I never called Nick Van Exel shy. Too many jumpers early in shot clocks proved he had no conscience. I never called him timid either. Too many arguments with Del Harris proved that. I also never called him faint-hearted. He had enough street cred to get name-dropped in a song by Jigga. I figured he had a little Cypress Hill in him when he shoved Ron Garretson into the scorer’s table. And busting out “the monkey” midgame, against the Jazz no less (I doubt anyone on that team had even heard of “the monkey”), should’ve been all the evidence needed to sum it up: Van Exel had himself some big ol’ Sam Cassell-sized balls. Read More »

When people talk about the most infamous teams in NBA history, it’s always fun to reminisce about the Portland Jail Blazers. Damon Stoudamire. J.R. Rider. Rasheed Wallace. The basketball world (and local authorities) couldn’t get enough. Now, continuing their signature “Dynasty” series, UNDRCRWN has teamed up with Portland’s Compound Gallery to give you a chance to own a piece of history. Read More »

Tony Parker basically just predicted a title. “If I play the entire season, we’ll go for the title,” he told the French daily L’Equipe. Did we catch you? He’s not talking about an NBA championship. Parker just signed to play with ASVEL Villeurbanne, the French League team of which he is a part owner. Should the lockout continue to drag on, TP will be in Europe balling for $1,995 a month, and he says if he’s there all season, the squad is going to win a title. Pretty lofty expectations. It could just be a reflex of being in a lockout and away from the Spurs. Read More »

Anyone remember the 2006 Clippers? The team that came the year after the squad nearly made the Western Conference Finals? Well, if you don’t recall, just as they were supposed to be the next big thing, they fell apart. Management, coaching, the players, everyone butted heads and it wasn’t even a year later before they were out of the playoffs for good. You could make the claim Memphis is eerily similar. Except for one thing: they are determined to keep the ship upright. Read More »

Ron Artest might have to cancel that Euro trip he was planning. While he has agreed to play with the Cheshire Jets in the UK and appears really excited, issues with garnering the insurance needed for him to actually play there are causing problems. Team officials, while holding out hope it can get done, say they will have to work really hard in these next few days to make something happen. This better all come together. We were promised Ron on British soap operas. We can’t turn back now … Read More »

It’s no secret that Arvydas Sabonis‘ career was marred by injury and a lack of accomplishment on the biggest stages. After years of continuous professional and international play, his body had broken down to the point where he was almost unrecognizable as an NBA rookie in 1995 as the force who dominated a young David Robinson in the Olympics just seven years earlier. However, if there has been one thing that has carried stronger than Sabonis’ plethora of “what ifs” it has to be the dedication of his loving fanbase. Read More »

Kevin Love has been making himself heard lately, saying that the latest offer from the owners was unacceptable. Love declared his interest in compromising, but also his honest opinion that NBA games will most likely be missed. A scary thought from the Timberwolves power forward. This lockout is enough to get us depressed. Talk of missed games – someone’s going to have to talk us off a ledge … Read More »

Rumors of Ron Artest playing in the UK were met with skepticism. The league he’s aiming for is probably the worst in all of Europe, and the team doesn’t even have the money to satisfy Artest. But now officials with the team he is signing with, the Cheshire Jets, are offering to help Artest with his career off the court. There is even talk of getting the Tru Warier onto a soap opera, where he could show how young and restless he really is. Can someone please make this happen? Artest could definitely play the overbearing boyfriend who butts heads with a rival over a lover and overdramatizes every scene … Read More »

Arvydas Sabonis was, and remains, a big figure in Portland, a point that will be reinforced after his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame next month. The city is inviting back Sabonis on Aug. 18 to be honored for his seven seasons in the Rose City. It’s an appropriate gesture for the 7-3 Lithuanian, who along with the concept of brewing, is still one of Portland’s most treasured imports. Read More »

In advance of next Friday’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony, the Mecca of hoops has released a few images from some of their new exhibits featuring Dennis Rodman, the Class of 2011 – including Artis Gilmore‘s 1970 Final Four ring, Chris Mullin‘s 1984 Olympic jersey and Herb Magee‘s 903-win basketball – and the Dallas Mavericks. Check ‘em out: Read More »