Portland Trail Blazers e Memphis Grizzlies se encontram na noite desta quinta-feira (29) em duelo válido pela NBA. O confronto acontece a partir das 23h (horário de Brasília), no Portland Moda Center, em Portland, no estado do Oregon, nos Estados Unidos.
As duas franquias integram a Conferência Oeste e representam mercados com histórico consolidado no basquete norte-americano.
O duelo entre as duas equipes promete mais um capítulo da disputa entre franquias da Conferência Oeste, sempre marcada pela competitividade e pela busca por espaço entre as melhores da liga.
Os textos gerados por Inteligência Artificial na CNN Brasil são feitos com base em informações apuradas e checadas por jornalistas. Clique aqui para saber mais
Atlanta Hawks e Cleveland Cavaliers se encontram nesta quinta-feira (29), a partir das 21h (horário de Brasília), no Atlanta State Farm Arena, em Atlanta, na Geórgia, em duelo válido pela NBA.
A partida coloca frente a frente duas franquias tradicionais da Conferência Leste, cada uma com sua própria identidade histórica dentro do basquete norte-americano.
Os textos gerados por Inteligência Artificial na CNN Brasil são feitos com base em informações apuradas e checadas por jornalistas. Clique aqui para saber mais
Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream kept their championship hopes alive Thursday. Perhaps more importantly, they spared the WNBA a title celebration in the middle of a workday.
The Dream beat the Golden State Valkyries 80-69 at State Farm Arena, evening the best-of-seven Finals at 3-3 and forcing a deciding game Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Reese struggled to shoot the ball for a third consecutive game, finishing with 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting. She grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out six assists but also committed six turnovers.
That made it three straight games with more turnovers than made field goals for the Dream star. Across Games 4, 5 and 6, Reese shot 9-for-38 from the floor (24%) and turned the ball over 15 times.
This time, Atlanta had enough offense around her. Allisha Gray scored 23 points and Rhyne Howard added 21, combining to make nine of their 13 three-point attempts.
Their shooting also ensured that the WNBA’s championship would be decided in prime time.
The league moved Game 6 from its originally scheduled 8 p.m. start to 12:30 p.m. Thursday to accommodate an arena doubleheader with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, who were hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers that night. Golden State fans back home had to tune in at 9:30 a.m. to watch their team try to win its first title.
There had also been questions about where the Valkyries would celebrate if they won.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that a championship celebration could be moved to a practice court to accommodate preparations for the Hawks game. She later clarified that there was "a resolve" to make sure any championship won Thursday was celebrated on the court.
But that sounded an awful lot like damage control from the WNBA. Winning a championship and then moving the celebration to a practice court because the NBA needed the floor would have been a terrible look for the league.
Atlanta’s win made the issue moot.
The crowd deserved credit for showing up under the circumstances. State Farm Arena was largely filled for a Thursday afternoon, although there were more empty seats and the building was quieter at the start than it had been for Games 3 and 4.
Fans who spoke with OutKick outside the arena described taking time off work, pulling children out of school and difficult travel times to attend. Tiffany Hayes’ father, Renard Hayes, blamed the league and Atlanta for the scheduling predicament.
Before tipoff, both teams again left the court for the national anthem, this time performed by rapper T.I.’s 10-year-old daughter, Heiress Harris. It was their sixth consecutive absence during the Finals.
Once the game began, Atlanta quickly took control.
The Dream made six of their eight first-quarter three-point attempts and built a 32-15 lead. Reese made only one of her four shots in the period, but contributed four assists, including passes that set up three of Atlanta’s threes.
Atlanta pushed its advantage to 25 points in the second quarter and took a 46-26 lead into halftime.
Golden State narrowed the deficit in the third, but Atlanta still led 63-47 entering the fourth.
Reese scored five points in the final period, making a driving layup and a three-pointer with Atlanta already leading by double digits. She finished 2-for-8 from beyond the arc.
The Valkyries eventually got within eight. Gabby Williams completed a three-point play with 1:15 remaining, cutting Atlanta’s lead to 77-69 and fouling Howard out of the game.
Gray answered on the next possession, making a three-pointer off a Reese assist with 56 seconds left. That restored Atlanta’s double-digit lead and provided the final points of the afternoon.
Gray finished 8-for-12 from the field and 5-for-7 from three. Howard made four of her six three-point attempts, while Atlanta went 13-for-30 as a team.
