Some prominent NBA athletes are still recuperating from injuries, taking necessary time off to recover, heal and rest from weariness and prolonged seasons that may have gone deep in the playoffs. Some, like Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, among others, are in Brazil enjoying the 2014 FIFA World Cup. There are plenty, like LeBron James, who are on vacation, spending time with their families. Still, there are those who are already hard at work, trying to improve for the 2014-15 NBA season.
Two months and 13 days from the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, nearly all of the world is fixated on the soccer World Cup in Brazil. Last week, Brazil opened the FIFA World Cup with a victory over Croatia. Tuesday, the host nation took on a feisty Mexico team, the result was less joyous for the home crowd, though plenty entertaining for impartial soccer fans. After the game ended in a scoreless tie, led by a spectacular showing from Mexico
Day two of the 2014 Brazil World Cup may have had the most anticipated match of the group round. Spain, winners of the 2010 World Cup, had been selected to Group B with Chile, Australia and the Netherlands—the team they defeated 1-0 in the finals four years ago. That match was 0-0 through 90 minutes before the Spanish got the go-ahead goal in extra time. Their first match in this year’s World Cup? A rematch of the 2010 final against Netherlands. This matchup
Over the last couple days, it looked like the Grizzlies were this year’s Nuggets: a playoff team undergoing massive front office shakeup and losing their well-regarded coach. Today, they’re still down a couple executives (though by many accounts, not Masai Ujiri-caliber), but in an unexpected move, it looks like coach Dave Joerger is sticking around. How unexpected? Well, let’s look at a couple pieces that came out earlier today. First, from Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor interviewed Dave Joerger
Every team has a different process when hiring a new head coach of GM. For the Golden State Warriors, a team with a plentiful collection of talent, is in no rush to select their next leader. [Read more…]
Beats Electronics enthusiast LeBron James seen with co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Andre (Dr. Dre) Young. Hip Hop has had a longstanding relationship with basketball dating back to the 90s. Between the fashion trends, music and relationships often forged between the two industries, the two seem to go hand-in-hand culturally. Many NBA athletes have tried their hands at making rap albums: Chris Webber, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Tony Parker, Stephen Jackson, Troy Hudson, Joe Smith and Iman
“I want to be a free agent,” Carmelo Anthony told the New York Observer prior to the season. By publicly saying so, Anthony’s impending free agency became a constant and colossal distraction as large as the Empire State Building and simultaneously induced a chain reaction of numerous rumors during the season. J.R. Smith playfully alluded to the constant media speculation when asked if he would talk to Anthony about his future this summer. “I’m not going to talk to him at all,” Smith
Somehow, someway, the New York Knicks not only managed to miss the playoffs this year, but they have also stolen the majority of the headlines heading into it. With 16 teams left with championship aspirations, gearing up to start the second season on Saturday, Friday’s talk is all about the Knicks, who are expected to make a decision on the future of head coach Mike Woodson in the next few days. [Read more…]