#and he MADE those freethrows

[jrueships]

can you please walk us through the relationship between wemby and jabari the people need to know

i think the most notable thing about vic and Jabari's relationship is that they don't have one, when it would be so beneficial if they did. they're like two soldiers fighting for the opposite sides of a war, too loyal to the cause to stop and think about what could have been if they just lowered their respective weapons aimed by cold hands larger than their own. foils by fate, friends by freedom.

' remember, you will Always be Different. '

' remember, you will Always be Replaceable. '

'Replaceable'

Jabari's dad made it in the NBA, then didn't. He was a big that could shoot, but wasn't a post-up man. Back then, post-up was the desired style. Ironically, now, it's all about shooting. But his dad didn't live in the now, and his career in the US was short-lived, to keep it cordial. Jabari's older brother played basketball throughout his whole life, but stopped after college. Jabari's cousin, Kwame Brown, was drafted 1st overall in the lottery, and became a notorious bust for the Washington wizards.

Basketball is a business. Basketball is fleeting.

It doesn't matter that a big with sharpshooter skills is valued as something so 'prized' in today's nba, not back then, not when it would have mattered for Jabari's dad. Making it is one ballpark in its own, but Staying in it? Can perhaps be an even more painful ordeal when the hoops to accomplish it aren't circus hoops, but a plain hill some just don't have the strength, mentality, or the materials to help climb without distraction or pitfall.

Jabari's dad made sure Jabari had this threat forever ingrained in his mind. When he yells at Jabari for misplaced eye contact, for typing the wrong words in a public social media reply, for reacting in a way a camera might misinterpret, it's out of love. Jabari's dad was known for being a hassle to coach back then, maybe because he knew his potential and no one else did because it was too new to the mold. So he makes sure Jabari doesn't follow his same habits. Jabari is polite to authority, simply replies with a 'Yes Sir' or a 'No Ma'am', he holds eye contact, he wakes up hours before he needs to just to jump rope, just to uphold the standards that his family could not. He is Everything his father is and isn't, plus more. When his team wins, he's still talking about his missed freethrows even 8 hours later. Because someone else could have won the game And hit those free throws too . someone from a family that gained success and stayed in that success. Someone who wasn't Just Another Son of a basketball player trying to do what his father couldn't, someone who was Different .

Everyone knew wemby was different. When his literature class was asked to write an essay about your future dreams in life, he wrote a fictional romance about a couple where the woman got in a car accident and was comatosed as a result, but got better in the end. He didn't write about being a great basketball player one day, because his parents don't pressure him to hunker himself into the norm, even though his mother once was and now coaches. If Wemby one day realized this wasn't for him, they would encourage him to leave and follow whatever greater passions propelling him. He's so agile for his size because his dad was an Olympic talent in track and field. He is someone who has hobbies and talents that are considered common alone, but strange combined, because he loves what he has and what he does. He reads every night for one hour before bed not to appear as some pseudointellectual, but because he Genuinely loves it, and when he loves something, he excels at it. He does try to be different, but not out of ego. He just loves to be. He either accomplishes at 200% or zero. It may be 200% in an unexpected direction, but it's His direction and that's what matters. If he somehow does wind up a bust, a possibility he considers without fear but acceptance as potential fate, then he won't go down as yet another failed first pick. He'll fall as he flew, Victor Wembanyama.

' Different '

' Replaceable'

Jabari winces each time he's subbed out, even for a second, even on an injured ankle, he's silently Stubborn, his posture shrunken and his gaze at the ground yet his eyes, big, wobbling, staring up always at the speaker, he's silently scared.

Jabari doesn't Want to be different. He just wants to be what his family couldn't be when it came to fame: irreplaceable . His parents split when he was younger, he tries his hardest to appease them both as to not cause any more issues. The relationship relies on his shoulders more than ever, and he can't fumble it again. He has to be what his dad couldn't so his dad can stay, commenting on commonality or surprises. He wants to support his still working mother, especially after the split. He doesn't Want to be unique, he just wants Security.

Because this can crumble any moment now, it doesn't matter how high your pick was or how bright the future Could Have been or how the game would later shift to your style if you had just somehow Stayed. Why bet on low chances if you know you can't handle the risk. He shakes any college coaches' hands that showed up to his practices, personally thanks them for coming even though he's one of the best in the country so their presence should be a given to him, it's not. When he picks a college, he picks one that guaranteed their faith in him from day One, and didn't require any further prodding to finally say '.. Maybe we'll offer you a position' like Kentucky did, as big and famous as it is, it wasn't Secured . They saw him as a risk at one point, and that's everything he's been trying to avoid when it came to attention, negatively standing out.

