Last week I wasn’t kidding when I said that this past weekend was the best basketball weekend of the summer. Featuring two of the best events of the year – Boost Mobile Elite 24 and Nike Tournament of Champions – NYC’s asphalt was full of hoops. And it all started Friday night up at Rucker Park. Read More »

Yesterday afternoon I went up to The Sports Club/LA to watch the kids from the Boost Mobile Elite 24 train and practice before tonight’s game. With 24 of the best high school players in the country, competition sets in when you’re playing in front of the media. Read More »

When I was out in LA this past weekend, I got a call from my girl Crystal Howard at ESPN PR asking if I’d be interested in coming to watch a secret midnight run at MSG with all the kids from Elite 24. Let’s just say it didn’t take long to accept. With Brandon Jennings and Kevin Love running alongside some of the best prep ballers in the nation, you can believe me when I say that the competition was fierce. Read More »

At one time in his life, LeBron James was just simply LeBron James. Back when he was growing up in Akron, Ohio playing basketball at the local community center, without Sports Illustrated knocking on his front door and asking to put him on their cover, Bron was just a kid who loved to play basketball and happened to be pretty good at it. But the world we live in today is always looking for the Next Big Thing and sometimes they’re harder to find than others. Don’t worry though, I was able to find him in Wichita, Kansas and his name is Perry Ellis. Read More »

Trust me. We understand your frustration with the lack of hoop being played since NBA Summer League ended, but this weekend in NYC features two of the best events of the year: Boost Mobile Elite 24 and Nike Tournament of Champions. And it all starts this Friday up at Rucker Park. Read More »

As the L.A. Lakers and Orlando Magic get ready to decide the NBA Championship later this week, there are 28 other teams whose primary concern right now is this month’s NBA Draft. And while Kobe and Dwight are the marquee superstars of the moment, the League’s immediate future revolves around Blake Griffin, the inevitable No. 1 overall pick in the draft and the cover athlete of Dime #49 — our NBA Draft Preview issue — which hits newsstands this week across the country. Read More »