“I’ve seen the one that started with the draft. We know what it took for us to get our kids there and if stuff like that’s gonna break me, then I don’t need to be around,” he said, speaking on the Ultimate Dads Unplugged podcast.

Jayson Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole, was interviewed that night. But even though Justin sat beside her, he was not. Justin admitted that the moment hurt, but he refused to let it define his relationship with his son.

“It’s messed up,” he said. “But I know my son, how much he cares and loves me, and he knows what we’ve been through. As long as that matters, I’m good.” 

For Justin, that shared history carries more weight than a television segment ever could.

The context behind those comments runs much deeper than one missed interview. Jayson Tatum grew up primarily with his mother after his parents separated, but Justin remained a significant presence in his development as a basketball player. Justin coached him at Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis. 

That’s where he adopted an approach that prioritized toughness over comfort.

Jayson Tatum previously described how demanding that relationship became. “He was extremely tough on me,” JT recalled, explaining that his father would cuss him out, embarrass him, and even throw the ball at him because he wanted him to become mentally stronger. That intensity became part of Jayson Tatum’s competitive identity.

Justin coached him, challenged him, and deliberately placed him in uncomfortable situations. By the time Tatum arrived at the 2017 NBA Draft, however, the television narrative naturally centered on the mother-son relationship that audiences could see in front of the cameras. Justin believes he lost something important right there.

His complaint centers not on Brandy Cole’s attention, but on his own exclusion. LaVar Ball, sitting on the same podcast, added another layer to Justin Tatum’s frustration. Responding to the discussion, Ball argued that the distance between superstar athletes and their parents is an isolated situation.

“If you look at any of these superstars, who has been given? From D. Rose, not talking to his parents, to Kobe not being able to talk to his parents. So, you’re gonna go through that. That’s why I had to. There’s nothing we can just dodge.”

The draft night footage may have overlooked Justin Tatum, but it cannot erase his place in Jayson Tatum’s development. As the Celtics star continues to build his legacy, his father appears comfortable letting the public narrative take whatever shape it wants.

The post “It’s Messed Up”: Jayson Tatum’s Dad Calls Out NBA’s Treatment of Fathers as Celtics Star’s Draft Night Story Comes to Light appeared first on EssentiallySports.

After the announcement, Enes Kanter Freedom had recently stated the idea of teaming up with Caitlin Clark, equating the pair to ‘Kobe and Shaq.’ Now, the former first-round NBA pick is calling out one of Caitlin Clark’s biggest rivals, Angel Reese.

“Sis!” tweeted Kanter. “Once I go No. 1 pick in the 2027 @WNBA Draft, the first player I’m dunking on is Angel Reese. She’s the Paul George of the #WNBA. Just lean into the podcast already.”

This comes on the back of the Indiana Fever defeating Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream 95-91 in an overtime thriller on August 16, 2026. Unfortunately, it was Reese who missed a crucial potential game-winning layup at the end of regulation that forced the extra period.

To make matters worse for Reese, Enes Kanter Freedom mocked her performance. Compared to the inconsistency from Paul George and his performance in the recent past and piled-on the runing joke of his nickname.

George coined the term ‘Playoff P,’ but currently the joke has turned into ‘Podcast P,’ due to his injury history and his actual playoff results often falling short of the hype. Enes Kanter Freedom suggested that even Reese should focus on podcasting after her 15 points and 5-16 effort against the Fever.

This is on the back of his idea suggesting playagoinside Caitlin Clark and the Fever next season.

“I think I can do a pretty good job,” Freedom said in a 40-minute interview with former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl. ““I’m really excited. It’s going to be fun. You know, especially if I get drafted by a team like maybe Indiana, you know, they can definitely use some big. I and Caitlin will be the modern Kobe and Shaq.”

The former first-round pick in the NBA continues to mock the transgender rules after announcing his intention of participating in the WNBA . He is not alone in this, Royce White and Larry Sanders.

