Pay attention lil' homies...

"Cash Rules Everything Around Me..." *C.R.E.A.M.*

"Money Makes The World Go Round"

We've all heard the sad but true sayings above, and the funny thing is, some people actually live by them...

Alright ya'll time to get serious for a little bit...

Some of you may have got my e-mail with the same message I'm "Preaching" in this blog post, but I decided this should be for everyones eyes, not just those in my e-mail list.

Okay, we all know Latrell Sprewell right??? Former NBA All-Star, former Converse front man, he choaked out PJ Carlisimo, etc. He once turned down $21 Million for 3 years, basically $7 Million per year which pretty much works out to $4.5 Million after taxes because "He has a family to feed", meaning that wasn't enough. I don't know about you, but that sounds CRAZY AS HELL to me!

It would seem nearly impossible to go broke making that much per year, right???

Guess again...

This is yet anoither sad truth to the life of the Professional Basketball player. Which is why you not only have to make sure you've got the right people surrounding you and your family, but the right people representing you, managing your money, and helping you budget your money as well. You have to save... You can't make $1 Million a year and spend $1 Million a year. Otherwise you'd be living check to check... Crazy right? A millionaire living check to check... Sad thing is, I'm pretty sure it happens a lot more than we'd like to think it does.

In my mind, it should be damn near impossible to go broke if you are even making $1 mill per year. That's more than the average corporate CEO's annual salary. Think about it. If you're making around $500,000.00 per year, you can consider yourself having won the lottery and collecting payments on your winnings. With over $7.0 Million annually you should be in a situation to have your grandkids grandkids grandkids great grandkids college paid for and set up on a trustfund based off of interst from your savings account alone!

Some of you who read this will soon be in situations where your financial well being is at stake. Make sure you consult with those close to you such as your mother, father, brother, sister, coach, best friend, big homie, uncle, etc. The people you trust. Make sure the people you care most about and those who care most about YOU are involved in your important decisions such as where you choose to go to college, who you chose to represent you, who you choose to assist you financially, etc.

Read the article linked below and take heed...

Hit me back with your thoughts.

-----------------------------------------------

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3241444


'Zo

DeQuan "D.J." Jones!

DeQuan "DJ" Jones




Check out the video's below, and become a fan (#23)...

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9a7vq-r8RU
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuVvbJv7CHU
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ja3g4Z2BNY
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEDPXkcBS5I

For those of you who do not know, DeQuan Jones is easily one of the fastest rising players in the 2008 class. Based on his play in July, and with the way he's been having his way with any and everyone so far this HS season as the leader on a LOADED Wheeler HS team (Ari Stewart, Richard Howell, Phil Taylor), DJ has played his way into the possibility of being a McDonalds All American!



Here's a breif breakdown of DeQuans game from a few well known journalists/scouts...

NBADraft.net
"If you look in the Websters Dictionary under Athlete, you'll see a picture of Dequan Jones hanging from the rim at the Rbk Summer Championships. When his team got the defensive rebound and they took off in transition... you immediately became bright-eyed with the anticipation of what he might do next. An amazing athlete with power, and has a lot of game to go with his CRAZY athleticism. Solid handle, sweet stroke from downtown, and an excellent defender. Game and athleticism very similar to recent NBA first round pick Al Thornton"

John Carrol, ESPN.com
"Dequan Jones has NBA Talent, a prototype wing player who is long, athletic and one of the best finishers in high school basketball. Jones has a great first step, gets to the rim and punishes defenders with highlight dunks. Look for this kid to make an immediate impact at Miami with his athleticism and scoring"

Jerry Meyer, Rivalshoops.com
"Dequan Jones certainly had the crowd buzzing because of his top-shelf athleticism, but the basketball savvy crowd was also impressed with his no-nonsense, hard-working approach to the game. His ability to translate his athleticism into high-level basketball plays didn't go unnoticed. In other words, Jones athleticism had a major impact on the game - and wasn't just for the highlight reels."

"The dynamic wing athlete was tremendous at the Beach Ball Classic. He always has had NBA athleticism, and a solid understanding of his capabilities. Slowly but surely, he has become capable of making the much tougher skilled plays, and Jones looked like nothing short of a future NBA player at the Beach Ball Classic!"

Van Coleman, CSTV.com
"All Tournament performer can flat out fly to the hoop and create highlights that leave fans buzzing. He was a 20 and 10 guy until the final when he struggled a little hanging on the perimeter. Will be a good one for the Hurricanes from Day One, and has Brandon Roy-type potential"

And to you Miami and ACC fans, enjoy DJ while you can because there's no telling how long he'll be wearing Green and Orange!

