Bleacher Report - Articles by Stephen Dyell

Oh Canada: The Next NBA Destination?

Stephen Dyell — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:23:54 -0400

The Toronto Raptors have had the title of Canada’s team ever since the Grizzlies move to Memphis. But is it time for Canada to make a run for another NBA team?

There is no doubt that basketball is more popular than ever since the NHL lockout, as the Raptors have consistently sold out games.

The former Vancouver Grizzlies, suffered being crushed by a lockout, as the bad timing created money loss and lost patience. With the Raptors gaining a league known star in Vince Carter, Steve Francis just didn't cut it in Vancouver.

But with the recent success of Toronto FC in the world of soccer, Vancouver was awarded a team. With that in mind, it is easy to see why the Vancouver Grizzlies failed having two Canadian teams, rather than one being known as “Canada’s team”.

So should the NBA move another team to Canada?

Here are some pros and cons:

Canadian markets offer large number of fans compared to small American cities like Charlotte and Oklahoma City. While population doesn’t equal financial success, it sure doesn't hurt during these tough economic times.

Another positive is that more Canadian teams, equal more money back into Canadian basketball. With the Canadian program in limbo of success and failure, more money and attention is needed to help create better basketball players; much like Canada has done in baseball and in hockey.

While the questions linger about Toronto signing any NBA talent due to higher taxes and bad weather, the Raptors recently signed star free agent Hedo Turkoglu to a long term contract, and are currently looking to lock up star forward Chris Bosh.

While the NBA may not want to be in Canada, here’s a list of the top six cities the NBA should take a look at north of the border.

Montreal, Quebec.

With the loss of the Expos and the miss of Major League Soccer (MLS) with the Impact, Montreal has the recipe for success for an NBA team looking for a new home.

On a list of the most populated cities in North America, it ranks 7^th with 1,620,693 people living in the city, which also ranks it second in Canada.

Montreal’s main facility is the Bell Centre where the Montreal Canadiens currently play. The building can hold 21,700 for a basketball game, which is almost 2,000 more than the Air Canada Centre can hold for Raptor games.

Currently, Montreal has an ABA team called the Montreal Matrix which is a part of a league that has had financial trouble, and has taken a beating from the rise of the Development League, which is run by the NBA.

While many know about the sucsess of the Canadiens in Montreal, their (Canadian Football League) CFL team also gains big crowds in the summer as they hold 14 out of the top 20 attendance records in CFL history; resulting in a two sport town, but is that enough to gain an NBA team?

The basketball season is during the hockey one which means ticket competition. Canadiens games are hard to get tickets. But would fans be willing to pay and root for a team in a hockey market? It’s definitely hard to tell, but Montreal has to be a huge option if David Stern ever decides to put another team north of the border.

Ottawa, Ontario

Could Ontario support two NBA teams?

The capital of Canada, Ottawa, has a population of 812,000 people and is behind Toronto in highest population in Ontario.

Facility wise, Ottawa can hold 20,500 in the Scotiabank Place where the Senators play. 40 out of the 41 home games were sold out, but the location of the arena is considered a pain to get to by many.

Though Ottawa has not had a basketball team from any league enter the city, it rules the world of college basketball in Canada.

The Carleton Ravens have won six out of the past seven Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships in men’s basketball. The success of college basketball did not find it on the football field, as Ottawa has failed twice with the CFL due to money troubles; which means if any NBA team was to come there, the owner might need money to handle the tough times that have cost Canada numerous teams, including Ottawa’s CFL team.

Aside from the money problem and proximity to Toronto, Ottawa is a great destination for a basketball team. The border to Quebec is only kilometres away, which allows a French Canadian connection without having a team.

The "Battle of Ontario" has also become a huge draw in the hockey world, in which the basketball world could benefit as of right now. The Raptors have no rivals since the Grizzlies moved to Memphis.

Rivals or no rivals, Ontario has the population and fan support to welcome another basketball team to their ever growing province.

Winnipeg, Manitoba

An underdog to gain any sports team, Winnipeg. A big city with a small town feel like Oklahoma City and Utah.

What Winnipeg does have is a state of the art facility in the MTS Centre. The building was built in 2004 and can seat 15,015, which seems small, but eight teams in the NBA only average 15,000 or less a game, which means they can still bring in the money.

Currently, the building is being used by the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, and is a building block towards them regaining a NHL hockey team since they lost the Jets to Phoenix.

As for the city, Winnipeg is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, and is aiming towards a business style, rather than an agriculture lifestyle. Money is coming in at a quick pace, as the city has already started developing the new CFL stadium for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and has many other projects on the go.

The problem with the town is that it ranks as North America’s coldest big city. While critics say Toronto is too cold for NBA players, Winnipeg could see the same fate happen, as nobody wants to go outside -23°C temperatures, when you can sign in Miami and be in the heat all year.

Edmonton, Alberta

Edmonton holds the title of Canada's sixth-largest census metropolitan area, with a total of 730,372 people living in the city.

Edmonton does have a semi professional basketball team in the International Basketball League as they are one of two Canadian teams in the league. The Edmonton Energy were founded in 2007 and play their home games in downtown Edmonton. The city also has a well run senior and junior program.

Despite all this, basketball isn't popular in Canada.

Edmonton also has the largest mall in North America making it a great place for the wives of the players to enjoy themselves. Though Edmonton still does not have the same flare as a big city which has resulted in some complications as some big star wives have had a hard time adjusting to the Edmonton way of life.

The city holds a NHL team and a CFL team which are both successful with their province rivals in Calgary.

The arena most fitting for an NBA team in the city is the Rexall Place. While the building is not one of the biggest (holds 16,839 for a hockey game), it is known to be one of the loudest arenas in Canada.

While the town might not be a basketball hot spot, Edmonton is far enough away from Toronto that it can steal the fans from Western Canada, and also fill the missing void of the last Western Conference team.

Calgary, Alberta

A rival of Edmonton, Calgary is known for its beauty in winter and its love of sports.

Sitting around at just under one million people, Calgary is one of the most diverse cities in Canada, and one of the fastest growing. It is known as the “Nashville of the North” as the Western scene is high, but also has bits of every culture, much like Toronto.

Calgary has three prominent sports teams in the Flames, Roughriders and Roughnecks, which can all draw a crowd. The Flames have been in the top eight for attendance since the hockey lockout. They sell out almost every game.

The Pengrowth Saddledome is home to the Flames and the Roughnecks, and can hold 19,289 for a hockey game or a lacrosse game.

Plans are to have a new arena for around 2014, when the lease is up with the arena; but if a basketball team came, money for the arena would arrive much faster, creating a new home for the Flames and the basketball team.

Much like Edmonton, it’s definitely not a basketball playground, but the potential is there. Hardcore fans who root for anything in a city is key when creating a franchise, and Calgary has proved they are willing to do that with numerous franchises all being successful and making profit.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver part two? Why not!

While the NBA has came and went in Vancouver, better planning could make the franchise live again in Western Canada.

Vancouver has been ranked as one of the most liveable cities in the world, and has a wealthy atmosphere to add resulting in a wonderful place for a millionaire basketball player to reside.

With the Olympics coming to Vancouver this winter, General Motors Place will get some small updates to hold all the hockey fans who will be watching Canada take on the world. The building could already hold 19,193 fans when the Grizzlies were in town, but may fit even more with the recent updates.

Vancouver is home to the other Canadian team in the International Basketball League, the Vancouver Titans, which were created in 2008.

Aside from basketball, Vancouver is also home to an NHL, CFL and soon to be MLS team.

The MLS team, Vancouver Whitecaps, are a prime example of why the Grizzlies failed the first time; as it takes time and fan support of one team, before you can bring out another; and the time is now for Vancouver to be back on the NBA’s map.

The weather in Vancouver is one of the best for winter's, as it ranks as the fourth warmest city in Canada through the winter. Snow fall is also not a problem, as it only snows on average 11 days per year, resulting in a not so Canadian winter.

Brought to you by OTRBasketball.com

The Best Of The Bench: The Perfect NBA Bench

Stephen Dyell — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:54:42 -0400

Have you ever wondered which guys would make the perfect bench in an era of starters and high demands? Here are seven players with seven different abilities, characters, and personalities that would make one team quite successful.

This would lead to what many people would call the perfect bench.

Manu Ginobili—Shooting Guard

What is greater than seeing an All-Star guard enjoy and accept the role of sixth man on the team? It just shows what kind of character and determination Manu Ginobili has to accept the role of second fiddle while having the knowledge to know the greater good of the position.

The three time NBA champion has been putting up solid numbers since he’s entered the league. He recently won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award as he moved from his starter role to allow Roger Mason to get the start.

While injuries killed him in 2009, there is little doubt in anyone’s mind that Manu will be able to get back in stride for the upcoming season as the revamped Spurs look to put a stop to Laker dominance.

James Posey—Small Forward

Posey was key for the Celtics run to 2008 title but decided to sign with New Orleans after that season.

He went under the radar averaging just less than nine points per game off the bench, helping the Hornets capture the fourth overall seed. His strong defense was key for New Orleans as they looked to make it deeper than their one and done against Denver.

Posey stepped up and averaged almost 12 points per game in that first-round defeat.

With Posey, the possibility of success has just increased.

Jason Terry—Point Guard

Terry was just two games away from being the front runner for Finals MVP in 2006 before a young man named Wade took over and eventually won the championship for the Heat.

While it’s seasons later, Terry is still enjoying the same success off the bench as he’s watched Devin Harris be replaced by Jason Kidd. Though the starters have changed, Terry’s stats haven’t as he averaged nearly 20 points per game, which led to Terry being named the 2009 Sixth Man of the Year.

Terry’s unselfishness does not go unnoticed as he gets plenty of playing time and plenty of respect from the opposition, as many could argue he could start on any team in the league.

He will look to build upon his success this upcoming season as Antoine Wright is now in a Raptors jersey.

Rumours of Matt Carroll’s departure only add more opportunities for him to take over.

Lamar Odom—Small Forward

Coming off a fantastic season, Odom helped Los Angeles capture the 2009 Championship coming off the bench.

His 11.3 points per game was fourth best on the team, but his nine rebounds per game was better than center Andrew Bynum’s totals on the year and improved even more throughout the playoffs.

Odom will likely get a good shot to start again for Los Angeles as Trevor Ariza is in Houston which allows Odom to play some big minutes with the big unit.

Chris Anderson—Center

The shot blocker of the group sets the tone by sending the ball 10 feet into the crowd, sending thousands to their feet clapping and applauding the effort.

Chris Anderson knows the bottom because he has been there. The 31-year old returned from a two year ban for violating the league's drug policy and came back swinging.

He managed to help a Nuggets team taste playoff success for the first time in ages as his two-and-a-half blocks per game in just over 20 minutes per game put him among the league leaders and the best per 48 minutes.

