Hoopdarshan Episode 83: Jeena Skaria, FIBA Asia Women, and FIBA World Cup

On the eve of the 2019 FIBA Women's Asia Cup in Bengaluru, India's star player Jeena Skaria joins us on Hoopdarshan. In an interview with co-hosts Kaushik Lakshman and Karan Madhok, Skaria tells us about India's strategy in the tougher Division A of the tournament, the top players to watch out for, and playing pro in Australia - an experience that changed her life both on and off the court.

Jeena Skaria is one of the most talented and accomplished basketball players in India today. The Kerala native has graduated from being a teenage phenom to the best player in the women's national team. She was one of the top performers of the squad that won Division B of the FIBA Women's Asia Cup two years ago. Since then, she has seen a rare dream come true, becoming only the third Indian women to play pro overseas - in Australia for the Ringwood Hawks. Now, Skaria is back to India's national team, and the team is back in Division A, for the tournament in Bengaluru.

In addition to our interview with Skaria, Kaushik and Karan deep-dive in Episode 83 into the results of the FIBA World Cup, including the greatness of Ricky Rubio, the surprise rise of Argentina, and the fall of Team USA.



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: 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)

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.

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?

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.

Yao Ming’s ‘Team America’ vs Team China: Random notes from a (very) random night of basketball in Beijing

I wrote this feature for SLAM Online, and it was originally published on their website on July 2, 2013.

The starting five checked out of the game at halftime, were each member was patted on the back by Coach Yao Ming and Assistant Coach Tracy McGrady as they headed to the bench. Joakim Noah, Metta World Peace, Luis Scola, George Hill and Kyle Lowry—the not-entirely-American starting five of the team erroneously named “Team America All Stars”—were then replaced for the third quarter by a bunch of elementary school kids. On the other side, the Chinese National team were replaced by their mini-mes, too. On the “American” bench, John Wall and Ricky Rubio watched while McGrady enthusiastically coached the 10-year-olds. Metta joined in to give a pep-talk, too. All this was happening while Chinese cheerleaders dressed like one of the Mario Brothers danced in the middle of the floor and the crowd of several thousand chanted McGrady’s name like he had just been named Finals MVP.

Wait, wait, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Sorry. That’s what happens when you’ve just witnessed the zaniest exhibition game on this side of the globe (or any side of the globe, for that matter) to kick off the NBA offseason. On July 1, the Yao Ming Foundation organized its third charity game between the Chinese National Basketball Team and a group of Yao’s super-friends (from his time at Houston, mostly) playing under the Team America moniker against Team China, featuring the host country’s finest players. With little expectations, I set out to witness this event at the MasterCard stadium in Beijing, the same stadium that hosted the 2008 Olympics gold medal game.

First, let’s do a roll call shall we? The following were present at the game, either participating in the game or watching from the sidelines: Yao Ming, Tracy Mcgrady, Joakim Noah, Metta World Peace, Luis Scola, George Hill, Kyle Lowry, Ricky Rubio, Chris Singleton, John Wall, Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Chinese players Yi Jianlian, Wang Zhelin, Sun Yue, Liu Wei, Wang Zhi Zhi and super-famous Brazil and Real Madrid soccer/futbol player Kaka. Yes, that Kaka.

(Bonus: Here’s a hilarious picture of Kaka with Yao and Wang Zhi Zhi from the day of the event.)

Yao has held this event twice in the past six years, with Steve Nash and Baron Davis amongst those to have starred in it in the past. But as far as I know, this year was the “biggest” show. It had everything. Drama (Joakim Noah’s clutch defense), excitement (Noah on the offensive end, Tracy McGrady coaching) and World Peace (Metta). And all this for a good cause, to support the primary school in China that’s funded by Yao’s foundation and his other charitable efforts for children in poverty-stricken areas in China.

Here are some of my notes from the game:

- Metta was working on his jump-shot a lot pre-game, and it was looking like the opposite of pretty.

