Life is all about change, but there are still some things we always expect to be the same. I cannot imagine the day when Coach K leaves Duke. It will be surreal when Joe Paterno is not on the sidelines for Penn State. And I’m sure, for most of us, the same can be said for Jerry Sloan‘s absence from the Utah Jazz bench.

After 23 years in the same place, what could make the Hall of Fame NBA coch resign in the middle of a season? The rumors are swirling that Sloan’s relationship with Deron Williams was the culprit. Read More »

The Phoenix Suns have rolled through three general managers, three coaches and a slew of All-Stars and talented role players since 2005. After the sale of the franchise from long-time sports owner Jerry Colangelo to businessman Robert Sarver, this question looms: How much time does a team under new ownership need to settle down?

Composing winning teams in the NBA means team ownership must pair talented players with adaptable coaches. But championship-caliber teams keep those pieces static. Retaining players and coaches requires that the ownership have patience and trust in everyone in the organization –- no panicking allowed. Read More »

There was lots of back and forth today about the “rebirth” of the Celtics/Knicks “rivalry” (This is where we stood heading into gametime). No matter what you thought about Celtics/Knicks beforehand, you can’t deny that the game was awesome. Read More »

No matter how many games his New York Knicks win this season, no matter how many points he scores or how many minutes he plays, Shawne Williams can be seen as a success story.

It was less than one year ago when Williams, now 24, was basically out of the NBA and nearly killed his own career. In January 2010 he was arrested in his hometown Memphis, Tenn., on felony drug charges, his second arrest for drugs in three years. Read More »

As the NBA regular season tips off, we preview the upcoming eight-month stretch with our “Highs and Lows” system — predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team.

Added: Amar’e Stoudemire, Ray Felton, Anthony Randolph, Timofey Mozgov, Kelenna Azubuike, Landry Fields, Roger Mason, Ronny Turiaf, Andy Rautins, Shawne Williams

Lost: David Lee, Al Harrington, Tracy McGrady, Eddie House, Chris Duhon, Earl Barron, Sergio Rodriguez, Jonathan Bender, J.R. Giddens, Marcus Landry Read More »

A couple of things that stood out to me while watching “Real Training Camp” with the New York Knicks: (1) Amar’e Stoudemire was often playing center with the first unit, and (2) Originally projected starter Ronny Turiaf looked like he had no business being a starter.

Amar’e has experience playing center under coach Mike D’Antoni, but with his diverse offensive game and the matchup problems he creates, he’s better at power forward. Rookie Timofey Mozgov is still learning the NBA game, and Eddy Curry … well, yeah. Read More »

Globalization has been a theme of the early part of the 21st century. The NBA and Commissioner David Stern have not been shy about their intentions to join in this phenomenon.

Specifically, Commissioner Stern has targeted basketball hotbeds like Europe and Latin America for NBA expansion. Preseason games in Europe and Asia have been played over the past few years and this year, for the first time ever, two regular season matchups have been scheduled in the UK between the Nets and Raptors. Stern is also sending out a vast contingency of ambassa-ballers this preseason: Read More »

Every hero has a villain. LeBron James and the Miami Heat have turned themselves into the most hated team in the NBA after their orchestrated moves during free agency, a title they took from — depending on whom you ask — the Celtics or the Lakers.

Villains of the NBA seem to thrive when they’re loathed, not loved. The “Us against the world” mentality adds more fuel to the fire, but there have been plenty of villains throughout the years in the NBA other than the revamped Heat. Read More »

After he averaged 15.1 points and 10.6 rebounds in the month of April during his rookie season — as the youngest player in the League, mind you — I knew Anthony Randolph was going to be something special.

This is a kid who put up 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a freshman at LSU before bolting to the NBA. After being selected with the 14th pick in the ’08 draft to run in Don Nelson‘s up-tempo offense — which should have been a blessing for the ultra-talented human highlight reel — Randolph started 22 games as a rookie and capped the season with averages of 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds. Read More »

Timing is everything. LeBron James bought a full-page ad in the Akron Beacon Journal, thanking his hometown fans, friends and family. “For all my life, I have lived in Akron — and for that, I am truly a lucky man,” the ad reads. “It was here where I first learned how to play basketball, and where I met the people who would become my lifelong friends and mentors. Their guidance, encouragement and support will always be with me. Akron is my home, and the central focus of my life. It’s where I started, and it’s where I will always come back to. You can be sure that I will continue to do everything I can for this city, which is so important to my family and me. Thank you for your love and support. You mean everything to me.” Read More »