‘Sneak’-a-Peek: Air Jordan VI (6) Infrared

Gradient Magazine got a sneak peak at these and we just had to share for you sneakerheads. The Air Jordan VI (6) Infrared is scheduled to make it’s re-debut. Originally released in 1991, the Jordan VI caught on like wildfire by becoming the first shoe Michael Jordan wore to win an NBA championship. It became the shoe of choice for basketball and leisurely wear during the early 90’s. Nine years later Nike decided to retro the shoe and released it in the summer of 2000. This shoe has developed a cult following and is highly in demand by the sneaker community. 10 years after it’s retro release this shoe will be available in January 2010 for sneakerheads to purchase for $150. Shout out to Gradient Magazine for emailing us the pics.

For a listing of shoe release information on the latest kicks check out our “KICKS” section.

Top 5 NBA Free Agents Summer 2009

Ryan Desmarais is a senior at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, where he will receive his BA in English in December 2009. He currently resides in Manchester, NH.

The NBA offseason is officially firing on all cylinders and free agency is now upon us. Although we’ll have to wait to until next year to see where the big-time studs like LeBron, Wade and Bosh end up, this year’s class of free agents aren’t exactly a bunch of slouches. There are a number of players who can immediately turn a team into a legitimate contender. Here is a list of the top 5 free agents who can turn a team’s fortunes around.

1) Carlos Boozer
A former second round draft pick, Boozer has developed into one of the premier low-post players in the game today. At only 26 years old, this nightly double-double is sure to receive big-money offers from any team that is able to do so. He knows how to finish when he gets the ball in the paint and his field goal percentage has been above 52% every season except this past season. The only knock on Boozer is his inability to stay on the court. He has never played a full 82-game season. The closest he has ever come was in 2007-2008 when he played in 81 games and ended up having his best statistical season, averaging just over 21 point and 10.4 rebounds while leading Utah to the Western Conference Semifinals. This past season, Boozer only played in 37 games because of a knee injury, but don’t look for many teams to back away from offering Boozer max money as his reward highly outweighs his risk.

2) Shawn Marion
Marion has been an absolute freak since entering the league in ’99. He does just about everything well. He can get to the hoop and finish as well as step back and hit the mid-range J. He also shoots a decent percentage behind the 3-point line, around 34%. His length allows him to be a force on the boards, block shots and get nearly 2 steals a game throughout his career. Still, questions surround The Matrix. His numbers have tailed off over the last two seasons and at 31, some teams may think his best days are behind him. Marion’s also been traded twice over the past two seasons, including forcing his way out of Phoenix, and teams might see this as a red flag. Still, Marion is an extremely versatile player who will garner a lot of attention on the open market.

3) Hedo Turkoglu
If the term “point-forward” were in the dictionary, Hedo Turkoglu’s picture would be right next to it. At 6’10”, does a little bit of everything. Over the past two seasons, he’s averaged just over 18 points, 5.5 boards and right around 5 dimes a game for Orlando. A terrific ball-handler for his size, Hedo consistently brings the ball up the floor, especially in late-game situations. He has the ability to create his own shot and is still one of the most dangerous shooters in the league from downtown. Turkoglu can be inconsistent at times, evidenced in the playoffs against Philadelphia and Boston, and he sometimes takes some shots that are questionable at best. But Turkoglu has turned himself into more than just a shooter, getting his teammates involved on nights where his shot doesn’t fall. Look for Turkoglu to get some serious offers around the league.

4) Ben Gordon
Gordon can put the ball in the hoop, we all know that. He’s been doing it since his days at UConn. But he took it to an entirely new level during the playoffs, specifically Game 2 against Boston. Gordon torched the C’s for 42 points on 14 of 24 shooting, including 6 of 11 from long range. He was hitting everything from off-balance mid-range J’s to transition 3’s as he singlehandedly matched Boston bucket-for-bucket. When Gordon gets hot, he’s as unstoppable as anyone in the league. The problem with Gordon is that when he doesn’t get hot, he doesn’t do a lot of other things. He only averages 3 rebounds and 3 assists a game in his career and he prefers to try to shoot his way out of slumps instead of trying to find his teammates, which can be a quick way to lose a game. He’s also shown to be more valuable as a sixth man than as a starter. But Gordon’s age (26) and his ability to get quick buckets will force teams to give him a good look.

5) Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom just might be the most gifted player in the NBA today. I’ll give you a second to read that statement again if you need to. His combination of size, speed and shooting ability allow him to do things that not very many other players in the league can do. At 6’10”, he can get to the hoop whenever he wants and he knows how to finish. He can extend the floor and consistently make the 3, forcing opposing bigs to leave the paint and guard him on the perimeter. He has averaged at or near 10 boards a game every year for the past 6 seasons. Plus, he’s averaged a steal and a block per game over his career. Odom has showed inconsistent play throughout his career and has been rotated in and out of the starting lineup numerous times over the past few seasons. He has also had some character issues that have dated all the way back to college, but it appears that he has matured since then. Odom’s ability to do just about anything he wants on the floor will have GM’s around the league salivating.

Honorable Mention:

Ron Artest: One of the best on-ball defenders in the game today and shows good range on the offensive side as well, but has never been on the floor for all 82 games and his character issues are well-documented.

Allen Iverson: The man can still score like few others in the league and has the heart of a bulldog, but the 34-year-old may be losing steam and is coming off a season where he missed 25 games due to injury.

Rasheed Wallace: He stretches the floor with his ability to shoot from long range and can bang down low, but his fiery attitude has gotten him in trouble with the commissioner many times before and his age (34) may have teams backing off of him.

Kobe Bryant Talks to MTV About Michael Jackson’s Influence on Him

There has been a lot of coverage of fans, actors, actresses, and music industry stars comments on the passing of Michael Jackson, and specifically how he touched their lives. Hell, even our own Doc Anklesnap passed along his condolences to the Jackson family. But something we haven’t heard too much of yet, is how the passing of ‘The King of Pop’ has affected professional athletes who either knew MJ or grew up listening to his music.

Enter Kobe Bryant, one of the biggest stars in professional sports. Check this out where Kobe Bryant talks with Sway from MTV about how his personal relationship with Michael Jackson (which included many personal phone conversations), and how it helped to influence his ability to handle the pressure that comes along with striving for perfection of your craft:

Give Brandon Jennings A Break…

So what if Brandon Jennings used the ‘N’ word. So what if Brandon Jennings dropped the ‘F-Bomb’. So what if Brandon Jennings thinks the Knicks should have taken him with their pick. So what if Brandon Jennings thinks he’s the best point guard in the draft. What does any of this have to do with basketball, or Jennings ability on the court?

The video embedded below of artist Joe Budden and the newest Milwaukee Buck Brandon Jennings has been spreading like wildfire among the basketball blogosphere. What does the video actually mean for Jennings? It means that he needs some lessons in public relations pronto, as he will be under the public spotlight more and more now that he’s entered the world of professional sports. It also means, he may want to be careful of which friends he trusts, as Joe Budden broadcasting their private conversation to the world clearly gives Budden some nice exposure. That exposure comes with a cost though to Brandon Jennings already tarnished image. Timing was just perfect though, huh Joe? NBA Draft just passing and all? Jennings already the topic of conversation as the draft pick who shows up late for his grand entrance….

What does the video NOT mean? It doesn’t mean Jennings isn’t the top point guard in the draft. It doesn’t mean Jennings wasn’t right that the Knicks should have drafted him, or that they have tough times ahead. The Knicks better hope the latest rumors of landing Jason Kidd are true, because they certainly missed a golden opportunity with Jennings. He may not be the most “NBA Ready” point guard in the draft. But in my personal opinion, Jennings is far and away the best point guard in the draft as a long term prospect. Once he develops his mid-range jumper and outside shooting stroke, he could revolutionize the way the position is played. He has all the substance in his passing game that a Jason Kidd or Steve Nash has, but all of the flash that a Jason Williams and a Sergio Rodriguez have. To be effective and entertaining is a deadly combination for an NBA franchise looking to improve, and having the biggest stage in New York at MSG, the Knicks really missed the boat.

Cut Jennings some slack on the video, he may be speaking the truth. But I guess only time will tell:

Jonny Flynn Draft Diary: Final Episode – “The Draft”

For those of you following along with episodes 1,2,3,4, and 5, of Jonny Flynn’s Draft Diaries, the moment is finally here. In the Final Episode draft day is finally here. Check out the events for Flynn that lead up to that final moment of glory where his name gets called and he gets to shake Commissioner David Stern’s hand. A dream come true:

Portland Trailblazers: Blazer Dancers

If you want to get to know the Portland Blazer Dance Team a little better head on over to their official site for more photos, video, and blogs written by the women themselves. If you are a good dancer and are also looking for the opportunity to join the team they have application forms right on their site. For now, enjoy our gallery of the lovely ladies.

