The 2020 NBA Draft is still, for all intents and purposes, an unknown. We don’t know when it will take place, we don’t know who will pick first, we don’t even know what exactly the NBA will look like provided a 2020-21 season even occurs. The league has already postponed the Draft Lottery and the Combine, and while it has not formally been announced, we can safely assume the same will happen for the Draft itself.

What we do know, however, is who will be in it. The end of April saw the early withdrawal date for the Draft come and go, so every underclassman who could be taken this year has declared. As such, I thought it would be best to rank the 75-best players we know are in this draft as of right now.

1. Killian Hayes, G, 6’6, ratiopharm Ulm, 18 years old

Generally the top player in a given class has some sort of superstar upside. From Zion Williamson to even Andrew Wiggins, you’d usually say that the potential top pick has the capability of becoming one of the 10-15 best players in the NBA. That probably isn’t true of Hayes, but it’s just as unlikely to be true for anyone else in this draft, and his intersection of size, playmaking, shooting touch, and defensive instincts makes him an obvious bet to be at least very good, which is enough for this draft.

2. LaMelo Ball, PG, 6’7, Illawarra Hawks, 18 years old

If I were to pinpoint which player has the highest level of upside, it’d probably be Ball. In many ways, he’s a lot like Hayes: a tall guard with great playmaking instincts and touch. Unlike Hayes, there’s a ruggedness to his game that makes his initial NBA fit a little rockier. Ball on a certain kind of bad team could be a risky proposition. It doesn’t really hurt his overall value as a prospect, but it does give Hayes the slightest of advantages.

3. Anthony Edwards, SG, 6’5, Georgia, 18 years old

Edwards is the third of three “potential superstars” at the top of this draft and is easily the most explosive athlete. He’s got the athletic profile and highlight reel of a lead scorer, but he’s really more of a pure pull-up shooter at this stage. He has flashes of dominance, particularly in the open court, but has more trouble putting the ball on the floor and getting into the paint than you might think, and his decision-making as a passer and particularly as a defender can be very spotty, but in the end, he’s the kind of athlete and shooter that just isn’t found easily and will likely not fall further than this.

4. Onyeka Okongwu, C, 6’9, USC, 19 years old

The next tier of this draft starts here, with the best freshman in the country this season. Okongwu was the main reason why USC was a probable tournament team before everything got cancelled. His movement skills, powerful leaping, and touch around the rim all stand out, even among his peers. He’s undersized by the traditional definitions of the center position, but Okongwu’s athletic traits make him more than forceful enough to survive in the modern NBA. He’s the best shot blocker in this class while also being the best perimeter defensive big, and has arguably the highest floor of anyone in the draft. There’s almost no way he isn’t a good pro.

5. Devin Vassell, G/F 6’7, Florida State, 19 years old

It’s reductive to say that Vassell is the best three-and-D player in this draft, even if it’s true. The best team defender in this draft, Vassell was Florida State’s unquestioned leader and one of the best and most consistent players in the ACC. He’s a surprisingly adept pull-up shooter, particularly from the midrange, and uses his length exceptionally well to contest shots and grab offensive rebounds. He ranks higher than most other three-and-D prospects because of the potential he has to break out offensively in time, along with his overall general mastery of team defense. He’s way beyond everyone else this year in that regard.

6. Tyrese Maxey, G, 6’3, Kentucky, 19 years old

Pinpointing the best guard outside of the top-3 this year has been a long-term project for basically every evaluator. They all have strengths, and they all have more concerning weaknesses. Maxey isn’t much of a distributor and disappointed a bit as a pure shooter, but his ability to get the ball in front of the rim and finish through contact is unparalleled in this class, especially at his size. I’d be wary to call him a surefire starter, but I’d be just as wary saying that about anyone else, and most of them aren’t as good at point of attack defense as Maxey.

7. Tyrese Haliburton, G, 6’5, Iowa State, 20 years old

A confession: Haliburton is my favorite college basketball player. Perhaps ever, but certainly right now. He shouldn’t be higher than this. Anyone who has him in the top-5 is putting a self-creation burden on him that he simply cannot currently fulfill. His best (and only) role is as an off-ball, decision making, spot-up shooting jack of all trades guard — think of a more dynamic Delon Wright or a sweet-shooting Michael Carter-Williams. His lack of physicality right now makes it exceptionally hard to imagine him as a true lead guard for any NBA team. His passing is as good as anyone in this class, but what makes him stand out is that he doesn’t necessarily have to have the ball all the time to utilize it. He’s a terrific transition point guard, knowing exactly when to push the ball and make quick passes on the break, but will struggle against NBA size if you give him the rock every possession and ask him to break down defenders. Still, he can be the ultimate role player and still worth a top-10 pick.

8. Cole Anthony, G, 6’3, North Carolina, 20 years old

The son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony, Cole was the jewel of Roy Williams’ eye and a contender for the top pick coming into this season, but a rash of injuries, poor finishing and abysmal team play forced him into the 20s for some evaluators. I still mostly believe in him as an athlete and a shooter, and his instincts as a distributor have steadily improved. He’s a little older than most freshman guards, but as a result, he’s also a little more polished. If he can regain some of that explosiveness he showcased in high school, there’s a direct and obvious path to being the best guard in this draft.

9. Deni Avdija, F, 6’9, Maccabi Tel Aviv, 19 years old

I’m not sure any other prospect this year has moved up and down for me as much as Avdija. He’s been the Next Big Euro Prospect for a couple of years now, and has mostly lived up to it despite some putrid shooting performances when asked to be a lead scorer. Outside of his rugged post defense and potential shooting touch, what truly makes Avdija a high level prospect is his skill and vision as a passer, particularly in transition. He has a confidence and aggressiveness as a playmaker than most 6’9 players do not have, and if he can develop his ability to break good defenders down off the dribble, he could become one of the NBA’s best secondary playmakers down the line.

10. Aleksej Pokuševski, F, 7’, Olympiacos, 18 years old

Here’s the draft’s youngest and possibly least-experienced player, a seven foot-tall ball-handling big with the body of a middle schooler and the skillset of prime Lamar Odom. Pokuševski is one of the most statistically dominant youth basketball players in the recent history of European basketball, but his lack of strength, fouling issues, and overall rawness have hampered his playing time, though he is one of the youngest players to ever play in the Euroleague. Playing in the same Greek second division that Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated in 2012, he’s racked up absolutely dominant block and steal numbers while flashing some very legit shooting ability and some occasionally breathtaking playmaking skills. Problem is that he basically cannot score inside the arc right now, even against other 18 year olds. It’s probably going to take a few years, but if you’re placing on the next breakout Euro big, he’s as fair a bet as anyone else since Porziņģis.

11. Kira Lewis Jr., PG, 6’3, Alabama, 19 years old

One of the fastest players in the nation, Lewis brings three things to whatever NBA team selects him: an incredible intersection of raw athletic gifts and technique as a runner and driver, a steadily increasing jumpshot, and a pedigree as one of the youngest sophomores in the history of college basketball. What he is beyond that depends mostly on the developmental abilities of the team that takes him, but the foundation of a starting NBA point guard is there to be found.

12. Isaac Okoro, F, 6’6, Auburn, 19 years old

Arguably the best athlete in this entire draft, Okoro is a ready-made impact defender and play finisher. A proven winner, Okoro came into Auburn a relatively unheralded top-40 recruit and left an All-SEC defender and consensus lottery pick. To people who had seen him in high school, these results were hardly surprising, but questions still remain about his overall skill level. He’s a great ball mover and overall intelligent player, but his complete refusal to shoot has really harmed his team at times and he is very unlikely to ever be a high-leverage scoring threat, despite his athleticism and powerful frame. Still, it’s hard to pass up a player who jumps like he does, and it’s not as though there isn’t a way for Okoro to still become a highly valuable player in the NBA. It may just take time.

13. Devon Dotson, PG, 6’2, Kansas, 20 years old

Alongside Lewis, the premier speed merchant in this draft, Dotson markedly improved as a passer and pull0up shooter during his second season in Lawrence, helping transform the Jayhawks into one of the favorites to win the tournament had it happened. All year, every defense was geared around stopping him getting into the paint, but he still did it seemingly at will, and his rapport with Udoka Azubuike developed into something you’d expect between two upperclassmen and not two 20-year-olds. The idea with Dotson is that he immediately slots into a part-time role as an attacking guard off the bench and then hopefully becomes a good enough shooter to start in time. He’s fallen a bit between the cracks with all the other mid-level guards this year, but he was an excellent college basketball player who is still young and has great speed, which is something you always bank on.

14. Obi Toppin, F/C, 6’9, Dayton, 22 years old

The 2020 recipient of the Naismith Player of the Year, Toppin was undoubtedly the nation’s most visible good player, spending as much time on highlight reels as most teams did and showcasing some ridiculous, dunk contest-worthy james in transition all year. His overall package as an offensive player makes him feel like a pretty secure bet to have success at the NBA level (particularly his passing and spot-up shooting at his size), but his lack of true big man size and strength, particularly lower body strength, combined with his mediocre lateral movement skills make his defensive fit in the NBA more questionable than anyone else in the lottery. Still, the idea of Toppin as a highly-productive scoring combo big, like a hyper Marreese Speights or Drew Gooden, makes him an obvious early pick and a likely solid pro no matter where he ends up.

15. Patrick Williams, F, 6’8, Florida State, 18 years old

An absurdly powerful athlete for his age, Williams has all sorts of great shooting indicators, some awe-inspiring weakside rotations as a rim protector, and a pretty great athletic profile, either as a secondary Paul Millsap-style big or as the ultimate small ball center. He struggles moving laterally at times, but his vertical explosion is as good as anyone in this class, and he seems to have pretty exemplary instincts as a cutter and defender already.

16. Grant Riller, G, 6’3, Charleston, 23 years old

The single best scorer in the last generation of NCAA players. A surreal under-the-rim finisher with terrific explosiveness off the dribble and some great shotmaking ability. He’s come along well enough as a distributor and off-ball shooter to believe in him as, at least, some sort of point guard, which will allow his terrific scoring abilities to carry him to a long-term role as, at least, a bench scorer. He has drawn comparisons to Fred VanVleet, but he’s in a whole other galaxy as a driver and finisher (though he likely won’t ever be the kind of bulldog defender that FVV is). At a certain point you have to believe in collegiate dominance over “potential.”

17. Aaron Nesmith, G/F, 6’6, Vanderbilt, 20 years old

The best movement shooter in the draft. Good size for a wing, but missed all but one conference game after a foot injury. Shot well over 50 percent from three before that as the primary option for a major-conference college basketball team, which is patently absurd to do for longer than a week or so. Very unlikely to not translate.

18. Xavier Tillman, C, 6’8, Michigan State, 21 years old

One of college basketball’s best recent players according to most versions of BPM (Box Plus/Minus). A dominant presence in the paint who routinely bullied and overpowered much bigger players like Jon Teske and Luka Garza in the Big Ten (arguably the nation’s biggest conference physically). A great passer and wheel-greaser in the high post who competes for everything and boxes out everyone. A complementary piece at best at the next level, but one with an obvious path to long term NBA success.

19. Desmond Bane, G/F, 6’6, TCU, 22 years old

Extremely well-rounded wing who produced at a high level for four entire NCAA seasons. Is a good athlete with great strength for his size, shoots excellent off the catch, and defends well outside his own zone. Essentially this year’s version of Terence Davis, it’s hard to see him failing in the NBA.

20. Tyrell Terry, G, 6’1, Stanford, 19 years old

Arguably the best pull-up shooter in college basketball. A great passer and a surprisingly effective team defender, Tyrell Terry isn’t on the Trae Young/Steph Curry level of game-breaking pull-up shooter, but he’s at least on the same level as Seth Curry or Patty Mills, and is much more of a natural point guard than either of those two. He lacks a certain dynamism with the ball in his hands, but is an effective driver and scorer when he wants to be, and his shooting is as good as anyone in this class. It’s hard to imagine him not being a helpful NBA player in time, especially if he can step into a secondary role and get time to work on his body a bit.

21. R.J. Hampton, G, 6’5, NZ Breakers, 19 years old

Another physically raw but obviously talented player, the Robin to LaMelo’s Batman in the NBL this past season. Hampton reclassified from the class of 2020 to kickstart his pro career a year early and generally acquitted himself well. Where he lacks in Melo’s transcendent passing skills and instincts, he’s a significantly more fundamentally sound driver and defender at this stage. I don’t consider him much of a future PG in the NBA, which could limit him to a Dante Exum-style role, but his fluidity as an athlete and general scoring skill makes it hard to envision him not going in or around the lottery.

22. Mason Jones, SG, 6’5 Arkansas, 21 years old

One of the best under the rim finishers in the history of college basketball, shot 75 percent at the rim this season, despite finishing an entire regular season with only one recorded dunk. Has great strength and balance, and possesses as least a little of that Luka Doncic deceleration ability. Terrific touch. Lives at the foul line. Despite his role as a lead scorer, Jones still led his team in rebounds, assists, and steals. Still relatively new to basketball and has transformed his body the last few years. One of the true sleepers this year despite being at an obvious athletic disadvantage.

23. Tre Jones, PG, 6’3, Duke, 20 years old

Ballhawking defensive guard who improved his shooting in his sophomore campaign in Durham. Obvious role player right away.

24. Leandro Bolmaro, F, 6’7, FC Barcelona, 19 years old

Potentially the best overseas player in this draft if he ever finds his jumper again, Bolmaro is a terrific ballhandler and shot creator for his age, and plays competent enough defense to survive. Very rare talents for a 19 year old. I worry about his physicality.

25, Josh Green, G/F, 6’5, Arizona, 19 years old

Another fluid and powerful athlete who consistently performed as a perimeter defender and not entirely useless shooter at Arizona. Looked great as a transition scorer and passer on occasion, and generally plays with a smoothness that could signal future NBA dominance just as easily as it could signal a Stanley Johnson-style inability to separate from other high level athletes. Still, a multi-faceted, young, athletic wing will always have more than their fair share of NBA suitors.

26. James Wiseman, C, 7’1, Memphis, 19 years old

Yes, he’s this low. Perhaps he made the right decision to leave school entirely after how the NCAA treated him, but every time I’ve seen him play against big men even close to his size, he’s gotten bullied down low and his skill game on the perimeter is not even in the same universe as someone like Karl-Anthony Towns or even LaMarcus Aldridge. He’ll go early and I do understand why, but it’s very hard to buy Wiseman being a true impact player on either end for at least his first couple of seasons. Much more of a project than I think has been reported.

27. Paul Reed, F/C, 6’9, DePaul, 21 years old

Funky, goofy defensive ace with a weird jumper and a herky-jerky slashing style. Has gotten some Pascal Siakam comps but his handle and vision as a scorer is nowhere near even college Siakam. Plays more like Thad Young, kind of undersized but able to square up most opposing bigs, snake past them, and score with a variety of weird flip shots and ugly hooks. Should be an effective mismatch guy off the bench pretty early.

28. Théo Maledon, G, 6’4, ASVEL, 19 years old

Some outlets have Maledon in the lottery, and I understand why, but his package of skills at 6’4 don’t really stand out in any way. He doesn’t play with forcefulness and unless his shooting really comes along, it’s hard to buy him as a starting guard in the NBA. There are worse risks to take, however, and it’s unlikely he’s not at least a first rounder.

29. Killian Tillie, F/C, 6’10, Gonzaga, 22 years old

Incredible glue-guy teammate who would likely be a lottery-level talent if he hadn’t had three straight seasons cut short due to injury, Tillie can shoot, handle the ball, deter shots at the rim, and generally chip in wherever his team needs him. Should still thrive in a bench role right out of the gate.

30. Tyler Bey, F, 6’7, Colorado, 22 years old

Super undersized rebounding big man with some intriguing bounce as an athlete. Could be a starter in the league for the right team if he gains more confidence as a shooter.

31. Malachi Flynn, PG, 6’2, San Diego State, 22 years old

32. Nate Hinton, G/F, 6’5, Houston, 21 years old

Incredibly good wing rebounder who can shoot off the catch and play tough defense on the perimeter. Has flown under the cracks for two seasons at Houston but his IQ and versatility is obvious on tape.

33. Jalen Smith, F/C, 6’10, Maryland, 20 years old

34. Precious Achiuwa, F/C, 6’9, Memphis, 20 years old

Powerful athlete who really pops at his height, especially in transition. Plays very hard and has had stretches of real dominance against decent college competition. Also very old for his class and has some troubling flashes of tunnel vision, terrible shot selection, and defensive inattentiveness. Still has some real potential as an energy big with some shooting skill and great athleticism.

35. Nico Mannion, PG, 6’3, Arizona, 19 years old

Another consensus lottery pick to most outlets. Mannion simply can’t put pressure on the rim, and his shooting is too spotty to really rely upon him as an offensive fulcrum at any level. That leaves him as a decent defender with mediocre size and athleticism and a fairly obvious role as a backup point guard in the NBA.

36. Cassius Winston, PG, 6’1, Michigan State, 22 years old

37. Isaiah Joe, SG, 6’5, Arkansas, 20 years old

38. Jared Butler, PG, 6’3, Baylor, 19 years old

39. Ty-Shon Alexander, SG, 6’4, Creighton, 21 years old

A true three-and-D player, the kind they used to pump out of the NCAA every year or so back in the early 2000s. Basically just does those two things, but does them both a pretty high level. Arguably the best guard defender in the class.

40. Zeke Nnaji, F/C, 6’11, Arizona, 19 years old

Long, lean pick-and-roll big with at least some shooting equity. Dominated early non-conference games at Arizona then came back to Earth once confronted with legit size and the prospect of playing pick and roll defense against people who can actually dribble.

41. Jalen Harris, SG, 6’5, Nevada, 21 years old

42. Saddiq Bey, F, 6’8, Villanova, 21 years old

Has gotten a lot of traction as a shooter in this class, which he is, but unlike Nesmith or Bane he’s essentially a ghost on defense and can only really play the 4 in the NBA. Still will get drafted higher than this due to being a legitimate 6’8 marksman.

43. Kaleb Wesson, C, 6’9, Ohio State, 20 years old

44. Robert Woodard, F, 6’7, Mississippi State, 20 years old

45. Jaden McDaniels, F, 6’9, Washington, 19 years old

46. Joel Ayayi, G, 6’4, Gonzaga, 20 years old

47. Lamine Diane, F, 6’7, Cal State Northridge, 22 years old

One of the true statistical weirdos of the recent college landscape. Utterly dominant per 36 numbers and an obvious NBA athlete on tape. His level of competition and shot selection are real concerns, but it’s not hard at all to imagine him as some sort of new age hyper-specialized rebounder and transition attacker.

48. Boriša Simanić, F/C, 6’10, Crvena zvezda, 22 years old

49. Matt Mitchell, F, 6’6, San Diego State, 21 years old

50. Aaron Henry, G/F, 6’6, Michigan State, 20 years old

51. Cassius Stanley, G/F, 6’6, Duke, 20 years old

52. Naji Marshall, G/F, 6’7, Xavier, 22 years old

53. Saben Lee, G, 6’2, Vanderbilt, 20 years old

Good at basically only one thing, but that one thing is one of the most valuable skills in the sport: putting pressure on the rim. Elite slashing guard with good athletic traits. Had to shoulder an absolutely incredible offensive load at Vanderbilt and mostly performed well.

54. LJ Figueroa, G/F, 6’5, St John’s, 22 years old

55. Isaiah Livers, F, 6’7, Michigan, 21 years old

56. Vernon Carey Jr., C, 6’10, Duke, 19 years old

57. Skylar Mays, G, 6’4, LSU, 22 years old

58. Jalen Crutcher, PG, 6’1, Dayton, 20 years old

59. Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, 6’4, Texas Tech, 19 years old

60. Abdoulaye N’Doye, G, 6’7, Cholet, 22 years old

61. Udoka Azubuike, C, 7’, Kansas, 20 years old

62. Immanuel Quickley, G, 6’3, Kentucky, 20 years old

63. Trevelin Queen, G/F, 6’6, New Mexico State, 23 years old

Another per 36 monster, came from nothing to become the tournament MVP in 2019. Has a really intriguing mix of skills and bounce as an athlete. Tough minded, hard working, and good at basketball.

64. Dwayne Sutton, SF, 6’5, Louisville, 23 years old

65. Payton Pritchard, PG, 6’2, Oregon, 22 years old

66. CJ Elleby, G/F, 6’5, Washington State, 20 years old

67. Reggie Perry, C, 6’10, Mississippi State, 20 years old

68. Georgios Kalaitzakis, G/F, 6’8, Nevezis, 21 years old

69. Ayo Dosunmu, G, 6’4, Illinois, 20 years old

70. Marko Simonovic, F/C, 6’11, Mega Bemax, 20 years old

71. Daniel Oturu, C, 6’10, Minnesota, 20 years old

72. Emmitt Williams, C, 6’7, LSU, 21 years old

73. Trent Forrest, G, 6’4, Florida State, 22 years old

74. Myles Powell, G, 6’2, Seton Hall, 22 years old

75. Vít Krejčí, G, 6’4, Zaragoza, 20 years old

In 2013, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry had a falling out, which was so serious that it lasted until last year, when the two publicly buried the hatchet when Perry appeared in Swift’s “You Need To Calm Down” video. In recent days, meanwhile, there have been rumors that the two pop icons have a collaboration on the way. Artists tend to brush this sort of hearsay aside, but this time, Perry did not deny is (nor did she confirm it).

During a video chat interview alongside fellow American Idol judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, Perry was asked about the rumors, and Perry used her answer to plug the show, saying, “Well, you’re just gonna have to tune in to Idol next week to see all rumors, true or false.”

Swift spoke shortly after the “You Need To Calm Down” video’s release about her then-newly-revived friendship with Perry, saying, “We have been on really good terms for a while. She sent this beautiful note and olive branch to the opening night of the Reputation stadium tour, a while ago, and from then on, we’ve been on good terms. We hadn’t seen each other, though. So the first time we saw each other was at this party, and when we saw each other, it was just very clear to both of us that everything was different, that we had grown up, that we had grown past allowing ourselves to be pitted against each other. It was just really, really clear that we remembered how much we had in common.”

In the enormous solar system of booze — far closer to the sun (customers with money to spend) than the Pluto-sized independent distilleries planet — you’ll find the hulking “Celebrity-Brand Collaboration” planet. This diverse ecosystem features all manner of famous people connected to alcohol brands to varying degrees. The soil is crisscrossed with “dirt roads” that these famous folks wandered down, only to find some centuries-old distillery which they felt they just had to share with the world.

It’s a commonly told tale on this increasingly-crowded planet. A fun story, to be sure. But it’s almost always just a story.

In truth, celebrities endorse or even create spirits, beer, or wine labels as a revenue source. A way to capitalize on their fame for increased income. That’s not to say we’re against it — especially if the star in question truly believes in the brand and supports the local economies where that booze is made. There are some legitimately delicious bottles widely available right now thanks to the spotlight big-name stars have shined on these spirits. That’s a win. Let’s just be honest about how these collaborations come about (it’s $$$).

With more and more famous folks getting in the spirits game — and many taking a passionate, hands-on approach — we thought we’d round up 12 bottles of celebrity booze we actually like sipping. Check our tasting notes below.

Walton Goggins — Mulholland Gin

ABV: 48%
Distillery: Sourced from Missouri, Blended and Bottled in Los Angeles, CA
Average Price: $28

The Bottle:

You might have heard of Walton Goggin’s whiskey, Mulholland Whiskey, given the Justified star’s very southern demeanor. That bottle is solid. But it’s really Mulholland Gin that shines brightest. The Double Gold winning gin is distilled six times from non-GMO corn. The spirit is then imbued with juniper, coriander, angelica, French lavender, Japanese cucumber, and Persian lime.

Tasting Notes:

The juniper and cucumber shine brightly upfront. The sip edges towards the bright summer lavender florals before the cut of the lime arrives. Finally, a sense of vanilla counterpoints the citrus with a lingering sense of flowers and cucumber next to that juniper.

Jay-Z — D’USSE VSOP Cognac

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Château de Cognac, France
Average Price: $55

The Bottle:

Jay-Z’s signature Cognac is a damn fine bottle of booze. The juice is distilled by Baron Otard in Cognac, France, giving the bottle serious authority in the U.S. marketplace. The brandy is then aged for four to eight years before being masterfully blended into this easy-sipper.

Tasting Notes:

If you’re into rye whiskey, this is a great crossover bottle to try. There’s a real sense of oak and spice on the opening. Ripe red fruit, fresh honey, and spring flowers accent that sharp spice throughout. Hints of roasted nuts arrive late as the wood, spice, and fruit carry the sip to a long and satisfying end.

Matthew McConaughey — Wild Turkey Longbranch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Wild Turkey Distilling, Lawrenceburg, KY
Average Price: $40

The Bottle:

When Matthew McConaughey became the “Creative Director” for Wild Turkey, few of us knew what to expect besides something inherently chill. McConaughey and Wild Turkey delivered just that with Longbranch. This expression is a direct collab between the Texan star and master distiller Eddie Russell to bring a little bit of Texas into the Kentucky bourbon. They accomplish this by aging a classic Wild Turkey bourbon for eight years and then filtering the juice through Texas Mesquite charcoal.

Tasting Notes:

Texas pecans, saddle leather, vanilla, kettle corn, pipe tobacco, and clear bourbon vanilla lead the way. The vanilla and corn mingle with tart red berry, Christmas spice, buttery toffee, and a hint of an apple orchard. The sip lingers nicely as the spices, fruit, and sweet toffee fade with a final wisp of smoke at the very end.

George Clooney — Casamigos Tequila Añejo

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Productos Finos de Agave, Jesus Maria, Mexico
Average Price: $60

The Bottle:
It’s hard to argue with George Clooney’s signature billion-dollar tequila brand. Their añejo is a very sippable tequila at a fairly accessible price. That’s especially true given this is an old-school tequila made with hand-harvested blue agave which is slow-roasted in brick ovens. Plus, this particular expression spends 14 months mellowing in American oak, giving the tequila a nice depth.

Tasting Notes:

Bourbon-like caramel and vanilla dance with a hint of spice and oak at first. The sip allows the roasted agave to shine with dark spices and toasted oakiness creating a velvet texture. The agave and spice carry through with a hint of barrel char bitterness coming in at the last moment.

Kate Hudson — King St. Vodka

ABV: 43%
Distillery: Santa Barbara, CA
Average Price: $25

The Bottle:

One of Kate Hudson’s stated goals when starting a vodka brand was to bring more women into the world of vodka distilling and ownership. The expression is made with 100 percent non-GMO corn and mineral-rich alkaline water in California. The vodka then goes through seven distillations. The end result is an ultra-refined and very drinkable vodka at a very reasonable price point.

Tasting Notes:

We don’t like to throw this word around too often but, damn, this is a smooth vodka. It might feel fussy given the “artisanal” style of distilling but that fussiness leads to a clean sip that supports notes of pepper, citrus, and vanilla in balance with each other. There’s very little “alcohol” taste at play here and, by the end, the vanilla notes become the real star of the sip.

Ryan Reynolds — Aviation American Gin

ABV: 42%
Distillery: House Spirits Distillery, Portland, OR
Average Price: $30

The Bottle:

Ryan Reynolds’ gin started out as the shared brainchild of a Seattle beer brewer and Portland distiller at a party. The gin they were making was so good that Deadpool decided he needed to be part of it and bought the distillery. The actual product is expertly made with a botanical matrix of juniper, Elettaria, cardamom, lavender, sarsaparilla, coriander, anise seed, and dried orange peel.

Tasting Notes:

Juniper and real root beer mix with orange peel on the opening. The sip then ebbs and flows between sharp spices and fresh herbs with a mild sense of a juniper underbelly. The sip lingers with fresh fruit and florals peaking late in the game to mellow the juniper even more.

Bob Dylan — Heaven’s Door Tennessee Bourbon

ABV: 45%
Distillery: Heaven’s Door Distillery, Nashville, TN
Average Price: $50

The Bottle:

With Bob Dylan dropping a new album, this might be the time to give his whiskey a try. The award-winning whiskey is a bourbon made in Tennessee, not a Tennessee whiskey. The mash bill is corn-focused and the juice is aged for at least eight years in new American oak.

Tasting Notes:

There are classic notes of vanilla and oak up front. A sense of baked bread with cinnamon and butter counterpoint a slight note of vinous grapes and cedar bark. The sip leans into the spice, vanilla, and oak with a caramel flourish on the long and bold finish.

Drake — Virginia Black American Whiskey

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Sourced from MGP Indiana
Average Price: $35

The Bottle:

Drake’s blend takes some good whiskeys and puts them together to make a very sippable dram. The expression is a blend of two, three, and four-year-old bourbons, each with a high-rye mash bill. The final product is then siphoned into a dope art-deco bottle (really, there should be more cool-looking bottles for these special expressions).

Tasting Notes:

Vanilla and caramel support a clear bourbon presence on this one. There’s a mild billow of smoke that leads towards hints of oak, spice, and fruit — it’s all very balanced and mild. There’s a touch of sweet kettle corn and a touch more of spice as the bourbon oak and vanilla slowly fade out.

Dan Aykrod — Crystal Head Vodka

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Crystal Head, Newfoundland, Canada
Average Price: $50

The Bottle:

Speaking of bottles, this one may have gone too far. Crystal skull aside, the vodka in this bottle is solid. The expression is born from four-times distilled peaches, cream corn mash, and Newfoundland mineral water. The hot juice is then filtered seven times through quartz crystals from Herkimer County, New York — otherwise known as Herkimer diamonds. The final product is a masterfully refined vodka.

Tasting Notes:

The corn comes through boldly at first. The sip edges towards a bit of alcohol as citrus balances the corn. A sweet edge comes into play and carries the sip towards a crisp, short, and very clean end with a rush of alcohol.

Marilyn Manson — Mansinthe

ABV: 66.6%
Distillery: Matter Distillery, Bern, Switzerland
Average Price: $70

The Bottle:

This bottle certainly wins for the best name. The Swiss distillate is a great introduction to the “Green Fairy” for the uninitiated. The spirit is distilled without any artificial flavors or coloring. There’s a botanical mix of wormwood, fennel, and green anise that pulls back on the anise, helping make this expression a little more accessible.

Tasting Notes:

Botanical bark with wormwood and anise start the sip off. There’s a real sense of dried medicinal herbs and fresh herbs kind of like gin meeting Jagermeister but dimmed down a bit. There’s a bitterness that’s balanced by sweetness and a fair amount of alcohol burn that lasts well beyond the last drop of your sip.

Dwayne Johnson — Teremana Reposado Tequila

ABV: 40%
Distillery: Teremana Distillery, Productos Finos de Agave, Jesus Maria, Mexico
Average Price: $35

The Bottle:

This is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s signature tequila and it lives up to the hype. The tequila is made the classic way with slow-grown highland blue agave. After harvesting, the agave pinas are slow-roasted in brick ovens before fermentation and copper pot distilling. Finally, the juice is rested in ex-bourbon barrels.

Tasting Notes:

That bourbon vanilla shines through on the nose. The oak kicks in with a slight spiciness that’s underpinned by a clear roasted agave presence. Light florals, a hint of fresh citrus, a thought of nuttiness, and a touch more oak bring about a mild-yet-warming end.

As more and more sectors of the nation take measures to protect citizens from the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus, one population remains especially vulnerable because of its inability to practice social distancing — the inmate population of America’s prison system. As reports of prisons facing short supplies of personal protective equipment like masks and gloves roll in and some low-risk prisoners are released to accommodate their pre-existing conditions, Meek Mil and Jay-Z’s Reform Alliance has stepped up to fill the gap.

CBS This Morning reported today that Reform Alliance received a $10 million donation from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to help deliver PPE to every prison and jail in America. Reform is using the money to buy and distribute more than 10 million masks and other PPE items. The group also released a public service announcement reminding citizens on the outside that those on the inside are overwhelmingly people who have made mistakes and are paying a debt to society that shouldn’t include a potential death sentence from the coronavirus.

Originally, it was reported that Reform Alliance planned to donate 100,000 masks, but with the influx of cash provided by Twitter, that number saw a significant jump. Meek also recently pushed fans to contact their state governors to implement his protection plan for prisons and help slow the potential spread of the virus through the vulnerable population.

Watch CBS This Morning‘s announcement above.

As the quarantine persists, musicians are offering loads of the best new pop music to cure the isolation blues. Global superstars Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber collaborated for a soulful anthem, Kehlani dropped her highly-anticipated sophomore record, and Charli XCX shared the third single from her unconventional upcoming album.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop music. Listen up.

Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber — “Stuck With U”

A collaboration from two of today’s biggest pop powerhouses like “Stuck With U” is sure to make the best new pop list. Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber shared their single this week as an anthem for fans to hold on hope in quarantine. A driving guitar provides the instrumentation’s focal point as Grande and Bieber’s enthralling vocal ranges swell in line with the ardent riff.

Kehlani — “Change Your Life” Feat. Jhene Aiko

Kehlani didn’t give fans much warning before dropping her sophomore record It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. But the 15-track’s solid effort makes up for its abrupt release. Collaborating with Jhene Aiko, Kehlani’s “Change Your Life” sets the tone for the album as a whole, with a pounding beat that pushes the two singers’ far-reaching vocals forward.

Charli XCX — “I Finally Understand”

Charli XCX’s quarantine album How I’m Feeling Now is well underway and the singer has shared its third preview with “I Finally Understand.” The groove-driven single was produced and co-written by Palmistry, who Charli says is “somebody who I’ve to work with for a really long time.”

Jessie Ware — “Save A Kiss”

With her latest singles, Jessie Ware is pivoting to ’80s-inspired pop, and “Save A Kiss” is her latest disco-tinged effort. In a statement about the track, Jessie Ware says it has taken on a newfound meaning in quarantine: “‘Save A Kiss’ has taken on a new meaning during these weird times and it seems like the right time to put it out. This track is an optimistic one for me, I hope it resonates with people wherever they are right now.”

Kim Petras — “Malibu”

Kim Petras aims to usher in the warm rays of summer with her carefree single “Malibu.” In an interview with Uproxx, Petras said she wrote the song before ever having actually stepped foot in Malibu: “I actually wrote it when I had never really been to anything else but the beach in Malibu. And my imagination of it was so great, but then I was like, ‘Wait, it’s just a bunch of rich people living by the ocean.’ I wanted to write a song about my imagination of it and how I wanted it to feel.”

Nylo — “New Normal”

Nylo returned this week with her first EP since 2013, A Brief History Of Sorry. A convergence of R&B and electronica, “New Normal” boasts impressively-intricate production, Nylo’s resonating vocals, and a spellbinding electric guitar solo.

Yebba — “Distance”

Produced by Mark Ronson and recorded with The Roots, Yebba’s “Distance” flows with a distinguished groove. About the single, Yebba says she was inspired by the feeling of knowing that a relationship’s end is imminent. “Emotionally, physically, and spiritually we were trying, but the only thing that came naturally was the distance,” Yebba said in a statement. “So I wrote a goodbye before we ever got the chance to fight.”

Peter Manos — “Tennessee”

Watery reverb previews Peter Manos’ opulent production on his latest effort “Tennessee.” With his auto-tune on overdrive, Manos’ throbbing single captures the bewilderment of a friendship that has begun slipping without explanation.

Wet — “Come To You”

“Come To You” is the second single Brooklyn-based trio Wet has released this year without fanfare. Opening with moody synths and bursting percussion, Wet’s latest effort could arrive as a preview for an upcoming era of music.

G Flip — “Hyperfine”

Australian singer G Flip returns with “Hyperfine,” her first new single the release of her 2019 debut record. Droning synths provide a temperamental hook before an eruptive chorus opens space for G Flip’s earnest musings. “In relationships, it’s so common to say ‘it’s fine’ when it’s really not fine,” G Flip said about the track. “If you care about someone, talk to them.”

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Back in February, Hamilton fans were thrilled to hear that Disney+ would stream a cinematic version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original Broadway production, which nearly broke the Tony Award record and fetched a Pulitzer Prize, a Grammy, and an Olivier Award as well. The on-and-off Broadway tours proved to be outrageously successful, and Disney+ reportedly paid $75 million to acquire the film version for streaming. The catch, at the time, was that the project wouldn’t arrive until October 2021, but the world is much different now, and Disney+ has bumped up the streaming date to July 3, 2020.

A Disney+ press release details now this film will bring the excitement of a theater (something that we can’t experience right now for an obvious reason) into living rooms, right in time for the Independence Day weekend. The movie version promises to bring “live capture” to viewers in an artistic way, which will harness the power of streaming in an intimate manner, for something that Hamilton fans have never experienced until now:

“No other artistic work in the last decade has had the cultural impact of ‘Hamilton’—an inspiring and captivating tale told and performed in a powerfully creative way. In light of the extraordinary challenges facing our world, this story about leadership, tenacity, hope, love and the power of people to unite against the forces of adversity is both relevant and impactful,” said Robert A. Iger, Executive Chairman of The Walt Disney Company. “We are thrilled to bring this phenomenon to Disney+ on the eve of Independence Day, and we have the brilliant Lin-Manuel Miranda and the team behind ‘Hamilton’ to thank for allowing us to do so more than a year before planned.

For his part, Miranda has expressed gratitude to Disney for bumping up the release date, “in light of the world turning upside down.” He’s thrilled to make this viewing experience happen for fans at all, and in a speedier way now, which might provide a beacon of light during these ominous times. Pull out your wigs and get your Founding Father cosplay ready.

Jump Rope Gazers, the upcoming album from The Beths, was announced in April. The album is a couple months away now, so in the meantime, the group has shared another preview of it via a video for “I’m Not Getting Excited,” an energetic indie-rocker that’s accompanied by a stop-motion video.

The band’s Elizabeth Stokes says of the song:

“People always ask ‘are you excited!?’ and it’s a fair question, because exciting things do happen to us sometimes. Support slots, overseas tours, music releases. Stuff we’ve dreamed about for years. So the correct answer is always ‘yes.’ But the truth is that deep down there’s a tiny Liz saying, ‘don’t get excited.’ She is certain that anything good that could happen will most likely not happen, because of a freak accident. Or because somebody finally realizes that we aren’t worthy, shouts ‘phony!’ and takes everything away. I wrote ‘I’m Not Getting Excited’ last year, well before everything really did get taken away. From everyone. It feels like the song has a new context, but we don’t know what it is yet. And now we all share a blurry, uncertain future.”

Directors Callum Devlin and Annabel Kean (collectively known as Sports Team) also said that while making the video, they “turned our laundry into a film studio and spent our inside time mastering the art of stop-motion animation. We animated old towels, all the cardboard in the house and The Beths themselves… frame by bloody frame. There’s a lot of scary imagery in the song that we wanted to play on. There’s a madness too, in the contradiction between what the song is about and its frenetic energy. It has defined the lockdown for us — being locked indoors but furiously busy.”

Watch the “I’m Not Getting Excited” video above.

Jump Rope Gazers is out 7/10 via Carpark Records. Pre-order it here.

When Megan Thee Stallion received a guest verse from Beyonce on her viral hit “Savage,” she was understandably awestruck and ecstatic. That’s because not only is a co-sign from her hometown hero an almost instant pass to upper echelon stardom, but it’s also incredibly rare. Only one other female rapper has received that honor: Nicki Minaj, with whom Beyonce collaborated in 2014 for “Feelin’ Myself.” However, there was almost one other rapper the Queen Bey collaborated with, who like both Megan and Nicki, was the breakout star of the year: Cardi B.

In a clip from a recently-surfaced interview that appeared on an Instagram fan page, producer J. White Did It — the beat maker behind Cardi B’s No. 1 hits “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It,” as well the original version of “Savage” — revealed that a rumored 2017 collaboration between Beyonce and Cardi was almost a reality. He shares his reaction, demonstrating how dumbstruck he was upon hearing the complete version, as he also details the reason the collaboration “went sour”: Unfortunately, the song was leaked and considering how tightly both stars try to control their output and image, it was eventually scrapped.

It isn’t like Cardi needed the help to pump up her sales — she’s the first female rapper to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 multiple times — but it would have been cool for her to be one member of a trifecta of rap superstars to have a song out with Beyonce.

Watch the excerpt of J White Did It’s interview above.

Keeping up with best new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on a daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best new music this week.

This week saw a link-in between two of pop’s biggest stars and a hilarious new one from The Weeknd. Yeah, it was a great week for new music. Check out the best new music this week below.

Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande — “Stuck With U”

Headlining the best new music this week is a collaboration between two of the most significant pop stars of the past decade. The video features even more big-timers, but not Carole Baskin.

Kehlani — It Was Good Until It Wasn’t

Kehlani has followed-up her 2017 debut album with her sophomore effort, and she’s not alone on It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. It features contributions from Jhené Aiko, The Neptunes, James Blake, Masego, and others.

Nav — Good Intentions

It’s been a huge 2020 for Nav thanks to “Turks,” and now the single’s album home, Good Intentions, is out. The album also includes one of a pair of Pop Smoke features to surface this week. The other Pop Smoke guest spot…

Lil Tjay — State Of Emergency

…comes on Lil Tjay’s State Of Emergency. The mixtape also has a pair of features from Fivio Foreign, but Lil Tjay goes at it mostly solo on this thematically relevant project.

Kim Petras — “Malibu”

Petras told Uproxx of her new single, “I really feel like it’s going to make people feel like they’ve just been to the beach, and make people forget about the bad things that are happening for like three and a half minutes. I couldn’t ask for better timing for this to come out.”

Hayley Williams — Petals For Armor

The former Paramore leader has been omnipresent during the lead-up to her debut solo album, and now Petals For Armor is finally out. It’s a deeply personal record, and it even includes a mini Boygenius reunion.

RMR — “Dealer” Feat. Future and Lil Baby

RMR’s star has been rising following his emergence as a peculiar oddball country/trap star. Now his ascent has gotten some powerful co-signs via Future and Lil Baby, who hop on a new remix of “Dealer.”

Charli XCX — “I Finally Understand”

Not only is Charli XCX making a DIY album with real-time input from her fans, but she’s making it look really easy (even though it surely isn’t). She dropped “I Finally Understand,” yet another new track, and it’s stylistically diverse from its predecessors, showing off Charli’s ability to craft experimental-but-still-catchy pop in a number of ways.

Wet — “Come To You”

After a strong two-album run to kick off their discography, Wet appears to have a third record on the way. That was evidenced last week by “Come To You,” a synthy track that’s a promising sign of things hopefully to come.

The Weeknd — “I’m A Virgin”

The Weeknd had a dream come true this week when he guest-starred in an episode of American Dad (which he also co-wrote). For the episode, he teamed up with Electric Guest leader Asa Taccone to pen an original tune, which features lyrics like, “I’m a virgin / Never got close enough / Cell phone blowin’ up, but I’m waiting / For the right person / Tryna act super tough / But inside I’m a twelve-year old boy.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.