Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Morrison

The Top 10 Basketball Shoes for the 2009-10 Season

Dave Morrison — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:11:18 -0400

It’s that time of year again. When hoops is in the air and you look down and realize it might be time for a change. Your kicks are probably worn out from all that summer run and you need a fresh new pair to start off the 2009-10 season. But which pair to get? Fear not—I have compiled a list of the top 10 basketball shoes to rock in 09 and into 2010. These are the kicks that will be chosen by college power-houses, NBA All-Stars and varsity team’s across the country—Don’t get left out.

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Top 10 Gnarliest Tricks in Wakeboarding History

Dave Morrison — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:43:49 -0400

Wakeboarding has come a long way in a relatively short amount of time. It is now the fastest growing water-sport in the US, and it’s starting to gain even more attention in the main-stream media. In honor of Bob Soven, the “on point” rider of the year in 09, getting into Sports Illustrated, (the Sept. 14th issue) http://www.alliancewake.com/wake/liquid-forces-bob-soven-featured-in-sports-illustrated-magazine/ I figured I would compile a list of the awe-inspiring moves that helped the sport progress, and land one of the most exciting young riders into the major sports publication. This list is meant to pay homage to the gnarliest moves in wakeboarding. Tricks that helped put the sport on the map and gain some real estate. Moves so awesome that the world had to notice, no one could deny how unreal these tricks were. All of these tricks were ground breaking as well as a big part of wake’s history. Moves that created legends, and inspired others to become legendry, here they are, the Top 10 Gnarliest Moves in Wakeboarding history.

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Just Done With It: Dwyane Wade Leaves Converse for Nike's Cushier Confines

Dave Morrison — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:42:37 -0400

Over the summer the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade made a big move and left Converse for Team Jordan.

There were some rumors about D Wade refusing to wear a version of his own signature shoe from Converse over the course of last season. Some called it “curious,” some called it a mystery, well people lets just call a spade, a spade. The shoe sucked.

Converse has not made a quality basketball shoe since the Chuck Taylor’s. You know it, I know it, the American people know it. The only difference is now D Wade knows it.

When Wade signed with Converse that was a huge win for them. They had a golden opportunity, rising star with a lot of potential, (similar to another 2 guard who got swooped up by Nike in 85’) then he went on and won a championship in 2006. Perfect.

Now, his feet hurt. Converse blew it.

Not only did they design an uncomfortable shoe, but also one of the more ugly signature shoes ever made. In my humble opinion Wade deserved better. Every legit star in the league needs not only a solid shoe deal, but a solid shoe.

No NBA super star wants someone to wear his kicks only to be laughed out of the gym. Wade is where he belongs now, with the best. Team Jordan is the elite shoe brand in the basketball world.

However, I have wondered would a D Wade Jordan shoe just seem like a sub plot to the GOAT? I have no doubt that Wade will be sporting a very stylish and functional shoe this coming season, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he will be sporting retro Jordan’s more often.

I am just saying that if you work for the best ever, is it possible to become the best ever?

Who knows?

Wade has the potential to be in the HOF. I’m just glad to see he will be walking in with the right shoes on.

Prediction: Wade’s signature Jordan shoe to drop around Christmas of 09.

As It Turns Out, Maybe I'm Not Going Pro?

Dave Morrison — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:49:53 -0400

I think a fair number of us sports fans at one time or another envisioned playing for our favorite pro sports team.

We all achieve different levels of success in our sporting careers. Some may have made it even as far as the Division-I college level, others got pick last in our sixth grade P.E. class. The point is, the D-I prospect and the kid who shoots hoops in his street twice a year, still share the same thought.

When am I going pro?

That is the dream in our heads while we play and compete growing up. Then it becomes a question of when.

The funny part is when does the point come where you have to admit to yourself, maybe I’m not going pro?

Some say your 18th birthday. It is clear at that point, because your high school career is over and you are either going somewhere on a scholarship, or you are joining a rec league.

However, for the stubborn non-collegiate athlete, there is still the dream— Maybe I will get discovered!

Well I am here to admit, that I am rapidly dropping out of the lottery and falling into the late second round.

In 8th grade I was convinced I was going to play in the NBA. Not even a question. My parents gave me undying support, the whole, “you can do anything you put your mind to” speech.

