Tuesday, October 18, 2022
4 To Watch In 2023
For every NBA player that decides to hang it up and retire there's another shining star in the gym working to become great. From high school on up there are guys that take a leap and elevate their game to another level. Crazy to think that this is my 5th installment of this annual series. Although I am really against heaping high praise on players before their junior year of high school there's one kid that I expect to put the world on notice in the coming months. Allow me to introduce you to Cameron Boozer.
To basketball fans this last name instantly stands out. Cameron is the son of Duke legend and former NBA all-star Carlos Boozer. He is the number 1 player in the 2025 class. Currently this hoop prodigy is listed at 6’9 and has plenty of time to continue growing considering that he recently turned 15 years old. In my personal opinion this was the most impressive high school player I watched over the summer. At an age where simply being bigger or more athletic than your peers can put you head and shoulders above the pack Cam has the skill set to be dominant even if he was 6’4. He has the ability to face up and score in the low post while also being capable of knocking down deep shots. His handle takes his shot creation to another level. His knack for rebounding and leading the break reminds me of Paolo Banchero. While his athleticism is at a supreme level his passing ability is a feature that’s easy to overlook because he’s creating highlights doing a bit of everything else on the floor. He has the ability to pass out of a double team while remaining poised which is a quality a lot of guys in the NBA struggle with. I expect him to be a fan favorite and develop a huge following before committing to a college. These days that could translate into a multitude of NIL deals and amplify his brand heading into the draft.
Next up we have rising Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead. Coming off a senior year for the ages that included All-American MVP and Naismith Prep Player of the Year honors Mr. Whitehead will be met with high expectations. The 4x high school national champion is a projected lottery pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Coming from Montverde Academy Dariq has played alongside NBA stars such as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes. He is a 6'7 small forward that can impact the game in all areas. He's very explosive yet plays a smooth style of basketball. Very rarely does he make the wrong play which speaks to his IQ. Of all the tools he has in his game his most valuable move is the first step. Like Spencer Dinwiddie, he's very good at sizing up defenders and beating them with the first step. That feature contributes to his ability to be a 3-level scorer. When needed to be I think he'll be an aggressive that can wear down defenders like RJ Barrett did in his 1 year at Duke. Those that haven't seen him in action yet are in for a show!
In my personal opinion the best shooter in this rookie class is Summer League MVP Keegan Murray. Following up a 23ppg Summer League run Murray averaged 16 ppg on 70% from the field in the NBA preseason. With Sacramento not in position to compete for anything significant I can see Mike Brown giving him solid minutes throughout the season. Once he fully adapts to the pace of the league I can see a few nights where he sets the league on fire. At 6'8 and 225 lbs he will be difficult to defend with 1 wing player. His size will allow him to punish teams for using a small lineup. With his 6'11 wingspan I expect him to terrorize teams all season. I can see his game aging well…. kinda like Steve Smith. He could possibly serve as that type of player for close to 20 years if health allows him to.
Finally we have Delaware's own Bones Hyland. From VCU he's 1 full season into his career and he's already looking like a routine 6th Man of the Year candidate. He plays the game with the type of joy that makes it hard to root against him. With Denver rolling out a healthy roster this year I expect Bones to become an even bigger fan favorite. He will be in more high profile matchups which will amplify his popularity if he executes properly. Last season you could just see how easy the game was to him by the all star break. Bones has a very slender body type with a ridiculous handle and can get a shot off in any scenario. I think he's capable of a few 40 point games this season. The last time Jokic, MPJ, and Jamal Murray were all on the floor together in the playoffs they were in the Western Conference Finals in the Bubble. Jokic has won back to back MVP awards since then. Makes you wonder if Bones can play a key part in getting the Denver Nuggets into the NBA Finals.
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Duke lands Tyrese Proctor
Sunday, October 17, 2021
4 To Watch In 2022
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic I did an annual list of basketball players on each level that I expected to take a huge leap in the upcoming season. The list consists of a player in high school, college, NBA rookie, and young veteran. I skipped last year because I didn't get a great look at the younger talent considering many events were cancelled. This time around I want to start off a little different. With that said let me introduce you to Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama is a French 17 year old goalkeeper turned 7'3 hoop phenom. Some would say he's the best prospect in the world. Fresh off averaging 5.7 blocks a game in the U19 FIBA World Cup he's already viewed as one of the most lethal defensive weapons on Earth. He made his pro debut with Nanterre 92 in 2020. This team has had Tony Parker, Boris Dias, and Rudy Gobert in the past. That should say enough about their development of youth talent. With his mix of coordination, timing, and 7'9 wingspan he's an absolute nightmare on defense. A background in soccer definitely played a part in this. His ability to handle and shoot the ball feeds directly into the sentiment that foreign bigs are more skilled at a youth level than American bigs by a wide margin. Also he has an array of post moves and runs the floor like a wild deer. There's a possible chance that he comes over to the US in the 2023 draft. When his body matures and strengthens the possibilities are endless.
