YouTuber Logan Paul revealed that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson” stopped talking to him after he filmed his notorious “suicide forest” video, and if that sentence makes sense to you (guilty…), you spend too much on the internet (…as charged).
Paul was a guest on a recent episode on the True Geordie podcast, where he discussed his falling out with The Rock. They used to make videos together, including one where he asked the wrestler-turned-movie star how he can get “DJ-sized, bro,” but then Paul uploaded a video to his popular YouTube channel of a dead body in Japan’s Aokigahara forest, also known as the Suicide Forest, and he got a call from The Rock’s publicist.
“After Japan happened, obviously I found myself in a hole, rightfully so, that I had never been in before. Extremely low mentally, and I got a call from my publicist, who also repped Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson,” he said. The publicist, speaking for her client, asked for Paul to “remove every picture and video” of him and the Black Adam star together. “I thought we had a healthy relationship, an open line of communication,” he continued, “and I was so sad that my hero wanted nothing to do with me.”
Paul, who has 23.5 million subscribers on YouTube, claims that The Rock reached out to him a few months ago through a direct message on Instagram to say that he enjoyed one of his videos. But he didn’t respond back (“I think I’m a scumbag for outing this story,” he admitted). Paul thinks The Rock is a “f*cking awesome” person, but, he added, “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt.” You can watch the interview above.
Kevin Bacon is going back to his campy thriller roots to star in a new horror film from Blumhouse productions, who are known for their spooky-yet-sometimes-hilarious films. Looking at you, Happy Death Day.
In They/Them, Bacon will play Owen Whistler who runs Whistler Camp, a conversion camp that aims to “psychologically break down” their LGBTQ campers. On top of the psychological breakdown, a killer seems to be stalking the grounds and claiming victims. Bacon historically hasn’t had good luck with isolated summer camps in the past. When will he learn?
The trailer shows some Whistler counselors inviting the campers into the “safe space” before it slowly turns into a bloody slasher, complete with creepy marionette puppets and some old-timey photos that may or may not be haunted. The title is a play on words, as They literally slash Them. That pun alone should get some praise! Here is the official synopsis:
When a group of LGBTQ+ campers arrives at Whistler Camp – a conversion camp run by Owen Whistler (Kevin Bacon) – they are promised a “new sense of freedom” by the end of the week. But as the counselors attempt to psychologically break down each of the campers, a mysterious killer starts claiming victims, and they must reclaim their power if they’re going to survive the horrors of the camp. Written and directed by Academy Award nominee John Logan and produced by Jason Blum, They/Them is an empowering slasher film starring an ensemble cast that includes Carrie Preston, Anna Chlumsky, Theo Germaine, Quei Tann, Anna Lore, Monique Kim, Darwin del Fabro, Cooper Koch, and Austin Crute.
The movie will drop on Peacock on August 5th. Check out the trailer above.
Michael Jordan does not own a reputation of being the warmest personality across the sports landscape. That notion was generally understood, but further reinforced throughout the The Last Dance documentary back in the spring of 2020. His stern public persona once again, understandably, shined through when a random fan asked for a photo with the NBA legend in a parking garage, while simultaneously filming him.
As most people would, Jordan justifiably took exception to this person’s behavior, asked that he stopped being recorded and quickly turned down any request for a photo as he walked to his car.
Of course, Jordan is entirely in the right for his frustration here. It’s merely a funny example, given all the details we know about Jordan’s hard-line nature and the fact that, despite his status as one of the famous people to ever live, he greatly values his own privacy.
The best part is how the videographer seemingly ruins their friend’s slim chance to snag a picture with Jordan. The cameraperson is so starstruck by Jordan’s presence that they can’t find anything other to say than repeatedly yelling Jordan’s name, as the all-time great repeatedly tells them to put the phone down.
When the person not holding the camera finally musters up the courage to inquire about a flick, they’re met with a swift “no” from Jordan and that’s that. Jordan’s first impression of them being greeted by an unsolicited video derails any opportunity to salvage the interaction.
Maybe, they’ll learn from this moment and avoid videos in the future if they actually meet LaMelo Ball, who appeared to be the initial subject of their intentions.
As the Senate race in Pennsylvania heats up, Democratic candidate and the state’s lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, continues to run circles around Dr. Mehmet Oz, whose campaign has been one embarrassing misstep after another. The TV doctor narrowly won the Republican nomination following a recount, and now, in a move that’s sure to anger the base who just barely elected him, Oz is reportedly distancing himself from Donald Trump.
According to Axios, Oz has been scrubbing all “Trump branding” from his campaign website and social media accounts. It’s an odd about-face, which Fetterman wasted no time capitalizing on. Just hours after the Axios report, Fetterman’s Twitter account fired off a clown meme roasting Oz for everything from being a New Jersey resident to desperately seeking Trump’s endorsement, only to realize that it’s now a political liability.
As for the scrubbing of Trump from Oz’s entire campaign, it’s a pretty thorough cleansing despite the candidate heavily using the former president’s name on social media throughout the primary. Via Axios:
Oz’s social media banners now say “Thank you, Pennsylvania,” and feature a solo photo of him without Trump. His website no longer has a pop-up fundraiser appeal touting his Trump endorsement.
Oz’s Twitter bio no longer advertises him as the “Trump Endorsed Candidate for U.S. Senate,” and he hasn’t tweeted about Trump since May 17.
Oz’s campaign hasn’t run Facebook ads since the primary, and on Google his only general election ad reads, “The PA Senate Race will determine who has the majority. Donate to take back the US Senate!”
Even on the Trump-run social media site Truth Social, Oz hasn’t posted about Trump since the primary — though he still touts his Trump endorsement in his bio.
When reached for comment, Oz’s spokesperson said that Trump is still the first name listed on the “Endorsements” section of campaign website, which is true. However, the former president is no longer featured on the front page or in pop-up ads that were highly prominent during Oz’s primary campaign.
Before you take a sip of a summer beer, you should know a few things. All summer ales are summer beers, but not all summer beers are summer ales. Confused yet? Fine, a little background: there’s no set definition for what a “summer beer” can be. But there is a beer style called “summer ale,” and that beer is usually low in alcohol, light, and easy to drink, often with a citrus element. While a summer ale is a summer beer, it’s not the only kind of summer beer.
Technically speaking, a summer beer can be any style, although lighter styles are more common. In the simplest terms, a summer beer is a beer that makes you think of summer.
Along with swimming, sunbathing, and surfing the internet for new A/C units, another activity we typically associate with summer fun is grillin’. Who doesn’t remember dropping cannonballs into the pool while a dad (be it yours or someone else’s) blew his eyelashes off with a lighter-fluid fireball? As logic would dictate, summery beers go great with grilled food — steaks, sausages, veggies, burgers — or at least, they should.
That’s why, for our latest summer beer blind taste test, we tried to make our tasting as situationally appropriate as possible. Instead of just blindly nosing and tasting a handful of well-known summer beers, we decided to pair them with a bite of a juicy cheeseburger. To see which combination was more than the sum of its parts. How else could we finally find the best summer beer?
It’s a little hard to grill up a consistent product while nosing, sipping, and taking notes, so in lieu of making our own, we selected the most standardized product we could imagine, a Quarter Pounder with cheese from McDonald’s. You’ll probably prefer to grill your own, but if you don’t have the time or space a fast food burger and a beer do make a great “mind vacation.” Now then, onto the test!
Today’s Competitors:
Samuel Adams Summer Ale
Allagash White
Victory Summer Love
Brooklyn Summer Ale
Bell’s Oberon
Sierra Nevada Summerfest
Long Trail Summer Ale
Shipyard Summer Ale
Part 1: The Taste
Christopher Osburn
Taste 1
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
The nose is loaded with myriad aromas like coriander, cloves, and other spices as well as banana candy, caramel malts, and a light fruity scent. The palate, when paired with a bite of the cheeseburger, is very fruity, yeasty, malty, and has a nice mix of banana and spices. All of these flavors only add to the savory, umami flavor of the burger. It’s definitely a great beer to pair with grilled foods.
Taste 2
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
A nose of biscuit-like malts, wet grass, citrus zest, and slight, piney hops greeted my nose. Sipping it, when paired with a bite of burger, brought forth caramel malts, more citrus, and light, floral hops. It’s crisp and easy to drink and pairs well with a savory, cheesy, fatty burger. But there’s nothing really interesting in the flavor profile that sets this apart from many other crisp, easy-to-drink summer beers.
Taste 3
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this beer’s nose. There are aromas of bready malts, earthy grass, fresh hay, citrus peels, and floral, slightly piney hops. After a bite of burger, the palate continued this trend. The juicy, meaty burger paired very well with the Meyer lemon, tangerine, caramel malts, and piney, slightly resinous, subtly bitter finish. This is the crisp, malty, citrusy beer you’ve been looking for to pair with your summer burgers.
Taste 4
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a bit uneventful with some light tropical fruit esters, citrus zest, and maybe some subtle floral hops. But I really had to dig to find them. The palate isn’t much more exciting even when paired with a juicy burger. Some more tangerine, grapefruit, and other indistinguishable citrus flavors are paired with some lightly floral, subtly bitter hops. They all worked fine with the savory, salty meat, but didn’t really wow me. Overall, a lot of citrus and not much else.
Taste 5
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
Lemon zest, floral hops, and sweet malts are prevalent on the nose. Otherwise, the nose is a bit light on the aroma. I took a bite of my burger and washed it down with this beer. The juicy, salty meat paired well with the sweet wheat, orange peel, and lemon zest of the beer and the cheese was a good accompaniment to the gentle spices. Overall, it was a decent pairing. But just not an overly interesting beer.
Taste 6
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
The nose has some hints of sweet wheat, lemon zest, and orange peel. But really not much else. It’s not a very good start. I took a bite of the burger and then washed it down with some beer. The meaty flavor of the burger paired well with the wheat, citrus, and slightly floral hops flavors. The problem is that there isn’t really much more going on with this beer. It’s pretty boring and unexciting overall.
Taste 7
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of banana peels, citrus zest, caramel malts, and light yeast met my nose before my first sip. After a bite of the burger, I took a sip. I found notes of orange peel, lemon curd, banana candy, bready malts, and a nice, slightly sweet, lightly bitter finish. The balance of yeast, malts and light citrus paired perfectly with the meaty, savory, salty burger.
Taste 8
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
The nose is surprisingly complex with aromas of earthy grass, caramel malts, citrus zest, slight pepper, and subtle, floral hops. This is the first beer that really seemed to mesh well with the umami, salty, cheesy flavor of the burger. The meaty flavor paired well with the citrus zest, sweet grains, caramel malts, and floral, slightly piney, barely bitter hops. I would definitely enjoy this combination again.
While it seems like there are new summer beers every year. Some have been around since well before the craft beer boom. One of the most popular timeless summer brews is Shipyard Summer Ale. This 5.1% American wheat beer is brewed with Saphir and Williamette hops as well as 2-row British Pale ale malts, Munich malts, and malted wheat.
Bottom Line:
While Shipyard Summer Ale pairs fine with a cheesy burger, it’s the burger itself doing the heavy lifting. The beer is fairly muted and boring on its own.
This re-imagined summer ale was created because of the popularity of a small-batch brewery-only release. This pale ale (they call it a “juicy golden ale’) features Cashmere, Mandarina Bavaria, and Amarillo hops. It’s known for its juicy, citrusy, slightly bitter flavor profile.
Bottom Line:
Long Trail Summer Ale isn’t a bad beer. It has a nice citrus profile. It’s just fairly one-dimensional and it works well with a burger not because of, but in spite of it.
There are few summer beers as more well known as Samuel Adams Summer Ale. This American wheat ale is subtly spiced and gets its main flavor from the addition of orange, lime, and lemon peels. There’s a reason it’s one of the most anticipated summer beers.
Bottom Line:
Personally, if I was going to pair a burger with any Samuel Adams beer, it would be the classic Boston Lager, with its mix of malts and Noble hops. Its Summer Ale isn’t a bad beer, it’s just a little bit of a one-trick pony with the citrus flavor.
Sierra Nevada briefly discontinued this summer staple last spring (and dropped Summer Break Hazy IPA) only to bring it back just as quickly due to demand. This 5% crisp pilsner is brewed with Munich, Pilsner, and 2-row Pale malts as well as Perle, Saaz, and Spalter Select hops.
Bottom Line:
I understand the appeal of Sierra Nevada Summerfest. It’s a great American take on the classic Czech-style pilsner. It’s just that it’s on par with countless others that you could easily plug into this spot instead and be just as happy.
While many breweries opt for wheat beers when crafting their summer beer, Brooklyn instead opted for an English-style pale ale. Available from March until August, this 5% brew is known for its crisp, crushable flavor and balance of citrus and floral hops.
Bottom Line:
I’m not surprised Brooklyn Summer Ale paired so well with a cheeseburger. It’s a combination I’ve definitely enjoyed in the past and will do so in the future. The flavors work really well together.
One of the most eagerly anticipated beers in the spring and summer, Bell’s Oberon is an American wheat ale made with simple ingredients like water, barley, wheat, hops, and house ale yeast. Unlike some wheat beers, there are no spices or fruit flavors. It’s simple, flavorful, and filled with citrus and hop flavor.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason Bell’s Oberon is a beloved summer beer. It’s well-balanced and flavorful and the citrus, yeast, and wheat flavors pair well with the burger ingredients.
There’s no American wheat beer more highly rated and beloved than Allagash White. It’s also one of the greatest summer beers of all time. This Belgian-style wheat beer was brewed with malted wheat, raw wheat, oats, coriander, and Curaçao orange peel.
Bottom Line:
Allagash White is such a widely loved beer, I’m not surprised it fared so well when paired with a burger. The gentle spices, yeast, and orange peel play well with the meaty, salty burger.
There might not be a more aptly named beer than Victory Summer Love. This eagerly anticipated blonde ale is brewed with Pilsner and Carapils malts as well as Tettnang and Simcoe hops. The result is a crisp, light, citrus, and pine-forward summer beer.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to well-rounded beers to pair with burgers, it’s really tough to beat the malt, citrus, pine, earthy, floral flavor profile of Victory Summer Love.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Just like with other beer blind taste tests, complexity and balance were key in rating and ranking these beers. A cheeseburger can be very heavy, fatty, and salty and it needs to be tempered with the right beer. It’s clear beers (regardless of the style) that have a broad, expansive flavor profile fared better than lighter, simple beers.
Sep 03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Made In America*
Sep 04 – Las Vegas, NV @ Day N Vegas*
Sep 16 – Rochester, NY,
Sep 17 – Cleveland, OH*
Sep 18 – Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live!
Sep 20 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
Sep 22 – Norfolk, VA @ NorVa
Sep 24 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Sep 25 – Queens, NY @ Rolling Loud*
Sep 28 – Indianapolis, IN @ Old National Centre
Sep 29 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Oct 01 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave-Eagles Club
Oct 02 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fillmore, Minneapolis
Oct 04 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
Oct 06 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theatre
Oct 08 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
Oct 10 – Dallas, TX @ The House Of Blues
Oct 11 – Houston, TX @ The House Of Blues
Oct 12 – New Orleans, LA @ Fillmore
Oct 14 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
Oct 15 – Orlando, FL @ Plaza Live
Oct 16 – Miami, FL
Oct 19 – Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
Oct 20 – Washington D.C. @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
Oct 22 – Richmond, VA @ Brown’s Island
Oct 27 – Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theater
Oct 28 – Providence, RI
Oct 29 – Boston, MA @ The House Of Blues
Oct 30 – Wallingford, CT @ Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
The 2022 NBA Draft cycle has been marked by uncertainty, and that continues into the final hours before the big night arrives. While there is a consensus top four with Jabari Smith Jr., Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, and Chet Holmgren in some order, most of the focus at the very top of the board has been on Smith and Holmgren. Then, almost on cue, a flurry of activity transpired in the handicapping world with Banchero and the No. 1 overall pick, bringing even more clouds to the mix.
Barring a total shock, one of the top four players will land in Orlando on Thursday, with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets reportedly likely to snag other players from that grouping. From there, things might fly off the rails with the always entertaining and unpredictable Sacramento Kings at No. 4 overall, and in a draft that projects as relatively flat in the mid-to-late lottery, “consensus” may be moot by eight o’clock hour on June 23.
With that as the backdrop, it is time to check in with a final mock draft look at the 2022 board, acknowledging that chaos will almost certainly reign on the festivities with trades and unexpected selections in the offing. Keep in mind that this is not a big board, but rather an educated estimate on what might transpire, taking into account public and private intel and reasonable team needs as they are known at this juncture.
1. Orlando Magic – Jabari Smith Jr. (F, Auburn)
Smith is the consensus No. 1 from a mock perspective, and he’s here until the behind-the-scenes info changes. With that said, it doesn’t feel like a lock by any means, and this is a true “eye of the beholder” class all the way through. As a player, Smith is arguably the best shooter in the draft with the length to shoot over anyone, but he also tends to settle for contested shots, rather than showing the ability to get by defenders and attack the rim. With his high-end shooting and defensive potential, though, there is a ton to like.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Chet Holmgren (C/F, Gonzaga)
Holmgren is my personal No. 1 player, albeit not by a wide margin. He is reportedly viewed highly in Oklahoma City and only worked out for the top two teams. That is likely for a reason, and the idea of Holmgren is exceptionally tantalizing. By now, anyone paying attention has heard endless discussion of his frame, but Holmgren’s defensive feel and length are off-the-charts, and he is the archetype of a rim protector and floor spacer that teams certainly covet in the modern game.
3. Houston Rockets – Paolo Banchero (F, Duke)
Banchero might be a heist for Houston. He is viewed by some as the best prospect in the draft and, if you buy his shooting and/or his potential to be solid defensively, that makes sense. Some of the public reaction to the Christian Wood trade as a tie to Banchero was likely overblown, but he’s the best player available in this slot, and he’s a very popular mock selection here for a reason.
4. Sacramento Kings – Jaden Ivey (G, Purdue)
The Kings are the Kings, and speculation is rampant that Sacramento could move this selection for a player that is more present-day ready. That would be a mistake in a vacuum, at least when viewing the Kings’ roster through a rational lens, and one reason is that Ivey is a tier above the rest of the players on the board. Is the fit between Ivey and De’Aaron Fox great? Probably not, but if a team lands in the top four, taking the best prospect is the best thing to do on about 99 percent of occasions.
5. Detroit Pistons – Keegan Murray (F, Iowa)
This is a perfectly fine outcome for Detroit, though many (including myself) would be fascinated by a partnership between Ivey and Cade Cunningham. Alas, Ivey should be the No. 4 pick, no matter which team makes that selection, and Murray is believed to be one of the favorites in Detroit. The Pistons could easily go off the board with Bennedict Mathurin or another interesting prospect, but Murray’s statistical profile was tremendous at Iowa, and he checks a lot of positive boxes, even without presenting grand slam upside.
There is a ton of smoke that Indiana is interested in landing either Ivey or Murray. Since we aren’t projecting trades in this mock, the Pacers have to go elsewhere, and Mathurin seems logical. He is widely projected to be a top-eight pick, and there is a chance Mathurin is one of the best shooters in the draft that has some off-dribble juice and a reasonable defensive projection.
This is kind of cheating, because I don’t think the Blazers would take Sharpe. But Portland is widely expected to take offers/calls on the No. 7 pick all the way until the selection is made if necessary. With that in mind, I’ll slot in Sharpe as the mystery player of the draft, but as a guy with legitimate star upside as a shot creator if it all comes together. He does have real downside, but it is easy to be enticed by what he could be.
8. New Orleans Pelicans (via LA Lakers) – Dyson Daniels (G, G League Ignite)
Daniels has been a personal favorite throughout the process, and this might be his practical floor with the way the intel is trending. The big question is whether he can shoot at a high enough level to be a massive offensive threat, but Daniels is a gifted defender who plays the game with tremendous feel. He also has great size at 6’7 for a player with guard skills, and Daniels is comfortable as a playmaker to the point where he should be able to solidly perform as a secondary option.
9. San Antonio Spurs – Jeremy Sochan (F, Baylor)
Things get very interesting from here, in part because the Spurs are prone to going off the board a bit. Sochan is a perfectly solid value at this slot, and San Antonio seems to be a team that would value his defensive versatility. In fact, Sochan projects as the most intriguing defender in the entire class, at least outside of the center options, and San Antonio has a reputation of fixing issues on the offensive end. The offense has a long way to go, but Sochan could be a multi-faceted, highly valuable future piece.
10. Washington Wizards – Johnny Davis (G/F, Wisconsin)
Washington has been leaning on players who are “NBA-ready” in the recent past, and Davis does check that box. This time, Davis would actually be appropriate in terms of future-facing value as well. In fact, there was a time in which it would not have felt strange to see Davis at No. 5 or No. 6 on big boards, and not too much changed when it comes to his evaluation. Everyone wishes he was 6’7 and could play small forward on a regular basis, but Davis is a very good basketball player who competes and brings two-way equity.
11. New York Knicks – A.J. Griffin (F/G, Duke)
This is a splendid value for the Knicks, as long as Griffin’s medicals are in order. He was the No. 1 player in his high school class at one point and, while Griffin’s athleticism has declined a bit, he shot the ball at an absurd level at Duke. If he can recapture some burst and improve his defense, look out.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LA Clippers) – Tari Eason (F, LSU)
Oklahoma City is the first team to make multiple picks, and that makes the Thunder even more interesting. Beyond the stockpile of assets they already possess, the Thunder add Chet Holmgren in this mock, and go with another defensive disruptor in Tari Eason. While Eason isn’t a polished product, he is physical, aggressive, and talented.
13. Charlotte Hornets – Jalen Duren (C, Memphis)
Duren might be gone by No. 13 but, if he isn’t, he slots into the Mark Williams Memorial Draft Slot. That isn’t a slight to Williams, who you will see shortly, but Duren has the higher ceiling and is largely viewed as the better prospect. He’s still 18 years old and has room to develop, but Duren lobs from LaMelo Ball could be special and fun.
Agbaji is one of the better shooters in the class and Cleveland needs shooting and wing depth. There is a potential bonus in that Agbaji projects to be able to contribute sooner rather than later, but the trade-off is that his ceiling is lower than some of the other options available in this range.
15. Charlotte Hornets (via New Orleans) – Ousmane Dieng (F, New Zealand Breakers)
This is probably too low for Dieng based on where the intel is with him. The Hornets also might be interested in moving one of their two top-15 selections, so it’s also a placeholder. He’ll need some time to grow into his game, but Dieng’s raw tools are tremendously intriguing with his playmaking chops, length, and defensive potential.
16. Atlanta Hawks – Jalen Williams (F/G, Santa Clara)
Hawks President of Basketball Operations Travis Schlenk has always been fond of “dribble, pass, shoot” players, and Williams checks every box. He was a late riser in the process, but Williams is 6’6 with a 7’2 wingspan and he operates at his own tempo and under complete control. The challenge is that he’s a fairly limited athlete by NBA wing standards, but Williams has been impressing on the workout circuit, and he can run a pick-and-roll to give the Hawks some secondary creation.
This is a best player available choice for Houston, at least within reason. Branham does have some downside as a middling athlete and a very poor defender at this stage, but he has a reported 6’10 wingspan and a varied offensive game. He can get to his own shot, connect from long distance, and give the Rockets another long-term shot creator.
18. Chicago Bulls – Mark Williams (C, Duke)
The Bulls are heavily linked to Rudy Gobert as a one-man plan on defense. Obviously, Williams won’t be at Gobert’s level anytime soon, but his calling card is the ability to act as a defensive anchor and potentially elite rim protector. This also doubles as a strong value compared to my personal big board.
Rumblings indicate the Wolves could be in the market for a true center to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns, and Liddell isn’t that. However, if they don’t go with strategy, Liddell is a versatile, effective defender at the 4 that could help Towns and fit seamlessly with Minnesota’s pieces. A team in the top-20 would need to buy his shooting improvement from last season, but that is reasonable.
20. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto) – TyTy Washington (G, Kentucky)
Washington could benefit from a team buying into the “Kentucky combo guards are undervalued!” narrative from recent seasons. However, he hasn’t had much helium during the draft process, and a top-20 landing spot would be just fine. Washington has great feel and makes some sense next to a big creator like Dejounte Murray.
21. Denver Nuggets – MarJon Beauchamp (G/F, G League Ignite)
This is a bet on the rest of Denver’s offensive ecosystem. Beauchamp would be one of the more limited offensive players to go off the board in the first round, but he’s a very good defensive player already and might be an excellent one in the future. The Nuggets just need more defensive juice on the whole, especially when building around Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr.
22. Memphis Grizzlies (via Utah) – Dalen Terry (G/F, Arizona)
It used to be trendy to view Terry as a top-20 pick. Now, many have wised to that viewpoint. Regardless, the Grizzlies seem to have Draft Twitter Brain, and Memphis nabs another riser as they did with Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, and De’Anthony Melton in previous seasons. If Terry’s jump shot plays, he’s terrifying.
23. Philadelphia 76ers – Jake LaRavia (F, Wake Forest)
LaRavia is a huge riser at the end of the process, but those paying close attention to his season at Wake Forest aren’t surprised. He profiles as a genuinely valuable role player who can shoot, pass, and defend. He’s not an upper-tier NBA athlete, but there is enough there to hold up, and the Sixers could use a player who doesn’t need the ball to succeed.
24. Milwaukee Bucks – Christian Braun (G/F, Kansas)
The hope with Braun would be that he can function as a 3-and-D wing with transition appeal. Milwaukee’s pre-draft rumblings point to a desire for contributions in the near term, and Braun was a multi-year guy at Kansas who can hold up defensively, shoot it, and provide real athleticism. His biggest vulnerability is on-ball creation, but he won’t need to do that in Milwaukee.
25. San Antonio Spurs (via Boston) – Nikola Jovic (F, Mega)
Jovic is a bit of an odd player. He is a really gift ball-handler and potential creator with power forward size. If his jumper matches his creativity, he’ll be an offensive monster. On the other side, his defense could be a forever kind of problem, but the Spurs have multiple picks and can perhaps maximize his talents.
Wesley is a very tools-y, theoretical prospect at this point, but the tools are very intriguing. He struggled at Notre Dame from an efficiency standpoint, but he’s a very good athlete that could put pressure on the opposition. Houston’s current front office tends to swing on upside, and he has some.
27. Miami Heat – Jaden Hardy (G, G League Ignite)
On one hand, this would represent a bit of a tumble for Hardy, who was once projected as a potential top-five pick in this class. On the other, Miami is a fantastic developmental situation, and Hardy has shot creation upside that most prospects simply can’t bring at this juncture in the draft.
28. Golden State Warriors – Wendell Moore (G/F, Duke)
Moore shot it well this year, dispelling some previous concerns about his ability to space the floor. He isn’t a lock first-rounder, but Moore is a very good and willing passer who can operate a pick-and-roll and hold up on defense. That does sound like someone the Warriors would enjoy.
This doesn’t really work if the Grizzlies decide to invest in Tyus Jones long-term, and that wouldn’t be the worst idea for Memphis. However, Jones is overqualified to be Ja Morant’s backup, and Chandler is a good value at this point in the draft. He’s small, but there isn’t much to worry about other than the size limitations, and it’s possible that Chandler is being needlessly overlooked.
Does Denver actually want to make two picks? That’s unclear. Nembhard is a guy who has gotten enough first round buzz to draw an inclusion, though, and he would give Denver another interesting guard with size and the ability to play in the relatively near future.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the defining album of Wilco’s career: It saw the band pursue a more experimental sound, which caused a rift with the band’s label, Reprise, who actually refused to release the album. So, after Wilco streamed it online themselves, they joined Nonesuch (which would remain the band’s label home until they launched dBpm Records in 2011) and gave the album a proper release in 2002. It went on to become the band’s best-selling LP and their only one to be certified Gold by the RIAA.
Now that the album is 20 years old, the band is celebrating. In April, they announced a deluxe reissue of the album that includes a whopping 82 previously unreleased tracks. They shared one of those today, a new version of album highlight “Kamera,” dubbed the “The Unified Theory Of Everything Version.” This variation of the song is distinctly different from the final album recording, as it’s rough around the edges and is carried by a more aggressive guitar sound.
In a recent Paste interview, Wilco’s John Stirratt said of “Kamera” making its way to the song it eventually became, “I’m a little hazy on all of it, but I do remember several versions of ‘Kamera’ that all had weird potential and different angles. I remember joking with the guys that they’ll just have to wait for the box set for these versions to come out — of course never thinking there would be one.”
Listen to “Kamera (The Unified Theory Of Everything Version)” above.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Deluxe Edition) is out 9/16 via Nonesuch. Pre-order it here.
All three members of Migos have successfully Eurostepped the rumors that they’ve broken up by simply saying nothing. Instead, they’re all living their lives, releasing or teasing music, and gifting their loved ones. In the latest example of their gift-giving, Quavo presented Takeoff with a new “3-Headed Monster” chain per a TikTok video posted to his Instagram on Monday (June 20). Huncho was taking fans through a day in his life, and it goes without saying The Last Rocket artist is a major part of it.
“Happy birthday Take, you know I had to get him the three-headed monster,” Quavo says as his nephew fixes the chain around his neck.
This isn’t the first time people have seen this, as the trio has all worn it at some point throughout their careers. The last time it was seen was during the Culture III rollout.
Quavo and Takeoff recently released the single “Hotel Lobby” under their new duo name Unc & Phew. The two also delivered a scorching rendition of the track for ColorsXStudios’ Juneteenth and Black Music Month celebration in partnership with Motown Records. The popular phrase states, “You know a wise man once said nothing at all,” and Unc & Phew have no plans of allowing rumors to stop their grind.
Scout LaRue Willis always knew she wanted to be a musician — it was a dream she’s harbored since childhood. But it wasn’t until 2016 when Willis played her first solo show that she finally found her voice. In the eight years since, the musician has been honing her wistful and folksy sound and unique, textured vocals.
Now preparing for the release of her self-titled debut album, which is out Friday, Willis translates her personal growth and self-reflection into a stunning 11-track project. Her songs evoke the dusty folk music of greats like Patsy Cline while her lyrics share the complicated journey of modern-day womanhood. “I feel like I am singing these songs to the girl I was — that young, thrashed, courageous version of myself who just kept making art no matter what,” Willis said about the album. “I feel so grateful to finally be at this point, ready to send these stories out into the world to have a life of their own.”
Ahead of the release of Scout LaRue Willis, the singer sits down with Uproxx to talk about her love of Harry Styles, her penchant for emotional support, and getting a matching tattoo with her dad in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Enchanting, delicious, honest, and loving.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I suppose I would love for people to still be connecting to it! For it to be remembered as a moment in time, yet also connected to as something timeless and true!
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
Toronto was an amazing place to play! I played a festival there with my first band and it was like entering a fantasy world where we were big rock stars and everyone was so kind and loving! Right now, it’s wherever I played last though, so Ojai and Santa Rosa!
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Patsy Cline. She is my numero uno vocal and musical influence. She puts so much of herself into each and every song, the depth she shares is so generous. It’s incredible how authentic she is in every song, even if she didn’t write it!
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
In a tiny restaurant in Peru where the chairs are giant paper maché tangerines and the food was so beautiful and fresh it almost made me cry!
What album do you know every word to?
The Strokes’ First Impressions Of Earth.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
There are a few that come to mind for different reasons: Daft Punk on my 16th birthday at the LA Sports Arena, Beirut in high school with my younger sister, hearing Willie Nelson play at Outside Lands, and one of the greatest was seeing Air and Phoenix play at Versailles when I was 15.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
This entirely depends on weather and what mood I am in! I’ve performed in jeans and a tattered Hawaiian shirt and I’ve performed in spangled boots and a mini dress and felt equally wonderful! For me it’s whatever connects me to my power, confidence, sensuality, and embodiment in that moment! As I am typing this though I’m also struck by the idea that a fleecy animal onesie would be pretty primo.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
It’s less about one person for me and more about kinds of accounts! Interior design accounts, astrological meme accounts, and my top tier is sexual wellness educators. To me they are the coolest, most fascinating, magical individuals and the service they provide in our puritanical, repressed yet desperate-for-a-sexual-awakening society is invaluable!
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
Sheryl Crow’s “Favorite Mistake.”
What’s the last thing you Googled?
Nicole Kidman’s astrological sign.
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Best vinyl I’ve ever received as a gift was Ted Lucas’ self-titled, one and only album. It’s perhaps my favorite of all time.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
A funny little ranch house outside of Austin with crumbly, beautiful rose wallpaper and people asleep on every surface available!
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
My first ever tattoo is a small white circle on my inner ankle, I’d been drawing it on for years. When I turned 18, my dad took me to shamrock tattoo on Sunset Boulevard and Mark Mahoney, who is an incredible, famous tattoo artist did this super simple little tat for me, and my dad got a matching one on his ankle as well.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Harry Styles. I honestly just adore him, sue me.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
There are so many! The first thing that comes to mind are the occasions when I shared something really vulnerable with my partner and he accepted me for things I still hadn’t learned to love about myself yet.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Just focus on having fun, seeking pleasure, enjoying yourself, from that place of joy everything else will fall into place! Just because something is challenging or painful doesn’t make it automatically more worthwhile!
What’s the last show you went to?
I saw my friend Odessa play while we did a mini tour together up the coast of California.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Frequency, it’s a time travel father and son redemption story with a true-crime twist!
What’s one of your hidden talents?
Facilitating people through emotional crises.
Scout LaRue Willis is out 6/24. Pre-order it here.
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