It was all I could talk about, where I would play college ball, where I think I would get drafted, what city I would end up living in depending on who drafted me, where would I get the most playing time, etc.

Drove my parents bonkers. Until eventually my Mom snapped and said, “Dave dear, you’re not 6’8’’ and black.” Actually, I was quite the opposite— I was 5’8’’ and Canadian.

I didn’t let that phase me, never have. However….

David Stern has still not called my name. What gives? I think this is a phenomenon that most of us sports fans have to face.

The tipping point where reality sets in, and we won’t be giving any interviews to Stewart Scott about how we plan to help the Warriors next season, starts to become all too clear.

We have to face the point in our lives when we say to ourselves…

Maybe, I’m not going pro.

However, we’ll have to see how the 2010 draft goes before we jump to any crazy conclusions. I am after all, still in the top five on my best-available board.

The MJ Effect: How His Airness Inspired A Love For The Game

Dave Morrison — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:56:19 -0400

I never saw Michael Jordan play in person. That is the biggest regret of my life.

The best player of all time came to town and put on dazzling, historical performances and I was always just a few miles away, admiring his Airness through a TV…damn it.

Growing up I was obsessed with Jordan, as were most basketball junkies in the 90’s. I mean, the man made chewing gum look cool, and don’t even get me started on the shoes…

Jordan was the ultimate basketball player, athlete, and superstar. I had undying loyalty for him and by association, his team. Otherwise, why would a kid from California root for a team from the Midwest?

He is the reason why I fell in love with the game of basketball. I realize I probably am not saying anything unique or original with that statement because of the global icon status that Jordan possess, but it doesn’t make it any less true.

My first basketball practice my Mom dragged me, kicking and screaming the whole way. In fact, my whole first season was the most embarrassing, tiring, and annoying thing I had done to date.

I was convinced that putting a ball through a hoop was the dumbest activity man had ever conceived.

Then I saw Jordan play for the first time. Wow.

He would get the ball in the post, head and shoulder pump fake, followed by a beautiful fade away baseline jumper. Swish. I was inspired.

I spent countless hours in my street shooting on my neighbor’s hoop, trying desperately to imitate the greatest player on earth. I couldn’t get enough I was hooked.

We all have done the, drive the lane switch hands in the air and kiss off the glass, but most of us traveled…

Every move MJ did, I went out and recreated it 100 times. 200 if I didn’t get called in for dinner.

Just hours of playing ball, shooting impossible shots over and over until I made one, then trying to do it again. All trying to be like Mike, I was a major victim of advertising from an early age.

It was the most amazing transformation. I actually noticed my comfort level with the ball begin to increase. First it was just a cross over then between the legs, then actually around another person during recess at school.

I couldn’t believe how much fun this game was. I still can’t get enough. I am aware of all the Kobe and LeBron hype, and think they are both great players, and I think they are great for the game.

However, they do not have the mass appeal that Jordan had. I am a Kobe fan, mainly because his game closely resembles Jordan’s, and I love to watch LeBron, but would they inspire me to pick up a basketball?

I don’t think they would.

Watching Michael Jordan play in his prime is the most awe-inspiring basketball ever played. Hands down.

Jordan inspired a lot of people to pick up a ball; I am one of those lucky people.

B/R Helpful Hints: Comment Thread Etiquette

Dave Morrison — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:50:38 -0400

As Bleacher Report’s resident Community Coordinator, I deal with comment threads on a daily basis. I felt like it was time to share some of my thoughts on how to be an effective commenter, as well as an upstanding B/R member.

When most people join B/R, they quickly appreciate the camaraderie in the comment threads where everyone loves the same team…and players…and like-minded fans agree…and everything is peachy.

Then a rival fan, a troll, or someone who just wants to cause trouble shows up—and the conversation shifts away from sports and onto who is the bigger d-bag.

Proper commenting is beneficial because name-calling and flaming weaken credibility and can hold our community back.

If everyone is making personal attacks in a comment thread, no one is going to want to join that community.

So we can all get on the same page, I wanted to lay out some information for our fan-experts on what is and what is not acceptable commenting etiquette.

People are allowed to not like your team

This is probably the biggest misunderstanding on Bleacher Report. Writers who are new to the community are put off when an opposing fan jumps on their article and says something to the effect of “your team sucks because blah blah blah blah.” They flag this comment as offensive because in their eyes, any insult to their team is offensive.

