The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each year with rosters that would seem to plummet as a default mechanism if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
But there will be a much deeper piece on his impact when he eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Most Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each year with rosters that would seem to plummet if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
But there will be a much deeper piece on his impact when he eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Most Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
But there will be a much deeper piece on his impact when he eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Most Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
But there will be a much deeper piece on his impact when he eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Most Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
When he eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Most Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
If, or when, Pop eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Most Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
If, or when, Pop eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Winningest Coach In History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
If, or when, Pop eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Winningest Coach In NBA History&rsquo; this season. But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
If, or when, Pop eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Winningest Coach in NBA History&rsquo; this season, it will be a day we'll never forget.
But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season to do so.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gregg-popovich-passes-larry-brown-in-top-5-games-coached/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
After a hard-fought overtime battle with the Brooklyn Nets, Gregg Popovich matched the prestigious Larry Brown for fifth-most games coached in the NBA.
The prestigious list now reads like this:
<ul>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 2,487</li>
<li>Don Nelson: 2,398</li>
<li>Bill Fitch: 2,050</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 2,024</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich and Larry Brown (tied): 2,002</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,999</li>
<li>Dick Motta: 1,952</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,904</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,791</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,735&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
For the players, we idolize those select few who scored more points than anyone else in history. Kareem, Malone, LeBron, Bryant, Jordan &ndash; their faces are forever carved on the central podium that we behold for the best of the best within our hierarchal imagination. For coaches, total games is a way to appreciate their longevity, but it doesn't necessarily epitomize the best.
For example, Lenny Wilkens stands at the peak of that mountain, but finished his career with a 53.6% winning percentage during the regular season and 44.9% through the playoffs. He won one championship and one Coach Of The Year award across six different teams.
Now, the list of those coaches with the most wins as an NBA head coach, that's a much better talking point. Here's what that looks like:
<ul>
<li>Don Nelson: 1,335</li>
<li>Lenny Wilkens: 1,332</li>
<li>Gregg Popovich: 1,325</li>
<li>Jerry Sloan: 1,221</li>
<li>Pat Riley: 1,210</li>
<li>George Karl: 1,175</li>
<li>Phil Jackson: 1,155</li>
<li>Larry Brown: 1,098</li>
<li>Rick Adelman: 1,042</li>
<li>Doc Rivers: 1,013</li>
</ul>
Gregg Popovich is fewer than 10 wins away from the all-time wins record.
Admittedly, Gregg Popovich hit the jackpot when the San Antonio Spurs drafted arguably the most coachable superstar in league history with Tim Duncan. Through The Big Fundamental&rsquo;s grace and humility &mdash; paired with an unbreakable bond with his coach &mdash; Popovich was allowed full rein to unleash on Duncan when he felt necessary, and that set an organizational standard for years to come.
But while having Duncan was a one-in-a-million type of luck, Popovich&rsquo;s Spurs were much more than their franchise star and ethos; it might've been best encapsulated through the 2014 Spurs, who won the NBA championship over the Miami Heat and sent LeBron James back to Cleveland. Even the post-Duncan Spurs continue to impressively overachieve each despite rosters that would seem to plummet by default if not for outstanding coaching. Popovich remains the X-Factor.&nbsp;
If, or when, Pop eventually hits that milestone of &lsquo;Winningest Coach in NBA History&rsquo; this season, it will be a day we'll never forget.
But for now, all you can do is admire him because this could be his last season on the sidelines.&nbsp;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Gregg Popovich continues to climb the all-time NBA coaching ranks.

Gregg Popovich ties Larry Brown for No. 5 all-time NBA games coached

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win&hellip; That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal 
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles, and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.&nbsp;
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Julius Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season has been a disappointment for both Julius and the Knicks. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win&hellip; That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles, and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.&nbsp;
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Julius Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season has been a disappointment for both Julius and the Knicks. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles, and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.&nbsp;
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Julius Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season has been a disappointment for both Julius and the Knicks. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.&nbsp;
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Julius Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season has been a disappointment for both Julius and the Knicks. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Julius Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season has been a disappointment for both Julius and the Knicks. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season has been a disappointment for both him and the Knicks. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-a-franchise-player-julius-randle-has-left-a-lot-to-be-desired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been a disappointment for both him and the Knicks</a>. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-a-franchise-player-julius-randle-has-left-a-lot-to-be-desired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been a disappointment for both him and the Knicks</a>. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/julius-randle-sends-a-stern-message-to-knicks-fans-shut-the-f-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-a-franchise-player-julius-randle-has-left-a-lot-to-be-desired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been a disappointment for both him and the Knicks</a>. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/julius-randle-sends-a-stern-message-to-knicks-fans-shut-the-f-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Last night&rsquo;s game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics in Madison Square Garden was a true thriller that saw New York <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/breakingnews/rj-barrett-banks-in-3-at-buzzer-knicks-beat-celtics-108105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">win at the buzzer</a>, much to the delight of the MSG crowd. It was a good night for Knicks basketball, but one detail caught the eyes of many and stirred up some drama.
Knicks star Julius Randle was visibly frustrated with the fans and decided to let them know about it &mdash; during and after the game.
Drama in New York
It seems like the Knicks and the Celtics have engaged in some pretty tight battles this season, and last night was no different. Boston took control of the game and even led by 24 in the second quarter, but an inspiring run by the Knicks shrunk the gap in the fourth. Led by Evan Fournier&rsquo;s career night (41 points, 10 three-pointers made) and RJ Barrett&rsquo;s buzzer-beating three, the Knicks would complete the comeback and get a much-needed win. Aside from Fournier and Barrett, Julius Randle had a good game with 22 points and 8 rebounds, but he is in the headlines Friday for other reasons.
Randle is not happy with Knicks fans
After scoring a bucket in the fourth quarter, Randle would signal thumbs down to the crowd, visibly frustrated with the home fans. The Knicks were getting booed earlier in the game because of their poor play, and the star forward didn&rsquo;t appreciate them coming around.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VtTMPEJgeFs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
After the game, a reporter would ask Randle what he meant to signal with the thumbs down, and Randle bluntly and directly answered: &ldquo;Shut the f*ck up"
This was not aimed at the reporter, but rather Randle explaining his actions, which obviously didn&rsquo;t sit well with Knicks fans. But it seems like he has been the scapegoat for the Knicks&rsquo; struggles, often targeted by fans and the media.
New York culture
After the game, the "Inside the NBA" panel would also react to this and share some advice for Randle:
&ldquo;When the Knicks are losing, everyone knows that that&rsquo;s a city that&rsquo;s going to boo their team,&rdquo; Kenny Smith said.
&ldquo;I never understand why players think you&rsquo;re supposed to get cheered when you&rsquo;re playing bad. No, you&rsquo;re gonna get booed, and you&rsquo;re gonna get cheered when you win... That&rsquo;s the deal you make with fans," Charles Barkley added.
&ldquo;In a city like New York. You&rsquo;re the man on that team. You gotta expect it. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. You&rsquo;re the man. They expect you to play great every night,&rdquo; Shaquille O'Neal stated.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c3XOogp1fu4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Some great points from Shaq, Charles and Kenny. Of course, you want your fans to stand by you no matter what is happening, but if you are not producing, especially in a city like New York, you&rsquo;re going to get booed no matter who you are.
Last year was a complete renaissance for the Knicks, with Randle leading them back into relevance, but this season <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-a-franchise-player-julius-randle-has-left-a-lot-to-be-desired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been a disappointment for both him and the Knicks</a>. Randle&rsquo;s numbers have dropped, and the Knicks are currently sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, with a 19-20 record.
There is still a lot of time to turn things around and have a positive season, but beefing with your fans is not the right way. Knowing how unforgiving and harsh NY fans and media can be, Randle will need to step it up exponentially if he wants to make amends with them.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Julius Randle didn't beat around the bush when asked about his thumbs-down gesture in Madison Square Garden on Thursday.

