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Jason Kidd pleads guilty to leading the Mavs to the NBA Finals a year after a chaotic ending

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DALLAS (AP) – Jason Kidd is not fond of non-public debt collection.

Leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals as their coach 13 years after he was the point guard on the franchise’s only championship team means more to Kidd than proving he was right about Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving needing time to grow into tandem competing for the title.

There is a a part of the 51-year-old, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame playerwho thinks he doesn’t have much to prove.

“I know how to win,” Kidd said. “I’ve been doing it since grade school, at the highest level. I won gold medals. I won the championship. I also won the championship as a coach and assistant coach. Now I even have the opportunity to try this as a head coach. “

When the Mavericks face the Boston Celtics in Game 1 on Thursday night, they will probably be overlooked of a 1-6 tie that has experts once more wondering how long Kidd will coach in Dallas.

The Mavs will probably be faraway from Kidd for nearly 14 months amid questions on his job security and the club’s strange decision to walk away two games before the end of the season while still retaining a likelihood to play in the postseason.

The Doncic-Irving pairing has deteriorated in the two months since the blockbuster trade that brought Irving from Brooklyn in 2023. Never mind that just a year earlier, Kidd’s coaching debut in Dallas resulted in Doncic’s first trip to the Western Conference Finals.

“I guess you have to go through a few losses to really believe that you can do it,” said Kidd, whose assistant title he won with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 playoffs. “We weren’t very good. But it’s ok. Even though people feel like they should be sold or fired because of their failures, sometimes it’s sad. We had to get through it.”

Now Kidd will try to grow to be the eighth person to win the title as a player and coach on the same team. Seven more did so under different franchises.

Kidd achieved this by giving a mixture of perennial All-Stars Irving and Doncic time to marinate and convincing the offensive wizards to play defense.

“He understands mine and Kyrie’s role because he’s played it himself,” Doncic said of the two-time Olympic gold medal winner. “That’s why he helps us a lot. But everyone. He kept everyone together. We were often weak, especially during the season. There were at all times ups and downs, but he kept us together.

Kidd and his staff made changes midseason, trading PJ Washington, a 3-and-D wing, and Daniel Gafford, a pick-and-roll rim protector to add depth at center with rookie Dereck Lively II.

The team that began the season repeating Kidd’s mantra that “our offense is our defense” has transformed into a defense-first group, very similar to his first season in 2021-2022.

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Here’s the summary.

In the 10 seasons from the 2011 championship until Kidd took over as coach, the Mavs didn’t win a playoff series. They won five in his three seasons, losing to Golden State in the West in the finals two years ago.

“It’s not very often that you go from the lottery to the final round,” Kidd said, referring to the draft pick the Mavs retained – and traded for Lively – by tanking at the end of the 2022-23 season. “But we actually believed we had the pieces. Sometimes you’re taking a step back to see what you’ve got.

Even when the Mavs felt that they had found the right combination, their seven-game winning streak dropped to 1-6. They were over .500 in six games and were flirting with the play-in tournament, which might put Dallas liable to missing one other playoffs after such a promising start under Kidd.

What followed was a 16-2 run that put the Mavericks in fifth place in the West. Now they’ve won three series without home advantage and can try to repeat that. Houston, which finished sixth in 1995, is the only minor leaguer to win the championship.

“I think at one point in the season everyone thought the world was ending,” Kidd said. “But we still came to work. We were positive and everything changed for the better. I think that’s just who we are. It’s just about trust, about working and having fun at the same time.”

The Mavericks are a reflection of their coach, stoic in the face of criticism and questions from a year ago, with possibly a little vitriol thrown in when there’s a sense of, “Enough is enough.”

Kidd has long preached that it’s OK to fail, which has impressed Lively as the 20-year-old has quickly emerged as an influential player the club didn’t necessarily expect so quickly.

“He puts me in situations where he expects me to fail, and even if I fail, he leaves me there to learn,” Lively said. “He comes into the locker room and asks, what do we predict? To find a way to have a coach like that who gets the players talking, talking to one another after which saying what they think is a tremendous process.

