What’s up guy’s the basketball season is on and poppin’ and in honor of the Christmas season we have , The Nike Air Foamposite One “Metallic Red” These lil’ pieces are hot, hot, hot!!!!  Merry Christmas Ya’ll.

@Boemoney1

Photos courtesy of KICKZ-LAB

With the NBA  lockout over and the Christmas season in full swing,  things are starting to seem regular again.  The die-hard NBA fan can get it’s fix starting on Christmas day, what a present huh?  Can’t wait, can’t wait(Bart Scott voice).  The Christmas Day schedule is looking like it’s going to be something special.   Right now the frantic fast paced free agent signing period has many fans on edge wondering what moves their teams are gonna make, and critiquing the moves already made.  The New York Knicks, with the addition of  Tyson Chandler, have formed a pretty formidable front line.  The Dallas Mavericks will try to defend their crown with the addition of the reigning sixth man of the year Lamar Odom. [..]

Dirk Nowitzki & Co. pulled off what some people felt was unthinkable.

Not only did Dallas knock out the fiery threesome in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but they did so in South Beach. Game Six was an amazing triumph for the aging squad, one that many people were skeptical that the same men would be able to conquer more than once.

Nowitzki is allotted a grand amount of stability in his position because of how he has sculpted his game from the perimeter. This allows him the least amount of contact in a game even where the defense is the most trying.

The most an opponent can get away with is poking him in the eye or slipping a sharp pinky nail in his nose. Nowitzki is allotted that type of luxury because of all the work he has put in shaping his jumper to draw defenses and make it as lethal as it has come to be.

The other veterans in Dallas such as Jason Kidd are already stroking retirement. The lockout, if restored at least at the halfway mark, will provide a much shortened and rushed season for veterans of the league. [..]

Grant Hill flew on the scene as a 6’8 Freshman @ Duke University helping the Blue Devils win a National Championship.  In doing so, Hill caught one of the sickest oops ever in CBS Sports history.  Grant gave us all a glimpse into the future during that one shining moment via March Madness, we said damn Duke (#33) is a problem.

Grant Hill would make First Team All-America in 93′- 94′, his last season at Duke.  The Detroit Pistons would select The son of former Dallas Cowboys great Calvin Hill 3rd overall in The 1994 NBA Draft.  Straight out of the gate Hill let it be known he was there to get busy, just as he had done on the collegiate scene, on the highest level.  Grant would swoop and drive to the hoop at such a smooth pace, that he evoked images of the Iceman George Gervin slash Dr.J  mixed with a dash of Scottie Pippen, but smoother.

Grant could go left or right with the bounce, and was adept at finishing at the rim with either hand.  He would go between the legs, spin, and take a big step like James Worthy and tea bag somebody.  Grant Hill won Co -Rookie Of The Year honors along with Jason Kidd, as he averaged 19-ppg, 5-assists; and 6-rebs.  Hill was responsible for many a sleepless night for opposing coaching staffs, with the height of a 4 and the quickness of a 2.

In the 99′- 00′ season, Hill averaged a career best 25.8 and was poised for the takeover.  He was set to carry the NBA torch into the new millenium.  In the summer of 2000 he was traded to Orlando for Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins.  Grant would only appear in four games in his first season there, and fourteen the next with the Magic.  After averaging 20-plus points in five straight seasons, Hill would never average more than 2o-ppg again.

In the 04′-05′ season Hill would play in 67 games for The Magic that season, his most in four years, on the way to averaging 19-ppg; and earning his seventh All-Star bid.  Hill seemed to be finally healthy and playing well, and then the injury bug struck again destroying what was a solid season.  He would only play in 21 games the next season.   From 98′ to 09′, Grant only appeared in 404 games out of a possible 738 over a 9-yr span, 7 of them years on the Orlando payroll.

Hill earned 93 million dollars during his tenure in Orlando… wow.  Fast forward, it’s 2011 and Hill is finally healthy and playing solid ball in Phoenix.  In the last four years Grant has played no less than 70 games in each of his four years with the Suns.  Can anyone say perseverance and dedication? …He’s made it back.  I hate to think what we would have witnessed had he not been bitten by that bug.

Let me sum it up: Grant was like the “ultimate playboy”,  ”a go get her”…Check it raaight; The Ball Was the Her, and once he saw “her” she was up for grabs.   He would take “her” where she needed to go, moving “her” through the crowd with surgeon like precision on some DR. Lecter type flow.  He didn’t seem to be in any rush, but you knew he was gonna get “her” there.  In his prime, #33 was too much to stop, would have been an all-time great.

@Boemoney1

Video courtesy of Yinka Dare via Youtube,  Images courtesy of: G.cobb.com, cybersportscards.com, rivals.yahoo.com, northcarolina.inetgiant.com, losthatsportsblog.com and sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway was a rare player, the kind that only comes along every so often.   A 6’7 guard out of Memphis University.  Nicknamed “Penny”,  he was drafted 3rd overall by The Golden State Warriors, and traded to Orlando for Chris Webber; a four time All-Star who once averaged 31-ppg in the 96′- 97′ playoffs. [..]

For 19 years Shaquille O’Neal was a runaway train.  This is a little video i came across this morning, and just thought i would share it with the I AM NBA family. Video courtesy of: Dazanba, via Youtube

Hey guys here is my SnIcK oF tHe WeEk : The Nike Air Max Jr, Nuetral Grey-Dark Grey-Grey Volt.  I picked up these little numbers on my recent trip to NYC and rocked them during my coaching debut in The Harlem Tri-State Classic. [..]

July 8 of last year brought forth a bevy of occasions. The most important would have to be the announcement of the 62^nd Primetime Emmy Award Nominations. Joel McHale of NBC’s “Community” and Sophia Vergara of ABC’s “Modern Family” were all ears as their names were called on all of the morning shows. You probably know them. They give off sometimes awkward comedic relief and a bit of sex appeal. At least, Modern Family does.

Several hours later LeBron James was starring in an offseason long sitcom of his own. One that people saw fit to extend through this year’s postseason. It was deemed “The Decision”

[..]

Recently iamnba.com’s Justine Brown was given the wonderful opportunity of hopping in the car and grabbing an interview with Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Durant is a two-time NBA scoring champion and one of the best young players in the league today.  He most recently lead his team to the Western Conference Finals only to lose to the eventual NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.  Also just this year, Durant signed a five-year extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder worth $86 million.  We’d like to give a very sincere thanks to KD for being the humble and down-to-earth guy that he is, answering our questions and providing a great interview while riding to day two of his Nike Skills Academy in Chicago.

Checkout the video or written version of the interview below as he discusses all topics including the NBA lockout, the Thunder team, his skills academy, draft pick Reggie Jackson, why he loves Oklahoma City, his backpack line and more.

(Vid may be a bit shaky as we were riding in the car but shout out to Chuck who did as best he could as our camera guy!)

-What do you like most about being able to work with some of the best young talent in the country?

I really like how hands on it is.  Those guys really hang on every word. They really want to be taught. They really want to get to theNBA level.  I think me, going through that same process, it’s easy for me to tell them what it takes.  We’ve been working hard. Those guys have been getting after it, being very competitive and it’s been easier for me.  I’ve been having a lot of fun.

-We heard you get really involved with all of the drills and interact a lot with the campers. You’re known for being so humble.  Do you do this because you feel you owe it to them or because it’s an opportunity to get better for you?

You know, I just want to get better.  Those guys can push me to my limits and make me get better as well, and vice versa.  I’ve beenhaving a lot of fun this past two years, it’s been great.  Nike did a great job of just letting me do my thing instead of putting limitations on things and I’m just trying to grow from there.

-What do you want to work on personally in your own game this offseason?

Just everything.  I always want to be a well-rounded player, you know, posting up, ball handling, shooting jumpers, and shooting different types of shots.  I just want to be a well-rounded player and continue to grow like that.

-What do you think of OKC’s 24th pick in the draft, Reggie Jackson, a guard out of Boston College?

