Latest news with #PivotPodcast
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chet Holmgren Is On The Hot Seat After Game 1 Stinker Against Pacers
Chet Holmgren Is On The Hot Seat After Game 1 Stinker Against Pacers originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder got their hearts broken in the final seconds of Game 1 in the NBA Finals as Tyrese Haliburton nailed a mid-range game-winner to seal the Pacers' 111-110 win. The Thunder led the game from the tip-off until there were 0.4 seconds left on the clock, and were major favorites to win the game. Advertisement One of the reasons why they were considered favorites to win this series was not just because of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander but the Thunder's 'Big Three', i.e, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. While Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander have had a consistent Playoff run this season, Holmgren's has been a bit of a roller coaster. He had two 20-point+ games in the Grizzlies series, none in the Nuggets series (mainly due to Jokic's matchup), three in the Timberwolves series, and has started with a 6-point game against the Pacers in Game 1. The former No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft has averaged 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 17 games of the 2025 playoffs so far. Holmgren went two of nine from the floor and did not make a single three-point shot in the game. Several fans, along with troll account admins, went on social media to put Holmgren in a 'hot seat' and criticize his Game 1 performance. "Chet Holmgren, you are disappointing," wrote an NBA fan on X. Advertisement "Chet Holmgren should not be able to fly under the radar for being ASS on the big stage," wrote another unhappy fan on X. "Chet Holmgren if he wasn't 7'1" was the caption of a meme that showed Holmgren as a McDonald's worker. "Chet Holmgren is 8ft tall for nothing, WTF" wrote another surprised basketball fan on X. "Chet Holmgren pulled up like this just to go 2/9 and get benched in crunch time," wrote BricksCenter, a satirical rip-off of SportsCenter meant to be a troll account. Shaquille O'Neal: Not Impressed With Chet Holmgren Earlier this week, Shaquille O'Neal went on the Pivot Podcast and gave his honest opinion about the Thunder. He blamed the NBA media for hyping up Holmgren too fast before he reached star status and is currently a role player at best. Advertisement 'We're all responsible for this, we give away too many titles sometimes. They got a big two, that mo***rf***ker Jay Dub is serious, he can play. The other guy's just a role player, stop it… But he's a great role player. He's a Horace Grant or Tony Kukoc, not taking away, but he's not a big three, stop it, stop it'. O'Neal believes that Holmgren is yet to prove that he is a part of a 'Big Three' in Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards, during their series with the Timberwolves, called Holmgren the game-changer for the Thunder. Therefore, a lot of expectations are riding on Holmgren's shoulders. Next summer, Holmgren will be up for an extension. His performance in this series and the next season could decide how big a contract he gets from the Thunder. Since he will be competing with Williams for contracts expected to be in the range of $240 million+ and more, depending on factors like All-NBA selections. Will Holmgren be able to turn things around after a rough start against the Pacers? Or will Myles Turner be too tough a match-up for him, like Jokic was? It will be interesting to see what lies ahead for Holmgren. Advertisement Related: "It's Not Rocket Science": Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Reacts After Tyrese Haliburton Steals Game 1 For Pacers This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shaquille O'Neal Shortchanges Chet Holmgren; Says Thunder's "Role Player" Not A Part Of OKC's Big 3
Shaquille O'Neal Shortchanges Chet Holmgren; Says Thunder's "Role Player" Not A Part Of OKC's Big 3 originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The NBA Finals are around the corner as the OKC Thunder prepare to take on the Indiana Pacers in their first Finals appearance in over a decade. From James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Russell Westbrook in 2012 to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren in 2025, the Thunder have made it to the Finals yet again on the backs of three highly talented players. Advertisement Chet Holmgren has become the X-factor for the Thunder, who, even Anthony Edwards admitted, was the game changer in pivotal moments of their Western Conference Finals series with the Timberwolves. However, Shaquille O'Neal believes Holmgren has not done enough to warrant his name in the 'Big 3' status for OKC. He feels Holmgren is at best a role player, and the public is rushing to award him a spot of that status. 'We're all responsible for this, we give away too many titles sometimes. They got a big two, that mo***rf***ker Jay Dub is serious, he can play. The other guy's just a role player, stop it… But he's a great role player. He's a Horace Grant or Tony Kukoc, not taking away, but he's not a big three, stop it, stop it', said O'Neal in an appearance on the Pivot Podcast. The Lakers legend seems unimpressed with the former No. 2 overall pick, Holmgren. He has averaged 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 16 games in the 2025 playoffs so far. In the last series against the Timberwolves, he averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. While these numbers don't scream All-Star caliber to anyone, his role on the team is pivotal enough to say the Thunder would not be where they are without Holmgren. In the 2022-23 season, Holmgren suffered from a Lisfranc injury at the beginning of his rookie year. This forced him to miss the entire season, where the OKC roster was built on the same core of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, Dort, and more. The Thunder finished the season in the 10th seed with only 40 wins in the regular season and an exit in the Play-in tournament