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ozzyscollectiblehub · 2 months ago

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Chris Paul: The Point God of Basketball

Few players have shaped the game of basketball like Chris Paul. Known as the “Point God,” Paul has been the epitome of what a floor general should be for over a decade. His extraordinary court vision, leadership, and ability to elevate any team he plays for has made him one of the most respected point guards in NBA history.

With a career that has spanned almost two decades, Paul’s journey from a young phenom to a future Hall of Famer has been marked by consistency, excellence, and a relentless pursuit of greatness. Whether he’s orchestrating plays, sinking clutch shots, or mentoring younger players, Paul’s impact on the game is undeniable.

Early Life and College Stardom

Chris Paul was born on May 6, 1985, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. From a young age, Paul’s basketball talents were clear. He attended West Forsyth High School, where he quickly made a name for himself as one of the best players in the state. His speed, basketball IQ, and natural leadership abilities set him apart, earning him national attention.

Paul’s college career at Wake Forest University was nothing short of spectacular. In his two years with the Demon Deacons, Paul emerged as one of the top point guards in the country. He helped Wake Forest achieve the №1 ranking in the nation for the first time in school history and earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. His college success set the stage for his leap to the NBA.

NBA Arrival: New Orleans Hornets Days

In the 2005 NBA Draft, Paul was selected 4th overall by the New Orleans Hornets (now the New Orleans Pelicans). Right from the start, it was clear that the Hornets had a special player. Paul took home NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2006, averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game. His stellar debut foreshadowed what would be a long and distinguished career as one of the best point guards in the game.

During his time with the Hornets, Paul developed into a perennial All-Star. He became known for his exceptional ability to control the tempo of games, his incredible court vision, and his knack for making his teammates better. Paul led the league in assists multiple times and consistently ranked among the top in steals, showcasing his defensive prowess as well.

Paul’s best season with New Orleans came in 2007–08, when he finished second in the MVP voting, narrowly behind Kobe Bryant. That year, he led the Hornets to the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs, marking their best season in franchise history.

Clippers Era: “Lob City” and New Heights

In 2011, after a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was famously vetoed by the NBA, Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was in LA that Paul’s star continued to rise, as he joined forces with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to form the high-flying “Lob City” Clippers. Paul’s ability to throw pinpoint alley-oops made the Clippers one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch.

Paul’s presence immediately transformed the Clippers from a perennial lottery team into a championship contender. He brought a winning culture to the organization, leading the team to multiple playoff appearances and becoming the undisputed leader both on and off the court.

While the Clippers never made it to the NBA Finals during Paul’s tenure, his impact on the franchise was profound. He led the team to its best regular-season records and deep playoff runs, while also earning multiple All-Star selections, All-NBA honors, and All-Defensive team accolades during his six seasons in LA.

Houston Rockets and Near-Miss at a Title

After his time with the Clippers, Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. Teaming up with James Harden, Paul came as close as he ever had to winning an NBA championship. The 2017–18 Rockets finished with the best record in the NBA and pushed the Golden State Warriors to a seven-game series in the Western Conference Finals.

In what was perhaps the most heartbreaking moment of his career, Paul suffered a hamstring injury in Game 5 of that series, sidelining him for Games 6 and 7. Without him, the Rockets fell short of defeating the Warriors, who went on to win the title. Despite the disappointment, Paul’s time in Houston reaffirmed his status as one of the league’s elite point guards and fierce competitors.

Phoenix Suns: The Career Renaissance

In 2020, after a stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder in which he led a rebuilding team to the playoffs, Paul was traded to the Phoenix Suns. The move would reignite his career and push the Suns to heights they hadn’t reached in over a decade.

At 36 years old, Paul led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021, marking his first appearance in the championship series. His leadership, basketball IQ, and steady hand at the point guard position were instrumental in guiding a young Suns team to the Finals, where they ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

Paul’s arrival in Phoenix not only transformed the Suns into contenders, but it also further cemented his legacy as a player who could elevate any team he joined. In 2022, Paul achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first player in NBA history to record 20,000 points and 10,000 assists.

The Legacy of Chris Paul

Chris Paul’s career is defined by his rare combination of leadership, skill, and intelligence. His ability to control a game as a point guard is unmatched, and his influence on younger players is evident wherever he plays. Known for his fierce competitiveness, Paul demands the best from his teammates and himself, making him one of the greatest floor generals the league has ever seen.

Off the court, Paul is also recognized for his contributions to the sport and his community. He has been a prominent figure in the NBA Players Association, serving as president from 2013 to 2021. Paul is also known for his philanthropic work, including initiatives supporting education and communities in need.

A Hall of Fame Career

As his career enters its twilight years, Chris Paul’s legacy as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history is secure. A 12-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA Team member, and 9-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, Paul’s list of accolades is long and impressive. While a championship ring has eluded him so far, his influence on the game and his ability to elevate teams make him a future Hall of Famer without question.

Chris Paul is not just a player — he’s a standard-bearer for excellence at the point guard position. Whether he’s dishing out assists, draining mid-range jumpers, or locking down opponents on defense, Paul’s imprint on the game of basketball will be felt for generations to come.

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lboogie1906 · 4 months ago

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Maurice Edward Cheeks (born September 8, 1956) is a former basketball player and is an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He has served as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Detroit Pistons. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2018.

He was born in Chicago and attended DuSable High School. He attended West Texas State University (1974-78). He was an all-Missouri Valley Conference player for three straight seasons, as he averaged 16.8 points per game and shot nearly 57% for his collegiate career. He is the third leading scorer in WTSU/WTAM history.

He played 15 years as a point guard in the NBA, including 11 with the Philadelphia 76ers, He earned four trips to the NBA All-Star Game, and he helped the 76ers to three trips to the NBA Finals in four years in the early 1980s, including an NBA championship in 1983. While starting as point guard for a Sixers team that at times included stars Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Andrew Toney, and Charles Barkley, he was well regarded for his team play and defensive skills. He was named to four straight NBA All-Defensive squads (1983-86) and earned a spot on the second team in 1987. He was inducted into the 2018 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

He ranks sixth in steals and eleventh in assists. Upon his retirement from the NBA in 1993, he was the NBA all-time leader in steals and fifth in assists. He averaged 11.7 points and over 2 steals per game for his career. In his rookie year, he averaged 4.1 steals per game in the 1979 NBA Playoffs, an NBA record for one playoff run.

He spent one year coaching for the Continental Basketball Association’s Quad City Thunder before becoming the 76ers assistant head coach in 1994. In 2005 he was named as head coach of the 76ers.

He was the head coach of the Detroit Pistons (2013-14).

He returned to the Thunder as an assistant coach.

On November 14, 2020, he was hired by the Chicago Bulls as an assistant coach. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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shortfeedshq · 2 years ago

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LeBron James Sets NBA Record with Most Playoff Series Wins

LeBron James has surpassed former Chicago Bulls player Derek Fisher for the most playoff series wins in NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers forward now has 49 series victories under his belt, breaking Fisher's record of 48. James achieved this milestone during the Lakers' first-round series win over the Phoenix Suns, which saw him averaging 23.3 points, 8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game. With this series win, the Lakers have advanced to the second round of the playoffs where they will face the winner of the Denver Nuggets-Portland Trail Blazers matchup. This achievement is just one of many for James, who has already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. He has won four NBA championships, four NBA MVP awards, and has been selected to the All-Star team 17 times. In addition to his impressive individual accolades, he has also been a leader on the court and has helped guide his teams to success throughout his career. As James continues to add to his list of accomplishments, he remains focused on leading the Lakers to another championship. With his experience and leadership, he is sure to be a major factor in the team's success in the playoffs and beyond. Read the full article

#LeBronJames #LosAngelesLakers #NBAPlayoffs #PlayoffSeriesWins #Record

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news247planet · 2 years ago

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#James #LeBron #NBA Why the LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan debate might get even spicier if Lakers keep scorching in 2023 NBA playoffs https://news247planet.com/?p=188535

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defensefilms · 2 years ago

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Joel Embiid’s 2022-23 NBA MVP Case Is Unassailable

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The 2022-23 NBA MVP race has been among the most interesting in years, and this MVP certainly ushers in and serves as acknowledgement of the international wave that the league is in right now.

All 3 of these candidates offer a good reason to believe in them individually as the NBA MVP. Nikola Jokic’s numbers, Joel Embiid leading the league in scoring and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s case as the best player on the most dominant team in the league this year, have all contributed to creating an atmosphere of fervent debate surrounding the winner of this year’s award.

Starting with my pick for the 2023 NBA MVP, Joel Embiid.

At 33 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, Joel is leading the league in scoring as a center.

Aside from how historic that is, and the fact that he’s doing it for the 2nd time in a row. The last centre to lead the league in scoring was Shaquile O’neal in the 1999/00 season. Before that was David Robinson in 1993/94 and before that Kareem Abdul Ajbbar, Bob McAdoo and then Wilt Chamberlain.

The point is, having a center that scores as much as Joel Embiid, and in the way that Embiid does in as unique as anything in basketball and yet there are some in the NBA media that seem to think different.

The more concerning narrative to me though, is how the media have chosen not to make a story of how far back Nikola Jokic has fallen in the MVP race.

The Denver Nuggets still lead the conference, but I dare you to tell me that this is a strong Western Conference. The Clippers are now dealing with a new injury to Paul George, Steph Curry and the Warriors have been off-the-pace this season, while the Lakers are scratching and fighting for a play-in spot.

So Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are essentially the leaders of a Conference whose 2nd and 3rd best teams are made up of young players, because the Western Conference is aging. While Ja and the Grizzlies are the most interesting story in the West as far as the media are concerned, it’s an aging Conference in which most of the best players are in the 30+ age range, if not out injured, as is the case with Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Former Denver Nuggets head coach and known hater of players that are good at scoring, George Carl, attempted a lazy critique of Joel Embiid by mentioning Embiid’s body language, but it’s just pure hogwash, and George Carl is not an honest narrator.