However, on the Open Source Sports Network you are allowed to express your dislike or even your passionate hate of a team as long as you do so with out using profanity or personally attacking the writer.

You might hate the Yankees, but remember: the writer (probably) doesn’t play for the Yankees. So no need to personally attack them. Which brings me to my next point…

Personal Attacks versus Debating

Despite popular belief, there is a difference. First, let me explain what constitutes a personal attack.

A personal attack involves insulting the member you’re debating with in some derogatory way. As soon as you drop a “moron,” “idiot,” or “dumbass,” you have personally attacked someone.

Now I know we all feel very passionately about our respective teams and players, but if you drop an insult on another user, you open yourself up to having your entire comment deleted.

Name-calling and talking about someone’s mom is not only immature, but it also detracts from the credibility of your argument.

Now I’m not saying you can’t disagree—quite the opposite. Intelligent debate is encouraged on B/R. Most sports junkies are competitive by nature, so B/R is the perfect place to say what you think and defend your point of view.

My best advice when it comes to debating with your fellow users is to stick to sports. Think of it as B/R’s new acronym: “STS.” You can’t go wrong.

If you have an opinion about a team, player, game, match, or league, it belongs on B/R. As long as you can express that opinion without making it personal or dropping any profanity, that makes not only your comment valid, but your point as well.

An example of what you can say:

“The Lakers are a horrible team with horrible coaching and Kobe Bryant will never win another MVP and Phil Jackson is the most over hyped coach ever!! THEY SUCK!”

An example of what you cannot say:

“The Lakers suck just like you! You are probably as retarded as Phil Jackson and he is REALLY retarded. How do you lose a championship to the Pistons when you have Kobe AND Shaq douche bag!”

If anyone does personally attack you, please flag the comment as offensive. This will automatically notify me and I will take proper action. Do not respond to personal attacks—there are no winners in a comment thread profanity war.

Critical Feedback versus Writer Bashing

One of the bigger problems in comment threads around B/R is writer bashing.

Comments like the following:

“This article is horrible you should never write again”

“You should probably learn English before you try and write an article”

“It’s spelled PUJOLS not POLHOLS, you have zero baseball knowledge”

We are a community of sports writers. We want our fellow Bleacher Creatures to succeed, not fail. At the same time, we can acknowledge that there is always room for improvement.

The trick is to encourage without being condescending. If someone’s article has glaring writing mistakes or maybe just one typo, there is the right way to go about notifying the writer and then there is the wrong way.

We all understand it takes a lot to put yourself out there, especially when you’re just starting out. Having people criticize your work and provide negative feedback can cause writers to shy away from B/R or come back with even more aggression.

In an effort to keep the peace without losing the value of feedback, here are some helpful ways to provide constructive criticism without bashing the writer.

First, if you notice some mistakes, post a note on the writer’s bulletin board so it does not come off as though you are publicly calling them out.

Start off with something you enjoyed about the article. For example, what made you want to read it?

Explain the writing mistakes that were made without being condescending or mean spirited. Be supportive and make sure to let the writer know you appreciate the effort they put forth.

An example:

“Hey Dave Mo,

I read your article about Comment Thread Etiquette. I thought it was an interesting topic for you to write about.

I did happen to notice a few grammatical mistakes; some punctuation problems and a few words were misspelled as well.

Here are the corrections: ‘change X to Y,’ ‘this comma goes here,’ ‘you used the wrong form of ‘your’ here, it should be ‘you’re.’

I really think you can improve and I am looking forward to your next article. Keep up the great work! Good talk, I’ll see ya out there.”

Or if it were something very simple, an example would be:

“Hey Dave Mo,

Just a heads up, you missed a comma. Good article. Keep rocking and rolling.”

If you run into a situation where you do not know how to respond, you can always post on my bulletin board, and I will be happy to help you out.

Now on to everyone’s favorite comment thread topic…

Trolls

We all have dealt with them before. We know they can ruin people’s experience on B/R. For those that are not familiar with what a troll is, I’ll explain.

Trolls are users who join the site just to get reactions out of people or spam them.

But here is the simple secret to getting rid of trolls: ignore them.

When you come across a troll, you should follow this super simple two-step process:

Step 1: Report to Dave Mo (davemorrison@bleacherreport.com)

Step 2: Ignore them

If you don’t feed the troll, the troll will go away. Every time you respond with a witty in-your-face comment, it just fuels the troll even more.

