So Sonny Vaccaro has finally grabbed the NCAA by the balls, like he's been plotting in some Mafia den to do for years now. Ridiculously skinny yet talented point guard Brandon Jennings, the next BIG THING in college hoops, has decided to not attend the University of Lute Olsen, and instead sign a pro contract in Europe for a year, before entering the 2009 NBA Draft.
Ever since the NBA instituted its one year policy, we've been waiting for this moment. Everyone thought it would be Orange Juice Mayonnaise and Billy Walker (both close friends of Vaccaro) to be the pioneers of this continent-hopping way of going pro straight out of high school, but they instead joined the One Year of College Class of 2008 (or, an awkward sorta year and a half in Bill's case) that produced one of the greatest, strangest years of college ball to date.
For Jennings himself, it's hard to say how it will play out. College or pro, the boy needs to put on weight at some point. His game right now is Steve Nash-esque, but with dunking and other more uh, exciting facets. But regardless...he needs strength for when he'll face the bigger guards that he'll inevitably face in the NBA, and now, probably in Europe too.
I have mixed feelings on this issue for Jennings. I think he's stupid to pass up a chance to work with Lute Olsen, one of the greatest basketball minds alive. There is no guaranteeing his European coach will click with him, or even speak English. Arizona is also a hell of a lot closer to LA than uh, Europe. Even if his family moves with him, will cultural changes still bother him? The longer schedule is probably nothing. He's been at Oak Hill for 2 years, which plays longer schedules than teams in the Final Four. But it's the little things. What if this demoralizes him, stumps his basketball growth, or just exposes weaknesses that turn GMs off? And it can't be about the pay. He's not gonna get a million dollar contract. Hell, NCAA boosters will probably do him better.
I just worry about the kid because I like his game and attitude, but I don't think this path is as glorified as it seems, and unfortunately, Vaccaro might ruin Jennings' life.
It sickens me because this is about punishment to the NCAAs for Vaccaro, who he rightfully believes is a soul-sucking institution that unfairly profits off of its players, without providing them with adequate educations or anything more than a chance to hone their game. I have issues with the NCAAs that are in a similar vain. At the same time, Vaccaro is EXPERIMENTING with a boy's LIFE, just to get back at the NCAAs. He whispered sweet nothings to Jennings, things that might hurt him much more than Rodney Guillory and OJ Mayo's bad marriage. Oh, sure, it could work out great for him too, and probably end college hoops as we know it today. Instead of the NCAA profiting, Europe will! And we know America LOVES supporting foreign economies rather than their own.
The fact is, both the NCAA and NBA need to be working together for some form of reform. While they act like they are separate institutions, fact is that the NCAA is a funneling system into pro sports where basketball is concerned. I've been an advocate for awhile of actually developing athlete-friendly curriculums at schools, where they can take classes in life skills and financial management and such to PREPARE them for the pros beyond on the court. It's gotten to a point where it's just silly to fool ourselves into thinking the NBA can institute a rule more similar to the NFL's, where the kids have to almost finish or finish college. Kids have been allowed straight into the NBA for far too long. Trying to do that now would mean ALL of college would go to Europe for 3-4 years. Someone fucked up way back, but that doesn't mean we can't get creative now, and do something to actually HELP the kids now for the 1 year or so they stay.
And yes, I'm an old man with this. I would prefer I see kids playing ball for 4 years still. But I realize times have changed, and rather than whine and bitch, let's figure out something that actually works, that teaches and prepares the kids and makes the most of their short stops onto the NBA.
But experimenting with a kid's life and career is not the best first solution. Congratz Sonny, because you did win. You stuck it to the NCAAs, because they're too busy counting their March Madness revenue to bother coming up with a plan to counteract their problems. Now let's hope that ALL of these people haven't already ruined the promising career of the next great point guard.
Before I get to the aftermath of the NBA Draft (naturally late, too...I've managed to be late to school every day this week, and it looks even worse considering my classmates are goody-two-shoes nut jobs who show up like, 45 minutes early. People suck.), I have to have a good laugh at this gem:
"I decided the best thing for myself would be to go back to school, get my degree and have something to fall back on," he said. "Become a man. My mom always preached about getting a degree and stuff like that, so I definitely wanted to do that for my mother. Just becoming a Pitt alumni, that's priceless."
Those fine words are courtesy of Greg Oden's little brother, Pitt forward Sam Young. Many things come to my mind reading this, some of which are highly inappropriate to post even for this blog, but...I guess Sam "Old" Young realizes the chances of a 6'5" forward who can't do much besides dunk making it to the NBA are slim, so he needs to network with those Pitt alums to land himself a J-O-B. Hey, it's worked out well for Maggie and I. I just never really thought to call my 4 years at Pitt "priceless". By the way, I graduated 2 months ago and still don't have a degree.
Also, the article that this comes from is also amusing since they're making it seem like the 3 people who will be seniors in college ball next year are going to make the year SO thrilling. I like Tyrese Rice as much as the next ball fan, but uh, he's not exactly a superstar. As the first section basically slobbers and states...it's really more about the Carolina seniors AND juniors returning, because at this point, nobody else has any hope.
So, anyways, some late thoughts on the draft and its aftermath:
1. I've already expressed my issue with coaches being obsessed with converting combo/2 guards into pure point guards. It can work, yes...but how often? And when you have a good point guard available, why aren't you taking him? People knock DJ Augustin, but he CAN be a good NBA point guard if he just CALMS DOWN with his shot. He's a damn pitbull with the ball though. His size doesn't matter. I watched him crash the lane for 2 years in the Big 12.
But then something INSANE happens like Russell Westbrook going fourth. Now I love that kid, and it's more than his charming smile and the fact that he looks 12. BUT HE IS NOT AN NBA POINT GUARD RIGHT NOW. He played what, a couple games at the point when Collison was out? He led his team in assists? SO WHAT?! He's a slasher, and he had Kevin Love down low...of course he gets easy dimes. He can dish it off to Love under the basket or kick out to Josh Shipp. I'd average 4-5 assists a game too if I was a Bruin.
And even better, now the Sonics have a 2 guard who they're making a point, and a power forward who should play small forward who's playing the 2. Thanks for ruining Kevin Durant's career further.
2. Since we're discussing Bruins...can I buy the Grizzlies like, yesterday? I still can't believe they ruined their entire team about 4 hours after making a decision that would have made them playoff-caliber. This is another thing I blogged about weeks ago...HOW ARE RUDY GAY AND OJ MAYO GOING TO COEXIST?!?! Even worse, they damn near are playing similar positions. If you're gonna bring in another superstar, you should have pulled the trigger on that proposed Miami trade and sacrificed Mike Conley and co for Lil' Mike. At least he's a big man. Well, according to Kansas State. In real life, he's a midget.
What kills me is that Kevin Love was THE perfect fit for the Grizz. He's not gonna score like he did in college, but he's going to be a VERY effective big man (an anomaly in the NBA these days). For the Grizz, it works out because he will take up space on the low block, freeing Hakim Warrick to play a little looser down low. Warrick can be great offensively, but he's never going to be strong enough at the power forward spot to be effective if all big man defensive pressure is on him. He's a skinny, weak dude. It's reality. But Love would have relieved that pressure, opened things up for him, and the rest of the team too. Outlet pass, blah, blah, blah...now we'll watch Rudy and Orange Juice fight all season. It's hard out here for a pimp.
3. CDR, Super Mario, Lil' Mike's possibly gay lover DeAndre Jordan...man, y'all look dumb right now. Maybe you'll make it, maybe you won't...but I love it when early entries who SWORE they were first rounders fall to the second. Especially you first 2...you were a year away from your degree. And CDR might have gotten redemption and a ring. Oh well!
4. My favorite moment of the night was Eric Gordon's mismatched suit and Jay Bilas' draft analysis of him, which was essentially, "He can't run, he can't rebound, he can't defend...he can score?" Gordon and the Clips are a marriage of epic failure. Now there's a guy who should have fell in the draft. Yes, a one-dimensional guard who had an emotional meltdown once his coach was fired will be awesome in the NBA! The second the Clips screw up the whole season in October, he'll start crying and average 0.4 ppg. I love freshmen.
5. Yes, I did cry with Darrell Arthur. I laughed at Brook Lopez. And the Knicks. Mafia payoffs are funny.
6. People who weren't in the lottery who might still turn out alright or awesome: Bill Walker (duh), Sean Singletary (A REAL POINT GUARD), Darrell Arthur (yeah, I never knew what to expect of him either at Kansas, but why not? I feel the same about Brandon Rush.), Courtney Lee, Joey Dorsey (the next Ben Wallace)
7. People who shouldn't have even been drafted (aka a group of big men who are either stiffs or too skinny): Roy Hibbert, Kosta Koufos, Donte Green, Anthony Randolph, DeAndre Jordan, DJ White
8. People who I will always want to punch in the face: Deron Washington, the crying Lopez twins, Eric Gordon
Yawn, did the NBA Finals or something just happen? As much as everyone likes to get on the Celts for "buying" the ring, it's still not the easiest thing to successfully complete. Just ask their fellow Boston brethren Pats LOL! All kidding aside, it proves what I've been saying for awhile - Kobe's championship career was made by Shaq, and, uh, DON'T BLOW 30 POINT LEADS.
