Did You Know Garnett Is An Irish Name?

Unforunatley, I am forced to blog about Kevin Garnett's move to the Celtics. This is because as a sports blogger, and specifically one of basketballic proportions, I must recognize this move as one of the most significant in recent memory.
KG is arguabley the best player in the NBA and many, myself included, thought he would end his career in Minnesota. Instead, he sacrificed his insane loyalty and moved himself to a team that doesn't even recognize draft karma as a tangible entity.
You can argue that Pierce and Allen are better players than Garnett has ever had the pleasure of playing with, and that would be true (the next best set is Cassell and Sprewell... awful), but as they both play the same position (with poor health history) and hog the ball even more than Garnett does, this franchise will go nowhere fast. Garnett's not getting any younger and this three year deal may solidify his title of best player to continually fail. And I'm not talking like Reggie Miller fail, I mean like "this team may win the Atlantic Division only once or twice" fail.
That being said, this move can't possibly hurt the Celtics, the 06-07 season's version of the 05-06 Knicks (best comparison I could come up with), and it will sell plenty of tickets. On the downside for Boston, they better be right about this guy because they sacrificed every young talent they had in order to get him. (Prediction: In eight years, Gerald Green will dunk on a a walker using Kevin Garnett hobbling around in the lane).
Is it possible for three aging, shoot first, ball-demanding, highly paid superstars to win some games? Sure, but don't excpect another Bean Town Dynasty.

The Atlanta Krunk: Stylin' and Profilin'

Now, in what will almost assuredly not become a regular post, Game Recognize Game brings you news from the CBA.
The most exciting news in the CBA is the upcoming season for the Atlanta Krunk, the Continental Basketball Associations answer to a lack of interest from Lil’ Jon fans. Well, this franchise should more than capture their attention. In case you don’t know about the Krunk, I bring you the key aspects of the team through a photo album.
Duane “Spider” Hughes recently announced that the Krunk, formerly the “Atlanta Krunk Wolverines” would be moving from Charlotte to Atlanta, silencing all those who doubted their strangely specific name choice.
Check the logo:



This move was not only met with a myriad of screaming fans but also a stylish new uniform, to be supplied by sole sponsor Starbury.
Check the uni:



As every true hoops fan knows, moves and execution like this would be impossible without true professionals behind the wheel. Former all-star and now coach Kenny Anderson here with co-owner Freedom Williams to his left and assistant coach Lamont Moreno (the guy who looks like Martin Lawrence), to his right.
Check the staff:



And of course, a business opportunity such as this would have investors everywhere peeing their pants. Kenny Anderson isn’t the only lucky guy who gets to be associated with the franchise. Stephon Marbury jumped at the opportunity as well.
Check Stephon cheesin’ with Freedom:



So, if you don’t know now you know… Krunk fans.

Glory Be...

Basketball ads have been pretty memorable, from the Freestyle commercial to the many faces of LeBron, Nike has contributed more than its fare share of television memories. Never have they done it better, however, than these two old school parodies in which they superimpose Vince Carter and others into old ABA clips. These are two of my favorite basketball commercials ever.

NBA Summer League: The Good, the Bad and the Jianlian

Given some time to contemplate (not to mention read a helpful ESPN article) I have a few opinions about some select players’ performances in Vegas this summer.

The guys you’re interested in:
1) Greg Oden. You have all heard about what an embarrassment this guy was for the Blazers. As I’ve said, the NBA Summer League doesn’t supply an accurate portrayal of the actual season, but you would expect this guy to get more points than fouls but despite his inability to do so, it is unfair to label him a dud. He only played two games due to his enraged tonsils and during the season he will hopefully spend a little more time utilizing that body of his. Bottom line: Hopefully, this Summer League will force the Blazers to put Oden behind Aldridge, at least for a little while.
2) Kevin Durant. Well, this guy delivered what we all expected: buckets. 24 points per game isn’t bad, but he definitely has some things to work on. Lots of points seems unavoidable when you put up as many shots as this guy did. His amazing moments were often met with equally uninspiring ones. No need to fear Sonics, some refining will turn this rookie into the immediate impact player you want. Bottom line: After some pampering and tutelage, this guy will be great, even on defense.
3) Mike Conley Jr. A classy guy with a high basketball IQ. He’s fast and may be able to get some of his sub-par Grizzly teammates involved. There’s not much to say about this guy considering he met everyone’s expectations. Bottom line: He’s just what Memphis needs and after some work on his jumper, will be a dominant guard for years.
4) Yi Jianlian: As a principle, I tend to hate all foreign basketball players. As much skepticism as I met this guy with, he managed to impress me. He’s around 6’10” and plays SF as well as anyone. By no means is he a high flyer but he’s powerful, smart and can shoot. He got plenty of opportunities to touch the ball while playing with the crappy Chinese National Team. I expect him to make an impact with the Bucks if his handlers deem Milwaukee honorable enough to sign his paycheck. Bottom line: His combination of size and skill should impress but NBA bigs will have no problem shutting him down.

