Rainier Beach High School alumni Nate Robinson and Terrence Williams have some time to burn during this NBA lockout, but when they’re not taking Seattle back to the glory days of pro ball or hoopin’ with the gluttony of Pacific Northwest-born ballers, they’re still making good use of their time. Read More »

We believe it. We try to believe it. We want it. We wish for it. We pray for it. We scream for it. We think it’s there. We know it’s there. We aren’t sure if it’s there. And we will never stop searching for it.

You know what the strangest NBA phenomenon is? The elite player, and the misinterpretation everyone has of what actually makes an “elite” player. People have it in their mind that being elite doesn’t necessarily mean winning. To a lot of people – actually, to most people – an elite player averages 25 a night or hits the glass as hard as anyone or puts together All-NBA seasons or makes All-Star teams. They could do that. But here’s the kicker: statistics don’t matter. They really don’t. Read More »

You can’t feel bad for Rajon Rondo and the Celtics. They brought this all on themselves. The same characteristics they rode to a title and a second Finals appearance – love, family, brotherhood, appreciation, sacrifice – ultimately did them in last year. They wouldn’t admit it. Neither would their fans. The team had won games without Kendrick Perkins to start the year, they all said. The real issue is Shaq. Maybe that was true. But the swagger and the spirit, the stuff that made Boston who they were all along, was quite obviously diminished once ‘Perk left town. Read More »

While everyone talks about the summer leagues on either coast, don’t sleep on the Midwest when it comes to offseason hoops. Case in point: Utah Jazz rookie Alec Burks showin’ out at the Indy Pro-Am in Indianapolis. After slipping to the 12th pick in this June’s NBA Draft, expect Burks to make a name for himself once the season rolls around.

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Other than Kemba Walker, UConn’s national championship this year was in large part due to the play of freshman Shabazz Napier. Averaging 7.8 points, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 23.8 minutes off the bench, Napier will start his sophomore season with the keys to the castle, especially after the transfer of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. And in their absence, he’ll need to pickup a large portion of the scoring load. Something he seems just fine with. With that, check out some of highlights from the Boston Athletes United For Change Summer League at the Tobin Community Center in Roxbury, Mass.

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Word has it Larry Brown’s on the prowl for a new gig. The latest news had him heading to Beantown for an assistant coaching gig pending Lawrence Frank’s departure to Detroit. It’s odd to picture the former head coach of 30+ years as the next in command. We guess he’s gotta shake that commandeering bug somehow without taking on the brunt of the responsibilities for a change. He’ll be 71 this September anyway so the assessment is at least believable. Plus it’s not like Boston can’t benefit from his experience. Larry Brown’s Hall of Fame coaching career has been…unique. Read More »

The New York City qualifier for Red Bull King of the Rock didn’t disappoint when it came to basketball personalities and talent. We had the chance to catch up with a few of these characters before and during the tournament.

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So maybe there was a WNBA logo at midcourt. And maybe the crowd of just over 5,000 was about one-fourth of what you’d get on a good night at Staples Center or Madison Square Garden. And maybe the only certified All-Star on either roster was sitting on the bench in street clothes, cradling his 2-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son in his arms instead of a basketball.

But none of those images could dim the fantasy that, for now at least, the NBA was back in Seattle. Read More »

We showed you Brandon Jennings shutting the gym down. Then, we showed you Josh Selby coming right back at him. But the battle was more than just a few dunks, as Hoopmixtape shows. It went on all…game…long.

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You know the weather and the environment are completely screwed up when you leave Baltimore to head down to Puerto Rico…and then find out it’s like 10-15 degrees hotter up in Maryland. It doesn’t make much sense.

But the love Carlos Arroyo and J.J. Barea were feeling this weekend during the Converse Open Gym Puerto Rico in San Juan was warming the place right up. Read More »