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Tag: Basketball

  • Dennis Rodman: BFF with Kim Jong Un?

    Dennis Rodman: BFF with Kim Jong Un?

    Think Dennis Rodman needs some new friends!

    The former NBA star will be heading to North Korea next week to represent the U.S. as coach to the elusive country’s basketball team, despite the announcement on Friday of the execution of leader, Kim Jong Un’s uncle.

    Rodman, who considers Kim a close friend, decided to proceed with his long-scheduled trip Monday to train the national team. Rodman will be celebrating Kim’s birthday in Pyongyang on Jan. 8 with an organized exhibition game. Declining to reveal names, he has stated that several professional basketball players have agreed to play in the game.

    Rodman’s announcement came soon after Kim’s uncle, Jang Song Thaek’s execution was announced from Pyongyang on Friday. The reported number two leader of the country was executed as a reputed traitor.

    “The Big Bang in Pyongyang” as the exhibition game is being called, will counter the U.S. team against the North Korean team. During the second half of the game, the two teams will be a mixture of U.S. players teamed up with North Korean players.

    “Yes, I’m going to North Korea to train the basketball team,” he told The Associated Press by phone. “I’m going to bring American players over there. Yes I am. I’m going to be the most famous person in the world when you see American people holding hands and hoping the doors can be opened. If they can. If they can. If they can. I’m going. I’m going back for his birthday. Special.”

    His first visit to North Korea was with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series produced by New York-based VICE television in February 2013.

    Rory Scott, a spokesman for Rodman’s sponsor Paddy Power, said that “taking a pragmatic view, we have spoken to many experts familiar with recent developments in DPRK and it was the general consensus that it is safe for us to travel there. The purpose of this trip is not to get involved with politics but to prove once again that sport has the power to rise above all issues. And this will be a unique sporting occasion.”

    Image via Youtube

  • Zach Randolph Gives Shirt Right Off His Back

    Professional athletes have received a bad rap over the past decade due to the advent of 24/7 news stations and continual ESPN coverage. Many sports fans perhaps know more about their favorite athletes than their family due to the inane amount of coverage these athletes receive. Unfortunately for athletes, the media attention they do get is usually of the negative variety. Zach Randolph, forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, has been no stranger to negative media attention over the years. Randolph has been implicated with drugs and drug dealers, holds a checkered past during his youth, and has been known for his obscene antics on the court during his stint with the Portland TrailBlazers.

    However, Randolph has since matured and developed into an NBA player worthy of having many admirers. This month, Randolph received the November Kia Community Assist Award for his charity work with underprivileged children during the month of November:

    “As a part of the NBA’s Season of Giving, Randolph distributed 900 Thanksgiving food baskets at Booker T. Washington High School and Hamilton High School in Memphis. At both events, select families received tickets from Randolph to attend an upcoming Grizzlies game. Randolph also donated 500 turkeys and 500 spiral hams to be given away to 1,000 people at the Clarence Faulkner Community Center in Marion, Ind. In addition to Thanksgiving meals, he contributed 300 winter coats to students at Memphis’ A.B. Hill Elementary.”

    But it’s not these actions which have put Randolph in today’s spotlight. This time, it was Randolph’s actions on the court that brought a smile to a child’s face. During last night’s losing effort against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Randolph found himself riding the pine and chatting with a nearby fan. The fan, however, wanted more than a simple chat with the Grizzlies big man; he wanted Z-Bo’s shirt. Feeling the giving mood of Christmas, Randolph obliged and handed the kid the shirt right off his back.

    While many professional athletes use their positions of influence and authority to look out for numero uno, there are those who remember their upbringings and give back to those who need. Zach Randolph may have not been one of the giving kind at the beginning of his career, but recent actions prove that the All-Star NBA forward is becoming less of a Grinch and more of a Who – a trend which hopefully gains traction with professional athletes and millionaires worldwide.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Kobe Bryant Returns To The Lakers, Still Lose To Raptors

    Despite the return of their star player, and one of the best people to ever play the sport of basketball, the Lakers could not win even with Kobe Bryant. The eastern conference as a whole has been lacking in quality this season, but somehow the Raptors were able to pull out a victory against a Lakers team that had gained its star back.

    Kobe Bryant was playing in his first game since he tore his Achilles tendon in April. He returned with his star power as a player, but was unable to make a statement as an athlete. The Lakers lost in a disappointing fashion to the struggling Raptors with a final score of 106-94.

