Nike Basketball News

The Collection 3.0: Air Max LeBron VII New York

jechee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:37:54 GMT

Tonight, after spending their morning participating in their victory parade, players from LeBron's favorite baseball team have made their way to Madison Square Garden to watch The King in his only game in New York this season.

The next time LeBron steps out of the house with his favorite baseball cap, he can hook it up with a special - and timely - version of the Air Max LeBron VII.

Check out the photographs and tell us what you think.

Play With Heart Moments: November 5, 2009

jechee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:04:40 GMT

Two stars in Utah scored 27 points each, as the Jazz beat the Spurs for the first time since April 2008, 113-99.

Along with his 27 points, Carlos Boozer had 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. One of those assists came on a pretty pass to rookie Wes Matthews in the second half. He also made two key hustle plays in the first quarter, causing two jump balls on the defensive end. That's Playing With Heart.

Deron Williams had 9 assists - with only two turnovers - and 7 rebounds to with his 27 points. His steady play running the offense led the Jazz to 53% shooting for the game.

Don't just play. Play With Heart. Check out what Playing With Heart means to LeBron James, and pledge your heart to the game.

LeBron James: Dear New York

jechee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:51 GMT

Dear New York,

Thank you for welcoming me back to New York City, one of my favorite places to play in the world. The Big Apple has always been good to me so I wanted to do something special to show my appreciation.

With this in mind, on November 7, 2009, I'm going to open seven gyms around NYC to host free open runs for high-school aged players. I remember being in high school and just wanting to play ball as the seasons changed from fall to winter. The Ohio winter made it tough to play outside so I always saw the opportunity to play in a nice gym as a gift.

It is in giving that I've found the most strength, whether it's on the court with my teammates or at home with my family. In giving this gift of the game to New York City, I want to share that strength with people who love the game as much as I do.

Peace,

LeBron James

Open Gym locations:

Long Island University Schwartz Center, 1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY (3:00 PM to 6:00 PM)
John Jay College 899 10th Avenue, New York, NY, (4:00 PM to 6:00 PM)
Lost Battalion Hall 9329 Queens Boulevard, Flushing, NY (2:00 PM to 5:00 PM)
Boys & Girls Republic 888 East 6th Street, New York, NY (1:00 PM to 4:00 PM)
Ebbets Field Middle School 352 46 McKeever Place, Brooklyn, NY (2:00 PM to 4:00 PM)
Hunter College 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY (2:00 PM to 4:00 PM)
Asphalt Green 555 East 90th Street, New York, NY (2:00 PM to 4:00 PM)

All participants under the age of 18 will need a signed waiver by their parent or guardian. These can be downloaded at http://www.94by50.com/giftofthegame.

School Days: Paul Millsap

jechee — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:19:42 GMT

Four brothers born in Monroe, Louisiana.

"I think it made me who I am. Growing up was really competitive and I think that helped us out a lot."

One basketball.

"We always had one-on-one games with each other - and that brought us real close."

It's no wonder hooping became a family affair for Paul Millsap - it's actually a right of passage.

"I started playing organized basketball kind of late - so they would actually beat (up on) me. And that was really tough. I was kind of soft back then - and they knew that. So they were always picking on me, trying to take advantage of me and usually, they got the best of me."

But getting the best of him then started Paul on the path that brings the best out of him now.

"It just got really frustrating. Back then I just felt like everybody was just out to pick on me. But it made me grow up - I had to learn how to be tougher. So it turned out to be for my own good."

In part because they were the only basketball role models Paul even knew about.

"You know, I wasn't really into basketball when I was a kid - I didn't really have posters on my walls or anything like that. And because I was really just getting started, I didn't really understand the game. So basically, looking up to my brothers and the way that they played brought me closer to the game."

As the second-oldest, Paul followed in his big brother's footsteps, becoming a double-double machine in college.

"I didn't really feel like I had to live up to him. John has always been good. And he started playing really early so he knew everything about the game. Watching him, watching the things he did to progress in basketball - I learned a lot from that."

Paul's message to today's "little brothers and sisters"?

"Take their (older siblings') advice. These are the people who've been there - who paved the way for us. So anything that they say can help you - try to take it and run with it."

Before he stepped firmly into The Mailman's shadow at Louisiana Tech - becoming the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounding for three consecutive years - Paul muscled up at Grambling High School.

"Basketball was really big there - so I knew that night-in, night-out, I had to show up ready to play. Otherwise people around town were going to be saying something (bad) about my game. It was a lot of pressure, but through it all I had my family there supporting me. To look up in the stands and know that they were there to see me play, that meant a lot to me and helped keep me going."

