Tag: Richard Jefferson

LeBron says that ESPN can’t fire Richard Jefferson because ‘you’re my friend’

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James delivered a light flex during his appearance on the Road Trippin’ podcast on Wednesday.

Just in case it wasn’t clear, even in the era of a global pandemic, the James Family moves in different ways than the rest of us. LeBron asserted such ability to move during an appearance on the Road Trippin’ podcast from his sports media company UNINTERRUPTED featuring Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, and Allie Clifton that aired on Thursday.

During the conversation, everyone started letting their hair down, especially due to the fact that everyone has been in lockdown over the last couple of weeks in order to flatten the widespread of the coronavirus. And in the midst of that, Richard Jefferson was vulnerable about saying things that could cause him to leave ESPN, which LeBron assured wouldn’t happen because he’s LeBron’s friend. Watch to the end of the clip below.

LeBron has never shied away from his role as a boss or a godfather in the world. In fact, Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” remains one of his favorite movies and he also likes to study the families that have run the country. That may prove to be a proper method of study amidst the times of coronavirus.

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LeBron James believes body was rounding ‘third base’ before shutdown

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said that his body is feeling confused after preparing all year for the playoffs before the hiatus.

Aside from an Instagram Live appearance last week, we haven’t heard much from LeBron James about how he is holding up during the NBA’s current hiatus, which has no immediate end in sight. It’s easy to forget that only a few days before the NBA shut down, LeBron and the Lakers had just capped off their best weekend of the season, including a home win against the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks and their first win of the season against the L.A. Clippers. It appeared they were rounding into form and that they had a legitimate shot at catching the Bucks for the best record in the league. All of that has been paused, which created confusion for LeBron’s body.

Although James has been solid for much of the season, he trains his body to start peaking close to playoff time and we were only about a month from the postseason. That led to LeBron’s body not knowing how to react, which he told Allie Clifton, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye of the Road Trippin’ Podcast from LeBron’s UNINTERRUPTED.

LeBron has often pushed back on the notion that he should rest more often, noting that his body feels better when he does play. How he is feeling during this hiatus seems to support that theory, although many have always had their own ideas on how LeBron should maximize himself. However, it’s clear that LeBron and the rest of the NBA don’t have a very clear idea on how to proceed during a time where they’d usually be preparing for the playoffs.

Also, it will lead to more important questions about when the NBA is able to come back, how much time players will need to get back into form after being stuck in quarantine.

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LeBron appearing on next episode of Road Trippin’ with Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Allie Clifton

LeBron James will appear on next episode of Road Trippin’ with Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Allie Clifton according to a post he shared on Instagram.

According to a social media post that LeBron James shared on Wednesday, he will be appearing on the next episode of Road Trippin‘ with Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Allie Clifton. James shared a zoom meeting image with his two former Cleveland Cavaliers teammates and Clifton, who covered the Cavs championship team for Fox Sports Ohio before moving on to cover the Los Angeles Lakers.

During an appearance on the podcast with RJ and company in March of 2017, LeBron discussed crying while watching “The Lion King.” He also discussed the episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” when Will Smith’s father arrives to take part in his son’s life but then leaves as another show that’s made him cry. James then adds–“real men cry.”

“Another episode of @roadtrippin coming to y’all tomorrow with me!” LeBron wrote on Instagram alongside the zoom meeting image with the Road Trippin’ crew. “Who???? Me, the guy on the bottom left. Oh yeah I remember him now! Hahaha!!!

“@richardajefferson @channingfrye You 2 suck and get on my nerves and that’s why I love y’all! 🤣❤️🙏🏾. @al.clifton without you on this nothing would have got done! Thanks for being the ⚓️holding it down! 💪🏾. Stay tune. 👑

 

 

During another appearance, this time in December of 2017, LeBron was a guest along with Dwyane Wade. The Hall of Fame PB&J duo were both members of the Cavs at the time. Wade and James shared a number of epic vacation stories during the episode. There’s a good chance LeBron will have a few more stories to tell during his next appearance on the Uninterrupted network he owns with Maverick Carter.

To explore more episodes in the podcast library for Road Trippin’ click here. You can also find any of the Uninterrupted content here.

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Today in Nets history: Vince Carter drops 40 on Bobcats

Vince Carter scored 40-plus points for the New Jersey Nets six times in 2006-07. One of those performances came on March 24.

With the NBA on hiatus — which NBA commissioner Adam Silver set at 30 days — and New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, placing a ban on gatherings of more than 500 people for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, no Brooklyn Nets games will be played for the time being.

For the Nets, as much as any team, this comes at an odd time — Brooklyn was battling the Orlando Magic for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference standings. At the stoppage of play, the Nets had a half-game advantage over the Magic.

