A leaked snippet from a supposed new Kanye West song suggests that while Kim Kardashian-West is cool with her future ex-husband’s choice of partner, the feeling is not mutual. The song, which allegedly appears on a song with The Game titled “My Life Was Never Eazy” and was sourced to a Clubhouse chat with Game’s manager Wack 100, finds Kanye name-checking Pete Davidson, Kim’s new beau, and sending a few fighting words the comedian’s way. “God saved me from the crash / Just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s ass,” he raps.
The rough-sounding snippet may not even appear on the song, which is said to be intended for either Kanye’s Donda sequel or Game’s “comeback” album Drillmatic, according to TMZ. I guess it just goes to show: Women definitely handle breakups better than men.
Certainly, Kanye’s reaction seems to contradict 21 Savage’s assertion that it was him who did the dumping. It also sounds a bit hypocritical, considering he’s been very publicly affectionate with his own new romantic interest, actress Julia Fox. Fox detailed the burgeoning couple’s recent date, recalling how he’d rented a hotel suite full of clothes for her to take photos in — y’know, very reasonable second-date behavior. In the meantime, Kim’s relationship with Pete has also attracted its fair share of attention for the supposedly odd-couple pairing, which model Emily Ratajkowski attributed to his charm and vulnerability — a definite contrast to Ye’s megalomania.
A couple of weeks into 2022, and we’re already spiraling. I recently saw a meme that read “2022 is pronounced “2020 too,” but the cushy days of early Covid with its prepaid Visa cards and months off work are long gone. Now we’ve entered a savage phase at the intersection of late-stage capitalism and perpetual pandemic. The show must go on. Meaning, of course, at the expense of our physical and mental health.
While many still associate cannabis use with “laziness,” a deeper understanding of the plant along with an explosion in the types of cannabis products available has made this trope an antiquated one used solely by lames. Cannabis can actually be a great tool for getting shit done just as easily as it can be a method for calming you down.
Here are some uplifting, zest-inducing products to breathe some excitement into the apocalypse. Thriving in chaos is kind of our thing these days, anyways.
MyHi Stix
MyHi Instagram
The Product:
The combination of cannabis and caffeine has been clinically proven to f*cking rule. Unfortunately, California has laws that prohibit certain types of caffeine and THC from occupying the same product. Fortunately, there are workarounds that allow us to still get our kicks, or rather, Stix.
MyHi Stix is an actual godsend with an all-natural, energizing high similar to coffee but with more fun and fewer jitters. Each Stix contains five to ten-mg of nano-emulsified THC (meaning it hits you right away), 30mg of green coffee bean extract (about ⅓ a cup of coffee worth of caffeine), and a dash of monk fruit for sweetness. Just pop the lid off or peel the sticker and stir into any hot or cold beverage.
Bottom Line:
MyHi is a remote worker’s best friend, removing stress from your work day while promoting productivity.
Weed gummies are great, but what about weed gummies that make you productive? Look no further than Plus Lemon Jack Sativa Gummies. Plus Gummies are effect-based micro-sized gummies that come in at five-mg THC a pop.
Bottom Line:
This particular offering bursts with sour citrus to complement its Lemon Jack strain. This cross between Lemon Kush and Jack Herer, which is known for its uplifting and cerebral high, will have you buzzing along in no time.
While CBD is great, it really works better in tandem with other substances and cannabinoids than it does on its own as an isolate. New Phase Blends patented products combine CBD with other botanicals and substances to create effect-based tinctures, gummies, and soft gels that actually do what they say they’re going to.
Bottom Line:
My personal favorite is the Go Tincture, which combines CBD with synephrine, a stimulant derived from bitter orange, and feels like a less cracked-out Adderall. It actually had quite a hand in the writing of this article, if you must know.
Fume is a new brand out of Napa Valley that hopes to merge the needlessly disparate worlds of cannabis and fine wine. Fume’s sun-grown flower is cultivated with attention to terpene profiles and full-body experience, similar to how one would conceptualize a fine wine. Having grown grapes in Napa for generations, Fume’s founders bring the same high-end energy to their cannabis products.
