Mavericks forwards Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington and Suns center Jusuf Nurkic have been suspended without pay for their roles in an altercation during Dallas' win Friday night.
Washington State is set to hire South Dakota State's Jimmy Rogers to be its next head coach, with a deal expected to be finalized soon, sources told ESPN.
“With heavy hearts, we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved ben, known to the world as OG Maco,” the musician’s family wrote in a Friday, December 27, Instagram statement on his official page. “His life was a testament to resilience, creativity and boundless love. Through his music, passion and unwavering spirit, he touched so many lives and left a lasting impact.”
The statement continued, “While we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate the extraordinary life he lived — one that will continue to inspire and uplift others. Maco’s influence, both as an artist and as a person, will remain forever etched in our hearts.”
A cause of death for Maco, real name Benedict Chiajulam Ihesiba Jr., has not been publicly shared. It was previously reported that he suffered a gunshot wound. TMZ alleged earlier this month that police were called to Maco’s Los Angeles home after a firearm went off. Per the outlet, Maco was subsequently taken to a local hospital for surgery.
“He is currently in critical but stable condition,” a December 16 statement from Macy’s family read. “He is receiving the best possible care and we are staying hopeful as he continues to fight. … We thank you for your understanding, support and continued prayers during this difficult time.”
Maco is survived by his parents and his older sister.
“For those who wish to offer condolences, share memories or connect with the family, please reach out through the account,” the Friday statement added. “Your support means more than words can express. To all of Maco’s fans, friends and supporters: thank you for standing by him throughout his journey.”
The message concluded, “Today, we celebrate a life that was extraordinary in every way. With love and gratitude, the family of OG Maco.”
Maco rose to fame in 2014 with the release of his debut single, “U Guessed It” featuring 2 Chainz.
“It’s so crazy because every day I wake up, and I’m more famous,” he quipped to Vice later that same year. “I think it’s like this for everybody in the city who actually ends up making it. It was a long period of ‘You’re angry because, you know, I’m nice! And nobody’s paying attention!’”
At the time, Maco noted that he drew from his emotions to create his tracks.
“I pull from it. But because I can rap, it’s not just pure yelling,” he explained to the outlet. “It’s formatted, but it’s really just my pure emotion.”
President-elect says he has always liked H-1B visas, despite moving to restrict them in first term in office, as ‘America First’ rages against immigration
President-elect Trump appeared to agree with Elon Musk in support of H-1B visas for skilled workers in the U.S., as the right spars on the ongoing immigration debate.
"I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them," Trump told the New York Post Saturday.
Trump said that he recognizes the visas on his properties, saying, "I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program."
Trump's comments come as the right clashes over immigration and the place of foreign workers in the U.S. labor market.
Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who have been tapped by Trump to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), argued earlier this week that American culture has not prioritized education enough, and therefore that foreign workers are needed for tech companies like Musk’s SpaceX and Tesla.
Many tech companies have embraced the H-1B visa program, which allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations, but critics of the program say H-1B holders are often chosen over U.S. citizens for jobs.
One such critic, Laura Loomer, set off a firestorm on X when criticizing Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, to be an adviser on artificial intelligence policy.
In a post, she said she was concerned that Krishnan, a U.S. citizen, would have an influence on the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
"It’s alarming to see the number of career leftists who are now being appointed to serve in Trump’s admin when they share views that are in direct opposition to Trump’s America First agenda," she wrote.
Musk has doubled-down on his position, taking to X on Friday to blast a user who showed a video of him discussing SpaceX processes to go after the billionaire’s stance on the visa program.
"The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B," Musk wrote on X.
He then went on to quote the 2008 action-comedy movie, "Tropic Thunder," which was a box office hit.
"Take a big step back and F--- YOURSELF in the face," Musk railed.
Ramaswamy has similarly been pro-H-1B visa, writing: "American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump Transition Team for comment.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Three NBA players have been suspended after a fight broke out on Friday night between the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks.
Mavs forward Naji Marshall was hit with a four-game fan, while Jusuf Nurkic of Phoenix will miss the next three games for coming to blows on the court.
PJ Washington of Dallas will also serve a one-game suspension for escalating the situation.
Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while being guarded by Daniel Gafford with 9:02 left in the third quarter before the altercation quickly escalated.
Nurkic confronted Marshall before taking an open-handed swing at his head; Marshall responded with a punch, and Washington quickly shoved Nurkic to the ground before the teams were separated.
The referees reviewed the play before deciding that all three players would be ejected.
"Just protecting each other — that’s what that was," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "Emotions can get high, so our guys protect one another. We talk about it, and it was displayed tonight."
"I think that level of altercation is not good for our team, it's not good for anybody individually, it's not good for our league," Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. "I don't know all the details of what got it to that point."
Kyrie Irving joked that the fight could "help our ratings." The NBA has seen a decrease in viewership in the first couple months of the season.
The ejections didn't help Dallas, as they were already without star Luka Dončić, who suffered a calf strain on Christmas Day and will miss a month of action. However, they were still able to come away with a 98-89 victory on the road.
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact.
Type is a minimalist note taking app for your Mac, allowing you to easily capture notes and keep them organized – all from a simple keyboard shortcut. It’s the best way to jot something down in a pinch, without any of the potential distractions.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Dora-moono-Nyambe-122824-1-105dbc75767747339c861665a9126d83.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/demi-moore-instagram-122824-ac8dba1b21f44edb86e21e249b62fbd2.jpg)
