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☆ Angel Reese ‘super excited’ for ‘direction’ of WNBA and details ‘inspirational’ mentor Shaquille O’Neal
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Angel Reese said she is “super excited” by the “really great direction” that the WNBA is heading in, after being drafted into the league by the Chicago Sky earlier this month. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, pairing her up with former South Carolina star Kamilla Cardoso – who had been picked No. In her introductory press conference with Chicago on Wednesday, the 21-year-old spoke about what she’s gleaned already from her fellow professionals. “They understand and they know our impact and they embrace that and we’re all just trying to go in the right direction, and I think we’re going up right now. In Reese and Cardoso, the Sky have a potentially game-changing frontcourt and the former LSU star is excited with what’s to come in the Windy City.

Persons: Angel Reese, Reese, Kamilla Cardoso –, “, ” Reese, Caitlin Clark, she’s, Brad Penner, Shaquille O’Neal, O’Neal, Shaq, Reese “, ”, “ He’s, Cardoso, “ I’ve, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Chicago Sky, Sky, South, Chicago, WNBA, LSU, SEC, LSU Tiger, Reuters, Tigers, NBA, Las Vegas Aces Locations: South Carolina, Chicago, Windy City

☆ Men’s March Madness: Everything you need to know about the national championship game between UConn and Purdue
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Issy Ronald | Samuel Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —History beckons for both UConn and Purdue in the national championship game on Monday. A chance at historyThe Midwest Region champion, Purdue Boilermakers, are banishing prior demons in their quest for their first national championship title. The Boilermakers last appeared in the NCAA Championship game in 1969 where they were runners-up. 11 NC State in the Final Four to earn a shot at the first national championship in program history. He’s playing very well, and he’s staying out of foul trouble.”Purdue will be hoping that Edey can replicate these performances if it is to unseat UConn as national champion.

Persons: Dan Hurley, “, ” Hurley, Cam Spencer, Bob Donnan, ”, Donovan Clingan, they’re, Mason Gillis, Gonzaga, Gillis, Jamie Squire, Zach Edey, Edey, Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, he’s Organizations: CNN, UConn, Purdue, Huskies, Boilermakers, Farm, Alabama Crimson Tide, Reuters UConn, Illinois, Midwest Region, Purdue Boilermakers, NCAA, ” Purdue, Grambling, Utah State, State, North Carolina State, Big, NBA, Basketball Hall of Famer Locations: Florida, Glendale , Arizona, Grambling State, Tennessee, Canada

☆ As cocoa prices soar this Easter, chocolatiers consider alternatives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Cocoa prices are surging so high, the Easter Bunny might want to hoard its chocolate. Poor climate and crop diseases in West Africa – home to 70% of global cocoa production – have tightened supply and caused prices to skyrocket. As prices rise, some chocolatiers are exploring cost-cutting alternatives, like diversifying their products to depend less on cocoa. Yet mining often destroys farms and the possibility of a livelihood in cocoa production, Issaka said. “Given the persistently high cocoa prices, it may be necessary for us to make responsible adjustments to pricing in the future,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Persons: Hershey’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, Roberts, ” Roberts, Issaka, Will Kletter, Kletter, “, Peng Xu, Christopher Taylor, Li, Taylor, ”, “ We’re, “ It’s, ” Taylor Organizations: CNN, Cadbury, NCA, “ Brands, Industries, International Cocoa Organization, Rabobank, US, ”, Euromonitor Locations: West Africa, North Region, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Silicon, Washington ,, Manhattan

☆ Caitlin Clark: Iowa’s NCAA record-breaking basketball supernova who everyone is talking about
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

In her third season with the team, Iowa reached its first ever NCAA women’s basketball national championship game, though the Hawkeyes eventually lost to LSU. Jensen remembers Clark saying, “Now, what else can we do?” moments after becoming the all-time top scorer in collegiate women’s basketball. I would love to see that.”Clark signs an autograph after becoming the all-time NCAA women's college basketball top scorer. Matthew Putney/APWhat is undeniable are the eyeballs Clark has brought to college women’s basketball. Reese's gesture toward Clark during the second half of the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball national championship game became one of the biggest talking points of the college basketball season.

