Virgil Villanueva Articles - Page 103

Years after his retirement, Shaquille O’Neal still remains relevant in the game of basketball as an analyst. Back in his playing days, he looked up to the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon. Now, he sees sports pundit Stephen A. Smith as his mentor. Speaking with Brody Miller of The Times-Picayune, O’Neal admitted that he is striving to […]

Sylvester Stallone is the latest to weigh in on the new Kobe Bryant and LeBron James dynamic in Los Angeles. A reporter from TMZ asked Stallone a hypothetical situation wherein there’s only one table left in a restaurant. To whom will he give the last table? The current Lakers superstar in LeBron or the L.A. […]

It wasn’t just fans and analysts who wanted to know more details about the DeMarcus Cousins-Golden State Warriors connection that shocked the basketball world. Players themselves wanted to get an inside scoop. And they contacted Cousins himself to know how the deal went down. Cousins revealed that C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers was […]

Lou Williams of the L.A. Clippers has been crowned Sixth Man of the Year twice in his career. For all his efforts, he got his own signature shoes. As reported by ClutchPoints’ Tomer Azarly, Williams — crowned best reserve in 2015 and 2018 — got his signature Sixth Man of the Year shoes. Check out […]

Does the NBA 2k curse exist or not? The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t believe a single part of it. After being chosen as the video game’s cover athlete, not long after, the player suddenly leaves for another team. This is what the NBA 2k curse is all about. Below are some of the previous covers […]

An NBA 2k clip featuring LeBron James and his son Bronny has surfaced online. The Los Angeles Lakers star himself saw the clip and was blown away by it. Below is the clip as posted by James himself, expressing utter amazement in the creation: As observed, the clip features King James donning the purple and […]

The social media accounts of NBA stars are bombarded with haters and their respective comments. One hater commented on San Antonio Spurs star LaMarcus Aldridge’s Instagram and got a dose of his own medicine. As observed by Quixem Ramirez, a troll outrightly told Aldridge that Kawhi Leonard is better than him. The big man came […]

Dennis Schroder, who was recently sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder via a three-team deal, reacted to the blockbuster news. After the news broke out, the 24-year-old German point guard  posted the photo below on his Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/p/BlbeGyQFdDn/?taken-by=ds17_fg Judging the emoticons he used, the newest member of the Thunder is definitely happy and excited […]

Permanence is a myth in the NBA. Even if you’re the team’s franchise player, the reality is, if the organization sees a greater opportunity, they would be willing to trade you. Ex-NBA player Charlie Villanueva recalled the time when the Toronto Raptors promised to not trade him but was sent to another team the following […]

Despite barely playing last year, Kawhi Leonard — now of the Toronto Raptors — gets a 94 overall rating from NBA 2k19. 9⃣4⃣for @kawhileonard. Who won the trade? #NBA2K19 pic.twitter.com/uEKjkGKpCi — NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 19, 2018 His rating this year is just down once notch. In NBA 2k18, Leonard was given a 95 overall […]

Yahoo is parting ways with NBA insider Shams Charania, the website confirmed. Charania, 24, ends his three-year tenure at Yahoo as its top NBA insider. As reported by Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Yahoo and Charania couldn’t come to terms on a financial agreement. Yahoo admitted that they had decided to walk away […]

A fan combined his knowledge of the girls that guys have dated with that of NBA players, and it created quite a stir on social media. Twitter user @SirYacht posted a hilarious clip showing the possible personalities of the girls you dated and her corresponding NBA player that match these traits. Sir Yacht breezes through […]

With LeBron James now donning the purple and gold, many assume that the Los Angeles Lakers will dominate the league right from the get-go. Magic Johnson, however, has a more realistic view of this year’s Lakers. As reported by Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll, Johnson expects a slow start from the Lakers, noting that […]

LeBron James’ move to the Los Angeles Lakers won’t just create new jerseys and attract new fans, but it will also generate new shoes from Nike. And the shoe company’s vice president is excited about it. Nike VP of innovation Tinker Hatfield hinted that James’ new chapter with the Lakers will produce a whole new […]

Josh Hart is taking his game to the next level. He just hopes that people will see the stark improvement in his game. The Los Angeles Lakers guard revealed that he’s been working on two specific skills this summer: his dribbles and shooting off the dribble. He is hoping that people will notice the work […]

Team USA will be holding a minicamp next week. 35 players are invited to participate but according to reports, some of them will show up for just one day and leave. As reported by Jeff Zillgitt of USA Sports Today: Was told some players on the mini-camp roster will show up for the meeting on […]

The Philadelphia 76ers have officially re-signed forward Amir Johnson. Though details of the deal were not disclosed, according to Matt Haughton of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the contract is reportedly worth the veteran’s minimum of $2.39 million for one year. In a statement, Sixers head coach Brett Brown praised Johnson for his work ethic and leadership. […]

Jabari Parker, the latest addition to the Chicago Bulls, views former MVP Derrick Rose as a hero he looks up to. Despite the misfortunes that have come Rose’s way, Parker still sees him as a legend. “He’s still a hero for a lot of people, including myself,” Parker told ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “And his legacy […]

With adrenaline coursing through his veins after his stellar showing at the Summer League, Los Angeles Lakers guard Josh Hart did some postgame push-ups. Postgame push-ups??!!#NBASummer pic.twitter.com/vSVHmNk95e — NBA Summer League (@NBASummerLeague) July 17, 2018 In their 112-109 double-overtime victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hart finished with 37 points and nine rebounds. The win pushed […]

Isaiah Thomas was a leading MVP candidate just a few years ago. But for the last two years, it seems that fate has been playing a bad joke on him. In just two years, he has jumped from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, and recently, the Denver Nuggets. The transfer from team to team […]

Lonnie Walker, the 18th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, just had his dreams come true. Even before playing his first official NBA game, the 19-year-old is giving back to his hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania — the place where he spent his formative years. As reported by Mike Drago of the Reading Eagle, Walker […]

The Toronto Raptors have opted to waive forward Alfonzo McKinnie, according to a report. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports, the 6-foot-8 forward who signed a multiyear deal with the Raptors last season will be waived by the team. Sources: The Toronto Raptors plan to waive forward Alfonzo McKinnie ahead of $1.4M guarantee date […]

At face value, Isaiah Thomas joining the Denver Nuggets for a minimum deal comes as a surprise. But a closer look at the Nuggets’ staff, especially head coach Mike Malone, reveals that their past might have been a critical factor in the signing. Malone was actually the head coach of Thomas when the 5-foot-9 guard […]

Though LiAngelo Ball wasn’t drafted in the NBA, the journey still continues for 19-year-old. According to his father, LaVar Ball, his son’s stint in the JBA (Junior Basketball Association) is an important component as his journey towards basketball’s biggest stage continues. For the Ball patriarch, there’s nothing wrong with LiAngelo suiting up for a lesser-known […]

Naz Mitrou-Long, a 24-year-old guard out of Iowa State, has signed to a two-way deal with the Utah Jazz. In this year’s Summer League in Las Vegas, Mitrou-Long has suited up for three games, averaging 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. The 6’4 guard actually signed a two-way deal with Utah last season on December […]

The ties between football and basketball remain strong. After winning the world cup, Paul Pogba and Antoine Grizzmann of France gave a special shout out to D’Angelo Russell of the Brooklyn Nets. In the video below, Pogba is seen chilling alongside Griezmann. The two channel their inner D’Angelo Russell as they pointed to their wrists […]

When Rajon Rondo signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, basketball fanatics were quick to wonder: will he take the starting point guard spot from Lonzo Ball? Or will he head to the bench? For the 32-year-old himself, it doesn’t really matter. All he wants is another ring. Many believe that a mini-competition will be held […]

Isaiah Thomas, now of the Denver Nuggets, feels that the league has forgotten that just last year he was considered one of the best players in the entire NBA. But for Danny Ainge, general manager of the Boston Celtics — the team where Thomas solidified his name, the 5’9″ guard did a whole lot for […]

Apart from his basketball skills, Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers has built a reputation of roasting his teammates online. His latest target: Brandom Ingram and his new hairstyle. Via his Twitter account, Kuzma posted a photo of Ingram with a caption alluding to Michael Jackson’s song entitled “Thriller.” “ITS THE THRILLER, THRILLER NIGHT” […]

Basketball stars are big sports fans, too. Upon the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup, where France won against Croatia, NBA stars voiced out their respective reactions on social media. Tony Parker of the Charlotte Hornets, a French native himself, congratulated his country for a job well done: CHAMPIONS DU MONDE !!! 🇫🇷INCROYABLE !!@equipedefrance ⭐️⭐️ […]

The loss of DeAndre Jordan finally signified that the L.A. Clippers are heading to rebuild mode. Head coach Doc Rivers shared his comments on the matter, saying this stage is relatively easy for the team since they haven’t really won anything. Rivers, who coached the Boston Celtics to a title in 2007-2008, was asked about […]

Offensive dynamo Trevon Bluiett has signed a two-way deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. The news was reported first by Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports: Undrafted Xavier forward Trevon Bluiett has agreed to a two-way NBA contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, agent Cervando Tejeda tells Yahoo. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 12, 2018 The […]

The NBA’s one-and-done rule, which means which requires NBA prospects to enter the draft a year removed from their high school graduation, could be done in a matter of years. Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics supports the move, referencing military draft rules to argue for it. Brown said: “I think if you can serve […]

After hanging their jerseys up for good, most NBA players nowadays enter broadcasting, invest in a lucrative business, or go back to the sidelines as part of a coaching staff. Kobe Bryant, however, is taking the seldom-trekked path of being a content-creator. He talked about his upcoming book, written three young-adult novels written by fantasy-genre […]

The Golden State Warriors have won three championships in the last four years. And with the addition of DeMarcus Cousins this summer, they may be on their way to another ring. If this doesn’t spell dynasty, we don’t know what will. Of all the people in the sporting world, Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner, wants the […]

Just two years ago, Isaiah Thomas was a top candidate for the MVP award. The NBA seems to have forgotten about the newly-acquired Denver Nuggets point guard’s capabilities. Therefore, Thomas himself flocked to Instagram to remind all of us of his accomplishments. As observed by Jay King of The Athletic, below are some screenshots of […]

After several skirmishes with trolls online, two-time champion Kevin Durant took his petty talents right in person, right in front of a fan who wanted an autograph. In the video below, the Golden State Warriors star, who’s out in Chicago, apparently tells a father not to let his son follow him around for an autograph. […]

Superstars teaming up with one another has been a trend over the last several years in the NBA. It has triggered some fans to fantasize about their dream scenarios, too. A fan commented that Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving and Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Jimmy Butler would suit up for the New York Knicks in 2019. […]

With 3:27 left in regulation in their game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the San Antonio Spurs’ Lonnie Walker left the game with an ankle injury. Per Jared Greenberg of NBA TV, it was the same ankle which Walker injured in their game against the Utah Jazz. Lonnie Walker has a sprained right ankle and will […]