before joining the Atlanta Hawks Rockets. After playing in Houston, he played for 3 more teams: Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets, where he ended his career.

In an interview with Smith magazine explained how his path led him to TNT after leaving the game.

“Retirement (happened) when I started getting a lot of one-year situations. As we uproot our family every year, moving to another place became a bit of a hassle. TNT attracted players every year. After one segment, one of the producers said, “Hey, if you really want to do this, I think you’re good at it.” I thought it was just a parting gift, like everyone said. Towards the end of my career, one of the producers called me and said, “I have a chance for you.” At that point I made a career decision and here I am 20-some years later.”

Smith was the primary current and former NBA player to hitch the TNT staff when he teamed up with Ernie Johnson Jr. in 1998. Barkley joined the band in 2000, and Shaq accomplished the quartet in 2011.

Two years ago, the network signed all 4 men to long-term contracts that will keep the team together for several more years.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris and his brother are bringing affordable housing to Los Angeles

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Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris and his brother and former G League forward Terry Harris have never played with or against one another within the NBA. They are joining forces to bring much-needed affordable housing to Los Angeles.

The Harris Brothers said they are currently working on a project of 270 affordable housing units in three locations within the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The projects include an investment with 33 premises, an investment with 93 industrial premises and an investment with 190 premises. The goal is to construct 1,000 apartments in districts throughout the town by the top of the yr.

Terry Harris said all properties are expected to be built from scratch relatively than renovating old buildings.

“This is a project that me and my little brother are currently working on,” Tobias Harris told Andscape. “We always wonder how to give back. There is a housing shortage in Los Angeles. To a large extent, this is his initiative, which I support. It’s still early, but we’re working on a lot of things to make this happen.”

According to .Los Angeles is home to about 46,000 homeless people, up 10% from last yr and 10,000 greater than for the reason that coronavirus pandemic. Los Angeles County had a shortage of nearly 500,000 affordable homes in 2022, according to the annual Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Performance Report. However, in December 2022, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an executive order allowing accelerated approval for affordable housing projects.

Los Angeles has received plans for greater than 13,770 affordable housing units for the reason that mayor’s order, according to data provided by the town’s planning department. This is simply barely lower than the full variety of apartments inbuilt 2020–2022. Terry Harris said he and his brother were helped by accelerating the development of affordable housing developments.

“This is what Los Angeles needs most,” Terry Harris said. “As part of the new policy, Karen Bass directed a new law that was streamlined for affordable housing and allowed developers to move forward with these projects without having to face the hardships that developers once had to go through in California. A year ago, this project took about two to three years to complete. So now we’re all looking at all of these projects within about six to eight months so that we can be in the pre-development stage and start building this project.”

Visualizations of housing for the poor being built by Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris and his brother Terry Harris within the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The Harris family

According to Niche, Echo Park is 48% Latino, 32% Caucasian, 12% Asian, 4% two or more races and 3% African American. It has a popularity as a trendy city of multicultural business, art and music, and a well-liked lake.

Terry Harris is worked up that his properties allow low-income residents to live on this diverse and high-quality neighborhood. To Terry Harris’ knowledge, there was no response from residents concerned about low-income residents coming to their neighborhood.

“Echo Park restaurants offer a lot of amenities, access to transportation, wellness facilities and so on,” Terry Harris said. “And I see it prior to now. Many times, people locate affordable housing in areas that are not resource-rich, comparable to South Los Angeles, where there’s a liquor store across the road. Our mission is to place affordable housing in good neighborhoods where children who are not as privileged as everyone else can live in good neighborhoods, go to good schools, and gain the experience, beauty and good amenities that Los Angeles has to offer.

“It’s not just a place of cheap housing, where we can get the cheapest land. But this is a place where you can find affordable housing in areas that will really make an impact on children and every family in need of affordable housing.”

Tobias Harris is kind of acquainted with Los Angeles, having played for the LA Clippers in 2018-2019. Terry Harris also lives primarily in Los Angeles, which has helped him with his knowledge of the realm and knowledge of local politics and real estate. Tobias Harris said he was convinced to join forces with his brother in the actual estate industry after observing his exertions and passion for constructing low-income housing.

“This is the market in which he lives, in which he lives and in which he has been operating for some time,” said Tobias Harris. “He convinced me to be a part of it with his due diligence, the work he put in, his track record, what he did in real estate and his passion and the initiative behind it, which is really the main reason why he does it.” .

Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris will play in the primary quarter against the New York Knicks during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first round on the Wells Fargo Center on April 28 in Philadelphia.

Tima Nwachukwu/Getty Images

Tobias Harris is a 13-year NBA veteran who’s currently playing for the Sixers in the primary round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks. While NBA All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey stand out for the Sixers, Harris helped the Sixers stay alive within the best-of-seven series with 19 points, eight rebounds and three three-pointers in Philadelphia’s 112-106 additional time victory at We Tuesday, Game 5. The Sixers, who trailed 3-2 within the series, will face the Knicks on Thursday in Game 6.

Asked how the Sixers gain the energy to win again after Game 5, Harris replied: “It’s the playoffs. This is what you expect in an uninterrupted game, especially when you might have your back to the wall like (game 5) and the subsequent game we’ll play. What matters to us is that we play harder, harder, stronger. Do every little thing. Let’s use every possession to get the most effective shot possible.

“I believed (Game 5) we did the most effective job we could of getting the sport right. When sometimes things didn’t go our way, we moved on to the subsequent game and stuck with it with the identical sort of energy and team morale and lifted our spirits. We just proceed fidgeting with the identical effort.

