July 2010

By James Blackburn

James continues his scouting of the NBA summer league games in Orlando, where many rookies are getting their first chance to prove themselves in the NBA.

Game 4 – 7:00 game
Pacers (1-1) vs. Nets (1-1)
Nets win 80-69
Box Score

GAME NOTES
• Both teams are running in transition.

• A lot of high light real plays/dunks in this exciting game.
Image Source: AP

Scouting Reports
Nets

Terrence Williams (34 min, 8-18 FG, 1-2 3 pt, 7-9 FT, 7 reb, 7 ass, 9 TO, 24 tp)- Again Williams led the Nets in points, but this game he had some help. He is really good at creating contact and drawing fouls. When he goes left he looks to pass, or he picks dribble up- loves to go right. Nice looking jumper and turn around jumper- with good elevation. Had a tough time handling the ball today and looked flustered under pressure- with 9 TO.

Derrick Favors (28 min, 5-8 FG, 2-4 FT, 3 reb, 6 fls, 12 tp)- Was in foul trouble again, but was able to stay on the floor longer than yesterday. The Nets played him at PF most of the game with Zoubek at Center. This is a good move because although Favors can play center ( position played at GT in college)- he needs to learn how to play high post because the Nets have Lopez a great player at center already. He does not look comfortable this game- looks tired. Should have had more rebounds, did not pursue the ball as much as he should have- lack of energy/effort. He looked out of his element playing PF and high post. Has a nice hook shot- can shoot it with either hand with same consistency.

Damion James (35 min, 8-20 FG, 1- 4 3 pt, 4-13 FT,11 reb, 21 tp)- Is not afraid to shoot the ball, takes a lot of shots- but settles for tough shots- when he can/should go to rim. Is not a bad shooter, has good form, gets square to rim. Has a nice turn around jumper where he fades over his right shoulder- very KG like- impossible to block. Poor FT shooter, considering he is a good jump shooter.

Pacers

Paul George (31 min, 5-15 FG, 0-7 3pt, 8 reb, 3 ass, 7 st, 10 tp)- Good rebounder, great defender- long arms helps him play passing lanes well. Loves to get out in transition and run, where he is most effective- in open court. Is very athletic- highlight reel machine. Needs to improve jumper, settles for outside jumper way to much. Needs to get his dribble tighter and improve his range. He turns his body in the air when shooting-not square to rim. He is able to finish with contact- but needs to get stronger.

Lance Stephenson (25 min, 7-10 FG, 1-1 FT, 3 reb, 3 ass, 15 tp)- Good productive game offensively. Is a very crafty and good passer. Is very fast/stealth in open court- where he is creative with ball. Very effective ball fakes that can throw defender off balance. Is a good rebounder- uses body well- big/strong. Loves spin move on baseline. Jumps in the air a lot when he passes- sometimes he gets in trouble- needs to stay down. Good finisher at the rim with good crafty moves to put ball in basket with contact. Good defense on Williams- forced him left.

Thomas Heurtel (14 min, 2-6 FG, 1-3 3 pt, 2 reb, 2 ass, 5 tp)- Is a solid PG, you know what you are getting with Heurtel. Is a good passer- threw a nice overhead pass in transition. Has a quick release- good shooter. Has nice right to left crossover- very quick- has nice floater- good defense- stays glued to his man.

Magnum Rolle (30 min, 3-6 FG, 3-5 FT, 3 reb, 3 blks, 9 tp)- Very athletic player- put T. Williams on a poster with a huge 2 handed dunk- where he had both elbows over the rim. Has excellent timing with weak side blocks. Is active on the glass. Nice second round pick.

By James Blackburn

Game 1 – 1:00 game
Utah (1-1) vs. Orlando (0-2)
Jazz win 78-73
Box Score

GAME NOTES

• One of the Officials is like 6’10” – he’s also a good official.

• Utah is playing good P and R team defense- doing a great job rotating.

• Utah is running in transition to start the game.

• Orlando is turning the ball over a lot.

• Orlando is having a tough time even getting the ball in bounds.

