Antonio Losada

Nine years after making cap room for LeBron James and then getting turned down, New York is gunning for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Entering the decade, the Knicks gambled and miserably failed, settling on Amar’e Stoudemire as their marquee free agent signing of the summer. Talk about a blunder. The Brooklyn Nets, meanwhile, were still on the under-the-radar-moves market back the, signing the likes of Jordan Farmar and Travis Outlaw. It wouldn’t be until later in the season when both New York franchises blew the horns and traded for Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams.

From that point in February 2011 until today, only a couple of the moves that have sent shockwaves around the league had their epicenter in NYC. Bargnani joined the Knicks in 2013 while the Nets basically destroyed anything resembling a bright future in the trade with Boston, pushing the win-now mentality to unexplored limits. Good for both NY-based franchises, it seemed like they had learned the lesson with time and perspective taking a place in their paths until KP got kicked out of town entering this past weekend.

Now hear me out. I like trades. Actually, I love trades, and I’m sure you do too. They keep the league alive, they get us glued to our phones refreshing Twitter faster than it can handle it and they are fun to speculate and make stories with, fantasizing about what could and could not happen. The problem, though, is that trades bring agitation, and agitation is not good all of the times. What just happened with the Knicks trading Porzingis, come to think of it, makes me see the franchise in some sort of empty and peaceful place at first thought. They have traded not only KP but also Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, and Trey Burke. They have received two guys they will probably cut in Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan. Basically, New York has emptied the room and traded for things-to-come. The thing with this is that the hopes the Knicks will carry from this point to next July when they’ll need to go all-in are surreal. They are and will be over the top. Anything sort of bringing the two best available FAs will feel like a loss.

Brooklyn, on the other side of the coin, remains in a completely different place and stage. Don’t be fooled, though. The Nets have the assets and armory to go all-in themselves and snatch Anthony Davisfrom New Orleans. It would be the most resembling gamble to what the Knicks have done by trading their franchise player. Would it give Brooklyn a better chance at winning the championship? Surely, not a lot of players best AD’s game. Would it be an intelligent move? Nope. No. You know what happened the last time the Nets went for it with a big move. Yes, they made the playoffs. Yes, they lost only against the mighty Miami Heat. Do you know what did they do too? Get into a four-year tailspin that saw the franchise end with a losing record each and every one of those seasons, only to–seemingly–break that span this year.

Brooklynites appreciate the current situation. The front office should too. The vibes around the team can’t get any better. The roster has been affected by injuries as much as you can think of, yet the Nets are still out there battling on a nightly basis. Although results have not gone the Brooklyn way lately with a losing record during the past five games, the season saw a 180-degree turn when the calendar flipped to December. The Nets went from 8-15 at that point to 28-25 by the end of January. They were rewarded with four All-Star call-ups (Russell to the main event, Allen and Kurucs to the youngins’ gig and Joe Harris to the three-point contest).

You can read those last four names again, and try to find some commonality among them. Was I to tell, I’d say they all fit the homegrown, franchise-developed model to a point. Yes, D’Angelo Russell was acquired via trade with the Lakers, but he was an outcast in Hollywood and he was kicked out at the first chance LA had before betting on Lonzo. He has found a home in Brooklyn and nobody can’t tell me he doesn’t look like he’s finally got his stuff right and is on the path to becoming something big. Joe Harris has spent more time in the G-League than in the NBA after being taken by the Cavs in the 2014 draft. Brooklyn didn’t appear in his bio until 2016 when they bet on him by signing the Washington State native to a multi-year deal in July. He just re-signed with the Nets this past summer for no less than $16MM.

Jarrett Allen and Rodions Kurucs, well, no explanation needed. A 22nd and 40th picks by the own Nets, these low-key, under-the-radar, unheralded prospects are now making more than a few franchises regret their draft decisions. Yes, non-lottery picks are usually a crapshoot. But you have to know your stuff and still make a pick, and it is not just pure luck when you get these two folks in back-to-back years. And don’t forget about someone named Dzanan Musawho happens to be lighting the G League up and looks like another key piece for what is yet to come to Brooklyn, same as late call-up Theo Pinson.

So, all in all, the franchise still doesn’t have a roster capable of putting together a deep run into the playoffs. There are flaws, there is a lack of talent (or, at least, fully-developed talent), and the rotation depth is hurt by injuries. A win-now move like going for Anthony Davis would bring immediate–but to my eye false–hopes and expectations to Nets’ fans. A top-five player carries that aura and the need of winning, no matter what is around him (ask LeBron James and his fringe-quality roster). Not a lot of franchises are in the position Brooklyn is at now. Not too good, not too bad either, but surely based on a young core of players with tons of upside and even cap room to spend on game-changers this next summer without the need of pulling the trigger on some risky moves like those performed by the Knicks this past week.

I already wrote a few days ago about how the impression of New York being a blue-and-orange landscape is turning. Turns out the very own Knicks are helping that change happen at light speed now without a visible face in their roster and everything up in the air. Brooklyn’s DLo, Dinwiddie, Allen, and company are the straw that stirs NYC’s drink.

