At age 16, Matthew Walzer, a young man with Cerebral Palsy (a disorder that impairs control of movement due to damage to the developing brain), wrote to the CEO of Nike (Mark Parker) and asked if Nike could create a running sneaker for disabled athletes.
Walzer states,
“Having my parents tie my shoes at 15, 16, it’s frustrating to me because I’ve always been the type of person, despite having a disability, always want to do everything by myself, for myself.”
Well, guess what? Nike made it happen.
Photo: Nike
The sneaker, Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease, is now available and retails for $130 dollars.
In order to design the sneaker, Nike used the sneaker designs of Lebron James as a template and designed new technology so that Walzer, as well as many other disabled athletes, can get in and out of the shoes, adjust the shoes, and close the shoes all by himself.
LeBron James states in the Nike release video,
“He inspired us at Nike to be able to bring something special for the masses.”
Walzer received his official pair of sneaks a few weeks back and even better, was able to meet one of the faces behind the design of the shoe- Mr. LeBron James himself.
Photo: Nike
Talk about a dream come true!
This is what life should be all about, helping others. So meanwhile as teens lick donuts to support Ariana Grande, Nike is doing real sh*t making shoes for a great cause!
It goes without saying that the NBA free agency is a way to get luck or get f*cked and that definitely rang true this season.
Some franchises, like the San Antonio Spurs scoring David West and LaMarcus Aldridge, hit it big and some (aka Dallas Mavericks) didn’t hit it at all.
Photo: Mark Cuban Twitter
The notorious Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, put all of his eggs in one basket over a verbal commitment from DeAndre Jordan for a four-year $80 million deal and got absolutely blind sided when DeAndre went completely radio silent and re-signed with the Clippers five days later.
Being the business-minded man that he is, Cuban offered the following choice words about this blatant act of disrespect, “I pick my nose at the table. I don’t give a f*ck about etiquette. It’s not about etiquette. Look guys, sh*t happens, right? This is business. this is the real world. You move on. There’s lots of guys that haven’t played for the Mavericks that are in the NBA.”
But, need I remind you, this same man was the one saying a few days earlier that the Mavs were banking on DeAndre Jordan and, without him, they would go into full blown tank mode… Yikes, Dallas. Cuban was not pleased to say the least, and did not accept DeAndre’s apology when he came out with one.
Jordan posted the photo at the top of this article last week with the hashtag #home.
There’s another ouch for Cuban.
Who knew that watching the NBA free agency picks unfold would be more dramatic than watching The Real Housewives of Orange County?!
Shaquille O’Neal was an absolute powerhouse on the basketball court. We know this. But, what you might not have known is this 7′ 1 giant is even more of a boss in the business world.
After retirement from the NBA in 2011, he took his talents to Barry University where he got his Doctorate of Education in Human Resource Development, and this was just the beginning of his almost unbelievable business career. He rapped, he acted, he starred in his own reality series and he even became a reserve officer with the Los Angeles port police. However, his true intelligence was showcased in the stock market.
Turns out this former NBA player knows how to invest!
After many successful investments, he took on multiple real estate business ventures and today he sits on the board of many companies. And do I even need to mention all his endorsement deals?
While most retired professional athletes are criticized for blowing through their fortune, Shaq has found a way to capitalize on his household name and use it as a method to gain endorsement and business deals, and is making more money today than he ever did as an NBA player.
LeBron may be “KING” on the basketball court, but at the end of the night Tuesday, he was not the King on the court, nor was his team.
The Golden State Warriors won the 2015 NBA Finals title, proving they all most definitely deserved to be there. Actually, if anyone did deserve that title, it was them. Golden State enters the franchise’s first finals appearance in 40 years. Now that’s some motivation coming from the whole team.
But the guys who really stole the show for the boys in blue were the SPLASH BROTHERS! Obvi.
The warriors haven’t won an NBA title since 1975 and without these guys they wouldn’t have gone as far as they did.
If you didn’t know, these guys can shoot… from anywhere. Pretty sure some of Curry’s buckets were straight up coming from the parking lot. And after that NBA Finals performance, there’s no doubt Curry will go down in history for his 3-point precision. Curry ended the series with an outstanding 156 points for the series, with 37 points in Game 5. Thompson ended with 95 points, scoring 34 of them in Game 2.