• Jerry Sloan is sitting a few seats down from me on the front row.

Gordon Hayward Summer League
Image Source: AP

Scouting Reports

Utah

Gordon Hayward ( 19 min., 3-5 FG, 1-2 3 pt, 7-8 FT, 2 reb., 2 ass, 1 blk, 14 tp)- Hayward came out looking a lot more comfortable than yesterday. He was also more assertive and looked to score a little bit more. He had a really nice athletic block on Ewing Jr. He continues to make the right play whether it be in half court or on the break. He is a great shooter, and he hit a big 3 at the end of the game, and also hit his FT’s. He is also a strong rebounder. Look for him to continue to improve every game.

Sundiata Gaines (20 min, 3-6 FG, 1-3 FT, 3 reb., 3 ass, 7 TO, 7 tp)- Gaines is most known for hitting a game winning 3 in his first NBA game after being called up last season. He struggled with TO’s today, but is a good and willing passer. He also did a good job changing speeds in P and R situations, and was able to attack the basket several times and finish.

Tyrese Rice (16 min., 2-5 FG, 2-2 FT, 1 reb, 4 ass, 5 TO, 6 tp)- Tyrese did not have as good of showing as yesterday, but still played a solid game. He struggled today when Sean Singletary was guarding him. He showed good anticipation on defense, getting a few steals. Is a good passer. Had a nice acrobatic tip in too. Is too out of control to make a roster and he gives up too much on the defensive end.

Jeremy Evans ( 15 min. , 3-6 FG, 5 reb, 2 ass, 2 blks, 6 tp)- Jeremy Evans, Utah’s second round pick, played a solid game. Evans is super athletic and can finish with contact. He is a good passer too. He is very long and runs the floor well. Good timing on blocking shots. He is an intriguing player with lots of upside.

Orlando

Trey Gilder ( 12 min., 1-2 FG, 2 blk., 3 tp)- His stats wont impress you, but this young man, who played in the D-League last year, can really play. He is very long, lanky, and this enables him to play great defense. He plays the passing lanes well. He has a high release on his jumper. Definitely a guy to keep an eye on.

Patrick Ewing Jr ( 27 min., 7-12FG, 2-4 3pt, 1-2 FT, 3 reb, 2 blk, 17 tp)- Another solid game from Ewing today. He continued to show he can shoot, both of the screen or off the dribble. He tends to fade on his jumper though. He also continued to show off his athleticism. Had a very nice block on Koufos.

Daniel Orton (17 min., 0-6 FG, 2-4 FT, 2 reb, 1`blk, 2 tp)- Daniel had another rough game today. We will start with what he did well. He did display some more patience today in the post, but was not able to capitalize. He altered/blocked several shots in the paint today. Now the bad- He looked really tired/out of shape today- several times he only ran to half court, and had his hands on his knees only several minutes into the game. He sets poor screens, and sometimes falls asleep on defense, losing sight of the ball. He recovers too late on defense and does a poor job rotating. He is not effective at all at he high post, and needs to do a better job finishing. He definitely would have benefited from at least 1 more year of school, may be 2.

Sean Singletary (13 min., 2-5 FG, 1 reb., 1 ass, 4 tp) – Sean had a pretty solid game today after registering a DNP yesterday. Sean is a very good defensive player, who has quick hands and moves his feet well. He also does a good job fighting over picks. He was a little shaky at the beginning, mis-communicating on several passes and committing a few unforced TO’s, but shook it off and settled in. Showed that he can still shoot, either off the dribble or a set shot. He has picture perfect form- a very calm, fluid looking stroke. Is a good passer too- should have had more assist-put his teammates in very good positions to score.