Since there aren’t any games, each day Nets Wire will highlight major individual performances and key developments throughout Nets history:

Prior to the New Jersey Nets’ game in Charlotte against the Bobcast on March 24, 2007, Vince Carter had scored 40-plus points four times throughout the 2006-07 season. When the Nets superstar started the game with a 10-point opening quarter, it looked like Carter may add to his tally.

He did just that, finishing with 40 points on 13-for-20 shooting (3-for-6 from deep) in the Nets’ 113-107 win (full box score). Carter also went 11-for-13 at the free-throw line, grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and logged one blocked shot and a steal.

Jason Kidd finished with a double-double. He has 15 assists and 10 rebounds. Richard Jefferson scored 16 points and Josh Boone added 21 off the bench.

Vince Carter’s Nets jersey should hang in the rafters of Barclays Center

Vince Carter has wowed fans with his dunks and other athletic feats throughout his storied career.

Vince Carter is going to be one of few players who has a legacy in which his lacking a championship will not be overly discussed.

After this season, Carter will have put on a show for 22 NBA seasons, which will give him the record of longest career in league history.  His nickname “Half Man, Half Amazing” might just be one of the most fitting nicknames in hoops history. Whether it was dunking over Frederic Weis in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, or wowing fans in his iconic 2000 Slam Dunk Contest performance, Carter has proven to be one of the most athletic players in NBA history.

Now, as he finishes his last season, he’s been praised by players such as Houston Rockets star James Harden. Carter got a standing ovation in December during his final game at Madison Square Garden.  On Sunday, he played his final game against the Brooklyn Nets, and he received a standing ovation.

Carter played for the Nets when they were in New Jersey, and as one of the franchise’s all-time best players, his jersey should hang in the rafters.

Despite not leading the team to any titles, Carter was one of the best hoopers of his generation.

After the Atlanta Hawks lost to the Nets on Sunday, Carter spoke on what it would feel like to have his jersey retired. Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Jason Kidd, Bill Melchionni, the late John Williamson, Buck Williams and the late Drazen Petrovic each have their Nets jersey retired.

“When you look up in the rafters and see the group of people that’s up there, if one day I get that opportunity, that honor, I’m OK with going up there with a guy who I looked up to in Dr. J and a great teammate like J-Kidd,” Carter said, per Michael Scotto of Bleacher Report. 

In five seasons with the Nets, Carter averaged 23.6 points per game, the highest among any of the teams he’s played for. According to Basketball Reference, Carter ranks third on the Nets’ all-time leading scorers list.

Carter, Kidd and Richard Jefferson were one of the most fun trios to watch in the mid 2000s. The group started playing together in the 2004-05 season, when Carter was traded to the team from the Toronto Raptors during the season.

With Kidd, the Nets had one of the best and smartest players ever as a floor general. As a fellow wing, Jefferson complemented Carter’s ability to score with his slashing ability. The group only made it as far as the Eastern Conference semifinals, but the three played exciting basketball.

Carter’s influence on the generation that followed is special. Nets star Kyrie Irving is evidence of that, as he spoke highly of Carter after Sunday’s game.

“That was a kid’s dream to go see Vince Carter and Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets play, but specifically Vince Carter,” Irving said, per Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily.  “He used to do some amazing things, man. It was incredible as a kid to watch.”

As one of the top scorers the league has seen, Carter is ranked No. 20 all-time in points, and currently he’s ranked fourth all-time in games played. A quality 3-point shooter throughout his career, he has shot 37.2% from deep.

In this day and age, hoops fans sometimes ring count. That is, sometimes a player’s legacy is tied too much to whether they won titles.

But Carter is different, and a big part of that is because his legacy consists of him being arguably the best dunker ever, along with his consistency. He averaged double figures in scoring from his rookie season in 1998 through the 2013-14 season.

Carter having his jersey potentially hanging in the rafters at Barclays Center would serve as a reminder of his greatness.

But unlike many other all-time greats, Carter won’t need any rings to prove how amazing he was.

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Richard Jefferson recalls bizarre experience as Nets rookie vs. Celtics

Following what happened with a fan at the Celtics-Spurs game on Wednesday, Richard Jefferson thought of a similar event from when he played.

On Wednesday, Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker was the latest to be ejected by one of the NBA’s overzealous refs. After Walker got the heave-ho, a fan threw a drink from the stands onto the court at the TD Garden in Boston. The fan was identified and arrested.

Celtics players and head coach Brad Stevens weren’t pleased with the fan’s display. Stevens went so far as to say he thinks the fan shouldn’t be allowed in an NBA arena again.

It was a shocking occurrence, though certainly not the first time NBA fans took things a step too far (i.e. Malice in the Palace).

According to former New Jersey Nets forward turned broadcaster Richard Jefferson, this isn’t the first time things were thrown at players in Boston.

On Twitter, Jefferson said pennies were thrown at him and his teammates during the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals when he was a rookie. Security was informed, but wasn’t much help.