- Chinese fans really, really love Tracy McGrady. This goes back to T-Mac’s time with Yao in Houston, and of course, McGrady’s stint playing in China last season. I was thoroughly impressed by the variety of McGrady jerseys in attendance, with fans donning his jerseys from Toronto, Orlando, Houston, New York and Detroit. No one seemed to commemorate his time with the Spurs, though. Fans chanted his name throughout and cheered for him louder than anyone else. When Team America took the floor, Metta was announced first and McGrady last.

- Those were the same fans wh would soon be very disappointed to discover that McGrady wouldn’t be suiting up and instead would be Yao’s assistant coach.

- Kaka—who played no part in Brazil’s Confederation Cup victory the same morning—gets asked to speak to fans before the game.

- Yao is the biggest human being I’ve ever seen.

- (Speaking of Yao, this all took place the same day he skyped with Dwight Howard and pitched him to join the Houston Rockets)

- While Yao had gotten Metta, Noah, George Hill etc. to volunteer to play in the game, the surprise attendees were four point guards: John Wall, Ricky Rubio, Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, who just so happened to be in Beijing at the same time for an adidas promotional event. Wall, Lillard and Holiday watched from the Team America sidelines in street clothes, but Rubio couldn’t resist and changed into gear to check into the game minutes in the first quarter.

- The Yao-and-McGrady coached Team America fielded Noah, World Peace, Scola, Hill and Lowry as its starting five.

- Team America’s first shot was a Metta three and a Metta miss.

- Despite spending a season in China, McGrady feigned ignorance to the existence of Wang Zhelin, one of the brightest young Chinese prospects and possible draft pick next year. Wang had a pretty dominant start to the game for Team China. Wang, 19 (supposedly), is a talented, mobile 7-footer, and was definitely the center-piece for China’s team. We hope T-Mac knows him now.

- Joakim Noah doesn’t have an off switch, and he decides to play playoff defense from the get-go. He is aggressive and emotional on the other end, too, dunking emphatically, taking ill-advised long twos, and on one occasion, playing the role of a point guard while trying to beat his man off the dribble. Good times.

- Watching Yi play in this game (and for his CBA team Guangdong in the past), it’s clear that being in China raises his confidence to another level; he plays with the swagger of a superstar. He takes a far more aggressive role in the offense. It didn’t amount to much in this game, but at least he was trying.

- In two consecutive possessions in the second quarter, Metta attempts to inbound the ball from his own end with a heave pass to the running Chris Singleton all the way on the other end of the floor. Two turnovers.

- Luis Scola’s under-the-radar career went a little further under when he joined the Suns, but the big Argentinian definitely still has some of the prettiest back-to-the-basket post moves.

- Rubio checks in to the surprise and delight of the fans. He looked a little rusty throughout the game, but was aiming to please.

- Rubio and Metta on the same team is my dream come true.

- The crowd breaks into “Mai Di” chants (that’s McGrady’s Chinese name) on numerous occasions, urging him to play. But it’s to no avail.

- The game itself is a pretty even, low-scoring affair, with the American side not taking things too seriously yet (except for Noah) and the Chinese side looking quite rusty.

- After halftime, quite inexplicably, the two participating teams get replaced by two teams of Chinese primary school-kids (presumably from Yao’s foundation school) wearing the same jerseys as the actual teams that now sat on the bench. For the next 10 minutes, the kids play a full-court game on a lowered rim and with a smaller ball. This surprisingly turns out to be a more entertaining affair than the “big-boys” game, as the kids ran helter-skelter end to end and each basket was greeted by rousing applause. McGrady was promoted to Head Coach for the kids, and took this brief job as primary tactician very seriously, mock-arguing with the refs on the sidelines, stepping out on the court animatedly and shouting tactics to his young players during the timeouts. As a matter of fact, this was the most animated I had ever seen McGrady.

- I initially assume that the game is just an extended half-time show, but my Chinese friend clarifies that the kids have just played the third quarter of the game, and the accumulated scores will count when the real teams return for the fourth quarter.

- By the time the fourth quarter does begin, Team America and Team China hit the floor again with China leading 42-40. Team America stops messing around and perks up on the defensive end. Noah is a monster, commanding the post to shut down all comers. The result is two-fold: the “Americans” begin to get a lot of fast-break opportunities that lead to breathtaking dunks and the Chinese players then retaliate by shifting into higher gear, too. Suddenly, we have a game!