Last year, Kidd threw an expletive at a reporter when asked about the vote of confidence he received from then-owner Mark Cuban as the season ended, essentially saying those questions weren’t asked during the 2022 West Finals.

A ten-time All-Star and second in profession assists behind only John Stockton, Kidd shrugs as he looks back on the chaos.

“You ask all the hard questions. These are difficult questions,” Kidd said. “You’re doing all of your job. As the head coach of the Mavericks, I do my job. Last year these were tough questions, tough questions that will probably be a part of this series. I’ll offer you the answer. Some people may like this. Some may not.

Either way, Kidd prolonged his contract. He did it on the heels of the first of three series wins this spring.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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‘Family Matters’ Star Jaleel White Admits to ‘Damage’ He Suffered Playing Steve Urkel

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Jaleel White opens up about the

Fan-favorite Family Matters actor Jaleel White was a fan favorite on the enduring ’90s sitcom, which ultimately resulted in damage to his voice.

White, who played Steve and Steffon Urkel, was a special guest at this yr’s 90s Con in Daytona Beach, Florida. On Sunday, September 15, he spoke on a panel moderated by “Halloweentown” star Kimberly J. Brown.

Jaleel White talks about the
Jaleel White opens up in regards to the “damage” he suffered while playing Steve Urkel on Family Matters. (Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

According to Peoplethe 2 discussed the 47-year-old’s run because the country’s favorite nerdy neighbor. White revealed that the “high-pitched, nasal” voice that has develop into synonymous along with his character actually “damaged” his voice.

He said he saw a physician and was told, “What happened was that I spoke in the same tone for a long time during puberty. If the tone had been everywhere, it wouldn’t have damaged it as much.”

He added: “It’s in remission and I feel good now.”White, who joined the solid of the hit series when he was 12, told Brown that his voice problems got worse when he was about “15 or 16.”

“I felt like I was really losing control. I kept getting messages from the network saying, ‘We can’t hear him. Please be more clear,’” White said. “It was terrifying for me.”

He told the audience that he didn’t work with a vocal coach during his time on the show, so he didn’t know the way to properly protect his voice. People magazine also reported that White, who’s now the host of the sport show “The Flip Side,” is now working with a vocal coach and a physician to protect his vocal cords and “get them under control.”

White expressed no regrets when asked if he would change Urkel’s famous voice. “I wouldn’t do anything differently. It was a great experience and a small sacrifice to make to leave a hell of a legacy,” he said.

Family Matters aired from September 22, 1989 to July 17, 1998. During this time, White’s voice was also very talked-about within the animation world, as he lent his voice to Sonic within the Sonic the Hedgehog series from 1993 to 1996.

Although he has played many roles in his nearly 40-year profession, White is best often known as the sensible pest Urkel. But it wasn’t meant to be.

On a 2021 episode of TVOne’s Uncensored , White revealed that his suspenders-wearing character was supposed to appear on the sitcom only once. But his infectious personality and “did I do that?” catchphrase caught America by surprise, and the writers kept him, unknowingly making him the star of the show. He confessed that the remaining of the solid didn’t prefer it.

“I wasn’t cast at all,” he says within the clip. “They knew what it was about… I didn’t think about being cast in ‘Family Matters,’ because it was just going to be a guest appearance, one and that was it.”

In this episode, White examines the initial resistance from the “three adult” solid members, who already had established careers but now felt they were being overshadowed by a toddler actor.

The “Three Grownups” featured Jo Marie Payton, who played Harriette Winslow, whose character was based on the TV series “Perfect Friends,” Vel Johnson, who played Carl Winslow and gained notoriety for “Die Hard,” and Aunt Rachel, played by Thelma Hopkins, who starred in the favored Eighties sitcom “Gimme a Break!”

“I didn’t see myself stepping on anybody’s toes, stealing anybody’s shine,” White said within the “Uncensored” special, later adding, “And I don’t have to keep telling adults that. They know what I mean.”

In 2022, Payton revealed that White “wanted to physically fight” her after she objected to a scene through which he portrayed Urkel’s “gangsta” cousin, OGD, which stood for Original Gangsta Dawg.

But she admitted that she’s had nothing but love in her life these days, something she revealed in an interview with Atlanta Black Star last October.

