When this album dropped I was in high school. My friends were much bigger fans of Jay-Z than me and they played this album all the time. I didn't mind because I thought the album was good. As crazy as it may sound to some, I haven't listened to this entire album straight through without skipping a song in about 18-19 years. Like most of you I just put a few songs from old albums on a playlist or just play certain songs when I want to hear them. Today I decided to give it a run and I have a few new thoughts..... I'm not reviewing every song, RELAX!!
Takeover
The hook made me laugh a little because I'm 100% sure Bleek is the only one of these guys that even has his phone number.
Girls, Girls, Girls
This song is like Meagan Good....perfect then, perfect now
Hola Hovito
This song is bad. Very bad. Everything about it sticks out in a bad way. This meme sums up my thoughts on how that record fits with the rest of the album.
Renegade
Nas was right. To shoot Jay some bail, this song was tailormade for Eminem to get his shit off. I don't think Jay-Z was horrible on this song but there's a huge gap between the 2 artist on this record.
Lyrical Exercise
This song is like Kelly Rowland.... fine then, FINER now!!!!
Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)
This song is as unnecessary as Ben Simmons wearing a shooting sleeve. It doesn't takeaway from anything but definitely doesn't add anything either.
Other than that.... I still feel the same about the rest of the album. U Don't Know is still this best song and Never Change is still the best hook. (to me)
Every year the game of basketball repeats a cycle where stars are born and veterans say their final goodbye. Seeing Carmelo Anthony and Andre Iguodala decide to hang it up this year was a reminder of how fast time moves. In 2017 I started this series to highlight players that I expected to take a leap at different levels. Without further ado, let me tap into the high school level with AJ Dybantsa.
This 16 year old 6'9 small forward has been rapidly rising up the ranks over the last few months. Dybansta who originally was expected to be part of the 2026 class recently reclassified to 2025. He is currently playing for Prolific Prep which is also where Gary Trent Jr. and Jalen Green once played. This summer he led the 17U Division of the Nike Peach Jam with 25.8 points per game along with 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Prior to that impressive showing on the Nike circuit the 5 star recruit led Team USA to gold in the FIBA U16 division. Currently he plans to attend college and recently took an official visit to USC. He currently has offers from Connecticut, Michigan, Georgetown and many other colleges. He's been taken under the wing of NBA players such as Paul George, Steph Curry, and LeBron James. The sky's the limit for this young man who is capable of doing pretty much anything on the basketball court.
Isaiah Collier enters this season as the CBS pick for freshman of the year. The All-American game MVP that was also the Georgia Gatorade player of the year is in position to take advantage of the media spotlight USC will have due to being teammates with Bronny James. He's an aggressive 6'5 guard that constantly puts pressure on the rim protectors by driving the ball. His strong build allows him to absorb contact that most guards cannot withstand. One feature of his game that stands out to me is his court vision. Collier can draw a double team and find the open man with ease. He’s a projected top 5 pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
The Big East Freshman of the Year somehow managed to slip to the 20th pick in the draft and made everyone pay for it in Summer League. Coming into his rookie season, the former Villanova Wildcat will be looking to establish his spot in the Rockets rotation throughout the season. He’s active on both ends of the floor and his 40 inch vertical makes him a highlight threat every second he’s on the floor. I expect him to play with a chip on his shoulder and show flashes of something special. At 6’7 and 235 lbs he slashes like a 6’2 combo guard with raw power. He will be a great project for Ime Udoka to mold at this point of his career.
Jaden McDaniels has become one of my favorite defenders in the entire league. Now that he’s locked in long term with his new 5 year 136 million dollar extension the next step is earning a spot on an All-Defensive Team. Personally, I thought he should have made the 2nd team last season. He’s very agile with elite timing so when that is factored in with his 7ft wingspan it’s a rough night for any ball handler in the league. He’s amazing at anticipating passes, dodging screens, and forcing opponents away from their intended direction. It’s not a glamorous job but he’s the key to unlocking the defensive potential of the T’Wolves.
For every NBA player that decides to hang it up and retire there's another shining star in the gym working to become great. From high school on up there are guys that take a leap and elevate their game to another level. Crazy to think that this is my 5th installment of this annual series. Although I am really against heaping high praise on players before their junior year of high school there's one kid that I expect to put the world on notice in the coming months. Allow me to introduce you to Cameron Boozer.
