Remembering Tracy McGrady's Greatness As He Retires From The NBA

Tracy McGrady is retiring from the NBA after 16 seasons. (bleacherreport.com)

It's sometimes hard to remember, what now with the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard dominating the game. Tracy McGrady never reached LeBron or Kobe status, but he was one of the best offensive players in the league just as LeBron was entering it. 

McGrady is retiring from the NBA after 16 seasons and seven all-star appearances. That is an eternity in professional basketball standards. McGrady held on well past his prime, now just a sliver of the greatness he exhibited for more than a decade.

Young NBA fans today know of McGrady, but they only remember the twilight years. That's the only problem with holding on to the limelight for as long as possible. What some tend to remember is the last four years spent with five teams, the last in San Antonio when he didn't even play, averaging less than 10 points per game.

That was not the McGrady who was an offense force for most of his career. That was what was left of a great player trying to fight off age and injury.

Let's not let those last few years overshadow how dominant McGrady was throughout his career. Despite averaging seven and 9.3 ppg his first to seasons and 8.2, eight and 5.3 his final three, McGrady still averaged 19.6 ppg for his career.

McGrady will be remembered most for his Orlando years after spending his first three seasons in Toronto. McGrady averaged four of his five highest totals of his career in Orlando in four seasons with 26.8, 25.6, 32.1 and 28 ppg. He then had four more years averaging more than 20 ppg in Houston.

McGrady was a household name in the early to mid 2000s. People wore his Magic and Rockets jerseys and bought his Adidas shoes. Kids pretended to be T-Mac playing in the driveway. Watch his career highlights and it becomes clear why. Like when he scored 13 points in 33 seconds against San Antonio, or his monster dunk on Shawn Bradley. And he was always good for a few passes to himself off the backboard. All of these can be found in the video below.

McGrady is calling it quits in the NBA but is leaving the door open to playing overseas. It's difficult for great players to walk away from the game they've know for so long, which is understandable. It's impossible to find the thrill of competition outside of the game.

What McGrady doesn't need is to continue playing for his legacy. That has been written already. If McGrady does extend his already successful career, let's just hope the next chapter doesn't overshadow his greatness from not that long ago.

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Friday Roundtable: All-Time Favorite NBA Jersey

What is your favorite NBA jersey of all time? (allball.blogs.nba.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: What is your all-time favorite NBA jersey?

Alex: 
Retro is in, sure, but there are also legitimately classic jerseys when digging into NBA backlogs, be it because of simplicity or the way a logo melds with certain fonts and team colors. For my money, the most visually appealing -- and thus my favorite -- jersey in Association history is the Denver Nuggets kit that ran from the mid-1980s through the 1992-93 season. The franchise's logo from that time (a smart, technicolor imagining of the Denver skyline layered over the blank canvas of the Rocky Mountains at dusk or dawn) is a gem of geometry inside an over-arching half-moon shape.

Fat Lever, straight gettin' it in classic Nuggets gear. (bleacherreport.com)

Translated into jerseys, the colors are unencumbered by the half-moon and extend well beyond the caricature of the Rockies, wrapping around to the back number. The front features a number on the left shoulder and the team name emblazoned underneath the image with blue trim lining the arm holes and neckline. Matching shorts? Check. The colors pop and, to some, may be too much, too pop art. Essentially, though, that was what late '80s and early '90s fashion was about. I'll be damned if I didn't rock some of the flashiest Mickey Mouse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles designs as a child. The heart wants what the heart wants, and mine is wrapped in these Nuggets duds.

Kyle:
I've probably put way more thought into this question than needed, but it's a difficult one to answer. I grew up in a city that didn't have an NBA team, so I don't have a hometown automatic go-to. So many came to mind. Some I thought of because they are iconic. The Celtics jerseys from the '80s are as simple as it gets, and something about that makes them timeless and great, and like the Lakers uniforms from that time, it was a look everyone could instantly recognize. Some resonate with me because they remind me of growing up. The pinstriped Orlando jerseys. The '90s Bulls jerseys. The black-to-red Hawks jersey with the Hawk clutching the basketball in its talons. I've always loved the Celtics jerseys, and as far as current jerseys go, Golden State does it probably better than anyone.

