FINAL 4:17 INSANE NDING OF KD VS. STEPH CURRY 🔥

KEVIN DURANT REACHES NBA MILESTONE | DROPS 40 IN WILD COMEBACK 🔥

 

KOKE BRYANT NO. 8 VS. KOBE BRYANT NO. 24 | KOBE IS THE BEST BASKETBALL PLAYER EVER TO GRACE THE COURTS, NEXT TO MICHAEL JORDAN

Scott Brooks: "You can argue the [Lakers] had the best player ever to play the game [Kobe] for 20 years..."

Pat Riley: "He ranks right there with Jordan."

David Stern: "Kobe is there with Michael."

Dr. J.: "[Kobe's] as good as anyone who's ever played. Let's put it that way."

George Gervin: "He set himself apart from everyone else." 

Kevin Durant: "How do you not say [Kobe and Jordan] are by far better than anybody who's played the game?" 

Isaiah Thomas: “I mean, he’s the greatest of all time in life and in basketball."

Adeyemi Adediran (B/R 2010): "KOBE BRYANT IS THE GREATEST PLAYER TO EVER TOUCH A BASKETBALL."

Jerry Rice: "Greatest of all time. You have to earn that title, and I think Kobe did that."

Randy Moss: "Kobe Bryant is the best basketball player that I've ever seen dribble a basketball." 

Mark Jackson: "I never thought I would say it playing against Michael Jordan for so long, but Kobe Bryant at the end of the day...will go down as the greatest basketball player that has ever lived."

Mark Schlererh: "One time, one game, I'm taking Kobe Bryant."

Paul Pierce: "If a game is on the line and I need one game, I want Kob." 

Steve Smith: "He's the best, most fundamentaly [sound] player I've ever played against or watched." 

Kendrick Perkins: "Most skilled to EVER play the game, it's not even a debate." 

Chauncey Billups: "I think Kobe is more skilled than any player that's ever played." 

Phil Jackson, when asked if Kobe has better basketball skills than Michael Jordan: "He does."

Vince Carter: "I mean, I still have to give it (GOAT) to Michael Jordan, with a close Kobe Bryant 2nd."

Paul Westphal: "Who is to say Kobe Bryant isn’t going to be better than Michael Jordan? Let’s get that out on the table right now. He’s a lot better than Jordan was at the same age."

Shaq: "If you want to have that conversation (GOAT), there has to be another name added to that - Kobe."

Rip Hamilton: "Whoever voted Kobe [at 10] flat out disrespected him...when Magic comes out and says Kobe is the best Laker of all-time, that means better than him and better than the guy Magic played with, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."

Rudy Tomjanovich: "I truly believe [Kobe] has the chance to become the greatest player to ever play the game."  

Greg Anthony: "Kobe Bryant is the most complete basketball player the game has ever seen."

Shaq: "You know what, I had the greatest player ever. We could've won six or seven championships, but you live, and you learn."

Allen Iverson: "I don't understand how they don't have the debate when it comes to Kobe."

Mike Breen: "It's starting to happen again Mark, the conversation, the debate on is [Kobe] as good as Michael Jordan. It's been blasphemy to say it, really about anybody, but it's an actual discussion you can have now. 

Mark Jackson: "Well, I said it a year and a half ago. No way in the world would I ever put anybody in the conversation with Michael Jordan, but Kobe Bryant is there. He's as good as Michael Jordan on any given day. I said to Bryant yesterday,, 'it's almost like Larry Holmes and Muhammad Ali.' He looked at me and said, 'I'm not Larry Holmes.' And he is 100% right. It is two Muhammad Ali's when you talk about Jordan and Bryant."

Grant Taylor (B/R 2011): "Players that come to mind are Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan.

But I've now officially put Kobe Bryant on this list, and judging by the title of this article, it is clear I'm not just saying he belongs with these players.

No.

Kobe Bryant is the greatest and most legendary of all these players."

