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Vanessa Bryant gifts LSU Women’s Basketball Nike Kobe 6 sneakers ahead of Elite 8 win vs. Miami

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6 months ago

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Right as the women’s LSU team were heading into the Elite Eight matchup against the Miami Hurricanes this weekend, the Tigers were gifted Nike Kobe 6 shoes courtesy of Vanessa Bryant. 

We don’t know if these sneakers were magical, but they sure were an inspiring gesture, as the Louisiana side took this motivation to court on Sunday night and beat the Florida team 54 to 42.

As you can see in the tweet above, the LSU athletes were visibly cheering in excitement as they realized it was Vanessa who gave them the presents, as well as discovering the sneakers were a “grinch” colorway edition.

Before this weekend’s contest, the Tigers were coming off an impressive Sweet Sixteen triumph over the Utah Utes, with foward LaDazhia Williams playing one of her best performances of the campaign, dropping 11 out of her 14 shots with a season-high 24 points to her name.

LSU sophomore Angel Reese also contributed immensely to her squad, hitting 17 points and winning 12 rebounds that night, making it her 31st double-double of her season so far, now tied with with Mississippi State Bulldogs Teaira McCowan’s 2018/19 campaign for the most in the division’s history.

Their performances have been caughting the attention of fans all over the United States, including celebrities like Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne, who took it to social media to show his support of the LSU women’s team and especially rooting for Reese’s new record.

LSU are the first team to earn a spot in the Final Four

This past Sunday, the Tigers were on fire against No.9 seed from Miami, who’ve had an impressive run in March Madness so far, until they encountered the Louisiana squad, now considered definite title-contenders for this NCAA Tournament.

LSU’s dominant defensive performance earned it the first spot in the Final Four of the 2023 women’s NCAA tournament. Take a look at the highlights of their Elite Eight victory over Miami in the link below:

After the game, Louisiana coach Kim Mulkey shared what this feat means to her and the squad. “What really makes me smile is not cutting that net down,” she said. “It’s looking around at all those LSU people, looking at the team I get to coach, and experience it for the first time. This is the first time any of them have been to the Final Four.”

Alexa Morris led her team in points again this weekend, dropping a total of 21 against the Hurricanes. As for Reese, she achieved yet another double-double, scoring 13 points, and winning 18 rebounds last night, including 14 defensive efforts and securing the team’s lower end of the court.

“We worked so hard, and we did everything that coach Mulkey said,” Angel Reese said, as they are headed to Dallas to confront the Final Four. “And now look at us!”





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Celtics sign forward Lamar Stevens to a partially guaranteed deal

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6 hours ago

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September 23, 2023

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The Boston Celtics have signed forward Lamar Stevens to a partially guaranteed deal, per sources. Stevens, 26, is expected to compete for a roster spot during training camp.

The 6-foot-6 forward went undrafted out of Penn State in 2020. Stevens spent his first three NBA seasons (2020-23) with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a two-way contract and a regular deal.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Boston Celtics are tied with the Denver Nuggets as favorites to win next season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks are still showing great odds for the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat.

The Pennsylvania native made 13 starts in 63 appearances with the Cavaliers in the 2021-22 season. During his sophomore season, Lamar Stevens averaged a career-high 6.1 points, along with 2.6 rebounds, and 16.1 minutes per game.

In addition to shooting a career-best 48.9% from the floor in 2021-22, the forward scored a career-high 23 points in Cleveland’s 111-91 win over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 12, 2022. He finished 10-of-15 (66.7%) shooting from the field.

Boston Celtics sign former Cleveland Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens to a partially guaranteed deal; Stevens was waived after being traded to the San Antonio Spurs

The undrafted forward then made 25 starts in 62 appearances with Cleveland in the 2022-23 season. He averaged 5.3 points and career highs of 3.3 rebounds and 18.1 minutes per game.

Stevens also shot 44.8% from the floor, a career-best 31.6% beyond the arc, and 70.2% at the foul line. In the Cavaliers’ 105-90 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 14, 2022, the wing recorded season highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes as a starter.

As part of a three-team trade this past July, the Cavaliers traded Stevens, Cedi Osman, and a 2030 second-round draft pick to the San Antonio Spurs and sent their 2026 second-rounder to the Heat.

In exchange, Cleveland received Max Strus from the Heat. The Spurs waived Stevens on July 17. Stevens would have entered the final season of the four-year, $5.88 million contract he signed with the Cavs in April 2021.

At the moment, the Boston Celtics have 11 players signed to fully guaranteed contracts. Svi Myhailiuk, Dalano Banton, and Luke Kornet inked non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed minimum-salary deals.

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Pelicans sign forward Kaiser Gates to a two-way contract

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7 hours ago

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September 23, 2023

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The New Orleans Pelicans have signed free agent forward Kaiser Gates to a two-way contract, according to reports. Gates, 26, went undrafted out of Xavier University in 2018.

In September 2018, the 6-foot-7 wing signed a training camp contract with the Chicago Bulls. However, he was waived a month later without appearing in an NBA game.

With the Windy City Bulls, Chicago’s NBA G League affiliate, Gates averaged 12.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per contest in 50 appearances. Plus, he shot 41% from the field.

Per a few NBA betting sites, the New Orleans Pelicans hold 15th-ranked odds to win next season’s 2024 championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, and Sacramento Kings.

As a matter of fact, the Georgia native finished fourth in the G League in 3-pointers (137), fifth in 3-point attempts (365), and eighth in defensive rebounds (270). Gates then signed as a free agent with the Boston Celtics on Sept. 30, 2019.

Nonetheless, he was waived a month later in October without making his first NBA appearance.

In the 2019 G League Draft, Gates’ returning rights were traded to the Maine Red Claws (now Celtics) for the No. 4 overall pick. In 36 starts with the Red Claws in the 2019-20 season, Gates averaged 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

New Orleans Pelicans sign forward Kaiser Gates to a two-way contract; the Xavier product is set to join two-way guard Dereon Seabron

Additionally, in 12 games played with the Long Island Nets during the 2020-21 season, the forward averaged 9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest.

On Dec. 17, 2020, he was waived a day after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Brooklyn Nets.

Moreover, Gates signed with Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Premier League for the 2021-22 season.

Last November, the forward was named to the opening night roster for the Long Island Nets. The Xavier product made 13 starts in 24 appearances, averaging a career-high 14 points per game.

Along with logging 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 23.4 minutes per contest, he shot career bests of 53.4% from the floor and 55.4% beyond the arc. Not to mention, he averaged 70.4% shooting at the foul line.

Furthermore, Kaiser Gates is now set to join guard Dereon Seabron as the Pelicans two-way players. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, each NBA team can sign a maximum of three two-way players.

An Exhibit 10 contract can be converted into a two-way deal before the regular season begins.

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Pacers sign former NBA champion Jordan Bell to an Exhibit 10 deal

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8 hours ago

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September 23, 2023

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The Indiana Pacers are signing free agent center Jordan Bell to an Exhibit 10 contract, per sources. Bell, 28, was selected 38th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2017 NBA Draft out of the University of Oregon.

The 6-foot-8 center was immediately traded to the Golden State Warriors for $3.5 million cash. Bell spent his first two NBA seasons (2017-19) with the Warriors. The former Duck’s rookie 2017-18 season was his best season.

Bell made 13 starts in 57 games played with the Warriors. He averaged career highs of 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 14.2 minutes per game. Plus, he shot career bests of 62.7% from the floor and 68.2% at the foul line.

Referring to a few NBA betting sites, the Indiana Pacers hold 26th-ranked odds to win next season’s 2024 championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls.

In Golden State’s 113-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 22, 2017, the center recorded a career-high 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 25 minutes as a starter.

Furthermore, Bell made 17 appearances off the bench for the Warriors during the 2018 NBA Playoffs. As a reserve, he averaged 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 10.2 minutes per game while shooting 53.1% from the field.

During Game 2 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals, the center posted a playoff career-high 11 points, in the Warriors’ 114-111 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers.

In July 2019, he signed a multi-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Indiana Pacers sign former Golden State Warriors center and 2018 NBA champion Jordan Bell to an Exhibit 10 contract; all three of Indiana’s two-way spots are occupied

However, after 27 games off the bench with Minnesota in the 2019-20 season, the Wolves traded Jordan Bell to the Houston Rockets. He was then dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies. Of course, Memphis waived him in March 2020.

Although Bell signed a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he never made an appearance. In November 2020, the Cavs traded him to the Lakers, and L.A. waived the center a couple of days later.

In December that year, the California native inked an Exhibit 10 contract with the Washington Wizards. He was waived after a day and went on to sign a pair of 10-day contracts. Bell never joined Washington’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.

In May 2021, Bell re-joined the Warriors on a two-way contract. Nonetheless, the center only appeared in one NBA game in the 2021-22 season before he was waived by Golden State.

While Bell was reacquired by the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G League affiliate, on Jan. 9, 2022, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers’ G League team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, three weeks later.

Last season, the Oregon product played for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). In 40 games with the Lions, the former NBA champ averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 boards, 3.5 assists, 2.1 steals, 1.9 blocks, and 24.6 minutes.

An Exhibit 10 contract can still be converted into a two-way deal before the regular season begins. But the Indiana Pacers have already filled their three two-way spots with forwards Kendall Brown and Oscar Tschiebwe and guard Isaiah Wong.

Bell will likely spend time with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the 2023-24 season.

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