itself. Advertisement This shows how pivotal Holmgren has been in providing size inside the paint, being a big to stretch the floor, and a shot blocker to fill the holes in the Thunder roster. His inclusion propelled them from a playoff contender to a championship contender in less than two years. Chet Holmgren Got The Last Laugh Over Anthony Edwards After the Thunder won the Western Conference Finals against the Timberwolves, Holmgren went on social media to post his pictures from the series. The Minnesota native captioned it "welcome home Chet" to signify a subtle shot at Anthony Edwards, who used those words in February to react to a posterizing dunk over Holmgren. Holmgren used that incident as fuel for himself as he helped the Thunder reach the Finals for the first time in 12 years. Following Game 4 of the series as well, Edwards admitted that the Timberwolves had an answer for everyone except Holmgren. Maybe he's not a superstar yet, but in my opinion, he's important enough to the Thunder team that he elevates from a role player status to the big three status. Advertisement Related: Chet Holmgren Believes He, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, And Josh Giddey Can Become The New Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, And James Harden This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Feels Chet Holmgren Will Be "That Guy" For Thunder After Game 2 Win: "You Don't Have To Worry"
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Feels Chet Holmgren Will Be "That Guy" For Thunder After Game 2 Win: "You Don't Have To Worry" originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Beyond Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one player who has come under the spotlight from the Thunder in this season's Playoffs is Chet Holmgren. From scoring 23 points in 18 minutes to put away Game 3 of the Grizzlies series in the first round, to being the special player that impressed Anthony Edwards and helped the Thunder beat the Timberwolves in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Advertisement Holmgren bounced back after a rough Game 1 (where he had only six points) and scored 15 points in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Following the Thunder's 123-107 win, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spoke to Scott Van Pelt of ESPN about how the team reassures their faith in Chet without even needing to say anything to him. 'The special thing about Chet is nobody said anything to him. Yeah, he's such a competitor, and he gets lost in the competition, and I think he's the best version of himself now. He's going to go out there and make mistakes just like the rest of us. But his intentions, his intangibles, his skill set, and the things you just can't teach that he does on a basketball court, well, they'll take over. As long as he continues to have that right mindset, which he does 99.999% of the time. You don't have to worry about Chet, he's going to be that guy.' Does Chet Holmgren Belong In OKC's Big Three? Following Game 4 of the Thunder's series against the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards claimed that it was Chet Holmgren who was the X factor for the Thunder's win. He was thoroughly impressed with Holmgren, despite karma eventually catching up with Edwards. Advertisement Such performances propelled his name into the discussion alongside Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to be the OKC's next big three. However, Shaquille O'Neal, the NBA legend, feels that the NBA media is being hasty in awarding him that title. He even said that Holmgren is at best a role player but hasn't yet done enough to be in the 'Big Three' status. 'We're all responsible for this, we give away too many titles sometimes. They got a big two, that mo***rf***ker Jay Dub is serious, he can play. The other guy's just a role player, stop it… But he's a great role player. He's a Horace Grant or Tony Kukoc, not taking away, but he's not a big three, stop it, stop it', said O'Neal in an appearance on the Pivot Podcast. Holmgren missed a significant portion of this season due to injury. But in the Playoffs, he's been pivotal to the OKC as he provides size inside the paint and is a potential threat to stretch the floor. He has averaged 15.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 18 games in the 2025 playoffs. Despite his pivotal inputs into the team's success, I will have to agree with O'Neal here and say that Holmgren has not done enough to say that he's among the top centers in the NBA at the moment and hence does not form a "Big Three" with the Thunder's star duo, Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander. Advertisement Related: "You Can't Get Too Comfortable": Shai Gilgeous-Alexander On Thunder's Next Steps After Game 2 Win In NBA Finals This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I don't like that': Travis Hunter's prenup decision with Leanna Lenee raise eyebrows as Channing Crowder and fans raise concerns
Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee were dating for a couple of years.(Image via Travis Hunter/Instagram) Travis Hunter and his wife, Leanna Lenee, looked ecstatic as videos of their beautiful Tennessee wedding went viral last weekend. Both Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee looked deeply in love with each other but fans have not been too kind to the couple. While many famous artists had advised Travis Hunter not to tie the knot with Leanna Lenee, there are some concerns about a prenup, and former NFL star Channing Crowder has weighed in on it. Channing Crowder spoke about Travis Hunter not signing a prenup before marrying Leanna Lenee and fans have similar concerns Ryan Clark, Channing, Fred on dealing with loss, clear air on Belichick Jordon Hudson & NBA Finals Recently, former NFL player Channing Crowder spoke about Travis Hunter's decision to not sign a prenup before he tied the knot with Leanna Lenee on the Pivot Podcast. Channing Crowder said, 'Information I've gained and the pictures I've seen, and I respect Travis all too much, when you say that you're