Charles Barkley: "Kobe Bryant is the best player I’ve ever seen other than Michael Jordan."

Matt Barnes: "To me, Jordan is 1, and Kobe is 1B."

Phil Jackson on who he'd pick to start a team with between Kobe and Jordan: 

“I’d do a coin flip, and whichever one came up heads or tails, I would take that person.”

CADE CUNNINGHAM BECOMES SIXTH ACTIVE NBA PLAYER TO GET A NIKE SIGNATURE SHOE

Only five other active NBA players have a signature Nike sneaker line. Michael Reaves / Getty Images

As Detroit Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham sat across from Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant, someone he grew up watching in Arlington, Texas, a firm dap between the two Nike athletes solidified what seemed to be brewing since last season.

Cunningham confirmed to Durant that Nike is lining up a signature shoe for him that is set to debut in the spring of 2027. The 24-year-old joins Durant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant and Devin Booker as the only active NBA players with Nike signature shoes. (Jordan Brand, a subsidiary of Nike, has signature shoes for Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić and Zion Williamson.)

“I don’t got no words about it, bro,” Cunningham said to Durant in a video released by Boardroom, the sports, business and entertainment media brand founded by Durant and agent Rich Kleiman. “It’s a dream come true, bro.”

Nike has been making Cunningham player edition G.T. Cut shoes with his logo on the heel since last season. Cunningham debuted various colorways throughout the calendar year and had a new colorway as recently as Nov. 10, when he scored a career-high 46 points against the Washington Wizards.

While Cunningham has missed the Pistons’ last two games with a hip contusion, he is on pace for another career season, averaging 27.5 points, 9.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. He has spearheaded Detroit’s 11-2 start and revitalized the Pistons’ franchise in the process.

Durant and Cunningham reflected on a conversation they had over the summer about the gravity of the situation. As Cunningham thought back on the conversation, Durant beamed with excitement.

“We were just talking about the Nike game and what it means,” Durant said. “How important that is to us. For you to get your own shoe, and for you to have a legacy. Do you know how big that is, bruh?”

Durant went on to give Cunningham props for having “one of the coldest logos” he’s ever seen, and encouraged Cunningham to be as hands-on during the design process as possible.

After the Pistons’ 28-game losing streak during the 2023-24 season, Monday’s Nike announcement felt like the culmination of the turbulent beginning to his NBA career. Cunningham is now officially slated to become one of the faces of Nike Basketball.

- Hunter Patterson

KEVIN DURANT BOOING THE OKC CROWD AS THE CROWD BOOED HIM ON OPENING NIGHT 🤣

THUNDER'S SHAI GILGEOUS-A LEANDER MAKES FRANCHISE HISTORY IN LOSS TO WARRIORS

The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a disappointing 116-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, but they saw their superstar point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander record a historic performance.

In the game, Shai scored 52 points, but unfortunately for the Thunder it was not enough to take down the Warriors as they lost just their ninth game of the season. This is now Shai's second 50-point game of the season and of his career.

With his incredible performance, Shai also made franchise history. With his second 50-point game of his career with the Thunder, he joined Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant as the only three players in Thunder history to record multiple games with 50 or more points.

Oct 24, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Of course, Westbrook leads the way for the Thunder with five games of 50 or more points followed by Durant who recorded four 50-point games during his time with the franchise. With how Shai has been playing this season, it is likely that he will continue to add to this list and possibly make a run at Westbrook's franchise record before his time in Oklahoma City ends.

This is just another impressive performance out of Shai this season and a major reason why he was named as a starter for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game and is also the frontrunner to win his first MVP award. This season, Shai is averaging 32.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 52.8% from the field and 35.0% from three-point range.

With Shai leading the way, the Thunder currently have a 37-9 record, which is the second-best in the NBA behind the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, and they will look to bounce back after their loss to the Warriors on Saturday when they host the Sacramento Kings.

