So let’s pretend that you won the largest prize in American lottery history: $2 billion from the Powerball drawn in late 2022 near Los Angeles. The options were an annuity over 30 years or a lump sum of roughly $1 billion. In this choice of riches, there’s no losing pick. So it’s fitting that in the debate involving perhaps the two greatest players in NBA history, Michael Jordan and LeBron James are billionaires after parlaying their singular athletic exploits and business acumen. Whom would you choose first? Is James or Jordan the GOAT? Or perhaps someone else?

By NUNYO DEMASIO

Well before Americans started hoarding toilet paper upon learning the word “coronavirus,” the nation faced another health emergency: Drug overdoses — mostly opioids — had killed about a half-million people over the previous decade. But the pandemic that halted the world’s activities couldn’t pause America’s insatiable appetite for drugs — and likely exacerbated the country’s other health crisis.

As coronavirus dominates the nation’s conscience, the opioid crisis lurks amid a dangerous trend involving methamphetamines. Overdose fatalities spiked throughout communities in several states that include Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) hasn’t provided precise data on overdoses during the pandemic. But studies indicate that in the aftermath of a national calamity, recovering addicts are more likely to relapse because of anxiety and fear. Catastrophes generally trigger an increase in substance abuse— one way that folks cope with uncertainty. So with a pandemic that’s upended the economy, any surge isn’t surprising even as drug traffickers have struggled to produce their usual supply.

In a normal year, Americans spend an estimated $110 billion on illegal drugs — by far more than any other nation. More than three million Americans are addicted to opioids, which include heroin, pain medication and synthetics like fentanyl. During the pandemic, recreational users may have prioritized expenses such as rent and food. Naturally, though, addicts seek their fix above all else. Some drug abusers panic bought their favorite narcotics as much as they did items such as hand sanitizers.

By NUNYO DEMASIO

After teasing a legion of admirers over the years, Eddie Murphy soon returns to standup comedy following a decades-long hiatus. As part of a multifaceted reboot, Murphy hosted “Saturday Night Live” late last year to terrific reviews and high ratings — his first such role since 1984. Murphy will star in upcoming sequels to movie classics “Coming to America” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” But the actor’s imminent return to standup has generated the most intrigue and excitement.

During Murphy’s 32-year absence, Dave Chappelle emerged as perhaps America’s premier comedian, who Eddie Murphy himself declared a “comic genius” Murphy, 58, and Chappelle, 46, both have earned a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the nation’s highest honor for comedy.

In the latest episode of the NUNYO & COMPANY podcast, the real Ray Donovan named Chappelle as his favorite comedian while quickly adding that Eddie Murphy had held the personal title before abandoning the stage in the late ‘80s. Donovan’s reply to a staple of the show came just before Murphy confirmed his highly anticipated return to standup.

On NUNYO & COMPANY’s debut episode, David Stern — the late, great NBA commissioner — was torn between naming Jon Stewart and John Oliver as his favorite comedian. Pressed to choose a #1, Stern went with the elder statesman (Stewart) in a virtual tossup.

So in that vein, who gets the slight edge between Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle? Who’s funniest? Who’s America’s king of comedy in a golden age that gives us Amy Schumer, Bill Burr, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Katt Williams, Kevin Hart, Sarah Silverman and more?

As the first black superstar to portray unabashedly assertive, independent characters on the silver screen, Eddie Murphy influenced — and spawned — a generation of top comedians as well as actors. He remains the most successful comedian in film history.

EXCERPT: On August 10, 1913, Charles O’Shea was born to an Irish couple in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Within a few years, the boy’s father died in his sleep and his mother succumbed to the influenza epidemic of 1918. The deadliest in history, the pandemic killed up to 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 Americans. Orphaned at age five, Charles was adopted by his aunt, Esther St. George. When she married a man whose surname was Parcells, her nephew also took the last name. After purchasing two rooming houses in a downtown block, the family moved to Hackensack, New Jersey. Lucinda Whiting, a black cook and maid at the establishment, helped raise Esther’s quiet nephew, doting on him so much that he came to view her as a mother.

By NUNYO DEMASIO

As the brains behind Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk is perhaps the most influential innovator of the 21st century. The entrepreneur extraordinaire, 47, has left an indelible mark on multiple industries, particularly e-commerce, aerospace and the automative field. “The best thing we’ve had since Thomas Edison,” declared Neil deGrasse Tyson, the star astrophysicist. Musk’s overarching goals seem to be: accelerate Earth’s transition to sustainable energy, using his products; and make humans a multi-planetary species, reducing the risk of our extinction.

A visionary genius who creates a wide range of futuristic stuff, Musk prompts comparisons to a fictional character: Tony Stark, the billionaire magnate, playboy and brilliant scientist known as Iron Man in Marvel Comics and film adaptations. Nonetheless, a Hollywood ending is far from guaranteed amid enormous challenges surrounding Musk’s famous car company. The super scientist inexplicably found himself entangled in a soap opera involving a controversial female rapper and his gossipy, pop-singer girlfriend. So although shareholder value has skyrocketed under Musk, his self-inflicted wounds in recent months — especially on Twitter — have prompted questions about his leadership.

The scrutiny seemed to reach a fever pitch on Friday, September 7, following Musk’s appearance on comedian Joe Rogan’s podcast: During a captivating, live-streamed interview, Musk took one puff of marijuana after pointing out its legality in California. Tesla’s stock dropped as much as 10% as its chief accountant, Dave Morton, also announced his resignation following just a month on the job. He cited unusual scrutiny of the company.