Next up we have the number 2 ranked recruit in the 2021 class Paolo Banchero. P5 is an Italian American from Seattle. After committing to Duke in August 2020 he's been considered the crown jewel of Coach K's final season. At 6'10 and 250 lbs you'd expect him to be a prototypical low post big man but he's far from that. With a great face up game and the ability to play bully ball Paolo can create for himself. He can also knockdown mid-range shots which can do a lot for floor spacing. His passing and ball handling makes him even more of a threat. Paolo has traits of multiple players but there isn't really 1 solid pick for a comparison. I've seen every comparison from an athletic David West to a stronger Tobias Harris. Honestly I think you would have to watch him without expectations and draw your own conclusion.
Straight out of Chesapeake Virginia we have the Oak Hill all time scoring leader Cam Thomas. In my opinion he's the best scorer in this year's draft. He went into summer league and left his mark winning Co-MVP after averaging 27 points per game. He's the ultimate 3 level scorer with unbreakable confidence. He's very shifty and strong. This helps him create space and score through contact. The biggest plus to the situation that he's in with Brooklyn is that he gets to work with some of the best scorers of this era. When I watch him I see flashes of different players. Two players that come to mind are Joe Johnson and Nick Young. Like Cam, they both have a real solid body and have no issue getting their shot off due to the ability to create and simply not give a fuck who is defending them. I have a serious belief that if Cam has a long healthy career he's capable of touching 25,000 points. He's going to make the 757 proud.
Last but not least we have Jordan Poole. He's my pick for Most Improved Player. I thought he was good coming out of Michigan but after having time to develop around future hall of famers he's on track to break out. After having front row seats to the Steph Curry show all last season he got the understanding of what it takes to elevate to the next level. Poole averaged 21.8 points per game on 50.6% shooting in the preseason and there's a great chance this translates to the regular season. The game is slowing down for him and becoming easier. With the possibility of a contract extension coming up Poole will literally be playing for a chance at generational wealth. Expect him to play like his life is on the line all season.
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Always Bet On Yourself
Somewhere Friday night a little kid watched game 5 and Jimmy Butler became their favorite player. The hustle, determination, and passion he's played with during this postseason is the stuff of legends. We're witnessing a player elevate his game to an apex only he knew was attainable.
Us as fans routinely put a glass ceiling on the capabilities of athletes and feel vindicated when we're proven right. We don't take into account that different situations can either maximize or hinder talent. In Chicago Jimmy was a neophyte that evolved into an all star caliber player. Eventually the Chicago Bulls decided to scrap the whole team that was initially built around Derrick Rose and rebuild. That led to Butler being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the rights to Lauri Markkanen. In 1 season with the T-Wolves Jimmy assisted them in reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The following season things took a sharp turn and the perception of Jimmy Butler in the minds of many people shifted as he grew tired of the lack of determination of his teammates and took action. The infamous practice followed by the infamous interview with Rachel Nichols made Jimmy seem like a bad teammate to the outside world.
A trade request soon landed him in Philly where he spent one season and summer 2019 free agency landed him in Miami. I mean….his 4th team between June 22, 2017 - July 6th, 2019 looks nuts. Although the growing narrative about him as a teammate took on a life of its own it appears that he's found a home in Miami. He finally has a team of his own where he's the leader with guys that have adopted his mentality towards the game. The drive to win that he's displayed in these finals has made what once seemed like irrational confidence really a testament to who Jimmy Butler has always been. Then absorbing all this and relating it to myself I think we all could learn a lot from what we're seeing right now. We should never settle. We should never accept minimal effort from people that we are working alongside to accomplish a goal. We should never believe in glass ceilings. We should never back down from any challenge. The Lakers were viewed as Goliath going into these finals but Jimmy Butler wasn't viewed as a possible David. Right now as game 6 is just hours away and this series could possibly end tonight I want to thank Jimmy Butler for his competitive drive and truly embracing Mamba Mentality. Even as a long time Laker fan (I'm not one of these new niggas) I admired the fight he's put up. When the world counted him out he believed in himself.
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
False Ally
Everyone that has checked out my blogs in the past already know that I don't put much energy in being condescending towards athletes. I just don't see value in it when I can use my platform to compliment those who I think are special. Today I gotta take time to say FUCK DREW BREES.