So Andy Katz released his updated pre-season Top 25 for men's college bball, a fairly absurd lovefest with the Big East. I have no problem with people believing that the Big East is awesome or anything, but for someone like me who lived and breathed and worked with Big East basketball for the last 4 years, I can easily spot posers who read a few box scores here and there and assume that means they know everything. And yes, Andy Katz, YOU are a poser.
I have no issue with UNC as #1...it's a legitimate belief that most of the nation shares. They are returning their final 4 team, adding on Larry Drew (who should prove to be just as competent as Quentin Thomas as a backup PG) and some others who will only give a stronger support to the team. Blah blah blah "barring any major injury" or Ty Lawson learning how to hold his liquor, these guys are fine. My wife will finally shut up about Roy not being able to win with players he recruited.
And then it goes downhill. Now, for those that know me, they know I have a deep, unbridled, awful, wretched hatred towards the University of Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team. For those that don't know - they made my life miserable for 4 years. You can only watch so many 12-0 starts (with all those victories coming against JV squads), mediocre Big East performances (particularly on the road), Big East Tourney final losses, second round NCAA exits, and 3 pointers given up before you can't take it anymore.
When everyone picked Pitt to suddenly win the national championship after beating Georgetown in the Big East tourney, I was wondering if I was the only person who actually SAW their season - a lukewarm effort that consistently failed against the powers of the Big East. I also wondered had anyone seen Duke or GTown's seasons (ironically, I was probably the only person on Earth without affiliations to either school who correctly knew both would lose in the second round of the NCAAs - awkward big men, or just a lack of them, doesn't bode for much of a run). They couldn't defend after Mike Cook's knee died on national TV (Yeah, running a 2-3 zone that forces Sam Young and DeJuan Blair to become wings when they can barely run is a FANTASTIC idea Jamie! Those other teams are draining 70 3s a game because they're just that awesome!), and well...never could shoot. The only thing I gave the Panthers credit for was getting Blair, a huge improvement on the front-line over Aaron Gray because he could actually MAKE open lay-ups and do other things most normal big men can do.
But Andy, let's think about things. Yes, so apparently, Mike Cook somehow got a 45th season in college ball. I wasn't aware that this was official (I mean, I'm on their athletic dept. mailing list - I get updates that the Wannstache is breathing), but even if it is...okay, their defense should be solid enough again. Cook allows the Panthers defensive flexibility since his quickness and agility and size can guard nearly everyone but the 5, and they can switch between zone and man when necessary.
But tell me...HOW IS THIS TEAM SCORING POINTS? I think Mr. Katz needs the memo that Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin graduated, and nobody else can drain a shot beyond 10 feet. Unless someone knows something about Brad Wanamaker that I don't...I have no idea who is putting the ball in the basket. Opposing D can just guard Young and Blair. That worked out great for the Celtics against the Kobe. And obviously, Levance Fields THINKS he can drain shots, but he has been attending the Carl Krauser school of PGs, and probably now believes he has a right to take 75 poor outside shots a game. Jermaine Dixon is supposed to be a legit backup PG, but until then, this team is still slow and somehow has even less ball-handling ability, despite losing Butterfingers Ramon. Just press them a bit. There's no hope.
And regardless, it doesn't matter how "great" of a team the Panthers put together. They can't win when it matters. Never have, so I can't believe they ever will. Coach Antigua also left, which is bigger than people may think. Besides his bowties and how he traditionally winked and smiled at me before every game, he was the connecting point between Coach Dixon (who nobody likes) and the players. Yes, a team coached by someone who nobody feels warm and fuzzy about is SURE to second best in the country!
So seriously, watch college basketball before compiling these lists, Andy.
On the flipside, what team from the Big East SHOULD be #2? Try the Louisville Cardinals. I was apparently the only person outside of Kentucky who ever believed in them last season. They lost Derrick Caracter, which is probably best for Coach Pitino's sanity, and David Padgett...but they're replacing him with Samardo Samuels, who, while a bit clunky, is still bound to be a solid big guy. That's all the Cards need...Earl Clark and Terrence Williams (when he's not 3 point happy) are slashers who thrive inside. Samuels just needs to crowd the lane to create spacing for them. But the thing is, he'll still put the ball in the basket, so it's all just bonuses. Edgar Sosa didn't have quite the year people expected, but I saw him KILL Pitt with his shot, and man, when that kid is on...you're dead.
And, because they're coached by my favorite Mafia man, you know they are still, and always will be, a great defensive team. Don't sleep on the Cards. We should easily see a rematch of that Elite 8 UNC/Louisville game.
Other teams that will be dangerous:
1. Tennessee - Bruce Pearl could coach a squad of midgets and I'd pick them to go deep. He's the master at finding the strengths in his players and exploiting them to the utmost. Chris Lofton and 80% of the Smiths are gone, but Scotty Hopson more than enough makes up for that. Hopson has an anger from people not recruiting him strong enough, and can pretty much do anything on the court. More dimensions than Chris Lofton...uhhh, isn't that an improvement? I also think either J.P. Prince or Wayne Chism will be elevating their game to a more elite level, but regardless, you can always count on them for consistent production and a random breakout game.
2. Notre Dame - Every time I watch Luke Harangody, I can't get over how graceful he is for being 400 lbs. As long Kyle McAlarney says no to drugs, they'll be fine in the Big East. Still waiting for them to prove they can win during tourney time, though.
3. Arizona State - Does anyone even know who James Harden is? He easily had the 3rd best year out of the freshman class (behind Lil' Mike and Gummybears Rose), yet was ranked #356 on the most-hyped list. Since you have no clue who he is, just check his first year stat line:
Nearly 18 ppg, 52% from the field, 40% from 3, 5 rpg, 3 apg, 2 spg.
Digest that for a minute. ISN'T THAT A NAISMITH CANDIDATE STAT LINE???? Yet as part of the West Coast Bias, somehow Lil' Mike leading his mediocre school was just THAT much more amazing than Harden leading his mediocre school.
Everyone is on Blake Griffin for leading candidate to be the best of the 4 remaining sophmores in the country, but...JAMES HARDEN. I guarantee you...Arizona State finishes in the top 2 in the Pac-10. Maybe even first, considering there may be a guard meltdown at U-C, L-A. This is a team that SHOULD have made the NCAAs had tornadoes not raped Atlanta and Georgia won the SEC. They swept 'Zona, and also have a pretty sweet big dude with Jeff Pendergraph. But who cares...they have James Harden. He's a star. He should be the #1 pick in next year's draft. And uh...he actually stayed in school to win. Reason #4554 why he's so freakin' awesome.
Otherwise...the rest of the field is contingent on many factors. Villanova can be good...if Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher learn what the word "consistent" means. Georgetown might be scary if Greg Monroe actually checks out to be more like Jeff Green than Mr. Stiff himself, Roy Hibbert. Arizona got their star volleyball player back, and Brandon Jennings is easily already the best point guard in America. Kansas lost everyone but Sherron Collins, but I'm excited to see what my Philly boys Markieff and Marcus Morris will do down low for the Jayhawks. Duke will be Duke...I'm waiting on Kyle Singler to take things to the next level, and Gerald Junior at 100% after his wrist surgery should be exciting for his slashing ability and uh, his massive biceps (UM, SRSLY, THEY'RE HYPNOTIZING). Texas might not fall that far...AJ Abrams + Damion James = pretty powerful inside/out duo. Maybe knowing DJ Augustin won't be taking 95% of the Longhorn's shots will make them less nervous.
Blah blah...college basketball has a fairly open field this year with such a huge exodus of players to the NBA. The incoming class is solid, but not packed with superstars like last year. As a result, we get a more even playing field. This isn't last year, where there were 4 great teams (Kansas, Memphis, UNC, UCLA), and a bunch of mediocre crap afterwards. Now...there's 1 great team and a bunch of potentially medicore crap?
But Pitt is NOT the #2 team in the country. Try, like, #20. And falling. Sorry y'all!
(aka I'm still pretty bitter about Duke losing to Pitt in December. Even all that alcohol I drank wasn't enough to numb the pain of that wretched, awful, excruciating night. Merry Christmas, here's Mike Cook blowing out his knee!)
This entire blog post is actually about people blowing out their knees at bad times, but more of that in a second. First, an update on NBA Finals analysis:
The Lakers are the most inept team in the final minutes of games. I don't care if Kobe is 0-76,595...he should probably be the ONLY person touching the ball. Maybe playing defense, too. Oh, wait, he is. Oops. And why were the Grizzlies dumb for trading Gasol, again? Aside from it letting Hakim Warrick flourish offensively, he's clearly proving that he isn't exactly the kinda big man you add to win a championship. He's more passive-aggressive than most Europeans. Yeah numbers numbers...but all I care is what people do in the final minutes. The Lakers haven't really gotten this down yet in the series, and they were just lucky to come out with the W tonight...and in reality, David Stern fixed this series to go to 7, so we needn't be surprised.