Look for Anderson’s stats to only improve as George Karl looks to use "the Birdman" more, as Nene and Kenyon Martin will look to be kept fresh for the playoffs.

Ronald Murray —Shooting Guard

The Atlanta Hawks guard tore up the postseason and helped them to visit the second round in the 2009 playoffs.

The journeyman from Philly has played on six different teams in his young career had one of his best seasons to date, with 12.2 points per game. He still somehow has found himself without a team entering September.

While Allen Iverson is making the headlines, a team would be lucky to steal a winner like Murray as his character and experience are enough to make any roster.

Darius Songaila—Power Forward

One of the most underrated players in the league, Songaila is a dominant offensive big coming off the bench.

In his sixth NBA season, he averaged 7.4 points per game and his size and speed are a great combination of what you need off the bench. His .532 shooting percentage is one of the best in basketball as he knows not to take any stupid shots, or he will be back sitting beside Gilbert Arenas.

This year he finds himself in a new city where he will be the backup to sophomore Kevin Love, which means he may see a lot of playing time and even some starts if Love remains the same or digresses.

Honourable mentions: Keyon Dooling, Jason Kapono, Joel Przybilla, Matt Barnes and Jeff Foster.

Brought to you by OTRBasketball.com

2003 New Jersey Nets: Where Are They Now?

Stephen Dyell — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:16:54 -0400

The final buzzer sounded and the San Antonio Spurs flooded center court celebrating a victory against the New Jersey Nets.

While the celebrating takes place, the losing team fades into the locker rooms and also into basketball history. Some players still remain a part of the game, while others have taken different paths from retirement to accidents.

Here is what the last great New Jersey basketball has done since the Finals run and what they are doing now.

Brandon Armstrong

Armstrong was the youth of the 2003 Nets, holding a better future to those veterans like Kittles and Harris—but what happened to the potential?

He played one more season with the Nets where he averaged a career high 2.7 points per game before not being re-signed by the team. After a short preseason stint with the Golden State Warriors, he headed over to Italy to play for Roseto Basket, where Adrian Griffin had gone before getting back into the NBA.

After just one season in Italy, Armstrong decided to make a full-fledged effort to make the NBA, playing for the Dakota Wizards, Anaheim Arsenal, and Bakersfield Jam of the NBA's Development League.

Armstrong played one more year overseas in Poland for SKK Kotwica Kolobrzeg before falling off the map.

Chris Childs

Childs only played 12 games for the Nets that season and retired after the Finals.

Though he won’t be remembered in New Jersey (even though he averaged a career high in points for them), New York will always have a special place for him. His defense was a great mix for a Knicks team that reached the Finals in 1999, and he continued to play well until the Nets signed him.

Jason Collins

Collins remained a key player for the Nets on the defensive side, playing five more seasons in New Jersey.

Not known for his scoring, Collins' punishment against bigger and better players turned him into what Jason Kidd called "a premier defender", and would only earn any gratitude after being traded from New Jersey.

Collins took over the starting duties during 2003 and held onto them until he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He played one season there and then was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

During his time outside of New Jersey, Collins only played in 62 games, somewhat due to a partial rupture of his triceps tendon in his right shoulder, and also due to the young roster both teams had.

Collins is currently a free agent, looking to make a team before the season begins.

Lucious Harris

A key member of the 2003 run, Harris remained a Net for one year after the Finals run, ending a seven year relationship between the two.

His sixth man abilities earned him a contract from the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he was eventually released after playing one year with the young LeBron James.

While his numbers were never high and his play was never flashy, Harris was a consistent player that every team hopes to have year after year.

Harris is not retired, but also not playing either.

Richard Jefferson

Jefferson was one of the few Nets who became better after the series against the Spurs. At the ripe age of 22, Jefferson went from bench key to almost All-Star for the Nets, putting up a career-high 22.6 points per game in his last season as a Net.

He played seven seasons at the Izod Center before being the odd man out, as Nets chose to keep Vince Carter beside Devin Harris instead of him. He was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks, where after just a year, he was sent to the team that knocked the Nets out in 2003: the San Antonio Spurs.

Anthony Johnson

Johnson is one of the most travelled guys in the entire NBA, as he has found himself bouncing around teams. After 2003, this trend continued.

After the Finals, Johnson was signed by the Indiana Pacers, where he went on to torch the Nets in the playoffs, scoring 40 against Jason Kidd.

In the 2006 offseason, Johnson was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Just a few months later, Johnson was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for a second time. And then, just a year later, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, which was also his second trip to California's capitol city.

Johnson decided to stick with the trend, as he signed with the Orlando Magic for a second stint as well and made it to the Finals in 2009, where his team fell short to the Los Angeles Lakers.

He and former Net Vince Carter will look to repeat what happened last year, but hope to end up on the winning side.

Jason Kidd

It started with two wins away from the Championship and ended with a headache—literaly.

Jason Kidd came and ended as one of the greatest Nets of all time, making basketball relevant again in New Jersey. After the Finals, he played five fabulous seasons before getting a headache.

While the Nets were slowly becoming bottom-feeders, Kidd sat out a game with a headache against the New York Knicks, and just a couple of months later, he was wearing blue and white again while the Nets had an interesting new point guard in their hands.

While it ended badly in New Jersey, he still has many fans there, as they root for him to finally capture his first ring and overcome the John Stockton comparisons. He will be doing that this year in Dallas as he re-signed with his original team at the age of 36.

Kerry Kittles

Kittles, much like Harris, was consistent for the Nets as he too only played one more season for them after the Finals.

He averaged 13.1 points per game before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first signs of the Nets' cost cutting era.

Kittles only saw 11 games in a Clippers uniform before having to retire due to pesky injuries. He then joined the Nets as a part time scout. Kittles is also a Merchant Banking Associate at Ledgemont Capital Group LLC, and is currently pursuing an MBA at Villanova University's School of Business.

Donny Marshall

Marshall might not have mattered too much to any wins or losses, as he only played in three total games in 2003 after receiving two 10-day contracts, which eventually led to them signing him for the season.

Marshall stopped getting offers on the court and began giving them, as he currently offers commentary on the Boston Celtics for Comcast SportsNet.

Kenyon Martin

Dollar signs pop up when many talk about Martin, as he is one of the top players in the league not creating top stats. That was different in 2003, as Martin and Kidd were arguably the two most entertaining teammates in the entire league.

Martin played one more season as a Net, where he made his first and only All-Star Game before he cashed in Jason Kidd’s hard work. Martin received an offer from current Nets general manager (who was the Denver Nuggets general manager at the time) which surpassed $90 million.

With the Nets cutting costs, he was traded to the Nuggets for first round picks that were used in the Vince Carter deal from Toronto.

While many still miss him in New Jersey, Martin has been sidelined with injury after injury as he finally played in 71 and 66 games in 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively, and has never reached the potential many though he could grab from his New Jersey days.

Martin now is in a tight race against former team mates Kidd and Jefferson to be the best in the West, as Nuggets surprised everyone by making their first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 1985.

Dikembe Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo is one of the longest names ever in sports, but found himself in a short situation with the Nets.

Mutombo played in just 24 games in 2003 due to injuries, and he was considered finished by the organization who had just signed the 7'2'' giant to help the Nets' frontcourt problems. He was then bought out in the most expensive buyout in NBA history where he then signed with Nets' rival, the New York Knicks.

After a quick stint in New York, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls, who then quickly traded him to the Houston Rockets, where he regained his form and was a successful backup to Yao Ming.

Just last year, Mutombo tore his quadriceps tendon of his left knee and he called it a career, ending his long and successful journey.

Rodney Rogers

Rodgers, like most of this team, played one more season for the Nets before signing with the New Orleans Hornets and then being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.

While his best days were before he signed with the Nets, Rodgers was key in many moments, even hitting a few game-winners.

Rodgers retired after playing a season for the Sixers and went to work for the City of Durham, Arizona as a heavy equipment operator, where he was promoted to supervisor in the spring of 2008.

Unfortunately, Rodgers suffered a near-fatal dirt bike accident that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.

While the doctors didn`t give him much hope to ever walk again, Rodgers is currently trying to beat those odds as he has starting rehabbing, hoping to one day walk again.

Brian Scalabrine

If the Nets folded and a survey was taken of who would have been the first Net to win a championship, would you have guessed Brian Scalabrine?

Scalabrine played two more seasons with the Nets before signing with a young Celtics team that could barely make the playoffs. Just over a year into it, the roster was rebuilt and Scalabrine found himself on a winning team.

In 2008, he helped the Celtics win the championship, becoming the first and only player from the Nets 2003 roster to win a ring so far.

He still remains with the Celtics, but will have to fight to earn playing time, as the Celtics have signed Sheldon Williams and also brought back Glen Davis.

Byron Scott

To rise to the top, you must come from the bottom, and Scott was able to do it twice.

After failing to get the same chemistry as previous years, Scott was fired from the Nets organization, which left Lawrence Frank to take over. Just a few months later, Scott was coaching the New Orleans Hornets—led by Chris Paul.

Four years after taking over New Orleans, Scott was named the NBA Coach of the Year as he helped led the Hornets to a 56-26 record and their first playoff appearance in years.

Currently, Scott is still the head coach as the Hornets look to change things up with players instead of coaches as the West grows in talent. If he fails this year, it could be déjà vu all over again.

Tamar Slay

Though Slay was born in America, he seems to spend most of his time in Europe.

Slay was drafted by the Nets in 2002, where he played in just two seasons before being picked up by the new Charlotte Bobcats. After a year of new faces and facilities, he played his last game in the NBA…so far.

In 2005, Slay joined Israeli leading team Hapoel Jerusalem, but after an unstable season, he was released in late December 2006. He then headed back to America and signed with the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League. Slay returned overseas with Pierrel Capo d'Orlando and also played with Air Avellino.

He is now hoping for better luck, as he recently signed with Carmatic Pistoia and still hopes at the age of 29 to make it back to the NBA.

Aaron Williams

One of the key bench players in both New Jersey runs, Williams lasted until Vince Carter became available and was sent packing to Toronto.

Williams then was traded to New Orleans and eventually ended up signing with the Clippers, where he faded away into basketball history.

While the era of Kidd was big, as he led the league in assists, Williams did his part to help the Nets leading the league in fouls.

Though he has not retired, he is 37 years old and hasn’t played in over a year, so things don’t look good for the former Xavier star.

Tim Duncan: The Silent Giant

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:17:06 -0400

Highly talented, admired basketball players don’t come around very often. To have a combination of exceptional low-post techniques, as well as extraordinary defensive awareness is even less common.

So when a player of this caliber does enter the NBA, there is going to be a significant amount of general managers just drooling—wondering "what if" we somehow get this monster.

Who is this monster?

