Connect with us

Entertainment

LeBron James and other Lakers players pay tribute to Jerry West, whose legacy lives on as the NBA’s logo but whose story also includes a troubled past

Published

on

Lakers’ LeBron James pays tribute to NBA legend Jerry West, whose legacy lives on in the NBA logo, but whose story also includes a troubled past

Tributes poured in on June 12 after news broke of the death of Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West. The reason for death was not immediately released. He was 86 years old.

West, who left the Lakers after the 1999-2000 season under this pressure it affected his healthreceived a lot of praise from NBA greats, including LeBron James, who has been playing for the Lakers since 2018.

“I will truly miss our conversations, my dear friend! My thoughts and prayers go out to your wonderful family! Love you forever Jerry! Rest in paradise, my boy,” wrote four-time NBA champion LeBron James on X. Although James and West played in numerous eras and never overlapped during West’s tenure in the Lakers front office, the pair of basketball icons have at all times had a deep admiration for every other.

Lebron James pays tribute to Lakers legend Jerry West
LeBron James (left) pays tribute to franchise great Jerry West (right), whose death was announced on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Photos: @Kingjames/Instagram, @officialjerrywest/Instagram)

Jerry West is taken into account considered one of the best players in NBA history. As a player, he won one championship with the Lakers and later became the architect of the franchise’s Nineteen Eighties “Showtime” dynasty. West, who broke his nose nine times as a player in the league, won eight NBA titles as a front office executive, winning six with the Lakers and two with the Golden State Warriors.

His most memorable moves as an executive included overseeing the Lakers’ acquisitions of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. West made the now-infamous move in a single week in 1996, which became the foundation for one more installment of the Lakers dynasty.

West’s silhouette is the inspiration for the NBA logo.

James also described West as a mentor and friend. “My mentor, my friend! I hope I continue to make you proud! We already missed you!” he wrote.

In 2022, West praised James and described him as a “Swiss army knife.”

“I really admire what he has done” – West he said James at the moment. “It’s hard for me to consider that somebody doesn’t realize their greatness. This guy does every part. It’s a Swiss army knife. And he’s competitive as hell. Honestly, I wish people would just leave him alone.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver praised West for his achievements each on the basketball court and in the front office.

“Jerry’s forty years with the Lakers also included a successful head coaching career and a remarkable front office career that cemented his reputation as one of the greatest executives in sports history.” – Silver said in a statement. “I valued my friendship with Jerry and the knowledge he shared with me over many years about basketball and life.”

NBA great Michael Jordan summarized the passing of the legendary basketball figure. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN said Jordan texted him a statement about West, saying he was “deeply saddened” after learning of the death.

“I am deeply saddened to hear of Jerry’s death. He was a true friend and mentor. Like a big brother to me,” Jordan said via Smith. “I always wish I could have played against him as a player, but the more I got to know him, the more I wish I had been his teammate… Rest in peace, Logo.”

West’s long list of accomplishments includes being a member of 14-time NBA All-Star teams. During his exceptional profession, he was chosen to the All-NBA 12 times. West retired in 1974 and became the Lakers’ head coach two years later.

After three years of coaching, West moved to customer support.

Other distinguished basketball figures reacted to the news of West’s death.

“Jerry West’s passing was a shock. LOGO has influenced every aspect of our sport. As a player, talent evaluator, general manager and president of the Grizzlies. We spent time there together and that’s when I learned more about him,” former Kentucky men’s basketball coach and current Arkansas head coach – said John Calipari.

“Jerry West even made ‘Showtime.’ It is thanks to you that I am who I am today. You believed in me when no one else did, and for that I am forever grateful. You will always be my “basketball dad.” I love you Logo, my heart is broken. We will miss you” – former NBA player Byron Scott he wrote. Scott won three NBA titles with the Lakers during the iconic “Showtime” era in the Nineteen Eighties.

Former Lakers star Pau Gasol, who won two NBA championships with Kobe Bryant, also expressed his condolences.