'ZO

Born Ready the Reality Series...

Born Ready...



It's clearly obvious to anyone with any knowledge of the game of basketball that one glance at Lance Stephenson aka "Born Ready" aka "Sir Lancelot" on the court and you know that he was BORN to play the game... He's a solidly built 6'6" combo guard, with tons of SWAG who plays the game with saavy, flash, and skill, as well the fundamentals that a lot of people say the players today are missing.

The lil' homie, has the body of an NBA guard and with a couple more years of maturity both on and off the court, I can't imagine him not sitting in the Green Room after a sensational 1 and done season.

In case you haven't seen him on the court, check out the following links:

• www.bornready.tv
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOAyUMH2Tng
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvZyS0mx5zQ
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_coa9WjvcYU

The only knock you'll hear on him is his attitude on the court, but that's the same knock people gave to many of the Great NBA guards of today and yesterday such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Isaiah Thomas, etc. Lances problem in my opinion is that he is so competitive and confident that at times it can be misunderstood. I do agree that at times he can go overboard, but what competitive athlete doesn't or hasn't? Especially at a young age where you're at the stage in your life where you're learning from your mistakes in order to avoid future mistakes. I think some of us are caught up in the hype, and are treating this kid as though he is a grown man already. We must remember that Lance is just 17 years old, and is a Jr in High School. He has at least 2 full years of maturity left before we can expect him to bounce the rock on an NBA court. And one of those years will be under the tutelage and guidance of some lucky College Coach.



Below are quotes from a recent article written by Dick Weiss questioning the motives of the "Born Ready" documentary as well as a link to the full article...

The title of his article is "Keeping it Real"...

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/7684316

"The reality series, which is spiced with rap and hip hop music, attempts to get up close and personal with Lance, his father Lance Sr., his mom Bernadette and little brother Lantz. We discover father and son are more like brothers, that Lance is a typical teenager who has a girlfriend, Jasmine, and drives his mother crazy with his driving ("I've been driving since I was 11,'' he says.) and the constant wailing of police sirens and references by friends to the fact this one-mile strip of land is a jungle."

"But the video has its critics, many who feel it was done to increase Stephenson's draft status and build a brand name for sponsorship opportunities. In many ways, it is a sequel to "Through the Fire,'' an ESPN production designed to promote former Lincoln star Sebastian Telfair when that network was getting into the grass roots market."

"The standard for all high school basketball documentaries was "Hoop Dreams," which followed two wannabe college athletes — Arthur Agee and William Gates — chasing those dreams in Chicago. It was a painfully honest look at the divergent path each took."

"Conversely, "Through the Fire" did not provide the same detail and answered fewer questions, showcasing Telfair instead of examining him the way Ian O'Connor's book The Jump did. There was never any mention of agents, sponsors or neighborhood influences, making us wonder if the producers showed only what they wanted us to see."

"The show has just begun, but the cynic in all of us remains skeptical of the intention or purpose of the series. Will it be an accurate documentary or nothing more than an entertaining reality series?"

In my personal opinion, Lance has everything it takes to be successful in life both on and off the court. He's not only got the talent and the drive, but he also has the support system that it takes to give you that extra boost of encouragement and motivation. This makes him different from the "Stereotypical" player of today. His mother and father are his number 1 fans, as well as his most vocal critics... If you don't believe me, sit near "Stretch" at a game or two. lol! He's also been learning the ins and outs of the game from one of NY's best coaches, Dwayne "Tiny" Morton, who has been a mentor of such both Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair.

It will be fun watching Lance's story unfold, and lucky for us it is being documented...

The Dirty South!

The ATL is Where I Dwell, and down here we've got...



Throughout the past decade or so, the state of Georgia has been kicking out "Elite Level Talent" with Tiger Woods type consistency… And it's looking as if things aren't going to be slowing down anytime soon. With strong summer programs such as the Worldwide Renegades, Atlanta Celtics, Georgia Stars, etc., Atlanta has proven time and time again that they are one of the nations premier hoops hotbeds.



