Category: News

After another poorly received All-Star Game, thee NBA’s new mini-tournament format might not be here to last. That is perhaps a bit of a shame because league’s latest attempt to create a more entertaining and competitive All-Star Game was reasonably successful in terms of the basketball we saw on the court.

The first two games were competitive and saw all four teams showing honest to god effort on both ends of the floor at times and looked like actual basketball games. The final game saw Shaq’s OGs jump out to a quick 11-0 lead on Chuck’s Global Stars and then devolved into the type of low-stakes basketball we’ve come to expect from the All-Star Game. The good news is, in a game to 40, even a bad game goes quickly. You get a guy to catch fire like Stephen Curry (trying harder than most in his home All-Star Game), hitting a halfcourt shot and some silly threes, and it’s enough to make things reasonably entertaining and ends quickly without falling into total chaos.

The problem with the 2025 All-Star Game had little to do with the quality of basketball on the court, which is perhaps the greatest compliment you can pay to the new format. The issue was that three games to 40 in an All-Star atmosphere go extremely quickly and the TV broadcast is determined to fill a three-hour window.

That meant we were treated to some truly dreadful segments, including an inordinate amount of Kevin Hart (in case you were not aware, Kevin is very short and NBA players are quite tall) and Damian Lillard having to purposefully try to miss enough logo threes to let a fan win $100,000 from Mr. Beast. They did that plus desk analysis from the TNT crew outside of each game, which was mostly notable because Draymond Green spent the entire night absolutely torching the new format, giving it a 0 out of 10 and decrying it as “not basketball” — which was a bit funny given we saw more actual basketball played tonight than we have in any All-Star Game since 2020.

I should say, the musical act this year was excellent and was not part of the problem. The Pass The Mic Live show with Bay Area legends was easily one of the best parts of the evening and far more entertaining than anything else they did between games. It also took less time from start to finish than one of the Kevin Hart segments with the Inside the NBA crew did and I really wish I was kidding about that.

The aforementioned segment saw Hart and some All-Stars send the Inside crew “Gone Fishing”, which could’ve been a fun moment if it had been done quickly and did not somehow create a 16(!) minute stoppage in the middle of the final game — also, Inside the NBA is not ending after this season and will instead be licensed to ESPN next year. It was emblematic of the problems of this year’s All-Star presentation, which was by trying desperately to stretch things out for a TV window, the basketball became secondary to a sketch show.

The problem is, I don’t think there’s really a fix unless you’re going to accept that this should be a two-hour long event. Part of why the games worked is the short format trims a lot of the fat that makes All-Star basketball tough to watch. There weren’t long spells of teams trading wide open dunks or heaving deep threes because the games to 40 make each game basically the two parts of each All-Star Game that are entertaining — the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes. If you made them games to 60 or 70, then you’d create more of that middle area where guys lose focus and open the door for more blowouts.

There probably isn’t a better way to execute an All-Star format if the goal is “reasonably competitive basketball” — barring players being open to a 1-on-1 tournament — and even the somewhat controversial inclusion of the Rising Stars winner worked as intended. They were trying very hard and pushed the OGs to the most competitive game of the entire thing because they really wanted to win and the All-Stars didn’t want to get embarrassed by losing. However, it cannot be a three-hour event because there’s nothing to fill the time basketball-wise — unless they give up on Saturday Night and put the Three-Point and Dunk Contests between games, which they’ll never do. Otherwise, you have a night of stops and starts where the basketball part (which the league has insisted has to be better) gets shoved to the periphery.

We’ll see what the league and NBC cook up next year in the first year with a new network taking charge, but given how reactive the league has been to criticism in recent years, I’m not sure the mini-tournament format is going to make it to 2026. After the players have gotten plenty of blame in recent years (at times quite deservedly so), the league has to take this one on the chin because it wasn’t a basketball issue this year, it was the 2.5 hours of nonsense happening around 30 minutes of hoops.