Coming up tomorrow (or honestly, whenever I feel like sitting my behind down at my slow ass computer this week) will be my overly early and inaccurate 2008-09 NCAA men's basketball preview, made semi-legit since the NBA Early Entry Withdrawal deadline is tomorrow (today?) at 4pm (aka a great day to laugh at people who think leaving school to be a potential late second round pick is a good idea). At this point, I'm just waiting on the Carolina trio. Joe Alexander officially decided to stay in today, draining WVU's championship hopes. Smart move though...he's coming off a hot tournament where he managed not to look awkward, clunky, lost, or anything else people probably would have associated with him pre-Huggy Bear era. I was just looking forward to the Pitt kids crying another year.
But on the saddest note of the draft, a part that makes me forget how angry I am at 95% of the guys who declared (particularly ones whose first names start with "Mario" and end with "Chalmers"), news was released late tonight that everyone's favorite Kansas State punching bag, William Henry Walker, injured his knee, YET AGAIN. All the details are murky...but it insinuates it's another ACL tear, and that he'll be pulling out of the draft.
I've had issues with Bill all season. I wondered where he disappeared to mentally most games, why he got so fat, how jealous he was of Lil' Mike, blah blah...but I love the kid. LOVE HIM. I've always felt he'd make a better pro than Orange Juice Mayonnaise (less of an arsenal of skills, but lower expectations...Bill would shock people, while Juice would just disappoint). I defend him, his decisions, and his future to the end, even back when everyone else forgot who he ever was.
I wrote the following about Billy as part of my anger-inducing non-fiction piece about why the world sucks for po' folk, and it feels appropriate to share tonight. These are my words, and I will murder you if you try to steal them for your own. Seriously. I will find you! DON'T TEST ME! Yes, it's Really Long, but it's worth it, whether or not you know who Bill or what basketball is. I even made Maggie sniffle a bit over this.
It’s early on a Saturday evening in late March 2008, and the #11 seed Kansas State Wildcats are peeling themselves off the Qwest Center floor that the #3 seed Wisconsin Badgers just stomped them into during the second round of the 2008 NCAAs. As per 2007-08 K-State post-game routine, freshman forward phenom bookends Michael Beasley and Bill Walker are sitting dejectedly in the locker room, mulling over another loss, and getting pummeled with questions as to whether or not they’ll enter the NBA draft.
Though they shake the inquiries off each time with a standard “I’m-not-in-the-mood-to-discuss-this-since -you-already-know-the-answer-anyways” response, nearly everyone who followed this duo – from Manhattan, Kansas to Manhattan, New York – knows the answers (“Yes” and “Yes”), and whether they are the right decisions (“Of course!” to Beasley; a range of “Hell no!”’s and “Uhhhh…”’s to Walker).
The supporting evidence is simple – Beasley is coming off one of the best statistical seasons any single human being has ever had in sports, shattering college basketball and Sportscenter appearance records. He was the leader on a hapless Kansas State team full of scrubs, torn ACLs, guys who would be good someday, and guys who would never contribute at all. With the exception of a 5 point aberration against Xavier, a game where he left his regular playing shoes in Kansas, Beasley’s 33 game college career is an endless highlight reel of powerful breakaway dunks, effortless finger-rolls in traffic, swishing three-pointers, screaming chest thumps, and royal purple flooding the court that made fans and NBA teams at the bottom of the standings smile and swoon. His ever-present electric dimpled smile, sleepy green eyes, and the constant joke on the tip of his tongue will perfectly complement whatever sneaker and sports energy drink he chooses to endorse for millions.
And then there’s Bill Walker. Once a YouTube video dunking deity. Once thought to be the second best high school basketball player in the nation. Once rumored to actually be a better pro prospect than his last superstar teammate at North College Hill High School, OJ Mayo. Once expected to be the savior and star of Kansas State basketball.
Now, just a dude nobody really wants to take a chance on. Someone who people say scowls too much – an angry, scrunched up frown that further darkens his already dark brown face. Someone who is apparently not allowed to emotionally display the frustration that the world and life has caused him.
The person who was once the most athletic, exciting forward to watch play is now watching the most athletic, exciting forward to watch play. After tearing his ACL for the second time in January 2007, Walker has come back as a “has been”, a “never will be”, and only a “maybe” for the risky types. No longer able to rely on those hops that once made him famous, he became an afterthought, another one of the four cheerleaders on the court, as per team basketball regulations, watching Beasley.
Of course, not many afterthoughts average 16 points and 6 rebounds in their first full season after a major knee injury. And anyone who remotely followed K-State basketball understood that most of those 21 wins came from the statistical support Beasley received from Walker – and that a good chunk of their 12 losses were the result of statistical and mental disappearances by him. The defining moment, the moment his NBA future may have finally slipped down a drain, was a 34 minute, 1 point, 0-14 nightmare against the Texas Longhorns on ESPN’s Big Monday – a game attended, watched, and drooled over by NBA scouts for the numerous NBA prospects dribbling a basketball on a court at one time.
He’s still a “maybe” because of moments like his first half of NCAA tournament basketball, while he, not Beasley, pushed the Wildcats to an upset victory over his former superstar teammate OJ Mayo’s #6 seed USC Trojans with 17 first half points. He’s still a “maybe” because while he’s not quite the explosive dunker and slasher he once was, he’s worked on developing his weaknesses, particularly outside shooting, to try to compensate for the fact that he never will be the person everyone expected him to be, and to develop new expectations for who he can be. But most people who have a chance to make a difference in his future don’t have any desire to make him a pro. He is an expired product, and wasn’t consumed while still fresh.
But all of that? Strictly on-court hoops logic, reasons scouts and coaches and blog writers and TV personalities will give when they say why or why not these were good decisions for Mike Beasley and Bill Walker.
Since 1971, the NBA has implemented two very significant rules in determining eligibility for the entering the NBA. The first, the result of a complicated legal battle over young ABA star Spencer Haywood, overturned the original rule that a player couldn’t enter the NBA until his college class graduated. Known simply as the hardship rule, players who clearly had the talent and skills for the NBA level and a need for the NBA paycheck could forego their remaining amateur eligibility and turn pro. Worked great for everyone, too – the league received a quicker influx of exciting talent, often coming from those streets of America’s inner cities. The kids from the streets of America’s inner cities received the rich man’s paycheck for their performances, allowing them to help themselves, their families, and anyone else they could dole their money out to.
The second rule, an attempt to curb a glut of straight-to-the-NBA-from-high-school mistakes in the late 90s and early 2000s, stipulated that a player must be 19 years old by draft year’s end, and his high school class must be one year removed from their graduation. Essentially, everyone has to attend college, or get very creative, for at least a year. Again though, it’s worked great for nearly everyone – college programs are getting at least a year out of guys who probably would have never entered a classroom, the NBA and the potential NBA players are getting a year of maturity and experience that can make huge differences in their career acceleration.
Both of these rules might ruin Bill Walker’s life. Long and complicated story short, Walker found out at the start of the 2006-07 school year that he was no longer eligible to play high school ball, due to some odd and inexplicable school system glitch that never transferred credits he earned years ago at a different school. Any other time prior to that year, no big thing – he’d finish whatever was left so he could graduate early, and then enter the NBA draft and get paid. It was at the prime of hype in his young ball career, and there was no question whichever lucky loser of a lottery team needed a small forward would gladly call his name to come shake David Stern’s hand.
But it was right after the first NBA draft since 1971 that barred high school players from entering, and Walker would have to wait until at least the 2008 NBA draft to even get whiff of the league. He managed to graduate high school early, enroll at Kansas State to be eligible for the winter sports semester, play a couple great games, and blow out his knee in a two month span, thus starting the downward spiral of his once sure-thing NBA career.
Many athletes have suffered similar harsh fates that ended their careers and potential careers early, but for someone who comes from extreme poverty like Walker, this fate is something he can’t accept. He has a single mother working for scraps at hardware stores that he wants to provide for. He grew up in a home so physically distraught by poverty that he writes the address on his shoes every game to remind himself and the world who doesn’t quite understand that he’s refusing to accept this fate because he simply can’t go back. He was supposed to make it out, and everything now sucking him back are forces beyond his control. He is being punished for simply existing, always being in the wrong place at the wrong time despite making all the right decisions.
Walker knows that he is risking never getting a guaranteed contract, risking foregoing his remaining college eligibility and easy chance at a degree to fall back on, risking everything he has on a hunch that somebody still thinks he can be that amazing player he had the potential to be. If he doesn’t do it, he risks tearing another knee ligament or breaking a bone or statistical disappointments that will just send those NBA scouts further away. He risks having to scrap in minor leagues, overseas, working harder than he should have to so that he doesn’t have to go back to that house in West Virginia that he fears more than never making the NBA. He risks continuing to live in the poverty he’s already been in for over 20 years.
