Sports
With Longtime Powers Sidelined, NBA Playoffs Have Fresh Look
Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) and guard Pablo Prigioni (9) react to a Harden 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Clippers during Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series Wednesday, May 6, 2015, in Houston. The Rockets won 115-109. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, James Nielsen)
PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer
Spurs and Celtics? Already eliminated.
Lakers and Heat? Didn’t even make the playoffs.
There’s a new look to this NBA postseason, which will crown a champion that hasn’t won the title in at least 17 years — or, quite possibly, a franchise that has never been on top.
“There is not just one dominant team,” Washington’s Bradley Beal said Thursday. “You’re not going to see the same teams.”
Indeed, of the eight conference semifinalists, the most recent to win a championship is the Chicago Bulls, who claimed the last of six Michael Jordan-era titles in 1998. The Houston Rockets are the only other multiple champion still playing, winning back-to-back titles in 1994-95.
There are two franchises that won their only championships so long ago, well, one had a different nickname (the Washington Wizards were the Bullets when they took the 1978 title) and another was in a different city (the 1958 St. Louis Hawks, who moved to Atlanta a decade later). The Golden State Warriors are 40 years removed from their lone championship season, but at least they’ve got a banner.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies have never won a title.
“I don’t think there’s any question that fresh faces and new teams invigorate the sport,” Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said. “It adds new flavors for the fans to sample. And they like it. The game has never really been more popular on a global standpoint than it is right now.”
While the NBA was the first major North American league to put in a salary cap, it’s had the most exclusive group of champions. Over the last 16 years, just three teams — the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat — have hogged a total of 13 titles.
Going back even farther to the launch of the modern NBA in 1950, two teams — the Boston Celtics, with 17 banners, and the Lakers, who have a total of 15 including their time in Minneapolis — account for nearly half the championships.
That’s why this season really stands out for the NBA.
“Whoever wins is going to be a brand new face,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s exciting for those of us who are still playing.”
Some possible reasons for this changing of the playoff guard:
TEAM BALL
San Antonio proved last year that a team doesn’t need a megastar to win the title, and plenty of teams are trying to follow the Spurs model.
Most notable is Atlanta, where the roster was expertly assembled by former Spurs executive Danny Ferry and the coach is Mike Budenholzer, a longtime assistant under San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich. The Hawks went 60-22 and claimed a top seed in the East for the first time since 1994 with an absurdly balanced lineup; the five starters averaged between 12 and 17 points a game.
Ball movement is now the order of the day, the isolation play largely viewed as a forgettable relic. With everyone sharing in this fast-paced style, it’s no longer necessary to have one of the five best players in the game to be a title contender.
“It’s more of a team game,” Hawks guard Jeff Teague said. “A team like us, that doesn’t have what you would call a superstar, can be a really good team.”
TOUGHER CAP
While the NBA first instituted a salary cap in the 1980s, it was long nothing more than an annoyance for the power franchises, which were still able to go after pretty much anyone they wanted.
The lockout of 2011 changed that. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, there are shorter contracts and tougher financial penalties for teams that spend too much.
While it’s still too early to know exactly how much this CBA will affect the competitive balance, the league touts the measures as a means to getting more teams in the mix (and making the owners a lot more profitable).
With franchises now selling for astronomical amounts, the players figure to push back on these measures the next chance they get. No matter what, it figures to have a long-term impact on the way rosters are built and maintained.
WHERE’S LEBRON
It still helps to have the best player in the world. And there’s no one better than LeBron James.
After heading to South Beach to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in 2010, James led Miami to four straight NBA Finals and two championships.
When James returned to Cleveland this season, the balance of power shifted northward. The Heat missed the playoffs, while the Cavaliers finished second in the East behind Atlanta.
Even with the King in the mix for another title, there will surely be a different look to the celebration.
“That’s what the NBA really wants,” Atlanta’s Kyle Korver said. “They want everyone to feel that if you manage your team well, put a good team together, coach them well and play hard, it doesn’t matter if you’re a big market or a small market. You’re going to have a chance.”
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AP Sports Writers Teresa Walker in Nashville, Antonio Gonzalez in Oakland and Beth Harris in Los Angeles, and AP freelance writers Benjamin Standig in Washington and Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.
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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Community
Golden State Valkyries Become Bay Area Legends Winning WNBA Championship on Halloween Night
In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries captured the 2026 WNBA Championship with a 68-63 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Playing before a sold-out crowd at Chase Center on Halloween night, Gabby Williams delivered a historic 30-point performance to earn Finals MVP honors. The victory marks a rapid rise for the expansion team, which has already set league attendance records and surpassed a $1 billion valuation. Fans gathered by the hundreds of thousands this week to celebrate the new Bay Area legends, read more.
In only their second year as a franchise, the Golden State Valkyries became the WBNA 2026 Champions, with Gabby Williams named WNBA Finals MVP. A Halloween night movie of magic and there was no surprise that the game was sold out, with more than 18,000 fans inside Chase Center while thousands more packed the open space at Thrive Center from hours preceding the game through the final buzzer.
In the decisive Game 7, Williams delivered a legendary performance, scoring 30 points to lead the Golden State Valkyries to a 68-63 championship victory over the Atlanta Dream. Remarkably, 28 of her 30 points came in the second half, setting a WNBA postseason record for points in a half and earning her Finals MVP honors.
The team celebrated its victory on Wednesday with a rally in Oakland followed by a ferry ride to San Francisco’s Embarcadero and then a two-mile parade that drew about 400,000 fans.
Williams has become a symbol of the Bay Area’s impact on the team. Although born in Nevada, Williams has deep family roots in Oakland and has often said the city’s culture, community, and basketball traditions shaped her identity and playing style.
After signing with the Valkyries, she began calling the city home and noting that “there’s no Golden State without Oakland.”
The Valkyries have several ballers who made an impact on winning this series, including Veronica Burton, Tiffany ‘Tip’ Hayes, Kayla Thornton, Kaila Charles, and Cecilia Zandalasini.
Veteran center Kiah Stokes brought championship experience and defensive leadership when she signed a multi-year free-agent contract with the franchise on April 13. A former first-round draft pick out of UConn and a three-time WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces before joining Golden State, Stokes was recruited by head coach Natalie Nakae, with whom she had previously worked in Las Vegas.
Known as one of the league’s premier rim protectors and rebounders, Stokes quickly became a defensive anchor for the expansion franchise and played a major role in leading the Valkyries to their historic championship run.
The Valkyries have accomplished something extraordinary, proving that a new franchise can make an immediate impact both on and off the court. In their first year, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season and set all-time league attendance records. The franchise sold out all home games, reporting 18,064 attendees per game in both seasons — the highest attendance figures in WNBA history. The Valkyries’ success has also translated into extraordinary franchise value. After entering the league by paying a $50 million expansion fee, the organization generated record revenues and rapidly became one of the most valuable franchises in women’s sports, valued at over $! billion.
The WNBA Finals’ deciding game averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game in league history and the most-watched finals game since 1999.
The record audience reflects the league’s growing popularity and has major implications for its future, including higher media rights value, increased advertising revenue, stronger sponsorship opportunities, rising merchandise sales, and greater ticket demand.
The Finals also featured sold-out arenas and record postseason viewership, demonstrating that the WNBA is expanding its commercial reach, attracting new fans, and strengthening its position as a major professional sports league.
Black History
Oakland Strong: Building Champions and Healthier Generations
Entrepreneur Mike Jenkins is revitalizing youth wellness in Oakland through Oakland Strong, a world-class strength-training facility in Jack London Square. After providing a decade of free training in Fruitvale, the program moved and rebranded while continuing to produce national and international weightlifting champions. Jenkins aims to counter community health challenges by teaching Olympic-style lifting and nutrition to children ages 8 to 18. As the program seeks new ways to sustain its free services, local partnerships are forming to support these elite young athletes. Read more.
Mike Jenkins is a serial entrepreneur with a vision to make a lasting impact in Oakland.
Raised in a military family in the Pinole area, Jenkins played basketball at Merritt College before continuing his athletic career at Sacramento State.
His lifelong interest in health and wellness led him to consider a troubling reality: as members of the Black community age, health challenges often increase. Jenkins believes investing in health is an investment in wealth, and he has made it his mission to give Oakland’s youth a stronger foundation for life.
Years ago, Jenkins invested in young people by building Speed Power Strength, a world-class strength-training facility in the Fruitvale neighborhood. For 10 years, the facility served hundreds of children, providing training entirely free of charge. Displaced by gentrification, the program eventually found a new home in Jack London Square.
That move inspired a new name: Oakland Strong, reflecting both the program’s mission and its pride in the city it represents.
“When we found the new home, I needed to put a spotlight on what we were doing– producing the strongest kids in Oakland – so I named our new location Oakland Strong,” Jenkins explained. “We are known nationally and internationally, so when we compete, our city’s name is on our chest.”
Through Olympic weightlifting, governed nationally by USA Weightlifting, the program has developed an extraordinary record. Its athletes have earned 10 national championships, a team national championship, and international titles. Today, two Oakland Strong athletes are Olympic hopefuls.
This past summer, Oakland had three athletes at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs at the same time. One was Olympic figure skating champion Alysa Liu. The other two were Oakland Strong’s Robert Whitlock and Rucker Johnson, there for a weightlifting camp for Olympic hopefuls.
Whitlock, an Oakland Technical High School student, began training at age 10. Now a three-time consecutive national champion, two-time Pan American champion, and Team USA representative, Whitlock also holds an American record while maintaining straight A’s in school.
“If Oakland can’t support these kinds of kids, then what are we doing?” Jenkins asks.
Oakland Strong continues offering free training in Jack London Square to young people ages 8-18. The program welcomes girls as well as boys, with approximately 12 kids currently participating with room for 20.
With limited city support for free youth programs, Jenkins must find other ways to sustain the work.
When Carlyle Chicken Wings opened nearby, he approached the owner with an idea connecting nutrition and community investment. Because Oakland Strong teaches healthy eating alongside athletic training, they developed the Oakland Strong Bowl, a protein-focused meal. Carlyle will contribute $2 from each bowl sold to support the program.
For Jenkins, the mission extends far beyond medals and records. He wants to create generational health by teaching young people habits they can carry into adulthood and share with their families.
The strongest legacy, he believes, is not simply producing champions, but building healthier generations who understand their worth, their potential, and the importance of investing in themselves.
Business
100 Black Wings’ Team Oakland Youth Athletes Heading to Taiwan for 2026 International Children’s Games
By Post Staff The Bay Area Chapter of 100 Black Men is sending nine youth athletes from its 100 Black Wings’ Team Oakland Delegation to Taiwan on Thursday, July 30, to represent the City of Oakland at the 58th International Children’s
By Post Staff
The Bay Area Chapter of 100 Black Men is sending nine youth athletes from its 100 Black Wings’ Team Oakland Delegation to Taiwan on Thursday, July 30, to represent the City of Oakland at the 58th International Children’s Games (IGC) in Hualien County, Taiwan.
The Games will bring together young athletes ages 12 to 15 from 76 city delegations around the world. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 2, and athletic competitions take place Aug. 3-5.
While many international competitions center around national teams, the ICG brings young people together as representatives of their respective cities. This year’s theme – “Shining Hualien, Shining Together!” – reflects the host city’s vision of using sports, education, culture, and tourism to promote friendship, peace, inclusion, and sustainable development.
“Team Oakland’s participation demonstrates what can happen when young people are given opportunity, preparation, and a community that believes in them,” said Danny L. Williams, chairman of 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc.
“These athletes will carry Oakland’s talent, strength, and spirit onto an international stage while building relationships that can extend far beyond the competition,” he said.
Team Oakland will compete in track and field events including the 100-meter and 400-meter races, hurdles, long jump, shot put, javelin, and traditional and mixed 4×100-meter relays.
The athletes representing Oakland are: DeWayne Littlepage, Gia Goodlow, Abisewolu Redmond, Mahari Moore, Marvin Thomas, Najae Ellison, Royal Moore, Sir Kamryn Lloyd, and Jasani Highsmith.
The delegation’s coaching leadership includes Head Coach Dr. Tommie Smith, the
1968 Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter sprint; Senior Coach Margaret Dixon;
Girls Coach Evangela Dixon; Strength and Conditioning Coach Nola Turnage;
and Boys Coach Michael Flood, Jr.
Delegation leadership also includes Williams, Head of Delegation Juanita Metters-Upshur, and city representative Dr. Mark Alexander.
“Our athletes have trained with tremendous discipline, but this journey represents much more than competition,” said Metters-Upshur, head of delegation. “They will have the opportunity to travel internationally, proudly represent Oakland, experience another culture, and form friendships with young people from communities across the world. We are incredibly proud of them and grateful to the families, coaches, partners, and supporters who have helped make this experience possible.”
In addition to track and field, the games will feature swimming, tennis, table tennis, Taekwondo, archery, football, and 3×3 basketball. Hualien County is located between Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean and hosts the International Children’s Games for the first time this year.
The International Children’s Games were founded in 1968 by Slovenian coach Metod Klemenc, based on the belief that sports can bridge differences in culture, religion, and race.
The ICG is approved by the International Olympic Committee and emphasizes friendship, fair play, teamwork, perseverance, and cultural understanding among young people.
The Oakland delegation’s participation reflects the 100 Black Wings’ programmatic commitment to developing young people through athletic achievement, discipline, leadership, cultural exposure, and global citizenship.
Team Oakland is supported by a network of families, coaches, community partners, and advocates who believe that international experiences can expand how young people view themselves and their possibilities.
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