Hoop for Life

USA Basketball 2012 Olympic Finalists

2012-01-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

NBA basketball is alive and well. With the 2012 Olympics around the corner, the finalists for the roster were announced today.

"This will be the most talented of the three teams that I've had the opportunity to coach," coach Mike Krzyzewski said Monday during a conference call.

Coach K was right on the money. I took a look at the list to rank them and was excited about the talent to choose from however, it's going to be extremely difficult to select 12 out of these 20 players to send to London, England.

Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge have been added to the mix. How do you rank the 20? Submit here.

Here are my picks along with the line ups.

1.Kobe Bryant

2.Dwyane Wade

3.Derrick Rose

4.Kevin Durant

5.LeBron James

6.Chris Paul

7.Blake Griffin

8.Carmelo Anthony

9.Tyson Chandler

10.Dwight Howard

11.Kevin Love

12.Chris Bosh

13.LaMarcus Aldridge

14.Russell Westbrook

15.Andrew Iguodala

16.Deron Williams

17.Chauncey Billups

18.Eric Gordon

19.Lamar Odom

20.Rudy Gay

Depth Chart
PG: DRose, CP3
SG: Kobe, DWade
SF: Durant, Melo, LeBron
PF: LeBron, Griffin, Bosh
C: Howard, Chandler, KLove

Oh no....There's a Man Down

2011-12-23T00:24:00.000-08:00

The famous words of Pat Summerall on Madden '96.

Early Offense
Speaking of man down, all eyes are on Kobe Bryant at the end of 2011 because of the following:

1. No more Vanessa
2. No Pre-Nup
3. No Phil Jackson

Adding insult to injury (no pun intended), #24 is listed as day to day with a torn ligament on his right wrist. Kobe has played on Christmas Day for the last 13 seasons so he'll be fine. #toughness

Bad Shot
Is Monta Ellis following the footsteps of Brett Favre? We're not talking about retiring and coming back, then retiring again either. Ellis and the Warriors caught a cold case, while the chick he was "sexting" was not even that hot. #notagoodlook #worththedataplan?

20 Second Time Out
Brook Lopez broke his foot in a preseason game. Get well soon #Stanford #noDwightHoward in #NewJersey

Offensive Foul
Via ESPN
Don't Hate The Playa!

According to a survey conducted by Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research that appeared on Forbes.com, the 10 most-disliked NBA players:

1. Kris Humphries	Nets
2. LeBron James	Heat
3. Kobe Bryant	Lakers
4. Tony Parker	Spurs
5. Metta World Peace	Lakers
6. Chris Bosh	Heat
7. Carmelo Anthony	Knicks
8. Paul Pierce	Celtics
9. Dwyane Wade	Heat
10. Lamar Odom	Mavericks

Box Out
On a good "downer" note: Charles Barkley is a spokesperson for Jenny Craig. We'll see how that works out. Remember when CB34 was in shape?
#Beast

Reality TV #OpenCourt

2011-12-20T22:17:00.000-08:00

If you're a cable junkie like rest of America's 99%, one of the best shows to watch is Open Court on NBATV. It's a 6 part series which features stories, commentary, and opinions from the "NBA on TNT" crew. The show is hosted by Ernie Johnson and the panel consists of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr, Steve Smith, Chris Webber, and Shaquille O'Neal.

#OpenCourt is insightful, hilarious, and definitely a hit! Check out the trailer for a little taste of All Access.

Players discussing their "Last Meal."

Transition Basket

CP3 aka "Carlton" from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air gives the LA Clippers a good look and a great chance to be contenders. #playoffs

Chauncey Billups needs to stay healthy throughout the season. Expect another year of big time dunks from "Earthquake" Blake Griffin aka "O'Doyle Rules" (from Billy Madison), as well as DeAndre Jordan who posterized the Lakers big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol #BubbaGump & #GeicoCaveman.

The new look Clips made Kobe Bryant and the Lakers look old and slow. And is it just me or does Mike Brown look lost as their new head coach? #notagoodfit

Rookie of the Year Watch
One word: Kemba!
Watch for this young buck out of UConn to earn his way into a starting spot for Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats. #nationalchamp

Love this game winner highlight. #anklebreaker

Delay of Game
Shawn Marion feels like the Mavs are overlooked this season. It's because your owner bought you bracelets instead of Championship Rings! #nobodycares

Fan: How many rings you got? Mav: None, I got a bracelet

NBA is Back #2012

2011-12-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

BFF's #finally

Despite the drama before, during, and after the lockout; we can finally enjoy and celebrate the greatest sport on Earth!

Quick Dimer
Does Preseason Count?

Yes, of course. At least if you pay attention to it.

Why?

Team preparation and chemistry
Players trying earn a roster spot (and a living).

Jump Stop
Small reason to get excited about 2012 NBA Season: Jimmer Fredette!!

#unlimitedrange

Turnover
#kobedivorce Will it help or hurt his game?
Via @DeRay Davis (as a joke!): "Kobe ain't gettin a divorce, Vanessa got traded for 3 new 1st round young chicks and a non-questioned household."

No prenup #ouch

Kevin Durant lights up Rucker Park

2011-08-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Durantula goes for 66 points and showcases a barrage of 3 pointers in the 4th quarter that fired up the crowd causing everyone to spill out onto the court. As Mark Jackson would say, "Hand Down, Man Down!"

Per Kevin Durant via Twitter: "No lie, jus had one of the best times of my life at Rucker park..wow! I love NY... Harlem waddup"

Classic Streetball Showmanship!

Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls NBA 2010-11 MVP

2011-05-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the youngest player in NBA history to win the Most Valuable Player award.

USA Basketball Nike Hoop Summit (NHS)

2011-04-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

2011 USA Basketball Men's Junior National Select Team
USA NHS Team - USA Basketball

Player	Pos	Hgt	Wgt	DOB	High School / Hometown	College Choice
Brad Beal	G	6'3''	180	06/28/93	Chaminade Prep / St.Louis,MO	*Florida
Rakeem Christmas	F	6'9''	225	12/01/91	New Church Academy / Philadelphia,MD	*Syracuse
Quinn Cook	G	6'1''	178	03/23/93	Oak Hill / Bowie,MD	*Duke
Anthony Davis	F	6'10''	220	03/11/93	Perspectives Charter / Chicago,IL	*Kentucky
Michael Gilchrist	F	6'7''	220	09/26/93	St.Patrick HS / Somerdale,NJ	*Kentucky
James McAdoo	F	6'8''	210	01/04/93	St.Patrick HS / Norfolk,VA	*No.Carolina
Austin Rivers	G	6'3''	175	08/01/92	WinterPark HS / WinterPark,FL	*Duke
Marquis Teague	G	6'2''	175	02/28/93	Pike HS / Indianapolis,IN	*Kentucky
Adonis Thomas	G	6'6''	205	03/25/93	Bishop Melrose HS / Cordova,TN	*Memphis
Tony Wroten	G	6'5''	206	04/13/93	Garfield HS / Seattle,WA	*Washington

HEAD COACH: Kevin Sutton ASSISTANT COACH: Kevin Boyle
* Player has signed a National Letter of Intent to play in 2011-12.

2011 World Select Team
International Team Press Release

Player	Pos	Hgt	Wgt	Year	Home Country	Current Team
Kyle Wiltjer	F	6'10''	221	1992	Canada	Jesuit HS (Portland, OR)
Dario Saric	F	6'9''	190	1994	Croatia	KK Dubrava Zagreb
Davis Bertans	F	6'7''	205	1992	Latvia	Union Olimpija Jr. Team
Mateusz Ponitka	G	6'5''	190	1993	Poland	AZS Politechnika
Kevin Pangos	G	6'1''	178	1993	Canada	Dr.Dennison HS (Ont)
Evan Fornier	G	6'6''	185	1992	France	Union Poitiers
Raul Togni Neto	G	6'2''	195	1992	Brazil	Pitagoras Minas Tenis Club
Lucas Riva Nogueira	C	7'0''	225	1992	Brazil	Estudiantes
Przemyslaw Karnowski	C	7'0''	269	1993	Poland	Sport School Cetniewo
Guo Ailun	G/F	6'4''	180	1993	China	Laioning
Bismack Biyombo	F/C	6'9''	240	1992	Congo	Baloncesto Fuenlabrada

HEAD COACH: Roy Rana (Canada) ASSISTANT COACH: Marin Sedlacek (Serbia)

*Indicates college where the player has signed a National Letter of Intent to play in 2011-12.
#Indicates college where the player has verbally committed to play in 2011-12.

About

2011 GAME SITE: Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon

GAME DATE: Saturday, April 9, 2011

GAME TIME: 7:00 p.m. (PT)

EVENT DESCRIPTION: An annual basketball game played under international rules. The Nike Hoop Summit features the USA Basketball Men’s Junior Select Team, comprised of the top high school boy senior players, playing against an World Select Team, comprised of top players 19-years-old or younger from around the world.

EVENT HISTORY: The USA holds an 10-3 series lead. Held annually from 1995-2000, the Nike Hoop Summit was resumed in 2004. The Nike Hoop Summit was played in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004 in the city hosting the men's NCAA Final Four. Between 2005-2007 the Nike Hoop Summit was held at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. Since 2008 the game has been played in Portland, Oregon at the Rose Garden.

NIKE HOOP SUMMIT PLAYERS OF NOTE

USA Select Team: Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1995); Ron Artest (1997); Shane Battier (1997); Michael Beasley (2007); Mike Bibby (1996); Elton Brand (1997); Nick Collison (1999); Baron Davis (1997); Demar DeRozan (2008); Chris Duhon (2000); Mike Dunleavy (1999); Kevin Durant (2006); Wayne Ellington (2006); Monta Ellis (2005); Tyreke Evans (2008); Kevin Garnett (1995); Dion Glover (1997); Drew Gordon (2008); Tyler Hansbrough (2005); Al Harrington (1998); Paul Harris (2006); Spencer Hawes (2006); Gerald Henderson (2006); Kirk Hinrich (1999); Jrue Holiday (2008); Ryan Humphrey (1997); Larry Hughes (1997); Casey Jacobsen (1999); Antawn Jamison (1995); Al Jefferson (2004); Jared Jeffries (2000); Joe Johnson (1999); Kevin Love (2007); Tywon Lawson (2006); Rashard Lewis (1998); Stephon Marbury (1995); O.J. Mayo (2007); Darius Miles (2000); Jermaine O'Neal (1996); Zack Randolph (2000); Quentin Richardson (1998); Derrick Rose (2007); Josh Smith (2004); J.R. Smith (2004); Stromile Swift (1998); Sebastian Telfair (2004); Robert Traylor (1995); Martell Webster (2005); Jay Williams (1999); Louis Williams (2005).

International Select Team: Dirk Nowitzki (1998); Tony Parker (2000); Alexis Ajinca (2008); Jerome Moiso (1997); Darius Songaila (1998); Luis Scola (1998); Ruben Boumtje Boumtje (1997); Bostjan Nachbar (1999, 2000); Dan Gadzuric (1998); Vladmir Radmanovic (1999); Igor Rakocevic (1997); Mouhamed Saer Sene (2006); Dusan Sakota (2005); Bruno Sundov (1999); Mark Dickel (1996); Martynas Pocius (2005).

Hoops for Wishes

2010-10-12T20:06:00.000-07:00

Up and coming basketball star Alex Otis from Burlingame, CA has organized the 1st Annual 3-on-3 Tournament benefiting and granting wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions. Please come support the cause, all proceeds for this event will benefit the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Click here for registration and details, summary below:

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Tournament Divisions

VARSITY (High School Junior or Senior)

JR VARSITY (High School Freshman or Sophomore)

Team entry (4 players)

Request your registration packet at hoops4wishes@gmail.com

THREE-POINT SHOOTOUT
At the conclusion of the Championship Game, teams will be invited to participate in a 3-point shootout. Prizes will be awarded.

Hosted by Burlingame Sports Center

1524 Rollins Road

Burlingame, CA

Please click here to contact Nuri Otis if you have any questions.

Boxing Out

2010-09-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

Rebounding is simple. Technique, positioning, and intelligence.

Taught and demonstrated by the legendary Red Auerbach and the best rebounder that ever played the game, Bill Russell. Enough said. Watch, learn, apply, and pass it on.

