Los Angeles

Two men were arrested Wednesday for allegedly vandalizing the Bruin Bear statue on UCLA's campus shortly before the rivalry football game between UCLA and USC in November.

According to Patch.com, UCLA Police Lt. Kevin Kilgore said that 19-year-old Louie Torres and 18-year-old Willie Johnson were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and felony vandalism.

Kilgore said the following regarding the vandalism, which occurred at 2 a.m. on Nov. 13—four days before the Bruins beat the Trojans 34-27: "The Bruin Bear was vandalized while it was secured in a wooden box for the UCLA-USC football game that weekend. Two suspects pried open the wooden case and painted the Bruin Bear with red and yellow paint, resulting in damage of over $15,000."

USC fans vandalizing the Bruin Bear is nothing new, as the phrase "SC Runs LA" was spray-painted on the statue in 2014:

Apparently USC already got to #UCLA's Bruin bear, a week and a half prior to the rivalry game: pic.twitter.com/lKlWGDO3NQ

— Bruins247.com (@Bruins_247) November 13, 2014

Kilgore noted that neither Torres nor Johnson have any relation to either USC or UCLA. He said bail was set at $10,000 for each man.

Frankly, this is what Dre Ball always wanted. Well, sort of.

For years, his basketball dreams had been connected to his cousins and uncle with the same name: Dre had been classmates with LiAngelo on and off since preschool. He had played alongside his older cousin Lonzo since they were kids. He was set to, in his senior season, share the backcourt with LaMelo. Dre worked out with LaVar, who taught him The Big Baller Way.

Then, in an instant, everything changed. “I wasn’t a part of [the move to Lithuania]. It was just something they did,” says Dre.

While the international sports media attempted to make sense of the move, Dre was left trying to figure out what had happened—and what to do. 

In some ways, he was ready for the challenge. “I always had confidence in myself and my abilities,” Dre says. “I just needed the opportunity.” In other ways, though, he had never experienced the limelight. The pressure of the spotlight, the uncertainty of college recruitment and the burden of continuing his family’s legacy at Chino Hills was his to bear alone. 

Those who have seen Dre play recognize his potential. “He has been in the shadow, but in three years, that kid will be one of the best players in his class when it matters,” says Clint Parks, a well-known trainer on the grassroots circuit. Dre’s unique skill set and size (he’s 6’7”) has also attracted the attention of pros like Kevin Durant, who believe he is perfectly suited for an evolving NBA—a league in which versatile players who can exploit mismatches and operate in the open floor are highly valued. “Long arms, can guard multiple positions,” Durant said on Overtime. “Everybody gonna need one of those type of guys.”

Still, Dre finds himself the forgotten Ball. Zo routinely makes headlines with LeBron James in Los Angeles. (He makes fewer headlines as a rapper.) Melo has since returned stateside a 6’5” wunderkind, going viral every game at the Spire Institute, a high school and post-grad academy in northeast Ohio. (LaVar and Gelo are conspicuously present at Melo’s games.) Dre, meanwhile, has never been featured on the family’s Facebook reality show, Ball in the Family. 

Now a Pepperdine Wave, Dre hopes that, after a life largely spent on the sidelines as a backup to his cousins, he can forge his own path. 

“I'm not looking to take a backseat to anyone,” he says. “I'm there to put in work to get to where I want to go. The assumptions about my last name never bothered me. I stopped listening to those whispers a long time ago.”    

---

Dre was four when his parents, Stephanie and Andre, moved him to Chino Hills. The new neighborhood was only 33 miles east of the family’s previous residence in Lakewood, but the landscape—an overall flatness dotted with farms—felt like a different state. “It was cow country,” Stephanie says. “We used to get off the freeway and then drive and drive.”

The decision to move was largely undertaken as a matter of practicality: Andre’s six siblings all lived nearby, which meant that there would be after-school care for Dre—whom everyone called Little Andre (never junior)—and he’d grow up alongside his extended family. Stephanie and Andre could still commute to their jobs in Los Angeles, all without worrying about who would watch their son after preschool. “It wasn’t an inconvenience for the family,” says Stephanie, adding, “They were his caretakers.”

On Sundays, Andre played basketball with his brothers at the Neighborhood Activity Center. The NAC, as the court is known, featured the area’s best runs. He brought young Dre with him; his brothers did the same with their kids. While the older Ball brothers ran full court, the younger cadre did the same on the side court. Lonzo, the oldest of the group at 7, had a refined game, unmatched by anyone his age. Gelo could connect from deep as easily as he could bully his way to the rim. Melo was already starting to showcase an uncanny efficiency from the perimeter. Dre paired an innate quickness with his uber-hops, emerging as a natural finisher for his cousins’ passes—layups at first and then alley-oops as he discovered dunking.

“That’s all they knew,” says Stephanie. “Basketball was a passion that started with his dad and uncles.”

Dre didn’t much look like his cousins—his frame was lean and slender, favoring his mother’s side of the family—but he shared their athleticism. Through preschool and elementary school, Dre spent a lot of time hanging with Zo, Gelo and Melo at their house. LaVar, a former Carolina Panther practice squad player who had once dreamed of becoming a U.S. Marshal, was a stay-at-home father and worked as a personal trainer at a local LA Fitness. (Tina, his wife, was a middle school physical education teacher.) So he helped the kids pass time by running hills, lifting weights and playing 3-on-3 in the Balls' backyard. “We just looked at how his children were playing, and since Dre was right with them, he fell in line,” says Andre, adding, “My brother said that Dre could ball, and we all agreed it would be good for them to train as well as play together.”

LaVar insisted that his progeny play against older competition. He believed the experience would make the quartet better and stronger. Failure wasn’t an option for the kids. “They expect success,” says Steve Baik, the head coach at Chino Hills for six seasons. (He coached Lonzo for four seasons.) “And if they fail, they know to get right back up and not feel sorry for themselves.”

Playing up had other advantages too, like increased exposure. “The more you win, the bigger stage you play on,” Dre explains. Though, as it turned out, the quartet was their own best competition: “We pushed each other every day. There was always enough talent on the court at any time to play each other, and we matched up with everyone.”

That sort of basketball pressure cooker only helped to further Dre’s game. “There are a lot of good things LaVar did pushing those kids and working them out beyond their limits,” says Dennis Latimore, the head coach of Chino Hills, who played collegiately at Arizona and then Notre Dame. “They all at a young age saw the type of work ethic needed to separate themselves.”

Latimore adds, “To go against a talent like Lonzo as a first-grader is transformational.”

Coexisting alongside kids as talented as Lonzo, Gelo and Melo wasn’t easy. Wherever Dre would go, he became known simply as “Cousin Ball.” Still, when it came time to choose a high school, Dre elected to follow his cousins to Chino Hills. “We weren’t completely comfortable with the school, but it was Andre’s decision, so we left it up to him,” Stephanie says.

Whether Dre seriously considered another path is difficult to determine. “I just play the game, and at the end of the day, they’re just my cousins,” he says. But those closest to Dre told me that the decision to deviate from those he had surrounded himself with his entire life was daunting. “He was a young kid, and he was happy to go with the flow,” says Baik, who coached Dre for two seasons.

