The New York Knicks clinched the series with a Game 5 win on Saturday evening in San Antonio, winning their first NBA Finals in more than half a century when they edged out the San Antonio Spurs with a score of 94-90.
They ended the first quarter down 10 points, with 13 to the Spurs’ 23, but by halftime, they had cut their deficit in half. They began the second half with 37 to the Spurs’ 42 — and trailed them until the final moments of the fourth quarter, finally tying up the score at 83-83 with 4:25 left in the game. The Spurs didn’t make it easy for them, scoring almost immediately — but the Knicks pulled ahead with 3:40 left, 86-85, and the two teams traded blows until the clock ran out.
Going into Saturday night’s game, New York was already leading the series three games to one. They won their first matchup on June 3 (105-95) and the second on June 5 (105-104). The Spurs notched a win on June 8 (115-111), but the Knicks delivered a record-setting comeback in Game 4 to win (107-106).
After the first quarter of Game 4, the Knicks were already down by 19 — the biggest first-quarter disadvantage in NBA Finals history for the home team — and by halftime things were looking bleak. Another record-setting deficit, this time at 27 points — and then in the second half, the Spurs widened their lead to 29 points. 
The comeback — driven largely by power forward OG Anunoby and guard Jalen Brunson — delivered the final basket with just 1.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. San Antonio did not even have time to attempt one last shot.
And so the Knicks headed to Texas for Game 5. If they had not pulled out the victory on Saturday, they would have returned to their home court at Madison Square Garden for Game 6.
The last time the Knicks won the NBA finals was 1973, when they bested the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one.

Knicks Fans Gather Around NYC To Watch Game 4 Of The NBA Finals Against The San Antonio Spurs

Knicks Run Away With First NBA Finals Win In 53 Years

Basketball

New York Knicks

Sports

Spurs

New Yorkers may not get the chance to attend NBA Finals Game 5 — which could be the last game of the championship series — thanks to a rule blocking out-of-town fans from purchasing tickets to the San Antonio-based game.
A Ticketmaster warning shows sales for Game 5, which might see the New York Knicks win the NBA Finals for the first time in 53 years, are limited to fans within a 150-mile radius of the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
“Residency will be based on credit card billing address,” the warning reads. “Orders by residents outside of a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”
The Ticketmaster rule has been in effect for the entire playoffs, according to social media users. Other ticket sites, however, including StubHub and SeatGeek, do not appear to restrict ticket sales to specific locations.
The New York Knicks currently lead the series 3-1 over the San Antonio Spurs. If the Knicks win Game 5, the team will secure the NBA title for the first time since 1973. If the team loses, the series will return to Madison Square Garden for Game 6.
This is the Knicks’ first Finals appearance since 1999, when the New York team lost to the Spurs. The Spurs’ last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2014, when the team defeated the Miami Heat to win the championship.
Despite the roadblock from Ticketmaster, fans from New York and New Jersey have already purchased 45% of Game 5 tickets, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/12/sports/new-york-new-jerseys-knicks-fans-bought-50-of-tickets-for-game-5-in-san-antonio/">as reported by</a> the New York Post. According to the Post, some New Yorkers bought Game 5 tickets because they were cheaper than tickets to Madison Square Garden, the Post reported.
The cheapest seats for Game 5 cost around $1,000 on Ticketmaster, while the best seats cost anywhere from $10,000 to $36,000.
In contrast, the cheapest tickets for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden cost around $5,000 — with courtside tickets going for as much as $100,000, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/knicks-star-calls-out-crazy-ticket-prices-for-nba-finals-see-how-much-fans-spent">reported</a>.
Win or lose, the Knicks have already made history in their Finals run. The team won Game 4 with a 29-point comeback, the largest in NBA Finals history.

Ticketmaster Rule Could Lock Some Knicks Fans Out Of Game 5

San Antonio

Knicks owner James Dolan says New York City officials, not President Donald Trump or the Secret Service, were responsible for the intense security surge around Madison Square Garden during Game 3 of the NBA Finals. 
On Monday night, as the New York Knicks hosted an NBA Finals for the first time in decades, local authorities imposed strict access controls around the arena ahead of President Trump’s attendance. Only ticketed fans were permitted within the secured perimeter, which featured expanded checkpoints, street closures, and restricted movement zones around Penn Station and nearby blocks.
But according to Dolan, the crackdown was not driven by federal officials.
“Look, let&#8217;s just talk about the Game 3, right? The Secret Service didn&#8217;t demand this stuff. It was NYPD, and it was really the commissioner&#8217;s office,” <a href="https://x.com/sny_knicks/status/2064804944608178341?s=20">Dolan said during an appearance on The Carton Show. </a>
When a host suggested the restrictions would have been more understandable if they had come from the Secret Service, Dolan doubled down, pointing fingers at NBA Commissioner Adam Silver&#8217;s office. 
“No, this was the commissioner&#8217;s plan all along. She (sic) just used the president coming as an excuse, that you know, to set it up,” Dolan fired back. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
James Dolan on <a href="https://x.com/CartonShowWFAN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CartonShowWFAN</a> says that the secret service didn&#8217;t demand the extra security around MSG, it was the NYPD Commissioner&#8217;s Office:
&#8220;This was the plan all along, she used the president coming as an excuse to set it up&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/kIPR7eEPSq">pic.twitter.com/kIPR7eEPSq</a>
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) <a href="https://x.com/sny_knicks/status/2064804944608178341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
Dolan’s comments appear to contradict the narrative that President Trump and the Secret Service sparked the confusion and long lines outside Madison Square Garden. 
“All because Donald Trump wanted to make it about himself,” Senate Majority Leader <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2064126464362946902?s=20">Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said</a> of the situation. “I trust New Yorkers will let him hear how they feel about that.”
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith also criticized the situation, saying politicians should not interfere with Knicks fans&#8217; ability to enjoy the team&#8217;s historic Finals run.
“I have a problem with any politician — any politician — that shows up, causes delays and interferes with these watch parties buzzing all over NYC,” <a href="https://x.com/stephenasmith/status/2063398406278852857?s=20">Smith posted on social media.</a> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Grow the Hell up! I have a problem with any politician — any politician — that shows up, causes delays and interferes with these watch parties buzzing all over NYC. It’s not political. It’s about the <a href="https://x.com/nyknicks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyknicks</a> and the vibe this city has going. Anyone who messes with that needs to… <a href="https://t.co/FTEIS8E8nz">https://t.co/FTEIS8E8nz</a>
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) <a href="https://x.com/stephenasmith/status/2063398406278852857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
The controversy escalated after watch parties planned outside of MSG were canceled. Roughly 7,000 people later gathered in Bryant Park, where celebrations turned chaotic and violent, T<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-fights-break-out-across-nyc-after-knicks-lose-game-3">he Daily Wire previously reported. </a>
In one video, New Yorkers appeared to be ganging up on a man wearing a San Antonio Spurs jersey as he was walking down the street, forcing him to fend off numerous attackers. Of the 21 people police took into custody, officers arrested and charged eight and released 13 with criminal court summonses. At least five NYPD officers were injured, according to the department.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch defended the restrictions, saying the NYPD and Secret Service jointly determined that watch parties directly outside Madison Square Garden could not be safely accommodated during a presidential visit.
&#8220;We are looking forward to bringing back watch parties for Game 4,” Tisch said at a news conference. 
That promise did not last long. Madison Square Garden canceled its Wednesday night watch party for Game 4, citing the city’s strict security perimeter restrictions. 
In response, the Madison Square Garden executive chairman and CEO blasted NYC leadership, calling Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Tisch the city’s “biggest party poopers.” 
&#8220;We now know these restrictions were never about the President – it was just a convenient excuse to restrict how and when Knicks fans celebrate,&#8221; Dolan said, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/party-poopers-knicks-owner-blasts-mamdani-nypd-over-msg-watch-party-rules-for-game-4/6511149/">according to NBC4 New York.</a> &#8220;The complete closing of areas around MSG is going to affect not only the celebration but also all the small businesses that rely on Garden fans for their livelihood.&#8221;
“They have never managed anything like this before, and it’s like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches coming out the sides,” he added, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/10/us-news/msg-cancels-knicks-watch-party-hours-before-game-4-as-james-dolan-unloads-on-mamdani-tish/">according to The New York Post.</a>
Mamdani pushed back online, arguing that Madison Square Garden had applied for a watch party permit capped at 500 to 999 attendees and that city officials approved a permit for up to 999 fans.
“Mr. Dolan has now decided to cancel the watch party. I know this is breaking hearts across our city,” Mamdani said. “But if there&#8217;s one thing Knicks fans don&#8217;t need permission for, it&#8217;s showing up for our team wherever we may be — no matter the block or the borough.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MSG requested a permit for a watch party for 500-999 fans. We approved that permit for 999 fans.
Mr. Dolan has now decided to cancel the watch party.
I know this is breaking hearts across our city.
But if there&#8217;s one thing Knicks fans don&#8217;t need permission for, it&#8217;s showing up…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2064814617184890929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote>

Everything You Heard About Trump And NBA Finals Security Was A Lie

Knicks

News

NBA watch parties turned into all-out brawls following the New York Knicks&#8217; home loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals Monday night.
Although authorities banned watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden due to security issues around the attendance of President Donald Trump, other locations throughout the city were still open for large crowds to gather and watch the game if they couldn&#8217;t afford the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/knicks-star-calls-out-crazy-ticket-prices-for-nba-finals-see-how-much-fans-spent?row=0&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;rowType=Web+Search">absurd ticket prices</a> to get in the Garden. 
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After the Spurs pulled out a 115-111 victory over the Knicks, some fans on the streets got violent. Videos posted on social media show Knicks fans across the city fighting with fellow Knicks fans and Spurs faithful. 
The NYPD estimated that roughly 7,000 people gathered near Bryant Park for the watch party Monday night.
In one video, New Yorkers appeared to be ganging up on a man wearing a San Antonio jersey as he was simply walking down the street. The Spurs fan was forced to fend off numerous attackers.
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Some Knicks fans were seen clapping and cheering on other individuals who were attacking and ripping Spurs jerseys off bystanders. According to the NYPD, the crowd took over 42nd Street, blocked traffic, and ignored repeated police orders to disperse.
“People climbed on top of scaffolding, light poles, police cars, and NYPD trucks, causing significant damage. The crowd was throwing glass objects at each other and police officers, and they ripped bus signs and trees out of the ground to throw them,” the NYPD said in a statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨INSANITY🚨
SPURS FAN gets ASSAULTED by a rabid mob of New York Nicks fans
Police is nowhere to be found… <a href="https://t.co/p57KAD8vln">pic.twitter.com/p57KAD8vln</a>
— PartiKing (@parti_king) <a href="https://x.com/parti_king/status/2064193192413597753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Police were notably absent in several videos, but authorities finally arrived and arrested some of the troublemakers after the fights. Twenty-one people were <a href="https://ny1.com/nyc/manhattan/news/2026/06/09/21-taken-into-custody-outside-bryant-park-knicks-watch-party--nypd-says">reportedly</a> taken into custody following the events.
Of the 21 people police took into custody, officers arrested and charged eight and released 13 with criminal court summonses. Police charged two people with assault on a police officer and one with attempted assault on an officer. Five NYPD officers suffered injuries during the disorder, according to a statement from the department.
Neither the NYPD nor Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said how the city will prevent similar disorder at future games. Game 4 takes place Wednesday night in New York City.

New York Knicks Fans Gather To Watch Game Three Of The NBA Finals Against San Antonio Spurs

WATCH: Fights Break Out Across NYC After Knicks Lose Game 3

Fight

New York

Before Game 3 of the NBA Finals tips off Monday night in Madison Square Garden, players and fans alike can’t help but notice the glaring charge of tickets.
After the New York Knicks took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, ticket costs skyrocketed with the Knicks&#8217; return to MSG as the team looks at a potential sweep for their first championship in 53 years. The cheapest get-in price on secondary and primary ticket marketplaces is currently floating around $5,000 on SeatGeek and Ticketmaster, while some courtside seats have gone for over $100,000. 
Knicks guard Josh Hart called out the high prices after his team&#8217;s open practice on Sunday.  

“I kind of wish the ticket prices weren’t as crazy that they are,&#8221; he <a href="https://x.com/sny_knicks/status/2063663327767589110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2063663327767589110%7Ctwgr%5Eafd7999aad99b08210c052264245916838eacf1b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F25435052-josh-hart-calls-out-ridiculous-nba-finals-ticket-prices-knicks-vs-spurs-game-3">said</a>. &#8220;I feel like a lot of people who [have] been waiting for this moment for a very long time unfortunately aren’t able to get into the building, when the cheapest ticket is $7,000 [or] $8,000.”
The cheapest tickets for Game 4, the potential championship-clincher for the Knicks depending on the result of Game 3, are already set at $9,280 on SeatGeek. If the Knicks take a 3-0 lead Monday night, the price to enter Madison Square Garden could exceed $10,000.
A combination of ending one of the NBA’s longest championship droughts, loyalty of the fans, and attendance of a handful of celebrities, along with President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is to blame for the high prices. 
Along with Hart, New York native and Knicks guard Jose Alvarado admitted he won’t be providing tickets for his friends after he already secured seats for his wife, children, brother, and parents.
“I see it’s $11,000 [each], I say no,&#8221; Alvarado <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theScore/videos/imagine-being-hit-up-by-everyone-you-know-asking-for-tickets-to-game-3-%EF%B8%8Fpresente/996265866330073/">told</a> reporters when referring to getting some of his friends to the game. “It’s a lot of money … I ain’t doing that. I’ll tell you that much.” 
 
Alvarado isn’t losing any faith in Knicks fans to still support the team, whether it’s from home, at local sports bars, or even outside the arena.
“The people that can’t afford it, we improvise,” he <a href="https://www.foxsports.com/articles/nba/spursknicks-game-3-of-the-nba-finals-is-a-hot-ticket-with-the-potential-for-a-wild-scene">told</a> Fox Sports. &#8220;We’re New Yorkers. We’re going to find a way to watch a game, and that’s what we’re doing.”

BASKET-NBA-FINALS-KNICKS-SPURS

Knicks Star Calls Out ‘Crazy’ Ticket Prices For NBA Finals. See How Much Fans Spent.

Ticketmaster

Buffalo Wild Wings set X ablaze this week after offering free food to a fan who was reportedly banned for life from NBA arenas after running onto the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
During the fourth quarter of Wednesday&#8217;s Finals opener, a fan sprinted onto the court and approached San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama while recording video and asking for a selfie. Security quickly detained the individual and removed him from the floor. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Fan runs on the court during Game 1&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/lMPQof82oI">pic.twitter.com/lMPQof82oI</a>
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://x.com/BleacherReport/status/2062377729157386381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Following the match, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said the fan was arrested on misdemeanor charges of disrupting a lawful gathering and criminal trespassing. An NBA spokesperson later announced that the fan, along with another individual accused of helping him access the court, had been banned for life from NBA events and arenas. 
Buffalo Wild Wings then weighed in on the incident with a post on X.
“Internet, help us find the banned fan. He can watch the rest of the finals at B-Dubs on us,” the restaurant chain <a href="https://x.com/BWWings/status/2062635749002907915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2062635749002907915%7Ctwgr%5E723f523a1cd1b2fba7d3e06a068ee66d78ac9f98%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnypost.com%2F2026%2F06%2F05%2Fsports%2Fbuffalo-wild-wings-slammed-for-offer-to-fan-who-ran-onto-court-during-knicks-spurs-nba-finals-game%2F">posted</a>. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
internet, help us find the banned fan. he can watch the rest of the finals at B-Dubs on us. <a href="https://t.co/wMX61PRm7F">https://t.co/wMX61PRm7F</a>
— Buffalo Wild Wings (@BWWings) <a href="https://x.com/BWWings/status/2062635749002907915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Buffalo Wild Wings&#8217; post quoted a viral image purporting to show a fan selfie from the court. However, the image was not authentic. The fan who ran onto the floor had short hair and was tackled by security before taking the selfie with Wembanyama.
The post sparked backlash across social media for offering a prize for disruptive behavior. One widely shared reply contrasted the offer with the chain&#8217;s military discount, writing that service members receive 10% off while someone who committed a crime was being offered a free meal. 
Former NBA All-Star Blake Griffin also criticized the promotion.  
“This ain’t it. @wingstop would never #notapaidpost,” Griffin <a href="https://x.com/blakegriffin23/status/2062666311537492121">posted</a> on his X account.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Exterior of a Buffalo Wild Wings chain restaurant. Also known as B-Dubs, this dine-in establishment sells chicken wings and pub food

Buffalo Wild Wings Attempts To Reward Fan After NBA Bans Him For Life

buff

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is getting dunked on by former Los Angeles Laker Kyle Kuzma, who is having a &#8220;Pratt Summer.&#8221;
The NBA player is putting his money where he hopes common sense is and placing a big bet on Spencer Pratt to win the Los Angeles mayoral race.
Kuzma, who won the NBA championship with the LA Lakers in 2020, posted on <a href="https://x.com/kylekuzma/status/2058970366039527711?s=20">X</a> over the weekend his bet slip, which showed the current Milwaukee Bucks power forward put more than $36,000 on Pratt to win, with the payout being $133,588.89 if the former reality star beats incumbent Karen Bass and Nithya Raman.
Kalshi has Bass as the favorite with a 70% chance of winning, with Pratt at 28% and Raman a distant third at 5.9% as of Tuesday morning.
&#8220;For my parlay papis I’m going big on Spencer Pratt,&#8221; Kuzma wrote beside an American flag emoji.
To the haters in the replies, Kuzma <a href="https://x.com/kylekuzma/status/2058986018296963082">responded</a> with this: &#8220;LA has been cooked since Covid what am I missing lol.&#8221;
Kuzma isn’t a stranger to LA. He played for the Lakers from 2017 to 2021, which included the pandemic. And despite being engaged to fashion model Winnie Harlow, who is signed to CAA out of Los Angeles, Kuzma chooses to spend the off-season in Florida, not the “Golden State.”
The NBA star doubled down on his Pratt for LA stance Tuesday, sharing a long-form interview Pratt did on the &#8220;All-In&#8221; podcast recently, where the outsider discusses LA’s rampant homelessness, corruption, and lack of leadership.
Kuzma captioned the <a href="https://x.com/kylekuzma/status/2059257100279107769?s=20">video</a>, &#8220;Good watch when you have the time.&#8221;
Pratt is a registered Republican, though he is running as an independent.
Kuzma isn’t the only person with ties to the Lakers who is all in on &#8220;The Hills&#8221; star. Jeanie Buss, the Lakers&#8217; minority owner and current governor, made the max donation of $1,800 to Pratt’s campaign last month.
Despite her contributions, Buss hasn’t publicly endorsed Pratt, according to <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/lakers-jeanie-buss-la-mayoral-race-spencer-pratt">Fox 11.</a> But like her former player, her money is doing the talking.
Pratt has <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-22/spencer-pratt-leads-field-in-mayoral-campaign-contributions">reportedly</a> raised $2.72 million between April 19 and May 16, per statements obtained by the Los Angeles Times, moving his total to $3.26 million in contributions. Current Mayor Bass reported only $283,000 during that same period, boosting her total to $3.13 million. As of May 16, Raman hasn&#8217;t hit the $1 million mark in contributions.
Election Day for Los Angeles is on Tuesday, June 2. The latest odds predict a run-off in November between Bass and Pratt.

Credit: HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/John Fisher/Getty Images

NBA Champ Dunks On Karen Bass, Bets On Spencer Pratt To Win LA Mayoral Race

NBA Champ Dunks On Karen Bass, Bets Spencer Pratt To Win Los Angeles Mayoral Race

Los Angeles

Spencer Pratt

Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal returned to his alma mater over the weekend, delivering a colorful, energetic commencement address to Louisiana State University’s graduating class of 2026.
Speaking from the perspective of an elder statesman offering sage advice to the next generation, O’Neal — who dominated the collegiate ranks at LSU before embarking on one of the most physically imposing careers in NBA history — implored the &#8220;youngsters&#8221; to embrace resilience and integrity as they step into the world.
O&#8217;Neal, who famously earned his bachelor&#8217;s degree from LSU in 2000 after leaving early for the NBA, opened with his trademark humor, saying:
<blockquote>
I&#8217;m not going to be long because I know you guys are hungry, because I&#8217;m hungry as hell. I was tricked. I was bamboozled this morning. They told me to arrive at 7:30. And three hours later, I received something that had nothing in it. Last time I sat this long, I was sitting on the toilet after I had some bad chimichanga from TJ Ribs.
</blockquote>
Turning serious, he expressed immense pride in the graduates and laid out five core pillars for their future success: never stop learning, use failure as motivation, prioritize character over resumes, stay curious in a &#8220;weird world,&#8221; and celebrate milestones while continuously striving ahead.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a small percentage of people that accomplish things on the first try,&#8221; he declared. &#8220;Most of us regular people have to go again, again, again, and again. So again, before you succeed, you must first learn to fail. &#8230; Your character will take you further than your resume. Continue to be kind; continue to be humble. Continue to help those in need.&#8221;
In a classic lighter moment, he also urged graduates to buy his &#8220;Shaq-A-Licious&#8221; gummies at 7-Eleven.
The massive center’s perspective is backed by a resume legendary in American sports. Long before he was a four-time NBA champion, O&#8217;Neal entirely transformed the LSU basketball program under coach Dale Brown from 1989 to 1992. Over 90 collegiate games, the powerhouse center averaged an astonishing 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game, shooting 61% from the field. A two-time consensus First-Team All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year, O&#8217;Neal set an NCAA Tournament record by blocking 11 shots in a single game against BYU in 1992.
After the Orlando Magic selected him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, Shaq won Rookie of the Year and famously shattered multiple backboard supports. O&#8217;Neal soon ascended to absolute league dominance.
He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 and eventually formed a legendary dynasty with Kobe Bryant and coach Phil Jackson. O&#8217;Neal led the Lakers to a historic &#8220;three-peat&#8221; of NBA championships from 2000 to 2002, capturing Finals MVP honors in all three instances. His 1999–2000 campaign stands as one of the greatest individual seasons in sports history, missing out on a unanimous regular-season MVP by just a single vote.
O&#8217;Neal later secured a fourth championship ring with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006 before concluding his 19-year journey with veteran stints in Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston. He retired in 2011 with 28,596 points and 13,099 rebounds, earning a spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
Concluding his commencement address in Baton Rouge, the legendary big man led the arena in a roaring chant of &#8220;We did it,&#8221; reminding the graduates of their shared achievement. &#8220;I do not want you going home and saying I graduated with Shaq,&#8221; O’Neal told the crowd. &#8220;I want you to say Shaq graduated with me.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XpSEQXsjFRA?si=o6gWfZTPXk5Q_vnn" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

2026 Disney Upfront

Shaq Offers His Most Important Life Advice In Colorful Commencement Address

Commencement

Louisiana State University

Shaquille O'Neal

Jaden Ivey addressed claims that he has not been doing well mentally — and gave insight to his family dynamic — after the Chicago Bulls waived the former top-10 draft pick for being &#8220;detrimental&#8221; to the team over comments criticizing the NBA’s &#8220;Pride&#8221; celebrations.
&#8220;Y&#8217;all going to say I&#8217;m crazy now?” Ivey asked in a livestream on Instagram Tuesday. &#8220;He&#8217;s mentally going insane, right? But I&#8217;m not. I have peace, I have joy.&#8221;
Ivey’s comments about his biblical beliefs have been met with praise from other athletes including TreVeyon Henderson — as well as criticism, even from his family.
Since his release from the Bulls, Ivey said his wife is no longer talking to him and his family members are calling him &#8220;psycho&#8221; amid the controversy.
&#8220;These are my own family members who love me,&#8221; Ivey said during his Instagram live stream Tuesday. &#8220;My blood, those who raise me saying that I don&#8217;t know the truth … saying I&#8217;m losing my mind.&#8221;
The Purdue alum also appeared on the PinPoint podcast Tuesday night, where he defended his comments about the NBA promoting &#8220;Pride&#8221; events which Ivey called &#8220;unrighteous&#8221; saying his opinions were not &#8220;detrimental&#8221; to the team.
Ivey said that he was a good teammate and strong player and added that he believed the league&#8217;s move of waiving him was hypocritical after Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was only fined for using a homophobic slur back in 2022.
&#8220;How is it that he said something detrimental and basically hypocritical judgment because he’s not a Christian, and he got fined. He didn’t get kicked out of the league. He didn’t get waived, right? But it’s because he’s the best player on their team, right? They need him, right? He makes them money, right?&#8221; Ivey said.
Ivey has posted numerous Instagram lives since last week when the Bulls ruled him out for the rest of the season for a knee injury.
Though he claims his mental health now is in good shape, it hasn&#8217;t always been that way. Ivey opened up about how his injuries, particularly his broken fibula last year, caused him to be suicidal, but God saved him.
&#8220;There&#8217;s been many times where God has been so merciful, bro. Like, I&#8217;ve almost committed suicide multiple times, and I&#8217;m not ashamed to say it. I&#8217;m not ashamed because God was merciful to keep me here,&#8221; Ivey said.
&#8220;I had oxy pills in my hand, and my wife was telling me, don&#8217;t do it. Don&#8217;t do this. Don&#8217;t go down this road, and God was convicting me and I didn&#8217;t know the truth. And so then, man, I didn&#8217;t do it by God&#8217;s grace. He kept me here.&#8221;
The guard — who was averaging 11.5 points per game before his release — said the Bulls dismissing him won&#8217;t stop his basketball career.
Ivey says he would answer a team&#8217;s call tomorrow in the NBA, but he would also consider playing in other leagues, too.
&#8220;As long as I&#8217;m doing the will of God, abiding in Jesus Christ, that&#8217;s what matters.&#8221;

Illustration by Daily Wire staff

The Fallout Grows More Personal For NBA Star Axed Over Christian Beliefs

Jaden Ivey

The Chicago Bulls released guard Jaden Ivey on Monday after Ivey posted multiple videos on social media, calling out the NBA&#8217;s celebration of LGBT &#8220;unrighteousness&#8221; and speaking about his Christian faith.
Ivey, who is averaging over eight points per game this season, was dropped by the Bulls just a month after he arrived in Chicago due to a trade with the Detroit Pistons. In one video Ivey posted on Instagram on Monday, the guard ripped the NBA for celebrating LGBT &#8220;Pride&#8221; month.
&#8220;The world can proclaim LGBTQ, right?&#8221; Ivey <a href="https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/2038738011270316391">said</a>. &#8220;They proclaim &#8216;Pride Month&#8217; in the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, &#8216;Come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness.&#8217; They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it on the streets. Unrighteousness.&#8221;
In another video that Ivey recorded while on an airplane, he called out NBA star Stephen Curry and questioned Curry&#8217;s Christian faith.
&#8220;He&#8217;s not even surrendered and y&#8217;all believe he&#8217;s a Christian. Y&#8217;all believe he&#8217;s a Christian because he wrote Philippians 4:13. Ya&#8217;ll think he&#8217;s a Christian, but he&#8217;s cursing just like the world. &#8230; He don&#8217;t know Jesus and I pray he comes to the truth,&#8221; Ivey said.
The Bulls announced on Monday afternoon that the team was releasing Ivey &#8220;due to conduct detrimental to the team.&#8221; Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters shortly after the team&#8217;s decision that he didn&#8217;t want to get into details about Ivey&#8217;s social media posts. Donovan added that in his conversations with Ivey, the player has been focused on trying to rehab after suffering a knee injury and said the team hoped Ivey would be part of the roster for the &#8220;long term&#8221; after he was traded from Detroit.
&#8220;Organizationally, there’s certain standards I think we want to have as an organization and live up to those each and every day,&#8221; Donovan <a href="https://x.com/JaredWeissNBA/status/2038751592057294936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2038751592057294936%7Ctwgr%5Ee795ca8f1b3bb021752081dacccc890210ee6a36%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportingnews.com%2Fus%2Fnba%2Fnews%2Fwhat-happened-jaden-ivey-bulls-release%2F2bd343bb5e15d6d88ce54c84">said</a>, adding, &#8220;Everybody comes with their own personal experiences, right? But we have to all be professional, there has to be a high level of respect for one another, and we&#8217;ve got to help each other and be accountable to those standards.&#8221;
Ivey responded in another social media video after the Bulls dropped him.
&#8220;They said my conduct is detrimental to the team, right? Why didn&#8217;t they just say we don&#8217;t agree with his stance on LGBTQ? Why didn&#8217;t they say that?&#8221; Ivey <a href="https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/2038800068837359978">asked</a>. &#8220;How is it conduct detrimental to the team? What did I do to the team? What did I do to the players? I did nothing but practice with them, play with them, pass the ball to them, [be] a good teammate to them.&#8221;
&#8220;So why is it that the NBA and the Chicago Bulls say I&#8217;m detrimental to the team? How? Because I believe in the truth? Because I know Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?&#8221; he added.
Some Christian athletes have come out in defense of Ivey after he was released by the Bulls. Patriots star running back TreVeyon Henderson <a href="https://x.com/TreVeyonH4/status/2038786657608941846">reposted</a> a clip of Ivey&#8217;s comments about gay &#8220;Pride&#8221; alongside a Bible verse from Matthew 5:10, which states, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Henderson&#8217;s coach, Mike Vrabel, was <a href="https://x.com/LosTalksPats/status/2038994093905485826">asked</a> about the running back&#8217;s support for Ivey and told reporters that he wants players like Henderson to express what they believe, but added that he wants to &#8220;make sure that they’re educated.&#8221;
&#8220;We want to be inclusive. Everything we want to do, we want to provide an environment for people to feel comfortable, but also to share their personal beliefs. And also, we represent the team, and we represent the organization,&#8221; Vrabel added.
New York Jets cornerback Azareyeh Thomas also posted support for Ivey and his stance against LGBT &#8220;Pride&#8221; celebrations.
&#8220;The world will try to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Believer or not, every single person on earth will soon have an appointment before Jesus. So if living for Christ makes us look crazy or &#8216;weird,&#8217; that&#8217;s okay because it isn&#8217;t strange to Christ. When it’s all said and done, we’ll give an account to an audience of One. (Romans 14:12, 2 Cor. 5:10),&#8221; Thomas <a href="https://x.com/Azareyehthomas/status/2038740853229850794">wrote</a>. “&#8217;Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness…&#8217; Isaiah 5:20.&#8221;
Miami Dolphins long snapper Blake Ferguson also publicly <a href="https://x.com/blakeferguson48/status/2038830950403158285">backed</a> Ivey after the Bulls player was released.
Former New Orleans Saints tight end and outspoken Christian Benjamin Watson <a href="https://x.com/BenjaminSWatson/status/2038798555259818143">said</a> he expects the Bulls to clarify what exactly led to Ivey&#8217;s release.
&#8220;Conduct detrimental covers a host of actions. It’s a catch all term for everything from being late to curfew, to saying the wrong thing to the media, to fighting in the locker room. It allows clubs to discipline players without specifying certain actions. I expect the Bulls to clarify if it also includes using the term &#8216;unrighteousness.&#8217; If so that’s an even bigger problem,&#8221; Watson said.
Ivey has recently become more outspoken about his Christian faith and has even opened up about his struggles with depression this season. After Ivey was kept on the bench for an entire month despite being healthy in February, the guard told reporters that because of his faith, he &#8220;wasn&#8217;t the same player as he used to be.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead,&#8221; Ivey said. &#8220;I&#8217;m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.&#8221;
Ivey also <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7159179/2026/03/30/jaden-ivey-waived-bulls-nba-pride-month/">faced criticism</a> for some of his responses to people who commented on his Instagram videos. In one instance, a person asked the NBA player about going to confession, and Ivey replied by writing, “Catholicism is a false religion. And is not the true Doctrine of Christ. [It] does not lead to salvation in Jesus Christ.”
Another person commented on Ivey&#8217;s video and wrote, &#8220;Sending prayers. Detroit misses you.&#8221; Ivey responded to that comment, writing, &#8220;God does not hear your Prayer if you are a sinner.&#8221;

Jaden Ivey/TreVeyon Henderson/Azareyeh Thomas

NBA Team Drops Player Over Gay Pride Comments, Sparks Backlash From Christian Athletes

Bulls Drop Player After He Calls Out NBA's Gay Pride. Here's How Christian Athletes Have Responded.

Chicago

LGBT

Here are some actions you can take in the NBA and still not get waived from your team: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Wield a gun while drunk at a strip club</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Knock up every woman in a four-mile radius of every NBA stadium</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Get arrested for alleged felony assault after concussing and strangling your girlfriend</li>
</ul>
What is the one thing you absolutely, positively cannot do, especially during Holy Week?
Let me introduce you to NBA guard Jaden Ivey, out of Purdue, where he scored 17 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore, then was drafted fifth overall in 2022 by the Detroit Pistons.
Ivey is a good player. He posted 16 points, five assists, and four rebounds per game in his rookie year. In his second season, he scored 16 points per game. He was up to almost 18 points per game before he was injured in his third season and was then traded to the Chicago Bulls.
And that is where the trouble began.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2399-sub"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
This week, Jaden Ivey posted a video about the NBA&#8217;s Pride month. This, of course, is the month when the NBA and pretty much all NBA teams have nights dedicated to LGBTQ+-÷.
Jaden Ivey got himself in trouble because he <a href="https://x.com/esidery/status/2038675084412338572?s=20">posted a video</a> talking about the NBA&#8217;s Pride Month on Instagram. He is a newly converted, religious Christian.
<blockquote>They proclaim Pride Month and the NBA,” he stated. “They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, ‘Come join us for Pride, for Pride month to celebrate unrighteousness.’ They proclaim it.</blockquote>
That seems like a fairly traditional Christian belief, that you should not actually celebrate pride in what is considered a sin by the vast majority of the religious world.
The immediate response of the Chicago Bulls was to <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/2038730088238268713?s=20">can him</a>. They announced that they had waived him due to “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Apparently, it was very, very bad for the team that he put out an Instagram video proclaiming the same thing that churches all over the country say all the time.
It was suggested that Ivy seems to be spiraling. Ivy has reported depression in the past; it is unclear whether he is in the midst of some sort of mental issue or not.
But if you&#8217;re going to cite evidence of a mental issue, this is not the best evidence. For him to declare that traditional religious belief says that you shouldn&#8217;t celebrate pride in what is considered a sin is not a spiral. 
<blockquote>I know some of the things that were put out there,” Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said. “You know, I think it&#8217;s a situation for him where, you know, it&#8217;s on his own personal Instagram. I don’t want to get into what he put out there [on Instagram], but certainly for him I hope he’s OK. I’ve had conversations with Jaden and he’s always been about rehabbing his knee and trying to get on the court and wanting to play. But I think organizationally, there’s certain standards I think we want to have as an organization and live up to those each and every day.</blockquote>
Not a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWh-2AWDpiT/">strong rebuke</a> from the coach.
Nonetheless, the Bulls let him go because, of course, you cannot say anything that violates the precept of full-scale wokeness on these sorts of issues.
Jaden Ivey then went to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWiLRPfgs3k/">Instagram Live</a> to defend himself.
<blockquote>“They said my conduct is detrimental to the team, right?” he stated. “Why don&#8217;t they just say, we don&#8217;t agree with his stance on LGBT? Why didn&#8217;t they say that? How is it conduct detrimental to the team? What did I do to the team? What did I do to the players? I did nothing but practice with them, play with them, pass the ball to them. Good teammate to them, said ‘Good job. Good shot.’ I said these things to my teammates, was never detrimental to them. So why is it that the NBA and the Chicago Bulls say that I&#8217;m detrimental to the team? Because I believe the truth.? Because I know Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?” </blockquote>
He has a point. The team could have just said, &#8220;We disagree with his comments. Everybody&#8217;s entitled to their opinion.&#8221;
In the UFC, this happens all the time. Dana White routinely says this about people that he disagrees with in the UFC, people who say things that are morally bad. He will say, “You&#8217;re allowed to say what you want to say. I disagree with it, but it&#8217;s not my job to police the speech of other people.”
<div id="attachment_1069855" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1069855" class="size-large wp-image-1069855" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263760436-864x576.jpg" alt="CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 21: Jalen Duren #0 and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons talks to former teammate Jaden Ivey #31 of the Chicago Bulls after a game at the United Center on February 21, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263760436-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263760436-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263760436-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2263760436.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jayden Mack/Getty Images</div>
But the Bulls just waived Ivey, who also criticized Steph Curry. He went off on Steph Curry because Curry is frequently brought up by critics of traditional Christianity in the league as the example of what Christianity should look like, meaning that you cite the vaguest verses from the Bible while ignoring traditional moral practice. 
Ivy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqvAUEVGtU4">said</a>: 
<blockquote>That&#8217;s why you got Steph Curry. And he not even surrendered. And y&#8217;all believe he&#8217;s a Christian. Y&#8217;all believe he&#8217;s a Christian because he wrote Philippians 4:13. Y&#8217;all think he&#8217;s a Christian. He’s friendship with the world &#8230; He don&#8217;t know Jesus. And I pray he comes to the truth, that Him and his family will be saved in Jesus’ name, because all that stuff is not going to matter on Judgment Day, the rings he got.</blockquote>
I&#8217;m wondering precisely what Ivey said here that merits him being waived.
Let&#8217;s be real about this. If he were saying the opposite, that Pride night is the best, or came out as gay today, he&#8217;d be celebrated by the league. He&#8217;d be touted as one of the most important basketball players alive.
The NBA has a political bent, without a doubt, and are putting at risk an entire Christian audience and traditionalist audience that looks at this and says, Hold up, you get waived for saying that you don&#8217;t believe that Pride night ought to be celebrated, not because you did anything wrong, just because you said that you don&#8217;t agree with the league&#8217;s stance on these issues?
Back in January 2025, Ivey <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEsWmiduyou/">said</a>, 
<blockquote>My testimony is that, you know, when you&#8217;re away from Jesus, when you&#8217;re not close to him. And when you don’t have a relationship with him, Satan is there. He wants to just steal, kill and destroy. That&#8217;s all he comes here to do. He doesn&#8217;t want to give you peace. He wants to make your life hell. And that&#8217;s what I dealt with, you know, most of my life. When I came to know Jesus, my life, my living, I did  a whole 360. I have that peace. I have that joy that I&#8217;ve been searching for my entire life.</blockquote>
Let’s recall that the NBA had an entire controversy engulf it surrounding whether they should have a night honoring a strip club in Atlanta. And that required the NBA to actually step in after weeks of consternation about whether or not that should happen.
But apparently, the minute you sound off and say, “Hey, Pride night, it&#8217;s got some connotations that are anti-Christian,” the minute you say that, you’re gone.
That&#8217;s an insane tactic from a league that wants to maximize its fan base, not minimize it. During Holy Week for Christians, that’s an astonishing stance by the league. 
I&#8217;m hopeful that some other team will give Jaden Ivey another chance. 
Because man, the Chicago Bulls really screwed up here in a major, major way.

Chicago Bulls v Brooklyn Nets

NBA Player Released For Expressing Traditional Christianity

Ben Shapiro

LGBTQ

Opinion

Woke Culture

The NBA took a historic step Wednesday, voting unanimously to explore expansion in Seattle and Las Vegas. After 18 years of waiting, there&#8217;s finally real hope that the SuperSonics are coming home. It&#8217;s genuinely good news for a city that desperately needs something to cheer about.
But leave it to Washington Democrats to find a way to pick the team&#8217;s pockets before it plays a single game.
Seattle has been gutted by years of soft-on-consequences governance. King County&#8217;s homelessness authority tallied a revised 16,868 homeless individuals in its most recent completed count, and the agency&#8217;s own leadership has already signaled the 2026 survey, completed just weeks ago, will push that number higher still. Open-air drug use has become a defining feature of Seattle&#8217;s public spaces, with encampments stretching across parks and neighborhood corridors that once drew shoppers and tourists. Businesses fled. Residents followed. From 2021 to 2022, Washington logged a <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_faf025f3-cf18-4cb7-aa19-907760238841.html">net migration loss</a> of nearly 19,000 people and a $1.66 billion net loss in adjusted gross income.
This is the economic wreckage that Democrat-run Olympia and Seattle City Hall built through years of consequence-free drug policies and hostility to accountability. So when the NBA Board of Governors voted to formally pursue expansion talks with One Roof Sports and Entertainment, the ice hockey team the Kraken&#8217;s umbrella ownership group, fans had every reason to celebrate.
Climate Pledge Arena, a little virtue signal for woke Seattle, is ready. The fanbase never actually left. And for a city that&#8217;s been told for years things are improving while watching them deteriorate, the return of the Sonics is a rare piece of unambiguously good news. A possible 2028-29 season start is now squarely on the table.
The unconstitutional income tax that crashed the party
Here&#8217;s the catch. Just weeks before the NBA made its move, Democrats <a href="https://seattlered.com/seattle-red/jason-rantz-opinion/ferguson-delays-signing-washington-income-tax-sb-6346/4117495">rammed through Senate Bill 6346</a>, a 9.9% income tax on households earning more than $1 million annually. It passed the House 51-46 after Republicans waged a historic 25-hour floor fight, then cleared the Senate 27-21. Gov. Bob Ferguson has pledged to sign it.
Republicans called it exactly what it is. A 1933 Washington Supreme Court ruling established that income is property under the state constitution, meaning it must be taxed at a uniform rate. Democrats are betting courts will reverse nearly a century of precedent. That is a bold gamble with other people&#8217;s money.
Visiting players are on the hook
Here is what most fans celebrating the expansion news haven&#8217;t fully absorbed: SB 6346 doesn&#8217;t just hit Seattle residents. The bill codifies duty-day apportionment rules for nonresident athletes, meaning every opposing NBA team that walks into Climate Pledge Arena will owe Washington state a cut of income earned during those games. Tax professionals call this a &#8220;jock tax,&#8221; and Washington has never had one until now.
The math is ugly. For an NBA player earning $35 million a season, a two-game road trip to Seattle could generate over $800,000 in Washington-sourced income subject to the 9.9% rate, after only a minimal prorated deduction. Add coaches and high-earning staff, and a visiting team&#8217;s aggregate tax exposure for a single Seattle road stop could run several hundred thousand dollars.
This also changes the Sonics&#8217; own competitive position in free agency. For years, playing in Washington meant zero state income tax, a genuine edge when players compared contract offers. That advantage evaporates above the million-dollar threshold. Democrats didn&#8217;t just tax the team. They taxed every opponent who came to watch them play.
Silver lining: the encampments will disappear (temporarily)
There is one unexpected upside to the NBA expansion push, and Seattle residents near the city&#8217;s worst encampments already know what it is. A homeless camp sat for five months in the shadow of the Space Needle, on a vacant private lot at 5th Avenue North and Harrison Street, right across the street from Seattle Center, where Climate Pledge Arena is located. Neighbors and nearby businesses reported open drug use, discarded needles, and assaults.
The city claimed for months that it couldn&#8217;t touch it because the land was privately owned. It took a court-appointed receiver, a negotiated agreement, and a police presence to finally clear it last week.
&#8220;This is a high-profile spot, a very high-profile corner,&#8221; the receiver told <a href="https://komonews.com/news/local/space-needle-area-encampment-cleared-after-five-months-on-private-lot-housing-crisis-shelter-resources-drugs-needles-pollution-assault-crime-police-statistics-sweeps-katie-wilson-seattle">KOMO News</a>. &#8220;There was an emphasis to get this taken care of.&#8221;
Seattleites have seen this movie before. When the city hosted MLB All-Star Week in 2023, Mayor Bruce Harrell&#8217;s administration suddenly found the <a href="https://seattlered.com/seattle-red/jason-rantz-opinion/rantz-seattle-cleans-up-the-city-for-mlb-all-star-week-not-for-us/3905798">urgency to clear SODO</a>, Pioneer Square, and downtown of the encampments that residents had begged them to address for years. The streets looked almost livable for about a week.
I covered it at the time and was clear about what was actually happening. The city cleaned up for baseball executives, not for the people who live and work there. The same performance is coming for the NBA&#8217;s ownership vetting process, when someone has to justify writing a check somewhere between $7 and $10 billion for an expansion franchise. I&#8217;ll be honest with you: as a Seattle resident, I&#8217;ll take it. Beggars can&#8217;t be choosers. Just don&#8217;t mistake a pressure-wash before a sales pitch for an actual policy change. And, by the way, it did little to end the stench of urine downtown that is so thick you can taste it.
Democrats broke it. Now they want the trophy.
Progressive leadership spent years presiding over open-air drug markets, soaring homelessness, and a documented business exodus. Now they are racing to be photographed standing next to the NBA expansion announcement.
Democrats didn&#8217;t fix Seattle. They just got lucky the NBA still sees enough value in a market they&#8217;ve been running into the ground. The Sonics may well be back by 2028. They&#8217;ll arrive right as Washington&#8217;s unconstitutional income tax kicks in, ready to collect from every player who pulls on the jersey and every opponent who comes to town.
Welcome home, Sonics. Watch your wallets.
***
Jason Rantz is a <a href="https://seattlered.com/podcast_results?i=1676&amp;n=The+Jason+Rantz+Show">Seattle-based talk show host</a> and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Killing-America-Radical-Destruction/dp/1546006141/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0">“What’s Killing America: Inside the Radical Left’s Tragic Destruction of Our Cities.”</a>

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