Tag: Olympics

Jayson Tatum’s Team USA role wasn’t clearly defined

The Boston Celtics star didn’t have a clear-cut role at the 2024 Paris Olympics under Steve Kerr.

Jayson Tatum had a torrid time at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Steve Kerr benched the Boston Celtics star for two separate games against Serbia and often tasked him with spacing the floor in the corner. As such, Tatum struggled to make the type of impact we had seen from him during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he was the team’s second-best player behind Kevin Durant.

Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony believes Kerr wanted Tatum to fill a similar role to that of Devin Booker: a 3-and-D threat with minimal usage or touches. Anthony also believes that Kerr didn’t verbalize Tatum’s role, making it difficult for the NBA champion to slot into the rotation.

“They wanted him to do what Devin Booker did,” Anthony said during a recent episode of “7 PM in Brooklyn.” “Be a stretch four, space the court, play some defense, get some rebounds that’s it. But if you’re not told what’s your role and you just told to figure it out right now if I get in the game, I’m overthinking like we humans too! Basketball players are human athletes.”

Tatum is one of the most complete players in the NBA. He’s an elite scorer, rebounder, playmaker, and help defender. Being tasked with standing in the corner marginalizes his overall skill set and his role within a team.

Celtics fans should now look forward to the regular season, where their team’s star player will be motivated to remind everyone why he’s still a top-10 player in the world.

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Simone Biles recreated her head-turning Olympics meme on TikTok and it’s glorious

Recreating your own meme and somehow making it better is top-tier talent.

There’s humor, and then there’s Simone Biles‘ humor. Frankly, it’s unmatched, and the other girls don’t stand a chance.

Simone has been living her best life since her fantastic run during the 2024 Paris Olympics. She finally got to see other Olympic athletes compete, hung out with Elmo and even unexpectedly started a funny meme just for being herself.

The meme took over social media, with people finding all kinds of ways to use a moment where Simone turned her head and appeared startled by something to their advantage. Simone seemingly knows about her head-turning meme being a thing with the internet because she recreated it for a TikTok with Netflix, and it’s glorious.

@simonebilesowens

👀👀👀 @Netflix

♬ original sound – Simone Biles

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Erik Spoelstra is the obvious choice to replace Steve Kerr as U.S. men’s basketball coach

Erik Spoelstra is the best coach in the NBA. He deserves to take over for Steve Kerr with Team USA.

After winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics — even with some unwarranted internal controversy regarding Jayson Tatum — Steve Kerr is reportedly done coaching Team USA men’s basketball, according to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein.

The news does not come as a shock, as the legendary Golden State Warriors head coach has previously told The Athletic he would likely step down as the Americans’ head man after the Paris Games because he always thought the job was like a “baton” to be passed along.

Where it gets interesting is who will likely replace Kerr, especially as the USA program starts looking ahead to Los Angeles in 2028. Stein has said Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue are the top two replacement candidates, a decision that feels like a no-brainer either way.

However, let me make the decision for the Americans rather easy.

It should be Spoelstra. Running away.

With no disrespect to Lue, who I think is comfortably a top-five coach in NBA basketball right now, Spoelstra is clearly the best coach in the men’s game. In fact, it’s not even close. Frankly, I was always a little surprised the master tactician from Miami wasn’t the USA coach for this past Olympics cycle, as I actually think Spoelstra is a lot better than Kerr.

Spoelstra’s qualifications basically speak for themselves.

He’s led the Heat to two NBA titles, with six overall appearances in the NBA Finals since 2011. The Heat have missed the playoffs only three times in his entire tenure, which started in the 2008-2009 season. Anyone you talk to about the game often touts Spoelstra’s innate ability to maximize whatever talent he has on hand. He is, in effect, the purveyor of the infamous “Heat Culture” that has become a meme in NBA circles precisely because you really can never count Miami out as long as Spoelstra is coaching. That’s because he’s a brilliant basketball junkie through and through.

Now imagine the guy known for taking “gritty” and often haphazardly pieced-together teams coaching a squad of all the best American players on the planet. Hoo boy. This isn’t to say the Americans are facing any real threat of losing their gold-medal perch in Los Angeles, but more that Spoelstra’s coaching would probably make them somehow even more of a virtual shoo-in.

Make the right decision, USA basketball. Let Kerr pass that baton to Spoelstra. He’s earned it.

Skylar Diggins-Smith bumps Caitlin Clark on record-setting night

She probably could have handled this better.

With the WNBA back from its Olympic break, the focus has shifted back to Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark. And a former Notre Dame standout has entered the latest controversy involving her.