Some snippets:
1) Spencer Hawes. Shot 44%, shameful for a big man who’s supposed to be skilled and failed to get to the line in the Summer League. Not looking good.
2) Thaddeus Young. Got better as the week went on and finished with 20 and 10 in the last game. A beast on the offensive boards.
3) Julian Wright. Yet another athletic wingman, he was very inconsistent. Probably won’t be a factor with the Hornets for a while.

The best:
1) Nate Robinson: The NBA named this guy their MVP and I’d have to agree, except that he’s a 3rd year veteran. Between playing at random parks in NY and playing against rookies, this guy needs to find a gym to work out in. All that said, he really did everything well and led the Knicks to 5-0. If only the real Knicks could start winning.
2) Louis Williams. Here is the true MVP. One year has done wonders for this guy’s game and I couldn’t ask for a more promising guard to play behind Andre Miller. (His teammate Rodney Carney looked good too).
3) Randy Foye. Definitely the most athletic guy in the league. He scored at will and made some posters out of Yi.

The only things that will stay consistent in the regular season are Durant’s shooting (33% but plenty of points), Conley’s dominance (he’s fast enough to be considered speedy compared to anyone) and, hopefully, Oden’s lack of time (not to say he won’t play, just maybe behind and impressive Aldridge).

Game Recognize Andre Iguodala

First, an introduction: I’ll be profiling some of my favorite players in these “Game Recognize…” spots and hopefully you will learn to like them as much as I do. These players should be known, but not quite superstars. Maybe they will reach that level one day, but as I present a basketball blog, I feel that some lesser known players should be recognized and though these posts will certainly not propel them to superstar status, somebody somewhere will keep a lookout for these guys.




















Let’s kick it off with Andre Iguodala. As a diehard Philadelphia 76ers fan, I love watching this guy throw down. As the true 2006 NBA Dunk Contest champion, he is no stranger above the rim. But what’s most intriguing about this guy is that the Sixers will need him to step up this year. They’ll be looking to him to fill in the former A.I.’s leadership role, and he’s willing to step up to the challenge.
“I’m capable of being in that role and willing to have it”, says Iggy. He’s already backed that up with his game. After losing Iverson, the Sixers turned to Andre, and he delivered. They finished up the season with a record of 17 and 9 and Iguodala provided Sports Center with plenty of highlights. I’m definitely not afraid for the Sixers’ future under this guy.
In an NBA dominated by young SG/SF players, Iguodala is often overshadowed. “When I guard guys like Kobe, Paul Pierce, LeBron, Dwade, Melo, I learn things”. He seems unconcerned with fame, he just wants to emulate some of the best players and turn the franchise around. It is impossible to be unimpressed with the Chi-town product as he catches impossible oops from teammate Andre Miller while remaining humble but confident.
A fan really can’t ask for more from a player. Iggy is young, explosive, talented and stepping into a vital leadership role. Many people see Sixers fans as depressed, angry haters, but I can’t wait for next season because win or lose, the new spirit of the team brought by this guy is bound to pay off at some point.



So, keep an eye on this guy in 07-08. With one of the best passers in Miller at the point and a new leadership role, Iggy will not disappoint.

Ready or Not: High Schoolers Have Made History

The issue of an age-limit has been nothing if not controversial as it applies to NBA eligibility. As the rule is now, a player must be at least 19 and one year removed from high school in order to be eligible which leads players to attend at least one year of college. As a fairly nerdy academia myself, I am in favor of this rule, but there are certainly reasonable arguments against it.
Even though the jump straight to the L has destroyed as many lives as it has improved the fact that the choice is left up to the players means the blame is really left on them. Sure, they’re kids, but as Uncle Ben would say, “with great power comes great responsibility”. No matter how you view the rule, some high schoolers have made hige impacts in the NBA and some of the best players playing now came straight outta high school.
The trend all started when the Sixers took Darryl Dawkins 5th in 1975 and after he took them to the NBA Finals in ’77, it was popularized. Moses Malone came straight out to, and though Shawn Kemp technically enrolled in college, he never played a game. But the true flow of high schoolers was kicked off by Kevin Garnett. Though skinny and young, he was athletic enough to make an impact right away and this inspired some of the best players to come right out. Since then, plenty of high schoolers have made history by coming into the NBA. Here are some of the best:

’96: Kobe Bryant - Charlotte Hornets
Jermaine O’Neal – Portland Trail Blazers

’97: Tracy McGrady – Toronto Raptors

’98: Al Harrington – Indiana Pacers
Rashard Lewis – Seattle Supersonics

’00: Darius Miles – Los Angeles Clippers

’01: Eddy Curry – Chicago Bulls
Tyson Chandler – Los Angeles Clippers

’02: Amare Stoudemire – Phoenix Suns

’03: LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers

’04: Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic

*Note: I listed the teams that picked them, not the ones for whom they first played. I refuse to list Kwame Brown, as he is terrible, but he was the first high schooler picked first overall.

