This story and so much more sneaker coverage is included in latest issue of SLAM KICKS 27. Grab your copy now.

First Team

DeMar DeRozan

No one else has the range that DeMar possesses when it comes to Kobes. This has been firmly established, especially on our page. And if we’re being real, DeMar’s collection on its own is enough to make this list year after year. The 1s, 6s and 9s all made their expected appearances, but it was seeing the Kobe 10 Elite HTM and the return of the Kobe A.D. from his Spurs days that cemented his status, yet again.

P.J. Tucker

In a reality where the grails of 10 years ago are being re-released every few months, P.J. Tucker remains pulling up to arenas with unspeakable colorways in tow. Nike KD 4 samples and Off-White Kobe customs should paint the range that the man displayed night after night. 

Devin Booker

A storyteller, a tastemaker and a sneaker historian. Devin Booker proved to be all those and more with the debut of his first signature sneaker. Colorways honored the Beaverton brand’s past icons and Booker’s own memories. Appearances were mapped out with a thematic-level of care. Documented and televised, the Nike Book 1 not only laid the foundation for Booker’s line, it set the standard mad high. 

Stephen Curry

When you’ve spent 11 years with one brand like Stephen Curry has, you get to dip back into the archives as much as you want to. Especially when all of your models have been updated so you’re floating on Flow cushioning. From headlining the Curry 11 to the Anatomix Spawn FloTro and the Curry 4 FloTro, the 2023-24 season saw the best shooter on the planet merge the stories of today with the silhouettes of years past.

Tyrese Maxey

The tides of opportunity turned to Tyrese Maxey all season long as the 76ers point guard of the future. But it was his diverse rotation of New Balance TWO WXY v4 colorways that cemented Mad Max’s first-ever First Team selection. From dollar bills with his face to revealing his own logo, the Boston brand isn’t pulling any punches with the rising star.

SECOND TEAM

LeBron James

The LeBron 21 got funky when it came to colorways. Shaggy suedes, pearlescent oranges, glossy metallics; even a second layer to the silhouette was revealed in clad grey. The extent of the experimentation culminated in the return of Deion Sanders’ Nike Air DT Max ’96, revealing a hybrid sneaker slashed by the football trainer’s iconic claw marks. The sandbox remains full of opportunity.

Paul George

When one door closes, another opens. In Paul George’s case, at least a dozen did. A stream of Kobe 4s, 8s, PG 1s and 2s all flowed through in his second season removed from his signature deal with Nike. And if you thought we saw the “Philly” Kobe 4 a lot last year, just wait until 2024-25 season.

Malik Monk

When you have an arsenal of Kobes like Malik Monk, balance might be the last thing on your mind. But the Kings guard has proven to be tasteful in his on-court output, shifting between his own PEs, original colorways and the recently updated run of Protros without leaning too far one way or the other. 

Jayson Tatum

From “Taco Jay” and flavored lemonades to wavy denim treatments, Jayson Tatum already has a thoroughly thought-out roster of colorways. The Jordan Tatum 2 extended the efforts of his first signature and established a lengthy connection to the brand’s wider athletes, from the WNBA to the League’s rising stars.

Trey Lyles

Let’s be real, no other big man in the L is putting it on like Trey Lyles. The Kobe aficionado has been well recorded on our socials and his collection of 4s through 9s remained in peak form this season. Toss in a duo of Yeezy and Mambacurial-inspired customs and you’ve got a second-straight Second Team selection for the Sacramento forward. 

MVP: P.J. Tucker

We’ve been over it before and we’ll say it again, P.J. Tucker is not the sneaker king, but he is the MVP of the 2023-24 SLAM KICKS Awards. Kicking it in the Nike Kobe 3 and Mookie Betts’ Air Jordan 11 PEs puts him in a tier of his own. But it’s the stories behind the likes of his own Nike Air Flight ’89 and exclusive Nike Book 1 colorways that remain at the heart of P.J.’s continued sneaker excellence. 

Most Improved Player: Devin Booker

After years featuring an assortment of sleek, Suns-appropriate Kobe PEs, Devin Booker was handed the keys to his own signature series. He’s not just the face of the silhouette, he spearheaded every part of the process, from its shape and color blocking to the eventual releases. An exclusive rotation of orange, black, purples and greys shifted to reach every corner of the color palette as tasteful colorways arrived in droves from October to April.

Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

The Nike Air Zoom GT Run was Wemby’s running mate all season long. Block after block, one jaw-dropping display of indescribable basketball artistry after another, the alien moniker has become more than fitting. Self-drawn extraterrestrial doodles served as his stamp of expression until the arrival of his own GT Hustle colorway at NBA All-Star Weekend. Sporting a sea of galactic imagery, the Swoosh doubled down with the reveal of Wemby’s own logo chiseled into a corn field. If anything, this is just the beginning of Wemby’s ascension in the sneaker space.  

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Undeniable Heat: Presenting The 2023-24 SLAM KICKS Awards appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a typical sunny day on the west side of L.A. and Trevor, Tajh and Tristan Ariza are trying to see who can hit a half-court shot first. It’s been two years since the NBA champion and L.A. native retired, and today, he’s back on the campus where his basketball dominance began. Except Trevor’s not the one in his old white, red and black threads. His oldest son, Tajh, is.

Tajh is currently one of the top 16-year-olds in the nation, and come next fall, he’ll be running the gambit on the same court his dad did. After finishing the basketball season at St. Bernard HS, Tajh soon after transferred to Westchester this spring.

Inside the school’s gymnasium, Tajh stands at halfcourt surrounded by a sea of red, black and white, from the “Comets” branded bleachers and walls to the shades of his dad’s original No. 4 home jersey that he’s wearing. The faded banners showcasing Trevor’s two state titles with the Comets hang proudly as father and son pose for flicks. Even in this moment, Trevor’s influence is ever-present. It’s surrounded Tajh since he was a baby, dribbling around with Kobe and Derek Fisher. Yes, he’s the son of an NBA player. But Tajh Ariza’s game is entirely his own.

“I gotta keep putting in work every day,” Tajh says. “You know, my dad [had a] great career, but I want to have my own name and show people like, Oh, I want to be like him, you know? So I just gotta keep working so I can get there.”

The 6-8 rising junior exploded on the recruiting circuit and is now considered top-10 in the class of 2026. After his freshman year, he held just three major DI offers. In the span of five months last year, he racked up five more. This past spring he received an invite to USA Junior National Minicamps, and over the summer he was playing up with Team Why Not 17U on the EYBL circuit. Things are just clickin’.

But the path wasn’t so easily laid out. Trevor let Tajh find his own love for the game. He didn’t push, he didn’t nudge; he sat back and watched his son discover their now shared passion.

“My idea for him was always right before he got to high school, if he was serious about it, I would give him all the tools that I use or the things that I learned to help him. So I would say when he got serious—about wanting to get better or actually work at basketball—was going into the ninth grade,” Trevor says.

Tajh agrees. He loved the game, but there’s a vast difference between loving to play and loving something enough to commit yourself to 5 a.m. workouts, two-a-days and a grueling 82-game season.

“I had to change my habits. Before maybe middle school, I didn’t really take it as seriously. It was just fun for me I guess. Of course, it’s still fun,” Tajh says, “but now I see that I have a real chance at what I want to do and be great. And I just kept going. I just took it.

Right before Tajh entered his freshman year, Trevor laid out what it would look like for his son to reach his highest potential. It ended with a soft yet subtle reminder: It’s time to kick it into the next gear. “I sat down with him and told him that it’s not gonna be fun. A lot of the time, it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna take a lot of sacrifice. And most kids, when they hear sacrifice or take away fun or free time, they kind of shy away from things. Lucky for me, he wanted to do it. So it was easy,” Trevor says.

In the year since, Tajh and Trevor have built out a dedicated plan. At least three times a week before school, they either lift or grind through sand drills with Trevor’s old Hoop Masters teammate. Working in the soft sand of L.A.’s beaches is taxing, exhausting, unnerving—all the above. But his explosiveness has taken off. “I started dunking on people, so that’s when I noticed that it started helping,” Tajh says. Off the court, he’s studying the ways larger guards like Paul George and Brandon Miller create space off the bounce.

After a shower, breakfast and school, Tajh will hit whichever program they didn’t do in the morning before heading to the court for myriad of shooting and ballhandling drills. From the gym to the sand dunes, Trevor is right there with his son.

Tajh’s dedication is persistent, a combination of witnessing the professional traits of his dad’s career and the will to carve out his own legacy. Getting up at 5:30 a.m. to run in constantly shifting sand is as much of a mental workout as it is a physical one. While Tajh embraces the results of his work, Trevor views it as a mile marker for how far his son has come since their freshman year conversation.

“It’s easy, for him especially being so young, to get the attention that he’s getting and kind of, like, be complacent and stuck in that. And my message to him is always just put your head down and focus on the work that you put in,” Trevor says. “Focus on the hours that you’re putting in, in the gym, in the sand, watching the game, learning the game, just focus on that. Everything else will take care of itself.”

When he moved from North Carolina to L.A. to attend Saint Bernard HS as a sophomore, Tajh says the talk around his game remained relatively quiet aside from the allure of his last name. That was until the beginning of the season when he received his first two offers from the University of Washington and USC. He’s still got the reaction video on his phone. “I was so excited. I was jumping up and down, yelling. It felt good to finally get, you know, what I felt like I deserved. But it also just motivated me to keep going. [To] just keep on stacking on that,” Tajh says.

Witnessing that joy in his own kin is a pride only a parent can experience. At the same time, Trevor has come to curtail his advice even after an 18-year career in the L that featured a 2009 championship with the Lakers and stops with 10 different organizations. The guidance he provides his sons is often rooted in the steps that he took in his journey to the NBA. And just like their games are different, so are the options and decisions available to them.

As Tajh prepares to enter his junior season and his younger brother, Tristan, gets set to start school, too, Trevor knows he can’t assume the roles of coach, dad and teacher all at once. He has to be selective and mindful of the hats he wears, and when he wears them.

“If there’s a week where I’m heavy on, like, Clean up your room or Take the trash out. How many times I gotta tell you to take the trash out? I gotta ease up on what’s going on on the court, because I’m hard on them at home,” Trevor says.

If Tajh is taking care of business at home, Trevor will drop some more knowledge. “But again, it’s his canvas. So he has to paint it the way he sees it. I can only tweak little things or give him little nuggets until he comes to me for big things.”

Big things like transferring to your dad’s alma mater.

As he looks up at the banners placed by his dad decades ago, Tajh can feel the target on his back expanding. Teachers are already flooding him with memories of the school’s past legendary battles with crosstown rival Fairfax. But the noise is just that: noise. And as his dad walks down the halls that he once occupied, he knows Tajh is ready to fully walk into his own. 

“I think for Tajh, he’s always been around it. So, it’s almost like second nature,” Trevor says. “He’s been around the environment since he could walk, since he could talk. It’s tailored for him. Some kids are born to do certain things. And to me, in my eyes, I feel like he’s one of those kids that was just born to be in this space.”

Portraits by Sam Muller.

The post Passing the Torch: With Guidance From His Dad’s Career in the League, Rising Junior Tajh Ariza is Ready to Make the Family Name His Own appeared first on SLAM.

“We love you Jujuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!” 

Now all eyes really are on Watkins. She smiles and humbly laughs it off—later she admits that it could’ve been a teammate or something. “I don’t know what that was,” Watkins says, while sitting on the team’s practice court. “That might have been my teammate honestly just trolling me. Sometimes I get recognized, but not too often.”

Juju Watkins covers SLAM 248. Shop now.

Yeah, OK. While she might be humble about all the attention, there’s a reason everyone calls her “The Juju Show.” Watkins was so big time in high school, Chris Brown and 2 Chainz would pull up to her games at Sierra Canyon to watch her play. The No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023 has had legends like LeBron James, whose son Bronny is currently a freshman on the USC men’s team, and USC all-time great Cheryl Miller, as well as fellow California natives James Harden and Paul George, give her nothing but high praise. Step onto the USC campus, and you’ll see her No. 12 jersey in the school bookstore.

“I’ve always dreamt of playing for a college that I love and being able to have so much pride in where I go to college,” she tells us. “To finally be here and have made that decision and be confident [in it] is a dream come true.”

Right outside, there’s a newsstand with copies of the Daily Trojan, and the very first thing we notice is that the main photo in the sports section is Watkins dribbling down the court with the caption, “USC will need a big game from her to pull off the upset against the Bruins.”

She did that and more. A few days after her SLAM cover shoot, Juju dropped a double-double in a win against UCLA in front of a record-breaking 10,657 fans. Her 32 points and 10 boards earned her Associated Press National Player of the Week and the Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week. May we remind you: she’s only 18 years old, and yes, she’s already a bucket-getting-dime-dropping-silky-smooth guard with a game so fluid and pro-ready, it’s mesmerizing to watch.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves quite yet. Actually, nah, let’s. That’s what the sports world does with every promising young player, and to keep it real, no one ever hesitates to declare the dudes the next big things. After all, didn’t the world start calling LeBron “The Chosen One” back when he was in high school? Speaking of which, even he’s declared Juju is the future: “She’s the next greatest thing in women’s basketball,” he said in the Los Angeles Times.

As she leads a renaissance of L.A. hoops and a new era of freshman stars, Watkins also represents why women’s sports is not just important to support and invest in, but exciting and special. 

“I think women’s basketball is constantly evolving, so just to be a part of that and be in that mix is an honor.”

It was just three years ago when we were in the gym with a 15-year-old Juju and her pops, Robert, to film her “Day in the Life.” Growing up in the neighborhood of Watts, Watkins was dropping 30 pieces at just 6 years old and was already so dominant that in the middle of a game, a younger boy literally picked her up and tried to take her off the court because he couldn’t guard her. She’d play in the Westchester Park rec league, and according to Robert, would even get “upset” whenever they’d play one-on-one. 

“That’s when I knew she had it,” he told us. “When she started getting mad.” 

Today, Watkins plays with that same fire, but she’s learned to channel it into a competitiveness that’s lethal every time she steps on the floor. She transforms into a different person, she admits, who is drastically different from the laid-back, chill one she is off the court. “Honestly, I just think basketball brings out another side to me. [I’m] very mellow off the court,” she says. “Sometimes it’s too much. Screaming, all that, that’s not really me.” 

The world saw that side of her right from the jump in her college debut against Ohio State. Amid a 32-point performance, Watkins was clapping and screaming in excitement after finishing tough layups at the rim. When the win was secured, there she was again, chest-bumping her teammates. Her performance broke Lisa Leslie’s freshman debut scoring record (30). “I think coming into [my] freshman season, I didn’t really have too many expectations for myself,” Watkins says. “I think just getting my feet wet, I guess as people would say. But now that I’m finally in it, I’m setting more goals for myself and expect more for myself. But honestly, at the end of the day, [it’s] just having fun.”

She’d break another record held by Leslie just six games in, this time for most 30-point games by a USC freshman in program history. She also led the Trojans to a record of 6-0 and their highest AP Top 25 ranking (No. 6) in 29 years. Here’s another crazy stat for you: after a win against Cal Poly, Juju had posted 161 points, 45 rebounds, 19 assists, 14 steals and 8 blocks for the season. According to OptaSTATS, in the last 20 years, only one other NBA, WNBA or Division I men’s or women’s player has put up numbers like that over a six-game span. Guess who it was? LeBron Raymone James.

As of press time, Watkins is posting 26.1 ppg, ranked just below Caitlin Clark for highest average in the nation. For Juju, bringing a winning culture to USC has always been the goal.

“I think I just want to really instill a winning culture here at SC, I think that’s what’s most important—that when my teammates and I leave, SC is still thriving and doing really well,” she says. “[I want to] just make sure that L.A. women’s basketball is always on top and really represent the West Coast and where I’m from [in] Watts.”

Legacy is synonymous with the Watkins family: Watkins Memorial Park is named after her great-grandfather, a local civil rights leader who founded the Watts Labor Community Action Committee. Juju grew up playing either in her family’s backyard or at the Watts gym, which is also named after him. Both her father and mother, Sari, were athletes in high school and raised Juju to be the best at whatever she did. They also gave her the middle name Skies, fitting given that their daughter would one day play at the same institution as the Hall of Famer Miller, who once said that for Juju, “The sky’s the limit,” per the Associated Press.

“[My mom] loved Lisa and Cheryl, she grew up in that era,” says Watkins. Upon watching the Women of Troy documentary with her mom, she got to see just how “inspiring” players like Miller, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke and fellow L.A.-native Tina Thompson truly were, and still are. “It’s really a sisterhood here,” she says. “I love that I can call on them whenever and they’re there for me. I appreciate that.”

Miller and Cooper-Dyke both helped bring the two—and only—basketball championships the Trojans program has ever won (1983, 1984). Those banners are hanging just above the practice court, in clear view from where Watkins is sitting right now. When we ask her about what kind of legacy she wants to leave at USC, Watkins emphasizes bringing USC women’s basketball back to the top. But she’s also thinking bigger. Dreaming bigger. It’s not just about her, but about the next generation.

“I owe a lot of my success to my family and my city, and I’m just planning on doing as much as I can for kids growing up in the same city as me and all around L.A.,” she says, “showing [them] that or being a testament to what can happen when you just work hard and follow your dreams.” 

JUJU WATKINS SLAM 248 COVER TEES AVAILABLE NOW!

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson. Action photo via Getty Images.

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RTG Features have partnered with Heartland Film to launch the first annual event, which will take place February 16-18, 2024 at Living Room Theaters in Indianapolis. There will be a mix of world premiere titles, recent festival circuit favorites and iconic films.

In addition to screenings and post-screening Q&As, the festival will also feature panel conversations with filmmakers, player-owned production companies, and network executives in the sports film and documentary space. ESPN Films, celebrating the 15th anniversary of their award-winning 30 for 30 series this year, joins the festival as a Supporting Sponsor and will host a must-see conversation looking back at the basketball documentaries they’ve produced.

Check out the full lineup below.

Above the Rim

In New York City, where thousands of teenagers compete for very few chances to play professional basketball—and the fame and money that come with it—one talented young man must choose between a scholarship to college and immediate wealth in this drama set on the blacktop courts of Harlem.

Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks

Reggie Miller single-handedly crushed the hearts of Knick fans multiple times. But it was the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals that solidified Miller as Public Enemy #1 in New York City.

Hoop Dreams

Two ordinary inner-city Chicago kids dare to reach for the impossible—professional basketball glory—in this epic chronicle of hope and faith. Filmed over a five-year period, Hoop Dreams follows young Arthur Agee and William Gates and their families as the boys navigate the complex, competitive world of scholastic athletics, while dealing with the intense pressures of their home lives and neighborhoods.

Director Steve James and film subjects Arthur Agee and William Gates join us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

Amongst the Trees

Amongst the Trees follows an upstart men’s basketball program at Copper Mountain College—a tiny community college in the middle of the Mojave Desert in Joshua Tree, California—during the final week of their season. In just its second year of the team’s existence, the film drops viewers directly into the action as the Fighting Cacti make one last push for the playoffs.

Executive Producer Paul George and director/producer Jack Jensen join us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot

In 2006, the top 24 high school basketball players in the nation descended on Harlem’s Rucker Park to compete in the first annual Elite 24. Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot follows eight of those players as they showcase their skills at the most legendary playground in the world.

The Syd & TP Show

World Champions and bench warming besties Sydney Colson and Theresa Plaisance are determined to become the faces of the WNBA, despite the fact no one asked them to. This buddy comedy series follows Syd and TP on their quest to become the most famous basketball players on earth through a mix of stunts, interviews, hijinks and a complete lack of shame.

This 90-min event will feature Syd and TP doing a standup routine, screening the pilot episode and a reel of the funniest sketches from their series, and a panel conversation and Q&A. This event will also be filmed for Season 2 of “The Syd + TP Show” so dress to impress! By purchasing a ticket and/or being present at the event you are consenting to be filmed for “The Syd + TP Show.”

Perfect in ’76

Revisit the journey of the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers and their renowned coach Bobby Knight who led the team to a perfect season of 32-0 and a national championship.

Stephen Curry: Underrated

Stephen Curry’s former Davidson teammate, Jason Richards, joins us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

Candace Parker: Unapologetic

A wide-ranging, revealing, and often intimate portrait of WNBA player Candace Parker, one of the most transcendent women’s sports stars in history.

Candace Parker joins us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

D. Wade: Life Unexpected

For a decade, Dwyane Wade intimately documented his life and career with a film crew. The result is a remarkably candid portrait of one of the greatest NBA players of all time.

Blue Chips

Championship-winning coach Pete Bell runs the cleanest program in college basketball. But when he finds himself on the brink of his first losing season, Bell decides he must make a risky trade to protect his job: under-the-table dollars for talent.

Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story

This trailblazing documentary is an exhilarating journey into the heart of professional women’s basketball, spotlighting the extraordinary lives, resilience, and triumphant achievements of WNBA MVPs Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, and Sheryl Swoopes.

Director/producer Andrea Buccilla and WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson join us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

Handle With Care: The Legend of The Notic Streetball Crew

Handle With Care: The Legend of The Notic Streetball Crew chronicles the rise, fall and rebirth of The Notic, an upstart streetball collective from Canada in the early 2000s. While their creative basketball moves brought them global fame as teenagers, it set them at odds with the status quo in a battle involving self-expression, race and rejection. Driven by a twenty-year quest to finish their mixtape trilogy, the documentary charts how the group of friends from Vancouver played outside the confines of the NBA yet still left an indelible imprint on the game forever.

Directors Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux and Kirk Thomas join us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

Chang Can Dunk

Chang Can Dunk follows Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American high school student in the marching band, who bets the school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming.

Writer/director Jingyi Shao and members of the cast join us for a special post-screening panel and Q&A.

Game Change Game

Game Change Game tells the story of a tumultuous basketball season plagued by once unimaginable circumstances.

The post The SLAM Film Festival is the FIRST-EVER Basketball-Focused Event: Buy Tickets, Full Lineup 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.

Forget how Merriam-Webster defines “iconic,” here’s how it should be defined: someone who or something that makes an enormous impact not only through his or her or its presence but also through his or her or its absence. 

“Iverson left.” 

Those were the first two words I remember hearing from Tony Gervino when he called from the NBA’s rookie orientation in Florida where we were shooting what would become the 1996 Draft fold-out cover. This was a huge shoot for us, and now we weren’t gonna have the first overall pick. (This news overshadowed the far funnier story of us having to keep a curious Todd Fuller—11th overall pick, Golden State Warriors—from wandering into the shoot. As an aside to an aside, if we included Golden State’s Draft pick, we probably would have taken out Kobe and wow how things could have been different.) 

“Iverson left.” This wasn’t good.

Over the years, we became incredibly familiar with those words, with that happenstance. Iverson was always there on the court and almost never there for photo shoots. He was 12 hours late for the SLAM 32 “Soul on Ice” shoot, dipped from practice (yes, yes, I know) entirely before we were supposed to shoot him for SLAM 42 the following year. We’d driven from New York to Philly, Clay Patrick McBride had everything set up, done the test shots and for a while we just stood around, hoping beyond hope he’d come back. He didn’t. We finally broke it all down and drove back. Instead, we eventually shot him in a room off to the side at an arena—grabbed him for literally a minute before a game and shot maybe one roll. For the record, every frame was amazing.

But it’s that rookie cover I keep going back to, and how Iverson’s absence ended up defining it better than his presence ever could have. It helped of course that Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen and Steve Nash ended up Hall of Famers (and Stephon Marbury and Jermaine O’Neal should be). In a way, Iverson being on there would have completed it. But in another way, his not being on there makes it cooler. This might just be me after-the-fact rationalizing, but I don’t think so.

Iverson had already had his debut SLAM cover by then, an action shot while he was at Georgetown that Scoop had to convince Dennis would work. He’d get another in short order, “Who’s Afraid of Allen Iverson?” on the June ’97 issue. This was the proto-Iverson, a skinny little dude with one tattoo on his bicep, cornrows, a single long gold chain. This is who the mainstream sports media was railing against? By then he’d been Rookie of the Year, dropped 40-plus in five straight games, dropped Michael Jordan with a quick bap-bap, BAP-BAP crossover (and earned the GOAT’s ire in their previous matchup by proclaiming he didn’t have to respect anybody). Iverson loved Jordan, still does, but on the court? No love there.

Off the court though? I gave Iverson a copy of that “Who’s Afraid of Allen Iverson?” issue—we all used to carry copies of the latest issues to give to players—and in return he gave me a big hug. This was the first time I’d met him. But that’s how Allen Iverson was, and how he is. If he loves you, he shows it. I think of Sosa talking to Tony Montana in Scarface and saying, “There’s no lying in you, Tony.” There’s no lying in Iverson either. The last time I saw him, a couple years ago, he gave me a hug, too. “Who’s Afraid of Allen Iverson?” Someone who never interacted with him, that’s for sure.

The “Soul on Ice” cover, which came nearly two years later (March ’99) happened with the NBA still in the throes of a lockout (note the “84% NBA Free!” in the upper left corner). It—both the cover shoot and the story—were part of a larger Iverson media push, so both the shoot and the interview for it were slotted in right before The Source Sports (The Source’s sports offshoot). We had to hire his hairstylist to both unbraid and re-braid his hair so he wouldn’t go into the Source Sports shoot still sporting a blowout. Of course in those pre-social media days, it was actually possible to keep a secret, so when the cover hit, no one was expecting it (an editor at Sports Illustrated actually asked Tony how we got him to wear a wig).

The interview happened in the morning and was something he wasn’t late for—I rode around NYC in a limo as he went to Modell’s HQ with Reebok (and stopped in the diamond district to get a massive piece of platinum and diamond jewelry repaired) and then out to Teterboro Airport. There, a Source Sports guy would accompany him on the flight and I’d catch a car service back to Manhattan. Now, Iverson is clearly not and never has been a morning guy unless he’s coming at it from the other side and preferably from the Main Line TGI Fridays. But he was still cool and compelling and heartfelt and honest to a fault—asked if he could be any other NBA player, he eschewed his childhood hero MJ (by then retired again) and went with Latrell Sprewell, who had yet to be reinstated by the NBA after choking coach PJ Carlesimo. It’s kind of crazy to think that at the time, he was still just 23 years old and hadn’t even been an All-Star yet. That summer, when KICKS Magazine opened to include all brands (it launched as Nike-only), he was on the cover of that, too.

In 2001, Iverson became a god. There was the All-Star Game in DC in February, where he scored 15 of his 25 points in a furious fourth-quarter comeback from down 21 to win by 1. He was, of course, named MVP. On top of that he dropped 50-plus twice in the regular season and won MVP, dropped 50-plus twice more in a seven-game series against Toronto (and posted a season-high 16 assists in the closeout game), and took the undermanned Sixers to the Finals to face an undefeated Lakers juggernaut that he promptly defeated in Game 1 in Los Angeles with a 48-point masterpiece. To paraphrase then-SportsCenter anchor Dan Patrick, you couldn’t stop Allen Iverson or hope to contain him.

People tried, of course. That magical year in Philly did not lead to sustained postseason success, the clashes with Larry Brown did not cease, the local sports radio call-in types did not become rational. Iverson continued to be judged for what he didn’t do (show up to every practice, shoot at a high percentage) rather than what he did (carry a team on his back every f*cking game). I am half convinced that the analytic nerd obsession with “efficiency” was at least in part embraced because it discredited Iverson, a guy whose misses wouldn’t have even been shots for someone who didn’t have his crossover or first step or long arms or big hands or sheer fearlessness to drive again and again into the teeth of physical defenses.

Here was a guy who stood 6-0 (maybe), weighed 165 pounds (maybe) and led the League in minutes per game seven times! He averaged over 40 minutes a game for his career!

He was as superhuman as could be, but Iverson remained a hero to most for his humanity, in a way that even Jordan never was. Jordan always seemed to be above the fray even when he was in it, unreal even when he was standing right in front of you. The myth became the man. Iverson? He was the people’s champ long before Paul Wall, grindin’ out of VA before The Clipse. If you were a young NBA fan, Iverson was a guy who dressed like you, listened to the same music you did; he faced untold struggles and doubters and still he rose. He was a hip-hop icon who was himself of hip-hop, with the cornrows and the throwbacks and the jewelry and even the (unreleased) album. He did commercials with Jadakiss, pushed a Bentley, kept crazy hours and still dropped 45 whenever he felt like it.

Let’s talk about the throwbacks for a minute. His wearing his own Wilt-era No. 3 Hardwood Classics jersey on the cover of SLAM 32 was instrumental in kicking off the whole craze and making the Mitchell & Ness flagship store in Philly a must-hit spot for everyone (including us). AI even rocked throwbacks on the bench when he was out—I distinctly remember him wearing an Abdul-Jabbar Bucks joint in Milwaukee—but, despite the NBA brand synchronicity, the NBA commissioner didn’t love it. There were rumblings of an NBA dress code long before one was ever implemented. So when we were brainstorming ideas for Iverson on the February ’05 cover, I came up with this: What if we shoot Iverson in a suit? 

The first question was whether he’d be down to do it, which he was. Phew. The second question was, did he even own a suit? The last time he wore one was probably when he got drafted. The answer to that, at least in terms of whether he had one he’d be willing to be shot in, was no. So he had one made. If you look at that cover with its black-and-white Atiba Jefferson photo, you’ll notice the suit is kind of baggy. So is the fedora, somehow. He’s like a hip-hop Humphrey Bogart. I ran into Que Gaskins, Iverson’s long-time Reebok guy, some years later, and he told me that Iverson kept telling the tailor everything had to be bigger, no, bigger than that, so many times that the guy finally just threw up his hands and quit. Well, nearly quit anyway. In October of that year, David Stern finally instituted the long-anticipated NBA dress code and hey, at least Allen Iverson already had a suit.

AI’s career didn’t end the way anyone wanted it to, but it lasted long enough for him to get endless bouquets from the generation that came after his—fitting for someone who never hesitated to pay homage himself, once wearing Dr. J’s No. 6 instead of his own No. 3 in an All-Star Game. Traded to Denver, he teamed with a young Carmelo Anthony, his own 6-7 doppelganger complete with ink and braids and a headband. Their SLAM cover together in March 2008 is a frozen moment of laughter, two guys clearly delighted in each other’s presence. And it wasn’t just Melo; that whole class of 2003 was filled with Iverson fans, from LeBron—forced to cover up his own tattoos in high school—to Dwyane Wade, who wore No. 3 because of him.

Allen Iverson inspired us, too. Here was a guy who, from the very start, was uncompromising in what he believed, in what he did, in what he said. With apologies to the great Kool G Rap, he was the realest. It shone through in everything, from his on-court performances to photo shoots to Reebok commercials. There were layers to go through to get to him of course, but by the time you did get to him, you knew exactly where he stood.

Yeah, he could be exasperating, especially to photographers (and writers) with schedules and families and whatnot, but even they got past it when they realized AI wasn’t being malicious or big-timing them or anything, it’s just who he was. But his presence—or his absence—was always huge. We always did what we had to do to get him, no matter how many times we had to reschedule. After all, we knew what missing him was like, and we didn’t want that to happen again. 

Photo via Getty Images. Portrait by Clay Patrick McBride.

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Quiet as it’s kept, Osman Bangura’s fingerprints are all over the game at every level—high school, college and even the NBA. At different points over the past two decades, he coached one of the nation’s best basketball programs in Virginia’s Paul VI High School, and at Howard University for a stint. He’s also helped build Team Durant and Team Takeover, respectively, to become two of the premier Nike EYBL programs in the country. When it comes to coaching and basketball, you name it and Osman has done it. He’s played many roles, both big and small, in helping a multitude of hoopers achieve their dream of playing Division I basketball and some to the league. He has unequivocally become THE guy in the DMV grassroots basketball landscape.

“I’ve been coaching for a very long time,” says Osman. “But people don’t really know that because I don’t boast. People do the talking.”

Osman, 46, who was born in Sierra Leone and moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland when he was eight, has no qualms about playing the background while others get the shine. His soft-spoken confidence sets him apart from many of his peers. He’s not in it for his ego. He knows his role—whichever one the moment calls for—and he plays it about as well as anyone in the country in his field. He simply wants to help put kids in a position to get scholarships and help kids improve their quality of life through the game, and he’s done both ten times over. It’s not that he shies away from the notoriety and attention, but he’s not seeking it either.

“I’ve done so much for kids and I don’t expect nothing back,” he tells me. “The way I was raised, you do right and the blessings are gonna come.”

Osman got into basketball late, and though he developed to be a pretty good player, admits he was never quite the prospect like his brother, Alpha Bangura, who went on to play for St. John’s University before carving out a solid career overseas. “I’ve always been a solid player. I was more of a defensive guy, I wasn’t a stud or all-American,” says Osman describing his game. And while he earned some opportunities at the next level, his college playing career was full of forks in the road.

Unfortunately for Osman, he suffered a handful of injuries including a ruptured Achilles and detached retina, which would eventually get the best of him and prevent him from having the playing career he envisioned for himself. He last played for Division III powerhouse Virginia Wesleyan in Virginia Beach before hanging up his jersey for good. “I was so beat, I thought basketball just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get through it,” he says. 

But Osman knew he still had more to give to the game, even if it was no longer predicated on his athletic abilities. Osman returned to Maryland and one of the first people he reached out to was Glenn Farello, then-head coach at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, one of the best public high school basketball programs in the area at the time.

Farello has since moved on to coach Paul VI, where he’s been for the past 16 seasons. Farello has been named Coach of the Year 13 times. He’s coached more than 80 college basketball players and counting, with 22 who have played professionally five who have played in the NBA. And Osman was there for a chunk of that. “I told Farello, ‘Man, listen, I’m back home [from school]. I been through so much and I want to give back. I have a lot to share,’” Osman recalls. It was a no-brainer for Farello who coached Osman’s brother, Alpha, years prior.

The year was 2003 when Osman made that phone call and jumped into coaching, and he hasn’t looked back since.

“I felt [coaching] is what I had to do, I felt like I sold myself short as a player. I know I could’ve done so much more but I just coasted through it,” says Osman. “I had to give back, even if just one person got something out of it.” Well, if you consider all the current college coaches, Division I hoopers and NBA players who Osman coached along his journey, it’s safe to say that a lot of people got something out of it. Brooklyn Nets’ Dariq Whitehead, New Orleans Pelicans’ Jordan Hawkins, Syracuse’s Judah Mintz, Oregon’s Kwame Evans and Florida State’s Jalen Warley are just a super tiny sample size of Osman’s former players.

This list of basketball success stories that Osman is attached to is only going to keep growing, too. Today, he is the head coach at Thomas Pullen, which Osman says is one of the best middle school basketball programs in Maryland. He also recently decided to part ways with Team Durant as their program director and head coach, and rejoin crosstown rival Team Takeover, where he got his first taste of coaching AAU hoops in the early 2010s. Even with Osman leaving Team Durant and joining forces with a rival squad, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone badmouth him or question his integrity. And that’s because Osman’s intentions are made very clear; it’s always all about the kids.

Many people consider the DMV to be the promise land for college basketball recruiting, and Osman is at the center of it. He’s not the only major figure in this space, but he’s at the top of a shortlist of the most impactful. And while Osman could justifiably walk around with his chest out, he prefers to play it cool. He gives the credit back to his student-athletes and his staff every chance he gets.

“Without the kids, there’s no coaching,” says Osman. “And the biggest thing I would say is that there’s way you could do all of this by yourself. I would absolutely not be successful if I didn’t have my staff. I have it easy because I stand up [and coach], but these guys take a lot off my shoulders from scouting, recruiting, washing uniforms and driving vans.”

There aren’t many youth coaches out there with a track record that’s comparable to Osman’s. He’s done just about everything this game has to offer. But he’s still determined to keep growing and evolving. He says he still has feats to accomplish and goals to check off. He’s worked at every level except the NBA, and that’s where he has his eyes set when thinking about the distant future. “I’ve done so much in this [youth basketball] space and I think I’m needed in this space. But long-term I would love to be an NBA scout or GM in the future,” says Osman. “I couldn’t play at the highest level but maybe I can coach, be a scout or in the front office at the highest level and impact the game that way.”

Sure, his goals are lofty but I wouldn’t bet against Osman. And it goes back to something he said early on, “you do right and the blessings are gonna come.” He’s not perfect, nobody is. But Osman has done a lot of right over the years. It’s safe to assume the blessings are going to continue coming tenfold.

Curtis’ Corner

Hoops: Another week of college hoops and another freshman putting the world on notice for what to expect for years to come. This time it was LSU WBB freshman Mikaylah Williams who dropped 42 points in a win against Kent State. LSU is loaded with experience and a championship pedigree made apparent by last year’s national championship. Adding talented freshmen like Mikaylah to the fold just means LSU will be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.

Rap: If you’re on the hunt for a refreshing listen filled with elegant production, smooth flows and quality substance, check out Oddisee’s album “To What End,” which dropped early this year. I just recently came across it and have been running it consistently.

Everything Black: This week Brandon Jennings penned a guest story for SLAM about his Tuff Crowd collaboration with Stephen Curry’s Curry Brand. Brandon called it “the most impactful collaboration the league has ever seen” and he made some valid points to support his claim. Be sure to give that a read and check out the collection here.

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Osman Bangura is the Grassroots Guru for DMV Hoops appeared first on SLAM.

This story and so much more is featured in the latest issue of KICKS 26. Get your copy here.

First Team

P.J. Tucker

As sure as the sun rises in the eastern sky, P.J. Tucker is back on our First Team. There’s nobody in the League more versed, more versatile and more willing to play in any pair. He cemented himself long ago on this list, yet he keeps on proving himself over and over.

James Harden

James Harden is a fairly uncommon human being in general. He did, after all, help to rewrite the NBA rule book with his singular style of play. His seventh signature silhouette, the best of the 2022-23 campaign, is particularly exceptional. It’s got a funky shape, it’s got an upper that looks like a puffer jacket, it’s full of the best tech the Stripes has to offer and it had incredibly hard colorways throughout the season. 

