Family slams heavily redacted report on fatal police shooting of 8-year-old girl
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Ne-Yo asks for “privacy” after wife Crystal Smith's accusations of infidelity
Ne-Yo is asking for “privacy” after his wife Crystal Smith accused him of cheating.
“For the sake of our children, my family and I will work through our challenges behind closed doors,” the “Closer” singer tweeted Sunday. “Personal matters are not meant to be addressed and dissected in public forums. I simply ask that you please respect me and my family’s privacy at this time.”
Ne-Yo’s request comes just one day after Smith publicly accused her husband of cheating on her.
“8 Years. 8 Years of lies and deception. 8 years of unknowingly sharing my life and husband with numerous women who sell their bodies to him unprotected.. every last one of them! To say I’m heartbroken and disgusted is a understatement,” the model wrote in an Instagram post that was simply captioned, “God bless.”
“To ask me to stay and accept it is absolutely insane. The mentality of a narcissist. I will no longer lie to the public or pretend that this is something it isn’t. I choose me, I choose my happiness and health and my respect. I gained 3 beautiful children out of this but nothing else but wasted years and heartache,” Smith continued. “I ask that you all please stop sending me videos or information of him cheating because what he does is no longer my concern.”
“I am not a victim. I’m choosing to stand tall with my head held high. If someone can’t love you the way you deserve then it’s up to you to love yourself,” she added. “With no hate in my heart I wish him nothing but the best – Crystal Renay.”
Ne-Yo, 42, and Smith, 36, married in 2016 and share kids Shaffer Chimere Jr., 6, Roman Alexander-Raj, 4, and Isabella Rose, 1.
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Two dead as McKinney Fire explodes to more than 52,000 acres in California
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NBA legend Bill Russell dead at 88
(NEW YORK) — Bill Russell will be remembered as a tremendous rebounder, legendary post defender and NBA Hall of Famer. But more than anything, he will be remembered as the greatest winner in basketball history.
The Boston Celtics legend, who won 11 NBA championships as a player, including two as a player-coach, on his way to the Hall of Fame, has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday.
The family said Russell died peacefully with his wife, Jeannine, by his side. Arrangements for his memorial service will be announced soon, the statement said.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement calling Russell “the greatest champion in all of sports.”
“The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics — including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards – only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society,” Silver said.
“At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps” Silver added. “Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.”
Silver said that in the 35 years since Russell completed his trailblazing career as the NBA’s first Black head coach, he continued to attend every major NBA Event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Finals MVP trophy that was renamed for him in 2009.
“I cherished my friendship with Bill and was thrilled when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom,” Silver said. “I often called him basketball’s Babe Ruth for how he transcended time. Bill was the ultimate winner and consummate teammate, and his influence on the NBA will be felt forever.”
There’s no level of play and no role in the sport in which Russell was not a winner. Most notably, he won 11 NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics in the late-1950s and ’60s. The last two titles — in 1968 and 1969 — came as both a player and the head coach.
While at the University of San Francisco, he won back-to-back NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. He won the award for the tournament’s most outstanding player in 1955 and was the UPI collegiate player of the year in 1956. He averaged 20.6 points and 21 rebounds per game as a senior.
And after wrapping up the NCAA title with the Dons in 1956, he went to the Melbourne Summer Olympics and won the gold medal with Team USA. He was captain and led the team in scoring.
The 6-foot-10 Russell caught the eye of legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach in the 1956 NBA draft, so much so that he parted with star center Ed Macauley for Russell, who was drafted No. 2 overall by St. Louis. Russell joined college teammate K.C. Jones as part of the Celtics’ draft class.
The partnership between Russell and Auerbach became the greatest in basketball history. The Celtics won the title in his first season as he averaged 13.9 points and 24.4 rebounds per game.
The Celtics came up short in Russell’s second season in the NBA, through little fault of Russell. He won his first of five MVP awards in 1958, but an injury in the NBA Finals gave an opening for the St. Louis Hawks — the same team that had traded Russell on draft night — to win the title.
It was one of just two times he wouldn’t win the NBA championship. In his 13 years in the league, he failed to win a title in only his second and 11th seasons.
