Thanks to motion picture recording devices and video sharing services like YouTube, these moments can be captured, broadcasted, and revisited anytime you desire.
If you've missed the B or D train during the first two weeks of EBC action, don't fret; MSG has your back. Starting this Thursday, July 2nd, at 7pm - and every subsequent Thursday at this time - The MSG Network will air "EBC Live at Rucker Park," to take you behind the scenes of the world's most celebrated summer basketball tournament.
This week's show, hosted by Michael Bivins and Tahiry, will explore the rich history of the EBC and provide features on Rafer Alston, Sean Kilpatrick (incoming freshman @ University of Cincinnati), Torey Thomas (formerly of Holy Cross, plays overseas) and Jadakiss' Team 914.
Is your professional basketball career in a rut? Have you been struggling to gain exposure to land a domestic or international contract?
Put that to an end.
Carl Berman and Chris Denker, Managing Partners of NetScouts Basketball, are hosting a series of international exposure camps this summer. East Coast camps are scheduled for:
July 23rd at John Jay College (899 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10019) in New York City from 12pm - 6pm
July 24th, NYC All-Star games held at fabled Rucker Park (W. 155th & Amsterdam Avenue) from 9am - 5pm
July 25th in Philadelphia (time and location TBA)
July 26th at Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, MD from 11am-8pm.
Be Seen Worldwide
NetScouts Basketball is a service that connects professional basketball players and teams for playing opportunities — both international and domestic. We are also the largest United States collegiate scouting service. NetScouts works with international and domestic professional teams in filling player openings and has connections all over the world. In addition to working with European teams, We’ve helped place players everywhere from Chile to New Zealand and from the Dominican Republic to Japan.
Get a Professional Evaluation
All players attending our camps will be evaluated by NetScouts personnel and be offered special pricing on our top two player profile packages. NetScouts is an industry marketing expert — our profile packages use the latest technology to provide maximum exposure and success. All NetScouts Camps:
* Cost for our east coast camps is only $100 if paid in advance * Offer a 2 game guarantee with full video and statistics * Include a NetScouts basic profile package ($75 value) with substantial discounts on our other packages * Include an interview with NetScouts Basketball Managing Partners
Go for Results!
There are many showcase camps out there to decide on. As you can see from our cost to attend, our margins are very low. We keep our costs low because our goal is to connect with you and to help your career be successful. We also save our member teams money by providing them with camp scouting reports and representing them at our camps. We deliver on what we promise. Our goal is to help you out in your career.
You've seen it, heard about it, or possibly even dabbled with it: You know, Twitter?
It's that text-based, micro-messaging platform that leaves over 6 million people glued to their mobile phones and desktops, and the rest of society scratching their heads.
Shaq is on it. Actually, Shaq is always on it. And he's just one of many hoopsters caught in the latest "trend" of social media participation.
Aside from being the perfect way to get yourself in trouble during halftime, Twitter can actually be a useful tool for basketball community members to build relationships, solicit feedback, share information, get up-to-speed news, and promote their products and services.
After the obvious question, "So, how do I use this service?," I'm usually asked "How do I find people who talk about basketball and are involved in the game?" To avoid future repetition of this expected query, I've decided to outline how I find fellow basketball community members on Twitter. If you should have any questions, comments, or concerns, you can also reach me on Twitter: @Peter_R_Casey
Keyword Search:
Search.twitter.com: In addition to this branded URL, Twitter has an integrated search box built into its interface and one can see who's talking about anything basketball-related in real time. During the playoffs or most recently, the NBA Draft, many basketball-specific topics (i.e. Shaq Trade, Ricky Rubio, Lakers, LeBron James) were included in the trending topics area. This offers a ripe opportunity to join an existing conversation, establish your credibility, and listen to what's going on in the hoops world.
TweetGrid.com: If you're really into talking basketball and want to set up a matrix of multiple searches in dashboard fashion, TweetGrid is the solution. During March Madness and the NBA Playoffs, I had a 3x2 grid set up and tuned into a variety of conversations. TweetGrid is the epitome of a MikeD'Antoni or Grinnell College offense: Fast-paced and high scoring (in terms of value).
Bio Search:
TweepSearch.com: This site allows you to dig through over 5M Twitter user profiles to find self-identified basketball enthusiasts. I use the following search terms: basketball, bball, hoops, hoop, NBA, NCAA, St. John's, and Knicks (or any of your favorite/hometown teams). Once the search results are spit out, you're a simple click away from following these users' updates.
Other media/social media
There's a strong chance you've seen someone in the basketball world's Twitter updates cross-promoted on their blog, facebook or LinkedIn page, or in the general media. There's no easier way to follow their updates than by clicking on the link and subsequently following them. If it's broadcasted on TV or the radio, make sure you have the Twitter application installed on your mobile phone to quickly and easily follow a particular user.
Search applications:
Twitter, itself, has a "Find People" search function built-in its horizontal navigation bar where you can:
Search by username, or first and last name (i.e. RealLamarOdom or Lamar Odom)
Find on other networks. If you already communicate with people in the hoops community through Gmail, Yahoo, or AOL, Twitter can find those folks in your address books with a simple click.
Invite by email. Have an email list of AAU, JCC, CYO or HS coaches and want to see if they're on Twitter? You can search for them individually or as group and invite some or all of them to join if they're not already a member.
Suggested users. Obviously Shaq's celebrity helped him amass a large Twitter following. But did you know that he and other basketball celebrities - Paul Pierce, John Calipari, LA Lakers, Dwight Howard, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to name a few - are listed by Twitter as suggested users? This helps generate massive visibility as new Twitter users sign up for accounts or visit the 'Find People' function.
Directories:
WeFollow.com - Kevin Rose's user generated Twitter directory is loaded with basketball people. Click on NBA under popular Twitter tags or type in basketball in the search field. Having a high ranking on both tags helped me score a free ticket to the NBA Draft and have access to exlusive blog content. Make sure you bookmark yourself here.
Twellow.com - The YellowPages of Twitter. Search for basketball and you'll find over 5,000 relevant Twitter users.
JustTweetIt.com - The weakest of the 3 directories, JustTweetIt does not include a basketball-specific category; however, you can find some notable hoopsters under sports.
TwitDir.com - Search for basketball, bball, hoops, nba, and ncaa within names, usernames, and descriptions.
Hashtags:
Using hashtags (#) are a unique way to create groups or topics for tweets that others can use as well. (i.e. #marchmadness, #nbadraft, #nbaplayoffs)
Ask Mr. Tweet:
MrTweet.com: is a friendly bot that will recommend relevant people based on your profile and Twitter stream.
