Luka’s 45-point revenge: Whitlock says Mavs trade is WAY deeper than just stupidity



On Wednesday, April 9, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks faced off on Dallas’ home court with the Lakers coming out victorious for the second time since Luka Dončić was traded to the team back in February. In the first game back in February, Dončić put up 19 points.

In the second game, however, his performance was truly astonishing. Dončić scored 45 points against his old team that traded him – a generational talent and the former face of the franchise – for 32-year-old Anthony Davis.

The trade has been condemned by many sports critics as the worst trade in NBA history. In response to Luka's staggering performance, ESPN analyst and former NBA player Jay Williams called the trade “basketball treason” and “self sabotage.” The scoreboard seems to confirm it.

Are the Mavs regretting their decision to let Luka go?

Well, that all depends on why they made the trade in the first place. Jason Whitlock and Jay Skapinac, host of “Skap Attack,” debate the real reason behind the Luka trade.

Skap chalks it up to pure stupidity on the part of Mav’s general manager Nico Harrison.

Harrison and Mavs ownership “lost their minds” when they traded Dončić – “an absolute generational star,” he says.

“The only two players ever to score at least 30 points per game in their playoff careers [are] Michael Jordan and Luka Dončić, and they trade that guy for Anthony Davis and one first round draft pick?” he asks in disbelief.

Skap predicts that the Mavs’ ship will sink early in the play-in tournament, if they can maintain their play-in position, while the Lakers, thanks to their new addition, may become “the best team in the Western conference.”

“Thanks for nothing, Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks,” he sighs.

Whitlock, however, doesn’t think it’s that simple. Anybody who knows the basics of basketball understands that trading Luka is basketball suicide, so there must be another reason behind it.

Two theories have him interested.

Theory #1: The NBA pushed for the trade because they “wanted LeBron to have a playoff run.”

Theory #2: The trade was spurred by the owners — the Adelson family — who want to use the team to “leverage their way into a casino and new arena.”

“Blaming Nico is an easy way out,” says Whitlock.

To hear more of the debate, watch the clip above.

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Meet LeBron James’ #1 puppet master



LeBron James’ influence extends far beyond the basketball court. The superstar’s voice is regularly heard in the social and political arena as well.

Is everything LeBron spouts off indicative of his personal beliefs? Or is he just being controlled by his puppet masters?

Jason Whitlock speculates it’s the latter.

The first person who comes to Jason’s mind is Adam Mendelsohn, longtime adviser and spokesperson for James.

“You'll hear a lot of stories out front that it's Rich Paul and Maverick Carter. … That's LeBron's inner circle, but behind the scenes everybody knows Adam Mendelsohn is who controls Lebron James,” he says.

Mendelsohn, along with Ari Emanuel, the CEO of media agency giant Endeavor: “They run the clown show,” Jason argues, adding that these two are experts at working with “useful idiots like LeBron James.”

Even something like LeBron cursing on national television knowing there are children watching is “not an accident,” he says.

Back in 2024, the Los Angeles Times ran a story titled “LeBron Inc: The collective that’s bigger than basketball.” The celebratory piece named Rich Paul, Maverick Carter, Randy Mims, Savannah James (LeBron’s wife), Paul Wachter, and Adam Mendelsohn, along with others, as the key players calling the shots in LeBron’s life.

“This is like the diversity, equity, and inclusion list of who's controlling or influencing or helping LeBron James,” says Jason.

After heralding Paul, Carter, and Mims as LeBron’s “brothers from different mothers,” the article almost half-heartedly mentions Mendelsohn, who Jason argues should be, if truth were important to the L.A. Times, front and center in the piece.

To hear more of Jason’s analysis, watch the clip above.

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How Trump’s fiery Zelenskyy meeting could lead to 5 MASSIVE victories



Last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy found himself in an icy Oval Office when his insistence that the U.S. continue to support Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia didn’t land well with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The exchange between the three leaders culminated in a heated argument that ended with no mineral deal signed, Trump threatening to pull “out” if a deal between Russia and Ukraine isn’t made, Zelenskyy being asked to leave the White House, and uncertainty regarding Ukraine's relationship with the U.S.

“Zelenskyy was just playing a game, and you don’t play a game against Trump,” especially when “you don't have any cards” left, says Glenn Beck.

What President Trump is doing, he says, is “playing 5D chess” with both Ukraine and the world.