    After coming off the injury many people talked about how he may be getting too old to play in the NBA, and this game may be a sign of that. However, it could just be that it is hard playing after sitting out for such a long time, and he could have a big game soon.

    It can certainly take a while to adjust to things after being on the bench for eight months. Speaking on Kobe Bryant’s performance, coach Mark D’Antoni said “It’s going to take a while. I know everybody thought he could, but there’s no way you can come out and be in mid-season form. It’s just going to be a little while to get his legs and get his timing back.”

    The fans kept cheering for him throughout the game, wanting to see their favorite player on the court, and performing the way that he used to. Unfortunately, he was not able to play to his full ability, and his teammates had trouble playing around him.

    He admitted his problems, but knows he has time to improve when saying “My rhythm is completely out of sync. But this is a start, and I guess a start is good.”

    He was even played into the game with the imperial march from Star Wars, channeling Darth Vader as he entered the game hoping to have a big presence, but it simply did not work. Despite all of the mythical hype behind his opening music and chanting his nickname of “Black Mamba,” fans were brought back to reality after seeing Kobe’s lackluster performance on Sunday night.

    After the win, the Toronot Rpators improve to 7-12, and the Lakers fall to an an even record of 10-10. The Raptors were able to snap a five-game losing streak, despite playing without Rudy Gay, who is expected to be traded to the Sacramento Kings shortly. Bryant only scored nine points in the game, and delivered eight turnovers during his 27 minutes in the game.

    Kobe Bryant returned to the court for the first time in eight months, and while receiving a very warm welcome from fans, was unable to perform as the high-caliber player that he has been throughout his career.

    Image via Facebook

  • Lebron James Is Set To Make His Film Debut

    Lebron James has become quite the superpower as a player in the NBA, and even nicknamed himself “The King.” What’s next for the basketball superstar? He is planning to be the star of a new film, something that he has been planning for a number of years, but has not been able to get going until recently.

    The film will not feature him in some serious dramatic role, but in fact James will star as a basketball player, something that he has plenty of experience doing. The film will be titled Ballers, and after becoming a close friend to Lebron James and other members of the Miami Heat over the past few years, Kevin Hart has been attached to the project.

    Kevin Hart, the well-known stand-up comedian, and comedy actor, will be writing the script, as well as co-starring in the film with James. Hart will appear in the film as the lesser known brother of the NBA star played by Lebron James. He lives in the shadow of his superstar brother, constantly getting all of the attention. His character gets a chance to prove himself when he and some friends attend a fantasy basketball camp in Miami, hosted by James’ character.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwuM3IhsdQs

    Despite being in the early stage of development, Hollywood media outlets have already been comparing the film to Twins, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito. It will be quite the pairing for the NBA star and actor, with James being 6’8, and Hart only 5’3.

    The film will be a comedy about an adult fantasy basketball camp. The idea has been brewing since 2008 when he played for the Cavaliers, and has been in various stages of development since then. Lebron James, and his business partner, Maverick Carter, will serve as executive producers on the film.

    Lebron James has appeared in a film once before, being the subject of a documentary called More Than A Game, focusing on his years as a high school basketball player.

    The worlds of comedy and basketball will collide for the new film, and pairing Kevin Hart with Lebron James will make for quite the comedic sports film. Production on Ballers begins in the summer of 2014.

    Image via SB Nation

  • Michael Jordan And Wife Expecting First Baby

    Basketball icon, Michael Jordan, and his wife Yvette Prieto, a Cuban American model, are expecting their first child together. The couple got married seven months ago in an extravagant wedding ceremony in Florida. Jordan, 50 and Prieto, 35, have been together for five years now and live in Southern Florida.

    Jordan and Prieto met on the dance floor of a Miami nightclub in 2008.

    The couple exchanged vows at the Bethesda-by-the Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida in April of this year. This is the same place where Donald and Melania Trump married in 2005. The couple’s wedding ceremony was attended by over 500 guests and a reported 1500 guests were at the reception. The wedding was a Who’s Who of  celebrities. In attendance were Scottie Pippen, Spike Lee, Tiger Woods, Usher and Robin Thicke to name a few.

    Jordan is already a father of three other children- Marcus, 22,  Jeffrey, 24,  and Jasmine, 19  from his previous marriage (17 years) to Juanita Vanoy which ended in divorce in 2006. This will be Yvette Prieto’s  first child and the first for the couple. Before Pierto met Jordan, she dated Spanish singer, Julio Iglesias Jr, the  brother of Enrique Iglesias. Iglesias described Prieto as “loving, simple and a very good person” to Hola! magazine in 2003.