Influencers:
There are many popular basketball constituencies on Twitter. Generally speaking, people in the basketball community flock to or "follow" the influencers. Possibly even more important, finding out who the influencers follow, or @Reply to, can lead you to an even more rich resource of basketball insiders.
For example, SLAM magazine has long been the basketball bible. If you go to SLAMonline's Twitter page to see who they're following and who follows them, you'll come across a ton of players, fans, coaches, camp and clinic organizers, basketball product suppliers, agents, referees, writers, and broadcasters among others.
Here's just a few of the popular influencers on Twitter (excluding NBA and NCAA players):
TNT's David Aldridge reached out to bloggers for another set of questions about the NBA Draft. He was even kind enough to answer one from me (#4). He's full of insight. Check it out.
In any draft there is often a debate between filling a need and taking the best player available, where do you see most NBA teams resting on this argument? (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
DA: I think most of the time people take the best player available, I don’t think that changes much year to year. Sometimes, you have the perfect marriage of need and best player available, but I think most times talent wins out in this league. So, even though you may have a talented player at one position, if there’s somebody on the board that’s just head and shoulders better than anybody else; I think the feeling nowadays is you can always trade contracts. In this environment, especially with the economy the way it is, people are always looking to save money, so even a bad contract can be dealt if it’s an expiring one. I think that best player usually wins out.
Are there many teams that are looking to deal their draft picks due to the current financial climate? Or are they more likely to stash players overseas? (A Stern Warning)
DA: I think you’ll see some teams maybe not even bother to get into the draft for that reason. I think Denver [Nuggets] is an example of a team that did a lot of work to get under the [luxury] tax last year; I don’t think that they are all that fired up about getting back into the draft and paying guaranteed money to somebody that’s probably not going to play a lot for the them next year. So, that’s the kind of example of the economy impacting what teams do. Instead of being aggressive, I think some teams may be passive. No you know your Portland’s and some of your other teams – Houston is going to buy in at some point in the first round – they’ll find somebody to do business with. But, I do think that you’ll see some teams just not doing anything, as opposed to what they would normally do, which is be active at the end of the first round and try to get one of those late first round picks.
Why are prospects seeming to not want to play for Memphis? What is it about Memphis that is different from other small markets? (3 Shades of Blue)
DA: I think that’s a bit overblown, you’re talking about one guy in [Ricky] Rubio and the reason why Rubio is reluctant is because Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro didn’t have great experiences there, so I’m sure that they’ve talked to him and probably did not give a glowing picture of Memphis, but I don’t think that there’s a grounds well of discontent for the City of Memphis or with the Grizzlies. I think that’s the case of that particular player; because of his background has had a chance to talk to other players. But no, Memphis is still a place where people are going to want to go, and if it’s not Rubio somebody else very good is going to wind up going there.
Stephen Curry: Impact player (a la Eddie House) or simply the best shooter in the warm-up lines? Or both? (Peter Robert Casey)
DA: I think he will be much like his father, a very good role player for a long time in the NBA. He’s smart and knows how to play. I think he’s going to be a pretty solid point guard…I don’t expect spectacular from him, but I think he’s going to be a guy that is going to play for a long time in this league. A great demeanor and great character guy, a guy that’s willing to take big shots and make big shots. Whether he’s starting for you or he’s your sixth man, it doesn’t really matter; he’s going to wind up helping you win basketball games. I think he’s going to be an excellent role player. If he winds up on a good team somehow, he could really make a huge impact next year. But if not, more likely he ends up with a struggling team; it might take him a few years to really break in.
Patrick Mills was looking like a world-beater a year ago with St. Mary’s and then in the Olympics for Australia, but an injury certainly set him back. Do you think that with this draft being so deep with point guards that Mills' stock will be severely set back by his injury-riddled season? (A Stern Warning)
DA: Well he’ll get drafted; I was surprised he stayed in though, because this is a great point guard filled draft. It surprised me that Patty [Mills] stayed in because he was never a guy that was going to be a top-half of the lottery guy and I thought this year would be a good year for point guards to pass if you weren’t assured of being a top-half of the lottery guy. I think you saw [Greivis] Vasquez go back for example, and that made a lot of sense. Patty is going to get drafted, it could be late first [round], but there’s team that could look at him. Dallas [Mavericks] certainly could take him with the 22nd pick, and that wouldn’t surprise me at all, but it wouldn’t surprise if he lasted into the second round either.
What are your feelings towards the Kings draft and what they'll do with the #4 selection? Do you think Ricky Rubio will fall to Sacramento? (Kings Forum)
DA: If he’s there, and I’m not sure he’s going to be there, but if he is there I think that’s the guy they will take. I know that there are people in the organization that like Tyreke Evans, so I think that they’re having a discussion about that right now about which way they would go if those two were available on the board. But, my guess would be that Rubio would take the argument there. I think Ricky has got star potential, I think he could be a superstar in this league in terms of his ability and his personality. Sacramento certainly needs a little bit of a bump; they need some juice back in that organization. So if he’s there I think it’s Rubio, if not I think it’s Evans.
Joe Ingles has not been exposed to American audiences much, coming from Australia. Has there been much positive feedback around the league after his workouts with teams? (A Stern Warning)
DA: I think Joe [Ingles] a couple of weeks ago, maybe right around Chicago [workouts] there was a lot of interest and buzz in him. He did ok in Chicago; he didn’t do badly in Chicago, but I think as it’s gone on and he’s done the individual workouts, I believe with Minnesota and New Jersey, it’s kind of cooled a little bit. I don’t get the sense that Joe is going to be a first round pick. I think he’s a possible second round pick, but I’m not sure. Athletically, I don’t think people see the explosion and quickness that a player would need at his position to play in the league. That doesn’t mean that nobody will take a look at him, but I certainly don’t think he’s a first round pick at this point.
Rumors have suggested that Stephen Curry might no longer fall to the New York Knicks at the 8th spot, what is the latest you are hearing? (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
DA: [It’ll come down to] whoever gets to 5 [pick]. Whoever trades with Washington is going to take Stephen Curry, I’m convinced of that. I can’t tell you right now who it is, you have to read that on NBA.com or watch NBA TV later today. Whoever gets to that 5th pick is going to take Curry.
