Basketball n' Stuff

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2011-08-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

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Weak draft indicates bleak future for NBA

2011-06-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

If you managed to stay awake, let alone alert, for the NBA Draft Thursday night, you deserve a pat on the back. How two rounds of drafting gets stretched to four hours is probably some form of television black magic but this year’s draft in particular was more of a snooze than usual.

More than anything, it was an early indication that the NBA’s immediate future is pretty bleak.

All the experts were calling it way in advance that this promised to be one of the weaker draft classes in years. There were a few notable college players who chose to return to school – mainly freshmen Jared Sullinger from Ohio State and Harrison Barnes from North Carolina – when in most years, the best NCAA players can’t wait to declare for the draft.

But if the NBA’s looming labor situation had any part in any college player’s decision to return to school, you could hardly blame them. Who would want to leave the college game to go sit around while the owners and players battle it out?

The two sides are reportedly so far apart (does this sound familiar NFL fans?) that it’s not looking like there’s going to be a full NBA season. Charles Barkley went so far as to tell Dan Patrick on his radio show that, “Honestly, I don’t think were going to play at all next year. Everything is out of whack. These owners are in it for Armageddon.”

NBA Commissioner David Stern indicated that the league’s owners were poised to lose $350 million this season. One big thing the owners want is a hard salary cap, which would mean the one big markets wouldn’t have to spend as much on player salaries, meaning more profits for them. It would theoretically allow smaller market teams to compete. But for obvious reasons, the players are totally against this. There’s also discussion of revenue sharing (because that’s working out so well in Major League Baseball. The owners are taking the shared money for themselves, not putting it into their team payrolls).

So while you wanted to feel excited for all the players that were drafted, there was an overlying sense that you wouldn’t see any of them for a while. There were also more “Who’s that?” moments during this draft.

Unfortunately, as much as the network execs wanted NBA fans to get excited about all the great stories in this year’s draft, the sad truth is the much bigger issue at hand stole the show.

Ricky Rubio: Worth the wait?

2011-06-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Practice your Spanish. Ricky Rubio is coming.

It didn’t take long for that, along with a $9 sale on season tickets (in honor of his jersey number), to get splashed all over the Timberwolves’ official website. They’ve been waiting for this moment for two years.

Whether this is news that should excite Timberwolves and NBA fans remains to be seen. The Wolves sternly believe they have something special in the 20-year-old 6-foot-1, 180-pound Spanish point guard.

Rubio turned pro when he was 14 years old and played for Spain’s Olympic team that lost to the U.S. in the 2008 gold medal game. He was the youngest member of the team - that featured the likes of the Gasol brothers, Rudy Fernandez and Jose Calderon – by five years.

The Wolves used the No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 to draft Rubio, who’s been described as flashy and the kind of player that can thrive in an up-tempo offense.

The problem was Rubio was under contract with his team in Spain at the time and the fee to get him out of that contract was $6 million, only $500,000 of which the Timberwolves were allowed to pay.

So Rubio decided to stay in Spain until the penalty fee became a little more manageable ($1.4 million).

In the meantime, the consensus is Rubio’s gotten worse.

He averaged 10.2 points and 3.9 assists in 2007-08 for DKV Joventut in Spain and 10 points and 6.1 assists in 2008-09. Over the past two seasons with Regal Barcelona, he’s averaged 6.5 points and he lost his starting job.

That’s enough to make any executive sweat but the Timberwolves remain enthusiastic about their long-awaited draft pick.

The argument in Rubio’s defense is that the style of play that his teams in Spain use didn’t properly utilize his ability to improvise on offense and instead, stifled his explosiveness.

Or that could translate into Minnesota’s brass being terrified they made a huge mistake.

Although, how much worse could it get for a team that went 17-65 last season, 15-67 the year before and hasn’t had a winning record since 2004-05?

Minnesota is in need of a capable point guard to lead double-double machine Kevin Love and the rest of the offense. And the Wolves have the No. 2 and No. 20 overall picks in this year’s draft to help rebuild this struggling team.

So while the Timberwolves seem to have a lot to be excited about, it’s all just a big game of wait and see.

Shaquille O'Neal: A Basketball Legend

2011-06-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today it was reported former NBA Allstar Shaq has called it quits and finally retired his shoes. This is a surprise to the basketball community because he was such an avid symbol for this amazing sport. He's the one who helped jumpstart this global phenomenon.

Shaquille as a young teen was told he wasn't going to succeed in life, and as for trying out for his high school team for first year he didn't make the cut. But him not making the cut the first year gave him more drive to improve much over the basketball season, make the team and surprise everyone. And that's just what he did, Shaquille stepped up his game and soon became known as the one, the only, Shaquille O'Neal.

He is a great inspiration to many adults, teens,and young children nationally and globally. He helped teach kids to never give up on there dreams and if you believe just to see how far it can take you. Even though he's retired and may not be playing on the court anymore, his presence, attitude, and spirit will always be felt and remembered through many centuries and.

Decades to come.with the right mindset,drive,and motivation anything you dream of can be made possible, if you only believe. Shaq will go down in history as one of the best athletes and a legend for many to live up to in the following years.

By Ashley Kroeger

Increase Vertical Jump: Top Methods for Basket Ball Hoop Players

2011-05-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

You can increase vertical jump through an extensive assortment of ways. These simple ways definitely will increase vertical jump but will require diligence. Typically, nevertheless, there are 4 key steps to acquire on studying to enhance vertical jump. If you really want to feel important go ahead and get some PersonalizedBasketballs.

Step #1
It’s significant to always move your arms while you are leaping. Your arms are the power lurking behind your leap. Sway your arms down whenever bending to get ready to jump. Sway your arms upward as high as you’re able to whenever you leap. Attempt this normally as practice makes perfect. Eventually, swinging your arms when jumping will happen naturally. If you want to wow people in the Basketball Seats then perform this step.

Step #2
Every once in a while, change up your exercise routine. It is an important element of leaping a lot higher. Following the very same regimen restricts your capability to leap higher while modifying your regimen can increase your capability to jump high. In this way, various muscle mass are certain to get built. By doing this you can certainly prevent establishing muscle mass in a few locations while additional muscle mass are still underdeveloped.

Step #3
It’s crucial to figure out if you’re a full velocity jumper or a strength leaper. By figuring out your style, you are going to discover just what exercises are best to make the most of that style. Natural leapers that make use of one foot while jumping are termed speed jumpers. The most effective workout routines for momentum jumpers are leg squats, sprints and skipping. Strength jumpers are unpredictable leapers that make use of their durability and leap making use of 2 feet. Deadlift jumps, standing wide jumps and ankle bounces are the best for strength leapers. Keep in mind, that those are quite a few physical exercises you are able to start off with. You can make use of a broader variety of exercise routines also. Insert rim hits, lunges and calf raises to your physical exercise regimen. BasketballRims And Backboards hits’ are jumping up and attempting to reach rim with two hands. Consider doing this for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Step #4
The real key to leaping much higher is higher intensity exercises. It improves your capability to focus on the position at hand. At all times remember higher strength is most effective for exercises to jump a lot higher. Having your own customize basketball jerseys helps build confidence along with your approach and style.

It is essential to start consuming more healthy Sports Medicine. What this means is consuming whole grain products, fruits and vegetables and eating leaner pieces of various meats. Additionally, consider every day vitamin to make certain all nutrient requirements are met which in turn will make you jump much higher.

Yet another process to improving your vertical leap is to increase your method. By doing so, it can add up to 4 inches to your leap. Locate someone that can tape you jumping and review the footage many times to see how you leap. What foot do you make use of whilst jumping? Whenever you’re jumping, what position is your whole body at? Just how much is your body tensed? It shouldn’t be hardened. These are the points to glimpse into. Modify your leap keeping that in mind Increase inches on your jump through the use of these top rated techniques to increase vertical jump. Realize exactly what you will accomplish!

Watch Game 7 Of NBA Western Conference Semi Finals Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies On ABC Channel Online Live Free Streaming by jerry rogers

2011-05-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

Who would've thought the Memphis Grizzlies would be sitting in this position at this time of the year? They have pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink by forcing a game 7 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Who saw this coming? Both teams will face off on Sunday May 15th on the Thunder's home court to see who will be advancing to the Western Conference finals to face the Dallas Mavericks. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:30pm Eastern standard time.

The NBA playoffs thus far this year has been absolutely stunning to say the least. No one expected the San Antonio Spurs to be exited out of the playoffs in the first round. No one expected the Los Angeles Lakers to be defeated by the Mavericks in a sweep fashion in the second round. No one expected the Grizzlies to be as good as they have been by forcing a game 7 against the Thunder.
This year's fairytale Western Conference final was to be between two teams the Thunder and the Lakers. One thing for sure, that will not be happening. If the Thunder can't win this last and final game on Sunday they will be disappointedly staying home after tomorrow's game. They will need to seize the moment on their home court tomorrow and will also need all the support their fans will bring.
Note: To watch Memphis vs Oklahoma City online visit watch Game 7 online!!

Kevin Durant did not play his usual stellar game in game 6. He started the game off hot but chilled the rest of the game. His shots would not fall. He started the game off with a quick 6 points within the first 3 minutes but afterwards he only scored 2 points the remainder of the game. He also got in foul trouble early in the first quarter and had to sit down. He got his second foul. He returned in the game at the start of the 2nd quarter but didn't contribute much after that.
Zach Randolph played big for the Grizzlies. He scored 20 points in the second half and ended the game with a game high 30 points and 13 rebounds. Twenty of his points came in the 2nd half where he lit Oklahoma up and helped to seal their defeat. Russell Westbrook lead Oklahoma City with 27 points. It was very odd to see Durant not side by side with Westbrook in the high scorers category. Hopefully he'll be able to get his game together and be the anchor his team needs for a victory on Sunday.

