Carmelo Anthony Moves Into Top 10 on NBA All-Time Scoring List

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Carmelo Anthony is movin’ on up…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican professional basketball player, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, has moved into the top 10 all time in NBA scoring, passing Elvin Hayes.

With 11:09 left in the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, Anthony isolated on the right wing and pulled up from 3, plus the foul. After his trademark move of hitting the side of his head with three fingers, Anthony raised both arms in the air as a quick acknowledgement of the accomplishment.

It was his third 3 of the first half, giving him 12 points. Anthony entered Monday’s game against the Hawks nine points behind Hayes’ career total of 27,313.

He finished the night with 14 points overall — and 27,318 for his career — as Portland fell to Atlanta, 123-114.

“I think after it’s done, whenever it happens, I think I’ll be more in awe of it,” Anthony told ESPN by phone last week. “This is something I never, ever thought about. When you’re young you look up at that list and you’re like, ‘Damn, so-and-so has that many points? I’ll never be able to do that.’ I’m more just in awe of it.”

Moses Malone is next up on the all-time list at 27,409, a reachable number this season if Anthony maintains his current scoring pace.

Anthony’s journey to the top 10 comes with context, with him away from the NBA for a season after being cut by the Houston Rockets after just 10 games early in the 2018-19 season. Anthony continued working out and signed with the Trail Blazers in November 2019, starting all 58 games last season. He agreed to a bench role this season with Portland and entered Monday averaging 13.6 points as a sixth man.

A 10-time NBA All-Star, Anthony is in his 18th NBA season. He won the scoring title with the New York Knicks in 2012-13, averaging 28.7 points. Anthony spent 10 consecutive seasons in the top 10 in scoring and finished as a runner-up for the scoring title twice in that stretch.

Anthony’s point distribution is 13,970 in eight seasons with the Denver Nuggets, 10,186 in seven seasons with the Knicks, 1,261 in one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, 134 with the Rockets and now 1,754 in two seasons with the Blazers.

This season, Anthony has moved past Tim Duncan, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson and Hakeem Olajuwon in scoring.

Alex Rodriguez Finalizing Deal to Buy the Minnesota Timberwolves

Posted on April 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Alex Rodriguez is ready to get in the basketball business…

The 45-year-old Dominican American former MLB slugger Alex Rodriguez and billionaire Marc Lore are finalizing a deal to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves from majority owner Glen Taylor, according to ESPN.

The purchase price in the deal is expected to be in the $1.5 billion range, sources said.

Taylor will continue to hold full control of the team for two years before Rodriguez and Lore take over in 2023.

“We look forward to entering this phase of the process with Glen Taylor,” Rodriguez and Lore said in a joint statement on Saturday. “Our respect for him and the legacy he has built lays an amazing foundation for what is to come. We are excited by the prospect of getting to know the Timberwolves organization.”

Taylor announced in July 2020 that he was looking for a buyer. The terms of the sale are similar to talks Taylor had in the past year with billionaire Ryan Smith, who walked away from a potential deal to ultimately purchase the Utah Jazz for $1.66 billion in October.

Taylor, 79, saved basketball in Minnesota when he bought the team for $88 million in 1994 after it nearly moved to New Orleans. But he has had an unspectacular ownership run in the 16 years since, reaching the playoffs only once.

Taylor has discussed keeping the Timberwolves in Minnesota with new ownership, but Rodriguez’s ties to Seattle and that city’s desire for a return of an NBA franchise could become an issue in the long term.

Rodriguez was also part of a group that bid unsuccessfully for the New York Mets.

Duki Teams Up with NBA Latam for Special Docuseries “NBA Freestyle”

Posted on April 10, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Duki is taking his love of basketball to the next level…

The 24-year-old Argentine Latin trap star, whose real name is Mauro Ezequiel Lombardo, has teamed up with with NBA Latam for a 10-part series that captures not only his love for freestyle, but also sports.

The series, which launched with its first episode this week, is part of the NBA’s commitment to offer local productions in Latin America. New episodes will launch on the NBA Latam YouTube channel every Wednesday.

During the 10 episodes, Duki will tell his relationship with basketball and the NBA from when he was a child to this day through an exclusive interview, reactions to the best players in the league and even singing a series of themed freestyles.

“I remember the first NBA game I ever watched,” he recalled. “I was home with my brother in Santa Teresita and the All-Star Game happened to be on at 2 o’clock in the morning. I was crazy about it… I remember Allen Iverson’s braids in that game. I’ve been a fan ever since.”

The series includes an exclusive song that will only be available on the NBA Latam YouTube channel. For the making of the video, Duki wears the shirt of one of his favorite players today: the Argentine, Facundo Campazzo of the Denver Nuggets.