Foster City Flyers

2010-09-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Foster City Flyers 6th Grade Club Team who took 1st place in the Bay City Tournament on the weekend of September 18-19, 2010. The games were held at St. Emedius in San Francisco and Ocean High School in Pacifica, CA aka the "Mike Keough Shark Tank."

Oceana High School

The Flyers were formed rather quickly by parents who were looking for a new coach. The goal was simple: 6 practices and 1 tournament to see if there was a fit with the team. Initially entered to play in the (All Asian) Silicon Valley Basketball Community (SVBC) Tournament, the 6th grade division did not have enough entries so our team manager attempted to enter us to play up in the 7th grade. However, the upper division was full so we signed up for Bulldawgs AAU (open) tournament.

We had the honor of being invited to coach the Flyers. Our Motto was T.S.U. (Tough, Smart, Unselfish) going into the practices and games. We wanted to display that mentality every time we were together on the court and our Flyers did a great job of collectively being tough, smart, and unselfish. Our practices were designed to be uptempo and tough (mentally and physically) so our players could build on fundamentals, awareness, and confidence on and off the court. Our kids are really smart so they picked up everything quickly.

Our last two practices were great so we felt prepared going into the tournament. When I gathered the Flyers before our first game for our pre-game strategy, you could tell the boys were definitely ready by their body language, focus, and excitement. I remember turning to our assistant and saying these boys are like lions in a cage.

(Back row - L to R) Asst Coach Noel, Jason, Mike, Austin, Matt, Ryan, and Coach DShu
(Front row L to R) Ethan, Dylan, and Lucas

Scouting Report

PG: Ethan Cha*- Crafty guard with a knack to make plays for himself and his teammates. Has a streetball style to his game but started to apply fundamentals to help his team be efficient and produce wins.

SG: Dylan Penn*- Best shooter on the team and probably the toughest mentally and physically. Vocal leader and unselfish teammate willing to do anything for his coach and to help his team win.

SF: Jason Apostol- Lefty, consistent on both end of the court. Reminds me of Shane Battier who does all the little things to help the team. Good defender on and off the ball and takes initiative on challenges.

PF: Austin Lee- Quiet leader, very coachable, and exemplified toughness. Unselfish and knows how to make plays or score buckets when needed.

C: Michael Diaz*- The Big Fella. Unselfish leader who cleaned up the boards, scored key baskets, and also made plays for his teammates. One of the best free throw shooters on the team.

Bench
Ryan Shintaku- Deceptively good overall. Our defensive stopper who helped shut down the shooter in game 2 who also made all the right plays on offense.

Matthew Shen- Versatile and smart player who filled in at any position when we needed him, everything from point guard to center. Also a very solid help side defender.

Lucas Lee- Youngest player on our team (8), tough and not afraid to take a big time shot. Came in and gave quality minutes.

*Team Captains

Flyers Team Huddle

Game 1 vs. Bay City
You could tell by the way we warmed up that our Flyers were ready for the host team. There was a lot of communication and leadership being displayed by our newly formed team. Our boys jumped on this team early and often. Our Flyers played man to man full court defense, which we didn't even work on in practice! The intensity and defensive pressure held our opponents close to just 20 points.

Game 2 vs. BAAS Dragons
The Dragons had a sharp shooter and a young player who could flat out play. He had a great feel for the game and just lit up his last opponent with 31 points and a victory. The kid was shooting 3's from college and NBA range. Our Flyers were determined to stop him and we had several players request to guard him. With the emphasis on team defense (5 on 1 as opposed to 1 on 1), we held their leading scorer to 9 points and a blowout victory.

Championship Game vs. Bulldawgs

Our toughest opponent. We actually made it a bit tough for ourselves since two of our best players (Michael Diaz and Dylan Penn) were in foul trouble as well as one of our starters (Austin Lee) getting popped in the mouth and having to leave the game but returning to make some big plays down the stretch. However, our bench (Ryan Shintaku and Matthew Shen) was outstanding and provided the level of play to take us over the top. The Bulldawgs liked to press full court and trap in the half court but our Flyers pushed the ball on made or missed shots to beat the press. The sharing of the ball in the front court also allowed us to beat their zone traps for open shots and easy baskets.

Michael Diaz (11) and Dylan Penn (10)

Overall, our team was put together quickly a la Team USA in the FIBA World Championships. We had to figure out our roles and our chemistry came along throughout our practices. I have to say, this team was special by the way we bonded and trusted each other. I'm very proud of each of our players and honored by the support shown by the parents. The victory's were all well deserved and the Championship was the icing on the cake.

Team Huddle

Credits
Associate Coach Noel Shen
Team Manager John Cha
Special Guest Coaches:
Andrew Borthwick
Mike Barton and his two sons Andrew and Darren
Brian Gomes
Mike Tom

Type 1 Awareness and Fundraiser

2010-09-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

Type 1, once known as juvenile diabetes for which there is no cure and which, according to the American Diabetes Association, affects about 5-10 percent of the roughly 24 million Americans overall who have it.

Georgetown basketball player Austin Freeman (Junior) was diagnosed last season won't let it slow him down. Other notable athletes and celebs including Adam Morrison, Jay Cutler, and even Halle Berry knows what it's like to constantly having to monitor their blood sugar levels and inject themselves with insulin before each meal.

This hits home for me since my father and my nephew Mikey D are also diabetics. It's all about education, awareness, and support in order to maintain our well being and eventually finding a cure.

If you are in the area, please come support this event (9/17/10) will be hosted by a good friend of my whom we call the General, Mike Barton. Both of his sons are Type 1 diabetic, as well as Mikey D so we'll all be there. Hope you guys can make and spread the word.

EVENT DETAILS

D.B.'s Crusaders Bowl for a Cure Fundraiser

Host:
The Barton Family
Phone:
650-952-3787

When:
Friday, September 17 at 06:00 PM
Where:
Classic Bowling Center 900 King Drive Daly City, CA 94015

Message from Host

Join Andrew and Darren Barton and their D.B.'s Crusaders for their 3rd annual Bowl for a Cure fundraiser to help "Strike Out" diabetes.
For a $10 donation you get your shoe rental and 3 games of "Glow Bowl". We will have a DJ, videos and a raffle.
100% of the proceeds will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Thank you for your ongoing support. We hope to see you there!
The Barton Family

Team Flight Brothers

2010-09-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

One word for these high flying slam dunkers: Wow!

Oh, and maybe a few more words a la Bill Walton: Throw it down, big fella!

Since we're on the topic of dunking, you have to peep the following highlights. Another one word description: Dirty!

Team USA 2010 FIBA World Champions

2010-09-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

Feels great to see the Naismith Trophy return to America. My new favorite player (and probably the world's) is Kevin Durant, not sure why but the following stats might be an indication:

(Last three USA games: 100 points, 35-for-59 shooting (59 percent), 15 3-pointers.
Everyone else on Team USA, last three games: 159 points, 57-for-146 shooting (39 percent), 14 3-pointers). P.S. He's only 21 years old.

Here's a compilation of quotes worth noting via Chris Sheridan's article. Congratulations Coach K and Team USA!

"Coach K said something to them earlier today about the fact that we beat Spain in Spain, we beat Greece in Greece, we might as well beat Turkey in Turkey," Colangelo said. "And that's what transpired, and it's a great tribute to a young group of guys and some veteran leadership who really stepped up, some of which showed in the box score and some of which didn't. And it was a great team effort, and a great thing for USA Basketball because it got us over the hump."

"I think that was everybody's motivation, especially coming from people back in the United States who really doubted us and said it was going to be tough for us to win. We came here and proved everybody wrong," Durant said.

"I think it's a tribute to the structure and foundation we have at USA Basketball that we can turn over as many players as we have, over 30, since '06 in the last world championship and be as successful as we've been," Jerry Colangelo said. "It's a tribute to the players, the quality of players we have, and Mike Krzyzewski deserves tremendous, tremendous praise for the job he's done. I've never seen anybody stick to it as much as he does. He's organized, he's focused, he sleeps it, he dreams it."

Durant's FIBA Mix

"I was pounding my chest and letting everybody know who we are, the USA team, and that's across my chest, that's who I'm representing," Durant said. "I was in the moment, I was emotional, and Coach K told us in all our meetings to be passionate, to be emotional for everybody on the floor and everybody back home, and that's what I was doing."

Way to bring it home boys, let's get the gold at the 2012 Olympics.

The Magic Johnson School of Leadership

2010-08-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Once again, my favorite player of all time does it again.
(via TrueHoop)

But it's hardly the only way to fire up your teammates. In that regard, consider what Jackie MacMullan writes in "When the Game Was Ours" about Magic Johnson's first year at Everett high school:

Magic's congeniality was a gift and a blessing to a school that was struggling to maintain order in the wake of the redistricting. There were incidents throughout Johnson's tenure at Everett between white and black students, yet the gifted young ballplayer defused much of the tension by coaxing his friends into becoming like him -- colorblind.

He showed up at parties held by his white teammates, even though he and his friends were often the only blacks in attendance. He convinced his white friends to listen to his soul music and coaxed the principal into setting aside a room to dance during free study periods. He organized a protest when no African American cheerleaders were picked for the school's squad, even though their talents were undeniable.

"For all his basketball skills, the biggest contribution Earvin made to Everett was race relations," said Fox. "He helped us bridge two very different cultures. He ran with the white kids, but never turned his back on the black kids. He broke down so many barriers. He was so popular the students figured 'Hey, if Earvin is hanging out with these guys, it must be okay.'"

It was an Everett tradition that after the first practice of the season, the players ran around the basketball court until the last teammate was standing. Two years in a row, that person was Earvin Johnson. The summer before his senior season, Johnson's teammates Randy Shumway informed Fox that he was out to beat Magic. The two ran around the court for more than a half-hour as their teammates dropped by the wayside. After 45 minutes, both players were panting, clearly exhausted, yet neither was willing to quit. Fox was contemplating how he should break the stalemate when he noticed Johnson whispering in Shumway's ear. The two did one more lap together before Magic announced, "That's it, Coach. We're calling it a draw."

"Earvin could have outlasted him," said Fox, "but he knew it would be better for team morale if he didn't."

Of course, this is just a fraction of the leadership moments from Johnson's life to date. But it's a powerful tale. Remember how awkward you were in high school? All those insecurities that ruled your life? Imagine the self-assurance it takes to walk into that environment and lead a successful and inspiring one-man race relations campaign, complete with protests on behalf of cheerleaders, a room set aside for dancing and passing up opportunities to prove athletic dominance in favor of team cohesion.

Even just reading about it I'm inspired. That's leadership.

PBA Top 10 Plays of the Week

2010-08-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

This video is courtesy of Sunny Margate from Blueprint Basketball via Facebook. My boy Harvey Carey (Bay Area Native) throws down at #1.

July 2010

DShu and Harvey Carey at SF Pro-AM (2008)

Jeremy Lin Owning John Wall?

2010-07-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

Then again, it's only summer league but Jeremy Lin has definitely something to prove. He'll most likely end up on an NBA roster but now with out earning his spot. Wall ended up with 21 pts (4-19), 7 rebs, 10 assts and the win while Lin had 13 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assts. Lin had 11 in the 4th quarter when he went head to head with Wall. Check out the highlights!

Lin also getting love on NBA TV.

Is LeBron Gone?

2010-05-13T22:59:00.000-07:00

Thursday- May 13, 2010

NBA Eastern Semi Finals, Game 6

Cavaliers 85 - Celtics 94

Facing elimination, LeBron James once again comes up short. "Another disappointing season to say the least," James said. He is now being nicknamed as a choke artist and known for folding under pressure situations. The fact of the matter is, there is a lot of truth to that right now and until he wins a championship (or 4) he might as well be the modern-day Dominique Wilkins. Taking nothing away from the Human Highlight Reel, Wilkins (like James) was one of the best that never won one (title) which leaves him out of the real "Best." Can you say, "Gone Fishing."

Throughout the series, there was a lot of talk that LeBron just didn't look like himself or he's injured. Whatever it was....the 9 turnovers, 8-21 shooting, and being dependent on Verajao/Jamison/Williams/CAVS just didn't get it done. I was expecting him to take over like he did several years ago in a Game 7 when he single-handedly dominated the Detroit Pistons in the 4th quarter and overtime.