- America’s crunch-time lineup is the starting five again: Noah, Scola, World Peace, Lowry and Hill.

- Noah continues his dominance on both ends of the floor, blocking several shots and scoring on numerous occasions. He ultimately ends up being the difference as Team America pulls through for a 61-58 victory.

- Hugs, cheers and applause for Yao.

And, that wraps it up. Watching basketball in China is always an awesome, if surreal, experience, which includes ingenious chants from the fans, a conglomerate of different and sometimes random NBA jerseys (I saw a guy in a Celtics Larry Bird uni a few rows in front of me), inappropriate arena music, a lot of laughs from the crowd, awful, sweet popcorn (this one is a personal pet-peeve) and awkwardly gyrating cheerleaders.

Mix those ingredients with an invasion of random NBA players, and the end result was a pretty memorable night of basketball. Thanks for the fun times, Yao.

All (of my) Stars

The All Star Game is a mostly a popularity contest, and the sooner we come to grips with that, the happier the rest of our existence will be. Fans are allowed to vote for their All Star starters because fans are given the freedom to pick and choose who they want to be seen. Unfortunately for the Basketball Gods, us fans don’t always want the right things. We want our favourites at the All Star Game, even if our favourites don’t deserve it as much as better (or healthier) alternatives.

So in annual All Star fashion, fans made some selections and people had a problem with some of those selections. This year’s list of ‘undeserving’ starters includes Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard, two immensely popular yet less productive big men. With the recent season-ending injury to Rajon Rondo, it’s also clear that some else from the East (probably young Kyrie Irving) will get the starting nod. The rest of the starters on both coasts (Wade, LeBron, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Kobe, Durant, and Blake Griffin) have justified their popularity with strong All Star caliber play on court.

Screw it! I find myself on the other side of the fence, the side which very strongly believes that fans should be given exactly what they want! The side that wants to see his favourite players on court and the players that he dislikes far away!
My side also happens to be the side that believes that a player’s ultimate value shouldn’t be judged based on the number of his All Star appearances (which are a popularity contest for starters and only a mid-season judge of talent for the reserves) but on the number of First, Second, or Third All NBA Teams that they get named to at the end of the season. Kobe’s popular because he’s been to the All Star Game 15 times; he’s great because he’s made the All NBA First Team 10 times.

With those long disclaimers out of the way, I get to the crux of my point. Here are the players whom I would like to see the starting fives for the East and West teams. I’m going to pick players for each conference on the basis that the NBA set for the All Star Voting: two backcourt and three frontcourt players per team. They don’t all deserve it and they won’t all make you happy. But for one reason or another, these happen to be my favourite players in the NBA. They’re my All Stars:

East

Backcourt

Derrick Rose: You read that right. Derrick Rose. The man who hasn’t played a single NBA game all season. Or played a single game of basketball since the end of April 2012. But Rose is my favourite player and it would be incredible to see him make a comeback with the All Star Game. Even after the devastating injury, I believe that Rose will have enough in his tank to remain one of the most exciting players in the league. Rumour is that he has begun taking full contact in practice with the Bulls, and should be ready to suit up for the Chicago Bulls soon after the All Star Weekend. I would just like to pre-pone his return a little.

Dwyane Wade: Wade has made a career out of proving his doubters wrong. Underrated in his own draft class, he became one of the biggest stars in the league and rode his way to a championship and Finals MVP in just his third season. He recovered from devastating injuries to come back and lead the league in scoring. He adjusted his game to fit in alongside LeBron James and pitched in just enough whenever needed to win another championship last season. And despite the naysayers, he continues to be one of the elite players in the conference. And despite the fact that LeBron mostly overshadows him now, Wade still has the ability to be the best player on the court on any given night.

Frontcourt

Carmelo Anthony: As a Knicks fan, I was always a little sceptical about how ‘Melo would fit in and how he could really elevate this team. This year, most of that scepticism has ended. Anthony has been playing like an MVP contender and the Knicks are one of the best teams in the league. His game does have a lot of faults, but I’m willing to overlook that: ‘Melo is one of the most dangerous scorers of all time, and this season, has become one of my favourite players.