Nothing good will come out of engaging a troll, so why do it?

Before I go…

I just would like to say how incredibly proud I am of our community’s interactions to date. B/R is not only a great place to grow as a writer, but a fun place to hang out and participate as well.

I hope this article helps clear up a lot of the debate around commenting and that we as a community can go onwards and upwards.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions. Great working with all of you guys and gals!

Thanks for reading.

The Top 10 Uniforms of All Time in the NCAA Tournament

Dave Morrison — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:31:14 -0400

The uniform of a college basketball team can define an era or one play. It is the ultimate source of pride to play in March for what is on the front of your jersey not on the back. If you don’t have your bracket filled out yet or you have a trouble picking a team in one match up, this list might help you make a decision for your bracket. This is a look at the most symbolic, legendary and down right coolest looking uni’s that have been worn to the big dance.

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The Top 10 Beat Downs of All Time

Dave Morrison — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:42:12 -0500

What is the worst loss a team has ever suffered? What is overkill? There has long since been a debate about when is the appropriate time to call off the dogs. I watched a little bit of Mike and Mike on ESPN and they were discussing a loss suffered by a Girls High School Varsity Basketball team in Texas, with a score of 100-0. I agreed with the Mikes that a High School sports team is a place to learn and grow, not be humiliated. After all high school is rough enough for some people. But then I got to thinking about the pros and college, where it is your job to put it to the other team as much as you can. It is up to the coaches to show mercy, never the players. So I did some digging and came up with my list of the 10 worst beat downs ever to occur in sports.

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Why Stephen Colbert Should Be Arizona's Next Head Basketball Coach

Dave Morrison — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:37:33 -0500

Yes, THAT Stephen Colbert, nay, THE Stephen Colbert, of the world renowned Colbert Report, should be the next head basketball coach for the University of Arizona. Its no secret that U of A is in the middle of a transition, I don’t want to say rebuilding, because we still have Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill, but Arizona is going to need to reload, not rebuild and I feel that Stephen Colbert is the man for the job.

Does he have any basketball related credentials? I don’t know but that is not the point. Stephen does the impossible, and reloading the program with talent right away would be amazingly easy for him.

One of the top rules as far as recruiting goes is name recognition, players want to play for someone they have heard of, and who hasn’t seen the Colbert Report? Quite possibly the most influential program of this century AND last century and possibly the one before that.

Stephen is basically the biggest thing since Jesus. And who wouldn’t want to play basketball for Jesus?

I am also supremely confident that Stephen would be able to coach at a high level. He performs his brilliant program in front of a live studio audience, so that is almost exactly like coaching in the Pac-10!

Could you imagine the half time speeches? He could have a desk brought into the locker room and do his famous run and wave to the team as he enters the locker room, similar to when he leaves his reporting desk for the interview desk on his stellar program. I must admit I have tried to copy this maneuver, but I fall every time I try and emulate the genius of Stephen Colbert.

And let's all admit the obvious; Stephen looks phenomenal in a red tie. The color of tie a certain head coach should wear? I know Stephen hails from the great state of South Carolina, but I feel that Stephen would bring a certain “je ne sais quoi” to the town of Tucson and take the whole city to new heights, not to mention the basketball program.

So let's review why Stephen Colbert should, at the very least, be begged to take the position of mens head basketball coach at Arizona: the name recognition, the pizzazz, the ability to perform under pressure and of course the tie.

So as a wildcat alum, I would like to present my formal request to hire Stephen Colbert as the next U of A head mens basketball coach. Just think of the press conferences!

The Top 10 Basketball Shoe Commercials Of All Time

Dave Morrison — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:23:03 -0500

10.“Boing”

Nike Shox commercial with Vince Carter and the always trash talking Gary Payton. These shoes were solid basketball shoes but the “boing” took them to another level. Gary Payton is pretty funny in these and it was a very clever marketing campaign.

9.“The Iverson”

Who did not immediately go outside and practice this move? “The Iverson” it became known as and for the most part, never worked. We were just not quick enough to imitate The Answer. But it was the introduction of Reeboks new Air system, DMX, no affiliation with the rapper.

In these kicks you could actually feel the air flow back and forth under your foot, and were one of the hottest kicks out there. When this commercial came on, you definitely did not want to change the channel. You studied the move, and went outside and tried it on a trash can in the street or your little brother, I bet after reading this article your going to want to go see if you can still do it.

