EliteHoopsDaily

NBA Week 8 Recap!!

2012-02-19T18:41:00.001-06:00

The Linsanity is continuing and remains the biggest story in the league putting up great numbers while leading the Knicks to an 8-1 mark since he was put in the starting lineup. With Melo scheduled to come back tomorrow we can finally see the Knicks at full strength with the addition of JR Smith to the roster. The Heat remain very impressive and were just absolutely destroying teams on the road. Rajon Ronda has been playing like a man possessed since returning from injury. You can definitely tell he was about not being named to the Eastern Conference All Star reserves. Derrick Rose is still being plagued by the back spasms. There is no date for when he will return as of yet but he is still scheduled to play in the All Star Game next week.

Simeon Crowned Chicago Public League Champs!!

2012-02-18T13:19:00.001-06:00

The Simeon Wolverines won their first city title since the 2007 Derrick Rose led squad. The game was held at Chicago State University and the crowd included Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as well as Coach Izzo sitting court side. Simeon had to turn up their defensive guns when Jabari Parker left the game with two early fouls in the first quarter. Marquette bound Steve Taylor held Curie's big man Cliff Alexander to four points which he didn't score until the last few minutes of the game. Parker returned in the second half to score nine of his 11total points. The Wolverines were in control throughout the game until Curie made a late push in the last 90 seconds with a final score of 53-49. Simeon is now on their way to pursue a third straight state championship!! Thanks to Michael Kosman at
at WebSportsChicago.com for the great photographs!!

Linsanity Continues!!!!!!!

2012-02-15T00:06:00.001-06:00

Jeremy Lin is adding a new chapter to his book every game. The Knicks are 6 and 0 with him playing significant minutes and he didn't disappoint nailing the game winning three pointer over Jose Calderon tonight in Toronto.

NBA Week 7 Recap!!!

2012-02-13T16:01:00.001-06:00

Last week was all about Jeremy Lin. Each game had people tuning in and he continues to prove doubters wrong. The biggest test will come once Amare and Melo are back in the lineups. Lin is a smart ballplayer. I feel like he knew he needed the score with their big guns out and should be a solid distributor and score when needed when they have the roster in full. What does this mean for Baron Davis and his comeback? No one knows hopefully he will take it in stride and show veteran leadership for the team. Besides Jeremy Lin the other big news last week was future lottery pick Austin Rivers sucking the air out the Dean Dome with that game winning three pointer against UNC

2012 McDonald's All American Rosters Announced

2012-02-10T04:34:00.001-06:00

The McDonald's teams were announced today. 21 of the players are top 30 prospects in the ESPNU Top 100. The game will be held in Chicago again on March 28th. Along with the boys and girls rosters being announced McDonalds also released their 35 top players in the games history commemorating the games 35th anniversary. Some of the names to top the all time team were Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LBJ, Michael Jordan, and Alonzo Mourning to name a few. Here is the link for the roster details thanks to ESPN.com McDonald's East and West Rosters

NBA Week 6 Recap!!

2012-02-05T04:18:00.000-06:00

This past week definitely started out with a bang. The Bulls and Heat were the showcase game on Sunday and they didn't disappoint. The game was very clase and had a great finish. The highlight of the day was LeBron James jumping over John Lucas for the alley oop dunk. Many were calling it the dunk of the year until Blake "BGTV" Griffin completely baptised Kendrick Perkins with "The Dunk" in Staples Center. That play had Twitter going crazy and has been replayed countless times this week. The Knicks are still struggling and waiting for Baron Davis to return to try and sure up there backcourt issues. The Celtics may be hitting their stride finally geting above .500. The Magic are looking worse and worse every game and it seems the Dwight Howard trade is inevitable. As far as the rookies Kyrie Irving is continuing to impress which included hitting a game winning lay up against the Celtics this week on a great drive to the basket. The All Star starters were announced and there were no big surprises there will definitely be some snubs when the reserve All Stars are announced in a few days. If you were watching the pre game show on TNT Charles Barkley had a field day at the expense of LeBron's hairline. LeBron can never catch a break these days lol

Top 2013 Prospects Nerlens Noel and Chris Thomas reclassify to 2012 Class

2012-02-05T04:03:00.000-06:00

The 2013 top center prospect Nerlens Noel and point guard Chris Thomas will be attending college next year instead of finishing their high school careers out. Noel is the best defensive player in the country and wanted to rejoin his original class, he originally had an injury that cause him go down to 2013 class while attending Tilton Prep School. Noel's recruitment will certainly be at an accelerated pace with some of the schools he has set to visit are Kentucky, Providence, UConn, and Syracuse to name a few. Noel will definitely be a difference maker with any university he decides to attend next fall. The Chris Thomas situation is kind of strange. Thomas' first reclassification was due to academic issues and he was attending South Kent Prep this season. He recently left South Kent and enrolled in Chipola Junior College in Florida. Thomas was a top 10 player in 2013 class but has been to many schools and prep schools, so who knows if he will ever step foot on a Division 1 campus.

2/2/2012 Dunk of the Night: Tony Allen catches Josh Smith

2012-02-03T06:35:00.000-06:00

Tony Allen has been slipping up the past few weeks and missing some wide open lay ups he finally decided to go in for the dunk and put on down on Josh Smith.

2/1/2012 Dunk of the Night: Andre Iguodala over Kyle Korver

2012-02-02T08:10:00.000-06:00

Good thing Kyle Korver decided not to jump!!

1/31/2012 Dunks of The Night: Deron Williams and Paul George Show out!!

2012-02-01T03:34:00.000-06:00

Deron caught big Roy Hibbert slipping on this drive to the hoop and Paul George who reminds me of a young T-Mac had a nice double pump reverse on the break.

1/30/2012 Dunk of the Night: Blake Griffin Posters Kendrick Perkins!!!

2012-01-30T23:31:00.001-06:00

"BGTV" is unreal that's all I can say!! This is the new dunk of the year hands down!!

1/29/2012 Dunk of the Night: LeBron Jumps over Lucas for Alley Oop!!

2012-01-29T18:53:00.003-06:00

The title says it all!!

1/28/2012 Dunk of the Night: Trey Starks with And1 Dunk

2012-01-28T22:27:00.001-06:00

Trey Starks is only 5'11"but looks like Vince Carter in his prime with this finish.

