humaninterest Archives

Taylor Swift moving on…to Austin Reaves?

June 6, 2023

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves played his way into a big bag of money during the team’s postseason run to the Western Conference Finals. Reaves became a full-time starter and a big-shot threat bailing the Lakers out in the playoffs on more than one occasion. Because of his play in the postseason, Reaves is expected to get a big payday during the offseason. But he isn’t wasting any time using his newfound fame, as he’s recently been linked to pop star Taylor Swift.

From undrafted to a celebrity girlfriend?

Reaves was allegedly seen out with Swift recently in Arkansas, which isn’t the most outrageous thing, but it almost sounds too good to be true. Especially since Swift is fresh off her latest breakup. Although coming off the run he just experienced in the NBA playoffs, this would be the time to cash in on his rising stardom. This hasn’t been confirmed, as some of this has been shot down as a rumor, but even if it is just that, it’s still a win for Reaves. A 25-year-old, undrafted hooper who’s worked his way up from the bottom being mentioned in the same breath as one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Even if it isn’t true, the dude is still winning.

There was another announcement concerning Reaves that has been confirmed. Reaves has agreed to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. He’ll join names like Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Mikal Bridges, and Bobby Portis. Another great look for Reaves; now he’s just got to sign a new deal and get that bag. Regardless of whether Reaves was really hanging out with Swift, the future looks bright for Austin.

Here’s who could end up yelling at Skip Bayless if Shannon Sharpe leaves Undisputed

June 1, 2023

Shannon Sharpe is reportedly leaving Undisputed

After years of sitting opposite Skip Bayless on Fox Sports’ Undisputed desk, Shannon Sharpe is reportedly departing the show soon after the NBA Finals’ conclusion. As enticing as it would be for Skip Bayless to host a one-man show, I think that would be too much for even his most ardent supporters.

Undisputed is a pox on television, but people crave it. Like First Take, they cater to the lowest common denominator by rehashing the same debates every morning. To their credit, Shannon and Skip were extremely prepared, but the embrace debate age Skip helped usher in needs to end eventually. It won’t go willingly though. The only way to destroy this beast is to ensure its demise is so brutal that nobody ever attempts to replicate it again. Here’s a list of serious, not facetious at all, replacements who would implode Undisputed from the inside.

Image for article titled Here's who could end up yelling at Skip Bayless if Shannon Sharpe leaves Undisputed

The good news is that Emmanuel Acho can fit in Shannon’s old suits even if he’s mostly an empty-suit version of Sharpe complete with confusing metaphors. He already works for the network, so it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle to transition him over to the new set and time slot. Brevity is the soul of wit, and Acho is renowned for his ability to go on television every day and drag out responses longer than the sermon in a black church. Undisputed has time to kill and Acho is the sort of long-winded orator who can compete with Skip for turning a microwave topic into a 30-minute back-and-forth.

An entertainment figure who is just as obsessed with LeBron James as a gimmick as Shannon was is the ideal partner for Skip Bayless. Phillips’ debate credentials are lacking, but half of Skip’s schtick is about LeBron. Mark can do that. The NBA’s scoring champ would never lower himself enough to sit across from Skip, but Phillips is the next best thing. He’s LeBron’s version of Keegan-Michael Key’s Angry Obama Translator.

OK, hear me out. Killa Cam has been trying to transition into sports talk for a while now and even produces his own show on YouTube. It’s mostly him telling athletes to STFU and Ma$e reminiscing about the time they beat Stephon Marbury’s Lincoln High School in the city championship, but Dipset and Skip Bayless might be music to some viewers’ ears or nails on a chalkboard. After all, this is the man who somehow formed a bond with Lil Wayne and convinced him to record the intro of their show.

ESPN’s highfalutin name-dropping gab master is locked into a lucrative deal with the Worldwide Leader, but the impressionist who nailed his mannerisms, talking points and hairline is currently looking for gigs. First Take with Skip and Stephen A is considered the Kobe/Shaq or Magic/Kareem of debate shows. This could be the Gasol-Kobe era equivalent; Marc Gasol, not Pau. (Editor’s note: Chris Redd and Frank Caliendo also do Stephen A. Smith impressions.)

The former Wizards point guard has hosted shows with porn stars, is insightful, and needs attention enough to spar with Skip Bayless. He might be a little younger than the hosts Skip usually cycles through, and he brings the high heat with some spicy takes.