DeMar DeRozan

It’s not a shot at P.J. to say with confidence that DeMar DeRozan has the best Kobe collection in the League. As has been printed in these pages many times, he’s played in every Nike Kobe silhouette throughout his career and continues to add Kobe PEs that look more like art pieces than sneakers to his collection.

Ja Morant

Before his signature sneaker debuted on Christmas Day 2022, Ja Morant had been hooping in high quality Kobes and original versions of the early Kyries. Then he stomped into the signature game with a handful of unique colorways. And because he moves differently than just about everybody in the League, there’ll be more originality in his future.

Stephen Curry

The best shooter ever had variety in 2022-23. Curry 10s, FloTros of the 1 and 2, some sprinkling of the 4 FloTro all got court time with No. 30. There aren’t many others who tell stories with their footwear like Stephen. His nonstop commitment to the underrated and underrepresented often gets communicated through his footwear. 

Second Team

LeBron James

Flavor after flavor after flavor. LeBron James’ 20th season will be remembered for the multitude of colorways he played in. Both the Nike LeBron 20 and the Nike LeBron NXXT Gen appeared under the bright lights in equally subtle and outrageous makeups, night after night. 

Paul George

Even though his signature line has wrapped up, Paul George didn’t miss a step. Each game brought a new chance for him to show off his unexpected appreciation for basketball sneakers, like, for example, wearing the “All-Star” Nike Kobe 6 while playing in the City of Angels. You get the connection?

Malik Monk

Malik Monk very much understands how to properly apply hues to footwear. All of his Kobe PEs, be it 5s or 6s, are consistently fire. None of them are really that similar, either. There’s a ton of variation from pair to pair, with browns and blues and purples and blacks and pinks
showing up throughout his stable. 

Trey Lyles

Look, let’s be honest here, yeah? Kobes are this generation’s Jordans. Trey Lyles has a stockpile of rare heat that he’s amassed over the years and most of them aren’t protros. He’s on this list because he consistently hoops in heavy hitters from the game’s most cherished line, oftentimes reminding people about pairs or colorways they’d previously forgotten. 

Jayson Tatum

Another visual storyteller, Jayson Tatum started the season with many versions of the Air Jordan 37 and Air Jordan 38 Low that let the public in on what matters most to him. Once ASW rolled around and he got to unveil his first signature with Jordan Brand, the storytelling door flew clean off the hinges. Tatum tells us a whole lot about himself without ever saying a word. 

MVP: P.J. Tucker

LeBron James only has four MVPs. Michael Jordan only has five MVPs. What in the hell is good with that? That’s not the truth. Both deserve a minimum of 10. In the context of basketball sneakers, P.J. Tucker is LeBron. He is MJ. In our pages, he will continue to get his shine until he hangs up his sneakers for good.

We’ve called him a lot of things over the years, like the Michael Jordan of wearing Jordans. We’ve compared his conquering of basketball footwear to passages in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Now that we’ve finally gotten him on the cover and had a chance to listen to him speak openly about sneakers, he’s the MVP because he loves it all more than anyone else. We hear you, P.J. 

Rookie of the Year: Jalen Williams

The list of Stripes silhouettes that Jalen Williams played in is mighty long. It includes the Harden Vol. 7s, Crazy 97s, Dame 5s, Top 10 2000s, D.O.N. 4s, Agent Gils, Harden Vol. 4s, D Rose 1.5s and Dame 8s. 

Williams maintained a steady rotation throughout the season, varied with many colors. He seems to be a student of the sneaker game. He joined the likes of Tracy McGrady, Nick Young and Jaylen Brown when he rocked mismatched adi joints. The young star popped out to All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City with one white Harden Vol. 7 and one pink Harden Vol. 7. His name will most definitely show up again in these pages next year.

Most Improved Player: Paul George

The Swoosh decided to end Paul George’s signature line at the PG6. It went out with a bang, concluding after the drop of his collab with Hot Wheels. 

The ending of one thing is the beginning of another. Freed up from being required to play in his latest signature model, PG hit the ground running by wearing Kobe 4s, Kobe 5s and Kobe 6s. He dug into the closet for the return of the PG1, the PG2 and the PG2.5. Strategically, he secured this spot when he played in the “Draft Day” Kobe 4s in Charlotte. That was a wakeup call signifying there was another knowledgeable sneakerhead ready to show out. 

LeagueFits Arrival Sneaker of the Year: Russell Westbrook

Michael Jordan’s retirement in 1998 gave the first class of Brand Jordan athletes the full sneaker spotlight. They were getting to play in retro colorways made just for them. Guys like Ray Allen, Derek Anderson, Vin Baker, Eddie Jones and Michael Finley are the reason every sneakerhead knows what PE (player exclusive) stands for. Retro PEs continued for the next couple of Jordan athlete generations, with guys like Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson gaining fame for their heat. 

But Jordan Brand changed up the overall thought process a few years back. Retro PEs are far more rare now. 

Their scarcity is why Russell Westbrook’s Air Jordan III colorway is getting the nod for the LeagueFits Arrival Sneaker of the Year. Seeing these IIIs in the wild is like seeing the Loch Ness Monster finally reveal itself. 

Best of the Brands:

Curry 10

adidas Harden Vol. 7

Jordan Tatum 1

New Balance TWO WXY v3

Nike LeBron 20

PUMA MB.02

READ MORE: KICKS, NBA, WNBA

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  SLAM’s Adidas Collab Welcomes The Return Of The Crazy Two For The First Time 
  words, photography & design // Nick DePaula When you ask anyone to pick their favorite cover of SLAM, it’s the 15th issue featuring a fold-out cover of rising… Read more: SLAM’s Adidas Collab Welcomes The Return Of The Crazy Two For The First Time 
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  SLAM Replay: Looking Back on a Year of Hoops, Moments and Kicks
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  These OLD SLAM ADS Promised to Help You Dunk and Improve Your Vertical—Guaranteed
  This story is published in OLD SLAM ADS. Get your copy here. My 40-year-old knees are worn out. Worn out like the lawn behind my childhood home, and… Read more: These OLD SLAM ADS Promised to Help You Dunk and Improve Your Vertical—Guaranteed

The post The 2022-23 KICKS Awards: First Team, MVP and MORE! appeared first on SLAM.

After ending his most recent season with the Clippers with an injury, George is ready to get back on the court. Allow us to introduce you to a side of Paul George you’ve never seen before in our recent SLAM 246 cover story, where he talks about everything from his training to his podcast and how he’s measuring his success from now on: by winning a championship.

Check out the behind-the-scenes video below.

Back on his bully. Get your copy of SLAM 246 today.

“I had that approach of guarding everyone tough, of trying to be the number one option and score on the best player every night while shutting the best player down every night.” 

The Clippers star kept it real for the cover of SLAM 246, where he sat down with us to talk about his legacy, the perception of him in the NBA and what he meant in that livestream…

The post The ‘Bully’ is Back: Go Behind the Scenes of Paul George’s SLAM 246 Cover Shoot appeared first on SLAM.

The question is a rhetorical one. Many people—the media, casual basketball fans, diehard Pacers/Thunder/Clippers fans—know of him as just an NBA superstar.

He’s an eight-time All-Star, won Most Improved in 2013 and has made All-NBA, All-Defensive and All-Rookie Teams throughout his 13 years in the League so far. Long before that, he was known for being the highest draft pick in Fresno State history when he was selected in the first round back in 2010. Then, in 2014, he decided to switch things up by changing his jersey number from No. 24 to No. 13, which also inspired a new nickname: PG-13. He bought all his old jerseys and donated them to his high school. 

“The whole thing behind PG-13 is just coming into my own,” he told Vigilant Sports back then. “I feel like I’m at that stage where I’m ready to embrace everything that comes with being one of the young stars in this League. Everyone knows PG-13 is related to television, so the whole thing is being able to enjoy the show and being fun to watch.”

In Indiana, PG turned heads. By his third season, he’d emerged as the Pacers’ go-to option, and helped lead them to the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons from 2012-14. After seven years in Indy and multiple occasions where he battled through injury—including a compound fracture in his leg, which he suffered during the offseason in 2014 that caused him to miss a majority of the upcoming regular season—he was traded to the OKC Thunder in 2017. He tried to redefine himself again, this time as “Playoff P,” a nickname which he gave himself that season, right before the Thunder played the Jazz in the first round. When asked about guarding then-rookie Donovan Mitchell, he clarified to ESPN that “Playoff P” is “a fun guy to watch. It’s an out-of-body person where I just lock in and put myself in a different zone.” 

Then, in 2020, Game 7 against the Nuggets happened. Playoff P only scored 10 points on 25 percent shooting and went scoreless in the fourth. The internet ruthlessly decided “Pandemic P” was a more fitting title for the star’s performance at the time. Since then, George has missed extensive time due to injury, including the end of the 2022-23 regular season because of a knee injury.

But that was then, and this is now. At 33 years old, George has seen the highs and the lows of being a professional athlete—the injuries, the losses and the wins. While the opinions of others can help shift and shape narratives, what matters most is how athletes view themselves. And that’s what we went out to California in late-August to find out: Who exactly is Paul George? 

“I think I’m a pretty funny person, but I’m also a very introverted person,” George tells us. “I kind of keep to myself and I think that’s why people don’t, or haven’t learned much about me through my time through the NBA. But I’m actually a pretty fun, outgoing person. Love to laugh, love to joke. And, I mean, I’m not sure if that will surprise many people but for the people that don’t really know me, it can be surprising. At least that’s what it seems when we read comments [saying], He’s actually funny. He’s actually a good dude. So, I think the more I just show [my] personality and show who I am, [the] more people have just gravitated toward it.”

Paul George Covers SLAM 246. Get your copy now.

The man himself is sitting in a well-lit lounge at the Proactive Sports Performance, wearing his L.A. Clippers uniform. He was just training and working out in the weight room moments prior—the lounge that we’re in right now is on the second floor and looks out onto the training facility and court. Down below, we’ve got an entire photo shoot set up, which is where we’ll shoot George for his third SLAM cover. 

But first, interview time. Initially, PG’s demeanor is more low-key as the cameras start rolling. He’s not overly energetic or giving monotone answers, with “honestly” being one of the first words he uses when asked how his summer has been going. It’s a good sign that, hopefully, he’ll keep it real for the rest of the conversation. After all, he’s done countless interviews and magazine covers, including with us, before, and has been asked plenty of questions about his career, getting to that championship-level, playing alongside Kawhi Leonard…

If you listen—really, actually listen—to what he has to say, you’ll start to understand that there’s a lot more to Paul George. He’s introverted, yes, but he has also been discovering another side of himself. He’s creative, and pretty introspective and honest: while the next generation of standouts—Brandon Miller, Kiyan Anthony—consider him their GOAT, his own measurement of success comes down to one tangible thing: winning a championship.

When he mentioned on his Twitch livestream recently that he fully intends to be on his “bully shit” this upcoming season, that wasn’t a threat. It was a promise.

Here, Paul George elaborates more on what we can expect from him this season, his approach to his offseason training and how he’s discovered his voice—and himself—on the court, in the podcast studio and everywhere in between.

SLAM: How are you doing? How has the summer been and what have you been up to aside from training?

PAUL GEORGE: Good. Honestly, [it’s] summertime, being a father, it’s mostly family time. When the season’s done, kids are out of school. [It’s a] great opportunity to kind of just be at home with the family, be with my wife, my kids. But that’s about it. Apart from that I’m training and, you know, I’m taking my usual summer trips to Europe and vacation. But outside of that, [I’m] putting one foot forward and getting ready for the next season.

SLAM: Where in Europe did you visit?

PG: I was out in Serbia, where my wife is from. I was in Montenegro and Greece.

SLAM: What’s it like to be home and able to fully focus on the fam? Can you describe how you go about transitioning from the season into summer?

PG: It’s great having the kids home full-time, keeping them active [and] being able to take them to their camps, take them to their practices, their hobbies. It’s just great to be a little bit more hands-on and you really find what their interests are once you’re with them for longer periods. 

So it’s been fun—it’s been fun since the season has been done to rekindle that. You get so riled up and caught up with how the season is going that you tend to lose out on stuff, just being on the road and traveling so much. So that’s really the great part about having those summers.

SLAM: You’ve mentioned they’re pretty creative—were you the same way as a kid  growing up?

PG: Yeah, I was. I think that’s why the bond between my oldest and myself is so strong, because I was the same way. My imagination was very strong. I can draw, create, color—you name it. If I can think of it, I could draw it. So I was pretty good. I wasn’t the greatest at drawing, not a portraits person, but I could draw pretty good as a kid. I see a lot of me [in] her.

SLAM: That’s fire. In terms of your offseason workouts and training, did you start getting into it immediately after the season ended? 

PG: I took, like, two weeks off just because I was rehabbing. When the season ended, [I had] a nasty leg injury. And when the season was over, there was no point obviously for me to be in the best shape possible. So I took two weeks off to kind of get away from basketball, get away from the facility, get away from training. I thought that just helped me approach when I went back to training a lot better. It helped my mental, it helped my focus and that’s about the norm for me at this point in my career—take about two weeks away, go travel, just get out, get away and then I’ll come back and go hit it hard again.

SLAM: Has that been your approach in the past? To take time away? 

PG: Yeah, I would say probably the last couple years. Before then I used to, when the season was done, I [would] be right back in the gym the next day. But now as I’ve gotten older, I kind of enjoy splitting the two—being in season-mode and then being in offseason-mode. The younger me didn’t have a family or kids, so the older me kind of knows to separate that, enjoy family time and get after it when I’m ready.

SLAM: Looking back, how would you describe your younger self, especially when you first came into the League.

PG: My younger self was just hungry. He was passionate, he had just the warrior mentality. And fearless. I still have some of those qualities, but it’s definitely stronger as a youngin’ coming into the League. Now I would say my older self is a little bit more focused, knowing what I want and how to approach it, how to get there. Now it’s just [about] trying to stay healthy. That’s the biggest key. 

But yeah, that’s the separation between myself—where I’m at now and the younger me. I just had that passion to want to be the best and destroy any and everything in front of me.

SLAM: What have you been focusing on specifically this offseason in your training? What are your goals going into next season?

PG: Just focusing on the mentality. For me, it’s just the mentality. I work extremely hard on improving and getting better, but for me, it’s just the mentality—going back to having that 22, 23-year-old mentality at 33 of, every time I’m on the floor, I’m there to dominate and just be the best player on the floor at all times. So that’s the mentality I’m going into it [with]. That’s how I’m approaching this summer. At the end of the day, I love where I’ll finish because if I have that mentality, I know I’m giving it everything I have, and I can live with those results.

SLAM: Is that what you meant when you said on that Twitch livestream that you’re going to be on your “bully shit” this season?

PG: One hundred percent. One hundred percent. That’s exactly what I meant. I gotta hold myself accountable to that… Every night I’m on the floor, I’m there to dominate. Whether it’s [being] more physical, or going right at whoever I gotta go at, you’re gonna feel me. I’m having that approach of every time I’m on the floor, I’m there to dominate and destroy you.

SLAM: When you said that on your livestream, what pushed you to that point? Did you feel like it was something that needed to be said? Was that something that was going through your head already?

PG: Yeah, I mean, it was just a lot of unnecessary talk going around the League of, you know, guys feeling themselves and directing comments toward me that haven’t done anything as well. You know, this is the last couple years of my career, so it’s all about legacy for me as well. And that’s just my approach—I got to finish strong and go back to loving the game and loving to dominate. And again, that’s just how I got to approach it. [If] I come up short, that’s on me. But that’s how I gotta approach it.

SLAM: You used the words “go back to loving the game and loving to dominate.” Was there a time when you didn’t necessarily feel that way?

PG: Just through injuries, you doubt yourself. At times, you doubt what you’re able to do. But at this point—I had a fluke injury to end the rest of my season last year—but up until that point, I was starting to get stronger, I was starting to feel better, problems that I was having midseason were starting to go away. And that was the best I was feeling. And so, I was coming into my stride, ready to get back into that. But for a stretch, I didn’t feel [like] myself just because injuries and stuff was aching and popping up. But I feel like I’ve been starting to address that every summer, little by little, to where I’m in a great place right now.

SLAM: What does Paul George being on his “bully shit” look like?

PG: Honestly [laughs]…I can’t tell you what that looks like. I’ve been a pretty consistent scorer, been a high-level player for many years. But for me, it’s just getting to a level of consistency. And, again, not backing down and destroying whatever I have to [to] get to where I need to get to. So I think it’ll be noticeable by the way I play this year.

SLAM: Do you feel like there was a time or I guess a defining moment during your career where you really felt like you were really on your “bully shit”? 

PG: I had that approach of guarding everyone tough, of trying to be the number one option and score on the best player every night while shutting the best player down every night. You know, I just had a mean mentality when I was younger. And that was just how I approached the game. I think I fell away a little bit from that mentality. And so again, all of it is just trying to be back, centered [and] to where I was when I came into this League.

SLAM: When you were referring to guys in the League, or in general, having things to say about you, what was running through your head? 

PG: I mean, everybody has their right to say what they want to say. Everyone at this point in time has an opinion. That doesn’t bother me, but the way you go about it, and the way you approach it, I’m gonna have to have something to say about the way things are handled at some point. And that’s just where it’s gotten, so, you know, it’s just about having—I don’t go off of what I’ve done, who I’ve been in the League. To me, I view it as: if I’ve won or if I haven’t won. And I haven’t won. People tell me all the time, Don’t doubt yourself, don’t this, don’t that. I don’t. I know what I’ve accomplished. I know what I’ve done in this League. I know whose ass I’ve busted in this League, who I’ve put what numbers on in this League. That don’t mean nothing if I haven’t won a championship. Yeah, it’d be a great résumé when it’s all said and done. That’s cool. But for me, I measure myself in the success I’ve had in the League—if I get a championship, that’s what it’s all about. So, yeah, the regular stats are cool and all, but I got a bigger goal of winning [and] establishing myself as a champion.  

SLAM: Have you always had that standard of success? 

PG: Yeah, I mean, coming into the League, early on, the first couple of years [it was about] establishing myself and just getting better and wanting to be an All-Star, wanting to be on that superstar level, wanting to carry a team and wanting to be the best defender on the floor. That was kind of [my] individual goals. But once you make it to that point, take it a step further, now that has to mean something. Being the best player, being the best defender, being on a good team—like that all has to start to equate to something. Now I’m at a point where every year I’m training, and that’s the goal—to get a championship. And so if I come up short, like, nothing else matters that year. At this point, I failed the year, I failed the season, if I didn’t win a championship. 

SLAM: Let’s get into your podcast. To start, do you feel like this is one of the first times you’ve really been outspoken in terms of sharing your own opinion, talking to other athletes and analysts? 

PG: Yeah, I think so. Because, you know, for the longest [time], as a young guy, you want to say the right stuff, you want to protect the organization, you want to protect teammates, you want to protect yourself, image, brand, all of that good stuff, right? But you lose sight of like, Am I really answering this the way I want to answer it? Am I really getting off the thought or the idea that I really want to say? And sometimes after interviews, I’m like, you know, Fuck, I should have said what I really wanted to say. Or, I should have told them what really happened or how it really went. Or, how I really felt.  Now, with my podcast, I can do that. And I think that’s just the beauty in it. 

SLAM: On that note, what’s it like doing the interviewing after having been interviewed so many times? Do you feel like you have a different perspective of what goes into it? 

PG: Yeah, what I found doing it is [that it’s] very therapeutic, because a lot of stories that I’ve told, or a lot of stories that we’ve talked about, were things I held on to and haven’t really [gotten] that out. Whether it’s been good moments, bad moments, fun times, bad times, it’s just been therapeutic to express certain stories. For example, the conversation with DeMar [DeRozan] that we had about playing each other in high school, I have always felt how I felt leading up to that moment playing him in high school, but it was great to hear how he felt leading up to that moment playing me in high school. So conversations like that were great to kind of reflect back on and share that moment and share that story with somebody that I’m pretty good friends with, but we’ve never talked about that. And so it was just great to go back [down] memory lane and pick up on things that we’ve been through and experiences. Because otherwise, you hold on to certain stuff and [are] weirded out by how to share or reflect on some things.

SLAM: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourself, now that you’ve gotten into podcasting? 

PG: That I’m not just good at basketball. [laughs]. Nah, I mean, I knew whatever I put my time into I can be successful in. That’s what kind of person I am: if I lock in on something, I work extremely hard to be good at it. And being in the podcast space is another notch to reassure that. It’s just been fun. It’s honestly been fun. I never in a million years would have thought that I would be interviewing other players, talking about stories, being in front of a camera as much as I am, especially at this point in my career. So, you know, it’s just been a great roller coaster. And I’m just enjoying the ride at this point.

SLAM: Did you always feel that way—that you’re really only viewed as Paul George the basketball player?

PG: Not necessarily, but I do think people didn’t know much about me. I felt I was—everyone thought a certain way, based off of moments I’ve had in basketball, moments on the court, off the court. And that’s the only thing that they can pinpoint on me. But actually watching me in a podcast setting, getting to talk, getting to laugh, making jokes. I think people see me in a different light. And that’s what I appreciate, that they can separate [it, like], Oh he’s totally different. I thought he was way different. I had this perspective of him, [but] he’s actually a cool dude. He’s actually funny. He’s actually this, that. Which I am. I’m just as normal as anybody else. 

There’s definitely an appreciation there for fans for allowing [themselves] to re-introduce themselves to who Paul George is.

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Deyscha “Sway” Smith is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow her on Instagram/X, @deyschasmith and Tik Tok @deyscha.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Paul George Unfiltered: Clippers Star Talks Training, Perception Around the NBA and Destroying the Competition appeared first on SLAM.

“After that game, the hype went crazy,” remembers the soft-spoken Coulibaly, smiling. “My parents were like, Now this is serious!”

Three weeks later, Brad Stevens was seated courtside at the Palais des Sports Marcel Cerdan, the Mets arena. The president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics was attending an off-season game between the Mets and Le Portel. People were whispering, Is he there for Victor [Wembanyama]? No. Bilal Coulibaly was the only reason for Stevens’ appearance. But sadly, he was injured.

“I was so upset,” says the native of Courbevoie. “And then I thought others would come, it gave me a boost. I knew that I could be this year’s revelation in the French championship. Whenever I step foot on the court, I’m all in…The NBA is the main objective. Before it was a dream, now it’s a goal.”

After Stevens, a flurry of scouts and NBA executives attended his U21 games, eager to watch him play with the pros.

Patience was key. Vincent Collet, the head coach of the Mets and the French national team, had a plan. Coulibaly would be ready around December.

“It’s his first year as a pro, so we had to go slowly,” explains Collet. “Everything looks easy when you watch him play. He is graceful. Bilal has been blessed with superior athletic abilities. He learns fast, he is smart, he feels the game, you tell him something once and he gets it. Bilal has a ways to go but he is gifted.”

Coulibaly’s relationship with basketball is the typical Euro prospect story. Rejected by soccer (because the team was full), he fell in love with the orange ball at first sight—he was 10 years old at the time, playing for Courbevoie. “My first mentor was Manu De Carvalho. He coached Evan Fournier, he taught me everything I know,” says Coulibaly.

“Bilal is one of the most talented players I have had the chance to coach,” explains De Carvalho. “He is smart, he works, he is humble, he has that drive to become a beautiful player. In my team, he could score 40, 50 points easily. I challenged him all the time. During this quarter, you will only be able to use your left hand. During the next quarter, you will only make plays for your teammates.”

At 13, Coulibaly joined Levallois’ youth system. The transition from Courbevoie to the Mets was a slow process with some ups and downs. Between the age of 15 and 17, he had a huge growth spurt, gaining 8.6 inches—going from 5-6 all the way to 6-3. “I was able to adapt to this new height pretty fast,” recalls Coulibaly. The spurt happened during the COVID lockdown—sports was on hold during the pandemic, so Coulibaly didn’t have to play any competitive basketball, giving him time to adjust to his body’s sudden growth. By 2021, then 17 years old, Coulibaly was now a different player, ready to dominate U21.

Last summer, Coulibaly got his high school degree and his parents gave their blessing—sort of— to pursue hoops fully. You can try that basketball thingy for a year and then we will see. Meanwhile, Collet had always envisioned the defensive impact Coulibaly could have at the pro level.

At first, the humble Coulibaly was too respectful toward the veterans during practice, until something clicked. “I [eventually had to] understand that I had to be physical, it was the only way I could improve and gain their respect,” he says in retrospect. Collet had him slowly test the waters regularly until the Mets coach decided in mid-January that Coulibaly was ready for a full dive. No more U21 games.

A force on defense in the Betclic Elite French championship thanks to his lateral quickness, Coulibaly is now drawing eyeballs. He cuts for an easy dunk, or a powerful tip-in, or to set himself up for a three pointer. He’s been playing major minutes for a Mets team aiming for the title this season.

“He is our X factor,” notes teammate Victor Wembanyama. “An all-terrain weapon, he can posterize a player and on the very next play block him. Players keep on underestimating him because he is young…They go for a layup thinking they are safe and they get annihilated. Every game he does something crazy. I think he is the player I’m looking for the most on the court.”

Wembanyama and Coulibaly share the same agents, Bouna Ndiaye and Jérémy Medjana, but they go way back. Together, they won the U13 French championship with Hauts-de-Seine selection in 2017. Their coach? Manu De Calvahro, Bilal’s mentor. It’s a small world, indeed. “We have a chance to win the Betclic Elite after winning the U13,” adds Wembanyama. “That would be unique.”

When you ask Coulibaly about his best game as a pro, he gets really excited to talk about it. “Dijon, [Matt] Mobley was killing us. We did a box and one, Coach put me on him and I was able to contain him, force him into taking bad shots. I was so in tune defensively. People talk about the 14 points I had that night but, defensively, that game was something else. That’s when I realized I could become a great defensive player.”

Coulibaly, who admits to studying Paul George, knows he needs to improve his shooting mechanics. People want him to be more selfish, to break plays. It will come in time.

“Patience,” preaches Collet.

Then again, last September, the 2024 NBA Draft was the goal. Now, Coulibaly is a potential first-round pick for next month’s draft instead.

NBA scouts attending the Mets games are all smiles these days when you bring up Coulibaly’s name.

“I can’t really talk,” says one scout for an Eastern Conference team. “But if we are all here while some of us have no chance to get the other guy [Wembanyama], it means that he is pretty good, right?”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Meet Bilal Coulibaly—Potentially the 2023 NBA Draft’s Best Kept Secret appeared first on SLAM.

Wall is playing his first year with the Clippers after joining the team as a free agent. He’s currently out after suffering an abdominal injury, but when he’s healthy, the five-time All-Star is averaging 11.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 30.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The Clippers (23-22) have legitimate title aspirations, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George leading the way. Wall was expected to come in and compete for the starting point guard role and has settled in as a strong sixth man who can start in spots. The Clippers have dealt with Leonard’s load management and are still building their chemistry as a team.

Adding frontcourt depth behind Ivica Zubac and Moses Brown could help the Clippers gain some ground in the Western Conference playoff standings. The trade deadline is Feb. 9, and it’ll be interesting to see what moves the Clippers will make their team better.

The Clippers are set to host the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.

The post REPORT: Clippers are Discussing a John Wall Trade for Frontcourt Depth appeared first on SLAM.

The team has been shorthanded the last two games after Devin Booker suffered a hamstring during the front end of their back-to-back against the New Orleans Pelicans. However, their center DeAndre Ayton, believes Phoenix has no excuse for getting outplayed the way they have during this latest stretch of games.

“The teams we see on film aren’t the teams we play,” Ayton said per NBA Central. “They’re playing harder and with a chip on their shoulder against us.”

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Their two contests with the Pelicans have raised concerns amongst Phoenix fans that the momentum that helped the Suns rise to first place in the Western Conference has halted. Zion Williamson dropped 35 points on a combined 71.1 percent shooting from the field. In the second matchup, CJ McCollum’s posted 29 points and seven assists in 45 minutes to New Orleans get the overtime victory.

Although Ayton credits the efforts of their opponents, the Suns have to answer the reason their defense has gone downhill. They currently have the worst defensive rating (122.4) over five games and have been unable to secure the boards, averaging the lowest defensive rebounds (28.4) across the League during that same stretch.

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Opponents have dominated the painted area against the Suns too, and their next three matchups are against teams finding their form offensively. The Los Angeles Clippers with the return of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Williamson and the Pelicans once more, and finally, the Los Angeles Lakers with Anthony Davis, who has averaged 33.8 points (third best) so far in December.

The Suns can’t afford to lose games in a stacked Western Conference. With the year coming to a close, Chris Paul and Ayton’s leadership must be on full display to regain momentum near the All-Star break.

The post DeAndre Ayton: Opponents Are ‘Playing Harder and With a Chip On Their Shoulders’ Against the Suns appeared first on SLAM.

Peaking at 29 minutes against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Leonard recorded 25 points off 10-12 shooting from the field, with nine rebounds and six assists. It was a stellar performance against the NBA’s best team, and the two-time Finals MVP admitted to wanting to give more playing time since the start of the new campaign.

“Sh-t, I’ve been trying to do it since the beginning of the year,” Leonard said. “It’s just about listening to the guys who study this.”

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Leonard refers to the injury that kept him sidelined for all of last season and 20 games this season. The partial tear of his right ACL, suffered against the Utah Jazz in the 2021 playoffs, has limited his form of being titled a top 5 player of the League, at least for now.

“It’s only my ninth game of the season, and that’s after a whole ACL year, just can’t rush it. I wish I could have played more.” Leonard said. “Twenty-eight minutes, 30 minutes is a lot of minutes still,” Leonard said. “Got to just do what I can and win these basketball games.”

The victories may stack just for Leonard’s presence on the floor, but last night was just his first 20-point night. The contribution of Paul George is what has blossomed the duo once more. He’s averaging 20 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and a three-point clip of 42.6 percent when Leonard is out on the floor with him.

George has had an MVP-caliber season thus far with or without Leonard in the lineup, and the seven-time All-Star admits that he sees improvement in Leonard’s game.

“Now he’s adjusted,” George said. “He’s found his rhythm, and you’ll see him more comfortable on the court.

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The pair showed a glimpse of what their dynamic scoring can do. While The Clippers look to keep their success, and Leonard’s game continues to evolve each game, even if it’s a limited time. The team can steadily find its confidence as a whole just in time for the second half of the season.

The post Kawhi Leonard Has Been Pushing to Play 30 Minutes ‘Since the Beginning of the Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

The 25-year-old center posted a historic stat line against the Indiana Pacers after recording 31 points off 14-17 shooting and 29 rebounds, a League-best result for attacking the board this season. The Croatian also had three blocks on Sunday, and his execution defensively with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in and out of the starting lineup has inspired him to make his case as an elite defensive team candidate.

“Making the NBA All-Defensive team is something I’m really working towards,” Zubac said to AllClippers. “It’s one of my goals coming into the season, just being as best defensively as I can be— I want to show people that I’m capable of that, and for sure, that’s one of my goals.”

STATEMENT MADE pic.twitter.com/x7CxYlLkTu

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 28, 2022

As the last pick of the 2016 NBA draft, Zubac was doubted by scouts for what he contributes to the floor defensively. Now manning the middle for the Clippers, the team currently ranks second in defensive rating, while he ranks sixth in blocks and gives up the League-lowest field goal percentage when players try to challenge him at the rim.

Not bad for the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2016 draft. Zubac kept those notes, stating the previous doubters have opened up his motivation towards making the Clippers defense hold a fierce personality.

“Coming into the League, that was always one of the questions about me on the defensive end of the floor,” Zubac said. “Just proving people wrong and proving to myself that I can contribute to defense really means a lot to me. Helping my team be one of the best defenses in the league. It’s something we pride ourselves on here.”

.@ivicazubac came up clutch, scoring 14 of his 31 points in the first quarter.

@awscloud CourtVision Mascot Mode pic.twitter.com/cnqxNgja2T

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 28, 2022

Though this may just be a breakout week for Zubac, it’s pretty impressive to see the big man lead his team to the fifth-best record in the high-powered Western Conference, primarily through his defense and lack of two superstar wings. His specialty at that end may not be as enticing as a Rudy Gobert swat to the fifth stands or the vocal and scrappy difference-making of a Draymond Green, but Zubac has earned the ‘defensive anchor’ title in the Clippers locker room.

The post Ivica Zubac: ‘Making the NBA All-Defensive Team’ is His Season Goal appeared first on SLAM.

The two sides have yet to come up with an agreement, but negotiations may have to pick up soon now that another team has entered the frame. The Lakers’ neighbors, the Los Angeles Clippers, have been rumored to be interested in acquiring Turner as well, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.

Clippers big man Moses Brown is the only pure big man after Ivica Zubac on the Clippers’ roster, but head coach Ty Lue has only gone to him for eight games this season. Instead, Marcus Morris has been the go-to backup center for Zubac so far.

With no depth at the center position and not having the services of Kawhi Leonard for most of the early campaign, Los Angeles has still managed to hold on to a record of 8-6, which is good enough for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The team’s early woes are starting to show that losing Isaiah Hartenstein in the offseason was huge.

Adding Turner to the mix will work wonders for the Clippers. The Pacers’ big man is averaging 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks a game. The move would immediately make this Los Angeles team one of the best defenses in the league when healthy, with Turner playing alongside the likes of Leonard and Paul George. Only time will tell if they are willing to pull the trigger on the pursuit.

Los Angeles will be in action tonight as they take on the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 P.M.

The post REPORT: Clippers Interested in Trading for Myles Turner appeared first on SLAM.

Coming to NBA arenas this fall, the return of the League’s most terrifying two-way players.

Kawhi and PG cover SLAM 240. https://t.co/aTFojIRsVL pic.twitter.com/NnTVfLdhve

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2022

Moving forward, Leonard is still set to miss his 10th consecutive game on Saturday versus the Brooklyn Nets, but he is undoubtedly making progress towards a return soon after participating in a 5-on-5 workout on Friday, according to LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue. 

“Not tomorrow,” Lue said of Leonard possibly returning on Saturday, per ESPN. “But it’s gonna take a few more (workout) opportunities to get that in. Then kind of reassess him to see how he’s feeling after we go to medical and just kind of see if we check all the boxes – He played 5-on-5 with some of our guys, some of the players, and some of the coaches. The first time he was able to get on the floor and play 5-on-5, and he looked pretty good. Still have a ways to go, but that was the first sign of positivity of him getting on the floor, playing 5-on-5.”

pic.twitter.com/TV2MFHiLhL

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 24, 2022

Without Leonard, Los Angeles is 6-4. Teammate Paul George has been leading the way for the team while averages of 25.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. With George holding it down, for now, fans are left wondering how lethal this squad can be when his co-star returns from injury. The Clippers currently sit as the sixth seed in the West.

The post Kawhi Leonard Progressing Towards Return After 5-on-5 Workout appeared first on SLAM.

SGA put out a historic statline on Tuesday, posting 33 points, five rebounds, and eight assists on 50 percent shooting from the field. He also knocked down two triples and all nine of his free-throw attempts. Gilgeous-Alexander was also a menace on the defensive end, contributing three steals and three blocks to complete his all-around performance.

The two-way dominance SGA produced made him the first player in League history to put up 30+ points, eight-plus assists, three-plus blocks and steals, and go perfect from beyond the arc and the free-throw line.

Only one player in NBA history has ever put up this stat line in the same game:

30+ points
8+ assists
3+ blocks
3+ steals
100% from 3
100% from the FT line

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tonight. https://t.co/Rxc48pTE8K pic.twitter.com/Q6Aj41OUcD

— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 26, 2022

SGA is averaging 31.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 49.3 percent shooting from the field and 38.5 percent from the three-point line. The former Kentucky Wildcat has scored at least 30 points in 12 of his past 16 games dating back to the 2021-22 season.

“I have to play both sides of the court to be the player I want to be. Getting stronger. My conditioning, I’ve worked on a lot,” SGA said, per ClutchPoints, after the Thunder’s first win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went OFF tonight in the OKC win.

33 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK

Tough statline #KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/3zODD9E6kz

— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2022

Postgame, Coach Mark Daigneault remarked that he doesn’t have to coach SGA much on anything “other than process-oriented stuff.” Daigneault especially enjoys the fact that he doesn’t have to tell Gilgeous-Alexander when to go into attack mode. He also said SGA and the Thunder are trying to “create — an extremely ruthless consistency” with how they play and trust that their work will lead to guys taking the next step in their development.

“I don’t tell him anything, to be honest with you, other than process-oriented stuff — With guys that have great instincts, you can overcoach them and really mess them up,” Coach Mark Daigneault said, per ESPN. “So I let him make those decisions.”

OKC is set to host the Clippers again on Thursday. It remains to be seen if the Clippers will trot out Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who sat out Tuesday’s loss to the Thunder.

The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Puts Up Historic Performance Against Former Team 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 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.

Today’s breakfast isn’t about taste. It’s about the other senses. It’s a gourmet meal of aromas and of sights and of sounds. Hoop heaven is in here, made by high level basketball artisans. That familiar smell of the hardwood bombards the nose. Memories of early childhood morning practices are both comforting and jarring at the same time, when touching the hardwood’s baseline on countless suicides was a necessity. But unlike those dusty gyms most of us had to play in, this is the premium hardwood. Manically maintained, painted in blue and red, it’s of the highest quality. 

Extra rims are stacked in a corner close to the entrance. They must go through rims quickly around here with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George punching dunks. A long-stretching dresser constructed for giants covers an entire wall, holding well-worn official NBA balls. Staccato dribbles randomly echo through the still relatively empty gym. They’re being bounced by staff members getting the rocks ready for Leonard, George, John Wall, Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, Norm Powell, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington and Terance Mann. A big cubby system that houses the squad’s practice sneakers comes right after that dresser. A few PG6 boxes sit on the floor underneath pairs ranging from Kawhi’s signature New Balances to standard issue flagships from the Swoosh and the Stripes. The ensuing weights and advanced ellipticals have been left untouched by the Clips’ staff. They’ve transformed the rest of the main area into a circuit of photography and videography opportunities. Green screens, towering lighting rigs, microphones and an army of camera lenses can be found all over the place. 

