Now, the Hall of Famer transitions into a front office role as the President of Basketball Operations, a position he announced by revealing a shirt that said “El Jefe” on the front.

Although he’ll still be involved with the Spurs organization, Popovich’s impact on the sidelines, the League and San Antonio hoops in particular is one that cannot be overlooked.

Before his 29 years with San Antonio, Popovich started with the Air Force Academy.

After playing high school basketball in Indiana, where he grew up, Popovich enrolled in the Air Force Academy, where he played for the basketball team. Popovich was a key contributor, leading the team in scoring during the 1970 season, averaging over 14 points a night.

While on active duty, he earned a roster spot on the U.S. Armed Forces all-star basketball team, and played consistently across Europe. He earned a tryout to the U.S. Olympic trials, which were attended by Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, who had just begun his coaching career in the ABA.

Popovich failed to make the team, and later began a coaching career with his alma mater as an assistant coach. After spending six seasons with the Air Force Academy, Popovich was hired by the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, a Division III joint-basketball program shared between Pomona College and Pitzer College in California. He rebuilt the struggling program into a powerhouse, leading the Sagehens to a conference title in the 1980’s, their first in 68 years.

With his success at the Division III level, Popovich was hired by Brown, who was then coaching the Kansas Jayhawks. Brown would give Popovich the breakthrough he needed, as when he became the Spurs head coach in 1988, he again added the Hall of Famer to his staff.

Under Brown, Popovich first crossed paths with a superstar who he would eventually coach years later—David Robinson.

“I loved Pop from the beginning because Pop’s a military guy,” Robinson said in an interview on Joe Buck’s podcast. “Pop had a vision. He knew what he wanted to accomplish. He knew how he wanted to accomplish it, so guys started to buy into it. That really was the big turnaround, that was when things started falling into place.”

After a two-year stint as an assistant with the Warriors, Popovich returned to San Antonio for the 1994 season.

He became the general manager of the Spurs, helping sign veteran point guard Avery Johnson from the Golden State Warriors, and trading away fan-favorite Dennis Rodman to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for center Will Perdue, both who would eventually be contributors to San Antonio’s first title in 1999.

After a 3-15 start, Popovich hired himself as head coach for the 1996-1997 season, in what proved to be a lost season for the Spurs.

Robinson suffered a season-ending foot injury after playing only six games, while the team’s second-leading scorer Sean Elliott only played 39 games due to a knee injury. Chuck Person, another team veteran was out for the entire season with a back injury.

With a roster turning over with injuries, the Spurs ended the season with a 20-62 record, the worst record in franchise history. Popovich himself had coached the team to a 17-47 record.

However, it proved to be a blessing in disguise.

The Spurs won the 1997 Draft Lottery, earning the rights to draft Tim Duncan, the consensus top-overall pick out of Wake Forest.

From then on, the two would form a 19-year partnership. But more importantly, a standard for how Popovich would treat his players.

“The standard you set. You showed up after I got drafted, you came to my island. You sat with my friends, my family. You talked with my dad. I thought that was normal—it’s not. You are an exceptional person, thank you for teaching me about basketball, but even beyond that, teaching me that it’s not all about basketball,” Duncan said in his Hall of Fame speech.

Duncan’s impact on the Spurs was immediate. Popovich coached San Antonio to a 56-26 record in his second season on the sidelines.

Under Pop, Duncan ran away with the Rookie of the Year award, averaging 21.1 points per game and nearly 12 boards a game. As a 21-year-old, he was named to the All-NBA First-Team and immediately became San Antonio’s best player.

With a youthful roster, the team fell short in the playoffs to the Utah Jazz, but bounced back.

In his third season, Popovich led the Spurs to their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. In the 1999 lockout season, the Spurs cruised through the postseason, only losing two games en route to a 4-1 Finals victory over the underdog New York Knicks.

In only three seasons, Popovich transformed the small market Spurs into a title-winning franchise, led by an emphasis on tough defense and slow-paced games that grinded opponents down. With Robinson and Duncan manning the paint, San Antonio boasted the third-best scoring defense in the League, and ranked top in defensive rating.

Strong defenses and an emphasis on a slower, high movement offense would be the standard for Pop-led teams moving forward.

That same season, Popovich drafted an unknown international talent out of Argentina in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft named Manu Ginobili.

Two years later, he drafted French point guard Tony Parker in the 2001 NBA Draft, setting the foundation for the San Antonio’s Big Three.

After remaining contenders for the next three seasons, the Spurs failed to get past the Shaq and Kobe Lakers, but finally broke through in the 2003 season.

Ginobili made his NBA debut after playing Italy for three seasons, and the Spurs formed their Big Three of Duncan, Ginobili and Parker.

Under the Big Three, the franchise won three more titles in 2003, 2005 and 2007. In 2003, the Spurs helped Robinson close out his career with a ring, defeating the New Jersey Nets in six games.

Pop’s team spread the ball, with four players averaging in double-digit points in those Finals, while having the rookie Ginobili provide a spark off the bench. In the closeout game, San Antonio’s defense suffocated the Nets, holding them to 77 points while Duncan nearly posted a quadruple-double, falling two blocks short on the stat sheet.

In 2005, the roster gained new role players—who instantly found their place in Popovich’s schemes. Players like Robert Horry, Brent Barry, Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed played tough defense while the Big Three continued to play selfless basketball. On Popovich’s teams, everybody had a role, regardless of their standing in the rotation.

Especially Horry, who carried the offensive load in Game 5 of the 2005 NBA Finals and hit the game-winning three to return to San Antonio up 3-2 in the series. San Antonio would close out the series against the defending champion Detroit Pistons, after clamping up Detroit for an 81-74 Game 7 victory, earning Popovich his third ring.

In 2007, the Spurs won their third championship of the 2000’s, sweeping a young LeBron and an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers team. That season, Ginobili voluntarily relinquished his starting role to come off the bench to help spark the team’s offense.

Ginobili’s selfless play represented Popovich’s teams—selfless basketball, and players who put their egos and statistics aside for the better of the team.

From that standard, it wasn’t a surprise that Popovich was the first coach to believe in Kawhi Leonard. After being drafted to the Pacers on draft night, the Spurs traded George Hill and the rights to two players for Leonard, who instantly made an impact in Texas.

Leonard became a star playing alongside the Big Three, helping lead the franchise to its most recent championship in 2014 over the Miami Heat. Popovich helped coach Leonard into a superstar, with the San Diego State product earning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015 and 2016.

With a revolving door of contributing role players and the core of Parker, Duncan, Ginobili and Leonard, the Spurs were always racking up wins and contending—even if it didn’t turn into championships.

However, fans don’t remember the defensive efforts or focus on the fundamentals, but rather Popovich’s revolutionary offense. The Spurs taught the world how to pass, run a motion offense and emphasized ball movement. Star players would pass up difficult shots to give a teammate a better look. At their peak, fans called the team’s style, “The Beautiful Game.”

Even now, Pop’s younger rosters still show flashes of the offense that made the Spurs famous.

With their selfless play and adaptable offense, San Antonio remained title contenders for nearly Popovich’s entire tenure with the team. The Spurs made the playoffs for 22 consecutive seasons, leaving him with a 170-114 career postseason record.

Even as the Spurs have been rebuilding for the past few years, it feels as if history is repeating itself.

San Antonio won the 2023 Draft Lottery, earning the rights to draft another generational prospect—Victor Wembanyana.

Similar to Duncan, Wembanyama instantly became the best player on the court. He won Rookie of the Year in a unanimous decision, and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Rudy Gobert.

Pop has helped coached Wembanyama into a lockdown defender, and an offensive threat who can score from anywhere on the court. For the past two seasons, he’s been coaching and teaching Wemby the right way to play the game.

A season later, he helped coached another Rookie of the Year winner in Stephon Castle.

With the talent, draft capital and trajectory San Antonio has been on, there’s still a chance Popovich could get his sixth ring in a few seasons, and first outside of the sidelines.

But with all the hypotheticals aside, the accolades speak for themselves. 1,422 wins, the most ever. Three NBA Coach of the Year awards. A 62.1% winning percentage. Five rings. But most importantly, the care and mentorship he gave to his players, past and present.

Duncan summed up the sentiment in his Hall of Fame speech.

“For everything, thank you for being the amazing human being that you are,” he said.

The post Gregg Popovich leaves behind a legacy of greatness in San Antonio Hoops appeared first on SLAM.

But for this season, that phrase became the standard for forward Evan Mobley, who took home the franchise’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year Award in a tightly contested race.

In the closest award-race so far, Mobley garnered 35 out of 100 first-place votes. However, he also earned 30 second-place and 20 third-place votes. Mobley finished with 285 points, 88 ahead of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, who had a breakout season.

Daniels finished with 25 first-place votes, 17 second-place and 21 third-place votes while Draymond Green finished with 15 first-place votes, 20 second-place and 19 third-place votes.

Mobley, already a well-respected defender across the league, had a breakout 2024-25 season. The USC product made his first All-Star team and averaged 18.5 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game.

According to the NBA, opponents shot only 44.5% from the field when Mobley was the primary defender, in addition to his 10.4 contested shots per game, the third-highest of qualified players.

Mobley’s frame and athleticism have allowed him to guard nearly every position on the court and captain the Eastern Conference’s top dogs alongside Jarrett Allen.

However, Mobley’s impact defensively goes far beyond the stat sheet. With a new coaching staff led by head coach Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland ranked eight in defensive rating and opposing field goal percentage. According to the NBA, with Mobley on the court, Cleveland’s defensive rating skyrocketed to the second-highest in the League.

Currently, the Cavaliers are out to prove that they belong as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and are matched up against the Miami Heat in the first round.

Although Cleveland runs a help defensive scheme, Mobley has guarded Bam Adebayo and Nikola Jovic throughout the series, where he has held both scorers to under 50% shooting from the field so far.

With the Cavs poised for a deep postseason run, expect Mobley to man the paint and lock up the top option in each playoff game to come.

The post Evan Mobley Wins Defensive Player of the Year Award appeared first on SLAM.

In high school, Arroyo pushed his family, which had connections through part ownership of the BSN team that used to exist in their hometown of Fajardo, to let him go play in America. Arroyo played one season at Brookwood HS in Thomasville, GA, where he averaged nearly 30 ppg and earned what had eluded him during his time in PR—US college scholarship offers. 

After the one year in Georgia, Arroyo began his semi-professional basketball career at the age of 17, playing with the aforementioned Fajardo team. After graduating from high school back in PR, he spent four years playing almost year-round—during the school year he was a star point guard at DI Florida International in Miami, and during the summer he was playing against grown men in the BSN. In 1998, Arroyo joined the Cangrejeros de Santurce, a team that dominated the storied BSN (recognize: the league has been around since 1929 and produced other NBA players such as Butch Lee, José Ortiz and JJ Barea) during his tenure. With Arroyo as their electrifying lead guard, the Cangrejeros won four straight BSN titles from 1998-2001 and added another championship in 2003. This is when SLAM and I first crossed paths with CA. I happened to attend Game 7 of the 2000 BSN Finals. I’d never heard of Arroyo when I walked into the Roberto Clemente Coliseum that night; by halftime, I knew I’d never forget him. SLAM took my word on how nice he was and let me write an “In Your Face” story on the then-FIU senior. He and I stayed in touch, reconnecting for a full feature in SLAM 84 when he was the starting PG on the Jazz and right through his decade-long career in the League and beyond.

CA’s best season in the L came in ’03–04 with the Jazz, when he started all 71 games he appeared in and averaged a career-high 12.6 points and 5.0 assists per game. He followed up that regular season with an Olympic performance for the ages. In the opening game for both the US and Puerto Rico in the 2004 Athens Games, the global superpower and its small island commonwealth faced off and PR did the impossible, blowing out big brother, 92-73. Arroyo led the way with 24 points, 7 assists, 4 steals and one epic jersey pop. While he never again matched those ’04 heights in the NBA, he played key roles on a number of NBA teams, including the ’05 championship runner-up Pistons and the first LeBron/Bosh/Wade Heat team in ’10-11. He also played for big-time Euro teams such as Maccabi Tel Aviv and Galatasaray and returned to Santurce in 2015.

While dabbling in music (his 2020 track “Baila Reggaeton” with Zion & Lennox is one of several certified hits he’s sung on) and acting (Sgt. Major Perez in The Greatest Beer Run Ever) Arroyo kept his eyes on the basketball leadership prize by becoming general manager of the Puerto Rico Men’s National Team in 2021. “I think I’ve proven myself the last few years with the national team, making so many roster moves and succeeding,” says Arroyo today. “What we did last year with the Olympics, to be able to go back for the first time in 20 years, with me as the GM, and the last first time I was a player.”

The peripatetic Arroyo, who has accomplished so much at the age of 45, is now onto his latest challenge, which is why he’s back in SLAM’s pages. Last November, Arroyo and his partner, majority owner Eric Duars, took over the most storied franchise in the BSN: the 16-time champion Vaqueros de Bayamón (Bayamón Cowboys). “We’d been in conversations about buying the team for about a year,” recalls Arroyo over Zoom after a recent Vaqueros practice. “The previous owner was Yadier Molina—the catcher from the Cardinals! He approached me about finding the right person to take over the team and he wanted someone who was loyal to the sport and the franchise and was business savvy at the same time. So he wanted me to help him find that right person. I had a great relationship with Eric Duars, a good friend of mine for many years, entrepreneur, business savvy, loves the game. But he’s mainly in the music business, he represents a bunch of artists in the industry. We felt like he was the right guy. And the first thing Eric told me was, I’m not doing this without you. At the time I was traveling a lot with the national team, recruiting new guys, had so many qualifiers, the Olympics coming up, and I was extremely busy. I met with the President of the Federation and told him, Look, I might have this opportunity, and he was like, Go ahead and do it. As soon as I got his blessing, I managed to find the time. And it’s been great, man. It’s also been a lot of work. Changing everything. But we’re here now and the season has started and it’s like [exhales] now we can breathe.”

Arroyo quickly extended the contract of long-time Vaquero mainstay Javier Mojica and hired his former teammate on the national team Christian Dalmau to be head coach. But Arroyo was just getting started. Knowing that league rules allowed him to bring in three “refuerzos,” (reinforcements, ie, players with no claims to Puerto Rican residency) he tapped his breadth of connections and aimed high. Behold the Vaqueros’ big three: Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee and Chris Duarte. 

Gallinari is, of course, the smooth shooting, 14-year NBA vet out of Italy who was a Knick lottery pick in ’08, a high-teen ppg scorer for much of the 2010s and who was playing playoff minutes for the Bucks as recently as the 2024 playoffs. Yes, the Italian National Team stalwart is now balling in Bayamón. “After we played here in the Olympic qualifying tournament last summer, Carlos and I stayed in touch,” Gallo explains. “We were talking about life in general. He found out I was moving to Miami and I ended up living right near him, almost like neighbors. We hung out a couple times there, and then I was waiting for an NBA call…which didn’t come. He went through a similar phase in his career. So we were just exchanging thoughts about my situation. He brought up this opportunity to me to be part of the Vaqueros…that’s when slowly things started to get real. And now we’re here.”

Through seven games of the 44-game regular season, “here” is 17.7 ppg for the 6-1, first-place Vaqueros, who have their eyes on a title and their rabid fan base buzzing.

“The fans here are very passionate, very intense,” says the 37-year-old McGee, who has played 909 regular-season games in his NBA career (including 46 just last season with the Kings) and won three championships. “I was just staying in shape, waiting for that NBA call. Carlos hit me up and presented me with this opportunity to come to Bayamón and play in front of this great crowd and great people. I just decided to take the deal and come out and have a blast. It feels good to be out there, back on the court, playing some competitive basketball, playing free.”

McGee is getting “free” to the tune of 18.3 points (on 56 percent shooting) and 9.6 rebounds per game, showcasing an offensively effective side of his game the role-centric NBA didn’t encourage the rim-running and protecting McGee to execute.

The last of the three big imports Arroyo signed, Duarte, is perhaps the most unique. Gallinari and McGee may be particularly well accomplished, but they fit the mold of many ex-NBAers who have laced up their kicks in the BSN in that they are at the tail end of their careers. In many ways, Duarte’s should just be starting. A native of the Dominican Republic who transferred to the University of Oregon halfway through his college career and was a 2021 lottery pick by the Pacers, the 6-5 guard was second-team All-Rookie in 2022 and was getting minutes with the Bulls this season. League rosters are a confusing puzzle only a team’s GM will ever fully understand, and when the Bulls let him go in February, Duarte didn’t love the offers he was getting. And he loved the new man in charge of a team he knows well thanks to having a wife from Bayamón. “Every Latino should know who Carlos Arroyo is. He was a great player. So for sure I knew who he was,” explains Duarte, who scored 32 points in a recent dub. “When I got to the League, we exchanged words, sometimes we met up a little bit and talked. That’s how our relationship started. Then when I got waived, he hit me up and offered me a job here. At the moment I was thinking about something else, but our relationship was intact and I told him, If anything changes, I’ll get back to you. And that’s exactly what happened. I’m a four-year vet, I’ve done a lot in the NBA, I feel like I deserve a little bit more than [the two-way offers] I was getting. So I’m glad I’m here to stay active, work on my game, play, see what happens in the summer.”

Gushes Arroyo, “I’m extremely honored to be here and be the one making the decisions as far as the roster, building everything from scratch. New coaching staff, new trainers, new everything. We’ve done a great job that we can feel proud of. Now it’s time for the guys to do it on the court. As you know, names don’t win championships. But they’re building something. The thing I love about JaVale, Gallinari and Duarte…they don’t come over here acting like they don’t need to prove themselves. No I’m an NBA champion or I’m a huge international star. They’re engaging with their teammates, practicing hard, being great leaders. That gives me a sense of peace.”

Arroyo’s journey from star player to influential manager is a testament to his passion for basketball and dedication to Puerto Rico. Whether leading on the court or behind the scenes, Arroyo remains an inspiring figure who embodies excellence and resilience. As he works tirelessly to restore the Vaqueros championship legacy and further elevate Puerto Rico’s national program, his impact on the game will endure on la isla for generations.

But Carlos being Carlos, he’d take another shot at the NBA, too. “I would love too, man,” he says. “I know the NBA, their eyes are not on FIBA, especially national teams, because it’s just different. You don’t deal with budgets, salary caps and all that stuff. But this, this is a real test for me, being an owner, just structuring everything, what a president should do, what a GM should do. I’m doing all that stuff as well. I’m still learning, but I think I’m very savvy when it comes to putting pieces together and making sure they will work. I’m praying everything works out and we can come up with a championship our first year here. Yeah, of course. I would love to [work a big position in an NBA front office].”

Given all Arroyo’s done in life so far, who would doubt him?

The post Carlos Arroyo Has Assembled a Superteam on the Vaqueros de Bayamón led by Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee and Chris Duarte appeared first on SLAM.

Indiana does not Fear the Deer. Giannis put the team on his back with 36 points—but it wasn’t enough. Indiana dropped 28 dimes and could not miss, routing the Bucks. Ever since last year, the Pacers have been Milwaukee’s kryptonite.

Russell Westbrook got the last laugh against his former teammate in James Harden. He splashed a go-ahead corner three in fourth quarter crunch time and clamped up an inbound pass for The Beard in OT. For the postseason alone, Denver struck gold signing Brodie in the offseason.

The Knicks survived a Game 1 scare against Cade and ’em. With Malik Beasley and Tobias Harris cashing in threes, New York was down in the fourth quarter—until they pulled off a 21-0 run to blow the roof off MSG and secure the Game 1 dub. New Yorkers will be partying in the streets tonight.

The Ant-Man and Jaden McDaniels got KD last year. Now, they may get LeBron and Luka. The crypto.com arena looked like a three-point shooting contest, as Minnesota hit 21 triples—all while talking trash the entire time. The Ant-Man truly is the next poster child of our league.

The Thunder proved why they are the top dogs in the League. Oklahoma City steamrolled Memphis by 51 without a signature postseason performance from Shai. They’re the deepest team in the League and most dangerous team in the League. The biggest takeaway: J-Dub is a BAD man.

Paolo Banchero is made for the bright lights—dropping 36 on the defending champs. However, Boston plays best with a target on their back, shooting the lights out of the TD Garden. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard cashed 11 threes en route to a Celtic victory.

Cleveland proved they belonged in the top seed of the East. Ty Jerome came off the bench and silenced Heat Culture, dropping 28 points. Miami—always dangerous as an underdog—could only muster a two-point lead. In The Land, Kenny Atkinson has the Cavs hooping.

Don’t let the seventh seed fool you: Playoff Jimmy and Chef Curry are a dangerous duo. The Dubs flew out to H-Town and silenced the postseason takeoff for the Rockets. Curry and Butler combined for 56 points.

Now that Game 1’s are done with, who you got in each series?

The post THE WARM UP: Nuggets Strike Gold in OT, Dubs Silence H-Town in Game 1 Action appeared first on SLAM.

Some squads are back in the postseason for the first time in a minute, while others are making their return with a ton of momentum. The matchups are set, the storylines are still being written and the vibes? Immaculate.

The first round is just getting started. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight and Sunday:

Eastern Conference:

Cleveland Cavaliers: Kenny Atkinson has his Cavaliers hoopin’ in his first season in The Land. The Cavs snagged the top-seed in the East after posting a 64-18 record, the second-best in franchise history. Atkinson’s Cavaliers boast a fast-paced, pass-heavy offense that allows for Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell to shoot more, while allowing Evan Mobley to give interior defenders nightmares in the post. The Cavs are out to prove this historic season is legit. Better believe it.

“Until we have this parade in Cleveland, [and I’m] on the floats and [have] a ring on my finger. We haven’t done anything.” – DG

READ CAVS COVER STORY

Boston Celtics: The defending champs are looking to run it back. The Celtics cruised to a 61-21 record and will now have Kristaps Porzingis for their entire playoff run, too. Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics play with a high-pace across the roster and take a high volume of shots behind the arc. Boston is looking to make their way back into the Finals and bring a parade back to the city, Duck boats and all.

New York Knicks: The Knicks are back in the postseason, but with a few new faces in the lineup. Tom Thibodeau’s squad plays a fast-paced shooting offense, but has struggled to emulate their trademark defense from the past few seasons. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges have boosted New York’s starting five, ready to fire from deep at any point. In front of the most passionate fans in the league, the Knicks will look to advance past the second round, where they were eliminated the past two seasons by the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.

 I love our grit—that New York grit. 

READ KAT COVER STORY

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers return most of last year’s squad that made the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Running a fast-paced, pass-heavy offense led by Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana gets buckets any way they choose to. Indiana outscores opponents at a rapid rate to get the job done. Expect a high-scoring series against the Milwaukee Bucks, with Indiana fighting to get over the hump and break through for their first Finals appearance since 2000.

Milwaukee Bucks: Behind midseason moves, including a parting with franchise legend Khris Middleton, the Bucks are back in the playoffs. With an offensive revolving around the freight train named Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have thrived while playing mostly iso-ball. The Bucks are looking to get Damian Lillard back for the playoffs, providing a playmaking and sharpshooting threat. Milwaukee will look to avenge their first-round exit from last season playing against a familiar foe in the Indiana Pacers.

Detroit Pistons: Detroit is back in the postseason. The Pistons turned a 30-win turnaround into a playoff berth led by cover star Cade Cunningham. They play scrappy defense behind Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Stewart, while grinding points through Cunningham and sharpshooter Malik Beasley. They will try to advance past the first round for the first time since ’08.

 “That was one of the main things that I wanted to do coming to Detroit: start us getting back to winning.”  – Cade

READ CADE COVER STORY

Orlando Magic: Orlando cruised their way through the Play-In Tournament to snag the seventh seed to square off against the defending champions. Marred by injuries throughout the year, Orlando plays a fast-paced offense that loves to shoot the long ball with Cole Anthony and Franz Wagner, while flying high in the paint with Paolo Banchero. Orlando will look to avenge last season’s first-round exit and advance for the first time since 2010.

Miami Heat: Heat Culture is the real deal. With constant lineup changes and midseason moves, Erik Spoelstra has the Heat back into the postseason. With scrappy defense and hustle, Miami grinds their way to victories through the long ball and winning on the glass with Bam Adebayo and Haywood Highsmith. Tyler Herro had the best season of his career as the team’s first option, and will look to shoot Miami into an upset over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder proved last season was no fluke, posting a league-best 68-14 record. The Thunder have sharpshooters across the board, lockdown defenders and SGA: one of the flyest frontrunners in the MVP discussion. OKC looks like the most complete two-way team in the mix. With postseason experience under their belt, OKC is looking to prove that the postseason lights are not too bright, and potentially take home the franchise’s first title since 1979.

I think [now] I just understand the bigger picture in winning at this level, for sure. I’ve gotten a little wiser in that aspect. – Shai

READ

Houston Rockets: The Rockets surprised everyone this season, winning 52 games and clinching the No. 2 seed. Led by an electric bench and energetic core of Jalen Green and Amen Thompson and versatile big man Alperen Sengun, the Rockets boast one of the deepest rotations in the League. Houston is looking to prove that they are the real deal in the team’s first postseason appearance since 2020.

I just gotta put my little sauce on it and my finesse on it and, sh-t, they do the rest. – FVV

READ ROCKETS COVER STORY

Los Angeles Lakers: Two words: Luka and LeBron. The Lakers have thrived off the two-man game of LeBron and Luka, with bench and crowd vibes at an all-time high. JJ Redick’s offense allows for Luka to cook defenders in man-to-man coverage, while drawing up motion that frees up shooters. The Lakers made it clear they’re in “win-now” mode, and will look to raise Doncic’s first Larry O’Brien trophy.

SHOP LAKERS COLLECTION

Denver Nuggets: Despite being the No. 4 seed in the West, there’s always a chance with a three-time MVP on the roster. Nikola Jokic put together another historic season after averaging a triple-double. He leads Denver’s fast-paced offensive attack. Boasting a strong bench, the Nuggets will look to make it back to the Finals and win their second Championship in two seasons.

LA Clippers: The opposite of the Pacers, the Clippers enter the playoffs as a matchup nightmare. A team with lockdown defenders scattered across the starting five and bench, LA wears opponents down to grind out victories. With electric energy from the bench and “The Wall” of fans, the Clippers will look to make noise in the postseason and make a run with a fully-healthy Kawhi Leonard and roster.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves are back, and have found their stride at the right time. The team plays with two-way excellence, and boasts one of the most dynamic scorers in the league in Anthony Edwards. The Ant-Man has sparked the team’s energy, displaying the highest-level of confidence in the league, which has reflected across the lineup. Minnesota added sharpshooters to their starting five, and will look to advance to their first Finals in franchise history after falling in the Western Conference Finals last season.

Golden State Warriors: Golden State may be a seven seed, but never count out Playoff Jimmy and Steph Curry. The Warriors have continued their three-point barrage against opponents, with Curry playing at a near-MVP level. Butler’s addition has brought the team’s energy up, and the Warriors appear to have found their stride at the right time. They will try and make a postseason run, first by upsetting the upstart Houston Rockets.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies mowed down the Mavericks in the Play-In Tournament last night to clinch the final seed in the West. Memphis has been at the center of media frenzy, which has shifted attention away from their balanced squad. Ja Morant leads a team that can score at any level—beyond the arc and in the paint—while also boasting elite interior defenders. The Grizzlies donned throwback uniforms that electrified the crowd last night, and with vibes at a high point, Memphis will look to pull off a shock upset over the top dogs in the League.

The post NBA Playoff Preview: What to Know Ahead of the First Round appeared first on SLAM.

After Trae Young missed a triple trying to draw a foul, Cole Anthony pushed the ball down the court and found the sophomore guard in the corner, who laced his three to give the Magic a 104-85 lead.

During the ensuing possession, Young got to his spot on the left wing and blew past Black. He glided into the paint for a scoop layup before Black recovered and blocked Young’s shot off the backboard to save two points.

Paolo Banchero sped down the court in transition and despite being outnumbered on the fast break, found Anthony wide-open for a dagger three.

Instant offense created from great defense—a trend throughout the game.

In a game where the Magic displayed two-way brilliance, Orlando clinched the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference after routing the Hawks 120-95 in the first game of the Play-In Tournament.

Anthony led the Magic with 26 points off the bench, while Wendell Carter added 19. Franz Wagner posted a double-double, dropping 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, and Banchero finished with 17 points and nine boards.

Young led the Hawks with a game-high 28 points, while George Niang contributed 15 points off the bench. Dyson Daniels finished with seven points and 12 rebounds and Mouhamed Gueye added 12 points on a perfect 5-5 from the field.

The Magic dominated on their home court, closing out the first quarter with a 15-point advantage.

The Hawks grabbed an early 8-4 lead after Gueye put back a Daniels miss three minutes into the opening frame. The four-point advantage would be Atlanta’s largest lead of the game.

After both teams traded buckets, Orlando broke through with an Black layup off of a Banchero miss to give the Magic a 17-15 lead they would never look back on.

Black’s make kicked off a 17-2 run over the final five minutes of the first quarter, giving the Magic a 32-17 lead after one.

Orlando continued to run away in the second quarter. Despite Atlanta scoring 30 points in the frame, the Magic scored 29 and retained a double-digit lead entering halftime. Throughout the period, the Hawks were unable to cut the deficit to single digits.

In the third quarter, Atlanta came out the gates hot. A Caris LeVert layup with three minutes to play in the quarter capped off a 13-3 run that saw Atlanta pull within three points.

However, three points was the closest the Hawks got to erasing the deficit.

Anthony made a jumper and a tough layup between three Hawk defenders and Jonathan Isaac threw down a putback slam off a Wagner miss to give the Magic a six-point cushion heading into the final period.

Orlando quickly pulled ahead by double-digits off two Anthony triples and ran away with the game, outscoring Atlanta 41-22 in the final frame to secure the seventh seed.

The Hawks struggled offensively, shooting 38.1% from the field and only made four triples at a 19% clip.

Orlando shot nearly 50% from the field, making 48.4% of their shots and 11 triples at a 28.2% clip. The Magic also recorded nine blocks and six steals.

Orlando will now play the defending champion Boston Celtics in the first round.

Atlanta will face off against the winner of the 9th-10th place matchup between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.

The post Orlando Magic clinch No. 7 seed following 120-95 rout in the Play-In Tournament appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s everything you need to know to be caught up on the madness so far heading into the round of 32.

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No. 9 Baylor defeated No. Mississippi State

Baylor defeated Mississippi State in a 75-72 game that came down to the wire.

Freshman facilitator Rob Wright led the Bears with 19 points, while Langston Love added 15. Miami transfer Norchad Omier posted a double-double, dropping 12 points and grabbing 10 boards.

However, off all the Bears, the nation was introduced to VJ Edgecombe, a projected lottery pick in the NBA Draft. On the NBA’s mock draft, experts project Edgecombe to be drafted third overall.

On the biggest stage of his career, Edgecombe showed the flashes of his potential, dropping 14 points and grabbing five boards. The freshman guard showcased his explosiveness, slicing into the paint to draw fouls—good for six free throws—and his sharpshooting ability with a team-leading two triples.

Josh Hubbard led Mississippi State with a game-high 26 points. Claudell Harris Jr. added 13 points and Riley Kugel contributed 11 points off the bench.

The game was evenly matched, coming down to the wire. After Edgecombe calmly sank two free throws to give Baylor a three-point lead, Harris had the chance to tie the game with seconds remaining, but came up short.

The Bulldogs outshot the Bears, making 50% of their shots from the field, but were doomed by turnovers. Baylor played handsy defense, logging 10 steals in the game. Mississippi State’s 14 turnovers turned into 15 points for Baylor, the difference in the game.

Baylor will now play Duke in the round of 32, a revenge game for Bears point guard Jeremy Roach and a reunion of between high school teammates Wright and phenom Cooper Flagg.

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No. 2 Alabama defeated No. 15 Robert Morris

Grant Nelson was the X-Factor in Alabama’s win over the No. 1 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in last year’s NCAA Tournament.

He made fought for a tough and-one layup that gave Alabama the lead with 39 seconds to play. He then sank two free throws to ice the game for the Crimson Tide.

This year, Nelson came to the rescue again.

Nursing a leg injury, Nelson came off the bench and immediately provided a spark. He threw down a ferocious alley-oop to put Alabama out in front with under 10 minutes left in the second half, and played stellar defense. In Nelson’s seven minutes of game time, the NDSU transfer finished with five points, three rebounds and a steal.

That spark propelled Alabama to avoiding a first-round upset against Robert Morris, defeating the Colonials 90-81.

Mark Sears finished with a double-double to lead the Crimson Tide, dropping 22 points and dishing out 10 assists. Clifford Omoruyi scored a season-high 17 points and Mouhamed Dioubate an 18 point, 10 rebound double-double off the bench.

Alabama’s star freshman guard Labaron Philon finished with his lowest scoring output of the season, sinking only one free throw while dishing out eight assists.

Amarion Dickerson led the Colonials with 25 points and Alvaro Folgueiras posted a 15 point, 10 rebound double-double.

Alabama’s top-ranked scoring offense lived up to the hype, shooting 58.6% from the field. However, the Crimson Tide struggled from beyond the arc, shooting only 28.6% from beyond the arc.

Robert Morris kept up with Alabama’s high offensive pace, taking a four-point deficit into halftime, and eventually gaining the lead with seven minutes to play.

However, Nelson’s contributions kicked off a 24-16 run, which allowed Alabama to close out the game.

Alabama will play Saint Mary’s in the round of 32.

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No. 3 Iowa State defeated No. 14 Lipscomb

Iowa State routed Lipscomb 82-55.

Despite losing star guard Keshon Gilbert for the tournament, the Cyclone offense dominated.

Milan Momcilovic led Iowa State with 20 points while Curtis Jones, the team’s leading-scorer, finished with 17 points off the bench. Joshua Jefferson nearly posted a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Jacob Ognacevic, the ASUN Player of the Year, finished with a team-leading 18 points. Gyasi Powell followed suit with 11 points. Ognacevic and Powell were the only two double-digit scorers for the Bison.

Iowa State ran away with the game from the start. After Lipscomb took a 16-15 lead halfway into the first half, Iowa State recaptured the lead and never looked back.

The Cyclones outscored the Bison 40-24 in the first half, and later 42-31 in the second half.

The Cyclones will now play Ole Miss in the round of 32.

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No. 12 Colorado State upsets No. 5 Memphis

Despite the lower seeding, the Colorado State Rams were favored over the Memphis Tigers in their first round matchup.

Riding the momentum from their Mountain West Tournament run, the Rams played up to that expectation.

Colorado State put on a three-point shooting clinic to pull off the upset against Memphis, 78-70.

Kyan Evans led the Rams with 23 points. He was deadly from beyond the arc, cashing six triples. Nique Clifford, the team’s leading scorer, finished with a near-triple double, logging 14 points, eight boards and six assists.

Dain Dainja led the Tigers with a double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 boards. Wooden Award candidate PJ Haggerty and Colby Rogers each followed suit with 18 points.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with numerous lead changes in the first half. Memphis entered halftime with a five-point lead, but quickly saw the Rams tie the game up five minutes into the second half, going on a 17-12 run.

After Clifford drilled a jumper to give the Rams a 50-48 lead, Colorado State never looked back.

Memphis was doomed by their inefficient shooting from beyond the arc. The Tigers shot 26.1% from deep and only converted on 70% of their free-throw attempts. The Tigers also struggled with foul trouble, logging 20 personal fouls that turned into 19 Ram free-throws.

Colorado State continued their three-point barrage, nailing 11 triples total. This was the third consecutive game in which the Rams have made 10 or more three-pointers.

The Rams will now play Maryland in the round of 32.

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No. 1 Duke defeated No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s

The overall storyline for the Duke Blue Devils heading into the first round was the health of freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.

Flagg’s performance all but erased that narrative.

The potential top overall pick in the NBA Draft immediately took off, converting an and-one and scoring in the paint. To cap it off, Flagg caught an alley-oop from Patrick Ngongba and threw down a thunderous slam to send the crowd into a frenzy.

No problem with the ankle there.

Flagg finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks to help lead the Blue Devils to a 93-49 rout over Mount St. Mary’s.

Tyrese Proctor led the Blue Devils with 19 points and freshman center Khaman Maluach went a perfect 5-5 from the field, finishing with 11 points.

Arlandus Keyes led the Mountaineers with 15 points off the bench. Keyes was the only Mountaineer to post double-digit scoring numbers.

Duke ran away with this game from the beginning, building a 26-point halftime lead before closing out the game in the second half. The Blue Devils shot 50% from the field and splashed 14 triples in the game.

Duke will now play Baylor and fellow projected lottery pick VJ Edgecombe in the round of 32.

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No. 7 Saint Mary’s defeated No. 10 Vanderbilt

Randy Bennett wasn’t going to led his Gaels be a first-round exit again.

After falling in a shock upset to Grand Canyon last year, the Gaels appeared to be on upset watch again. Playing a tough Vanderbilt team appearing in their first NCAA Tournament since 2017, the Commodores started out hot, jumping out to a 12-point lead.

However, the Gaels dug deep, relying on their elite defense to get the job done.

In a gritty comeback win, Saint Mary’s erased a 12-point deficit to secure a comeback 59-56 victory over Vanderbilt.

Jordan Ross led the Gaels with 15 points, while Augustas Marciulionis added 14 points and eight rebounds. Mitchell Saxen and Luke Barrett both recorded double-doubles, with Saxen posting 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Barrett posting 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Jason Edwards led the Commodores with 18 points. He was the only Vanderbilt player to finish the game in double-digit scoring.

Vanderbilt jumped out to an early lead, and carried a seven-point 29-22 lead into the half. They immediately opened the second frame with a 10-5 run, building up a 12-point lead.

However, the Gaels heated up. They responded with a 16-4 run off of a pair of Ross triples and Saxen layups. At the seven minute mark in the second half, Marciulionis hit a three to give the Gaels a lead they wouldn’t look back on.

With 30 seconds left, Saxen had a chance to the ice the game with two free throws, but split the pair, giving Vanderbilt a chance to tie the game with a three.

With the clock running down, Devin McGlockton pulled up from the corner, but saw his game-tying attempt clank off the rim.

Despite an inefficient shooting night, the Gaels knocked down seven triples, which helped them erase the deficit and pull off the comeback victory.

Saint Mary’s will now play Alabama in the round of 32.

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No. 6 Ole Miss defeated No. 11 North Carolina

With momentum favoring North Carolina with a minute to play, the Rebels turned to their go-to man.

Sean Pedulla, who had recently hit a dagger three to send Arkansas packing in the SEC Tournament, took a handoff from Jaemyn Brakefield. He faked dribbling to the corner and spotted up a three.

He cashed it, just like he had done a week prior. As Pedulla emphatically threw down the three logo to the Ole Miss bench, his dagger three elevated the Rebels’ lead to five with under a minute to play.

With the team closing out the game, the Rebels secured their first tournament win since 2015 by defeating North Carolina 71-64.

Pedulla’s 20 points led the Rebels, while Dre Davis added 15 points and eight rebounds. Brakefield also contributed 12 points off the bench.

RJ Davis scored 15 points to lead the Tar Heels in his final collegiate game. Ven-Allen Lubin added 14 points, but later fouled out in the game.

The Tar Heels were dominated for most of the game, failing to ever capture the lead. Ole Miss opened the game up hot, posting a double-digit lead and carrying an 18-point lead into the half.

However, the Tar Heels battled back. Down 13 points with eight minutes to play, the Tar Heels went on a 14-3 run to cut the lead to two points, capped off by a Davis and-one that sent Kevin Harlan and the crowd into a frenzy.

Pedulla’s three silenced the crowd, and helped the Rebels close out the game.

The Rebels were the more efficient team, shooting 44.4% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. North Carolina struggled to find efficiency, as they only made five triples in 24 attempts.

Ole Miss will now play Iowa State in the round of 32.

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No. 4 Maryland defeated No. 13 Grand Canyon

Maryland routed Grand Canyon 81-49 to advance the “Crab Five” to the round of 32.

Julian Reese led the Terps with 18 points, while freshman phenom Derik Queen posted a dominant 12 point, 15 rebound double-double. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 16 points and Selton Miguel scored 13.

Tyon Grant-Foster led the Lopes with 23 points. He was the only Grand Canyon player to score more than six points in the game.

Maryland dominated for the entire game. The Terps shot 50.8% from the field and rained down seven triples at a 43.8% clip on the Grand Canyon defense.

The defense held Grand Canyon to 28.6% shooting from the field and 21.7% from beyond the arc.

Grand Canyon grabbed an early five-point lead in the first half. However, a Gillespie jumper eight minutes into the opening frame gave Maryland a lead they would never look back on.

The Terps took a 14-point lead into the half and then outscored the Lopes 39-21 in the final frame to close out the game.

Maryland will take on Colorado State in the round of 32.

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No. 1 Florida defeated No. 16 Norfolk State

Florida routed Norfolk State 95-69 to earn their first tournament win since the 2021.

Walter Clayton Jr. led the Gators with 23 points on an efficient 6-11 shooting night and Alijah Martin added 17 points. Alex Condon dropped 12 points and added two steals and two blocks, and Thomas Haugh contributed 13 points off the bench.

Christian Ings led the Spartans with 16 points and Jaylani Darden added 15 points and six boards. Chris Fields Jr. contributed 14 points off the bench on an efficient 7-12 night.

Florida dominated the entire game. Their defense held the Spartans to 14.3% shooting from beyond the arc and forced 12 turnovers.

On offense, the Gators shot 48.3% from the field and knocked down 10 triples. They drove hard into the paint, drawing 24 Spartan fouls. Those fouls turned into 33 free-throw attempts, of which the Gators converted 27.

Norfolk State trailed the entire game.

The Gators will now play the two-time defending National Champion UConn Huskies in the round of 32.

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No. 3 Kentucky defeated No. 14 Troy

Kentucky routed Troy 76-57 to kick off the Mark Pope era in the NCAA Tournament

Otega Oweh nearly put up a triple-double, scoring a team-high 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Elite sharpshooter Koby Brea, Andrew Carr and Brandon Garrison each contributed 13 points.

Myles Rigsby scored 17 points to lead the Trojans and Tayton Conerway added 12 points. Rigsby and Conerway were the only two Trojans to finish with double-digit scoring numbers. Sophomore forward Thomas Dowd, the team’s third-leading scorer, was held scoreless. However, Dowd did contribute on the glass, grabbing 11 rebounds.

Kentucky dominated throughout, taking an eight-point lead into the half before outscoring the Trojans 41-30 in the final frame to close out the game.

The Wildcats’ offense clicked, shooting 47.5% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. Kentucky knocked down 10 threes, with Brea knocking down a team-high three triples.

Kentucky’s defense held Troy to 8-32 shooting from beyond the arc and 34.9% from the field.

The Wildcats will now play Illinois in the round of 32.

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No. 10 New Mexico defeated No. 7 Marquette

New Mexico defeated Marquette 75-66.

The Lobos’ two-headed monster of Donovan Dent and Nelly Junior Joseph excelled on the big stage, combining for 40 points. Tru Washington added 12 points and CJ Noland contributed 11 points off the bench.

David Joplin led the Golden Eagles with 28 points, while Kam Jones added 15 points in what was likely his final collegiate game.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with New Mexico holding a slim three-point lead at the half. However, the Lobos pulled away in the second half. After being deadlocked at 53, the Lobos rattled off a 17-8 run, building a nine-point advantage with a little over a minute to play.

Marquette was unable to catch up and surrendered another devastating loss.

Poor shooting doomed the Golden Eagles, who converted on 40.7% of their shots from the field and 36.7% of their threes. However, despite winning the turnover margin 13-12, Marquette failed to capitalize on the opportunities. New Mexico scored 21 points off of the Marquette turnovers, which became the difference-maker in the game.

The Lobos will now play Michigan State in the round of 32.

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No. 4 Arizona defeated No. 13 Akron

Arizona routed Akron 93-65.

Jaden Bradley scored 19 points to lead the Wildcats while Oakland transfer Trey Townsend added 16 points and eight rebounds. Caleb Love scored 10 points, while Carter Bryant and KJ Lewis contributed a combined 22 points off the bench.

Tavari Johnson and Nate Johnson both scored 13 points to lead the Zips. Shammah Scott contributed 11 points off the bench.

Arizona dominated the entire game, as the Zips failed to take the lead at any point in the game.

The Wildcats put on a clinic, draining 12 three-pointers at a 48% clip and shooting 56.5% from the field. They held the Zips in check, holding them to 33.3% shooting from the field and only allowing seven three-pointers.

Arizona took a 10-point lead into the half and later outscored Akron 52-34 in the final frame to close out the game.

Arizona will now play their former Pac-12 rival Oregon in the round of 32.

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No. 8 UConn defeated No. 9 Oklahoma

Projected lottery pick Jeremiah Fears went out with a bang. In likely his last collegiate game, the freshman guard showcased his whole bag.

He started early with an explosive drive to the basket that immediately drew free throws and followed it up with another tough lefty layup.

He then continued his scoring tear, draining a triple and hitting a highlight reel 360 layup that left Jaylin Stewart in the dust.

Fears finished the game with a game-high 20 points, adding five boards, four assists and two steals as well. A true one man show.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Dan Hurley’s veteran UConn squad took down the Sooners 67-59 in a back-and-forth affair.

Solo Ball led the Huskies with 14 points and Alex Karaban added 13 points. Tarris Reed Jr. lived up to his Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award by contributing 12 points off the bench.

Jalon Moore finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for Oklahoma. No other Sooner posted double-digit scoring numbers.

The Sooners fell behind early and struggled to gain any momentum. UConn outscored the Sooners 32-26 in the first half, and matched every bucket the Sooners made.

In the second half, Oklahoma battled back, taking the lead off of a Mohamed Wague tip-shot. However, it lasted 17 seconds. UConn quickly took the lead back on a Ball pull-up jumper and never looked back.

Oklahoma brought the lead down to four points with two minutes to play, but the Huskies defense only allowed a single Sooner point in that final frame.

The Sooners struggled with efficient shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down only 17.6% of their threes. UConn didn’t fare much better, shooting 24% from deep, but were far more efficient from the rest of the field.

UConn will now play Florida in the round of 32.

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No. 6 Illinois defeated No. 11 Xavier

Illinois defeated Xavier 86-73.

Will Riley led the Fighting Illini with 22 points on an efficient 8-12 night. He also knocked down three triples. Tomislav Ivisic recorded a double-double, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman phenom Kasparas Jakucionis finished with a 16 point, 10 assist double-double.

Dailyn Swain led the Musketeers with 27 points, while Dayvion McKnight and Ryan Conwell both added 12 points. Zach Freemantle, Xavier’s leading scorer, struggled. Freemantle was held to five points on 2-9 shooting.

The game was tight for the majority of the first half, with Illinois taking a five-point lead into halftime.

However, after building up a double-digit lead in the second half, Xavier began to regain momentum, slicing the deficit to eight points.

The Musketeers looked to continue their momentum after Jakucionis missed a three. However, Kylan Boswell soared for the offensive board who quickly swung a pass out to Riley, who promptly drilled a dagger three.

Illinois later closed out the game to advance to the round of 32 to face Kentucky.

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No. 2 Michigan State defeated No. 15 Bryant

Michigan State survived an early scare against upset-minded Bryant, defeating the Bulldogs 87-62.

Coen Carr led the Spartans with 18 points. However, his nine rebound performance put on a show. Carr grabbed four offensive rebounds and threw down thunderous dunks, showcasing his incredible vertical. Carr continuously attacked the paint, finishing tough layups and drawing fouls on an efficient 7-10 night.

Alongside Carr, Tre Holloman contributed 14 points off the bench, and Jase Richardson finished with 15.

Rafael Pinzon led the Bulldogs with 21 points and Earl Timberlake added 14 points. Barry Evans, the team’s third-leading scorer, only managed seven points on a tough 3-7 shooting night.

The Bulldogs kept the game close early, entering halftime in a five-point hole. However, the Spartans quickly built a double-digit lead behind a pair of Richardson triples and never looked back. They used an 18-9 run to build a 19-point lead, and closed out the game comfortably.

The Spartans, who had struggled with three-point shooting in the regular season, proved the doubters wrong. They drained 10 triples at a 38.5% clip and shot 44.3% from the field. Their defense tightened up, only allowing Bryant to sink five three-pointers, well below their average of around eight per game.

With the win, Michigan State now plays New Mexico in the round of 32.

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No. 5 Oregon defeated No. 12 Liberty

In the last game of the first round, Oregon routed Liberty 81-52.

Jackson Shelstad led the Ducks with 17 points, while Keeshawn Barthelemy added 10 more. Center Nate Bittle finished with a double-double, logging 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Zach Cleveland led Liberty with 10 points. He was the only Flame to post double-digit scoring numbers in the game.

Oregon dominated in every category, shooting 54.4% from the field and 47.6% from beyond the arc. Their defense held a fast-paced Liberty offense to 32.8% shooting from the field and 21.6% from beyond the arc. Oregon also forced 12 turnovers, which turned into 17 Oregon points.

Oregon led the entire game, opening up the first half on an 18-2 run. Liberty was unable to cut the lead down to single-digits at any point afterwards.

The Ducks carried a 44-20 halftime lead, and later outscored the Flames 37-32 in the second half to secure the win.

Oregon will now play former Pac-12 rival Arizona in the round of 32.

The post Everything You Missed From Friday’s March Madness Slate appeared first on SLAM.

WNBA M’VP A’ja Wilson had her No. 22 jersey retired at her alma mater, South Carolina, this past Sunday to a sold out Colonial Life Arena. The event took place as the current squad faced off against Auburn.

As the most decorated Gamecock basketball player of all-time, Wilson was overwhelmed with emotion to say the least. 

“To have my jersey retired at the University of South Carolina, the place where my dreams began is an honor I can hardly put into words.”

A’ja Wilson attended the University of South Carolina from 2014-2018 where she dominated, earning four straight SEC tournament championships, three SEC POTY awards and led the school in both points and blocks amongst countless other accolades.

She also shared her appreciation of the Colombia community: “It’s a privilege to be a gamecock, to be a part of this community…One of the greatest honors of my life was representing Garnet and Black.”

Alongside A’ja was the one and only Dawn Staley, head coach of  the Gamecocks. Staley shared more on her relationship with A’ja in an interview with Colombia’s WIS News ahead of the ceremony. 

“Nothing makes me more proud than when A’ja gets her flowers.. She’s the best, The very best. There is no one better than A’ja Wilson and what she is bringing to the table.” 

Following a big thank you to both her parents and her favorite Olympian from out of town, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, Wilson was able to see her jersey unravel in the rafters and was visibly emotional. 

“As I will look up in the rafters and see my jersey, I’m reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear.”

The post South Carolina Retires A’ja Wilson’s No. 22 Jersey appeared first on SLAM.

Contending teams have added pieces to bolster their lineups, while teams have invested in the future for young talent and draft picks.

Here are the list of moves that went down in one of the craziest weeks to date.

Feb. 6

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Toronto Raptors acquired center James Wiseman from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a future draft pick.

The former No. 2 overall pick appeared in only one game for Indiana, scoring six points. Wiseman has battled injuries throughout his career, which spanned two seasons with the Warriors and two seasons with the Pistons. He will likely provide center depth for Toronto alongside veteran big man Jakob Poeltl.

Toronto also receives cash considerations.

The Pacers receive a top-55 protected future draft pick.

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Feb. 6

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Clippers acquired Milwaukee Bucks forward MarJon Beauchamp in exchange for Kevin Porter Jr.

Beauchamp was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft by Milwaukee and has seen limited playing time, mainly playing rotational minutes off the bench. In 26 games this season, Beauchamp is averaging two points per game.

Porter has spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. He emerged as an offensive threat in Houston, averaging 17.2 points per game in three seasons. Porter joins a Bucks team sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and will likely provide instant offense off the bench playing behind Damian Lillard.

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Feb. 6

The Wizards continued to make moves in the trade window.

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired forward Marvin Bagley III in exchange for Marcus Smart in a three-team deal involving the Grizzlies, Wizards and Kings.

Memphis receives the former No. 2 overall pick, guard Johnny Davis, a 2028 second-round pick and a future second-round pick. After spending time with the Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons, Bagley experienced an uptick in scoring after moving to the capital city during last year’s trade deadline, averaging 13.3 points per game. This season, Bagley has battled injury and only appeared in 19 games, averaging 4.9 points per game. Bagley and Davis join a talented Grizzlies team in contention for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Wizards acquired guard/forward Colby Jones, Smart, Alex Len and a 2025 first-round pick. After nine seasons in Boston, Smart spent two seasons with the Grizzlies, where he battled injuries. In his two seasons with Memphis, Smart appeared in 39 games and averaged 11.6 points per game and 1.6 steals per game. The former DPOY and 11-year veteran will provide leadership to a rebuilding Wizards team who recently acquired Khris Middleton.

The Kings also receive forward Jake LaRavia from Memphis.

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Feb. 6

In a three-team move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Atlanta Hawks acquired guard Terance Mann from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for guard Bogdan Bogdanovic.

The Hawks bolstered their backcourt room, adding Mann and Bones Hyland. Mann has appeared in 37 games for the Clippers this season, mainly coming off the bench. He is averaging six points per game.

In addition to Bogdanovic, the Clippers also receive three second-round picks. Bogdanovic has dealt with injury in the 2024-2025 season, only appearing in 24 games while dealing with a hamstring injury. He will provide sharpshooting ability to a Clippers backcourt consisting of James Harden and Norman Powell.

The Rockets also acquired veteran center Cody Zeller and a 2028 second-round pick in the move.

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Feb. 6

The Cleveland Cavaliers are acquiring forward De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks in a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Atlanta will acquire guard Caris LeVert, forward Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two future pick swaps.

Hunter has emerged as a great two-way wing, averaging 14.8 points per game in his six seasons with the Hawks. This season, Hunter has appeared in 37 games, mostly providing instant offense off the bench. He is in the midst of his best offensive season, averaging 19 points per game and shooting 39.3% from beyond the arc. Hunter will now join a Cavaliers team sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference.

LeVert and Niang will now join a Hawks team sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, currently in position for a play-in tournament berth. The two veterans will provide depth to Atlanta’s guard and forward positions, spots currently held by No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and steals leader Dyson Daniels.

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Feb. 6

Patrick Baldwin Jr., a piece in the trade package in the Kyle Kuzma trade, is joining the San Antonio Spurs in a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Spurs will receive an undisclosed amount of cash.

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Feb. 6

After trading away their center, the Charlotte Hornets brought a veteran one back.

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Hornets acquired center Jusuf Nurkic in exchange for forward Cody Martin and guard Vasilije Micic.

Nurkic is an 11-year veteran who spent time with the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns. He has averaged 12 points per game and nine rebounds over his career.

In addition to the players, Charlotte also receives a 2026 first-round pick, and Phoenix receives a 2026 second-round pick.

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Feb. 6

Two cornerstones from Baylor’s NCAA championship squad in 2021 have been dealt in this deadline.

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Miami Heat acquired guard Davion Mitchell from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for forward P.J. Tucker.

Mitchell brings two-way guard play to Miami, while Tucker provides a veteran presence to a rebuilding Raptors squad.

In addition to Tucker, Toronto also receives the Lakers’ second-round pick in 2024 and cash considerations for an undisclosed amount.

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Feb. 6

The Washington Wizards continued their busy trade deadline. The team acquired guard Reggie Jackson in a move confirmed by ESPN.

In addition to Jackson, Washington also receives a 2026 less favorable first-round pick of the Thunder, Rockets and Clippers.

Philadelphia receives former NCAA champion Jared Butler, a most favorable 2027 second-round pick of Golden State and Phoenix, Golden State’s 2028 second-round pick, a most favorable 2030 second-round pick of Phoenix and Portland and Washington’s 2030 second-round pick.

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Feb. 5

Jimmy Butler finally got his wish.

In a blockbuster move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Miami Heat superstar is heading to Golden State in a multi-team trade involving the Heat, Warriors, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons.

The Heat receive Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, P.J. Tucker and a protected first-round pick.

The Dubs receives Jimmy Butler, who is signing a new deal that will keep him through the 2026-27 season.

The Utah Jazz receive point guard Dennis Schroder.

The Detroit Pistons receive Lindy Waters III and Josh Richardson.

Butler’s move to Miami ends a tumultuous saga that saw numerous suspensions and trade requests from the superstar. Butler was indefinitely suspended on Jan. 27 after walking out on a team shootaround. He leaves Miami as a franchise legend, helping orchestrate two NBA Finals appearances and coining the nickname “Playoff Jimmy.” In his six years in Vice City, Butler made two All-Star appearances and averaged 21 points per game. He will now form a new big three in San Francisco—Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Butler.

Miami’s return package signals the end of Wiggins’ time in California. The former No. 1 overall pick enjoyed his most efficient years with the Dubs, averaging 16.7 points per game and appearing in one All-Star game. Wiggins was instrumental in the team’s 2022 Finals run, as he was the team’s second leading scorer behind Curry. Wiggins will provide a veteran presence to the Heat’s young front court of Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr.

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Feb. 5

In a blockbuster move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Toronto Raptors acquired New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram.

In exchange for Ingram, New Orleans receives a package of forward Bruce Brown, forward/center Kelly Olynyk, and a first and second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Ingram joins a rebuilding Toronto Raptors team currently rebuilding around All-Star forward Scottie Barnes. The nine-year veteran spent three seasons with the Lakers and six seasons in New Orleans, helping lead the Pelicans to two postseason runs in 2022 and 2024. Ingram averaged 23 points per game with the Pelicans over six seasons and was named an All-Star and Comeback Player of the Year in the 2019-20 season.

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Feb. 5

After fans across the world said the Lakers needed a center following the Anthony Davis trade, the team made a move on one.

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired center Mark Williams from the Hornets in exchange for rookie Dalton Knecht and forward Cam Reddish.

After an injury riddled sophomore season, Williams has appeared in 22 games in the 2024-2025 season, averaging 16 points per game. He will likely become the Lakers’ starting center upon arrival.

Charlotte receives a rookie sharpshooter in Knecht who has showed flashes of upside. The Tennessee product is averaging 9.4 points per game this season and has shot 35.8% from beyond the arc. He will join star point guard LaMelo Ball in the Hornets’ backcourt.

In addition to Knecht and Reddish, Charlotte will receive a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap.

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Feb. 5

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Sacramento Kings are acquiring center Jonas Valanciunas from the Wizards in exchange for guard/forward Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks.

Valanciunas is a 13-year veteran who played for the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards. This season, Valanciunas appeared in 49 games and started 12. He primarily came off the bench in the rotation between himself and No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr. In those 49 games, he averaged 11.5 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game.

He will now look to light the beam alongside frontcourt mate and All-Star Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento.

In return, Washington receives guard Sidy Cissoko, who Sacramento originally received in the De’Aaron Fox trade. Cissoko was drafted in the second round in 2023 to San Antonio, where he saw limited playing time across two seasons.

Washington also receives Denver’s 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick.

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Feb. 5

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired center Daniel Theis from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for cash considerations, in a move confirmed by the team.

Theis is an eight-year veteran who played for the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls and Pelicans. He has averaged 7.1 points per game and 4.7 rebounds this season playing alongside rookie center Yves Missi.

Oklahoma City also receives a 2031 second-round pick.

New Orleans receives cash considerations for an undisclosed amount.

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Feb. 5

In a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics are trading Jaden Springer to the Houston Rockets.

Boston receives a 2031 top-55 protected second-round pick.

Houston receives Springer, a 2030 second-round pick and a protected future second-round pick.

Springer spent three seasons in Philadelphia with the 76ers and two season in Boston, where he won a championship last year. Despite playing limited rotational minutes, the guard is still 22-years old, and will help an exciting Houston Rockets team with depth in the backcourt.

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Feb. 5

The Detroit Pistons received forward KJ Martin and two picks from the Philadelphia 76ers in a move reported by the Inquirer’s Keith Pompey and confirmed by ESPN.

Martin, the son of former Nets great Kenyon Martin previously played for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and 76ers. Martin played rotational minutes off the bench for the 76ers, averaging 4.5 points per game over his two seasons in Philadelphia.

Detroit also receives Milwaukee’s 2027 second-round pick and Dallas’ 2031 second-round pick.

The Sixers receive cash considerations for an undisclosed amount.

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Feb. 5

In a blockbuster move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks dealt away franchise legend Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma in a multi-trade with the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks.

In addition to Kuzma, Milwaukee also receives forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., center Jericho Sims and a second-round draft compensation.

In addition to Middleton, Washington receives guard AJ Johnson an a 2028 first-round pick swap.

The Knicks receive guard Delon Wright and cash considerations.

The three-time All-Star leaves Milwaukee after 12 years with the Bucks, where won an NBA Championship in 2021 alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday. Middleton ends his Milwaukee career averaging 17.1 points per game and 38.9% shooting from beyond the arc. He will provide veteran leadership to a Wizards team with an exciting young core of Jordan Poole, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr.

Kuzma leaves Washington after four seasons. In the capital city, Kuzma enjoyed his best offensive seasons, averaging 19.5 points per game and 7.2 rebounds across four seasons. He will likely provide a scoring boost to the small forward position, forming a frontcourt partnership between himself and Antetokounmpo. The Bucks currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

The former NBA champion also reportedly reduced his trade bonus in his contract to help with roster building in the future, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Shams Charania.

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Feb. 4

The Dallas Mavericks stayed active in the trade deadline, acquiring forward Caleb Martin from the Philadelphia 76ers, in a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Martin leaves Philadelphia having played in 31 games and starting 24. He averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The 2022 playoff hero will provide crucial depth for Dallas at both the small and power forward position. He will likely play behind P.J. Washington and Anthony Davis as an instant offense two-way player off the bench.

In return, Philadelphia will receive guard Quentin Grimes and their own second-round pick in the upcoming draft. Grimes appeared in 47 games for the Mavericks, averaging 10.2 points per game on 39.8% shooting from behind the arc. Grimes will provide depth at the shooting guard and small forward position for an injury-marred 76ers squad.

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Feb. 3

The Charlotte Hornets and Oklahoma City Thunder engaged in a pick-swap in a move announced by both teams.

Charlotte receives the Phoenix Suns’ 2029 second-round pick, while Oklahoma City receives the Denver Nuggets’ 2030 conditional second-round pick.

Sam Presti is back at it again.

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Feb. 2

De’Aaron Fox and Zach LaVine are parting ways with the teams they spent years with. In a multi-team trade reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, LaVine is joining the Chicago Bulls and Fox is joining the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs receive All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin from the Kings and Bulls respectively.

The Kings receive guards Zach LaVine and Sidy Cissoko from the Bulls and Spurs respectively and a haul of five draft picks. Sacramento receives a top-14 protected first-round pick in the upcoming draft, a second-round pick in the upcoming draft, a first-round pick in the 2027 Draft and two second-round picks in the 2028 Draft.

The Bulls receive forward Zach Collins and guard Tre Jones from the Spurs and guard Kevin Huerter from the Kings. The package also includes a first-round pick in the upcoming draft.

Fox joins a Spurs team in the midst of an exciting rebuild centered around generational prospect Victor Wembanyama. Fox will join a frontcourt led by rookie Stephon Castle and veteran Chris Paul and will look to be dropping dimes and lobs to Wembanyama.

San Antonio is one win away from matching their season win-total from last year before the All-Star break as the team has steadily improved over time. The Spurs are two games out of tenth place and a berth for the play-in tournament.

LaVine joins a Sacramento team led by All-Star center Domantas Sabonis and veteran DeMar DeRozan. LaVine will be reunited with DeRozan, who he spent three seasons with in Chicago. After a six-game losing streak left Sacramento with a 13-19 record, the team has found a resurgence in form, going 11-5 in their last 16 games to sit at 24-24. The Kings currently hold the last seed for the play-in tournament.

_________________________________________________________________________________________ Feb. 2:

In one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, the Dallas Mavericks traded superstar Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in a move reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania that sent social media, pundits and basketball fans into an uproar. The move comes as a shock, as the Mavericks, fresh off of a NBA Finals appearance, traded away their franchise cornerstone.

The Mavericks receive nine-time All-Star and NBA Champion forward/center Davis, guard Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

The Lakers receive five-time All-Star and perennial MVP candidate Doncic and forwards Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.

The Jazz receive guard Jalen-Hood Schifino from the Lakers and two second-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Davis will team up with perennial All-Star Kyrie Irving and Splash Bro Klay Thompson in Dallas. He is projected to play power forward in Dallas—his natural position—with Daniel Gafford taking the center role. Dallas currently sits in ninth place in the Western Conference, well within reach of a berth in the play-in tournament.

Doncic will join a Lakers team sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference under first-year head coach JJ Redick. Doncic will team up with LeBron James, who ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported had dreamed about playing alongside the Slovenian superstar.

The post NBA Trade Tracker: Jimmy Butler joins Dubs, Andrew Wiggins to Heat appeared first on SLAM.

Vince Carter, who is undeniably one of the greatest dunkers, ever, had his jersey retired during Brooklyn’s Jan. 25 game against the Miami Heat.

The ceremony was fitting for the superstar. Carter sat next to a painting of himself throwing down a thunderous dunk, while Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson raved about his tenacious shooting and finishing. Before Lob City was popularized in LA, it was in New Jersey between Kidd and Carter.

Carter joined the formerly-named New Jersey Nets in the ’04-05 season, teaming up Kidd, an elite point guard. The duo thrived, with Carter enjoying the most efficient scoring years of his illustrious career, averaging 23.6 points per game, three playoff runs and making three All-Star appearances.

“He was doing things in a Nets uniform that has never been seen before,” Nets announcer Ian Eagle said.

You can check out the full ceremony video below:

Carter watched alongside his family as his No. 15 jersey was raised, all with the Nets crowd cheering him on. After spending so much time soaring on the court, now his name—immortalized in two stadiums—hangs in the rafters.

Salute to the legend.

The post Vince Carter Gets His No. 15 Jersey Retired in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

This is Volunteer country. Where Uber drivers pull up proudly rocking their Tennessee orange and where stripes are always in season. Where high schoolers peek through the tempered glass of a closed-off gym trying to catch a glimpse of three of the best guards in the country. Where the Tennessee men’s basketball team has instilled a different type of energy throughout the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. That’s in part due to the dominant backcourt trio that led this year’s squad to tie the best start in program history, when it stormed out the gates to 14-0.

One member of that trio is leading the SEC in dimes with 7.6 a night. Another’s dropping 18.4 per game on anyone silly enough to drop back from the three-point line. And the third’s got a knack for silencing student sections and ending games with the flick of his wrist. Zakai Zeigler, Chaz Lanier and Jordan Gainey have got the Tennessee Volunteers sitting at No. 6 in the AP poll as they venture deeper into a stacked SEC conference lineup.

For the past two and a half months, they’ve been stitching their contributions to the cultural fabric of Tennessee hoops under the direction of legendary head coach Rick Barnes. The chemistry and connectivity that’s been witnessed through 19 games didn’t just click one day. The program’s star guards have been building toward this since the summer, featuring months and months of 1 on 1s. 

“Oh, me and JG, every single day in practice,” Zakai says. “I’m telling you, people don’t understand, we go at each other like we don’t know each other. Like, we be talking trash, we be talking crazy to each other. Start fouling, we’ll start doing stuff outside of basketball. But you know, just being that competitor, we understand that when we go against each other like that, when we go out on the court and play against somebody we don’t know, it’s gonna be like, Oh this ain’t nothin’.”

The runs are competitive. “Like very competitive,” Zakai says, while reflecting on the outcomes of their past intensity. The Vols are living by the mantra “iron sharpens iron.” The results are in the 17-2 record they’ve established and their respective moments of brilliance. Jordan’s game-winning layup on the road in Champaign. Chaz’s 29-piece against then-No. 23 Arkansas. Zakai’s 6 steals against Georgia. 

Alongside the commanding presence of both Igor Milicic Jr and Felix Okpara, with Jahmai Mashack, Darlinstone Dubar and Cade Phillips bolstering the rotation, the Vols are laser-focused on reaching the national championship. And to get there, the SEC’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year knows that his team’s energy starts with what he brings to the floor. For Zakai Zeigler, that’s baseline to baseline, surveying and attacking across all 94 feet of the hardwood.

“I feel like if I’m bringing that energy in the backcourt, picking up guys and slowing the ball down, it gives everyone else confidence on the defensive end and it just picks the energy up,” Zakai says. “I would say yeah, I put a little pressure on myself and expectations, but I wouldn’t even consider that as pressure. I would just say it’s something that I do every day and that I’m used to doing. I know if it’s going to help my teammates out, help my brothers out, then I’m gonna do it for sure.” 

The Long Island, NY, native has been orchestrating both sides of the ball for the Vols since the tail end of his sophomore campaign. Ever since then, it’s been a flurry of defensive masterclasses, perfectly timed passes and the necessary amount of heroics with the rock in his hands as the starting point guard. He can heat up instantly, like when he willed the Vols to a 4-point win over Texas after posting 6 points in the final minute of the game. He beats opponents to their spot with a single slide, picks their pockets and then flies past with ease before setting up a teammate for a wide-open look. 

Tennessee’s two-way stalwart is averaging 12.2 points. 7.6 assists and 2.1 steals a game. But the influence and leadership that exists through his play can’t be quantified, only felt.

“I would say Syracuse, that was a game where my energy was really high. I remember one point in time in the game, I told JG, Yo, I’m turnt up right now. I’m active right now. He remembers what I’m talking about,” Zakai says, while Jordan affirms. “Facts.” 

“Just moments like that I know I’m picked up or I’m turnt up whether I’m making a shot or not, it’s going to pick everybody else around me up,” Zakai adds.

Empowering his teammates extends to every aspect of the game, especially from the bench. Case in point, a mid-December slugfest against Illinois in enemy territory. Widely remembered in Knoxville as “the Jordan Gainey game.”

Chaz had put up 17 but fouled out with a little over three minutes remaining, while Zakai sat next to him after also fouling out. Nerves and stress didn’t exist, even with the score tied at 64 apiece with just 5.7 seconds left in the game. The two guards felt nothing but confidence as Jordan inbounded the ball and instantly received the rock back, going coast-to-coast in just four dribbles before laying it off the glass as time expired with a mob of Tennessee orange surrounding him on the baseline. Twenty-three on the night, 18 in the final 14 minutes. 

“Having moments of success like that, I look back at the first time I stepped foot on a college campus. My freshman year, I was at USC Upstate; just being able to see the journey that I’ve had and how I’ve come here. The path that I’ve gone through has helped me in moments like that,” Jordan says. 

The 6-4 former All-Big South First Team honoree spent the first two years of his collegiate career out in Valley Falls, SC, leading USC Upstate in points (15.1) and steals (1.9) as a sophomore. And for the past two seasons, he’s found a home in Knoxville as the sixth man off the bench playing starter minutes. The transfer portal’s been good to Tennessee. Like, real good. New means of buckets continue to be discovered, including the reliable scoring punch of fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier. 

After dominating the ASUN conference at North Florida last season, the former Tennessee Mr. Basketball finalist found his way back to his home state this past summer. The portal was chaotic, Chaz admits. But once the Vols got involved, the Nashville native knew the situation he was waiting for had arrived. 

“I knew the opportunity was going to be special. And then on my official visit, when I came to Tennessee, all the guys were surrounding me in the locker room. We had a good little celebration. I just knew it was home.” Chaz says. “I knew that I’d be joining something that was bigger than me.” 

We haven’t even hit the midway point of conference play and No. 2 has already cemented himself as one of the best scorers in the country. Less than an inch of space is needed for the 6-5 guard to have the confidence to launch it. Miami caught a clinic featuring 22 points strictly off jumpers. Baylor got scorched by seven of his threes. Fading one dribble pulls off the pick-and-roll are automatic. The averages: 18.4 points, 3.2 boards, 1.2 steals. Yup, he locks up too. 

“The standard for this team is definitely toughness,” Chaz says. “Knowing they’re in the foxhole with you and that you’ll do anything for your brother.”

The established feeling of a brotherhood is shared throughout the roster. It’s felt inside the gym of Farragut High School where Chaz, Jordan and Zakai pose for flicks and fall into bouts of laughter as they reminisce on their memories from the season. The scene is just a snapshot of a much larger picture that hangs 17 miles down the road. In between the soul food dinners, endless battles during practice and the countless 1s played afterward, they’ve laid the foundation for the team’s ultimate goal. Toughness and perseverance will light the way. 

“When the season’s closed, I want [us] to be remembered as a national champion and nothing less than that,” Zakai says. “Yeah, we want an SEC championship. We want an SEC tournament championship. But we’re going for the big trophy. We made history already with starting off the best in over 100 years, but we’re looking at something bigger than that.”

Portraits by Horizon Media Group.

The post Light the Way: Tennessee’s Star Guards Talk Building Confidence and Chemistry En Route to Matching Best Start in Program History appeared first on SLAM.

Penny Hardaway has never forgotten the first time he saw the Foamposite. 

Nike designer Eric Avar was meeting with him to talk sneakers and show him some upcoming samples, as usual, when a sneaker tucked inside of a Nike duffel bag caught his attention. 

“I was just like, ‘Oh my god! What is that?’” Hardaway told me years ago. 

On the spot, it became his next signature shoe. The molded neon royal shoe was groundbreaking then and ever since, and became an instant classic, stamped by Penny in 1997. 

Even all these years later, the Foamposite One, with its subtle Swoosh along the toe and One Cent logo hits along the heel and tongue, has been one of the most beloved sneakers of all time.

“It was just a crazy shoe,” he added. “And I had never seen anything like it in my life.”

As SLAM celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we’re looking back on some of the most iconic issue covers and most impactful players throughout the Hall of Fame-inducted magazine’s history. We created some fire collabs for the occasion. 