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- Nathaniel Holloway Athlon Sports

LAKERS STAR LEBRON JAMES SAYS HE'S TAKING SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James says he's taking a break from social media.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer and Los Angeles Lakers star posted on X and Instagram on Wednesday to announce that he's stepping away from his pages. James has 159 million followers on Instagram, 52.9 million on X.

James started the farewell by reposting something that Rich Kleiman, Kevin Durant's longtime manager, posted to X on Oct. 24.

"We can all acknowledge that sports is the last part of society that universally brings people together. So why can't the coverage do the same?" Kleiman wrote that day. "It's only click bait when you say it. When the platform is so big, you can make the change and allow us all an escape from real life negativity. I for one find it all a waste of breath."

James, on Instagram, posted a screengrab of Kleiman's post and added the caption, "Amen!!" and then below it wrote, "Damn shame what it's come to!" On X, his repost of Kleiman simply said, "AMEN!!"

Kleiman has posted only a handful of times since his Oct. 24 post, and evidently, James isn't planning to post much -- or anything -- until further notice.

His announcement came one day after he said "everybody on the internet called me a liar all the time" when he said he was watching Dalton Knecht's college games last year at Tennessee -- long before the Lakers drafted the sharpshooting guard.

"And with that said I'll holla at y'all! Getting off social media for the time being. Y'all take care," James posted, followed by emojis of a hand holding up two fingers -- often symbolizing someone leaving a place -- and a crown, a nod to his "King James" moniker.

James, who will turn 40 next month and is the NBA's oldest active player, is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, the most recent of those coming earlier this year at the Paris Games.

The Lakers are 10-4, winners of six straight and next play Thursday at home against Orlando.

- Associated Press 

KEVIN DURANT BUYS STAKE IN LEAGUE 1 CHAMPS PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

Nike.com

NBA star Kevin Durant has become a new minority shareholder of three-time defending Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, the French club announced on Wednesday.

The recent Olympic gold medalist with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics has invested a few millions dollars of his own money to join the club, a source told ESPN.

He did so via Arctos Sports Partners, the American investment fund which bought a 12.5% stake in the club in 2023, with PSG valued at $4.6 billion (€4.25bn). The aim of Durant's arrival at the club is to further develop the PSG brand in the U.S. from a marketing and sponsorship point of view, especially with the 2025 Club World Cup and the 2026 World Cup set to be hosted in America over the next two summers.

Durant, 35, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, is a big soccer fan and part owner of MLS side Philadelphia Union. He is a good friend of PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi and has visited the Paris training ground and Parc des Princes stadium several times prior to his investment.

As recently as Aug. 6, he went by the Campus PSG to say hello to some of the players, staff and head coach Luis Enrique.

Durant is very excited to be involved with the club, a source told ESPN, and is very serious about his investment in the club.

- Julien Laurens, Correspondent

JOEL EMBIID LAUGHS OFF JEERS, LEADS U.S. ROUT INTO OLYMPIC SEMIS

Joel Embiid of Team USA at Paris Olympics on August 6, 2024. PHOTO: GREGORY SHAMUS/GETTY

PARIS -- If there's one thing Joel Embiid has learned during the Olympics, it's that the French can boo him but no one here can stop him from doing the crotch chop.

The American center's comfort level in dealing with adversity mirrored that of the rest of his teammates Tuesday as Team USA put on a clinic in a 122-87 quarterfinal victory over Brazil.

The U.S. is now two wins from a fifth consecutive gold medal and is set up for another meeting with Serbia in the semifinals on Thursday.

Kevin Durant added 11 points for Team USA, passing legend Lisa Leslie for the most points in American Olympic history.

Not only did Embiid laugh his way through the jeers from those still annoyed that he passed on France's offer to join its national team. He was all too happy to pull out one of his favorite celebrations with the WWE-inspired chop maneuver. Embiid has been fined twice -- for $60,000 -- for the move by the NBA, but on this night, league commissioner Adam Silver was at Bercy Arena only as a fan.

