Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. (GETTY IMAGES)
USA Basketball recently announced the 20 finalists who will compete for the 12 spots on the senior men’s national team that will represent the U.S. in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Among the finalists are holdovers from the 2008 gold-medal winning team in Beijing: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Carmelo Anthony. Assuming all eight accept invitations to London, there are 12 players fighting for four spots which leaves USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski the dirty task of having to cut star players without embarrassing them in public.
Injuries will certainly play a big part of the selection process, especially with Bryant (wrist) and Wade (foot). Both have hinted they would love to play in London, but it’ll depend on how their teams finish and if their injuries will get worse should they play through the summer. Not having Kobe or Wade in the Olympics will be a huge blow to Coach K but those two were the go-to guys in Beijing. When Team USA needed a basket in the fourth quarter, Coach K called on Kobe’s number first and then Wade was a very close second. That was evident in the gold-medal game against Spain when Wade was the catalyst in the first half and Kobe closed the deal.
With or without Bryant and Wade Team USA should field a dynamite team in London and be heavy favorites to win gold again. But just like the 2008 team Colangelo and Krzyzewski can’t pick a team based on star power or All-Star game appearances. Talent alone won’t get it done in London, just ask the 2006 U.S. squad that lost to Greece in the FIBA World Championships. The 2012 Olympic squad needs to be balanced and flexible enough to adapt to any situation. The guards must be physical enough to play through a lot of contact because the international referees oftentimes will allow physical play, the forwards have to knock down 3-pointers, and the big men must be quick enough to defend the perimeter.
Here are the 12 players who should make the 2012 U.S. Olympic team:
CENTER: Dwight Howard
Comment: Because the majority of the big men in the Olympics are perimeter oriented, you really don’t need more than one true center. Dwight Howard wasn’t a huge factor four years ago in Beijing and, at times, struggled to guard the 3-point shooters. Hopefully four years of experience will help Dwight adapt to the international game.
FORWARDS: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala
Comment: Two years ago in Turkey, Kevin Durant showed the world what he can do in the FIBA World Championships. Now, it’s time for USA Basketball to recognize Durant as the centerpiece of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. Durant has the perfect game to play against international competition. We know about his consistent outside shot (something LeBron and ‘Melo struggle with at times), but what the 6-foot-10 Durant presents is a mismatch at the forward position. He’s too big for small forwards and too quick for power forwards. Iguodala played well in the 2010 world championships, especially on defense. Iguodala can match up against guards or forwards, and his length and athleticism really bothered the great scorers from Europe. Love and Aldridge are better fits because they can knock down shots, which is extremely important in opening up the court for dribble penetration. Love and Aldridge can also play some center if needed, and in some instances Love or Aldridge are probably better options at center than Howard. This means the committee will have the tough choice to exclude Chris Bosh and Blake Griffin from the team. There will be a ton of pressure to add Griffin on the squad because of the excitement and hype he’ll bring to London, but it’ll depend on how many guards Coach K will carry on the roster.
GUARDS: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Deron Williams
Comment: It will be hard to knock off any of these guards off the team, but if Kobe or Wade decide to pass on the Olympics, then Eric Gordon should be the next man up. Gordon played well in Turkey in 2010 and he has the game and built to play against the rugged competition. One key factor to watch is how Paul and Rose will keep defenses from zoning on them. Teams will gladly give up 3-point shots to CP3 and D-Rose to take away their dribble penetration. Rose was up-and-down at the 2010 worlds because he wasn’t too confident with his jump shot, something he has aggressively worked on the past four years. Coack K also has the option of playing Williams at shooting guard with Paul or Rose at the point, and won’t rule out moving Iguodala at guard to make room for another forward if Bryant and Wade are not available.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook form a lethal combo for the Oklahoma City Thunder. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are arguably the best 1-2 combination in the NBA. But whenever you have two headstrong 23-year-old superstars on the same team playing for the same goals chances are they’ll have some disagreements.
That ugly scenario played out in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Dec. 28, as Durant and Westbrook were seen having a heated discussion on the bench during a timeout. It was the second public dispute between the two young stars, the first occurred during last season’s playoff series against the Denver Nuggets. The latest argument became a media sensation, especially on Twitter, and some tweets went as far as suggesting the Thunder should trade Westbrook.
Both players brushed off the incident and Durant told reporters on Thursday that the whole thing was blown out of proportion. “It happens every single day. Teams go through emotions, things happen,” Durant said. “It’s a competitive sport. Everybody’s not going to always come in and be happy every single day.”
Those who were calling for Westbrook’s dismissal should take a minute and think about the repercussions of such a move. Westbrook is a gifted athlete blessed with unbelievable quickness. The only other guard with the same athletic ability is probably Derrick Rose, the league’s reigning MVP. Rose and Westbrook are unique talents who don’t come around often. They don’t grow on trees and you certainly can’t buy them at some Canadian pharmacy.
Of all the basketball pundits who chimed in on the Westbrook-Durant situation it was the recently retired Shaquille O’Neal who had the most interesting take. “Sometimes rifts can be a good thing,” O’Neal said on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” prior to Oklahoma City’s home game against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. It was an interesting comment coming from a guy who endured a very contentious relationship with Kobe Bryant when they were teammates in Los Angeles. The arguments between Westbrook and Durant are minor aftershocks compared to the Shaq-and-Kobe feud.
O’Neal said former Lakers coach Phil Jackson afforded his players a two-minute “rift session” to air things out. Once that’s over and done with, Jackson then reels in the combatants and asks them to return to the circle and move on from the argument. It worked. Despite their disdain for one another, O’Neal and Bryant teamed up for three straight NBA championships and reached the NBA Finals four times in five seasons.