I'm going to go old school for my choices. First off, the 1970s New York Nets jerseys, and more specifically, as shown below, Dr. J's Nets jersey. With this jersey, you're not just showing your love for the Nets, you're showing your love for America. It's a simple white jersey with red text, and then the red and blue lines down the side with the three white stars just take it to another level.

bleacherreport.com

I have also always really liked the 1990s Seattle Supersonics jerseys when they switched to the darker green and incorporated red. The '90s were an interesting time in uniform design. Teams were blowing up their mascot on the front of the jerseys, and it seemed like everyone was on board with pinstripes. Just so many pinstripes. Those jerseys all look outdated in 2013. The Sonics used colors other than the typical white, bright red and shades of blue of other teams. And the slanted, orbiting Sonics name with the basketball on the "i" just worked. The NBA may have taken your team, Seattle, but they can never take those jerseys. 

thesteelersnat.blogspot.com

Zach:

Above is a picture of myself, senior year of high school (2008) in an Amar'e Stoudemire jersey. I think, maybe, that's my Micheal Jackson impression or something but that's beside the point. The jersey is a retro-throwback, 1968, and was worn by the Phoenix Suns during Stoudemire's rookie season.  That's why the jersey is 32 and not 1; he hadn't changed his number at that point. This is the coolest jersey I own and have ever worn. It is not, however, my favorite uniform of all time.   

The release of the new Phoenix Suns jerseys sparked the idea for this week's roundtable, I think. I'll come right out and say that I'm not a fan of the new look. My favorite jersey is, however, one out of Phoenix. The black road alternates worn from 1994-2000 are the coolest jerseys the NBA has ever seen. Here is a picture of Micheal Beasley doin' it to somebody in the coolest threads possible.

Photo: USA Today

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Former Xavier Guard Dez Wells Sues School

Dez Wells is suing his former school, Xavier University, after he was expelled following a sexual assault accusation. (usatoday.com)

Dez Wells may be a Maryland Terp now, be he has not forgotten about his former school, Xavier University.

Yahoo! Sports reported Wells is suing the school and it's president, Father Michael Graham, for damages to his reputation after an accusation of sexual assault led to Wells' dismissal from the university. A grand jury did not indict Wells on the charges after reviewing evidence.

Wells' lawsuit states Xavier made a judgement on the sexual assault claim prematurely and Wells claims the negative image coming from the expulsion could hurt him when either entering the NBA or trying to find a job after college.

The payment amount for the damages in the lawsuit were not provided in the Yahoo! report. Along with the payment of damages, Wells is also asking that Xavier remove his expulsion, even though he will remain at Maryland.

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The Battle For Los Angeles and New York

Brooklyn has emerged as a suitable cross-town rival for the New York Knicks. (entmoney.com)

Not long ago, the NBA and country's biggest markets were dominated by one team. The Knicks had the heart of New York City and the Lakers had control of Los Angeles.

Not long ago Knicks guard Raymond Felton would have not needed to say, "They will never take over our city." It would be implied. And not much longer ago than that, there was not team to take the city from the Knicks. The Nets were in New Jersey, but try calling a New Jersey team a cross-town rival in New York and prepare to run for your life.

Not long ago, if Kobe Bryant would have said that in LA, his comedy skills would have given him a spot with Jay Leno. The Clippers weren't competition to the Lakers. They just happened to be sharing a building.

Now all of that has changed. The Clippers were the better LA team last season, and it wasn't close. The Nets now reside in Brooklyn, and after a blockbuster trade for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the Nets are now ready to make a run at the Eastern Conference.

Felton made the comment about NYC being the Knicks' city after Pierce told a New York radio station he thought it was time for the Nets to take control of New York. It is going to take more than a better winning record for Brooklyn to surpass the Knicks as New York's team. The Knicks have the advantage of history and years of connection with the city, as do the Lakers. The Clippers have planted roots in the city longer than the Nets in NYC, but much of that time was spent with fans wearing paper bags on their heads.

However, what we know about fans (sans die hard fans, there's no converting a die-hard fan) is that they can be fickle, and what is hot is what is important. Jack Nicholson will always be sitting courtside for Lakers games. But what if the Clippers go on a run of deep playoff appearances and even win an NBA title in the next 10 years while the Lakers rebuild following Kobe's retirement? The view of both teams will be much different than how we still come to know it in our minds. Right now it is still hard to imagine the Clippers as the better team because it has been so long since anyone has seen it. And if Brooklyn wins a title while the Knicks continue to lose in the first round every year? People in the borough and fans of the city will be celebrating right alongside.

One championship does not mean the Nets will run NYC, or the Clippers LA. The fan base will grow, certainly, but it would take years for either team to even come close, and even then, tradition is a hard obstacle to overcome.

Whether the Clippers or Nets actually overtake the Lakers and Knicks in terms of city love is not the point. Sports are cyclical and in another 10 years the standings could be flipped again. What is great for the NBA and the cities is that there is finally competition. Clippers fans can brag about their team without being laughed out of the room. The Nets can talk some trash on the Knicks.

Sports are built on rivalries and the two biggest NBA cities finally have rivalries that can capture attention. Not long ago, that was certainly not the case.

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Games To Watch From The ESPN College Gameday Schedule

Florida and Kentucky will face off on ESPN's College Gameday on Feb. 15. (espn.com)

I actually have to give the four-letter network some credit here; there's only one "Big East" game and one ACC matchup here. Giving the Palestra some love is a nice touch, too. Of course, they do have the Dukies on twice, and Digger Phelps will have a live microphone, but...let's stay positive! Good set of matchups.

In no particular order, these are the games I would consider to be appointment viewing.

Florida at Kentucky - Feb. 15:
If you only had to pick one SEC matchup, well, yes, this is it...and both teams will know it. For the perpetually baby-faced Wildcats, this will be a chance to make a statement both to the selection committee and the draftniks. If anyone still cares about regular season conference titles, well this game will matter for that as well. The Gators have a couple star frosh coming in, Kasey Hill at point guard and big man Chris Walker will compete for starting spots. Patric Young and Scotty Wilbekin headline the returning class.

At this point, Calipari's boys will have already faced off against Baylor, North Carolina, Louisville and Michigan State in non-conference play, so they won't be too green. Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein are (gasp) sophomores, so you can be sure they'll be looking to rectify the failure to be drafted in the first round last season. I'm only half-kidding on that, because UK has reloaded as usual with a horde of top recruits who are all looking ahead to draft day already, most notably Julius Randle, Marcus Lee, Dakari Johnson, James Young, and twins (for real) Aaron and Andrew Harrison. They're all tall and athletic, if that helps. I suggest you buy a program to keep all this straight. The Lexington crowd should be live as well, which always helps when you're watching college hoops.

Michigan at Michigan State Jan. 25:
Oh, if you didn't know - Sparty did NOT like watching the wolverines in the title game. No, sir. Roundball is where they can really throw their weight around against big brother, so that event was a real eye-opener for the MSU folks. This, naturally, is their chance to reassert the old world order: y'all are a football school, and Izzo is king.

As for an impartial fan such as myself, I'm going to enjoy watching Mitch McGary and Adriean Payne thump-thump under the boards. If Keith Appling can get out of the way, Gary Harris and Brendan Dawson could break out to be the superstars they showed potential for last year. Lot of great matchups in this one.

Also will be a great chance for Lil-Big Dog (is that a thing yet?) Glenn Robinson III to make his lotto case against one of the closest NBA-defense simulators that the college game has to offer. Bump-n-grind, young fella. Jump shots are nice, but as the seer Rasheed once declared: "buttholes get tight".

