Hoopdarshan Episode 69: Superspectacular NBA 2018-19 Preview with James Hsu

The new NBA season is here, and so is Hoopdarshan, India's premier basketball podcast! In episode 69, hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok are joined by basketball superfan James Hsu to speak about burning topics like the Warriors' inevitability, Lakers' playoff fortunes, the new Kings of the East, the Timberwolves timbermess, the future of the Knicks, and everything else!

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Hsu has a myriad of fascinations, including technology, Magic The Gathering, and the Chicago Bulls. James is the founder and CTO of CardBoard Live, has written a memoir about his Magic The Gathering journey, and hosts a podcast called Humans of Magic.



Hoopdarshan is the truest voice of Indian basketball, and since we're such hopeless fans of the game, it will become the voice of everything basketball related we love, from the NBA to international hoops, too. On every episode of Hoopdarshan, we will be inviting a special guest to interview or chat to about a variety of topics. With expert insight from some of the brightest and most-involved people in the world of Indian basketball, we hope to bring this conversation to a many more interested fans, players, and followers of the game.

Make sure to follow Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud or search for 'Hoopdarshan' on the iTunes Store! Auto-sync Hoopdarshan to your preferred podcast app NOW!

Hoopdarshan can be found on...

• - iTunes: Hoopdarshan 
• - Hoopdarshan on Soundcloud 
• - On Twitter: @Hoopdarshan 
• - Facebook.com/Hoopdarshan 

SLAM Top 50: Karl-Anthony Towns, No. 20

The reigning ROY is the prototype NBA big man.

This article first published as part of SLAM Magazine's #SLAMTop50 on SLAMOnline.com on October 10, 2016. Here is the original version of the piece.

Kinesiology, as per Wikipedia, is “a scientific study of human or non-human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, biomechanical, and psychological mechanisms of movement.” It’s an important medical science, applicable in biomechanics and orthopedics. In the sports world, it can be applied to the rehab of athletes from injury, strength and conditioning, occupational therapy, and even sport psychology.

Kinesiology was also the subject that a certain college freshman majored in a couple of years ago at the University of Kentucky. That freshman was distracted by other things—chief among them was the fact that he was the best young basketball player in the nation. The “distraction” (my word, not his) was the reason he was at Kentucky. The “distraction” had made him one of the top-recruited players of his class and eventually made him the No. 1 overall draft pick in the loaded 2015 NBA Draft. That “distraction” became his profession.

But his interest in kinesiology never wavered. The freshman maintained a 4.0 GPA in his only year at Kentucky, continued taking online classes in kinesiology, and maintained that, after a casual couple of decades of dominance in the world’s most competitive basketball league, he is hoping to start a second career as a doctor.

Meet Karl-Anthony Towns, aspiring doctor, specialist in human movement, the current face of not one but two special SLAM Magazine covers, and one of the best damn young players that the basketball world has seen in a long, long time.

If you follow SLAM, you know the story already. In his recent cover feature on Towns, Adam Figman told us about the lanky, awkward kid who went from being picked last in the playground to first in the draft. He told us about a 20-year-old (!!!) Dominican who presented an almost unreal combination of physical greatness and social congeniality. He quoted this 7-footed beast, the future of the NBA, leaving with the words: “I’ve always said that I want to leave the game on my own terms, finish as the best player that’s ever lived, and do it my own way—never a version two of someone else, but the first version of myself, and I strive every day and continue to work on my game so I can be the best player possible, so I can leave my legacy as that. I’m not gonna stop until I’ve accomplished that goal, until I have absolutely nothing to give to the game of basketball.”

The NBA changes every few years. Rules change, styles change, tactics change. Dominant big men make way for do-it-all swingman make way for all-three-point-shooting-everything. The constant imagining and reimaging of what ‘works’ in a winning system gives the league its competitive edge but also keeps talented players in a turnstile. Only a chosen few, those who adapt, can survive and thrive long-term. The rest get ushered out in a hurry.

Towns, undoubtedly a once-in-a-generation talent, will adapt, and he’ll dominant. I’m not talking later, I’m talking now. I’m talking following up on a historic rookie season where he played and started in all 82 games for the Timberwolves, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game now. I’m talking a youngster with defensive intelligence way beyond his years now. I’m talking of the first big to win the NBA Skills Challenge now. I’m talking top 20 in the SLAM rankings at age 20 now.

Let’s stay with the “distraction” for now. The medical career can wait.

Kinesiology roots from the Greek word kinesis. Movement. The study of movement. While the rest of the league rests, or swirls around that turnstile. Towns is here to study that movement and then break through. Move on further, higher, faster. He’s here to stay. Here’s here to adapt. Here’s here to dominate.

SLAM Top 50: Andrew Wiggins, No. 31

The fast-improving 21-year-old is beginning to realize the depths of his talents.

This article first published as part of SLAM Magazine's #SLAMTop50 on SLAMOnline.com on September 30, 2016. Here is the original version of the piece.

(We forgot about Andrew Wiggins)

The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Karl-Anthony Towns number one in the draft last year. Towns went on to shatter his own high expectations and posted one of the finest rookie seasons in recent history. He was the unanimous rookie of the year, shot his way to early comparisons to Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, and even earned two solo SLAM covers.

The Timberwolves hired Tom Thibodeau as Head Coach and president of basketball operations in April, immediately setting off the promise of stability, defensive intensity, and long essays about Thibs’s “tireless work ethic”.

(We forgot about Andrew Wiggins)

The Timberwolves, usually an ignored, small market in the NBA, were the centrepiece of sports-talk in reminiscence after the retirement of Kevin Garnett, the greatest player in their franchise by a country mile. KG was the franchise leader in games played, minutes, points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, rookies barked at, opponents intimidated, Honey Nut Cheerios referenced, and, of course, the love of the Timberwolves’ faithful.

(We forgot about Andrew Wiggins)

The Timberwolves suffered tragedy this time last year when coach Flip Saunders passed away, and his death cast a shadow over the franchise he was closely connected to for the rest of the season.

Ricky Rubio got injured, came back, struggled to shoot, played well, played badly, and was in trade discussions every waking moment.

