Mitchell Robinson’s journey with the Knicks began on a curiously awkward note during his 2018 introductory press conference. His attire—an oversized blazer paired with jeans—seemed to mirror the uncertainty of his demeanor. His brief, hesitant answers necessitated the intervention of then-general manager Scott Perry, who stepped in to highlight the numerous elements of Robinson’s development still in progress.

The awkwardness of the event didn’t go unnoticed. It prompted team president Steve Mills to reassure the gathered media, explaining that Robinson was still finding his footing. Having skipped college, and hailing from a rural community, speaking in such a public setting was new territory for him. Mills urged patience, emphasizing the time their young center needed to adjust.

Fast forward, Robinson spent an impressive eight years with the Knicks, defying the odds in a constantly shifting environment. He witnessed the departures of Perry and Mills, as well as three different head coaches. While other high-profile lottery picks like Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Knox, and Frank Ntilikina moved on, Robinson endured through a 65-loss season and, remarkably, a championship campaign. His tenure became the longest for a Knicks draft pick since Charlie Ward.

On Tuesday, Robinson’s tenure with the Knicks concluded in a new chapter as he signed a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Celtics. The Knicks opted not to match this offer, strategically aiming to remain below the league’s second salary cap apron. This move illustrates Robinson’s parting as a financial decision—either a pragmatic cost-cutting measure or a reflection of the franchise’s cautious approach under owner James Dolan. This marks the end of an era and the start of a promising new phase for Robinson in Boston.

Recent developments suggest that the ransom demands and other notes related to the unresolved kidnapping case of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie may indeed be authentic, contrary to recent skepticism.

Previously, News Media highlighted a divide among those familiar with the investigation, with opinions split on whether the notes were genuine.

An anonymous source has informed TMZ that the team handling the case might be reconsidering, now viewing these ransom notes as likely being “more legitimate than not.”

TMZ’s executive producer, Harvey Levin, reported on Wednesday that an FBI source familiar with the case believes it’s probable that at least two of the ransom notes are authentic. “During our conversation, they explicitly said, ‘They are more legitimate than not,'” Levin quoted.

He made the remarks in a video in response to a new report suggesting that the FBI deemed all the ransom demands in the Guthrie investigation inauthentic.

Some investigators said they were confident that the ransom demands are all bogus, while others are cautious about reaching that conclusion while Guthrie’s whereabouts remain unknown, federal law enforcement sources told Fox News and News Media last week.

“They definitely have not determined it is, for sure, fake,” Levin said.

Authorities have not publicly confirmed the legitimacy of the first two notes that have been deemed possibly authentic — or a series of separate emails believed to be unrelated claiming to have knowledge about what happened to Guthrie.

“It is less likely that those letters are real, but they have not discounted that either,” Levin added.

Guthrie’s daughter, “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, has said she believes at least two of the notes could be real. She and her siblings responded to those on videos posted to her Instagram in February.

Meanwhile, state and local authorities have both declined to discuss the latest developments regarding the ransom demands publicly.

When asked about the new reporting at a news briefing Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel declined to comment.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” he told reporters during a Justice Department news briefing. “We are continuing to assist that investigation. We’ve always been in an assist role. It’s a state matter being led by the state authorities.”

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, whose agency is leading the investigation into Guthrie’s suspected abduction, told News Media last week that it was the FBI at the forefront of the probe into whoever sent the ransom demands.

“All ransom notes are being handled by the FBI,” he said. “We’ve been pretty consistent with that. So I would have to defer you to them.”

The family is asking anyone with information on Guthrie’s case to dial 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can be provided anonymously to Tucson’s Crime Stoppers affiliate, 88-Crime, at 1-520-882-7463.

Breaking news in the world of relationships!

Karamo Brown, star of Queer Eye, has confirmed his relationship with Jussie Smollett, the former Empire actor. The couple was seen sharing a heartfelt goodbye at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where their chemistry was undeniable.

The two were caught in a passionate moment, exchanging a kiss and holding each other closely in a moment that seemed to linger beyond a casual farewell.

This tender exchange follows their recent public outing in Los Angeles, where the couple enjoyed each other’s company while completing some errands. During the day, Smollett, 44, was seen gently caressing Brown’s chin, highlighting their affectionate bond.

Although their romance is still in its early days—Smollett is said to have just ended his engagement to Jabari Redd—the images clearly indicate that he is embracing a new chapter.