Although, Cleveland Cavaliers lost the 2015 NBA Finals, it must be mentioned that LeBron was on fire and put up an incredible performance throughout the entire series.The court really was LeBron’s own “personal playground.”
And naturally, it wouldn’t be like LeBron not to break some records during the Finals. LeBron scored the most points of any player through the first three games of the NBA Finals with 123 points. And let’s talk about his actual Game 3 performance. This was the first ever 40-point, 12-rebound, 8-assist, 4-steal NBA Finals game since steals were first recorded in 1973-74.
The warriors haven’t won an NBA title since 1975 and without the splash brothers they wouldn’t have been able to keep up with LeBron, however there was another name on the court that stood loud and clear for the warriors. Andre Iguodala.
Now, with the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA title, you would think it only makes sense to name a Warrior MVP, but Iguodala is definitely a debatable call- not to say he didn’t perform off the charts for himself during the Finals. After coming off the bench for the beginning of the series, Iguodala dominated on the court throughout the series getting98 points, scoring 25 in Game 6.But let’s be real, he probably won MVP because he has the same birthday as me, January 28th, duh.
Congrats to Golden State on the Title and an even bigger congrats to one of our own SM Eagles- Klay Thompson for achieving this milestone!
Game 4 has finally arrived and the Cavs are looking to take the lead to 3-1.
Funny isn’t it?
The battle in the West leading to this felt like the finals, because of the intensity and talent amongst every team. Then there was the East- such an unbalance of talent from team to team. Aka LOE. LeBron Over Everything.
Now the dominators of the West, including NBA MVP are seriously struggling against Cleveland, a team thought to have gotten lucky to only have to face minor opponents on their journey to the Finals.
What happened?
Let’s start here. The reality is the Cavs do deserve to be here. They have been dominant through the Finals and are making Golden State look like a completely different team.
One big factor that has been huge for the Cavs is Dellavedova’s performance. Watch out LeBron, there’s another war horse out there on the court for Cleveland. Dellavedova has gone the distance this finals, scoring 20 points in Game 3. And check out this stat from ESPN, 78 of the Cavs’ 96 points (81.3%) in Game 3 involved LeBron or Dellavedova via scoring or assists. Okay, okay, we see you boys grinding!
Dellavedova is expected to play tonight even though leaving Game 3 for cramps, later diagnosed as dehydration. Apparently the guy needs to lay off the coffee? (Seriously? #BasicWhiteGirlProbs much?)
But let’s be real here. Love him or hate him, without LeBron James, the Cavs wouldn’t be here. And without his performance the past three games, the Cavs wouldn’t be set up for a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. He is on a record pace. Scoring 123 points through the first 3 games, LeBron has scored more points than any player in the NBA Finals thus far. Now we all love (or hate) watching LeBron smash it down on the rim, but don’t forget where a good majority of his points are coming from- the place where it matters most- the give away points. The free throw line. LeBron has already pocketed 30 points from the line so far in the finals.
However there are a few things Cleveland needs to continue working on if they want this Game 4 victory. For starters, they need to play quicker. Too many opportunities have been lost in the beginning of the game letting it all come down to the final minutes or periods. Thankfully the Cavs have a stacked line up of closers, otherwise they might not be up 3-1.
Now this game is key for Golden State, obviously.
Golden State has not been playing as aggressively, which is something they’re going to need since both their top guns aka the splash bros have been a bit slippery in their consistency.
Photo: Keith Allison
The 2015 MVP, Steph Curry would not appear that way so far in the finals. Actually, Curry’s numbers would make his performance in the finals one of the worst by a regular-season MVP. From his average PPG of 23.8 points, it is down to 24 PPG so far in the finals. And that’s just the half of it. From the field during the season he was shooting 47% from the field, now down to 32%. And of course there’s those missing “splashes.” Three pointers are down from 44% to 32%. OUCH.
The second half of the splash brothers duo, Klay Thompson posted 14 points in Game 3, but that will not be enough to win this series. The Warriors need a Game 2 performance from Thompson of 34 points or more, especially if Curry doesn’t pull it together to pull off the big win. Both players are going to need to be performing to top standards in order to keep up with hot Dellavedova and King James.