Julius Randle on thumbs down to Knicks fans: 'Shut the f— up'

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21-years-old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is this legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo;s stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put in all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurick were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third year, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career as in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21-years-old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is this legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo;s stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put in all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurick were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third year, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career as in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo;s stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put in all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurick were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third year, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career as in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put in all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurick were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third year, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career as in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurick were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third year, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career as in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurich were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career as in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurich were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career &mdash; in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and be called The Glove. The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurich were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career &mdash; in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and gain the nickame 'The Glove.' The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurich were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career &mdash; in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and gain the nickame 'The Glove.' The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/gary-payton-recalls-the-time-when-he-and-shawn-kemp-were-almost-traded-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Before Gary Payton turned into one of the game&rsquo;s legends, he was on the brink of being marked as one of the many top prospects who failed to reach their full potential.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Lost
Payton was the second overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. His first two years were subpar as he averaged 7.2 points, 6.4 assists; then 9.4 points and 6.2 assists, respectively. Payton admitted he was lost during his first two seasons in Seattle &mdash; his underperformance almost triggered the Supersonics to let him and Shawn Kemp go.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m a young dude coming in at 21 years old and I don&rsquo;t know what&rsquo;s happening. I struggled. I was with Shawn Kemp and we were struggling and then Seattle started talking about trading us. And then the next thing you know, the ownership came in and said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s talk, you two. Together. What is the problem?&rsquo; And I just said I just don&rsquo;t have no guidance. You know I don&rsquo;t have guidance. I don&rsquo;t have no work ethics, I don&rsquo;t want to be here. The coaching staff doesn&rsquo;t support me the way it is,&rdquo; Payton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdsZW_HJUc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Draymond Green Show</a>.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rdsZW_HJUc" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Apart from his lack of diligence, Payton also noted that KC Jones, the Supersonics&rsquo; head coach during that time, might have affected his headspace. After all, Jones is a legendary figure who won eight straight titles with the Boston Celtics from 1959 to 1966. The man was a teammate with all sorts of legends. Jones&rsquo; stature somehow intimidated Payton, a young stud trying to adjust to a new life. Fortunately, things changed when George Karl &mdash; the Sonics&rsquo; third head coach in the 1991-92 NBA season &mdash; came along.&nbsp;
New coach
&ldquo;We went to George Karl and he brought in my savior, like a second father to me, who&rsquo;s named Tim Grgurich. When he came in, he took me under his wing and made me go to summer league. We played in Utah, we played in LA, we played in all of these things. I was in my third year going into summer league. And that&rsquo;s what I needed. I needed a work ethic to do different stuff and I got it. And he put in the post-up game to me, he put in my pressuring the ball 94-feet. He put all that stuff in my game.&ldquo;
Karl and Grgurich were the mentors Payton needed at that point in his career. In the 1992-93 NBA season, Payton&rsquo;s third, the Sonics made it to the Western Conference Finals. It would be the start of a legendary career &mdash; in the following seasons, Payton would be named an All-Star, win Defensive Player of the Year, and gain the nickame 'The Glove.' The rest is history.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

Gary Payton describes struggles during his first 2 seasons in Seattle, which almost led the Supersonics to trade him and Shawn Kemp.

Gary Payton recalls the time he and Shawn Kemp were almost traded

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league.
So Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it.
So Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. (
So Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. Kudos to Thomas for making 
So Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. Kudos to Thomas for making it back this season on a pair of 10-days
So Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. But Kudos to Thomas for making it back this season on a pair of 10-days.
So Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. But Kudos to Thomas for making it back this season on a pair of 10-days.
Crawford learned quickly more than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. But Kudos to Thomas for making it back this season on a pair of 10-days.
Crawford learned quickly about than just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. But Kudos to Thomas for making it back this season on a pair of 10-days.
Crawford learned quickly about just how you&rsquo;re playing at the moment goes into your status in the NBA. He was lucky enough to learn it on someone else&rsquo;s example.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/jamal-crawfords-welcome-to-the-nba-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
For a lot of players, getting used to the off-court realities of NBA life is as challenging as figuring out the game itself. As much as they remember the first time someone schooled them on the court, players also remember the first time they realized there are no feelings and loyalty in the business of the NBA. Jamal Crawford learned that lesson early on in his career.
&ldquo;This is a business&rdquo;
With the No. 8 pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Jamal Crawford, but rerouted him to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Chris Mihm and cash. A rebuilding team that was trying to find its way after Michael Jordan left Chicago for good, the Bulls were turning to young prospects. That gave Crawford the confidence that they would have patience with young players who show potential.
Then, a &ldquo;welcome to the NBA&rdquo; moment sobered Crawford up.
"The first one I can remember, like &lsquo;Whoa, this is a business' was Khalid El-Amin," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on The Habershow</a>. "He was playing well &mdash; he was a second-round pick &mdash; and I&rsquo;m pulling in to the facility, and he&rsquo;s leaving the facility. I&rsquo;m like &lsquo;Where you going? We got practice.' And he was like, &lsquo;They just let me go.&lsquo; I was playing behind him, here I am a lottery pick! He had a better rookie season, flat out."
El-Amin was a member of the 1999 Huskies team that won the NCAA championship. He was the 34th pick in the same draft as Crawford, playing ahead of him, getting real NBA minutes and performing; yet, it wasn&rsquo;t enough. The craziest part is that El-Amin was selected to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game that season. That means he was considered to be one of the 12 best rookies in the NBA. A month later, he was let go by the Bulls.
Crawford couldn&rsquo;t believe it.
&ldquo;That was my first 'welcome to the NBA' moment where I was like, &lsquo;What to hell, this makes zero sense?!&rsquo; I forgot about that part, he made the Rookie-Sophomore game. He was balling! I&rsquo;ve never told that story, that&rsquo;s crazy," Crawford <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tr/podcast/jamal-crawford/id1443174829?i=1000536338009&amp;l=tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Jamal had to wrap his head around the fact that even if you&rsquo;re playing great, sometimes that&rsquo;s just not enough.
Potential is everything
El-Amin played for the Dakota Wizards in the D-League (now G League) the next year, but those minutes with the Bulls were his last in the NBA. After that, it&rsquo;s a list of teams overseas for an impressive international career. But why do you draft a guy only to cut him so quickly, particularly after he&rsquo;s outplayed his draft position?
There&rsquo;s nothing general managers love more than to draft well in the second round; that boosts their credibility and literally buys a few years of job security. But given the fact no other team signed El-Amin after the Bulls let him go, there was an obvious consensus he&rsquo;s not good enough for the Association.
Teams are always thinking two moves ahead, and at 5-foot-10, a player&rsquo;s potential in the NBA is limited. You literally have to be the best scorer in the fourth quarter in NBA history (Isaiah Thomas, for those who don&rsquo;t know enough about the King in the Fourth) to offset your defensive limitations. And the moment IT stopped dropping 30, he was out of the league before we knew it. But Kudos to Thomas for making it back this season on a pair of 10-days.
But Crawford learned quickly as a rookie about the harsh side of the league.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Jamal Crawford recalls the time he found out firsthand the harsh realities of the NBA.

Jamal Crawford relays when he found out the NBA was a business

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over 100 NBA players in "health and safety protocols" it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game in one season today. Something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe any time soon. All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols" it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game in one season today. Something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe any time soon. All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days. Something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe any time soon. All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe any time soon by circumstance. All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe on any time soon by circumstance.
All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Knocking down game-winners on back-to-back nights will get people talking.
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe on any time soon by circumstance.
All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind? 
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Knocking down game-winners on back-to-back nights will get people talking, and his teammates have trusted him from the very beginnning.
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 40% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe on any time soon by circumstance.
All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind?
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Knocking down game-winners on back-to-back nights will get people talking, and his teammates have trusted him from the very beginnning.
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 51% rate, but missing shots was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe on any time soon by circumstance.
All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind?
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Knocking down game-winners on back-to-back nights will get people talking, and his teammates have trusted him from the very beginnning.
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 51% rate, but missing shots here and there was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe on any time soon by circumstance.
All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/kobe-bryant-and-demar-derozan-share-identical-statistics-at-the-same-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There&rsquo;s a reason DeMar DeRozan inherited Michael Jordan&rsquo;s locker. Besides Kobe Bryant, Jordan&rsquo;s greatest student, DeRozan&rsquo;s game might be most similar to MJ's since he retired. In fact, you could feasibly draw a line in terms of playstyle from MJ to Kobe to DeRozan.
And with the latter two, not only do Kobe and DeMar share similar playing styles, but they have nearly identical statistics at the veteran age of 32.
Kobe Bryant 2010-11 season averages: 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 49% field goal percentage
DeMar DeRozan 2021-22 season averages: 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 52% field goal percentage
With that said, the patterned game and almost exactly the same impact on the stat sheet don&rsquo;t quite show the whole picture. Kobe was the league&rsquo;s most feared offensive weapon, piling up a total of 37,366 minutes and scoring 25,790 points before the 2011 season even commenced. DeRozan had only played 30,046 minutes and dropped in 17,751 points before 2022.
That doesn&rsquo;t even begin to mention playoffs, where DeRozan has yet to channel any version of an "inner Kobe," while the Black Mamba himself had just come off three straight Finals appearances at the time, winning the last two against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.&nbsp;
And let&rsquo;s not get started on defensive intensity...
But are the similarities really that much of a shock since DeRozan has openly admitted to developing his game with Kobe in mind?
&ldquo;For me, Kobe was my imagination&hellip; Kobe was the one I gravitated to," DeRozan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKL71qBaSlM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on All The Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson in Dec. 2020</a>. "For me, to see the start, the fails, I remember begging my dad to get a newspaper just so I could see what he said after the game.&rdquo;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKL71qBaSlM" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Knocking down game-winners on back-to-back nights will get people talking, and his teammates have trusted him from the very beginnning.
Lonzo Ball <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwioo7n2zJj1AhUxneAKHaXUAk4QFnoECAMQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleachernation.com%2Fbulls%2F2021%2F11%2F30%2Flonzo-ball-says-demar-derozan-is-the-best-midrange-player-in-the-nba%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw10sjeKZdp4bKLUiWosLTkE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has already said</a> DeRozan is &ldquo;the best mid-range player&rdquo; in the league. And since he is hitting shots from that area at a whopping 54% clip, DeRozan is right there at the top of the NBA in mid-range threats with the possible exception of Kevin Durant. DeMar has even been a little more efficient than Kobe&rsquo;s 51% clip, but missing shots here and there was always something we let Kobe pass on because of his innate ability to make them when they counted &mdash; almost like this Bulls run is doing away with the memory of DeRozan getting benched by his own coach in playoff fourth quarters not so long ago.
So their stats are almost identical, but the places in their 32-year-old seasons definitely. Nevertheless, being mentioned in the same breath as Kobe "Bean Bryant" is never minor.
Kobe did play all 82 games that 2010-11 season, placing fourth in MVP votes. Currently, DeRozan ranks No. 9 on Basketball Reference&rsquo;s MVP tracker.
Now, with over one-third of the NBA in "health and safety protocols," it would be a miracle for a player to play in every game of the season these days, so that's something DeRozan won&rsquo;t one-up Kobe on any time soon by circumstance.
All that remains to be seen is the playoffs. Can DeMar DeRozan finally make an imprint on a deep playoff run, or will it be more of the same as we saw in Toronto?
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

DeMar DeRozan's statement season continues with the Bulls, and it is looking quite similar to one of his idols at the same age.