The WNBA’s current collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.” But it does not specifically spell out a definition of woman in the eligibility provision.

But a WNBA spokesperson, following a Wednesday meeting of the league’s existing anti-hate task force, stated, “There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others.”

The debate and controversy continue to grow as Enes Kanter Freedom keeps on drawing attention with his actions.

The post “Paul George of WNBA”: Enes Kanter Freedom Makes Wild Remarks on Angel Reese After Loss to Caitlin Clark’s Fever appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The 26-year-old recently spoke about the Indiana Pacers’ season opener on the Numbers on the Board podcast. He questioned the league’s decision to keep Indiana’s clash with the New Orleans Pelicans away from national TV. Moreover, Gainbridge Fieldhouse won’t even host the game!

“Name any other person that you compare to my level of a basketball player, wherever you have any ranks, if they tore their Achilles and missed 16 months; do you think that game would be on national TV?” Tyrese Haliburton said. “Do you think that game would be at home? Do you think that game would be in New Orleans?”

He added, “Trey Murphy, love my boy Trey. I love New Orleans, but I was shocked to see that. But we move on.”

The Pacers will receive 11 nationally televised games this season. They will appear on national television 11 times this season, up from 9 broadcasts they received in each of the past two seasons. However, the NBA can still alter its broadcast lineup as the season unfolds.

Haliburton & Co. saw several nationally televised games disappear last year after their playoff hopes faded. A stronger campaign could change that quickly. If the Pacers emerge as Eastern Conference contenders again, the league could reward them with more national exposure.

But Adam Silver didn’t think this way when his planned the season schedule for LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The NBA is seemingly afraid to look beyond LeBron James

The Philadelphia 76ers now have 34 nationally televised games after receiving only 14 last season. Their 2026-27 season schedule puts LeBron James under the spotlight once again. That is simply because Adam Silver was waiting for the King to pick his next landing spot. He was waiting to finalize the league’s national television schedule with broadcast partners, relying on the 41-year-old’s call.

Now, here’s the thing: the Sixers open against the reigning champions, the New York Knicks, at Madison Square Garden. Christmas brings another blockbuster, with Philadelphia visiting Los Angeles to face the Lakers. They are not playing any Western Conference team until the 18th game. Besides, Philly has only 13 back-to-backs after playing 16 last season

Meanwhile, Monse Bolaños believes the league’s treatment of LeBron points toward something bigger than star power alone. “Man, the favoritism is so real. It’s crazy. It seems: why is the NBA scared to let go of LeBron? I don’t know. ‘Cause that’s what it seems like, right?” she said on The Odd Couple.

“Like they’re afraid that once he’s gone, that’s it. The league is not going to be what it is. And I don’t know why they feel like that,” Bolaños added. “Especially with what we saw even just last year with the NBA Finals with the Spurs and the Knicks and how much people were into that NBA Finals.”

It looks like the NBA has inclined towards keeping LeBron James in the league for longer. And that’s why experts and fans are trying to figure out why Philly’s schedule looks “easier” compared to other teams. Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers won’t even get enough screen time this season. And, well, things just don’t seem to sit right for many, including Haliburton.

The post Tyrese Haliburton Calls Out NBA’s Treatment Amid Favoritism Claims Toward LeBron James’ 76ers appeared first on EssentiallySports.

The sports card market is growing very fast. In the first half of 2026, people spent $1.36 billion on individual sports cards on eBay. That was 40% more than the $967 million spent in the previous six months. It was also much higher than the $815.63 million in sales during the first half of 2025.

The growth goes beyond sports cards. When eBay included sports cards, trading cards, and non-sports cards, total sales reached $2.32 billion in the first six months of 2026. That was a 57% increase from the $1.48 billion recorded in the final six months of 2025. More collectors are also getting their cards professionally graded. More than 5 million sports cards were graded in the first six months of 2026. This shows that people are not only buying cards for fun; they are also paying to have valuable cards checked, protected, and graded.