Clark broke the WNBA rookie assists record during the Fever’s 92-75 victory over the Seattle Storm on Sunday, dishing a game-high nine. That’s not what everyone was talking about afterward. During the game, Clark pumped up the home crowd, and [autotag]Skylar Diggins-Smith[/autotag] didn’t take that very well:

It’s unfortunate Diggins-Smith has joined the list of players who have made Clark’s rookie season tougher than it needs to be. Hopefully, she can have better judgment in such situations moving forward, or she’ll continue to be the target of some people’s wrath.

Diggins-Smith led the Storm with five assists and scored 15 points in the losing effort. She was second on the team in scoring to fellow Irish legend [autotag]Jewell Loyd[/autotag], who had 26 points.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Guerschon Yabusele signs deal with Philadelphia 76ers

The former Boston Celtics forward has signed a minimum deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Guerschon Yabusele is heading back to the NBA. Unfortunately for Boston Celtics fans, the dancing bear will be joining the Philadelphia 76ers. Yabusele has earned another shot in the league courtesy of some stellar performances during the 2024 Paris Olympics where he shone as a featured member of France’s offense, helping them secure a silver medal.

Yabusele had a $2.5 million release clause with Real Madrid. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Sixers could pay up to $850,000 of his release clause, with Yabusele and Madrid forced to reach an agreement on the remaining value. Nevertheless, the veteran forward will be in Philadelphia on a veteran minimum.

“Yabusele is resolving his $2.5 million contract buyout with Real Madrid as he nears a return to the NBA,” Charanai reported. “To resolve his buyout with Real Madrid, Philadelphia would pay a maximum of $850,000, per league rules. The rest of the amount, roughly $1.6 million, would be resolved by Yabusele and Real Madrid.”

During the Olympics, Yabusele had joked with Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he wanted to return to Boston. However, the Sixers were in need of some depth at the forward position, and his performances likely caught the eye.
Yabusele also impressed in Europe last season, averaging 10 points and five rebounds per game in the EuroLeague and 9.3 points and three rebounds while knocking down 39.4% in the Liga ACB. As such, Celtics fans will likely have to work through mixed emotions when Boston faces the Sixers on Christmas Day.
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NFL fans roasted Tyreek Hill for suggesting he’d only race Noah Lyles in a 50-yard sprint

Tyreek Hill is already moving the goal posts with Noah Lyles.

One of the lingering stories from the Paris Olympics has been the “feud” between Miami Dolphins star receiver Tyreek Hill and 100-meter men’s gold medalist Noah Lyles.

When Lyles (correctly) said NFL Super Bowl champions are not “world champions,” Hill took exception. He came at Lyles by saying he could actually beat him in a race. Later, during an NBC Sports interview, Lyles trolled Hill, claiming he didn’t even know who the Dolphins playmaker was.

On Sunday morning, Hill circled back to some recent comments from Lyles challenging the receiver to a race as long as he’s “serious” about it and not just talking trash on the internet.

There’s one important caveat.

Hill set the parameters at 50 yards, not 100 meters, as everyone had initially assumed (and as Hill himself had maintained) while following this back-and-forth. Why, it’s almost as if he’ll only race Lyles under conditions he’s comfortable in — a 50-yard sprint would clearly favor/help a short distance-oriented professional football player:

Oh, come on.

I can’t lie. Hill coming back at Lyles while saying he’d race him for 50 yards is pretty weak. If he thinks he’s faster than the world-class sprinter, he’d race him at any distance, but especially 100 yards. Hill suggesting 50 yards is him leaning on his wheelhouse — the Dolphins’ speedster is known for turning on the jets in 50-yard bursts past helpless cornerbacks. And if he were to lose in 50 yards to Lyles, he could probably make the outcome look a lot closer than it should be.

But all of this was never the implicit discussion anyway. It just makes Hill look fearful of losing to Lyles.

Naturally, fans on Twitter called out Hill for suggesting a 50-yard race with Lyles.

Can Derrick White make the All-Star team next season?

Can Derrick White earn his first All-Star selection with some strong play for the Boston Celtics next season?

Derrick White has emerged as a central piece within the Boston Celtics rotation. His all-action performances saw him enter the All-Star conversation in December and January, before he ultimately missed out due to a lack of votes. However, White has since won an NBA championship and an Olympic Gold Medal.

If the veteran guard continues to play at the level we saw from him last season, he will once again knock on the door of his first All-Star selection. According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, White will have an outside chance of becoming an All-Star in the upcoming campaign.

“His subtle-yet-substantial contributions produced a stat line that perfectly captured his across-the-board brilliance,” Buckley wrote. “This was true jack-of-all-trades mastery, as White became just the 40th player in NBA history to average at least 15 points, five assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block, per StatHead Basketball. In addition, he earned his second consecutive All-Defensive second team selection.”