Carmelo Anthony Lockout Mixtape!!

2012-01-28T22:21:00.000-06:00

Since the Knicks and Melo are struggling I thought it would be cool to post his lockout mixtape. Hopefully they can get out there and start having fun again because they are playing with no passion 20 games into the season.

UConn's Boatright Cleared by NCAA

2012-01-28T18:27:00.001-06:00

Ryan Boatright has been cleared to pay by the NCAA after an investigation concerning his amateur status. Boatright had already been suspended once for the start for improper benefits during high school. Boatright is a Kemba Walker clone and provided a spark off the bench in the games he did play before the most recent investigation took place.

Wayne Selden c/o 2014 Elite Prospect!!

2012-01-28T18:20:00.000-06:00

I first saw Selden play as a Freshman last year. He looks like he is around 18 years old already and has great frame on him already. He is an excellent athlete and starting to develop a better jumper compared to the stand still set shot he had last year. Look out for him during the rest of the high school season with Tilton Prep and running with BABC out of Boston during the spring and summer.

1/27/2012 Dunk of the Night: LBJ All Over Bill Walker!!

2012-01-28T00:28:00.002-06:00

The Heat had 10 dunks against the Knicks tonight and this was the best of them all.

Nate Robinson Destroys Reggie Jackson!!

2012-01-28T00:08:00.002-06:00

This is the true definition of an ankle breaker.

The Rise and Fall: James Felton

2012-01-27T01:37:00.000-06:00

I first heard about James Felton in 2008 reading an ESPN article. Felton out of Jersey City was one of the top players going into the Adidas ABCD camp in 1996. The beginning of the end for Felton came when he ran into a relevant unknown named Tracy McGrady who may have had one of the greatest dunks of all time on Felton during the ABCD camp. There has been no footage or video ever released of this dunk but T-Mac is rumored to have came down the court and sized Felton up before completing a full windmill dunk on Felton. This play catapulted McGrady into a top prospect and first round pick in the 1997 NBA draft. After this dunk Felton's career started to spiral. He ended up at St Johns his Freshman year in 1997 he was eventually kicked off the team for rules violations and transferred multiple times. Felton never reached his full potential or any NBA roster. Felton passed away in 2006 dealing with many issues that included alcoholism. Who knows what would have happened if T-Mac never even did that dunk where the two could be right now.

1/25/2012 Dunk of the Night: Blake with the Nasty Double Pump

2012-01-26T01:18:00.001-06:00

"BGTV" it needs no explaining just watch!!

Markel Brown Dunk of the Year?!?!?!?!

2012-01-26T01:16:00.000-06:00

Markel Brown from OK St just has ridiculous hops. Check out the alley oop he caught in OK States upset of #2 Missouri.

1/24/2012 Dunk of the Night: Alonzo Gee on Haslem

2012-01-25T16:12:00.000-06:00

Alonzo Gee had the smooth baseline jam on Udonis Haslem last night. Gee is one of the better athletes in the league that people have been sleeping on. Check out how LeBron got kicked in he aftermath of this one.

NBA Week 4 Recap!!

2012-01-23T13:13:00.001-06:00

Just had another great week of action. The Lakers seemed to be headed on the right path but they are back to playing with no energy again. If Kobe is not putting up big numbers they go nowhere because the bigs dont get enough touches and they have no one besides Kobe who can make plays off the dribble. Kevin Love had an impressive game against the Clippers knocking down the game winner in DeAndre Jordan's eye. Another team that is struggling is the Boston Celtics. When Rondo is out there he is playing at another speed compared to the other four guys on the court. The Celtics are not as deep as they used to be and struggle when their second unit get on the court and cant match up with the more athletic teams. The most disappointing team would have to be the Knicks. Their lack of point guard play and not playing defense is absolutely killing them. Tyson Chandler may have been a good move but without good team defense he is not as effective and he's clogging the lane for Amare' on the offensive end. Seeing when or if these teams improve are the most intriguing story lines so far this season.

Oak Hill Academy and Simeon earn victories in Penny Hardaway Hoopfest

2012-01-23T01:39:00.000-06:00

The first annual Penny Hardaway Hoopfest was a great event that took place in Memphis this weekend. The two marquee teams in the event were the newly ranked #1 Oak Hill Academy and #12 Simeon out of Chicago. Both teams had impressive victories. Simeon was lead by Steve Taylor 19 points and Jabari Parker 16 points. Taylor earned game MVP honors as Simeon won against Southwind High School (Memphis,TN) 73-54. This could have been much closer if Jarnell Stokes was playing. Stokes is now a UT Volunteer putting up big numbers after he reclassified due to eligibility issues due to transferring to Southwind before the start of the school year. Oak Hill won 76 to 71 against Melrose High. Oak Hill was hot beyond the arc and had a balance attack as usual led Tyler Lewis (NC State), D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown), and Jordan Adams (UCLA)

1/22/2012 Dunk of the Night: Nick Young Booms Boston's Pietrus

2012-01-23T00:56:00.000-06:00

Nick Young had the huge dunk over Pietrus today!! Too bad he had got the tech after the big play

1/20/2012 Dunk of the Night: Javalle McGee Dunks Nuggets

2012-01-21T01:01:00.001-06:00

One thing Javalle McGee can do is dunk, just ask Timofey Mosgov.

UNC's Dexter Strickland Torn ACL

2012-01-20T22:20:00.000-06:00

UNC guard Dexter Strickland will miss remainder of the season after tearing his ACL during the Tar Heels victory against Virginia Tech. Strickland was the Tar Heels main slasher so there will be added pressure on Harrison Barnes and the wings coming off the bench must step up.

1/19/2012 Dunk of the Night: CJ Miles with Strong Finish over Lamar Odom!

2012-01-20T15:05:00.000-06:00

CJ Miles had the nice drive and dunk over Lamar Odom last night. Odom should have just moved out of the way!

1/18/2012 Dunk of the Night: Victor Rudd's Huge Dunk on God's Gift

2012-01-19T13:07:00.000-06:00

I missed this dunk last night but I thinks it is a little better than the Blake Griffin alley oop. Yes, the name of the kid he dunked on his named God's Gift. Victor Rudd destroyed him on this one!!

