Kemba Walker-Most Improved Player (Video)

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Kemba Walker for the 1st time in his career has respectable talent around him and that is enough for me to think he will elevate his game to a new level this season in Charlotte.

Throwback Thursday: Kwame Brown 2001

Tonight is one of the biggest nights of the year for me and many basketball fans across the country as the decisions will impact our franchises for years to come. Speaking as a Charlotte basketball fan I witnessed so many horrible draft picks over the year such as Adam Morrison, Sean May and D.J Augustein. I've also seen a few good ones like Baron Davis, Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist but when it comes to the draft I always expect the worst when it comes to my teams decision making. Today on throwback Thursday we reflect on arguably the worst 1^st overall pick in NBA history.

June 27 2001 was the date and with the first overall pick belonged to the Washington Wizards. The board had many guys that could have helped their team become better such as Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace even Shane Battier. All these guys went on to have a good NBA career making an all-star team, winning a championship,defensive player of the year or just helping a team out in the playoffs, but did the Wizards pick any one of them?? Well..........NO!!! They picked Kwame Brown the 6'11 290 pound blob of center. He was a beast coming out of High school but he is the living example of everything general manager doesn’t want out of its 1^st round draft pick which is someone who is lazy and doesn’t take his game seriously. You can sense that about Kwame Brown just by watching him on the court over the years and looking at the back of any of his cheap basketball cards at his stats. He never progressed or took any dramatic steps forward to ever become anything more then a serviceable NBA backup. That’s what strikes me about Kwame is that someone who is or was once talented at basketball gets to the highest level of basketball and decides to just collect a check. I feel like if you work that hard to get there you should work harder to deserve to stay.

The same guy who drafted Kwame in Washington has the final say for my beloved Charlotte Bobcats (Soon to be Hornets) in tonight’s draft. I'm Hoping Michael Jordan stays on the right track like he has the last few years drafting the right guys like Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-gilchrist and stays away from the Adam Morrison/Kwame Brown type draft picks that haunted his legacy as an owner.

With that said I hope tonight my Bobcats make the kind of move that impacts this franchise the same way drafting guys like Baron Davis, Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson did. Here is to better days in Charlotte for basketball and good luck to your teams tonight if you have a rooting interest in tonight’s draft.

GO BOBCATS GO!!!!!!!!!

Revisting The 2012 NBA Draft Class

With the NBA Draft coming up in a few weeks I thought this would be a great time to revist the 2012 draft class and how the Rookie seasons went for a few players from that class. So lets get to it.

#1 Pick Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)

As the New Orleans franchise looks towards the future they have a lot to be excited about with the name change to the Pelicans and Anthony Davis to build a whole franchise around. Davis didn't put up gaudy numbers but he definitely showed flashes of what he could be through out the season on the defensive side of the floor. Davis is surely a conerstone for the young franchise and Tom Benson has a lot to look forward to moving ahead. Davis just needs to make sure he stays healthy.

Stats: 14 PPG 8 Rebounds 2 Blocks

#2 Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte Bobcats)

When the Charlotte Bobcats drafted MKG at number two overall they knew they were getting a guy who had a high motor, was very durable and has some upside. In the Early part of the year he was showing people the type of player he could player he could be on a regular bases when he put up 25 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. The season was very up and down for Gilchrist and he had a hard time getting into rhythm at times due to Coach Mike Dunlap being inconsistent with his minutes. MKG still has to fine tune that horrendous jumper but in time he should become a very productive NBA player, maybe even an All-Star.

Stats: 9 PPG 2 Assists 6 Rebounds

#3 Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)

Bradley Beal when playing for the Gators was known as a perimeter shooter so to put that ability with John Wall's explosiveness in the back court was a big deal for the Wizards organization. The only problem was John wall didn't return from injury till January so people had to wait to see the tandem play. When they did play the Wizards played near 500 basketball. Beal shot 38% from the perimeter during his rookie season and played a big role for the Wizards over the in wins over the Heat and Thunder. Beal can only get better from here as he adjusts to the NBA game.

Stats: 14 PPG 2 Assists 4 Rebounds

#4 Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Last season the Cavs were looking for someone who was going to be a great back court partner with franchise guard Kyrie Irving and while on the court near Kyrie, Dion Waiter was just that. He showed people throughout the course of the year that he can score the basketball consistently. The only problem with him shooting the ball so much is that he is a volume scorer and needs to work on being more efficient. In his rookie season though Dion Waiters has shown the Cavs that he can be a reliable back court partner for Kyrie Irving.

Stats: 15PPG 3 Assists 2 Rebounds

#5 Thomas Robinson (Sacramento Kings/Houston Rockets)

Of all the players in this draft class nobody was more unlucky then Thomas Robinson. He spent time Sacramento and Houston this season and couldn't find minutes anywhere consistently. Now he will probably be leaving Houston as the Rockets make their push for Dwight Howard. Robinson has all the tools to make him a productive player in a rotation he is tough,Strong and can guard multiple positions. Wherever he gets a fair shot T-Rob will make the most of it and that team will get a solid player.