Let me say it again. We all like some trade-related excitement, but we better calm down a little, see the deadline come and go, focus on developing the roster and the young players during the following months and set our dreams on who could arrive come July when the free agency gates open for everyone. Yes, even to those who didn’t take the biggest gamble ever in the history of their franchise and could have potentially give away the most prized player to ever step on their court as one of their own in quite some time.

* * *

In a 2019 class not bad by any means for the State of New York, with guys like Aidan Igiehon or Chris Ledlum leading the pack and ranked among the Top 100 prospects in the nation, a walking bucket raises to the top of the group and he does it with some margin.

You have read it. You have heard about the news. We’re just mere days from it happening. You were surprised when you found out about it because you had been paying no attention at all, until you did. You had to. It called for it. Four thousand points. No big deal…

You read it right. JG3, on his senior year playing for Glens Falls, surpassed the mark and became one of the most prolific scorers ever in the history of the HS circuit. Not surprising. Already as a junior a little over a year to this date, last season, he surpassed Lance Stephenson’s mark of 2,946 points. It made him a certified walking bucket, the player with most points in the State of New York, ahead of legends such as Stephenson and Sebastian Telfair.

“I’m planning on being on Syracuse for four years. Obviously becoming a pro player is the ultimate goal but I want to win multiple Nattys at Cuse and have a good time wearing the orange and blue,” Girard told Ridiculous Upside.

Just months away for getting to campus and balling for the Orange, JG3 seems to have no scoring limits. To celebrate the feat of reaching 4K points he lit up Amsterdam (NY) to the tune of 52. Just another day at the office for Girard. Fredette also used to put up big scoring numbers which definitely made an impact on Joe.

“Naturally I’ve grown up trying to do some of the things Jimmer has. I like to play like him and other scoring lead-guards like Steph Curry and Trae Young. Those are the ones I’ve watched and studied the most,” Girard said.

Not a bad group. Not that they are out of reach for JG3 either given his scoring prowess. And talking about buckets, the 6-1, 180-pound combo guard leans towards the greatest-guard over the greatest-forward for the GOAT debate.

“That one is tough. I would say Michael Jordan because of the amount of championships he won and the defensive awards on top of his MVPs. Although I didn’t get to watch him so it’s hard to compare. But if I had to pick one, I’d go with MJ,” Girard said.

What he achieved at Glens Falls, though, he’s quick to put it on the school’s staff and people around him.

“Being in a select group to score 4K means a lot to me. I know it’s not something easy to accomplish so I’m proud of myself for that. At the same time I credit Glens Falls for helping me get there. My coaches, teammates and community have all supported and helped me reach it. Without them, it wouldn’t have been done,” Girard said.

Now en route to Syracuse to play Division 1 ball next season, the Orange has amassed some talent from the 2019 class of recruits. JG3 will join Brycen Goodine, Quincy Guerrier and John Bol Ajak at Cuse, though they never discussed or planned getting to play for the orange and blue together.

“We never discussed linking up during recruiting,” Girard said, while also conceding that “the one person I was trying to get to Cuse with us was Isaiah Stewart but unfortunately he just committed to Washington.”

Rest assured he may have missed on Stewart but once the time comes to pro ball there may be others wanting to join forces with him to go get some chips.

With the summer-season approaching and some all star games around the corner, I felt forced to ask Girard if he expected to make some of the rosters given his otherworldly scoring abilities.

“I’m not sure. If it happens then that’s great, but if it doesn’t so be it. I’m focused on getting better and winning championships with my team,” Girard said.

Grounded, level headed, humble. Call it what you want. Killer on the court, mad gentle out of it.

Girard has ditched Duke, ditched Michigan. Blue bloods, stay away. He is staying home. Jim Boeheim got himself a high prize here and Syracuse will field a scorer as good as they build them.

Competition will be there at the point position for Girard, but he doesn’t shy away from it. Who would after climbing the scoring ranks to the extent Girard has? Only one other kid has surpassed the 4K-points landmark since 1995, so you know you’re in front of someone special here.

You just have to remember the name, Joe Girard III.

* * *

You may be thinking I am crazy. You probably thought for a second that was making too much of a story out of nothing. Turns out, I’m afraid I’m not. House, of Shadow Mountain, has the high school circuit hating on madness. What Jaelen is able to do on the court, though, gives him hundred percent rights to boast and show some love to his competition. Get ready to see his arc feature on any game you catch him on. Oh, and yes, what happened after that celebration was what you saw. For real, House just dunked the ball in front of two poor kids. Believe it, because it doesn’t get much more real than that.

We’re not talking about whoever here. House is that player that gets on the break, runs from his zone to the opponent’s side of the floor and just when he gets to the three point line, throws the brakes as hard as he can to shoot a pull-up three instead of dropping the easy layup. Just in case it wasn’t clear yet, yes, he’s going to drive you mad.

Go watch any of the tens of videos floating around YouTube. I bet he killed it, mos def. And it’s not just about a dunk here or a three there. It’s about game, which House has tons of. Part of the Class of 2019, hailing from Phoenix and already on the good side of the best-100 prospects of the nation, he’s already signed and sealed his commitment to Arizona State University. Say hi to your new Sun Devil. But be quick, cause it’s a matter of minutes if you or your team happens to be facing him.