    Jordan is best known for his  six championship wins with the Chicago Bulls as well as being a 5-time Most Valuable Player for the NBA.

    (main image via YouTube)

  • Dwyane Wade Videobombs LeBron James With Cartwheels

    Dwyane Wade left teammate LeBron James speechless momentarily following the Miami Heat’s 107-92 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday. While LeBron was giving a post-game interview, Dwyane decided to do a couple of cartwheels. (Some people question whether or not what Wade did was really a cartwheel, but we won’t get into that.)

    The look on LeBron James’s face was priceless when he noticed Dwyane doing the cartwheel out the corner of his eye. Just as LeBron turned around, Dwyane did another cartwheel. LeBron is known for photobombing people (Dwyane Wade included), but it’s safe to say that Dwyane is the now the reigning photobomb/videobomb champ after that stunt.

    “Yo, we’re going to a whole ‘nother stratosphere tonight with that one,” James said of the cartwheels. Check out the video of Dwyane Wade’s cartwheels below.

    Both Dwyane and LeBron posted about the cartwheels on Twitter (and if you’re one of those people who don’t think that what Dwyane did constitutes a cartwheel, he throws down the gauntlet):

    The reactions to Dwyane Wade’s videobomb have been varied. Most people were just as amused as LeBron, but others either weren’t amused or weren’t very impressed with Dwyane’s cartwheel skills.

    Is this the best videobomb you’ve seen? Discuss your opinion in the comments section below.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Grinnell’s Jack Taylor Scores 109 Points in College Basketball Game

    It’s not often you hear much about a D-III college basketball player, but one young man from Grinnell, Iowa is certainly giving people something to talk about. Grinnell College’s Jack Taylor put up triple digits in a basketball game against Crossroads College on Sunday. No, that wasn’t a typo–we mean Taylor put up 109 points by himself. Including his points, his team had 173 points in the win.

    This isn’t the first time Taylor, a junior guard, has reached triple digits in a college basketball game, either. Just last year, he put up a whopping 138 points in one game, which broke the previous NCAA record of 113 points in a game.

    “Tonight, we just wanted my shot to kind of come in the flow of the offense with catch-and-shoot type plays,” Taylor said. The 5’10” guard scored his 109 points on 35 out of 70 shots, which includes 24 three-pointers. Taylor also had 15 free throws to add to his score. Taylor could have scored more and possibly set a new record had he played the entire game, but he left with about five and a half minutes on the clock. Check out highlights from Grinnell’s game below.

    You’ve probably already figured it out, but these high scoring games of Taylor’s aren’t too out of the ordinary for the young man. So far this season, he has averaged 90 points per game. Lest you think Taylor lets these high scoring games get to his head, think again–he is quick to give his teammates props:

    Despite Taylor’s impressive abilities, there are a few naysayers in the crowd. As you can see below, a few folks aren’t terribly impressed with Taylor’s scoring abilities and think he is a ball hog. What do you think? Is Grinnell’s Jack Taylor a baller or a ball hog? Respond below.

    [Image via Twitter]

  • Kobe Bryant Gradually Recovering

    Kobe Bryant is gradually getting closer to returning to the court with his teammates. It has been a little over seven months since Bryant had surgery to repair his Achilles’ tendon, and he is hoping to be able to play soon.

    “I feel like I’m ahead of schedule,” Bryant said in an interview for NBA TV on Friday. “If there was a playoff game tonight, I’d play. I’d play. I don’t know how effective I’d be, but I would play.” He continued, “The fadeaway still works, the ballhandling, being able to post. Those are things that I can do right now. But it’s not the playoffs, thank god.”

    Bryant has been lightly practicing his “tippy toe” shots, but he and his coach, Mike D’Antoni, say neither of them knows exactly when he will be playing again. Bryant says he doesn’t want to set an official date. He wants to make sure he is 100 percent before he takes the floor again.

    “Maybe a little bit more than tippy-toe,” D’Antoni said of Bryant’s shots. “I look out every once in awhile. I haven’t heard back that he’s ready to practice or anything like that. So, he’s just progressing. I think it’s better than yesterday, but I don’t know yet.”