White could be in for an even stronger season now that he’s had a year to grow into his role and partnership with Jrue Holiday. The Celtics will be bringing back the majority of their championship-winning rotation next season, which should allow them to hit the ground running once the new schedule gets underway.

As such, White has a strong chance of reminding the world why he’s one of the best all-action guards in the world. If he can build on his championship success, he will be an outside bet for the All-Star game in February.

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Tatum’s Olympic struggles rest with Steve Kerr trusting his guys

Steve Kerr stuck with players he trusts and has familiarity with, leaving Jayson Tatum on the outside of the rotation.

Steve Kerr was criticized for sitting Jayson Tatum in both of Team USA’s games against Serbia during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Boston Celtics star also struggled in a marginalized role for Kerr’s team, as he was often tasked with standing in the corner and spacing the floor.

According to an NBA executive who spoke with Heavy On Sport’s Steve Bulpett under the condition of anonymity, Kerr’s choices were likely down to him sticking with players he has worked with previously or valued within his brand of basketball. The executive pointed to Kevin Durant and Steph Curry as prime examples.

“We pick a coach to coach the team, and it’s all about who he wants to play,” The executive said. “You know, players have to prove to the coach that they deserve to play, period…And, by the way, two of the players that were the primary players — [Steph] Curry and [Kevin] Durant, have won multiple championships for the head coach. So I think that if Joe Mazzulla was the head coach, then maybe Jayson Tatum’s playing the whole game.”

Kerr ultimately led Team USA to a gold medal. As such, his decision-making has been justified to the wider basketball fanbase. Nevertheless, his utilization of Tatum remains a questionable aspect of his time in Paris.

Tatum will get an opportunity to earn some payback against Kerr when the Celtics face the Golden State Warriors on November 6.

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14-year-old Australian skateboarder’s parents promised a pet duck if she wins gold, so she did

14-year-old Australian Trew’s parents told her that she could get a pet duck … under one Olympic condition.

Different countries award different prizes for the Olympics. Most give some financial figure, while it has been reported that others add on bonuses like a house. The ask of a 14-year-old to her family was much different:

Australian skateboarder Arisa Trew secured a promise from her parents that if she won gold, she could get a pet duck. With that extra motivation, she won.

“My parents promised if I won the gold medal I would get a pet duck,” she said to Australian outlet nine.com.au. “Because they are really cute, then I can take it on walks and take it to the skate park.”

She added that her parents wouldn’t allow a dog or cat due to the amount of travel of the family, but Trew felt like “a duck might be a little easier.” Apparently, her dad gave the thumbs-up, but her mom remained hesitant. Trew proposed the stipulation of her winning gold, and her mother approved.

“It will just be in my yard and I’ll get a little pool thing for it,” said.

“I’m going to take the duck to the skatepark as well,” she added in a video interview posted to Reddit.

Trew, who has been skateboarding since she was 8, won gold with a score of 93.18 on her final run, which included two 540s. Legend Tony Hawk, who gave tips to Trew last year to help her become the first girl to land a 720, complimented Trew on the gold medal.

“Congratulations to Arisa Trew on her epic last run in women’s park finals this afternoon, landing her to a well-deserved gold medal,” Hawk posted to Instagram, according to Nine.

She has the gold and the praise from Hawk, but it’s unclear if she has the final prize: the promised pet duck.

Simone Biles shows up at Bears vs. Bengals to watch her husband in the NFL preseason

With a walking boot on her left foot, the seven-time gold medalist was in the building to watch her husband, Jonathan Owens.

Fresh off dazzling crowds, creating meme-able moments and piling up more medals at the Summer Olympics, superb gymnast Simone Biles was spotted on Saturday taking in some NFL preseason action.

The seven-time Olympic gold medalist was in the house for the Chicago Bears’ exhibition game against the Cincinnati Bengals, obviously to watch husband Jonathan Owens pile up tackles for the Bears.

Biles strolled the sidelines before the game, waving to fans and sporting a walking boot on her left foot from a calf injury she endured at the Olympics. She also wore a hat, sunglasses, and oversized jacket with images of Owens playing printed on it.

Aug 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; United States gymnast Simone Biles, right, enters the field before the game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; United States gymnast Simone Biles, right, enters the field before the game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; United States gymnast Simone Biles, right, stands on the sideline before the game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; United States gymnast Simone Biles, right, stands on the sideline before the game between the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a new era for the Bears, who signed Owens, a safety, to a two-year deal in March and then drafted USC quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.