To basketball fans this last name instantly stands out. Cameron is the son of Duke legend and former NBA all-star Carlos Boozer. He is the number 1 player in the 2025 class. Currently this hoop prodigy is listed at 6’9 and has plenty of time to continue growing considering that he recently turned 15 years old. In my personal opinion this was the most impressive high school player I watched over the summer. At an age where simply being bigger or more athletic than your peers can put you head and shoulders above the pack Cam has the skill set to be dominant even if he was 6’4. He has the ability to face up and score in the low post while also being capable of knocking down deep shots. His handle takes his shot creation to another level. His knack for rebounding and leading the break reminds me of Paolo Banchero. While his athleticism is at a supreme level his passing ability is a feature that’s easy to overlook because he’s creating highlights doing a bit of everything else on the floor. He has the ability to pass out of a double team while remaining poised which is a quality a lot of guys in the NBA struggle with. I expect him to be a fan favorite and develop a huge following before committing to a college. These days that could translate into a multitude of NIL deals and amplify his brand heading into the draft.
Next up we have rising Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead. Coming off a senior year for the ages that included All-American MVP and Naismith Prep Player of the Year honors Mr. Whitehead will be met with high expectations. The 4x high school national champion is a projected lottery pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Coming from Montverde Academy Dariq has played alongside NBA stars such as Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes. He is a 6'7 small forward that can impact the game in all areas. He's very explosive yet plays a smooth style of basketball. Very rarely does he make the wrong play which speaks to his IQ. Of all the tools he has in his game his most valuable move is the first step. Like Spencer Dinwiddie, he's very good at sizing up defenders and beating them with the first step. That feature contributes to his ability to be a 3-level scorer. When needed to be I think he'll be an aggressive that can wear down defenders like RJ Barrett did in his 1 year at Duke. Those that haven't seen him in action yet are in for a show!
In my personal opinion the best shooter in this rookie class is Summer League MVP Keegan Murray. Following up a 23ppg Summer League run Murray averaged 16 ppg on 70% from the field in the NBA preseason. With Sacramento not in position to compete for anything significant I can see Mike Brown giving him solid minutes throughout the season. Once he fully adapts to the pace of the league I can see a few nights where he sets the league on fire. At 6'8 and 225 lbs he will be difficult to defend with 1 wing player. His size will allow him to punish teams for using a small lineup. With his 6'11 wingspan I expect him to terrorize teams all season. I can see his game aging well…. kinda like Steve Smith. He could possibly serve as that type of player for close to 20 years if health allows him to.
Finally we have Delaware's own Bones Hyland. From VCU he's 1 full season into his career and he's already looking like a routine 6th Man of the Year candidate. He plays the game with the type of joy that makes it hard to root against him. With Denver rolling out a healthy roster this year I expect Bones to become an even bigger fan favorite. He will be in more high profile matchups which will amplify his popularity if he executes properly. Last season you could just see how easy the game was to him by the all star break. Bones has a very slender body type with a ridiculous handle and can get a shot off in any scenario. I think he's capable of a few 40 point games this season. The last time Jokic, MPJ, and Jamal Murray were all on the floor together in the playoffs they were in the Western Conference Finals in the Bubble. Jokic has won back to back MVP awards since then. Makes you wonder if Bones can play a key part in getting the Denver Nuggets into the NBA Finals.
Proctor, a 6-foot-4 floor general out of Canberra (AUS) NBA Global Academy made his decision public ahead of the Nike Hoops Summit event where he is competing for the World Team. He chose Duke over Arizona and playing a year in the NBA G-League. Other schools involved included Oklahoma, Tennessee and Louisville. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer offered Proctor on January 25th via a video conference call and then facilitated a visit to campus on February 14th. Even though he played his entire career in another country, Proctor appreciated the rarity and exclusivity of a Blue Devil offer at the time.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic I did an annual list of basketball players on each level that I expected to take a huge leap in the upcoming season. The list consists of a player in high school, college, NBA rookie, and young veteran. I skipped last year because I didn't get a great look at the younger talent considering many events were cancelled. This time around I want to start off a little different. With that said let me introduce you to Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama is a French 17 year old goalkeeper turned 7'3 hoop phenom. Some would say he's the best prospect in the world. Fresh off averaging 5.7 blocks a game in the U19 FIBA World Cup he's already viewed as one of the most lethal defensive weapons on Earth. He made his pro debut with Nanterre 92 in 2020. This team has had Tony Parker, Boris Dias, and Rudy Gobert in the past. That should say enough about their development of youth talent. With his mix of coordination, timing, and 7'9 wingspan he's an absolute nightmare on defense. A background in soccer definitely played a part in this. His ability to handle and shoot the ball feeds directly into the sentiment that foreign bigs are more skilled at a youth level than American bigs by a wide margin. Also he has an array of post moves and runs the floor like a wild deer. There's a possible chance that he comes over to the US in the 2023 draft. When his body matures and strengthens the possibilities are endless.
