This is the official documentary chronicling the Revenge of the Dreamers III sessions in January 2019 at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
Album drops 7/5/19
Salute J.Cole
#ROTD3 #Dreamville #RevengeDocumentary
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Post Draft Clarity
Right now it's June 22nd. The NBA season is over, the draft is done, and random trades are being made to clear cap space for free agency. Us as fans are board out of our minds and we have to wait on this pointless NBA awards show to find out who is the MVP. During this downtime I look around and I see potential trainwreck after potential trainwreck. Draft night brings me joy every year. Seeing those kids walk across that stage to shake Adam Silver's hand after dedicating their young lives to the sport is beautiful to me. Then when all the cute shit wears off reality hits.
A lot of bad decisions we just made. Some of these kids were either pressured to leave school early or were given bad advice. I'm all for taking a leap of faith but some of those kids that left school prematurely are going to get swallowed alive in the NBA. From there it's stints in the G-League and possibly overseas. A kid that was drafted in the lottery who I won't name showed me nothing that indicated that he was ready to play at the next level but I'm sure media hype, a money hungry agent, and greedy family members convinced him that he was. I wish nothing but the best for him and a few others that aren't going to pan out instantly like they thought they would. Every year 60 kids get drafted and not even half of them are in the league 8 years later. Obviously there's guys like Quinn Cook and Fred Vanvleet that went undrafted but had to bust their ass to get in the league but their stories are rare. Making it in the league is one thing but being good enough to stay there is the hard part. It takes hardwork, health, and the right opportunities to survive in the NBA. These front office people are able to move onto new positions if they make mistakes but the players that are unprepared get hit with 1 reality check after another. If this article comes across the screen of college hooper all I ask is that you stay in school till you really believe that you're amongst the best 450 players in the world. Once you leave it's no turning back. That can result in depression, self doubt, and many bad life choices if your plan doesn't work. Save yourself from yourself. Choose wisely.
A lot of bad decisions we just made. Some of these kids were either pressured to leave school early or were given bad advice. I'm all for taking a leap of faith but some of those kids that left school prematurely are going to get swallowed alive in the NBA. From there it's stints in the G-League and possibly overseas. A kid that was drafted in the lottery who I won't name showed me nothing that indicated that he was ready to play at the next level but I'm sure media hype, a money hungry agent, and greedy family members convinced him that he was. I wish nothing but the best for him and a few others that aren't going to pan out instantly like they thought they would. Every year 60 kids get drafted and not even half of them are in the league 8 years later. Obviously there's guys like Quinn Cook and Fred Vanvleet that went undrafted but had to bust their ass to get in the league but their stories are rare. Making it in the league is one thing but being good enough to stay there is the hard part. It takes hardwork, health, and the right opportunities to survive in the NBA. These front office people are able to move onto new positions if they make mistakes but the players that are unprepared get hit with 1 reality check after another. If this article comes across the screen of college hooper all I ask is that you stay in school till you really believe that you're amongst the best 450 players in the world. Once you leave it's no turning back. That can result in depression, self doubt, and many bad life choices if your plan doesn't work. Save yourself from yourself. Choose wisely.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
All Time Great
Top 5 and G.O.A.T debates happen all the time when it comes to hip hop. As an avid fan of the craft I feel like a new discussion should begin. Music is an art and I think it's fair to judge rappers as overall artist without limiting the discussion to a comparison amongst just rappers.
Today you can mention an artist from the Renaissance era and they're automatically placed in a separate class and revered as a God-like figure. When I say artist this goes beyond musicians. I'm talking sculptors, painters, etc. The Creation of Adam is an amazing painting, but does Michelangelo have an illmatic? Can you definitively say William Shakespeare is a better storyteller than Nas? Leonardo da Vinci is well known for the Mona Lisa, but can you feel it like Can I Live by Jay-Z? Is it nuts to question if Reasonable Doubt is a better piece of art than The Night Watch or did Jay-Z have to die 300 years ago to be in the same sentence as Rembrandt? Like all types of artist nobody is well known for every piece they've made, but we've seen Nas take leftover tracks and make the Lost Tapes album which is easily one of his best projects. Could we open an art exhibit of lesser known work by Masaccio and have it be arguably his best collection of work? This isn't to knock well known artist of the past. I'm just simply proposing a new way of thinking.