DeMar DeRozan sharing nearly identical stats at age-32 as Kobe Bryant

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left out of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are 3rd in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as number one on the MVP ladder.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award is given today, it&rsquo;s a toss-up between KD and Chef Curry. We hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left out of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are 3rd in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as number one on the MVP ladder.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award is given today, it&rsquo;s a toss-up between KD and Chef Curry. We hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as number one on the MVP ladder.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award is given today, it&rsquo;s a toss-up between KD and Chef Curry. We hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the top candidate on the MVP ladder.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award is given today, it&rsquo;s a toss-up between KD and Chef Curry. We hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-dec-31-2021-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top candidate on the MVP ladder</a>.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award is given today, it&rsquo;s a toss-up between KD and Chef Curry. We hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-dec-31-2021-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top candidate on the MVP ladder</a>.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award was to be decided today, it&rsquo;d probably be a toss-up between KD and Curry.
We hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-dec-31-2021-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top candidate on the MVP ladder</a>.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award was to be decided today, it&rsquo;d probably be a toss-up between KD and Curry.
Let's hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season, so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Chicago Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA this season.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-dec-31-2021-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top candidate on the MVP ladder</a>.&nbsp;
Based on team performance, if the MVP award was to be decided today, it&rsquo;d probably be a toss-up between KD and Curry.
Let's hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>. 
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut). 
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season. 
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-dec-31-2021-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top candidate on the MVP ladder</a>.&nbsp;
Let's hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA. 
Based on team performance, if the MVP award was to be decided today, it&rsquo;d probably be a toss-up between KD and Curry.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
We are nearly one half into the NBA season, and the MVP conversation is heating up. Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett joined in the discussion and shared with the world his top-five candidates, excluding some usual names and adding two players rarely mentioned in the conversation.&nbsp;
KG&rsquo;s five MVP candidates
Kevin Garnett knows what is up when he talks about MVP-caliber players. He won one in the 2003-04 season after leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 58-24 record. KG joined the early MVP favorites discussion when he posted his top picks <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tic_pix/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his Instagram story</a>.
<ol>
<li>Stephen Curry</li>
<li>DeMar DeRozan</li>
<li>Zach LaVine</li>
<li>Nikola Jokic</li>
<li>Kevin Durant</li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
KG's top 5 MVP candidates <a href="https://t.co/FTW13m5Zv2">pic.twitter.com/FTW13m5Zv2</a>
&mdash; Boardman (@boardman905) <a href="https://twitter.com/boardman905/status/1477516110471782402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Those are interesting choices there, and all are deserving, but some regulars are missing, such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.
With his picks, KG is telling us that he&rsquo;s been caught up with recent highlights, which factored in his MVP bets. Curry broke the all-time three-pointers made record and is on track for more historical achievements this season, and the Golden State Warriors are on top of the Western Conference standings without Klay Thompson.&nbsp;Kevin Durant also does some heavy lifting for the Brooklyn Nets, who are still without Kyrie Irving (until Wednesday when he makes his season debut).
The current leaders of the Eastern Conference are the 24-10 Chicago Bulls. Usually, two great players on the same team cancel each other out, but KG doesn&rsquo;t believe that has to be the case. Not just having DeRozan and LaVine, but having them at No. 2 and No. 3 tells you everything you need to know about how The Big Ticket feels about the Bulls. Sure, the Bulls are fun to watch, and the DeRozan-LaVine tandem will get even better with time. However, there&rsquo;s still a lot to be played for in the season.
Meanwhile, LeBron James is now 37, playing at a new position &ndash; center &ndash; while <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-puts-up-historic-stat-in-first-game-as-a-37yearold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still getting highlights and triple-doubles</a>. However, the Lakers are sitting at .500 at 19-19, clinging to the seventh spot in the Western Conference standings, affecting James&rsquo; MVP campaign. Also, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is curiously left off of Garnett&rsquo;s list. The Bucks are No. 3 in the East behind the Nets and the surprising Bulls. With season averages of 27.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, there&rsquo;s a reason why NBA.com listed him as the <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/kia-mvp-ladder-dec-31-2021-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top candidate on the MVP ladder</a>.&nbsp;
Let's hope KG puts out his final list at the end of the season so we can compare notes and see if he still feels the Bulls have two of the three best players in the NBA.
Based on team performance, if the MVP award was to be decided today, it&rsquo;d probably be a toss-up between KD and Curry.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

On his Instagram story, Kevin Garnett made his feelings known regarding who is leading the 2021-22 NBA MVP race.

