“Ball Up Top” is a weekly NBA video series in which David Dennis Jr. With AndScape he talks about hot topics in the league and popular culture with special guests in addition to personalities and sejds.

In episode 8, David is joined by a senior author Justin Tinsley to debate Los Angeles Lakers, who was rejected from Playoffs and what to do next. In addition, a really exciting opera clip that David cannot stop enthusiastic about.

Episode 8, 2 May 2025
Host: David Dennis Jr.
Guests: Justin Tinsley
Manufacturers: Charles Abankwa, Ryan Cortes, Rodney Davis, Chris Gavin, Charles Peach

Archives

Episode 1 (March 7, 2025): Quentin Richardson on Phoenix Suns, his moment “Welcome to the NBA” and beef with “Nad edge”

Episode 2 (March 14, 2025): Plus/Minus! Nikola Jokic (not) MVP, whose Knicks and Lakers don’t need to see, asks Cooper Flagg

Episode 3 (March 21, 2025): Danny Green evaluates his pretenders to the Western Conference, members of the Abrevocal Team

Episode 4 (March 28, 2025): Talking Heat Culture after the outbreak of warriors, more plus/minus

Episode 5 (April 4, 2025): The most vital games left in the NBA schedule

Episode 6 (April 17, 2025): Kazeem Famuyide talks NBA Playoffs, Wrestlemania 41, Army X

Episode 7 (April 24, 2025): Which NBA Playoffs teams are cooked/not cooked?

On Wednesday evening, Lebron James, Luka Dončič and Los Angeles Lakers lost to Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, the full of life Julius Randle and Minnesota Timberwolves, 103-96, within the match of the primary round of Playoff of the Western Conference, losing 4-1. This loss ended the Lakers season-the second exit from the primary round in a row-their records of 50-32 and 3-nance within the West.

This season, limited by the legendary (historical, crazy, etc.) in the course of the season, talent talent NBA All-Nba Dončič Lakersom in exchange for NBA All-Star (and a member of Lakers within the NBA championships) Anthony Davis, was perceived by many as a likelihood for lakers for an additional title. These hopes were broken through the series, when Edwards continued to delight analysts and fans together with his determination and will to win.

Of course, because it happens yearly, when James’s teams lose in Playoffs (James has 4 NBA championship rings – two with Miami Heat and one in every of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers), He was asked through the pressure after the match for his thoughts about his future (And retirement) When he closed his twenty second season within the NBA.

“I don’t know. I have no answer to it. Something to sit with my family, wife and support group and I will just talk about it and see what will happen. And just talk to each other as I want to continue playing.”

Of course, James was asked how the list may very well be improved to (hopefully) to provide higher probabilities for Playoffs next 12 months, if he returns; James is until June 29 to choose a contract with the lakeers for the 2025-2026 campaign, which might pay him $ 52.6 million. Otherwise he would change into a free agent.

“It’s business,” probably said the largest player of the NBA of all time. “So you don’t know what the list will look like next year, except for guys who (they are) closed in contracts. S …, I have a lot to think about myself. So I don’t know what the list will look like. I don’t know where I stand now.”

In particular, James-who’s son Lebron “Brony” James, Jr., has a contract with Lakers until the season 2027-2028-was instrumental in his son, putting the Lakers uniform and the addition of a coach, JJ Redick. Redick and James had a podcast together wherein they talked about basketball, before Redick was announced with the brand new Lakers coach.

James, asked to make clear his comments concerning the contract, made sure that he did not consider (now) other teams wherein you’ll be able to play, but his desire to play.

“I just continue playing, I don’t know where I am. That’s how it is. I’m not coming back to play here. Just play, dot.”

He continued: “To be honest, I don’t know the answer, so we’ll see.”

It seems that the summer of 2025 will be thoughtful at James’s house.

NBA recently celebrated and confirmed the seventy fifth anniversary of the first three black players who took the court in the league.

According to the 1950-51 basketball season, three black men broke the racial barrier once they made debut (*75*) the National Basketball Association: Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, Chuck Cooper and Earl Lloyd. To recognize their feat, NBA talks about the celebration of three pioneers annually, from the next season during the Black History month.

“I am excited about the fact that we intend to honor the heritage, courage and determination of these pioneers, as well as many players who came after them,” said NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) and the Pelicans Guard of the New Orlean CJ McCollum. “But it begins with them and how they transformed the NBA and the way they inspired players like me. They fought many extremely difficult challenges from racism to discrimination. But they showed great determination to overcome these obstacles and continue to come up with a way to perform at a high level.”

Clifton had the honor to be “Jackie Robinson” NBA because he became the first black player who had a NBA contract after New York Knicks bought his contract from Harlem Globetrotters in May 1950. Cooper had a distinction between being the first black player made by the NBA team, when Boston Celtics selected him in the second round of NBA Fraft. In the same project, in the ninth round, with 101, Washington Capitals selected Lloyd to change into a part of their team.

Due to the problem of planning, Lloyd became the first black player who played in the official game in the regular season, when he took over the court on October 31, 1950. Another achievement for Lloyd was one in every of the first black coaches, when he did it for Detroit Pistons. He and Jim Tucker were the first black players who won the NBA title when Syracuse Nationals won the championship in 1955.

NBPA plans to release three movies on its social and digital platforms that may have a good time Clifton, Cooper and Lloyd. In the next season, NBA will honor three pioneers who’ve transformed the league and enables the ones who play today.