8. Nike “Freestyle”

This commercial was everywhere, it had star power, some players seen in the commercial include, Lamar Odom, Jason Williams, Darius Miles, Vince Carter, and Rasheed Wallace.

Mixed together with other lesser known players, all doing dribbling tricks, stylish passes all while dancing with a basketball. The crazy part of the commercial is that the soundtrack is actually just sounds from a basketball gym, with hard dribbles and shoe scuffles on a court creating the beat.

Awesome display of ball handling and shot together in a very creative way. Several of Nike’s shoes were featured in the commercial because of the wide array of players involved.

7.“Pump it Up”
Wow, blast from the past. This Reebok shoe commercial is filled with current coaches and GMs from around the League explaining “the pump.” If you have trouble recognizing them, its Byron Scott, current head coach of the New Orleans Hornets, Pat Riley, Danny Ainge, Doc Rivers, and of course the legendary Dominique Wilkins. When the Pumps came out everyone wanted to “Pump it up,” and they learned how from this '80’s commercial.

6. “Banned”

This commercial was the one that made Nike the powerhouse of TV Commercials for shoes. This commercial started it all, MJ’s shoe line, and his marketability. There is no way you can watch this and not want a pair of Air Jordans.

This commercial was simple and to the point and everyone knows you always want what you can’t have. The NBA helped launch the Air Jordans to the heights of popularity by banning them from the league.

5.“The LeBrons”

Hysterical. All the LeBrons commercials are funny so I just randomly picked one of them, but if you have a chance I highly recommend watching all of them. Funny to watch LeBron play all of the characters. Turns out LeBron can also act a little bit and can be a pretty funny guy, what can’t this kid do?

4. “Fall down 7 times, get up 8”
D Wade, is a physical player that has always attacked the rim. This commercial for his first shoe was actually quite powerful because of the message. Too bad that the shoes were horrible, but the commercial sent a strong message about D Wade and made him seem that much more badass.

3. “Jordan XXI”
There is no way you can watch this commercial and not get chills. The clips of everyone doing Jordan’s signature plays are just amazing to watch. Probably the most creative shoe commercial ever. It is so clever and so well done that you can immediately recognize each Jordan moment whether if its being done by an 8th grader, or a girl, you can recognize the moment it is emulating. Not to mention the Jordan XXI’s are an amazing basketball shoe.

2.“Lil' Penny”

Probably the most famous puppet in the Basketball shoe world. The Classic Lil' Penny Commercial. With Chris Rock providing the voice for lil Penny. The Air Penny featured in this commercial was not the most popular of the Air Pennies, but this commercial was classic with the slow motion sequence and Lil' Penny doing what Lil' Penny did best, talking trash.

1. “Its got to be the Shoes, Money!”

One of the most successful campaigns by Nike at the time. Mars Blackmon played by Spike Lee harasses Michael Jordan about why he is the player he is. Nike found out "funny" sells. The play between Spike Lee and Jordan is great and takes you back to a time when new shoe commercials were like a new movie coming out. Spike Lee directed this commercial as well and Jordan did his thing, dunking and selling the best footwear out there.

Top 10 Ugliest Signature Basketball Shoes of All-Time

Dave Morrison — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:25:00 -0500

Some of the best basketball players in the world have fame and fortune but the true sign of being elite in the NBA is having your own signature shoes. However not all signature shoes have been a hit. So I have formulated the top 10 ugliest shoes to grace the NBA hardwood. You might be surprised to see, hall of famers, MVP's, scoring title holders and all around superstars that have sported some of the ugliest kicks with their name on them. These shoes were not only bad looking but in some cases extremely uncomfortable, and in other cases just ridiculous. So here it is, the official Top 10 Ugliest Signature Basketball Shoes of All-time.

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Why I Love Oregon Football

Dave Morrison — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:19:38 -0500

I have never seen, nor do I think we will ever see a better and more well-run football program than the University of Oregon.

I say football program, not college football program, because, in my opinion, anyone who puts on any one of the smorgasbord of Oregon jerseys and lines up under center is a guaranteed lock to ruin Peyton Manning and the Colts and a healthy Tom Brady and the Patriots at the same time. I am predicting that the Titans' only loss this season would be to the Oregon Ducks—if Tennessee had the guts to come to Eugene and suit up.