Williams led Golden State with 26 points but shot 8-for-22. The Valkyries made just 22 of their 70 field-goal attempts.
Kiah Stokes, whose defense had been a major factor throughout the series, went scoreless and failed to block a shot in 20 minutes. That ended her streak of six consecutive playoff games with at least three blocks.
Reese and the Dream head to San Francisco for Game 7, with both franchises one win from their first championship.
Sophie Cunningham says the FBI is watching around 20 people over concerns about her safety. The Indiana Fever star has also spoken about stalking and WNBA security.
Washington, 29 oct (Prensa Latina) Sacramento Kings y New Orleans Pelicans buscarán hoy su primera victoria de la temporada en el baloncesto profesional estadounidense (NBA), cuando se enfrenten en el Smoothie King Center después de encadenar cuatro derrotas por bando.
Charles Barkley did not appreciate seeing LeBron James practicing his golf swing on the court during the middle of the national anthem ahead of his Philadelphia 76ers debut earlier this month.
President Donald Trump blasted James after the incident, calling him a "total disgrace," and while Barkley made it a point to say he doesn't care what the President has to say about anything, the two see eye to eye when it comes to James disrespecting the anthem.
"I don’t pay what President Trump says any attention, first and foremost, at all," Barkley began when asked about the moment on SiriusXM NBA Radio. "But I thought that was very disrespectful, practicing your golf swing in the middle of the anthem. I always stand for the anthem. I just think it’s important. We live in the greatest country ever where you can always protest, but I think you have to be very careful with the anthem."
While Barkley mentioned always being allowed to protest, it doesn't appear that James was protesting anything in this instance, but instead simply not being able to stand still and disrespecting the anthem in the process.
"I look at it, I'm supporting the troops when I stand for the national anthem," Barkley continued. "I'm standing there for free speech, so even though I believe in free speech, I think you have to be very careful with the anthem. I always stand for the anthem. I think it's important, and I think it's significant."
James' faux golf swings in the middle of the anthem have understandably drawn attention and criticism, but perhaps the most disrespectful stunt he's pulled during 'The Star-Spangled Banner' came back in 2023.
As a late arrival to his courtside seats at USC to watch his son, Bronny James, play for the Trojans, LeBron made his entrance during the middle of the anthem, with a hat on, and sat in his seat while the rest of the arena was standing and showing respect to the United States.
Heiress Harris, the 10-year-old daughter of rapper T.I., sang the national anthem before Thursday's Game 6 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. But, as has been the case all series, the players weren't on the court for the performance.
Both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries left the floor just before the young Black singer began "The Star-Spangled Banner," marking their sixth straight absence for the anthem in this series.
OutKick interviewed fans outside State Farm Arena prior to Game 6. They offered different views on the practice, with some wanting players on the floor and others defending their choice to leave.
One defender of the practice was the father of Golden State guard Tiffany Hayes.
"This is America, by the way, and I’ve served this country, so they can choose what they want," Renard Hayes told OutKick.
Asked whether, as a veteran, he had an issue with the absences, he said he did not.
"I don’t have an issue with it because it’s not a disrespect of the flag," he said.
Hayes’ father, who said he lives in Florida, had criticized the game’s 12:30 p.m. start, blaming the league and Atlanta organization for the scheduling situation. On the anthem, however, he defended the players’ freedom to decide.
The game was moved from its originally scheduled 8 p.m. start to accommodate a doubleheader with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Golden State entered Thursday leading the best-of-seven series 3–2 after winning Monday’s Game 5, 64–55, with a chance to clinch its first championship.
Some fans want players on the court, while others defend their choice
One Dream fan told OutKick she believed everyone should stand for the national anthem.
A male Valkyries fan said he respected the players’ opinions and beliefs but wanted them on the floor.
"They’ve been doing it for years," another Dream fan said. "And that’s their choice. It is what it is."
A woman who said she represents Valkyries center Kiah Stokes offered a similar view.
"I think it’s their decision," the representative said.
For one man attending with a female Dream fan, the question was more complicated. Asked whether he considered the absences disrespectful, he said, "Me personally, maybe a little bit."
"But it doesn’t concern me that much either," he added. "Not particularly bothered by it."
Another Dream fan attending with his family said he respected the anthem and the players’ ability to decide whether to participate.