New-age sports stars are one of the reasons behind it, and the top 10 players as per Gem Rate are:

1. Shohei Ohtani — $85.67 million
2. Michael Jordan — $68.89 million
3. Victor Wembanyama — $50.57 million
4. Cooper Flagg — $34.02 million
5. LeBron James — $26.30 million
6. Kobe Bryant — $25.93 million
7. Tom Brady — $20.80 million
8. Stephen Curry — $17.87 million
9. Mickey Mantle — $15.92 million
10. Aaron Judge — $15.69 million

Basketball cards saw some of the biggest growth. Wembanyama’s card sales increased 204%, while Flagg’s sales jumped 321%. Kon Knueppel saw an even bigger increase of 859%, reaching $10.92 million in sales. Dylan Harper’s sales rose 690% to $8.43 million, while Jalen Brunson’s increased 450% to $7.77 million. New card products gave collectors more cards of these players to buy and sell.

Rare sports cards can sometimes become very valuable over time. Gary Bulicki is one example. He bought a Tom Brady 2016 Prizm Black 1-of-1 card for about $3,000. Later, he sold it for $225,000, making a huge profit. He had a similar experience with Kobe Bryant. Bulicki bought a Kobe Bryant 2015 Prizm Black 1-of-1 for $18,000 and later sold it for $370,000.

Now, let’s find out what makes rookie cards so valuable.

Rookie cards, the stock market of sports collectibles

Rookie cards are valuable because they are usually a player’s first major cards. Collectors like them because there is only one rookie season. However, being a rookie card does not automatically make it expensive; a player’s popularity affects its value. For example, three-time MVP Aaron Judge’s Bowman Chrome Draft Pick Autographs SuperFractor 1-of-1 sold for $5.2 million in 2026.

However, with players’ popularity, even history adds to the massive surge.

Game-worn memorabilia when history becomes an asset

A transistor radio turned into a valuable piece of basketball history for David. About 50 years ago, he traded the radio for a UCLA jersey worn by Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, during UCLA’s 1968 NCAA championship win. Today, that same jersey has received bids of more than $1 million, including the buyer’s premium, at Grey Flannel Auctions. It is also the only known photo-matched, game-used UCLA jersey worn by Abdul-Jabbar to become publicly available.

When David made the trade, he did not know the jersey had actually been worn in games. He kept it safely for decades, even as Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971. Years later, David decided to sell the jersey because he no longer had enough space to properly display it.

“Even growing up, getting married, having kids, the whole shebang, I just basically kept it in good condition,” David said. “I moved two or three times, ended up in Oregon here, and then I just decided I’m tired of carrying this around. I really don’t have a place to put it up where it will be appreciated.”

What began as a simple trade for a radio had turned into a rare piece of basketball history worth more than $1 million. With jerseys, even signed memorabilia holds special value.

Signed memorabilia the value of an athlete’s signature

Signed sports memorabilia can include jerseys, baseballs, basketballs, bats, photographs, helmets, and cards, but an athlete’s popularity holds much bigger value. For example, in 2018, a Babe Ruth-signed baseball with signatures from the 10 other members of the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame class was sold for a record $623,369, according to SCP Auctions.

The ten other legends with him were Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, George Sisler, Connie Mack, Nap Lajoie, Eddie Collins, and Grover Cleveland Alexander.

Besides that, limited supplies push fans to buy even more. The downside? Higher demand also creates a bigger risk of fake signatures entering the market. When an autograph can sell for thousands or even millions of dollars, people have a strong reason to create forgeries. That is why authentication is so important.

The authentication economy

Collectibles need more than rarity to become valuable. Buyers also want proof that the item is real and in the condition the seller claims.

Card grading is one of the most common forms of authentication. Companies such as PSA first check whether a card is genuine and then examine its condition. The card receives a grade from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest. PSA then seals the card in a protective case and gives it a certification number that buyers can use to check its details.