The new couple grabbed lunch with Brown’s mother Charmaine – an indicator of their strong feelings for one another – before running errands and embarking on a hike through Runyon Canyon. 

It’s a relationship Brown, 45, sees going the distance and one that he believes has the potential to lead to marriage.

In an interview with Reality with The King, Brown said he was ‘100% sure’ Smollett was the one as he gushed profusely about his new partner.

At the time, Brown did not reveal the identity of his boyfriend, saying they were waiting to go public in order to protect their relationship.

‘I’ve met my equal. It’s powerful when you meet someone who you feel 100% safe with, you feel 100% secure with, who you you can just trust with your heart because you know they are just a great human being and they get everything.

‘It’s special. It’s pretty amazing,’ he said.

‘We are deep in love but [that’s] why we are not public yet because we don’t want comments,’ he said.

‘We are protecting the love we have because I do believe this is going to be my husband.

‘I believe this is going to be my forever person. I feel it every single day. You know we don’t have any arguments. Everything is just easy. And not saying that we don’t have discussions but everything is just easy. We just get each other. It’s constant laughter. It’s constant love. It’s just constant everything.’

The relationship comes over a month after Smollett re-entered the dating market.

In early June, TMZ reported the actor ended his engagement to Jabari Redd ‘within the last couple of weeks’.

The couple’s relationship is believed to have begun in 2022, three years after Smollett sparked major backlash for falsely reporting a hate crime that he staged against himself.

The star was found with a noose around his neck and claimed he was attacked by two men shouting ‘racial and homophobic slurs’ and who ‘poured an unknown chemical substance on him’.

A police investigation found Smollett’s story did not add up and, at the end of 2021, he was found guilty of five charges over his false reports of being attacked.

Three years later, Smollett’s conviction was overturned on the basis of his fifth amendment rights having been violated when he was prosecuted after reaching a plea deal.

The city of Chicago’s Law Department filed a civil lawsuit against him in 2019 to recover over $130,000 in costs incurred investigating his allegedly staged attack, after he failed to meet a city-imposed payment deadline.

The case, which had dragged on for six years, was finally put to rest by both sides through a settlement.

Brown, meanwhile, has endured a difficult year that also made headlines.

His rift with his Queer Eye castmates was unveiled after he abruptly pulled out of two interviews with his co-stars to promote the new season.

In a statement given to CBS Mornings explaining his absence from a scheduled interview with them, Brown said: ‘Though the show is ending, I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can’t be there today.’

Brown has since said the falling out was due in part to a conversation his castmates had about him behind his back that his mother overheard.

‘The thing I know is the tears I saw in my mother’s eyes,’ he told People. ‘[She kept repeating], “I thought they were your friends.” It made me realize I can no longer stay silent about how often I was made to feel like an outsider.’

The excitement of the World Cup has seamlessly intertwined with the baseball season.

At Tuesday’s clash between the Athletics and Dodgers in West Sacramento, a fan sitting close to home plate made it clear he had his attention split. As Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski was set to deliver during the third inning, a fan proudly wearing a green jersey of Mexico’s national soccer team leaped up from his seat, causing a stir.

His excitement had nothing to do with what was happening on the baseball field.

In faraway Mexico City, Mexico had just scored a goal in their World Cup Round of 32 clash against Ecuador.

Capturing the moment, the broadcast showed the fan enthusiastically yelling “goal!” over and over from his spot behind home plate. His animated celebration injected a dose of soccer spirit into the baseball game temporarily, transforming it into a spontaneous World Cup celebration despite the Dodgers’ dominance on the field.

The timing made it even better. Wrobleski was mid-pitch when the celebration broke out, creating one of those strange crossover moments that can only happen when a major global tournament overlaps with baseball’s dog days of summer.

Mexico went on to beat Ecuador 2-0, with Julian Quiñones opening the scoring on a spectacular strike before Raúl Jiménez added another.

The scene captured the unique pull of the World Cup. Baseball may be in full swing, but soccer has a way of cutting through everything when national pride is involved.

It also fit naturally with the Dodgers’ long connection to Mexico and Mexican-American fans.

Los Angeles has one of the largest Mexican-American communities in the country, and the Dodgers have spent decades building one of baseball’s strongest cultural ties with that fan base.

Fernando Valenzuela remains one of the franchise’s most beloved figures, not only for what he did on the mound but also for the way “Fernandomania” brought a generation of Spanish-speaking fans closer to the Dodgers.