The 2007 class had 2 McDonalds All Americans in J.J. Hickson and Gani Lawal, and sent J.J. Hickson, Gani Lawal, and Chris Allen to the Roundball Classic. The 2008 class is looking pretty strong right now with players such as DeQuan Jones, Al Farouq Aminu, Chris Singleton, TeOndre Williams, Tony Woods, and Delwan Graham who all have a shot at a post season High School All American Game …

But the cream is starting to rise to the top in the 2009 Class, which is deeper than the Yankees! With close to around maybe 30 High Major Division 1 Propsects in the Atlanta area alone. This class has about 5-6 kids with a serious chance at the McDonalds All American game in:


Mfon Udofia* 6'3" PG (Miller Grove HS) Stone Mountain GA
Lorenzo Brown 6'5" PG (Centennial HS) Alpharetta GA
Ari Stewart* 6'7" WF (Wheeler HS) Marietta GA
Derrick Favors 6'9" PF/C (South Atlanta HS) Atlanta GA
Noel Johnson 6'7" G/F (Fayette County HS) Fayetteville GA
Richard Howell* 6'8" PF (Wheeler HS) Marietta GA

* = 2007 Rbk U Graduate

Along with a plethora of kids with games strong enough to battle each of these guys whenever the ball is bounced, the 2009 Class in the state of Georgia has got to be one of the deepest classes to come through not only Georgia, but the Country as a whole in a very long time.

In company with the aforementioned players, the following players will also be making a lot of noise throughout the coming years:

Collin Reddick, Brandon Reed, Jeremy Olsen, DeMario Mayfield, Kenny Hall, Kammeon Hosley, Taariq Muhammad, James Vincent, Torin Walker, Terrance Shannon, Cameron Baskerville, Shawn Kemp Jr, Glenn Rice Jr, Robert Chubb, Terrell Barnes, Adrian Coleman, Manny Atkins, Andre Malone, Tahj Tate, Michael Calhoun, Marcel Hawkins, Charlie Reddick, Brian Cole, and so on.

The thing is, it doesn't stop there. The 2010 class, although not as deep in numbers, may be just as talented at the top with top notch players like 6'5" G JeLan Kendrick, 6'2" PG Trae Golden, 5'10" PG Phil Taylor, and 6'4" SG Jordan McRae. And there is a Freshman Star in the making in 6'7" F Julian Royal…

Take notice ya'll… Do like I'm doing, and keep "Georgia on your mind".

The Great Northwest!

As most of you may know, I was born and raised in Tacoma, WA a town just south of "The Emerald City" Seattle... This region of the Northwest has loooooong been rich with basketball talent, but didn't start getting it's just due on a National level until about 2 years ago when the 2005 class bolstered 5 future NBA players in:

Martell Webster (Portland Trailblazers)
Jon Brockman (Washington Huskies)
Micah Downs (Gonzaga)
Terrence Williams (Louisville)
Marcus Williams (Drafted by San Antonio Spurs)

But there has been guys before them who have had tremendous success on the High School, Collegiate, and National level. The list is long so I'll just list a few names...

Jamal Crawford, Jason Terry, Doug Wrenn, Nate Robinson, Brandon Roy, Adam Morrison, Aaron Brooks, Marvin Williams, Rodney Stuckey, Luke Ridnour, Michael Johnson, Dan Dickau, Michael Dickerson, Curtis Bortchardt, Rod & Lod Stewart, Derek Raivio, Carlton Weatherby, Marcellus Kemp, Will Conroy, Chester "Tre" Simmons, Brian Morrison, Sean Mallon, Mike Jensen, Erroll Knight, Aaron Fitzgerald, Michael Fey, Roberto Berguson, Scott Pollard, O'mma Givens, Tom Kelati, etc...
As well as guys with legendary reputations that just couldn't make it outta the hood such as Quincy Wilder, Justin Holt, Leonard White, Ed Roy, etc.



A majority of the above mentioned players grew up watching the dynamic play of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp on some of the Seattle Supersonics most talented and crowd pleasing teams. The belief is that the success of those two on the court has positively affected to area's hoopers in almost the same capacity that the success of Michael Jordan did in the Chicago area.

My guy Tommy Stephens from the Tac', has started his own website to follow the areas upcoming talent...

http://www.futurehoops.tv/



With players like:

Abdul Gaddy, Peyton Siva, Avery Bradley, Tony Wroten, Clarence Trent, Isaiah Thomas, Tony Wroten, Josh Smith, and many more... The Sea-Tac area is continuing to shoot out talent with consistency, and is on the rise as one of our nations talent hotbeds.

It will be fun watching these guys develop, and to see the guys who follow their lead and continue to bring light to the vast amount of talent that is still hidden up in the Great Northwest!

Back from Holiday Break...

After taking a much needed and looooong holiday break, I'm back.

I'll be coming at you with more updates throughout the week, and will try to get more monthly posts going as well...

Enough with the small talk, let's get back to business!

'Zo

The next Euro-Basketball Star???

For about a few years now, I've been hearing the name Ricky Rubio and NBA in the same sentence...



The first time I ever heard his name was in April of 2005 while reading DraftExpress... There was this young Spanish PG more than holding his own in one of the toughest leagues in Europe. The thing that caught everyones attention was that he was only 15 years old. He has been a big name in basketball circles over there since 2004, and was already being compared to the Greatest European guard of all time, Drazen Petrovic...

• He became a very popular name amongst basketball fans early in 2004, when he amazed in a youth tournament organized by the ACB League, parallel to the King’s Cup. It became so out of control that even the President of the Spanish Basketball Federation irresponsibly compared him with the all-time greatest European guard, Drazen Petrovic, in an interview. That’s a huge load for a kid to carry, and it remains to be seen how everything turns out for him.

You'd think that with all that hype at the age of 14, it would be hard to keep it up, but Ricky Rubio did more than that the following year. His performance in the 16-U European Championships took the hype to another level. The numbers he put up as a 15 year old (Likely the youngest player in the tournament) in the U-16 European Championships were damn near Unbelievable... He finished the tournament averaging 23.3 ppg, 12.8 rebs, 7.1 asst, and 6.5 stls.

The thing is, after his outstanding play throughout the tournament he turned it up to another level in the semi-finals against Croatia and the championship game against Russia.

• As much as the preliminary and quarterfinal stages completely met our most optimistic outlook, his final display exceeded any reasonable expectation. Croatia was a dangerous but affordable rival for Spain in the semifinals. They had a big size advantage in the frontcourt, but nothing that couldn’t be battled with a physical game, and their backcourt frequently worked based on individual inspiration. Spain got an early lead that they never lost, and Ricky only need 28 minutes of playing time to put up a quadruple double, finishing the game with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists and 11 steals in 33 minutes.
  
• “As Babunashvili hit an incredible fade-away three-pointer with 1.4 seconds to go, the Russians exploded with joy while the Spanish shank in despair. Nobody had any hope left, even the Spanish coach had given up. Nobody seemed capable of reacting, even to inbound the ball for that final second. Nobody but Ricky Rubio, who was asking like crazy for the ball. Finally a teammate reacted and sent the ball to him; a couple of strides and, sneaking between three rivals, he threw that bomb from the mid court, hitting the board just before going down through the net.”
  
• Russia in the final was a tougher match in advance despite the deceiving 15-point differential that Spain got in the preliminary round against them. It was so much tougher that Spain needed virtually a miracle to come up with the victory. But Rubio had an appointment with destiny, and had no intention to miss it. Russia had taken what looked like a definitive 3-point lead with under 2 seconds to go on the clock, and it had to be Ricky, a mediocre shooter, who nailed a mid-court bomb with the buzzer to send the game to the first overtime, which ultimately gave the victory to Spain and an unbelievable stat-line of 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists and 7 steals for Ricky.

All those feats were at the tender age of 15... Rubio is now 17 years old, and playing against the toughest competion in the toughest league in Europe. He plays for DKV Jovetnut alongside Rudy Fernandez' (a 6'6" SG who is predicted as a 1st rounder in 2008 Draft per multiple sources).

My question to all of you is, how would he rate playing against 2008's best PG's? I've seen him slotted as an early 1st Round Draft Pick in the 2009 draft on a few different sites such as NBADraft.net, DraftExpress, etc. But he has only been playing against the best Europe has to offer. Sure he's got the size (6'4" & 180lbs), but does he have the quickness and athleticism to compete with the best the US has to offer?

Below is a video of Rubio from this past season...
http://acbtv.acb.com/video/169

How do you think he'd fair against the likes of:

Brandon Jennings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJpqtynQOAM

Tyreke Evans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-DYsPXURt0

Jrue Holiday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybx_dhVBrBg

Malcolm Lee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cBJXVfI9gY

Isaiah Thomas
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid192878596?bctid=192880237

Kemba Walker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfJkQs1d0rI

Jerime Anderson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6NrW3kCiqw

Larry Drew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pbfy3nEcIs


I guess the future will tell???

'Zo