Have you heard any rumblings at all about a possible Bulls deal that will be happening on Thursday? The Bulls have 2 first round picks which they can use to either move up, or bundle with a couple of nice young players to make a huge move. (Docksquad Sports)
DA: Well they’ve been trying, I don’t know if they’re going to be successful. I think that they would love to get a big at that position, but I’m not sure they’re going to be able to get it done. I’ve tried to check with everybody in the top 15, I haven’t gotten any sense, other than Washington, that anybody is really gung-ho about trading their pick. I don’t think that New York wants to move back, even if it involves getting two picks; I don’t get the sense that they would do that. I don’t think Minnesota wants to move back, they already have 18 and 25, so they don’t have any need to move back. I’m not sure Chicago is going to be able to get this done at this point.
With the Suns drafting 14th there's a limited number of guys that are going to available. Which of these draft picks has the greatest potential to be an all star in 5 years? Earl Clark, James Johnson, Austin Daye, Ty Lawson or Terrence Williams. (Bright Side of the Sun)
DA: Terrence Williams won’t be there. [James] Johnson has been linked to them for a little while. I could see that or [Earl] Clark. Johnson is a very physical guy, he’s not a great athlete but he’s got some toughness about him, so I could see that as a possibility. Clark is kind of an up and down guy. He’s got a lot of talent, but he’s very inconsistent, or at least he was inconsistent at Louisville…that has some people concerned. [Ty] Lawson, I think that may be a pick or two too high for him, especially considering I think they going to resign Steve Nash to an extension of some kind, so I’d be surprised if they took a point there. The more likely scenario is that they take some sort of frontcourt guy there.
On the heels of celebrating his brand's 10th anniversary, Hoops In the Sun co-CEO -Randy Cruz - took a timeout to answer some questions. With the coordinated and capable efforts of brother, Joe, Jr. (also co-CEO) and infrastructure provided by their late father (Joe, Sr.), HITS has become a staple in the NYC summer basketball circuit. I mean, where else can you combine competitive, action-packed basketball in the 5 boroughs with a sandy beach in eyesight? If you haven't made the trip to Orchard Beach to check out the venue, I highly suggest you print out a copy of the schedule and get your Coppertone ready.
For those who don't know, talk to us about the early history of HITS. How was the idea hatched and when did you know it was going to take off?
The idea of HITS came about after a business trip our father, Joe "Pops" Cruz, took to California in the summer of 1999. While he was there, he visited Venice Beach and witnessed how the basketball scene was over there--people playing on the beach, having fun, relaxing; it was a great environment. He came back from the trip and spoke to my brother Joe and I about doing a basketball tournament at his favorite place, Orchard Beach in the Bronx. He felt confident that a competitive, professionally-organized basketball league at Orchard Beach could prosper into one of the best and he knew Orchard Beach was a premier location because it hadn't been done before in NYC. We knew it was going to take off in the early stages of 2000. Pops was in talks with Parks Department about doing this and we were set to begin in July of 2000.
Describe the legacy that your dad left with HITS?
Pops left a tremendous legacy behind. I think he was probably one of the most respected men and tournament CEOs ever in NYC. From the veterans to the young people making their way up, they all loved, admired and respected him. He was a father figure to many, and everyone looked up to him. He was an entrepreneur in his own right; creative and unique, in the sense that every summer he wanted to provide something different and new for the league and for the fans. At the time of his passing back in 2004, the league wasn't at its peak, but he left the foundation for my brother and I to carry over into the next season and many seasons to follow. He taught us in the ins and outs of how to not only run a basketball summer league, but a business. I feel with the knowledge he handed down to my brother and I, we've been able to take Hoops in the Sun to another level and it has been very successful since his passing in 2004. The Parks Department acknowledged Pops' services to Orchard Beach when they provided two plaques with his name on it to be placed on the fence for both courts, officially naming it the Joe "Pops" Cruz courts at Orchard Beach.
Complete this sentence. The most memorable game at HITS was _________.
Wow (Laughs out loud)... Hmmm, I would say the 2006 first round playoff game between X-Men and Pops 5. I know the coach of X-Men doesn't want to re-live this experience, but X-Men went undefeated throughout the regular season (9-0), claiming the #1 overall seed in the playoffs and had to go up against the #4 seeded team, Pops 5. X-Men was in control throughout the first half - being up by as much as 30 points. It was a completely different story in the second half as Pops 5 crawled their way back. The lead went from 30 to 20 to 10 to 5 and by the time you looked up at the score clock with a minute remaining, Pops 5 took the lead and ended up winning by four points to advance to the 2006 championship game against the eventual winners, Powerful Inc.
What's the most gratifying part of running an influential summer basketball tournament?
Providing a safe outlet for youth and adults to participate in recreational activities. An outlet where youth and adults can have fun, relax, enjoy themselves all throughout the summer and most importantly, stay out of trouble. Providing and outlet where some of the best ballplayers from all over can display their talent on one of the biggest stages not only in the Bronx, but in NYC.
In your opinion, who was the best player to ever lace them up at the park?
There's a few: "Silence of the Lambs" Will Cadiz, "Primal Fear" Darren Phillip, "Serious Satellite" Kenny Satterfield, Rasaun "Crabby" Young, "Obi-Wan-Kenobe" Obadiah Toppin, "Rockin" Ray Rivera.
Playing alongside the beach provides unique value for the HITS brand. What other key elements have contributed to your success? And what does ultimate success look like for the brand?
The key elements to our success are being innovative, creative and unique. We like to do things differently and do things that may have never been done before; whether its beautifying the courts with fiberglass backboards, breakaway rims for both our adult and youth divisions, adding massive score clock, a 6 - sports ticker for all to see, sponsor logo right in the middle of the court, specialized Joe "Pops" Cruz Mountain Dew cans and so forth. Being professionally organized and providing a safe, family environment for all fans and players are other key elements.
The ultimate success for the Hoops in the Sun brand is having the best players from high school to college to the NBA play at our venue; being professionally run and organized, giving the fans the best quality games and talent that they won't see at any other venue and living out the legacy of Joe "Pops" Cruz as Hoops in the Sun prospers into best summer basketball league in the country.
Last question: Who wins in one-on-one, Joe, Jr., or Randy?
I don't think anyone wants to see that game because that game will never end (laughs). We both know each others' strengths and weaknesses and we exploit that. It's competitive brotherly competition as always but our head to head record is just about even (laughs).
This is slightly off topic, but interesting nonetheless. Paul Aaron Travis, a guru on marketing and leadership, formed a facebook group called 3FirstNames and invites all FB members who have three first names to join. Don't worry, it's not a cult. Below is a description of the group:
There is something unique (and statistically uncommon) about a person whose first, middle, and last names are ALL first names. In fact, we tend to think we are the only ones!
Research on the blogosphere indicates there is no consensus -- some people think people with 3 first names are tacky and others say they are smart!
I have yet to fully absorb the global significance, but figure we should all stay in touch just in case we are being called to bigger things.
Definition: * Proper first name (e.g. "Michaels" or "Adams" does not qualify due to plurality) * Gender needn't match (e.g. "Sally Sue Martin" qualifies, as it no doubt has created its own unique experiences for Sally)
Michael DeCourcy is an exceptional writer and even better man. As I mention below, he sent me an autographed copy of his book when I was still a high school varsity letterman. Today, he responds to a variety of my questions related to the game (Thanks again, Mike!). If you've been under a rock for the last 25 years, DeCourcy is "The most knowledgeable journalist on college basketball in the country, he is author of Inside Basketball: From The Playgrounds To The NBA and Legends Of College Basketball. He is also a sports contributor for MSNBC and CNN." - The Sporting News. Make sure you check out his archives and follow him on Twitter.
About 12-13 years ago (which was also about 25 pounds and two steps ago for me), you sent me a signed copy of your book, Inside Basketball: From the Playgrounds to the NBA. In this book and in your work with The Sporting News, you've touched on many levels of the game (Playground, HS, College, and Pro). What's your favorite level of the game to watch and cover? And why?
I think it should be pretty obvious by now which level of the sport I prefer to watch and cover. I wrote about high school basketball for the first eight or nine years of my career and moved on. I've fiddled here and there with writing stories about NBA basketball but never sought an opportunity to do it more frequently. I'm exactly where I want to be: covering college basketball now for nearly a quarter-century, hoping I'm fortunate enough to continue for at least another decade or so.
The quality of basketball played at the collegiate level has always been most satisfying to me. I recognize that the best players in the world are in the NBA, and I have huge respect for what they can do, but I think the game is most entertaining in the colleges. The fans are more involved, the players are developing but highly skilled, and the Tournament wraps it up in a spectacular, memorable package.
March Madness: Expand the 65-team tournament or leave it alone?
The only argument for expansion that I can even stomach is to 68 teams with four play-in games. I could live with that. I'm not in favor of it, but I would not argue vehemently against it. I don't think it's necessary and I don't think it would be helpful, but neither do I think it would ruin the tournament as we know it.
Anything beyond that would not just be wrong, it would be criminal. There's no logical argument to be made for expansion beyond 68.
We've heard about the supposed (and rampant) cheating going on in the college game in a variety of books: Raw Recruits, Sole Influence, Money Players, The Jump, etc. More recently, there have been allegations in the media pointed at UConn, USC, and Memphis, among others. In your opinion, what underlies or provokes cheating in college basketball recruiting? Will the NCAA's partnership with the NBA to provide structure and programs in youth basketball help clean things up?
What provokes cheating in college basketball is the same thing that promotes cheating on Wall Street or in an Ivy League classroom: risk vs. reward. There are tremendous rewards in all of those circumstances for those who are willing to bend the rules. There's also the risk of being caught and punished. College coaches who cheat believe they're unlikely to be caught, and they're probably right. Morality is not an issue for the people who would consider doing these things. They either justify their actions on the belief that they're doing some good for someone other than themselves -- perhaps their staffs, or their families -- or they flat don't care.
What role, if any, should blogging play in sports journalism? How have the various platforms of new media affected your profession?
Those are two profoundly different questions. The internet itself has completely changed my job, mostly for the better. It's made research so much easier I can't believe we got any work done before it came along. It's also made me much busier because of the various platforms to feed. Twitter has changed my job just in the past two months. I hadn't even started with Twitter until the regional round of the tournament, and now stories are being broken there routinely, so I have to have some awareness of it.
Blogging is still an animal I'm trying to wrap my head around. I can say that I'm most comfortable with written material produced by someone who has a working knowledge of the subject he or she is discussing.
That doesn't necessarily mean you've been in the locker room of the team you're writing about, but it helps to have been in someone's locker room and gained an understanding of how team sports work. I go back to a piece I wrote about Chad Johnson three years ago. I don't cover the Bengals or the NFL, but I've been around team sports long enough to recognize when an athlete is wrecking his team's chemistry. I wrote that and was blasted by a blogger who basically said I had no clue, just look at Johnson's numbers. Well, we've seen where Johnson and the Bengals have traveled since.
Who's the greatest college player that you've seen since you started covering the game? What separated him or her from the rest?
The greatest college player that I've covered was Duke's Christian Laettner. He wasn't the most talented. He wasn't as talented as Shaquille O'Neal or Penny Hardaway or Chris Webber or Allen Iverson. But Laettner was a dominating college player. He made more big plays than probably anyone who's ever played in college. I don't know that I've ever come across an athlete who was more confident than Laettner was wearing a Duke uniform. You could say Michael Jordan was more confident when he was with the Bulls, but he was Michael Jordan. He wasn't so much confident as he was invincible. Laettner elevated himself and his teammates through force of will. I was in Philadelphia the night he hit the shot to beat Kentucky. I don't know that I'll ever see anything quite like that again.
Are there any books or projects on the table or in the mind of Michael DeCourcy?
I'll continue to write my tail off for Sporting News Today, Sportingnews.com and Sporting News magazine and making periodic appearances on Sporting News Radio. That keeps me plenty busy.
Early prediction: Who will be crowned the 2009-2010 NCAA champ?
Right now, I think I'll go with Kansas. I might still reevaluate that before we do the Sporting News College Basketball yearbook, but I doubt it.
Today I corresponded with Paul Schmidt of BAM Testing - Basic Athletic Measurement - a team of strength and conditioning coaches and researchers that use precise tools to evaluate athletic skills and provide a plan for physical development. BAM evaluates and isolates specific performance areas enabling an athlete’s strengths and weaknesses to be improved. Though BAM Testing works with a variety of athletes, they have recently made some noise during the NBA Combines.
We live in a world that is bottom line-oriented, where metrics and performance speak louder than words. Tell us about BAM Testing and how you fit into the basketball landscape. What purpose does testing fulfill?
BAMTesting is a unique testing protocol used by elite athletes around the world that helps define strengths and weaknesses as part of a goal-setting process. We offer an unbiased, comparable and comprehensive system of athletic measurement using precise tools to evaluate athletic skills such as Agility, Speed, Strength, and Power, and help provide a framework for a physical development plan.
BAM technology measures performance and provides:
Reliability - Consistent and repeatable measurements, eliminating human error and judgment.
Validity - Credible testing proven through years of test implementation.