By James Blackburn

Game 2- 3:00 game
Orlando (0-1) vs. Indiana (1-0)
Pacers win 86-77
Box Score

GAME NOTES
• Was not a very pretty game- lots of fouls and TO’s (64 total fouls and 31 TO’s)

• Larry Bird was sitting one row behind me during the game and was complaining to the officials the entire time. It reminded me of Michael Jordan at Bobcats games, he does the same thing. Its humorous listening to him and Coach Jim O’Brien, who is sitting beside of Bird, go back and forth. You get the feeling sitting there that Larry Bird probably wishes he could get out there and play again, as he was getting frustrated several times with certain plays or players (especially Josh McRoberts)

Paul George
Image Source: AP
• Josh McRoberts and Daniel Orton both got ejected midway through the 3rd quarter after they got into a pushing match.

Scouting Reports

Pacers

Lance Stephenson ( 30 min., 8-10 FG, 5-8 FT, 4 reb, 3 ass., 21 tp)- Lance proved a lot of critics wrong in his first professional game, leading his team to the victory while running the PG the majority of the game. Lance looked very comfortable and in his element through out the game. He is deadly in the open court, where you can see his NYC street ball side come out. Lance is very strong and takes it to the rim with out any fear, with the ability to finish. Several outlets questioned Lance’s athleticism, and while he is not the most athletic player on the floor, he did exhibit good speed and quickness at the PG, and one nice one handed dunk in traffic after splitting the double team from the P and R. He is great in P and R situations, as he changes speeds incredibly well, and has the ability to see and hit the open roll man. He covers a lot of ground and few dribbles and is quick in the open court. Has a good feel for the ball, although sometimes he got himself into trouble by over dribbling. He was smart and was able to establish good post position against the smaller Jerome Randle and get easy scores in the paint. He had one incredible no look pass in the 4th quarter which led to a lay up. He did not shoot often from the perimeter, but when he did he showed a quick release and his jumper was falling today. Sometimes he carries the ball, and picks his dribble up to early in certain situations. Overall, a great showing for the second round pick, showing that his style is more suited for the pro game.

Josh McRoberts (16 min., 3-7 FG, 2-4 3 pt, 2 reb., 10 tp) – Before getting himself ejected for fighting, Josh had a decent game, although it was up and down. One minute he would be showing off his much improved 3 ball and the next minute he would commit a stupid foul. We will see in the coming games if he can put it all together and keep his cool.

Paul George (25 min, 2-7 FG, 1-5 3pt, 7-7 FT, 4 reb, 12 tp)- Paul George is going to be a project. You can see why the Pacers picked him. He is extremely athletic with a pretty decent looking jumper. He can run the floor like a deer and is active on the boards. He sometimes over dribbles and forced some bad shots. Larry Bird better hope he doesnt become the next Julian Wright.

Thomas Heurtel (16 min., 2-6 FG, 1-5 3 pt, 4 reb, 4 ass, 6 tp)- Heurtel’s numbers don’t exactly stand out, but the young PG from France played a solid game. Thomas is very savvy and smart with the basketball. He makes the right play and doesn’t force shots. He is a good passer and makes the right decision on P and R plays. He plays under control and knows his limitations and limits. He is also a good shooter and has a nice pull-up, even though the stats don’t indicate it.

Magic

Stanley Robinson (20 min., 1-4 FG, 7 reb., 2 ass., 4 tp)- Stanley showed me what I already knew before coming into this game. I knew he was athletic and a good rebounder. He has great body control in the air and is active on both ends on the boards. He grabs rebounds with 2 hands and secures them. He also showed me some good defense on George. He must continue to work on his jumper and his handle.

Patrick Ewing Jr (30 min., 7-17,3 reb., 15 tp)- It was interesting to see Patrick Ewing coach his son on the court. Jr is not afraid to shoot the ball. He has good form on his jumper with good rotation. Sometimes he tends to fade when he shoots though. He is also very athletic and acrobatic.

Jeff Adrian (20 min., 2-4 FG, 9-15 FT, 10 reb., 13 tp)- Adrian is a beast to put it mildly. His arms are the size of my legs. Adrian did well in his time on the court. He is a very strong, physical rebounder, who grabs the ball with 2 hands. He can finish at the rim, one time almost bringing the goal down with a 2 handed dunk. Needs to work on his offensive game, as he looks lost on that end. Could be the next Brandon Bass.

