Around The League

• Despite a HUGE week from Allen Iverson, including a 51 point outing against the Lakers, Sir Charles destroyed Iverson on national TV. Barkley said that AI is a one dimensional player that doesn’t make his teammates better... Full Story
  
  Barkley is right.
  
  
• Things have gotten so bad in NY that Malik Rose has asked to be de-activated on game days. He said, “It's hard on game days to work out," Rose said. “I told (Thomas) if he's not going to play me, put me on the injured list and I could get more work done on game day.”
  
  Can things get any worse in NY?
  
  
• Can somebody please explain to me the Rafer Alston situation? He was arrested twice over the summer, including stabbing someone in the neck outside of a NYC club. Yet, somehow he hasn’t missed a game this season…
  
  What a profession?

Clippers Dancer vs. The Sports Guy

During a Clippers home game last month, a dancer was selected to take a half court shot. As one would expect, nothing but net:



Just a few weeks later, ESPN’s The Sports Guy was given the same opportunity:



Weak…

JJ Makes Like MJ

Eric Gordon Q&A with "El Bee"

We had the fortunate opportunity to sit down with Indiana Hoosier alumni and From Courtside reader “El Bee” last night to discuss Eric Gordon’s game. El Bee has had the chance to watch all IU games thus far this season, occasionally sprinkling a little coin on the event, to make things a little more interesting.

El Bee tends to be a little biased towards IU, but his opinion is very well respected around the league. Here’s what he had to say:


1) Please describe your impressions of Eric Gordon’s game thus far this season?

EJ has been terrific. He has the one rare quality that a true star needs...he makes the other 4 players on the court better. He is dominant at this level, but is careful to play within the game and the system. Prior to leaving last game at the 6 min mark of the 1st half, EJ led the nation in scoring at roughly 27.5 per and that is without hoisting up a ton of shots. He is special thus far, and I anxiously await to see what higher competition in the Big 10 does for his game.


2) How does Eric compare to the other Elite Freshman guards in the country, Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, Jonny Flynn, Corey Fisher?

Obviously this is the deepest freshmen class we've seen in some time and I believe EJ to be at the head of them. Mostly due to the reasons stated above. I am impressed with all of the frosh but I can find drawbacks to many of their games (Love needs to develop his J, Rose needs to slow down, Mayo is close but he lacks the intangible of making teammates better, etc)


3) Which NBA player would you compare Eric Gordon’s game to?

Comparing Eric's game to a current player is tough. Only time will tell if Eric will play point or 2 in the pro's, but he can do either. With the ball in his hand, Eric is capable of driving the lane ala Gary Payton (just much stronger). Playing off the ball, his shot is as sweet as Ray Allen...But if I had to make a comparison, watching him early makes me think of an undersized Paul Pierce. He can get his shot from anywhere, great passer, great intangible guy. So the real answer is nobody...kid has his own game.


4) In terms of Gordon’s potential, what type of impact do you foresee Gordon having at the NBA level?

Eric will be a perennial NBA All-Star. He is a humble and intelligent young man who will become a wonderful centerpiece for any franchise. Titles are in his future. He will be a star...Just keep your fingers crossed that if Isiah is still around, he will stay true to his Hoosier ties and finally get NY in the right direction.

In Honor of Jimmy V

One of the most eloquent speeches ever delivered, with so many important messages.

“How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? You have to have an enthusiasm for life; you have to have a dream and a goal and you have to be willing to work for it.”

Around the League

• Is Dwayne Wade still hurt? D-Wade has been back for 8 games and has ZERO dunks. That’s hard to believe when you are talking about someone that is ordinarily good for a dunk or two per night. Clearly ‘Flash’ is not 100% healthy.
  
  If the Heat front office hadn’t done such a pitiful job upgrading their roster this summer, Wade probably wouldn’t have been forced to rush back. Penny Hardaway, Smush Parker, Ricky Davis = not working out so well…
  
  
• Is there a more Tatted team in the league than the Denver Nuggets? Not sure if it’s a requirement, but the Nugget players have serious ink.
  
  
• The Newark Star Ledger is reporting that the real reason for Jason Kidd’s frustration earlier this season had less to do with the team’s play and more to do with the Nets unwillingness to extend his contract.
  
  The Nets had turned down Kidd's appeal for a contract extension just days before he made his bleak assertion about the team's future.
  
  The 13th-year pro, one of the great players of his generation, makes $19.7 million this season and $21.4 million next year, the final year of his deal, which makes him eligible for a one-year extension for the 2009-10 season -- or a two-year extension, if he waits until this summer.
  
  But Kidd would be 36 when that $24 million thank-you gift would kick in, so when agent Jeff Schwartz asked team president Rod Thorn to discuss it, he was told it isn't in the cards.
  
  
• Heading into tonight’s match-up against the Lakers, Dwight Howard has 81 dunks thus far this season. That’s more than 25 other NBA teams.
  
  He’s ferocious, athletic, dominant… Dwight Howard is on pace to become the best big man in the NBA, very soon.
  
  
• Isnt it amaing how the Boston fans couldn’t get rid of Danny Ainge fast enough, and now he’s being heralded as the NBA’s best executive? What this guy will do for you:
  
  
  
  Hey, where you at? Where you at? That’s amazing…KG is the MAN!

LeBron Inc.

The building of a billion-dollar athlete

Fortune Inc. put together a fascinating cover story on the plans LRMR (which stands for LeBron and his three best friends) Marketing is putting in place to build LeBron Inc. into a global empire.

Forget paychecks, LeBron Inc. wants equity. It’s a must read… Story