After surviving his first high school season, Paul felt like he might just be alright.

"It got tough. The running was tough. Practices were tough. But I felt that if I survived all the things that we did, I could really play this game. And from then on, I just always tried to get better every day."

And take advantage of any opportunity that presented itself.

"It's always going to get tougher to get better - things are not going to always go your way. But it's how you bounce back from it. How you handle that tough situations. Most of us don't get too many opportunities, so when you do, you going to take advantage of them."

Displaying the toughness that would eventually lead to NBA All-Rookie honors, Paul led the Kittens to a 30-0 record. His hard-nosed play landed him on the Top 100 McDonald's All-American team and a fourth-team membership on the Parade All-American roster.

Hitting the boards seemed to become part of his every-second thinking.

"My thing was rebounding - it got me a long way. Rebounding was the thing that got me noticed and put me on the map. It's what got me in the door to start getting some opportunities to show that I could really play."

And when it came time to head off to college, Paul relished that chance.

"It didn't really bother me that some of the bigger schools didn't come after me. At the end of the day, maybe you look and try to compare yourself and see what you could've maybe done on another team. But my stats were always there. The work was always there. And getting it done at that level got me where I'm at today."

Even today in the NBA, Paul has never said much about those who've doubted his game.

"I just get on the court and play - I speak through how I play. And what I do on the court speaks for itself. After you get done doing the things that you know you can do, people start to see and realize how good you are. And when you play well, when the production speaks for itself, what can they say then?"

And when you do things that no one else has ever done before, nothing else needs to be said.

"Leading the country in rebounding for three straight years, it meant a lot. It means a lot. I accomplished something that nobody has ever done before and I'm proud of that. It's something I can take with me for the rest of my life."

It's something - that knowing what he's capable of - that helped him stay patient early in his pro career.

"Playing behind Carlos (Boozer) helped me out - I didn't jump into the fire too early. Instead of fighting with him, I watched the things that he did and learned from him. So if you're stuck behind an older kid on your high school team, the first thing you have to understand is that eventually, you're going to have a chance to step into that position. So learn as much as you can until you get there."

But that doesn't mean you sit around hoping and wishing for that time to come.

"I didn't wait for Carlos to get hurt (last year) to become a better player. You have to be ready at all times. And it starts the first day of training camp. It starts the first day of practice, getting yourself mentally and physically prepared for anything. You never know what can happen - so you've got to be ready at all times."

Play With Heart Moments: November 4, 2009

jechee — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:09:07 GMT

Wednesday was a busy night in the NBA, with 10 games on the schedule. Five players, including a pair of teammates, Played With Heart.

In Golden State, Anthony Morrow scored 24 points off the bench, including 4 for 4 from behind the arc, to lead the Warriors over Memphis, 113-105. In the third quarter, Morrow and Memphis' Rudy Gay matched basket for basket, dueling for four minutes, possession after possession. Gay would finish with a team-high 29 points, as well as 8 rebounds.

Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh led Toronto over Detroit, 110-99. Bosh contributed on both sides of the court, with 25 points and 8 rebounds. Bargnani recorded his first double-double of the season, with 22 points and 12 rebounds. On two consecutive possessions with five minutes left in the game, Bargnani was able to get the foul line, where he knocked down all four free throws.

And in Houston, Kobe Bryant had his 98th career 40-point game, scoring 41, as the Lakers beat the Rockets in overtime, 103-102. 16 of Kobe's points came in the fourth quarter and overtime. That's having the pure drive to win. That's Playing With Heart.

Don't just play. Play With Heart. Check out what Playing With Heart means to LeBron James, and pledge your heart to the game.

Play With Heart Moments: November 3, 2009

jechee — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:11:26 GMT

Three players Played With Heart, leading their teams to impressive victories on Tuesday night.

Dirk Nowitzki set a franchise record, scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter alone to lead Dallas on a furious comeback over Utah, 96-85. Dallas was trailing Utah 67-52 entering the fourth quarter before Dallas' offense started firing on all cylinders. Dirk would finish up with 40 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 5 blocks. That's Playing With Heart

Rasheed Wallace had his best game of the season, coming off the bench to score 20 points, shooting a red-hot 6 of 8 from behind the arc. His play helped Boston stay undefeated, beating Philadelphia 105-74.