If you read all that you deserve a break, so check out this mix. Not all these players skipped college, but they could have:


It becomes pretty clear that it isn’t impossible for a player to make a huge impact coming from high school and although I hold no convictions about the NBA’s policy on age, it wouldn’t be a disaster to let the players skip college. At the end of the day, the choice should be up to the player and though they are often naïve, it is their mistake to make.

NBA Mascots Are Funny

To kick it off, the cream of the crop of all NBA mascotery, Clutch the Bear. The 04-05 NBA season's mascot of the year, he is seen as the model for dancing to goofy songs and slingshot-ing t-shirts throughout the world. Plus, look at the crotch.


















Bango, the Milwaukee Bucks' mascot, adds a little holiday spirit to the old "Dunk Through a Hoop" routine. Best part about this, when you're done, hang the wreath over the stadium doors!
















The Orlando Magic mascot, Stuff the Magic Dragon, gives this kangaroo the ol' 1, 2. Obviously, this is used as some sort of intimidation technique to scare the opponent. If the mascot can beat up a kangaroo, what chance do you have, Detroit Pistons?




Here's a nice little collage of NBA mascots on drugs... or something. The obvious question is, "Why would they do this?". I answer that with another question, "Aren't you entertained?"

Foul Start to Greg Oden's Career

Between Man vs. Wild and SportsCenter, I actually watched a little bit of the NBA Summer League. There really can’t be anything more boring than watching a summer game between say, Dallas and Toronto, but I got a chance to watch the number one pick flaunt his mad skills on both ends of the floor… NOT!
Greg Oden started the game with three fouls in the first three minutes. At the end of the half he had as many fouls as points, at four. The beginning of the second half was no better as he picked up another three fouls in the first three minutes. Fortunately, the Summer League allows ten fouls, giving Oden the chance to rack up his six points and two rebounds before fouling out. As blame was mostly on him for Portland’s 74-66 loss to Boston, a series of excuses were in order. They include:

"It's a different game [in comparison to college]. They call it different,"

"There are a lot of things you can't do with hand movements and hand checks.

"I couldn't get into a groove tonight," he said. "There's always a lot of pressure out there because of who you are."

Well if those quotes don’t quell the worries of Trailblazer fans, I don’t know what will. As long as Oden doesn’t feel the pressure of being himself and once he realizes that the NBA is different from college, he can avoid racking up ten fouls in twenty minutes of play.
The reality is, the NBA Summer League doesn’t give a very accurate representation of how players will perform during the regular season, but with Oden ending the game with –5 fouls to give, let’s hope he can step his game up and turn it around. Oh, by the way, LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland’s precursor to Greg Oden, had 26 points and 11 boards.
Check this recap for highlights from what is probably the most boring way that David Stern finds to exploit his players and keep bringing in the big bucks in the off-season.

Here's Why You Usually Dunk By Yourself

Apparently, watching three of your teammates destroy a backboard, while up 20 points anyway, calls for hopping in place.

So Many Free Agents, So Little Time

After a draft for the ages and an ever-rising salary cap, the summer is sure to be fraught with trade rumors. Everyone has heard about Kobe, KG and Carter, but some interesting prospects have been ignored in the wake of these milestone trade possibilities. So, here’s a breakdown of some of the lesser-discussed rumors.

1) Rashard Lewis. After changing agents, Lewis is finally holding out for the big bucks, and opting out of his contract with the Sonics. Despite a primary meeting with Seattle’s front office, it seems unlikely that Rashard will play for them again. They drafted two forwards, both of which seem to be future Rashards and Lewis himself is being looked at by Houston. As Rashard blossoms into a rich superstar, he comes to expect a rich superstars salary, something that Seattle may not be willing to provide while keeping Green and Durant on the payroll.

2) Gerald Wallace. This guy is in almost the same situation as Lewis. He opted out of his contract with Charlotte and is now demanding a high-paying salary, something that the Bobcats hope to provide, but may not get the chance to. Allegedly, Golden State, Dallas, Orlando, Milwaukee, Detroit, Miami and Portland have all made inquiries. Gerald seems to be looking for a change and a team with playoff potential and any club would be lucky to have him.

3) Darko Milicic. Now for some reason, NBA teams actually seek this guy out. As a member of the Orlando Magic, however, his salary of $15.6 million leaves his team with no room to maneuver. If the Magic want to seriously pursue a talented up-and-coming free agent, and thusly the playoffs, they need to let Darko go. This leaves a pretty highly regarded pure center, a rare commodity, open to lots of different teams. Although no rumors have started to circulate about any specific teams, this story may be one to look out for.