Basketball is an explosive sport and in my opinion requires the greatest mix of all the athletic skills previously listed. Quantifying these skills into scores is crucial not only for players and coaches, but for decision-makers such as a scout or GM as well.
For instance, lower-body power is traditionally measured using the vertical jump test. BAM goes much deeper by recording not only vertical jump height, but also how quickly a player's second and third jumps are by capturing ground contact time between jumps, a critical component in rebounding. Agility is traditionally measured using the lane agility drill and given a total start-to-finish time score. BAM records the total time score, but also captures split times which a scout might look at to evaluate movement in all directions and their comparability ratios.
Which college and/or NBA players have you worked with so far; how have the responses been from the players?
Most recently BAM traveled to Chicago to help test the 50 invitees (players like Blake Griffin, James Harden, Tyler Hansbrough etc...) at the 2009 NBA pre-draft combine. In general the players relish the chance to test themselves against their peers. These are highly competitive athletes and I can tell you that when a player's score from their first trial was lower than their teammate's or the player before him, he was chomping at the bit to run his second trial and post a better score. These guys love to show off their skills and see the results of hours of training and effort in a quantifiable score. Sometimes it's all about bragging rights!
you had the chance to test each and every NBA player in the League, which athletes do you think would come out on top for explosiveness andspeed? How about power?
There are so many elite athlete's in the NBA, all with varying skill sets, it's hard to say. The player who comes to mind for pure athleticism who would surely post high scores in all those categories is Nate Robinson.
what's included in a BAM Score and what the number/s mean? How does one improve their score over time?
For basketball, your overall BAM Score is comprised of sub-scores in the Agility, Speed, Strength, Core, and Power tests. As mentioned, tests such as MOD (multi orientation drill) lane agility, vertical jump, 20 meter sprint, and so on. Over time, your BAM Score can be improved by improving any one or a combination of the sub-scores. Usually, an athlete will use their baseline score to determine their weakness, and then tailor their training to address that area.
What does the future of BAM Testing look like? How do you see your company integrating in all levels of basketball?
You hit the nail on the head by saying that we live in a world where metrics and performance speak louder than words. By providing reliable and valid data, we feel BAM Testing is uniquely positioned to play a large part in every athlete's life, for basketball or any other sport. We've all heard the quote, "To know where you are going, you must know where you have been." For an athlete, the goal-setting process begins with their BAM Score by telling them where they stand and what their strengths and weaknesses are. While providing a BAM Score for someone at the professional level is important, we feel our greatest impact can be made at the high school level. This is where most athletes have not only the drive, but available resources to become better. For these young athletes, knowing their BAM Score will be like knowing their height or weight.
In your opinion, how does one makeup for their lack of natural athletic ability?
Drive. Passion. Dedication. Everyone is born with a different level of athleticism. What many people don't realize is that skills such as speed or agility can be "taught", or improved through training.
Furthermore, it's not always the best athlete who makes the last roster spot. It's who is willing to put the work in and lead by example, make the other players around him or her better. Use their BAM Scores and lead teammates through training protocols – motivate – help to set goals. A team that improves as a whole is a tough act to compete with. An individual's willingness to sacrifice for the team is not talked about enough, but coaches love this quality. Anyone, regardless of athletic ability, can be that person.
I was just connected to a friend of a friend - Justin Lopatin - at American Street Mortgage Company (ASMC) in Chicago, IL. According to Justin, he and his colleagues at ASMC "love basketball and play several times a week; so we came up with a charity tournament - the Annual American Streetball Classic - idea in 2007 and held the inaugural event in 2008."
The goal of the Classic is to raise money for struggling homeowners in Chicago who are on the verge of foreclosure and/or need counseling and financial assistance. This year, the tournament is fortunate enough to partner up with United Way, who will be using the money raised to educate, reach-out, and council families at risk.
The event will be taking place at Moody Bible Institute’s Solheim Center – (former) NBA Pre-Draft Facility on July 25, 2009. They are looking to raise $10,000 that will be donated to United Way. United Way supports more than 700 human care programs across the region that focus on the building blocks of independence - income, education, and health.
Below you will find more information about the Classic. Please pass along to your friends and family members in the Chi-town area and consider donating to this worthy cause.
When: July 25th, 2009
Where: Moody Bible Institue Solheim Center – NBA Pre-Draft Facility 930 North Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610
I recently caught up with Alan Stein, Owner of of Stronger Team and the Head Strength and Conditioning coach for the nationally renowned Nike Elite Montrose Christian Mustangs boy’s basketball program. Alan brings a wealth of valuable experience to his training arsenal after years of extensive work with elite high school, college, and NBA players.
His passion, enthusiasm, and innovative training techniques make him one of the nation’s leading experts on productive training for basketball players. Alan is a performance consultant for Nike Basketball as well heavily involved with Nike SPARQ Basketball. He is the head conditioning coach for the annual McDonald’s All-American game, the Jordan Brand All-American Classic, and the Nike Summer Skills Academies. Alan is a Camp Coach at the prestigious NBA Player’s Association’s Top 100 Camp as well as the Chris Paul CP3 Elite Backcourt Camp. Alan has filmed over a dozen DVD’s on improving performance and is a sought after lecturer at basketball camps and clinics across the world. He has been featured in Winning Hoops, Time Out, Dime, SI.com, SLAMonline.com, American Basketball Quarterly, Stack, Men’s Health, and FIBA Assist Magazine.
Alan, I've been to your site; seen the bio; saw your jam packed schedule; give us a brief background story on Alan Stein - the recognized training and conditioning coach - and the Stronger Team brand.
Basketball has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I played in high school and then went on to play at Elon College (now Elon University). I was driven to start a career that would keep me involved in the game. Strength & conditioning was another passion of mine so initiating a career that would combine my two loves seemed like my calling. Fortunately, it was! I am a basketball specific strength &and conditioning coach. I'm not a personal trainer. I am a coach! I know how players think. I know how they walk, I know how they talk. I am a basketball player who is educated in performance enhancement; which is what (I believe) differentiates me from the myriad of other programs and trainers out there. Stronger Team is devoted specifically to the strength and conditioning side of basketball player development. I offer professional services at an affordable cost and do everything in my power to teach players what it takes to be successful; in the weight room, on the court, and in life. I share my philosophy in my workouts, in my blog, and in a series of DVD's. I want to have an impact on as many players as possible.
What's your favorite aspect of the profession?
The relationships I develop with my players as well as helping them achieve their goals and dreams. It's all about people for me!
Every year, it seems the players are getting bigger, stronger, and faster. Is this perception or reality? If the latter, what's the catalyst behind the advancement of today's athlete?
I agree completely. Players today are without question bigger, stronger, and faster than they were 10 years ago. While there certainly have been some tremendous athletes in previous decades, today's game (at the D I and pro level) is played at a lightening quick pace and is played above the rim. This evolution is a product of basketball players and coaches seeing the benefit in and whole heartedly endorsing a progressive, year round training program. 10 years ago strength & conditioning was scarce, even at the highest levels. Today it is an integral part.
For the young readers out there interested in tying together their interests in health and sports; how does one break into this niche?
For one, please have them email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com. I have been very fortunate to have numerous people help me in my career and in my professional development, so I would be honored to give back and help someone else. As for some quick tips, I suggest they read/watch EVERYTHING they can get their hands on regarding strength and conditioning, performance enhancement, etc. I also recommend they reach out to trainers/strength coaches at the college and pro level and inquire about watching workouts, internships, etc. While a formal education is a piece of the pie, nothing beats hands on experience in this industry!
What's on tap for Alan Stein this summer and beyond? Where should we hope to see you and your brand in the near future?
I am thankful to have a super busy summer ahead. I am currently at UVA working the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp and then head straight to the Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, and LeBron James Nike Skills Academies. I will then work several events in Jamaica and Canada as well as the renowned Snow Valley camp in Iowa and the Chris Paul Backcourt Camp in North Carolina. All the while taking care of my players at home in between! Stronger Team's goal is continue to be an international resource and authority on proper basketball strength and conditioning for players of all ages and levels. You will see some big things from Stronger Team in the very near future. Mark my words!
What's the best piece of advice you can give to a player?
You have to deserve success. You do that by out working everyone and by doing the little things like being unselfish and being a good teammate. Learn how to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Success comes from being able to accept the risk of failure. Make the effort, put yourself on the line, and go for it! Have fun, enjoy the journey, and do something to improve every single day!
With first day of summer around the corner, COPPERTONE SPORT has teamed up with the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) to raise awareness about the risks of incidental sun exposure--the kind one can get from playing hoops outside. For everyone who visits http://www.coppertone.com/coppertone/pledge/index.jsp and takes the "Help Strike Out Sun Damage" pledge, COPPERTONE SPORT will donate one dollar, up to $30,000, to the NFCR to fund skin cancer research.
Today I spoke with renowned coach, Gilad Shoham, about his new virtual service - www.VideoCoachMe.com - that provides one-on-one coaching sessions with former pro and college coaches from around the country. VideoCoachMe's unique value proposition comes in the form of live, step-by-step analysis of your game--from the comfort of your home. Make sure you check out the site.
Gilad, talk to us about the concept behind VideoCoachMe.com; how did you come up with the idea? What's your background in basketball?
I must admit that the idea for VideoCoachMe came to us by coincidence. Our company owns a very unique technology that allows two people to share a video with no upload and with no limits to its size. We were brainstorming about who has very large video files and what are they doing with them? We realized that basketball players have video footage of their games, sometimes two hours a game, but they don’t have anyone to show them to. We understood that we are the only ones who could offer them the ability to share these videos with someone. Thus, why not share it with a coach who has the experience and ability to teach them the game?
We launched a site that works as a marketplace for players and coaches. We have a list of coaches, all of them with a proven coaching record and lots of experience. If you are a junior high player and want to make the varsity team, we have a 20 year high school veteran coach who can explain to you what you need to work on in order to improve. If you have college aspirations, we have coaches that were head and assistant college coaches for many years. Would you like an NBA coach? We have them as well. How about a coach with international experience? Yup, there here. Are you a female? Don’t worry, we didn't forget you; we even have WNBA players and coaches who want to watch your game. The idea is that every player can find the coach who will match his or her specific needs and then watch his or her game with him or her and explain areas for improvement.
As a coach, I worked with all levels of basketball: from high school through college and up to the pros. In my last company, I worked with 26 top D-I schools (among them: Kentucky, Kansas, Florida and Memphis) and my experience encompasses coaching in the US and Europe. Like seemingly every basketball coach in the world, I was always complaining that today's players lack fundamentals, due to two reasons: 1) one they don't listen and 2) they don't have anyone with enough experience to teach them. With VideoCoachMe, we strongly believe that we can help players who want to get better to improve their game.
You have a "Who's Who" list of coaches providing players feedback through this service. How did you round up such a strong cadre of basketball educators?
Actually it was much easier than one would think. While working with Memphis University, I met Ed Schilling, who in my opinion is the best fundamentals coach in the US. I met Ken Barer, Alan Lambert and April Mcdivitt-Foster from my experiences as a coach. After they joined, the word just spread from one coach to the other; the rest came when they heard of our unique value proposition to players: we want to help YOU get better through watching YOUR tapes and teaching YOU basketball.
What are some of your goals during the first couple of years in business?
Our goal is to be the leader in online sport evaluation and improvement to High School players (Basketball, Baseball, Football, etc.). We'd like to reach every player who wants to get better and has the aspiration to become the best they can be.
As a coach, I always wanted my players to become better. I wanted them to work on their game. All of my players wanted to play more and practice less. There are too many players today who are "MTV" players. They care more about how they look than about their skills or how they play; or more importantly, if their team wins or loses. I think that players should practice more and play less. Throughout the summer, I see players going from one tournament to the next and not get any better. If the system can cap the number of tournaments that players can participate in, and force the players to practice, I think that we'll all see better players.
How do you see VideoCoachMe contributing to the betterment of youth basketball?
Every player who sees themselves on tape with their coach, listens to their coach 10 times more. If VidoeCoachMe will help players see their mistakes and help them to improve their game, I know I did my job as a coach who loves the game.
What does success look like for the site? Where do you envision VideoCoachMe 5-10 years from now?
When we see players who have used the service get into college and become better players, we'll know that we have contributed to the basketball world. I'm sure in a couple of years every player who wants to become better, will use our service in order to hear the opinion of an experienced coach.
If you recall my blog post on Tuesday, March 24th, (and I expect that you do ;) - March Madness Presents a Moral Dilemma - I mentioned that I was offered a FREE Final Four ticket under the precondition that Syracuse would not be around for the last weekend of play in Detroit.
Thanks to Blake Griffin, the Orangemen were bounced from the NCAA tourney in premature fashion; only yours truly would never get the chance to jaunt around Motown. Believe it or not, Lincoln Tunnel traffic caused us - my friend Joe and I - to miss our flight. To add insult to injury, a rebooked flight later that evening was canceled due to inclement weather, and all remaining flights out of NYC were spoken for.
