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NBA stars like Steph Curry and Trae Young are still vying for the last available playoff spots in the league. Who will make it in?

It’s postseason time for the NBA! The 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament starts on Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. Et, and will play out on ESPN and TNT. There are eight total teams left vying for two open spots in each conference, and some big-name players are at risk of missing the rest of the playoffs. You can stream every game of the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament with a subscription to Sling TV.

How to watch 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament When: Starts Tuesday, April 15 TV: ESPN, TNT Stream: Watch with a subscription to Sling TV. From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a Vpn. Everything you need to know about 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament

How to watch 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament

What is the schedule of games?

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For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the NBA has seven scheduled throughout the day. There are even a few superstars, including Anthony Edwards, Ja Morant, Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, and others, being showcased for the national holiday.

NBA on MLK Day tips off with Dallas Mavericks vs. Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday, Jan. 20 starting at 12 p.

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Blink Twice, It Ends With Us, The Umbrella Academy and Borderlands.

The Umbrella Academy premiere

Stars Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher and Justin H. Min walked the carpet at the fourth and final season premiere of their Netflix series on Monday in Los Angeles.

David Castañeda, Elliot Page, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Tom Hopper, Ritu Arya, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher and Justin H. Min It Ends With Us premiere

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Jenny Slate and Hasan Minhaj debuted their big-screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s hit novel in New York City on Tuesday, with support from Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

Brandon Sklenar, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Colleen Hoover and Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Twisters, Fly Me to the Moon and Longlegs.

Fly Me to the Moon premiere

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum walked the carpet on Monday at the New York premiere of their rom-com, set against the backdrop of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum Jamie Erlicht (head of worldwide video, Apple), Greg Berlanti and Tom Rothman (chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group) Twisters premiere

Stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos joined director Lee Isaac Chung at the Los Angeles premiere of their new disaster movie on Thursday, with support from Powell’s dog Brisket.

Glen Powell, Lee Isaac Chung, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos Glen Powell and his dog Brisket Lady in the Lake premiere

Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram debuted their...

The 2023-24 NBA regular season is quite finished, but that just means it’s playoff time! The postseason begins with the NBA Play-In Tournament, which starts on Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. Et on ESPN and TNT. The tournament will decide the final two teams to play for an NBA championship from each conference, and no NBA fan will want to miss names like LeBron James, Steph Curry, Trae Young battling for a chance to compete for a Larry O’Brien trophy! You can watch the tournament with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream.

How to Watch 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament When: Starts Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. Et TV: ESPN, TNT Stream: Watch with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream

Any 2023-24 NBA Play-In games appearing on TNT will be available to stream live on Max.

5-Day Free Trial $79.99 / month directv.com/stream

Subscribe Now and get Max,...

Annually, one of the most entertaining sporting events of the year happens at the NBA All-Star game as the best players in the world step on the court together and collectively decide that defense is optional! Giannis Antetokounmpo will captain the Eastern Conference All-Stars against LeBron James’ Western Conference squad. There will be multiple ways to watch the game on Sunday, Feb. 18. The official broadcast will tip off at 8 p.m. Et on TNT and will be simulcast on TBS and the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On on Max. There will also be an alternate broadcast airing on truTV and the B/R Add-On on Max. You can watch TNT and truTV with a 5-Day Free Trial of Directv Stream. You can also watch with Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, or YouTube TV.

How to Watch 2024 NBA All-Star Game When: Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 8:00 Pm Est TV: TNT, truTV Stream: Watch...

UTA and its strategic partner Klutch continues to be active in the M&a space.

The talent agency’s strategic partner Klutch Sports has acquired Rep 1 Baseball, a full service sports representation agency focused on professional baseball players.

Klutch will form a new division, Klutch Baseball, which will be led by Chris Koras, the current CEO of Rep 1. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We believe in the transformative power of sports, and this move into baseball aligns perfectly with our commitment to excellence, innovation, and best-in-class representation for the world’s most talented athletes,” Klutch CEO and co-head of UTA Sports Rich Paul said in a statement. “The game of baseball has a special place in the hearts of sports fans around the world, and we’re thrilled to extend Klutch’s reach into this sport and to welcome Chris, the team, and their clients to Klutch.”

