NBA Week in Review: Bill Kennedy's announcement, Kobe's dunk, more
Welcome to the NBA Week in Review, a look back at the week’s best offerings on and off the court. Today, we have Bill Kennedy’s announcement, Kobe Bryant’s first funk and more. Read last week’s review here.
Bill Kennedy Week
I’m going to dedicate the Game of the Week space to referee Bill Kennedy, who publicly announced he is gay earlier this week. Kennedy’s announcement was unfortunately overshadowed by his confrontation with Rajon Rondo, who was suspended one game for using an anti-gay slur while arguing an ejection. It’s pretty disheartening to know the language used by Rondo is still somewhat pervasive in the NBA, although we don’t know to what extent. Rondo’s initial, weak non-apology also was not enough.
• MORE NBA: Now is not time for Rondo to hide after slur
The NBA is often credited as the most progressive major American sports league, and rightfully so. Still, the NBA can, and hopefully will, do more to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Policing language is a slippery slope, but I hope the NBA doesn’t let this story go away, and instead uses the moment to make sure it never happens again.
Most importantly, congratulations to Kennedy! May he be at peace during excruciatingly long replay reviews.
Tweet(s) of the Week
While we’re in the business of dedicating, this week’s tweets go out to Kobe Bryant’s first dunk of the season.
Vine(s) of the Week
HOW SWAY?!?!
#https://vine.co/v/im7rUVtLPwp
And now, we return to our regularly scheduled Kobe programming:
Roundup
Lee Jenkins on the Warriors’ unlikely leader, Luke Walton ... How rotation changes could help the Chicago Bulls ... The Spurs are still a basketball death machine ... Iman Shumpert delivered his own baby and the story only gets weirder ... I asked Mark Jackson how he would stop the Warriors ... Seven intentionally missed free throws made for a bizarre ending to a Euroleague game ... Enes Kanter’s full-court prayer is still traveling somewhere through space and time.
The Ben Golliver YouTube Corner
Here are some other old men dunking:
[youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP0Bkk_s6Lk]
The Fashion Outlet
Is LeBron getting out-dressed by Richard Jefferson in this photo?
The One-Question Interview
Off the court only. In August, I extolled the values of Publix to Miami Heat rookie Josh Richardson. We caught up this week to discuss our feelings.
Rohan Nadkarni: [After learning Richardson has yet to try a chicken tender sub] I’m not even angry, I’m just disappointed.
Josh Richardson: That’s the worst when people say that, man. I’m seriously going to have one tomorrow.
RN: What’s your go-to order at Publix?
JR: Ten chicken wings, potato wedges and extra Hawaiian rolls.
