Jada Pinkett And Will Smith Now Minority Owners In The Philadelphia 76ers!

Now....take THAT divorce rumors!!!

Will Smith just bought a much bigger playground to spend most of his days. The Philadelphia native and wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, are officially minority shareholders of the 76ers NBA team in a deal that was confirmed by the league on Tuesday. The "Men In Black" star and his wife are part of an ownership group that includes a former NBA executive, leveraged buyout specialist Josh Harris and an Indonesian media magnate, according to the league's website. The group takes ownership from Comcast-Spectator, which, led by chairman Ed Snider, purchased the team in 1996. "This is one of the hardest business decisions I've ever had to make," Snider said in a statement on Tuesday. "The Sixers are family, and it is very difficult to say goodbye to an organization of great people with whom we have worked so closely over the last 15 years." Forbes magazine valued the team at $330 million this year – which is 17th in the league. The Philadelphia Daily News reported that the new owners paid about $280 million. The Smiths join rappers Jay-Z, Nelly and Usher as entertainers-turned-part NBA owners with the investment. Smith was rumored to be part of a group interested in purchasing the group as far back as 2006, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. That group was assembled by Julius Erving.

Congrats to Will And Jada! Great investment IMO....

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Carmelo Anthony Talks NBA Lockout, Fashion And More To "GQ" Magazine

New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony isn't letting the NBA lockout get him down! The very busy athlete sat down with GQ magazine to speak about his thoughts on the lockout, fashion, his wife LaLa's reality show and MORE!

On what he has been doing now that the lockout is happening:

A lot of people think that as a player, during the lockout, you just have your whole day free. It's not like that—especially for me. I wake up everyday, train in the morning from 9 a.m. to about 2 p.m. Then I have a business meeting here, have to meet this person there, it's non-stop for me.

His thoughts on the NBA lockout:

Well I think at the end of the day they want a competitive balance across the board. I personally don't see any way you can have a competitive balance if you don't spend money. At the end of the day it's all about money. It's kind of taking the fun out of the game because we just want to play basketball.

On doing a reality show with his wife LaLa Vazquez-Anthony:

I think it's good for me because I can just pop on there when I want. I'm not on there everyday, so people won't get tired of me. Yeah, people won't get tired of seeing me on there. When I come on there it's like, "Oh, Melo's on here today, something funny is going to happen. Something's gon' to go down."

Who, besides himself, does he think has a good fashion sense in the league:

I think everybody has their own unique style. LeBron got his own style—Amar'e, D-Wade, Kobe. 

 

On some of the fashion brands that he likes:

Simon Spurr is dope. Thom Browne is dope. I'm also real into Rag & Bone right now. 

 

GQ: What would you have done differently if you were in LeBron's shoes.
Carmelo Anthony: I would have just signed.

GQ: No announcement?
Carmelo Anthony: Yeah, I would have just signed.

Innneresting..... I'm sure LeBron would've done things differently

To read more of Melo's interview with GQ, CLICK HERE!

Image: AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

NBA Lockout News: Commisioner David Stern Cancels First 2 Weeks Of Regular Season

*BBM sad face* Uhghhguguuguhghhghhghguhhghhgugugu (that's Flash crying FYI)

Sticking to his deadline, NBA Commissioner David Stern erased the first two weeks of the season after negotiations failed to produce a new labor deal and warned that more games were in jeopardy of being cut. "With every day that goes by, I think we need to look at further reductions in what's left of the season," Stern said. The cancellations mark the NBA's first work stoppage since the 1998-99 season was reduced to 50 games. "The gap is so significant that we just can't bridge it at this time," Stern said. "We certainly hoped it would never come to this." Union president Derek Fisher agreed, emphasizing that missing any games puts the season in jeopardy. "This is not where we choose to be," he said. "We're not at a place where a fair deal can be reached with the NBA." Stern said last week he would cancel the first two weeks of the season Monday without a new collective bargaining agreement. Top negotiators for both sides met for more than seven hours Monday, the longest session to date, after bargaining for more than five hours Sunday. The two sides expect to remain in contact, but no additional formal talks have been scheduled. Stern said both sides are "very far apart on virtually all issues. ... We just have a gulf that separates us." (MORE)

Listen. With 80+ games in the regular season, this isn't the WORST thing in the world but COME ON!!! I will say this much. If this NBA lockout situation isn't settled by the time the Superbowl is over, there will be some smoke in the city!!!

Oh. And what are they fighting over? The players want to get 53% of revenues while owners would like them to have 47%, according to Stern. Figure it out, dammit!

LET'S GO BOSTON!!!!!!
 

Jay-Z: Meet The Brooklyn Nets!

Big Boy Shyt!!!

Rap impresario Jay-Z stood on a dais across the street from the monstrous Barclays Center construction site on Monday morning and tried his very hardest to get everyone to forget about the NBA lockout. A minority owner of the New Jersey Nets, Jay-Z made the long-anticipated announcement that the Nets will be known as the Brooklyn Nets when they move into the arena before the start of the 2012-13 season. "I am absolutely humbled," said Jay-Z, who looked resplendent in a dark suit that featured a white pocket square. Jay-Z toured the site. Construction workers flocked for photos. He announced that he intends to christen the new arena with a series of concerts. "Maybe one, maybe two, maybe three—I sound like LeBron," he said, taking a swipe at LeBron James's much-maligned championship prediction with the Miami Heat. For one sun-splashed morning, the labor strife that continues to threaten the 2011-12 NBA season was a non-issue. Perhaps that was the hope. Organizers of the press conference had promoted it by claiming it would include a "major announcement." The event did mark a milestone of sorts: the start of a 12-month countdown until the arena's scheduled opening in September 2012. Borough president and tireless Brooklyn booster Marty Markowitz painted the entire project—buffeted for years by grassroots opposition—as a victory for his constituents, and as a loss for the cross-city New York Knicks, a team he re-branded as the "Manhattan Knicks." "For generations, Brooklyn-ites were belittled and disrespected," Markowitz said. "Disrespected and belittled, no more! Next year, when we formally open this arena, the ghosts of Ebbets Field will forever be lifted." Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark rattled off the events to which the arena will play host: concerts, professional boxing cards, family shows. A person with direct knowledge of the league's plans confirmed Monday that the Atlantic-10 men's basketball tournament will move from Atlantic City to Barclays Center in 2013. Before he delivered his remarks, Jay-Z invited a group of students from George Westinghouse High School to join him on stage. He referenced his own childhood growing up in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects. He used the words "excited" and "pride" and "humbled," more than once. "I appreciate all the support from Brooklyn," Jay-Z said, "because without Brooklyn, I wouldn't be standing here, humbled." He spoke for a total of 1 minute, 43 seconds, and when he was done, he disappeared with his security detail. A phalanx of luxury vehicles awaited, engines running.

*standing ovation* What a GREAT accomplishment...clap for 'em, Dancers!

Image: Splash
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Beyonce Is Glowing At The US OPEN!

Impending motherhood looks good on Bey!

Jay-Z and Beyonce took in the final match at the US Open yesterday between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal where Beyonce had the 'motherhood glow' thing going on.

More flix under the break.....

 

Beautiful!

She's not paying attention Jay! PS - look at Bey's ring...WHEW!

Images: Getty Images