Tag: Richard Jefferson

Richard Jefferson rants about SGA’s IG post, challenges Warriors to respond

Richard Jefferson rants about SGA’s IG post, challenges Warriors to respond.

Occasionally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes to Instagram to celebrate a win or big moment with creative captions. In the biggest win of the season yet over the Golden State Warriors, he continued this tradition.

In the Oklahoma City Thunder’s overtime win, the All-NBA guard collected 40 points, seven rebounds and six assists. This included 10 points in OT to secure the road victory.

In his latest Instagram post, he captioned it by saying “I was feeling like e-40 in the Bay, so i had to go dumbbbbb”

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Throughout the 10-photo/video slideshow, sharp eyes noticed that several slides featured plays where Gilgeous-Alexander humiliated Steph Curry on the court.

Some have interpreted this as Gilgeous-Alexander taking a subtle shot against Curry following a season-defining win. After this was spotted, the IG post took over social media and trended.

When discussing the Instagram post, ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson challenged the Warriors to respond on NBA Today.

“Shai challenged the entire Golden State Warrior organization. He challenged their entire fanbase. He challenged everything in their existence. That’s what he’s saying,” Jefferson said. “…Make no mistake that these were direct shots and so now we get to sit back instead of saying, ‘Well…’, — no, these were direct shots at the Golden State Warriors. Their team, their organization and their fanbase. What are you gonna do about it?”

The Warriors might have to stay patient in order to respond to Gilgeous-Alexander’s post-win trash talk. The Thunder won the season series, 2-1 after taking both games at Chase Center.

Unless they meet in the playoffs or play-in tournament, the next time Curry and the Warriors can play Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will be next season.

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Richard Jefferson: LeBron James will score 45,000 points

Richard Jefferson says his former teammate LeBron James will end his NBA career with a truly staggering amount of points.

This past season, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time leading career scorer, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With 38,652 career points under his belt, the question is how much higher will that figure get before his career is all said and done?

It is anyone’s best guess how many more years James will play and at how high a level he will be able to perform. He has stated he wants to play with his son Bronny, who can be drafted into the NBA as early as next year, but how much longer would he want to remain in the league afterward?

Former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Richard Jefferson said on a recent episode of the podcast “Road Trippin’ “ that LeBron James will play three or four more seasons and reach 45,000 career points. Jefferson even went as far as saying no one will surpass James’ career scoring mark for a long time (h/t The Sports Rush).

“I think he is going to play three, four (more) years. What I am saying is that (expletive) is going to score 45. LeBron James is going to score 45,000 points. Look, we are being generous on the early, thinking it might be not as pretty on the back end, so we are saying 65 games, 25 points, we know it can be more, whatever. So, yes, that record is never going to be broken. I’m sorry, that is one that, in our lifetime, we know that that player does exist, so we can say in our lifetime we are not going to see it.”

Perhaps someday his mark will be surpassed, especially given how much medical science continues to advance. But it is safe to say that mark will be safe for at least some time, no matter what number it ends up being.

ESPN’s Richard Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins love Rockets’ 2023 offseason

“They will get into the play-in tournament,” ESPN’s @KendrickPerkins says of the new-look #Rockets. “This team needed culture, and they’ve got culture. This is a great starting point.”

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The Rockets didn’t land all three of their preferred veteran targets entering 2023 free agency. Big man Brook Lopez spurned them at the last moment to re-sign with Milwaukee.

But they added a new starting point guard, Fred VanVleet, and a gritty, hard-nosed defensive wing, Dillon Brooks. That’s a strong starting point as new head coach Ime Udoka looks to take Houston’s young roster to the next phase of its ongoing rebuild.

General manager Rafael Stone also added depth on the interior behind third-year center Alperen Sengun. Jock Landale and Jeff Green offer steady hands and in Green’s case a veteran voice.

On Monday’s episode of NBA Today on ESPN, current league analysts and former NBA players Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins offered rave reviews to Houston’s 2023 offseason to date.

Among Jefferson’s comments:

You need a Dillon Brooks on your team. While he made some mistakes, I think it was a failure of leadership in the Memphis organization. A lack of veterans and leadership in that organization, and it wasn’t just with him. We saw it with other players, and these are just the things that we knew about.

I want Dillon Brooks’ competitiveness, and I do believe Ime Udoka will get rid of some of the fluff. I love this. I think this team is play-in, at worst. They’re going to be battling for those playoff spots.

Perkins responded:

They needed adults in the room, and they will battle every single night. They will get into the play-in tournament. This team needed culture, and they’ve got culture. This is a great starting point.

It was actually Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant that put Memphis on the map, when we first recognized them as one of the young up-and-coming teams.

