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Brandon Miller is headed to Charlotte. While the Hornets missed out on the chance to select Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the team got to take literally anyone else in the pool, and decided to use their selection on the 6’9 wing from Alabama who projects as the kind of two-way wing that fits perfectly next to LaMelo Ball.

Miller is joining a team that hasn’t been especially great in recent years, as the Hornets haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 and finished with an above-.500 record once in that time. But despite that, the young man is remarkably confident about what he and his young teammates are going to do from the jump, as he explained in an interview after he was drafted.

“Like you said, just making all the winning plays,” Miller told Ashley Stroehlein of WCNC when asked how he would fit in. “Doing whatever the team needs me to do. I see the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Finals next year, so, hopefully we’ll get that big trophy at the end.”

While you cannot accomplish big things unless you believe they are possible, it would be quite the turnaround for the Hornets — which won 27 games last season and have never made it past the conference semis — to become NBA champions next year.

The most online player in all of American professional sports right now might be Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant. Not only is Durant one of the best players in the world who has had a near-permanent spot on All-NBA teams when he’s able to remain healthy, but he frequently pops up on Twitter doing basically whatever he feels like, which is legitimately refreshing in an era where many athletes basically use the internet as a way to, like, further brand partnerships or whatever.

On Friday night, Durant must have been hanging out and looking at his phone when he saw that there was a Twitter Space going on called “Kevin Durant is not top 5.” So Durant did what anyone would do in this situation and hopped in, and eventually, it got to the point where he decided to start talking and discussed the topic at hand.

It can be very easy to make fun of a professional athlete for caring about something like this to the point that they’d start talking with people on Twitter about it, but seeing an athlete and fans talk like this is so rare that it’s actually pretty incredible to see. Here’s hoping we see KD (or really any NBA player) pop up in Twitter Spaces between now and the start of next season to talk about anything.

Drake‘s new poetry book — which he wrote alongside songwriter Kenza Samir — has hit shelves today (June 24). In tandem with the new book Titles Ruin Everything: A Stream Of Consciousness By Kenza Samir & Aubrey Graham, it appears we may also be getting some new music.

The book is currently available for purchase via Drake‘s officially online merchandiser, DrakeRelated, as well as select retailers, however, members of the press who received their copies early noted that the front cover of the book contains an image of two puppies with a caption reading “For All The Dogs.”

An insider told Complex that “the image serves as a QR which takes you to a landing page announcing drake has an album on the way. While there is no release day we’re inclined to think this image in the book will be the communication point for ongoing updates.”

https://twitter.com/ComplexMusic/status/1672679294034640897?s=20

The QR code has also appeared in some of the newspaper ads Drake has taken out to promote the album, according to fans on social media. The code reportedly takes fans to a page, which shows a message from Drake.

“I made an album to go with the book,” reads the message. “They say they miss the old Drake girl don’t tempt me.” Subtext below reads “FOR ALL THE DOGS” in all caps.

At the time of writing, there is no confirmed release date for For All The Dogs.

It’s been two months since Fox News canned Tucker Carlson, but it didn’t take him too long to find a new home. Earlier this month, he debuted his new “show” on his new platform: Twitter, where he’s been dropping videos that roughly approximate what he used to do on primetime network television. The move quickly got him in trouble with his old employers, who have him under contract into early 2025. Was it worth it? Possibly not.

A new report by The Guardian digs into Tucker’s battle with Fox News, who are still demanding a “cease and desist” from their former biggest star. Other than that, though, neither side has done much to advance the war. It’s been clear, though, that firing Carlson hurt them in ratings.

But, in a bit teased out by Raw Story, Carlson’s not doing great either. His first Twitter video racked up a stunning 120 million views, suggesting either that it was an instant hit…or that tons of people were simply interested to see what his first Twitter video was like. Alas for Tucker, it might be the latter: As The Guardian notes, a video posted on June 20, about the Hunter Biden plea bargain, racked up “fewer than 15m views.”

For some perspective that’s an eighth of the views nabbed by Tucker’s first video. (For the record, his most recent video, from June 22, did slightly better, with 26.4 million views.)

Fox News stars don’t have a great track record after leaving or being fired by the network. Megyn Kelly flamed out at NBC News, and though she occasionally makes news she’s far from her former glory. And you rarely hear from Bill O’Reilly these days except when he goes off on a quickly short-circuiting tour with the GOP’s current frontrunner. Perhaps Tucker’s future will follow a similar path, especially given that his defenses of the Russian invasion aren’t aging so well.

(Via The Guardian and Raw Story)

Jim Jones has responded to Pusha T‘s alleged diss track aimed at him. The two have been thought to have been feuding since April, when Jones questioned Push’s position on Billboard and VIBE‘s 50 Greatest Rappers Of All Time list. Today (June 24) a clip of the Dipset founding member surfaced online, featuring him laying down vengeful bars in a booth.

In the clip, he makes clear allusions to Push and The Clipse, and even accuses Push of offering crack cocaine to his brother and fellow Clipse member, No Malice.

“That last sh*t you dropped, that sh*t was garbage, take that sh*t back / Plus you got your brother up, what you tryna bring The Clipse back? / Talking about your brother, what happened to that boy? / It’s looking like you were selling crack to that boy,” Jones raps.

This no-bars-held snippet comes days after Pusha T previewed an alleged Jones diss track by The Clipse at Pharrell Williams’ first Louis Vuitton show as creative director in Paris. On the track, Push accuses Jones of trying to be friendly with Drake in order to get a guest verse from him.

“Beware of my name, that there’s delegate / You know I know where you’re delicate / Crush you to pieces, I’ll hum a breath of it / I will close your heaven for the hell of it / You think it’d be valor amongst veterans / I’m watching your fame escape relevance / We all in a room but here’s the elephant / You chasing a feature out of your element,” raps Push.

You can listen to the snippet above.

The search for a new James Bond is still under way, though it’s clear no one’s in a rush: After all, Daniel Craig wrapped his last day as 007 nearly four years ago. Could it be Aaron Taylor-Johnson, or will he be too busy playing Kraven the Hunter? (Whatever happens, sorry, it won’t be Idris Elba.) But what if Craig never got the gig? What if it went to the guy who went on to play Superman for a spell? Turns out that could have happened.

In an interview with The Daily Express (as caught by Deadline), director Martin Campbell, who helmed the game-changing reboot Casino Royale (as well as another Bond revivial, Goldeneye), said that one of the better candidates to replace Pierce Brosnan was no less than Henry Cavill.

“And look, if Daniel didn’t exist, Henry would have made an excellent Bond,” Campbell said. “He looked terrific, he was in great physical shape…very handsome, very chiseled. He just looked a little young at that time back then.”

Indeed, Cavill at the time was a very green 22. Craig, meanwhile, was 38.

Campbell explained that age really is a factor when it comes to taking on England’s most famous fictional spy. Oddly, Craig, he argued, was a bit too old when he got the gig.

“By the time Daniel got to [No Time To Die], really he was at an age where one more would have been too old for him,” Campbell explained. I know with Pierce, he had to sign on to three when we did him. So that’s going to take, what, six years of your life maybe? I suspect Daniel [had] the same deal. And the next guy’s going to have to do that.”

Campbell also said that Cavill, who’s now 40, is definitely too old for the role “Henry’s 40, so by the time he’s done the third one he’s going to be 50 and anything beyond that’s two, three years per Bond,” Campbell said. “He’s in good shape Henry, he’s a good guy. He did very well in the audition, but ironically he was too young.”

At least Cavill got to play a dashing spy later on: Napoleon Solo, one of the heroes of Guy Ritchie’s delightful film version of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

(Via The Daily Express and Deadline)

Zach Bryan is currently on his Burn, Burn, Burn Tour — and his anti-Ticketmaster stance is making it easier for fans to purchase passes to his shows.

The “Something In The Orange” hitmaker kicked off his tour back in May at the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, VA. With several songs to his credit, especially as his American Heartbreak album boasts 34 songs, fans are wondering which songs of Bryan’s they’ll get to hear live.

Thankfully, fans who have been in attendance at some of the shows have shared the setlist via Setlist.fm.

You can see the full setlist and the remaining tour dates below. Tickets are available for purchase here.

1. “Open the Gate”
2. “God Speed”
3. “Fifth Of May”
4. “Highway Boys”
5. “Quittin’ Time”
6. “Tishomingo”
7. “Dawns”
8. “Condemned”
9. “Sweet DeAnn”
10. “Sun To Me”
11. “Oklahoma Smokeshow”
12. “Something In The Orange”
13. “Heavy Eyes”
14. “Snow”
15. “Motorcycle Drive By”
16. “’68 Fastback”
17. “Heading South”
18. “Burn, Burn, Burn”
19. “Revival” with Trampled By Turtles

06/26 — Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
06/27 — Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
07/07 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
07/13 — Chicago, IL @ Windy City Smokeout
07/14-16 — Whitefish, MT @ Under The Big Sky Festival
07/20-22 — Cullman, AL @ Rock The South
08/05 — St. Charles, IA @ Hinterland Music Festival
08/07 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
08/09 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
08/11 — Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center
08/14 — Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center
08/17 — Nampa, ID @ Ford Idaho Center
08/19 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
08/20 — Bakersfield, CA @ Mechanics Bank Arena
08/21 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
08/23 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena
08/25 — Glendale, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
08/27 — Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena
08/29 — Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
08/30 — Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center

Zach Bryan is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Russia doesn’t have a lot of friends right now, all because they decided to invade Ukraine early last year. But they have some. Certain prominent figures in the U.S., including the likely GOP nominee for 2024 and Fox News’ former reigning star, have been pro-Vladimir Putin. Then there’s Steven Seagal. The actor was a Russian ally before practically anyone else, and he’s even vowed to train its soldiers in martial arts. So what is he making of the possible military rebellion?

On Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a criminal-turned-chef-turned-leader of the mercenary group Wagner, announced he’d had enough of the Ukrainian invasion. As such, he and his 25,000 soldiers were mounting a civil war, claiming they took over a Southern city with Moscow on its agenda. It’s so serious that Putin allegedly went into hiding.

People on social media have been torching Putin’s American fans. That went extra for Seagal, who has been prone to spouting Russian State TV propaganda talking points. As reports of Prigozhin’s warpath— as well as details of his and his soldiers’ brutality — spread, people wondered if the 71-year-old actor who’s long been on his side couldn’t help out.

There were also Tucker jokes.

And someone used the occasion to tell a fun Seagal story.

On Friday, almost a year and a half after it began, the Ukrainian invasion took a turn. Yevgeny Prigozhin, a criminal-turned-chef who became leader of the brutal mercenary group Wagner, called for an armed rebellion to stop the war. Prigozhin claims to command some 25,000 soldiers in Ukraine, and his forces declared they had taken control of the city Rostov-on-Don, with Moscow next on their agenda. President Vladimir Putin vowed to crush the rebellion, but it’s not looking good for him. And it’s got some people thinking his defenders in the U.S. maybe weren’t on the money.

For weeks, Prigozhin has been publicly mocking Russia’s military leadership, who he’s accused of being lazy and incompetent. In his announcement Friday, he challenged the official state narrative about the invasion, blaming Putin, military leaders, and their oligarch pals for launching an unprovoked assault that has killed tens of thousands of civilians.

Prigozhin averred that the “evil brought by the military leadership of the country must be stopped.” He laid out his plan in stark terms. “Everyone who will try to resist, we will consider them a danger and destroy them immediately, including any checkpoints on our way. And any aviation we see above our heads.”

Were 25,000 Russian soldiers really going to come for Putin and gang? Apparently. Unconfirmed reports say that Putin has even gone into hiding.

Russia’s invasion has been roundly condemned by the world. Even McDonald’s pulled their stores from the nation. But Putin and team have had some local support. Tucker Carlson has always been on their side. MAGA types like Marjorie Taylor Greene have condemned America’s continued support of Ukraine. Donald Trump once called Putin’s move “genius” and “savvy” and called him “strong” as opposed to America’s “weak” military leaders.”

As the possible coup got under way, people on social media remembered who took the wrong side on this issue.

Some wondered what Tucker would say about all this.

Others made jokes.

Of course, Putin isn’t the only one whose empire is crumbling.

Kelly Clarkson is speaking her truth. Her latest album, Chemistry largely touches on her divorce from her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. But in a recent interview with The Howard Stern Radio Show, she revealed a surprising truth about her second album, Breakaway.

As many fans know, Breakaway‘s title track was originally written by Avril Lavigne, then was later given to Clarkson circa 2004. Clarkson revealed to Stern that while she likes the song, she wasn’t exactly excited to include it on her second album, which would later be named after this song.

“I liked the song, I’m going to lead with that, but I’m going to be honest with you … it doesn’t sound [like the rest of the album] … My label was like look, if you do this, we’ll give you this, like with songs on the record. I just didn’t think it fit in,” said Clarkson.

She compared the song to some of the album’s several hits, including “Walk Away,” “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” “Because Of You,” and of course, the iconic “Since U Been Gone.”

Clarkson noted that her label was “really pushing for it.”

“I was like, ‘Man, if y’all really believe in it, then alright.’ And then we ended up naming [the album] Breakaway,” she said.

You can see a clip from the interview above.

Chemistry is out now via Atlantic. Find more information here.

Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.