"Penny Does it Again" introducing the Nike Zoom Rookie LWP (White-Black)

There is something mean on the horizon for sneaker fans world wide from maybe the most consistent cat in the signature shoe game....Penny!!! To no one's surprise, the sneak peak of the new, Nike Zoom Rookie LWP, Penny Hardaway's rookie sneaker's hybrid, is blowing socks off all critics!! This shoe includes many elements of his rookie "Flight 1's ", which he wore during the 1994-1995 season, but Nike's blend of 2011 technology and "back to the future" like design throws the Zoom Rookie LWP over the top. I will follow up later with more on this shoe, including looks at the other color ways that, trust me, you definitely want to see! This is the first color way set to be released in December. Stay tuned for the follow up on these beautiful slabs of sneaker!!lol
Original..... (1994)

The Zoom Rookie LWP (Hybrid) 2011

Missing Arts In Basketball: The Mid-Range Game & Off Ball Movement

There are quite a few things that are advanced in today's game vs years ago such as, overall speed, size and player elevation on average but there are also a few things, major things, that lack today in comparison to yesterday's game....the mid range game and moving without the ball being the biggest two.
     Where is the problem coming in at? Why are those two elements severely lacking right now? Is it what youtube and ESPN is highlighting to the young, up and coming ballers? Did "And 1" start the "dunk or 3 only" mentality? Do we blame the AAU programs that magnify flash and highlights over fundamental substance of a players game?(@ least that's the stigma anyway). Maybe its a combination of it all, but I know its hurting the game for sure. We see the most stagnant offenses ever in basketball history right now. We see players who are 6-8', 270 pounds shooting fadeaway 3's all game unless they have a clear path to the rim for a dunk, while standing and watching without the ball and refusing to post up, but yet are given the title as King. We have point guards that you can leave wide open from 12 feet out, but yet some analyst are calling them one of the best PG's in the league. Impossible! What's weird is, some good 3 point shooters in today's game can't shoot in the mid range and have less than desirable free throw percentages. Let's think... what if Rajon Rondo could actually shoot consistently from mid to long range? What if John Wall had a steady stop-n-pull up jumper from about 16-19ft? (Which I think he will soon.) The kids don't marvel at these aspects of the game because its less glorified and most of their bball idols don't posses a mid range game themselves.

     What sets efficient, well rounded players like a Chris paul, Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant, Rip Hamilton and a few others, apart is the ability to be very dangerous in between the rim and the 3 point line. Young players have to learn that the "in between" floor can and should be utilized as well.  One can only learn to do so through practicing that aspect of the game. Moving with out the ball, catching and shooting in open gaps of the defense,  off the dribble, stop on a dime in the mid-range for the jumper drills. Runners and floaters from either side are valuable assets to having an effective mid-range game as well.  The most "good shot" opportunities are gonna be in the mid-range area, especially in half court situations. There has to be a genuine desire and appreciation for a complete all around game by today's up and coming players. There aren't many, but there are a few cats to look at as a good example of mid-range execution. If you wanna see the art of the mid-range and off the ball killers, check out Rip Hamilton, Jerry West or Sam Cassell.


Here's former NBA Champion PG and current Wizards assistant Sam Cassell with a lil tutorial!                                             
http://youtu.be/6PLWvSqkDAU

Rip Hamilton on how moving without the ball can destroy defense against a scorer
http://youtu.be/PzLA78Qb3fg

"Nick The Quick"......Yall Must Have Forgot!