Top 10 In Game Dunks of All-time

A friend today sent me a link of this video of the Top 10 In Game Dunks of All-time, and I figured I had to share it with you guys. Although the video is a few years old now and probably should be updated with at least one vicious throw down from Lebron James this season, it still holds fairly true. I say drop the #10 dunk of Ricky Davis and replace it with the Lebron throw down on the whole Atlanta Hawks team where his headband got knocked off, then you have a list. And clearly the Michael Jordan dunk on Patrick Ewing is the best in game dunk of all-time. Vince really took off huge on the play where he dunked over Weis, but Kenny Smith is right, it was the Olympics…

What does the Future Hold for Allen Iverson?

Michael Pina has a BA in English with a concentration in Journalism from the University of Delaware. He is currently living in his hometown of Boston.

A knee jerk reaction to the 2009 NBA Draft includes two points worth mentioning. One is the unfortunate slip that quality players like DeJuan Blair and Sam Young made and the other is the incredible amount of point guards selected in the first round. The latter point could have a huge effect on current free agent veteran point guards like Stephon Marbury, Andre Miller and most notably Allen Iverson.

During his prime, Iverson was one of the most enigmatic, intriguingly talented professional athletes in the entire world. With the cornrows, tattoos, gangster rap career, gun possession charges and press conference tirades all defining his image, Iverson was as polarizing a figure as the league had ever seen. His eccentric persona translated beyond the basketball court more so than any of the 400 plus other players in the NBA.

Last April, one of the toughest players to ever dribble a basketball gave hint that his playing days could be over quicker than his performance had indicated. When relegated to the role of instant offense off the bench, Iverson first struggled and eventually gave an explanation to the media.

“I’m in a position now that I’ve never been in my whole life,” he said. “It’s harder than I thought it would be. With the back injury, I have to sit out at the start, then go in, then sit again. It’s tough to really get going. I take my hat off to the guys who can come off the bench and be effective. It’s tough for me. I’m struggling with it.”

So where does this leave the 33 year old? His days as a Piston are clearly over and after general managers witnessed Denver’s drastic change in attitude before and after Iverson’s tenure, the market to sign the ten-time all-star won’t be buzzing. He’s currently a free agent; his days of leading the league in scoring and being a franchise player are all but over. With a recent refusal to come off the bench and contribute with his uncanny scoring ability, where will Iverson play next year if at all?

Europe wouldn’t be a surprise although envisioning him play for a Euro-league club that centers itself on an all for one, one for all concept does not seem like a good fit for the NBA’s active leader in field goal attempts. He’s an old 33, but played in all 82 games as recently as last season, when he also led the league in minutes played.

The Hampton, Virginia native will be a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee who, despite what he has been saying, has a few solid years left in him to remind basketball fans across the country just how great a player he is.

He’s finished on an All-NBA team seven times, was voted rookie of the year in the 1996-97 season and regular season MVP in 2000-01. The six-footer has led the league in scoring four times and has a higher career scoring average than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson.

Is this once in a lifetime talent washed up? Or will he find a team and eventually an elusive championship ring?

Bruce Manley Has Accepted Shaq’s Twitter Challenge

The video we posted earlier this week of the “King of H.O.R.S.E. Trick Shots”, aka Bruce Manley, really blew up. It wasn’t long after Shaquille O’Neal himself saw the video that he twittered a challenge to Manley. Shaq wants to play Manley in a game of horse for $1000. We love Shaq for his twittering, and we love the concept of this challenge even more.

We have just heard from Bruce Manley’s rep, Thomas Litteer (who also happens to be the guy that shot and edited the videos), and Manley has decided to accept Shaq’s challenge to a game of H.O.R.S.E. The two are currently in discussions about the where and when of the event, but its looking like they will for sure be having the game in July.

And for your viewing pleasure, Manley and Litteer have made a newer video which they were kind enough to send along to The Hoop Doctors. Check out “Alley-oops a la Bruce”:

Vince Carter Homecoming May Not Be Cause For A Parade

‘Dr. Dino’ a.k.a. James Borbath from Dino Nation Blog, is a Broadcast Journalism Grad turned basketball blogger. He has worked as the publisher and writer of the Dino Nation Blog for almost 2 years. Dino Nation Blog is part of the sports federation of theScore.com. James also live blogs many NBA games for The Score.

I want to say right off the top I am not one of those people that hates Vince Carter. Have I ever chanted V.C Sucks? What Raptor fan hasn’t? But I never did hate Vince, and in all honesty the reasons for Vince leaving Toronto I agree with. If you do not remember, or did not know, here is the basic story. The Toronto Raptors were searching for a new G.M to replace Glen Grunwald. Carter very much wanted Dr. J to be considered for the job. The Raptors did not agree and really never gave Erving a good look as a candidate. This was the final straw for Vince and he demanded a trade. Given who the Raptors ended up hiring, V.C.’s demands to leave could not have been worse for the Raps . Rob Babcock was the pick of the Raptors and he would be the man who would trade Carter, in on of the worst trades in NBA history. It was certainly THE worst in Raptors history. I mention all of this because I do not want you to think the rest of what you read has anything to do with hating on V.C. It really doesn’t.

A draft day trade yesterday of Vince Carter to return to his home state of Florida went down. V.C and Ryan Anderson were dealt from the Nets to Orlando in exchange for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie. Many are praising this move by the Magic but not so fast. For starters the Magic now have no back-up point guard to speak of. They also gave up a rising talent in Courtney Lee. It also sends a message that it would seem unlikely the Magic will be able to resign Hedo Turkoglu. He has officially opted out of his contract and will be a free agent. Now you can say that V.C is better than Hedo and no one would argue that point. He also gets paid like it, to the tune of 14 million dollars.

But at the heart of the concern for me is this idea of Vince returning home. Carter in his time in Toronto never seemed to be able to focus in for long stretches of time. You can argue that did not change with the Nets. Sure for games that mattered to Vince like games vs the Raptors he would show you the full level of his talent. But when Vince came to Jersey they had both Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson and he failed to make that big 3 into a success. Kidd and Jefferson had much more success pre V.C than they did after getting him. Carter has always talked more about all-star games and slam dunk contests than he ever has about winning championships. In some strange way I think that the Slam Dunk Trophy that Vince won is his NBA title. That does sound odd but I think in some ways it is the truth.

Carter only has a slightly more successful playoff record than his cousin Tracy McGrady. What might have been with those two in Toronto is one of the great questions that some Rap fans to this day wonder about. Instead they both became the most hated players in Raptors history. While T-Mac has always embraced the role of the bad guy in T.O. Vince Carter would sometimes cave to the pressure of the massive amount of hate that would fill the A.C.C. Why does this matter? How much pressure is there going to be on V.C to come home to be the hero to take the Magic over the top? Sure he might not be the main guy in Orlando so it won’t be all on him. However to have all the friends and family and built in distractions of being back in Florida may be too much for a guy that has never handled adversity well.

So Magic fans may indeed be thrilled to have V.C, but just ask any Raptor fan or Net fan and you may just get a needed reality check. A couple final points, one good and one bad in terms of V.C on Orlando. We have focused on the bad so let’s start with the good. Vince Carter in his entire career has been a very under rated passer. Despite his huge ego off the floor Vince on the floor has always shared the ball and played a team game. This could help a guy like Dwight Howard who at times gets lost without touches. Vince driving and dumping off to Dwight would be a very easy 2 points. The bad side is the Magic being a team that like to jack up 3’s plays right into a bad habit of Vince choosing to settle for shots from the outside. He has just amazing range and can make a 3 pointer with ease and from incredible distance. But if he is not hitting it can get ugly fast. He also tends to fade away on seemingly open jumpers, a habit that Stan Van Gundy will quickly resent.

I also thought of one last thing. Vince is a guy that sometimes can have a questionable work ethic. How will that play with a guy like Stan Van Gundy? Somehow V.C vs. Stan seems like drama just waiting to happen. If Stan Van loses Vince it is awful hard to bring him back. So this is a real buyer beware message for any Orlando Magic fans out there. I see Shaq fitting in with Cleveland a lot better than I see V.C making his homecoming a successful one. Just my 2 cents.

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