Gonzaga at Memphis Feb. 8:
Okay, fair warning: some hating here...this feels like a fake nod to the "mid majors", and while these are both fine programs in their own right, they shouldn't have to play each other to get ESPN's attention. Like arm-wresting for the wishbone at the kid's table on Thanksgiving. If you want to do a real mid-major spotlight, put Wichita and Creighton on the tube or something bold like that. This has that "Boise St vs TCU" bowl game feel, and while it's a great opportunity for these schools, it feels patronizing from the network types.

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Friday Roundtable: Best College Gameday Matchup

ESPN's College Gameday will be in Syracuse when the Orange look to break the record for attendance at an on-campus basketball game. (cbssports.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: The ESPN College Gameday schedule was released this week. What game are you most looking forward to seeing?

Alex:
Mark March 1 on the calendar and don't plan anything else for the evening. On the surface, Kansas traveling to Gallagher-Iba to duel with Oklahoma State doesn't have the sheen of a "classic" matchup or rivalry. Dig into some recent Big 12 history and you'll find the Cowboys, even in down years, almost always play the Jayhawks close, if not winning outright.

Gallagher-Iba in Stillwater, Okla., is about as underrated as college basketball arenas get; the atmosphere will be super-charged with Cowboy fans and a large, well-traveled Jayhawk contingent. The stage will be set before the two young, highly hyped teams take the court. Two of the best players in college hoops - two projected to be lottery picks in the 2014 NBA Draft, at that - will each try to propel their teams to a win, as Marcus Smart holds down the point for OSU and Andrew Wiggins goes for what would be one of his most sterling accomplishments in his (probably) lone NCAA season. Check out the rosters and you'll see multiple other high school All-Americans filling roles across the board. Between the Dukes, Kentuckys and Louisvilles, don't overlook KU and the Pokes.

Kyle:
I live in Big 12 country, and I have grown up watching and being a fan of the conference. So naturally I can't wait for Kansas and Oklahoma State. These two teams are the clear favorites to battle for the conference crown, and KU's Andrew Wiggins and OSU's Marcus Smart should be two of the best players in the country this year.

But because of my Big 12 ties, I am going to pick another game that I'm very interested in seeing, and that is Duke vs. Syracuse. The storylines here make for must-see TV. Two blueblood programs. Two hall of fame coaches. Syracuse playing its first season in the ACC. That would be enough there, but add in the fact that Syracuse is considering moving the court to the center of the Carrier Dome to break the all-time attendance record for a basketball game on a college campus, and this could be one of the biggest games of the year. Syracuse already has the record for attendance, with 35,012 fans on Feb. 23, 2013 when the Orange and Georgetown faced off for the final time in what is now the old Big East. Kicking off a new conference rivalry is great, and breaking an attendance record with a atmosphere that is sure to be going crazy makes this a game fans will be circling on their calendars now.

Fred:
I can't wait to see Kansas and Oklahoma State go at it. These two teams will be battling for the Big 12 crown after putting on two classic games last year. One of their two games went into double overtime with the Jayhawks coming on top.

This year Kansas adds one of the most intriguing prospects we've seen in years to the mix with Andrew Wiggins. In my opinion, seeing Wiggins in the national spotlight makes this a can't miss game.

Chris S: 
I actually have to give the four-letter network some credit here; there's only one "Big East" game and one ACC matchup here. Giving the Palestra some love is a nice touch, too. Of course, they do have the Dukies on twice, and Digger Phelps will have a live microphone, but...let's stay positive! Good set of matchups. In no particular order, these are the games I would consider to be appointment viewing.

Florida at Kentucky: If you only had to pick one SEC matchup, well, yes, this is it...and both teams will know it. For the perpetually baby-faced Wildcats, this will be a chance to make a statement both to the selection committee and the draft analysts. If anyone still cares about regular season conference titles, well this game will matter for that as well. The Gators have a couple star frosh coming in, Kasey Hill at point guard and big man Chris Walker will compete for starting spots. Patric Young and Scotty Wilbekin headline the returning class.

Michigan at Michigan State: ohh, if you didn't know - Sparty did NOT like watching the Wolverines in the title game. No, sir. Roundball is where they can really throw their weight around against big brother, so that event was a real eye-opener for the MSU folks. This, naturally, is their chance to reassert the old world order: y'all are a football school, and Izzo is King.

