So: why is she leaving a show she’s become such a huge part of?
Great question. Here’s what she’s said about it: she wants to spend more time with her daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine and had this to say about entering life in her 60s, via People: “I knew that I wanted this decade to be different. I looked at my time like a pie. I was like, this is how much time I get, and now what am I going to do with it and how am I going to carve it up? And I wanted it to be filled with more of them.”
Welcome to FTW Explains: a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. Are you hearing about the possible TikTok ban in the United States and the Supreme Court getting involved? And you’re confused? No problem. We’ve got you covered.
What’s it all about? Let’s dive in and break it all down for you:
What’s going on with all this talk of a TikTok ban?
Back in April, President Joe Biden signed a bill that had been passed by Congress that forced TikTok owner ByteDance to sell TikTok within 270 days. Failure to do so would lead to the app being banned in the United States, although Biden could push the deadline back if he saw progress toward a sale.
Why did the U.S. government force the sale?
There are major national security concerns about the app. From USA TODAY:
John F. Plumb, the principal cyber adviser to the secretary of Defense, describes TikTok as a “potential threat vector” to the United States. In 2023, Plumb told a House Armed Services subcommittee that China, using TikTok, might be able to spread misinformation and collect data on a massive swath of Americans.
Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of U.S. Cyber Command, also testified about the dangers of the app: “If you consider one-third of the adult population receives their news from this app, one-sixth of our children are saying they’re constantly on this app, if you consider that there’s 150 million people every single day that are obviously touching this app, this provides a foreign nation a platform for information operations, a platform for surveillance, and a concern we have with regards to who controls that data.”
So if this is all happening, why is the Supreme Court getting involved?
Because ByteDance wants the court to overturn the ruling. The argument against them — again, per USA TODAY — “states that the legislation’s infringement of free speech rights is justified because of national security concerns.”
When is this all going down in the Supreme Court?
Arguments will be reviewed on January 10, just over a week until the deadline.
Is there a TikTok replacement or alternative to use if it’s banned?
I’ve heard things about Lemon8, which is also owned by ByteDance. But what if the ban extends to all of their properties?
So is TikTok REALLY going to banned?
It’s a great question, and one that we might be able to answer more clearly after Friday. Stay tuned. Until then, keep scrolling to enjoy those videos … for now.
It was back in September of 2024 that Hoda Kotb shocked everyone with her announcement: after 26 years on the air with Today on NBC, she’s going to retire.
We should’ve known Spider-Man was putting a ring on Zendaya’s finger a long time ago.
Rumors about Tom Holland and Zendaya being engaged have been swirling around the internet for the last few days since her appearance at the Golden Globes.
Zendaya showed off a ring on her ring finger that wasn’t included on the list of jewelry that she was supposed to wear to the event as a Bvlgari ambassador. Though it hasn’t been confirmed that the two of them are engaged, it seems like it’s a thing at this point.
The two of them appeared at an NHL game a few years ago wearing each other’s names on the back of their jerseys. That’s soon-to-be-married couple behavior, surely.
NEW YORK — Sitting in a suite at the world’s most famous arena is a women’s basketball star of equal acclaim: Paige Bueckers.
In what somehow feels like just yesterday and also a lifetime ago, the UConn women’s basketball point guard had one of the most sensational freshman campaigns we have ever seen from an NCAA basketball player.
After later missing significant time due to a very rare knee injury, she continued playing some of her best basketball yet again once healthy.
Now in what is very likely her final year of college, she is focused on pursuing her first collegiate national championship before she eventually turns pro.
But on Monday night, Bueckers found some time on a well-earned off-day to relax. She wore a grey Eric Emanuel sweatsuit with Swarovski crystals and in New York City, she decided to watch some NBA basketball with all of her teammates.
Despite suffering a minor injury the previous night on Sunday against Villanova, the UConn star caught up with For The Win in the Verizon Club at Madison Square Garden while the Knicks played the Magic on Monday.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
How has Minnesota produced so many great basketball players recently like you, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Suggs?
