Perhaps you’ve heard about this thing we’ve got going on called the World Basketball Festival. No big deal, just a blockbuster four-day weekend dedicated to the greatest sport in the world, taking over the greatest city in the world, and attending by the greatest athletes and entertainers in the world. After Day 1 saw a Team USA scrimmage and Jay-Z performance at Radio City Music Hall, Day 2 was spent almost exclusively at historic Rucker Park in Harlem for a star-studded schedule … Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul got it started at the Jordan Breakfast Club clinic. Read More »

It sounds strange to make a favorable comparison between a future Hall of Famer and a former NBA journeyman — and have the journeyman set the standard of said comparison — but watching Dirk Nowitzki drop 36 points in Dallas’ Game 1 win over San Antonio the other night, I couldn’t help but think of Christian Laettner. Read More »

The Lakers are still the smart bet to defend their championship, but we’re also not counting out the Thunder in their first-round series. But if OKC is really going to pull a ’94 Nuggets job and win as an 8th seed, they may need to actually reanimate Dikembe Mutombo in his prime … The front line was the key to L.A.’s Game 1 win: Pau Gasol put up 19 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Andrew Bynum went for 13 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks. And Lamar Odom didn’t even do much in this game. OKC can only counter with Nick Collison (not skilled enough), Serge Ibaka (too young) and Nenad Krstic, who is what we thought he was … Tough game for each of the marquee superstars: Kobe had a quiet 21 points (6-19 FG), while Kevin Durant scored 24 on just 7-of-24 from the field. Read More »

Yesterday was my 25th birthday. I know, kinda crazy. So with the National Championship game last night, I figured I’d look back at the past 25 years of the Big Dance. At the end of the Final Four, the Associated Press always selects a Most Outstanding Player (last night being Duke’s Kyle Singler). The MOP need not be a member of the Championship team, but they almost always are. In fact, the last player to win the award in a losing effort was Hakeem Olajuwon back in 1983. But not everyone goes on to have a career like The Dream. With that in mind, I’ve tracked down the MOPs of the past 25 years… Read More »

As our editorial team was brainstorming content for the Sweet 16 games this Thursday and Friday we realized that most of us had some kind of attachment to at least a few of the squads represented. Most of that attachment goes back to who we grew up rooting for as kids (check out Austin Burton’s favorite Washington Huskies of the past 25 years). For me, after Temple and Boston College (my alma mater), I loved Duke. A lot.

I’m pretty sure it started when my Dad took me to see Duke play at the Palestra in Philly against one of the Big 5 schools in the era before the Blue Devils started dominating college basketball. I attached myself to some of those Duke squads that were around pre-Christian Laettner title runs and obviously, being a kid, was more than happy when the program really took off a short time later. They lost me a little with the J-Will/Will Avery/Greg Paulus teams, but I will always support Duke.

Here are my Top 10 Favorite Blue Devils of the Last 25 Years: Read More »

One by one, Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith walk into the small media room inside Cameron Indoor Stadium and take a seat behind a wooden table with one mic amidst a sea of digital recorders. Over and over, they answer geeky notebook-jotting reporters who try and find smarter ways to recycle the same question.

It’s boring and typical, and Duke’s “Big Three” — arguably the storied program’s most talented and productive trio since Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill — all know it. Still, consummate professionals, they embrace the redundancy. Even have a little fun with it. Read More »

Between Stephen Jackson‘s trade request, Anthony Randolph‘s summer league breakout, and C.J. Watson‘s incredibly over-covered free agent situation (all this for a guy who’s like two steps above the minimum salary?), we’ve been talking about the Warriors a lot this offseason. Things have been such a mess in the Bay lately that it’s been assumed Golden State will stink again, but in reality, they could be better than you think. Monta Ellis will be healthy from Day One, everyone in the organization is convinced Randolph is about to blow up, Andris Biedrins will get his nightly double-double, and Kelenna Azubuike is one of the better sneaky-good players in the NBA. Read More »

“You will see a team of professionals in the Olympics again, but I don’t think you’ll see another team quite like this. This was a majestic team.” – USA coach Chuck Daly

There will never be a basketball team like the 1992 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team. In the first Olympics to allow NBA players, the Dream Team dismantled the rest of the world, averaging an Olympic record 117.3 points per game and outscoring opponents by an average of 43.8 points on its way to gold. Today, they’ll be formally introduced and honored at the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Chicago. Read More »

Does anybody want to play for Team USA anymore? The list of guys who have dropped out of this year’s USA Basketball mini-camp (which starts tomorrow) was already getting long — Brandon Roy, David Lee, David West, Big Baby Davis, Andrew Bynum and LaMarcus Aldridge among them — and then yesterday a couple more confirmed they won’t be participating: Read More »

Don’t forget about the Celtics now. In the offseason arms race that’s seen the Magic get Vince, the Lakers get Artest, the Cavs get Shaq, and the Spurs getting Richard Jefferson, the Celtics made their big move by reaching an agreement with free agent Rasheed Wallace yesterday. ‘Sheed was Boston’s #1 target from the get-go: Danny Ainge risked life and limb skulking around Wallace’s house in the middle of the night; KG, Pierce, Ray and Doc Rivers dropped by to make a pitch; and the C’s appeared willing to let Big Baby Davis walk if it helped land the older, more accomplished PF in ‘Sheed. Read More »