As I said earlier, from games to parties to appearances, there wasn’t a free second to be had during NBA All-Star Weekend. So for those of you that weren’t able to make the trip, I wanted to give you an inside-look into everything that was going on. With that, check out the entire weekend in pictures (and be sure to click on the next day at the end of the post). Read More »

While Sunday night’s All-Star Game is the centerpiece of the NBA’s biggest party weekend, Saturday is almost always the most fun. Especially this year. Between TNT’s broadcast, the foolishness happening on Twitter, and Blake Griffin, there’s no way today’s game will top last night’s circus … When he wasn’t zoned out and leaving his mic on at inappropriate times, Dwight Howard assumed the task of delivering Magic Johnson‘s signature line: “The dunk contest is back!” If last night’s slamming finale wasn’t one of the best all-around dunk contests in recent memory, it was definitely one of the most entertaining. Read More »

In celebration of the 35th anniversary of Black History Month, Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse are releasing a limited edition Black History Month Collection inspired by their most iconic and pioneering athletes – Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Julius Erving. Trust me, you want to check these shoes out. Read More »

So with the Brett Favre ending his NFL iron man streak and Cliff Lee signing with the Phillies (which I’m loving, by the way) dominating the headlines lately, I felt a little sports overkill. This all changed when I learned my childhood hardwood idol would be playing and I could catch him online.

That’s right, Allen Iverson, who has had his share of troubles this year, would be playing for his Turkish club team Besiktas for the world to see. This excitement quickly diminished into disappointment upon hearing news of A.I. sitting out because of an ankle injury. Read More »

Who do you want your offense to run through with the game on the line? Counting down from 30th to 1st (one per team), I’ve ranked the League’s go-to guys…

VINCE CARTER, Orlando Magic Vince Carter sucks. Really, he does. He’s soft, he’s always hurt, he’s not clutch … he’s the biggest waste of talent the NBA has ever seen, bar none. Read More »

Before continuing with the list of the Top 25 dunkers on the planet, some clarification is needed. I got a lot of negative feedback for writing, “Most of the game’s last four decades have been defined by men who excelled above the rim: e.g. Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.”

I wasn’t saying those five are the defining dunkers of the last 40 years, but that those five are some of the League’s defining players of the last 40 years. Read More »

As much as old-timers and basketball purists gripe about the lost art of the mid-range jumper or the simple bounce pass, nobody complains about the evolution of the dunk. Why would they? Everybody loves the dunk, and it’s no coincidence that most of the game’s last four decades have been defined by men who excelled above the rim: e.g. Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

Thanks to the worldwide reach of the Internet and increasing stages for dunkers to perform, ranking the 25 best dunkers on the planet was bigger than just the NBA; college, high school, playground circus acts and overseas stars infiltrated the discussion. Read More »

It’s been a minute sine Converse had national TV ads running, so when they launched their new Fall 2010 brand campaign entitled “The Procession” last night, you knew they’d come correct. Gritty and raw, the spot was directed by award-winning filmmaker Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Shooter) and stars Julius Erving, Carlos Arroyo, God Shammgod, Adrian “A-Butta” Walton, Jim Jones and Doug E. Fresh. Check it out and learn more about the spot (including behind the scenes footage) after the jump.

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Rating the best basketball books of all-time is like arguing with your friends over the greatest hip-hop albums ever. AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted? It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back? Breaking Atoms? Illmatic? You could go on all day. All solid choices, but too much personal preference, flavor and style come into play to settle on a clear-cut winner.

Just like when I created separate lists a few months back, naming the top 10 basketball movies and the 10 best documentaries, I’m not going to be able to give love to everything. Read More »

This morning on the subway I was reading Best American Sports Writing‘s 1998 edition, in particular a Sports Illustrated piece by Rick Telander about New York City playground ball. Telander, as you know, wrote the iconic Heaven is a Playground back in 1974, and in this SI piece, was going back to NY to see how (or if) the playground game had changed.

In one scene, he’s talking to talent-finder Rodney Parker (R.I.P.), a central figure in Heaven who used to ball with Lenny Wilkens and had seen Dr. J and Wilt and all the legends who came through spots like Rucker Park and West 4th back in the day: Read More »