Persons: CNN — Clark, Caitlin Clark, ’, She’s, Clark, Pete Maravich, Pete ’ –, Maravich’s, Angel Reese, –, Kelsey Plum's, Matthew Putney, Christyn Williams, Carmen Mandato, Steph Curry, Sabrina Ionescu, skillset, Jan Jensen, Jensen, Joseph Cress, Zion Williamson, Kelsey Plum, Anthony Davis, Maya Moore, Allen Iverson, Brittney Griner, Shaquille O’Neal, – Clark, ‘ Stephen, Sabrina ’ –, “ Let’s, Reggie Miller, Damian Lillard, Steph, Sabrina, who’s, Dame, ” Clark, Caitlin, ” Jensen, she’s, Matthew Holst, LSU’s Reese, Reese, John Cena, Tony Gutierrez, Sheryl Swoopes –, Swoopes –, ”, Sheryl Swoopes, Jay Williams, “, “ I’m, doesn’t, WILT, … — Dick Vitale, @DickieV, Dick Vitale, Wilt Chamberlain Organizations: CNN, NCAA, Clark’s University of Iowa, Gatorade, Nike, State Farm, Louisiana State, LSU Tigers, Hawkeyes, Iowa, LSU, UConn Huskies, NBA, WNBA, Michigan, Iowa City Press, Citizen, USA, Indiana Fever, Hall of Famer, Carver, WWE, ESPN, Duke Blue Devils, FAIR Locations: men’s, Des Moines , Iowa, Iowa, ‘

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A new honor is awaiting Miami’s Bam Adebayo: He’ll be an All-Star starter for the first time. Adebayo was announced Saturday as the replacement for Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid in the Eastern Conference starting lineup for Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game. Embiid — the reigning MVP and two-time defending scoring champion — is missing the game because of a knee injury. Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers, who will lead the East team in the All-Star Game, made the selection and informed Adebayo on Saturday morning. “I looked at Big Joel out, what other (center) do we have on the team, and Bam got the honor.

Persons: Bam, Adebayo, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Embiid —, —, Doc Rivers, you’re, ’ ”, “ It’s, ” Adebayo, He’ll, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Alonzo Mourning, Anthony Mason, Mason, Grant Hill, Bosh, ” Rivers, “, Big Joel, Giannis Antetokounmpo, ___ Organizations: INDIANAPOLIS, Eastern Conference, Sunday, East, Rajon Rondo, U.S . Olympic, Tokyo Games, Paris, Adebayo, Heat, Milwaukee Locations: Milwaukee

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama’s first NBA All-Star experience will be hectic, just like everything else has seemed so far in his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs. He’s going to the Tech Summit, the league’s thinktank that kicks off the All-Star festivities on Friday morning. “Honestly, my mind has been so focused on our season that I haven’t thought about it too much,” Wembanyama said. He may play more down the stretch of the season, if the Spurs determine that’s best. “Of course, being selected as an All-Star would have been a great achievement especially in my rookie year,” Wembanyama said.

Persons: — Victor Wembanyama’s, He’s, He’ll, ” Wembanyama, “ It’s, Shaquille O’Neal, Wembanyama, he’d, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Kareem Abdul, Jabbar, Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Bob McAdoo, Elvin Hayes, Bob Lanier, Wemby, Erik Spoelstra, Bam, “, Gregg Popovich —, what’ll, ” Popovich, ”, Tim Duncan, Duncan, minding, Chet Holmgren, deservedly, ” O’Neal, won’t, — Organizations: INDIANAPOLIS, San Antonio Spurs, Tech, NBA, Star, of Fame, San, Spurs, Western Conference Locations: Miami, San Antonio, rebuilder, France, Oklahoma

☆ Taylor Swift’s talent for managing the spotlight at the Super Bowl praised by Travis and Jason Kelce
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Brothers and NFL stars Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce talked Super Bowl, and of course, Taylor Swift, on the latest episode of their “New Heights” podcast. Travis, fresh off his back-to-back Super Bowl win as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs replied, “Vegas Super Bowl baby, the stars are out.”“Taylor thrives in those situations. She’s been in them countless times in her life,” Travis continued. Swift also impressed Jason with an introduction to Beatles legend Paul McCartney. The two also discussed Swift’s drink chugging during the game that made the Jumbotron.