He is not a flashy player like Steve Nash, nor an electrifying player that fills up the seats like Kevin Garnett. He is a down-to-earth basketball sensation who absolutely demolishes opponents with his aspiring fundamentals.

That’s right, I said fundamentals.

None other than "The Big Fundamental"—Timothy "Tim" Theodore Duncan.

Born on April 25, 1976, in Christiansted, St. Croix—a group of islands located approximately 50 miles from Puerto Rico—Duncan has grown to be one of the most intelligent and proficient players in the history of basketball.

It's amazing to think that playing basketball wasn’t even one of Timmy’s desires growing up. Instead, he wanted to grow up and become an Olympic-level swimmer, and it seemed he was destined to be one.

Excelling as a swimmer, he took this sport by storm, becoming a standout in the 50-, 100- and 400-meter freestyle.

Instead of becoming a member of the 2002 American swim team, Duncan turned to his local high school basketball team. This chance occurrence for us today was only brought about after a storm destroyed the local pool, forcing the young swimmers to train in the ocean.

The young Duncan was staggered because he had a great fear of sharks and the ocean. Duncan was now all dried off and ready for the basketball floor.

That is, until the unthinkable happened.

Duncan’s mother, Lone, was diagnosed with breast cancer that ended her life shortly after. At 14, Timothy was stunned and saddened by the turn of events.

While many lose family members and decide to grieve, Duncan buried his sadness on the basketball court.

The Christiansted native was on his way.

After a stellar high school career, Duncan chose Wake Forest for his college playing days.

Rumors flooded in about the man nobody had really seen play. Some even said Duncan played even against NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning in a pick-up game. He was a star before he even knew it.

Fast forward 13 years later and you stand to witness one of the greatest power forwards of all time.

He has learned from his peers, and vice versa. Future players will also learn selflessness from Duncan. His ability to put his teammates first helped him claim four NBA titles.

Yet when you break it down, you realize Tim was destined to greatness since he picked up a basketball.

Through the tough loss of his mother, which turned him into one of the top ambassadors of cancer-related events, along with taking over a team from NBA legend David Robinson, Duncan proved that the unexpected can turn into everything you expected and more.

Team before self. Pass before flash. Legend before man.

The great sea creature turned into an extraordinary basketball superstar—Tim Duncan.

Top Five Breakout Players of '10

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:21:25 -0400

Joe Alexander—Milwaukee Bucks

With Richard Jefferson traded to San Antonio, Alexander will finally get the playing time that is needed for his development.

Alexander was only put in 59 games this year and averaged only 12 minutes in those games. Though he caught fire later on in the year, the push for the playoffs found Alexander pushed onto the bench as the Bucks tried to sneak into the eighth spot.

With more playing time and a rebuilding team, Alexander will flourish under Scott Skiles, as he will be given a more offensive role. He will have to earn everything though, because it could be him next on the trading block as the Bucks also try to find their identity.

Though he missed out on the dunk competition, he definitely won’t miss out on the opportunity to rise above the rest of his draft class and prove why he was drafted so high.

Trevor Ariza—Houston Rockets

Trevor will receive his 2009 Championship ring this year but won’t be looking to repeat as he signed with the Houston Rockets.

With Tracy McGrady out for the first half and Ron Artest playing for Ariza's former team, the Lakers, Ariza will play beside Shane Battier on a team that might lack scoring with Yao Ming and McGrady.

Ariza, who looks like he’s been learning from former teammate Kobe Bryant, will have to bring some of that magic if the Rockets are going to have any success this year.

He averaged just under nine points per game but was known more for his tough defence and rebounding ability as his 6'8" body and freakish hops created nightmares for offensive players.

Ariza could easily be in the running for Most Improved Player of the Year if given the minutes and touches.

Courtney Lee—New Jersey Nets

After coming up just short in June, Courtney Lee went from the first place to a struggling team in the midst of a move. Though the chances of winning are slim, the chances of him turning into the focal point rose times ten.

The 23 year old had an exceptional playoff run with the Magic that led to the New Jersey Nets giving up promising forward Ryan Anderson in the hopes they had found their future shooting guard.

Lee averaged eight points a game last year and shot .404 from beyond the arc. Those numbers will and must improve if he hopes to have a career in basketball or if the Nets have any hope of making the playoffs in the next decade.

The competition is there but the nod has been given to the playoff veteran as he will battle Keyon Dooling, Chris Douglas-Roberts and the rookie, Terrence Williams for playing time at the two.

Robin Lopez—Phoenix Suns

Robin looked lost last year on a Phoenix team that was on the outside looking in but not bad enough to get enough playing time for the former Stanford star.

Lopez had a decent summer league with some ups and downs, but will look to preseason as a starting point, as the competition is harder and he can also show his current coaches and teammates what he has been doing over the summer; working with his brother in Arizona.

While he might not be able to take the scoring load of Shaquille O’Neal, who was traded to Cleveland, he can make an impact on defence as All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire will get most of the touches down low.

Lopez main competition for playing time will be against high energy forward, Louis Amundson and newly acquired Channing Frye. The advantage Lopez over those guys? He’s been playing center since high school and has the frame to bang with the bigger guys in the league compared to the smaller Amundson and the lanky Frye.

All in all, Lopez will look to have similar success that his brother has been earning as the opportunity is perfect for him to sweep up and make his name in a Phoenix Suns jersey.

Louis Williams—Philadelphia Sixers

A healthy Elton Brand and Andre Miller in a Portland Blazers jersey is the recipe for success for the young Louis Williams.

The Sixers have put their trust in 22 year old point guard to run a team that is ready to make a splash in the playoffs. Though they fell short last year, a healthy squad can go along way.

Williams played in a career high 81 games last year putting up just under 13 points per game as they will look for him to raise his assist total that stayed put at three a game.

While they did draft point guard Jrue Holiday, his summer league play put on a concern for many giving Williams a perfect shot to show what he has got to offer offensively and defensively to a winning team.

For more articles, visit OTRbasketball.com

Syracuse Basketball: 'Cuse Add Another Melo

Stephen Dyell — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:55:06 -0400

Syracuse received good news this week as top basketball recruit Fabricio De Melo has decided to go Orange in two years.

Melo is ranked the No. 2 center and No. 5 overall prospect in the class of 2010 on Scout.com and Rivals.com.

It's been a rarity over the past couple years that Syracuse ever pick up a seven footer who cannot shoot threes or run the floor that well, but the Orange will rely on his defense and soft hands to make an impact.

Melo made his decision right before heading back to his home country of Brazil to visit family. Though he is originally from Brazil, he came to Florida to play high school basketball and will have a rude awakening when he spends his first winter in New York.

Melo is looking forward to playing in front of thousands at the Carrier Dome and cannot wait to hit the court.

While the 7-foot, 280-pound big man may be a one and done NBA prospect, Syracuse will have a great roster for that season which could lead them to the National Championship, much like former freshman Carmelo Anthony did in 2003.

Syracuse has already received commitments from Brandon Triche, Dashonte Riley, and James Southerland this year and Dion Waiters, CJ Fair, and Baye Moussa Kieta the year after. Fabricio De Melo is not only the perfect pick up, but also the most talented one too.

Another positive is that Syracuse lured him away from other Big East schools in Connecticut and Louisville, as they often found themselves surrounded by bigs with Hasheem Thabeet, Roy Hibbert and others often beating up on the small line up of Jim Boeheim teams.

While the results won’t be seen until 2010, the excitement has begun building as the ‘Cuse have a future that is filled with young, talented men.

New Jersey Nets: Top Five Games To Watch

Stephen Dyell — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:58:29 -0400

With an uncertain future ahead, every game for the Nets looks like a struggle. While sitting and watching all 82 games may be painful to the eyes, here a few games that every Nets fan should tune in for.

October 30 - Orlando Magic at New Jersey Nets

The home opener brings former Nets Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to the Izod Center. The Magic look to make their way back to the Finals with the veteran Carter, as he finally is back in the spotlight with Orlando.

While all the hype is on Carter, Anderson will look to continue what he started in New Jersey as the Magic are a perfect fit to his long range, long body, type play. This game could be the beginning of the biggest mistake for one team, but which is it going to be?

December 2 - Dallas Mavericks at New Jersey Nets

Jason Kidd is back…again.

While he has already made his New Jersey debut, it is always fun to see someone who has done so much for the franchise back in New Jersey.

On his final voyage, Kidd is now joined with the high-flying Shawn Marion, which will make for an exciting duo. Though former almost All-Star Antoine Wright was traded to the Toronto Raptors, this game will be an exciting preview of what is to be, if the Mavericks' playoff hopes and the Nets' other first round draft pick come to fruition.

January 20 - New Jersey Nets at Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns traded center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason, leaving a nice opening in the center position for the less talented Lopez brother. Though it is not known if he will be starting, let alone be dressed for the game, it could make for an interesting matchup.

While fans aren’t lucky enough to watch the battles between Jason Kidd and Steve Nash anymore, a new pair of former Louisville teammates in Earl Clark and Terrence Williams will take the court against each other for the first time.

March 3 - Cleveland Cavaliers at New Jersey Nets

LeBron James makes two trips to the Izod Center this year with this being his last, and the Nets are hoping he chooses to play 41 games next year and keep his almost undefeated record at home intact.

While the only chance that may happen is if Cleveland decides to sell the team and Bruce Ratner makes a swap, it doesn’t hurt to hope for something better, especially if we end up winning between 20 and 25 games.

The game will also be a good one, as Shaq takes on rising center Brook Lopez and Bobby Simmons. We'll hope he doesn’t pull a Jalen Rose and let someone score 82 points on him...though that is likely. Many people would bet LeBron would hit 80 before Simmons hits 20.

March 29 - San Antonio Spurs at New Jersey Nets

Richard Jefferson is back…again too!

One of Jefferson’s most famous dunks came against Kevin Willis of the Spurs in the Finals. Now, the Spurs hope for more dunks in the Finals as they add Jefferson along with Theo Ratliff, Antonio McDyess and DeJuan Blair.

This game can pretty much be listed as a loss, as the Spurs have had the Nets' number for the past couple of years. That includes our last shot at greatness, back when it was fun to watch Kidd, Martin, Jefferson and of course, Brian Scalabrine.

Is Hakim Warrick a Perfect Fit for the New Jersey Nets?

Stephen Dyell — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:14:20 -0400

While Hakim Warrick is no LeBron James, he is someone who is capable of helping out with this team right now and as well as in the future.

The Grizzlies chose to rescinded their $3 million qualifying offer to Hakim Warrick, giving them more flexibility on the free-agent market resulting in Warrick being open to any team including the Nets who passed on him on draft night years ago to take future bench warmer, Antoine Wright.

