Hoops Haven

As basketball fans, we have been treated to seeing an influx of high flying dunkers just jamming it in opponents faces all season long. I for one, am happy to see the facial dunk return to the NBA, thanks in most part to Amare Stoudemire, after a number of opposing players in recent years would just get out of the way and run for cover, while the dunkers take the liberty of tearing down the rim. I guess I enjoy all of the facial-isms since I grew up in the late 80’s and early 90’s when the “No Lay-up Rule” was in full effect by the NY Knicks and when Michael Jordan tried to jam it down the opponent’s throat on seemingly every possession.

Check out the Top Facial Dunks of the ‘09-’10 Season:

Back in ‘93, come of the NBA’s biggest stars came together to make one of the most memorable commercials in recent history for McDonald’s that was titled “The Showdown.”

Michael Jordan and Larry Bird competed against eachother in a friendly game of HORSE with the winner getting to eat a McDonald’s quarter pounder. 

Flash forward to 2010, and Lebron James and Dwight Howard are now the league’s brightest stars and are featured in the remake of Jordan and Bird’s epic battle in a commercial.

The spot originally aired during the Superbowl, but here is the new “Showdown” in it’s entirety:

Back in ‘92-’93, I can remember vividly making my seemingly daily trek to the local video arcade during time off from school in the Summer months to drop a quarter(wow….showing my age) in the hottest new video game, NBA Jam. Up to 4 of your friends could compete against each other in a 2 on 2 match-up featuring some of the top NBA superstars of the era. The players had giant heads and stick legs but could block shots(there wasn’t any goaltending) and dunk the ball with ferocious intensity.

The game has since been fazed out by today’s much more modern hoops simulation games with better graphics and game play. Good news to fans of the old “NBA Jam“, EA sports is in the process of bringing back the all time classic to the Nintendo Wii system.

Some of the best parts of the game were when a player became hot by making 3 consecutive shots and the ball would emit flames and go in virtually every time., even causing the net to burst into flames with each successive shot made thereafter. The game even had great announcers which had such great catch-phrases as “Boom-Shaka-Lacka!” “The Nail In the Coffin“, and “He’s on Fire!”

Some of the most dominating combos on the game were Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning from the Hornets, John Stockton and Karl Malone of the Jazz, Patrick Ewing and John Starks of the Knicks, and Detlef Schrempf and Shawn Kemp of the SuperSonics. But everyone’s favorite combo had to be a young Shaquille O’Neal who was paired with current Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles. Their inside outside double threat was unstoppable.

Unfortunately Bulls fans were stuck with Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant since Michael Jordan would not allow his likeness on the game. I wonder if any of today’s stars would do the same in 2010?

It’s interesting to speculate on who will make the upcoming version of “Jam.” A combo of Kobe and Pau Gasol, Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki, or Pierce and Garnett would make for an imposing duo. The best 1-2 punch may yet again feature Shaquille O’Neal paired with Lebron James, which is interesting since Shaq is probably the only player who would have a presence on both games.

A interesting fact about the original “Jam” was that Shaq actually was a huge fan of the game and to this day always has an arcade version of the original quarter gobbling game in every one of his homes and even has had them shipped with team luggage so that he could play against other teammates in hotel rooms on road trips. The original was so advanced for it’s time that it even had individual players tendencies programmed in like Scottie Pippen’s offensive abilities dipping when playing the rival Pistons back in the day.

Hopefully the designers won’t get to high tech and develop a totally new style of game-play. Why fix what’s broken? Just keep everything the same and insert today’s players. I’m sure it will be a big seller this year.

I challenge you to a game of NBA Jam, but I have to be Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire.

Here’s a video of the vintage arcade version of NBA Jam:

Here is a video of ESPN’s Sportsnation debating the new release of NBA Jam:

One member of the University of North Carolina’s potent 2011 recruiting class, James McAdoo, has already earned some prestigious hardware before he has even set foot on the college hardwood.  McAdoo has been selected by USA Basketball as their 2009 Male Athlete of the Year.  He was selected primarily for his contributions to the U-16 USA National Team, which went undefreated(5-0) in the inaguaral FIBA Americas U-16 Championship in Argentina.  He became the youngest player to ever win the award by averaging 16.8 ppg, 8.6 rebs, and a team leading 2 blocks.  With their unblemished record, the team qualified for the 2010 U-17 Championship next Summer.

McAdoo at PF and the talented SF PJ Hairston are the highlights of Coach Roy Williams 2011 recruiting class.  UNC’s impressive group of incoming freshmen for next season  includes Harrison Barnes, Reggie Bullock, and Kendall Marshall.  Carolina is set up for the next 3 seasons with the all of the talent assembled in Chapel Hill.  McAdoo averaged 25 ppg and 11 rebs for Norfolk Christian HS in Virginia.  He led his squad to a 23-7 record en route to a #4 ranking in the state.

At 6-8 and 205 pounds, he posseses excellent size as a HS Junior to play the PF position in the NCAA and possibly proffessional levels.  McAdoo is ranked as the #2 rated PF and the #6 overall rated recruit in the 2011 class.  James is the nephew of NBA legend Bob McAdoo of LA Lakers fame.