Jabari wants to be known as the strong shoulder to the world. He WANTS to be known as That One Guy who can just carry everything, nameless but Good. He just wants to be Good. Please tell him he's good. Please tell him what he's doing is Good. That basing his entire personality around yet another soldier who ultimately fell in battle but fought nonetheless being nameless is Good. Please feel free to give him all your burdens to bear like he's just some mule, an animal, a Tool .. because that means he's Useful, at least. That means he's Good. And if he isn't good, then he's nothing. Because you can always just buy another one anyways. A better one.

'Different'

Although his parents try not to treat Wemby by simplifying his differences into a strictly labeled, simple FUTURE BASKETBALL PRODIGY box at birth, that doesn't mean that can always stop others from doing it. Wemby signed his first autograph at ten years old.

It didn't matter if he was a kid who was so much more than just his basketball future, basketball fans wanted one thing from him and one thing only: Success. People didn't care about his literary skills or his drawing hobbies. The eyes on his alien needed to be smaller 'so your shoe can sell better, trust us, it's still Your drawing.. your weird little .. not money-making hobby, do believe me, Vic, We know what We're doing. You just stick to whatever you do.'

His differences, in the end, are minimalized just to that. He's just Different. That's what everyone says who wouldn't really care to say anything at all if he never hooped as well as they wanted in the first place. The youtube videos of 40 year old men criticizing his 15 year old games didn't Really care if he was just a kid, they just cared in the 'imagine when he reaches peak physicality? imagine the points (money) he'd make for the nba.' His beautiful differences, artistic, soft, unique but oh-so wonderfully common and passionate.. are all dissolved into 'Different', the Base definition.

he's an alien. Someone you can just dump all your poverty franchise worries onto because don't worry, he's Different. Trust me, he'll save your team. 'He's Different. ..am i talking about how he'd effortlessly answer questions in class while also trying to hide the fact that he's playing on his phone by tucking his bony legs awkwardly in his chair and crouching his spine over that it looked almost scary? HELL NO? what does THAT have to do with BASKETBALL?? no, he's just freakishly long, but like. Gifted. Though. ... I don't know, man, he's just DIFFERENT, okay? you can trust me, i'm a sports podcaster, okay? everything i say is gold.'

A celebrity approaches him because he was different than most famous basketball athletes. He was Different. And yet, when he didn't recognize or notice her presence due to Different cultures ( due to Being Genuinely, Detailedly Different ), he was scorned and ushered out of public eye so another possible pr bomb couldn't injure his reputation as a Difference That They Really Would Rather Not Want.

that's what his reading falls into, his old friends, his family, his art, his personality. If it's beyond ball, if it's beyond Business. The world only cares if it's marketable. Sure, some reporters will ask a question outside of sport, but only because it'll be a Different.. funny little nugget of knowledge for fans to laugh at then soon disregard for what Really made him famous. But, Wemby is what he always wanted to be. He's Different. So What if it's not exactly the kind of Different he actually wants, he actually functions on? No one has the time to perform 200% anymore. Slap the label you wanted and call it quits, stop being so High-Maintenanced. That's not marketable.

You're just different. And to some people, that's all you'll ever be. No need to explore it any further. Who knows, your Consumers might find something they won't like. And we can't risk that happening to our greatest circus freak.

i mean. Generational basketball talent .

If there's a press conference going on that somehow includes the two, then Wemby just wants to be sure everyone can hear what he really wants to say, in his own words, not echoing anyone else's, and Jabari just wants to Be in the Room.

His brother stopped playing basketball because his family said he didn't try hard enough. Jabari Can't have that. His whole life revolves Around basketball, around sport. He doesn't WANT to be DIFFERENT if that isn't the soundest option, he just wants to be GREAT. Because GREAT is SUCCESS. Jabari Smith is not success. It's just a retry at it . His father shares the same name.

Wemby's life did not always revolve around basketball, to people, at one point. At one point, Wemby's life was just his life. Now, it seems like only his family think that, and they're from a whole other country. When he comments on videos critiquing his playstyle, he doesn't do so out of anger or questioning, he does so because he genuinely Wants to improve. He Does want to be great. But, he wants to be great in Everything that he finds interesting. He always did. When he likes an author, he reads All their books, not just their most notorious novel. He wants to be transported into other people's worlds so he can learn, so he can change, so he can be Different. Even if he somehow were to lose all of this fame, this Greatness, this job, this opportunity, he will never really lose. Because he's someone who's always taken opportunities to the fullest, so even if they pan out a little differently, that's Fine, really, because he's different. Not in the minimizing, dictionary definition then leave the meaning at that different, but in the butterfly effect. What he once was ten days ago is not exactly the same of what he is now, and it hurts, sometimes, when people fail to see that, or simply don't want to because textbook different is easier to digest than worldly different.