Stephanie adds, “Dre didn’t want to be a dissenting opinion and go outside of what was familiar to him as a kid.”

On a roster already stocked with Lonzo and Gelo—Melo, a year behind Dre, wouldn’t enroll at Chino Hills until the 2015-16 season—Dre was arguably the team’s biggest surprise. Though Chino Hills’ season ended in a double-overtime loss in the state title game (Dre scored seven points), the frosh’s potential enticed college coaches, who noted not only his physical traits but also his surname. “He was a great prospect,” says Baik. “His last name opened up doors for him that wouldn’t have existed if he wasn’t Lonzo’s cousin. Coaches thought higher of him because of that.”

As Dre entered his sophomore year, Chino Hills was projected to win a national title. Of the four, Dre was the only Ball who hadn’t committed to UCLA, but as the first player off the bench he was still expected to be an “impact guy,” according to Baik. (Dre was one of the few who could consistently catch and finish all of his cousins’ now-famous alley-oops.)

But a dislocated kneecap sidelined him for a month, and when he returned, the team’s rotation was set. Chino Hills rolled to a 35-0 record without Dre seeing much action.

The next season was much of the same: A shoulder injury suffered during the summer’s AAU slate morphed into a torn right labrum, ending Dre’s season shortly after the preseason. Lonzo was starring at UCLA, on his way to becoming a lottery pick. Gelo was coming into his own as an assassin from the perimeter. Melo dropped 92 in a game and went viral. Dre missed the AAU circuit that summer and stopped training with LaVar, opting to rehab on his own and work out with Andre at a nearby 24 Hour Fitness. “It was lonely for him,” says Stephanie. “He was limited and could only work on his legs, so he was by himself.”

---

As the Balls leaped into the national consciousness, Dre remained largely adjacent to the family’s national buzz. His parents sometimes worried their son might feel as if he was being pushed against his will. Did he really want this? His dad would often exclaim, “You don't have to do this!” But Dre insisted that to achieve something, as LaVar had shown, he had to work for it.

Then, a series of wholly unpredictable events suddenly thrust Dre into the national limelight. First, he finally got healthy. Then, Lithuania happened. (LaVar proclaimed that Chino Hills would go from “sugar to shit” without his sons on the team. When asked what Dre thought of those comments, Stephanie demurs, adding, “We learned for a long time to take everything LaVar says with a grain of salt.”) Finally, Dre also got a new coach in Latimore, who no longer would have to deal with LaVar on the sidelines. (Baik abruptly resigned in 2016.)

“Before I got here, there was not a lot of common sense going on,” Latimore says of the relationship his predecessors maintained with the Balls. “No parents dictate what happens with the team.”

Dre was never dismissive of his cousins' success. He continued supporting them in private—texting in a group chat or FaceTiming—and publicly on social media. He understood his cousins had chosen their own path, and now it was his turn.

With his cousins and uncle gone, Dre began training outside the family for the first time, enlisting the help of Clint Parks, who connected with Stephanie on social media midway through Dre’s senior season. The two worked to improve Dre’s comfort level with his left hand and his ability to take advantage of his athleticism and score over smaller defenders in the mid-post.

Andre Ball really BEEN ON 😤 @5Andreball pic.twitter.com/7V9cTrj3sw

— Overtime (@overtime) August 4, 2018

Parks worked with clients such as Tony Snell, Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Kuzma—each had trained with Parks at a period in which his skill development was raw, and all were still learning how to harness and expand on their potential. “I like working with kids who are sleepers,” he says. “Under-the-radar prospects that don’t get the love they deserve, and I help them fulfill their potential.”

Dre was similar. “He needs work,” Parks recalls. “You don’t want him to be a finished project at 17.”

That season, Dre flourished, as did his Chino Hills squad, which won 22 of its last 27 games. “Their absence forced him to step up,” says Stephanie, “and he could stand on his own, which was less stressful for him.” In the CIF Southern California Regional Division I final, Dre dropped 32 points versus St. John Bosco, helping his team reach the state championship game on a variety of long three-pointers and drives to the rim. (Chino Hills won the championship, trouncing Las Lomas of Walnut Creek.) “You can teach skills, but you can’t teach a 45-inch vertical and his quickness,” Latimore says. “Dre reminds me of Andre Iguodala, who I played with for a year at Arizona. He has that type of length and jumping ability.”

After the Southern Regional final performance, Kevin Durant proclaimed that Dre was one of the “diamonds in the rough,” a player whose “game gonna get better and develop” even though he had been “overshadowed” by his cousins. The recruiting floodgates opened—Long Beach State and Pepperdine all offered scholarships. (Dre already had an offer from Northern Arizona and Portland.) “I wondered why he hadn’t been signed yet,” says Pepperdine head coach Lorenzo Romar, who was in attendance at the Southern Regional final. “I was told that people hadn’t gotten the chance to see what he could do.” 

Dre’s output against St. John Bosco was illuminating for Romar. “His athleticism jumps out at you, as does his length,” he says. “Those are the players I’ve always tried to recruit.” 

Initially, Dre wondered if he should wait for bigger programs to follow suit. But Andre told him: “If they want you but haven’t called you, are they worth waiting for?” Dre committed to Pepperdine in the late spring of 2018.

---

Dre’s potential has overshadowed what has been something of an adjustment to Division I. Through nine games, he has averaged around 10 minutes per game. However, he continues to pique the interest of the hoop world, particularly online. His arsenal of dunks—in games and in practices—frequently earn thousands of views on Instagram. He still has that same versatility too. He should be able to play multiple positions on the Wave’s extremely fluid rotation. He remains eager to show himself, even if those minutes don’t come right away. 

“Coach Romar tells me to go as hard as I can; it doesn’t matter if it’s wrong,” he says.

He still thinks back to those days when he first enrolled at Chino Hills, though. “When I played with my cousins, I used to get in my own head and mess up my rhythm,” he says. “It was a mental thing, but since they left, I’ve started a new path.” Back then, he told Baik that his goal was to be the best player he could be. “He didn’t know what that meant,” says Baik. “He hadn’t experienced that level of commitment.” That focus shifted this past year.

There are advantages that are inherent to being “Cousin Ball.” “What a great time to be Dre Ball right now,” Latimore says. The reality is that Dre may have not arrived at Pepperdine with the same determination and drive if the quartet had remained intact. Which is perhaps why he handled his recruitment without their input or advice. He was on his own, so why shouldn’t he be fully in charge for the next stage of his life? “They were already in Lithuania,” his father says, “so it was just us.”

Ten alleged gang members were arrested in connection with a string of burglaries in Los Angeles that impacted Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods as well as other celebrities, including music superstar Rihanna.

On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported members of the group were charged with felony counts including conspiracy, burglary and home-invasion robbery. Investigators reported they found a list of potential future targets that included Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and actor Matt Damon.

Puig was hit particularly hard by the series of robberies, which spanned multiple years.

TMZ Sports reported a September home invasion that included three men breaking into his home during a Dodgers game was the fourth instance since March 2017.

After the second robbery, in November 2017, Puig told TMZ he wasn't concerned about the lost items thanks to his seven-year, $42 million contract.

"I ain't worried about that s--t," Puig said. "I have a f--king lot of money."