At the age of 27 years old, Warrick is not yet a veteran but in terms of experience on the New Jersey roster, Warrick would have to be that leader. While in Memphis it was Gasol’s team and then Gay’s team, Warrick was a leader at Syracuse and has recently stepped up his efforts on the Grizzlies team, though he did not have a contract.

Warrick, along with Mike Conley, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo were working out together in Las Vegas building team chemistry even before the season began and also supporting rookie Hasheem Thabeet during his rough Summer League being at the games and talking him through the tough times.

The Nets are much like the Grizzlies in the fact that they are youth based with the talent being under 30 years of age. They could defiantly use someone like Hakim who is willing to work together as a team much like what Carter had done with Chris Douglas-Roberts and others by taking them under his wing.

While looking in the post, three guys in Sean Williams, Yi Jialian and Josh Boone step out the most in that category as each player has fallen off the track and could use some help finding the right way.

As for where he fits on the floor, the Nets truly lack low post scoring. While Warrick loves the fadaway and the occasional three pointer, he can attack the basket and draw fouls which was lacking aside from Devin Harris in 2009.

Add that with his almost 12 points per game scoring and you add a scoring threat to a Nets bench that lacks scoring from the big man which took a blow with the trading of Ryan Anderson.

On the defensive end is where he gets beat as he is smaller than most power forwards resulting in easy baskets but you also cannot win games without some sort of scoring and it’s the risk you have to give up especially when you trade away your second highest scorer for a second year player.

Does Hakim Warrick fit the Nets? It sure doesn’t hurt.

Brought to you by OTRBasketball.com

Syracuse Orange: New Era

Stephen Dyell — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:54:22 -0400

With the college basketball season creeping closer and closer, Syracuse basketball is entering a new era of play. Armed with little to no NBA talent, Jim Boeheim will have his hands full putting together a winning roster for 2010.

It started off when sophomore Jonny Flynn declared for the NBA draft as he was extraordinary for the Orange this past season as he helped them start off undefeated and then make it to the NCAA Tournament.

The Orange also lost Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf as they entered this year’s draft but were not as lucky as Flynn as both went undrafted while Flynn was picked up early by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Devendorf is looking out for his family as he must support his young daughter and he also has received his college degree. Harris was also in the same situation as he has a four-year-old son to take care of. He will be joining Flynn on the Minnesota Timberwolves Summer League roster trying to make the NBA while Devendorf is looking at options to play overseas.

Also, one of the few bodies with height, Sean Williams, transferred to Cal State Fullerton as he only logged just 49 minutes of playing time in 16 games over the past two seasons.

Instead of having a dangerous roster of Donte Greene, Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris, Boeheim will have to hit the pavement and recruit some of his under the radar type players and hope for the best.

The 2009 Syracuse recruit list includes three players that are rated three stars by rivals.com.

Brandon Triche is the leading freshman coming into camp having already signed his letter of intent. The 6’3" guard has been tearing up the King of Kings summer basketball league where fellow team mates, Mookie Jones, Scoop Jardine and Rick Jackson are playing too.

Triche will have to have an instant scoring touch to fill the role of Flynn as the opportunities will be there; he just has to be there as well.

The other two have only given a verbal commitment but it looks promising.

DaShonte Riley stands 6’11" and could make an immediate impact for the ‘Cuse while James Southerland will be the replacements of Devendorf and Harris as they look for a young guard that can make a name for himself in his four years.

There are plenty of positives this season as well.

After a year of waiting, transfer Wes Johnson will be hitting the court. Johnson has been working out with Vince Carter in the LeBron James Skills Academy improving his game. Johnson had averaged 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds for Iowa State in two seasons and is looking forward to hitting the floor for the Orange.

With the team losing its three top scorers, a lot of pressure will be put on Johnson as well as Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku, the only other players who averaged over 10 points a game. Other key contributors are going to have to step up like Canadian Kris Joseph and as well as Rick Jackson.

Jim Boeheim looks to find himself in a tough situation where his best players are bigs compared to the abundance of forwards he is use to from Carmelo Anthony to Greene, Boeheim will now put his faith in Jackson and Onuaku.

With that being said, little hope is being put on the 2009-2010 season due to the lack of name power and experience as Syracuse will dress four seniors and will have a roster full of potential 10 points per game scorers, which isn’t going to cut it in the Big East.

Though A.J. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, Dante Cunningham, DeJuan Blair, Sam Young Terrence Williams and Earl Clark have all found their way into the NBA.

Their former team mates Greg Monroe, Kemba Walker, Stanley Robinson, Lazar Hayward, Luke Harangody and DaSean Butler all returned to their respective schools meaning they can wreck havoc on this unproven Syracuse team.

While many fans sit and wait for the team to find a direction, they won’t be sitting down pouting for more than a year as Boeheim secured three of the four star athletes on rivals.com for 2010 in C.J. Fair, Baye Moussa Kieta and Dion Waiters.

Though the wait might be hard, it’ll give time to reflect and respect how spoiled the program has been over the years making Big East runs as well as National Championship runs which really all comes down to a giant pat on the back to none other than Jim Boeheim.

Brought to you by OTRBasketball.com

New Jersey Nets: Summer League Preview

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:10:14 -0400

The New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia Sixers summer league begins July 1^st in Orlando where they will get a first hand look at the rookies and second year players on both sides. First game will take place July 6^th against the Pacers and will continue until the 10^th against the Jazz, Magic, Thunder and Celtics.

Brook Lopez will not be attending the camp as he and fellow team mate Devin Harris will be trying to impress USA coaches at the mini camp at the end of the month. Courtney Lee will also miss summer league as he concentrates on resting up after a long season and settling down in New Jersey.

The Nets and Sixers did manage to score some big names of some undrafted players as well as having some talented rookies and second year players. Though currently the Nets have no roster spots, some of these players may be worth trading away a player or two before summers end.

Jeff Adrien

Adrien is an undersized power forward that played beside the second overall pick, Hasheem Thabeet where he was team captain for UCONN. He lacks height but his body is definitely NBA ready as he is much like a Paul Millsap or a Jason Maxiell. Adrien could fit well backing up Yi Jialian as he is much tougher in the post and can give you six good fouls. He will also be playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in the Las Vegas Summer League as well.

A.J. Abrams

Another undersized player with plenty of talent, the Texas native is a scoring threat as soon as the ball is in his hands. The former Longhorn and 2007–08 All-Big 12 Second Team honouree could be a target for the Nets depending on how they handle the Rafer Alston situation as he could come in handy as a third string point guard.

Rob Kurz

The former Notre Dame grad who played in 40 games last year for the Golden State Warriors is a prime example of what the Nets staff loves in a basketball player; large with long range. Kurz shot almost .400 percent last year for the Warriors and could fill in as a Ryan Anderson replacement. The 6’9 forward has one of the better chances of making either team as both Sixers and Nets look for shooting from beyond the arc.

Jason Ellis

An undersized forward who played last year in the NBDL for the Idaho Stampede. Ellis is known for rebounding more than scoring as he almost averaged nine per game in limited minutes last year. He is more just a body on the roster as he will look for the NBDL or maybe Europe this season.

Terrence Williams

The Nets first round draft choice will look to make a splash and impress everyone who doubted he was worth the 11^th overall pick. Will be nice to see Williams team up with Douglas-Roberts as they could be the one-two punch off the bench for the Nets this season. He will be getting lots of touches throughout the camp.

Marreese Speights

The Sixers big man was one of the better rookies in 2009 as power forward Elton Brand missed most of the year. Speights will look to show that he deserves time on the court as Brand comes back along with new coach Eddie Jordan. Expect him to get a lot of touches since he’s the only offensive low post threat since Lopez will not be attending.

Marcus Slaughter

Slaughter NBA dream began with the Miami Heat but was unable to show what he had to them as they cut him in 2007 before he got to see the court. After a year in Europe, Slaughter is back trying to make it to the NBA. He’s an exciting player on the court as his dunks bring fans out of there seats but really lacks the head of an NBA player forcing him to enter the NBA the hard way.

Chris Johnson

The 6’11 centre and former team mate of Anthony Randolph, actually looks like him too as he only weighed in at 190 pounds. What he lacks in strength, he makes up in quickness and length as he was the LSU’s top shot blocker averaging almost three a game. If he hopes to make an NBA roster, he must find a way to put on weight and then learn how to play in the post consistently.

Gary Forbes

Forbes is another one from the NBDL and also from a Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association. In the summer of 2007, Forbes played for Panamanian National Team in the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas averaging 17.8 points per game. Forbes is looking to stay in the USA this year and is hoping the Nets will find the need for a 6’6 scoring threat this season.

Jrue Holiday

The Sixers first round draft choice this year will have an exciting time leading the point for the mixed team. He has a lot of options to set up but many should just look forward to the kid running the fast break and Holiday has great foot speed and this roster looks built to run.

Blake Ahearn

The veteran of the bunch has been with the Spurs, Heat and Wizards throughout his young career even scoring 15 points in an NBA game in 2008. Ahearn will take the reigns as backup point guard for the summer league as he hopes that his fourth team is the charm. Watch for him to surprise a lot of people with his scoring ability this month.

Dionte Christmas

Christmas was the most talked about undrafted rookie this year and decided to sign with his home city of Philadelphia giving the Nets a front row seat to his true talent. He scored almost 20 points per game the last three seasons in college yet still couldn’t find anyone to draft him that really puts into question, what’s wrong with him?

Chris Douglas-Roberts

Looking forward to his second summer league and the chance to play with new team mate Terrence Williams, Douglas-Roberts is happier than ever. He is now given the chance along with Courtney Lee and Williams to earn a starting spot in the Nets roster and playing well in these games can give him a head start. Look to see him also carry the ball up as he was used much like Carter as a third string point guard and could turn out valuable if someone goes down this year.

Brought to you by OTRBasketball.com

Fall From Heaven: The DeJuan Blair Story

Stephen Dyell — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:41:28 -0400

Labeled defective and risky, a man who has only known one home will look to prove the doubters wrong as he enters his dream of the NBA Thursday night a lot further down than expected.

DeJuan Blair grew up in Pittsburgh in literally walking distance of his former college school. He was the youngest and smallest of four children, but that soon changed as he began to grow. By the time Blair entered Schenley High School; he stood 6’7" and had a punishing body to go along with the tall frame.

The three-time Pittsburgh City League Player of the Year was a highly-regarded prospect coming out of high school where he fielded many offers. Florida, Tennessee, and even smaller schools like Rutgers and Miami all pushed hard for the young talent.

Blair’s parents wanted him to leave the state to go to college, but it was for his grandmother that Blair chose Pittsburgh.

With the team losing starter Aaron Gray to graduation, his grandmother, Donna Saddler, recognized the chance her grandson had at starting on a talented local team, and so he went with coach Jamie Dixon’s team.