Zach LaVine won the Slam Dunk contest, and then battled Aaron Gordon in a historic battle to win it again.

Minnesota drafted Kris Dunn, who quickly earned the high honor of being named Rookie Most Likely to win the Rookie of the Year award by his peers. The rising Timberwolves already had a new potential idol.

(But we forgot about Andrew Wiggins)

Two years ago, Minnesota traded their second-greatest player, Kevin Love, to join LeBron James in return for an unproven rookie out of Kansas. Love had his ups and downs in Cleveland, didn’t fit in, got hurt, returned, then did fit in (sort of), defended Steph Curry in the final possession of Game 7, and won a title. Championships redeem everything, but Love’s uncertain place in the team hierarchy have hover over him the last two years, and may continue to hover around for as long as he remains in Cleveland. Minnesota, of course, remain happy with their returns.

(Yes, but, we forgot about Andrew Wiggins)

With all the changes, diversions, press releases, dunk contests, ankle surgeries, and the waves of optimism, it seems that somewhere, one of the most crucial members of that rising wave – Andrew Wiggins – seems to have been lost in the shuffle. Now entering his third season, the fast-improving 21-year-old is poised to have a season that you won’t forget.

Wiggins reacted to an early career snub by the Cavaliers by thriving in Minnesota and winning the rookie of the year award, playing all 82 games in his rookie season and averaging 16.9 points on 43.7 percent shooting to with 4.6 rebounds in the process. Unlike most rookies, Wiggins’ biggest strength turned out to be his motor: he played over 36 minutes per game for the young Timberwolves while doing heavy lifting on both ends of the floor. His offense earned him the highlights, he defence earned him the burn. The Timberwolves won 16 games, but even in their horrific record, they looked fun.

Then, even as Towns came to town and stole the show to his own ROY season, Wiggins, quietly, didn’t go away. In his second season, the Canadian upped his averages to 20.7 ppg while improving his shooting percentage to nearly 46 percent from the floor. The Timberwolves won 29 games, but even in their poor record, they looked tantalizing.

And here we stand now. Wiggins, before season number 3, armed with the perfect atmosphere for stability and success. He will get to play off an elite big man in Towns and thrive as the two try to emulate a modern remix of post-and-perimeter domination. He will be flanked by the ever-improving Zach LaVine by his side, and two point guards – Rubio and Dunn – who will both bring unique strengths to run the offense by his side. He will be coached by a defensive mastermind in Thibodeau, who will surely maximize his potential to greater individual and team success.

Wiggins doesn’t say much: his Twitter feed is mostly a mention of his national or sponsor obligations and his on-court demeanour could fool you into occasionally even forgetting he’s out there.

But, he has flashes of brilliance that destroy his silences with primal screams. Like the time he attempted a 720 dunk and broke the NBA internet. Like the time he owned the overtime period to hand the Warriors only their ninth loss of the regular season. Like how he feels like a future basketball Jedi, only now realizing the far reaches of his limitless powers.

(Don’t forget about Andrew Wiggins)

Great Leap: 7 NBA players who could make the leap from good to great this season

Time passes, Champions are crowned, MVP awards are won, everyone gets a year older, your favourite players slowly fade into oblivion, and life goes on.

But for every star that begins to die down, a new star is born!

Every year, a new group of players take a giant leap from becoming good to great. It usually happens between the second and fourth years in the career of a young NBA talent, as the player begins to fully grasp the true potential of his basketballing powers and begins to get comfortable with the pace and systems in the NBA. In recent years, we have seen the likes of Paul George and Jimmy Butler make such a leap, going from solid starters to NBA All Stars.

Here are the players who could make that great leap this season - read full article on SportsKeeda!

Come Home With Me

After a topsy-turvy NBA career, Stephon Marbury's unlikely journey brought him peace and success in China.

by Karan Madhok

This feature was originally published in the August 2015 edition of SLAM Magazine (SLAM No. 190). You can also find it on SLAMOnline.com.

What is Home?

Home was Coney Island, the Brooklyn neighborhood that birthed his game. Home was Georgia Tech, the college that developed his early stardom. Home was Minnesota, the city with the NBA team where he played his first few seasons in the NBA. For some stretches, home was New Jersey, Phoenix and Boston. Home really felt like home back in New York when the Knicks traded for him.

Home, now, for Stephon Xavier Marbury, is Beijing, China. It’s a spacious apartment in a high-rise building in the heart of the city, surrounded by other high-rises and shopping complexes that have contributed to this historic city’s transformation into a concrete jungle. Home is a couple of metro stops away from Tiananmen Square, in the capital of the most populated nation in the world, of a civilization thousands of years old.

It’s here—at home—where I find Marbury, a month after he turns 38, on a cold afternoon in late March. It’s been only a few days since he led the Beijing Ducks to their third Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) title in four years and grabbed the finals MVP award. I find him relaxed, alone at his apartment, draped in his 361° brand t-shirt and sweatpants, eating a Subway sandwich for lunch and listening to the Drake mixtape out of his smartphone.

It’s here, at home, where he finally talks to SLAM again. Where we talk about his journey: his NBA career, his rise, his departure, his resurrection in China. It’s here, at his new home, where I ask about his old one. About his brothers, about his friends in the NBA, about Coney Island.

I ask him if he ever gets homesick.

“No.”

“Never?” I ask, “When you think of what ‘home’ is?”

“This is home,” he says, staring directly at me. “Beijing is home. I mean, America’s gonna always be home. But this is where I live at—this is home. This is where my life is at. Here in China.”

There seem to be two separate lives to Stephon Marbury: “Starbury” in the US, “Ma Bu Li” in China. Starbury was the high school phenom from Brooklyn who broke New York City records and was a cult hero even before getting selected fourth overall by the Timberwolves in the heralded 1996 NBA Draft. He was the score-first point guard much ahead of his time who, despite enjoying strong individual highs, never quite found permanence in the League. Nearly every team he was a part of was happier to see him gone, and by his last NBA years, he was reduced to a mere caricature of pro basketball careers gone wrong. He was blasted by critics, maligned by legal cases against him, suffered personal loss and live-streamed a nervous breakdown.

