The Blue & White Flash February 2, 2023

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JSU students and faculty weigh in on the death of Tyre Nichols and police brutality

Tatyana Ross Editor-in-Chief

The public continues to be outraged following the release of bodycam and CCTV footage showing the brutal beating death of Memphis resident Tyre Nichols.

Nichols, who succumbed to his injuries on Jan. 10, three days after five Memphis policeman in the now disbanded Scorpion unit, performed a traffic stop that ended with Nichols being, punched, kicked, tased and pepper sprayed for three minutes.

According to WREG in Memphis, the five former policeman, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin and Desmond Mills Jr., were charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and official oppression. They have all since bonded out.

The report also stated that two additional officers have been relieved of duty and three first responders were fired.

Dwayne Joseph, a Memphis native, was outraged when he saw the footage.

“After looking at the video, I was disgusted at the way those police officers mistreated Tyre. Regardless of whether he ran from them or whatever they’re trying to say he did, the situation should not have gone down like that,” said Joseph.

He added, “I was relieved at the way the police chief handled the situation by disbanding the

SCORPION Unit. That showed me that the city is trying to go in a right direction when it comes to being there for the city.”

Markyel Pittman, MS NAACP Youth and College President and JSU NAACP Chapter President provided the following statement to The Flash on the murder of Tyre Nichols: The Mississippi NAACP Youth and College Division would like to send its sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Tyre Nichols. We feel especially impacted since Mr. Nichols was around our age group.

We are outraged and distraught about the circumstances that led to Tyre’s death and we believe that justice should be served. This is yet another incident that brings trauma, and pain to the African American Community.

It saddens us that we feel unprotected and systematically targeted by police officers. It is even more distressing that the officers that have perpetrated the targeting of Tyre Nichols are black. This illuminates the fact that law enforcement’s disregard for the value of African American life is institutional in nature.

It pains us that our fight has existed for generations within our race and is still present today.

When society thinks that we are moving forward; the actions that lead to Tyre Nichols death push us back further. As future leaders, we will continue to strive and advocate for justice and speak out in support of racial justice.

Other Jackson State students were disgusted by the released footage.

Kaiden Ivey, a sophomore accounting major from Tulsa,

Okla. said, “The Tyre Nichols case will affect the community’s perception about law enforcement because it’s not just our counterparts that we have to worry about but each and every officer, even the ones that look like us.”

One JSU student feels race expedited the arrests of the officers.

“Well of course I think it’s tragic, but I also feel like there’s no reason all five of these black cops got their consequences (so quickly), but every time a white officer kills an innocent black person, in the same light, he keeps his job and walks free,” said A’sha Branch, a freshman biology/ pre-medicine major from Houston, Texas.

Branch added, “Systemic racism is a real thing and it’s disgusting. Yes, this young man absolutely deserves his justice, but what about all the other young men who deserve theirs too?”

Department of Political Science Chair Maurice Mangum, Ph.D., also believes systemic racism is in play with this case.

“When we think about these instances where police officers have been arrested, charged and fired, at least quickly, it’s always been a black police officer or at least a police officer of color, so there is some validity to the race of the officer,” said Mangum. “Now the other part of the equation that some people are thinking about is well, the chief of police is a black woman so how does that play into this? She’s the

one who created this crime unit to go out with the name SCORPION (Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace In Our Neighborhoods) as an acronym to go out there and engage in aggressive policing. Well, this is still systemic racism (racism which leads to discrimination based on race and ethnicity).

Mangum added, “Because why did the police chief create such a unit? And why did those black police officers get in that unit? Because they know that this is acceptable policing. They know that they can do that. And why can they do that? Because it’s systemic racism.”

Mangum explains that systemic racism in this case is that some people believe that black people are prone to commit crimes, they are violent, up to no good, and

so you are going to have to be aggressive and violent when dealing with them.