Not too long ago, Draymond Green was proclaiming himself the leader of The New Media, who would change the way the game is discussed on TV and celebrate the game. This weekend at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, Green has been a fixture on TNT’s broadcasts but he spent much of his time decrying the state of not just the All-Star Game but NBA basketball as a whole — seemingly fully morphing into the type of former player analyst he once hated (and somehow did so while still being an active player).

At All-Star media day, Green called the current style of play in the NBA “boring” and saying it lacked substance because it’s just about who can run faster and hit more threes. The comments certainly aren’t unique, as there has been a lot of focus on the rate of three-pointers taken in the NBA now as a problem for the league.

Older and former players have been particularly vocal about the three-point issue (some for a long time), but Oscar Robertson isn’t among them. The Hall of Famer got asked about Green’s comments on Sirius XM NBA Radio on Sunday and took some jabs at Draymond in response.

“Who cares what Draymond says? It doesn’t mean anything,” Robertson said. “This is what I mean, one guy can say this, another guy can say that, the game is what it is. Either people like the game or they don’t, and I think people enjoy the game, especially if their team can win. And if you look at the basketball, it might be boring to him because if he’s not passing the ball to Curry, what is he doing? I mean, not to single that out because I think he knows how to play basketball, but he’s passing to Curry more than anyone I’ve ever seen in basketball. So it might be boring to him at times cause maybe to him at times because he’s not shooting a lot, he’s not guarding a lot, so it gets boring.”

I did not expect to see The Big O torching Draymond Green at All-Star Weekend, but he seems as tired of the “the game is bad now” takes as anyone — possibly because he’s seen those arguments take so many different shapes over the years.

Between his latest chart-topping album Debí Tirar Más Fotos and its supporting residency in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny is giving his all to fans. Still, there is a tiny demographic that has been overlooked–the children.

Well, the “Baile Inolvidable” musician has something special made just for them. Thanks to Bad Bunny’s partnership with Rockabye Baby!, he is ready to help the kiddos turn down for bed or a brief nap. Yesterday (February 15), Benito’s Lullaby Renditions Of Bad Bunny was announced.

Across the 14-track project, instrumentals of Bad Bunny’s most beloved songs including “Tití Me Preguntó,” “La Canción,” “Me Porto Bonito” and more will be repurposed for smoothing benefits.

Although the body of work isn’t set to hit streaming platform until next week (February 21), Bad Bunny has shared a bite of what’s to come. Over on YouTube, guardians can loop a claymation video of lullaby version of “Dákiti.”

Continue below to view Lullaby Renditions Of Bad Bunny‘s tracklist and artwork. Watch the official video for Bad Bunny’s “Dákiti” above.

Artwork

Tracklist

1. “La Canción”
2. “I Like It”
3. “Dákiti”
4. “Si Veo a Tu Mamá”
5. “La Santa”
6. “Ignorantes”
7. “Me Porto Bonito”
8. “Tití Me Preguntó”
9. “Ojitos Lindos”
10. “Callaita”
11. “Cómo Se Siente”
12. “Te Boté”
13. “MIA”
14. “Después de la Playa”

Rockabye Baby!’s Lullaby Renditions Of Bad Bunny is out 2/21 via Rimas Entertainment. Find more information here.

Beyoncé’s business empire continues to expand. Back in October 2024, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer launched her newest perfume Cé Lumière. For her deeply devoted Beyhive, it made for the perfect sweet holiday stocking stuffer. However, the financial situation has drastically changed since then and fans have no problem letting Beyoncé know all about it.

Yesterday (February 15), Beyoncé posted an elaborate new video (viewable here) promoting the fragrance on Instagram. But instead of an overwhelming show of support, followers have hilariously responded by flooding the comment section with the financial woes.

Many Beyhivers went as far as to joke that Beyoncé should have spaced out her Cowboy Carter Tour and scent promotion further apart if she wanted to secure their coins for both.