So, at age 32, he packed up and left. Left the League, left the country and left what he now calls the “negative energy” behind. He traveled nearly 7,000 miles, crossed the Pacific and resurrected his career in China. Former NBA players had taken their talents to China before, but no one who had previously done so had a higher profile than him. The Chinese named him Ma Bu Li, and after two years of teething troubles in Shanxi and Foshan, he joined the Beijing Ducks, making the team and the city his home in 2011.

“At first, it was a trying time, because it was all brand new,” he says of his early years in China. “I was ready to do something different and be a part of something different. I wanted to evolve to a new area in my life and in basketball. It was a trying time because of the culture barrier and not being able to speak the language and not being able to communicate.

“I understand the culture now,” he adds. “I love the food. I now know why people do what they do when they do it. Even though I can’t speak the language as well as I would like, I know a little bit more than when I first came here. It’s just growth.”

The growth off the court correlated with success on the court, and despite his age, Marbury has remained The Man (there’s the annual CBA legend of “Playoff Marbury”) for the Ducks, leading them to back-to-back-to-back championships. I suggest that, if he stayed on his traditional route in the NBA, his role would’ve probably gotten smaller as he got older, and I ask if it’s been tougher to continue playing at a high level with age.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that if I was playing in the NBA, if I got older, that my role would’ve changed,” he answers with characteristic defiance. “How I played in the NBA and how I play now is the same. It’s no different. But I think playing here, you have to do more, because a lot more is required out of the foreigners [CBA teams are usually only allowed two foreign players each—Ed.]. So consistency is something that plays a major role here in being able to score, play defense, trying to get everybody involved to do all of the different things that are needed to play at a higher level.”

Back in the NBA, being a point guard is perhaps the deepest and toughest gig in the League now, with damn near every team featuring an All-Star or All-Star-potential starting PG. I try to make him imagine that alternate universe, the universe where he’s still playing in the NBA, having never attempted the China experiment. What kind of role do you see yourself in if you were still in the NBA? I ask.

“I see myself as a starting point guard,” he says. “I probably wouldn’t be as dominant as when I was younger, but I would definitely still have my same attributes on court. My style wouldn’t be any different.

“[Allen] Iverson and myself, we kinda changed the dynamic of how the traditional point guards played,” he continues. “Now, when you see the athletic guards that are dunking and doing the things that they are doing, Iverson and myself, we came in doing things like that, which changed the perspective of how people viewed the point guard. We took a lot of flak because we came in and changed the game.”

Are there any younger guys that you see a bit of yourself in?

“I like Derrick Rose,” he answers. “I like Westbrook, too. But Derrick Rose is my favorite. I like the kid Curry, too. He’s having a really good year.”

***

Maybe home exists not in a specific, physical place, but in the legend built by history. By words and photographs by scribes, illustrators and photographers. By the journals that time will preserve—in paper and online.

Marbury began when SLAM did. He was the magazine’s first-ever high school diarist and appeared on a multitude of SLAM covers over the years. I pull out my phone to slide through photographs of those old covers. Each evokes a different reaction, a different moment in his career, telling a story through images a thousand times better than through words.

We see the cover of SLAM 15, featuring the legendary 1996 Draft class, a class that gave the League Marbury and AI, as well as Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Peja Stojakovic, Antoine Walker and more. I ask if he truly believes this class was the greatest ever.

“By far.”

Do you compare it to 2003? LeBron, Wade…

“It’s not…” he interrupts me. “No class can mess with our class.”

We scroll next to see the famous “KG and Showbiz” cover, featuring the exciting but ultimately ill-fated pairing of Kevin Garnett and Marbury in Minnesota at the end of Steph’s rookie year. He doesn’t react.

I show him the cover of SLAM’s fifth anniversary special in January of 1999. He was on the cover again, posing in Coney Island, a few years later. He was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2001 and appeared on the 75th issue cover with Shawn Marion and Amar’e Stoudemire.

“Anytime you get on the cover of a magazine, especially SLAM Magazine that all of the kids like to go buy and read about, it’s cool. All the times was different times in my career,” he remembers. “It was all good times.”

When the times were good, they were great. Starbury was named Third-Team All-NBA in 2000 and ’03, and played in the ’01 and ’03 All-Star Games. For the majority of his career, he was the only player since Oscar Robertson to average 20 points and 8 assists per game.

But his greatest day in the NBA, he says, was his very first one. “When I got drafted, that was the best time. Everything else was just basketball and business. It was nothing more and nothing else. Making it to the NBA was my only thing. That was the only dream that I had as a kid.”

Did you have any regrets?

“No.”

None at all?

He shakes his head.

Marbury’s NBA dream seemed to turn into a nightmare in his last few years in the League. After not returning to the Celtics in 2009, the world around him began to collapse. The low-point came during an infamous live-stream from his bedroom as he spoke about depression, ate Vaseline, lip-synched “Barbie Girl” and broke down crying.

Earlier this year, Marbury finally opened up about his suicidal thoughts during that dark period to HBO’s Real Sports, and about eventually making it out to the light.

“That interview was fascinating,” I told him, “because very few individuals could talk about the dark days so openly. Was that a tough process for you? To be so open about it?”

“No,” he answers, “It’s something that happened. I don’t mind telling something that happened, that went on in my life. During those days, no one knew what was going on. Nobody knew I had lost my aunt, my coach, my father, all within a month. When we were burying people, you know, it wasn’t really anyone’s business. That was my life. That was something that I was going through in my trying times.”

His voice begins to crack as he speaks, but he doesn’t stop.

“Speaking about that was important for people to have a different understanding, because things have changed,” he continues, “because things have changed for the better. It’s a different story. It’s triumph. Some people think, ‘Oh, you play basketball, you make money, you live this life,’ that you’re exempt from the natural crisis of what goes on in human life, as far as being in an emotional state because of something that has happened. For me, sharing was easy. I said that because I wanted people to understand what was going on with
me, what pushed me and what motivated me.”

Maybe Home is where the love is?

While delivering three championships to Beijing in the last four years, Marbury has also become a true cultural icon in the city. A statue of him stands outside the MasterCard Center where the Ducks play. Last winter, he was the subject and the star of the play I Am Marbury that was staged for a few days in Beijing. The China Post has released a collection of stamps and post cards in his honor. He was the only non-Chinese person named in the list of Beijing’s Top 10 Model Citizens of 2014. The Chinese, especially Beijingers, have accepted Marbury as their own. And he is fully accepting the nation, too, applying for a Chinese Green Card (permanent residency) this year.

“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again,” he says. “These are the best fans on the planet. I don’t say that loosely because I play in Beijing and I love Beijing. Whenever you have fans that bring that type of energy, it’s different and it’s rare. And it’s consistent throughout the whole game. The fan base—you can’t really put a price tag on that or compare it to anything.”

Home is different for us all. For some, it’s a physical place; for some, it’s a feeling; for others, it’s their legacy. For Marbury, it seems that home is where he can continue to find bliss in his first true love: basketball.

“Basketball is everywhere,” he smiles. “It’s not just the NBA. The game has changed. Basketball is global. I know I wasn’t the first American to come to China and I won’t be the last. I’m just the American who came here and did it my way. I came here. I’ve been real. I was open. I left myself completely vulnerable for people to understand me.

“I can play as long as I want. Honestly, it depends on my body. When my body says ‘That’s it,’ then I’ll stop. So, I could say that I want to play another two-three years. It’s fun right now. It’s fun winning. So you’re driven to continue to work hard because the success of winning feeds you.”

And you want to keep winning in Beijing?

“Why not?”

Do you see yourself in China long-term?

“I’m not going,” he says. “This is my home. I’m going nowhere.”

Bigs are back! Karl-Anthony Towns goes 1st, Satnam Singh goes 52nd, & #IndiaBasketball history is made

The NBA got a whole lot bigger yesterday.

With the first pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected Karl-Anthony Towns from Kentucky, a talented 6-foot-11 big man with promises to finally take the team back to the playoffs after 11 years. With the 52nd pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Satnam Singh Bhamara from India, a 7-foot-2 project who made history as he became the first Indian citizen to be drafted into the NBA.

And in between the two bigs, there were a whole lot of other interesting, infuriating, exciting, and disappointing selections – many of them surrounding other big men entering into the NBA. These bigs came in many forms: from post-beasts to stretch shooters, including Jahlil Okafor, Kristaps Porzignis, Willie Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky, Myles Turner, and Trey Lyles in the lottery.

Click here for my quick analysis of the top 14 lottery picks at the 2015 NBA Draft on SportsKeeda.

Timberwolves celebrate… And how will the 2015 Draft Lottery reshape the NBA?

Getting the draft right is of utmost importance. Through the salary cap and the draft system, the NBA theoretically allows for teams to rebuild, creates an environment when even the worst team can be a contender in a matter of years. The right draft pick can completely change the fortunes of a franchise. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who won the NBA Draft Lottery and will be picking first next month, that opportunity is finally here. Which rebuilding team will redefine their fortunes? Which young player will be the perfect new fit and take the league by storm? Here are my thoughts on the NBA Draft Lottery results.

Click here to read full feature on SportsKeeda

Easier said than done: Solutions for the NBA’s worst teams

There are several NBA teams with problems. Some teams are dealing with injuries that have plagued their season. Some can’t score. Some can’t defend. The worst among them can’t do either. Some have a personnel that doesn’t fit together. Others have a personnel that can’t stand the sight of each other. Flirting with masochism, I’m diving nose-deep into the concerns of the NBA’s four worst teams and offering quick and ultimately pointless solutions. Let’s just say that they are easier said than done...

Click here for my full feature on SportsKeeda.

Detour: Will Andrew Wiggins make Cleveland regret?

Andrew Wiggins was picked number one by the Cavaliers, but with LeBron James 'coming home', Cleveland traded him to Minnesota for Kevin Love. There could have hardly been a crazier way for Wiggins to begin his NBA journey – now, he has a chance to turn the shape this fantastic journey ahead on his own terms.

Click here to read full feature

Playoff Blues: The NBA’s top five players to have never made a playoff appearance

The NBA would be a whole different world if legacies and greatness was measured on the performance of the regular season alone. Unfortunately for many – it isn’t. The regular season is just heating up the oven and aligning of the positions, the real fun and games begin with the playoffs. Which is why no amount of All Star appearances or big stats can be a substitute for a role in a post-season game.

Here are NBA’s five best players at this very moment who – despite their talent and achievements – have yet to qualify for the playoffs.

Click here to read full feature.

Whole Lotta Love: Kevin Love is back - and looking like he never left

This feature was first published in the 122nd edition (2014 - No. 1) of SLAM China magazine. Here is my original English version of the story.

The NBA surveys the General Managers of all 30 of their teams before the season begins, polling them on topics such as the most-likely champions, the most-likely MVP, the best players at every position, the most improved team, and more. One of the (frankly, quiet ridiculous) questions on the survey annually has been “Which players makes the most of their limited natural ability?” to ‘reward’ the guy who does the most with the least talent. And for the third consecutive year, that dubious ‘honour’ went to Minnesota’s Kevin Love.

On his Twitter account, Love laughed off the backhanded compliment – or the glorified insult – after being praised for his lack of talent. But his reaction ultimately opened up a can of worms, and paved the way for a more philosophical thought: what, exactly, is ‘natural ability’? What is talent?

Two years ago, Kevin Love was on the fast lane to superstardom, maturing as one of the best power forwards in the NBA and developing into a unique talent that could lead the league in rebounds and win a three-point shooting competition as well. But after breaking his hand twice last season and missing 64 games, the breakout was put on hold. The NBA’s reigning ‘player who makes the most of their limited natural ability’ was limited even further.

But at the start of the current season, memories of the injury-riddled year were quickly replaced with awe and wonder. Love started the season in historic fashion: through the first nine games of the season, Love averaged 27.1 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 2.3 three-pointers a game. He became the first player in NBA history with 240 points, 125 rebounds and 45 assists after nine games. After the first month of the season, Love continued his surge as the top rebounder in the league, as well as finding his name amongst the NBA’s top five players in the efficiency rating.