House is not the best point guard in the nation, not of 2019, not of 2020, not of any class of prospects. This past summer, playing for Las Vegas Prospects at Nike’s EYBL, he averaged 13 points a game along three assists and three steals. Yeah, sure, no big deal. Fast forward just a mere six months to 2019 and you’ll find House dressed on blue threads, sporting the #2, leading a Shadow Mountain team to the tune of 22 points, six dimes, four rebounds and six steals per game. All of this shooting almost 50 percent from the field and 44 percent from three. A little thing called evolution and development. As if he wasn’t determined enough to get there and further.

And don’t look at the game-by-game results of his now 17-1 squad. Just to give you a quick glimpse, Shadow Mountain beat Greenway a few days ago, 108-28 with House dropping 28 points. Before that? He hung 21 on Thunderbird, 34 on Deer Valley and 29 on Mission Bay. The other day, he dropped another 31 to get away with the W against Belleville West.

Maybe at this point you start to show some respect. And you better do, because House has come to stay. Sun Devils, rejoice. You’re not just getting fun times in House. You’re getting a legit, certified bucket.

* * *

I know what you are thinking. I know what I’m thinking, too. I have yet to go deep into this column but I’ve already made an image of it in my brain that tells me it’s going to end up focusing more than it should on the blue-and-orange franchise, considering where we’re at—a Brooklyn Nets website, of all places. The thing is, we all consume popular culture in one way or another—no matter if we care about sports, politics, or any other topic. Films deal with different things; music, too. References to New York City pop up everywhere whether you want it or not, and you can do nothing to fix it, or change those for others linked to Pawnee, IN.

One of the earliest memories I have that contains a reference to New York is the 1998 film Godzilla directed by Roland Emmerich. If I’m honest, it’s been years since I’ve watched the movie for the last time, and I don’t recall everything that happened in it. But I indeed remember one thing: Madison Square Garden appeared on it, and it was sort of a big deal. Not the Meadowlands Arena, nope. The MSG, pertaining to the New York Knicks and not the New Jersey Nets. Being from the very own New York, you may find that as logical, given that the Garden is in Manhattan, and it’s definitely a good fit in any film setup. The problem is that kids like me—who watched the film in a comfy living room across the pond knowing literally nothing about America or the United States—started to get this whole “Knicks-New York Connection” activated in our minds.

Moving fully into sports, the Knicks have always dominated the mainstream coverage of the NBA around the world. It was not often that you found Nets’ caps or tees around your local markets around Europe. It was all Yankees and Knickerbocker gear, and to this point, it still is.

Around this whole idea of the Knicks being present in our everyday life—not to that extent, but you know what I mean—I had my eyes locked into the matchup between both New York teams this past January 25. I had never thought of the rivalry as something historically great—like the Celtics versus the Lakers, for example. From the outside, there was never a picture of a hard-fought battle when the Nets and Knicks faced each other in the NBA. They were just two more teams from the L playing for the win, and that was about it. And of course, you expected the Knicks to come out as winners. I mean, they were the Knicks! The team of the world!

Turns out, they were (and are) not.

Just out of curiosity, I went to check the Knicks-Nets historical record since both teams were part of the NBA (since 1976 when the Nets got in from the ABA in the merger of both leagues). To date, there have been a total of 196 meetings. I would have never expected to find out that the series is dead-even at 98 wins apiece. You can’t write a better story.

It is obvious that looking at historical records and franchise achievements, the Knicks come out on top, and the Nets more or less flop. Wait. Is that really the case, or just the image we’ve been made to believe thanks to all of that bombing of references to the New York Knicks over time? The latter is true. Both the Knicks and the Nets have two championships pre-merger and none after it. So, yes, the New York Knicks have two NBA chips but if we’re honest, we can equate those to the ones won by the Nets while playing in the ABA.

Fast forward to contemporary times, and oh boy have things changed in perception. The advent of the internet, social media, international television, streaming and I-don’t-know-how-much-more technology-driven stuff have flipped the coin. In the era of the meme and the years or decade prior to it, the Knicks have been a mess to say the least, while the Nets have contended and been in the picture on a yearly basis. The early aughts saw the Nets fall short of the championship two times, losing to the unfairly-good Lakers and Spurs teams of 2003 and 2004. A squad led by Jason Kidd, which also featured youngins like Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin, was about as good as you could think of for a team back then. Sadly, they couldn’t get their hands on the gold.

Keep going through the timeline up to current dates, and things keep coming the Nets’ way. We have to be honest, both Knicks and Nets fans. While the team from New Jersey struggled, moved to Brooklyn and destroyed its immediate future with a much-maligned trade, the one from Manhattan didn’t do much better when trading for Carmelo Anthony to try to foster a winning spell that never truly came to town and also crumpled the future of the franchise. We must admit that the move to Brooklyn and the Barclays Center brought new vibes to the Nets and created a culture aligned with our times, while the Knicks have remained stuck in the middle of nowhere for the past few years.