Bottom Line:
With eighths, pre-roll packs, and individual prerolls, the most “new year new me” product they have on the roster right now would be the Mango Kush Sativa Joint Pack. Feturing corked glass tubes and wooden mouth tips, the pack is chic enough to replace a bottle of wine as a dinner party gift. And, let’s be real, the best version of yourself always drinks less than the current one — this makes a good substitute.
One of my favorite uplifting strains of the year, Bob by Sweetwater Pharms, is timely in a very tender way. This gorgeous strain is coincidentally named after Bob Saget, and is just as vibrant and giggle-inducing as the ledge himself (RIP!).
Bottom Line:
A sativa dominant hybrid, Bob is a cross between some super iconic genetics you rarely see anymore — Pre-98 Bubba Kush and Afghani Haze. The high is bright-eyed, exciting, and alive. It makes me feel happy in the morning and relaxed in the evening, without altering my ability to focus and get shit done. Viva, Bob!
The new Alien Fruit Cake Live Rosin by the terp wizards at Cali Stripe Concentrates is cosmic, effervescent, and fun enough to remind me why I love weed so much in the first place.
Cali Stripe is like your favorite extract brand’s favorite extract brand. They’re small, but their attention to detail is unmatched and they produce some of the highest quality concentrates on the market. Period. They’re the type of brand where if you know, you know. And now you guys know, so go check them out.
Bottom Line:
With its bursting fruit flavor and exciting, focused high, Alien Fruit Cake is a great place to start your love affair with working whilst dabbing.
Futuristic yet simple, the new Daab by Ispire takes all of the leg work out of consuming concentrates, making it perfect for beginners and dab bros alike. The electronic rig allows the user to fully customize their experience and is closer to the feeling of taking a traditional dab than other e-rigs on the market.
While most e-rigs deliver a semi-flaccid stream of weak vapor, few recreate the feeling of taking an actual fuck-you-up-dab. This is one of those devices.
Bottom Line:
For experts, take your dabbing to the next level with total control over every aspect of the experience. For newbies, press a button and inhale and be high! This machine is unique in that it allows you to be as involved, or not, as you want with the process of consuming concentrates.
While we’re on the dab train, did you guys know how important temperature is when it comes to dabbing? While stereotypically you think of someone coughing into oblivion after hitting a dab rig, that’s really only when the rig is too hot. Not only does it make you cough, you eviscerate all the delicate chemical compounds that get you high instead of vaporizing them.
So not only are you harming yourself, you’re missing out on a lot.
Bottom Line:
The Dab Rite is a thermometer for your dab rig that ensures you get the perfect hit every time. This takes the guessing out of waiting for the perfect temp to hit it. Let’s make dabbing cute in 2022. No more vomit-inducing coughing fits.
Tower is the preroll brand by Source Cannabis, which grows some of the best weed on the California market. They’ve been around since 2003, which is all but unheard of in this brutal ass industry. So clearly, they know what they’re doing.
You can tell a lot about a brand by what their pre-rolls are like. If they’re loose and shitty, the weed inside probably sucks, too. Towers are a reflection of Source’s meticulous practices.
Bottom Line:
These are high-quality joints that are perfect in every way. My favorite pack for New Year energy is Quest, a sativa dominant hybrid strain that makes every day an adventure.
Let’s end out this list with the most utterly relaxing experience the weed world has to offer. Because at the end of the day, it’s hard being us right now. It’s sad, alienating, and we’re all so fucking sick all the time. We deserve to be pampered. This tincture has become one of my favorite ways to self-soothe.
Wellfounded Botanicals is a woman-owned company out of Santa Barbara that grows all their own flower on their farm, which is really important when it comes to products. Always go for the brand that cares enough to really make a product that’s truly their own. It’s a whole different tier than people who just put any old shitty weed in their products. You can feel the love.
Bottom Line:
The Relief tincture is a ratio tincture with a ton of THC and CBD that makes you feel like you’ve left your body and gone to heaven, and… maybe it’s 2005 again.
After Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige announced that production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would be paused while Letitia Wright healed from her injuries (that were more serious than the studio realized), rumors began swirling that Wright would be fired from the franchise due to her alleged unvaccinated status. The actress had previously deleted her social media account after sharing a video where a pastor called the COVID vaccine the “Mark of the Beast” while also espousing transphobic views, which only further led to speculation that she was running afoul of Marvel.
However, those widespread rumors appear to be unfounded as the BBC reports that Wright has returned to the set of Wakanda Forever and production has officially resumed on the sequel:
Production was halted in November but has now resumed, according to Wright’s representative and Marvel’s parent company Disney. Wright’s spokesperson told BBC News: “Filming resumed this month as planned and we’re on schedule.” The film is due to be released this November.
As for how Wright was able to fly from London to the U.S. despite reportedly being unvaccinated, well, that has not been addressed, but at this point, it appears to be a fool’s errand to speculate on her status with the Black Panther franchise. Despite the internet’s collective thinking on Wright not returning, that ended up clearly not being the case. Now, the interesting question is whether the sequel will follow the comic books and — spoilers for people who haven’t read the comics — pass the mantle of the Black Panther down to Wright’s character Shuri, and how will fans receive that development following her anti-vax controversy.
Yellowjackets (Sunday, Showtime 10:00pm) — Following Doomcoming, there’s plenty of fallout in the wilderness. In the present, though, it’s 25-year class-reunion time with the group digging deep with one last attempt to vanquish trauma. However, they’re dealing with both false alibis and damning evidence in the process. This piece of slow-burn splatter art has been captivating the masses with plenty of mystery and just enough supernatural spookiness to make the story work. If you haven’t caught up yet — and the cast, including Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress and Melanie Lynskey, is phenomenal — there’s still time to really start theorizing before this finale.
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Apple TV+ film) — Joel Coen adapts the Shakespearean work in a way that’s never been bolder. Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand star with all of the murder, ambition, wrath, and madness that one would expect from this story, and expect a stripped-down take on what matters most to communicate this quintessential power-struggle tale.
Here’s some regularly scheduled programming:
Saturday Night Live (Saturday, NBC 10:29pm) — Host Ariana Debose and musical guest Roddy Ricch.
Euphoria (Sunday, HBO 9:00pm) — The sad pancakes are all gone, and Rue and Jules have touched base again. This season will get dark again after Rue’s relapsed and may have descended into the drug trade.
The Righteous Gemstones (Sunday, HBO 10:00pm) — The godawful God Squad’s becoming a bigger problem for Kelvin while Eli’s revealing a difficult reality and the Gemstone siblings are working to uncover their dad’s not-a-great-look past.
Somebody Somewhere (Sunday, HBO 10:35pm) — After a woman loses her older sister to death, she’s fighting with her other sister but finds an unexpected connection with a colleague.
Here are some more streaming picks:
After Life: Season 3 (Netflix series) — Ricky Gervais returns as Tony, the widower who decided to not commit suicide out of impression but, instead, to take his angst out in the world. He fancies this attitude to be a Super Power, all while everyone around him grows concerned. This final season sees Tony still struggling with enormous grief but realizing that he actually enjoys making people feel good. It’s both an end and a beginning to this story, and here’s to the celebration of hope.
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (Amazon Prime movie) — Selena Gomez returns to her voice role with a chapter that follows Van Helsing’s new invention that turns monsters into humans and vice versa. As a result, there’s utter chaos and a frantic race against time before those transformations turn into undoable afflictions.
Use of Force: The Policing of Black America (Peacock documentary) — Public Enemy’s Chuck D narrates this film that examines how Black men and women all-too-commonly experience police brutality. The truth isn’t pretty, and we’ll see an examination of how victims’ names rise front and center into the headlines and social media.