LeBron Skips shoot-around before Lakers Game!!

2012-01-19T12:30:00.000-06:00

LeBron was sent home early due to illness today to get some extra rest before the big showdown against the Lakers. The odds are that he will be in the lineup and just needed some time to relax. I'm sure the adrenaline will be rushing since Kobe will be in town and will be a good measuring stick for both teams even though D wade is still out with multiple injuries

1/18/2012 Dunks of the Night: Randy Foye to Blake Griffin for the Huge OOP!!

2012-01-19T01:21:00.000-06:00

For now on I'm calling Blake Griffin "BGTV" he does something at least once at least once a night that wil make you jump completely out of your seat. This was one of those plays!!

1/17/2012 Dunk of the Night: Chandler Parsons Nasty Putback

2012-01-18T13:13:00.000-06:00

Chandler Parsons has been reeking havoc on rims the past week with these tip dunks! Somebody please put a body on him and box out as soon as a shot goes up.

1/16/2012 Dunks of the Night from MLK DAY

2012-01-17T11:58:00.000-06:00

Since there was no good dunks or highlights from this past Sunday, here are some of the top dunks from an action filled MLK Day!!

D Wade Ruled out Indefinitely!!

2012-01-15T18:45:00.000-06:00

D Wade is dealing with a total of three injuries. The most recent is the ankle injury he sustained Friday against the Nuggets. Wade already dealing with a bruised foot wasn't playing anywhere near 100% and the ankle being turned just multiplied his problems. With NBA treatment an indefinite diagnosis can only mean a few games you never know.

NBA Week 3 Recap!!

2012-01-15T11:28:00.004-06:00

KOBE BEAN BRYAN is a man playing with a purpose. This week he had four 40+ games. Kobe is defying father time and leading the league is scoring after his huge week. The biggest matchups of the week were the Heat/Clippers and Lakers/Clippers. Both games were great. The Heat and Clippers was great, poor free throw shooting did MIami in and the Clippers won it in OT. After two weeks of playing great the critics are back on LeBron for his slip ups against the Clippers and Warriors. BattleLA was a huge game. The crowd hadn't been so animated in Staples Center since game 7 of the 2010 finals. Kobe had another plus 40 game. In the end it was Chris Paul putting the Clippers on his back and leading the Clippers to the victory netting a season high 33 points. The Mavs have quietly won five straight and are getting back into form. The Heat had 3 consecutive loses this week. D Wade was back in the lineup but not playing at full strength and Joel Anthony was out as well. Once they get back to full strength these 3 games will be in their rear view and nobody will be thinking about them. The Wizards and Kings are taking the title for most disappointing

teams in the league so far. The Wizards still only have one victory and the Kings are playing with no heart at all, last night they only scored 60 against the Mavs. The Hawks were dealt a devastating blow when it was reported that Al Horford may miss up to four months with a torn pectoral muscle. The Hawks were making huge strides and playing some of the best defense in the league

UNC upset by FSU 90 to 57!!

2012-01-15T11:02:00.000-06:00

The Seminoles came ready to play yesterday. They were absolutely on fire from beyond the three point line from start to finish. This was UNC's first game away from Chapel Hill in over a month and they never seemed to match Florida State's energy at any point during the game. With some time remaining on the clock Roy Williams pulled the Tar Heels off the court so the Seminole crowd could rush the floor at the buzzer. Some thought it was an issue but Coach Williams pulled the players for safety precautions since the game was well out of reach and wanted the crowd to enjoy the moment.

1/14/2012 Dunk of the Night: Monta Ellis Dunks Tyrus Thomas!!

2012-01-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

Monta Ellis definitely caught Tyrus Thomas with this one. Ellis is usually a finger roll/floater type guy when he goes to the hole but this time he let his frustration out and put a nasty one hander on Tyrus Thomas. Whenever someone 6'2" dunks on someone 6'9" it is "dunk of the night" material.

1/13/2012 Dunk of the Night: Jrue Holiday Left Hander over Jan Vesely

2012-01-14T11:55:00.000-06:00

Jrue Holiday had the nice left hand dunk over rookie Jan Vesely last night. Along with John Wall, Holiday is one of the best guards at finishing above the rime with the left hand!

1/12/2012 Dunk of the Night: Rudy Gay over Josh Harrelson

2012-01-13T11:53:00.000-06:00

Rudy Gay played great last night getting the best of the Knicks. He has to step up in the absence of Zach Randolph and this may have been the game to get him going since he has started the season off kind of slow. The play was very impressive avoiding the contact and still being able to finish strong above the rim.

1/11/2012 Dunk of the Night: John Wall Takes off on John Lucas

2012-01-12T14:11:00.000-06:00

John Wall is great at finishing above the rime using his left hand. I think he dunks more with the left than he does with his strong hand. John Lucas didn't know what to do except get out the way and he was still called for the foul. Side note, Stacey King may be the funniest announcer in the NBA. You can't get dunked when he's doing the game!

1/10/2012 Dunk of the Night: Brandan Wright With the Sick Oop!!

2012-01-11T10:28:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since Brandan Wright has had some highlights. This alley oop was very impressive especially in slow motion. The rule for alley oops is the worst the pass the better the finish. No average guy would have been able to catch this pass, it helps that Wright is 6'10 and super athletic!!

1/9/2012 Dunk of the Night: Melo Posterized by Gerald Henderson

2012-01-10T11:53:00.000-06:00

The Bobcats and Knicks played a very intense game last night. The play of the game was Gerald Henderson finishing the huge dunk over Melo. It would not have been so bad if Melo didn't fall due to the body contact. Melo had the last laugh in the end with the Knicks grabbing the victory.

NBA Week 2 Recap!!