Terry Harris played in college for Houston Christian, Eastern Michigan and historically for Black North Carolina A&T. In the 2019–2020 season, he averaged 3.5 points in 16 games for the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. Harris said he used the $35,000 he earned playing for the Blue Coats to buy a house in Delaware for $170,000, which he eventually traded for $320,000.

It was this move that launched Terry Harris’ profession in real estate.

“I put down 3% and saved about $15,000, opened a line of credit for $10,000 and just renovated the entire house,” Harris said. “A year later, I sold that house on the market for $320,000. That one sale quadrupled my G League salary. For me it was like, “Man, I have one foot in real estate and one foot out.” What happens once I get entangled in all this? I’ve at all times learned in basketball that if I’m going to commit to something, I actually have to give it my all.

“And when that time came, I actually devoted time to both paths. I saw that real estate also gave me a chance to be a driver on my own career path. In basketball, we are part of someone’s organization. I wouldn’t say it was a no-brainer, but it was the reason I made the transition smoothly, to be in control of my destiny and what this business could go into.”

Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (center) with his mother Lisa Harris (right) and father Torrell Harris (left) after a game against the San Antonio Spurs on the Wells Fargo Center on November 22, 2019 in Philadelphia.

Cameron Pollack/Getty Images

The Harris brothers learned financial literacy from their father and basketball agent Torrel Harris.

Torrel Harris is president of Unique Sports Management International, a firm that represents skilled athletes and whose son is a client. He has managed contracts, financial planning, profession counseling, brand advocacy and marketing strategies for clients including Basketball Hall of Famers George Gervin and Lynette Woodard and former NBA players Cliff Robertson, Lewis Lloyd, Mark Davis and Gene Banks. Tobias Harris also grew up watching his dad run the successful streetwear company he owned on Long Island, New York. Tobias Harris also owns a Crumbl Cookie franchise within the Philadelphia and Evans, Georgia area.

“One of the main reasons I’m able to do what I do in business is because I see my father being an entrepreneur,” Terry Harris said. “One of the best privileges has been watching him grow day-to-day as an entrepreneur. And then I remember telling him, “Dad, this is hard.” I do not know when the checks will arrive. And he told me: “Yes, you don’t know when, but they will come.” Seeing his confidence definitely instilled in me the boldness to go ahead and pursue it. And not only strive for it, but additionally achieve success in it.

“And it’s definitely something that can go far and it is not nearly me or this generation. These are other people, other children, individuals who want to achieve any endeavor (ship). When you see other people of your kind and color doing it, you are feeling like you possibly can do it too.

“My dad was an entrepreneur, he had his own company and he still has it. But I learned a lot from it. And the ownership is huge. And just the due diligence that he had to do to have his own company and to make that company successful,” Tobias Harris said about his father in 2023.

According to the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, between 2019 and 2022, the racial wealth gap within the United States increased by $49,950, which is the full wealth gap between the median white household and the median Black household. Black and Latino developers made up 0.56% of the industry in 2023, according to Bisnow. Terry Harris hopes that through his partnership with his brother, many African-Americans will learn that there are other ways to construct generational wealth than sports and entertainment.

“To do this with Tobias, any time you do a project with anyone or a family member, it just means a lot,” Terry Harris told Andscape. “First of all, he trusted me to get this stuff done, to do them the correct way, and we are constructing a family legacy, constructing generational wealth. We are entering the actual estate development industry, which could be very undervalued within the Black community.

“It’s something that numerous Black people don’t engage in. So the indisputable fact that I, a former athlete, and Tobias, a current athlete, are doing it will allow many kids to see real estate development as one other avenue they’ll pursue and where they’ll excel.

“It’s amazing, especially to be in it with your little brother. The important thing for him and me is to do things that you are passionate about and the main “why” behind it. He really wants people to see people in great spaces, and we each want to change the best way affordable housing is viewed. What higher way to do that than with a little bit brother in a city that desperately needs it straight away?” – said Tobias Harris.

Marc J. Spears is Andscape’s senior NBA author. He used to give you the option to dunk on you, but he hasn’t been able to do it for years and his knees still hurt.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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The conditions for the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight include heavier gloves and shorter rounds

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Mike Tyson’s fight with Jake Paul in Texas this summer has been sanctioned as a competitive boxing match relatively than an exhibition, and the rounds will likely be shorter and the gloves heavier.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation this week approved terms for the July 20 fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Netflix will livestream the fight between 27-year-old Paul, a social media star-turned-boxer, and 57-year-old Tyson, who hasn’t fought since his bout against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020 .

A spokesman for the Department of Licensing and Regulation said in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday that “this will be a professional fight with a referee and judges, and the results will count towards the fighters’ professional records. So it’s a real competitive fight.”

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The fight is scheduled for eight two-minute rounds; most men’s skilled fights last three minutes. The boxing gloves will weigh 14 ounces as an alternative of the standard 10 ounces; heavier gloves reduce the force of blows.

When approving fight conditions, the combat sports department staff takes under consideration, amongst other things, each fighter’s age, medical examination, history of victories and defeats, and defeats by knockout or technical knockout.

Before entering skilled boxing 4 years ago, Paul gained a following as a YouTube influencer. He won nine of his 10 fights, six by knockout, against mostly unremarkable opponents, including several mixed martial arts fighters and one other YouTuber.

Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world from 1987-90. He retired in 2005 after winning 50 fights, 44 by knockout.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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