Kids like Jarrett Allen were drafted straight by the Nets and loved to be part of a renewed team with high hopes. Other players, like Spencer Dinwiddie or D’Angelo Russell, were brought to the franchise via trade or free agency after being ousted by other teams, and they embraced the challenge of making Brooklyn a new, cool and competitive squad. Heck, even an undrafted Theo Pinson looks promising and is thriving in black-and-white threads nowadays.

Times have changed, and we’re not limited to bits of information spread here and there anymore. The concept of a Knicks-ruled world is over, for good. It’s a pity we’ll not have the chance to see another matchup between Brooklyn and New York this season (sorry, but the Knicks won’t make the playoffs), and we’ll have to wait until next winter to catch one. In that occasion, now with the series tied, the balance will once again fall to one side or the other. A lucky break could award Manhattan’s team the W and give it the edge over Brooklyn, but the trend says otherwise.

Embrace the Nets and forget about the alleged Knicks’ dominance. It belongs to other, long-gone times.

* * *

Of those who made it to the NBA (10 of the 14), almost everyone had at least three or four fruitful seasons in the League, while Magic Johnson became the face of it during his peak. The trend has been steady since the first edition of the game, and although there have been atrocious classes (the one of 1992 only featured six future NBA players, and three never reached 600 games) the norm says that more than half the field of players selected would have productive pro-careers. On this side of excellence, we only have to look at the class of 2014, as only one player remains out of the NBA yet is still playing for Kentucky at collegiate level, and is expected to reach the League this next summer, making it 24 of 24 pros.

We still don’t know what will happen to the class of 2018 in terms of their career development. What we already know are the names of those who will feature in this upcoming late-March clash between the East and West All-American teams.

The rosters, must be said, are as stacked as they can. Yes, there are snubs. Yes, there are players who – most probably – will eventually flop. It’s the law of nature and we can do nothing about it. The selection committee had to chose between 800+ pre-selected players (including boys and girls) and only 24 made the final cut (48 if we include the girls’ teams). That means less than 6% of the players that appeared on the preliminary list will play in March, let alone the percentage if we consider all seniors and eligible kids playing around the nation.

Although each scouting service ranks player differently, we can look at 247Sports Composite rankings (which aggregates those of multiple sites) to get an overall idea of how the selection went and who deserved to get in or was left out without meriting it. Of the 24 selected, only three fall off the best 24 players ranked by 247Sports (No. 27 Trendon Watford, No. 26 Tre Mann and No. 47 Samuell Williamson). They got in by moving next-best ranked No. 18 Onyeka Okongwu, No. 21 Will Baker and No. 22 Keion Brooks out. By these rankings – which by no means should be taken as the be-all end-all benchmark of future success – the selections were pretty much spot-on.

With the names already known, let’s take a quick look at the tiers of prospects that will feature (and who won’t) on the 42nd edition of the McDonald’s All-American game:

Tier 1: Can’t-Miss Kids

The cream of the crop of this season’s class of HS seniors is highlighted by James Wiseman, Vernon Carey, Cole Anthony and Anthony Edwards. Everyone of them boast a grade of 0.999+ on 247Sports, which is to say they are historically on par with prospects such as Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons or Kyrie Irving. Two of them, Anthony and Edwards, have yet to pick a college and will play together on the East team along other players who could sway their final decisions. A little under that mark, I would personally put Scottie Lewis (No. 12), Bryan Antoine (No. 13) and Nico Mannion (No. 14) in this group too.

Tier 2: Best Prospects

A notch below the sure-things (if we can be sure of anything at this level), we find a bunch of players that have been tearing up rivals during the past few seasons. For me, the names to keep an eye on would include those of Jaden McDaniels (No. 5), Isaiah Stewart (No. 6), Kahlil Whitney (No. 8), Tyrese Maxey (No. 10), Josh Green (No. 11) and Isaiah Mobley (No. 17). I find hard to find glaring faults in their game, and that made them stay in this second group.

Tier 3: Good-not-Great Guys

Be it a lack of effort (because of them or the lack of competition, which can happen at this level), of an aspect of the game (outside shooting, vision, rebounding, defense, you name it) or any other little flaw, the next few guys are also at the top of the game but dropped to this third tier. Here I would allocate kids such as Matthew Hurt (No. 7), Precious Achiuwa (No. 9), Joshia James (No. 15), Trayce Jackson-Davis (No.16), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (No. 19), Armando Bacot (No. 20) and Tre Mann (No. 26). I hope I don’t have to remind you that even while they were put in this third level, this guys were cherry picked from all of the nation’s senior, so we are not dealing with middling players here.

Tier 4: All-Upside Players

Finally, at this point we are left with five prospects that for one reason or another are not ranked that high as their peers. On average, they are low in the positional ranks for the role they play on the court, and that means they’ll play with a chip in their shoulder, thus trying to elevate their game over that of the most coveted players. Here, then, we’d have Oscar Tshiebwe (No. 23), Wendell More (No. 24), Trendon Watford (No. 27) and Samuell Williamson (No. 47).

No-No Tier: Snubs and Misses

I have already said it and I can’t be clearer: this All-American class of players is as good as it can be, snubs or not. Even with that, though, some names that won’t be on the court for the all-star game this next March make some of the selections a little dubious not because of the lack of quality of those picked, but because of the talent of those left out.

