Jamel Thomas | Brooklyn Born Basketball Star Finds Life After The NBA Overseas

Jamel Thomas / 1999 Upper Deck SP

After being shuffled many NBA teams, Jamel Thomas ended up with his cousin, Stephon Marbury on the New Jersey Nets.

Thomas played for the Nets during the 2000-2001 season alongside Marbury. While he didn't grow up dreaming to play in the NBA with his cousin, it was still an experience he enjoyed.

“Playing [with] my Steph was just like playing in high school together,” Thomas said via e-mail. “We never dreamt about playing together in the NBA, but we both believed that we were going to get there through hard work and respect.”

He felt he had to represent New York City, and his home borough of Brooklyn wherever he played.

“Where ever you go you always have to put on for your city and mine is ‘The Mecca’,” he said. “Playing for your hometown makes you feel like a hero and it inspires the ones that wants to play the game. “

The hard work and respect Thomas had was due to his excellent high school and college experience. His days at Brooklyn's Lincoln High School set him up to achieve bigger things during college.

“During my Lincoln days I had a very good coach who instilled hard work in all of his players,” he said. “I was a good player on the team so I got a little extra attention. While I played for the NYC Gauchos I was able to play small forward my true position. So playing both positions before going to Providence made me a valuable player because I was able to do it all.”

His success in high school and college eventually led him to the NBA where he played against some of the best in the world. The rough basketball scene during the 80s and 90s shaped his mental toughness to play the game.

“During the 80’s and 90’s basketball was very tough,” he said. “You needed heart and skill to play. If you weren’t good other players and older players will let you know and that forces you to work on your game.”

Unfortunately, his career in the NBA only lasted for two years, signing contracts with five different teams. He ultimately found success playing overseas until 2009 in countries like Turkey and Italy.

Glen Rice: The NBA Star's Fall From Grace In New York

Glen Rice / Wikimedia Commons

The New York Knicks brought in Glen Rice during the 2000-2001 season as he looked like a very promising player, however he was not able to perform well for the team. Rice was not able to fit in well with the Knicks and was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2001.

Rice was an NBA All-Star from 1996-1998 and was able to win the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. The Knicks expected a lot from Rice; however while with the Knicks he was benched a lot, only averaging 12 points per game. He was not able to perform well, as he had a foot injury (plantar fasciitis), and did not find his place alongside Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell. 

“The best players will play,” Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said in July 2001 to the New York Post.

In the beginning of the 2000-2001 season, the Knicks were able to start off with a successful pre-season; however, for Rice it was a different story. Rice was a very good player, but he was not able to find his rhythm throughout his time with the Knicks. He never embraced the role of sixth man, as he felt he deserved more playing time.

''I said this many times; it did work, all the way to the fifth game, like everything else on our team,'' Van Gundy said to the New York Times. ''The unfortunate part is you make a trade and somebody goes to the bench and you expect them to get starter's numbers playing bench minutes. Glen Rice was a very, very good player -- he was when he came here, he leaves a very good player and he'll go somewhere that's more to his liking, where he'll be a starter. Obviously, if that was such a big problem, getting all three guys minutes, we wouldn't have traded for another guy on the perimeter.''

Things got worse for Rice as during the last three months of the season Rice was not able to practice because of his foot injury. Rice was not able to perform during the 2000-2001 NBA season. He was not able to fit in with the team and ended up averaging a career low of 12 points with the Knicks. The New York Knicks traded Rice in a three-way trade along with the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets. This ended his disappointing career in New York.

Being Tiny in A Land of Giants Did Not Stop Earl Boykins From Pursuing a Lengthy NBA Career

Earl Boykins / Wikimedia Commons

For Earl Boykins, 1998 marked the beginning of a long journey in the NBA. Although going undrafted, Earl Boykins went on to average 8.9 points, 3.2 assists and 1.3 rebounds per game in his 13 season career. This was not easy for him as he only stood 5’5’ in the land of seven-foot giants. Despite his size disadvantage, Boykins had quite the career.

Boykins attended Eastern Michigan University, where he dominated. He made All Mid-Conference first team in his junior and senior year. He also was second in NCAA scoring in his senior year, averaging 26.8 points per game. Eastern Michigan retired his jersey in 2011.

Earl Boykins signed with the New Jersey Nets for a short time during the 1999 NBA season. He had been an unrestricted free agent since going undrafted. Boykins made his NBA debut with New Jersey, playing only five games (averaging 4.2 points), before the Nets released him. He signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers to finish the 1999 season.

He went through quite a few teams, but Boykins began to play more when he reached the Los Angeles Clippers. But it wasn't until 2003 with the Denver Nuggets where Boykins had full playing time and was able to display his value. He credited his father for developing his confidence.

“Because of my height, I became very skilled and I always had confidence,” Boykins said to Charles Post of The Eastern Echo. “My dad taught me the game. Growing up, he used to take me to the gym and I played basketball a lot. At an early age he instilled it in me to never be afraid. Never let anyone intimidate me.”

Boykins made a 13- year career going undrafted and getting cut by the Nets after only five games. He learned to work hard to overcome the height difference throughout his career.

”If I was taller, I probably wouldn’t have worked as hard or gotten as far.” Boykins said to Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times.

Boykins showed that with hard work and talent, nothing will stop you from succeeding. His story continues to be an inspiration to many who believe they aren’t good enough for their career interests.

From College Prodigy To NBA Bust: The Story Of Bo Kimble

Bo Kimble Knicks Basketball Card / Hoops

The toughest sight in sports is when a player doesn’t live up to his potential. Derrick Rose and Andrew Wiggins may come to mind, but one that perhaps doesn’t is Bo Kimble.

Kimble’s journey from college star to NBA bust is one of the most remarkable in basketball history, and the Loyola Marymount grad’s career could go down in history as the greatest that never was. 

The 54-year-old had a compelling, illustrious college career. After leaving the University of Southern California due to a falling out with new head coach George Raveling, he and his longtime friend and teammate Hank Gathers both transferred to Loyola Marymount. 

Teaming up with Gathers and NBA Champion coach Paul Westhead, Kimble led Loyola Marymount to be arguably the most exciting team in college basketball history. Westhead installed a very fast-paced, run-and-gun style of play, featuring a constant full-court press on defense. His college run’s pinnacle was during his senior year, where he led the entire nation in scoring and was named a second team All-American.

However, when it all seemed to be going well, tragedy struck. Gathers collapsed on the court during the semifinals of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament, and he devastatingly passed away. 

The tournament was canceled, and Loyola was awarded a spot in the NCAA Division I Tournament due to their first place spot in the regular-season standings. Kimble, along with having to cope with the death of his close friend, now had to lead his team in the toughest college basketball competition in the country.

Pushing through the adversity, Kimble and his team made one of the most memorable, touching runs in college history, losing only in the Elite Eight to the eventual champions University of Nevada. Along the way, Kimble bested eventual 7-time NBA Champion Robert “Big-Shot Bob” Horry, as well as the defending NCAA champions in the University of Michigan.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of all was Kimble’s lefty free-throws, which he took in honor of his fallen teammate. Gathers was actually right-handed, but he was so bad at free throws that he decided to switch to shooting left-handed, and he ultimately ended up with a better free-throw percentage. For every game, Kimble took his first free throw left-handed, converting every single one he attempted.

After the tournament, the Los Angeles Clippers selected Kimble as the eighth pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. Despite a promising start, his time became limited as the months passed, and he spent most of his two years in Los Angeles on the bench for a Clippers team that was considered one of the worst of all time for many years now.

He was traded to the New York Knicks along with Doc Rivers and Charles Smith before the 1992-1993 season. Kimble rarely saw the court, playing only nine games the entire season. He was stuck in a crowded Knicks backcourt that included Doc Rivers and John Starks.

The only game in which he was given significant game time was against the Phoenix Suns, where a massive brawl caused the ejection of four Knicks players. Kimble played 21 minutes and scored 11 points, in what would be his most notable game with the Knicks.

After the season ended, where Jordan and the Bulls bested the Knicks yet again in the Conference Finals, Kimble was cut from the team. In a move that many viewed as inevitable, the Knicks felt that it was the best decision for all parties:

“It was in the best interest of Bo and the Knicks to allow him to seek other opportunities to play at this time,” Knicks General Manager Ernie Grunfeld said.

Just three years ago, he had led America in college scoring, but he now found himself without a team in the NBA. Kimble decided to go overseas to play for CRO Lyon in France’s top division, the Jeep Elite. 

The shooting guard averaged about 20 points and five rebounds per game, good for the top ten in scoring. However, Kimble was cut yet again, ending his career in Europe and forcing him to move back to America. At that point, he still felt he was good enough to make it back to the NBA.

“The players know I belong out there,” Kimble told the Los Angeles Times. “The people who watch the game, they don’t understand. All they see is Bo Kimble, great shooter, great scorer, not playing. I’m not going to give up. For a long time.”

Kimble kept trying, but he never did get back into the NBA. He played several years for the Continental Basketball Association, but he was moved around constantly.

His most notable moment was during a game with his first team, the Rapid City Thrillers. After a poor performance, GM/head coach and future NBA coach Eric Musselman asked Kimble and another two former NBA players on the team to name one other team in their CBA division. None of the players could, and they were all scrapped the next day.

“I liked Bo and Rumeal [Robinson, Kimble’s teammate], they were nice guys, but I’ve never traded two guys who were less valuable,” Musselman told Sports Illustrated.

Kimble’s attitude towards the CBA never allowed him to be successful there because he knew he was too good for it, and he acted like it. Looking back on his career, Kimble blames the Clippers organization for stunting his progress and setting him on a path to failure.

“I’m used to unity, and there was no unity on the Clippers. I’m used to playing as a team and being together. But NBA basketball is quite different than anything I’ve experienced,” Kimble said. “I didn’t have the support of the coach [Mike Schuler]. If you’re drafted to be the scorer and the shooter, and your coach is telling you, ‘You’re not at Loyola. Don’t shoot this shot, don’t shoot this shot.’ Well, then you start to wonder. I kind of lost my identity of who I really was. If I can’t shoot and score, do what I do best, well, then what do you want me to do?”

Kimble had always been associated with the unconventional system he thrived under at Loyola, and therefore most scouts believed he couldn’t make it in the NBA. But Kimble always had the talent to succeed, he just became a victim of unfortunate circumstances.

“It becomes easy to track,” his college coach Westhead told the Los Angeles Times. “Once your minutes go down, if you’re a shooter you start playing tight. If you’re not making shots, your minutes keep going down, and unfortunately what happens to a player is he begins to second-guess his shot and he goes spinning downward.”

Kimble’s impact during his only season in New York, and his career as a whole, was not what he expected. He very likely had more to offer than he was given credit for, especially considering everything he did to get to the NBA. He was dealt an awful hand and overcame it to will his team through with a natural-born leadership reminiscent of Michael Jordan.

Kimble’s determination, mentality, and sheer will to win made him one of the most talented players to fall through the cracks in the NBA.

