The debate over whether Derrick Rose should be playing for Team USA is behind us. Clearly he is not yet himself, and clearly he is using the FIBA World Cup to get himself back into playing shape so he has a running start when the Chicago Bulls’ NBA season begins. A big test is coming Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday as Team USA plays on three consecutive nights. We will have a much bigger body of work to judge him on when those three days
There he goes again, the ball miraculously still in his hands, blowing past a player that up until that very moment was a hero in his home country, and now has to settle for second place in the heart of his nation’s fans. Only the replay will tell just how in the world he found the angle to flick that layup in, with dizzy, confused defenders only finding the ball as it drops to them after falling through the net. Kyrie
The 2014 Basketball World Cup is finally here. And you need to take it seriously, because everyone else does. Thanks to NBC and the other fall-in-line media outlets, most Americans believe the Olympics is the premier international basketball event. Globally, nothing could be further from the truth. With 24 teams and no automatic bid for the host, the World Cup is twice the size of the Olympics. It doesn’t share the spotlight with track or swimming. And most of the players will
The latest version of Team USA that is preparing to defend its title at the World Cup of Basketball in Spain is much bigger than previous editions. But is it better? Previous American squads were built around perimeter players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, none of whom are here this time around. The stud of this squad appears to be Anthony Davis, who was entering his senior year of high school when the last World Cup was
There is a famous old adage that states: good things come to those who wait. Everything came full-circle for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday afternoon, as a year and a half long process had finally been complete: the pursuit of Minnesota’s All-Star forward Kevin Love. Love was officially introduced as a member of the Cavaliers, and will team up with fellow All-Stars LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to form, potentially, the most devastating trio in the NBA. [Read more…]
The national colors of Slovenia are red, white and blue, but for some reason they wear green as their national color when playing basketball. And technically, chartreuse is a shade of green. But damn, those were some ugly unis that Goran and Zoran Dragic were sporting. Watching the Americans’ 101-71 victory of Slovenia from the home office (I will be covering the tournament from Spain after pool play ends) gives you a different perspective. For instance, I thought Mark Kestecher and
Over the weekend, Kevin Love was officially traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The trade brought an end to more than a month of media speculation. While the trade signifies potential championship contention for LeBron James and his new running mates, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, it also brings with it a new era in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ franchise history. The Wolves future cornerstones will be athletic rookies Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, a 26-year-old forward entering his prime in Thaddeus Young, a
We are just outside of the two month countdown for the start of the NBA season, but one player is already itching for opening night. That would be the games best player, LeBron James. [Read more…]