Pouring in stats has never been a challenge for Love. Here is a player who once had 31 points and 31 rebounds in the same game. Who had the longest streak of double-doubles (53) since the ABA-NBA merger. Who is well on his way to shattering several statistical records, and creating several new ones.

Despite all the on court production, Love gets underrated, complimented for his achievements with a patronizing pat on the back for being able to do it supposedly with lesser natural ability. We could credit hard work and training of course, but if being able to do what he does on a nightly basis isn’t ability, then what is it?

So, sure Love doesn’t boast the speed of a John Wall, the strength of a Dwight Howard, the leaping ability of Blake Griffin, or the combination of athletic talents that LeBron James has been blessed with. Those are what traditionalists define as ‘natural abilities’. Love’s abilities are different, but no means lesser.

Love has an uncanny sense of positioning on both ends of the floor, always finding himself at the right place at the right time to grab any loose ball or a rebound. Rebounding is an elite art, where only the toughest survive, and one just doesn’t become one of the top rebounders of their generation without having the natural ability to do so.

And for a player who spends so much effort battling for the boards, Love has the unlikely skill of also stretching the floor like a shooting guard. Any opponent daring to defend him has to be strong enough to handle him in the post and quick enough to chase him to the perimeter. Love has become an elite scorer overall, a near-guarantee to drop 20-25 points on any given night. He is also improving as a passer, with assists numbers nearly doubled this season (4.1) compared to his career numbers (2.1). Those outlet passes have earned some classic Wes Unseld comparisons.

Love’s work on the defensive end is still a work in process, but a player with his strength, agility, and more importantly, his incredible will to become the best, can surely grow to become one of the top tier defensive players in the league in the future.

There is another, and more important blemish on Love’s career so far, one which he won’t simply laugh off with a joke on Twitter. Despite his burgeoning superstar status, Love has yet to play a single playoff game in his five year career. He may rank as the best active player in the league today without post-season experience. Playing in the stacked Western Conference hasn’t helped his chances, and although the Minnesota Timberwolves had a decent start to the season, they had settled to .500 mediocrities for the season at the time of writing. That may have been good enough for home court advantage in the weaker East; out West, the T-Wolves will have to continue sharpening their edges to turn those close losses into victories and close the gap against the top teams.

Luckily, this year, Coach Rick Adelman has the roster to do just that. With Rubio and Love finally healthy together, Minnesota can begin to find inside-outside cohesion as the season progresses. In Kevin Martin, the team has found the ideal dead-eye shooter to compliment Rubio on the back-court, and Martin has responded by having a career-best start to the season. In the post along with Love stands strongman Nikola Pekovic, who is quickly developing into a dominating force on both ends of the floor and commands the inside whenever Love stretches the floor to shoot from the three-point line.

But it’s Love who can make or break the fortunes of this team. He is the center-piece, and on a good day, can see the NBA’s best players eye-to-eye. For Minnesota to bolt up the standings, he will have to have those good days every day.

In the long run, the Timberwolves have another worry. Love’s contract has an opt-out clause, and while Minnesota concern themselves with the hope of keeping him, every other team with cap space and a bigger market will be wooing him to their shores. The answer to all questions is winning: Love can either move to a winning team or make his current team into winners. The key to both outcomes lie in his own hands for now. And the eyes of the rest of the league will closely keeping watch.

One thing’s for sure: if Love continues to play at an elite level, the honours will eventually have to change, from the overachiever with limited abilities, to one of the most talented players in the NBA.

Season’s Greetings: 10 Things we’re Most Looking Forward to for the 2013-14 NBA Season

This article was first published in the 117th edition (2013 - No. 20) of SLAM China magazine. Here is the original English version of the story.

For those of us who live in more extreme conditions, the signs of winter are often depressing and ominous. The shorter days, the longer nights, the freezing cold weather, and the end of cheery outdoor activities. But don’t fear, because even a frozen brick of ice can be chipped down to something beautiful. And the most beautiful thing about the arrival of the winter is that is synchronizes with the arrival of the NBA season.

The summer’s been too long, and the heart-stopping memories of the playoffs, of Ray Allen hitting a three to tie Game 6 of the Finals, and of LeBron James hoisting two trophies – again – were starting to fade away. It’s time now to make new memories, to celebrate new heroes, and to follow new storylines. And here are 10 of the most intriguing storylines to keep us on our toes as we greet the NBA back to warm up the cold weather:

1. Opening Night Drama

We’ll be hooked from the very first minute. On opening night, the NBA will kick off the 2013-14 season with a bang. Two-time reigning champions Miami Heat will receive their championship rings on October 29th, and minutes later, will tip off their quest for a three-peat against their rivals, the Chicago Bulls. While LeBron, Wade, Bosh and co look to keep their momentum going, the Bulls will be on a mission as well. The team that halted Miami’s 27-game winning streak and played them in the playoffs will return better and stronger this season. And to top it all off, former MVP Derrick Rose will be back in action in his first meaningful game in over a year against the team that he hopes to topple. And if all the drama isn’t enough, later on the same night, the Battle of Los Angeles will continue with the Clippers and Lakers tipping off their seasons against each other.

2. Returning to dominate again?

There seemed to be a hex on many of the league’s best players over the past years, as several superstars were sidelined to long term injuries. Opening night will give us a chance to see one of them – Derrick Rose – back in action. But as the season progresses, we will have a close eye on so many more returning players, and hoping that they are back to their best – or better. Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Love, Danny Granger, Andrew Bynum, and Anderson Varejao will all be attempting a comeback. And let’s not forget Greg Oden, the 2007 number 1 pick, who after several years of basketball exile tries to make a historic comeback and regain his spot in the league after signing with the Miami Heat.

