Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese helped popularize women’s basketball new peaks over the last two years. Although there could also be a drop in viewership compared to last season record highthere are plenty of talented players like Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins, Deja Kelly and Hannah Hidalgo ready to proceed their development.

“I know we lost some great people in Angel and Caitlin, but we gained so much more. We have gained a lot more talent, skill and marketability,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m glad this happened at a time where I can acknowledge it and share it with other individuals who are joining us immediately.

Watkins, a Los Angeles native, has attracted attention for home games in Southern California that often sell out and draw celebrity crowds.

“I don’t know if there was a young African-American women’s basketball superstar at that age who could use this platform, but I think it will be very useful to the community both in Los Angeles and across the country,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I wouldn’t bet against her that she can handle anything. At the same time, our job is to prepare her for what may come and make sure she can enjoy life and be a child.”

USC turned to Iowa for advice on how to take care of the quantity of attention Watkins is receiving this 12 months. The USC sophomore said it was special that Caitlin Clark offered to help her the primary time they met if she ever needed advice on navigating her role because the face of women’s basketball.

“She’s great. “It shows how good of a person he is outside of basketball,” Watkins said. “To have that sort of mentorship and that relationship together with her, it definitely means a lot to me. She has made the most important impact on women’s basketball and having the ability to watch her journey is actually inspiring.

Watkins is a component of a truly talented sophomore class. Three out of five preseason All-Americans they are second-year students – that is the primary time of their lives.

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“I never thought I would be the face of something,” said Hidalgo, who was one of three All-Americans. “I had no expectations. I just wanted to come, play basketball and of course win. Just seeing this generational talent is unlike any other.”

Bueckers and Kelly bridge the gap between the subsequent group and the previous one. They each went to school concurrently Clark. Bueckers’ profession was briefly interrupted by injury, and Kelly is a component of a senior class that may benefit from a pandemic 12 months.

“I think we had one of the best classes in a while, my class of 2020.” said Kelly, who transferred to Oregon from North Carolina for her senior season. “And of course, considering half of them entered the draft last 12 months, there are still a lot of people in class. I don’t need people to forget that.”

Ten years ago, exceptional players played at just a handful of schools, but now they’re more opened up across the country, giving more people the possibility to see their stardom. Increasing the number of games on television and giving players more exposure through name, image and likeness at an earlier age also helped.

“I just think there’s a lot of stars just waiting to explode,” NC State coach Wes Moore said. “And with the publicity and coverage we’re getting, there’s going to be a lot of new stars coming out.”

Kelly sees that the game is in good hands and will proceed to thrive even when the remaining of her class is gone.

“Everyone at their schools is doing a really good job of making a name for themselves,” Kelly said. “And like I said, we still have a lot of big names in college looking to enter the draft this year and they will continue to grow. So I think women’s basketball is in a very good place.”

Like many other stars, actress Jennifer Lopez is distancing herself from any associations with disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. However, unlike the others, she shares a past with a troubled star she once dated.

Combs is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal facility known for violence and poor conditions, a stark contrast to the lavish lifestyle he once led.

While promoting her latest film “Unstoppable” at AFI Fest 2024 on Thursday, October 31, the 55-year-old stepped outside the concert hall where her adoring fans were waiting for her.

Movie published DailyMail.com shows Lopez signing programs and photos of fans while a security guard warns them to not crowd her.

Suddenly someone shouts, “Do you have any comments about Diddy and the allegations?”

Suddenly, the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer stopped signing autographs and ran out, clearly annoyed by the person’s query.

However, people on social media asked when she would speak, and after the clip surfaced, they recommend their very own theories about her reluctance to be associated with the former White Party promoter.

“JLo can’t stand the heat!!!” one person he tweeted.

Another person he said“It’s understandable that JLo would feel uncomfortable broaching such a sensitive topic under these circumstances. These allegations are serious and deserve thorough investigation. #JusticeForVictims.”

🚨 JLO LEAVES AFTER A FAN ASKS ABOUT DIDDY’S ALLEGATIONS

During an autograph session after AFI FEST 2024, Jennifer Lopez abruptly ended the event when a fan asked her for her response to the recent allegations against ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Lopez’s attitude modified when… pic.twitter.com/XIFVgYzpxF

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 31, 2024

However, not everyone was so understanding.

“CANCEL HER, WAKE UP AMERICA” – user X he wrote.

“Jlo knew about Diddy’s parties and his crimes against minors!” fourth comment To read. “She is a disgusting, baseless diva.”

Another person he tweeted“She’s guilty, that’s why Ben left.”

Lopez’s relationship with Diddy dates back to the late ’90s, and it was a high-profile relationship that was each glamorous and controversial.

The couple began dating in 1999, when Combs was in the “shiny suit” era of his profession, following the death of his breakout star, The Notorious B.I.G., and Lopez was making a reputation for herself as an actress and singer, having just finished her profession with the success of her hit movies, resembling “Selena”, “Anaconda” and “Out of Sight”.