"Oh no, they still might find a way [to fine me], but that felt good," Embiid said with a smile. "It's good to have fun too, because at the end of the day, you got to take something out of this experience."

The U.S. needed some production from Embiid against a Brazil team with a strong front line. He was dominant right from the start, cleaning the glass effectively and showing off his classic mix of interior and perimeter scoring.

In 12 devastating minutes of work in the first half, Embiid put in 14 points with seven rebounds. Brazil was helpless in dealing with him as he made 5 of 6 shots, including two 3-pointers. The boos from the fans ebbed, which only seemed to encourage Embiid to ask for more of them.

Embiid did have a minor ankle turn, and he sat the second half as a precaution.

The antics were part of the low-stress evening Team USA was hoping for, especially after seeing underdogs apply all sorts of pressure during the day, including France upsetting Canada just as the Americans were arriving at the arena.

With Tuesday's 35-point victory, Team USA has won each of its first four games here by at least 15 points, marking the first time a U.S. men's team has done so since the 2008 Redeem Team, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Durant, who entered the game five points behind Leslie as the U.S. Olympic scoring leader, finished the day with 494 points for his career.

"Records are meant to be broken, so somebody will come along and do the same to me," Durant said. "My focus is on trying to win this gold."

All in all, it was a brilliant display of precision basketball led by LeBron James, who is steadily assembling a case for Olympic MVP. James was the catalyst for an impressive display of selfless offense, throwing an array of jaw-dropping passes that led to easy baskets for his teammates.

The most memorable happened just before the end of the first half on an inbounds pass. From half court, James threw a no-look frozen rope that threaded a tight window between Brazilian defenders and ended up perfectly in the hands of Jayson Tatum for an alley-oop.

"We had a play, but he just looked at me, so I knew he was doing the backdoor," Tatum said. "That was a hell of a pass. He put it right on the money, so he made it easy for me."

James has thrown some passes for the scrapbook already during the Paris Games, and all he did Tuesday was pile up nine assists in just 12 minutes to go with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The only thing keeping it from being a perfect night was an elbow.

Brazil's Georginho De Paula caught James above the left eye going for a rebound midway through the third quarter, opening up a cut. James exited to the locker room, where he got four stitches, and did not return to the game. It is not expected to cost him any more time.

James' lead was infectious as Team USA displayed perhaps its best ball movement of the summer. The Americans had 18 assists on their first 19 baskets.

"For a guy who truly is a point forward at heart, for him to be the leading scorer in NBA history when that's kind of the secondary thing that he does, he's crazy," Team USA coach Steve Kerr said. "But that's LeBron."

Devin Booker, who has been one of the Americans' steadiest players, ended up leading the team in scoring with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Brazil was fueled by former NBA player Bruno Caboclo, who had 24 points.

- Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior Writer

KNICKS' JALEN BRUNSON ACCEPTS $156.5M, $113M LESS THAN '25 DEAL

 In a largely unprecedented financial concession to give roster flexibility to a contending franchise, New York Knicks All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension -- $113 million less guaranteed than he is eligible to sign for a year from now -- his agent, Sam Rose of CAA, told ESPN on Friday.

The deal, which begins in 2025-26 and will cost Brunson $37.1 million over the next three years, comes with a fourth-year player option, Rose said, and that would set up Brunson to recoup the $113 million on a four-year, $323 million maximum extension in 2028 or a new five-year, $418 million deal in 2029.

Brunson, 27, became eligible to negotiate and sign the maximum extension Friday.

While there is an inherent risk of injury and unforeseen complications that come with Brunson's decision to push back his most lucrative NBA paydays, his priority remains to maximize the prime of his career with the franchise's most talented and deepest roster since the 1990s.