The most glaring case can be that of Onyeka Okongwu (No. 18), who playing for Chino Hills has never been nationally ranked lower than No. 20 and has quite a resumé including being named California Mr. Basketball and having a national AAU chip to his name. With him, two other already mentioned prospects ranked between the best 24 players of the nation (Will Baker and Keion Brooks) will be watching from home. On a personal level, I’d include Cassius Stanley (No. 27), Jalen Lecque (No. 29), Boogie Ellis (No. 36) and Isaac Okoro (No. 38) as notable omissions that will take some fun off the game not being part of it.

At this point, and just to close all of this, you may still be wondering why after reading more than a thousand words you have yet to find the name of LaMelo Ball. The youngest of the BBB brothers is playing point at SPIRE Academy (OH) this season after a spell in Lithuania. That, precisely, is what has – also with the business of LaVar Ball floating around – made it a tough out for him to make a name for himself in the HS and college recruiting rankings, as his situation is unique. Although considered one of the best point guards and overall players in the nation (ESPN just ranked him No. 13 for the 2019 class, only behind fellow PGs Cole Anthony and Nico Mannion), he has yet to receive official offers from meaningful NCAA DI colleges and that is not a lock to happen as he could be deemed ineligible to play at that level. This could mean sitting out for a year, another season playing in Europe or at another country and team who eventually wanted his services, or enter the NBA’s outer-circles by playing for a G-League team before he declares for the 2020 NBA draft. In any case, LaMelo’s ability is undeniable and he will make it to the League in most scenarios. Don’t be surprised if you don’t hear his name a lot during the next twelve months, but prepare to see him raise on mock drafts come June 2020.

Wiseman, Carey, and the rest of the top-crew will still be there, but competition will definitely emerge from the most unexpected places and things will start looking much different once the new college season start next fall and finishes months later with everybody looking to make the jump to pro-ball.

* * *

You may be thinking I am crazy. You probably thought for a second that was making too much of a story out of nothing. Turns out, I’m afraid I’m not. House, of Shadow Mountain, has the high school circuit hating on madness. What Jaelen is able to do on the court, though, gives him hundred percent rights to boast and show some love to his competition. Get ready to see his arc feature on any game you catch him on. Oh, and yes, what happened after that celebration was what you saw. For real, House just dunked the ball in front of two poor kids. Believe it, because it doesn’t get much more real than that.

We’re not talking about whoever here. Jaelen House is that player than get on the break, run from his zone to the opponent’s side of the floor and just when he gets to the three point line throw the brakes as hard as he can to shoot a pull-up three instead of dropping the easy layup. Just in case it wasn’t clear yet, yes, he’s going to drive you mad.

Go watch any of the tens of videos floating around YouTube. I bet he killed it, mos def. And it’s not just about a dunk here or a three there. It’s about game, which House has tons of. Part of the Class of 2019, hailing from Phoenix and already on the good side of the best-100 prospects of the nation, he’s already signed and sealed his commitment to Arizona State University. Say hi to you new Sun Devil. But be quick, cause it’s a matter of minutes if you or your team happens to be facing him you’re soon going to hate the fate of challenging him, at least a little.

Jaelen is not the best point guard in the nation, not of 2019, not of 2020, not of any class of prospects. This past summer, playing for Las Vegas Prospects at Nike’s EYBL, he averaged 13 points a game along 3 assists and 3 steals. Yeah, sure, no big deal. Fast forward just a mere six months to 2019 and you’ll find House dressed on blue threads, sporting the #2, leading a Shadow Mountain team to the tune of 22 points, 6 dimes, 4 rebounds and 6 steals (!) per game. All of this shooting almost 50% from the field and 44% from three. A little thing called evolution, and development. As if he wasn’t determined enough to get there and further.

And don’t look at the game-by-game results of his now 17-1 squad. Just to give you a quick glimpse, SM beat Greenway a few days ago 108-28 with Jaelen dropping 28 points. Before that? He hung 21 on Thunderbird, 34 on Deer Valley and 29 on Mission Bay. The other day, he dropped another 31 to get away with the W against Belleville West.

Maybe at this point you start to show some respect. And you better do, because Jaelen has come to stay. Sun Devils, rejoice. You’re not just getting fun times in House. Y’all getting a legit, certified bucket.

* * *

To me, that night marked the start of a new Nets era. I didn’t know that back then, because Brook Lopez wasn’t really that coveted a prospect. Lopez arrived for his short college career as the number nine player in the national rankings and was selected just one position behind that number two years later. Not bad considering he could have opted to enroll into the pro-circuit 12 months prior to when he did. Time would only prove doubters wrong, as Brook Lopez became the face (and the arms, the legs, the torso and everything left) of a franchise that saw him better his game while he watched it change places and venues, moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn.