IN SHORT.. theyre foils. i can't Exactly walk u thru their relationship bcs .. there Isn't one.. & that's what's so Interesting about them. That's what makes their relationship, to me. Because if they WERE to be friends, if they somehow in some alternate world WERE to get paired up on the same team... they would be friends. I really think they would be. Not only because their signs are so compatible, or their differences are so stark, but because their similarities would triumph everything beautifully. Maybe. We don't know because they Weren't paired together, we can only speculate. But i think it would be big and beautiful, whatever they would have, it would be Something.

unfortunately, we don't live in an alternate world where they're teammates though ! Double unfortunately, Jabari and Wemby's biggest similarity is their loyalty to the game (a double-edged sword in both their lives from Jabari's silent unhealthy desire to be limited and Wemby's silent desperation not to be) Wemby, in Jabari's eyes, is Indeed a powerful...

Problem.

He's not really a person to him . In all fairness, no one really is when they're involved in the basketball world, not to Jabari, not from the way he's been taught. Everyone's supposed to be Replaceable, a faceless tool in the pocket of good business.

.. except for This freakazoid. Apparently.

APPARENTLY, he's some supposed 'saint'. someone to be feared for being more. APPARENTLY, the reporters just LOVE yapping about him SO much, that Jabari HAS to take the time out of his training just to talk about some guy who doesn't even GO here, yet when they ask him about his opinion on future prospects. WELL, that's ALL wemby IS to Jabari, just another future prospect. Just another problem.

A problem he'll be sure to check off his list.

... okay, so Maybe he's a bit more than a problem.. maybe.. he's just a really persistent problem? yeah, that's it, nothing more. Jabari will work through this. He Always does. That's what he does well, Work.

Wemby wonders if that's all he ever does .

But he doesn't have long before Jabari's marching down the tunnel to beat himself up over all his mistakes other people would never make, and Wemby's being escorted to an interview that other people would never make solely to show how Much he just Stands Out as a soul... in basketball .

I hope they find each other in basketball, and out of it as well. I just feel like

Something would Happen

[okayyklayy]

So, you want to learn basketball?

Basketball is a sport beloved by millions around the globe, celebrated for its fast-paced action, strategic depth, and camaraderie among players. It is, however, a difficult game to get in to. It isn't easy to one day decide you want to start watching basketball. It's fast-paced and if you're unsure of what to be on the lookout for, you can potentially miss some of the action. So, let's start from the basics. (This only covers NBA rules and regulations)

Any time a basket is scored (besides freethrows), it is referred to as a field goal.

If a field goal, is made outside of the three-point arc, then that basket is worth three points. If it is made anywhere inside the arc, it is worth two points. A free throw is worth one point. 

Freethrows are awarded based on fouls. 

Fouling someone who was in the shooting motion awards them freethrows. If someone is fouled and misses the shot, they are award the number of freethrows based on how much their potential shot was worth (2 or 3 points). If the shooter makes their shot but is still fouled, they are awarded one extra freethrow; this is called an and-1.

Another way freethrows are awarded is through the bonus. To simply put this: Team A enters the bonus after Team B picks up its 5th team foul. From that point on, Team A will shoot 2 free throws after every foul, even if the foul doesn't occur on a shot.

Fouls are sometimes difficult to understand as there are many different types of fouls, so I can do a separate post about those.

~~~

There are many different violations in the NBA that can result in a team turning the ball over to the other team

⬆️

Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of or, sometimes, even under the ball.

Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or picking up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble.

Goaltending. If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down toward the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched the backboard, or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the shot counts. If committed by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a throw-in.

Backcourt violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line, they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the other team to pass inbounds.

Time restrictions. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Once the ball is inbound and in play, the team has 24 seconds to score. If they do not score in 24 seconds, it is a shot clock violation and turnover to the other team.

Traveling. Traveling in the NBA is defined as taking more than 2 steps without dribbling the ball. It isn't always this simple however. The shooter can choose either foot to pivot (pivot foot) on while having possession of the ball. A player also gets a gather step, the step they take to gather, or gain control, of the ball. According to the NBRA, "A player who gathers the ball while progressing may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball, or if he has not yet dribbled, one step prior to releasing the ball. A player who gathers the ball while dribbling may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing, or shooting the ball."

This can be confusing so, here is a video showing a gather step in game: https://17eff2881b90f2ead022-5a877a6d5c118357a731744c60102188.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/21-NBRA-0008__8-Gather-VS-Travel_B.mp4

~~~

There are 5 guys per team on the court at any given moment. Each guy on the team has a specific role for their team in terms of offense and defense. However, in the NBA, positions of players are pretty fluid and guys are able to do things outside of their position and contribute in a multitude of ways.