    “It’s tough because once I’ve set that as a target then I’m hell-bent at doing it at all costs, even to the detriment of the damn Achilles,” Bryant said. “I try to just stay in the moment and really try to listen to my body. The biggest thing is I have not done anything athletically for six months, seven months. You got to get your body back in shape. And doing that, if I was healthy — completely healthy — you have that much time off and get back in shape and your knee is going to ache, your ankle is going to hurt, your back is going to be out. So you got to go through your progressions as you normally would over the course of a summer.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Lamar Odom Returning To The Clippers

    Lamar Odom is making his way back to the NBA! It was confirmed that Odom met with the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers, and Clippers GM, Gary Sacks, on Friday, November 15. Apparently during the interview, the deal was said to be done.

    “It was the best deal and he’s happy to go back,” a source told Us Weekly. Another source added, “Lamar is training and in good shape.”

    The clippers team says they were shocked to see Odom making a return to their team. “Everyone was shocked, but it was a good surprise,” one Clippers source said.

    Odom spent his 2012-2013 NBA season with the Clippers, and sources say he is excited to be returning, especially after the year he has had. He left the Clippers after alleged drug use, and then his DUI in August.

    Along with substance abuse, Odom has also been experiencing very public marital problems with his wife, Khloe Kardashian. Hopefully things will end up working out in his love life as well.

    “Khloe and Lamar started talking again,” a source said. “Over the last few days they started talking all the time. So she invited him to Kris’ birthday party He had a great time. He’s doing so much better.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Globetrotter Dunk Breaks Backboard

    Globetrotter Dunk Breaks Backboard

    William “Bull” Bullard, who plays for the Harlem Globetrotters, is a lucky man! While performing at the Nacional de Ingenieros Coliseum in Tegucigalpa, Bullard went for an alley-oop dunk that went terribly wrong. He pushed his feet against the backboard, like he normally does, bringing the entire backboard crashing down on top of him. The glass board fell to the floor shattering and leaving pieces of glass covering the hardwood. Bullard could have received a serious injury, but was able to walk away with only a gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder.

    Bullard says he was just doing his normal routine when he realized the rim was starting to come down. “When I dunk, I put my feet on the backboard, put the ball through my legs and dunk it again, so that’s the motion I was going with,” he told the New York Daily News. “By the time I realized that the rim was coming down, it was too late, and it crashed down on me.”

    After the doctors at the game bandaged him up and popped his shoulder back into place, Bullard walked back onto the floor and gave is fans a thumbs up. However, he did not play the rest of the game.

    “My main thing was to get up … get cleaned up, come back out and wave to them and show them I was good. It was a nice crowd.” he said. “The injuries aren’t too major. That’s a blessing.”

    Post by Bull Bullard.

    Image via Facebook

  • Duke vs. Kansas: Here’s What Twitter Is Saying In Real Time

    Currently #4 Duke is playing #5 Kansas in the Champions Classic in Chicago. This is the follow-up game to the thriller that was Kentucky vs. Michigan St. where we saw Michigan St. come out on top.

    Follow what people are saying about the game in real time.

    Here’s the #DUKEvsKANSAS conversation:


    What are your thoughts on the game? Let us know in the comments area below.

    (Image: ESPN Events)

  • Kentucky vs. Michigan St: Here’s What Twitter Is Saying In Real Time

    Currently #1 Kentucky is playing #2 Michigan State in the Champions Classic in Chicago. This is the first regular season meeting between a #1 and #2 teams since 2008 when Tennessee beat Memphis.

    Follow what people are saying about the game in real time.

    Here’s the #MSUvsUK conversation:


    What are your thoughts on the game? Let us know in the comments area below.

    (Image: ESPN Events)

  • Kevin Ware Returns To Play With Louisville

    Anyone who was watching that emotional game that Louisville played against Duke during the NCAA tournament will surely remember the horrific injury that was suffered by Louisville’s Kevin Ware. His dramatic injury resulted in a broken leg in one of the most gruesome injuries to witness in the sport, as we all watched him go down in pain.

    To many people’s surprise, he made a return to the court last night and helped Louisville in their exhibition game. The cardinals played Pikeville in their first game, a contest that they were easily able to win with a final score of 90-61.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUAMGrWiV6w

    It had been decided that he would play in their season opener against the College of Charleston, but yesterday’s game was uncertain. Louisville fans will certainly be happy to see their star player back on the court, and support him on a team that just won the national championship.

