The NBA is promoting its slate of games on Christmas Day by remixing a classic commercial, Jingle Hoops, from over a decade ago.
It was 2013 when the original version of this ad debuted and it is just as amazing now as it was then. While it featured those terrible t-shirt jerseys that fortunately didn’t last in the NBA, it remains a classic core memory from that era of basketball.
The original ad featured Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Steve Nash shooting to the tune of Jingle Bells before LeBron James dunked. It rocked.
Meanwhile, the new version still features Durant and Curry with appearances by LeBron.
But it also features Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic as the new shooters.
Victor Wembanyama also appears, as do: Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, and Tyrese Maxey. We also get an apparance from Nikola Jokic, who is riding a sleigh like a horse chariot.
NBA on ABC’s Mike Breen and ESPN’s Malika Andrews have brief cameos as well.
The animated version of this ad is just as fun as the original in many ways!
Philadelphia 76ers rookie and TikTok star Jared McCain spoke to USA TODAY’s For The Win.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain will bring his infectious energy from Duke to the pros during his NBA career.
McCain, who was selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is also widely known for his popular TikTok account. With more than 3 million followers on the social media platform, he often shares a fresh and candid perspective on his life as a professional basketball player.
“I think my social media persona displays a certain side of me,” McCain told USA TODAY’s For The Win. “But I’m a hard-working player doing what I need to do on the court to help my team win. So if that’s being a dog or however people see my game, I’m going to do whatever I can to help the team win.”
McCain isn’t yet sure how his TikTok presence will impact how other pros play against him.
But he is excited to find out when the regular-season begins and he is matched up against the elite of the elite.
“I don’t know how other NBA players view me,” McCain added. “But we will just see when we get out there and play.”
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
What can you share about your offseason?
(Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
McCain: I had to get a place in Philly and get moved in and do all the little things I had to do to move into my own spot. I definitely had to work on my game. I was watching film with coaches and by myself and stayed in the gym. I was doing stuff I will be doing this season: Catch and shoot, a lot of stuff I’ve been doing my whole life, but perfecting it as much as I can to play this season. Coming into the NBA, there is so much unknown. So for me, it’s doing a little bit of everything but mostly focusing on my main role as a catch-and-shoot guy in the corners when they go and double Paul George or Joel Embiid or Tyrese Maxey. I’m going to be able to make that catch-and-shoot shot. I’m obviously always trying to be a primary ball handler so I’m trying to perfect that and come off ball screens and make the right reads. I’m trying to learn as much as I can and get that catch-and-shoot perfected.
How were your workouts with your new teammates?
McCain: The workouts were really cool. It was really cool getting to know them and see how they actually work and how they play. We had some training with the team separately and then we played at the Rico Hines runs. It was really cool to get to know them and talk to them because these are people I will spend a lot of time with in this long season. So it was really cool to see Paul George catch the ball in the mid-post and shoot a jumper. That was cool for me. One of my strengths is being able to adapt to any situation so I’m excited to learn my role, whatever it’s going to be. Obviously, there are things you think will happen and it may not be that. But I’ll be ready. I have a quick release. If my man leaves to go double one of them, I’m ready to knock that down.
How was it meeting Paul George as a guest on his podcast?
McCain: It’s pretty crazy that he’s my teammate considering I’ve watched him since I was in middle school. It was pretty surreal to meet him before the podcast was recorded. I’ve watched his podcast before, so going on it was amazing for me. Sometimes, it doesn’t feel real that I’m in the NBA. I walk in the locker room and I see Joel Embiid’s locker or Paul George’s locker. It’s so crazy to me. But it’s obviously really fun getting to see them up close and learn from them. It will probably feel real when I’m in the locker room and putting on my Philadelphia 76ers jersey and getting ready for a regular-season game will be wild.
What are your expectations for Duke this season?