The Cons

Clearly James was passive and not the same aggressive tomahawk dunker. The leadership, the swagger, the body language was not there. Leaders aren't afraid to challenge teammates and get in someones face, let alone lead by example. Let's not get it twisted 27-19-10 aint' too shabby but committing 9 TO's is absolutely careless in an elimination game.

The Pros

The good thing we must remember is that LeBron James is only 25 (pretty scary). How mature and mentally ready were you when you were that age? He has a bright future ahead of him and I'm sure he might get some Chips down the road. However, he's still earning his stripes for now.

The Game

The obvious stats- Cavs shot 38% and turned the ball over 22 times. The Celtics shot 44% and had only 13 turnovers. The biggest disappointment was watching the Cavs QUIT (chose not to foul Rondo and stop the clock) when they were down by 9 points with over 1:30 left in the game. Unacceptable!!

The Support (or lack thereof)

Jamison: 2-10, 5 pts. Can you say Cliff Robinson?

Mo Williams scored 22 but was getting killed throughout the playoffs by D. Rose and of course, Rajon Rondo (who was getting compared to Wilt, Big O, Magic, and other legends).

Might as well have called Candace Parker to lend a helping hand.

The Coaching

Mike Brown, paging Mike Brown!! Sitting duck? Yes, no, maybe so? Whatever happened to making changes, shifting lineups, throwing a fit to fire your team up? If it were me, I'd bench Mo Williams and try Boobie Gibson on Rondo. Williams' foot speed can't keep up so what makes you think putting a taller (not faster) player on Rondo who can't shoot will work? JJ Hickson would have been a better defensive match up on KG. Why was Z even playing?? I would have even tried Leon Powe against his old team to try to provide some type of spark.

Remember when Allen Iverson was destroying the Lakers in the 2000 Finals? What did Phil Jackson do....he called upon Tyronne Lue. They didn't win game one but the Lakers had an answer for the Answer and won the next four games. I mean if all else fails, throw a tantrum, get T'd up to provide something for your team. Where's Donald Trump at (You're Fired!) when you need him? I'm just sayin'!

The Rondo (I mean, Celtics)

The kid has been playing out of his mind and was even noticed by the legendary Bob Cousy. The Vets have come alive and are clicking at the right time. KG is not the same as he was in 2008 but that defensive presence is coming back. The Truth is still dangerous and you can never sleep on Ray Allen because he can fill it up in a hurry.

The Future

New York, New Jersey, Miami, Chicago, even Golden State? Does LeBron opt out or does he shock the world by taking a pay cut and stay in his hometown? That would display great commitment, loyalty, and an unselfishness that would be great for the entire country. It's really what's missing in today's society.

The Next Round

Boston vs. Orlando: Great match up, Celts win in 6 or 7.

Phoenix vs. LA: Another great match up, LA in 6.

Finals: LA vs Boston- you decide.

Did I miss anything??

Hoop Dreams, 15 Years Later

2010-05-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

“People always say to me, ‘when you get to the NBA, don’t forget about me’. Well, I should’ve said back, ‘if I don’t make it to the NBA, don’t you forget about me’.”—William Gates

Remember Arthur Agee and Gates? I don't think hoop fans forgot about them.

(via Ben York)
Gates now has a son who plays at St. Joseph High School, and is still married to the young woman he had a child with in the film. Education is the No. 1 priority for Gates as he continues to set a better example for his children than his father did.

Agee is returning to Tucson in a couple months to screen his follow-up to Hoop Dreams called Hoop Reality. This time, Agee serves as a mentor to a young prodigy at his former high school. The film’s tone and message remains the same – youth with dreams of playing professional basketball have to develop a back-up plan.

Check out the excerpts below in an article from SLA M magazine or read full story here.

"Fifteen years ago, a landmark documentary changed the way we viewed the proverbial dream many children have of playing professional basketball. As with millions of youth across the globe, Arthur Agee and William Gates dreamt of one day playing in the NBA; the only difference with them and others is they were actually gifted enough to make it there. Growing up in the inner-city of Chicago, Agee and Gates were recruited early on to play high school basketball at a suburban prep school. Immediately, they found that their dreams of playing in the NBA would come at a much higher price than they originally thought. Academics, money, family troubles, and politics were just some of the newfound barriers they would have to face. Throughout it all, they never lost faith in basketball, and in doing so captured the collective hearts of moviegoers everywhere. Never before had a film given us a glimpse of this journey as it was actually occurring."

"Today, Agee and Gates are exactly how you would imagine them and are an extension of what they were in the film. Arthur Agee’s kind-hearted nature and friendly personality is both unmistakable and infectious. His passion for inspiring kids to make the most out of life is refreshing and awe-inspiring at the same time. William Gates is still soft-spoken, but his genuineness and warmth translates very well into his current career – pastor at Living Faith Community Church in Chicago. The bond they shared many years ago is still evident today, perhaps even stronger."

Although Agee and Gates never made it to the NBA, their story has caused millions of people to take a second look at their own life. What happens if I get injured before getting a college scholarship? What if I don’t make it? How can I best position myself for success?

CBL Basketball League

2010-05-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

From one of the hardest working men in the San Francisco Bay Area, former All-American and SFSU Alum Paul Clay presents Corporate Basketball League. Check out the video highlights below and contact him to enter your team or sign on as a free agent in one of the most competitive adult leagues on the Peninsula.

Pay close attention, you might catch yourself on camera or even notice a few local standouts.

Message from the League Director

Hello everyone,

We are finalizing the dates of our next CBL basketball league which will start in the early part of June.

We are going to add something new to our upcoming season. We are having two divisions as we have had in the past!

Recreational Division (Tuesday nights)
Open Division (Thursday nights) Currently running - (Championship game is May 13th)

Please let us know if your interested in participating or getting more information. We guarantee all teams 8-10 games along with league t-shirts, awards for first and second place and one MVP award.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Paul Clay

Details
Divisions: Recreational League (Tuesday Nights) Open Division (Thursday Nights)
Cost: $750 per team (includes league t-shirt & regular season games & playoffs)
Game times: 7:30pm, 8:30pm, 9:30pm
Starts: Week of June 1st
Where: TBD (EPA Boys and Girls Club or Redwood City Boys and Girls Club)
Deadline: Friday, May 21st @ 5:00pm
FREE AGENTS: If you are interested and don't have a team. Please contact us and we will place you on a team. Cost: $80 per player. Any questions feel free to email us at (corporaterivals@yahoo.com). If you have a team please contact us and we will send you a roster.

2010 Champs

John Wall: Before Kentucky and the NBA

2010-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick video with highlights of J-Dub aka Mr. Muscle Dance.

To Travel or Not to Travel??

2010-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

For all of you so called experts, is this a travel or a jump stop??

If you said Jump Stop, you're absolutely correct! The height of his move may have thrown you off but it's a legal move.

If you said Travel, then it's time to study the game a little more. It's so common for people to call that a violation because they are not accustomed to seeing the move performed in that manner. I've seen many refs along with players and coaches argue for a traveling call (Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtic bench in that play) just as people would call a "walk" when someone performs the slow and elongated two side steps that we're seeing more and more of a la Manu Ginobili and D-Wade.

Learn the game, ham and egger!

True Fan with Gratifying Ending

2010-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is a story worth reading, I wish it made bigger and more headlines. The man in the story is Ray Towler, who was presented with a LeBron James jersey by his attorneys moments after his best day of his life.

By Mike Wagner
Wrongly convicted man goes free
Long-awaited DNA tests prove he is innocent of rape

CLEVELAND -- Cuyahoga County Judge Eileen A. Gallagher broke down on the bench this morning as she freed a man who has served 29 years for a rape he did not commit.

After a 10-minute hearing, Gallagher approved a prosecutor's request to release Ray Towler from his life sentence and declared him innocent.

Gallagher stepped down from the bench, approached Towler with an extended hand, and said, "Mr. Towler, you are free to go," as she shook his hand, tears streaming down her face.

Towler beamed throughout the hearing, waved to family members in the back of the courtroom, and again showed no signs of anger or animosity for losing so many years behind bars.

"I just waited for the sun to come up today and it did. And for the first time in a long time, I get to walk in the sun outside of prison," Towler after his release.

Ray Towler had just learned that he was going to be released from prison after serving nearly 29 years for a rape he didn't commit, but the inmate was more interested in talking about LeBron James' injured elbow than blaming anyone for his wrongful conviction.

"This is the greatest day of my life, and it's pure joy; I have no hate for anyone," said the 52-year-old Cleveland native in a phone interview yesterday. "I suppose hoping to see LeBron play in person is too much to ask, but at least I can watch the games from outside the barbed wire. I get to start a new life, and the Cavs are going to win the championship. It doesn't get much better than that."

Read rest of the story by clicking here or watch the trial.

Bay Area's Finest Hoop Mixtape

2010-05-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

Check out a nice compilation of young ballers that are up and coming from the "Yay Area" via Bobby Fullilove. See if you can recognize any faces...also, might want to remember some of the names. Enjoy!

Taiwan National Team 1996

2010-04-28T22:59:00.000-07:00

I found this picture in the archives via Air Chuck (my teammate and road dog from back in the days). The team photo was taken after a day of training on the beach. Brings back memories for sure! Fun times but where's Waldo?

NCAA March Madness 2010

2010-03-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

My Final Four Prediction: Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, Butler

Here are familiar words for this time of year, "One and Done, Win or Go Home, Cinderella." Do you know who usually does well in the brackets? It's mostly the people who watch basketball the least. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but there's actually some truth to that. Think back to last year where the "Martha Stewart" or your ham and egg coworker who couldn't dribble a basketball and talk at the same time, go take a look how you faired against them. Their brackets probably looked much better than yours. At least for me, they blew me out of the water. I was always good at NBA Fantasy hoops but when it comes down to the college game, I'm no match for Michael Bolton and the rest of the Initech crew.

THE UPSET IS IN THE MIND OF THE FAVORITE

Because most upsets can never happen unless the favorite lets his guard down, starts getting cocky and believing his press clippings. Coca-Cola could have bought Pepsi a hundred years ago, but didn't think they had to. Sports Illustrated could have bought ESPN twenty years ago, but figured it was a waste of money. And the Soviet hockey team could have easily crushed the Americans at Lake Placid in 1980, but they didn't take them seriously - and every one of those giants paid for it.

- Bo Schembechler

Anything can happen in this tournament, we've all seen it before (except the #1 seed losing to #16). Hence, March Madness. My pick to win it? John Wall does his muscle dance, Kentucky Wildcats.

He's Crafty

2010-03-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Jason Kidd

104 Career Triple Doubles (behind Magic 138 and the Big O 181)

Smart, Savvy Veteran. I always thought that the best shooters have the longest careers in basketball. JKidd is the exception.

For as long as I could remember (back in 8th grade where we were on the same AAU team - except he was a grade up), Kidd never had a jump shot until the last year or two. Nevertheless, he was drawing interests from all the big time Division I schools. Although he's never won an NBA titile, he's always been a great playmaker and leader with a knack to win games (and a couple of Olympic gold medals).

With that said, this is the "Heads Up" Play of the year.

Oscar and Weekend Reflections

2010-03-08T08:55:00.001-08:00

I watched the Oscar Awards last night and it seemed like the Hurt Locker swept the competition. I have to say I did see the movie and it was well deserved. It was great to see the big names such as Tom Hanks, Michelle Pfeifer, Morgan Freeman, and even Oprah Winfrey. You definitely have to admire and respect the talent there.

It felt like the NBA All-Star game ceremony. This is probably the only show I watched this weekend besides basketball since I do have to share the tube with my wife (and since the Jersey Shore season is over). We did flip channels in between to watch the Godfather II on AMC then to the Style channel (courtesy change) to see what was on.

Other than that, it's safe to say I'm still a hoop junkie at all levels. Here's a list of perspectives on this weekend of hoops March 5-7, 2010.

Player- I played pick up ball early Saturday morning. 7am special at Pacific Athletic Club. It's solid run for about 2 hours, 4 on 4 full court on the side baskets with two games going at the same time. Games are up to 11 by 1's. The crowd is mostly older players but it's pretty competitive and it definitely beats feeling like a hamster on the treadmill. The best thing is that everyone goes hard and for the most part, doesn't complain (it's too early!). It's great to get on a team that develops chemistry which helps your team to win and stay on the court. The worst part you figure would be to lose and sit out.