Read some of the sidesplitting reactions below.

“Insufficient funds—we ain’t GOT no money,” wrote one user.

“Just spray it in the air at the concert because we don’t have the money ,” joked one user.

“Ask Ticketmaster for it… cause we don’t have it,” penned one user.

“You’re really not even going to acknowledge that we just spent a whole four days fighting for our life for you,” chimed another.

“You love tax time! About to call you Beyoncé Hewitt,” chuckled one user.

“With what money Giselle,” asked one user.

“the way this perfume got more visuals than renaissance and cowboy carter combined,” added another.

Cé Lumière is available to purchase now. Find more information here.

Due to overwhelming demand, Shakira is back on the road for her 2025 Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. Now that the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer’s run around the globe has kicked off, fans are itchy to experience Shakira live.

Sadly, supporters in Peru are going to have to wait a while before that can see Shakira. Today (February 16), Shakira revealed that she is currently hospitalized over an abdominal issue in an Instagram stories post (viewable here courtesy of Pop Crave). Therefore, Shakira has had to postpone tonight’s show in Lima, Peru at Estadio Nacional.

Read Shakira’s full statement regarding the postponement below.

I am sorry to inform you all that last night I had to go to the [emergency room] for an abdominal issue and am currently hospitalized.

The doctors whose care I am currently under have communicated that I am not in good enough condition to perform this evening.

I am very sad to not be able to take the stage today. I’ve been looking forward to reuniting with my incredible fans here in Peru.

I hope to be released and well tomorrow so I’m able to perform.

My team and the promoters are already working on a new date to communicate to you.

Thank you all for understanding, I love you all.

Grammy Award-winning musicians Lizzo and SZA spend a great deal of time together. As best friends, that should not come as a shocker. However, a recent confession from Lizzo about their working relationship has left supporters gagged.

During a recent Twitch stream (viewable here), the “Special” singer revealed that she, SZA, and a third unnamed musician almost started a rock band called “P*ssy Lasers.”

“We just always been friends, and it’s a sacred space for me in this industry,” she said. “We [had] this little period of time when we were just linking up in the studio. One particular night, mind you, we were gonna start a rock band, called P*ssy Lasers.”

She continued: “We were going to start a rock band called Pussy Lasers with an incredible other artist who I don’t know if she even wants to be mentioned, so I’m not going to mention her.”

Lizzo did not reveal why they decided against it. However, she did praise SZA for exploring rock elements in her music as heard on SOS’ “F2F.”

Although the rock band didn’t come into fruition, that does not mean the duo does not have something tucked away. Given that Lizzo recently teased new music fans hope the pair collaborates soon.

Back in December, Jay-Z’s name was added to civil lawsuit that accused him of sexual assaulting a minor alongside Diddy. Since then, the “Encore” rapper has been legally fighting to clear his name.

On February 14, the Jane Doe through their attorney Tony Buzbee voluntarily dropped the case. Following the filing, Jay-Z issued a statement celebrating the news.

“Today is a victory,” he wrote in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter). “The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed.”

He continued: “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims.”

Those severe claims said Jay-Z forcibly taking off Doe’s clothes then holding her down while he allegedly raped her. Despite the cases being dropped, Jay-Z still appears to be pursuing his defamation and extortion cases against Buzbee.

Read Jay-Z’s full statement regarding the voluntary withdrawal below.

Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.

This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed.

The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.

Mac McClung polished off a Dunk Contest three-peat on Saturday night in incredible style, as the reigning G League MVP threw down four perfect dunks — including one where he jumped over a car — to beat Stephon Castle, who had a terrific contest performance of his own.

For two decades, fans and media have been clamoring for bigger names to participate in the Dunk Contest, but for the most part, there has been little in the way of All-Star participation in the main event of All-Star Saturday Night. That has provided a stage for guys like Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordon, Derrick Jones Jr., and McClung to become household names before they reached that status on an NBA court. On the other hand, it’s always left fans wondering what we’ve missed out on seeing as stars have declined invites and the opportunity to enter the contest.

