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Long before he was streetwear royalty… before he landed the job as the artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear… before Off-White… zip ties… global DJ sets… Coachella… before he would rise so high in the game that he’d hit an inevitable era of backlash, controversy, and questions about his legitimacy and continued relevance, Virgil Abloh was — like his sneaker-designing contemporary and former mentor Kanye West — just a teenage kid sketching shoes in his spare time. But unlike your average sneakerhead, Abloh actually sent those ideas to Nike. And though nothing came of those early sketches, by 2017, after a brief stint as an architect, an internship in Rome at Fendi, and the successful launch of his own fashion label, Abloh’s swoosh dreams finally came true when he designed “The Ten,” a collection that would go down in history as the greatest sneaker collaboration of all time.

Since Abloh first reimagined 10 of Nike’s most iconic shoes in 2017, he’s gone on to design almost 50 different colorways across Nike’s vast roster of sneaker silhouettes. They haven’t all been great. Hell, even “The Ten” could’ve used some editing. But Abloh’s brightest design moments catch eyes, spark conversations, and create trends — a trifecta that even the most well-respected designers can’t often lay claim to.

“What we’re talking about here is larger than sneakers, it’s larger than design culture… It’s nothing short of state-of-the-art design,” Abloh said of his debut collection with Nike. “These 10 shoes have broken barriers in performance and style. To me, they are on the same level as a sculpture of David or the Mona Lisa. You can debate it all you want, but they mean something. And that’s what’s important.”

Thus far in his career, Abloh’s greatest contribution to the world of streetwear isn’t found in just one specific sneaker or brand or collaboration. It’s in his ability to recognize and reflect what sneakerheads all around the world have known for decades: that a pair of fire Air Jordan 1s aren’t just a shoe, they’re a modern-day canvas, a piece of wearable contemporary art to be collected, coveted, cared for, and loved.

To celebrate Abloh’s vision and philosophy, we’ve curated the 20 best Nike Off-White sneakers in the three-year history of the two brands acting in accord. For the sake of continuity, we’ve listed them in chronological order, from the very best of ‘The Ten’ to last month’s Off-White Jordan IVs.

Off-White Nike Air Max 90 ‘The Ten,’ 2017

Remember when I said The Ten could’ve used some editing? I didn’t mean by a heavy hand. You’ll find eight of the original ten shoes that Abloh redesigned on this list. (I said this was the greatest sneaker collaboration of all time, and I meant it.)

We’re kicking it off with Abloh’s take on the Air Max 90. The Ten dropped in two sets of five, dubbed “Revealing” and “Ghosting” with the Air Max 90 leading the pack and exceeding expectations. With this design, Abloh deemphasized Tinker Hatfield’s original look, breaking the sneaker down to its silhouette and paneling with a few minimalist accents that help the design feel fresh.

With a pristine white leather upper, an oversized white Swoosh, and grey suede overlays atop an icy blue midsole, and yes, zip ties, The Ten’s Air Max 90 almost looks like it should be in a museum.

Off-White Nike Air Presto ‘The Ten,’ 2017

You’ll find The Ten’s Air Presto topping a lot of lists chronicling Abloh’s greatest designs and for good reason. While by 2020’s standards a lot of the gimmicks from ’The Ten’ don’t seem all that revolutionary, the prevailing trend of deconstructed sneaker designs started with Abloh, and it hasn’t really be equaled or surpassed since. For the Air Presto, Abloh once again broke down the sneaker to its skeleton, stripping away the sleek layers of the Air Presto for a lightweight mesh upper with a bone-like lace cage. Even three years later, they just look so damn cool.

Off-White Nike Air VaporMax ‘The Ten,’ 2017

Off-White has dropped two other Nike Air VaporMax sneakers since the original black pair from The Ten, but nothing matches these. This is simply one of the best VaporMax colorways and designs of all time.

Abloh’s VaporMax features a Flyknit upper with a bright white over-sized swoosh stitched on, atop a blacked-out VaporMax sole that gives off heavy Darth Vader vibes. Abloh is a Star Wars head, so we’re almost certain that’s what this big nerd was going for.

Off-White Nike Air Jordan 1 ‘The Ten’ 2017

C’mon, you knew you were going to come across this pair. It’s easily the most recognizable sneaker Virgil Abloh has ever designed. This is the shoe that Abloh-haters use to discredit his craft and that’s probably because it includes every cringey Abloh trademark, from the “Air” quotation marks, the visible stitching on the swoosh, the Beaverton, Oregon production stamp. Ugh, right?

It isn’t even an original colorway, borrowing the original “Chicago” makeup, which is legendary unto itself. Does this dude even actually design anything? But look closer and you’ll see that this is how Abloh infuses the spirit of hip-hop into his design work, and why it catches hold with heads worldwide. Abloh is sampling a piece of sneaker history and recontextualizing it for a modern sensibility. Is Drake’s “Nice for What” any less of a great song because it owes a debt to Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” which itself sampled “Can It Be All So Simple” by the Wu-Tang Clan, which draws from “The Way We Were/Try To Remember” by Gladys Knight & The Pips?

Nope — that’s what art does. Borrows, remixes, and makes the old new again. That’s where Abloh excels.

Off-White Nike Blazer ‘The Ten,’ 2017

We have Virgil Abloh to thank for breathing new life into Nike’s Blazer sneaker, which prior to 2017 was a seriously overlooked shoe. Nowadays, even Nike is showing the Blazer constant love, releasing vintage colorways on a yearly basis. For The Ten’s Blazer, the upper is dressed in white leather with a descending swoosh that dives into an off-white midsole. The inner side of the sneaker features the Beaverton, Oregon production stamp, which is a call back to where the original design was crafted.

Off-White Nike Air Force 1 ‘The Ten,’ 2017

While Abloh’s “Revealing” set from The Ten shed away layers to reveal the inner workings of these iconic silhouettes, for his “Ghosting” set, Abloh opened a window, dressing each sneaker in a translucent upper, another trend that has become pervasive since the designer popularized it.

Abloh’s Air Force 1 is probably the most extreme design out of the “Ghosting” collection, it’s so broken down that it almost looks like it’s still midway through production. If you don’t like deconstructed sneakers, you probably won’t like these, though it’s pretty hard to mess up the Air Force 1.

Off-White Nike Hyperdunk ‘The Ten,’ 2017

The Ten’s Hyperdunk was a way for Abloh to prove that he wasn’t just about style over substance. Through and through, this Hyperdunk is a court-performance sneaker, despite its high-fashion appearance. A breathable FlyKnit upper keeps players light on their feet, with an added midfoot strap for extra support atop a bouncy React midsole. The hype for The Ten was so great that you’d have to be insane to actually wear these on the court, but we like to spend some time imagining what that might look like every time we see them.

Off-White Nike Zoom Fly ‘The Ten,’ 2018

All right, so of The Ten, we’ve included nine Abloh designs on this list — and we were truly torn about including this one. It was a toss-up between this debut colorway or Abloh’s Tulip Pink iteration from 2018, but at the end of the day, there is a reason this pair still fetches a $1000 on the aftermarket while the Tulip Pinks are much more affordable.

This pair truly comes alive with your sock game, making the Zoom Fly one of the most visually varied sneakers Off-White and Nike have ever made, and giving it a slight edge over the Tulip Pink — which are a little harder to rock.

Off-White Nike Air Max 97 ‘The Ten,’ 2017

Virgil Abloh’s Air Max 97 is pretty interesting in that its design changes the way you normally see the Air Max 97. Usually known for its aerodynamic waves, Abloh instead obscures those eye-leading lines beneath a translucent upper, with a large, long swoosh in place of the sneaker’s usual tiny swoosh — which works to highlight the sneaker’s aerodynamic shape.

This very minor change really manages to give the Air Max 97 a totally unique look within its own history. It’s proof that small changes can equal out to really radical results.

Off-White Nike Air Force 1 ComplexCon, 2017

We’re finally out of The Ten territory with this ComplexCon exclusive. If The Ten’s AF-1 was a little too stripped back for your liking, Abloh released a design that played things pretty close to the original with his second Air Force 1. Featuring a clean all-white leather upper, the ComplexCon sneaker sports a metallic swoosh with exposed stitching, and orange branding tags on the exposed foam tongue and Nike check.

In terms of moving the AF-1 forward, this sneaker doesn’t do too much to change the game — but it’s quite the sight regardless. Unfortunately, giving this sneaker’s exclusive status, there aren’t many pairs out there floating around.

Off-White Air Jordan 1 White, 2018

It won’t come as a surprise to find out that the second Off-White Jordan 1 was actually Abloh’s original idea for the sneaker’s entry in The Ten, as its all-white upper with off-white overlays looks a lot more visually consistent with the rest of the collection. But then, it’s hard to blame Abloh for taking a crack at the OG Chicago colorway.

It might be a controversial opinion, but we dig these over the original pair from The Ten. Easily.

Off White Nike Air Jordan 1 UNC, 2018

Naturally, you’re going to find a lot of Air Jordan 1s on this list and while we tried to avoid too many doubles, Abloh has a particular talent for understanding what makes the Air Jordan 1 so great. Featuring a powder blue paneled upper with white accents and contrasting orange stitching, the UNC continues Abloh’s practice of taking the absolute best
Air Jordan 1 colorways — in this case, the Michael Jordan University of North Carolina Blue — and giving them a modern revamp.

Off-White x MoMa x Nike Air Force 1, 2018

We don’t know why Virgil Abloh insists on making his Air Force 1s — probably one of Nike’s most popular silhouettes — the most exclusive Off-White and Nike link up, but with the instant sell-out of the AF-1 from The Ten, the hard to find ComplexCon exclusive, and this three-way collaboration between Nike, Off-White, and the Museum of Modern Art, AF-1s designed by Abloh is a rare find.

This 2018 release is essentially identical to the ComplexCon exclusive, only this time its dressed in black.

Off-White Nike Blazer Hallow’s Eve, 2018

Released for the Halloween season, Abloh’s All Hallow’s Eve colorway feels more targeted toward Thanksgiving than All Hallows Eve itself, but we’ll try not to get too hung up on that fact. Featuring an orange toned tan upper with a deep-diving wrap-around pumpkin swoosh, the Blazer All Hallow’s Eve is the best Nike Blazer Off-White has ever put out.

If this didn’t have the teal swoosh tag and the “Shoelaces” text, you might even be able to fool a staunch Abloh hater into admitting that these are pretty dope.

Off-White Nike Blazer Grim Reaper, 2018

See, now this sneaker should’ve been given the “All Hallow’s Eve” name! Oh well, the Grim Reaper differs from the other Nike Blazer Off-White silhouettes in its use of a translucent black panel along the upper coupled with a bright white wrap around swoosh.

It’s hard to not love this sleek pair, though it does feel like a step down in general creativity from the All Hallow’s Eve.

Off-White Nike Air Max 97 Serena. 2018

Ahead of Serena Williams’s opening match at the 2018 US open, Abloh dropped a few silhouettes that bare the tennis legend’s name — the best of which was the Air Max 97 Serena. Ditching the translucent sheath obscuring the 97’s wavy lines, the Serena features a soft pink-toned upper with a pink, purple, and gold gradient midsole, a yellow tab, and an oversized swoosh.

Off-White Nike Air Force 1 MCA, 2019

It’s pretty clear that while Abloh might have a knack for producing fire colorways of the Air Jordan 1, it’s the AF-1 that he considers a true masterpiece. Why else would he drop another exclusive fine art Air Force 1 with the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art? This pair is dressed in a beautiful University Blue all leather upper with a metallic silver swoosh.

These are so beautiful that a part of us absolutely hates the idea of someone wearing them.

Off-White Nike Air Max 90 Desert Ore, 2019

The Off-White Air Max 90 Desert Ores represent a transition in design styles for Abloh, featuring touchstones from his work immediately proceeding The Ten to the more modern Off-White Nikes we see today.

Featuring a dark beige upper with a bright mango swoosh, the Desert Ores look a bit like what we imagine a Yeezy and Off-White link up might look like — thanks to its dusty earthy appearance.

Off-White Nike Air Jordan V Muslin, 2020

It’s a little hard to believe there aren’t more Air Jordan Vs by Abloh. An often overlooked sneaker in the Jordan brand line, the V Muslins represent a newer aesthetic era for the designer. Sure, he’s still using translucent textiles and breaking the sneakers down to their rough interiors, but now he’s doing it in a much more refined way. While it doesn’t feel as groundbreaking as anything from The Ten, we appreciate Abloh’s commitment to pushing his designs forward and not just cashing in on the trends he made popular.

Off-White Nike Air Jordan IV Sail, 2020

The Air Jordan IV Sail brings us to current day offerings from Off-White and they’re proof that even with the haters and the missteps, Off-White is still pretty f*cking dope. Released as a women’s size exclusive — much to the dismay of big-footed sneakerheads — this Air Jordan 4 features a full-grain leather and grid mesh upper, with clear textiles, air cushioning, exposed foam, and a totally monochromatic makeup.

These sneakers were an instant sell-out and are currently fetching prices well above $1000 on the aftermarket, making them the most beloved Off-White Nike’s since The Ten era. In a dark year, it’s a bright reminder that even three years into their extended collaboration, Off-White and Nike are a natural matchup.

HBO’s Lovecraft Country has a lot in common with HBO’s Watchmen. That’s not terribly surprising, considering that both dabble heavily in genre material while tackling said material an an atypical, unexpected manner. Both deal with otherworldly themes as well as the unavoidably reality-based theme of race in America, and both do some rewriting of history, although Lovecraft Country‘s full effect on that last note has a lot left to reveal. Also similar? The ratings of both shows’ debut episodes.

Hollywood Reporter is reporting the first premiere numbers from the Misha Green-created and Jordan Peele/J.J. Abrams-produced prestige series, and yep, it sure looks like (as expected) the series is reaching a similar audience, at least as far as quantity is concerned. I also suspect that the demographics are largely the same as well, given that Lovecraft Country is probably the closest thing to a Watchmen Season 2 that we’ll ever see. Here are those numbers:

Lovecraft Country drew 760,000 viewers for its on-air premiere, which grew to 1.4 million with replays and streaming. The additional plays and streaming made up about 46 percent of the total first-night audience … [Watchmen had] 799,000 on-air viewers for its debut, which rose to 1.5 million across platforms on night one — with replays and digital making up 47 percent of the total.

That’s pretty remarkable for a horror-drama series, and even more encouraging? Lovecraft Country beat out the debut of The Outsider (724,000), which landed with high expectations from Stephen King fans (and it did not disppoint), although it fell behind Perry Mason (884,000), which arrived with a lot of nostalgia-based appeal this summer.

Where the final premiere numbers shake out over the course of Lovecraft Country‘s run remain to be seen, but if those numbers remain consistent with Watchmen, HBO can look forward to around 7 million total views per episode. Thanks to already strong word of mouth, the successor show shouldn’t have too much difficulty meeting those expectations.

(Via Hollywood Reporter)

The first day of the 2020 NBA Playoffs included real drama, from Donovan Mitchell’s majestic 57-point performance to a hotly contested game between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. In the nightcap, there were plenty of fireworks but, by the final buzzer, the L.A. Clippers nabbed a 1-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks with a 118-110 victory.

Though the phrase is wildly overused, the first quarter on Monday evening truly embodied the notion that the NBA is a “game of runs.” The Clippers scored the first ten points of the night, taking advantage of four turnovers in the first six possessions from the Mavericks.

From there, the Clippers didn’t slow down, stretching their edge to 18-2. L.A. converted seven of their first nine shots, including four straight three-pointers, and the Clippers looked utterly spectacular on both ends.

Though Dallas clearly wavered a bit in the early going, the Mavericks responded in kind, using a 20-4 run to tie the game at 22-22.

A large portion of that damage came with Luka Doncic on the sideline, as the second-year star had his ankle re-taped in the locker room, and he played markedly better upon his return after a trio of early giveaways. In addition, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, not known for his long-range marksmanship, knocked down a pair of three-pointers and, against all odds, Dallas took a four-point lead after 12 minutes.

In addition to the surprise of the way the game flipped, the Mavericks also made a bit of history with the way they erased a 15-point deficit in the blink of an eye.

The Mavericks kept rolling as the second quarter started, extending their unexpected lead to 50-36 after a 12-2 spurt.

When Dallas (finally) slowed, the Clippers threw a counterpunch, scoring nine straight points and, eventually, coming back to tie the game. At the half, the Mavericks led by three points, thanks in part to 12-of-21 from three-point range. The 12 three-pointers set a new franchise record for most threes in one half of a playoff game, and Dallas also benefited from a 19-point, six-assist, five-rebound half from Doncic.

On the Clippers side, it was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George doing the damage, combining for 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting, and they were flanked by strong play from Marcus Morris. Overall, it was an offensively charged half, with both teams scoring more than 1.2 points per possession, and that provided high-end entertainment throughout the first 24 minutes.

The early portion of the third quarter was marked by the controversial ejection of Kristaps Porzingis, when the Mavericks big man picked up a second technical foul at the 9:10 mark. Without him available, Dallas saw their lead evaporate in short order, with the Clippers reclaiming control after a 16-7 start in the second half.

After the high-powered first half, the third quarter essentially came to a screeching halt, with the two teams combining to shoot 13-of-43 from the floor. Dallas struggled more, however, in scoring just 13 points, and the Clippers took a five-point lead to the closing period.

With Porzingis out of action and Doncic on the bench, the Mavericks closed the gap to open the fourth quarter, tying the game at 89-89 with more than nine minutes remaining. The margin would be narrow for several minutes as the two teams traded blows and, while the shotmaking never returned to the levels of the first half, the competitiveness remained on both sides.

Patrick Beverley, who struggled at times in his first game action in two weeks, buried a corner three-pointer to give the Clippers a six-point edge with fewer than three minutes remaining. While the Mavericks did answer with a quick bucket, L.A. weathered a pair of missed layups and, moments later, Morris converted another three-pointer that proved to be something of a dagger. That pushed the Clippers ahead by seven and, with a dagger from George a few seconds later, L.A. put the game away in style.

For the Mavericks, Doncic was outstanding, finishing with 42 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. He did battle turnover issues, committing 11 giveaways on the night, but the 20-year-old certainly stepped up after a shaky start to the evening, and he set a new record for the most points in a playoff debut in NBA history.

The Clippers were also led by familiar faces, with Leonard (29 points, 12 rebounds, six assists) and George (27 points) playing at a high level. Morris (19 points, six rebounds, four steals) was also crucial and, while L.A. didn’t perform at optimal capacity after the opening minutes, it was enough to secure a win and a significant advantage in the series.

The two teams will face off again on Wednesday in prime time, with the Mavericks aiming to even the series at 9:00 pm ET.

Not only was a song by Grammy Award winner Leon Bridges placed on Barack Obama’s 2020 Summer Playlist, but the singer was also invited to share his music for the Democratic National Convention. On Monday, Bridges gave a moving performance of his recent track “Sweeter” with Terrace Martin during the virtual event.

Situated with his full band atop a roof of a city building, Bridges crooned the lyrics to his poignant number. The singer penned the song from the perspective of a Black man taking his last breath and looking back on the injustices in his life. The song was originally meant for a future album, but the singer decided instead to debut the track in mid-June as a reflection on the murder of George Floyd and the racism he’s personally encountered throughout his life.

In a statement alongside the song’s release, Bridges offered insight into the track’s inspiration:

“Growing up in Texas I have personally experienced racism, my friends have experienced racism. From adolescence, we are taught how to conduct ourselves when we encounter police to avoid the consequences of being racially profiled. I have been numb for too long, calloused when it came to the issues of police brutality. The death of George Floyd was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. It was the first time I wept for a man I never met. I am George Floyd, my brothers are George Floyd, and my sisters are George Floyd. I cannot and will not be silent any longer. Just as Abel’s blood was crying out to God, George Floyd is crying out to me. So, I present to you Sweeter.”

Watch fan-captured clips of the moving performance above.

Maggie Rogers’ debut album Heard It In A Past Life catapulted the singer into stardom upon its 2019 release. The singer was floored when Barack Obama placed her hit track “Burning” on his 2019 Summer Playlist and a year later, Rogers’ music once again made the former president’s list — this time for the 2020 iteration of his Summer Playlist. On top of that, the singer was invited to perform a track from her debut effort at the Democratic National Convention.

Kicking off the first night of the DNC Monday, Rogers gave a soaring rendition of “Back In My Body” on the coastal shores of Maine. The singer was introduced by US Senate candidate Sara Gideon, who is running to represent the state. Gideon said Rogers is “reminding all of us to keep fighting through” and is one of the politician’s favorite artists.

Poised against crashing waves and a divine sunset, Rogers’ performance stunned fans. Joe Biden’s team was also captivated by Rogers’ set, tweeting out that they are “officially” a Maggie Rogers stan account.

Watch a clip of Rogers performing “Back In My Body” for the Democratic National Convention above.

Heard It In A Past Life is out now via Debay Sounds/Universal. Get it here.

With six minutes remaining in the first half of Game 1 between the L.A. Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks, talented big man Kristaps Porzingis picked up a seemingly harmless technical foul for arguing with an official after what he believed to be a clean block

However, that play would come back to bite Porzingis and the Mavericks at the 9:10 mark of the third quarter. Porzingis became involved in a back-and-forth with Marcus Morris that netted both players technical fouls and all kinds of reaction.

Because it was Porzingis’ second technical of the night, he was ejected from the proceedings. Given his importance to the Mavericks and the lack of a significant incident, the result was highly controversial. In fact, many high-profile figures around the NBA weighed in, with LeBron James and Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki among them.

The reactions continued to roll in from there, with active players pushing back on the ejection amid the circumstances, including the fact that Porzingis was stepping in alongside Luka Doncic.

Porzingis exited after 20 minutes of play, and he produced 14 points and six rebounds before his ejection. In his absence, the Mavericks’ frontcourt rotation is significantly hampered, with Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic thrust into larger roles. Beyond that, Dallas was in a strong position to potentially steal Game 1 after a tremendous first half response and that becomes a tougher proposition without Porzingis available.

The United States Postal Service is in dire straits right now, with new Postmaster General — and noted big-time Trump donor — Louis DeJoy accused (even by Taylor Swift) of implementing changes that slow down the mail just in time for the nation to vote in the midst of an out-of-control pandemic. The situation is so scary that only fictitious mailmen can make us feel better. So here’s John Ratzenberger, aka Cheers’ know-it-all, beer-swilling mailman Cliff Clavin, recording what’s effectively a PSA for the USPS.

The video was picked up by The Hollywood Reporter, who noted that the actor recorded it for the personalized message service Cameo.

“The post office is in a bit of a pickle right now,” Ratzenberger said. While he didn’t go into specifics, he said it was “being bounced back and forth.” So he had an idea: Do all your holiday shopping at the post office store.

“Why not translate the dollar amount you’re going to pay for Aunt Tillie’s new hat and just buy that amount of stamps?” Ratzenberger suggested. “It’s easy to carry, easy to mail, easy to ship. And it’s worth something. And it’ll be worth something for a long time. How many times is Aunt Tillie going to be wearing that hat? Once? Twice? But how many times will she be using those stamps?”

Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has demanded the House return from their two-week vacation early so that they can grill DeJoy, who has agreed to testify, about his actions. When you’ve pissed off Cliff Clavin — and his portrayer, who’s also, it should be noted, a longtime, outspoken Republican — you know you’ve screwed up.

(Via THR)

Fans are still mourning the death of Juice WRLD, who passed away last December at just 21-years-old. Even after the tragedy, the rapper’s music lives on. An array of his music was released after his death, including the posthumous record Legends Never Die. A video to his The Weekend collaboration “Smile” was released this week, pushing the track to eighth place on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. That marks Juice WRLD’s seventh Top Ten track this year alone, marking an impressive achievement.

With seven singles breaking the Top Ten on the Hot 100 chart, Juice WRLD has officially become the artist with the most Top Ten songs of 2020 thus far, according to Complex. This feat is thanks to Legends Never Die‘s immensely positive reception. Upon its release in July, the album generated the biggest posthumous debut in nearly 20 years, following Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death and 2Pac’s R U Still Down? (Remember Me), garnering 497,000 equivalent album units in its first week.

In a statement about his music, Juice WRLD’s mother, Carmela Wallace, thanked his fans for the support:

“The overwhelming love that millions of music fans clearly have for Jarad reminds us how much his poetic words, creativity, and bright light continues to shine throughout the world. This first collection of songs is a poignant reminder of his great artistic talent and emotional honesty. Music was his passion and recording gave him the outlet to share everything he was going through. […] We are incredibly grateful to the fans who continue to uplift him every single day and our hope is that his words touch your life in a way that helps you through any challenges you may be facing.”

Legends Never Die is out now via Interscope. Get it here.

While LeBron James is set to begin another quest for a championship on Tuesday night in the NBA Bubble in Orlando, his hopeful blockbuster Space Jam: A New Legacy is in the process of post-production after wrapping initial filming earlier this year.

On Sunday, TMZ offered some audio of James’ passionate speech to the cast and crew after wrapping filming, along with a photo of the apparent Tune Squad uniforms for the film’s reboot. On Monday, James confirmed the Tune Squad look in a video first released to families of his I Promise School in Akron, Ohio, and then put on Twitter by the LeBron James Family Foundation.

They are, well, certainly bright and colorful. I can’t say I’m a big fan, but then again, a new Space Jam movie is not being made for me or any other adults, and it may very well land with kids. It is, at the very least, a massive departure from the original white Space Jam uniforms and, given that this is James’ vision for the film it’s not wholly surprising that he would try something very new and different. As always, what matters is whether the kids are into it and if it works on screen, but expect plenty of groans and sighs from folks on social media about them.

While the absence of Ben Simmons looms over the series, the anticipation was still palpable for Game 1 between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers in Orlando. On Monday evening, the two teams matched up and, 48 minutes later, the buzz was still present for the remainder of the series after a close-fought battle. Game 1 went to the Celtics, however, with Boston outlasting Philadelphia by a final score of 109-101 behind a star-level effort from Jayson Tatum and strong contributions from Jaylen Brown and others.

The Sixers began the night in encouraging fashion, running their offense through Joel Embiid. The All-NBA center made his first five shots, scoring 11 points in the first eight minutes, and he punctuated that spurt with a wild, step-back three-pointer.

Boston hung around, however, and Philadelphia’s lack of ball security was key in allowing the Celtics to do so. From there, Brown enjoyed himself in the first quarter, leading the Celtics with ten points.

As the second quarter unfolded, the Celtics took control, leading by as many as ten points and clamping down on Philadelphia’s offense. Tatum also got loose for Boston, scoring 15 points in the second quarter (and 21 in the first half) to push the Celtics to a six-point halftime edge.

Philadelphia’s first-half offense was simultaneously encouraging and infuriating, fitting into the team’s overall ethos this season. On one hand, the Sixers shot 56 percent from the floor and flashed their upside. On the other, Philadelphia committed 13 turnovers and, after a strong start from Embiid, the offense scuffled in terms of efficiency.

Out of the halftime break, Tatum picked up where he left off, getting to his spots and finishing effectively, even when challenged.

After the Celtics built a 75-66 lead, the Sixers clawed back and they did so in a hurry. Philadelphia scored the final 13 points of the third quarter, fully erasing the deficit and taking the lead with 12 minutes remaining.

Embiid connected on a three-pointer to open the fourth quarter, giving Philadelphia their largest lead of the evening at 81-75. In short order, however, the Celtics knotted the game at 86-86, setting up for what promised to be a hotly contested stretch run.

In less than a minute, though, the Celtics zoomed ahead, scoring nine straight points with the help of a flagrant-1 foul assessed to Al Horford. When that run came to a close, Boston led by a 92-86 margin, and the pressure swung back to Philadelphia. While the Sixers did stabilize things, the Celtics scored five quick points, capped by a three-pointer from Brown, to grab an eight-point edge with 4:28 to play.

With the help of offensive struggles from the Sixers, Boston increased its advantage to ten points, but Philadelphia wasn’t ready to roll over. The Sixers scored six straight points, slashing the margin to four with two minutes to go and putting the pressure back on Boston. After an errant mid-ranger from Tobias Harris, Kemba Walked poured in a pair of free throws to make it a six-point game but, right on cue, Josh Richardson buried a triple to bring Philly back within 103-100 with a minute remaining.

Tatum and Alec Burks then traded trips to the free throw line, but Burks missed one of his attempts, leaving Boston with a four-point edge and 31.1 seconds to go. After a timeout, Walker calmly made two more free throws, increasing the margin to six with 16.1 seconds left, and another empty trip from Philadelphia essentially ended the competitive portion of the evening.

For Boston, this was a solid showing, especially from Tatum (32 points, 13 rebounds) and Brown (29 points, six rebounds). Unfortunately, the stretch run was marred by a right ankle sprain for Gordon Hayward, putting his status in doubt moving forward, but the Celtics were able to snag the advantage in the series and take care of business as the favorite in a high-profile match-up.