The Celtics, led by Russell, won eight straight titles from 1959 to 1966.
In 1959, the NBA and the country was introduced to the greatest rivalry in the game: Russell versus Wilt Chamberlain. The two weren’t just giants in the paint, they were ultra-athletic, too. They revolutionized a game previously dominated by lumbering centers like George Mikan.
Chamberlain, acknowledged as the best offensive center in the game, and Russell, acknowledged as the best defensive center in the game, would battle for the rest of Russell’s career. Chamberlain, who played for the Warriors and then Sixers, usually got the better of the scoring battle — but Russell’s Celtics won the game.
The two met in the 1960 and ’62 playoffs and then the 1964 NBA Finals after the Warriors relocated to the West Coast. He averaged 11.2 points and 25.2 rebounds per game in a five-game series victory in the Finals. Traded back to the East, the two tangled in the 1965 and ’66 playoffs — both wins for Russell’s Celtics.
Before the 1966-67 season, Auerbach decided to leave the bench and move into an executive role. He passed the role to Russell, who would be a player-coach for the next three seasons.
Russell also made history as the NBA’s first Black head coach.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 — the first Black player to be so honored — but declined to attend the ceremony. He wouldn’t accept his ring until a private ceremony in 2019. He announced on Twitter he had finally accepted the honor, saying he didn’t deserve to be the first Black player to go into the Hall of Fame.
The Celtics retired his No. 6 in 1972 — an event he also did not attend due to a stormy history with Boston media and the city’s racist past. He did later attend a ceremony in 1999 “re-retiring” his jersey. Chamberlain, who died just five months later, was among those in attendance.
Russell’s family recalled his accomplishments off the court, saying in their statement, “But for all the winning, Bill’s understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life.”
“From boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to unmask too-long-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippi’s first integrated basketball camp in the combustible wake of Medgar Evers’s assassination, to decades of activism ultimately recognized by his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010,” the family said, “Bill called out injustice with an unforgiving candor that he intended would disrupt the status quo, and with a powerful example that, though never his humble intention, will forever inspire teamwork, selflessness and thoughtful change.”
Former President Barack Obama, who presented Russell with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, released a statement, saying, “Today, we lost a giant.”
“As tall as Bill Russell stood, his legacy rises far higher — both as a player and as a person,” Obama wrote. “Perhaps more than anyone else, Bill knew what it took to win and what it took to lead. On the court, he was the greatest champion in basketball history. Off of it, he was a civil rights trailblazer — marching with Dr. King and standing with Muhammad Ali. For decades, Bill endured insults and vandalism, but never let it stop him from speaking up for what’s right. I learned so much from the way he played, the way he coached, and the way he lived his life. Michelle and I send our love to Bill’s family, and everyone who admired him.”
Accolades for Russell poured in from current and former NBA players.
Current Celtics star Jaylen Brown posted on Twitter a photo of him and Russell along with the message, “thank you for paving the way and inspiring so many.”
Former Celtics great Paul Pierce posted an undated photo on Twitter of him and other NBA player sitting around a table speaking with Russell. “I’ll never forget this day we was like kids sitting around a camp fire listening to your stories,” Pierce wrote.
NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson posted a series of tweets, writing, “I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of the greatest winner the game of basketball has ever seen, a legend, hall of famer, mentor and my friend for over 30 years, Bill Russell.”
“Bill Russell was my idol. I looked up to him on the court and off. His success on the court was undeniable,” Johnson tweeted. “Off the court, Bill Russell paved the way for guys like me.”
Johnson added, “Despite all of his achievements, he was so humble, a gentle giant, a very intelligent man, and used his voice and platform to fight for Black people. Since the day we met, he mentored me and shared advice,” Johnson wrote. ‘He was one of the first athletes on the front line fighting for social justice, equity, equality, and civil rights. That’s why I admired and loved him so much. Over the course of our friendship, he always reminded me about making things better in the Black community.”
ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson and Julia Jacobo contributed to this report.
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Celebrities, athletes honor NBA legend Bill Russell following his death
(NEW YORK) — Celebrities, athletes and politicians are paying homage to NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell, who has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday.