We put the greatest rappers in a box where they far exceed the competition and don't think of putting them in the same sentence as Van Gogh, Mozart, and Beethoven. I don't believe in waiting till someone is dead for over a 100 years to give them the credit they deserve. I've lived long enough to see illmatic turn 25 and age like Merlot from the finest vineyard. As time passes the legend of Nas beginning to craft one of the greatest albums in history as a 17 year old wunderkind will only grow. 300 years from now some kid will research Shawn Carter and see tales of his wealth, quotes from his peers, photos of him with his jewelry, and possibly view him with the same allure as we have when we see someone from the 1600’s in noble clothing. I fully understand how it goes, but it's time to give people their roses while they're still here.
We put the greatest rappers in a box where they far exceed the competition and don't think of putting them in the same sentence as Van Gogh, Mozart, and Beethoven. I don't believe in waiting till someone is dead for over a 100 years to give them the credit they deserve. I've lived long enough to see illmatic turn 25 and age like Merlot from the finest vineyard. As time passes the legend of Nas beginning to craft one of the greatest albums in history as a 17 year old wunderkind will only grow. 300 years from now some kid will research Shawn Carter and see tales of his wealth, quotes from his peers, photos of him with his jewelry, and possibly view him with the same allure as we have when we see someone from the 1600’s in noble clothing. I fully understand how it goes, but it's time to give people their roses while they're still here.
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Support = Progress
As I type this the 2019 WNBA draft is underway and the league doesn't even have a president. I truly believe this league has been mishandled for a very long time and a change has to come. By no means would I claim to be the biggest supporter or expert on all things WNBA, but I know for a fact that a situation like this should never happen.
At a time when the casual fan would only know players like Candace Parker, Maya Moore, and Sue Bird the WNBA is at a point where the legends have done all they can do for the league. Now it's time for the new generation to take the baton and take the league to a new height. The two players I believe in 10 years will be the Candace Parker and Maya Moore of their era are 2018 rookie of the year A'ja Wilson and 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart. I truly believe that with the support of the people they can have a Magic & Bird type of impact and boost the popularity of the WNBA. Like many I tune into the sports debate shows and there's never a mention of the WNBA because the ratings and lack of social media trending moments suggest that it's not a hot topic to cover. That doesn't mean there's no talent in the WNBA because that's far from the truth. What it does mean in that the fans aren't active enough. When the wage gap became a talking point I began to see many women speak in support of the players which I have no issue with. What was a problem was that a lot of them couldn't tell you who the last champion was or what was the last game they watched because they don't follow or actually support the league. From the myspace days to now I've seen tons of photos from women attending NBA games but outside of other athletes or media members nobody I've followed on any social media platform have posted anything from a WNBA event. I don't think I've ever seen anyone wearing any WNBA team apparel. This is in no way any fault of the players. This falls on the shoulders of the intended audience.
I understand that the level of athleticism isn't the same as the NBA, but there is real world class talent in this league. I'll go as far as to say there aren't many active athletes under 25 with a resume that compares to Breanna Stewart’s. I mean…
Just Sunday during the Women's National Championship over 20,000 people were in attendance to watch Baylor defeat Notre Dame. College sports tend to have huge followings but I just wish the WNBA could get that same love. It's to the point that it feels like NBA players are at times being forced to state their support for the league just to possibly garner new fans. Now with Maya Moore sitting out the league loses star power that it couldn't afford to lose.
They're already at a disadvantage because they play just 34 regular season games, average attendance is under 7k, 6 prior teams are gone, 5 teams have relocated, on their 4th commissioner, don't sell much merch, and couldn't even get Oxygen to renew their broadcast deal. People just simply don't support the product. If the ratings, social media trends, ticket sales, and merchandise sales increase these women would have more leverage when they demand a higher percentage of the revenue. The talent of the product is legit but the lack of fan support is holding back the progress. A league created for women desperately needs the support of women in order to evolve.
I'm old enough to remember how big the inception of the WNBA was. I remember Sheryl Swoopes dropping a signature shoe and having commercials so I know how prominent the WNBA can be when it is backed by fan support. The NBA loses money annually keeping the league afloat because it doesn't generate a profit, and even the likes of Kobe Bryant has taken matters into his own hands by training and coaching young girls who aspire to be stars in the WNBA and working with current WNBA players. The next generation of stars are in place. It's up to the women to support them and the possible results are endless. The 2019 season starts on May 10th. How yall gonna act?