The NBA Has A Tissue For Every Tear During The COVID-19 Pandemic

As of April 3rd,2020 , the NBA launched an NBA 2K “Players Only” and H-O-R-S-E tournaments to help grieving fans find comfort after the suspension of major sports amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NBA shocked all fans after the announcement that the rest of the NBA season had been suspended, on March 11th. This news came after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. In response to the growing tension from the fans, the NBA announced the NBA 2K “Players Only” Tournament.

“Beginning Friday, April 3 on ESPN and ESPN2, players... will compete in a single-elimination, player-only tournament on Xbox One,” reported the NBA.

The tournament winner will be able to choose their favorite charity to receive the $100,000 prize. Although the tournament was in place, die-hard basketball fans still want real basketball to watch. The NBA heard their cries and answered with a free NBA league pass preview through April 22nd 2020.

“The league announced Wednesday it was making its League Pass service free to all fans until April 22, allowing folks to watch games from this season and the NBA's archive of games from seasons past as well,” Timothy Rapp from BleacherReport announced.

The NBA was so eager to support their fans that they announced a “Quarantine” H-O-R-S-E tournament which includes past and present NBA and WNBA players that will be aired on ESPN.

We don’t know how long “stay- at- home” orders will last, or when the NBA season will resume, but if it does, but the NBA seems to have a lot of ideas in their bag to continue to make money and capture their fans’ attention. We’re excited to see what’s on the way!

Forget LeBron Or Giannis, A Microscopic Virus Is Taking Center-Stage In The NBA

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers wearing mask in light of COVID-19/ Basketballforever.com

After coronavirus scares forced the NBA season’s suspension two months ago, officials are considering canceling the season altogether. This unprecedented situation has also cast doubt about both players and staff salaries.

COVID-19’s spread to the United States caused large gatherings for sports, rallies, and other events to be canceled. For the NBA, their hiatus began after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for Coronavirus in early March.

The NBA has not released an official statement regarding what will become of the NBA’s 2020 season. Several different ideas going forward are being discussed, and multiple contingencies are being arranged to prepare the NBA for any course of action.

Resuming the season would ultimately cost the NBA more money as employees would be paid for longer. Their pay would be extended to include the rest of the season, in addition to the gap caused by its suspension. Therefore, even with the massive revenue the league brings in, it could make more economic sense for the NBA to cancel the season.

In the event of a cancellation, the NBA and the Players’ Association decided that player salaries will be reduced by 25%. As for stadium employees, some players and owners, such as notorious billionaire Mark Cuban and rising star Zion Williamson, have also pledged millions to cover their pay.

“Today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days,” Williamson said on Instagram. “This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates.”

However, while canceling the entire season makes sense from an economic standpoint, it could have complications for the following season. There is uncertainty regarding determining the NBA Draft order, which decides what teams rookies go to. If there is no season, how does the league create an objective draft system? It is also the sheer will to win of the many basketball players and fans that would desperately want to see a champion crowned this season, however strange it has been.

"Factoring those things in, where will we be in May?” Commissioner Adam Silver said in an interview with TNT’s Ernie Johnson. “Will there be an opportunity, and I think beyond the virtue of crowning a champion, what will the symbolism be of major league sports starting back up in this country?”

One possible solution would be to have the playoffs behind closed doors with everyone quarantined in Las Vegas. Every player would be properly vetted beforehand, and any member of any organization still suffering from the coronavirus would not be allowed to participate. Silver, in support of this idea, stated that he is eager to restart the season once he is given the “all clear” from health officials.

There are strong reasons to both shut down the season and to keep it going. Economic advantage, players’ desire to win, and next year’s draft picks are all important, but they ultimately won’t be the deciding factors. In terms of a global health crisis, the NBA is of very minor importance, and the only factor that will truly decide the NBA’s next step is this deadly pandemic’s time frame. If the health experts deem it safe to play by June-July, then the league will undoubtedly resume in the summer; if not, this season will probably be the league’s first-ever cancellation.

Blake Owen also contributed to this article.

NBA League Pass: Average service for a premium price

The NBA League Pass has created a new medium for fans to view NBA games, but this subscription is plagued with blackouts and high prices. It comes at a price of $199.99 a year to have access to all NBA games and $119.99 to access all the games of one team, which is far too much to pay for a service where you wont be able to watch many of the games.

The major problem with these subscriptions is the games that will be missed as a consequence of blackouts. Anyone with a video subscription will not be able to view games in their market, nationally broadcasted, or ones that are part of the playoffs.

The problem is that the rights to broadcast these games were sold to TV networks and those networks don’t want to have a convenient streaming service competing with them on their games. Because of this restriction, the NBA League pass really has no choice but to watch us suffer through these blackouts.

Many streaming services such as NBA League pass, Netflix, etc. have slowly taken away from the wide audience of cable. People who have a television service are slowly becoming more and more uncommon throughout the years even if only at a glacial pace. Due to the freedom many different streaming services and alternate cable services offer, traditional cable is declining in appeal.

“At the same time, overall viewing of traditional TV is continuing its slow decline.” Victor Luckerson said in a 2014 TIME magazine article. “The average person watched about 141 hours of live television per month in the third quarter of 2014, compared to 147 hours in the third quarter of 2013,”

Not only are less people buying cable services, but these very people are constantly watching less TV. Due to the availability to watch anything whenever they want, streaming services such as Hulu and Netflix have skyrocketed in their viewership. Whereas the NBA League pass does not feel the same effects because it unintentionally negates this effect with it’s blackouts.

Some people are finding ways to avoid these blackouts. They use VPN applications to make it look like their location is outside the country or in an area where the game they’re trying to watch is not blacked out.