For yall who may have forgotten or just to young to remember all together, one of the most dynamic, hard to guard, sick crossover having, three point burying, point guards of our time, I'm here to help you..... Nick Van Exel!!! He led the Lakers flashy, "showtime" attack in the mid 90's. He was surrounded by some high flying finishers to dish to such as Eddie Jones and Cedric Ceballos, but at the drop of a dime, he could take matters into his own hands on the score board.
    Nick attended and ran point guard for the University of Cincinnati from 1991-1993. In his senior season he averaged a very exciting 18.3 ppg and 4.5 asst. He had raised eyebrows nationwide but to many fans and Van Exel's own  surprise, he was taken low in the NBA draft, in the second round at the 37th by the LA Lakers. Little did the other teams that past him up know, they had missed out on a gem!
Nick entered his rookie season with the Lakers with a vengeance. Nick and Eddie Jones were the promising, young back court that was leading the rebuilding plan of the Lakers "showtime" team after Magic's sudden retirement a year or two earlier.....and that they did. They immediately made an impact with their fast paced style of play, leading the Lakers back to the 1995 playoffs, after not making it the previous season for the first time in years. Nick was clutch for the Lakers, time and time again during his stint with the team. He was tagged with a few nick names with the most popular being "Nick the quick". He was a little controversial at times, having had a little fiction with later aquired teammates, Derrick Fisher, Shaquille O'neal, and Kobe Bryant. In fact, a squabble between him and then Laker Coach Dale Harris is said to be what led to Van Exel's eventual trade away from LA.  That didn't slow him or his heroics down at all though. At his next few stops in his career, Nuggets, Mavericks, Spurs, and Trailblazers, Nick continued to be instant offense and very clutch.
Nick played a little over 12 seasons in the league and is now an assistant for the Atlanta Hawks. True basketball fans know the game behind the name and won't forget. Even made Jay-z's verse in Beyonce's "Crazy In Love"saying, "handle like Van Exel"..... Jay remembers but just in case you forgot, I'm gonna send you a reminder, here it is!!!!

http://youtu.be/a77Bh0vUPeY

"Brothers From Another Mother" Baylor Freshmen Quincy Miller & Deuce Bello

How many times do you find two top ranked, high school basketball stars, that play on the same high school team, are in the same class, room mates, play on the same star studded AAU squad, and then turn around and top it all off by signing on to play for the same university? Rarely if @ all. Well that's the case with young hoopsters  PF/Quincy Miller and  wing man, Deuce Bello. Let me fill you in, starting with "lil KD" Quincy Miller......
     Quincy Miller is a 6-9 highly versatile power forward, originally from Chicago, that moved is talents to theWinston-Salem area of N.C. to attend Westchester Country Day School. Please don't under estimate that   word "versatile" in regards to Q. Miller. The boy can handle the rock like very few 6-9  high school/college players in the nation, jump shot is more consistent and pure than a few PG's in the league that people claim are soooo great (which I don't understand how that makes sense that you are a great guard but can be left wide open), drives and finishes strong @ the basket, and has ability to create his own shot off the dribble and in the post. Grant it, I think he could improve on that post game a lil and maybe as he adds a lil weight and strength that will help but offensively he's a problem. I mean you want to talk about stopping on a dime, step back jumper? Nasty dude!! He's very deceptive as he attacks offensively.
Defensively he gets a lot of blocks which, to me, can't really be completely gauged until he gets on the court at Baylor against higher quality post players and more athletic wings and PG's but the kid's timing on going after blocks is great. His on the ball, overall post defense isn't worth commenting on until its really contested at the D1 level. He was dealt a severe stumbling block in the road by a ACL injury last December that sat him out of his remaining senior season, the McDonalds All-American game,  his AAU season, The Jordan Classic and more due to this injury. According to his coaches @ D-One Sports though, he has bounced back physically and mentally from the set back and is poised to thrash in his freshman year at Baylor. This kid is gonna make some noise, I promise you.
     Now about the slightly smaller brother.... The highlight reel himself, Deuce Bello. Deuce, that attended Westchester as well, is raw lightning, and I'm talking in the open court or from a stand still. This kid is a natural athlete, you know, like the guy in your old neighborhood that could out run, out jump, out flip and out everything everybody. That's him. His greatest standout attribute is his freakish leaping ability! Its slash mania for this guy every time he steps on the court. If he gets the step on you, which his quick first step allows him to do a lot of, you might just have an unwelcomed appearance on one of the many hoop mixtapes that he's starring in all over you tube. He gives the word "finisher" a new name. His jump shot needs a little work and his creative/advanced ball handling ability but if and when it does,  with his elevation, he'll get off shots with ease. With his long arms and foot speed he has the potential to be a good defender but critics say he lacks desire at this current point. Of course entering a season at a program like Baylor can bring up a lot of low places in a freshman's game, but overall Deuce Bello will be a name that you'll hear in the future, for real!!
    These two highly scouted players are embarking on their freshman seasons at Baylor University this winter and are expected to bring their 1,2 punch combination in and make an immediate impact. This is a chemistry that's been being developed over a period of time, like year round. From Westchester Country Day School to D-One Sports, these two have traveled and battled together against some of the stiffest competition that their age group has to offer. They know each others games, strengths and weaknesses. They know what gets the other going, the sweet spots, hot spots and not spots. With  Big 12 pre-season Player of the Year, Perry Jones III, senior Quincy Acy, lead by coach Scott Drew, this killer freshman combo are gonna have the Big 12 and the rest of college basketballs attention this season. Watch out for them Bears because those two young brother Bears are coming in swinging........
Check em out!