A card’s grade can have a big impact on its price. A card in excellent condition can be worth much more than the same card in poor condition.

Now buyers want to know if the player actually used it in a game. This is called game-used authentication. Companies such as MeiGray, which have authenticated more than 350,000 items, verify these items using team records, registration numbers, photographs, and videos.

Photo-matching provides another layer of proof. Experts compare the actual jersey or equipment with old game photographs and videos.

A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) or Letter of Authenticity (LOA) gives buyers proof that an expert or authentication company has checked an item. For example, Beckett authenticates autographed cards, jerseys, photographs, programs, and other sports memorabilia.

At last, there’s provenance, which means the item’s history. It tells buyers where the item came from, who owned it, how it was authenticated, and whether it was connected to a specific game or event.

Merch when limited in supply creates collectible value

Sports merchandise can become collectible when it represents a special player, team, event, or moment in history. Limited supply can make it even more desirable.

For example, AC Milan released a special jersey for its 125th anniversary. The club made only 1,899 individually numbered jerseys, with each one carrying its own production number. Coventry City and Admiral used a similar approach for the club’s 50th anniversary. They recreated Coventry’s famous 1975 shirt, but produced only 1,975 individually numbered shirts.

Top athletes can attract sports or other brands to the team. For example, the 2026 Rams x Alfred’s Apartment campaign featured Rams running back Kyren Williams, Brisbane Broncos player Jesse Arthars, and Australian skateboarder Riley Pavey.

A retired jersey number can also make merchandise more special as fans buy it for legacy. Championship merchandise with locker-room shirts, hats, hoodies, and other collectibles also adds up to the list. Then comes the location, as sometimes the collectibles can be limited to one area, like when the Ontario Tower Buzzers released a special jersey for their April 2, 2026, home opener in partnership with Official League at their team stadium.

But then sports collectibles can become valuable because there are only a limited number of them. For example, there can be only one jersey worn by a player in a particular championship game or one 1-of-1 card. Once that item exists, no identical copy can be made.

Kobe Bryant’s rookie-season jersey is a good example. The jersey came from his 1996-97 rookie season and was sold for $7 million in 2025. However, that does not mean every collectible will increase in value because, in the end, it all depends on the player’s popularity.

The post From Rookie Cards to Game-Worn Jerseys: How Sports Collectibles Became an Investment appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Busy with the off-season practice, the 23-year-old has also kept himself busy with his regular gaming streams. During one of them, he made a bold proclamation about his rookie season, and in another called out the Suns star.

“Am I excited for the Dillon Brooks matchup?” Lendeborg read one of his comments from his streams on Kick. His confident reply was, “I’m finna give Dillon Brooks belt, man. Stop playing, bruh.”

This adds another interesting anecdote in the Warriors-Dillon Brooks saga. His beef started with the Warriors in the 2022 playoffs, when his Grizzlies lost in a heated series. Warriors HC Steve Kerr said Brooks had “broke the code” after his foul on Gary Payton II. Then in 2025, Brooks’ Rockets lost to the Warriors again, and he called Draymond Green a “dirty player.”

In fact, after Game 7, the then-Houston star didn’t shake hands with the Warriors afterward.

This time, Green called Brooks a “sucka.” Even during the 2026 playoffs, Dillon Brooks made it clear the rivalry was still alive. He wanted the Warriors to beat the Clippers so Phoenix, his team, could face Golden State, specifically saying:

“Steph and Draymond. That’s it. And Steve Kerr.”

No wonder Yaxel Lendeborg challenged Brooks.

It’s not the first time Yaxel Lendeborg has made claims on his stream. During his Kick stream on Wednesday, he set the expectations straight from his rookie year.

“Imma try to average 15 points, probably like 6 rebounds, and like 3 or 4 assists. Imma make that like the bare minimum for me, you know what I’m saying. If I get under that, then I’m a–.” he said.

The confidence from the rookie stems from his 2026 NBA Summer League performance. Lendeborg helped Golden State win the championship on the back of his average of 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.5 steals across six games.

The Warriors rookie has put a pin on Dillon Brooks, as they visit Phoenix on October 24, just three days after opening their 2026-27 regular season against the Los Angeles Lakers. Then they meet again on November 2.

Even Dillon Brooks won’t be afraid of the challenge, as he is coming off the most productive scoring season of his NBA career. The 30-year-old forward averaged a career-high 20.2 points, along with 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 56 appearances while shooting 43.5% from the field.

The Suns rewarded him with a 3-year, $73 million contract extension, which will be another motivating factor for Brooks.

The post Warriors Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg Sends Strong Message to Dillon Brooks appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Robert Littal, who created BlackSportsOnline, tweeted that NABJ has turned against Smith and has given him a “Thumbs Down” Award, despite previously inviting him and ESPN to one of its yearly conventions. The broadcasting veteran saw this and warned that he would soon release a rebuttal.

“This is the epitome of Christmas arriving early,” Smith wrote on X in a post that has close to 600k views. “The @NABJ wants to call folks out, fine! You had your turn, now mine is coming. And make no mistake…..,I’m coming. Let’s see who REALLY deserves a Thumbs Down award when it comes to the Black Community, after I say my peace! Remember @NABJ , you asked for it. I’ve shut my mouth for years. Now y’all started something.”

Philip Lewis, a HuffPost deputy editor and Washington Association of Black Journalists president, shared the nomination-esque video of Stephen A., which has gained over a million views within 12 hours.

“Stephen A. Smith, sports analyst and political commentator. Smith has established a recurring public pattern of disparaging commentary directed at prominent black women across politics, sports, and media. Such commentary reinforces harmful narratives, undermines the fair and respectful representation of black women in public discourse, and stands in direct conflict with NABJ’s longstanding commitment to accurate, responsible, and inclusive portrayals of black communities.”

At the August event, NABJ President Errin Haines made sure to say this wasn’t just a simple thumbs down, but was “a call to do better.”

“The door is open,” Haines said. “The conversation is available, and the opportunity to change is real. But NABJ will not be silent. Not in this moment and not on my watch. There can be no revolution without accountability. There can be no accountability without courage. And there can be no journalism that is worthy of its history if we are afraid to speak truth to power.”

NABJ referenced a pattern without listing specifics. But as Littal stated, in 2024, First Take and Smith were part of the NABJ. Smith even made a high-energy entrance at the convention in Chicago, exclaiming, “DID YA MISS MEEEE?”

In fact, the veteran broadcaster apparently cut short vacation time for NABJ and even had a positive message. “You come to a place like the National Association of Black Journalists conference, and you’re reminded of what togetherness is all about. How there’s strength in numbers and unity,” Smith said at the time.

Earlier this year, Kevin Hart, at his roast show, joked that the ESPN host hates Black people, naming Smith among his “Mount Rushmore” in the category. After hearing that, Stephen A. Smith was dejected. He replied, stating he had a good relationship with Kevin Hart over the years, and the statement “stung like hell.”

“I’ve spent my life fighting on behalf of my community … People try to continue this narrative about me that I know is false, but that nevertheless still hurts to hear out of the mouth of anyone who knows me,” Smith said at the time.

In his sharp response to Hart, Stephen A. Smith also confirmed that he could “respond more vitriolically, but I won’t. More incendiary, but I won’t.” Months after that, the NABJ gave the veteran broadcaster a Thumbs Down award.

Three months ago, former NBA star Etan Thomas wrote an article for The Guardian about Smith, titled: “I can tell Stephen A Smith why many Black people don’t like him.” Thomas acknowledged that Smith has helped generate millions in scholarships and brought national media attention to HBCUs across the country.

