Trump rebukes female reporter over ‘stupid question’ after Lincoln Memorial drive-by to check out work by his ‘pool guy’

President Donald Trump and members of his administration made an unusual visit to the Lincoln Memorial on Thursday, driving the presidential motorcade through the empty Reflecting Pool that the president recentlyordered contractors to renovate.

When pressed with questions about why he was focused on an ornamental project when gas prices are soaringbecause of the Iran war,President Trump castigated ABC News reporter Rachel Scott.

The president claimed the memorial had previously been “disgusting” and that truckloads of trash had been removed since the pool project began last month.

“That’s not what our country is about,” Trump said. “Our country is about beauty, cleanliness, safety, great people. Not a filthy capital. That’s such a stupid question that you asked. We’re fixing up the reflecting pond to the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and you say, ‘Why are you fixing it up?’ Because you can understand dirt maybe better than I can, but I don’t allow it.”

The president, who is prone tooutbursts against female reporters, accused Scott of being a “horror show” and “a disgrace to our country.”

The Independenthas contacted Scott for comment.

Negotiations remain deadlocked to end the Iran war, and the president threatened to respond to Iran “a lot more violently” in the days ahead, after an alleged Iranian attempt was intercepted by U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers in theStrait of Hormuz.

Last month, complaining of the state of the iconic Washington site, the president said his pool “guy” would resurface the Reflecting Pool with an upgraded “industrial grade” finish in “American flag blue.”

White House communications advisor Margo Martinwrote on Xon Thursday that the visit to the pool was meant to “see the progress of the project and meet the hardworking team behind it.”

The president, with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in tow, chatted with the Oklahoma-based painting crew working on the project, bragging about his electoral success in the state.

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“We love you in Oklahoma,” one of the workers said.

“I love you guys, too,” Trumpsaidin response.

The sight of government limos cruising up the empty pool is just the latest unusual aspect of the project, which is part of the president’s goal to rapidly remake many of Washington’s most famous landmarks according to his tastes.

The president previously touted the project during astring of posts on Truth Sociallast month, alternatingthreats against Iranwith claims the pool project would “take a fraction of that time, at a fraction of the cost — and it will be much more beautiful than the day it was built!”

Trump has said he would turn to a contractor who previously worked on his real estate projects.

“I have a guy who’s unbelievable at doing swimming pools up the road,” the president said last month.

Trump has also touted the project with an AI image of members of his administrationsitting shirtless in the Reflecting Poolwith an unidentified woman in a bikini.

The president has been floating the idea that he would redo the Reflecting Pool since last year.

The pool was previously renovated under the Obama administration and has been periodically drained for maintenance since.

President Trump has sought to put his stamp on Washington across multiple projects, including his unilateral effort to raze the East Wing of the White House to build a new ballroom and a proposed project tobuild a towering triumphal archon the banks of the Potomac River. The administration also plans toshutter the Kennedy Center, which the president has sought to rename after himself, for the next two years for renovations.

The president also cited concerns about the safety and beauty of Washington, D.C., when hedeployed federal agents and the National Guardfor a law enforcement crackdown in the capital last year.

byVaclav Urich

in

May 08, 2026

Trump rebukes female reporter over ‘stupid question’ after Lincoln Memorial drive-by to check out work by his ‘pool guy’

President Donald Trump and members of his administration made an unusual visit to the Lincoln Memorial on Thursday, driving the preside...

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Video: UFC Freedom 250 press conference live stream with full card

NEWARK, N.J. – Promotional effort forUFC Freedom 250at the White House will ramp up in a big way Friday with the first press conference for the historic card on June 14 in Washington, D.C. (Paramount+).

The octagon will land on the South Lawn in just over one month, and a stacked card will be on hand. A pair of championship fights will take most of the focus, withIlia Topuriavs.Justin Gaethjein a lightweight title unifier serving as the headliner, whileAlex Pereiramoves to heavyweight in the co-main event for an interim title showdown with Ciryl Gane.

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All four championship athletes will be in attendance for the press conference at Prudential Center, which begins at 5 p.m. ET. MMA Junkie will carry a live stream from on location above.

In addition to Topuria, Gaethje, Pereira and Gane, the remainder of the seven-fight lineup includingSean O'Malleyvs. Aiemann Zahabi, Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis, Mauricio Ruffy vs. Michael Chandler,Bo Nickalvs. Kyle Daukaus andDiego Lopesvs. Steve Garcia, will all be there to answer questions from the media and participate in staredowns.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie:Video: UFC Freedom 250 first press conference live stream

byVaclav Urich

in

May 08, 2026

Video: UFC Freedom 250 press conference live stream with full card

NEWARK, N.J. – Promotional effort forUFC Freedom 250at the White House will ramp up in a big way Friday with the first press conference...