2012-01-08T23:19:00.001-06:00

Another crazy and exciting week in the association. The week started with the Kings coach Paul Westphal sending DeMarcus cousins and releasing a statement that Cousins said he wanted a trade. Cousins contradicted the statement made by Westphal saying he didn't want a trade. Only a few days later Westphal was fired after the the teams early struggles and dismal start to the season. Since Keith Smart became the Kings coach Cousins has put up back to back double doubles. The Mavericks are still struggling and looking bad on the defensive end. Ricky Rubio continues to impress having multiple double digit assist games this week. Kevin Love is putting up monster numbers as well and showing an improved three point shot. The Heat and Hawks had the most exciting game of the week. With no D Wade or LeBron it looked like it was going to be a cakewalk for the Hawks, seeing that they just beat the Heat three days earlier with their full compliment of players. Chris Bosh and Mario Chalmers led the Heat to the victory in a 3 overtime instant classic in front of a stunned Hawks crowd. LBJ continues to put up huge numbers and continues to look like a man on a mission averaging 30,7, and 7 while shooting a scary 60% from the field. The Wizards continue to look like an expansion sitting at 0-8 with no signs of improvement from week 1 to week 2.

Jabari Parker and #1 Ranked Simeon hold off Miller Grove

2012-01-07T23:30:00.001-06:00

The #1 ranked Simeon Wolverines had a big matchup tonight with Miller Grove (GA) that aired on ESPN2.Miller Grove was previously ranked #2 in the country but had lost four games in the last month to some big name teams including Oak Hill Academy and wanted to show they were still an elite team The Wolverines came out strong building a 15 point lead going into halftime. In the second half Miller Grove came to play. They eventually tied the game up in the fourth quarter being led by top 50 senior Tony Miller. Jabari Parker led Simeon with 20 points. Kendrick Nunn made some impressive drives to the basket in the clutch when Miller Grove was making their run. Simeon squeezed out a three point victory in one of their toughest games this season.

Aquille Carr Commits to Seton Hall!!

2012-01-06T13:28:00.000-06:00

Aquille Carr out of Baltimore, MD just committed to Seton Hall University. The 5'6" PG from Patterson High is a scoring machine and shared the MVP at the Elite 24 game this summer. Carr has been a big name on the hoop scene since he dropped 39 points on Josh Selby as a Freshman while Selby was rated the #1 point guard in the country. Check out the video it is a mix of some of the best player out of the DMV area including Carr and many others.

Top 2013 Prospect?!?!?!

2012-01-05T07:54:00.001-06:00

The class of 2013 looks like it can be one of the better classes we have had in the last few years. Compared to the 2012 class this class is head and heels above and there is no questioning that. A few months ago I had a post about the "Big 3"in 2013 which were Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, and Nerlens Noel. There two more that can be added to the list now. Andrew Harrison is a 6'5 point guard out of Texas who had an amazing summer the other Chris Walker out of Florida. Walker is an ultra athletic four man who is great at finishing above the rim with either hand which is rare for a kid going into his Junior year of High School. Check out the gest highlights from these five thanks to clhtv.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJX6KQC5Nn8&feature=g-all-u&context=G23ade0dFAAAAAAAAAAA

DeMarcus Cousins Request Trade?!?!?

2012-01-02T01:12:00.000-06:00

DeMarcus Cousins is starting to live up to his reputation that has followed him since high school. The Kings head coach Paul Westphal advised Cousins to stay away from the team before their game against the Hornets. Cousins is a great talent and double, double machine on the court. Then there are his constant outburst on the court and that lead to the negative stigma that follows him, which can sometimes over shadow his tremendous talent. Hopefully, Cousins can show that he has a commitment to the team and they can build on the young nucleus that they have up in Sacramento.

NBA Week 1 Recap!!

2012-01-01T10:17:00.001-06:00

The season has started off with a bang. The Heat and OKC Thunder look like the best out of each conference fresh out the gate. Christmas day was filled with 5 great games which included the Heat demolishing the Mavs and D Rose hitting the game winner on the Lakers after a great comeback in the last minute of the fourth quarter. The Lakers started it off slow but it looks they are starting to hit their stride getting Andrew Bynum back last night. There were a lot of whispers going on about turmoil in OKC with Russ Westbrook. I dont think there is any problems he's just starting off slow and
let his emotions get to him in Memphis. Kevin Durant started off with four straight 30 point games! He makes it look so easy out there, that fall away game winner against the Mavs looked effortless. The Mavs are struggling and playing terrible defense, they are really missing Tyson Chandler and DeShawn Stevenson's toughness on the court. Some of the surprises this week were rookies Norris Cole and Ricky Rubio. These two are not playing like rookies and are definitely NBA ready. Cole put on a show in the fourth quarter against the Celtics and Rubio is looking very Steve Nash-ish out there showing off his great passing ability. This is sure to be a great season with many more stories to come which include Dwight Howards future, Knicks lack of defense, Mavericks title defense, and many more!!

Rudy Gay Summer Mixtape!

2011-12-24T08:04:00.000-06:00

Rudy Gay is one of the most versatile wings in the NBA. At 6'9" he has a great handle, smooth jump shot, and is an elite level athlete. Coming back healthy in 2011-2012 after his season was cut short last year due to serious shoulder injury which required surgery the Grizz should have a great 1-2 punch with Z-Bo on the inside and Gay on the outside. Here is the link to the mix on ballislife.com!! http://ballislife.com/rudy-gay-official-ballsilife-lockout-mixtape-puts-on-a-show-after-sitting-out-all-season/

Tyreke Evans Lockout Mixtape!!!

2011-12-19T18:00:00.001-06:00

Reke Havoc is one of my favorite players in the game right now. He may have one the best handles as well as best euro step in the league which is crazy for a guy his size. He should definitely have a big year after coming off a season plagued with injuries. With him at the point again expect big numbers.

D Wade & Lebron: Best Duo In the League?!?!?

2011-12-16T15:36:00.000-06:00

Having two top 5 players on your team is never a problem. LBJ and D Wade are arguably the two best all around players in the NBA right now on the offensive and defensive end. Last season they didn't even hit their stride until mid season when they finally got rolling. With LeBron coming back with a refined post game they should be able to play off each other more this year. These two were so used to always having the ball in their hands it seemed like they were taking turns on the offensive instead of playing as a unit and it was exposed in the finals. 2011-2012 is a big year for these two especially LeBron he has to redeem his self from that finals performance.