“I also like the Jeff Green signing at one-year, $6-million,” fellow ESPN panelist Ramona Shelburne said. “Denver, I think they never moved off a minimum (salary) for him. I think that’s a loss for Denver, and a real pickup there for the Houston Rockets. Because when you talk about adults in the room, enter Uncle Jeff.”

The complete segment can be viewed below.

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Richard Jefferson got roasted by Kendrick Perkins about his baldness and became a meme

Oh noooo!

This is truly insult to injury here.

While debating about the NBA on ESPN earlier this week, Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins had quite the exchange.

As Jefferson tried to make a point, he began by saying, “We’re splitting hairs here …”

Perkins interrupted: “You’re not splitting hairs ever.” Then, of course, he started laughing so hard. Quite a way to roast someone with a shaved head.

But then, cameras caught Jefferson’s reaction, which was a very quick, very serious staredown, and that became a meme, which Jefferson also responded to. The whole thing is very hilarious and worth checking out:

Richard Jefferson on Nets’ Ben Simmons: ‘we’ve seen it before’

Richard Jefferson gives his honest reaction to Ben Simmons being ruled out for the rest of this season.

The Brooklyn Nets announced on Tuesday that they have ruled guard Ben Simmons out for the rest of this season because of a nerve impingement in his back, according to multiple reports. While the news isn’t entirely shocking, it is still sad to see someone with so much talent either underperforming, suffering through injuries, or in Simmons’ case, a combination of the two.

Simmons has played just 42 out of a possible 75 games for the Nets this season as he has dealt with a variety of injuries mostly related to his knee and back. In those 42 games, Simmons has averaged just 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field. For comparison, his career averages are 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game while shooting 56% from the field.

Simmons has been one of the more polarizing players in recent NBA history. He was once regarded as someone who had the potential to become similar to all-time NBA great LeBron James because of Simmons’ combination of physical profile and skill set. However, after being a three-time All-Star as a Philadelphia 76er, Simmons has been one of the more disappointing stories of players falling from grace. Here’s what former NBA player and current NBA commentator Richard Jefferson had to say about Simmons:

“We’ve seen players with all the talent in the world not make it. We’ve seen players with all the talent in the world decided to just move on and step away from the game. So, when I look at this situation with Ben Simmons, yeah we root for every player. I have not met a player that I don’t root for the best. But, when you ask me about Ben Simmons, I know a lot of guys like that. Because this is what we do. This is what we’ve done. I wasn’t the best player on my AAU team. I wasn’t the best player on my college team. A lot of guys don’t make it out. If this is his story, and this is how it finishes, then I wish him the best. I wish him nothing but love and I wish that he just continues and lives his life.”

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ESPN’s Richard Jefferson believes Celtics star Jayson Tatum is ‘right on schedule’

While Celtics fans have an issue with his occasional duds, the level Tatum has been playing at when focused leaves little to be desired.

For many around the NBA, the steady growth of star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been a revelation.

For fans of the Celtics, the St. Louis native’s development from rookie wunderkind to rising star to superstar is no surprise — and that sentiment is shared by NBA analyst Richard Jefferson.

Jefferson recently opened up about the former Duke star’s growth as a player on an episode of the popular ESPN show “NBA Today.” He said he believes Tatum has become the player he is today right on schedule. The comments came soon after the Boston star logged his second career triple-double against the Dallas Mavericks.

While Celtics fans have an issue with his occasional duds, the level Tatum has been playing at when focused leaves little to be desired as one of the best stars in the league.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what Jefferson has to say about the Celtics forward and his ascent into one of the NBA’s best players.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Richard Jefferson throws shade at LeBron James’ standing with Lakers

Richard Jefferson, a former teammate of LeBron James, says the four-time MVP isn’t one of the Lakers’ all-time greats.

LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in NBA history, and many consider him one of the three greatest players in league history. But his ranking among the greatest to play for the Los Angeles Lakers is more questionable.

It is mostly because he joined the team as a 33-year-old, but also because other than winning the 2020 NBA title, his tenure with the Purple and Gold has been disappointing.

Richard Jefferson, who played with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers several years ago, recently said James isn’t one of the best to ever wear the Purple and Gold.

Via Lakers Daily:

“A former teammate of LeBron James recently said that he doesn’t believe the Los Angeles Lakers superstar currently should be considered one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

“Richard Jefferson, who played with James on the Cleveland Cavaliers, made the claim.

“‘LeBron James has not done enough as a Laker to be on that list,’ Jefferson said. ‘Bron been there now — this is his fourth season, right? They’ve been in there four seasons. Two years, they haven’t made the postseason. One year, they lost in the first round. And one year, they won a championship.'”

James’ time with the Lakers isn’t over yet, and he could end up playing a few more years with them, depending on how his contract extension talks go.