Persons: CNN —, Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Taylor Swift, Jason, Swift, Shaquille O’Neal, Taylor, ” Jason, “, ” “ Taylor, She’s, ” Travis, Paul McCartney, Miles Teller …, ‘ Jason, ” Organizations: CNN, CNN — Brothers, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Super, Kansas City Chiefs, “ Vegas Locations: ’, Melbourne, Australia

☆ Super Bowl’s historic ratings show that the NFL is at the apex of its powers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That ratings figure was up 7% from last year’s Big Game, which previously held the title for the most-watched Super Bowl of all-time. 120 million viewers watched the sporting event on CBS, the largest audience ever for a single network, the company said. The record-breaking Super Bowl capped a strong season for the NFL, with the NFC championship game on Fox averaging 56 million viewers and the AFC championship game averaging 55 million on CBS. The epic conclusion to an already epic season proved that the NFL is at the apex of its powers. No other event rivals the star power the Super Bowl draws.

Persons: “, ”, Austin Karp, ” Karp, Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, Gavin Newsom, Jay, Tim Cook, LeBron James, Jimmy Kimmel, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Paul Rudd, Martha Stewart, Mark Wahlberg, Kendall Jenner, Shaquille O’Neal, Sean McManus, John Ourand Organizations: New York CNN, National Football League, peerless, NFL, CBS, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, NFC, Fox, AFC, Sports Business, NBA, MLB, Pew Research Center, Super Bowl, CBS Sports Locations: New York, Las Vegas, U.S, Las, America

☆ Shaquille O’Neal says this advice from Jeff Bezos got him to invest in a $29 million education startup backed by Sam Altman
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When you're considering investment advice, taking a tip from one of the world's wealthiest people is probably a good place to start. That's why Shaquille O'Neal says he turned to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for inspiration before deciding to invest in Campus, the online community college startup that's already raised more than $29 million from investors like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Discord founder Jason Citron. "I heard Jeff Bezos say, if you invest in things that's going to change people's lives, you'll always get a great return on your investment," O'Neal said. And, O'Neal has long touted Bezos' advice to seek out investment opportunities that he truly believes can "change people's lives." "If something comes across my desk and I don't believe in it, I don't even look at it," O'Neal told The Wall Street Journal in 2019.

Persons: Shaquille O'Neal, Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, Jason Citron, O'Neal, Fortune, he'd, you'll, Tade Oyerinde, Oyerinde, It's, Bezos, Matt Isbhia, Papa John's, Auntie Anne's, it's Organizations: Amazon, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Spelman College, of Famer, Phoenix Suns, Bezos, Wall Street, Google

☆ Lewis Hamilton hits back at Las Vegas GP critics, saying the race ‘proved them wrong’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —After a bumpy start to the weekend, the Las Vegas Grand Prix eventually lived up to much of the pre-race hype. Max Verstappen was initially critical of the spectacle, but later changed his tune to don an Elvis-themed suit. F1 was returning to Las Vegas for the first time in more than 40 years, with the new street circuit featuring the city’s iconic Strip. Celebrities, including Usain Bolt, were out in force in Las Vegas. Lewis Hamilton said the race proved doubters wrong.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Verstappen, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Jared C, Tilton, ”, ” Verstappen, Elvis Presley’s, Usain Bolt, Angela Weiss, Brad Pitt, Rihanna, David Beckham, Shaquille O’Neal, J Balvin, Kylie Minogue, Tiesto, Andrew Benson, ” Benson, “, Mark Thompson, Tom Cary, Cary, Mike Blake, Stefano Domenicali, Renee Wilm Organizations: CNN, Las Vegas, Getty, Sky Sports, Vegas, Las, Bellagio, Reuters, Las Vegas GP Locations: Baku, Las Vegas, Vegas, 200mph, Paris, Monaco