“Rest in peace, dear Jerry. Thank you for every part you may have done and given to this game,” Gasol he wrote.

However, away from the basketball court, West was scuffling with personal problems. In his memoir, “West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life,” released in 2011, he detailed periods of his life through which he struggled with abuse and depression.

In a candid account of his life, West detailed how he was physically abused as a child. He also opened up about the vitriol he had towards his father, to the point where he often kept a gun by his bed and even considered the idea of ​​using said weapon against his father.

West had a close relationship together with his older brother, Sgt. David West, who was killed in combat during the Korean War in 1951. West stated that the lack of his brother was something that West couldn’t deal with throughout his life. West also struggled with clinical depression and at one point was taking Prozac day by day.

West’s ex-wife previously described him as “the saddest man she had ever met.” She even wrote a letter to then-Lakers owner Jerry Buss, warning him that West was a “very tortured person.”

West is survived by his wife, Karen, with whom he has two sons. West also had three sons together with his first wife, Martha.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

Whoopi Goldberg hopes to change the world of sports with her new women’s sports network

Published

on

By

Whoopi Goldberg sports network, Whoopi Goldberg women in sports, Whoopi Goldberg All Women’s Sports Network, What is AWSN?, All Women’s Sports Network, Whoopi Goldberg AWSN theGrio.com

Whoopi Goldberg is starting a new project. While performing in “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon”, the EGOT winner announced her leap into the world of sports with the launch of the first global sports channel for women, All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN).

“I am launching the first global sports channel for women called AWSN (All Women’s Sports Network). It will be a place where women’s sports from around the world will be broadcast live,” Fallon said. “Everything from soccer, basketball, tennis, cricket, curling, you name it. If a woman is playing it, we show it.”

According to his websiteAWSN will probably be available in 65 countries and will probably be dedicated exclusively to women’s sports, including some of the biggest sports leagues in the world akin to the Union of European Association Football Associations (UEFA), the International Federation of Basketball (FIBA), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the National League Women’s Basketball (WNBL).

With the goal of increasing representation and filling a void in global broadcasting, Goldberg partnered with CommonSpirit and Jungo TV to co-found the network. Inspired by her childhood passion for sports, the artist claims that AWSN was 16 years in the making.

“Since I was a little child, I always wanted to play sports. My brother could play… he played everything,” Goldberg said, explaining why she was never able to play because of her gender. “So over the years I’ve talked to people and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could go around the world and start taking young athletes into high schools so we could grow up with them?’ ?”

“I feel like it will help us show that athletics – if done brilliantly – doesn’t matter who does it. We don’t really have that connection with women’s sports,” she continued.

Goldberg says AWSN has already launched in Asia, the Middle East and on India’s JioTV this week.

Featured Stories

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Melania Trump raises questions about her marital status after skipping first family photo celebrating Donald Trump’s election victory with Elon Musk

Published

on

By

MAGA leader Donald Trump, 78, and members of his family have a good time his historic victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, 60, within the 2024 presidential election.

In particular, Trump’s eldest granddaughter, 17-year-old Kai Trump, shared a photo on the social media platform X of her prolonged family, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Social media users are wondering why Melania Trump didn’t appear in a family photo taken after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. (Photo: teamtrump/Instagram)

The group posed for a photo on the Queens-born businessman’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Kai posted the photo on November 6, the day after Election Day.

Donald’s adult children – Don Jr., Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany and Barron – in addition to Don Jr.’s ex-wife are visible within the photo. and Kai’s mom, Vanessa Trump.

In addition, the photo with Kai’s caption “The entire squad” featured the Republican politician’s other grandchildren and Musk’s four-year-old son, X Æ A-12.

However, Donald’s Slovenian-born third and current wife, Melania Trump, was surprisingly absent from the photo. Neither did Don Jr.’s fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Other X users noticed the previous First Lady’s neglect. Many he asked“Where’s Melania?” as one person he replied“Probably deported,” referring to Trump’s declaration to deport illegal immigrants.

