The first annual “NBA Awards” aired last night on TNT, and host
Drake opened the broadcast with a comedy segment featuring
Will Ferrell and Raptors G
DeMar DeRozan before performing a monologue. Highlights include: “We're coming to you live from basketball city here in New York. ... It's a city that never sleeps, mostly because everyone that lives here is afraid of being traded. ... People keep asking if the dominance of the Warriors and Cavs is bad for the league. I'm just glad that people aren't as critical of dominance in other professions, because I'd never want my doctor to be like, ‘I'm going to mess this one up so nobody thinks that I'm too good. I don't want to save every life. Got to be humble.’ ...
Draymond Green stopped kicking people in the groin and moved onto something much worse: His own podcast. ... Rookie
Markelle Fultz says he almost signed with Big Baller Brand before he eventually signed with Nike. When asked what changed his mind, Fultz said, ‘I went to college’” (
“NBA Awards,” TNT, 6/26).
Basketball HOFers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson were "on hand to present" Bill Russell with a lifetime achievement award. After "pointing to each member of the group," the smiling Russell "raised a conspiratorial hand alongside his mouth and announced, 'I would kick your ass'” (NBA.com, 6/27). SI.com's Dan Gartland writes, "Drake was great, but maybe Russell should host this thing next year" (SI.com, 6/27).
