My Favourite NBA Players

Favourite NBA Players

1 - Kobe Bryant

Kobe has worked tirelessly to be the best, he's been the best player in the league for well on a decade, is tenacious on offense and defense, took the mantle from MJ as best as anybody could, and once dropped 81 in a game, numerous game-winners, notoriously clutch.

2 - Steve Nash

The ultimate Canadian symbol, gives hope to shortness, whiteness and Canadianness in the NBA, shoots all-time high percentages, one of the best and most creative passers of all-time, orchestrated the run-n-gun Phoenix Suns between 2004 and 2009, played through bodychecks and black eyes, funny and socially conscious. 

3 - Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant really came into his own this summer with exhibitions across America, hitting streetball courts, rec leagues, and charity games daily, his legend is growing and he's an exciting player, the youngest to lead the league in scoring, two-time NBA scoring champ, leading a youthful Thunder team, long and lanky, amazing shot for 6'10

4 - Blake Griffin

Blake has grown with the community with his funny-or-die videos, and he's the most exciting player, physically, to watch in the league, he has me consistently watching Clipper highlights to see what crazy thing he did next, he defies racial categorization, wears and promotes Hyperdunks, born in 1989 same as me

5 - Ray Allen

 Posesses the smoothest stroke on a jumpshot ever, most career three-pointers, a living legend, the disciplined perfection of the master NBA shooter, how good the Celtic green looks on him, the professionalism, and the movie role in He Got Game as Jesus Shuttlesworth

6 - Dwight Howard

Dwight is larger than life, jovial, joking, yet dominant, and stands alone dominant at the centre position, his all-star introductions, world tour, impressions, shot blocking, dunk-contest antics, and megawatt smile all make Dwight one of the most likeable guys in the NBA, though he still has much to improve upon, such as midrange shooting, post moves, staying out of foul trouble, and free-throws.

7 - Derrick Rose

Derrick is fast, explosive, humble, the League's youngest-ever MVP, and the most powerful point-guard to ever play in the NBA, his sponsorship with Adidas Adizero is awesome, his cross-over is mean, his hops are fast, and his signature cock-the-ball-back-between-the-shoulderblades dunk is powerful, swift and graceful.

8 - Rajon Rondo

When Rondo returned from that brutal arm/ elbow injury ("it's still a little broken, but it's okay" - Rondo) during the 2011 playoffs it was an emotional shot in the arm for the Celtics, he's a sprightly, impish figure, disrupting defenses by cheating in the passing lanes, he takes risks on defense but is rewarded with steals thanks to fast hands and long arms, runs the Celtics with triple-double talent, formerly wore the upside-down headband.

9 - Dwyane Wade

Wade used to be my second-favourite player, like back in 06, before the injuries and during the Shaq era, he's still explosive and always unexpectedly great, it's as if he's floating sometimes, a very skilled player he can score at will, and he's also likeable, now a part of the Big 3 in Miami, but he still gets cheers in Toronto where CB4 and LBJ get booed.

10 - Shawn Marion

Matrix used to be my favourite player during his Suns days, loved him with Nash and Amare, looked so good in Orange, averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds as an undersized power-forward/SF, grabbed steals and blocks equally, shoots a high percentage, always manages to find ways to score without being an offensive focus, I always thought he'd be a good fit with the Raps if they insisted on a fast-break team with Bosh/ Bargnani frontcourt, still a great defender, finally won first title with Dallas

11 - Kevin Garnett

12 - Paul Pierce

13 - Allen Iverson

14 - DeMar DeRozan

15 - Chris Paul

16 - Carmelo Anthony

17 - LeBron James

18 - Amare Stoudemire

19 - Chris Bosh

20 - Brandon Roy

21 - Nate Robinson

22 - Josh Smith

23 - JR Smith

24 - Andre Iguodala

25 - Jason Williams

26 - James Harden

27 - Russell Westbrook

28 - Brandon Jennings

30 - John Wall

31 - Matt Bonner

32 - Rudy Gay

33 - Serge Ibaka

34 - Jamario Moon

35 - Glen Davis

36 - Rip Hamilton

37 - Baron Davis

38 - Lamar Odom

39 - Ron Artest

40 - Joachim Noah

41 - Jason Richardson

42 - DeJuan Blair

SuperBron vs BatPierce

The rivalry between Paul Pierce and LeBron James is an unlikely one. It’s also one of the best in the NBA. Whenever the two match up, their contrasting styles are quite evident. Where LeBron James is a physical marvel, Paul Pierce is so… unsuspecting. Pierce has a solid frame, but he’s not exactly chiseled next to James’ statuesque stature.