Gonzaga at Memphis:
Okay, fair warning: some hating here...this feels like a fake nod to the "mid majors", and while these are both fine programs in their own right, they shouldn't have to play each other to get ESPN's attention. Like arm-wresting for the wishbone at the kid's table on Thanksgiving. If you want to do a real mid-major spotlight, put Wichita and Creighton on the tube or something bold like that. This has that "Boise St vs TCU" bowl game feel, and while it's a great opportunity for these schools, it feels patronizing from the network types.


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The Coaching/GM Influence of the San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford are making an impact on the coaching and front-office world of the NBA. (poundtherock.com)

The San Antonio Spurs are championship breeders.

This is partially in reference to the play on the court, as not many have been better in the past decade than the Spurs. But this is also referencing the breeding ground for coaches and general managers. Teams have come calling early and often for those who learned from Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford.

Having the Spurs organization on the resume is gold when marketing for a head coaching or general manager position. The tally is up to 11 current coaches and general managers around the NBA, according to RealGM.com, that came from Popovich and Buford's tutelage while in San Antonio. 

Two former assistant coaches left the Spurs this offseason, the first being Mike Budenholzer, who left for the head job in Atlanta, and now Brett Brown, who this week took the head coaching position in Philadelphia. Last season it was Jacque Vaughn, who is heading into his second year as the head coach of the Orlando Magic.

The most well-known assistant of Popovich's is Mike Brown, who is back coaching in Cleveland after being fired by the Lakers. The list of head coaches coming from San Antonio concludes with Monty Williams of the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans' general manager Dell Demps also spent time in the San Antonio front office.

The general managers who have come through the Spurs is even more impressive. Names like Kevin Pritchard (now at Indiana), Sam Presti (Oklahoma City), Danny Ferry (Atlanta), Rob Hennigan (Orlando) and Dennis Lindsey (Utah) all learned what they now incorporate at their respective organizations from their time in San Antonio.

It's easy to see why teams seek men from this organization. The winning helps. A lot. But so does the style of winning. If you find a circus in San Antonio, it will not be inside the AT&T Center. There are no Dwight Howard personalities on this team, and the Spurs are just fine without one, or the talent that accompanies it. Some teams boast about doing things the right way, but that doesn't matter without results. The Spurs have become experts at keeping pride in how the organization is run without compromising winning.

Not every assistant coach or GM who leaves the San Antonio can turn their new team into a mini Spurs organization. There's not enough room at the table for 11 others like it. But as long as Popovich and Buford keep winning, and winning the way they know how, their assistants and members of the front office are going to be receiving a lot of calls. Teams who want to win go to where championships are being bred.


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Andrew Wiggins, Marcus Smart Will Share Big 12, National Spotlight

Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart turned down the NBA this year. He will now battle KU's Andrew Wiggins for the Big 12 crown. (sportingnews.com)

Andrew Wiggins will have the spotlight on him at Kansas this season. And not just in the Big 12, but across the country, Wiggins will be one of the biggest storylines in college basketball.

It's justifiable. Wiggins was called the best high school prospect since LeBron James. He's already being labeled as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. His choice of Kansas sent the Jayhawks from a team predicted to be around the top-20 or top-25 mark before his announcement to a top-five squad that might challenge Kentucky after the announcement.

Wiggins' presence is shadowing another extremely hyped player south of Lawrence, Kan., who made a big decision of his own this summer. Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart was a potential top-five pick in this summer's NBA Draft as a freshman, but Smart decided to come back to school for another season. Don't mistake this move as a admittance that he wasn't talented enough. Now the Kansas freshman and OSU sophomore might be No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Jan. 18 and March 1. Those are the dates Kansas and Oklahoma State (Wiggins and Smart) face off in what, as of now, looks to be a two-team battle of Goliaths for the Big 12 crown. And what a battle this will be. Oklahoma State is returning nearly its entire squad, while KU is replacing its starting five, but has one of the most talented freshman classes in the nation on campus this year.