The acerbic Golden State Warriors forward has a plethora of media experience, is deft enough to speak about a broad range of issues, shares Skip’s habitual linesteppin’ tendencies, and is the one co-host Skip would think twice about disrespecting. He can also replace Shannon as LeBron James’ staunchest supporter.

Probably the only person who can stand Skip is his long-term live-in girlfriend-wife. The show will likely have to shift a tad bit from its sports-debate focus to whatever topics Ernestine is comfortable with, but maybe she’s the only one who can wrangle him in and mellow him out.

Kellerman was too level-headed for Stephen A. Smith on First Take, but he held his own during his stint. His show Just In sounds like it may be replaced to make room for Pat McAfee. Maybe there’s a second chance for him across from Skip. Max might be too even-keeled and reasonable for debate shows and he’d rather discuss boxing 12 hours a day, but maybe he’ll bore Skip into retirement by refusing to engage as Shannon would by shouting, “Skiiiiip” at the top of his lungs.

The Garbiñe Muguruz tennis selfie-turned-seduction story is an outlier

May 31, 2023

Attractive people can get away with things non-thirst-inducing people cannot, and as fucked up as it is to overtly tell anyone that they’re not pretty enough to do something, it’s true. Whether that’s cutting in line, waiting for drinks, wearing crop tops, or turning a selfie with a Wimbledon winner into a fiance, it’s best to know what’s replicable.

So, I’ll put this out there right now: Don’t be weird and expect a photo op to result in a proposal like it did with tennis player Garbiñe Muguruza and her betrothed, male model Arthur Borges. The two met on the streets of New York in 2021 during the US Open when Borges asked for a picture. He then wished Muguruza good luck, and primary among the reasons why the tennis star ever entertained the idea of dating Borges was because, and I’m assuming here, “He’s so handsome.”

Any other fan with a cellphone is going to be treated like a creep if they linger too long or social media stalk, and are more likely to prompt the idolizee to shower than to trade DMs. This is not a precedent; it’s a one-off.

A lot about being successful in life, or with the lady folk, has to do with self-awareness. If you have to ask yourself: Am I attractive? You might be, but definitely aren’t on a Carolina reaper level of heat.

Has anyone ever asked for your dirty socks? Do your Instagram posts routinely garner likes in the thousands? Would a Kardashian be threatened by your cheekbones? Then you might possess the requisite beauty to pick up mates in the wild, and not on dating apps like the rest of us 1s through 7s.

It’s nothing to take personally — even though you should if an asshole judges you solely on your cover. I’ll put it in sports terms because people tend to accept the physical limitations of non-pro athletes. You can’t expect to be a league MVP if you can’t dunk, throw a 30-yard out on a frozen rope, or hit a 100 MPH fastball 500 feet. Winning the genetic lottery is not limited to sports.

Self-acceptance comes with self-awareness, and part of expectations is knowing your limits. Sure, a bank balance, or great personality can help you punch above your weight class, but it takes a certain jawline to be able to walk out of a hotel, and stumble into an engagement with a two-time Grand Slam winner.

The Situation and the Anti-vaccination: Jersey Shore star wants to meet up with Aaron Rodgers

May 31, 2023

The Situation wants to meet Aaron Rodgers

After New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers told the media he learned about the Garden State through the hit MTV show Jersey Shore, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino wants to hang out with the 39-year-old signal-caller.

Let’s call it “The Situation meets the Anti-Vaccination.”

“I think it is a must,” the Sitch said to TMZ Sports about hanging out with Ayahuasca Aaron, who told the New York media, “The only Jersey I kinda knew about besides Teteboro was Jersey Shore.”

Sorrentino, 40, told the gossip outlet that he and his castmates discussed Rodgers’ Shore shoutout in their group text.

“The squad was lit when we first heard that,” he noted. “Aaron Rodgers is a legend in the game. We’ve been watching him on TV for many, many years.”

Rodgers previously said he’s a fan of Snooki, JWoww, and the crew. He said he even attended a Pauly D DJ set in Las Vegas around 2011.

“That was the only lens I saw New Jersey through,” Rodgers said.

This took place in his presser after Gang Green’s second OTA, in which the veteran signal-caller tweaked his calf and was a spectator throughout the session.

Slow News Day: Dom Toretto is one of the greatest (fictional) athletes of our generation

May 24, 2023

Real person Vin Diesel, the titan of cinema behind fictional person Dom Toretto.