At a time when the casual fan would only know players like Candace Parker, Maya Moore, and Sue Bird the WNBA is at a point where the legends have done all they can do for the league. Now it's time for the new generation to take the baton and take the league to a new height. The two players I believe in 10 years will be the Candace Parker and Maya Moore of their era are 2018 rookie of the year A'ja Wilson and 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart. I truly believe that with the support of the people they can have a Magic & Bird type of impact and boost the popularity of the WNBA. Like many I tune into the sports debate shows and there's never a mention of the WNBA because the ratings and lack of social media trending moments suggest that it's not a hot topic to cover. That doesn't mean there's no talent in the WNBA because that's far from the truth. What it does mean in that the fans aren't active enough. When the wage gap became a talking point I began to see many women speak in support of the players which I have no issue with. What was a problem was that a lot of them couldn't tell you who the last champion was or what was the last game they watched because they don't follow or actually support the league. From the myspace days to now I've seen tons of photos from women attending NBA games but outside of other athletes or media members nobody I've followed on any social media platform have posted anything from a WNBA event. I don't think I've ever seen anyone wearing any WNBA team apparel. This is in no way any fault of the players. This falls on the shoulders of the intended audience.
I understand that the level of athleticism isn't the same as the NBA, but there is real world class talent in this league. I'll go as far as to say there aren't many active athletes under 25 with a resume that compares to Breanna Stewart’s. I mean…
Just Sunday during the Women's National Championship over 20,000 people were in attendance to watch Baylor defeat Notre Dame. College sports tend to have huge followings but I just wish the WNBA could get that same love. It's to the point that it feels like NBA players are at times being forced to state their support for the league just to possibly garner new fans. Now with Maya Moore sitting out the league loses star power that it couldn't afford to lose.
They're already at a disadvantage because they play just 34 regular season games, average attendance is under 7k, 6 prior teams are gone, 5 teams have relocated, on their 4th commissioner, don't sell much merch, and couldn't even get Oxygen to renew their broadcast deal. People just simply don't support the product. If the ratings, social media trends, ticket sales, and merchandise sales increase these women would have more leverage when they demand a higher percentage of the revenue. The talent of the product is legit but the lack of fan support is holding back the progress. A league created for women desperately needs the support of women in order to evolve.
I'm old enough to remember how big the inception of the WNBA was. I remember Sheryl Swoopes dropping a signature shoe and having commercials so I know how prominent the WNBA can be when it is backed by fan support. The NBA loses money annually keeping the league afloat because it doesn't generate a profit, and even the likes of Kobe Bryant has taken matters into his own hands by training and coaching young girls who aspire to be stars in the WNBA and working with current WNBA players. The next generation of stars are in place. It's up to the women to support them and the possible results are endless. The 2019 season starts on May 10th. How yall gonna act?
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
2018-2018 NBA Predictions
With the NBA season kicking off tonight here’s my early predictions
Rookie of the Year: Harry Giles
Coach of the Year: Quin Snyder
Defensive Player of the Year: Joel Embiid
Most Improved Player: Brandon Ingram
MVP: Lebron James
Best Rivalry: Warriors vs Refs
Biggest Question: Will Jimmy Butler get traded?
Top Prospects for the 2019 Draft: Cam Reddish, RJ Barrett, and Zion Williamson
NBA Champions: Golden State Warriors
Rookie of the Year: Harry Giles
Coach of the Year: Quin Snyder
Defensive Player of the Year: Joel Embiid
Most Improved Player: Brandon Ingram
MVP: Lebron James
Best Rivalry: Warriors vs Refs
Biggest Question: Will Jimmy Butler get traded?
Top Prospects for the 2019 Draft: Cam Reddish, RJ Barrett, and Zion Williamson
NBA Champions: Golden State Warriors
Saturday, September 22, 2018
4 To Watch In 2019
Last year heading into basketball season I did an initial list of 4 players in different phases of their career that I predicted to take their game to the next level. After pretty much hitting it right on the head I felt like doing a 2019 list. This list consist of a high school phenom, college freshman, NBA rookie, and a budding NBA player that's ready to take a quantum leap. Without further ado I present the 4 To Watch In 2019. First up we have Cole Anthony.
