Last night, around 200 NBA players got together on a Zoom call to discuss the return of the NBA season. The call was led by Kyrie Irving and it is being reported that he was making arguments as to why the players shouldn't return. In addition to not liking the bubble city plan, Irving says there are more important things than basketball right now and that the players should be focusing on social justice reforms instead.
According to Shams Charania, there were some star players on the call who also voiced similar opinions. Among them were Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and even Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz. Following this revelation, Mitchell came out and refuted Charania's reporting, saying "stop it."
Clearly, Mitchell seems offended at the notion that he doesn't want the league to return next month. Of course, the Jazz have quite a bit to lose here as they were in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference. They are a team with a lot of dark horse potential and it would behoove them to restart the season and potentially surprise a few people.
At this point, it seems as though there are contradicting reports on how the players really feel. Over the next few weeks, we will get a better sense of whether or not the players are actually on board with returning to action.
Legendary Jazz Head Coach Jerry Sloan Passes Away At 78
Jerry Sloan was a legendary head coach who brought the Jazz to two straight NBA Finals.
Sad news is coming out of the basketball world today as it was reported that legendary Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan has passed away at the age of 78. Sloan had been battling Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, which are ultimately the causes for his passing.
Sloan is a beloved figure when it comes to Utah Jazz basketball. He coached the team from 1988 all the way until 2011 and he helped them get to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. If you have been watching “The Last Dance,” you would know that he was heavily featured in the final two episodes of the series. Today, the Utah Jazz released a statement where they paid homage to Sloan’s contributions.
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Per Jazz:
“Jerry Sloan will always be synonymous with the Utah Jazz. He will forever be a part of the Utah Jazz organization and we join his family, friends and fans in mourning his loss. We are so thankful for what he accomplished here in Utah and the decades of dedication, loyalty and tenacity he brought to our franchise.
“Our Hall of Fame coach for 23 years, Jerry had a tremendous impact on the Jazz franchise as expressed by his banner hanging in the arena rafters. His 1,223 Jazz coaching wins, 20 trips to the NBA Playoffs and two NBA Finals appearances are remarkable achievements. His hard-nosed approach only made him more beloved. Even after his retirement, his presence at Jazz games always brought a roaring response from the crowd.”
Sloan will certainly go down as a legend and one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of the NBA.
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Michael Jordan Allegedly Spat On Infamous "Flu Game" Pizza
Michael Jordan had to make sure that no one else ate his pizza.
Michael Jordan‘s infamous “Flu Game” was on full display during “The Last Dance” last night and fans were surprised to hear that it was actually a really bad case of food poisoning. Many already knew this but very few had heard about the circumstances surrounding the ordering of said pizza. In the documentary, it notes that Jordan was the only person to have eaten the pizza while everyone else in the room watched. It was also said that numerous delivery men showed up at the door which led his trainer to believe that it had been spiked.
During an appearance on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby, “The Last Dance” director Jason Hehir admitted that the Jordan story went a tad deeper. When pressed about Jordan eating the whole pizza, Hehir said that MJ had actually spat on the pizza to make sure no one else ate it.
Jordan did this because his teammates had eaten a few hours earlier and he wanted to order something for himself. He was fearful that some of the other guys would touch the pizza, so he spat on it as a preventative measure. Later that night, Jordan got extremely sick and he eventually went on to score 38 points in a huge NBA Finals win.
The “Flu Game” is already an incredible story but this anecdote adds another layer of insanity to it all.
Karl Malone’s Dark Past With Minor Overshadows "Last Dance" Cameo
Karl Malone may have been a great scorer but there is one story that has followed him his entire life.
Everyone was tuned in to the final two episodes of "The Last Dance" last night and with good reason. We got to watch Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls defeat the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals during back-to-back seasons. Of course, the two stars of the Jazz at that time were none other than John Stockton and Karl Malone. While Stockton is respected as a great point guard, Malone doesn't seem to get much recognition as the second-highest scorer in NBA history. Although, as many people on Twitter found out last night, there is a good reason why.