Read More

2026 FIFA World Cup daily schedule: Every match date, kickoff time and venue

The2026 FIFA World Cupkicks off June 11 as the global spectacle takes place across North America.

This edition will be the biggest in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams spread across 12 groups all vying the for the coveted trophy. Eleven cities in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada will play host over a month of action.

2026 FIFA World Cup groups

2. South Africa

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina

2. Paraguay

3. Korea Republic

3. Australia

4. Switzerland

4. Scotland

1. Netherlands

2. Cape Verde

3. Ivory Coast

3. Saudi Arabia

4. New Zealand

1. Argentina

1. Portugal

2. DR Congo

3. Uzbekistan

4. Colombia

Get full coverage of the 2026 World Cup in our soccer hub

2026 FIFA World Cup daily schedule

(All times Eastern)

Thursday, June 11

Group A:Mexico vs. South Africa, 3 p.m. – Estadio Azteca, Mexico CityGroup A:South Korea vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. – Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 12

Group B:Canada vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina, 3 p.m. – BMO Field, TorontoGroup D:USA vs. Paraguay, 9 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Saturday, June 13

Group B:Qatar vs. Switzerland, 3 p.m. – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CaliforniaGroup C:Brazil vs. Morocco, 6 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyGroup C:Haiti vs. Scotland, 9 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Sunday, June 14

Group D:Australia vs. Türkiye, 12 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British ColumbiaGroup E:Germany vs. Curaçao, 1 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonGroup F:Netherlands vs. Japan, 4 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasGroup E:Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador, 7 p.m. – Lincoln Financial Field, PhiladelphiaGroup F:Sweden vs. Tunisia, 10 p.m. – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico

Monday, June 15

Group H:Spain vs. Cape Verde, 12 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaGroup G:Belgium vs. Egypt, 3 p.m. – Lumen Field, SeattleGroup H:Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay, 6 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami GardensGroup G:Iran vs. New Zealand, 9 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Tuesday, June 16

Group I:France vs. Senegal, 3 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyGroup I:Iraq vs. Norway, 6 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MassachusettsGroup J:Argentina vs. Algeria, 9 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Wednesday, June 17

Group J:Austria vs. Jordan, 12 a.m. – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CaliforniaGroup K:Portugal vs. DR Congo, 1 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonGroup L:England vs. Croatia, 4 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasGroup L:Ghana vs. Panama, 7 p.m. – BMO Field, TorontoGroup K:Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 10 p.m. – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Thursday, June 18

Group A:Czechia vs. South Africa, 12 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaGroup B:Switzerland vs. Bosnia & Herzegovina, 3 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CaliforniaGroup B:Canada vs. Qatar, 6 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British ColumbiaGroup A:Mexico vs. South Korea, 9 p.m. – Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 19

Group D:USA vs. Australia, 3 p.m. – Lumen Field, SeattleGroup C:Scotland vs. Morocco, 6 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MassachusettsGroup C:Brazil vs. Haiti, 8:30 p.m. – Lincoln Financial Field, PhiladelphiaGroup D:Türkiye vs. Paraguay, 11 p.m. – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Saturday, June 20

Group F:Netherlands vs. Sweden, 1 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonGroup E:Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m. – BMO Field, TorontoGroup E:Ecuador vs. Curaçao, 8 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Sunday, June 21

Group F:Tunisia vs. Japan, 12 a.m. – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, MexicoGroup H:Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, 12 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaGroup G:Belgium vs. Iran, 3 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CaliforniaGroup H:Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, 6 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami GardensGroup G:New Zealand vs. Egypt, 9 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Monday, June 22

Group J:Argentina vs. Austria, 1 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasGroup I:France vs. Iraq, 5 p.m. – Lincoln Financial Field, PhiladelphiaGroup I:Norway vs. Senegal, 8 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyGroup J:Jordan vs. Algeria, 11 p.m. – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Tuesday, June 23

Group K:Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, 1 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonGroup L:England vs. Ghana, 4 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MassachusettsGroup L:Panama vs. Croatia, 7 p.m. – BMO Field, TorontoGroup K:Colombia vs. DR Congo, 10 p.m. – Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Mexico

Wednesday, June 24

Group B:Switzerland vs. Canada, 3 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British ColumbiaGroup B:Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. Qatar, 3 p.m. – Lumen Field, SeattleGroup C:Scotland vs. Brazil, 6 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami GardensGroup C:Morocco vs. Haiti, 6 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaGroup A:Czechia vs. Mexico, 9 p.m. – Estadio Azteca, Mexico CityGroup A:South Africa vs. South Korea, 9 p.m. – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico

Thursday, June 25

Group E:Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast, 4 p.m. – Lincoln Financial Field, PhiladelphiaGroup E:Ecuador vs. Germany, 4 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyGroup F:Japan vs. Sweden, 7 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasGroup F:Tunisia vs. Netherlands, 7 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas CityGroup D:Türkiye vs. USA, 10 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CaliforniaGroup D:Paraguay vs. Australia, 10 p.m. – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

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Friday, June 26

Group I:Norway vs. France, 3 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MassachusettsGroup I:Senegal vs. Iraq, 3 p.m. – BMO Field, TorontoGroup H:Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, 8 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonGroup H:Uruguay vs. Spain, 8 p.m. – Estadio Akron, Zapopan, MexicoGroup G:Egypt vs. Iran, 11 p.m. – Lumen Field, SeattleGroup G:New Zealand vs. Belgium, 11 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Saturday, June 27

Group L:Panama vs. England, 5 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyGroup L:Croatia vs. Ghana, 5 p.m. – Lincoln Financial Field, PhiladelphiaGroup K:Colombia vs. Portugal, 7:30 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami GardensGroup K:DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan, 7:30 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaGroup J:Algeria vs. Austria, 10 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas CityGroup J:Jordan vs. Argentina, 10 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Sunday, June 28

Round of 32:Runner-up A vs. Runner-up B, 3 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Monday, June 29

Round of 32:Winner C vs. Runner-up F, 1 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonRound of 32:Winner E vs. Best 3rd (A/B/C/D/F), 4:30 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MassachusettsRound of 32:Winner F vs. Runner-up C, 9 p.m. – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico

Tuesday, June 30

Round of 32:Runner-up E vs. Runner-up I, 1 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasRound of 32:Winner I vs. Best 3rd (C/D/F/G/H), 5 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyRound of 32:Winner A vs. Best 3rd (C/E/F/H/I), 9 p.m. – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Wednesday, July 1

Round of 32:Winner L vs. Best 3rd (E/H/I/J/K), 12 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaRound of 32:Winner G vs. Best 3rd (A/E/H/I/J), 4 p.m. – Lumen Field, SeattleRound of 32:Winner D vs. Best 3rd (B/E/F/I/J), 8 p.m. – Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

Thursday, July 2

Round of 32:Winner H vs. Runner-up J, 3 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CaliforniaRound of 32:Runner-up K vs. Runner-up L, 7 p.m. – BMO Field, TorontoRound of 32:Winner B vs. Best 3rd (E/F/G/I/J), 11 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Friday, July 3

Round of 32:Runner-up D vs. Runner-up G, 2 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasRound of 32:Winner J vs. Runner-up H, 6 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami GardensRound of 32:Winner K vs. Best 3rd (D/E/I/J/L), 9:30 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Saturday, July 4

Round of 16:Round of 32 winners, 1 p.m. – NRG Stadium, HoustonRound of 16:Round of 32 winners, 5 p.m. – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Sunday, July 5

Round of 16:Round of 32 winners, 4 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New JerseyRound of 16:Round of 32 winners, 8 p.m. – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Monday, July 6

Round of 16:Round of 32 winners, 3 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TexasRound of 16:Round of 32 winners, 8 p.m. – Lumen Field, Seattle

Tuesday, July 7

Round of 16:Round of 32 winners, 12 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, AtlantaRound of 16:Round of 32 winners, 4 p.m. – BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

Thursday, July 9

Quarterfinal:Round of 16 winners, 4 p.m. – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Friday, July 10

Quarterfinal:Round of 16 winners, 3 p.m. – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Saturday, July 11

Quarterfinal:Round of 16 winners, 5 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami GardensQuarterfinal:Round of 16 winners, 9 p.m. – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Tuesday, July 14

Semifinal:Quarterfinal winners, 3 p.m. – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

Wednesday, July 15

Semifinal:Quarterfinal winners, 3 p.m. – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Saturday, July 18

Third-place match:Semifinal losers, 5 p.m. – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens

Sunday, July 19

Final:Semifinal winners, 3 p.m. – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

byVaclav Urich

in

May 07, 2026

2026 FIFA World Cup daily schedule: Every match date, kickoff time and venue

The2026 FIFA World Cupkicks off June 11 as the global spectacle takes place across North America. This edition will be the biggest...

