#lenny-wilkens

#lenny-wilkens

Lopes made his debut as a player in the early 1970s and went on to have a career as a coach and manager, making him a staple of the game for the bulk of five decades.

In retrospect, knowing what occurred, it's easy to say, 'I knew it, I saw it.' But I did see it! I really did. Or I felt that. You can't ever project someone's going to [win] 11 rings.

Johnson won six Southern Section titles coaching at Mission Viejo and three at El Toro while winning 338 games, the second winningest in Orange County history and in the top five in state history, according to the Orange County Register.

At one point he made an assist while sprawled on the floor: From his end of the court, he made a one-armed throw to a teammate, who streaked coast-to-coast for a quick bucket. That season ended with an epic showdown in the NCAA championship game against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Magic got the better of Bird in that game, but the contest had wider repercussions.

I had written a book about five or six years ago, kind of with Oscar Robertson, on the ABA, the Robertson suit that led to free agency, the mergers of the leagues, it was kind of an NBA history book of the '60s and '70s. It was great fun to do, because I'm interviewing all those guys who were playing as the best players on their team. No connection, but guys are dying. I'd done the last interviews with Havlicek and Wes Unseld.

"I apologized to the coaches," he said. "We could have had 100 points. That's not me. I have respect for my alma mater."

General manager Adam Peters decided to prioritize the protection in front of quarterback Jayden Daniels during the 2025 offseason. These investments paid off, with the Washington Commanders' offensive line emerging as a real bright spot amid the misery, but it did mean fans had to say goodbye to one of their favorites along the way. And after one season away from Washington, Cornelius Lucas could be watching his career come to a close.

Hoops, Hopes & Dreams tells the story of how Dr. King used basketball to connect with young people and organize communities during moments of protest.

What I loved about it at first was the oranges. The parents were responsible for half-time, and a lot of times I couldn't wait for half-time because they cut up oranges, but I fell in love with the game because it was just being outside playing with my friends. I played centre forward and I wanted to score. I found out very fast what scoring was all about and also what it was like playing with team-mates.

Accountability. It's the word that's defined Mike Brown's early tenure as head coach with the Knicks, one of several differentiating factors that separate him from former head coach Tom Thibodeau, who the Knicks fired after their Eastern Conference Finals run ended in six games last season. It's not the word, however, Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody was expecting.

NBA champion Metta World Peace (previously known as Ron Artest) has a warning for anyone who thinks they're a hard worker: there's probably someone-maybe even on your team-willing to work even harder than you. It's a career lesson he learnt from Kobe Bryant.In an interview with Fortune's Orianna Rosa Royle at Web Summit Qatar, World Peace revealed that he had heard the late Los Angeles Lakers basketball player was grinding hard at the gym before long days of grueling training.

The fans never got an opportunity to give a grateful goodbye, Pat Riley resigning on an early summer afternoon 36 years ago after the end of a lost season. Everyone will have that chance now. When Riley left town at the wrong end of grumblings from players and fans, he was the greatest coach not only in Lakers history but also in basketball history, his .730 winning percentage and 102 playoff victories both NBA records at the time. Everyone will understand now.

"I was definitely hyped," Allen told ESPN. "I had Paul Pierce in my ear telling me, 'Get ready! You stick me every day [in practice]. You should be ready. Let's go! That's Kobe Bryant!'" The No. 25 pick in the 2004 draft was trying to soak everything in and get himself in the right frame of mind for the 54th game of his young NBA career.

I didn't watch much basketball on TV until I started playing at 13, so can relate to coming upon something new and exciting. At the same time, the world's so small now with social media access. But it is interesting to go to parts of the world where basketball is smaller and see how can we make the game accessible to them.