The Outside World is a weekly recap of the best basketball writing and analysis the internet has to offer.
– Now that Stanley Roberts is no longer in the league, what’s the fattest team in the NBA? (For the record, there are problems with calculating BMI in this way, check out the comments for more details.)
– In other news, Stephen A. Smith is still a raving lunatic. It’s either that or he’s gunning for Peter Vecesy’s position as self-aggrandizing, pompous liar #1.
– This is another beautiful graphic from Hoopism, showing the relative ages of each NBA team.
– Rey asked me to check out some Pickin’ Splinters NBA discussions from this summer about adding to the NBA’s original list of the 50 Greatest Players. I certainly can’t quibble with any of the additions recommended, but my list would look slightly different. Being a younger guy and not having a lot of personal experience with the lengthier history of the league, my list is probably a little heavy on current players. To take the list from 50 to 65 I would add Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Dirk Nowitzki, Dominique Wilkins, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Garnett, Steve Nash, Bob McAdoo, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton and Artis Gilmore. I’m sure we could get into lengthy arguments about the merits of each of those players and several others I didn’t include. For me those are the player’s not on the list that I have the strongest personal feelings about.
– Headline of the week: “Broad Side Of The Barn Unscathed After Last Night’s Shooting Performance.” Surprisingly it doesn’t have anything to do with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
– I’ve watched this play about 10 times. It might be the most beautiful scripted basketball play I’ve ever seen.
– Speaking of things I could watch 10 times, check out this video of a frustrated Brook Lopez. What a potty mouth!
– I usually don’t root for an opposing player to get injured. It just feels wrong and unclean. However, if Brandon Jennings, JaVale McGee or Serge Ibaka sprained an ankle (without long-term effects) causing them to miss the dunk contest I think I could fogive myself. There just has to be a way to get Josh McRoberts included. Even if he doesn’t get in, his promotional campaign is one for the ages.
You can also find Ian at Hickory-High.com and Indycornrows.com
I wonder if Perkins BMI was taken before his injury or now. A little time off probably added to the waist size.
Any coincidence that the Stephen A. Smith radio show is on the Endangered Species list?
Gee…looking at your list for the NBA all-time team, I must be a younger guy too. 🙂
Ian – didn’t you suggest that the dunk contest involve every team and they compete with a duo? That’s a pretty cool idea, but obviously a scheduling nightmare as you said. But how about this to garner some interest: force the best ‘dunkers’ in the league to participate! Geesh, NBA. I don’t want to watch Blake Griffin, a 6’1″ guard and two schmos. I want to watch Blake Griffin, Shannon Brown, JR Smith and LeBron. This is absurd that guys won’t carry on this legacy when you had Jordan, ‘Nique, Nance, Vince Carter, and Kobe establish the fact that the superstars should be in this.
In regards to your additions, I wouldn’t dispute any of them. But I do have one question for ‘The Pine:’ Where is Paul Pierce’s name in all of this? Is he not worthy with a a ring, a Finals MVP and continous clutch shooting in his career? It seems like the nod has been given to some shooters, but Pierce has done a few things they haven’t.
I did have the idea about the two man teams. The contestants the past few seasons have seemed so strange. I mean Gerald Green isn’t even in the league anymore. Even if they don’t do my idea with the pairs there has to be away to make competing more enticing to some of the top players. How about getting some sponsor to up the prize money. It seems like Sprite (the current sponsor) could afford to offer a million dollar prize. I am sure that we create some blowback on CNN (these guys are already so rich, blah, blah, blah) but that seems like it would garner some more interest from the players.