There is an intrinsic relationship between fans, teams, and players. This is the most common thing in sports, and it won’t change any time soon. People create images in their mind, attach uniforms and colors and meanings to individuals and by mere context, those players are linked forever to franchises. Or it ends up being just the opposite if they can’t seem to find a place that fits their game, be it for on- or off-field issues. The relation between Brook and the Nets, to my eyes, looked like it would never end, and to an extent, I think it shouldn’t. It is not the most common thing nowadays, but one-team players are quality players, no matter their abilities. Brook Lopez was the franchise player in New Jersey, even with an old-yet-still-productive Vince Carter around for a year. Lopez was the franchise player in Brooklyn too, even with the likes of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett coming his way. Yet in 2017, things took a turn and Lopez was gone for good.

In a blatant salary-dump flavored deal, the Lakers acquired Brook Lopez and a pick from Brooklyn, sending D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov packing. Turns out Paul George slept and LeBron James made them wait. On the other side of things, the Nets weren’t getting much in Russell. He was a former number two overall pick, yes, but he was also someone who had not played to the level of excellence expected from the Los Angeles franchise, who looked like were locked on another point guard for the future, Lonzo Ball.

A trade like this rings the “disrespect” bell to someone like Brook Lopez and what he represented (or should have represented, at least) to the Nets franchise. The gamble was in place. If D’Angelo didn’t pan out in Brooklyn and up his game, more than one Brooklynite would be mad-furious with the front office. The operation was taking a 180º turn, indeed. Brook was leaving the Nets as the player with the second-most games to his name for the franchise (562), only behind Buck Williams (635). An era was closed and another one, with eyes on the future once the errors of the past in the trade no one wants to talk about, was kicked open.

And D’Angelo Russell wasn’t bad. At least not that bad. In his third year in the league, leading the Nets backcourt, he was able to replicate the numbers he had posted in LA and even raised some up, improving his overall game. The emergence of Spencer Dinwiddie, though, made him play the second-fiddle role on ball-handling duties. It wasn’t until this season when things truly clicked for the Louisville native. Now in his fourth year in the league and 47 games into his second season as a Net, D’Angelo has taken the league by storm and remember: Russell has not yet turned 23 years old. He is besting his career averages from every angle dropping 19.2 points a game (38th-best in the NBA), getting 3.7 boards and contributing with a 19th-best 6.4 assists per game. All of this with an eFG% of 51.7, not mind blowing but definitely over his past averages, showing symptoms of development.

At this point, already past the first half of the season and approaching the All-Star break, it looks like the gamble is starting to pay off. (Starting because the gamble itself, to my eyes, and as I’ve already explained, had a great deal of drama to it as it broke a carefully curated relationship that lasted almost a decade. )We’re running out of fingers to count 30+ points performances from Russell (he’s already had eight such games, including a 40-point explosion against Orlando), true. We’re watching a hyped Ohio State prospect finally blossoming into a true leader on the court. We’re experiencing the wrinkled cocoon turning into a beautiful butterfly in front of our eyes on a nightly basis. Yet we’re still waiting for it to be sealed, and most of all, delivered.

D’Angelo Russell is about to hit the market this next July. Brooklyn has the right to match any offer put on the table for the point guard, no matter where it comes from. We, as fans without access to any potential discussion regarding the franchise decision on what to do with the soon-to-be free agent, can only wait and see. I watched Stephon Marbury come and go. Kenyon Martin. Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter, and Jason Kidd. And lastly, Brook. I don’t need more letdowns. The good thing is, sunlight is starting to rise in Brooklyn. The Nets look solid and the players are young. The front office will have tough decisions to make, and D’Angelo was not an original draft pick of the team, but it sure feels like it knowing where the franchise comes from after enduring more than a rocky path these past few seasons.

The future looks bright. D’Angelo can only, I hope, onward go.

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No one truly thought much of it back then when the record since the merger stopped there at sixteen. A few days separated Kobe's run from T-Mac's one, only McGrady fell short of Bryant's record by two games stopping at 14. Only 11 years later Durant surpassed the 10-game barrier. Until well, you know what happened with some bearded beast from—of all places—California.

Another game, another night in the office. It fits that the very own James Harden asks Houston’s in-arena DJ to play "I Don't Stress" during his pregame routine. Not like Bryant back in Seattle, Harden had Memphis in the spotlight the night's affair. It would be his 17th game in a row putting up 30+ points, therefore surpassing the Mamba's mark and adding another note to his already dilated résumé. And you guessed right, cause Memphis couldn't stop it.

Gimme the ball, bite the fake, cover my step-back, eat it anyway. It’s already a mantra. Harden’s way of life. And he ain’t going to drop it without CP3 nor Capela active. I mean, he may be even taking advantage of the situation. Harden has become a cannon, a gunner, a one-man wrecking crew of his own. He’s dropped 30+ points in 17 consecutive games and counting, but we’re not talking 30+ points as “30 or barely more than 30 points, just edging the mark” here. No. We’re talking performances straight out of fantasy write-ups. He just awarded Memphis a 57-point present. One day before he put up 38 against Orlando. Prior to that he torched Cleveland (43) and Milwaukee (42). And the list goes on. And on. And then some.

It was back in December of good ol’ 2018 that James Harden didn’t surpass the 30-point mark against Portland, missing it by just one goddamn bucket. Christ’s sake. During the last 17 games, Harden is averaging 41.3 points, yes, your read it right. Now wait a second. He’s also dropping dimes at 9.2 per night, capturing 7.5 rebounds and even stealing 2.1 balls a game. Talk about ballin’.

While it saddens me, I know this will finish sometime. Harden isn’t going to catch Wilt Chamberlain, who put together 65 games of 30+ points. 34 games ahead of second-placed Wilt Chamberlain, who happens to be six games ahead of third-placed Wilt Chamberlain. It will probably be hard for Harden to surpass Baylor, who “only” got to 18, much more Wilt’s 20 or Larry Jones’ 25. The Beard is not one I’d bank on long runs of anything, although he’s holding steady here.

The 2010 Los Angeles Lakers, again, were sustained by the aforementioned aging core. Yes, they were still full of fuel and made the West Conf semis the next two seasons, but that was all. Another trip to the playoffs in 2013 – losing in the first round after employing no less than three head coaches all-season – was the last time the Lakers sniffed postseason ball. Kobe would only dress in yellow threads for 6 more games the following campaign after suffering a season-ending injury. One year later, he would only make it to 35 games. One more, and the legend would start 66 matches, including an epic 60-point performance against Utah at the very end of what was his merry-go-round season in the Association at age 37.

So to sum up, we can say the Lakers banked hard on veteran leadership and while they scored a couple of titles, which being honest was more than enough (you know, banners hang forever), they ultra-ruined his long-term future so badly. By the summer of 2014 the most promising pieces of the upcoming Lakers were Julius Randle (injured on game-one and lost for the season) and Jordan Clarkson. Not the greatest expectations. Not in Los Angeles nowadays, neither. In 2015 both of them made the jump tho, and were joined by OSU product D’Angelo Russell (also outed two years later) and Larry Nance, though this one never looked legit.

It wasn’t until 2017 when things turned around. With Magic back at the helm of the FO and Kobe finally out of the team and not burning any more Laker-bills something started, and it went by the name of Brandon Ingram, the skinniest player you ever saw. Oh, and you didn’t noticed back then, but some folk from Bosnia also got his rights attached to Los Angeles. More later. Another year, another losing season, another good drafting position, another big-time, big-ball, move by the Lakers. It fits the place. Lonzo Ball was in town, baby, and he wasn’t alone. Kuz joined him and after all surpassed his level of performance. Josh Hart also went to the Lakers via fooling, excuse me, trade from Utah on draft night. The future – now more than present – core, although still unknown to most, was already in place.

Magic had it all pictured in his brain. Lose for a year, hone the skill, build the hype, pry LeBron from Cleveland, re-activate winning ways and bring back the chip to SoCal. Old times vibes. And oh boy is it working. Forgot about the start of the current season, when LeBron was the on-court head honcho of the team, Rondo was still alive and the likes of Stephenson were the rave. It is Youngins’ Time in Hollywood.

LeBron down with an injury? No problem, because as much as this is the team of the GOAT now, well, it is the team of the young core too. Zo is balling harder than his brand. Hart has blossomed into something beautiful and seen more minutes than Ingram, who himself is still learning where he fits best but (sorry haters) is putting it all together on a nightly basis. Zubac (remember him!?) is deemed a key part for now and the future to the extent the Lakers are denying a potential cut to make roster to a certain HoF now imprisoned in Houston. And what about Kuz? We better just watch him play and pour no ink in here, cause he’s legit letting his game speak volumes of his value.

While the current franchise kinda had to get rid of D’Lo and Randle to open a path to its current state and both are thriving in their new homes, the Lakers stroke gold (no pun intended) with their latests youngsters to arrive in town. Even with all that, it’s a shame what is about to happen and you can sense it with King James handling the reigns of Laker Land. The traction of the LJ – and the fact he’s squeezing his last years at top level although it seems the other way around – is such that this incredibly talented group of studs will be broken sooner rather than later. Heck, they may even kick some out before this February trade deadline!

That chilly night in SoCal, Melo made history and dropped–not cherry-picked–the mere amount of 92 points while handing 7 assists and capturing 5 boards. “Nah, no big deal, he just an indulged kid”, haters said. Two years later, and a few round-world trips after that match, Melo finds himself at the spotlight again, and not only because of his surroundings. LaVar’s game keeps going strong, yes. Lonzo is partnering LeBron just around the corner, right. LiAngelo, well, LiAngelo is part of the triple B, which is something. But it is all about LaMelo now. Now lanky and sporting a shiny-trimmed hair, the small of the Balls is just doing that, Ballin’. His family still brings the fanfare, for sure, but he’s undoubtedly the leader of a Spire Academy team nothing but full of talent. He may not be ranked by most scouting services because they see them as a pro, but the kid could be easily the leading PG of this year’s class. Don’t sweat it tho. As in the past, time will put everyone in his spot, and Melo ain’t gon be far from the L much long