It is as if their skill-sets and on-court demeanor mirror a dichotomy that is a fairly common trope. This trope is shared by superheroes Batman and Superman who utilize all the tools at their disposal to be two of the biggest heroes in the DC Universe, with completely different physical abilities.

            Paul Pierce is like Batman. He seems like a regular guy. He uses his high IQ to maximize all of his physical grace and surprisingly sensitive touch around the basket. He doesn’t possess superhuman speed, rather, he’s kind of slow compared to other players, maybe kind of chunky, but you know it’s the kind of chunky that could muscle you around. Pierce/ Batman is a tricky player / hero, playing unconventionally and hitting shots that only come with a confidence of years of finding and perfecting the angles he needs to get around bigger, faster, and stronger opponents. Pierce/ Batman had to develop gadgets and train his mortal body to the peak of human ability.

Artwork by author; Devin Gray

            LeBron James is like Superman. Dwight Howard is too, but for the sake of the rivalry and the sake of the comparison, just let it slide. And LeBron really is a freak of otherworldly talent. He was only gotten bigger since he entered the League, now standing at 6’8” and 250 pounds he can run the floor better than anybody in the NBA. He can absolutely fly down the court when he gets into L-Train mode, can muscle his way through team-strong trap defenses, and can explode into the air harder and faster than anybody in the League.

            It is clear that LeBron is superhumanly gifted. Faster than a speeding bullet? Check. More powerful than a locomotive? Check. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? Check.

            Pierce is 6’7” and 235 pounds, so he’s a big guy too, but he wasn’t blessed with the physical dynamism of a Kryptonian prince. Pierce is crafty, like a veteran, except he’s always been crafty. He’s a player that uses what opportunities the game gives him, uses them effectively, has a consistent shot from anywhere on the floor, and knows how to use his body to get to the basket and to get into a position to score.

            Pierce is no slouch on defense either, though LeBron is decidedly the better defender. But what makes Pierce so great is that he does it all with cunning, talent, and luck. Pierce looks so mortal next to LeBron James who is superpowered in comparison. 

Pierce has had his moments of mortality too. The time in the finals when he went down and had to be taken off in a wheel-chair, only to emerge, hobbling from the tunnel and hit two emotional three-pointers has been mocked by some. But being stabbed early inhis NBA career was no joke. 

LeBron has always seemed untouchable.

            Pierce has a wry dry sense of humor, while LeBron attempts it but doesn’t quiteunderstand subtlety. LeBron tries too hard and thinks too much. That’s why he has trouble hitting shots at the buzzer. And that’s why Pierce is so stone cold at the buzzer. He’s not afraid to seem the bad guy, and it’s a role LeBron has struggled in. Superman is a hero in a strange land and he hopes the people understand him. He is a good guy, like LeBron, but doesn’t always grasp the way that average Americans live.

            Prior to LeBron’s move to Miami, he was untouchably popular and shrouded himself in all-American Boy Scout values directed towards economic prosperity and the American Dream. Superman is the American golden boy, a national symbol of strength, something LeBron built through his international play, but cemented with his popular image and global brand. Media makes heroes. 

Pierce is underrated, almost living in the shadows and he prefers it this way.

            LeBron James is the King and thereby in a position at the head of the NBA. While Superman may be the most powerful superhero, and leader of the Justice League, he’s a lame hero to have as a favourite. He’s hard to root for because he’s seemingly invincible, more powerful than any of the other heroes or villains. He’s so untouchable that it’s exciting to see him struggle and fail. This is the same with LeBron James, rooting for him is like shopping at Wal-Mart. It’s no fun if Goliath beats up on David.