“Meaningful progress...

A report commissioned by Rover, the pet-sitting website, showed that “Kelce” is the top-trending dog name in America, with a current increase of 135%.

They believed that the Kelce brothers, Travis and Jason, were the likely inspiration for this increase.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end won his second Super Bowl back in February. He also experienced a massive increase in his social media following after Taylor Swift attended his team’s third-week game against the Chicago Bears.

He played against his brother in the Super Bowl and released a documentary about his career this September.

This two-time Super Bowl winner even managed to be a finalist for People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” list.

His brother, on the other hand, was the top choice for this magazine’s “Sexiest Men in Sports” list.

Even the two NBA stars, Nikola Jokic and Trae Young, were also listed among the top-trending dog names,...

Juancho Hernangómez, a real-life NBA player, portrays the fictional character Bo Cruz in the movie Hustle, marking his first acting role. Several NBA stars, including Shaquille O'Neal and Dirk Nowitzki, make appearances in the movie, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. The Hernangómez family has a rich basketball background, with Juancho's older brother, Willy, also playing in the NBA, and his parents and sister having basketball careers as well. They played a role in convincing Juancho to take on the role of Bo Cruz in Hustle.

The Bo Cruz NBA story is at the center of Hustle, as he's a talented international basketball prospect, but was the actor who played Cruz an NBA player? Netflix's 2022 original movie stars Adam Sandler as a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers named Stanley Sugerman. While Adam Sandler is a big audience pull as the Hustle main character, Stanley's story completely revolves...

It’s Michael Imperioli with the steal, as the NBA has enlisted the actor from The Sopranos to hype the league’s first in-season tournament, which begins Nov. 3.

The in-season tournament – borrowed from similar ones in European soccer – is intended to create excitement in the least-exciting part of the regular season. Winning team players will get $500,000 apiece as incentive, which means they may play defense. The teams will wear different uniforms and have different floors to play on.

The initial marketing, released Wednesday, is a nearly 2-minute spot that borrows its theme from the Ocean’s 11 caper film. It features Imperioli narrating how seven players — Anthony Davis, Trae Young, DeMar DeRozan, Julius Randle, Kawhi Leonard, Darius Garland and Draymond Green — plot to steal the NBA Cup.

“We’ve launched what we believe is a comprehensive and engaging program to promote this new tournament,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday. “We...

Bollywood superstar and NBA Brand Ambassador for India Ranveer Singh was seen at the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 for the second consecutive year. A true fan of basketball and the NBA, Ranveer’s energy and passion could be seen both on and off court.

Last year around, Ranveer was seen teaching Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shaquille O’Neal and Trae Young his signature dance moves and bhangra at the games and this year we’re not surprised to see him groove to some desi beats with Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns. He also had his fan-boy moment when he was gifted a signed jersey by Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert.

Ranveer was seen in conversation with owner of the Dallas Mavericks, renowned businessman, and fellow Indiana University alumnus Mark Cuban. In addition, Ranveer shared candid moments with renowned actor Michael B Jordan, former Italian footballer Alessandro Del Piero, NBA Hall of Famer and 2x NBA...

Bollywood superstar and NBA Brand Ambassador for India Ranveer Singh was seen at the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2023 for the second consecutive year. A true fan of basketball and the NBA, Ranveer’s energy and passion could be seen both on and off court.

Last year around, Ranveer was seen teaching Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shaquille O’Neal and Trae Young his signature dance moves and bhangra at the games and this year we’re not surprised to see him groove to some desi beats with Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns. He also had his fan-boy moment when he was gifted a signed jersey by Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert.

Ranveer was seen in conversation with owner of the Dallas Mavericks, renowned businessman, and fellow Indiana University alumnus Mark Cuban. In addition, Ranveer shared candid moments with renowned actor Michael B Jordan, former Italian footballer Alessandro Del Piero, NBA Hall of Famer and 2x NBA...

The world is pulling for Bronny James.

On Tuesday, news broke that NBA star LeBron James’ son was rushed to hospital the day before after suffering cardiac arrest during a basketball workout.

Read More: LeBron James’ Son Bronny Rushed To Hospital After Suffering Cardiac Arrest During Basketball Workout

“Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU,” his family said in a statement.