Spectator- My nephew aka Mike Diesel is 10 and playing for a National Jr. Basketball (NJB) All Net team and they made playoffs. It was his first post season game and he rose to the occasion. With his team having possession and up 2 with 11 seconds remaining, Mikey caught the inbound ball and made sure he was fouled since he wanted to shoot the single bonus free throws (1 and 1). He knocked down both free throws to increase the lead to 4 and sealed the deal. As a fan, it was a very proud moment for me to watch him not only play well, but step up in the clutch.

Coaching- On weekends and weekday evenings, I train and work with Mikey. The more I've watched his games, the more the coaching bug starts to reappear. We work on fundamentals, awareness, and most importantly confidence. I would say I'm pretty intense and can be hard on him but fair at the same time. He's about 5'7 and plays the post but I do have to remember he's still only 10. From my influences and who inspire me, I'd like to say I'm a combination of John Wooden, Bob Knight, Coach K, Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach, Greg Popovich, and the list goes on which means I can come off pretty relaxed, fired up, or even a jokester. Mikey is probably pretty confused at times. My point is as he gets better, I'm sure I'm getting better as well in my delivery and communication. Basketball is an amazing and humbling sport.

NBA Tid Bits-

Rodney Stuckey: Scary moment on Friday night, hopefully he recovers to full strength.
Lakers @ Magic: Big win for the Orlando Magic over the LA Lakers. Kobe celebrated too early, Matt Barnes played the punk role and played it well, Pau is skilled but soft. The best part of the game was the 2nd coming (in appearance) of Dennis Rodman, Ron Artest's new hairdo.
The reason why Allen Iverson has been AWOL. Let's hope he is able to recover.
March Madness is about to begin and so are the NBA playoffs.
Big Game James? Lots to live up to with that name, good luck!

Where is Richard Jefferson?

2010-03-06T01:18:00.000-08:00

The biggest disappointment of this NBA season was not RJ getting cold feet and pulling out of his wedding last minute. It's actually watching him blow the grand opportunity to step up and play a key part of the Spurs contention in the West. It doesn't look like he's adapting to Pop's system.

Check out his season versus career stats-

Career				FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
Year	Team	G	Min	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2001-02	NJ	79	24:18	3.4	7.5	45.7	0.2	0.7	23.2	2.4	3.4	71.3	1.1	2.6	3.7	1.8	1.4	0.8	0.6	2.7	9.4
2002-03	NJ	80	36:00	5.7	11.4	50.1	0.1	0.3	25.0	4.1	5.5	74.3	1.9	4.6	6.4	2.5	2.0	1.0	0.6	2.7	15.5
2003-04	NJ	82	38:12	6.8	13.6	49.8	0.6	1.6	36.4	4.4	5.7	76.3	1.3	4.3	5.7	3.8	2.4	1.1	0.3	2.7	18.5
2004-05	NJ	33	41:06	7.2	17.1	42.2	0.9	2.7	33.7	6.9	8.2	84.4	1.5	5.8	7.3	4.0	4.0	1.0	0.5	3.3	22.2
2005-06	NJ	78	39:12	6.4	12.9	49.3	0.8	2.4	31.9	6.0	7.4	81.2	1.2	5.6	6.9	3.8	2.2	0.8	0.2	2.5	19.5
2006-07	NJ	55	35:36	5.5	12.1	45.6	1.0	2.6	35.9	4.4	5.9	73.3	0.9	3.5	4.4	2.7	2.2	0.6	0.2	2.2	16.3
2007-08	NJ	82	39:00	7.6	16.2	46.6	0.9	2.6	36.2	6.6	8.3	79.8	1.1	3.0	4.2	3.1	2.4	0.9	0.3	2.7	22.7
2008-09	MIL	82	35:47	6.6	14.9	43.9	1.4	3.6	39.7	5.1	6.3	80.5	0.7	3.9	4.6	2.4	2.0	0.8	0.2	3.1	19.6
2009-10	SA	58	30:53	4.3	9.8	44.5	0.9	2.5	34.5	2.4	3.4	71.4	0.6	3.3	3.9	2.0	1.3	0.6	0.4	2.2	12.0
Career		629	35:17	5.9	12.7	46.8	0.7	2.0	35.2	4.6	5.9	77.8	1.1	4.0	5.1	2.9	2.1	0.9	0.4	2.7	17.2

Now check out how Amare smashes on him.

Rick Pitino

2010-03-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

Coach Rick Pitino on the sidelines as he watches his Louisville team lose at Marquette 69-48. This picture was taken from my cousin Kat Chu when she attended the game in Milwaukee on March 2, 2010. Pitino reminds me of a mafia character from Goodfellas or GodFather with his slick hair and tailored suits. I'm a big fan, I read his "Success is a Choice" book a handful of years ago and some things still stick with me from what I remember.

1. Build Self- Esteem
2. Set Demanding Goals
3. Always be Positive
4. Establish Good Habits
5. Master the Art of Communication
6. Learn From Role Models
7. Thrive on Pressure
8. Be Ferociously Persistent
9. Learn From Adversity
10. Survive Success

What Intensity Looks Like

2010-03-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

According to Coach Randy Brown, via Shane Dreiling:

• Beat the ball down the floor in transition and conversion.
• Rebound position every shot—back, space, pinch on free throw.
• Play defensive in a stance.
• Help and then recover.
• Help the helper.
• Close out with hands above shoulders.
• Dive on loose balls.
• Protect the ball when you have it.
• Rip through on pivots—strong with the ball.
• Chin rebounds.
• Meet every pass.
• Change direction and speed on cuts.
• Take a charge.
• Steal passes that are thrown too far.
• Sprinting from spot to spot in practice.
• Contest every shot.
• Ball Fakes.
• Deflect passes.

What Togetherness Looks Like:

• Verbal response and applause for good plays.
• Encourage a teammate after an error or a missed shot that was a good shot.
• Help a teammate up off the ground.
• High fives and back slapping.
• Huddles on the floor.
• Never criticize a teammate.
• Bench stands when a player leaves the game.
• Acknowledge a player being substituted for in practice as he leaves the floor if you are also on the sideline.

"Racism's still alive, they just be concealing it!" K. West

2010-01-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

I read this article on SFGate this morning and it made me think of two things.
1. Pride
2. Ham and Eggs

I'm proud to see a fellow Taiwanese playing Division I college ball who has a shot at making the NBA (steak and eggs).

An all white's only league which was announced on Martin Luther King's birthday by promotor who was quoted saying "Remember Pistol Pete and Larry Bird? Where's all that gone." How ironic. If anyone knows basketball, Pistol Pete practically invented street ball moves aka creative fundamentals. And as for Larry Bird. Well, Larry Bird was black. That's how good his game was. Anyone who is this ignorant would be considered a "ham and egger."

There's nothing wrong with cheering for your own people if it's done respectfully and in good taste. Nonetheless, the NBA provides the melting pot. It includes the most fundamental and talented group of athletes in the world. This article dives a bit deeper and expands on my point.

A League of their Own
As Palo Alto's Jeremy Lin leads his Harvard hoops squad toward victory, an Atlanta promoter launches an all-white basketball league, leading Jeff Yang to ponder the light and dark side of rooting for the race.

It was an announcement carefully designed to provoke the biggest spit-take possible: On Jan. 18, one day after the federal holiday celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., sports promoter Don "Moose" Lewis issued a media alert proclaiming his intention to found a new pro hoops league called the All-American Basketball Alliance -- which would distinguish itself from the NBA by allowing as players only "natural-born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race."

Those who weren't outraged wondered if the release wasn't an early April Fool's Day prank. But Lewis, reached last week at his offices in Atlanta, asserts that he's dead serious, and that the league's formal debut on the pine is just months away. "We're looking at a June tipoff," he says.

Lewis's claims can't be entirely dismissed out of hand. He's been a sports promoter for two decades, and is the proprietor of the International Boxing Union, a legitimate, if lesser, sanctioning authority that, back in 2003, boasted as its heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs, and has managed to secure ESPN broadcasts of its championship title fights. Meanwhile, an earlier basketball league he founded in 2001, the Global Basketball Alliance (the name remains on the voicemail at Lewis's office), managed to attract eight teams and stage an amateur draft, before folding in April 2002.

"We started as the American Basketball Alliance, and then got a letter from Big Brother in New York," says Lewis. "Apparently, we conflicted with one of the NBA's registered marks. So we changed our name to the Global Basketball Alliance, which was fine because one of our teams was in Mexico City. And we held two seasons of what was basically conventional minor league basketball, but the league just never took off."

Lewis candidly admits that ticket sales were "dismal." "You have the same problem with all minor-league basketball teams, even the subsidized ones like the NBA D-League," he says. "People ask themselves the question, 'Should I spend $20 to see NBA Lite, or should I sit in my living room, drinking beer and watching 500 HD channels on my big screen TV?' I know my answer to that."

Pondering a way to get butts into seats, Lewis took a cue from the headlines. "You look at the papers and you see that Middle Americans, they're having a tough time. Their houses are in foreclosure," he says. "They need a good, wholesome, affordable distraction, and they're nostalgic for genuine American entertainment. And I thought to myself, remember when basketball was real basketball -- none of this 'five steps to the hoop, palming the ball' stuff? Remember Pistol Pete and Larry Bird? Where's that all gone?"

The answer, Lewis surmised, is that it disappeared when the NBA became dominated by street-ball players and foreigners -- turning white Americans into minorities in the league, just like "white, native-born Americans" are becoming a "minority of the U.S. population."

"The thing is, people embrace things they can identify with," he says. "One billion Chinese can relate to Yao Ming -- and that's who they want to see. Now you've got millions of Americans who, I think, want to see players and a style of game they can relate to. We all want to root for our own kind -- it's just human nature."

Colors on the court

Of course, much of Lewis's language is, bluntly speaking, a screen for the most insidious type of racism imaginable -- the type that denies itself while simultaneously claiming injury from a historically victimized population. When he uses the term "our kind," it echoes the bristling, preemptively hateful phrase "your kind" -- as in, "We don't like 'your kind' 'round here." When he says that the NBA is full of uncouth, showboating brawlers ("Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands?"), he's putting family-friendly context around a subtext that's rooted in white fear of a black planet.

But it's hard to argue at least one of Lewis's points -- that we tend to cheer on people who resemble us -- and a roundup of some of the biggest Asian American sports fans I know didn't even try.

"There's no doubt that when I see an Asian face on the field of play, I'm suddenly more interested," says Brian Yang, a Bay Area-bred actor/producer and hoops fanatic who now divides his time between New York and Shanghai. "We grew up loving Bird, Jordan, LeBron. But when Yao Ming came along -- seeing an Asian player on the court, especially as a star, stirs the senses in a different way, because we ethnically identify with that person."

And more than just sports are at stake, points out Bernard Chang, a comic book artist and illustrator who in his spare time plays point in a competitive rec league and coaches a team of six-year-old aspiring hoopsters. "We live in such a visual society these days, that any symbol of recognition is critical," he says. "Many would say that it shouldn't matter -- and, yes, in a perfect world it wouldn't -- but the fact is, you can't discount the importance of seeing a 'familiar face'" -- especially when it's up on the Jumbotron, in an arena full of screaming fans.

That's because in the U.S., athletic skill defines perceptions of social status like no other area of achievement. "Keep in mind that for many people -- both men and women -- sports define masculinity," says Albert Kim, former senior editor for Sports Illustrated. "The implicit message [of the lack of Asians in sports] is that Asian men just aren't as 'manly' as black or white men" -- something that turns out to have real social, political and even economic consequences. After all, how many otherwise unqualified ex-athletes have we elected to higher office? How often do sports metaphors get used in boardrooms (and, uh, bedrooms), carrying with them the explicit implication that benchwarmers and sideline boosters are also-rans in life and love -- not just on the field or court?