Center. Centers are generally your tallest players. They generally are positioned near the basket. Offensively, the center's goal is to get open for a pass and to shoot close to the basket. Centers are expected to get some offensive rebounds and put-backs. Defensively, the center's main responsibility is to keep opponents from shooting by blocking shots and passes in the key area. They also are expected to get a lot of rebounds because they're taller.

Forward. Your next tallest players will most likely be your forwards. You have a small forward and a power forward. While a forward may be called upon to play under the hoop, they may also be required to operate in the wings and corner areas.

Power Forward: The power forward does many of the things a center does, playing near the basket while rebounding and defending taller players. But power forwards also take longer shots than centers.

Small Forward: The small forward plays against small and large players. They roam all over on the court. Small forwards can usually score from long shots and close ones.

Guard. These are potentially your shortest players and they should be really good at dribbling fast, seeing the court, and passing. You have both a point guard and a shooting guard. It is their job to bring the ball down the court and set up offensive plays.

Point Guard: The point guard runs the offense and usually is the team’s best dribbler and passer. The point guard defends the opponent’s point guard and tries to steal the ball.

Shooting Guard; The shooting guard is usually the team’s best shooter. The shooting guard can make shots from long distance and also is a good dribbler.

[sammy-deserves-better]

Scary Girl is a Danganronpa enjoyer and plays literally every horror game ever made because she thinks they’re funny

Axel is a champ at fighting games and those zombie survival games because she’s silly like that

MK is a massive rhythm game fan but will refuse to admit it (‘Hatsune Miku? Never heard of her’)

Julia is the sore loser sibling who turns off the console just as someone else is about to win

Chase streams games like Poppy Playtime and Garten of BanBan unironically

Ripper claims he plays ‘only the manliest of games’ and then he’s just doing the basketball freethrow game in Wii Sports Resort (he also said he did the genocide route in Undertale but cried super hard when he killed Toriel and reset immediately)

Raj and Wayne exclusively play multiplayer games, Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics is their favourite because of the ice hockey event (they’re also suckers for the figure skating event)

we need less shipcourse and more hobby discourse. i think nichelle plays old people games like sudoku solitaire mahjong daily crosswords etc (<-me when im projecting) mk is goated at beatboxing and cup stacking. damien relaxes by taking his metal detector to the beach. emma makes cringe irl celeb couple edits. julia regularly watches seinfeld. wayne and raj build shitty bird houses. zee is an 8 hour long video essay enjoyer. bowie kills at scrabble cmon people.

.

[ahnsael]

Sorry, this is my thing today.

Kobe Bryant may have been adopted by Los Angeles, and may have adopted L.A. as his home, but...he was a Philly kid first. So to see Philly acknowledge him as an ambassador to the city seems right.

[splash-brothers]

8 of Steph's 23 points in the 4th quarter are from FTs and during garbage time

sure. you know that so well so i hope you also know that harden missed a bunch of important freethrows during this game. and that the rockets almost made all the threes they took when they were intentionally fouling steph. this means steph missing one or two of those freethrows could have made it a one possession game.

fun fact i saw on twitter yesterday: steph has made 76 straight 4th quarter and overtime freethrows in playoff games since 2015. he hasn't missed one. but sure, it's only freethrows during garbage time so it doesn't matter.

[8bitmickey]

How space jam really should have ended

Griffin had just come in from shooting some hoops outside of the school. A couple of guys who were up to no good started making trouble in his neighbourhood. He almost got into a fight, but instead he challenged the guys to a game of streetball. It was a tough game but Griffin won, even though it was like 3 against 1.

He went upstairs to his room and got changed. As he was getting changed, he looked around his room at all of the basketball stuff on his walls. With all the posters on the wall, one always was his absolute favorite. There, standing tall in his 45 jersey was Michael Jordan. Griffin had one of him in his Bulls jersey, but thought he looked pretty sweet in the Pacers one. He told the poster all about the game against the tough guys, and how he totally rocked their world. "You'd be proud of me Michael," Griffin said as he put on his shirt.

Griffin was feeling really hungry after his super intense game, and figured a little bit o' the good stuff was just what the doctor ordered. As he was sitting down to eat some sweet, sweet golden grahams, a portal appeared in the kitchen. "Holy moly!" yelled Griffin. Stuff was getting blown around because of the portal, and Griffin had to make sure his golden grahams didn't fly away!

When the portal got big enough, Michael Jordan came through the portal, and was standing in Griffin's kitchen! Griffin couldn't believe his eyes. Here was his all-time favourite basket ball player! Michael Jordan was standing in his kitchen. Griffin nearly dropped his spoon, he was so surprised!

"Hello Griffin," Michael said. "Me and the Loony Toon team need your help."

"My help? What can I do dawg? I'm not that good at basketball, you should find someone better" Griffin said, looking down. He didn't feel all that good about his skills at basketball.