The 30th issue of SLAM in late 1998 featured Penny Hardaway, just as he was looking to make his return from a series of repeating knee injuries in Orlando. The feature was graced with a Scoop Jackson-penned cover story that perfectly captured his immediate rise with the Orlando Magic and his mission to stay on top of the game that he poured everything into. 

The cover story featured lyric laden bridge paragraphs between the candid Q&A — yet another Scoop masterpiece that broke the mold for formatting. 

“Leave you black & blue like a pair of Penny’s / or Foamposites” 

Even before that first sample made its way to the meeting with Penny, we must first go back to the fall of 1995, when Avar was sketching away in Beaverton, Oregon. It is completely insane to consider the time and era in which the Foamposite was first conceived, as the shoe not only had a viral-before-there-was-social-media $180 price point, but required an all-new manufacturing process entirely. 

The shoe was decades ahead of its time — and still is.

While the “Galaxy” Foams in 2012 instantly shut it down and created an entire era of graphic-printed sneakers, it was years ago in ’95 that Avar actually first imagined a printing process atop the shoe’s Foamposite material. One of his earliest sketches incorporated shaded hues of blue along the upper.

This SLAM collab, for the first time ever, brings that sketch to life.

The Eric Avar sketch, from the fall of 1995.

The SLAM edition’s molded Foamposite upper features a printed graphic inspired by Avar’s concept sketch, with the details dialed in from there. For the first time, there’s a Swoosh along the shank, just as Avar had originally sketched it. 

The tongue and heel logos alternate between Hardaway’s sleek 1 Cent logo and the SLAM logo, inspired by Penny’s longtime insistence to keep his logo in place on collaborative designs. To this day, it’s one of the greatest signature logos ever created, that he instantly approved of when he first saw it.

“Right away I knew that they had done an amazing job with this logo,” he told me. 

“Back to back 40s. Miami Heat. Unforgettable.”

Along the insoles, the graphics from the Scoop Jackson cover story are recreated throughout, along with SLAM’s 30th Anniversary logo crest. The packaging integrates the original Avar sketch, and lyrics from Jackson’s prolific penmanship.

Three vertical stars found on every cover throughout the magazine’s 30 years are woven into the heel tab, while a number 30 honors Penny’s cover and SLAM’s 30th Issue. 

As the magazine turns 30, and the legend of the Foamposite lives on, this Friends & Family limited edition of Penny Hardaway’s most memorable sneaker brings the original design concept full circle.

The post SLAM’s Foamposite One Collab Celebrates Penny Hardaway’s Iconic Original Design appeared first on SLAM.

Jimmy Butler is everywhere these days.

There he is at the US Open, serving as an honorary ball boy for an exhibition match between Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe. There he is in the new music video for Fall Out Boy’s “So Much (For) Stardust,” sporting his now-legendary “Emo Jimmy” look. There he is in ads for Hulu, Alo, State Farm and Hotels.com. There he is sampling products for BIGFACE, his budding coffee brand, and at the first-ever Reserve Cup, a padel competition that he helped bring to Miami. There he is at the Kaseya Center, soaring for lobs and knocking down threes.

And here he is at ZZ’s Club Miami, singing and dancing along to Lloyd’s “You,” breathing energy into the club’s swanky sports bar. He is, after all, five cups of coffee in, and it’s just 2:30 p.m. (he drinks 10-12 cups a day, by the way). A wide-ranging playlist booms through a handheld speaker—everything from “Let Me Love You” by Mario to “Jamming” by Bob Marley & the Wailers to “Loop Hole” by Tee Grizzley featuring 21 Savage. In between posing for photos, the Heat star snacks on sushi and sips an old fashioned.

Welcome to Jimmy Butler’s SLAM cover shoot, and welcome, more broadly, to his ever-growing universe, where you’re invited—err, encouraged—to be your authentic self at all times. To follow whatever passions you may have.

SLAM 249 featuring Jimmy Butler is available now. Shop here.

Butler is a man of many interests: coffee, wine, country music, tennis, padel, soccer (which he calls football), dominoes, spades, UNO, traveling—the list goes on. He is always up to something, always surrounded by family and friends. His house in Miami doesn’t even have TVs. Instead of binge-watching shows, Butler does things like chase tennis balls around Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, NY, because, well, it’s fun and he felt like doing it. He is currently working on his own country album; right now, it features 62 songs (!) and Butler, who has played a DJ Khaled-like role, is debating whether to hop on one.

“He loves to get into a whole bunch of stuff that you wouldn’t think he would enjoy doing,” says Butler’s teammate Caleb Martin. “He’s just super active, man, whether he’s doing something on an off day or meeting up with certain types of artists or playing dominoes or going to tennis matches. He’s definitely a dude full of surprises.”

Surprises like…starring in that aforementioned Fall Out Boy video in an all-purple cowboy outfit. 

“Anything to shake up anything on the internet and continually be myself, be happy and love my life and what I’m doing, I’m down,” Butler says. The video was shot over All-Star break and it dropped less than two weeks later. And yes, it shook up the internet.

Butler strikes a difficult balance: he doesn’t take life too seriously, but he is also extremely competitive. He cracks jokes, but often leaves people wondering…was that really a joke? 

“Don’t be fooled because you see me on TV or a commercial or a billboard, I do a lot of the same stuff y’all do,” he says, before adding with a grin, “I’m probably just better at it than all y’all…but I can’t help that.”

The truth (and irony) is, Butler engages in many extracurricular activities, such as tennis and songwriting, “to humble” himself. He wants to experience firsthand the challenges of other professions. Of course, he is also certain that if he keeps working at something, he will excel at it. He has a burning desire to be the best at everything he does. 

To win at everything he does. 

Take spades, for example. The Heat like to play on the team plane during long road trips. “When I say he does not lose, he does not lose,” forward Jamal Cain says. “Me and Haywood Highsmith beat him once and he was kind of shitty after that. I kind of saw it in his face. He’s very competitive. He does not like to lose.”

Or take dominoes, which might be the game Jimmy is best at (including the one he’s famous for). “He’s a top-five, top-10 dominoes player in the world,” claims Chris Brickley, Butler’s trainer. “I know this because he and [Colombian singer] J Balvin have flown in the top dominoes players in the world, like, world champions. And he’s beat them.”

“That’s some Jimmy shit,” Martin remarks with a laugh. He and his twin brother, Cody, are a rare duo that have actually beat Jimmy in dominoes. “And we ain’t played since,” Martin says. “On and off the court, he doesn’t like to lose. He’s ducking me, for sure. Ever since we played him, he tells me and my brother, ‘Y’all are The Funky Brothers.’ Me and Cody play funky, so it messes him up.”

Butler brings that same competitive mindset to his brand, BIGFACE, which he is very dedicated to building. Along with the BIGFACE team, he has visited Colombia and Ecuador on a quest to find the best coffee. He is even trying to master latte art and how to make the perfect cappuccino. 

“People can see this on the court as well—his dedication to something and to knowing everything there is to know about it translates from basketball to coffee,” says Britt Berg, Chief Operating Officer at BIGFACE. She and Butler text about coffee almost every day. 

BIGFACE is set to open its first brick-and-mortar shop in Miami later this year, a milestone that Jimmy is eagerly awaiting. “When I’m not practicing, when I’m not with my kids, when I’m not in a game, I can tell you where I’m gonna be, and that’s in this coffee shop, meeting all the fans of myself and of coffee,” he says. “Because I do love coffee, I do want to bring the best coffee to Miami. I don’t think there’s a spot like that here yet, and I want the first BIGFACE café to be that, so that’s where I’m gonna be. And we need that. Miami needs that…along with a championship!”

Ah, yes. We should probably talk a bit about basketball. It’s mid-March when we shoot this cover—or, as Butler calls it, “that time.”

Allow him to elaborate: “It’s the time where people really gotta think about going up against the Miami Heat and myself. I know what I’m capable of. I know what my squad is capable of. And don’t nobody want to see us in a seven-game series anyways. We know that.”

We do.

Miami finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 46-36 record. But, then again, the Heat entered last year’s playoffs as the No. 8 seed before going on an epic run to the Finals. In 2019-20, the League’s bubble season, Miami reached the Finals as the No. 5 seed.

“Nobody can tell you anything right now,” Jimmy says. “There are three things that you gotta have in order to win a championship: you’ve gotta be playing your best basketball at the right time, you gotta be healthy, and you gotta be lucky. That’s just the way that it is. So can’t nobody tell right now who’s going to have all three of those things.”

Butler quietly had another stellar year, posting 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game and shooting a career-high 41.4 percent from behind the arc. Don’t expect him to be launching more threes in the postseason, though. “I just don’t like shooting threes because I want to run into you,” he says. “I want to hit somebody. You can’t hit nobody if you shoot threes. I want to see who’s going to quit first. I’m gonna keep running in there, I’m gonna hit you, and I’m gonna hit you again, and I’m gonna hit you again, and we’re gonna see who’s gonna quit.”

That sounds like something the fabled and fearless “Playoff Jimmy” would say, doesn’t it? Only thing is, Butler continues to deny that Playoff Jimmy exists. 

“That’s not a thing for the hundredth time,” he insists. “Playoff Jimmy is not a thing. Emo Jimmy, thing. Football Jimmy, thing. Tennis Jimmy, thing. Daddy Jimmy, thing. Zaddy Jimmy, thing. But Playoff Jimmy, not so much.”

OK, fair enough. But worth noting: over a four-season stretch, Butler has led Miami to the Eastern Conference Finals three times and to the Finals twice, averaging 24.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals through 64 playoff games. During the 2020 Finals, he registered two triple-doubles, including just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. In Game 6 of the 2022 ECF, he hung 47 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals on the Celtics to force a Game 7 (one of four 40-plus-point performances he had that postseason). He set a franchise playoff record with 56 points in Game 4 of last season’s first-round series against the top-seeded Bucks, then followed it up with 42 points in Game 5 as his team pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever. 

Butler will admit that things “ramp up a notch” this time of year. Amid the last few weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs, he and Brickley start working out the night before every single game. They study the defense Miami is about to face and try to replicate the exact situations Butler will find himself in. What spots on the floor will be open? What shots will be available? What switches might occur? Butler’s basketball IQ is “probably the highest IQ out of any player I’ve worked with,” says Brickley.

Martin, who has been with the Heat since 2021, notices a “mental shift” in Jimmy as the playoffs loom. “I think him having the experience of going through this phase so many times, he knows how to time stuff up with his body, and then [there’s] the mental part of it, too, him just being so steady mentally,” Martin explains. “He’s very strategic. He knows when it’s time to ramp up. He knows what games probably hurt more than others or whatever the case is. Everything he does, he thinks about.”

The added reps in the gym help, as does Butler’s very calculated approach. But if there’s one reason to believe Playoff Jimmy is real, and that other teams should fear his impending arrival, it’s this: Jimmy Butler is fully confident in who he is and what he’s capable of. There’s a comfort in that, a peace. Any feelings of self-doubt and pressure are gone. He doesn’t care one bit what others think about him—what others predict he and his team will or won’t do.

That type of confidence has a way of rubbing off on the people around him: friends, colleagues, teammates. 

“When you have a leader like that, it gives you a sense of confidence in your abilities and what you’re doing,” says Berg.

“The first thing I noticed with Jimmy, he’s very comfortable being in his skin. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him,” Cain adds. “Seeing how he carried himself and how confident and comfortable he was in his skin only made me more comfortable being who I am.”

Cain remembers one game day when he and other members of the Heat huddled up to pray before taking the court, as was their ritual, and requested that Jimmy turn down the music he was blasting. “Y’all need to be praying to me!” Butler responded. “He said it in a joking manner, but just the fact that that was the first thing on his mind, I was like, Wow, this is Jimmy in a nutshell,” Cain recalls with a chuckle.

It’s no coincidence that Butler describes the Heat as being “overly confident in a good way.” In large part, that identity stems from him. Despite the ups and downs of the regular season, Butler has no doubt that his team has what it takes to make another deep playoff run. 

Why? 

“We just have a different way of going about things,” he says. “Our coaching staff cares and they’re constantly studying how we can make everybody on our roster stick to their strong suits and stay away from the weak points of their games. Ownership cares—they’re at every practice, they’re on the plane. We’re talking to one another. We really fuck with one another, which is a good thing. And, um…” 

He pauses for a moment and flashes a sly smile. 

“I’m on the team. So, I’m taking my chances every time.” 

Portraits by Alex Subers

The post The Undeniable Realness of Jimmy Butler: Heat Star Talks Leadership, Staying True and the Playoffs appeared first on SLAM.

We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

Where does he fit on your list? Top 50 ever? Top-five shooting guard? Shoot, a lot of people have him third after the anointed two of MJ and Kobe. Dwyane Wade’s exact placement in the pantheon doesn’t even matter. He’s an all-timer, and no one will ever argue that.

And this same dude, a little more than two decades ago, had to call a press conference to announce if he was turning pro or returning to college. For his senior season. In an era when high schoolers were going in the lottery regularly. And the press conference’s outcome was hardly a given. Media in attendance, to say nothing of Marquette University’s fan base, really didn’t know what Wade was going to announce about his plans. Why do I have such vivid memories of a relatively small moment in a Wade career that was filled with much bigger ones? I was there. I pretty much shadowed Dwyane that whole day, much of it with our man Atiba Jefferson by my side taking photos.

How was this future legend not already in the League like many of his peers? He was the type of late bloomer the game rarely creates these days. Wade was lightly recruited out of Richards High School in Illinois, a suburban school just southwest of Chicago, in part because he was trending toward being academically ineligible as a freshman. He chose Marquette because then-MU coach Tom Crean made Wade his number-one target and promised him he’d take Wade even if he had to sit out a season—which he did. 

As such, Wade did not really become a “national” name at all until he was a sophomore in college. That’s also the year he made his very first appearance in SLAM, a slim “In Your Face” in Issue 62 in which we spelled his first name “Dwayne” [absolutely pathetic, if not as bad as the biter hoops magazine making that mistake on its cover years later.—(Previous) Ed.]. That issue featured high schoolers LeBron James (a recurring theme) and Sebastian Telfair on the cover. Unless this is the first time you’ve read SLAM, you know that the GOATs rarely make it past 16 or at least high school before gracing our pages.

The feature I wrote off the day I spent with Dwyane in Milwaukee (he did indeed declare for the ’03 Draft) ran in SLAM 71. The story—graced with beautiful black and white photographs by Atiba—began immediately after Ryan’s classic story on LeBron, who was making his first solo appearance on our cover. A bit of foreshadowing, all this. LeBron did and has outshined Dwyane, sure. But the closeness of the pages is also analogous to how much closer their careers would prove to be than anyone imagined. Bron was The Chosen One. Dwyane was the unknown. But from that day and story onward, the floodgates were open. 

On the court, Wade was a success from the jump, finishing third in the ’04 ROY voting after averaging 16.2 ppg (Bron won, naturally). By year three, dude was averaging 27.2 per and was an NBA champion—and runaway Finals MVP at that. By 2010, a ring-less LeBron felt compelled to leave Cleveland for South Beach to team up with Wade and their ’03 Draft classmate, Chris Bosh, to chase titles. And it worked. LeBron got his first two. Dwyane ended the partnership with three to his name.

That’s how many rings Wade would end up with, but the accomplishments and accolades flowed well through the 2010s. The 6-4 2-guard ended his 16-year NBA career with per-game averages of 22 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists, with 13 All-Star appearances and 12 All-League honors to his name. Save for brief stretches in Chicago and Cleveland, the uber-tough Wade spent his career in Miami, embodying #HeatCulture and cementing himself as the greatest player in that franchise’s short but storied history.

Off the court, Wade followed a groundbreaking footwear path that started with Converse, detoured as he became the face of Jordan Brand and ended with a literally game-changing deal with Li-Ning. He married Hollywood superstar Gabrielle Union. He’s become a vocal champion of trans rights in the wake of his daughter’s gender transition. And he made up for his late start with SLAM, appearing countless times in our pages, from McDavid ads (!) to champs issues to a handful of classic solo covers—SLAM 127, “Tropic Thunder” being my personal favorite.

In ’22, Wade received an honorary degree from Marquette and gave the commencement address to that year’s graduating class. Last August, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

But in so many ways, the journey from little-known amateur to globally renowned professional began on that April day in 2003 when he announced he was leaving Marquette. 

And Teebz and I were there. 

Portrait by Atiba Jefferson. Photo via Getty Images.

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Dwyane Wade appeared first on SLAM.

To celebrate the moment, we got San Antonio Spurs superfan Shea Serrano to explain what this moment means: to him, to the Spurs fanbase, to the world. It’s time. 

Victor Wembanyama covers SLAM 247. Get your copy here.

This cover story will eventually be about Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 exaggeration of a human and the most exciting and enticing new basketball prospect in two decades. First, though, it’s going to be about Ralph.

Ralph is a security guard at the building where I office out of. He and I talk, were I to guess, for an average of about 45 seconds each day, almost always in the mornings when I first arrive at work and only ever about sports. 

The way our interactions typically go is: I arrive to the building around 8 a.m. I type an entry code into a keypad at the front door. I wait half a second to hear a tiny clicking sound that lets me know that the door, large and metal and otherwise impenetrable, is momentarily unlocked. I pull the door open. I walk into the building. I look to my right. And that’s where I see Ralph, who is stationed at a desk some twenty or so feet away. I say “Ralphieeeeeeeee,” and I always stretch the final “E” out long like that in hopes that it makes me appear more charming and interesting than I actually am. He says, “What’s up, Shea” back to me, but he says it in a normal way because he doesn’t have to pretend to be charming and interesting because he actually is charming and interesting. 

I walk over to him, we touch fists, and then I comment on something sports-related, to which he responds with something sports-related. Then there’s one more conversational volley (either a follow-up to the first sports thing, or the introduction of a new sports thing that is slightly less important than the first), and then that’s it. I smile and laugh and he smiles and laughs and then I walk away, both of us knowing we very likely will not see or talk to the other person again until the next morning, at which point we will reenact the entire scene again with only slightly different dialogue. We have done this each work day for nearly three years now. It’s the best relationship I have ever had with someone who carries handcuffs.

When the Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery this past May (and with it, the chance to draft Victor Wembanyama later that summer), I texted Ralph in celebration. We had never texted with each other before that moment (in fact, I had to text a separate person in the building to even get Ralph’s phone number) or even spoken with one another anywhere in the world other than at his desk on a weekday morning. But I felt compelled to reach out to him that evening. 

I felt compelled to expand the conditions and parameters of our relationship, even if I didn’t realize that that’s what I was doing at the time. 

Victor Wembanyama bends and reshapes everything.

Basketball things, obviously.

But other things, too, it seems. 

***

It’s always been weird to watch a human who is 7-foot-3 or taller dribble a basketball, but it’s never been weird the way Victor Wembanyama makes it weird. And what I mean is:

Picture, say, for example, Hasheem Thabeet (7-foot-3) dribbling the ball up the court. Or picture, say, for another example, Boban Marjanovic (7-foot-4) dribbling the ball up the court. Or picture, say, for a third example, Chuck Nevitt (7-foot-5) dribbling the ball up the court. Or picture, say, for a final example, Tacko Fall (7-foot-6) dribbling the ball up the court. Those are all very weird scenarios and situations and circumstances, both in abstraction and in practice. The arms, the legs, the elbows, the knees, the ball, the bouncing, the walking—it’s just all a weird combination together. With regard to traditional basketball aesthetics, nothing is where it’s supposed to be, or moving the way it’s supposed to move. Somebody that tall bringing the ball up the court is something that, if you turned on your TV and happened to see it during a game, you would say to yourself some version of, “Okay. Well, clearly something has gone wrong with this offensive possession. This couldn’t possibly have been the first option.”     

But that’s not what you say when you see Victor Wembanyama bringing the ball up the court. What you say when you see Victor Wembanyama bringing the ball up the court is some version of, “Okay. Well. Fuck. We’re all dead.”

Because it’s smooth, the way he dribbles.

And fluid.

And coordinated.

And beautiful.

And devastating.

It’s like if God was looking at a picture of a guard on someone’s iPhone in heaven, touched the screen with his pinched-together index finger and thumb, expanded the image to make it bigger, and then was like, “Boom. There you go. That’s a person now.” 

Victor Wembanyama dribbles a basketball completely normally. 

That’s why it’s weird in a way that it’s never been weird before. 

***

The San Antonio Spurs played the Miami Heat on October 13, 2023. It was the first home game of the preseason for the Spurs, and so I guess that was a little bit why it was important, but also Victor Wembanyama was playing in it, and so that’s mainly why it was important. 

And I would like to tell you about one specific play from that night. 

So:

With a little under 40 seconds to go in the second quarter, Wembanyama dribbled the ball up the court. There was no rush. And there was no urgency. There was just a very tall person dribbling a basketball calmly and confidently and normally, which, again, was entirely weird. 

His defender, a 6-foot-10 League veteran named Thomas Bryant, waited for him in a defensive position a few feet beyond the three-point line.

As Wembanyama crossed the half court line, Tre Jones (point guard for the Spurs) hustled over and angled to set a screen on Bryant. Wembanyama, spying the action, sped up slightly as Jones approached, hoping to force Bryant into making some kind of defensive mistake.

Bryant didn’t, though. He did what you’re supposed to do when a smaller player heads over to set a screen on a bigger player out on the perimeter: you get ready for the smaller player to slip the screen at the last second so as to create a new second action to potentially exploit a suddenly out of position defense. 

And that’s exactly what happened.  

Bryant’s instincts were 100 percent correct.

And it made 0 percent of a difference.

Jones slipped the screen and slid over to the right bend area of the three-point line. Wembanyama passed him the ball. And Bryant sat back in the space waiting for Jones to make a decision. And that’s when everything turned to muck for him, and for the Heat, and (potentially) (probably) for the NBA. 

Before Jones had even fully gathered the ball, Wembanyama, still out past the three-point line, pointed to the sky. The gesture, while completely ludicrous in its implication, was impossible to misinterpret. Despite (a) still being 22 or so feet from the rim, and despite (b) having a defender to his immediate left, and despite (c) Bryant still being directly involved in the play, and despite (d) the other three Miami Heat defenders also being in the general area, Wembanyama wanted Jones to throw him an alley-oop.

Jones, suddenly an audience member on stage with a magician during the reveal of a big trick, decided he wanted to see what would happen if he did what Wembanyama was asking him to do, and so he did what Wembanyama was asking him to do. 

Right as the ball touched his hands, Jones tossed it up into the air. 

Victor dove into the paint, planted both shoes nine feet before the rim, jumped as four of the five Heat defenders converged in the area, snatched the ball out of the atmosphere with both hands, cocked it back, then thunderdunked it before anyone else could even jump. 

The arena, rightly, erupted.

The internet, rightly, erupted.

Reggie Miller, who was one of the commentators calling the game that night, rightly, erupted.

“LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, his voice fat with astonishment.

Or: “LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, his voice fat with surprise.

Or: “LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, his voice fat with glee. 

Or: “LOOK AT THIS!” he shouted, because that’s the only thing you can shout when you’re in the middle of watching something as ridiculous as a 7-foot-4 Frenchman fly into the paint against a completely set defense, jump from several feet outside of the restricted circle, and then dunk an alley-oop that he called for from out past the three-point line.

It was such a wild play. 

And an unbelievable play. 

And a preposterous play.

It was also, at best, only the fourth most impressive thing Victor Wembanyama would end up doing that night. 

***

The San Antonio Spurs played the Golden State Warriors on October 20, 2023. It was the final game of the preseason for the Spurs, and so I guess that was a little bit why it was important, but also Victor Wembanyama was playing in it, and so that’s mainly why it was important. 

During the game, Victor Wembanyama: (1) caught a pass out past the three-point line, crossed over his defender off the dribble, pump faked a jumper, then pulled up for real as his defender floated harmlessly past him; (2) grabbed a defensive rebound, brought the ball up court, initiated the offense, then hit an and-one circus shot from behind the backboard while being pushed out of bounds (he also hit the accompanying free throw); (3) closed out from 10 feet away to block a Klay Thompson three-pointer and then sprinted down court to receive and dunk the post-block outlet pass (my favorite part of this play is that he caught the pass, hit the brakes, waited for a trailing Klay Thompson to zoom by, then waited an extra second so that a second defender could catch up and get dunked on); and (4) defended a smaller player on the perimeter, forced him into the paint, blocked his shot, ran down court as a Jeremy Sochan gathered the errant ball, caught a pass from Sochan, then pulled up for 3, splashing it in.  

It was four great plays that would look great on anybody’s full-game highlight reel.

Victor Wembanyama did them all over just a 90-second stretch in the middle of the first quarter. 

***

There is no precedent for Victor Wembanyama. 

There’s no single player you can reach backwards in time for and attach him to, like how when LeBron James showed up and people were like, “He’s the next Michael Jordan,” or how when Clarence Weatherspoon showed up and people were like, “He’s the next Charles Barkley,” or how when any white player shows up and people are like, “He’s like that other white player.”

There is no precedent for Victor Wembanyama. 

There are only amalgamations.

“He’s like if you mixed Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant.” 

“He’s like if you mixed Kareem Abdul Jabbar with Tracy McGrady.”

“He’s like if you mixed a fighter jet and a jaguar.”

That’s the kind of shit you have to say when you talk about him.

I have no idea how Victor Wembanyama’s career is going to play out. 

I suspect there will be championship rings and MVP trophies and various other accolades. 

But that’s just a guess. 

What I do know, though, is that right now, right at this particular moment, it kind of doesn’t matter. 

What matters is what he’s already given us, which is to say: 

Joy. 

And excitement. 

Excitement for now and excitement for the future.

Excitement in imagining what might be; what he might do; what he might mean for basketball; what he might mean for everything.

Victor Wembanyama is here. 

SLAM 247 Cover Tees featuring Wemby are available now.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post He’s Here: What the Arrival of Victor Wembanyama Means to the World appeared first on SLAM.

“My life always revolved around basketball since I gained my first thoughts,” P.J. Tucker says. “My mom put a ball in my hand at 3 or 4 years old. It was a Michael Jordan basketball goal with the backboard. I just remember being in Germany and playing and the joy that playing basketball has brought me for 34 or 35 years. If somebody could see it through my eyes, the love and joy for the game and everything that kinda revolves and shapes the game…The game has been my life since I can remember, and that love and joy for it—just playing basketball—would be so crystal clear to people of why I play like I play and why I do what I do.”

P.J. Tucker is not the Sneaker King.

P.J. Tucker is a basketball player who loves sneakers. But he is not defined by sneakers. 

He is defined by passion. 

P.J. Tucker loves basketball. He loves everything that comes with it, too. But he does not love all of it more than he loves the game of basketball. 

A scorching hot day at The Better Generation in Houston is the backdrop for Tucker’s long-overdue KICKS cover shoot. There is a big picture to capture here. TBG is the sneaker store he co-founded and co-owns with Brandon Davis. We’ve shut it down for the day so that a Bentley Continental GT V8 could roll into the store’s front yard. 

Tucker knows cars, planes and trains very well. He’s hooped all over the globe. The son of Raleigh, NC, has played for six NBA teams. Though he was the 35th overall pick in 2006, he didn’t find a steady job in the League until 2012. Those years in between were spent playing overseas. 

As a world traveler, he has many stories to tell. Much to his delight, we give him a task to sketch out the connection between stories, hoops and sneakers. P.J. excitedly maps out his basketball career by highlighting the sneakers he most associates with each stop on his worldwide tour. 

Raleigh, NC, Enloe High School Eagles, Class of ’03

“Space Jam” Air Jordan XI

“Ohhhhh, I got my ‘Space Jams’ on going to New Bern Cook Out. We have a game that night. After the game, we go to Sheryl’s where the party’s at. It’s a hair and barbershop school. The lady’s [who owns it] son is our age and he threw parties, and he threw them at his mom’s spot. And then afterward, we going to Cook Out on the way home. My order, back then, I was all about the grilled chicken tray. Cajun grilled chicken sandwich. Lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, cajun fries.”

Austin, TX, University of Texas Longhorns, 2003-06

Reebok S. Carter 

“I was coming with it in Austin. In Austin I’m rocking the Sean Carter Reeboks. ‘S. Dots’ with a polo and jeans on. Killing them. You know they was a [size] 40, bro. You know they was a 40 with a belt. We’re going to The Drink. The Drink is the spot, that’s the stomping ground. Me, Vince Young and the crew. Everybody knows the basketball players and football players were at The Drink. The line is around the corner. You’re not getting in. We walking straight in, straight to the upstairs and it’s shut down. It’s over. We ain’t dropping a dime. Behind the bar pouring, bro…that’s different. Hook ’em.”

Greektown, Toronto, Ontario, Toronto Raptors, 2006-07 

“Brown Crocodile” Nike Air Force 1 Low

“Toronto, we’re going to Cactus Club. Vibes. I got on the ‘Brown Crocodile’ Air Force 1s. Yes, I got those on for sure. 100 percent. 100 percent. Oh my God. I had just started getting NBA checks. Them joints was $1,500, bro, retail. $1,500? In ’06? Cactus Club is a vibe, bro. It’s a restaurant-turned-speakeasy type. It’s four levels, [with] a rooftop…The lights on, going crazy, going crazy. You getting me hype over here.” 

Broomfield, CO, Colorado 14ers [D-League], 2006-07

Nike Air Force 1 Low 

“I was rocking all white Air Force 1s and I took no good clothes. It was, like, team sweats. I was out of my body because I really, like…it was probably one of the lowest points of my life when they sent me down. Oh man, it was bad. My swag was at an all-time low in Broomfield, Colorado.”

Holon, Israel, Hapoel Holon Tigers, 2007-08

Nike Air Yeezy 1 & Nike Air Huarache 2K8

“Finals MVP, a championship. Knocked off Maccabi for the first time in 30 years. Going crazy. One of my favorite years—entirely—in my career, NBA included. Top three for sure. But that was 2007-08. You know what dropped in ’08? They came out in Tel Aviv. If you don’t know what they is, [in] 2008, Kanye West released a shoe. That’s all I can tell you. He released a shoe. Oh man. I got them in Tel Aviv, dog. In Tel Aviv. I got two colorways in Tel Aviv. I got the gray and the tan. That was a year, dog. Happiness, playing basketball again. Because Toronto was a total…Toronto tore me down, and Tel Aviv brought me right back. Back falling in love with the game because I was able to play [again]. I only played 17 games in Toronto. That’s why my number is 17. So, it was like Tel Aviv brought me life back. And then I didn’t realize how much fun I was going to have playing in Europe. And it was like, Oh yeah, this is it. Listen. Huarache ’08. Top five basketball shoes ever to me. The white/blue/green pair. Oh my God. That year I hooped in those all year.”

Donetsk, Ukraine, BC Donetsk Tigers, 2008-10

Louis Vuitton Jaspers 

“I got the Louis. They just came out. The all white on white, the black high top, the gray with the pink bottom. I got all three in Kiev, Ukraine. All three. Walked right in the store. They was just right there. I need a 12. LV 12. [They reply] One second. All three pair. Oh my God. Mind you, I’m paying a lot more because the euro was kicking the shit out of the dollar back then. So we used to get paid and be like, Yo, give me some euros and…ah, it was bad. But it didn’t matter. They had all three in store. It was crazy. By myself. In Ukraine they speak no English. I had a translator that was with me, like, 80 percent of the time that the team paid for because nobody spoke English. And a driver and all that. But sometimes we landed in a city, like, good cities, I just dip out, all the good cities, and go shopping. It’s what I do. That’s like prime [Kobe] because Ukraine was Kobe 3 and 4. Ukraine was all Kobe for me. It was nothing else. Like, iDs crazy. Those were the years of iD crazy. And this is the most money I’ve ever made. I’m getting, like, $800,000 a year tax free. We’re going crazy. So I’m buying 10 pair of iDs at a time. You got nothing to do in Ukraine, so I’m just on my laptop making iDs, sending them to my mom’s house. My mom boxing them up, putting my cereal boxes [in them], my little stuff for me to eat and sending boxes at a time. Oh, the care packages are footwear. The food is additional. Throw some Cinnamon Toast Crunch in there for me, you know what I’m saying?”

Herzliya, Israel, Bnei Herzliya Basket, 2010

Nike Kobe 4

“Herzliya is crazy. We’re going to Herzliya Mall. Herzliya is on the water. They got the mall on the water. The mall is literally on the beach. Incredible. They had a Nike Store. You already know…”

Thessaloniki, Greece, Aris Basketball Club, 2010-11

Nike Kobe 5 

“Me and Bobby Brown used to go crazy at Thessaloniki. Kobe 5 year for sure. We had the all gold uniforms and that year the white/gold/black 5s [came out]. Had about 20 pairs of those. And just ran through those. Ran through ’em. Because everywhere you go, you gotta think, like, we got to Athens, Go to Nike Store. They got stores here? We go to the store. They got my size, I’m buying it every time. That way you can have them on time. Playing in your league, like, playing in Barcelona, Moscow. Nike stores. All these prime Kobe years, though, are the easiest because…making all those iDs to match the uniforms, shit used to be fun.”

Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, Piratas de Quebradillas, 2011

Nike Air Force 1 Low 

“We’re going to Isabella Beach. That was heavy Air Force 1. Puerto Rico, my Air Force 1 game there was crazy. Every day, Air Forced out. I’ve always been a big, big Air Force 1 [fan]. Where I’m from, that’s, like, the No. 1 shoe. You know the beach, all white on whites. It was a clean, fresh pair. That was all about that.”

Montegranaro, Italy, Sutor Basket Montegranaro, 2011

Nike Kobe 5 

“All Kobe. Italy was all Kobe.”

Bamberg, Germany, Brose Bamberg, 2011-12

Nike Kobe 8 

“Alright, so Bamberg is Kobe 8 and I would say my No. 1 Kobe. Crazy, because at the time I thought the 8 was the best ever. I just went crazy with the Kobe 8. And our colors were red, gray, black and white. And the Kobe 8 was just so perfect for the iD, dog. We just went insane with those. When I think of that, other than winning MVP, winning championships and doing all that, it was like, yo, the Kobes that year were insane. Playing in EuroLeague that year, everybody was wearing Kobe 8s, bro. Even when I look at pictures from back then, everybody was wearing Kobe 8s. It was like Kobe took over the world that year with that shoe.”

Phoenix, AZ, Phoenix Suns, 2012-17

“Olympic” Air Jordan VI and Amar’e Stoudemire Nike Air Max2 CB ’94 PE 

“[I always ate at] Matt’s Big Breakfast during the season in Phoenix. I was wearing a lot of heat during that time. That was the first big multi-year deal I signed. That was, like, filling in the blanks in my collection. I started getting a lot of stuff I wanted that I didn’t have. I just started going crazy. There was a store in Phoenix that was unbelievable during that time. Pound For Pound. Jay [Gaspar] had a pair that he had signed for him. And I was like, Jay—Jay is the equipment manager for Phoenix. He’s been there since he was, like, 6 years old. He was a ball boy at 6. He’s an OG equipment manager. One of my favorite people in the world. He’s the best. And he has Shaqs, Steve Nashs… And he has these white, gray and orange [Barkleys]. Ah, they’re beautiful. With the S.T.A.T. on the side. So that was a mission of mine to find those and I did. And the black, purple and orange. And the all-purple.”

Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee Bucks, 2021

Nike Boots and Timberlands 

“Nah, listen, Steny’s was the spot [where I hung out]. And they’re big, big Milwaukee-everything fans. Milwaukee’s a bar town so all those kinda dive bars, local people go there every day for their drink after work. It’s that vibe of Milwaukee and why the love of Milwaukee is so crazy. Because these people are like, if they love you, they love you. I can’t buy a drink there. And you know the wild part, when I go back, I’ll sneak in and just surprise everybody. Like, all the locals, the people that go there every day. And it’s still, like, same shit. It’s dope.”

Miami, FL, Miami Heat, 2021-22

Nike Air Max 1 

“Here we go, here we go! I’m wearing heat in Miami. I’m wearing runners a lot in Miami. That’s just kinda the vibe. The Air Max 98 or 95 with my little Nike running sets. It’s so hot and chill. That’s just the everyday kinda uniform. Tank top, running shorts, Air Maxes. That’s just my everyday there. Air Max 1s. I would say Air Max 1s because that’s my favorite Air Max ever, and I wore Air Max 1s to death in Miami.”

Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia 76ers, 2022-23

Air Jordan I 

“In Philly I wore a lot of Jordan Is, like, the normal brown Travis. I got a pair of ’85s and ’94s that I wear, the ones I wear wear. ‘Chicagos’ and ‘Breds’ both. And they’re my go-to pairs. Every time I wear those shoes, I wear those pairs. Even though I got a lot of ’85s and ’94s. They’re broken in perfect. They’re super comfortable. They’re, like, molded to my feet. They’re my shoes. They’re super worn down, but they look good.”

The Better Generation is shaped like a container. It’s a wide and narrow store. Walk in through the front door, turn left and P.J.’s section comes to life. A floor-to-ceiling display case of his Sixers jersey, game-worns and Kobe-signed pairs are the greeting. An impressively extensive collection of clothing follows. Two little seating pods close it out, resting underneath a “17” made out of moss. 

Seated under the 17, Tucker is fully engaged. He’s talking sneakers in a way that he doesn’t often get to talk sneakers. His high level of animation is a welcome surprise. He’s having a good time. Why doesn’t he share this side of himself more often?

“It’s not that many that [have] really, really been in it and been doing it and really understand it,” he says. “I almost tell them I don’t want to talk about shoes anymore because they don’t know. People don’t know, right? I’m not mad at them, I’m just tired of answering the same questions. Sneaker King, how are you—blah. Like, bro, you have no idea what any of this is about.”

He details how there are so many people out there who view him as the “Sneaker King.” They only know one thing about him. There’s much more to him than sneakers. It’s a constant in his life he can’t escape. People expect the anointed Sneaker King to behave a certain way. He doesn’t wear sneakers for the public’s approval, though. He does it out of the love that’s been mentioned. That love is threatened at all times by the uninitiated. His work to protect the pure nature of his passion is a daily commitment. 

“It gets ruined a lot,” Tucker says about his passion for sneakers. “There’s other things that bring it back. This [conversation] is bringing it back, 1000 percent. This is making me go back and think about my original love and why I do it and how it came to be. But even still, there are so many other things that tear it down and all the people that don’t really love it. They just kill it and destroy it. But that’s what makes me keep going, too. Regardless, I can’t let them take the shine away from what we love. All the things that make it what it is. It’s like, fuck that.”

He rolled up to this shoot with approximately 30 pairs in two giant bags, including the famous 24-pair holder that longtime followers of P.J. will know. Time unfortunately ran out and not every pair could be photographed. They were all hitters. Every single pair. Hype and resell value all through the roof. That’s not the best part. The best part is that all of them were worn. Every outsole showed clear signs of wear. And this is some stuff that’s so nice that it’s actually dumb. Dumb nice. Stupid nice. Crazy nice. 

“Kyle’s Wedding” Kobe 4s. “Board of Governors” XVIs. “Cactus Jack” IVs. “Pigeon” Dunk Lows. The Mags on the cover. Dumb, stupid, crazy nice pairs that 99 percent of people would never even put down on a carpeted floor in their own house. But Tucker wears all of them. He wears many more, too. He spent a few minutes during the shoot showing off photos that aren’t part of his Getty Images history, flicks from his days overseas. In real time, when the most hyped-up pairs of Kobe 4s-8s were getting released, he was playing in them. He wasn’t holding them for later. He was making memories with them on his feet. Even while at Texas, there are photos of him hooping in Air Jordan XIVs, Nike Air Penny 4s and Air Jordan IIIs.

Footwear has always been about memories and stories for Tucker. He doesn’t chase hype. He chases the indescribable feeling that sneakers give him. 

“It means something,” he says. “It puts you in a place and a time. And it gives you that feeling. And that feeling, like, there is nothing like that. 

“I can’t,” he responds when asked to verbalize the sensation. “It’s hard to put that feeling into words. It’s one of those things that only you know in your heart, like, how that shit makes you feel. No one else will ever understand it.”

KICKS 26 is OUT NOW!

He’s been communicating with everyone for years. What he’s saying in this interview has been said without speaking many times before. There’s another layer he mentioned about people not understanding him for who he is. Eagle-eyed Instagram followers will see beyond the sneakers and the cars and notice that a majority of Tucker’s captions have to do with mental fortitude and emotional evolution. He’s on a journey of betterment and the sneakers are part of it. 

“Sneakers help me emotionally through everything,” Tucker says. “Just the love for shoes keeps my mind off of a lot of bullshit that I could be thinking about and dealing with. The love and the job, especially now just because we got so much going on within sneakers, culture, fashion and everything. It’s something that gives my mind a break off of everything else that’s going on around me. And I think different people have different things in their lives that, over years, they kind of figure [themselves] out, you know, things that make you happy. You know, you build a garden in your backyard, whatever it is. Wednesday night bowling with your boys. Everybody has something, and sneakers [have] always been my kind of release of everything where it’s just natural and I just love it.”

There is an intensely deep connection that Tucker feels with the game and with what surrounds the game, including sneakers. And then there’s basketball itself. 

Tucker’s career arc hasn’t been easy. He was a beast at Enloe High, a man playing against little boys. He averaged more than 16 points a game in his junior year at Texas. He was a scorer while he was on the way up the ranks. But then he had to switch it all up. Like he said, the Raptors humbled him as a young pro. When he went over to Europe, he was a scorer again. He was a Finals MVP, a champion, a go-to guy. The man. But his goal was to make it back to the NBA. Change was nonstop. He had to continue to adapt.

Always evolving. 

At this point in 2023, his reputation as an NBA player was set in stone a long time ago. It’s a beautiful role. The 38-year-old is the last of a breed that went extinct a long time ago. He will do whatever is needed to win. Nothing better illustrates his desire for glory than Game 6 of the 2021 Finals. He played 36 minutes of extremely physical hoops and only took one shot. But his effort didn’t diminish at all. He had the best plus-minus of anyone in that game. Defense, hustle, energy, heart—raw passion. Good luck finding anyone else in the League right now whose effort wouldn’t go down if they couldn’t shoot the ball. Passion is the only way that a performance like that is possible. 

“[Desire to win] kind of built, even though I’ve always been like that, it made it through the roof of honesty with myself,” Tucker says. “With the ‘humble, hungry,’ like, all that. But it’s more understanding self. Understanding success, what it takes to be successful and how much you’d rather win than have individual success. Then once you figure out that people care about winners and not actual people, then that changes your whole trajectory, too. Everybody wants to win, but everybody wants to win the way that they want to win. They want to win being the man. They want to win with everybody saying their name. They want to win with everybody showing their highlights on ESPN and their friends being all happy, that kind of thing. But who wants to just fucking win, right? Who is like, I just want to win! I want to stand at the top of the mountain no matter what my stats are, no matter what happens. It ain’t a lot. I’ll tell you that right now. And to change your whole shit to be one of those people to not really care, to not care…Just to win.”

He says that things started to click for him when he made it back home from his overseas adventures. 

“There, I was the man,” he says about playing abroad. “I’m the guy, right? But then that’s how I learned to be a role player in the NBA. From being the man in Europe, I learned to be a role player because I know what I needed. I know what I needed guys to do. In Israel, I had my boy Chris Watson. Every rebound, he’s running down 50-50 balls. I can count on him. I knew what I was going to get from him. But it’s the self reflection of I’m not him and I’m not trying to be him. I’m not trying to fight him for a position. I don’t want to be James Harden. I’m P.J. What do you need me to do for you to be successful for us to win? I’m P.J. and I’m fucking the best P.J. there is in this fucking game. And nobody can do what I do on a nightly basis.”

His playing style and his playing style are both completely unique. And passion for both games drives it all.

“My love for basketball created my love for sneakers,” Tucker says. “I didn’t just [say] like, Oh, I like shoes. My first pair of shoes ever was a pair of Jordan Is in ’85. That was my mom. I didn’t pick that. But I did watch Michael Jordan and fall in love with the game and love what he was wearing. Then from that it was like…boom.” 

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post P.J. Tucker is NOT The Sneaker King… He’s Much More appeared first on SLAM.

And yes, they’re ranked.  

No. 1

Last week messed around and got a triple double/Freakin’ brothers every way like MJ/I can’t believe, today was a good day

— “It Was a Good Day,” Ice Cube

When Cube performs the song now, he switches MJ to Kobe, but this still remains a classic line that everyone knows no matter what age, race or nationality. Who doesn’t love a good day?

No. 2

Real sick, brawl nights, I perform like Mike/Anyone—Tyson, Jordan, Jackson/Action, pack guns, ridiculous

— “Victory,” The Notorious B.I.G.

No. 3

Simple and plain, give me the lane/I’ll throw it down your throat like Barkley

— “Rebel Without a Pause,” Public Enemy

Chuck D shouts out one of his favorite 1990’s NBA players on one of the hardest songs of that era.

No. 4

Just like I’m the king on the microphone, so is Dr. J and Moses Malone

— “Basketball,” Kurtis Blow

No list of this kind would be complete without the inclusion of the OG hoop hip-hop song.

No. 5

It’s Hovi baby you Kobe, maybe Tracy McGrady/Matter fact, you a Harold Miner, JR Rider, washed up on marijuana/Even worse you a Pervis Ellis, you worthless fella

— “Pump It Up (remix),” Jay-Z

Jay washed Joe Budden on his own beat with a couple bars that only true hoop heads will understand.

No. 6

Top baller in every state/In Chi I’m Mike/Boston I’m Kenny/In Miami I’m Timmy and Phoenix I’m Penny

— “What Means the World to You,” Cam’Ron

No. 7

Two shooters by the door and they grippin’ the thirty/That’s why they both got fifty pointers like Mitchell and Murray

— “Nothin Less,” Conway the Machine

No. 8

I used to be jealous of Arron Afflalo/He was the one to follow/He was the only leader foreseeing a brighter tomorrow

— “Black Boy Fly,” Kendrick Lamar

This bar is just the tip of the iceberg for Kendrick, speaking about his friend turned NBA player from Compton. The song shows a level of vulnerability that is not often seen in hip-hop.

No. 9

I got a chopper and a trimmer/Shooting like Jimmer

— “Sure Thing,” Lil Wayne

No. 10

Hip-hop scholars since being knee-high to a duck/The height of Muggsy Bogues, complexion of a hockey puck

— “Steve Biko (Stir it Up),” A Tribe Called Quest (Phife Dawg)

No. 11

Hold up, I ain’t trying to stunt, man/But these Yeezys jumped over the Jumpman/Went from most hated to the champion God flow/I guess that’s a feeling only me and LeBron know

— “New God Flow,” Kanye West

The epitome of talking yo sh$% and backing it up. It was a good run while it lasted.

No. 12

New York is the town and the team is the Knicks

— “One Two Sh**,” A Tribe Called Quest

Phife may be the hip-hop king of sports-related bars. RIP to the 5-foot assassin. 

No. 13

Real G’s move in silence like Giannis

— “Giannis,” Freddie Gibbs

No. 14

If I ain’t in Japan, I’m in the Valley (Valley, ooh)/Or maybe next door in Gary Payton bowling alley (Ooh)

— “Hope I Don’t Go Back,” E-40

A flex isn’t truly a flex if it isn’t true. The Vallejo rapper was actually neighbors with The Glove when he dropped this single.

No. 15

Kobe ’bout to lose a hundred fifty M’s / Kobe my n***a I hate it had to be him / B**ch you wasn’t with me shooting in the gym / (B**ch you wasn’t with me shooting in the gym)

— “Stay Schemin,” Drake

No. 16

She got me back livin’ sweeter, fresh Caesar/Guess, David Robinsons, Wally moccasins

— “Street Dreams,” Nas

No. 17

I was popping blue devils, Coach K ain’t recruit me

— “No Hook,” Dave East

This isn’t just a creative drug reference. East actually played AAU ball with Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley and received a DI scholarship, so this line is actually dope and believable. 

No. 18

See I used to pay Kobe, but now I pay LeBron

— “24-23,” Young Jeezy

No. 19

My team in the cut, packing metal things/I’ve got more foreign shooters than the Sacramento Kings

— “Follow Me Gangster,” Lloyd Banks

In 2003, when Banks dropped this song, Peja Stojakovic was the only foreign shooter on the Kings squad. But it’s still a super slick line.

No. 20

Kobe doin’ work / 2-4 on my shirt / He the greatest on the court / And I’m the greatest on the verse / Going for the fourth ring like it was his first / Gotta get the bling

— “Kobe Bryant,” Lil Wayne

As a huge sports fan, it’s only right that Wayne dedicated an entire song full of clever bars to Bean. 

No. 21

Country n**** never seen a passport/‘Til I popped off and got a bag for it/Now I’m at the Garden sittin’ half court/Watchin Jr. catch it off the backboard

— “Amari,” J.Cole

Dreamville boss Cole shouts out his fellow Fayettteville, NC, native Dennis Smith Jr. 

No. 22

Imma make you see L.A. like Ed O’Bannon

— “Sonset,” Ras Kass

No. 23

But I’m limitless mentally, I’m lyrically ZMT/LeBron shit, I was in that 6 after 23

— “Ambition,” Wale

No. 24

See the shots that I took (ayy), wet like I’m Book (ayy)/Wet like I’m Lizzie

— “SICKO MODE,” Drake

No. 25

I crossover like Steph Curry, crossover like CP/But I will not crossover so n***** can buy the CD

— “Just Another Day,” The Game

No. 26

Now who’s the first pick? Me. Word is born’in/Not a Christian Laettner not Alonzo Mourning

— “Can We Rock (What’s Up Doc),” Shaquille O’Neal aka Shaq-Fu

The beginning of Shaq’s career as a rapper started with this feature on a Fu-Schnickens song. Compared to later disses of fellow players, Zo and Laettner got off easy with this kinder and gentler version of Shaq.

No. 27

27. I’m Killa, you Andre Miller, got a basic game/I told your b**ch to hurry up, we don’t wait for trains

— “Cookin Up,” Cam’Ron

No. 28

And my shot kinda rusty but the fade clean/And me and Steph Curry on the same team

— “Cruising,” Lecrae 

No. 29

I’m Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf/I don’t pledge allegiance I raise the roof

— “Life Gets Brutal,” Heems

No. 30

I was raised to live, Lord I pray you forgive/If not, I just handle it like Jason Kidd

— “You’re Only a Customer,” Jay-Z

No. 31

Life is a journey before I went the rap route/I served ni**** off the bench like Stackhouse

— “Journey,” Cormega

No. 32

I’m slamming n***** like Shaquille, s**t is real /When it’s time to eat a meal, I rob and steal

— “Gimme The Loot,” Notorious B.I.G.

No. 33

From the past to the present, shouting out to the greats/Still love Phi Slama Jama, repping U of H

— “Houston Is,” K-Rino

IYKYK, Rino is a rap legend in the state of Texas. His reminiscent bars shouting out the early 80’s college squad that included Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler show genuine love to his city.

No. 34

And on top it’s lonely so keep your homies right by your side/And if life is short then we’ll be the shorts of the Fab Five

— “The Intro About Nothing,” Wale

No. 35

We back to back, back to back like the Comets

— “Getchya Hands Up,” ESG

Not only is this track a bonafide Texas classic, it is also one of the very few times that a WNBA team has gotten a shout out on a dope record. That’s the kind of love a four-peat championship team should receive!

No. 36

Like Kareem I got the hook up

— “Sum Sh** I Wrote,” Common

No. 37

Motor city technically Rasheed Wallace /Then moved to Chicago for dollars like Ben Wallace

— “Jingling,” Cool Kids 

No. 38

I’m from a place where junkheads and zombies dwell/And n***** keep the heat blazin’ like Bonzi Wells

— “Biscuits,” Trife 

No. 39

Courtside seats, this the big bag/Hit a Ja Morant shot, get ’em big mad

— “Big League,” Yo Gotti

No. 40

With my hair slicked back, I look like Rick Pitino

— “Nana,” Action Bronson

The fact that Bronson has very little hair on his head and bears little to no resemblance to the legendary coach makes this line equally ridiculous and dope. 

No. 41

Big ass shotgun look like Lauri Markkkanen

— “Bloxk Party,” Sada Baby

Well before he had a career year with the Jazz, Detroit rapper Sada Baby shouted out the All-Star forward on his 2018 underground hit.

No. 42

I got a crime record longer than Manute Bol

— “M.V.P.,” Big L

No. 43

Kevin Garnett earrings look like Fiji water

— “Stealing,” Gucci Mane 

No. 44

I got game, but not the hoop court/And plus, basketball’s never really been my sport/I probably woulda made it to the NFL/But I had grams for 50 in my possession to sell

— “Know What I’m Talkin Bout,” Keak Da Sneak 

No. 45

B**ch you ugly like yo daddy Reggie Miller

— “I’m Good,” YG

No. 46

Guaranteed, make ’em jump like Rod Strickland

— “Triumph,” Raekwon

No. 47

Either that or quit it, throw in the chair like you Bobby Knight

— “NBA,” Joe Budden

No. 48

Even if you have braids like Latrell/I got more numbers in my system than Pacific Bell/Pass the basketball around and go tell/Smoother than Rick Fox puttin’ on his hair gel

— “NBA,” Kool Keith

No. 49

I get my hair cut correct like Anthony Mason/Then I ride the IRT right up to Penn Station

— “B-Boys Makin with the Freak Freak,” Beastie Boys

Not the most technical bars, but anything that shows love to A. Mase is all love.

No. 50

We ballin’ like the March Madness

— “March Madness,” Future

Although he isn’t an elite lyricist, it’s hard to front on a song that’s this good and that name checks the biggest college hoops tourney in the world.

Photos via Getty Images, Portrait by Atiba Jefferson.

The post 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop: These are the Most Iconic Basketball References of All-Time appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s take it back to ‘06. Long before he became a six-time NBA All-Star, Jimmy Butler was dropping buckets as a senior at Tomball High School in Texas, where he averaged 19.9 points and served as team captain. Still, he was considered a two-star recruit, and went on to play at Tyler Community College before catching the attention of Marquette. 

The story goes that the same young player who once was overlooked emerged into a college standout, and is now one of the most dominant players in the League. Butler wears that on his sleeve through his gritty playing style and his unwavering confidence, and quite literally: the Miami Heat superstar has rocked personal and custom-made high school and college varsity jackets inside arena tunnels throughout the season. 

While the apparel is personal to Butler—his Tomball varsity jacket even features a captain patch as well as the year 2007 and his jersey number—he’s teamed up with TOP DRWR, an innovative platform that’s the premier destination for all things high end fashion, to bring a unique experience to NBA fans and style icons.

TOP DRWR, which was co-founded by one of the illest artists in the game, French Montana, is now offering their first unveiling which includes an auction of ten items from Butler’s personal closet, including both varsity jackets, a pair of Jordans and more.

Done in partnership with The Shop Miami, all of the items have been curated by longtime stylists Calyann Barnett and Khalilah Beavers. Barnett, who has worked with everyone around the game including Dwyane Wade, is one of the most innovative visionaries in the NBA fashion world. Then there’s Khalilah Beavers, who has styled everyone from Butler to Carmelo Anthony to Jimmy Butler, and has redefined the style across the League through her work. 

The first auction is available at www.topdrwr.io and will close on Thursday, August 31, 2023. A portion of the proceeds from TOP DRWR’s initial auctions will be donated to the Social Change Fund United to support important issues impacting the Black community. 

To get a better sense of what kind of heat TOP DRWR offers, look no further than their vast collection of apparel, sneakers and luxury accessories from designers including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, Versace, Fear of God, Off White, and Rolex. You don’t have to be a 6-7 NBA All-Star to show out like you’re in the tunnel or on LeagueFits—but thanks to TOP DRWR, you can look like one. 

Don’t just cop clothes, cop pieces. Sign up here. 

The post Inside Jimmy Butler’s Closet: TOP DRWR is Auctioning the Superstar’s Varsity Jackets, Sneakers and More appeared first on SLAM.

Roughly 24 hours after the Phoenix Suns land in Atlanta, having just flown in from New York following a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, Mikal Bridges is told that he has to hop on a flight back to Brooklyn. On a one-way ticket, that is. He’s been traded.

With no chance to grab any personal belongings from his home in Phoenix, Bridges simply gathers the bags he has packed for the five-game road trip (ATL was the fourth stop), says his goodbyes to his teammates and staff—after spending four and a half seasons in the desert—and returns to BK. 

He’ll be living out of a hotel near the Brooklyn Bridge waterfront for the next few weeks until he finds a more permanent spot. But as turbulent as the shift may feel, a change in scenery isn’t the only thing Bridges is going to have to get used to in the coming weeks. 

An entirely different role awaits, as well as an entirely different aura around his name.

In just his third game with the Nets, Bridges posted a career-high 45 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists in a win against the Heat. His career-high up to that point was 34 points. After having never touched the 40-point mark in Phoenix, he went on to drop 40+ points three times—including twice during a three-game stretch—in the last couple of months of the season with Brooklyn.

“Just having that game [against Miami] and winning, and just all that buzz and being fine, that feeling of being in New York for real and all the love and the publicity after that—I’ll definitely say after that Miami game [is] where I felt [it]. And I had a little [All-Star] break [after], so I went home and then when I came back it was like, Alright, let’s get ready for this, this little second gear,” remembers Bridges. 

With the Nets, he quickly began putting his name in the record books, again and again. He became the first player in NBA history to average 25 or more points while shooting 50/40/90 in his first 10 games with a new team. He also broke the record for most points ever scored in the month of March by a Nets player, which was good for the second-most points by a Nets player in any month in franchise history.  

After averaging 17.2 points per game in 56 outings with the Suns this past season, Bridges’ scoring average skyrocketed to 26.1 points with the Nets. Since the mid-February move, the former Villanova standout went on to finish with 30+ points on 11 different occasions in Brooklyn. Prior to the trade, he had only surpassed 30 points one time this season (and only two other times in his entire career).

He had suddenly gone from being a nice supporting player whose full potential remained hidden while hooping in the shadows of All-Stars like Devin Booker and Chris Paul in Phoenix to emerging as a full-blown bona fide star. A legitimate go-to first option on a playoff team overnight, it seemed.  

“I think the toughest thing was just not having everything, and everything [happened] so fast with the trade. Just had to leave where [I’m] at to come there. I just had my bags and went straight to New York,” says Bridges. “But it was dope. I always wanted to live in New York—came to New York a lot in college, just playing out here [in Philly], went to Villanova, so everybody lives in New York coming from Villanova. But it was great. I love the people here, and I love the vibe in New York and the city. So, I was very excited to come here.

Just being on the East Coast again, I love the East Coast people. Obviously, I love the people in Phoenix as well, they’re great people, but it’s just [about] coming back to the East Coast, to what I’m used to.”

After “blowing it all up” and trading superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant within a handful of days from each other, the Nets had found their new star much quicker than they may have anticipated. Bridges brought much-welcomed hope and excitement to a fan base that was in dire need of it. The franchise had found a fresh identity while in the dawn of a new era.  

But being the guy for any NBA team has its challenges, too. There are defensive schemes thrown at you that others don’t see. You’re scouted differently. And as a leader, expectations are higher than for anyone else in the locker room. The role has a few extra duties. It’s all been part of the learning curve for Bridges, one that he’s welcomed with open arms. 

“I think the biggest challenge is probably always leading, every single time. Even if I get frustrated, guys are kind of looking at me strictly just because, and I feel like that’s a struggle I just kind of [have to] get better at it ’cause it’s emotions in the game and I get frustrated a lot,” says Bridges of his sudden leadership role in Brooklyn. “Just can’t let my emotions bring anybody else on the team down, so, just got to stay positive, even if it’s tough—gotta push through it and try to be level-headed at all times. 

“It’s definitely a challenge, but, you know, it’s something I love and embrace and take on. It’s definitely different, being one of the go-to guys and defenses scout on you. Luckily, I had some time before I got traded—we had a lot of guys out in Phoenix at the time—where I was being that guy. And it was, trust me, a lot of growing pains. It was tough just being that focal point and everybody’s looking at you. But I feel like it’s been good—a lot of learning, still learning to this day—and there’s gonna be a lot more to learn. But I’m here to embrace it and go through the tough times just to blossom later.” 

The trade paved the way for Bridges’ return to the Northeast. He was born and raised just a couple hours south of Brooklyn in the greater Philadelphia area, where he spent his entire life until the Suns traded for him on draft night in 2018.   

“When I was in college, we came to New York a lot, just playing in the Garden [in the annual Big East Tournament] and then having events. Coach [Jay] Wright loved New York, so we had an event called Hoops on the Hudson,” Bridges remembers. “We’d come out here and be out here for a couple days while it was preseason. Just been around and visiting in college and in the summer, have friends who live out here—I just know the speed of New York and I was just super excited to come here.” 

The trade also allowed Bridges to reach an extremely rare feat: playing 83 regular season games. The last time this occurred was in 2014-15 when Josh Smith played for both the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets following a trade. In fact, Bridges hasn’t missed a single game in his five-year NBA career thus far. 

“He’s the iron man of the NBA,” Nets teammate Spencer Dinwiddie told ESPN earlier this year.  

It’s just another prime example of the kind of star the Nets got in February—a certified hooper who can be counted on to show up, whenever, wherever, with whomever.  

“I’m just trying to win, honestly, that’s the biggest thing for me. Obviously, just playoffs and hopefully eventually—the biggest is always a championship, but there’s a lot of steps to do to get there,” says Bridges. “So sustainably just winning and building a really good culture.”

Portraits by Marcus Stevens

The post Mikal Bridges is Ready to Embrace His New Star Role in Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

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The SLAM BankShot Same Game Parlay is only available on the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

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Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary, Gotham, Blue Bloods) plays Matt and Glenn Davis (actor, producer and Artistic Director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company; The Christians, Head of Passes, The Brother/Sister Plays, Downstate) plays Shawn. Collectively they perfectly (serious when it needs to be, and hilarious just as accordingly) bring to the forefront themes around race, family dynamics, friendship, death and betrayal. The play was written by Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) and directed by Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun, Fences), while Khloe Janel absolutely kills it from the DJ booth. 

You can catch King James at the Manhattan Theatre Club until June 18.  

The post New Off-Broadway Play “King James” Examines How LeBron’s Time in Cleveland Helped Bring Two Strangers Together  appeared first on SLAM.

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The SLAM BankShot Same Game Parlay is only available on the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

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Check out the video below.

The SLAM BankShot Same Game Parlay is only available on the DraftKings Sportsbook app.

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It was hard not to go with Mac McClung. 

In the span of a few days, the Delaware Blue Coats guard earned a call-up from the Philadelphia 76ers, signed a sneaker deal with Puma, and, oh yeah, brought back the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with an unforgettable performance in Salt Lake City (also, I have to call out this 360 layup from Monday night). But…

Carlik Jones has been that good. Really, pretty much unstoppable. The Windy City Bulls star has been one of the best players in the G League all season, and just wrapped up perhaps the busiest month of his career so far. It started with a dominant performance against the Herd in Wisconsin: Jones dropped 40 points on 16/25 shooting from the field and 8/9 from three on February 3. Two days later, he took the court in Greensboro and hung 31 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals on the Swarm. Not a bad road trip.

After going undrafted out of Louisville, Jones first joined the G League in October of 2021, when he was acquired by the Texas Legends. He immediately established himself as an elite scorer and playmaker—on opening day against the Lakeland Magic, he casually put up 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in a win. 

Jones always plays at his own pace, patient and under control. He lulls defenses to sleep and then attacks the paint with force (I was there at the Comerica Center when he did this… and oh my God). At just 6-0, he relies on his athleticism, exceptional handles, and nifty footwork to create offense, both for himself and for others. Pull up any highlight video of Jones and you’ll see the full package: he shoots confidently from behind the arc, stops on a dime for smooth midrange jumpers, finishes through and around rim protectors at the basket, and finds teammates for easy opportunities.

Last year, Jones led the Legends to the second round of the playoffs and was named to the NBA G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He began this season on a standard G League contract but was called up to the Chicago Bulls in December, inking a two-way deal. Since then, he has mostly remained in the G, but did manage to score the second field goal of his NBA career in Paris when the Bulls met the Detroit Pistons in January’s NBA Paris Game.

Appearing in eight G League contests throughout February, Jones averaged 27.5 points (on 46% shooting), 8.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 2 steals. Windy City, a team fighting for a playoff spot, went 6-2 in those games. Jones also logged 22 minutes for Chicago—the most he’s received in an NBA game to date—during a nationally-televised matchup with the Bucks on Feb. 16 (he finished with 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists). 

From there, Jones was off to Salt Lake City for All-Star Weekend. He was one of 24 players invited to participate in the first-ever G League Next Up Game, which also featured previous “Players to Watch” Luka Garza, Kenneth Lofton Jr., and Isaiah Mobley.

Of course, McClung was the G Leaguer who stole the show out in Utah. The spotlight has (rightfully so) found him in February, and he has used it to help promote the level of talent in the G. Asked to deliver a message to NBA executives, McClung said, “I’d really encourage them to watch the G League. There’s a lot of people in the G League who deserve the same light.”

People like Carlik Jones. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS (FEBRUARY STATS)

Xavier Moon, Guard, Ontario Clippers: 26.4 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 47 3P%

Johnny Juzang, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars: 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 49 FG%, 41 3P%

Alize Johnson, Forward, Wisconsin Herd: 17.0 points, 14.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 66 FG%

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks: 23.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 1.1 blocks, 49 FG%

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors: 23.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 47 FG%, 38 3P%

Kenneth Faried, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 13.9 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 2.3 blocks, 49 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 14.7 points, 8.4 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 52 3P%

FEBRUARY CALL-UPS

Willie Cauley-Stein, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Houston Rockets

P.J. Dozier, Guard, Iowa Wolves to Sacramento Kings

Kris Dunn, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Utah Jazz

Frank Jackson, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars to Utah Jazz

Keaton Wallace, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Nate Darling, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Mac McClung, Guard, Delaware Blue Coats to Philadelphia 76ers

Olivier Sarr, Forward, Oklahoma City Blue to Oklahoma City Thunder

Joe Wieskamp, Forward, Wisconsin Herd to Toronto Raptors

Quenton Jackson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Stanley Umude, Guard, Motor City Cruise to Detroit Pistons

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA G League Player to Watch (February Edition): Carlik Jones appeared first on SLAM.

It’s easy to explain the 1993 NBA All-Star Game in today’s terms: Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson are MVPs as their team wins an OT classic. Neat as it would be for the locals if Markkanen and Clarkson played a big role in this year’s game—were they even to make it—or even if this was last season and the Gobert-Mitchell partnership starred, that doesn’t actually do justice to what went down at the Delta Center on February 21, 1993, the first and only time Utah has hosted the game until this year.

The ’92-93 NBA season saw two Jazz legends at their steady and consistent best. Power forward Karl Malone, at 29 years old and in his eighth season, played all 82 regular season games, averaging 27 points and 11 rebounds per game for a Jazz team that was on the rise. Many of his points came via feeds from Utah point guard John Stockton, a 30-year-old in his ninth season who led the League in assists at 12 per while also notching 15.1 ppg and 2.4 spg. At that point in their careers, in fact, Malone and Stockton had each only missed a total of four games. “DNP-rest” did not exist back then, to say the least. The two pick-n-roll greats didn’t rest on the day of the All-Star Game that year, either, each starting and playing more than 30 minutes.

Obviously, every All-Star Game is filled with the best the NBA has to offer, but the way that
year’s classic fell in certain players’ career trajectories gave it an extra sheen. And this was despite the fact that this was the first All-Star Game in NBA history (dating to 1951!) without a Celtic or Laker on a roster.

We had to re-watch this joint on YouTube in part because, in something as rare as the Celtic-Laker stat but in reverse, SLAM wasn’t there. And for an awfully good reason—we didn’t exist yet. So we’ve got no funny stories about run-ins with other media or PR staff, over-the-top gifting suites, too many free drinks, off-the-hook Stance Spades parties or Sprinter vans on the loose. Considering SLAM launched before the ’94 All-Star Game took place, this ’93 mid-winter classic belongs in the record books for that reason alone: The Last All-Star Game Before SLAM. 

And just to stay on that tangent, the cover of the very first SLAM, which hit stands sometime around Jan 1, 1994, featured Larry Johnson, who started the ’93 All-Star Game, which shows how fly a player he was. And yet…you know a crazy stat about LJ vis a vis the other star(ter)s in the ’93 Game? He’s the only one who is not in the Hall of Fame. 

Peep the greatness from the other nine ballers who were on the court for the game’s beginning: Malone, Stockton, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler and David Robinson in the West; Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Scottie Pippen and Isiah Thomas in the East. 

The game was the last of 12 straight Thomas would make in his career. It was the last All-Star appearance Jordan would make before he won his third straight NBA title and then shocked the world with his first retirement. It was the first All-Star appearance of 15 O’Neal would make in his big career. The ’93 All-Star Game also featured classic pivot men Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon off the bench, along with the penultimate All-Star appearance for Dominique Wilkins, who appeared in a total of eight as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.   

Chock full of dudes known as much for their competitive spirits as their on-court abilities, the game was entertaining and tightly contested from the jump, which the video of the game confirms. With Dick Enberg on play-by-play duties and Mike Fratello and Magic Johnson on color commentary, the early hype around the game focused on Jordan (already well on his way to GOAT status) and Shaq (the first rookie to start an ASG since…Jordan in ’85). When the PA announcer ran through the Western Conference starters, he led with Stockton and closed with Malone, who got by far the biggest applause of anyone. It all felt cute, but not like these were real MVPs-in-waiting.

As was their custom, though, the Jazz stars steadily asserted their influence on the game, wearing down the East with their all-around excellence. Jordan was the leading scorer, notching 30 points and making the biggest pass of the game, when he hit Ewing to complete a perfect pick-n-pop for a game-tying jumper with seconds left in regulation. When the West took control in overtime, however, the writing was on the wall. A strong performance in the fifth period helped Stockton and Malone to final stat lines of 9 points and 15 assists (the only player with double-digit dimes) and 28 points with 10 rebounds, respectively. Within about three seconds of the buzzer sounding to end the game, and before the players could even have been told, Enberg made it official: Stockton and Malone were co-MVPs.

What else happened that weekend? Well, not as much as would happen at later extravaganzas, to be honest. Friday was media day, but MJ didn’t even get to town for that because he was off playing golf (as he would do most years). There was no All-Star Friday night because there was no Rookie Game, Rookie-Sophomore Game, Rising Stars Challenge, etc. That whole concept didn’t exist yet. Like SLAM, that was an invention that the world would need to wait until 1994 for. 

All-Star Saturday was a thing, and 1993’s version was, let’s say, average? The Three-Point Shootout was won by Mark Price, which is fun because dude really was a bonkers shooter and because he won the next year, too. Those were the only two three-point shootouts Price was ever in, which is a dope stat. 

The Dunk Contest had already fallen from the ’80s highs of MJ vs Dominique but was still a place you might catch a future star do their thing. In ’93, Harold Miner provided a glimpse of what might be, winning the contest as part of a rookie year that saw him, believe it or not, average 10 points in just 19 minutes per outing with the Miami Heat. The dunks and the instant offense were, as of February 1993, enough to make one think maybe the “Baby Jordan” moniker that had been attached to the 6-5, shaved-head-sporting shooting guard was accurate. Alas, by year three of his career, his numbers had fallen off precipitously, and while Miner did join Price in the two-time champ club when he won the ’95 Dunk Contest, he was out of the League for good by ’96. It could be argued the rookie year dunk title was the high-point of his career.

There was also, if our photo research can be believed, some sort of celebrity dunk contest that involved Jaleel White and Mayim Bialik. We literally can’t figure out what was going on there and probably don’t want to. Honestly, all of the Saturday “action” was long-forgotten by the time Sunday’s game reached its exciting climax. As Enberg would say in his second to last line of the broadcast, the game had produced a “Utah Jazz parlay” in the form of the co-MVPs (Enberg’s sign-off that day was “Wayne’s World is next.” The ’90s were on one.), and that’s all anyone in Utah cared about. Malone himself summed things up with a perfect quote after the game. “I guess if you were writing a storybook,” The Mailman said, “this is just about how you’d write it.” 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post A Look Back at the 1993 All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City appeared first on SLAM.

“That’s the beauty of style and fashion,” says Barnett, now a creative consultant for the Utah Jazz, over Zoom. “You can really create your own narrative, and you can drive the story. You can have people focus on certain things.”

Wade went on to average a career-high 30.2 points and make his fifth consecutive All-Star appearance that year, and Barnett, who started working with him in ’07, has remained the visionary behind his ever-evolving style. It’s her innovative thinking, as well as her keen attention to detail—the Miami native was studying to be an accountant for the FBI before getting into fashion and attending FIT—that makes Barnett perfect for her new role as creative consultant for the Utah Jazz. As creative director of their private label apparel brand, Counterpoint, she’s been monumental in how the team approaches being more “fashion forward” as well as how they are reimagining fan apparel.

As excitement continues to build around the Jazz, which has one of the most stylish players in the NBA, Jordan Clarkson, on its roster, and has Wade as a co-owner, Barnett is ready to help bring Utah to the forefront. There will even be a pop-up event at this year’s All-Star Weekend featuring some pretty big-name brands. “I think that once people see it, they’re going to be like, Oh, you know what? I don’t need to go to New York, I don’t need to go to L.A. I need to go to Utah, where there isn’t much in terms of fashion but people are hungry [and] they’re ready for the stores to come to them.” 

The post How Calyann Barnett Went from Being an NBA Stylist working with Dwyane Wade to the Creative Consultant for the Utah Jazz  appeared first on SLAM.

Beginning the game with 38,352 points on the list—needing only 36 more points to make history in yet another category—James broke a record that not many thought would be broken. It’s another major accomplishment to add to his resume: Rookie of the Year, four-time champion, four-time Finals MVP, four regular-season MVPs, 19 All-Star selections, three All-Star MVPS, 18 All-NBA selections, six-time All-Defense, fourth in all-time assists and now the all-time scoring leader.

At 38, James has continued to consistently play at a high level and his longevity is nothing short of amazing. What’s even more noteworthy is the impact he’s had on, and off the court, as both a leader, cultural icon, entrepreneur and father.

SLAM has captured the King’s career over the years, from the time he was in high school to the superstar he is today. You can read every feature and cover story we’ve ever written about LeBron James in the SLAM Digital Archive. Subscribe here.

Here’s a look back at a few of his most iconic SLAM covers and moments.

SLAM 54: OHIO PLAYER

Okay, technically this wasn’t a SLAM cover, but as legendary photographer Atiba Jefferson recently wrote, you never know who you are shooting. Back in ’01, LeBron James was just 16 years old when he was featured in SLAM 54, and as Ryan Jones highlighted, he was already being compared to the greats and used to signing autographs. His potential was all there.

Who would’ve thought that he’d go on to become the all-time great he is today? Well, it’s safe to say that at that point, everyone knew something was special about the kid from Akron.

You can read the entire feature by subscribing to the SLAM Digital Archive.

SLAM 62: The Takeover

After much thought, there’s no getting around this, so I’ll just say it: LeBron James may be the best high school baller ever. 

It didn’t take long for LeBron James to get his first SLAM cover. When he and Sebastian Telfair appeared on the cover of SLAM 62, Bron had already been deemed the Chosen One, and as former SLAM Editor-in-Chief Russ Bengtson wrote, had solidified himself as the best high school player ever.

SLAM 71: KING JAMES

When Russ wrote that “we’ll see how ready he really is” by the time LeBron James’ rookie season started, it seemed almost like a prophecy. He was more than ready and way, way more than the hype.

Even back then, a rookie LeBron James was truly ready to rule.

SLAM 93: HERE COMES THE REIGN

Remember this kid? It’s not like you’ve had a chance to forget.

In December 2005, James appeared on a unique SLAM 93 cover that truly captured his greatness. That year, he was selected as an All-Star, won MVP and made the All-NBA First Team.

SLAM 106: BRON IS THE ONE

The SLAM 106 coverline says it all. Bron was always the one, and at 22-years old, he led the Cavaliers on their first-ever NBA Finals run.

SLAM 171: NO DOUBT IT’S BRON’S WORLD

Just a few years after The Decision, SLAM 171 captured NBA Champion LeBron James on the cover. For all the naysayers and haters, the sentiment still stands: it’s Bron’s world.

SLAM 192: CHARGED UP

In November of 2015, LeBron James was back in Cleveland would go on to lead the franchise to greatness, winning a championship in 2016.

SLAM 220: A LOVE SUPREME

The legendary Scoop Jackson wrote a masterpiece on LeBron James’ impact, connection to the game, and his new chapter on the Lakers. Read it here.

SLAM 229: ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

In December 2020, SLAM 229 featured the champs, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James and Davis won a championship with the Lakers in the NBA bubble, defeating the Miami Heat in the Finals.

SLAM 233: ‘BOUT THAT TIME

A cultural icon. SLAM 233 was a different type of cover for LBJ, who graced it alongside Bugs Bunny. The moment captured Bron’s impact as a media mogul and entrepreneur when he appeared in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

Go behind the scenes on the making of the film in the cover story. Read here.

The post Recognize Greatness: Here’s a Look Back at LeBron James’ Iconic SLAM Covers Over the Years appeared first on SLAM.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly interested in trading for Lowry too. The Timberwolves could move D’Angelo Russell to Miami for Lowry, and the Lakers have reportedly decided to stand pat at the trade deadline.

The Heat are still finding itself at the moment. Miami (23-20) is eighth in the Eastern Conference standings due to a dearth of injuries to key players like Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Victor Oladipo. Lowry is averaging 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Miami trading Lowry could help them create a younger backcourt that could help reverse their fortunes for the season. Making a move with either the Lakers or T-Wolves could help them make a move in the offseason in the draft or the free agent.

Miami will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon.

The post REPORT: Lakers, Timberwolves Interested in Trading for Kyle Lowry appeared first on SLAM.

Beasley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, is an athletic wing and efficient shooter from beyond the arc. For his career, Beasley averages 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds on 46.5 percent shooting from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc.

“If you pay attention to how I play, that’s how the NBA plays today,” he said, per Sports Illustrated. “I stay in shape and play everyday. If I get the call, I can definitely make an impact. The NBA is on some s—. Donovan [Mitchell] scored 71, Luka [Doncic] 50, LeBron [James] still scoring 40. The game is wide open. When I was playing, the game was about defense. It is about holding teams to 75, 80, 90 points. Now it’s like a rodeo.”

Beasley spend the first two seasons of his NBA career with Miami and bounced around with Minnesota, New York, Phoenix, Houston, Milwaukee, and the Los Angeles Lakers with stints in China as well. He recently played in Puerto Rico and in the Big3 league.

Beasley’s opinion about the NBA is certainly understandable as fans watch the NBA transform from an inside-outside League to an outside-inside League with teams setting three-point shooting records yearly and most shot diets consisting mostly of three-pointers, layups, and free throws. As a three-level scorer and capable long distance shooter who can play and multiple defend multiple positions, Beasley fits the mold.

Beasley last played with the Lakers during the 2018-2019 campaign. He averaged 7.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the field.

The post Michael Beasley Believes He Can Make An Impact in the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Based on his performance over the three-day event, Lofton Jr. earned a late invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. On May 23, just after the Combine ended, he announced his decision to remain in the 2022 Draft. “See y’all June 23,” he wrote on Twitter. “100% staying in the draft!” Though he wasn’t selected, the 20-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and continued to shine at NBA Summer League in July, posting 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

At 6-6, 275 pounds, Lofton Jr. is built more like an NFL tight end than an NBA forward. His strong frame, “bully ball” style and smooth lefty jumper immediately reminded Grizzlies fans of Zach Randolph. The hype surrounding him grew even more during a matchup with No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren, in which Lofton Jr. overpowered the 7-1 Gonzaga star down low, notching 19 points and 6 boards.

A point guard in high school before sprouting from 6-2 to 6-6 and moving to the frontcourt at Louisiana Tech, Lofton Jr.’s game reflects just that—he is as comfortable handling the ball up top as he is operating on the post, where he makes up for a lack of height with sheer muscle and excellent footwork. Asked about the development of his unique skill set at Grizzlies media day, Lofton Jr. said, “I just knew post moves. I just added everything I had and put it in one bag and used it.”

That bag includes a soft touch in the paint, a crafty spin move and an impressive passing ability. And now, with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, Lofton Jr. is adding to his arsenal. After taking just 20 total threes in college, the rookie is currently averaging just under 4 attempts per contest. He shot 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from behind the arc in December, averaging 21.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists to lead his team to a 7-2 record.

Memphis went 2-0 at the recent AT&T Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, the event that every G Leaguer has circled on the calendar. Playing in front of scouts and executives from all 30 NBA teams, Lofton Jr. was dominant. He showed his expanded range, knocking down 5 three-pointers, and overwhelmed weaker defenders inside. He was unstoppable driving to his left, using his body to keep shot blockers away and finishing through contact at the rim. In the two most important games of the season so far, he averaged 27 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5 assists. He was named to the All-Winter Showcase Team along with Brandon Boston Jr., Tre Mann, Isaiah Mobley and Terry Taylor.

Of course, Lofton Jr. still has a lot to improve—reducing his turnovers, upping his efficiency from deep, playing defense without fouling. But since the Elite Camp seven months ago, when he wasn’t even set on turning pro, the big man has already taken significant steps toward becoming a real contributor at the NBA level.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (DECEMBER STATS)

Mason Jones, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 24.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 63 FG%, 49 3P%

Isaiah Mobley, Forward, Cleveland Charge: 25.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 65 FG%, 57 3P%

Mamadi Diakite, Forward, Cleveland Charge: 24 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 53 FG%

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 25.5 points, 15.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 62 FG%

Vernon Carey Jr., Forward, Capital City Go-Go: 25.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 59 FG%

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls: 23 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 52 FG%, 37 3P%

Brandon Boston Jr., Guard, Ontario Clippers: 23.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 49 FG% (Winter Showcase MVP)

Brandon Williams, Guard, College Park Skyhawks: 23.4 points, 4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 49 3P%

Tyler Dorsey, Guard, Texas Legends: 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 51 FG%, 47 3P%

DECEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

Louis King, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Philadelphia 76ers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Dallas Mavericks

Jared Rhoden, Guard, College Park Skyhawks to Detroit Pistons

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls to Chicago Bulls

Stanley Johnson, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to San Antonio Spurs

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA G League Player To Watch (December Edition): Kenneth Lofton Jr.  appeared first on SLAM.

The home win came despite LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Lonnie Walker being absent from the lineup. Instead, the Lakers relied on Dennis Schroder, Russell Westbrook, Thomas Bryant, and Austin Reaves to deliver the four-point win.

Reaves was particularly important for the win after contributing 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, including a inbounding dime to Westbrook for a clutch and-one layup to give the Lakers a 110-106 lead with 14.2 seconds remaining. Reaves’ dish earned some significant praise from head coach Darvin Ham during postgame interviews.

In fact, the clutch play led Ham to call the second-year guard an “all-time inbounder,” per Michael Corvo of Clutch Points. When Reaves heard what his first-year head coach said, he said “it means a lot for him to have trust in me in that position to make the right play.”

“It’s great, I mean, if we [score] off of that every game it’s a win, so it means a lot for him to have the trust in me to put me in that position to make the right play,” Reaves said per Spectrum SportsNet.

“I [saw] Russ was open, semi-open, so I threw it to him,” Reaves joked about his decision-making process in threading what was essentially the pass that led to the game-winning score.

The Lakers will look to extend their winning streak when they play the Hawks (18-20) on the road.

The post Darvin Ham Calls Austin Reaves An ‘All-Time Inbounder’ appeared first on SLAM.

If the Bulls make Zach LaVine available before the trade deadline, rival NBA executives are keeping an eye on the Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, and Heat as potential suitors.

More on players who can be moved after January 15 with @YossiGozlan on @hoopshype. https://t.co/kN2RBmIy5I

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 5, 2023

Each team has assets, connections, or an ideal player they’d like LaVine to play with if they can acquire him.

The Knicks have endless draft capital they could trade, LaVine is signed with Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and LaVine played college ball at UCLA, so joining the Lakers is a possibility. Dallas can only rely on Luka Doncic so much, and pairing him with another All-Star like LaVine could yield fantastic results. According to Scotto, the Mavs don’t want to trade a first-round pick unless they think they’re trading for a championship-caliber player.

Miami is Miami, and they can include reigning Sixth Man of the Year winner Tyler Herro in any package they offer.

However, this is all contingent on Chicago’s willingness to part ways with LaVine. The Bulls (17-21) are in 10th place and squarely in the fight for a play-in tournament spot.

The post REPORT: Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, and Heat Listed as Potential Zach LaVine Suitors appeared first on SLAM.

He just turned 23 in September, but Precious Achiuwa has already lived a lifetime’s worth of experiences.

Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, the 6-8 forward did not start playing basketball until eighth grade, when he moved to the Bronx to play at Our Savior Lutheran School. From there, his hoops journey took him to St Benedict’s Prep in Newark, NJ, followed by a year at Montverde Academy in Florida before he joined the University of Memphis. After winning AAC Player of the Year as a freshman, Achiuwa entered the 2020 NBA Draft and was taken 20th overall by the Miami Heat.

Following a rookie season of learning under the tutelage of Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala and Udonis Haslem, Achiuwa was lying in his bed inside the Olympic Village in Tokyo, Japan, where he was representing the Nigerian national team in the summer of 2021, when he got a text from a friend. “You getting traded bro?” the message read. Achiuwa went on Twitter and found out he had indeed been traded to the Toronto Raptors, who were sending Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade to the Heat.

When I met Achiuwa inside a dimly-lit contemporary Italian eatery in the heart of downtown Toronto for dinner in early November, the first order of business wasn’t discussing his season—one in which he’s averaging 8.8 ppg and 7 rpg, as we went to press. On this evening, it was to figure out which bottle to order off the wine menu. Over the next few hours, Achiuwa shares with me all of his off-the-court curiosities, a reflection of the new worlds he’s discovered since moving to North America.

He’s tried Port wines (which I learned is a sweet, red, fortified wine from Portugal), sampled different reds, including Bordeaux, Malbec and this evening’s choice, a Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir. He’s saved this one on his wine app, which tracks everything he’s tried. He even has a vintage bottle from the Opus One Winery in Napa Valley at his home. He’s waiting for a special occasion to crack that one open. More importantly, he’s put all his friends—who were once skeptical—on to wine.

Achiuwa decided to move to New York at the age of 14 to be closer to his brother, God’sgift, who was playing basketball at St. John’s. In the Big Apple, he discovered a wide range of ethnic cuisine. Since being traded to Toronto, Achiuwa has tapped into the city’s diversity in food. Foran upscale dining experience, he prefers Via Allegro Ristorante, which also boasts a 5,000-bottle wine cellar. Achiuwa is among many Raptor players who have become regulars at Pai, a Northern Thai spot near Scotiabank Arena. His favorite restaurant in the city is Patois, known for its award-winning jerk chicken/Asian/Caribbean cuisine.

There’s a general curiosity within Achiuwa’s soul. Every hobby is a new deep dive. During the pandemic, he started to learn how to DJ, and after a cameo appearance behind the turntables at a recent team function, he’s now exploring the idea of DJing more events. There’s also fashion, something Achiuwa didn’t start to care about until high school. He admits his style isn’t meant to be flashy, like some of his NBA counterparts. He prefers his outfits to be personal and pay homage to Nigeria. This was evident in his Draft night suit, which Achiuwa picked out himself. The jacket was customized with his siblings’ names (Promise, Grace, God’sgift, Peace and God’s Will) stitched on the inside lining. He also wore an Aso Oke hat to pay homage to his home country. This summer, Achiuwa attended New York Fashion Week for the third time and rubbed shoulders with A-listers at the GQ party. He has started to work with his friends to design and produce one-of-one pieces for his tunnel entrances.

While he enjoys spending time expanding his wine palate, discovering new food spots and dipping his toes into fashion, Achiuwa knows it is the sport of basketball that has allowed him to discover the world. When our conversation turns to his improbable journey from Nigeria to the NBA, I ask him if he realizes how crazy his life story is to an outsider hearing it for the first time. As he finishes his glass of wine, he entertains the question and laughs.

“I think about it all the time,” he says. “Where I am right now, it makes sense, but it doesn’t make sense. Sometimes I sit and think, How did I end up here?”

To fully appreciate how far he has come, Achiuwa had to return to where it all began. He traveled back to Port Harcourt this summer for the first time in seven years to host a basketball camp through his non-profit foundation, WHAT IF UNLIMITED. After he announced the camp on his social media, kids from all over his home country started designing custom flyers to drum up excitement for the event. When Achiuwa arrived at the gym on the first day of camp, which had been planned for 350 kids, there was almost double the number in attendance. The four-day camp, which included a tournament on the final day, helped put Achiuwa’s entire journey into perspective.

“It was amazing,” he says. “These kids have probably never been around an NBA player before, and for them to see someone from the same place as them, that was special.”

The camp also allowed him to reunite with friends and family. He convinced his childhood friends to fly in from different parts of the country to play a pick-up game together, as they reminisced about how they would spend their weekends growing up trash talking each other on the court. By the end of the trip, Achiuwa was reinvigorated and felt a new sense of purpose and responsibility. The camp also changed how he viewed his stature as an NBA player.

“I told the kids that I got more out of the camp than they did,” he says. “It was a reminder of where I’m from and a reminder that I can’t take this for granted. I had no idea all these kids looked up to me.”

He already has plans to set up another camp back home.

Not long ago, Achiuwa was one of those kids, convincing his family to make the six-hour drive from his hometown to Lagos so he could attend a basketball camp organized by the Giants of Africa Foundation. “I was, like, 12,” he says. “I was probably the youngest camper they ever had.” (The foundation is run by Masai Ujiri, the current president of basketball operations for the Raptors.) The camp and the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program ignited Achiuwa’s interest in basketball and eventually landed him in the United States.

Now, everyone in Port Harcourt is rooting for him as he continues to grow with an up-and-coming team in Toronto. Playing for the only Canadian team in the League has allowed Achiuwa to have yet another brand-new experience in a new country. It’s the first time he’s gone to the grocery store and found bagged milk. The first time he hopped on the highway, Achiuwa was confused by the speed limit signs, which were in kilometers. “I saw 100,” he says, “and I was like, What?! Is this NASCAR? Then I got on the highway, and everyone was driving so slow.”

The stereotype of Canadians being generally nicer than their neighboring Americans has also been proven true. “When I first came here, people were so nice to me that I was confused,” Achiuwa says. “I had to start telling people there’s nothing to be sorry about. I still have to tell people that.” In Toronto, he’s also discovered the city’s enthusiasm for their basketball team. “The best fan base in the NBA,” he says. “It’s not even close.”

In his third NBA season, Achiuwa now has the potential to become a core piece on a Raptors team hoping to return to contention in the Eastern Conference with a full roster of athletic wings. After a promising finish to the ’21-22 season, Toronto is looking to him to take another step forward. And following a summer trip back home, the motivation is bigger than ever for him to become one of the best young players in the League. He wants to continue setting an example for those following him closely in Nigeria home.

“I want to be one of the most respected players in the NBA,” Achiuwa says. “I’m a role model for the kids back home. It’s given me a different type of fire.”

Photo via Getty Images.

The post Inside Precious Achiuwa’s Deep Curiosity for the World and the Fire that Drives Him appeared first on SLAM.

Crowder hasn’t played this season after he told the Suns he wanted out of Phoenix. Crowder is in the final year of his current deal.

“According to someone who has spoken to the Heat’s front office, the Heat remains interested in Jae Crowder, but only in a buyout situation, barring Phoenix shockingly taking a bad contract off Miami’s hands,” per Jackson.

The Heat is still looking to regain the identity that helped them make a run to the 2020 NBA Finals and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance against the Boston Celtics. As of Tuesday, Miami (20-18) has the seventh-best record in the East. They could use some depth at the forward position after P.J. Tucker left for the 76ers in free agency.

The Heat have also dealt with an avalanche of injuries to their core players.

When Crowder last played, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from the three-point line. Crowder has developed a reputation as a three-and-D wing that’s value due to his playoff experience and timely shooting.

Crowder last played for Miami during their run to the 2020 NBA Finals. His familiarity with their system could help negotiations if the Suns and Heat agree on a buyout. He appeared in 20 games that season and averaged 11.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 48.2 percent shooting from the field and 44.5 percent from beyond the arc.

The post REPORT: Miami Interested in Buying Out Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened across the L over the weekend. Let’s get it.

Darvin Ham Announces the Pain in Anthony Davis’ Foot ‘Has Just About Dissipated’:

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters that Anthony Davis’ foot has improved to the point that “his pain has just about dissipated” since he first suffered the injury two weeks ago against the Nuggets.

Darvin Ham, two weeks after Anthony Davis suffered the stress injury in his right foot, says “the biggest thing is, his pain has just about dissipated” and says Davis is trending in the right direction when it comes to approaching a ramp up to return to the court.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 30, 2022

LeBron James Drops 47-10-9 on his Birthday to Deliver a Lakers Win:

LeBron James showed us once again that age ain’t nothing but a number on his birthday. The four-time MVP turned 38 on Friday and celebrated this lap around the sun by dropping 47 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists to lead the Lakers to a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

“At 18 years old, I knew how to play the game,” James said, per ESPN. “I knew I belonged in the NBA, but I didn’t know what I could become at 18. But I knew if I continued to put in the work and I continued to reach into the game, then I could be one of the greatest players to ever play this game.”

47 PTS
10 REB
9 AST@Lakers W@KingJames showed out on his 38th birthday!pic.twitter.com/33lO5BnVpo

— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022

CJ McCollum Knocks Down A Pelicans Record 11 Three-Pointers:

CJ McCollum was unstoppable Saturday night as he scored 42 points, four rebounds, five assists on a franchise record, and a career-high 11 made three-pointers against the 76ers.

“You don’t just fall into these types of nights,” McCollum said, per The Athletic. “It comes with preparation. It comes with a lot of different sacrifices you make in your household and things like that. Some nights I go to the gym. Some nights I’m getting treatment. Some nights I’m lifting. It’s time away from home. But I joke with my wife all the time and say, ‘I could be gone a lot and suck at basketball. Luckily, I’m gone a lot, and I don’t suck.’”

42 PTS
4 REB
5 AST
11 3PM (franchise-record, career-high)@CJMcCollum went OFF in the @PelicansNBA win. pic.twitter.com/s09E7DdoQr

— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022

Tyler Herro Brings in the New Year With a Buzzer-Beater:

Tyler Herro put an exclamation point on Miami’s strong offensive showing with a game-winning buzzer-beater to beat the Utah Jazz on New Year’s Eve, 126-123. Herro posted 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, followed by Bam Adebayo’s game-high 32 points and eight rebounds, and Victor Oladipo rounded out the final win in 2022 with 23 points off the bench.

Miami outscored Utah 54-32 in the win and shot 51 percent from the field. As a team, the Heat dished 32 assists on 45 buckets.

“The ball was flying around,” Herro said, per ESPN. “We were making plays for each other, getting stops defensively, and turning it into easy buckets on the other end.”

TYLER HERRO WINS IT FOR THE HEAT #TissotBuzzerBeater | #TimingEmotions pic.twitter.com/MqLHRlsVXL

— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023

Luka Doncic Makes More History After Dropping 50+ For the Third Time in 5 Games:

Luka Doncic has been on a historic tear while helping Dallas win six straight games after Doncic dropped 51 points, six boards, nine dimes, four steals, and six made triples to beat San Antonio 126-125. Luka Legend has dropped three 50+ points in his last five outings, put up the most 40+ point games in Mavs history, and became the first player ever to post 225+ points and 50+ rebounds, and 50+ assists over a five-game span.

The three-time All-Star is also the eighth player in NBA history to contribute three or more 50-point outings in a season before he turned 25-years-old. He joins James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Barry, Nate Archibald, and Wilt Chamberlain in the exclusive Hall-of-Fame club.

51 PTS
6 REB
9 AST
4 STL
6 3PM
W

Luka has dropped 50+ in 3 of his last 5 games. Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/AFYYqmWaUb

— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023

The post NBA Weekend Recap: LeBron James Drops Buckets on His Birthday, and Luka Doncic Makes More History appeared first on SLAM.

After the Lakers’ 112-98 loss to his former team, the Miami Heat, the four-time MVP was asked to share how much longer he thinks he will play in the NBA. James led the Lakers in points (27), rebounds (nine), and assists (six) against the team that he played his best basketball for. The Lakeshow is reeling after making so much ground to get back to being a play-in tournament team.

“I don’t have a number,” James said, per ESPN. “I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that’s up to my mind. My body is going to be OK because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of, and I’ll continue to put in the work.”

The absence of Anthony Davis (out for 7-10 days due to a foot injury) has contributed to the Lakers losing for the ninth time in their last 13 games. James and the Lakers (14-21) are in 13th place in the Western Conference, and it’s already been reported that the Lakers’ front office will likely stay put at the trade deadline due to concerns that making “win-now moves” could compound their past mistakes.

The Lakers’ fortunes will ultimately decide how much longer he stays in the purple-and-gold. He has two years and $97 million left on his current contract. Not to mention that he has a player option for that final year. The one thing that can alleviate Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss’ concerns that the King will leave them high and dry is getting back to playing winning basketball.

After all, winning is the true fountain of youth, and James ultimately identifies with the sentiment.

“I’m a winner, and I want to win,” James said. “And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion. That has always been my goal since I entered the League as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.

“And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore. So we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years.”

James’ Lakers tenure has been highlighted by winning his fourth title in 2020 and becoming the first player in League history to win a Finals MVP with three teams. However, as a member of the purple-and-gold, the Lakers have also missed the playoff twice and lost in the first-round of the playoffs for the first time in 2021 after dragging the Lakers into the play-in tournament.

They’ve also been criticized for trading away the farm to acquire Davis and not trading Russell Westbrook last summer.

Front office exec Rob Pelinka declared at Laker’s media day that it would be his duty to field a competitive team around James. The four-time champ has been able to beat Father Time while averaging 27.8 points per game, good for ninth in the League. While his longevity and commitment to keeping his body at peak fitness are legendary, it’s only a matter of time before James’ game starts to decline.

So the matter of building a team that can defend and shoot the ball competently is of the utmost importance. The other vital step in keeping James will be convincing Lakers leadership that it’s better to build a championship culture, and team will create better results instead of trying to buy one and selling the farm for All-Star talent.

“Let me be abundantly clear: We have one of the great players in LeBron James to ever play the game, and he committed to us on a long-term contract, a three-year contract. So, of course, we will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals to give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end,” Pelinka said. “He committed to our organization. That’s got to be a bilateral commitment, and it’s there.”

The Lakers can get back on track with a road win against the Atlanta Hawks (17-18) on Friday.

The post LeBron James on His Mental Approach Going Into His 38th Birthday appeared first on SLAM.

Robinson accomplished the extraordinary feat late in the first quarter off his first shot of the game. Robinson played 14 minutes and ended up posting nine points, four rebounds, and a steal in Miami’s 113-110 win over Minnesota.

No. 800 on his 1st attempt in the game. Pure shooter. pic.twitter.com/9s6CVxFkyG

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 27, 2022

Robinson is also the quickest player to hit 200,300,400,500,600 and 700 triples in his career. It took him 263 outings to do, 25 fewer than perennial MVP contender Luka Doncic. The previous fastest four players to hit 800 were Doncic (288 games), Buddy Hield (296), Donovan Mitchell (302), and Stephen Curry (305).

Fastest in NBA history to do it! pic.twitter.com/7XicNkQMwS

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 27, 2022

Robinson has knocked down 802 career threes as of Tuesday and is four away from tying Hall-of-Famer Tim Hardaway for the all-time lead in franchise history.

The post Duncan Robinson: the Fastest to Knock Down 800 Career Three-Pointers appeared first on SLAM.

The 26-year-old has solidified himself as one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, and he is having his best scoring season to date during this 2022-23 campaign. Turner is averaging 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks on an efficient 54.1 percent from the field. Amongst centers in the League, his accuracy from downtown is remarkable at 41.7 percent from three. The highest right now for the center position this year.

Despite being mentioned in some trade rumors in the past several months, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Pacers want to continue having Turner in Indiana. He can stretch the floor and defend at a high level: The quintessential modern-day big man that’s hard to find.

His experience of having already played eight seasons in the NBA increases Turner’s value. With Indiana’s promising young core of Tyrese Haliburton and rookie Bennedict Mathurin making their mark this season, Turner can help take this team to the next level. If negotiations break down, the 26-year-old can become a free agent when the season ends.

The Pacers (16-16) are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference, with the same record as the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks (16-16) and the seventh-seeded Miami Heat (16-16). Indiana will look to change that when they play their next game versus the Heat on Friday.

The post REPORT: Myles Turner and Indiana Open Up Contract Extension Talks appeared first on SLAM.

The Mavericks will host the Los Angeles Lakers for a holiday. As the face of the franchise’s cherished history since 1998, Nowitzki will never be forgotten for leading Dallas to an NBA Championship in 2011. The championship victory came in six games against the star-studded Miami Heatles led by LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh.

The 2011 Finals MVP was pleased to hear he will be getting a statue built after him on the global holiday.

“That’s going to be there forever,” Nowitzki said per NBA.com. “I think that’s what’s so unbelievable, that this statue will stand there, and my kids will grow up with it. That’s what’s really mindboggling and so amazing about it –  That this piece is for really for eternity and will be there long, long after I’m gone.”

During his time with the Mavericks, Nowitzki solidified himself as an NBA legend and a building bridge between the inspiration the Dream Team created during their Gold Medal campaign in the 1992 Olympics. Nowitzki saw what Team USA did, and his success paved the way for more international players to cross the world and become NBA stars, like former teammate Luka Doncic or Giannis Antetokounmpo.

When talking about his impact on the game in this aspect, the former superstar admitted it is a humbling feeling.

“Along the way, if I inspired somebody to pick up a basketball or if I motivated a guy to work harder or dream of the NBA, of course, that’s humbling to me,” said Nowitzki. “Super humbling. That makes me proud, for sure.”

The post Dallas Mavericks Set to Unveil Dirk Nowitzki Statue on Christmas appeared first on SLAM.

The six-time All-Star expressed how he was grateful that the NBA at least sent Miami to play in Mexico this year since they are not getting any nationally televised games.

“I don’t feel like the NBA rock with the Miami Heat too much anyway,” Butler said per Heat Nation. “At least we get to play somewhere. We don’t got no TV games or nothing.”

The Miami Heat finished the 2021-22 campaign with an Eastern Conference-best 53-29 record. Although Miami was last year’s top seed in the East, the Heat weren’t even in the top 10 for most games televised on the major networks. Surprisingly, teams who were missing key pieces for most of the season, like the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers, had more nationally televised games.

Earlier in December, Heat center Bam Adebayo also chimed in on Miami not getting enough media attention.

“You’ve got to think about: we were No. 1 in the East and people didn’t even pay us any mind,” Adebayo said. “Us being where we’re at, they’re definitely not talking about us. The biggest thing for us is to keep stacking these wins.”

The post Jimmy Butler Finds Motivation in Miami Playing Zero National TV Games appeared first on SLAM.

Mexico City continues to establish itself as a lasting venue for the NBA to host games. In fact, the G League has made it a home for one of their franchises, the Mexico City Capitanes. Before tip-off between the Spurs and the Heat, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed how, at this rate, Mexico City may prove to be a place that can one day have its own NBA team.

“Mexico City (is) doing all the things necessary to demonstrate to the league that, ultimately, we may be in a position to house an NBA team here,” Silver said, per Forbes. “When you look at the success we’ve had in Canada to the north, beginning in the early ’90s, it makes sense to me that we would expand to the south, as well.”

According to Forbes: “Mexico is already the fifth biggest market for the NBA League Pass on-demand streaming service.” In addition, “Mexico is also the fourth biggest market for the NBA’s online merchandise store.” It shouldn’t come as a surprise if the NBA decides to expand to Mexico City.

The post Adam Silver: Expansion Franchise in Mexico City ‘Makes Sense’ appeared first on SLAM.

Herro makes NBA History by becoming the first player to record nine or more three points on back-to-back nights. On Thursday, he tied the franchise record for most three-pointers (10) in a single game against the Houston Rockets, which featured a career-high 41 total points for him.

Wednesday night was a similar performance with a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, as Herro knocked nine 3-pointers to his 35 points. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has been on a tear lately, but Herro is only focused on what he can contribute to pushing the Heat back into one of the contenders of the East.

“I didn’t know it was the record until last night when I hit nine, and they said I was one short,” Herro said per ESPN. “I didn’t have any intention of coming in to tie the record, but I was just trying to get 3s up. I think shooting more 3s is helping.”

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It’s not like he’s just chucking three balls out there, either. His numbers are looking as efficient as ever from the outside. Herro shot a career-best 10-15 from beyond the arc. While he shot 12-23 from the field against the Thunder, Herro hit the game-winning basket from 15 feet to aid him as the best field goal percentage made shooter among starting guards the last two games.

“Regardless, he’s too good of a shooter for us to not take 3s off the catch,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. “He has to continue to be assertive in those opportunities. He’s just a brilliant shooter. He can do it off the dribble and off the catch.”

The back-to-back historic nights for the Kentucky product aren’t one of his first marks in NBA history. Against the Boston Celtics in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals, Herro recorded a 37-point game in a critical Game 5 that listed him with the second most all-time playoff points for a player 20 years old or younger behind Magic Johnson(42).

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This time around, Herro, at 22-years-old achieves another Heat record by becoming the youngest player to have a 40-point game in the regular season, breaking franchise legend Dwyane Wade‘s at 23.

Herro has lived up to his $130 million contract this season, and more importantly, he earned himself a spot in the starting lineup, a role he was excited to grab this past summer.

With the presence of All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat may have solidified a Big Three that can contribute at all ends of the court to reach the destiny of a fourth championship.

For now, only one thing is certain; Herro is indeed a Bucket.

The post Tyler Herro Makes History After Hitting Nine Triples in Back-to-Back Games appeared first on SLAM.

“Before Reddish’s recent benching in New York, the Knicks originally engaged the Lakers to see if they’d have interest in swapping Evan Fournier for Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn,” according to Scotto. “Beverley and Nunn will both become unrestricted free agents after this season.”

Beverley is having one of his worst seasons, averaging 4.5 points on a dreadful 29.8 percent shooting from the field in 27 minutes per game. As for Nunn, he has not looked like the same player he was playing for the Miami Heat. Both Lakers guards are in the final year of their contracts.

The Frenchmen is having a tough season himself, averaging just 6.9 points in 13 games for the Knicks. It has been a struggle for him to get on the court for New York this year.

The Knicks will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on the Chicago Bulls after their win on Sunday. The Lakers face their next challenge Tuesday night when they welcome the Boston Celtics (21=7), who hold the league’s best record.

The post REPORT: Potential Three-Player Swap Between the Knicks and Lakers Has Stalled appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA MVP trophy will be known as The Michael Jordan Trophy. Feels right. pic.twitter.com/baVlwnwOZf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 13, 2022

Jordan’s bonafide’s include winning five MVPs, going six-for-six in the NBA Finals with six Finals MVPs, and 10 scoring titles; he’s a 14-time All-Star and three-time All-Star Game MVP. He’s also been the Defensive Player of the Year, a nine-time All-Defensive team member, and an 11-time All-NBA member. MJ had his iconic No. 23 retired by the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat.

The Michael Jordan Trophy will stand 23.6 inches tall and weigh 23.6 pounds, nods to his legendary jersey number and six titles with the Bulls. The MVP trophy has a five-sided base, a tribute to his five MVPs, and its six-sided name badge honors each of his championships. The base is shaped at a 15-degree angle for the 15 seasons Jordan played in the NBA.

Although Jordan approved the design and was involved every step of the way, the Michael Jordan Trophy doesn’t depict him. The Michael Jordan Trophy is a bronze player representing a player “breaking out of a rock to reach for the ultimate rock — a crystal basketball,” per the League. The MVP award symbolizes how hard work leads to something more polished and, finally, something great as you get to the top of the trophy.

“Anybody should be able to see this and see themselves in it,” said longtime Jordan Brand designer Mark Smith, who oversaw the trophy’s design. “They should feel the excellence of Michael Jordan and his pursuit. It’s got his name on it, but it isn’t him. It’s everybody. It could be a shipbuilder, or it could be a teacher or a lawyer or a writer who looks at it and says, ‘That’s what I’m trying to do.’”

A legendary namesake for the pinnacle of basketball performance.

The new Michael Jordan Trophy for the NBA #KiaMVP features a player breaking out of a rock as the patina of the trophy grows more burnished – “raw to refined” – signifying the MVP’s hard work achieving the honor. pic.twitter.com/NNsZkkDO9H

— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2022

The League had decided to rebrand most of its trophies in the last two and add a couple. The NBA introduced the Jerry West Award, given to the Clutch Player of the Year. Like most NBA awards, a media panel decides the winner, and coaches will nominate players for the clutch award. The DPOY will now receive The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, the ROY will receive the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy, the Sixth Man of the Year will receive the John Havlicek Trophy, and Most Improved Player will receive the George Mikan Trophy.

“Our new collection of trophies celebrates some of the greatest and most impactful players in the history of the NBA,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “As we recognize the League’s top performers each season, we also pay tribute to the legends who embody these prestigious awards.”

“I’m always going to numbers and symbiology as key root DNA to make something specific and authentic for that person,” Smith said. “When you start putting all these things together, there’s only one person, and it becomes very unique. Not different, but very unique.”

New names and trophies for NBA’s major individual awards:

– MVP: The Michael Jordan Trophy
– DPOY: Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy
– ROY: Wilt Chamberlain Trophy
– Sixth Man of Year: John Havlicek Trophy
– Most Improved: George Mikan Trophy
– New Clutch Player of Year: Jerry West Trophy

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 13, 2022

Other redesigned or reimaged trophies include some being named for Joe Dumar (sportsmanship), Red Auerbach (Coach of the Year), the Kobe Bryant All-Star MP award, and the Larry O’Brien Trophy for NBA champs and the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy.

The Eastern and Western Conference Finals winners get the Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson trophies, while the East finals MVP gets the Larry Bird Trophy, and the West finals MVP gets the Magic Johnson Trophy. Divisional winners get trophies named after Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (Atlantic), Wayne Embry (Central), Earl Lloyd (southeast), Willis Reed (Southwest), Sam Jones (Northwest), and Chick Cooper (Pacific).

The post NBA Renaming the MVP Trophy After Michael Jordan appeared first on SLAM.

The 10-year veteran had a breakthrough in Indiana when he joined in 2017, where he earned All-NBA and All-Defensive Team honors and the Most Improved Player Award.

Victor Oladipo back in Indy pic.twitter.com/F4v9CX5A0M

— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) December 12, 2022

Injuries stopped that momentum and put a pause on Oladipo achieving a higher level of stardom, but Oladipo remains hopeful of returning to his All-Star form.

“The way you build your character and who you are as a person is how you handle those moments. And I’ve always been an optimist,” Oladipo said. “Even though what happened to me was catastrophic, it doesn’t mean that I can’t still be happy, and I can’t still come back from it and be my best self.”

Oladipo hasn’t returned to the production he would have hoped for. When he was traded from Indiana to the Houston Rockets, he played a total of 20 games before being shipped again in March of 2021 to the Heat, where thus far, in three seasons, he’s only played 16 games.

Oladipo averaged 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in his four years as the Pacers superstar. He became a fan favorite in Indiana during his first year with the team as he led them to the fifth seed of the East while going toe-to-toe in a seven-game playoff series with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Sound up! Welcome back, @VicOladipo pic.twitter.com/95yPHz2A3G

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 7, 2022

Oladipo’s run with the Pacers was a glimpse of true blossom and an emphasis on why he was selected second overall in his draft. Nothing can take away his moment Monday night, and Oladipo hopes the air in the building refreshes his game as the elite two-way player he once was.

“It definitely brings some nostalgia, you know, just walking into the building,” Oladipo said. “But I’m focused on the good energy. And I let the bad energy go a long time ago, in terms of my injury and everything.”

The post Victor Oladipo Set to Play in Indiana For the Time Since He Left in 2021 appeared first on SLAM.

There’s not much to be proud of in their 12-14 record, but the superstardom of Bam Adebayo has finally blossomed, and it’s greatly benefited, Jimmy Butler.

His aggressiveness has been on display, especially in the last six games. The Kentucky product has scored 18.3 points per game in the second half, which is second-best among centers behind Los Angeles Laker superstar Anthony Davis.

Bam keeps getting the job done by any means necessary pic.twitter.com/HIbWrG5Kdk

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 9, 2022

After a tight battle last night against the Los Angeles Clippers, Adebayo (31) and Butler (26) combined for 57 points while showing efficient shooting from inside the three-point line. Even with Adebayo’s point total and improvement in the second half, the center wanted Butler to score the team’s last eight clutch points, which he delivered.

“The ball finds the right places,” Adebayo said, according to Sports Illustrated. “Jimmy had the hot hand. He scored our last eight, and that’s what he does. At the end of the game, if he wants to keep doing, I’m fine with that. I have no problem with him shooting step-back, one-footers.”

JB with a game on the line is just different… the Clippers were the latest to find out. #ClutchJimmy

Popular Moment of the Week // @popularbank pic.twitter.com/Zil4anyaCW

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 9, 2022

The number one option is expected to deliver in crunch time, no matter the circumstance. In his return from a nearly two-week absence, Butler knocked down a stunning fadeaway blow a week ago against the Boston Celtics to steal a victory at TD Garden.

Adebayo quietly recorded 28 points in that same outing and collected seven boards, forcing the Celtics to account for two of the Heat’s superstars.

The tear Adebayo is on right now has made Butler’s job easier. With Adebayo drawing much more attention, the closing minutes rely on no. 22 to take on isolation assignments in which he’s so potent. Another Adebayo eruption with a closing call from Butler is in the possibilities Saturday night as the San Antonio Spurs come into town.

The post Bam Adebayo Has ‘No Problem’ with Jimmy Butler Closing Games Out appeared first on SLAM.

Of all the standout players in the G during November, Iowa Wolves star Luka Garza shined the brightest. A quick reminder what the 6-11 center did at the University of Iowa: 2020-21 consensus National Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-American, the only player in Big Ten history with at least 2,250 points and 900 rebounds. Garza graduated as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer and had his No. 55 jersey retired by the program. His list of accolades is seemingly never-ending—just scroll through his bio page here.

And yet…Garza was not a top NBA prospect. There were a lot of questions about how his old-school game would translate to the pros, and whether he was mobile and athletic enough to still be productive at the next level. Despite a remarkable college career, the Hawkeye legend fell all the way to the 52^nd pick in the 2021 Draft, where he was scooped up by the Detroit Pistons.

As a rookie, Garza played in 21 games for the G League’s Motor City Cruise, averaging 21.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. He was named to the G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He also appeared in 32 games for the Pistons, contributing 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest (17.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per 36 minutes).

Detroit moved on from Garza this past summer, and the 23-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was able to learn from All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert throughout training camp and preseason. Since then, Garza has spent much of his time with Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.

“That was one of the draws of coming here—being able to develop my game, but do it in a place that’s basically my second home,” Garza told reporters in mid-October. “I’m from DC, but now it feels like I’m from Iowa. I love it out there, so I’m super excited.”

Back in his “second home,” the big man averaged 27.3 points (second in the G League), 8.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists (first among centers) in November. His efficiency was ridiculous—he shot 67.6 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from behind the arc (on 4.1 attempts per game). Just look at the array of ways he scores in the highlight clip below: finishes out of the pick-and-roll, fade-away baseline jumpers, put-backs, three-pointers, floaters in the lane, crafty post moves—he does it all.

With Garza in the lineup, the Iowa Wolves went 6-1 in November; without him, they were 0-2. After Towns suffered a right calf strain a week ago, Garza was temporarily called up from Iowa to Minnesota. In December, our “G League Player to Watch” might just get an opportunity to prove himself on the big stage.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (NOVEMBER STATS)

Jaden Hardy, Guard, Texas Legends: 29 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 55 FG%, 48 3P%

Jay Huff, Forward, South Bay Lakers: 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 4.4 blocks, 68 FG%

Sharife Cooper, Guard, Cleveland Charge: 26.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 51 FG%, 45 3P%

Kenneth Lofton Jr, Forward, Memphis Hustle: 27.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 57 FG%

Mark Williams, Center, Greensboro Swarm: 23.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 63 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 15.1 points, 11.9 assists, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 18.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 53 FG%

Luka Samanic, Forward, Maine Celtics: 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 blocks, 53.7 FG%. 

NOVEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Alize Johnson, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

Dru Smith, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Saben Lee, Guard, Raptors 905 to Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors

Devon Dotson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Ibou Badji, Center, Wisconsin Herd to Portland Trail Blazers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Minnesota Timberwolves

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Jordan Hall, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

The post NBA G League Player to Watch: Luka Garza (November Edition) appeared first on SLAM.

Despite having versatile weapons like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans’ defense has been responsible for the team’s early success. In particular, it has been the highly criticized Zion Williamson at the forefront of it.

Williamson has averaged a career-high 1.3 steals a game to go with 0.6 blocks. According to ESPN, the acrobatic sensation has held opponents to 37.4 percent shooting as the contesting defender, which ranks fifth amongst players contesting 10 shots per game this season.

Looking back at New Orleans’ defense last year, they were 18th in the League in defensive rating without Williamson, who was out with a broken bone in his right foot. This season, the Pelicans are No. 3 in the League defensively, thanks to their 107.6 defensive rating.

Although Williamson’s impact and improvements defensively have surprised many this year, Ingram noticed the change before the campaign started and highlighted this aspect of his teammate’s game during the preseason.  

“You know what I’ve seen differently, especially on ball, is his defensive awareness,” Ingram told ESPN before the Pelicans’ preseason game versus the Miami Heat. “It looks like he has it in the back of his mind to have the effort on that end. That’s going to be something big for our team – We know we can score the basketball. But if everybody is defending and setting examples for everybody to go out there and defend, then that’s going to be much more difficult to beat us.”

As the 22-year-old’s defense continues to thrive, don’t let this distract you from what he is capable of offensively. This season, Williamson has still managed to put up 23.9 points and 7.2 rebounds on his regular impressive, efficient shooting from the field at 59 percent. The Pelicans forward will look to continue his all-around form with New Orleans again on Friday when they takes on the Phoenix Suns on Friday.

The post Zion Williamson’s Improved Defensive Play Raises the Pelicans’ Ceiling appeared first on SLAM.

The aggressive play of star center Bam Adebayo and the leadership of Kyle Lowry have brought the team to four victories in their last five games, with the most notable one being this past Friday against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

A game that featured the return of Miami superstar Jimmy Butler saw the forward shatter the hearts of the 19-5 Celtics by hitting one clutch shot after another. After the game, he posed high confidence in the Heat and its resiliency in tight situations but most notably made a promise to team President and all-time NBA legend Pat Riley, as he hopes this season shapes up to be Riley’s 10th championship run.

“When you’re talking about the Heat,” Butler said. “Deep run into the playoffs, championship caliber, that’s the second two is about. You put the two together, Pat Riley; we’re getting your 10th championship.”

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Butler came within reach of Riley’s 10th title on two separate occasions, as in the 2020 NBA Finals, the Heat came up short against the Los Angeles Lakers, losing the series 4-2. Last season, the Heat were once again in the Eastern Conference Finals against the rivaled Celtics, and in Game 7, Butler missed a critical go-ahead three-point shot in the final 18 seconds to give Boston the opportunity to ice the game and move on to the championship series against the Golden State Warriors.

Though the Heat hasn’t looked themselves this season, when Butler is on the court, his elite level of play places him in the upper echelon of star players across the League. He’s currently averaging 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals.

The Heat Culture embodies a ‘bounce back’ mentality through their grit and determination on the floor, and Butler has certainly embraced it. However, at 33-years-old, time is certainly closing on him to achieve the dream of winning a championship.

Butler is capable of taking on the challenge on his own, but basketball is a team game, and Heat fans know that if a championship comes to South Beach, it’ll have to be a high-level team effort.

“We’re still going to win the championship, and I don’t care what nobody says,” Butler said on the early struggle of the Heat. “Count us out. We’re going to win the f—— championship. I’m telling you.”

The post Jimmy Butler to Pat Riley: ‘We’re Getting Your 10th Championship’ appeared first on SLAM.

After the loss, Kerr addressed the media about the NBA’s lack of enforcement on travel calls this year.

“I think only based on consistency,” said Kerr on Thursday via 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” when asked if travel calls are currently being enforced in the League. “On tape, all seven of ours were definitely travels. There was one on Dallas that I did not think was a travel — But there were also five or six other plays in the game that were definitely travels, including where Luka (Dončić) carries the ball in the post when he’s backing you down, and he puts his hand all the way underneath the ball. That’s a travel, and you’ve got to enforce it all — especially if you’re going to call the one on Steph (Curry) at the end with the game on the line when it’s a tiny little shuffle.”

By all means, the nine-time champ is not disagreeing with travel calls being called more since players are somehow getting away with them nowadays. He is just saying that these rules have to be called both ways during games, and it has to happen with all the other 29 teams in the NBA. Kerr made sure to reiterate this point too.

“You know me; I’m Mr. Travel. I’m all for enforcing traveling,” Kerr pointed out. “But it just has to be done all the time. And it can’t just be sort of selective.”

These comments on there being more balance with which teams are being called out more for travels trace back to what Kerr touched on earlier in November after a game with the Miami Heat. Warriors guard Jordan Poole had more travel calls called on him than the entire Heat team by the final buzzer. 

“Jordan Poole has been called for, I would guess, seven or eight palming violations over the last month since the League decided to really enforce all that stuff,” Kerr said following the Warriors’ loss to Miami on Nov.1. “And if that’s the case, then we’ve got to call it on everybody – And that’s my only beef, is that these things are happening a lot. We got called for a bunch of them. I have no problem with it. Like I said, a rule’s a rule, but let’s just be consistent. That’s all I ask.”

The Warriors will be back in action on Friday in a showdown with the Chicago Bulls.

The post Steve Kerr Frustrated with NBA’s ‘Selective’ Officiating on Travel Calls appeared first on SLAM.

Butler averaged 25.6 points per game in that series while shooting 47 percent from the field. Butler was clearly on a whole other level in that series, including a 47-point Game 6 performance in TD Garden to force a Game 7 back in Miami.

The Heat and Celtics have matched up in the playoffs twice in the past two years, with Miami getting the best of Boston in 2019-2020 and Boston beating the Heat last year.

So far this year, the Heat (10-12) haven’t looked like themselves, as they currently sit in 11th place in the East. On the flip side, you look at the Boston Celtics, which seem to be clicking on all cylinders. They sit in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 18-4 and are winners of their last five straight games.

The two teams recently played an exhibition together this past Wednesday, but the undermanned Heat was no match for the healthy Celtics and ended up losing 134-121. Celtics star Jayson Tatum went off for a season-high 49 points as well.

Butler took to his Instagram story yesterday with a little hype-up video giving Heat fans hope and Celtics fans flashbacks to last year, saying he is “on the way.” Hopefully, Butler’s return helps to change the course of this Heat team’s record and shifts the momentum to a positive one going into the All-Star break.

We’ll have to wait and see if the Heat can start the month of December off strong.

The post Jimmy Butler’s Message to Boston Ahead of Friday Matchup: ‘I’m On the Way’ appeared first on SLAM.

Taco Jay is on a rampage, and he’s launched himself to the top of the MVP race. Wednesday, Tatum dropped a season-high 49 points on 8-12 threes and 15-25 shooting from the floor in a 134-121 win over the Miami Heat. TD Garden lauded the guard’s stellar performance with MVP chants.

“That means everything,” Tatum said per NBC Sports Boston about the MVP chants during the game. “That’s something I’ve dreamed about as a kid, and to hear it in front of our home crowd from the best fans in the world, it holds a special place in my heart.”

“I love this place, I love being here, and hearing that during the game gives you chills.”

Leading the No. 1 ranked Celtics with 31.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, Tatum is locked in as an early-season MVP candidate. 

The C’s are a League-best 18-4 a quarter of the way into the season, and they are hungry as ever following their Finals run.

Tatum has been vocal about the devastation he felt following Boston’s Finals loss to the Warriors and the subsequent motivation he and the Celtics’ have to get back to the championship round and ultimately win a championship. 

While Tatum’s first five seasons with the Celtics were riddled with inconsistency, injuries, and both roster and front-office changes, the C’s may have finally found their footing. Undoubtedly their most consistent and confident start to the season, the Celtics rely on an unusual metaphor to stay locked-in day after day: the sandcastle.

Every time the Celtics enter the film room, head coach Joe Mazzulla has a picture or video of sand castles up. The “cheesy” message is that you build great sandcastles on vacation, but when you leave the beach, the tide inevitably comes in and washes the sandcastle away. So the next day, you arrive at the beach, and you build another sandcastle. 

The C’s are focused on being a one-win-at-a-time team. They are trying to show up each day and build the best sandcastle they can. 

“It’s a choice that we’ve got to make every day when we come in and try to be the best version of ourselves — and knowing that it’s never going to be easy,” Tatum said per MSN. “We’re always going to get the other team’s best shot.”

An 18-4 record and a dominant win over an Eastern Conference rival in Miami don’t mean much to Boston today. That record and that win were yesterday. The tide came in, washed the win away, and left a fresh beach for Boston to build another great sandcastle. 

The Celtics refuse to be complacent. They refuse to be satisfied. Until they win Banner 18, it’s “done, next” for the C’s.

Boston faces the Heat again tomorrow night and looks to add another W to their win column.

The post Records and Sandcastles: An MVP Candidate and Unique Mindset Keep the Celtics Rolling appeared first on SLAM.

Boston Celtics center Al Horford has agreed on a two-year, $20 million contract extension that ties him to the franchise through his 39th birthday, his agent Jason Glushon of @GlushonSM tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/10v0FHqIIU

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 1, 2022

Horford will be under contract with Boston through his 39th birthday. The 6’9 center is averaging 10.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.8 rebounds per game on 55.5 percent shooting from the field and 48.8 percent from beyond the arc. Boston (18-4) has the top record right now in the League due to their top-ranked offense (121.5 offensive rating) and 20th-ranked defense (112.4).

Horford and Boston are coming off a 134-121 win over the Miami Heat, their fifth consecutive win in a row. They’ll look to make it six straight when they play Miami again on Friday.

The post REPORT: Celtics and Al Horford Agree to A Two-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

A left knee tendinosis diagnosis has kept Oladipo sidelined for all 21 games Miami has played. Head coach Erik Spoelstra says, “I do not have a timeline” for when he can return.

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A post shared by Victor Oladipo (@victoroladipo)

Oladipo could be the difference-maker for a struggling Heat team this season. In the Heat’s playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, Oladipo averaged 10.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals off the bench.

Although the stats won’t show it, his best performance was against Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics, holding Brown to four crucial turnovers in the second half to force a Game 7 that ultimately highlighted his perimeter defensive skillset.

The guard play of the Heat has taken its strides from last season as Gabe Vincent, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro are all playing to their capabilities, but Oladipo would be a bonus to a bench unit that has struggled to generate turnovers defensively, being third worst in the League.

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The situation for Oladipo can’t be as troubled as it was to start the season, however, as he has now been putting in reps with the squad in their current road trip. With Spoelstra wishing to coach a healthy lineup, adding Oladipo to team practices could help ease him into a minimal playing status.

“He’s on this trip for a reason, to continue to get good work, but also to get the connection piece, the fellowship piece with our guys,” Spoelstra said. “It’s really important. That’s as important for him, being out, just being around the group.”

The post Erik Spoelstra: ‘I Do Not Have a Timeline’ For Victor Oladipo’s Return appeared first on SLAM.

Haynes reported on Lillard’s injury timetable while Portland took on the Los Angeles Clippers on national TV. The Trail Blazers lost that game, 118-112, dropping their record to 11-10, good for seventh in the Western Conference. Lillard has been missing in action since he aggravated his troublesome calf on Nov. 19.

Dame Time first injured his calf on Oct. 27 while warming up to play against the Miami Heat. The muscle tightened up so much that it forced the six-time All-Star to leave the game for good in the third quarter.

Lillard is averaging 26.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game on 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. When he returns, the Weber State product will look to make up for lost time by helping Portland advance up the standings going into December.

The post REPORT: Portland Expects Damian Lillard to Return By Dec. 4 appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

Paolo’s debut.

27 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST. More on the way. pic.twitter.com/JE76Woc910

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 20, 2022

After missing seven games with a sprained left ankle, Orlando Magic’s first-year sensation Paolo Banchero is inching closer to a return. Banchero injured his ankle on Nov. 7 against the Houston Rockets. On Wednesday, the team was relieved to see their number-one pick come to practice after missing some time. 

gradual improvement @Pp_doesit pic.twitter.com/q0pRzxzjxo

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 23, 2022

Before getting hurt, the Magic rookie was the clear favorite for winning Rookie of the Year despite it being too early in the season. Banchero leads all rookies in scoring, averaging 23.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. 

With the first-year forward in the lineup, the Magic have only gone 2-9. Although they have managed to secure a 3-4 record without him, there’s no doubt Orlando could use their rising star right about now. The Magic are only 5-13 on the season and currently sit two games back from the 12th-seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. This team will need all the help they can get to turn their season around.

According to the Magic, Banchero’s status for Friday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers is up in the air. How he responds to the practice session and treatment will determine whether or not he’ll be ready to suit up.

The post Paolo Banchero Practices for the First Time Since Suffering Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

With three of the four losses coming down to the wire, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra feels the quality of his star players on the court, can set a difference in a short amount of minutes.

“At some point, hopefully, we’ll be getting some guys back,” Spoelstra said per Sports Illustrated. “Even if they’re not fully 100 percent, even if they’re close enough, maybe they can give us a little bit of reinforcement, even if it’s just short minutes. That’s where we are right now.”

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The Heat is dealing with a loss of their defensive identity in just one season. They were one of the best defensive teams last season; now, the Heat are currently tied for 14th in the League with the Atlanta Hawks, who both hold a 111.1 defensive rating. They average the second lowest blocks, even with the 16 out of the 18 games Adebayo has played.

Kyle Lowry isn’t the same focal point of an offense as he once was, but he has kept the Heat within reach in the last four games while averaging 18.3 points and 7.3 assists. The resurgence of Lowry is encouraging, considering his struggling performance in last year’s playoffs, but it’ll have to remain once Butler returns and looks to reclaim his spot as Miami’s top scorer.

“Just give us whatever you have,” Spoelstra said. “Whatever you have, just give us. If you’re used to playing 30 minutes, just give us 15. If you’re used to playing 20 minutes, give us eight, so we can kind of manage things right now.”

For now, the Heat remains without several of their former All-Stars, and it may stay that way for the time coming. Questions are piling up, and a fired-up Spoelstra may be the finishing touch to what has been a roller-coaster season for South Beach.

The post Head Coach Erik Spoelstra Awaits The Return Of Star Players appeared first on SLAM.

He is Nikola Jovic, the 27th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Though many speculated he was the steal that night, the opportunity to showcase his talents hasn’t been presented enough until last night against the Toronto Raptors.

“next man up” mentality pic.twitter.com/hniB9AJiE8

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 18, 2022

The absence of Bam Adebayo and Omer Yurtseven made the Heat relatively thin at the front court, and considering their lack of length, Spoelstra had to turn to one of his forwards to fill in the center position. Surely enough, Spoelstra called on the 6’10” rookie out of Serbia for rim protection against Toronto stars like OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, and Scottie Barnes.

In the 24 minutes the 19-year-old played, Spoelstra had nothing but positive things to say about Jovic.

“We felt putting him with the starters would give him the best chance to compliment that group,” Spoelstra during a TV interview, per BallySports. “He was terrific, particularly in that first half. He played with a lot of energy. He gave us some relief baskets. His skill level — all of those things are good.”

Jović already at 9 points, let’s hear those hot takes #HEATTwitter pic.twitter.com/fS6fIDNn4b

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 17, 2022

Although the Heat took another loss, it’s encouraging to see Jovic stride in different positions. His versatility could undoubtedly be used further down the season, but the Heat should strongly consider evaluating him for the starting four spot right now due to their lack of length and offensive firepower.

Jovic’s intentions are where they need to be, stating there’s plenty more he looks to improve upon, specifically on the glass. The Heat is the third-worst rebounding team in the League, and If Spoelstra looks to turn the Heat season around, giving his rookie more minutes may pay dividends to reclaim that top seed in the Eastern Conference.

“I want to be more efficient rebounding,” said Jovic after the 19 rebound margin in favor of the Raptors. “If I’m the biggest guy on the court, someone needs to grab that ball, and it should be me, and I’m going to work on that more.”

The post Nikola Jovic Impresses Erik Spoelstra in First Career Start appeared first on SLAM.

It wasn’t the prettiest of victories to their now three-game win streak, as the Suns held a 13 point-advantage at one point, but the dominance of Bam Adebayo showed up at the perfect time in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 30 points.

His two-way play seems to be pushing the team in the right direction, as his screens and playmaking are getting Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry in much needed rhythm.

After the game, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke on the value Adebayo provides on both sides of the ball and how his responsibilities can benefit the rest of the team.

“He’s such a winner. He’s an absolute winner,” said Spoelstra. “He can morph into so many different roles for us where he makes it look so much easier to the average fan – everybody just wants him to score 40.”

Adebayo had been off to a slow start for the first seven games of the season, resulting in the Heat winning just two games in October. Now, winners of five of their seven games in November, Adebayo has jumped his averages to 20.7 points per game, 10.3 rebounds, and 40 assists per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field.

The Heat is doing better once Adebayo takes over a game, but as co-star Jimmy Butler mentioned last week, Miami’s defense is “not where it needs to be.”

With a 111.8 defensive rating, the Heat are 17th in the League in that category, a major drop from their fourth-best rating last season. However, the team is third in the League in points allowed in the paint (44.7), courtesy of Adebayo’s anchoring down inside.

“Understanding how to read defenses and what’s necessary for this team,” said Spoelstra on Adebayo. “when to be assertive, when to create for others, when to set screens for guys, look, I’ve never coached really somebody where there’s been so many different responsibilities,”

Spoelstra has taken leadership over legends like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and of course, Butler, the current face of the team. Encouraging words like the one Spoelstra said on Adebayo should factor into how confident the big man plays the rest of the year.

The post Erik Spoelstra: Bam Adebayo ‘Can Morph into Many Different Roles’ appeared first on SLAM.

The team comes off a 117-112 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets Thursday night. In a game that featured the Heat forcing 20 turnovers, nine of them steals, the team just could not put away the Hornets in the regular period, even when their lead was as big as 15.

“Not where we need it to be,” Butler said on the state of the Heat’s defense, per Sports Illustrated. “It’s not all bad, but there are a lot of mistakes, miscommunication, not getting back easily correctable stuff. Hopefully, we start doing that pretty soon and stacking some Ws because we’re in dire need of some wins.”

35 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists last night… and his teammates appreciated every bit of it. #HEATCulture

Popular Moment of the Week // @popularbank pic.twitter.com/Dptz8fiddc

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 11, 2022

Their 110.8 defensive rating puts the Heat near the middle of the pack across the League. It’s not a dramatic drop, but the team did have a 108.4 defensive rating last season, fourth-best behind the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Boston Celtics.

The Heat was defeated at the buzzer against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, a game where the Heat also had a chance to run away with a sizable victory.

Butler had 16 points to go along with six steals, but leaving Blazers guard Josh Hart open at the corner three-point line left the FTX Arena stunned as he knocked in the winning trey.

HART FOR THE WIN #RipCity | @joshhart pic.twitter.com/kTTLL5dcam

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 8, 2022

Though they’ve managed to give up close ones, the Heat seems to be finding their defensive approach to avoid living in those late-game circumstances, according to head coach Erik Spoelstra.

“It’s part of our identity that we really need to be disruptive and get teams out their comfort zone in a lot of different ways, which requires a big energy and focus commitment,” Spoelstra said. “To be able to be active, get our hands on balls, deny passes, play multiple schemes, that’s our lifeblood defensively.” 

The Heat have a chance to prove they’re back to their pesky defensive habits again against the Hornets tomorrow night.

The post Jimmy Butler Says the Miami Heat Defense is ‘Not Where it Needs to Be’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, Boston’s All-Star duo changed that narrative and blossomed into the mature stars that Celtics fans had been hoping for since 2010 when they beat the Miami Heat to advance to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

A credit to their dynamic run was the message shared by former teammate Kemba Walker, who spent time with the team from 2019-2021. During an appearance on NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast, Walker talked about the importance of the duo playing team basketball in order to reach new heights.

“They’ve always seen the talks and people saying they can’t play together. But I always just tried to tell them, ‘Just block that out,'” said Walker. “I always told them, ‘This organization ain’t going nowhere without you two.’ Literally.”

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The two frankly needed each to go on the journey they did last season. In the games Brown missed, the team went 8-8; without Tatum, the Celtics had a record of 2-4.

Of course, the stud defensive unit of Al Horford, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams may have contributed to a portion of those victories, but the team certainly doesn’t match the post-season threats of a Brooklyn Nets or Milwaukee Bucks without the star power and intangibles of Tatum and Brown.

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“My main thing to those guys was that they had to love each other,” said Walker. “Those two guys, Jayson and Jaylen — you two guys have to come together as much as you can and lead this team to the promised land. They can’t go anywhere without those two guys. Those two guys are so special, and they’ve shown it.”

The chemistry they’ve developed has grown into this season, as the Celtics currently have an 8-3 record, tying the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second-best in the conference.

The road towards another shot at a championship remains long for the Celtic. If Tatum and Brown still look to win the ultimate prize, they must still consider the leadership-quality messages of Walker.

The post Kemba Walker: Boston ‘Won’t Go Anywhere’ Without Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown appeared first on SLAM.

A win against teams like that can build a spark to the locker, but being on the losing end creates questioning on where the Kings need to improve their roster.

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The Kings find ways to look solid for four quarters by relying on the two-way prowess of former all-star Domantas Sabonis and the point guard wizardry of De’Aaron Fox. He currently averages 16.3 points, 11.1 rebounds (8th best in the League), and 6.1 assists per game. In the three games played in November, the center has averaged 36 minutes a game which is the most amongst others in his position.

In this case, the Kings’ frontcourt depth isn’t as solid as Brown would have hoped to start the season. However, their 2010 fifth overall pick DeMarcus Cousins believes he has the intangibles at 32-years-old to push the Kings out of their 16-year playoff drought in a recent Twitter reply.

In his seven years with the Kings from 2010-2017, Cousins averaged 21.1 points per game. His last two seasons with the franchise were one of the most dominant showings of a big in the modern era, as he averaged over 25 points a game to pair with a double-double in rebounds. Not to mention, Cousins also recorded a 56-point outing, the third most among active NBA centers.

Boogie hasn’t been the same since tearing his quad and ACLbut is still capable of turning back the clock to his All-Star level of play. In his current form, Boogie is a reliable force down low; he can spread the floor as an occasional floor spacer and rebound at a fearsome pace off the bench.

Cousins has become a journeyman in the latter stages of his career due to the injuries above. However, being a significant contributor on a playoff squad could help him become a franchise legend and help him land a job on another team if he so chooses.

The post DeMarcus Cousins Believes He Can Contribute to Kings Making a Playoff Push appeared first on SLAM.

“I really don’t care at all,” Herro said, per the Sun Sentinel. “Maybe if it ended in a loss, but we won — I’m just going to play my game, and if they call a travel, they call a travel.”

The League announced the missed call a day after the game, as Herro picked up his dribble off a pump fake and changed his pivot in the motion of the three-point shot.

We only needed 2, a Herro came to the rescue with 3

Money Play // @FTX_Official pic.twitter.com/jK8EGUzk99

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 3, 2022

That kind of moment has defined Herro’s season thus far. Herro is second on the Heat in scoring, averaging 18.6 points a game to go along with career highs in both rebounds (6.6) and field goal percentage (47.8).

Unwilling to give up a third loss in their last four games, Coach Erik Spoelstra spoke on the call and how sometimes officiating hasn’t gone their way.

“They’re just really tough calls at the end of games,” said Spoelstra. “We’ve been on both sides of it. So I can understand the frustration on their side of it — The game can be decided in so many different ways and not just a whistle at the end of a game.”

Kings Coach Mike Brown was upset the travel wasn’t called but credited his group for putting up a fight to last season’s number one seed in the East.

“I would not be doing my job if I didn’t come up here and protect my guys,” said Brown. “To pump fake on a sidestep, a sidestep or hop, and then one-two and a shot and not make that call, to me, it’s just unbelievable. It’s not why we lost the game, although I don’t think we got a fair whistle.”

Criticizing officiating is a tale as old as sports itself. The scrutiny around the missed call has unforeseen consequences that may not be understood until the season starts to matter in April.

The post Tyler Herro Reacts to NBA’s Call On His Game-Winner Against the Kings appeared first on SLAM.

Last night’s 116-109 victory versus the Golden State Warriors was a huge statement win for Miami, as Kyle Lowry (13 points, nine assists, five rebounds) made history, passing Jason Kidd for 12th on the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list after going 3-8 from beyond the arc. The Heat’s sharpshooters Max Strus and Duncan Robinson also came alive off the bench to combine for 41 points to power Miami to the win!

Lowry finished the game with 13 points on 50 percent shooting (5-10), nine assists, and five rebounds. The Strus got loose and went for 24 points to lead the team in scoring, making eight of his seventeen shots and shooting forty percent from deep. Then the icing on the cake was Robinson, who contributed 17 points on 62.5 percent shooting from three.

“For us to get a win like that is huge for us with how our season has gone thus far,” Strus said in a postgame interview with Bally Sports Sun’s Will Manso. “To grind one out, out of the mud, and win one like that is huge for our confidence, and hopefully, it pushes our momentum forward.”

Manso also caught up with Robinson postgame and asked about the Heat’s “next man up” mentality. Robinson had this to say following his hot shooting night;

“We’re a deep team, so somebody goes down, different guys are going to step up and try to contribute.”

Miami seems to be heating up at the right time and is looking to keep things rolling tonight versus the Sacramento Kings at home. There are still a lot of games left, which means that the Heat can only continue to improve from here on out.

The post Kyle Lowry Moves Up to 12th On All-Time Made Three Pointers List appeared first on SLAM.

The head coaching search didn’t last long for the Nets as reports have now circulated that they’ve narrowed their candidates to just Udoka and former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder. The Nets could possibly name him as their new head coach within the next 24 hours according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Last season, Udoka led the Celtics to a first round sweep against the Nets, which then resulted in seven game series wins against the then-defending champions Milwaukee Bucks and the first seeded Miami Heat.

Leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals was pinnacle success for the first year head coach, but then this offseason, allegations surfaced around a former employee and Udoka having ‘inappropriate relations,’ leading to the one-year suspension.

Altough it isn’t finalized as of yet, Udoka could soon lead the helm of another franchise with high expectations.

The post Ime Udoka Reportedly Emerges as Frontrunner for Nets Head Coaching Job appeared first on SLAM.

That leaves Philadelphia with 2 tradable 2nd round picks in the next 7 years:

2023: The more favorable of ATL, CHA and BKN
2029: Own

The lone first they can trade is in 2029. https://t.co/fjBhB91dHc

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 31, 2022

The Sixers were found to be tampering, defined as engaging with a player before free agency begins that allows teams to negotiate deals. The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania reported that the $15 million pay cut that former MVP James Harden took this off-season was not part of the offense to League rules.

The team made a statement acknowledging the result of the investigation, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski states the League will look into tampering rules to avoid a conflict like this again.

In such a case, the NBA would have to investigate several teams, considering how quickly reports of signings are released. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls were found to be tampering last season as well, and this could very much influence the League’s decision to make harsher punishments.

After concluding their investigation with the Sixers, the NBA focuses on the New York Knicks’ signing of Jalen Brunson.

The post NBA Docks Two Second-Round Picks From 76ers For Tampering appeared first on SLAM.

While Vanderbilt has been productive on the glass and in the scoring department, his versatility and ability to defend multiple positions make Miami interested in the 23-year-old.

“They hoped to get Utah to give up Jarred Vanderbilt—they want defense at that spot,” said the executive to Heavy Sports.” They want to see what they have with guys like Caleb Martin, see how he handles that spot.”

Losing P.J. Tucker during the offseason was a significant loss for the Heat, and not bringing in any critical players on top of that did not help their case either. Tucker’s absence is starting to show after Miami opened up the campaign with a disappointing 2-5 record. 

Adding Vanderbilt to this struggling roster can work wonders, and it may just be what this team is missing. The young forward has even shown signs of his new and improved three-point shot, shooting it at a career-best 42.9 percent. Undoubtedly, he would adapt nicely alongside Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt, which operates mainly in the paint. Nevertheless, the Heat have time to make this call. The NBA trade deadline is on Feb.9.

Miami is back in action on Nov. 1 when they take on the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors.

The post REPORT: Miami Interested in Acquiring Jarred Vanderbilt appeared first on SLAM.

The one thing that got the legendary shooter out of character were some recent comments Charles Barkley made suggesting Thompson’s game was “slipping” despite it being less than a year since he returned from a torn achilles. Unprompted, Thompson addressed those critics after the Warriors beat the Miami Heat, 123-110, on Thursday night.

“I’ve got one thing to say,” Thompson said. “So, it hurts when someone like Charles Barkley, with the platform that he has, says you’re not the same player prior to the injuries you had. It’s like ‘No, duh, man.’ Consecutive years, like. I tore my ACL and Achilles in consecutive years and still helped the team win a championship. It hurt hearing that because I put so much freaking effort to get back to this point. It’s hard to even put into words what I had to do to be the player I am today.

“I played 55, 57 games in three years. Give me some freaking time to get that back. To hear someone say ‘Oh, he’s not the same player as he was prior to the injuries.’ Like, duh. Who goes through that and comes back…I don’t know, it just hurt my heart hearing that. But you know, I’m going to internalize it and it’s going to be fuel for me to be even better. I’m very proud of what we accomplished last year and I feel like I was a huge part of it. I’m not going to let these injuries be a crutch for me. I’m just going to keep going and I’m going to have a great year. You can bet on that.”

Thompson cont.: "I played 57 games in three years. Give me some freaking time to get that back. Who goes through something like that and comes back — it just hurt my heart. But I’m going to internalize it and it’s going to be fuel for me." https://t.co/VnhRTy7atz

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 28, 2022

Barkley’s comments came after Thompson was ejected for the first time in his career during the third quarter of a blowout loss to the up-and-coming Phoenix Suns. Thompson and Devin Booker were jaw-jacking during a tension-filled third quarter that featured the Suns and Warriors drawing a record-tying seven technical fouls in one quarter.

During halftime of the nationally televised Warriors-Suns game, Barkley suggested that Thompson and Draymond Green are “slipping” and suggeseted that “Father Time is knocking on the door of a couple of those guys.” The comments come during a time when Coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors medical staff placed the four-time champs on a minute restriction to start the season.

On Tuesday, Thompson responded with season-high numbers nearly across the stat sheet. The five-time All-Star posted 19 points on 6-19 shooting from the field and 5-14 shooting from beyond the arc in 29 minutes, all season-high marks for Thompson.

