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The NBA’s Board of Governors almost unanimously approved a return to play plan on Thursday, one that would send 22 teams to Orlando for a bubble league that is tentatively slated to tip off on July 31. One day later and the plan made its way to the National Basketball Players Association for another vote, which ended in the players giving their unanimous approval.

According to multiple reports, the 28 players reps who were on the call signed off on the plan.

Next up for both sides is a round of negotiations, something that Wojnarowski mentioned will occur in the next week and will include one of the talking points from Thursday’s vote: the proposed Dec. 1 start date for the 2020-21 campaign that caught the NBPA off guard.

Charania reported out some of the specifics for the bubble league, with details including daily testing for COVID-19, families being able to join teams at their hotels at a certain point, exhibition games, and a limit of 1,600 people on the campus that will be used for the league.

One of the most interesting details is that the league plans on doing daily COVID testing once the season resumes, but Charania noted that it will not be the incredibly invasive testing that you may have seen or experienced in recent months.

We’ll still have to wait for final details to get hammered out in the near-future, and eventually, players will start making their way down to Orlando for the league. For now, perhaps the two biggest hurdles have been cleared, and the NBA’s return after months of no games can be seen on the horizon.

On Friday, professional athletes from various leagues around North America wore orange in support of National Gun Violence Awareness Day. In a video compilation circulated by Everytown for Gun Safety, WNBA champion Natasha Cloud, MLS winger Alejandro Bedoya, U.S. ice hockey player Hilary Knight and more spoke about the increasing need for gun control in the U.S.

“Gun violence devastates so many families and neighborhoods and disproportionately affects communities of color,” Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said in the video.

One of the NBA’s most politically outspoken coaches, Kerr has repeatedly advocated for stricter gun control laws over the years. When Kerr was an 18-year-old college freshman, his own father, Malcolm Kerr, assassinated by gun violence because he was the president of the American University of Beirut. In 2018, Kerr called gun control a “public health issue.” At a press conference before Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals three days after the Virginia Beach mass shooting, Kerr wore a black t-shirt with the words, “Vote for our lives,” and spoke about the March For Our Lives movement.

In the video, Kerr said he wants tighter regulation around guns “because kids all over this country deserve to go to school and feel safe.”

“I wear orange because domestic abusers shouldn’t have access to guns,” said Cloud, guard for the Washington Mystics.

Cloud has made it her life’s mission to fight against gun violence. As the only child with a black biological father in her family of five children, the 28-year-old grew up in what she calls a “gray-area,” not quite realizing she was black until she was older. Since coming into the WNBA in 2015, Cloud, who is biracial and bisexual, has been a part of a politically vocal Mystics team and she became increasingly comfortable with the idea of using her platform for good.

“This community has become part of me. It was time for me to step and use my platform — my God-given platform — for something greater,” Cloud told ESPN’s The Undefeated in September.

Cloud has met with policymakers, gun violence survivors and activists to home games and and volunteered with her teammates at a local DC elementary school that was shot at twice in two weeks last summer. Following the second shooting, the Mystics guard held a media blackout in which she would only address questions from the media regarding gun violence reform.

Many players in the video also spoke about family members they had lost due to gun violence.

“Today, I wear orange to honor my best friend, Branden, and also to be an example to the youth, to motivate and to inspire,” said Tim Anderson, shortstop for the Chicago White Sox.

“To represent for my late sister Taiesha Watkins,” said NFL running back DeAndre Washington. “She was murdered two years ago due to senseless gun violence.

“In honor of my father, who was killed in 2010 to a senseless act of gun violence in his place of business,” Diontae Spencer, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, said.

“To honor my cousin Jojo, who was shot and killed seven years ago,” two-time WNBA champion Devereaux Peters said.

Other women’s basketball players, including Mystics forward Tianna Hawkins, Lynx rookie Crystal Dangerfield and ESPN analyst and women’s basketball hall of famer Rebecca Lobo also took to Twitter to post their support using the #WearOrange hashtag.

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Toronto FC captain and longtime USMNT skipper Michael Bradley lambasted Donald Trump’s lack of leadership on a media conference call Thursday. As protests persist across the nation following the killing of George Floyd, Trump has repeatedly tweeted attacks on those taking to the streats, even sharing a letter which labeled peaceful protesters as “terrorists” and posing for a photo outside a D.C. church after law enforcement dispersed protesters with tear gas, flash bangs, and rubber bullets.