Malone allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old by the name of Gloria Bell, when he was 20 years old. She eventually gave birth to a child named Demetrius who is allegedly Malone's son. In an ESPN story from Jemele Hill that was published 12 years ago, it was revealed that the allegations were proven to credible since there was an actual DNA test given.
If you're wondering why Malone was never interviewed for "The Last Dance," or why he is never talked about in GOAT conversations, now you understand why. His reprehensible past is something people rightfully consider when talking about his legacy.
As soon as Malone was talked about in "The Last Dance," Twitter users hopped on the platform to remind people of his past. In the reactions below, you can see just how much his past has destroyed his solid NBA career.
Mike Conley Breaks Silence On Rudy Gobert-Donovan Mitchell Drama
Mike Conley recently weighed in on the rumors surrounding Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell's relationship.
Rudy Gobert's positive Coronavirus test set the NBA in a frenzy. The same night he was diagnosed with the virus, the NBA decided to shut down all operations. In fact, every single sports league in North America was forced to shut down as well. Gobert's teammate Donovan Mitchell was also diagnosed with the virus, just a day after the former defensive player of the year. In the days leading up to their positive test results, Gobert was reckless and didn't take the virus seriously. With this in mind, it was quickly reported that Mitchell was angry with Gobert and that their relationship couldn't be fixed.
Now, veteran Jazz point guard Mike Conley is speaking out about the rumored feud between Gobert and Mitchell. As he says, it doesn't seem like they are on bad terms but even if they were, they would be able to handle it and overcome it like men.
“Between Donovan and Rudy, if they feel a certain way about each other, which I honestly don’t think that’s the case at all, they’re grown men and they handle it,” Conley said. “They go out there, compete and try to win. You’d never notice on our end.”
Gobert recently told Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report that he is on good terms with Mitchell and that there is nothing to worry about. Only time will tell whether or not this is the case. Perhaps their chemistry on the court will tell us all we need to know.
Rudy Gobert Says He’s Back On Good Terms With Donovan Mitchell
Rudy Gobert says he is back on good terms with Donovan Mitchell after COVID-19 diagnosis.
Any beef between Utah Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell has been squashed, Gobert said Sunday.
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Gobert, who was the first NBA player to test positive for COVID-19, was criticized for downplaying the virus and putting his teammates at risk. Soon after, Mitchell tested positive and the two players have reportedly been at odds since.
“It’s true that we didn’t speak for a while, but we spoke a couple days ago,” Gobert said. “We’re ready to win a championship. Relationships are never perfect,” Gobert said on Instagram live, Sunday. “But at the end of the day, we both want to win. We’re grown men, and we want to win.”
“There’s no fight,” Gobert added. “It’s all about thousands of people are dying every day, and it’s all about what we can do to help, what we can do to bring some positive. That’s what my focus is on now.”
Mitchell spoke about the situation in March on ABC’s Good Morning America: “To be honest with you, it took a while for me to kind of cool off and I read what he said and heard what he said,” Mitchell said. “I’m glad he’s doing okay, I’m glad I’m well. I’m just really happy, to be honest, Robin, that it wasn’t the whole [team].”
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Rudy Gobert Has Reportedly Ghosted The Jazz
Rudy Gobert has ceased communication with the Jazz following his Coronavirus diagnosis.
Rudy Gobert became a punchline the night of March 11th when it was revealed that he had tested positive for Coronavirus and singlehandedly led to the entire shut down of the NBA. Gobert had been reckless about the disease prior to his positive test and it led people to use him as a sort of scapegoat. In fact, there are reports circulating that teammate Donovan Mitchell is incredibly upset with Gobert and that they won't be able to salvage their relationship.
It appears as though things are actually worse than that. The Athletic is also reporting that Gobert has completely stopped talking to the Jazz as an organization. With this in mind, it's clear things could be over for the two sides when play eventually starts back up again.