He was one of the first to push back against Colin Kaepernick's silent protest and today he's back on that bullshit about disrespecting the flag. A piece of cloth holds more weight to him than the lives of African Americans being violated and taken to their grave at the hands of policemen. 50 states have protested because we are all tired of this happening and the killers not being held accountable. Somehow Drew Brees looks beyond all the pain and suffering to worry about a goddamn polyester flag. We've seen this flag talk hijack the protest before. Hopefully people don't fall for it again. Disregard the fact that he has majority African American teammates…..yesterday he posted a black tile on Instagram with the hashtag #blackouttuesday as if he was standing in solidarity with those who want justice for George Floyd.
As a player who has taken a knee with his team in the past he comes off as a hypocritical piece of garbage who is willing to pose as an ally when he really doesn't fuck with the cause. People will expose themselves if you allow them to talk long enough. I've said enough and I really don't give a shit about the NFL anymore so I'll wrap this up. Just had to express my disgust.
Peace & Love everyone….. except Drew Brees
He was one of the first to push back against Colin Kaepernick's silent protest and today he's back on that bullshit about disrespecting the flag. A piece of cloth holds more weight to him than the lives of African Americans being violated and taken to their grave at the hands of policemen. 50 states have protested because we are all tired of this happening and the killers not being held accountable. Somehow Drew Brees looks beyond all the pain and suffering to worry about a goddamn polyester flag. We've seen this flag talk hijack the protest before. Hopefully people don't fall for it again. Disregard the fact that he has majority African American teammates…..yesterday he posted a black tile on Instagram with the hashtag #blackouttuesday as if he was standing in solidarity with those who want justice for George Floyd.
As a player who has taken a knee with his team in the past he comes off as a hypocritical piece of garbage who is willing to pose as an ally when he really doesn't fuck with the cause. People will expose themselves if you allow them to talk long enough. I've said enough and I really don't give a shit about the NFL anymore so I'll wrap this up. Just had to express my disgust.
Peace & Love everyone….. except Drew Brees
Friday, April 10, 2020
A Kid From Coney Island (Documentary)
This is a documentary about the life of Stephon Marbury. Finally got a chance to check it out and in my opinion it's a well thought out doc with a great underlying message. It's produced by Kevin Durant's production company 35 Ventures. It's available in Apple TV, Amazon Prime, etc.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Long Live The Black Mamba
Growing up with the Kobe Bryant Renaissance Man poster on my wall to being a grown man who has had the opportunity to see him play in person twice….. I'm really feeling it right now.
Just scrolling through social media and seeing the love he's getting is overwhelming. We watched him grow from a 17 year old on draft night to a full time family man with a beard. We had time to accept that he was no longer playing basketball and have had the chance to witness the 2nd phase of his life.
Right out of the gate he struck gold with his Body Armor energy drink then before we knew it he released Dear Basketball and won an Oscar then won an Emmy. If that wasn't enough he also became a New York Times best selling author with the release of Wizenard. Then the opening of his Mamba Sports Academy where many came to train and workout. His post basketball career was looking to be even better than his NBA career. One thing that makes all of this so hard to deal with is that his 2nd born daughter had developed a love for basketball that led to him coaching her basketball team. The idea of a daughter wanting to pursue the same career as her father says enough to me about the influence he had within his household. Admirable to say the very least. What I've noticed since his retirement is that he's taken on the role of the wise old man that's constantly teaching. Kobe left this Earth with more money than he could spend and his legacy isn't about wealth. The value in the lessons he taught don't have a pricetag. Neither does his influence. Trae Young wearing number 8 last night as a tribute to Kobe is a prime example.
Yesterday I left home to workout with my gray Kobe shirt. When I came home my girlfriend was in the bathroom so I laid out in the floor in our bedroom to allow myself to stretch while I wait for her to get out so I could take a shower. She comes out the bathroom and tells me "Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash". At this moment I was stunned and ran downstairs to look at my phone and it felt like my heart sunk. I'm trying to make sense of this like everyone else. Then reading conflicting reports that all turned out to be false made me hate this journalism culture of rushing to be first instead of making sure they're right. People were even reporting that Rick Fox was in the helicopter with no legit source. Completely irresponsible. Finding out that Gigi was one of the 9 victims of the crash has fucked with me the very most. If you have problems with someone resolve that shit. If you're distant from your child(ren) fix that. Simply leaving home doesn't guarantee that you'll make it home. We can argue over who's the greatest all day but one thing that's been confirmed is that the day we lost Kobe the world stopped. It's a whole generation of ball players and fans that witnessed his career from the beginning to the end so it feels like losing a relative. Guys like Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum lost someone they idolized so understand that people are going to grieve. One more thing, people need to get the fuck of Lebron's back about not instantly issuing a statement via social media. He don't owe us shit or any insight into his feelings. I know I'm all over the place right now but I'm not trying to carefully construct an article. This is more of a freestyle. Peace and love everyone.
