LeBron - The Decision

So yesterday came the biggest decision in the basketball world. And to no real surprise to those in the know, LeBron chose to take 'his talents to South Beach' where he joins the returning Dwayne Wade and newcomer Chris Bosh to create a so-called Super Team. Being a Laker fan, as well as a basketball fan, it is quite intriguing, but doesn't mean a thing to me. It definitely is a great story, having three superstars team up together to get a champtionship.
With LeBron being a free agent, he certainly had the right to go where ever he wanted. I think he is getting a lot of heat for how he did it. Having a one hour special on ESPN at the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut with a not so enthuiastic look on his face wasn't a very good idea. People, though, also questioned his choice of going to Miami and joining Wade and Bosh. Was it for a championship? Was it for his legacy? Was it for the money? If he wanted a championship right now, some have said that the place to go was Chicago. If it was for his own legacy, he would have gone to the bright lights of New York. If it was for money, he would have stayed in Cleveland where he gotten a max-deal and be paid more than any other team could offer him. I think he kind of chose the easy way out. Instead of going on his own and even having one sidekick with him, and challenging a team like Chicago or a Wade-Bosh combo in Miami, he chose to create a super team. A super team currently with only four players and three rookies, who are looking to sign players for a minimum salary.
I do prefer the old-school days, where Michael Jordan took on the challenge of the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics of the 19080s. Nowadays, it doesn't seem as special anymore. LeBron James can get his money, win his championships and create his own legacy, but what does that all mean? I know he won't care what others say or think about him but if he does want to create that legacy and build his own world-wide brand then he should care.

John Wooden's Quote of the Week

In honor of John Wooden, who died yesterday at the age of 99, I would love to share his classic sayings in the coming weeks and months. In his 99 years, he has shaped not only the game of basketball but the lives of so many. Being a basketball coach, I have certainly shared some of his sayings and teachings. Here is one:

Be quick, but don't hurry.

RIP John Wooden, 1910-2010.

Amazing Games

In these times that I've been away from blogging, basketball season has been going on. This is the last week of the season and it started off today with an incredible game and effort.

So let me set this up for you. We started off the season with 21 kids and had to split them up into two teams. The team that played today started out with 10 guys. About midway through the season, one kid quit so that left nine. So, for this game, I was informed that a couple of the kids, who were two of the best players on the team, wouldn't be able to make the game because they had a baseball game at the same time. So that left seven. One kid, unfortunately, went to Hawaii to attend his grandmother's funeral. So, we're left with six. So, we're expecting six players.

As the game starts, not only did one player not show up, which would have been fine, but two players didn't show up! So me and my co-coach look at each other and shrug. We have to play with four guys and they were up for it. I told them to just play and have fun and see how it goes. As the game goes on, we're still very much in it. It's a close game, going back and forth. They do keep us in it by sending us to the foul line throughout the game. If we could hit our free throws, we would be up six to eight points. But it felt very much that we had a chance to win. These four guys ranged from one of our best players, who was aggressive with the ball but very chatty, one good player, who wasn't really a basketball player but was smart and played his role, one pontential player, who had lots of basketball IQ but needs to focus on getting better, and one player who wasn't athletic but is a great listener and tries hard. These wide range of players came together and pulled off the great win!

Before the game, I wasn't expecting much. I just wanted them to have fun and get them rest through the game. But when it looked like we had a chance to win, my heart was racing. It we getting too exciting! I must say that it did feel great to see the crowd, our fans, parents, friends, jump up and cheer when the buzzer went off. It was a great effort and I'm very proud of them!

The Rise of Brandon Jennings

(AP photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

I always had a problem with those players that came right out of high school. I had a problem with Kevin Garnett. I had a problem with Kobe Bryant (until he became a Laker). I had a problem with LeBron James. I had a problem with them until I could see if they had a good head on their shoulders though interviews and such. I remember seeing a feature on Dwight Howard and thinking, Ok, I think this guy could have it, he seems really down-to-earth. These guys were certainly the exception but I still have a problem with those players that came out of high school and didn't live up to their hype. Players like Sebastian Telfair and O.J. Mayo had so much hype even before their senior year of high school. People were saying they were the next big thing but they haven't even come close to it, yet.

So here comes Brandon Jennings, who had the gall to *gasp* not go to college and head over to Europe to play pro ball. I have to admit, when I first heard about it, I didn't like that idea at all. For those of you that don't know, in 2006, the NBA created a rule that said players must now be at least 19 years of age and go to college for at least one year. Most have called it the "one-and-done rule" where players go to college for one year and then leave for the NBA. But Brandon went around the system and skipped college and decided to go and play basketball in Italy. Could an 18-year-old American kid survive in a foreign place full of people he didn't know, a language that he didn't speak with seasoned professionals that were much older than him? He did struggle a bit over in Italy but he did say that it was a great learning experience for him.

In this year's draft, there was much concern if Brandon's stock would fall because of his move across the sea. In June, Brandon was drafted at the number ten spot by the Milwaukee Bucks. There has been talk recently, especially after his 55-point game against the Golden State Warriors, which was 3 days after he dropped 32 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets, that the teams that drafted before the Bucks might have made a mistake for not drafting Brandon. He's been having a very good season and is in the early running for Rookie of the Year honors. It is too early to say but he is on his way to having a great career for himself.

That Sounds Familiar

So the first week of basketball practice ends and I find myself hearing familiar words. Words that I first heard many years ago when I was about the age of these kids that I'm coaching now. I hear things like, Put on your sweater, you're gonna get sick, or Don't do anything stupid! Hmm, where have I heard these things before? Oh, that's right, from my old coaches and my parents! Today, I caught myself saying, Do you have a sweater? Put it on before you get sick! I'm starting to sound like a parent. No kids yet but I know I'm getting a lot of practice now!

First Practice

So, it's that season again. Grade school basketball time! It was our first practice today, the 6th grade boys came out and got a taste of running and getting in shape for basketball season. My friend Jeff, who I coached when he was in 6th grade and sister was in my grade school class (and had my first crush on, but that's another story) and I are the coaches this year. We had 21 kids come out to join the team. That's a lot of kids for the team but we can't cut anybody though we will try to weed out the kids that don't really want to be there. We most likely will have to have two teams for the season. Everything should turn out fine as long as they listen, work hard and have a positive attitude. I've been coaching basketball for about 12 or so years and it's been lots and lots of fun! I enjoy teaching them and seeing them get better on the court. It's gonna be more than a handful this year but it should be interesting. I'll keep you all updated!

30 for 30 - Len Bias

I've been watching this new series on ESPN called 30 for 30, it's a series of one-hour documentaries by 30 different directors of 30 different sports stories over the past 30 years celebrating ESPN's 30th anniversary. They recently had the tragic story of Len Bias.

Len Bias was a 22-year-old, All-American basketball player from the University of Maryland. In 1986, he was drafted by the world champion Boston Celtics. A day later, he had died from a cocaine overdose. One day he was on top of the world, his dreams had come true, and the next day, he was gone. A sad, sad story.

I was a little kid when this happened but I had heard of Len Bias and his death. I was a huge basketball fan as well as a L.A. Laker fan. This was the first time I heard of the actual story and what went on. Like anybody would think, my first thought was, oh man, how could you mess up such a great thing like that?

His death had a huge impact, not only on basketball and the NBA, but also on the fight on drugs in the 1980s and beyond. Len Bias was considered one of the best basketball players on the college level. I saw his jump shot in this documentary and was in awe. He had incredible shooting form. He could have been the rival that Michael Jordan needed in the 1990s. Things could have definitely been different if Len Bias had played a game for the Boston Celtics. Surely, we will never know.

Like always, the death of Len Bias teaches us to never take things for granted and live life to the fullest.

NBA Playoffs Time!

Okay, its that time of the year again...NBA Playoffs! It kicked off yesterday with the Chicago Bulls upsetting the Boston Celtics in overtime in Game 1 (which I was very happy about!) The number one seed Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons, while the Eastern conference first round games continue today with the number 3 seed Orlando Magic taking on the number 6 seed Philadelphia 76ers and the number 4 seed Atlanta Hawks facing the number 5 seed Miami Heat. While the Western conference also kicked off their side of the bracket yesterday with the Dallas Mavericks stunning the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets beating on the young Portland Trailblazers. The continue today with the top-seed L.A. Lakers meeting the 8th seeded Utah Jazz, and then the number 2 Denver Nuggets versus the number 7 seeded New Orleans Hornets. It's gonna be another great day of playoff games!

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

I'm super psyched about my Lakers and their championship chances this year! We'll definitely have to see how it plays out!

Laker Thoughts, part I

I knew my Lakers would be good this season, but after watching a few preseason games and the first two regular season games, they look so much better than I thought. This team is much better than last years team that went all the way to the NBA Finals. The bench is deeper, and that is saying a lot since last years bench was one of the league's best AND when you find that Luke Walton is the ninth or tenth man. We have also added Lamar Odom to the bench. With the energy provided by Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, the up and down fast-breaking of the second team can stomp any other team's bench and can keep up with their starters. And our defense is just down right awesome! It seems like Kobe's great trip to China and his role as 'The Redeem Team's' defensive stopper has been infused into this Laker team. They held the Blazers and Clippers to 34.5 and 38.5 percent shooting, respectively. I know it very early in the season, but seeing their high energy on defense is very refreshing.

I feel that this is the time that we Laker fans have been waiting for. Considering the start to last year, with Kobe wanting to be traded (which I feel was blown out of proportion once the season started), waiting for Lamar Odom to step up to the plate, and the uncertainty of Andrew Bynum, we certainly didn't have to wait long to be a championship contender and, for now, the best team in the league. Of course, with the help of the acquisition of Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies after Bynum's knee injury has allowed that to happen. And with the pairing of Bynum and Gasol in the front court, and moving Odom to the bench has made this Laker team even more dangerous.