“Not only is Rudy [Gobert] non-communicative with Donovan Mitchell, he’s largely not communicating with the Jazz right now, either," reporter Tony Jones said.
Gobert's reported position shouldn't be shocking. Many left Gobert out to dry over this whole thing and he quickly became the face of what not to do during a pandemic. He has been treated as a dunce for weeks now and the Jazz haven't tried to defend him at all. Not to mention, there isn't even confirmation that he gave Mitchell the virus in the first place.
Over the coming weeks, this situation is bound to get more interesting.
Donovan Mitchell & Rudy Gobert Reportedly On Unsalvageable Terms
Donovan Mitchell & Rudy Gobert have been shaky ground ever since they were both diagnosed with Coronavirus.
Rudy Gobert went from being one of the best defensive players in the NBA to the biggest laughing stock, in a matter of days. It all started when he decided to not take the Coronavirus seriously and touched a bunch of microphones during a press conference. Just a couple of days later, he tested positive for the virus. The next day, Donovan Mitchell tested positive as well. Gobert’s diagnosis led to the immediate shut down of the NBA and sports leagues around the world. Simply put, he was the man who started it all.
Ever since Mitchell’s diagnosis, there have been rumors that he is extremely upset with Gobert and that the two have a bad relationship. It is unclear who had the virus first but Mitchell feels like Gobert was too reckless. According to The Athletic, things are so bad that a source in the Jazz organization is calling their relationship unsalvageable.
This is horrible news for Jazz fans when you consider how the team was doing quite well before this whole scandal. The Jazz could have been a darkhorse team in the Western Conference but if their chemistry is ruined, perhaps we could see Gobert traded away from the team.
Stay tuned for updates on this story as we will be sure to bring them to you.
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Donovan Mitchell Has Message For Fans After Coronavirus Recovery
Donovan Mitchell has a clean bill of health after being diagnosed with COVID-19 just a couple of weeks ago.
Donovan Mitchell and his teammate, Rudy Gobert, both ended up catching the Coronavirus that has been making its way throughout the globe over the past few months. The pandemic is about to reach its peak but for Gobert and Mitchell, the worst is finally over. They were recently told that they have been cleared of the virus and will be able to continue their lives as normal.
Mitchell understands just how bad this virus can be. With this in mind, he has decided to educate people and yesterday, he even took to his Twitter account where he had a serious message for everyone at home who is going through quarantine. As he said, it's important to stay the course because even if you don't feel sick, you could still be carrying the virus.
"On a more serious note... let’s continue to practice social distancing and remember... even though you may not have symptoms you still may be infected!!" Mitchell wrote. "Let’s keep everyone in our prayers and stay safe."
Due to COVID-19, the entire NBA season has been put on pause and won't resume until it is safe to get into large gatherings again. If you're sad that the NBA is gone and want it back sooner rather than later, you should live by Mitchell's words of wisdom.
Donovan Mitchell Reacts To Being Cleared Of COVID-19
Donovan Mitchell was recently told he is no longer carrying the Coronavirus.
Donovan Mitchell was one of the first NBA players to be diagnosed with the Coronavirus. His positive test came immediately after his teammate Rudy Gobert was also diagnosed with the virus. Since then, Mitchell has been quarantining at home where he was getting his rest and a fair share of fluids. Mitchell and Gobert received some positive news earlier today as it was revealed that they no longer have the virus which means they can't pass it on to anyone else. At this point, they will probably still stay home, just for the good of everyone else.
Mitchell was so excited about this news that he hopped on Twitter and posted a prayer hand emoji alongside a gif of a child happily dancing. The young Jazz star is clearly happy to be rid of the virus that has killed thousands of people around the globe.
Other NBA players have contracted the virus including Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets. Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics got it also which just goes to show how the virus can be spread so easily. Even the most healthy individuals can end up with it.
Regardless, we wish everyone else with the virus, a speedy recovery. This pandemic has been very scary but if we work together, it can go away much faster than we think.