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The Akron, Ohio, native could very well add another world championship to his Lakers resume if the team makes a bold move to improve the roster around him. That would certainly elevate him a notch in the eyes of others when it comes to where he ranks in the franchise’s storied history.

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Former Net Richard Jefferson referees NBA summer league game

Former New Jersey Net Richard Jefferson has been training and finally got to officiate his first NBA game.

Richard Jefferson was called for over 2,600 fouls in his career in 17 NBA seasons, now he’s officiating games after training throughout the summer.

Jefferson refereed during the second-quarter of the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers NBA summer league game. He credits his willingness to officiate is due to his “tremendous amount of respect” for referees.

“I didn’t want to do this. The NBA asked would I be interested. I have such a tremendous amount of respect for the referees, how important they are to the game and I’ve always treated every single one of them as such. I just respect them because I know their importance to our game and to the integrity to our game.”

He continued, “It’s been amazing because I love the game of basketball. I like talking about the game of basketball so now I get an opportunity to learn a whole new piece of the game. That’s like my dream, for a basketball junkie, to sit in there and see how the referees think, how they talk, how they act, how they work together as a team. That type of stuff to me is so beneficial.”

Jefferson has been training with NBA officials throughout the offseason, learning the responsibilities of the three-team officiating crew.

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Richard Jefferson blew an easy call in his ref debut and the NBA Summer League crowd went nuts

A night — and call — Richard Jefferson will never forget.

Richard Jefferson said it himself regarding jumping in and refereeing an NBA Summer League game between the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers : He did it because “not many people would dare to put themselves in this position” and it would help as a broadcaster.

So of course we shouldn’t have expected him to be perfect, to get every call right, and there was one that got overturned by a fellow official — an out-of-bounds whistle in which he gave possession to the Knicks when the other ref said it should go to the Blazers. He was overruled.

Check out the moment in which the crowd went nuts before it was overturned:

The simple calculus behind Richard Jefferson agreeing to ref an NBA Summer League game

Richard Jefferson: ‘I do this because not many people would dare put themselves in this position’

Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.

When you watch NBA Summer League, you’re typically watching recent draft picks and young role players developing their game.

So it may be surprising when you see a 42-year-old with 18 years of experience, and an NBA championship ring, running up and down the floor. But that’s exactly what fans will see when Richard Jefferson steps on the court in Las Vegas this evening at 11 p.m. ET.

According to NBA PR, the 2001 NBA Draft lottery pick will officiate the second quarer of tonight’s game between the Knicks and the Trail Blazers. Jefferson attended NBA Summer League Officiating Meetings in preperation for the assignment.

Although a bit unexpected, the decision actually makes a ton of sense. Here is what Jefferson said on Twitter:

1) Tremendous amount of knowledge about our game that I’ve learned sitting in classes with the best refs in the world

2) I do this because not many people would dare put themselves in this position. The more info I have the more informed I am as a broadcaster.

I love it. More announcers should put their money where their mouth is, like Jefferson is about to do.

After his playing career, Jefferson transitioned to a role as a broadcaster. Announcers often criticize referees, but Jefferson will now bring valuable new experience to his calls.

The former Arizona standout will have seen the game as a player, as an announcer, and as a referee. That is going to make for extremely insightful intel whenever he is in the booth. Kudos to Jefferson, who made a Tik Tok about his decision.

The Tip-Off

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

I had some thoughts about Jaden Ivey, who is the most athletic player in the upcoming rookie class.

“According to Synergy, Ivey was one of 21 drafted players who completed at least 50 passes out of the pick and roll last season. Among those players, only Jaden Hardy (27.4 percent) and Bennedict Mathurin (33.7 percent) looked to pass rather than score less often than Ivey did (34.2 percent) last season … But what impressed me most about Ivey’s professional debut during NBA 2K23 Summer League was, in fact, his playmaking.”

Read more about Ivey’s performance for the Pistons thus far by clicking here.

One To Watch

(AP Photo/Jeff Swinger)

(All odds via Tipico.)

Magic (-1.5, -114) vs. Thunder (-110), O/U 177.5, 9:00 PM ET

There are too many uncontrollable variables at play for me to confidently tell you how to bet on NBA Summer League. But if you were to watch one of the games tonight, you have to watch Oklahoma City vs. Orlando.

Those are the two top picks in the 2022 NBA Draft facing off against each other. The last time that happened, Banchero had an excellent first half. But I’m incredibly curious about what will happen tonight.

Shootaround

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

— LeBron James bringing snacks from home to a Lakers Summer League game was so relatable

— Breanna Stewart’s incredible new kicks are the first WNBA signature shoes in years

— Ronnie 2K spoke to USA TODAY SMG’s Cameron Tabatabaie about NBA 2K23 and more

— HoopsHype projects the starting lineup for the Clippers with John Wall

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