With that said, the Ducks showed their domination this weekend over lowly Arizona. Not only does Oregon have a better football program, but, compared to the University of Arizona, Oregon has vastly superior weather and women.

Did I mention the jerseys? The color combinations, textures, designs, and sheer number of uniform combinations is staggering. And you know what? They all look amazing.

If you ever watch an Oregon football game and see the Ducks fumble or throw a pick, just know that they meant to do that. Just to give the other team a glimmer of false hope because the Oregon Duck football program is full of givers. They just want to make it more exciting for the fans, which is yet another reason why Oregon football is the best football program ever to grace the face of the earth.

I went to the University of Arizona and I cower in fear every time I see the Ducks on our schedule. As we all know, you never see anyone mess with a Duck, and I certainly will never mess with an Oregon Duck fan again. That is the last time I run my mouth about the Ducks. Quack.

(Disclaimer: I lost a bet to an Oregon Duck fan.)

NBA All-Anything Team: Arizona Wildcats

Dave Morrison — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:17:19 -0500

With Legendary coach Lute Olson stepping down as head basketball coach at the University of Arizona, I have decided to make an NBA All-Anything Team of former Arizona Wildcats.

Granted, this team will probably lack some size, since U of A is also known as Point Guard U—but it would be a running team with great ball movement and a lot of scoring.

G - Mike Bibby

Bibby helped lead U of A to its only National Championship as a freshman. He also led the Hawks to a Game Seven against the Celtics last season, and was a major contributor in some serious playoff runs with the Kings.

G - Gilbert Arenas

What can I say about Arenas? He can light it up when he is healthy and he can always talk smack. His blog has made him a major NBA mouthpiece, but he is a strong player as well as an All-Star.

G - Jason Terry

Terry also helped Arizona win its only National Championship. Now Jet takes flight in Dallas after spending several seasons putting up big numbers for the Hawks. He is a scoring point guard, but with help around him he can have a great assist-to-turnover ratio.

F - Richard Jefferson

Jason has been to the Final Four with Arizona, but he has also been to the NBA Finals. He is an athletic swingman, with a bit of an outside touch, but a classic slasher. He plays tough defense and is a willing passer. He could run the lane and get all types of lobs from this team.

C - Channing Frye

Channing is not a dominant center, nor does he currently play center in the NBA. He doesn’t even start with his current team because they are so talented. But this team needs a big man to even have a chance, and Channing can run with these guys and knock down the midrange jumper.

The Bench

Damon Stoudamire - Ball handling and outside shooting.

Salim Stoudamire - outside shooting.

Sean Elliot - defense and scoring.

Jerryd Bayless - has potential to become a starter, gets to the foul line, can shoot, and has heart.

Steve Kerr - shooting and great sideline commentary

Miles Simon - for the intangibles and like everyone else on this squad….scoring.

Can you think of a better squad? Write an NBA All-Anything Team article and see.

Top 10 Basketball Shoes Of All Time

Dave Morrison — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:20:58 -0400

10. Air Zoom Generations (LeBron’s first Shoe) - Nike

We have yet to see the full effect of brand “LeBron.” Obviously, LeBron and Nike are attempting to recreate the success they achieved with Michael Jordan. However, Jordan is the first and only, so Nike can only hope to use the Jordan blue print to guide LeBron’s line.

The reason why this shoe is on this list is more for the potential of what LeBron’s shoes can be. However, it is a quality basketball shoe with good colors. It is a low top, but a comfy shoe no less.

It has a simple swoosh on the side, and the bottom of the shoe had a good style, because let's face it—you see the bottom of LeBron’s shoes a lot when you watch him play.

9. Air Penny II - Nike

Remember when Penny had “lil Penny?” Throwing lobs to Shaq, Penny was an All Star player and had the kicks to prove it.

The Nike Air Penny II’s came in a black and white versions with blue and silver accents. The colors were awesome, the shoes had an air bubble in the heel, and a good-looking logo. Every point guard in America wanted these shoes.

When you look at the shoe, the color scheme just says, “Orlando Magic.” They were comfy shoes that were very supportive, and they had reflective material around the swoosh logo as well as some other reflective lines.