“That’s the purpose of that unit, is that they were going to do different type of policing. And why did they get away with it up until this point? Because nobody cares what happens to black citizens,” Mangum said.

Nichols, who was 29 at the time of his death, was laid to rest at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis at 1 p.m.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who has spoken and delivered eulogies for many high-profile AfricanAmericans, including Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Michael Brown (Ferguson, Mo. teen killed by police), and George Floyd (Minneapolis, Minn. man killed by police), delivered the eulogy that paid tribute to Nichols’ life

Graphic by Tatyana Ross

Tyre Nichols, the Memphis man killed by five black police officers.

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Kyrie Irving is one of my modern day African-American icons

COMMENTARY

highlights multiple icons who dedicated their lives to the advancement of African-Americans and our unique culture.

Names like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Jesse Owens, and Gwendolyn Brooks, are just a few of the thousands of black people who decided that they had bigger shoes to fill in life.

Adams Sports Editor

Black History Month is a time that should be celebrated annualy, regardless of your skin color. The month of February

Without the historical black movements, such as the freeing of slaves, the March on Washington, and other monumental events, the world would not be the innovative, successful, and creative place we know it to be today.

While these names and events are more associated with the history recorded decades ago, society has continued to keep their names alive. I feel that someone in today’s society,

who constantly advocates for the advancement of African-Americans is Kyrie Irving.

For those who are not familiar with Irving, he is a National Basketball Association champion and the current point guard for the Brooklyn Nets. Irving is most known for his gift of controlling the basketball as if it were on a string but also known for his acrobatic style of play as an undersized guard.

Despite his excellence on the court, Irving’s off-court actions are what define his character the most. During the 2022-2023 season, Irving has donated to several charities, providing a large amount of funding to great causes.

It was reported by Sports Illustrated writer Chris Milholen, that Irving donated over $300,000 to

multiple charities within a couple of weeks.

Irving not only donated to global causes, but several local fundraisers that wanted to raise awareness on any acts of injustice.

Miholen wrote in an article with Sports Illustrated that Irving’s most recent donation of $50,000 was uploaded to the GoFundMe for Jaheim McMillan, a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed by police in Gulfport, Miss., on Oct. 6.

I connected with this personally, being a fellow black Mississippian who has barely seen a glimpse of what my future holds. Irving has also contributed to the success of students who attend HBCU’s. Destiny Thompson, a Howard University student, created a GoFundMe to raise $6,000,

so she could continue her education. Irving quietly responded with $22,000, which more than doubled her expectations. Reading this article truly strengthened my respect for Irving since I relate to Destiny closely, being an HBCU student who has had some encounters with financial issues. I believe that this donation was one of many others that pushes for the advancement of successful AfricanAmericans.

Kyrie Irving’s impact on black culture might not be of the same magnitude as Dr. King, but his efforts to inspire change while using his platform should not go unnoticed.

The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.

Flash asked JSU students:

What African-American is your modern day icon?”

“Angela Bassett, she’s a ground breaking black women. She gives black girl luxury.”

“The

Paige Cason Freshman Sociology Louisville, Ky.

Valencia Green Freshman Political Science Washington, D.C.

“Angela Rye because she is an AfricanAmerican woman who fi ghts for what’s right, no matter what she is up against.”

Kurstan Bates Freshman Physics Ripley, Tenn.

“Letitia

she

Caleab Pickens Sophomore Public Health Jackson Miss.

“Bennie Thompson because he is the epitome of what an African-American leader looks like.”

Zora Neale Hurston’s work as an anthropoligist is largely unknown

Ayliahna Wilson Staff Writer

Zora Neale Hurston was a woman of many talents who was mainly known as a novelist. However, many do not know that she was an anthropologist first.

Hurston was believed to be born Jan. 7, 1891 in Notasulga, Ala., to her parents Lucy Ann and John Hurston. However, this date has come into question because Hurston was known to give different ages as it benefited her.

Both of Hurston’s parents were enslaved before the family relocated to Eatonville, Fla.

Unfortunately, her mother passed away in 1904 when Hurston was only 13 years old. Her father quickly remarried but Hurston and her stepmother did not get along. Because of this, her father sent her to live in Jacksonville, Fla. with other relatives.

Hurston did not let her circumstances hinder her growth and in 1916 she traveled the country as a maid for a musical theatre troupe. After 18 months, Hurston quit her job and decided to finish high school in Baltimore.

Upon graduation she enrolled in her first semester of college at Howard University in 1919. During her matriculation at Howard, she became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and earned her Associate’s Degree in 1920.

According to an article in the Washington Post, in the late 1920s,

Hurston returned to her hometown of Eatonville, to document the culture of black men who told stories at the local general store.

white anthropologists had long struggled to document Black folklore.

Black people, Hurston wrote, mostly distrusted white scientists who sought to study them and collect their culture, songs and knowledge. “We are a polite people and we do not say to our questioner, ‘Get out of here!’” Hurston wrote. “We smile and tell him or her something that satisfies the white

person because, knowing so little about us, he doesn’t know what he is missing.”

As a novelist, Hurston dedicated her writing to portraying black culture and feminism issues in ways that other writers were not at the time. Her main focus was shifting how the literary world and society viewed black individuals and their experiences. She continued her studies after winning second place in a short story contest, which gave her a scholarship to Barnard College. Hurston was the first black woman to attend and graduate

from Barnard, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology in 1925.

Following her writing dreams, she and close friend and fellow author Langston Hughes created Fire, a black literary magazine. She wanted to publish work that did not stereotype blacks and chronicled more than just the tragic stories that surround the race.

Hurston was acknowledged as the most published black female author of the Harlem Renaissance. This era recognized blacks for their accomplishments in music, writing, and acting. Her novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” became one of Hurston’s most profound pieces of work. The novel is based on a black woman finding herself, while also longing for love and independence. Feminist issues were not given much attention in the 1930’s and this novel was filled with real and raw emotions of what life was like for black women during that time period.

It delves deep into gender roles, love, and race; all topics that could be seen as taboo, especially coming from a black woman’s perspective. Her style of work was heavily critiqued by black male authors as they argued there were more important issues to discuss. They insisted that issues involving race and white supremacy were the biggest problem at hand.

Grace Ann Elinski, a junior

English major from Jackson, Miss., said she reads a lot and finds Hurston’s writing inspiring.

“I love Zora Hurston because she was an advocate for women and she’s a brilliant writer,” Elinksi said. “My favorite piece by her is ‘Sweat’.”

Hurston, aware that racism was a huge issue, decided she would portray those issues as they appeared but also wanted to write about black people in a way other writers were not. Racism and failures did exist and she never tried to hide that in her work, just expand the narrative.

Hurston wanted black people to be portrayed as persistent, hopeful, and hardworking, that’s what she wanted literature to explore. She helped the world know that despite the hardships black individuals face, they’re still people.

Despite her hard work she fell into poverty until she passed away in 1960 in her Florida home.

The world would almost forget about her work until Alice Walker, the author of “The Color Purple”, dove deep into Hurston’s work, soon naming Zora Neale a “A Genius of the South.”

Walker went on to write an essay “In Search of Zora Neale Hurston” which gave Hurston the attention she deserved. Although she has now passed, her work and determination will always be remembered.

“If you haven’t got it, you can’t show it. If you have got it, you can’t hide it.” -

Zora Neale Hurston

Jackson State students discuss healthy ways to handle rejection

Antonio Jackson Staff Writer

Rejection can be a hard pill to swallow for some, but can be the breaking point for others.

Darius Miles, a University of Alabama forward, was charged with capital murder for providing a gun for the shooting of Jamea Jonae Harris, after she rejected his flirtatious advances.

