Boston Got Burned In Kevin Garnett Deal

Word leaked out yesterday evening that the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves had consummated a deal which would send Kevin Garnett to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two future first round picks.

While Celtics fans are enamored with this deal I’m struggling to find reasons why there’s so much optimism coming from Boston.

The main problem I have with this deal is that the Celtics didn’t get that big of an improvement in Garnett when they dealt Jefferson away. Garnett averaged 22.4 points and 12.8 boards last season while Jefferson averaged 16 points and 11 boards. While glancing at the stats it looks like Boston will have a large upgrade at the power forward position but if you look at Jefferson’s output since the All-Star break you’ll notice that Jefferson overcame injuries that slowed him early in the season and posted All-Star numbers himself. Over his final 31 games Jefferson averaged an impressive 18.7 points and 11.4 boards despite facing double teams in the paint. With Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak out of action Jefferson was the Celtics primary option on offense and despite teams trying to collapse on him in the paint he was the Celtics leading scorer most nights. It became clear while watching the Celtics last season that Jefferson would be the cornerstone of the franchise for the next decade and I don’t see the value in dealing him away for a player approaching the downside of his career.

Second, why would Boston give up on Gerald Green so quickly? Granted, he had a rough showing in Vegas and his sophomore season didn’t show a lot of improvement, but this time last year Green was being heralded as one of the pieces that Boston would build around. Why should a decent sophomore season and a weak summer league showing change that? I’m someone who thinks that Green’s showing in Vegas was an anomaly and that he’ll bounce back with increased playing time next season and eventually become an All-Star in the NBA. His game reminds me a lot of Tracy McGrady’s and his progression backs up those sentiments. During his rookie season Green averaged 5.2 points in 11.8 minutes of burn while last season he double those averages with 10.4 points in 22.0 minutes of playing time. Now, contrast that with McGrady who averaged 7.0 points per game his rookie season while playing 18.4 minutes and his sophomore season which saw him bump his scoring to 9.3 in 22.6 minutes.

Another aspect of this deal that sticks out are the injury issues that could result in Boston missing the playoffs next season. What happens if one or two of the Celtics trio goes down for an extended amount of time due to injuries? Ray Allen is coming off of surgery on both of his ankles while Pierce was limited to 47 games last year due to a variety of injuries so it’s clear that injuries are an issue with both of these players at this stage of their respective careers.

Something else that should make Celtics fans shudder is that the team is going to have to rely heavily on unproven youngsters like Glen Davis, Leon Powe, Gabe Pruitt and Brandon Wallace while giving big minutes and possibly starting young players such as Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo. How can a team expect to be a legit title contender with so many young and inexperienced players playing such a large role with the team?

Speaking of giving young players extended roles, another problem this team has is a second-year player in Rajon Rondo running the show. How will Rondo have the maturity to run the offense with Pierce, Allen and Garnett all demanding the ball? Rondo is a great young player and is poised for a solid career but expecting a sophomore to guide this offense is a daunting task. Some Celtics fans are pointing to Tony Parker as a young point guard who led the Spurs to a Championship but something their selective amnesia is allowing them to forget that Parker had Avery Johnson to learn from and to play big minutes. If you’re a Celtics fan you better hope that Danny Ainge goes out and inks Brevin Knight or another veteran presence to help run the show next season.

Throw in the fact that this franchise is being coached by Doc Rivers and it’s downright laughable that people are already talking about Boston as being the top team in the Eastern Conference next season. Rivers fans will point out the fact that he was named NBA Coach of the Year following the 1999-2000 season but his team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs and his team only managed 41 wins that season and his team had Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill. How many NBA coaches couldn’t secure 41 wins with those two players on their squad. I’m not a huge fan of Rivers and I feel that his career winning percentage of .467% backs me up.

While Boston’s team looks great on paper – and would a title contender if this were fantasy hoops – Celtics Nation should be mortified with what Danny Ainge has done with the team this summer by mortgaging their once bright future.