Jabari Parker: #1 Overall Player in the Country

2011-12-13T17:34:00.000-06:00

BallisLife.com compiled a mix of Simeons first 3 games this season. The Wolverines are 3-0 and Parker is living up to the billing as top player in the country. I haven't enjoyed watching a high school player this much since Tyreke Evans in the 2008 class. Parker is very versatile and can play the 1-5 on the high school level and can score from any spot on the floor. Can't wait to see him next week in Chicago when Simeon matches up against their local rival Whitney Young High School. This should be a great game since Whitney Young has one of the best front courts in the country with NBA type size. Here is the link for the video!! http://ballislife.com/jabari-parker-leads-1-ranked-chicago-simeon-career-academy-to-3-0-start-3-game-mix/

Chris Paul to Lakers Trade Reportedly Off!!

2011-12-08T22:46:00.000-06:00

There was a blockbuster trade earlier today that had CP3 going to the LakeShow, Gasol to the Rockets, and Lamar Odom to the Hornets. There were signs of the West Coast big three being formed with CP3, Kobe, and Dwight Howard. The deal was on until the NBA intervened and stopped it. The Hornets are currently owned by the league. There haven't been any details if the deal is still on or completely off. There will be more details coming soon once the information is available.

New NBA Schedules!!

2011-12-06T21:18:00.002-06:00

Here is the link from ESPN with the revised schedules for each team. Kind of upset Melo wont be making a trip to Denver since majority of the games are within each conference and the east and west teams will only matchup once during the regular season.http://espn.go.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/lal/seasontype/2/los-angeles-lakers

Revised NBA Schedule Released Today

2011-12-06T01:46:00.001-06:00

Later on today the revised 66 game NBA schedule will be released. As soon as it's releases there will be an update with listing for some of the marquee match ups of the year.

Jabari Parker: Impressive Season Opener

2011-12-03T23:54:00.002-06:00

The #1 ranked team in the nation the Simeon Wolverines out of Chicago, Illinois had an impressive win over Hillcrest in their season opener at the UIC Pavillion. Simeon won by 18 and were in control from the start. Parker wearing his new #22 jersey had a great game going for 26 while shooting at a very impressive clip from the field. Coach Tom Izzo was all smiles checking out the action court side, MSU is one of the many schools looking to land Parker who is the #1 prospect in the 2013 class.

Top 50 Lockout Moments!!

2011-12-03T03:02:00.000-06:00

Thanks to ball is life for the great highlights!!

LeBron, John Wall and Kevin Durant Lockout Mixtapes!!

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

These three had some good highlights during the extended offseason!!

Under Armour: Are You From Here Campaign

2011-11-26T18:33:00.000-06:00

Under Armour is doing a great job with their "Are You From Here" ad campaign. It gives you a small look into the players live in quick 2 minute pieces back in their hometowns. The ones on Kemba Walker and B Jennings are great, I'm sure the next one will be on Derrick Williams since he signed to Under Armour this summer as well!

BASKETBALL NEVER STOPS!!

2011-11-25T13:04:00.001-06:00

This saying is definitely true. This ad campaign from Nike is great especially since the NBA lockout is going on. You dont have to be in the NBA or playing professionally to have a deep love for the game. Everyone from weekend warriors to the best players in the world can relate to #basketballneverstops

Wale: Barry Sanders Video!

2011-11-25T11:46:00.001-06:00

Wale is one of the best out right now he has been growing on me since I heard "Nike Boots" a few years back. Wale is only the second rapper I wrote about on the site along with J. Cole. Wale is a huge sports fan and has ben known to go at it with Skip Bayless on ESPN's First Take. If you follow the shoe game he always has some exclusive kicks on months before they even come out. I really like this song its loaded with hoop references, while listening to it he drops the names of Len Bias and Victor Page. A month ago I wrote about these two in a series titled Rise and Fall. Wale knows his hoop history!! Enjoy the video.

Debate: Penny or T-Mac in their Primes??

2011-11-24T20:57:00.002-06:00

This is definitely a great debate. T-Mac and Penny were definitely top 10 players in the NBA when they were healthy and in their primes. Once T-Mac left Toronto he became one of the best scorers in the NBA winning multiple scoring titles. McGrady was one of the most athletic players in the league and could do whatever he wanted on the offensive end. The only knock on McGrady was he never made it out of the first round of the playoffs. That can be contributed to Grant Hill being hurt and the Magic having no real help around McGrady. Penny Hardaway was one of the most versatile players in the NBA. At 6'7" running the point he was considered a more athletic version of Magic Johnson. While teamed up with Shaq penny earned multiple first team All NBA selections and consistently averaged over 20 points and 7 assist per. Who's your pick T-Mac or Penny

LeBron James Heads 4 Game NBA Superstar Tour!!

2011-11-21T17:29:00.002-06:00

From the looks of it there will be no NBA games on Christmas this year with no scheduled talks this week to try and end the lockout. NBA superstars LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade will have their own four game tour. The tour will start December 1st in LBJ's hometown Akron, Ohio. The other tour dates are December 4th in New Orleans, December 7th Chicago, and December 1oth in East Rutherford, NJ. All the games will be streamed live on google plus.

JR Smith Injured in China

2011-11-20T21:46:00.000-06:00

Last night JR Smith injured his knee and was taken to the hospital. This may be the biggest con to going overseas to play. Many of the big time players may be hesitant to go over with the fear of being injured and not able to come back to their teams to play once the lockout ends.

Lebron & KD: Striving for Greatness (episode 2)

2011-11-16T14:06:00.000-06:00

Here's the second installment from KD and LeBron!!

Dirk Nowitzki: Unstoppable

2011-11-16T13:56:00.000-06:00

Dirk had one of the best playoff performances of all time this past year. Dirk had an amazing run capping it off with the championship and Finals MVP. No one could touch that one legged fadeaway jumper. I have never seen so many teams change defenders as much to try and contain one player. He even had some analyst naming him one of the 10 best players of all time. I wouldn't take it that far but I definitely have Dirk in the top 25, which is nothing to slouch at.Dirk is one of the most unique players of time there has been nobody his size with the shooting and ball handling ability ever. KG and Dirk have revolutionized the four man position. Before these two you never saw 7 footers handling the and shooting jumpers at a high level. In todays game you rarely see any true post players on the prep and college level.

