For the first time during this Create-a-Player series, I thought one man might combine everything I’d want from his respective position. I think you know who it is.

But let’s pretend for a moment that Michael Jordan is not the perfect two-guard. Actually, let’s just state it as a fact. Reggie Miller was a better three-point shooter and (brace yourself) just as clutch as MJ. Read More »

As an eight-time NBA All-Defensive pick and Defensive P.O.Y. (‘87) who won five ‘chips in an era where he guarded the likes of Jordan, Dumars, Iceman and Drexler on a regular basis, Michael Cooper had to be intense.

In his post-playing career, most notable for his title-winning stint coaching the WNBA’s L.A. Sparks, Coop hasn’t changed. In his first season as head coach of the USC women’s team, he made headlines for his intensity following a recent win over crosstown rival UCLA. Read More »

We argue. You decide.

REGGIE MILLER (by Austin Burton) For a long time, Reggie Miller was my favorite basketball player (even above hometown heroes Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp) for the same reason I admired Mike Tyson growing up: Because he wasn’t supposed to be where he was as a prime-time player, an underdog who rose to the top.

You might have forgotten since he’s filled out in his post-playing, TV-talking career, but Reggie was a beanpole. He weighed 185 in his prime, and didn’t make up for it with athleticism and grace like fellow skinny dudes T-Mac or George Gervin. His jumper looked funny, he wasn’t a great ball-handler, and the common joke was that his sister was a better ballplayer. Read More »

Guys like Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry and Brandon Jennings are making headlines with standout stat lines, but one of the most consistently impressive rookies in the Vegas Summer League so far has been DeMar DeRozan. Four games in, he’s steadily improving — last night DeRozan put up 20 points on an efficient 9-for-16 from the field (56 percent) against the Suns — and is showing he’s got more to his game than running, jumping and dunking. (Not that he didn’t throw in a couple highlight-reel bangers.) With Anthony Parker headed to Cleveland, DeRozan should be Toronto’s opening day starting two-guard, and between Jose Calderon and Hedo Turkoglu’s playmaking, and Chris Bosh drawing double-teams, DeRozan should have plenty of opportunities to succeed early. Read More »