The repercussions of Brunson choosing the four-year, $156.5 million max deal over the five-year, $269.1 million deal in 2025 are massive for the Knicks' ability to keep this team together and continue making roster moves to close the gap on a championship. Brunson's deal keeps the Knicks out of the second-apron level of the salary cap, a punitive threshold that severely limits a team's ability to make trades, sign players and use draft picks.

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Brunson's study of championship organizations and franchise stars -- Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs, the Tom Brady New England Patriots and the Derek Jeter New York Yankees -- gave him a blueprint for MVP-level players who structured contracts to give their teams the best chances at sustainable title runs.

Brunson's arrival to the Knicks on a four-year, $104 million free agent deal two years ago has been one of the league's most transformative acquisitions of the past decade. After starting his career as a backup point guard with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson has blossomed into one of the NBA's most impactful players and leaders. Brunson had his finest NBA season in 2023-24, earning All-NBA honors and finishing top five in the MVP voting. He averaged 28.7 points per game and scored or assisted on a franchise-record 3,481 points. Brunson, who had 11 40-point games in the regular season, became the first Knicks player with 40 points and five assists in four straight playoff games, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The Knicks presumably became better -- and inarguably more expensive -- this offseason. New York signed OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212.5 million deal and traded for Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges and the two years, $48 million left on his contract.

Brunson's ties to the Knicks are deep and reflect his faith in the organization. Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose had been Brunson's agent prior to joining the team in 2020. Brunson's father, Rick, is a Knicks assistant coach and was a longtime client of Rose's in his agent days. The Knicks have surrounded Brunson with a starry cast of his former national championship teammates at Villanova to create a remarkable synchronicity on and off the floor.

In the modern era, All-NBA player discounts to allow salary cap flexibility have included San Antonio's Tim Duncan taking $11 million less than the maximum in 2007 to keep Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker and Golden State's Kevin Durant taking $10 million less to keep Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala in 2017. LeBron James accepted $2.6 million less on a two-year, $101 million deal this offseason to avoid the second apron for the Los Angeles Lakers.

This time, Brunson is taking a $37 million loss that comes with $113 million of total risk to chase a title with the Knicks.

ESPN's Bobby Marks contributed to this report.

- Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

NBA ALL-TIME GREAT JERRY WEST DIES AT AGE 86

 Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning at the age of 86, the LA Clippers announced.

West was the third player in NBA history to reach 25,000 points, was an All-Star every year of his career and led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times, winning one title in 1971-72. He was also a 12-time All-NBA selection, an NBA Finals MVP as part of a losing team in 1969 -- the first year that award was given out and still the only time it went to a player on the losing team -- and part of the NBA's 75th anniversary team.

His basketball life bridged generations: West played with Elgin Baylor, whom he called "the most supportive and the greatest player of that era," and Wilt Chamberlain. As a coach and executive, he worked with a who's-who of NBA stars from the past 40 years: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George among them.

"Jerry West was a basketball genius and a defining figure in our league for more than 60 years," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "He distinguished himself not only as an NBA champion and an All-Star in all 14 of his playing seasons, but also as a consummate competitor who embraced the biggest moments."

"... I valued my friendship with Jerry and the knowledge he shared with me over many years about basketball and life. On behalf of the NBA, we send our deepest condolences to Jerry's wife, Karen, his family and his many friends in the NBA community."

The NBA is planning a pregame tribute to West before Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.

West was "the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him," the Clippers said in announcing his death, adding that Karen West was by his side when he died.

Following his playing career, West found title success as an NBA executive, building the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s that won five titles in that decade and overseeing the formation of the O'Neal-Bryant tandem. West stayed for just the first title in 2000 as the Lakers went on to three-peat.

"Jerry West is forever a basketball icon," the Lakers said in a statement. "He brought Lakers fans their first championship in Los Angeles in 1972 and was integral to another six titles during his time with us. Our thoughts are with the West family and the many NBA fans who honor his legacy. Jerry West will always be a Lakers legend."