Meanwhile, James hired 10 armed security staffers in addition to help from NBA security to protect his home after finding out he was a potential target in October, per TMZ.

The AP noted the alleged criminals tracked sports teams' schedules as well as posts on social media by athletes and celebrities to determine when to act.

LOS ANGELES — Steve Ballmer is yelling at me.

No, that isn't quite right. Steve Ballmer is yelling toward me. Though, really, he isn't so much yelling as he is boisterously beseeching, imploring, urging, persuading. His volume rises in proportion to his enthusiasm. And his enthusiasm is boundless.

Perhaps you've seen it before: Ballmer wildly hyping up fans of the Los Angeles Clippers, the team he's owned since 2014. Boogying to Fergie at a home game. Skipping and whooping and chanting like a motivational speaker in his former gig as CEO of Microsoft: "Developers! Developers! Developers!" 

The man is excitable, especially when discussing his greatest passions. Right now that passion is the Clippers. And he's just been asked an important question—perhaps the most critical question—about his team's fortunes.

Next summer, the Clippers will have the means to sign not one but two superstars. Kevin Durant will be available. So will Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler, and perhaps Kyrie Irving. A half-dozen other stars will join them in one of the glitziest free-agent markets of all time.

No superstar free agent has ever chosen the Clippers. But few stars ever had that chance. For decades, the Clippers didn't even ask. But that was then—another time, another owner, another reality. Everything has changed.

This edition of the Clippers just completed the best five-year run in franchise history, dazzling fans with a vibrant, high-flying brand of basketball. Only the Warriors and Spurs won more games from 2012-13 through 2016-17. The Clippers of today compete. They thrive. They spend. They demand your attention and respect.

But the All-Stars who fueled that run are gone—Chris Paul to Houston, Blake Griffin to Detroit, DeAndre Jordan to Dallas—leaving the Clippers with a blank canvas, a clear payroll and a chance to perhaps build something even greater when free agency opens next July. Thus, I asked Ballmer on a recent October evening: What's your pitch?

His answer starts before the question ends, and it's shot squarely at me. Suddenly, I am Kevin Durant. I am Kawhi Leonard.

"You wanna have a legacy?" Ballmer asks pointedly. "You wanna really say you were involved in doing something super special? You come here," he says, his volume and intensity quickly rising. "You be in L.A., the greatest market in the world, and you show people: 'I'm the guy! I went to a franchise who'd never been there! I'm the guy! I made it happen! I get a legacy!'" 

Every "I" is more emphatic than the one before it, each vocalized with a slight growl, the exclamation points multiplying as he goes, his words delivered with an evangelical fervor.

This modest bunker suite, where we've met before a preseason game at Staples Center, can hardly contain Ballmer's energy and optimism. During the course of the conversation, Ballmer will at various points clap his hands, pump his fist, pump both fists, pound the table and exclaim so excitedly that you don't know whether to present the quotes in bold, italics, all caps or all of the above.

By the time Ballmer's sermon is over, the listener is practically looking for a contract to sign. Who wouldn't want to live here, play here, win here?

You wanna have a legacy? You wanna really say you were involved in doing something super-special? You come here. You be in L.A., the greatest market in the world, and you show people: 'I'm the guy! I went to a franchise who'd never been there! I'm the guy! I made it happen! I get a legacy!
— Clippers owner Steve Ballmer

That's a question with more than one answer. There's another team down the hall, one with 16 championships and a glorious past. One that just signed LeBron James, the greatest player of his generation. That team will have salary-cap room next summer, too.

The Lakers? Yes, the Clippers are aware of them. But they are damned determined to carve out their own niche in this sprawling city of 13 million, which for three-plus decades has mostly regarded the Clippers as an afterthought.

They have a vision: a gritty, blue-collar team that appeals to the region's vast working class, in contrast to the Lakers' glitz-and-glamour image.

They have the resources: With a net worth of $42 billion, Ballmer is the wealthiest owner in North American professional sports. Lately, he's been using that wealth to bulk up the Clippers' front office and medical staff.

They have a plan: use their potential $70 million in salary-cap room to lure two max players next summer and create an instant contender.

And they have Ballmer himself: a rally-leading, frank-talking, marketing-savvy basketball nerd whose own rise to prominence from modest beginnings easily resonates with pro athletes.

Players notice these things. Including the four-time MVP who now resides down the hall.

"I think an owner who cares about his players and will do anything for his players to succeed, players gravitate towards that," James says. Though he doesn't know Ballmer personally, James says, "Guys relate to people who care about their franchise, want to see their players be great and are excited to be at the game just as much as the players."

It takes more than passion to build a winner in the NBA, but it's a good place to start. It attracts more of the same.

Last year, the Clippers hired Jerry West, the most respected team executive in modern history, as a consultant. They snared two rising young team execs—Trent Redden (a top assistant to David Griffin in Cleveland) and Michael Winger (who worked with Sam Presti in Oklahoma City)—to bolster the front office, along with the highly regarded Mark Hughes (New York).

This is, without hyperbole, an unprecedented moment in franchise history—with an engaged, fiercely competitive owner at the helm, a whip-smart front office, a championship-winning coach (Doc Rivers), an image buoyed by their recent success and, oh yes, all of that cap room.

There are no guarantees, of course. And the competition for marquee stars will be intense, with both New York franchises and both L.A. teams hoarding cap room for next summer. Some stars may stay put. Some teams will be left empty-handed. And yet Ballmer's crew is supremely confident.

No, the Clippers have never been a superstar destination. But this version of the Clippers didn't exist until now.

---

"You're gonna love this team," Rivers says into a microphone, his gravelly voice booming through USC's Galen Center. "Like, you're gonna love these guys."

His audience is a group of season-ticket holders who are attending an open practice in early October. Clippers fans may need a little more coaxing now, and possibly a handy photo guide to the roster, amid this transitional stage.

For five years, they were treated to 50-win seasons, automatic playoff appearances and an endless string of electrifying alley-oops—Paul to Griffin, Griffin to Jordan, Jordan to Griffin. Lob City, they called it. The Clips never did make it to the Western Conference Finals, but few teams were more thrilling to watch.

The era effectively ended when the Clippers traded Paul to the Rockets in June 2017. They promptly re-signed Griffin to a five-year, $171 million deal, but they changed course six months later, trading Griffin to the Pistons in a deal that netted them Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic and two draft picks. Jordan was the last to exit, joining the Mavericks this past offseason as a free agent.

What remains is a collection of sturdy veterans ranging from good (Bradley, Pat Beverley) to very good (Harris, Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari), but without a foundational star. The hope is that promising rookie point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—indirectly acquired with one of the Detroit picks—grows into a leading role.

For now, the plan is to rely on depth, hustle and defense, spawning a hopeful (if not quite catchy) new nickname: Clamp City.

"I think we're a grittier team," Beverley says. "We're a hungry team. We're a thirsty team. We're a team."

Their goal is a playoff berth, as unlikely as it may be. There's a touch of defiance in the air.

The Clippers backed up the bold talk in the opening days of the season, beating the Thunder by 16 points and taking down the Rockets twice. They lost their rematch with Oklahoma City, but they hammered home their feisty new demeanor when Beverley undercut Russell Westbrook and touched off a jawing match.

