A Hollywood Ending, page 37
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“That was a big moment”: Kevin Arnovitz, “How Frank Vogel Won Over the Lakers and Their Superstars,” ESPN, January 17, 2020.
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“You just sensed that”: The Redeem Team (Netflix, 2022).
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“Kobe’s a[n] asshole”: Club 520 Podcast, “Dwight Howard REGRETS Leaving Magic, LeBron vs. Kobe, Derrick Rose MVP Battle | Jeff Teague Club 520,” YouTube, June 2, 2025.
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“I understand Kobe is”: The Redeem Team.
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That meant imitating: The Redeem Team.
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“Yo, Coach”: Ian O’Connor, Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski, 273.
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Davis was watching Avengers: Dave McMenamin, “The Longest Flight in Los Angeles Lakers History: When the Team Learned of Kobe Bryant’s Death,” ESPN, January 26, 2021.
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Man, Kobe died: McMenamin, “The Longest Flight in Los Angeles Lakers History.”
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Man, y’all stop playin’: McMenamin, “The Longest Flight in Los Angeles Lakers History.”
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It’s true: McMenamin, “The Longest Flight in Los Angeles Lakers History.”
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Over a two-hour lunch: McMenamin, “The Longest Flight in Los Angeles Lakers History.”
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You’re going to have to play: McMenamin, “The Longest Flight in Los Angeles Lakers History.”
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“It helped us out a lot”: Jared Dudley, interview by Zach Lowe, The Lowe Post, February 2020.
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“After that”: Alex Caruso, interview by JJ Redick, The JJ Redick Show, November 2020.
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9. Bubble Boys
By the end of the call: Baxter Holmes and Tim MacMahon, “ ‘He’s Got It’: An Oral History of the NBA’s COVID-19 Shutdown—and How It Changed Sports Forever,” ESPN, March 11, 2025.
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“The CBA was not built”: Adrian Wojnarowski, “Adam Silver Prepares NBA Players for Challenges Ahead,” ESPN, May 9, 2020.
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the union started polling: Broderick Turner, “Coronavirus: Union Asks NBA Players If They Want to Restart,” Los Angeles Times, May 12, 2020.
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“You know who I’m voting for”: Dan Labbe, “James, Jay-Z Energize Rally at the Q for Obama,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 30, 2008.
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at the behest of Jay-Z: Jeff Benedict, LeBron, 313.
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“You want to keep athletics and politics separate”: Eli Saslow, “LeBron the Activist vs. LeBron the Athlete,” ESPN, May 3, 2016.
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LeBron had appeared reluctant: Chris Strauss and Nate Scott, “LeBron James Wears ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Shirt before Cavs Game,” USA Today, December 8, 2014.
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“I haven’t really been on top”: Saslow, “LeBron the Activist vs. LeBron the Athlete.”
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“I think it’s quite sad”: “Samaria Rice: LeBron James, Athletes Should Make a Statement for Black People,” NewsOne, January 5, 2016.
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“I realized that they were dead set”: Will Leitch, “The Athletes Have More to Say,” New York, March 2, 2021.
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“I don’t support going into Orlando”: Shams Charania, “Sources Reveal Details of Call Among 80 NBA Players Led by Kyrie Irving,” The Athletic, June 13, 2020.
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“Once we start playing basketball again”: Adrian Wojnarowski, “Sources—Kyrie Irving Plays Key Role in Friday Call with Players,” ESPN, June 13, 2020.
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met on the tarmac: JaVale McGee, Life in the Bubble (YouTube, 2020), Episode 1.
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It was dark when they arrived: McGee, Life in the Bubble, Episode 1.
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Each player was greeted: McGee, Life in the Bubble, Episode 1.
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made a group toast: McGee, Life in the Bubble, Episode 1.
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“Mike Budenholzer would always”: Kyle Kuzma, interview by Adrian Wojnarowski, The Woj Pod, January 2023.