MacAdoo is in elite company in winning USA Basketball’s most prestigious award, since virtually every other winner has gone on to have tremendous collegiate and NBA careers.  Former winners include, Michael Jordan(’84, ‘92), Ray Allen(’95), Tim Duncan(’03), Chris Paul(’04), and Jason Kidd(’07).

Check out some HS highlights of James McAdoo from Hoopmixtape:

We all know that Michael Jordan is at least in the conversation as the Greatest NBA Player of All Time. While some opinions argue Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, or Jerry West should get the nod as the GOAT, Jordan unquestionably is the player that took the league to the great heights that we witness today. Jerry West’s silhouette will be forever known as the NBA logo, shouldn’t MJ be forever immortalized as well?

In two of the other “major” sports, jersey numbers have been retired to remember that sports’ milestone players. Major League Baseball has made sure that no other player wears the number 42, besides the great Jackie Robinson, who helped to break baseball’s color barrier. Likewise, the NHL has retired the number 99, in honor of the “Great One” Wayne Gretzky.

The issue has always been a topic of conversation but has really taken off recently with Lebron James informing all of us he will be changing his jersey number from #23 to his Olympic #6, in honor of “His Airness.” Jordan has not only has been one of the game’s greatest players, but has been the inspiration and role model to many of the game’s current players and fans around the world. He, more than any other player, has been the face of the NBA for more than 25 years.

The Miami Heat apparently agree with James since they, under Pat Riley’s insistence, retired and hung Jordan’s #23 jersey from their rafters back in 2003. Riley argues,” Number 23 needs to hang in the air, kind of like Jordan did in all those epic flights to the rim.” It’s ironic to say the least that Riley is one of MJ’s biggest supporters considering that many of Jordan’s high flying exploits were at the expense of many of Riley’s teams like the Lakers, Knicks, and Heat.

The opposite, and more negative end of the argument, is that while Jordan was a great player on the court, his en-devours into his now legendary high stakes poker games, gambling on golf matches, and infidelities in his marriage are not exactly someone the league should honor. Another logical argument is that Jordan is just one of many NBA superstars of his generation and hasn’t changed the game in any way or had any historical significance like Jackie Robinson and issues with race. Also, if the number would be retired, what about the other 12 players who currently wear the number on NBA rosters, immediately switch to another or wait till they retire?

In my opinion, Jordan’s positives greatly outnumber the negatives. MJ was the total package, Hall of Fame player, media darling, and worldwide ambassador of the sport. I can’t think of any other NBA player that I would want to represent the sport. Tell us what you think?

The legend of Brandon Roy is growing. He is truly an NBA superstar even though he still is not a household name in many NBA cities. Roy is out to prove to everyone that he belongs on the list of NBA’s elite with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James. Judging by what he has already accomplished in his young career, he is almost there. For those who don’t agree, Brandon has a few words,”My time is almost here!”

Players like Wade and Bryant have legendary workout routines that they follow during the NBA’s offseason. “B Roy” as he is often called, uses the same desire and dedication to succeed as they do, in his own workout regiment. He recognizes that he and his young Trailblazer teammates are on the verge of something really, really great in Portland. In addition to being the squad’s leading scorer, he has matured and evolved into their ever present leader as well. He has amped up his offseason conditioning and added a new haircut in hopes that his team will follow suit and take the next step towards an NBA Championship.

When judging Roy’s dedication and desire to win, you need look no farther than his boyhood idol while growing up in Seattle, “His Airness“, Michael Jordan. Brandon witnessed Jordan, who was perhaps the league’s best competitor, continually improve and upgrade his skills every offseason, even when winning scoring titles and NBA titles.

Roy used is mentor’s inspiration to become the state of Washington’s best high school basketball player in 2002. He even briefly flirted with going directly to the NBA before pulling out of the draft and attending the University of Washington. Even though he was a top 50 recruit, Roy had doubts about academically succeeding at the NCAA level amid problems passing the SAT test, so he took a minimum wage job at the Seattle docks cleaning out shipping containers until he could work out his difficulties with the entrance exams. His parents discovered that he had a slight learning disability, which is actually very common to many students, and successfully passed the exam after being given some extra allotted time to complete the test.

Brandon honed his all around skills in his 4 seasons under coach Lorenzo Romar at Washington. After his junior season he had thought of again going pro but stayed for his senior season since teammate Nate Robinson had already declared for the draft. Roy excelled in his senior campaign, averaging 20.2 ppg and led the Huskies to a 26-7 record and a 2nd straight Sweet 16 appearance. He received many accolades including PAC-10 Player of the Year, All-American honors, and was a finalist for many national Player of the Year Awards.