    Kevin Ware finished with 6 points and 4 rebounds in that 10 minutes that he played during the game. It must have been wild for him to be back on the court after 220 days, and he told ESPN that “It was great. I’ve never felt like that before. I’ve been waiting for that moment.”

    Ware entered the game late in the second half, and was not expecting to enter at that time too, which made him a bit nervous. He was cleared to practice with full contact on Sunday, but was not expected to play in Wedenesday’s game. Speaking on the decision to play him, Louisville’s coach Rick Pitino said “I wanted to get him some minutes just to get him over the jitters in case I need to use him against Charleston.”

    Coming off of a national championship victory, the Louisville Cardinals are ranked #3, Ware joins his fellow players in a quest for another successful season. They are now a part of the American Athletic Conference after the Big East was stripped apart in order to begin the 2013 season.

    Kevin Ware is hoping to be able to return to the same type of player that he was before the injury, but that is still to be determined. His whole family is planning to attend the season opener in Louisville, and will undoubtedly be a special moment for the star player.

    Image via Youtube

  • Javonte Douglas: See a College Player’s Insane Dunk [VIDEO]

    You sometimes hear hyperbole about a basketball player being so good that he can jump out of a gym. Now that doesn’t seem so far-fetched after watching a video of a junior college player’s amazing dunk that went viral. Javonte Douglas, a JuCo player for the College of Central Florida, pulled off a dunk that will make most NBA players a little green with envy.

    This Twitter user says it best:

    Check out Javonte Douglas’s crazy dunk (video above, GIF below) for one of the best sports clips you will see all week.

    (image)

    This obviously wasn’t your run-of-the-mill dunk. After a teammate shot the ball, Douglas ran up to get the rebound. Instead, the 6-foot-8 forward from Charlotte, NC jumped over three players and slammed the ball in the basket. Make sure you take note of the location of Douglas’s chin and the hand that is on the basketball at the peak of his dunk. Granted, it appears that he gets a little help from another player that was going up for the ball and got under him, but still…watch out, Blake Griffin!

    College of Central Florida has commented about the video on their Facebook page and says that it has received more hits than any other video in Patriots history. The video is expected to appear on ESPN sometime this week.

    Post by CF Patriots.

    How did Javonte Douglas’s dunk rank compared to others you have seen? Respond below.

    [Image via Facebook and EveryJoe]

  • Denver Nuggets Mascot Passes Out While Being Lowered to Arena [IMAGES]

    The mascot for the Denver Nuggets gave fans quite a scare on Friday night. During the pre-game festivities, mascot Rocky was being lowered onto the court as part of a stunt, but it was quickly obvious that something was wrong as his seemingly lifeless body descended.

    After Rocky was lowered to the floor, he slumped over. Officials for the Denver Nuggets say that Rocky got the wind knocked out of him while in the harness, but that he is okay now. Check out a video of the scary scene involving the Denver Nuggets mascot below.

    The scene was very frightening, especially for younger Nuggets fans. “Can’t lie, seeing Rocky’s lifeless body being lowered was kinda creepy,” one fan said.

    The incident caused quite a stir on Twitter, with many fans inquiring about the mascot’s condition. A few commenters described the incident and photos as “funny” and “hilarious,” but most comments were well wishes for the mascot.

    The Denver Nuggets mascot made a tweet on his official Twitter page yesterday thanking fans for their concern.

    Denver Nuggets went on to lose their home opener against the Trail Blazers 113-98, but that didn’t seem to matter much as most were concerned about the mascot. Rocky hopes to be back on the court in the next Nuggets game.

    [Image via Twitter]

  • Charles Barkley Takes Shots at Melo and LeBron

    These days, one can find Charles Barkley nestled comfortably between the likes of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal on the set of TNT’s Inside the NBA. Once upon a time, though, Barkley was an elite NBA forward, finishing in the top 8 in player efficiency ratings for 14 consecutive years and earning the ridiculous moniker, “The Round Mound of Rebound.” (Poking fun at Barkley’s portly stature.) Due to his experience both as a player and as an analyst, one can make the argument that Barkley’s opinions on basketball are perhaps more legitimate than others’. Thus, when Barkley criticizes Carmelo Anthony for wanting to explore the free-agency market and leaves LeBron out of his top 5 NBA players of all time, people take notice.

    In a statement to the New York Observer, Anthony stated, “I want to be a free agent. I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It’s like you have an evaluation period, you know. It’s like if I’m in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience.”