It became so glaring that Denver Nuggets head coach, Mike Malone, struggled to mount a convincing argument to defend Nikola Jokic’s backslide in this year’s race, and the he actually tried the “everyone’s a winner” excuse, which even if he feels that way will not stop the nitpicking and chatter over this year’s MVP

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The guy that should be in consideration far more than what Jokic is, is Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Aside from his team having the 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, coupled with the most wins of any team in the league, Giannis is averaging 31 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists per game but Giannis not being mentioned as the MVP candidate that he is, which falls right in line with a continued refusal on the part of the national sports media to acknowledge anything that the Milwaukee Bucks have done this season, and that’s a trend that goes back to well before all-star weekend.

The American media have pretty much decided not to talk about Milwaukee. They might have them high up in thier power rankings, but that’s not the same as actually providing coverage/talking about a team or player.

The Bucks have the longest winning streak this year with 16 wins, the no 1 seed, the first team to clinch a playoff berth and Giannis is arguably the most dominant player in the league. All reasons to talk about the Bucks and yet, the media have given them little to no coverage.

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76ers head coach weighed in with his opinion on April 5th, and just because his opinion is biased doesn’t mean that he’s wrong.

At this point the race should really be over, and as far as I’m concerned Joel Embiid is the 2022/23 NBA MVP, now whether the voters see it that way is a whole other issue.

I will conclude with this.

The NBA MVP is not awarded to the best player in the NBA or the player with the best numbers in the NBA, or even the player with the most wins.

It is the Most Valuable Player award.

And based on that metric, value as I am choosing to understand it, means this player’s team simply cannot win without them playing above average.

In 2022/23, that player is Joel Embiid.

#sports #basketball #nba #Nba 2023 #nba mvp #joel embiid #nikola jokic #giannis antetokounmpo #philadelphia 76ers #denver nuggets #milwaukee bucks

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female-buckets · 2 years ago

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With the regular season coming to an end on Sunday, the perennial question for Mercury star Diana Taurasi comes up: will she return for the next season?

Taurasi, 40, is under contract for this season and becomes a free agent next season. With longtime friend and former teammate Sue Bird opting to play at 41 and conduct a farewell season this year, it’s possible that Taurasi isn’t finished yet.

The league has spent the entire season building a farewell tour to transformative players in Bird and Sylvia Fowles. Bird still holds the all-time record for assists and Fowles is the all-time leader in rebounds.

“Two cornerstones in this league who are getting the praise they deserve and it was pretty cool to see every team paying their respects to them. No matter if you’re battling for a playoff spot or wherever it may be, you saw every organization pay them that respect,” Taurasi said.

She remains undecided in what the next season will look like for her.

“I take it day by day, week by week. When the season’s over, I’ll do what I’ll always do, brainstorm with the four or five people that I really confide in and have honest conversations with and then I’ll go from there,” Taurasi said.

If it were to come down to it, Taurasi isn’t sure if she’d take the same route as Bird and Fowles did in announcing when her last season will be. Taurasi herself isn’t comfortable with big celebrations. One thing she took from Bird this season is the number of emotions it takes to process the entire game when a team puts on a tribute.

“Her and Syl have been amazing at handling that pressure and all those emotions and be able to go on the court and still be at the top of their games. It’s been amazing,” Taurasi said. “The one thing I keep saying is it’s nice to see Sue at peace with her decision because it’s not an easy decision she made. Last year, she was thinking about it, back-and-forth, and for her to come out and say it, I think there was a weight off her shoulders that made this season very enjoyable for her. It’s fun to see your good friend out there still enjoying it out there after all these years.”

The 18-year WNBA veteran conducted an impressive feat this season where she played 31 consecutive games in a year where the Mercury struggled with injuries.

As the Mercury logged heavy minutes with its starters all season, Taurasi remained a major contributor for the Mercury. Taurasi hit another milestone on July 28 when she became the first WNBA player in league history to score 30 or more at age 40 or older in the 90-80 win over the Los Angeles Sparks. Only Michael Jordan and Dirk Nowitzki have done the feat in NBA history.

However, Taurasi was unable to finish the regular season after she went down on August 2 against the Connecticut Sun with a Grade 2 quadricep injury.

The respective timeline of recovery is three to four weeks, which means she would not be able to play in a potential first round game for the Mercury. The first round is scheduled to start August 17 and potentially end on August 23.

“Timing is not great. Obviously, I’m going to try to push the envelope as much as I can on my end to get back on the court until they say I can’t,” Taurasi said.

The drive to play remains within Taurasi. Even with her standing alone in the league in scoring with 9,693 points and a potential to reach 10,000, she’s not focused on individual accomplishments.

“At this point of my career, nothing matters but being in a position to win a title. That to me in the offseason is going to be my biggest point of contention going forward,” Taurasi said.

There’s also the potential for Brittney Griner to return from Russia for Taurasi to consider. Playing without Griner, who remains detained in Russia, has taken a toll on the league and its players.

Since Griner’s rookie season in 2013, the two have formed a close relationship. Both were also teammates in Russia where Taurasi played with Griner on UMMC Ekaterinburg for two seasons.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve forged this bond on the court, which everyone gets to see. But there’s a behind-the-scenes of our friendship and our relationship that is dear to us. We have this mutual respect for each other, we have an understanding of each other, and you don’t get that with a lot of people. Not only in life, but in your professional career. That would be one thing that I think a lot of people are hoping would happen, obviously me included,” Taurasi said.

#so... basically... if there's a miracle and BG is back and Phoenix has a potential championship team... she'll play next year #if not... this is her last year #phoenix mercury #wnba #diana taurasi

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thefiveisalive · 4 years ago

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The Guardian on Nikola Jokic: “The Serb was an afterthought when he was drafted in 2014. Since then he has helped evolve a position that some thought was becoming obsolete”

When you get European progressives worked up about a 6′11 Serb and it’s not about war crimes, you know you’re onto something important is happening! The Guardian’s Andrew Lawrence weighed in on Big Nik late last week:

Averaging an eye-popping 27.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.6 assists through Thursday, Jokić has been the triggerman for a Nuggets offense that has been top five in the NBA for much of the season and best-in-show in the eight games through the Milwaukee contest. More to the point: unlike his teammate Jamal Murray, who cooled down from his supernova streak in last season’s bubble, Jokić has stayed plenty hot enough to keep Denver in the playoff hunt. So it figures that when the NBA All-Star game tips off on Sunday, Jokić, the league’s leader in efficiency, will make his third career appearance – this time as a starter for Team LeBron.

There’s some great back story here, too:

You figure a guy like Jokić must have been hard to miss as a kid, and he was in a sense. Growing up in Serbia, Jokić was less pick-and-roll than roly-poly, a 300lbs teen who downed three liters of Coca-Cola per day and dabbled in soccer and volleyball before falling into a basketball career in European leagues and dazzling as a passer. And though his lack of muscle definition and athleticism turned off NBA talent evaluators, who dismissed Jokić as a “soft Serbian” in the mold of Darko Miličić, Jokić nonetheless played well enough to earn a lucrative offer from FC Barcelona. But just before sealing the deal he played one of his worst-ever games, and the offer was snatched off the table.

That opened the door for the Nuggets to take him 41st overall in 2014 in what might be one of the most slept-on draft picks ever. There was no bear-hugging the commissioner on stage or boisterous reaction shot with the family at home. There was just his name on a sports ticker during a Taco Bell commercial. Jokic himself had to be woken up by his older brother when the news broke, which should provide some sense of the laid-back personality we’re dealing with. Beat reporters didn’t even realize they were mispronouncing his name until Orlando’s Nikola Vučević pointed it out before his first All-Star appearance in 2019. “I just don’t care,” Jokić told a bewildered media gaggle, “because I don’t wanna, like, fix you guys.” Nor does he seem to mind sharing a nickname, Joker, with another of Serbia’s sporting heroes, Novak Djokovic.

Check out the full article, very much worth a read.

#nikola jokic #the joker #denver nuggets #denver #nuggets #nba #mvp #big men #the guardian #andrew lawrence #eurosport

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dnowit41 · 4 years ago

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HOW LUKA DONCIC IS EVOLVING AS THE LEADER OF THE MAVS

JAN 18, 2021 ISAAC HARRIS

It was a somber day in early December when the table was set to say goodbye to a legend. It would be J.J. Barea’s final day as a player for the Dallas Mavericks.

Donnie Nelson spoke to the media and offered his bittersweet remarks about Barea’s career. J.J. took questions as it was an emotional day for everyone. In Rick Carlisle’s interview, I wanted to ask him one question.

Obviously, the day was all about Barea’s success story and career in Dallas. But at the same time, I also wondered about the young Mavericks team Barea was departing in the middle of training camp. A team that is made up of 15 players under the age of 30. With Barea’s departure, it left just James Johnson and Boban Marjanovic as the only over-30 players. On top of that, Barea was a franchise legend and beloved by everyone. He was a leader.

So the question I wanted to ask Carlisle was about that leadership baton. With Barea now departing, who gets it next? After I uttered that question to Carlisle, he responded pretty quick and in a firm manner.

“Luka Doncic is our leader,” Carlisle said. “There is no question about that.”

I had put too much weight into the age part of the conversation. In the back of my mind, like a lot of Mavs fans, the 2011 title team still feels like yesterday. This was a squad that started three guys over the age of 30 in the Finals with four more coming off the bench. It was a veteran-laden team from top to bottom. But what about a 2020 Dallas Mavericks team, that by age and experience, is built virtually the opposite of the 2011 group?

Can Luka Doncic, at the age of 21, be the leader of a playoff team in the NBA?

Absolutely—because age doesn’t make a leader.

“There are certain players who have a certain leadership personality,” Carlisle said. “They have a charisma and magnetism. He [Luka Doncic] has that and that is no secret. Each year he becomes more and more that guy.”