☆ Viva Las Vegas, Formula One betting big on Sin City race
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Wynn resort is offering the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix Million Dollar All-Access Experience that includes a $100,000 philanthropic gift. "However, the brand synergies with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix are unmatched." Formula One has long been a magnet for the celebrity class and Las Vegas is sure to be an irresistible pull. Las Vegas may be the gambling capital of the world but there will be little bet on F1. "I would say this is due to lack of parity," Derek Stevens, owner of Circa and several other Las Vegas casinos told Reuters.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Greg Maffei, Red Bull, Aston Martin, Hilton, Red, it’s, Rebecca McAdam Willetts, Mark Wang, David Beckham, Shaquille O’Neal, Mark Wahlberg, Gordon Ramsay, Toto Wolff, Derek Stevens, Steve Keating, Toby Davis Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Las Vegas, Liberty Media, Formula One, Vegas, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, PokerStars, Public Relations, Reuters, Poker, New York Stock Exchange, American Express, Heineken, Hilton, MGM Resorts International, Fountain Club, Hilton Grand, Club SI, Drai's Beach Club, Thomson Locations: Vegas, United States, Sin City, VVIPs, Las Vegas, Monaco, Drai's, Toronto

HOUSTON (AP) — Chris Paul came off the bench for the first time in his NBA career Sunday. Paul entered Golden State's game at Houston as a substitute, checking in with 6:58 left in the first quarter. Including playoffs, Paul started the first 1,365 games of his NBA career. “But at the end of the day it's basketball.”Political Cartoons View All 1223 ImagesThe question — would Paul start or not? Paul started the last 25 games of his college career, and then every game of his 19 NBA seasons until Sunday.

Persons: — Chris Paul, Paul, Green —, —, “, ” Paul, Steve Kerr, Paul —, LeBron James, Philadelphia's P.J, Tucker, Golden, Chris, ” Kerr, ‘, ’, ” Green, Stephen Curry, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard —, Irving, James, Phoenix's Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Karl Malone didn’t, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan didn’t, Paul didn’t, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Temple, ” Organizations: HOUSTON, NBA, Golden, Houston, Warriors, Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, 833rd, Dallas, of Fame Locations: Golden, .

Abdul-Jabbar spent five seasons as the league’s oldest player. ALL-STAR LEVELThe “oldest player” in an NBA season has been picked for the All-Star Game on 13 previous occasions. Stockton turned 41 that season; he spent two years as the league’s oldest player and missed zero games in that span. NUMBER 43James will become the 43rd player in NBA history to hold the distinction of being the league’s "oldest player." Robert Parish was the league’s oldest player for seven seasons, the most in NBA history.

Persons: LeBron James, He’s, James, —, Udonis Haslem, Andre Iguodala, James wasn't, Darko Milicic, Milicic, KAREEM —, Kareem Abdul, Jabbar, Abdul, ”, Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, Nobody, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki, Carter, Nowitzki, — Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis, Robert Parish, John Havlicek, Larry Costello, Slater Martin, Bobby Wanzer, Johnny Green, Parish, It’s, John Stockton, Stockton, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Novak’s, Paul Silas, James ’, Bob Cousy, Nat Hickey —, Elvin Hayes, Dikembe Mutombo, Al Cervi, Dolph Schayes, Andre Miller, Silas, Cousy, Hickey, Lenny Wilkens, Grant Hill, Steve Nash, Dale Ellis, Sam Perkins, — James, ___ Organizations: NBA, Utah, Cleveland, Providence Steamrollers Locations: Akron

☆ The ‘Mandela Effect’: How a psychological phenomenon took over the internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But you might also be experiencing the so-called Mandela Effect. Ken Drinkwater, a fellow researcher at Manchester Metropolitan, added that the effect might be connected to a condition called false memory syndrome. Jon Elswick/AP; Scott Olson/Getty ImagesSome common examples of the Mandela Effect have perhaps logical explanations, such as Mr. “Advocates of the Mandela Effect think it’s a genuine effect. These people had this false memory right after learning about the characters!