Steve Kerr has the Dub Nation boys playing easy, but in order to get the win for Game 4 it’s time to pull out all the stops. The Warriors need to start acting like just that, warriors. They need to fight to get those possessions and rebounds so they can get to the hoop more often and early on. They can’t try and play catch up with a team as defensively strong as the Cavs. Their best bet is to get up on the board early and then continue to keep possession of the ball.
Defense may win games, but in order to win, you have to score. If the Warriors offense gets the numbers in the first half and keeps good possession for the second the Cavs could be in trouble.
Prediction time!
I’ll come full circle and answer my first question: Are the Splash Brothers too slippery to take the win of Game 4? Nahhh.
Warriors are taking the win tonight to tie up the series. It’s about time we see some serious splashes from the bros themselves and start watching the Cavaliers do the slipping.
Don’t act like you are surprised. How could you be?!
LeBron James is a two-time NBA champion, four-time league MVP, and one of the game’s best players averaging 27.6 points and 10.4 rebounds this year in the playoffs.
James post-season play has been phenomenal, but what has been the most impressive characteristic of James is his maturity, leadership and will to win. James returns to the Finals for a fifth consecutive year and is using that experience to fuel him.
Growing up in Cleveland, this championship run the Cavaliers are making takes a special place in my heart. Hell, to even hear the words “championship” and “Cleveland” in the same sentence is strange for me. What I keep going back to for constant positive thoughts during the series is LeBron’s letter (the opposite of “The Decision”) that he released to Sports Illustrated below:
“I feel my calling here goes above basketball. I have a responsibility to lead, in more ways than one, and I take that very seriously. My presence can make a difference in Miami, but I think it can mean more where I’m from. Our community, which has struggled so much, needs all the talent it can get. In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have. I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m coming home.”
LeBron’s back is a bit sore (literally and figuratively) from carrying the Cavs, but his supporting cast has definitely stepped up. With no Kevin Love and an injured Kyrie Irving the most unlikely players are making a name for themselves.
Matthew Dellavedova, the backup point guard single handedly won Game 3 against the Hawks, scoring 17 points off the bench. He has been the defensive and energetic spark plug for the Cavaliers always ending up in scrappy hustle plays on the floor leaving 110% on the court. In Game 6 of Cleveland’s series clincher against the Bulls, Dellavedova posted 19 points as well.
Forward Tristan Thompson is a big, gritty man who can guard multiple positions defensively and kill it on the offensive glass to get second chance points.
JR Smith scored a playoff career high 28 points and set a Cavaliers playoff franchise record nailing eight 3-pointers and is acting as a 3-point specialist. Smith brings the cockiness and swagger that every locker room needs.
But make no mistake…this is LeBron’s town, this is LeBron’s team and it’s starting to look like it might be his time too.
With the NBA Finals coming up, it is only natural everyone makes a prediction. And let’s just say these two teams are making it pretty hard. In terms of head to head match ups, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers have only faced off twice this season.
In the first game on Jan. 9, the Cavs traveled to Oracle Arena. The Warriors pulled away with the win, 112-94. Klay Thompson led the team in scoring with 24 points and Stephen Curry finished with 23 points and 10 assists. LeBron James was out due to lingering injuries.
Getty Images
The next time the two teams met was on Feb. 26 in Cleveland. This time the Cavs had “The Chosen One” on the court, and he was dominant, as expected. James finished the game with 42 points and 11 rebounds. Mr. MVP Stephen Curry had an off night (shockingly), shooting only 5-of-17 from the field. This game was tied eight times and had 12 different lead changes. One prediction is for sure – this series will be entertaining.
With a week off before the Finals start, both teams have time to rest and get players healthy. The advantage of this goes to the Warriors. Curry will have time to rest a sore elbow and Thompson a cut in his ear and a concussion. Cleveland needs more than a week to get their players in shape. Kevin Love is out for the Finals and it is unclear what will happen with Kyrie Irving.
Both teams have weapons. James and Iman Shumpert are the Cavs best defenders, but they will have their work cut out for them containing the splash brothers.