Meanwhile, Michael Beasley is being handed the world, and he doesn’t even really need it. Sure, his mother embodies a fairly common ghetto story by being a high school dropout with five kids by four different men, but she’s managed to pull herself together to provide a fairly stable, middle-class life for her herd of children, even moving the entire clan out to Kansas when he started school in fall 2007. Beasley himself lives a very cushy life, also calling his very well-to-do former AAU coach Curtis Malone a second father, and living with Malone’s family in their plush suburban Maryland pad during all non-Kansas State time.
Beasley doesn’t really need that NBA paycheck just yet. It’s just being handed to him, and sure, why not, he’ll cash it today. Walker is desperate for it. It may be his last chance at a decent paycheck in life, a paycheck that could revitalize his current family and stabilize his future one.
It’s hard to call Bill Walker’s decision to enter the NBA draft early crazy when it may be his last shot at ending his family’s financial hardships. How many of those scouts and coaches and blog writers and TV personalities who say Beasley would be crazy to stay and Walker crazy to go have any idea what it’s like to be poor, to be blessed with some extraordinary talent that you have a chance to harness and ride out of poverty, to only see your lone opportunity to end your suffering slip away, moment by waking moment?
It’s never crazy to do whatever you have to do to try and provide.
So Bill, we'll hope for better news tomorrow, kid. Nobody wants the enduring image of your career to be you peeing in towels.
No, this isn't a post about pitchers at Georgia Tech (though if we must bring up the subject, really, I'm semi-amused at the idea of this kid trekking into the ghettos of the ATL Shawty to get his herron fix). This is about me. That's what it's always about. Me, me, me.
I've been quiet lately, mainly because I'm starting a new job after my month of doing nothing except meeting guys who installed my cable and hanging out with pigeons and homeless people at the harbor. Man, I love Baltimore. But there's another caveat to this.
I've officially overdosed on basketball.
"Really? At the start of the most marquee finals match-up since...the Lakers and Celtics last met? And you really call yourself a basketball junkie?" I'm sure that's what you're saying as you read this. And yes, it makes me feel guilty. Or like a girl. Whatever. You win.
Yes, my friends and enemies, I have overdosed. I am tired. I have had enough. I can only take so much more of Jesus Shuttleworth suddenly losing the fundamental ability that carried his entire career, and putting odds on which 7 footer will drive to the basket less - KG or Gasol, and watching Kobe grow that disgusted look on his face as he realizes what his teammates capabilities are, and staged knee injury dramatics, and former Lakers/Celtics references, and blah blah blah...
The last minute of Game 2 solidified that I'm through. I tuned in, just at that point, after deciding that packing in my 100+ degree apartment was more enthralling. Lakers down 4, 22 seconds remaining. Kobe inbounding. Classic play, something I saw even those inept Pittsburgh Panthers run on a thousand occasions - inbound ball, inbounder immediately pops unnoticed off a backscreen, gets the ball, drains the shot. It's the simplest play ever that utilizes weak side defenses and speed and the stupidity of the opposing defense and blah blah blah...with the setting of NBA Finals, chance of going down 0-2, and the time/score situations, Kobe Bryant was made (MADE!) for this situation.
Ball inbounded to the top of the key. 21 seconds. Kobe's coming off the screen, open on the opposite wing. 19 seconds. Scramble at the top of the key, ARMS FLAILING ZOMG WHAT WILL WE DO, 14 seconds, one of those 30 Eastern Europeans on the Lakers launches up a shot (if, by launches up a shot, you mean presents the ball in Paul Pierce's face for him to block), EPIC FAIL, ball rolls out of bounds in slow motion before the Lakers get a foul, and the game is basically over. And Kobe touched the ball just once, in a place where he wasn't legally allowed to launch the ball at the basket, on a game-deciding situation.
Now, I'm not a Kobe fan by any means. I respect the hell out of the guy, but I think Shaq was his championship, team-winning career. It's nice that he managed to get the Lakers back to the Finals without Shaq, and that he's been trying so hard to shed his "ball-hog" image. But is this about image, or a championship? Because if championship (which IS the image he's trying to create now, that he can win without Shaq) is it, then Kobe should have basically told his teammates to hand him the ball or he'd have them killed in their sleep.
And even if he doesn't, it's a teammates' instinct to know who needs the ball when. It's also a teammates' instinct to know what their role is, and how much room they have to screw up. I know I mention the National Championship game very frequently, but look how that played out for the Jayhawks - about 2 minutes to go, Sherron Collins drives to the basket on a STUPID, selfish play, throwing up a wild shot in traffic with most of the shot clock remaining. He wanted to be the hero, and nearly killed it for Kansas. But then game-tying situation with less than 10, he wants to drive and kick back out, knowing MARIO CHALMERS is your guy to have the ball in these situations...and well, it didn't go QUITE according to plan, but he got Super Mario the ball, and well, the rest is history, ROCK CHALK JAYHAWKKKKKKKK!!!!!!
So, yawn. NBA Finals. Whatever. Wake me up for the NBA Draft - which even that has lost its luster. Call me when something crazy happens, like Sunday comes and Russell Westbrook still hasn't hired an agent. I'm looking forward to seeing UCLA run a 5 guard set next year.
However, what DOES have me excited on the basketball front is the premier of "Gunnin' For That #1 Spot", a streetball documentary made by Adam Yauch (of Beastie Boys fame), coming out in select cities (INCLUDING MINE!) on Friday, June 27. It's received great reviews as is, but you know me + streetball = THERE, but add in a certain someone named Michael Paul Beasley to the list and, well, yeah...
(Actually, I'm most pumped to see Brandon Jennings, whose game, hair, and attitude I have a huge crush on already...I'm SO not sad to see Jerryd Bayless leave after one year. Speaking of which, I've been watching reruns of Pac-10 play on FSN Pacific - yeah, no wonder I'm ODing, right? - and MAN, that conference was awful this year. I kinda knew it all along, the few times I saw U-C, L-A and USC play, but ugh...it was like Big East back in the day bad, with those low scoring, bad offense games.)
Anyways, point is, have a trailer, see the awesomeness, and maybe next time we speak, I'll be a bit more positive about the basketballs again.
So it's a week later, the Chicago Bulls apparently held a knife to someone's throat during the NBA lottery drawing and now hold the magical rights to the one and only Derrick Rose choking on game winning FTs in the national championship game (WHICH NEVER GETS OLD TO WATCH!) in the 2008 NBA Draft. For them to say they plan to evaluate Michael Beasley and others is absurd. For one, Rose is the hometown kid. Duh, that's why I'm 99.9% sure that this was fixed. Someone needs to pump inspiration into the Bulls fans, who have had rough times since being spoiled in the 90s with MJ. They've been coming oh-so-close the last few years to regaining a half-ass form of that 90s magic with the Baby Bulls, but then you do something intelligent and draft Bozo the Clown and his marijuana plants, and sign 4'11" power forward who has never shown any remote ability to get a ball INSIDE a basket to a $6 billion deal, and you know, things don't really work out. It's getting REALLY bad when the Knicks win out on the hiring battle for coaches.
David Stern knew it would be a bit fishy to rig the lottery once again for the Knicks, so the Bulls are the next best bet. It didn't seem TOO weird to anyone, until you think about what the Bulls once meant to the NBA and Chicago (obviously, one of the largest markets), and how they haven't QUITE YET alienated their fans, but they're on the brink of doing so. The NBA has learned not to let its star ships sink too much, so they're trying to fix the Bulls while they're still salvageable.
Anyways, in basketball-terms, I am an extreme endorser in drafting proven point guards first. Derrick Rose is that. We know he can work on a team full of good/great players and people who need the ball a lot. We know he can lead a team and only cracks on the free throw line under pressure (See: final minutes against Kansas and Tennessee). We know he's quick, smart, enjoys a fine meal of gummy bears and honey buns, has a debilitating fear of needles (so no need to worry that he'll ever become a heroin junkie), and is the great Poohdini. And really, what more could you ask from the #1 pick and future of your franchise?
So all of this has Dwyane Wade depressed. Dwyane has stated outright that if the Heat were to get the #1 pick (as they laughably didn't), he would want Rose over Beasley any day of the week. Understandable. And if you didn't know, franchise players pretty much run the team. GMs and such are just there for job titles. Dwyane Wade is of the same vain as players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, etc. The Heat would be nothing without Wade, and to keep him there, he must be happy.
Wade is spending his off-season working off the 400 lbs he probably gained hanging out with his lover Star Jones while not actually playing this last season with Tim Grover in the Chi. Grover is coincidentally also preparing several clients for the upcoming NBA Draft. One of them just so happens to be the one and only Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo, better known to the world as Orange Juice Mayonnaise/OJ Mayo/The Latest Guy from USC to Get Illegally Paid.