When police responded to the shooting, Harris was already mortally shot. She and her boyfriend were returning from Tuscaloosa after visiting Harris’s cousin who was also a student at the university. The three went out to eat and when leaving, a man approached Harris and proceeded to flirt with her.

According to CNN, DeCarla Cotton, Harris’s mother stated, “He was advancing on her, and she declined his attention. He refused to go away. While they were attempting to leave, one gentleman walked up to the car and started shooting.”

Rejection trauma is a real thing and if left unacknowledged, it could lead to serious consequences. Not landing the job you worked for acquiring or being turned down by a potential romantic or platonic partner can be discouraging,

but you still have a choice. You still have a chance to recognize that rejection is a part of life.

Some students at Jackson State University shared their own experiences with rejection and how they were able to cope with it.

Amir Thomas, a freshman business technology major from Harlem, N.Y., stated, “I have been rejected many of times. My advice would be take the rejection, move on, learn from your mistakes and try to do better next time. Just be yourself, stay calm, and you’ll come around.”

Catrick Duo, a sophomore health administration major from Chicago, Ill., believes you shouldn’t take rejection so seriously.

“I’ve been rejected before, it is pretty common. My advice would be to just take it as like a bump in the road. Once you hit, you just have to take it and keep it pushing.”

Antonio Horton, a professor of psychology and a counselor at the Latasha Norman Center of JSU gave his expert opinion on what could have been the psychology of Miles during the scenario.

“Rejection opens a doorway that can potentially lead us to false beliefs. Each of us responds to rejection quite differently, and when compounding layers of ‘loss of control’ preexist, an

individual may begin to spiral in a destructive way,” said Horton.

He added, “Recently, research has been conducted regarding a new phenomena known as RS (Rejection

Sensitivity). This refers to individuals who feel extreme despondency, distress, or even failure in the face of perceived rejection. The individual may display aggressive tendencies or

rageful behavior toward those who have been perceived to have slighted them.”

Horton also provided ways to handle rejection.

1. Acknowledge Rejection in a Safe Space.

“There is power in safe spaces and sometimes rejection can result in us suppressing our feelings and denying that we’re in pain. It frees us and liberates us to communicate our feelings.”

2. Strengthen Your Resilience to Rejection

“Once we identify that we don’t respond well to rejection, this is a great time to engage confidence boosting skills and develop our ‘armor’. Therapy is a great place to start this amazing process.”

3. Keep Putting Yourself Out There.

“This destroys the narrative that you are ‘reduced’ or ‘less than what you are capable of’ following rejection. The rejection doesn’t define you nor your many opportunities. It’s totally okay to face the music again. Celebrate your wins over magnifying your losses.”

If you or someone you know has been rejected and you are not handling it in a healthy way, seek professional help. For JSU students, help can be found at the Latasha Norman Center, 601-979-0374.

Jackson State University Student Success awarded $9 million for seven United States Department of Education grants

Public Relations Staff Writer

The Office of Postsecondary Education at the United States Department of Education recently awarded the Jackson State University Student Success unit more than $9 million in grants for six new programs and one continuing program to serve lowincome first-generation middle school, high school and college students. The programs align with the university’s strategic plan to increase the number of students completing secondary, postsecondary and postbaccalaureate degrees.

“Jackson State University is honored to receive this support from the U.S. Department of Education which will help us to execute our mission of serving students who are destined to be the first in their families to graduate from college,” said President Thomas K. Hudson, J.D. “I’d like to thank Academic Affairs, the Title III office, and Dr. Mitchell Shears for the focused effort to enhance our grant submissions to reach this milestone accomplishment.”

Since 2019, Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Title III Mitchell M. Shears, Ed.D., has worked to elevate JSU’s TRIO programs. To increase the number of grants awarded, over the past three grant cycles JSU Student Success has moved from receiving

one award in 2017 to 11 awards. The work is personal and endearing for Shears, who is a TRIO alum and the 2022 Mississippi Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel TRIO Achiever.