When Doncic was acquired by Dallas in a draft night trade in 2018, the Mavs knew what they were getting: a European prodigy who was arguably the most decorated young European basketball player of all-time. Doncic went pro at the age of 13 at Real Madrid and over the course of his teenage years won the MVP of the Liga ACB, EuroLeague, and EuroLeague Final Four. It wasn’t just the highlights and stat lines that made Doncic stand out, it was also the fact that on a professional team with grown men, veterans such as Sergio Llull and Rudy Fernandez were deferring to the 18-year-old Doncic. And by following Doncic’s lead, Real Madrid found themselves hoisting several championship trophies in his last season in Europe.

Doncic then arrived in Dallas, a city and franchise that had been led for the past two decades by another European: Dirk Nowitzki. As Nowitzki was at the end of his career and the Mavericks still had long-standing veterans like Barea and Devin Harris, Doncic was just a teenaged rookie—no matter how accomplished he had been overseas. But Doncic, a natural leader, had respect for his new vets and didn’t want to step on any toes.

As Doncic tight-roped the rookie-role, once he was on the court, it was clear that he was a natural leader. In the first week of voluntary scrimmages and workouts he was handing out instructions and telling teammates where to go. But as his first few years in the league went on, the veterans on the team, prior to Doncic’s arrival, slowly departed. In the same week, the Mavs traded DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes. Nowitzki rode off into the sunset a few months later. Harris is working for Fox Sports Southwest and Barea is no longer on the team.

There was no doubt remaining. This is Luka Doncic’s team.

But it isn’t just because he’s the best player on the team. It isn’t like a quarterback situation in football. For a lot of NFL teams, whoever starts at quarterback is deemed a team captain by default. Some might think that for an NBA team that whoever the best player is on the team is naturally thrust into the top leadership role when that simply isn’t the case every time.

“There are instances where the best player is not a leader,” said a former scout for the Boston Celtics. “They either don’t have the characteristics of a leader, or they lead in different ways. Some players lead vocally and some are introverted and lead through example.”

The scout continued by using Paul Pierce as a prime example of that. “Pierce was clearly the team’s best player, but he was quiet for the most part and let his game and work ethic do his leading for him. Antoine Walker was an All-Star level player but not as talented as Pierce. He was the team’s backbone and heart. He did most of the talking and the players looked to him for leadership.”

Leadership is basically the process or method in which someone motivates or influences the behavior of others—but how that is done looks different for everyone. Leadership styles differ by the person. Some leaders like to direct, point and vocally coach people into reaching their fullest potential while some leaders tone it back vocally and lead by example. On a recent episode of The Old Man & the Three Podcast, Barea was talking about Dirk’s incredible 2011 run while also describing him as a leader to the team. “He doesn’t talk much,” Barea said. “If you know him, he leads by example. But he doesn’t lead by talking.”

That was Nowitzki’s style of leadership. His work ethic, hours in the gym, and play on the biggest of stages earned him the respect in the locker room. In a way, the leadership path has already been paved in Dallas for Doncic. And in the first few years of his young career, he is doing exactly that.

“He’s an MVP candidate and is a born leader on the floor as you can see,” says a former assistant coach. “He’s not one of those guys it seems that will be on everyone all day every day, but once he’s on the floor it’s a completely different story.”

Doncic set the records and served up magical highlights. He dished out fun passes and put-up stat lines as a rookie that put him with some of the greats. His play on the court earned him the respect, but it was the fun, carefree style and charisma that opened up a lane of leadership that loosened up the mood for everyone.

“He is the type of guy who leads by his play,” Willie Cauley-Stein said. “And when he does, it is fun. He’s a kid. He has fun with the game and you can tell. The way he crafts and approaches the game is fun.”

Nobody likes the uptight, all-serious boss, the one you dread seeing every Monday morning and Chick-Fil-A being open on Sunday is more likely to happen than seeing a smile on their face. That type of leadership isn’t motivating to a lot of people. But Luka is the opposite of that. When you have a leader that breaks the ice, it enables the people around them to fully spread their wings.

“For him, I think he leads by making everything fun instead of so serious all of the time…Luka is always coming in with something to lighten the mood,” Cauley-Stein continued.

When talking to Kristaps Porzingis about Luka as a leader, he too pointed not just to his leading on the court, but how that care-free mentality is a way of leadership. “It comes natural to him because he is capable of doing great things on the court,” Porzingis said. “He is leading by playing great basketball. He has that I-don’t-care mentality when he needs to. I mean that in a good way. He is not afraid of the big moments. He can be careless and that is why he can play so freely. That is just Luka.”

There is never a moment too big for Luka. His basketball knowledge is off the charts and he already has a LeBron-like ability to maximize everyone’s strengths around him on the basketball court. When he was given the Matador nickname early on in his career from former assistant coach, Mike Procopio, it wasn’t because of the Spanish background, but because of the control he has on the court and the entertaining show he puts on for the crowd. Luka has a gravitational force about him that not only draws in the crowd and fans, but teammates too. “Luka is in control from tip to final buzzer and his teammates know it,” one former assistant told me. “He reminds me of Tom Brady to be honest. Someone that was born to lead an organization and has the generational type talent to back it up… he’s a fantastic kid that people gravitate to. He’s great with teammates, coaches, fans. It’s easy to see how all of Europe loved the kid…well besides the fans of the teams he destroyed in the ACB & EuroLeague.”

Doncic is a leader, but he’s an evolving leader in my opinion. When you talk to anyone around the team about Doncic as a leader, you will naturally hear about him leading by example. After losing to the Hornets at home earlier in the season, Doncic didn’t go immediately to the ice bath nor did he leave the arena. He stayed on the court after the game getting up shots with assistant coaches for more than 30 minutes. This is what leaders do. When the team and head coach preached about defense to start the season, it is Doncic that has set the tone defensively (Carlisle’s words, not mine) for what is now a top five defense in the NBA over the first few weeks. That is what leaders do.

Doncic leads by example, but where he has evolved is in his leadership when the ball isn’t in his hands. Luka the leader looked different as a rookie. The majority of his leadership came from the play on the basketball court. But as the past year or so has gone along, Luka the leader of men has evolved.

“He has grown with his chemistry with the guys,” Brunson said. “He has been able to connect with everybody. Guys feed off his energy. That is our go-to guy. He has definitely evolved [as a leader]. There is obviously a lot on his shoulders at the age of 21 and we have to be there to protect him and help him every step of the way.”

When the Mavs went to Orlando for the bubble experience last fall, the only access to the team for fans across the world was what social media provided. Pictures and videos of the team fishing, swimming, playing pickleball and plenty of other activities circulated on social media. The Mavs became the source for fun content and the team’s chemistry was off the charts. So, who was getting the team together for all of that?

“When you got your leader in Luka, and Luka’s a guy that he loves his teammates and he’s always texting ‘hey let’s do this, let’s play cards, let’s go to the pool, let’s go fishing,” Barea said. “It’s all about the team and about having fun.”

When the Mavs were up at pick 31 in the 2020 NBA draft and selected Tyrell Terry out of Stanford in the second round, who was the first Maverick to reach out to him a short time after?

Luka Doncic.

Going back to Barea, there was more to the quote. In describing Dirk’s leadership, he said, “He doesn’t talk much. If you know him, he leads by example. But he doesn’t lead by talking.”

The second half of that quote was this.

“But that year [2011], in timeouts and before the games, he was talking. He was talking loud, pointing fingers. He was on all the time.” Barea said.

Nowitzki evolved as a leader. He picked his spots to be more hands-on and vocal. James Johnson, who has only been with the Mavericks a few short months, had this to say about Doncic as the leader of the team.

“Emerging,” Johnson said. “He is definitely emerging, if not already, as the leader of our team. He is still building and letting his game do the speaking and yet still being able to voice his own opinion in practice.”

It’s that balance that Luka is now discovering in his third season. Dirk paved his own leadership path with the Mavs for over two decades, but Luka isn’t Dirk and that is OK. He is paving his own leadership path and it’s one that brings the best out of his teammates. It maximizes their strengths and inspires them to be better. It allows everyone to have fun and brings the team together both on and off the court.

Luka isn’t Dirk or anyone else. He is Luka Doncic and the leader of the Dallas Mavericks.

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pbwsports · 5 years ago

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The all-time starting five for every NBA Western Conference team

What if the Splash Bros. had Wilt Chamberlain playing center? How many titles would the Lakers have won if Magic Johnson was running the break with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal? Imagine Hakeem Olajuwon and James Hardenteaming up in Clutch City.

We asked our NBA writers to come up with an all-time starting five for every current NBA franchise, along with one additional blast from the past. Only a player's contributions during his time with that franchise were considered. (So, no, LeBron James doesn't crack the Lakers' all-time list ... yet.)

In this era of "positionless" basketball, traditional positions don't matter quite as much as they used to, so we allowed some flexibility in choosing a lineup -- but you won't see teams with four centers or three point guards. The idea was to dive into each team's history and create a group that could at least potentially share the floor together.

We rolled out the Eastern Conference on Wednesday. Here is the Western Conference:

Dallas Mavericks

G: Derek Harper G: Jason Terry G: Rolando Blackman F: Mark Aguirre F: Dirk Nowitzki

Terry joins Nowitzki as the only players on both of the Mavs' Finals teams and was the second-leading scorer on both squads. There's a reason Harper and Blackman, the backcourt for some good teams that just couldn't get past the Showtime Lakers, have their numbers in the American Airlines Center rafters. Aguirre's jersey probably won't ever be retired in Dallas because of his bitter departure, but you can't dismiss his 24.6 points per game in eight seasons with the Mavs.

The toughest cuts: Michael Finley and Jason Kidd, one of whom helped a young German kid find his way in the NBA and the other who helped Nowitzki finally deliver a title to Dallas.

-- Tim MacMahon

Denver Nuggets

G: Fat Lever G: David Thompson F: Alex English F: Carmelo Anthony C: Dikembe Mutombo

You're probably asking yourself the same question I debated for roughly 48 hours: Wait, no Nikola Jokic? There's a good chance Jokic eventually becomes the greatest player in franchise history, but he's just 25 years old.