The two players, who will share the attention in the Big 12 and nationally, will do so for different reasons.

Wiggins will have a lot of the spotlight because, for one, he is a freakishly gifted athlete, and two, people want to see what he can do at this level and if the hype is justified. The same can be said for other immensely talented freshman coming in: Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, Jabari Parker, and so on.

Everyone will be looking at Smart to see if coming back another year was worth it, and how much he improves. Smart is projected by DraftExpress as the No. 5 pick in next year's draft, behind three freshmen and an Aussie named Dante Exum. But draft stock doesn't have much of an implication when it's months before the season.

Smart was arguably one of the top 10 players in the country last season, and a CBSSports survey of coaches that asked which player they would like to have the most, the No. 1 answer was Smart at 34 percent. Wiggins was the third most-selected player behind Doug McDermott.

Smart can score. He was No. 2 in the Big 12 last season in points produced and points produced per game, only trailing Baylor's Pierre Jackson. His 15.4 ppg was good for No. 5 in the conference, as was his 4.2 assists per game. Smart is just as skilled on the defensive side, leading the Big 12 and coming in fourth and second in the NCAA, respectively, in steals and steals per game. Smart also had the second highest defensive rating, behind only Kansas shot-blocking extraordinaire Jeff Withey.

It's hard to remember that was his freshman season. Freshman go through transitional struggles and can normally be inconsistent. Look at the guy who Smart shared the attention with last year. Kansas' Ben McLemore had a tendency to get lost in games. Smart was much more consistent with the pressure of a fantastic freshman on his shoulders, and it would be surprising if he has not improved this season.

Kentucky's once again loaded freshman class will get plenty of national buzz, as will freshmen stars like Randle, Gordon and Parker. Doug McDermott might be the best scorer in the country at Creighton. But two of the best players in college basketball next year come from the Big 12, which is why everyone is circling Jan. 18 and March 1 on their calendars.

The national spotlight is big enough for two, and Wiggins and Smart are big enough stars to be in the national spotlight. Both are coming in with different circumstances, but have the same thing to prove, which is that they're worth the hype.

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Friday Roundtable: Best/Worst Ways for Being Kicked Out of the NBA's Rookie Transition Program

Shabazz Muhammad is for the kids. (via his official Twitter account)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: The NBA dismissed Minnesota Timberwolves guard Shabazz Muhammad, the No. 14 pick in April's draft, from the Rookie Transition Program for violating rules by bringing a female guest into his hotel room. Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were similarly kicked out for having women and marijuana in their room in 2008. What would be the best and worst reasons for being booted from the program?

Alex:
To avoid the gruesome, the worst reason for being kicked out of the program would have to do with being coerced by an active player speaking to the rookies. Whether drugs or the fairer sex were involved, the situation's largest blemish would be the involvement of someone entrusted by the Association to warn the rookies of potential dangers in the life of a professional athlete. The rookie(s) dismissal would be a subplot to the public relations fiasco of an older player — one who should know better, by all accounts — swaying a freshly minted NBA draftee into an act that would have him removed from an official program.

The best reason for conceivably being removed from the program would involve numerous women, excessive bottles of champagne, and adding gobs and gobs of bubble bath material to a jacuzzi, causing a massive overflow that spreads into the hallways and congests traffic throughout the entire floor. Bonus points for happening in a room on the first floor and making any unassuming lobby guest a very confused patron.

Fred:
Getting kicked out of the Rookie Transition Program for any reason is inexcusable. Did nobody watch ESPN's special on broke athletes? The NBA is trying to help their future athletes through this program, so to be sent home? Incredibly disrespectful to the league that will soon be giving you a few million dollars.

However, if there was a "good" way to get kicked out Shabazz picked it. So maybe he did pick a beautiful lady over his job, but I think it's something everyone can relate to.