Before their messy divorce in 2004 when O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat and Kobe was blamed for Shaq’s departure, O’Neal and Bryant made the Lakers the most lethal team in the NBA. O’Neal dominated the interior while Bryant lit guys up from the perimeter. So, for those who say two players who dislike can’t coexist, Shaq and Kobe dismissed that theory. They may not have jived off the court, but on the court they made a lot of noise.
Durant has said on many occasions that he supports Westbrook 100 percent and the feeling is mutual with Westbrook. Thunder coach Scott Brooks is also saying all the right things, suggesting that Westbrook is “special” and the team and the coaching staff are not ready to give up on the former UCLA star.
The Thunder could learn something from the Shaq-Kobe episode. Management would be foolish to give up on a tandem that averaged nearly 50 points per game last season. Brooks and general manager Sam Presti need to be patient with the highly emotional Westbrook and allow him to figure things out on his own. Durant and Westbrook get along just fine off the court. They just need to find that harmony on the court. Oklahoma City is ready to play for a championship, and Durant needs Westbrook to make it happen.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
Heat star LeBron James (right) punish Vince Carter and the Mavericks for 37 points and 10 rebounds on Christmas Day. (REUTERS)
The Dallas Mavericks celebrated their 2011 NBA title with a spectacular ring ceremony and unveiling of the team’s first championship banner on Christmas Day. Then, they got their bell rung by a Miami Heat squad that looks extremely motivated and primed for a huge run in 2012. Here are five observations from opening day in the NBA:
LEBRON, HEAT LOOK SCARY GOOD
You never kick a man when he’s down and that’s what everyone in the basketball world did when LeBron James melted down in the 2011 NBA Finals. LeBron went into the offseason with one thing in mind: have more fun. It’s a simple approach but it could mean a world of difference for the two-time MVP because he simply didn’t do a good job of playing the role of villain. LeBron admitted he wasn’t himself last season and vowed to return to his old self by . . . smiling and joking more.
Micky Arison and Pat Riley were all smiles on Christmas Day after watching LeBron go for 37 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Heat’s 105-94 demolition of the Mavericks, spoiling Dallas’ championship banner day. The Heat have all their main parts intact, with some key additions in rookie point guard Norris Cole and reliable forward Shane Battier, and Dwyane Wade and LeBron appear to be in midseason form already. Both promised to post up more this season and they delivered in a big way in the opener, punishing the Mavs in the paint.
MAVERICKS HAVE SOME WORK TO DO
Entering the 2011-12 lockout-shortened season, the Mavs will have a brand new look. Tyson Chandler is off to New York, reliable backup point guard J.J. Barea (who absolutely killed the Lakers) is now in Minnesota, forward Caron Butler is now an L.A. Clipper, and sharp-shooter Peja Stojakovic has retired.
The Mavericks did add Vince Carter and Delonte West, and stole Lamar Odom from the Lakers. But one game into their season as defending champions, Carter was exposed on defense and Odom hasn’t gotten over the fact that he’s no longer a Laker. The Mavericks are a work in progress and will take time adjusting to their new pieces. The biggest difference is in the middle as Brendan Haywood proved he is not Tyson Chandler, especially on the defensive end where Chandler made his money last season.
NEVER COUNT OUT KOBE AND THE LAKERS
We already know about Kobe Bryant’s legendary pain threshold, having endure many, many injuries in the past only to overcome them all and thrive. But he took it a step further in the opener against the Chicago Bulls when he started the game and showed little effects of a torn ligament in his right wrist. Medical experts predicted such an injury required a 3-4 week rest period, but Bryant completely destroyed that recommendation. Just another chapter in the ever growing legend of Kobe Bryant.
Bryant finished with 28 points against the Bulls and his jump shot looked good. OK, so he did have eight turnovers and none bigger than the miscue with 16 seconds left in the game that allowed Derrick Rose to nail the game-winner. But in terms of the wrist and the chronic knee problems he’s had in the past, Kobe looked refreshed and was active on the court, especially on defense where new coach Mike Brown will have his most influence on this team.
The Lakers may have lost in the opener but they came away feeling pretty good considering Kobe was supposed to be out four weeks and starting center Andrew Bynum is serving a four-game suspension. The Bulls had the best record in the East last season and they were extremely lucky to leave Staples Center with a one-point win.
OKLAHOMA CITY IS LOCKED IN AND LOADED
After a disappointing loss in the Western Conference finals last season, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and the rest of the young and lively Thunder have been itching to get back on the court flying across the country and seemingly playing in every exhibition game possible.
The 66-game lockout-shortened season is tail0rmade for a team such as Oklahoma City because the core of the team stayed intact and it’ll get a full season with Kendrick Perkins as the man in the middle. Perkins may be limited offensively but his defense is top notch, as he proved Sunday night against the Orlando Magic when he frustrated Dwight Howard to just three points in the second half and 11 total points.
Durant poured in a game-high 30 points while Harden and Westbrook combined for 35 points. The emergence of Harden as a bonafide producer off the bench will be huge because that affords coach Scott Brooks to sit either Durant or Westbrook without missing a beat. Look for the Thunder to grab the No. 1 seed in the West.
NO QUIT IN THE CELTICS
Put a hold on that 401K plan for Kevin Garnett and Co. because the Boston Celtics are not ready to collect their severance package. Despite a roster full of guys on the other side of 30 years old, the Celtics gave the New York Knicks and their much-publicized frontcourt of Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler all they can handle in a 106-104 close win for New York. The Celtics can still defend and have added a little more scoring punch with the addition of Brandon Bass and Marquis Daniels.