"We called a special time out, because we knew we needed help. We used a special machine to find someone who was good at basketball, and also a good person. The machine showed you playing against those tough guys. You were really good." Michael said. Griffin looked up.

"Really, Michael Jordan?" Griffin asked, feeling better about himself.

"Totally. Now put this uniform on and lets go!" Michael Jordan said, throwing a Loony Toons Team Jersey to Griffin. Griffin caught the uniform and looked at it. On the back was the number 3 with McElroy across the sholders. This was the real deal.

"I guess my golden grahams will have to wait!" Griffin thought to himself.

Griffin got changed as fast as he could, and then ran down the stairs to the kitchen. Michael Jordan looked at him and nodded. He stepped throuh the Portal, and Griffin had to go after him. "This is totally amazing! I can't believe this is happening to me!" Griffin yelled as he ran into the portal.

When Griffin came out of the other side of the portal, he was on the sidelines in the biggest stadium he had ever seen. There were millions of people there, except they weren't people; they were aliens. He could see the other Loony Toons on his team already playing. He could tell they were doing their best, but they were losing. Bad. The problem was that Michael Jordan kept on getting covered by too many players. How was Michael supposed to sink those sweet, sweet three-pointers with all those jerks surrounding him?

Without wasting anymore time, Griffin ran out onto the court. The Other toons shouted because they were so happy to have a new team member to help them out. The other team looked scary, but Griffin was used to playing against scary, tough guys. He wouldn't let them throw him off his game.

With Griffin on the team, the other team didn't know who to cover. This new guy was just almost as good as Michael Jordan! With them working together, Griffin and Michael Jordan totally evened out the score! That's when the other team desided to get dangerous.

The clock was winding down, and the other team were up by 1 point. They decided to take out Griffin and Michael Jordan for the rest of the game. When Griffin and Michael Jordan came flying up the court, some of the tough guys made sure to crash into Griffin and Michael Jordan really hard.

The crowd was super angry, and the ref sent off the tough guys that hurt Griffin and Michael. Griffin got up, but was hurting pretty bad. Michael Jordan couldn't get up on his own though. He'd hurt his ankle pretty bad and needed to be carried off of court.

The clock was still ticking down, and someone needed to take the Freethrow. Griffin was scared, because he knew he would have to do it. He wasn't very good at freethrows, but no one else was allowed to substitute for him. As he walked up to the line, he was handed the ball, and told he got 2 shots.

Griffin took a deep breathe and took his first shot. It hit the backboard and bounced off the front of the basket rim. Everyone gasped and then held their breath. The ball bounced a couple more times until it finally fell into the basket. The crowd went crazy! Griffin had tied the game! Griffin was happy, but totally scared now because he entire game was riding on this shot. The players from the other team started telling him that he was going to miss the next shot, and they were going to score the winning shot. Griffin didn't want to believe them, but he was really scared because he knew that everything was riding on them.

Just before Griffin took the next shot, he saw Michael come out on some crutches. He knew that Michael Jordan could tell he was scared, which sucked because he didn't want to look scared in front of his all time idol. Michael Jordan looked Griffin in the eye, and because the stadium was so quiet, everyone could hear Michael say "Griffin, I believe in you." Griffin felt great when he heard this, because if Michael Jordan believed in him, then he must be good enough to make this shot!

Griffin set his legs apart, crouched down, and looked at the net. Then he closed his eyes, jumped, and took the shot. Just then the buzzer went. There was no going back. It went stright through the net! A perfect swish! The crowd went crazy, and the other team walked off the court without even shaking hands with anyone. They were soooooore losers. Griffin turned around and Michael Jordan was standing there.

"We did it Michael Jordan! We won the game" Griffin said.

"No Griffin, you won it. Without you we wouldn't have stood a chance."

"No way Michael Jordan. It was a team effort. I helped, but it was the whole team that got us there. Heck, if you didn't say that you'd believed in me, I could never have made that last shot." Griffin said, looking Michael Jordan right in the eyes.

"You didn't need me to say that Griffin. You had it in you to make that shot the whole time. You just needed to believe in yourself."

"Thanks, Michael Jordan. Best buds?" said Griffin, holding out his hand.

"Best buds for life, Griffin" Michael Jordan said, shaking Griffins hand. "Also, I love 'My brother, my brother, and me" the podcast you do with your equally talented-but-but-quite-as-ruggedly-handsome brothers. Those Yahoo answers people are some dumb mother fuckers, aren't they?"

"They sure are Michael Jordan, best bud for life. They sure are."

And then Griffin and Michael Jordan totally made out.

The end... or is it?

This totally amazing (and true) story has been brought to you by the letter "awesome."

Also by Corey Dutson who's a big fan of the show.

[flauntpage]

Miloš Teodosić Speaks: "Clippers Are My Kind of Team"

This article originally appeared on VICE Serbia.

Miloš Teodosić and the NBA. Those two have been flirting for awhile now, and by "awhile" we really mean the last five or six years. Every summer, your average Serbian hoops lover will lose sleep wondering whether "Teo", as he's casually known at home, will finally cross the Atlantic and start playing in the world's premier basketball competition. Will he adapt quickly? Will he dazzle American guards just like he has with the Euroleague opposition for the past decade? Will his body be able to withstand the tremendous grind of the NBA season? Or will he rather, much like Dejan Bodiroga, the former Sacramento Kings draftee, opt to stay in Europe for the duration of his career? The questions were never ending, and the answers were in short supply.

Well, we're about to find out. Miloš recently signed a two-year, $12.9 million contract with the LA Clippers, and is ready to take the NBA by storm. In a way, Teo going to the NBA at a somewhat advanced age — he turned 30 earlier in March — is a throwback to the glory days of Serbian and European basketball, when ballers would only make their NBA move after proving themselves in the Euroleague and local competitions. When Miloš finally won the Euroleague title last year, we knew that the clock was ticking. Once his contract with Moscow powerhouse CSKA expired, he was free to explore the American market to his liking. European basketball simply didn't have many challenges left to offer, and Teodosić, as people who know him will tell you, is all about that.

Teodosić arrives in LA with his new team at the crossroads. Chris Paul, the point guard and fan favorite of past six seasons, was traded away to Houston in a blockbuster deal. This transaction suddenly found Clippers needing a point guard, and the Serbian national team standout will be looking to fill that void left by CP3. After all, Teo's default answer when asked about the NBA was that he is very much willing to go there, but only on his conditions. It's just that the end choice turned out a slightly surprising one, at least in the eyes of many Serbians.

Photo by Ivan Minić

Initial reports had Teodosić negotiating deals with a diverse bunch of franchises – the Brooklyn Nets, with their Russian connection, were an early front-runner, and the Chicago Bulls pitched an offer as well, looking to draw Miloš with its massive Serbian population in Illinois. Then there were the Miami Heat and the Utah Jazz, the latter coached by Quin Snyder who previously worked with Teodosić as Ettore Messina's assistant at CSKA, and of whom Miloš has spoken highly on several previous occasions. In the end, however, it was the Paul blockbuster which swung the odds in the Clippers' favor.

We wished to hear a bit more about all of this from the man himself, so we ventured out to Silver Lake, a popular holiday resort around seventy miles east of Belgrade, where Teo runs his annual "Teo4" basketball camp for kids. After an afternoon practice with the camp staff, it was Miloš' turn to make his entrance — despite the fact he arrived from California yesterday afternoon, he was eager to run a few scrimmages with the enthralled campers, as well as sign countless autographs and pose for as many selfies. Teodosić, regardless of his club affiliation, remains a well-loved figure within the whole hoop-loving European basketball community, as shown by the fact that at least a third of all children present at the camp were speaking in some language other than Serbian (Russian and Greek were rather prominently heard).

Photo by Ivan Minić

Finally, as the last mini-ballers were sent away to their rooms, we were able to sit down with Miloš for a couple of minutes and hear his thoughts on the recent proceedings. We also managed to sneak in a quiz question, so read until the very end and see whether he nailed it. LA, meet Miloš — you two will get along just fine, we gather.

VICE Serbia : So, you finally made "the" move.

Miloš Teodosić : I'll admit, it has been on my mind for the past two years at least. But as I said it before, I was not willing to go to the NBA just so I could say I've been there. I want to play, and I want to leave an impression. I had options, and I feel I picked just the right club for me.

The choice came as a surprise to many.

Well, you know, one trade can completely change a team's outlook.

Which is quite the case with the Clippers.

You bet. Once the Clippers entered the fray with their offer, it was clear to me where was I gonna play next. Believe me, it was not a difficult decision – at all. Looking at their roster, it's as if I put it together myself. We're that compatible, I feel.

That trade also involved your former and future teammate Patrick Beverley, who had some choice words about you when asked by the press. Actually, it's not often that a European player gets this much buzz from the American media. Feeling any pressure to deliver already?

Ummm...no. Not at all. Honestly, I'm not even thinking about it right now. Maybe I will feel some once I'm there before the season, but I'm more than ready for it should it happen.

Photo by Ivan Minić

Your new coach is Doc Rivers, a former NBA point guard. Reckon you two will be working fine together?

Oh, no doubt, no doubt at all. We spoke some last week and I feel we're on same wavelength completely.

But I mean, it's not just the coach. Check the backcourt we have — there's Beverley, who's really a tremendous defensive player. Then there's Austin Rivers, another great D guy, and a fantastic athlete to match. I can play with either. Doc will certainly have enough options. I'm sure he'll find a way to get the best out of everyone.