Why broach this painful memory?
The NCAA Final Four was recently included in author Robert Tuchman's celebrated book, The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live (#20 overall). More than just a checklist, Tuchman outlines all of the essential details - where, when, accommodations, tickets, airports, etc. - to help you create the sports experience of a lifetime.
On a more positive note to my failed March Madness experience, Tuchman lists taking in a basketball game at Rucker Park (i.e. the EBC at Rucker Park, where I spent 4 days per week last summer) at number 76, ahead of other such popular basketball venues: Lady Vols Basketball Game (#81), NBA All-Star Game (#82), and a Harlem Globetrotters Performance (#86).
What about the other top-rated, must-see events for hoops afficionados?
Summer Olympics (#4)
UNC/Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium (#10)
USC/UCLA at Pauley Pavilion (#49)
ACC Basketball Tournament (#60)
Indiana High School Basketball Tournament Finals (#63)
Midnight Madness at University of Kentucky (#64)
Basketball Game at Phog Allen Fieldhouse (#69)
Basketball Game at Madison Square Garden (#70)
Make sure you pick up a copy of this insider's guide to see how you're experience is shaping up, and be sure to follow Tuchman's clearly articulated directions. At all costs, avoid the Lincoln Tunnel!
Format: SITC is an invitation-only event. All teams must be approved by tournament director, Kimani Young: (718) 974-7110.
SITC has been certified by the NCAA as a “live” recruiting event.
Divisions:
Phase 1, July 28-29 “The Future is NOW” Boys 14U, 15U, 16U Entry fee: $500. Three-game guarantee
Phase 2, July 31 “Take your last shot” Boys 17U Entry fee: $425. Two-game guarantee
Entry Deadline: July 7, 2009
Registration: Please register online at www.newheightsnyc.org or make checks payable to:
New Heights Youth, Inc 2576 Broadway, PMB 213 New York, NY 10025
NCAA Coaches Certification
All coaches MUST be certified by the NCAA in order to sit on the bench. For more information and to register, go to https://screening.lexisnexis.com/eventcheck/ncaa/
NCAA TEAM Certification
All teams (IN ALL AGE GROUPS) must register their rosters with the NCAA. To register your teams, go to http://web1.ncaa.org/BBCS/exec/login
These steps must be completed by July 1. Failure to do so will result in your removal from the tournament. For more information on how to register coaches and teams, go to http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=42543
Note: There will be FREE parking and FREE admission for the SITC tournament
In preparation for the NBA Finals coverage on NBA.com, veteran NBA journalist and television analyst/reporter David Aldridge conducted an NBA Blogger Q&A session where he addressed the upcoming NBA Finals, key match-ups between the Lakers and Magic, pending NBA Draft and off-season, as well as colleagues atTNT and NBA.com. David has served as theTNT and NBA.com Insider for the network’s NBA coverage since 2004, appearing both in the studio as well as on the sidelines. Prior to his time at TNT, he spent eight years at ESPN reporting on the NBA and writing for ESPN.com. He has also written for the Washington Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Q: What are your thoughts overall on the NBA Playoffs this year and what is your key match up for the Finals? (Rey-Rey from TheNoLookPass)
DA: “Well, I think the playoffs have been terrific, especially with Chicago and Boston. We’ve seen some incredible team performances, some incredible games with great last-minute shots, and a lot of dramatic series’. The Houston/LA series, which I don’t think anybody thought was going to be very competitive with Yao [Ming] out, was spectacular. Obviously, Denver and LA was very competitive and Orlando beating Cleveland; which I don’t think anyone really thought was going to happen. The playoffs have been terrific so far.
For the NBA Finals and match-ups, the keys are the obvious ones: [Pau] Gasol vs. Rashard Lewis, I think that is going to be a big match up; the two of them have their obvious strengths in terms of their individual games. Pau is going to have trouble guarding Rashard and vice versa. I think [Trevor] Ariza vs. [Hedo] Turkoglu is going to be a big, big match-up because Orlando has so much of a half-court offense with Turkoglu down the stretch.If Ariza can keep Hedo from being a distributor and get the ball to the other two good shooters; that will be a very important match-up.” (NBA.com breakdown of Howard vs. Bynum here.)
Q:Media wise: Do you have a problem with Jeff Van Gundy covering Stan Van Gundy? What about Magic Johnson covering the Lakers? (Justin at SportsCracklePop)
DA: “Obviously, I’m sure it’s difficult for anyone to cover something that his siblings are involved in. I’m sure it’s tough for Jeff, but he is a professional and I think he’s going to be fair. He’s done a very good job of calling it like he sees it and I have no doubt he will continue to do that. With Magic [Johnson], we have watched him over the years and he does not hesitate to criticize the Lakers when they play poorly and I have no doubt that if they play poorly he won’t hesitate to do it again. I believe both guys give a fair assessment as they should.”
Q:Earlier this week, we posted a piece about Adam Morrison and JJ Redick facing off in these finals. Can you remember another situation like this is NBA history, when two relative busts, linked so closely together, ended up being non-contributors during the league's premier showcase? (Justin at SportsCracklePop)
DA: “I think those two guys are not where they want to be in their NBA careers, but I would say that J.J. Redick did play very well for the Magic this season and helped the team win games, especially in the Orlando/Boston series guarding Ray Allen. The shots just weren’t falling for him then. He’s coming along and helping them in some ways. Adam Morrison is not going to play in this series, and that just might be that he’s not in the right position right now. I am hesitant to call players busts, though, overall.”
Q:Obviously, next summer is the big free agent bonanza. Who will be the biggest signing of this off-season? Will it be Allen Iverson reuniting with Larry Brown in Charlotte? Ben Gordon coming home to New York? (Justin at SportsCracklePop)
DA: “I think Detroit is going to be really active this off-season whether it’s with Carlos Boozer or Paul Milsap, maybe David Lee. I think they are going to do something this off-season that puts them back into contention in the Eastern Conference. Think about some of the free agents: look at Lamar Odom who I think is going to have a lot of suitors this off-season because of the way he has played in these playoffs. I think Trevor Ariza is going to get a lot of attention as well, maybe from a team like Memphis that is going to have a lot of cap room to take a look at an Ariza. To get the players they want, they’re going to have to be aggressive and spend I think Boozer will have a lot of attention this summer. It seems like there are some things going on there and he may be on the move.