Persons: Ash, Fiona Broome, Nelson Mandela, Mandela, Broome, “ Luke, ”, Wilma Bainbridge, hadn’t, Deepasri Prasad, Bainbridge, Prasad, Stan, Jan Berenstain, ” Bainbridge, Neil Dagnall, Dagnall, “, ” Dagnall, Roediger, McDermott, Ken Drinkwater, they’ve, Drinkwater, they’d, you’ve, Jon Elswick, Scott Olson, David Adkins, Sinbad, Dennis Van Tine, Shaquille O’Neal, Clara Nellist, Lionel Flusin, hasn’t, ” Drinkwater, University of Chicago’s Bainbridge Organizations: CNN, “, Bears, University of Chicago’s, Science, UChicago, Dartmouth College, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester Metropolitan, Monopoly, Fox Television Network, European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN, Collider Locations: South Africa, “, Hanover , New Hampshire, United Kingdom, New York City, Switzerland —, Geneva

☆ iOS 17 release: See what’s new in iPhone features
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

iPhone users can update to iOS17 starting Monday by clicking on the Software Update section in the phone’s Settings app. Here are some of the buzziest and most-anticipated new features that iPhone users can expect from iOS17. This allows iPhone users to design a custom image that will show up when making calls. iPhone users will also be able to personalize their contact card “poster” with a photo or memoji of choice. iPhone users will also now receive predictive text recommendations in-line as they type, making adding entire words or completing sentences as easy as tapping the space bar.

Persons: iOS17, FaceTime, Facetime, Hey, Siri ”, “ Hey Siri, Siri, “, Shaquille O’Neal, “ Siri, Apple, Craig Federighi, TS6YzyXi30, Greg Joswiak Organizations: CNN, Conference, “ Locations: iOS17

☆ Kobe Bryant: Los Angeles Lakers announce date for NBA legend’s statue unveiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Ben Morse | David Close | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Vanessa Bryant, the late Kobe Bryant’s wife, announced the date on Thursday when the Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue honoring the former NBA superstar. “As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker,” Bryant said while sitting in front of the now iconic jersey numbers in a video posted at 8:24 a.m. on Thursday morning. “Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. The Lakers also said the statue “is the first in a series of physical tributes to honor his legacy.”“Kobe Bryant was one of the most extraordinary athletes of all time, and one of the most iconic individuals in the history of Los Angeles,” Jeanie Buss, Los Angeles Lakers Governor, said. Bryant was an 18-time NBA All-Star over his legendary career during which he won five NBA titles.

Persons: Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s, Bryant, Kobe, ” Bryant, Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, Kobe Bryant, ” Jeanie Buss, Chick Hearn, Kareem Abdul, Jabbar, Earvin, ” Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Los Angeles Laker, Lakers, City of, Star Plaza, Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles Lakers Governor, Elgin Baylor Locations: Kobe, City, City of Angels, Los Angeles, Calabasas , California

☆ USWNT reveals Women’s World Cup squad – with a little help from Biden and Taylor Swift
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) announced its squad for the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday as it bids to win its third consecutive title. Alongside the experienced core – Morgan, Rapinoe and O’Hara become the 10th, 11th and 12th USWNT players to be selected for four or more tournaments – is a selection of players making their World Cup debuts. The first lady added: “Joe and I can’t wait to watch this team soar at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 2023 edition of the Women’s World Cup begins on July 20 and is being cohosted by Australia and New Zealand. The USWNT will begin its campaign to win its third successive Women’s World Cup title on July 22 against Vietnam in Group E. It has also been drawn alongside the Netherlands and Portugal.

Persons: Vlatko, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, Kelley O’Hara, Alyssa Naeher, – Morgan, Rapinoe, O’Hara, Alyssa Thompson, Trinity Rodman, Dennis, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Taylor Swift, Shaquille O’Neal, Biden, Joe, ”, Morgan, Swift, ” Swift, “, ” Andonovski, we’ve Organizations: CNN, US Women’s National, NBA, US, National Soccer Team, ”, FIFA, Vietnam, “ Locations: France, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Portugal

☆ Joel Embiid's 'improbable' journey from newcomer to NBA MVP
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“He’s the biggest film nerd there is in the NBA,” Hanlen laughs. The ultimate scorerDespite his ‘Joel Troel’ alter-ego, Embiid’s approach to the game shows he is everything but a joker who fools around. Speaking after being named MVP, Embiid said: “I’d say the biggest key of it is, obviously, I’m all about family. Arthur is named after Embiid’s late brother who passed away shortly after the 2014 NBA Draft. But improbable doesn’t mean impossible.”Hanlen then summed up Embiid’s overall approach by saying: “I would just say he’s obsessed with greatness.

