Perhaps the Jordan Brand has truly bought into the Mayan Calendar hype about the world ending in December. How else to explain the rapid-fire string of incredibly coveted sneakers releasing this year? (If Jordan releases either the Black/Red or Columbia XIs during the holiday season as rumored, the resulting frenzy actually might constitute the end of the world.).

On the heels of the Concord XI and the Chicago X comes tonight’s release of the White/Cement IV, suitably arriving on Michael Jordan’s 49th birthday. Read More »

If you’re a fan of Penny Hardaway, it’s impossible not to consider what could have been. Penny was All-NBA First Team twice by the time he was 25. Who knows what heights he could have reached if only his body had held up?

That said, there’s no point to focusing on what didn’t happen at the expense of celebrating what actually did. Penny’s all too brief period atop the basketball world brought him a well-deserved enduring legacy, and his eternally cool Nike signature line and 1 Cent logo continues to resonate with sneakerheads of all ages. Read More »

The Air Jordan X “Chicago” drops tonight at midnight, and is no question a coveted sneaker simply because it hasn’t been around in a while. Until tonight, it hadn’t been released in 17 years, and OG pairs fetch a pretty significant premium on the secondary market. Simply put, a lot of Jordan aficionados have been waiting a long time to get a fresh version of Chicagos. Read More »

Watching Jay Williams address the completely enrapt New Hampton Prep basketball team late Sunday night at the Hoophall Classic, it was clear he was firmly in his element. Basketball has obviously always been a big part of Williams’ life, but you could make a case he’s never been quite as immersed as he is now.

As an ESPN college basketball analyst, Williams splits his time between calling games and working on studio shows, while also commentating for the network’s rapidly expanding interest in high school ball. The latter assignment gives him the opportunity to take part in one of his favorite pastimes: mentoring young athletes. There isn’t a player on any level that doesn’t have the utmost respect for the former No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, and he commonly takes time to pull players aside and offer a few words of wisdom. Read More »

Shabazz Muhammad certainly knows how to leave a lasting impression.

With about 30 seconds left in Bishop Gorman’s 73-65 victory over No. 5 Dematha at the Hoophall Classic on Monday, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2012 punctuated a 37-point performance with a sensational windmill dunk, later named No. 3 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays. Even Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, sitting two seats down from Kentucky counterpart John Calipari on the baseline, raised an eyebrow. Read More »

With Twitter and such slashing attention spans and news cycles, our culture more than ever possesses an instant gratification mentality that screams, “What have you done for me lately?” Never mind your last performance, you’re only as good as your last moment.

How else to explain the relentless early-season scrutinization of Duke freshman guard Austin Rivers? Read More »

After Rutgers stunned No. 10 Florida, 85-83, in double overtime on Thursday night, nobody could stop talking about the brilliant performance by freshman Eli Carter.

Everyone except, that is, for Eli Carter. Read More »

In theory, after the Christmas shopping season is over, the last thing you would want to do is put out more money.

But if you didn’t spend every last dollar on gifts for your loved ones – or on Concords – the week after Christmas is actually a fantastic opportunity to find bargains as stores make room for new gear. This is especially true if you received gift cards or cash for the holidays and need a fresh pair for New Year’s, or just in general. After all, who knows better what you like than you do? Read More »

If you’re a sneakerhead, you’ve had tonight at midnight circled on your calendar for months. It’s not every year the Air Jordan XI “Concord” comes out – in fact, it’s pretty much not every decade. Though the Concords are not a limited release, they’ll sell out in mere minutes online, and however many pairs exist will probably sell out in most areas before Friday is over. Read More »

When former 11-year NBA player Lamond Murray began to help his son and daughter research colleges, he came across a company named NCSA that was dedicated to helping young athletes find the right colleges for them. Murray was so impressed, he didn’t just employ their services – he became a part of their organization.

Using his experience from becoming the No. 7 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft out of the University of California, Murray speaks to young athletes and their families about how NCSA can help navigate the tricky landscape of college recruiting, finding the best fit to set them up for success. Read More »