Just scrolling through social media and seeing the love he's getting is overwhelming. We watched him grow from a 17 year old on draft night to a full time family man with a beard. We had time to accept that he was no longer playing basketball and have had the chance to witness the 2nd phase of his life.
Right out of the gate he struck gold with his Body Armor energy drink then before we knew it he released Dear Basketball and won an Oscar then won an Emmy. If that wasn't enough he also became a New York Times best selling author with the release of Wizenard. Then the opening of his Mamba Sports Academy where many came to train and workout. His post basketball career was looking to be even better than his NBA career. One thing that makes all of this so hard to deal with is that his 2nd born daughter had developed a love for basketball that led to him coaching her basketball team. The idea of a daughter wanting to pursue the same career as her father says enough to me about the influence he had within his household. Admirable to say the very least. What I've noticed since his retirement is that he's taken on the role of the wise old man that's constantly teaching. Kobe left this Earth with more money than he could spend and his legacy isn't about wealth. The value in the lessons he taught don't have a pricetag. Neither does his influence. Trae Young wearing number 8 last night as a tribute to Kobe is a prime example.
Yesterday I left home to workout with my gray Kobe shirt. When I came home my girlfriend was in the bathroom so I laid out in the floor in our bedroom to allow myself to stretch while I wait for her to get out so I could take a shower. She comes out the bathroom and tells me "Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash". At this moment I was stunned and ran downstairs to look at my phone and it felt like my heart sunk. I'm trying to make sense of this like everyone else. Then reading conflicting reports that all turned out to be false made me hate this journalism culture of rushing to be first instead of making sure they're right. People were even reporting that Rick Fox was in the helicopter with no legit source. Completely irresponsible. Finding out that Gigi was one of the 9 victims of the crash has fucked with me the very most. If you have problems with someone resolve that shit. If you're distant from your child(ren) fix that. Simply leaving home doesn't guarantee that you'll make it home. We can argue over who's the greatest all day but one thing that's been confirmed is that the day we lost Kobe the world stopped. It's a whole generation of ball players and fans that witnessed his career from the beginning to the end so it feels like losing a relative. Guys like Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum lost someone they idolized so understand that people are going to grieve. One more thing, people need to get the fuck of Lebron's back about not instantly issuing a statement via social media. He don't owe us shit or any insight into his feelings. I know I'm all over the place right now but I'm not trying to carefully construct an article. This is more of a freestyle. Peace and love everyone.
I’ll never forget your words brother...
— Caron Butler (@realtuffjuice) January 27, 2020
💔#RIPKobe #RIPGiGi pic.twitter.com/OVaEw5q5sD
Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 26, 2020
I still got the trophy... imma hold this forever https://t.co/FItf8WLNYV pic.twitter.com/THptCRrf2V
— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) January 27, 2020
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
4 To Watch In 2020
For every star basketball player that we’ve invested years in that decides to retire it’s another one working their way up. With the NBA then NCAA seasons on the horizon it’s only right that I drop my 3rd annual “4 To Watch” list. This list consists of a high school phenom, college prospect, NBA rookie, and young verteran that I believe will take a quantum leap this upcoming season. With that said, let me introduce you to Jalen Green
Jalen Green is a 17 year old 6'6 combo guard that has unbelievable athleticism and footwork that's as graceful as a ballet dancer. His shiftiness is ridiculously smooth even when having to breakdown a double team in transition at full speed. His style of play has drawn comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Penny Hardaway. Although most of the highlights you'll see of him on YouTube are dunks he's equally as gifted as a shooter. He's currently undecided on where he will attend college but his commitment date is set for Christmas. He has already taken official visits to Oregon, Auburn, and Memphis. He has an upcoming visit to Kentucky and an unofficial visit to USC. This kid has the "IT factor" that can push him to superstar status.
Next up we have the #1 player in the 2019 class James Wiseman. He'll be attending the University of Memphis where he'll play under Penny Hardaway alongside the #1 recruiting class in the country. I had the opportunity to check Wiseman in person during EYBL in Hampton, VA. Seeing him go head up with a much stronger Isaiah Stewart made me a believer on the spot. Wiseman is very athletic for someone over 7ft and extremely skilled on both ends of the floor. Although many of the comparisons are interesting, I don't think he's like 1 player. I think he's a combination of a few. Try to imagine Chris Bosh with Giannis ability to get to the rim and the defensive instincts of Anthony Davis. Keep this kid on your radar. He's going to be a very sought after prospect in the draft next June.