Next up we have the number 2 ranked recruit in the 2021 class Paolo Banchero. P5 is an Italian American from Seattle. After committing to Duke in August 2020 he's been considered the crown jewel of Coach K's final season. At 6'10 and 250 lbs you'd expect him to be a prototypical low post big man but he's far from that. With a great face up game and the ability to play bully ball Paolo can create for himself. He can also knockdown mid-range shots which can do a lot for floor spacing. His passing and ball handling makes him even more of a threat. Paolo has traits of multiple players but there isn't really 1 solid pick for a comparison. I've seen every comparison from an athletic David West to a stronger Tobias Harris. Honestly I think you would have to watch him without expectations and draw your own conclusion.
Straight out of Chesapeake Virginia we have the Oak Hill all time scoring leader Cam Thomas. In my opinion he's the best scorer in this year's draft. He went into summer league and left his mark winning Co-MVP after averaging 27 points per game. He's the ultimate 3 level scorer with unbreakable confidence. He's very shifty and strong. This helps him create space and score through contact. The biggest plus to the situation that he's in with Brooklyn is that he gets to work with some of the best scorers of this era. When I watch him I see flashes of different players. Two players that come to mind are Joe Johnson and Nick Young. Like Cam, they both have a real solid body and have no issue getting their shot off due to the ability to create and simply not give a fuck who is defending them. I have a serious belief that if Cam has a long healthy career he's capable of touching 25,000 points. He's going to make the 757 proud.
Last but not least we have Jordan Poole. He's my pick for Most Improved Player. I thought he was good coming out of Michigan but after having time to develop around future hall of famers he's on track to break out. After having front row seats to the Steph Curry show all last season he got the understanding of what it takes to elevate to the next level. Poole averaged 21.8 points per game on 50.6% shooting in the preseason and there's a great chance this translates to the regular season. The game is slowing down for him and becoming easier. With the possibility of a contract extension coming up Poole will literally be playing for a chance at generational wealth. Expect him to play like his life is on the line all season.
Somewhere Friday night a little kid watched game 5 and Jimmy Butler became their favorite player. The hustle, determination, and passion he's played with during this postseason is the stuff of legends. We're witnessing a player elevate his game to an apex only he knew was attainable.
Us as fans routinely put a glass ceiling on the capabilities of athletes and feel vindicated when we're proven right. We don't take into account that different situations can either maximize or hinder talent. In Chicago Jimmy was a neophyte that evolved into an all star caliber player. Eventually the Chicago Bulls decided to scrap the whole team that was initially built around Derrick Rose and rebuild. That led to Butler being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night in exchange for Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and the rights to Lauri Markkanen. In 1 season with the T-Wolves Jimmy assisted them in reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The following season things took a sharp turn and the perception of Jimmy Butler in the minds of many people shifted as he grew tired of the lack of determination of his teammates and took action. The infamous practice followed by the infamous interview with Rachel Nichols made Jimmy seem like a bad teammate to the outside world.
A trade request soon landed him in Philly where he spent one season and summer 2019 free agency landed him in Miami. I mean….his 4th team between June 22, 2017 - July 6th, 2019 looks nuts. Although the growing narrative about him as a teammate took on a life of its own it appears that he's found a home in Miami. He finally has a team of his own where he's the leader with guys that have adopted his mentality towards the game. The drive to win that he's displayed in these finals has made what once seemed like irrational confidence really a testament to who Jimmy Butler has always been. Then absorbing all this and relating it to myself I think we all could learn a lot from what we're seeing right now. We should never settle. We should never accept minimal effort from people that we are working alongside to accomplish a goal. We should never believe in glass ceilings. We should never back down from any challenge. The Lakers were viewed as Goliath going into these finals but Jimmy Butler wasn't viewed as a possible David. Right now as game 6 is just hours away and this series could possibly end tonight I want to thank Jimmy Butler for his competitive drive and truly embracing Mamba Mentality. Even as a long time Laker fan (I'm not one of these new niggas) I admired the fight he's put up. When the world counted him out he believed in himself.
Everyone that has checked out my blogs in the past already know that I don't put much energy in being condescending towards athletes. I just don't see value in it when I can use my platform to compliment those who I think are special. Today I gotta take time to say FUCK DREW BREES.
He was one of the first to push back against Colin Kaepernick's silent protest and today he's back on that bullshit about disrespecting the flag. A piece of cloth holds more weight to him than the lives of African Americans being violated and taken to their grave at the hands of policemen. 50 states have protested because we are all tired of this happening and the killers not being held accountable. Somehow Drew Brees looks beyond all the pain and suffering to worry about a goddamn polyester flag. We've seen this flag talk hijack the protest before. Hopefully people don't fall for it again. Disregard the fact that he has majority African American teammates…..yesterday he posted a black tile on Instagram with the hashtag #blackouttuesday as if he was standing in solidarity with those who want justice for George Floyd.
As a player who has taken a knee with his team in the past he comes off as a hypocritical piece of garbage who is willing to pose as an ally when he really doesn't fuck with the cause. People will expose themselves if you allow them to talk long enough. I've said enough and I really don't give a shit about the NFL anymore so I'll wrap this up. Just had to express my disgust.
Peace & Love everyone….. except Drew Brees
This is a documentary about the life of Stephon Marbury. Finally got a chance to check it out and in my opinion it's a well thought out doc with a great underlying message. It's produced by Kevin Durant's production company 35 Ventures. It's available in Apple TV, Amazon Prime, etc.
Growing up with the Kobe Bryant Renaissance Man poster on my wall to being a grown man who has had the opportunity to see him play in person twice….. I'm really feeling it right now.
Just scrolling through social media and seeing the love he's getting is overwhelming. We watched him grow from a 17 year old on draft night to a full time family man with a beard. We had time to accept that he was no longer playing basketball and have had the chance to witness the 2nd phase of his life.
Right out of the gate he struck gold with his Body Armor energy drink then before we knew it he released Dear Basketball and won an Oscar then won an Emmy. If that wasn't enough he also became a New York Times best selling author with the release of Wizenard. Then the opening of his Mamba Sports Academy where many came to train and workout. His post basketball career was looking to be even better than his NBA career. One thing that makes all of this so hard to deal with is that his 2nd born daughter had developed a love for basketball that led to him coaching her basketball team. The idea of a daughter wanting to pursue the same career as her father says enough to me about the influence he had within his household. Admirable to say the very least. What I've noticed since his retirement is that he's taken on the role of the wise old man that's constantly teaching. Kobe left this Earth with more money than he could spend and his legacy isn't about wealth. The value in the lessons he taught don't have a pricetag. Neither does his influence. Trae Young wearing number 8 last night as a tribute to Kobe is a prime example.
Yesterday I left home to workout with my gray Kobe shirt. When I came home my girlfriend was in the bathroom so I laid out in the floor in our bedroom to allow myself to stretch while I wait for her to get out so I could take a shower. She comes out the bathroom and tells me "Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash". At this moment I was stunned and ran downstairs to look at my phone and it felt like my heart sunk. I'm trying to make sense of this like everyone else. Then reading conflicting reports that all turned out to be false made me hate this journalism culture of rushing to be first instead of making sure they're right. People were even reporting that Rick Fox was in the helicopter with no legit source. Completely irresponsible. Finding out that Gigi was one of the 9 victims of the crash has fucked with me the very most. If you have problems with someone resolve that shit. If you're distant from your child(ren) fix that. Simply leaving home doesn't guarantee that you'll make it home. We can argue over who's the greatest all day but one thing that's been confirmed is that the day we lost Kobe the world stopped. It's a whole generation of ball players and fans that witnessed his career from the beginning to the end so it feels like losing a relative. Guys like Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum lost someone they idolized so understand that people are going to grieve. One more thing, people need to get the fuck of Lebron's back about not instantly issuing a statement via social media. He don't owe us shit or any insight into his feelings. I know I'm all over the place right now but I'm not trying to carefully construct an article. This is more of a freestyle. Peace and love everyone.
Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.