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“all you heard”: LeBron James, interview by Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, Road Trippin’, December 2020.
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Is this really your typical: Rob Pelinka, interview by Adrian Wojnarowski, The Woj Pod, October 2020.
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sixteen boxes: McGee, Life in the Bubble, Episode 16.
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LeBron woke up: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“No one knew what was going on”: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“We’re tired of the killings”: Marc Spears, Twitter, August 26, 2020.
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bacon and tangerine juice: Taylor Rooks, “Inside the Great NBA Bubble Experiment,” GQ, November 24, 2020.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo joined them: Rooks, “Inside the Great NBA Bubble Experiment.”
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LeBron worked the phones: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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The three were annoyed: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“When it hits in your backyard”: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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Are you going home to work: Zach Lowe et al., “Inside the Hectic Hours Around a Historic NBA Boycott,” ESPN, August 27, 2020.
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“Everybody was giving their opinions”: Austin Rivers, Off Guard with Austin Rivers, The Ringer, May 2023.
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Hey, yo, bro: Rivers, Off Guard with Austin Rivers.
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“We sat there and talked”: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“I thought it was 70–30”: Jared Dudley, interview by Bill Simmons, The Bill Simmons Podcast, October 2020.
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Use it, Obama said: Barack Obama, interview by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, The Shop, HBO, October 29, 2020.
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“Fuck it, bring out the cards”: Rajon Rondo, interview by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, All the Smoke, December 2020.
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fired a bottle of Vitamin Water: NESN Staff, “Rajon Rondo Flips Out During Heat Playoff Series, Throws Bottle That Breaks Video Screen, Says New Report,” NESN, December 13, 2011.
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Kendrick Perkins had started calling him: Jackie MacMullan, “The Rehabilitation of Rajon Rondo,” ESPN, October 4, 2020.
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“I just did not see them losing”: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“I couldn’t believe it”: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“It was a ‘wing it’ play”: Danny Green, Inside the Green Room, September 2020.
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“That was Mamba right there”: McGee, Life in the Bubble, Episode 17.
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“I watched him a lot in New Orleans”: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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black and blue: James, interview by Jefferson and Frye.
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“One thing about dogs”: McGee, Life in the Bubble, Episode 17.
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10. Seventy-One Days
“Mama, Mama!”: Scott Gleeson, “LeBron James Pays Tribute to His Mother on FaceTime Following Championship: ‘I Hope I Continue to Make You Proud,’ ” USA Today, October 12, 2020.
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the sixteenth and final “X”: JaVale McGee, Life in the Bubble (YouTube, 2020), Episode 18.
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“She came running down”: Rob Pelinka, interview by Adrian Wojnarowski, The Woj Pod, October 2020.
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“You ever see the movie”: Jared Dudley, interview by Bill Simmons, The Bill Simmons Podcast, October 2020.
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Covid had already cost: Ben Golliver, “Coronavirus Could Cost NBA $1 Billion, Bring About Record Salary Cap Drop,” Washington Post, March 21, 2020.
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“We absolutely can [repeat]”: LeBron James, interview by Jefferson and Frye, Road Trippin’, December 2020.
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“It’s a business”: Kevin Gray Jr., “Exclusive: Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul on Anthony Davis/Luka Dončić Trade,” DLLS Sports, February 7, 2025.
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the importance of diversifying portfolios: Rich Paul, interview by Bloomberg, Bloomberg Power Players Summit, August 2022.
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“It’s a hard pill to swallow”: Dan Woike, “Marc Gasol: Lakers Signing Andre Drummond Hard to Accept,” Los Angeles Times, April 3, 2021.
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“I wanna see you win one”: DeMar DeRozan, Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm (Harmony, 2024), 197.
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having lunch on the patio: DeRozan, Above the Noise, 198.
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“The next episode of my career”: DeRozan, Above the Noise, 198.
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cut middle school classes: Melissa Rohlin, “How Russell Westbrook’s Lakers Tenure Changed His Career Trajectory,” Fox Sports, March 1, 2023.
