Each Wednesday, we’ll be assessing how the top prospects of the 2013 NBA Draft are faring in college and overseas. Stick with us each week for assorted thoughts, including the biggest risers and fallers, the standouts, the sleepers and what we know and don’t know about the next NBA Draft class… Read More »

Midnight Madness is over, and with it went the smoke machines, dunk contests and laser shows that kick off the season. College basketball begins now, and while the excitement still remains it’s time to peel the hype back and see who the nation’s best truly are. That’s why Dime has you covered with individual previews of the nation’s top 15 teams and a few others just outside, all over the course of the next few weeks. Today, North Carolina State. Read More »

You can probably guess how the Atlanta Falcons feel right now. They get a huge win on Monday Night Football, but all anyone wants to talk about is how the other team — more specifically how the other quarterback (Peyton Manning) — lost the game, not how the Falcons won the game. It must be frustrating and a little insulting. Well, that’s how every opponent of the Miami Heat and L.A. Lakers is going to feel this upcoming NBA season. Whenever the Heat or Lakers lose, that will be the story; that they lost, not that the other team won. Read More »

Utah has been an odd matchup all season for Memphis, and after they jumped out early against the Grizzlies, we figured this would be the game that killed Memphis’ shot at homecourt advantage in the first round. Instead, the Grit N’ Grind gang did what they do best, and took it over in the fourth quarter, pulling away 103-98. O.J. Mayo had 17 in the fourth quarter, and his weak side triple in the final minute put Memphis up four, completing an unexpected turnaround that saw Juice score 20 and yet not have a single assist or rebound in 24 minutes. Just before that, Rudy Gay (26 points, 12 rebounds) had knocked down a triple and had a couple of beastly plays to open up a little Memphis cushion. Even with the Jazz getting another 20 points from Devin Harris, they couldn’t match the talent. Read More »

You know those players who over time fail to live up to their deal and by the end of it – speaking of the last year or two – when their trade value spikes and they’re referred to as “So and so’s contract?” Well, that’s sort of where Rashard Lewis is. He’ll be the second-highest paid player in the league next season, and for the last year or so hasn’t looked at all like the guy who once regularly dropped 20 a night in Seattle, or even the three-point specialist during his first run in Orlando. Injuries have played a big part. The situation with the lockout has put added attention onto the contract of a guy who has become the very definition of a one-dimensional player. Lewis is promising next year won’t be like that. He’s working out, showed more explosiveness in the Impact League and even had platelet rich plasma treatment in March. Read More »

We know what Derrick Williams did. We know what Tyreke Evans did. But what about Brandon Jennings, Kemba Walker, Rodney Purvis and Shabazz Muhammad? They brought their games as well with Hoopmixtape bringing the heat.

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Through the years, the Boost Mobile Elite 24 has become one of the must-see events of the summer. And with the sixth annual game slated for this August back at Venice Beach, ESPN RISE has selected the first 12 players for the game headlined by Dime/2K Sports All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Perry Ellis, Tony Parker and three-time participant DaJuan Coleman. Read More »

With a short break in NBA action this Memorial Day Weekend as the Finals approach, it’s a great opportunity to catch some other hoop action. And beyond lacing it up at the rec, if you’re in the Los Angeles area, make sure to catch Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League rolling through. Read More »

Earlier this morning, our friends over at HoopMixtape dropped this gem from the Boo Williams Invitational, the first leg of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, with Louisville-bound guard Rodney Purvis wrecking the competition.

Purvis reclassified earlier this year, moving from the Class of 2013 to the Class of 2012 and is actually from Raleigh, North Carolina, John Wall‘s hometown. Get acquainted.

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Shabazz Muhammad was the breakout high school star of the summer. The 6-6 wing from Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) was already rising through the rankings before he averaged 32 points per game on the AAU circuit and really blew up.

Now every school from North Carolina to Kentucky to Duke is in pursuit of Muhammad, a junior who is ranked 8th overall in the High School Hoop national Top 50. Muhammad has agreed to give HSH and Dime exclusive access by chronicling his thoughts in a regular diary where he’ll keep everyone updated on everything from his personal life to his high school season to his recruiting process. Here’s an excerpt from his latest entry: Read More »