Albany Legends to Start Season on Friday

The Albany Legends are back for their third season as a franchise and there are some notable changes with the team as they start the season on Friday.

The Legends have switched leagues. They are now playing in the IBA instead of the IBL. I don't think it will be a big factor.

There are also a lot of roster changes. There are only two returning players from last season:

-Emanuel Mayben is a talented point guard who should get more minutes now that Lloyd Johnson is not with the team. He ranked third in the IBL last season with 7.3 assists per game.

-EJ Gallup is a sharp-shooting guard-forward who can make it rain from 3-point range and should continue to get a lot of minutes this season. He averaged 16.1 points in 22 games for the Legends last year.

New additions to the team include:

-Zachary Bye: I couldn't find much information on this guy, so here's everything I know: He's from Scotia, New York, he went to Saint Rose, and is 25 years old. He could be a good 3-pointer shooter like Gallup.

-TJ Czeski: This 6-2 guard from Amsterdam, New York played college ball at Wagner College. In 100 games with the Seahawks, Czeski averaged 2.3 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game. He is 24 years old.

-Kyle Downey: Downey is a rookie out of Siena College. He averaged 13.5 points per game with the Saints in his senior season that ended this year. He is a 6-2 guard and is 22 years old.

-Guy Dupuy: I had heard of Dupuy before he signed with the Legends. He is a tremendous dunker, has been featured on TeamFlightBrothers, and is well known on YouTube. Besides dunking, I don't know anything about his game.

-Josh Jones: Jones is a 6-4 shooting guard out of Husson College who was waived by the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League in November of last year.

-Will Pratt: Pratt is a 6-5 forward who played two seasons of D1 college basketball for Northwestern State. In his senior season (2010-2011), he averaged 17.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.2 assists in 32 games and shot 50.8 percent from the field. He played 11 games this season in the D-League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and put up averages of 8.6 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 48% from the field. Pratt sounds very talented and I wouldn't be surprised if he leads the Legends in scoring this season.

-Tadre Sheppard: This 6-7 forward from Texas played 2 seasons of college ball at Central Arkansas and put up averages of 10.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals in 52 games while shooting 53.5 percent from the field. I have never seen Sheppard play, but I imagine that he will show a lot of energy on both ends of the court.

-Marcus Snipes: Snipes played with the Legends back in April of 2010. He averaged 1.3 points and 0.5 rebounds in 4 games with the team. He is a 6-4 guard.

-Kenny Tribbett: Tribbett played in 5 seasons at Drexel University from 2005-2010 and averaged 2 points and 2 blocks in 94 games with the Dragons. He is 6-9 and from New Jersey. I expect him to be a rebounder and a presence in the post.

Here is what I think the starting lineup will be for the Legends:

PG: Emanuel Mayben
SG: EJ Gallup
SF: Will Pratt
PF: Tadre Sheppard
C: Kenny Tribbett

Key Players NOT Returning to the Legends this year:

-Deandre Thomas: Thomas helped lead the Legends to the championship in 2010 was named the Championship MVP. He was a dominant post player and his size and post-presence will be missed this season.

-Lloyd Johnson: Johnson was a key player with the Legends during their title run in 2010 and led the team in scoring last season with 19.9 points per game. However, I think that Mayben will fill the void at point guard.

-Damone Morris: Morris was an athletic shooting guard and an integral part of the championship Legends squad in 2010 who could get above the rim and make jumpshots. The Legends will miss his scoring this year.

The big problem with the Legends this season is size. Most of the players on this team are guards and it looks like some players will have to play out of position to make up for it. I think that the Legends will finish the season with a winning record like they did their first two seasons. This team could win the championship, but its too early to tell.

The Legends will play their first game of the 2012 season on Friday, March 30th at 7:00 pm against the Battle Creek Knights at home (Christian Brothers Academy). I will be in attendance and will post a blog entry on the game.

Sources:
http://ibaball.net/nyalbanylegends
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000641411096
http://www.sienasaints.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/downey_kyle00.html
http://www.sienasaints.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031612aaa.html
http://www.sunjournal.com/news/local-sports/2011/11/15/jones-one-maines-own-red-claws-training-camp/1115480
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/89052
http://www.kjonline.com/sports/claws-cut-jones_2011-11-21.html
http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Kenny_Tribbett/NCAA/18543/2010
http://www.drexeldragons.com/news/2011/3/25/MBB_0325112133.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=209804514
http://www.albany.com/byesline/2012/03/albany-legends.html
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/32860/tj-czeski
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/61381
http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Will_Pratt/Summary/21726
http://www.ibl.com/player_profile.php?playerid=908
http://www.ibl.com/stats.php?year=2011

Have any thoughts on the Legends this year? Think they have what it takes to go all the way? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

NBDL: Jamaal Tinsley To Enter D-League Draft

Jamaal Tinsley is 33 years old. He last played in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies off the bench in the 09-10 season. His NBA days are probably over, but Tinsley has applied for the D-League Draft in a possible comeback attempt.