            Paul Pierce is the Truth. Batman believes in his objective and doesn’t get caught up in the publicity or branding of himself. That is why he is so misunderstood. For a long time Pierce toiled without superhero-like recognition in Boston, until JLA’s started popping up all around the NBA and he was joined by Garnett and Shuttlesworth. He’s a solid dude who has worked hard and consistently to achieve success.

            LeBron was predestined to be successful and it still seems like he’s just discovering how to really use his full arsenal of powers. And when the two clash it isoften spectacular. LeBron/ Kobe haven’t really built a rivalry through playing each other, and the LeBron/ Melo rivalry never really developed either. Pierce may be LeBron’s truest rival. In 2008 when the two finally met in the playoffs,it came down to game 7 where Pierce’s 41 was more efficient than LeBron’s 45. Pierce was part of a strong Celtics team, and it was universally recognized that LeBron was the brighter individual talent. They have had many othersignificant clashes both before and since.

            Pierce has a flair for heroism. He is at his best when he seems physically or mentally beaten, he always has another trick up his sleeve. Everybody knows his weaknesses, but a bee doesn’t know it’s not supposed to be able to fly so it goes on flying anyways.

 

Hyperdunk VS Crazy Light

For the past few days I have had the opportunity, no, the luxury of critically testing two of the newest, hypest basketball shoes. After not buying new basketball shoes since making the senior team in Grade 11, it had been six years in the same old pair of Nike Shox. This time around I was attempting to choose between the identically-priced Adidas Adizero Crazy Light, and the Nike 2011 Hyperdunk. This is (not) a commercial.

     My first trip took me to a local mall's Foot Locker. They did not carry the Crazy Lights, which I had been more excited about than the Hyperdunks. Billed as the "Lightest Basketball Shoe Ever" the Crazy Lights were growing a myth that I had to explore. Regardless, Foot Locker had the Hyperdunks in a size 13, in gray and I tried them on in the store. They fit relatively well, the tongue is almost non-existant, but the thing I noticed most initially was the forefoot bounce. The shoe directed my force and translated it upwards. It's a hard thing to describe, but it felt like there was a bouncy little platform just behind my toes. They felt kind of explosive, kind of great actually. I enquired to my assisting staff member where I might find a pair of Crazy Lights to compare, and knowledgeably he told me Sport Chek, at a different mall. So I bought the Hyperdunks, took them home to continue running tests, and with the intent to return them if the Crazy Lights really impressed me.

     While I was home wearing the Hyperdunks around the apartment, I noticed a few more things. They really were incredibly light, at least lighter than anything I'd ever worn (maybe not Crazy Light...), and felt like an extension of my foot. The heel support was pretty good, the grip was impressive, and had an overall good feel. But, despite all this I had some major concerns with the body of the shoe on the inside of the foot. The shoe is almost entirely seamless except for midway on the foot on the inside of the shoe where a large seam runs from the laces to the sole. This leaves a small triangle of the meshy flywire cut off from the rest by the seam and the semi-reinforced toe, and in this triangle the material buckled. And this was after just wearing it around the apartment, it just kind of popped out awkwardly and audibly as I generated a toe crease. I could only imagine that after some serious game-wear it would eventually become cracked at the pressure point.

     It was two days later that I finally got to try on the Adidas Crazy Light. They had it in blue, in a size 13. Stores didn't have a size 14 in anything which kind of surprised me. Who do they think is playing basketball? Big guys! The shoe was pretty flashy, and definately minimalistic, which made it very light. Honestly though, not much lighter than the Hyperdunk (come on, it's like fractions of an ounce). The grip was outstanding, and it was very breathable, but there wasn't much to it. The shoe didn't feel powerful or propulsive. I didn't feel as explosive as I had in the Hyperdunk. Plus, the shoe was kind of tight in the wrong areas. Overall they were more narrow, especially tight on my left big toe. I was already questioning the comfort after wearing them around the store for minutes. The Crazy Light comes with two types of insert, Dr. Scholl style, one that is lighter and one for more confort. Between the two,  there wasn't a noticeable difference in weight, and I still had the overall tightness problems.

     So in conclusion I decided the Hyperdunks just felt better and would increase my on-court performance more, regardless of sizing issues. A size 14 Crazy Light would have been just as minimalistic, and without the same propulsion feeling I had already fallen in love with in the Hyperdunk. Hopefully that crease will feel fine and is just part of normal wear as I break in the shoe. I tried on one Hyperdunk and one Crazy Light simultaneously at the second store, just to be sure, then I left the Adidas' behind. I already had my Hyperdunks waiting for me at home.

"Ron Artest's Career" ART+icle

I did a post a while back after attending "Lovable Badass" an art exhibit in Toronto celebrating the life and career of Ron Artest. You can read my article here - An Artest's Perspective. Since attending the exhibit I have had an idea for an art piece to add to the collection with Ron riding a bucking rhino. It's been bouncing around in my head for far too long, and here it is, I call it "Ron Artest's Career."

"Ron Artest's Career"

My Top 100

We tend to give extra-credit to basketball pioneers, ones who blazed the trail for others. The NBA would not be the same if it were not for these originators and game-changers, but my top 100 is all about the best skill. This list should be the most biased attempt to be unbiased by time-period and actually look at how these players' skillsets would be utilized and developed in the modern NBA landscape. Say you were to go back in a time machine and kidnap these great players from their day, in the peak of their prime, how would they be able to compete against faster, bigger, more athletic competition if they were given a chance to integrate into the NBA? So hate me, debate me, be irate with me, but most of all engage me. It's all about opinion and I would love to hear yours.

1 Michael Jordan

2 Wilt Chamberlain

3 Kobe Bryant

4 Shaquille O'Neal

5 Bill Russell

6 Magic Johnson

7 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

8 Hakeem Olajuwon

9 Larry Bird

10 Oscar Robertson

11 Moses Malone

12 Tim Duncan 

13 Kevin Garnett

14 Karl Malone 

15 LeBron James

16 Dirk Nowitzki

17 Scottie Pippen

18 Charles Barkley

19 David Robinson

20 Dwyane Wade

21 Julius Erving

22 Elgin Baylor

23 John Stockton

24 Jason Kidd 

25 Kevin Durant

26 Allen Iverson

27 Isiah Thomas

28 Jerry West

29 Steve Nash

30 Elvin Hayes

31 Patrick Ewing

32 Dominique Wilkins

33 Clyde Drexler

34 Ray Allen

35 Dennis Rodman 

36 Gary Payton

37 Reggie Miller

38 Dwight Howard

39 Tracy McGrady

40 George Mikan 

41 Penny Hardaway

42 Kevin McHale

43 John Havlicek

44 Yao Ming

45 Willis Reed

46 George Gervin

47 Bob Cousy

48 Gus Johnson

49 Bill Walton

50 Paul Pierce

51 Pete Maravich

52 Bob McAdoo

53 Chris Webber

54 Bob Pettit 

55 Wes Unseld 

56 Carmelo Anthony

57 James Worthy

58 Connie Hawkins

59 Alex English

60 Vince Carter

61 Manu Ginobili

62 Walt Frazier

63 Earl Monroe

64 Chris Paul 

65 Rasheed Wallace

66 Amar'e Stoudemire

67 Rick Barry

68 Nate Archibald

69 Derrick Rose

70 Alonzo Mourning 

71 Nate Thurmond

72 Vlade Divac 

73 Jerry Lucas 

74 Jermaine O'Neal

75 Grant Hill 

76 Dikembe Mutombo

77 Shawn Kemp

78 Chauncey Billups

79 Deron Williams 

80 Michael Cooper 

81 Pau Gasol 

82 Ben Wallace

83 Drazen Petrovic

84 Joe Dumars 

85 Sam Jones

86 Walt Bellamy

87 Elton Brand

88 Tim Hardaway

89 Chris Mullin

90 David Thompson 

91 Mark Jackson

92 Marcus Camby

93 Robert Parish

94 Adrian Dantley 

95 Shawn Marion

96 George McGinnis

97 Glenn Robinson

98 Arvydas Sabonis

99 Artis Gilmore 

100 Chris Bosh

Dunkers Digest

NBA 2k11 brings us many things, among them a numerical rating that fixes a players' talent into measurable and therefore comparable statistics. The best dunkers active in the NBA are measured as follows,

Dunk / Vertical/ Total
1 Josh Smith 95/ 96/ 191
2 Gerald Wallace 94 /96/ 190
3 Andre Igoudala 92/ 97/ 189
4 Jason Richardson 90/ 97/ 187
5 Lebron James 90/ 96/ 186

But there are also players in the free agent pool whose dunking ability is beyond any of these legendary dunking pros, and are players you've likely never heard of before,

Dunk/ Vertical/ Total
1 James White 99/ 93/ 192 (2006 Round 2, Pick 1 by Portland)
2 David Noel 99/ 93/ 192 (2006 Round 2, Pick 9 by Milwaukee)
3 Gerald Green 93/ 97/ 190 (2005 Round 1, Pick 18 by Boston)

Are James White and David Noel really better dunkers than anybody in the NBA? Does anybody remember Gerald Green's 2007 NBA dunk contest win and think he should have a place in the NBA? Let's let Youtube decide... tell me what you think!

Recently Added*!

Not only do players' dunking abilities receive quantifiable grades in NBA 2k11, but also in other modern (or post-modern) NBA games. NBA Jam came out this year, and I copped it on Wii and iPhone. While some notable dunkers like Wade, Gay, Durant and Griffin received only an 8 out of a possible 10 in their "dunking ability" stat, there were many who received 9s and a couple 10s. Without further ado here are the top dunkers (without MJ) according to NBA Jam.

9
Josh Smith
Carmelo Anthony
Gerald Wallace
Kobe Bryant
Amar'e Stoudemire
Vince Carter
Andre Iguodala
Allen Iverson (on wii, AI received a rating of only 3 in the iPhone version...?)
Bucks Mascot Bango the Buck
Thunder Mascot Rumble the Bison

10
Dominique Wilkins
LeBron James
Dwight Howard (on iPhone, D-12 received a rating of 8 in the Wii version...?)
Jason Richardson
Julius Erving

Reaction to SI's Ultimate NBA Draft Finals

Chris Ballard's team (first place 46-26) VS Joe Posnanski's team (second place 45-27)
C Bill Russell (3) / C Wilt Chamberlain (2)
PF Charles Barkley (23) / PF Dirk Nowitzki (42)
SF Dennis Rodman (43) / SF Julius Erving (19)
SG Reggie Miller (38) / SG John Havlicek (39)
PG LeBron James (18) / PG Isiah Thomas (22)
6 Chris Mullin (58) / 6 Dwight Howard (59)
7 Arvydas Sabonis (63) / 7 Dolph Shayes (62)
8 Deron Williams (78) / 8 Mark Price (79)
9 Tiny Archibald (83) / 9 Grant Hill (82)
10 Carmelo Anthony (98) / 10 Vince Carter (99)
11 Shawn Marion (103) / 11 Jerry Lucas (102)
12 Bill Laimbeer (118) / 12 Michael Cooper (119)

The top two teams in the simulated regular season collide in the finals. Wilt Chamberlain has looked unstoppable, and who is LeBron to challenge him when he disposed of a Jordan/ Wade-led superteam in the previous round? Nevertheless, it is a combination of talents that surround and complement Chris Ballard's team that make it dominant.

The Matchup

In the frontcourt we have the legendary matchup of Russell vs Chamberlain. When the two goliaths met in 142 matchups in their NBA careers, Russell won 84 of those matches. Yet, it was a team effort and the Celtics were the consummate NBA team which led to Russell's 11 championship rings and legacy as a winner. In head-to-head matchups Russell averaged a ridiculous 23.7 rebounds per game, only to be bested by Wilt's ungodly 28.7 rebounds per game record. Chamberlain once grabbed an NBA-record 55 rebounds in a game, and it was against Russell. Russell's primary strength was rebounding and defense, while Wilt has the opposite reputation as a dominating scorer, but Chamberlain actually has better rebounding numbers. Chamberlain is obviously the greatest scorer in NBA history and he averaged a modest 28.7 points per game against Russell, a result of Russell's defense, but Russell only averaged 14.5 points per game in their matchups. With Chamberlain and Dwight Howard testing Russell all night and Dirk raining jumpers over Charles Barkley all night long, it's safe to say the Posnanski frontcourt takes this matchup.