“We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information,” the statement continued. “LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes.”

On social media, NBA stars, celebrities, sports journalists and...

Vanessa Bryant is carrying on the legacies of her late husband, Kobe, and daughter, Gianna Bryant.

On Friday, she unveiled a revamped basketball court dedicated to the memories of the NBA legend and middle school basketball player — who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 — in California’s Wilson Park.

The Compton court was opened by the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation (Mmsf), in collaboration with BodyArmor — a premium sports drink company. It also features murals of the late father and daughter, including one of them side by side alongside the word “forever.”

Read More: Vanessa Bryant Shares Birthday Tribute To Late Daughter Gigi Bryant: ‘I Love You And Miss You So Much’

Photo: Instagram/ @VanessaBryant

“Los Angeles Thank you for showing up and showing out for our exclusive court reopening at Wilson Park in honour of Kobe and Gianna. Special thanks to artist @sloe_motions for the incredible mural...

After making Shaquille O’Neal dance to the number ‘Khalibali’, Ranveer Singh went on to make another basketball star dance to his number in Abu Dhabi.

Ranveer set the basketball court on fire as he made NBA star Trae Young do bhangra on the number ‘Gallan Goodiyaan’ from his film ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’.

“Trae Paaji naal Bhangra !!! Here’s Ice Trae celebrating his awesome performance with some Gallan Goodiyan! @nba @nbaindia @nbastyle_in @nbaarabic@nbaeurope#NBAinAbuDhabi,” Ranveer captioned the clip.

The Bollywood star was roped in as the Indian brand ambassador for NBA in 2021.

On the acting front, Ranveer will next be seen in Rohit Shetty’s ‘Cirkus’ and in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’ starring Alia Bhatt.

The NBA’s favorite nice guy is now dribbling his way into the hearts of movie fans.

Boban Marjanović, a center on the Dallas Mavericks, stars in the second film of his career with the new Adam Sandler film “Hustle,” now on Netflix. The film follows Sandler’s character, a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, as he discovers and transforms a Spanish player played by Utah Jazz power forward Juancho Hernangomez. Together, they turn the pick-up game hustler into the next NBA superstar. With numerous cameos from NBA players and personalities including Anthony Edwards and Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, the film is a haven for basketball fans.

“It was like, you already know all these people, but now you see them in a movie,” Marjanović told Variety. “It was so cool. The movie is incredible, but really what I like the most was all these guys playing there.”

Marjanović plays...

Adam Sandler, LeBron James and Queen Latifah were met with deafening cheers from hundreds of fans who lined the streets around Westwood’s Regency Village Theatre at the “Hustle” world premiere on Wednesday night.

James produced the Jeremiah Zagar-directed Netflix sports drama which stars Sandler as Stanley “Sugarman” Beren, a washed-up basketball scout who sees a chance for a career comeback when he discovers a phenomenally talented street ball player in Spain.

Spanish professional basketball player and Utah Jazz power forward Juancho Hernangomez made his acting debut in the film, taking on the role of Beren’s protégée, Bo Cruz. The cast also featured numerous past and current NBA stars including Kenny Smith, Trae Young, Kyle Lowry, Anthony Edwards and Seth Curry, among others.

A basketball superfan, Sandler had previously teamed up with NBA legend Kevin Garnett in the 2019 crime thriller “Uncut Gems.” When asked if “Hustle” was just...

Years before “Uncut Gems,” you could see Adam Sandler was a good actor. He’d taken a step out of the ha-ha zone as early as “Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) — and going back as far as “The Wedding Singer” (1998), which he made after only two of his knockabout big-hit farces (“Billy Madison” and “Happy Gilmore”), he was already displaying the desire to add a splash of real-world nuance to his comic antics. And let’s not be snobbish about it: It’s not as if Sandler, in his way, didn’t give a helluva performance in “The Waterboy” (the greatest of his stupido/smart “classics”). That said, his performance in “Uncut Gems” as an addled, self-destructive spieler-chiseler-gambler who works in New York’s Diamond District felt cut from a different gem — it belonged in a Scorsese movie. It was, to me, the best performance of 2019, and from that moment on it was...

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While the Super Bowl and the Beijing Olympics have been exciting, basketball fans have something else to look forward to: The NBA All-Star Game is almost here, pitting 24 of the league’s best ballers against each other.

