Who brought the best bottle? Redick: “In my little circle of T.J. McConnell, Doug McDermott, Tobias Harris and Josh Hart, it was usually me. But Josh has got some great Bordeaux in his collection. But he also had some shipped in. The last night I was there, I didn’t have enough room in my luggage to transport all of the wine back home to New York. So I brought six or seven … [Read more...] about
Redick will be the first of five NBA players who will appear on the weekly virtual chat to discuss their favorite vino while talking hoops. Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony (Sept. 29), former NBA All-Star Paul Pierce (Oct. 6), Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (Oct. 13) and Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma (Oct. 20) will follow suit. All of which might … [Read more...] about
The routine for New Orleans Pelicans guard J.J. Redick became as customary as it is for him to take a jump shot. It seemed just as easy for him, too. After spending his downtime in the NBA campus bubble enjoying wine and conversation, it did not take much to convince Redick to extend that passion further. Redick will be the first NBA player to participate in Acker Wines’ … [Read more...] about
However, Ball was one of the worst guards in the league this past season when it came to making plays off the dribble. Per NBA.com, Ball registered just 359 drives this year in over 2,000 minutes of playing time. The only other “guard” to play at least 2,000 minutes and come up with fewer drives to the basket was Tim Hardaway Jr. (271). Ball was also sixth on his team in points … [Read more...] about
Despite the long-term weight and injury concerns noted by some of the talent evaluators who left Williamson off their five players to build around, his upside was too good to pass up for others. “Zion’s injury history dropped him behind Tatum and Bam for me,” one scout said. “But I still think that even when considering his injuries, he’s just such a unique player that if you … [Read more...] about
Williamson tore his right lateral meniscus and had arthroscopic right knee surgery before the season. The former No. 1 overall pick only played 24 games this season, leaving some to wonder if he can sustain his 285-pound frame. “I think Zion is a superstar unless he suffers injuries, which is possible,” one general manager said. “I didn’t like how he moved in the bubble.” … [Read more...] about
Ball made some serious strides with his 3-point shot this past season, and it forced teams to start defending him differently. In his first season with the Pels, he made nearly as many 3s (148) as he did in his first two years with the Lakers (165), and he shot a career-best 37.5 percent from deep. It was clear the daily work he put in with Brandon Ingram and assistant coach … [Read more...] about
According to NBA.com, the Pelicans had a net rating of plus-9.8, a promising figure, when Ball and Williamson shared the floor. But in lineups that featured the rookie phenom without Ball, the Pelicans got outscored by a whopping 13.1 points per 100 possessions. It’s a relatively small sample size, but that’sa tremendous drop-off. Zion’s individual numbers don’t necessarily dip … [Read more...] about
Joe Cowley: @JaMorant Ja is a transcendent player- no arguing that. But the ROTY should go to the most impactful. The NBA built a TV schedule around Zion and expanded a bubble for Zion. His 24 games were must-see TV. I’ll take that 24-and change PER and stand on that side of history. … [Read more...] about