Winning 50-plus games a year was fun, sure, but having the chance to reshape the style and image of this team is, in Ballmer's words, "double fun."

Every hard-fought victory now brings an added benefit, a subtle sales pitch to next year's free-agent class.

"If you want to come here, we'd love to have you," Beverley says. "If not, then we beat the s--t out of you."

The underdog sensibility suits the Clippers, playing as they have in the Lakers' shadow for all these years. It's even embedded in their marketing slogan, "L.A. Our Way," which puts a little space between them and that other NBA team.

"If we're gonna get the kind of guys we want in free agency, people have to know what we stand for," Ballmer says. He adds, "I want us to be playing defense. I want us to be resilient."

Here, Ballmer plays up the Clippers' underdog image, believing it's what draws a certain brand of Angelenos to his team.

If you want to come here, we'd love to have you. If not, then we beat the s--t out of you.
—Clippers guard Patrick Beverley

"Our fans will say, 'We're with you. We've been with you through much worse,'" Ballmer says, and suddenly his mouth tenses, his face contorts and his fists start to pump again. His voice becomes a growl as he channels the ethos of a Clippers fan: "We're diehards! We're loyalists! We're passionate!'"

The room seems to vibrate a bit.

---

The Steve Ballmer story is that of a self-made man—the son of European immigrants who built his own wealth. But as an NBA owner, he says, "I was born on third base."

The joke underscores his modesty, but it's also essentially true. The team Ballmer purchased in 2014 already had three established stars, an accomplished coach and little room or reason to tinker.

"You don't want to screw with it too much, even if you think you know what you're doing," Ballmer says.

So he managed with caution and relished the victories. He also cringed at his team's frailties: the playoff flameouts, the untimely gaffes, the constant complaining to referees.

"It was a problem for us," Ballmer says. "We were whiny. Right? I think that was known for the Clippers. I don't want to be that way. That's not who we want to be."

The winning and whining were intertwined, so Ballmer let it ride. Given a chance to reimagine the roster after trading Paul, the Clippers instead tried to revive Lob City.

They gave Griffin a max deal. They vowed he would be a Clipper for life. They clung to sentimentality. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aF0IhnUqOU

"Blake is a franchise player," Ballmer says. "He was drafted by us. It made every bit of sense for us to want to make it work with him."

But the Clippers stumbled early last season, Griffin got hurt again and team officials were suddenly indulging visions of a thorough makeover. They shipped Griffin to Detroit. Fans were stunned. Griffin was furious.

A jarring reversal? Yes, but circumstances had changed, Ballmer says, and the Clippers needed to be "agile."

As for Griffin? The five-year max deal he got from the Clippers was longer and richer than what any other team could have offered.

"I do know one thing for sure: We made Blake a bunch of extra money," Ballmer says. "So at least financially, I think we did well by Blake."

The trade was almost universally praised by rival execs and commentators—a small point of pride for Ballmer and his new front office. Having West involved, Ballmer says, "gave people confidence that we know what we're doing."

"Out of that trade, we came out smelling like a rose, to be honest with you," West says. "I think this is about Steve's desire to build a team that will have a shelf life, instead of one or two years. We got a bunch of really good players right now."

There's a learning curve for every new owner, no matter how successful they have been in other fields. Running an NBA franchise is different than anything else. Some owners never get it. Overconfidence, ego and the impulse to micromanage have tripped up countless owners.

That seems unlikely with Ballmer, who is consistently described as modest, approachable and a keen listener by just about everyone in his orbit.

"His total lack of an ego is remarkable," says West, who has worked for four teams over nearly 40 years. "He's a pleasure to be around. He's fun, he's focused, he knows what he wants to do and what he hopes to do."

Around the team offices in Playa Vista (basketball operations) and downtown (business), everyone refers to the owner as simply "Steve." And when Steve comes to the office or attends a game, he's invariably wearing a Clippers polo shirt. He's cheerful and chatty. He remembers everyone's names.

And he knows what he doesn't know. A devout basketball fan—he was raised on the Detroit Pistons and still adores the "Bad Boys" era—Ballmer understood the limits of his knowledge in this new arena. He compared it to running Microsoft, another business that relied on specialized knowledge he didn't have.

"In a software company, you've got these people called engineers," Ballmer says. "And if you're not an engineer yourself, just like if you're not a basketball guy yourself, you have to understand what your appropriate involvement is."

So, Ballmer says he asks a lot of questions. He sets parameters and expectations, offers suggestions and occasionally casts a tiebreaking vote on big decisions. But he says he can't recall a single time that he's vetoed his basketball staff.

It took some time before he made any bold moves.

When Ballmer arrived, Rivers was already in place as both head coach and head of basketball operations—a problematic arrangement that lasted until August 2017, when Ballmer stripped Rivers of his executive duties and promoted Lawrence Frank to team president.

There is a hint of regret as Ballmer discusses the decision—a realization he should have acted sooner.

In four years, Rivers traded away three first-round picks—including one to dump Jared Dudley's salary and one to acquire Rivers favorite Jeff Green, who ended up playing just 27 games for the Clippers. (The franchise also sent a first-round pick to Boston in 2013 as compensation for releasing Rivers from his Celtics contract.)

"We want a team where we get maximum value out of the guys that we have, that we're not dummies," Ballmer says. "I think if you look over the last five, six years, there's some moves with hindsight I say, 'God, now that I've been around longer, I wouldn't make a move to give up a first-round pick to get Jeff Green.' Because we weren't as close to being a championship contender as we thought we were. So we gave up a pick we shouldn't have."

But splitting Rivers' duties, Ballmer says, was more about recognizing that the team president job is "all-consuming" and needs a full-time occupant. Frank had been working under Rivers in the front office before Ballmer elevated him.

"There were too many things where I really wanted to talk to Lawrence, not Doc," Ballmer says, referring to basketball operations matters. "Doc was, as I would have said at Microsoft, an unnecessary middle layer."

When the Clippers stumbled last season, it seemed Rivers would lose his coaching title, too. But Ballmer stood by him, and Rivers responded with what was widely considered one of his best years, guiding a rag-tag lineup to a 17-16 record following the Griffin trade.

And there it was: toughness, resilience, grit. All the ideals Ballmer has been rhapsodizing about.

---

At the corner of Venice Boulevard and Normandie Avenue, you'll find a recreation center. There, you'll find three gleaming new basketball courts. On each of those courts is a logo: a large, blue "C" wrapped around a red "L.A."

Eventually, there will be 350 of these renovated public courts around Los Angeles, an investment of more than $10 million, courtesy of Steve and Connie Ballmer.

Philanthropy has been a defining mission of Ballmer's public life. It's one of the first things West mentions when asked what sets Ballmer apart—"He has a soul about things," West says.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti had envisioned a broad, coordinated effort involving multiple donors, each sponsoring a few courts. Ballmer responded with his own question: "Why don't we do all of them?"

"I was floored, but I was not surprised," Garcetti says. "I was floored, because it is unprecedented. But I'm not surprised, because I've gotten to known the Ballmers. And I think they do things big."

