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Kareem Maddox, American 3×3 basketball player, is working hard to get to the Olympics

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PARIS – For Kareem Maddox and the struggling USA 3×3 men’s basketball team, their anticipated path to a medal at the Paris Olympics will likely be derailed. But for the American, simply making it to the Olympics from a singular Ivy League path has made his journey unforgettable.

“It’s been an absolutely beautiful experience,” Maddox told Andscape. “I’m enjoying it with my family, having the full support of everyone I’ve worked with at USA Basketball, all in one place. I can’t wait to reflect on it when it’s all said and done. But we’re keeping our heads down, still working hard.”

Since 2015, Maddox has been certainly one of the most decorated Americans in the short history of 3×3 basketball, a discipline that may appear on the Olympic program in 2020.

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The Los Angeles-born player has played for the U.S. in two FIBA ​​3×3 World Cups, two FIBA ​​3×3 Men’s AmeriCups and two Pan American Games. Maddox was a member of the U.S. men’s 3×3 national team that went 3-2 in the 2021 FIBA ​​3×3 Olympic qualifying tournament. He is also a member of the USA Basketball 3×3 men’s team, together with former NBA point guard Jimmer Fredette, Dylan Travis and Canyon Berry. The U.S. was 0-4 with Fredette sidelined with an injury before Friday’s first group-stage victory, 21-19 against host France.

“I won’t lie, it was a tough time on the court,” Maddox said. “The rules and the length of the game make it unpredictable enough. Then you think about every thing that happened outside of that, and you’ve gotten a tournament that is like this. The game is the game.

“It’s not over yet. We’re still fighting. I’ve seen worse things happen. We just have to dig deeper.”

Kareem Maddox (right), a U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball player, blocks a shot by Polish player Adrian Bogucki during a men’s group stage match at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at the Esplanade Des Invalides on July 31 in Paris.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

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Maddox was born on December 9, 1989, in Los Angeles to an African-American father and a Sudanese mother whose father was once the director of the Sudanese boxing federation. Maddox’s father, Alan, had been to several Summer Olympics and worked as a volunteer at the media center. Kareem Maddox was able to go to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he dreamed of becoming an Olympian.

Before specializing in basketball, Kareem Maddox grew up playing other sports, reminiscent of track, tennis, water polo, and cross-country, at his father’s request. Maddox was not a widely known basketball player in Los Angeles when he played at suburban Oak Park High School. The late-blooming 6-foot-8 winger didn’t play AAU basketball and was not a sought-after recruit by Division I programs. Alan Maddox, nonetheless, believed his son had the talent and grades to play college basketball at an Ivy League school.

In the summer of 2007, Alan Maddox sent his son to an elite basketball camp at Princeton. Then-head coach Joe Scott was impressed with Kareem’s play at the camp and commenced recruiting him. Penn, Harvard, Yale and Puget Sound showed interest during his senior season, but Kareem Maddox signed a letter of intent to play for Princeton on February 7, 2007.

“I didn’t play AAU or have any recruiting experience, so nobody had heard of me, I didn’t have any letters,” Kareem Maddox said. “So we flew out to New Jersey and just signed up for Princeton’s elite camp. I used to be like, ‘Okay, whatever, this sounds cool.’ So I played, Joe Scott was the coach, and I used to be just with the other campers. But I played pretty much. I used to be an athlete and a superb, decent basketball player, but probably not that sophisticated.

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“(Scott) said, ‘Who are you and where are you going to school? How’s college going? And I said, ‘Oh no, I don’t have any letters. I don’t know if I’m going to play basketball in college.’ He said, ‘Well, can you come here? How are your grades?’ I said, ‘They’re good. I have a 3.8, 3.9 (grade point average). And I don’t know if they’re good enough for Princeton.’ He said, ‘I’ll worry about that. You don’t worry about that.’ And the rest is history.”

Maddox averaged 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game during his profession at Princeton from 2007 to 2011. As a senior in 2010-11, the 2011 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year averaged 14 points, 6.9 rebounds and a team-high 1.7 blocks per game. He also holds a level in English literature.