Hoop dreams

Carrying a community's dreams on your shoulders is tough enough. Being the proxy for an entire race's manhood, as absurd as it sounds, is a responsibility one wouldn't wish on anyone. And yet, the search for that individual -- the avatar of Asian American athletic fantasies -- continues, most recently landing on a player who in many ways epitomizes the challenges Asians face in breaking into the big leagues of professional sports, while presenting the best hope yet for overcoming them.

In his senior year of high school, Jeremy Lin, the Bay Area-born son of Taiwanese immigrants, took the underdog Palo Alto Vikings to a 32-1 record, and then to a shocking upset victory over the nationally ranked Mater Dei Monarchs in the state Division II championships, scoring 17 points and garnering unanimous accolades as Player of the Year by every influential publication in California sports (including the San Francisco Chronicle). Yet upon graduating, the number of scholarship offers he received from the NCAA's Division I powers could be counted on a closed fist.

"Coaches, scouts and recruiters have to be willing to be color-blind in their evaluation of players," says ESPN anchor Michael Kim. "But you have to wonder if they'd fairly judge a 6-foot 3-inch, 175 pound Asian guard with a similar talent and skillset as a black or white player. And in the case of Jeremy Lin, it doesn't appear as if they did."

Which means that Lin ended up going to his backup school, Harvard University -- an academic powerhouse, but a basketball backwater. For most talented but frustrated hoops hopefuls, that might have been the end of the story. Lin simply did what he'd done at Palo Alto High: Took a team that had been written off as hopeless and put it on his back. By his junior year, he was the only player in the nation to rank among the top 10 players in his conference in every major category -- from points to rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, to field goal, free throw and three-point percentage. This year, he's been even better, leading to suggestions that he might be the first Asian American to be drafted as an NBA first-round pick since Rex Walters, the hapa Japanese star for the University of Kansas's Jayhawks who was drafted 16th in 1993, played eight seasons in the NBA, and is now coach for the USF Dons.

Lin himself doesn't want to speculate on his pro potential. "I just want to help Harvard win games, and hopefully, an Ivy League title," he says, noting that the expectations of his community are a motivator, but also a distraction. "I'm humbled and honored by the attention I've received -- but right now I'm focused on our team and getting better each day. There'll be time to think about this later."

Lin's fans aren't as patient. They obsessively track his stats, watch YouTube videos of his highlights, debate the high and low points of his game (pros: great basketball IQ, complete player; cons: a 'tweener without a true position, has a funky jumper), and repeatedly assess and reassess his likelihood of NBA success based on every pundit's postgame comments.

"Jeremy has a legit shot at the pros -- albeit a long shot, like from half court," says Steve Chin, an Albany-based journalist and Web producer, and a longtime board member of the Bay Area's Ohtani Asian American basketball program. "But it would mean a lot for the community if he made it. It's uncharted territory for Asian Americans -- to play pro ball in the modern era. He would become an instant role model for Asian American athletes. I'm rooting for him."

And so are thousands of other Asian American fans, who've recently been flocking to games decked out in red -- a hue reflecting both Harvard's crimson and the color believed by Chinese to be a symbol of luck and prosperity.

Sports, in black and white

It's ironic that even as Asian Americans are hanging their hopes on the promise of a single player breaking through to the NBA, Don "Moose" Lewis is pinning his league's potential on getting Caucasian Americans to turn away from it -- and he thinks that potential is huge.

"We're filling a niche. You're Asian and you want to see Asian players succeed, right? And white Americans want to see white players succeed -- it's just the way things are," he says. "It's no different from boxing: You see Caucasian fighters dubbed the 'Great White Hope' all the time, from Rocky Marciano on down, and where's the backlash against that?"

Lewis publicly professes innocence about the racially divisive nature of his venture -- "I have a problem with how media types have exploited and sensationalized what we're trying to do," he says -- but having begun his sports promotion career in professional wrestling, he's eminently aware of the power of controversy to get butts out from living rooms and into arenas.

And truth be told, if the best part of sport is its ability to unite us across divisions -- Jeremy Lin says that, like many of us, he grew up idolizing Michael Jordan and "would've done anything to emulate him" -- its dark underbelly has always been the use of gutter stereotypes, false dichotomies and racist and jingoist urges to sell itself.

You see it in the chants of fans at games -- even playing in the high-minded Ivy League, Lin has been the target of racist catcalling ("Go back to China!" "Open up your eyes, ch*nk!"). You see it in the marketing of teams (hat tip: Washington Redskins!). You even see it in the us-against-them ubernationalism of the Olympics.

Lewis is just being more ... candid, if you will, about what he's trying to do. When pressed about his intentions, he openly affirms that -- like most sports promoters -- his allegiance isn't toward any race, nationality or color other than green.

"There's the opportunity to make some decent money here, and this is how we're doing it -- we've been talking to several TV outlets about turning this into a reality show, where you follow the first season of the AABA, and at the end of the year, a team of AABA all-stars plays a team of black minor-league basketball all-stars," he says. "If that's successful, in our second season, we might launch an all-black league and have the champions of the two leagues compete. The kicker is the name we've come up with: 'Snowball vs. Bro-ball.' Heck, I think we'll fill up arenas just on the concept alone."

PopMail

In the course of writing this column, I outreached to some of the most fervent Asian American hoop fans in my social network. Some of them are players; some, strictly watchers. Some follow sports for a living, others, simply out of passion. All of their responses were interesting and insightful enough that I wanted to share the full "transcript" of their thoughts. But given the space limitations of my column, I've moved that virtual roundtable to the frontier wasteland of my personal blog. Check it out here.

Jeff Yang forecasts global consumer trends for the market-research company Iconoculture (www.iconoculture.com). He is the author of "Once Upon a Time in China: A Guide to the Cinemas of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China," co-author of "I Am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action" and "Eastern Standard Time," and editor of "Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology" (www.secretidentities.org). He lives in New York City. Check out Jeff Yang's blog at originalspin.posterous.com for updates on this column and alerts about politics, technology, and pop culture news, or connect with him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/originalspin, LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcyang, or Twitter: http://twitter.com/originalspin.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/01/27/apop012710.DTL#ixzz0dpk1hT4e

D League Big Moment

2010-01-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves the underdog story. Here's a great feel good clip of Sundiata Gaines who was playing for the Idaho Stampede and got the call from the Utah Jazz. This is definitely a must see.

Pet Peeves from Great Coaches

2010-01-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

These acts are committed at all levels of the game. As fundamental as they sound, coaches need to teach the little things while players should build their awareness.

· Fouling in the backcourt. Fouling a dribbler that is not going to hurt you.

· Not stepping BACK on rebounds after free throws when we are the inside (defensive) team!!!

· Players bending over to pick up a ball instead of diving on the floor.

· Players attempting to dribble a loose ball instead of securing it first. Just picking it up (w/ 2 hands) STRONG!

· Players using the bounce pass to pass to a player with no defender in between them.

· Offensive players not using the jump stop off the dribble in the paint.

· Kids saving a ball going out of bounds to the opponent under opponent’s basket.

· Not to making a 100% commitment to sprint back on defensive transition.

· Players standing and watching when a shot is taken.

· Saving a loose ball under our opponent’s basket.

· Timeouts to save possession early in the game.

· Post player’s using a dribble in the paint for no reason.

· Players not following their own shot.

· Players dribbling balls when a coach is talking.

· Correcting a player in a drill or explaining something to them and other players turn around and make the same mistake...because they did not listen and pay attention.

· Not stopping the ball on defense. Players will reach and let the ball go by.

· Watching a player sulk or make an excuse after making a mistake or turning the ball over.

· Not giving the ball to an open teammate, who is open down the court.

· Screening air, not a body.

· Calling timeout, telling players to press after we make our next basket and only one or two remember.

· Stepping away from taking a charge.

· Getting beat down the court in transition going from offense to defense.

· One-handed passes.

· Older players not leading and mentoring younger players.

· Not communicating on the defensive side of the floor.

· Players who don’t get into triple threat position when the catch the ball.

· When a player in not aggressive to take the ball to the basketball and create.

· Failure to acknowledge a great pass from a teammate.

· Blaming others for losses.

· Not reversing the ball. Passing it back to the place where you just caught it from or dribbling it back to where you caught the pass.

· Finger roll lay-ups.

· Defenders not mirroring the basketball.

· Offensive players not moving to the ball in order to catch a pass.

· One-dimensional players.

(via Team Arete)

DeJuan Blair

2010-01-14T12:24:00.000-08:00

The rookie out of Pittsburgh University gets the start for Tim Duncan and posts a 20-20 night with a win at Oklahoma City. He's one of my favorite players, here's the video footage.

The Gun Show

2010-01-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

Gilbert Arenas has dug himself into one deep hole. Whether he's trying to laugh it off because he knows that he's in trouble, it doesn't matter. He took advantage of his position and will pay the consequences. David Stern's statement is no joke.

"Although it is clear that the actions of Mr. Arenas will ultimately result in a substantial suspension, and perhaps worse, his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game," Stern said. "Accordingly, I am suspending Mr. Arenas indefinitely, without pay, effective immediately pending the completion of the investigation by the NBA."

Leadership

2009-12-13T23:06:00.000-08:00

I was in the office last week talking shop with Teddy Ballgame who coaches Hillsdale High Varsity. Their star player went down with an injury and the coaching staff asked a sophomore who they felt would be able to assume the leadership role. That player's response, "No."

WTH (What the hell??) Just like when I coached a club team a handful of years ago....I subbed out one of my starters so he can get a breather, 2 minutes later I asked him if he was ready, he said "No, I need to rest more."

I don't know if times have changed or if it's just me, but you wouldn't have to ask me twice to get in the game or be a leader, let alone have another piece of dessert.

Maybe we have to find another angle to get to the point. I found a nice excerpt that includes Leadership, this one's for you Teddy!

(via TeamArete.com)

Coach K's Basketball Thoughts -- Notes from a Mike Krzyzewski Clinic

- A real winning attitude is about standards of excellence, which are variable from year to year and from team to team. Being the best you can be, and doing the best you can, are the constants.

- Too many rules get in the way of leadership. Preserve the latitude to lead.

- If you’re always striving to achieve success that is defined by someone else, you’ll always be frustrated. Define your own success.

- Whatever a leader does now sets up what he does later. And there is always a later.

- Success is a matter of preparing to win.

- Goals should be realistic, attainable, and shared among all members of the team.

- Never set a goal that involves number of wins— never. Set goals that revolve around playing together as a team. Doing so will put you in a position to win every game.

- Win or lose together.

- Believe that the loose ball you are chasing has your name on it.

- You cannot win every game. But you can learn from every game.

- Don’t let a single game break your heart.

- You might have to throw out your well-crafted plan after only five minutes.

- When you screw up, admit you are wrong. Apologize in front of the whole team. To admit a mistake is not a weakness, it is a strength.

- Look very carefully at the demeanor of your team. Are they healthy, injured, excited, down, energized, or tired?

- Ask your team leaders their opinions.

- Having fun helps reduce pressure.

- Maintain a good sense of humor. You don’t always want your team to see you with furrows in your forehead.

- Before you ever utter a word, the team sees your face, the look in your eyes, even your walk.

- Show the face your team needs to see.

- You do not always beat fear with a hug. Sometimes you have to attack the hell out of it.

- Never forget a defeat. Defeat can be the key to victory.

- At the end of every season, thank your team for their effort.

- If something isn’t working, try something new and different. Innovate. Never give up. Never

Weekend Ball

2009-12-13T18:38:00.000-08:00

As you know, I watch basketball on a daily basis whether it be SportsCenter highlights, NBA or College games, and even high school hoops because I'm such a junkie.

Right now, I'm watching the San Antonio Spurs vs. LA Clippers at Staples....I always enjoy watching Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and one of my favorite players Manu "Obi One" Ginobli. The Spurs will be tough in the playoffs. Sebastian Telfair is starting over Baron Davis(flu)? Last time Michael Jordan had the flu, he dropped 48 against the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals.

Friday night, Corey Brewer got his posterization on. Derek Fisher, unfortunately, was the victim. But you know what....everyone gets dunked on if you have played long enough. However, this play can be described in one word: DIRTY!

Silent Sunday's

My 10 year old nephew (video's below) just started playing in the All-Net basketball league and they had game this morning. The director of the league issued an email to all the parents and coaches about "Silent Sunday." Please read and let me know what you think.