Stats: 5 PPG 5 Rebounds

#6 Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)

This was considered a reach at the time Blazers made the pick but once all the media hype faded and the games began Lillard quickly put the doubters to rest and ran away with the Rookie of the Year award. He has franchise player written all over him and the Blazers management has to feel good about having someone to build around for years to come. Lillard can still improve but he had as good as rookie season as I've ever seen breaking Stephen Curry's rookie three point record.

Stats: 19 PPG 7 Assists 3 Rebounds

#7 Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors)

Not going to lie coming out of UNC I was never high on Harrison Barnes but many people were coming into this season. As the season went on he got better and pretty much proved everybody right and served as the backbone for a Warrior team that made the Playoffs this year for the 1^st time since 2007. Barnes has range,explosiveness and a high basketball IQ he will definitely be an All-Star one day he converted me into a fan this season after contributing in the postseason.

Stats: 9 PPG 4 Rebounds 1 Assist

#8 Terrence Ross (Toronto Raptors)

Terence Ross is very athletic and can shoot from outside in his 1^st season with the Raptors he saw an adequate amount of minutes. He can be a solid bench player and still has some upside but I don't seem as a starter in Toronto especially with Derozen at the 2.

Stats: 7 PPG 2 Rebounds

#9 Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)

10 years down the road when people look at this draft Andre Drummond could be the best player in it he has that potential. The #1 pick in this draft Anthony Davis has a player efficiency rating of 21.80. Andre Drummond has a Player Efficiency rating of 21.69 while playing 8 minutes less then Davis. He is listed a 6'10 270 pounds at the age of 19 which means that as I’m typing this post Drummond is growing into a 7 footer. Early in his rookie season Drummond sat on the bench but as he got minutes he showed the NBA what he was about like when he dropped 18 points and 18 Rebounds on the Milwaukee Bucks.He certainly has all the tools in the world to be one of the best centers in the league and with a front court partner like Greg Monroe Detroit Basketball can be happy about the days ahead.

Stats: 8 PPG 8 Rebounds 2 Blocks

So the 2012 draft class brought some pretty solid players. It will be interesting to see what these young talented players do going forward.

Vlog: Why the Charlotte Bobcats need to get the Hornets name back

When Will we let go of Michael Jordan (the player)

Recently Michael Jordan's 50^th Birthday was Celebrated and by celebrated I mean celebrated to the point where we started asking if he could play Shooting guard for the Charlotte Bobcats. This and countless retrospective segments documenting his Career from a variety of different perspectives led me to ask the Question “when will the fans let Go of Michael Jordan the player”?

MJ is one of the most important and in some cases the Most important figure in the game of basketball but as a player he is not coming back. He was the central figure in the branding of basketball, from a financial perspective there isn't a more significant player in the league. The reality is that it's over he isn't going to be Sticking his tounge out while gliding in the air towards an acrobatic shot. He won't be dunking over the likes of Ewing, Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. If this comes as news to you then I will assume that you are a very delusional person and probably a huge MJ lover.

Michael gave you his comeback already with the Washington Wizards let's leave it at that. 50 is a benchmark age for anybody and I hope Michael had a Happy 50^th birthday and i'm glad the Media took a great amount of time to acknowledge what he did for the game but Let him go the only way your going to see that man in a Bulls Jersey is playing NBA 2K13. Do I doubt that he is in better shape then most 50 year old retired NBA Players? Not at all Mike is still Mike and still posses the better basketball IQ then easily 90% of the league today but Jordan isn't god even though we put him on the pedestal Father time will catch up to him on the court if it hasn't caught up already.

Did he Beat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist one one? Yes obviously if MKG admitted it but that in no way validates that Jordan can still play at a high level in the NBA.

So enjoy his commercials,Collect his cards, Buy his new Retro's coming out and proudly rock any MJ throwbacks in your possesion but Jordan fans (ESPN included) Let Michael The player go.....IT'S OVER!!!!

on that note happy belated 50^th To Michael Jordan!

On the road to Orlando

In a few days after I knock these tedious mid-terms out the way I will find my way in Orlando on January 18^th at the Amway Center (home of the Orlando Magic). Me, my dad and Best friend Isaiah will be making a trip up to O-town to catch the Bobcats take on The Magic. Everything I have heard about the Amway Center have been positive some have even called it the best arena in the league.

The trip shall be fun I never get to go to that many basketball games let alone basketball games outside of South Florida. On top of that I get to watch Kemba Walker for the 1^st time in person as well as Aaron Afflalo so that is just wonderful. Both teams are lottery bound but the game will have good young talent like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist,Vucevic,Andrew Nicholson so I’m excited.

Hoping my Bobcats get a Win but I know it will be a great trip....Stay tuned for the Blog post on the trip coming a few days after the 18th

Heat/Bobcats!