The commitment to refurbish every city-run basketball court by the end of 2021 speaks to that point. The presence of the Clippers logo suggests a secondary motive: a subtle drive to win the hearts and minds of L.A. basketball fans. Or at least those who aren't already rooting for that other team.

The Clippers believe there's an untapped following out there—the grinders, outsiders, artists and counter-culture types who might be put off by the Lakers' preening Hollywood image. The team commissioned a six-month brand study that suggested as much.

"In some ways," says Gillian Zucker, the Clippers' president of business operations, "it's the anti-bandwagon. But they are all-in, and there's something magic about that."

Step by step, the Clippers are carving out their own space.

When Rivers arrived in 2013, he ordered that the Lakers' banners at Staples Center be covered for Clippers home games. Ballmer is going a step further, with plans for a new, privately financed arena in Inglewood—just blocks away from the Forum, the Lakers' old home.

It faces a likely legal challenge from the Forum's current proprietor—Knicks owner James Dolan—but Ballmer is confident he will prevail. The goal is to move in 2024, when the Clippers' lease is up at Staples. 

"We want our own house," Ballmer says. "I think that's an important thing for us."

---

It's 90 minutes before tipoff at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and the pregame crowd is larger than usual, owing to the opponent: the Golden State Warriors. Standing next to the visiting bench is a familiar face: Lawrence Frank.

It's a curious sight. A team president rarely attends games that don't involve his own squad. But there's Frank, noticeably courtside while the Warriors warm up. He was also spotted at their home opener against Oklahoma City.

In a league ruled by paranoia and cynicism, these things get noticed—and gossiped about.

"Recruiting KD and Klay," a rival scout quips upon seeing Frank across the court.

No team exec can openly recruit another team's player during the season; that would be tampering. But being present and visible—even if just to say hello—can't hurt, and it isn't illegal. Rival executives say they've heard that Frank or one of his lieutenants intend to be a fixture at games involving the Warriors (to see Durant and Klay Thompson) and Raptors (Leonard) all season.

Asked about it later, Frank smiles and says he's simply doing his job: to be everywhere, scout everyone and gather as much intel as possible. In this case, his travels happened to bring him through town at the same time the Warriors were here. Frank's family is in New Jersey.

All of these things can be simultaneously true. And no one could blame the Clippers for being hyper-aggressive at this unique moment in time. They have a real shot next summer of doing what they've never done: land a superstar free agent.

Kobe Bryant considered defecting in 2004 before he ultimately re-signed with the Lakers. James met with Clippers officials in 2010, but no one believes he seriously considered them.

While deciding his own future this past summer, James says he "never had visions of playing for the Clippers," but he notes, "I mean, quite frankly, I didn't have visions until the last couple, probably the last few months, of coming here [to the Lakers]."

James adds, "I can say that it's a more positive atmosphere around there since Ballmer's taken over."

It's possible no one comes. Leonard could stay in Toronto. Butler, who is trying to force his way out of Minnesota by the February trade deadline, could re-sign with whichever team acquires him. Durant could choose New York or Brooklyn.

And yet one rival executive calls the Clippers "the most attractive free-agent situation of all of them, because none of the available free agents want to be LeBron's caddy. And they can become the greatest player in the history of a franchise in an unbelievable market with the wealthiest owner in the league. Why would that not thrill you?"

There was a time when no one would have used "thrill" and the Clippers together. In an April 2000 cover story, Sports Illustrated tagged them as "The Worst Franchise in Sports History" thanks to decades of losing, neglect and former owner Donald Sterling's miserly management.

The stigma was still there as recently as 2011, when Paul arrived via trade from New Orleans. Worth noting: He was trying to get traded to the Lakers at the time.

By the time Paul departed last year, it was seen as a routine transaction, a team and a player with diverging paths. It wasn't a sign of Clippers stigma or Clippers dysfunction. Just business. No one chortled.

"They've definitely changed," says one top agent, who adds he's eager to steer his clients there. "I know Ballmer wants to win, is competitive, he doesn't mind paying the [luxury] tax and he's into it."

Rivers said he had two goals when he came to the team: win a championship and make the Clippers a destination. The first item remains elusive, but the second is in reach.

"We've done a lot of winning," Rivers says. "I think when you hear 'Clippers,' you no longer think, Clippers."

Two summers ago, Durant took a free-agent meeting with the Clippers out of respect, even though they lacked the cap room to sign him.

The next time an MVP candidate shakes hands with Ballmer, Frank and Rivers, they believe it will be right after he signs his name on a deal that transforms the franchise.

"For the first time since I've been here," Ballmer says, "we're really deciding who we get to be, who we want to be."

And if that moment arrives, bystanders would be advised to stand back—to make room for the greatest burst of fist-pumping, whooping and boogying in Clippers history.

    

Howard Beck, a senior writer for Bleacher Report, has been covering the NBA full time since 1997, including seven years on the Laker beat for the Los Angeles Daily News and nine years as a staff writer for the New York Times. His work has been honored by APSE each of the last two years.

Beck also hosts the Full 48 podcast, available on iTunes.

Follow him on Twitter, @HowardBeck.

NFL owners and executives have reportedly discussed the Chargers' long-term viability in Los Angeles at this week's league meetings.

According to Seth Wickersham of ESPN The Magazine, it has been a "struggle" for the Chargers to sell personal seat licenses for Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California.

Wickersham added the Chargers are likely to revise their revenue goals from $400 million to $150 million as a result.

The Chargers played their inaugural season in Los Angeles in 1960 before moving to San Diego and staying there for the next 55 years.

Following the 2016 season, the Chargers relocated back to L.A.

Since the move, the Bolts have played their home games at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, which holds only 27,000 people.

The Chargers will be co-tenants with the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood beginning in 2020.

Unlike the Rams, the Chargers seemingly haven't been welcomed back to the Los Angeles market with open arms. Several factors are likely at play, including the fact that the Rams have a more storied history in L.A., as they played there from 1946 until 1994 when they moved to St. Louis. The franchise moved back to the city in 2016.

The Rams currently play their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

So far this season, the Chargers are last in the NFL in average attendance at 25,370 due, in large part, to their small venue.

Meanwhile, the Rams are 14th at 69,163.

The Rams won the NFC West last season and are the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL this season at 6-0.

The Chargers are also in the playoff hunt at 4-2, but there is little doubt that the Rams are viewed as the top team in Los Angeles, which may be part of the reason for the Bolts' seat-selling struggles.

Flash, glitz, glamour and winning. That's what comes to mind when thinking about the Los Angeles Lakers. There's also a long list of NBA legends who contributed to the franchise and established a high standard for generations. No wonder fans take pride in sporting the purple and gold colors wherever they go.

Sixteen championships later, Lakers fans have more to cheer about and a new superstar to root for in the coming seasons. The can't-miss buys below commemorate the organization's proud history with some flair. Whether it's team apparel or items for your household, you'll want to rep the Lakers with these products.

Editor's note: B/R may earn a share of revenue from the links on this page. Prices and availability may change.

     

L.A. Lakers Legends 8 All-Time Greats Art Poster Print – Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and More ($26.99, Ebay.com) 

For long-standing Lakers fans, it may be difficult to pick a favorite generation of players. The legends poster features eight greats who left their stamps on the organization. 