“It’s so great and it’s a huge building block for me” Thompson said about his workload. “It’s the best I’ve feld conditioning-wise.”

Thompson on playing a season-high 29 minutes: "It's so great and it's a huge building block for me. It's the best I've felt conditioning-wise."

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 28, 2022

When Stephen Curry was asked about Thompson’s postgame reponse, he noted that his Splash Brother was in a good mood all day long, but believes that Barkley’s remarks fueled Thompson to put on his 19-point performance.

“The comments are part of our success, like you’re always going to be in a spotlight and people care about how you’re playing and care to comment positively or negatively because they know that will move the needle,” Curry told reporters after the win Thursday. “And when you say certain names, people are going to pay attention. But it’s interesting because certain guys forget what their careers looked like on the back end. So you can kind of cast and throw those stones but Klay’s still in here, like you said, helping us win a championship after the two hellish years that he had.

“And now, it’s just balancing, for him, the expectations of what he was before the injuries and what he can get back to, all the while maintaining his impact on winning. I’m sure he’s comparing to the stat lines and percentages and all that, but I think I heard coach [Steve Kerr] talk about it earlier. He’s gone through this, even before the injuries, where slow starts don’t really hold him down, don’t kill his confidence. But when you come off a championship, you have such a hunger and a desire to get back to what he wants to be personally. And he’s going to get there. It’s just a matter of sticking with the program, the time that he puts in. His competitive fire that comes out every single night. And he’s going to make shots. We’re not worried about that. It’s a long season.”

Thompson, Green, and the Warriors will have another chance to dispute Barkley’s observations when they take on the Charlotte Hornets to start a five-game Eastern Conference road trip.

The post Klay Thompson ‘Hurt Hearing’ Comments That His Game Is ‘Slipping’ appeared first on SLAM.

Damian Lillard (right calf strain) – Will not return

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 27, 2022

Lillard said that his calf was bothering him during pregame warmups, calling it a “little bit tight, like a little bit irritated, but nothing that I hadn’t felt before.” Lillard said that he was aware that his calf got progressively worse “as the game went on.” At halftime, Lillard put on a calf sleeve “to put some compression on it.”

The injury reached its climax through the third quarter after Lillard seemed to aggravate his right calf on a made three-pointer. He stayed in the game for another possession but quickly exited after he turned the ball over.

“It felt the same to start the third, and on the last shot that I made, when I rose up real quick, I just felt it get real tight,” said Lillard. “Went back on defense just to see how it would feel; it felt fine running up the court, and then the next time I did another move, I tried to stop, and I just felt how tight it was. It wasn’t like something happened; it was just like, let me get it off the court and see what’s going on.

“It wasn’t nothing I was overly concerned with; I just knew it wouldn’t make sense to try to push through it in the fifth game of the season.”

Quick deposit #RipCity | @Dame_Lillard pic.twitter.com/whiNM1yWWO

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 27, 2022

Postgame, Lillard announced he went through tests to see how severe the strain was. The injury didn’t require an MRI, and Lillard said that he was able to compete, suggesting that his calf strain is moderate at best. The six-time All-Star thinks he would’ve played if it was a playoff game. Dame Time was adamant that the injury wasn’t severe but admitted that he would likely sit out Friday’s game against the Rockets, Portland’s fourth contest in six days.

Portland will have four days off after Friday and won’t play again until Nov. 2, giving Lillard nearly a whole week to heal before they resume action against the Grizzlies. Jeff Stotts, the co-host of In Street Clothes podcast, reported that last season the average time missed for a calf strain was 16 days. He also said that Lillard missed two games during the 2017-2019 season due to a calf strain on the same leg.

“Now I’ve got to be smart,” said Lillard. “Just make sure I’m getting a couple treatment sessions in each day and just try to stretch it. Probably not going to be playing in that game Friday, that’ll give me six days of maybe two sessions, some days three sessions some other days, try to be ready for (Memphis), but we’ll see.”

The post Damian Lillard Isn’t ‘Overly Concerned’ About Calf Injury He Suffered Wednesday appeared first on SLAM.

Over the weekend of September 3rd, thousands of fans streamed into the house that Michael Jordan built, the United Center in Chicago. DeMar DeRozan wasn’t laced up. There was no game going on. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters were not there to see Zach LaVine defy gravity but to witness artistry of another genre. Inside this hoops sanctuary, among the six championship banners and Larry O’Brien trophies and retired jerseys hanging in the rafters, was a giant pop-up exhibition featuring 120 fine, street and graffiti artists from 15 different countries. This gallery, containing hundreds of works for sale, with as many interpretations of the game, was the main attraction of Bulls Fest 2022.

The “Art of the Game” exhibition is a collaboration between the Chicago Bulls and local printer, designer and curator Zissou Tasseff-Elenkoff, owner of the gallery All-Star Press. This weekend was not the first time the two entities teamed up but instead represented the culmination of over 30 projects the franchise and the local Chicago gallery have collaborated on, going back to 2018. What started as a sourcing of local artists to create game-day posters grew to limited edition stadium merch drops and manifested into Bulls Fest 2022, a spectacle even Tasseff-Elenkoff was taken aback by.

“This was something I have not seen on a scale this large. It was a very special weekend.”

Bulls Fest is indicative of a growing trend in the NBA, and other corporations, of an increased interest in and embrace of street, graffiti and fine art.

The League’s interest is not new, of course. The culture of street art and graffiti mirrored, matured and grew with the popularity of the sport, as basketball overtook baseball and football to become one of the country’s most viable global exports. Hip-hop, along with the astounding levels of play, ingenuity and genius of the athletes, is indeed the engine that powers the viability and allure of the NBA to younger audiences stateside and across the planet.

The players grew up with and were often from the same communities where emerging emcees, b-boys and b-girls, graffiti artists and DJs lived, and innovated the youth cultural practice that would bring together more young people.

From the vibrant sheen and clean and stylized fonts of ’90s Starter jackets and Mike’s gold chains, to Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon commercials and the braids, tattoos and fitted caps of Allen Iverson, the NBA was the first major sports league to follow the lead of the culture, though reluctant and not without a fight, due to generational gaps and racial fears.

Graffiti and street art have been moving to the center of the more formal and fine art world over the last several decades. Banksy is a showstopper at Sotheby’s, OG graffiti writers like Futura and Lee Quiñones have become highly coveted in collections around the globe, and NBA and WNBA teams have commissioned some of the most well-known street artists in the world to honor teams and their players. The Lakers have worked with Mr. Cartoon and OG Slick to create murals and limited merch. The Phoenix Suns partnered with local muralists in 2021 to devise new logos and put the faces of Devin Booker and Chris Paul all over the city.

This past spring, the city of Milwaukee and the Bucks commissioned graffiti writer and muralist Mauricio Ramirez to paint a 50-foot photo-realist portrait of Giannis Antetokounmpo on a building facing Fiserv Forum. The result is a stunning tribute to the Greek Freak, the game of basketball and the team. The mural is part of a business district improvement plan and has become a new landmark and attraction for people to meet in front of, taking and sharing photos. For the artist, it was a dream come true.

“My mom grew up in Milwaukee, and on my dad’s side, everyone lives in Mexico,” Ramirez tells us. “I grew up in the ’90s, playing basketball with friends, and when I was growing up, it was like, Whose house are we playing at?”
His older cousins were into graffiti and stylized lettering and were in the graffiti crew DS aka Drop Squad. For Ramirez, that was “my true introduction to art, color theory, drawing and the tools I was introduced to: markers, spray paint. And since then, I’ve wanted to get better and better. Graffiti and hip-hop are all about skills. Going hard, snapping, and that’s the mindset I bring to each project, especially if it’s in the public.”

Tubz speaks of his work with a similar fervor and extends the analogy to players in the League. “I was thinking about how seriously NBA players take their craft. It’s as serious as I take my art. These players give everything. They dedicate their lives to their sport, their craft. They’re constantly in the gym. They were shooting in the backyard when they were kids idolizing Jordan, doing the fade away, saying ‘Jordan!’ I was doing that, too. And 10 years later, they are in the draft.” Being recognized by the team and franchise he idolized as a kid brings a similar feeling for Tubz and artists like him. “I feel like this is my draft. I’m getting drafted to the big leagues.”

For Tasseff-Elenkoff, who has owned galleries and helped give a platform and profile to underrepresented artists for decades, this moment represents, “a cultural shift toward youth.”

“Murals and street art and people like Shepard Fairey, Cleon Peterson and Pose, are all components of that culture, and on a local level, people like Sentrock and JC Rivera all resonate back to the streets and what kids are interested in. And if brands and these teams want to stay relevant, they have to shift into new media and new culture. And a lot of that, over the last two decades, has been through art.”

The art world, like the league, has scouts who seek and develop new emerging talent and connect artists of the unknown to the largest stages and platforms. Like in any field, there are those who pursue the path for a bottom line and there are those who are called to the space because of a love and vision for the work, a gift of sorts for seeing what others cannot.

Mr. Nice Art is a curator, collector and visionary with an eye for what will be popular in years to come. A kind of shit-talking iconoclast who walks the walk.

“I never wanted to be the person that wanted to be the face of anything,” he says. “Growing up in Chicago, you move in a particular way.” He is shrouded in an MF Doom-like mystery. He does little to no press and is nearly impossible to find pictures, or word of, on the internet. He also might be one of the most important connectors in the world of contemporary art and culture.

Mr. Nice Art grew up in a Southside neighborhood a high school away from Chicago Vocational, home to then-prep star Juwan Howard, whom he first met in the 6th grade. Years later, in 2007, while working retail at Neiman Marcus and styling people like Kanye West and Jerry Lorenzo, he connected again with Howard and his wife when they came in the store. After commenting on Juwan’s Panerai 289 Luminor rose gold watch, the two rekindled their friendship. Howard eventually encouraged Mr. Nice Art to take the commissions he was making from Neiman’s and consider investing in art. While Howard was collecting Kerry James Marshall and other notable—and expensive—artists, it forced Mr. Nice Art to “look for Chicago artists early on, because I couldn’t afford what my boy Juwan was affording. Dude is a millionaire.”

Mr. Nice Art began going to the makeshift studios of young artists and applying what he knew about retail and the maturing of fine watches to the world of art. He developed relationships with unknown painters from the studio, street and graffiti art scenes around the same time hip-hop in Chicago was gaining more and more international notice. Cultural communities often rise together, and in 2012 when Chief Keef and Chance the Rapper were beaming examples of the young genius coming out of Chicago, Mr. Nice Art happened to be working with a local emerging painter and sculptor named Hebru Brantley.

In 2012, Brantley was having a show for private collectors that Q-Tip was DJing. During prep for the show, Howard called and asked what Mr. Nice Art was up to. He told him about Brantley’s show and Howard said something to the effect of, “S**t, hook me up if you think he’s good.” Howard was serious and followed up saying that he would send money to Mr. Nice Art and he should pick out something nice within that budget, keeping the rest for a commission.

Mr. Nice Art attended Brantley’s show and walked away with six original pieces, one of which LeBron James saw hanging inside Howard’s home.

“We always knew Juwan was going to be a coach. As he was playing, he was always directing the game on the court,” says Mr. Nice Art. “To keep it real with you, the Heat had him on the roster not only to be a good example of a Black man but also to be…a mentor to LeBron.”

And the student did receive the lessons. James, as Mr. Nice Art tells, wanted to do something special for his teammates and was encouraged by Howard to think of an investment in art made by a Black artist. Mr. Nice Art connected James with Brantley, who then commissioned 15 original works to celebrate Miami’s 2012 NBA championship.

That was 10 years ago. Since then, athletes have invested millions into the contemporary art market. Mr. Nice Art credits moguls like Swizz Beatz and Jay-Z for pushing the culture forward, and he acknowledges collectors like Patrick McCoy who was a mentor.

“The torch was extended, and guys like me took it,” he adds.

He is preparing for a million things all at once, including connecting some of the younger artists he is working with to the major collections of both private high net worth individuals and the permanent collections of major museums.

“I don’t hear ‘Collect art,’” he says. “I hear, ‘Preserve your history.’ We wouldn’t know what the cavemen were doing if we didn’t see the art they placed on the wall.”

Photos curtesy All Star Press Chicago

The post From the NBA to Top Names Around the League, Here’s How the Basketball Community is Tapping into the Art World appeared first on SLAM.

The 76ers picked up their first win of the season after beating the Pacers 120-106 on Monday due to a herculean effort from Harden. The ten-time All-Star dropped 29 points, dished out 11 assists, and grabbed nine rebounds in the game. Joel Embiid was left praising Harden upon the final buzzer.

“He’s been doing great,” said Embiid. “I’m happy for him, and we’re gonna need it. We’re gonna need him to be confident and really feel himself, and he’s been doing it. So now we just got to get everybody playing at the same level so we can win games.”  

29 PTS | 11 AST | 9 REB

Alexa, play Jimmy Cooks

presented by @PALottery pic.twitter.com/5X7o8Pd3BY

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 25, 2022

With the performances Harden has been putting on, The Beards showing shades of his MVP form. In four games so far, the Beard is averaging 26.8 points, 9.8 assists, and 8.5 rebounds. 

Embiid understands how much work the 33-year-old put in during the summer to reach this point. In fact, it was the Sixers’ big man who told reporters that the Philly version of Harden wasn’t the Houston version after the 76ers got eliminated by the Miami Heat in the playoffs last year.

“I am sure since we got him, everybody expected the Houston James Harden,” said Embiid following a loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6. “But that’s not who he is anymore. He is more of a playmaker.”

Game Highlights vs. Pacers | 10.24.22

pres. by @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/wJc8If2hHb

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 25, 2022

With Harden’s scoring numbers up, it’s going to be interesting to see if the team shifts scoring options between him and Embiid as the go-to scorer moving forward. Philadelphia will play the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

The post Joel Embiid ‘Happy’ for James Harden Amidst His Hot Scoring Start appeared first on SLAM.

All four of these games were part of a season-opening homestand. The last of which came in a 98-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors. However, Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry has a fix and a bit of perspective to help keep the Heat on track. 

“We’re just trying to figure it out. I mean, honestly, it’s four games in. I think we’re trying to figure it out. I know we said running it back, and I agree with that, but we still have different guys in different roles in different situations,” Lowry told The Miami Herald in Miami’s locker room following the loss. “So we have to figure it out how to all be on the same page.” 

Lowry is an NBA Champion and 36-years-old in his 17th NBA season, so he knows a lot about figuring it out. He’s averaging 10.8 points per game on 28.2 percent shooting from the field and 28.0 percent from three through four games this season. 

Lowry’s most significant adjustment has been his rise in playing next to Tyler Herro, who has been elevated to a starting position after his Sixth Man of the Year performance last season. Lowry is playing off-ball a lot more and has his lowest usage rate since his days in Memphis. 

“We got guys who can really play basketball. We’ve got guys who can really make plays, and we’ve just got to all find ways to mix and match, not take turns, but figure out how to play off each other a little bit better and play with each other a little bit better,” Lowry said. “Honestly, everybody has a different role this year; things are a little bit different, right? Tyler’s in the starting lineup, and Bam’s more aggressive. We’ve got different lineups with this, that and the other, and we’re just trying to figure it out right now.”

The Miami Heat will have plenty of time to set their season straight, and Lowry believes they have the talent to do so. 

The post Kyle Lowry Says 1-3 Miami Heat Are ‘Trying to Figure It Out’ appeared first on SLAM.

On June 30, the night NBA free agency began, a black SUV with tinted windows rolled up to Udonis Haslem’s vacation home in Orlando, FL. 

“That s**t almost got shot up,” Haslem said on teammate Duncan Robinson’s podcast, The Long Shot. “It’s creeping and it’s slow, I’m like, Who the f**k is this?!”

To his surprise, a delegation of six Miami Heat employees got out of the car. It was 6 p.m., the literal minute free agency began, and they were there to make a personal pitch for the big man to come back for his 20th season—tied for the second-longest tenure with any one team.

Usually, this type of pitch is reserved for high-profile targets. Haslem, on the other hand, has only played in 58 regular season games the last six seasons. So why the royal treatment? 

UD’s impact within the organization is undeniable. He was a key player on all three of their championship teams. He’s the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder. And when his number was called last year, he stepped up.

On the other hand, a roster spot is a valuable thing. After all, an NBA team only has 15 of them. Haslem’s critics say that spot should be used for an up-and-coming player, a new free agent or more. So why use it on a 42-year-old power forward? 

Well, the Heat clearly know the answer. His teammates know. And you can be sure that UD knows. And he was kind enough to sit down with SLAM and tell us. 

SLAM: We heard your interview on Duncan Robinson’s podcast this summer. You said: “Another misconception is I take up a roster spot…People are so focused on my age and why I’m here. There’s a reason why I’m f***** here.” So, what’s that reason?

UD: I mean, for me, there’s very few people, at any level, that can pay attention to every single detail, and that can actually do it consistently. I’m one of those people. I’m anal that way. But it doesn’t always translate when it comes from a coach to a player. But when it comes from player to player, it translates differently. 

I raise the level of everything. Not just on the court. I raise the level off the court, I raise the level of the organization. I’m raising the level of the trainers, I’m raising the level of Pat [Riley] when he’s sitting there watching. I raise the level of everything around me. I am the Heat way. We’ve rotated players, but it doesn’t matter. Regardless of who’s come here or who’s left, I remain here, and I am the Heat way. And it rubs off on others.

But every year, I have to earn the respect. Nobody’s given me s**t. Every year these guys are walking in here saying, This old motherf***er back again, and I gotta earn the respect of the new guys. The guys that have been here, they know. They understand. But I gotta earn the respect of the new guys that come in. And then I’ma show you. I’ll go out there and I’ll play. And I’ll do what I have to do. 

SLAM: Speaking of leadership, ownership is something you’ve aspired to. Could you talk a little about that? 

UD: My influence is very, very strong. And the only way I can maximize that and use it in the right way, for the Miami Heat and for myself, is to be in the highest level of leadership, and that goes in ownership. 

But I have influence around this entire NBA, as the OG. A lot of guys look up to me. A lot of guys reach out for advice. And I appreciate that. You lose those relationships if you step into a coaching situation. But I think when you step into a leadership role of an owner, and somebody who guys have trusted as a player, I think it just maximizes the power that you have and for the organization that you’re working for. 

SLAM: It seems you do have a gift, or a knack, for impacting these younger guys. I mean, the Heat have turned into this elite developmental organization for undrafted players.

UD: I call them “My Undrafted Minions.” I love those dudes, man. Those dudes, man, they got my heart. Max [Strus]. Gabe [Vincent]. Duncan [Robinson]. Caleb [Martin]. Dewayne Dedmon. 

SLAM: Why is that?  

UD: Because I understand, man. It’s such a short leash when you come here in that situation. There’s no room for error. And odds are literally stacked against you. They probably got a guy that they drafted that plays your position, or another guy that came from another team that plays your position. I just understand the pressure of that situation. If you can come through that and be out on top, and not just be on the team but be actual rotation players and guys that actually move the needle? All these guys have added years onto their career, have gotten their money…these guys have literally beat the odds.

But I don’t think people really understand the work I’ve put in to be able to impact these guys. I can’t just show up and smoke cigarettes and throw s**t at the walls and see if it sticks. 

SLAM: The only way to tap into these younger guys is to show it and to earn it. 

UD: Yeah, and I have to earn it every year, bro. I have to earn it every year. I can’t take a summer off. As soon as the season’s over, I give myself a week or two and I’m back at it. That’s how it has to be. 

SLAM: It’s amazing you’ve continued for this long at such a high level. When those guys come in, day one, the Undrafted Minions, what do you say to them?

UD: Follow me, I f**k with you. Off the top. I don’t know you, I know nothing about you. I know your situation, and based off your situation, you my brother. You’re not just my teammate. Based on your situation, you have now become my little brother. 

SLAM: Still, though, it’s one thing to say you enjoy someone else’s success, but it’s another to actually embody it. 

UD: It’s very hard. I had to learn some of these things the hard way. When you get to a point in your career and the organization starts to make a shift toward younger players, you have a choice. You can bitch and moan and complain, get shipped out or go somewhere else, or you can settle into your situation and figure out how to make the best of it. And how to win. And any situation I’ve been put in, I’ve just said, F**k it, I’m not gonna whine. Whine? How can I win in this situation? Whatever it is, whatever you put me in, how can I win here? And that’s all I’ve done. 

And oftentimes you can’t control the situations you’re in. You ask these guys around the League, there’s maybe 10 guys around the whole League that actually play the role that they want to play. Everybody else, you’re in the supporting cast. Everyone else is in the supporting cast. So, how can you star in that role? 

SLAM: It definitely takes a humbling. How do you do that? 

UD: There’s been the dark nights. You don’t wanna get out of bed, you’re in the dark all day. You’re frustrated. You don’t understand. But it’s the nature of the business. It can be nothing that you’ve done wrong.

And for me, yes, I could’ve left a long time ago and went and played somewhere else. But would my heart have always been in it? No. It’s not all about the money, it’s not all about playing. I’ve always had a long-term goal. My long-term goal was to be part of this organization for my whole career, and then from that, impact the city. I’ve always had a bigger vision.

SLAM: You’ve gone toe-to-toe with so many guys. You’ve been the enforcer, holding them accountable. What makes you so fearless? 

UD: My pops. I remember I thought he was nuts. I couldn’t imagine a man that wasn’t afraid of anything. But now that I got older, I appreciate that. My pops never thought anybody was better than him. He never thought he could lose. And you believed that if you had him on your side, you had an army with you. I just kind of inherited that. It wasn’t always like that, but I inherited that. 

That’s something I’ve been able to give to my guys. Because I do believe in each and every one of them. Even if they have doubt, I’m gonna look them in they f**king eye and tell them, I believe, so you better! You better, because I do! I don’t give a damn if you’ve been drafted 1, I don’t give a damn what school he went to. I believe in you. Kick his ass! 

SLAM: You’ve won championships. You’re in the Heat history books. You’ve got the respect. At this point in your career, what brings you joy? 

UD: Watching these dudes come in here, man, and getting their money. Getting their recognition. Watching Caleb Martin get paid this summer. Watching Duncan Robinson get paid a few years ago. Watching James Johnson get paid his $66 million when he was here. Dion Waiters getting paid his $60 million when he was here. Hassan Whiteside getting paid his max contract when he was here. That is what I enjoy. 

All those guys that I named that have gotten their money, gotten their contract, resurrected their careers, have come here on their last leg when nobody else believed. Like Omer Yurtseven. You know how much of an ass kicking I had to do with O last year? And to watch O get out there, when Bam was out, to have all those double-double games? That’s it, bro. That’s it. That’s what I need. That’s all I need. Don’t waste my time. When those guys listen, and those things manifest for them, I’m happy. 

Photos from Getty Images.

The post Udonis Haslem Has Lasted 20 Years in the NBA, and the OG Did it His Way appeared first on SLAM.

Instead of staying where he wasn’t wanted, Wall and the Rockets agreed to a buyout over the summer that allowed him to sign with the Clippers. When asked about the decision-making behind sitting out last year, Wall said he was “pissed as hell” and remarked that he was told that the Rockets were excited to have him in the fold.

“Pissed as hell. Pissed as hell. I wanted to play basketball. In my last meeting I had there, they were like, ‘Oh, you had a great year the year before. We can’t wait to have you back next year. Build on this, and try to keep helping young guys.'” Wall said, per The Athletic. “So I’m thinking I’ll play the same role I played the year before.”

Gotta love how John Wall played last night for LAC. This season is gonna be fun for him. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/a6Ke6ROBCx

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 21, 2022

However, the writing was on the wall (no pun intended) when Coach Stephen Silas and GM Rafael Stone told him they were considering playing him “for like 10 minutes a game, and sometimes you won’t play at all.” They also told him, “you could just not play at all the whole year, and we’ll try to find a trade.”

Faced with those prospects, Wall said he “didn’t want to do that.”

“In August, I went back to check on my condo, and I was going back to Miami, where I’ll (stay) in the summer. So they were like,” Wall said. “‘Yo, the thing is, listen, we’ll bring you out for like 10 minutes a game, and sometimes you won’t play at all, or you can just not play at all the whole year, and we’ll try to find a trade.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not trying to play 10 minutes a game or not play some games.’ I didn’t want to do that.”

Since joining the Clippers, Wall has drawn rave reviews from The Fun Guy, and his joy at playing again has been noticed by SLAM 241 cover co-stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. He’s awarded their votes of confidence by averaging 16.0, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on 51.9 percent shooting from the field off the bench. The Clippers are 2-1 so far, with the team going 1-1 during Walls’ appearances.

John Wall doing the dougie. Good things are happening. (via @Farbod_E) pic.twitter.com/au7bUqoHLi

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 7, 2022

Wall directly credited PG-13 with luring him to the Clippers when he was asked about his decision to sign with the team. Wall said that the 2010 draft classmates “were talking about it the whole time.”

“Me and ‘P’ (Paul George) were talking about it the whole time,” Wall said. “We were trying to figure it out. I had two years left, and we were trying to wait until I had one year left and try to keep fighting.”

Adding another veteran All-Star with a lot left in the tank has helped raise the Clippers’ profile and their expectations for the 2022-23 season. The Clippers now have the kind of talent, leadership, and skill that puts them on the short list of championship contenders. Wall Star and the Clippers will take on the OKC Thunder (0-3) on Tuesday.

The post John Wall n Why He Signed with the Clippers Last Summer appeared first on SLAM.

The team has relied on Max Strus and Duncan Robinson to handle the load at the power forward slot, but the team looks to be losing hope in their defensive powers as reports suggest the Heat are looking at trade suitors.

“Kyle Kuzma and Taj Gibson aren’t the only potential moves that the Heat have been linked to recently,” according to Heavy.com’s Thomas Darro. “Link them to PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets, as well as finalizing a reunion between Crowder and the Heat. But another has been Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons and Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz.”

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Kuzma of the Washington Wizards is off to a fantastic start to the young season as he’s averaging 19.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and a staggering shooting at 46.5 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. His size and length could turn him into a problem under the talented Heat coaching staff, but Heat President Pat Riley always keeps the door open to other options.

Washington is a restricted free agent this upcoming off-season due to the inability to negotiate a contract extension. The Hornets may be focused on providing their star point guard LaMelo Ball an enormous deal for the 2024 season, leaving little cap space to work for Washington.

The Heat wouldn’t mind one-year rentals, especially when there’s a lot of talent that needs to be proven out of the group. The 24-year-old would add the floor spacing, agility, and defensive intangibles that much up well against star rivals like Jaylen Brown, Khris Middleton and Demar Derozan.

Finally, the reunion Heat fans would welcome with open arms. Not too long ago, Phoenix Suns’ Jae Crowder was part of the resilient 2020 Heat squad that, as a 5th seed, went six games against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The chemistry on display, both offensive and defensively, is in no way bound to be lost in just the two seasons apart.

With this possibly being his 10th straight playoff appearance, a reunion with the Heat opens the door to a final run at a championship.

The post REPORT: Heat Linked to Kyle Kuzma, P.J Washington, and Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

Miami still secured their first win of the season over Toronto 112-109. Following the game and news of his suspension, Martin immediately felt remorseful and had the following to say

“I felt bad that it happened,” Martin said. “I was embarrassed Saturday night; I was embarrassed the next morning about how I handled things because I pride myself on being more professional than that. Anybody who plays sports understands that emotions get high, especially at the highest level. Sometimes it boils over. It’s not the first incident like that in basketball history. But those are things I try to make sure I avoid.”

Martin revealed that since the incident, he had reached out to Koloko and apologized.

“I got to deal with the consequences,” Martin continued. “I reached out to him last night. I talked to him Saturday night and yesterday morning. Just letting him know I apologize, and that’s not the way I carry myself, and I don’t condone that type of stuff. Obviously, he was cool about it. We talked about it, and he understands. He doesn’t hold anything against me. So as long as me and him are good and he understands where I’m coming from, I’m good.”

“I remember being a rookie and scratching and clawing for playing time, too,” Martin added. “You’re going to do whatever it takes, even if you got to climb on somebody’s back. Whatever the case may be, you’re going to try to earn playing time. So I don’t fault him at all for the way he was playing. That’s just their culture, and I respect that.”

Heat rookie Nikola Jovic was also suspended and fined $15,000 for coming off the bench during the altercation. Having only played overseas in Serbia, Jovic was a bit surprised that he was also suspended and fined due to the NBA’s rules/regulations.

“I didn’t know because everything happened near the bench,” Jovic said. “So my reflex was to come out and help my teammate and get people to just move away from him and stuff. It just happened — I felt like they were right in front of me, and I tried to help my friend, and that’s all that happened.”

The Heat take on the Raptors again tonight, but everything seems to have cooled down and been squashed between the players. This is the NBA; sometimes, these things happen. At the end of the day, everyone on every team is competing against the best of the best, so things will sometimes escalate. That’s just basketball.

The post Caleb Martin Felt ‘Embarrassed’ After Altercation with Christian Koloko appeared first on SLAM.

Not everyone knows what it takes to get to the next level, let alone to the highest level of a sport. But Dorell Wright does. Before he became head coach at Donda Academy, the former NBA small forward was a first-round pick in the ’04 Draft straight out of high school and went on to win an NBA championship the following season in 2006 as the youngest member of the Miami Heat. After nearly 12 years playing in the League with the Warriors, Sixers, and Trail Blazers and overseas, Wright got into coaching after he retired mainly because of his own children—he coached his son, Devin, in middle school and co-founded his own AAU program, Team Wright Legacy, with his brother Delon.

With a coaching style that’s a “mixture” of the legends he’s been coached by in the past—demanding at times like Stan Van Gundy, but still motivational like Pat Riley—Wright is ready to help the next generation of hoopers at Donda. Featuring a stacked roster including Kentucky-commit Robert Dillingham and top-50 recruits JJ Taylor and AJ Johnson, many of the Doves have already started making names for themselves on the national circuit and even graced the cover of SLAM 236. 

“You could get those kids that are super entitled [and] super into what they’ve done, [but] one thing about me, I’ve done just as much as them at this level, you know? Probably even a little more. But it’s never an ego trip on my side or with the kids,” Wright says over Zoom. “The returning players want to have a better result than what they did last year, so they’re buying in. And then the guys that we added are just great kids, [who are] looking at this as using this platform, getting more offers [and] learning the terminology of the game of basketball from somebody that did it at the highest level.”

Photos by Dominique Oliveto.

The post Dorell Wright is Ready to Lead Donda Academy as their Newest Basketball Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

The Heat seemed like the clear landing spot for Mitchell as NBA fans believed they had enough assets to send the Utah Jazz in exchange for the shooting guard. A deal like that would have pushed the Heat toward favorited championship odds, especially considering Mitchell and Adebayo’s chemistry at the Miami Pro League over the summer. Mitchell and Adebayo were also seen working out with one another throughout the offseason

“I said this to somebody, I was like, ‘Man, I’m working out with Bam [Adebayo] and others, and I’m thinking like, ‘This is just preparing. This is what it’s going to look like.'” Mitchell said on J.J Redick’s “Old Man and the Three Podcast.”

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A post shared by 13am Adebayo (@bam1of1)

Adebayo wasn’t the only player in the Heat roster that would spark rumors of Mitchell joining the Heat. Jimmy Butler had spent the second week of his off-season with Mitchell at a restaurant in Miami for basketball media influencer Chris Brickley’s birthday

In that same late June period, rival Kevin Durant had requested a trade from his team and the NBA world believed Heat President Pat Riley would pull the trigger for the future Hall of Famer.

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A post shared by Chris Joseph Brickley (@cbrickley603)

The Heat ended up standing pat during the off-season, but they extended Tyler Herro to a four-year deal worth $130 million. Though securing the young star bodes well for the Heat, the East has gotten much more competitive, especially with Mitchell making the Cavs a potential top-five seed in the conference.

Cleaveland’s future success rides on the play of Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley in order to consider the Cavs the winners of the trade. As for Miami, the team’s lack of trades and signings puts pressure on them to succeed at the same rate they did last season. If this season goes any worse, the question arises of why the Heat didn’t make the effort of making the Butler, Adebayo, and Mitchell big three.

The post Donovan Mitchell Touches On Working Out With Bam Adebayo Over the Summer appeared first on SLAM.

White did just enough for Boston to turn their early struggles around, and it reconciled into a second seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The success went on into the playoffs as the Celtics secured their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010.

White couldn’t have imagined this surge from the Celtics after being acquired, but personal issues and adjustments to the new squad became a mind-racing experience for him, leading to a championship series loss to the Golden State Warriors.

“It was crazy. I mean, from February to June, it felt like I was on the move nonstop,” White tells NBC Sports Boston. “This year, I feel much more settled in and comfortable. Last year was a great experience, and I loved it all. But I’m feeling much more settled in this year.”

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Although most of the statistical categories took a slight decline for White, his Celtic tenure can be remembered by the elite shot-making and defending he displayed in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. In those games combined, White totaled 35 points off the bench while securing nine rebounds and nine assists.

Just days before that stellar play, White’s wife, Hannah, gave birth to their son Hendrixx which attributed to him spending time away from the team. Of course, the Celtics still found ways to win due to the offensive eruptions from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. White shared his recognition of the unorthodox duo and how their commitment is a significant aspect of the team’s success.

“From the outside, you see the games, and you’re impressed,” said White on Tatum and Brown. “But it’s all the stuff on the practice court, the things they do after practice — They’re obviously super talented, and their work ethic is a big reason why.”

After the Finals loss, White needed to settle into Boston with his family and team properly. Including the adjustment to fatherhood over the summer, White spent hours in the facility working on his craft as a perimeter shooter, to which interim coach Joe Mazzulla noticed he was shooting far differently as he did in the series against the Warriors.

“I love where he’s at from a confidence standpoint,” said Mazzulla. “I think when he plays with confidence, I think that’s important for all of us to make sure he’s confident because he’s really good for us. When he’s shooting with confidence, I think he’s a threat at all three levels.”

Now comprehensive of his career-changing, White looks to be that x-factor off the bench that the Celtics had wished he would’ve been just four months before. With White’s emerging presence in the gym, he feels the team has gotten much closer, with the taste of revenge lingering on their minds.

“I mean, everybody’s frustrated. Just be so close and not finish it,” said White. “You just want to have another opportunity at that. But you just have to keep getting better and understand the things that you need to work on and work on them. We can’t skip any steps.”

The post Derrick White Discusses the ‘Crazy’ Struggle He Faced After Getting Traded to Boston appeared first on SLAM.

Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin jumped into the starting lineup, moving Max Strus back to the Heat bench. Strus appeared and started all 18 of Miami’s playoff games last season. 

Despite his reserve role on a reconfigured Spoelstra bench, the small forward’s head is high. 

“I think what I do kind of fits in with any lineup,” Strus said per the Sun Sentinel. “So it’s not really hard to adjust to playing a certain way. I think that’s one of my strengths, is just kind of get in where you fit in – I’m just trying to do a good job of that and letting our main guys do their thing and provide spacing. And when I’m open, shoot the ball.”

Given Miami’s legendary organizational culture, it’s no surprise that Strus is embracing his new role and focusing on doing what he can to help his team win. In Miami’s season opener against the Chicago Bulls, Strus scored 22 points, including 5-7 on three-pointers, and grabbed seven rebounds, gobbling up 50 percent of the bench’s total boards.

With new rotations and different players on the floor together, the Heat are playing smaller. When Strus plays power forward, he wants to focus on rebounding.

“There’s going to be smaller guys down there that are going to have to rebound. We need our guards to step up and rebound — I’m capable of doing that. So I’m more than willing to get down there and bang with the bigs and help out on the boards.”

In addition to lasering in on his rebounding this season, Strus believes he is in the best shape of his career. 

Ahead of training camp, he said, “I’m the lightest I’ve ever been and probably the strongest I’ve been. I’m probably like eight pounds lighter, which doesn’t sound like much, but it is a lot. I’m more lean mass. So that was my plan. And I think it’s going to help me be more explosive and less wear and tear on my body.”

Strus looks to once again shine in his new role as the Heat host the Boston Celtics tonight.

The post Max Strus Embracing Reserve Role with Miami Heat appeared first on SLAM.

If things go the way he hopes, Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers have a chance to do something special this season as a significant threat to play in the Eastern Conference Finals and maybe even the NBA Finals. Their first test will come against the Boston Celtics, a fellow Eastern Conference powerhouse looking to repeat their run to the NBA Finals.

Harden’s priority is taking the marathon NBA season “game by game.”

“Like I said, we gotta hit singles. We are just looking game by game. Obviously, we start off at Boston, which is going to be a tough challenge for sure. But it’s about the long run.”

“I think the more we continue to head in the right direction and build really good habits. You know, it will help us in the long run.”

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) October 18, 2022

Furthermore, Harden believes that the 76ers’ long-term success hinges on their ability to “build good habits.”

“I think the more we continue to head in the right direction and build really good habits. You know, it will help us in the long run.”

The 76ers are looking to improve from their fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a second-round loss to the Miami Heat in six games. Harden took a pay cut to help the 76ers get deeper and has spent the offseason improving his body to the point that he believes he’s back to MVP form.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post James Harden is Looking to ‘Build Really Good Habits’ as 2022-23 Season Begins appeared first on SLAM.

The energy has truly shifted around the Association since the Golden State Warriors put the haters to sleep and won another NBA championship. This offseason, there was a sudden coaching change in Boston, a reported trade request in Brooklyn by Kevin Durant (that didn’t actually happen), and some major moves during free agency, from Donovan Mitchell teaming up with Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley on the Cavaliers to Jalen Brunson becoming a New York Knick. Then there’s the highly-anticipated return of Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons and SLAM 240 co-cover star Kawhi Leonard, who is sure to be a scary sight alongside Paul George now that they’re both healthy.

While we’ve dished out some bold takes in the past, this year’s preview might feature our boldest takes yet. Here’s the official 2022-23 SLAM Staff NBA Preview:

Anthony Holt, Slam Goods Apparel Designer

The Cavaliers will emerge as a top three seed in the East. 

With the blockbuster trade for Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers will claim the No. 3 seed. The championship experience of Kevin Love and Luke Walton will evolve Mitchell into the leader the franchise needs to make a playoff run. The Cavs will reach the second round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Celtics, who will face the Bucks in the ECF.

NBA Finals Matchup: Bucks vs Grizzlies

Deyscha “Sway” Smith, Associate Editor

Ben Simmons will make a case for winning Most Improved Player of the Year.

Before any of you mention me on Twitter or pop off in the comment section, hear this one out. We all know what happened last year, and by no means is Ben Simmons, a three-time NBA All-Star, any sort of “up and coming player.” But if this preseason showed us anything, it’s that Ben is actually back and playing basketball again. After averaging 15.9 points per game during his time in Philly, if he brings that same energy and presence (both literally and in terms of his defensive game) to the Nets this year, by technicality, it’s really only up from here in terms of his overall improvement.

Will he win MIP? Unlikely, but then again, just imagine if he actually did put himself in the running for the award.

PS: When I predicted the Celtics would make the ECF in our season preview last year, y’all called me real bold for that take back then. If Ben gets active and starts playing at that All-Star level again, just make sure your apology is as loud as the disrespect has been.

ECF Matchup: Celtics vs Nets

Joshua Tapia, Editorial Intern

Damian Lillard takes the Portland Trailblazers to a top 5 seed in the West while securing his first MVP. 

Damian Lillard will finish the season above 32 points a night with eight assists. If he disciplines himself defensively, Dame could become a reliable defender against the League’s best scorers.

Here’s my playoff prediction: Lillard will lead the Blazers past the No. 4 seed Mavericks in the first round, the Warriors in round 2, but get defeated in Game 6 against the Clippers.  

Adam Figman, Chief Content Officer

The Sixers are winning the championship.

Everything is coming together at the perfect time in Philly: James Harden is healthy and more motivated than ever, Joel Embiid has a better understanding of how to treat his body to make it last a full season plus playoffs, Tobias Harris is the perfect starter to play next to two stars, Tyrese Maxey is making a leap, and Daryl Morey is going to be aggressive adding role players throughout the season to put around this group in order to ensure the team has everything it needs come postseason time. The 76ers: 2023 Champs. 

Michael Harris, Editorial Intern

The Lakers will make the Western Conference Finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers will figure it out this season. Russell Westbrook will embrace his role off the bench, Anthony Davis will be healthy and be a top three candidate for MVP, while Patrick Beverley will bring the defense at the guard spot necessary to help the Lakers lock down shooters. The Lakers will also finish as the top three seed in the West and make it all the way to the WCF to face the Grizzlies.

NBA Finals Matchup: Heat vs Lakers

Ajayi Browne, Editorial Intern

The Dallas Mavericks will win the NBA Finals.

The Dallas Mavericks will reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 and Luka Doncic will average career-highs across the board while having his most efficient season on his way to winning MVP. The team’s new additions, Christian Wood and Javale McGee, will give this team what they were missing last year, while Tim Hardaway Jr’s return will be vital, too.

Theus McBee, Co-Host of No Pump Fakes

Anthony Edwards will make his first All-Star Game and the Minnesota Timberwolves will make it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in nearly 20 years. 

The conversation of Ant Man “possibly” being a part of the top five under 25 group will come to an end and we will finally give him his rightful title of “Best Shooting Guard in the NBA.”

Check out the latest episode of No Pump Fakes below:

Najee AR Fareed, Editorial Intern 

Trae Young will make First Team All-NBA, lead the League in assists and take the Hawks all the way to winning a championship. 

The Hawks had a down year last season but their defense should be bolstered by a resurgent Clint Capela, Dejounte Murray’s arrival, and the rise of Onyeka Okongwu. The offense? Ice Trae might hold it down on the offensive end, but the Hawks have much more than just him. Deandre Hunter is taking big steps and John Collins’ lesser offensive load, with the addition of Murray, should free up his game for lobs and catch-and-shoot threes.

The Hawks will win one this season. For 3 Stacks and Lemon Pepper Wings and Zone 6 and Old Nat and everything else we love.

Colby Cusano, Brand Partnerships and Analytics Intern

Zion Williamson will bring the New Orleans Pelicans from an No. 8 seed to a No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and take home the Most Improved Player Award. 

After a decent season that saw them squeeze into the playoffs, the Pelicans are ready to make another run and with a healthy Zion Williamson. They now contain one of the most talented trios in the League.

NBA Finals Matchup: Mavs vs Celtics

Delon George, Marketing Manager SLAMgoods

The Brooklyn Nets will win the title.  

Though a lot of politics surround the Nets’ Big 3, I believe they have a lot to prove individually and together as a team this season. With Kyrie Irving will playing full-time from the start of the season and Kevin Durant avoiding injuries, the Nets are bound to have momentum this year. 

Brooke Brennan, WSLAM Intern

Lonzo Ball will return mid-season and take control of the Bulls’ offense, pushing them to be a top four seed team in the East.

While injury plagued his 2021-2022 season, Lonzo’s return mid-way through this year could give the Bulls the point guard anchor they need to take control on offense. After losing in the first round to the Bucks last year, the Bulls proved that they can be a playoff team, but have to make those adjustments. Returning key players, rising young talent, and added veteran depth will help to develop this team unit.

As for Zo, I project he’ll make an All-Star team in the near future. 

Andrew “Pitt” Pitagorsky, VP of Brand Partnerships

RJ Barrett will win Defensive Player of the Year. 

RJ Barrett will become an NBA All-Star and win Defensive Player of the Year. Going into Year 4 of his young career, RJ will take the next step in his growth and make the leap to the All-Star player we all know he could become. With the help of the coaching staff, and a pure point guard in the lineup, RJ can focus more on the defensive side of his game, and be an elite defender of the League.

Andres Puerta, Social Media SLAMFTW 

The Miami Heat will win the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Miami Heat have a solid starting lineup. They are coming off a great season, with a solid performance in the playoffs from Jimmy Butler who showed what he can do in the playoffs. Tyler Herro showed out as the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. They have a competitive group of guys and it doesn’t matter who is on the court. With the Heat being one of the top teams in the East last year, this will be the year they win the Eastern Conference Finals.

Arvind Pitchai, VP of Social Media

Luka Doncic will average a triple double and win MVP. 

Here’s another Luka Doncic prediction: when he averages a triple-double this season, he’ll definitely win MVP. We all know about Luka’s scoring prowess and ability to see the floor, but he also can clean the glass at a high clip. Will this lead the Mavs to the Finals? Who knows but it’s going to be a fun season watching Luka regardless.

Marcus Allen, Social Graphic Designer

The Knicks will make the Eastern Conference Finals.

A big season from the New York Knicks is upon us as they will make the ECF in 2023. Future star, RJ Barrett will have the best season of his career with his new backcourt partner Jalen Brunson and ultimately earn Most Improved Player and or Defensive Player of the Year. Let’s get it.

Dave Schnur, President

The T-Wolves and the Cavs will go on a playoff run and make the Conference Finals.

Karl-Anthony Towns moving to the 4 full time will be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. He’ll hit a career high number of threes this season, Ant Edwards will make his first All-Star Team, Rudy Gobert is gonna Gobert and D-Lo will get his, too. The Cavs already have a great young core with Garland, Mobley and Allen. Adding a perennial All-Star SG like Spida that can stretch the floor and facilitate will bolster an already potent offense. Garland and Donovan may be the best backcourt in the East. 

Max Resetar, Editor 

Stephen Curry will break his own record of 402 threes in a season. 

The Dubs finally have everyone healthy. Every player on the roster has a clearly defined role and they each understand that their number one target on offense is No. 30, whether that means passing to him, screening for him, or getting the f— outta his way when the reign starts to rain. With a complete season of all the major hitters, their offense is gonna hum all the way to an easy 450 threes for the most recent Finals MVP. 

Celebrate the return of the NBA season, the 2022 WNBA champs and the future of the game with SLAM 240.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s 2022-23 NBA Preview: Crazy Bold Takes for this Season appeared first on SLAM.

“Twitter already did its thing,” Williamson said jokingly, per ESPN. “They are the doctors, apparently.”

Williamson avoided serious injury and is expected to be day-to-day moving forward, according to him and Coach Willie Green. Green added that Williamson isn’t expected to miss an extended period of time and clarified that he removed Williamson from Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat for precautionary reasons after he rolled his ankle early in the second quarter while he drive to the rim.

Williamson tweaked his ankle after he planted his left foot trying to get into the lane around Heat center Dewayne Dedmon. He played another three minutes before checking out for good with 11 points, two rebounds, and four assists on 3-7 shooting from the field and 5-6 from the free-throw line.

“It was one of those things where it happened, and I popped back up, like, ‘Yeah, I’m straight,'” Williamson said. “Played a few minutes after that, it felt fine. Then they sent me to the back just to double-check. We wanted to look at it, had a doc look at it, and he just said a little day-to-day soreness. And, but outside of that, I personally feel fine. Wasn’t bad news from the docs.”

Going into Friday’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Hawks, the Pelicans hope they can play their projected starting lineup. The group hasn’t played together yet while Brandon Ingram recovers from left fifth toe soreness. CJ McCollum has only played in two preseason games after Wednesday. Ingram told ESPN that he “felt good” and that his rehab has put him in a position to play on Friday.

New Orleans starts the season with an Oct 19. matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

The post Zion Williamson Listed as Day-to-Day After Tweaking Left Ankle appeared first on SLAM.

Of course, 15 seasons of professional basketball can take a toll on anyone’s body, and Dragić hinted that the 2022-23 campaign could be his last year at it.

“It’s a lot of mileage that’s on my body,” Dragić per Sports Illustrated. “After every NBA season, I play for my national team for 12, 13 years. In those years, I didn’t have a break. Now, it’s a little bit different. But I’m still here. I’m still enjoying basketball. That’s the most important thing.”

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Dragić made a name for himself as a member of the Phoenix Suns. His breakout season came during the 2013-2014 season when he averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 50.5 percent shooting from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the arc. Dragic capped off that tough season by winning the 2014 Most Improved Player award and an All-NBA third-team selection.

That same year, Dragić struck big in free agency after signing a five-year $90 million deal with the Miami Heat to play with all-time great Dwyane Wade. He’d spend the next seven years in Miami, where he would be selected as an All-Star in 2018 and was the starting point guard for the 2020 Heat team that made the NBA Finals after beating Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.

“I never thought I was going to be in the League for 15 years,” said Dragić. “But I always worked hard. I always tried to be better the next season. I feel like because of that; I’m still here.”

If the Dragon retires after this season, he will start his farewell tour against his old Miami Heat team on October 19 at FTX Arena.

The post Goran Dragić Contemplating Retirement Heading into 15th Season appeared first on SLAM.

However, Al Horford hasn’t seen any kind of quit in his teammates. Instead, practices have been physical, and their teamwork and chemistry are at the same level as their second-half surge to the Finals. The Celtics are playing the same kind of basketball except for some minor tweaks interim head coach Joe Mazzulla has implemented.

“We have a lot of the same things we had last year,” Horford told The Athletic. “I just think it feels like continuity for us, which is positive.”

Horford is confident that Boston has prepared itself the right way and will seemingly not take any step back from its standing in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. Horford revealed that the Celtics have put together several productive preseason practices and that he’s seen no complacency despite the recent turnover at the head coach position.

Horford also said that Boston doesn’t mention their Finals loss much. They didn’t make it a rallying cry at training camp or a regular theme throughout the preseason. They just plain old have not focus on it, but Horford did say it was brought up and said, “it’s not something we’re not constantly harping on.” Horford also revealed that the Celtics aren’t “skipping steps” and that he’s “pretty pleased” with the “commitment from each of our guys.”

“Not skipping steps,” Horford said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. I’ve been pretty pleased with our training camp, the focus, and the commitment from each of our guys. Guys are putting in the work. We’re not comfortable. I still feel like we have an edge to our group. And I think that’s the biggest thing. Just because we did something doesn’t mean anything coming into the next year. We’re starting fresh, and we have to build this thing back up again.”

The Boston Celtics will likely look to turn to smaller lineups due to Robert Williams‘ knee injury knocking him out of action at the beginning of the regular-season. Although they added Malcolm Brogdon to the lineup, their winning style of smothering their opponents won’t likely be their formula to success. However, Horford believes that Boston can still lean on that same identity that helped them reach the Finals.

“I feel like our identity’s established,” Horford said. “I feel like we know who we are. I think last year, at the beginning of the year and throughout, we were trying to find who we are. Going into this year, we understand who we are and what we’re about. And we’re ready to go. I think the mindset, how engaged, how connected we are on the defensive end really doesn’t matter who is out there. Obviously, we miss Rob (Williams), and we do hope that he gets back. But the way we have to look at it is different guys need to be able to step up and fill in. And it will be a different challenge, but I feel like everybody understands it. And we’re up for what we have coming.”

Horford was complementary of Mazzulla, revealing that Mazzulla wants the Celtics to “play with a little more pace, especially on the offensive end.”

Mazzulla will look to lean on a coaching staff that came together because of their close collective bonds with Udoka. This is why Mazzulla will be holding onto much of what is working with Udoka, excluding the minor tweaks of playing at a quicker pace.

“Right away, I feel like we’re learning a lot off of him, how he’s thinking, how he wants us to play,” Horford said. “He wants us to play with a little more pace, especially on the offensive end. That’s a challenge for our group, but it’s something that we want to continue to do. We want to make sure that we have good ball movement. That’s kind of what I’m seeing, his emphasis with our group. Everything else pretty much is kind of the same thing we had last year. We have a lot of the same assistant coaches, pretty much all the assistant coaches, so we still have everybody here.”

The Celtics will open the season against the Miami Heat on Oct. 18.

The post Al Horford is ‘Pleased’ with Celtics and Not ‘Skipping Steps’ During Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

“The first thing that jumped out when the scouts had us watch edits on him, I literally had never even heard of him, and it was his passing,” said Spoelstra, per the Sun Sentinel. “He was a ballhandling, passing three-man previously in Europe.”

“I think any young player that knows how to pass and is a willing passer is super unique. All these players coming up, nobody’s really looking to pass. They’re looking to score, looking to put points on the board. I think it’s just a really interesting skill set when people can see the floor and can see two plays ahead. And he had a lot of that as a young player playing in an adult men’s professional league; he was developing a lot of those habits. So we’re playing him a little bit more as a passing big, which fits right into his skill set.”

Jovic’s unique passing abilities are not the only thing Spoelstra was impressed with; standing at 6’11 and still being so young, Jovic’s rebounding is another vital quality.

“I mean, he rebounded pretty well over there,” Spoelstra said, referring to Jovic’s time in Serbia “You just don’t know analytically if that translates to the NBA. So I was just kind of open to seeing that.”

It seems like Jovic has settled in quite well to the NBA’s level of play after racking up his second double-double of the preseason. That is an excellent sign for the rookie after facing some struggles during Summer League. According to Spoelstra and Heat scouts, Jovic had never played the four or five in Serbia and was strictly a wing player.

The new positions, environment, and pace of play were more than likely what was contributing to Jovic’s struggles.

“He’s a quick learner,” Spoelstra said. “So he picks up things faster than I probably anticipated for a kid his age. He’s diligent. He works at it, in pre-practice, after practice, watches film. He takes accountability for his mistakes, and he just doesn’t often make the same mistake twice in a row.”

It will be exciting to see how Coach Spo fits Jovic into this playoff-tested Heat core. However, one thing is for sure being a former video coordinator for the team himself, Spoelstra has a natural eye for talent, and we should expect to see more of Jovic this season.

The post ‘Diligent’ Nikola Jovic Making Solid First Impression With Erik Spoelstra appeared first on SLAM.

The second-year man had the opportunity to fill in a roster spot last season, but he suffered a similar injury to the one he’s dealing with now. Although Garrett’s chances of filling the Heat roster spot have slimmed, Coach Erik Spoelstra offered an optimistic outlook to Garrett for when his time will come.

“This is the journey for young players sometimes,” said Spoelstra. “Sometimes you just can’t predict it. Sometimes it doesn’t go how you want it to. But he has that perseverance and grit to get healthy and get back at it.”

As demoralizing as the injury is, Spoelstra doesn’t rule out the possibility of Garrett making the roster. He, and small forward Jamal Cain, have put in extensive hours during practice and proved their worth on the court, making effort plays.

Recent Undrafted players for the Heat, like Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent, had made their impact offensively when the team needed it most. In Garrett’s case, his defensive tenacity during the Summer League put Miami’s front office on notice, leading to his second two-way deal with the South Beach franchise.

“We’re all here getting at it every day,” says Jimmy Butler on the significance of pre-season games. “Whenever you get in the game, I think that’s the easy part. You just need to maintain your conditioning and then make sure you’re in a rhythm.”

Garrett may not be involved in the rotation or even be on the roster to start the season, but his determination has earned the locker room’s respect, and he now presents himself as a ‘Next Man Up’ target.

The Heat opens its 2022-2023 season at FTX Arena against their Eastern Conference rivals, the Chicago Bulls.

The post Marcus Garrett Set to Miss Final Preseason Stretch After Suffering a Wrist Fracture appeared first on SLAM.

The former No. 2 overall pick jump shot is more squared to the basket, there’s no turn, and the release is quicker. Green has also used a folding chair in front of him or to the back. The chairs help Green get low and load up for his jump shot and break some habits that helped him gain a quicker and tighter release.

“Me and (Rockets assistant coach John Lucas) were in the gym all the time, working on my shot,” Green said, per the Houston Chronicle. “It’s the quickness of it. I feel I’ve always been a shooter, always been a shot creator. Just the quickness and working on my hips.”

The results have helped him get his shots off in catch-and-shot situations when a defender closing out could’ve rushed his shots before or make it too mechanical. On Monday, Green went 5-10 from beyond the arc and scored 25 points in 28 minutes of action against the Miami Heat. Green says the revised shot comes naturally after an offseason full of morning shooting drills that helped him hone his refined jumper.

JG came out FIRING tonight pic.twitter.com/RdbquveDZw

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 10, 2022

During his shooting drills with Lucas, the longtime coach repeatedly shouted, “one, two!” The shot needed to be out of Green’s hands before “two” came out, preferable in the time it takes to go from Lucas’ voice to Green’s ears.

“At first, it’s pretty annoying, especially when he puts the chair behind me,” Green said. “Have to get low and load back up. But it’ll all pay off at the end of the day.”

The player-coach pairing has tweaked Green’s shot without an extreme change; the chair keeps him squared to the basket when it’s in front of Green, unable to lower the ball too far, making his shot more efficient since any unnecessary movement has been removed.

The quicker release has also made life easier when Green is in catch-and-shoot situations when a close-out defender could force Green to rush his shot.

“Jalen has to get square,” Lucas said. “He sometimes turns because I think as a kid, he used to bring the ball (down to his hip.) As he gets older and stronger, he’ll come around. What we’re doing is straightening him up, straight line, straight line to the basket. It seems to be helping him. And we’re using a one-second count.”

.@JalenGreen in the first half:

18 PTS | 4 AST | 3 REB pic.twitter.com/l6RknVGDWq

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 11, 2022

Through three preseason contests, Green has hit 39.1 percent of his long-distance attempts, nearly mirroring the 39.3 percent rate he hit from beyond the arc during his rookie season. Lucas said Green would keep getting stronger and need to get in even better shape to handle the scoring load that Coach Stephen Silas will ask him to handle this season.

“I try to be as coachable as possible because I know it’s coming from a good place with Lucas,” Green said. “His expectations are super high. I get a taste of it every practice.”

This process will be aided by Green’s shooting drills with Lucas and more folding chairs, forcing him out of his comfort zone. During a recent Sunday practice, Lucas said Green shot the ball so well that he “would have paid to watch it.” On Monday, Green scored 11 points in his first 7.5 minutes of play, making 3-4 triples to begin the game. He finished the game with 23 points on 4-9 shooting three-point territory. He also dished five assists.

“I went into last game (when he had 23 points, making 4 of 9 3s) wanting to get my rhythm,” Green said. “I think I did that. Coaches know what they want. As a primary scorer, I should get my shots off. Just trying things, working on my game.”

JG, again pic.twitter.com/jFKNipwavG

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) October 11, 2022

The Rockets open the season on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.

The post Jalen Green Speaks On the Changes He’s Made to His Jumpshot appeared first on SLAM.

The All-Star wing duo enter their fourth season together, and the championship expectations are higher than ever with The Klaw and PG-13 returning healthy after the Clippers acquired John Wall over the offseason. George was recently asked about any past wing tandem that he and Leonard could rely on as a potential blueprint.

“Yeah, look at the [Miami Heatle] wing-wing DWade [Dwyane Wade] and LeBron [James],” George said on Sunday, per ESPN. “I think it just comes down to — listen, Kawhi is the No. 1. And I am totally fine with that. I think I try to complement him with being able to take the load off of him.

“Everybody says, ‘Kawhi [and] you are 1 and 1, [or] 1A, 1B.’ I’ll publicly say, I’m the 2. Kawhi’s the 1; I’m the 2. So that part we nipped in the bud. Like there’s no ego when it comes to that.”

That dunk tho.

@KTLA | @Yg_Trece pic.twitter.com/0qYWeMyzfn

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 10, 2022

The 2022-23 campaign will be a pivotal season with the wing tandem looking to lead the Clippers to the franchise’s first Finals trip and fulfill their potential since they were acquired in 2019.

The Clippers will have their first chance to prove their championship contender status when they play the Lakers on Oct. 20. It’ll be George and Leonard’s first meaningful game together since Leonard tore the ACL in his right knee during Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz on June 14, 2021.

“I mean, I missed a whole year missing basketball,” Leonard said. “I went down in one of the worst ways, in a playoff run. Just don’t wanna take anything for granted and just trying to live in that moment and bring a sense of energy for the team.”

“I’m young still,” Leonard, 31, added. “So any chance you get that taken away from you, and you don’t feel like you’re done — You just miss it, you know what I mean?”

George led LA to their first Conference Finals and carried the load in the regular season until he suffered an elbow injury that kept him out of action for three months. George came back late but missed the Clippers’ season-ending play-in loss to the New Orleans Pelicans due to COVID-19 protocols.

Kawhi slam!

@KTLA | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/j8gUoueEC9

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 10, 2022

On Sunday, Leonard described how he and George had grown together as leaders and in their dynamic as a duo, pointing out that they have developed a “genuine relationship” over the last four years.

“We’re both unselfish,” Leonard said. “My 12th year, his 13th year — we’ve been through this before, so I feel like just having those years under our belt and, obviously, like I said, we have a genuine relationship, and it just carries over [into how we lead].”

This offseason and in training camp, George and the Clippers have seen Leonard show joy during his return after spending the year recovering and strengthening his right knee. Leonard and George have played 104 regular-season and playoff games since 2019. After becoming “the man” on the roster while Leonard missed all of the last season, PG-13 said that he is perfectly fine with Leonard becoming the featured option of the offense.

“I believe in my talent and what I can do,” George said. “And I believe on any night of what I am capable of. But I feel my job is to make everybody better. That is what I try to do when I am on the floor, just make the game easy for everybody, whether it is creating or just being aggressive — and making reads off of that.

“I think we will go a long ways if everybody just knows their role and what we bring to the table. Everything else is easy; we just roll the ball out, and we get after it.”

The CLippers start their season against the Lakers on Oct. 20.

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“So, I just wanted to go relax. Long season, clearly,” Tatum said in an interview with Andscape. “Enjoy some time with my son and the family. Get away from it. The Finals were so fresh in my mind.

And every time we walked out the room, somebody saw me and said, ‘Oh, man, we wish you would’ve … ’ ‘Good luck next year.’ And that’s even said to this day. But it was just three or four days afterwards, so it was really fresh.”

Two seasons after being eliminated from the Eastern Conference Finals by the Miami Heat in 2020, the Celtics came back this past season to win a pivotal Game 7 in Miami to clinch their first NBA Finals berth since 2010.

“It was just a learning experience, learning a lesson,” he added. “Maybe do some things differently next time if you get to that point. Obviously, it’s tough to learn a lesson that way, but it is what it is …It just fuels you. Motivates you to get back to that point.”

While Tatum has using the moment as “fuel,” his all-around game is enough to catch the attention of even his own competitors. Four-time NBA champion and Warriors forward Draymond Green recently called JT the ‘Young GOAT.’

“Resiliency allows teams to show their true characters,” said Green on The Draymond Green Show. “We’ll get to see the true character of the Boston Celtics led by none other than the young GOAT, young next greatest Jayson Tatum.”

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“Me, and I give Draymond [Green] and probably Giannis [Antetokounmpo],” said Adebayo when naming players that can defend the best players at each position to NBA writer Couper Moorhead. “Three guys who can literally guard 1-through-5 and be effective.”

The Heat used Adebayo to matchup against superstar scorers such as Atlanta Hawks‘ Trae Young and Philadelphia 76ers‘ Joel Embiid in their playoff meetings last season. Young shot 31.9 percent from the field and 18.4 percent from beyond the arc, netting an average of 15.4 points a game, while Embiid was 11 of 29 shooting when guarded by Adebayo during the games he appeared in.

“I’m going to always go for the award,” said Adebayo on the Defensive Player of the Year award. “I’m never going to give up on anything that I set my mind to. It’s set in stone.”

Nonetheless, his three-peat in the All-NBA Defensive Second Team speaks for his case and for how far the Heat get every season is in part to his play against the League’s best scorers. As he enters Year 6 of his career, it’s clear that Adebayo is ready to take his defensive talents to all-time great heights as the Heat look to bring a title to South Beach.

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Now, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Herro and the Miami Heat have reportedly agreed on a contract extension for four years worth $130 Million.

During the 2021-2022 season, Herro averaged 20.7 points on 44.7 percent shooting from the field, to go along with 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Since coming into the League, Herro has gone from averaging 13.5 points per game to 15.1 and, as of last year, 20.7.

Herro had even earned high praise from head coach Erik Spoelstra this past season, who said the Sixth Man of the Year “becoming one of the most skilled players in the League.”

Following the signing of Herro’s extension, Heat President Pat Riley said via NBA.com that, “Tyler is an impact multi-faceted player and we are excited to have him signed for the next five years,” said Riley. “His improvement every year since we drafted him has led to this day. We believe he will continue to get better per the Miami Heat.

Now with Herro officially extended, Heat fans are definitely looking forward to seeing many more performances this season.

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When he was asked at Miami’s media day about his contract extension negotiations and the upcoming Oct. 17 deadline to reach an agreement on a rookie extension, the fourth-year guard out of Kentucky offered the typical business-like response.

“I’m just focused on the season and basketball,” Herro said per the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “I’m going to let my agent take care of that.”

Media Day = major “first day of school” vibes pic.twitter.com/DZZJDIdQje

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 26, 2022

Herro also revealed that he was “active early” during extension negotiations but told his agent to “call me when it’s ready” after he realized that the deal wasn’t going to get done “until later.” He also said he’s “not in a rush” to get a deal done. Although Herro said it “be cool” to be the center of attention as a free agent, being recruited in such a fashion isn’t something he’s interested in.

“I was active early in the summer,” he said. “Then I realized it wasn’t going to get done, if it does get done, until later. So I just told my agent to call me when it’s ready.

“So we haven’t really spoken much about the contract. Obviously, I tell him to call me when it’s ready. If it’s not ready, I continue to play my game and figure it out next summer.”

Now the real fun begins.#HEATTrainingCamp @BahaMarResorts pic.twitter.com/q7pgvFDoXM

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 27, 2022

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year also said that he knows his worth and that he ultimately wants to stay in Miami, “but it’s got to make sense for my family.” Herro looks across the landscape and believes he’s better than some players who have gotten big contracts. So, whatever contract extension is offered, “it’s got to be the right number.”

If Herro and the Heat can’t come to an agreement, he will become a restricted free agent on July 1. Miami begins its season with an Oct. 19 home game against the Chicago Bull.

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His imminent return alongside Jamal Murray and back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic has made the Nuggets a threat to win the 2023 NBA Championship. However, Nuggets Coach Mike Malone still thinks Porter Jr. has room to improve. 

“I think if you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse,” Malone said. “I really feel that way. You never say the same, any of us. So for Michael, yes, he’s dealt with the injuries but understanding that for him, it’s a discipline within his offensive spacing. Get to the corner. Getting to the corner is not stopping above the break. He’s not a good; he’s a great corner three-point shooter. Well, have the discipline to get there every time.” 

Porter has averaged 14.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game over his four-year career. In his most productive season as a professional, the 2020-2021 campaign, Porter Jr averaged 19 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game on 54.2 percent shooting from the field and 44.5 percent shooting from the three-point line. 

Malone says the former lottery pick must also work on his off-ball awareness.

“Moving without the ball and spacing off the ball. He has the tendency, sometimes, to gravitate to the ball. Trust me, man, the ball is gonna find you. That’s the way we play.” 

Despite playing in 125 of 309 possible regular season games in his four-year career, MPJ earned a five-year contract extension last summer. The Nuggets will look for him to take another jump after he competed in only nine games last season before being sidelined by injury. 

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Haslem entered the League in 2003 as an undrafted rookie out of Florida. With all-time great Dwyane Wade, the pair won an NBA Championship in just their third season with the Heat after defeating the star-studded Dallas Mavericks squad. Haslem would make another 17 years of unforgettable memories for the Heat.

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UD was part of the back-to-back championship roster for the Heat from 2012-2013. Haslem started in 59 games in 2013 and proved his vocal leadership from the forward slot would end up making one of the Heat’s best defensive lineups in League history. He still shows that leadership on the bench as he constantly directs where a Heat defender should be on plays. Of course, it worked, as the Heat were one of the best defensive teams last season.

That stout defense had its moments, like when Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra got into a heated argument over a defensive possession. Haslem broke up this matter; and assured the team and press that he wouldn’t condone Butler’s behavior by yelling “I’ll whoop your a–” towards the six-time All-Star.

Udonis Haslem addresses what he says is the beginning of his “The Last Ride.“ pic.twitter.com/qA7OxZSeyC

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 27, 2022

Fans thought the team was falling apart, but it was only a wake-up call to get back into their winning ways. Butler would then lead the Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would end up a Game 7 victory short of playing in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.

“Got one more in me for Pop,” said Haslem per Heat Nation. “Got one more in me for the city. Got one more in me for the team.”

The Heat forward dedicates his last season to his late father, Johnnie Haslem, who passed away in August 2021. The UD farewell tour starts Oct. 19 against the Chicago Bulls. A lot of emotion heads into this season, but the best thing Haslem and the Heat can do is bring a fourth banner to the 305 and write off Haslem with a legendary career.

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Miami is headed for another season of action as a top contender to come out of the Eastern Conference and is looking to push one of their stars Bam Adebayo, to have an increased scoring role. Doing so can take the team over the hump.

Last year, Adebayo only averaged 13.7 shot attempts a game. For someone that shoots it at 55.7 percent, the expectation is that more volume will cede more outstanding production. Even Butler chimed in about this push on Media Day.

“We know he knows we want him to score more; we want him to be aggressive. He can do it, and he’s going to — He always is and always will be the engine, the key part on both ends of the floor. So we’re going where Bam takes us.”

Adebayo understands that the team wants him to score more, so he is setting a new goal for himself going into the 2022-23 campaign. On Media Day, the Heat star revealed that he wants to average close to 18 shot attempts per game.

“I’m going to try to get it up this year,” said Adebayo. “I feel like we’re a lot better team when I’m scoring the basketball.”

If the Heat star can remain efficient with that many shot attempts this season, we are potentially looking at an early MIP candidate.

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Sixers star Joel Embiid had an MVP-worthy campaign. Tyrese Maxey had his breakout season. James Harden was brought into the mix on the trade deadline, giving the team a much-needed go-to scoring option to pair alongside Embiid, which can also facilitate. Although this seemed promising enough to go all the way, some pieces of the puzzle had to be filled.

A busy offseason for the organization led to Philadelphia bringing in players like former Sixth Man of the Year winner Montrezl Harrell, sharpshooter Danuel House, and veteran PJ Tucker. The acquisition of Tucker reunites him with Harden. The two had a lethal on-court connection back on the Houston Rockets, where they played four seasons together.

The grit that Tucker provides is something that every team needs. He will harass you on defense. He can stretch the floor. He will even trash-talk you the whole game. Since leaving the Rockets, the veteran played a crucial role for the Milwaukee Bucks on their way to winning a championship in 2021 and the Miami Heat last season when they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals as the first seed. 

On Media Day, Embiid declared Tucker as one of the X-Factors for the Heat in their series against Philadelphia in last year’s playoffs. 

“Obviously, playing against PJ, I thought if you don’t wanna mention Jimmy (Butler), I thought PJ was one of the X-Factors that really had a big impact for them against us. Obviously, Daryl (Morey) went out and did his job.”

As for Tucker’s former teammate and, of course, current teammate, Harden, believes having the veteran on the team this year is significant.

“I feel like we got the right pieces we need on both ends of the ball to make us a legit contender and be the last team standing,” said Harden during Media Day.

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At that moment, the 33-year-old admitted that he had some uncertainty with the team last year. To Durant, the franchise’s direction was going away from a championship culture, which is important to be a part of at this late stage of his career.

“As the season went on, you seen what happened with our season,” said Durant on Media Day. “Guys in and out the lineup. Injuries — just a lot of uncertainty, which built some doubt in my mind about the next four years of my career. I mean, I’m getting older. I want to be a place that’s stable and trying to build a championship culture. I had some doubts about that. I voiced them to Joe (Tsai).”

“There was a lot of uncertainty around our team last year… We came to a mutual agreement that we should keep moving forward.”

-Kevin Durant on his offseason with the Nets. #NBAMediaDay pic.twitter.com/dlYEGmeoPP

— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 26, 2022

A change of scenery seemed like the only thing that could have done the 2014 NBA MVP justice. Teams such as the Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and even the Golden State Warriors were rumored as possible destinations for Durant. To the relief of many Brooklyn fans, the sweepstakes for the Nets star ended in late August after a meeting between Durant and the front office. 

After the meeting, both sides agreed to move forward, and Durant emphasized this on Media Day. When asked if he was surprised to be a Net going into the season, the twelve-time All-Star said he wasn’t because the Nets know how valuable he is.

“Nah, I mean … I know I’m that good that you just not going to give me away. That’s one thing that I did appreciate about Sean (Marks) and Joe (Tsai). It’s like, ‘You’re too great for us to give you away. Just that easy and that simple.’ I get that. I know who I am.”

KD and the Nets begin the season with a matchup against the Pelicans on Oct. 19.

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One of the NBA’s most elite dynasties, the Golden State Warriors, has reached the top of the mountain once more. With the brilliant play of Stephen Curry and company, the franchise has won four championships in a 7-year span. It’s quite remarkable, to say the least, but it all starts with one of the veteran pieces that keep the locker room in check and comes up big on the biggest stage.

The 38 year old Andre Igoudala may not be the pivotal factor to decide a championship series, but there’s something about his presence in the locker room that leads to success. It’s not just with the Warriors too, Igoudala took part in the Miami Heat‘s incredible 5th seeded run to the NBA Finals in the 2020 Bubble. His high IQ on defense was a major contributor to the Heat’s success, but the team ultimately fell to the LeBron James led Los Angeles Lakers.

The matchup between him and LeBron James is always considered one of the more unexpected rivalries in League history. However, in 2015 with the Cavaliers up 2-1 in the NBA Finals, Igoudala stepped up to attribute 16.3 points a game with 5.8 rebounds and 4 boards. What carved his name into the Bill Russell Finals MVP award, was his teriffic defense on a LeBron James who’d been dominating all post-season long.

“I’m letting you know now Steph,” said Igoudala. “This the last one.”

Though the Warriors haven’t come to terms with a deal for Igoudala, it seems clear he’s comitted to signing a veternan minimum deal. If so, Igoudala will play his final season, in a quest with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green at their fifth ring.

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