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Basketball and sneaker culture go hand in hand. Ever since Nike signed a rookie out of North Carolina to a $2.5 million endorsement contract back in 1984, shoes have been a primary form of expression for basketball fans and players alike. The on-court footwear choices reflect the players’ personal styles, personalities, and, with signature brand shoes, their own fandoms. There is one icon that NBA players choose to rep way, way more than any other: the late, great Kobe Bean Bryant. Most of the current crop of NBA players grew up on Kobe, watching him win title after title during their formative basketball years. He is a lot of players' favorite player. Whether out of personal fandom or just because they like the style, over 130 different players chose to wear Kobes as their primary shoe last season, according to data from NBAShoesDB.com.
Nate McMillan on joining Lakers coaching staff: I was semi-retired and basically back here in North Carolina enjoying life and uh really working on my foundation and working with uh the young boys uh that we have in our program. We've been in existence for the past three years. Very good program. So, I was really committed and still am committed to this mentorship program, but I was talking on the phone to my son and my son and JJ Redick worked together in New Orleans. He was an assistant coach there. So, he worked with JJ in New Orleans and we're on the phone and he looks at his text and he said, "Dad, you know, JJ just text me and asked me if you would be interested in coaching." So, I said, "Well, give him my number and we'll talk." And I knew that he had just accepted a job for the Lakers. So, when the Lakers come calling, you're going to listen, and so I said, "Give him my number." He called me right away and we got into conversation and he talked about his plans for coaching with the Lakers and he talked about the staff that he wanted to put together and he felt that he needed to put together. He felt like he needed some experience, some gray beards on the bench. And he talked about Scotty Brooks uh coming on board but he wanted to reach out to me first.
When R&B singer #Marissa and four-time NBA All-Star #KembaWalker got married earlier this July, they chose the Conservatory at Blackberry Ridge in Trenton, Georgia, as their venue. Getting married in Georgia held special significance for the couple—most of Marissa’s family lives there, and it’s just a short trip from Kemba’s relatives in North Carolina. As such, the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception all took place on the property.
Nikos Galis on playing against Michael Jordan: I remember this game. I was with the Greek national team and Michael Jordan was a young boy at this time. He was playing for North Carolina but he showed signs even at a young age that he was going to be something special. So we played the game. They won. They had a good team that year. They won the NCAA that year on a buzzer beater by Michael. I remember after the game he came up to me, he said into my ear, he said he gave me his hand. He said, "Why are you here? Why aren't you in the NBA?" I said, "Because I love it here in Greece.” You know, I had a chance to go back, but we did something nice. We did something nice here. I was very happy here. I thought about going back. You know, I had a dream like Giannis playing the NBA. But then I said I looked at it realistic and I said, "I want to stay here. I love it here. I want to stay here."
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Chris Paul to retire after next season?
Q. How much longer do you intend to play? Chris Paul: At the most a year, you know, I just finished my 20th season, which is a blessing in itself. Yeah. I've been in the NBA for more than half of my life which is a blessing, but it's definitely, these years you do not get back with your kids, with your family. I'm born and raised in North Carolina, so my granny who watches every single game that I play, every single night, I just those moments, I just don't get to see her and hug her along with all my uncles and aunts as much as I love to. Q. So, okay, at most a year. Chris Paul: Yeah, sure, I’m not gonna lie to you.
Of the eight rejected bids, only two (Houston and Charlotte, N.C.) were backed by NBA team owners. The other six (St. Louis; Kansas City, Mo.; Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; Miami; and Denver) sent proposals without support from NBA ownership. While Miami and Denver have NBA teams, the ownership was not involved in the WNBA bid.
The Stein Line has likewise learned that the Charlotte Hornets also planned to make a run at Paul — who grew up in North Carolina — but have all but conceded internally that the former Wake Forest star will almost certainly decide to stay on the West Coast if he returns for a 21st NBA season.
CAA Co-Head of Basketball and agent Austin Brown notched the coveted first overall pick with Duke F Cooper Flagg heading to the Dallas Mavericks. The agency also dominated the closing eight picks of the draft with selections like North Carolina F Drake Powell (22nd pick), Michigan State G Jase Richardson (25th pick), Ratiopharm Ulm G Ben Saraf (26th pick), Michigan F Danny Wolf (27th pick) and UConn F Liam McNeeley. CAA and Wasserman last tied with the most first-round picks in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Flagg, his family and his representation wanted that major decision settled before he arrived on campus in Durham, N.C., so he could focus on hoops. That meant devising a solution: They’d hear pitches from three select companies, all on the same day, and then pick their future partner once the meetings concluded. “Like a movie,” said Naveen Lokesh, New Balance’s global marketing director of basketball and football, who also spearheaded the company’s pitch to Flagg. “Almost like ‘Air.’”
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Other players who have worked out with the Jazz over the last few weeks includeb Hansen Yang (Qingdao), Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB — withdrawn from draft consideration), Milos Uzan (Houston — withdrawn from draft consideration), Tamar Bates (Missouri), Ethan Taylor (Air Force), Samson Johnson (UConn), Trey Galloway (Indiana), RJ Davis (North Carolina), Sean Pedulla (Ole Miss), RJ Felton (East Carolina), Ian Martinez (Utah St), Deivon Smith (St. John’s), Matthew Murrell (Ole Miss), and Will Richard (Florida).
The former North Carolina star joined the Spurs last summer. In playing all 82 games for a third straight season, Barnes supplied the professionalism and temperament that's defined his reputation. It's a mindset that continued right into the final day of the season when he associated his team with future playoff appearances. “What are you going to do in the off-season and your preparation to get that point, to put yourself in position to be at that point. A lot of people just assume that come October, ‘I'm going to be ready to go,' but this is where the growth happens. October is simply where it's acknowledged. For us, this summer is a big summer to just continue to get better on and off the court.”
Larry Miller, a two-time ACC player of the year for North Carolina and 2022 inductee in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. He was 79. The UNC athletic department said Miller died Sunday in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. No cause of death was given. An athletic department spokesman said Miller was in hospice care and dealing with medical issues for some time. Miller, a native of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, was a star forward on coach Dean Smith's first two Atlantic Coast Conference championship and Final Four teams in 1967 and 1968. He earned first-team All-America honors both seasons and was a consensus pick in 1968 along with UCLA's Lew Alcindor, Houston's Elvin Hayes, LSU's Pete Maravich and Louisville's Wes Unseld.
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