After Princeton, Maddox played professionally in the Netherlands and England for 2 seasons. In 2013, he retired from basketball and have become a news producer for Los Angeles radio station KCRW. Maddox also hosted NPR’s All Things Considered, which focused on vital public affairs.

Maddox began playing 3-on-3 basketball for Ariel Slow and Steady in 2015, which finished fourth in the 2015 USA Basketball 3×3 Nationals. His desire to return to basketball grew after watching the Cleveland Cavaliers come from 3-1 down in the 2016 NBA Finals to defeat the Golden State Warriors. In the summer of 2016, he traveled to Las Vegas and took part in basketball tryouts with foreign teams searching for players. This led to him working as knowledgeable basketball player in Poland during the 2016-17 season after a three-year hiatus.

“I was more surprised when he came out of retirement and decided to come back and play 5-on-5 in Poland again because his radio and TV career was going so well,” said Alan Maddox. “I would say I was 50-50 on that. But again, by that time he had the skills and the education to support himself even if it didn’t work out or if it did work out. It worked out in the end. We’re really happy for him.”

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United States 3×3 forward Kareem Maddox (right) throws the ball towards Serbia forward Strahinja Stojacic (left) during the men’s group stage match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Esplanade Des Invalides on July 30 in Paris.

Lars Baron/Getty Images

In 2017, the International Olympic Committee announced that 3×3 basketball can be added to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. That’s when Maddox began to consider his Olympic dream could come true. In 2018, he earned MVP honors as Ariel Slow and Steady won the 2018 USA Basketball 3×3 Nationals title. It was that honor that led to his first time on the USA Basketball 3×3 roster as a member of the gold-medal-winning team at the inaugural 3×3 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Maddox has had other interests outside of 3×3 basketball over the years, including work in media. He has been a journalist for NPR member stations in Los Angeles and Colorado. He has produced each day newscasts and hosted “All Things Considered” for a statewide audience on KUNC News. He has produced podcasts for Spotify-acquired Gimlet Media. He also produced “The Pitch,” a real inside take a look at the enterprise capital fundraising process.

Maddox didn’t make it to the NBA, but he became a component of it through the Minnesota Timberwolves. He lives in Minneapolis, where he works for the Timberwolves in video, scouting and player development. Maddox was hired by Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, whose younger brother, Dan, was the director of basketball operations at Princeton when Maddox played there.

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“I’ll be out there warming up and shooting and stuff like that,” Maddox said. “Whatever they need. I’ll jump into practice if I need to. And then I’ll just put together some videos for the scouts.”

Maddox was devastated when the USA Basketball 3×3 team failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, the U.S. qualified for the Paris Olympics after ending second at the 2023 FIBA ​​World Cup in Serbia.

“I felt grateful working out and training for the last three years that I was able to do it, that I was healthy enough and fortunate enough,” Maddox said.

Alan Maddox is a part of a bunch of relations cheering on Kareem Maddox in France. Alan Maddox hopes more kids will get involved in sports by watching the Olympics.

“Only a limited number of people will be in the major leagues, but anyone can play an Olympic sport in their youth, high school, college and, in many cases, professionally,” said Alan Maddox. “Some of the most amazing people I meet are athletes who’re much more amazing of their careers outside of the Olympics. They have amazing careers because, again, coming back to those sports and specializing in something and having the ability to concentrate on something and stick to it, that’s just a very good thing, so far as I’m concerned…

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“We saw (Kareem’s) work, discipline and travel. We were really excited to see that when someone puts that much effort into something, they succeed. That’s not an easy thing to do.”


Medal or no medal, the Olympic experience was definitely memorable for Maddox. While most of the American athletes stayed in the Olympic Village, all of the USA Basketball teams stayed in a secure hotel in Paris.

That means Maddox and the USA Basketball 3×3 men’s and girls’s teams will likely be staying at the same hotel as NBA stars LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, and WNBA stars A’ja Wilson, Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart, who’re all members of their senior national teams. The Olympic 3×3 competition is also happening in the heart of Paris at La Concorde, a city park that has been transformed into a brief outdoor arena that also hosts BMX freestyle, breaking and skateboarding competitions.