    Carmelo’s statement of wanting to explore the waters of free-agency blew up when commentators from Inside the NBA heard wind. Charles Barkley took special offense at the utterance: “He owns the city, he should be trying to get guys to come here and not like `I’ll stay here a couple of years – I forced my way here, No. 1, I got here, now I want to leave.’ That’s just not cool at all to be honest with you.”

    Barkley’s partner-in-crime, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, agreed with his analysis: “What happened to the law of attraction? Like, you’re good enough where you can attract guys that want to play with you. And that’s what’s missing, I think from the Knicks, and I think what’s missing from Carmelo, is just the law of attraction. Like, there aren’t a lot of guys saying they want to come to New York and play here with this guy.”

    Smith would go on to add that “What he should say is, `The Knicks have to, they’re going to give me the max. I’m going to be in New York.’” Many people believe that Anthony’s decision to test free-agency is linked to obtaining the largest contract he possibly can, which makes sense. If the Knicks really want to keep Carmelo around, then they would be forced to cough up more money due to bids coming from other teams. This factor seemingly doesn’t matter to Barkley, who is “ticked off” that Anthony is seeking free-agency when he practically begged to come to New York.

    Barkley’s barbs did not end with Carmelo Anthony, though. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Barkley stated that LeBron James would not be included in his Top 5 NBA players of all-time. When asked if LeBron was a Top 10 all-time player, Barkley responded:

    I have him there. But he can’t get any higher than where he is. I have Michael [Jordan] at No. 1. Oscar [Robertson] at No. 2. Then Wilt [Chamberlain], Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and [Bill] Russell. I have Kobe [Bryant], LeBron, Tim Duncan, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor after that. Those are my top 10. Those second five fluctuate, but who do I take off my top five? LeBron can get to No. 6 on my list, but here’s the thing that bothers me about the whole LeBron debate: I want to know why y’all killed Kobe Bryant! Y’all don’t even compare him to LeBron anymore. You are skipping him for LeBron and going right to Michael. I’m still going to take five [titles] over two.

    Barkley’s argument is a fair one. At this point in James’s career, could one legitimately make the claim that he is better than Jordan, Oscar Robertson (who averaged a triple-double), Wilt “The Stilt”, Kareem, or Bill “11-Time NBA Champion” Russell? I think the short answer is no.

    Barkley’s ranking of Kobe above LeBron makes sense as well. When one compares their achievements side-by-side (Kobe left, LeBron right), it’s easy to see that Kobe is more deserving of the 6th spot on Barkley’s list than LeBron:

    (image)

    Barkley is not the only former NBA player to leave LeBron off of an all-time starting five. When asked to name his all-time starters, Jason Kidd also snubbed LeBron James in favor of Scottie Pippen, a move that was seconded by Karl Malone. However, Malone perhaps proved himself to be even more insane than Barkley by leaving Michael Jordan off his own list.

    While one can make the legitimate argument to leave LeBron off of an all-time NBA top 5 list (He is still playing and has room to improve his standings), anyone who tries to argue that Michael Jordan is not one of the greatest of all time is simply delusional. It appears that after all these years, Karl Malone is still bitter about the 1998 NBA Championship.

    Image via Facebook

  • Here’s What NBA Live 14 Looks Like On The PS4, Xbox One

    Last week, 2K Sports revealed the first gameplay footage from NBA 2K14 for PS4 and Xbox One. The video claimed to be taken from a PS4 and it looked absolutely phenomenal. Now EA Sports has revealed the first gameplay trailer for its upcoming next gen basketball title – NBA Live 14. Which one looks better? See for yourself:

    To refresh your memory, this is what NBA 2K14 looks like running on the PS4. We can assume that the Xbox One version will look the same:

    What’s immediately noticeable is that NBA 2K14 is obviously the better looking game. There’s no contest as 2K Sports has made what looks to be the most realistic looking basketball game ever made. NBA Live 14 also loses some points for not showing us what its Anthony Davis looks like, but I can’t imagine it being able to nail his glorious unibrow as well as NBA 2K14 does.

    You can’t count out NBA Live 14 just yet, however, as EA Sport’s brand new Ignite Engine may bring something new to the table. When it was first revealed, EA Sports said Ignite would make sports seem more real. So it may not look better, but NBA Live 14 definitely sports some impressive player animation.

    Even if NBA Live 14 doesn’t quite stack up to NBA 2K14, you have to give the guys at EA Sports a break. The team has had to weather their game being canceled for the last two years, and this will be the first time we’ve seen an NBA game from EA Sports since 2010.

