Oklahoma City Archives

Oklahoma Thunder Kevin Durant to Sign With Jay-Z

Jay-Z’s upstart sports agency has received another big boost, as a source confirmed to ESPN on Friday night that Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant will leave his current agent to join Roc Nation Sports.

The source said Durant believes he doesn’t need a contract agent now because he signed an $85 million extension with the Thunder in 2010 that will take him through the 2015-16 season. Instead, Durant — already one of the most marketable players in the league — has told those close to him that he wants to increase his brand.

A spokesman for Roc Nation Sports told ESPN that Durant is not currently a client. It’s unknown whether Jay-Z will wait until he sells his small ownership share in the Brooklyn Nets – it’s believed he owns between one-fifth and one-fifteenth of 1 percent of the team — before signing Durant. A source tells ESPN that Jay-Z’s ownership sale has not yet been completed.

If Jay-Z is just doing marketing work for Durant, he might be able to steer clear of NBA rules that would prohibit him from representing a player and owning a piece of a team.

Republican Representative Says Blacks Don’t Work As Hard As Whites

And now, this Republican Representative is using the floor of the House to give her expertise on why more blacks are in prisons. Her reason? Blacks don’t work as hard as whites do in school.

Her name is Sally Kern, the Republican Representative in Oklahoma.

It is just because they’re black that they’re in prison, or is it because they didn’t want to work hard in school? And white people often times want to work hard in school or Asians often times. But a lot of times, that’s what happens, and I taught school for 20 years, and I saw a lot of people of color who didn’t want to work as hard, they just want it given to them.

Congratulations to the Representative in the audience, who, after hearing the dumb nonsense coming from his co-worker, got up and walked out. Kudos to you sir!

Update: Realizing what she said, Mrs. Kern issued an apology.

“I want to humbly apologize for my statements last night about African-Americans and women,” Kern, R-Oklahoma City, said in the statement. “I believe that our government should not provide preference based on race or gender. I misspoke while trying to convey this point last night during debate.”

House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, said he called Kern to express his concerns, but said he will not ask her to step down.

“I told her I disagree with her comments,” Steele said. “She’s done the right thing in issuing that apology.”