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Bueckers: The fact that it is so cold there, people who play basketball are inside the gym all of the time working on their craft and getting better. I think it’s an escape from the cold just to be able to play. I think the “Minnesota Nice” phrase comes to mind. People from Minnesota have a chip on their shoulder just because they’re not expected to be good basketball players. We all have this toughness about us.
It means everything to be able to represent Minnesota. It is known as a hockey state but the basketball production is great as well. I’m close with Jalen and Chet and so many other basketball players who have done so well these past few years. It’s really cool to see the growth and the exposure and Minnesota getting a little bit of credit for basketball.
What are the top storylines everyone should know in women’s basketball right now?
Bueckers: The growth. The amount of talent throughout college, the WNBA, and even high school. The more exposure we get, you see the views going up and the attention going up and the accessibility to watch going up. You see positive results every single time. I think we need to acknowledge that women’s basketball is great to watch. Whenever we get the platform, we perform. There are big names, but when you tune in to watch the big names, you leave as fans of so many others because it is such a beautiful sport we play and it is a team effort.
Bueckers: USC’s JuJu Watkins was a great matchup with me. She gets the attention she deserves. Olivia Miles is another player, and she plays with another great player in Hannah Hidalgo. Those two together are tough. My teammate Sarah Strong is extremely good. She is just a freshman but she has shown everybody how great she is already. We play Tennessee and South Carolina on the road in February and those are going to be great games. Those are great teams. Tennessee and UConn always have a rivalry.
What is something you have picked up from Geno Auriemma if you were to ever coach?
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Bueckers: I would take his ability to challenge his players. I feel like he has a good spot on his players and how to challenge them and how to support them and when to use which. But that comes with connecting with his players, building relationships with his players, and that is the most important part of what makes him a great coach.
But he is our toughest opponent every single day at practice so we are prepared for the biggest games. When the opponent is shooting 100 percent on 3-pointers or when the crowd is crazy, he is the toughest opponent and he prepares us that way every single day.
Do you feel you have been more aggressive after returning to UConn for one more season?
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Bueckers: It is going well. It is all a toss up because you don’t want to get outside of yourself and outside of the team and start shot-hunting. But I’m looking to be aggressive first and look for my shot and that leads to distribution to others and getting my teammates open. I think I’ve done a pretty good job. I’m growing every single day.
I can only get better from here as well. It is all part of the new challenges that this year has presented. We are very young and we don’t have a ton of experience. So being a leader and having to use my voice and find that new challenge every single day, I’ve enjoyed growing and learning and embracing the ups and downs of it.
You have the first player edition shoe for an NCAA player. Do you think we will ever see a collegiate signature shoe and what would yours look like?
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Bueckers: It is very cool to have a player edition shoe. I’m very blessed and grateful. It is an amazing opportunity. I’m extremely grateful to Nike that they saw that in me.
That’s a good question about the signature shoe, though. I think it might be coming down the line. Obviously, with players starting to sign in high school now, it can be in the works sooner. I like low-top shoes. I love Kobe’s. I like Sabrina’s now. I would want it to look different, though. There are so many shoes that are starting to look similar. So I’d have to make mine pretty different, I think.
How big of a role did NIL opportunities play in your decision to return to college?
Bueckers: I don’t think NIL necessarily played a big role in me coming back. But it has done tremendous things for me and players around the country so we can build our brand and our platform and these relationships with different brands and people. You can continue to help grow who you are and grow who your teammates are with this platform. NIL has seen more college players in the media and commercials, so it is great for the growth of the game as well. A lot of these players deserve what they are getting and they work hard for it, so it is such a beautiful thing to see.
How do you choose your NIL deals and what are some things you look for?
Bueckers: I think giving back is huge. I like to have opportunities to give back to my hometown and where I am playing now and where I want to play in the future. I want to give opportunities to people who are less fortunate. I definitely want to run camps in the future. When I leave college, I’ll have more time in the offseason where I invite kids and give back to communities who need it and deserve it. I’ve been very blessed growing up so I just want to give the platform that I have.