    In short, it’s nice to finally have some competition in the basketball video game arena again.

    NBA Live 14 will launch exclusively on the PS4 and Xbox One on November 15 and November 22 respectively.

    [Image: Official EA UK]

  • KHSAA: No Post-Game Handshakes in High School Sports

    The Lexington Herald Leader reported yesterday that the Kentucky High School Athletic Association has issued a new directive instructing teams not to make their players participate in post-game handshake lines, the reasoning being that too many altercations have taken place. Affected sports include baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and wrestling.

    “Unfortunately, the adrenaline and effort required to participate in the sport sometimes seems to deplete the supply of judgment available to participants,” the Commissioner’s Directive reads, which went out to Kentucky high schools yesterday. “While it is an obvious sign of sportsmanship and civility, many incidents have occurred … where fights and physical conflicts have broken out.”

    “The message needed to be gotten out there clearly that some of the things we always assumed would go smoothly would not go smooth,” Commissioner Julian Tackett said. “Above all, don’t rely on the officials to monitor it [the handshake line]. That’s not their job.”

    Over two dozen fights have occurred at Kentucky high school sporting events in the last three years during the post-game handshake lines. There are no specific rules requiring the handshake lines, but coaches sometimes make their players participate as a matter of civility and honor.

    The new policy states that the teams are not to participate in any more handshaking than required by the National Federation of State High School Association’s playing rules. If the teams want to shake hands, the interaction is to be highly supervised. Any altercations are to be reported to the KHSAA and both teams will be held liable. “You’re on notice, if you’re going to do this, you’re going to be accountable,” Tackett said.

    As for game officials, KHSAA reps and referees are expected to leave immediately following the game without being involved in any post-game activities. As independent contractors, the officials will be penalized if they involve themselves. Tackett: “[If parents were really concerned about sportsmanship], they wouldn’t treat the referees like they do — chase them off the fields, follow them to cars, not to mention the language that’s used.”

    If you want to see a couple reactions from Kentucky high school coaches about the new regulation, this video may interest you:

    [Image via WYMT Sports]

  • Michael Jordan Schools 17-year-old OJ Mayo [VIDEO]

    Picture this: you’re seventeen and one of the best high school basketball players in the country. You get to go to a summer basketball camp, where you not only meet NBA legend Michael Jordan, but get to play against him. While most teens–heck, any basketball fan, really–would probably be humbled by such an experience, one high school player had a slightly different response, and Jordan made him eat crow. A lot of it.

    When OJ Mayo attended Michael Jordan’s summer camp while still in high school, he made the mistake of talking junk to Jordan during a game. Jordan let the cat out of the bag during an interview earlier this week, while promoting the NBA 2K14 video game.

    “In front of my camp, he starts this thing of you can’t guard me, you can’t do this…Finally I just said, ‘Look, dude. You may be the best high school player, but I’m the best player in the world,” Jordan said to Mayo. Jordan then proceeded to teach Mayo one lesson after another.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58iH3HQ6_L4

    Mayo, who now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, remembers the incident with Michael Jordan all too well.

    “Mike was Mike,” Mayo in an interview. “He was jawing a little bit and really getting into me defensively. He was backing me down and said, ‘You better scream for mama.’ Then he hit the famous fadeaway on me and he said, ‘Hey young fella, let me tell you something: you may be the best high school player in the world, but I’m the greatest ever. Don’t you ever disrespect the great like that.’”

    Ouch.

    And just in case you haven’t watched any sports news lately, Michael Jordan still stands by his claim that he is the best player of all time. The 14-time NBA All Star said earlier this week that there’s no other player that would have beat him in a game of one-on-one, except for maybe Kobe Bryant.

    Jerry West, Julius Erving, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are just a few of the players Jordan would like to have played with. “I don’t think I would lose,” Jordan said. “Other than to Kobe Bryant because he steals all of my moves.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CsqbZ-n82Y

    Image via YouTube

  • Greg Oden Practices with Miami Heat

    Today marked a turning point for former Portland Trailblazers’ center, Greg Oden. Its been four whole years since he practiced or played in a regular-season NBA game. However, today he hit the court, or should I say “ballroom,” for the first-time. For those wondering why Oden was even in a ballroom, as opposed to playing on a traditional court, its because the Miami Heat kicked off training camp at the Atlantis Resort on Atlantic Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

    It was “Day 1” for the Miami Heat training camp, and a new beginning for the towering seven-foot phenom. August 7, it was announced that Oden secured a one-year guaranteed deal with the Heat valued at approximately $900,000. Now, he looks rebuild his stock, and remind NBA enthusiasts why he was the 2007 #1 overall draft pick.