Kevin Garnett: We will be seeing this forward pairing in the real All Star Game anyways, and it’s going to be extremely interesting especially considering the recent clash between Garnett and Anthony (#HoneyNutCheerios). From being a man-child in the mid-90s in Minnesota to graduating as a do-it-all MVP and then moving up as an elder statesmen, leader, and defensive monster in Boston, Garnett is a rare breed of stars in the NBA. He is already a champion and one of the greatest players in history. He is not having his best season so far, but with Rondo injured, expect him to fight till the very end for the Celtics.

Amar’e Stoudemire: Amar’e? – really? – Amar’e?? Yup. Forget the oversized contract, the injuries, the fact that he’s now a bench player, the lack of defensive ability, or the fire extinguisher incident. Amar’e is one of those players I like and I don’t expect anyone to understand why (Warning: I like a lot of players like that). When he’s on song, he’s a lot of fun to watch. And it was his arrival in New York back in 2010 that has made the Knicks’ turnaround possible. Amar’e was the first big name player to sign with the Knicks and bring hope back to the Garden. Anthony followed suit, and even though the two have struggles playing together, the Knicks would’ve been juggling for a lottery spot if he hadn’t signed with them three years ago. So thanks, Amar’e. Stay away from fire extinguishers though.

West

Backcourt

Jeremy Lin: To those who’ve been living under a rock, Mars or North Korea for the past year: last February, this Asian-American guy from Harvard who used to crash on his teammates’ couch and didn’t have a guaranteed NBA contract got propelled by injuries around to start for a team that played in the world’s biggest basketball market. He went – for the lack of a better phrase – absolutely apeshit. He broke scoring records, he was named the Player of the Week, he appeared on cover of magazines, he hit game-winners, he outperformed some of the game’s best, and he led his disappointing team to a lot of wins. Then, people figured out his weaknesses and shut him down, and then he got injured. Then, he left that city to go play in Houston for a lot of money. This season, he hasn’t been good in Houston, but he hasn’t been horrible either. But in my heart, Linsanity lives forever. So there.

Ricky Rubio: Need I really make a case here? Sure Rubio’s been recently and not lived up to expectations this season. But it’s still Rubio, one of the most exciting playmakers in the game and a devastatingly good defender when he’s on song on the other end of the floor. The Timberwolves and Rubio have been struggling recently, but I still want to see him start in my All Star team.

Frontcourt

Metta World Peace: If you’ve been following my blog or my Twitter feed for long enough, you perhaps already know of my unexplainable fascination with the man formerly known as Ron Artest. Metta has been one of my favourites for a decade. From the highs of a Defensive Player of the Year award and a crucial role in a Championship team to the lows of the Malice at the Palace and a dozen other half-crazy incidents through his career, I’ve had Artest’s, I mean, Metta’s back. What can I say: he’s hilarious. And he needs to be an All Star!

Kevin Durant: Leading scorer en route to a historically great shooting season top MVP candidate perhaps ready to become the best player in the NBA makes his three pointers look like layups can score 30 points with his eyes closed is the man everyone wants to take the last shot has the sweetest game in the league could be one of the greatest pure talents in the game for all time just 24 years old and is just too awesome for punctuation.

Pau Gasol: Metta’s Laker teammate has been going through a lot of ups and downs in recent years. His arrival to the Lakers in 2008 rejuvenated them and he helped guide the team to three Finals and two championships. But he has been struggling since mid-2011 and – outside of dominating performances for Spain – hasn’t been himself in the NBA. Still, I believe he’s one of the most purely gifted and intelligent big men in the league and a sentimental favourite.

There. Regardless of whether or not any other fans show up, now here is an All Star game I’d like to watch!

Class Report: The unpredictable 2009 Draft Class look to redefine their legacy

This is my first feature published in SLAM China. Originally in English, it was translated and published in Chinese in the magazine's 2012.22 edition. Here is the original English version of the story.