OJ has always been a combo guard, and Grover has been working with him to particularly refine his point guard skills to raise his stock by making him a well-rounded NBA guard. His PG skills were seen by few in college. He had the ball in his hands plenty, and was hot and cold on making smart decisions with it. One of OJ's admirable basketball qualities is that he's one of the few guards who shoots a LOT of shots, but not too many 3s. As his freshman year wore on, he knew to be careful about forcing that risky shot, and subsequently was nearly a 41% 3pt shooter. But otherwise, he was susceptable to turnovers (which you expect with younger players who handle the ball a lot), and wasn't getting his teammates involved like a true point guard does. He was a combo guard. The end.
But Dwyane has been there while Tim Grover has been working on OJ. And as all reports indicate, he's becoming a swell PG. They have him going through drills that force him to make quick decisions, and he's earning As. Dwyane likes what he sees. And because he knows he can't have Rose, he now supposedly wants OJ.
I understand why Wade wants a point guard. They're the fundamental basis of a team, the difference-makers, etc. Look at CP3, Tony Parker, Deron Williams, etc. But why is he so seemingly opposed to Lil' Mike? And why is he getting obsessed with a guy who ISN'T a natural point guard?
Wade needs to remember that his championship was due in large part to Shaq. Now, Lil' Mike ain't no Shaq, even in his waning years of dominance. But big men CAN make a difference, if they play aggressive enough. See: KG in Boston on the nights he cares to own everyone. The East is still the East, and even the West has lost its big man dominance as the oldies (Chris Webber, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Elton Brand) have fallen and aged. Wade wants a guy down low who can compliment him and open up some space for him when he drives. Nobody is caring what Udonis Haslem does. But they'll care about Beasley.
Oh, but Wade wants a guy who can hit some outside shots and extend the D. Was I the only one who watched Mike hit 38% from 3? And how many guards or forwards are going to be able to consistently guard a 6'9" man's outside shot?
I am tired of the unproven upside being more valuable than proven commodities. Yes, OJ Mayo will probably be awesome. But we already know Lil' Mike is awesome, and nobody is asking him to do anything we DIDN'T already see him do in college. Bonus is, he has the pressure off him to lead the Heat and make them better, because that is Wade's job. Or maybe he's just sending the message that he doesn't want that responsibility anymore because he wants to get fat with his new girlfriend.
Diversion of the Day: Don't be shocked when the Spurs and Pistons meet in a couple weeks in the NBA Finals. Consistency is key to winning. The end. Plus, I'm just NOT sold in particular on the Celtics. Besides Jesus Shuttleworth's amazing disappearing act, Tayshaun Prince's ridiculously long arms will bother the hell out of Paul Pierce, so don't expect too many more 40 point explosions. The ex-factor is Billups vs. Rondo. Billups has the size to outplay him, but the hurting hammy may slow him down and let Rondo speed around him. I can't figure out the Spurs, but the Lakers are their easiest matchup this playoffs since the only concern is pretty much Kobe, and even Bruce Bowen can curb that a bit. Ruben Patterson will be smiling from some jail cell.
Anyways, about a month ago, my dear friend Dylan and I discussed purchasing the Memphis Grizzlies. Cheap buy with potential to grow into something huge, as long as you fool people into thinking they're attending the REAL Memphis basketball team's games. That's an easy one though - we've devised a plan to pass out watered down whiskey shots while Mike Miller and John Calipari sing "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp", and by the time the fans enter Fed-Ex Forum, they'll be so dazed and confused that they won't realize the basketball players aren't wearing blue and white uniforms.
All kidding aside, the Grizz have potential. They have a solid young core that doesn't really seem to be on the verge of a meltdown or drug bust. They've adopted the Suns run-and-gun offense thanks to Coach Iavaroni, and it's worked out to their advantage as they outscored teams down the stretch of the season, getting 8 of their 22 wins in the final month of a half. They just need to learn some defense tactics, stay healthy, and figure out what to do with their front line.
The Grizz have a strong shot at getting the #1 or #2 picks in the NBA Draft Lottery tonight, which is normally a wonderful thing if your GM is intelligent enough to not draft Kwame Brown (ironically, currently on the Grizz's roster). With Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley being the stars of this draft class, busts are unlikely to happen in the first two picks. But what happens when you have the top 2 picks, and both of these people would cause issues for your team?
Obviously, Derrick Rose going from a Tiger to a Grizzly would make little sense when Mike Conley Junior already has the PG spot locked up, and my Philly boy Kyle Lowry as a fine backup. Conley was injured for a chunk of his rookie season, but considering that he had a solid year - low turnover rates, steadily rising numbers shooting and assist-wise, having to learn a new offense in a new league with your shoulder falling off, that sort of thing. I'm impressed alone with him averaging 10 points and over 5 assists in his first semi-full month of playing in January. Point is though, why do you need another point guard, and would Derrick Rose be that drastic of an improvement over Mike Conley? No. Duh. And the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks have proved that stockpiling 15 guys who play the same position doesn't help build that good of a basketball team.
So the answer is clearly Lil' Mike, right? Who DOESN'T want a guy who can throw up a floater in traffic, miss, sky for his own offensive rebound, and put the shot back on a fadeaway in even MORE traffic (Yes, that moment actually happened)?
Well...maybe the Grizzlies. See, there's this guy named Rudy Gay on the Grizz. Maybe you've heard of him. Just 2 years ago, just like Lil' Mike, supposedly the most talented guy in college basketball. He didn't put up Mike's jaw-dropping numbers at UConn, but he had that same ridiculous "potential" tag on him - and similar to Mike, everyone questioned whether or not he truly wanted to be great and could lead a team to win. Unlike Mike, Rudy played on a team full of great talent (Emeka Okafor, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, and about 75 other guys currently in jail or on NBA rosters), which explains why he didn't really NEED to be third in the nation in scoring for UConn to be good.
He had a yawn-inducing rookie season in the NBA, but doubled his scoring average this year to 20 ppg, and actually started becoming a well-rounded player. I got used to reading Rudy Gay stat lines along the lines of: 22 pts, 6-35 FG, 1 reb, 0 assts, 6 TOs, and then he started caring and averaged about 6 boards a game, and even began consistently racking up assists and steals. So Rudy Gay is becoming the star everyone thought he would be someday. That's good. Great teams need a star to win. Period.
But Rudy Gay is like Michael Beasley - he's a star only when the ball runs through him most of the time. And if you put them on a team together, what will happen? Most likely, you'll get the Antoine Walker/Paul Pierce-led Celtics - 2 guys putting up ridiculous numbers while their team put up mediocre performances.
Look at all the recent college and NBA champions. With the exception of the Lakers of this early decade (which had the most dominant, unstoppable player in recent memory with Shaq-in-his-prime, who put up 40 and 20 like he was Wilt Chamberlain), they were all your prototypical well-rounded team, with fairly even shot distribution. They all had at least one consistent star, with several other guys who could step it up when it mattered. One and Two man shows just DON'T get it done, unless they have a Shaq. Lil' Mike is pretty amazing, but he's not Shaq. Nobody is.
So do you risk imploding your team because Lil' Mike and Rudy will average over 40 shot attempts per game between them? They would make an excellent front court tandem, and also often risk never getting into a flow together because they both NEED their shots to get comfortable. If you think that's not true for Mike, look at K-State's first round victory against USC, where Mike didn't get it going until late because he spent the first half in foul trouble.
The Grizz COULD use a true big man - Hakim Warrick played excellent offensively after the Gasol trade, but he's not the dominant 4 man you need to win in the West. They could also use a new 2 guard - Mike Miller is alright, but an upgrade wouldn't hurt.
So aren't they better off falling in the 3-6 range? Getting a chance to draft DeAndre Jordan or Eric Gordon may be the best thing for this team. They'd probably make an impact, and DON'T need the ball in their hand at every moment. Gordon is much more polished than Jordan, but 1 in every 10 7-footers HAVE to work out. I think we're due since Dwight Howard, right?
So, I'm gonna pray the lottery is rigged and the Knicks get the #1 pick and the Sonics #2 (D. Stern needs to ensure the Sonics find a new fan base), and the Grizzlies don't ever have to think about destroying their team with the 2 best players in the Draft. Although getting Lil' Mike to join Miller and Calipari for a rendition of "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" would be pretty awesome.
What is this, the year of ridiculous non-scandal scandals? Ever since our dear American Congress decided that addressing our nation's economy and crime issues and anything else was FAR less important than steroids in baseball, it's like we've taken it as a signal to get more ridiculous every day and just make up news to make others look worse than what they actually are, to deflect blame from the truly evil people in this nation (I.E. Most of the American government).