8. KB8 - Adidas

Kobe’s first signature shoe was with Adidas, and it was called the KB8. It was Kobe’s second year in the league. The KB8s were solid basketball shoes, and had the same flare that Kobe had when he first came into the NBA.

They were popular, and used Adidas’ three stripes in a stylish way in combination with and the soles. The wrap around the outsoles was big and “bulgy,” which led to solid support when moving side to side. They were high tops with good ankle support and a unique looking sole. The KB8 is the shoe that represented Kobe’s entrance into his All-Star career.

7. The Question - Reebok

Iverson’s first signature shoe. These are the shoes that Iverson crossed over Michael Jordan in.

These classic-look kicks had the honeycomb bubbles in the front and back, and were one of the most comfortable shoes out there at the time. The color scheme was simple with the toe, accents and sole all being the same color, and the rest of the shoe being all white or all black.

The color combinations that have come out since are insane. I enjoy the original look of the high top in the blue and white, as well as in red and white. One of the most comfortable and popular basketball shoes of all time.

6. Air Jordan XI - Jordan

Probably the most popular Jordan of all time. They came out during Jordan’s first full season back with the Bulls after his first stint in retirement. He won championship number four with them—and who could forget the patent leather wrapping around the whole shoe.

They were marketed as having brought sophistication to the basketball court. A very clean shoe, my personal favorite color combination was the original white with the black patent leather. They complemented Jordan’s full comeback to the NBA well.

5. Air Jordan XIII - Jordan

These Jordans were featured in the film He Got Game, and Jordan played most of his last season with the Bulls in them. A little known fact is that he actually started to wear the Jordan XIV in the '98 finals, and was sporting them when he hit the picture-perfect jumper over Brian Russell to win championship number six.

But this is about the Jordan XIII. They were the culmination of basketball shoes in the '90s. The colors they came in, as well as the low-top versions, were unbelievable.

The other special feature of these shoes was the hologram on the outside of the shoe near the ankle support, which blew a lot of people’s minds. Some people also said they looked like “pop-tart” shoes because of the texture on the sides of the shoe, but they are iconic and represent MJ’s last full season with the Bulls. The best color combination for the Jordan XIIIs is the black and red.

4. Air Zoom Huarache 2k4 - Nike

Quite possibly the best basketball shoe ever made, as far as performance and style are concerned. These shoes were immensely popular and still are in high demand.

An interesting story behind this shoe is it was actually supposed to be Kobe Bryant’s first signature shoe with Nike, but with the rape allegations Kobe faced right before the shoes' release, Nike decided to not publicly declare it was Kobe’s shoe. Kobe still wore them, as did just about every college and professional player.

You may recall the commercial where different Nike shoes mold and change and then the Air Zoom Huarache 2k4 sort of blossoms out of them. The marketing for the Huarache 2k4 was that it was the best combination of all of Nike’s best basketball shoes, I for one, agree. As far as playing basketball, I have yet to find a shoe that is it’s equal.

3. Air Force 1 - Nike

What can be said about the Air Force 1? Nelly wrote a song about it, Rasheed Wallace still rocks them and they have more color combinations then any other shoe.

The Air Force 1 is by far one of the most popular basketball shoes, if not shoes of all time. They come in three versions—a low top, the mids, and the high tops.

The breakthrough thing about these shoes was they were the first to use Nike’s Air Technology in the sole. This led to all the other shoes seen later with “air bubbles” in the heels and soles. The two most popular color combinations Air Force 1s are the white on white and the all-black.

2. Chuck Taylor All–Stars - Converse

Also known as the “Chucks.” They are simply canvas and a rubber sole, and basically started the whole basketball shoe market. The “Chucks” had a converse star patch, with Chuck Taylor’s signature on the outside of each shoe right on the ankle.

They originally were designed specifically for basketball, but have rarely been used for their original purpose recently. The fact is, they offer no real support for cutting and lateral movement, as well as the pounding of jumping and running in a basketball game. They were, however, the best-performing basketball shoe in the world when they first came out in 1917. Classic black has been the most popular color but they have come out with a smorgasbord of different colors in the last couple of decades.

1. Air Jordan I - Jordan/Nike

The shoe that made basketball shoes what they are today. The first Jordan came in black and red, and was actually banned by the NBA—which only made them grow in popularity. Michael Jordan was fined for wearing them, but he merely paid the fine for each game and continued to wear them. Eventually, the NBA dropped the rule.