    The Heat camp started with an array of standard drills and defensive workouts. Oden participated in almost half of the entire practice session, which is a vast accomplishment given the extent of his ongoing struggle with knee problems. It’ll definitely take Oden some time to adjust to the rigors of training, which is why the Heat hasn’t given an exact time frame for when Oden will play a regular season game.

    The last game he played was with the Portland Trailblazers on December 5, 2009, when he suffered a fractured left patella. Then, on November 7, 2010, Oden underwent a second surgery for the same knee. The micro-fracture surgery marked yet another season-ending upset. On Feb. 3, 2012, he injured his right knee, which resulted in arthroscopic surgery. Then, on February 20, 2012, just 17 days after his arthroscopic surgery for his right knee, Oden was prepared to undergo a similar treatment for his left knee, only to find that more damage to his articular cartilage was found. So in a nutshell, Oden has definitely had his share of hard luck where injuries are concerned.

    According to ESPN, as the rest of the team advanced to the first preliminary scrimmage toward the end of practice, Oden was seated at court-side icing both knees. While his practice days are going to be relatively slow for now, he looks forward to the upcoming season.

    Oden is optimistic about his return and appreciative of the Heat for the opportunity he’s been given. He shared his sentiments in regards to his progress, anticipation toward practice and the upcoming season. “It felt good just being out there. First time in a while, I’m happy I got it completed. They had to pull me off the floor. But I’ve got to take steps,” admitted Oden. “We’ll keep going. Little by little,” he said.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Shaquille O’Neal Buys Stake in Sacramento Kings

    Big Shaq has always been known for his moves on the court. Now, he’s making waves off the court – in the boardroom to be exact. The future hall-of-famer has secured a minority stake in the Sacramento Kings under the leadership of the team’s new owner, Vivik Ranadive. While the team made an announcement of O’Neal’s acquisition today, Bloomberg reports that the formal news conference will take place on Tuesday in Sacramento.

    O’Neal has actually been in deliberation with Ranadive since the early part of the summer. The new owner has stated that he and the big man have forged a strong sense of camaraderie in the short time of getting to know each other better. Shaq’s personal and professional rapport with 24-hour fitness owner and Kings’ shareholder, Mark Mastov, also edified the team owner’s interest in adding 3-time MVP to the Kings’ group.

    “I wanted to find somebody to add to the ownership group who truly represented 21st century basketball, who represented my vision of NBA 3.0, which is having an understanding of technology, wanting to build a global brand and being global in their thinking, and really being committed to having an impact in the community,” Ranadive informed USA Today. “The most iconic person on the planet was Dr. O’Neal.”

    Ranadive also shed light on the basis of he and O’Neal’s conversation and current perspective on the future of their endeavor with the Kings:

    “We talked about what the forces were that were shaping the 21st century, we talked about technology, we talked about new companies that we were looking at. And based on that we came to a conclusion that we could … put a dent in the universe if Dr. O’Neal became my partner.”

    O’Neal’s interest in the Kings came as quite a surprise for many NBA enthusiast as they can’t help but remember Shaq’s legendary comments in regards to the team years ago. The 7’1 phenom was known for his comedic banter during the 2002 Western Conference finals when he coined the team as the, “Sacramento Queens.” The Kings have always been an arch nemesis to the Los Angeles Lakers, whom Shaq clenched three NBA championships with. Shaq has made no apologies for his previous remarks stating the comments were a basis of ‘marketing’ the Western Conference finals. The comments fueled Shaq’s desire to be the ‘most watched game ever.’

    Most would see an interest in the Lakers more befitting for Shaq, but the current television analysis has other plans. With the team’s $530 million buyout by the Ranadive group back in May, the Kings’ have been undergoing drastic changes. The plans to construct a new $448 million downtown arena is only the beginning toward the future of the Kings.

    Shaq also shared the reasoning for his growing interest in the Kings’ franchise with USA Today:

    “What interested me in this deal is the new vision, the new Kings, the new everything. I’ve always wanted to be part of something like this. … It’s going to be great.”

     

    Image via Shaq’s Official Twitter Page