“We’re just keeping a small footprint. And no, no, we’re definitely not trying to take pictures with anyone or anything like that,” Maddox said. “We’re hoping to get tickets to the finale, but we’ll be there to watch them.”

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Playing basketball has given Maddox the opportunity to visit some 25 countries, and he’s enjoyed every trip. He’ll be 38 when the 2028 Olympics are held in Los Angeles. If USA Basketball still wants him on the roster, he’d like to try to win a 3×3 medal on American soil. In the meantime, he plans to proceed playing for the Timberwolves and begin a each day podcast.

“I’ll play as long as it makes sense, as long as I love it and enjoy it,” Maddox said. “It’s been the biggest blessing. It’s just every thing I like to do. It’s the traveling. It’s the time to myself while I’m traveling. It’s the competition, and also you only play for the weekend, after which you’ve gotten time to do whatever you wish.

“I’m going to try to get as much out of it as I can. And at this level, who knows? We’ll see. I think the game is evolving and it’s going to be harder and harder for a 38-year-old at this point to make it to 2028.”

Marc J. Spears is a senior NBA author at Andscape. He used to find a way to dunk, but he hasn’t been able to for years, and his knees still hurt.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives the MVP award and a surprise from Chris Paul

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Oklahoma City-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just received the NBA award the most respected player when he noticed something suspicious. Next to his wife Hailey, whom he never saw, sitting at thunder matches, a man sitting outside. Before the guard Thunder in Oklahoma City could raise his eyebrows, he realized that he had an unexpected guest: Chris Paul, his former teammate and mentor.

“It was amazing. It surprised me. I had to like a double shot. I was like:” Who is it with my wife? ” -said Gilgeous -Alexander. “I got a bit, but I saw that it was Chris. And I believed,” cool “. “

Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award after winning the title of scoring and bringing Thunder to 68 wins in the league. The day after his announcement, the NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, presented him with the MVP trophy before winning 118-103 Thunder over Minnesota Timberwolves in the match of the 2nd finals of the Western Conference on Thursday evening at Paycom Center. Gilgeous-Alexander and The Thunder will pass a 2: 0 series in match 3 on Saturday in Minneapolis.

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Paul liked to sit down outside, watching his former teammates, Gilgeous-Alexander and NBA All-Defensive First Tame Luguentz Dort, were recognized for his or her size.

“It means everything to be here,” said Paul and Scape. “You see how Lu finally creates his first defensive team. And take this game with (wife of Gilgeous-Alexander), I am happy with him.”

Gilgeous-Alexander joined other team members behind the striker Thunder Chet Holmgren during an interview after the game broadcast in China. After the interview, Gilgeous-Alexander failed under a protective field to hug and kiss his wife before he reached the smiling Paul, who apparently had his old teammate from the team, considering that he didn’t participate in the game.

“You just lied in my face,” said Gilgeous-Alexander with a smile.

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“Who?” Paul said.

Oklahoma City Thunder Watchtower Chris Paul (on the left) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (on the right) talk during training on July 10, 2020 in Orlando, Florida.

Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images

Paul is the future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer with 12-star NBA and is a member of the NBA seventy fifth anniversary team. A 20-year-old NBA veteran who finished May 40 on May 6, said and Scape that he had not yet selected his future. Paul played in all 82 matches in the regular season this season in San Antonio Spurs, but the free agent told in March and Pejzz that he would confer with his wife and two children in the season about whether he should proceed the game.

Paul was also colleagues from the team from Gilgeous-Alexander for one season from Thunder during the NBA season 2019-2020, to which Pandemia Coronavirus affected. In addition to Paweł, it was the first season of Gilgeous-Alexander from Thunder. Los Angeles Clippers was replaced by Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five sorts of draft in the first round in Thunder on July 10, 2019 for NBA striker All-Star Paul George.