NBA.com Promises Bigger, Badder UFC

Last season, Ryan invited me and 22 other basketbloggers and hoops fans to some UFC action. No, we didn’t step into The Octagon and beat the daylights out of each other. We played Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner, NBA.com’s first attempt at the traditional format of fantasy hoops. While some of us enjoyed it, most were decidedly lukewarm. In a survey of my fellow GMs, 70% ranked Yahoo! Fantasy NBA as their first choice, followed by UFC, Salary Cap Challenge, and “Other” (i.e., ESPN and CBS Sportsline).

To me, UFC seemed like an unfinished product, with glitches and gradually-working features. Why wasn’t it more polished and ready to go? What will be done to improve the game for the 2007-08 season? NBA.com’s Fantasy Games Manager, Jon Loomer, answered my questions via email:

Hey, Jeff. Let me give you a small taste. First, see attached. You’ll note immediately that the look and feel are vastly improved. I’ve cut off the header because of legal issues, but that is much improved as well.

(Click on thumbnail to enlarge)

First, let me give you a quick history of last year’s game.

I arrived here in December of 2005, which was after the 05-06 season had already started. My first goal was to create a new commissioner game. I wanted the most comprehensive game with more features than anyone offers, but free. After finding a partner to build this game, we began work in March of 2006. As you may know, there is only so much you can do in six months, which is what we had to build this game. The game was cleaned up throughout the season, and many of the features and fixes I wanted implemented were saved for this season.

In February, we hired a company to redesign the game. This was a very complicated process, including 90 minute interview sessions with users to determine what they like, don’t like, what they want in their game, etc., as well as sessions during and after the redesign was complete. The result? The game looks beautiful, and we are solving all outstanding issues, as well as implementing some cool new features.

It is impossible to list everything that has been improved, because it’s seriously everything. Some notable improvements include the league set-up, joining a league, and the message forum. More community features are being added, more analysis tools, etc. The overall ui and user experience is vastly improved. I just can’t say enough.

There are also items that we are trying to squeeze in, including mobile functionality and auction drafts. There is so much to come, it would take hours to go over it all.

Don’t base your decision on the experience you had in last year’s game. Yes, we’ll have all of the features there that we had last year, and it will be free. However, there will be more, it will work better, it will provide a much better league experience, and it will be so pretty it may just be voted Homecoming Queen. I’d ask that you check us out before making a decision. Launch isn’t that far away.

I admit, I was leaning towards Yahoo! for next year. Now that I’ve read Jon’s plea, I’d like to give UFC another chance before I give it the Pete Becker smackdown.

UPDATE: More UFC screenshots on NBA.com.

Summer Rounds

With the sweltering summer heat rolling around, news around the NBA has slowed down. So, we’ve decided to spice things up with a little roundtable, featuring some of the HoopsAddict regulars. Today’s focus: We’re looking at the Raptors’ Summer Moves.

Gagandeep Gandhi
Ryan McNeill
Jeff Wong
Kinnon Yee

Q1: With the addition of Jason Kapono and Carlos Delfino this summer the Raptors have shored up their small forward position. What would your next move be if you were GM?

Kinnon Yee: If I were the GM, to be honest, the next thing I’d look at is shoring up Jose’s contract. I’ve made no small hint as to how much I like Calderon’s game, but I think that he’s the guy that will ultimately bring them to where they need to be in the future.
As far as an actual move is concerned, people have mentioned a need for another slashing small forward. I’m just not completely sure the Raptors can trade for anyone that can fill that need, and not at the expense of our (arguably) better defending point guard. I’m more or less content to see how this team will react and grow together. My only questions for the next year is whether Delfino will emerge as the player that we expect him to be, and whether Anthony Parker can continue being our #1 defender on his 32-year old legs. Until then, I’m staying put, and observing what this team can do.
One last thing. I’d sign on one more “euro” coach. My reasoning remains the same as last year: Sam is great as far as a motivator, but currently, the coaching staff is lacking the ability to both enforce and attack the zone. Jay Triano’s international experience helps, but he’s hardly a strong mind who can attack the zone consistently. I think another coach is almost required, especially since Jim Todd has departed and has been replaced by a (former coach) “scout”.