Taking place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, the 2022 All-Star game sees LeBron James head up the Eastern Conference team and Kevin Durant as the Western Conference team captain.

Below...

The King is not amused.

Lakers forward LeBron James tweaked the NBA today by posting a new version of the “Spider-Man Pointing At Spider-Man” meme on Instagram. The image of the three super-heroes were labled as Covid-19, the flu, and the common cold.

The cryptic message was that the NBA is being a tad too aggressive on its Covid-19 protocols, which have seen some of its biggest names sidelined because of presumed exposure, even if they have not contracted the disease.

The Lakers are currently missing head coach Frank Vogel and players Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Avery Bradley, Malik Monk, and Austin Reaves because of league Covid-19 protocols. Tomorrow, in the Lakers’ big showdown against the Eastern Conference powerhouse the Brooklyn Nets, forward Kevin Durant will not be playing for New York, yet another victim of the league ruling.

The league’s current Covid-19 protocols call for a 10-day quarantine...

Christmas Day is always big for the NBA, but Covid-19 might put coal in the stockings of some of the Association’s top talent this year. A recent wave of the coronavirus has put several marquee players under health and safety protocols, meaning they could miss action on a day when the NBA likes to showcase its best teams and brightest stars. First up, Atlanta Hawks are at Madison Square Garden to face Julius Randle and the New York Knicks on ESPN. Hawks star Trae Young entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will be unavailable. Action then heads to Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, where the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks host Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on ABC. The Bucks could be without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has been sidelined under Covid-19 protocols. Chris Paul (pictured) and the Suns welcome Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors...

Snap has tapped a faction of influencers to serve as mental health advocates in honor of World Mental Health Awareness Day.

The group, called Club Unity, will open up about their own mental health journeys on Snapchat and encourage other young people to do the same, with a focus on increasing support around Bipoc and LGBTQ+ youth.

Club Unity consists of humanitarian and model Halima Aden, musicians Chloe x Halle, Rickey Thompson, basketballer Trae Young, dancer Maddie Ziegler, and creator Yusuf Omar.

In tandem with the formation of Club Unity, Snapchat has also launched a multi-year pact with mental health organization Active Minds, which operates 800 campus chapters across colleges and high schools nationwide. Snapchat will help Active Minds expand to more community colleges and HBCUs, with a goal of reaching more Bipoc and LGBTQ+ students. 

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Julianne Moore is still mad at a pair of obnoxious fans who were right behind her during the May 26 NBA playoff game between her New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks. The duo made national headlines after one of the men spit on Hawks star Trae Young during the game.

While a guest Wednesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Oscar-winning actress talked about the infamous spit game and how angry she was at the pair. Kimmel displayed a photo from the game, which showed the men screaming while she was sitting between her husband and rapper 50 Cent.

“We like to ...

Julianne Moore is still made at a pair of obnoxious fans who were right behind her during the May 26 NBA playoff game between her New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks. The duo made national headlines after one of the men spit on Hawks’ star Trae Young during the game.

While a guest Wednesday on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the Oscar-winning actress talked about the infamous spit game and how angry she was at the pair. Kimmel displayed a photo from the game, which showed the men screaming while she was sitting between her husband and rapper 50 Cent.

“We like to ...

UTA is expanding to Atlanta, billing its full-service presence in the burgeoning entertainment and sports market as a first for any major Hollywood agency.

Klutch Sports Group, as part of the move, will continue to have its NFL representation business based in Atlanta, and enlarge its operations there. UTA bought a stake in Klutch in 2019, bringing LA Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis into the agency fold.

Both UTA and Klutch already have a number of clients in the Atlanta area. The roster ranges from Trae Young, Jalen Johnson and Cam Reddish (all players on the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks) to musical artists 21 Savage and Offset to activist, political figure and author Stacy Abrams.

Atlanta has been expanding as a home for film and TV production, with a number of new soundstages coming online and potentates like Tyler Perry establishing a major footprint. A number of advertising agencies...

Welcome to this week’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have Edge fighting Seth Rollins at Madison Square Garden. That works for me. Brock Lesnar is here…somewhere. Brock Lesnar: Ruth! Let’s f–k! Me: Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Not my butt! SmackDown starts now! Ah! Not the jimmies!