Advantage: Posnanski

On the wings, Julius Erving matches up with Dennis "Worm" Rodman in an offense/ defense clash. I actually think Rodman would end up switching with Barkley on defense to guard and pester Dirk Nowitzki. I still think Dirk can be rattled and who better than Worm. That would leave Barkley guarding Erving, which is a better defensive matchup. John "Hondo" Havlicek is better than people remember/ give him credit for and he could match up defensively with Reggie Miller and match his intensity, but not his distance shooting. Reggie and Mullin could provide a three-point threat that team Posnanski could not match, and they would have to double-team LeBron when he muscled his way into the lane, leaving one (or both) of the shooters open. This one comes down to scoring options off the bench and LeBron playing point-forward and doubling as a wing player.

Advantage: Ballard

At the point-guard position Isiah Thomas comes off besting MJ while reprising his Pistons' "Jordan Rules," and he would be able to physically and mentally bludgeon LeBron. Or would he? The young Jordan that Isiah and his Pistons teammates cracked down on was 6'4 1/2" at the time of his drafting, and grew to 6'6" and 195 pounds. LeBron is 6'8" at least, and over 250 pounds. The L-Train would roll right through Isiah Thomas and run right into Wilt Chamberlain and Dwight Howard. LeBron is an amazing passer averaging 7.0 assists per game for his career including a season at 8.6 dimes per, but it pales in comparison to Thomas' 9.3 career average and career-best mark of 13.9 in '84-85. People overestimate LeBron's passing ability in this matchup, but he's the more dominant player overall. LeBron still has to be the one to get his teammates involved and this is something to question after season 1 of the Miami Heat experiment.

Advantage: Ballard

The benches of both teams got them to this point and we've already talked about the immediate impact of sixth men Chris Mullin on Ballard's perimeter, and Dwight Howard on the low block of team Posnanski. Arvydas Sabonis is a European legend and if he had played in the NBA at his prime would have been dominant, at least providing a serious matchup with Dolph Shayes who was great but undersized at 6'7" compared to Sabonis' 7'3" frame and shooting ability. Mark Price was a talented and consistent guard but would have trouble with the size and quickness of Deron Williams, one of the biggest guards in the current NBA. Nate "Tiny" Archibald once averaged 34 points and 11.4 assists as a 6'1" guard. Grant Hill didn't exactly have a prime, but he was one of the original "next MJ's" before injuries sidelined his career. Vince Carter and Carmelo Anthony in their primes are pretty similar as offensive firepower off the bench. Shawn Marion can run the floor, defend, and doesn't need the ball to score, plus he was a #1 fantasy pick in his prime for his ability to contribute across the board making him a great draft choice by team Ballard. Matrix rounds out the Ballard bench perfectly and Laimbeer just adds more size and toughness.

Advantage: Ballard

Decision

Although Ballard wins three of the four categories in this matchup, the strat-o-matic simulation awards the SI Ultimate Fantasy Draft Championship to team Posnanski. The frontcourt of Chamberlain-Howard-Nowitzki didn't have an answer throughout the tournament. LeBron carried team Ballard, but came up short. In the deciding Game 7 of the exciting round between these evenly matched teams Wilt erupts for 45 points and 17 rebounds proving he is the single most dominating basketball player of all time. LeBron goes for 23 points on 9 of 19 shooting because he must pull up and shoot rather than drive the lane against Wilt/Dwight and only Chris Mullin steps up with 24 points but it is not enough. Ballard had an amazing strategy, but I agree with the simulation, Team Posnanski wins the SI Ultimate Basketball Draft.

View the Boxscores of all the simulated games here

Wilt Chamberlain