These shoes were simple, but they changed basketball shoes forever. No one knew that you could charge $150 dollars for a pair of sneakers, but Nike soon found out you could. The legendary status of the Air Jordan Is is unmatched and possibly will never be. The phenomenon that is Michael Jordan really took off with these shoes. Not to say

Jordan couldn’t have been Jordan with out a pair of Nikes, but to create his iconic status he needed the right footwear to take it to that next level. Nike put together not only a good shoe, but a fantastic marketing plan that Jordan took flight with. (Pun intended.)

NBA’s Top 10 Current A.K.A.s

Dave Morrison — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:06:01 -0400

These players have been chosen based solely on their nicknames—not on their abilities as players. But as it turns out, good players have good nicknames.

There are a lot of good nicknames out there, but what do I consider a good nickname? I think a good nickname fits certain criteria.

First, it has to be clever. I think that is the most important aspect. Second, it has to sound cool, give off that certain essence of being badass, or be funny. Third, it has to resonate with the way that player plays the game of basketball. If they are a dunker, shooter, passer, dribbler, or all around superstar, the nickname should say it.

There are a lot of a.k.a.s out there. This is just my assessment of the best ones out there currently. So here it is—my top 10 best NBA a.k.a.s.

10. The Matrix—Shawn Marion

It just fits. Marion flies through the air for dunks as well as rebounds. On defense he is able to harass any shooting guard or small forward and sometimes can even handle a power forward or even a point guard.

I feel the Matrix tag is warranted and it does sound good.

9. The Big Aristotle—Shaquille O’Neal

Shaq is the nickname king. He gives them out and creates his own. He has a plethora of a.k.a.s, but I think the Big Aristotle is the best.

Shaq could easily have his own top 10 a.k.a. list. He is older and not as much of an impact player as he once was, so I’m going with the Big Aristotle. He is wiser now, he came up with it, and I think it reflects his current role on the Suns.

8. Boom Diddy—Baron Davis

I am a fan of Baron Davis—at least I was while he was with the Warriors. Maybe that’s why he is on this list, but it just says it all. Davis plays physically and likes to lower the boom on guys (like on Andrei Kirilenko) and he has that flash style of play, where he can pull up from almost anywhere.

7. Agent Zero—Gilbert Arenas

This a.k.a. would be more badass if Gilbert had not been hurt recently. However, this former Arizona Wildcat can light it up and talk trash, either via his blog or in an interview. Arenas is all about making statements that he either does or does not live up to. You have to like the confidence though.

6. Jesus—Ray Allen

The full a.k.a. would be Jesus Shuttlesworth from the legendary film He Got Game in which Ray Allen played Jesus. It was a badass movie. Ray is a badass player. Need I say more?

5. Flash—Dwayne Wade

Wade was dubbed this a.k.a. by the Big Aristotle himself. It could not be a more perfect match. Wade attacks the rim (when healthy) and his defender with a “flash” of speed or with some crazy maneuver. Watching Wade play is like watching “flashes” of brilliance as he attacks on the offensive end and then gets back on defense.

4. Ginger Ninja—Brian Scalabrine

Probably the most humorous a.k.a. on the list. The reason it is so funny is because it is true. Scalabrine’s red hair and knack for being invisible in the box score makes him the Ginger Ninja. Perfect.

3. AK-47—Andrei Kirilenko

This nickname is by far the coolest in terms of a player's initials and their number matching up. Kirilenko did have the whole crying saga with Jerry Sloan, but he has still had some impressive blocks and some big scoring games. Plus, the badass factor puts this a.k.a. up there.

2. The Answer—Allen Iverson

Classic. Anyone who has ever watched or played basketball knows what it means when someone says “he answers.” To be THE answer, is badass and clever, and it fits Iverson. He may get scored on from time to time, but he will always answer.

1. Black Mamba—Kobe Bryant

Now, I know this will be a controversial No. 1. A lot of people do not care for this a.k.a., but you know what? A lot of people do not care for Kobe either.

This nickname has badass appeal and it fits the player. The Black Mamba is one of the most deadly reptiles in the world and Kobe is the most deadly closer in the NBA. He can kill a team's win if he gets the opportunity to strike. I think it describes his game perfectly.

Honorable Mentions

CP3—Chris Paul
King James—LeBron James
The Big Ticket—Kevin Garnett