You'll see early stars such as Elgin Baylor, who played with the team during its time in Minneapolis, to the last Laker great to retire, Kobe Bryant. It's an artistic piece that can hang on the wall as a reminder of the franchise's star-studded history.

                

Los Angeles Lakers Deke Duffel ($32.99, Balfour.com)

The Deke Duffel bag has enough space to carry your necessities while on the move. Laker logos can be seen on the front and side panels of the luggage. 

There's a main section for larger items and three smaller compartments for organizing belongings. Whether you're headed to the gym or traveling between cities or states, there's no need to leave anything behind with this bag.

                

LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers Nike 2018/19 Swingman Jersey Gold - Icon Edition ($109.99, Fanatics)

Mix a little of the old with some new. The LeBron James Nike swingman jersey features the team's recognizable drop shadow around the numbers. The Lakers will debut these icon edition threads for the 2018-19 season.

Support the newest superstar to don the purple and gold while paying homage to the 1980s "Showtime Lakers" with the classic design. You can sync the NikeConnect app with a chip underneath the jersey tag to see game highlights on your phone while out and about.

                

NBA Los Angeles Lakers Comforter Pillowcase Basketball Bed ($113.99 – 129.98, Walmart.com)

If you're unable to attend games or prefer to watch the action on TV at home, accessorize your bedding with Lakers colors to feel the team spirit miles away from the Staples Center. 

Perhaps you're a Lakers fan living on the East Coast where the games start closer to your bedtime. The cozy comforter with pillowcases would serve as must-have items while watching the games through brisk fall and winter nights.

                

LA Lakers Sneaker, Los Angeles Lakers Shoes Custom Printed High Top Shoes for Women/Men ($69.95, Etsy.com)

Fans can walk out in public with style and a sense of Lakers pride on their feet. The classic Converse-style high-top sneaker features the team logo on top of a purple side area with black down the middle and on the bottom. 

It's a custom-made item that certainly matches well with other Lakers apparel or casual clothing on a normal day.

                

Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers Fanatics Authentic Autographed Spalding Outdoor NBA Basketball ($249.99, Fanatics) 

Magic Johnson helped deliver five NBA titles during his time on the court and became instrumental in signing the franchise's current superstar, LeBron James, as a general manager.

Keep Johnson's authentic signature on a Spalding basketball tucked away as his legacy continues to grow with the organization. It's an item to show off to friends or pass down to family members as a memento remembering an iconic figure in Lakers history and the sport.

The trip to Dodger Stadium will apparently get a lot easier after Elon Musk installs his newest creation in Los Angeles.

Darren Rovell of ESPN provided the latest details on The Boring Company invention:

BREAKING: @elonmusk’s @boringcompany will build a 3.6 mile tunnel from East Hollywood to Dodger Stadium that can carry 1,500 fans to the game in four minutes versus the more than an hour those fans spend traveling by car to the game today. pic.twitter.com/v9joUxbsrE

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 16, 2018

The "Dugout Loop" is expected to cost customers only around $1 per trip, according to the company's site.

The tunnel system, which will be an estimated 30-44 feet below the surface, will take up to 14 months to build. It is also expected to be 100 percent privately funded by The Boring Company.

The city had already approved in April a tunnel system in West Los Angeles that runs 2.7 miles, smaller than the 3.6-mile tunnel running from East Hollywood to Dodger Stadium.

Musk provided an update in May on Instagram that the first tunnel was almost done.

With Los Angeles known for its legendary traffic, especially on the way to Chavez Ravine, this new system could be a game-changer for fans attending games.

Blake Griffin's comedy dreams did not stop when he left Los Angeles. Sure, his new city can't stack up to Los Angeles' comedy scene—or the scenes of New York or Chicago. There isn't a Comedy Store or Carolines or Comedy Cellar opening on Woodward Avenue in Detroit anytime soon. But Griffin still wants to make people laugh.

"It's something down the road, a second career when I'm done playing basketball," Griffin said. "My whole idea is to start now, to get in and meet a bunch of people, shadow people and learn the ins and outs so when I'm done playing, I'm not starting fresh."

While it would be easy to write off an athlete's pursuit of a career in entertainment—who could forget Shaq in Kazaam, or Kobe's unreleased album K.O.B.E or just about any athlete cameo on a sitcom dating back to the rise of the T-Rex?—Blake Griffin isn't just another athlete trying to entertain. He is juggling three projects optioned by studios, including a remake of White Men Can't Jump from Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, a reboot of Disney's 1991 film The Rocketeer with a black female lead and a sci-fi comedy with Paramount, whose plot details are under wraps. On television, Griffin executive produces Okies of Bel Air, an animated comedy for Fox. And, as TMZ announced Tuesday, Griffin is preparing to face off against master roaster Jeff Ross on Comedy Central's Roast Battle this Saturday.

One thing is clear: Griffin is already making things happen.

---

Griffin gravitated toward comedy naturally as a kid. Growing up in Oklahoma, he'd sit in the living room with his dad, Tommy, watching Saturday Night Live and I Love Lucy. Griffin gravitated toward stand-up legends like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. When he was older, he would often tune the car's Sirius radio to the comedy stations and absorb whatever played over the speakers.

When he made the move to L.A. in 2009 after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Clippers, Griffin began to hit the comedy club circuit, and it was there that his interest in the field blossomed. In 2011, during the NBA lockout, a staff member of the website Funny or Die approached Griffin with an idea: Since he didn't have a job, FOD would give him one. The three-day "internship" consisted of Griffin filming several sketches and writing scripts.

Up until that point, the combination of athlete and the performing arts typically resulted in something straight-up bad. (Think Michael Jordan in Space Jam.) But with Griffin, something was different. Betsy Koch, an Emmy-nominated producer formerly of Funny or Die who now works at Gary Sanchez Productions, wasn't sure what to expect when the camera turned on. "You don't know what athletes or musicians know about comedy and performing," she said.

On the final day of the internship, the group brought Griffin to Will Ferrell's house to shoot a video—pairing comedy legend and basketball superstar. "That last day, Blake was improv-ing with Will Ferrell, and it was clear from beat one on the sketches he could straight-up riff with Will and totally hold his own," Koch recalled. "Blake Griffin is the Will Ferrell or Daniel Day-Lewis of the NBA."

Over time, Griffin befriended other members of the comedy community, including Neal Brennan, the co-creator of Chappelle's Show, whom he met while filming a skit at the 2014 ESPYs. The two hit it off, and before long, they were trading stand-up clips. Brennan sent Griffin pilot scripts, videos and ideas and lent him advice on his craft. "If you think of something, write it down. Keep it for later," Brennan remembered telling Griffin. "You don't have to say it or tweet it."

Under Brennan's tutelage, Griffin began to feel that joke-telling might be a second calling. It was a risky endeavor—the stage, the microphone, the spotlight. But Griffin found it intriguing. So one night, at the Laugh Factory, he decided to read a fake slam poem off a notepad. A video of the reading went viral on YouTube. A few days later, Griffin received an invitation to host the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. He approached Brennan for some help, and they refined his 10-minute set.