Russell died peacefully at home with his wife, Jeanine, by his side, his family said on Twitter.
Former President Barack Obama, Dr. Bernice King and Magic Johnson were among those who reacted to the news of the 11-time NBA champion’s death.
“Today, we lost a giant. As tall as Bill Russell stood, his legacy rises far higher — both as a player and as a person,” Obama said in a statement on Twitter. “I learned so much from the way he played, the way he coached, and the way he lived his life. Michelle and I send our love to Bill’s family, and everyone who admired him.”
In a statement, President Joe Biden said, “Bill Russell is one of the greatest athletes in our history — an all-time champion of champions, and a good man and great American who did everything he could to deliver the promise of America for all Americans.”
The Boston Celtics legend is “the greatest champion in all of sports,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
Here’s a look at how other celebrity fans, athletes and more are mourning Russell’s death:
New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing, the current head coach of Georgetown men’s basketball, tweeted, “The world lost a legend with the passing of Bill Russell. His impact on basketball and society will not be forgotten.”
Former NBA champ Paul Pierce
Former Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce said Russell was a “trailblazer” and thanked him for “setting the bar” and his “kind words of wisdom.”
Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson
NBA legend Magic Johnson wrote that Russell was his “idol.”
“I looked up to him on the court and off. His success on the court was undeniable; he was [dominant] and great.”
Lawyer and minister Dr. Bernice King
Dr. Bernice King, daughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., whom Russell marched with at the March on Washington, said he “transcended sports in influencing our national and global landscape. A champion in many ways that matter.”
The Boston Celtics
Russell played with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s and 1960s, and he won 11 championships with the team as a player and two as a coach.
The team honored the legend, saying he was a “champion unlike any other in the history of team sports” and that he revolutionized how basketball was played.
Comedian Jon Stewart
“Bill Russell was one of the kindest, most thoughtful people I’ve ever met. Once called out of the blue because he thought I looked sad on TV… best pep talk of my life. RIP.”
Former Grand Slam Champion Billie Jean King
“Bill Russell was a once-in-a-generation activist athlete who made all around him better. He had a career of firsts & led the way for many. I admired him my entire life & he had a huge influence on my career. He was the ultimate leader, ultimate team player & ultimate champion,” the tennis legend wrote.
GMA anchor Robin Roberts
“So sad to hear of the passing of one of the all-time greats… sending love and condolences to the Russell family.”
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Scoreboard roundup — 7/31/22
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Boston 7, Milwaukee 2
Cincinnati 3, Baltimore 2
San Diego 3, Minnesota 2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto 4, Detroit 1
Cleveland 5, Tampa Bay 3
Chi White Sox 4, Oakland 1
Final Houston 3 Seattle 2
Kansas City 8, NY Yankees 6
Texas 5, LA Angels 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE
St. Louis 5, Washington 0
Atlanta 1, Arizona 0
Philadelphia 8, Pittsburgh 2
NY Mets 9, Miami 3
LA Dodgers 7, Colorado 3
San Francisco 4, Chi Cubs 0
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Chicago 95 Connecticut 92 (OT)
New York 89, Phoenix 69
Las Vegas 94, Indiana 69
Washington 78, Seattle 75
Minnesota 84, Los Angeles 77
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
D.C. United 2, Orlando City 1
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Seven dead, including five kids, in head-on crash near Chicago: Police
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Lil Durk taking a break to “focus on health” after suffering injury at Lollapalooza
Lil Durk is taking a break after to focus on his health after suffering an injury during his appearance at Lollapalooza.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the 29-year-old rapper shared a photo of himself in a hospital room with his right eye bandaged and wrote, “Due to the incident that happened at Lollapalooza in Chicago on stage, I’ma take a break & focus on my health.”
“I finished my performance yesterday for my fans,” he added. “Appreciate y’all.”
In video captured of the mishap, Lil Durk walks across the stage when he’s hit in the face by a forceful blast of smoke. He stumbles backwards from the blast and wipes his eye with his white t-shirt.
After taking some time to collect himself, the artist said, “F*** it, no more smoke, let’s do it,” and continued his set, according to Page Six.
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