[Author’s Note: Brock Lesnar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a former co-worker, is on this show and if that alarms or upsets you, then viewer discretion is advised]. Match #1: King Nakamura/Big E./Rick Boogs/Rey Mysterio/Dominik Mysterio b. Otis/Bobby Roode/Dolph Ziggler/Sami Zayn/Apollo Crews The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Prior to Big E, The Mysterios, King Nakamura & Rick Boogs’10-Man Tag Team Match against Sami Zayn, Apollo Crews, Otis, Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode, The Master Strategist introduced Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks in order to give his team the edge in the Madison Square Garden showdown. But in the final moments of the action, Young got caught interfering, and the official sent him to the backstage area.

The WWE visited the World’s Greatest Arena Friday and continued to dominate the demo ratings, bringing in a healthy 0.6 on a relatively quiet evening.

This week’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown on Fox was held live at Madison Square Garden in New York, and saw the return of Brock Lesnar and a surprise visit from NBA superstar guard (and notorious Garden “villain”) Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks.

The night was staged in front of a host of big time sports media, including Fox Sports’ Tom Rinaldi and Nick Wright, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg and Omar Raja, Meadowlark Media’s John Skipper and his partner, fashion entrepreneur Carmen Busquets[/link], Barstool Sports CEO Erika Nardini, producer Connor Schell, CAA’s Alan Gold[/link] and Matt Kramer, Roc Nation’s Lori York, and The Volume’s Logan Swaim.

Elsewhere, CBS offered Race Against Time: The CIA and 9/11, a special examining the agency...

Exclusive: Brooklyn-based sports startup Overtime, whose investors include Jeff Bezos, Drake, Alexis Ohanian and more than 25 current and former NBA stars including Trae Young, Devin Booker, Klay Thompson and Pau Gasol, has launched a college athlete creator studio.

Taking advantage of the recent NCAA rule changes that allow college athletes to profit from there name, image and likeness, the content studio has committed $1 million for name, image and likeness deals with male and female athletes across all sports, starting with Space Jam star and USC football player, Ceyair Wright. He stars in a new Overtime series, Dual Threat, that focuses on Wright’s life over the last few months of high school as he prepared for the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy and his transition to college.

The company is in talks with over a dozen other high profile college athletes around creator based content, including short-form and long-form video series and podcasts,...

Ben Platt, Tracee Ellis Ross, Daniel Dae Kim, Lola Kirke, Soko, Jermaine Fowler, Ayo Edebiri and Eric Lange have joined B.J. Novak’s new series, now titled “The Premise.”

Premiering on Sept. 16 on FX on Hulu, the half-hour anthology comes from executive producers Novak and Josh Lesher. The first installment’s five episodes — titled “Social Justice Sex Tape,” “Moment of Silence,” “The Ballad of Jesse Wheeler,” “The Commenter” and “Butt Plug” — cover police brutality, sex, gun violence, social media and more.

Previously announced cast include Lucas Hedges, Kaitlyn Dever, Jon Bernthal, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ed Asner, George Wallace, Boyd Holbrook and Beau Bridges.

View first look images below.

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

Dates

Fuse announced that Season 3 of “Made From Scratch” will premiere on Sept. 15. The unscripted series takes viewers into the homes of artists as they cook their favorite childhood dishes with their families. Season 3 stars Becky G,...

Jimmy Kimmel Live‘s most popular segment is probably Mean Tweets and this time the late-night host tapped NBA players to read out haters’ tweets.

The clip includes everyone from Shaquille O’Neal to Dwight Howard to Grant Hill being forced to confront the unfortunate things basketball fans have said about them online.

“Shaquille O’Neal?” O’Neal reads off Twitter. “More like Shaquille-Hasn’t-Missed a Meal.” He responds, “That’s a good one. Tell your mother, ‘Make my sandwich and be naked when I get there.'”

Lavar Ball reads,...

During an amusing NBA Finals-themed edition of “Mean Tweets” on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” Shaquille O’Neal shut down some fat-shaming with a delightful clap back of his own.