"They asked me if I would be interested in hosting this show. I stupidly said yes, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Five minutes at the top? That will be fine," Griffin said. "As it got closer and closer, I panicked, and I threw out some jokes, and I started rewriting jokes. Neal started helping me out a lot, giving me stuff here and there."

On the first night of Griffin's comedy debut, five-night stint in Montreal in July 2016, his performance didn't quite go according to plan. "One-thousand percent, it was the most nervous I've ever been," Griffin said. He got his jokes off, but he was a bit rough in his delivery. "It was weird. ... I had this sense of I really felt like I had put myself in an uncomfortable situation."

Afterward, Griffin called Brennan to talk about the adrenaline rush that he felt while holding a microphone. He also thanked him for his help in crafting his material.

"It was funny hearing it cuz it was like a kid going through puberty explaining sex going, 'And then I had an orgasm, and it was like an explosion of feelings,'" Brennan said. "It was funny hearing [Griffin] explain stand-up, but it's fun. He truly knows so many stand-up comedians' acts, understands [their] sensibilities. He has a sharper sense of humor than some comedians."

Griffin had also enlisted the help of his brother, Taylor, who recorded the performance so Griffin could review later. "I would go back and rewatch it, like watching game tape," Griffin said. But Griffin's brother wasn't the only one recording—a member of the audience captured a bit of the performance with a camera phone and posted it online. It quickly went viral. Many NBA fans expressed their surprise at the basketball star's confidence and delivery onstage—traits not typical of most comedy beginners. But Blake, like many stand-up comics, was more worried about his material being spoiled. "I was bummed that was the one that got released," he said. "But whatever."

---

Griffin's next stage appearance came last December, when he hosted his first stand-up comedy show called "Comedy by Blake," a joint venture between his charity, the Team Griffin Foundation, and Red Bull. Some of comedy's biggest stars—John Mulaney, Norm Macdonald, Whitney Cummings, Phoebe Robinson and Jim Jefferies—were on the bill. But as funny as the veterans were, the audience was there for a reason: to see Griffin. They eagerly awaited for the then-L.A. Clippers star to take the stage and host the evening.

When Griffin came out, the crowd erupted in rapturous applause. "I have to get one thing off my chest," he said. "I can see all of you out there, with your judging little eyes, thinking this guy is not a comedian, that I'm just a dumb, stupid-ass athlete. I know all of you think that."

Griffin strolled about the stage, posture straight, with a confident strut, and made consistent eye contact with members of the audience. His barbs tickled the throats of the star-studded crowd, which included teammates DeAndre Jordan, Sam Dekker and Hollywood paparazzi fodder Kendall Jenner. They all sat on the edge of their seats as Griffin rifled through one joke after another.

"You see athletes interviewed on TV. I bet it has something to do with that. You might think it's because we're stupid, but we're not," Griffin said. "Actually football players are pretty f--king stupid. There's not football players here, right? I would love to see someone who is smart by the world's standard be interviewed 30 seconds after they just got done exercising for two straight hours. It's not that we can't speak. We just can't get enough oxygen to our brains to form a complete thought. I'll prove it to you. Can I get a volunteer somewhere?"

Griffin looked out into the sea of faces and selected a random middle-aged man to join him onstage. When the man sauntered up nervously, Griffin ordered him to exercise: 10 pushups, 10 jumping jacks, 10 high knees. As the man performed the physical activity, Griffin critiqued him from the side, as if mimicking a color commentator. "It's crazy how the simplest of exercises he can make so difficult," he said to louds laughs. Jordan borderline fell out of his seat in a first-row couch.

When the man finished his reps, Griffin approached him with a microphone, doing his best Doris Burke impression. "All right, get over here," he said, waving to the man to gather near. "I want you to tell me how you feel and also how you feel."

"I feel great," the man responded.

Griffin then turned to the crowd, as if breaking the fourth wall.

"Look how stupid that sounds," he said. "See what I mean?" He then pivoted back to the man: "One more question and then we're done talking here," he said. "Tell me who you're having sex with these days."

The man froze.

"See, we're really not stupid," Griffin said pointing at the man, who couldn't help but laugh at himself. "We're just put in these uncomfortable situations."

---

So much of stand-up is about demeanor and confidence on stage, and most people who start out have little of each. Audiences can see right through the people who don't know who they are yet, who can't carry themselves in front of an audience. Brennan's theory is that Griffin has been such a quick learner because his day job consists of playing in front of large audiences on a daily basis.

"That's where that athletic confidence comes in handy, and again, he's one of those guys, he's hard to hate," Brennan said. "Kevin Hart should be loathsome, but he's not. Kevin Hart is...his Instagram account is nauseating, but I still think he's hilarious. You know what I mean? Blake shouldn't be like a guy who makes $25 million a year or whatever. 'Coming into my turf' and all that s--t should be cause for fury, but I don't hold it against him, because he genuinely is funny."

Griffin gets asked a lot how much confidence comes from his experience in front of large crowds on the court, and he said that performing in front of a large group of strangers does, in fact, come as second nature. He's played basketball his entire life. But he wasn't certain the two experiences were comparable. "I'm not so sure, man," he said. Being on stage—when the spotlight is focused squarely on him and the crowd is silent until he speaks—is different from performing on the hardwood floor.

"When you're on the court, you always have four other teammates who are there to help you," Griffin said. "It's not like all eyes are on you at all times. It's just kind of a weird feeling of being up there. And then you have to speak. In a way, being in front of people doesn't necessarily bother me, but speaking in front of people does."

Despite having been traded in January, Griffin returns to Los Angeles from time to time, and when he does, he makes sure to stop by the comedy clubs. He hasn't completely put his entertainment aspirations on hold; he's working on a number of ventures, like acting and talent development. (He co-owns a production company, Mortal Media, with Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil.)

"To me he feels like he's really good at development," said Koch, who's developing projects with Griffin. "He's great at identifying super-talented people, and that comes along with him having very good taste."

He still hasn't been to a comedy show in Detroit, but Griffin still studies, still works on his craft. He pays attention to the comedians of the moment—he counts Brennan, Cummings, Mulaney, Jefferies, Jerrod Carmichael and Bill Burr among his current faves—and has found alternative ways to test his material when he's not onstage. He's gone back to tweeting out random quips. Other times, he adheres to Brennan's wisdom, saving his ideas for another day, writing them in a notepad.

"I'll come back to it later if I think of something else to add to it," Griffin said. "Now, I have a decent collection."

That doesn't mean he's getting ahead of himself, however. "Some of them are not good," he said, adding, "Or are not there yet."

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that no comedy clubs were on Woodward Avenue.

The ESPY Awards bring the top stars in the sporting world together to honor their eye-opening achievements.

In its early years, the event seemed to pale in comparison to major awards shows like the Oscars, Emmys and Tony Awards.

However, as the ESPYs have grown and matured, the event has become a major production that has developed its own signature and panache. This year's edition will be held Wednesday night in Los Angeles and it will be televised by ABC at 8 p.m. ET. 

Danica Patrick, who recently retired from motor racing, will host the event. She is the first woman to serve in that role for the ESPYs.

The ESPYs will present major awards such as the best male and female athletes, the best sporting event of the year, best team, best upset and the breakthrough athlete.

Here's a link to the awards that will be presented.

In addition to Patrick's hosting of the event, a slew of celebrities and athletes will be presenting this year's honors. The presenters include Kate Beckinsale (The Widow), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Alison Brie (Glow), NFL Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, G-Eazy (rapper), Jim Gaffigan (Noble Ape), Jennifer Garner (Peppermint), Olivia Holt (Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger), Trevor Jackson (Grown-Ish), Allison Janney (I, Tonya), NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino, Olympians Adam Rippon and Mikaela Shiffrin, Jon Stewart (TV host and comedian), Jessica Szohr (The Orville) and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

The Best Male Athlete category includes Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros, James Harden of the Houston Rockets, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. 

The Best Female Athlete nominees are WNBA star Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx, skier Miakaela Shifrin, soccer standout Julie Ertz and snowboard phenom Chloe Kim. 

Look for Altuve to win the best male athlete and Fowles to take home the best female athlete honor.

The high drama of sports is captured in the "Best Moment" award that will be presented.

The nominees in that category include the Minnesota Vikings' victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC divisional playoff game, Notre Dame's women defeating Mississippi State in the NCAA basketball tournament title game, the expansion Vegas Golden Knights defeating the Winnipeg Jets and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final and 16th-seeded Maryland-Baltimore County upsetting top-seeded Virginia in the NCAA tournament.

Minnesota's last-second victory was a shocking, take-your-breath-away moment, and that game should win the award.

The Best Championship Performance Award is highly anticipated, and this year's nominees include George Springer of the Astros, Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors and Donte DiVincenzo of the Villanova Wildcats. 

While Springer was superb in the World Series and DiVincenzo made huge plays in Villanova's NCAA title game victory, Durant deserves the honor for his performance in the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoSWvxeBiWc

The Best Game of the Year nominees include Georgia's victory over Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl, the Astros' triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series and the U.S women defeating Canada in the epic gold-medal hockey game in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Georgia's win in the high-scoring Rose Bowl was as entertaining as any college football game of the year, while the Astros' Game 5 win will go down in baseball history as one of the most dramatic postseason games of all time. However, the vote here goes to Team USA's shootout win over its arch-rivals that brought victory and relief to the American women who had been frustrated by their Canadian rivals so often in the past.

LeBron James is dominating another summer of headlines, and the latest NBA rumors indicate he is taking inventory of his options as free agency approaches.

James can opt out and join the open market, where he is sure to have plenty of suitors, which apparently includes some of the league's contenders. Meanwhile, there looks to be some possible deja vu with another NBA star in DeAndre Jordan, as a familiar franchise could look to swing a trade for the big man.

James is obviously the bigger fish, but the movement of both players would create major waves throughout the NBA. Recent buzz suggests it could come to fruition.

     

LeBron Looking Around

Not much definitive information has been reported regarding where James is leaning in his latest "decision," but he does seem to be checking in around the league to gather information.

James has friends around the NBA, and he is performing his due diligence before he takes the next step this offseason, which would be deciding whether to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. At least this is according to one Eastern Conference general manager, per Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News.

"Meanwhile, LeBron is doing what we does—calling players on other teams he wants to play with," said the general manager.

James has every right to check in with fellow players and obviously has done so in the past when he spurned the Cleveland Cavaliers to play with good friend Dwyane Wade in Miami. With whom he might be discussing this time around is much more of mystery, as Wade was also a free agent back in 2010.

Chris Paul is another good friend of James, and he happens to play on the team that just finished with the best record in basketball and a game away from taking out the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Houston Rockets are certainly an intriguing option, and they have made James a priority this offseason, per USA Today's Sam Amick.

As with adding a big-time player and contract in James to any team, there are obstacles. First, newly named MVP James Harden did not seem overly enthused with the idea, saying at the NBA Awards that Rockets do not need to make any changes to their current team to win a championship.

Secondly, Houston would need some serious maneuvering to accommodate James' contract. Clint Capela needs a new deal after his breakout season, and the team would likely have to give up a first-round pick or two for a team to take on the roughly $41 million Ryan Anderson is owed over the next two seasons.

The Rockets would be glad to do so since they are clearly looking to win now, but this would set back their rebuild even more when their championship window eventually closes.

Of course, the Lakers have constantly been linked to James, but they are not in a spot to win right now like the Rockets are, and James is already 33 years old. In addition, Amick reported last week that word is the odds of another star like Paul George or Kawhi Leonard landing in Los Angeles are not strong.

If they can make it work, the Rockets are the best spot for James to get past the Warriors for at least one more title before he hits the twilight of his career. They have a proven head coach who provides his players with creative freedom on the court, which James covets. He has scorers around him, including a Kyrie Irving-like option in Harden that can get buckets in one-on-one matchups with the defense focused on James.

Simply put, Houston would be a powerhouse with James, and you better believe he heard that when checking around the NBA.

     

Jordan-Dallas Part 2?

Jordan created an all-time free-agency moment in 2015, when he agreed to a four-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks before pulling out and coming back to the Los Angeles Clippers following a meeting with Doc Rivers and teammates Blake Griffin and Paul.

Well, now it is 2018, and the core of that group is gone with Griffin being shipped to the Detroit Pistons and Paul in Houston. Now, Jordan also seems to be warming up to the idea of going back to Dallas, as the New York Times' Marc Stein reports:

Among the various options DeAndre Jordan has been weighing, according to league sources, is opting into the final season of his current contract (at $24.1 million) before Friday's midnight deadline to facilitate a trade -- with Dallas, sources say, among the teams interested

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 26, 2018

One source described a Jordan-to-Dallas trade as a "long shot" ... but the fact it's on the board is the strongest indication yet that the sides are willing to engage again after Jordan's about-face in 2015 free agency when he committed to the Mavs and then went back to the Clips https://t.co/RtYuckP40H

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 26, 2018

It makes sense that Jordan would want out of Los Angeles. The team he agreed to come back to had Jamal Crawford, Griffin, Paul and JJ Redick, among others. It was a Western Conference contender. Now, the cupboard is pretty bare with hardly any young players to get excited about as the team seems to be headed for a full rebuild. It also just brought in another aging center in Marcin Gortat on Tuesday night in exchange for Austin Rivers.

Jordan can opt out of the final year of his deal that would pay him over $24 million and become a free agent, but the Clippers would much rather get something for him instead of him walking away for nothing. If he were to facilitate a trade to Dallas, Jordan could make sure he is getting the full value of the last year of his contract while having ample time to work out a new agreement in his home state.

The Mavericks would rather not give up anything for Jordan, but trading for him now might be the best move. They have leverage in the fact that Jordan is on an expiring contract, which lessens his trade value. It might only take a future first-round pick to get a player that averaged 12.0 points and 15.2 rebounds a year ago. Not bad.

This would eliminate the immediate risk of losing Jordan on the free-agency market while adding him to a core of Harrison Barnes, Luka Doncic and Dennis Smith Jr. that is far superior to what the Clippers currently have.

Although Stein cited one source calling it unlikely, the circumstances surrounding this situation seem to indicate it could very well happen, especially with the Gortat trade. Be prepared for Jordan to become a Maverick.

     

All statistics are courtesy of Basketball Reference. Contract information is courtesy of Spotrac.