Read More

Bake this cinnamon swirl banana bread for Mother's Day

This soft, slightly sweet cinnamon swirl banana bread fills the kitchen with the comforting aroma of cinnamon and baked bananas.

Scripps News food and wellness contributor Jessica DeLuise shows that it makes the perfect homemade addition to a Mother’s Day brunch, breakfast or dessert table.

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

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Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas

• 3 eggs

• ¼ cup olive oil or melted butter

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 ½ cups almond flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 /2 tsp salt

  Swirl

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp melted butter

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT |These cheesy tots pack hidden vegetables into a crispy bite

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.

• Prep the load pan by buttering the sides or lining it with parchment paper.

• In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to mash bananas until smooth.

• Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix well.

• Stir in almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until combined.

• In a separate small bowl, mix the swirl ingredients into a paste.

• Pour half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a spatula.

• Add half the cinnamon swirl on top and carefully spread it around in a thin layer.

• Repeat this process with the remaining batter, then the remaining swirl.

• Bake for 40–45 minutes until just set in the center

• Let cool in the loaf pan for at least 20–30 minutes before slicing.

byVaclav Urich

in

May 07, 2026

Bake this cinnamon swirl banana bread for Mother's Day

This soft, slightly sweet cinnamon swirl banana bread fills the kitchen with the comforting aroma of cinnamon and baked bananas. ...

Read More

Everyone else from the 2003 NBA Draft grew old. LeBron James somehow hasn't

Jarvis Hayes doesn’t recall the last time he felt tempted to play pickup basketball.

Going 1-on-1 against his teenage sons is the most that the 2003 NBA lottery pick can withstand. Anything more physically demanding requires too many jarring collisions for Hayes’ battle-weary body, too much explosive movement for his surgically repaired right knee.

“I just can’t move like I used to,” Hayes, now 44, told Yahoo Sports. “I don't want to end up in the emergency room with a popped Achilles or some other crazy injury.”

Time has caught up with 57 of the 58 players who were part of the NBA’s celebrated 2003 draft class. Slowed by declining athleticism, lingering injuries and waning motivation, they’ve hung up their high tops and moved on to less strenuous careers, ascoachesandTV analysts,investorsandentrepreneurs,fruit farmersandinsurance brokers.

Suffering through that humbling experience has only made some of those 2003 draftees more awestruck by the one member of their class who is defying the NBA’s typical age timeline. At 41, with thinning hair and a salt-and-pepper beard, LeBron James is stillripping through the seams of the defense, stillthrowing down reverse windmill slams, still tallying 20-plus-point games and near triple-doubles with staggering regularity.

With Luka Dončić sidelined by a hamstring injury and Austin Reaves unavailable for the opening four games of the series, James carried the Los Angeles Lakers past the younger, more athletic Houston Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs. The NBA’s most grizzled veteran then led all scorers with 27 points on Tuesday night as the underdog Lakers opened the Western Conference semifinals with a 108-90 loss to reigning champion Oklahoma City.

“The man has made close to $580 million in contract money and he's still grinding like an undrafted rookie,” said Troy Bell, the 16th overall pick in the 2003 draft.

Or as Hayes puts it, “We've never seen a player at this age have this type of impact. I know he's not going to play forever, but it damn sure feels like it.”

For some 2003 draftees, their introduction to James came via Michael Jordan, of all people. Each summer, Jordan invited an assortment of rising stars to serve as instructors at his Flight School camp in Santa Barbara, Calif. Among those who received invitations to the 2002 edition were an assortment of top college prospects and a high school phenom who Sports Illustrated had already anointed “The Chosen One.”

At the end of the first day of camp, the instructors split into two teams and treated the campers to a show. Early in that pickup game, 6-foot-11 Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Rick Rickert found himself in an unenviable position — on an island trying to slide his feet to prevent a 17-year-old James from blowing past him to the rim.

At first, Rickert was confident. He showed up to Minnesota as a prized recruit and validated the hype by winning Big Ten freshman of the year honors. Why would Rickert be scared to check some high school hotshot two years younger than him? Then James got Rickert off balance and shook free of him with a step-back dribble. The way Rickert remembers it, the separation was so chasm-like that he couldn’t even contest James’ shot.

“I’m standing in the lane and now this dude’s at the 3-point line,” said Rickert, who nine months later would become the 55th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. “I might be exaggerating a little bit, but that’s what it felt like. I'm just sitting there like, ‘Holy crap, I wasn't expecting that.’”

It wasn’t long before James also began leaving NBA players gobsmacked. The endlessly hyped teenager became the NBA’s rookie of the year after averaging more than 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists during his debut season.

