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Welcome to Beyond The Press

All eyes were on the NBA Summer League as the League’s brightest young stars got their first chance to shine, and the top picks shined bright! While the men were having fun in Vegas, the WNBA’s stars were in Chicago showing out, if only the WNBA would have put some effort into making it fun for the fans… Apparently, it was a half-assed event!

THE OFFSEASON

Ja Morant says he'd cook Michael Jordan in his era

Ja Morant's got the game on lock, and after his first three seasons in the NBA, his confidence appears to be at an all time high. In a recent interview with Taylor Rooks, Ja confidently stated that he'd have no problem against Michael Jordan in MJ's era.

“I wish I would’ve played in his generation, though,” Morant said on Jordan. “Just how he go about the game, that mindset he had … I would like to play against him. … I would’ve cooked him, too."

“Nobody got more confidence than 12,” he continued. “ I don't care what it is, what sport it is, soccer. Who's the best player in soccer? Come on, we can play."

Find the full video here.

INTERNATIONAL

Nikola Jokic is living his best life in Serbia!

Fresh off a historic $270M contract extension and a back-to-back MVP award, Nikola Jokic is having the best summer of his life! The Joker was recently spotted in his native country, tearing up the dance floor and having an absolute blast. Jokic is a notoriously dedicated and focused athlete, so it’s nice to see him relax, even just for a bit.

Fresh off a historic $270M contract extension and a back-to-back MVP award, Nikola Jokic is having the best summer of his life! The Joker was recently spotted in his native country, tearing up the dance floor and having an absolute blast. Jokic is a notoriously dedicated and focused athlete, so it’s nice to see him relax, even just for a bit.

Unsurprisingly Jokic’s contract is the biggest in NBA history, which is a testament to his skill but also the current financial state of the NBA. As the league grows in popularity and revenue, players' contracts scale accordingly. Perhaps the wildest example of this is with Mike Conley. In 2016, Conley signed a then-record $153M contract but fast forward to 2022, and Jokic’s deal squashes it by over 76%!

Jokic commanded such a raise because he qualified for a supermax extension. A supermax is worth up to 35% of the salary cap and is only available to NBA players who have logged over seven years of service and earned a significant end-of-season honor, such as MVP

CULTURE

UNLV's "Gucci Row" Explained

If you’ve ever wondered what Drake meant when he rapped “sittin’ Gucci Row like they say up at UNLV,” we’ve got the answer for you.

The name “Gucci Row” originated in the late 1980s/early 1990s during the height of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels' powers. Despite being the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas was without a professional sports team until the Raiders arrived in 2020. With this lack of other sports coupled with a dominant men’s basketball program, the UNLV Rebels quickly became the talk of the town.

Gucci Row refers to the set of courtside seats opposite the scorer’s table in the Thomas & Mack Center. Arguably the best and most expensive seats in the house, they were usually filled by celebrities, musicians, and other high-profile names, and in a town like Vegas, you need to dress the part. In addition to being UNLV's home, the venue has hosted the NBA Summer League since 2004, so Gucci Row continues to see plenty of action.

THE RUMOR MILL

John Wall: “You tell me the 3rd-best defender is going to have to guard me? Good luck.”

Damian Lillard: “Something that’s missing in our league, the passion, the pride, not just for the name on the back but the name on the front.”

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