“I don’t like to repeat things. Things happen and we move on,” Payton explained, sharing that she expressed the identical sentiment during a performance at 90s Con this yr.

YouTube courtesy of People

“As I said on that panel, if I saw Jaleel today and he said, ‘Hey, Jo Marie,’ I would hug him. No hard feelings,” she added.

At the price of his voice, White made Steve Urkel one of the recognizable figures in American television history and a popular culture icon.

In his upcoming memoir, “Growing Up Urkel,” White recounts his life as a toddler actor and the way he became an adult star. The book is about to hit shelves in November.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Dolly Parton Enrages Beyoncé Fans with Controversial Comments Supporting CMA’s Decision Not to Nominate ‘Cowboy Carter’

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‘Get Out Here, B—ch, You Ain’t Stealin’ Mine’: Dolly Parton Has Strong Feelings About Beyoncé

It’s been over every week and Beyoncé fans are still outraged after learning that the singer’s album “Cowboy Carter” didn’t receive any nominations on the upcoming Country Music Awards.

But now the Beyhive’s fury has been stoked as country veteran Dolly Parton has had her own thoughts on the snub. The 10-time Grammy winner seemed to query whether Beyoncè’s lack of nominations was “intentional.”

“Get Outta Here, B—-ch, You Won’t Steal From Me”: Dolly Parton Has Strong Feelings About Beyoncé’s Performance of Her Country Classic “Jolene” (Screenshot: @dollyparton / Instagram ; Photo: @beyonce / Instagram )
Dolly Parton is seemingly defending the CMA Awards after Beyoncé failed to receive a single nomination for her album “Cowboy Carter.” (Photo by @dollyparton/Instagram; @beyonce/Instagram)

In the September 17 issue of Variety interview, Parton said, “Well, you never know. There are so many great country artists that I think probably in the realm of country music, they probably thought, well, we can’t leave out some of these guys who spend their whole lives doing this. But I didn’t even realize that until someone asked me that question.”

Parton, often known as a rustic music legend, is credited twice on the “Cowboy Carter” project. In the primary instance, Parton lent her vocals to the ninth track, “Dolly P,” which serves because the intro to the second track, Beyonce’s version of Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene.”

The second song Parton participated in, titled “Tyrant,” is a rustic meets R&B track. In fact, Parton’s performance earned her first place on seven Billboard charts — six of that are R&B.

“But it was a great album,” the 78-year-old continued. “She can be very, very proud of it, and I think everyone in country music welcomed it with open arms and thought it was good.”

Parton concluded her thoughts on Queen Bey’s lack of nomination. She said, “So I don’t think it was a matter of exclusion, of intentionally doing it. I think it was just more of what the country charts and country artists have been doing, who have been doing it all along, not just a special album.”

Irate fans responded to Parton’s response, which was reposted on The Jasmine Brand’s Instagram.

“What do you expect from a woman on yt?” said one commenter. Another shared, “I love Dolly but stop talking crap. The new country slogan should be for white people only.”

“I love my Aunt Dolly but they only did this to send her a clear message,” wrote a 3rd fan.

A fourth fan chimed in: “Goodbye Dolly, with respect. We already know why and YOU KNOW TOO ‼️”

However, others seemed to agree with Parton and debated whether Beyoncé’s album must have earned the “diva” a CMA nomination. “I love Cowboy Carter, but She’s not completely wrong. Special album vs. shutting out someone whose only genre is country,” one fan wrote.

A fourth person said: “Beyonce herself said it’s not a country album. If it’s not country, why does the CMA have to add it to their categories? We need to stop seeking acceptance from people who will never give it to us.”

This is in reference to a post Beyoncè made in March, just 10 days before the discharge of “Cowboy Carter.” In the caption of the post, the “Obsessed” actress confirmed, “This is not a country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”

She previously opened up in regards to the origins of the album, which took her five years to create. “It came from an experience I had years ago where I didn’t feel welcome,” the Houston native said, noting her performance with the Dixie Chicks — now often known as The Chicks — on the 2016 CMAs.

That same 12 months, Beyoncé was invited to perform the song “Daddy’s Lessons”, which was her first country song from her sixth studio album, Lemonade.