Bass had the first 20-point, 10-rebound game of his career and he is an upgrade from “Big Baby” Davis. Daniels gives coach Doc Rivers more flexibility because he can play shooting guard or small forward. Once Paul Pierce returns from his heel injury, the Celtics will have a solid seven-man rotation. If Rajon Rondo, who had 31 points and 13 assists in the opener, can become more of a consistent offensive threat Boston will challenge the Bulls, Knicks and Heat for the best record in the East.
Lakers star Kobe Bryant is surrounded by reporters at the team's practice facility in El Segundo. (US PRESSWIRE)
You can’t blame Kobe Bryant for looking and feeling a little surly these days.
On the eve of training camp and the start of the 2011 free agency period, the Lakers thought they had All-Star point guard Chris Paul in a three-team deal. Just hours after the CP3 trade began circulating, commissioner David Stern nixed the trade citing the NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets were not getting enough in return.
Days after the Paul trade fell apart, the Lakers moved popular teammate Lamar Odom, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, to the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. How did Bryant react to the news? He said “I hope management knows what they’re doing!” Not exactly a ringing endorsement for general manager Mitch Kupchak and team executive Jim Buss.
Then, on Wednesday, the Clippers – the junior varsity team of Staples Center – landed the coveted Paul, and the Twitterverse started blowing up with plenty of chatter on how the Clippers have now surpassed the Lakers as the No. 1 in Los Angeles.
Two days later, on a very windy Friday afternoon in Southern California, TMZ reported that Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable differences” and asked for joint custody of the couple’s two daughters. TMZ said Vanessa is ending the 10-year marriage because Kobe has been unfaithful.
Talk about a rough last 48 hours for the Black Mamba! No wonder he left Friday’s practice without speaking to the media and was extra terse with reporters on Thursday when he was asked about the CP3 deal to the crosstown rival Clippers.
Despite all the trouble in Lakerland, Kobe Bryant remains focused on the task at hand, which is to chase his sixth NBA championship ring and a 17th title to the Lakers franchise.
Bryant reportedly looks great in practice and his troublesome knee seems to be healing well. Bryant still has 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to lean on offensively and defensively, and he still has good friend Derek Fisher by his side when things get crazy in the locker room. Newly acquired forward Josh McRoberts is a terrific athlete who will add energy and punch off the bench, and could start on occasion should Bynum or Gasol gets hurt. And don’t think for one second that the Lakers are done wheeling and dealing. They are still in play to obtain All-Star center Dwight Howard and they are still in the market for a point guard.
There are lots of questions left to be answered for the Lakers, including how the team will function without Phil Jackson’s trusty triangle offense and how long it will take them to trust first-year head coach Mike Brown. But one thing is for certain, Kobe Bryant is still one of the best players in the league and he will never allow the Lakers to play second-fiddle to anyone, especially the Clippers.
Kobe will file all the negativity surrounding his life and use them as motivation. Don’t ever count out Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
Celtics forward Glen Davis (left) and Heat forward LeBron James (GETTY IMAGES)
Basketball players have been referred to as the greatest athletes in the world. In the NBA, you see superbly conditioned athletes soar to the basket and throw down rim-rattling dunks or muscle past two or three defenders. Sometimes we marvel so much at these super beings that we, as fans, wonder how pro basketball players would do in another realm, such as pro football.
Because of the ongoing NBA lockout – and it seems like there won’t be any NBA games in the fall – I thought it would interesting to put together a football team comprised of current NBA players. Who knows? If the lockout persists, some of these guys may consider this crazy idea and apply for a job in the NFL. This concept has been written in the past, but not in the context where each NBA player is assigned a football position. So, without further ado, here is my 25-man, NBA-inspired gridiron gang:
QUARTERBACK
Rajon Rondo (6-1, 171)
– If Allen Iverson was still in the Association this would be an easy choice. Iverson was an all-state quarterback in high school and was considered a Michael Vick-type talent in the state of Virginia. But since A.I. is currently out of the NBA the next best option is Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. Here’s a little fact about Rondo: he was interested in football first before his mother steered him towards basketball because she felt the sport would be less punishing on her son’s skinny frame. When mom says “no” you have to comply. To play quarterback you must be a fearless leader and a high pain threshold. Rondo showed his fortitude when he dislocated his elbow during a playoff game against the Miami Heat last season and came back to finish the game, basically playing with one arm. Here’s another fact about Rondo: he can throw the football. We have visual evidence.
RUNNING BACKS
Derrick Rose (6-1, 190)
– Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said he knew Curt Warner could play running back for him after watching him in a pickup basketball game. Paterno says if you can run, plant, cut, and change direction quickly on the basketball court then you can play running back on the football field. In terms of changing gears without skipping a beat, very few players in the world can match the Chicago Bulls’ superstar guard.
Deron Williams (6-2, 209)
– Williams attended The Colony High School in Texas, and we all know football is king in the state of Texas. D-Will was also a highly touted wrestler as a youngster, so he is no stranger to using leverage and doesn’t shy away from contact. At 209 pounds, Williams could be a very capable tailback in the NFL.