“I had first spoken to Facu and he answered me. In a cross of words and jokes. He already knew who I was. I really want to do a song for him, with him by my side, a good heavy trap”

The series also includes unique video content highlighting the intersection of basketball, entertainment and lifestyle.

Carmelo Anthony Launches Content Company ‘Creative7’

Posted on April 7, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Carmelo Anthony is getting creative…

The 36-year-old half-Puerto Rican professional baseball player, a 10-time NBA All-Star, and his longtime business partner Asani Swann have launched Creative7, a multi-platform content company that will develop and produce original, premium content spanning documentaries, scripted television, feature film, animation, podcasts, and more.Anthony and Swann’s goal? To champion the narratives and voices of the underserved and they are partnering with Will Packer, Plan B Entertainment on a limited narrative series, Hock Films, Shaun Redick and Yvette Yates on Jersey 4, based on a racial profiling case, and more.

The company has quietly produced and is currently producing a number of previously-announced projects as well, including Blood Brothers, a limited series in partnership with A+E Studios, Executive Producer Charles Murray, and Narrative Film Group that examines the friendship between two of the most dynamic and iconic figures in history: Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X; “Un Sueño Real”, a recently launched docuseries with HBO España, Exile Content Studio, and Newtral that gives an inside look at the women’s Real Madrid soccer team; and Universe, an IDA Award-winning documentary about Miles Davis’ protégé, Wallace Roney, who recently passed but lives on through his inspiring journey to uphold his mentor’s legacy and record The Universe Compositions.

“In addition to collaborating with legendary filmmakers and paramount creative minds in the industry, we are excited to also be working with and championing emerging talent who are positioned to be the next great generation of filmmakers,” said Swann. “At the core, our goal is to amplify unheard voices and groundbreaking stories that push the envelope and will leave a profound impact. As a Black woman, I am proud to co-found a company like Creative 7 that celebrates diversity and inclusion and will strive to push representation in this industry forward.”

Pitbull Becomes Part Owner of New NASCAR Team Trackhouse Racing

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Pitbull is dealing with a new type of track…

New NASCAR team Trackhouse Racing has brought on the 40-year-old Cuban American rapper/singer, known also as Mr. Worldwide, as an ownership partner for the organization, which will make its debut next month at the Daytona 500.

Trackhouse made the announcement with a video on Twitter in which the Grammy winner is featured dancing to an “I believe we will win” chant. He also holds signs that say: “Knuckle Up,” “Fight Hard” and “Buckle Up.”

Pitbull joins NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan as celebrity owners entering NASCAR this year. Jordan is a part owner of 23XI Racing with Denny Hamlin.

“I’ve been a fan of the NASCAR story since the movie Days of Thunder,” Pitbull said in a statement. “We are going to show the world NASCAR is not only a sport but a culture.”

Trackhouse was launched late last year by former driver Justin Marks, who struggled to find a charter that guarantees entry into every Cup Series race on the schedule. He ultimately leased one from Spire Motorsports to get his organization on the grid.

The team has hired Mexican driver Daniel Suarez for the No. 99 Chevrolet, but it will not be NASCAR’s first pairing of a Latino driver and team owner. Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian, drove for Chip Ganassi Racing when it was part owned by Felix Sabates, a Cuban.

J.J. Barea to Play for Spain’s Estudiantes Team

Posted on January 23, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

J.J. Barea is heading to España.

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican professional basketball player, a former Dallas Mavericks guard, has signed a contract to play in Spain’s top division with Estudiantes, the Madrid-based club has announced.

Barea played for the Mavericks for 11 seasons, helping the team win the NBA title in 2011. The Mavericks released him in December.

Barea played 14 NBA seasons, including three with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and averaged 8.9 points and 3.9 assists in 831 games.

He’s signed through the end of the season, Estudiantes said. He’s scheduled to arrive in Madrid this week to start training.

Barea told Spanish sports daily Marca in 2011 that his father’s family came from a village in northern Spain.

Tessa Ferrer to Star in Apple TV+’s New Basketball-Themed Drama Series “Swagger”

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Tessa Ferrer’s got some serious swagger…

The 34-year-old part-Puerto Rican actress and former Grey’s Anatomy star has joined the ensemble cast of Apple TV+’s new basketball-themed drama series Swagger.

The project, which hails from NBA superstar Kevin Durant and Imagine’s Brian Grazer, stars O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Oscar-nominated Quvenzhané Wallis.

Ferrer will be a series regulars alongside Isaiah Hill, Shinelle Azoroh, 32-year-old part-Afro-Dominican actor Tristan Mack Wilds, Caleel Harris, Latino actor/producer Jason Rivera, Solomon Irama, Ozie Nzeribe and James Bingham.

