All news

After an impressive showing in the Olympics, it does seem that Josh Giddey is ready to take on the mission to continue improving his game in the NBA as he is set to begin a fresh, new chapter in his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls. The former Oklahoma City Thunder guard is coming off a promising run in the Olympic Games but has been the subject of ire for many critics in his previous season with the Thunder.

Oklahoma City became a promising team in the 2023-24 season, and it cannot be denied that Giddey has been quite a problem for the team amidst all of the shining pieces that have seen impressive strides. When the offseason came, the Thunder quickly pulled the string and traded Giddey for Alex Caruso, from the Chicago Bulls, hoping to bolster their roster moving forward.

This is a win-win trade so far. Caruso will be able to provide the Thunder with the reliable spot-up shooting that they need from their wingers. On the other hand, Giddey will have more touches on the ball – something that has changed well in his tenure with Oklahoma City and has affected his overall game.

Getting Ready for a Fresh Start

The Thunder didn’t trade Giddey simply because he struggled in the previous season. The Australian guard actually had prior talks with Thunder GM Sam Presti, insisting that he did not want to come off the bench in the coming season after he was set off the bench in the middle of the West Semis against the Dallas Mavericks – the first in almost more than 300 games in his career. Eventually, it led to the trade that sent Giddey to the Bulls.

"I just said to him at this point in my career, I'm 21 years old, it wasn't something that I was overly eager to do," Giddey said of the trade and how his talks with Presti led to it. "And he completely understood, and throughout the whole process we were open and honest with each other.... He got it. We worked together through the whole process, and he got me to a great spot."

Giddey, selected by the Thunder with the 6th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, averaged a meager 12.3 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds on 47.5% shooting last season. It was a season where he had to adjust from being an on-ball player who was usually setting the plays to being an off-ball player who was expected to take shots when open. Now he is getting back to a ball-dominant role in Chicago.

Shining With the Bulls

The Bulls have shuffled through many guards over the years since Lonzo Ball has been hampered by a lot of knee injuries and has not played since January 2022. Among the guards who took over the starting guard role for the Bulls were Goran Dragic, Jevon Carter, and even the team’s promising players such as Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White. Giddey enters the team as one of the best playmakers in the game, and he has certainly proved that in his run with Oklahoma City back then.

"Being able to make the game easy for everybody, being able to get guys involved, distribute the ball and get other players confident around me is the thing I pride myself on doing. And it's hard to do that in a role when the ball isn't in your hands a lot,” said Giddey. “That's probably the big thing coming in here. I want to be the pass-first point guard I am."

It seems Matty Beniers is returning to the Kraken, after all.

Beniers returns to the Seattle Kraken once more, this time for quite a long time as he signed a seven-year deal worth at least an estimated $50 million to stay with the team. At the age of 21, there are high expectations from the forward after he had a promising breakout year in the 2023-24 season. Now he is slated to play a bigger role for the team with the hopes of leading them to a promising victory on the big stage.

It has been a very busy offseason for the Seattle Kraken so far, and it cannot be denied that the team is starting to pick up steam with the hopes of proving their worth on the big stage and becoming a contender in the long run. Signing Beniers to a new deal at least gives them breathing room to keep one of their best stars in the game for the coming years.

Kraken finished with a 34-35-13 record for 81 points in the previous season. Sitting at the 12th seed, it was easy to expect that Seattle would be making a lot of impressive strides to ensure that they would finally have a chance to make it to the playoff stages.

A Proven Performer

At the age of 21, Beniers has become one of the most reliable players for the Kraken so far, and it cannot be denied that the team is hoping to see more of his big strides in the coming season. In the previous season alone, Beniers scored a total of 37 points coming off 15 goals and 22 assists in 77 games, being one of the most prolific scorers in the team so far.

"Matty has been a core part of our team since making his NHL debut, not only on the ice but in his commitment to our community and our fans," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "Signing Matty to a new contract was a top priority for our offseason, and we are excited to have it done. We're looking forward to seeing Matty take the next steps as a player and watching him contribute to many more memorable moments for our franchise."

Beniers is definitely a great signing for the team so far, and bringing him back for one more run after two seasons of impressive runs is definitely a win that fans can consider for Kraken’s growth in the game so far.

Capping Off a Busy Offseason

The Seattle Kraken has worked well to come up with impressive signings in the offseason to strengthen their roster so far. The team has already handed out big contracts to the likes of Chandler Stephenson and Brandon Montour in free agency. Signing Beniers, however, is a promising note as to how dedicated the team is to improve their winning chances.

As a rookie in the 2022-23 season, Beniers led all first-year players in points with 57 with 24 goals in just 80 games. He went on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year in the same season, where he was selected as the no. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. So far, Beniers has tallied a total of 103 points coming off 42 goals and 61 assists in 167 games in the regular season. He has also appeared in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games and has amassed seven points off three goals and four assists.

Chet Holmgren has been a spectacular rookie in his campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2023-24 NBA season. But despite losing the Rookie of the Year award to San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, Holmgren claims that there is no rivalry between the two players heading into the next season.

The last three games played between the two players have been quite a spectacle, and it is no secret that the two players have brought out the best in each other when they faced on the court. Sure, Wembanyama walked off with the Rookie of the Year honors, but it was considered to be a downplay on Holmgren’s impact in the Thunder’s winning season – the best they’ve had since the 2012-13 season.

For Holmgren, the ultimate goal is to compete at the highest level, and he doesn’t care who stands in front of him now more than ever, and one can even say that the Thunder big man is focused on the big picture in the years to come. Downplaying the so-called rivalry with Wembanyama in the coming season is one of the ways he’s focusing on winning now.

Shutting Down a Rivalry

It is easy to say that Holmgren and Wembanyama’s careers are slated to be intertwined forever due to the fact that they were rookies in the same season, and they almost share the same body build and height, making them the new breed of centers in the modern NBA. So far, Holmgren believes that the rivalry was just fabricated by the media to cook up more attention in their respective rookie campaigns.

"I don't want to go into any matchup and make it about what it isn't," Holmgren told "Podcast P with Paul George." "It's about winning the basketball game. I don't want to fall into the trap of turning something into a one-on-one game. Obviously, there's a lot of competitive juice — when you go up against a really good player — but I wasn't changing my gameplan just because we had Spurs on the schedule."

One of the biggest games that ignited the rivalry match was the fact that they had a spectacular showdown in the leap year game last season, with Wemby finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks, while Holmgren tallied 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a block.

Addressing a Rivalry

Whether or not Holmgren accepts it, the general media and a huge portion of NBA fans accept that they are slated to be rivals for the years to come. So far, it is expected that these two players will go head-to-head at least three or four times in a single season. With the Spurs being expected to make a climb on the playoff stage, we may even be treated to a possible postseason showdown between the two.

For Holmgren, however, this is just him and the French big man showing that they are ready to compete at the highest level when needed.

"That's probably just us being competitors," Holmgren responded. "But when people ask, 'Y'all got beef?' I'm like, 'What beef? We're out there competing.' To me, beef means, we're fighting. Why would I have beef with him? I honestly don't even know the guy."

Chet Holmgren averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game while playing all 82 games in the regular season. The incoming sophomore seeks to boost Oklahoma City’s championship hopes after the team finished with the 1st seed with a 57-25 record but fell short in the West Semis.

Former illusionist Lance Burton had always wanted a castle on a hill - and his dream came true in the early 2000s. But as the Las Vegas magician's star faded from the limelight, so did he, seemingly vanishing into thin air. In 2020, he sold the property and moved to Kentucky, where he is supposedly living a quiet life.

Lance Burton, the legendary magician who dazzled audiences on the Las Vegas Strip for nearly three decades, once called a lavish mansion in Henderson, Nevada, his home. From 2006 all the way until 2020, the sprawling estate, situated in the Las Vegas-adjacent city, served as a retreat for Burton, a man whose illusions captivated millions. The property, which boasts a plethora of unique and luxurious features, is once again making headlines - this time for its steep price increase as it returns to the market.

A magical abode

Burton's former residence is nothing short of enchanting. Custom-built to reflect the magician's flair for the extraordinary, the mansion includes secret passageways, a watchtower, hidden doors, and a grand room with soaring 30-ft. ceilings. The two-story gold-plated library and an indoor grotto add to the mystique of the home, making it a place where fantasy and reality blur - a fitting backdrop for a man whose career was built on illusion.

The mansion on 1280 Scooter Street in Henderson spans a massive 14,700 square feet. It includes six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, a formal dining room, an indoor spa, and a home theater, complete with a four-car garage. For Burton, this was more than just a house; it was a sanctuary where he could immerse himself in the art of magic, away from the limelight of the Las Vegas Strip.

The vanishing act

Burton's success on the Strip is the stuff of legend. After gaining national attention through 10 guest appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Burton became a fixture in Las Vegas. In 1982, at the young age of 22, he was given a tryout that lasted for eight weeks with the Folies Bergere show at the Tropicana, a stint that extended into a nine-year tenure. His career continued to ascend, leading to a contract with the Hacienda Hotel, before MGM Resorts recruited him to open the Monte Carlo casino in 1996.

At the peak of his career, Burton was reportedly earning $10 million annually with MGM Mirage. But after the contract finished in 2010, Burton seemed to disappear from the public eye. Although he was supposedly asked to present a limited run at Caesars Palace, he chose instead to semi-retire, stepping back from the demanding schedule of Las Vegas shows. Now, at 64, Burton continues to perform, but on his terms, with upcoming shows scheduled at the Aqua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California, and Texas' Lowes Arlington Hotel & Convention Center.

Farewell, Las Vegas!

In 2020, Lance Burton decided it was time to leave his Las Vegas castle behind. He sold the mansion for $4 million to entrepreneur Tarek Tabsh. But after commissioning updates that added almost 2,000 square feet, Tabsh is now attempting to sell the property for over twice the original price he paid for it. The mansion, which once featured street lights from the Monte Carlo before its revamp, is now a symbol of both the magician's legacy and the rapidly appreciating real estate market in the area.

After the sale, Burton relocated to his grandfather's farm in Kentucky, the place where he first dreamt of becoming a magician. In a heartfelt goodbye posted on Facebook, Burton reflected on his journey: "Ever since I was a young boy growing up in Kentucky, I dreamed of one day moving to Las Vegas... Please know that I am forever grateful for the mythical city called Las Vegas. I will miss you all. I love you all. Maybe I will return one day as a visitor. Until then, may God keep watch over you."

While Burton may have left Las Vegas, his influence and the magic he brought to the city remain. As his former mansion hits the market again, it serves as a reminder of the enchanting world he created - both on stage and at home.

A woman from Chicago gets sentenced to nine years in prison after it was found that she stole 11,000 cases of chicken wings with a street value of $1.5 million - and gambled it all away.

In a bizarre case of fraud and gambling, an Illinois judge has sentenced an ex food service director who worked for the South Chicago school district to nine years in prison for stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings. Vera Liddell, 68, pleaded guilty to felony theft charges after being caught in a scheme that lasted nearly two years, during which she placed unauthorized orders for 11,000 cases of chicken wings using school district funds.

A pandemic-era scheme

Liddell's fraudulent activities began in July of 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and at a time when students were attending classes remotely. Despite the absence of students in school buildings, the district still provided meals meant for underprivileged students, and their families could pick the meals up. Liddell saw an opportunity to exploit this situation, and she began a spree of unauthorized food orders.

According to documents presented in court, Liddell ordered from Gordon Food Service, the school district's supplier, under the pretense that the chicken wings were for student meals. The supplier, believing these orders were legitimate, billed the school district, which then paid the invoices. However, these chicken wings never made it to the students' plates.

Discovery and investigation

The scheme began to unravel in early 2022 when an audit revealed that the school district's food service department had exceeded its annual budget by $300,000 - an alarming figure considering it was only the beginning of the year. This prompted the business manager to investigate, leading to the discovery of multiple invoices which had Liddell's signature - for large orders of chicken wings.

A peculiar detail also emerged during the investigation: chicken wings are not typically served in schools because they have small bones, which present a choking hazard to young students. This raised further suspicions, prompting investigators to analyze security footage. The video evidence revealed that Liddell used the school district's vans to collect the chicken wings from the supplier. However, the trail went cold as to where the wings ended up, with Liddell reselling them to unspecified parties and gambling away the proceeds.

Judicial response and sentencing

Judge Michele Pitman of the Sixth Municipal District of Cook County presided over the case and delivered a stern sentence. Liddell's actions were deemed a significant breach of trust, especially during a time when the school district was striving to support underprivileged students amid the challenges of the pandemic.

Liddell's attorney, Patrick O'Byrne, characterized his client as a "churchgoing woman with no previous criminal record" and described her actions as being driven by a gambling addiction. "She's just a little sweetheart that's got a gambling problem," O'Byrne disclosed to People magazine. "She feels beyond terrible about this. This is totally uncharacteristic of her. It was the disease taking over."

An unlikely intervention

In a surprising twist, NFL player Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs expressed interest in helping Liddell. Jones took to social media, tweeting, "I'll pay for the wings that she stole to get her free." His offer, though unconventional, drew attention to the case, but it remains unclear whether his intervention could influence Liddell's situation, as she has already received her sentence.

O'Byrne confirmed that Jones' representatives had reached out and expressed hope that the situation might work out in Liddell's favor. However, the legal implications of such an offer are uncertain, and it is unlikely to alter the outcome of the court's decision.

An excellent line-up of Las Vegas shows and concerts: Janet Jackson formally announces residency, U2 releases new film at the Sphere for a one-night screening, and Tears for Fears, the iconic 80's duo, will perform for three nights at the FontaineBleau. Reserve your tickets early!

Pop music icon Janet Jackson has officially revealed the dates for her highly anticipated residency at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas. The residency, which was confirmed last week by her manager, is set to kick off on December 30, 2024, and will feature a total of 10 performances, including a special New Year's Eve show. This announcement marks Jackson's return to the Las Vegas Strip and her debut at the award-winning Resorts World Theatre.

Janet Jackson's electrifying performances

Jackson, known for her groundbreaking contributions to pop music, will deliver a series of shows that will continue into 2025, with performances slated for February, including the highly sought-after Valentine's Day weekend. The initial schedule features dates on December 30 - 31, followed by January 3 - 4 and February 5, 7, 8, 12, and 14 - 15.

Senior VP of AEG Presents Las Vegas, Bobby Reynolds, expressed his excitement about Jackson's upcoming residency, stating, "Janet Jackson is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in pop music. We could not be more thrilled to close out 2024 with her return to the Las Vegas Strip and her venue debut at our award-winning Resorts World Theatre, and to kick off 2025 with a run of sure-to-be-unforgettable shows. This is a residency fans won't want to miss."

One of the most anticipated highlights of Jackson's residency is expected to be a duet with Michael Jackson, her late brother, on 'Scream,' their 1995 hit single. This powerful and emotional performance has already captivated audiences on Jackson's current "Together Again" tour, which is set to wrap up in Europe this October. The duet is anticipated to be a centerpiece of her Las Vegas shows, adding a poignant touch to the residency.

Tickets for the residency will go on sale at 10 am Pacific Time on Wednesday, the 28th of August, through AXS.com. Fans are encouraged to act quickly as this residency promises to be one of the most sought-after events in Las Vegas.

U2's immersive concert film to debut at the Sphere

In other entertainment news, U2 fans have something special to look forward to this September. "V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas," directed by acclaimed U2 guitarist The Edge alongside Morleigh Steinberg, is set to premiere for a one-time screening on September 5 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

The concert film aims to recreate the electrifying experience of U2's live shows, which captivated over 700,000 fans in 40 sold-out shows from September of 2023 to March of 2024. The Edge shared his enthusiasm for the project in a press release, stating, "The goal was to give the immersive moviegoers as close to the live U2:UV concert experience as possible - and then some. I've never seen a U2 show. I'm so relieved I caught a great one."

The film was shot using Sphere Entertainment's Big Sky camera, which is designed to capture the epic scale and energy of U2's performances, making audiences feel as though they are attending the live concert. Tickets for the film screening will be available to the general public starting at 10 in the morning on Friday, the 23rd of August, at Ticketmaster.com. Priced at $100, the movie tickets offer fans a more affordable way to experience U2's concert, considering the steep costs of the live show tickets.

Tears for Fears set to perform at Fontainebleau's BleauLive theater

Adding to the lineup of exciting events, Tears for Fears will be making a return to the stage this fall with three performances at the BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. The shows are scheduled for October 30 and November 1 and 2, 2024.

In a joint statement, band members Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal stated their eagerness to reconnect with fans: "It's been a while since we've been on the road and are very eager to share this live show experience with everyone. You can expect to hear tracks from our 2022 album The Tipping Point as well as fan favorites. Be sure to listen closely though as there may be something new sprinkled in there as well."

The tickets for these performances will go on sale at 10 am on the 23rd of August through the official Tears for Fears website.

F1 offers free fan festival during Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend

In a surprising move, Formula 1 has announced that it will host the Las Vegas Grand Prix Fan Festival on the Strip during race weekend, and the event will be free for the general public to attend. The festival, which will take place on November 22 and 23, promises live entertainment across from the Wynn, offering fans a chance to enjoy the excitement of race weekend without the hefty price tag.

This marks a departure from last year when F1 sold tickets for $200 to $500 just to watch the Chainsmokers perform in the same space. While the lineup for the free event has yet to be announced, the festival is expected to draw large crowds. Additionally, the Neon City Festival will be held downtown from November 22 to 24, offering more free entertainment options for visitors.