The bit came during a special NBA Finals post-show version of “Kimmel,” guest-hosted by Anthony Anderson. Of course, you know how it works: Celebrities read actual, real-life mean tweets about them, supposedly for the first time, and the laughs come from their reactions.

This edition featured several current and former NBA stars, beginning with Mr. Shaq Diesel himself. You can watch the clip at the top of the page right now, but if you want to read, we’ll transcribe the gags below for you:

Baller: Shaquille O’Neal

Tweet: “Shaquille O’Neal? More like Shaquille-Hasn’t-Missed-a-Meal.”

Shaq’s response: “That’s a good one. Tell your mom to make my sandwich, and be naked when I get there. Hi, mom.”

Baller: Lavar Ball...

TNT cohost Charles Barkley, who once infamously claimed not to be a role model, advocated on Thursday for players to “beat the hell” out of fans.

Speaking on the Inside the NBA show on TNT, Barkley was responding to recent reports of bad fan behavior. The incidents included a fan dumping popcorn on Washington Wizards player Russell Westbrook and another spitting at Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young.

Barkley said that the National Basketball Assn. needs a rule change that would allow players to retaliate against one fan per game.

“Y’all guys always get mad when I say what NBA rule I would change,” Barkley said. “I think you should be able to go up in the stands and beat the hell out of one person per game.”

“I can’t see why that didn’t take hold,” Barkley’s co-host Ernie Johnson replied.

“You don’t think that guy...

Brooklyn-based sports startup Overtime has raised $80 million in Series C funding from investors including Bezos Expeditions (the personal investment company of Jeff Bezos), Drake and more than 25 current and former NBA stars including Trae Young, Devin Booker, Klay Thompson and Pau Gasol.

In total, Overtime, which was founded in 2016, has now raised more than $140 million in funding.

It also has 50 million social media followers and crosses verticals from content to e-commerce, its sports app, and live events. It said the fresh funds will go in part to develop new basketball league Ote (Overtime Elite), guaranteeing salaries for athletes and hiring a staff 80 league employees to launch an inaugural season in September.

The funding round was led by return investors Sapphire Sport and Black Capital along with Micromanagement Ventures (the family of the late David Stern), Alexis Ohanian, Jeff Kearl (via Pelion Capital), Morgan Stanley Counterpoint Global and Blackstone Strategic Partners.

LeBron James said his emerging political nonprofit More Than a Vote has a lot more activity ahead of it beyond 2020.

“We didn’t want this to just be a one-off. Everyone heard about the election and we knew how important that was. But we’re not a one-off group and we’re not a one-off team,” he said Wednesday at the New York Times DealBook Online Summit. “The fight isn’t over. The fight is still there, and we know that, especially in the Black community. We’re fighting every day to be heard, to be respected, and to be inspired.”

Appearing alongside James was Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. The NAACP and More Than a Vote both worked to secure safe voting options despite Covid-19 as well as providing voters, especially in minority communities, with information and encouragement.

Along with the coronavirus,...

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who once was infamously told to “shut up and dribble” when he talked about politics, is now stepping into the topic in a major way. Along with several other entertainment stars and prominent athletes, he is forming a new political action group aimed at protecting African-Americans’ voting rights and encouraging them to turn out to vote.

The “More Than a Vote” organization will focus on African-American voter registration and ballot casting in November’s elections. Already enlisted in the cause are actor Kevin Hart and basketball stars Trae Young, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jalen Rose, Draymond Green, and Udonis Haslem, as well as NFL running back Alvin Kamara. James reportedly is also attempting to recruit prominent musicians.

“Because of everything that’s going on, people are finally starting to listen to us — we feel like we’re finally getting a foot in the door,” James said to the New York Times.

A world starved for sports and gamblers needing some action are getting an old playground reliable to fill the need for entertainment, competition and stimulation during the pandemic.

The NBA and ESPN are staging a televised H.O.R.S.E shooting competition featuring some top pro talents working out of their own home courts. Slated to go head-to-head are Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, retired Wnba star and 2020 Hall of Fame inductee Tamika Catchings, Chicago Bulls guard Zach Lavine, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr., three-time Wnba All-Star Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky, and NBA Finals MVPs Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce are among the ballers.

More from DeadlinePresident Donald Trump Holds Phone Call With Sports Czars As Rumors Swirl Over Seasons Ending And Possibly CancelledESPN's Patrick McEnroe Tests Positive For CoronavirusESPN Moves Air Date Of Michael Jordan Docu-Series...

With major league sports all sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic, ESPN will fill at least a bit of airtime with the first-ever NBA Horse Challenge Presented by State Farm.

Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and newly elected Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings headline the list of NBA and Wnba players and legends who will participate in the new competition, with Chicago Bulls guard Zach Lavine, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr., three-time Wnba All-Star Allie Quigley and NBA Finals MVPs Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce rounding out the field.

More from TVLineVanessa...

ESPN will televise its first live sports competition since the coronavirus pandemic shut down both the NBA and NHL seasons and delayed the start of baseball next week, and it features NBA and Wnba All-Star players playing a good old fashioned game of Horse.

The network and the NBA are working together on televising the “NBA Horse Challenge Presented by State Farm,” a competition featuring NBA players like Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, Zach Lavine of the Chicago Bulls, and the Wnba’s Tamika Catchings, along with other Wnba and NBA alums. The NBA season currently remains on hold amid the spread of the Covid-19 disease.

The two-day event begins Sunday, April 12 at 7 p.m. Et. The players, which also include Wnba All-Star Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky, Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr., NBA Finals MVPs Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce,...

The NBA season has been suspended, but ESPN and the league have figured out a different way to present live basketball to fans.

The Disney-owned sports-media giant sad it would present a tournament built out of a game of Horse and present it on its flagship cable network as well as its streaming mobile app starting on April 12.

Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and Tamika Catchings will take part, along with Zach Lavine of the Chicago Bulls, Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky, Mike Conley Jr. of the Utah Jazz, and Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce. They will match shots against one another in a single-elimination competition from their own isolated home courts. Mark Jones, an ESPN NBA commentator, will serve as host, and insurer State Farm will be the presenting sponsor of the event.

ESPN launches the event as it scrambles to fill its schedule,...

Exclusive: WarnerMedia-owned Bleacher Report has renewed digital series Take it There with Taylor Rooks for a second season.

The show, which streams on YouTube and on the Bleacher Report site and app, featured sit-downs with NBA players Jimmy Butler and Damian Lilllard and NFL running back Saquon Barkley.

Season 2, which premieres February 12, will feature interviews with NBA stars Kevin Durant, Trae Young and Chris Paul.

The most popular episode of the show’s first season featured Ja Morant. Then a top college player at Murray State, Morant is now a breakout rookie with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. It had 3 million total video views and nearly 300,000 social engagements.

Interviews on the show often feature behind-the-scenes elements like players’ homes, back yards or basketball courts, mixing in personal and lifestyle topics along with straightforward sports themes. On the episode featuring Morant, he and Rooks hit golf balls at a Florida driving range,...

In today’s TV news roundup, Quibi has greenlit a new series from Cam Newton and Netflix released the trailer for “John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch.”

Dates

Season 2 of “Narcos: Mexico” will premiere on Netflix on Feb. 13. Diego Luna returns as Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (“Félix”), the leader of the Guadalajara cartel, one of the biggest narcos in the history of Mexico and the founder of the modern Mexican drug trade. Joined by Scoot McNairy who plays Walt Breslin, a hardened DEA agent whose methods aren’t always by the book, season 2 promises to detail the missteps, ill-conceived agendas, and corruption on both sides of the border that have lead to a dangerous present in the failed war on drugs. “Narcos: Mexico” is produced by Gaumont Television. Eric Newman is showrunner and executive producer alongside José Padilha, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard and Andi Baiz. View some of the first look photos below.

The 2019 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards was filled with incredible athletes, inspiring moments and — of course — a massive amount of slime.

“I love the kids. I love the slime. I loved the games. I love seeing celebrities and athletes like become kids again. And it’s like my favorite thing,” Michael Strahan told Variety walking the orange carpet at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica with his own kids, twin daughters Isabella and Sophia, before the show.

The retired football player-turned TV personality has served as the executive producer for the awards since 2014 and returned to host for the second year in a row. Onstage, the Super Bowl winner kept the show light, mixing a good helping of comedy with a series of challenges including a dance battle, obstacle courses, and an extreme pillow fight — which divided up athletes and celebrities into competing teams led by retired NFL star Rob Gronkowski...