3. Back to their old stomping grounds

Mark a few dates on your NBA calendar: On February 19, 2014, Dwight Howard and his new Rockets will return to play against in Los Angeles against the Lakers for the first time since Howard’s ill-fated past season and unceremonious departure to Houston. There is sure to be some bad blood in the characters involved on both sides, and the Staples Center crowd will surely let their feelings be heard to their former Center. A happier return might be of on January 26th, when the Brooklyn Nets head to Boston to play the Celtics, and Celtic legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett come back to their stomping grounds again. Before their trade to Brooklyn, the two were the centerpiece of Boston’s days of glory. The return could be particularly emotional for Pierce, who spent all 15 years of his career until this summer as a Celtic.

4. Finals rematch!

It will be hard to argue against the idea that the 2013 Finals – where the Heat and the Spurs battled through seven unforgettable games – may have been one of the best in the NBA’s recent history. Although Miami eventually won, both teams ended the series with a lot of mutual respect – and a lot of bad blood. They will continue battling each other in the coming regular season, with a matchup in Miami on January 26 and in San Antonio on March 6.

5. Gangs of New York

The Nets completed their first season in Brooklyn last year, but despite fielding a decent squad, they didn’t have the edge to outshine the elder representatives of New York City, the Knicks. With the additions of Pierce, Garnett, Kirilenko, Terry, and former Knicks guard Jason Kidd as their Head Coach this summer, the Nets are all set to challenge their city rivals again. Both New York teams are looking strong enough to keep things exciting in the Eastern Conference and there has been enough back-talk leading up between the likes of Paul Pierce, Raymond Felton, Jason Terry, and JR Smith in both camps to bring some heat into this new city rivalry.

6. Battle for Last Place / Riggin' for Wiggins

While most of the top quality action will be played amongst the NBA elites, don’t lose sight for the ‘battle’ to last place. With Canadian phenom Andrew Wiggins on the horizon as the sure-shot Number 1 pick of the 2014 Draft, a number of struggling NBA franchises are going to be keeping their eyes on their draft lottery chances. There are going to be a lot of contenders amongst the league’s worst teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers, the Phoenix Suns, the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, and more. The ‘lucky losers’ will be ‘rewarded’ with a chance to draft not just Wiggins, but a further exciting crop of youngsters poised to join the league in next year’s draft.

7. Breakout Stars

Last year, Paul George, Stephen Curry, James, Harden, and Kyrie Irving were amongst the players who took the next step to elevate their game and become bonafide stars in the league. Who will be following in their heels this season? It’s always exciting to find a new crop of youngsters that graduate from ‘good’ to ‘great’. This year, our eyes will be on the likes of DeMarcus Cousins, Ricky Rubio, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker, and Eric Bledsoe to make that jump.

8. Old Faces in New Places

It’s always fun and interesting to see how an established name can settle into a new team after being traded or signing over the offseason. The biggest names donning new jerseys this season will be Dwight Howard (Rockets), Josh Smith (Pistons), Andre Iguodala (Warriors), Jrue Holiday (Pelicans), and Kevin Garnett (Nets), Al Jefferson (Bobcats), Monta Ellis (Mavericks), OJ Mayo (Bucks), Tyreke Evans (Pelicans), Paul Pierce (Nets), Andrew Bynum (Cavaliers), Metta World Peace (Knicks), Paul Millsap (Hawks), Luis Scola (Pacers), Kevin Martin (Timberwolves), and Brandon Jennings (Pistons). Who’s going to make the biggest impact?

9. Fresh Blood in the Playoffs

Maybe it’s some of the new faces that propel them, maybe it’s a good health and good fortune, or maybe it’s just improved play and maturity from their established stars, but every season, a new young team or two breaks out to become a playoff threat. We’re excited to see the next fresh-faced squad to return to the playoffs. In the East, our prediction is that it could be the recently reloaded Detroit Pistons, with Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings joining Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe to ignite some fire in his young squad. Out West, if health permits, the Love and Rubio led Minnesota Timberwolves could have the ability to turn some heads and strike fear into the traditional superpowers.

10. MVP Battle

From the looks of it, for as long as he is healthy and running at full speed, four-time MVP LeBron James is destined to be a constant contender for the award of the league’s best regular season player. But improving performances by a few other challengers could make it for an interesting MVP race. Kevin Durant has repeatedly said that he is ‘tired of being second’ place, and has the talent to topple King James at the top. Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, or a returning Derrick Rose may be primed for the best performances of their careers. Or maybe it’s an outsider – a young star like Paul George – who could rise above and surprise us all?

The Culture Changer: Why Kevin Garnett will prove to be invaluable to the Brooklyn Nets

With much fanfare and hype, the Nets moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn last season. They seemed to have all the talent - but none of the heart. Enter Kevin Garnett, the Culture Changer. Known throughout his career for instilling leadership and passion wherever he goes, Garnett will bring a mental edge to the Nets this year. The Eastern Conference needs to be worried.

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Fantastic, Fast, Four – Holiday, Lillard, Rubio, & Wall are the breathtaking future of the NBA

This feature was first published as the cover story in the 110th edition (2013 - No. 13) of SLAM China Magazine. Here is my original English version of the story.

Bring together the ingredients of the perfect point guard. You can ask for floor vision, leadership, ability to take the outside shot, ability to drive in and create, the ability to score, the ability to dish, and oh, the speed. Lots and lots of speed. And when four of the most exciting young point guards assembled under one roof, all of the ingredients came together like a perfect mosaic to create the breathtaking future of the NBA.

So what more can you ask for? An All Star, a Rookie of the Year, a number one draft pick, and perhaps the most exciting European player of All Time. Over the past week, Jrue Holiday (newly traded to the New Orleans Pelicans), Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers), Ricky Rubio (Minnesota Timberwolves) and John Wall (Washington Wizards) were all in Beijing and all together under one roof. At an average of less than 23 years, these four point maestros are the fast and furious future of the league.

SLAM caught up with all four with quick-fire questions to see how each one completes the puzzle and develops into the perfect point guard.

SLAM: Jrue: How much of a challenge is it to move on to a new team in the off-season and be leader in the backcourt, with new coaches and new teammates?

Holiday: I have had a lot of different coaches in my life already, and I have faith that the coaching staff will help in making the transition easy.

SLAM: Jrue, How do you see yourself fitting into the Pelicans offense?