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Paweł enjoyed the mentoring of Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort. In addition to sharing the defense field, it often happened that Gilgeous-Alexander alongside Paweł during the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida in 2020. From this one season, Paul became not only a mentor of Gilgeous-Alexander, but a close friend. Gilgeous-Alexander is considered one of the five NBA players in the second season “Start Five” Netflix, and Paul should play a repetitive role due to their relationship.

“He was great, not only as an older brother, a mentor, but he is like a friend,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “There is all the time what you possibly can resist. He was the first guy in my life that I used to be close, who achieved things that I need to realize. And I actually resist him on advice, but not only advice in basketball – business advice, caring for body advice, coping with family after they don’t live with you.

“There are so many things that you deal with as a NBA player, especially his caliber, which go under the radar. His tips were great, not only in matters outside the pitch, not only with all mentoring, simply being there as a friend.”

The love that Paweł has for Gilgeous-Alexander is mutual.

“This is my family.” Especially such a moment. “

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Of all the councils given by Paweł Gilgeous-Alexander, the latter said that Paweł was the most respected teaching him about improving his weight-reduction plan. 26-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander said he was a restaurant junkie that loved to eat at the Cheesecake factory and fast food restaurants. Canada’s guilty pleasure was the pizza slices of domino late at night.

Paweł modified the Gilgeous-Alexander weight-reduction plan for the higher during his stay in the NBA bubble.

“When I was younger, I ate terribly,” said Gilgeous-Alexander Andcape. “He showed me how to take care of your body and eat well.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City shoots in the fourth quarter of Minnesota Timberwolves in the match of the 2nd finals of the Western Conference in Paycom Center on May 22 in Oklahoma City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

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Paweł said that he saw the potential of Gilgeous-Alexander to the size before joining the thunder.

Gilgeous-Alexander obtained a median of 19 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his first season with Thunder next to Paul. Gilgeous-Alexander won his first of the three NBA ALL-STAR performances in 2023 and took second place behind the center of Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokic in MVP voting in 2024. But this season Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award over JOKIC.

“When he was a debutant, I was really close (sports coach Clippers) Jason Powell, even though I left. And he told me about work ethics (Gilgeous-Alexander),” said Paul.

Paul was in the two finals of the Western conference and played in a single NBA final with Phoenix Suns in 2021. Gilgeous-alexander and Thunder are participating in the first finals of the franchise conference since 2016. Since moving with Seattle in 2008, Grzmot was just once in the NBA finals, and lost to Miami Heat in 2012 in 2012. Have talent to change into the first franchise champion.

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While reality has only six wins from the first NBA title, Gilgeous-Alexander said that “quite easy” to concentrate on the match of the third finals of the Western conference.

“We had a habit throughout the season, focusing on the next game and worrying about what is ahead of us. It is not different in this situation,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “We are aware of where we are this season. We would hurt ourselves if we directed ourselves from what we got here. And that’s what we are prioritized.”

Paul wouldn’t be surprised if a quote from his precious student and friend. Don’t be surprised if Paul returned to Oklahoma City, supporting his younger brother if he reaches the NBA finals.

“At the end of the day, everything he cares about is winning,” said Paul.

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Marc J. Spears is a senior NBA author for Andcape. Once he was capable of immerse himself at you, but he was unable for years, and his knees still hurt.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Remy is to offer the payment of a divorce lawyer Papoose – he is his new Boo, the boxer master, Claress Shields may also enter her

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Things definitely develop quickly in a separated, but not separated world, but a music couple, Remy and Papoose.

On Wednesday, May 21, Claress Shields, Olympic Gold-Meedalist Boxer, which is also the only boxer in history-sexual history-to do all 4 predominant titles in boxing in three different weight classes, she went to the “breakfast club” to discuss her coming fight, how she became a master, and of course her relationship. 30 -year -old Shields is in a relationship with Papoose, 47, and speaking of the beginnings of their relationship and the place where they are actually, she mentioned the “elephant in the room” – waiting for divorce between Papoose and Remy, as something to be solved.