Another comment To read“His wife is now Elon.” Similar tweet he stated“Musk took her place.” A 3rd like-minded person he was joking“Now Elon replaces her.”

Musk has emerged as one of the crucial distinguished surrogates and mega-donors to Trump’s 2024 campaign. According to NPRThe billionaire’s America PAC has contributed greater than $70 million to Trump’s efforts to return to the White House.

Moreover, Musk went viral hysteria on stage at Trump’s October 5 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The world’s richest man also delivered a speech at a controversial campaign event at Madison Square Garden on October 27.

As for Melania, 54, who’s missing a “full squad” photo, online observers had additional theories as to why the naturalized American citizen selected to skip the moment.

“Maybe she’s still pissed at Donald for thinking she was… a porn actress while she was at home nursing their newborn baby boy,” one X user suggested.

On May 30, Trump was convicted in New York of falsifying business records in connection with making a “secret payment” of $130,000 to Stephanie “Stormy Daniels” Clifford.

The adult film star claimed she had sex with Donald at a celeb golf tournament in Nevada 4 months after Melania gave birth to her son Barron in 2006.

New York prosecutors alleged that the owner of the Trump Organization ordered his lawyer, Michael Cohen, to repay Daniels to avoid news coverage of a sex scandal in the course of the 2016 presidential election. Donald denied this scandal.

There has been a variety of speculation online about the status of Donald and Melania’s relationship. The couple is commonly criticized for being awkward in public.

Melania changing the face from a smile to a grimace directed at Donald at his inauguration in 2017 was a significant topic of conversation on the day he first became president. Her response was gif.

In May 2017, the previous model became infamous she pushed her husband away when he tried to grab her hand upon arrival at Tel Aviv airport in Israel.

“The media labeled it a ‘smack’ and used it as alleged evidence of military dissent,” Melania wrote in her latest memories titledAccording to Independent.

She continued: “This false narrative has been repeated since the beginning of the campaign and it was depressing how much people wanted to believe it.”

In one other example of possible marital discord, Melania introduced her spouse during an event at Madison Square Garden in October. Many viewers focused on the attempted kiss in front of the New York audience.

When Donald walked over to embrace his wife, Melania appeared to turn her head away from him. Instead of kissing on the lips, they exchanged sloppy kisses on the cheek.

Many Trump supporters downplayed or ignored the indisputable fact that Melania didn’t appear within the photo Kai posted. For example, a fan he replied“What a beautiful family!”

Melania commented on her husband’s victory within the 2024 presidential race. She posted the news of his election because the forty seventh President of the United States on X-day.

“The majority of Americans have entrusted us with this important responsibility,” Melania wrote on Twitter on November 6. “We will protect the heart of our republic – freedom.”

She added: “I expect that our nation’s citizens will once again unite in commitment to each other and rise above ideology in the name of individual freedom, economic prosperity and security.”

Donald Trump will probably be inaugurated for the second time in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2025. The former “The Apprentice” reality TV host’s first term as president ran from January 20, 2017 to January 20, 2021.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Jada Pinkett Smith has sparked health concerns with her unrecognizable appearance in rare public appearances since going private on Instagram

Published

on

By

Oscar winner Will Smith (56) and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith (53) were recently spotted having fun with an evening out in Calabasas, California.

The Hollywood couple has been open about their marriage over the past few years, and the “A Different World” actress announced while promoting her memoir “Worthy” that the couple had been separated since 2016.

But despite the fact that each Smith and his queen didn’t follow a standard marriage style, they served as steadfast support systems for one another, appearing at such major events because the Philadelphia native’s box office mega-hit “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” – which is now his eighth the highest-grossing film of the 12 months in the world, According to to Box Office Mojo.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 13: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attend the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith attend the twenty seventh Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association)

Their date night was the primary time they’d been seen together in public since the motion movie premiered in May. Many people suspected that perhaps something was incorrect between them because she didn’t send a “Happy Birthday” tribute to Smith on September 25 on his birthday.