This Sunday, December 13^th is designated as our “Silent Sunday” across all Chapters in the Silicon Valley Section.
Silent Sunday is meant to have the fans “clap” only and do no verbal/vocal cheering.
To make Silent Sunday work, there are a few steps your Chapter can take:

Send a message to your parents/membership and coaches to give advance notice of Silent Sunday
Post multiple signs at your gyms entrances
Have a Player read the signs to the people in the stands before each game
If someone in the stands do not adhere to the spirit of Silent Sunday, do not try and force the issue so as not to put more negative activity in situation
Let’s have fun with this and hope it helps the parents see and learn about allowing the kids to have more fun on the court.

Having fun means developing talent and teaching teamwork. I don't get it, I really don't. All I could think about is would they do this in the basketball Mecca's of this nation? Indiana, North Carolina, New York, Texas!! I don't know what message they were trying to send.

Maybe a few bad parents ruined it with their big mouths and inappropriate comments but don't punish everyone else for their faults. It's just like the terrorists who made a bomb out of liquid and now nobody can bring water through airport security. If there are bad parents who bring negativity, so be it....that's how life is. Teach your kids not be like them. I have to be honest, it was pretty lame.

Nevertheless, it was a great time to see my nephew develop and watch kids play the game at its purest form.

Here is footage of my nephew Mikey.

Pre Game Free Throws- Hold your follow through

In Game Footage of the Big Fella

Bill Bradley

2009-12-13T09:21:00.001-08:00

"The team who wins plays together." Bill Bradley on NBA TV's Books and Basketball show.

It's a simple concept but a lot of teams and coaches still miss the point. That quote stood out when I was watching his interview.

Jeremy Lin drops 30 on UConn (Video Footage)

2009-12-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Lin

2009-12-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

via ESPN (front page of college basketball, finally!)

Originally Published: December 10, 2009

Immigrant dream plays out through son

Harvard's do-it-all star learned the game from his father and a host of NBA legends

Comment Email Print Share

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com
Archive

STORRS, Conn. -- The jump hook he used to score his first bucket of the game? That came from Kareem.

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Fred BeckhamIn a close loss to UConn on Sunday, Jeremy Lin scored 30 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

The perfect form on his jumper? Larry Bird deserves credit for that.

The power end-to-end drive with a dunk to finish? Vintage Dr. J.

The sweet dribble penetration and kickout? Score one for Magic.

As Jeremy Lin dissected and bisected Connecticut to the tune of 30 points Sunday afternoon, his father sat in front of a computer screen on the other side of the country, watching his videotape library of NBA greats come to life in the form of his son.

All those years Gie-Ming Lin spent rewinding his tapes so he could teach himself how to play a game he never even saw until he was an adult? All those hours spent in the local Y with his boys, schooling them in fundamentals over and over, building muscle memory without even knowing what the term meant? That silly dream, the one in which his children would fall in love with basketball as much as he had?

There it was, borne out in a gym in Storrs, Conn.

"Every time he did something good, they'd play it over and over again," Gie-Ming said from his home in Palo Alto, Calif. "I kept watching, and they kept showing him."

Soon the rest of the college basketball world might be turning its collective eye toward Jeremy Lin. Think about what the senior has done just this week for Harvard, which is off to its best start (7-2) in 25 years.

In keeping his team in the game right to the end, Lin scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 9 boards in a 79-73 loss to No. 12 UConn. Then, in the Crimson's 74-67 upset at Boston College on Wednesday -- the second straight season Harvard has beaten BC -- Lin contributed 25 points.

So in two games against New England's annual NCAA tournament participants, Lin scored 55 points and shot 64 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line.

He boasts an all-around repertoire rarely on display. Last season Lin was the only player in the nation to rank among the top 10 players in his conference in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and 3-point percentage.

This year? He is merely second in the Ivy League in scoring (18.6 points), 10th in rebounding (5.3), fifth in field goal percentage (51.6 percent), third in assists (4.6), second in steals (2.4), sixth in blocked shots (1.2) and top of the pile in turning the heads of esteemed basketball minds, including Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun.

[+] Enlarge

Brian Pohorylo/Icon SMIWant athleticism? How about leaping high into the sky to block a shot by UConn's Jerome Dyson.

"I've seen a lot of teams come through here, and he could play for any of them," the longtime UConn coach said of Lin. "He's got great, great composure on the court. He knows how to play."

And he learned how to play thanks to his father's determination.

Jeremy is not the product of some Marv Marinovich in high-tops, desperate to cultivate the perfect basketball player, but rather a 5-foot-6 immigrant who long ago fell in love with a game and realized that in that game, his own children could gain entry into mainstream America.

Gie-Ming Lin was born in Taiwan, where academics were stressed and athletics ignored. He caught an occasional glimpse of basketball and, for reasons he can't explain, was immediately smitten with the game.

He dreamed of coming to the United States for two reasons: to complete his Ph.D. and "to watch the NBA."

That happened in 1977 when Gie-Ming enrolled at Purdue University for his doctorate in computer engineering. He flipped on the television, and there it was: the NBA in all its late-1970s glory. Kareem, Moses and Dr. J, with Jordan, Bird and Magic waiting in the wings.

"My dad," Jeremy said, "is a complete basketball junkie."

Gie-Ming's first job took him to Los Angeles, where the grueling demands and long hours had him searching for some sort of athletic release.

"I thought it would be great to play basketball," Gie-Ming said.

Only problem? He didn't have the slightest idea how. He had never picked up a ball in his life.

So he turned his attention back to those gripping NBA games. Armed with videotapes of his favorite players, Gie-Ming studied the game with the same fervor he studied for his Ph.D.

"I would just imitate them over and over; I got my hook shot from Kareem," Gie-Ming said, laughing.

It took him years to feel comfortable enough to play in a pickup game, and as he bided his time he decided then -- long before he even had children -- that his own kids would grow up knowing the game from an early age.

When first-born Joshua turned 5, Gie-Ming carted him to the local Y to begin teaching him those valuable skills stored on his videotapes.

Jeremy followed, and then youngest brother Joseph joined in what became a three-nights-a-week routine. The boys would finish their homework and around 8:30 head to the Y with their father for 90 minutes of drills or mini-games.

Forget that all of the players on those videos had long since retired, that the guy with Kareem's hook shot wouldn't hit Abdul-Jabbar's armpit. Gie-Ming recognized what so many other youth coaches have forgotten over time: The foundation for success is the basics.

"I realized if I brought them from a young age it would be like second nature for them," Gie-Ming said. "If they had the fundamentals, the rest would be easy."

[+] Enlarge

Jeremy Lin FamilyJeremy, top right, and his brothers Joshua and Joseph grew up in a hoops-loving family.

His passion soon became their passion, and as the boys grew up, those 90-minute sessions would turn into wee-hour wars, with the boys scrounging for whatever gym they could find to play.

Joshua would star at Henry M. Gunn High School. Jeremy would enroll at rival Palo Alto High, where Joseph is now a senior.

Jeremy was special. He had his father's passion, his own inner motivation and a frame that would sprout to 6-foot-3. A good enough scorer to play 2-guard, Jeremy also was a savvy enough playmaker -- thanks to his dad and Magic -- to play the point. He's a solid outside shooter, but his dad, Julius and Kareem conspired to give him a reliable game around the rim.

In other words, he was otherworldly, a kid so talented that his freshman coach stood up at the team banquet and declared, "Jeremy has a better skill set than anyone I've ever seen at his age."

Named to the varsity as a freshman, Jeremy would earn honors as sophomore of the year and two-time most valuable player in his league.

Immersed in the game as he was, Jeremy never thought he was anything but a normal kid who liked basketball.

Until, that is, the insults came at him, the taunts to go back to China or open his eyes.

He was an Asian-American basketball player, an oddity and a curiosity in the cruel world of high school, where nothing is safer than being like everyone else.

"It was definitely a lot tougher for me growing up," he said. "There was just an overall lack of respect. People didn't think I could play."

His father offered sage advice.

"I told him people are going to say things to him, but he had to stay calm and not get excited by these words; they are only words," Gie-Ming said. "I told him to just win the game for your school and people will respect you."

Once more, Gie-Ming was right. In his senior season Jeremy averaged 15 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 steals, leading Palo Alto to a 32-1 record and a stunning 51-47 victory over nationally ranked Mater Dei in the CIF Division II state championship game.

Along the way, he converted some of the people who had mocked him. When Palo Alto played Mater Dei, students from both Jeremy's high school and rival Henry M. Gunn High crowded a local pizza joint to cheer for Jeremy and his team.

Converting people outside Northern California was more difficult. By his senior season, Lin was the runaway choice for player of the year by virtually every California publication. Yet he didn't receive a single Division I scholarship offer.

Lin doesn't know why, but believes his ethnicity played a part.

Asian-Americans make up just 0.4 percent of Division I basketball rosters, according to the latest NCAA numbers. That equates to 20 players out of 5,051.

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Elise AmendolaIn back-to-back wins over Boston College, Lin has scored a combined 52 points on 18-of-26 shooting.

Harvard offered an education with a hefty price tag. (The Ivy League offers no athletic scholarships.) But it also offered the chance to play Division I ball. So Lin went without hesitation.

Four extremely successful years into his college career, he now finds himself packaged into an uncomfortable box. Lin is at once proud and frustrated with his place as the flag-bearer for Asian-American basketball players.

The Harvard uniform, the Asian background, it all still makes Jeremy something of a novelty. What he longs for most of all is to be a basketball player.

Not an Asian-American basketball player, just a basketball player.

"Jeremy has been one of the better players in the country for a while now," said Harvard coach Tommy Amaker, who, as a Duke graduate and former head coach at both Seton Hall and Michigan, knows a thing or two about talent. "He's as consistent as anyone in the game. People who haven't seen him are wowed by what they see, but we aren't. What you see is who he is."

But stereotypes die hard and remain propagated by the ignorant. At UConn, as Jeremy stepped to the free throw line for the first time, one disgraceful student chanted, "Won-ton soup."

"I do get tired of it; I just want to play," Lin said. "But I've also come to accept it and embrace it. If I help other kids, than it's worth it."

In their 109-year history, the Crimson have never won an Ivy League title and have managed only three second-place finishes. They have had just one league player of the year -- Joe Carrabino in 1984.

The last Harvard man to suit up in the NBA? Ed Smith in 1953.

Lin could change all of that, a thought that boggles the mind of the man who fell in love with a sport so many years ago.

"All this time he was growing up, I never thought about Jeremy playing in college or professionally," Gie-Ming said. "I just enjoyed watching him play. I'm just so proud of him and so happy for him. I told him my dream already has come true."

Dana O'Neil covers college basketball for ESPN.com and can be reached at espnoneil@live.com.

Game Winners

2009-11-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Kevin Garnett hit a shot to send the game into overtime against the Knicks in New York then hit the game winning basket as time expired. Both shots were from nearly the identical spot on the floor which was about 21 feet out from the top of the key area. The point is....he hit the game winner (watch it by clicking here).

What exactly does that do to a player's psyche? I believe it helps tremendously and can work miracles for someone's confidence. LeBron James hit his first game winner last season while making another one in the Conference Finals. His confidence soared on top of his confidence. The likes of Derek Fisher, Chauncey Billups, Robert "Big Shot Bob" Horry, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, etc. turn legendary.

I love to see game winners because they're fun and emotional, most of all....it propels us to new heights. Just like anything else that we see in life, it could be achieving a grade or goal that you were shooting for, a presentation that knocked the roof off of your higher ups, or even printing out the right TPS reports without your managers getting on your case can simply elevate your whole mentality. Once the confidence comes, the aura is built around it and you almost expect it and people expect it from you.

The moral of the story? Courage to take that chance is rewarded with confidence.

Quote of the Day

2009-11-18T21:03:00.000-08:00

"I don't look back, I look ahead." -- Shaq

Click here for a classic list of quotes from the Big Fella and Top 10 from ESPN.

And another video arguing with Ali G.

Guy from San Francisco

2009-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

My nephew and I ran into this video on YouTube randomly while just skimming through the worldwide web. I've seen a lot of slam dunk highlights but this one definitely had me out of my seat by the end. Some "Guy" from SF impresses and runs away with the show.

Here are the Top 10 Dunks from the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown. Enjoy!