Sex Appeal (Hulu movie) — A perfectionist and her long-distance boyfriend want to move to the next level, which turns into perfectionist wanting to become a sex expert, and she turns to a good friend to test her skills. In the end, she realizes that head and heart are key to relationships with mechanics not being nearly as important to sex and love than feelings.
1883: Season 1 (Paramount+ series) — This Yellowstone prequel follows up on Taylor Sheridan’s runaway sensation series. This series, however, stars Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Billy Bob Thornton. The story goes back to the travels of the O.G. Dutton family moving through the wild west on the way to Montana.
Cheer: Season 2 (Netflix series) — The Emmy-winning drama of the cheerleading world returns with Navarro Cheer looking to defend their champion status against rivals against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Essentially, two charismatic coaches (one from Trinity Valley) are pitted against each other, and their teams will do anything it takes to be real contenders.
The Journalist: Season 1 (Netflix series) — This adaptation of the 2019 Japan Academy Awards-winning movie similarly confronts Japanese scandals and political crimes in a controversial-yet-acclaimed way. The story follows a reporter, Anna Matsuda, who’s a “maverick” and keen to expose injustices within society.
And Just Like That… (Sunday, HBO 8:30pm) — Carrie is still reeling from Big’s death and the mess (including that Peloton) that he left behind. Meanwhile, Charlotte is still desperate to impress, and Miranda’s personal life is a total wreck (Che Diaz!). That pee-filled episode was absolutely horrible, and let’s hope that Carrie’s return to heels continues unabated.
Chipotle is finally dropping a brand new plant-based protein option! For a limited time at all Chipotle locations nationwide, you’re now able to load up your tacos, burritos, and bowls with Chipotle’s Plant-Based Chorizo. The new menu item follows a successful test run in Denver and Indianapolis over the summer, so it comes with some promise and that has us pretty hyped. Mostly because their old plant-based option, Sofritas (introduced eight years ago) is easily one of Chipotle’s worst protein options.
I can go on and on about why Sofritas are so bad (in fact, I have) but to spare you some time I’ll give you the short version: They’re too wet. Going into this tasting, I had my fingers crossed that the new chorizo doesn’t suffer the same fate.
Chorizo is no stranger to the plant-based treatment, soyrizo has been around for quite some time and it’s pretty adept at capturing the smokey magic of actual chorizo. Chipotle’s plant-based chorizo differs from soyrizo in that it isn’t made from soy. Instead, it’s made from a blend of chipotle peppers, tomato paste, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, and fresh peas and is certified vegan (unlike KFC’s plant-based chicken) and packed with a filling 16 grams of protein per serving.
That all sounds great on paper. So… what does it taste like? We hit up our nearest Chipotle to find out.
Plant-Based Chorizo
Dane Rivera
For this tasting, I decided to try the chorizo in three different forms — team Uproxx is nothing if not thorough. To do this, I ordered three tacos, one loaded up with the plant-based chorizo and nothing else, to give a clear idea of the full flavor, and I also loaded one up with beans, rice, cheese, and mild salsa and another with beans, lettuce, cheese, fajitas, mild salsa and corn salsa, to approximate the experience of eating it in a burrito and salad bowl.
If you’re wondering where the sour cream and guacamole are, always order that shit on the side. You’ll have a better Chipotle experience every time.
Plant-Based Chorizo Naked
Dane Rivera
Before I bit into this mountain of plant-based meat, I gave it a good inhale. The spices check out — “I’m getting a lot of smokiness and spice on the nose with a slight underpinning of plant-based staleness” is what I have written in my notes. It’s a pretty good approximation of the real deal but by being plant-based it really loses that unctuous, savory, mouth-watering quality that actual chorizo has.
When it hit my palate, I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor — it really tastes almost exactly like chorizo. It has a smokey paprika-forward flavor with a hit of spice that feels fiery and spicy without feeling like you just ate a hot pepper. It’s spicey, but anyone can handle this heat level so don’t be scared if you have a lower tolerance.