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Because Remy and Papoose love to solve problems between them through social media, after the interview with Sheilds, Remy is about to remove a few things from her chest, one of which is that Papoose is slowly throwing his divorce proceedings. Remy said that she would even pay for the lawyer if Papoose had no money for it.

“Who I married in 2008 is not who it is now. Now he is a wife. Listen, I would like: Papoose, you have information of my lawyer. If you can’t afford to stop a lawyer, because the lawyer you gave have not yet been stopped, I said that I would pay for it, I will pay for it. Referring to Shields as” someone who loves you, “she said during the IG session.

Since then, there was a tremendous amount on Instagram, each posts and IG lives, some of which were saved, others don’t. Remy has accused Papoose of rinsing and you’ll be able to’t afford … things, and even stopped with alleged jewelry influences, Papoose, he set money. Papoose accused (again) Remy of fraud (although they each accused the second of the same, old news).

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Papoose claims that Remy also didn’t submit a divorce application Instead, I try to come back with him, again with alleged influence (seriously people, do everyone wants to go their separate roads or not?) And be blackmailed her guy, Eazy The Block CaptainRemy returned to IG Live, accusing PAP of being a liar and, well, you see where he is going. The most interesting part of this is Brooklyn Rapper, Fabolous, he is caught inside because he published a photo from Remy has Knicks on the game after their similarly tragic, Historical collapse In the game of 1 finals of the Eastern Conference against Indiana Pacers on Tuesday evening.

Now it isn’t good at Gotham City.

Remy Ma (remembers Mackie) and Papoose (Shamele Mackie) mentioned wedding weddings on the phone in 2008, while Remy was imprisoned and eventually was officially married in 2016, at the wedding at “Love & Hip Hop: New York”. Remy was released from prison in 2014. The couple has one child together, recalls, born in 2018, although each Remy and Papoose have children from previous relationships.

Although the best such saga could be privately settled, especially in the case of an athlete star, reminiscent of Shields, who has so many positive noteworthy achievements, sometimes heart matters change into disordered. There are possibilities that the Internet will see more chapters on the Summer Jam screen in order that the world can see.

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Jamie Foxx admits that he almost believes in some of the wild internet conspiracy about his health fear

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San Francisco Giants Honor Renel Brooks-Moon from Pa Booth Dedication

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After almost 25 years within the team, REnel Brooks-Moon, the primary public announcer of San Francisco Giants, was quietly honored with the dedication of the stand.

Newly named REnel Brooks-Moon Pa stand characteristics Reports a plaque to honor her 24 vertical years with Giants from San Francisco. The dedication took place and not using a formal announcement or ceremony, and Brooks-Moon decided to publicly comment on homage.

“It was an important thing and the right thing we honored her,” said Shana Daum, senior vp of communication and community relations. “Her heritage lives in many ways, including naming the PA stand.”

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Honor appears a 12 months after Giants parted with their beloved Brooks-Moon in March 2024, initially promising to vary the name of the stand in the primary half of the season. After delay, the dedication quietly took place on time for the Giants House opener on April 4, even though it recently got here to light.

Brooks-Moon received the title of retired announcer PA, but was excluded from the role of speaking in the course of the most important events, akin to the Celebrations of Life for Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda. She also skipped other ceremonies due to the unnecessary. A friend announced how difficult it was Brooks-Moon to go away this 12 months’s house opener, which honored the twenty fifth anniversary of the San Francisco Giants 2000 team.

“I recorded every player, every coach”, Brooks-Moon he said Then. “It was only bananas. But it was a great fun. I didn’t realize how much I needed it after I lost what I loved.”

The plaque at her dedicated stand celebrates Brooks-Moon as “one of the first announcers with black baseball women in Major League. She began a cult 24-year career who left an indelible mark in the history of Giants.”

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There can be a quote emphasizes the involvement of Brooks-Moon in inspiring the marginalized communities to proceed their dreams.

“I really hope that my time at the stand was inspired by little girls, young women and colorful people, to realize their dreams, even if these dreams seem impossible, because impossible dreams can come true,” we read.

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