Jeff Wong: I’m with Kinnon. For the most part, I’d like to wait and see how this team gels. I’d also see what I can do with Rasho Nesterovic’s contract – $16 million over the next two years is a lot of dough for a projected backup center. BC might be able to work some magic, but I don’t know who would be willing to swallow that.
Another consideration is Kris Humphries – Will he get enough minutes to satisfy him, behind Chris Bosh and Jorge Garbajosa? And if we make room by playing Bosh and Garbo at the 5, would there be enough floor time for Andrea Bargnani and Rasho? Something’s got to give in that big man rotation, and Humphries seems to be the most movable part.

Gagandeep Gandhi: The Raptors have as good an offensive team as you will find in the Eastern Conference, so the smart move would be to get an athletic big who can play defense. Yes, yes I know, easier than done. But, after Anthony Parker, Toronto doesn’t have a shut down defender. Morris Peterson will be leaving for another team in the coming days and he was the second go-to guy. Jorge Garbajosa is a solid all-around player but soon his age will catch up to him and he already isn’t that mobile, although he tries, that much is for sure.
No major changes are needed in Toronto this off-season, the two additions Bryan Colangelo has made so far this summer have been good ones and gives the team even more depth than they had last season, which is saying a lot. But then again, who needs stinkin’ defense anyways? Have Jason Kapono at one pocket, Anthony Parker at the other and Andrea Bargnani up top. Have more points than your opponent at the end of the game and you win, plain and simple.

Ryan McNeill: If I were the GM my next move would be to ink someone to help out on the glass. Adding two swingmen was a much needed move with Mo Pete on his way out of town so I think the next logical move would be to add someone to help Chris Bosh, Kris Humphries and Rasho on the glass. This week BC added Maceo Baston however I don’t think he’s the answer to our rebounding issues. While I’m sure that Baston will turn out to be a great fit for the Raptors – has BC made a mistake yet during his tenure – I would have preferred if the Raptors had invested that money in someone like Andray Blatche, Chuck Hayes, Brandan Bass, Kelvin Cato, Melvin Ely, Shavlik Randolph or Brian Skinner.

Q2: What does everyone think about BC inking Maceo Baston to a two-year deal with $3.8 million? Is he going to be the solution to our
rebounding issue?

Kinnon Yee: Short answer, no. I know what many people are thinking. “What are Bryan and Sam doing signing this guy on a two year, $3.8 Million offer sheet that Indiana can match within the next 7 days?” Well, for one thing, I will be very, very surprised if Maceo pushed Kris Humphries out of the rotation. However, I do not believe that is the intent of the Raptors. For the amount of money that he’s signing for, Maceo Baston is there to insure that there is competition at the 4/5 spot, and to make sure the Kris Humphries has suitable competition. In addition, in the event that there are further injuries to Garbajosa, Bosh, Bargnani, and Nesterovich, we have another player that can fill in as a simple rebounder.
At such a small amount of money, there is little risk involved.
On a related note, I still firmly believe that the Raptors’ rebounding situation has been greatly overblown. I think it’s safe to assume that Bargnani can, conservatively, average a full 2 more rebounds in this upcoming season. In addition, both the addition of Delfino and the return of Jorge will greatly aide the Raptors.

Gagandeep Gandhi: I agree with Mr. Yee on this one for the most part. With limited cap space to work with for the next few years, this rebounding issue the Raptors have faced for the better part of 4 seasons will have to be resolved internally. Rasho Nesterovic has the size, but he has no jump and he isn’t exactly a ‘grinder.’ Kris Humphries is a solid rebounder but consistency is a big issue. He can probably only give you 40-50 games where he is at his best so there is still a big hole left. Maceo Baston is a good addition, but again, he is a depth guy. With the minutes he will get he cannot be counted on to resolve their biggest problem at this time.
No doubt, Bryan Colangelo has put his faith into the hands of Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani on this issue. As they grow, as they get stronger, as they learn, they will develop that instinct that comes naturally. It’s an instinct that is inside of all big men, it’s just a matter of whether or not they find it.

Jeff Wong: Maceo Baston is a power forward. Humphries – power forward. I think the Raptors will go into the season with them to see who fits better and who is trade-worthy. As I said in the first Q, the logjam in the 4/5 spots need to be relieved: Bosh (lots of minutes), Bargnani (ditto), Garbo (he’s capable at 3/4/5), Rasho (big contract), Humphries (proved his worth last year), and now probably Baston.

Q3: What are your thoughts on the Raptors point guard tandem of TJ Ford and Jose Calderon? How long will Calderon be content in his role as a backup?

Jeff Wong: I’m a big Jose fan. As a true floor general, he directs traffic very well, and shows great enthusiasm. He and AP are my favorite Raptors. TJ? He’s yet to grow on me, but obviously his speed is a huge asset. Like many people say, we’ve got two starter-quality PGs, which no other team (arguably) can boast.
In interviews, Jose says that all he wants to do is win, whatever his minutes or his stats. Don’t know how he’ll react, though, if some team in contention offers him a lot of moolah and a starting gig, but I’m sure he appreciates what Toronto uniquely offers (Euro atmosphere and an excellent international front office). I want Jose to stay, but I don’t know how much more he can improve as a player. TJ, I think, has a higher ceiling. It would be awesome to keep both, but Jose’s value may never be greater. Someone will overpay for him.

Kinnon Yee: As I’ve told everyone, I have a (completely hetero) man-crush on Jose. But leaving that aside, here’s how I break things down. I still think that Jose has the better tactical mind out of our two point guards. He’s also stronger and taller, which makes him a slightly better defender against certain types of point guards. TJ, is a guy who has a natural ability of speed. It’s a great asset to have, but I’m also sure that he’s relied on this advantage too much in his life, and is now going to come to grips with advancing his other abilities. Here’s the thing, you can’t teach speed, but at the same time, you also can’t teach height and a great mind. Our tandem is the greatest in the NBA, and I firmly believe that a “no ego” player like Jose Calderon is content to just play equal minutes with TJ. If I take him at his word, TJ is also very much the same, but it’s easier for him to deal with things, since he’s a starter. Granted, in a Sam Mitchell lineup, being a starter doesn’t mean you’ll finish, or even get the most minutes, but he has that moniker.
I’m sure everyone will point out that Jose could leave if there’s enough “cha-ching” and a starters position, but that’s part of the risk. Here’s how I view it though, as far as Jose’s year. If Jose regresses somehow to his previous year, it means that Bryan will have an easier time keeping Jose, due to a perceived lessening of his value. If Jose plays great for yet another year, then his trade potential value becomes exponentially higher. Therefore, it makes no sense to me for him to trade Jose until at least the trade deadline. At least, that’s how I think about his “situation”. I still believe that Bryan will find a way to match any offer in the off season, and that Jose will take lesser money to stay on the Raptors. Then again, I’m just going on what Doug Smith has said as a result of hanging out with Jose, and I’m not exactly biased on this issue. Nevertheless, I don’t see our PG situation struggling at all, and I think as a result of such a strong 1 position, our team is much stronger than the individual parts that Bryan has assembled.

Ryan McNeill: I think everyone in Raptors Nation is a huge fan of Jose. He’s the one bright spot from Rob Babcock’s tenure, he’s the best backup PG in the NBA and he’s a class act on and off the court. What’s not to like? The concern I have had is that GM’s around the League are drooling at the chance to ink him next summer and I think this would be a legit concert any other summer. Have you taken a look at the list of free agent’s next summer? It’s clearly the deepest free agency class the NBA has seen in decades and possibly ever. With that in mind I don’t see Calderon being a top flight free agent and it could result in him inking for the MLE whereas this summer he could have signed for Maurice Williams coin (five years and $52 million). Maybe I’m being a biased fan here but I feel that because of the glut of All-Star and future Hall of Fame players that will be on the market next summer it will push Calderon out of the forefront of other GM’s mind and it won’t be as tough to resign him that some fans think.
I think the point that Kinnon raised was right on the money as well. If Calderon backslides a bit this season then it increases the chance the Raps can ink him for the MLE but if he rips it up and he plays out of our price range then we could deal him. However, with that being said, last spring I cringed whenever fans talked about dealing him to a contender. Now that Toronto is clearly a playoff team why would we deal away one of our top assets that we’ll need in the playoffs? I feel that even if Calderon’s going to bolt we should hold onto him for our playoff run because Cleveland showed that any team can advance to the NBA Finals to rep the East. Why risk losing that opportunity?

Gagandeep Gandhi: They are undoubtedly one of the best point guard tandems in the league. They both have the classic pass-first mentality that is so rare in today’s game, in addition to that, the fact that they are both young and aren’t even close to reaching their prime bodes well for the future of the Raptors franchise. However, in today’s day and age of high salaries and cap issues, a problem does lurk in the near future.
Jose Calderon is set to become a free agent next summer. Like most Raptors fans, I am very, very high on Calderon and his abilities to lead a team. I actually believe he has more upside than TJ Ford. But, Ford already has a long term deal, so that may be one of the deciding factors. I do not believe you can have two point guards on your team that take up a total of 15-18 million in cap space and still be competitive. In the end, I think it will be Ford who gets traded between January and next summer. Every move Bryan Colangelo makes is calculated and for the most part smart; if he is smart he knows he shouldn’t mess with fans of the Toronto Raptors. The Toronto fans have come to embrace this euro-invasion and it would be real ruthless to take away such a great piece the fans have come to adored.

Q4: Because a team can’t commit 15-18 million per season to their point guards, if you were GM of the Raptors and it came down to Calderon or Ford who would you choose?

Jeff Wong: I’d keep Calderon, naturally. However, Ford’s a Base Year Compensation player (expires July 1 of next year), so that greatly limits his tradability.

Gagandeep Gandhi: Like I said earlier, I would keep Jose Calderon hands down. I really believe you need to have a European player to lead the way as a point guard if that’s the type of team concept you envision. Early last season I really didn’t enjoy seeing Andrea Bargnani play at the same time TJ Ford was playing the point because I didn’t think he looked to set up Andrea. Calderon on the other hand would be looking to create some open space and shots for Andrea. Although, maybe it was just a simple case of over-analyzing and me being biased. Sure, you would have a tough time dealing Ford and his new contract, but if he is supposed to be as good as some people think he is, there should be takers. However, if you trade Ford, how does Bosh feel about losing one of his closest friends? There is no real easy answer here.

Kinnon Yee: Are Bosh and TJ that close though? I mean, they share the same birthday, but I just don’t feel it that much. They have fun in the locker rooms together, and they seem to have a great time playing off each other, but it’s not the same as, let’s say, Jose and Garbajosa. But to the original question, Calderon’s my guy, simply because his distribution method is more in tune with how I feel the ball should be moved. With TJ on the floor, you have TJ and Bosh running the show most of the time, with Parker and everyone else standing around, waiting for things to happen. This leads to stagnation a lot of the time. Calderon, is more like Steve Nash. Constantly moving, looking to see the soft spots in the offense, and trying to utilize all his weapons at once. There’s a vast difference in each player’s tactical ability, and while I think TJ is much faster, this leads to an “out of control” playing style. Calderon, plays with the proper acceleration method in order to get the most out of his limited speed. He also looks deep into his tactics to create an ideal situation score a hoop. Like a seasoned chess player, Jose looks about two or three passes deep to get the ball where he wants to, whereas TJ tends to look only one person deep.
One final thing. At 15-16 million, I think it’s easy to keep both PGs. I also think that it’s worth making sure that both the starting and bench PG positions are secure. It’s one of those positions that gets some of the most wear and tear, and having the proper tacticians leads to other people playing at least half a grade to a full grade better than having a poor PG. So you can get away with having weaker players at other positions, so long as your PGs are top form.

Q5: Are there any deals or signings that you’re glad didn’t make it through?

Jeff Wong: The only player I can think of is Mickael Pietrus. Sure, he’s got potential, but the phrase “low b-ball IQ” keeps popping up about him, so that didn’t sound like a BC-type acquisition anyway, at least not for the whole MLE.

Ryan McNeill: Can I pull out a lame answer and say that I’m relieved that Hoffa’s gone? I know that this deal happened last summer but I’m happy that he was able to escape the wrath of Raptors fans and get a fresh start. However, I’m bummed that he drew the ire of Jerry Sloan and couldn’t find his way off the bench last season…

Gagandeep Gandhi: I am glad Morris Peterson isn’t returning. Okay, before I get called names and sent nasty emails hear me out. It’s not because I didn’t enjoy every season of Peterson’s career as a Raptor. It’s because in this system the Raptors have, I do not believe he would be as valuable to Toronto and he will be to New Orleans. The Raptors have a lot of depth and I would argue if Peterson came back he would get less playing time this season than last. So, it would essentially be a waste of the MLE. Personally, I hope the ACC crowd gives him a standing ovation when he makes his return to Toronto because he was a pro when times were good and when times were bad.