Musk maintains his defiance (and sense of humor) while describing 2018 as being the most difficult year in his iconic — and iconoclastic — life. During the past few months, he’s exhibited questionable, if not, strange behavior: Musk insulted Wall Street analysts during an earnings call; tweeted an April Fool’s joke about his billion-dollar car company going bankrupt; disparaged the media via Twitter, in Trumpian fashion, because of negative coverage; and accused a British man of being a pedophile after the poor lad mocked Musk’s submarine idea. Alas, even perhaps the world’s greatest mind can’t find a solution for thin skin.

Musk apologized for a couple of the bizarre episodes, including the salacious tweet surrounding the rescue of 12 teenagers and their soccer coach from an underwater cave in Thailand. Nonetheless, the brilliant scientist proved incorrigible on the topic. Almost six weeks later — in an August 28 tweet — Musk deemed it “strange” that the man, Vernon Unsworth, considered a hero for his efforts, hadn’t sued. Musk deleted the gratuitous insult on a day Tesla’s stock dropped — repeating a familiar pattern, and renewing concerns about his behavior. Then within days, Musk’s email response to a Buzzfeed reporter — meant to be off the record — was published. It showed him declaring Unsworth a “child rapist.” On September 17, Unsworth filed a defamation lawsuit against Musk in California’s United States District Court.

FLYING THE FIRST MOON TOURISTS

Capturing the genius’s complexities, on the very same day of the embarrassing development, SpaceX unveiled its first paying customer for a trip around the moon: Yusaku Maezawa, a billionaire as the founder of Japan’s largest internet clothing retailer. Maezawa, 42, plans to invite up to eight artists to join him gratis for the week-long, 240,000-mile ride. The mission, planned for 2023, would be the first lunar journey since 1972 when the famous Apollo missions concluded — and the first ever by regular citizens. Maezawa intends to bring along an architect, dancer, fashion designer, filmmaker, musician, novelist, painter, photographer and sculptor. The group would create artwork reflecting its time in space. Musk described Maezawa — an art collector and former punk drummer— as being brave for his willingness to take the dangerous voyage, an important step in commercializing space travel. Maezawa will fly on the BFR (Big Falcon Rocket), being built by SpaceX to be the biggest and most powerful spaceship ever. He’s funding an undisclosed percentage of the $5 billion development cost. The moon tourist trip is scheduled to occur just one year before Musk’s plans for sending the first humans to Mars. Why distract from such unprecedented greatness with occasional smalltime behavior???

By NUNYO DEMASIO

Donald Trump made history by reaching the White House without any political or military experience while being its oldest (70), wealthiest (a billionaire) and most-divorced (twice) occupant. America’s forty-fifth president has unabashedly broken traditions and shattered norms involving the judiciary, free press, intelligence community, international alliances, etc, etc. He once used the White House’s bully pulpit to describe some neo-Nazis and/or their sympathizers as being “very fine people.” Conversely, perhaps no ex-president has publicly rebuked his successor with the forcefulness of Barack Obama, starting in September 2018 — breaking an informal rule that spanned more than 70 years. Pointing out Trump’s iconoclasm, Obama explained that the consequences of deference had turned “dire.”

Ahead of the pivotal midterm elections (November 6), Trump and Obama conveyed disparate visions while trying to sway voters. The blue wave gave the Democrats their largest gain in the House since the post-Watergate election of 1974: Obama’s party netted 40 House seats while the Republicans saved face by gaining two Senate seats (securing a 53-47 majority). The midterms, which produced their highest turnout in the past century, ended Republican congressional rule, empowering the Democrats to stifle Trump’s legislative agenda. Democrats also earned several key governorships and state legislative control.

The results gave Obama hope after he’d watched Trump’s most successful stretch as president highlighted by Brett Kavanaugh, 53, winning confirmation to the Supreme Court amid accusations of sexual assault. The development positioned Trump to leave an indelible mark on modern American history, reshaping the bench by shifting power to staunch conservatives, presumably for decades, on third-rail issues such as abortion, gun rights and affirmative action. Of course, Trump’s opportunity to seat a second Supreme Court justice occurred because Obama’s choice, Merrick Garland, was blocked by Republicans in 2016. Kavanaugh replaces Justice Anthony Kennedy, a moderate conservative whose pivotal votes occasionally swung in favor of monumental Democratic causes.

Obama, age 57, vs. Trump, 72: Whose vision of America — and the world — will endure? Who will prevail in this clash of political titans? Or do such questions partly depend on the conclusions of the long-time elephant in the room: special counsel Robert Mueller?

By NUNYO DEMASIO

The Los Angeles Lakers made big news during the summer by luring LeBron James — the NBA’s best player — rekindling hope for the storied franchise after several years of struggles. Nonetheless, Golden State’s thievery of DeMarcus (Boogie) Cousins — after the Lakers inexplicably declined to make an offer — was so head-spinning that some NBA fans and even pundits pleaded for league (or maybe divine) intervention.

The developments sharpened memories of the Veto in 2011: the NBA infamously overruling a three-team trade, sending Hornets point guard, Chris Paul, to Kobe Bryant's Lakers -- and dramatically reshaping today’s NBA. Despite the perception that David Stern had long-favored big-market teams, the then NBA Commissioner received intense criticism for voiding the trade.