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
McCain: Oh yeah. I’m very excited to watch them. It’s so weird just being a fan now and not a player even though I was only there for a few months. But I’m really excited. The practices I’ve seen, they look good. I’m just super excited to watch them play this season. It’s basically like my second home. It’s not too far from Philly. Getting to know the other Duke players in the NBA when I was there, they would come back. Jayson Tatum would come play pickup with us. It’s so cool that there are so many Duke players in the NBA that I’m able to talk to and ask for advice.
Patrick Beverley gave you advice. What other advice have you received from pros?
(Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
McCain: A lot of stuff I’ve asked players, they say I need to continue to be myself. You don’t have to put on a show for anyone else. Always stay true to yourself. Have fun with it. That just reiterates what I always do for myself. I always try to have fun and joy on the court. So to have people who have been there and done that tell me that it’s exactly what I need to do gives me more confidence for sure.
Have you and Tyrese Maxey talked about bringing positivity to the backcourt?
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
McCain: We haven’t talked about that, specifically, but a lot of people have mentioned it to me throughout this facility being on the 76ers with him. It’s really cool to have someone positive like him who I can go to for any help and any advice I need. He has been through a situation like mine and he is someone who I am trying to emulate exactly, both with what he does and how he has done it.
What is something that inspires you about Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham?
McCain: Just watching somebody as young as he is dominate how he does, I always love that. He always does it with a smile on his face, too. The stuff he does off the pitch is really to see and something I’m trying to do as well. I love seeing young players thrive and have success early.
How have you liked your move to Philadelphia so far?
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
McCain: The city vibe is a little bit different. I haven’t had too much time to just explore yet but I’m excited to start doing that and see what Philly has to offer. I’ve tried some cheesesteaks. I’ve tried Angelo’s, which was really good. I tried a Chinese restaurant and I’ve probably already had it like five times. Once I get one place I like, I try to stick to it for a long time. I’m definitely willing to try some new things. I want to do more exploring.
If you could make a TikTok with anyone in the NBA, who would it be?
McCain: [Laughs] Probably Stephen Curry! It would be pretty cool to get Curry in a TikTok. Maybe I’ll see one day. I’d have to meet him and get to talk to him a little more about that.
You had a TikTok about journaling in Lyft cars. Do you actually do that?
McCain: It’s funny. Being in Philly, I’m not a big driver out there. It’s pretty easy being able to Lyft and journal in the car. I’m able to do that on the way back to my place or on the way to work. It’s my daily routine, which is journaling and meditation and breathing work and visualization. I also talk to a psychologist. I do all different types of things to help my mind and exercise my mind to get it in peak performance. I’ve said it many times: If my mental health is not right, I’m not going to play the best that I can. So I’m always trying to take care of my mental health, especially playing in the NBA. Everything you do is under a microscope.
Have you gotten recognized much around the city in a Lyft or otherwise?
McCain: That happens a bunch, actually. Especially when I’m going to the facility. It won’t say 76ers practice facility as a destination but it will say that once you get close. The drivers have sometimes said: “Wait, are you a player?” I’m like, uh, yeah. Then sometime they’ll know, like, exactly who I am. Then sometimes they’ll be like: “Oh my goodness!” and ask what number I am going to wear. It’s pretty funny when it happens but they’ve always been cool and it’s pretty easy and pretty nice.
OK, this is a little complicated, so bear with us.
There’s a lot of chatter about Tyrese Maxey and who he’s dating, and then how that person was connected to struggling Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young.
Let’s start with Maxey. The Philadelphia 76ers star was spotted on Monday night at the Eagles game with a woman who people have think is Myra Gordon. As for Young? There were rumors that the former Alabama basketball player had dated the former Crimson Tide QB.
Does this mean that Maxey is dating Gordon? We don’t know if they’re officially official, but the buzz and speculation will continue, no doubt.
If you consume enough NBA media, you’ll note how often we pigeonhole players into rigid categories. The superstars get more than their fair share of the discussion, but everyone else falls into generalities: the game manager, the rim-running big …
If you consume enough NBA media, you’ll note how often we pigeonhole players into rigid categories. The superstars get more than their fair share of the discussion, but everyone else falls into generalities: the game manager, the rim-running big man, etcetera. After a while, players can blur together like uniform blocks within their segments, interchangeable and faceless. Categorization makes for easier conversation and analysis but loses the nuances that make basketball the best sport.
That’s a bummer! It’s fun to celebrate the individuality of each player, to look a little deeper into how they play. Below, I’ve gathered six players with quirks or tendencies that the general public doesn’t recognize enough. Some of these notes are borderline silly, and some are essential parts of what makes a player tick. But all deserve more (or at least a little!) discussion.
Disclaimer: I’m not always saying that these players are the absolute best at a thing. I’m simply highlighting unexpected skills or idiosyncrasies that aren’t well-known outside the local market. Don’t expect LeBron James to show up, but we may as well start with the biggest name (literally and figuratively).
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
The 2024 Paris Olympics are in the rearview mirror and to no surprise, the United States once again earned a gold medal in basketball.
Led by a trio of NBA veterans, the U.S. men’s basketball roster was thrilling. Basketball fans were delighted to see LeBron James play with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant at the same time and the results were incredible.
Now that the Olympics will leave France and the United States will become the next host nation, the focus will shift to what the roster could look like in 2028.
It is an impossible question to answer because so much of this depends on health, interest, coaching, development, and various other circumstances we can’t predict.
But based on what we know so far, factoring in age and relationships with the USA Basketball, here is our best guess as of right now:
GUARDS
Anthony Edwards
Devin Booker
Tyrese Haliburton
Donovan Mitchell
Tyrese Maxey
FORWARDS
Jayson Tatum
Paolo Banchero
Scottie Barnes
Cooper Flagg
BIGS
Bam Adebayo
Chet Holmgren
Evan Mobley
Noah Lyles denies beef with Anthony Edwards
Photos by MARTIN BERNETTI Damien MEYER / AFP
U.S. track and field sprinter Noah Lyles caused some more controversy this weekend:
“Two of the biggest stars from the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics were Noah Lyles and Anthony Edwards.
Lyles and Edwards both became first-time Olympic gold medalists this summer. Before testing positive for COVID-19 and withdrawing from the Olympics this year, Lyles won a gold medal in the 100 meter for track and field. Edwards was a standout performer on the U.S. men’s basketball roster.
Both gold medalists have signed endorsement deals with the shoe company adidas. Recent reporting suggests that there is potentially animosity between the two, but Lyles is attempting to squash those growing rumors.”
Super agent Rich Paul sheds some light on Tyrese Maxey’s rookie season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey is one of the top players in the league as he is on his way to becoming a multi-time All-Star due to his maniacal work ethic and his immense talent. He averaged 25.9 points and 6.2 assists in the 2023-24 season.
However, while he has proven himself at this stage of his career, it isn’t like he was a sure thing. He was the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NBA draft and was in a reserve role in his rookie season playing behind Ben Simmons. He received an opportunity in his second season thanks to the Simmons saga, but even in his third season, Maxey came off the bench for 19 of the 60 games he played.
Now, he is a max player and is among the top guards in the league. Maxey is one of the leaders for this Sixers team and will look to take another step forward in the 2024-25 season.
Agent Rich Paul hopped on “The Pat McAfee Show” and praised Maxey for what he has been able to achieve and shed some light on his rookie season:
They wanted to send him down to the G League. They wasn’t even going to draft hm, first of all, then they were gonna send him down to the G League. Then they decided to play him a little bit. It was COVID. It was a game that guys sat out. He scored 40 points against Denver, I think. We talked after that game. I said ‘Tyrese, great game, but you won’t play the next 10 games’. He was so confused. I was like ‘Yeah. Those 40 points mean nothing in terms of where you’re at in the pecking order’. Now today, he’s a max player, but he’s never allowed himself to make it about him.
To correct Paul, it was actually 39 points Maxey scored against the Nuggets in the 2020-21 season. He continued to play even when the Sixers did get healthy again, but his minutes understandably went down due to the fact that Simmons and Seth Curry were able to return from the health & safety protocols.
Either way, Maxey does deserve a ton of credit. While the Sixers were hopeful that he would be able to make that next step into stardom, it wasn’t a sure thing that he would. He has proven himself at a high level and Philadelphia will be looking to him to lead the way on its continued path for a title.
Philadelphia 76ers stars Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey are ranked as the 2nd-best trio in the league.
The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of hype surrounding them following the big addition of Paul George. The Sixers are now led by George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey to form one of the more talented trios in the league.
On top of that, the Sixers have put some solid pieces around them in the form of Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, and Caleb Martin as well as bringing back Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry. The Sixers have had a very good offseason at this point.
With the new Big 3 leading the way, Bleacher Report ranked the top trios in the league with the Sixers coming in ranked No. 2 behind only the Boston Celtics:
Truthfully, there’s a chance no threesome in the league is as well-rounded. Embiid gives you that top-end MVP talent who can anchor a defense entirely on his own. Maxey has transformed into a lethal three-level scorer with developing playmaker chops. George’s off-ball motion will brutalize defenses yet he still has the on-ball skill necessary to generate looks from scratch. His defensive slippage has also been dramatized, even if the Sixers may wind up a little too reliant on him during non-Caleb Martin minutes.
On paper, the Sixers should absolutely be the biggest challenger to the Celtics in the East. With that being said, Philadelphia will need healthy playoff runs from Embiid and George to get the job done. While both are extremely talented players, they both have an injury history and that’s something the Sixers will have to be cognizant of.
Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey was present in support of the youngsters in a summer league win over the Detroit Pistons.
The Philadelphia 76ers continued the summer league on Saturday when they took on the Detroit Pistons in the Las Vegas opener. They played their first three games in Salt Lake City before heading over to Vegas to continue the summer circuit.
The Sixers were able to defeat the Pistons 91-84 thanks to the strong play of Ricky Council IV who had 24 points in a leading effort. The second-year forward out of Arkansas has made a strong effort to the summer schedule for Philadelphia.
The Sixers were able to put on a strong effort in front of their All-Star point guard with Tyrese Maxey on the sidelines. Maxey has been very supportive of the youngsters on the Sixers thus far in the offseason.
Maxey has been a supportive veteran for Philadelphia’s younger players and him showing up tp summer league in Vegas is another example of that. The Sixers will continue to lean on him as time moves forward.
Tyrese Maxey shares his satisfaction of the Philadelphia 76ers bringing back Kyle Lowry in free agency.
The Philadelphia 76ers were able to bring back Kyle Lowry in free agency after agreeing to a 1-year deal with the veteran guard. The Sixers picked up Lowry off the buyout market in February and he played an important role as a veteran to Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
Lowry may be losing a step here and there, but he is an important piece on this roster. He knows coach Nick Nurse like the back of his hand and will be a great voice on the roster for young guards like Maxey and Jared McCain.
In fact, Maxey took to Instagram to share his satisfaction and approval of the Sixers bringing back Lowry.
Lowry averaged 8.0 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 40.4% from deep for the Sixers after being picked up. He will look to continue to make an impact for this team as they look to win their first title since 1983.
Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey is back in the gym working on adding a midrange jumper to his bag.
The midrange jumper can be such an important weapon in the NBA. There are so many stars in the league who can get to the basket or will knock down a 3-point shot that defenders can prepare for.
If a player adds a midrange jumper, then he can become almost unstoppable.
Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey is one of those players who can get to the basket with ease while also effortlessly knocking down tough 3-pointers from way downtown. Once the rising star adds more to his game, that will make him an even tougher cover.
Maxey is back in the gym with his trainer working on adding that midrange jumper to his game.
Tyrese Maxey is back in the gym! Looks like he’s working on his midrange game. pic.twitter.com/xRO24JEucG
Maxey and the Sixers will look to take that next step forward in the 2024-25 season. With the addition of Paul George, there will be more pressure on Maxey to help George and Joel Embiid get the Sixers over the hump in the Eastern Conference.