"But we live in a country where you have a choice, so I gotta respect it," he said.
Players and coaches say skipping anthem is a pregame routine
During media availability in Atlanta on Oct. 23, Golden State coach Natalie Nakase described the absences as part of the team’s pregame routine.
Those interviews were OutKick’s first opportunity to ask the anthem questions directly after attending all 13 formal press conferences during the first three games without being called on.
"We’re two years in," Nakase said. "That’s been part of our pregame."
Asked who established the routine and why, she said, "I really don’t know."
OutKick followed up: "What do you do during those 90 seconds that you’re off the court?"
"I’m with my staff, so I’m focused on my plays," Nakase said.
Golden State’s public relations staff then moved to the next reporter. OutKick did not get an opportunity to ask why those preparations needed to happen during the anthem rather than before or afterward.
Valkyries forward Gabby Williams denied that the team’s absence was a protest.
"No," she said.
Asked why the team was off the floor, Williams responded: "That’s been the routine for like, seven years now."
An Atlanta public relations representative moved to the next question after Dream coach Karl Smesko declined to explain his team’s absences.
"We’re just kind of focused on the Finals," Smesko said.
Asked whether he had any further comment about the anthem and his team’s absences, he said, "No."
Howard said she did not think she had been on the court for the anthem at any point during her tenure in Atlanta. She also defended her commitment to representing the United States internationally.
"When I go put on USA jersey I’m out for the national anthem every time, there’s no doubt about it," Howard said.
OutKick asked Howard why she was not on the court for the anthem with the Dream.
Howard and an Atlanta public relations representative both responded, "Next question."
The WNBA’s 2026 official rulebook says players, coaches and trainers are to "stand and line up in a dignified posture" along the sidelines or on the foul line during the national anthem.
The Associated Press reported Oct. 20 that the league suspended its anthem protocols in 2017. The provision remains in the 2026 rulebook.
OutKick has asked the WNBA to clarify its current requirements and enforcement, whether discipline is planned or under consideration, and whether teams have received instructions about being on the floor.
The inquiries to the WNBA and both teams began after Game 1 on Oct. 17, with follow-ups Oct. 18 and Oct. 20. OutKick also contacted the NBA league office on Oct. 20 about its role in the matter.
OutKick has also asked Atlanta to confirm an arena employee’s account that Dream players stand in a hallway after leaving the floor before games, including whether they remain there during the anthem.
During Game 4, I attempted to observe what Atlanta’s players do after leaving the court. Arena staff said my credential did not grant access to that area and escorted me to my assigned media seat.
The WNBA, NBA and both teams’ front offices have not responded to OutKick’s emailed requests for comment about the anthem absences. The player and coach responses came during media availability.
Six games into the Finals, fans disagree about whether the players should be on the court for the anthem. The teams still haven’t explained why their preparations require leaving it.
Ernie Johnson will retire as host of "Inside the NBA" after the season, the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer announced in a social media video on Wednesday.
Johnson, 70, will continue covering the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for CBS and Turner Sports.
The announcement generated two separate discussions across the industry. One about Johnson’s legacy. The other concerns the obvious. His departure creates an opening on one of the most prestigious and popular shows in sports media.
Speaking to sources Wednesday, no one was confident in who would succeed Johnson just yet. For one, "Inside the NBA" remains a TNT production, despite moving to ESPN airwaves last season. Skydance Corporation, which owns TNT and CBS, controls the show. ESPN does not.
That said, ESPN will likely influence the decision. Malika Andrews, ESPN’s current NBA host, is a plausible candidate.
Andrews hosted the network’s NBA Finals coverage before the deal with "Inside the NBA." She currently hosts ESPN’s daily basketball show, "NBA Today," and its pregame show, "NBA Countdown."
The question is whether Andrews can preserve the show’s signature off-the-cuff identity. She has struggled in the past when covering topics involving serious issues.
She previously teared up on set while discussing the Supreme Court’s decision to return abortion laws to the states and falsely claimed that the Constitution prohibits doing so. It does not. Andrews also made false claims about Kyle Rittenhouse carrying weapons across state lines. Not ideal.