This 2nd generation player is the son of former NBA player and current CBS Sports analyst Greg Anthony. Right now he's the number 1 ranked point guard in the country and hasn't committed to any college. This year he will be playing for Oak Hill academy under the tutelage of Steve Smith as the nation awaits his college decision. Recently he narrowed his options down to 12 schools with Duke, UNC, Kentucky, and Villanova being amongst them. In May during the Nike EYBL stop in Hampton Virginia I finally got a chance to see this kid in person and impressed is an understatement. He controls the offense with the poise of a veteran. Every part of his game is elite and his athleticism is nonpareil. I absolutely think his playmaking ability is his strong point. He can shoot incredibly well and play lockdown defense but his ability to get buckets for himself and others is insane and will propel him to another level.
Cam Reddish is a player that can potentially be the most important piece to whatever success Duke University has this season. This Pennsylvania native has the perfect build for today's positionless style of basketball. A Paul George/Jayson Tatum type player with prime Joe Johnson's jumper is really the best way I can describe him. The step back and Euro-step are his offensive weapons of choice. While playing alongside Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett I don't expect him to put up nearly as many points as he's capable of per game but he'll be the one Coach K will depend on in big moments for a bucket. I'm a believer in players sticking around in college for longer than a year but some guys are ready after their freshman campaign. Cam will be one of those guys. Many casual fans might not be familiar with him yet because he didn't play during the Duke exhibitions in Canada but the world will be on notice soon. This All-American 2-way wing is projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2019 draft. Keep this kid on your radar. Great things are ahead for him.
Expect Wendell Carter Jr. to be a key piece to the Chicago Bulls young core instantly. He's coming in as pretty high profile player already but I don't expect him to look like a rookie for long. He's a product of the evolved big man that can handle the general power forward duties and stretch the floor as well. As great as he was in college he was overshadowed by Marvin Bagley. That won't be the case in Chicago. I believe he has a good chance of averaging a double double and being one of the better shot blockers in the league this upcoming season as a rookie. Aside from being a menace in the low post on both ends of the court he's actually a pretty good 3 point shooter. Last season at Duke he shot 41% from beyond the arch and I believe that will carry over in the NBA. As good as Jaren Jackson Jr. is I think Memphis will soon regret picking him and not Wendell Carter Jr.
Spencer Dinwiddie is a player that I believe will continue to incline but this year specifically I see him taking a big jump. He has a first step that some of the best in the league can only dream of. According to ESPN production researcher Matt Williams last season Dinwiddie recorded the 5th most blow-bys on drives in the NBA. I trust that he'll continue to keep that in his arsenal of go-to moves and become even better at it like James Harden. This reigning Skills Challenge champion had the 2nd best assist to turnover ratio last season and I expect him to continue this trend while becoming an even better passer this season. Due to the mire of the Brooklyn Nets franchise it's easy to go under the radar when the team simply isn't built to win and national TV time is minimal to nonexistent. Last season he was also one of the better clutch scorers with a few game winners on his resume. His fearlessness and poise under pressure along with precise passing is going to make him an interesting player to teams looking to make additions to their backcourt as he approaches free agency next summer. With that in mind heading into a contract year after being cut twice and starting a season in the G-league this is his first time to really get paid. Expect him to play his heart out on a nightly basis. I expect his shooting percentage to improve and his PPG to jump from 12.6 to the 15-18 point range while still being a low turnover player. Not all star caliber yet but a damn good player that can be a contributor to a winning team in the future.
This 2nd generation player is the son of former NBA player and current CBS Sports analyst Greg Anthony. Right now he's the number 1 ranked point guard in the country and hasn't committed to any college. This year he will be playing for Oak Hill academy under the tutelage of Steve Smith as the nation awaits his college decision. Recently he narrowed his options down to 12 schools with Duke, UNC, Kentucky, and Villanova being amongst them. In May during the Nike EYBL stop in Hampton Virginia I finally got a chance to see this kid in person and impressed is an understatement. He controls the offense with the poise of a veteran. Every part of his game is elite and his athleticism is nonpareil. I absolutely think his playmaking ability is his strong point. He can shoot incredibly well and play lockdown defense but his ability to get buckets for himself and others is insane and will propel him to another level.
