Good morning, get your Bogdanovics straight!
That and more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
WHITE FLIGHT, THEN WHITE FLIGHT: Stellar piece by Shrill Cosby in VICE about the lies the Atlanta Hawks have told themselves.
CONGRATS SERBIA: The FIBA silver medalists got a gold medal welcome in Belgrade. Although it seems like the fans cursed the United States?
WHAT WE LEARNED AT THE WORLD CUP: Prada and Zimmerman with the big takeaways.
WELL ... HE’S RIGHT? Klay Thompson’s agent says he’s the best two-way two-guard in the league. Lance Stephenson’s agent is like, “Chill god.” But it really does say something about the state of the position in the NBA that Klay’s agent is quite possibly correct. I’m trying to argue beyond Lance and I’m coming up with ... Wesley Matthews?
ON D-ROSE: Ricky O’Donnell writes that Derrick Rose, despite the poor shooting numbers, relearned what can’t be taught at the World Cup. I sure hope so.
AHEM: Players need a voice in FIBA reform. Suits shouldn’t decide how basketball players can spend their summers without input from the basketball players themselves. This isn’t a kindergarten class.
RED, WHITE AND BOOGIE: Andrew Sharp appreciates the finer things about Team USA’s gold.
OOF: Because there are now 17 D-League teams owned by, controlled by or in direct partnership with NBA clubs, the other 13 NBA teams have to share one D-League affiliate: the beguiled Fort Wayne Mad Ants (who also happen to be the defending D-League champs). As Mike Prada notes at that link, the teams affiliated with the Mad Ants will be competing with each other for roster spots. Consider that an incentive for them to get their own D-League squad.
LISTS! Friends of GMIB Rob Mahoney and Ben Golliver put together their list of the top 100 players in the league. Here’s 100-51 and the snubs.
DIRK NOWITZKI SINGING A LULLABY: Brilliant little interview with His Dirkness. Turn subtitles on (the CC button).Unless you speak German, I guess.
JOE INGLES ALERT: The Clips got him, says Stein.
DISASTER PREVENTION: Interesting take on Phoenix’s offseason.
MEANWHILE, IN PORTLAND ... Why the new TV deal won’t really affect the Blazers.
IMPORTANT NEWS FOR LEAGUE PASSERS: Ben McLemore is now a Pizza Guy.
UH OH: Marc Gasol is more fit than usual as the season approaches. Thanks, FIBA!
30-FOR-30s ANNOUNCED: There’s one NBA-focused doc in there, an adaptation of Harvey Araton’s ‘70s Knicks tome When The Garden Was Eden. October 21. (I’ll also be watching Rand University, a doc about Randy Moss, thankyouverymuch.)
This is absolutely a trap. Waka Flaka is almost certainly a DEA mole.
Happy Tuesday. See you next time.