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto lives his life a quarter-century at a time. That’s almost how long the Fast and Furious franchise has been since snaking its way into the sports-entertainment lexicon. You heard me right. In my personal headcanon, the Fast Saga is a quintessential sports franchise, and it should be officially recognized as such. Browse through any catalog of the greatest sports movies in Hollywood annals and you’ll glimpse the usual suspects; Rocky, 42, He Got Game, A League of Their Own…Air Bud. The branches that have grown from the original Fast and the Furious created one of the most ubiquitous sports film series in cinematic history.

Don’t give me that look. I never said they were high-quality features. What started out as a gritty sports movie about a mechanic with a passion for illicit street racing has been bastardized into grotesque spy-action-sci-fi-comedy pablum, that’s only semi-aware of how over the top the plotlines have gotten.

It’s already well-established that drivers are athletes. The hand-eye coordination, endurance, and equanimity it takes to push speeds topping 150 MPH, whip, or drift around corners on asphalt are awe-inspiring. Sure, The Saga’s grown monstrously cartoonish and stretched into other genres, but that’s as much of an artistic choice as whatever the hell Karate Kid’s Daniel LaRusso was delving into after the original. The original film was inspired by a May 1998 expose in Vibe by writer Kevin Li into the underground street racing world. Ironically, Li’s original draft included his dual attempts to uncover a car theft ring in New York City, but that aspect was edited out of his original story, and by happenstance ended up being used as the backdrop of screenwriter Rob Cohen’s final script.

At some point, the Fast Saga drifted from those roots. Probably around the same time they started resurrecting long-dead characters and committing elaborate heists and selling out by becoming pawns of the CIA. Street racing is just a less organized, riskier version of the Monaco Grand Prix, and even Chicago is getting into the street racing game with its own street circuit. The Fast Saga was just ahead of its time. These characters are also entering their late 40s and 50s though. How much longer could they hoist the banner as the figures responsible for elevating the SoCal drag racing scene into the mainstream? It’s a young man’s game and they’re over two decades into the series.

That’s what happens when you start trying to extract every buck you can out of a good idea. In total, the series has grossed $7 billion and milked everything it can out of its characters. Remember when Rocky Balboa scrapped with Tommy Morrisson outside of a bar in Rocky 5’s climactic scene? It’s still a boxing movie, isn’t it?

With that said, the Fast Saga being a sports franchise, it’s past time we canonize Dom Toretto as one of the greatest fictional athletes of our time. Not only does he weave between traffic at unimaginable speeds, but he fought The Rock to a draw, and his background is in stock car racing. He’s arguably the first extreme sports heptathlete between the driving, the poorly planned heists, the heart-pounding and completely unrealistic mid-air stunts on top of moving cars, the feats of strength, and the superhuman ass kickings. Seriously, peep this generational athleticism.

With all the professional athletes who’ve guest starred in the Fast Saga ranging from Ronda Rousey to Dwayne Johnson to Gina Carano, I’m surprised they haven’t retconned a background as an MMA combatant into Toretto’s background yet. On second thought, maybe we shouldn’t give them any ideas.

Toretto is a multi-sport star, but at his core he’s a driver and in the automotive cinematic universe, he is essentially Lewis Hamilton in a turbocharged hot rod. He’s incredibly clutch under pressure and wins almost every tough race.

Even the teamwork, espoused as often as a cult mantra is much of a sports idiom as Heat Culture. The primary takeaway from the saga is that there’s no I in team, but there is one in family. The other lesson? Fast and the Furious deserves recognition for launching one of the most successful sports franchises in film history.

Follow DJ Dunson on Twitter: @cerebralsportex

Stop praising Sports Illustrated’s N-word-using, criminal swimsuit cover model

May 16, 2023

Martha Stewart, despite her “America’s sweetheart” image, is a convicted felon who freely used the N-word in front of cameras. Sports Illustrated sucks.

There’s only one real reason to be mad about Martha Stewart gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition, and it’s not that they opted to showcase an 81-year-old woman — it’s that they went with a racist felon. I don’t find her personality redeeming, or her crime all that innocent.

Sweet, she cozied up to Snoop Dogg for a comeback after a five-year stint in federal prison on an obstruction charge and was so charming, and endearing that she was recorded dropping the N-word but didn’t get canceled for it. The overwhelmingly positive reception from people who aren’t adolescent bros to SI’s publicity stunt is egregious, and further proof of how much white people can get away with if they have the right branding.