OJ Mayo being exposed for accepting gifts/paychecks/hookers is not news. It's not a scandal. It's further exploitation of a kid who has been exploited most of his basketball-playing life. It's the reported story that's happening to most talented men, particularly talented black men from poor backgrounds, playing NCAA DI football or basketball. It's a continuation of the enslavement of young black men that has existed in America since the country was founded.
Michael Wilbon wrote an excellent piece comparing Rodney Guillory and those who operate like him to "Suga Daddies". I often joke that I could use my own suga daddy...particularly just to chauffeur me around while I don't have a car. Thing is, in real life, in my sane mind, I would never dare. Suga daddies give and give and give...but eventually, something is expected in return. I was brought up to know to never accept too many favors, unless I'm willing to sacrifice on my own.
I wouldn't call Guillory and company suga daddies. I group them with shoe execs, pro-sport team owners, the NCAA, etc, as plantation owners and managers. Obviously (or I HOPE obviously), Guillory never expected literal sexual gratification in return for all he did for Mayo, but he enslaved Mayo. He provided a sort-of foreplay that was all about Mayo, a poor West Virginia kid that started receiving enough national pub in 8th grade that pretty much guaranteed his NBA career, but would eventually be flipped once that NBA career became a reality and Mayo would owe him back. Now, the story is pretty much he'd just owe him back in terms of signing with the sports agency Guillory was associated with, but the agent controls a large chunk of an athlete's career. Star power is created through endorsements, which the agent negotiates and acquires. The agent has every right to rape the athlete of their endorsement earnings, which in the long run, would cause the athlete to LOSE money for accepting some clothes, a TV, NBA tickets, etc that amounted up to a couple thousand while they were a broke ass kid. They give them freedom, but at a price.
And this is what America does - it preys on young, talented black men from poor backgrounds because they don't know any better. It's bad enough America has historically painted a picture to these men that they were put on the planet to run and jump and nothing more, and that's their only way to a better life. In turn with that notion and the existence of poverty, nobody is in their lives at a young age teaching them to be aware of people, financial management, etc. They're too young to understand past athletes who have been burned, and too cocky to think it can happen to them. They're vulnerable. And how many poor kids being handed a cell phone, some shirts, a couple hundred in cash, with just a smile from the giving hand and nothing more, wouldn't take it? Shoe companies send teen phenoms hundreds of pairs a year, which isn't any sort of violation, and most kids understand that it's just the company trying to hook them for later endorsements. The kids generally choose their shoe based on what they wore in AAU/college (which is another long, troubled socio-economical-political game in sports), and that's that. Nobody is really victimized in these shoe matters, and the youngins never pay for a thing to put on their feet. Yet they can't recognize that these gifts they're being given by boosters and agents and such are in the same vain. And if they're blind to it, they fall victim.
Growing up poor creates a desire for more which I can't classify as greed, knowing I come from similar meager-finance situations. When you see others (I.E. the privileged) easily gaining small things you wish you had, you don't get WHY they have those things. You don't fully get that it's a result of historical oppression of racial and social minorities. You just want the same. You don't understand why you can't have the same.
You don't understand limits because you have so little, and you define yourself by what you DON'T have.
What Mayo and these kids are wise enough to know is that they can exploit their talents to make gains for themselves before they're legally receiving their NBA/NFL paychecks. It's not done in the name of greed always, but bettering your situation quicker, for both yourself and your family, especially in case your career stops short of the promised land.
Look at OJ Mayo's former HS/AAU teammate/partner-in-crime, Kansas State forward Bill Walker. Walker was once a sure-short NBA lotto pick, expected by many to have a better pro career than Mayo. Two ACL tears and a somewhat average season in the shadow of Michael Beasley later, very few people in the NBA-world want anything to do with him. He can't work anymore. People won't profit off of him. The future that the world crafted for him to escape poverty may be dead.
I won't be shocked if Walker never gets exposed in this scandal. It's almost a sure thing that if OJ was being courted in HS, Walker was too. But likely, the sweet-talking for him was silenced in January 2007, when he tore the ACL a second time. People could investigate, but who cares? There's a chance nobody will ever hear his name again if he doesn't return to K-State.
You'd think the NCAA or Congress would investigate though, right? But if Walker isn't a big fish to reel in, like Mayo or Reggie Bush or others, do you think they care?
This is where the NCAA's enslavement comes in. They profit off these stories as much as ESPN and other news outlets do. It betters their policing image (which, in reality, sucks...the NCAA keeps their head up their asses so they can avoid being revealed as the fucked up, hopeless institute that they are), builds their ego when they get to hand down punishment, etc. Exposing Bill Walker does nothing for the NCAA. I doubt if you don't watch basketball that you even knew who Walker was before reading this. But chances are, you've heard of OJ Mayo in passing, even just to laugh at his name. He's a publicity star for everyone. He's the big fish to catch.
Chances are, Mayo's image will never really be tarnished enough to affect his career or endorsements. Tito Maddox, a former college bball star who also was kidnapped by Guillory, fell off the planet because he was small and not talented enough for the NBA, not because he accepted gifts. Reggie Bush is still the shining young star of the NFL...and also had the help of Pacman Jones and Mike Vick to overshadow his problems. The news will die, USC might get slapped, but Mayo's life will go on with a happy story until either he ruins it, or nature runs its course.
But, just like any problem situation, what happens in the future when some kid gets caught up and it does go too far and ruins his potential career? We have few institutions in this world focused on teaching social/character skills to budding athletes, a group that desperately needs this training at younger and younger ages as the predators begin hunting in middle schools these days. And that's simply because America is run by privileged people who enjoy profiting off of the naive and desperate. If these kids were informed, they might kill this profiting industry, so the powers-that-be hold their power high above their heads, while massaging them enough to make it feel good enough to not care. This is American oppression. This is why slavery isn't dead in 2008. This is the real scandal behind all of this.
Diversion of the Day: If you read my first post ever at this blog, then you know my feelings about Kobe winning the NBA MVP award. I just think the process is BS, and clearly has been a way to reward Kobe for finally having a winning season without Shaq, even though his individual feats other seasons were probably more impressive (and resulted in more L's). Never mind that the Laker's team success is largely due in part to the arrival of Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom FINALLY playing a full season. The NBA tends to retroactively grant MVPs these days, so I guess CP3 will win it sometime in the next 27 years. He still owns your soul, and that goes double for the Spurs.
Also, though the Celtics/Cavs don't tip off for another couple hours, and the Pistons are already up 2-0 on the Magic, PLEASE drop the "ZOMG THE CELTS AND PISTONS STRUGGLED SO MUCH IN THE FIRST ROUND WTF" talk. I'd be bored and unmotivated to play too if sub-.500 teams were allowed in the playoffs. The Pistons are already proving the point that real playoff teams are worthy of a real effort, and if you don't think the Celtics are excited about stopping the Cleveland BronBron's, then you've probably never played and/or watched competitive athletics in your lifetime.
So, onto something else irrelevant. The NBA Draft Early Entry Deadline came and went while I was hauling my life across the Mason-Dixon Line, and now I'm waiting for June 16th, when I get to laugh at the mopes who foolishly lose their remaining eligibility for non-guaranteed contracts and the NBDL.
Now, what determines whether or not a kid should declare? If I had it my way, we'd go back to the 1960s and they'd play all 4 years - but I'm a biased college basketball lover who generally ignores the NBA until playoff time. But it's the real world, and everybody wants that paper. So what else can be used?
Well, for starters (and the focus of much of this upcoming "series")...coming off a fairly awesome year tends to help. I've written numerous papers and posts and bathroom wall writings as to why Michael Beasley should stay his fine red behind at K-State, but in all honesty, you don't get a season much more perfect than his was individually (besides that 5 point aberration against Xavier, but he left his shoes in Kansas...on second thought, if you can't keep track of your shoes, maybe the NBA isn't the best place to be). Same for Derrick Rose - though the fact that one of the defining moments of his college career was choking on game winning FTs in the National Championship game is a sour (yet HILARIOUS) note to end on, it's really hard to justify another year at Memphis.
But for MANY people in the draft, who are coming off questionable, disappointing, or just yawn-inducing years, you hope they get the message and enroll in summer classes ASAP. And until June 16th rolls around and some of these dudes file whatever paperwork they need to withdraw, I'm going to randomly dispense some advice to you individuals who have declared thus far (who probably aren't reading this unless you like to Google yourself as much as I Google Mike Beasley). And today, we're starting this thrilling series with the Texas Longhorns backcourt.
We're going to push aside the fact that Texas is the front-runner for national champs next year if the entire teams returns. We're also pushing aside the fact that Mr. Augustin claims he's only waiting to hire an agent in case he pulls a Brandon Rush. We're focusing on this: A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin combined to shoot 43% for the season (42 and 44 as individuals, respectively).
Now, who cares, right? They won 28 games, averaged a combined 35+ PPG (nearly half of the Longhorn's offense), and one half of the duo often picked up the slack for the other half when they were going through one of their customary slumps.