“He told us to duck,” Jefferson wrote.

LeBron James loves how Richard Jefferson is trolling the Knicks

LeBron James got a kick out of Richard Jefferson’s jokes that irked the New York Knicks from Sunday night.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are sitting atop the NBA standings with a 14-2 record but no matter where he is in the league, LeBron is always paying attention to the league at large and the stories that come with it as an admitted hoops junkie. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s taken to the latest bizarre story involving the New York Knicks and his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Richard Jefferson.

For those who are unaware about the story, let’s give you a quick recap. Jefferson, who is now an analyst for Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network, joked that things had gotten so bad for the New York Knicks that he’d turned them down when they offered him a contract in his final year.

The Knicks then oddly made the social media highlight an even bigger story by issuing a clarification via the team’s official public relations twitter account.

Jefferson then of course leaned into the joke, being the expert troll that he can be, which got the attention of his former teammate LeBron.

 

The Knicks went out of their way to deny Richard Jefferson’s retirement story

Oh, Knicks.

For a team that has been a laughingstock for much of the past decade, the New York Knicks can’t take a joke.

During Sunday’s YES Network broadcast of the Nets and Knicks, former Nets player Richard Jefferson told a story about how he refused to play for the Knicks at the end of his career. He claimed that the Knicks were the one team to offer him a job in 2018, but instead he opted to retire simply because the Knicks are, well, the Knicks.

“I refused to play for the Knicks,” Jefferson said on Sunday. “Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin — they don’t really care. Me — I was the one person that said, ‘Knicks? No. I’ll retire.’ That’s why I retired. They were the one team that offered me a job, and I decided to retire. It’s true. I decided to retire instead of playing for the Knicks. … I just knew it was time. When the Knicks were looking for me to play for them, I knew my time in this league was over.”

Now, this should have been a funny thing that Jefferson said on a Sunday broadcast that NBA fans would have largely forgotten about in 48 hours. It was said on a regional broadcast with NFL games happening at the same time. But the Knicks just couldn’t let that perceived slight go unanswered.

On Monday, the public relations account for the Knicks tweeted a formal denial of Jefferson’s story.

Oh, Knicks.

First of all, that’s a pretty narrow denial. The Knicks didn’t offer Jefferson a contract in the summers of 2018 and 2019. That would leave preliminary contract talks and any offers during the other times of the year presumably open.

But really, this tweet opened the Knicks up to more mocking when the NBA news cycle was already prepared to move on.

Jefferson was also quick to continue the joke.

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Knicks deny they offered Richard Jefferson a contract in 2018 or 2019

The New York Knicks want to make sure fans know, they did not offer Richard Jefferson a deal at the end of his career.

During YES Network’s broadcast of the Brooklyn Nets’ matchup with the New York Knicks on Sunday, former Nets forward turned NBA analyst Richard Jefferson stated he had the chance to play for the Knicks at the end of his career, but refused to do so.

In fact, Jefferson said the fact the Knicks were the only team interested in signing him was a sign it was time for him to retire.

I refused to play for the Knicks. Like, Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin, they don’t really care. Me, I was the one person that said, ‘Knicks? No, I’ll retire.’ That’s why I retired. They were the one team that offered me a job and I decided to retire. … It’s true, I decided to retire instead of play for the Knicks. … I just knew it was time. When the Knicks were looking for me to play for them, I knew my time in this league was over.

Later on in the broadcast — after his comments went viral — Jefferson said he was told to say he was joking about his comments. But that wasn’t enough for the Knicks.

New York’s PR team took to Twitter on Monday to inform the masses the Knicks didn’t offer Jefferson a deal in 2018 or 2019:

Richard Jefferson elected to retire rather than play for Knicks

Former Nets standout Richard Jefferson didn’t hold back with his criticism of the New York Knicks when they hosted Brooklyn on Saturday.

The New York Knicks have been living off past success for years, yet they’ve remained a major brand in the game because they were New York’s only basketball team.

They’ve received criticism, but the conversation has changed a bit since Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant decided to play for the Brooklyn Nets over the Knicks this past summer. Now it seems everyone is more than happy to join in and criticize James Dolan and his franchise.

Add former Nets forward and YES Network analyst Richard Jefferson to the list of individuals who don’t have a high opinion of the Knicks. During Sunday’s matchup between the Nets and Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Jefferson mentioned the Knicks offered him a contract at the end of his career.

Jefferson felt New York’s interest was a sign he needed to retire:

I refused to play for the Knicks. Like, Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin, they don’t really care. Me, I was the one person that said, ‘Knicks? No, I’ll retire.’ That’s why I retired, they were the one team that offered me a job and I decided to retire. … It’s true, I decied to retire instead of play for the Knicks. … I just knew it was time. When the Knicks were looking for me to play for them, I knew my time in this league was over.