Where it suffers is the texture. Like many plant-based meats, this chorizo has an almost grainy texture to it. Where actual chorizo is soft and easy to chew through, this is hard, dry, and mealy. The flavor is good, but the actual product stays in your mouth for way too long. It’s off-putting and downright unappetizing. Thankfully no one is going to eat this “meat” naked like I am, once it’s mixed in with other ingredients I think the experience will be much more enjoyable.
Plant-Based Chorizo (As A “Burrito”)
Dane Rivera
I mixed together pinto beans, rice, chorizo, fajitas, salsa, and cheese to approximate a burrito and it greatly improved my experience. The flavor of the chorizo is really enhanced once it starts mingling with Chipotle’s other ingredients. The slightly spicy pinto beans play particularly well with the smoky notes of the chorizo while the fajitas introduce interesting sweet and peppery notes.
All of my issues with the chorizo are completely gone in this build, I’m not noticing the dry grainy texture whatsoever. If you’re really looking to up the spice, go for Chipotle’s red hot salsa, which should leave your mouth dancing with flavors and plenty warm.
Plant-Based Chorizo (As A “Salad”)
Dane Rivera
For my salad-inspired build, I went with pinto beans, fajitas, lettuce, corn salsa, mild salsa, and cheese. I like this build flavorwise but to better approximate a salad I chose to eat this one with a fork (making sure to liberally dip in guacamole) and the off-putting texture was a lot more apparent. Still not nearly as bad as eating it naked, but a little too chewy for my liking.
However, the flavors are great. That corn salsa adds sweetness in a way that differs from what the fajitas provide, and altogether it’s a medley of spicey, smokey, and sweet flavors that really play well together.
The Bottom Line
Chipotle’s Plant-Based Chorizo really exceeded my expectations. While the texture is awful to the point of being unappetizing, once that’s buried under layers of fajitas, salsa, cheese, beans, and rice, it’s not noticeable enough to be a problem and is a major step up from the wet mess that is Sofritas. It’s Chipotle’s best plant-based meat option.
Still, I have one word for you Chipotle: calabacitas. Why the hell doesn’t Chipotle — a Mexican-inspired fast-casual joint — have calabacitas, one of the best vegetarian Mexican dishes and an ideal candidate for tacos, burritos, and bowls? For those who don’t know, Calabacitas are a mix of Mexican squash, tomato, onion, and corn, sautéed in oil and butter and slow simmered until a light stew is formed and then tossed with cheese (you don’t have to do this part if you want to keep it vegan).
No, it’s not a protein substitute, it’s not going to give you a comparable amount of protein as Sofritas or Plant-Based Chorizo, but it’s a wholly vegetarian dish and it’s packed with more flavor than both the Sofritas and Plant-Based Chorizo combined. Calabacitas + Chipotle’s fajitas + beans + the salsa of your choice topped with guacamole = the delicious veggie-friendly option Chipotle fans deserve. Get on it Chipotle.
Ed Sheeran’s Suffolk estate is already the stuff of legends. The man behind the first song to ever garner 3 billion Spotify streams, (“Shape Of You,” duh) has an estate with over seven buildings including a pub, a gym, a nearly completed chapel, and a wildlife pond. Also a noted environmentalist, he’s even gone on record to say that he’s looking to buy up as much land as possible so he can plant more trees and “rewild the UK.” Now his latest project might just top it all: a crypt.
According to The Guardian, Sheeran filed an application last December to built a crypt below what he dubs the Wynneys Chapel Hall. The application with the East Suffolk Council is still waiting approval, but it would see the construction of a 1.8 meter by 2.7 meter chamber beneath the chapel floor, dubbed a “burial zone.”
The ongoing construction of the chapel above is said to include a spiral-stair tower and stained-glass windows, adding an ornate structure to the $5 million estate that many have commonly referred to as “Sheeranville.” The countryside property seems to be a modern day Graceland and Sheeran indeed lives on site with his wife Cherry and their daughter, Lyra.
There’s already one complaint on the application request from “Miss Anna woods 1 cambridge,” who as of Friday, January 14th, simply “objects” to the construction request. Sheeran has come under fire from neighbors before, who claimed that the wildlife pond was actually a swimming pool. Sheeran refuted this claim on The Hits Breakfast Radio Show back in June saying that “I just think people just need to mind their own business.”
Ed Sheeran is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Netflix had its biggest show (Squid Game) and biggest movie (Red Notice) ever in 2021. And 2022 is off to a good start with Don’t Look Upbreaking weekly viewership records (at least according to Netflix).
With great popularity comes a minor-but-insignificant price hikes for subscribers.
Netflix’s basic plan, which allows for streaming on one screen and no HD, has increased from $8.99 to $9.99 per month. The standard plan (two HD streams) went up by $1.50, to $15.49 per month, while the premium plan (four streams, Ultra HD available) will now set you back $19.99 per month, two bucks more than the previous cost.
A notice on Netflix’s customer-support site says the new prices apply to new members and will gradually take effect for all current members. “Current members will receive an email notification 30 days before their price changes, unless they change their plan,” the message says.
This is Netflix’s first price increase since October 2020, and third in three years. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer a wide variety of quality entertainment options,” a spokesperson for the streaming service said. “As always, we offer a range of plans so members can pick a price that works for their budget.”
After coming off the bench in 28 of his first 29 games this season, Devin Vassell started three games for the San Antonio Spurs before entering health and safety protocols last week. During that stretch, he averaged 17 points, four rebounds, 2.3 assists, and one steal on 58.7 percent true shooting (.465/.385/1.000 split). On the year, he’s averaging 11.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.9 steals on 55 percent true shooting (.448/.344/.750).
Vassell’s opportunity as a starter was the unfortunate result of Doug McDermott entering health and safety protocols. Despite McDermott’s value to the team, when he regains his footing after his own stint in health and safety protocols, Vassell should remain in that role. Those numbers weren’t some little hot streak. They’re very similar to his per-minute, season-long production, just magnified with expanded usage. It indicates an important step forward for a player who is integral to the Spurs’ long-term vision.
As a rookie, Vassell carved out a rotation spot largely on the basis of defensive acumen that belied his first-year status. There were some scoring flashes, but they escaped him too often, which made anything more than a reserve gig tough to justify as long as a veteran like DeMar DeRozan was piloting a playoff push. Now, DeRozan is a Chicago Bull, meaning San Antonio’s focal point isn’t an established veteran. Vassell is laying the foundation to become the sort of two-way wing everyone seems to salivate over as an improved offensive player who touts those tantalizing defensive chops.
Vassell hasn’t made some sizable leap in his pull-up frequency (approximately 32 percent both years, per NBA.com), but he’s certainly diversified how he generates shots off the bounce this season. Last year, many of his attempts came working off the catch. He’d toss a little fake at a late arriving defender and step into an open jumper. This year, he’s conducting more pick-and-rolls and getting to his spots as a creator. The volume is more complex and less reliant on the services of others, and he’s still taking positive steps forward. An example: After his true shooting percentage was 4.8 points below league average last season (52.4 percent), it’s just 0.7 points below this season (55 percent), despite being tasked with greater ball-handling responsibilities.
The Spurs bestow him side pick-and-roll reps, where he craftily utilizes screens to maneuver into quality looks. His high release point prevents most defenders from flustering him, while Vassell’s economical, varied footwork empowers him to shoot from an array of angles. Among 115 players with at least 90 pull-up attempts this season, Vassell ranks 40th in effective field goal percentage at 47 percent, up from 42.9 percent in 2020-21. That’s certainly not some elite placement, but it’s encouraging for a 21-year-old in his second season adapting to a different means of accumulating pull-up volume.
Unless you’re an elite pull-up shooter, it’s not easy to warrant consistent on-ball touches in a high-level offensive context when you’re asked to do the things the Spurs as of Vasselel. Fortunately, he looks like he’s going to pair the scoring juice with tenable playmaking for others.
While he’ll miss some passing windows or is slow to process openings at times — both of which are things that can come with more reps — he’s exhibited a knack for finding rollers and corner shooters. This isn’t to predict he’s going to evolve into a premier facilitator, but between the scoring and passing outlines, encouraging indicators exist to suggest he’ll lather up the offense and make prudent decisions as a creator in his prime. Scoring will get his foot in the ball-handling door and passing will enhance his utility in that role.
San Antonio isn’t putting Vasell through any sort of trial by fire as an on-ball initiator. The team is being very smart about how it’s balancing on and off-ball reps for the No. 11 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. And much of what renders him a beneficial presence offensively is Vassell’s malleable off-ball scoring and ability to seamlessly splice in a few self-creation reps amid all that.
With long strides and economical routes around screens that manufacture separation, he’s excellent at flowing into handoffs around pindowns and bounding inside. To avoid precarious situations against rim protectors and still score in the paint, he’s added a floater to his bag this year. When the ball swings his way, he’s prompt in launching from deep or attacking off the dribble — occurrences that composed much of his rookie season scoring. He’s a savvy cutter and will relocate around the perimeter for better looks beyond the arc.
From Murray, to Johnson, to Lonnie Walker, to Tre Jones, the Spurs have a plethora of guys they aim to let control possessions. Vassell’s knack for blending into the background off the ball helps facilitate those efforts and ensures he can play in a variety of lineups without inhibiting anyone, himself included.
The importance of versatility on both ends can assuredly be overstated in analysis. Still, Vassell simplifies lineup construction and appears to be the sort of offensive player who, long-term, functions quite effectively with and without the ball in his hands. He’s already good at the latter and a blueprint of the former has begun.
Offensive development from Vassell this season amplifies the longstanding defensive prowess of his game. It was evident at Florida State and has popped from virtually the outset of his NBA career. The bedrock of his defense resides off the ball, where instincts, physical tools, and awareness coalesce for a borderline elite team defender.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Vassell’s block (1.5 percent, 83rd percentile) and steal rates (1.6 percent, 64th percentile) place him in rosy territories among forwards — think of players like Mikal Bridges, Nicolas Batum, and Kyle Anderson. Despite constant defensive activity, Vassell rarely fouls. Thanks to discipline and stellar body control, he averages just 3.8 fouls per 100 possessions.
He touts rare recovery speed and the capacity to concisely cover ground; pockets of space are an illusion around him. He’s a menace playing the nail and wields quick vertical pop off the ground to provide impactful help-side rim protection. When he’s the primary defender, opposing players shoot 5.5 percent worse than their average within 6 feet of the hoop, per NBA.com, an impressive feat for a perimeter-oriented player.
He’s not confined to one premier skill as an off-ball defender. Most duties are within his wheelhouse. Conversations about his name appearing on All-Defensive Teams are not far away.
Although he struggles to contain jittery creators on the ball and is susceptible to getting hung up on screens, he’s a good on-ball defender as well. He applies his 6’5 frame, 6’10 wingspan, and graceful body control to pester ball-handlers in pick-and-rolls.
A significant size and strength advantage are typically required to best him. Even then, those traits don’t guarantee anything. He’s not going to lock up everyone in isolation, but throw him in a ball-screen and his merits will materialize. The dude’s great in so many different defensive scenarios.
The Spurs exist in an odd position. The roster is fine, existing in a place where neither a playoff berth in the Western Conference nor a top-three pick in the 2022 NBA Draft are likely. They have intriguing young guys whose skill-sets are worth exploring. Yet most of those guys’ skill sets are not so intriguing that an entire plan should be rerouted to accentuate them. Balancing such a dynamic can be tricky.
Whatever direction they gravitate toward, though, Vassell must occupy a prominent spot. His year two performance has been encouraging, both from a short- and long-term perspective. Six-foot-five, 21-year-old wings who can conveniently toggle on and off the ball and offer versatile, high-level defensive impact don’t come around often. Vassell is going to be a fantastic player and San Antonio should do everything possible to maximize what exactly “fantastic” means in the coming seasons.
Of the many noteworthy, viral moments on Gunna‘s new album DS4EVER, one that amused fans was Gunna’s Freddie Gibbs diss, which didn’t quite live up to expectations after he hyped it up the week of the album’s release. Earlier that week, Gunna tweeted, “When my album drop Freddie Gibbs will have the biggest moment of his career.” However, upon hearing “Poochie Gown,” the song containing the diss, fans (and Freddie) were underwhelmed to hear the line in question. “I can’t f*ck with Freddie Gibbs / N****s tellin’ fibs.” Oooh. Burn.
Today, Gunna stopped by The Breakfast Club, where he was grilled about the origins of the line and revealed just how deep his resentment of the Gary, Indiana rapper runs. While fans speculated — and Gunna confirmed — that the line was a response to Gibbs’ 2020 comments suggesting Gunna was a “snitch” after footage of his appearance on a local news clip was mistaken for a scene from Crime Stoppers online, Gibbs revealed that Freddie had reached out to collaborate, even after the misunderstanding.
“Some people just speak on it, like, ‘OH he was on Crime Stoppers’” Gunna complained. “When? I don’t know, I ain’t never sent nobody to jail. I ain’t never talk to a cop on-camera… He tried to do a song with me, through my manager… He thought I forgot.” Unfortunately, his lyrical reply turned out to be a dud, only giving Gibbs new, more legitimate reasons to ridicule him. While that collaboration idea does sound intriguing, it looks like the two rappers now have more in conflict than in common (they’re both technically Warner artists), so don’t hold your breath.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Jamie Lynn Spears is in the midst of promoting her book Things I Should Have Said and so far, most of that process has rubbed Britney Spears the wrong way. Britney explained recently why she was “disgusted” by Jamie Lynn’s Good Morning America interview, and now she has fired back at her sister again, this time in regards to a story from the book.
During a recent ABC News interview with Jamie Lynn, host Juju Chang said that in the memoir (as The Independent notes), Jamie Lynn describes Spears’ behavior over the course of her life as “erratic, paranoid, and spiraling” and details an alleged incident in which Britney was “scared,” so she grabbed a knife and locked herself and Jamie Lynn in a room.
When asked why she decided to share that story, Jamie Lynn said, “First off, I think experiencing my own panic attacks and how sometimes we can feel in those moments is important. It’s important to remember that I was a kid in that moment. I was scared. That was an experience I had, but I also was fearful to like really say anything because I didn’t want to upset anybody but also was so upset that she didn’t feel safe.”
This afternoon, Britney took to Twitter to offer a written response, that seems angry in tone, in which she refutes her sister’s story. Britney described the tale as “crazy lies for the Hollywood books” and said that she’s confused by it, writing, “Jamie Lynn … congrats babe [applause emoji]! You’ve stooped to a whole new level of LOW … I’ve never been around you ever with a knife or would I ever even think to do such !!! The only knife I ever saw you with at home was cutting the biggest pieces of squash I ever saw in my life and it was way too big for me to cut … So please please stop with these crazy lies for the Hollywood books !!! NOW and only NOW I do know only a scum person would make up such things about someone I’m actually very confused about you making that up because it’s honestly not like you at all!!!! Around the kids ???? Jamie Lynn, seriously ??? Come on !!! Congrats on introducing your older sister the concept of getting LOW … LOWER … LOWEST … because you win on that one, babe [trophy emoji] !!!!”
2022 has been active in terms of news about Britney and Jamie Lynn’s relationship, starting at the very top of the year when Britney unfollowed her sister on Instagram.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
pic.twitter.com/4sfmhBPiKK