But the valid NBA rims and backboard that Leonard and George have spent the previous three seasons shooting on can’t be hidden, not even by this arsenal of documentary equipment. Under the facility’s mighty ceiling, those hanging rims and backboards have gotten the chance to see more of Leonard and George than most of us have ever seen since the ridiculously talented duo first teamed up in the summer of 2019. Injuries and the pandemic have cut our viewing time and their playing time drastically short. 

It’s a big deal that both Leonard and George are finally healthy. In the 226 regular season games that the Clippers have played since the start of the 2019-20 season, George has played in 133 of them, while Leonard has only played in 109. In the 32 playoff games they’ve participated in, it’s been George who has played in all of them, while Leonard has only laced up for 24. And unfortunately, they’ve only been on the court together in 80 of those tilts. Predictably, they’ve won over 70 percent of those battles when they’ve both been available. 

Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, missed all of last season, though. He went under the knife on July 13, 2021 to fix up a partially torn right ACL. George, a seven-time All-Star, only got to play 31 times in 2021-22 because of a torn UCL in his right elbow. 

So a few hours after we had the breakfast of aromas and of sights and of sounds, we feast on our lunch, a visual treat that has proven to be way more rare than expected: an opportunity to finally see Kawhi and PG back together again. 

SLAM 240 featuring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is out now.

Everything goes down fast. Numero dos has been floating around the gym for a little bit. All of the players have to sign balls, hats, jerseys and photos that will get auctioned off for charity. Leonard has been taking his time with the signings. Reggie Jackson, who was selected nine picks after Leonard in 2011, loudly announces that he’s lapped numero dos in the signing line. It makes Leonard laugh. He actually does more laughing than anticipated, a welcomed sight that breaks the stale and corny reputation internet trolls assigned to him many years ago. 

Somehow, Leonard was never given a fair shot by the fairweather fans. The casuals saw him lead the Spurs to the 2014 championship as a much more reserved 22-year-old. His 23rd birthday was just two weeks after he raised his first Finals MVP trophy, but they’d already made up their minds. He was, to them, always going to be the quiet and robotic type. Why they couldn’t understand that the youngster was still maturing has always said more about them than about him. Though his game didn’t need much time to adjust to the glaring spotlight, he did. Today, the truth is closer to him being a mixture between calm, peaceful and confident that mostly doesn’t feel the need to always be the center of attention. Leonard has grown up. And though he’s not bombastic, he’s also not what people assume of him. 

That’s why PG’s young daughters greet him with hugs upon first sight. While Kawhi was finishing his way through the end of the autograph station, the ever-smooth 32-year-old was making his grand entrance as one of the final Clips to appear. His kids ran out ahead of him and found their way over to Uncle K.

George, now fittingly playing in L.A., has always thrived with the spotlight shining on him. From his dribble combos into stepbacks to his coolness in front of a mic, he always seems comfortable. He’s been a warrior who’s had to stare down some horrific injuries and some disgusting words from the court of public opinion. Most of the loudest members of the basketball viewing fandom are incapable of looking at his larger body of work, at the truth that he is damn close to being the ideal basketball player. They hold on and hold on and hold on to what they count as failure. But their definition of failure isn’t shared by George. Those moments they continue to bring up are just steps forward. 

Though they’ve each had their individual journeys, our cover stars have now hit yet another crossroads, arriving at the signs together. They could follow one of them back to safety, which would be a season of mediocrity and a first or second-round exit. Or they could tread the dangerous and long trail to basketball’s promised land. 

They’re not gonna turn around. They want to walk the path to the championship. 

The similarities that they share with each other are abundant. 

Defensively, they’re nearly identical as on-ball stoppers. They sit and they sit and they sit. They’re both about containment. They’re both able to force turnovers. Their defensive discipline comes from their preparation. They study and they retain who likes to pump fake, who likes to attack their chests and who won’t dare dribble against them. They each share a desire to lock people the fuck down. That’s an unteachable want. 

Their appetite for defensive destruction is part of why they’ve seen such great success in the 80 times they’ve played together. 

Another part of it is that their offensive efficiency is all but a guarantee whenever they lace up. They’re both able to and qualified enough to go out and shoot 25-30 times. But they don’t. George rains down threes, Leonard dials in from the midrange. Off the bounce, off the catch, stationary or on the move, their jumpshot forms should be taught to the youth. Leonard went to the Chip Engelland School of the Two-Handed Follow-Through and George sets his feet with great elegance and speed. Bigs at the rim have historically been in trouble when either one of them parades down the lane. They can each set up their other teammates at will, and they’re knockdown free-throw shooters. 

And lastly, the way they complement each other, illustrated in George’s willingness to step up to the media and in Leonard’s willingness to step up to the most difficult clutch moments, is the final piece of what could end in the ultimate success. 

After PG’s kids greet Kawhi, the duo pops over to flick it up. The entirety of the gym closes in on us. Now it’s really a big deal that they’re back together. Showtime. Other cameras go off while our photographer, Alex Woodhouse, details what we want to capture. 

Boom, boom. Snap, snap. Alex takes a few shots. 

Solid enough. 

Then the good stuff happens. Alex has Leonard and George pose back-to-back for just a split second. It’s enough time for us to get a glimpse at a joke that must stretch back several years. 

Kawhi, all of a sudden, stands up on his tippy-toes. He says that he’s taller than PG and then he repeats it. It doesn’t look to be true. Sorry, Kawhi. PG shakes his head with a laugh. Alex, who stands at 6-8, like PG, also seems to be taller than Kawhi. 

Alex gives the pair direction on the last flick we want to get, which is when he cracks a joke about Kawhi making up for that one inch difference by being way more brolic than either himself or PG. 

They both erupt with laughter. Alex captures the photo of them, joyously smiling, standing at the precipice of what could be a historic season for the Clippers. 

SLAM 240 is OUT NOW!

Though we hadn’t eaten anything all morning long, the moment is food for the soul. 

They’re off after that, responsible for taking even more photos and signing even more autographs. 

About 20 minutes later, Leonard sits in front of the media and says, of his time with George, with the deep bass in his voice, “It seems like it went by so fast. Obviously, the first year was the COVID year, which nobody knew was going to happen. Going into the next season, we made it to the semifinals, I think. Then I tore my ACL, and then last year I didn’t play. So, now it’s our fourth year. Me missing last year and then that COVID year probably made time go by quick. I felt like over the years, with us first being here, you see the gradual improvement of the team. Hopefully we can take another step.”

Another 20 or so minutes pass before PG takes the same stage and talks about his All-Star teammate. 

“I’m more excited, honestly, of him being healthy,” George says. “That’s first and foremost. I’ve seen his whole work, [from] the second he got injured to the work he put into this offseason going into this season. I’ve been in that position of being out and having to rehab a whole season. I got to watch, from the outside, to see how much work he put into this year. Really excited for him to get a chance to do what he loves to do and get back on the court. 

“Obviously, after that, it’s [the] excitement of getting to play with the best two-way player in the game. It’s 
just excitement, stepping back on the floor, being full strength, both of us healthy again.”

There’s a focus that George talks about. He wants his squad to “honor” their shot at winning a chip, to “embrace” the pressure that comes with walking that long, long, long road to the end of the path. 

“I think both of us, kinda internally, had a promise,” George says to the media about himself and Kawhi. “I know I did, for myself, to bring a championship here. When you look at how close we were two years back, the year Kawhi got hurt, how close we were, I didn’t want to leave anything on the table that I could’ve done more. I thought it was very important this summer to keep guys connected, stay together, get workouts together. It was more just off-the-court stuff. I didn’t really care about the on-court stuff. We’ll get to that when camp starts.” 

SLAM 240 is available now in this exclusive Gold Metal Edition and Cover Tee. Shop now.

Portraits by Alex Woodhouse. Action photo via Getty Images.

The post Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are Back and Healthy—A Scary Sight For The Rest of the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

The journey of an 82-game NBA season always has storylines and developing factors that can create a remarkable year. In Wall’s case, one of the highlights he expects from this upcoming season is his return to Washington, D.C.

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A post shared by LA Clippers (@laclippers)

Wall was the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft for the Washington Wizards, and after nine years with the team, he is expecting a standing ovation when he crosses the country to play against his former squad.

“I never had the opportunity to be back to play in front of [Wizards] fans,” Wall said. “So, hopefully, I’ll get that big standing ovation that I think I deserve.”

Wall believes he’s a candidate for the ovation because of his five All-Star seasons with the Wizards and his leading the team to four consecutive playoff appearances from 2014-2018. Wizards fans saw Wall at his best during the 2017 playoffs when he averaged 27.2 points, 10.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. He hit a game-winner in Game 6 of the Wizards’ second-round series against the Celtics, but Washington’s season ended after losing Game 7.

The 32-year-old hopes to play a full season since his ruptured Achilles in 2019 had kept him away from the game for nearly two years. If he does stay healthy, Wall can fulfill his wishes of playing Washington as an opponent for the first time on Dec. 10, a game that will feature deep emotion and gratitude from both sides. At the end of the day, it’ll be great to relive some of his favorite career moments in the city that first adopted him.

“My ultimate goal was trying to bring a championship there,” said Wall. “everything I gave to that city, from playing through my injuries, giving back to the community, it felt like a second home to me.”

Houston will play in Washington on Dec. 10.

The post John Wall Hopeful For A ‘Big Standing Ovation’ From Wizards Fans appeared first on SLAM.

Wall has had a rough go of it the past few years since he was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Houston Rockets back in 2020. However, Wall’s time with the Rockets was sadly cut short due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain. On top of that, Wall had also been dealing with off-court losses after his mom passed away in 2019.

Fast forward to 2022, and Wall seems completely rejuvenated and back to making his signature behind-the-back finishes at the rim.

“You see somebody’s that happy, you know? Enjoying the game,” said Wall’s teammate Paul George in a postgame interview after the Clipper’s preseason game versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. “When it’s taken away from you, and you don’t know where you’re going to go from there. You get an opportunity to come back to it, man; you appreciate it.”

On Sunday, Wall led the team in scoring with 20 points on 5-11 shooting from the field. Wall even dished out three assists and picked up one rebound in his 20 minutes of action. It’s been more than a year since we last saw the Wall Star, and it’s so great to see him back on an NBA court hooping with the best-of-the-best.

This seems like a great beginning to ana fantastic comeback story for Wall. By joining forces with NBA superstars George and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, we may also get a chance to see Wall in playoff games down the road too.

The regular-season is grueling, but so far, Wall “has been looking great.” according to Leonard. Only time will tell what is in store for these new-look Clippers; however, they are a team to pay close attention to.

The post Paul George on John Wall’s Joyful Return: ‘You See Somebody That’s Happy’ 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.

The post Paul George Has No Ego About His Role: ‘Kawhi Leonard is ‘the 1, I’m the 2’ appeared first on SLAM.

The main question the Clippers will face, besides health, will be what happens with Wall. The four-time All-Star will be playing for the first time since getting shut down in April 2021 due to a grade 2 hamstring injury. When Leonard was asked about the Clippers’ offseason acquisitions on Media Day, he spoke well of Wall, letting the world know that Wall has “been looking great” this summer.

“John, all I can really go back (to) is the two years I seen him against us in Houston, ” Leonard said. He was playing well — that’s the last time I probably seen him in person in a live-game action other than the practices here, but he’s been looking great so let’s put it all on the floor and see what we could do. Like I said, we got a lot of talent here, and I think we can make something happen.”

We back, #ClipperNation! pic.twitter.com/OAVM0SV2tp

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) September 27, 2022

When Wall was interviewed, he gave assembled reporters and fans a resounding message as training camp and preseason loom over the basketball world.

“Just let the world know — you’re gonna see a dog; that’s what you got when you signed me.”

Wall will have plenty of opportunity to prove he’s got that dog in him in his first games since Houston unceremoniously moved on from him and asked him to stay at home so they could focus on developing their young core of talent.

The post Kawhi Leonard: John Wall Has ‘Been Looking Great’ Through Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

Lawrence Frank says that Kawhi Leonard is cleared for 5-on-5. Says that he wants to do "everything" but organization is stressing the long game and a methodical approach.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) September 22, 2022

Frank added that Leonard wants to do “everything” to get back on the court, but the Clippers are committed to “stressing a methodical approach.” When Frank was asked about his expectations for Leonard and the Clippers, he reminded reporters that the team “was playing at a high level” before Leonard went down with his knee injury.

“All we have to do is go back two years ago to Kawhi’s injury against Utah,” Frank said. “And you know, Kawhi was playing the best basketball player in the world — our team was playing at a high level, and unfortunately for Kawhi and for the group, he got injured. So I think with that it just reinforces the urgency you have to approach every single day that nothing’s guaranteed; this League changes quickly. People forget quickly.”

…Our team was playing at a high level and, you know, unfortunately for Kawhi and for the group he got injured. So I think with that it just reinforces the urgency you have to approach every single day that nothing's guaranteed this league, changes quickly. People forget quickly

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) September 22, 2022

Although a Leonard return date is unknown, with the return of Paul George and the addition of John Wall, outside expectations are that the Clippers will be a significant threat to the Warriors repeating as champs for the first time since 2017-2018. Leonard was responsible for stopping the Heat Warriors from three-peating in 2014 and 2019, respectively.

When he was last healthy, Leonard averaged 30.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 11 postseason appearances. Without Leonard and George for most of the season, the Clippers went 42-40 and finished eighth in the Western Conference playoff race. They were denied a playoff appearance after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the play-in tournament.

The post Kawhi Leonard Wants to Do ‘Everything’ After Getting Cleared for 5-on-5 Action appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers All-Star hopped on a Twitch stream and announced he’ll play in the high-profile pro-am “one of these weekends.” George’s proclamation was later confirmed by Law Murray of The Athletic.

It would be PG13’s first Drew League appearance since 2014 and a great way to play competitive ball after only appearing in 31 games due to a UCL injury last season. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer is eager to get on the court after he was forced to miss the Clippers’ final Play-In game against the New Orleans Pelicans because of health and safety protocols.

When he did play, George averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game on 42.1 percent shooting from the floor and 35.4 percent from three last season.

James and DeRozan kicked off the NBA x Drew League action when LBJ dropped 42 points to help the MMV Cheaters secure a 104-102 victory over Black Pearl Elite on July 16.

On July 23, Young (22 points, seven assists, and seven steals) and Collins (16 points and 12 rebounds) didn’t disappoint for Black Pearl Elite in a 103-100 loss to Citi Team Blazers.

Thanks to the NBA coming to a deal with the Drew League, fans can now stream select Drew League games until the championship on Aug. 21. While he didn’t confirm an exact date, expect YG Trece to play in the Drew sometime soon.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Paul George to Play in Drew League For First Time Since 2014 appeared first on SLAM.

Since the turn of 2010s, future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James was able to leverage his status as the best player in the NBA and the threat of him leaving to make sure the Cavs and Lakers front office did all they could to build a title threat around him. From there, superstars like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Anthony Davis were able to negotiate trades or sign with other teams so they could win a ring or be in a better position to do so from behind the scenes.

Well into the 2020s, Durant has used his status as another surefire HOFer to demand a trade out of Brooklyn just three seasons after first signing with the team in 2019.

The reasoning behind the trade demand comes after the Nets have failed to win a title with a core of Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Harden himself demanded a trade out of Brooklyn due to the uncertainty around Irving’s vaccination status and wanting to reunite with 76ers president Daryl Morey. Irving’s complex extension negotiations also played a part in Durant wanting out of playing with the Nets.

Durant reportedly wanted to play with the Suns or Heat, two teams with title aspirations that have fostered great team cultures within their locker room. Irving’s preferred destinations were the Clippers, Lakers, Heat, and Dallas, amongst others.

The concerns about the rise of trade demand may be overstated, but it’s nothing new for the most prominent names. Even guys who played for one franchise their whole career (i.e., Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan) threatened to leave via free agency or trade. Guys like Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal could be the next iteration of one-team players.

For the middle class of players like Draymond Green, he applauded players for treating themselves like “businesses” during a recent episode of his podcast. His voice has been joined by Alex Caruso, who is happy to see that “players are finally treating this like the teams and organizations have for so many years.”

“(The players) finally are realizing the business side of this,” Caruso said. “Like, ‘oh okay, I have leverage, I am an asset; let me make this work to the best of my ability because if the organization or the team has a chance to upgrade, they’re going to upgrade.'”

On tomorrow's episode of the show, @jj_redick and @ACFresh21 discuss the recent trends of trade requests by big time players like Kevin Durant with several years left on his contract with the Nets.

Watch the full conversation: https://t.co/Xd3GSeqJrM pic.twitter.com/ydZYxDXJIn

— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 15, 2022

Caruso saying that probably stems from the fact that fans expect players to be loyal to teams but not necessarily the other way around. Think of the recent example of what happened between the Celtics and Isiah Thomas after IT4 suffered a career-altering hip surgery on top of losing his sister to a car accident while leading the C’s to a conference finals appearance.

Or the divorce between DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors. On the other end, though, teams have made sure to do what’s best for players after a long tenure with their first teams. Think Kevin Garnett to the Celtics, or what happened just a few weeks ago when the Spurs traded All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the Hawks so that he could play on a playoff team instead of wilt away on the lottery-bound Spurs.

Like I said earlier, ‘you’re a victim of circumstance.'” Caruso added. “If you’re in the League and you have this type of wealth and income, it’s a different type of thing than if you’re sitting at home reading about this guy tryna get from $40 mil to $50 mil.

“I understand that that’s a real thing, but you have to sit back and look at it and just think, there’s so many years, you’ve heard horror stories of guys finding out on Twitter or finding out on TV that they got traded. I think it’s finally just to the point where players are just like, ‘well alright, well I’m gonna do the same thing.'”

The tensions between who has power between players and team owners will always be present. When you go through a decade of unprecedented growth that coincides with player empowerment, the players union and its constituents will be less likely to wanna give that up.

The CBA between the owners and players can be negotiated as soon as December. Negotiations will likely get contentious as players and team owners will battle about the player empowerment era, particularly around the issue of players demanding trades with multiple years left on their contract, skipping games, and a plethora of other labor issues.

The post Alex Caruso Speaks on Prominent Players Requesting Trade Despite Big Contracts appeared first on SLAM.

So far we have seen the Knicks land, Jalen Brunson, on a massive four-year deal, and Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns have re-signed to their teams on supermax deals. Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal will remain with the Bulls and Wizards respectively after signing max deals. Young All-Stars like Ja Morant, Darius Garland, and Zion Williamson have also signed max extensions with their teams.

The Warriors will also look to be putting a different bench mob on the court this coming season after they let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away in free agency. The decision seems to imply that the Warriors will invest 100 percent into their win-and-develop model as they keep their championship core intact while empowering Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is finalizing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Kleber was entering the final year of his deal, now under contract through 2025-26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

Montrezl Harrell is headed to Philly after a tumultuous offseason where he dealt with some legal troubles surrounding marijuana trafficking that was later reduced to misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) courthouse. The charge will be expunged from his record in 12 months if Harrell doesn’t get in any more legal trouble.

James Harden recruited Harrell due to their relationship as teammates on the Rockets. Harrell is expected to bring some toughness and grit to a Philly team that needed a backup big man behind two-time MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

ESPN Sources: Free agent C Montrezl Harrell is signing two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option. Harrell brings more toughness to a team searching for it this offseason. He was Sixth Man of the Year with Doc Rivers/Sam Cassell in 2019-2020 w/ Clippers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

Sources: The Toronto Raptors signed Thaddeus Young to a two-year, $17 million extension, which includes player incentive bonuses and a $1 million partial guarantee for the 2023-24 season, @hoopshype has learned.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

Gary Harris’ two-year extension with the Orlando Magic is flat $13M each season. The second season is fully non-guaranteed, a league source told @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

Sumner is fully recovered from a torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2021-2022 season. He had been coming off his best NBA season with the Pacers prior to the injury, and now he’ll join the Nets’ backcourt rotation. https://t.co/5HfzZmkDZN

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

Free agent TJ Warren has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Free agent center Gorgui Dieng has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Cole Swider signed a two-year Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

Free agent center Serge Ibaka has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

The Brooklyn Nets signed Wake Forest Alondes Williams to a 2-way deal.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

Dragic is signing a one-year, $2.9M deal with the Bulls, sources said. https://t.co/f6VK9np1cf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

Free agent Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/z4lnVLD1GM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

Free agent G Eugene Omoruyi has agreed to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent guard Damion Lee has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent Donte DiVincenzo has agreed to a two-year, $9.3M deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $25.5M deal to return to Golden State, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent F/C Drew Eubanks is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year deal, his agent James Dunleavy of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

John Wall officially agrees with the Clippers on a two-year deal for the taxpayer midlevel. https://t.co/5yCuV4cePg

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

NBA All-Star Zach LaVine has agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million maximum contract to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a player option in Year 5, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The defending champs lose another valuable two-way star after Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors on a two-year deal that has a player option.

Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

Free agent G Theo Pinson is returning to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed on a new four-year, $60 million contract to stay with the New York Knicks, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dnKtVQmln9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Bruce Brown has agreed to a 2-year, $13M+ deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

#Pistons to re-sign Marvin Bagley III, add Kevin Knox as free-agent frenzy begins: https://t.co/WVHahAmeKR

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

Ricky Rubio played an integral part in the Cavs’ resurgence to the playoff scene last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. Rubio was traded to the Pacers near the trade deadline but the Cavs and Rubio were mutually interested in bringing back the former lottery pick point guard.

Free agent guard Ricky Rubio is nearing a deal on a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Zion Williamson, the 2021 All-Star phenom, has locked in on signing a max extension deal with the Pelicans. Williamson missed all of the 2021-2022 season while he recovered from foot surgery. The deal keeps Williamson in New Orleans through 2027-28.

Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.

The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The Golden State Warriors lose one of their best and most versatile defenders after Gary Payton II decided to head towards playing for the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year deal. Payton led the League in steals per 36 minutes.

Warriors were unwilling to meet that high of a price tag (and resulting tax spike) for Gary Payton II and have now lost their defensive ace off the bench to the Blazers. He led the NBA in steals per 36 minutes last season. https://t.co/iaY6xmUrG7

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Andre Drummond is finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent JaVale McGee has agreed to a three-year, $20.1 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with player option for third season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Ja Morant is locked in with the Grizzlies after his agent told Woj that he signed a five-year max extension to lead Memphis as its lead guard for the foreseeable future.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Karl Anthony-Towns has reportedly agreed to a four-year super max extension per his agent. KAT’s contract will begin during the 2024-2025 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed on a four-year, $224M super max extension, his agent Jessica Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Towns’ total contract value to six years and $295M.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Jalen Brunson has reportedly agreed to the four-year deal that the Knicks offered him. Woj reported that the near-max deal includes a player option on its final season.

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Wizards have added three veteran guards to join Bradley Beal in recent days — Will Barton, Monte Morris and now Delon Wright leaves the Hawks for Washington. https://t.co/4YFMxR2o7Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18M deal to join the Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @wassbasketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/fWzhFhVfkx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract extension, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Anthony Gill is signing a two year-deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Restricted free agent C Nic Claxton has agreed on a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Troy Brown Jr. has agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Lonnie Walker IV is signing a one-year, $6.5M deal with the Lakers, sources said. https://t.co/7xBnStLWfo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Rockets restricted free agent Jae’Sean Tate has agreed to a three-year, $22.1 million deal to return to Houston, his agents E.J. Kusnyer and Jordan Cornish of @beyond_am tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Davon Reed has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent guard Jevon Carter has agreed to a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Trevelin Queen has agreed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent F Nic Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Lu Dort has agreed to a five-year, $87.5M deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Jones’ agent, Austin Brown of @CAA_Basketball, tells ESPN the second year is a player option.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Amir Coffey has agreed to a three-year, $11M deal with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of @BDA_Sports and WME Sports tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Tyus Jones is returning to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30M deal, his agent Kevin Bradbury of @REP1Basketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Danuel House has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a four-year, $49 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option in Year 4.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a two-year, $16 million-plus deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fully guaranteed deal for Hartenstein.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Sources: Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19M deal to join the Kings. https://t.co/spgbvRZspx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly finalized a four-year supermax extension that he will likely sign sometime next week. Shams Charania reports that he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.

The Phoenix Suns and All-NBA guard Devin Booker are finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension that he’s set to sign as soon as next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

Booker will also be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Nikola Jokic has reportedly signed the richest deal in NBA history after signing a supermax contract extension with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Bradley Beal will stay in the Nation’s Capital after he reportedly signed a five-year max deal.

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has agreed on a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + WME Sports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Spurs are pulling the qualifying offer on Lonnie Walker IV, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Expect a strong market for Walker immediately.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Jalen Brunson is headed to New York after Shams Charania reported that he intends on signing a four-year deal with the franchise.

Free agent Jalen Brunson intends to sign a four-year, near $110M deal with the New York Knicks in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Mavericks never received chance to make offer, sources said.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, P.J. Tucker will be pursued by Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago. and Philadelphia during the free agency period of the NBA offseason. Furthermore, Schiffer reports that Tucker is unlikely to return to South Beach.

Multiple teams — including Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia — are expected to compete for PJ Tucker in free agency. All are expected to offer the full mid-level/TPMLE exception. He is unlikely to return to Miami, per sources.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

Trent Forrest will be an unrestricted free agent after the Jazz decided not to extend a qualifying offer to the point guard out of Florida State.

The Utah Jazz will not extend a qualifying offer to point guard Trent Forrest, making him an unrestricted free agent, League Sources tell The Athletic. There is interest in working something out during free agency. Forrest was a member of the rotation this past season

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

Per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, Juan Toscano-Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period of the NBA offseason begins on Thursday. The 29-year-old became the first Mexican-American to win an NBA title after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I got a championship with my hometown team,” JTA told Thompson during a phone interview Wednesday night.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me. You’ve got to give a little to get a little. And I gave up playing time to, you know, become a legend. I’m a legend in the Town. I’m a legend in Mexico. And I’m not saying that myself. It’s showing, know what I mean?”

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”

It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P

— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022

According to Tim Reynolds, the Heat does not have a meeting scheduled with restricted free agent Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Heat are not planning to meet with Jalen Brunson today, and they did not have such a meeting scheduled, per league source.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

The Cavs are reportedly expected to match offers given to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. Multiple reports say Sexton wants a “starting guard” extension. The Alabama product is coming off a season-ending torn meniscus.

Cavs Expected To Match Outside Offers For Collin Sexton – Hoops Wire https://t.co/9k5zuRmUAd

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

The Jazz won’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Eric Paschall, sources tell @Tjonesonthenba.

He will become an unrestricted free agent.https://t.co/fcOCtqEmMN pic.twitter.com/ok07Xpx9Dr

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 30, 2022

Kemba Walker and the Pistons have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. Walker will be a free agent after he clears waivers. Walker last played for the Knicks last season before he was traded to the Pistons as New York clears space to sign fellow free agent Jalen Brunson.

Four-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the Detroit Pistons are finalizing a contract buyout, sources tell ESPN. Once Walker clears waivers, he’ll join free agency.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat have guaranteed the contracts of Max Strus, Gabe Stevenson, and Omer Yurtseven as of Thursday morning.

Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven are still on the Heat’s roster this morning, which means their full $1.8 million salaries for next season are now guaranteed. This was seen as a formality. Carry on.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

The Sacramento Kings are exercising the option on PF/C Chimezie Metu for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN. Metu averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21 minutes a game for the Kings last season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Patty Mills will be exploring his options on the free-agent market after declining to sign his player option with the Nets on Wednesday afternoon.

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills declined his $6.2M option and will become a free agent, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Kings won’t be offering a qualifying offer to Donte DiVencenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Lu Dort will be a restricted free agent after the OKC Thunder decided to not sign Durt’s team option for the 2022-23 season, per Shams Charania.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $1.9 million team option on froward Lu Dort for 2022-23 season, which makes him a restricted free agent and allows sides to negotiate a new deal in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

James Harden will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career but he is likely to re-sign with the 76ers.

ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Bobby Portis told the Bucks that he’ll decline his player option and will instead become a free agent.

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

The maximum that he can sign for is 4 years/$49M.

The contract has to be for a minimum of 2 seasons and cannot include an option in year 2. https://t.co/Nu5KC9G8D9

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

Bradley Beal has made his long-awaited decision and will become a free agent for the first time in his career after declining his player option.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Jae-Sean Tate will be a restricted free agent after the ROckets declined his team option for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania reports that Houston and Tate are mutually interested in signing a new deal once free agency begins on Thursday.

The Houston Rockets have declined forward Jae’Sean Tate’s $1.8 million team option for next season, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Rockets and Tate have mutual interest in discussing new deal in free agency beginning Thursday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

The Cavaliers have reportedly elected to not offer Moses Brown a qualifying offer to Moses Brown, per Michael Scott of the Hoopshype. The decision allows Brown to enter the free-agent market as an unrestricted free agent.

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers won’t tender a qualifying offer to center Moses Brown, @hoopshype has learned. The 7-foot-1, 22-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent. Brown could be an intriguing development option for NBA teams around the league.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Minnesota Timberwolves F Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Ivica Zubac and his reps have reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the Clippers, per Woj. The Clippers declining to sign his team option led to the agreement with Zubac.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

Tony Bradley is reportedly opting into his player option and will remain with the Bulls next season, per Woj.

Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

“All of the things that he was great at seeped into me,” the Houston Rockets head coach told CoolxDad. 

It’s powerful conversations like these that members of the Rockets, including Silas, Jae’Sean Tate and Josh Christopher recently had with Kevin Barnett, founder and CEO of non-profit organization CoolxDad, as a part of a meaningful “Father Day Special” campaign made in partnership with SLAM. Barnett, who is originally from Brooklyn, founded the organization in 2020 in hopes of amplifying and uplifting Black men and fathers in his community. 

“We came up with this idea to really tie in the importance of what CoolxDad is and the community that we’re building and shedding light on Black fatherhood,” Barnett says over Zoom. “[When we sat down] with these players and the coach, [we saw] how their fathers believed in them, and how the] life lessons and direction and guidance has led them to be at the ultimate level.”

For Jae’Sean Tate, it was his father, Jermaine, who once sat him down and talked to him about being a man of the house. Tate, who admits that he had to grow up early at a young age remembers the moments where his father would go as far as to pull him off the basketball team whenever he got in trouble or let his grades slip up. “I didn’t finish a season until probably I was in seventh or eighth grade. Those were just some of the sacrifices he made for me, to teach me lessons,” Tate says.

Tate’s father, who played at Ohio State and Cincinnati before embarking on a pro career overseas, would push him workouts, too. They’d spend early mornings and late nights in the gym, and during those sessions, Jermaine had high expectations set: for every airball, Tate would have to do five pushups. “You miss a free throw, another five pushups added on,” he says.

Tate, who also played at Ohio State, has had to persevere through many personal hardships, including losing his mother at a young age. When he went undrafted in 2018, he played two seasons overseas in Belgium and Australia before signing with the Rockets in 2020. This past season, he averaged 11.8 points and 2.8 assists. 

Barnett founded CoolxDad during the pandemic, as he watched innocent Black lives lost at the hands of police brutality. He was angry and frustrated. 

“I had all mixed emotions you could think about, but a few emotions that really stood out was, I’m a Black man in America, and I’m also a father raising, now, two Black children in America. I was at a time where I was like, Man, I want to be a part of the change. But I have to do it in a way that is authentic to me, a way that I can feel that I’m not being forced or following. I was given a gift, and God gave me a gift of CoolxDad. He planted this idea of using the vehicle of fatherhood—something that I’m proud of [and] probably the best accomplishment I’ve ever accomplished in my life—as a way to bring authentic conversations to the forefront.”

When Josh Christopher was suiting up for Arizona State University, the Houston Rockets guard admits that, at one point, he was going through a tough time when his own father gave him the most valuable piece of advice. He’s continued to carry it with him, even today. “During that struggle, he was just telling me, the house is built for the storm not sunshine. That has stuck with me the most probably out of anything he’s ever told me. Another quote was, Adversity visits the strong and stays with the weak. That right there just tells me, you know, tough times obviously don’t last.” 

For Barnett, he wanted to build CoolxDad into a community for men of color to feel a sense of belonging and encouraged them to be vulnerable and push past the stigmas associated with men of color that, in Barnett’s own words, “have combated us for our lives.” 

“Stigma says that we’re deadbeat fathers. We’re not around, not supportive, or empathetic. But that’s not who we are. CoolxDad is a thriving community and provides [the] support necessary resources to bring back the holistic man so that he can see a better version of yourself.”

The non-profit first started with hosting a series of Zoom calls over the course of a month and half, where they opened up about everything from when is the right time to talk to your child about social injustice to opening up about their feelings about the current climate and death of George Floyd. The group initially included Barnett’s own close friends (“It was just the homies.”), but that quickly turned into 30, sometimes even 40 people hopping on the call. 

“At that time, I didn’t know that I really wanted to start a non-profit right, I was just doing the mission.”

Now, CoolxDad has been established into a pinnacle of the Houston community that provides everything from their holiday gift drive initiative, Color Box, which is going on its third year. They’ve also donated toys and gifts to the Boys and Girls Club and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation, as well as a partnership with the Contemporary Arts Museum, where they host a gift wrapping event with all the fathers in the community. The organization also offers financial and business literacy support, as well as mental health, wellness and mentorship opportunities. 

“Nonprofit has a stigma [associated with it], especially in communities of color. [It’s like], here comes another nonprofit telling me what was wrong with me. Are they going to be here for six months or two months, and they’re out? We didn’t want that. What we wanted was to amplify Black culture [and] to make sure that we were being unapologetic and putting our culture at the forefront to ensure our culture that, yo, this were we resonate because this is what we’re here for. That’s what has propelled us to be in the seat that we’re in today because we’re using our culture, events, music, fashion, those [things] that we gravitate towards, that has helped coach us and get through hard times.” 

Silas echoed this very sentiment. He credits a strong support system, especially fatherhood, to helping propel himself, and his players, to the level that they’re at today. That impact isn’t just limited to the basketball court, as CoolxDad is on a mission to show that building the foundation of a support system can also uplift an entire community and nurture the next generation.

“We wouldn’t be in the positions that we’re in if it weren’t for the foundation that was built by our parents and our dads in particular,” Silas says. “Especially in the Black community, you don’t necessarily see that very much, where you know, you’re getting set up or you get a foot in the door because of what your dad did for you. Hopefully this is kind of the start of it, to where, in all aspects of life, we’re opening doors so we can have the opportunities, and oftentimes, it takes somebody to pull you up or give you the benefit of the doubt, even when you have doubts yourself. To have the confidence, that, you’ll be fine. [Like], C’mon, I got you. It’s special.” 

In March of 2021, they hosted CoolxHistory, their initiative to uplift black and brown heritage and culture. On June 25, the program will be throwing a Fathers Basketball Tournament at the Sunnyside Community Center that will feature live music and refreshments. 

Barnett highlights the support of his own family, his wife, and running CoolxDad to helping transform him into the leader, father and Black man that he is today. He wants that for every father, and Black man, too, and with CoolxDad, he’s on a mission to provide an opportunity to connect, open up, and help eradicate social stigmas and injustices.

“We need to build this community, because without having something that we feel safe in and that we can subscribe to, we’re just out here chasing our tails in this rat race. But more importantly, we want to make sure that we bring people to the table to have these uncomfortable conversations, because that’s when understanding happens. And if we can continue to build on that, we can look at minimizing, to then eradicating,  all of these social injustices and situations that we are seeing. And, also a real true perspective on our community.”

You can learn more about CoolxDad, and support the non-profit, here. 

Photos by William Issac and Fred Agho, video credit Vin Luong.

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10. 2012-13 Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Record: 66-16

Roster: Ray Allen, Chris Andersen, Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Josh Harrellson, Terrel Harris, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard, LeBron James, James Jones, Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller, Dexter Pittman, Jarvis Varnado, Dwyane Wade

After LeBron James made his famous announcement that he had decided to play for Miami, he sat on a stage with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade and talked about how many championships the trio would win with the Heat. “Not two. Not three…” And so on.

Well, after two years in South Beach, James had one title, not two. Nobody was restless, but there was clearly an expectation that after winning it all in 2012, Miami was about to start rolling.

The Big Three was on hand to try for a repeat, but the Heat had also added sharpshooter Ray Allen, who, though 37, provided some needed long-range production and finished the season making 41.9 percent of his three-point attempts. The formula worked. Miami rampaged to 66 wins, 12 better than any other Eastern Conference team.

James once again was the biggest star, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists. But Wade and Bosh were big every night, too. And while Allen was past the days when he could dominate with his long-range shooting, he was an undeniable weapon, as was do-everything forward Shane Battier, who actually shot a higher percentage from behind the arc than Allen did.

The regular season presented few hurdles for the Heat, and neither did the first two rounds of the playoffs. Miami swept Milwaukee in the first round and dusted away Chicago in five after that. But things got interesting in the Eastern Finals, when Indiana—led by Paul George and Roy Hibbert—extended the Heat to seven games in a series so heavy on defense that only one time did a team hit triple figures. In the finale, James scored 32, and Miami routed the Pacers, 99-76, to earn a Finals meeting with San Antonio.

The Eastern Finals series was great, but the Heat-Spurs showdown was even more dramatic. After five games, the Spurs held a 3-2 series lead, and it looked as if Pop’s bunch would close things out in the sixth contest. With 28.2 seconds left, the Spurs led, 94-89, but an Allen three-pointer with 5.2 left forced overtime, and the Heat ultimately prevailed. Game 7 was similarly dramatic. With San Antonio trailing by 2, Duncan missed a pair of shots close to the hoop, and the Heat held on to take the title. Though Miami wouldn’t win seven, as James had insinuated, the Heat had put up back-to-back banners, and that was still pretty darn good.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

Photos via Getty Images.

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At this point in the list, we’re getting into dynasty territory. Clutch moments and high-pressure situations were the norm for these squads, many of whom won multiple championships over a three to five year period. Different.

From iconic three-peats to historic dubs, here’s our picks for No. 32-22:

32. 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 59-23

Roster: Brent Barry, Bruce Bowen, Devin Brown, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Dion Glover, Robert Horry, Linton Johnson, Sean Marks, Tony Massenburg, Nazr Mohammed, Rasho Nesterovic, Tony Parker, Glenn Robinson, Malik Rose, Beno Udrih, Mike Wilks

The Spurs and Pistons came into the season having split the previous two NBA championships, and both upset higher-seeded opponents (the Suns and Heat, respectively) in the Conference Finals that spring. That set up a title bout that made up for a relative lack of star power with heavyweight intensity and dominant D. Five of seven Finals games ended with the losing team not breaking 80 points. The series ended with Tim Duncan securing his third ring.

31. 1963-64 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 59-21

Roster: John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Clyde Lovellette, Johnny McCarthy, Willie Naulls, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders, Larry Siegfried

Yawn, another title run, but at least Boston got a new Finals opponent to break up the monotony. The San Francisco Warriors tried to play immovable object to the Celtics’ unstoppable force, and in Wilt Chamberlain, the Dubs at least had the firepower. But Boston had the balance, experience and pedigree: John Havlicek and Sam Jones led the offense, and Bill Russell did his usual work, dominating defensively and on the glass to lead Boston to its seventh championship in eight tries.

30. 1969-70 New York Knicks

Coach: Red Holzman

Record: 60-22

Roster: Dick Barnett, Nate Bowman, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, Bill Hosket, Don May, Willis Reed, Mike Riordan, Cazzie Russell, Dave Stallworth, John Warren

When a new decade brought an end to the Celtics’ dominance, the Knicks asserted themselves as the class of the League. Behind MVP Willis Reed’s 21.7 ppg and 13.9 rpg and Walt Frazier’s stylish 20.9 points and 8.2 dimes per, New York rolled to the League’s best record and a Finals meeting with the Lakers. What followed was a seven-game classic against West, Wilt and Baylor, best remembered for Reed’s Game 7 effort on a bum leg that inspired his teammates to victory.

29. 1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Paul Westhead, Pat Riley

Record: 57-25

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brewer, Michael Cooper, Clay Johnson, Magic Johnson,Eddie Jordan, Mitch Kupchak, Mark Landsberger, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Kevin  McKenna, Norm Nixon, Kurt Rambis, Jamaal Wilkes

Pat Riley was second choice. When Paul Westhead was fired (at Magic Johnson’s urging) 11 games into the ’81-82 season, Lakers owner Jerry Buss named Jerry West head coach. Only West didn’t want it, so Riley—the former player turned broadcaster turned inexperienced assistant—got the gig. Duly motivated, Magic, Kareem and Jamaal Wilkes led L.A. back to the Finals, where they bounced the Sixers in six. Showtime was in effect, and one of the greatest coaching careers was born.

28. 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 58-24

Roster: Kobe Bryant, Joe Crispin, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, Robert Horry, Lindsey Hunter, Mark Madsen, Jelani McCoy, Stanislav Medvedenko, Shaquille O’Neal, Mike Penberthy, Mitch Richmond, Brian Shaw, Samaki Walker

The third title of the Shaq-Kobe axis didn’t come easily. That Western Finals series with Sacramento was brutal, and there were those who thought the Lakers shouldn’t have won it. But they did, and then L.A. dusted Jersey in the Finals, behind another overpowering performance from O’Neal. The dynamic duo was again tremendous, while Derek Fisher provided stability at the point, and supporting players like Rick Fox and Robert Horry stepped up when needed.

27. 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 58-24

Roster: Brent Barry, Matt Bonner, Bruce Bowen, Jackie Butler, Tim Duncan, Francisco Elson, Melvin Ely, Michael Finley, Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, Fabricio Oberto, Tony Parker, Beno Udrih, Jacque Vaughn, James White, Eric Williams

These Spurs scored when they needed to, and they moved the ball like no one else. But the real strength of the team was on defense, where San Antonio could stifle rivals, just like it did Cleveland in the Finals sweep. Tim Duncan was a no-frills frontcourt star, with point guard Tony Parker’s creativity and Manu Ginobili’s flair and passion the keys to the team’s success. Role players like Bruce Bowen and Michael Finley helped complete a pure team.

26. 1980-81 Boston Celtics

Coach: Bill Fitch

Record: 62-20

Roster: Tiny Archibald, Larry Bird, ML Carr, Terry Duerod, Eric Fernsten, Chris Ford, Gerald Henderson, Wayne Kreklow, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Rick Robey

After Magic Johnson got his title in 1980, it was Larry Bird’s turn. He and the Celtics waged a year-long battle with the Sixers that culminated with a seven-game Eastern Finals series that featured three big Boston comebacks. Kevin McHale and Robert Parish were interior forces, while Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford and Cedric Maxwell patrolled the perimeter. The Rockets were tough in the Finals, but they weren’t tough enough to stop the Celtics machine.

25. 1989-90 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Chuck Daly

Record: 59-23

Roster: Mark Aguirre, William Bedford, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, Dave Greenwood, Scott Hastings, Gerald Henderson, Vinnie Johnson, Stan Kimbrough, Bill Laimbeer, Ralph Lewis, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Isiah Thomas

The Bad Boys went back-to-back with the same formula that won their first title: ferocious defense, timely offense and a Mean Streets attitude. Isiah Thomas smiled a lot, but he was a killer. Joe Dumars quietly piled up the points. Bill Laimbeer made no friends inside. Dennis Rodman rebounded and defended like a dervish. Mark Aguirre scored in many ways. James Edwards was a force in the post. And nobody wanted to mess with John Salley.

24. 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 65-17

Roster: Trevor Ariza, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Chris Mihm, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Vladimir Radmanovic, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Sun Yue

The first of back-to-back titles was Kobe Bryant’s initial one as undisputed leader of the Lakers and redemption for the Mamba. A year after losing in the Finals to ancestral rival Boston, the Lakers piled up 65 wins—third most in franchise history—with Bryant leading the way but receiving plenty of help from Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum inside. The anticipated Finals matchup with Cleveland and LeBron James didn’t happen, so L.A. whipped Orlando instead.

23. 2007-08 Boston Celtics

Coach: Doc Rivers

Record: 66-16

Roster: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, Glen Davis, Kevin Garnett, Eddie House, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard, James Posey, Leon Powe, Gabe Pruitt, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine

Depending on how you define it, the Super Team era started in Boston in the summer of ’07, when future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce to give the Celtics their best team in (at least) 20 years. Behind Pierce’s scoring, Allen’s shooting and KG’s two-way play, the Cs posted an NBA-high 66 wins and bounced LeBron and the Cavs en route to the Finals, where they renewed their rivalry with the Lakers. Not long after, they hung banner No. 17.

22. 1992-93 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: BJ Armstrong, Ricky Blanton, Bill Cartwright, Joe Courtney, Jo Jo English, Horace Grant, Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Rodney McCray, Ed Nealy, John Paxson, Will Perdue, Scottie Pippen, Trent Tucker, Darrell Walker, Corey Williams, Scott Williams

The Lakers and Pistons had taken some of the magic out of title repeats by the time the Bulls
won their second straight, but no team since the Celtics’ ’60s dynasty had won three in a row. The Bulls felt like making history. The formula by now was familiar: Jordan averaged League-
highs in points (32.6) and steals (2.8), Scottie Pippen was a terror at both ends and Chicago made the big plays when it mattered, edging Barkley and the Suns in the Finals to seal the threepeat.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55, 54-44 and 43-33.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

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We’re gonna keep it real though: this list was pretty tough to put together. It was mostly guided by the idea that the way to measure the true quality of a team is to think about how much better they were than everyone else they played against. Some decent team in the 2000s would almost definitely destroy an excellent team from the ’70s if we teleported all of the players into the same dimension and let them go at it, but that’s not how this works. This is about dominating your era. Read here for No. 75-66, and 65-55.

Here’s our top 55-44 best teams of all time:

54. 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: Lenny Wilkens

Record: 52-30

Roster: Dennis Awtrey, Fred Brown, Lars Hansen, Joe Hassett, Dennis Johnson, John Johnson, Tom LaGarde, Jackie Robinson, Lonnie Shelton, Jack Sikma, Paul Silas, Dick Snyder, Wally Walker, Gus Williams

For the greatest team in franchise history, it was all about balance. Seven players averaged double-figures for Seattle in ’78-79, led by the high-powered young backcourt duo of Gus Williams (19.2 ppg) and Dennis Johnson (15.9 ppg), while second-year big man Jack Sikma held it down in the paint to the tune of 15.6 and 12.4 per game. The Sonics rode that young core to the Finals, where they dropped the series opener in Washington before taking four straight from the Bullets.

53. 1974-75 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Al Attles

Record: 48-34

Roster: Rick Barry, Butch Beard, Steve Bracey, Bill Bridges, Derrek Dickey, Charles Dudley, Charles Johnson, George Johnson, Frank Kendrick, Jeff Mullins, Clifford Ray, Phil Smith, Jamaal Wilkes

Rick Barry led the NBA in free-throw percentage and steals in ’74-75, League-leading numbers
to go along with a casual 30.6 ppg, 6.2 apg and 5.7 rpg. The Dubs were solid, with silky-smooth rookie Jamaal Wilkes averaging 14.2 ppg and a steady backcourt pairing of Butch Beard and Charles Johnson. But it was Barry, a decade into a spectacular career, who carried Golden State to a Finals sweep of the Bullets for the franchise’s first championship since relocating to the Bay.

52. 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Campbell, Michael Cooper, AC Green, Magic Johnson, Jeff Lamp, Wes Matthews, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Mike Smrek, Billy Thompson, Mychal Thompson, Ray Tolbert, Milt Wagner, James Worthy

It had been 19 years since an NBA champion successfully defended its title, so when Pat Riley guaranteed his Lakers would do just that after the ’87 Finals, the pressure was on. If not for Isiah Thomas’ injured ankle, Detroit might have made Riley a liar, but don’t tell a Laker fan that the last title of the Showtime era was a fluke. James Worthy confirmed his Hall of Fame bona fides with a 36-point triple-double in Game 7 to ensure his coach’s guarantee held up.

51. 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks

Coach: Mike Budenholzer

Record: 46-26

Roster: Jaylen Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, DJ Augustin, Elijah Bryant, Pat Connaughton, Torrey Craig, Mamadi Diakite, Donte DiVincenzo, Bryn Forbes, Jrue Holiday, Justin Jackson, Rodions Kurucs, Brook Lopez, Sam Merrill, Khris Middleton, Jordan Nwora, Bobby Portis, Jeff Teague, Axel Toupane, PJ Tucker, DJ Wilson

You can focus on the pandemic-shortened schedule, or the placement of Kevin Durant’s toe, but as time passes, what people will remember about the ’20-21 season will mostly come down to one dude: Giannis. A two-time League MVP who still faced skeptics who said he couldn’t produce when it mattered most, Antetokounmpo did just that, first against KD and the Nets (31.9 ppg, 12.9 rpg) in a seven-game Eastern Conference Semifinal thriller, then even more impressively against the Suns (35.2, 13.2) in the Finals.

50. 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 57-25

Roster: Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton

It was Kobe’s team, but even prime Kobe knew he couldn’t do it alone. In 2010, with a title to defend and a matchup with the hated Celtics in the Finals, the Lakers’ star once again relied on the steadiness of Pau Gasol (18.6 ppg, 11.3 rpg), and got invaluable defense and clutch play from a resurgent Ron Artest. “Kobe passed me the ball!” the man now known as Metta Sandiford-Artest said after hitting a title-sealing three late in Game 7. Every Laker fan shared his joy.

49. 1973-74 Boston Celtics

Coach: Tom Heinsohn

Record: 56-26

Roster: Don Chaney, Dave Cowens, Steve Downing, Hank Finkel, Phil Hankinson, John Havlicek, Steve Kuberski, Don Nelson, Paul Silas, Paul Westphal, Jo Jo White, Art Williams

Russell and Cousy were retired, Red Auerbach was no longer on the bench, and it had been five long years since the Celtics last hung a banner from the Garden rafters. But with John Havlicek (22.6 ppg) still around and young Dave Cowens (19 ppg, 15.7 rpg) already looking like a future Hall of Famer, Boston decided five years was long enough. They needed seven games to take down Kareem, Oscar and the Bucks, but soon enough, Red was lighting that stogie once again.

48. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Coach: Rick Carlisle

Record: 57-25

Roster: Alexis Ajinca, JJ Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois, Corey Brewer, Caron Butler, Brian Cardinal, Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Dominique Jones, Jason Kidd, Ian Mahinmi, Shawn Marion, Steve Novak, Dirk Nowitzki, Sasha Pavlovic, DeShawn Stevenson, Peja Stojakovic, Jason Terry

There was still a sense that calling Dirk Nowitzki “the greatest European player of all time” was sort of a diss. Nobody doubted his production, but plenty of people questioned whether he could be that dude when it mattered. All questions were answered that June: With help from a veteran supporting cast that included Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler and 37-year-old Jason Kidd, Dirk averaged 26 points and 9.7 rebounds in the Finals to dispatch the Heatles and confirm his spot among the all-time greats.

47. 2005-06 Miami Heat

Coach: Stan Van Gundy, Pat Riley

Record: 52-30

Roster: Derek Anderson, Shandon Anderson, Earl Barron, Michael Doleac, Gerald Fitch, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Gary Payton, James Posey, Wayne Simien, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker, Matt Walsh, Jason Williams, Dorell Wright

A decade dominated by the Lakers and Spurs didn’t leave much room for Eastern Conference contenders, but in ’06, a Miami team loaded with loose parts and a wild array of past-their-prime big-name vets coalesced around a dynamic third-year guard from Marquette. Sure, Dwyane Wade benefitted from some friendly officiating in a Finals matchup that Dirk and the Mavs are probably still mad about, but mostly, Flash earned what he got in leading the Heat out of a 0-2 Finals hole and on to the title.

46. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Larry Brown

Record: 54-28

Roster: Chucky Atkins, Chauncey Billups, Elden Campbell, Hubert Davis, Tremaine Fowlkes, Darvin Ham, Richard Hamilton, Lindsey Hunter, Mike James, Darko Milicic, Mehmet Okur,  Tayshaun Prince, Zeljko Rebraca, Bob Sura, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Corliss Williamson

Larry Brown talked all the time about playing basketball “the right way,” but he had never
won a title until the Pistons hit the League with their stifling defense. Sure, Richard Hamilton was a potent scorer, Chauncey Billups was good all year (especially in the Finals win over the Lakers) and the mid-year arrival of Rasheed Wallace was huge. But the embodiment of Detroit was lunch-pail center Ben Wallace, whose relentless approach keyed a championship.

45. 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 37-13

Roster: Antonio Daniels, Tim Duncan, Mario Elie, Sean Elliott, Andrew Gaze, Jaren Jackson, Avery Johnson, Steve Kerr, Jerome Kersey, Gerard King, Will Perdue, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Brandon Williams

It was the post-Bulls era and a lockout-shortened season, but the Spurs were ascendant. Their first championship team featured the Tim Duncan-David Robinson interior axis, one of the few times a twin towers configuration had enjoyed supreme success. Avery Johnson ran the team, Mario Elie hit big shots and locked down opposing high scorers, while Sean Elliott was a do-everything type who fit in perfectly. The Spurs lost just two games the entire postseason.

44. 1994-95 Houston Rockets

Coach: Ruddy Tomjanovich

Record: 47-35

Roster: Tim Breaux, Scott Brooks, Chucky Brown, Adrian Caldwell, Sam Cassell, Pete Chilcutt, Clyde Drexler, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Charles Jones, Vernon Maxwell, Tracy Murray, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kenny Smith, Zan Tabak, Otis Thorpe

If Houston’s ’94 title run was inspired, the ’95 version seemed unlikely to ever happen. The Rockets posted the NBA’s 10th-best record and were pushed to the distance in their first two playoff rounds. But something about matchups with arguably the other two best centers in the League seemed just what Hakeem Olajuwon needed: He Dream-shook and dominated newly crowned MVP David Robinson in the conference finals, then went for 32.8 and 11.5 to sweep young Shaq and the Magic for the title.

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While it helps, you don’t have to win a championship to be on this list. There were some pretty incredible NBA teams that fell short of championships but were still so far ahead of the rest of the League (besides the champion) that they deserve to leapfrog some actual champions. 

This week, we’re unveiling who we think deserves to be included on this list, which is featured in our SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time special issue. Here’s our top 65-55:

65. 1983-84 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 54-28

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Calvin Garrett, Magic Johnson, Eddie Jordan, Mitch Kupchak, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Swen Nater, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Larry Spriggs, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy

The Lakers would have to wait one more year to finally beat the Celtics when it mattered most. Led by Kareem’s 26.6 ppg and 8.1 rpg in the series, the Lakers forced a Game 7 on the road. But whether it was the mystique of Boston Garden, that famously tricky parquet floor or simply a deep and talented Celtics team that had the benefit of homecourt advantage and League MVP Larry Bird, L.A. couldn’t quite vanquish its franchise kryptonite.

64. 1976-77 Philadephia 76ers

Coach: Gene Shue

Record: 50-32

Roster: Jim Barnett, Henry Bibby, Joe Bryant, Fred Carter, Harvey Catchings, Doug Collins, Darryl Dawkins, Mike Dunleavy, Julius Erving, World B. Free, Terry Furlow, Caldwell Jones, George McGinnis, Steve Mix

This Sixers squad might be best remembered for a roster that included future coaches (Doug Collins, Mike Dunleavy) and the fathers of future All-Stars (Joe Bryant, Harvey Catchings, Henry Bibby). Of course, Philly also had Dr. J in his first NBA season after a legendary five-year ABA run, and second-year big man Darryl Dawkins, a few years shy of his Chocolate Thunder prime. A fascinating roster, but no match for Bill Walton and the Blazers in the Finals.

63. 1967-68 Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Alex Hannum

Record: 62-20

Roster: Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Costello, Billy Cunningham, Ron Filipek, Johnny Green, Hal Greer, Matt Guokas, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Jim Reid, Chet Walker

Philly finished with the League’s best record, eight games clear of the Celtics in the East, thanks to balanced production from future Hall of Famers Hal Greer (24.1 ppg), Billy Cunningham (18.9 ppg), Chet Walker (17.9 ppg) and of course, Wilt Chamberlain, who put up 24.3 points and pulled down 23.8 boards per. The Sixers didn’t lose more than two straight all season…until the East Finals, when they blew a 3-1 lead against Russell, Havlicek and the eventual champs from Boston.

62. 2001-02 Sacramento Kings

Coach: Rick Adelman

Record: 61-21

Roster: Mike Bibby, Chucky Brown, Doug Christie, Mateen Cleaves, Vlade Divac, Lawrence Funderburke, Bobby Jackson, Scot Pollard, Brent Price, Jabari Smith, Peja Stojakovic, Hedo Turkoglu, Gerald Wallace, Chris Webber

For Kings fans, it is still a crime, the grandest larceny ever. Game 6 of the Western Finals against the Lakers was flat stolen from Sacramento. Missed calls. Allegations of referees fixing the proceedings. It was ugly, nasty business. And it robbed the team with the NBA’s best record, the one with Chris Webber in charge down low, Peja Stojakovic shooting from everywhere and a deep supporting cast of a title. It’s that simple. And that outrageous.

61. 1995-96 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: George Karl

Record: 64-18

Roster: Vincent Askew, Frank Brickowski, Sherell Ford, Hersey Hawkins, Ervin Johnson, Shawn Kemp, Nate McMillan, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, Steve Scheffler, Detlef Schrempf, Eric Snow, David Wingate

What happens when one of the greatest teams in franchise history meets the greatest team in NBA history? Well, you can figure it out. The Sonics won the Pacific by 11 games and had a star-studded lineup with ferocious Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton on the perimeter, talking junk and stealing everything, smooth Detlef Schrempf all over the place and Hersey Hawkins shooting the lights out. Seattle was great. Really great. Unfortunately, the Bulls were greater.

60. 1956-57 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 44-28

Roster: Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Dick Hemric, Jim Loscutoff, Jack Nichols, Togo Palazzi, Andy Phillip, Frank Ramsey, Arnie Risen, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Lou Tsioropoulos

The birth of a dynasty. Led by the in-their-prime backcourt of Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, and the frontcourt pairing of rookies Tom Heinsohn and Bill Russell, the Celtics made the franchise’s first Finals appearance in the spring of ’57. St. Louis took Boston to double OT in Game 7, but Heinsohn (37 points, 23 boards) matched Bob Pettit (39 and 19), and Russell went for 19 and 32 to help the Celtics claim the first of their 17 banners.

59. 2017-18 Houston Rockets

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Record: 65-17

Roster: Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, Tarik Black, Bobby Brown, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, Gerald Green, James Harden, Nene, RJ Hunter, Aaron Jackson, Demetrius Jackson,  Joe Johnson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Chinanu Onuaku, Chris Paul, Zhou Qi, Tim Quarterman, PJ Tucker, Briante Weber, Troy Williams, Brandan Wright

Unfortunately, these Rockets, which featured the dynamic backcourt of James Harden, Chris Paul and Eric Gordon, won’t be remembered for their NBA-best record or high-scoring ways. They will be remembered for that 25-point second half in Game 6 of the Western Finals against Golden State and then a homecourt loss two days later that ended the series. Houston played fast, used Clint Capela to handle the rough stuff inside and still wonders what might have been.

58. 2004-05 Phoenix Suns

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Record: 62-20

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Zarko Cabarkapa, Steven Hunter, Jim Jackson, Casey Jacobsen, Joe Johnson, Maciej Lampe, Shawn Marion, Walter McCarty, Steve Nash, Bo Outlaw, Smush Parker, Quentin Richardson, Paul Shirley, Amar’e Stoudemire, Yuta Tabuse, Jake Voskuhl, Jackson Vroman

These Suns didn’t care much about defense, and they flamed out in the Western Finals against San Antonio, despite having the NBA’s best record. But what a fun team to watch. Led by League MVP Steve Nash, Phoenix pushed the tempo feverishly and featured a talented collection of scorers. Nobody could dunk like Shawn Marion, unless it was Amar’e Stoudemire. Joe Johnson was deadly from three, and Quentin Richardson shot from everywhere. Good times.

57. 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Frank Vogel

Record: 52-19

Roster: Kostas Antetokounmpo, Avery Bradley, Devontae Cacok, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, Anthony Davis, Jared Dudley, Danny Green, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris, Zach Norvell, Rajon Rondo, JR Smith, Dion Waiters

One year after failing to make the playoffs, the Lakers won it all in the COVID-19 bubble. Anthony Davis joined LeBron James in a formidable pairing, and the duo combined for 51.4 ppg. The Lakers lost only five games in their four playoff series. James led the NBA in assists, the supporting cast handled its roles without complaint and the Lakers won it all in a season they dedicated to the late Kobe Bryant.

56. 2009-10 Boston Celtics

Coach: Doc Rivers

Record: 50-32

Roster: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis, Michael Finley, Kevin Garnett, JR Giddens, Eddie House, Lester Hudson, Oliver Lafayette, Marcus Landry, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine, Henry Walker, Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams

The Celtics’ Big Three led the squad on another trek to the Finals that included an Atlantic Division title. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were again the engine on an Eastern Conference title team, with help from point man Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins, while Rasheed Wallace provided support up front. Boston led the Lakers, 3-2, in the Finals, but ultimately lost a seven-game decision.

55. 1996-97 Utah Jazz

Coach: Jerry Sloan

Record: 64-18

Roster: Shandon Anderson, Antoine Carr, Howard Eisley, Greg Foster, Jeff Hornacek, Stephen Howard, Adam Keefe, Karl Malone, Chris Morris, Ruben Nembhard, Greg Ostertag, Bryon Russell, John Stockton, Brooks Thompson, Jamie Watson

The Jazz had plenty of great seasons during the Karl Malone-John Stockton years, but this might have been the best. Malone was League MVP, and Utah set a franchise record for wins that still stands. Stockton once again ran the show and set up everyone, while Jeff Hornacek and Bryon Russell were valuable on the perimeter. The Jazz looked good, but as usual, the Bulls looked better, taking the Finals in six.

Read here to find out who made the No. 75-66 spot on the list.

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As the League celebrates it’s 75th anniversary, there’s quite a few Top 75 lists out there already. In fact, we’ve got quite a few of our own, from SLAM’s Top 75 Players of All Time Special Issue to most recently our Top 75 NBA Teams of All Time (shop here). We could’ve easily left it at that, but after checking out Tracy McGrady’s new Ones Basketball 1-on-1 League, we started thinking about the best 1-on-1 NBA players of all time.

So, we decided to have some fun with it and put together a bold list, categorized based on height, of all of the names that should be included in that conversation.

6-3 AND BELOW

1. Allen Iverson
A one-man revolution where the cross was just the beginning. He’s the master mixer on
our list for a reason.

2. Kyrie Irving
Hang it in the Louvre. KAI’s game is entirely its own art form.

3. Stephen Curry
The greatest shooter of all time needs just a sliver of space to make you pay, all while
staring down the crowd as the ball drops through the net. Uncanny.

4. Derrick Rose
Athleticism that was unparalleled and the nonexistence of fear had D. Rose bullying the
League as the youngest MVP ever.

5. Chris Paul
A mid range savant. A floor general. A Point God.

6. Gilbert Arenas
Agent Zero was lethal, tactical and surgical in leaving defenders guessing what portion
of the bag was about to be unleashed.

7. Damian Lillard
You can pick him up, but what comes next is entirely on you.

8. Russell Westbrook
Shot out of a cannon, if No. 0 is barrelling down the court, you best clear the runway.

9. Isiah Thomas
Lower to the ground just meant more ways to attack as the handle powered the
creativity that No. 11 enacted on his way to snagging two.

10. Jerry West
The Logo was constantly carving up defenses to drop buckets and dimes left and right.

11. Ja Morant
The ascension has been recognized. Call 12, and he’s always gonna answer.

12.Baron Davis
A blend of everything. Baron gave birth to the uber athletic displays of guard play that
we’ve become enthralled with over the years.

13. Trae Young
There’s a new villain in town and he’ll take your heart and your team’s straight to the
offseason.

14. Tiny Archibald
Ain’t nothing tiny about this man’s game. Nothing.

15. Stephon Marbury
The inspiration behind one of the greatest hoops flicks of all time attacked the game entirely on his own terms.

16. Tim Hardaway Sr
Having a killer crossover named after you is a mic drop moment.

17. CJ McCollum
The slipperiest shooting guard in the L. Shaking and baking is his M.O

18. Deron Williams
D Will mastered his own pace to the game. Separation was key and once he created it, you might as well just head back down for O.

19. Donovan Mitchell
Picking up this man is like taking a trip throughout the Spida-Verse, sprawling, spinning and overstimulated with flashes of colorful creativity and blinding moves.

20. Jrue Holiday
Always reliable, always locked in, always ready to pull it in your eye. Second-guessing is the greatest compliment a hooper can recognize and Jrue sees it often.

21. Steve Francis
Constantly sending defenders stumbling, Steve Francis doesn’t often get his due as one of the shiftiest guards to ever step on the hardwood.

22. Tony Parker
Some speed is built, some is gifted. TP’s froze defenders in a picture frame as he weaved around the paint for dimes and buckets.

23. Kemba Walker
We know y’all remember THE step back. Nuff said.

24. Chauncey Billups
Decidedly different. Big guard, big body, big buckets.

25. John Wall
Revolutionary athleticism instilled John Wall as the next box-office point guard. Go do your Google searches and watch his mixtapes to see what we’re seeing.

26. Lou Williams
Lou Williams is too smooth with it: a certified bucket, 3x NBA Sixth Man Player of the Year and a derserver of the utmost respect. 

27. Monta Ellis
Those 360 layups were just a regular thing for Monta Ellis. That’s what type of time he was on. 

28. Nick Van Exel
Nick Van Exel was waaaaaay too quick with it, from the crossovers to the high-flying drives to the lane to those insane dishes and dimes.

29. Jamal Murray
We’ve already told you this before: there’s music in Jamal Murray’s game. Try not to get lost in the melody, though, because he will drop 50 on you. Again and again.

30. Brandon Jennings
Dropping 55 points as a rookie is quite the statement, but then again, Brandon Jennings was never one to shy away from any moment. His game was too electric.

6-4 TO 6-8 

1. Michael Jordan
   The greatest. Put MJ in any situation, matchup or moment and you already know the outcome. Nothing more needs to be said.

2. Kobe Bryant
   He was constantly ascending past the depths of what competing truly meant. He knew your next move before you’d even had a chance to formulate the thought.

3. Tracy McGrady
   Scoring 13 points in 33 seconds is wild, but that’s just what T-Mac was about. One of the most complete scorers in the history of the Association.

4. Carmelo Anthony
   The fadeaway. The jab step. The spot-up jump shot, and his signature “washing machine” spin move. Carmelo Anthony remains one of the game’s most unstoppable scorers of all time. 

5. Kawhi Leonard
   Best believe, any matchup against the Klaw will result in him getting the last laugh. Trying to defend him in a 1v1? Now that’s pure comedy. 

6. Dwyane Wade
   The nickname was fitting: the Flash was one of most elite and efficient shooting guards who attacked the basket with an explosiveness that couldn’t possibly be contained. 

7. James Harden
   Equipped with a signature-move so iconic, a few names on this list have tried it out, the Beard is truly lethal with the rock in his hands.

8. Julius Erving
   A wizard who truly transcended the game. Every move was a symphony of basketball played at its finest. 

9. Charles Barkley
   A relentlessly physical rebounder with an attitude to match, Sir Charles was a force to be reckoned with.

10. Devin Booker
    With the words “Be Legendary” tattooed on his forearm, D-Book has continued to transcend his game towards just that no matter if he’s pullin’ up from midrange or hitting clutch shots from deep. 

11. Scottie Pippen
    One of the game’s greats could really do it all, from dishing out dimes and orchestrating an offense to snagging boards and holding it down on the defensive end. Versatility at it’s finest.  

12. Paul George
    PG’s all-around game is just one of the many things that define his greatness. His explosiveness and ability to create his own shot is another.

13. Paul Pierce
    The Truth can be hard for many to accept, but his dominance was nothing but pure facts. Shaquille O’Neal had a thing for nicknames, and when Paul Pierce dropped 42 on the Lakers in ’01, Shaq went over to the Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett and told him to write this down: “My name is Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Pierce is the truth. Quote me on that and don’t take nothing out.” Enough said.

14. DeMar DeRozan
    The King of the Fourth is a true revolutionary when it comes to the art of the midrange.

15. Jimmy Butler
    They call him Jimmy Buckets for a reason. That’s exactly what you’re gonna get.

16. Jayson Tatum
    JT moves different out there on the parquet floor, from the lethal step back and sidestep threes to the sheer dominance every time the rock touches his hands. That’s what happens when you’re mentored by none other than the Mamba.

17. Vince Carter
    Once Vince Carter got within eyesight of that line, it was over before it had even begun.

18. Zion Williamson
    You can’t be contained when the limits never existed. The same goes in the paint, or anywhere on the floor, when it comes to Zion Williamson. 

19. Penny Hardaway
    One of the greatest guards ever. That spin fake into a stepback, move? Pure magic.

20. Luka Doncic
    Luka plays at his own pace while completely dominating in the process. Different.

21. Dominique Wilkins
    With legs like propellers and arms that could absorb contact, Nique had underrated shot-making ability that went along with his otherworldly athleticism. 

22. Grant Hill 
    Versatility in a human being. Grant Hill was a threat to score from all three levels.

23. Elgin Baylor
    Surrender the skies to Elgin Baylor. Aerially gifted with merciless finishes at the rim.

24. George Gervin
    Smooth, refined, patient, disciplined and measured. Ice’s game was where fundamental met flash.

25. Alex English
    Nobody scored more points in the 1980s than Alex English. Nobody.

26. Joe Johnson
    His nickname is Iso Joe. Nothing more needs to be said.

27. Bradley Beal
    Bradley Beal technically has a perfect jumpshot. Pair that exquisite form with his handles and the result is a scoring machine.

28. Klay Thompson
    One of the best shooters ever is also a big body that precisely clamps players of all heights and weights.

29. Gary Payton
    Possibly the best perimeter defender to ever play, Gary Payton could also get to the tin whenever he wanted.

30. Jamal Crawford
    Jamal Crawford is creativity unleashed through instinct and intellect.

6-9 AND UP

1. Shaquille O’Neal
   The most physically dominant player ever. Realistically, there’s nobody stopping the Diesel.

2. Kevin Durant
   Size, skills, smarts. There have been very few other players that are more offensively complete than Kevin Durant.

3. LeBron James
   The case can be made that LeBron James is the best player ever. Full stop.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
   Try guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo without any help defense. Get the picture?

5. Kevin Garnett
   The only part of Kevin Garnett’s game that outshined his skills on both sides of the ball was his competitiveness, a trait that’s gone nearly unmatched throughout history.

6. Hakeem Olajuwon
   Possibly the best two-way center ever, who dominated with equal doses of agility and nimbleness, power and force.

7. David Robinson
   Dunks and jumpers with the left, blocks and steals with both of his hands and a compressed trampoline in his right leg, David Robinson’s basketball IQ was just as ridiculous as his athletic capabilities.

8. Karl Malone
   Brute strength. Left side of the post to the right side of the hoop every single time. Never could be stopped.

9. Wilt Chamberlain
   Scored 100 points in a game, averaged 50 points for a season and if blocks and steals were tallied when he played, Wilt Chamberlain’s mythic status would be even greater than it already is.

10. Joel Embiid
    Joel Embiid is a guard stuck inside a 7-2, 280-pound body.

11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    The author of the game’s most unstoppable shot, its leading scorer and a shot-blocking terror.

12. Larry Bird
    Larry Bird was so good at scoring that he would tell bigger, stronger and more athletic defenders exactly what he planned to do with the ball and they still couldn’t contain him.

13. Anthony Davis
    Middies, catch-and-shoot threes, barrels to the rim, pick-and-roll ball containment, weakside shot-blocking and passing lane invader properly describes Anthony Davis.  

14. Moses Malone
    Quite possibly the most underrated great in NBA history, Moses Malone was unstoppable from the block and even if he did miss, he’d consume offensive rebounds with such ferocity that the ensuing putbacks would be uncontested.

15. Dirk Nowitzki
    It’s real when a singular shot is credited to a player. Basketball now has the one-legged fadeaway thanks to Dirk Nowitzki.

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Follow host Theus McBee on Instagram @theuselijah and Ahmad Smith, @akisnba.

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Luka Doncic now has the most 40-point playoff games by a player 23 or younger after dropping his 6th postseason 40-piece tonight.

— SLAM Newswire (@SLAMnewswire) May 3, 2022

Doncic has eclipsed Larry Bird, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Tracy McGrady, Chris Paul, and Devin Booker for most 40-point games in just 17 career playoff games. Luka Magic is tied with Stephen Curry and George Gervin. To top off this accomplishment, Doncic’s playoff career average of 33.5 points per game matches that of the GOAT himself, Michael Jordan.

The only thing that Doncic and the Mavs could’ve asked for was a win to go along with his primetime performance. Phoenix went into Game 1 of their second-round series with Dallas focused on preventing the Mavs’ other playmakers from getting into a rhythm. The rest of Dallas’ starters combined for just 39 points; the second time in Doncic’s playoff career, he scored more points than his teammates in the starting lineup.

“He got whatever he wanted, when you look at the shots in the paint, behind the arc, midrange, and then also I thought he got his teammates some great looks that we normally had made,” Coach Jason Kidd said per ESPN. “I thought he played great.

“We’ve just got to get someone to join the party.”

The Suns also made to sure blanket Dwight Powell during pick-and-roll situations and prioritized switching on screens set by Maxi Kleber, who scored 19 points on 6-9 shooting. The breakout star of the first round, Jalen Brunson, had a tough night shooting, scoring 16 points on 6-16 shooting, and Spencer Dinwiddie finished with eight points on 3-8 shooting.

Game 2 of the Phoenix-Dallas series will take place on Wednesday.

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That’s how I learned about the Hall of Famer English, and even though I was a kid in the ’80s, he and the Nuggets were overlooked by adults back then, too. Just ask an NBA fan of any age this question: Who scored the most points in the 1980s? Even if they know Michael Jordan’s career started too late and that Magic Johnson was too pass-first, they have a host of household names to offer up. Moses Malone. Larry Bird. Dominique Wilkins. George Gervin. All-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The 6-7, 190-pound English outscored all of ’em. English used his elite mid-range game, willingness to run the floor and all-around efficiency to score 21,018 points in the decade (Moses was second at 19,082). 

The above would be interesting to SLAM readers at any point in the magazine’s history and to be sure, Alan Paul did a piece on English for SLAM 21 back in 1997 that pointed this out. Sadly, the scope of the eight-time All-Star’s achievements and the lack of credit they’re given have renewed relevance in the wake of the NBA selecting a mostly glorious 75th Anniversary team that did not include English. 

Besides being wowed by Nuggets box scores in the paper and enjoying the occasional game on TV against my local Knicks or Nets, my love for English was enhanced by the fact that my late grandfather recognized him on a plane once and asked for his autograph. I still treasure the little scrap of paper that says “Best Wishes Ben Alexander English.” 

Speaking on the phone from his native Columbia, SC, the University of South Carolina legend and current member of the school’s Board of Trustees chuckles at my autograph memory (“We were certainly flying commercial back then!”) and proves to be a charming and engrossing subject. 

SLAM: You played for the Bucks and Pacers before you went to Denver. What’s the short version of what happened at your first two stops? It looks like you were putting up numbers from the very beginning of your career. I would have thought Nellie [longtime Bucks’ coach Don Nelson-Ed.] would love you? 

ALEX ENGLISH: I got drafted by the Bucks in the second round. Wayne Embry was the GM and Nellie was an assistant coach. I had a make-good contract, which meant I had to make the team to get the contract. I signed for $55,000 with a $10,000 bonus if I made the team. That was a lot of money back then! I made the team and had a decent rookie year. I mostly played behind Bob Dandridge. The next year they traded Dandridge to the Bullets but drafted Kent Benson, Marques Johnson and Ernie Grunfeld. [Johnson and Grunfeld] played my position. I was the sixth man [English averaged 9.6 ppg in just 18.9 mpg.—Ed]. Nellie was the head coach by then and we made the playoffs. The NBA standard contract was getting ready to change. I was a restricted free agent—I could go anywhere I wanted but my current team could match. At midnight on the first day of free agency, [Pacers’ coach and GM] Slick Leonard signed me to a three-year deal: $135,000, $155,000, $175,000. I signed that contract. The Bucks had the opportunity to match and I’d have to stay. Wayne says Don said it was too much for me. So they let me walk. I had a good year and a half in Indiana but then they had the chance to bring George McGinnis back home so Slick Leonard traded me to Denver for him. 

SLAM: That trade was during your fourth season. In year five of your career, Doug Moe becomes the Nuggets’ head coach. In my mind, that’s when your career started.

AE: Well, I was putting up good numbers in Indiana, that’s why the Nuggets wanted to trade for me. I was [an] all-around [player]: rebounded, blocked shots, passed the ball. Averaging about 16 points a game, maybe 8 or 9 rebounds. But, yes, what happened in Denver was Doug Moe. He was the best at up-tempo offense. 

SLAM: You guys were the highest-scoring team in the NBA in the ’80-81 season even though Donnie Walsh started the year as the head coach and Moe was an assistant. In Coach Moe’s first full season, ’81-82, the Nuggets averaged 126.5 ppg! Still the most in NBA history.

AE: It was Doug’s system. We played at a breakneck pace, and people couldn’t keep up with us. Once we got in shape, we were unstoppable. We had Dan Issel and we got Kiki Vandeweghe, too. They talked about us being a “high-powered offense.” It was just natural to us. That was what we did. One thing we knew was that other teams feared us. Teams knew they had to be ready to roll as soon as they got to the arena to play us. 

SLAM: Was playing on those teams so much fun?

AE: Fun doesn’t even begin to describe it. I couldn’t wait to play every single night. It was almost like a dance. Like making ballet. That was my art. Every night was a different game, so we were making different art every night. I miss it so much. 

SLAM: Do you have a favorite memory as a Nugget?

AE: Wow, there were so many wonderful moments. That was a good squad with good people. I miss that camaraderie. We did things as a team—parties, cookouts, all that stuff. That’s the thing I miss about being in that setting. And it showed on the floor. We all accepted our roles. If we didn’t do what was expected, we felt bad about it. My team relied on me to get 26 points a night, pass the ball, block a few shots, get 6 or 7 rebounds. TR Dunn knew we depended on him to lock up Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan as best he could. Fat Lever knew we were expecting near a triple-double. Bill Hanzlik was gonna play defense and frustrate the other team. And Coach Moe was there the whole time. He gave us the tools and leeway we needed.

SLAM: You rarely missed a game and led the NBA in scoring for the ’80s. You were still left off the 50 Greatest list in ’96 but were elected to the Hall of Fame in ’97, which was the first year you were eligible. The NBA had a chance to make include you with the 75th Anniversary team this season, but you were left off again. How did that make you feel?

AE: I felt slighted. It’s been like that throughout my career. Look at the record in my Nuggets’ career. All those playoff appearances. Reached the Western Conference finals. I was an all-pro three years [English was second-team All-NBA in ’82, ’83 and ’86.-Ed]. The scoring. And then they don’t tend to look at the other things. I’m the all-time Nuggets leader in points and assists. I blocked shots. Got steals. To see how I was treated…I rarely watch NBA games anymore because I’m so disappointed to not be in that group. When I look at who they chose, not to slight anyone, but I know what I did. To be slighted like that, it soured my taste for the League.

SLAM: After an amazing decade in Denver and one season in Dallas, you retired from the NBA and spent a season playing for Napoli in the Italian league.

AE: I’m a world traveler and I always wanted to live in another country. Unfortunately, I played for a team in Naples that wasn’t what it could have been, but I still wouldn’t change that experience for the world. Eating the food, meeting the people there.

SLAM: You had a stint as President of the NBA Players Association while you played and after your season in Italy, you returned to the States and worked for the PA, right?

AE: Yes, I’d planned on working for the NBPA and I did that under Charles Grantham. A lot of stuff they have in place, I put there. The player programs, AIDS education, money management and degree completion, rookie transition program. Those are programs I put in place that are still there now. The high school camp the PA runs, we put that together. I wanted the PA to get a connection to the players before they get to the NBA. The guys who are still running it—Tim McCormick and Purvis Short—those were my guys. I’m proud of all that work.

SLAM: After you left the PA, you did some work with the NBA and then transitioned into coaching.

AE: Yes. I found out the NBA was going to do a developmental league and wanted to put a team in Charleston, SC. I petitioned for that job and got it. I moved to Charleston as the head coach of the Lowgators. We were the subject of the first sports reality show [Down Low, Life in the D League, from ESPN. Google it!-Ed]. It was revolutionary. My team lost in the championship. After that first year, the Hawks asked me to be an assistant coach. Then I coached with the Sixers and Toronto.

SLAM: Let’s talk about all your connections to the women’s game, from the WNBA to South Carolina to the fact that your daughter, Jade-Li, is now leading the women’s basketball division at Klutch Sports.

AE: I was in New York when Ange-Marie Hancock put the template for the WNBA together years ago. You look at how much it’s grown…last year’s WNBA Finals was so exciting. 

Overall, the game is so pure. It’s like [how] it used to be with men. There’s the mid-range game, post-ups, an emphasis on getting position. The women look for three-point shots but it’s not the total game. Fortunately, for me, I’ve gotten to see some of the best right here at South Carolina. A’ja Wilson. Aliyah Boston. All the other women who have been here. We have the greatest women’s coach there is in Dawn Staley. I’m just a big supporter. We’ve got two top-10 high schoolers right here in this city and the fan support here is off the charts. That’s from watching Dawn. One of the girls [HS senior Ashlyn Watkins-Ed.] is signed with Dawn. The other is in the 11th grade—Milaysia Fulwiley—and I’m telling you, she is a game changer. Like the same way Magic changed the game. Hopefully she signs here, too.

Ben Osborne is a former SLAM Ed. and is now Head of Content for Just Women’s Sports.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Alex English Opens About His Prolific Career and Supporting Women’s Hoops in South Carolina appeared first on SLAM.

Clippers star Paul George has entered health and safety protocols and will miss tonight’s Play-in game vs. New Orleans, sources tell @TimBontemps and me.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2022

PG-13 will miss the Clippers contest against the Pelicans to determine who will face the Phoenix Suns as the eighth seed in the playoffs.

George posted 34 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a Play-In Tournament loss to the Timberwolves for the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. George averaged 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.7 dimes per game on 42.1 percent shooting from the field.

The post Clippers Announce Paul George Out Against Pelicans Due to Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA has implemented a play-in tournament to decide the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference. This gives the top ten teams in the East and West a chance to make it into the postseason. 

Each conference will have a short tournament that showcases the eighth through tenth seeds. In a single-game two round event, the seventh and eighth seeds can make the playoffs with one win. The ninth and tenth seeds need to win twice in order to advance to the playoffs. 

In the Western Conference, a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 7) and LA Clippers (No. 8) will take place on April 12 at 9:30 PM ET. 

The winner of this game will advance to the postseason while the loser will have one final shot to make it in against the winner of the game between the ninth and tenth seed.

Minnesota finished its 2021-22 campaign with a record of 46-36, earning the No. 7 seed in the West. After starting the season 11-15, the Wolves went 35-21 the rest of the way. 

The Timberwolves have been great on the offensive glass this season, which should be key for them in this matchup. However, they struggle to take care of the ball at times which could be detrimental. 

Since the All-Star break, Minnesota has been on fire. Since that mark, the Wolves have been a top-five team in the NBA when it comes to win percentage. 

The Clippers battled injuries all season, but still locked up the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed with a record of 42-40. Since getting Paul George back from injury, they’ve looked better and have won six of their last seven games. 

The Clips are a great 3-point shooting team, finishing top-three in that category this season. On the flip side, they struggle on the glass and were bottom ten during the regular season. 

The Clippers were a team that never gave up this season, overcoming numerous deficits and winning a ton of comeback games. 

In the four matchups this season between these teams, the Clippers won the season series 3-1. LA won the first three games of the year against Minnesota, but the Timberwolves won the most recent. All three of the Clippers’ wins came in November, while the Wolves won the most recent game in January. 

Since these teams haven’t played in several months, both rosters look different and they’re each playing at a different level. 

The player to watch in this matchup is George, who will determine the Clippers’ ceiling in the play-in tournament and the postseason in general. For the Timberwolves, their superstar trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards is one of the best in the NBA.

The post 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament: Minnesota Timberwolves Match Up With LA Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

Love seeing PG back healthy and hooping.

(via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/Asokqhz7Ff

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 30, 2022

After missing the last three months due to a torn UCL in his right elbow, George finished the Clippers’ comeback 121-115 win over the Jazz with 34 points, six assists, and four steals.

With the Clippers down 25-points in the third quarter, PG-13 exploded for 20 points in the frame on 5-7 shooting from the field, including 3-4 from beyond the arc, helping the Clippers erase the deficit with over eight minutes to go in the frame.

“It’s in the 90 percentile,” George said about how strong his elbow has gotten in rehab, per ESPN. “But it’s still part of the progression. The ligament will get stronger with the stress put on it — but I feel good. It’s no pain; there’s nothing of that sort.

“It’s more so just that muscle and my forearm getting stronger.”

George’s 34-point night was the most a player has missed after missing 40-plus games within one season, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. After Tuesday, George has more 30-point outings (7) than the rest of his Clippers teammates combined (6).

The Clippers’ win over the Jazz stopped a five-game losing streak and gave Coach Ty Lue a record fourth 24+ point comeback. The Clippers have had three since January, the previous record. Three of which came from 25 or more down. Ty Lue’s team has the most 24-plus-point comeback wins in one season with four. They previously set the record with three coming in January alone.

And George’s timing could not have been any better as he returned to stop the Clippers’ five-game losing streak. Now at the eighth spot in the Western Conference, George’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. This moment wouldn’t have come if PG-13 had elected to undergo surgery to repair his elbow. However, a doctor told George the damaged ligament could heal and “attach itself back to the bone” if he took some time off.

“It was actually cool because I got a ton of work with my left hand,” George said on air, “I became a better player through this process because I had to use my left hand a lot more. I think it will show as the season goes on with passing and finishing and ballhandling.

“I just did a ton of work to where I feel confident shooting 3s with my left. I don’t know if anyone will see that in a game.”

The Clippers (37-39) return to action when they face the Bulls on Thursday.

The post Paul George Drops 34 Points In Monster Comeback Vs. Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George has been upgraded to QUESTIONABLE to play tomorrow against Utah.

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) March 28, 2022

PG13 has been out since December with a torn UCL in his right elbow. Youngmisuk and Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times also reported that George participated in 5-5 practices on Sunday and Monday.

Dish Dunk@Yg_Trece | @ivicazubac pic.twitter.com/lU1czVTkeL

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 28, 2022

George missed 43 games over the last three months, but the Clippers have fought to rank eighth in the Western Conference playoff seedings. With their spot locked in for the play-in tournament and with George returning as soon as Tuesday, the scrappy Clippers could be a threat to advance into playoffs against an equally plucky Minnesota Timberwolves team.

The Fresno State product averaged 24.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game before he was sidelined.

The post Paul George Upgraded to Questionable Ahead of Game Vs. Utah Jazz appeared first on SLAM.

Leonard still appears to be a ways away from a return, but Clippers fans got some positive news about George on Thursday.

According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, George practiced with the Clippers for the first time since December, before he was ruled out with injury.

Youngmisuk spoke with Clippers’ head coach Tyronn Lue about George’s progress, and he had positive things to say about his rehab thus far.

“He is doing good,” Lue said. “He hasn’t felt any pain, so that is a positive thing. Just working on his conditioning and just making sure he can continue to go through the minimal contact without having any issue. So as of right now, it hasn’t been a problem.”

Since December, George has been injured with a torn ligament in his right elbow, playing most recently in the Clippers’ Dec. 22 matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Before the injury, George had played in 26 games for the Clippers this season and averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

While no specific timetable was given for George’s return, Lue told Youngmisuk that he hopes to get his injured players, including guard Norman Powell, who is out with a broken foot, back for at least one game before the playoffs.

George’s impact on the Clippers can’t be understated. Over his 12 seasons in the NBA, George has accumulated seven All-Star appearances, six All-NBA Team appearances, and four All-Defensive Team appearances.

The Clippers (36-38) have just eight games remaining this season and sit eighth in the Western Conference. The next game for Los Angeles will be a visit to Philadelphia on Friday to take on the 76ers (45-27).

The post REPORT: Paul George Practiced With Clippers for First Time Since December appeared first on SLAM.

Back in January, the Clippers had the second-largest comeback in NBA History when, after trailing by as much as 35 points, they managed to beat the Wizards by one. The win marked their third game this season that they’ve come back from being down 24 or more points.

After the game, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Lue says that Kawhi Leonard called him to ask: “So you just going to keep getting down 25, come back and win, huh?”

Youngmisuk used his story to describe the Clippers’ resilience this season, led by Lue as a head coach, and their ability to come back from massive deficits.

“I just want to prove to people that I can coach,” Lue told Youngmisuk.

And he has. With Leonard out due to an ACL tear, and Paul George having battled with an elbow injury, the Clippers are currently sitting eighth in the Western Conference with a record of 36-38.

With only a handful of games remaining this season, the Clippers have some work to do to remain in the playoffs, especially with five of their last eight games of the season coming against the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Kawhi Leonard Called Tyronn Lue After Clippers’ Historic Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

Three players made early news for the All-Star Game. Donovan Mitchell sat out with a non-COVID-19 related illness, and it was announced on TNT that Chris Paul suffered a thumb fracture which will keep him out for six to eight weeks just before the game. He checked in late in the first quarter.

Suns star Chris Paul has suffered a right thumb avulsion fracture and will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 21, 2022

Kevin Durant was also unable to attend the All-Star festivities after his mother, Wanda Pratt announced that his grandmother passed away Sunday and left Cleveland to be with his family.

The grandmother of Kevin Durant passed away this morning, Wanda Durant announces. Kevin Durant – named one of the 75 greatest players ever – will no longer attend 75th Anniversary team ceremony tonight at NBA All-Star Game as the family mourns loss.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 20, 2022

The event was not just for entertainment but for a good cause. Team LeBron and Team Durant competed for $750,000 in donations for two organizations. Team LeBron played for the Kent State I Promise Scholars Program, and Team Durant played for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. The competition was spread out over three quarters for $100,000 apiece.

Each organization started with a $150,000 contribution, with the winning team earning $150,000 for their respective organization.

First Quarter:

Defense was optional in the first quarter for the players, with the exception of Stephen Curry, who had the game’s only two blocked shots for an extended period. A point that Draymond Green trolled him for during the TNT broadcast.

“Why are you playing so much defense bro?”

This @StephenCurry30 and @Money23Green exchange pic.twitter.com/5V9Nz4TiLm

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 21, 2022

Otherwise, it was lighthearted, running up and down the floor with some high-flying dunks and long-distance shots. On a side note, Giannis Antetokounmpo finally missed a field goal attempt after hitting all 16 of his shots in last year’s event.

Throwback to last year’s Finals… Book and Giannis trading buckets at #NBAAllStar!

TNT & TBS pic.twitter.com/6iEs9nuxD2

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

Another great moment was watching Trae Young and Curry match each other in three-point marksmanship. Knowing that these two will be compared to each other for the next several seasons, this moment sends a message that fans will be enjoying 30 footers for years to come.

In the end, despite Team LeBron running out to an early lead, Team Durant’s late first-quarter run was not enough to make up the deficit at the end.

Winner: Team LeBron wins the quarter 47-45. Kent State I Promise Scholars Program receives $100,000.

Second Quarter:

After showing his defensive prowess in the first quarter, Curry reminded NBA fans of his real forte, shooting the long ball. Chef Curry set the All-Star Game record by knocking down an absurd eight 3 point shots in the first half.

#NBAAllStar record for threes in a half.
There’s nobody quite like Stephen Curry pic.twitter.com/dnKw86B04i

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 21, 2022

Before the Curry fireworks started, Cavs representatives Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland had some solid moments in the second quarter. Garland looked very comfortable on the floor and used this long-range bomb from the logo to spark a 10 point quarter.

Darius Garland from the logo to hype up the Cleveland crowd! #NBAAllStar on TNT & TBS pic.twitter.com/WgjqAk1P5M

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

While Team LeBron had all of the flash, Team Durant had the substance with LaMelo Ball combining with Dejounte Murray making plays for his teammates like Rudy Gobert, Devin Booker, and others. They ran out to a lead and never were in any trouble of losing it.

Team Durant win 49-46. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank receives $100,000.

Third Quarter:

Surprisingly, Curry has been shooting 37.9 percent from deep this season, well short of his career 42.8 mark. Well, he found his stroke in this game. If anyone thought SC30 was hot in the second quarter, the greatest three-point shooter of all time was burning up in the third quarter.

The two-time MVP broke the record for most three-pointers in an All-Star game by this point held by Paul George in 2016, and it was the way he was doing it that set the building on fire.

Stephen Curry is heat checking like no one ever has in an #NBAAllStar Game.

He’s got 13 threes.

Get to TNT & TBS now. pic.twitter.com/Fvj2Ep3fjB

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

Even though Curry was stealing all of the thunder in the third quarter, Team Durant pretty much held the lead the entire quarter. But Team Durant got cold at the end and allowed Team LeBron to pull to a tie at the end of the third quarter.

Even though the period ended in a tie, the third period belonged solely to Stephen Curry, who cemented his claim to MVP after pouring in 45 points on 15-21 shooting from behind the line. At this point, he was only seven points away from the all-time scoring record.

Drive. Give it up. Relocate. Get it back.

Stephen Curry is playing his brand of basketball in the #NBAAllStar Game…

Oh, and he’s made 15 threes pic.twitter.com/FC6cQcdp0p

— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022

Team LeBron and Team Durant finish the quarter with a 45-45 tie. Now the score is 139-138 Team Durant.

Final Quarter:

In the final quarter, the target score to end the game was set at 163. The gas Curry was cooking with ran out, and he finished with 50 points. Like in previous years, the ball was given to Joel Embiid in the post to score. But Jarrett Allen, with the assistance of LeBron James and Antetokounmpo, slowed him up just enough.

In the end, it was the Captain’s choice on who would close the game out!

BRON. CALLED. GAME.

Listen to the conclusion of the 2022 All-Star Game on NBA Radio.

https://t.co/AYipQpw9t4
pic.twitter.com/ivRfKU2iI3

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 21, 2022

Team LeBron defeats Team Durant 163-160. Kent State I Promise Scholars Program receives a donation of $150,000 for a total of $450,000. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank received a total donation of $300,000.

All-Star Game MVP: Stephen Curry with 50 points.

The post Team LeBron Wins the 2022 NBA All Star Game Behind Stephen Curry’s 50 appeared first on SLAM.

The newest Clippers acquisition, Norman Powell, suffered a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, according to the team announcement on Sunday. Even though Powell’s injury won’t require surgery, there is no timetable for his return at this time.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported the news.

The injury is a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, which the team says is non-surgical at the moment. The Clippers acquired Powell a week ago from the Portland Trail Blazers. https://t.co/suqIYAIRvM

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 13, 2022

The injury couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the Clippers or Powell. After coming over from the Portland Trail Blazers in a deal that netted Robert Covington, Norman was on a hot streak averaging 21.0 points and 4.0 assists per game in three contests that included a 28-point explosion in his debut a week ago.

28 PTS | 56.3% FG | 50.0% 3FG @npowell2404 with the strong debut. pic.twitter.com/lgrIGtkMkH

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 7, 2022

Powell suffered his left foot injury on Thursday during the Clippers’ 112-105 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He sat out Saturday’s rematch that the Clippers won 99-97 with what the team initially called turf toe.

Before being ruled out of the game, Powell stated that his foot was ‘feeling better’ per ESPN.

“It’s doing a lot better,” Powell said at the team’s morning shootaround. “Better than it was after the game. Better than it was yesterday. Feeling better, walking better. Felt a little pain in it. All from the last game. Just going to see how it feels and go from there.”

With Kawhi Leonard presumably gone for the season and Paul George’s status still in the air, Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue will have to find offense from somewhere on the roster to fill in Powell’s production.

The Clippers have 24 games left in the season with a record of 26-31, currently a game and a half ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Lose Norman Powell ‘Indefinitely’ To A Broken Foot appeared first on SLAM.

“We know Kawhi’s probably not gonna come back,”

“I don’t know,” Lue said. “I’m not a doctor. But hope is stronger than fear. So I’m hoping that these two guys can come back. But you never know.”

Leonard has been held out all season to rehab a torn ACL suffered in Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round series on June 14. Serge Ibaka shared what he observed with Leonard’s process to return to the floor.

“I saw him a couple times. He [is] doing good, he [is] working so hard,” Ibaka said. “Every day, he’s in the gym. I know Kawhi. He loves this game, and he’s going to try to do [the] best he can to be back strong.

“He [is] working so hard. Actually, it is impressive to see the way he has been working. He’s getting stronger. I know he wants to come back, but it’s just a question of time.”

Ty Lue’s quote might bring closure to the ongoing questions of Leonard’s return. First, it was hopeful that he would be back by the playoff due to reports of how well rehab was going. A report that Yahoo! Sports’ Chris B. Haynes touched on during a Clippers game on TNT a few weeks ago.

Sources: My @NBAonTNT report on Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard now ahead of schedule in rehab from a torn ACL with a strong possibility of a return this season. pic.twitter.com/geyUX5Rgkv

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 7, 2022

After opting out of his contract, Leonard signed a four-year max extension with the Clippers this offseason. He averaged 24.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season.

The post Clippers HC Ty Lue Announces Kawhi Leonard Is Likely to Miss Season appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

Powell and Covington’s pure shooting prowess and defensive capabilities will aid Ty Lue’s undermanned Clippers roster with Paul George sidelined with a torn UCL and Kawhi Leonard’s rehab from a torn ACL. The 6’3 guard from UCLA is averaging a career second-best 18.7 points per game while shooting a scintillating 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.

At the same time, Covington’s three-and-D ability off the bench provides the eighth-seeded Clippers with another solid rotational player.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski later reported that the emergence of Anfernee Simons’ game in the absence of Damian Lillard had given the Blazers the confidence to move on from Powell’s long-term five-year $90 million deal, providing George and Leonard with a proven two-way bucket getter.

For Portland, the terms of the deal allow them to slip under the luxury tax bill and create a $6.5 million trade exception that is good for a whole year, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. In comparison, Los Angeles’ tax bill increases by approximately $19 million.

Both players dealt by Portland were brought in over the past two seasons, trading Trevor Ariza and two first-rounders to the Rockets for the 6-foot-9 Covington at the start of the 2020-21 season. The Blazers acquired Powell from the Toronto Raptors during last season’s trade deadline for Gary Trent Jr.

Alongside Dame and CJ McCollum, Powell has started out of position at the three despite being one of the Blazers’ most consistent offensive threats.

The post REPORT: Clippers Send Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow to Blazers for Norman Powell, Robert Covington appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, during a broadcast on TNT, the NBA announced the reserves for the upcoming 2022 All-Star game, a week after the starters had been announced.

In the West, the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz had two players named: Chris Paul and Devin Booker for the Suns and Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell for the Jazz. The roster comprises Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic.

The West will have to add one additional player before the All-Star game, as Green won’t be active for the festivities. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will name Green’s replacement before the All-Star Game draft.

The remaining West All-Stars are made up by the five starters, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Ja Morant.

In the East, Zach LaVine, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Fred VanVleet, Jayson Tatum, and Khris Middleton all got the nod, representing different teams from each other. They’ll be joining the East’s five starters of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, Joel Embiid, and Trae Young.

While there is a boatload of talent in this year’s All-Star game, some names that arguably deserved consideration were left off. Dejounte Murray and Deandre Ayton are putting together excellent seasons in the West but were not named to the All-Star team. Paul George was having another All-Star-caliber season but hasn’t played in over a month due to an elbow injury.

In the East, Jarrett Allen, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown have seasons potentially worthy of the All-Star distinction.

All-Star captains James and Durant will draft their teams live on TNT on Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m. EST. The NBA All-Star Game is on Sunday, Feb. 20.

The post NBA Announces Reserves for 2022 All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

Despite not having the services of superstar Kawhi Leonard this season and losing Paul George in December to an elbow injury, they now stand at seventh place in the West with a 26-26 record. The team hasn’t closed the door on either player being shut down for the season and is looking for point guard help just in case.

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Clippers are in the market for a point guard in a trade with possibly six players being targets.

“If the Clippers dip below .500, it should come as no big surprise. But this isn’t a lost season without Leonard and George. Not at all. In fact, the Clippers found their identity on defense by examining their roster and trying to find out who will fit with their stars in the years to come.”

Despite all the good vibes on the court this season, no team is ever fully complete. Change is inevitable. And the next step for the Clippers is to find a new point guard.

While Reggie Jackson currently covers the position, the Clippers see him as more of a scorer. What they want by his side is a playmaker. Someone like Fred VanVleet or Kyle Lowry for Leonard in Toronto, or even George Hill was for a young PG-13 in Indiana. L.A. wants a point guard on that level, someone who can manage the game or provide a spark depending on the situation.

So, what kind of point guard can the Clippers reasonably obtain? Over the past few weeks, numerous reports have cited names like Jalen Brunson, Dennis Schröder, Kemba Walker, Goran Dragic, Spencer Dinwiddie, and John Wall as targets.”

The team plan’s on moving potential expiring contracts such as Serge Ibaka, Ivica Zubac (team option for 2022-23 season), or Nicolas Batum (player option for 2022-23)

The Los Angeles Clippers made team history by making Western Conference Finals last season before falling to the eventual conference champion, Phoenix Suns.

The post REPORT: The Clippers Make Multiple Players Available For Point Guard Help appeared first on SLAM.

The Rumble Kong League features a collection of 10,000 programmatically designed NFTs called Kongs. Collectors include a slew of NBA players: Stephen Curry, Paul George, Tyrese Haliburton, Andre Iguodala, Josh Hart, Hassan Whiteside, Gary Payton II, Cole Anthony, Damion Lee, JaVale McGee and Malik Beasley.

RKL is distinguishing itself from other NFT projects in the mainstream by rolling out ambitious experiential opportunities for Kong holders: Players will be able to compete in leagues and tournaments for cryptocurrency prizes, own and manage teams, purchase fashion collectibles for their Kong to wear, train their Kong to level up statistics, and breed their Kong to create new NFTs. The video game itself hasn’t launched yet, but when it does Kong holders will be able to participate in all sorts of ways; the game will launch in 2022 and is expected to feature 3-on-3-style gameplay.

The visual traits of the Kongs come in varying degrees of rarity. Each Kong is also randomly assigned Shooting, Defense, Vision and Finishing statistics that will guide each Kong’s on-court potential. 

As holders wait for gameplay to be released, the Kong community continues to grow. The @RumbleKongs Twitter account now has over 40,000 followers. Dating back to the collection’s June release, Kong trade volume is now over $55 million. Lots of your favorite athletes and entertainers are repping Kongs—beyond the NBA guys mentioned above, holders include Ja Rule, La La Anthony and Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt. RKL’s merch has been spotted on NBA players both in the tunnel and at post-game press conferences.

On the funding front, CAA Sports and Paul George backed the project to accelerate game development. The first major partnership included Under Armour Basketball and Curry, who will bring a digital sneaker into the game. 

“Our goal is to provide a truly unique and memorable experience for sports fans within the Rumble Kong League,” said Marcus Bläsche, CEO of the Rumble Kong League. “NFTs and the Metaverse are making a huge impact in the gaming world and we aim to build the go-to sports ecosystem and push the boundaries of what is possible within the web3 space.” 

Meet Le’Jon LaMon aka Sickpencil, the man behind the Rumble Kong League’s electrifying visuals.

The post The NFT Project Storming the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that George would be out longer than initially thought as he continues to recover from a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Wojnarowski reports that the Los Angeles Clippers will continue to evaluate George over the coming weeks, with no firm timetable available for his return.

George has been out since Dec. 22, nearly an entire month now, but suffered the injury a few weeks prior in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 6, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. The Clippers have missed his presence, going 5-8 since George’s injury, giving them a record of 22-23, ninth-best in the west.

Before the injury, George had played in 26 games this season and was averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

The Clippers are now without both of their All-Stars, with Kawhi Leonard still recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the playoffs last year.

The post REPORT: Paul George to be Out Longer than Expected Due to Elbow Injury appeared first on SLAM.

When the Los Angeles Clippers initially announced the injury, the team hoped resting George for three to four weeks would help the 31-year-old guard recover.

“While the team’s initial announcement on Christmas Day stated George would be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks, the Clippers are operating under the possibility that George may not return this season, sources told B/R.”

With the possibility that both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard may not return this season, the Clippers are shaping into a surprising seller at the NBA’s trade deadline. More at @BR_NBA: https://t.co/IGZhFoYSA7

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) January 12, 2022

In 26 games this season, PG-13 was playing at a level that had some believing that he was in the MVP conversation averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. He had thrived as the Clippers’ number one option while Kawhi Leonard continued his rehab on his surgically repaired knee.

The Clippers had high hopes to start the season during their seven-game winning streak that had them at the top spot early in the Western Conference playoff picture. Since George’s injury, the Clippers have fallen into the play-in tournament section of the standings at 21-21 behind the Los Angeles Lakers. 

With the Clippers without their best two-way player, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, and Terrence Mann will be counted on for the team to stay relevant in the Western Conference playoff race. The Clippers’ future plans depend on how well things go. If Los Angeles can move up in the standings, they can entertain options of bringing back Leonard and George in time for the postseason.

However, if the struggles continue, both stars could be shelved in plans for next season. The Clippers have Tuesday off before playing the Pelicans (15-26) on the road.

The post REPORT: Paul George May Miss the Rest Of the Season With Elbow Injury appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: My @NBAonTNT report on Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard now ahead of schedule in rehab from a torn ACL with a strong possibility of a return this season. pic.twitter.com/geyUX5Rgkv

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 7, 2022

The news couldn’t come at a better time for Los Angeles, who is already missing Paul George for a few weeks with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his shooting elbow diagnosed in December. The Clippers are currently the eighth seed in the Westen Conference with a 19-20 record.

Leonard injured his ACL during the Western Conference semifinals series against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers called the injury a knee sprain during the team’s final eight playoff games before announcing the injury was more severe than initially thought and needed surgery. 

Clippers executive Jerry West was on the TK Podcast with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, beaming about the two-time Finals MVP.

“I have to say, I’ve never seen a harder working person in my life. If you look at him now, he looks great. Doing things that I didn’t expect he could do. But I’m not a doctor, and certainly don’t know what the ongoing problems for not being in tip-top shape, ready to play a much quicker and agile game are, but just watching him, my goodness, if you watch him walk around, you would never know that he had that operation.”

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals last season.

The post REPORT: Kawhi Leonard is Ahead of Schedule With Rehab on Knee appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday, the NBA released its first returns on All-Star fan voting, and there are a few surprises sprinkled throughout.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry leads the way in voting, who has accumulated nearly 2.6 million votes, almost around 200,000 more than the second-place vote-getter, Kevin Durant. A familiar face rounds out the position leaders in LeBron James, the top vote-getter among forwards in the Western Conference and an unusual but deserved face in DeMar DeRozan, the top vote-getter among guards in the Eastern Conference.

DeRozan’s lead and now expected All-Star appearance is much deserved, as he is having a career year for the Chicago Bulls, averaging 26.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.

Other players to accumulate over one million votes thus far include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Paul George. Andrew Wiggins just missed out at 933,355 votes.

Every year, a few unexpected names pop up and receive hundreds of thousands of votes, and this year is no different. Klay Thompson has yet to play a game this season for the Warriors, but he is still the fourth-highest vote-getter among Western Conference guards. Kyrie Irving is sixth amongst guards in the East, despite just making his season debut on Wednesday.

Derrick Rose is averaging just 12.0 points per game for the New York Knicks coming off the bench and has received nearly double the votes of Darius Garland and Fred VanVleet. Two other vets coming off the bench received a hefty number of votes: LaMarcus Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony, who have started a combined 13 games between them.

If you want your favorite player to be further up the list, you still have some time! NBA All-Star fan voting doesn’t close until Saturday, January 22, and the full rosters will be announced in full on February 3.

The NBA All-Star game will take place in Cleveland at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday, February 20.

The post Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant Lead NBA All-Star Fan Vote Returns appeared first on SLAM.

Afterward, Nets Coach Steve Nash criticized the team for not bringing enough energy and overlooking a depleted Clippers squad. On the other hand, Durant was much more colorful and abrasive with his language to get his point across.

“Like Coach said, we didn’t deserve to win this game. We came in here with a f–ked up attitude to start, thinking we were just gonna walk into a W,” Durant said. “Hopefully, a loss like this sit in your brain until tomorrow. … If you ain’t feeling like s–t after this game, you gotta look yourself in the mirror.”

“It’s natural when a team is missing so many players, they’ve been going through so much over there, and we relaxed,” Durant said. “You wouldn’t think you could lose an NBA game like this. Missing how many guys, playing guys up from the G-League. … They all made an impact, I felt, and we came in too chill.”

The Clippers were playing without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum, and six other players who were out with either injury or placed in health and safety protocols. Even Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was in protocols. With the loss, Brooklyn is now on a two-game losing streak.

Durant finished with 28 points on 11-24 shooting, nine rebounds, and three assists. James Harden had a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists.

On Monday night, the Nets (23-11) look to bounce back at home against Memphis (23-14).

The post Kevin Durant After Nets’ Loss to Clippers: ‘We Came in too Chill’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers have no clear timetable for George to return by, but the team hopes that resting the injury over the next month will help George recover. The injury initially occurred when PG13 sprained his elbow against the Trail Blazers in December. He missed five games over two weeks before returning against the Spurs on December 20.

George said that he wasn’t sure if the injury required maintenance, leading to missing games to manage the injury.

“It took some hits today, couple stingers,” he said per ESPN after the Clippers lost to the Spurs. “We’ll see how it feels tomorrow, not sure it will be sore or not.”

The team faces health issues with four players out to injury or virus protocols, including Kawhi Leonard. He hasn’t played this season while he continues to rehab from a knee injury. Isaiah Hartenstein is dealing with an ankle injury, and Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson are in health and safety protocol.

The Clippers are 17-15 and holding on to the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

The post Paul George Out Three to Four Weeks With Torn UCL appeared first on SLAM.

Update: On Tuesday, League commissioner Adam Silver announced in an interview with Malika Andrews that the NBA would not be pausing the season for the second season since the 2019-2020 season. Silver also said that the Omricon is ‘beyond dominate’ while constituting 90 percent of positive tests.

REPORT: Per League insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA, and the players union have reached an agreement to lessen the quarantine period for COVID-positive players. Players that tested positive for COVID-19 can clear protocols after five days if their “CT values” are above 30.

If a team has three positive results, two replacement signings are required. For four or more positive tests, three replacement players will be required. Two-way players will reportedly also have no limit to the number of games they can appear in as well. If a team has 13 players available for a game they do not have to sign any players to a hardship exemption.

A game will only be postponed if a team doesn’t have at least eight players available to play. A tactic the NBA frequently utilized last year when officials postponed 31 games. The League has decided to postpone nine games in total.

Below is the list of players and coaches currently in the League’s health and safety protocols.

Atlanta Hawks (three players, head coach)

• Chris Clemons
• Gorgui Dieng
• Cameron Oliver
• Nate McMillan

Boston Celtics (one player) 

• Payton Pritchard

Charlotte Hornets (one player)

• Vernon Carey Jr.

Chicago Bulls (one player)

• Alex Caruso

Dallas Mavericks (two players, head coach)

• Jason Kidd
• Boban Marjanovic
• Kristaps Porzingis

Denver Nuggets (one player)

• Petr Cornelie

Detroit Pistons (one player)

• Frank Jackson

Houston Rockets (one players)

• Usman Garuba

Indiana Pacers (six players)

• Justin Anderson
• Goga Bitadze
• Torrey Craig
• Isaiah Jackson
• Caris LeVert
• TJ Warren

LA Clippers (three players)

• Luke Kennard
• Xavier Moon
• Ivica Zubac

Memphis Grizzlies (three players, head coach)

• Taylor Jenkins
• John Konchar
• De’Anthony Melton
• Xavier Tillman

Miami Heat (three players)

• Marcus Garrett
• Udonis Haslem
• Gabe Vincent

Milwaukee Bucks (four players, head coach)

• Grayson Allen
• Mike Budenholzer
• Pat Connaughton
• George Hill
• Jrue Holiday

New Orleans Pelicans (one player)

• Tomas Satorasnky

Oklahoma City Thunder (one player, head coach)

• Isaiah Roby
• Mark Daigneault

Orlando Magic (one player)

• Robin Lopez

Philadelphia 76ers (three players)

• Tyrese Maxey
• Paul Reed
• Jaden Springer

Phoenix Suns (two players)

• Abdel Nader
• Landry Shamet

Portland Trail Blazers

• Norman Powell

Sacramento Kings (one player)

• Richaun Holmes
• Chimezie Metu

San Antonio Spurs (five players)

• Keldon Johnson
• Doug McDermott
• Devin Vassell
• Derrick White
• Thaddeus Young

Toronto Raptors (one player)

• Yuta Watanabe

Utah Jazz (two players)

• Rudy Gobert
• Joe Ingless

Washington Wizards (four players)

• Anthony Gill
• Tremont Waters
• Brad Wanamaker

The post NBA Health and Safety Protocol Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

Clippers beat writer Law Murray of The Athletic reports that Ibaka has had a close contact test positive, which prompted the Clippers to test him, which came back negative. which the result came back negative
Ibaka would have been able to sit with his teammates during the game. However, Ibaka remains away from the Clippers while his teammates are in Utah due to COVID-19 protocols.