But in an offense like Texas', shooting percentage matters. Texas averages 60 shot attempts per game, and 21 3-pt attempts per game. It should be no shock to anyone who watched Kevin Durant at Texas as to why he averages 4 billion shots per game in the NBA. Because guards control these sorts of gunning offenses, guard production is obviously the most crucial to its success. And it can make them look like geniuses, or like fools...which both A.J. and D.J. experienced at numerous times throughout the season.
So to both of you:
A.J., YOU'RE THE SHOOTING GUARD...and you turned in so many 3-15 sort of performances that it's just laughable to justify you entering the draft. You're small, and you don't play like Allen Iverson (you know, taking 40 shots a game, but at least driving to the basket 20 times to create foul opportunities and such). Point is, if you're a shooting guard, and you ain't shooting it well...HA, good luck kid. At the same time, your averages haven't improved much in 3 years, so maybe what's the waste in seeing if you'll ever get better? So you hit 38% from 3 point range, big deal. Ronald Ramon and many others have too and they will only see the NBA if they watch it on TV. You do nothing else legitimately impressive, including not racking up assists despite being on a team that shoots 45% overall, not rebounding since you pretty much live on the perimeter, and not playing defense since, well, nobody does. And somehow, you forgot how to shoot free-throws this season. Don't hang out with Derrick Rose.
As for Mr. Augustin - yes, you have much going for you. I've often said I want your point guard babies - unlike A.J., you crash the lane like a pitbull, creating offensive opportunities for yourself and the team - easy lay-ins, finding Damion James cutting along the baseline, kicking back out to Abrams for open jumpers, etc. You're a GREAT point guard...you know how to create offense, find open men, pass well, etc etc. In fact, I agree with most that you're the second best PG in the draft class behind Rose (especially since half the projected PGs didn't play that position in college, like Russell Westbrook, and it's always ridiculous to attempt to project people out of position in the NBA), and I think your size matters little, as you clearly showed you have balls to play inside in the Big 12, which is a conference of NBA-bodies. However...you often get selfish, and at all the WRONG times, unlike other great scoring PGs like my MVP CP3, Steve Nash, etc. You define a streak shooter - you follow up your fiery 50+% shooting late in the Big 12 season with 34% shooting (20-58) in the NCAAs, including 4-18 in the Elite 8 loss to Memphis. My argument for all PGs is that they must know their role, and when it's time to score...and for someone like you, who has bluntly stated that you get out of shooting slumps by shooting more, you're not mature enough to get that yet. Even though you'll be a lotto pick, I'd hate to see you buried on an NBA bench when your coach gets pissed with you halfway through the season. You also need to work on your ball-handling - I mean, that kinda matters for a PG to you know, NOT turn the ball over.
And besides, pulling it back into the equation - you're championship contenders. Damion James was smart enough to come back. You have everything on your side Kansas did last year, and look how that turned out for them. This isn't UCLA, where people are coming in who WILL take your playing time (Sidenote: RUSSELL WESTBROOK AND DARREN COLLISION, RUN LIKE THE PLAGUE! MALCOLM LEE AND JRUE HOLIDAY HAVE ALREADY CLAIMED YOUR JOBS!) And besides, aren't you both from middle-class families? Yeah, no sob story excuses.
But if you take this all into consideration, I will definitely be leading the Texas-For-National-Champs bandwagon next season...especially because I love midgets like me.
This is pretty much a quickie here. With the NBA Draft early entry deadline quickly approaching, everyone and their momma is throwing their name into the pool, hoping to get some run with Mickey Mouse in Orlando and a sense if they're wasting their time declaring this year. While some (most?) players are just too dense to realize they need to stay in school another year or 6 (Yes, Derrick Caracter, this means you - though I'm beginning to believe Coach Pitino was one more silly foul away from having your family find your body in a river, so maybe I don't blame ya), most (some?) of these guys are just "testing the waters". I do have plenty to say about nearly every individual who has declared thus far, most of which isn't nice and accuses the NBA of racism, but we'll save that fun for closer to the draft.
Today's excitement involved THE Ohio State awkward big white man Kosta Koufos deciding to "test the draft process". While he is inexplicably projected as a late lotto pick, despite nearly everything about him screaming "STIFF!", I'm hoping the Greek dude returns to THE Ohio State next season just so we can enjoy a frontcourt of TWO awkward big white guys stumbling over one another in the low post when BJ Mullens arrives in Columbus. As Bill Simmons would say, the unintentional comedy factor has a tremendous upside potential.
Anyways, today's musings relate to a fairly broad topic that just had me thinking this evening. Around January, I developed this intense obsession with K-State BBall phenom Michael Beasley. The reasons are endless - the way he crashes the boards, his silky outside J, the way he can play like the 6-10 power forward he is one moment and a 2-guard the next, the ridiculous stats, those pretty sleepy green eyes and that red hair...I'll spare you the rest. Anyways, said obsession led to me spending my work days endlessly Googling and YouTubing Lil' Mike. Great information out there on the youngin' too - he loves interviews, and his dear mama writes a blog about him that sounds more obsessed with him than I do any day of the week.
The common theme in most of the interviews and videos is how goofy of a person he is. In case you've missed out on his oft-told life story, he went to 98 different high schools, and was kicked out of the prestigious basketball factory Oak Hill Academy after his junior season for having a contest with Ty Lawson as to who could autograph the most items of school property (Mike won the contest with his autograph of the principal's car, and subsequently was dismissed). Overall though, he's a good guy...no criminal record, decent grades, not even a notable attitude problem. Essentially, the opposite of O.J. Mayo. But the main point of anything you read or see on him is how he's just a fun, Spongebob-idolizing (We are SO meant to be together), goofy kid who is trying to find a balance between having "too much fun" and becoming a responsible adult representing K-State (and now his soon-to-be NBA team).
So naturally, reporters kind of egg that kid side of him on when they're working with him. Lil' Mike seemingly gets really excited in front of cameras, and basically hams it up to the best of his abilities. He knows he's making people laugh, and even he and his mama said how his joy in life is making others happy. His press conferences are semi-famous, particularly the YouTube staple of "Mike and the iPod". Some K-State student group put together a series of random press conference moments, mainly involving Lil' Mike, displaying their silliness.
Now, for some reason, some people took offense to this, saying that it displayed a poor representation of K-State by its student-athletes. Another group even reposted the same video under the title "Student-athletes disgrace institution of higher learning". Comments throughout the internets assume they're all stoners, or just simply lacking intelligence and class. These guys, particularly Lil' Mike, are acting like clowns, camels, disgraces! Because apparently...being a kid is illegal.
Think back to when you were 18, 19. Maybe you were a freshman in college too. How many mature, serious moments did you have in an average day? How would YOU have acted if a camera was constantly in your face, inviting you to act silly?
I worked with/was tortured by University of Pittsburgh athletics for the last 4 years, where I was subject to way too many men's basketball press conferences. Particularly this past season, Pitt's own freshman phenom DeJuan Blair got a lot of postgame PT because of his monster numbers. And generally, he acted like a fool. He gave semi-serious answers, but he spent the rest of the time laughing, poking at his teammates, and basically...being a 19 year old boy. And the press would roll their eyes, while I tried my hardest not to giggle from the back corner.
For the record, it can be safely assumed that this sort of stuff goes on at EVERY athletic program, and probably most pro teams, unless you're in the NFL where a toenail clipping is fined. Kids act silly, stodgy reporters and prissy university folk roll their eyes and suck their teeth and thank whatever God/gods that THEY are better than that.
However, you don't hear or see these guys cussing out reporters, or telling the world that they're "A FUCKIN' SOULJA!", or making it rain, or whatever. They're not even making fart jokes! They're not doing anything remotely offensive! Are the offended parties at K-State going to take me to a frat party where they are playing an innocent game of Pictionary rather than beer pong, and prove that their university is so esteemed that some post game jokes are a threat to their well-being?
Now, I could flip this, and say that the media is exploiting these young black men in a "Bamboozled"-kinda way, encouraging them to act like clowns to perpetuate the overall image of them as lowly stupid people not meant to do anything but run, jump, and rhyme, but even my political ass isn't that crazy. I see it as it is - children being children. And you know what? I laugh. It's cute. Stupid, but cute. Maybe I'm a bit biased towards Lil' Mike, but hell, I'm telling you I found DeJuan's antics amusing, and I hate Pitt with every fiber of my being.
Then again, you're reading the words of a woman who sang "The Wheels on the Bus..." at the top of her lungs while waiting for the 71A this evening, so maybe my judgment is wacky. Regardless...I feel like people aim to target flaws in all young athletes, assuming these are all awful people who we shouldn't let our children see. And when you're not Pacman Jones, I guess you get chastised for your sense of humor. Chad Johnson (Prior to the contract bitching) was an amazing example of this ludicrousness - the guy really never did a damn thing wrong, but the world seemingly hated him for making checklists of cornerbacks and racing horses. And this logic might even be more amusing than the stupid media moments.