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Mutombo, on the other hand, is a Hall of Famer and produced probably the most iconic image in franchise history, celebrating the historic upset of the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the 1994 playoffs. Mutombo is the defensive anchor behind a pure scoring lineup that could outgun just about anybody.

English, Anthony and Thompson all averaged better than 20 points a game for their careers, but at their peaks were pushing 30 PPG. Add in a floor general like Lafayette "Fat" Lever to pull the strings, and it could work. Between Fat, Melo and Dikembe, the Nuggets can outname just about anybody, too.

-- Royce Young

Golden State Warriors

G: Stephen Curry G: Klay Thompson F: Kevin Durant F: Draymond Green C: Wilt Chamberlain

Adding Chamberlain to the Durant-era Warriors teams that won back-to-back titles would just be unfair. Can you even imagine how dominant that team would be? Curry, Thompson, Durant and Green already have won titles together -- and now they have one of the greatest big men of all time to drop the ball to down low? Unbelievable. The defense is great, the offense is otherworldly.

It's tough leaving Hall of Famers Rick Barry and Chris Mullin out of this group, but who would come out? Curry and Thompson form the best shooting backcourt of all time. Durant is one of the best players of his generation and Green provides the defensive intensity and glue that has propelled them for years -- plus those four already have played together. There is no stopping this team. A juggernaut for the ages.

-- Nick Friedell

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Houston Rockets

G: James Harden G: Calvin Murphy F: Tracy McGrady F: Rudy Tomjanovich C: Hakeem Olajuwon

Apologies to Hall of Fame big men Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone and Yao Ming, but it's hard to get one center in the Houston lineup these days. Of course, there's no debate about the candidacy of Olajuwon, who remains the best player in franchise history, even after Harden's run of historic offensive production.

Harden is 22 points away from passing Murphy for second on the Rockets' career scoring list, so for now the flamboyant, 5-foot-9 Murphy continues to be the only player who ranks among the franchise's top two in points and assists.

Rudy T is best remembered as the Clutch City-era coach and for the brutal punch that interrupted his playing career, but he earned his spot here with five All-Star appearances during a career spent entirely in a Rockets uniform.

-- MacMahon

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LA Clippers

G: Chris Paul F: Kawhi Leonard F: Blake Griffin F: Elton Brand C: Bob McAdoo

Paul and Griffin authored the greatest and most exciting era in Clippers basketball with Lob City. Paul spent six seasons with the Clips, was first-team All-NBA three times and led the league in assists twice during that span. Griffin was Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star and the exciting, above-the-rim player the franchise sorely needed.

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Brand spent seven seasons with the team and made both of his All-Star appearances as a Clipper. McAdoo started his Hall of Fame career when the franchise was in Buffalo, where he led the league in scoring three straight seasons and was MVP in 1974-75.

Leonard is just 51 games into his Clippers tenure, but his elite production already puts him on this roster. Averaging 26.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists, a healthy Leonard can further validate this choice if he can get the Clippers to the conference finals for the first time.

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Los Angeles Lakers

G: Magic Johnson G: Jerry West G: Kobe Bryant F: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar C: Shaquille O'Neal

Four of these picks were no-brainers. Johnson (fifth in career assists) teamed up with Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's career scoring leader, to win five championships. Bryant (fourth all time in scoring) paired with O'Neal (eighth in scoring) to win three.

The fifth pick was harder. Is it Elgin Baylor, the greatest small forward in franchise history? Or how about LeBron James, the greatest small forward in NBA history? How about James Worthy, who teamed up with Magic and Kareem and won a Finals MVP?

Ultimately, the pick is West. Baylor never won a ring. James hasn't been a Laker long enough. Worthy would have to play the 4 and you already have Shaq and the Captain on the blocks. The Logo brings shooting and toughness and leadership, and he is extremely important to the franchise as a whole for his post-playing days in the front office.

-- Dave McMenamin

Memphis Grizzlies

G: Mike Conley G: Tony Allen F: Shareef Abdur-Rahim F: Zach Randolph C: Marc Gasol

The question with the Grizzlies: Who should be the final player to fill out a lineup that features the Grit 'n' Grind mainstays called the Core Four? (I'd make a joke about Chandler Parsons' max contract, but I want to be welcomed back to Memphis.)

Based purely on merit, Pau Gasol would be the pick, but he doesn't fit alongside his brother Marc at center and Randolph at power forward. So we will go with Abdur-Rahim, who was a really good player for some really bad teams in Vancouver, averaging 20.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over five seasons in which the Grizzlies went a combined 86-292.

-- MacMahon

Minnesota Timberwolves

G: Ricky Rubio G: Sam Cassell F: Kevin Garnett F: Kevin Love C: Karl-Anthony Towns

The three best players in franchise history just all happen to be big men: Garnett, Love and Towns. Garnett is the franchise leader in points, rebounds, steals, assists and blocks; he's the only player in NBA history to lead a team in all five categories. Towns (22.7 points, 11.8 rebounds in 358 games) and Love (19.2 points, 12.2 rebounds in 364 games) each put up monster numbers, even though playoff success never came.

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(Side note: Towns is only 14 3-pointers away from becoming the franchise's all-time leader. Seriously.)

Rubio trails only Garnett in franchise history in steals and assists. Since Wally Szczerbiak and Andrew Wiggins were primarily listed as small forwards, the other guard spot goes to Cassell, who played only two years in Minnesota but had a career year and was a second-team All-NBA selection in 2003-04.

-- Andrew Lopez

New Orleans Pelicans

G: Chris Paul G: Jrue Holiday F: Jamal Mashburn F: David West C: Anthony Davis

(Just a reminder: The Pelicans' franchise history starts in 2002, when the team moved from Charlotte to New Orleans. Anything before that belongs to Charlotte, even though it's the same franchise. Got it? Cool, let's move on.)

First, the locks: Davis, Paul, Holiday and West. Now once you get to the wing ... oof. This spot came down to four players -- Mashburn, Peja Stojakovic, Eric Gordon and, yes, Brandon Ingram.

Mashburn, in the franchise's first season in New Orleans in 2002-03, made the All-Star team and was a third-team All-NBA selection. The Pelicans didn't get another All-Star selection from a wing player until this year, when Ingram made it. But with only 56 games under his belt, Ingram falls off this list. Gordon's time in New Orleans always seemed underwhelming. Stojakovic was a key cog on the 2007-08 team that won a franchise-best 56 games, but he struggled with injuries.

Mashburn was limited to 101 games for New Orleans, but his impact in Year 1 was unmistakable and he still sits second on the team's career scoring average list (21.5), behind only Davis.

-- Lopez

Oklahoma City Thunder

G: Russell Westbrook G: James Harden F: Kevin Durant F: Paul George F: Serge Ibaka

There's an irony to the Thunder's all-time starting five, because it features their best sixth man. The baggage of Harden's role looms large, whether he wanted to come off the bench, whether starting impacted his contract negotiations and ultimately facilitated the breakup of one of the greatest organically built superteams ever. That's a lot to unpack.

Hindsight and what-ifs aside, the Thunder's all-time group can stand with almost any in NBA history, and most certainly is among the most stout in the past 20 years. The Thunder have been around for just 12 years and boast a remarkable cupboard of talent: three MVPs (Durant, Westbrook, Harden) and piles of All-NBA and All-Star nods. Maybe one of the best examples of how deep they are is in showcasing who didn't make the cut: Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. Not a bad bench.

-- Young

Phoenix Suns

G: Steve Nash G: Kevin Johnson F: Walter Davis F: Charles Barkley C: Amar'e Stoudemire

No Shawn Marion? No Paul Westphal? No Alvan Adams? No Larry Nance? No Jason Kidd? You can make a solid starting five from the next group of Phoenix legends.

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The franchise's two MVP winners, Nash and Barkley, were locks. Westphal split time as a point guard and shooting guard during his six seasons, but we give the nod at the other guard spot to Johnson, who spent 12 years in Phoenix, and had three consecutive 20-point, 10-assist seasons and five All-NBA nods.

Davis vs. Marion was a tough battle. Both made a pair of All-NBA teams (two second-teams for Davis compared to two third-teams for Marion), but Davis gets the edge as the franchise's leading scorer. At center, Stoudemire stands supreme as his four All-NBA honors best Adams' longevity.

-- Lopez

Portland Trail Blazers

G: Damian Lillard G: Clyde Drexler G: Brandon Roy F: LaMarcus Aldridge C: Bill Walton

As with any conversation about Blazers history, their starting five comes with plenty of introspective sighing and deep what-iffing. Injuries to Walton and Roy abbreviated what would've been legendary Portland careers. But at their best versions, Walton was a transcendent big man with unique skills, and Roy was a gifted scorer with a knack for the moment.

Drexler is a Hall of Famer who led Portland to its best sustained run of success in franchise history. Aldridge is one of the dominant scoring big men of his era, and Lillard will likely go down as the franchise's all-time best. The Blazers are haunted by history and a compulsion to live in the anguish of what could've been, but there is also a beauty to their all-time five. It represents who they are, and forever, what they might've been.

-- Young

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Sacramento Kings

G: Oscar Robertson G: Tiny Archibald F: Peja Stojakovic F: Chris Webber C: Jerry Lucas

A Hall of Fame backcourt of Robertson and Archibald knocks Kings great Mitch Richmond out of one of the two guard spots. Lucas, another Hall of Famer, averaged 19.6 points and 19.1 rebounds in six seasons with the Cincinnati Royals. He gets the center position.

For the forwards, we look at two Kings from the early 2000s, when Sacramento was a perennial playoff team. Stojakovic is still the franchise's leader in 3-pointers made, and Webber averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in 377 career games in Sacramento.

It feels weird not to have DeMarcus Cousins on the all-time Kings squad, but when you look back at the franchise's history -- which dates back to the Rochester Royals and their first year in the NBA in 1949 -- it becomes clearer why he doesn't make the cut.