Coach Calipar's Top Guards: Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and John Wall

2011-11-14T02:56:00.000-06:00

When it comes to recruiting Coach Cal may be the best in the business. The last three years Kentucky has had one of the top recruiting classes in the country. In 2007 he brought Derrick Rose to Memphis and since then he has lottery picks in the past three NBA drafts.He may not be the best coachwhen it comes to x's & o's and strategies during the game but his system puts players in positions to make plays and his point guards are the leaders on the court. In some programs you see players become a product of the system and that doesn't equate to success at the next level. The last three years Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, and John Wall all have had outstanding rookie seasons as well Eric Bledsoe playing very well for the Clippers. Cal brought in another top pg Marquis Teague out of Indianapolis look out for him to have a great year too!

Quincy Miller(a.k.a It's Easy!) 17 Points Opening Night

2011-11-14T02:02:00.000-06:00

My guy Q Miller had a good opening night for the Baylor Bears against Jackson St. 15 of his 17 came in the second half in a big win. Miller is out there with a lot to prove since he slid a little in the high school ranks due to his knee injury last season. He was arguably the best player in the nation up until that point. Look for Miller and sophomore Perry Jones to form one of the best front courts in the country.

Impressive Debuts For Top Freshman!

2011-11-12T18:12:00.000-06:00

Some of the top incoming Freshman tipped off their season last night. It looks Austin River's will have the green light in Coach K's offense scoring 16 in his first game. We still have to wait and see if Quinn Cook will step into the point guard role that they need once the ACC season gets going. The heralded UK class looks as good as advertised. Anthony Davis led the way with 23 points and 10 boards, Marquis Teague had 16 and 4 assist, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 15 points. The sleeper out the UK class 4 man Kyle Wiltjer scored 14 off the bench. If these guys keep it going along with Terrance Jones and Doron Lamb the Wildcats should be in the mix for the title at the end of the year. Bradley Beal for the Florida Gators scored 14 while shooting 50% from the field. Beal is definitely the best shooter in his class and one of the best scorers. Florida will be tough this year adding former McDonald's All American Mike Rosario who transferred from Rutgers scoring 19 in a reserve role last night. Look out for some big games this upcoming Tuesday with these match ups at Madison Square Garden with Kentucky vs Kansas, Duke vs Michigan St, and Florida vs Ohio State in Columbus.

Lebron & KD: Striving for Greatness Webseries

2011-11-09T16:41:00.001-06:00

Here is the first entry into the LBJ and Kevin Durant series. The series shows the two working on their games and making each other better during the lockout. The off season is when players make the most strides in their games. I'm sure LeBron can help Durant with becoming more physical on the offensive and defensive end. Durant can definitely help LeBron on adding more moves to his offensive repertoire. This should be great to follow just seeing how two of the best in the game push themselves to get better! #BASKETBALLNEVERSTOPS

Kevin Durants 35th Hour Web Series: Episode 4

2011-11-09T14:17:00.000-06:00

Here is the fourth installment of the 35th Hour!!

Prime Examples for The NBA Lockout

2011-11-07T14:57:00.001-06:00

This NBA lockout is really getting out of hand now. Since the last CBA owners have continued to overpay players. With the country going through a recession many of the small market teams are not earning a profit and there is nothing that can really be done about that right now. The lockout is making the recession worse because there are thousands without jobs who depend on the NBA for their livelihoods. These people are the small business owners, arena workers, and office employees for the teams. These huge contracts for descent players are also causing team to go into the red. Here are some of the worst contracts right now.
1. Eddy Curry 6 year $60 mill
2. Travis Outlaw 5 year $35 mill
3. Hedo Turkoglo 5 year $ 53 mill
4. Rashard Lewis 6 year $113 mill
5. Gilbert Arenas 6 year $111 mill
None of these guys have made any type of impact but are getting paid as if they were superstars. The owners cant blame the players for taking the money since their window of opportunity is limited compared to the owners who can make money until they decide to sale their respective teams.

Top Prospect Mitch McGary Picks Michigan

2011-11-03T20:45:00.001-05:00

The Wolverines have snagged another top 100 prospect from the class of 2012. McGary is definitely the crown jewel of their class which is currently rated #5 by ESPN for the upcoming 2012 recruiting classes. McGary is the #1 Power Forward in the country and number two overall prospect behind Shabazz Muhammad.

The Rise and Fall: Victor Page

2011-10-30T03:21:00.001-05:00

I remember watching the Hoyas back in the days when Allen Iverson was dominating the Big East. AI was my favorite player but I loved the left handed two guard he had running in the backcourt with him who would just bring the house down whenever he dunked the ball. That lefty was Victor Page. Page was a local product out of DC. After Iverson left for the draft Page went on to average 23 per game his sophomore season. Following his big year he decided to enter the draft, Page wasn't picked in the 97' draft. He went on to have some good seasons in the CBA but never made any NBA teams. Page had troubles off the court being arrested numerous times and lost his right eye due to a gun shot wound sustained in a robbery attempt in the neighborhood he grew up in.

Penny Hardaway Tribute

2011-10-30T00:01:00.002-05:00

In honor of the Penny Hardaway Sole Collector sneaker package that dropped in Las Vegas this weekend, I felt it was only right to come with a tribute to one of my favorite players Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway. Penny was a top five player in the NBA during the mid 90's earning first team All NBA honors multiple times. Penny was one of the few who would actually give Michael Jordan fits on the defensive end. Penny was 6'7" playing the point and was a matchup up nightmare for who ever tried guarding him. Before serious knee injuries knee derailed his career Penny was definitely on his way to earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Blake Griffin: The Modern Day Reignman!!

2011-10-28T16:26:00.000-05:00

Blake Griffin is the modern day Shawn Kemp in my opinion. Many say Blake reminds them of Karl Malone, they both have the same body type but his game is more similar to Kemp when he was in his prime in the early to mid 90s. Griffin may be the best athlete in the NBA next to LBJ and DRose and just causes problem for defense because he plays so hard and is more athletic than anyone at his position. In Kemp's best days he dunked on anyone in front of him but unlike Griffin he would embarrass you after the play too by pointing or just laughing in your face.