By 2005, James made his first of 22 consecutive NBA All-Star teams. By 2007, James dragged a pedestrian Cleveland Cavaliers roster to the first of his 10 career NBA Finals appearances. Before long, James overtook Kobe Bryant as the NBA’s best player and biggest superstar and began amassing a résumé rivaled only by Jordan. No one has ever entered the NBA with more buildup than James. And yet, if anything, James exceeded expectations.

At the same time that James was ascending the NBA’s all-time scoring chart and refusing to give in to the Golden State Warriors dynasty, other luminaries from the 2003 draft class began showing their age.

Spinal injuries cut short point guard T.J. Ford’s NBA career in 2012. Severe knee injuries and an unflattering viral video sent Josh Howard tumbling out of the NBA in 2012 and forced the former All-Star to stop pursuing basketball in 2014. From 2016 to 2019, Kirk Hinrich, Mo Williams, David West, Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins and James’ former Miami Heat co-stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each also announced their retirements. When Carmelo Anthony couldn’t find an NBA team willing to offer him a contract before the 2022-23 season, James became the final 2003 draft pick still active.

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Last March, James became the NBA’s ultimate ironman, breaking Hall of Fame center Robert Parish’s record for career games played. He now has appeared in 1,622 regular-season games and another 299 playoff games, the equivalent of nearly another four full seasons.

“He’s an anomaly,” Rickert said. “We might not see anyone like him for a long, long time.”

Credit James’ unprecedented longevity to his discipline taking care of his body. He devotes long hours every day to preparation, strength and conditioning and recovery.

It starts the first 6 to 8 weeks of the offseason when James goes out of his way not to touch a basketball. He instead spends his time doing yoga, pilates, stretching, massages, anything he can do to rejuvenate his body.

For James, the latter half of the offseason is all about ramping up his conditioning, sharpening his skills and getting his mind right. There’s no substitute for logging 38 minutes in an NBA game, but James tries to get himself as close to game shape as possible.

Rest, hydration and nutrition are key for James in-season. He aims for 8-10 hours of sleep per day. He totes around a 1 gallon jug of water and downs a couple of those by the time he goes to bed at night. A private chef helps ensure that his meals are balanced and loaded with lean proteins, fruits and vegetables.

Chocolate chip cookies and ice cream are James’ vices,he admitted last year on the Mind the Game Podcast with Steve Nash, but even when he cheats, he’s purposeful about it.

“I have to get the dairy-free ice cream and the low-fat, gluten-free cookies,” James said. “My daughter goes in [the freezer]. She gets her vanilla bean ice cream with extra cream. I’ll be looking at it like, ‘Damn, that looks so good.’”

Painstaking preparation has enabled James to play at a high level into his 40s, but he is only human. There are times when he’ll get out of bed the morning after a game with an aching back, sore ankles and heavy legs.

As James admitted to Nash, “Those are the moments I’m like, ‘Bron, what the hell are you still doing out here? What the f— are you doing?”

To Bell, what James is doing is unfathomable. The former two-time Big East player of the year at Boston College knows firsthand how tough it is to even play at a high level into your mid-30s.

At the end of his 13th season of professional basketball, Bell remembers dialing his agent and revealing that he was ready to retire. He had played in six different countries and on three different continents. His surgically repaired knees ached and his stiff back felt like it was made of rusty iron.

“Please don’t reach out to me about another job because I’ve never been good at turning down good contracts,” Bell instructed his agent. “I have to transition to being a normal working person because my body can’t do this anymore.”

While Bell has started a second life as a high school basketball coach in his native Minnesota, James keeps adding to his unparalleled NBA résumé. He surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer three years ago. A year later, he became the first NBA player to play alongside his own son.

James scored 10 or more points in 1,297 straight games from Jan. 6, 2007, to Dec. 4, 2025. Then he ended that streak in the most fitting possible way earlier this season, driving and kicking to an open Rui Hachimura in the left corner for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer rather than forcing a shot to try to reach 10 points.

It has been 23 years since Bell first met James before they both became first-round picks in the 2003 NBA Draft. How James’ career has unfolded since then is so remarkable that Bell likens it to an unrealistic movie script.

Said Bell, “If they would have given all of us a pen and paper in 2003 and had every single one of us write down our ideal NBA career, none of us would have been able to write down anything better than what he's currently living.”

byVaclav Urich

in

May 07, 2026

Everyone else from the 2003 NBA Draft grew old. LeBron James somehow hasn't

Jarvis Hayes doesn’t recall the last time he felt tempted to play pickup basketball. Going 1-on-1 against his teenage sons is the ...

Read More