Now we can talk about the fun stuff – actual basketball. The next few weeks are going to be crazy, with teams racing to get ready for the season while adding a ton of new faces to their rosters at the same time.

We all know about next year’s monster free agents, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. But there are some nice players available now you’d love to have on your squad. Read More »

LeBron James (photo. Nike Basketball)

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: One of the best things to come out of the NBA lockout was LeBron James dominating every game he played. Everywhere. This led our friends at Hoopmixtape to ask the next logical question: “Is LeBron the best player in the world right now?” With that, check out his official lockout mixtape. Read More »

It takes a full-time job, or a full-time class schedule, for one to truly appreciate a four-day weekend. And when those two extra days off come courtesy the Thanksgiving holiday, the full-time college basketball fan (or writer) goes into overtime mode.

Just about every D-I team in the country seemed to be playing in a holiday tournament this past weekend – from the balmy paradise of the Bahamas to the cold-ass bustle of New York City on Black Friday. When it was over, some top dogs were going home with their national-championship promise in doubt, while some underdogs returned to campus with brand-new hero status.

Here are the highlights and lowlights from the long weekend: Read More »

*Which player – at any level – will have the biggest breakout season this year? Think it through because the best comments/responses below will be printed in the next issue of Dime.*

Back in high school, it was amazing what one year could do to a kid. He’d grow a little bit. His body would fill out. He’d mature. But despite all that, it amazed me how someone could be a JV starter as a sophomore and then only 12 months later be one of the two or three best players on the varsity. Back then, we were all improving by leaps and bounds. Once you hit 18, you’re supposed to be past the initial growing phase. At that point, the little things are expected of you: get that jump shot consistent, learn how to push off without being called for it, hit the weight room so you don’t get thrown around defensively. Read More »

I guess nuclear winters don’t last too long. After a tormenting string of false alarms heralding “progress” and “optimism,” the NBA lockout is finally almost over, which means it’s time to dust off that part of your noggin associated with fantasy basketball again. As NBA players will have to get back into game shape in a brief period of time, fantasy basketball owners will have less than a month to skillfully shift into a mode that might seem foreign by now. There are important things to keep in mind, habits to form and preparations to be had. Read More »

Last night around 9 p.m. ET, the Warriors’ Stephen Curry posted a personal video message for NBA fans to thank them for hanging in there during the NBA Lockout (assuming everything passes and we’re playing ball on Christmas Day).

Steph’s video is short but genuine – it’s exactly the type of thing the NBA is going to need a lot more of from their players for the foreseeable future to win back disenfranchised fans. Read More »

For fans of the exhibition games put together by NBA stars over the past few months, you’re probably a little disappointed to find out that the Google+ Homecoming Tour has been cancelled… sort of. Read More »

Now that you’ve seen the initial spot, the behind the scenes feature and LeBron James‘ solo commercial, you knew that the next thing to drop from our friends over at Nike Basketball in the #BasketballNeverStops campaign would be a vignette for Kevin Durant. In this new 60-second spot titled “Paint The Town,” watch KD get buckets set to the song “Good Times” by legendary vocalist Sam Cooke. Read More »

Ladies and gentlemen… start your engines. With a tentative labor deal being reached, attention has now shifted towards free agency as teams prepare for what could become one of the most hectic, exciting and hopefully unforgettable periods of movement in NBA history. Teams need to make up for lost time, and what better way than to get your star player recruiting on Twitter? This weekend Kevin Durant tweeted at veteran free agent Shane Battier: Hey @ShaneBattier, just wanted to see how you were doing and what size jersey you wear and also do u still want no.31? Battier responded: @KDTrey5 yes #31 is preferable and it’s true that I enjoy OKC steakhouses. And @nickcollison4 is my boy. Hmmmm……big selling points. That should get your juices flowing for the season to start – players schmoozing players, guys using anything in their power to get a leg up on the competition, shamelessly trying to assemble a roster capable of winning a championship. Read More »

News broke a little while ago that Syracuse has fired longtime associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine amid allegations of child molestation being lobbied against him.

Kevin Quinn, the ‘Cuse’s senior vice president for public affairs released a terse statement that read, Read More »