Written and directed by Bythewood, who also serves as showrunner, Swagger is inspired by Durant’s youth basketball experiences. It explores the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Off the court, the show reveals what it’s like to grow up in America.

Wilds will portray Alonzo Powers, the grassroots division leader at a major shoe company.

Ferrer will portray Meg Bailey, a former basketball player and coach for the rival team.

Rivera will play Nick, a player from Puerto Rico with the drive to become the best player in the country.

The drama is co-produced by Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios.

J.J. Barea Re-Signs with Dallas Mavericks

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

J.J. Barea is still a maverick…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican professional basketball player and NBA point guard has agreed to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum of $2.6 million, according to ESPN.

With Barea’s return, the Mavericks anticipate entering training camp with 16 players on guaranteed contracts, one over the regular-season roster limit. Dallas plans to have competition for the final roster spots in camp.

Barea has spent 11 of his 14 NBA seasons with the Mavericks, playing a key role on the 2010-11 championship team. He played a limited role last season after returning from a ruptured Achilles, averaging 7.7 points and 3.9 assists in 29 games, but provides valuable leadership in the locker room and has an especially strong relationship with superstar Luka Doncic.

The 5-foot-10 Barea, who first made the Mavs as an undrafted rookie, has career averages of 8.9 points and 3.9 assists per game. He has coaching ambitions after his playing career ends.

Carmelo Anthony Executive-Producing “Blood Brothers” Limited Series About Muhammad Ali & Malcom X’s Friendship

Posted on November 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Carmelo Anthony continues to expand his empire beyond basketball…

A+E Studios has put in development Blood Brothers (working title), an eight-episode limited series based on the 2016 non-fiction book Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X by historians Johnny Smith and Randy Roberts.

The project hails from the 36-year-old Puerto Rican NBA star, writer-producer Charles Murray and Narrative Film Group.

Written by Murray, Blood Brothers is described as a unique examination of the friendship between two of our generation’s most prominent Black figures: Muhammad Ali, the future heavyweight champion of the world, and Malcolm X, the controversial public voice of the Nation of Islam. Beginning with Ali’s (then known as Cassius Clay) initial meeting and eventual bond with Malcolm X, the series will explore their personal lives and instantaneous friendship, as well as the relationship’s eventual demise due to America’s socio-political tensions and divisiveness within the Nation of Islam.

“A+E Studios is honored to tell this provocative, untold story of the bond between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X,” said Barry Jossen, President and Head of A+E Studios, and Tana Jamieson, EVP, Creative Affairs, A+E Studios in a joint statement. “Under the thoughtful guidance of our dear friend Charles Murray and an extraordinary group of executive producers, the series will add to the legacies of these two icons who left an indelible imprint on America.”

Blood Brothers is an A+E Studios production. Murray serves as executive producer and showrunner through Raising Kane Films, along with Anthony and Asani Swann’s Creative 7.

“At Creative 7, we are passionate about sharing stories of remarkable individuals whose resilience and determination changed the course of history,” said Anthony and Swann, co-founders of Creative 7. “It’s an honor to be working with A+E Studios to tell the story of the complex bond between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, two civil rights leaders who had a lasting impact both in and beyond Black America. We believe this story has the power to resonate with audiences on a global scale and are excited to bring this unique and inspiring tale to life.”

Demi Lovato Takes Part in Twitter Q&A About Mental Health with “OK Not To Be Okay” Collaborator Marshmello & NBA Star Kevin Love

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Demi Lovato’s spreading her “OK Not To Be OK” message with the world…

NBA player Kevin Love moderated a Twitter Q&A about mental health with the 28-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress and her “OK Not To Be OK” collaborator Marshmello.

While 2020 has thrown curveball after curveball at the world and the well-being of millions, Lovato, Marshmello and Love wanted people to know it will get better.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player — who recently penned a personal essay about his mental health struggles — replied to fans who asked questions using the #OKNotToBeOK hashtag about what tools, from therapy to different hobbies, they can use to improve their mindset.

“It’s not easy some days, but knowing ‘it’s ok not to be ok’ has truly helped me with this,” Lovato responded to a fan who asked about motivating yourself even during the rough patches. “You have good days… and a couple bad days in between. We can’t stress ourselves with trying to be perfect. Love you too!”

https://twitter.com/ddlovato/status/1308129595221143554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1308129595221143554%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.billboard.com%2Farticles%2Fcolumns%2Fpop%2F9453162%2Fkevin-love-ok-not-to-be-ok-mental-health-twitter-qa-demi-lovato-marshmello

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