Norman Powell describes guarding LeBron James in the playoffs as a completely different kind of nightmare.
It wasn’t just his physical dominance. LeBron could call out the Raptors’ plays as they were running them, anticipating cuts and exactly where the ball was going before it got there.
Even crazier, he’d direct his own teammates on the floor in real time, adjusting their defense mid possession to counter Toronto’s offense.
Powell’s takeaway: LeBron wasn’t just playing the game. He was coaching it live while playing it at an elite level.
A different species, by his own admission
“If he called Pat Riley, and said ‘listen, I want to come back and join Giannis and Bam, you think Riley will tell him no? He ain’t gonna tell him no.”
— @stephenasmith on LeBrons next team destination
Richard Sherman does a great breakdown of the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk situation:
• The issues for BA started during the Super Bowl loss against the Chiefs in 2023
• The resentment BA had from the SB loss, trade rumors & whatever else was bothering him at the time should have been flushed before signing the extension or he should have agreed to be traded during that time
• Once the agreement was signed BA needed to buy back in
• Sherman believes once BA is reinstated, the 49ers will likely release him at that point
• Sherman doesn’t believe the 49ers did anything horribly wrong. Says the 49ers did not disrespect BA
• Sherman disagrees with LeSean McCoy’s comments about players need to fight ownerships like BA did. “They paid him $30M to catch the football. If you get paid for the services, you have to provide the services. You don’t just get to get paid and say 'na I’m not gonna play wide receiver'.”
�� “You don’t get to get paid and say I’m not gonna rehab with the team, which is fine, you can choose to not rehab with the team, many players have done it, but if you do that, you have to show up 4 days earlier than everyone else (it’s protocol) because the team that invested $30M a year in you wants to evaluate you and see how your rehab is going. They want to do MRI’s, they want to do testing and they want to do it at a time when there’s not 90 other players there. So they can focus on you.”
It’s a long clip, but I strongly recommend listening to it
🎥: @RSherman_25
Stephen A Smith is TIRED of the Bam disrespect and says don’t be surprised if Dame Lilliard ends up in Miami 👀
“I’m getting sick and tired of people just throwing Bam Adebayo’s name out there flippantly like it’s not significant. Now, he ain’t A’ja Wilson…. But Bam is an All Star. Miami didn’t lose because of him. This brother can ball… I’m not underestimating Miami by any stretch of the imagination. Giannis is in the right place. Don’t be surprised if Damian Lilliard ends up there after next season. Telling you that right now!”
Kawhi Leonard reportedly has interest in playing for the Miami Heat and he was labeled as the backup plan if they didn’t land Giannis.
If Wiggins decides to opt in instead of taking cheaper deal, you could theoretically paired that up with Nikola Jovic, Davion Mitchell and 1-2 picks in a package for Kawhi.
Miami would then create a BIG 3 like they did in 2010.
Jeff Teague says he ain’t mad at Giannis Antetokounmpo getting out of Milwaukee:
“I told the Bucks until you resign me, the curse is on so now yall franchise is in shambles.”
(Via @club520podcast)
Sam Darnold had high praise for Kyle Shanahan and his coaches. Darnold also broke down some of the intricacies of the offensive system:
“That staff man. I think the main thing that I learned is that there was an answer for everything. Like if one play didn’t have an answer for a certain scheme that the defense ran, it was like that play can’t be in.”
Via: @BussinWTB
Chris Broussard says the Heat should go after LeBron to join Giannis and Bam in South Beach:
"If I were Miami, I would definitely go after him. I would try to pitch him. 'Hey, you went back to Cleveland, got your ring there, come back here, get us a ring.' It would have a lot of value even though Giannis would be best player on the team. LeBron would be going back there and be the quarterback, which is what they need... It is intriguing."
Lebron James advising the young players not to become disheartened if they don’t get picked in the first round and fall in the 2nd. Think nikola jokic , draymond green . If you don’t get drafted think Austin reaves
Kyrie shuts down rumors of bad blood between 2016 Cavs teammates:
“When I get back to the states, imma pop in with them. We’re gonna chop it up… The immaturity behind using media to spin narratives… Psychotic bro.”
(h/t @ItsKingSlime)
Iman on Lebron:
"When I asked the man what he was gonna do Bron did a great job with his media training and laughed it off. I can tell you he still looks like he's playing basketball"