Cam Reddish is a player that can potentially be the most important piece to whatever success Duke University has this season. This Pennsylvania native has the perfect build for today's positionless style of basketball. A Paul George/Jayson Tatum type player with prime Joe Johnson's jumper is really the best way I can describe him. The step back and Euro-step are his offensive weapons of choice. While playing alongside Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett I don't expect him to put up nearly as many points as he's capable of per game but he'll be the one Coach K will depend on in big moments for a bucket. I'm a believer in players sticking around in college for longer than a year but some guys are ready after their freshman campaign. Cam will be one of those guys. Many casual fans might not be familiar with him yet because he didn't play during the Duke exhibitions in Canada but the world will be on notice soon. This All-American 2-way wing is projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2019 draft. Keep this kid on your radar. Great things are ahead for him.
Expect Wendell Carter Jr. to be a key piece to the Chicago Bulls young core instantly. He's coming in as pretty high profile player already but I don't expect him to look like a rookie for long. He's a product of the evolved big man that can handle the general power forward duties and stretch the floor as well. As great as he was in college he was overshadowed by Marvin Bagley. That won't be the case in Chicago. I believe he has a good chance of averaging a double double and being one of the better shot blockers in the league this upcoming season as a rookie. Aside from being a menace in the low post on both ends of the court he's actually a pretty good 3 point shooter. Last season at Duke he shot 41% from beyond the arch and I believe that will carry over in the NBA. As good as Jaren Jackson Jr. is I think Memphis will soon regret picking him and not Wendell Carter Jr.
Spencer Dinwiddie is a player that I believe will continue to incline but this year specifically I see him taking a big jump. He has a first step that some of the best in the league can only dream of. According to ESPN production researcher Matt Williams last season Dinwiddie recorded the 5th most blow-bys on drives in the NBA. I trust that he'll continue to keep that in his arsenal of go-to moves and become even better at it like James Harden. This reigning Skills Challenge champion had the 2nd best assist to turnover ratio last season and I expect him to continue this trend while becoming an even better passer this season. Due to the mire of the Brooklyn Nets franchise it's easy to go under the radar when the team simply isn't built to win and national TV time is minimal to nonexistent. Last season he was also one of the better clutch scorers with a few game winners on his resume. His fearlessness and poise under pressure along with precise passing is going to make him an interesting player to teams looking to make additions to their backcourt as he approaches free agency next summer. With that in mind heading into a contract year after being cut twice and starting a season in the G-league this is his first time to really get paid. Expect him to play his heart out on a nightly basis. I expect his shooting percentage to improve and his PPG to jump from 12.6 to the 15-18 point range while still being a low turnover player. Not all star caliber yet but a damn good player that can be a contributor to a winning team in the future.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
New Look Blue Devils
As a big time Duke fan last night's exhibition in Toronto was an event I was waiting on. It was the first chance for me to check out my new look Blue Devils. It felt weird not seeing a Plumlee, Amile Jefferson, or Grayson Allen in uniform. Nonetheless I got the same vibe I get from every Duke game. Here's my quick take away from the 86-67 Duke victory.
As expected there were a few flaws in the chemistry but we saw glimpses of natural talent. It's August so we're a long way from what this team can potentially heading into March Madness. There's was a lot of hype heading into this Canadian tour being that RJ Barrett is from Canada but Duke had to go into this missing Cam Reddish and Tre Jones. Reddish has a groin injury and Jones has a hip injury. Neither will play on this Canada trip.
This game was the RJ and Zion show in the first half as the duo scored 37 of the first 40 points. Alex O’Connell who I expect big things from this season left the game early with an eye injury after taking an elbow to the face. His status for Friday's game in uncertain. The returning player that showed me the most was Javin DeLaurier as he put up 8 points and 11 rebounds. He was tough on defense in his 29 minutes on the floor. Jack White put up 9 points (all threes) and 7 boards. Jordan Goldwire who filled the starting point guard duties looked under control with more poise compared to his freshman campaign but had a rough shooting night. He'll be a very important part of this team this upcoming season. Now back to the stars of the night….. freshman Zion Williamson looked like a man possessed as he silenced the critics by hitting 3 of his 4 three point attempts. So much for the “all he can do is dunk” narrative. He finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. RJ Barrett put up 34 points on 40% shooting which is low by his standards but I'm sure will improve next game. It felt like RJ was trying to force his game early and after the half he played under control. I liked what I saw from this team considering we're months away from the actual season but Marquis Bolden remains the biggest question mark. I feel like he'll have to be a big factor for this team to achieve max success. I trust Coach K.
