French native Frank Ntilikina has been a project for the Knicks ever since being drafted eighth overall in 2017. Going into that draft, the 6’4” guard drew a lot of interest from scouts as a top overseas prospect, mostly due to his above-average wingspan (7’0”) and great ball-handling skills. The Knicks jumped at the opportunity to…
There’s a lot of talent to be found all around the world, and more front offices are searching through Europe, Asia, South America, etc. to find the next great import. This season, 108 players from 38 countries were on an NBA roster for opening night, which includes reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even though the league…
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…
Dear friends and subscribers of TBW, Much has certainly changed in our world over the past couple of months. We anticipate further changes and challenges due to COVID-19 in the near future. These hurdles supersede everything I am about to discuss, so please note this perspective that we recognize basketball (and sport, in general) as such…
The last time Team USA played in an international tournament was an embarrassment. The inaugural FIBA World Cup took place in China this past summer and, after taking home the gold in the previous five events, the Americans finished seventh. They lost back-to-back games against France and Serbia to close out the tournament. It was…
Nikola Jokić is not your average superstar. He doesn’t look the part. He doesn’t have jaw-dropping athleticism. He isn’t zipping up and down the floor at a fast pace. He won’t leave you mystified with his ability to shoot from deeper and deeper away from the basket. He’s not going to shut down an opposing…
A lot is made of passing the baton in sports. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird begat Michael Jordan, Jordan led to Kobe Bryant. After Kobe came LeBron James. James is closing in on the end of his basketball career, and the league is ripe for the taking. Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the prime face of…
Rudy Gobert was once thought of as the last of a dying breed. As “small ball” became increasingly popular across the NBA, it seemed players like Gobert were getting played off of the court. At 7’1” and 245 pounds, how could the relatively range-less Frenchman be expected to hold his ground on the perimeter against…
There have only been five rookies in NBA history to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game: Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tyreke Evans and Luka Doncic. Leading up to the 2018 NBA Draft, there was a lot of debate over just how good the Slovenian teenager was. Unlike other big-name…
Kristaps Porzingis didn’t play a single minute last season. He tore his ACL the year prior and opted to spend the entire 2018-19 calendar rehabbing in hopes of returning back to action fully healthy. In the midst of all that, New York’s crowned prince was jettisoned out of the Big Apple. Porzingis was famously booed…