Kyle:
First off, for those of you who are gamblers, Muhammad had to be the clear favorite to be kicked out of the rookie transition program, with odds as low as 4/1. If a player is going to be kicked out of the program, he better go all out. It only lasts four days, so if a player gets kicked out for something minor that he could have easily waited for, then it looks sad. Muhammad will have to complete the program next year, and will face a fine, so a worst reason for having to suffer those consequences were if the not-allowed woman was a family member just visiting or if Muhammad missed a curfew (I'm not sure if they have curfews, just an example) for running out to buy allergy medicine. He can't be expected to think about basketball with itchy eyes. If he's going to break a rule, get something more out of it than allergy medicine.

If a player is going to suffer those consequences, make it worth it. He needs to say, "This sucks I have to do this again, but that was a hell of a time." Muhammad should have gotten a rapper who happen to be in the area, maybe Drake or Nas, to have a private concert in his room. He could have flown in the Minnesota Timberwolves dance team and mascot to come celebrate with him and don't even try to be sneaky about it. Go ahead and invite all the other rookies, veteran players there to speak to them and members of the NBA who are running the program. When the NBA officials go into the room to stop the party, they find the mascot working as a bouncer and asking for a $20 cover, Drake is in the middle of his song "Hold On We're Going Home," the dancers have turned the room into a rave and Muhammad is sitting around a table gambling with three businessmen and loses the his third-year salary and Flip Saunders' car in a bet.
 
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2013-14 NBA Schedule Released; Season Starts Strong

Derrick Rose's first game back with Chicago could be the season opener against the Miami Heat. (fullcourtpumps.com)

The NBA may be in the heart of the offseason, but with the 2013-14 schedule released last night, teams and fans can start looking ahead and circling games on their calendars.

The first days everyone looks for when the schedule finally comes out is the season opener and Christmas Day, and the NBA has made sure neither day will disappoint. In terms of storylines, the first night of the season, Oct. 29, couldn't get much better. The Miami Heat will welcome Chicago in what should be Derrick Rose's first game back in more than a year. A healthy Chicago squad has been thought of the past few years as one of the best changes of ending Miami's reign as champions. That night will also feature a completely upside down rivalry when Doc Rivers makes his coaching debut with the Los Angeles Clippers against the Lakers, who has a completely new lineup, except for Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

Basketball fans will have a feast of five games on Christmas Day and while Chicago will face the new-look Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City will play the New York Knicks, Miami will travel to LA to take on the Lakers and Dwight Howard's Houston Rockets will challenge San Antonio, the most exciting game on the schedule could be the night cap, where the Clippers travel to Golden State. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin versus Stephen Curry and the young-but-talented Warriors should be a high-tempo, high-scoring contest that will be fun to watch.

Obviously these are just two days on a very busy 82-game schedule for teams, and every team has a few games worthy of mention here. Dwight Howard's return to Los Angeles and Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett's return to Boston are just two that will bring national attention. If you're just interested in finding your favorite team's schedule, Dan Devine at Yahoo! Sports compiled links to every team's schedule on the Ball Don't Lie blog for your enjoyment.

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5'10" Young Hollywood Dunks Over Blake Griffin

You may not have heard of him, but you're about to. He's 5'10" tall and goes by the name Young Hollywood, and he shows off his dunking skills in several YouTube videos.

Young Hollywood will be getting even more publicity after using 6'11" Blake Griffin to dunk over while putting the ball between the legs after grabbing it from Griffin's hand. The video has gotten the attention of Sports Illustrated's Point Forward and ESPN on Twitter and one video of the dunk is reaching 90,000 views.

That's a serious vertical lift, as the still from the video shows Young Hollywood's head is as tall as the rim. Any 7-footers want to volunteer next?

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Greg Oden Returns To NBA With Miami Heat

Greg Oden is returning to the NBA with the Miami Heat. (theleaguenews.com)

Greg Oden is back in the NBA after not playing since December of 2009, and his first season back will give him his best chance so far of winning a NBA Championship.

Oden announced Friday he has chosen to play for Miami over San Antonio, Dallas, Sacramento, Atlanta and New Orleans. Oden will now get the opportunity to immerse himself back into the league as Chris Bosh's backup, and the Heat get a 25-year-old 7-footer with loads of potential if his knees hold up.

