HoopDreams

Basketball Hall of Fame 2020

Kobe Bryant meeting Kevin Garnett the rim.
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On April 4, the Naismith Hall of Fame (HOF) revealed the list for this year’s class. With a total of nine members being celebrated, three of them stand out to me amongst the rest which are Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett. Each of these players brought something unique to the game of basketball that will probably never be repeated again.

These players came into the NBA around the same time, experiencing three eras of basketball. Each player achieved success in different parts of their career but showed how they would stand out in NBA history. Bryant and Duncan have the same set of championships (5), while Garnett has one even though in his defense, I believe he was only on one championship-contending team throughout his whole career. Disregarding championships, if I named every single accolade each of these individuals accomplished throughout their career, I would have to write a book because of how vast it is.

Even though it has been about three months since the unfortunate passing of Kobe Bryant, I believe if he was still alive he would have been inducted into the hall of fame regardless. Based on their performances throughout their career, they all deserved to make first-ballot HOF. The ceremony will take place in August and I believe it will be one for the books.

A picture day from 1998 of Tim Duncan.
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A video highlighting all three players of their accomplishment.

NBA 2K Tournament

Since the closing of the NBA due to the Coronavirus, the league and the NBPA has decided to partner up with 2K sports and have a tournament where players compete against each other. The tournament consisted of 16 current NBA players and would be streamed for fans to watch. The winner of the event will be the ultimate NBA 2K20 champion and have the opportunity to select a charity to receive a $100,000 donation to help with Coronavirus relief efforts.

Gamers enjoying a 2K tournament.
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The tournament began on April 3 with top seeds Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks on opposite sides of the bracket. The seeding for players would be based on their actual ranking in the video game itself. The players were allowed to choose eight teams and use one of them each round they won. The first two rounds of the tournament were single-game elimination rounds; while the semifinals and finals were the best of three.

After the preliminary rounds, the finals consisted of Devin Booker sweeping his teammate DeAndre Ayton who were both lower seeds. I think it was very important for the league to have this event because the NBA community really needed it. Not only for the entertainment factor but for the community to still have hope during this pandemic.

Devin Booker, winner of 2K tournament and also a three-point champion.
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Highlights of the championship game.

Clippers vs. Lakers:Best In West

In Los Angeles, there are two basketball teams who dominate the NBA; the Clippers and Lakers. Now if we look at the history of the teams the Lakers have always had the advantage with a total of 16 NBA titles. Nevertheless, Clipper fans are confident that regardless of history their future looks bright with the current team.

Superstar Lebron James backing down a defender.
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Both teams came into the 2019-2020 season adding some valuable players to their rosters through free agency and trades. The Lakers were able to trade for superstar Anthony Davis from the Pelicans to play alongside Lebron James. While the Clippers were able to add 2019 finals MVP winner Kawhi Leonard through free agency and trade for Paul George. The 2019 summer was exhilarating because Laker fans assumed Leonard was going to play for them when instead went to the team across town. After this took place, the controversy of the teams spiked to an all-time high.

During this season, the Clippers have a 2-1 lead against the Lakers and were scheduled to play a total of four games with the exception of the game that was canceled because of Kobe’s passing. The Lakers with a 49-14 record are still the best in the West with the Clippers right behind them with 44-20. With records this close and teams so comparable it is truly hard to determine which one is better. Each team has everything needed to win an NBA championship that includes a great roster, coaching staff, and fan base. Ever since the teams started playing well, Los Angeles has been electric and tickets to the games have become unrealistic ranging from about $100-$2,500 dollars. The teams have truly capitalized on playing in Los Angeles.

With the most recent news, the NBA has decided to cancel the remainder of the season due to a couple of outbreaks of the Coronavirus. It is still unknown when the league will resume play but if not it would be unfortunate because there were only 20 games remaining until the playoffs. If the NBA decides to continue play, the teams are scheduled to play in April before the postseason begins. My prediction is that the Clippers and Lakers will have to play against each other in the Western Conference finals. The debate will be close when it’s all said and done but until then, let’s hope that we can see basketball again.

Kawhi Leonard playing solid defense with his large hands.
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Fans around Los Angeles share their thoughts on the topic.

Coronavirus Suspends NBA

A general view of an NBA game
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The NBA has just announced it will suspend the remaining of the season after reporting Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus. This has brought a shock to the NBA community and the entire world. At first, the league was going to suspend fans from watching the games in the arena, but now it has brought a new manner of fear. I can only imagine the effect this will have on the other players in the NBA, especially his teammates. My prayers and support go out to Rudy and his family because panic and fear is the last thing we need right now.

More information about the recent news

Who Has the Mamba Mentality now?

As mentioned in my first post, the mamba mentality is when a work ethic unlike no other builds up inside you to achieve the inevitable. This mentality does not have to only be for basketball but can be implemented in any aspect of life that requires hard work.

For this specific post, I would like to highlight certain players in the NBA who I feel have this spirit. Three players that come to mind are Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and Jayson Tatum. What makes these three special among others is that they sought guidance from Kobe that helped their game go to the next level.

