What can one say about the Minnesota Timberwolves that David Kahn already hasn’t? This team has one fantasy monster and a bunch of dudes who aren’t good for much else than rounding out the end of your roster. With timeshares bound to happen at multiple positions, it’ll take a lot of boldness for fantasy owners to draft most of these players. Read More »

If and when the season does start, these guys will be ready…

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After leading Washington to back-to-back conference titles in the Pac-10 Tournament over the last two seasons, junior Isaiah Thomas (who also claimed back-to-back conference MOP honors in those same title runs) decided the time was right to test his talents on another level: the NBA. During his time in Seattle, the 5-9 guard was nothing short of an offensive force. After averaging 16.9 points and 3.9 assists a game as a sophomore, he returned this season to drop 16.8 and 6.1 per and navigate UW to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament. And as the kid embarks on his journey away from college and into the pros, we wanted to give him his own space, and voice, to roam. So, follow along with Isaiah on his Dime NBA Draft Diary; here’s his first entry… Read More »

The move from high school to college is a ballplayer’s most dramatic change. Growing up, they were the best players on the court, hyped as the best anyone had ever seen. The expectations entering college are through the roof.

Once they finally enter the gym for a first-team practice or meeting, they are starring eye-to-eye with 14 other stars of their caliber, sometimes more talented players. Only the best can survive in college and the best of the best get to the NBA. Normally, it’s those who stand out in front of Dick Vitale who do the same in front of David Stern. But in a few instances, good players may struggle or get stuck in limited roles in college before exploding in the NBA. Read More »

Earlier this week, I wrote that Butler’s Shelvin Mack could make an immediate impact in the right situation next year as an NBA rookie. While Mack’s current projection is slated somewhere between the late-first and mid-second round, there are still a ton of other possible hidden gems strewn throughout the class. With this on the brain, UCLA’s Tyler Honeycutt immediately came to mind. Read More »

For anyone that was free to sit in front of the television all day, they were in for a treat. Between eight NCAA Tournament games and six NBA contests, there were enough highlights to make sure SportsCenter didn’t feel compelled to show us any B-roll from the NFL lockout negotiations. And if you’re a fan of amazing individual performances, you had eight guys drop 30-plus: Jacob Pullen (38), Jimmer Fredette (34), LeBron James (33), Dwyane Wade (32), David West (32), Shelvin Mack (30), Brandon Knight (30) and Blake Griffin (30). So let’s get started … Read More »

Words. Lucas Shaprio & Sean Sweeney

Every year, the real first two days of the NCAA tournament bring a bushel of crazy scenarios, upsets and just outright great games. This year will be no different. You know one of the five-seeds will lose. You know you almost assuredly will see a buzzer-beater. And you know some team everyone had as a Final Four sleeper will be sent home. The Dime crew decided to break it down for you, picking our nine favorite matchups from this year’s first round. Read More »

Whoever has the job of producing We’re Not So Bad: The Story of the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers has some tough editing decisions following last night’s loss to the Miami Heat. This was clearly the Cavs’ defining game of the year, and barring a surprise playoff appearance, the one night when they would have millions of eyes on them. But not only did the Cavs lose, they lost big, and they let the plot’s villain — former local hero turned pariah LeBron James — rampage all over their home court and leave them unconscious and twitching in his wake. When recounting the Cavs’ story, do you just act like this never happened, or stomach the carnage? … Read More »

This will be the last year of the Pac-10 as you know it. The tradition-rich (albeit often overlooked) West Coast staple is expanding, adding Colorado and Utah to the mix. The Utes will join in the 2011-12 academic year, while the Buffaloes will complete the “Pac-12″ the following year.

In the meantime, the Pac-10 is looking to rebound from what was at best a down year in basketball, and at worst an all-out disaster. Read More »

More often than not, a reliable warning sign that a power conference is struggling is if its signature program is having a hard time. Last season was a bad year for the SEC; and in a completely related story, Kentucky missed the NCAA Tournament.

I’ve argued before that the Pac-10 isn’t as bad as most experts are saying, but if UCLA’s play is any indication, the conference is headed for a season more jacked up than the “Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew” cast. Read More »