Ivica Zubac has turned into a steady and reliable option at center for the Los Angeles Clippers. As a result, the team decided to make sure the big man got a new deal to keep him in Los Angeles for the next few years as the franchise looks to compete for a championship.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the team’s decision to decline its option on the final year of Zubac’s contract led to him receiving a three-year extension worth $33 million. While it’s unclear how the money will be spread out over the course of his deal, Zubac is set to earn a raise from the team that acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the 2018-19 campaign.
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.
While Zubac doesn’t get the headlines of his more high-profile teammates like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Croatian big man has consistently given the team an anchor on both ends of the floor in recent seasons. With Leonard out for the duration of the 2021-22 campaign and George sidelined for lengthy stretches, the 25-year-old Zubac had the best season of his career, averaging 10.3 points and 8.5 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game. He led the Clippers in rebounding and starts, while only Terance Mann appeared in more contests.
Kevin Ford, the Las Vegas airport Burger King employee whose story went viral after he displayed the meager goodie bag he received after 27 years of never missing a day of work, might have started off feeling less than hopeful. But after his story reached the masses, his faith in humanity has been restored.
The original video showed the 54-year-old displaying the bag’s mediocre contents: a reusable Starbucks cup, one singular movie ticket, a couple of pens, a lanyard, some keychains and cheap candy (no offense Reese’s and Life Savers).
Despite receiving a “gift” more equivalent to convention swag than a display of employee loyalty, Ford shared authentic gratitude.
“I’m happy about anything, I’m thankful for anything I get,” Ford told TMZ, “but, like most big corporations, they’ve kind of lost touch with their workers.” Ford added that before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees would receive anniversary checks, sharing that he initially thought that’s what the movie ticket was.
TMZ later reported that after Ford’s video began circulating everywhere, he received a flood of new job opportunities from potential employers near and far—including one position restoring classic cars and another working at a beachside restaurant in South Carolina. However, as he was close to retirement at his current job, Ford passed.
“The man in that video is my father. He has worked at his job for 27 years and yes, he has never missed a day of work. He originally began working at this job as a single father when he gained custody of me and my older sister 27 years ago…In no way are we asking for money or is he expecting any money but if anyone feels like blessing him he would love to visit his grandchildren.”
It didn’t take long before the donations started to roll in, and kept coming. Even actor David Spade contributed a generous $5,000 and sent Ford a personal message, saying “keep up the good work.” Shocked, Ford replied, “THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! For even watching the video! I think I might be able to take a day off…”
Ford might be able to do much more than take a day off now. So far, that GoFundMe fundraiser has gathered more than $200,000. And where, yes, there were a few huge donations, most were $10-$20, providing a great example of how small acts of kindness can make a big difference when everyone comes together.
“I just want to say thanks to everybody out there. It’s just so overwhelming,” he told Nicole. “I think that it probably touched people because I think we as humans, period, just need love and gratitude.”
As for what Ford might do with the money, it looks like a visit to see his grandkids in Texas is definitely a go and he’ll probably even purchase a new car (Ford has his sights on a Ford hybrid, fitting). Plus, he might get to pursue his dream of making music. Who knows? One thing is for sure, he now knows that his commitment is recognized.
The Jan. 6 committee hearings have been going on for almost three weeks now, and they’ve dropped plenty of bombshells. But things got next level on Tuesday. During a hearing only announced the day before, a surprise witness took the stand: Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. She was there — or had close access to — all that transpired that fateful day. And her testimony produced so many over-the-top claims that it seemed to break what’s left of Trump’s weird brain.
It was a pretty explosive hearing, and Trump did not take it well. Of course, we know this because, after he was permanently banned from Twitter, he created his own Twitter clone.
Over on Truth Social, Trump is losing his mind over Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony before the Jan. 6 committee. pic.twitter.com/A4HbvfvuRS
Trump started by playing one of his classic cards: the “I don’t know this former employee who’s saying incriminating things about me” line. “I hardly know who this person, Cassidy Hutchinson, is, other than I heard very negative things about her (a total phony and “leaker”),” he wrote. He called her “Bad news!” and later repeated the Holden Caulfield-esque insult “A Total Phony!”
He also played another favorite Trump card: simply denying what’s been said about him. He denied he “complained” about the crowd size, which he called “massive.” About all the armed people seen in plenty of photos of the protests outside the Capitol, he claimed there “were no guns found or brought into the Capitol Building…So where were all of these guns?” He then naturally changed the subject. “But sadly, a gun was used on Ashlii Babbitt, with no price to pay against the person you used it!”
He also took aim at the bit about him lunging at a Secret Service agent. “Her Fake story that I tried to grab the steering wheel of the White House Limousine in order to steer it to the Capitol Building is ‘sick’ and fraudulent, very much like the Unselect Committee itself,” he wrote. He also added, “She changed lawyers a couple of days ago, and with it, her story totally changed! SHOCKER???”
He also didn’t like that there “is no cross-examination of this so-called witness. This is a Kangaroo Court!,” he said of a hearing, which is not a trial.
— Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) June 28, 2022
“I NEVER SAID, “MIKE PENCE DESERVES IT (to be hung). Another made up statement by a third rate social climber!” Trump wrote. At one point, he posted, “Bad handwriting, that of a Whacko?”
Last December, just before the end of the year, Tyler The Creator announced the addition of nail polish to his growing Golf Le Fleur collection. Initially, the nail polish dropped in three colors inspired by the palettes of the rollout for Tyler’s album Call Me If You Get Lost: Georgia Peach, Geneva Blue, and Glitter. By all accounts, the drop was a success, and Tyler, never one to rest on his laurels, has already announced a new slate of colors along with some slick nail care accessories to go with them.
Tyler announced the new colors with a hypersaturated short film directed by Tyler (naturally) following a hilarious confrontation between a put-upon police officer and a (presumably) reckless driver who refuses to look for her license and registration until her nails dry. The new colors include Blonde, Jade, and Rose, and as usual, you can grab them on the Golf Le Fleur website. The site also offers nail top coats in glossy and matte and a metal nail file with a fancy-looking tortoiseshell-patterned handle.
Earlier this month, Tyler introduced his GLF 2.0 sneakers with Converse, selling out the entire run within minutes. Meanwhile, his new Golf Wang collection bringing back the baggy look of the 2000s also sold out rapidly, which is sure to only feed the demand for the next drop from the dapper Hawthorne native. Check out the new products from Golf Le Fleur Below.
After plenty of speculation that his time with the Brooklyn Nets was on the verge of coming to an end, Kyrie Irving opted to pick up his player option worth $36.5 million for the 2022-23 campaign. The decision sparked a reaction from Stephen A. Smith that led to a back-and-forth with the Nets star on Twitter.
Smith did the thing he’ll occasionally do where he’s on vacation but decides to comment on a sports thing by recording a video and posting it to Twitter. If you’ve kept up with Smith’s general Irving thoughts, you will be aware his entire beef stems from — as he describes it — Irving not showing up to work. So this was basically at the core of his video, which included the word “peon” getting tossed around a lot.
It turns out Kevin Durant is not the only Nets player who is calling out Smith nowadays. After this video started making its way around the internet, Irving tweeted at Smith, who saw it a little more than half an hour later and busted out the notes app as a way to respond.
@stephenasmith you’re gonna have to explain yourself to people in your generation. I am not around many 50 plus year olds that speak and act like you do, so this is new for me. But I am sure my father and my uncles can meet you on your level better than I can. We know you STEPHEN
We will see if Smith challenging Irving to a public debate comes to fruition, but our hunch is Irving has other things to do in his spare time. It would be pretty incredible if spite for Stephen A. Smith ended up being the common ground the Nets can all find that salvages everything this offseason and brings them together for next season.
Draymond Green and JJ Redick teamed up this week for a live crossover episode of their podcasts, The Draymond Green Show and The Old Man & The Three, for a lengthy conversation about everything from the Warriors title to the “new media” — with special guest Stephen A. Smith.
The portion of the conversation garnering the most attention is their discussion of Kevin Durant’s importance to the title teams in 2017 and 2018, with plenty wondering after the Warriors won a title without him this year if they needed KD. Green insists they did — not to beat the Rockets as he laughed while insisting Houston would never have beaten them — in order to beat those Cavs teams.
The full conversation can be seen here, and the KD remarks start around the 19 minute mark, with Green going on to explain fully why he believes that and why this year’s team — and more importantly, this current version of Stephen Curry — allowed them to win without needing a KD.
As he saw it, teams had started to figure out the Warriors motion-heavy offense and they needed someone who could just go score when things broke down, which he didn’t think Curry was able to do at that point — but playing those years and getting stronger got Steph to that level that KD was already on as an isolation scorer.
“Here’s why. Teams had figured us out, and I personally don’t think at that point, Steph Curry had figured out ‘I’m going to get a bucket whenever I want to.’ I don’t think he was capable of that yet,” Green said. “I think he was still growing into that, so because of that, once teams started to figure our offense out, we were starting to struggle more and more. I’m not sure if you remember that series in OKC where we were down 3-1 and we had to come back, and that’s because teams had started to figure it out. So then what in turn ended up happening was, Steph still creates all the havoc that he fucking creates – like I tweeted Steph faced so many double teams that Kevin didn’t. That’s a fact, you can go look at the numbers or just watch the game if you can analyze the game better then Skip Bayless. If you watch the game then you see Steph’s getting double teamed and Ty Lue goes publicly and says I’m double teaming Steph Curry every chance I get. Kevin wasn’t getting double teamed, but the reality is, is we got to a point where we needed to be able to give someone the ball that could just go get a buckets. Kevin was already there and I don’t think Steph was there yet. So it gets us through those two years, we get those two championships, but while we’re doing it Steph is continuing to work and evolving and most importantly becoming the strongest dude on our team.”
Some Warriors fans haven’t been thrilled with Green’s comments about Curry, but it’s not him taking any veiled shots at Steph but simply pointing out that he was still evolving as a scorer. Green notes that even now Curry is the strongest player on the Warriors, something that he became during that run, and as such he can attack downhill better and fend off defenders at the rim and coming off screens when they try to push him off his spot.
Dense rainforests, incredible wildlife, breathtaking views, and cultural cuisine — Costa Rica is a natural playground for endless adventure. At least, that’s what travel photographer, blogger, and content creator Jackie Krawiecki found on an epic road trip through one of the planet’s most biodiverse destinations. And she’s an expert on making the absolute most out of every location she visits.
“I’m a millennial who works a full-time job, yet I still find ways to travel frequently without breaking the bank, because traveling is what makes me feel most alive,” says the adventurer. “I help fellow travelers who are looking for ways to maximize their PTO by crafting unique, adventure-packed travel itineraries, so people can see a whole lot in a small amount of time.”
During her time in Costa Rica, Krawiecki ventured to thick jungle landscapes, indulged in local delicacies, chilled on pristine beaches, and observed a plethora of exotic fauna. So we asked her to break down all the essential highlights of her trip, from where to get a taste of the local fare to the one thing every first-time visitor should do. Read on for Krawiecki’s full adventure guide to Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is a must-visit destination because it has everything! Pristine beaches, rugged coastlines, vibrant culture, jungle, mountains, hot springs, and tons of wildlife. It appeals to all kinds of travelers, from adventure lovers and wildlife enthusiasts to anyone who wants to kick back and relax on the beach or soak in a natural hot spring.
What we loved the most about Costa Rica was the nature — specifically, the biodiversity and the resources they invest in protecting it. For example, over a quarter of the land in Costa Rica is protected by national parks, wildlife refuges, sanctuaries, and protected biological reserves. These protected areas are home to over half a million plant and animal species and unique ecosystems.
Two of the most spectacular and heavily protected areas we visited were the cloud forest in Monteverde and Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula. Both places support an overwhelming amount of biodiversity. From the giant tropical foliage, exotic wildlife, and thick moss, there wasn’t an inch of space left unoccupied. There really is no place like them.
What’s one thing that every first-time visitor should see or do in Costa Rica?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
Go ziplining! Costa Rica is the best place in the world for ziplining because it offers the unique experience of flying through the jungle canopy.
Monteverde and the Arenal area outside of La Fortuna are the most popular places for ziplining. Personally, I recommend Arenal for its spectacular views of the jungle, Arenal Volcano, and the surrounding Talamanca Mountains.
Other Costa Rica bucket list experiences are taking a surf lesson in Nosara, walking through the cloud forest in Monteverde, soaking in hot springs in La Fortuna, and hiking to the Insta-famous Rio Celeste Waterfall in Volcano Tenorio National Park.
Looking for something even more unique and adventurous? Visit Corcovado National Park and snorkel Caño Island, two of the most magnificent, biodiverse, and rugged places in all of Costa Rica. You can visit both places from Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula.
Top tips for a Costa Rican road trip?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
My first tip is to book your car early! In the high season or around holidays, the price of rental cars in Costa Rica skyrockets the closer you get to your arrival date. Sometimes they even sell out. We booked our car with Adobe Rental Car in October for our trip at the end of December and managed to snag one of the last SUVs available for our travel dates.
My next tip is to budget more than you think you need. In my opinion, Costa Rica isn’t exactly a budget-friendly destination. We actually found that prices of international food, cars, and lodging are comparable to prices in the United States. A huge way to save money on your Costa Rica road trip is to check if you actually need a 4×4. Most people assume you need a 4×4 for a road trip in Costa Rica, but in most cases, you can actually get around just fine without one. Just make sure you have high clearance.
And my last essential tip is to download Whatsapp. It’s used for everything from tour reservations to communicating with your hotel or Airbnb hosts.
City or town in Costa Rica with the best food scene?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
If you ask any local in Costa Rica where to find the best food, they’ll send you straight to the nearest soda. Sodas are small local restaurants that serve generous portions of typical Costa Rican food, such as casados, for very cheap (about $5 a plate). You can’t really go wrong with the sodas and you can find them all over Costa Rica.
For something a little more eclectic, head to Tamarindo, a small town on the Pacific Coast. Here you’ll find the most diverse food scene in the country. We loved the Italian fare at Antichi Sapori, the local seafood at Dragonfly Bar and Grill, and the huevos rancheros at Cafe Tico.
If you find yourself down in Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, don’t miss Kalaluna Bistro. Situated right on the ocean, it’s the highest-rated restaurant in Drake Bay and often requires reservations at least 2 days in advance because it books out solid! The wait is worth it though because they serve the best Italian food you’ll find in all of Costa Rica, as well as local seafood and vegan options.
Best city or area for outdoor excursions and adventure activities?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
La Fortuna (Arenal area) is the best area for outdoor excursions because it’s the adventure capital of Costa Rica! Any adventure you’re looking for is only a few kilometers from the town center. In fact, I wrote an entire guide on the best adventures to have around La Fortuna! You can find it here.
You can spend your time relaxing in volcanically heated hot springs, hiking through lava fields, rappelling down waterfalls, walking above the jungle canopy, and exploring ancient underground cave systems.
Where to get the absolute best view in Costa Rica?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
This is a hard question because there are so many different views in Costa Rica! It really depends on what type of experience you want to have.
Hike the Arenal 1968 Trail near La Fortuna for a jaw-dropping view of Arenal Volcano. Visit the Sky Walk in Monteverde for the best view of the famous cloud forest canopy. And for the most majestic waterfall view, head to Boca del Toro or Nauyaca Waterfalls.
There are so many amazing hotels and places to stay in Costa Rica, but the most unique place we stumbled upon was Topos Treehouse, located in Limón on the lush Caribbean Coast. Topos Treehouse is a multi-floor jungle treehouse actually set inside of a massive ancient strangler fig. The roots of the tree run throughout the treehouse, creating a super unique experience. It’s also only a short walk to the popular surf beach, Playa Negra, and Cahuita National Park.
Best time of year to visit?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
The best time of year to visit Costa Rica is in the dry season, which falls between mid-December and April. The dry season is also the busiest and most expensive time of year, so it’s extra important to book rental cars and accommodation well ahead of time!
The rainy season is May through November. Like the rest of Central America, it rains A LOT in the rainy season. However, while the weather can be a bit of a downer, the bright side is that everything is cheaper and there are far fewer crowds.
Try to avoid traveling to Costa Rica in September and October, as those are the wettest months and a lot of tour businesses shut down.
Anything else you’d like to add about Costa Rica?
Jacqueline Krawiecki
So, this is a very unpopular opinion, but we actually didn’t care for Manuel Antonio! For context, Manuel Antonio is one of the most popular places in Costa Rica. It’s known for its pristine white sand beaches and picturesque coastline. However, we personally found the area to be extremely chaotic and even the lesser-known beaches were very crowded.
On the other hand, one of our favorite spots was Nauyaca Waterfalls! Located less than an hour south of Manuel Antonio, Nauyaca is the most magnificent waterfall in all of Costa Rica (and still somewhat of a hidden gem). We loved that there was room to spread out, swim, and take photos, even in high season. Don’t feel like making the hike? Simply book a truck ride from the Nauyaca Waterfalls Office! You can find all the details and essential tips in my Nauyaca Waterfalls guide.
A recent AARP poll found that Democratic Pennsylvania lieutenant governor John Fetterman is leading Republican Mehmet Oz by six points in their race for the state’s open Senate seat. Another survey, this one conducted by USA Today and Suffolk University, has Fetterman with a nine point lead over his Trump-backed rival. But if the race came down to who’s better at tweeting (an entirely possible scenario in the near future), Fetterman would already have been declared the winner.
“.@JohnFetterman,” Oz tweeted, along with an image of Fetterman’s name in the dictionary. “Noun 1. Bernie Sanders Socialist to the Left of Joe Biden. 2. A political puppet. 3. Radical; wrong for Pennsylvania,” it reads. A poor intern had to make that.
Oz’s original tweet has less than 230 likes; Fetterman’s reply (the watermark is a nice touch) is nearing 3,000 likes.
I was so distracted by Fetterman clowning his opponent — not for the first time — that it took me a few minutes to realize the real problem with Oz’s tweet: that’s not how dictionaries work. Why is “John” between “justice” and “jurisdiction”? And why is “jurisdiction” after “justice”? And why is… The point is, there are a lot of issues here.
why is john between justice and jurisidction thats not how dictionaries or the alphabet work https://t.co/MgVi4PRTPi
begging to know why Oz’s social team decided to cram “John Fetterman” between “justice” and “jurisdiction”—two words that are *also* not in alphabetical order!—in the dictionary. https://t.co/nDmATL7oF9
Winona Ryder tends to keep her private life private, for good reason. She was the Hollywood It Girl of the 90s, which put her under a lot of scrutiny and judgment from the industry that historically is not good with young people. Now, she gets to protect the teens on Stranger Thingsboth from demons in the show and in real life, as she has a first-hand experience of just how horrible tabloids can be to a person, specifically after a highly publicized breakup.
Ryder infamously dated her co-star Johnny Depp in 1989, when she was a teenager and he was nearly 26. She rarely discusses the relationship, just a few tidbits over the years about her “first real heartbreak” and a mention of being “very depressed” at the time.
“I’ve never talked about it,” Ryder recently told Harper’s Bazaar. “There’s this part of me that’s very private. I have such, like, a place in my heart for those days. But for someone younger who grew up with social media, it’s hard to describe.” Ryder then called the relationship her Girl, Interrupted moment in real life, referencing her 1999 movie about a young woman living in a psych hospital.
The actress credits her “incredible therapist” for helping her get through the breakup. “I remember, I was playing this character who ends up getting tortured in a Chilean prison,” Ryder explained. “I would look at these fake bruises and cuts on my face [from filming], and I would struggle to see myself as this little girl,” Ryder added, saying her therapist would ask her, “‘Would you be treating this girl like you’re treating yourself?’”
Since the breakup, Ryder has obviously led a quiet but successful life, recently having her Hollywood renaissance thanks to Stranger Things’ massive popularity. Maybe one of their many spinoffs can focus on Joyce? We need it.
The murder trial against Nipsey Hussle’s suspected killer, Eric Holder, was delayed today as Holder was unable to appear in court while receiving medical treatment after being assaulted in jail, according to Rolling Stone. Holder was apparently attacked sometime after leaving court on Monday, June 27, sustaining serious enough injuries to keep him out of court today — and possibly even longer, with Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge H. Clay Jacke warning jurors that they might expect further delays. Otherwise, they’ll be expected back in court on Wednesday for Holder’s last two witnesses.
They’ll be deciding on a charge of first-degree murder; Holder’s defense hinges on whether or not his attack on Nipsey Hussle at the Marathon Clothing store counts as “premeditated.” Prosecutors argued that, as Holder left the store following his confrontation with Nipsey over his reputation as an alleged snitch, then returned with a loaded gun, he fully intended to shoot and kill the entrepreneurial rapper. However, if jurors agree with Holder’s defense that the crime was not premeditated based on the evidence provided, then he may get off on a technicality, as he should have been charged with voluntary manslaughter.
Holder is also charged with attempted murder since two bystanders were also struck. He’s pled not guilty to all charges. If convicted, Holder could face life in prison. Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday, after which the jurors will deliberate. In the meantime, Holder is supposed to be kept away from the general population of the jail; it’s currently unclear how he was attacked yesterday or the extent of his injuries.
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