Sports generally and the NBA specifically have always been pioneers, years ahead of society when it comes to racial issues. Black players entered the NFL in 1946, MLB in 1947 and the NBA in 1951, all more before Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954 and over a decade ahead of the pivotal civil rights events of the 1960s. The NBA has continued to be a leader with more African-American players, coaches, GMs and owners than any other league. Even the fans
The first round of the 2014 playoffs has been remarkable for the many crazy story lines and the record number of both games and Game 7s. Usually the first round is a snoozer with two or three sweeps, and the only upsets are the No. 5 over No. 4 variety. But this year gave us so many thrills that we all got to witness so much more. We have all experienced great regular season games that have been played with “playoff
March Madness seems like ages ago, and it did not leave all that many enduring memories. Well at least for those outside of Connecticut. While the NCAA basketball tournament is full of ups and downs, upsets and buzzer beaters, it is over in a flash. Three weekends of a basketball binge … and it’s gone. One team celebrates while 67 others just go home. It’s so impossible to predict that even a $1 billion bracket bet was over the first week. Now
The NBPA announced this week that the current search for the new Executive Director has been canceled, and they will have a “do over.” After more than a year of secrecy and controversy, the selection committee led by Board President Chris Paul finally realized that the search in its current form had no realistic chance of having a happy ending. The players were in the dark, the agents were near revolt, and the process would taint either of the two finalists
Big wins are nice. They make players feel great, and they make fans happy. Big losses? Those are the things that stick in players’ heads for years and years and years. That truism comes from ex-player Danny Schayes, whose column this week deals with Kentucky’s loss in the NCAA championship game and how it will impact those five freshmen going forward. As Schayes notes, the games and the moments that stick out in his mind the most are games in which he ended
Every player with a long career has experienced amazing triumphs and agonizing defeats. What is remarkable is that if you ask most athletes about those events years later, most will admit that the losses stay with them and are more impactful than the wins. After this year’s NCAA Championship game, Kentucky coach John Calipari could only talk about the missed opportunities. His team missed free throws, turned the ball over or missed shots at crucial times. He rarely mentioned the tremendous
There is a curious thing happening right now. As the search for the replacement Executive Director for Billy Hunter at the NBA players’ union drags into its second year with no end in sight, there is a tremendous void not being filled. The league and Commissioner Adam Silver, being bright and experienced, have decided to take this opportunity and fill it themselves. The missing element is the voice of the players. And their silence is deafening. As the NBPA office continues to shrink
Danny Schayes is making his on-camera debut in this post, so make sure to tweet him at @DanSchayes and tell him how ugly he looks. But also make sure you congratulate him on making a strong point — and exposing the shenanigans that are going on at the Players Association as they search for a new executive director to replace the deposed Billy Hunter. As Schayes writes in his latest column, the two leading candidates for the post are going through an