During the first round, after McClung sent the Chase Center into a frenzy with his car dunk, one of those current stars fans have been begging to see in the contest, Ja Morant, tweeted that McClung’s performance was making him want to get in on the action — and later followed that up by asking if LaVine and Gordon might be willing to unretire from the contest to join him.

This is far from the first time a star player has been enjoying the Dunk Contest from the sidelines or at home and done this — the most famous being LeBron James saying on-air during the 2009 Contest that he’d be doing it in 2010. James, of course, did not followthrough on that proclamation and Nate Robinson beat a field with DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Wallace, and Shannon Brown for the crown in 2010.

It’s particularly funny that Morant, who tried to put a self-imposed dunk ban on himself this season to stay healthy, would float the idea of him entering the fray. I will be shocked if he or any of the other big names enter their names in the 2026 Dunk Contest in Los Angeles, but it’s a good way to create a little buzz a full year away from the actual event.

Drake’s international performance plans are just getting started. Currently, the “Gimme A Hug” rapper is dominating Australia on his Anita Max Win Tour. But Drake has his sights set on London’s Finsbury Park.

Today (February 16), the 2025 Wireless Festival headliners were unveiled–and they are Drake, Drake, and more Drake. To celebrate the multi-day outdoor event’s 20th anniversary, between July 11 through 13, Drake will serve as its sole top billed act.

“IT’S BEEN A WHILE BUT THE BOY IS HOME ,” wrote Wireless organizers on Instagram. “For our 20th anniversary. Drake will headline all THREE nights with three different setlists.”

Although Drake has more than enough music in his discography to hold down the closing slot, he will be joined on stage with several friends. On Wireless Festival 2025’s opening night (Friday, July 11), Drake’s Some Sexy Songs 4 U collaborator PartyNextDoor will co-headline with him. The set’s special guest is Summer Walker.

On day 2 (Saturday, July 12), Drake is teasing multiple native UK acts will hit the stage with him. For now, he is keeping things under wraps with the “the mandem” label. Many believe Skepta and Central Cee are shoo-ins for an appearance.

Burna Boy and Vybz Kartel are listed as Drake’s special guests On the festival’s final night (July 13).

The presale for Wireless Festival 2025 starts on Monday, February 17 at 12 noon GMT. While the general sale will begin on Wednesday, February 19 at 12 noon GMT. Find more information here.

Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

10. The Recruit – Netflix series

This ain’t The Night Agent, and that’s just fine. Noah Centineo’s espionage adventure series couldn’t be more different than Gabriel Basso’s adrenaline-fueled show, but Centineo’s Owen Hendricks is all about the personality and less about the seriousness. He is also equally game at placing himself in dangerous (albeit humiliating) situations, so the show’s decision to use a certain Green Day song couldn’t be more fitting as Owen finds himself in the midst of a South Korean scandal. There’s a time and place for an actor who can laugh at himself, and this show has done marvelously at harnessing that vibe.

9. The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep – Netflix movie

Perhaps this Netflix fantasy franchise still has some life left after all even with Henry Cavill’s departure. Liam Hemsworth will pick up the leather pants, swords, and wigs later this year, but for now, this animated film takes Geralt of Rivia deep into the ocean as the only person/monster hunter who can bring peace between the realms of land and not-land. Video game voice actor Doug Cockle takes up the Geralt grunt for this movie with Joey Batey (Jasper) and Anya Chalotra (Yennifer) reprising their roles from the TV series.

8. Cassandra – Netflix series

A “vintage smart home” might sound contradictory, but does logic really matter when a virtual assistant decides to attack a family who has recently taken up residence inside her confines? This German series also involves the AI assistant having an abandonment complex, so get ready for nightmare city in a B-movie way, and if you still need more virtual-person horror after this selection, Megan Fox’s Subservience will keep you frightened until M3GAN 2.0 arrives in theaters.

7. Invincible – Prime Video/Amazon series

No rest for Mark Grayson. Steven Yeun’s superhero will enter his Blue Suit era (and possibly lean into darkness for real) this season while Walton Goggins’ Cecil will gain a backstory and completely lose Mark’s patience. This season should also deliver more of JK Simmons’ Nolan, and this series could grow positively cataclysmic ahead of the already renewed fourth season. The slow-burn aspect did drag the series down during the second season, and viewers will not be mad to see less teasing and more development. The same goes for House of the Dragon‘s pulled second season punches, so perhaps there’s a lesson there for the streaming future.

6. The Åre Murders – Netflix series

Nordic Noir is no joke, and in this series is here to send chills down your spine while you cuddle under the blankets and wonder why you are watching such a chilly environment on TV in the middle of your city’s own cold snap. In all seriousness, this mystery series follows a Stockholm detective on leave until gruesome happenings drag her back into the grind. What follows is a solid ride that will not disappoint when the ultimate secrets are later revealed.

5. Paradise – Hulu series

Sterling K. Brown and Dan Fogelman are having a This Is Us reunion over on Hulu for a thriller series that could alternately scratch your escapism itch or feel too close to home. Without spoiling anything for the first three episodes already streaming, Brown portrays a security agent fronting a team that is tasked with protecting the president (James Marsden), but this show isn’t a meat-and-potatoes conspiracy story. Like This Is Us, expect non-linear storytelling that helps build context behind the overriding mystery of the series. A slower burn than many streaming series of the same nature helps this show stand apart, and the test for future seasons will be whether audiences will be patient enough without tidy explanations at every turn.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar – Netflix series

Kaitlyn Dever disappears into another role to portray Aussie grifter Belle Gibson, who endangered the lives of her social media followers by peddling “cures” based upon her false claims of having cancer. Alycia Debnam-Carey steps up as competitor influencer Milla Blake, who certainly wasn’t buying what Belle was selling. At present, Belle is paying off an enormous government fine, although that surely will not stop the next Internet snake oil salesman from doing the same, but as far as bingewatches go, this is an enlightening watch.

3. The White Lotus – HBO series streaming on Max

Virtual travelers are catching up on the first few resort bookings while waiting for the Thailand installment. Also, this bitingly funny series kills somebody every season, but for the third season, creator Mike White really means it. The show will head to Thailand for “a satirical and funny look at death and eastern religion and spirituality,” and of course Jennifer Coolidge’s character cannot return this year. Instead, this season’s connecting thread will be Natasha Rothwell, and characters who might or might not die will be portrayed by Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Parker Posey. Good luck, y’all.

2. Severance – Apple TV+ series

The “Woe’s Hollow” episode left a massive mess to clean up after Irving’s sudden move against Helly. Of course, that situation is complicated by two Hellys (Hellies?) in the mix, and why are there so many snow-covered shows this winter? Between this and Netflix’s The Åre Murders and American Primeval, it’s time to pile on the blankets while bingewatching. Additionally, this show had better now grow any weirder before answering some questions unless we’re going to receive more goats and Gwendoline Christie. Or some dancing? Work with us, Milchick.

1. Cobra Kai – Netflix series

I’m not crying, we’re both crying. This sequel mastered the practice of harnessing several generations and will be followed by Karate Kid: Legends, but first, the dojos must reckon with the unresolved Sekai Taikai tournament. That competition is, of course, merely a framework for lingering beefs, and Daniel LaRusso has been distracted by the tarnishing of Mr. Miyagi’s legacy, but he had better get it together because Terry Silver’s villainy will not quit. In all seriousness, the heightened reality of this karate soap opera will be missed, and if you don’t shed a tear or two after those final lines, then were you really a fan from the beginning? A valid question.