As expected there were a few flaws in the chemistry but we saw glimpses of natural talent. It's August so we're a long way from what this team can potentially heading into March Madness. There's was a lot of hype heading into this Canadian tour being that RJ Barrett is from Canada but Duke had to go into this missing Cam Reddish and Tre Jones. Reddish has a groin injury and Jones has a hip injury. Neither will play on this Canada trip.
This game was the RJ and Zion show in the first half as the duo scored 37 of the first 40 points. Alex O’Connell who I expect big things from this season left the game early with an eye injury after taking an elbow to the face. His status for Friday's game in uncertain. The returning player that showed me the most was Javin DeLaurier as he put up 8 points and 11 rebounds. He was tough on defense in his 29 minutes on the floor. Jack White put up 9 points (all threes) and 7 boards. Jordan Goldwire who filled the starting point guard duties looked under control with more poise compared to his freshman campaign but had a rough shooting night. He'll be a very important part of this team this upcoming season. Now back to the stars of the night….. freshman Zion Williamson looked like a man possessed as he silenced the critics by hitting 3 of his 4 three point attempts. So much for the “all he can do is dunk” narrative. He finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assist, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. RJ Barrett put up 34 points on 40% shooting which is low by his standards but I'm sure will improve next game. It felt like RJ was trying to force his game early and after the half he played under control. I liked what I saw from this team considering we're months away from the actual season but Marquis Bolden remains the biggest question mark. I feel like he'll have to be a big factor for this team to achieve max success. I trust Coach K.
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Wrong Side Of History
When it comes to sports opinions NBA draft night brings out the absolute worst. Everyone from draft experts, analyst, and common fans on social media will proclaim someone to be a bust and years later end up being completely wrong. I've taken it upon myself to avoid negative critique of a prospect simply because too often I've seen guys exceed expectations and become all star caliber players.
After maybe 4 years of playing at the highest level you can clearly have an idea of how good a player is, but trying to forecast someone's NBA career with the lowest floor imaginable because of a less than stellar March Madness performance is just dumb. Can you sell too high on a player? Absolutely. The difference is projecting a kid to be terrible when you don't know how hard they work, what new training they'll receive, and if they'll land on a team that will put them in a role that caters more to their strength is just foolish. Also in the era of one and done players most of them are only 19 years old on draft day. Imagine thinking someone won't get any better at their craft than they were at 19 while training at a more competitive level. I've seen people talk about rookies like they're the worst basketball players ever and I wonder do these people realize that the NBA is the highest level of basketball on Earth? Then there's the people that only look at points scored and assume all basketball players are supposed to put up 20+ a game from day 1 which just isn't reality and the guys that were able to pull that off are more than likely in the hall of fame. With all that being said….give the young players time to develop before you make a statement that could place you on the wrong side of history.
After maybe 4 years of playing at the highest level you can clearly have an idea of how good a player is, but trying to forecast someone's NBA career with the lowest floor imaginable because of a less than stellar March Madness performance is just dumb. Can you sell too high on a player? Absolutely. The difference is projecting a kid to be terrible when you don't know how hard they work, what new training they'll receive, and if they'll land on a team that will put them in a role that caters more to their strength is just foolish. Also in the era of one and done players most of them are only 19 years old on draft day. Imagine thinking someone won't get any better at their craft than they were at 19 while training at a more competitive level. I've seen people talk about rookies like they're the worst basketball players ever and I wonder do these people realize that the NBA is the highest level of basketball on Earth? Then there's the people that only look at points scored and assume all basketball players are supposed to put up 20+ a game from day 1 which just isn't reality and the guys that were able to pull that off are more than likely in the hall of fame. With all that being said….give the young players time to develop before you make a statement that could place you on the wrong side of history.
ANTHONY DAVIS WILL BE A NBA BUST MARK MY WORDS!
— Young Black Jesus (@zekNcashe) June 28, 2012
On Kristaps Porzingis' 22nd birthday, a look back at Stephen A. Smith's rant from draft night 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/lGcwp7w7Ib
— Dime on UPROXX (@DimeUPROXX) August 2, 2017
im not just sayin this cuz i hate Duke but i think Kyrie Irving is gonna be a bust #yeaisaidit
— Sir Dennis Morrow (@TheGreatKingSIR) May 18, 2011
Prediction- DeMarcus Cousins is going to be another highly talented bust. Maturity comes with age but you can't gain intelligence with age.
