In this age of tweeting and texting and every thought needing to be expressed in 140 characters or less, I give you some really random NBA stuff that's crossed my mind within the past week:
* What's the big deal? We already knew a guy named Jordan in his prime would be able to dunk on LeBron James.
* Bottom line: LeBron was playing against a bunch of teenagers in a meaningless game. I'm sure he wasn't even trying.
* My 5-year old dunked on me on a Nerf hoop the other day. Thankfully, no one got it on video.
* I look forward to the release of James' book in September. It shows a sensitive, very human side of the King.
* Allen Iverson playing for the Clippers. In the same backcourt with Baron Davis and Ricky Davis. Please, basketball gods, let it happen.
* Let's break for a tweet from Shaquille O'Neal: "Dear david beckham, I kno u heard about my shaq vs show, anyway u will never score a goal on me, I challenge you lil man."
* Shaq's in Cleveland. I'm in Cleveland. Cannot wait to meet him.
* Walked behind Shaq in the hallway at Quicken Loans Arena last season. He was goofing off and high-fiving everyone around him. He really is an awesome dude.
* Shaq's kidding himself, though. I could score a goal on him within three or four kicks. Beckham could do it with his eyes closed on the first try.
* So are the Nets moving to Brooklyn or not? And where has Jay-Z been during these times of financial distress in New Jersey?
* Did I read that correctly? Is Miami really considering Jason Williams a possibility at point guard? The same erratic Williams who "retired" before the start of last season?
* Word is the Heaters are also taking a long look at Jamaal Tinsley (waived by Indiana earlier this week). I'll take Mario Chalmers and an up-and coming D-Leaguer over Williams or Tinsley.
* Up-and-coming D-Leaguer suggestion at point guard: Walker Russell of the wonderfully nicknamed Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
* I had a lot of Friendly Aunts. But none were from Fort Wayne, so that explains it.
* My All-Summer League Team: C - JaVale McGee, Washington; PF - Anthony Randolph, Golden State; SG - James Harden, Oklahoma City; PG - Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City.
* I didn't list a small forward because it's a tie between DaJuan Summers (Detroit) and Chase Budinger (Houston) -- both second-round picks, no less.
* Marcus Thornton (New Orleans) also excelled at shooting guard and was right up there with Harden. Thornton was a second-rounder, too.
* Yes, top overall pick Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers) was very good. But he was no Randolph, the MVP of summer play in my book.
* Others who merit high honorable mention: Brandon Jennings, PG, Milwaukee; Tyler Hansbrough, PF, Indiana; Roy Hibbert, C, Indiana; Nick Young, SF/SG, Washington; Adam Morrison, SF, L.A. Lakers; Tyreke Evans, G, Sacramento; Eric Maynor, PG, Utah; and Ryan Anderson, SF, Orlando.
* Stephen Curry (Warriors) wasn't awful, but as I predicted in a column back in March, he's got a long way to go.
* Another tweet-from-Shaq break: "happy birthday, harry potter main charachter dude."
* Man, they're really gonna love this guy in Cleveland. No Cavalier has been this much fun since World B. Free.
* If you enjoy reading former NBA coach Eric Musselman's columns on PBN, you'll probably want to check out his Twitter account.
* Musselman's father, former coach Bill Musselman, once uttered my favorite quote of all-time: "Defeat is worse than death, because you have to live with defeat."
* My other favorite quote comes from Brian Ross, the publisher of Minor League News (for which I often write -- wink, wink, nudge, nudge): "Celebrating television is like bronzing your trash."
* Meanwhile, Musselman's sister, Nicole, wrote my favorite chapter in Pat Williams' excellent compilation of stories, "Chicken Soup for the Basketball Lover's Soul," on her late father.
* Williams just sent me a copy of his latest, "Extreme Dreams Depend on Teams." Looks like another winner. The man just continues to amaze.
* Five people who make me feel like lacing up a pair of high tops and shooting a thousand jumpers every time I hear them speak (in random order): Eric Musselman, Avery Johnson, Pat Williams, Fox Sports NBA columnist Charley Rosen, and former NBA guard Robert Reid.
* I interviewed Reid several years ago for a story I wrote for the NBA retired players association, and our first conversation lasted more than an hour. Ever since, we call just to talk hoops.
* Reid was an underrated defender, and at 6-foot-8, could play everything from point guard to small forward. As a kid I watched in awe as he gave Larry Bird all he could handle in the 1986 Finals between Bird's Celtics and Reid's Houston Rockets (also featuring Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson).
* Would Lamar Odom just sign with the Lakers already? We all know that's where he‘ll end up.
* I'm typing this next to my son as he sleeps. He's 5. He shouldn't be snoring like a 67-year old man who smokes two packs a day. Yet he is.
* One sure sign that the Apocalypse is near: NBA referee Joey Crawford has a Twitter account.
* Where oh where will A.I. end up? If I'm Charlotte, I'm taking a flyer on him. I mean, I like Raja Bell and all, but is he really a starting shooting guard on a playoff team? Especially a team like the Bobcats, who have no real stars.
* In conclusion, one final tweet from Shaq: "does tok a roo ko by ashi eat all dat dam food geeeez."
* I have no idea what that means. I love it anyway.
Sam Amico is the editor of Pro Basketball News. He can be reached at amico@probasketballnews.com.
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