Category: NBA General

A copy of Marcus G. Davenport’s Flint Star DVD has been on my computer desk for some time. A documentary depicting the life of individuals attempting to leave the ghetto through basketball, I already had a few preconceived notions about the film. I have never lived in what people would deem a “rough” neighborhood rife with crime, guns, and drugs, so it might be an alarming yet insightful experience to be an outside observer. However, in my opinion, the subject matter appears to be overdone. Eminem’s 8 Mile chronicled the life of a rapper who wanted to “get a record,” leave his decrepit slum of a hometown, and live the rich life. Even the less glorified, less Hollywood, and more street Through the Fire detailed the life of numerous athletes, mainly Sebastian Telfair, from their time in the streets to the NBA…if they got that far. Yes, most hit the wall as one man interviewed in Through the Fire stated, “There comes a time when you realize that you won’t get paid for this [playing basketball].”

I do not have issues with people wanting to be professional athletes or any other type of famous icon; however, I have issue with those that feel that there is no other way to be successful. The Flint residents are blinded. They see basketball as the only key to success and place absolutely no value on education which to them is merely an obstacle. Mateen Cleaves, one of the successful Flint athletes, mentions how he went to school just to make whatever grade needed to keep him eligible to play basketball.

Attack me for not understanding the Flint culture, but the following explains why I think Flint has more options than playing ball:

It’s a funny world we live in when players like Mark Madsen, Beno Udrih, and Darvin Ham have NBA finals rings, and Karl Malone, John Stockton, Reggie Miller, and Charles Barkley don’t.  Of course those first names are the typical 10-12 men on championship rosters who also deserve rings, but there is something to be said for the greats who never win championships.  Charles Barkley has said that he doesn’t believe that him never winning a championship diminishes his career any, nor does it to Karl, John, or Reggie.  He may be right, but why did he go to Houston?  Why did Karl go to L.A.?  To win a championship, right?  This year actually saw two great players win that elusive championship, Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton.  Two players who in their prime may have been one of the top ten players at their respective positions ever.  Did anyone really predict 10 years ago that Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning would take bench roles in order to win a championship?

Suggesting as many do, that making the right decision at the NBA draft is an “imperfect science,” is making an understatement at absolute best.

Over the years I’ve discovered even the most adept general managers, ones that spend months or years watching players develop, still have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.

Let’s go Heat! Let’s go Heat!  Three words that bring excitement and joy to the hearts of Miami Heat fans and three words that cause heartache and dejection for the entire state of Texas.  The Miami Heat, yes the same Heat that once started Harold Minor, are the 2005-06 NBA world champions.  After a year of battling doubt, skepticism, and adversity the Miami Heat got the last laugh by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4 – 2 to win their first championship in franchise history.

by Trevor Freeman

Now that the deadline to withdraw for the NBA Draft has passed, we finally know who is in and who is out.  Before we begin our first mock look, a couple awards need to be passed out.  First off, is the “Omar Cook” award presented annually to the collegian that must have been smoking crack when he decided to stay in the draft.  This year’s winner is Daniel Gibson from Texas.  Does Gibson not have access to the internet?  Does he not realize that by staying in the draft he ensured that he’ll be suiting up for Fayetteville of the NBDL in March?  Our second award is my favorite and I like to call it the “Skita”.  This is awarded to the draft pick that is going to make an entire fan base scratch their head the moment the selection is made.  This year’s winner is Saer Sene from Senegal……..(giggling)…….(giggling some more).  Here’s hoping New York pulls the trigger on him and a full-scale riot ensues.  

Heat and Mavs to Clash in NBA Finals

I believe sportscaster Keith Jackson said it best when he yelled “whoa nelly!”  There couldn’t be more fitting words to describe to these NBA conference finals and the playoffs in general.  In the East, the Miami Heat came into the conference finals looking to finally remove the proverbial “monkey” from their back and move past the Detroit Pistons.  Mission accomplished.  The boys from “Wade County” move on to the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history.  Out in the West, the now defensive minded Dallas Mavericks took on the small yet resilient Phoenix Suns.  Dallas, coming off an epic seven game war, took on the battle tested Suns and finally knocked them out.  Mark Cuban’s crew also moves on to the NBA finals for the first time.

by Trevor Freeman

“As the thirty-fifth pick approaches, Erik once again leans into the speaker phone.  If he leaned in just a bit more closely he might hear phones around the league clicking off, so that people could laugh without being heard.  For they do laugh.  They will make fun of what the A’s are about to do; and there will be a lesson in that.  The inability to envision a certain kind of person doing a certain kind of thing because you’ve never seen someone who looks like him do it before is not just a vice.  It’s a luxury.  What begins as failure of the imagination ends as a market inefficiency:  when you rule out an entire class of people from doing a job simply by their appearance, you are less likely to find the best person for the job.”