- Andrew Bynum has the kind of confidence that would lead him to challenge essentially the entire world in video games. Literally, he told everyone his online gaming name, and announced that he would crush all comers. He has said similar things in basketball. Is that a good sign, or a bad sign, for his NBA career? (You ever heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect?)
- TrueHoop reader Fatih on the limits of democracy: "This is from French basketball sites as well as French newspaper L'Equipe: France's national team coach Michel Gomez used 11 different starting lineups in France's 11 prep games [before Eurobasket qualifying]. Although that is nothing really earth-shaking, in one of the games Tony Parker did not start and the team looked lost. So TP and coach had a talk. The result? Maybe one of the weirdest decision ever by a coach on a pro level. Gomez asked the team TO VOTE in three of the five starting spots for the Eurobasket qualifier game against Ukraine. He would stick with Diawara and Issa, so the team voted (I would love to know how they did that?!) for TP, Ronny Turiaf and Nando de Colo (a 20-year old talented combo guard). Too bad they lost the game to Ukraine by one and after their loss yesterday to Turkey, they are about to miss Eurobasket 2009 in Poland."
- Caron Butler, fashion model.
- Ryan Schwan of Hornets247 just watched an old Hornets vs. Nets playoff game. "I had forgotten just how scrappy those Silas-coached teams were. David Wesley, the fierce little off-guard who backed down to no one. George Lynch, the undersized power forward who was always fighting for the ball. And the meanest, scrappiest of the bunch? Jamaal Magloire, the second-year center who came off the bench behind Elden Campbell. On his first play off the bench, he hooked Aaron Williams, couldn't reach the rebound that bounced long, and fell to the ground while throwing an elbow and dragging Williams with him. Foul! Against Williams! Two plays later, he posted up against Kenyon Martin and simply shoved and beat on him until Martin got frustrated and fouled him. And then it happened again the next time down the court. Martin was fuming, and it became a recurrent theme. Magloire fouled out Williams and put 4 fouls each on Martin and one of the Collins twins. In his own, awkward, arm-flailing way, he was just as relentless as Jason Kidd. Seeing him play like that made me remember telling my friends about the nasty little leaning screens he set. His sharp elbows. The way he liked to "accidentally" undercut dunkers and make them pay. I remembered telling my wife how he was the kind of player you love on your team, and hate with a passion when they play for another team. It's sad really, that I had almost forgotten that Magloire. When the Heat signed him this week I just laughed at the 'Heat sign All-Star Center' headline, but even as I laughed, I wondered what had happened to the guy."
- Sebastian Telfair talks to Mike Trudell of Timberwolves.com: "On the specifics of certain drills during offseason practice: We have some shooting drills that coach Jerry (Sichting) and coach Dean (Cooper) are putting us through that are exhausting, especially for guys that aren't used to it. We got this star drill with 15 shots where you have to make 10 of them: you're making a star from each spot on the floor, and you have to make 10-of-15. On Mike Miller doing that drill: Well he's never missing, his first 10 shots are going in so he's not going to be (as tired)."
- TrueHoop reader John Donald assures me he is insane for British basketball, and has been attending games with a big pack of like-minded nuts. His dispatch from Great Britain's most recent game, against Bosnia: "The Bosnians, allegedly the weakest team in the group, had upset on their minds from the start and when they started firing in 3-pointers from everywhere, led by ex-Celtic JR Bremer. GB had a tough time holding onto the lead, but every time Bosnia got level GB would hit back through Luol Deng or Pops Mensah-Bonsu. The first half ended tied at 41, but the best was yet to come. After halftime was the first time we saw the real talent of Joel Freeland, as he and point guard Flinder Boyd set about locking down the Bosnian 3-point threat, while Deng, Bonsu and SG Nate Reinking dealt with the offense. The result was a 15-0 run that basically sealed the game, with GB eventually winning 82-74 after the Bosnians got a couple of garbage-time buckets. Freeland's stats of 19 minutes, five points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal may not jump out at you (especially alongside Deng's 29/8/5 or Mensah-Bonsu's 15/11 and three blocks), but he did a great job of shutting down the Bosnian big men in the second half, after they had been drifting outside (primarily to avoid Mensah-Bonsu's interior defence) and bombing away in the 1st. Oh and he also had a rather impressive dunk, which gives you some idea of the size of him now!"
- Charlie Villanueva reportedly hands out 20,000 Crocs (big "C" as in a rubbery sandal type shoes, not carnivorous swamp-dwelling beasts) in the Dominican Republic.
- Sam Cassell says his contract gives him an option to become a Celtic assistant after this season, and he intends to do just that. That's good agenting, getting a contract like that, if indeed that's what he has.
- In an ongoing online poll, Bulls fans want Derrick Rose to start, but doubt he will.
- I really can not understand being really really really into the NBA and yet not rooting for any particular team. If you work for the league and have to be politic, OK. And I have carved out a special exception for Chris Sheridan, who pulls it off. But in general? What is the point of sports without cheering?
AlexPat, I'd like to solve the puzzle.
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