'Banana Boat Crew' delivers powerful message to begin 2016 ESPYs

During the 2016 ESPYs, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul, together known as the “Banana Boat Crew,” spoke out on the rise of social justice and racial profiling. As prominent figures in the NBA and influential models for those that admire them, they took the stage as an opportunity to influence change and work towards solidarity. They addressed the issues together as not only athletes, but members of the community as well.

Throughout their respective careers, James, Paul, Anthony, and Wade have been superstars that in the NBA have developed a large fan base, not just in the United States, but worldwide. Their celebrity status has allowed them the opportunity to be vocal regarding issues that exist in our society. They have taken advantage of this opportunity during their careers, and view it as a responsibility as a social figure. Anthony addressed his duty as a citizen in a Guardian editorial he wrote in 2016.

“[Speaking out] is not really about politics,” Anthony said. “There’s nothing political about taking a stand and speaking on what you believe in. When I chose to speak out, it was a matter of being honest, speaking from the heart about what’s going on and calling on my colleagues to step up, get out there and put pressure on the people in charge to not let this happen anymore.”

The ESPYs is an annual award show for individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performances. The ceremony is broadcasted on ABC and ESPN, where millions of viewers tune in to see their favorite athletes get recognized. With the increased publicity of racial profiling and retaliation within society, prominent athletes took the stage to raise awareness for these issues. They commenced the award show with brief, powerful speeches on the importance of solidarity and change.

“We stand here accepting our role in uniting communities to be the change we need to see,” Paul said during his speech at the ESPYs. “We stand before you as fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, [and] uncles.” 

Wade addressed the rise of police brutality in recent years, particularly against African-Americans as a source of the tension in society. He condemned the offenders, and also called on athletes like himself to help modify the culture in America, no matter how difficult it may be.

“Not seeing the value of black and brown bodies has to stop,” Wade said to the audience. “Now, as athletes, it’s on us to challenge each other to do even more than we already do in our own communities. And the conversation, it cannot stop as our schedules get busy again. It won’t always be convenient. It won’t. It won’t always be comfortable, but it is necessary.”

Together, the four stars spoke out on the issues plaguing society as communal members and harbingers of change. Like everyone else, they were tired of the societal inequalities and injustice that has reigned supreme against African-Americans and minorities for hundreds of years. The problems were not new; however, the methods of change and raising awareness in efforts of reaching solidarity as a community has become a mission for these NBA stars.

“The system is broken,” Anthony urged in his ESPYs speech. “The problems are not new. The violence is not new, and the racial divide is definitely not new. But, the urgency for great change is at an all-time high.”

James, arguably the best player of his era, echoed the thoughts of hopelessness that many Americans feel today. He finished their collective speech by calling for everyone to look at their actions and see where they could improve to benefit society.

“We all feel helpless and frustrated by the violence,” James said. “It’s time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves what are we doing to create change. ...We all have to do better. Thank you.”

Authored by Armani Damiron and Michael Stern

Should J.R. Smith take the last shot?

J.R. Smith - Keith Allison / Flickr

Although J.R. Smith made some highlight reel plays this season, his risky buzzer beaters have not always won games. With Smith’s inconsistent shooting, the New York Knicks have to decide who should have the ball in their hands near the end of the fourth quarter. If Smith can’t be trusted to take the last second shots in crucial moments, then should the Knicks put the ball in Carmelo Anthony’s hand once he gets back from his knee injury?

In the Knicks’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 7, Smith carried them without Anthony, by scoring 36 points with three steals and three rebounds. He shot 14-29 from the field with the majority of his misses occurring during the most crucial parts of the game. When it came down to the last minutes, Smith was an awful shooter, finishing the fourth quarter 2-9. “My jumper was pretty much good all night except for the fourth quarter and just didn’t go in,” Smith said in an interview with CBS. Games like these question Smith’s consistency and reliability to shoot the ball in the last minutes of the game.

Smith’s crazy shots make Knicks fans excited one moment and a few minutes later, he will frustrate them with his poor decisions. “One minute, he's a chucker who throws up three-point shots willy-nilly. The next minute he's either mixing up his game or slamming home a key dunk,” said Josh Benjamin of Bleacher Report.

In the most important part of the games Smith stepped up to take the shots for the Knicks and failed them. He should not be trusted with the ball in the last minute. With Anthony coming back from injury, the ball should be in his hands during crunch time. As the Knicks leading scorer he should take the clutch shots instead of Smith.

Contributed by Nasif Chowdhury

New York Knicks clinch playoff berth for the first time since 2004

Shawne Williams and Landry Fields /Chamber of Fear / Wikimedia Commons

For the first time since 2004, Madison Square Garden will be the site of an NBA playoff game. It will be a chance for the hometown crowd to rally behind its new and revitalized New York Knicks. The last appearance for the Knicks was in the 2004 playoffs. Led by head coach Lenny Wilkens, their showing resulted in the New Jersey Nets sweeping them in the first round. Their last conference title came in 1999 under the guidance of Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing. Ever since the Ewing era, the Knicks have failed to impress any non-New Yorkers and those who weren't Knick fans.

That changed last summer with the arrival of Amar'e Stoudemire. For 53 games, Stoudemire, with the help of Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas and others turned the Knicks around and put them on the map of playoff contending teams.

In the middle of the season the Knicks took part in a groundbreaking three-team trade. This trade saw NBA veterans Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups put on blue and orange jerseys for the first time, but also saw many Knicks protégés leave to play for Denver, namely Gallinari and Felton. After a brief adjustment period when they went 7-13, they are now on a four game win streak and look to become the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2011 NBA playoffs.

This time led by distinguished head coach Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks look to prove themselves as being one of the elite teams that dominate the front page news once again, as opposed to half-page articles next to the classifieds section. Anthony and Stoudemire desire to add a NBA playoff ring to their enormous collections of awards.

In order to be successful in their playoff run, the Knicks need to keep passing the ball the way they have these last four games. The confidence that they are showing on the court is key to hitting big shots in close situations, where they will find themselves in most playoff games. The three-point game has really worked for them as of late, hitting fifteen of them against the Raptors Tuesday night on 56% three-point shooting. If they continue to play tough defense as they have been since the start of April, Knicks fans will have a lot to cheer about as they see their team run deep into the playoffs.

High hopes for fallen Knicks

Carmelo Anthony has one of the highest scoring averages this season of all NBA players. When Anthony was with the Denver Nuggets, he made numerous game-winning shots and rallied his team to victory. It is another story now that he is with the New York Knicks, as they continue to lose games. After acquiring Anthony, the Knicks fell to 7-10 and are now the seventh place team in the Eastern Conference. Logically the Knicks should not be below the .500 mark because of the talent they have on their team. Both Amar’e Stoudemire and Anthony are great offensive players that demand double teams from the opposition. The problem is that when the Knicks start to play well, they give up in the fourth quarter.

Anthony is explosive on offense and takes and makes tough shots but his defense is subpar. The Knicks are a high offense team that likes to attack the basket and drain 3-pointers, but that does not mean that Anthony is automatically compatible with the Knicks. The team must be adjusted so that they can find the rhythm to win games. Mike D’Antoni wants his players to play fast and aggressive which is substantially different from the way Anthony had to play with the Nuggets. In order to match the intensity of their offense, they must now work on their defense. They must work harder to get back after the fast break to prevent the other team from scoring.

In terms of team chemistry, the Knicks are still trying to adjust to each other. Since the trade came mid-season, they have not found the time to understand how they play individually and how to make it work as a team. It is very understandable that this would happen and only the optimistic fans would expect the Knicks to win every game after acquiring Anthony. There is no argument against the fact that the Knicks can get into the playoffs this year. If they can finish the season strong and focus on their chemistry, the Knicks can be a tough contender for the championship.

Is criticism of the Knicks recent play warranted?

Amare Stoudmire / Wikimedia Commons

Along with the trade for Carmelo Anthony came increased media attention for the Knicks. Since acquiring Anthony, the Knicks have played poorly, going 7-11 and have received heavy criticism from the press. Many pundits are now skeptical that the Knicks gave up too much in the trade and that the new stars Chauncey Billups and Anthony will not be able to develop chemistry with Amare Stoudemire and the rest of the Knicks.

These questions are valid and the Knicks play has not provided any answers; however, this should have been expected when the trade was made. It would be unreasonable to expect a team with only two starters from prior to the trade to be able to play with the chemistry of a team that’s played all season long. Using the Maimi Heat as an example, when they acquired Lebron James and Chris Bosh they began the season an unspectacular 9-8 and they had the advantage of training camp and preseason to work on chemistry.

Overall, the Knicks offensive and defensive totals are similar before and after the trade. The problem for them has been holding leads and closing games. Being able to close out games should come in time when they learn what their most effective plays down the stretch are.


For those who expected the Knicks to raise their play to championship level after acquiring Anthony is slightly absurd. At last check few teams surrendering 105.5 points a game and have Jared Jeffries and Ronny Turiaf splitting time at center have recently won championships.


In the NBA, championship teams typically rely on multiple superstar caliber players; the Anthony trade gives the Knicks the second star that every championship team needs. Although the Knicks gave up very talented players in Reymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, all of these players are role players and likely would never give the Knicks a legitimate chance at a championship. However if the Knicks front office can surround Stoudemire and Anthony with a strong supporting cast who can play defense and rebound the can become serious contenders.

The Knicks may not be able to correct their flaws this season, but despite their struggles, the trade was necessary. The fans and media have to give the team time to develop into the elite team they fantasized about when the trade was made.

Big midseason trade leave the Knicks with no depth

Carmelo Anthony / Greg Ma / Wikimiedia Commons

The Knicks are faced with the fact that their superstar powered team lost six out of their last seven games. At the time of this article, they were seven and nine after Carmelo Anthony was traded to the team. The Knicks made a massive trade carrying away a large part of their team to the Nuggets.

The Knicks problems started with the fact their defense is playing poorly. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni preaches offense, but for the Knicks to start to win, they will need to play better defensively. Secondly, the Knicks do not have a center who can clear the paint and grab rebounds or simply help Amare Stoudemire . The Knicks have started three different centers in the past three games. The three starters can play defense but are easily out played by most of the league's centers. The rotating trio at center that the Knicks have been trotting out are being asked to play extended minutes for the first time in their careers.

Another thing is the ticking time bomb which is Chauncey Billups. Billups is 34 years old and injury prone, but when he is healthy he provides the team with scoring and assists. The Knicks will need a backup point guard who can take over if Billups is injured.

Overall, the Knicks are three superstars plus fillers; to get to the point where they can compete in the playoffs they are going to have to work on their defense and keeping the paint clean.

One should review products before trading

Carmelo Anthony / Flickr

Currently, the Knicks are 7-11 with Carmelo Anthony as a New York Knick. How successful has this trade really been? With the thought of benefiting the Knicks, it is the Nuggets that have benefited so.far Comparing the Knicks to the 10-4 Nuggets, the Knicks definitely did not have this change in mind.

Now 35-36, this team has sunk from the original 28-26 and are under .500 for the first time since November. This downward trend could be due to the fact that the young players have been traded off, right when they were getting their team chemistry down. The results of the Nuggets after the trade is proof of their growth. Perhaps if the Knicks did not do such a trade, especially trading away their young players, this would have been the current record for the Knicks.. Sure Carmelo Anthony is a highly valued offensive player, but he does not have the passing and defensive ability such as great players like Lebron James or Dwyane Wade. Their defense is lacking, and the slack has to be picked up. If the team keeps up good defense against the opposing teams, Carmelo Anthony will have an easier time to shoot. Based on their recent games, the Knicks are getting crushed during the fourth quarter. Why? Their defense is sloppy. Anthony has to defend more than he can score in the fourth quarter. Instead of playing individual games, the team has to form some chemistry, fast!

Offense wins games, but defense wins championships: A lesson the Knicks need to learn.

Amar'e Looks Puzzled / Chamber of Fear / Wikimedia Commons

Every great basketball player has acknowledged at least once in their career that playing solid defense is the key to winning games. Some even say that defense is more important than offense. A team that plays strong defense is able to work better together, making all of the other pieces of the game fall into place. John Brady, head coach for Arkansas State University has stated regarding defense, "If you want team play, you must stress defense. Defense makes players unselfish."

Currently the New York Knicks are in a slump, 7-11 (as of Thursday March 24th) since the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, and it is arguable that the cause is not their scoring. Carmelo Anthony is still averaging 25.0 points per game, Chauncey Billups is averaging 17 points per game, and Amar'e Stoudemire is averaging 26 points per game. The Knicks are averaging 106.06 points per game, 2nd highest in the NBA. These offensive numbers show that scoring isn't the problem.

A major problem in the Knicks offense is their poor shot selection. Billups at times pulls up to shoot from 25 feet with a hand in his face, and although he can make it once in a while, it is still a poor choice when he has other teammates who are open or running a play. Anthony loves to play one on one basketball and as soon as Stoudemire catches the ball in the paint, he looks to shoot or drive and forces up shots when he has teammates open. This lack of sharing the ball and taking "bad" shots contributes to the Knicks low field goal percentage, ranked 17th in the NBA.

The Knicks also have troubles rooted in their defense. For most of the game, the Knicks play two on five defense because Stoudemire, Anthony, and Billups decide to take their time getting back by arguing with the referees about the lack of a call. These three are the most experienced players on the Knicks, and they of all people, should know that they have to be there to help out on defense. Even though they are not the best defensive players in the world, having their bodies there will help the team play better defense. 

Pat Riley believes, “In all the research you do as a coach, studying other coaches and championship-type situations, you find that all those teams combined talent with great defense. You’ve got to stop other teams to win.” The Knicks now have the talent; all they need is stronger defense and they will have a championship team.

Rebounding is another area where the Knicks struggle greatly, currently ranked 20th in the NBA. Aggressive rebounding is crucial to take away the opposing team's second chance points and allows the Knicks to control the flow of the game. In the fourth quarter this season, the Knicks failure to box out, has allowed the opposition to come back from great deficits or cement their leads. The past three games, the Knicks went into the fourth quarter with the lead, and ended up letting it slip away, most resulting in a loss by double figures simply because of a lack of rebounding, defensive intensity, and poor shot selection.

The disappointing trade

Mike D'Antoni / C.J. / Wikimedia Commons

The hottest news for the New York Knicks is the trade that landed Carmelo Anthony  in the Big Apple. It all started with superstar Amar’e Stoudemire joining the Knicks at the beginning of the 2011 season. With Stoudemire leading the Knicks in points, rebounds, and blocks; the Knicks went on 13-1  run to get in playoff position. Everyone was looking forward to the Anthony trade, but rather than helping the Knicks, it appears he's been a negative influence on them.

At the time of this writing, the Knicks are 7-11 ever since Carmelo Anthony started wearing blue and orange. The Knicks lost to teams that they should have beat, such as the Cavaliers, Pacers, and the Bucks. On March 18th the Knicks lost to the Pistons in which Carmelo Anthony only scored six points. The Knicks did not give up Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, and Danilo Gallinari for a player who scores only six points. Although Carmelo averages 25 ppg, the shots he takes are not very smart. In a recent interview Amar’e Stoudemire implied that Melo does not follow the D’Antoni system. He stated that the Mike D’Antoni system works; they just have to buy into it and get it done like they did before the trade.

However, Anthony isn’t the only one to blame for the Knicks poor performance. In the recent loss to the Orlando Magic, Anthony seemed to mature and correct his mistakes; instead of throwing up bad shots, he gave out nine assists. The problem for their loss to the Magic was Stoudemire’s performance, in which he scored 13 points, his fewest as a Knick. It is reasonable for Stoudemire to have one bad day because he plays a lot of minutes back to back. If the Knicks want to get back on top, their defense will have to improve, Anthony will have to take smarter shots, and Jared Jeffries would have to further contribute to their offense and be an efficient player. The Knicks are falling, but hopefully they can pick themselves up and get back on top.

The Knicks Have yet to Bring their Team Together

Lately, the New York Knicks have faced the challenge of finding functionality in their newly updated roster. In late February, the Denver Nuggets traded Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks in what looked to be a turning point for them. The Knicks however, have not shown signs of adjustment, as they have fallen bellow a .500 record in Wednesday night's loss agains the Orlando Magic. With every added loss, attention has been diverted to a few key players including Amar'e Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups and of course, Carmelo Anthony. In months preceeding the "Me-lo" trade, many experts saw Stoudemire strengthen his role as a leader for the team. With the new trade, a shift of leadership and responsibilities has undergone between both stars, but it needs to reach out to the team too.

With the playoffs looming, one can question whether the team can adjust in time to qualify. Amar'e Stoudemire's style of ball-play involves pick and rolll techniques while Anthony simply does not use the same techniques. He is an isolation shooter who will seek the opportunity for a clear wing in which he can make a jumpshot. Contrastingly, Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has led the team to become more comfortable in implementing their offense with plenty of ball handling before shots are made. While both Stoudemire and Anthony have specialized playing styles to offer, they tend to conflict each when they pursue their own objectives. With these two situations becoming intertwined, it is easy to forget about the rest of the team. Defense is one of the issues that plagues the Knicks the most, especially since the team has a problem with inconsistency.

The Knicks show weakness often towards the end of games in the fourth quarter, which ends up costing them the lead. A promising strong start in the first two quarters leaves the offense tired and this is where star players like Anthony are relied upon more heavily. It has become apparent that Anthony has not found his niche in making these rushed offensive plays. The shots that he does take are usually not thought out well and come from different areas of the court suggesting that he is not yet secured a perfect spot to shoot from. Also, these continued shot attempts by Anthony prove that he is not willing to run the pick and roll with Stoudemire or other alternative plays.

Mike D'Antoni highlighted on Wednesday that Stoudemire was unable to raise his offense because he was tired. Many other phrases are recycled such as the situation being simply a "long season" or that they "[they] have to take a step backwards to move forwards." This way of analyzing the team's weaknesses lacks being realistic and will only hurt them further by blinding them from the true problem. Instead, the head coach needs to diverge some much-needed attention to the Knicks defense in order for each player to have better involvement and collaborate more effectively on the court.

Trading for Carmelo ... bad decision?

The New York Knicks are not doing as well as they believed they would this current season. Trades, for the most part, are supposed to help both sides of the deal. But, after the mid-season trade for Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets went in completely opposite directions. The Knicks lost to Orlando Magic, dropping them below .500. On the other side, the Nuggets were able to rise to 43-29 after the trade. This brings up an important question. Were the Knicks smart in trading for Carmelo?

The Knicks believe themselves to be a dominant force, since the Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are together. They are the leading shooters on the Knicks. However, the team needs to get adjusted to playing with Anthony. Many people believe that the Knicks took a huge risk in trading for Anthony. Trading players mid-season is a risky, but Donnie Walsh was thinking about the Knicks future. Walsh was quoted, in an NBC Sports article, as saying, “I take more responsibility than the players or the coaches because I made a monumental trade in the middle of the season, and it appears to me they’re having a hard time getting together, which is understandable,” Walsh said "That's why I don’t like to do it in the middle of the season,” Walsh added. “We gave up a lot. We got back a lot. But I do think this trade is going to make us better in the future. In the long run, this trade will make us a better franchise.” The Nuggets are prospering now, but will that continue next season? 
Walsh is ensuring the Knicks prosperity farther in the future. Next season, when the Knicks' players improve their chemistry, they will be the dominant force they believe themselves to be. Trading for Carmelo Anthony was a great investment for the Knicks.