Dallas wasn't the only team coming back from a big deficit to get a W. Chicago's Luol Deng set a career high with 20 rebounds -- 7 on the offensive glass -- to go along his with 24 points as his team came back to beat Milwaukee, 83-81.

What Play With Heart moments did you see on Tuesday?

The Collection 3.0: Air Max LeBron VII White/Midnight Navy-Red

jechee — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:00:46 GMT

LeBron James debuted the White/Midnight Navy-Red version of the Air Max LeBron VII on October 28 against Toronto. The result? His 25th career triple double.

Learn more about the shoe from its designer Jason Petrie, and check out the photographs. Want to pick up a pair? They'll be in stores on November 19.

What do you think about this version of the Air Max LeBron VII?

1-on-1: Mehmet Okur vs. Rasheed Wallace - Better Shooting Big

jechee — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:19:55 GMT

This one's gotta be as simple as the shooting percentages, right?

In his career, Mehmet Okur has attempted 1289 threes. He's made 486 of them. Do the math: that's 37.7% over seven NBA seasons.

In his career, Rasheed Wallace has attempted 2869 threes. He's made 982. We got the calculator out: 34.2% over fourteen NBA seasons.

So it's gotta be that simple: in twice as many years, Rasheed's attempted more than twice as many triples as Mehmet. Yet he's made less than twice as many, so Mehmet has a better three-point shooting percentage.

Done deal, right?

Not so fast.

Overall, 'Sheed shoots .471 from the field while Mehmet shoots .461.

OK, case settled. Mehmet hits more often from behind the three-point line, but 'Sheed steps in a little closer sometimes and bangs ‘em home from 17 feet.

It's not that easy, either.

And it's not as simple as saying, "Well, Wallace is more of a high-flyer and Mehmet's just not quite as athletic so he doesn't get as many dunks."

That would be ignoring the fact that they stand 6'10" and 6'11", respectively: neither one of these guys has a problem getting above them tin. And it would also be ignoring the eloquence in 'Sheed's game: his back-to-the-basket ability is unparalleled among big men. Simply stated: his turnaround is almost unblockable. Has been - for more than a decade.

Beyond that, we'd be ignoring the difference in the offenses these guys ball in. And that's as fundamental as pick 'n roll vs. spot-up threes.

The issue is clouded further when you take in postseason play:

In five career trips to the playoffs, Mehmet shoots 41.2% from the floor and 35.8% from three. 'Sheed boasts career postseason averages 44.6% overall and 35.3% from long distance.

We tried to tell you: it's just not that easy.

Especially when you factor in all of 'Sheed’s dagger threes on those perennial Eastern Conference Finalist Detroit squads. And splitting hairs gets little clarity when you factor this in: they both contributed to the 2004 NBA Champion Pistons team.

So since we’re still arguing, we'd like to know what you think:

Who's the better-shooting big: Rasheed Wallace or Mehmet Okur?

Play With Heart Moments: November 2, 2009

jechee — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:41:57 GMT

Aaron Brooks led his Houston team to a 113-96 victory over Utah and the passionate fans who give the Jazz one of the most formidable home court advantages in the NBA.

19 points and 9 assists on the road with two members of the starting line-up in street clothes? That's Playing With Heart.

Who else did you see Playing With Heart on Monday?

Combat Players of the Week: October 27 to November 1

jechee — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:19:11 GMT

Basketball is combat. You have to attack your man on both ends of the floor. That means pushing the ball on offense, taking it to the hole, being willing to draw contact and then fight through it to finish. It means attacking on defense. Getting position and maintaining that position. Taking the ball away and altering shots. And owning the glass – being relentless on both the offensive and defensive side.

Every Monday, a guard, a wing, and a big will be nominated as the Combat Players of the Week. Less than one week into the 2009-2010, here are the players who started the year Prepared For Combat.

Guard: Rajon Rondo.
Known for his quickness, Rondo is attacking at both ends of the floor. Over his first 4 games, Rajon has grabbed 20 offensive boards. And on the defensive side, he’s second in the league (to Kobe) with 2.5 steals per game. |

Wing: Kevin Durant.
KD is attacking this season – getting to the line over 9 times/game, which is big when you are filling it up at nearly 80%. He’s playing with heart – grabbing over 9 boards a game, nearly 4 boards above his career averages.

Big: Chris Bosh.
Second in the League with 14.7 boards per game, including 4.0 on the offensive glass. And he is coming out the gate attacking -- leading the league with 15 trips to the line per game.

Who should be the Combat Player of the Week? Rondo, Durant, or Bosh?

The Collection 3.0: Air Max LeBron VII Artist Series London

jechee — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:39:49 GMT

"The inspiration for this shoe design came from Londoners' indomitable spirit during the Blitz, which has become folklore," says local London artist Billie Jean. "LeBron James personifies this spirit. His determination and talent has enabled him to achieve absolute victory and success."

The busy design style of the London Artist Series Air Max LeBron VII reflects LeBron's exuberance on the basketball court. Jean's limited-edition interpretation incorporates a patchwork of traditional and not-so-traditional London motifs.

For example:
• Flames lick the side of the shoe, depicting the Great Fire in 1666
• An Indian lady and African patterns symbolize London’s cultural diversity
• The River Thames, weaving through the shoe as it does through the city
• A line pattern inside each shoe - the river’s aerial view

Born in Paddington, West London, Jean now lives and works in Leytonstone, East London. He studied at the Chelsea School of Art and Central Saint Martins, specializing in illustration. While still in school, Jean's first-ever illustration was published in The Sunday Times newspaper. He then went into photography, taking portraits for The Face, The Guardian Weekend and Dazed & Confused magazines.

Jean gravitated back to illustration in 2003. That year, his first commission was nominated for a D&AD Award.

Billie Jean creates his work through the use of biros, Indian ink, acrylic paints, photography and a capacious imagination. He draws his inspiration from an eclectic mix of art, music, film, design and travel.

Check out the photographs, and tell us what you think in the comments.

Play With Heart Moments: October 29, 2009

jechee — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:21:05 GMT

There were only two games on the NBA schedule on Thursday, but two players had Play With Heart moments in Chicago, as the Bulls beat the Spurs 92-85.

After missing the last 22 games of the 2008-2009 regular season as well as the playoffs with a leg injury, Luol Deng is healthy. He showed that he's ready to play, leading Chicago with 17 points and 9 rebounds.

Tyrus Thomas showed resilience in the struggle, as he scored 13 second-half points and blocked 3 shots, after being held scoreless in the first half.

What was your favorite Play With Heart moment from last night?

The Collection 3.0: Air Max LeBron VII Artist Series Paris

jechee — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:53:10 GMT

Passion. Sometimes it's not about yelling and screaming - or any demonstrative show of emotion.

Local Paris artists Wu "Nyno" Yue and Stephane "The Mayor" Ashpool got that memo. So they chose an image of St. Vincent-St.Mary players with bowed heads.

Inspired by the neighborhoods and streets of the city, they chose a color palette that truly represented Paris' lights and colors in conjunction with LeBron's on-court theatrics.

Red hues honor his inner-hardwood thespian. Black symbolizes his elegance. Green pays homage to his youth.

Iconically, red and black also symbolize the dark alleyways and neon lights of Paris' Pigalle area. Green: the youthful energy of daily life in the city. A mixture of media in the form of special velvet, matte, gloss paint and pencil treatments round out their interpretation of LeBron's personal credos.

Born in Beijing, Nyno is a Paris-based freelance artist and animator. With fame based in incredibly fast drawings, he's become one of the most active artists on the Paris scene. Nyno also provides a special touch by using Chinese ink.

Born and raised in Paris, Stephane Ashpool produces, choreographs and founds many of his hometown's cultural happenings. He co-owns high-fashion events produced by ViDA9, co-founds the artists' collective with Pain O choKolat and also owns the Pigalle store, a place to organize everything art in Paris Ninth District.

Play With Heart Moments: October 28, 2009

jechee — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:59 GMT

Check out Play With Heart moments from Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, and Al Horford.

Oklahoma City made a statement in its first game of the season, beating Sacramento 102-89. Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Russell Westbrook had the pure drive to win. Durant had a double-double, with 25 points and 11 rebounds, two of which came on a baseline-to-baseline finish in the first quarter. Northwestern High School alumnus Jeff Green chipped in 24 points, going 4-5 from behind the arc, along with 8 rebounds. Russell Westbrook ran the offense to perfection, finishing with 14 points and a career-high 13 assists, including a pretty thread of the needle to Durant in the second quarter.

Steve Nash was clutch in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 of his 24 points--including 7 straight Suns points--in the final stanza, as Phoenix beat the Clippers 109-107. With 5 seconds to go, Nash hit a circus layup in traffic, which would be the deciding points in the Suns victory.

Atlanta's Al Horford had 24 points, 16 rebounds to lead his team over Indiana 120-109, with two of those points coming on a follow-up dunk in the middle of the fourth quarter. But he also showed up in the box score with 4 assists, including two in the third quarter on consecutive possessions.