“This past year, we were thrilled to learn that six new programs were being funded. To receive over $9 Million in one grant cycle is astronomical for an institution who does not currently have those programs,” said Shears. “This is significant because institutions who are submitting a continuation proposal receive priority experience points, known as extra points, which allows them to have an advantage in the competition. However, we were successful to receive, in many cases, perfect scores on our winning grant proposals.”

In 2022, the following grants were awarded: Student Support Services Teacher Prep ($1,309,440) provides personal, career and academic services to teacher education majors at JSU. Talent Search North ($1,386,875) provides academic, career and financial counseling to 500 students enrolled in the North Jackson middle and high schools in the Jackson Public School District. The target schools are Chastain, Kirksey, and Powell Middle Schools and Callaway and Murrah High Schools in the Jackson Public School District. Tiger Achievers Upward Bound

($1,437,685) provides fundamental support and opportunities for 60 participants to succeed in their precollege performance and in their higher education pursuits. The program will target high students enrolled at Humphreys County High School and Yazoo City High School in the Mississippi Achievement School District.

Tiger Navigators Upward Bound ($1,437,685) provides fundamental support and opportunities for 60 participants to succeed in their precollege performance and in their higher education pursuits. The program will target high students enrolled at Callaway High School and Murrah High School in the Jackson Public School District.

Tiger Survivors Upward Bound ($1,437,685) provides fundamental support and opportunities for 60 participants to succeed in their precollege performance and in their higher education pursuits.

The program will target high students enrolled at Forest Hill and Wingfield High Schools in the Jackson Public School District.

Ronald E. McNair PostBaccalaureate Achievement Scholars Community College Program ($1,309,440) provides research and scholarly engagement programming to community college students enrolled at Coahoma, Copiah-Lincoln, Hinds, Holmes, and Mississippi Delta as they complete their associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. The program encourages participants to enroll in graduate programs and then track their progress through the successful completion of advanced degrees.

Ronald E. McNair PostBaccalaureate Achievement Scholars Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) Program ($1,309,440) provides research and scholarly engagement programming to college students

enrolled at Alcorn, Mississippi Valley, JSU, Rust and Tougaloo as they complete their associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. The program encourages participants to enroll in graduate programs and then track their progress through the successful completion of advanced degrees.

“The return of TRIO positions Jackson State to elevate our commitment to higher education of all students and motivate our students to earn doctoral degrees,” said Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Alisa L. Mosley, Ph.D. “Our science and engineering dean, Dr. Walters, our Associate Provost Brandi Newkirk-Turner, and I are all McNair Scholars. We know the impact of these innovative programs. I am appreciative of all efforts to expand access to higher education.”

In 2020, JSU was awarded two TRIO Student Support Services Programs ($2,618,880). One program serves 140 participants enrolled in various academic majors and one program serves 120 participants in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors. The Student Support Services program offers opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and motivates students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.

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Photos (1-5) taken by Sports Editor Cameron Adams during the Jackson State University tennis matchup against Jacksonville State University at the JSU Tennis Center.

Photos (6-10) taken by Photographer Jamall Morris during the MADDRAMA Week Talent Show.

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The Menu movie prepares a meal of horror and comedic relief

SPOILER ALERT

“The Menu” is a horror movie released exclusively to HBO in Nov. 2022. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie sits at a 3.5 star rating.

Directed by Mark Mylod, the film’s plot is one of more unique ones in recent years.

In the beginning of the film, there were 12 high class guests loading a boat to a private island where each individual had been invited personally to a restaurant owned and maintained by Julian Slowik, a world-

renowned celebrity chef, for a meal that no one had ever eaten before.

After arriving at the island, the 12 guests were checked in but there was an unfamiliar face amongst the high-class guests. Though it did not affect the other passengers it seemed to have affected the island staff greatly.

The movie does well with setting a unique sense of horror, not from brutal imagery or unexpected events, but through an unsettling suspense throughout the entire film. From the brainwashed and almost robotic cooking staff to the food that was served to the guests.

“The Menu” displays a rare talent of putting fear into the audience without resorting to generic, overdone tropes that are expected in a typical horror film.

According to Box Office Mojo, “The Menu” earned $38,449,804 domestically and $40,412,687 internationally.

One thing that can be appreciated about the film is the way it used food to tell the entire story. Each course had its own theme and every dish had its own meaning showing bit by bit how each guest ruined Slowik’s true passion for cooking.

Each guest has a

history of shady dealings and activities exposed throughout the film. Slowik secretly planned this dinner to punish and ultimately kill each guest for their corruption in the most unusual way possible, a full course meal.

Another aspect that I admired about “The Menu” is its perfect amount of comedic relief. However, the movie does appeal more to people with a darker sense of humor than others.

With the film not being one of the more traditional genres of horror, it was a nice touch for the writers to add carefully placed comedic touches to keep viewers guessing as to what

will happen next. Overall, I believe “The Menu” was a brilliant masterpiece that prepared a full course meal of suspense, drama, and even fear for the audience to consume. The film did a great job keeping me on edge with each second that passed.

Not many movies have the ability to establish a sense of fear without having to over rely on the generic and cliché horror movie tactics like, such as a jump scare or disturbing imagery.

“The Menu” is commendable for its cleverness and originality, and I recommend it for everyone to experience.

Chrisean, Blueface, Ice Spice, Netflix and more top trending topics

and food trucks experiencing hardships with marketing, sales, and retaining customers.

He uploads his extremely honest reviews to both TikTok and his Instagram page. Essentially, sending thousands of customers to the restaurants trusting his word. With this he has been able to resurrect many struggling businesses.

Lee continues to express gratitude for being able to boost these businesses back to where they deserve to be in the industry.

Netflix bans password sharing for users by the end of March

Netflix has introduced a new anti-password sharing method to block user accounts that illegally share passwords.

Kelsei Scott Staff Writer

Chrisean Rock and Blueface release a new song

Reality star couple

Chrisean Rock and Blueface release a new song and video to a track titled, “Dear Rock”. The video and the song is less than two minutes and shows the two getting married and addressing the recent incident between Blueface and Chrisean’s biological father.

Initially marriage rumors started to spread after fans saw that Chrisean was seen in a wedding dress This has caused fans to speculate whether or not the couple has actually tied the knot.

Chlöe announces debut

After releasing singles, Chloe Bailey has announced via Instagram that she will be dropping a solo project titled “Pieces” in March 2023.

In the clip released in her announcement the artist is shown wearing a bright red, fitted, leather dress being depicted as a scale holding an anatomical human heart in one hand and a giant sphere in the other hand. The album is supposed to depict all of the things from struggle to success that the artist has faced over the years.

Ice Spice releases a new EP “Like..?”

Music artist Ice Spice continues to make a presence in the media after releasing her first EP “Like..?” and she also released a visual to her opening song “In ha mood”.

The EP consists of six songs

including her most viral song “Munch (Feelin’ U)”.

Ice Spice has been collaborating with artists like Lil Tjay and is now signed to TenThousand Projects, D.O.L.O Entertainment, and Capitol Records. She continues to thrive and gain more traction as she links up with Instagram influencers like Cleotrapa.

Ally Lotti dodges jail time by taking a plea deal

The late artist, Juice WLRD’s ex-girlfriend Ally Lotti has appeared in the media again on drug charges. Lotti and her new boyfriend Carter Jamison were arrested on Jan 14. 2023 after failing to scan items in a self-checkout lane in an Arkansas Walmart.

After the arrest officials found controlled substances in the couple’s

vehicle. Ally was accused of felony possession of methamphetamine and cocaine but that charge was dropped along with misdemeanor theft of property.

Lotti pleaded guilty to the charges and received a oneyear suspended sentence and 6 months probation.

Keith Lee lands a deal with Good Morning America

Keith Lee is a 26-yearold food critic based in Las Vegas, Nev., landed a deal with Good Morning America and was featured on the show reviewing a bakery in New York.

Since he started his career as a critic in early 2022 Lee has accumulated almost ten million followers on TikTok. Mostly known for reviewing small restaurants

Every 31 days, users’ devices must log in on their home WiFi network or their accounts will be blocked. This ban will force every account holder to purchase a plan that allows users to share their password.

The company believes that it will help it to earn more revenue and maintain the quality of its content. However users and other account holders are not happy with the announcement of changes.

Some users are claiming that they will terminate services with Netflix completely.

The views expressed in this trending topics column are those of the writer(s) and in no

Antonio Jackson Staff Writer

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Lakers and Wizards trade players in huge deal

The Los Angeles Lakers created a package to send former Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn to the Washington Wizards for the 6 ‘8 power forward, Rui Hachimura and three second-round 2023, 2028 and 2029 second-round draft picks on Jan. 23, 2023.

The 2023 picks will come from the Chicago Bulls. The 2028 pick will come from the Wizards. The 2029 pick will come from the Lakers.

With the Lakers acquiring Hachimura, they are adding more young talent while providing a solid power forward who can score efficiently. Hachimura was averaging 13 points, 1.2 assists, and 4.3 rebounds with the Wizards before the trade.

Lakers fans are highly satisfied with this trade since LeBron James will receive another young player who he can develop, other than Anthony Davis.

Chris Taylor, a freshman computer science major from St. Louis, Mo., expressed that Hachimura could develop more with the guidance of James.

“Lebron is great with younger players,” Taylor stated. “Previous Lakers teammates, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, were able to gain insight and guidance through the NBA with the help of Lebron.”

While the Lakers appear to have won the trade, some would argue that the Wizards acquired a steal. The Wizards received Kendrick Nunn, who has been on four different teams since entering the league three years ago.

Nunn averaged 6.7 points, 0.9 assists, and 1.4 rebounds before he departed from the Lakers. He played 39 games for the Lakers and started two games. His explosiveness and ability to get to the rim will benefit the Wizards greatly with their main scorers Bradley Beal, Kristaps

Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma.

Since the trade, both players have had the opportunity to display what they will bring to the team. On Jan. 25, both players made their debut for their new teams.

Hachimura played 21 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs and made an immediate impact. He contributed 12 points and 6 rebounds, which took some pressure off of a returning Davis, who scored 21 points off the bench. The new Lakers forward reflected on his debut and expectations for the remainder of the season.

“I loved the energy out there,” Hachimura said. “[Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook] can make things look easy for their teammates … Playing with those guys, it’s amazing,” Hachimura said in an article on ClutchPoints.

According to ClutchPoints author Michael Corvo,

Hachimura’s debut caused a countrywide crash in Japan, which is his home country.

“Rakuten — the streaming platform which has been the NBA’s exclusive live-game distribution partner and provides the only official platform to watch games in Japan — apparently experienced a crash around tip-off of Spurs-Lakers due to high viewing demand,” stated Corvo in the article.

The Lakers easily defeated the Spurs 113-104.

Nunn also put up an impressive debut, catalyzing a 19-point comeback win against the Houston Rockets.

He recorded an efficient 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists in 22 minutes. This is a huge jump from his original playing time with the Lakers where he averaged around 13 minutes per game.

Nunn hit five out of his nine attempted shots from the field and also contributed on defense, picking up two steals.

“I just wanted to come in and impact winning,” Nunn said during his postgame interview. “Play hard, be aggressive, be myself and just impact winning. That’s all I did today.”

Although many NBA fans were satisfied with the trade, others believe that the trade won’t make much of a difference.

Noah Mason, a sophomore graphic design major, believes the trade was mediocre and that neither team would benefit from this.