☆ Shaquille O’Neal, Kenya Barris and 50 Cent Team Up to Explore Bid for BET Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jessica Toonkel | Alexandra Bruell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Shaquille O’Neal, a retired basketball star, is part of a consortium that could bid for BET Media Group. Photo: Katherine Tyler/NBAE via Getty ImagesA group including basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal , TV producer Kenya Barris and rapper 50 Cent is among the potential bidders for a majority stake in Paramount Global ’s BET Media Group , according to people familiar with the situation. The three celebrities have teamed up with Group Black—a company that aims to invest in and grow Black-owned media firms—private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners and Authentic Brands Group, which develops and licenses its brands to retail operators, the people said.

☆ Basketball Star Kenny Smith Learned From the Best
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Emily Bobrow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Kenny “the Jet” Smith won back-to-back NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in the mid-90s and has since found yet more fame as a basketball analyst on TNT. Still, he wonders what might have been if he had played for the Chicago Bulls alongside his former teammate at the University of North Carolina, Michael Jordan. “That’s why I was always jealous of Scottie Pippen. When Scottie Pippen first came into the NBA, he wasn’t a threat, but then he became one of the 75 best players of all time. That’s what Michael did for him,” he says.

☆ Shaq is finally served in FTX investor suit, lawyers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —After months of attempting to serve Shaquille O’Neal in a lawsuit against celebrities who endorsed the now-bankrupt FTX crypto platform, lawyers for a group of FTX investors said they finally succeeded on Sunday. “Plaintiffs in the billion $ FTX class action case just served @SHAQ outside his house,” the Moskowitz Law Firm tweeted. O’Neal was the last of the celebrities in the class-action suit to be served a legal notice, according to court documents. FTX collapsed into bankruptcy on November 11 after depositors and investors yanked their money amid concerns about the platform’s balance sheet. Bankman-Fried, who was arrested in December and is out on house arrest, has pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of fraud and conspiracy.

☆ Must-watch videos of the week
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Mariah Carey rolls with a wardrobe malfunction, a dog misbehaves at daycare, and a dinosaur discovery. These are the must-watch videos of the week. Watch Mariah Carey freestyle during costume malfunctionVideo Ad Feedback Wardrobe malfunction interrupts surprise Mariah Carey performance 02:00 - Source: CNNWhose wardrobe malfunction was worse … Mariah’s Carey’s or Rudy Giuliani’s? Amateur fossil hunters find rare intact plesiosaur skeletonVideo Ad Feedback Amateur fossil hunters find 19-foot-tall, 100 million-year-old skeleton 01:02 - Source: CNNAmateur paleontologists in Australia uncovered a rare,100 million-year-old marine reptile’s skeleton. Shaquille O’Neal pushed into Christmas tree during on-air raceVideo Ad Feedback Shaquille O'Neal pushed into Christmas tree during on-air race 01:34 - Source: CNN BusinessKenny Smith pushed co-host Shaquille O’Neal into a Christmas tree.

☆ Shaquille O’Neal pushed into Christmas tree during on-air race
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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Three people close to FTX and Bankman-Fried told CNBC that the former CEO lobbied aggressively for a partnership with 11-time Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift. Bankman-Fried's commitment to getting the Swift deal done despite the deteriorating business environment fit a pattern of ignoring his lieutenants and going it alone, a half-dozen former company insiders and business partners said. The Financial Times reported earlier that FTX held talks with Swift about a potential sponsorship. Part of the Swift deal would have included the production by the singer of a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital items that can rise and fall in value. Beyond that, there was a lack of clarity over what Swift would be doing for the company, sources said.

☆ Shaquille O’Neal reveals Jeff Bezos's investing principle that he still uses today
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shaquille O'Neal attends the second preseason NBA game between Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks at Etihad Arena on October 8, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. "If you invest in things, it's going to change people's lives, you will definitely get a nice return," the previous NBA star recalled Bezos sharing in a tech conference in Vegas. NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal shared an investment principle he heard from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, which he says has inspired his approach ever since. O'Neal added his own ten cents: "Never think about the monetary aspect ... it's not important to me." Is it gonna change people's lives?

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