So really people - stop chastising the kids. Embrace your days of youth, current or past. Save the hatin' for the people who earn it by their actual disgraceful actions. I'm sure Pacman will F up sometime soon to give you something worthwhile to criticize.
Until then...continue to judge. But don't lie, you just wish you were part of this happy fun good time.
Before we get down to business, a random digression (which is pretty much my life - a series of random digressions where nothing ever actually gets accomplished - so expect all posts by moi to start this way):
Ms. Lauren's earlier post waxing poetic about the joys of watching Penn State football players get arrested while Joe Pa eats his prunes on the sidelines reminded me of my favorite spring football nugget from this past weekend (the big weekend for the intrasquad scrimmages, in case you were living under a rock or don't have NFL Network and missed out on the joys of Dave Wannstache doing color commentary during P-I-T-T LET'S GO PITT's Blue/Gold game - BTW, it was the most efficient Pitt has played since he took over for Walt Harris three years ago, so I think this MIGHT be a key to a winning season for the Panthers):
Final score of the K-State Wildcats scrimmage: 3-0
Yes, 3-0.
For comparision, Pitt's was 60-25. The Not-Much-Fighting-Last-Season Irish had a 47-46 thriller. LSU beat Ohio State - uh, nevermind, the 2nd string - 38-10. The list goes on. Point is, most spring games garner shitloads of points.
K-State put up 3 total points. And they came in the final quarter. Has there ever been a scoreless OT spring game? We need Stat Boy on this one.
Now, I don't know much about K-State football. I honestly didn't even know Kansas State existed until Bob Huggins showed up there in 2006 (coincidentally, neither did he). I only started following K-State football by default - visiting K-State blogs daily to read about/internet stalk/swoon over Michael Beasley, you end up finding some other weird shit. But I know enough to say that there is no way that I can be convinced that a 3-0 final displays their defensive prowess. If they gave up 30 ppg last season, unless they had a helluva defensive recruiting class (not likely - most of their newcomers are JuCo transfers and farmers), there's a good chance their defense hasn't improved much. And I know enough to understand that in football, you gotta score points. Particularly when half your schedule involves teams in Texas and Nebraska. So unless K-State has some new defensive tactics that the Big 12 just ain't ready for...they're in for a long, long year in the Little Apple. I'd say you have basketball season to look forward to, but Jake Pullen advised Lil' Mike to go to the NBA.
Anyways, that being said, tomorrow is the big exciting Primary election day in the great state of PA, where both Maggie and I hail from. Despite not actually living in PA, I'm too lazy to change my residency to Maryland, so I'm included in this fun. And if you live in PA, or are just as lazy as me, you need to be in on it too. As P-Diddy once said...VOTE OR DIE! I can go on about the seriousness of voting, particularly in this presidential election, but if the last 8 years of presidency haven't informed you of this, then maybe you shouldn't be living. I kid. Sorta.
We here at Real Bitches are decidedly biased towards our main man Barry. Oh yes, we're smart girls, so we were caught up in his fine policies and ideals before the hype of his speeches and debates swept the rest of his supporters up. Plus we don't believe in voting for people just because they also have vaginas (which, at this point with Miss Clinton, is questionable). But honestly, what makes Obamarama so appealing?
He's a killer on the basketball court! If you missed HBO's "Real Sports" segment, shame on you. Go On-Demand or YouTube it instantly. Barry played a mean game of pickup ball, dropping some sweet dimes down low, a couple smooth outside jumpers, and the game winning lay-in. His game is Jason Kidd-esque - don't count on him to hit a shot outside always, but he can do plenty else. He claims to have a sick drive to the left. I want to see my man hit Rucker Park this summer on (hopefully) his campaign tour, then we'll see if the trash-talking really holds.
I'm not the type to force a candidate on you if you're still undecided...but really, every great team needs a great point guard (see my last post about CP3 and the Hornets), and I don't know who else I'd want throwing an assist to me. Ponder that before you enter the election booth tomorrow.
Before we get to the meat of this matter, I must make this declaration.
I have bandwagoned the New Orleans/Oklahoma City/Charlotte/Harlem Globetrotting Hornets for the 2008 NBA playoffs. The reasons are semi-irrelevant (The Best Xavier Power Forward Ever; a happy feel-good story for the NO; new blood in the West; getting to yell at Julian Wright; obviously CP3; blah blah blah), but I need to legitimize why I'm not like all the other annoying NBA bandwagoners:
A) 85% of my life from October-April is dedicated to college basketball B) 14.5% of my life from October-April is dedicated to sleep, being rude, procrastinating, and baking C) Only the remaining 0.5% is dedicated to the NBA...and this year, that time was spent looking at Memphis Grizzlies box scores (Gotta follow the 2 Philly peers of mine who haven't been shot dead yet!) and shaking my head at Kevin Durant's 95 shot per game average.
So obviously, I have no time to be bothered with the NBA, considering there is a lot more exciting basketball being played by people who generally care about the effort they put forth (unless their name happens to be William Henry Walker or Eric Gordon Junior). However, the NBA playoffs is where we eliminate much of the silliness and see what makes college basketball so beautiful - thus, the perfect time to latch onto a team and enjoy the ride.
So here I am, blissfully enjoying the Game 1 win of my newest fav team over Mark Cuban, spurned by CP3's 24 and 7 in the second half.
And I'm here to tell you that Chris Paul should be the NBA's 2008 MVP, and it isn't because I'm suddenly biased towards the Hornets.
Is yesterday's game the best reason? No, just more proof we'd only be giving the award to Kobe or KG to make up for years of them starring on otherwise average teams (Note: We omit LeBron from all discussions because the Cavs couldn't finish in the top 2 in the JV league)
Maybe we don't pity CP3 enough. I suppose spending your first 2 seasons playing with a displaced traveling circus isn't as bad as 75 straight first round exits and life without Shaq...at least to the general public. I can't get past the fact that the man has yet to have a regular home court since he was a Demon Deacon. Even a sideline reporter could tell you that playing 2 seasons worth of "road" games puts you at a disadvantage to the guys who get their 41 home games.
But you know how there's the ridiculous logic that Kobe's other Shaq-less Laker teams, and many of KG's T-Wolves teams weren't good because of their lackluster teammates? Let's evaluate the great talent surrounding CP3!
David West: Owns whatever part of your soul CP3 doesn't Peja Stojakovic: Streak shooter who only has a high PPG because he can hit threes
And then... Tyson Chandler. Jannergo Pargo. Morris Peterson. Bonzi Wells. Hilton Armstrong. Julian Wright. Rasual Butler. Should I even continue?
What do these guys have in common? The answers range from too much hype in college/high school, criminal records, and curly hair. But most importantly, these guys have spent their NBA careers being average to not-that-good.
Yet CP3 made this hapless group of scrubs look better than Kobe and KG's various supporting casts. He's made Tyson Chandler look smart for never attending college! He's resurrected Bonzi Wells' career! He single-handedly rebuilt every home in New Orleans from scratch!
Or he's done what people playing the hardest position in basketball should do - make their teammates better, while making smart decisions on their own. On their own, CP3's averages are pretty amazing - 21 PPG, nearly 12 assists and 3 steals per game. The elevated play of his teammates, all playing the best basketball of their sad ass careers, speaks to his abilities as a point guard. Just watching him for a few moments, you can see he just has what any great athletic point guard has - the ability to crash the lane, collapse defenders, and find his open shooters; careful handling (4.6/1 ASSIST TO TURNOVER RATIO!); pretty passes; etc etc insert stuff every great point guard does.
But what stands out most to me is what he does for himself. Yes, he is the team's leading scorer...and he does it on 48% shooting. He averages three 3pt FG attempts and 5 FT attempts per game. Hell, who else in the league, let alone out of point guards, maximizes the efficiency of their own offense as well as he does? Everyone throws around this term that a player "gets it"...but no really, CP3 GETS IT. He knows his role as a point guard, and he rarely does anything to jeopardize it. He jump starts an overall awesome offense. And when they really need a kick in the ass, like in Game 1 against the Mavs, he gets the right amount of selfishness in him to take over - 15 points in the 3rd quarter to come from behind 12. Oh, and he tacked on 5 assists. He still is a point guard, after all.
The cases are out there for Kobe (sorry, the Lakers wouldn't win the West without getting Gasol) and KG (....but he's playing with 2 potential future HOFers), but the fact is, Chris Paul has done what they never really did with the pile of crap he was handed. And in his first season actually playing in the city his team is affiliated with, he helped them tack on 17 more wins than the previous season, while dominating The Toughest Conference Evar most of the season.
And, the most important fact which hasn't been broken down...he plays on the same team as Julian Wright. Is it any coincidence that the Jayhawks LOST Mr. Wright, gained nothing more, and won the championship? Nothing more needs to be said!
Chris Paul owns your soul. He is your 2008 NBA MVP, and anything less will cause a riot to break out in my little Bmore apartment.