Daniel Orton (13 min. 1-8 FG, 3 reb., 5 FL, 3 tp)- Very poor showing from the first round pick out of Kentucky. Not only did he get ejected for fighting, but when he was on the floor he did nothing. He did display a good box out and ability to establish good post position, while giving a target hand. But when he gets the ball he is in too much of a hurry and puts up a poor shot. He does have the ability to draw fouls, with a wide body. He should have attended another year of school to get more reps.

By James Blackburn

Game 4- 7:00 game
New Jersey (0-1) vs. Philadelphia (1-0)
76ers win 84-74
Box Score

GAME NOTES

• The 76ers push the ball every possession.

• Terrance Williams is the only source of Nets offense.

• Doug Collins was sitting a couple seats down from me. He was coaching the game the entire time from his seat, calling out plays, motioning to the assistant on the bench who to take out and who to play. He was even calling players over and talking to them. It was very interesting.

• Last game of the day, gym would normally be clearing, but this is the weeks most interesting matchup- Favors vs. Turner.

Terrence Williams

Scouting Reports

Nets

Derrick Favors (24 min., 2-8 FG, 4-7 FT, 9 reb., 7 Fls, 2 blks, 8 tp)- Favors opening debut was less than spectacular, but you can see why NJ drafted him. When he develops an offensive game, the Nets will have one of the youngest, most talented front courts in the League with Lopez. Favors is a presence in the paint. He either blocks or alters shots near him. He runs the floor well and can finish at the rim. One thing that is going to hinder Favors is that he is very foul prone. Instead of staying straight up on defense, he extends his arms and reaches across the body, causing the officials to blow the whistle a lot. He needs to be more patient on the offensive end on the block. He is active on both ends on the boards. Has ability to face the basket and create or he can give wrap around pass from high post.

Terrance Williams (32 min., 8-12 FG, 1-1 3pt,6-9 FT, 7 ass, 23 tp)- Great game from Williams, who lead the Nets in points and assist. Williams had the ball in his hands 75% of the time and ran a lot of P and R for him. He is incredibly explosive going to his right, where he finished very LeBron like above the rim several times. Has a nice jumper and can put the ball on the floor and pull up. He has NO LEFT HAND, which the 76ers were aware of and still couldn’t stop him. Also played solid D on Turner. It will be interesting to see if he plays point forward some this season, with showings like this.

76ers

Evan Turner (27 min., 2-5 FG, 8-8 FT, 8 reb, 4 ass, 2 st, 12 tp)- Turner showed that he can fill up the stat sheet and could be a triple double threat down the road. He has great ball control and showed several nice dribble moves that freed himself for jumpers. Has a smooth stroke on his jumper. Has ability to get to the rim and finish. Good dribble pull up. Has very quick hands and plays solid D. He is smart and draws fouls well. Can take the ball coast to coast and finish. He is a good passer and is tall enough to see over the defense. Good solid game where he didn’t force any action and let the game come to him.

Cedric Simmons (16 min, 3-3 FG, 2-5 FT, 4 reb, 8 tp) – Simmons runs the floor very well. He is a big and strong PF, who needs to continue to work on his offensive game. He needs to extend his shooting range. He is a very quick leaper and can finish strong at the rim.

Marreese Speights (30 min. 1-11 FG, 4-5 FT, 7 reb, 6 Fls, 3 st, 6 tp)- Very frustrating game for the second year man out of Florida. He has a pretty jumper but it just wasn’t falling. He did settle for a lot of tough shots, like Kevin Garnett fade aways. He loves to turn over his right shoulder and do a fade away jumper.

Jodie Meeks (28 min., 5-12 FG, 2-5 3 pt, 6-9 FT, 5 reb, 18 tp)- Jodie is a great shooter, who does a good job of moving without the ball and running off the screens set for him. He has good footwork, where he gets his feet set, squares his shoulders and shoots. He showed good anticipation on defense. He also boxes out well and is athletic. He showed off his creativity in the air several times with pretty finishes.