And his strategy is brilliant. It’s one that could end in five massive victories.

Potential victory #1: Ends the killing and waste of US dollars

Forcing Ukraine to make a deal with Russia would first and foremost stop the killing, which thus far has been relatively mild when you consider death counts in prior wars.

There have been “250,000 people lost in this war. Could be much, much higher. Let's end it ... because I don't even think anybody even knows what this [war] is about anymore,” Glenn says.

Further, “It ends the spending of the United States in Ukraine where we don't have any idea where any of it is going,” he adds. “It is a corrupt country. I don't want to be helping their sock industry.”

Under the corrupt Biden regime, our tax dollars were “paying for all of the Social Security benefits for everybody who has worked in the Ukrainian government,” along with other non-war-related causes.

But this “bleeding of money” will stop if Ukraine can be pushed into a deal with Russia.

Potential victory #2: The illusion of Russian victory

A deal between Ukraine and Russia "lets Putin go home while declaring a win.” However, “Everyone else knows he actually lost,” says Glenn.

After all, his original goal was “to go in there and in two weeks take Ukraine.” Three years later, “He still only has 20%” of the country.

Striking a deal now would mean Putin "can go home and declare he won because he's got some land,” but the truth the rest of us will know is “he lost” because “the idea that Russia can just plow into Europe has now been proven to be false.”

Potential victory #3: The acquisition of rare-earth minerals

“Russia and Ukraine are sitting on a gigantic pile of rare-earth minerals,” says Glenn. “If you don't know what that is, that's the thing that makes your computer work. If we don't have rare-earth minerals, we cannot compete in the world of tomorrow.”

He then explains that the U.S. currently relies heavily on China, which dominates the global supply, for rare-earth minerals. Striking a deal with Ukraine or Russia would allow us to distance ourselves from China while saving money.

On one hand, “giving money to Russia,” which has its own wealth of mineral resources and currently occupies a significant amount of mineral-rich Ukrainian territory, could be “a win for us because we're getting [rare-earth minerals] at a discount,” Glenn explains, noting that a money-motivated Putin would go "away not happy but not vengeful.”

On the other hand, if a deal between the U.S. and Ukraine is signed, then the U.S. will have access to Ukraine’s rare-earth mineral resources, while Ukraine has money for reconstruction. If such a deal is struck, “America's interests are now in Ukraine” — something that ought to tempt Zelenskyy.

Potential Victory #4: A NATO out?

While President Trump has floated the idea of exiting NATO and would likely do it if all the necessary factors aligned, what he really wants above all is “to stop paying 70% for the defense of Europe,” says Glenn.

“Because of the WEF strategy over in Europe, you have them coming together on Zelenskyy’s side. That's not going to make NATO stronger because America is not going to go and get involved,” he explains, noting that America sending troops into NATO is just “not going to happen.”

“That weakens NATO, but it also does what? It forces NATO to spend more money on their own defense — a win for America,” he continues.

Further, “The World War II model for the world takes a major hit,” which is a “goal of anybody who wants to get out of NATO,” including Donald Trump.

Potential victory #5: China loses Russia

“China loses the rare-earth minerals that Russia just captured; China loses its grip not just on Russia but also on us,” says Glenn, reminding us that rare-earth minerals are “what this whole thing is all about.”

“Anybody who says that Trump is stupid [or] Trump is causing a war” is misled, says Glenn.

“No, he's not, but the world is changing, and for once, finally, we have a president that knows how to negotiate ... on so many levels,” he adds, calling Trump’s abilities “mind-boggling.”

To hear more of Glenn’s commentary, watch the clip above.

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Christian animated series 'Gabriel and the Guardians' to get its own comic adaptation with Rippaverse



A Christian anime series is heading to print after hosting an incredibly successful crowdfund that spawned the series.

Angel Studios, the company behind the film "Sound of Freedom," ran a massively successful campaign for the new animated show that garnered over $550,000 and promised to deliver 13 episodes. With just under 1,500 backers, the show drew a whopping average contribution of over $370 per person.

Now that the series is coming to fruition, Rippaverse Comics will bring the show to print as its own manga-style comic series.

'A gift from the Lord.'

The move is part of what has become a massive swing in the media space in terms of publishing and content.

For starters, "Gabriel and the Guardians" is inspired by ancient Hebrew text, taking themes from sources like the book of Genesis. The story follows Gabriel, a celestial guardian who is tasked with recovering a powerful artifact. The show features themes of identity, faith, and the Bible, which are not often broached in an animated series of this caliber.