The Warriors are known for hitting their threes left and right, and their defense is just as solid. Draymond Green has been all over his opponents and he’s having his best defensive year yet.
The Cavs and the Warriors both have big guys under the hoop, guys that can shoot the ball well and often, and players that can take over the game at any time.
Now for my prediction: LeBron James may be the best player, but the Warriors are the better team. Warriors WIN in 6.
Catch the NBA Finals starting June 4.
Game 1: June 4, 9 p.m. ET Cleveland at Golden State
Game 2: June 7, 8 p.m. ET Cleveland at Golden State
Game 3: June 9, 9 p.m. ET Golden State at Cleveland
Game 4: June 11, 9 p.m. ET Golden State at Cleveland
*Game 5: June 14, 8 p.m. ET Cleveland at Golden State
*Game 6: June 16, 9 p.m. ET Golden State at Cleveland
*Game 7: June 19, 9 p.m. ET Cleveland at Golden State *Denotes if necessary
In every NBA draft, you have the LeBron James and the Kobe Bryants of the group. Last year, it was Andrew Wiggins. This year, it’s Kentucky’s Karl Anthony-Towns and Duke’s Jahlil Okafor. We know them, we love them (or love to hate them) and we know they’ll be making more money in their first game than most of us will see in a lifetime, but what about the other players in the draft? Who are the other stars of the draft? Who are we not talking about that we should be? With so many NBA hopefuls, it’s hard to keep of track everyone so to help you out, here is the biggest standout (other than KAT and Okafor, obviously) and the biggest sleeper pick for the 2015 NBA Draft.
Biggest Standout: Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky.
How can you not like Willie Cauley-Stein? Seriously though, this guy is awesome. Aside from his love for art and school, this 7-footer has game.
His defensive prowess, along with his ability to finish at the rim will be enticing to a lot of teams in the draft. On a team stacked with stars, Cauley-Stein managed to stand out. In just 25 minutes, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and John Wooden All-American averaged 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He played a major role in helping Kentucky get to back-to-back Final Fours and a historical 38-1 season.
His presence alone could back down any offense. He has the ability to guard every position on the court, from the perimeter to the rim. He’s quick in transition and if you lob the ball, you can bet he will find it. One can argue that his numbers have slightly declined since his sophomore campaign, but don’t forget he shared the paint with Karl Anthony-Towns in that period.
Cauley-Stein is an all-around good guy and works well with the media (take some notes, Marshawn Lynch,) so what NBA team wouldn’t want him representing them? We often talk about how a player’s game will translate to the NBA, but it’s very rare that we talk about the fame and fortune the prospects are faced with once they leave the proverbial collegiate nest.
There are a lot of distractions that can cause a rookie to fail, but if there’s one player to be picked as the most prepared for the off-court antics, it’s WCS. He has dealt with crazy Kentucky fans and lofty expectations for the last three years. If a player can survive that, they can survive anything.
Cauley-Stein is projected as a top 10 pick in the draft and could even sneak his way into the top five.
Biggest Sleeper: Delon Wright, Utah.
You may have heard his name, but do you respect his game? Don’t expect him to be a franchise player, but he can definitely be an impact player.
With his unique skillset and 6’5 height, the second team All-American honoree can be a reliable backup point guard or shooting guard. He attacks the lane and can knock down shots from outside the arc (just ask Stanford.) Not only does he get to the charity stripe, he’s effective when he’s there – an 83-percent free throw shooter.
The Los Angeles native averaged 14.5 points and 5.1 assists per game, proving that he creates for himself, and shares with his teammates too. His size and his ability to change directions quickly will keep defenders on their toes.
What makes Wright the best sleeper prospect is his defensive game. He pulls down an average of 4.9 rebounds and pickpockets the ball 2.6 times per game. His press game is strong and his basketball IQ is apparent, making him really shine on the defensive end.
Wright is slated to be a late first round or early second round pick.
The NBA Draft is Thursday, June 25th at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York. Who are you most impressed with? Who do you think will go number one? Let us know on social media at Facebook facebook.com/thecoachsdaughters, Twitter @CoachsDaughters or Instagram @TheCoachsDaughters and be sure to follow us on Snapchat @CoachsDaughters!
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