Q:How is it to work with Charles and company – would you ever wear any of Craig’s suits? Would he ever wear the outfits Craig Sager wears? (Lizz at Lizz’s Lockeroom)
DA: “[laughs] You know what? I think one night it would be great if we did a bizarre TNT night where he would were a charcoal tie and a black three-piece suit, and I come out in three-piece pink suit. I wouldn’t mind trying that once. Working with the Turner guys is so great in every aspect of the job from production to content to working with people like Marv [Albert] , Reggie [Miller] and Kevin Harlan. It’s such a treat. They do a great job and really like working there. I’ve come along way with them, they bring incredible amounts of intelligence and knowledge to the broadcast. I mean the proof is in the pudding with that show, you look at the Emmy Awards the studio show gets with Ernie [Johnson], Charles [Barkley] and Kenny [Smith]. They are the best in the business and wonderful to work with.
Q:What is the best NBA Finals you’ve covered in your career? (Lizz at Lizz’s Lockeroom)
DA: Great question. I guess for me it might have been last year’s because when I came to the NBA we had the whole Boston/LA rivalry so I’ve always had that. For me to jump back into the history of that rivalry 20 years later that was a lot of fun.It was really terrific to see Boston and LA competing for a championship, and with the history, that was a lot of fun. Watching the Bulls dominate those six championships.The Phoenix series in ‘92 was a great series. I really felt that series should have gone 7 games.”
Q:If Kobe captures his 4th NBA title, where does he stand amongst the League's all-time greats? Can we start making a case for KB24 to "one day" surpass MJ as the G.O.A.T.? (Peter at PRC Hoops)
DA: “I don’t think right now you can put Kobe in the same category as Michael Jordan. If you look at Kobe’s years in the league, which is 12 or 13 years, that is incredible. But he has three titles and MJ has six, and I don’t think you can compare right now. I think Kobe is certainly the best player of his generation – no question. Like Bill Parcell says, its all about the [titles] and you know Mr. Russelll has 11 so no one is catching him and Michael has six, so I think those two guys have to be considered as No.1 and No.2 in greatest players ever.”
Q:There's only room for one Superman on Twitter. Looking solely at content, whose Twitter game is superior: Shaq or Dwight Howard? (Peter at PRC Hoops)
DA: “I’m going to plead the fifth on this because I’m not a Twitter guy and Facebook is more than enough for me right now. I like to see the stuff that Shaq does here and there, like the meet-ups so I guess I’ll have to give it to Shaq. But, I’m old school and not on Twitter enough to make a good call.”
Q:Your Facebook profile indicates that you went to DeMathaHigh School. Did you play ball for Morgan Wootten? If so, what was that experience like? How does he compare to the elite NBA coaches? (Peter at PRC Hoops)
DA: “I did go to DeMatha, but I did not play for DeMatha. My game was not there [laughs]. But I do know Morgan Wootten well. He is as decent a human being as I’ve ever met, and he is a tremendous guy who is a very humble person. Even though I never played for him, I learned from him how to win with class and I’ve been fortunate to know him. I see him as one of the more successful high school coaches and he does it in a way that doesn’t call attention to himself. He is a class act through and through. I’ve gotten to know him in school, and after school, and am very lucky to know him. “
Q:What moves would you make if you were the Wizards in their situation?
DA: “Well, I think they have to do two things: they have to get a point guard – not because Gilbert [Arenas] can’t play PG, but they have to start thinking about playing Gilbert off the ball because that’s his strength – and I think a solid PG will do well somebody they can give the ball to – and somebody they can throw the ball to inside. They really struggle to score inside, and you can’t be a jump-shooting team and win in the playoffs at some point – and even Orlando is an example, but they have a guy you can throw the ball to. You have to have someone inside to get the ball. They have talent, but they need to strike a balance. Those are the two moves I would make.
I would look to trading that pick, I think they might be able to get something out of it but I’m not sure cause there are different views on how this draft is I think this draft is about as good as most but it’s not a great but it’s not horrible you can get good players out of this draft. I know they don’t want to trade one of those big three guys but maybe they have to get someone they like such as Amar’e Stoudemire – they have to look at that.”
Q:The Magic seem to have a more balanced attack while the Lakers are all about Kobe. What team do you see having the edge? Do you think it’s more important in the finals to have an insane scorer like Kobe Bryant or a low post presence like Dwight Howard? (Richie from MVN)
DA: “I think Kobe has tried very hard this year to add balance to that team. I think the Lakers are much more balanced than a couple years ago. I think he trusts Pau and needs Pau to do and play well. He needs Ariza and Lamar Odom to play well. In that sense, I think the Lakers are a very balanced team. They are a team that can score and their defense creates offense for them as well. I think LA has the edge; same reason LA has had the edge in every series thus far. Their size up front is so difficult for other teams to match up with. You have two seven-footers in Gasol and [Andrew] Bynum, and throw in Ariza at six-eight and Odom and six-ten. It gives Phil [Jackson] some real flexibility with lineups and who’s going to go in stretch of games. That’s why I think they have the advantage. Their interior defense is better than everyone else. Their guards and their bigs can single cover – playing help defense makes it difficult to score against.
Q:What are your thoughts on Obama picking the Lakers in Six?
DA: “I did see that and I concur. Actually, I said that before so Mr. President took my pick as Lakers in six games.”
Q: In the NBA Finals press conference today, you asked Dwight about the officiating – are you working on a story for it and what is your angle and/or thoughts?
DA: “I am working on a piece on NBA officiating, but I’m not sure when it will run or exactly figured out what I’m going to say and how I’m going to say it. It will definitely run during the NBA Finals, but it’s definitely a topic that everyone is talking about and I want to take a serious look at the officials because I did write a column on the NBA conspiracy theories and it will be along those same lines. I got a lot of response from that, and a lot of people have strong views on officiating in the league. I really want to address those things in a very serious column and that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
“Coming up on NBA.com, I’m going to have my picks tomorrow (Lakers in six). I think everyone at NBA.com is going to have their picks up tomorrow for the finals so you will see some of the other writers’ picks, too. Obviously, for the NBA Finals for NBA TV, we’ll be with Ahmad [Rashad], CWebb [Chris Webber], and [Gary] Payton for pre-game coverage at the StaplesCenter here in LA. After the game, me and Rick Kamla will be breaking stuff down and covering the pressers. Then, we’ll be on again with Ahmad, CWebb and Gary for post-game.
“When we go to Orlando for Game 3, we’re going to be having a lot of fun. We’ll have the NBA TV crew, plus Ernie, Chuck and Kenny so we’ll have so much new content on NBA.com and some great TV coverage both online and on NBA TV. It should be a fantastic series.”