Right, enough with the guards, let's talk big men. Blake Griffin has had some injury woes recently, but more than a few people think you can bring "lob city" back to Staples Center. In fact, ESPN's Zach Lowe enthusiastically tweeted "LOB CITY IS BACK" once your signing was made official.

Ha! I didn't catch that, that tweet I mean. Well, Blake and DeAndre Jordan will surely make my NBA transition much smoother. That's a pair of quality players right there. I mean, tell you what, I can't wait myself for the next season to start. I'm really eager to put it all in motion, see how it works firsthand.

Photo by Ivan Minić

NBA teams break camp sometime in late September. Think that's enough time for y'all to get acquainted?

Plenty of time. I'm going to LA right after Eurobasket ends, which is the third week of September. We'll iron it all out before the season kicks off.

Right, quiz time. Which LA Clipper famously won the All-Star Dunk Contest by slamming it down from the freethrow line? Hint : it's not Griffin.

No, Blake won it by dunking over a car, I remember...alright, give me a moment.

(thinks)

Brent Barry, wasn't it?

You sure did your homework. Best of luck to you in your rookie season, Miloš!

Miloš Teodosić Speaks: "Clippers Are My Kind of Team" published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[nedilynndominique]

2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup (04/22/17)

Star Hotshots vs Blackwater Elite

San Miguel Beermen vs Rain or Shine Elasto Painters

On April 20 (Thursday), kuya, Layne, and Jenny woke me up at 2:30 am and surprised me with 5 VIP tickets to watch San Miguel Beermen play on Saturday!!! I didn’t fall asleep until 5:30 am, and I was so excited that I made banners and my fans of my favorite players (Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Charles Rhodes, Arwind Santos, and Alex Cabagnot).

On April 22, we left at 12:30, met Layne’s iPhone 6s seller to get her phone, and then went to MOA Arena. I was wearing a black dress, black tights, a red flannel, and my boots. Upon entering, we found out that I couldn’t bring my banner inside :( 

G1: Di po yan pwede dalhin sa loob.

Me: Pinaghirapan ko pa naman ‘to :(((

G1: Sayang, parehas pa naman tayo ng team!

G2: Bakit 5-0 nakalagay?

Me: Kasi alam kong mananalo sila ngayon :)) (and I shared some laughs with the guards even if I was a bit heartbroken that I couldn’t bring my banner with me)

They told me to just claim the banner later, and then we bought some drinks from Starbucks before entering. I didn’t realize that we will be sitting right beside the players and in front of the ring!

The first game was Hotshots vs Blackwater and I got my pictures with Jio Jalalon and Rodney Brondial (note: mama went to Rodney’s seat and the bouncer tried to stop her HAHA)!

(update on April 24, morning) I tagged Jio Jalalon on IG when I posted this and he untagged himself from the photo :((( And when I looked at his tagged photos, he didn’t untag himself from the other fans’ photos with him. :/

 I also saw Roi Sumang because Blackwater sat beside us. And Layne and I cheered for Star still, while Jenny and mama cheered for Blackwater out of respect which I totally understand, I just like Star Hotshots’ players better. What I didn’t like was how Allein Maliksi played dirty, and I kind of idolized him less because of that. It was so fun because the camera man suddenly came in front of us and shot a video of us during the timeout and then he left saying “mamaya na lang” and he came back again pero nahiya na ko. Haha. And then when the cheerleaders came out and gave out shirts, mama asked for one but the guy that accompanied the girls shook his hand, signaling that they had none left. When they went and gave out shirts again, the guy nonchalantly threw a blue shirt my way. And all but one of the shirts that they gave away were white shirts so it definitely made me feel special ♥

During the break before the second half, Layne, Jenny, and I decided to go to the restroom, and when we got back, we saw Junemar Fajardo heading to the dressing room/backstage. We quickly asked to have a picture with him :) 

So, Star Hotshots won by only a few points. And after the game, we asked to have pictures with KG Canaleta (even though I was cheering for the other team, he was a really great player!) and Mike Di Gregorio (he was also a great player but I think he’s new. He liked my post on IG, and commented on mama’s post :)) 

I WAS SOOOO HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT SMB WILL BE SITTING ON OUR SIDE!! And when they came out, I immediately moved to take pictures while waiting for Marcio. I didn’t see him, and was so disappointed only to learn that while I was taking a selfie with the players, he LOOKED AT ME! (as told by Jenny and Layne) and they thought I took a selfie with him, but I either moved too early or too late to see it! Anyway, I brought my sticks up and cheered for the guys, and I saw Marcio look at me 3 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then Layne saw him look at me another time but I wasn’t holding my stick up and was talking to Jenny. Huhuhuhu. But I was just so happy that he noticed me. It was a smart move that I had my stick of their faces with me ♥ Afterwards, when Junemar was dribbling in front of us, I put up my stick with his face on it and Layne and I cheered him on, he LOOKED UP, SAW THE STICK, AND SMILED!!!! I was so happy that I made THEM happy with those sticks. ♥♥♥

I saw the other players at the bench look at me as I cheered, I hope that I didn’t distract them too much, but I just really wanted to support them! Also, during the timeouts, a different camera man saw me with these sticks and he did a double take, I smiled sheepishly (being a tiny bit embarrassed), and he pointed the camera at me. Hahahaha. Too bad no one was able to take a video or a picture of us live, because they cut the timeouts and halftimes from their Youtube videos when we re-watched it :(

During the halftime period, some players went to practice for a bit, and then Marcio went out of the backstage and lingered by the benches for a while. I took this as my cue to approach him and ask for a picture. 

Me: Can I please take a picture with you? 

He nodded and we snapped a picture, and then Jenny tells him that it WAS MY BIRTHDAY and he greets me a “Happy Birthday” with a small smile on his face. So this was probably a something that he normally does, but I was sooo kilig. And to know that it was only ME who had the opportunity to ask him for a picture made me more kilig than ever!!!

I cannot stop myself from smiling and reminiscing this moment!!!! My day was complete. After that, we saw Arwind beside our seats, and he was taking pictures with the fans from the patron seats, so I went and ask him for a picture as well, and he agreed :)

During the 2nd half, we just cheered them on, saying “you’re doing great, Rhodes!!” and “okay lang yan!” whenever Junemar or Gabby Espinas missed a freethrow. I want to reassure them as much as possible and just cheer them on. I was of course cheering louder for Marcio, but I was trying to be discrete about it so that I wouldn’t come off weirder than I already was. My team  won against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and Marcio was able to shoot a 3-pointer right at the last second!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy, kunwari para sakin yun- birthday ko naman e! Norwood felt disrespected, but I understand why Marcio did it- they had to get great scores!

Final Score: SMB 111 - 98 ROS

Charles Rhodes: 26 Pts, 6 Rebs, 2 Asts, 1 Blk. Gabby Espinas: 15 Pts, 8 Rebs, 4 Asts, 2 Stls. Arwind Santos: 13 Pts, 2 Rebs, 2 Asts Alex Cabagnot: 14 Pts, 8 Rebs, 7 Asts, 2 Stls. (5-11 FG, 3-5 3pt) JunMar Fajardo: 14 Pts, 8 Rebs, 1 Ast. Marcio Lassiter: 12 Pts, 3 Rebs, 2 Asts, 2 Stls, 1 Blk. (2-6 3pt) Chris Ross: 10 Pts, 6 Rebs, 5 Asts, 2 Stls, 1 Blk. Yancy De Ocampo: 5 Pts, 3 Rebs, 2 Asts. Brian Heruela: 2 Pts, 2 Asts

Today on April 24, we found out that RR Garcia will be traded off with TNT’s Matt Ganuelas-Rosser. I was happy to see him play for the last time, even if it was for only a few minutes.

After the game, all the players except for Rhodes, Ross, and Espinas quickly left the court, so I was able to ask the three guys to take a picture with me, thanks to my VIP pass. Hehe. Rhodes was extremely kind (he walked off of the court once because he was being called out by a lady referee, but he was really nice), Ross was so accommodating and went to the other side of the court to take pictures with his fans (the bouncer escorted him, but when he went our way, he still agreed to take a picture with us ♥), and same with Espinas- a bouncer was escorting him already but he still agreed to take a picture with me (even if mama was recording a video and had to do it all over again hehe). This was definitely the BEST GIFT I HAVE EVER RECEIVED AND IT IS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One thing I did notice was that Alex Cabagnot isn’t really as approachable as i thought he would be. He was one of the first guys to come out and practice, and when I tried to take a picture with him, he acted as if he didn’t hear me. :( His fans would call his name, and he wouldn’t even look or smile at them. It was really sad because he’s a very smiley guy, but then he wouldn’t even spare us a glance or a tiny smile. But giving him the benefit of the doubt, he could just be very concentrated on his game and just wanted to focus. I’m just happy that Super Marcio and the Kraken noticed me because they’re my favorite players! :) Also, I made friends with the father and son that sat beside me HAHA. And I was able to see James Yan, Jeff Chan, and Chris Tiu play for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters! James was really good. :)

That’s my thumb HAHA

I’m grateful that I experienced my first PBA experience the way that I did. It was truly and honestly the best birthday ever! And I surely want to watch more of their games in the future- lalo na kung sa VIP ulit uupo! Marcio Lassiter and Junemar Fajardo, and the rest of the SMB team may not remember me, but I will forever and always remember their passion, their appreciation, and their kindness. :)