So while it was not immediately clear whether the fan in Sacramento was rooting for the Dodgers, the moment still felt familiar.

One pitch. One goal. One loud celebration behind home plate.

For a few seconds, baseball and the World Cup shared the same stage.

Officials announced on Wednesday that four individuals have been taken into custody after authorities discovered 16 children living in squalid conditions in a rural home in Ohio. The children reportedly required immediate medical attention.

The alarming discovery was made during a search operation at a residence located in Hamden, approximately 60 miles southeast of Columbus, Ohio, according to state Attorney General Andy Wilson, who disclosed the findings at a press briefing.

“These were conditions unimaginable for anyone, let alone for children,” commented Wilson, as he expressed his shock and concern over the situation.

All of the children have since been removed from the environment. Wilson described the scene as the most horrifying he has seen in his career, labeling it “pure evil.” Some of the children were found in critical condition, with two requiring transport to Level 1 trauma centers due to the severity of their injuries.

“If they had waited 24 hours, there is a very high probability that we’d be dealing with a death, or multiple deaths, of these children,” Wilson said.

Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain described horrid conditions, saying there was a high presence of feces and bacterial matter.

“Most of the livestock was kept in better condition than the children,” Cain said.

The suspects — Gary Siders Sr., Gary Siders Jr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders — were charged with 16 counts of second-degree child endangering. A judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf during a Wednesday court hearing and set a $300,000 bond for all four.

Officials didn’t confirm if the children were related, but said they ranged in age from 18 months to 18 years old and included both boys and girls.

“Justice will be served for these children,” Wilson said.

Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer clarified that the suspects are not originally from Vinton County.

“This is an intra-family situation. This is not human trafficking. There is nothing to put our other children at risk,” Archer said.

On Tuesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he was being kept informed on the case.

“It is heartbreaking to learn the conditions that these children were living in, and to learn of their medical conditions,” he said. “Attorney General Wilson is an experienced prosecutor, and he has told me he has never seen anything like what he saw today. Fran and I pray for these children, and thank the children’s services workers, law enforcement officers, and medical personnel who are helping them.”

CHICAGO (WLS) — As the historic Route 66 prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2026, ABC 7 Chicago is kicking off the celebrations with an exciting feature series titled “Pier to Pier: Celebrating 100 Years of Route 66.”

In early June, the journey began as Ryan Chiaverini and his team, known as “Sidekicks on 66,” embarked on a road trip from Navy Pier, the ceremonial starting point. They cruised along in a newly minted Hyundai Palisade, which had a mere 22 miles on its odometer.

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The crew made their way past the 1937 historic starting spot at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street, detouring to iconic Chicago locations. Among their stops was The Berghoff, a city classic, followed by a much-needed break at Lou Mitchell’s, celebrated for its neon sign that boasts serving the “world’s finest coffee” for countless generations.

Reflecting on this rich history, Nick Thanas, current owner of Lou Mitchell’s, noted, “Lou Mitchell truly pioneered much of what made this place special. Skillet eggs and Greek toast, staples in our culture, were introduced to our customers thanks to his vision.”

Continuing their journey, the team grabbed lunch at Lulu’s Hot Dogs, savored dessert at Ferrara Bakery, and journeyed out of Chicago into Will County. They captured memories with photos at Joliet’s Route 66 Park and posed with statues of the iconic Blues Brothers in Elwood, before reaching Wilmington, a town brimming with affection for the legendary roadway.

“Wilmington is really one of the first small towns along Route 66, where you really start stretching your legs and getting outside of the city of Chicago,” said Greg Peerbolte, CEO of the Joliet Historical Museum. “So, you have a lot of small-town charm and just a beautiful bunch of small and eclectic shops, art galleries and restaurants.”

The star of Wilmington is its 30-foot-tall Gemini Giant. It’s a “muffler man” statue first erected at the Launching Pad Restaurant to attract customers in the 1960s. Now standing at South Island Park, it greets new fans of Route 66 with its own gift shop and a beer available at Nelly’s On Route 66 and Old School Brewing.

“We have our beer, which is ‘Gemini’s Reentry,’ which is a golden ale,” said Jay Hill, bar manager at Old School Brewing. “It utilizes Gemini hops and so we released that beer right when the Gemini came back.”

For Chiaverini and the crew, it was one pier down and one to go in Santa Monica. But there was still plenty more to see over the next 2,300 miles.

“Pier To Pier: Celebrating 100 Years of Route 66” is sponsored by Hyundai.