Kevin Garnett lists 5 NBA MVP favorites to begin New Year

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold have been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron reemphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers,. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up a 43/4/2/2/2 in 29 minutes with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron reemphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers,. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up a 43/4/2/2/2 in 29 minutes with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers,. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up a 43/4/2/2/2 in 29 minutes with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up a 43/4/2/2/2 in 29 minutes with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up&nbsp; with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up the big numbers mentioned above with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up the big numbers mentioned above with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after he gave this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the lakers are 2-5 in those seven games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up the big numbers mentioned above with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after he gave this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30 point games, the Lakers are 2-5 in those games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will it come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up the big numbers mentioned above with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after he gave this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30-point games, the Lakers are 2-5 in those games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will the wins come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/lebron-james-puts-up-a-historic-stat-in-his-first-game-as-a-37-year-old/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve just reached the point where it&rsquo;s not even controversial at all to say the decline is finally here. Age has finally, to some degree, caught up with LeBron James."
That was Zach Lowe on Dec. 20 &mdash; since then, LeBron James has averaged 36.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 58.9% from the field. Friday night, in his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, proving that the degree to which father time has caught up with him is minimal.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Cutting Down on Turnovers
In his 7th straight 30 point game, setting a new season-high in points, LeBron put up a monster stat line &mdash; 43/4/2, 2 blocks, 2 steals; 16/26 from the field, 5/10 on three-pointers, and 6/9 from the line. The fact that James did all this in only 29 minutes on the floor isn&rsquo;t even the most impressive stat of the night.
Since the arrival of Russell Westbrook, the most glaring problem with the Purple and Gold has been turnovers. The Lakers have done a horrible job of taking care of the ball, and LeBron emphasized it in his postgame comments after the horrible loss to the Grizzlies a couple of days ago.
&rdquo;There&rsquo;s a difference between careless turnovers and attack turnovers. We gotta cut down on our careless turnovers &mdash; the ones that&rsquo;s just unforced. We&rsquo;re gonna have attack turnovers, which is OK. We have a lot of attackers and we understand that. But, the careless turnovers, where, literally, you just turn the ball over and there&rsquo;s no pressure or there&rsquo;s no reason for it, those are the ones that get us in trouble.&rdquo;
In a perfect example of &ldquo;practice what you preach,&rdquo; the 37-year-old James put up the big numbers mentioned above with ZERO TURNOVERS in the very next game after he gave this quote. With Anthony Davis out with a sprained MCL, LeBron&rsquo;s been putting the Lakers on his back. But despite his streak of impressive 30-point games, the Lakers are 2-5 in those games.
Load Management
We&rsquo;ve known for years LeBron&rsquo;s been managing his effort level in the regular season, and it&rsquo;s probably one of the main reasons for his impressive longevity. That strategy will obviously have to be put on ice for a while. The Lakers are currently 7th in the West with an 18-19 record.
Given the fact Anthony Davis is out for at least a month, there&rsquo;s no more time for load management. One of the reasons James was able to do what he did in only 29 minutes was because the spiraling Portland Trail Blazers were on the other side of the court. More often than not, it&rsquo;s going to take a lot more than 29 minutes to carry this Lakers team to victory.
The question isn&rsquo;t can LeBron do this, we know he (still) can. The question is, at what cost will the effort come? We&rsquo;ll find out in April and May.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>

In his first game as a 37-year-old, LeBron put up his most impressive game of the season, scoring 43 points in under 30 minutes.

LeBron James sets two season-highs in first game as a 37-year-old

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 showed there is a hole in the market for alternatively set-up basketball leagues. And now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with one of his own.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks&rsquo; blowout against the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
McGrady is yet to reveal more details about this project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who himself is one of the greatest 1-on-1 players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; JC said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in. &ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably even more exciting to watch.
Following the 2020 cancelation due to coronavirus, going into its fourth season, The BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive &mdash; they even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by COVID.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning some of fans&rsquo; favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only 1-on-1 artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-related individuals.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 showed there is a hole in the market for alternatively set-up basketball leagues. And now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with one of his own.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks&rsquo; blowout against the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady is yet to reveal more details about this project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who himself is one of the greatest 1-on-1 players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; JC said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in. &ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably even more exciting to watch.
Following the 2020 cancelation due to coronavirus, going into its fourth season, The BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive &mdash; they even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by COVID.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning some of fans&rsquo; favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only 1-on-1 artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-related individuals.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 showed there is a hole in the market for alternatively set-up basketball leagues. And now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with one of his own.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks&rsquo; blowout against the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady is yet to reveal more details about this project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who himself is one of the greatest 1-on-1 players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; JC said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in. &ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably even more exciting to watch.
Following the 2020 cancelation due to coronavirus, going into its fourth season, The BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive &mdash; they even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by COVID.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning some of fans&rsquo; favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only 1-on-1 artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-related individuals.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 showed there is a hole in the market for alternatively set-up basketball leagues. And now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with one of his own.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks&rsquo; blowout against the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 basketball league showed there is a hole in the market for alternative basketball leagues. Now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with a concept of his own:
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks blowout the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional one-on-one basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 basketball league showed there is a hole in the market for alternative basketball leagues. Now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with a concept of his own:
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks blowout the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional one-on-one basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 basketball league showed there is a hole in the market for alternative-format basketball leagues. Now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with a concept of his own:
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks blowout the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional one-on-one basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 basketball league showed there is a hole in the market for alternative-format basketball leagues. Now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with a concept of his own:
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
&nbsp;
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks blowout the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional one-on-one basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 basketball league showed there is a hole in the market for alternative-format basketball leagues. Now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with a concept of his own:
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks blowout the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional one-on-one basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/tracy-mcgrady-to-launch-1-on-1-nationwide-basketball-league/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The success of Ice Cube&rsquo;s BIG3 basketball league showed there is a hole in the market for alternative-format basketball leagues. Now, Tracy McGrady is trying to come up with a concept of his own:
&ldquo;Ones Basketball Association&rdquo;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The Hall of Famer joined Jamal Crawford and Quentin Richardson on &ldquo;NBA HooperVision,&rdquo; a broadcast on NBA League Pass. While watching the Bucks blowout the Magic &mdash; the final result was 136-118 &mdash; T-Mac announced he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional one-on-one basketball league.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m creating something, a one-on-one league that I&rsquo;m creating,&rdquo; McGrady said. &ldquo;Nationwide. Not a tournament, a league. 18 and up. It&rsquo;s called OBA. Ones Basketball Association. Coming to you.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Tracy McGrady just announced on HooperVision he&rsquo;s in the process of starting a professional 1-on-1 league, for 18 and over adults, called the OBA (Ones Basketball Association) Details ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/YkkfTbuaW4">pic.twitter.com/YkkfTbuaW4</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1476736450485899265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

McGrady has yet to reveal more details about the project. He also didn&rsquo;t specify when he plans to launch it. But judging by Jamal Crawford&rsquo;s reaction, who is one of the greatest one-on-one players the NBA has ever seen, the potential entertainment value of such a league is enormous.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m calling you, man,&rdquo; Crawford said to McGrady, aspiring to join the project both as a player and a business partner. &ldquo;I need in.&ldquo;
Following BIG3&rsquo;s example
When Ice Cube launched BIG3, he wanted to allow guys who had &ldquo;honed basketball skills to the highest level to continue to play at a high level.&rdquo; T-Mac aims to do the same thing, just through a different format, arguably an even more exciting one to watch.
Following the 2020 season&rsquo;s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic &mdash; going into its fourth season &mdash; the BIG3 faced the challenge of regaining momentum and keeping the league alive. The league even lost one of its biggest sponsors in Adidas due to financial losses caused by the pandemic.
But the project&rsquo;s core idea &mdash; returning favorite former NBA players back to pro-level action &mdash; is still alluring to the basketball public. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of regaining awareness and reminding people of what they liked about the league in the first place.
McGrady&rsquo;s project seems to be along the same lines. If executed properly, assuming Crawford isn&rsquo;t the only one-on-one artist interested in participating, Ones Basketball Association has the potential to be a huge success. We can&rsquo;t wait for it to launch &mdash; fans always welcome any form of competitive basketball involving NBA-caliber players.
&nbsp;

On NBA HooperVision, Tracy McGrady announced one-on-one basketball league.