The NBA can be a funny, unpredictable place. Today’s legend can become tomorrow’s has-been. An afterthought from the past can spring up to be a superstar in the present. And the interweaving, up-and-down fate of the 2009 draft class, who entered the league with such fresh-faced optimism three years ago, is a perfect example that star power in the world’s strongest basketball league is but a fickle thing. There are no guarantees and no accurate predictions.

It was almost exactly three years ago. November 14, 2009, the night when a young Milwaukee Buck, the rookie Brandon Jennings, scored 55 points against the Warriors, he scored the most points by a rookie in NBA history since Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe’s 56-point outburst… back in 1968!

While Jennings was coming into his own, another rookie guard in Sacramento was making a name for himself, too. When Tyreke Evans finished his rookie season, he became only the fourth rookie in NBA history since Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James to average 20, 5, and 5 in their first year in the league.

And yet, only a few years after their impressive rookie campaigns, both Evans and Jennings now find themselves expendable. Neither of their teams have yet offered them an extension to their rookie contracts, leaving the glittering stars of the 2009-10 NBA rookie class looking into their future with looming uncertainty.

NBA Drafts are an inexact science, mainly because it is near-impossible to predict the type of career a near-teenager would have when a team decides whether or not to call up his name on draft night. Some highly touted youngsters picked high turn out to be spectacular disappointments. Some unknown names found hidden in the second round can spring up to become All Stars a few years later.

Evans and Jennings were the two best players of the 2009 class, as they finished first and second respectively in the NBA’s end-of-season All Rookie Team picks. But with both their careers flattening over the next year, neither the Kings nor the Bucks respectively have yet given their ‘star youngsters’ a contract extension.

Many tend to forget that the first pick of the 2009 draft was actually Blake Griffin by the Los Angeles Clippers. A harrowing pre-season injury ended Griffin’s rookie season before it could even begin, and the Clippers were left wondering if they another one of their highly-touted prospects had been struck with the fabled ‘Clipper Curse’ again. Luckily for them, it seemed Griffin was not going to let Clipper-history come in the way of his route to destiny: he recovered the following season to have a ‘Rookie of the Year’ campaign, and has now developed to become one of the highest-rated young players in the team, a guy whom the Clippers have paired with superstar Chris Paul to become one of the leaders in the Western Conference.

The second pick in 2009 was almost as inconspicuous in his rookie year as the first. The Grizzlies took a gamble with Tanzanian Center Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet was a flop from day one, and was rapidly forgotten amongst the other names of his rookie class. He averaged just 3.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in his first season, numbers that he hasn’t been able to match in his NBA career since. After a few unimpressive years in Memphis and Portland, he was picked up as a free agent by the Thunder this year, who themselves lost the man picked after Thabeet in 2009 in a high-profile trade.

The third pick from 2009 may have a sunny outlook to his future. James Harden didn’t garner the same hype as some of the other players of his draft class, mostly because he on-court minutes were limited coming off the bench for a couple other explosive superstars in OKC. Still, Harden quietly developed into a solid pro, until he had a banner campaign last season winning the 6th Man of the Year Award, and become the centerpiece of a major trade that sent him to the Houston Rockets before the start of the new season. Just three years into his NBA career – which he mostly spent as a backup – Harden deservedly got handed a max contract. With the scintillating start to his Rocket career, he is already proving that he deserves it.

Evans was picked fourth (and went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award), and the fifth pick was another player whom – like Blake Griffin – NBA fans couldn’t witness in action straight away, Ricky Rubio. Rubio came with a mercurial reputation, and many doubted if the young Spaniard’s skill-set could thrive in the NBA. After being picked fifth by the Timberwolves, Rubio insisted to stay two further years playing in Europe before finally making his way to the NBA last season. In less than two months, Rubio went from being an unseen commodity in the NBA landscape to one of the most exciting young players in the league. He suffered a major injury midway through last season, but his brief cameo was enough to prove to his team that their future will be built around his development alongside Kevin Love.

With Rubio missing the rookie season, the T-Wolves instead relied on having their offense marshaled by 2009’s sixth pick Jonny Flynn. Flynn played well enough to be named into 2009-10’s All Rookie Second Team. But he has miraculously disappeared from the NBA since! Just a few years after an impressive rookie season, Flynn has bounced around two other NBA teams, and in the NBDL, and is now already out of the NBA, holding his business down under in Australia for the Melbourne Tigers.