TIGHT END
LeBron James (6-8, 255)
– The tight end position is where basketball players seem to have the most success on the football field. Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez were power forwards in college before they were drafted as tight ends in the NFL. LeBron was an all-state wide receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio, but he would be better served as a tight end because he would be an absolute nightmare to cover for any linebacker or safety. On running plays, LeBron can use his 255-pound frame to block on the edges. As long as the games are not close in the fourth quarter, LeBron make an excellent every-down tight end. Look away Cavaliers fans. This next video is going to be tough to stomach.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Matt Barnes (6-7, 226)
– The Los Angeles Lakers forward was a former all-state wide receiver at Del Campo High School (Calif.) so he can definitely play the position. Barnes is a tough player who doesn’t mind getting dirty. He should be a perfect candidate to go over the middle and catch passes in tight zones. Barnes may not be Hines Ward in terms of blocking, but he’ll irritate the heck out of the opposing defensive backs.
Gerald Wallace (6-7, 220)
–Anyone with a nickname like “Crash” could definitely play football. Wallace is known for his high energy and reckless style, which are two football attributes. He has the speed to catch the deep ball – and we know he can jump – and he’s tough enough to make plays over the middle. Wallace, who spent just one year at the University of Alabama, could have been a Julio Jones-type player for Nick Saban.
KICK RETURNER
Darren Collison (6-0, 160)
– The Indiana Pacers’ guard is an absolute blur on the court, able to change gears without losing any speed. Collison can thank his parents for his sprinter’s speed as both were former elite track runners from Guyana. If it were not for his undying devotion to the game of basketball, Collison easily could have been running track instead of running point.
KICKER
Kobe Bryant (6-6, 205)
– We all know Kobe played soccer when he was in Italy. He follows the sport religiously and has, on more than one occasion, displayed his soccer skills on the pitch. NFL kickers are all soccer-style kickers. Given enough practice and proper technique, Kobe should be able to pick up the nuances of kicking field goals. Kobe is a perfectionist, so if this challenge was presented in front of him he will attack it like a Black Mamba. Because so many football games are won or lost with last-second field goals, who better to put in clutch situations than Kobe Bryant.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Kevin Love (6-10, 260)
Al Horford (6-10, 245)
DeJuan Blair (6-7, 270)
Luis Scola (6-9, 245)
Kris Humphries (6-9, 240)
– Blocking in football is similar to setting screens in basketball, except when you use both hands on a screen you’ll get called for a foul. All five of the players mentioned above can all set good picks. But more importantly, each player plays with a bit of a nasty streak, which comes in handy when you need to get a first down on fourth-and-1. San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair played for Jamie Dixon at Pitt. Blair earned a reputation of having a football player’s mentality while competing in the rugged Big East Conference. Blair runs very well despite his big frame and you don’t have to worry about him tearing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament because he doesn’t have one. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, who led the NBA in rebounding in 2010-11, has good size and extremely good hands, which will help him grab an oncoming speed rusher. Kris Humphries’ father, William, played football at the University of Minnesota so you know Kris has been exposed to his share of football games as a youngster. As an added bonus, Kris is married to Kim Kardashian so he certainly knows how to protect a backside. Atlanta Hawks center/forward Al Horford and Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola have little football background but both are bulldogs and won’t back down from anyone.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Glen Davis (6-8, 295)
– Can’t think of a better anchor on defensive line than Celtics power forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who has always bragged that he could play in the NFL. Who’s gonna argue with a 295-pound man? Not me. But Davis’ claim is not a stretch. He was a terrific two-way football player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, starring at defensive end, defensive tackle and tailback. Yes, tailback! He scored 15 touchdowns his junior year in high school so he could be a tremendous goal-line back. But Big Baby hung up his cleats for good when he received a basketball scholarship from LSU. Watch Davis’ football highlight tape (he’s No. 66).
Kendrick Perkins (6-10, 275)
– Perkins is Davis’ former Celtics teammate and currently wears the Oklahoma City Thunder colors. Big Perk has a scowl only a mother could love, and that’s probably why he is among the league leaders in technical fouls. Any NFL coach would love to have almost 600 pounds of mass in Big Baby and Perk in the middle of a defensive line. It would be like moving two giant boulders.
Dwight Howard (6-11, 265)
– The Orlando Magic all-star center has the size, strength and agility that would make any defensive line coach drool. Howard’s freakish athleticism is suited at defensive end. He can rush the passer and, using his 40-inch vertical leap, bat down any ball that comes his way. He would be absolutely intimidating if he could only wipe that big smile off his face.
Zach Randolph (6-9, 260)
– Zach Randolph played for Michigan State taskmaster Tom Izzo. If you know Coach Izzo, he runs basketball practice like football practice. Z-Bo is a double-double machine for the Memphis Grizzlies. On the football field, he could command double teams.
LINEBACKERS
Ron Artest (6-7, 250)
– In building a defense, you start with a nasty, punch-you-in-the-mouth middle linebacker. With that in mind, can you name anyone crazier in the NBA than Ron Artest? I think not. He may have recently changed his name to Metta World Peace, but there is absolutely nothing peaceful about the man who calls his record label TruWarier.
Chuck Hayes (6-6, 238)
– Chuck Hayes may no longer fit the profile of a great athlete because he has become such a brute force inside for the Rockets, but when he was at Modesto Christian High School (Calif.) Hayes was recruited by UCLA, Oregon State, Notre Dame and Michigan to play college football. “I was LeBron before LeBron,” boasted Hayes, who played quarterback, wide receiver and safety in high school. However, college recruiters wanted the Rockets forward/center to play tight end, and Hayes said he didn’t like to get hit or never had the desire to block so he chose to play basketball for the University of Kentucky instead.
Tyler Hansbrough (6-9, 250)
– Nobody questions Tyler Hansbrough’s grit. During a heated game against rival Duke, the former North Carolina All-American busted his nose and had blood dripping down his face. But that wasn’t enough to knock him out of the game as the man known as Psycho T kept on playing and didn’t miss a beat. Dick Butkus would have been proud.