Blair became the starter, and also the terror, as he lead the Panthers to a Big East Conference tournament win over schools such as Syracuse, Georgetown, and Connecticut. Blair also won the Big East Rookie of the Year, as he put up nearly 12 points per game and just over nine rebounds.

In his second year, Blair tore up the field even worse, winning the Big East Player of the Year award with fellow NBA hopefully Hasheem Thabeet. Blair’s 12.3 RPG were one of the best in the country, as he was linked in NBA mocks to go top-10 with fellow Big East star Thabeet.

The consensus First Team All-American decided to place his name in the NBA draft, hiring an agent just a day after stating his decision, forcing him out of the NCAA. It was then things began to go downhill.

Blair had ACL surgery on both knees in high school, but suffered no setbacks in college. NBA general managers seemed worried about his future, as past mistakes of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Allan Houston were still fresh in many minds.

Blair went from workout to workout, even calling himself a “lottery pick” in an interview, as he felt he impressed each city he entered, and with his toughness and hard work, the Pittsburgh native looked to make his dream a relativity.

The night came, and Blair spent it with his family, waiting for his name to be called to an NBA team. They began to wait patiently, as players who hadn’t even scored above 10 points per game were being drafted ahead of him. The man who he shared the Big East Player of the Year went second overall, and Blair was left waiting.

Blair waited all the way until the 37th overall pick, where the San Antonio Spurs decided to take a risk on the talented 20-year-old.

The Spurs had a busy week, trading for Richard Jefferson while losing two valuable bigs in Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto, leaving the door open for him to prove what many didn’t believe 36 picks ahead of him.

Chad Ford has already called him the steal of the draft and a possible starter for a team that many say has brought itself to second overall in season previews.

Blair knows what he has to do, as many labeled him defective, even though he has the hardware and resume to prove otherwise. Blair will be one of the players that every general manager will be watching in April—maybe not dominating the way he did in college, but playing the role asked by new coach, Greg Popovich, and with that, his ring fingers might be filled up quicker than others in his draft class.

Brought to you by OTRBasketball.com

New Jersey Nets: Draft Day Review

Stephen Dyell — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:11:11 -0400

It was a busy day for the Nets as the rebuilding finally went into full effect as Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson were traded to Orlando for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie while later in the evening, Rod Thorn selected Terrence Williams from the University of Louisville with the 11th overall pick.

The Carter trade caught many by surprise, but also was expected by some.

It allows the Nets to have almost $14 million in extra space in 2010 when the giant free agent blitz happens. It allows them to use that as an excuse to be cheap at the moment, though it’s not even guaranteed that they will be looking to spend the big bucks then with the move to Brooklyn being quite expensive as well.

The deal brought in a much sought-after guard in Courtney Lee.

Lee was highly regarded by the Nets after workouts before the draft and it came down to Ryan Anderson, Chris Douglas-Roberts and him for that number 21 spot where the Nets eventually went with Anderson.

Now, Lee can prove that the Nets got lucky sneaking him onto a roster that lacks true guards especially with Carter gone. After a strong playoff performance on a talented Magic team, he is the clear cut favorite to line up beside Devin Harris in the back court making a nice one-two duo for many years to come.

Lee was not the only key piece to the deal as the Nets also received Alston, the former Raptor and Tony Battie, who many Nets fans know for his playoff performances with the Celtics. Alston is a solid third point guard who will receive plenty of playing time with Keyon Dooling playing the two.

Alston might be a victim of a buyout or trade deadline deal as he does not fit into future plans but Battie is an interesting and underrated piece to this deal. Battie is a veteran presence whose game can help Brook Lopez develop through practice as he will be the first veteran big Lopez can learn from.

His game may be past its prime but his teaching ability, from his defense to his 15-foot jump shots can all be a part of the development of the young big and is a smart move by the Nets organization if they plan to keep him.

Next came the draft where the Nets only had one pick at No. 11 where they made no mistake and took Terrence Williams.

Many believed the pick was going to be Jonny Flynn or Jordan Hill but the Nets were not interested in moving up or just couldn’t make any deals to get those players.

Williams was scouted as being one of the best defensive players in the draft adding to a nice defensive back court of Harris, Lee and Dooling. Williams is also a great passer for a shooting guard which will make the loss of Carter's ball movement skills not as noticeable.

Something that will be noticeable is a scoring option outside of Harris as the Nets are left with streaky scorers that leave room for many players to hit 20 at any given night.

The problem with that is if Williams and Lee can’t make up for Carter's scoring outputs, it puts a lot of pressure on Lawrence Frank to run the defense to perfection as they must look to use Lopez as an offensive threat this year if they have any plan on winning.

Outside of the lack of scoring, today’s deal and pick could move the Nets into a successful era of admittance that the current roster's build would not be successful at making the playoffs, let alone winning games in it.

Though the Nets lost their captain in Carter and one of the better looking forward prospects on the team, they move into a direction of no more Malik Allen and Jamaal Magloire fillers and the willingness to take a chance on young talent because the only way to win is drafting smart and trading right and today’s activities look like a step in the right direction.

Brought to you by OTRbasketball.com

Second Shot: The Jonathan Bender Story

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:51:24 -0400

While the NBA is one of the toughest challenges to achieve, a certain few make the task look simple and meek. Jonathan Bender was one of the few coasting down what seemed like easy street, until his priorities were shifted, as the 6’11 forward had a career-ending knee injury which allowed him to make a difference outside of the basketball court.

Bender, now 28 years old, grew up in the small town Picayune, MS, where he learned all he had to know in basketball. His father would take him on trips to New Orleans where he eventually began playing basketball. It was there that Bender found his adopted home and fell in love.

At age 12, Benders father passed away leaving a hole where a father figure was needed. It was then Bender met a man who had been around the world six times in Billy Ray Hobley. The Harlem Globetrotter took Bender under his wing.

It was with Hobley that Bender learned about the less fortunate and to take nothing for granted as Hobley was not only a basketball player, but a great person for his community.

His game plan was never forget where you came from and always give back and Bender could relate with the quick success he was receiving as he scored 31 points in the 1999 McDonald's High School All-America Game and was a hot topic among college recruiters.

Bender made a verbal commitment to his hometown school, Mississippi State University but then quickly hired an agent and entered the NBA draft. The same year he also made the move to New Orleans to be with Hobley before having to move to Indiana as he was the fifth overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft.

His career began slow only averaging 2.7 PPG in his rookie year while fellow forward Elton Brand tore up the league with many other names from that draft class as well.

His second year wasn’t much better either seeing limited time on the court in limited games played though the Pacers saw the young forward as potential, not giving up on him and it payed off as Bender put up a personal best 7.4 PPG, 6.6 PPG and 7 PPG over the next three years.

It was then Benders troubles began.

He began to have chronic knee pain that had bothered him in years before but had now become unbar able to play with forcing Bender to play nine games over his next two years leaving Bender with a decision that would ruin his dream of NBA glory.

In February of 2006, Bender announced his retirement from basketball having only played in 237 games and being the young age of 25.

The labels came out quick as he was called a bust and critics were onto him faster than they praised him. The talk of potential had now faded as he was considered a washed up, injury prone basketball failure.

Though the love of NBA fans faded, his love for his adopted hometown grew stronger.

Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans and Bender knew he had to help. Rather than living off the millions he made in his short stint in the NBA, he put money towards reestablishing New Orleans by fixing up homes to the less fortunate.

Bender didn’t stop there as he adopted elementary schools, built real estate ventures, offered free finance classes for some of New Orleans' poorest residents and ran free basketball clinics for teens in the New Orleans region.

Bender thanks Hobley, who died in 2002, for giving him a hometown and also for giving him a heart for the less fortunate. He taught him that life isn’t all about basketball and it paid off for Bender in more ways than one.

Even though his hype never was filled on the basketball court, his heart has filled many off of it.

New Jersey Nets: Top-10 Draft List

Stephen Dyell — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:22:02 -0400

The New Jersey Nets have the 11th pick in the 2009 NBA draft and here is the top ten list of draft talent Nets should be thinking about. Not all players are meant for the 11th pick, as talks of the Nets trading down are heating up, worth noting some players that could be taken later.

1. Jordan Hill

NBA Position: Power Forward
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-10 Wt: 232

Though projected to go in the top five, reports of him falling keep coming in as the days to the draft are numbered. The Nets would be lucky to get two steals in two years by picking up Hill, as he has tons of promise behind him.

Positives: Nets add what could be their starting forward, which they have been lacking since Kenyon Martin took his pay check and left. Big wingspan alongside Brook Lopez creates havoc for smaller guards creating an easier defensive duty for Devin Harris.

Negatives: If Hill is just another below-average forward, the Nets' list of young bigs with no starting talent rises to five, creating a giant logjam of who gets playing time.
To be successful, he must add muscle on his body, or he will be bullied by bigger forwards who don’t necessarily need to have talent, but just the body frame to outwork Hill.

2. Jonny Flynn

NBA Position: Point Guard
Class: Sophomore
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 196

The Nets were in search of a talented backup point guard since the days of Jason Kidd and finally found one in Keyon Dooling. Dooling played so well that he earned playing time alongside Harris, leaving Carter and others to fill in the third point-guard spot.

Flynn is one of the fast risers in the draft, but the Nets should definitely aim for him, as his style could benefit greatly playing behind Devin Harris, as they have the same speed and slash ability to get to the rim.

Positives: Creates depth for the future, as you have two young point guards and also add a devastating scoring coming off a bench that was quite lackluster in scoring other than a few players on the team.

Negatives: Wasting a top-10 talent on a third-string point guard rather than aiming to fill holes in the three and the four positions. The Nets would be drafting best player available rather than player of need, which could backfire much like Atlanta and their point guard situation.

3. Earl Clark

NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-10 Wt: 226

The hometown boy playing in his home state would be great marketing for a team that markets their players for the most money possible. He would be a nice fit if he could earn playing time over Hayes and Simmons, as he fills the hole lost in Richard Jefferson.

Positives: Clark is long and athletic and can be a scorer when he wants too. He has great ball-handling skills for a player of his size which can really benefit the Nets.

Negatives: He remains turnover prone even with the good handles. His passes are often predictable, and many believe he shoots too much from where he shouldn’t be shooting from, like beyond the arc.

Nets also already have Williams, Anderson, and Yi stuck between the three and the four, and adding another non-positional player creates a logjam.

4. James Johnson

NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: Sophomore
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 257

Built much like Clark, Johnson is more known as a power forward, as he played that position in college but is better suited for the three in the NBA, due to his build. He is an obvious target for the Nets, as he is an athletic leaper who can rebound and put up easy points down low.

Johnson is also a great passer, which will help move the ball around for those easy looks the Nets tried to get so often last year from beyond the arc.

Positives: Johnson fills the need of a big small forward and is known for his hustle, which the Nets lacked, as well as an upbeat player, which they haven't had since the days of Hassan Adams. He could be that spark off the bench or even find his way into the starting lineup by December.