We wrote earlier about how teams should take a chance on Oden. Miami is able to take that chance at a low cost, paying Oden $1.03 million next season with a player option for a second season at $1.14 million. That's a low cost of injury risk when you remember Oden was a No. 1 pick, who left the league for reasons other than he couldn't play well in the league.

Oden told ESPN's Marc Stein and Jeff Goodman that Miami was the "best fit" and for what Oden is looking for, it's hard to argue. Miami already has so many pieces, including a capable starting center, that Oden will not be called on to contribute 15 points and eight rebounds a night from the start. He will be able to slowly get back into form without Miami struggling in the post. Plus, having star players, including the best player in the world in LeBron James, who will draw the majority of the attention and  can creatively get Oden the ball will take a lot of pressure off the 7-footer.

There won't be a huge target on Oden's back. Miami has too many other pieces that opposing teams will be focusing on. This is important for Oden. It would be naive to think he could come back after not playing for three-and-half-years and pick up where he left off. It will take time, and time, without pressure, is something Miami can offer. 

The first step is in the books. Oden is back with a NBA team. The next test comes in October when Oden again puts on the jersey and prays his knees take him further this time around.

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Friday Roundtable: Would LeBron James Be A Good NBA Players Association President?

LeBron James is the best player in the world, but would he be a good NBA Players Association President? (sportsspyder.com)

BDD's Friday Roundtable is a weekly discussion among a group of our writers on a trending NBA or college basketball topic.

This week's question: LeBron James is considering running for NBA Players Association President. Would LeBron be a good president?

Alex:
LeBron could be a capable president, given his ability to sway other players' decisions in free agency and reigning best-player-alive status, although I'd be wary of an attempt to turn the NBAPA into an actual King James monarchy. With Maverick Carter in his cabinet, there could certainly be some less than honest behind-the-scenes machinations. My one true hope is that LeBron's Heat teammate Mario Chalmers is brought into the president's inner circle, if for no other reason than to hear he was yelled at during an official meeting.

Fred:

LeBron as president is an interesting idea, but would he be able to focus on the job? I have no doubt LeBron could do great given a 48-hour day, but being the biggest superstar in the NBA brings a lot of distractions off the court. Not to mention he still had to go through an 82 game NBA season.

With LeBron being on the top, would he be able to represent the majority of NBA players? Players who are making four or five million a year and fighting for a roster spot?

I think it’s great that LeBron wants to get involved, but with all the distractions going on around him I’m not sure he could give his full attention to the union.  Perhaps he’s better suited for the executive committee.

Kyle:
LeBron wouldn't be the first great player to serve as president of the NBPA. Bob Cousey, Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas and Patrick Ewing have all served the role. But never before has the majority-recognized best player in the world held the position. Michael Jordan never did. Neither did Wilt or Kareem. James has already gotten his feet wet, sitting in on bargaining sessions during the 2011 lockout. The question is would he have enough time, while also shooting $10 million spots for Nike, Beats by Dre and the next company that comes after him for an endorsement. Although he could find a way to kill two birds with one stone, shooting a new commercial for Nike telling owners to "Just do it" when discussing business, or respond to every negotiation question with "Is it in you?" to make the people at Gatorade happy.

What James would have going for him is respect. He's the best player in the game, and has been in the league long enough to know how it works. He also has a personality where he wants to befriend other players and make everyone happy. He's not in it just for himself. Other players would have to think of that as a positive, that James will do what is best for everyone. Michael Jordan would have just done whatever the hell he wanted because he was Michael F'n Jordan and "you can't voice your opinion, Bryon Russell, because I dropped 30 on you last year!" That attitude got him six rings and a spot on the best player ever discussion, but players probably wouldn't feel like he would be a representative for them all. We haven't seen enough of LeBron in that setting to know whether he would succeed (really, how badly could he screw it up?) but it doesn't seem like he would fail miserably. One guy who probably is hoping James doesn't get the job? Mario Chalmers if he turns the ball over a lot this season. 

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