Q. Miller
http://youtu.be/L_vQDOs4aho                             

Deuce Bello
http://youtu.be/7e_gbT1U0Cs                           

The Combo
http://youtu.be/k3j-Ig0xzMk

Any Questions????

Blake Griffin's Signature Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 10.0

 Ouchhhh!!!!!

Nike Zoom Hyper Dunk 10.0 (Blake Griffin's)

The Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 10.0 is a super light weighted, wide based basketball sneaker, created by Nike  for Blake Griffin. This high performance sneaker has striking, eye popping looks....as eye popping as Blake on a fast break!!!  Released August 5th of this year, you may be able to catch  this very rare sneaker  at Niketowns, 21 Mercer, House of Hoops and select nike retailers here and there. Good Luck! These would be a smashing addition to any sneaker enthusiast's collection. Is it just the sneakerhead in me or do they look like a nice Arizona sunset??? Much love to the BG 10.0's........

"The Aircraft" aka Blake Griffin

 The term "First in Flight", laces the license plates in North Carolina, being that the Wright brothers, that are given credit for flight as we know it, are from N.C. But they now have to share that term with the newest, most fierce aircraft on the planet...Blake Griffin.  Last season reminded me of Vince Carter's early days, when you had to watch Sports center to see what Vince did that night which, on any given night, could have been the craziest thing you'd ever seen. That's Blake all day! And please dont't get it twisted, he has the stats too, not just highlights. He'll be something sweet to watch for years to come. Hey Clipper's nation, you got one this time!!!! Here's a lil something to pick up your day........ Check it out Blake's soaring highlights.

http://youtu.be/Q3gKNiGR8q4

Some cats can jump and others fly!!!

Coach K......"Thy Greatness"

    Duke basketball is a household name in the college basketball world and mostly because of two words.... Mike Krzyzewski!!! He has kept the Duke Bball program consistently great over a long period of years and this year, he's poised to reach milestones that even further confirm that, if all the other milestones he's already reached haven't.
     This season the sports world will very likely witness Coach K reach and possibly surpass his mentor and former coach, Bob Knight's Division I men's record of coaching victories. That is an accomplishment that is almost unimaginable to reach. He also has the chance to set the all-time record for Final Four appearances by a coach @ 12. Facing these great milestones, consider that Coach K has, for the most part, has done it with integrity in the midst of an era of a lot of "dirty playing" by college athletic programs. He gets blasted for petty things by the haters such as the type of recruits he brings in (which is ridiculous) and it sounds a little like this..... "he only recruits clean cut boys",  "he doesn't recruit superstars", and I've even heard, "he's racist, all he wants is white players!!" Of course all of these claims are as pointless as Maryland University's football team having 1000 different jersey designs, but say what you want, he's done it.... in a big way and the right way. He's whats right about college athletics. He has a standard and doesn't back down from it for any and every little overly hyped, spoiled, head case recruit that pops up each year. He measures his job with more than just x's and o's, wins and losses but overall impact of the people around him, helping in developing young men that approach life with an expectation of success in the confines of integrity!!

    At the end of the day though, either way,  Coach K is a proven winner over and over again, season after season,  and even saved the USA's face internationally in the game of basketball (with the help of the Black Mamba)....So hate him or love him, it is what it is.......He's atop of the food chain!!! Coach K, much respect 2 ya.

1 of the Hottest Balling Kicks Ever!!!!