Most Underrated Coaches

2009-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Who comes to mind when you think of underrated coaches? Jerry Sloan, he's already in the Hall of Fame. Vinny Del Negro with the young Chicago Bulls or even Rick Carlisle who got fired after he won over 50 games and brought the Pistons to the Conference Finals. I think a handful come to mind but my man SOS gives you his Top 3 based on facts.

Top 3 Underrated Coaches of All Time in the NBA

Written by: S.O.S. (Stein on Sports)

Rick Adelman
860 wins going in to this season. Spread across a handful of West Coast teams (Portland, Golden State, Sacramento, Houston). It's hard to list a man with two trips to the NBA finals as underrated, but those trips to the finals came way back when Cliff Robinson wore headbands and MJ was playing horse with Larry Bird for Mickey D's. He averages 47 wins a season and that includes two dismal season with the Warriors. This guy took the NBA equivalent of no mans land a place better known for killing Baobby Hurley's career to the playoffs for 8 years in a row. They have not made it to the playoffs since he left. His Sacramento teams were always so close, but could never make it over the top. Look for this guy to take a team boasting Scola and Battier as their top 2 to the playoffs this year.

I'd love to see this guy coaching a team on the East Coast perhaps the Knicks after the sign King James!

Del Harris
542 across 12 full seasons. This guy is a lifer, he coaches the China National Team and you know he doesn't speak Chinese. He took the Rockets to the NBA finals and lost to the Celtics. Had a some really good Bucks teams, but they weren't taleneted enough to beat those beast Celtic or Sixers squads. Had a nice run with the Lakers and even won a Coach of the Year when he lead a team with Nick Van Exel, Cedric Ceballos and Elden Campbell to nearly 50 wins. Thats impressive.

This guy might also be the man for anyone wanting to win a Sixth Man of the Year Award. He has either been the assistant or head coach for 4 winners of this award.

Mike Jones errr Mike Brown. If I told you that there was a coach who in his worst season he had 45 wins and in his best season he had 66 wins would that be somebody you'd be interested in? This guys has had the luxury of coaching LeBron James, but one of those teams had Larry Hughes. Whats more shocking the first stat or that Larry Hughes was on a team that won more than it lost? They say this guy is on the hot seat, but I'm sure a savvy GM like Joe Dumars would be happy to have him on his bench. All time winning % for guys who have coached 200 games or more this guy is #9 ahead of Pat Riley, but behind KC Jones.

Suprising, yes. It just doesn't seem like it because he doesn't run a great offense and also because he has King James but the wins backs his case.

Honorable Mention: Greg Popovich, Doc Rivers, Byron Scott, Flip Saunders, Larry Brown, and Phil Jackson.

SOS is a senior writer for HoopforLife.com and is an expert in not only NBA basketball but at all levels as well as all sports.

The "Light" Stuff

2009-11-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

Flashback to NKOTB's Right Stuff, let's talk about SHOES!

As you know, as a fan and as an active player we all notice the 'kicks' on every player and we always want to floss the best ones because we love the attention or they make us play better and even make us jump higher. In today's game, it's all about staying Light on your feet!

Here's a great analogy to help you figure out which our the best shoes for today.

Written by Quimelda Marcos

Nike Zoom Kobe IV - Weighs about 11.6 ounces..probably one of the lightest if the the lightest shoe for hoop today. The shoe was inspired by soccer shoes.

Positives: Lightweight, stylish, and its a low top. Also has some of nikes newest technology in the shoe which include lunar foam and flywire which is made for the shoe to be secure but yet stay light.

Negatives: Too light as in not enough support. People feel as though lowtops are prone to ankle injuries. Some of the colorways are loud which also turns people off and #1 reason why people are reluctant to wear the shoe is that its KOBE's shoe AKA Public Enemy #1-2-3 and 4.

I feel as though this is one of the best Nike's to ever come out. I'm not playing favorites either since Kobe is my favorite player. The shoe runs for about $120 to $130 bucks and has yet to go on sale due to its popularity. They're sold only on Eastbay, Niketown, Nike websites, or Footlocker. No other shoe stores carry them.

Nike Lebron 7 - Full air unit. Fly wire, very stylish. LJB's are usually heavy but he's even gearing towards a lighter weight now.

Nike Hyperize - $125 bucks. The shoe weighs around 13.0 ounces....supposedly this is the continuation of the ever so popular NIKE HYPERDUNK.

Nike HyperDunk...started the popular trend of light..TEAM USA rocked 'em and then Nike just let loose on color ways for the upcoming season. About 13.0 ounces as well, $110 USD.

Adidas BrotherHood Collection (Dwight Howard, Gilbert Arenas, Tracy Mcgrady, Tim Duncan, Chauncey Billups, Derek Rose) any shoes from these guys are popular for Adidas.

Adidas Pro Model has maintained its popularity for being a pretty good shoe for a pretty good price under $90 bucks and usually go on sale a lot of color ways to chose from.

With that said, which pair of shoes are you investing in to make your game better or even make look better? It's all about comfort and I believe that if you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you do good. But that's just me.

Ron DaDa!!

Transition Tuesday's

2009-11-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

What's up Basketball world! Let's not forget the corporate folks, teachers, coaches, players, and everyone else either. Just wanted to give you a quick update and let you know that Hoop for Life will start incorporating new themes each week so we can provide fresh and consistent content for our readers.

Today will be the start of Transition Tuesday's. It's a new theme we're trying after having a conversation with the Founder of Black Top Hoops (BTH). We're also open to some of your idea's and suggestions so feel free to comment or email us. Thanks for staying tuned!

Make sure you follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

** NBA Scouts at YMCA league's?

Steve Nash said it himself, check out the video via Truehoop.

** Manu Ginobili 'Batting' Practice

Not only does this Olympic and NBA Champion score points, he also plays clean up with his keen sight and quick hands. He could probably catch flies with chopsticks if he knows how to use them. Here's an amazing video of how he takes out a bat (yes, a flying bat) at a home game. Wow!

** Mr. Lamar and Khloe Odom

Is this marriage for real and will it last or is it just another Hollywood publicity stunt? Well, they got inked up meaning tattoo's for one another. Click here for pics.

Derrick Rose trash talkin' with Kobe

2009-11-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a great promo clip of young Rose trying to keep up with a savvy veteran like Bryant. Experience usually wins out so respect your elders. NBA 2K10! Pretty classic verbal battle when it comes to facts.

Happy Halloween!!

2009-10-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

Halloween is fun when kids are around or not. It's always fun to get out of your comfort zone and dress. For some, dressing up is their comfort zone.

Here's a cool clip of several NBA players being interviewed describing what they think about October 31st.

I'll be representing Michael Jackson this year in tribute of the King of Pop. Can't go wrong with Thriller. Speaking of, here's a tribute of the video (the mini movie version). Enjoy and be safe!

San Francisco Pro AM Basketball

2009-10-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

League Director Jon Greenburg

Here's a cool clip of SF's ProAm basketball league where the Bay Area's best college and professionals come out to play in the summer at Kezar Pavilion.

It's been around since 1979 and I started attending in the 1990's. The video includes the history, highlights, and interviews.

Jason Terry on Twitter

2009-10-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Follow the Jet at JasonTerry31. Here's the video to prove it that he's the real deal.

Add me too at dshumongous.

Day 2 NBA 2009

2009-10-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Let's just start out with the dunk of the night. Carmelo Anthony posterizes poor Paul Millsap who threw an errant and lazy outlet pass. Someone's feelings are definitely hurt. Enjoy!

Wow! Anyhow, I was watching parts of Don't Mess with the Zohan last night and some of the freakish moves Zohan was able to pull off (see no-handed push ups below) reminded me of Lebron James who could probably do the same. The King has been improving year in and year out and he messed around and got a triple double. However, guess who's 0-2....the Cavs. Is it panic time, probably not but it's time to figure out that they could use a true power forward or a lethal weapon like Stephen Jackson.

Before watching the movie last night, I was flipping through my free preview of the NBA season pass where I got to skim through all of the games which was truly outstanding. The only caveat is you can only watch one game at a time with the best game being the Spurs vs. Hornets on ESPN because it was in HD. Here are some afterthoughts of Day 2 in the NBA.

Boston means business, so do the Spurs.
Warriors are like fools gold. You want to like them, you watch them and you kinda like them, but then they don't come through when you know they won't come through (right?). They're still exciting to watch.
Charles Barkley has a bet with Chris Webber that the Warriors will have less wins than the Clippers. Biermp!
Orlando is fun to watch, we all know that Vince Carter is the latest addition but don't forget about Brandon Bass. Ryan Anderson, most improved?
Ty Lawson and Stephen Curry had pretty good rookie debuts.
Andrea Bargnani: 11 of 15, 28 points. Ciao!!

Check out the No Handed Push Ups by the Zohan. This is what you have to do sometimes to get a job.

Day 1 NBA 2009

2009-10-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Day 1 of the NBA 2009-10 season was underway and I got a chance to watch the Cleveland Cavs open up against the Boston Celtics at home. In an interview, Shaquille O'Neal claims the combination of himself and Big Z (Zadrunas Ilgauskus) are the best center-tandums of all time (with the except of Bill Russell).

I'm just not sold on Cleveland winning a championship, let alone getting to the finals. They lack a true "knock down" 3 point shooter and the offense runs isolations for LeBron James over and over while the rest of the team stands and watches. One against five usually favors the majority. Whatever happened to teamwork?

With that said, the Cavs still won 66 games last year so that means James is not human, he's a beast.

MiscSHUlaneous

* Shaq is also now on Gyrotonics.

* In an earlier conversation I had with Stein on Sports, he mentioned that Shaq is a coach killer and possibly a team killer.

* Agent Zero, I mean Hibachi, I mean Gilbert Arenas looks to be back.

* Poor Clippers, too bad for Blake Griffin. Hope he recovers soon.

* Speaking of the Clips, Baron Davis is supposed to back healthy and in shape. 1-10 vs. the Lakers. I played at the YMCA league in San Mateo last night and had one of those games. I didn't feel healthy and in shape.

The LA Lakers look like they're going to repeat with the addition of Ron Artest while the Celtics are gunning to get back into the Finals. I like to watch the Spurs and Magic quietly contend.

Don Meyer: Personal Story

2009-10-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

Coach Wooden with Coach Meyer

Well, this story is from a good friend and former high school rival turned teammate in college. Joel Branstrom is a Half Moon Bay legend who walked on and played at Kansas for Roy Williams. I remember Joel being excited about taking a charge from Jacque Vaughn. We recently got in touch and shared this story about the legendary Don Meyer.

Love to read that your main man in coaching is Coach Meyer. What a great man. He is the only guy I enjoy watching tape on. I learn something new every time.

He was already a legend in my mind but his status grew bigger when I called the NSU office a couple of years ago to order a tape expecting to talk to a secretary or maybe an assistant. Instead..."This is Coach Meyer" I spuddered for a few seconds with some babbling in a humble tone.

After I pick up jaw and change my shorts... :) ...he talks to me for about 10 minutes and gives me his cell number and tells me to call him whenever I want to talk... I get a little the chills and even a little teary-eyed just thinking about that conversation.

He made me feel important in only a few minutes so it is no wonder that his players play so hard and are successful. It's unbelievable what has occurred in his life recently, but he still walks the talk and talks the walk!

It is great to see a man of Faith show that he's not a pretender. It's pretty easy to see he's legit!

I am glad the Lord has supplied me with encouragement from men like Coach Meyer. I'm encourage to know He has impacted you though Coach Meyer as well!!!

NBA Bacon Bits with a Chance of Locals

2009-10-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

I'm a happy camper for many reasons. Mainly because football season is in effect and baseball is almost over but specifically, basketball season is upon us.

Tuesday, October 27th is opening day for the NBA
Midnight Madness for College Basketball has already jumped off while High School officially beings on November 2nd.

Will LeBron and Kobe meet in the NBA Finals this year?