About the Author

To watch Memphis vs Oklahoma City online visit visit watch Game 7 live!!

How To Kick Butt At Basket Ball Hoops Camp and Get A Sports Scholarship!

2011-05-15T13:37:00.000-07:00

Do you know Why It so Important To Kick Butt at Basket Ball Hoops Camp? Yes, it is FUN. That is one reason. But a more important reason is it gives you a GREAT chance to get your foot in the door of a College Basket Ball scholarship.

So, you may be asking, Why would doing well at basketball camp make that much of a difference? Simple! Because the most important step in getting recruited to play college basketball is getting coaches to NOTICE You. Kicking Butt at Basketball Camp can get you noticed FAST.

Getting a basketball scholarship takes many steps. However, if nobody knows about you, no matter how good you are, …you won’t get recruited.

College coaches are always looking for good athletes who can better their teams. If you are a high school player who is wanting a college scholarship, the Basketball Camp is the perfect place for both the coach and the player to get to know each other.

It is the job of the player to WOW the coaches. The coaches need to know who and where the good players are and all about them before they can recruit them for their teams.

How do they find the best players for their teams? They usually don’t do it by just surfing the net. The may find out some information on the Internet. But, they get most of their player info from other coaches and recruiters they have learned to trust.

Coaches may play against each other, but listen up… They are still friends with each other as well. They know other coaches on every level. And, they are all looking for great new players.

Coaches usually move around quite a bit, and they form many friendships with other basketball coaches wherever they go. Coaches value the friendships they have with other basketball coaches.

They are just like the rest of us; they love to be the first one to pass on good info. They talk among themselves all the time about the game of basketball and how and where they can find super new recruits. Coaches trust the opinion of a fellow coach who is also a friend rather than the word of a stranger.

The big time coaches use recruiters and scouts. They also talk with booster club members and sports big shots. In other words, they will listen to the people they already know and trust.

News of a “hot” basketball player travels fast. Today, with a click of a mouse or a phone call, a coach two thousand miles away can learn of a new up-and-coming athlete. This is really how word gets around in the world of college basketball. News of a high school star point guard could travel around the country in a matter of minutes. Besides what is a better Pictures of Basketball anyway, then you playing it HARD!

What can a high school basketball player do who wants to play college basketball do to get this important attention from coaches? Easy, strut your stuff where the coach can see you or hear about you. Be a basketball camp STAND OUT!!! The camps are super places for coaches on every level to find new good players. They will be keeping their eyes open for any player who could become a basketball star by following great Drills for Basketball.

Make the coaches think about what they could do with you if they could have you on their teams. Make them think, hey, with just a little coaching from me; this kid could be a raving sensation when he gets to college. They will be drooling over you. Believe me, if you do Kick Butt At Basketball Camp, the coaches will keep you in mind for their teams.

So, it is very important for anyone who wants a college basketball scholarship to attend as many of the camps as possible.There is no better Sports Medicine then to play Basketball in college.

Just one super day or hour or even just one great play that is seen by just one coach or even a friend of a coach could lead to a full-ride college basketball scholarship. If you can jump out of the gym, believe me, the coaching world will hear about you.

About The Author
Lynn West
http://www.college-athletic-scholarship.com
© 2007 Athletic Scholarship Info - All Rights Reserved

What is UP with the Chicago Bulls?

2011-05-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Bulls have played four playoff games in the first full week of the NBA postseason, and they have yet to enter halftime with a lead. Are they sure where the Basket Ball Hoop is?

2011-05-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can learn all you want about basketball rules, player positions, court dimensions, basketball history, basketball jerseys or basketball schedules just by visiting Basketball N Stuff?

About Basketball N Stuff

2011-04-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

BasketballNStuff.com is changing the way you look at basketball. Global sports equipment is nearing the $300 billion mark this year.

BasketballNStuff.com offers consumers a place to browse, learn and shop for everything and anything to do with basketball.

Our team has years of experience in the basketball arena. My partner and I have worked together side by side for over twenty years co-managing and running entire internet operation firms.

Basketballnstuff.com doesn't just sell basketball equipment, we train and educate consumers on all facets of the sport of basketball. We also work globally with suppliers and consumers in the entire basketball industry from basketball tickets to stadium seating.

Basketball n Stuff Store

2011-04-12T17:44:00.000-07:00

Basketball n' Stuff Online store. It specializes in everything you need for the basketball player in you or your life.

Have you ever been to your nephews or grand childs game and had difficulty following the game because you did not know the rules? Or tried to buy the right gift for the sports enthusiastic and did not know where to start.

You can start right here, we will show you everything you every wanted to know or learn about basketball history and then some.

Sign-up for a newsletter, and don't worry we will keep you up-to-date so you know just the right stuff to talk to the basketball player in your life.