LeBron James

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was asked on Thursday about a photo that surfaced showing team owner Jerry Jones, at the age of 14, in a crowd of white students attempting to block six Black students from entering and attending North Little Rock High School in 1957.

"I don't have much to say," Prescott told reporters, in part. "Obviously, we can be more empathetic and give grace to one another. Regardless of race, from the times we've come from to where we are now, thinking about the growth we've had, that’s who I am, that's how I think. Optimistic. A guy who is completely biracial, Black and white. It's easy for me to speak on race on one side or the other."

Earlier in November, The Washington Post's David Maraniss and Sally Jenkins profiled Jones and noted his presence when the North Little Rock Six attempted to desegregate the Arkansas school in a greater examination of his tenure as an owner and his poor record of hiring Black coaches.

The photo became a major headline on Thursday, when LeBron James questioned why the media focused heavily on Kyrie Irving amplifying an antisemitic film on social media but seemed to quickly move on from the photo of Jones.

"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave. I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo," he said. "But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."

He continued:

I feel like as a Black man, as a Black athlete, as someone with power and a platform, when we do something wrong, or something that people don't agree with, it's on every single tabloid, every single news coverage, it's on the bottom ticker. It's asked about every single day.

But it seems like to me that the whole Jerry Jones situation, photo—and I know it was years and years ago and we all make mistakes, I get it—but it seems like it's just been buried under, like, 'Oh, it happened. OK, we just move on.' And I was just kind of disappointed that I haven't received that question from you guys.

Jones told reporters after the Maraniss and Jenkins story broke that he didn't realize the scope of what was happening at North Little Rock High School back in 1957.

"I didn't know at the time the monumental event that was going on, and I'm sure glad that we're a long way from that," the 80-year-old said. "I am. That would remind me just to continue to do everything we can to not have those kinds of things happen."

Jones added that he was there to see what was going on, not participate in blocking the Black students from entering the school.

"We didn't have all of the last 70 years of reference and all the things that were going, so you didn't have a reference point there," he said. "Still, I've got a habit of sticking this nose in the right place at the wrong time."

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James called out what he believed to be a double standard after the Washington Post published a photo of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones outside of North Little Rock High School in 1957 when the school was integrating.

"I got one question for you guys before you guys leave," James told reporters following Wednesday's 128-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. "I was thinking when I was on my way over here, I was wondering why I haven't gotten a question from you guys about the Jerry Jones photo. But when the Kyrie [Irving] thing was going on, you guys were quick to ask us questions about that."

The Brooklyn Nets suspended Irving earlier this season after he promoted an antisemitic film on social media and refused to condemn the problematic themes presented. It was briefly one of the biggest stories in the NBA, which prompted reporters to ask stars such as James their thoughts on the matter.

As part of their Black Out series on the lack of diversity among the NFL's coaching ranks, the Washington Post's David Maraniss and Sally Jenkins wrote an in-depth profile of Jones given his outsized importance in the league.

They detailed how Jones, who grew up in North Little Rock, Arkansas, stood outside of North Little Rock High when six Black students were attempting to enter the school.

The revelation isn't a focal point of the profile but is included as part of a deeper look into Jones' hiring practices with the Cowboys.

Maraniss and Jenkins note how the 80-year-old can not only open doors for people of color but also help shift the paradigm in the NFL because he's arguably the league's most powerful figure not named Roger Goodell.

Jones told the Post he "want(s) to be the first in line" on improving diversity now, but that hasn't been true in the past:

But league executives say there was one issue Jones never pressed or even expressed much of an opinion on: race. Before and after the Rooney Rule was instituted in 2003, the league regularly discussed its embarrassing minority hiring record. Jones seemed uninterested. 'Other things have been more important,' one longtime former team executive said. 'Being powerful — that’s what is important to him.'

Jones has already addressed perhaps the most talked about portion of the feature. He told reporters he "didn't know at the time the monumental event that was going on" at the protest in 1957.

It's bound to become a topic of discussion once again after James' postgame press conference.

The Los Angeles Lakers earned their sixth win in the past eight games with Wednesday's 128-109 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena.

LeBron James played one of his best games of the season. The 18-time All-Star dropped 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting with eight assists and seven rebounds in 33 minutes. It was the second time in three games he has surpassed the 30-point barrier.