ESPN announced the nominees for the 2019 Espy Awards on Wednesday morning, with Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, Simone Biles and Alexander Ovechkin among the pro athletes in the running.

Zion Williamson, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night, was nominated for Best College Athlete — as expected.

Hosted by Tracy Morgan, the Espys will broadcast live on ABC on Wednesday, July 10, at 8 p.m. Et from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Fans can vote for nominees at Espys.com until the show starts.

Also Read: Tracy Morgan to Host 2019 Espys

For the first time ever, all the nominees for Best Male Athlete — Patrick Mahomes, Mookie Betts, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooks Koepka — are rookies to the category.

Meanwhile, Alex Morgan, Breanna Stewart, Simone Biles and Mikaela Shiffrin compete for Best Female Athlete.

As always, the 2019 Espys will also showcase the achievements of inspiring and courageous...

Well, That didn't take long!! Less than 24 hours after LeBron James lifted his social media ban on his oldest son ... Bronny James has 1 Million followers on Instagram. The 14-year-old heir to the throne was welcomed to Ig with a big shout-out from his daddy Monday afternoon ... as well as a warning shot to all trolls: "Told him 3 years ago the summer of 2019 I’d let you him get one," Bron said. "Damn time flies! Hahaha!

Here's the best Rookie of the Year trophy ever ... Quavo hooked up NBA star Trae Young with a custom diamond chain for his huge 1st season in the league -- and the bling is awesome!!! "Welcome to the A," the rap star told Young as he presented the jewelry.  Trae killed it for the Atlanta Hawks this year ... averaging 19.1 points and 8.1 assists per game in 81 starts -- and to show his thanks, Migos' Atlanta superfan got him some ice.

So, where Is the ideal landing spot for the Duke beast? Jay tells us that's with the Hawks. "It would be kind of dope to see him in Atl with Trae Young," Williams says. Of course, Zion doesn't have much of a choice -- he's expected to be the top pick in June's NBA Draft either way -- so, better hope the ping pong balls land the right way!!! By the way, when it comes...

The Atlanta Hawks didn't spend New Year's Day in bed trying to shake a hangover -- they visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. ... and TMZ Sports has the video.  The team traveled to D.C. to play the Washington Wizards on Wednesday -- but 24 hours before stepping on the court, the team got on a bus and hit up the museum.  Players like Trae Young and DeAndre' Bembry took the...

Remember how Stoked Trae Young was to get his brand-new, $138,000 Audi back in July?? Well ... it took his new Atlanta Hawks teammates only a few months to kill his chill -- 'cause they Just Stuffed It With A Boatload Of Popcorn!!! Jeremy Lin documented it all on social media ... showing the Atlanta rookie's new custom Audi R8 packed to the brim with the buttery stuff. Trae wasn't the only victim Friday ... fellow rookie Omari Spellman...

In today’s TV News Roundup, YouTube Originals releases the trailer for comedy series “Champaign Ill.”

First Looks

YouTube Premium has released the first trailer for the new series “Champaign Ill,” a comedy debuting on Dec. 12. Starring Adam Pally (“Happy Endings,” “The Mindy Project”), Sam Richardson (“Veep,” “Detroiters”) and guest starring Jay Pharoah (“Saturday Night Live,” “Ride Along”), the 10 episode series follows the struggle of a two-man entourage left in the dust and out of the limelight after their friend, a successful rapper, dies unexpectedly.

Dates

Epix has changed the premiere date for season three of “Berlin Station,” the original spy series from Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. The new air date is set for Sunday, Dec. 2 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt on Epix. Season three occurs over the course of 11 days as Chief of Station Valerie Edwards (Michelle Forbes) navigates a high-stakes relationship between Russia, the United States, and Nato allies.

Trae Young bought a new car ... and as the NBA's newest star -- he spared no expense on the whip -- dropping over $138k on it!! The Atlanta Hawks' top draft pick showed off the ride -- an Audi R8 -- over the weekend ... as it arrived to pick him up from the airport with his folks. "My First Purchased Car for myself is here!!!" Trae wrote on social media. "My parents Surprised me with it.