Tracy McGrady to launch one-on-one nationwide basketball league

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board. Finally, fans have reason to believe that the Hornets are here, now and in the future. However, Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest ever in the game&rsquo;s history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board. Finally, fans have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real, now and in the future. However, Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest ever in the game&rsquo;s history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board. Finally, fans have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real, now and going forward. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest ever in the game&rsquo;s history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real, now and going forward. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest ever in the game&rsquo;s history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest ever in the game&rsquo;s history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest player in NBA history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest player in NBA history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young players leading their teams, LeBron James comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest player in NBA history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young stars carrying their teams, LeBron James comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.&nbsp;
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest player in NBA history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young stars carrying their teams, LeBron James comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was at the time in Cleveland. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed to fit you, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may be looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wondering how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/the-last-guy-to-do-what-lamelo-ball-is-doing-was-20-year-old-lebron-james/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The future is bright for LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. The young point guard came into the league with a lot of baggage and expectations, and has knocked it out of the park. The numbers LaMelo has produced this early in his career are reminiscent of The Kid from Akron, LeBron James, who had his own hype train rolling from a young age.
Since his first game in the NBA, Ball has displayed maturity and game smarts that are advanced for his age. LaMelo&rsquo;s impact is reflected in the Hornets&rsquo; 19-17 record this season, which is much better than expected and puts them in the playoff picture in a much stronger Eastern Conference.
The fans are excited, and the players are having fun on the floor. Clearly, Charlotte has drafted well under Mitch Kupchak and Michael Jordan's franchise is headed in the right direction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
LaMelo Ball &amp; Terry Rozier combined for 56 points to power the <a href="https://twitter.com/hornets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hornets</a> to victory! <a href="https://t.co/SVvxGfprad">pic.twitter.com/SVvxGfprad</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1476551148991660041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
As the Rookie of the Year winner last season, heightened expectations were put on Ball&rsquo;s shoulders this year. Sophomores in the league sometimes struggle to live up to the hype, but not LaMelo. The former Chino Hills star is averaging career-highs across the board, which is a big reason why fans finally have reason to believe that the Hornets are for real. Ball&rsquo;s game has been impressive to the point of making history, and it deserves special recognition.&nbsp;
Comparable to the MVP
There are only two players in the league who lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals this season, per Basketball-Reference. One is the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, and the other is Ball. LaMelo is averaging 19.7 points, 8.0 assists, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals as a 20-year-old player. If he continues this fine display, Ball is on track to become the youngest player in NBA history to achieve this sensational feat.
When it comes to young stars carrying their teams, LeBron James comes to mind. When he was a 20-year-old, James averaged 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game in Cleveland. James led the team in points, assists and steals in that span, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden grabbed more rebounds than him.
Context makes LaMelo&rsquo;s case even more impressive, as his supporting cast is undoubtedly better than LeBron&rsquo;s was in Cleveland at the time. To stand out in all four categories without having the entire team designed around him, as the Cavs were for LeBron, is a credit to LaMelo&rsquo;s versatility.
Someday, we may look back at the 2020 NBA Draft and wonder how Ball slipped past two teams and into Charlotte's hands. Could you imagine LaMelo next to Steph Curry and Draymond Green in Golden State? That would&rsquo;ve been a sight to see.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

As a 20-year-old leading the Hornets, LaMelo Ball is on pace to accomplish a feat that's never been done by a player his age.