What was your favorite Play With Heart moment from Wednesday?

School Days: Ronnie Brewer

jechee — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:09:47 GMT

His father, Ron, set the bar pretty high, teaming up with a couple other college all-stars to form the fabled "Triplets" - and they led Arkansas to the 1978 Final Four. So Ronnie Brewer was staring history directly in the mirror when he signed to play college ball for the Razorbacks.

"My dad didn’t push me too hard - he didn't want to burn me out on basketball. And it really just made me grow to love it. He saw that I was passionate about the game and to this day he still gives me advice about things on the court - and off the court, too. Not everybody's fortunate enough to have a mom and a dad that’s still in their life and I was blessed to be in that situation."

But blessings didn't stop the comparisons.

"Fayetteville's a small town, so you're always going to get compared to somebody. I was compared to my sister Candice - a two-time all-state basketball player - first, and then once I improved my game I was compared to my dad. Then I went off to the same college where he had an extraordinary career, and I think I was just OK. It was tough, but I think it made me mature a lot faster and deal with stuff a lot better."

Ronnie even wore his father’s uniform number: 10.

"He didn't put any extra pressure on me. And the newspapers or the media didn't really get to me, either. When they compared us, I just thought it was awkward. I mean, I was playing in the 2000s - he played in the 70s. That's 30 years ago. So every time I stepped on the court at Arkansas - even though we wore the same number - I just played my game."

And Ronnie was more than up to the task, earning 1st Team All-SEC (the first Razorback to do so in more than a decade) and Honorable Mention All-America honors while leading Arkansas back to the NCAA Tournament.

"In high school, I was just thinking about maintaining and improving my game to take it to the college level. So around my freshman and sophomore year in college, I realized that if I really put in the work and focused on school, gave that 110 percent and gave athletics that same amount, I might be able to play basketball for a living."

Putting in the work resulted in a lot of extra hours.

"I was in the gym lifting weights, getting shots up, doing extra conditioning work. And I continue to do that today back at Arkansas, because I feel like that pretty much put me over the hump to put me where I'm at today."

For Ronnie, this was really nothing new. He's been living up to his family name for as long as he can remember. And it all started at Fayetteville High School.

"We don’t have professional sports in Arkansas, so high school and college athletics are huge. Fayetteville High School is right down the street from the University of Arkansas. We played right on the hill and had sellout crowds every night. It was a blast. My sister went there and she was a great player, had all the scoring records. I enjoyed it a lot - if I could do it again, I would.”

Before Ronnie became a Fayetteville Bulldog, he was looking directly uphill at a basketball career that didn't seem likely to happen.

"I'm a product of not coming from a (nationally-known) basketball hotbed type of place. Fayetteville, Arkansas didn’t produce any NBA players until I came. So I knew I had to put in the work and do something every single day. Ball-handling, shooting, defense, one-on-ones, if you can work on something every day it's going to make you better in the long run. A lot of hard work will pay off in the end.”

But even with that hard-working mindset, the odds were still really long.

"I would never have thought when I was in junior high or high school that one day I would be playing in the NBA."

And short.

"I was 5'7 1/2" all the way up to the 9th grade. And I grew to a whopping 5'9" and thought maybe I could start at point guard. I didn't hit my growth spurt until my sophomore year, and then my body started developing. But at the same time, when I was small I was already working on my jump shot, working on my ball-handling, working on my defense, just trying to get myself ready and prepare myself to be a better basketball player."

As a senior, Ronnie busted out for 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Fayetteville finished 24-5 and reached the Class 5A semifinals. For his efforts, Ronnie was named the Arkansas Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Parade put him on their All-America team.

"My motto is - and always was - you can't really determine how many shots you're going to make in a game. Or if you're going to have a beautiful (shooting) stroke like some of the best guys in the NBA. Or if you can play the best defense or dish out the most assists. The only thing you can control is playing hard all the time. And that's what I try to do. So if you're not gifted to be able to jump and dunk or dribble and shoot better than somebody else, if you go out there and play as hard as you possibly can, well, that’s something you can control every night."

And three years later - after leading the Razorbacks to the front of the SEC pack - Ronnie was a first-round draft pick of the Utah Jazz.

"I always just tried to go out there and relax and remember that it's just a game. Just play hard and have fun. You're not out there to really impress anybody or force anything. Bottom line: however many years you've been playing the game, if a college coach or an NBA scout is coming to watch you, the ball's going to bounce the same way it always has and the rim is always going to be 10-feet high."