The fate of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo had been hanging in the balance ever since the COVID-19 outbreak began in China months ago. However, pressure truly began to mount on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the virus rapidly spread throughout the world. The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced last weekend that they…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) re-pick the lottery of the 2016 NBA draft. Is Ben Simmons still the No. 1 overall pick? Does Pascal Siakam leap over Brandon Ingram at No. 2? How high does Malcolm Brogdon jump? Does Jamal Murray now go before Buddy Hield?…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) speaks with Yaron Weitzman (@yaronweitzman), author of the new book “Tanking to the Top,” about the Process Sixers. What led to Sam Hinkie’s downfall in Philadelphia? What misunderstandings about the Process do the general public—or Sixers fans—still have? Is Brett Brown’s job in jeopardy? Can…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the fallout from the recent injuries Ben Simmons, Jeremy Lamb and Jaren Jackson Jr. have suffered. How can the Philadelphia 76ers survive Simmons’ absence? What does Lamb’s injury mean for a suddenly struggling Indiana Pacers squad both this year and…
While the NBA is littered with young offensive standouts, high-level defenders aren’t quite as abundant. It’s exceptionally difficult to shine defensively in today’s league. Scorers and playmakers are more skilled than ever while officiating lends itself toward a high-scoring brand of hoops. Nonetheless, I’m assessing the top young defensive weapons in the second part of…
Furkan Korkmaz’s first two NBA seasons were relatively quiet as he played a grand total of 62 games, starting in only seven of them. Yet, he showed steady, albeit modest progression over that time and even gave flashes of being a useful piece for the Philadelphia 76ers moving forward. That’s because he has a “special…
Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers won 51 games and were a Kawhi Leonard miracle away from going to the Eastern Conference Finals. General manager Elton Brand and his staff made two essential deals over the summer to give the Sixers a changed look. One of those moves was the highly publicized Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade to…
For years, we’ve been hearing how the basketball world is catching up with the USA. But is it time to stop couching that in “future-tense” logic and ponder whether it’s happened, even at the highest levels? In 1992, the USA sent hoops pros to the Olympics for the first time, as the “Dream Team” captured…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Carmelo Anthony signing with the Portland Trail Blazers, Ben Simmons hitting a three-pointer (!) and what Nikola Vucevic’s ankle injury means for the Orlando Magic. Can Carmelo help the Blazers turn their disappointing season around? If Simmons begins to regularly…
Our rankings of each team’s young prospects conclude with teams 1-5. Remember, we only consider players entering their third season or younger. Players with a proven NBA track record are weighted quite heavily along with those who have strong collegiate production. While some rankings might seem surprising on the surface, this list’s criteria are weighted…