Jabari Parker: The Next Carmelo Anthony

2011-10-28T01:37:00.002-05:00

Parker may arguably be the best player in high school basketball right now going into his junior season. The guy can play four position and can score from virtually any spot on the floor he chooses to. He has led Simeon (Chicago, Ill) to consecutive state titles. Following the high school season Parker shed a few pounds and showed a lot more bounce to his game this summer. During the summer he dominated the Nike EYBL playing with the Mac Irvin Fire and earned tournament MVP for the USA at the FIBA 16 and under championship. After the summer ESPN moved Parker to the #1 spot in the Junior class and his Simeon squad is rated #1 in the majority of the pre season polls. It looks like a long line of coaches are in search of Parker's service, Coach K and his entire staff showed up at Simeon's open gym the first day of the evaluation period for recruits a few weeks ago.

Dayton Dunbar: Paid in Full

2011-10-27T00:32:00.000-05:00

I always have to show love for my hometown Dayton, Ohio. Even though I didn't go to Dunbar the school is still close to m since their old gym was named after my grandfather. Dunbar has been dominating the hoop scene in the area the past five years earning 3 state titles and producing two first round draft picks Daequan Cook and Norris Cole.

Must See: Chicago Preps TV Show

2011-10-26T16:41:00.000-05:00

This show aired during the 2000-2001 basketball season and aired on Fox Sports every every Friday. I was a freshman in high school at the time and would stay up to catch it every week. The show covered some of the areas best high school players. I really focused on were Sean Dockery, Will "The Thrill" Bynum and Eddy Curry since they were some of the best players in their classes. I still think if Sean Dockery picked a different school instead of Duke he would be in the league right now. He played his role well at Duke but he really couldn't showcase his talents which is best in a fast paced game instead of the floor general mode he played while at Duke. He was definitely a trendsetter being the first public league player out of Chicago to attend Duke. This was definitely a great show and the first of its kind.

Must See Films: A Woman Among Boys

2011-10-26T16:18:00.000-05:00

This documentary chronicles Boys and Girls High School basketball coach Ruth Lovelace and her teams journey towards the city championship in New York City. Lovelace is the only female coaching a boys team in NYC. Boys and Girls is located in the Bedford Stuyvestant section of Brooklyn and many of the players have very tough backgrounds. Throughout the film you see all the seniors on the team earn basketball scholarships, in many cases they are the first in their families to attend college. In Lovelace's tenure she has earned a playoff birth every season and over 40 of her players have earned basketball scholarships. Since the film Boys and Girls has went on to win two city titles!

Greatest Dunkers: James "Flight" White

2011-10-23T23:15:00.001-05:00

James White is arguably the best dunker off of one leg I have ever seen. He has an array dunks from the free throw line which include windmills, through the legs, and with two hands. On almost every dunk he attempts he is eye level with the rim. As of right now he is playing over in Europe and has been seen doing some dunk contest with Team Flight Brothers

Dwyane Wade: Best in the NBA!?!?

2011-10-22T17:32:00.001-05:00

With ESPN coming up with their rankings for their top players in the NBA this past week there have been some heated debates going on daily. A lot of people overlooked D Wade being rated third and instead focused on Blake Griffin(#10), Kobe Bryant(#7), and LeBron James'(#1) ratings. With Kobe slowing down and LeBron not stepping up I feel the top spot should go to Wade. Dwight Howard is definitely the best big man but there are no real elite big guys who play on the block most play on the perimeter now. Wade can play lockdown defense and he gets to whatever spot he wants to on the floor. You would never know Wade was 6'3"-6'4" since he's so athletic sometimes it looks like he's 6'8" when he's on the court. I had to make my case for D wade since it seems like he was overshadowed this week by the other players rated in the top 10.

Must See Films: Prayer For A Perfect Season

2011-10-21T22:45:00.006-05:00

This documentary covers St Patricks High School in New Jersey. St. Patricks is a national power that produces a number of D1 prospects every year. St Patrick's is is one of the three private school powers in New Jersey which include St Benedicts and St Anothony. Almost every year one of these three schools are playing for the state championship.The documentary covers the 2010-2011 team lead by top 5 prospect Mike Gillchrist and their quest for their first undefeated season in the historic history of the school. The team had many showcase games during the season including a game against Austin River's and his Winter Park team in Florida. The documentary airs October 25th on HBO.

The Rise and Fall: Len Bias

2011-10-20T23:13:00.001-05:00

Len Bias was an All American at the University of Maryland and he had many great ACC battles against Michael Jordan while he was at UNC. I used to attend the Coach Oliver Purnell's basketball camps while he was at University of Dayton and he would always tell us the story of Len Bias every year. Oliver Purnell was an assistant on the Maryland team Bias played for and knew Bias first hand. Bias went on to be the #2 player selected in the NBA Raft by the Boston Celtics in 1986. The night after the draft Bias passed away due to a drug overdose. Who knows how great the Celtics could have been if they had Bias on the team that went to the 1987 finals.

Must See Films: ESPN's Fab 5 Documentary

2011-10-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

The Fab 5 completely changed the game.The all Freshman line up consisted of top 100 recruits Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose, and Chris Webber formed the most famous starting line up in college basketball history. It's rare when people can remember a starting five for a college basketball team let alone one that didn't even win the national time. From the baggy shorts, black socks, and flashy plays the Fab 5 completely changed the landscape of college basketball and may be the most famous team of all time.

Top HS Teams of All Time: 1982 Dunbar Poets (Baltimore, MD)

2011-10-19T18:55:00.000-05:00

The 82' Dunbar team earned the #1 ranking in USA Today and was loaded from top to bottom. I remember reading about this team a few years ago in Slam Magazine. The 82' Poets had future first round NBA pick Reggie Lewis coming off of the bench. They were definitely stacked with talent since many high schools never even have one future NBA player on any their teams. Dunbar also had three other first round picks on this team which were Tyrone "Mugsy" Bogues, David Wingate, and Reggie Williams.

Top HS Teams of All Time: 1990 Detroit Southwestern

2011-10-19T18:38:00.002-05:00

Southwestern is always a staple among the top basketball schools in the Detroit area. Their head coach was the legendary Perry Watson and this team featured Jalen Rose, Howard Eisley, and Vashon Leonard all three players who eventually played in the NBA and had great careers. This team could have been the best ever if the #1 recruit in the nation at the time Chris Webber decided to attend the school as he was scheduled to, instead he opted to attend nearby private school power Country Day High School.