West became an adviser for the Clippers starting in 2017, helping to engineer the breakup of the team's "Lob City" core that led the way to the signing of Leonard and George. The Clippers reached the Western Conference finals for the first time in 2021.

"This is a hard day. I am honored to call Jerry a confidant, an advisor and a friend," Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said in a statement. "Connie, my wife, called him my 'basketball dad.' He was absolutely my basketball sage: wise, loyal and so much fun. If you were in his presence, you felt his competitiveness and his drive. He cared about everything and everyone. From the first day I met Jerry seven years ago, he inspired me with his intellect, honesty and enthusiasm. He never stopped. I spent a lot of time with him, some of the best times of my life. He always lent an ear, and he always had a quip. He always left me laughing. I will miss him."

West also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors, with Warriors co-executive chairman and CEO Joe Lacob saying West was "an incredible and unique individual."

"He did so much for the NBA, the game of basketball and each of the teams he was associated with during his unmatched career, including the Warriors," Lacob said. "Jerry had a profound and immense impact on our franchise and was instrumental in our recent decade of success."

West was a two-time All-American at West Virginia, where he averaged 24.8 points per game and helped the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game, being named Final Four Most Outstanding Player despite a loss in the final to Cal. West also teamed with Oscar Robertson to lead the U.S. to a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

All those accomplishments made West one of only three players (along with Magic Johnson and Hakeem Olajuwon) to win a Finals MVP, be named NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player and earn an Olympic gold medal.

Nicknamed "Mr. Clutch" for his late-game exploits as a player, West went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor.

West is still the NBA Finals' all-time leader in total points, along with field goals made and attempted as well as free throws made and attempted, but his teams went 1-2 against the New York Knicks and 0-6 against the Boston Celtics.

"Those damn Celtics," he often said.

West also hit one of the most famed shots in Finals history, a 60-footer at the buzzer of Game 3 of the 1970 series between the Knicks and Lakers to force overtime.

Even in the final years of his life, West was considered basketball royalty. He routinely sat courtside at Summer League games in Las Vegas, often watching many games in a day while greeting long lines of players -- LeBron James among them -- who would approach to shake his hand and pay him respect.

"The game transcends many things," West said while attending Summer League last year. "The players change, the style of play may change, but the respect that you learn in this game never changes."

In a pair of social media posts, James honored West as a friend and mentor and he was "already missed."

Michael Jordan said he considered West "a friend and mentor -- like an older brother to me."

"I valued his friendship and knowledge," Jordan said. "I always wished I could have played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate. I admired his basketball insights and he and I shared many similarities to how we approached the game."

A native of Chelyan, West Virginia, West was known as a tenacious player who was rarely satisfied with his performance. He grew up shooting at a basket nailed to the side of a shed and often shot until his fingers bled. He became the first high school player in state history to score more than 900 points in a season, averaging 32.2 points per game in leading East Bank High to a state title.

Basketball, he would later reveal, was his therapy.

In his memoir, "West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life," West chronicled a lifelong battle with depression. He wrote that his childhood was devoid of love and filled with anger as a result of an abusive father. He often felt worthless, and to combat that, he said he put his energy into playing the game.

"It never ceases to amaze me the places you can go in this world chasing a bouncing ball," West said in 2019, when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the nation's highest civilian honor -- by then-President Donald Trump. "My chase began in Chelyan, West Virginia, where I strung a wire basket with no net to the side of a bridge. If your shot didn't go in, the ball rolled down a long bank and you would be chasing it forever. So you better make it.

"I was a dreamer. My family didn't have much, but we had a clear view of the Appalachian Mountains, and I'd sit alone on our front porch and wonder, 'If I ever make it to the top of that mountain, what will I see on the other side?' Well, I did make it to the other side, and my dreams have come true. I've been able to see the sides, thanks to that bouncing ball."

