The Boston Globe has reported that LeBron James and long-time business partner and friend Maverick Carter have aligned themselves with Fenway Sports Group as partners which will make them part-owners of the Boston Red Sox franchise. James and Carter will also make history being the group’s first Black partners.
SPORTS
Remembering KOBE BRYANT…
A year ago today, the world lost a legend. No words could ever compare to the impact that Kobe had on and off the court. Prayers go up to everyone who lost a loved one on that fateful day as they continue to mourn as well.
In honor of the Black Mamba, we would like to share 24 classic images and 2 videos of the legend himself.
Rest In Peace Kobe and Gigi.
MLB Legend and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron Passes Away at 86
To say that Henry “Hank” Aaron’s place in MLB history is solidified would be an understatement. The MLB great not only broke Major League Baseball records, but also smashed through racial barriers as well.
Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama as one of seven siblings in his large household. By the time he reached his final season in the MLB, Aaron would be the last Negro league baseball player on a major league roster.
Earning the nickname “Hammerin’ Hank,” Aaron would go on to break Babe Ruth’s home run record on April 8, 1974, finishing with 715 for his career. The record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds broke it, establishing the new mark at 762.
According to the Atlanta Braves, Aaron died “peacefully in his sleep.“
Tennis Champion Naomi Osaka Wins AP Female Athlete of the Year
Naomi Osaka has just won the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award. Osaka joins LeBron James as this year’s recipients of the illustrious achievement as both are recognized for their efforts in their respective sports as well as for their activism and awareness in regards to social justice issues.
Osaka has done a great job of shedding light on the ongoing pandemic and social and economic inequalities that people of color face in America. The Japan-born tennis star won her third Grand Slam this year and during the US Open, wore a face mask with the names of several people who lost their lives at the hands of police brutality, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile and Elijah McClain.
“I am proud of my U.S. Open victory, but more so that I got people talking about the real issues.”
Naomi Osaka
LeBron James Wins AP Male Athlete of the Year Award
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is having a monumental year. The Ohio native not only won his fourth championship and first playing for the Lakers, but now has captured the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year award.
“I still know what I do on the floor, and obviously, I give everything to the game. But I can make a greater impact off the floor right now, more than I can on the floor. And I want to continue to inspire people with the way I play the game of basketball. But there’s so many more things that I can do off the floor to help cultivate people, inspire people, bring people together, empower them.”
LeBron James to AP
James earned 78 points in voting which was conducted by a panel of 35 AP customers and editors. The runner up with 71 votes was none other than Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who also has hardware with a Super Bowl as well as MVP honors.
Jerry Lorenzo And adidas Ink Long-term Partnership
Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear Of God label and sportswear giant, adidas have made their long-term partnership official. Lorenzo will be in charge of the creative and business strategy for adidas basketball worldwide. This partnership will also give lead way for the third installment in the Fear of God range, Fear Of God Athletics.
“adidas and Fear of God share the same dream for the future of basketball, on and beyond the court, and we look forward to changing the face of the industry through a new model that will unfold before us in the coming years.”
Jerry Lorenzo
The result of the Jerry Lorenzo long-term partnership with adidas has subsequently ended his relationship with Nike. As for Fear of God Athletics, a collection has not yet been revealed but it will most likely be centered around active wear apparel related to basketball and performance.
Drake Teases Second Nike Collaboration + Release Date
Drake and Nike will once again join forces on another apparel collection. With his latest video Laugh Now Cry Later practically being a Nike ad and even showed some scenes taking place at Nike HQ, one could only speculate that a collection would be dropping soon. Drizzy took to Instagram to tease the second collection that would be releasing in December, leaving many to speculate exactly what it would consist of.
The Drake x Nike drop is slated for a December 18 release. Check back for more.
The Los Angeles Lakers Are The 2020 NBA Champions: Job’s Finished
The Los Angeles Lakers have conquered their 17th title and have tied the Boston Celtics for the most championships.
The Lakers outscored the Heat by 28 points at the half and ultimately secured the trophy in the end with the final score being 106-93. LeBron James took home the Finals MVP in his record-setting 260th playoff game and became the first player to lead three different teams to a title (Miami, Cleveland, Los Angeles) and gaining his 4th ring.
What seems as a bittersweet moment as Laker Nation lost the icon and legend Kobe Bryant, the team as a whole knew they were playing for more than just themselves.
“Ever since the tragedy, all we wanted to do was do it for him. We didn’t let him down. It would’ve been great to do it last game in his jerseys, but it made us come out even more aggressive, even more powerful on both ends of the floor to make sure we closed it out tonight. I know he’s looking down on us proud of us. I know Vanessa’s proud of us, the organization’s proud of us. It means a lot to us. It’s a tough moment, man. He was a big brother to all of us.”
Anthony Davis
Even though the sports world is still mourning the tragic loss of Kobe as well as his daughter Gigi, LA can rest a little easier knowing he would be proud of his guys. For the first time since Kobe Bryant’s 2010 team won the title, the Los Angeles Lakers are NBA champions.
Michael Jordan And Danny Hamlin Create NASCAR Team With Bubba Wallace
Not one to shy away from new challenges, Michael Jordan will now try his hand at NASCAR. The NBA Legend will join forces with Danny Hamlin and will enlist Bubba Wallace to drive for the team. Wallace will leave Richard Petty Motorsports to drive for “His Airness.”
“Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take my brothers, sisters and me to races, and I’ve been a NASCAR fan my whole life. The opportunity to own my own racing team in partnership with my friend, Denny Hamlin, and to have Bubba Wallace driving for us, is very exciting for me. Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity and there have been few Black owners. The timing seemed perfect as NASCAR is evolving and embracing social change more and more. In addition to the recent commitment and donations I have made to combat systemic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for Black people in racing.”
In terms of roles for the team, Jordan will be the principal owner with Hamlin serving as minority partner but will continue to drive for Joe Gibbs. Not since Wendell Scott has there been a black majority owner of a NASCAR team which happened in the 60’s through the 70’s.
Nike And Colin Kaepernick To Release Monochromatic “True to 7” Jersey
Its hard to believe that it has been four years since NFL Star and social justice activist Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest police brutality against black and brown people. The courage that he displayed on September 11 resulted in the league and owners blackballing him from playing the game that he loves.
This all-black “True to 7” jersey is a follow-up to the 2019 black and white colorway and celebrates the four year anniversary of the former San Francisco QB taking a knee on the sidelines, protesting police brutality and systemic racism.
This “Icon Edition” jersey features Kaepernick’s #7 on the chest and his logo branding on the collar. The jocktag offers a three-part design with the Nike Swoosh, Kaepernick’s signature afro logo and another K logo.
Although it’s clear that Kaepernick is continuing to be ostracized, many companies have begun to open their eyes to his true mission. With Madden 21 finally adding the quarterback in the game and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitting to handling the situation all wrong, it’s clear to see why Nike’s ongoing support of Kaepernick has been so crucial.
The Nike Kaepernick “True to 7” jersey will hit the Nike SNKRS app on September 17, retailing for $150 USD.
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