CORNERBACKS
Nate Robinson (5-8, 200)
– Nate the Great is the only player on this entire list who actually play college football. Robinson played point guard in basketball and cornerback in football for the University of Washington. Robinson is a physically gifted athlete who can run all day and is built like granite. He is such a well-conditioned athlete that he could probably be a good two-way player.
Robinson’s reputation as a football stud didn’t get lost with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who invited him to Seahawks camp this year. Robinson didn’t show up, but he may have to revisit that offer if the 2011-12 NBA season is wiped out.
Tony Allen (6-4, 213)
– Grizzlies guard Tony Allen is one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the NBA and could transition into a solid man-to-man cover corner. In 2005, Allen was charged with aggravated battery stemming from an altercation outside a restaurant in Chicago. Police charges? Battery? Altercation? Sounds like Allen has a little bit of Pacman Jones in him.
SAFETIES
Russell Westbrook (6-3, 190)
– Westbrook is considered one of the fastest players in basketball, and he could certainly give Philadelphia Eagles speedster DeSean Jackson a run for his money in the 40-yard dash. The ultra-quick Oklahoma City guard can cover a lot of ground, making him an ideal candidate to play free safety.
Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
– Before he became a full-time hoopster, Wade played wide receiver and defensive back for high school football powerhouse Richards High in Oak Lawn, Ill. Wade has the size to make plays at the line of scrimmage, and he can certainly outjump and outrun a lot of NFL receivers and tight ends. Wade grew up watching the Chicago Bears as a youth so you know he’s familiar with the Monsters of the Midway.
PUNTER
Steve Nash (6-3, 178)
– When Nash attended St. Michaels University School near Victoria, British Columbia, he starred in soccer and didn’t gravitate to basketball until he was 13. He showcased his soccer skills during the 2007 NBA All-Star game in Las Vegas when he aided then Phoenix Suns teammate Amar’e Stoudemire in the dunk contest. Nash can be a field-goal kicker or punter, but since we already have Kobe at kicker, Nash will have to channel his inner Ray Guy.
There you have it. A 25-man football team comprised of current NBA players. Since Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen owns the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks, he is the right man to sign the checks for this fantasy football team. We should also ask Mr. Allen to end the lockout so we don’t have to write about silly topics such as “NBA players who could play in the NFL.”
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.
NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter (GETTY IMAGES)
Back in 1998, the NBA suffered a huge financial setback and public relations black eye when the league wiped 32 regular-season games and the best it could do was put together a 50-game schedule that started in January. Union executive director Billy Hunter was asked who won or lost in the collective bargaining war and explained that neither side came out unscatched.
“Did we blink? I guess we both blinked,” Hunter said hours after a new deal was reached in January of 1999 to save the season and the playoffs.
Fast forward to 2011 and we are in the same place again. Deja vu!
It’s like a bad Hollywood sequel. “The Lockout II” stars David Stern, reprising his role as the commissioner, and Hunter returns as the union’s embattled executive director. “The Lockout II” introduces a couple of new characters, Derek Fisher replaces Patrick Ewing as the union president and Adam Silver takes over for Russ Granik as the league’s deputy commissioner. However, the storyline and plot remains the same. Ultimately, the big dramatic final scene the players are expecting won’t reach the cutting room floor because the ending has already been written.
Even the script from the league hasn’t changed, just needing some very minor editing. Granik took the podium and addressed the media in 1998 and said the current system is broken. Silver didn’t have the benefit of a podium in 2011 but his message was basically the same. He said on Monday that the current system is broken.
Contrary to what Hunter said 13 years ago, the big winner from the 1998 lockout were the players. Let’s face it, from 2000 to 2010, the players – especially the superstars – enjoyed the fruits of the very long and hard labor debate of ’98. If the players didn’t think they won the last fight, then check out these numbers:
– $19.2 million for Gilbert Arenas.
– $21.2 million for Kevin Garnett.
– $21.3 million for Tim Duncan.
– $22.1 million for Rashard Lewis.
– $25.2 million for Kobe Bryant.
Those were the estimated salaries earned by each player last season. Kobe certainly earned his paycheck but you can argue that the other four were severely overpaid. Arenas was a bit player for the Orlando Magic and has never been the same since multiple knee surgeries. Duncan and Garnett are well past their primes and Lewis’ contract was like stealing money and is the very reason why the system has severe flaws.
The players will argue that nobody put a gun to the owners’ heads when they wrote these massive checks, so the players have a very good argument there. However, the owners will argue that under the current system overpaying for talent is the only way to stay competitive.
Two former NBA players who lived through the 1998 lockout were Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller. Barkley, who now works as a studio analyst for TNT, recently said on NBA TVs “Game Time” that besides revenue distribution the one gigantic issue hovering over this year’s lockout is competitive balance.
“We can’t have all our stars playing in just the major markets. It’s not fair to the game, it’s not fair to the system,” Barkley explained, an obvious strike at LeBron James’ highly debated decision to leave Cleveland for Miami last summer.
“This thing is about competitive balance,” Barkley continued. “Commissioner Stern, who I tell people is the best commissioner in sports and it has been that way for a long time, he’s not gonna let the NBA [become] like pro baseball where it is top heavy. All the teams with the most money get all the stars and then we have 10, 15 franchises dormant. He’s not going to let that happen.”
According to NBA insider David Aldridge, the Los Angeles Lakers’ team payroll reached $110 million last season. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings had an estimated team payroll of $44 million.
