Paolo Mariano Articles - Page 35

Kendrick Nunn is one of the new faces of the Los Angeles Lakers but it looks like he won’t be having too much difficulty adjusting to the squad. The athletic guard is expected to play a major role off the bench for the Lakers, especially since he’s one of the team’s few young guys. Lucky […]

Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving played together for a grand total of eight games for the Brooklyn Nets last season. That’s like watching the Beastie Boys magically reunite (come back to us, Adam Yauch!) but only for two songs. The injury bug was a huge factor in the lack of floor time for […]

After a one-year cool-off, Dwight Howard is back with the Los Angeles Lakers and it has become quite clear that he will continue to take on a leadership role. Howard, who finally won an NBA title with the Lakers two seasons ago, will find himself with a bunch of new teammates, as the roster got […]

The New York Knicks are looking to build on their momentum from last season after making a rousing return to the NBA Playoffs. Although they came up empty in the first round, it’s clear that the Knicks are headed in the right direction. With the acquisition of Kemba Walker, the Knicks addressed their need for […]

In an alternate universe, JR Smith, already out of the NBA, is finally getting a college degree and seriously participating in class. Oh wait, it’s actually happening already. Yes, Smith is giving it the old college try as he’s now a student-athlete for North Carolina A&T after being named to the school’s golf team. The […]

Former NFL star Clinton Portis finds himself in hot water anew after a warrant of arrest has been issued on him. He is wanted by authorities for allegedly refusing to pay child support for several years now. According to reports, was ordered to pay $1,937 a month to the mother of their six-year-old child. Because […]

LaMelo Ball just turned 20 years old. Yes, some people might forget that he’s not even allowed to drink alcohol yet. That’s how impressive he has been in his first year in the NBA. The reigning Rookie of the Year has helped transform the Charlotte Hornets into one of the more exciting teams in the […]

Trae Young proved a lot of doubters wrong last season as he led the unheralded Atlanta Hawks to a deep run in the NBA Playoffs. It has been quite evident that Young is a man on a mission, and with the new season still a few weeks away, the fiery playmaker is already grinding it […]

It’s no secret that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is nicknamed The King. He even refers to it himself. Which doesn’t sit well with some of his haters. And by some, we mean millions of them. Many LeBron naysayers have claimed that LBJ christened himself The King, and it’s almost a mortal sin to […]

Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook has already achieved a childhood dream in his hometown even before suiting up for the Purple and Gold. Westbrook threw the first pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday and he was absolutely ecstatic about his latest memorable moment. He posed for dozens of pictures with family members, […]

At this point of his career, LeBron James can only be fully motivated by one person: LeBron James. LeBron has heard it all. The praises, the invectives, the comparisons, the hairline jokes, and of course, JR Smith’s drunken diatribes. But kidding aside, The King previously said he doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore. […]

With the Golden State Warriors making moves in the NBA offseason to get more help for Stephen Curry, the remaining roster spots are quickly thinning down. Young guard Gary Payton II is one of the guys battling for a slot and he’s been solid so far in the NBA Summer League. He joined the Warriors […]

Somewhere out there, Kevin Durant is on his burner account on Twitter, proclaiming the Brooklyn Nets will be the team to beat this coming NBA season. Especially after the Nets escaped with a nail-biting win against the Washington Wizards in double overtime, 84-81 on Thursday in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Rookie forward […]

Another day, another zero update on Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers star is still one of the coveted stars in the NBA offseason, as many believe he’s going to jump ship to another team. The Golden State Warriors are one of the squads reportedly at the forefront of trying to acquire Simmons, who has cut […]

Veteran forward Trevor Ariza is excited for his second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. He had somewhat of a bitter exit with the team after they couldn’t come to terms with an extension deal following the Lakers’ 2009 title run. Ariza was highly integral in that Lakers championship, providing ample support to Kobe Bryant, […]

Errol Spence Jr. was disheartened when he announced that had to pull out of his fight with Manny Pacquiao due to an eye injury. Spence and Pacquiao were supposed to trade blows in August for the WBC and IBF welterweight belts. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. At least for now. Replacing Spence is […]

Dennis Schroder found himself in the middle of a maelstrom of hate after he flubbed his extension negotiations with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, he was forced to sign a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics for the bargain price of $5.9 million. While everything feels like a lost situation for Schroder, he found valuable […]

Finally, Dennis Schroder has a team. After overplaying his cards with the Los Angeles Lakers, Schroder has agreed to a much cheaper deal with the Boston Celtics. In what could only be viewed as a minor tragedy, Schroder now finds himself in an awkward situation. He found himself as the odd-man out with the Lakers […]

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan punished a lot of opposing players during his illustrious NBA career. But perhaps, more memorably, he also tortured his teammates. Longtime NBA fans are already properly aware of Jordan’s physical confrontations with the Bulls’ second unit guys like Steve Kerr and Will Purdue. But arguably, the Bulls player who Jordan […]

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon continues her quest to land a top tactician position in the NBA. While she was given interviews in the past, she ultimately didn’t get the job. Hammon has already blazed the trail for other female coaches hoping to enter the NBA. But clearly, the dream is to be […]

Luka Doncic secured another bag as he officially signed a five-year extension with the Dallas Mavericks worth a whopping $207 million. According to various reports, Doncic said there was zero doubt that he would extend his stay with the Mavericks. There’s no denying that Doncic is now the face of the Mavericks and arguably, even […]

The New York Knicks are one of the teams highly interested in acquiring the services of Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard if he asks for a trade. The Knicks were also tied to rumors linking Kevin Durant before he eventually chose the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets. While Lillard and Durant aren’t in Knicks uniforms, […]

In an early battle of this year’s top picks, no.2 was better than no. 1. Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets defeated Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday in the NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The game was certainly hyped even before tip-off, as it was […]

Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain sent shockwaves throughout the football world. Now, it appears he has placed Paris at a standstill. Or at least that’s what a TikTok video says. Messi arrived in Paris on Tuesday and one fan caught an insane scene on video. Several all-black SUVs roared through an empty […]

The New York Knicks made a strong move in the offseason by acquiring Kemba Walker. While some might view it as a risk, considering Walker is coming off a mediocre, injury-riddled season with the Boston Celtics, the prolific playmaker can definitely do wonders for the Knicks. In fact, even before playing a second in the […]

Before Stephen Curry, there was Monta Ellis for the Golden State Warriors. He was highly instrumental in the We Believe run and in the years after that. Unfortunately for Ellis, the arrival of Curry made him dispensable and he was eased out of the Warriors. He had productive stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas […]

Kyle Lowry is now ready to get to work with the Miami Heat after agreeing to a three-year deal worth $85 million. Lowry still chose the Heat despite a $90 million dollar offer from the Dallas Mavericks because he wants to play with good friend Jimmy Butler. The Heat were already hotly pursuing Lowry during […]

Isaiah Thomas continues to audition for a roster spot in the NBA. Just in case you were too busy watching videos of kittens on YouTube, Thomas recently dropped a Kobe Bryant-esque 81 points in an exhibition game in Seattle. Pretty impressive for sure. As expected, this prompted fans to dream of a possible reunion of […]

The New York Knicks aren’t done making moves in the offseason. After their inspiring run last NBA season, the Knicks are banking on their renaissance to carry over to the next campaign. Adding All-Star point guard Kemba Walker was a solid move for the Knicks, as they quickly addressed their PG need. Now, Walker will […]

The NBA Summer League is well underway and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is watching it closely. But apparently, he’s also closely watching his weight. And somehow, his colleague Richard Jefferson got dragged into the metabolic matter. On ESPN’s The Jump, Perkins addressed something during what seems like the tail-end of the show on Monday. Seated […]

With the Tokyo Olympics in the books, Damian Lillard can return his focus on his future in the NBA. As of now, he’s still a member of the Portland Trail Blazers. But of course, rumors have been ripe over the past few months that he could land elsewhere in the offseason. Lillard is arguably the […]

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James sure knows how it feels like to win a gold medal in the Olympics. After all, he has already taken home two of them from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics. That’s why he fully enjoyed the video of Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and the rest […]

Many thought it would never come. But Lionel Messi is now out of Barcelona. What seemed an impossible thought has become a difficult reality. With him moving to Paris Saint-Germain, Messi’s iconic no. 10 with the Catalans is now up for grabs. But while it’s fair to assume that some are not willing to use […]

Star quarterback Baker Mayfield led the Cleveland Browns in a breakthrough campaign last season, steering the erstwhile doormat squad to the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2002. For perspective, the last time the Browns made it to the postseason, Mayfield was only seven years. So it’s only logical for him to get a […]

Luka Doncic and Slovenia suffered a devastating loss in the semifinals in the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday after France escaped, 90-89. Les Blues marched on to the gold medal against Team USA, while Doncic and company have been relegated to the bronze medal game against Australia. Slovenia had the chance to take the historic win, […]

The testy relationship between Vanessa Bryant and her mother looks like it’s going to be patched up. Or so it seems. According to various reports, Vanessa has settled a lawsuit filed by her mother, Sofia Lane. The terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. In what could only be viewed as an unfortunate family fallout, Lane […]

Since entering the NBA in 2017, Kyle Kuzma has been one of those young players who have the tools to make it big. Fully harnessing his talents, however, has been a problem for Kuzma, who’s always been chided for his inconsistency. After another mediocre stint with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, a change of […]

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards is going to be a problem for many years to come. After a so-so start to his NBA career, he picked it up in the second half of last season, making highlight after highlight. He narrowly lost to Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball for Rookie of the Year, and many […]

New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson has pronounced Tampa Bay Buccaneers alpha dog Tom Brady as the greatest player in NFL history. But for Wilson, that’s not the biggest thing about the GOAT. The Jets neophyte said he has a more personal connection with Brady. Because incidentally, they share the same birthday: August 3. […]