Negatives: Yet another player stuck between two positions. Much like Earl Clark and already NBA-proven Donte Green, he settles for three pointers when other shots or drives are necessary. He has trouble getting to the free-throw line in college, and it can only be harder to earn calls in the league.

5. Omri Casspi

NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: International
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 211

Though Casspi isn’t a player you might take at 11, the Nets have had strong interest in him since he became a household name in Europe. Casspi plays a lot like former Nets player Boki Nachbar and has the same physical attributes as well.

He also brings more European flavour to a Nets team that markets international players to the max, from Ed to Yi.

Positives: Casspi plays with tons of passion, as he feeds of being the first Israeli to play in the NBA. Much like a chip on his shoulder, he seems like the type of player that won’t give up until he’s reached his potential, whether that is a sixth man or maybe a future All-Star, and that looks good on him. His size is also an advantage, as his arms are one of the longest in the draft for his height ,and he also is tall for a small forward.

Negatives: He has poor ball-handling skills for having so much offensive talent as a forward. Casspi’s one-on-one matchups in the NBA may be a challenge for him, especially if they match him in size, as his quickness off the dribble isn’t up to par.

6. Terrence Williams

NBA Position: Shooting Guard
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-6 Wt: 213

A hustle player who could be security if Rod Thorn does pull the trigger this season with Vince Carter, Williams looks to be a good pick if you were drafting 15th. Williams has great court-vision, much like Carter, but is not as good of a passer.

He definitely could benefit from good defensive coaching, as he has all the materials to be a good defensive stopper. He looks to be a better Antoine Wright, but hopefully he comes in with real three-point range.

Positives: Terrence has an NBA body and is NBA conditioned, which benefits him greatly come game 50 of the season. Looks to be a scoring threat, as his confidence is high on both sides of the ball. He's a great three point shooter on a team that’s best shooters is bigs.

Negatives: Much like his college teammate Earl Clark, Williams settles for shots rather than forcing something that could benefit another player on the court. That brings into question on how high Williams' basketball IQ actually is and whether he can learn to play the game while improving on certain situations.

7. Tyler Hansbrough

NBA Position: Power Forward
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 234

After four years of college and a National Championship, Tyler looks to make his name in the NBA. Hansbrough could have a shot at starting for a Nets team lacking a four, if that is his actual position as he is stuck between a four and a five. The experience is there, but at age 23, the room for potential is tight for someone who is a freshman. Seems like it’s much like the Sean May situation, where you aren’t built for the NBA, but because you were successful in college, teams took a shot on him.

Positives: A proven winner can get the job done night in and night out during his college days. He is well spoken and is a player you can really promote to a community. Hansbrough knows what the critics say about his game but is confident that he will make it work, and that is a test to his work ethic. Seems like a guy like Lawrence Frank would enjoy coaching and giving playing time too.

Negatives: Lots of negatives are said about him, especially on the defensive side. He lacks speed, which doesn’t seem to hurt him offensively but is really exposed defensively. His age is also another negativ,e as four years in college and limited growth has many saying that he really hurt his draft stock, which might make him a little bit too high at No. 11 but still a good option to trade down for.

8. Chase Budinger

NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 206

Budinger has been on the Nets' draft list since his freshman year but has not seemed to improve his draft stock. After stepping out of the draft last year, the Nets still have the hole in the three position, and Chase could be the main man for that job. He is a very smart basketball player whose head is farther advance than his game is.

Positives: Another well spoken individual whose unselfish game would fit well with the Nets. He isn’t a dominate scorer, but if he can learn to take it to the basket consistently, he could be a really decent role player for the Nets, as they lack players who can dominate getting to the rim outside of Devin Harris.

Negatives: In his three years at Arizona, his leadership ability has been questioned, especially in clutch times. He isn’t an offensive threat all the time, and he isn’t a very good defender either, which often comes into question of why he should be earning playing time if he really isn’t doing much of anything.

9. Ty Lawson

NBA Position: Point Guard
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 197

Coming off a NCAA Championship, Lawson would be a prime candidate for the third string backup position behind Harris and Dooling. Lawson is a true point guard, which would be a nice switch between Harris and Dooling's scoring ability, but he also could learn a lot from Harris, due to the speed of the two.

Positives: Many people say Lawson’s work ethic is off the charts, and watching him overcome an injury to win a championship shows his commitment to his team. Lawson is one of the better three-point shooters in the draft and arguably the best shooting point guard in the draft as well.

Negatives: Size comes into a factor as you enter NBA contact. Standing just six feet could be a problem if Lawson cannot use his speed to his advantage, as the contact could be too much for his petite frame. The system he was in is also a difficult way to evaluate his talent, as many of his teammates will also be joining him entering the NBA this year, which begs the question if he made them better or if were they just that good to begin with.

10. Derrick Brown

NBA Position: Small Forward
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-8 Wt: 225

A sleeper in this draft, Brown is stuck between positions, but many believe he will come out as a true three. One of the best defenders in the draft is a position that goes unnoticed but is necessary to win in basketball. Though he will not go 11th, he is definitely an option for the Nets if they are looking for defence and work ethic.

Positives: Brown excels at defence and the potential for him in that category is extremely high. Some see him as the next Paul Millsap, as he may be an undersized four. Being a relative unknown in the draft could do him good, forcing him to earn more than the others and be appreciative of where he lands.

Negatives: Brown's scoring ability is below average, as he is predictable. He will never turn into a first, second, or third option in terms of scoring on the court and will have to rely heavily on his defence to stay in the league.

Montreal Canadiens' Bob Gainey: A Village Idiot at Trade Deadline

Stephen Dyell — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:04:32 -0500

With the trade deadline over, the Montreal Canadiens came out without their No. 1 goalie and no help on offense.

A mere couple days after being on his horse while his jersey was retired, Bob Gainey looks as though he’ll be under the bus come tomorrow.

Cristobal Huet was traded to the Washington Capitals for a 2009 second-round draft pick while Pittsburgh traded their third and second line players for the highly-touted Marian Hossa.

The problem with this is that it leaves the Canadiens in the fate of two young goalies with no playoff experience in the NHL.

It’s not that everyone wanted to trade away Chris Higgins and our future players for Hossa, but the fact that teams loaded up with players that could indeed help their franchise move towards the goal of a Stanley Cup glory.

Sergei Fedorov, Brad Richards, and many more who fetched very little in return makes many fans wonder if we threw too much into the well of Hossa since we come up empty.

The main pill to swallow is the reason to trade the goalie that has been up and down but mostly positive in the middle of a tight playoff race.

This then comes back to last year’s problem with Mike Ribeiro and Sheldon Souray, where Montreal chose to hold onto Souray while Ribeiro turned himself into an All-Star in a Dallas Stars uniform.

Now with the giving away of Huet, they have received almost zero in return for the three All-Star players which makes you think about how much Gainey’s abilities are to find talent inside the NHL.

Of course Gainey may look like a genius as Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak surprises everyone and leads this team not only to the playoffs, but also to the Stanley cup finals.

Yeah it’s a pipe dream, but you have to wonder what exactly was Gainey thinking today?

Gainey has a lot more questions to answer then he did the day before.

New Jersey Nets: Meet The Other Side of the Jason Kidd Trade

Stephen Dyell — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:00:49 -0500

With most of the trade talk circling around the kid for Kidd, we rarely talk about the pieces of the puzzle that came along in this deal.

The deal wasn’t just Jason for Devin—it was Jason for Devin and some guys with talent.

Rod Thorn was smart and picked up players that can play now and play well.

First, picking up was not a part of the regular deal but only used for salary purposes due to the non-trade demands of George. So far he’s taking most of Antoine Wright’s minutes playing aggressive defence in the three games he’s been featured in.

“I bring a little toughness, defense, energy. Get out there and just tries to make things happen; that’s about it.”

He is neither cocky or above others yet he started many games during the Kevin Garnett era in Minnesota learning a lot from him and what it takes to win. Once he was traded for Greg Buckner, he was never to be seen again until just this week as he was given playing time.

When asked about why he is not an offensive player and is a lot like Bruce Bowen, he responded, “Because when I was a rookie (with the Chicago Bulls), we had a lot of scorers on the team and Ron Artest and people got hurt and I came in there and played defence. I had Charles Oakley as my vet and Pete Myers and they told me that you have to master something else other than just scoring because everybody else can score in the league. And it was defence.”

Next was the eighth overall pick in the 2001 draft. Labelled a bust by the Cavaliers and picked up by the Mavs only to have another name given to him; “Duncan Stopper”.

“It was a good feeling. I dedicated myself to losing weight and tried to get better as a pro. I think my weight was holding me down a lot. Hired a chef, hired a trainer, worked hard all summer, two a days, and I lost a lot of weight. And I was able to contribute to a team in Dallas that went to the Finals. Last year, even though we lost in the first round, we won 67 games. With the Nets, I’m going to just try to do the same thing.”

When asked what he can bring to this New Jersey team, he had a similar response to Hassell. “Defensive presence, hustle, try to get offensive rebounds and put it back or kick it back out for shooters to shoot it again. A lot of hustle, I try to finish around the hoop, stuff like that.”

Though he is a free agent this summer, Nets will be looking to keep the 27 year old Diop if he enjoys his stay here. He is definitely a good starter and an even better back-up.

The last throw in as many said was the young and talented guard out of Michigan, Maurice Ager. He, like Hassell, did not get much burn with the Mavs either as he was delegated to the D-League.

“Right now, practice is going to be very important for me to pick up and learn things and just try to take advantage of that and earn my minutes from here.”

Instead of fighting for playing time behind Stackhouse, Hassell, George and others, he only has a couple guys a head of him and a new coach to impress. “Go out there and bring an extra scorer, outside shooting. Defensively I want to get after it a little bit and really just help us secure that playoff spot and just get the best seed we possibly can get.”

The new guys are ready to make an impact now as the rebuilding Nets look to turn that title into the playoff Nets. Ager, Hassell and Diop all know that this is a new beginning with new opportunities and they will be making the best out of each chance given.

We may have got lucky with Harris and picks, but we also scored two jackpots in a row with these three guys as well.

Memo to the Nets: Dump Vince Carter with Love

Stephen Dyell — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:38:43 -0500

Gas to the city: $34

Apartment in the city: $10,203/mo.

Price of suit to press conference: $220

Sending Vince Carter to New York: Priceless

New York has come knocking every time a Carter rumor has surfaced.

Isiah Thomas has had a fascination with him since the days of Toronto and believes Carter is the missing piece to the New York puzzle, other than himself.

The Nets thoughts on Carter have definitely changed this year, as he went from hero to zero; injury or not. Now with Jason Kidd out of the picture, his future looks even grimmer as Kiki and Thorn look to gut for the future.