What are you supposed to explain when talking about someone sought by the likes of UConn, FSU and Michigan State? Most probably greatness. Ask Rocket Watts, the No. 1 prospect coming out of Ohio in 2019 and future MSU Spartan. And yet, with all of this, we can consider him only the second-best player in a Spire team led by Melo (yes, bullies are coming packed in full.) It ain’t a unique routine, for sure, but don’t get surprised if you catch Rocket awake and putting up shots in the gym barely by the time your father gets to bed. Watts is ahead, and he only wants more. Actually, what started as a middling career with a dubious future ahead (he was ranked No. 100+ in the nation just one year ago) has turned into a sure-thing waiting to hit the NBA. Excuse me, I better say smash it. Just check this out. This summer playing for The Family on the summer Nike U17 tourney, Rocket hung 20 buckets per game. He can handle the ball, move it around and find his targets, spot on. You know the best thing about playing along LaMelo Ball? He can hook you up anytime. Tell Rocket about it and he’ll show you an endless string of killer dunks, so start getting some free time in your schedule cause it may take a while to cover all of them. And still, he shares the court with yet another stud. Spire can’t stop, won’t stop. The class of 2020 looks strong. Michigan State, well, they pounded on Watts and could strike gold on Isaiah. Why would you get satisfied just scoring one of them? Bring Rocket in 2019, build a solid team around him, hope he stays for a second year (sorry Spartans, he won’t) and pair him again with Jackson later. One can dream and East Lansing looks like the place of dreamers nowadays, to be fair. Don’t get fooled by that messy hairdo though. Isaiah is ditching offers from top-dog colleges and looks like he would be pleased to greet Sparty every week in a couple years when he arrives in campus. Can’t say he doesn’t deserve it now, and much less that he won’t deserve it even more in 12 months time when he finishes his high school run. Melo could be anywhere, Rocket is NCAA-bound, but Isaiah Jackson will keep bringing his game to Spire. No little business. The kid is putting up 15.2 PPG and it is hard to watch him drop below the 10-point mark. And then, there are the rebounds. The rock can’t escape Isaiah’s hands in the paint. He’s turning the ball over no more than he’s sharing dimes and we’re talking about a big guy. And don’t look now, but he’s blocking almost five shots per outing while also getting a good couple of steals a game. Complete package, they say. So yes, this is Spire Academy 2019 and if you don’t know, now you know. Being undefeated is a thing. Coasting is another, and the Academy is surely bringing flair to the game.

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It feels like it’s been a whole life since the kid broke into the scene with sick moves as a 14-year-old. Real story is, Newman has just turned 17 and is aiming at becoming a top 2020 class nationally ranked baller. Be it a question of word-of-mouth, he’d already be there, because this young gun is damn calling the shots. Literally. One fun thing about Julian is how he’s coached by his father Jamie. The J-J partnership may not be at the level of LaVar’s Triple B Evil Empire, but it is definitely showing out there. How could it not, with Newman becoming the last phenom playing varsity ball at 11 years of age!? Orlando born-and-raised, the Floridan prospect has raised through kids younger and older since day one at Downey Christian. Now let me tell you a story, and bear with me. Today I have sold my XBOX One. Yes. I just had to do it. Don’t ask why. I just sold it, and one of those basketball games that are the rave nowadays among players here and there. And I will miss one thing more than anything. Not winning. But enjoying dribbling and doing crazy stuff with the sticks at hand. I’ve always said Kyrie Irving is the most videogame-character-player among pros. His handles are out of this world. He looks like a constat flick of sticks and an infinite string of pressed buttons. Enter Julian Newman, and you have a videogame-character playing a videogame-character. Basically, doubling down on Irving’s moves. Newman is legit a baller. Yes, call him overrated (he may be a little, I must concede myself), try to bash him, throw him under the bus, criticize him and deem him a ball-hogger. Do you what you want, do what you please, too bad for you, he ain’t gonna flink. Julian has grown on the spotlight. He knows business, and he deals them on a weekly basis. Newman is averaging a crazy 32 points per game shooting 49% from the field (and for three!), he’s getting 5 boards a game and also stealing the ball around 3 times. Oh, and for the haters, he also knows how to share that little rounded thing–he’s putting up 7 dimes a night. Even with all this, Newman’s biggest challenge is still ahead of him, though not much further down the line. Actually, it’s happening this weekend, when he will join forces with nation’s No. 10 2021 overall prospect and No. 1 PG Zion Harmon, from Kentucky, in which is labeled as the game of the year already. No joke, BBB against Prodigy. Melo against Julian. Spire against DCS. I introduced you to this stupidly good Spire team yesterday, and you thought you had seen it all. Well, you better hold your horses. Yes, DCS is nowhere near Spire on paper. The LaMelo-Rocket-Isaiah trio is way ahead of Newman and Zion, both in age, frame, building, ability and strength. They aren’t nationally ranked, yet they haven’t lose a game. But they may ultimately turn to be your Monstars to Newman-&-Zion’s Tune Squad. Will it be hard for the youngins to beat the team from Ohio? Sure. Will Newman and Zion shoot up to 30 shots each trying to kill Spire with otherworldly volume? Don’t doubt it. It may look ugly after the final horn, the stats’ sheet will probably be ridiculous (and maybe on both sides), but we’re up for a massive showcase, not just a game. No wonder this battle might field a minimum of five future pros, if not more. In just a single game. In just a packed court. Forget about hating and enjoy hoops at least once. We may be witnessing history this weekend.

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