    When I first saw it, I was awe struck!!! Simple lay out but classy, the Jordan 11 is poised to make a massive comeback this winter. Its debut was huge, especially considering what Mike was doing on the court back in 96'-97'. This shoe looked like a basketball formal attire, laced with that black patten leather around the lower base of the pure white shoe, resembling penquin, wing tipped, formal shoes. It looked like Mike was out on the  town dressed for the big event..... dropping some team off fearlessly!! So fitting for MJ.....  and speaking of fitting, this oh so light shoe was ultra comfortable and very arch and ankle supportive. Possessing a very hard base with a full length AIR unit on a plush foam bed, under laced by a clear gum sole, this shoe is built for fierce stop and go.  One of my personal favorites as far as performance and looks as well, these Jordan XI are on my personal hit list (it'll be my 5th pair!).  JORDAN XI hitting shelves DEC. 2011

The NBA Lockout.... "Can't We All Just Get Along?"

http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2011/10/20/20111020_Labor_Aldridge_10pm_update.nba 

Well, well, well, we've just thrown out another 2weeks of the NBA season and there are no current meetings scheduled in the near future. Are we headed for a 50 game season? Maybe less? That's the fear of  tons of NBA fans worldwide, who were hoping things would pan out right on time to preserve @ least the regular season as did the NFL's lockout situation. On the other hand there are many basketball fans that aren't too pressed about it, do to the great anticipation of the NCAA college basketball season that looks promising, loaded with tons of talented freshmen. But you have to ask yourself....what does this do to the momentum that the league was trying to maintain and build upon? Last year's playoffs were a huge sign of where the league is or was positioned to move toward, having smaller markets such as Memphis and Oklahoma looking like runaway trains and the Dallas Mavericks starring as "David" slaying the "Goliath" Heat in the NBA finals. You talk about momentum??! So many interesting and intriguing story lines to lock in current and new NBA fans this year such as, can the Heat become the dominant force that was anticipated and if not what becomes of the big three scenario? Is the Lakers run over or can Kobe get back to the finish line one more time? Is this the year that the ultra talented Oklahoma City Thunder take that next step toward dominance, even if its just making it to the NBA finals?  How much better will D. Rose be this year after a M.V.P season last year? So many things working in the leagues favor, so many young and exciting players emerging and all that momentum may be lost over a lil coin....because believe me, @ this point, considering what's being made by both players and owners, to a fan its over just a lil coin....... TO BE CONTINUED

1st Of His Kind....And He's 12?

 Have you ever ran across those basketball child prodigies on youtube that do the really impressive things....in solo workouts but then when you see there in game stuff you're less than impressed? Well I have way, way too many times. Being a parent of a 10 yr old AAU player and coaching AAU and high school ball myself, sometimes you just click on that stuff to see whats out there but one day about 10 months ago I clicked on a kids youtube unlike any other I had ever seen....Damon Harge!!! He's a 12 yr old super stand out from the Bay area in Cali. You may want to remember that name because he's the truth and if he stays healthy, could supersede the "Lebron young bball savior story". His workout youtube is beyond some circus like dribbling routine but yet very complexed, game applicable drills and reps. Very much under control and with strength, this kids zips through drills that you see some NCAA D1 point guards struggle with but wait until you see his game highlights which include him playing against kids much older than himself.....scary! Not just handles but court awareness, defense, hustle plays and a quicker release than most high school ballers. John Wall (representing Raleigh N.C.!) saw this kids youtube and tweeted him ..... long story short, he just arrived to the Raleigh area of NC to play varsity (yeah varsity) for J Wall's former high school assistant, who's now the head coach at Christian Faith Center in N.C. Its weird watching a 12yr old's youtube highlight mix and its just as mind blowing and exciting as the NBA player's highlights that the kid looks up to!!!! Adidas Jr. Phenom  Camp in Vegas last summer ranked him #1 12 yr old in the country....he was only 11 and made it look as if he was an adult playing with kids! He's not normal. Check him out and enjoy!!!

Check him out:
http://youtu.be/hyo3OsBk7So
http://youtu.be/GHYzhXjj9kc

"In The Beginning"

  Ladies and gentlemen.... welcome to the worlds most thorough and exciting basketball blog to date!!!
I'm Adam King, basketball player, coach, skill trainer, and sneaker head..  from right here in Raleigh N.C., the true basketball capital of the world....I will be delivering to you updates on pro, college, high school and even pre-teen teams, players, coaches, strategies, camps, match-ups and bball gear on a daily basis. Unadulterated and uncut!! This blog is for true hoops enthusiast!!!!!
Stay tuned and enjoy the ride!
                                                  Truly Yours,  AK (just my initials, don't be alarmed)