It's the day after Christmas and things are slowly going back to normal,people are going to work and in time kids will be back in school. Yesterday the NBA had 5 Christmas day games one of which featured the Miami Heat beating the Thunder in a finals rematch But for Heat Nation i'm willing to bet many of their fans don't even know that there is a game today. Tonight's game I have had circled on my calender since the schedule came out. Tonight the Heat take on the team from my hometown the Charlotte Bobcats for the 1st time this season1.

Now I know what your saying “why would you watch? it that games gonna be a blowout”. Well it's not the Bobcats always execute better at home and i'm expecting a close game, hopefully I'm right. I live in the Miami area so for the whole year I have had to deal with many of my friends talking about how great Lebron is and about how that last year is the 1^st of many championships to come and how we will never be a threat to the Heat or anyone for the matter. Well like I tell my friends the Heat better enjoy the next year maybe 2 because the way I see it is the Bobcats have 2 very talented young players to build the franchise around in Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Those are 2 set pieces right there all this team is missing is a solid offensive big man and they are a playoff team this year.

My team is on a 15 game losing streak but look at the stretch of games we played. Knicks, Hawks twice, Warriors twice,Thunder, Lakers, Clippers, Sixers,Nuggets. I don't think have a stretch of game like that the whole year.We went toe to toe with all most of those teams. So this isn't the same Bobcat team that was a poster child for internet jokes last year.

It's like the Heat are the rich kids who get everything they want Pat Riley allows them to have a silver spoon in there mouth and get whoever they want. The Bobcats on the other hand are that poor kid that has to work for everything they got and while they may struggle for a little bit they know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

If the Heat don't come prepared tonight I promise you The Bobcats will end this losing streak and they will get punched in the mouth. Can't wait to watch this game with all my Heat Friends With that said LETS GO BOBCATS !#BeatDaHeat

The Queen City's Future: Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Hope- A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

There was not much of this in Charlotte last season for the Bobcats but when you watch Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist play you get to visualize and enjoy the hope these 2 bring to the city. Last night in a rare NBA TV appearance the Bobcats Defeated the Dallas Mavericks 101-97 in a OT thriller. A team they had previously been 0-16 against and in that game we saw just how dangerous Kemba and MKG can be. Kemba was just a monster with 26 points 6 rebounds 7 assists and 8 steals. MKG recorded his 1st double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds. As you can see these two can fill up a stat sheet but there is more to them numbers. Kemba Walker looks rejuvenated after struggling last season he looks like the guy this nation fell in love with at Uconn he is playing intense, stress free basketball and its just enjoyable to watch. He lived in the gym this off-season and playing in  new coach Mike Dunlap’s system Walker has been what I said he would be in the July and that is a candidate for the NBA’s most improved player award, Refer to my “Vegas Summer league” article. MKG has great energy and does so many things well and is just a joy to watch. He finishes around the rim well and just gets after it defensively and being the youngest player in the league at 19 years old he has a tremendous amount of upside and time to work on that jump shot of his. The Bobcats are 2-3  with wins over the Pacers and Mavs playing tough, Physical, Respectable basketball and these 2 are a huge part of that. In my opinion playing in the East an 8th seed playoff appearance is not out of question for the young Charlotte team. They certainly won’t win any Championships this year but the Future looks bright in the QC and behind these 2 franchise cornerstones progress seems inevitable.

NBA 2k13

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a huge NBA 2K fan and recently this Saturday got the chance to play it NBA 2k13 this Saturday for the 1st time. Let me tell you I heard all about the improvement’s that the 2K game developers made but when you play the game it is a complete 180 from 2k12. The Ball handling and dribble moves are much smoother with all dribble moves being moved to the analog stick for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Now it is easier and more enjoyable to get creative with your crossovers and dribble penetration. Also When you dribble the Basketball into a defender you don’t get that bump the defender actually plays with the Ball handler and allows the ball handler to beat the defender with a move and makes defending a lot more challenging. Take for example when I was playing my Friend Hamiyd and my Ball handler was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Chris Bosh was the defender he was playing incredibly aggressive on MKG and I hit him with an in and out crossover to the left in traffic which led to a thunderous dunk by the rookie. In last year’s game that wasn’t possible because if a defender played you tight more times then not you would wind up dribbling it off the defender’s foot or getting the ball stolen. So the game play has definitely improved. Another cool feature is the dunk meter which measures the intensity of you dunks.

Another thing I always look for in NBA 2K Is to see what classic teams or what classic players have been put in the new installment of the game. This year 2k Sports went all out in that department adding some of my favorite players and classic teams such as Allen Iverson, Elgin Baylor, And the 2001 Sacramento Kings with Chris Webber, Bibby and Peja and of course it returns Muggsy Bouges and the 92-93 Charlote Hornets. But the most important addition was adding the 1992 Dream team and this years Olympic team to settle the debate between the younger and older generation on who is better on the sticks. The game all around is more improved and more enjoyable for all basketball fans and most importantly a hell of a lot more realistic. It is most defiantly a must buy!