When asked about Trump’s response to everything going on in the country right now, Bradley didn’t mince words.

“We have a president who is completely empty. There isn’t a moral bone in his body,” Bradley said, according to the Canadian Press. “There’s no leadership. There’s no leadership from the president, there’s no leadership from the Republican senators who have sat back and been totally complicit in everything he’s done for the last three and a half years.”

“Nothing but the truth here,” tweeted Jozy Altidore, Bradley’s club and national teammate.

Bradley went on to encourage Americans to turn their words into action by voting in November.

“I just hope that people are able to go to the polls in November and think about more than just what is good for them, more than what is good for their own status, their own business, their own tax return,” the veteran midfielder said. “I hope that people can go to the polls and understand that in so many ways, the future of our country and the future of our democracy is at stake.

“We need as many people as possible to understand that at a real level, to think about what four more years with Trump as president, what that would mean, how terrible that would be for so many people.”

Bradley, who made his debut for the USMNT in 2006 and served as its longtime captain, is the latest athlete to speak up regarding the current situation in the United States. Many NBA and WNBA players including Jaylen Brown, Malcolm Brogdon, Jewell Lloyd and Breanna Stewart have attended protests or rallies in the past week. Four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore has spoken out as well. Bradley’s U.S. teammate, Weston McKennie, who plays for FC Schalke in the German Bundesliga, wore a white armband with Floyd’s name during a game this past weekend, while U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen and defender DeAndre Yedlin have also commented on social media about the Black Lives Matter movement and racial injustice in the U.S.

As another weekend of Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality approaches, Paramount Network and A&E are making bold moves with the airing of two popular, law-enforcement/reality-crime documentary series. Especially in the case of Cops, the move’s a significant one, given that the show was set to launch Season 33 next week on Paramount Network. As for A&E, the four-season original series won’t see airtime again anytime soon. Instead, both programs have been replaced on schedules for the foreseeable future.

Variety first reported the news while noting that Paramount Network appears to have made the decision a week ago with all mentions of the series disappearing from its website. Via Indiewire, ViacomCBS has confirmed that Paramount Network has “no plans” to air Cops anytime soon. Meanwhile, A&E has issued a statement about putting Live PD on hold, at least for the time being:

“Out of respect for the families of George Floyd and others who have lost their lives, in consultation with the departments we follow, and in consideration for the safety of all involved, we have made the decision not to broadcast ‘Live PD’ this weekend.”

There’s no way to tell if viewers will see new Cops episodes on air again, ever, or perhaps it will shift homes again. The long-running series moved from Fox (after a few dozens seasons) to Spike TV (later rebranded as Paramount Network), and it’s entered the cultural conversation on more than one occasion for its sensationalism and at-times controversial portrayal of law enforcement. Earlier this week Paramount Network was one of many channels that participated in Blackout Tuesday by devoting 8:46 of darkened airtime to represent the duration that Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin pushed his knee into George Floyd’s neck during a fatal apprehension.

(Via Variety, IndieWire & CNBC)

Individuals have taken to the streets in recent days in protest of the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old man in Minneapolis who was killed by a police officer. Floyd’s death was the latest in a disturbing trend of violence by law enforcement officials toward Black individuals, and as a result, Americans have marched nationwide in the name of racial equality and fixing the systematic injustices that exist in this country.

Beyond marching, individuals have put money toward a myriad of charities designed to fight these issues, whether they be local bail funds or organizations that put time and effort into striving for a better tomorrow. Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand have decided to put a major financial commitment toward this as well, as longtime manager Estee Portnoy released a statement indicating that $100 million will be allocated over the next decade to “organizations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education.”

“Through our Jordan Wings Program, we have been focused on providing access to education, mentorship and opportunity for Black youth facing the obstacles of systemic racism,” Jordan Brand president Craig Williams said in a statement of his own. “But we know we can do more. In addition to the investment from NIKE Inc., we are announcing a joint commitment from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand to donate $100 million over the next 10 years. We must join forces with the community, government and civic leaders to create a lasting impact together. There is still more work for us to do to drive real impact for the Black Community. We embrace the responsibility.”

It has not been announced which charities will be on the receiving end of these donations. Jordan spoke out about Floyd’s death earlier this week, releasing a statement via that Charlotte Hornets in which he said, “Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all.”

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Social distancing continues this weekend amid the global pandemic, and several new TV seasons are here for the binging. If nothing here suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

I May Destroy You (Sunday, HBO 10:30 p.m.) — Michaela Coel’s newest series is heavier than her hit Britcom, Chewing Gum (now streamable on Netflix). However, this fiery and fearless exploration of sexual consent does not arrive without Coel’s trademark wit and dark spikes of humor. As Arabella, Coel must solve the mystery of a disturbing, hours-long gap in her memory. What follows is a disorienting and uncomfortable and tragic and triumphantly real batch of episodes.

Queer Eye: Season 5 (Netflix series): Thank goodness for the Fab Five, who are here to bring us fresh batch of their comfort-watch, reality-makeover series. This time around, they’re headed to Philly to help a gay pastor, among others who could use some style.

13 Reasons Why: Season 4 (Netflix series): It’s been a long and dramatic haul for Liberty High School’s Senior Class. The show now sees its characters working to keep secrets buried while staring down how their future will be, if that doesn’t happen.

The Last Days of American Crime (Netflix film): Based upon the graphic novel from Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini, this futuristic movie stars Edgar Ramirez and Michael Pitt. The pair hope to pull off a great American heist before an interfering government signal is due to halt all crimes from being committed. This sounds like a hit for the Extraction crowd that’s looking for a new action fix.

The Vast Of Night (Amazon Prime movie) — Our own Josh Kurp called this movie a “fun, genre-heavy, impressively acted, darkly-but-beautifully lit throwback that starts slow, but once you realize what going on, things begins to click like an old-fashioned remote control.” The story takes place in 1950s New Mexico, where two young people observe a mysterious frequency that descends upon their community. It’s a tense and entirely watchable movie, great for kicking off your weekend.

Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:

Friday Night In with The Morgans (Friday, AMC 10:00 p.m.) — Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton are back, hopefully with more insight into The Walking Dead.

Betty (Friday, HBO 11:00 p.m.) — This week, the ladies assemble for another all-girls skate session, as Skate Kitchen director Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack) wraps up a TV season for her O.G. crew for this funny and freewheeling series.

Billions (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Taylor’s attempting to make an impact with the new venture while Axe’s plans might be derailed by an old scheme.

Quiz (Sunday, AMC 9:00 p.m.) — Take Two puts Charles Ingram on the hotseat with thrown-away lifelines presenting problems. The production team soon grows suspicious due to his quick turnaround, so is he cheating or simply a genius?

Snowpiercer (Sunday, TNT 9:00 p.m.) — Layton’s murder investigation builds to a climax, so the show can move onto other topics next week with less distraction. Also, Melanie’s big secret is about to be unraveled.

I Know This Much Is True (Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — It’s the penultimate episode of Mark Ruffalo’s (well-acted) portrayal of two identical twins with a troubled, miserable relationship.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — A visit for Tiago makes him feel super guilty over Diego’s confession, while dueling allegiances spawn trouble for Brian, and Josefina’s newfound faith gets… interesting.

Insecure (Sunday, HBO 10:00 p.m.) — Issa’s doing a platonic favor while that whole block party-failure thing still looms in the rear view mirror. Molly’s also attempting new coping methods, so watch out.

It’s been two years since Ronny J shared his breakout debut record Omgronny, which featuring heavy-hitters like Denzel Curry, Smokepurpp, and the late Xxxtentacion. His album garnered a lot of buzz and earned him a solid fan base. But now, the musician is gearing up for a new era. Ronny J announced his sophomore album Jupiter and shared the lead single, “Miami.”

While the artist hasn’t announced a firm release date for Jupiter, the record is expected to be due this summer. For “Miami,” Ronny J connected with Argentinian trapper Duki and Italian rapper Sfera Ebbasta, who all rap in their respective native languages. The three musicians deliver their verses over a bright, thumping beat. “Baby, I could fly you in Miami / Mansion in Key Largo so fancy / Baby, let’s go deep on a jetski / Take you all around, you’re so sexy,” Ronny J raps.

Sharing his track to social media, Ronny J wrote that he hopes his fans will find a much-needed escape through the dance-ready track: “During this tough time in the world, I wanna up the vibrations,” he wrote. “Peace and love.”

Listen to “Miami” above and check out Ronny J’s Jupiter cover art and tracklist below.

1. “Intro (Fly)”
2. “Typical”
3. “Faster”
4. “More Plays”
5. “Range Rover”
6. “Invitation”
7. “Famous”
8. “Miami” Feat. Sfera Ebbasta and Duki
9. “At The Top”
10. “488”
11. “Unfamiliar Faces”
12. “Outro (Destiny)”