about to say something mean about somebody. I heard there was no prenup, I don't like that, this man's about to be an MVP type candidate.' Channing Crowder added, 'I think he'll be an All-Pro Corner, I think he'll be a very good Receiver. We've heard the stories of the past, how when they were getting together how she called the man ugly. I don't like all that. I don't like it, I don't like those stories. I don't like those things coming out about a young man I respect.' Fans too have similar concerns about the recent Heisman Trophy winner. A fan took to X and posted, 'He is about to make way more money… the only thing the prenup would be able to stop her from touching is his signing bonus. Prenup or not.. everything he earns while married is half hers. That's the way it works and prenups dont stop that.' Another fan joked, 'Congrats on Leanna on signing a four years Fully guaranteed $23.325 millions contract', while a third fan posted, 'His career is cook. She'll have his head in knots and walk with half that.@DeionSanders should have coached him better.' Another fan wrote, 'makes since now why Deion and family didn't show. Deion said he wanted to do Travis prenup while playing at Jackson State, guess that didn't pan out.' Travis Hunter and his wife, Leanna Lenee, are staying away from all the controversies Both Travis Hunter and Leanna Lenee have remained unbothered about the controversies surrounding their beautiful wedding. While fans have continued to troll Leanna Lenee and called her a 'gold digger', Travis Hunter stood by her and even gifted her a brand new Mercedes-Benz AMG G35 at their wedding. Also Read: "She's playing the long game": Travis Hunter's wedding clip with wife Leanna Lenee sparks bizarre speculation among fans
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ryan Clark acknowledges coordination with Bill Belichick over editing of Pivot interview
The Pivot Podcast episode featuring an interview with Bill Belichick could be destined to serve as the basis for an episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out. After the extended Memorial Day weekend, which operates as a de facto hard reset for many media narratives and storylines, Channing Crowder of The Pivot Podcast issued a public apology for things he had said more than a week earlier about Belichick's 24-year-old girlfriend/publicist/handler/idea mill/creative muse Jordon Hudson. Which brought the story back to the front burner. Again. Among other things, Crowder had said Hudson "choreographed" the interview. After Crowder apologized, co-host Ryan Clark denied that the interview was "choreographed." While then explaining several things about the interview that sounded a lot like, you know, choreography. We published an article (it's available here) and posted a link on Twitter. Clark retweeted our link with this message: "Well Mike. It wasn't a pre-show meeting. Both Channing & Fred [Taylor] were on the same flight delayed from Miami. I was already in NY. So I was there first. As for serving the viewers we will not do that at the expense of people who volunteer to give us their time. We have had various reasons for edits, & exemptions. From contractual agreements, second thoughts, or just not liking how it felt. Moving slimy in the name of clicks is not worth the integrity of our show. Jordon was not contacted nor involved in any conversation about the timing in which what we documented could be released. That conversation took place between Bill & I." Clark's message ignores most of the points we made. Why was Hudson involved in a 90-minute meeting before the interview started? Why was what would have been the first EXCLUSIVE! sit-down with Belichick and Hudson not released? What does this mean, and how was it reflected in the interview process, or the editing? 'Jordon wanted to be represented in a certain way, wanted their relationship to be represented in a certain way. . . . And the conversations we had afterwards, before the show was released, what we'll show or what can we show about Bill speaking about her and the rest of our interview?' By insisting that Hudson had no control over the interview, Clark seems to be saying Belichick exercised extensive control over the interview. Clark also may have revealed that some sort of "contractual agreement" covered the Belichick interview. Then there's this comment: "As for serving the viewers we will not do that at the expense of people who volunteer to give us their time." At some level, that's fair. No one should expect an interviewer to try to attack the reputation of or destroy the relationship with the subject of the interview. But it's not normal for an interviewer (when the interviewer is an actual journalist) to coordinate with the subject of the interview before, during, or after the interview. It's also not normal for an interviewer to get approval from the subject of the interview as to the questions that will be asked and/or the answers that will be used, and those that will land on the cutting-room floor. Frankly, it feels as if Clark allowed himself to become part of Belichick's external P.R. team. Exercising journalistic freedom and integrity doesn't mean Clark should have "mov[ed] slimy in the name of clicks." However, at the other extreme resides the danger of moving slimy in the name of access. And friendship. And financial gain. And whatever else led to a one-on-one between Clark and Belichick that seemed every bit as choreographed as a lawyer conducting a scripted direct examination of a star witness — especially during the part where Clark seemingly aided and abetted the airing of Belichick's ongoing beef with CBS. In summary, there's something very strange about all of this. The more Crowder and Clark talk about it, the stranger it gets. There apparently were communications between Clark and Belichick, after the interview ended, regarding how it would be edited and presented. There could be a "contractual agreement" regarding the interview. There's definitely raw video of Clark interviewing Belichick and Hudson together. So, yes, this looks like a job for Pablo Torre Finds Out.