Jrue Holiday (31 minutes, 8-13 FG, 1-4 3pt, 6-11 FT, 4 reb, 8 ass, 1 st, 23 tp)- Great game from Holiday, who had an up and down rookie season last year in Philly. Displayed great PG skills from his ball handling to decision making to his passing. Coach Collins seemed to really like him. We could be seeing Holiday and Turner as the starting back court in Philly this season. Has a good pull up and set shot. Is a great ball handler, but sometimes over dribbles. He gives good soft deliveries on alley-oop lobs. Very active on defense end, with quick hands. Is a solid scorer and defender who is a good passer. Did a good job of following Coach Collins instructions and ran the offense to perfection.

Kevin Durant summer league
Image Source: ESPN

By James Blackburn

Game 3- 5:00 game
Boston (0-1) vs. OKC (1-0)
Thunder win 87-82
Box Score

GAME NOTES

• Boston was very patient at the beginning of the game, not forcing shots and sharing the ball.

• Boston played good team defense and closed out on the shooters.

• The Thunder brought Harden, White, Ibaka, Weaver, and Maynor with them- went from being the youngest team in the NBA to the most experienced team at Summer League.

• The Thunder started off sluggish, but came out in the second half with a bang- and eventually just wore Boston out- with its size and athleticism.

• Kevin Durant was present, sitting on the Thunder bench.

Scouting Reports

Celtics

Luke Harangody ( 27 min., 9-13 FG, 4-6 3 pt., 4 reb., 1 blk., 23 tp)- Very solid showing from the rookie out of Notre Dame. Luke proved a lot of skeptics wrong in this game. Luke is an excellent 3 pt shooter, with a quick release and great form. He plays good defense too, always displaying a hand in the shooters face. He also looked a lot trimmer and cut from his college days. Luke is generously listed at 6’8”, but is more like 6’6”. The Celtics might want to think about moving him to play SF, as Pierce backup. He sets solid screens and is a good P and Pop guy. Has a fluid jumper, gets his feet set and doesn’t look hurried. Keeps ball high on rebounds. Displayed the ability to put the ball on the floor and draw the foul or score. Good P and R defense. Not very athletic but had great block on Mullins in 4th quarter. Will play hard the entire game.

Jaycee Carroll ( 29 min., 6-16 FG, 1-4 3pt, 2 reb., 4 ass, 13 tp)- Carroll out of Utah State had a good outing. He is a great shooter who can stroke it from anywhere on the court. He can also make plays off the dribble. He is a pest on defense who will get in you and closeout well.

Thunder

Eric Maynor (33 min, 7-13 FG, 1-1 3pt, 3 reb, 5 ass, 15 tp)- Eric may have had the best performance of a PG all day. Showed the entire package: great shooter, good passer, controlled the game and ran the offense. He showed good body control in the air, with the ability to finish in traffic. Has a nice floater and is a crafty player once he reaches the paint. Has a nice right to left crossover, that is extremely quick.

Serge Ibaka( 17 min., 2-5 FG, 5 reb., 6 tp)- Very strong and physical player. Got hurt in second half and did not return. Is a very good defender, who is a presence in the pain with good shot blocking skills. Has developed a nice sweeping hook going to his right.

Byron Mullens ( 33 min., 6-12 FG, 12-15 FT, 7 reb., 24 tp)- The Celtics did not have an answer for Mullens in the P and R. Mullens, a second year player out of Ohio State, made a living this game at the FT line, where he took advantage hitting 12 FT. Does a great job rolling to the basket, catching the ball, gathering himself and attacking the basket, where he got fouled repeatedly. Very good FT shooter for big man. Athletic player, who is also a solid rebounder.

James Harden (34 min., 2-6 FG, 15-18 FT,3 reb, 2 st, 19 tp)- Harden started off the game deferring to teammates and trying to get everyone involved, but cam out the second half firing and taking command of the game. The Thunder put him in a lot of P and R situations with Mullens with him as the ball handler, which the Celtics did not have an answer for. Harden is very athletic and strong. He is great at attacking the basket, where he can finish with contact. One time he tried to dunk on Harangody- all Luke could do was push him with 2 hands. Is creative and composed with ball in his hands, good things would happen when he would touch it. Had a game saving block on jump shot at end of game.