However, from solely a sports perspective, Thomas highlighted that, “Far too often, you attack Black male athletes in particular – Kyrie Irving, Kwame Brown, LeBron James, Terrell Owens and Kevin Durant are just a few of your targets – with a passion and vitriol you just don’t reserve for white athletes and executives.”

Across the ongoing offseason, Jaylen Brown and Draymond Green have criticized Smith’s journalistic credibility more than once. In fact, Green said the media veteran loosely “throws out the journalist tag all the time.”

“So, you say all of these things on television,” Green continued. “Jaylen Brown has been very outspoken about it. The anonymous sources and all of these things… which almost makes people, especially athletes, not respect journalists because you’re throwing out the journalist tag.”

The Warriors veteran also argued that Smith is never inside the locker room to know exactly what’s going on between two teammates, but he still comments on everything regardless. After weeks of heated back-and-forth on social media, the ESPN host dropped a warning to the Dubs player in August.

“Guess who you’re going to see in the locker rooms a little bit in the upcoming season?” Smith said on his channel. “That’s what you want. You want to see me at the games? You want me to be somebody that you can reach out and touch? Ain’t nobody scared. No problem.”

Now, it appears Stephen A. Smith isn’t planning on staying quiet after the recent NABJ ‘Thumbs Down’ incident. His tweet suggests a detailed rant video is coming sooner rather than later.

The post Stephen A. Smith Breaks Silence After Receiving ‘Thumbs Down’ Award From National Association of Black Journalists appeared first on EssentiallySports.

In a newly released clip teasing a possible vlog on his YouTube channel, ‘Bob Does Sports,’ James spent his downtime with his son, Bronny and his Lakers teammate, Reaves, for some golf. The channel shared a post of the entire group enjoying a post-golf lunch alongside host Robby Berger, aka Bob and channel producer Jensen Curtis. It was the first time since LeBron announced he was leaving the Lakers that we saw him hanging out with AR.

The group engaged in casual banter over their recent round, inquiring when Bob would finally break 80 on the course. While the final scorecards remained undisclosed, the visual of James sharing laughs with Reaves had an emotional impact on Lakers fans.

Austin Reaves, who signed a massive four-year, $184.7 million contract extension to remain a core piece of the Lakers’ future, recently revealed his reaction to finding out LeBron left the Lakers. “I texted him and told him I was having a great day on the golf course until he ruined it.”

An LA product, Reaves developed from an undrafted rookie into a cornerstone guard under James’ five-year tenure. He faces his first NBA campaign without King James by his side. Despite the roster shift, the golf course linkup proved that the bond between the two remains as strong as ever.

Lakers fans overwhelmed with emotional reunion

While we wait for Bob Does Sports to drop the vlog, the snippet has already triggered an emotional response across social media as Lakers Faithful process seeing their former star alongside the team’s new focal point.

For many fans, seeing the enduring warmth between the former teammates provided comfort during a transitional offseason. One fan shared, “this sparks joy for me,” implying they won’t take the Marie Kondo route with the core memories of the Bron-AR duo.

Another highlighted the genuine connection between the players beyond basketball, commenting, “It just [goes] to show that they have brotherhood friendship even off the court.”

Many echoed that sentiment, adding, “Cool. That’s how it should be when you work with someone even after they’ve moved on”.

However, for a fan base still adjusting to the sight of James in a 76ers uniform, the reunion also stirred up feelings of heartbreak.

Reflecting on the unfulfilled championship aspirations of the duo’s final run together, one fan lamented, “we was supposed to raise Larry together ”.

The raw emotion only intensified for others watching the post-lunch footage, palpable in comments like, “these are real tears coming out of my eyes bro”.

Finally, amid lingering anxiety that James might lure his rook to the East, a defensive Lakers fan jokingly warned the prospective Hall-of-Fame: “No, you can’t take him with you @KingJames.”

While Reaves and Bronny prepare to lead a revamped Lakers rotation into the 2026–27 season, this fairway reunion served as a poignant reminder that while team affiliations change, off-court brotherhood endures.

The post Lakers Nation Reacts to LeBron James-Austin Reaves Reunion for the First Time Since 76ers Move appeared first on EssentiallySports.

During a lively Q&A session with the young campers on Saturday, a young participant stepped up to the microphone to pitch a provocative question: “Who is your LEAST favorite player on OKC?” What a ragebait if there is one.

Hilariously, the 25-year-old guard needed to take a short walk to formulate a reasonably diplomatic response. But the room full of young San Antonio campers already had their unanimous answer, instantly bursting into a collective, spontaneous chant of “SGA!” The scouts and coaches in the room were extremely bemused that the kids had singled out Oklahoma City’s superstar guard and reigning two-time MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

At this point, there was no point in being diplomatic. Feeding off the young fans’ rapid, passionate reaction, Vassell playfully called the camper’s prompt “ragebait” before delivering a definitive verdict.

“It’s all of them,” Vassell told the cheering crowd without hesitation. “We don’t like OKC over here.“

The kids loved that figurative mic drop. And what could be a subtler message to the Spurs’ foes?

The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder established themselves as the top two seeds in the Western Conference during the 2025–26 regular season, with the Spurs holding a 4-1 lead. Prominently, Victor Wembanyama returned from a long injury hiatus to route them out of the NBA Cup.

The season-long rivalry culminated in a dramatic seven-game series in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. San Antonio ultimately upset the Thunder’s campaign for a back-to-back title, outlasting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s squad in Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals.

Vassell’s playful jab hit home with local fans because of the recent history and escalating bad blood between the two franchises.

During that grueling seven-game Western Conference Finals, Vassell was right at the center of several heated on-court exchanges and physical altercations with Thunder players, cementing the deeply personal nature of the cross-state rivalry.

The starting guard played a pivotal role in San Antonio’s deep postseason run. Coming off a productive 2025–26 regular season, where he averaged 13.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. 

His steady shooting, especially highlighted by a crucial 12-point, 4-of-7 performance from beyond the arc in Game 6 of the WCF, helped push the Spurs past Oklahoma City’s suffocating defense.

With the NBA officially announcing that the Spurs and Thunder will kick off the 2026–27 regular season against each other on Opening Night in San Antonio, and with Wemby’s recent training upgrade, the rivalry will reignite immediately on the court.

As both young rosters, with the reigning MVP and DPOY, continue to develop into favorites in the West, Vassell’s summer camp exchange proves that the animosity between San Antonio and Oklahoma City is already at playoff intensity.

The post Kids at Spurs Star’s Youth Camp Chant Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Name as Their Least Favorite OKC Player appeared first on EssentiallySports.

When Rivers reached that part of the speech where he listed all the influential coaches in his life, he revealed how a shouting match with his then coach became the foreshadowing for his future coaching career.

“Then there was Pat Riley, Coach Pat Riley,” Rivers recounted to the crowd. “When I was playing for the Knicks, Coach Riley and I had the biggest argument in my entire playing career. I know all you players thought, you know, I used to go at coaches, too. By the way, Jeff Van Gundy told me years later that he was standing outside the door in this argument with his ear to the door, thinking that he may have to come in if he heard furniture moving. That’s how crazy this argument was.”

Rivers explained that during the heat of the shouting match, Riley aggressively made a stern prediction about his future.

“And finally, during the shouting match, Coach looked at me and said, ‘One day, when you’re a head coach, you, and you will be one,’ he was screaming at me like, ‘and you will be one! You’re going to understand exactly where I’m coming from.’ And I literally yelled back at him, ‘Are you crazy? I am never going to coach. Every coach that I know, they’re nuts.’ Mike Fratello, I don’t really mean that. I know you’re out here, coached me for eight years.”

Rivers expressed deep gratitude to his former mentor for recognizing his potential long before he saw it himself.

“Well, I want to tell Coach Riley thank you for being right on all accounts,” Rivers said. “And one of the lessons he told me was to never coach a person for who they are today, but to push them to who they should be someday. That was very important for me. And nobody makes it to this stage alone. Every head coach knows only the strong… your strongest are the people holding you together.”

Before orchestrating 1,194 regular-season coaching victories and an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics, Rivers spent 13 seasons as an NBA point guard, averaging 10.9 points and 5.7 assists across 864 games with the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, and San Antonio Spurs.

Inducted alongside iconic figures such as Amar’e Stoudemire, Mike D’Antoni, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Mark Few, Joey Crawford, Chamique Holdsclaw, and the 1996 USA Women’s Olympic Team, Rivers solidified his status among the game’s greatest sideline generals.

Rivers ranks sixth all-time in NBA head coaching wins (1,194) after passing George Karl, and fourth all-time in playoff victories (114) behind only Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, and Phil Jackson.

His coaching odyssey spans five franchises: the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Milwaukee Bucks. He also made history with the Clippers as part of the NBA’s first-ever father-son coach-player duo with his son, Austin Rivers.

While coaching stole his singing voice, his speech made it abundantly clear that the guidance of icons like Pat Riley paved his way to the Hall of Fame.

The post “Literally Yelled Back at Him”: Doc Rivers Reveals Heated Argument With Pat Riley During Hall of Fame Speech appeared first on EssentiallySports.

“Their (Disney) market cap was at about 51 billion dollars years ago when the man started. He departed. It was over $252 billion. People could complain. They could talk junk all they want to. I’ve known the man for many years. I mean, please, when you talk about me and where I am today, there’s nobody that I owe more gratitude towards than Bob Iger.

“The man is next level brilliant, a savant as a businessman, and one of, if not the greatest ever, the Michael Jordan of executives, is what I call him. That’s how I feel about him,” Smith said on his YouTube channel. “And he is now the new owner of the Los Angeles Lakers.”

It’s not just Stephen A. Smith praising his former boss. From the television weatherman job in Ithaca to being Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger spent four decades amassing his reported $600 million in wealth. His run of acquisitions, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Fox, turned Disney’s portfolio for the better.

In return, he is one of the highest-paid executives in entertainment, earning $45 million. Even Ramon Shellburne on the Stephen A. Smith show explained that Iger was the “trump” card that other expansion teams were keeping an eye on.

“And I think he was the guy that all the groups who were trying to get an expansion team were after. And whoever won was trying to land Bob because he’s an asset. He’s the trump card.”

Shellburne also highlighted that Iger was directly involved with the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders in 2015 regarding a potential relocation to the Los Angeles area. He agreed to work as the non-executive chairman of Carson Holdings LLC, a joint venture to build a $1.7 billion stadium in Carson, California.

Ultimately, the NFL approved the Rams’ rival stadium project in Inglewood instead, which meant Iger didn’t majorly own a sports franchise. But that’s changing with the Lakers situation.

“We immediately decided that given the value of the franchise and the iconic nature of the team, that we would be really smart to pursue it. The deal came together in three days,” Iger told the California Post. “It’s that simple.”

Instead of spending close to $10 billion on the Vegas expansion bid and then spending another few billion to build a stadium, Iger and Kushner moved toward acquiring the Lakers’ legacy brands. The former Disney CEO also stated his intention to keep that legacy on track.

“We’re fans,” Iger said to the California Post. “We respect the value that’s been created, both on the court and off. Our intention is to build this great franchise from a position of strength in many respects as an organization. We’re smart enough to know what we know and what we don’t know…”

Stephen A. Smith and Shellburne didn’t hype their former boss. They backed his executive mindset, which has brought success.

The post “Michael Jordan of Executives”: Stephen A. Smith Expresses His Gratitude Towards New Lakers Owner Bob Iger appeared first on EssentiallySports.