At the same time, Rippaverse Comics has pushed its way into the publishing space with a firm stance of focusing on content, not progressive themes.

Rippaverse Comics founder and BlazeTV contributor Eric July called the new partnership a "gift from the Lord."

"Couldn't be more grateful," July added in an X post.

— (@)

The new comic will be run by RippaSend, the publishing wing of Rippaverse Comics, which has a stated goal of providing artists a platform to showcase their talents.

July successfully began publishing his own woke-free comics in 2022, starting with "Isom #1," which raised over $3.7 million in a preorder after a stated goal of $100,000. Then "Isom #2" raked in nearly $1 million in preorders within the first 24 hours of its release.

The company now has a cavalcade of characters and stories in its lineup and has a lot to draw from with "Gabriel and the Guardians."

The production has already been greatly received, with top-tier voice talent including Matt Lanter (Lego Star Wars, Call of Duty), Cristina Valenzuela (Sailor Moon, Evil Dead: The Game), and even Johnny Yong Bosch, who starred in "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers."

Many fans have since theorized the move could signal that Rippaverse Comics is making the jump into animated productions with Angel Studios, but the crossover remains unclear.

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Someone in the United States is buying MASSIVE amounts of gold. What’s going on?



“There's something going on with gold, and nobody really knows what it is,” says Glenn Beck, pointing to the following “must-read” tweet thread from Matt Smith:

— (@)

“Somebody here in the United States is buying a crapload of gold. We think (I hope) it’s the Treasury or the Central Bank,” he says.

Whoever is behind the purchases — “somebody with very deep pockets” — isn’t just collecting gold notes, either.

Whoever this mysterious somebody is, they’re “taking huge physical deliveries, and it's causing shortages in London,” says Glenn.

What on Earth is going on?

Glenn dives into two potential outcomes.

Outcome #1: Trump returns the US dollar to the gold standard

It’s possible that “they're preparing for a full-on gold audit,” says Glenn, noting thaton the government's balance sheet, its gold assets are “valued at $45 an ounce.”

However, the true value of gold as of now is actually “$2900 an ounce.”

“So they're talking now about boosting the price of gold, at least market to market, but maybe even making it $5,000 an ounce. If that happens, the balance sheet starts to fall into line and our debt to GDP is not as bad as it really is right now,” Glenn explains.

“We're coming to a place where we’re not going to be able to finance the debt,” he says. This effort to “reshore up our balance sheet and make ourselves healthier” is “because we're at the end of the dollar. We're at the end of this financial system.”

“So this is an endgame. It’s why tariffs are being brought in,” which will “cause inflation to rise,” Glenn says.

“If [tariffs] are not done exactly right,” the average person will be “punished with higher prices.” However, Donald Trump “is betting that wages will also rise because he's forcing people to keep their profits here and make jobs here.”

“If everything goes right, what the trade on gold is showing us is that we may be going towards a gold-backed financial system or a gold-backed currency of some sort,” says Glenn, adding that “the FED could even be shut down.”

He then explains that “the dollar could be, by design, being collapsed.”

“That's exactly what the Biden administration was doing ... but they didn't have a plan to replace it other than a digital dollar and global slavery. I'm not sure what the plan is here, but it seems much more American-centric — good for America and eventually good for the rest of the world,” says Glenn.

Outcome #2: Nobody owns anything

He then points back to Smith’s X thread — specifically to the part where he suggests that “they’re reshoring the gold that might have been leased out.”

“That’s rehypothecation” says Glenn, warning his listeners that they need to watch carefully for this word in the coming days.

Rehypothecation, he explains, is when “we've taken one asset and we've counted it on several different accounting books.”

If this happens, that means “no one owns anything,” says Glenn, calling it “a Ponzi scheme.”

To hear his advice for the everyday American, watch the clip above.

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NCAA stars ink landmark NIL deals with Nintendo for viral social media campaign



Several NCAA football and basketball stars have signed sponsored deals with Nintendo, including a national champion.

Jeremiah Smith recently won the national title with Ohio State, but that was not until after he accomplished every little boy's dream of being paid to play video games.

Less than a week before the 34-23 win over Notre Dame, Smith dropped a new ad for Nintendo's gaming system the Nintendo Switch, promoting the game Fortnite.

"Practice is done, errands can wait. Got my Nintendo Switch with me," Smith said from the driver's seat of a car.

The new deal is likely the biggest individual video game sponsorship in college sports history, given the short life span of the name, image, and likeness deals that were authorized for NCAA athletes in 2021.

Smith is ranked No. 5 in the country in terms of NIL valuation, earning an estimated $4 million from likeness deals, according to On3. In September 2024, Smith signed a deal with Red Bull, which came a month after he announced a partnership with apparel brand Lululemon.

Those campaigns pale in comparison, though, as the Nintendo ad has nearly 500,000 views on X alone, where Smith has 77,000 followers. The ad was posted on his other social media platforms, where he has a much stronger fan base, too; Smith has more than 150,000 followers on TikTok and a whopping 400,000+ on Instagram.

Other Nintendo partners include Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, who sports a $1.8 million valuation himself.

Washington running back Jonah Coleman and Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch also announced deals, as did basketball players Jeremy Roach from Baylor and Judea Watkins of USC.

Jonah Coleman, #1 of the Washington HuskiesPhoto by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

All of the partnerships included a deal with Epic Games, which operates a platform that recently won a monumental lawsuit against Google.

Epic Games is the developer of Fortnite, which all the athletes are seen playing in their ads.

In October 2024, a judge issued a ruling in Epic v. Google that forced Google to distribute other third-party app stores within its own app store and allow the other app stores to access its catalog of programs.

It was also ruled that developers would no longer have to pay Google a 30% app tax. Developers were given the option to use payment systems other than Google Play Billing, which saw a 30% commission go to Google for the sale of paid apps and in-app purchases, including subscriptions.

From November 2024 to November 2027, Google will also be required to let Android developers tell users about alternative payment methods, provide download links outside the Play Store, and set their own prices for apps.

Needless to say, these rulings seem to have had a positive impact on Epic Games' ability to market the company.

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'Please stop this nonsense': Transgender college sprinter breaks women's track records for second year in a row



A male athlete is making headlines for the second straight January after breaking more women's college track records.

Camden Schreiner, who goes by "Sadie," set facility records at Brockport’s Rust Buster, a track and field event in New York where multiple universities compete, such as Roberts Wesleyan University and Schreiner's Rochester Institute of Technology.

The junior sprinter set records by winning the women's 200-meter dash in 24.50 seconds and the women's 400-meter dash in 55.91 seconds. The times were also program records, according to RIT.

"He is currently ranked #1 in DIII women’s 200 & 400 meter dashes," said Ashley Keleher, former track star at Colby-Sawyer College.

The Division III times were also announced by RIT, which later named Schreiner female athlete of the week while boasting the achievements.

"Please stop this nonsense," Keleher added.

Keleher, a woman who broke at least four track records herself in 2021-2022, later posted video of Schreiner's performance and said she "can’t wait" for stories like this to stop.

On Schreiner's social media page, he wrote, "starting the season off right where I left off," followed by hearts and a transgender flag.

"The times will only get faster from here," he added.

Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images

'Males stealing female records ...'

Schreiner also made headlines in January 2024 after breaking school records for the women's 200-meter and 300-meter sprints.

At the same meet, Schreiner also placed first in the 4x400-meter relay and earned a Liberty League Women's Track & Field Performer of the Week award, according to KATV.

Former Division I swimmer Riley Gaines said at the time that "women's records mean nothing if they're set by men."

Olympic marathon runner Mara Yamauchi shared the footage of Schreiner and said the purpose of women's sports is not to entertain men's feelings.

"Same as in parkrun - males stealing female records which will probably be out of female hands forever. All for what? To indulge men's feelings," she wrote,

Schreiner has been celebrated for crushing female athletes and was rewarded with professional photo shoots by the Washington Post and full support from RIT and its head track coach, David Warth.

Schreiner's school bio also notes he is a two-time All-American, is an Atlantic Region Outdoor Champion, and has set at least five program records in outdoor/indoor running.

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Book becomes best-seller after Eagles receiver AJ Brown spotted reading on the sidelines during playoff game



Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown made an unintentional advertisement for a self-help book during a playoff game that pushed it to become a best-seller.

With just one catch for 10 yards in the Eagles' win over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, fans thought Brown was visibly showing his displeasure with the franchise when he was spotted reading a book on the sidelines.

"A.J. Brown ... is a little frustrated, obviously, hasn't seen too many balls today. ... He's going to read a little passage here," a Fox announcer said, as Brown was shown on screen taking out the book.

As Amazon later reported, the book Brown was reading immediately shot to No. 1 on Amazon's best-selling books list, with readers directly referring to having seen Brown with the title.

The book in question is titled, "Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life," by Jim Murphy, a former professional baseball player.

It is described as a "life guide that has developed world champions, empowered athletes to become world #1, and ... transformed their hearts and minds."

Some of the book reviews hilariously referred to Brown on the sidelines.

"I came for the game and stayed for the book circle. This book isn't just a snap read, but also doesn't need a tush push to get through. It's a great call for everyone."

Another five-star review read, "Great book to read on the sidelines during difficult times in the game."

"This book changed my life. A must read. Go birds," another apparent Eagles fan wrote.

"I love this book almost as much as I love AJ Brown. Go Birds," a fan wrote with an Eagles logo at the end.

Amazingly, at the time of this publication, the book is still atop Amazon's list.

'I'm not a distraction.'

After the Eagles' 22-10 victory, Brown was asked by reporters in the locker room about his sideline study session.

"There's been a lot of reaction to you reading the book on the sideline," an off-screen reporter asked. "It's No. 1 on Amazon now. What's your reaction, I guess, to all the craziness about it?"

"A lot. But, you know, none of that stuff really matters," Brown replied, in a serious tone. "I'll continue to be myself. I'm not pretending. It's not a facade or anything. You know? So, you know, who cares who don't like it?"

Brown then got a little more animated, showing some frustration.

"I'm a three-time old Pro Bowler. Yes. I'm gonna pop my s**t. That is what it is, and, you know, I do that for myself. And I don't care. Like, I'm not a distraction. You know? So most importantly, I go out there and do my job. So all the other s**t, you know, it don't matter."

The Eagles will host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in the divisional round of the playoffs.

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This Is the #1 Thing Preventing People from Achieving Success | Tony Robbins
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This Is the #1 Thing Preventing People from Achieving Success | Tony Robbins

Conservatives love RFK Jr. and Trump's deportation plan but want Mike Johnson out as speaker, poll finds



Grassroots Republicans and conservatives said President-elect Donald Trump's No. 1 priority upon taking office should be fixing illegal immigration and conducting deportations.

A new poll of attendees at AmericaFest, an event coordinated by political commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, revealed interesting sentiments among Republican supporters.

AmericaFest attendees are typically considered very politically active and are willing to pay top dollar to see commentators and politicians like Trump and Tucker Carlson or even comedians like Rob Schneider.

Kirk revealed the results of the poll on his X page. They showed overwhelming support for Trump's policies and Cabinet picks.

"71% of respondents STRONGLY support primary challenges to Republican lawmakers who vote against ANY of President Trump's Cabinet choices," Kirk wrote with an attached graphic. "Only 14% oppose primary challenges."

Among Trump's Cabinet nominations, respondents were most excited about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health and human services director, with FBI director nominee Kash Patel a close second. RFK and Patel were by far the most popular nominations and were named as the No. 1 picks at 35% and 31%, respectively.

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Fox News host Pete Hegseth were among the other names respondents provided.

'Trump's #1 issue on day one should be securing the border ...'

For Trump's policies, attendees voted that Trump's top priority when taking office should be "illegal immigration/border security/deportations."

"A massive 63% majority said that Trump's #1 issue on day one should be securing the border and deporting illegal immigrants who are already here," Kirk continued.

Trailing far behind as the second-most pertinent policy was pardoning those arrested for their participation in January 6, with "cutting spending/national debt" listed third.

Kash Patel (FBI director nominee) was the second-most popular Trump Cabinet nominee at AmericaFest.Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

A whopping 62% of those polled disapproved of Mike Johnson's performance as speaker of the House, with 58.8% answering "no" to the question "Do you think Mike Johnson should remain Speaker of the U.S. House?"

Kirk noted that just 22% approved of Johnson's performance as well.

The front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028 was overwhelmingly JD Vance at 59%, with Donald Trump Jr. in second at 17%; 11% were undecided.

In terms of what attendees thought of their political opponents, 35% predicted California Governor Gavin Newsom will be the 2028 presidential nominee for the Democratic Party, while 17% thought it may be Vice President Kamala Harris once again.

At the same time, over 90% of respondents said they would support indicting Anthony Fauci for his role in "illegally funding the creation of Covid-19 in a Chinese lab."

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