Category: Viral

Harry Styles emerged on the latest Vogue cover while clad in a dress, and this led to a lot of right-wing pearl-clutching, which also led to certain far-right figures being mocked for claiming that Styles is violating some sacred (nonexistent) tenet of masculinity. Well, the subject also came up on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, and Paul stood up as the voice of reason against co-host George Janko, who was not here for the dress wearing.

Yep, that would be the same Logan Paul who sparked outrage after posting footage (in 2018) of a suicide victim in Japan. 2020 sure is bringing all kinds of unexpected developments, but this one is a refreshing one. Paul didn’t let his co-host, George Janko, get away with dismissing Styles’ attire with a swift, “It ain’t manly, bro.”

Paul wasn’t having it. “Bro, why? What is ‘manly’ to you?” the YouTube influencer questioned. “What does it mean? Is manly being comfortable in your own skin and being comfortable with who you are, regardless of what you’re wearing?”

Janko then grew even judgier: “People are too quick to get angry like you. You got angry at our opinion.”

Paul fired back: “I’m not getting angry, but I’m calling you out for your flaw. Your lack of logic… when you say, ‘People shouldn’t judge people, but he’s not a man for wearing a dress.’” At that point, Janko tried to argue that saying “not manly” is not the same as saying that someone is not a man, and the backpeddling began.

Score one for Logan Paul, and people are pleasantly surprised to see this happen.

Christmas is a little over a month away, so the annual deluge of holiday music has begun. Today brought a handful of new offerings. Spotify launched its “Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection” playlist in 2018 and have added to it annually, and Julien Baker unveiled a new contribution today, as she covered “A Dreamer’s Holiday.”

The 1949 song was written by Mabel Wayne and Kim Gannon and was most famously performed by Perry Como and Buddy Clark, who both had successful versions of the track. Baker says of the song:

“I chose ‘Dreamers Holiday’ because I found it incredibly unique as far as holiday songs are concerned. It’s a very understated song — both lyrically and musically; while it’s technically about a ‘holiday,’ it doesn’t directly reference any specific holiday theme, it leaves the lyrics a bit more open-ended. It’s the same way with the music — the chord structure is complicated but surprisingly timeless to me even though the song itself is over 70 years old. It’s the kind of song whose arrangement can be re-imagined so many times, and I love the feeling of sonic potential a single like that gives me.”

Listen to Baker’s rendition of “A Dreamer’s Holiday” above and stream the whole “Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection” playlist below.

With apologies to the 28,000 people who signed the petition, Dr. Anthony Fauci was not named the Sexiest Man Alive for 2020. Neither was Robert Pattinson, or Dev Patel, or Timothée Chalamet, or Jonathan Majors, or Ted Lasso, or Coach Beard, or Roy Kent (now I’m just naming Ted Lasso characters), all of whom would have been worthy of the sexy throne. If you want to be surprised, you should watch the clip above from Tuesday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where the SMA wore a hazmat suit to keep himself protected from COVID-19, before scrolling down. As for everyone else: congratulations to Michael B. Jordan, who murdered last year’s winner, John Legend (I assume that’s how it works), to become People‘s new Sexiest Man Alive. A very deserving winner.

“The freedom to go wherever I wanted in public, not worry about paparazzi,” the Creed and Black Panther actor said about his perfect date night. “Enjoy somebody’s company. Go for a drive, dope playlist. Drive somewhere just for dessert. I’m definitely a movie guy, and then I’d ride the vibe for the rest of the night.” My perfect date night is watching Friday Night Lights, on which MBJ played Vince Howard, on the couch, so whatever works. Jordan, who is currently single, was also asked “what parts of a woman’s body he finds most sexy.”

“Oh man, that’s tough. It’s like lips, teeth, mouth. I think I’ve paid more attention to eyes as of late, with these masks. I love a woman’s hips, thighs. Hands and feet. And what order you go, that’s a totally different question.”

Good luck to all women with teeth or lips. You could be Mrs. Michael B. Jordan.

(Via People)

It’s almost Thanksgiving, which for Mariah Carey means that it’s almost Christmas. Her iconic holiday music is already beginning its annual climb back up the charts, and now she has revealed big plans for this year: She is hosting a new holiday special, Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special, which is set to debut on Apple TV+ on December 4.