The risk is high, but also could be quite rewarding. Thorn received Carter for two Monopoly pieces and 101 Spiderman chewing gum wrappers and watched him produce for two years.

Of course Thorn made the mistake of signing him to the bigger contract, but also could be the hero and snake out a draft pick or two from New York, whose picks look more promising than a powerful Dallas team.

Why do this deal rather than get Jermaine and try harder?

Cap space.

Entering the 2009 season we will only have Carter’s and Richard Jefferson’s contract to worry about. The young guns have player options the Nets can pick up for cheap while the trade chunks Thorn picked up will have expired.

Carter is earning $13 million this season that jumps up one million each year until his team option in 2011. With that much room available, names like Ben Gordon, Josh Smith and Monta Ellis are definitely not out of the picture if we can market New Jersey and the Brooklyn Project perfectly.

Risk-taking is what the NBA is about. By the looks from the New York side from towel smacking to water splashing, it is very unlikely to be turned around by Vince Carter.

This just mainly means lower risk and greater reward.

For more articles, visit OTRBasketball.com

NHL Trade Deadline: Montreal Canadiens Wish List

Stephen Dyell — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:41:30 -0500

With the trade deadline approaching, the Montreal Canadiens are better off than expected. We still need some work though—mostly a center who can actually win draws.

So far, we've had Chipchura (43.84 percent), Koivu (53.82 percent), Lapierre (50.21 percent), Plekanec (46.98 percent), and Smolinski (47.83 percent). Not that great.

I could see bringing back Yanic Perreault merely for the powerplay faceoffs that we need desperately. Jarret Stoll is been another name Gainey has looked into, though acquiring him is tougher than it looks. It's worth the hassle if we come away with his 54 percent winning mark.

Michael Peca has lost the offensive touch but still is amazing the second the puck drops. He has almost a 55 percent winning mark. Robert Lang is also doing well but gives us the size we don't have with our other centers standing barely 6 foot.

Some other names include Ryan Johnson of the Blues, Radek Bonk of the Preds, and Keith Tkachuk of the Blues as well.

Another need that could be addressed is the lack of veteran defensemen. We have Patrice but he is often out injured due to his age. Rob Blake is having a low season on a low-ranked team and has brought the interest of many General Managers to watch a game or two, but the Kings have been greedy and Blake has a no-trade-clause that will be waved if he wants to enter the 2008 playoffs.

Ed Jovanovski of Phoenix has had a nice year being the man on the powerplay setting up 27 goals, while Adam Foote of Columbus has had only 13 points in 51 games. He still would be a nice pick-up for the Canadiens.

What can the Canadiens offer to get such players?

We have too many good young players which means they will never have a chance with our squad. The list is long: Carey Price, Ryan McDonagh, Kyle Chipchura, Max Pacioretty, Ben Maxwell, David Fischer, Sergei Kostitsyn, Jaroslav Halak, Mikhail Grabovski, Alexei Emelin, Ryan O'Byrne, PK Subban, Pavel Valentenko, Ryan White, Matt D'Agostini, Mathieu Carle, Ryan Russell, and Mathieu Aubin.

Out of that list, Price, Chipchura, Maxwell, Kostitsyns, and O'Bryne are the only ones I see making a roster spot right away. That talent is what teams like LA and bottom-feeders like. Throw in a pick or two and you have a deal.

New Jersey Nets: Rod Thorn Gets Devin Harris

Stephen Dyell — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:48:56 -0500

“Step away from your crack dealer.” Those words uttered out of the mouth of Mark Cuban just a week ago when asked about trading Devin Harris.

If all goes well then guards Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, center DeSagana Diop, and forward Keith Van Horne, will be joining the Nets team in the midst of a pathetic playoff race.

John Hollinger, along with many other reporters, complimented Rod Thorn on getting such a great deal for his old, but experienced, point guard. The offers that had been listed had made almost no sense. Many would have been happy for Kidd’s contract just to expire.

Instead of having Jordan Farmar leading the point, we have a young, but seasoned, point guard in Harris. Harris who will be celebrating his 25^th birthday this week. He's coming into New Jersey ten years younger than Kidd, but only one less Finale appearance.

“I have a new future to look forward to,” he says. It, in no way, means the talent level is the same. The two guards play very different games. Kidd set up players like no other, while Harris blows by guys and takes the contact. Harris also stepped in for Steve Nash when he got a better offer from Phoenix. Only a rookie, he watched Steve Nash pick up two MVP’s.

A mere year later, after being embarrassed by Baron Davis and the Warriors, Harris finds himself in a new environment. “I’m looking forward to having a little bit more control, a little bit more freedom over there. I love my team-mates here, so it’s mixed emotions, but I’m excited about the new challenge,” said Harris.

Harris won’t be going alone as he heads over with team-mates, one being Keith Van Horne. Maurice Ager, the youngest of the group is an undersized two guard who played second fiddle to Shannon Brown at the University of Michigan. Ager has yet to see real NBA time in his short career, yet has been money in the D-League. He will either get time right away or stay in the D-League in Colorado as Trenton Hassell fights to fill Antoine Wright’s role.

Hassell, who was traded from Minnesota earlier in the 2007 season, will look to find his game that he somehow lost between being signed an above average amount, to now. Could be an interesting trading piece due to size and veteran status. His contract still has couple years left on it.

DeSagana Diop was an underrated defender, who often had to go against the Duncan’s and the Amare’s of the West. Now he has to earn his time in a front court that has improved vastly over the years.

Sean Williams, along with Nenad Krstic and Josh Boone, have earned their time under Lawrence Frank, but Diop's defensive ability is what he will fall in love with. Stromile Swift might be thrown under the bus if Diop gets the back-up role, as he finds a seat beside Jamaal Magloire.

Last but not least, Keith Van Horn. Though he may not ever enter a game, he helped the Nets groom themselves for the future. Horn helped out New Jersey before being kicked out by the very player he helped get to Dallas. Playing or not, his aspiring four million will be nice at the seasons end.

Altogether Rod Thorn got a good deal out of a good player. Losing right now definitely does not look as grim, especially with two young men and a young guard. The talent here, accompanied by more money in the off-season, could make this team rise to the top before most people expect it.

New Jersey Nets: The New Era

Stephen Dyell — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:12:37 -0500

With a sad farewell to a prominent leader, the New Jersey Nets start fresh with a new opportunity. A land that had been trampled but never conquered as an identity is formed from dirt.

First is the process of determining what direction we truly want to head in. We have a 25-year-old point guard and two big men in their early 20s, yet our go-to-guy has just passed 30.

It truly ends and begins with Vince Carter.

If we trade him, we rebuild. If we keep him, well, we hope light in the tunnel is closer than we thought. The main problem is that Vince Carter is thought of by the owners as higher than Rod Thorn himself. That resulted in the Nets basically bidding against themselves for Carter's services.

Now we are in a rut trying to decide between unloading the contract that does not expire till 2010 or keeping him for mere fan satisfaction.

Rumors of a Vince Carter for Jermaine O’Neal deal have floated around, but those depend on O’Neal’s knees. In reality, that deal is about acquiring a contract ending one year earlier than Carter's.

The Nets real future plans lie with the friendships of our owner. The vast world of 2010 NBA free agents is astounding and the biggest name of all, LeBron James, just happens to be buddy-buddy with Nets' part-owner, Jay-Z.

The chances of landing him are slim to none, but there are some incentives leaning in our favor.

LeBron's $100 million bonus for playing in New York, Los Angeles, or another big city certainly does not hurt our chances. He also has an immense respect for Jay-Z, not only personally, but business-wise as well.

The pieces they have to entice the King? It starts off with the Kidd trade.

Devin Harris played second-fiddle often to Jason Terry, but he was the replacement for Steve Nash when he signed to Dallas. Though he does not have the two MVPs, he has Finals experience to go along with a winning record in every season he has played.

It is quite fitting that he steps into even bigger shoes in Jersey, as he will try to accomplish half of what Kidd did for the Nets.

The Nets also have two young men by the names of Josh Boone and Sean Williams. Boone is the stud finisher down low, while Williams has made highlight after highlight in dunks and astonishing blocks.

The Nets front office certainly has some tough choices to make in the near future.

Freakishly Good: How Sean Williams Made His NBA Splash

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:22:24 -0500

With the New Jersey Nets season slowly picking up the pieces and trying to figure out what pieces go where, there came a loud thump on the roof. As the fans grew weary of what may happen, Chris Cringle hoped out of his sleigh and handed us one of the most promising early Christmas gifts that we hadn’t seen in years.

Six years ago, a young man by the name of Sean Williams picked up his first basketball. Many didn’t know it back then but Sean’s new found love would take him places he had never gone before both positive and negative. Standing 6’8 at only 15 years of age, he stood out like a raw tomato. Lanky was the best way to describe him as he was easily pushed around but had that raw ability to know something good could turn from this young boy.

Growing up in Houston Texas, Williams was a fan of Jacques Dominique Wilkins not even because of the skill level, but because of the energy he brought to the court just with his aptitude to soar. His high school coach first noticed him in community leagues and eventually invited him to try out for the Mansfield High School team in Mansfield, Texas.

Deciding to leave home after an impressive high school career, Williams choose to attend Boston College. The team already filled with California natives, Craig Smith and Jared Dudley looked very promising with the athletic Williams joining the duo.

The season started off well as the Eagles compiled 20 wins in a row and were one of only two teams to be undefeated at the time. The team's first loss occurred at Notre Dame on February 8, 2005. Following its setback, BC beat unranked Rutgers and then No. 9 Syracuse on February 19, vaulting them in the polls to No. 3 in both the AP and coaches' polls—the highest any Boston College basketball team has even been ranked.

Ranked fourth in the Tournament, the Eagles took care of the Penn Quakers with an 85-65 thrashing and then took on Milwaukee, who had upset Alabama. UWM pulled another upset with an 83-75 win over Boston College and sent the Eagles home still unable to get back to the Sweet Sixteen. BC had not advanced past the second round since 1994.

Sean Williams’s stats did not jump out that year even though he managed to shoot 65.2 from the field and block two shots a game. The trouble had already begun as Williams had missed some games due to not attending classes regularly.

Another year came and went as Williams continued to help and punish the Eagles. An off-season incident concerning drug use in May involving center Sean Williams lead to his suspension for the first semester from BC campus and from the team, and his playing status for the entire season was in doubt up until a court hearing in December. Williams set the BC single-season record for blocked shots in 2004-05 with 63. Although not allowed back to Chestnut Hill until the end of the first semester and contingent upon a court hearing, Williams took courses and worked out at the University of Houston in the fall of 2005. He was allowed to return after a Boston judge decided he had fulfilled his commitment and the school gave their approval because he met his academic requirements.

He came back strong to help the Boston team into the tournament. In the Sweet Sixteen match up, with the score tied and pressure on the line, Williams blocked a potential game winning three pointer by Kyle Lowry to force the game into overtime.