One way to combat the disparity between the have and the have-nots is having a bonafide superstar in each market. “You can have a bad team in a small market, but at least if you have a star that team can make money,” Barkley said. “You’ve got something to sell to the public. But if you are not gonna have these stars in these small markets they are not gonna survive.”
Miller, who also works for TNT, agrees with Barkley but has a pointed message for the owners. “Stop overspending on these mediocre players!” the former Indiana Pacers guard said on NBA TV. “Maybe you should hire better general managers who can evaluate talent better. There’s no way you give Rashard Lewis $120 million, a 30-year-old shooting guard in Joe Johnson $130 million, Travis Outlaw five years $30 million. Start looking at your general managers. That’s the reason why we are in this mess in the first place because you can’t assess talent well.”
Miller predicts the players will blink and there will be a 50-game season, starting in January. However, Miller also said he wouldn’t be surprised if the whole 2011-12 season is wiped out. Barkley sees a lost season if the players don’t agree to the 50-50 revenue split on basketball related income.
“If they get a 50-50 split they can make money. If they get a hard cap that can work, or they can have a better revenue sharing system,” Barkley said. “The NBA has been preparing not to play this season for two years. When they went through the whole LeBron thing for the whole season, then the Chris Bosh thing happened. Then you have the whole ‘Where is Chris Paul going next, where is Dwight Howard going?’ You can see the NBA saying ‘We’ve got to stop this.’ ”
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him @onemanfastbreak.
After a nonproductive day on the collective bargaining table with the players’ association NBA commissioner David Stern and his deputy Adam Silver said on Tuesday that the 2011-12 NBA preseason has been wiped out, and if no new deal is in place by Oct. 10 then Stern has no choice but to cancel the first two weeks of the regular season.
If you are judging from home and looking at this whole ordeal from the outside, it appears that Stern and the owners are winning this battle. The league is basically waiting for the players to crack, and it will be just a matter of time before that happens. Poor Derek Fisher, the embattled union president who has had the unenviable task of trying to keep his troops intact while satisfying those power-hungry agents. It’s like asking a bunch of 5-year-olds to not run around during recess. It’s an impossible task.
Just like 1998 when the season was cut down to 50 games, the players stood their ground until the majority of the players peeled off from the union and buckled under the pressure of losing their livelihood. Stern doesn’t seem concerned at all about losing regular season games in 2011 – and possibly the entire 2011-12 season for that matter – because that was the plan all along by the owners when the current deal expired on July 1.
“I don’t think they’re gonna play this year,” TNT commentator and Hall-of-Famer Charles Barkley said on NBATV. “I think the owners have said ‘You know what, we’re gonna be like hockey. We’re gonna have to burn down the house and start over, come in with a cap and make this thing competitive for all the teams.’ That’s what the owners have said from the beginning. They’re not gonna budge this time. They’re not gonna play at all this year.”
TNT commentator Charles Barkley
Barkley noted that one of the biggest mistakes the players are making is that they are banking on a repeat of 1998, but the difference this time around is the fact that the owners are more willing to sacrifice the entire season to save their own bank accounts.
“I think the players are getting screwed by 1998. In the back of the players’ mind they are [thinking] ‘Oh, we’ll start the season in January.’ I don’t think you can compare ’98 to 2011,” Barkley said. “We’ve been in a recession for the last two or three years, some of these teams are really hurting, players’ salaries have continued to go up and they’re gonna continue to go up.
“The owners are saying ‘We’ll lose less money by not playing at all.’ I think that’s been their strategy from the beginning.”
As for the option of playing overseas, Barkley says this strategy only benefits the superstars. “This probably hurt the players,” Barkley said. “This thing is about stars, and the stars have been somewhat selfish talking about going overseas. The majority of the players are not gonna be able to go overseas.”
Barkley believes this current standoff could have been avoided had guys like Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant gotten more involved in the early stages of the lockout. Instead, after being absent for much of the summer, the stars came out in droves and crashed the collective bargaining meetings in New York, which made it harder to get a deal done. Wade and Stern reportedly got into a verbal joust in one of the weekend sessions, adding more tension to an already stressful situation.
“Those stars just started showing up [to the meetings] for the last week. They should have been in there [from the beginning],” Barkley said. “The stars have more to lose than anybody. They just showed up last week, and it’s too late. They should have been in there like a month ago.”
Barkley added, “The people who work for these teams and work in these arenas they’re the big losers.”
Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has been offered $3 million to play 10 games for Virtus Bologna in Italy. (GETTY IMAGES)
Kobe Bryant recently said it would be a dream to play in Italy. Well, that dream could soon become reality as Virtus Bologna says it has reached a verbal agreement with the 33-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar that would pay him $3 million to play 10 games in 40 days in the Italian League.
Assuming the NBA lockout persists, and there is a strong possibility the regular season won’t start on time, playing in Italy is the better option for Bryant. It is not like Kobe is getting a job at an exterior painting company in Vancouver. He’s going into an ideal situation. He can take his daughters on an extended European vacation, take his beautiful wife out shopping in Milan, enjoy some rest and relaxation in Venice, and play basketball on the side. That’s a great gig! Besides, playing in the Italian League is a heck of a lot better than running around the country looking for the next charity league game that hopefully includes some NBA players.
Kobe has already done Rucker Park and the Drew League and he absolutely dominated because, let’s face it, both were glorified scrimmages and the competition bordered on ridiculousness. Kobe loves a challenge and playing in the ultra-competitive environment of the Euroleague would be more beneficial to him than any Mike Brown training camp.