By James Blackburn

Game 1- 1:00 game
Charlotte (1-0) vs. Utah (0-1)
Bobcats win 85-83
Box Score

GAME NOTES
• Officials are calling game extremely tight- lots of off the ball fouls and moving screens

• The Bobcats are passing the ball really well in the first half

• The Bobcats are letting Utah get back into the game because they are not getting back on defense

• The Jazz are making a living off the FT line – making 31

• The Jazz are having a tough time with the Bobcats length and size on the boards- the Bobcats scored most of there points in the paint in the first half.

• Sightings in the crowd for first game: Vince Carter, Stan Van Gundy, Rod Higgens, Jerry Sloan, Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, and Patrick Ewing.

Gordon Hayward
Image Source: AP

Scouting Reports

Bobcats

Alexis Ajinca ( 24 min., 4-7 FG, 4 reb., 3 blks, 8 tp.)- Showing off athleticism with some nice windmills in warm-ups. Has developed a nice little 12-15 ft. jumper with a very high release. Has a nice hook shot going to his right- very long and athletic player who still needs to gain some weight and get a little stronger. Ajinca’s problem is not on the offensive end, its on the defensive end. Has slow feet and doesn’t defend the Screen and Roll very well. Defense is the reason he can’t get into the game. Other than his defensive shortcomings- very solid showing for Ajinca.

Sherron Collins ( 14 min., 3-4FG, 1-1 3pt, 2 ass., 1 st, 7 tp)- If Sherron plays well during this summer league, he has a good opportunity to earn a roster spot with the uncertainty of Raymond Felton returning, which would leave the Bobcats with only 1 PG in D.J. Augustine. Sherron did a good job controlling the tempo and running the offense this game and scoring when he needed too. He keeps his eyes up and is a willing passer. Knows when to pass and when to shoot (he had 0 TO’s, which Coach Brown would like). He is a smart player with a high Basketball IQ, which is a product of being in Kansas system for so long. He is very strong and physical. Has a nice smooth stroke. He had a really nice coast to coast lay- up at the end of the half.

Gerald Henderson ( 34 min., 7-13 FG, 1-3 3pt, 5-5 FT, 4 ass, 20 tp)- Very solid game for Henderson, who was in a comfort zone the entire game. He was aggressive for the opening tip and was looking to score early and often. Loves to go to his right and is very explosive when he does so. He is a very athletic player, who had several nice over the rim dunks today. Has a very quick first step and rips through well. Can get to the basket and finish with authority and can also finish with acrobatic finesse. Good things happened when he touched the ball. Looked comfortable and composed playing, after being through practices and games in the NBA for a year. Has a good mid range- can create his own shot- Charlotte ran a lot of plays to get him isolations in the first half. Great overall performance.

Derrick Brown (36 min., 6-10 FG, 1-1 3 pt, 7-7 FT, 5 reb., 3 st, 20 tp)- Brown also played an impressive game. He is extremely athletic and tries to dunk the ball every time he attacks the basket which is often. He is a good vocal leader on the floor and is very smart basketball IQ wise. He knew the other teams plays and would shout it out on D.

Shawne Williams (17 min., 3-5 FG, 3 reb., 8 tp)- Shawne quietly had a good game. He was very poised on the court and you could tell he was a vet, having already played in the NBA for 2 different teams in the past. He has a nice offensive game with a great jump shot. He has good step back too.

Jazz

Gordon Hayward (25 min., 2-2 FG, 4-4 FT, 5 reb, 2 ass, 2 st, 8 tp)- A lot of eyes were on Gordon to see what he would do in his first pro game and first game since the finals vs. Duke. Gordon came out very passive and nervous. He looked out of his league in the first half, but settled down and got things going in the second. He does not force shots, and is a very smart player. He won’t have a problem in the league as some think he is not quick enough, big enough, or athletic enough. He is stronger than he looks and is surprisingly somewhat athletic. He is very patient. He plays solid defense, always having a hand in the shooters face. He is a good shooter with good footwork coming off of screens. He is also a good passer and can bring it up the court and finish. Expect to see him progress and get better game by game.