It’s not an honor if it’s disingenuous

Sports Illustrated went with Stewart and not America’s next top model because eye candy has lost its hold on the masses. The Swimsuit issue was as close as you could get to porn without being judged for getting Playboy delivered, and now that there’s an encyclopedia of smut in everybody’s pockets, scantily clad bikini models aren’t as big of a draw as they once were.

To me, this feels like SI grasping at relevance because no one buys magazines anymore, and the publication’s status in the culture has vanished. They can act as progressive as they want, but the Swimsuit edition was/is the antithesis of that.

Still having a yearly issue dedicated to squeezing women in as little fabric as possible, in the guise of “sports,” isn’t furthering feminism. At least ESPN’s Body Issue feigned a sports angle and put both naked women and men in the frame. I don’t know if SI has done equal-opportunity exploitation because I could give a fuck about the Swimsuit Issue, but maybe they have, and I simply missed their previous attempts to justify this ongoing charade.

If SI really wanted to promote female beauty at all (legal) ages, they could’ve featured an elder celeb when it was still a huge deal to be the one rolling around in sand eye-fucking a camera. But they didn’t do that, and even though Stewart broke the record for the oldest woman to be on the cover, it was only a year-old mark as Maye Musk, at 74, earned the distinction in 2022.

And if you’re wondering, Maye Musk is Elon’s mom. However, I guess she wasn’t a big enough household name — regardless of her son’s notoriety — to gin up the publicity SI desired, so they went back to well for THE household name. Hey, it worked. Martha’s “historic” newsmaking made the Today Show, and she didn’t have to lifehack a melon baller to it.

Martha Stewart is the worst

Maybe it’s just that I’ve been making fun of Martha’s schtick for most of my life, or that I think old white people saying “shizzle” is about as lame as it gets, but she’s a bullshit con artist whose net worth of $400 million makes me question every decision I’ve ever made. She built an empire on centerpieces and lying to the SEC, and nobody treats her like Jordan Belfort.

Where’s Sam Bankman-Fried’s Tostitos deal? Let’s do a Home & Gardening party, Weekend at Bernie Madoff’s style, and see if we can posthumously prop him back into a Fortune 500 personality.

I don’t give a shit that Stewart is 81. The internet has shown us that everybody has a type, and she looks damn good with that blowout. Maybe if SI had gone this route earlier, the Swimsuit Issue would have a larger, more stable, and longer-lasting audience rather than husbands who weren’t allowed to have porn in the house in the ’90s.

Sports Illustrated didn’t do that though, and now it’s too late to give us an about-face with Elon’s mom and Martha Stewart. I know what you’re doing, SI, and I’m not falling for it. Next year, just put Henry Winkler in a thong, and have him jump his motorcycle over a pool of sharks. At least that’d be as honest as it is transparent.

Tiger Woods is to breakups what Charles Barkley is to golf

May 9, 2023

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Tiger Woods has set his legal team upon ex-girlfriend Erica Herman.

It says a lot about society that I’m unsure how Tiger Woods fans view the latest alleged drama between him and his ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman. You’d think allegedly having a lawyer break up with a girlfriend, dating an employee, and threatening to fire her unless she signed an NDA would further tarnish Woods’ already egregious record of treating women, but there are probably a few bros who view it as a power move. So, let’s make a ruling right now: This is shitbag behavior.

We’ve all worked at, or frequented, bars where the owner creeps on his employees. It’s a disgusting look and something you’d expect out of a guy named Craig in his mid-50s who opened a TGI Fridays as an excuse to get away from his wife and harass young women.

That’s just one of many despicable allegations revealed in documents filed by Herman in her case to get the NDA voided, and we’ll see how many more of these stories get leaked as Woods’ people have a hearing Tuesday to try to halt the proceedings and settle the dispute between the golfer and his ex-employee/girlfriend via private arbitrator.

However, I’m going to skip the usual diatribe about Tiger because it’s been penned many times. Instead, I’m going to rank the alleged breakup methodology among the worst ways to end a relationship — and work the “Tiger is an overt misogynist” rant in that way.

Sending a proxy to do your dirty work is quintessential Logan Roy

There’s no better way to test the loyalty of underlings than to have them carry out mass firings over Zoom, or have your girlfriend go to the airport under the guise of a weekend vacation only to be met by an attorney with a notarized letter ending the courtship.

Again, that’s allegedly what happened, and Woods’ lawyer J.B. Murray denied his client ever sexually assaulted or harassed Herman, calling her claims in court documents “utterly meritless.”

Be that as it may, I’ve heard of breakup emails, text messages, voicemails, faxes, carrier pigeons, telegrams, and song lyrics. Ghosting is an option as well, and while it’s not ideal, it’s more respectful than getting the message delivered from an indirect source. That would be a power move if it wasn’t so incredibly spineless to sprint away from confrontation.

Be a human being, schedule a dinner, look her in the eyes, and be honest with the person you took to the White House to get your Presidential Medal of Freedom from Donald Trump. Don’t trick her into thinking she’s going to New Orleans for a fun weekend, and then have J.B. show up to play grim reaper.

Additionally, I have questions about what airport they were flying out of, and whether Herman was tipped off by the Spirit Airlines boarding passes. My assumption is Tiger takes his private jet everywhere, and the breakup was carried out at the PJ airport. It’s also likely not the first instance of this happening at the Orlando Executive Airport. (The nice thing is there are multiple car services just outside, and no TSA security checkpoints, so it’s a quick entrance and exit for all involved.)

Odds are that Tiger was onto the next conquest before Harmen even unpacked her bags from the mock flight/real breakup, and if that poor cart girl is reading this after being subjected to more feminine hygiene-related comedy at Justin Thomas’ expense, don’t sign the NDA, never agree to take separate transportation to the airport, and find someone better, and actually deserving of being your boyfriend.

Why did Bronny James pick USC?

May 8, 2023

Bronny James will take his talents to USC.

Bronny James finally made his long-rumored commitment to USC official this weekend, after months of speculation that indicated he was staying local to suit up for the Trojans. Weeks ago, James’ list of schools was whittled down to Ohio State, which sounded more like his dad living vicariously through him than a plausible destination, and Nike’s enclave at Oregon, which would have been a boost for his brand. James’ circuitous route to USC was cleared after the abrupt de-commitment of 4-star point guard Silas Demary last month.

Was UCLA ever in the mix?

USC is the best place for his star wattage to hit maximum capacity. Even though he’s projected as a top-10 pick because of his DNA, UCLA was the more promising basketball powerhouse for James. Coach Mick Cronin has the Bruins in regular contention for the Top 5 and Final Fours. And Bronny fits the profile of a prototypical Cronin point guard. He’s considered one of the most tenacious defensive guards in the class of 2023 and the Bruins have an opening in the backcourt with Tyga Campbell matriculating to the NBA this summer. UCLA’s barren cupboard of point guards provided James with the most direct path to playing as much as possible.

USC has always felt like a peculiar fit for Bronny. Its men’s basketball pedigree is scant. They haven’t advanced to a Final Four in 70 years and it’s the little brother to a football behemoth. The foundation of Andy Enfield’s teams hasn’t changed since his FGCU days. Their attacking offenses push the ball with pace and score in bunches. That has never been Bronny’s game. In fact, James will compete for minutes with the five-star class of 2023 guard Isaiah Collier. Collier’s presence as the second overall prospect according to 247 sports’ composite rankings means James won’t even be the best freshman point guard at USC in 2023.

However, at Sierra Canyon, James was often knocked for disappearing into the background. Maybe this means we’ll see a more aggressive version of James unveiled at USC. He flashed a more explosive offensive repertoire on the Nike EYBL circuit and college is a breeding ground for teens completely reinventing themselves after high school.

Maybe USC is just a better fit

Bronny’s choice may just come down to USC being a better cultural fit for Bronny than UCLA off the court. Despite his NIL largesse and celebrity profile, he won’t even be the biggest celebrity on campus. That might be quarterback Caleb Williams. USC’s incoming classes are typically rife with celebrity offspring. The primary reason Bronny attended Sierra Canyon in the first place was because of its earned reputation as a private school for the scion of the rich and famous. Willow Smith, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Scottie Pippen Jr., and Zaire Wade all attended the academy.

USC even has a direct pipeline to Sierra Canyon. James’ former Sierra Canyon teammate Amari Bailey played a season at UCLA, before he declared for last month’s draft. Rising sophomore Kijana Wright and guard Zach Brooker both played at Sierra Canyon. Additionally, the No. 1 women’s prep prospect in the 2023 class, JuJu Watkins, will also star for the Trojans this fall.

