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Even if the Orlando Bubble is starting to feel more like a distance memory, especially with the quick turnaround start of the new season, that doesn’t mean the reigning champs are winding down on their title celebrations anytime soon. Soon, they’ll raise their 17th championship banner at Staples Center, adding to an already legendary legacy as one of the NBA’s all-time great organizations.

For LeBron, it marked his fourth title and fourth Finals MVP award, an astonishing feat for a player entering his 17th NBA season. For some of the younger guys — like Anthony Davis, for instance — it represents a legacy-cementing milestone in a young career, the culmination of lifelong pursuit of basketball greatness.

To honor that, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss decided to bestow her players with another personalized gift as they head into the new season with their eyes on defending their crown. Buss reportedly gave each Lakers player a personalized bottle of Cincoro Tequila, featuring their name, jersey number, and a special message.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss (@JeanieBuss) gifted her players a personalized bottle of Cincoro Tequila (@CincoroTequila). Each bottle beautifully etched with each recipient’s name, jersey number, and “leave a legacy” – a message from Jeanie. pic.twitter.com/OMnmJjtFHD

— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) December 17, 2020

After a productive offseason, the Lakers enter the new campaign next week on a quest to repeat as champions. They’re a considerable favorite to do so by many, but they’ll face stiff competition in the West, including from their locker-room rivals, who will be eager to prove that they are capable of seizing the crown of L.A.’s top team.

Cyberpunk 2077 is currently going through one of the worst releases of the 2020 gaming calendar, with frustrated gamers getting an apology from developer CD Projekt Red and a promise of refunds if they’re unsatisfied with the followup to The Witcher 3.

Though in development since 2012, the actual game was delayed three times in 2020 and finally hit the market on December 10, greeting more than 8 million gamers with a buggy and oftentimes broken game, especially on last-generation consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The result of the Polish developer offering refunds has been a lot more complicated than simply making it so, starting with Sony initially denying gamers a refund, then relenting while also abruptly pulling the title from its online store.

On Friday, Microsoft officially outlined a policy for gamers to get refunds of Cyberpunk 2077, though it did not pull the title from its own online retailer. Microsoft’s support Twitter account addressed the issues gamers have had with Cyberpunk and linked a website where gamers can get refunds if they’re unhappy with the title.

Other retailers also set up rules for getting Cyberpunk 2077 refunds. Best Buy, for example, will accept even played editions of the game until December 21.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported on Friday about the rising tensions inside CD Projekt Red about the backlash to Cyberpunk‘s belated and turbulent launch. The tense discussions within the company also included a juxtaposition many gamers and reviewers noted about using crunch — the mad dash to complete what was still an incomplete game using long hours and reportedly mandatory six-day work weeks to ultimately make a game about corporate exploitation of labor.

One employee asked the board why it had said in January that the game was “complete and playable” when that wasn’t true, to which the board answered that it would take responsibility. Another developer asked whether CD Projekt’s directors felt it was hypocritical to make a game about corporate exploitation while expecting that their employees work overtime. The response was vague and noncommital.

Schreier’s reporting is a great look inside the complicated relationship of game company executives and the developers actually responsible for making the games. It seems increasingly clear it was the former that decided when the game should come out, even if the latter was struggling to make that deadline with a fully-functional game to take to market.

[via Bloomberg]

Taylor Swift surprised both her fans and the music industry last week when she dropped the unannounced album Evermore. Much like Folklore, the LP was written in collaboration with The National’s Aaron Dessner and was kept very under wraps during the recording process. Though penning the album in secret was difficult, Dessner recently explained why it was the right move.

Speaking about the collaboration process in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Dessner said keeping the album a secret was a challenge due to the ingenuity of Swift’s fans, but it ultimately resulted in more creative freedom:

“We had to be secretive because of how much people are consuming every shred of information they can find about her, and that’s been an oppressive reality she’s had to deal with. But the fact that no one in the public knew allowed for more freedom of enjoying the process. A lot of the same musicians that played on Folklore played on Evermore. Again, it was a situation where I didn’t tell them what it was, and they couldn’t hear her vocals, but I think a lot of them assumed, especially because of the level of secrecy. But as funny as this is, I think everyone who’s been involved has been grateful for these records to play on this year and is proud of them. It kind of just doesn’t happen, to make two great records in such a short period of time. Everyone’s a little bit like, ‘How did this happen?’ and nobody takes it for granted.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Dessner discussed how natural his songwriting chemistry with Swift is. “Each one would happen, and we would both be in this sort of disbelief of this weird alchemy that we had unleashed,” he said. “The ideas were coming fast and furiously and were just as compelling as anything on Folklore, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.”

Evermore is out now via Republic Records. Get it here.

The James Harden saga in Houston continues. After doubling down on his trade request and reportedly indicating that he has no interest in playing alongside John Wall, the Rockets have continued to court suitors for the disgruntled former MVP, although one potential landing spot is looking less likely with each passing day.

There was growing belief that the Philadelphia 76ers were seriously considering making a play for Harden, with rumors circulating that they might be willing to part with Ben Simmons in order to get a deal done. But no sooner had that report hit the airwaves did new Sixers GM Daryl Morey shoot it down.

It’s hard to know what to believe, particularly if you’re one of the players who is purportedly involved in these talks. It can have a negative effect on morale, which is why new head coach Doc Rivers tried to do some damage control and get on the phone with his All-Star point guard to give him assurances about the upcoming season.

Doc Rivers on the Ben Simmons rumors, says that he gave Simmons a call last night just check in and get a read on where Simmons is at. “I feel very good about our conversation. Now we just move forward.”

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) December 18, 2020

Simmons and Joel Embiid are one of the league’s most talented young duos, though there have been nagging questions about their on-court fit that will keep hounding them unless Rivers can find a way to make them thrive together. It’s those very questions about their chemistry that fed into the recent trade rumors and will continue to do so until Harden reaches his new destination and/or the Sixers manage to get over the hump.

The holiday season is upon us which means people are putting up lights, wrapping presents, and getting into a more festive spirit. For some fans of Mariah Carey, this season also means celebrating the Queen of Christmas. One fan tried to do this by placing an ornament of the singer on their tree, but it was so deformed that Carey herself had to chime — and she did not approve.

Taking to Twitter to share a photo of the ornament, the fan said the “festive” decor item was a gift from his husband. The ornament is clearly meant to reflect Carey seated in the style of her iconic Merry Christmas LP’s cover art, but the manufacturer wildly failed to faithfully render the singer’s face. Or simply couldn’t because it’s not a licensed ornament.

The ornament was so bad that Carey herself had to offer her opinion about it. Replying to the tweet, the singer wrote that the ornament is “not approved,” but reassured the fan that it’s the thought that counts.

After Carey responded, a handful of other fans came forward to share that they also own one of the not-so accurate ornaments — and some look worse than others.

While Carey was shocked about the ornament, the person who originally posted the tweet was even more surprised that the singer even responded.

Check out a photos of the ornament above.

Today is a special occasion for Christina Aguilera — it’s her 40th birthday! The pop star definitely had a lot on her mind for this momentous occasion, and in a tweet simply captioned “Arriving at 40,” Aguilera went on to share her thoughts on turning the milestone age.

“Dear 40,” she began. “What a beautiful concept… to not only be “turning” 40, but to be ARRIVING at 40! This ever-present social stigma exists around getting older, but I have ALWAYS embraced it! I am forever an old soul and I appreciate the wisdom, grace and beauty that comes with each new year of life. I treasure the growth that comes with age and I welcome the knowledge from the greats that came before me; I get lost in each of their uniquely fascinating stories and experiences… all of which have contributed to my own personal journey.

After a whirlwind of a year, in which we all have experienced so much change, I find that our personal choices matter more than ever. We have to be brave; we have to stand in the discomfort and push ourselves to new heights where we can find our greater purposes.

I have always faced my life challenges head on, and what I have learned from doing that for 40 years is that I always come out on the other side as a stronger and wiser person.

It’s hard to express the magnitude of this birthday and what it means to me. Our world has been flipped upside down yet I have so much faith in the future. I’m deeply humbled and blessed by the fullness of my life that I’ve built over the last 40 years, and I’m truly excited to see what adventures lie ahead for man I continue following my heart and my dreams.

I’ve heard it said that some of your best life is lived in your 40’s. You stop giving a fuck about all the bullshit… clarity comes over you, and a new intention sets in with every move you make. I truly believe the best is yet to come and I am READY for it.

Now as a grown woman who has endured, overcome, created and powered through so much… I am not just turning 40, but ARRIVING at 40! So many stories yet to be told and revealed. I am at a place in my life where I own who I have been. I embrace the new woman I am today, and I look forward to the new chapters that will shape who I become.

To the rare and beautiful souls who have stood by me for over 20 years and counting, I am eternally grateful for you. I am blessed to have the most solid friended around me, a team I believe in that makes me feel supported and heard and of course, my family; my baby boy and girl, the most incredible children one could ever imagine! My heart is full. So, 40, let’s fucking do this. You have no idea what I have planned for you, I hope you’re ready.

X”

Check out here full post here:

University of Louisville alumni Donovan Mitchell and Angel McCoughtry have teamed up to support Black college students through Mitchell’s latest basketball shoe, the Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2. Mitchell, who is entering his fourth season in the NBA, and the WNBA star teamed up with their alma mater to support current and future students at the school by donating all proceeds from the sale of the shoe to several academic initiatives and scholarships.

Following two unique basketball seasons in which players from both the NBA and WNBA organized and advocated for racial justice, Mitchell and McCoughtry are now looking to address racial inequality in the U.S. college education system. The U.S. student debt crisis has affected millions of graduates across the country, but Black students have been the most disproportionately impacted.

In June, Business Insider reported that Black students are not only more likely to need to take on debt for school, but Black college graduates are also nearly five times as likely to default on their loans than their white peers. According to the Brookings Institution, Black students with bachelor’s degrees owe $7,400 more student debt on average upon graduation than white grads.

“We know it’s important for [Black] kids to get the education they need,” McCoughtry told Uproxx. “We know the system is kind of tough — you have kids with $100,000 in debt coming out of college before getting a job that pays $30,000 a year. We want to change all of that.”

After working with the University of Louisville Office of Diversity and Equity, Mitchell and Adidas decided that proceeds from the sale of the D.O.N. Issue #2 will go to several academic scholarships including the Woodford R. Porter Scholarship Program, the Muhammad Ali Scholar Program, the Health and Social Justice Scholars Program and an expanded emergency fund to help increase retention rates of the impacted students, allowing them to focus on their studies and work toward graduation.

Mitchell attended Louisville from 2015 to 2017 before making the jump to the NBA, going No. 13 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. In her four years at Louisville from 2005 to 2009, McCoughtry starred for the Cardinals before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Atlanta Dream in the 2009 WNBA Draft.

Both Mitchell and McCoughtry, who initially met years ago through their connection to Louisville and have remained close friends since, plan to wear the shoe in their upcoming seasons to raise awareness for the issue.

“With my mom being a teacher and based on the values she taught me from a young age, I have always understood the importance of education, which is why adidas and I worked with my alma mater, the University of Louisville, to ensure proceeds from the Louisville colorway of D.O.N. Issue #2 would fund scholarships to support Black students,” the Utah Jazz guard said in the release.

During the 2020 WNBA season, the players’ association was highly influential and worked to develop several initiatives to fight for social justice, including the addition of Breonna Taylor’s name to the backs of players’ jerseys, the organized refusal to play as a protest against the police killing of Jacob Blake and the creation of a social justice council to continue the conversation beyond the season.

When asked how the players plan to continue the push for social justice, McCoughtry invoked the memory of former Congressman John Lewis and emphasized the importance of never giving up.

“The fight never ends, the fight always is with you,” McCoughtry said. “You take it with you wherever you go.”

Alex Trebek’s final games hosting Jeopardy! set up an emotional holiday season for game show fans, as the show’s final episodes taped before his death will air right up until Christmas Day. To celebrate the late Trebek’s legacy, Jeopardy! has put together a number of tributes.

Jeopardy! announced the tribute on Thursday, with two full weeks of Trebek’s favorite episodes where he traveled around the globe to deliver clues from iconic locations. The collection begins on December 21 and runs until New Year’s Day and features episodes from the last two decades where Trebek covers a wide range of topics.

Here’s the full list of episodes and their air date:

Week 1: Dec. 21-25

Monday, Dec. 21 Hockey (Original Airdate: 10/14/04)
Tuesday, Dec. 22 Sesame Street (Original Airdate: 04/04/06)
Wednesday, Dec. 23 The U.S. Air Force: USO Tour to Japan (Original Airdate: 09/27/07)
Thursday, Dec. 24 Machu Picchu (Original Airdate: 11/06/07)
Friday, Dec. 25 Niagara Falls (Original Airdate: 01/15/09)

Week 2: Dec. 28 – Jan. 1
Monday, Dec. 28 Journey Through Israel (Original Airdate: 11/23/09)
Tuesday, Dec. 29 Galápagos Wildlife (Original Airdate: 12/09/09)
Wednesday, Dec. 30 Operatic Costumes: The Met (Original Airdate: 11/09/11)
Thursday, Dec. 31 Petra (Original Airdate: 11/14/11)
Friday, Jan. 1 National Museum of African American History and Culture (Original Airdate: 2/06/17)

As a Niagara Falls native, I’ll be particularly interested in that Christmas Day episode, but there are lots of really interesting locations the show has explored with these segments, including some much harder to get to than the American Falls, such as, say, Machu Picchu.

Anyway, to get you ready for the “Around the World” tribute, here’s a supercut of Alex Trebek speaking French, if you need it.

C’est un danger, indeed.

Ty Dolla Sign and Post Malone teamed up this year for the second time following their 2018 collaboration “Psycho.” Their joint track “Spicy” appeared on Ty’s recently released LP Featuring Ty Dolla Sign and the song’s visual featured cowboy hats, futuristic weapons, and a voice-over cameo by Snoop Dogg. Now, Ty offers an inside look at the visual’s making in a behind-the-scenes clip.

The original video slates Ty as a cowboy out for revenge. Teaming up with fellow outlaw Posty, the two gun down an entire tavern of bandits in an epic bar fight. The behind-the-scenes clips depict the creation of the bar fight, showing the director giving the musicians pointers on how to smash bottles over their victims’ heads.

Judging by their on-screen energy, it’s clear that the two musicians click. Apparently, their musical chemistry was so natural that they’re talking about making a collaborative album together. Ty recently teased the news in an interview, saying the joint album is definitely a possibility. “Posty and Ty Dolla Sign album coming soon,” he quipped.

Watch the behind-the-scenes from Ty and Posty’s “Spicy” video above.

Featuring Ty Dolla Sign is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.

Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Mike Pence had a busy Friday, starting with taking the first steps to immunize himself against coronavirus. And then he made himself the topic of a second round of viral reaction by announcing a name for what we should call Space Force troops.

Pence announced on Friday, after flexing his way through a publicly-televised COVID-19 vaccine, and said that members of Space Force will be called “guardians.” The news was echoed on Twitter by the branch’s official account.

“A name by space professionals, for space professionals,” the slogan read. The tweets celebrating the name also used the hashtag #SemperSupra, the branch’s official slogan which is latin for “always above.” Which, you know, kind of works.

The name “guardians” is essentially akin to members of the Army being called soldiers, and such, but given that the group deals with space there were some obvious jokes to be made. What are the Guardians, well, guarding? Earth? Or perhaps something more… universal? And so jokes were made, as there were some pretty obvious connections to Guardians of the Galaxy to poke fun at.

It will certainly be interesting to see if the Netflix show named after this new branch of the armed forces will adopt the real-life name for its troops. It if, like the show itself, it will go a different direction in Season 2.