Out of this season's batch of rookies Zion Williamson will be the heavy favorite to win rookie of the year and rightfully so. Personally I think there's 1 person that can challenge him in that award race and his name is Michael Porter Jr. After an injury early in his college career and trying to rush back at less than 100% some people doubted his future. He was projected to be the first pick in the 2018 draft but injury concerns dropped his stock to the end of the lottery. Denver took a chance with drafting him and sat him out all last season so he can recover and her whatever treatment he needs. Basically a red shirt year just like Ben Simmons. Porter Jr. is another player I've had the pleasure to witness in person during his high school run and maaaaan! He's easily the best high school player I've ever seen. I believe his game will transition to the NBA smoothly and he will be a fan favorite. My comparison for him would be Kevin Durant with Steph Curry's range. Hopefully he can stay healthy because I believe this kid can go down as one of the best.
These days with guys coming into the league at such a young age we tend to look at a 23 year old like they're in their mid 30’s. In reality someone that young is still years away from their peak. This season I just have a good feeling about Myles Turner. After coming off a season where he single handedly blocked more shots than the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team I think he's ready to take it up another notch. He’s already shown his ability to adapt by stretching the floor. Last season he knocked down the three point shot at a real solid 38%. I can see more of the same with an even more polished post game this upcoming season. Indiana has a pretty solid roster and with the return date for Victor Oladipo still uncertain Turner will be looked upon to takeover games just like last season. I believe he will become an all star, make one of the all defensive teams, and lead the NBA in blocks this season.
Jalen Green is a 17 year old 6'6 combo guard that has unbelievable athleticism and footwork that's as graceful as a ballet dancer. His shiftiness is ridiculously smooth even when having to breakdown a double team in transition at full speed. His style of play has drawn comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Penny Hardaway. Although most of the highlights you'll see of him on YouTube are dunks he's equally as gifted as a shooter. He's currently undecided on where he will attend college but his commitment date is set for Christmas. He has already taken official visits to Oregon, Auburn, and Memphis. He has an upcoming visit to Kentucky and an unofficial visit to USC. This kid has the "IT factor" that can push him to superstar status.
Next up we have the #1 player in the 2019 class James Wiseman. He'll be attending the University of Memphis where he'll play under Penny Hardaway alongside the #1 recruiting class in the country. I had the opportunity to check Wiseman in person during EYBL in Hampton, VA. Seeing him go head up with a much stronger Isaiah Stewart made me a believer on the spot. Wiseman is very athletic for someone over 7ft and extremely skilled on both ends of the floor. Although many of the comparisons are interesting, I don't think he's like 1 player. I think he's a combination of a few. Try to imagine Chris Bosh with Giannis ability to get to the rim and the defensive instincts of Anthony Davis. Keep this kid on your radar. He's going to be a very sought after prospect in the draft next June.
Out of this season's batch of rookies Zion Williamson will be the heavy favorite to win rookie of the year and rightfully so. Personally I think there's 1 person that can challenge him in that award race and his name is Michael Porter Jr. After an injury early in his college career and trying to rush back at less than 100% some people doubted his future. He was projected to be the first pick in the 2018 draft but injury concerns dropped his stock to the end of the lottery. Denver took a chance with drafting him and sat him out all last season so he can recover and her whatever treatment he needs. Basically a red shirt year just like Ben Simmons. Porter Jr. is another player I've had the pleasure to witness in person during his high school run and maaaaan! He's easily the best high school player I've ever seen. I believe his game will transition to the NBA smoothly and he will be a fan favorite. My comparison for him would be Kevin Durant with Steph Curry's range. Hopefully he can stay healthy because I believe this kid can go down as one of the best.
These days with guys coming into the league at such a young age we tend to look at a 23 year old like they're in their mid 30’s. In reality someone that young is still years away from their peak. This season I just have a good feeling about Myles Turner. After coming off a season where he single handedly blocked more shots than the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team I think he's ready to take it up another notch. He’s already shown his ability to adapt by stretching the floor. Last season he knocked down the three point shot at a real solid 38%. I can see more of the same with an even more polished post game this upcoming season. Indiana has a pretty solid roster and with the return date for Victor Oladipo still uncertain Turner will be looked upon to takeover games just like last season. I believe he will become an all star, make one of the all defensive teams, and lead the NBA in blocks this season.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Friday, August 23, 2019
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