It won’t be just Carey, though, as she will be joined by fellow musicians Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Hudson, and Jermaine Dupri, as well as Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Misty Copeland, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Carey’s twins, Moroccan and Monroe. Additionally, there will also be an accompanying soundtrack album, led by the lead single “Oh Santa!,” which features Grande and Hudson and will be receiving a music video when it’s released across all platforms also on December 4.

Billboard notes that in the special, Carey will “save the day in a family-friendly romp combining musical performances, dynamic dancing, and animation.” Carey is an executive producer of the project, which was written by Caroline Fox.

It remains to be seen if Carey will be able to repeat her historic chart success this year: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” went No. 1 for the first time ever last holiday season and was the first chart-topper of 2020.

Brad Pitt and George Clooney couldn’t help but act like a couple of kids when they got together for the Oceans movies. It’s not even slightly hard to believe that claim. Just look at the above Ocean’s Thirteen red-carpet image to witness Pitt whipping out the bunny ears on his “unsuspecting” friend. They both know the drill and loved it, but Pitt got Clooney pretty good on the Italian set of Ocean’s Thirteen. As Clooney (who is currently promoting his Netflix movie, The Midnight Sky) revealed, this particular prank happened in Como, which is Clooney’s hometown, so it made things extra awkward.

“Brad sent out a memo to all the people in the town — my town! I’ve lived there for years — but he had it posted on telephone poles. It said, “The movie is coming to town, and please only address George Clooney as “Mr. Clooney,” and his character’s name is Danny Ocean, and don’t look him right in the eyes. So the papers were like, ‘George Clooney is Il Divo!’ It was a horrible story, which I later got him back for.”

Those crazy guys. Even though it’s quite the mental picture to envision Clooney being jeered as “The Celebrity” in his hometown, it wasn’t only the boys who participated. Julia Roberts previously revealed that she was not immune, despite being pregnant at the time, to being pulled into the prank war. As Roberts described, she ended up with heavy statues in her suitcase, and she retaliated with something involving “itching powder and Neosporin.” Sounds brutal… oh, for the innocent days of pranks!

Ten minutes into Seth Rogen’s Netflix stand-up special, it’s clear that the loveable comedian, who’s built a blockbuster-studded career off playing a relatable weed savant on screen, isn’t joking around.

Well no … he is. And he’s recruiting names like Nick Kroll and Ike Barinholtz for bits about vaping through one’s genitals and having life-changing epiphanies in hell with the help of a Mark Wahlberg-stanning Satan. But beneath the lineup of “alt penises” and Rogen’s exaggerated stoner persona, there’s a strong desire to affect real change in the fight against a disease most people are still largely in the dark about.

Rogen’s Netflix special, Hilarity For Charity, dropped on the streaming platform two years ago. Named after the nonprofit he started with wife Lauren Miller – which now just goes by HFC – the organization’s goal is to raise money for Alzheimer’s research and in-home care. The special may be fans first encounter with Rogen’s passion project but HFC’s been around since 2012 and it’s raised over $13 million dollars for Alzheimer’s research in that time, awarding over 290,000 hours of in-home care relief to family caregivers through a specialized grant program.

As mind-blowing as those numbers might be, HFC had relatively humble (and personal) beginnings. Just a year after the comedian started dating his now-wife, Miller’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. She was only 55-years old.

Miller had experienced the disease before – her grandfather was diagnosed when she was 12 and her grandmother lost her battle with it when Miller was in high school – but Rogen, who was just starting his movie career following the cancellation of Judd Apatow’s Freaks and Geeks, was a bit blindsided by it.

“Every time I visit my mother-in-law, I’m shocked that what I’m seeing is the result of this disease,” Rogen told InStyle in 2017. “Alzheimer’s is brutal. I mean, it’s associated with losing your memory, but you don’t just forget who people are; you also forget how to talk, how to eat, how to do everything. That’s hard to wrap your head around until you actually see it.”

Both Miller and Rogen struggled with how to help her mom for years. There was shame and stigma attached to the diagnosis that kept them from talking about it, and the lack of government funding meant a cure or even a therapeutic treatment for those suffering was basically non-existent. It wasn’t until a friend of theirs suggested they put on a variety show and donate the proceeds to Alzheimer’s organizations that they found a way to use something they both love – comedy – to benefit those in need.

Rogen would go on to star in films like Knocked Up, Superbad, and Pineapple Express as his fame grew. Miller, an actress, writer, and recently director of the Kristen Bell-starring comedy Like Father, would pop up in indie hits like Call For A Good Time. But both dedicated more and more energy to confronting the disease, especially as her mother’s condition worsened.

“Around the time when I was getting old enough and famous enough to actually understand that I should probably be using that fame to draw attention to something is around the time that all this started to happen,” Rogen told InStyle. “In [my] 20s, I was aware that other people were doing charitable things, but it was not on the forefront of what I was thinking about, nor did I have a cause or anything that I felt that strongly about, or would be able to intelligently talk about. So it really was a moment where this was happening in my personal life, and at the same time, I was like, ‘I could actually really help bring attention to this thing.’”

The duo launched Hilarity For Charity which has grown into a national non-profit and wellness initiative. Their goal isn’t just to raise money for Alzheimer’s research – though that’s the main priority and an incredible need in the space – but to also educate and support people facing this disease. That means creating grants to in-home care relief for family caregivers, people like Miller’s father who spent 15 years looking after her mother before her death in February of this year so that they can practice some self-care. A trip to the movies. A family vacation. A doctor’s appointment of their own. Small necessities that fall to the wayside when your full-time job becomes caring for a loved one who can’t eat on their own, who doesn’t recognize their surroundings or even remember themselves.

But HFC’s work isn’t just reactionary. The organization has expanded its reach, chartering new paths in the fight against Alzheimer’s by focusing on preemptive changes people can make that might stave off the worst effects of the illness.

Research shows that Alzheimer’s can reside in the brain decades before any physical effects manifest so Rogen and Miller are using their nonprofit in a more proactive way, crafting brain-health programs that teach younger generations (millennials like themselves) how to take care of their body in order to hopefully better their odds.

“When my mom was diagnosed, brain health was in a completely different space,” Miller told Refinery 29. “I was very aware of brain disease, but unaware of how to prevent brain disease.”

Along with caregiving tutorials and online support groups – which have become all the more important thanks to the current pandemic – HFC is also teaching people how to engage and enrich their brain, partnering with doctors and organizations to offer everything from articles and podcasts to short films to hammer home the importance of things like nutrition and cognitive fitness.

And yes, the work is important, but what’s even more impressive is how authentic Rogen’s approach to doing good has been. Instead of attaching his name to a charity he had no emotional ties to, the comedian has gone all-in on a mission he’s personally invested in, harnessing his talent for making people laugh with his signature brand of raunchy, good-natured humor to bring about change.

All those dick-vaping jokes are just a Trojan horse for his more essential work: beating Alzheimer’s, but instead of focusing on the dark and depressing subject matter, Rogen and Miller use their celebrity and their talented social circle to lighten the mood which, inevitably, leads to more support, more money, and more press.

Press around inventive charitable endeavors like their annual Halloween parties headlined by people like Snoop Dogg. Or Bar Mitzvahs for James Franco hosted by Miley Cyrus. Or weed-smoking adults-only carnivals with booths manned by names like Ilana Glazer, Ben Feldman, Josh Gad, and Casey Wilson. These parties are filled with over-the-top ridiculous levels of fun, but at their core, they’re about creating meaningful memories and actionable change when it comes to a truly devastating illness – at least for people like Superstore actor Feldman, whose mother suffers from the disease and who has helped organize events in the past.

“My mom is in a memory care place here in Los Angeles, but when she was a little more functioning, she’d come to these events with me,” Feldman told The Hollywood Reporter last year. “I have a video of my mom in a mosh pit dancing with weed glasses on to Seth and Snoop Dog rapping onstage. It’s the greatest video I’ve ever gotten of her.”

For his part, even though Rogen acknowledges the work HFC is doing is vital and often life-changing, he rarely shoulders that burden with any self-inflated sense of seriousness. He’s just as happy to host a guided meditation with Keegan-Michael Key to raise money as he is to speak on Capitol Hill and call out lawmakers who aren’t doing enough for Alzheimer’s research, as he did in 2014.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the federal government has allocated between six and 10 times more funds for cancer research and HIV/AIDS than Alzheimer’s despite the fact that Alzheimer’s kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined and that, by 2050, the disease will cost the U.S. an estimated 1.1 trillion dollars. When Rogen spoke in front of a committee, pleading for more funding to help manage and perhaps one-day cure the disease, only two senators stayed for his testimony. He addressed the slight, and how it points to a larger issue within Congress and our country later on Twitter.

So yes, Seth Rogen is a comedian who has a limitless supply of dick puns that he’s happy to wield against Alzheimer’s. He likes making people laugh and bringing some humor to a rather depressing diagnosis. He’s happy to use his brand of comedy to further that goal, to attach his name to all kinds of weird out-of-the-box fundraisers and events to direct the spotlight onto bigger issues.

But don’t think he doesn’t take this work seriously.

Donald Trump may want to “wreck” Fox News with his own digital media empire, but like a spurned lover still checking his ex’s Instagram every five minutes, he can’t stop watching Fox and Friends (when he’s not golfing, that is). That’s why co-host Brian Kilmeade spoke directly to the president during Wednesday morning’s episode.

“Here’s the thing, I think for the president of the United States, while he continues to fight on, and this is probably going to be the end of the week for Pennsylvania if they don’t produce something,” he said, via Mediaite (they won’t produce “something,” no matter how loud Rudy yells). “I think it’s going to, in the country’s best interest, if he starts coordinating on the virus, starts coordinating with security with the Biden team. And just brief them, because, on the virus, we’re going to be able to get this out as soon as two weeks. We need to coordinate on the transportation and implementation, and you’ll see how thorough the planning has been so we don’t drop the ball in a little while.”

It’s a solid message, but before giving Kilmeade too much credit, however, note that he’s still humoring Trump’s false belief that “I WON THE ELECTION!” Plus, later in the episode, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany dropped by to compare Americans wearing masks to protect themselves from dying from COVID-19 to… 1984?

Watch that part of the segment below.

(Via Mediaite)

The longest NBA Draft cycle in recorded history comes to an end on Wednesday, Nov. 18. While it certainly isn’t the fault of any prospect or team that this particular class has been in the public consciousness for an extended period of time, the anticipation is significant to turn the page and kick-start what is certain to be a fast and furious offseason for the league as a whole.

At this juncture, there is still drama at the top of the heap, with genuine disagreement in some circles as to how to rank the top prospects available. While that is at least somewhat unusual, it does add drama to the proceedings, with virtually every team drafting near the top of the draft involved in some level of trade buzz. Still, most believe the consensus top three will arrive in some order, even if trades shake up the teams making those selections.

Our last foray into the world of mock drafts was DIME’s annual “what every team should do” projection but, this time around, we’re back to the basics of making actual projections based on intel and rational thought. Without further delay, here is the final mock draft of 2020:

1. Minnesota Timberwolves – LaMelo Ball (G, Illawarra Hawks)

As noted above, this isn’t a given. In fact, it is a tiebreaker of sorts that leads us here, as it appears as if Ball is the most likely to be the No. 1 pick, in part because other teams may be targeting him in a trade-up scenario. The Wolves could absolutely pull the trigger on Ball and, candidly, he is my No. 1 prospect overall. Minnesota could just as well take Anthony Edwards, though, and that wouldn’t be a crazy reach at the top.

2. Golden State Warriors – James Wiseman (C, Memphis)

As a general rule, we don’t predict trades here. The Warriors could absolutely move this pick but, if they don’t, virtually everyone believes that it will be Wiseman. That is especially true if Ball goes off the board at No. 1, as he does in our scenario. Wiseman does have detractors, but Golden State seems to like him, and there is no denying his physical tools and impressive profile.

3. Charlotte Hornets – Anthony Edwards (G, Georgia)

It isn’t a secret that the Hornets like Wiseman, and he is a (very) obvious choice for Charlotte if available. In this mock, he’s off the board, and the Hornets simply go with the best player available. Edwards isn’t perfect, but he is a big-time athlete with shot-making potential. If nothing else, the Hornets can sell themselves on his star equity in a way that no other player available can bring.

4. Chicago Bulls – Tyrese Haliburton (G, Iowa State)

Avdija has real buzz with Chicago, too, but the Bulls are such a mystery with a first-time front office that it is tough to nail down. Haliburton frequently comes up with the Bulls, and it is undisputed that he has a ton of fans with teams across the league. It might be odd with Coby White and Zach LaVine on-board, but Haliburton is much more of a complementary player and he can fill in the gaps as a high-character player.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers – Deni Avdija (F, Maccabi Tel Aviv)

The Cavs could go a number of ways here, but there is smoke that they really like Avdija and would be thrilled if he was available. In addition, other teams might also look to move up to snag him. Avdija doesn’t have any elite traits to speak of, but he’s pretty good at basically everything. Throw in quality size and pedigree, and you have a player that many seem to like.

6. Atlanta Hawks – Isaac Okoro (F/G, Auburn)

This could be Haliburton or Avdija if available. It could also be Onyeka Okongwu. Beyond that, the Hawks are a team frequently linked to trade possibilities, and it should surprise no one if another team is picking at No. 6 by Wednesday night. Still, Okoro checks a lot of boxes for Atlanta, as a top-flight defensive prospect with local ties that also fits the organization’s recent profile of defense-first wings to build around Trae Young.

7. Detroit Pistons – Patrick Williams (F, Florida State)

Personally, this is a little bit high for Williams. The Pistons may feel differently, though, and the murmurs about Williams being a favorite of Detroit’s new front office are getting (very) loud. Detroit certainly should consider a lead guard like Killian Hayes, but in terms of actually projecting, we’ll roll with Williams. The league seems to be quite excited about his future.

8. New York Knicks – Obi Toppin (F/C, Dayton)

Toppin is a CAA client, which should inspire some jokes about the CAA-centric front office in New York. But, more seriously, Toppin is also worthy of this investment. He could go in the top five on draft night, and Toppin’s offensive tools are genuinely impressive. There are significant questions about his defense, but the Knicks could go a number of ways, and Toppin is one of them.

9. Washington Wizards – Onyeka Okongwu (C, USC)

The Wizards have to at least plan as if Okongwu won’t be available, and he certainly could be gone. If he falls to No. 9, though, this should honestly be an easy choice. He’s arguably the best player available and a great fit on a team that needs a defensive anchor. Call it in.

10. Phoenix Suns – Devin Vassell (G/F, Florida State)

Phoenix is suddenly in win-now mode with Chris Paul on board, and that could change the calculus here. Even if it doesn’t, Vassell is more than worthy of this pick as an elite off-ball defender that can knock down shots. He is often compared to Mikal Bridges, and the two could cause havoc on the wings. In addition, the Suns now have something of a need on the wing with Kelly Oubre Jr. heading to Oklahoma City.

11. San Antonio Spurs – Saddiq Bey (F, Villanova)

This is a touch high for Bey in my view, but he has big fans in league circles. The Spurs are pretty loaded in the backcourt right now, but they could use a forward that can space the floor. From there, San Antonio could coax improved defense from Bey and, if that happens, he becomes a highly valuable role player that can grow alongside the team’s other young players.

12. Sacramento Kings – Killian Hayes (G, Ulm)

I have to be honest and say that I genuinely don’t understand why the league seems to be lower on Hayes. He’s a top-five prospect for me but, at some point, a mock draft is supposed to be about projection and teams just don’t appear to see him that way. At any rate, the Kings are a team that is rumored to like Hayes, and he could be a “best player available” pick that also could (theoretically) play alongside De’Aaron Fox.

13. New Orleans Pelicans – Kira Lewis (G, Alabama)

The Pelicans are now in an interesting position, with myriad guard options on the roster. Eric Bledsoe and George Hill may not be part of the long-term plan, but New Orleans also has Lonzo Ball, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Josh Hart to consider. As such, Lewis may not be the pick here, but New Orleans doesn’t necessarily have their “point guard of the future” and he could be it.

14. Boston Celtics (via Memphis) – Tyrese Maxey (G, Kentucky)

Boston is probably making a move of some kind but, in this mock, we aren’t flat-out projecting trades. Maxey would be a great fit with what Boston currently has, and they have the developmental structure to allow him to grow. Evaluators are split on Maxey, but this would be a soft landing spot.

15. Orlando Magic – RJ Hampton (G, New Zealand Breakers)

The Magic might do cartwheels of Lewis falls to No. 15, but Hampton is the other prospect with big-time upside in the backcourt. Unlike Lewis, Hampton isn’t a pure point guard, but he gives Orlando some juice with the ball in his hands, and that is something the Magic desperately need in the future.

16. Houston Rockets (via Portland) – Aaron Nesmith (G/F), Vanderbilt

Good luck trying to figure out what Houston might do here. I’m plugging in Nesmith as a best player available choice, and he would also give the Rockets a knock-down shooter if they continue to try and compete. If this is a rebuild in the near future, there may be better options, but everyone is guessing.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn) – Precious Achiuwa (F/C, Memphis)

Achiuwa is a polarizing prospect, but there are some rumblings about Minnesota. It makes sense in that Karl-Anthony Towns is perhaps the best three-point shooting center of all-time, but he also struggles a bit defensively. Achiuwa may be a small-ball center in the future but, for the Wolves, he could utilize his defensive versatility and be the rim-runner when Towns is spacing the floor.

18. Dallas Mavericks – Aleksej Pokusevski (F/C, Olympiacos B)

Pokusevski has fans in the league, with some murmurs about Oklahoma City trying to snag him. That very well may happen, but the Mavericks might also see a path to intrigue by swinging for the fence. Pokusevski is the ultimate gamble in this year’s draft, and this is the point on the board where it may be too juicy to pass.

19. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia) – Josh Green (F/G, Arizona)

Brooklyn is clearly all-in for this season and the near future. That makes any draft pick difficult but, if they make the selection, Green brings defense and potential versatility. He probably won’t help them a ton right away, but Brooklyn’s roster might look very different by the end of the week anyway.

20. Miami Heat – Desmond Bane (G/F, TCU)

The Heat could go with one of the myriad ball-handlers available, but Bane also makes sense. Miami has enjoyed success with hard-working players, and Bane is well-known for his tenacity. From there, he’s a very good shooter that can handle the ball a bit and also defend at a solid level.

21. Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City) – Isaiah Joe (G, Arkansas)

In 2019, it was widely known that the Sixers were in love with Matisse Thybulle, to the point where Philadelphia was prompted to give up an extra asset to select him. In 2020, the rumblings are that the Sixers may have given Joe a promise, either at No. 21 or at No. 34. To be fair, Joe isn’t quite this high on most mainstream boards, but it wouldn’t be totally unreasonable for Philadelphia to select him here. Throw in the (loud) whispers about a promise, and this projection makes the most sense, even if No. 34 may be the “real” promise.

22. Denver Nuggets (via Houston) – Cole Anthony (G, North Carolina)

Anthony’s stock has tumbled, but Denver isn’t shy about aiming for the ceiling. Gone are the days when he was in pre-season contention for the No. 1 overall pick, but Anthony remains talented and could pair well with Jamal Murray if things work out. If anything, Anthony’s supporting traits (shooting, defense) might be underrated, and the Nuggets would be just banking on talent.

23. Utah Jazz – Robert Woodard (F, Mississippi State)

Woodard checks a ton of boxes while not being elite in any one area. He’s 6’7 with a 7’2 wingspan, though, and there is a path to relevance as a do-everything forward. Utah could use more role players in that mold, and he fits the bill cleanly.

24. New Orleans Pelicans (via Indiana, then Milwaukee) – Jalen Smith (C/F, Maryland)

As noted above, the Pelicans are in flux after a big trade, and their roster could change even more in the coming days. Smith is both a bet on talent and a bet on potential fit. New Orleans did invest a lottery pick in Jaxson Hayes, but Smith is a (much) different player. He’s a floor spacer that could pair with Zion Williamson and give the Pelicans a different look.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver) – Jaden McDaniels (F, Washington)

In practicality, this makes a ton of sense. In reality, McDaniels could be gone by now, especially with chatter that teams are buying into his pre-college sample and could pounce in the top 15. Alas, the Thunder love to pick players with impressive measurables, and McDaniels was a five-star prospect for a reason.

26. Boston Celtics – Xavier Tillman (C, Michigan State)

Boston’s trio of picks could be on the move at any moment, but the Celtics do need a center. Preferably, that player could help immediately, and Tillman profiles as exactly the kind of rookie that could have a positive impact in a winning situation. His basketball IQ is off the charts, he is a brick wall defensively, and Tillman won’t have any problem fitting into a modern offensive scheme with his short roll passing and low-usage profile.

27. New York Knicks (via LA Clippers) – Grant Riller (G, Charleston)

If the Knicks don’t go with a guard in the lottery, they will probably add one late. It may not be Riller, though, as this is a class that has a bunch of similarly graded collegiate performers in the backcourt. Riller is perhaps the most intriguing from an upside perspective, with off-the-charts metrics as a three-level scorer.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles) – Tyrell Terry (G, Stanford)

The Thunder could use a backcourt complement to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Terry might be it. He is a shooter, first and foremost, but some NBA teams like Terry’s other traits as well. This is a solid value for a team that is firmly in asset accumulation mode.

29. Toronto Raptors – Isaiah Stewart (C, Washington)

Stewart has plenty of fans in the NBA, and he is known as a hard-working young man with a great motor. His skill translation is up for debate but, in Toronto, Stewart would be properly utilized and developed. Even with some reasons for pessimism, the widespread belief is that he’ll be a first round pick somewhere.

30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee) – Leandro Bolmaro (G, Barcelona)

We’ve reached the end and Boston has another pick. The Celtics likely won’t make all three of their picks but, if they do, a roster crunch dictates that one of them kind of needs to be a draft-and-stash. Bolmaro is the best player that fits that archetype, with first round talent and a place to develop without being on Boston’s cap sheet.

NPR’s storied Tiny Desk Concert series has been different for the majority of 2020. While they got some performances in pre-pandemic, the majority of their offerings this year were filmed not in the NPR offices, but from various spaces around the world. For example, the latest performer in the series is Adrianne Lenker, and instead of cramming behind a tiny desk, she crammed into a tiny wheeled home.

Lenker gave her performance from a camper trailer parked in the famous Joshua Tree National Park. Seated at a tiny table, Lenker tenderly played five songs from Songs: “Zombie Girl,” “Two Reverse,” “Dragon Eyes,” “Anything,” and “Ingydar.” A camper in Joshua Tree is like a Western US version of the Massachusetts cabin where Lenker recorded these tunes, so the setting was appropriate and worked to great effect here.

Lenker previously said of recording Songs and companion album Instrumentals, “I had a handful of songs that I was planning on recording, but by the time [engineer Phil Weinrobe] arrived I was on a whole new level of heartsick and the songs were flying through my ears. I was basically lying in the dirt half the time. We went with the flow. A lot of the focus was on getting nourishment from our meals. We cooked directly on the woodstove, and we went on walks to the creek every day to bathe. […] I’m grateful that this music has come into existence. These songs have helped me heal. I hope that at least in some small way this music can be a friend to you.”

Watch Lenker’s Tiny Desk performance above.

In a year that has produced a critically-acclaimed album in Future Nostalgia, an appearance in FIFA 21, multiple award show nominations, and more for Dua Lipa, the pop singer now has a new accomplishment to flaunt on her resume. Sharing the news on her social media platforms, Dua Lipa announced that she is the latest brand ambassador for Puma. The singer joins names like J. Cole, Neymar, Marcus Smart, and others on the shoe brand’s celebrity roster. Puma revealed she would work with the company to help inspire women all over the world through various campaigns and initiatives.

The singer shared a post on Twitter celebrating her latest accomplishment. “Clearly very excited to announce that i’ve joined the @PUMA family as their new brand ambassador!!!” she said. “Can’t wait for u to see what we have in store for ya.” Next year, Dua Lipa will headline Puma’s upcoming “She Moves Us” campaign, which aims to uplift and empower women through sports. The brand will also sponsor the singer’s “Studio 2054” virtual performance as she rock clothes and pieces from Puma’s collection.

The news comes after Dua Lipa announced a b-side collection for her Future Nostalgia album would arrive next year. The singer will also appear on Miley Cyrus’ upcoming album, Plastic Hearts, which drops on November 27.

You can read Dua Lipa’s announcement in the post above

Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.