However, the pair looked as if it would enjoy one another’s company, occasionally cuddling, E! On the Internet reportedwhile dining at Crossroads Kitchen, a venue co-owned by Travis Barker, on Thursday, November 7.

The “Jason’s Lyric” star wore a gold Gucci jacket and oversized boy jeans. The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” was also dressed casually, wearing a gray jacket, a classic white T-shirt and a few pants. Paparazzi caught them with life coach and former monk Jay Shetty, whose podcasts have featured each Will and Pinkett Smith over the past few years.

But looks will be deceiving for a lot of Daily Mail readers zonal about how they think there’s something incorrect with the “Matrix” actress.

One person mentioned she had pseudoalopecia, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles and causes baldness. Photos from the evening show a bald Pinkett Smith, looking even smaller than usual.

Another commented on her slender figure: “She doesn’t look good.”

“I’m sorry but he looks like her guardian,” read one comment, which used the colloquial term for guardian, before adding: “I hope she’s okay.”

A 3rd commenter thought she may not be sick and wrote: “She looks pretty AF.”

While it’s unclear whether Pinkett Smith was affected by some type of illness, was drained, or was “high,” the couple’s date night is testament to their relationship.

The “Girls Trip” actress has repeatedly shared with the world that she will’t imagine she and her husband ever completely breaking off contact.

In October 2023, while on tour for her newly released book, Jada told the Today Show that she talked about their decision to separate made in 2016, years before her relationship with August Alsina went public.

“Why it broke is numerous things. I believe by the point we got to 2016, we were just exhausted from trying. “I think we’re both stuck in our fantasies of what we think the other person should be like,” she said.

Adding: “I promised there would never be a reason for us to divorce. We’ll do all the pieces we are able to, and I just couldn’t break that promise.

Smith is just as committed to his promise. He joined her around the identical time on a panel about her book tour he told the audience“Jada is the most effective friend I actually have ever had on the planet. I plan to support her and support her for the remainder of my life,” The Baltimore Banner reports.

At least that is what fans thought until Jada shared a photograph of her and one other man, who was clearly not Will Smith, on a jet ski in the water.

Jada Pinkett Smith’s cryptic post about her heart blooming is resulting in speculation a few recent man in her life amid rumors of an impending divorce from Will Smith. (Photos: @Jadapinkettsmith/Instagram.)

Twelve days before her last birthday, the Baltimore resident took to social media to share her thoughts on what others take into consideration why men and girls stay in relationships.

“A man can CHOOSE to belong to someone. And if he does… he is considered noble,” she wrote in part, adding: “A woman is told that she MUST belong to someone or else… she is not worthy.”

She continued: “We, mere mortal women, are worthy simply because we exist! And those of us who’ve cultivated our Kingship in our inner realm and have a deep connection with the Great Most High.

“If we CHOOSE a bond with someone from this space… we are going to construct a monument of affection and provides birth to treasures. We do not have to unite in fear. You… are… greatness, she finished that thought.

The couple got married on December 31, 1997, after several years of dating. They have two children together: Jaden Smith (26) and Willow Smith (24). Smith also has an older son, Trey Smith, born in 1992, from his previous marriage to Sheree Zampino. A blended family often comes together to support one another’s successes.

Most recently, Willow famous her brother’s release of a brand new EP, which he dedicated to his past relationship with his girlfriend Sab Zada.

The project is known as “2024: A Case Study of the Long-Term Effects of Young Love” and appears on the depression he feels after breaking up with his social media influencer girlfriend after he was caught cheating on him during his summer vacation in Europe.

Building family relationships will be complicated, but they never surrender. Seeing Smith and Pinkett Smith proceed to support one another suggests that everybody in the family has hope of finding love, or a minimum of friendship, despite life’s ups and downs, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending