On his 22nd Media Day, No. 23 discovered he’s (still) the NBA’s oldest player. What other moments turned heads on Monday?
THE LINEUP
What’s inside today’s edition
The Best Out West: Which Western Conference stars stole the show at Media Day?
East Energy: The Eastern Conference cameras captured new teammates and a crowded pack of contenders
Celebrating Mutombo: The tributes for the late NBA icon continued to pour in Tuesday
Dikembe’s Best Blocks: Seven times the seven-footer said, “No, No, No”
W Semifinals: A pair of Game 2s last night saw one club take control and another get even
BUT FIRST … ⏰
The NBA preseason is just two sleeps away …
The 2024 NBA champion Celtics touched down in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, followed by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets’ arrival shortly thereafter as the two prepare for the Abu Dhabi Games 2024 on Oct. 4.
1. MEDIA DAY: THE BEST OUT WEST
On Monday, 28 teams hosted their Media Day sessions, giving fans a full scope of the 2024-25 NBA landscape and a slew of viral moments, from superstars posing with their new squads to big-name rookies entering the bright lights.
You’ve already seen LeBron & Bronny James in the Lakers’ purple and gold, Klay Thompson in Dallas with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul size up with Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio and DeMar DeRozan don Kings’ colors in Sacramento.
Who else made headlines during Media Day out West? Let’s start with the youngest team in NBA history to earn the conference’s No. 1 seed.
- Thunder crack: OKC’s back with a bolstered core as Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein joined the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and company
- SGA on Caruso: “We all know what he does. He’s the only guy on this team that’s won [the Finals]. So he’s going to bring that right away. He’s going to bring that perspective, bring that juice.”
- Year 5 for No. 5: Staying in the Northwest Division, after leading the Wolves to their second Western Conference Finals trip in franchise history last spring, Anthony Edwards is back for his fifth season and ready to make another run
- Edwards: “I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in.”
- Ja’s new big: Meanwhile, Ja Morant is back healthy for Memphis after going down with a shoulder injury last January and has a new lottery pick to work with in center Zach Edey, this year’s No. 9 overall selection
- Golden State of Mind: Fresh off an Olympic gold medal with USA Men’s Basketball in Paris — where he sealed the final win with four 3s in the last three minutes — Steph Curry showed off his new hardware on his 16th career Media Day
- Steph On ‘The Shot’ In Paris: “It was a memory for a lifetime.”
- Shining Suns: In Phoenix, two of Curry’s USAB teammates, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, joined Bradley Beal for their second Media Day as a trio, with a new point guard who could make a big impact this season
- New-look Clips: For the Clippers, Monday marked their first Media Day at the Intuit Dome (the franchise’s brand-new arena), while Kawhi Leonard and James Harden showed off the team’s redesigned uniforms
2. MONDAY’S TOP SCENES IN THE EAST
The stars also glistened in the East, with Paul George forming a formidable Philly trio alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher, beginning his NBA journey in Atlanta and a collection of contenders gearing up for a title push.
- Same city, new squad: After being acquired in a trade from Brooklyn this summer, Mikal Bridges made his first showing as a Knick, reuniting with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart
- Bridges on his new (and old) teammates: “I think I’ve built a connection with pretty much everybody so far … But Josh — you gotta watch out for him. I can’t look him in the eyes sometimes because he’ll make me laugh.”
- Heat check: Following a 2023-24 campaign hampered by injuries, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the Heat are back with one main focus in mind — a ring
- Butler: “I’m here. Normal hair. No shenanigans.”
- Adebayo’s motivation: “I like winning … Winning feels great.”
- Fear the Deer: Butler and Bam aren’t the only Eastern Conference duo thirsty for a title, as Giannis Antetokounmpo begins his second season with co-star Damian Lillard in hopes of reestablishing Milwaukee as serious contenders
- Jumping for joy: Giannis couldn’t wait to answer the hard-hitting questions from a pair of junior reporters
- Dress to impress: Coming off an ECF appearance in 2024, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam prepare to help the Pacers take the next step — as long as Haliburton’s shoes can hold up
- More Magic? Paolo Banchero also looks poised to take another leap after an All-Star campaign in his sophomore season, which culminated in the Magic’s first Playoff berth since 2019-20
- Fresh faces in D.C.: Speaking of magic, a new pair of Wizards introduced themselves to the District as 2024 lottery picks, Alex Sarr (No. 2 overall selection) and Carlton “Bub” Carrington (No. 14) checked off Day 1 of Year 1
3. CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF DIKEMBE MUTOMBO
The tributes to Dikembe Mutombo continue to pour in from both inside and outside of the NBA Family. From his son to a pair of former U.S. Presidents, former players who competed against him and current players who drew inspiration (and one who received a unique birthday gift) from the basketball and humanitarian giant.
Former Presidents
- Former President Barack Obama: “[He] inspired a generation of young people across Africa, and his work as the NBA’s first global ambassador changed the way athletes think about their impact off the court. Michelle and I are thinking of Dikembe’s family and everyone who knew and loved him.”
- Former President Bill Clinton: “Hillary and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend Dikembe Mutombo, a legendary basketball player, devoted humanitarian, and profoundly good man. … He once told me that he blocked shots for a living, but he lived to save lives and open doors.”
Top Two Scorers In NBA History
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “At 7’2″, Dikembe Mutombo and I were the same height, but to me he’ll always be a towering figure as both an athlete and a humanitarian. … His kindness, good humor, and commitment to making a better world inspired everyone who knew him. He loved humanity and humanity loved him right back. There is no better legacy.”
- LeBron James Shared This Story at Media Day: “My fondest memory of Dikembe Mutombo, he fractured my face on my birthday in Cleveland … I went to the hole and caught one of those Dikembe elbows. And if anybody knows about the Dikembe elbows, they don’t feel good.”
Global Effort Mentees
- Luol Deng: “To my big brother, our mentor Dikembe, thank you for everything you graciously gave to this world. Your talent was beyond basketball, your heart was bigger than most, and you were loved by all. … You paved the way and ensured we understood that a meaningful life is about giving back.”
- Joakim Noah: “Spending time with you on the continent and launching the BAL the last few years was one of the most important things I’ve ever done and was so humbled to share these moments in Africa with you. You inspire generations and generations of young Africans and that will be your ultimate legacy.”
Ryan Mutombo, one of Dikembe’s three children, currently plays for Georgia Tech after spending his first three collegiate seasons at his father’s alma mater, Georgetown University. Ryan shared a touching tribute to his father on Monday.
- “My dad will forever be my hero. Not because of his success – not because of the millions who, over the last four decades, have come to know and love him. My dad is my hero because he simply cared. He remains the purest heart I have ever known.”
4. SEVEN OF MT. MUTOMBO’S BEST BLOCKS, IN GIFS
With over 3,000 career blocks to choose from, Dikembe Mutombo did not make it easy for us to cut the list down to seven classic times the seven-footer said “No, No, No.”
Check out his top 10.
April 9, 1997: Dikembe blocks Clarence Weatherspoon three times in a row while breaking out the finger wag between each block.
Dec. 15, 2006: Maurice Evans learns that, even at age 40, Mount Mutombo is still a force.
May 5, 1994: Dikembe gets the best of the high-flying Shawn Kemp and then adds a contest on Kendall Gill before cleaning up the boards.
Nov. 6, 1999: A simple, “No, No, No,” to Dickey Simpkins.
Feb. 4, 1996: Michael Jordan challenged Mutombo at the basket, and Dikembe got the block. A year later, at the 1997 All-Star Game, the two had a friendly argument about whether MJ ever dunked on him. Three months after that conversation, MJ kept his promise to climb Mt. Mutombo.
Feb. 21, 1997: “The Round Mound of Rebound,” Charles Barkley meets Mutombo at the rim. Advantage: Dikembe.
March 27, 1998: Ron Harper thought he had an easy layup… Not on Dikembe’s watch.
5. W SEMIFINALS: NY PUTS CHAMPS ON THE BRINK, LYNX EVEN SERIES
Liberty Fend Off Aces To Take 2-0 Lead: Sabrina Ionescu (24 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast) scored seven of NY’s final nine points in the game’s final two minutes to help the Liberty hold off the defending champs 88-84 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinals.
- Balanced Effort: Breanna Stewart (15 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast), Jonquel Jones (14 pts, 8 reb) and Courtney Vandersloot (12 pts, 4 reb) combined to add 41 points for New York
- Winning Close Games: The Liberty improved to 6-1 this year (regular season and Playoffs) in games decided by five points or less. The Aces fell to 5-6 in such games
- History On NY’s Side: Teams that take a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series are 18-0 in WNBA Playoff history
- Backs Against The Wall: A’ja Wilson (18 of her 24 pts in 2nd half) and the Aces now face an elimination game for the first time since 2021. Vegas is 5-3 when facing elimination since Wilson entered the W in 2018
Lynx Even Series at 1-1: Courtney Williams (17 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and Alanna Smith (15 pts, 6 reb, 3 3s) combined for 32 points to lead the Lynx to a 77-70 win over the Sun to even the best-of-five semifinals as the series shifts to Connecticut for the next two games.
- Phee Fills The Stat Sheet: Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier (9 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast, 4 blk, 1 stl) overcame an off shooting night by contributing in many ways
- Bench Edge: Minnesota’s bench outscored Connecticut’s 16-4 as all eight players that took the court for the Lynx scored at least four points
- Connecticut Connection: Alyssa Thomas (18 pts, 10 reb, 7 ast) and DeWanna Bonner (17 pts, 6 reb, 5 st) combined for 35 points, while Bonner rose to 3rd all-time in Playoff scoring