“This is leading to a lot of people trying to set up a VPN to trick the service into thinking you're living outside the Houston area.” Chris Brantner said in a 2016 Houston Chronicle article. “Unfortunately, it's likely breaking the terms of service on NBA League Pass,”

NBA League Pass is an overpriced service that doesn’t offer the full NBA experience due to the plague of blackouts. It is the highest priced streaming service offered by a major sports league, and a huge revenue source for the NBA. Consumers that purchase the NBA League Pass should not have to pay for this subscription and be affected by blackouts; however, if you’re willing to bypass the terms of use then you may want to consider subscribing.

Authored By: Anamul Hoque and Charles Dicus

Donald Sterling's racist comments spark league wide movement

You are a professional basketball player for a team in the midst of the golden era of their franchise, leading a first round playoff series against your biggest rivals two games to one; geared up and ready to roll, the adrenaline and confidence of your team is at an all time high ... and then your owner grabs a hammer and tears it to shreds. That was the case with Donald Sterling, the then owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, who made insensitive racial comments against African-Americans in April 2014.

Sterling at the time was in a relationship with his then-girlfriend V.V Stiviano. In September of 2013, Stiviano posted an Instagram photo of her and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, which irritated Sterling.

"It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people", Sterling told Stiviano in the recording. "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want ... but the little thing I ask you is ... not to bring them to my games".

Of course, Sterling’s comments had a number of negative responses from players and owners alike. 

“There is no room for Donald Sterling in the NBA”, Lebron James said during an interview before a Saturday playoff game against the Charlotte Bobcats in 2014.

The owner of the Miami Heat, Mickey Arison, also called the comments, “appalling, offensive and very sad.” Other legends such as Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kevin Johnson spoke out against Sterling’s remarks.

The biggest impact Sterling’s racist comments had was on the team itself, and their response was just as significant. Before their Game 4 playoff game against the Golden State Warriors, a game which they lost by a significant margin, the players took off their warmup shirts and left them on the floor. In the locker room before the game, "We are one," was written on the dry-erase board, which was the message players and coaches talked about before taking the court. The Clippers players also, in an attempt not to display the team’s logo, turned their red shooting shirts inside out and began to practice.

During the game, players wore black wristbands and black socks. The leader of the team, superstar point guard Chris Paul attempted to unify the team, declaring,

"We're going to be one, everything we do, we do it together," Paul told ESPN in 2014. "Stay together, play ball...we worked hard to be where we are..."

Sterling’s comments wasn’t just a nuisance to the players and coaches, but the city of Los Angeles as a whole. The Los Angeles chapter of the NCAAP cancelled its plan to award Sterling with its lifetime achievement award, and as a whole, the Clippers lost considerable fan support and money. Numerous sponsors, including Chumash Casino and CarMax severed their ties with the team, while other sponsors temporarily suspended their respective relationships.

It was obvious that the NBA needed to act in order to improve publicity. On April 29, 2014, newly instated commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling from the NBA for life and fined him $2.5 million. He also moved to force Sterling to sell the team based on a “willful violation of the rules.” Sterling challenged the league at every turn, but it was to no avail, as the NBA approved the sale of the team to billionaire Steve Ballmer. The Board of Governors unanimously ratified the deal 29-0, and Sterling was ousted as owner.

The NBA’s quick disposition of Sterling earned considerable praise around the league. Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who has expressed doubt about whether he'd honor the two years left on his contract if Donald Sterling remained the owner, called it "an amazing new day in Clippers history."

“I couldn’t be more excited to work together with Steve as we continue to build a first-class, championship organization," Rivers told CbsSports.com in 2014. "I am already inspired by Steve’s passion for the game, his love of competition and desire to win the right way and I know our players and fans are going to be inspired as well.”

Three years after the ordeal, the stench of Sterling as owner occasionally lingers around the franchise. After beating the Golden State Warriors in a grueling seven game series that year, they lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals. Although, the Clippers are still in the midst of the most successful period in franchise history, they’ve yet to achieve a NBA finals berth, or Western Conference for that matter.

Donald Sterling’s comments had huge repercussions regarding the team’s playoff run, and one must wonder if this fiasco, despite ousting him as owner, prevented the team from achieving even more success. Nevertheless, it’s comforting for NBA fans and players alike to know that situations like this does not go unnoticed, and it portrayed  the NBA's willingness to stand up against immoral social standards.

Authored by Arik Armstead and Matthias Granja

Bernard King: The King of New York

Bernard King /  Panini 

Bernard King was among the premier NBA players of the 1980s. The man formerly known as, “The King of New York,” came from humble beginnings. King grew up in the rough Brooklyn Fort Greene Houses, in what he once described as void of love. He attributes his game time scowl to his difficult upbringing.

Despite all these obstacles, King found success in the basketball world. He was recognized as an All-City player in his senior year at Fort Hamilton High School. His excellence on the court led to several Division I athletic scholarship offers. King chose to enroll at the University of Tennessee in 1974, joining fellow New York product Ernie Grunfeld.

King and Grunfeld formed “The Bernie and Ernie Show,” with their stellar play together from 1974 through 1977. This partnership was highlighted by a Sports Illustrated cover released on February 9, 1976.

King was a first team All-American in 1977. After his junior year at Tennessee, King declared for the NBA draft. He was drafted 7th overall in the 1977 draft by the New Jersey Nets. King led all rookies in scoring that year with the New Jersey Nets. After two years of spectacular play with the Nets, King was traded along with John Gianelli and Jim Boylan to the Utah Jazz for Rich Kelley.

King would eventually go on to play for his hometown Knicks, leaving his mark as one of their greatest players ever. In admiration of King's talent, Coach Hubie Brown said, “With Bernard, even when the play is busted, something good always materializes from it.”

He became the most prolific scorer in the '77 draft, including NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. As a four-time All-Star and top 50 NBA career total scorer, King managed to join the selective group of athletes who have been recognized as Hall of Famers.

Playoff success not enough to keep NBA coaching jobs

How much is enough? In recent years, successful NBA coaches have been terminated despite having winning records. Even playoff appearances have proven not to be sufficient for NBA owners. The latest fatality of the NBA's coaching fraternity was Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt.

David Blatt / Wikimedia Commons

Blatt, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA finals in his first year in the league, was relieved of his coaching duties on January 23, 2016. He led the Cavaliers to a 30-11 start before he was let go by the Cavaliers.

A main reason for Blatt’s release was his tumultuous relationship with Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James. In many situations throughout Blatt’s time in Cleveland, James would override his decisions, most notably in Game Four of the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Blatt called a late-game play that had James pass the ball, but James decided to take the shot.

“When that play was drawn up, I scratched it,” James said during the postgame conference. “I just told coach, ‘Give me the ball. We’re either going to go to overtime or I’m going to win it for us.’ It was that simple.”

Another major problem during Blatt’s stint as head coach in Cleveland was the disconnect in the clubhouse. Blatt regarded himself as a veteran coach, as he coached in Europe since 1993; however, the team viewed him as a rookie, as this was Blatt’s first season as an NBA head coach. Former Cavalier and current New York Knick Lou Amundson saw the tension in the clubhouse first hand.

“It didn’t feel like it should feel,” he told the New York Post. “I just think the atmosphere and energy wasn’t there. It wasn’t a healthy atmosphere.”

Blatt’s inability to control the clubhouse atmosphere was likely a large factor in his firing.

David Blatt is not the only coach to be fired after an excellent season. Tom Thibodeau coached the Chicago Bulls for five season before his firing at the end of the 2014-15. Thibodeau won the Coach of the Year award in his first year as head coach, where he led the Bulls to a combined 255-139 record during his tenure.

He got the most out of his Bulls teams, leading them to the playoffs in all of his five years as head coach, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Many of their wins came without star player Derrick Rose, who was marred by injuries while Thibodeau coached the Bulls.

Thibodeau’s accomplishments, however, were ultimately not enough for him to keep his job. The Bulls fired him, citing a lack of communication between him and the Bulls front office.

“Obviously there was a break down,” Bulls’ executive vice president John Paxson said in a conference announcing the firing. "It is our strong belief that there needs to be a culture of communication that builds a trust throughout this organization. … When that culture becomes sacrificed, it becomes very difficult to evolve and grow. And [Thibodeau’s firing] was about giving this team an opportunity to grow into the future.”

Stan van Gundy’s conflict with his star player was the reason he was fired despite a successful record. Van Gundy converted the Orlando Magic from a mediocre team to championship contenders. The year prior to his hiring, the Orlando Magic finished with a sub .500 record; however, in the first year under him, Orlando immediately made a jump to 52 wins, a 10 win difference from the prior season.

The Orlando Magic made several playoff runs throughout van Gundy’s five year tenure with the team, making the playoffs ever year van Gundy’s leadership. Van Gundy’s playoff success included a trip to the NBA finals as Eastern Conference Champions. Van Gundy references his relationship with Dwight Howard, then Orlando’s star player, for his firing.

"I think [Magic CEO Alex Martin’s] comments are based on the fact that Dwight and maybe others didn't like me…and thinking somehow that's important," van Gundy said.

Although there are different circumstance surrounding these three firings, they all have one thing in common: each of these coaches conflicted with a star player or the front office. In the NBA, where stars control the market, coaches may never get the benefit of the doubt, no matter how successful they are.

By: Bruce Mayfield and Michael Stern

'Drazen: The Remarkable Life and Legacy of the Mozart of Basketball' book review

Drazen - Todd Spehr

Todd Spehr’s “Drazen: the Life and Legacy of the Mozart of Basketball,” details the life of European basketball pioneer Drazen Petrovic. Spehr captures the winning spirit and tenacity that Petrovic displayed throughout his career. Although Americans only know Petrovic by his two notable years as a key contributor to the New Jersey Nets, his legacy stretches out to be far greater than what he is remembered to be in the United States.

Showing an unparalleled desire to hone his basketball skills from a young age, Drazen Petrovic laboriously sculpted a legendary career in the solitude of an empty basketball court in his hometown Sibenka.

"There is in Sibenka one boy who will be better than 'Kicha' [Dragan Kicanovic] and me ... He is called Drazen Petrovic. Remember the name," said his Yugoslavian club coach Zoran Slavnic.

Petrovic became Yugoslavia’s best player early in his career. Petrovic’s success in Yugoslavian basketball allowed him to change the rules for Yugoslavian athletes of the future. By threatening to disqualify himself from international competition, he managed to enter the Spanish league where he could comfortably transition to the NBA.

“I will go one day to the United States, with the professionals,” he told El Pais. “I just know that no European player has won there. I’ll be the first and nobody can stop me.”

Petrovic was drafted in 1986 by the Portland Trail Blazers, but he did not join the NBA until the 1989-90 NBA season after the Blazers bought out the remaining two years of his contract with Madrid. Petrovic was limited to the bench in his two seasons with the Trail Blazers, as he played on a very talented Portland team. Petrovic grew to be very unhappy with his limited role and demanded a trade in the middle of the 1990-91 season. Portland obliged, trading him to the New Jersey Nets.

It wasn’t so easy for Petrovic transitioning to life in the United States. He was emotionally in pain due to worrying about his family in Croatia. He was also troubled by his teammates reluctance to accept him as one of their leaders. He was driven to become the first European star player to earn his teammates respect.

As Drazen developed on the Nets, he sought the confidence which he had exuded in Euro tournaments. It was in his play against the top NBA talents that he displayed his trademark tenacity. His ability to fearlessly stand up against the greatest opponents earned him the respect of legends such as Reggie Miller.

“One shooter to the other, I envied his ability," Miller said in his autobiography, "I Love Being the Enemy."

Petrovic’s path to NBA stardom ended suddenly on June 7th, 1993. While traveling on the Autobahn in Germany, Petrovic’s car crashed into a truck. Traveling without a seat belt, Petrovic did not stand a chance; he passed at the age of 28.

Spehr’s deep and detailed work is evident in his complete coverage of Drazen’s life in Europe, his success on the Croatian National team, and his accomplishments in the NBA. His prosperity has paved the way for other Europeans such as Peja Stojakovic and Dirk Nowitzki to thrive in the NBA. His legacy can still be remembered at the Drazen Petrovic Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia.

Contributed by Michael Stern, Bruce Mayfield, Harry Smith, and Mohammed Kabir.

Author Todd Spehr gives insight into Drazen Petrovic's career

Todd Spehr is an Australian author who self published “Drazen: The Remarkable Life and Legacy of the Mozart of Basketball,” in 2015 on deceased former New Jersey Nets guard Drazen Petrovic. Spehr follows Petrovic’s life from childhood, up until his untimely death in a car crash on June 7, 1993. Spehr heard about Petrovic from a scout in Oklahoma City, prompting him to look further into Petrovic’s life.

“I wanted to understand why Europeans were thought of in a certain way and how Drazen sought to change that,” Spehr said in an April 2015 interview with the HSMSE Sports Journalism class.

Zoran Citra, a former teammate of Petrovic, wrote an article about the book Spehr was in the process of constructing. The Petrovic Museum, run by the family, noticed the story. The family hurried to support Spehr in his research. The superstar’s life lacked coverage, leaving many basketball fans unaware of his story.

“They appreciate that I am trying to relay what Drazen’s life was about,” he said.

Petrovic’s mother, Biserka, made sure to provide Spehr with as much information as possible about her son’s life growing up and their reaction to his tragic end. The family wants to translate the book so even Croatians can better understand Petrovic’s legacy.

“His mother does not speak any English, but she wrote me two separate letters that were translated,” he said. “Both of them were 8-10 pages; one was about his childhood, and the other was about how they dealt with life after he was killed. It was just unbelievable.”

Petrovic developed a close relationship with New Jersey fans in only two seasons with the Nets. His energy and flashy plays electrified the Izod Center. The shocking news of Petrovic’s death devastated the Nets organization, as well as the family and friends of the Croatian star.

“[Coach] Chuck [Daly] wanted to resign based on Drazen’s death, it shook him up pretty bad. He stayed an extra year, but after that he left, [Derrick] Coleman and [Kenny] Anderson went downhill,” Spehr said. “Even [with] the Croatian national team, same thing happened. They never placed better than third in another tournament.”

Even with his short time with the Nets, Petrovic is remembered well more than 20 years after his passing. Whether it is his number three hanging from the rafters in Brooklyn, or his museum in Croatia, basketball fans are reminded of Petrovic's all too short legacy worldwide.

Contributions by Junior Flores, and Velid Mulic

Fired & Ice

Mike Woodson/ Chris J Nelson - Wikimedia

Who calls the Grim Reaper for the coaches at the end of the season? There has been six coaching changes in the NBA since the 2014 regular season has ended. They have been fired for either a poor record or the team does not like the coach.

The president of the New York Knicks, Phil Jackson, decided to fire Mike Woodson at the end the 2013 - 2014 season for their losing record. This season marked the first time that the Knicks did not make the playoffs since 2010. It was also the first time that Carmelo Anthony did not play in postseason.

“The move had been expected since Jackson's arrival, with the notion of a long and unexpected playoff run likely Woodson's only hope for being retained,” Sam Amick said in a 2014 USA TODAY article. 

Although a coach may do exceedingly well record wise, there still may be dysfunction among upper management or the other coaching staff. Coach Mark Jackson of the Golden State Warriors, was fired after the Warriors made it to the second round of the playoffs. Jackson brought the team to the playoffs the second time in a row since 1990.

“While Jackson was the Warriors' most successful coach since Don Nelson, tension between him and the front office slowly percolated over the last year,” Tyler Conway said in a 2014 Bleacher Report article.

The disunity caused the team to have a very powerful defense, but not the most coordinated offense. Management blamed Jackson for not finding a way to utilize All-Stars Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala’s skills to lead them further. They finished 51-31 in the Western Conference and yet Jackson was not able to salvage his job.

“When management and a coaching staff aren't on the same page, it's bound to end badly,” Conway said. “There is shared blame here, but it's much harder to fire an owner than a coach.”

NBA coaches were playing basketball before some of the players were even born, and yet, the players still get to call the shots. A coach can get the boot if the veteran players such as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol don’t like the style of coaching. Mike D’Antoni, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, was pressured to resign after the Lakers worst season in its history ending in only 27 wins. Gasol and Bryant both openly voiced opposition to the D’Antoni system, causing tension among the team and staff.

"It's more of a finesse game,” Bryant said in a 2014 ESPN article. "It's more small ball, which, personally, I don't really care much for."

Mark Jackson (l.) / Matthew Addie - Flickr

Many general managers say that it is time to move the team in a different direction in regards to firing a coach. This is the case with the ex-coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Mike Brown. In 2005, Brown started a five season saga with the Cavs, went to the Lakers for a year, and then back to Cleveland. The GMs have the power to treat these coaches like baseball cards. They can be used, traded or dismissed. The GMs and president will not give an actual reason to why the coach was fired.

“Although, there was some progress from our finish over the few prior seasons, we believe we need to head in a different direction,” Dan Gilbert said in a team release. “We wish Mike and his family nothing but the best.”

At the end of the 2013 regular season, 11 coaches were fired. Most of them were because of a lack of wins, but some coaches have been doing it right.

“The San Antonio Spurs' Gregg Popovich and Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra are two of the league's three longest-tenured coaches” Amick said in a 2013 USA TODAY article.

These two veteran coaches are able to find an effective strategy utilizing their many all stars. Popovich and Spoelstra currently control two of the best teams in the NBA and they will continue to do so. They know how to run their offense and defense to the best of the abilities of their players.

With coaches getting let go left and right, there is a lot of speculation on what makes a good coach besides producing wins. This trend of a third of the leagues teams’ looking to pick up a new coach after a mediocre season will likely happen for several years to come.

By Willy Herman & Shawn Watts

Least vs. West

“The NBA's Eastern Conference stinks,” proclaimed USA Today writer Jeff Zillgitt.

Nba Logo / Michael Tipton / Flickr.com

The achievement gap between the Eastern and Western Conference is huge. Since 2000 there has been nine years where a team from the West won the NBA championship. During the 2013-2014 season the top eight teams in the West had a combined 436 wins compared to the East whose top eight teams only had 375.

Does it even matter who the top 16 teams are in the regular season? It was obvious early in the season who would be in contention for a title in both conferences and who would not.

“Thirteen of the West's 15 teams have records good enough for one of the top eight spots in the East,” said Zillgitt.

During the regular season the Indiana Pacers, who were considered the best regular season team in the East, were winless against the Phoenix Suns who were the ninth seed in the West at the end of the season.

Some may argue that the East isn't really awful because they have the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers. The teams that were predicted to fight for the third seed were struggling during most of the year.

"The biggest problem is the Knicks, Nets and Bulls," TNT analyst and former Phoenix Suns general manager Steve Kerr said. "Those were teams who were supposed to be pretty good. In fact, I thought Miami was going to be challenged in every round of the playoffs coming in because of the Nets, Knicks, Pacers and Bulls.”

The notion that the two conferences are even has been inadvertently changed. Since the 1999-2000 season there has been only two seasons where the East had more overall top five seeded teams than the West. Throughout the NBA’s history there has been almost an even amount of seasons where one conference dominated the other. Historically it is suggested that the East will regain control over the West, but it is questionable whether or not this equilibrium will be returned in the near future.

By Yoni Pechter and Sadeon Martin

Jabari Parker’s questionable future

Jabari Parker/Adam Glantzman/Flickr.com

Jabari Parker was one of the most popular and talked about college basketball players this past season, but no one knows when he will enter the NBA draft. Duke was eliminated in the first round of the 2014 NCAA tournament. This gives Parker a reason to stay at Duke for another year. The question that now comes up is when will Parker enter the NBA draft. As of right now it seems that he is leaning towards staying at Duke for another season; however, Parker is not worried about the NBA.

“We honestly don’t know. After the season, we’ll talk about it,” his father Sonny Parker said in a 2014 SlamOnline interview.

Parker has the potential to be a great professional basketball player, but he needs more time to develop his raw talent into skill. The fact that Duke was eliminated so early in the tournament, as well as the fact that highest rated high school player in the country, Jhalil Okafor is coming to Duke, only adds to him wanting to play another season of college basketball.

The 2014 NBA draft is loaded with prospects including Kansas' small forward Andrew Wiggins, a player that is often considered to be the rival of Parker. In late March, Wiggins declared that he was joining this year’s NBA draft and this decision could impact whether Parker returns next season. If Parker stays another year at Duke and enters the next year's draft, he would stand out more in the draft class of 2015; however, if he enters this year he could get paid sooner and have a guaranteed contract for the 2014-2015 NBA season.

An extra year playing in college would help Parker gain more experience and to develop his skills; however, there is also a possibility of injury that could damage his career. Only time will tell where Parker will choose to take his career and the choice is entirely up to him.

The controversies of Dennis Rodman

Dennis Rodman / Tuomas Venhola-Wikimedia Commons

If you’re a basketball fan, a die-hard enthusiast or just someone who watches the game because nothing else is on, you’ve heard of “The Worm.” Dennis Rodman is known for being arguably the greatest rebounder of all time in NBA history, with 11,594 rebounds to his name during his 14-season career; however, if you know Rodman, then you also know about his flashy looks and wild antics on and off the court.

Growing up in Dallas, Rodman had a difficult childhood. He was raised in a poor surrogate family in the projects, and did not get things in life so easily.

“I think back to times like that and realize how easy everything is for me now,” Rodman said, in his 1996 autobiography “Bad As I Wanna Be”. “I think that's why I strive to make my life so difficult now. I'm not comfortable being comfortable.”

At only 5’6” in high school, Rodman was the last person you would expect to be drafted into the NBA. After getting an invitation from Cooke County Junior College, he flunked out after a year because he couldn’t keep up with the schoolwork. He was later enrolled at Southeastern Oklahoma State, the only college that accepted him. While Rodman was on the college basketball team, he was a force to be reckoned with, averaging 26 points and 16 rebounds per game.

The Detroit Pistons drafted Rodman as a second round pick in 1986. Throughout his 14-year NBA career, Rodman has played for multiple teams, and won five championships en route to his 2011 enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. For all his success, trouble and criticism were never far behind. He racked up quite a few fines for being physically aggressive toward referees and in 1997, he paid $200,000 to settle a case that he had kicked a cameraman in the groin. He frequently dyed his hair, and wore outfits that can be deemed questionable. For example, during the Legends of Basketball Tour 2014 in Argentina, he played while dressed as a drag queen, with a blonde mohawk, purple lipstick and a face full of makeup.

“From his outward appearance, it was clear that Rodman would lose no opportunity to express himself,” said Joseph Edwards in a 2014 AirAlamo.com article.

The sense that he was wild was something he accepted as part of his on-court persona. Despite his track record of breaking rules, it was clearly seen through his performance that he would never deny his self-expression.

“You can like me or you can hate me, all I know is one thing; when I step on this floor I’m gonna get things poppin,” said Rodman in a 2014 AirAlamo.com article.

The first active NBA player to come out

Joshua S. Kelly - Wikimedia Commons

Jason Collins stated in a Sports illustrated article that he is gay, which is the first time an active professional NBA player has admitted this. His choice to disclose this information can drastically change his future because players may act differently around him than in the past.

He could have revealed his sexuality in the middle of a season, but decided not to because it could cause problems during the season. Collins' decision to wait until the end of the season before announcing this shows his maturity. It shows he thinks about how his decision may affect the game and the players in it.

The public is taking the sports illustrated article very seriously and is showing their support for him. Many people are revering him because of his courage to admit that he is a homosexual. “I couldn’t be prouder,” President Barack Obama said.

Not everyone is showing support for Jason Collins. Some people think his decision is wrong. NFL player Leroy Butler was supposed to make a presentation about anti bullying in a church in Wisconsin. Butler posted a tweet congratulating Collins, and as a result, the church said Butler couldn’t make his presentation. The church was against him supporting Collins and in order to make his speech they asked him to remove the tweet and ask for forgiveness, which he declined.

Collins is similar to Jackie Robinson in the way he is changing the NBA. He is the first active gay NBA player which can draw lots of resentment. This is similar to when Jackie Robinson was one of the first African Americas to play in the Major Leagues. Collins may face resentment, but hopefully many people will accept him like Robinson.

Nate Robinson filling the gap

Nate Robinson / Flickr - Shinya

Nate Robinson was picked up on February 4, 2013 from the Golden State Warriors as a backup for the Chicago Bulls  superstar Derrick Rose. Robinson has provided the Bulls the surge they have needed to contend with the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Robinson saw as few as 16 minutes in the first three games in their playoff series against the Nets, leaving most of the work to Kirk Hinrich.An opportunity for Robinson to play occurred when Hinrich injured his calf in Game 3.

In Game 4, Robinson led the team with 34 points in just 28 minutes, 23 of them coming in the 4th quarter. “Just let the ball find me.” Robinson told Coach Tom Thibodeau in a NY Times article. His critical scoring in the fourth quarter helped secure a triple OT win.

Due to Hinrich’s calf injury, Robinson saw 35+ minutes a game in the playoffs, giving him more of an opportunity to shine. His scoring in the last few games leading up to their victory over the Nets wasn't as spectacular as his performance in Game 4. His consistent scoring was much needed at the guard spot to fill the hole left by the absence of Rose and Hinrich.

Robinson will have to show more of his tenacity in their next series, producing opportunities for his teammates if the Bulls hope to defeat the seemingly unstoppable number one seeded Miami Heat.

Return of D-Rose?

Derrick Rose / Keith Allison - Flickr.com

Derrick Rose is rumored to return to the playoffs after suffering a torn ACL more than a year ago. The injury threw doubt on the Chicago Bulls’ success in the 2012-2013 season. Now the team is heading into Game 5 against the Miami Heat and it is urgent that their franchise player returns.

Despite being without their star guard, the Bulls managed to reach 5th place in the Eastern Conference and beat the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. Their current challenge is overcoming a 3-1 series deficit and advancing past the league MVP LeBron James and the Heat. With all of their injury problems, the Bulls are in a tricky situation. A returning Rose; however will just be enough to offer the Heat a challenge.

Another pressure Rose faces comes from the fans. Rose has received much criticism due to his absence despite being cleared to play for more than two months. The NBA star even participated in full contact practices.

“If this is about, 'Hey, it doesn't feel right and I'm worried I can hurt it,' then no way should he play,” TNT commentator Steve Kerr was quoted in an ESPN article. ”But if this is just about, 'You know, gosh, I'm just not quite confident yet.' I would appeal to him and say, 'Can you give us 20 minutes?' And if you're Derrick, you've been watching Noah and Hinrich play on one leg this whole series, at what point do you start to feel sort of self-conscious and guilty about what's unfolding?"

Both his teammates and the Bulls organization are coming to Rose’s aid. ‘‘It’s not bothersome because I know all that he’s putting into it and I know who he is,’’ Bulls’ coach Tom Thibodeau said in a Sun Times article. ‘‘I know his character. He’s done amazing things for our organization, and he’s doing all he can. That’s all you can ever ask a guy to do. So there’s always going to be some negativity, but I think the vast majority of it is very positive.’’

The Bulls are in a tough predicament and need some help. Despite an early 3-1 series lead, the team was forced to wait for Game 7 to win their first round series against the Brooklyn Nets. Now the Bulls are facing possible elimination against the top team in the NBA. Rose is the missing piece for the Bulls, but only time will tell if they will have to wait for the next season to fit him in. "Everybody has their own opinion," Rose was quoted in a USA Today article as a response to Kerr’s statement. "The key words that he said were, 'If I'm ready.' (Right now) I'm not ready. I'm just trying to take my time and really, really be smart."