LaMelo Ball on track for NBA record that even LeBron couldn't set

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50 percent capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
--
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday &mdash; the next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Danny, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50 percent capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
--
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday &mdash; the next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Danny, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50 percent capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
--
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday &mdash; the next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Danny, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
--
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday &mdash; the next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Danny, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ring night? Not so fast! Hear more from <a href="https://twitter.com/DGreen_14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGreen_14</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonSanford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonSanford</a> on when Danny will finally get his 2019 Championship ring in our latest episode. Presented by our partner <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> 🎧 Hit the link 👉🏽 <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM">https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM</a> <a href="https://t.co/swfANRlMab">pic.twitter.com/swfANRlMab</a>
&mdash; Inside The Green Room (@GreenRoomInside) <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenRoomInside/status/1473716925733785609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday &mdash; the next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Danny, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ring night? Not so fast! Hear more from <a href="https://twitter.com/DGreen_14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGreen_14</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonSanford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonSanford</a> on when Danny will finally get his 2019 Championship ring in our latest episode. Presented by our partner <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> 🎧 Hit the link 👉🏽 <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM">https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM</a> <a href="https://t.co/swfANRlMab">pic.twitter.com/swfANRlMab</a>
&mdash; Inside The Green Room (@GreenRoomInside) <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenRoomInside/status/1473716925733785609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday &mdash; the next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Danny, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ring night? Not so fast! Hear more from <a href="https://twitter.com/DGreen_14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGreen_14</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonSanford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonSanford</a> on when Danny will finally get his 2019 Championship ring in our latest episode. Presented by our partner <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> 🎧 Hit the link 👉🏽 <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM">https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM</a> <a href="https://t.co/swfANRlMab">pic.twitter.com/swfANRlMab</a>
&mdash; Inside The Green Room (@GreenRoomInside) <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenRoomInside/status/1473716925733785609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday. The next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Green, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ring night? Not so fast! Hear more from <a href="https://twitter.com/DGreen_14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGreen_14</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonSanford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonSanford</a> on when Danny will finally get his 2019 Championship ring in our latest episode. Presented by our partner <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> 🎧 Hit the link 👉🏽 <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM">https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM</a> <a href="https://t.co/swfANRlMab">pic.twitter.com/swfANRlMab</a>
&mdash; Inside The Green Room (@GreenRoomInside) <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenRoomInside/status/1473716925733785609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday.
The next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Green, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better. Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ring night? Not so fast! Hear more from <a href="https://twitter.com/DGreen_14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGreen_14</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonSanford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonSanford</a> on when Danny will finally get his 2019 Championship ring in our latest episode. Presented by our partner <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> 🎧 Hit the link 👉🏽 <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM">https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM</a> <a href="https://t.co/swfANRlMab">pic.twitter.com/swfANRlMab</a>
&mdash; Inside The Green Room (@GreenRoomInside) <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenRoomInside/status/1473716925733785609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday.
The next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Green, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better," Green said. "Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/danny-green-is-a-3x-nba-champion-with-only-two-rings-to-show-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
Danny Green is a three-time NBA champion with only two championship rings to show for. The third one is yet to be received by the Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard.
Two years later, still no ring
Green won his first championship with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014. Five years later, he capped off his one-year stint in Toronto with another league title. He then joined the Los Angeles Lakers and went back-to-back, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to win consecutive NBA rings with two different teams.
But he&rsquo;s yet to receive one of them.
Green got the one he won with the Lakers the first time he returned to the Staples Center; players that leave a franchise after winning a title are usually presented with their ring the next time they return as a visitor. But two years after leaving the Raptors, the 34-year-old still hasn&rsquo;t played a road game in Toronto.
During the 2020-21 NBA season, the Raptors played their home games in Tampa Bay. Green preferably wanted to get his ring at Scotiabank Arena, but he was ready to settle on getting it in Tamp Bay due to the circumstances. However, it wasn&rsquo;t meant to be, as he said <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM?amp=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on his podcast</a>, "Inside the Green Room."
&ldquo;Yeah man, it kind of sucks,&rdquo; Green said on his podcast. &ldquo;I was ready to just get it in Tampa, but they didn&rsquo;t have it there so I was like, &lsquo;We waited this long, let&rsquo;s do it the right way.&rsquo;
&ldquo;It seemed like this was going to be the year to do it the right way, but this new variant came along,&rdquo; Green continued. &ldquo;Canada is kind of shutting back down again, 50% capacity at the arena. A lot of friends and family are getting COVID. A lot of them would get stuck at the border or get stuck in Canada if they do go. A lot of the people that wanted to be there to support aren&rsquo;t going to be able to go. A lot of fans won&rsquo;t be able to attend. So we kind of took a poll, talked to (the Raptors) to see if they wanted to postpone it and they said they would.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ring night? Not so fast! Hear more from <a href="https://twitter.com/DGreen_14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGreen_14</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarrisonSanford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HarrisonSanford</a> on when Danny will finally get his 2019 Championship ring in our latest episode. Presented by our partner <a href="https://twitter.com/SIRIUSXM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SIRIUSXM</a> 🎧 Hit the link 👉🏽 <a href="https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM">https://t.co/wxVphZeSGM</a> <a href="https://t.co/swfANRlMab">pic.twitter.com/swfANRlMab</a>
&mdash; Inside The Green Room (@GreenRoomInside) <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenRoomInside/status/1473716925733785609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
After another missed opportunity yesterday, when the 76ers visited the Raptors &mdash; Green was out after entering health and safety protocols last Wednesday.
The next chance for Green to receive his ring
The next chance for him to receive his championship ring will be on April 7. Green, who aspires to be with the Sixers when they return to Toronto, hopes that will be the date for the long-anticipated celebration.
"At that point, the weather will be better," Green said. "Hopefully people can get in and out of the country a little easier. So after doing a short poll with the friends and family, we decided to postpone it, do it the right way and wait a little longer."
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Green should finally receive his championship ring in the Sixers&rsquo; third-to-last game of the season. And he should get it how he always envisioned it &mdash; in front of the fans that showed him nothing but support during his one-year stint with the Raptors.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Having missed another visit to Toronto on Tuesday night, Danny Green is still without his third ring.

Danny Green still has yet to receive Raptors' 2019 championship ring

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook and the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out. The styles of play don&rsquo;t fit, and while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron James has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever done since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis has been playing the five in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out. The styles of play don&rsquo;t fit, and while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron James has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever done since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis has been playing the five in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron James has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever done since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis has been playing the five in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever done since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis has been playing the five in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis has been playing the five in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis has been playing the 5 in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis played the 5 in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis &mdash; when healthy&nbsp; played the 5 in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis &mdash; when healthy &mdash; played the 5 in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/russell-westbrook-calls-out-the-fans-for-having-unrealistic-expectations-of-him/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world when they traded all of their desirable assets to acquire Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. In Westbrook, the Lakers received a dynamic guard and one of the most explosive players in NBA history, but failed to solve their glaring issues from the previous season.
Many expressed their confusion and skepticism about the fit between three superstars who are not great shooters, whereas a few hopefuls saw three competitive superstars that wanted to come together and would make it work so they could beat the three-headed monster in Brooklyn.
Nearly halfway through the season, the Lakers are 16-18, and while that ranks eighth in the Western Conference, anybody who has seen the Lakers play cannot be excited about their chances. In the beginning, it was Westbrook who could not find a rhythm. But lately, outside of LeBron James, the whole team has just been sloppy and disengaged.
Still, much of the blame has fallen on Russ, a notion to which he has taken exception.
"Honestly I think I&rsquo;ve been fine&hellip; I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That is not normal. That&rsquo;s not a normal thing that people do consistently. I know I&rsquo;ve done it the past five years, but that&rsquo;s not normal," Westbrook told reporters recently via Zoom.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;I think people are expecting me to have f*ckin&rsquo; 25, 15 and 15. That&rsquo;s not normal.&rdquo; - Russell Westbrook at a press conference today <a href="https://t.co/GyBonrLnQe">pic.twitter.com/GyBonrLnQe</a>
&mdash; ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProCityHoops/status/1475611998532603904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

This far into the season, we can finally say for sure that Westbrook on the Lakers just isn&rsquo;t going to work out; the styles of play don&rsquo;t fit. And while the stars are still putting up good numbers, the other guys are not finding a rhythm, costing the team tremendously as far as the win-loss column is concerned. Russ is certainly not to the only one blame, but he is also one of the highest-paid players on the team, so it&rsquo;s his job to come in and make some adjustments.
LeBron has improved his shooting and is playing off the ball more than he has ever since his days with Kyrie Irving, while Anthony Davis &mdash; when healthy &mdash; played the 5 in an attempt to mitigate Westbrook&rsquo;s shooting deficiencies. Now, it&rsquo;s time for Russ to make the ultimate sacrifice by putting up those numbers that he deems &ldquo;fine&rdquo; while coming off the bench.&nbsp;
This way, the Lakers can achieve more balance and put better lineups on the floor both offensively and defensively. Russ can control the tempo and be himself by playing fast and constantly attacking downhill when coming off the bench. At this point, Russ being the sixth man seems like the only move left in the arsenal for Los Angeles to try and reverse its fortunes, and it all starts with Russ acknowledging that he has not been playing great, but playing &ldquo;fine.&rdquo;
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Much of the Lakers' blame unfairly falls on Russell Westbrook, a notion to which he has taken exception.

Lakers' Russell Westbrook thinks people are expecting too much of him

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as the Bad Boys slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, but everyone mainly remembered them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed, proven by the fact the Pistons from 1983 still hold the record for most points scored in a game with 186.
Recently Isiah Thomas talked with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Pistons teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Isiah is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, but everyone mainly remembered them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed, proven by the fact the Pistons from 1983 still hold the record for most points scored in a game with 186.
Recently Isiah Thomas talked with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Pistons teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Isiah is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed, proven by the fact the Pistons from 1983 still hold the record for most points scored in a game with 186.
Recently Isiah Thomas talked with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Pistons teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Isiah is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed, proven by the fact that the 18 Pistons from 1983 still hold the record for most points scored in a game with 186.
Recently Isiah Thomas talked with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Pistons teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Isiah is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed; after all, Thomas was a part of the 1983 team that scored 186 points in a game.
Recently, Thomas spoke with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Pistons teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Isiah is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed; after all, Thomas was a part of the 1983 team that scored 186 points in a game.
Recently, Thomas spoke with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Piston teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Isiah is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed; after all, Thomas was a part of the 1983 team that scored 186 points in a game.
Recently, Thomas spoke with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Piston teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Zeke is right on point. When people talk about the Detroit Pistons&lsquo; &ldquo;Bad Boys,&rdquo; they usually put them in a box and only mention how dirty, rugged and defensive they were. But they were so much more than that. Sure, the defense was their forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed; after all, Thomas was a part of the 1983 team that scored 186 points in a game.
Recently, Thomas spoke with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Piston teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Zeke is right on point. Detroit's defense was its forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed; after all, Thomas was a part of the 1983 team that scored 186 points in a game.
Recently, Thomas spoke with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Piston teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Zeke is right on point. Detroit's defense was its forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented, complete team. So that&rsquo;s why when you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

The&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/isiah-thomas-on-mj-magic-and-bird-my-teams-beat-all-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-stringify-link="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/giannis-antetokounmpo-shares-why-he-doesnt-associate-or-practice-with-other-nba-players-in-the-offseason/" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">following article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a class="c-link" tabindex="-1" href="http://basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="http://BasketballNetwork.net" data-sk="tooltip_parent" data-remove-tab-index="true">BasketballNetwork.net</a>:
There is a good reason the 1980s are called the golden era of NBA basketball. There were so many great teams and players entrenched in historic rivalries that it&rsquo;s impossible to look past that time. From Larry Bird&rsquo;s Celtics and Magic Johnson's Lakers, to Isiah Thomas' Pistons and the rising Bulls with Michael Jordan, the NBA didn&rsquo;t lack star power.
While we often hear stories about MJ, Larry and Magic as arguably the best three players ever, one Hall-of-Famer that's typically (and surprisingly) left out of that tier is Thomas. Recently, Zeke made a point to remind everyone how he fared against the best players in the toughest era ever.
His Detroit Pistons are one of the best teams in NBA history, and their reputation preceded thems. The nickname &ldquo;Bad Boys&rdquo; was rightfully earned, as their rugged, physical and defensive-minded style of play frustrated opponents all over the league. Of course, the occasional cheap shot from bruisers like Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Dennis Rodman didn&rsquo;t help either.
But you had to give it to them. Near the end of the &rsquo;80s, those Pistons teams entered their prime and dominated the NBA, bouncing out Jordan&rsquo;s Bulls numerous times, and even Bird&rsquo;s Celtics. After a dramatic seven-game series loss in the 1988 Finals to Magic&rsquo;s Lakers, the Pistons would come back with a vengeance, sweeping them the following year to win an NBA championship in 1989.
The year after that, in 1990, they dominated the Blazers to win their second one. If not for that dramatic loss to the Lakers that was majorly influenced by Thomas' ankle injury, the Pistons may have three-peated in 1991.
At the end of that year, Jordan and Pippen finally overcame the Pistons and became the king of the East, as Detroit slowly faded away.
The Bad Boys will be remembered in history as one of the most unique and fun teams in history, and everyone knew them for their defense and hacking style of play. But this team was much more than that. On the other side of the floor, they could light you up if needed; after all, Thomas was a part of the 1983 team that scored 186 points in a game.
Recently, Thomas spoke with Channing Frye and explained to people how good he and his Piston teams were by simply reminding him how he beat everyone&rsquo;s favorite players in the &rsquo;80s:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;All them people that they say are the best to ever do it, my teams beat all them.&rdquo;<a href="https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsiahThomas</a> talked about his &lsquo;Bad Boy&rsquo; Pistons teams with <a href="https://twitter.com/channingfrye?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@channingfrye</a> on an all-new &lsquo;Full-Bodied&rsquo; 👀 <a href="https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6">https://t.co/N0wzkgGfw6</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/Porsche?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@porsche</a>) <a href="https://t.co/BmEXw3E2cD">pic.twitter.com/BmEXw3E2cD</a>
&mdash; Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1473755187571347456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Zeke is right on point. Detroit's defense was its forte, but the Pistons wouldn&rsquo;t have been so good for years if they didn&rsquo;t have a talented, complete team.
When you talk about the 80&rsquo;s Pistons and Isiah Thomas, you have to take a deeper look at their legacy and give them respect.
Check out more articles from BasketballNetwork.net&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnetwork.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

On "Full Bodied" with Channing Frye, Pistons legend Isiah Thomas spoke highly of his teams that defeated legends.

Isiah Thomas on MJ, Magic and Bird: 'My teams beat all of them'

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