“[Kendrick Nunn and Rui Hachimura] are both injury prone, which doesn’t help their respective teams in the future,” said Mason. “This trade was mediocre at best, but has potential to see results on both sides of the trade.”

As the All-Star break approaches, only time will reveal how impactful the trade made by both teams was, as they prepare for a much-needed run to secure their spots in the playoffs.

Trash talk leads to dispute during Grizzlies vs Lakers game

“Me being the responsible person, me having the platform I have, and having so many people look up to me, I was wrong.”

The highly anticipated matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers was interrupted by a heated altercation on the sidelines on Jan. 20, 2023 at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.

The altercation involved National Football League (NFL) Hall-of-Famer, Shannon Sharpe, several Grizzlies teammates, and Tee Morant, the father of Ja Morant, shortly after the halftime buzzer sounded.

Sharpe and Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks were seen on the court exchanging words with each other. While at first, it seemed like friendly banter, Sharpe gestured for Brooks to come over to him which created tension in the arena.

This caused Steven Adams, Grizzlies’ center, along with a mob of players and security to congregate on the sidelines. Ja Morant and his father also joined the group in confronting Sharpe withTee Morant and Sharpe exchanging words before being separated.

During halftime, Sharpe talked to ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin and provided some insight into how the situation occurred.

“They do all that talking and jockeying and I ain’t all about that jockeying. It started with Dillion Brooks. I said he was too small to guard LeBron,” Sharpe said to the ESPN reporter.

Sharpe claimed that the two exchanged profane words, before the situation escalated

but he remained unbothered. He returned to his courtside seat after halftime where he continued to cheer on LeBron James and the Lakers to secure the victory over the Grizzlies.

Sharpe was shown shaking hands and hugging Tee Morant at the end of the game, displaying that the altercation was settled between the two.

Despite Sharpe and Tee Morant settling their differences, Brooks

remained unsettled about the interaction. Brooks felt that Sharpe should not have been able to return to his seat after the altercation.

Brooks received backlash immediately for his statement after fans were not pleased he was unfamiliar with Sharpe’s involvement in the sports industry.

Jonas Goss, a freshman electrical engineering major from Jackson, Miss., expressed his confusion for

Brooks’ comments against Sharpe.

“He’s in the Hall of Fame and won three championships so how is he a pedestrian?” Goss questioned.

Sharpe issued a public apology on his daily show “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” on Jan. 23.

“I take full responsibility for what transpired. It doesn’t matter what Dillion Brooks said or how many times he said it,” Sharpe said on-air.

He added, “I should have lowered the temperature in the arena. Instead, I turned the temperature up, and I let it get out of hand.”

Sharpe also apologized to the Lakers organization and James himself. However in a press conference following the Lakers win, the Lakers superstar emphasized that he will support Sharpe regardless of what happened.

Vance Owens, Instant Replay Technician for Athletes at Jackson State, believed that the confrontation between Sharpe and the players didn’t require an apology since it was just the heat of the game.

“It was just two competitors that were just talking noise, nothing too special.” Owens said. “I think he had to apologize because of the platform he is on. But other than that he didn’t really have to apologize for that night,” Owens stated.

Jamarcus Davis, a junior civil engineering major from Cleveland, Miss., agreed with Owens and believed that Sharpe was not in the wrong during the altercation either.

“They just didn’t like Shannon, he was just being honest.” Davis said. “He didn’t have to apologize, he just did what was necessary, and they responded with violence.”

While most students think that Sharpe didn’t have to apologize for the conflict, they are glad that he did to save face. The incident has fizzled down to only “trash talk” amongst sports buffs.

Matthew Adams

Sports Writers

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From left to right: Wes Unseld, Jr. (Wizards Head Coach), Tommy Shepherd (Wizards General Manager), Bradley Beal (Wizards Guard) and Rui Hachimura (Former Wizards Forward).

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Levon Campbell Staff Writer

Shannon Sharpe during verbal altercation at Lakers vs Grizzlies NBA game.