What turned out to be the winner minutes later was a goaltending call on Sean Williams. Surmounted and disappointed, Sean Williams head dropped to his knees. The chance was over.

Though the heart breaking moments were still fresh as they took to the court the next fall, there was trouble brewing elsewhere. Williams under heavy criticism from higher figures for smoking marijuana and skipping classes was banned from the school after just 15 games. He was done and he knew it but those few games he played, he managed to swat 75 shots averaging an astonishing five blocks per game. Now they were watching.

Criticized by many of the ESPN staff on how smart of a character Sean Williams really was even though he successfully scored over 800 the first time he took the SAT. His draft stock was hurt. Portrayed as betraying their faith and was consequently unequivocally shown the door after refusing to change his ways. Williams left with his tail between his legs.

Teams like Charlotte and Houston took interest in him as New Jersey was looking elsewhere at Big Baby and Josh McRoberts. As reports came in, the news did not look good for Williams.

“...Now with the information we have in front of us, it would be difficult to see him cracking the first round, unless a team decides to ignore the potential negative PR that is bound to come with gambling on him. NBA teams have begun to shy away from taking head case types with checkered pasts over the last few years (see Banks, Sean), and they haven’t exactly been burned or proven wrong. From what NBA types have been telling us, it’s their ownership in particular who have taken a hard stance against adding players who are known to be unable to stay out of trouble.”

With Glen Davis, Splitter and McRoberts still on the board, the Nets went against what everyone else was doing and choose him just like the year earlier and took a risk on a troubled player hoping for them to be thankful for the hope.

Rod Thorn speaking on Williams said, “There is not an athlete within this draft who was any more athletic than this kid and he brings a shot blocking presence and a defensive presence that our team needs. We tried to look at it, we got all the information we could, we tried to disseminate it and at the end of the day we felt the risk was worth it.

Our feeling was that we needed a player like this, since Kenyon. A player of this athleticism and of this ability. Here we’ve got one. Had there been no issues, he wouldn’t have been there. I emphasize, where we were picking, our feeling was this was a guy if things go well—if he does reach his potential—he could be sensational. He has that kind of athletic ability.”

Grateful to have a team that actually wanted him, Sean went straight to work. Rather than waiting two years to receive playing time, Williams wanted to make a difference now and there was no better team than the dysfunctional Nets frontcourt.

“I’m just going to come and try to bring a lot of energy and play defense, and run the floor. (Shot-blocking), that’s all I could do when I started playing basketball.”

Raw and talented, Williams began his rookie career in the summer league where the other Williams took most of the spotlight while Sean adjusted to the pace of the NBA. Over the course of those four weeks of training, Williams earned praise from Frank to Carter and many others for his hustle and the way he could leap over anything.

Seven games into the young season, Williams has been getting more praise than ever. Already putting up better numbers than Al Horford, Joakim Noah and many others picked miles ahead of him, Williams is slowly shaping into one of the best big men of the 2007 draft.

With more performances like the one against Miami, Sean Williams is proving that raw material can turn into finished goods faster than you blink your eyes. Rather Williams stays a starter or moves back to the bench, the freak of nature will be swatting bombs away from the hoops in East Rutherford and downtown Brooklyn for many years to come.

A mere six years ago, Williams picked up a basketball and ever since then, it has been freakishly amazing.

Too Much Green—Why are the Boston Celtics Getting So Much Attention?

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:19:34 -0500

Everywhere you look, you see green. No, it’s not springtime and we are definitely not in Cliff Robinson’s basement. I’m taking about the top team in the league, the Boston Celtics.

Sure it’s great how well they are proving to everyone how dominating they are against every team at home but can we take a break to smell the roses or even have some information on other teams?

You click ESPN and about 70% of the time, something on that page has to do with the Celtics. You can go a whole week before hearing something about Minnesota or Detroit but there is a day to day update of the Celtics from there haircuts to excessive swearing.

Of course people are going to read it. It’s Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce finally winning again. I give them a small hand clap then look out West where Roy is leading his Blazers and Chris Paul is leading the Hornets without All-Star team-mates and yet, you can only catch an article on them once in awhile.

Now the latest addition to ESPN cause is Glen "Baby" Davis who isn’t anything special but because he plays beside Kevin and the gang, and can hit six or seve open shots, he is suddenly in the spotlight over other rookies. Heck, give the Spurs Glen Davis and see how many open shots he can get.

Have they deserved it? Of course a team with such few losses that they could match the Bulls record setting feat years back but look what happened to the last team to be so concerned on the season rather than resting and building team chemistry. Yes, Golden State fans just smiled while Dallas fans winced but the truth is, Boston hasn’t proved anything yet other than a feel good story.

From the constant ads on the television to constant updates on every sports site and rumour mill, we need a break from the green. It will be great when they finish the season with only seven loses and work there way to the goal of NBA champions but for now, can we please get a variety of basketball news rather than have our kids grow up in a Celtics-owned world before they even have one ring?

Like it or not, the Celtics will slowly become the Lakers of the 90’s. Not necessarily with the three peat or even one ring; more along the lines of kids from Florida to Vancouver will all be Celtics fans since it’s being pushed on them so much.

Is it too much to ask for a little bit of variety?

The Other League

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:13:23 -0500

The other league is not the D-League. It's not the USBL or any other league. The other league doesn't exist because it hasn't been created...yet.

When it does it'll look a lot like the D-League but with permanent connections to every NBA franchise. Instead of a NBA team just having random players mingling with has been's and never where's each pro franchise will operate its own D-League team. It may sounds like a stretch but it's already being used by basketball's ugly cousin—hockey.

If you've know the NHL, you probably know about the American Hockey League (AHL). Considered by many to be the second best hockey league in the world, the AHL is a collection or fringe NHL players and near-ready prospects. There's no reason to think basketball couldn't benefit from a similar system. It would be called the ABL which stands for American Basketball League -a league that folded in 1963 after one season—but this time the world is ready.

The AHL is made up of 29 teams which all are affiliates with an NHL team. The players are all owned by the AHL team but are property of the NHL team. Any player can be called up and any player can be called down (contractual restrictions can apply and in some cases players must pass through waivers before getting back into the big league).

The probability of this coming to the NBA is high. Begin with expanding the D-League to different cities. While Texas currently holds three teams, many states and provinces only have one and often people have to travel long hours just to watch good basketball. With my vision of the ABL, you see future and current NBA players at an arena near you.

Another positive aspect to the league is rather than sending your second round draft pick to Europe to gain experience, he can get quality playing time and experience against NBA sized bodies. Managers will also be able to more easily track a players development if there isn't an ocean between them.

Players will no longer have to live in Europe, far away from home just to make better money. It would allow NBA type salary where everyone knows what they will be making by years playing and other performance based factors. Europeans can come into the league as well but it's only right to make a league where American talent just underneath the NBA level is able earn a living and entertain local fans.

Look at the flaws of the D-League. Low salary and job security. Consider that out of the last five champions, three have moved out town or shut down completely. There have been some success stories like Mikki Moore, Luke Jackson and many others but the D-League also draws almost no interest from the basketball public unless a highly touted prospect in doing a stint.

This helps NBA teams like San Antonio, Phoenix and Boston, who want to win so the age of the roster is higher than most. With their ABL team, they could have players from Europe or maybe just late second rounders blossoming in competitive play. While for teams that aren't as high quality, there fans can root for the ABL team considering they would be filled with talent due to the lack of talent in the NBA team.

What else it can bring is new ways to get better coaches. Look around the NBA and you rarely see a new coach swinging in and being what the great ones are. Avery Johnson was about the last new coach to become a winner while most get stuck with overrated teams and have little player knowledge going into the job. The ABL allows you to have a coach in training. Rather than having a 30 year old, intelligent man be your game tape organizer, you can have him coaching players that will eventually be in your system so when your Riley's, Jackson's or Popovich's retire, you have someone with experience in the system and with the players.

While the D-League continues to fail, the AHL system has been bringing not only great talent, but great coaches into the NHL. If David Stern would take a look around rather than trying to make his mark on the history of basketball, we could get a good system underway. While this issue is more of a money problem than anything else, you can see a town helping support the funding like what happens in the AHL.

For now we can only guess who will be the next D-League champion is going to be and what small Texas town they'll play in next.

Duncan and Popovich: A Prodigious Duo

Stephen Dyell — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:11:14 -0500

It is rare that in professional sports you find a bond so close to what a high school basketball coach and a student reach together. In San Antonio, Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan have had that bond since day one.

It started out months before the draft when Spurs had the lucky bounce of the lottery and won the overall top pick. The clear cut favourite for the top spot was Duncan and they looked no where else. Popovich visited Duncan in his hometown Christiansted, located on the coast of the Virgin Islands.

Popovich was a new coach himself looking for a player to take him and the team to the next level alongside another talented big in David Robinson. After a couple days on the beach, it was clear the direction the Spurs were heading and Duncan was on board.

“I know what I am. I don’t know how else to explain it.” Duncan stated.

On 25 June 1997 in Charlotte, the package was secure. Duncan was the newest member of an up and coming group of men.

Popovich said with a grin on his face, “He’s one of the most unbelieable competitors I’ve been around.”

It was not an easy beginning for Tim Duncan as his father got sick and was hundreds of miles away from home. He turned to his coach who then turned into his personal mentor. Duncan felt comfortable talking about situations with his new coach which grew an even tighter bond. Duncan had a shoulder to lean on in the tough times but also, someone who knew how to push him to the limit on the court.

Rarely seen in the NBA is a bond between a coach and player that is almost father-son like. We have the Marburys and the Larry Browns who cannot last seasons together while Duncan and Popovich can spend a summer together. What that brings has equalled success for a Spurs team that dominated the past decade winning four out the last ten championships.

The duo is a model of what almost all franchises pray for. A Coach of the Year candidate every year and a two time MVP who actually loves his coach.

What makes the duo so successful? They get each other.

The players feel they can talk to Duncan who then can have a conversation with the coach and have it openly discussed due to the friendship. They also watch Duncan get rode in practise and in games which makes them realize how it takes everyone to run the machine.

That machine is often called boring and dirty as the league nits and picks what they want to hear about the Spurs. Fans enjoy seeing failure but the city of San Antonio has been lucky enough not to worry about that.

Four championships later, Duncan and Popovich look for their first back-to-back championship in franchise history as they have a group of guys willing to bond into champions. Duncan knows that it’s on his back to win as the critics start back up - too old and too sloppy.

Popovich smiled and summed it up perfectly, “Some nights he's going to stop somebody, some nights it won't happen. But he's going to be effective in some way, shape or form every night to help us win. He’s done it four times now and often goes untalked about but I’m sure he does not mind. Not even the greatest of the great get here alone”