Victor Wembanyama doesn’t like being called “The Unicorn.” It’s the nickname mostly associated with Latvian standout Kristaps Porzingis. About the only thing Wembanyama and Porzingis have in common is their height. Both are extremely tall men raised on European soil. But the comparisons end there. Wembanyama is a far, far better prospect at this stage … [Read more…]
NBA teams looking for a big man are in luck. This year’s draft is loaded with big men who could change the fortunes of several franchises. Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren and Duke’s Paolo Banchero are two of the three best prospects in the 2022 NBA draft. The two went head-to-head last November and the 20,000 fans … [Read more…]
Mark Few is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in college basketball. His resume speaks for itself. He has an incredible .830 winning percentage and has led Gonzaga to the national championship game in 2017 and 2021. His program has produced five first-team All-Americans (Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, Kelly Olynyk, Nigel Williams-Goss, Rui … [Read more…]
Detroit Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and the rest of the Pistons’ basketball decision-makers hold the top card in the 2021 NBA draft. The Pistons have an opportunity to change the fortunes of a franchise that’s been to the playoffs twice in 12 years and haven’t had a playoff win in 14 years. Detroit fans … [Read more…]
It took one of the all-time great Final Four buzzer-beaters to eliminate the UCLA men’s basketball from the 2021 NCAA tournament. Jalen Suggs’ near-halfcourt bank shot in overtime lifted top-seeded Gonzaga to a 93-90 victory over 11th-seeded UCLA in the national semifinals. Suggs’ “banked robbery” (a great headline from the Los Angeles Times) ended one … [Read more…]
Memo to rebuilding NBA franchises. When evaluating LaMelo Ball, let your eyes dictate. Ignore the noise. If you’re an NBA scout or executive, don’t judge LaMelo because of what you’ve read or heard about him. Don’t let your disdain for his outspoken father, LaVar Ball, influence your decision. Don’t listen to the noise from pundits … [Read more…]
The hype surrounding the 2019 NBA draft all points to one player: Zion Williamson. The Duke superstar is the most celebrated basketball pro prospect in recent memory and he will be coming to an NBA city near you. The New Orleans Pelicans hold the top pick in the draft and — barring some kind of … [Read more…]
This year’s NBA draft may not have a LeBron James or Kevin Durant or a Steph Curry but it has plenty of very gifted young prospects who have the talent and pedigree to could contribute right away for a lot of teams, and may even become the face of a franchise. The Phoenix Suns have … [Read more…]
The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the NBA. These two teams have a combined 33 championships and dozens of Hall of Famers. Now, they are in a rare position of drafting No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the 2017 NBA draft. Boston is coming … [Read more…]
The Philadelphia 76ers hold the No. 1 selection in this year’s NBA draft, and they have their eye on former Louisiana State standout Ben Simmons. Sixers coach Brett Brown knows Simmons and his family well. He coached Simmons’ dad, David, when he was with the Melbourne Tigers, so it makes perfect sense for Philly to … [Read more…]