LeBron James is a Laker

Almost everyone is aware that LeBron James, the greatest basketball player in a generation, exercised his option to become a free agent and promptly signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. After the worst five years in franchise history, Laker fans like me were thrilled with the news. However, it also reinforced the sobering fact that…

Warriors and Lebron James

Is Lebron James the greatest basketball player of all time? Are the Warriors the best team ever? Who knows? The Warriors clinched their third NBA championship in the last four years and that puts them in a very small class of great teams. Lebron on the other hand, seemed to elevate his already brilliant game…

AAU Sports — Enjoy the process

Less than 3% of high school basketball players go on to play at a four-year college — less than 1% play division one. The numbers are slightly better for other sports. With odds like that it is shocking to some people that the business of youth sports is now a 12 billion dollar industry. Critics…

Hispanics Support NFL ruling on Anthem

Most of you probably heard that the NFL ruled this week that beginning next season players who don’t stand for the national anthem could be penalized and fined. I’ve already written about how I feel about the subject; I think the players should be allowed to protest peacefully. However, while it’s no surprise that Whites…

March Madness feels a little tainted this year

This year March Madness feels less fun for those of us who closely follow college basketball. The FBI investigations, the drama with UCLA in China, and the ongoing debate about whether college players should get paid has taken some of the fun out of the season. The issues are not mutually exclusive, rather they are…

The LaVar Ball Show Suddenly Stopped Being Funny

Last week, the Ball family received worldwide attention, but not for the reason anyone would have hoped. While in Shanghai, China for a non-conference game between UCLA and Georgia Tech, LaVar’s middle son LiAngelo Ball, along with two of his teammates, were arrested by Chinese police for shoplifting at a high-end shopping mall. The incident…

A Memorable Trip to Phoenix

Last Sunday the Phoenix Suns fired their young head coach, Earl Watson. Three days earlier, my son Aaron and I traveled to Phoenix as invited guests of Earl Watson and the Phoenix Suns to sit in on practice, have dinner with the coaches, and watch the Suns take on the Los Angeles Lakers. Coach Watson…

Ball Family Reality Show

I think I have already expressed that I am a fan of the Ball family. The patriarch, LaVar, is a fascinating person. Above and beyond everything, he is an unabashed family man and I like that about him. Some people think he is the worst thing in sports and others think he is a genius…

FBI in College Basketball

Last month I wrote about my son’s experience playing AAU summer basketball. I said that he was fortunate to find a good program where he received great coaching and good competition, but that I could see there was a shady factor with other programs and I thought shoe companies had way too much influence. Last…