I was very excited.  He’s another guy that we can add to our deep group already.  He’s similar to Russell (Westbrook).  He’s 6’3”, long arms, very athletic and can make basketball plays at the one and the two.  We were very excited about picking him up and we were very fortunate that he slipped a few picks down to our team.  He should be very good for us next year.

-Do you think with that transaction OKC may shop some of other guards that are on the current roster?

Man, that’s tough.  You never know in this league and it’s such a business in this league, but I hope we stick together for as long as possible.  I think we have something good going on in Oklahoma City.  But I think Reggie (Jackson) just adds another person to our team that makes us deeper.  Practices are going to be better, shoot arounds are going to be better, training camp is going to be better, so if you do all of those things pretty well you’re going to have a successful season.

-Do you think you guys have all of the components you need in order to take that next step and go to the finals next year?

I think we do.  You know, we were right there.  We lost two games that we were up late in the game and we kind of slipped away there, but I think we have what it takes.  We have to continue to keep going and know that it’s not going to be guaranteed to us next year.  We gotta come out and work every day and I think we have the right guys to do that.

-Having been there, do you think the team has a personal focus on what they really need to do? Or what needs to be tweaked or worked on in the off-season?

Yeah, guys know that they have to come and work on their individual games and you know, I think we do a great job of bringing that together at the start of every season.  We have guys that like to work out together in the summers and I think with the lockout, that’s going to add a little bit more to that.  We’re going to have more guys working out with each other this summer and that’s only going

to help us during the season.

-Speaking of the lockout, do you think there will be a next season?  What are the players vying for in this lockout and what do you think the time table is?

I’m very optimistic about it.  I think that we may miss a few weeks I think, I hope, we miss a few weeks and get right back to playing.  But it’s been tough, the talks have been going slow I think as of late, but I think we’re going to get it back going and you know, have a season.  I don’t want to see us locked out for a long time because that’s not going to hurt just us, but also the fans as well.  So, I really want to have a season for them.

OFF THE COURT

-People ridiculed you lately when they thought you threw Oklahoma City under the bus in an interview, but anyone who follows you

knows you love Oklahoma City. You just signed a 5 year contract with them.  What do you love best about being in Oklahoma?

I just love the people more than anything.  Just how nice and humble they are.  They do a great job of making me feel at home and making everyone feel at home. I just love the atmosphere, especially when we’re playing basketball, just the college feel it has.  I build relationships with the fans that come to every game, season ticket holders, and I just feel like it’s a place that fits me.  It’s a town.  Of course it’s nothing like the L.A.’s or Chicago’s, but it’s nice in the fact that it’s quiet, and you can get places quicker with no traffic.  So, it’s cool for me.

-How soon until we can pick up a bag from the KD backpack line?

Aw man, I wish I could tell you the exact date on that, but it’s going to be out soon.  People are really kind of attracted to the backpack thing and I didn’t know it’d be such a hit, but hopefully you see more kids with backpacks on at school with the KD logo. So, it should be fun.

-One of your hobbies is producing beats and you’ve actually produced tracks for some major artist, any chance we’ll hear one of your beats on an album.

Uhh I doubt it, my beats aren’t that good to be on an album, but I just do it for fun.  It’s something that I always had a passion for, I’ve always loved music.  You know music and basketball kind of parallel I think.  It would be cool to have one of my beats on a big time album, but I have to get better first.

Interview by:  Justine Brown (@justine_brown)

Photos Courtesy of:

Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Image

kevindurant35.com

Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Getty Images

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were not the first trio to make a difference with a franchise.

Unbeknownst to the fans in attendance at their grand entrance before a single regular season game had been played, they are not merging pioneers. Pat Riley is a great executive for scooping together players of that skill level however he was not the original dictator of a power shift in the league.

The Boston Celtics were always as dynasty. Dating back to when Larry Bird and Kevin McHale were dominating forces to be conquered. Do not shake your head at the name. Before he was introduced as Houston Rockets’ head coach not too long a while ago, he was a three-time NBA champion and three-time All-Defensive Team member. Those rewards are not handed out lightly.

Why do you think Carmelo Anthony did not make a single All-NBA team this past season? [..]