For the first time since 1994, Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning will be together again – that is, in Africa. The three NBA legends will headline Basketball Without Borders‘ trip to South Africa next month, where the global basketball development and community outreach program will use basketball to influence positive social change. Read More »

For his first and only Dime cover story in Dime #38 (December 2007/January 2008), we wanted to get Shaquille O’Neal‘s take on his legacy, the new crop of NBA big men waiting in the wings and some of the most pressing issues facing the League, and basketball in general, at the time. I spoke to Shaq towards the end of the exhibition season one day after practice. His Heat squad was facing an uncertain future, knowing that Dwyane Wade would be out until at least mid-November, and the interview took place shortly before the team jettisoned Antoine Walker to Minnesota for Ricky Davis in an effort to keep afloat until Wade came back… Read More »

Apparently the Celtics and Heat are in a competition to set the record for having the most players in training camp and under contract. Yesterday the Celtics extended camp invites to Mario West (Hawks), Stephane Lasme (UMass), Chris Johnson (LSU) and Jamar Smith (Southern Indiana), bringing their preliminary roster count to approximately 47. It’s gonna look like ABCD Camp the first few days before Doc Rivers starts making cuts … With every new guy Boston brings in, Luke Harangody has to be getting more nervous. He’s likely going to be the slowest, least-athletic guy in camp, which is bad if you’re 12th in line, but worse if you’re 20th in line. Read More »

There are certain players that you always wonder what could have been. But because of poor decisions, bad luck or both – they never reached their NBA potential. Jay Williams, Eddie Griffin and Michael Ray Richardson are just a few names that come to mind. Probably the biggest example of someone who had a chance to be special but fell well short of his potential is Isaiah “J.R.” Rider. Read More »