Another reason why I'm a happy camper is because I ordered NBA TV and got a chance to watch teams practice during the preseason. Here's what I observed from the following teams:

Denver Nuggets - George Karl runs a loose practice and provides a relaxed environment. He makes good teaching points (to Ty Lawson) and there's a bit of goofing around. I watched Kenyon Martin joke around while the team was huddled up. This team has tremendous talent, however, I think the "loosey goosey" comes back to bite them when it counts (playoffs).
Washington Wizards - Flip Saunders is a players coach, he's a vet and knows what he's doing. Gilbert Arenas looks to be healthy again. I saw a lot of shooting drills and half speed drills.
Atlanta Hawks - They worked on a lot of half court offense. Seemed like they were playing hard in spurts but not all out.
Boston Celtics - Can you say high intensity?? They worked on half court stuff and all players were playing 100%. Brian Scalabrine was defending Paul Pierce and worked his tail off. Doc Rivers came in to give Pierce a few NBA vet tips. This was really a fun practice to watch because they were getting after it. Celtics definitely have a chip on their shoulder.
LA Lakers - I absolutely love the way Phil Jackson structures his practices. Very organized, quiet, and business-like. Players talk, challenge, and encourage each other in drills. Assistant coaching make teaching points throughout the practice. These guys were running basic high school ball handling drills for warm ups, then while going 5 on 0 offense, the last 3 big men must all score once as they position themselves to get the rebound (even if it's scored). Great drill to build game situations.

I was really impressed with the Celtics and Lakers practice settings. No wonder why they are contenders.

**Word on the street: NBA Live fell off the face of the earth. NBA 2K10 took over a handful of years ago. EA, what happened??

*Local

Quick shout out to Trent Fechter who joined Darryl Barbour's defending high school California State Champions Sacred Heart in San Francisco. Congrats, should be a great season!

Chamillionaire's Point of View on Michael Jordan

2009-10-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

Chamillionaire is a rapper best known for his hit "Ridin' Dirty" and seems like his encounter with MJ was pretty dirty. Seems like Jordan's image is a bit more tarnished now, especially with his Hall of Fame acceptance speech episode and a few other stories leaking into the public.

Here's footage from YouTube, you be the judge.

Training Day 2009: Derek Fisher

2009-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the most underrated (and often hated) players but one of my favorites because he's CLUTCH. Not to mention he's been a starting PG for the Los Angeles Lakers Championship teams.

Check out DFish while he demonstrates ball handling and shooting fundamentals, at game speed (courtesy of the Flip Cam via NBA.com).

*Note: Game Speed: Top speed but under control simulating game situations. Not at 100 mph all the time but be shifty in your speed to trick your defender.

Michael Jordan

2009-09-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

I don't remember the game winning shot when he was at North Carolina. I was too young and still learning to speak english.

However, I do remember:

Watching him drop 63 points at the Boston Garden.
The first Air Jordan shoes priced at $100.
Watching the Slam Dunk contest duals against Dominique Wilkins.
Craig Ehlo.
The Bad Boy rivalry.
The New York rivalry.
The Dream Team.
Over taking Magic Johnson and the Showtime Lakers.
Back to Back to Back Championships.
Space Jam.
Baseball.
#45.
72 wins in a season.
Another Three-peat.
Game winners.

The truth to the matter is, I grew up watching Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. I loved the Lakers and hated the Celtics. That's just how it was back then. Michael Jordan comes along and I was impressed, but I was a fan of "The Human Highlight Reel" Wilkins. So I was mad when Jordan won the slam dunk contest. I was mad when Jordan beat my beloved Showtime Lakers....convincingly. I'm probably not as mad as Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, and Karl Malone who were denied Championships because of MJ.

Jordan was the ultimate basketball player. He did it all and then some. I enjoyed watching him kill the league, players, and press while becoming an international household name. Despite being my heart broken as a young fan of other players, I gained respect for him and MJ became one of my favorite players of all time.

He made a lot of noise during his retirement acceptance speech, meaning he got everyone's attention when it mattered most. Something he's used to and really good at. Rick Reilly gets on his own high horse (which is about 3 feet high) and hates on MJ; J.A. Adande gives credit where credit and respect is due; and TrueHoop takes swigs of Haterade by making fun of MJ playing at age 50.

I'll leave excerpts and links (with a few comments) below but for the record, Reilly is a Ham and Egger, Adande writes a good article, and it might be far fetched but Jordan could still play at 50.

Be Like Jordan?....

Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame talk was the Exxon Valdez of speeches. It was, by turns, rude, vindictive and flammable. And that was just when he was trying to be funny. It was tactless, egotistical and unbecoming. When it was done, nobody wanted to be like Mike.

And yet we couldn't stop watching. Because this was an inside look into the mindset of an icon who'd never let anybody inside before. From what I saw, I'd never want to go back. Here is a man who's won just about everything there is to win -- six NBA titles, five MVPs and two Olympics golds. And yet he sounded like a guy who's been screwed out of every trophy ever minted. He's the world's first sore winner. (Read entire article)

Please believe that his speech was vindictive. Rick, what career were you watching? Anyone who accomplished anything close to MJ has the right to tastefully say whatever they wanted at their enshrinement.

Jordan's speech just another dagger....

If you enjoyed all of Jordan's acrobatic feats, his scoring outbursts and (most of all) his clutch performances, then you can't say you were disappointed in his attitude upon finally reaching basketball's Olympus. They're inseparable. You don't get Jordan the G.O.A.T. without the E-G-O. You don't get his triumphing again and again without his using every sleight -- real or perceived -- to motivate himself.

He got the high school coach who cut him and the guy who beat him out for the final spot on the team. He got his beloved North Carolina coach, Dean Smith, for keeping him off the Sports Illustrated cover that went to the upperclassmen instead. He got Pat Riley and Riley's "little" protege, Jeff Van Gundy, for all of their gamesmanship during the Bulls-Knicks rivalry in the '90s. He got his old Chicago general manager/foil Jerry Krause, delivering the final refutation on Krause's ill-advised "organizations win championships" remark. He got every media member who doubted Jordan's ability to win an NBA championship. And he went on an extended riff on Bryon Russell, the man forever frozen in the highlight of Jordan's final shot in a Bulls uniform. (Read entire article)

The man looks for reasons (good or bad) to fuel his fire.

TrueHoop.....

The night Michael Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he ended his induction speech with these words:

"One day you might look up and see me playing the game at 50. Don't laugh. Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion." (Read entire article)

Personally, I would love to see it. Don't make fun of people because of their age, respect your elders.

MJ, thank you for all the great moments I witnessed. You helped my game, you inspired me, made me laugh, cry, and route for you. You are one of the best things that happened to the game of basketball.

Coach Don Meyer

2009-07-20T08:49:00.001-07:00

One of the greatest basketball coaches of all time, with a record to prove it. Among the likes of John Wooden, Coach K, and Bob Knight, Coach Don Meyer tops them all in Men's NCAA basketball.

Last night, I was having dinner with my fiancee and I tuned into ESPN and the ESPY Awards happened to be on. With perfect timing, my favorite part of the ceremony came on....the Jimmy V award. It might have been a surprise to the public who the recipient was, however, it was no coincidence the Coach Meyer got the honor this year.

Here's a Coach, a person who just loves to serve and help others, and keeps it real with love and faith. I once saw him at a basketball clinic and he said, "If you have a chance, go to funerals instead of weddings because you learn more." I also studied his tapes on coaching and wrote about him a few times before (click here)

My boy Ron Q once thanked me for passing on a coaching tip; when he blew the whistle in practice to make a teaching point, all his players must come to a jump stop and be in triple threat position (with or without the ball) just to reiterate fundamentals while listening. I wish I could have taken credit for that but I am proud to have learned that from Coach Meyer.

The moral of the story is that I absolutely love stories like this because it inspires, it's heartfelt, and it's real whether you play basketball or not. This is about life. Check out his story through this video.

Quotes from Don Meyer

1 - 10

1. “Successful programs consist of people working hard, working together, while never worrying about who gets the credit.”

2. “Shout praise and whisper criticism.”

3. “To be a team, you must be a family.”

4. “Discipline and demand without being demeaning.”

5. “Recognize and reward players who put the team first, not just the gifted ones.”

6. “Simplify the game as much as possible. When you add, you must subtract.”

7. “There is nothing more important than rebounding... don't just give it lip service.”

8. “Shared suffering: one guy messes up and everyone runs. One guy does well and everyone benefits.”

9. “Players who are late say that their time is more important than the team.”

10. “It is not what you teach, but what you emphasize.”

11 - 21

11. “Good shooters take the shots; best shooters take most of the shots.”

12. “You build your program from the ideas of great coaches.”

13. “Play off your great player... great teams have a go-to player and they play off of him.”

14. “Prepare for every practice like you just loss your last game.”

15. “Your program must have an overriding purpose which is clearly visible and which teaches lessons beyond winning.”

16. “When you watch the game, be a student of the game.”

17. “The team is an extension of the coach.”

18. “Players must do what you want them to do in pressure situations.”

19. “When the legs go, the heart and the head follow quickly behind.”

20. “If it comes down to you or the program that decision was made long ago.”

21. “Every day you teach attitude.”

MJ Tribute

2009-07-16T12:28:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to lie....I love Michael Jackson and obviously a huge fan. I'm still feeling the pain of his passing. Say what you want about the man but let's get one thing straight, MJ was one of the best entertainers ever (EVER!) and he produced some of the greatest hits of all time. We'll never see anyone like him again in our lifetime.

I love Shaq too because he knows how to have fun. Here's a Beat It tribute to the Legend from the Big MoonWalk which features his family and friends, along with Damon Jones (who's looking more and more like Michael Bivins from Bell, Biv, Devoe).

RIP to the King!

FYI....Micheal Jackson's Thriller album was #1 for an all time record of 37 weeks in a row. Ron Artest will sport that number as a Laker. Gotta love it!

Practice, Playoffs, Let 'em off the Hook (Remix)

2009-07-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson's soundbite laid over a track along with Jim Mora Jr, Denny Green along with a cameo of Broadway Joe Namath and others courtesy of Steve Porter's Press Hop.

Sounds required so turn it up!

Hoop for Life

USA Basketball 2012 Olympic Finalists

Oh no....There's a Man Down

Reality TV #OpenCourt

NBA is Back #2012

Kevin Durant lights up Rucker Park

Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls NBA 2010-11 MVP

USA Basketball Nike Hoop Summit (NHS)

2011 USA Basketball Men's Junior National Select TeamUSA NHS Team - USA Basketball

2011 World Select TeamInternational Team Press Release

Hoops for Wishes

Boxing Out

Foster City Flyers

Type 1 Awareness and Fundraiser

EVENT DETAILS

D.B.'s Crusaders Bowl for a Cure Fundraiser

Message from Host

Team Flight Brothers

Team USA 2010 FIBA World Champions

The Magic Johnson School of Leadership

PBA Top 10 Plays of the Week

Jeremy Lin Owning John Wall?

Is LeBron Gone?

Hoop Dreams, 15 Years Later

CBL Basketball League

John Wall: Before Kentucky and the NBA

To Travel or Not to Travel??

True Fan with Gratifying Ending

Bay Area's Finest Hoop Mixtape

Taiwan National Team 1996

NCAA March Madness 2010

He's Crafty

Oscar and Weekend Reflections

Where is Richard Jefferson?

Rick Pitino

What Intensity Looks Like

"Racism's still alive, they just be concealing it!" K. West

D League Big Moment

Pet Peeves from Great Coaches

DeJuan Blair

The Gun Show

Leadership

Weekend Ball

Bill Bradley

Jeremy Lin drops 30 on UConn (Video Footage)

Jeremy Lin

Immigrant dream plays out through son

Harvard's do-it-all star learned the game from his father and a host of NBA legends

Game Winners

Quote of the Day

Guy from San Francisco

Most Underrated Coaches

The "Light" Stuff

Transition Tuesday's

Derrick Rose trash talkin' with Kobe

Happy Halloween!!

San Francisco Pro AM Basketball

Jason Terry on Twitter

Day 2 NBA 2009

Day 1 NBA 2009

Don Meyer: Personal Story

NBA Bacon Bits with a Chance of Locals

Chamillionaire's Point of View on Michael Jordan

Training Day 2009: Derek Fisher

Michael Jordan

Coach Don Meyer

11 - 21

MJ Tribute

Practice, Playoffs, Let 'em off the Hook (Remix)

2011 USA Basketball Men's Junior National Select Team
USA NHS Team - USA Basketball

2011 World Select Team
International Team Press Release