While James dominating is nothing new, it was a good sign for the Lakers to see Austin Reaves continue his recent streak of strong play. He scored a season-high 22 points in 35 minutes after being inserted back into the starting lineup following a three-game stretch coming off the bench.

Reaves' performance caught the attention of NBA Twitter as the Lakers continue to play well:

Undrafted out of Oklahoma last year, Reaves was given a shot by the Lakers when he signed a two-way contract in August 2021. The 24-year-old received extended playing time as a rookie, in part, because of all the injuries the team dealt with.

Reaves showed promise as a role player, averaging 7.3 points on 45.9 percent shooting. The 6'5" shooting guard has hit another level this season and has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA.

After going a combined 0-of-4 from three-point range in two games last week, Reaves did fall under 40 percent shooting behind the arc. But he's still on the cusp of the 50/40/90 club with a 54.0 percent field-goal percentage, 39.7 three-point percentage and 90.9 field-goal percentage.

Head coach Darvin Ham has taken notice of Reaves' play by having him start seven of the past 11 games. He's averaging 31.3 minutes per game in 14 games since Nov. 2.

Reaves and the Lakers will be put to the test in their next game when they begin a six-game Eastern Conference road trip against the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

Los Angeles Lakers fans are wondering whether it's time to shake up the roster's foundation after the team blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter en route to a 116-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

The Lakers had shown signs of life in recent weeks, winning five of their past six games, but their meltdown against the Pacers renewed calls for change. That includes calls to trade LeBron James, which would likely signal a full-scale rebuild in L.A.

Here's a look at some Twitter reaction to Monday's loss, which dropped the team's record to 7-12:

James recorded 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 36 minutes. He made just eight of his 22 shots from the field, including three of his 10 shots from three-point range.

"Everything has to go wrong in order for you to lose a game like that, and everything went wrong," the four-time NBA MVP told reporters. "And you got to tip your hat to Indiana. They kept fighting. They kept pushing."

Anthony Davis added 25 points and 13 boards, while Russell Westbrook chipped in 24 points and six assists off the bench. Austin Reaves (13 points) was the only other player to reach double figures in scoring for the Lakers.

"That falls on me," L.A. head coach Darvin Ham said about the poor offense in the fourth quarter leading to a stunning loss. "That falls on me. I'll take responsibility for that."

Andrew Nembhard was the hero for Indiana, knocking down a three-pointer as time expired to improve the team's record to 12-8.

Tyrese Haliburton (24 points and 14 assists), Bennedict Mathurin (23 points) and Myles Turner (15 points and 13 rebounds) led the Pacers' attack to help set the stage for Nembhard's game-winner.

It's unlikely the Lakers will blow up the roster in the short term, especially in James' case, since he signed a two-year, $97 million contract extension in the offseason.

The continued lackluster results suggest some smaller moves are needed if the team is going to threaten for the playoffs this season, though.

Next up for L.A. as it looks to bounce back from the shocking loss is a visit from the Portland Trail Blazers (11-9) on Wednesday night.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James believes the demands on youth basketball players have become far too high.

James told NBA insider Marc Stein "it’s too much" and that the constant stream of tournaments doesn't allow the players to have enough time to physically recover:

They go from playing all summer right into school league, all summer again right into school league, all summer right into school league for four years, and then they go off to college or go play wherever they go to play. If they are fortunate enough to get to the NBA, it’s a lot of basketball, lot of miles, they put on their bodies.

The 18-time All-Star can see the situation from two different perspectives.

He was a prodigious high school star at St. Vincent–St. Mary in Akron, Ohio, who garnered nationwide attention. That meant traversing the country to take the court for highly anticipated games.

Now, James has two sons, Bronny and Bryce, who are experiencing the youth basketball machine for themselves. He told Stein there are "way more" summer tournaments compared to when he was their age.

Stein reported James isn't alone, with some in NBA front offices growing concerned with the youth basketball structure. Players coming into the league might have been overtaxed and are more susceptible to injuries early in their pro careers.

ESPN's Baxter Holmes wrote a similar story in July 2019, speaking with one general manager who described the situation as "grave."