A source tells @TheAthletic that Serge Ibaka was a close contact yesterday and had to test right at gametime.

That is why he did not enter the bench area last night until later in the first quarter. Ibaka tested negative but is out for start of trip due to protocols.

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 15, 2021

Since returning to the Clippers, after spending time in G League working on his conditioning, Ibaka’s minutes have decreased, seeing him fall out of the rotation behind Isaiah Hartenstein and Ivan Zubac.

Ibaka has subsequently received multiple DNPs. Clippers Coach Tyrone Lue was shuffling lineups. He’s shared his frustration by liking a tweet about being traded.

The Clippers are currently dealing with injuries to a string of their star players, including Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Nicolas Batum.

The post Serge Ibaka Enters Health and Safety Protocol appeared first on SLAM.

“Who was I to say that?” Young ponders today. “I should’ve gone down there, done my job and gotten better. But life is about moving on. I’m here now. I learn from my mistakes and try to be better for it.”

“Here,” of course, is the G League. More specifically, it is a gym at Birmingham Southern College, a Division III school where the Birmingham Squadron—a newly established G League franchise affiliated with the Pelicans—practice. So Joe Young is in the exact place that he did not want to be six years ago. Only now, he is thrilled to be there. 

He is highly engaged every day at practice, ensuring the focus level remains high, and giving fiery speeches when it doesn’t. He frequently speaks up in film sessions and tries to mentor the younger players. He has organized and paid for multiple team dinners, including one at Ruth’s Chris at the onset of training camp, and another at Benihana on a road trip to Frisco, TX. 

Young vows that he is a new person, with a new perspective and a completely new approach to his career. And he is embracing this latest stop on his journey—one he is confident leads back to where it all began, six years ago. 

The Indiana Pacers selected Young, a sharpshooting guard and the son of former NBA player Michael Young, with the 43rd pick in the 2015 Draft. As a senior at Oregon, he had been named Pac-12 Player of the Year and led his team to a 26-10 record. His scoring ability was undeniable—after transferring from Houston, Young had registered the highest point total over two seasons (1,388) in Oregon history. He immediately signed a multi-year deal with Indiana—three years guaranteed, including a team option on a fourth.

He played sparingly in his rookie season. That’s when the Pacers first sent him down to the G League, and Young requested never to go back. Over the ensuing two years, his role would stay relatively the same. He provided the occasional spark off the bench, but never really got enough consistent minutes to assert himself. Still, he was surprised when the team declined his fourth year option. Summer League rosters were already set by the time he found out. NBA opportunities were limited. Young looked around and saw nowhere to go—nowhere in America, anyway; so he hopped on a plane bound for the other side of the world.

When he arrived in Nanjing—the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province—in 2018, Young did not intend to stay long. This was never a part of the plan, of course; it would merely be a minor detour. But life gradually became comfortable. Young adjusted to the culture. He developed a routine. He earned a good salary. And with ample playing time (over 41 minutes per game) and the ultimate green light, he absolutely dominated on the court. Young averaged 36.1 points, 5.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds in his debut season for the Nanjing Tongxi Monkey Kings; and after no NBA deal presented itself, he re-signed with the organization for the 2019-20 campaign.

Year two brought more of the same. Young continued to torch defenses on a nightly basis. He dropped 74 points in one game—the third highest scoring output in Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) history—and averaged 56.8 points over a stretch of five. He was named an All-Star and eventually won the scoring title. Yet, once the season ended, the ongoing pandemic made an NBA comeback even more difficult. Ultimately, he decided that the best move was to stay in the CBA and accept a lucrative offer from the Beijing Royal Fighters (one-year, $3.1 million), where he would be coached by basketball legend Stephon Marbury. 

Throughout his time in China, Young did a lot of reflecting. The distance and separation allowed him to analyze things through a more honest lens. He would just sit and contemplate what he should have done differently, often jotting notes down on a piece of paper. For all the work he put in during his three years with the Pacers (like famously sleeping on the floor of the practice facility), I could have gone harder, he thought. But mainly, in his eyes, it was the “little things” that needed to be fixed, like his attitude toward the G League and his disposition on the bench after being subbed out of games.

“It was my maturity,” he tells SLAM. “I knew that I was good enough to play on the court, but did I have the mindset and the mentality to cheer my teammates on, like they would do for me if I was out there? I didn’t have it. I would be over there mad. Like, what am I mad for? I was young. If I could get that back, I would change the narrative to how I act now. I would just act like how I am [as] a father to my kids. I gotta be a father. I can’t be childish. I gotta make sure I show them how to live life, how to respect life, how to respect yourself, and how to become successful at a high level.”

Young’s sole year with the Royal Fighters provided further validation that the NBA was well within reach. Coach Marbury challenged him to do whatever it took to get back, stressing—in many emotional, tear-filled conversations—that Young belonged there—not here. The message was received clearly. Following the season, Young pledged to pursue all the necessary steps, no matter the circumstances, to realize his NBA dream again.

Thus, at the age of 29, he left another three-million-dollar contract on the table and entered the G League draft instead. “If you know you belong somewhere, and you know what it takes to get there, you gotta do the things that you don’t want to do to get there,” Young says. “I knew that I would have to take a big pay cut. I felt like, no biggie. I can sacrifice that to get to where I want.”

Birmingham was ecstatic to see him still available deep into the first round. Given his track record, Young had been at the very, very top of their draft board. The front office was able to negotiate a last-second trade, moving up to the 21st pick to select him. Since then, it has been a non-stop whirlwind of training camp, practice, 5:45 am workouts (“The Breakfast Club,” as Young calls it), road trips and games. He has put up solid numbers (15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals); but he also understands that it is those “little things,” the things he sometimes neglected before, that will land him back on an NBA roster: being a good teammate, leading on and off the court, maintaining a positive attitude and rigorous work ethic.

“I would say that Joe Young’s engagement, humbleness and excitedness to be here has been amazing,” Squadron head coach Ryan Pannone says. “Obviously, he’s got the most NBA experience on our team, but he’s been a great leader for us with that experience because, [like] a lot of players, there are some things he can look back on in his career—and I think all of us can look back on our career—and say, I wish I would have done this differently at 22, 23 years old. And he’s been imparting that knowledge on our players, and that’s been huge for us.”

“He’s been real important [for me and our team],” says 23-year-old guard John Petty Jr. “He looks at me like I’m his rookie. He said it’s like Paul George [was for him] when he came in the League—he was Paul George’s rookie [in Indiana]. It’s just good being around him, just seeing stuff like, every morning, he gets up at 5:45 to get a workout in. Seeing that type of stuff makes you want to do it.”

Young is trying hard to set an example—never mind that it’s in the G League, in a small, dimly lit gym at Birmingham Southern College. 

“Let’s get better! Let’s get better!” he hollers between drills. “Dial in! Dial in!” Being in that gym might feel like a long way from his days as a Pacer, but Young is right there, right on the doorstep of where he wants to be—where he knows he should be.

“We will get back,” Young tells me, flashing a big smile. “We’re going to be back in the NBA.”

Photo credit Birmingham Squadron.

The post Joe Young is on a Mission to Get Back in the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Those who were there from the beginning will tell you that Kevin Garnett didn’t want to make a documentary solely about himself. They’ll tell you that as a storyteller, he simply wanted to be a character who was part of a larger story, and everything he’s ever done, every basket he’s scored (or blocked, or rebounded) are domino pieces stacked within a long trail of other dominos. One decision led others to fall, and the story of Kevin Garnett, the story that will be told in Kevin Garnett: Anything is Possible, is a visual representation of that domino effect. 

Co-directed and produced by Eric Newman and Dan Levin, along with producers Mike Marangu, Marc Levin and Brian Bennett—KG’s partner at his production company, Content Cartel—the documentary is a look at KG’s past, diving deep into the impact he’s had on the League and the legacy he’s currently leaving as a Hall of Famer.

Garnett had expressed his interest in filmmaking way before the documentary even came to fruition. Stephen Espinoza, president of SHOWTIME Sports, recalls the first time he met KG, back in 2014 while on a flight from New York to China. SHOWTIME, one of the Barclays Center sponsors, was invited to join the Nets on the trip, and Espinoza recalls chatting with KG on the plane about boxing as well as Kevin’s post-career plans and goals. 

“We ended up talking so long that eventually, they had to separate us because we’re keeping everyone else in the cabin awake talking and laughing,” he says. “When we finished that conversation, I remember thinking that if there was ever an opportunity to do a project with him, I would jump at it because he is such a great dynamic, peripatetic personality and has really been an icon and a trailblazer in the League and in the culture for a long, long time.” 

Marc Levin, who first met KG during a Super Bowl LIII party, remembers having earlier conversations with him about his interests in exploring filmmaking and production. Garnett, who had seen Levin’s earlier film, Gang War: Banging in Little Rock, was intrigued by notorious gang leader Larry Hoover and interested in telling his story. 

Garnett also shared his interest in documentaries with Mike Marangu, who had previously worked with Levin on a number of sports documentaries, including Freeway: Crack in the System, along with being a producer on Iverson. The two had been introduced in 2018, just two years after KG retired, by Brian Bennett. 

No shade to other sports docs, but having grown up in the era of hip-hop and the heavy influence of Nas, Tupac and Biggie, KG told Marangu that he wanted his own documentary to be, in his own words, some “gangster shit.”

“When you’re talking to him and he’s literally acting it out, he can’t just tell you a story,” Marangu says on a Zoom call. “He’s full sweat, acting out and imitating everyone’s voices. He’s just an amazing storyteller and he always says that came from hip-hop…from day one he was like, I don’t do anything soft. I see what other players are doing, and I love those guys and all that, but I just want to do all gangster shit.” 

After that conversation, Marangu reached out to Levin, who reeled in Newman—who at the time was building his work as a filmmaker and producer covering sports. Newman had served as a producer on both The Legend of Swee’ Pea and created the vision and executive produced the DeMarcus Cousins film, The Resurgence, with SHOWTIME. Together, Newman, with Dan and Marc Levin created the concept of what Kevin’s documentary would be and put together the dense story deck that was presented in the pitch meeting with SHOWTIME.

“I tend to go mad scientist mode with story decks, and I took this to a different level,” Newman recalls. That includes “The Butterfly Effect,” a diagram he created, which was inspired by an earlier conversation he had with KG, that shows just how much KG impacted the League, the culture and how he paved the way for future generations.

The first meeting with SHOWTIME took place in June 2019, during the NBA Finals. KG, Marangu, Bennett, Newman and Brian Dailey, SVP of SHOWTIME Sports, all sat in one of SHOWTIME’s West Hollywood offices, while the Levins called in. 

The initial pitch meeting went well and led to another one getting scheduled in July at SHOWTIME’s office in New York. Newman and Garnett spent nearly the entire day together, getting breakfast and bouncing around the city. Newman shared his own story about how basketball has played a huge role in his life, a moment of vulnerability that he feels helped create a level of trust and respect between the two early on. 

During that meeting, everyone was ready to execute the pitch to the SHOWTIME Sports team. But, as soon as the meeting began, the plan went out the window and the 15-time All-Star immediately took the reins. Garnett had something to say and went into full KG mode. He knew what he wanted this film to be, and just as with anything involving Kevin Garnett, everyone simply watched with amazement. 

“He was so animated and couldn’t sit still. He’s going from sitting straight across from me staring at me to leaning back in his chair to his feet up, to getting up pacing the room, to getting in a defensive stance,” says Newman. “He was like, I want to make this about the domino effect of going from high school to the pros. I don’t want this to just be about me. I want this to be about all of the other elements and lanes. We kind of had to bring him back and be like, Hey, we’re going to cover all of that!”

When Garnett and everyone who was in the room that day (physically and virtually) shook hands and officially greenlit the film, they knew that not only were they about to produce the first documentary about him, but they were going to create an important body of work with cultural significance. Kevin had never gone into tons of detail about his past, simply telling bits and pieces to the media: growing up in South Carolina, moving to Chicago, playing in a pickup game that included Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, witnessed by Isiah Thomas, having a heart-to-heart with Thomas about his future. This film would dive deeper into all of it and then some. 

“Garnett was always the ultimate story to tell from my generation,” says Newman, who grew up rooting for the Boston Celtics and, as a former high school coach and basketball clinic director, was deeply impacted by that ’08 championship team. “Our senior year of high school was his rookie year in the NBA, so watching that leap while also having a very meaningful basketball experience of my own was very impactful. Just thinking back on that time, part of our story is looking at this magical 25-year framework—which was launched by his decision and everything else that came with it.”

The film, produced by Blowback Productions, Content Cartel and SHOWTIME, is centered around Garnett’s impact and journey during this 25-year period. Garnett wanted to keep it real for the film, and for the first time, he opens up about his accomplishments in one-on-one interviews and is honest about the moments that have made him who he is. 

“Kevin was drawn by a range of SHOWTIME documentaries,” Dailey says. “Kobe, Iverson, most recently Ron Artest, DeMarcus Cousins, the Shut Up and Dribble project with LeBron [James]—there is a connection between all of those subjects. This resonated with KG, and he wanted to be part of our brand of storytelling: bold, unfiltered unapologetic.”

“The bar was set high,” adds Espinoza, about SHOWTIME’s array of films on legendary players around the game. “And Kevin was a trailblazer. I think part of what also makes this film special is to celebrate his career, the competitor that he was, what he brought to the League. Part of it is to sort of show respect and recognize the contributions he’s made on a cultural basis, on a sports basis and even on an individual basis with a range of young players today.”

Life is oftentimes unexpected, and so was the filming of the documentary, right from the very start. Two days into production, which began in January 2020, the Levins, Newman, Marangu and the rest of the crew joined KG on a beautiful beach in Malibu where he often enjoys working out, meditating and clearing his thoughts. None of them could have known then that nearly 10 miles away, a devastating tragedy would take place 24 hours later on January 26. The news was unimaginable: Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and her teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash.

Kevin’s demeanor changed from that moment on. He had lost his little brother and friend.

“[Kevin and Kobe] came in around the same year,” Marangu reiterates. “Kevin ’95, Kobe in ’96. Kobe and [Allen] Iverson were the youngsters that looked to Kevin like, Hey, you made it. What’s the NBA like? [Kevin] was really downloading all those guys that came in that ’96 year about making the jump, so [Bryant’s passing] hit him pretty hard.”

“Everything felt different after that, the world was different, he was different after that,” Newman adds.

Stream KEVIN GARNETT: Anything Is Possible on SHOWTIME. 

During All-Star Weekend in Chicago last year, the crew joined KG on a trip to visit his former high school, Farragut Academy. They saw the banners, the trophies, the glass windows Garnett often refers to, and, most notably, the star reuniting with his old coaches and laughing and joking as though no time had passed. The producing team saw firsthand just how much that time he spent in Chicago shaped who Garnett is, and the documentary will show a side to him that not many have ever seen before.

“You felt from the moment he had that reunion with his coach and the assistant coach that, that experience [and] that one year at Farragut really is what made him Kevin Garnett. You felt it. You saw his picture in the gym and all the trophies and the retired jerseys,” says Marc Levin. “This country kid, who obviously was incredibly talented, was just a [boy] from South Carolina thrown into [an environment like] west Chicago. The gangs, Farragut [had] students fighting every day, and [Kevin] was just thrown into that. Then, [he has] this incredible moment where he made this decision that he was going to take a chance at going pro—it was all palpable, emotional and I had never realized that his high school year was such a crucible in terms of forming who he was.”

While the trip to Chicago had its celebratory moments, including the announcement of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame finalists, a dark cloud also lingered. The world was still mourning the loss of Kobe Bryant.

“The Hall of Fame press event was at All-Star Weekend in Chicago and that became a whole Kobe tribute, so that affected him, and [it seems like] he still hasn’t been able to really talk about it,” Marangu says. “That’s the most impactful thing during production that happened.”

“Chicago was supposed to be a celebration of 25 years, but instead it was this somber, reflective [moment] on Kobe. [Kevin] did two hours on ALL THE SMOKE and it was almost like therapy…which made the Farragut visit that much more meaningful. He was really reflective after that. We finished and did that exit shot of him leaving the building and to me, it was so much more than filming a guy leaving the building. The whole day was really impactful.”

One tragedy practically led straight into another. The COVID-19 pandemic hit, and production was halted for three months. Once it started back up in June, everyone felt like they were making a different type of film with a handful of uncontrollable factors: loss, tragedy and a global pandemic. Everything felt different, and even Kevin—with all of his bubbly energy and excitement—wasn’t the same person from the beginning of the year.

“Kevin needed, and I’m comfortable saying this, Kevin just needed time,” says Newman, looking back. “Everything that’s happened in our world weighs on us all differently and these things were weighing on him, and a lot of the times I have to remind myself, OK, this film is obviously very, very important to the people making it, it’s very important to the subject, but it’s not the only thing that he’s conscious of every day when he wakes up. He’s a father, he’s launching different things, he’s involved in different ventures and projects, so when the timing is right to pick it up, it’ll be right and thankfully that happened in June.

The crew eventually had to conduct some of the interviews virtually and had to administer COVID tests when filming in-person at Dream Magic Studio in L.A. Still, they were able to interview Kevin’s former teammates, friends and peers, including Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell, Ronnie Fields, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo, Isiah Thomas, Danny Ainge, and even Snoop Dogg—all of whom shared stories and insight into who the big man is and the impact he’s had on so many people.

Garnett also opened up more and more as production continued and showed moments of vulnerability. 

Last October, they all traveled back to KG’s old stomping grounds in Minnesota. While there, they took time to pay respect to and mourn the loss of George Floyd. It was then that both of them saw just how impactful these moments they spent with Garnett were. Making a documentary about him was one thing, but in many ways, it felt like 2020 was another character in the film. 

“It would be A, foolish and B, completely irresponsible, to ignore what is going on in the world,” Dan Levin says. “Whether it’s Kobe, whether it’s social injustice, police brutality, all of these things and how they affect us—how we were going to do that remained to be seen but we knew we weren’t going to shy away from it when the cameras were rolling.”

Subjects, in all their glory and accomplishments, are simply humans who have done extraordinary things, but they’re also multi-faceted rather than one-dimensional. Many know Kevin Garnett as the dominating, all-imposing and destructive force that he was on the court, with an intensity that oftentimes followed him off of it. That’s the KG we’ve all seen, cheered for and marveled at. He’s honest, energetic, personable and entertaining all at the same time, someone who will tell you like it is. Newman, Marangu, Bennett and Marc and Dan Levin have described him as a one-man show, someone whose magnetic personality commands a room. Yet they’ve also seen him get somewhat uncomfortable with having the spotlight be entirely on him. From the start, Garnett was intensely passionate and hungry for storytelling, ready for the next chapter in his career. 

In his own words, Garnett wants this film, and his production company, to keep it just as real as he does. “He was like, Everything I’m watching is soft! Man, it’s all treble. I want this to be about the BASS,” Marangu recalls Kevin saying. 

“It has to be about bass.” 

Photos courtesy of KEVIN GARNETT: Anything Is Possible.

The post Behind the Scenes of the Making of Kevin Garnett’s Documentary ‘Anything Is Possible’ appeared first on SLAM.

It’s mid-morning on the West Coast, where Kevin Garnett lives now, and the sun is shining through the window behind him, gleaming off his Larry O’Brien trophy (“Just always know when you see me, you see her, and when you see her, you see me”) as well as his luxuriously moisturized bald dome (“It’s all coconut oil and sunshine, it ain’t built for everybody, you know what I’m sayin’?”). KG is 44 now, five years removed from his last NBA game, but he still looks like he could get out there right now and give somebody buckets.

This is not going to happen, of course. KG spent his 20-plus-year NBA career squeezing it all out down to the pulp, retired—if I can mix metaphors here—with the tank on E. But that intensity, that drive, that demon that drove him, that didn’t just go away. The fire still burns. So what’s supposed to be a half-hour Zoom call goes on for an hour, then an hour and a half, despite the fact that he’s got a whole gang of other interviews to get to. KG might be retired from the NBA, but he sure ain’t retired-retired.

Back in his playing days, Garnett was always the last to speak after games. He’d get his half-hour or so of treatment in the back, then get dressed, and only then—when everything was perfect—would he come out and answer questions. The entire media contingent was always still out there waiting, because we all knew he always had something to say. 

That, at least, hasn’t changed.

SLAM: I want to start going back to—I think this was the very first time I ever met you—and it would have been the Wheelchair Classic at Madison Square Garden.

KG: Wheelchair Classic, Wheelchair Cla—oh wow. Wow, wow, wow. That’s a throwback.

SLAM: Do you remember what it was like getting out on the court with those guys?

KG: Anytime when I was in high school I stepped on the court with any pro player, I was always in awe, I was always in awe of the difference and I always wanted to see the difference in what makes this mug a motherfuckin’ pro. And then when you play, you actually saw, you actually experienced a pro. You saw the difference in the style of play, the style of pace, the patience. And that’s what separates, to me, the professional from just a regular basketball player. You learn how to attack, you learn how to defend on all genres, on all categories—fast, big, strong, long, lean, you learn how to guard it all. So whenever I would step on a court, I would always be in awe of pros just because of that reason. But man, the Wheelchair Classic, you took me back. That’s deep.

SLAM: With young guys coming up back then, it flowed the other way, too, because you guys were so different from people who were already in the NBA. There was definitely a shift coming.

KG: Mm-hmm, definitely an energy coming, definitely a different—I think after you saw UNLV start making their run, you start seeing, like, the Fab Five come into it, the energy started to change a little bit, at least for me. Growing up during the crack era, kids getting killed for they shoes was, like, a new thing. Remember the first time you heard a kid got killed in Chicago for a pair of Jordans? That changed everything for me, man. Like, kids at school and all of us growing up and the way we competed. MJ made it cool to dress up and be professional, and then it’s like, Onyx came out and it was like “Duh duh duh, duh, duh, duh. Let the boys be boys!” It was a different energy vs the Anita Baker and the Luther Vandross. Our generation was coming off a bunch of, like, Yo, my dad ain’t in here, we single mom kids, we coming up like this. You learn to slap box, you learnin’ the street. It was just all of it, all of it at the same time, kind of rush the door and hit it all at once. And it was crazy that SLAM was, like, the birth of all of that, was at the same time.

SLAM: Did you feel that extra weight on you coming into the League? From that?

KG: Not weight, but I felt like I was representing. When I came out, no bullshit, this is a true story, I actually thought Felipe Lopez had the tools and the confidence and the skills to actually do what I did. When I actually sat back and thought about why more people didn’t actually take this route, it was really because of the education. I don’t think too many kids, any city kids, country kids, kids from the suburbs, didn’t matter. Overseas. All that. I didn’t think people was educated enough on the possibilities and the options of actually going from high school to the pros. And with that, I felt like I was representing Steph [Marbury]. I felt like I was representing AI [Allen Iverson], Shareef [Abdur-Rahim], Big [Robert] Traylor, Paul—Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, because I had played with all these guys. And I felt like I was representing that. I was representing the next wave of players that wanted to come in and make their mark and be impactful in the League.

SLAM: Your first game you were 4-4, you were pretty comfortable right from the start. Was there a moment when you thought, Wait a minute, I belong with all these guys.

KG: Comfortable, but I went through a couple preseason games against Big Dog [Glenn Robinson], which was like a grand opening for the League. He was the first superstar I played that didn’t take it easy. Big Dog was talking shit, it was bucket for bucket, and it grew a fire in me. And you know, the first couple games I was—I won’t say gullible, but I knew all these guys and I looked up to ’em, even Joe Smith and Rasheed [Wallace] and Stack [Jerry Stackhouse] and all those guys, even though we was all in the same [draft] class. I was a true fan. I was a kid who had posters on his wall. So Webb [Chris Webber] was my favorite player. And when I played Webb, he shot a jump hook on me, and I was looking so googly-eyed, and Sam Mitchell—to his credit—slapped the shit out of me like, Look, hey, you can’t come out here and appreciate these guys like this. I know you got these guys on your wall, fuck all that, we out here now. And it wasn’t until then, I can honestly say that moment there for me, was actually like, OK, OK, you can appreciate these guys and respect them, but not out here.

SLAM: Do you think about how coming out straight from Farragut shaped you? How maybe you would have been different had you gone to college? I know you were talking about Michigan, Carolina… 

KG: If I’m being honest, I’m glad I came out of high school, man. I see how college muzzles these kids and how these kids don’t really have a voice, how they get told and controlled so much. You know my biggest thing coming out of high school was [deep breath] just the control of me, man. I felt like so many times, you didn’t really get to make a decision, someone was making the decision for you. You know part of what took me so long in picking a school was me actually liking it vs a crew of people around me or people that want the best for me telling me. I wasn’t feeling that. I was like, Look, when I make a decision, I’ll make a decision. When I got to Chicago, I was a lot more mature than I was in South Carolina. I grew up a lot faster and the city helped me deal with a lot of intangibles and little things that kids really go through. I ain’t had no Mom and Pop to bounce things off of, I had to grit and grind and make decisions on my own, and those decisions, I had to stand on ’em. And they had to be decisions that carried a workload, and I was committed. I was committed to basketball day one, and I wasn’t gonna let anything stop me. And although I did have some, you know, bumps in the road, I kept it moving and I kept it going.

SLAM: Was there an exact moment when you’re like, OK, NBA, we’re doing this?

KG: I played Scottie Pippen in the summer one time. And we got to, like, a little shit, like, a little, I don’t even know. A little pushing match? Elbow? Some shit, I don’t know what Scottie was doing. But you know, he’s Scottie Pippen, and he’s a beast. Super GOAT. And I just stood my ground. But it wasn’t until then that I had confidence in myself and my skills, that the stuff that I was having confidence in was working, which built my confidence even more after playing him. 

Then I sat and I had a conversation, probably like a three-, four-hour conversation with Isiah Thomas about the West Side of Chicago and 16th Street and what I have to deal with every day, and he knew all of it. And the ABCs that goes with Chicago. Again, I’m gonna use the word “intangibles,” that come along with Chicago and going to school and playing in the Red West [Conference]. Like, he understood all that. We got to talk about street shit and just everyday stuff, right? Soon as I talked to Isiah Thomas, I knew it. I was committed. I came in, I knocked on Wolf’s [William “Wolf” Nelson, Farragut’s coach—Ed.] door. I was like, Yo, sit down, I need to tell you something. He thought something was wrong, he thought I got a girl pregnant or some shit, he was looking at me like, What? I was like, I’m going to the League. I need you to write this down. Tomorrow I need you to look up these agents…and da, da, da. He was looking at me and laughed. He’s like, What? He saw my face. And he saw how I was looking. And he saw how I looked at him. And I wasn’t smiling. I was deadass and I was looking at him like, I ain’t fuckin’ around, after you get through laughin’ I need you to get a piece of paper and write this down. This is what I need you to do. And I was talking to him with so much conviction that it wasn’t no laughing in the room. It felt like a Sunday but it was really a Saturday, and Monday got here and it started. And I can honestly say that that moment, after speaking to Isiah, and feelin’ that synergy, feeling like, I’m about to do something that everybody else ain’t did, I ain’t going to junior college, I’m not going to college. I’m about to bet on myself. I’m one of the hardest-working people I know. Don’t nobody work harder than me. Don’t nobody want this more than me. I’m fittin’ to go all in with this, and I jumped out and I jumped right in the rabbit hole. I didn’t care what it was. And in my mind, it couldn’tve been no harder than getting up, surviving every day in Chicago from the time I walked out of my house to the time I walked back in it. I looked at the League like it couldn’t have been harder than the West Side. I was like, No, it can’t be harder than this shit.

SLAM: I feel like from the moment you stepped on the floor, first game, your rookie year, you were influencing people, people who maybe never thought you could make the jump from high school to the pros. But you stepping on that floor made that real. Were you aware of that from the get-go?

KG: I wasn’t aware of it, but you know, you know how something is there, like a consistency of something being there? I felt that. And then people who know me, know I have, like, a little presence about myself. As a rookie, I would talk, but then I was listening so much and I was trying to soak up so much. And again, you’re trying to prove yourself so much that you find yourself just in this state of just always, always soaking up something, always gravitating toward something. Always. I don’t care what it is, it was always a learning moment for me. So I felt like I didn’t have the privilege of going to school like these other guys. I didn’t have the privilege of coming in here learning and all this other stuff. But Kevin McHale put me in a position that I can learn under him. And he put me in position to where I can be transparent with him and all the older guys that were there. And then I had a great group of older guys. Sam Mitchell was probably the best fit for me, very aggressive guy, from the South, he’s from Georgia. So he kind of understood, but he understood my motor, too, and that I wanted things. And then you know, when we got on the same page as far as where we come from and start peeling back layers about who we are, that’s when our relationship grew. And he knew I was a competitor, and I wasn’t backing down from nobody. And he loved that. I was a fucking pit bull. And I didn’t care about who—after that Webber incident, I didn’t care about any of that shit no more. I took more of a West Side kind of Chicago attitude with some South Carolina skill and discipline. And I worked my ass off. 

SLAM: When were you able to take the time to start looking back? Was it after you retired?

KG: I still haven’t looked back on shit. Fans send me videos or stuff all the time—fans make fan pages, tag you in shit, fans make YouTube joints and all this, and I like to thank all the fans, too, because half the shit that I’ve done I forgot about. You don’t really think about how much time you’ve actually put into this until you look up and your kid is 12 or 13. The only reason I think I actually look back at it now is because my kids actually want to converse and talk about it, and then I get younger fans coming up to me and their friends. That’s the only time I really talk about it. I don’t really like going back in time, unless I’m talking to [young players], I used to train some of these young guys, so giving them examples of things that I’ve been through and stuff I recall. But I never wanted to be the guy to be like, Hey, man, when I played…

SLAM: It’s funny to me that people talk about you acting in Uncut Gems, but my introduction to Kevin Garnett the actor was the Fun Police commercial with Cherokee Parks—you, Cherokee and Tom Gugliotta.

KG: The Fun Police was fun. I remember Cherokee and Googs being in it. I remember my best friend Bug being in it with me. Fun Police was fun—Trump was in one of my Fun Police joints, too. You remember that? Fun Police was probably one of my favorite commercials that I’ve ever done. And Uncut Gems was just a gem within itself, if I’m being 100. It fell in my lap. Adam [Sandler] was unbelievable. I got to see the true essence of his greatness. Julia Fox was great, she was unbelievable in this. The Safdie brothers was…they was just so easy to work with. They was so simple, so down to earth, so encouraging. I was like, You motherfuckers should be some goddamn coaches the way y’all do this shit.

SLAM: Do you want to do more acting? 

KG: I have a production company called Content Cartel, and we are co-producing my documentary along with Blowback Productions. Shout out to Marc Levin. Shout out to SHOWTIME. Got a bunch of projects coming up. This is my second calling. I love storytelling. Believe it or not, I have a ton of stories that I don’t tell on purpose. Production is something that I think I get, and it’s a lot of stories that need to be told. 

SLAM: What about from an NBA perspective? I don’t want to bring up sore subjects, but I know the Timberwolves thing didn’t necessarily go the way you wanted it to go. Is there still interest in being involved at an ownership level? 

KG: I noticed that in this boys club of owners, you have to play the game and know the game. And, you know, I think at this point, I’m considered a worker from that standpoint, I don’t think that the [owners] overall see the value in players coming back in ownership, which is sad, because, you know, Michael Jordan was once a player. Needless to say, I felt like the new wave of things to be done is coming. And this old wave is on its way out. So I’m just gonna wait for this old way to just kind of die out and new ways of business start to take over. And I think that’s the way that kind of fits me and suits me. If not, if I’m not able to be in an ownership group, then it’s all good. But it’s not gonna stop my greatness and other things that I want to accomplish. 

I love Minneapolis dearly. I do have an opinion on the reactivation or at least the reoccurrence of the city in which I think some real development in capital dollars in education, police reform—like all that needs to be addressed. We need education, we need our communities to feel like they’re safe. Real shit. And I think Minneapolis has a bunch of underlying issues that need to be addressed. And I think the ownership can play a huge part in not just educating, but bringing two parts together and bringing people together. Sports, believe it or not, and, you know, you can agree or disagree, but I think that sports brings the world together like music, you know? And my only real take in all of this was to be able to bring the city back together for what I know the city to be. 

And that was my real influence with trying to go in so hard and trying to make this work. But you know, in all things, if you’re gonna dance, if you’re gonna dance with somebody or if you’re going to partner with somebody, it’s got to be a two-way street. And it’s got to be something that both of you see the vision of, and I just, I think that in this situation, the vision wasn’t valued, nor looked at, and I think that it was ignored. I’m looking forward to being part of a different group, if it’s in Minnesota with the Timberwolves, cool. It doesn’t look like that. But if anything else comes up, I know Vegas is on the rise for getting a franchise soon. I know Seattle has roots, so we’ll see, I’m not going anywhere. And that situation too, it helped me and it educated me. So, you know, the second time that I come, I think I’m gonna come a whole ’nother way than I actually went this first time. But it was a great education for myself, all parties involved. I appreciate the experience. But yeah, I’ma fall back, I’ma regroup and then I’m gonna come back at this again. So you ain’t seen the last of me. So we’ll see. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

SLAM: You’re sounding like somebody who could be governor of Minnesota instead of just the owner of the Timberwolves.

KG: [Laughs] Hell no, hell no. There’s too much responsibility, man. I’ve been really, you know, chill, playing the shadows, I’m watching everything. I’m paying attention. I’m staying in tune. I’m staying in tune with the street. I’m listening to the community, I’m listening to all the kids that’s going through it. A lot of those kids that’s going through it and are really standing on the front line in Minneapolis are kids that I actually know, been through programs that I actually set through with the city. 

I went back to see the George Floyd memorial and the monument and just walk through there to get like a real feel for myself and, you know, get down on ground zero and feel the people, man, and it was one of the better things I did because I haven’t done it in a long time. I haven’t been back to Minneapolis in a minute. I still have a home there, I still have family there, still live there. Yeah, so things like that are just in my heart to do, but you know, I’m not a politician, I’m more the people’s champ. I fuck with the people. I don’t want to get mixed up with lobbyists and a bunch of other shit that I don’t really truly understand at the end of day. Nor will I give something to be something, you know. I stand on my square, you know what I’m saying, I’m five all day. And people know that. That means more to me than anything. But if the governor wants to reach out to me and help to bring some type of reform or some type of balance back to the city, I’m all ears, but it’s gonna be something of my own imagination and vision that I would like to see for the city and my people.

SLAM: I know the actual ceremony got pushed back because of COVID, but have you thought a lot about getting into the Hall of Fame and what that milestone means?

KG: When it first happened, I was all gassed. It’s just, it’s hard to actually feel good about the Hall of Fame with so much real-life issues and stuff that’s going on. I’m super gassed. And I’m just overwhelmed with the concept of being one of the best ever to do this. It hasn’t really settled in for me. COVID got everything effed up, you know what I’m saying? COVID got everything kind of, you know, sideways. But yeah, it wasn’t expected, to be honest. I got so much other shit going on in my life that I forgot about the Hall of Fame, if I’m being honest.

SLAM: It hurts with Kobe not being there for it.

KG: Yes, Kob’ fucks with me to this day, man. I still haven’t gotten over that. I feel some type of way when I look up and they just got him on TV every day. Like still here and…yeah. For all of us who had a relationship with Kob’, that’s gotta be hard. Because we’re all trying to get past it, we’re all trying to move on. And his energy and his legacy is still here. Somebody was asking me something the other day and before you answer you got to always take a breath, you know what I’m saying? Shout to Kob’, rest in peace to Mamba, man. Always. Till we meet again.

SLAM: What would it be like if you had a chance to do it all over? What would it be like if 19-year-old Kevin Garnett was joining the NBA in 2021?

KG: If I was joining the League in 2021? Well, my energy and my vision to be the best wouldn’t change, none of that. None of the intangibles would change for me. You gotta know, I competed differently, I competed angrily, I competed very aggressively. But that was the time. That’s not really the energy now, the energy now is more skilled, it’s more—it’s probably more skilled than ever. Like, do you see some of the shots that these kids are making? Jayson Tatum, every time I watch him, every shot that he takes looks difficult. He’ll shoot a turnaround going over his right shoulder, and I’ll be like, man, you really—for anybody who knows that move, you really got to get your right leg around and square up and—I’m just amazed at the skill level, man. 

If I was playing today, I definitely would have a three ball. I probably would have displayed a lot more one-on-one. I was really an unselfish player to a fault and my mentality was more of, If I can get everybody else involved and they get going, then I can have chances to take advantage of one-on-one opportunities because of double teams. I had a lot more one-on-one game than I actually displayed in the League, because during the time that I played, you had to, it was more systematic, it was more plays being called, you didn’t really break the play. You know, I actually like to blame Kob’ and T-Mac for that shit, they broke more plays than anything, you know what I’m sayin’? And the Mamba Mentality wasn’t always accepted either. 

I saw Joker [Nikola Jokic] do a step back off the so-called wrong foot and it was so unorthodox, but I had to sit back and as a student of the game I said, Hmm, there goes the Dirk part of his influence in our League and what Dirk brought to our League with that whole one-legged fadeaway off the glass with the 6-11, 7-foot guy shooting threes, being mobile. You know, as I go through and I watch the League and what we’ve actually given the League, I started looking at it like, Wow, I see Dirk’s influence, I see Timmy’s influence, I see Rondo’s influence, I see P’s [Pierce’s] influence, I see LeBron’s—I started to see my own influence. And then where they’ve taken our influence and doing one-legged step backs off the glass and facing up one dribble? The moves, man, the moves. The skills! Like, I heard Shaq say this, and just shout out to Shaq, man, and I love you Big Fella, but I don’t know if everybody from the older generation could have played in this generation. Just because it’s a faster pace, no one’s been at that Golden State pace as a League when you scorin’ 136-133. 