Adam Lefkoe is the other candidate frequently mentioned by sources. Lefkoe is a TNT employee who previously hosted a Tuesday edition of "Inside the NBA" and has filled in for Johnson in recent years. He also has a rapport with Shaquille O’Neal, who will remain an analyst on the show. Lefkoe and O’Neal co-host "The Big Podcast."
After Lefkoe and Andrews, opinions were mixed regarding other candidates. Qualified NBA hosts are not simply waiting for an opportunity.
Most of ESPN’s top hosts are occupied elsewhere. Mike Greenberg and Scott Van Pelt host NFL pregame shows. Rece Davis hosts both the football and basketball editions of "GameDay."
Laura Rutledge works across the NFL and college football and should be in line to succeed Van Pelt in the coming years. Each would be a quality replacement for Johnson, but for one reason or another, they may not want the job.
Another potential factor is Charles Barkley.
Barkley has said this will also be his final season on the show. However, he has made that claim many times before, only to return the following year. Barkley’s departure could dramatically change the show’s style.
Former ESPN commentator Jalen Rose is reportedly his likely replacement, as disappointing as that may be.
The father of Golden State Valkyries star Tiffany Hayes wasn't shy about blaming the WNBA for playing a potential championship-clinching game at 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday.
"I think it’s the league’s fault," Renard Hayes told OutKick outside State Farm Arena before Game 6 between his daughter’s Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream.
"It’s the league’s fault. And pretty much the Atlanta organization."
He wasn’t alone in questioning the arrangement. Fans outside the arena described taking time off work, pulling children out of school and traveling hours to attend a game originally scheduled for 8 p.m.
The WNBA moved Game 6 to the afternoon to accommodate a doubleheader at State Farm Arena, where the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers that night. Golden State entered Thursday with a 3-2 series lead and a chance to win its first championship.
Hayes, who said he lives in Florida, could make the early start work, but he expressed concern for the people who couldn’t.
"It’s kind of a shame about how they couldn’t handle the situation better or couldn’t be more prepared," he said.
For Golden State fans watching in California, the game’s start time was 9:30 a.m.
"Probably have to take a break off work, take the day off or whatever like that," Hayes said. "But for me, I’m good with it. I’m okay with it."
He pointed to Golden State’s experience relocating a playoff game to San Jose last season as an example of having an alternative ready. He also questioned whether the Dream’s roughly 3,500-seat regular home, Gateway Center Arena, could have accommodated the demand for a Finals game.
Moving to State Farm Arena created room for more fans, but moving the start time created another obstacle to getting them there.
"We came from four hours away, so we’re not too thrilled. But we’re here," one Dream fan told OutKick, adding that the child accompanying her was out of school for the game.
Another Atlanta fan said she had been able to get off work, but recognized that others wouldn’t have that flexibility.
"For all of the other Dream fans, it’s not ideal," she said. "We would have rather played at nighttime."
Another fan declined to appear on camera, telling OutKick she had called out sick and didn’t want her boss to see her at the game.
A father attending with his wife and two children offered a clarification after his interview: "We’re responsible parents, we swear!"
He said the children had attended school for two hours before leaving and completed all their work.
Several fans questioned why the NBA’s regular-season game received the evening slot while the WNBA’s potential championship clincher was played during the workday.
"We should have been prime time," one Dream fan said.
The father who brought his family called the arrangement "kind of disrespectful to the Dream," pointing out that the Hawks were only beginning their season.
The Hawks agreed to move their game to 8 p.m. to accommodate the doubleheader. But fans who spoke with OutKick argued that the Finals should have received priority.
One Valkyries supporter said the women deserved more respect and should have gotten the prime-time slot. Still, he welcomed the opportunity to play in a much larger arena.
"It’s awesome that it’s being played at State Farm Arena rather than a 3,500-seat arena," he said. "So with that being in mind, I think that’s a win regardless."
Not everyone objected to the early start.
One Dream fan said she was fine with it and encouraged people who couldn’t attend to support the team wherever they were. A Valkyries fan who had arrived from San Francisco at 6 a.m. dismissed the suggestion that she might be tired.
"No. We’re ready," she said.
The league announced the scheduling change Monday, three days before Game 6, with tickets going on sale that afternoon.
Commissioner Cathy Engelbert praised the sellout crowds at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 and emphasized the opportunity to accommodate thousands more fans. The league also announced plans for a coordinated promotional push with its broadcast partners to build awareness of the new start time.