Tyrese Rice (13 min., 3-5 FG,1-2 3 pt, 5-6 FT, 12 tp)- Tyrese is an interesting player. Coming out of Boston College and not getting drafted in 2009 was a surprise to me. He spent last year in the Greek league and put up 12 ppg. Tyrese is a straight scorer, but little else. He is generously listed at 6’1”, but is probably 5’11”. He is a good shooter, but has an extremely low release. Showed off an array of offensive moves in a high scoring 3rd quarter. Has good ball control. I think Rice will spend most of his career overseas, as he is too small to get his shot off ( especially with low release) and the fact that he can do little else besides score. He is a decent passer, but is a defensive liability.

Rodney Purvis (PG, 6’2″, 2013), possibly the top player right now in the 2013 class, let everyone know that Louisville is now recruiting him via Twitter. But it should be no surprise, Purvis is going to get a lot of offers when it’s said and done. He’s got all of the skills needed to succeed and make it to the pro level, he will just need to keep his focus and continue to put in the work.

He certainly seems like the player to do just that. Purvis has a fluid, explosive game, and if he puts in the work to make himself a player who can score from outside and inside, he will be a very hard player to defend against.

Kobe Bryant

It’s no longer a secret that our sports world is more connected than ever. From blogs, to Twitter and even Facebook, there are hundreds…no, thousands…of ways for us to follow and cover the top athletes and sports teams from all over the world. To be honest, for some time, the pro leagues were behind in keeping up with technology, and weren’t considered even the best source of news regarding their own leagues. But now leagues such as the NBA have been working hard to be the top source of basketball information, and they’ve really come a long way. While they will never be the choice for NBA betting news, it could be said at one time that the NBA’s site was the last place to find out information about things like the NBA summer league.

Yes, it’s true that there are still other sites out there that cover pro and college basketball in a way that is better than the leagues, and there’s a reason for that. It’s the same reason why YouTube can put up thousands of new videos every single day. With users all over the world and every possible location, reporting and coverage becomes ubiquitous in a way that no single company could do. This also means that there is a new army of scouts and reporters who are not beholden to any league. That creates more accurate reporting in the long run.

While printed newspapers have been wringing their hands for years about the digital influx of media as it rapidly chips away at their market, the truth is, there is nothing they can do to stop it. Rather than cry foul, those media outlets should be using their considerable networks and resources to carve out new market share. Unfortunately, it seems that most newspapers would rather just “go down with the ship” as opposed to adapting.

Where is all of this going? Only time will tell.

Lebron James free agency

By Marcus Shockley

When Kevin Garnett was asked, just minutes after he and the Boston Celtics had dispatched the Cavaliers from the playoffs, what he thought Lebron should do in the impending free agency period, Garnett advised Lebron to leave the idea of loyalty behind and go out and find a team that could get him a championship.

That advice is coming from a player who also toiled in a secondary market for years, holding on to the idea that he might be able to bring a championship to Minnesota, instead of taking another contract that would get him to a title.

But even though Garnett’s advice is sound, his situation was different than Lebron’s. Garnett’s Minnesota Timberwolves never came close to the success that Lebron and the Cavaliers have already achieved, and Garnett was from Chicago, not Minneapolis.

One key point that so many pundits are completely missing in the Lebron free agent mania is that Lebron does not have to sign with Cleveland for an extended contract. He could sign for as little as two years to stay in Cleveland. That means he would remain the favorite son of his hometown, have two more seasons to figure out how to win a title, and then consider his options all over again. And, at that time, the Nets will be moving to Brooklyn.

Lebron might have a better shot at winning a title elsewhere, but that is ignoring the fact that Cleveland was supposedly the best team over the past two seasons, they just ended up underachieving. It’s better for Lebron to stay in Cleveland for at least two more years, better for the NBA, and better for Cleveland.