I'm not instantly going to assume that Tinsley is striving for an NBA comeback because there are no quotes by him that state his motives for wanting to play in the D-League, but he probably wouldn't mind another chance in the league.

Personally, I think that Tinsley is making a good decision. It seems that once a player like him goes overseas (think Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Rafer Alston, etc.), they don't come back. Antonio Daniels played with the Texas Legends of the D-League last season and ended up being signed by the 76ers late in the season. Of course, players like Salim Stoudamire, Antoine Walker, Sean Williams, and Rashad McCants haven't made it back, but it's worth a shot.

Good luck, Jamaal! I wish you the best.

Have any thoughts on Jamaal Tinsley or the D-League? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

Mix of the Week #19: NBA - Bad Boys (Shao099)

This week's mix is a compilation of NBA fights and scuffles (mostly from the 90's and early 2000's).

This mix was uploaded by Shao099 on YouTube and the song is "Bad Boys" by Inner Circle.



There were a few fights in this mix that I hadn't seen before.

Have any thoughts on any of the fights or any suggestions for next week's mix? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

Mix of the Week #18: Ruben Patterson Mix "HEART" (magnata187)

Ruben Patterson was one of my favorite players back when he played with the Jail Blazers in the mid 2000's. I loved that crew....Sheed, Bonzi, Qyntel, Z-Bo, D-Miles, etc.

This mix was made by magnata187 on YouTube and I don't know what the song is.



Have any thoughts on Ruben Patterson, the Jail Blazers, or any suggestions for next week's mix? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

Mix of the Week #17: Adam Morrison Crvena zvezda

Adam Morrison has not played in the NBA since he win his second championship with the Lakers in 2010. He has most recently signed with a Serbian team, KK Crvena zvezda, last month. Here is a highlight reel of Ammo showing the Serbs how to ball.

I don't know what the song is (it's probably just some random Serbian song) and this video was uploaded by MrRedStarBelgrade on YouTube.



I'm glad that Adam is seeing success overseas, but I hope he makes it back to the NBA. The Lakers need him. Think about it, they won two championships in a row with him, and then got swept in the Semi-Finals without him. Coincidence? I don't think so!

Also, there was a rumor a couple months ago that the Bulls were considering signing him. I hope they do after the lockout. Say what you want about Morrison, but he is definitely better than Brian Scalabrine.

Have any thoughts on Adam Morrison or any suggestions for next week's mix? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

Mix of the Week #16: Kemba Walker Rookie of the Year 2012 MIX by LONGER

This week's mix is of 2011 NCAA Tournament Champion and upcoming NBA rookie Kemba Walker.

The song is "Written In The Stars" by Tinie Tempah featuring Eric Turner and this mix was made by LONGER01 on YouTube.



That ankle-breaker on McGee in the beginning was sick! If there's a season this year, I think he could be Rookie of the Year.

To see more mixes, visit LONGER01's channel on YouTube.

Have any thoughts on Kemba Walker, the Charlotte Bobcats, or UConn? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

NBA: Top 10 Players Who Only Played in 1 Season (Since 2000)

There are many talented basketball players that never made an impression in the NBA. Some didn't get a fair chance, got injured, had legal troubles, decided to play in another country, or anything else that prevented them from excelling in the league.

Here are (in my opinion) the top 10 players who only played in one NBA season (since 2000). Also, I didn't include players who played in less than 10 games. Enjoy!

10. Sean Colson - Atlanta Hawks/Houston Rockets (2000-2001)

Sean Colson started getting noticed in college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 90's. In his last season with the 49ers, he averaged 15.6 points and 8 assists a game.

In 2001, Colson caught a big break and was signed to a 10-day contract by the Atlanta Hawks on January 18th. However, his stint with the Hawks was short as he was waived by the team on 25th of that same month. In only 3 games with the Hawks, he scored 0 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists.

A month later, in February of 2001, he was given another chance in the league as the Houston Rockets signed him on the the 28th. Colson played in more games with the Rockets and his stats improved. On March 30th, 2001, he put up career-highs in points and assists (6 points, 6 assists) in a loss to the Sacramento Kings.

If you look at Colson statistics per 36 minutes, you'll see that his assists average is 8.2, which is very good for a rookie. Despite that, he was not re-signed by the Rockets after the season ended and hasn't played in the NBA again. He has since played in the USBL, CBA, and overseas.

9. Uros Slokar - Toronto Raptors (2006-2007)Uros Slokar was originally drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the 58th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, but decided to stay playing in Europe. A year later, in 2006, he signed a contract with the Raptors and made his league debut on December 8th of that same year. Slokar only played in 20 games for the Raptors with totals of 38 points and 14 rebounds, but statistics per 36 minutes were 19 points and 7 rebounds, which is great for a rookie.

Slokar scored 18 points in his last game of the season on April 17, 2007 and signed a contract overseas in August of that same year and hasn't played in the NBA again since.

8. Joe Crispin - Los Angeles Lakers/Phoenix Suns (2001-2002)
Joe Crispin gained exposure while playing college ball at Penn State University. He played 4 seasons there with averages of 15.7 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.9 rebounds over the course of 126 games.

Crispin signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in August before the 2001-2002 season started and ended up playing in 6 games for the Lakers before being waived on November 24, 2001.

He got a second chance with the Phoenix Suns as he signed with them in January of 2002. Crispin played in more games and was given more minutes in Phoenix. As a result, most of his averages improved. He finished the season with combined averages of 3.8 points, 1.2 assists, and 0.2 steals a game, which isn't very impressive. But when you look at his stats per 36 minutes, they are significantly better (18.2 points, 6 assists, and 1.2 steals). If stats don't sway your opinion of Crispin's talent, watch this highlight reel of him (he had a sweet stroke from 3-point range and looked like a good playmaker).

The Lakers won a championship without him and he was not re-signed by the Suns during the offseason. Since then, he has played in the ABA (where he was named an All-Star and the league's MVP in 2004) and in a bunch of other leagues and countries.

7. Nick Fazekas - Dallas Mavericks/Los Angeles Clippers (2007-2008)Nick Fazekas starting building up his basketball resume in high school as he was named Mr. Basketball in Colorado for the 2002-2003 season while playing for Ralston Valley High School. That season, his senior year, he led his high school team, the Mustangs to a 25-2 record and the state championship.

Fazekas then went on to play college basketball at Nevada where he helped lead the Wolf Pack to the NCAA Tournament in all of his 4 years there. He averaged 20 points or over in his last three years at Nevada and a double-double his last two years.

The Dallas Mavericks selected Fazekas with the 34th pick of the 2007 NBA Draft. He only played in 4 games (with totals of 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) before being waived in February of 2008. He bounced back 12 days later as he was signed by the Los Angeles Clippers. He saw more minutes and played in more games with the Clippers, and his highlights included a sweet spin move and dunk against his old team. He ended up finishing the season with a total of 26 games played, but with averages of 14.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per 36 minutes, not bad for a rookie.

The Clips opted not to resign Fazekas after the season ended and he has since played in France, Belgium, and the D-League. However, Fazekas is only 26 years old and could possibly make it back to the NBA. You never know.

6. Kasib Powell - Miami Heat (2007-2008) Kasib Powell played 2 solid seasons at Texas Tech after transferring from Butler Community College. He applied for the 2003 NBA Draft, but went undrafted. From there he played preseason games with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2004, the Chicago Bulls in 2005, the Orlando Magic in 2006, and the Memphis Grizzlies in 2007, but was never able to make any of their final rosters for the regular season.

Sensing his closeness to the NBA, Powell signed with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League. He played in 40 games with the Skyforce, averaging 22.2 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.4 steals a game. He also made over 41 percent of his three's and over 50 percent of his field goals.

In the midst of what would be an MVP season for Powell, he was signed to a 10-day contract by the Miami Heat on March 22, 2008. He ended up playing in 11 games for the Heat, starting 4 of them, and put up averages of 7.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He scored a career-high 18 points in a win over the Indiana Pacers and dished out another career-high 10 assists in a loss to the Raptors.

However, Powell wasn't resigned by the Heat and played another season in the D-League with the Skyforce. Since then, he was played overseas in Greece and Israel.


5. Vincent Yarbrough - Denver Nuggets (2002-2003)Vincent Yarbrough was a bright young prospect as he was named a McDonald's All-American in 1998 and played 4 productive seasons at Tennessee. In his senior season, he averaged 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, set a school record in career steals, was named the team's Most Valuable Player, and was a John R. Wooden Award candidate.

Yarbrough was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 32nd pick of the 2002 NBA Draft and made his debut on December 3, 2002. He played in 59 games for the Nuggets (starting 39 of them) and put up averages of 6.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 23.4 minutes a game. However, the Nuggets tied for the worst record in the league that season and Yarbrough was waived before the next season started.

Since his one season in the NBA, he has played overseas in Greece, Italy, Belgium, and Germany.


4. Khalid El-Amin - Chicago Bulls (2000-2001) Khalid El-Amin started wowing scouts in high school as he led his team to the state title three years in a row, was named the Minnesota State Player of the Year three times, was named a McDonald's All-American, and was named Mr. Basketball in 1997 for Minnesota. He then went on to become a star at UConn where he was named the Big East Rookie of the Year in 1998 and won a national title in 1999.

El-Amin applied for the 2000 NBA Draft and was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 34th pick. He played in 50 games for the Bulls his rookie season and averaged 6.3 points and 2.9 assists in only 18.7 minutes per game. He also played in Rookie Challenge and scored 18 points. On the post-Jordan era Bulls, management didn't seem to see him in their future and he was waived in March before the season ended. Since his time in the league, he has played on many different teams in many different countries including Turkey, Lithuania, Ukraine, France, and Israel.

3. Chris Porter - Golden State Warriors (2000-2001) Chris Porter was a star in college before he played in the NBA. At Auborn, he was named the SEC Player of the Year in 1999 as the Tigers made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The next season he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Auborn was a favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. However, he was suspended for the final 8 games of his senior season for accepting money from an agent. Porter was picked late in the 2nd round of the 2000 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and signed a contract with the team. He played in 51 games for the Warriors and put up averages of 8.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in only 22 minutes per game.

His career then went downhill when he got arrested on drug charges during the offseason and showed up three days late for training camp. The Warriors then traded Porter to the Hornets where he was waived the day after the trade. Since then, Porter has played in numerous minor leagues and overseas.....and has gotten arrested multiple times.


2. Jay Williams - Chicago Bulls (2002-2003)Jay Williams had a promising career ahead of him. In high school, he was named a McDonald's All-American and won the 1999 Morgan Wooten Award. He then played three seasons at Duke where he helped lead the Blue Devils to victory in the 2001 NCAA Championship. He also was named the winner of the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith College Player of the Year award, and the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 2002.

The Chicago Bulls selected Williams with the second pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. In his 7th game in the league, he put up career highs in points, assists, and rebounds (16 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists). He started 54 games out of 74 for the Bulls, and finished the season with averages of 9.5 points, 4.7 assists, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. Also, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of Month for December of 2002 and to the 2002-2003 All-Rookie Second Team.

Tragedy then struck Williams during the offseason when he crashed his motorcycle in Chicago while not wearing a helmet and not being licensed to drive a motorcycle in Illinois. He was seriously injured and needed physical therapy to regain use of his leg. The Bulls waived him in 2004 and he hasn't played in the league since.


1. Juan Carlos Navarro - Memphis Grizzlies (2007-2008)
Navarro was originally drafted by the Washington Wizards with the 4oth pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, but decided to stay with with FC Barcelona, his team at the time. On August 3, 2007, his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a future first-round draft pick.

Navarro, reunited with former teammate Pau Gasol, played in his first ever NBA game at age 27 and ended up having a very solid rookie season. On November 27th, 2007, he had his first and only triple double (16 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) in a win against the New Jersey Nets. He put up season averages of 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game and was named to the 2007-2008 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

However, in June of 2008, he signed a five-year deal with his old Spanish team, FC Barcelona. The Grizzlies eventually rescinded their qualifying offer to Navarro in 2009 and he has played in Spain with Barcelona ever since.
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Have any thoughts on any of the players listed or do you think I left anyone off the list that should have been on it? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.

Mix of the Week #15: Marcus Williams Grizzlies Mix [Patrys15]

This week's mix is of Marcus Williams during the 2009-2010 season the he played in with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The song is "What They Do" by The Roots and this mix was made by BigPatrys15 on YouTube. Enjoy!



Williams is a serviceable point guard and I wouldn't be surprised if he makes it back to the NBA.

Have any thoughts on Marcus Williams, the Grizzlies, or have any suggestions for next week's mix? Leave a comment below and tell me what you think.