Holiday: I think it’s gonna be easy. Need to study their game, watch them play, and I’ll take what they have, that’s my style of game. I think everyone’s gonna be happy in the system, we’ll use many screen-and-rolls, a lot of pick and rolls, I can hit the threes going around the big men and going around the guards.

SLAM: Damian, Congrats on the Rookie of the Year award. Did you start off last season actively aiming to be the league’s ROY?

Lillard: It was definitely a goal of mine. Like I always said, I always set out to be productive. I played a lot of minutes, so the opportunity was already given to me. I just wanted to take advantage of it as much as I could.

SLAM: Damian, What is going to be the challenge ahead to get into the playoff picture for the Trailblazers?

Lillard: I think we need to improve defensively. Now we have a year under our belt playing together. We know each other a little bit better so we should be better because of that. As long as we make the improvements we need to defensively, I think we’ll be a better team. Hopefully, we can find a way to get into the playoffs.

SLAM: Ricky, It was a tough finish for you guys with all the injuries at the end of last season. How good can the Timberwolves be at full health in the upcoming year?

Ricky Rubio: We’re still working and we’re still building a team, but I think we have something going on. I’ve very excited for the next season to see if everybody can be healthy and we can get to the playoffs. That was our goal for the last two years. We couldn’t reach it for many reasons, and one of them was too many injuries. I’m working hard this summer to improve my game.

SLAM: Ricky, What goal do you choose of achieving first – An Olympic Gold or an NBA championship?

Rubio: I can’t pick between those two. I’m a winner and I want to win, so I’ll choose both.

SLAM: John, Your Wizards started the last season slow, but once you got back, you became one of the top teams in the East. What are your expectations going forward for the next season?

Wall: I personally feel that to be a great point guard in this league, you just gonna win, so my goal is to make the playoffs.

SLAM: John, What was the biggest challenge coming from an injury like you had early last season?

Wall: The biggest challenge is being mentally prepared, being mentally strong, just fighting through it when you know you can’t play. I wanted to do a good job being a leader for my team, to be like a coach on the sidelines.

SLAM: Personally, how do you plan to improve your own game over this off-season to get to the next level?

Holiday: I’d like to see myself in the All Star Game again and hopefully make it to the playoffs. I think that’s the ultimate goal: to get to the playoffs and win championships.

Lillard: I think I just have to expect more for myself. I of course have to work on my game. I have to get my percentages up, work on finishing better, on new ways to score, and find a way to make my teammates better. If I can do those things and everybody else also improves their game, then we should be a playoff team.

Rubio: It’s a very important off-season for me. Last year I was hurt and I couldn’t get good workout for my knee. This year, I’m really focused on working on my body, and in getting stronger, and after that, improve my jump-shot and get ready for the next season.

Wall: Just be working every day in the summer to improve my jump-shot, and finishing on floaters to make myself a better player.

SLAM: So who is the fastest out of all four of you?

Holiday: I think John’s probably the fastest. John’s an incredible athlete; you have to play against him to see it. And then, it’s probably me.

Lillard: Probably me and John Wall.

Rubio: I have to go with… Me! [Laughs]… I dunno, we have to compete and see who is better.

Wall: I’m the quickest, I’m not the fastest!

SLAM: And who in the group is the toughest for you to defend?

Holiday: They all bring something really different. John is fast, strong, gets to the basket. Ricky Rubio, obviously is very deceptive: he can throw the ball behind your back and all of a sudden, somebody’s open! And Damian can score from just anywhere on the court.

Lillard: John is pretty good, but Jrue Holiday is probably the toughest, because he’s the biggest.

Rubio: All three are tough! I can’t pick one, but if I had to say, I’ll say… Jrue!

Wall: I’ll probably say Dame [Lillard]. Dame is a very good young player and probably one of the toughest to play against.

SLAM: Who is the best point guard in the NBA right now?  

Lillard: Before he got hurt I think it was Derrick Rose, but right now it’s probably Chris Paul.

Rubio: Before the injury, I think Derrick Rose was on another level. When I played against him, he was the toughest one to guard. Now we’ll see how he’ll recover. It was good for him to take a year off and be ready. I suffered the same injury and I know that it’s very tough. So yes, I’ll say, number one is still Derrick Rose.

Wall: It’s very tough, depends on what you need from what point guard. Every other point guard gives you something different.

SLAM: What do you need to do in your game to get to number one?

Lillard: I think I can be a better floor general, make the game easier for my teammates, control the pace of the game better. The top point guards are an extension of the coach on the floor and I think I can do a good job of playing the point guard position, but it takes experience to grow into the ‘coach on the floor’ role.

Wall: Just keep improving, like I said earlier, on my jump-shots, floaters. Just watch every aspect of my game and work every day.

SLAM: Which player as a youngster did you idolize or model or game after?

Lillard: When I was younger I really like Allen Iverson, so if there was anyone that did model my game after, it was him.

Rubio: [Long Pause] I like basketball and I like to watch all kind of players. But especially if I had to name one, I’d name Steve Nash. There’s a lot of Magic Johnson. There’s a lot of great point guards in this league!

Wall: My favourite player was Allen Iverson growing up. But I want leave behind my own legacy so people remember John Wall.

SLAM: If you could pick any player in the NBA to throw a lob up to, who would it be?

Holiday: Probably Blake Griffin

Lillard: LeBron.

Rubio: Um… [Long Pause]… I would say… I’m think about a lot of names… Vince Carter… In his prime, Vince Carter.

Wall: Blake Griffin.

SLAM: What is your secret weapon?

Holiday: It might be my jump-shot.

Lillard: My athleticism.

Rubio: It’s a secret, I can’t tell you!

Wall: Can’t tell you, it’s undercover.

SLAM: And what is your kryptonite?

Holiday: That’s kinda tough: I’m trying to model my game so I don’t really have one.

Lillard: I’m not even sure man. I probably don’t have one.

Rubio: I can’t tell you that either. If I tell you my kryptonite then they’re gonna stop me!

Wall: If there’s one thing that can hold me back, it’s myself. I’m the only person that can hold myself back.