So for example, I’m at the Knicks game tonight with Verizon. They have a lot of the same values that I do. We’re working together for the future with that, which is really exciting. They’ve done a tremendous job with me here tonight inviting us to the lounge and suite and they gave me the opportunity to give gifts to my teammates. I think that is huge. I’m not getting these deals by myself. My opportunities play a huge part in that. No success in basketball is an individual thing. It is a team thing. So being able to share that with my teammates is amazing.
LiAngelo, the older brother of Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and younger brother of Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, has inspired so many great memes with his catchy new track “Tweaker” as it has become a viral trend.
In case you’re unfamiliar with his game, Gelo, who now raps under the name G3, dropped his new track just days ago, and it’s got everyone feeling like they’re about to take over for the ’99 and the 2000s.
It’s got all the elements of a club banger, but it’s smooth enough to play in the car or be used for an unholy amount of TikToks. There’s a catchy phrase from “Tweaker’s” hook — I might swerve, bend that corner, whoah-whoah — that’s got so many people, well, hooked. Now, it’s become an instant meme. Here’s what we mean.
He’s the contestant who appeared on Jeopardy! previously and missed on a Taylor Swift clue (and we love Taylor Swift clues!). And as the journalist from Honolulu noted on Monday’s episode, he had kicked himself for missing the Swift clue the last time out — especially because his brother prepped a practice board with ALL Taylor Swift clues on it.
Amazon will begin coverage of the NBA next season and they have already made some amazing decisions, including reportedly hiring Blake Griffin.
According to The Athletic, the former No. 1 overall pick and six-time NBA All-Star will co-host a studio show for Prime Video. He will be joined in the studio by a former NBA Finals and NBA MVP with Dirk Nowitzki also on the show.
Prime Video has an 11-year partnership with the NBA. The studio show is based in Culver City, Calif. on the Amazon MGM lot.
“I’m unbelievably excited to join the Amazon family,” Griffin said in a statement. “Basketball has obviously been a huge part of my life, and I consider myself a true fan of the game. I’m excited for a new opportunity to share some of what I have learned over the years with other NBA fans. I have been incredibly impressed with Amazon’s NFL programming for Thursday Night Football, and my conversations with the team around the NBA partnership have been equally inspiring. I’m honored to be a part of this launch and a new era for Prime Video sports.”
Taylor Rooks, who has done incredible work with Turner Sports, will host the program. Ian Eagle, one of the best broadcasters in the game, is the lead play-by-play announcer for the network. It is unclear who else will join him in the booth.
“We are thrilled to have Taylor, Dirk, and Blake on board as the foundation for our NBA studio coverage,” added Jared Stacy, Global Head of Production at Amazon. “Together they bring a mix of credibility, charisma, and unique insight on the game that will inform and entertain NBA fans starting this fall. Taylor is one of the most well respected and thoughtful people working in NBA media today, while Blake and Dirk are legends of the game ready to share their insightful analysis and sense of humor with NBA fans.”
All in all, this seems like a great start of hiring decisions for Amazon. But with the Inside the NBA crew getting syndication on ESPN, fans should feel particularly excited about Griffin’s arrival to the scene.
He will have plenty of connections around the league as he only recently retired. But he is also genuinely hilarious and could have had a career in entertainment independent of his athletic prowess, evidenced by his various stand-up comedy sets and roast appearancesover the years.
It was a big event for Zendaya as she was up for an award for her phenomenal work Challengers, and both Challengers and Dune: Part Two were nominated for Best Picture awards. While the talented actress didn’t take home any statuettes this year — she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama for Euphoria in 2023 — there was a shiny object that got a lot of attention.
Zendaya wore two gorgeous dresses over the course of the night — a beautiful orange gown and a sparkly golden one — but also donned a stunning diamond ring on her left hand ring finger. The Spider-Man: Far From Home actress has been dating co-star Tom Holland since 2021, and the ring stood out for folks following at home immediately.
Los Angeles Times writer Amy Kaufman said the starlet was asked directly, and Zendaya didn’t deny the engagement. “She kept showing her ring, smiled coyly and shrugged her shoulders mysteriously,” the Times said. Additionally, the ring was not included in the listed jewelry Zendaya would be wearing as a Bvlgari ambassador.
A post from TMZ cited a source close to the couple confirming the engagement, but neither actor has directly announced the life event.