OutKick asked the WNBA why it chose the afternoon start, what alternatives it considered and whether it was concerned about the potential impact on viewership. The league has not responded.
USA Sports, which is airing the game on USA Network, acknowledged that the afternoon start wasn’t ideal for attracting a television audience.
"The daytime window isn’t perfect from a TV audience perspective, but the league had to make a really difficult decision taking a lot into account across multiple stakeholders," a USA Sports spokesperson told OutKick in a statement.
"What was important to us was to ultimately be a good partner and to be part of the solution here."
The fans outside State Farm Arena found ways to make Thursday work. Some took time off, and others brought children who otherwise would have been in school.
Hayes was happy to be there for his daughter, but that didn’t mean he thought the league had handled the situation well.
Stephen Curry marcou 44 pontos e pegou oito rebotes na vitória do Golden State Warriors sobre o Minnesota Timberwolves por 119 a 114, na noite de quarta-feira, em Minneapolis, pela temporada regular da NBA.
Yaxel Lendeborg contribuiu com 26 pontos para o Golden State, que conquistou a segunda vitória consecutiva após começar a temporada com três derrotas. Brandon Williams também teve participação importante, com 11 pontos saindo do banco de reservas.
Pelo lado do Minnesota, Jonathan Kuminga anotou 20 pontos contra sua ex-equipe e foi o cestinha dos Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels e Terrence Shannon Jr. marcaram 19 pontos cada, enquanto Ayo Dosunmu terminou com 17.
Curry lidera vitória dos Warriors sobre os Timberwolves
O Minnesota entrou em quadra sem seu principal pontuador, Anthony Edwards, pela primeira vez desde que a equipe anunciou que o jogador passaria por um procedimento no joelho direito. A previsão é que o astro fique afastado das quadras por aproximadamente dois meses.
Mesmo com a ausência de Edwards, os Timberwolves superaram os Warriors por 66 a 55 no segundo tempo e chegaram perto de uma virada. Nos segundos finais, Bones Hyland acertou um arremesso com auxílio da tabela e reduziu a diferença para três pontos.
Curry, porém, garantiu o resultado para o Golden State ao converter dois lances livres e fechar a pontuação da partida.
Os Warriors terminaram o terceiro quarto com vantagem de 93 a 81, após chegarem a abrir 24 pontos de diferença na segunda metade do jogo. Em uma jogada de três pontos, Curry ampliou a vantagem para 78 a 54.
Timberwolves reagem, mas não evitam segunda derrota seguida
O Minnesota iniciou uma reação ainda no terceiro período, quando conseguiu uma sequência de 27 a 15 para diminuir a desvantagem para 12 pontos. Hyland saiu do banco e converteu duas bolas de três pontos, ajudando a equipe a se aproximar no placar.
O Golden State, entretanto, manteve o controle da partida durante boa parte do confronto. No intervalo, os Warriors venciam por 64 a 48.
A equipe visitante fechou o primeiro quarto com uma sequência de 21 a 9, assumindo a liderança por 30 a 23. De’Anthony Melton converteu duas bolas de três pontos durante o período, enquanto Lendeborg contribuiu com uma bandeja em infiltração e outro arremesso de longa distância.
No segundo quarto, uma nova bandeja de Lendeborg colocou os Warriors pela primeira vez com uma vantagem de dois dígitos: 48 a 38, restando 6min29s para o intervalo.
Nos minutos finais da primeira metade, o Golden State marcou sete dos últimos nove pontos e foi para o vestiário vencendo por 16 pontos. Lendeborg acertou uma bola de três, enquanto Will Richard e Curry converteram dois lances livres cada.
Com o resultado, os Warriors chegaram à segunda vitória consecutiva na temporada, enquanto os Timberwolves sofreram a segunda derrota seguida após iniciarem a campanha com três triunfos.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham says the FBI is watching approximately 20 people over concerns involving her, describing the safety challenges that have come with her and the WNBA’s growing popularity.
Cunningham also weighed in on the pattern of certain WNBA peers choosing not to stand on the court for the national anthem, which has received heightened scrutiny throughout the WNBA Finals.
Cunningham's statements came during an appearance on Theo Von’s "This Past Weekend" podcast while discussing stalking, unwanted attention and the importance of player security.
"We’ll have to check if I’m even allowed to say this," Cunningham said.
"I like have I think 20 I think people kind of that the FBI are watching for me. Me alone"
Cunningham did not identify those individuals or explain what the agency’s involvement entails. Her estimate and description of the FBI’s role have not been independently verified.
The discussion began as Cunningham described how increased exposure has changed players’ experiences, bringing larger audiences and greater security needs.
"People are going to know who you are, and that’s a really great thing," she said.
But Cunningham said the attention also comes with concerns that fans may not consider.
"We do have a lot of stalkers. I know I do," she said. "And like that’s a negative side of things that people don’t think about. And so you do want to feel secure."
She praised the Fever’s security arrangements, describing player protection as a significant part of the league’s changing landscape.
"I know, like, we keep saying that, but like it’s a huge — it’s a big deal," Cunningham said.
Later in the interview, Cunningham discussed her support for military service members when Von asked about what he described as teams "walking out on the anthem."
Cunningham pointed out that certain players have not been present on the floor during the national anthem for multiple years now, but the topic has garnered renewed scrutiny as both teams in the WNBA Finals, the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries, are among the teams whose players are not on the floor during the anthem.
"We have family members who have served," she said.
Cunningham said she wants to recognize veterans and people currently serving.
"I’m going to show that support and I’m going to give them love," she said.
"A transgender girl stretched for a high school race as supporters of a new anti-trans ballot measure chanted 'enough is enough'."
I saw it six days earlier in a Guardian headline about how doctors are fighting an "anti-trans measure" that would separate biological girls from boys in women's sports.
The Portland Mercury got in on it, too, writing in its Monday headline how "anti-transactivists" attempted to overshadow the Thorns' playoff-clinching win.
These aren't columnists offering subjective opinions. These are media outlets writing opinions as fact.
The message? You can't possibly be a women's sports advocate without being transphobic. And that thought is just ... tired.
I have no doubt there are people who have genuine scorn for members of the trans community. Every group — men, women, Whites, Blacks, gays, Muslims, Jews. etc. — has its haters.
But the voices backing these ballot measures? The figures advocating for girls' and women's spaces? They aren't demonizing trans people. Not in the slightest.
Perhaps the most famous face to speak up on this issue in the past few months is Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who said in an ESPN interview: "I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."
But she prefaced that very sentence by saying "I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that.' I think that I am here to extend love."
A few days after that interview came out, a high school girl in Seattle named Ahnaleigh Wilson — holding a sign saying "Thank You Sophie For Speaking Up For Girls" — echoed Cunningham's sentiment, saying "I don’t hate trans people and I have nothing against them. I just think that girls should have their own sports."
Fellow Washingtonian Frances Staudt — who says she's been harassed constantly for refusing to play a high school basketball game against a boy — added "There’s only so many times that I can say that what we are standing up for is not anti-trans. This is pro-women’s sports."
Yet the headlines have kept coming.
From Colorado Newsline: "Signatures submitted for anti-trans Colorado ballot measures."
From Politico: "Democrats revamp their midterm playbook for GOP's anti-trans attacks."
From Ms. Magazine: "This Midterm Season, Five States Are Voting on Anti-Trans Ballot."
If you read these stories, you'll notice that none give examples of someone issuing a slur or insult. They just presume that a bill or person opposing certain demands from members of the trans community is "anti-trans."
It's pretty glaring when and how the media chooses to use the word "anti."
When Colin Kaepernick wore pig socks and compared cops to modern-day slave patrol, did "anti-police" headlines from legacy media come flooding in? What about when BLM protesters chanted "Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon!"
That was pure vitriol toward their opponents. You simply don't see that type of rhetoric from the separate-men-and-women-in-sports crowd.
And by the way, that crowd includes Caitlyn Jenner — perhaps the most famous transgender person in the world. It includes Ari Laureano, a detransitioned male who was kicked out of a Portland Thorns game last week for his XX-XY shirt.
The biggest misnomer in this debate is that supporters of biological female-only spaces in sports and locker rooms all have animus toward trans people. But the media keeps repeating the lie that they do.
The Miami Heat may struggle to acquire Kyrie Irving because of limited draft assets, while the Dallas Mavericks could look to replenish their picks through a trade.
The Heat beat the Hawks 129-117 for their first win after an 0-4 start, with Giannis Antetokounmpo posting 24 points and 18 rebounds. See how Miami turned it around, and how Bam Adebayo became the...
Kyrie Irving was listed as questionable with left knee injury management, then cleared to face the Thunder on Wednesday. He is averaging 19.0 points on 51.2% shooting in his return from a torn ACL.
The ongoing legal battle between the LSU Tigers and the Southeastern Conference took another turn on Wednesday afternoon inside the same courthouse that has drawn plenty of attention over the past two months.
Former St. John's basketball player RJ Luis has been fighting to play this season for Will Wade and the Tigers, but SEC rules prohibit him from taking the court for LSU due to him signing an NBA contract or having professional experience.
At first, Luis was granted the ability to participate in the upcoming season thanks to an order granted by a Louisiana judge based off a lawsuit filed against the NCAA over its eligibility rules pertaining to the members of the 2022 class who felt as though they should have been enjoined with new guidelines established.
Now, thanks to an injunction granted by a Louisiana judge, RJ Luis has provided LSU with protection to roster him this season if they have the fortitude to continue battling the SEC. The latest injunction granted allows Luis to practice and play with LSU until a Nov. 13 hearing in Baton Rouge, allowing LSU the legal power needed for the Tigers to roster RJ Luis without facing penalties from the SEC.
But, will LSU follow the court's ruling?
Remember those athletes Lane Kiffin thought about rostering at LSU?
During the time between the order being granted and Wednesday, there has been another case that saw both the SEC and LSU added to a lawsuit that pertained to the eligibility of athletes.
As OutKick previously reported, a judge in the 19th Judicial District Court of Baton Rouge granted an injunction for former athletes that had NFL 'experience' in Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris.
It was at the injunction hearing for those two athletes where SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was called to the witness stand, testifying for over three hours on the Thursday before LSU opened the season against Clemson.
Thanks to a ruling by Judge William Jorden in the favor of the athletes, both players were eligible to be rostered by Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers without punishment from the SEC.
But, the threat of recourse by the conference, along with a federal lawsuit filed by the SEC that very same week, saw the LSU athletic department make the decision to keep them off the team.
Now, nearly two months later, LSU basketball coach Will Wade technically has the same decision to make.
Will LSU roster RJ Luis? Attorney compares Greg Sankey to Kim Jong Un in latest shot
After Will Wade noted that he would be following SEC guidelines pertaining to former professional athletes not being added to the official roster, he now faces another decision that should not be that difficult to make, unless he's worried about being sued.
Attorney Tony Clayton, who is also part of the legal team for Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, told reporters outside the Baton Rouge courthouse on Wednesday that since he added both the conference and LSU to the amended complaint, it provides his client with a path to play this season despite what the SEC guidelines say.
"My client, Mr. Luis, felt that it was in his best interest to file this claim against LSU and the SEC because of the commissioner's actions and the commissioner's threat," attorney Tony Clayton told NOLA.com,
"LSU may be intimidated by ‘Kim Jong’ Sankey, but we're not."
Okay, that's not going to sit well with the conference, as they continue fighting LSU in federal court, in a separate case.
Does RJ Luis actually think he will be rostered by Will Wade this season? Well, attorney Tony Clayton pointed out why in his legal filing he brought LSU into this fight, and why he thinks this provides the Tigers with cover from conference rules.
"The reason why we brought LSU into the suit is because LSU is being threatened by Mr. Sankey," Clayton told NOLA.com. "LSU is a great institution. Coach Wade is a good guy, a good coach, but both of them need to be forced to allow RJ to play basketball since he's obviously qualified. And not have the threat of the SEC, which is threatening LSU. In effect, stopping coach Will Wade from letting this kid exercise his fundamental right to play basketball."
But, if you've been paying close attention to what has taken place over the past two months, this might actually come down to monetary damages, and not RJ Luis playing basketball for LSU this season.
According to multiple sources, attorneys for the two former football players could end up bringing a civil suit against the SEC over the coming weeks that seeks damages for them not being rostered by Lane Kiffin and LSU.
In their eyes, it's the SEC's threat of action against LSU if they were to roster these athletes that prevented them from playing this season.
So, could the injunction granted to RJ Luis on Wednesday, which remains in effect until a Nov. 13 hearing, be the next step in the former St. John's basketball star's lawsuit against the SEC as he seeks monetary damages?
Or, maybe a settlement with all athletes somehow tied to LSU in these cases.
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