He is 25th on the NBA career scoring list, and while the NBA has never confirmed that West was in fact the model for its logo -- a player dribbling a ball, set against a red-and-blue background -- the league has never said otherwise either.

"While it's never been officially declared that the logo is Jerry West," Silver said in 2021, "it sure looks a lot like him."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN News Services

"A DISASTER' | KD'S FAILURE WAS SELF-INFLICTED AFTER LEAVING GSW | STEPHEN A | FIRST TAKE

NBA ROUNDUP: WOLVES FINISH OFF SWEEP OF SUNS

USA TODAY Sports 

 Anthony Edwards scored 31 of his 40 points in the second half and the Minnesota Timberwolves completed a four-game sweep of the host Phoenix Suns with a 122-116 victory on Sunday night in their Western Conference first-round series.

Edwards made seven 3-pointers and had nine rebounds and six assists for the third-seeded Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 points and 10 rebounds as Minnesota won a playoff series for the first time in 20 years.

Jaden McDaniels added 18 points and Mike Conley had 10 points and seven assists for the Timberwolves, who will face either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.

Devin Booker scored a playoff-career-high 49 points for the sixth-seeded Suns. Booker made 13 of 21 shots from the floor and hit 20 of 21 free-throw attempts. Kevin Durant added 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting for Phoenix. He also had nine rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots.

Knicks 97, 76ers 92

Jalen Brunson scored a career playoff-high 47 points to go along with 10 assists as New York defeated host Philadelphia in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.

Brunson set a franchise playoff scoring record and also became the first player in franchise history to post at least 30 points and 10 assists in consecutive playoff games. The Knicks lead the series 3-1 with Game 5 set for Tuesday in New York.

Brunson, who shot 18 of 34 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free-throw line, knocked down two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining for a 97-92 lead. OG Anunoby added 16 points and 14 rebounds, Miles McBride scored 13 and Josh Hart pulled down 17 rebounds.

Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 27 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 19 and Tobias Harris had 10. Embiid had scored a playoff career-high 50 points despite struggling on his surgically repaired left knee in the Sixers' win over the Knicks in Game 3 on Thursday.

USA TODAY Sports 

Pacers 126, Bucks 113

Myles Turner scored 29 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 24 to fuel Indiana to a victory over undermanned Milwaukee in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series in Indianapolis.

Turner sank seven 3-pointers for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who shot 51.2 percent from beyond the arc and 51.7 percent overall to seize a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Tuesday in Milwaukee. Haliburton made five 3-pointers despite being added to the injury report as questionable approximately 90 minutes before tipoff due to a balky back.

Milwaukee's Brook Lopez recorded 27 points and nine rebounds and Khris Middleton added 25 and 10, respectively. Malik Beasley added 20 points for the third-seeded Bucks, who were short-handed due to the early ejection of Bobby Portis in addition to the absences of injured stars Damian Lillard and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

USA TODAY Sports 

Clippers 116, Mavericks 111

Paul George and James Harden each scored 33 points and Los Angeles rallied after coughing up a 31-point lead to beat host Dallas Mavericks in Game 4, evening the Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Mavericks. Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. The rest of the Mavericks shot only 5-of-21 from deep, including 1-of-9 from Doncic.

The series, which is tied 2-2, heads back to Los Angeles for Wednesday's Game 5.

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- Reuters 

DUEL | GAME 1 | KEVIN DURANT (31 POINTS) VS. ANTHONY EDWARDS (33 POINTS)

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND TAKEAWAYS: LOTS OF POINTS LOTS OF WINNERS IN INDY

 

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis had plenty of winners.

There was Damian Lillard, a 3-point shootout winner Saturday and the All-Star Game MVP on Sunday — a two-trophy weekend the likes of which only Michael Jordan pulled off previously. There were Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, who made their 1-on-1 shooting contest into must-see-TV. There was Karl-Anthony Towns, the fourth player to score at least 50 in an All-Star Game.

And there are the people tasked with updating the NBA’s All-Star record book. They’ll be busy for a while after the Eastern Conference’s 211-186 victory over the Western Conference on Sunday night in the highest-scoring All-Star Game.

The league goes quiet now, at least in terms of games, until Thursday. Everyone gets a break until then, and for those who were part of the shows in Indianapolis this weekend, it’s needed.

Some takeaways from Indianapolis:

ALL THOSE POINTS

Scoring 186 points is something that only two teams in the history of the All-Star Game had done before Sunday night.

The West scored 186 — and lost by 25. Hard to say anyone would have seen that coming.

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Here’s just some of the records: Most points by one team (211), most points by both teams (397), most points in a half by one team (the East tied it with 104 in the first half, then broke it with 107 in the second half), most 3-pointers by one team (42), most 3-point attempts by one team (97), most 3-pointers by both teams (67), most 3-point attempts by both teams (168), most field goals by both teams (163), most field goal attempts by both teams (289), and most assists by one team (the West had 60 to tie the record).

“Usually our preparation to get ready to compete, it looks a lot different than it looks when we come here,” Lillard said. “This weekend was a lot better than the past, but I think when the game is any type of loose, if it’s not a game where you’ve got a scouting report and you’re locked in and a lot is on the line, then guys who are too talented and are going to make a lot of 3s. That’s the kind of game it’s going to be.”

LEBRON JAMES MAKES NBA ALL-STAR TEAM FOR RECORD 20

 

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LeBron James joined yet another exclusive club, and he’ll have plenty of familiar faces alongside him at the NBA All-Star Game.

James is an All-Star — and an All-Star starter — for the 20th time, with the league unveiling the results of this season’s starter balloting on Thursday night. James is the first 20-time All-Star in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose career scoring record was broken by James last season, was a 19-time selection.

The game is Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.

Joining James in the Western Conference starting lineup: Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's leader in 30-point games this season who edged perennial All-Star starter Stephen Curry of Golden State for the final West backcourt spot. Durant is a 14-time selection, one of only 11 players in NBA history to be picked that many times.

In the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo will be joined by Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid — the reigning NBA MVP, two-time defending scoring champion and current NBA scoring leader — in the frontcourt. Tatum set an All-Star Game record last season, scoring 55 points in Salt Lake City on the way to MVP honors.

The East guards are Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton — who’ll be a starter on his home floor — and Milwaukee's Damian Lillard.

GRANT WILLIAMS STANDS OVER KEVIN DURANT SO NURIC PUSHES HIM AND IT GETS HEATED

 

KEVIN DURANT SCORES 43, HITS GAME-WINNER AS SPURS TOPS BULLS

 

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Kevin Durant knocked down a tiebreaking 17-footer with 1.6 seconds left to give the Phoenix Suns a 115-113 victory over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

Durant scored a season-high 43 points to reach 40 for the second straight game as the Suns won their sixth consecutive game. Bradley Beal scored 18 points for Phoenix, and Devin Booker added 16.

DeMar DeRozan missed a contested 3-point attempt as time expired, leaving the Bulls with their ninth straight head-to-head loss against Phoenix.

Coby White had 26 points, matched his career high of 10 rebounds and had nine assists while DeRozan scored 21 for Chicago. Nikola Vucevic added 19 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists and Alex Caruso had 15 points for the Bulls, who lost for just the third time in nine games.

Durant matched his season best of six 3-pointers to help Phoenix recover from a 23-point deficit.

Durant nailed a straightaway 3-pointer to give Phoenix a 113-111 lead with 29.3 seconds remaining. DeRozan hit a 10-footer in the lane to tie it with 22.9 seconds left.

KEVIN DURANT TAKES OVER & LEADS WITH 22 POINTS TO WIN

'HE WAS OUR MICHAEL JORDAN' | KEVIN DURANT