"It's very sad, where a kid has an NBA body, he's got NBA talent, he's got even an NBA mentality, but he doesn't have a body that can withstand the rigors of the training and the actual games, whether it's to get to the NBA or just to hold up," the GM said. "It's a tough deal."

Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, who works for Emory Healthcare and researches youth sports, also told Holmes how "kids are broken by the time they get to college" based on his experience.

That James is voicing his misgivings three years after Holmes' report perhaps shows how little has changed.

Despite sitting outside of the play-in picture at 7-11, the Los Angeles Lakers may not take a proactive approach to upgrading the roster right now.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported Monday the Lakers "don't feel that sense of urgency" after winning five of their last six games. She added Los Angeles is "not necessarily motivated right now to go do something big unless something big presented itself to them."

A deliberate approach may not be what the players themselves want to see.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported Monday "here is belief shared by leaders in the Lakers' locker room, sources said, that the team is only a couple of players away from turning this group into a legitimate contender."

Perhaps L.A. has turned a corner and the general sense of optimism throughout the franchise is warranted. It's worth noting, however, the team's recent success hasn't come against an array of contenders.

The Lakers started the run with a 13-point win over the Brooklyn Nets, who promptly allowed 153 points in a defeat to the Sacramento Kings two days later. The other four wins came against the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, both of whom are rebuilding.

Beating losing teams is something Los Angeles should be doing and the results count all the same. But it might be a little premature to assume all is well in Southern California.

Whether general manager Rob Pelinka aggressively pursues trades or waits for opposing GMs to come to him, the same problem seemingly remains: The Lakers don't have many trade assets outside of their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

It's difficult to see a path for Pelinka that allows him to land an All-Star-caliber player. Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, for example, would address a need but probably doesn't lift the team to the top of the Western Conference.

Perhaps that kind of addition isn't necessary if the last few weeks aren't a mirage.

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a 7-11 start and on the outside of the Western Conference playoff and play-in picture in the early going, but all hope reportedly is not lost within the locker room.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, "there is belief shared by leaders in the Lakers' locker room, sources said, that the team is only a couple of players away from turning this group into a legitimate contender."

That such a report comes before the Lakers play the Indiana Pacers is notable.

McMenamin noted a potential trade that would have sent Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to the Purple and Gold in exchange for Russell Westbrook and draft assets "fell apart when the Lakers backed away" and did not want to give up their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.

Yet even Turner seemed to advocate for such a move when he told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, "If I'm the Lakers, I take a very hard look at this with the position that you're in. I know what I can provide for a team—my leadership, my shot-blocking, my three-point ability and just my ability to make plays out there on the floor."

It's a tricky line to walk for the Lakers.

On the one hand, Hield and Turner would provide both depth and some much-needed outside shooting for a team that is 28th in the league at 31.9 percent from deep. The team is also in a win-now window considering LeBron James turns 38 years old in December and has a player option on his contract for the 2024-25 campaign.

On the other hand, the front office may decide going all-in on this team isn't worth mortgaging the future with those draft picks.

If the Lakers aren't good enough to make a deep playoff run even with Hield and Turner—or perhaps some other players in a different trade—then such a move would prove detrimental to rebuilding the next contender after the James era comes to a close.

Westbrook has also been a positive for this season's team as a spark to lead the second unit off the bench, so the argument could be made that trading him away could hurt on the court even if it would allow the Lakers to move on from his contract.

That is plenty for the front office to juggle, but it seems like some within the locker room still believe a championship push is within their grasp.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James balled out in Saturday night's 143-138 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

James finished with a season-high 39 points, in addition to 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 35 minutes. He made 11-of-21 shots from the floor and 7-of-12 shots from deep.

The veteran's performance was much needed for a Purple and Gold squad that was without Anthony Davis because of a calf injury.

That said, the Lakers did get a team effort, with Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schröder, Lonnie Walker IV, Austin Reaves and Wenyen Gabriel all putting up double-digits in scoring.

Still, without James's dominant performance, the Lakers likely would have lost Saturday's game. Following the win, NBA Twitter was quick to praise James for one of his best performances in a long time.

James's performance helped the Lakers improve to 7-11 on the season.

The Purple and Gold are slowly climbing back into the Western Conference playoff race, but there's still plenty of season left, and they'll need to remain healthy in order to to get back above .500.

L.A. is back in action on Monday against the Indiana Pacers.