SLAM: With so many NBA events happening in China over the summer, it seems that the off-season is the ‘in-season’ in China. What do you think about the growing interest of the game here?

Holiday: I think it’s awesome. I think basketball is definitely a world sport, and the NBA is kind of the hierarchy of that. So just being able to come here and to interact with fans who will probably never get to see us in person, it’s awesome. They’re excited for us to come over here and it makes me personally feel good and makes me wanna come back!

Lillard: The sport is growing here and it’s a great opportunity for us to come over here and experience how passionate the fans here are. They are huge fans of us and they don’t have access to us the way the people in America do. For us to come over here, it’s an experience for us and the fans. It’s amazing to see how much they know about us here. I see people wearing my jersey, knowing my first name. It’s just mind-blowing.

Rubio: It’s awesome. That’s why I was really excited to come here. I came here in 2008 (Olympics): I knew basketball was huge here, and I think it’s even bigger now. I love basketball and I like when people are excited about it. Fans of China are the best ones at that – they’re excited to watch basketball and we feel that, so we too are excited to be here. 

Wall: This is my first time to China and it’s great to be here in this tour as China Basketball also gets bigger and bigger. There’s no better time to be here.

Rise & Fall: A midway review of the NBA season

This feature was first published on Court Side News on January 19, 2013.

Let’s clink our beverages together and declare ‘cheers!’ to an incredible first half of the 2012-13 NBA season, for by the time that you read this, most NBA teams would have played around 41 games each and the NBA calendar would be hovering right around it’s hallway point. Through November to January, we’ve seen great Basketball, fantastic individual accomplishments, surprising highs and some shocking lows.

If NBA teams and players were on the stock market, they would have seen some serious fluctuations in their value over the past three months. We take a look back at those rises and those falls in our mid-season review of the stories that shaped the first half of the season.

Rising: The Los Angeles Clippers. In a half-season to remember, the Clippers have already played the best Basketball in the cursed history of this franchise, even going back to the days of the Buffalo Braves or the San Diego Clippers.

Rising: Chris Paul. Until this year, Paul used to be a frontrunner in arguments of the league’s best point guard. There’s no one arguing anymore.

Falling: The Los Angeles Lakers. Recent turnaround notwithstanding, the Lakers have had a terrible three months. With what was assembled and dignified as one of the greatest starting fives of all time – Kobe, Howard, Nash, Gasol, World Peace – they have achieved little and find themselves outside the playoff picture. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, as a healthy return to their crucial pieces has produced positive results.

Rising: New York Knicks. For a team that hasn’t been past the first round of the playoffs for over a decade, a top two place in the Eastern Conference is looking assured this season. Thanks largely to the brilliant play of Carmelo Anthony, but also to the defence and leadership provided by Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, and the rest.

Falling: The stocks of a whole bunch of injured players, from Andrew Bynum and Derrick Rose to Kevin Love and Danny Granger. Many of them will return in the second half of the year, but their form will be questionable. And a few who have returned of late – Dirk Nowitzki, Eric Gordon, John Wall, and Amar’e Stoudemire – the pressure is on them to acclimatize themselves as soon as possible.

Rising: The Golden State Warriors. David Lee and Stephen Curry are playing like All Stars, and this team is winning. A lot. But the Warriors will need the return of Andrew Bogut to be their defensive stalwart in the middle if they have greater ambitions of playoffs success.

Falling: The job prospects of the Minnesota Timberwolves medical staff, who have lost Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Brandon Roy, Chase Budinger, JJ Barea, Josh Howard, and Malcolm Lee to a various slew of injuries. Somehow, the team remains in the playoff hunt!

Rising: Damian Lillard who? The rookie point guard who took the now unheard-of path to the NBA with four years in college has exploded on the scene, leading all rookies in points, assists, steals, and minutes and has provided fresh hope for the Trailblazers.

Rising: James Harden. From sixth man of the year in Oklahoma City to sure fire All Star in Houston. Harden has developed into one of the best all round players in the league, and has improved his scoring average by nearly 10 points from the past season to rank fourth in the NBA this year (26.3 ppg). He’s only 23, so expect him in the ‘rising’ column a lot more.

Falling: The value of Harden’s Houston teammate Jeremy Lin, who was an unstoppable force of nature on and off the court for a few weeks last year, but now finds himself comfortably shelved playing average Basketball for an average team. Judging by his All Star votes, he’s still immensely popular; and judging by his salary and endorsements, he’s still going to be immensely rich.

Rising: Kevin Durant and the Thunder. No doubt that Durant – who is on pace to have one of the greatest shooting seasons of all time and has led the Thunder to the NBA’s top record – is my pick for the mid-season MVP. Durant has drastically added to his game and as a result, the Thunder sit pretty on top as the favourites to steal the NBA championship.

And finally… Stocks are Even for LeBron James and the Miami Heat. What can a three-time MVP, reigning champion, and Finals MVP do to get better? Just keep doing what he’s always done at a historic pace. The path to the title must still go through James and the Heat, and you can be sure that they’ll be standing in the way of any challengers. They haven’t been perfect this season, but Miami will surely up the ante defensively once the playoffs begin to rise again.

OJ Mayo: No Surprises

OJ Mayo’s brief basketball career has taken more tumbles and more rises and falls than an oscillating sound wave. If you told a Mayo fan in 2007 that he would playing at an All Star level in the NBA in 2012, you wouldn’t be met with surprise. From earning comparisons to Kobe Bryant as a high-schooler to an underwhelming start to his NBA career before skyrocketing again… The surprise isn’t the destination where he is currently at, but the journey which he took to arrive at that destination.

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NBA 2012/13: 21 questions… And a thorough preview of the new season

Don’t listen to anything the Mayans told you about 2012. The new season is here, and it’s going to bring a whole lot more sunshine to our lives. I say Bah! Humbug! to all the pessimism. It’s the start of the new NBA season and no amounts of freezing cold weather, Sandy-like hurricanes, corrupt politicians, or doomsday preppers can douse my enthusiasm.

So before the league tips off tonight I present to you 21 questions that have been brewing most in my mind about the new NBA year, and then, in my season preview, perhaps attempt to predict some of those answers.

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