The deal includes a provision that would allow Bryant to return to the Lakers as soon as the lockout is lifted, so that should keep Jerry Buss from falling out of his poker chair. Virtus is trying to convince other Italian League owners to agree to changing the schedule so the deal is far from done, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard.
Broussard says Virtus – which hasn’t won a league title since 2001 – wants to load up home games in October and host them at larger arenas to accommodate the throngs of fans expected to flood the league from Oct. 9 to Nov. 16 if/when Kobe signs the contract. Broussard also reported that other Italian clubs may jump in and offer Kobe a better deal, so this could turn into a bidding war.
Several NBA players, including J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler, have signed to play overseas and Bucks forward Chris Douglas-Roberts signed with Virtus and is already practicing with the club. But having Kobe Bryant, arguably the most popular athlete in the worth, in the Italian League would be a monumental event. It would be comparable to watching the cast of “Jersey Shore” going an entire week without drinking alcohol and pumping their fists in Florence.
What makes this thing real enticing for Kobe is the fact that he has a soft spot for Italy. He spent the better part of his childhood there, it is place where he first fell in love with the game while watching his father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, and he speaks the language.
”Italy is my home. It’s where my dream of playing in the NBA started. This is where I learned the fundamentals, learned to shoot, to pass and to (move) without the ball,” Bryant recently told Gazzetta dello Sport in fluent Italian. ”All things that when I came back to America the players my age didn’t know how to do because they were only thinking about jumping and dunking.”
Bryant added, “It’s a huge honor for me to return to Italy. It’s home for me. It’s always been a dream for me to play in Italy. We’ve got to wait and see what happens.”
Here are two key issues for Bryant to consider: training camp with the Lakers won’t be the same this year and the season is not likely to start on time. The Lakers now have Mike Brown running the camp, and because of the lockout he won’t have a full training camp to implement his schemes and philosophies, it will be a total cram session. Also, Brown will be hard pressed to change the culture in L.A. in a month because he’s following the great Phil Jackson.
The Lakers ran the triangle offense for a decade and it resulted in five NBA championships. Brown has only been to the NBA Finals once and his Cleveland Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. There is nothing Brown can tell Kobe that Kobe has not heard before. This union is similar to the situation the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts endured when Jim Caldwell took over for Tony Dungy to coach Peyton Manning. Caldwell may be the coach in title, but the Colts are Manning’s team.
The same scenario for the Lakers. Brown may be the coach, but the Lakers are Kobe’s team. Basically, all Brown will be asked to do is manage Kobe’s minutes, and that is it. Would it surprise anyone if Kobe waved off Brown during the final 10 seconds of game? Not me. In fact, it wouldn’t be a total stretch to see Kobe call an audible and run an old Phil Jackson play instead of a new Mike Brown play.
So, if you are Kobe Bryant, here are your options: slog through an NBA boot camp with a coach who underachieved in Cleveland or spend a month in Italy where he’ll be treated like a god? It’s an easy choice.
Michael Jordan didn’t get the opportunity to play in Europe, so that’s one more reason for Bryant to consider.
Each year, OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best players in the NBA. The ranking system is based on ONE MAN’S opinion and doesn’t conform to the All-NBA format where you have to pick one center, two forwards and two guards. It is strictly based on last season’s performance, regardless of position, with more weight placed in how each player did in the playoffs. Last season’s top five: Kobe Bryant (1), LeBron James (2), Dwyane Wade (3), Chris Paul (4) and Dwight Howard (5).
Before people jump all over this list and start screaming for LeBron James, the biggest reason why LeBron is no longer in the top five after being rated No. 2 last year is simply because he gave up his top-five ranking when he signed with the Miami Heat and become Dwyane Wade’s sidekick. LeBron’s decision to leave his Batman status in Cleveland and settle for the Robin of South Beach was a stunning admission by the self-proclaimed king of basketball that he doesn’t want to be the leading man and is perfectly content playing a supporting role. If LeBron leads the Heat to a championship and wins Finals MVP then he regains his status as a top-five player. But for the time being, he’s at No. 6.
OneManFastBreak.net rates the five best players in the NBA in 2011.
5. DWIGHT HOWARD
Orlando Magic, Center
Superman II remains the most dominant big man in the game today. Though his statistics were not-so-super in 2010, he redeemed himself by increasing his scoring (22.9) and rebounding (14.1) in 2011. His shot-blocking remains superb (2.4 per game) and he has added a few post moves to his offensive repertoire. The extra moves boosted his scoring average from 18.3 in 2010 to 22.9 in 2011. He also averaged more field goal attempts (13.4) while maintaining his high-percentage shooting (59%). Even though the Magic had a disappointing run in the postseason, losing to the Hawks in the first round, Howard did everything but sell popcorn in the series, averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds. Howard has very little competition at the center position so he should be able to lock up first-team status for the next five to 10 years.
4. DERRICK ROSE
Chicago Bulls, Point Guard
Since becoming the face of the Chicago Bulls in 2008, Derrick Rose has been nothing short of sensational. He has managed to carve his own stature for a franchise that housed the great Michael Jordan and the incomparable Scottie Pippen. Rose is different from other superstars. He is quiet and humble, and always quick to point to himself whenever he makes a mistake. That is quite refreshing when you think about it, especially since the majority of stars in the NBA rarely blame themselves for anything. Rose’s game has evolved so much that he went from not being ranked last year on OMFB to No. 4, jumping over Dwight Howard. In just three seasons, Rose has become the league MVP and unquestioned leader of a team that reached the 2011 Eastern Conference finals. He jumped his scoring average from 20.8 in 2010 to 25.0 in 2011, and his improved his shooting from the 3-point line (from 26% to 33%) and free throw line (76% to 85%).
