Lou Williams says Steve Ballmer renovated nearly 500 public basketball courts across Los Angeles to build a new generation of fans because he knew he couldn’t convert Lakers fans
“I played for the Clippers. Steve Ballmer got fuck you money. I don’t need no partners. I don’t need no help. He did it by himself. So you know what that do? I don’t got to play politics. I don’t got to do what y’all want me to do. I’mma move how I want to move”
“Every single playground in Los Angeles is a Clippers playground. We used to ask him, ‘Why you do the shit that you do?’ He said, ‘I want the Los Angeles Clippers to have an imprint on this city.’ He said, ‘I realize I’m not going to flip a Lakers fan over to a Clippers fan, but I can grow Clippers fans from the bottom up’”
“So every kid that’s on a playground, all they know is Clippers. All they know is Clippers. The Clippers put this here. That’s all they know. He playing by a different set of rules”
(via @undergrndlounge)
The funniest thing about this ESPN/Clippers story is that all the people who have been applauding “great sports journalism” when faced with great sports journalism by 4 of the most credible sources in the league
choose not to believe it. Now they are questioning sources?! GTFO
Lou Williams scored 36 points off the bench to take WCR1 Game 2 against the Warriors! (2019)
36 PTS
11 AST
2 REB
2 STL
1 BLK
59% FG (13/22)
80% FT (8/10)
Lou Williams tells story of when he found out the Clippers were trading his rookie SGA, for Paul George:
“In our game you want your young star to be coachable, a worker, one of the guys, the toughest, smartest, SGA was all of those things. When that trade happened for Paul George, I swear to god.. when he called me, the first thing I asked him was ‘was Shai in the trade?’ That was the first thing I asked him. Because that’s how much I believed in him as a rookie. He was one of the first rookies that I was one the team with that I said ‘hey that boy going to be a star.’”
(Via @undergrndlounge)
The Warren Commission conducted its investigation into the JFK assassination in 10 months.
The NBA investigation into whether it was ok for Kawhi Leonard to get $30m for doing nothing is now entering its 11th month.
Jaylen Brown says he used the NBA Players Association instead of hiring an agent for the NBA Draft because they're paid to help players
“When I entered the draft, I didn't have an agent. I'm probably the highest picked selected ever that didn't enter with an agent. When I was evaluating, I went through the whole process and sat with a bunch of people, and what they was offering I ain't really need. It was kind of already slotted, so I leaned on the union a lot more”
“A lot of the agents came and was like, ‘Yeah, we'll move you to L.A. We'll get you a trainer, put some money in your pocket,’ and I was like, ‘For what? Do I gotta give the money back?’ They was like, ‘Nah, but standard agent fee is 4%.’ I'm starting to do the math, and a house, car, and all that, whatever he was offering, is a lot less than what 4% would have been”
“Long story short, the math wasn't mathing for me. I ended up being the third pick. I think because I came in like that, a lot of people, I think it was the agents, they tried to slander my name a little bit, put it in the media that he's too this, he's too that. Ended up backfiring. It all worked out in the end”
“With the union, we pay dues. All the players in the NBA pay dues. We all pay like $10,000 out of our salary that goes to hiring lawyers, hiring staff, CEO, everything that you need to lead a company that works for us. So all of that is our resources that we all pay for, that we agree to. Once I learned that, I just started using it”
“I'm talking about you can get private investigations done. They give referrals for financial advisors. All type of stuff. Foundation wise, health insurance, whatever you need. They have a liaison that's paid to make sure that you get it done. So I put it on their desk like, ‘I need you to get this done.’ And they do because that's their job”
The USMNT will be stuck at the World Cup until it adopts Germany's blueprint
In 2000 Germany finished last at the Euros and decided it was time overhaul the system. They built 390 regional training bases to make sure one was within 25 km of every kid in country. They hired 1,200 full-time coaches, invested €48 million per year and mandated that every pro club build a certified youth academy or lose its license
The cost to families was $0 and 14 years later, 21 of the 23 players who won the World Cup came directly from the system
The Los Angeles Clippers did it.
They will pick 5th in this year's draft after having a 27.8% chance to do so.
UPDATED Ivica Zubac trade details:
5th Pick in the 2026 Draft
2029 Unprotected 1st
2028 second-round pick
Isaiah Jackson
Benn Mathurin
Steven Adams sharing the technique he uses for helping with self-doubt…
“I write down how I feel… the raw emotions. I stop, re-read it and respond in a different colour. The one with the raw emotion I imagine as a 10 year-old Steven. My response is an adult Steven… it’s like I’m giving advice to a younger Steven”
Very interesting note I got, Seems Clippers are high on Pedulla :
Scout’s View: Sean Pedulla isn’t just a depth guard he preserves Clippers offensive geometry.
Can run Darius Garland actions without changing the playbook:
• High Drag = deep pull-up gravity
• Spain P&R = advanced reads/pocket passing
• Snake = controls P&R angles
Defense - Not a stopper, but smart, disciplined, and playable within a strong defensive structure.
Seamless fit for Tyronn Lue’s system.
Scheme continuity + shooting gravity = immediate functional fit. He'll make the Roster Next Season.