Kyrie Irving hitting the game winning shot against Golden State
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Each player has different skill sets that all relate back to Kobe in some way. Kyrie Irving challenged Kobe at a young age in his career which caused him to be humbled by Kobe and want to workout with him. Kawhi Leonard went to workout at the Mamba Academy of Sports with Kobe last summer and is dominating the league at his will. Lastly, Jayson Tatum’s footwork has improved so much just by listening to Kobe, with his game has evolving as well. All three players continue to carry the mamba mentality throughout the NBA today in honor and remembrance of Kobe Bryant.

Kawhi Leonard taking Kyrie Irving one on one.
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Footage of Kyrie and Kawhi working out with Kobe

A Windy Break

Most professional sports leagues have their special weekend or day to highlight the superstar athletes. Outside of the NBA finals, the all-star weekend is the most anticipated event for the coaches, players, and fans. I have cherished this weekend ever since I was younger and first fell in love with basketball.

A beautiful landscape of the windy city Chicago
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Not only is this weekend to showcase the superstars’ talent in the NBA, but it is a time where other players have an opportunity to rest from the strenuous 82 game season. Each year the all-star weekend is hosted in a different city which gives me an Olympic vibe because you never see the same scenery twice. This year, the event was in Chicago where iconic individuals from the city helped out such as Common and Barack Obama.

Over time the rules for the event were similar with minimal changes but within the last couple of years, the weekend began to change due to drops in ratings. The NBA tried implementing different events to keep the views from declining such as the celebrity all-star game. My favorite event for the weekend is the three-point shooting contest because I like to see which star can shoot under pressure. The majority of #NBATwitter will say the dunk contest is their favorite but I can’t agree. Don’t get me wrong I see some great dunks every year, but as the years go on it’s going to be harder to create new dunks to keep the crowd’s attention.

My favorite change of the weekend this year was how the NBA honored Kobe by naming the MVP award after him and changing the rules to the game. Instead of a regular game, each quarter is played to win; at the end of the first three quarters whoever has the most points gets an additional 24 points added to their score and becomes the target score. This makes the game more competitive compared to years before where players would get nonchalant during the game.

One concept I wish never changed is the players staying in their same conference making the game East vs West. Now it goes off the two players with the most all-star voting becoming captains and drafting other players regardless of conference. This year the captains were Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo who were arguably two of the best players in the league. Overall the event has come a long way, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more changes in the future.

Shaq, Ernie, Kenny, and Charles from Inside the NBA covering the event
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A recap of the memorable years Kobe brought us during the all-star break

Where That Money Go!?

For the 2020 NBA season, the average player salary is $7.7 million. Now someone like me who has never even seen $100,000 in-person can’t even imagine how much money that is. Sports Illustrated in 2009 made an article stating that 60% of players go broke after five years of retirement. My question for thought is how can someone with all this money lose it to never see it again?

If we look at history, there have been notable names who have been financially low on money after having a successful career in the NBA such as Allen Iverson, Dennis Rodman, and Shawn Kemp to name a few. That being said, we can say that players who aren’t good stewards of their money can easily lose it.

I believe this is an issue that current NBA players should take heed of because of the way their lifestyle is. Players need to realize that it is easy to get caught up in careless spending if they’re not financially literate with their money. I believe each of the players I mentioned never imagined they would lose their money one day, and the same thing can happen today. There’s an ESPN 30 for 30 called “Broke,” which I encourage people to view if they haven’t yet for a better understanding of the issue.

A great picture of how many players’ lifestyle portrays
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I Feel Like KOBE!

**Outside of Staples Center after the tragic incident**
Photo Taken by : Jina Edusei @jina_ed

Kobe “Bean” Bryant! What an impact he had on my life, growing up and playing the beautiful game of basketball. Kobe showed me a different kind of love for the game I love to play. It was one thing for my father to motivate me to be the best player I can be, but to witness the way Kobe Bryant outworked every single competitor was amazing.

Kobe was so special to me that his number eight basketball jersey was the first jersey I owned. I even loved how he wore his hair when he had an afro and his nickname was “frobe,” which gave me the confidence to have a similar hairstyle growing up. Kobe also had a big influence on the sneaker market for basketball shoes, which as a kid I always wanted. Unfortunately, I did not receive my first pair of Kobe’s until my senior year of high school. To this day, even if I am playing recreationally, I will not play basketball in any other shoe besides his. The way he designed his shoes from the colorways to the framework and weight of the shoe is honestly perfect.

One principle that Kobe installed in me was the #MAMBAMENTALITY, which only a rare breed of people have. This mentality is when you have a passion and vision for a certain craft and continue to work hard at it to be successful. The mamba mentality isn’t just for basketball, but for any goal or vision you set your mind to. Kobe helped motivate an entire generation to reach for the stars and do the impossible.

One of the last things I want to talk about is what Kobe did after he retired from the NBA. He wrote and published books, became a phenomenal philanthropist, created the Mamba Academy for athletes of all sports, and was a great example for fatherhood. Out of everything Kobe did, being a great father stood out to me above the other things he accomplished.

The unfortunate circumstance that happened on January 26th will never be forgotten, not just for the basketball community, but for the entire world. Kobe Bryant was a once in a lifetime man, and I don’t think we will see another like him for a while unless someone perfects the mamba mentality. There will be a memorial service at the Staples Center on February 24th to honor Kobe, Gigi and the other seven people who lost their lives.

The Lakers Celebrating both Kobe and Gigi Jersey
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A tribute to Kobe from the Warriors