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end up back in LA: Dan Woike, “Lakers’ Russell Westbrook Back in L.A. with a Story to Tell,” Los Angeles Times, October 19, 2021.
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He called up Leonard: Ramona Shelburne, “How Two Phone Calls Two Years Apart Led to the Los Angeles Lakers Landing Russell Westbrook,” ESPN, August 2, 2021.
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Leonard listened to Westbrook’s pitch: Shelburne, “How Two Phone Calls Two Years Apart Led to the Los Angeles Lakers Landing Russell Westbrook.”
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Kuzma began preparing: Kyle Kuzma, interview by Gilbert Arenas, No Chill with Gilbert Arenas, Fubo Sports Network, September 7, 2021.
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“I’m so happy that you’re here”: Brian Windhorst, “LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Tumultuous Season, in Their Own Words,” ESPN, April 11, 2022.
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“We know what we need to do”: Windhorst, “LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Tumultuous Season.”
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11. Russ Being Russ
The players found seats: Backstage: Lakers (Spectrum SportsNet, September 2021).
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“You could say this room”: Backstage: Lakers.
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had a specialist examine his hands: Ramona Shelburne, “Why This Los Angeles Lakers Season Was Doomed from Their First Team Outing in October,” ESPN, April 8, 2022.
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“I need to get as much money”: Alex Caruso, interview by JJ Redick, The JJ Redick Show, November 2021.
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Caruso set up shop: Bill Oram, “Gone in a Blink: The Inside Story of Alex Caruso’s Departure from the Lakers,” The Athletic, November 15, 2021.
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“So I said, ‘Okay’ ”: Caruso, interview by Redick.
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force Indiana wing Caris LeVert: Dave McMenamin, “Los Angeles Lakers Star Russell Westbrook Benched Late in Loss; Coach Frank Vogel Had Green Light, Sources Say,” ESPN, January 20, 2022.
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being applied by Kurt Rambis: Sam Amick and Bill Oram, “Sources: Lakers Coach Frank Vogel’s Job in Serious Jeopardy Despite Jazz Win,” The Athletic, January 18, 2022.
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a frequent presence in Vogel’s meetings: Amick and Oram, “Sources: Lakers Coach Frank Vogel’s Job in Serious Jeopardy Despite Jazz Win.”
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A meeting was called: Adrian Wojnarowski, “Sources: LeBron James’ Agent Meets with Los Angeles Lakers, Denies Any Push to Shake up Front Office,” ESPN, February 25, 2022.
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Oram would later write: Bill Oram, “I Survived a Media Feud with LeBron James and All I Got Was This Column,” The Oregonian, March 28, 2025.
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12. The Pursuit of Happiness
“I wanted to make sure”: Jeanie Buss, interview by Rich Eisen, The Rich Eisen Show, October 2023.
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spent eleven days in the hospital: Dan Woike, “Darvin Ham Survived the Streets, a Bullet and Grief to Coach Lakers,” Los Angeles Times, December 11, 2022.
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“I had great parents”: Marc J. Spears, “Darvin Ham Is Bringing His Philosophy and a Saginaw Toughness to the Lakers,” Andscape, July 7, 2022.
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“He gets this, ‘Oh, he’s controlling the team’ ”: Starting 5 (Netflix, 2024– ), Episode 1.
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He skipped parties and school dances: Austin Reaves, interview by Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner, The Point Forward, March 2023.
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“It was all about playing the long game”: Austin Reaves, interview by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, All the Smoke, July 2023.
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13. ⌛
boarded a flight for Saudi Arabia: Corbin Smith, “LeBron James’ Visit to Saudi Arabia Is Sportswashing at Work,” Daily Beast, September 10, 2023.
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“My dream is to actually own”: Dave McMenamin, “Cleveland Cavaliers Star LeBron James Says His ‘Dream’ Is to Own an NBA Team,” ESPN, August 17, 2016.