— Aaron Ayers (@_tommypoint) March 28, 2010
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Best Shot (Entire series)
Best Shot is an American documentary web television 8 part series directed by Michael John Warren and starring Jay Williams. It premiered on July 18, 2018 on YouTube Premium. The series is executive produced by LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn, and Warren. Check it out!
Saturday, May 19, 2018
The Nash Trickle Down Effect ft. CP3
The trickle down effect of one decision can have impact years later with people coming into contact with each other not knowing how they'll be linked down the line. Today I'm going to breakdown how the Chris Paul veto led to Steve Nash being the key to the Lakers rebuild.
It all started with the veto of the Chris Paul trade in 2011 that left the Lakers in desperate need of a point guard. The next summer the Lakers made a trade with the Suns for Steve Nash in exchange for first round draft picks in 2013 and 2015 as well as second round draft picks in 2013 and 2014. The Suns used the 2013 first round pick that turned out to be the 30th pick on Nemanja Nedovic who played only 24 games and the second round pick was Alex Oriakhi….not much to see here. In 2014 the Suns used the second round pick on Johnny O'Bryant III…. Nothing any Laker fan is regretting right now. In 2015 the pick was top 5 protected which put the Lakers in a position where if the pick landed in the top 5 in the lottery the Lakers got to keep it. Lakers had the 4th worst record and ended up with the 2nd pick and drafted D’Angelo Russell.
The pick transferred to the 2016 draft and became top 3 protected. The Lakers tanked for the 2nd worst record and got the 2nd pick again and drafted Brandon Ingram.
Prior to the draft the Suns traded that pick to the 76ers so if it fell outside of the top 3 it would have went to them. That caused the pick to transfer to the next draft. Once again the Lakers got the 2nd pick for the 3rd straight year and in 2017 and they drafted Lonzo Ball. A true pass first point guard they were looking for in the first place back in 2011.
Prior to the draft the Lakers used D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov as trade assets to create salary cap flexibility. In return the Lakers received Brook Lopez who was on an expiring contract and the 27th pick which was used on Kyle Kuzma.
That 2015 first round pick the Lakers traded to the Suns in 2012 now transferred to the 76ers who on Monday landed at the 10th pick...6 years later. At this point the Lakers have built a young core through the draft just like Golden State has while creating cap space to pursue star veterans in free agency and the Suns finally found luck and landed the number 1 pick in this upcoming draft. All of this was 6 years in the making.
It all started with the veto of the Chris Paul trade in 2011 that left the Lakers in desperate need of a point guard. The next summer the Lakers made a trade with the Suns for Steve Nash in exchange for first round draft picks in 2013 and 2015 as well as second round draft picks in 2013 and 2014. The Suns used the 2013 first round pick that turned out to be the 30th pick on Nemanja Nedovic who played only 24 games and the second round pick was Alex Oriakhi….not much to see here. In 2014 the Suns used the second round pick on Johnny O'Bryant III…. Nothing any Laker fan is regretting right now. In 2015 the pick was top 5 protected which put the Lakers in a position where if the pick landed in the top 5 in the lottery the Lakers got to keep it. Lakers had the 4th worst record and ended up with the 2nd pick and drafted D’Angelo Russell.
The pick transferred to the 2016 draft and became top 3 protected. The Lakers tanked for the 2nd worst record and got the 2nd pick again and drafted Brandon Ingram.
Prior to the draft the Suns traded that pick to the 76ers so if it fell outside of the top 3 it would have went to them. That caused the pick to transfer to the next draft. Once again the Lakers got the 2nd pick for the 3rd straight year and in 2017 and they drafted Lonzo Ball. A true pass first point guard they were looking for in the first place back in 2011.
Prior to the draft the Lakers used D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov as trade assets to create salary cap flexibility. In return the Lakers received Brook Lopez who was on an expiring contract and the 27th pick which was used on Kyle Kuzma.
That 2015 first round pick the Lakers traded to the Suns in 2012 now transferred to the 76ers who on Monday landed at the 10th pick...6 years later. At this point the Lakers have built a young core through the draft just like Golden State has while creating cap space to pursue star veterans in free agency and the Suns finally found luck and landed the number 1 pick in this upcoming draft. All of this was 6 years in the making.
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