Top HS Teams of All Time: 2004/2006 Oak Hill Academy

2011-10-19T00:23:00.000-05:00

These two teams were loaded with future NBA players and a number of players who earned D1 scholarships. The 2004 team was led by Rajon Rondo and Josh Smith and went on to a 38-0 record and earned the national title that year. The 2006 Warriors team had Michael Beasly,Ty Lawson and Nolan Smith leading the way that year. This team was 41-0 but lost their last game to Montrose Christian which had two future NBA players Kevin Durant and Grevis Vasquez.

Kevin Durants 35th Hour Web Series: Episode 3

2011-10-18T23:51:00.000-05:00

Here's the third installment!!

Top HS Teams of All Time: 2002 Columbus Brookhaven

2011-10-18T14:20:00.001-05:00

This Brookhaven squad had 8 Division 1 players total. They were coached by my former AAU coach Bruce Howard who passed in 2003. The team was led by All Americans Andrew Lavender (Xavier Univ) and Brandon Foust (Oklahoma Univ). Brookhaven also featured future All Big Ten Performers Ron Lewis (Ohio State) and Jamelle Cornley (Penn State) The team went on to win the D1 state title that year and remains one of the top teams in Ohio year in and year out.

Greatest High School Teams!!

2011-10-18T14:09:00.002-05:00

The next few post will be devoted to some of the best high teams of all time

Quincy Miller: It's Easy pt.2

2011-10-17T16:03:00.001-05:00

Here is a quick highlight from Baylor's midnite madness a few days ago. Looks like Q didnt lose any bounce after tearing his acl last year. Also looks like he put some weight on and is ready for the college grind!Here is the link to check it out on ballislife.com DOD 6’9″ Quincy Miller Kicks Off the Season With A POSTER DUNK!

Must See Films: Through the Fire

2011-10-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

This is definitely a must see! The film is about Sebastian Telfair's senior year of high school at Lincoln High. This is kind of like a sequel to the book the Last Shot I covered yesterday because Telfair's brother Jamel was one the players covered in the book. The documentary starts with Bassy signing at Louisville and chronicles his journey throughout the season and how he came up with his decision to turn pro and get his family out of the projects in Coney Island.

Must See Films: The Street Stops Here

2011-10-17T14:59:00.000-05:00

The Street Stops Here is a documentary on the 2008 St Anthony's High basketball team in New Jersey. The team was lead by Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley. The story centers around the 2008 senior class quest for a state championship. They would have been Bob Hurley's first class not to earn a state title. The story also focuses on St Anthony's lack of resources and how they are constantly on the brink of closing due to lack of funds. The school is a national power and doesn't even have their own gym to play their games in. The 2008 team had 7 division players led by which included McDonalds All American Mike Rosario.

Must See Films: Hoop Dreams

2011-10-17T02:21:00.000-05:00

Hoop Dreams is a classic documentary on two Chicago teens. I first watched it when I was 8 years old in 1994. At the time I really didn't understand it I just wanted to see some good highlights. I didn't watch it again until about three years ago and at that time understood why it received such high praise. The film covers Arthur Agee and Willam Gates from 8th grade through their first couple of years in college. When the film starts they both have dreams of playing in the NBA. Through those 4 years of high school issues with their families, coaches, injuries, and grades all come up. The two eventually become burned out and feel as if they have let the sport of basketball use them instead of them using it to make it to the NBA and get their families out of some of the worst areas in Chicago.

Chris Paul:Pure Point Guard

2011-10-16T23:17:00.000-05:00

Some consider CP3 the best point in the game. In my opinion and if I was starting a franchise I would choose Derrick Rose first then Paul. Paul is definitely the best floor general in the league but Rose just does some things that nobody else can do on a basketball court. Chris Paul makes everybody on his team better and its pretty much a guarantee that you can put at least 18-25 points and 10+ plus assist in the box score every night. I feel like he would still average 20 and 10 out there with three of friends and myself out on the court.

Nate Robinsons State of Nate Web Series!

2011-10-16T19:15:00.000-05:00

The State of Nate is pretty cool and I follow it along with Kevin Durants 35th hour series.

Great Books: The Last Shot by Darcy Frey

2011-10-16T16:15:00.000-05:00

The Last Shot puts you in the mindset of a documentary like Hoop Dreams only its in print and not on film. The book chronicles the daily lives of four basketball players from Lincoln High School in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, NY. Stephon Marbury was one of the four who were featured, he was a Freshman at the time the other three were seniors. Basketball is just a small piece of the book. What makes the book so interesting is the coverage of the families and their backgrounds as well as the everyday struggle of growing up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in America. This is a great read for everyone even if you are not interested in basketball. My grandmother read it and absolutely loved it!!

Estaban Weaver: The Rise and Fall

2011-10-16T01:08:00.001-05:00

Weaver was a part of the 1997 high school class that featured Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, Baron Davis, Tracy McGrady, and Elton Brand. From 7th through 10th grade Weaver was the #1 player in the class. By time his Junior year came he wasn't even the top player in Ohio anymore. His teammate Kenny Gregory who went on to Kansas and was A McDonald's All American and Michael Redd took over the top spots in the state. Weaver went to three high schools, had constant attitude problems, and poor grades prevented him from earning a D1 scholarship.

Jonathan Hargett: The Rise and Fall

2011-10-15T22:03:00.000-05:00

Many people may have never heard the name Jonathan Hargett. He was was the top poing guard in the 2001 class that included Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, and Dajuan Wagner. Unlike those three Hargett never touched the court in the NBA. Everyone speculated with his talent coming out of high school he was going to be one and done. Hargett was built like a compact NFL running back 5'11" weighed 205 and could just jump out the jump. He overwhelmed most guards on the high school level. Hargett was the first guy I saw throw the ball off the glass and dunk it in the half court set. This was a few years before T-Mac did it in the All Star Game. He entered West Virginia and was named the preseason freshman of the year for the Big East. Throughout the season Hargett constantly had a bad attitude and wasn't productive at all for the Mountaineers. The NCAA eventually ruled him ineligible for the following season due to some violations that went on in high school. Hargett eventually entered the 2003 NBA draft only to go unpicked. As of right now there have been no updates on where Hargett is playing or if he still involved in basketball at all.