After Rutgers stunned No. 10 Florida, 85-83, in double overtime on Thursday night, nobody could stop talking about the brilliant performance by freshman Eli Carter.

Everyone except, that is, for Eli Carter. Read More »

Asking Kobe Bryant to sit out with an injury just isn’t happening anymore. Some of us want to believe he’s doing it for the fame – “Not even Jordan could play through this!” – but at this point, it doesn’t matter the motives. Mike Brown says he can’t even tell Bryant is injured at practice, and Kobe is promising he will play this weekend. Kobe is Christian Bale and Gary Vitti is Morgan Freeman. So what will happen? We’re not doctors, but NBA 2K12 took a stab at it for us … Read More »

One of the biggest storylines in college basketball this season is the Florida Gators’ backcourt. People are saying it is the deepest and most talented backcourt in the country, and comparing their lineup to the four-guard lineup Villanova employed in the mid-2000s with Randy Foye, Allan Ray, Kyle Lowry, and Mike Nardi that helped Nova reach the Elite Eight in 2005. People see the Florida backcourt and they see a fourth-year starter in Erving Walker, a third-year starter in Kenny Boynton, a 16-point per game scorer from the Big East in Mike Rosario, and a top-five recruit in Bradley Beal. However, what people don’t see when talking about that backcourt, or just choose to overlook, is Scottie Wilbekin. Read More »

Sometimes when you’re putting together an issue it takes on a life of its own. That was definitely the case for Dime #66. Typically this would have been our NBA Preview Issue, looking at all the stars and storylines for the upcoming year. But with the 2011-12 NBA season indefinitely on hold until a new collective bargaining agreement is in place, a central theme began to arise while we were planning. Read More »

*College basketball is here (unlike the NBA), and this year might be one of the best in recent memory. The powerhouse is back, while the Cinderellas believe. That’s a deadly combination. We know some of y’all have been asking for some previews. We have you covered – the top 16 teams in the nation will be previewed individually in the next few weeks. After we broke down two talented squads yesterday, we’ll keep this going with No. 10-ranked Florida (ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll).* Read More »

Things were looking down for the United States.

It had blown a double-digit, second-half lead and Patric Young had missed a pair of free throws with 7.3 seconds left in regulation that would have iced the game. After Lithuania’s Arnas Butkevicius sent the game to overtime on a last-second basket, the US U19 squad fell behind by six midway through the extra period. Read More »

It’s crazy the difference a year makes. Last year at this time, the media attention swirling around the NBA was actually picking up steam. Game 7 of the 2010 Finals was an afterthought compared to the free agency craze. Atlanta got so hyped up, they threw Birdman money at Joe Johnson. Cleveland got so hell bent, they were ready to tear down buildings. We were throwing July 8th office parties. Miami was throwing “We are gonna win 10 championships” parties. And LeBron nearly ruined himself. Read More »

After last week’s NBA Draft, you are probably left wanting more, right? Well, with the NBA Summer League cancelled and the lockout looming, the next best thing we can analyze is the 2012 NBA Draft. With that, here is a list of the top 15 prospects that will hear their names called by David Stern next year. Read More »

The Florida Gators were one of the premier college basketball programs in the early and mid-2000s, a run that culminated in back-to-back national championships in ’06 and ’07. However, after 2007, the program has struggled somewhat to return to that level. That is, until this past year. One of the players who helped the Gators advance to the Elite Eight was starting power forward Alex Tyus. Tyus averaged 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds last season, but saved his best performance for the NCAA Tournament with a 19-point, 17-rebound showing against BYU in the Sweet 16. Alex is known for being a high energy guy with lots of athleticism. I caught up with him at the Nets’ draft workouts this week to talk about his senior year, Rowdy Reptiles and the draft process. Read More »

Experience is priceless in college basketball, which is why the Florida Gators have to be considered a legit threat to make another Final Four run and possibly contend for a national championship in 2010-11.

Florida is returning its entire starting five from last season, a group that won 21 games and earned an NCAA Tournament berth: Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton, Chandler Parsons, Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin. Read More »