If you thought the Greek Freak was motivated before, then get excited and afraid of what comes next for the MVP candidate. Giannis Antetokounmpo had such a fantastic season that it’s hard to imagine his ceiling is anywhere higher than this, but based on his words you can tell that there is more improvement to come.
Month: June 2019
3:32 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors were down 15 late in the fourth quarter, and the sounds from the Oracle crowd were edging from disbelief to silence. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala were bent at the waist, gassed, clutching their shorts for ballast. Steve Kerr sat on the bench,
Never count out the Golden State Warriors. Raptors fans learned this lesson the hard way, both in person and on NBA Twitter. The Golden State Warriors showed the world why they’re the two-time defending champions. After a slew of injuries, and having the pressure of playing in front of former President Barack Obama and a
TORONTO, CANADA – MAY 30: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors after a game against the Golden State Warriors during Game One of the NBA Finals on May 30, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is
9:23 PM ET Nine players received invitations to attend the NBA draft and sit in the green room, a source told ESPN. Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, Darius Garland, De’Andre Hunter, Jarrett Culver, Coby White, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes received the first batch of invites, with an additional 11 invites approximately still yet
The Miami Heat are masters at developing wing players and should be able to pick up an interesting one in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Miami Heat don’t get enough credit for their development staff. They might be one of the best teams in the league at developing talent, routinely extracting the best out of
With the NBA Draft now only two weeks away — as is always the case — it is prime time for pundits, fans and even front offices to over-index the value of high draft picks. But one misnomer that’s subconsciously reiterated year-after-year is that the majority of value in the draft often comes in the
1:35 PM ET Associated Press MEXICO CITY — The NBA will play two regular-season games in Mexico City during the upcoming season. The Dallas Mavericks will face the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 12 at Arena Ciudad de Mexico, the NBA announced Friday. The Phoenix Suns will face the San Antonio Spurs two days later. The
Will an NBA Finals berth be enough to convince Kawhi Leonard to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors in free agency this summer? Next to Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard figures to be the most hotly pursued player on this summer’s free-agent market. Fresh off an all-time great postseason run, Leonard has re-established himself as being among
The Lakers organization has been a hot mess for most of this season. Now a new report from ESPN is letting us in on a lot of the details. From last summer’s weird free agent additions to the botched Anthony Davis trade negotiations, to Magic Johnson’s resignation and the disastrous head coaching search, it has
1:37 AM ET Andre Iguodala‘s left calf is aching. The 35-year-old swingman, who has been dealing with the injury throughout most of the Golden State Warriors‘ postseason run, spends the moments following Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals limping through the locker room inside Scotiabank Arena. Iguodala peels off his jersey and tells the
The Warriors were missing several key contributors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals and it showed, as the Raptors ran away with a double-digit win. Alfonzo McKinnie played 53 minutes during the 2017-18 NBA season. He played 19 in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals. With Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney and Kevin Durant
With the NBA Draft now only two weeks away — as is always the case — it is prime time for pundits, fans and even front offices to over-index the value of high draft picks. But one misnomer that’s subconsciously reiterated year-after-year is that the majority of value in the draft often comes in the
9:08 PM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said players feel “vulnerable” on the floor during games, in the wake of an incident between Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry and Warriors investor Mark Stevens at Oracle Arena during Wednesday night’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals. “I think players are definitely
In this week’s 2019 NBA Mock Draft, the jumble of prospects from 10-40 makes it difficult to find perfect fits between team and player. We talk about how the teams picking between five and 10 control this year’s draft, plus we continue to re-scout the top prospects. Cowabunga: Bruno Fernando C, Maryland A legit, replicable
In Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals, a fan pushed Kyle Lowry after he chased a loose ball into the stands. What makes this a big deal is who that person is. The Toronto Raptors were polishing up a Game 3 win in the 2019 NBA Finals last night, and Kyle Lowry had a
2:17 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN OAKLAND, Calif. — After undergoing further evaluation of the non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture he suffered in Game 2, Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney could potentially return during the NBA Finals, league sources told ESPN. More testing will determine Looney’s next steps and whether he does, in fact, make
Coming into college, Romeo Langford was a five-star recruit and the second-ranked shooting guard in the country. At New Albany High School in his hometown, the Indiana native decided to play all four years there instead of choosing the prep school route. Langford’s natural ability to score the ball and make plays for others garnered
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 3: Head Coach Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on April 3, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms
It appears as though the Houston Rockets’ second-round playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors could inspire major changes in Space City. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “has made his entire roster and future draft picks available in trade talks, a dramatic initiative with hopes of reshaping the team
3:05 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — When the Golden State Warriors laid a crushing 18-0 run on the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, their leader Stephen Curry declared it was one of those moments when “our DNA shows up.” It’s a daunting thing, that championship DNA. If you’re not careful, you
Paul Pierce’s famous “wheelchair” moment will forever be an iconic memory in NBA Finals history. But now we know the real deal behind it, and it’s nasty. Paul Pierce had one of the most iconic moments in NBA Finals history when, in 2008, he went to the locker room in a wheelchair, only to come
Drake won the troll game after Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals, but Kevin Durant clapped back with some heat of his own after Game 2. The rapper named Drake got his troll on during Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals in many different moments. That worked out pretty well for him because
When news broke that the Warriors had signed DeMarcus Cousins last July, it felt excessive, like an indulgent luxury, not the kind of necessity that defines most offseason moves. The Warriors already had four All-Stars on their roster and now they were adding a fifth. The Warriors had made it a point to not only
11:28 PM ET After four years of LeBron James stalking Stephen Curry, and the Golden State Warriors flitting around an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers defense, it is a relief to land upon an NBA Finals that feels like a mystery after two games. Few firm patterns have emerged. The two teams have almost the exact same
Where Kevin Durant decides to sign in free agency this summer will shape the landscape of NBA title contenders for years to come. For the past three years, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have run rampant over the rest of the NBA. This summer, that all may change. Durant is set
About two minutes into Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard took a handoff from Pascal Siakam, briefly lost control of his dribble after a Marc Gasol pick, then collected himself. Jordan Bell was right on him. Leonard pulled up from 3. Swish. A few minutes later, Golden State’s Steph Curry missed a
Each week, four of Basketball Insiders’ top writers will break down the latest news and notes surrounding the 2019 NBA Draft. With every new version, you’ll see an updated mock draft that reflects how each writer sees the draft landscape based on the latest news, workouts, and information from the pre-draft process as well as
2:15 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN USA Basketball is finalizing a training camp roster for the FIBA World Cup in China that includes Portland‘s Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, Washington‘s Bradley Beal and Cleveland‘s Kevin Love, league sources told ESPN. USA Basketball will conduct an August minicamp in Las Vegas ahead of the September tournament in
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 29: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors talks with Singers Drake (R) and Baka Not Nice (L) following an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 29, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using