Sure, Queen Bey received loads of praise for her performance, but she was reportedly met with boos from the audience and racially aggravated attacks online. However, the “Run the World” singer didn’t let the mean comments and hate get her down.

Instead, she created an album that touched on all musical genres.

Continuing her post, Beyoncè said, “The criticism I faced when I first entered the genre forced me to push beyond the limitations that were placed upon me. Act II is the result of challenging myself and taking the time to bend and combine genres to create this body of work.”

The CMA Awards will air on November 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Fans Concerned Over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Strange Public Behavior Raises Health Concerns

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is probably the most famous and talented basketball stars. He left the NBA because the all-time leading scorer and broke records that LeBron James had already broken.

That’s why many individuals expressed concern after a video of Abdul-Jabbar and his slow movements while interacting with fans was reposted.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s appearance at Fanatics Fest left fans asking questions on the NBA legend. (Photo: @kareemabduljabbar_/Instagram)

Internet personality Darren Jason Watkins Jr., higher often known as IShowSpeed, met the Basketball Hall of Fame inductee at Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 in August.

Show speed broadcast live his experiences at a New York event for sports fans and collectors; and photographs of the 19-year-old streamer interacting with Abdul-Jabbar on TikTok.

“Yo, Kareem! Yo, Kareem! Kareem!” iShowSpeed ​​​​shouted repeatedly as he approached the 77-year-old sitting on the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

It took a moment for Abdul-Jabbar to show around, after which the YouTuber said, “Hey, what’s up, man? Nice to meet you. My name is Speed. I’m a big fan of yours.”

The six-time NBA MVP hesitated for a moment, but then reached out to shake Speed’s hand and replied, “Thank you.”

When the clip went viral last month, many commenters focused on Abdul-Jabbar’s appearance.

“I hope Kareem is okay, he looked a little out of it” wrote one in every of the TikTok users.

On one other TikTok videoone fan wondered, “Damn, is Kareem good?”

One joker said, “Bro hasn’t been the same since Bron broke his points record.”

Others took issue with the best way IShowSpeed ​​addressed the basketball legend and blamed IShowSpeed ​​for the awkward exchange.

“For fuck’s sake Speed, show some respect,” one person wrote. An analogous comment read, “Kareem ignored him. ‘Yo Kareem’ for an older man is wild.”

Another person defended Abdul-Jabbar, responding: “He’s known for hating it when people approach him in public.”

Another follower said: “Let’s not forget Kareem is old, old, lol he’s old, don’t you think he’ll be old.”

Abdul-Jabbar, 77, has battled a variety of medical issues throughout his life. The former “Dancing With The Stars” contestant has battled prostate cancer and leukemia. He was also diagnosed with a cardiovascular condition that required quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery.

In an interview with NIH Medline Plus Magazine, he explained that he had symptoms of “shortness of breath, fatigue, and dizziness” that he didn’t take seriously until 2021, when he became dizzy and unable to face on his own at a baseball game. He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation shortly thereafter.

“I was ultimately diagnosed with atrial fibrillation when my symptoms sent me to the hospital. I was surprised because I didn’t know what AFib was before my diagnosis,” Abdul-Jabbar revealed.

“I’ve since learned that AFib is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm, which prevents the heart’s lower chambers from filling completely or pumping enough blood. Blood can pool in the heart, which increases the risk of blood clots forming and can lead to stroke and other heart complications,” he continued. “In fact, people with AFib are about five times more likely to have a stroke.”

He added: “I also had to accept that I could no longer do everything I did before.”

In December 2023 former Lakers player underwent medical procedure for a broken hip suffered after a fall at a concert in Los Angeles. His business partner, Deborah Morales, publicly thanked the Los Angeles Fire Department and UCLA Hospital staff for his or her help.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar was scheduled for all three days Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 from August 16-18. Participated in autograph sessions, photo ops and panels.

“Just got back from a long weekend in NYC for @fanaticsfest. Best sports show ever! Got to meet so many friends and hang out with so many fans. Thanks to the @fanatics team for all the new memories!” Written by Abdul Jabbar on Instagram.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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