With his draft stock at an all time high, he was selected #6 in the ‘06 NBA Draft, before being traded to Portland for Randy Foye. His rookie season in the NBA was sensational from game one where he scored 20 points and never looked back averaging 16.8 ppg, 4.4 rebs, 4 ast, and 1.2 steals for the season. His excellent numbers as well as his team’s improvement helped earn him an All-Star birth and Rookie of the Year honors even though he played in only 57 games due to a heel injury. During his 2nd season he improved his numbers to 19.1 ppg and a career high 5.8 assists, earning another All-Star berth where he led all Western Conference scorers with 18 points along with Chris Paul and Amare Stoudemire. Last season, “The Natural“, as local Portland play by play announcer calls him, had his best season by setting career highs in scoring(22.6), rebounds(4.7), FG%(.480), and 3 PT%(.377) earning yet another All-Star appearance along with an All NBA 2nd Team Selection(first Blazer since the ‘92 season).

Roy could be called the next “Mr Clutch” since he has has 24 shots where he either tied or won a game with 35 seconds or less. Portland definitely knows Roy’s worth as their franchise player since they resigned him in August to a 4 year max contract, with a 5th year option, keeping him in “Rip City” through 2014.

Another facet of Roy’s game besides numbers is his leadership and ability to make those around him better. The season before he arrived in Portland, the Blazers finished in 5th place with a dismal 21-61 record. Roy as well as young stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden, helped increase the Blazers win totals to 32, 41, and 54 wins and a playoff berth last season and have re-invigorated a once proud franchise who haven’t won a NBA Title since the Maurice Lucas and Bill Walton led team won in 1977 under Hall of Fame coach “Doctor” Jack Ramsey.

One thing is for sure, the NBA’s Western Conference elite teams like the Lakers and Spurs should beware of the upstart Blazers. The Blazers’ and Brandon Roy’s time is coming, if it isn’t already here. I’m sure for Blazer fans, it is “Rip City or Bust!”

Check out Brandon Roy’s website for his full workout routine

Take a look at Brandon Roy’s training camp workout and his thoughts on competing with Kobe:

Stephon Marbury cannot stay out of the spotlight. Once again he his making news off the court as he rants about the state of the Knicks, Lebron James’ future, and how he compares his time away from basketball this year to that of Michael Jordan, retiring for a year to build his empire and expand his endorsement deals. The delusional former All Star has made more news off the court rather than on it over the past few months while clowning himself in his live show on Justin.tv where he has gotten into a car accident, cries while listening to Kirk Franklin’s “Lean on Me”, danced like a gay pirate to Michael Jackson, and even ate Vaseline for a sore throat.

This time around, Marbury did an interview for the New York Post in which he attempted to rationalize why he isn’t playing in the NBA this season. Steph claimed that it was he, who decided to take a year off to rest and “be like Michael Jordan and do all of the things he hasn’t been able to do, and build his empire.” He also claimed to have made a prudent business decision, “not to go to Boston for that money,” insinuating that he was worth much more than the 1.3 million that the Celtics had offered him. Talk about a WTF moment. He averaged a mear 4 points and 3 assists while playing only 18 minutes for Boston last season. Granted, he has career averages of 19.3 points and 7.6 assists, but he is now 32 years old and hasn’t come close to sniffing that type of production since his rookie ‘04-’05 season in New York…….Hopefully he fired his financial advisor. Last that anyone heard, Boston was the only team offering anything. His empire consists of his “Starbury” line of cheaply priced shoes and clothing, which he recently had to take to selling exclusively online since the Steve and Barry’s Stores, where they were sold, have closed due to bankruptcy. What a better way to advertise the Starbury brand than to be on the court, sporting his shoes, with that large Starbury brand log tatoo on his head…………………That would be a great business decision!

Steph then delved into commenting on the current state of his former team, the NY Knicks. Marbury asked out loud,”As a fan, why would I give you my money to watch them?” He also commented after watching a few recent preseason games where the Knicks launched an alarming 72 three point shots and stated that, “The coaching is horrible. What kind of coaching is this? Guys coming down the court, just raising 3 pointers from anywhere! New Yorkers deserve better decisions from the front office!” I guess the native New Yorker wont be getting a call for his services from GM Donnie Walsh anytime soon.

He also chimed in on the possibility of Lebron James coming to the Big Apple once his contract is up next Summer. He commented,”Why would he come to a rebuilding team? It makes no sense. Is this franchise built to win championships or make money?” I actually may have to agree with Steph on this one.

When pondering his future, one has to wonder, what is he thinking? He was forced to sit out this season because virtually no other NBA franchise wanted him. It has been a tough market for players with baggage this offseason. I definitely would rate Marbury a few notches below Allen Iverson, and it took all Summer for the A.I. show to land a gig in Memphis. If he is seriously considering a return to the league, he should have accepted the Boston deal, proving himself, and earning another lucrative free agent deal next Summer. He isn’t ancient in NBA standards, but he would then be 33 years old and will have played only 47 games over the past 3 seasons, if he attempts a comeback in 2010. Then a team would have to weigh his on court production against his ability to be a cancer in the locker room, one which I feel would be a losing proposition to any club. Marbury’s final comments from the interview speak volumes about his state of mind,”A year from now, you don’t know what I’m going to be like. I’m from the gutter. I can go anywhere.”………………………..Don’t count on it Steph!

Check out some youtube footage of Marbury in his prime: