As Team USA picks up the gold metal in Madrid, things are looking up in international play

Photo Courtesy of Gerard Julian-Getty Images

There was no doubt that Team USA was going to dominate Serbia during today's gold medal FIBA championship held in Madrid, Spain. In fact, the team came out swinging and never looked back, winning with a margin of 37, 129-92. From the jump ball at center court to the final buzzer of the contest, the team had not lost their edge against a Serbian National Team that fought and clawed its way up. The story of Team USA's success comes at no surprise, but in terms of the international talent, things are being to look up.

Many have believed that Spain would return to the finale in no time; the question never seemed to be whether or not they would get to the gold metal game but how they would do it. All was well for Spain during the qualifying rounds; the Spaniards dominated in pool play, leading the entire FIBA World Cup in field goals scored per game while also dominating the books with the highest field goal percentage scored in the paint.

Spain was destined to be a challenge for the U.S. squad. The Spaniards had an experienced group of players who all knew each others sweet spots and had an impeccable cohesion; everybody communicated on defense and ran the offensive effectively. Spain was the only National team that most in the U.S. really worried about, that is until France swooped in during the Quarter Finals and shocked the host country that had a team that consisted of five players currently playing in the NBA: forward/centers Marc and Pau Gasol, forward Serge Ibaka, and point guards Ricky Rubio and Jose Calderon.

Photo Courtesy of Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno-Getty Images

When France managed to pull off a late game spurt and a shocking victory over Spain, the world began to pay much more attention. With Boris Diaw leading the group, most believed that Spain would have to make way, because a new and improved team was ready to make a major push to topple the dominate country in the sport. France had played gutsy, hard-nosed basketball. Without the likes of Tony Parker, a regular and major contributor for the national team's offense, everyone on the team picked up the load and found their own touches. NBA veterans Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier shared the load with a surprisingly huge contribution by the young and talented Robert Gobert, a 22-year old 7 foot 2 inch center who is going to play with the Denver Nuggets in October.

After France defeated Spain, the rest of the title chase was left up in the air. Serbia had defeated a very talented Brazil team with young players just like Gobert. Although the Serbian team was lead by former NBA veteran Nenad Kristic, the team had found its main force in Milos Teodosic, Nemanja Bjelica, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, three players in their early to mid-twenties that happened click in ways that no body would have ever thought of during pool play. Bogdanovic may only be 22-years of age, but the young player has a consistent jump shot, nice ball handling skills, and plays solid defense. After his performance in this year's FIBA games, he is likely going to help the Phoenix two years from now, when he is finally able to make his NBA debut. For a 22-year old, he is a great guard who happens to play the lanes very well. There was no surprise that Bogdanovic had his hands on a couple of plays that would help carry Serbia over France.

Photo Courtesy of Jorge Guerrero-Getty Images

The outburst in young talent helped bolster France and topple a very experienced Spanish team; it has allowed us to witness the improvement and rise of a solid Serbian ball club. Players like Gobert and Bogdanovic are slowly coming up, highlighting a trend that may transcend international basketball in the years to come. If Gobert can continue to prove to be an aggressive offensive force in the NBA, he can help break the traditional "soft" label placed on many European and international players. Gobert, among others, are changing the way that the game is being played overseas, thus developing a much more aggressive and athletic style that is currently present in the NBA.

At the same time, players in the U.S. are also adopting playing styles evident in international play. One may see numerous American ball players like James Harden utilize crafty and creative euro steps or flipping up mid-range floaters and jumpers instead of always banging hard into the paint.

As a huge basketball fan, it is awesome how the game is growing globally and how the love for basketball is being celebrated and illustrated through the mixing of different playing styles. As much as I am a fan of Team USA basketball, it is nice to see that other teams are growing and becoming much more aggressive. Young talents are starting to appear from all over the world and this is possibly because of the development of these players at such a young age. I would not be surprised to see contests grow in competitiveness as margins during games close in. In the future, I think that Spain will not be the only country to pose as a major opponent for Team USA, perhaps this year serves as evidence of things that are going to change      

COMMENTARY: What's up with Milwaukee?

Photo Courtesy of Rob Carr-Getty Images

The 2014-2015 season has not officially started yet, but the Milwaukee Bucks seem to be bound for yet another upsetting season that may only lead the struggling franchise into a deeper drench. The team seems to be currently relying on two particular names to save their upcoming campaign, and possibly their entire organization from taking an exit out of Milwaukee.

The biggest off season pick ups for the team is in their new head coach, NBA champion and former New York Nets coach Jason Kidd, and their second pick of the 2014 NBA draft, forward Jabari Parker.

Kidd is stepping into the job after quite a hasty and bizarre exit from the Nets organization and Parker is a nineteen year old rookie who has to worry about finding his footing in the NBA before he takes charge of an entire team. I could only wonder if this is enough for the Bucks to bounce back from the last two years.

Photo Courtesy of Gary Dineen-Getty Images

Currently on the roster, the Bucks have veterans Jared Dudley, O.J. Mayo, Jared Bayless, and Ramon Sessions, along with some younger athletic talent in Brandon Knight and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who have both showed some promise and potential last year. On paper, the team actually seems quite decent but Milwaukee is just a place composed of parts and pieces of what it wants to be; it cannot function as a unit. It is a place where both decently skilled and athletic players land but play with no rhyme or reason. Players that often find there way into Milwaukee play for the single purpose of showcasing their talents in hopes that another team may notice.

Photo Courtesy of Liam Kyle-Getty Images

The team plays as though they are not an organization that is looking to rebuild in hopes of winning a championship, instead, it is an organization with players that are screaming to get out. There is not a single player that has been drafted by the team that has stayed on the team in the last five years. Point guard Brandon Jennings, who was the face of the Bucks for awhile, found a new home in Detroit and never looked back.

Even worse, the fans turned their backs on the team when attendance seemed to hit all time lows last season. According to Bleacher Report, the team ranked 29th in attendance with only about 14,437 fans going to each Bucks home game. At one point, they actually offered the rest of the 2014 home games, 26 in all, for only $99. This meant that fans could attend the games for only $3.81 a night.

I am all for underdog stories and I would love for the Bucks to come back strong, but if they want to, the team has to find the time to get together and seriously consider the idea of working to achieve a common goal. First and foremost, players have to show their commitment by investing in the system that Kidd imposes on the team. Secondly, they must trust each other and understand that the floor and the ball must be shared.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Ehrmann-Getty Images

This is the perfect time for the veterans to step it up and change their solid careers into great ones. Mayo has a shot of becoming an elite player that can pose as a leader. The position is up for grabs and it is there if he is willing to take it. So can guys like Jerryd Bayless and Ramon Sessions; they already proved to be more than capable athletes, now it is time to prove that they can focus on more than just their own individual skill sets.

Parker will likely draw some attention but he is playing for the Bucks who, as an entire organization, will not get much media coverage. He will also have the opportunity to turn some heads without the initial pressure of having all eyes dazzled onto his number 12 jersey come October.

Photo Courtesy of Jeffery Phelps-Getty Images

In addition, Knight and Antetokounmpo had their taste at NBA action and will only improve as they tag on more and more NBA contests. If they are willing to stay with the Bucks, the organization may possibly build off of them as well; throw in a solid center into the mix and the team is looking pretty good against other respectable NBA teams.

I do not think that it is a long shot to improve any NBA team, it just takes time and commitment which comes with the management and the players. The Bucks organization has to get serious about contending for a championship rather than using their team to get reasonable players to survive a season or two with decent standings before shipping them out for similarly skilled players. At the same time, players have to feel like Milwaukee is a place where they are willing to invest their effort in playing for. You put those two things together and sure enough the attendance will increase and team could very well be looking at a promising future, or at least one that is not similar to what NBA fans have witnessed in the past few years.



  

The San Antonio Spurs head towards another "sleeper" season

In an off season where Cleveland has managed to bring home LeBron James and pick up Kevin Love, where Chicago found another big man in Pau Gasol to go alongside Joakim Noah, the San Antonio Spurs have done nothing much to change there roster.

In some instances, this may seriously be a bad thing, but in the case of the Spurs, this is the best possible off season that they could possibly have.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Stobe-Getty Images

The only change that comes to the roster is the fact that the Spurs managed to pick up Kyle Anderson with their 30th pick of the draft. Anderson is a solid point guard coming straight out of UCLA. Although he is probably not going to see to much playing time, his professional demeanor is perfect for the organization. Other than Anderson, the majority of the roster is essentially the same.

While Boris Diaw agreed to return by signing a three year, $22 million contract back in July, Tim Duncan will also return. The five-time NBA champion opted to play out his contract with the Spurs and is set to compete in what is likely his last season of his illustrious NBA career. In addition, coach Greg Popovich agreed to an extension and will be sticking around with the Spurs for quite some time.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Ehrmann-Getty Images

To go along with the usual veteran players in Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Diaw, the young but disciplined talent in Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Patty Mills will fill out crucial parts of the roster. Leonard is coming off of a career post season where he was able to turn some heads with his tough defense and solid offense. The soft-spoken small forward has really found a home in San Antonio and has the potential to grow into a big-name and elite NBA star.

Photo Courtesy of Layne Murdoch Jr.-Getty Images

However, Leonard is a product of the San Antonio system and does not necessarily need to be a household name. The thing that has separated the Spurs from the rest of the 29 teams in the NBA, is there commitment to the team itself. Everybody in the Spurs roster knows their role and is willing to give up individual skills for the benefit of their team. We will never see Green isolate or Leonard dribble out the shot clock to take the final shot because that is not the type of team that San Antonio is. Whoever has the best option on that given possession will find the ball in their hands, regardless of which player has the most experience on the floor.

Even the guys who are deep in the bench have the potential of bringing something to the table at any given time. Players like Matt Bonner and Marco Belinelli are excellent spot up shooters that can allow the Spurs to spread the floor; big man Aron Baynes has a physique that allows him to  and muscle his way into the paint to grab boards and score put backs. Not to mention, Baynes solid production also gives Duncan or Tiago Splitter the occasional breathers that they may need.

The Spurs are a smart team and they understand what they must be in order to get the job done. The coaching staff has clearly made all their players check their egos at the door. Nobody on that team is unsusceptible to a good scalding if they take plays off. Even today, at the age of 32, Parker can still be visibly yelled at by Popovich from the sidelines for making poor plays or not hustling hard enough. This places a sense of responsibility in all of the players in the entire team, a feeling that is shared and understood from the starting five to the last man on the bench. This is the difference between a championship team and the contenders.

Although the Spurs still have a championship team, I am quite surprised at the fact that they really have not garnered any attention in the off season. While we all hear minuscule, small scale news that seems to blow up, news about James and what jersey he is going to where or Kevin Durant and his huge contract with Nike, nothing really comes up from the boys in San Antonio. When there is big news, something quite small from another team seems to grab the majority once again.

The news of the signing of Becky Hammon, the first female assistant coach in NBA history, was in the forefront for a good week and a half before more small talk on James, Love, Durant, and other trade rumors that do not even come to fruition take the scenes again.

Photo Courtesy of Juan Ocampo-Getty Images

Perhaps it is their cohesion and teamwork that prevents the media to point out a particular player or news worthy coverage in the Spurs squad; perhaps this is the reason why no body ever talks about them in the off season, and yet they always seem to be back in the picture once the post season begins. I think that the Spurs are heading into what appears to be another "sleeper" season, which is what they are all about. The organization is composed of many personalities that are self aware and as long as they know what they are doing, what their game plan is, the rest of the league needs to look out, because San Antonio is likely to sneak up and contend for their second straight title.

Photo Courtesy of Jesse D. Garrabrant-Getty Images

  

Unveiling of racism in the NBA leaves an ugly impression in the spectrum of sports

Photo Courtesy of Patrick McDermott-Getty images

There is no doubt that racism is a subject that will manage to find its way in nearly every little crosshair of social activity. However, it still stings pretty bad when it is found in the forefront or headline of professional sports.

Although trash talking amongst players are quite susceptible in leading to the range of unwarranted racial boundaries, it is hard to swallow the fact that some players have been playing for owners that may still be discriminating against their own athletes and fans by the color of their skin and their ethnic backgrounds.

We would like to think that in the spectrum of sports, there is a special place on the field or court where individuals could let their skills and attributes do the talking, but in reality, men in the front office, the same men who dictate the course of the entire team, may be making conscious decisions based on other motives.

I think that there is enough evidence to say that any avid sports fan has heard at least a hint or fraction of a racial comment during the course of a game but it is cringe worthy, serving as almost a slap to the face, when these racial comments are coming from the lips of those who are in command of the franchises.

I am not going to go on with this entry and say that racism could be abruptly solved and that we could simply put good notions and morals in the minds of those who are flooded with the wrong ideas because I simply cannot. I am not going to say that selling a team is going to, all of a sudden, resolve all issues and restore the same type of hope in professional sports that people once had, because I simply cannot.

It will take time for people to realize the importance of equality and the unjust in racism on their own. I do not think that you can aggressively drill notions into people's heads, they have to discover it themselves. However, when racism is found in one of the biggest professional sports leagues, it has the potential of creating a nasty backlash that may make skeptics out of people; it could change the whole perception of the NBA and leadership in it.

What is also certain is the fact that players are probably going to face their owners with much more caution and uncertainty then they may have ever felt before.

One can simply refer to the huge stir and shockwave that swept the NBA when the whole Donald Sterling situation had blown up. Big stars on and off the Clippers organization, including Chris Paul and LeBron James, were even considering a boycott of NBA contests if Sterling did not sell the team by the start of the upcoming season.

Photo Courtesy of NBA.com

Now with the recent situation with Bruce Levenson of the Atlanta Hawks, one can only image how many more of these cases are going to pop up. Levenson is set to sell the team after self-reporting his racially charged e-mail pertaining to the hopes of increasing revenue based off of particular ticket sales to fans of certain racial groups. Some have speculated that Levenson's entire ordeal is simply a business ploy that will allow him to sell the team for a higher price but officials are still looking into the situation.

Photo Courtesy of nydailynews.com

With the recent media exposure received by Sterling and Levenson, the league has been plagued with an ugly enigma that will probably take some time to shake off. Racism is a serious issue that many are not so quick to forget as it is clearly leaving a bad taste in the NBA, one that they need to get rid of promptly.

 

Throwback Thursday: The Incredibly Stylish Rick Fox

When one thinks of the Laker teams of the '90s and early 2000's, the players that often come in mind, that is along with the Shaq and Kobe tandem, are usually Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Brian Shaw, Ron Harper, and a wiser AC Green. However, Laker fans will never forget the stylish and always cool Rick Fox.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Blake-Reuters

Fox was a product of the North Carolina Tar Heels, a team who he had helped lead to the Final Four back in 1991. At the end of the same year, He was eventually drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 24th overall pick of the first round. Many fans in Los Angeles have clearly brushed off the part of his history where he actually played six years with the despicable Celtics, dawning his soon-forgotten number 44 jersey.

In the summer of 1997, the Celtics released Fox and the Los Angeles Lakers picked up the 6'7'' small forward. In Tinseltown, Fox found his true home and became a fan favorite with his solid shooting and perimeter defense, all of which were accompanied by a nice smile, grin, or casual gum chewing after some exceptional plays.

During his time with the purple and gold, Fox was an on and off starter. He played and started in all of the games in the 1997-98 season but became a reserve after the Lakers acquired Glen Rice in 1999. After Rice's departure in the midst of the 1999-2000 season, Fox returned as a starter for all but five games where he averaged 9.6 points per game, a slight dip from his first season with the Lakers but it was enough to aid the team in their quest for their second straight title. Essentially, Fox was not a stand alone player but a perfect role player who was crafty and often guarded some of the best players in the game. He played pesky defense and was more than willing to do the occasional grub work to put the team on top of their opponents.

Fox had some phenomenal performances during the Lakers three title runs from 1999-2002. During 2000 playoffs, Fox played in all 23 games as a reserve behind Rice. Despite averaging only 4.3 points per game during the first two rounds and Conference play, his numbers would increase to 6.7 in the Finals against the Indian Pacers. He would go on to put up a 11 point performance in game one and a critical three pointer late in game six during a major momentum shift that would allow the team to rally back and defeat the Pacers for the title, the first of three that Fox would eventually win.

Photo Courtesy of posters.ws

 The next year, Fox would see a hike in his post season numbers when he returned to the starting line up. His average bolstered to 10.0 points per game along with 3.6 assists a night. In the finals, he managed to put up 19 points in a game one loss against Philadelphia and 20 in the fifth and final game for the series, nine of which came from perfect three point shooting.

During the third year of the Lakers historic three-peat era, Fox put up an average of 9.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He would go on to start in all 19 games of the finals including the four that would be needed to sweep the Nets.

The 2003-2004 season would be Fox's last season before leaving to pursue his other ambitions, including a career in acting. Interesting enough, Fox had already been working on numerous acting projects during his basketball careering. In 1994, Fox received his first gig in Blue Chips as a basketball player for the Texas Western Team. Two years later, he would also appear in Eddie as Terry Hastings, a basketball player who is struggling and finds help in a fan played by Whoopi Goldberg. Fox would appear in a total of five films, four television series including Nickelodeon's The Fairly OddParents, and one television movie during his active years as an NBA player. It is clear that Hollywood was perfect for Fox who always seemed to be camera ready.

Photo Courtesy of zimbio.com

Nevertheless, Fox was extremely talented it what he had done best, and that was shooting the lights out from beyond the arc when it mattered and playing some solid defense. Los Angeles needed a player of his caliber, who did not mind playing as a starter or coming off the bench. Whenever he was on the floor, he did not fall short of giving his best effort which reflects the hard worker Fox is. No matter the project, Fox seems to always dive in with two feet and that is what has allowed him to remain stylish and extraordinary.

Derrick Rose's time on Team USA serves as a marker for his return

Anyone watching Team USA basketball knows that Derrick Rose has not been performing particularly well. The former MVP of the NBA has shot at a dismal 22% from the field (4-18) and 14% from beyond the arc (8-11) within an average of 19 minutes a night thus far in the FIBA games.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew D. Bernstein-Getty Images

Rose's numbers have clearly been the low points of the team's three recent blow out victories over Finland, Turkey, and New Zealand. However, this does not prove to be all that bad for Rose who has been in and out of the NBA for quite some time now. Chicago fans should not be worried about their young leader and his recent slump because competing with Team USA will only allow Rose to test his limits and get a feel for a game that he has not really played for the last two to three years.

Any athlete that comes back from an injury is expected to require some time to shake off the cobwebs and that time is not always going to be pretty. What better timing is this year's FIBA Basketball World Cup for Rose, who will have the opportunity to ease his way back into competitive basketball without having all of the attention and pressure on him. With the talent on the team in Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and DeMar DeRozan, Rose will not have to carry the team or do too much at all. Players with the caliber to play on the team will be able to pick up the slack on days that Rose may not be performing up to his "expected" numbers.

 In addition, Tom Thibodeau, the head coach of the Chicago Bulls, is currently an assistant coach on the team which means that Thibodeau can monitor Rose's minutes and progression before the start of the NBA season.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew D. Bernstein-Getty images

There is a reason why he is still on the team rather than Damian Lillard, who showed off some exceptional skills during the Team USA camp; Rose's work ethic and concentration during his time thus far in FIBA contention have inspired his teammates to continue to play hard day in and day out which is beyond his lackluster numbers.

So to those who have been skeptical of Rose's return and impact on the Bulls during this upcoming season, I suggest that you all reevaluate his performance in the FIBA games. Do not look at the numbers and try to find meaning there, think about what it means for Rose to be able to step on the floor, make mistakes, and learn from them now when real consequences will not disrupt the flow of the team's game. He is slowly getting his groove back, slowly gaining confidence, and with the time to shake off the cobwebs, Rose will be back in shape early than before; this way, the Chicago star can be ready to lead the Bulls back to playoff contention without making rusty mistakes when consequences seriously do matter.  

Kobe Bryant's return may not be a glorified one that fans may expect

Photo Courtesy of Chris Graythen-Getty Images

With nearly a month left before the start of the NBA season, all eyes have already been centered around Kobe Bryant and his comeback. After only playing in six contests last year, the Lakers' star guard will return to action on October 28 when the Lakers face off against Houston.

Many fans and athletes alike have already projected that the the five-time NBA champion will come back to all-star form. Rockets' guard James Harden has already been quick to state that he expects a 20-year old Kobe Bryant to be back out there once the ball is tipped on opening night.

Photo Courtesy of lakers.topbuzz.com

 Despite Bryant's fierce competitive drive and tough off-season workouts, we must not rule out the fact that the 36-year old veteran may have some rust attached to his game come the first few games of the season. On top of this, Bryant has not competed in an actual NBA contest for over seven months let alone any actual contact practices with his teammates.

Even when Bryant returned last season after suffering an achilles injury two years ago, the former MVP did not put up the show that many expected, and that is completely understanding given the circumstances of his return.

Video Courtesy of GD's Latest Highlights via YouTube  

I am not saying that he won't have a solid comeback but at the same time, I think that fans have to understand that Bryant does not have the same youthful legs that he once did, and after some serious build up of injuries in his knees, ankles, and achilles, it is clear that he will not be able to be the same explosive player he once was.

Bryant knows this, and judging by the evolution of his playing style, he has adopted quite well. He knows that he cannot always cross-over every single defender or dunk on every other possession because most guards now have a speed advantage over him; instead, he has gone to his post moves and fadeaway jump shots as his primary options on the offensive end just as Michael Jordan had during the latter end of his legendary career.

Recently, Bryant has openly admitted to studying his old time rival in Paul Pierce and his crafty style. Pierce, who will turn 37 in October, has lost his speed and athleticism years ago but has managed to be an effective player by creating space with his unique ball fakes that still manage to lose defenders. Bryant, who is similarly situated as Pierce, is looking to do the same thing. By using the same crafty and smart approach that the Truth has done to lengthen his career, hopefully Bryant could sustain his health while playing at a top level that still gives the defense a bit of trouble to guard.

Photo Courtesy of zimbio.com

  On the contrary to what many fans may feel, I think that some of Bryant's numbers will take a dip from his career average in the 2014-2015 campaign. He will probably continue to take high percentage shots off of his favorite mid-range, free-throw line extended areas on the floor and obviously be the closer in the final minutes of tight contests, but I do not think that he will have enough of an individual offensive force to put up the same numbers that he once had in his prime.

Photo Courtesy of eurweb.com

Instead, I think that Bryant will learn to be a much better facilitator than he has ever been. Bryant will still be the number one option on the Lakers squad but he has a great basketball I.Q. and will probably use it to involve his teammates in the offensive much more. This will allow him to share some of the offensive load; players like Lin, Randle, and Young can all help with this. He can also conserve some of his stamina to stay in the game longer and when it really matters.

All in all, Bryant is entering his 19th year as a pro in what will be part of his maximum 2-year contract with the purple and gold. I have seen him play tremendously and perhaps he will prove this entire entry wrong and pull off a sort of "turn-the-clock-around" type year but only time will tell how it all plays out.  

What is certain is that this is yet another transitional period in Bryant's long and illustrious career and he acknowledges this, it is time for the fans to do the same.