Kinnon Yee: I don’t know even where to begin. Especially with the endless speculation about Jose going to Atlanta, I think this off season saw a lot of the Raptors fans keep their same mindset of the past few seasons. The mindset was “Let’s make (drastic) changes and hope for the best”. To really understand how happy I am with the lack of activity, we should look at the San Antonio Spurs and their consistent lineup over the past years. I’m not even just talking about recently, but even as far back as the David Robinson era. The Spurs reload, grow people through their system, and promote them as they reach a certain level. As players reach a certain age, (an “over the hill”, but still worth something age) they are traded for new draft picks so the entire system can run its course again. There’s a point when your team is good, and you just need to really tweak due to insufficiencies such as a lack of depth or chemistry.
Right now, the Raptors, arguably, have one of the most talented and deep young core of players. In addition, this core has a lot of experience and has few chemistry problems. They display maturity, poise, and an incredible work ethic. Draft picks don’t help, because this core is already young. Older players don’t help much, because in addition to Jorge Garbajosa and Rasho Nesterovic, Sam Mitchell is practically a veteran player presence. So what do you do? Stay relatively still and see just how your young players can grow in another year.

Thanks to everyone for participating in this roundtable. We hope that you (the
reader) enjoyed it. We’ll be looking to your feedback for future roundtables!

Interview With Brian McCormick

I’m stoked to post another interview with Brian McCormick who is the writer of the book “Cross Over: The New Model of Youth Basketball Development.” His book was a huge resource to me last season while I was coaching and when I found out that he was releasing a second edition this summer I wanted to get him back onto the show to talk about some additions to his book, what he’s been up to in regards to training and coaching and what his plans are for the summer.

Click here to listen to this Hoops Addict Podcast.

Inside the Steve Nash Charity Classic with HoopsAddict.com

Just days after unveiling his brand new state-of-the-art fitness facility in downtown Vancouver, Phoenix Suns point guard and Victoria, BC native Steve Nash saw fit to gather a group of friends and showcase their talents in front of a city thirsting for any form of quality basketball they could get their hands on.

Joining the former two-time NBA MVP, in his plight to raise money for local and international charities, were Suns teammates Leandro Barbosa, rookie guard DJ Strawberry, and an injured Raja Bell. Other NBA notables making appearances include Samuel Dalembert, Drew Gooden and Sam Cassell.

As could be expected from any mid-summer pick-up game, dunks were missed by the dozen and enough mistakes were made to make coaches across the country cringe in disbelief, but what stuck out more than the sloppy lobs or errant turnovers was the fact that so many athletes came together to support such a bonafide cause.

“There’s a lot of kids that look up to athletes with wide eyes, and listen to what we say and do,” said Cleveland Cavaliers forward Ira Newble, no stranger to charity work himself. “So I feel that we do have some kind of responsibility to follow a righteous or conscious path.”

Newble has been recognized for his efforts to shed light on China’s involvement with the Darfur conflict in Sudan, especially in the years leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

 

The final score of the friendly skirmish read 42-39 for Team East, after being reset at the start of the fourth quarter (to make the previous Team West blowout more interesting).

“It wasn’t about the score today, it was about the foundation and how to give back to the kids,” said ex-Toronto Raptor Fred Jones, who along with an energized Dalembert and Nash, provided some of the biggest highlights of the night. “And [it's] how the community comes out and supports Steve Nash.”

Attendance for the game was said to be 10,000, with all event proceeds being donated towards children’s charities across Canada and Paraguay. The game allowed players to take a break from their respective training routines and enjoy some time in a beautiful city that hasn’t seen an NBA team since the end of the 2000-01 season.

“I like it man, it’s a beautiful city… besides the weather,” said Samuel Dalembert referring to the constant rain that plagues the city.

Dalembert would go on to update HoopsAddict on his status for the upcoming FIBA Americas Championships in August. The Haitian-born center, who lived for a number of years in Montreal, is in the process of joining his family as a Canadian citizen, which would make him eligible to play for the men’s national team when the tournament tips off. Dalembert hopes to know his international fate by the end of July.

 

One thing that I found particularly disappointing was the lack of TJ Ford, who, in a press release on Friday, July 20, was said to apparently be in attendance. No reason was given for the absence.

All in all, it was an exhausting week for Steve Nash who, after opening the Steve Nash Sports Club on Thursday, hosted a swanky get-together cocktail party on Friday, and a number of events over the course of the day on Saturday. But the festivities have come to an end and the intended message has been made clear.

As Steve Nash scrambles around BC to provide a better life for underserved youth we’ve seen just how much of an impact he, and any athlete, can have on their community.

Man ‘Bout the City

Chris Bosh was at the FC Game. Then, he made a quick trip to head down to the MMVAs and do another appearance.

He’ll probably be back for Carribana, if the Vegas Summer League doesn’t interfere too much.

Oh yeah, he posted another podcast. (Released a few weeks ago.)

If you haven’t heard his  first podcast, I highly recommend it. It gives us a great new look at Chris,  in a new light. As intense as he is on the court, you can feel the mellow-ness and comfort with himself off the court. I guess it’s what most people have recognized as his maturity, but he isn’t “Mr. Serious” by any stretch of the imagination. He’s a guy that likes to joke around, and doesn’t forget the kid at heart, and where he comes from, while always searching to improve. He loves his rap, his old school tunes, and his 360. (I’m not a Microsoft guy, so I’ll bite my tongue.  I know it’s hard, but I’ve gotta do it. ) In fact, I’d say that Chris truly is a star of the people. The kind of guy you can approach, when you see him.

I’m sure there are lots of different stories about meeting NBA Players, but I’ve never told anyone this. One night in this past February, while my buddies and I were eating at around Spadina and College, Mr Bosh, and a few of his friends came into the Chinese restaurant we were eating in. Of course, I knew who he was, but I also knew that I should let the man eat in privacy. (I’m just that kinda guy.) It was, after all, getting fairly late, so he must have been pretty hungry. In any case, my friend wished him luck, (because he’s that kinda guy) and left him. What was most impressive, was that he was eating, like a normal (7ft) guy, dressed down, with a couple friends, late at night, in the heart of Toronto’s first China Town. That’s all. No entourage. No superstar status. Just a laid-back dude, enjoying some good, late-night Chinese, at one of Toronto’s best little restaurants. (No, I won’t tell you which, because I’ll never be able to get a table anymore if you guys all crowd there, waiting for him :p)

Anyways, please give his 2nd podcast a listen. And then, watch his third.

Hoftra’s Unique Uniforms

I’m slowly reading through Michael Litos book and this week I came across an interesting excerpt about Hoftra’s basketball uniforms that I wanted to share. While I’m not someone who cares much about what uniforms look like I do care about the business aspect of college hoops so this anecdote caught my attention:

It was no suprise that the uniforms, despite the bruised and cut bodies of the players who wore them, looked slick. the blue background sets off a gold and white-trimmed Hofstra flag across the front of the uniforms. The numbers are a pointy font not seen in most uniforms and trimmed in gold. While most NCAA teams get jerseys from Nike or Adidas or whomever else provides the team its shoes, not Pecora.

Hofstra gets new uniforms – home and road, as well as practice uniforms and coaches wear – designed, produced and sent to Hempstead from the little town of Aprille, which is located just outside of Milan, Italy. Nando Diablasi, who grew up in Queens, does the honors. Diablasi’s father was a master tailor in Manhattan and relocated the family back to Italy when Nando was fourteen years old.

Pecora was introduced to Diablasi by Bob Oliva, a legendary head coach at New York’s Christ the King High school. Diablasi makes it back to the United States to visit with Pecora three or four times each year, including at the Final Four.

After reading about Michigan spurning Nike for Adidas earlier this month it was great to read about a college who doesn’t make turning a profit their top priority when it comes to their basketball program.