3. DWYANE WADE
Miami Heat, Shooting Guard
Some thought D-Wade’s status as one of the five best players in the game would come down a peg with the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh in Miami. Well, not only did Wade find a way to coexist with two other superstars with a spectacular regular season but he enhanced his reputation as a big-time performer with a very good series against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. Without a doubt, Wade was Miami’s best player in The Finals. Through the first five games of the series, you could argue that Wade was the best player in the series and was on his way to a second NBA Finals MVP until his buddy LeBron failed to support him in the last five games. Wade scored 22, 36, 29, 32 and 23 points for the Heat, but somehow disappeared in Game 6 as the Mavericks clinched the championship on the Heat’s home floor. Nonetheless, Wade reaffirmed his place in the game with another outstanding postseason.
And now, for the top two. Drum roll please ….
2. KOBE BRYANT
Los Angeles Lakers, Shooting Guard
The Black Mamba has been the best player on the planet (according to OMFB) the last four years, but age and tons of mileage on his body finally caught up with No. 24. The two-time NBA Finals MVP and five-time world champion still had a decent season, but “decent” is not a word normally associated with the always driven Bryant. He suffered through a very average series against Dallas in the 2011 Western Conference semifinals, and without his usual explosiveness Bryant was pinned to the floor and barely had any lift on his legs. The most telling statistic in the L.A.-Dallas series was Bryant’s inability to get easy buckets. He went to the line just 15 times in the four-game sweep, and didn’t have any dunks. At this stage of Kobe’s career, he’s not into statistics or individual awards. It’s all about The Ring. He knows his Lakers are built for the long haul and he doesn’t have to carry the load night after night. Besides, the soon-to-be 32-year-old star understands that he needs to start preserving his body. Although when challenged, he can always put on his Black Mamba game face and devour anyone who tries to get in his path. He knows his legacy is secured and his Hall-of-Fame pass is waiting for him at the doors of Springfield, Mass. About the only thing missing on his checklist is the No. 7. That’s the number championship rings he needs to win to surpass Jordan.
1. DIRK NOWITZKI
Dallas Mavericks, Forward
First, I’d like to apologize to Dirk for not including him on the list last season. But even after his stupendous performance in the 2011 NBA playoffs, leading the Mavericks to their first NBA title and winning the Finals MVP, I still have a hard time figuring out how in the world did Dirk did it. I mean, this was a guy who, in the previous 12 years of his career, has been labeled “soft” or “can’t win the big one.” All of that changed once the playoffs began as Nowitzki went on an incredible run that saw him destroy Kobe, Kevin Durant, LeBron and D-Wade. Winning a championship certainly solidified Dirk’s place in history, and removed all doubt about his ability to rise to the occasion. It began in the Portland series in which the Mavericks used a devastating playoff loss to fuel a turnaround that is not usually associated with a Dallas team. Then, in the Lakers series, Dirk and the Mavs seemingly had answer for anything Phil Jackson threw at them. In the West finals against Oklahoma City, Nowitzki outgunned Durant, including two 40-point games. Against the star-studded Heat in The Finals, Nowitzki exorcised his demons with two game-winning baskets – one against Bosh and the other against Udonis Haslem, his old nemesis from 2006. Dirk also showed tremendous grit by playing almost the entire series with a torn tendon in his left finger. Not many picked the Mavericks to win the championship, but it’s a testament to Dirk and the resilient Mavs for proving to all those so-called basketball experts out there (including the editor of OMFB) that perception and history are overrated. Dirk Nowitzki finally shed the poor perception about him and rewrote history. With exception of a few occasions, the MVP of the NBA Finals should be considered the No. 1 player in the game. And, without a doubt, Dirk Nowitzki has earned the right to be called THE BEST PLAYER IN THE GAME.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak. (Photos courtesy of Getty Images and US Presswire)
Bulls guard Derrick Rose drives through Pacers Danny Granger (back) and Paul George (right) during Game 5 of the 2011 Eastern Conference first-round series in Chicago. (GETTY IMAGES)
Injuries are always going to play a major role in sports, but they get magnified in the playoffs, and especially when it’s a star player. Derrick Rose of Chicago and Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles were both questionable with sprained ankles as they headed into Tuesday’s games, but like the warriors they are, their ankles weren’t a problem.
The Bulls went into their Game 5 matchup with Indiana looking to send the pesky Pacers home, and the focus for those betting on the NBA spread was on Rose’s ankle as he was seen in a walking boot prior to tip-off. But during the game, the only worry for Rose was foul trouble, and he even shook that off to drop 25 points in a 116-89 thrashing of the Pacers at home. Rose fueled a third-quarter run that put the game out of reach for the Bulls, and now he has a couple of days to rest his ankle before the next round.
The Lakers were a bit more worried about Bryant heading into their Game 5 clash with New Orleans, but all questions were answered in the second quarter when Bryant drove the lane and dunked on Emeka Okafor, which really gave the Lakers a spark en route to a 106-90 romp.
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant throws down a spectacular slam dunk over Hornets center Emeka Okafor. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Bryant was one of six Lakers in a balanced performance, but clearly he was the star of the show and it brought us back to young Kobe, the one who wore No.8 and had a small afro back in the day when he was taking Brandy to his prom. Young Kobe did that seemingly once a game and if you were in his way, you were in trouble. It was also encouraging to see that Bryant didn’t have to jack up 30 shots for the Lakers to be effective; they feed off his energy regardless.