The seventh and ninth place picks – Stephen Curry and DeMar DeRozan – have since developed into solid young players, and only time will tell how high their NBA ceiling could be. Jordan Hill was a surprise high eighth pick by the Knicks, and now he finds himself playing backup to Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard in Los Angeles. Brandon Jennings, who took the risk of playing a year in Europe before being eligible for the NBA draft, rounded up the top 10.

But the 2009 class provided several hidden gems outside of the lottery picks. Talented point guards Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, and Jeff Teague came between the 17th-19th picks, and Darren Collison was 21st. The Bulls waited till 26 to find Taj Gibson. The Spurs, one of the shrewdest scouts of talent in the league, were able to find a nice pick-up in DaJuan Blair with the 37th pick. Players like Jodie Meeks (41), Marcus Thornton (43), Chase Budinger (44), Danny Green (46), and Patty Mills (55) are proof that solid professionals can be found deep into the second round of the draft.

Every draft class has their shining star, the one player who stood the test of time to rise above the rest and become the cream of the crop. 1984 had Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton, but people will most remember the group of rookies drafted that year for a certain North Carolina guard named Michael Jordan. 1996 featured a plethora of riches, from Steve Nash and Allen Iverson to Ray Allen and Stephon Marbury, but no one would make a bigger dent on NBA history than Kobe Bryant. 2003 brought Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh, but it will most be remembered as the year that first pick LeBron James became a professional player.

Who will be the star of 2009? Will Blake Griffin continue on his road to success as he bounced back from a season-ending injury to a superstar career? Will James Harden become the next best shooting guard in the NBA, only after Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade? Will Ricky Rubio recover to continue the impressive fulfillment of his basketball journey that saw him become Spain’s youngest ever professional at 14? Will Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans finally rediscover the potential that had NBA fans gawking in surprise? Will Brandon Jennings – who has led the Bucks to a nice start to the 2012-13 season – take the next step as one of the elite point guards in the NBA? Can Stephen Curry become the league’s next best shooter? Can Hasheem Thabeet save his career and somehow, play like a second-pick is supposed to? What about DeRozan, Holiday, Lawson, Teague, Colisson, or Gibson?

Luckily for all the young players, time is on their side. Just as many of them have seen their NBA fortunes change so dramatically in the course of the last three years, they have to be ready for similarly dramatic changes in the future. The 2009 class has some big names: some peaked early and fell quick, and some waited a while before exploding on the scene. The end of the first three years can only mean the start of a new career for many of them. How well they do over the next few years will determine if this group will eventually be remembered as one of the better draft classes in NBA history!

The New Wolfpack

The off-season is an exciting time, because everything we know is conjecture and hypothesis, and thus an optimistic fan can choose to believe that everything will be right until proven wrong. Love, Rubio, Roy, Kirilenko and others could end up becoming another failed David Kahn experiment. Or the new wolfpack could live up to their potential and make the 2012-13 Timberwolves one of the most exciting teams in the league.

Click here to read full article

The Heart, The Mind, and the All Star Vote

Democracy, as Winston Churchill once very famously said, is the "worst form of government, except all those other forms". On the bright side, it gives every person the choice to elect their representatives. On the other hand, it gives every person the choice to elect their representatives. When you get your way, democracy is great. When Mayawati gets elected (and re-elected) as your state's Chief Minister, you start to seriously doubt the system.

I live in India, the world's largest democracy, and I write about the NBA, which is based in America (sorry Toronto), a large, efficient, and proud democratic nation. That is why I guess it wasn't difficult for me to understand and support the idea of fans voting for the starters for the yearly mid-season exhibition - the All Star Game - ever since the NBA introduced fan ballots. The All Star Game, after all, is just an exhibition, a time to have fun and a showcase event for the NBA's most popular and best players and for the fans to see all of them, from so many of the league's 30 different teams, on the court competing at the same time.

The NBA offers the fans to vote for the five all star game starters in each team, but then has the league's coaches fill in the remaining seven spots in each roster to bring balance to the team and also reward less popular but deserving players for their efforts.