Her first of 4 husbands, Ojani Noa, believes that her relationship with the “Been Around the World” rapper contributed to the end of their marriage.

Their relationship attracted media attention, and they were often seen at industry parties and high-profile events. However, things modified in December 1999 when the pair were involved in a shooting at the now-defunct Club New York in New York’s Times Square neighborhood.

Combs was ultimately acquitted of all charges, and his artist Shyne accepted the charges and spent almost nine years in prison for the crime. Still, the incident left a mark on JLo and the hitmaker’s relationship. She distanced herself from Combs shortly thereafter, and they separated in 2001.

Fast forward to today, Combs is facing serious charges. The Department of Justice has accused from a minimum of 2008 to the present, he has abused, threatened and coerced women to have interaction in various “including, but not limited to, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice” and that he “led “racketeer” plan to perform the crime.

While these allegations remain allegations, their serious nature has solid a shadow over his legacy and drawn attention from those once associated with him.

The stakes are high for the “Atlas” actress, and that is just one other headache and a headline she doesn’t need in the wake of her highly publicized split from Ben Affleck.

By distancing herself, Lopez seems to wish to clearly separate herself from the period in her life she married, protecting her popularity and aligning with her current values.

PITTSBURGH – Hip-hop could put the next president in the White House.

Before you call it over the top – like Lamborghini rhymes by a broke rapper – know that in the key electoral state of Pennsylvania, the organization 1 Hood power he imported a listing of Hall of Fame rappers to mobilize voters. Fat Joe, Jeezy, Common, Cordae, Bun B, Redman, Method Man and Lupe Fiasco got here to Pittsburgh to debate what’s at stake on Election Day. Actors Kerry Washington, Brian Tyree Henry and Viola Davis also responded to 1Hood’s call to motion.

The rappers have brought many years of influence, legions of listeners and greater than 24 million Instagram followers to the state that may likely decide whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins the Nov. 5 election. In 2020, Joe Biden defeated Trump by 80,555 votes in Pennsylvania. It needs to be much closer this 12 months, in accordance with current polls in Pennsylvania Harris and Trump tied. So every bar these artists spat on stage, every quote they delivered on a panel carries weight.

“We use hip-hop culture to build community strength” Brave Xthe rapper, founder and CEO of 1Hood told me. “Using merch, using the entire artistic legacy of hip-hop to actually change the lives of our community.”

As Jeezy said in the Andscape documentary culture and the president have gone hand in hand from the very starting. From the New York City Breakers acting at Ronald Reagan’s inaugural gala in 1984 to Harris hosting Lil Wayne, Remy Ma and other rappers for a “hip-hop party” at her official residence last 12 months to rejoice the genre’s fiftieth anniversary, politicians and rappers have long exploited one another for popularity and influence.

Trump is not any exception – he welcomed rapper Kanye West to the Oval Office, pardoned Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, who supported him at the time, and now supports him with major stars reminiscent of Sexy Red and Benny The Butcher. However, to this point, hip-hop has not made a consistent and arranged effort in support of Trump, which makes the actions of Jasiri X and 1Hood much more vital.

Another notable aspect of the 1Hood movement is how it really works from the ground up. 1Hood helped elect city council members, county executives and judges who support Black and Latino communities. In 2021, the organization helped elect the first Black mayor in the history of Pittsburgh, which can have a Black population of roughly 23.1% in 2022. In 2022, 1Hood helped make Summer Lee the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now Jasiri X and his team have done it ear Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, working on the transition team that helped fill the Shapiro administration. And they’ll put rap legends and movie stars on the same stage – like Tuesday night when Jasiri X interviewed Davis at a theater in Pittsburgh to field voters. The event was a collaboration between 1Hood and Hip-Hop Political Education Summit, which organized similar online events in 2020. 1Hood can even stream a conversation with Davis together with others from the Black and Brown Men & the Vote summit starting November 1 on the Breakbeat Media YouTube page.

“We hope that we can bring the culture to Pennsylvania, which will become a decider state,” said Jasiri X. “Obviously, I’m someone who wants Kamala Harris to win. I definitely don’t want Trump to win. We did just that in 2020 – winning Pennsylvania put Joe Biden in the White House. So we hope we can do the same in this election.”

Bakari Kitwanawriter and long-time political organizer of hip-hop, confirmed the importance of 1Hood’s work. “They do it at the grassroots level of the community, mobilizing people, getting information from the community and having conversations with the community,” Kitwana said. “They have built a level of credibility in the community as a trusted voice for people who are not here seeking their own gain. So I think the work has the potential to go much further.”

Jasiri X looks at this horizon.

“What if we start creating policies that actually change the living conditions of these communities so that they are no longer the places that cause all this violence and harm?” he said. “We have the power to do that.

“We are the No. 1 music genre in the world. We have the power to vary and influence not only the next leader of the United States, but we actually influence the policies that impact our communities day-after-day. That’s what I’d wish to see.”