UCLA is close to home, but USC feels more like the right place. He can blend in there. Two years ago, USC officials were wrapped up in a college admissions scandal involving the children of Fortune 500 CEOs and Hollywood celebrities. James obviously earned his scholarship on merit, but USC has an entrenched reputation as the unofficial safety school for celebrity kids. It’s essentially a West Coast NYU with actual D-I athletic departments. Westwood doesn’t have the same celebrity trappings as USC. It’s a blue blood where liberal arts nerds and basketball purists gather. USC might be off the beaten path in the college basketball world, but it’s the one Bronny chose for better or for worse.

Follow DJ Dunson on Twitter: @cerebralsportex

Sauce Gardner didn’t know who Jessica Alba is

May 5, 2023

There are a vast amount of “celebrities” that come and go through the G/O Media offices in New York to shoot videos with our sites. Some are instantly recognizable — like Danny DeVito or Rainn Wilson — while others leave me scratching my head, not knowing who they are or why they’re famous. A Google search — or a look at IMDB — might be necessary to figure out who some of these folks are. Sorry, I didn’t catch the sixth season of Real Housewives of Sheboygan.

While I can’t recognize reality show “stars,” New York Jets corner and Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner — taking in Game 2 of the New York Knicks-Miami Heat series with new teammate Aaron “Ayahuasca” Rodgers — wasn’t sure who the famous actress seated near him was.

‘We’re about to sit by Jessica Alba,’ and I’m just like ‘Oh, I don’t know who that is,’” Gardner told reporters. “And he [Rodgers] just looked at me, he looked at me like I’m crazy.”

Rodgers rightly razzed the 22-year-old Sauce.

“It was great vibes, but that whole night he would just keep asking me out of nowhere, like ‘do you know who that person is?” Gardner said. “I’m like ‘bro, that’s Amar’e Stoudemire, I know who that is. Now you’re just picking on me.’”

What was Gardner’s excuse for his unawareness?

Alba, 42, took it in stride.

While I’m shocked that the DROY couldn’t recognize her, I guess I shouldn’t be, as Gen Z only found out about Metallica from Stranger Things.

Enes Kanter Freedom is auditioning to be the next Herschel Walker

May 3, 2023

In the wake of Herschel Walker losing in Georgia’s December runoff with Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, the Republican Party didn’t just suffer a crushing defeat —they missed out on having an athlete in politics that could garner attention. But never fear, Enes Kanter Freedom is here. And it feels like the former NBA “star” is trying to pick up where Walker left off.

“I am actually in touch with so many of my friends in Congress, and they’re like ‘What are you waiting for? We need your voice,” he claimed on a recent segment of FOX News where he suggested that President Biden can “barely walk, and barely talk.”

(Deep elongated sigh.)

In case you forgot, Kanter Freedom got run out of the league for his inability to consistently finish around the rim, and his lack of lateral quickness which made him terrible in pick-and-roll defense. He also did and said a lot of things that pissed people off.

“Money over morals for the ‘King,” Kanter wrote in a tweet directed at LeBron James. “Sad and disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice,” he added. “They really do shut up and dribble when Big Boss (China) says so. Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research?”

But, when the Lakers came to town to face the Celtics — Kanter Freedom punked out and had no energy when James was right next to him.

And then there was that time when Kanter Freedom got on CNN to call out Michael Jordan for not “doing anything for the Black community.” For the record, Black people hate when non-Black people talk about Black matters as if they’re Black.

“I feel like we need to call out these athletes,” he said. “At least LeBron James is going out there and being the voice of all those people who are oppressed in America. Michael Jordan has not done anything for the Black community because he cares too much about his shoe sales all over the world and America, and I feel like we need to call out these athletes, and not be scared about who they are.”

Over the past few years, Kanter Freedom has morphed from a fearless man that was speaking out against the injustices in his country and the ones that happen around the world, into a puppet for anyone on FOX News who will enable him and give him a microphone and camera to spew ignorant, and un-factual things — which tracks with everything that network stands for.

Last month, we learned that Walker had more than $4.3 million in cash after losing his race, as he’s spending some of it giving kickbacks to his friends and supporters.

So, don’t be surprised if Enes Kanter Freedom dabbles in politics soon. And when he loses, don’t be surprised when you find out that it was nothing but a money grab.