Category: NBA (Page 215 of 595)

      Player X discusses NBA groupies

      March 25, 2010 /

      ESPN The Magazine has been running an interesting feature where an unnamed professional athlete writes candidly about his sport. It started with the NFL and now they’re featuring an unnamed NBA player. Here is what he had to say about NBA groupies (Insider subscription required):

      Not that long ago, The Mag’s NFL Player X (whoever he is) estimated that 30 percent of married NFL players cheat on their wives. I was surprised to hear it was that low. In the NBA, I think it’s closer to 60 percent.

      Trades have been arranged because one woman is involved with two guys on the same team. That’s what happened in Dallas some years ago. And right now I know of one girl who is dating two NBA players. One makes her car payments, and the other pays her rent. They don’t know about each other, but they do share a money manager who’s writing both checks. It’s bound to blow up at some point.

      As for the married guys, it’s not that hard for a groupie to get with one of them, either. They’re like regular dudes in corporate America who travel a lot, except they have more money and more opportunities to cheat. They don’t get caught because they keep it on the road, calling their wives all the time to check in.

      In fact, I would guess that 50 percent of NBA wives actually started out as groupies. And a lot of those women are realistic about the scene their spouses are in. They take a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach. They will say something like, “Don’t embarrass me by getting caught.” It’s not that they like the situation, but they understand the circumstances. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that they were in those same clubs looking to get with a professional athlete, no matter how many tries it took.

      The player goes on to wonder why players get married at all, and uses Derek Jeter as example of a player who can pretty much do whatever he wants because he’s single. It’s surprising that more players don’t go that route, though I’d guess that it can be tough to extricate yourself from a relationship that started before you hit the big time.

      NBA, Rumors & Gossip, Women

      Josh Smith buzzer-beating…dunk? [video]

      March 25, 2010 /

      How often do you see a game-winning dunk? Well, you’re about to…

      I’m trying to figure out what the hell Orlando was doing on defense. It looked like J.J. Redick was covering Al Horford (?), while Dwight Howard was cheating over to help on Joe Johnson, who was being covered by Vince Carter. Over on the weak side, Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis were checking three guys — Smith, Mario West and Marvin Williams. When the shot went up, Smith and West went to the glass, and Lewis just turned and watched the shot. He needs to box out someone there, preferably the better athlete (Smith) who has a better shot of following Johnson’s miss.

      It actually kind of reminded me of the NC State/Houston game back in 1983. The final play starts at about the 0:15 mark, and when the shot goes up, you can see Hakeem Olajuwon just turn and face the shot like Lewis did. That allowed Lorenzo Charles to swoop in on the baseline, catch the ball, and dunk it home for the win. Here’s a look:

      What’s the lesson, kids?

      BOX OUT!

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Video

      Did the Lakers make a mistake signing Artest instead of Ariza?

      March 24, 2010 /

      Even Ron Artest himself says (via Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times) that Ariza was a better fit…and a better player.

      “He’s a better player than me,” Artest said Tuesday.

      But Ron-Ron, nobody ever said he was better, we just said he was a better fit.

      “He’s a better player,” Artest repeated emphatically. “He’s won a ring, I haven’t. I can’t even compare to him. He’s a better player.”

      Artest also agrees, incidentally, with the part about Ariza being a better fit.

      “He probably is,” Artest said. “He’s a role player, a great role player. I haven’t been a role player. Many times I’ve had to carry the load, this is a different look for me.”

      I don’t know about you, but I sense a little sarcasm there. Later, Artest talked about how “unbelievable” his defense has been:

      Continue reading »

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip

      LeBron, Wade and Bosh all under the same umbrella

      March 24, 2010 /

      The 2010 NBA free agency period promises to be one of the most exciting in history as several of the league’s best players — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson, to name a few — could change zip codes. It looks like the “Big Three” (LeBron, Wade and Bosh) may be able to share information as the decisions are being made. All three will be represented by Creative Artists Agency.

      Henry Thomas, the Chicago-based agent for Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, joined forces with Leon Rose, the agent for LeBron James, at Creative Artists Agency.

      In a move that the parties involved have attempted to portray as unrelated, William Wesley — the ubiquitous “World Wide Wes” — will be joining the coaches’ division at CAA. Wesley, one of the most connected and influential men in basketball due to his ties to James, Kentucky coach John Calipari and essentially every tentacle of the game, will go from being unofficially powerful to officially powerful in the next 2-3 months, according to a source familiar with his plans.

      What does all of this mean? Simply put, the top three NBA free agents are all under the same representation umbrella — an advantage that will allow them to freely share information about what will be a dizzying, unpredictable free-agent signing period.

      Another interesting note from the article is that Toronto did offer Chris Bosh and extension, but he declined.

      Some have suggested that all three could land in New York, if they were willing to take a cut in guaranteed salary and think big, in terms of championships and endorsements. The chances of three players in their prime leaving approximately $25 million to $30 million on the table isn’t likely, but it’s possible, especially since all three are in essentially the same camp. I’d like to think that LeBron, Wade and Bosh could be that pragmatic — because, on the whole, NYC would be the best long-term situation in terms of overall money and legacy — but I’m still skeptical.

      However, the fact that the three superstars are good friends and, at this point, still mostly ring-less, makes the whole idea intriguing. It can only help that all three are represented by the same agency.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

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