-- Lopez

San Antonio Spurs

G: Tony Parker G: Manu Ginobili F: George Gervin F: Tim Duncan C: David Robinson

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It took about as long as the average Gregg Popovich sideline interview to come up with this squad. These were all easy decisions, considering each player's combination of greatness and longevity with the Spurs. (Kawhi Leonard would have been in strong consideration if not for the lack of the latter.)

Duncan and Robinson are on the short list of MVPs who played their entire careers for one franchise. Ginobili and Parker were essential parts of a dynasty. Gervin was a must-see superstar whose presence made sure that pro basketball stuck in small-market San Antonio.

-- MacMahon

Seattle SuperSonics

G: Gary Payton G: Gus Williams F: Detlef Schrempf F: Shawn Kemp C: Jack Sikma

Payton, Kemp and Sikma, the three players to make at least five All-Star appearances in Sonics uniforms, are the three certain selections here. At the other guard spot, there are strong cases for Fred Brown (who's second in career scoring) and Ray Allen (a four-time All-Star in Seattle), but Gus Williams' key role in the Sonics' 1979 championship and pair of All-NBA picks give him the nod.

Spencer Haywood reached greater heights and Rashard Lewis had more longevity, but with the last spot I'm going with Schrempf, whose versatile and efficient game was ahead of its time in the 1990s.

-- Kevin Pelton

Utah Jazz

G: John Stockton G: Pete Maravich F: Adrian Dantley F: Karl Malone C: Rudy Gobert

The Jazz's arena is located at the intersection of Stockton and Malone, with statues of the legends prominently featured out front, so we figured those guys should make the cut. Dantley was a historically elite scorer for the Jazz, averaging 29.6 points on 56.2% shooting and winning a pair of NBA scoring titles during his seven-season tenure in Utah.

Gobert gets the nod over fellow dominant defensive anchor Mark Eaton because he's a far superior offensive player and rebounder. It was difficult not to include Darrell Griffith, aka "Dr. Dunkenstein," but Pistol Pete was too productive (25.7 points and 5.7 assists per game) with the New Orleans Jazz to be left out. Source - ESPN

#nba

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blackkudos · 5 years ago

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Isiah Thomas

Isiah Lord Thomas III (born April 30, 1961) is an American former basketball player who played professionally for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A point guard, the 12-time NBA All-Star was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Thomas has also been a professional and collegiate head coach, a basketball executive, and a broadcaster.

Thomas played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, leading them to the 1981 NCAA championship as a sophomore and declaring for the NBA draft. He was taken as the second overall pick by the Pistons in the 1981 NBA draft, and played for them his entire career, while leading the "Bad Boys" to the 1988–89 and 1989–90 NBA championships.

After his playing career, he was an executive with the Toronto Raptors, a television commentator, an executive with the Continental Basketball Association, head coach of the Indiana Pacers, and an executive and head coach for the New York Knicks. He was later the men's basketball coach for the Florida International University (FIU) Golden Panthers for three seasons from 2009 to 2012. In early May 2015, amidst controversy, Thomas was named president and part owner of the Knicks' WNBA sister team, the New York Liberty, subsequent to the re-hiring of Thomas's former Pistons teammate, Bill Laimbeer, as the team's coach.

Early life

The youngest of nine children, Thomas was born on April 30, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in the city's West Side. He started playing basketball at age three and would dribble and shoot baskets as the halftime entertainment at Catholic Youth Organization games.

He attended Our Lady of Sorrows School and St. Joseph High School in Westchester, which was a 90-minute commute from his home. Playing under coach Gene Pingatore, he led St. Joseph to the state finals in his junior year and was considered one of the top college prospects in the country.

College career

Thomas was recruited to play college basketball for Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers. Although he received mail saying Knight tied up his players and beat them, he did not believe the rumors. When Knight visited the Thomas home, one of Isiah's brothers, who wanted him to attend DePaul, embarrassed him by insulting the Indiana coach and engaging him in a shouting match. Nevertheless, Thomas chose Knight and Indiana because he felt that getting away to Bloomington would be good for him, as would Knight's discipline.

Thomas quickly had to adjust to Knight's disciplinarian style. At the 1979 Pan American Games in Puerto Rico, Knight got so mad at Thomas he threatened to put him on a plane home. Knight recalled yelling at the freshman-to-be, "You ought to go to DePaul, Isiah, because you sure as hell aren't going to be an Indiana player playing like that." Prior to the start of his freshman year, the 1979–80 season, Knight became so upset with Thomas that he kicked him out of a practice. According to Thomas, Knight was making a point that no player, no "matter how talented, is bigger than Knight's philosophy."

Thomas quickly proved his skills as a player and became a favorite with both Knight and Indiana fans. His superior abilities eventually caused Knight to adjust his coaching style. Fans displayed bedsheets with quotations from the Book of Isaiah ("And a little child shall lead them") and nicknamed him "Mr. Wonderful." Because of Thomas's relatively short stature for college basketball at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), coach Knight would call him "Pee Wee". Thomas and Mike Woodson led the Hoosiers to the Big Ten championship and advanced to the 1980 Sweet Sixteen.

The next year, the 1980–81 season, Knight made Thomas captain and told him to run the show on the floor. Thomas responded so well that, as the season unfolded, Knight and Thomas grew as friends. When a Purdue player took a cheap shot at Thomas during a game at Bloomington, Knight called a press conference to defend his star. And 19 days later, when Thomas hit an Iowa player and was ejected from a game, Knight refused to criticize him.

That year, Thomas and the Hoosiers once again won a conference title and won the 1981 NCAA tournament, the school's fourth national title. The sophomore earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award and made himself eligible for the upcoming NBA draft.

NBA playing career

In the 1981 NBA draft, the Detroit Pistons chose Thomas with the No. 2 pick and signed him to a four-year, $1.6 million contract. Thomas started for the Eastern Conference in the 1982 NBA All-Star Game and made the All-Rookie Team.

In the opening round of the 1984 NBA playoffs, Thomas and the Pistons faced off against Bernard King and the New York Knicks. In the pivotal fifth game, Thomas scored 16 points in 94 seconds to force the game into overtime, but then fouled out, and the Knicks held on to win.

In the 1985 NBA playoffs, Thomas and his team went to the conference semifinals against the 15-time NBA champion Boston Celtics led by future basketball Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. Detroit would not shake the Celtics in their six-game series, eventually losing.

In the 1987 NBA playoffs, Thomas and the Pistons went to the Eastern Conference Finals and faced the Celtics again. It was the furthest the team had advanced since moving from Fort Wayne. Detroit was able to tie the Celtics at two games apiece, but its hope of winning Game 5 at Boston Garden was dashed by Larry Bird with just seconds remaining: Thomas attempted to quickly inbound the ball, Bird stole the pass and hit Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup.

In 1988, the Pistons' first trip to the Finals in 32 years saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Before the series, Thomas and Johnson exchanged a courtside kiss on the cheek prior to tip-off as a sign of their deep friendship. After taking a 3–2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6.

One of Thomas's most inspiring and self-defining moments came in Game 6. Although he had severely sprained his ankle late in the game, Thomas continued to play. While hobbling and in obvious pain, Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter, an NBA Finals record. But the Lakers won the game 103–102 on a pair of last-minute free throws by Abdul-Jabbar, following a controversial foul called on Bill Laimbeer. With Thomas unable to compete at full strength the Lakers were able to take advantage and clinched their second consecutive title in Game 7, 108–105.

In the 1988–89 season, Thomas, along with teammates Joe Dumars, Rick Mahorn, Vinnie Johnson, Dennis Rodman, James Edwards, John Salley, Bill Laimbeer, and Mark Aguirre, guided his team to a 63–19 record. Detroit played a brash and dominating brand of basketball through the playoffs that led to their nickname "Bad Boys". First they defeated Boston, which had been suffering persistent injuries. Michael Jordan and the up-and-coming Chicago Bulls fell next in the Conference Finals, setting up an NBA Finals rematch with the Lakers. This time the Pistons dominated, sweeping the Lakers in four games to win their first of back-to-back championships. The following year, Thomas was voted NBA Finals Most Valuable Player of the 1990 NBA Finals after averaging 27.6 points per game, 7.0 assists per game, and 5.2 rebounds per game in Detroit's victory over Clyde Drexler's Portland Trail Blazers. The Pistons continued to play well between 1991 and 1993, but found their road back to the NBA Finals blocked by the emerging Bulls dynasty. An aging and ailing Thomas tore his Achilles tendon on April 19, 1994, forcing him to retire a month later.

As a point guard, Thomas was a dangerous scorer and effective leader. He was known for his dribbling ability, prowess driving to the basket, and often spectacular passing. Thomas was named to the All-NBA First team three times and is the Pistons' all-time leader in points, steals, games played and assists. He ranks ninth in NBA history in assists (9,061) and 15th in steals (1,861). His No. 11 was retired by the Pistons.

National team career

Thomas was selected to the 1980 Olympic team, but like all American athletes he was not able to play in Moscow due to the Olympics boycott. The boycotting countries instead participated in the "Gold Medal Series", a series of games against NBA teams, a French team and the 1976 Olympic gold medal team in various U.S. cities, recording a 5–1 record (losing only to the Seattle SuperSonics). Thomas shot 22–55 from the field and 14–17 from the line. He led the U.S. in assists with 37 (the next highest total on the team was 17) and averaged 9.7 points per game. In 2007, Thomas received one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes.

Despite his talent, Thomas was left off the original Olympic Dream Team, possibly as a result of an alleged feud with Michael Jordan. In the book When the Game Was Ours, Magic Johnson relates that he, Jordan and other players conspired to keep Thomas off the Dream Team.

After Tim Hardaway left the team due to injury, Thomas was named to Dream Team II for the 1994 World Championship of Basketball, but did not play due to his Achilles tendon injury that eventually led to his retirement. He was replaced by Kevin Johnson.

Post-playing career

Businessman

Isiah Thomas is the founding Chairman and CEO of Isiah International LLC, a holding company with a diverse portfolio of business ventures and investments. Gre3n Waste Removal, Re3 Recycling, and Eleven Capital Group are three of the primary businesses in the Isiah International family of companies. The mission of Isiah International is to become a business incubator for the minority community.

In addition to these business ventures, Thomas is involved in real estate projects in Chicago and the surrounding region as the owner of Isiah Real Estate. Thomas said he is putting money in distressed areas and reinvesting: "I'm hoping I can be a catalyst for change in those areas, to get the population back into those communities and be a catalyst to make a difference." Thomas is also involved in a $300 million development deal for a mixed-use complex at the Illinois Medical District Commission. Isiah Real Estate partnered with Higgins Development Partners, Thomas Samuels Enterprises, and East Lake Management & Development to develop 9.5 acres (3.8 ha) of land that would include retail space, a hotel, apartments and parking areas.

Thomas's business career began during his career with the Pistons. Planning for life after the NBA, Thomas invested in a host of ventures through his private investment company out of Michigan, Isiah Investments, LLC. His primary investment was a large chain of printing franchises, American Speedy Printing Centers Inc. Thomas took a very hands-on approach at American Speedy, helping lead the company out of bankruptcy to become profitable and one of the largest printing franchises in the world.

He was also one of the founding members of the advisory board for Marquis Jet Partners and a partner of Dale and Thomas Popcorn.

In April 1999 Thomas became the first African American elected to the Board of Governors of the Chicago Stock Exchange. He served until 2002.

Thomas often speaks to students and professionals around the country about his business experiences.

Toronto Raptors

After retiring, Thomas became part owner and Executive Vice President for the expansion Toronto Raptors in 1994. In 1998, he left the organization after a dispute with new management over the franchise's direction and his future responsibilities. During his four-year tenure with the team, the Raptors drafted Damon Stoudamire, Marcus Camby, and high schooler Tracy McGrady.

Broadcasting

After leaving the Raptors, Thomas became a television commentator (first as the lead game analyst with play-by-play man Bob Costas and then as part of the studio team) for the NBA on NBC. He also worked a three-man booth with Costas and Doug Collins.

CBA

Thomas became the owner of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) from 1998 to 2000. He founded Enlighten Sports Inc, a full-service web development group specializing in sports marketing, in 1999.

When at the Continental Basketball Association, Thomas launched partnerships with Enlighten Sports and the University of Colorado and the CBA. The new websites allowed fans to watch live game webcasts, use live shot charts, chat with players and more. Thomas said the internet was "and integral part of [the CBA's] strategy to provide engaging and entertaining content for fans." Thomas also launched a partnership between the CBA and SEASONTICKET.com to bring personalized video highlights and scores to fans across the country as well as be a portal for All-Star League voting. Thomas foresaw that streaming video would be the future of news and entertainment.

In 1998, Thomas founded Isiah.com, a company serving consumers, retailers, and corporations with online gift certificates and other i-commerce products. Isiah.com's first venture was i-gift, a one-stop, online shopping service center for gift certificates. i-gift was praised as unique because it could drive e-commerce while supporting and expanding brick-and-mortar merchants. He brought the next generation of gift certificates to The Somerset Collection in Michigan, which houses exclusive department stores and retailers. Isiah.com's mission was to "harness internet technologies and leverage business transformation processes to create new business ventures that both produce profits and benefit under-served sectors of the community." Isiah.com also had a partnership with the NBA store.

Thomas purchased the CBA for $10 million, and in 2001 the league was forced into bankruptcy and folded, shortly after NBA Commissioner David Stern decided to create his own development league, the NBDL, to replace the CBA.

Indiana Pacers

From 2000 to 2003, Thomas coached the Indiana Pacers, succeeding Larry Bird, who previously coached the Pacers to the Eastern Conference title. Thomas attempted to bring up young talents such as Jermaine O'Neal, Jamaal Tinsley, Al Harrington, and Jeff Foster. But under Thomas the Pacers were not able to stay at the elite level as they went through the transition from a veteran-dominated, playoff-experienced team to a younger, less experienced team. In Thomas's first two seasons with the Pacers, the team was eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets, both of whom eventually made the NBA Finals.

In his last year with the Pacers, Thomas guided them to a 48–34 record in the regular season and coached the Eastern Conference team at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. As the third seed, the Pacers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the sixth-seeded Boston Celtics. With blossoming talents such as Jermaine O'Neal, Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Al Harrington and Jamaal Tinsley, along with the veteran leadership of Reggie Miller, some perceived Thomas's lack of coaching experience as the Pacers' stumbling block. In the off-season, Bird returned to the Pacers as President of Basketball Operations, and his first act was to replace Thomas with Rick Carlisle.

Halls of Fame

In 2000, Thomas was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Two years prior, Thomas was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

New York Knicks

On December 22, 2003, the New York Knicks hired Thomas as President of Basketball Operations. Thomas was ultimately unsuccessful with the Knicks roster and fanbase. At the end of the 2005–06 season, the Knicks had the highest payroll in the league and the second-worst record. He traded away several future draft picks to Chicago in a deal for Eddy Curry including what turned out to be two lottery picks in talent-rich drafts, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Joakim Noah.

On June 22, 2006, the Knicks fired coach Larry Brown, and owner James Dolan replaced him with Thomas on the condition that he show "evident progress" or be fired.

During the following season the Knicks became embroiled in a brawl with the Denver Nuggets that Thomas allegedly instigated by ordering his players to commit a hard foul in the paint. He was not fined or suspended; NBA Commissioner David Stern said that he relied only on "definitive information" when handing out punishments. Later in the season, nine months after Dolan had demanded "evident progress", the Knicks re-signed Thomas to an undisclosed "multi-year" contract. After Thomas was granted the extension, the Knicks abruptly fell from playoff contention with a dismal finish to the season.

During the 2007 NBA draft, Thomas made another trade, acquiring Zach Randolph, Fred Jones, and Dan Dickau from the Portland Trail Blazers for Steve Francis and Channing Frye.

Thomas also compounded the Knicks' salary-cap problems by signing fringe players such as Jerome James and Jared Jeffries to full mid-level exception contracts. Neither player saw any significant playing time and both were often injured and highly ineffective when able to play.

Despite the constant criticism he received from Knicks fans, Thomas maintained that he had no intention of leaving until he turned the team around, and predicted he would lead the Knicks to a championship, stating that his goal was to leave behind a "championship legacy" with the Knicks, just as he had done for the Detroit Pistons. This prediction was met with widespread skepticism.

On April 2, 2008, Donnie Walsh was introduced to replace Thomas as President of Basketball Operations for the Knicks. Walsh did not comment definitively on whether Thomas would be retained in any capacity.

One night after the Knicks tied a franchise record of 59 losses and ended their season, news broke that in talks with Walsh the week before, Thomas had been told he would not return as Knicks head coach the following season. He was officially "reassigned" on April 18 "after a season of listless and dreadful basketball, a tawdry lawsuit and unending chants from fans demanding his dismissal." Thomas posted an overall winning percentage of .341 as head coach of the Knicks, fifth lowest in team history. As part of the reassignment agreement, Thomas was to serve as a consultant to the team, reporting directly to Walsh and banned from having contact with Knicks players on the rationale that he could undermine the new head coach.

FIU

On April 14, 2009, Thomas accepted an offer to become the head basketball coach of FIU, replacing Sergio Rouco after five losing seasons. Thomas announced that he would donate his first year's salary back to the school, saying, "I did not come here for the money."

After posting a 7–25 record in his first season at FIU, on August 6, 2010, Thomas announced that he was taking a job as consultant to the New York Knicks, while keeping his position as head coach at FIU. According to the New York Daily News, "nearly every major media outlet panned the announcement of Thomas' hire", and it led to a "public outcry" among fans. In a reversal on August 11, Thomas announced that he would not be working with the Knicks because holding both jobs violated NBA bylaws.

Thomas finished his second season at FIU with an 11–19 record (5–11 in conference games). On April 6, 2012, FIU fired Thomas after he went 26–65 in three seasons. Under Thomas, FIU never won more than 11 games in a season.

Back to broadcasting

On December 19, 2012, NBA TV announced that Thomas would begin work on December 21, 2012, as a member of the studio analyst panel. It was also announced that Thomas would become a regular contributor for NBA.com.

New York Liberty

On May 5, 2015, the WNBA New York Liberty hired Thomas as Team President, overseeing all of the franchise's business and basketball operations.

On June 22, 2015, the Liberty and the WNBA agreed to suspend consideration of Thomas's ownership application. He remains president of the team.

Under Thomas's leadership as team president and his former Pistons teammate Bill Laimbeer as head coach, the Liberty finished first in the Eastern Conference during the 2015 season.

Cheurlin Champagne

In 2016, Thomas announced that he was the exclusive United States importer of the Cheurlin Champagne brand through ISIAH Imports, a subsidiary of ISIAH International, LLC. Cheurlin Champagne made its debut in the United States at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Other activations have included a private luncheon honoring former President Bill Clinton. Cheurlin recently debuted at The Palace of Auburn Hills for the final season of the Detroit Pistons at the historic arena. Cheurlin produces two champagne categories: Cheurlin's Brut Speciale and Rose de Saignee and Cheurlin Thomas' "Celebrite" Blanc de Blanc and "Le Champion" Blanc de Noir. In August 2017, Thomas brought his Cheurlin Flagship Collection portfolio of Champagnes to the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Players Only

Since 2017, Thomas has been a regular panelist during NBA on TNT's Monday coverage Players Only, which features only former NBA players as studio analysts, play by play announcers, and color analysts for games.

Education

Thomas finished his college degree at Indiana University during the Pistons' off-seasons and received his Master's in Education from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education in 2013. At UC Berkeley, Thomas studied the connection between education and sports, specifically how American society makes education accessible (or inaccessible) to black male college athletes.

Philanthropic work

During his playing career, Thomas paid college tuition for more than 75 students. When he was a Piston, in 1987 Thomas organized the "No Crime Day" in Detroit. He even had the help of Detroit Mayor Coleman Young to call for a moratorium on crime in the summer of 1986.

Also in 1987 Thomas posed for a poster sponsored by the American Library Association with the caption "READ: Isiah Thomas for America's Libraries". Thomas is shown dressed in a Sam Spade type outfit while reading a detective novel.

Thomas founded Mary's Court, a foundation that supports economically disadvantaged parents and children in the communities of Garfield Park and Lawndale on the West Side of Chicago. The charity is named for Thomas's mother, who he credits with instilling in him the importance of hard work and giving back to the community. Mary's Court has teamed up with another Chicago-based charity, Kids off the Block, to serve meals to Chicago children and families during Thanksgiving.

While at FIU, Thomas and Mary's Court donated $50,000 to FIU's First Generation Scholarship and organized a sell-out charity game during the NBA lockout featuring NBA stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, with proceeds benefiting Mary's Court. A street on Chicago's West Side was named in honor of his mother.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boys & Girls Club of Chicago recognized Thomas's philanthropic work in March 2012 and honored him with the organization's King Legacy Award at their 24th Annual King Legacy Awards Gala. The award is given annually to individuals who have fostered the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through their community contributions.

In July 2012, Thomas joined The Black Men's Roundtable in Florida along with other national and local black leaders to discuss issues that directly affect black males.

The Peace League is an annual community basketball league that brings together young men and women from surrounding communities within the Chicago area and provides a safe haven growth and development; it was established by Thomas and Father Pfleger in 2011. In September 2012, Thomas co-hosted the Ballin' for Peace Tournament at St. Sabina Church in Chicago. He joined with Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Quentin Richardson, Zach Randolph, the Chicago Bears' J'Marcus Webb, pastor Father Michael Pfleger, and others to produce this event, in order to reduce gang violence through communication and basketball. Thomas also stressed the value of education for those in poverty.

The Peace League initiative has expanded into a program which now offers GED classes, employment training, and internship opportunities. The surrounding Auburn-Gresham neighborhood has seen a drastic drop in violence since the league began.

Most recently, the Peace League Tournament was expanded to New York City during the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend. The New York City Peace Game featured over 50 players from across all five Boroughs that competed in a tournament as well as a brief speaking program with some special guests, supporters and participating organizations at the Harlem PAL that included Harry Belafonte of Sankofa.org, Help USA, Cure Violence, and Connor Sports.

In March 2013, Children Uniting Nations, an organization that focuses on advocacy/awareness and provides academic and community-based programs for at-risk and foster youth, presented Thomas and Mary's Court with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his passion and commitment to improving the lives of children.

In partnership with the Marillac Social Center, Thomas and Mary's Court hosted its Third Annual Holiday Toy Giveaway. Each year Mary's Court provides gifts, clothing and educational items to hundreds of children in Chicago at this signature event.

Humanity of Connection Award

On February 13, 2017, Thomas was presented the AT&T Humanity of Connection Award during its annual Black History Month celebration in honor of Lewis H. Latimer at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. He was honored for his historic achievements in sports and his countless contributions to the African American community as a leader in the sports, business and philanthropic industries.

Personal life

Isiah Lord Thomas III was the son of Isiah II and Mary Thomas, the youngest of seven boys and two girls. Isiah's father was an army veteran wounded in the Battle of Saipan. He later attended trade school, eventually becoming the first black supervisor at International Harvester in Chicago. When the plant closed, the only work he could find was as a janitor and the family fell into hardship and Isiah II left when Isiah was a young child. Thomas grew up in the heart of Chicago's West Side ghetto. After his parents' separation, he lived with his mother. Born a Baptist, Mary turned the family toward Catholicism.

Thomas was a basketball prodigy from age three and was tutored by his older brothers, some of whom were good players in their own right. Although most coaches in the Chicago area considered him too small to have any significant impact on a basketball program, Thomas's brothers persuaded coach Gene Pingatore of St. Joseph High School to arrange a sports scholarship for Isiah.

Thomas met his future wife, Lynn Kendall, the daughter of a Secret Service agent and a nurse, in the early 1980s while they were both attending Indiana University. The couple married in 1985.

Thomas graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in 1987. Isiah Thomas and Lynn Kendall had a son, Joshua, in 1988, and a daughter, Lauren, in 1991. Thomas has a third son from an earlier liaison, Marc Dones, born in 1986.

Thomas founded Isiah International LLC, an investment holdings company with Thomas as Chairman and CEO. It runs five companies: Isiah Real Estate, a development firm specializing in commercial properties; TAND Properties, a property management firm, private equity and asset management firm; Isiah Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations; and GRE3N Waste Removal. Thomas also co-owns the waste removal's sister company, RE3 Recycling, with his daughter, Lauren Thomas.

Isiah Thomas was involved in allegations about gambling, an accusation outlined in the 1997 book Money Players.

Paternity case

Two months before Thomas's marriage to Lynn Kendall in 1985, Jenni Dones, a woman from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, filed a paternity lawsuit against Thomas claiming that she was pregnant after having had a three- or four-month "intimate, exclusive, ongoing relationship" with him. Her child, Marc E. T. Dones, was born in 1986. After a long-running legal dispute, Thomas agreed to pay a settlement of about $52,000 and provide a monthly payment of $2,765 until Marc Dones reached 18, with Marc getting a final lump-sum amount of $100,000 at 18. In a case Dones filed in 1995, she was able to get additional financial support for her son and his college education. Marc Dones is an aspiring writer and poet who has been described by the literary site thedetroiter.com as "a talented writer and poet".

Sexual harassment lawsuit

In January 2006, Anucha Browne Sanders, a former female executive with the New York Knicks, filed an employment and harassment lawsuit against The Madison Square Garden Company, alleging in part that Thomas had sexually harassed her in the workplace and that she had been fired in retaliation for complaining about the harassment. The case was then settled for $11.5 million.

Drug overdose

On October 24, 2008, Thomas was taken to White Plains Hospital Center near his New York City area home after accidentally taking an overdose of Lunesta, a form of sleep medication. .

In an interview with ESPN, Thomas explained that he was so quiet about his hospitalization because he was focused on his family at the time.

Rivalries

In the 1985 NBA All-Star Game, Thomas was joined on the Eastern Conference squad by star rookie Michael Jordan. Jordan wound up attempting nine shots, relatively few for a starting player. Afterward, Thomas and his fellow veteran East players were accused of having planned to "freeze out" Jordan from their offense by not passing him the ball, supposedly out of spite over the attention Jordan was receiving. No player involved has ever confirmed that the freeze-out occurred, but the story has long been reported and has never been refuted by Jordan. Thomas has ridiculed the idea that he masterminded the supposed freeze-out as "ludicrous", pointing out that he was a relatively young player on a team that included Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Moses Malone. During Jordan's Hall of Fame induction, in which Thomas introduced John Stockton, who was also being inducted, Jordan dismissed the claims about a freeze-out having taken place, saying "I was just happy to be there, being the young guy surrounded by all these greats, I just wanted to prove myself and I hope that I did prove myself to you guys."

In 1987, following a playoff loss to the Boston Celtics, Thomas was asked if he agreed with Dennis Rodman's comments that Larry Bird was overrated because he was white; Thomas agreed that if Bird were black he "would be just another good guy" instead of being portrayed as the league's best player. Thomas later said he was joking and just supporting his teammate.

In the Eastern Conference Finals of the 1991 NBA playoffs, the two-time defending champion Detroit Pistons faced the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The Pistons had defeated the Bulls in each of the first three meetings, but this time they suffered a four-game sweep at the hands of the Bulls (who would win the first of three consecutive, and six overall, NBA championships between 1991 and 1998). The series was marked by a number of verbal, physical, and match-up problems. With 7.9 seconds remaining in the fourth game, Laimbeer organized a walk-out and Thomas and all of his teammates—except Joe Dumars and John Salley—walked off the court, refusing to shake hands with the Bulls. In 1992, Thomas was passed over for the Dream Team apparently because of his strained relationship with Jordan.

In September 2009, during Jordan's Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Jordan thanked Thomas and others for giving him the motivation he needed to compete in the NBA.

#04/30

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daviddshiki · 5 years ago

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The Adventures of David Dashiki-Story of an African American Hero-To Encourage Black Boys That It is Time

KOBE IS GONE...

Nothing could serve as more evidence of the urgency for Black young men to prepare themselves for the future. Kobe Bryant was a legend, a 5 times NBA Champion, 2 times NBA Finals MVP, League MVP(2008), 18 Times NBA All Star, 4 Times NBA All Star MVP, 11 Times NBA First Team, 2 Times All NBA Second Team, 2 Time NBA Third Team, 12 Times All Defensive Team, 2 Olympic Gold Medals, Slam Dunk Champion (1997), 20 Seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. Now Kobe is gone.

Magic Johnson , too, ended his career early. He, too, was a basketball maestro...3 times NBA MVP, Nine NBA Final Appearances, 10 All NBA Team Nominations, 4 times NBA Assist Leader, 1 Time All NBA Second Team, All Rookie First Team, NBA All time Assist Leader(11.2), Record Most Assists in the Playoffs-per game average 12.4, 2 times NBA Steal Leader. Yet Magic is still here and Kobe is gone.

I remember the day when Roberto Clemente left Puerto Rico en route to Nicaragua and never returned. Steve Prefontaine, Len Bias, Reggie Lewis, Pat Tillman, Brian Picolo, Ernie Davis, Thurman Munson, Joe Delaney, Lou Gehrig, Jerome Brown, all departed earth much too soon. However, Kobe’s death is too huge to overlook. Kobe was special . He was about strength, fortitude, courage, resilience, persistence and triumph. He was obsessive about his success. He could feel it and taste it. It was more than a visual to him. . He was merely a teenager when he started a pro career that would last 20 years. Now Kobe is gone. What legacy does he leave for us. What is the message?

“My Brain cannot process failure. If I was to sit here and tell I am going to fail is a fate worst than death.”

We cannot sit on the sidelines any longer, Black men. We cannot blame others. We cannot process failure or even entertain it. We cannot allow our country to be controlled by crooks, liars and white collar criminals. We are America too. Kobe is gone but we are still here. We must persist until we are successful champions like Kobe. He worked at it. He practiced while others were at the club. He refined his game. Whatever he did he wanted to be the best at it and we should also..Are you kidding me? That we the greatest democracy in the world still has to deal corruption, suppression of human rights, gerrymandering, homelessness, poverty and racism. These things happen because we allow them. We have to learn to persist like Kobe. We have to be great Americans like Kobe. We have to master entrepreneurship, politics, technology, finance, with the zeal, energy and fortitude of Kobe. ...Mamba Mentality.

Isn’t ironic that Magic Johnson has lived almost 30 years with HIV. There is magic in the name and magic in the person. His work is not done and he continues to do brilliantly what God has asked him to undertake. Kobe’s work is finished. We have to continue the LABOR. We have to continue the fight. All of those who cried and spoke of their personal pain at his lost,.All of those who signed sneakers, sent letters, stood outside all evening, Now is the time. Get A purpose. Choose a goal...DO SOMETHING. It cannot and will not end here. Choose something greater than yourself and do it for yourself, for others, for your country and for Kobe., especially. Black men, this is your time. Stay woke! Get Busy. We are to act like second class citizens no longer. Kobe would never settle for second place. Neither should we...Mamba Mentality in all phases of your life. The message is very clear. Do the work and change will come. It is all about the work, Black Men...It is all about the work. Kobe , Rest In Peace!

Signed,

Daddy Dashiki

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lboogie1906 · 6 months ago

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Samuel Jones (June 24, 1933 – December 30, 2021) was a basketball player who was a shooting guard for the Boston Celtics in the NBA. A five-time NBA All-Star, he was known for his quickness and game-winning shots, especially during the NBA playoffs. He has the second-most NBA championships of any player (10), behind only his teammate Bill Russell (11). He was one of only three Celtics (along with teammates Russell and K. C. Jones) to be part of each of the Celtics’ eight consecutive championships (1959-66). He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Detroit.

He was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. He attended Laurinburg Institute, before studying at North Carolina Central University. He was a four-year letter winner. He scored 1,745 points and was a three-time All-CIAA league selection. His number 41 was retired by the Eagles. He served in the Army for two years.

He was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in the eighth round of the 1956 NBA draft. He opted to return to college to earn his degree upon completion of military service. Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach took a trip south to scout North Carolina players who had just won the national championship, he was told the best player in the state was a few miles away. Boston selected him two picks later, even though Auerbach had never seen him play.

He made his NBA debut on October 22, 1957, recording one rebound in three minutes played against the St. Louis Hawks. He was a reserve for several seasons before replacing Bill Sharman as a starter.

He was one of only six Boston Celtics to have ever scored 50 points in an NBA game. He owned Boston’s sixth-best single-game scoring output. He recorded 22 points and 5 rebounds in Game 7 of the 1966 NBA Finals as the Celtics won their eighth straight NBA Finals. He played twelve seasons in the NBA with the Celtics, scoring 15,411 points to go along with 2,209 assists and 4,305 rebounds. He was the franchise’s career scoring leader at the time of his retirement in 1969. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #kappaalphapsi

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jrgsportsbuzz · 6 years ago

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WISCONSIN'S MVP QUARTET

Fans of Wisconsin sports teams produce a mixed bag of reactions when asked about how it feels to be said fan. Some point to the overall success of the teams while others are somewhat down about the lack of championships.

However, no one can deny the talent of the athletes the state’s sports fans have the privilege of witnessing. The four players who have taken home their sport’s top honors represent a perfect mix of the past, present and future.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers have three players between the two teams that have won Most Valuable Player awards in Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL), respectively. Brewers outfielders Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich won the National League (NL) MVP in 2011 and 2018 and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took home the NFL’s top hardware in 2011 and 2014.

Now, the Milwaukee Bucks have joined the fray, as forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the National Basketball Association’s MVP for 2019. Giannis is the Bucks’ first MVP since Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won the award as a member of the team in 1971, 1972 and 1974. The long and uber-athletic Giannis led Milwaukee to its best season since 1980-81 this past year, finishing with a scoring average above 25 points per game, rebounding average above 10 per game and an assist average above five. He has improved in each of his six seasons in the NBA and has established himself as one of the league’s icons. The Bucks’ lethal transition offense ran through Antetokounmpo, as he was the league’s top paint scorer by virtue of many easy layups and dunks on the fast break. Giannis still needs to improve his jump shot, but the increased team production from beyond the 3-point line allowed him to remain one of the NBA’s elite despite his shaky jumper. Giannis brought the NBA’s top player award back to Milwaukee for the first time in 45 years and, at age 24, could bring it home on a few more occasions throughout his career.

Braun and Rodgers are seasoned veterans who have been entertaining fans of Wisconsin sports for just over a decade now, while Yelich and Giannis are young phenoms who could provide similar excitement for years to come.

Yelich broke through in his first season in Milwaukee in 2018. The right fielder was a solid hitter through the first half of the season, but was otherworldly following the All-Star break and has continued that amazing hitting into 2019. He spearheaded the Brewers’ hot stretch during the final month and a half of 2018 that earned the team its first playoff berth since 2011 (Braun’s MVP year). That torrid second half allowed Yelich to beat out Chicago Cubs’ infielder Javier Baez for the NL’s top honor. Yelich is also putting up one of the best seasons in Brewers’ history in 2019 and could be well on his way to winning another MVP.

Rodgers has consistently been one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks throughout this decade, with many arguing for him being the best. He is one of the league’s craftiest field generals and has always been the league’s best at avoiding mistakes and turnovers. He won the MVP award in 2011 after leading the Packers to a 15-1 season following a Super Bowl XLV victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers the previous season, in which he was named MVP of the game. Rodgers then won his second MVP three years later in 2014 during a season that ended in a fashion that Packers fans need not rehash. Despite the declining talent around him, Rodgers has remained one of the top signal-callers in football and has been the main reason for the Packers’ success during this decade.

Braun’s MVP award in 2011 was the most controversial, as many around baseball, including some Brewers fans, do not believe he was deserving of the award because of steroid use. However, on stats and success of his team, Braun’s case was as strong, if not stronger, than anyone else in the NL that season. Braun, while not being what he once was, still is a productive outfielder for Milwaukee and is a great complementary piece for Yelich and center fielder Lorenzo Cain. Those three, along with utility outfielder Ben Gamel, combine to give the Brewers one of the best groups of outfielders in the league.

A lot of fans and followers of Wisconsin professional sports praise the success of the teams but are critical of the fact that they only have one championship while having these special athletes (Packers SBXLV win).

The Packers have been the most criticized because of their many playoff appearances with Rodgers at the controls and only one championship to show for it. The team has been to two NFC championship games since, including the 2017 blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons and the appearance two years prior. Green Bay has fallen on hard times since that 2017 loss, having not made the playoffs the past two seasons and firing coach Mike McCarthy, who was the head man during the Super Bowl victory.

The Bucks’ rebuild finally culminated in a successful year in 2018-19, but fans waited 18 painstaking years for the team to advance past the first round of the playoffs before their Eastern Conference Finals appearance this past season. Milwaukee was one of the league’s most downtrodden franchises during most of the 2000s and the first half of this decade, as they were consistently mediocre at best during the latter part of previous owner Herb Kohl’s tenure. The team’s rebuild and new arena are a function of shrewd management and ownership under New York hedge fund investors Marc Lasry and Wes Edens.

The Brewers have been a struggling franchise throughout the majority of their existence (first season was 1969 as the Seattle Pilots, moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers in 1970). However, the general manager and manager pair of David Stearns and Craig Counsell, respectively, have turned the franchise into a winner for the time being. Acquiring Yelich and Cain before last season turned a talented, up-and-coming team into a World Series contender, but the Brewers are one of the smallest markets in baseball. They will likely need to win a title with a lot of their current group, or could face another painful rebuilding process.

Despite the lack of trophies, most fans do appreciate the talent of the star athletes of the Wisconsin teams. Wisconsin fans are very lucky to have some of the country’s premier sports stars suiting up for their home franchises.

Giannis could be the most gifted player the Bucks have ever had and he has become the cornerstone of the franchise at age 24. He went from being a thin, raw rookie in 2013 to one of the NBA’s dominant forces and was one of the best NBA Draft steals of all time. Much of the newfound excitement for a once-moribund franchise can be attributed to the player known as “The Greek Freak”.

The Brewers acquired Yelich in a trade with the Miami Marlins for four minor league prospects in January 2018, one day before signing Cain to a 5-year, $80 million deal. Yelich was always a solid player in Miami and continued that in Milwaukee en route to his first All-Star appearance last season. However, he became inarguably the best hitter in baseball during the latter two-plus months of 2018 and will be the main piece of the Brewers’ lineup for years to come thanks to his team-friendly contract that doesn’t expire until 2023.

Rodgers has spent many years as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks and, at age 35, can be considered a legend. He took the reins from Hall of Fame signal-caller Brett Favre in 2008 and has continued the Packers’ legacy of outstanding passers. Rodgers has been at the controls of offenses that consistently rank among the NFL’s best during his time as the Packers’ quarterback and has shown an ability to make a good receiver out of almost anyone. He has shown some signs of slowing down later in his career, but he still can produce better than most at his position.

Braun came up as a hitting prodigy in 2007 and has remained a solid piece of the Brewers’ lineup despite no longer being one of the league’s stars. He likely will remain with the team throughout the rest of his career and is one of the team’s all-time leaders in nearly every hitting category. His leadership was invaluable during the Brewers’ late-season push in 2018 and continues to be during this current renaissance of the franchise.

The presence of Yelich, Braun, Giannis and Rodgers have generated much excitement for Wisconsin sports during their tenures here. With their presence has come success, though not as much as some people have hoped for. However, these four are special talents who have been linchpins for their teams for a long time (Braun, Rodgers) and provide excitement for the future (Yelich, Giannis).

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