But, by rewarding fans with the power to vote for the 41.67 percent of each team every year, the NBA is potentially diluting talent in favour of popularity. Which is fine, since the game is an exhibition for the fans. But this is why I also believe that being an All Star shouldn't count as much to a player's legacy as, say, being named to one of the All-NBA Teams or All-NBA Defensive Teams. Yes, deserving players do become all stars in the process, but a player's legacy should be judged by their talent (rewarded by official All-NBA selection) than by the popularity amongst the masses, many of whom (like me) vote by the heart first and the mind second.

And I have always, unashamedly been an All Star voter with the heart first and the mind second. If the NBA is letting me choose my favourite five players for each conference, then I'll choose the players I'm most biased towards and not the ones that deserve it the most. This is because a) It's just more fun to see players I like, than the deserving ones I don't, and b) The deserving ones will get voted in anyways: the coaches' ballot for the reserves assures a good safety net.

WARNING: You are advised to NEVER follow the above justification when you're actually voting in real life, because you know, an exhibition basketball game is obviously a little different from politics. There is not much of a safety net there, my friends. Real life: Mind first, heart second. All Star game: Heart first, mind second.

I'm rarely one to criticise the democratic process of all star voting though: when an injured Yao Ming used to get voted in year in/year out, it's fine, because after all,
the NBA is a global nation of basketball lovers who have the right to vote (daily) for whom they want to see at the All Star Game. If millions of Chinese fans want to see Yao, then what's wrong with that? (Funny that I'm mentioning China and democratic process in the same sentence. But that's another story...)

When it comes to all star votes, the vox populi is always right. Damn those intellectual basketball elites!

The NBA opened its All Star Ballot just 11 days into the shortened 2011/12 season, and the voting will be complete by January 31st. The 2012 All Star Game is set to be held in Orlando on February 26th.

Now, if I was to put on my 'intellectual basketball elitist' cap on, these are the players whom I would probably vote in as starters at the All Star Game this season, Keep in mind the NBA's 2 guards, 2 forwards, 1 Center system which sometimes creates unbalance and force me to vote for crappy Centers:

East: Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard.

West: Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andrew Bynum.

Now, going by the first ballot returns from the fan-voting, these are the players most likely to start the game on February 26th:

East: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard.

West: Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Andrew Bynum.

Wait, what? So are you saying that the fans actually know what they're talking about? Yes sir. Fan voting, however critisised, is usually pretty close to reality, because the best players will also usually be the most popular.Of course, there are a few interesting anomalies: Ricky Rubio ending third amongst West guards, ahead of the likes of Westbrook, Nash, and Monta Ellis. Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol have more votes than better performers like Aldridge and Kevin Love. Luol Deng, who will definitely be picked as a reserve this year, only getting the seventh-most votes amongst forwards in the East. But, surprisingly, in the majority cases, the system works. Unlike me, most fans vote by both the heart and the mind.

Not me, though. Here are the players I've been voting for to entertain me at the all star game. Go ahead and mock my choices - but hey, it's a democracy, remember?

East

Derrick Rose
Dwyane Wade
Carmelo Anthony
Kevin Garnett
Tyson Chandler

West

Ricky Rubio
Tyreke Evans
Metta World Peace
Pau Gasol
DeMarcus Cousins

Yes. Please calm down Kobe/LeBron/Howard/Durant fans: I'm just personally more entertained by different players. Yes, I understand that not one of my Western Conference nominees is going to start - hell I'd be surprised if any of them even makes the reserves this year. That is fine, most of my favourite players are in the East, anyways. And yes, this is the first time I'm voting for Metta World Peace. My starting forward spot had been going to someone called 'Ron Artest' for the majority of the last decade.

So those are my choices. Now tell me: how do you vote - by the mind, the heart, or a mixture of both? Are you a fan of the NBA's fan-democratic system, or do you wish it never existed?

Because in a few years, the system is going to get a little more interesting, especially for Indian fans. Watch out when the first Indian player makes it to the NBA. He doesn't even need to log more than five minutes a game in the league. We have a billion people here who'll ensure he starts!