SLAM: Did you ever think 25 years ago that you would be in this position? Did you think your career would last as long as it did? That you would reach the heights that you did?

KG: I want you to go and ask Kevin McHale a lot of the stuff you been asking me, and I’ll tell you, he’ll tell you, Day one, he wanted to be the best player in the League, he wanted to outlive everybody in the draft, he wanted to outplay everybody, he wanted to be the best hands-down in the All-Star Game, he wanted Olympics, all that. I wanted to cross everything off the list that you got to actually cross to be a master. You know? And I went in there like that, and more importantly, I worked my ass off. Part of why I definitely can’t run as fast or I can’t run after my kids is because I did go so hard, but there’s no regrets. And you asked me earlier what I would change, and I wouldn’t change anything. Maybe some tweaks here and there but nah, nah, working with Kevin McHale was a gift. I could never thank him more. Or, I couldn’t thank him enough for the knowledge in the stuff that I was able to get, I couldn’t have gotten that anywhere else but him. I’m very fortunate. I took that and I ran with it, and I grew it, and I put my own little vision on it. And it was only right to give it back and be able to give it to players so they can use it. Anything that you go into as a young kid, you hope that you come out on the other end as someone that is accomplished. I felt like I reached a lot of those things.

SLAM: Does that intensity go away? If you stepped out on a court right now and somebody rolled a ball out—

KG: I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t. No, I wouldn’t. The demon never goes away. And if you do put the demon up, it’s banging on the door at times to come out so I have to be under control. I do a bunch of yoga, I do a bunch of meditating, manifesting, just to keep things at bay. But yeah, I’m pretty sure that if we started racing and I got to losing, or anything competitive and I start losing, then you start to hear the banging at the door, Uh oh, the demon’s trying to come out. So these days I keep shit real chill and calm. I haven’t played ball in a very long time, believe it or not. But I’m shooting stuff in the basket, I have a little son so we mess around and stuff. Basketball is something that I put in the closet for a reason. Whenever I have a long day or I’m having difficulty or something, I take a ball and I’ll just go dribble at the beach or just kinda get lost in it. That’s kinda always been my therapy. It probably always will be. 

KEVIN GARNETT: Anything Is Possible is a feature-length chronicle of Kevin Garnett’s remarkable career and the pivotal moments that defined it. Stream the documentary on SHOWTIME. 

Photos courtesy of KEVIN GARNETT: Anything is Possible and via Getty Images.

The post Kevin Garnett Opens Up About the Early Years and How He’d Have a ‘Three Ball’ If He Was Playing Today appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George is playing at an MVP level this season.

26.7 PPG
8.3 RPG (career-high)
5.4 APG (career-high)
2.5 SPG (career-high)
46/36/86%

The Clippers have won 5 in a row. pic.twitter.com/pGtrBL6J4J

— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 10, 2021

After George put up a stat line of 24 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, Portland head coach Chauncey Billups agrees, according to Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports.

“He’s playing on an MVP level,” Billups said. “I think he knows the challenge he has ahead of him this year with no Kawhi for now. You just want a guy like that to put everybody on his back and say, ‘Let’s go, let’s give ourselves a chance.’ And he has done that every single night. He’s just a matchup nightmare, man. You can’t guard him with one guy. Now that his playmaking is better, he just puts you in some tough spots.”

Tough move. Tough finish.

@BallySportWest | @Yg_Trece pic.twitter.com/gkwVJoJgfg

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 10, 2021

George is riding high as he was recently named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday. He is ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring behind Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and DeMar DeRozan. He’s contributing defensively and ranks second in the NBA in steals per game with 2.5 while the Clippers rank third in the League in defensive rating at 101.7.

George averages 26.7 points on 45.8% shooting from the field, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.

The post Chauncey Billups Believes That Paul George Is playing At A MVP Plateau appeared first on SLAM.

Terms of the agreement were not released.

Winslow has a real opportunity to impact the lineup with Kawhi Leonard out to start the season. When healthy – which is he now — he’s shown great flashes in Miami and Memphis.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 6, 2021

On paper, the Winslow signing looks very promising for the Clippers. He’s a very athletic wing defender, equipped with good ball-handling skills when healthy. Plus, he can be counted on as a secondary shot creator when he attacks the paint.

Winslow, who averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 22 games for the Grizzlies last season, also provides some of the attributes that Los Angeles will need with Leonard out, and there are some opportunities behind Paul George and Terance Mann for minutes at the start of the season.

The post Los Angeles Clippers Sign Justise Winslow To a Two-Year Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Even though Kawhi was injured, Paul George kept the team competed against the Phoenix Suns and blossomed as the number one scoring option. He had a playoff career-high 41 points in Game 5.

However, after the Clippers lost to the Suns in Game 6, George expressed that “if” Leonard had been healthy the outcome for them could have been different.

“This series would be a lot different. Talk about one of the best players in the League being out, yet we were inches away from getting to the next round,” he said, per ESPN. “So, definitely it’s a ‘what if’ on this. Fact of the matter is we didn’t do enough to win, and that’s the reason we’re going home.”

Leonard has a player option that pays $36 million for next season. If he declines, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent and could go elsewhere.

With other teams are already rumored to be interested, George spoke on the partnership possibly continuing after Leonard convinced George to play together in 2019.

“We’ve both grown, myself and Kawhi together. We really enjoy being teammates, and we see what we can be,” George said via NBA.com. “One of the commitments I made signing my contract was to show I’m here for the long run and I’m committed to this team. Hopefully that weighs on anybody’s decision.”

Leonard is not the only player whose status is up in the air. Serge Ibaka has a player option worth $9.7 million. A back injury ended his season prematurely.

The Clippers have a list of unrestricted free agents to decide on as well. Nicolas Batum, DeMarcus Cousins, and Patrick Patterson will all be unrestricted free agents. The biggest name on the list is Reggie Jackson.

Jackson exploded on the scene in the playoffs, averaging 17.8 points shooting 41 percent from three-point range. His performance might have set him up for a big contract next season.

The NBA free agency period will begin August 2nd.

The post Clippers Face Offseason With A Big Contract Decision From Kawhi Leonard appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Atheltic’s Shams Charania, Leonard had successful surgery on his partially torn right ACL.

Leonard suffered the injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Utah Jazz. As a result of the injury, Leonard missed the rest of LA’s postseason run. The Clippers, led by a resurgent Paul George and a focused Reggie Jackson, would eventually lose the Western Conference Finals in six games to the Phoenix Suns.

In addition to questions about his health, The Klaw also has questions surrounding his contract status heading into next year with a $36 million player option with Clippers for the 2021-22 season. If Leonard chooses to decline his player option, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

In his 10th NBA season, Leonard had a great season for the Clippers, putting up 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and a career-high 5.2 assists per game.

The post Kawhi Leonard Reportedly Had Surgery on Partially Torn ACL appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM Presents “No Pump Fakes”, hosted by Theus McBee and Ahmad Smith, is an exclusive podcast that dives into the pureness of the game while giving in-depth analysis and providing special guests. In the first few episodes, Theus and Ahmad discuss why Luka Doncic deserves your respect, the top five point guards to start a franchise with, why Paul George is a ballot Hall of Famer, and Kevin Durant’s incredible postseason resume.

In the latest episode, they both look back at the legendary ’03 draft class (get your copy of SLAM’s special issue here) and their monumental impact on the L. They also catch up with Pistons beat writer, Rod Beard, to discuss the future of the game—Cade Cunningham—and learn more about he could fit in with the franchise.

View this post on Instagram

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No Pump Fakes is a podcast made for those who truly love the game. STREAM HERE.

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Following the game Wednesday night, George was honest, saying he never understood why he has always been criticized for his playoff performances.

“The narrative of me not being a postseason player or all that, I never understood it,” George said to media Wednesday night. “I’ve dealt with stuff as we all do. Makes me no different than the next man. But it is what it is. I came up short again.”

George had a great showing in the playoffs, even with co-star Kawhi Leonard missing a good portion of the playoffs. George averaged 26.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, including dropping a 41 point performance in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

George’s strong playoffs will be welcomed by Clippers fans, who will retain George through 2025 thanks to his four-year contract extension that kicks in next season. Leonard has a $36 million player option for next season that he has yet to accept or decline.

The post Paul George ‘Never Understood’ Playoff Criticism appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, the Mavericks, and Heat plan to hard push to acquire Leonard this summer with his potential impending free agency looming. 

O’Connor also reported that Dallas is considered by some executives to be the most serious threat to land Kawhi because of Luka Doncic’s presence and the front office’s ability to create maximum cap space or work out a sign-and-trade.

Leonard tried to recruit Jimmy Butler to the Clippers before George was acquired in 2019, so Miami could be an attractive destination for him if he desired a pairing with Butler still. 

As with nearly every superstar, the Knicks are also expected to have interest in Leonard if he does become available. The list of teams who would take a shot at Leonard should be extremely long, but for now the Mavericks and Heat seem to make sense early on. 

The post Heat, Mavericks To Make Run At Kawhi Leonard appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 130, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 103

PHX wins series 4-2

With a chance at the NBA Finals on the line, Chris Paul led the Suns to a blowout Game 6 win over the Clippers. Paul dropped 41 points on 16-for-24 shooting and chipped in eight assists and three steals in arguably one of his greatest performances of all time. This will be Paul’s first-ever trip to the NBA Finals in his 16-year career. Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton both had strong outings as well. Booker scored 22 points and Ayton had 16 to go along with 17 rebounds.

CP3 taking over. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/1BkG2fKjc5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 1, 2021

The Clippers struggled to keep pace with the Suns all night, with the deficit eventually getting to 20 points by the time the fourth quarter came. Marcus Morris Sr. led the way for the Clippers, dropping 26 points and nine rebounds. Paul George had a mixed evening, scoring 21 points but doing so on 6-for-15 shooting from the field. One of the most notable events of the evening came from Patrick Beverley, who was ejected from the game in the fourth quarter for shoving Chris Paul.

The Suns will have to wait until the end of the Eastern Conference Finals matchup to determine whether they’ll face the Atlanta Hawks or the Milwaukee Bucks.

The post Post Up: The Phoenix Suns Are Headed to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker and his team haven’t been having the best of luck the past two games against the Los Angeles Clippers. Although the Suns were able to get star point guard Chris Paul back before things got ugly, it still wasn’t enough to hold the Clippers down to a 3-1 lead.

Facing elimination and a hostile Phoenix crowd, the Clippers went on a 20-5 run to start Game 5, finishing the game with a 116-102 win over Booker and the Suns. This despite the continued absence of an injured Kawhi Leonard, who has averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game for the Clippers this postseason.

“They came out, they punched us in the face to start the game.” Booker would say following the blowout loss.

Booker, after injuring his nose earlier in the series, put up 31 points in his best effort his last three games. CP3 added 22 points and 8 assists. Unfortunately for Phoenix, the team’s offensive support outside of their starting backcourt was lacking, with no other starter scoring more than 10 points.

An all-time performance from Paul George also tipped the scales in LA’s favor, with “Playoff P” putting up 41 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals on 15-20 shooting from the field.

The Clippers host the Suns in Game 6 on Wednesday, 6:00 pm (MST).

The post Devin Booker: Clippers ‘Punched Them In The Face’ in Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 116, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 102

The Clippers had their backs to the wall for Game 5 after dropping a winnable Game 4 on Saturday night, but Los Angeles kept hope alive for at least one more game. Paul George played a phenomenal game dropping a game-high 41 points to go along with 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals. However, the story of the night came from the Clippers bench in DeMarcus Cousins, who played just 11 minutes and provided 15 points, three assists, and two rebounds. The Clippers also got great games from Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris, both of whom eclipsed 20 points; Jackson with 23 and Morris with 22.

The Suns fell behind quickly on Monday night, falling into an early 10 point deficit in the first quarter, and despite a strong game from Devin Booker, who had a team-high 31 points, it wasn’t enough to erase the gap. Chris Paul had a better night shooting than he did on Saturday but still left something to be desired, scoring 22 points on a below-average 8-for-19 shooting. Deandre Ayton, Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges only combined for 19 total points on the night.

The Clippers still have a lot of work to do, but will have the chance to even the series 3-3 at home in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: Clippers Live to Fight Another Day appeared first on SLAM.

On Sunday evening, the team announced that Leonard would officially miss Game 5 as the series heads back to Phoenix. He’s recovering from an ACL injury that has turned LA’s postseason outlook upside down. 

Already in an uphill battle, the Clippers will look to chip away at their deficit without their best player, looking to pull off the rare 3-1 comeback. 

Paul George will look to continue to carry the team in Leonard’s absence, as he’s averaged 27.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game in the Western Conference Finals. 

The post Kawhi Leonard To Miss Game 5 Of Western Conference Finals appeared first on SLAM.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 84, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 80

Suns lead the series 3-1

This game had some Los Angeles Clippers playoff flashbacks all over it. Remember the second half the deciding Game 6 that sent the Utah Jazz home? After falling behind double figures in the first half, the Clippers were led by Terance Mann and Reggie Jackson leading a massive comeback.

For a little while in this game, it looked like more of the same.

In the first half, the Clippers narrowly missed a playoff record in scoring futility with only 36 points. The players seemed to hit the Suns players more than jump shots.

Devin Booker and Paul George getting into it.

PG was given a tech. pic.twitter.com/kNCt1TO3dJ

— ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2021

Then in the second half, the Clippers abandoned their perimeter game that amounted to 22 shots from behind the arc to aggressive drives to the rim. By the end of the third quarter, Phoenix only had a three point lead going in to the last quarter.

To say fourth quarter scoring was scarce would be an understatement as both teams shot poorly combining for 29 points total. However in crunch time Chris Paul ran the high pick and roll offense to perfection and knocked down clutch free throws late to seal the win.

I SEE YOU, POINT GOD. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/QUPbstaOC2

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 27, 2021

Deandre Ayton had a monster game on the rebounding glass, finishing with 22 rebounds (9 offensive) to go with 19 points and 4 blocks. Devin Booker ditched his protective mask to score 25 points.

Paul George continued to fill the stat sheet with 16 rebounds and 6 assists to go along with 23 points. But like in Game 2, he struggled at crunch time missing free throws late. He shot 12-18 overall.

Game 5 is on Monday night on ESPN. It’s now win or go home for the Los Angeles Clippers.

The post Post Up: Suns Take Control of Western Conference Finals Beating Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Game 3 between Phoenix and LA here. 

No. 2 Suns 92, No. 4 Clippers 106

PHX Leads Series 2-1

The Clippers have been down 2-0 to start every series during this postseason run. After overcoming these deficits to this point, Game 3 against the Suns was crucial. Rather than falling into a 3-0 hole, Paul George was able to lead the Clippers to a victory, bringing the series back within reach. 

The final score is a bit deceiving. While the Clippers did end up winning by a wide margin, a late game push by Phoenix brought them within striking distance before LA pulled back away. The Suns had five players score in double figures, but none of which scored 20 points. George and Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 27 and 23 points respectively in the huge win. Game 4 will take place in Los Angeles on Saturday, where the Clippers will look to even the series. 

The post Post Up: Clippers Keep Series Alive In Win Over Suns appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Tuesday’s matchup here. 

No. 2 Suns 104, No. 4 Clippers 103

PHX leads Series 2-0

For the third-straight series, the Clippers are down 2-0 early on. While they were able to overcome this deficit twice already in the postseason, things will be much tougher against the Suns, especially without Kawhi Leonard. In a back-and-forth game, the Suns ultimately won on a wild inbounds tip-in with less than a second remaining.

In Game 2, Cameron Payne and DeAndre Ayton carried Phoenix to the victory. Payne finished with 29 points and nine assists filling in for Chris Paul and Ayton contributed 24 points and 14 boards. The Clippers struggled to get much offensive production out of anyone besides Paul George, who led the team with 26 points on 23 shots. Game 3 will take place in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The post Post Up: Suns Extend Series Lead Over Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down Sunday’s games here.

No. 2 Suns 120, No. 4 Clippers 114

PHX Leads Series 1-0

In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, both teams were without their best player. It came down to which secondary star would step up to the occasion, with Devin Booker taking the edge. While the Suns won the opening matchup of this series, we know all too well the Clippers are still in it after surviving 2-0 deficits in each of their last two series.

Booker led all players with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Outside of him, five other Suns scored in double-figures as Phoenix inched by without Chris Paul. For the Clippers, Paul George notched 34 points while Reggie Jackson finished with 24. DeMarcus Cousins provided a huge spark off the bench with 11 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes, but it wasn’t enough.

No. 1 Sixers 96, No. 5 Hawks 103

ATL Wins Series 4-3

The Sixers have been trusting the process for years now, hoping that they would finally get over the hump. They had the chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday in Game 7 against the Hawks, but fell short at home. Ben Simmons continued to be the weak link in the series, lacking aggressiveness on offense as Philadelphia failed to crack 100 points on the night.

Joel Embiid scored 31 points to go along with 11 boards while Tobias Harris and Seth Curry produced 24 and 16 points respectively. No other Sixers scored in double figures. Kevin Huerter was deadly for the Hawks on offense on Sunday with a team-high 27 points. Trae Young finished with a 21-point and ten assist double-double and Danilo Gallinari gave Atlanta a huge boost off the bench with 17 points. The Hawks will now face the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Post Up: Hawks Stun Sixers and Suns Take Series Lead appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM breaks down two anticipated playoff thrillers that may lead to conference finals this weekend:

No.1 Philadelphia 76ers 104, No.5 Atlanta Hawks 99

Series tied 3-3. Game 7 is Sunday on TNT.

If the 76ers had handled business the way they should have, this series would be over by now. Doc Rivers’ quotes went from virtually guaranteeing a Game 7 to this:

‘Win the game, be aggressive, play. … I think our guys are ready, but you never know.’

Hawks have come back from 18 and 26 points in Games 4 and 5 respectively

What will happen tonight? pic.twitter.com/b374bakl8p

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 18, 2021

What the Sixers gave their coach and frustrated fanbase was heart, grit and determination. They needed all three to survive Trae Young’s performance.

Young continued his historic run, quite literally shooting the lights out in the arena and finishing with 34 points and 12 assists. He’s had 20+ points and 7+ assists in 11 straight games, which has tied for the longest streak in NBA postseason history.

Trae literally shut the lights out in Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/nOI6p5umWA

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 19, 2021

Still, despite his performance, it was not enough as the 76ers forced a Game 7 on Sunday.

How did Philadelphia win? Dominating the offensive rebounds (14) and hitting free throws down the stretch. That and a whole lot of Tyrese Maxey.

No.4 Los Angeles Clippers 131, No.1 Utah Jazz 119

Clippers win series 4-2. Game 1 vs. Phoenix Suns will be on ESPN on Sunday.

The questions leading into this matchup centered around the backcourt of both teams.

Number one: Would Michael Conley Jr. return to the lineup?

Number two: Would Donovan Mitchell be able to play?

While Conley Jr. has been dealing with a hamstring injury, Michell came out playing very well. He scored 16 points in the first quarter alone. Instead of standing out at the 3 point line, the “Spida” Man attacked the basket and gashed the interior defense.

Spida smooth with it (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/jk6BS4Fp2l

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

After struggling in Game 5, Mitchell finished with 39 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. This report sadly does not illustrate how hard he played.

Number three: Would Paul George continue his dominant play after three straight 30 point games?

Not until the second half. The Utah Jazz put together a game plan making sure that there was no sight of “Playoff P”. Then he got unleashed and finished with 28 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.

But they sure didn’t stop Terance “Mama, there goes that” Mann. This video summed up the Mann/Gobert matchup.

TERANCE IS A VERY BAD MANN. (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/6x8S3xQnUv

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

The Jazz decided to allow Gobert to match up with Mann to disastrous results. Terance helped the Clippers get back the game sparking a 17-0 run to help them take the lead in the fourth quarter. He finished with 39 points.

Before Mann’s explosion, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson was shooting lights out in the first half. He scored 17 straight points in the second quarter to get Utah a 20 point lead at halftime.

Automatic. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/Z3KY67LBup

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 19, 2021

So, how did the Clippers come back from 25 points down in the second half to win? They got into a zone from the 3 point line in the left corner exposing the newly crowned defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert, and Reggie Jackson joined Terance Mann in destroying any Jazz player in front of him. He finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals.

The Clippers outscored Utah 81-47 in the second half.

The post Post Up: Two Number One Seeds Battle to Continue Seasons On the Road appeared first on SLAM.

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers 106, No. 5 Atlanta Hawks 109

Atl leads 3-2

It looked like the 76ers had this game wrapped up early, taking a 26 point lead in the first half. But in the fourth quarter, the Hawks came roaring back to take a three-point win. Trae Young again led the Hawks in scoring, dropping 39 points, seven assists and three steals. The Hawks got good minutes from their bench, with Danilo Gallinari scoring 16 points and Lou Williams going for 15. John Collins had a 19 point, 11 rebound double-double, his second game in a row with a double-double.

The 76ers got monster games from Joel Embiid and Seth Curry. Embiid finished with 37 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, and Curry had 36 points, seven rebounds, and two steals. Unfortunately, Embiid and Curry were the only ones who made their presence known on offense. The duo were the only two 76ers players to score a field goal in the second half. No other player broke double-digit scoring; Ben Simmons and Furkan Korkmaz both got to eight points.

Now headed back to Atlanta, the 76ers will need to win this crucial Game 6 on Friday night to force a Game 7.

No. 1 Utah Jazz 111, No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 119

LAC leads series 3-2

After news broke, concerns were plenty among Clippers fans that Kawhi Leonard would not be playing Wednesday night due to a knee injury. But Paul George would steal the highlights, sending the Clippers to a road game victory. George had a crazy night, going for a game-high 37 points and 16 rebounds while chipping in five assists and two blocks. Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. had strong evenings, with Morris going for 25 points and Jackson 22. As a team, the Clippers couldn’t miss, shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.

The Jazz had a tough night defensively, struggling to contain George, but Donovan Mitchell had a night to forget. While his 21 points don’t jump out at you, his 6-for19 shooting splits are an eyesore. Bojan Bogdanovic had a lights-out shooting night to keep the Jazz in the game, scoring a team-high 32 points on 9-for-17 shooting from three-point range. The Jazz really missed Mike Conley, Mitchell, and Jordan Clarkson split point guard duties with limited success to replicate Conley’s impact.

Utah will have the chance to even the series on the road in LA in Game 6 on Friday night.

The post Post Up: Underdogs Take the Lead appeared first on SLAM.

In what’s become one of the most arduous processes, with so much talent at every position and only 15 spots to fill, debates have raged about players thought to have been snubbed. Nonetheless, most would be hard pressed not to agree with the honorees.

All-NBA First Team

The 2020-21 All-NBA First Team:

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Stephen Curry
Luka Dončić
Nikola Jokić
Kawhi Leonard pic.twitter.com/WYSz2le2Be

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2021

The recently crowned Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (99 votes); Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (100 votes); and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (98 votes) dominated the 2020-21 All-NBA First Team voting.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard rounded out the top five players on the All-NBA First Team.

All-NBA Second Team

The 2020-21 All-NBA Second Team:

Joel Embiid
LeBron James
Damian Lillard
Chris Paul
Julius Randle pic.twitter.com/t5iZu1MahA

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2021

With his second team selection, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James added to his record for most All-NBA Team selections with 17, including: 13 First Team selections (also a record), three Second Team selections and one Third Team selection. Friend and Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul collected his 10th All-NBA Team selection, which ranks second among active players behind LeBron.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle—the 2020-21 Most Improved Player—rounded out the Second Team.

All-NBA Third Team

The 2020-21 All-NBA Third Team:

Bradley Beal
Jimmy Butler
Paul George
Rudy Gobert
Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/s4aEK3ivcs

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) June 16, 2021

With his selection, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal made his first All-NBA team after battling Curry for the NBA’s 2020-21 scoring title. Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George made his All-NBA sixth team while three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler each notched their fourth selections.

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving made his third All-NBA team.

The All-NBA teams were voted in by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Voters select two guards, two forwards and one center for each team.

The post All-NBA Teams Announced for 2020-21 Season appeared first on SLAM.

(#1) Philadelphia 76ers 100, (#5) Atlanta Hawks 103

Series tied 2-2

Things looked bleak for the Hawks early in Game 4, with star guard Trae Young struggling to score in the first half and their bench going 0-8 from the field, being outscored 20-10.

As a result, Atlanta found themselves in an 13-point hole.

Entering the second half 3-12 from the floor, Young eventually was able to flip the switch and erase the deficit, squeaking out a narrow three-point win in the end. Young finished his night with 25 points (on 8-26 shooting) and 18 assists, tied for the second-most in playoff history.

Continuing a strong semifinals series, Bogdan Bogdanovic tallied 22 points for the Hawks, who had double-double performances from both Clint Capela (12 points, 13 rebounds) and John Collins (14 points, 12 rebounds). It was a rough night of shooting for the entire Hawks team, with Atlanta shooting just 36.6 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from three but they willed themselves to a win nonetheless.

While losing a winnable playoff game is already bad enough for the Sixers, there are reasons to be even more upset for Philadelphia fans, as All-Star center Joel Embiid exited the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.

Embiid returned for the second half but struggled, going 0-for-12 from the field and ending the game with 17 points and 20 rebounds. However, the scoring of starters Seth Curry (17 points) and Tobias Harris (20 points) kept Philadelphia’s offense afloat.

The 76ers shot the ball much better than their opponents (43.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range) but their 12 turnovers (compared to just four for the Hawks) may have been the difference.

Game 5 is set for Wednesday night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on TNT.

(#1) Utah Jazz 104, (#4) Los Angeles Clippers 118

Series tied 2-2

In the first two games of the series, the Clippers looked overwhelmed by the Jazz. Four games into their matchup against their series against Utah, the Big Two of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George seem to have found their groove during back-to-back blowout wins.

Los Angeles bolted to a 17-point lead in the first quarter and maintained that gap for nearly the rest of the game. By the end of the contest, both The Klaw and Young Trece dropped 31 points, while veteran forward Marcus tacked on an additional 24 points.

Unfortunately, injuries were a talking point following the contests, with Leonard suffering a knee injury late in the Clippers’ victory.

With Donovan Mitchell going 9-26 from the field while facing LA’s stifling perimeter defenders, the Jazz struggled to be competitive in Game 4 despite Spida getting to the line a game-high 15 times to score 37 points. Fellow guard Jordan Clarkson had a tough shooting night, scoring eight points in 30 minutes on 3-for-12 from the field and 2-8 from deep.

Sharpshooter Joe Ingles was massively efficient for the Jazz though, scoring 19 points on 7-for-9 from the field, while Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 18 points.

The Jazz will have a chance to retake the series lead in Game 5, back home in Utah, on Wednesday night.

The post Post Up: We’re All Tied Up appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down both of Sunday’s games here.

No. 1 Sixers 124, No. 5 Hawks 128

ATL leads series 1-0

Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks came out hot in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers, making a huge statement on Sunday afternoon. The Hawks were up by as many as 26 early in the game after going on a 17-0 run and held a 19-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining. From there, the Sixers would climb back in and nearly pull off a late comeback win, pulling within three points with a minute remaining. 

Young scored 25 of his 35 points in the first half, with Bogdan Boganovic carrying the team late, finishing with 21 points. John Collins produced 21 points of his own while Kevin Huerter led the reserve unit with 15 bench points. Joel Embiid returned to action from his knee injury, notching 39 points and nine rebounds. Ben Simmons finished with 17 points and ten assists while Tobias Harris and Seth Curry both scored 20+ points each. 

No. 4 Clippers 126, No. 5 Mavericks 111

LAC wins series 4-3

Luka Doncic came out with intention in Game 7, notching 19 first quarter points and 29 through the first half. After being down by five points early in the second half, the Clippers went on a 24-4 run to finish the third quarter to go up 15 points entering the final frame. After being down 15 or more nearly the entire fourth quarter, Dallas went on a 13-3 run late in the game to pull within seven points with two minutes left, but couldn’t get within striking distance.

Terance Mann played a huge role in the Clippers’ win, scoring 13 points off the bench in a game where all of his buckets felt like they came at the perfect time. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Marcus Morris combined for 73 points, 21 assists and 21 rebounds in Game 7. Doncic finished with 46 points, 14 assists and seven boards. 

The post Post Up: Mavericks Fall While Hawks Soar appeared first on SLAM.

In what have been two of the most discussed first-round matchups, Dallas Mavericks floor general Luka Doncic stole the spotlight in the final game of the evening thanks to his 42-point, 14-assist outing.

But was it enough to get past a Los Angeles Clippers team that had won two straight to even the series?

No. 1 Philadelphia 76ers 129, No. 8 Washington Wizards 112

PHI wins series 4-1

The first of three teams to be bounced from the playoffs tonight, the Washington Wizards couldn’t hang with the Philadelphia 76ers even without Joel Embiid playing.

Sharpshooter Seth Curry exploded for a team-high 30 points and Defensive Player of the Year finalist Ben Simmons silenced his critics with 19 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, one steal and two blocks. Meanwhile, veteran forward Tobias Harris rounded off a nice first-round series with 28 points and six assists of his own.

Washington showed some promise at points over the five-game series but, ultimately, Philly had too much talent for the D.C.-based squad.

The Wizards got another good game from youngster Rui Hachimura, who had 21 points on 8-for-13 from the field. All-Star Bradley Beal capped off another spectacular season with a game-high 32 points, while Russell Westbrook chipped in 24 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

Nonetheless, Washington’s lack of depth proved to be costly down the stretch. The Wizards trailed by just two at halftime, but as the game got deeper, Washington’s starters began to lose steam, and Philadelphia pulled away.

No. 4 New York Knicks 89, No. 5 Atlanta Hawks 103

ATL wins series 4-1

The New York Knicks disappointed a packed Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night when they were the second team pf the day to be eliminated from the playoffs.

In what was a tough series for the big man, Knicks star forward Julius Randle had another disappointing outing for New York, putting up 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting, while also turning the ball over eight times.

Randle finished the playoffs averaging 18 points, 4.0 assists and 4.6 turnovers per game while shooting 29.8 percent from the field—a stark contrast from the 45.6 percent he shot from the floor in the regular season.

Reggie Bullock, who averaged 8.0 points on 37.9 percent shooting from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range, started the game off well. Bullock went for 12 points in the first quarter after nailing four shots from beyond the arc; but he was held scoreless for the rest of the game.

The star of the show, 22-year-old point guard Trae Young, put together another masterpiece with a game-high 36 points. Wednesday was the third time in the series where Young scored at least 30 points in the series, as the Knicks defense continued to be confounded by his craftiness.

Atlanta also received double-digit contributions from De’Andre Hunter (15), Clint Capela (14) and John Collins (13) in the points column, while holding the Knicks to 37.8 percent shooting from the field.

The Hawks will be moving to the second round of the NBA Playoffs, where they’ll take on the 76ers.

No. 1 Utah Jazz 126, No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies 110

UTA wins series 4-1

The third and final team to get booted from the playoffs was the Memphis Grizzlies.

Still, just as young guns Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks shined for the Grizzlies throughout the series, the duo was excellent yet again on Wednesday, with both scoring 27 points.

Brooks’ scoring output through the series was impressive, putting up 25.8 points per game on 51.5 percent shooting, and Morant paired that with his 30.5 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting. While Memphis’ season may be over, their young core is only just getting started.

Despite feeling ill coming into the game, Utah Jazz centerpiece Donovan Mitchell handled the Grizzlies with ease, dropping 30 points and dishing out 10 assists.

Defensive weapon Rudy Gobert may have had even more impact than Mitchell though, as the Steiffel Tower notched a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double while blocking three shots.

Despite moving on to the second round, the Jazz didn’t leave the court entirely happy, as starting guard Mike Conley left the game early due to injury. The All-Star’s status moving forward is unclear, but Utah will need him when they take on one of the Dallas Mavericks or Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference semifinals.

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 100, No. 5 Dallas Mavericks 105

DAL leads series 3-1

Playmaking extraordinaire Luka Doncic rewrote history books at the end of Wednesday night’s slate of games.

Doncic put up a blistering 42 points and 14 assists, scoring or assisting on 31 of the Mavericks 37 made field goals. The only other player to finish with double-digit scoring for Dallas was Tim Hardaway Jr., who had 20 points.

Fifth-year pro Dorian Finney-Smith was hugely impactful for Dallas on the defensive end, helping keep Kawhi Leonard (who shot 7-19 from the field) contained, while snatching the opponent five times and recording a block.

The Los Angeles Clippers, who had even the series at 2-2 following Game 4, kept the game within reach all night. They even cut the Mavs’ lead to one point with under one minute left.

But, in the end, they couldn’t stop Doncic enough to come out on top. Clippers forward Paul George finished with a team-high 23 points, while Leonard and Reggie Jackson (6-12 from 3-point range) each had 20 points.

LA just couldn’t get the buckets to fall on Wednesday night, shooting just 41.3 percent from the field as a team.

Game 6, which will be in Dallas, takes place on Friday, June 4.

The post Post Up: Three Teams Sent Packing appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down each of Sunday’s matchups below.

No. 5 Hawks 113, No. 4 Knicks 96

ATL Leads series 3-1

Trae Young’s early playoff legacy along with his infamous “I’ll see you in the A” boast continues to be one of the major storylines of the postseason as he wore the Knicks out with 27 points and 9 assists.

Count that! Trae’s cooking (via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/NP9NtDoWex

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 30, 2021

The story of the game was the difference in 3 point shooting. The Hawks shot 15-39 from beyond the arc while the Knicks shot a woeful 9-29.

Cash that. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/CbulEhumGb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 30, 2021

Ever since the series went down to the dirty south, so has the fortunes of Julius Randle. Chants of “overrated” rained down on him from the fans in the State Farm Arena.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns 100, No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers 92

Series tied 2-2

If there ever was a series that illustrated the importance of avoiding injuries, this one is it. After struggling mightily for two games in back-to-back Phoenix losses because of his shoulder injury in Game 1, screams of “I’m back!” came from CP3 as he hurt the Lakers with his patented mid-range shot in Game 4.

Point God activities. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/n8ji0rKa0n

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 30, 2021

The Los Angeles Lakers lost Anthony Davis in the first half due to a groin strain. He did not return to the game.

Anthony Davis will not return for the Lakers in Game 4. The Suns are -280 live up 12 in the third quarter. #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/vnxAZFb78L

— TSN EDGE (@TSN_Edge) May 30, 2021

With Chris Paul rounding into form and the Lakers already struggling to stop Deandre Ayton while Davis is even on the floor, the reigning champs are in trouble.

No. 2 Brooklyn Nets 141, No. 7 Boston Celtics 126

Nets lead series 3-1

Game 4 was almost a carbon copy of Game 3. This series has featured the best offensive skillsets of the playoffs being spearheaded by superstars. However, there were two differences.

Jayson Tatum will probably go down as one of the most gifted scorers in Boston Celtics history. While he didn’t score 50 points, that doesn’t take away from the fact he is destroying every Brooklyn player in front of him. Despite the loss, Tatum did finish with 40 points.

The Nets were led by Kevin Durant, who scored 42 points, and Kyrie Irving, who put in work by dropping 23 of his 39 points before halftime.

Along with the efforts of James Harden, who had 23 points, the Nets’ Big Three combined for a franchise playoff-best of 104 points, per NBA.com.

Kyrie is handling business. Already up to 23 in the first half. (via @BrooklynNets) pic.twitter.com/FbxgGPnyuX

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 31, 2021

Still, the story that has dominated headlines well into this morning is the NBA releasing a statement about fan conduct vowing to enforce it’s guidelines after a fan was arrested and banned from the TD Garden for life for throwing a bottle at Kyrie Irving.

Irving talked about it after last night’s game:

“It’s unfortunate that sports has come to a lot of this kind of crossroads. … Just underlying racism and just treating people like they’re in a human zoo.”

Kyrie Irving speaks out after a fan threw a water bottle at him in Boston. pic.twitter.com/IXfE8I0EE8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 31, 2021

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers 106, No. 5 Dallas Mavericks 81

Series tied 2-2

The Los Angeles Clippers have woken up on the defensive end. Despite Luka Doncic doing the best he can while playing with a neck strain, he’s not getting the help Kawhi Leonard is getting from Paul George and company.

Leonard finished with 29 points, while George contributed 20.

The ball movement is pretty. (via @LAClippers) pic.twitter.com/kJYo0YzQFC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 31, 2021

After shooting lights out from behind the 3 point line, Dallas has gone ice-cold shooting 5-30.

The post Post Up: Randle Gets “Overrated” Chants, Lakers Lose Davis, Nets are Hot, Clippers Win appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM has the breakdowns on each of the matchups below.

No. 5 Hawks 105 , No. 4 Knicks 94

ATL Leads series 2-1

Trae Young left Madison Square Garden boasting “I’ll see you in the A!”. Ice Trae sure backed up his boast he made in New York.

The Hawks went on a huge 22-5 run before halftime behind Young’s offensive brilliance.

Trae’s really all about creating on offense. 14pts and 10ast in the first half. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/e8r52l4uZz

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

Atlanta never looked back. What Trae got started in the first half, Bogdan Bogdanovic continued in the second half.

Lefty wraparound pass >>> (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/EFsWilKSE6

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

Despite an impressive 30-point performance from Knicks’ Derrick Rose, the Hawks went on the defeat the Knicks, 105-94. Young finished with 21 points, while Bogdanović had 15.

No. 7 Celtics 125, No. 2 Nets 119

Nets lead series 2-1

The Brooklyn Nets showed how dangerous an offensive team they are in the first three minutes of this game. The Nets ran off to a 19-4 lead before Boston answered back—thanks to a performance by Jayson Tatum, who went on one of his patented offensive explosions in the first half, scoring 21 points to give Boston an improbable halftime lead.

Too good, JT. (via @celtics) pic.twitter.com/EIAwht3NyT

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

The Nets really missed Jeff Green as Tatum got the switches he wanted and outlasted Kevin Durant and James Harden with a playoff career-high 50 points.

No. 4 Clippers 118, No. 5 Mavs 108

Mavs lead series 2-1

The Los Angeles Clippers cannot stop Luka Doncic, who just keeps exposing them with defensive switches.

Every shot Luka takes like this feels like it’s going in. (via @dallasmavs) pic.twitter.com/XxxqJb1g80

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 29, 2021

The Dallas Mavericks started the game 8-0. Then they extended the lead to 30-11 and the route was on. When Luka sat down, the Clippers answered with a 14-4 run. From then on, it was a dogfight.

Luka Doncic finished with 44 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Kawhi Leonard matched him with 36 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

What was the difference in the game? Leonard got support from Paul George. Kristaps Porzingis on the other hand disappeared.

The one thing that everyone will remember from this game is the introduction of the term “physical taunt”.

Terrence Mann ran at Willie Cauley-Stein after he appeared to get shoved.

A tech was called on the Mavs for a “physical taunt.” pic.twitter.com/F2qNLlRhZp

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 29, 2021

The post Post Up: Trae Sees the Knicks, Tatum Scores 50 and Kawhi Outduels Luka appeared first on SLAM.

Yet again, the fourth day of playoff games did not disappoint, as three teams made major statements. We’ve broken down each of the Tuesday’s matchups below.

No. 2 Nets 130, No. 7 Celtics 108

BKN leads series 2-0

After a fairly close matchup in Game 1 of the series, the Brooklyn Nets made a statement in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics. Breaking the game open early, including a 14-point lead after the first quarter, the Nets absolutely dominated in nearly every category. 

In what was ultimately a 22-point win, the Brooklyn starters took care of business as they scored 97 points. Boston generally struggled offensively, with Marcus Smart’s 19 points leading the team. In a 2-0 hole, the Celtics will have to make major changes if they’re going to make this series competitive. 

No. 2 Suns 102, No. 7 Lakers 109

Series tied 1-1

The biggest question coming into Tuesday’s game was around Chris Paul’s health. After suffering a shoulder injury in Game 1, it was unclear how restricted he would be in Game 2. While he did look limited at times on the court, uncomfortable doing certain things, he was still effective overall with his six points, five assists and three rebounds. However, he only played 22 minutes on the night, including less than three minutes in the fourth quarter as he was not able to close the game out. 

After a poor performance from LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the first matchup, they turned things around on Tuesday night. That superstar duo combined for 57 points, 16 assists and 14 rebounds. They truly lifted the Lakers over the Suns in a statement win that evened the series. 

No. 4 Clippers 121, No. 5 Mavericks 127

DAL leads series 2-0

Luka Doncic might have established himself as the best player in this series. The 22-year-old produced 39 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on the night in an emphatic performance. Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points in the first half to carry the Clippers, but finished with just 41 as he slowed down in the second half. Paul George and Reggie Jackson produced 28 and 15 points respectively, while the rest of the roster underperformed. 

The Clippers are in a deep hole, headed to Dallas now to take on the Mavericks twice on the road. With Kawhi Leonard having a player option this offseason with the ability to walk in free agency, this could be a franchise altering series for LA if they aren’t able to pull out wins and advance. It will come down to the role players outside of Leonard and George giving the Clippers production.

The post Post Up: Statements Were Made appeared first on SLAM.

After the Boston Celtics lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, 102-94, the New Yorks Knicks officially clinched its first playoff-berth since 2013 as the No.6 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The last time the Knicks made an appearance in the postseason was seven years ago during the 2012-13 season. Led by Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks faced a tough Indiana Pacers team equipped with Paul George, Roy Hibbert, and Lance Stephenson. New York went on to lose the series, 2-4.

Now, years later, a newfound sense of hope has shined over Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have proved the doubters and naysayers wrong all year, even starting the season off with a 5-3 record. Although it may be a small and easily overlook achievement, these dubs were against some powerhouse teams like the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Indiana Pacers.

Although the franchise’s success can be attributed to the entire roster, one key component has been none other than Randle. The NBA All-Star has popped off this season, averaging a career-high 24.0 points per game, as well as 5.9 assists and 10.3 rebounds. Playing alongside RJ Barrett, rookies Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley, and NBA vets like Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson, the Knicks have found their rhythm this season and succeeded, despite doubts.

They truly are bringing toughness back to MSG.

The New York Knicks will host the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night at 7:30 pm.

The post The New York Knicks are Headed to the Playoffs For the First Time Since 2013 appeared first on SLAM.

After playing against Edwards on Sunday night, Paul George spoke to Justin Russo of CLIP & ROLL and other members of the media, giving high praise to the rookie.

“You talk about a three-level scorer. He’s elite. I see star, All-Star, possibly superstar. Sky’s the limit for the kid.”

In this particular game against the Clippers, Edwards finished with 23 points, six rebounds and three assists. Even with the great individual perimeter defenders they have, the Clippers struggled to slow the rookie down.

On the season, Edwards is averaging 18.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Although he’s just 19 years old, Edwards has been a legit contributor and one of Minnesota’s best players.

With LaMelo Ball returning from injury in the next week or so, the Rookie of the Year race will likely come down to the wire over the final month of the season.

The post Paul George Calls Anthony Edwards A Potential Superstar appeared first on SLAM.

To that point, despite being teammates with superstars like Kevin Durant, James Harden, Paul George and Bradley Beal in all but one season of his 13-year, Westbrook has only reached the NBA Finals once and hasn’t reached the Conference Finals since 2016.

That being said, Westbrook has long been considered an excellent teammate, wanting nothing but the best for the three franchises he’s played for. In fact, Beal — a recent guest on SiriusXM NBA Radio with host Brian Geltzeiler — has even went as far as to call Westbrook “the best teammate” he’s probably “ever had.”

“As a leader. As a player. As a father. As a man. Like, he’s the best teammate probably I’ve ever had, and just in terms of leadership, probably one of the best leaders I’ve been around. Because he holds himself accountable. He holds himself to a certain standard.”

Westbrook’s ability to hold himself accountable and “to a certain standard” shouldn’t be surprising, as he’s never shied away from being critical of his own performances. Nor is his magnetism, as Brodie leaves it all on the floor every time he steps out on the court with infectious energy.

However, from Beal’s side, the comments are certainly interesting after he spent the first eight season’s of his career with All-Star point guard John Wall.

Wall, who was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Russ after spending the first 10 years of his career with the Wizards, was nearly as criticized as Westbrook and seemed to be ostracized by the franchise due to multiple injuries and a so-so off-court reputation.

The post Bradley Beal Considers Russell Westbrook the ‘Best Teammate’ He’s Ever Had appeared first on SLAM.

However, while the King retained his crown, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo earned All-Star Game MVP honors and winning The Kobe Bryant Trophy (the official name for the All-Star Game MVP Award).

Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, had a perfect outing during the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. The Greek Freak shot a record 16-16 from the field (including 3-3 from 3-point range) and dominating the interior on his way to 35 points and the first perfect shooting night in the All-Star Game’s 70-year history.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, Antetokounmpo’s teammate on the LeBron James-led All-Star team, also had a terrific night as he lit up Team Durant from behind the arc with 8-16 shooting from deep. Portland Trail Blazers leader Damian Lillard would match Curry’s output from beyond the arc, going 8-16 from long-distance himself and scoring 32 points to Curry’s 28.

Though Antetokounmpo may have been the most dominant player on Sunday night, Lillard had the two biggest shots of the night.

The first? A 3-point bomb from beyond halfcourt.

The second? A 3-point shot from just past halfcourt to seal the victory for Team LeBron.

Phoenix Suns veteran point guard Chris Paul, who dished out 16 assists, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown (who scored 22 points in 26 minutes) and Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (who knocked down five 3-pointers) also played well for Team LeBron.

Meanwhile, James would only play 12 minutes, tallying four points and four assists.

For Team Durant, who would play without one-third of the Brooklyn Nets’ superstar trio, Nets guard Kyrie Irving delivered the best performance with 24 points and 12 assists.

Irving made it look easy as he carved up defenses on his way to the rim, teammates James Harden and Bradley Beal couldn’t be stopped from beyond the arc, knocking down 13 combined 3-pointers. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum would join Irving, Harden and Beal as the only players on Team Durant to score at least 20 points.

Following their victory, spirits were high for the winning team and the mutual respect was flowing.

James shouted out MVP-winner Antetokounmpo (prompting the Greek Freak to applaud James’ roster-building skills), called his on-court pairing with Curry “well overdue” and continued to display his fondness for Lillard.

Antetokounmpo, in a lighthearted mood, would say that he and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic need their own show.

Antetokounmpo would also speak on winning the Kobe Bryant MVP award, saying that “having an award named after Kobe Bryant in my house is a great feeling… I know he would be happy.”

As part of the 2021 NBA All-Star Game’s charity efforts, Team LeBron earned a grand total $1.25 million for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund while Team Durant earned $500,000 for the United Negro College Fund.

The post 2021 NBA All-Star Game: Giannis Antetokounmpo Wins Kobe Bryant MVP Award appeared first on SLAM.

LeBron, who finished with the highest vote count among fans, got the first pick in the draft and selected Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Team LeBron’s starting lineup for the game will consist of himself, Antetokounmpo, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic; all five of whom are or have been considered MVP candidates this season.

Meanwhile, Team LeBron’s bench will feature Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

Durant, opting for chemistry, selected Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving with his first pick in the draft.

Team Durant’s starting lineup will feature Irving, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Clippers wing Kawhi Leonard, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

However, Durant won’t be playing in this season’s All-Star Game, as he’s currently recovering from a left hamstring injury. This circumstance will only fuel the perception, even from the Greek Freak, that Team LeBron is the overwhelming favorite to win.

Durant got the first pick of the reserves in the draft, and with that, he took another Nets teammate in James Harden (LeBron’s first reserve selection was Lillard).

The remainder of Durant’s reserves will be composed of Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (who replaced injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis), New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, New York Knicks forward Julius Randle and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic.

The two members of the Jazz, Mitchell and Gobert, were the last two players taken in the draft (with Gobert being the final selection).

This became the source of some playful quips by LeBron.

Team Durant has the more inexperienced roster of the two teams, with Williamson, LaVine and Randle all playing in their first All-Star Games and Mitchell, Vucevic, Booker and Tatum playing in their second. with Durant unable to play, Harden is the player with the most All-Star Games under his belt, with this being his ninth appearance.

Team LeBron has only Brown playing in his first All-Star Game, and Sabonis, Gobert and Doncic are playing in their second. LeBron also has the most experienced non-captain in Paul, who is playing in his 11th All-Star Game.

In total, Team LeBron has a combined 66 All-Star appearances on their roster compared to Team Durant’s 39 total appearances.

The NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, March 7, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be broadcast on TNT, with tip-off scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

The post LeBron James, Kevin Durant Select Their Squads For 2021 NBA All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

These 14 reserves will join the starters (10 in total) that were named last week — a list headlined by team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant (of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, respectively).

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul leads the way in All-Star appearances among this group, playing in his 11^th All-Star Game this year. Paul is only one of three players in this year’s event with at least 10 All-Star appearances, the other two being LeBron and Durant.

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden has the next highest mark among the reserves. The Beard is playing his ninth All-Star game but his first representing the Eastern Conference thanks his well-publicized trade from the Houston Rockets.

Harden is one of three Nets in the All-Star Game alongside starters Durant and Irving.

Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis is an All-Star for not just the eighth time in his career but the eighth time in a row. Davis has been an All-Star every season of his career, with the only exception being his rookie season in 2012-13.

Another veteran of the All-Star Game, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, makes his return to the All-Star Game for the seventh time after missing last year’s festivities.

Right behind him, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard finds himself in his sixth All-Star Game.

Dame Dolla has the highest scoring average of the All-Star reserves, averaging 29.6 points per game, the fourth-highest number in the league. Lillard will also participate in the All-Star 3-Point Contest.

On the flip side, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is averaging just 15.7 points per game but is making his third All-Star Game because of his excellent playmaking – 7.9 assists per game – and defense for the Sixers.

Nikola Vucevic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will all be making their second appearances.

Four players from the reserves will be playing in their first-ever All-Star Games. Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown and Zion Williamson will make their first All-Star appearances.

The post NBA Announces 2021 All-Star Game Reserves appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors won the NBA Coach of the Year Award. While there is quite a bit of season left for him and the Raptors to turn things around and make a run at the award once again, he’s got plenty of competition.

A third of the way through the 2020-21 season, we broke down our top five Coach of the Year candidates.

Nate Bjorkgren (Indiana Pacers)

2020-21 Record: 15-14

In his first season as Head Coach of the Indiana Pacers, Bjorkgren has been excellent. He’s got the Pacers in the top-four of the tough Eastern Conference and has gotten the most out of nearly all of his players. 

Even short-handed as the team awaits Caris LeVert making his debut with Indiana, the Pacers have looked great. Bjorkgren seems to be the guy going forward for the Pacers. 

Tyronn Lue (LA Clippers)

2020-21 Record: 22-10

Taking the head job for the Clippers this offseason has worked out well for Lue thus far. In a stacked Western Conference, the Clips have looked as good as anyone. 

Playing a slightly different style than last season with new personnel, Lue has the team looking fresh. It appears he’s also been able to put Paul George in a position to be the best player he can be. 

Doc Rivers (Philadelphia 76ers)

2020-21 Record: 20-11

Rivers recently moved from a Western Conference contender to an Eastern Conference contender. Even while coaching a brand new team, he hasn’t skipped a beat. 

After an odd 2019-20 season for the Sixers in which they could never play with consistency, Rivers has them looking like a completely different team this season. Philadelphia is currently at the top of the East standings under their new head coach. 

Quin Snyder (Utah Jazz)

2020-21 Record: 24-6

Snyder has been among the best head coaches in the NBA for the last half-decade or more. This season, he’s got the Jazz looking like one of the best teams in the League and is definitely a potential sure-candidate for NBA Coach of the Year. 

Even this early in the season, he’s helped Utah along on a recent 11-game win streak as well as a streak of winning 20 of 21. Ensuring that his teams play great defense, Snyder has kept the Jazz competitive no matter who they go up against. 

Monty Williams (Phoenix Suns)

2020-21 Record: 19-10

Williams has been a respected coach in the NBA for a very long time. Building a winning culture in Phoenix over the past year, while also helping make the Suns as attractive destination for players around the league has been impressive. 

Although the Suns haven’t made the playoffs since the 2009-10 season, Williams has put together an impressive season thus far and is trending towards breaking that dry spell. The relationship between Chris Paul and Monty Williams is special and will pay off in the long-run. 

The post NBA Award Watch: 2021 Coach of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Lawrence Frank of the LA Clippers won the NBA Executive of the Year Award for his ability to acquire both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in one offseason. While he certainly will be considered to win it for a second straight season after making more impactful moves in the most recent offseason, he’s got plenty of competition. There were many big moves made this offseason and even early into the 2020-21 regular season.

At the quarter mark of the 2020-21 season, we broke down our top five Executive of the Year candidates.

James Jones (Phoenix Suns)

Killing two birds with one stone, James Jones made the Suns a playoff team by acquiring Chris Paul, which in turn kept Devin Booker happy. After Phoenix had a 8-0 record in the bubble, they’ve carried that momentum with their new look team into the 2020-21 season.

Not only did he acquire Paul, but Jones made several other key moves this offseason to add depth and role players to the roster. Signing players like Jae Crowder, Frank Kaminsky and Langston Galloway have rounded out what looks like one of the better roster in the Western Conference.

Sean Marks (Brooklyn Nets)

While acquiring Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving occured two offseasons ago, this is the first seaosn they’ve played together meanin that Sean Marks deserves credit. Furthermore, he made a secondary move to acquire James Harden recently, putting together a superstar trio.

This was a string of all-in moves by Marks, who has put together one of the best trios in NBA history. If he is able to build the team back out and add depth around these three, he will only deserve this award even more.

Sam Presti (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Sam Presti had yet another successful offseason making deals with multiple teams around the league to acquire young players and draft capital. When it comes to positing a team for the perfect rebuild, Presti continues to do so.

Just one season after getting paid to take on Chris Paul, he flipped him for additional assets. Presti also got the most possible value he could out of other guys this offseason like Dennis Schroder. The Thunder are still winning games this season and staying competitive with their young roster, showing just how good this team is setting up to be.

Rob Pelinka (Los Angeles Lakers)

After the Lakers won an NBA championship last season, Rob Pelinka found a way to make the team even better. Although they were already top-heavy with talent last season, they now have much improved depth after Pelinka was able to acquire Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell, and Marc Gasol this offseason.

Additionally, he was able to re-sign key players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. This was all accomplished without having to lose many of their key pieces.

Travis Schlenk (Atlanta Hawks)

After several years of rebuilding, Travis Schlenk made big moves this offseason to get Atlanta over the hump and competitive enough to be a playoff contender. He was able to acquire Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Rajon Rondo, and Kris Dunn in a two-month span to support his young core.

These acquisitions were all made while the Hawks were able to retain the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to select Onyeka Okongwu. Trae Young is already a superstar in this league, and Schlenk is taking advantag of that now.

The post NBA Award Watch: 2021 Executive of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, George says that he was talking to the referee before the altercation with Paul ensued.

“I was talking to the ref, [Chris Paul] jumped in and it escalated from there,” George said, per ESPN. “There was never any altercation, there was always peace when I am on the floor but for whatever reason, there’s a lot of chirping and people just living in the past.”

“Last year was last year. I’m in a new situation; I am in a different mindset. Any of that hate stuff, you got to ask them. I don’t know where that’s coming from.”

Booker, on the other hand, says that what happened between him and George was “nothing.” The two of them received technical fouls shortly after the exchange.

George has been dealing with a lot of criticism since his underwhelming performance against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals last season. The Clippers blew a 3-1 series lead, while George shot 4-for-16, and finished with only 10 points.

“I had a tough year last year,” George says. “People think it’s sweet, man, people think it’s sweet because I was down. I didn’t hear none of this my 10 years in the league but last year, people living on that last year. And I got to answer that. And I am ready to compete. I’m back.“

This season, PG says he’s focused on letting his game do all the talking. After putting in work during the offseason, George had quite the season-opener debut against the Lakers. On Sunday, he dropped 39 points and nailed seven three-pointers in a 112-107 win against the Suns.

“I don’t talk, I play my game,” George says. “For whatever reason, it’s dudes talking. Like, never heard people talking [before], and it’s never been directed towards me but for some reason it’s a lot of mouth. And it’s fine. I got to play up to that.

“I’ll go through the fire. It’s fine. As long as we come out on top, we win and I am helping my team win. That’s all that matters. Save the rest, they can do what they want. I’m locked in and it’s more so about me being at peace and at ease.”

Considering the fact that he’s currently averaging 25.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game to start off the season, George definitely looks like a new and improved version of himself.

The post Paul George: There’s a Lot of Chirping and People Just Living in the Past appeared first on SLAM.

Perhaps their most underrated acquisition of the offseason is Nicolas Batum, who has given the Clippers extremely productive numbers when he take the floor. On the flip side, after extending Luke Kennard to a new deal, he’s failed to make much of a positive impact in Los Angeles.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

Nicolas Batum	7.6p, 6.4r, 3.4a
Paul George	22.4p, 5.8r, 5.6a
Kawhi Leonard	25.0p, 3.3r, 5.7a	–
Terance Mann	2.0p, 2.2r, 1.0a	–
Serge Ibaka	14.0p, 6.6r, 2.0a	–
Amir Coffey	2.4p, 0.4r, 0.6a	–
Ivica Zubac	10.4p, 2.8r, 0.8a
Patrick Patterson	2.5p, 2.5r, 0.8a
Mfiondu Kabengele	1.0p, 0.8r, 0.4a
Reggie Jackson	7.0p, 2.0r, 2.0a
Patrick Beverley	8.0p, 3.4r, 0.8a
Lou Williams	10.8p, 3.0r, 2.8a
Luke Kennard	7.8p, 2.6r, 2.0a

Team-by-Team Breakdown

The post Heat Check 2020-21: Los Angeles Clippers appeared first on SLAM.

This continued into the following season as George opened a new chapter of his career with the Clippers. In a crucial game against the Clippers at the end of the 2019-20 regular season, Lillard missed a key free throw, which Marcus Morris and Patrick Beverley found amusing. They would go on to mock him from the bench.

This would continue even after the game, as comments on Instagram would further escalate the issue.

As the Trail Blazers and Clippers match up Wednesday night, Damian Lillard was asked if Blazers versus Clippers is a rivalry. In his eyes, it’s not. 

“I thought a rivalry was built on the court, you know what I’m saying? I don’t think this is a rivalry.”

Lillard thinks that rivalries are built on the court, which disqualifies this situation since most of the commentary occurred from the sidelines and and off the court. Regardless, these two teams matching up for the first time since this all started will be fascinating to watch. 

The post Damian Lillard Thinks There Is No Rivalry Between Clippers and Trail Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

You probably know him as @koolmac on IG, the artist, photographer, and content creator with a unique, one-of-a-kind, fresh style that shot the entire Sierra Canyon basketball team last season. Looks, who is from the Bay Area, would travel up all the way there to document Bronny’s freshman year, as well as the rest of the squad. 

He was there in the locker room to capture Amari Bailey and Zaire Wade hitting the woah, then he was there on the court to document Brandon Boston strumming a guitar after hitting a clutch shot. After the games, Look would snap pictures of the players with their families, such as this one of Bronny hugging his sister, Zhuri, and mom, Savannah. 

Look’s portfolio doesn’t stop there, though. He’s shot everyone from Shareef O’Neal to the NBA for the past three years. You’ve probably liked, commented, and shared his work, such as his stop motion videos of LeBron James, Trae Young, and Jayson Tatum. Look effortlessly captures poetry in motion, and his videos have garnered over 200,000 views. Look himself has 166K followers on IG.

A few days ago, Look shot the Lakers-Clippers season opener and was one of the few photographers allowed inside the Staples Center. While the circumstance was less than ideal, as photographers had to get shots through plexiglass rather than being allowed onto the court, Look as he always does, came away with some fire content.

His photos perfectly capture the special moment, from ‘Bron’s gleeful reaction to getting his championship ring to Montrezl Harrell soaring over Patrick Beverley. He admits that even amongst the high-flying dunks and anticipation of being back on the court, Staples Center just didn’t quite feel the same. 

Yet, few know his story, or how he even picked up a camera in the first place. Like the players he shoots, you only know what you’ve seen on the ‘gram—but he’s gotten this far through hard work, hustle, a sh** ton of talent, and, of course, earning the trust of his subjects.

“LeBron has been a role model to me, ever since I was a little kid,” Look says. “I had his first shoe that every dropped, I have his rookie card set, I’ve always been a fan. It’s amazing that someone like that respects my art, appreciates it, trusts me, and is willing to share it with the world. It’s not just LeBron—it goes for all these athletes that I work with, whether it’s ‘Bron, Bronny, Shareef, Shaq, or even little kids that come up to me at events and just want me to take their picture to say that I took it.”

Game speaks for itself, though. To let Look tell his own story, SLAM chatted with him to learn more about how he got his start, his artistry and attending the Lakers season-opener.

SLAM: Yo Cam! We saw that you were shooting at the Lakers’ season-opener. Tell us about that experience and, as a photographer, how different it was compared to last season: 

Look: It was really weird, to be completely honest. Last year I had a routine down where I know exactly where I’m going to park,  what door I go in, where I put my bag and all of that is completely different now. They put me in a different parking lot, I’m at the bottom of a structure it’s real barren and empty. As soon as I got my credential, I was expecting to be briefed by PR or have some type of paper handout with directions and things like that, but once I was in the building I was just in. Nobody told me what to do or where to go. 

Sometimes the Lakers have closed practice before shoot-around, so you can’t go shoot the court, but I walked in and asked ushers, ‘Do you know where media is supposed to go? What are the rules? Where am I supposed to shoot from?’ And they were like, ‘We have no idea, we just know you can’t go in right now.

It was spooky, there was not a soul in sight in some parts of the arena. Everything was just off, not the usual vibe or positive, exciting, showtime-type of energy. It was really weird. 

What was going through your head at the moment once the game started, and how you had to navigate those limitations?

The best word I can use to describe it that was honestly going through my mind while watching [the game] or editing [photos] was empty. There was no energy, no fans, it’s not how it should be. Even in certain plays that were spectacular, there was no reaction from anybody. A play where LeBron has a big dunk over Paul George, usually that would have set the building on fire and everyone would have been going crazy, it almost makes you second guess and question, as the viewer, ‘wait was that really amazing or not?’ It’s hard to feel engaged because the only people you hear screaming are the bench, and that was just very faint. It’s not the same. I would describe it as not even like an NBA game, it felt like a closed-door scrimmage. 

Even being in the building and watching it in person, everybody seemed really flat. [The players] still get excited here and there but it’s not the same type of excitement, and to me watching it, it seemed like a scrimmage, like a practice. Not a professional game or anything on that entertainment level. Very empty. 

 Still, you very much-so captured the positive moments from the game—like LeBron James getting his ring. Walk us through your thought process when you were shooting on the court: 

As an artist, in terms of how I’m capturing the game, the motion and the symmetry and body movements that I’m looking for are still the same, but I’d say [I wanted to] evoke the emotion of emptiness and loneliness in that arena. That’s where you’ll see my compositions differ: I tried to get a lot of wides, of LeBron James looking this big and all this black open space and empty seats behind him. 

It’s one thing to look at those images by themselves, isolated as the pictures that I posted, but it would be really powerful to go back and look at my archives from last year and that’s something I had in mind. Trying to get similar compositions from pictures I took during a sold-out Staples Center last year, versus what it’s going to look like now. That’s where you’ll really be able to see them side-by-side and see that [a game now feels] really weird and off. It’s crazy how fast things can change and it’s very apparent in that arena that things are not the same. 

How’d you get your start as a photographer? Not many people know your full story. Spill the tea. 

I definitely have been asked to touch upon it many times, but I’ve been pretty selective about sharing. The funny, ironic part is I actually bought my camera in July of 2017, because I was trying to sell clothes. My clothing brand was called Good Looks, originally that’s what I called my barber business when I used to cut hair, that was my hustle in college. I was cutting dudes on the UC Irvine men’s basketball team, and I’ve always played basketball, it’s a big part of my life. And, I’ve always been tapped into Youtube, watching top prospects, back to when it was only hoop mixtapes and Ball is Life. 

When I first got that camera, I just got tired of paying photographers for content because I knew exactly how I wanted it to look, how I wanted to edit the pictures, so in my mind, the only thing I was missing was understanding how to press the button [on a camera]. I started shooting my clothes, and I was also shooting concerts: I shot everyone from Travis Scott, Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar. 

Really?

Yeah, and crazy story: my first time ever shooting a concert, I was on stage with Marshmello. I had no idea what the hell I was doing, I was just there, snapping away. I think that goes to show how crazy and fast the journey has come because some people would work years to get to the point, and my first day with the camera was shooting an event. 

Bol Bol actually used to live around Irvine, and at Day N Night, I saw him in the crowd. He was in the pit, which is usually where you need special access to get into, I took one picture of him in the dark, just a random picture, and I DM’d it to him. Then, he ended up responding and I asked him to shoot. 

So, I pulled up on him in Irvine at his apartment, thinking we’re going to shoot him hooping and doing something, and it wasn’t even that—I didn’t even shoot him playing basketball. He’s all about fashion, so I shot him in his Jordans, Off-White. It was a streetwear shoot. I had him on a stair-case, a big, 7-foot dude sitting on a staircase [and] walking around Orange County. 

You see a 7-foot Bol and me at like 5-foot-6 next to him. It was funny, and after we did that shoot he posted the pictures, and Shareef [O’Neal] liked it and showed love and followed me. 

Is that how you transitioned into sports photography? 

Well, you have to keep in mind that at that point in time, it was all video content for basketball. Cassy Athena, obviously, is in the mix but there wasn’t a huge pool of photographers on the sidelines, like that. 

I remember going back home to my friends at school and telling them, ‘I feel like there’s a niche for creative, sports photography. I don’t see anybody, because at this point I’m taking pictures at concerts, I’m doing street photography with neon lights and playing with reflections, just super creative, saturated, and high contrast, not your traditional Getty photography. Don’t get me wrong, I have the most respect for people that take images like that, it’s not even that I don’t like it, it’s just me personally, I like how more heavily edited images look. 

So, what came next?

Well, I got tapped in with ‘Reef and I went to the first game of his senior year—which was the first game I ever shot. Think about that: that was only a short time ago. 

I still remember that day, and I had no idea what the rules were. I was like, ‘Okay, he texted me where the game was, I don’t know if I’m allowed to bring my camera in or not.’ I had this little dinky, small Sony camera, I didn’t have all my equipment yet, and I had to pay to get in. This is how naive I am: I just walked to the baseline and I stood there, and no-one told me that I wasn’t allowed to be there so I just started taking pictures. 

Looking back at those images now, I was trash. But, literally at that point in time, when I was sending the pictures to kids, they were like, ‘Oh my god, this is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. These are amazing.’ 

Reef ended up posting the picture, which was a massive win to me. I went to the next game, and he posted again. It kept going and going and, inevitably, you start to build a relationship with the family who is definitely one of the best groups of people that I’ve met. All the way from Shaq and Shaunie, and all the siblings, aunties, and uncles. I’m an only child and from the Bay Area, so I don’t really get to see my family much and they became a home away from home. They’re the closest thing I would have to hanging out with relatives. 

You’ve photographed everyone from LeBron James to his son, Bronny, as well as Shareef O’Neal and others. How did you cultivate those relationships and gain the trust of not only athletes but their families? 

I rocked real close with Shareef, his whole senior year. Every game I could make it to, I was there. If he has a tournament in Arizona, I was driving there on my own, I’m spending my own money, I’m crashing at a friends house and shooting him—not getting paid a dime by nobody, I’m just there because of the relationship, wanting to create, and really believing that there’s this niche that I can carve out and this space.

Eventually, the year goes by, and the big news hits that LeBron is coming to LA, and then inevitably you also get the news that Bronny is going to attend Crossroads—which is where the O’Neals were enrolled at that time. 

One day I was at the O’Neal’s house for a birthday, and Bronny was there. They introduced me to him and told him that I was that takes all the pictures they post. They were like, ‘I’m sure he’ll get you some fire pictures in the future.’ It was all really organic, I couldn’t have forced it to happen, it just fell into my lap and was natural. 

I really do pride myself on the relationship I have with these athletes, I tell people, ‘I don’t want to be your photographer or your camera guy. I just want to be like family. It just happens that I have a camera with me.’ 

That definitely shows through your work and how you’re able to capture those off-the-court moments. As a viewer, it almost feels like we’re there, with the subject in the locker room or the dance circle. 

Yeah, and whenever I’m with the O’Neals or whoever, it’s never them telling me, ‘Cam, go do that. Or, go do this.’ I’m literally just hanging out, at the dinner table eating, too. If I see something I like, then I’ll take my camera out and take a picture.

I slowly, slowly, slowly built that relationship with the James, too. I’d see them here or there. I shot him on the EYBL circuit, in Indiana, and at Peach Jam. I had done a couple of other things on a personal level with them, so that relationship over the past two years has been gradually building. 

How did you get involved with Sierra Canyon?

I had been shooting Sierra Canyon before Bronny was even there, when Cassius, KJ and Scotty were there. I was familiar with the vibe there, the school, and the drive, and I knew I wanted to get tapped in. Once Bronny started high school there, I got in touch with the Athletic Director, he got me in touch with the coach, Dre [Andre Chevalier], and it took a little bit of convincing. 

I told him what I wanted to do, and he had seen some of my work. It just made sense because the trust was there from the James family, I had shot with Amari [Bailey] before, and people were familiar with me already. It wasn’t like I was some random dude that was thirty because Bronny was going to school, it just made sense. 

Yet, you didn’t just capture what was on the court—you showed a different side to the Sierra Canyon team during a crazy time when the world was in awe of them, and Bronny. Talk more about your vision for photographing them last season? 

That just goes back to the core of me just really priding myself on the relationships. To me, it’s just normal. Very, very, very few times have I ever been starstruck or anxious or nervous to meet somebody, but 99% of these dudes are normal a** people. I really want to just humanize these people and it’s a reminder to me that some people do only see these people on the internet or on their TV. They might see them in-person only once. 

It’s really cool to show that, yeah you see them dunking on people and clapping their hands but these are kids that are eating gummy bears and sleeping on each other’s shoulders, doing homework and they love to dance. What’s crazy is that my dance videos of Sierra Canyon probably got more engagement than any of my basketball content. That just goes to show that basketball is just tied into culture, fashion, music, all of that stuff is a melting pot. Even people that don’t necessarily want to watch Bronny play all the time are down to see them dance to some Lil Keed. 

Being able to capture that experience from A to Z, especially with the crazy amount of attention that the team had with BJ Boston, Ziaire Williams, Z-Wade and Bronny was really amazing. I was aware of what it was, that’s why I wanted to do it, but I don’t think we’ll really be able to appreciate that [content] until 10-20 years from now when we look back at those archives. Those guys are rockstars, and I can definitely say I’ve never in my life been around energy like that, at any level of sport. 

Describe your artistic style? Your images have such a unique quality to them. 

The best way I have to explain my style of photography is: you could take a picture of somebody dunking a basketball on someone’s head, but what if I told you that I could go out to the parking lot, take a picture through the doorway of somebody dunking and I could capture that same exact moment? That’s intriguing, that’s different. I’m still telling the same exact story, but now you’re looking at it from a completely different lens. 

I’m just giving people what I think is cool. That’s just me being me, there’s no science behind it.

I might go to a game and the only shot I’m looking for is the dude palming the ball, full-extension so that I could twist it upside down versus Shaq hugging Shareef. I’m always looking for the creative composition and an image that you’ve never seen before or thought was cool. Sometimes you can create something out of nothing. 

You’ve also received some criticism for having them look “overexposed.” What are your thoughts about that?

It’s completely wrong by the textbook. I haven’t taken classes but I just know that they’re blown out, my highlights are too bright, sometimes you can’t even see the dudes feet and he’s got white shoes on. I’m well aware of that, it’s not like I’m here throwing stuff up thinking it’s the greatest stuff in the world. I’m aware of the flaws in some aspects in my work, but if you do something wrong enough and enough people gravitate towards it, all of a sudden it becomes right. 

Tell me about your other projects as well, like the “Jelly” and Good Looks basketballs. 

Ideas just come to my head sometimes. I get a lot of ideas, and some of them hit and I’ll put an idea in my phone while other times it’ll be 2 a.m. and I’ll sit up straight, open up my laptop and try to execute it. It’s crazy because sometimes these ideas take months to come into fruition, or it just evolves over time. What a lot of people don’t realize is that they see me doing the basketball that stays in the middle of the screen, tracking it and all that, and they think maybe I did that last year, but I had tried something similar to that all the way back in 2018 on Luka Doncic…I really just built on it, built on it, and perfected it. 

I don’t try to model myself or copy anyone else, and I see a lot of people try to mimic the thing I do but they’re not finding the answer and doing it exactly as I am because there is no tutorial online. I created my own method of doing it. That’s why you’ll see something that looks similar but it’s just not the same. As an artist, and just me, that’s why I’ve amounted the success I’ve had so far because at the end of the day I’m just being who I am, and you could try to take a shortcut and copy X-Y or Z person, but once I built my following and my platform, it’s just effortless. 

I’ll never claim to be the first person, but I do believe that I have helped popularize and put  a lot of eyes on something that becomes trending. There’s a huge difference. 

What keeps you inspired and motivated? 

I just like telling stories and I just get bored easily. That’s why I’ve tried to go so far outside the box, I’ve taken hundreds, maybe millions of pictures by now and I know that I can take a good picture of somebody running with a basketball, or somebody going up for a dunk and following through for a shot. That’s cool but, it’s not fulfilling enough for me after a while. 

I try not to put myself on a pedestal or get too excited because, and I’m not trying to be cliche, but I’m nowhere near where I want to be. There are so many things that I haven’t accomplished and so many aspects of photography that I haven’t even mastered. I’ve never taken a class on photography, I’m self-taught and I’m very well aware that I’m deficient in studio, understanding lighting and things like that, but everyone can go to these games and take pictures. I want my work on a billboard, I-405 in Los Angeles. I want to be the photographer Nike hires to do their Fall-2022 campaign, that’s what I’m trying to do. Most importantly, I want to take the picture that you see hanging in your hallway, that’s the picture I want.

What’s next for you, as a creative?  

People know me for what I do with basketball, but the things that I’m doing could be applied to football, baseball, soccer, boxing or golf. I don’t want to just shape basketball, I want to shape digital sports photography and that applies to everything. There’s so many things that I haven’t touched on that I have an interest in and I pay attention to. 

Another goal, for those basketballs that I’ve been making, is I have a bunch of samples behind me that maybe I don’t want to show you right now [laughs] but how ironic would it be if in tunnel walk-ins, what’s the one thing that nobody brings to a basketball game? A basketball. 

Literally!

I don’t see anybody walking in with branded basketballs, maybe they’ve done it before but that’s ironic. That’s going to create a little buzz, like, why is he bringing a basketball to a basketball game? So, that would be a big step for my brand, personally. 

But, there’s no end goal for me yet. Maybe I’ll realize what it is one day,  but at this point in time, I’m just trying to keep growing and experiment with my art. I’m blessed enough that these amazing athletes with platforms bigger than myself are willing to share it. That’s the most important and empowering part to me because my art is not traditional. When X-Y-and-Z athlete posts it, all of a sudden, it becomes validated in someone’s eyes. 

The post Cameron Look is the Photographer Who Found His Own Path appeared first on SLAM.

We broke down the Clippers’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Clippers’ offseason.

Biggest Questions

• Is Serge Ibaka the perfect fit? Last season, as great as Montrezl Harrell was, he wasn’t able to stretch the floor late in games. Ibaka has the ability to create space in the lane for drivers as well as anchor the backside of their defense.
• Can Luke Kennard stay healthy? Just a day before their season opener, the Clippers signed Kennard to a fairly large deal, even without ever playing a single regular season game in a Clippers uniform. He’s had a history of injuries but when healthy is worth every penny.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries