When Stephen Curry entered the NBA in 2009, it was debatable as to how his college brilliance at Davidson would translate to the pro ranks. At times, playing on what was far from a marquee NCAA team, Curry had troubles getting his shot off against defensive pressure primed to isolate him as his team’s only shot-creator. And though Curry’s lineage as the son of one of the NBA’s great all-time shooters in Dell Curry was in place, this was still a league that was wary of high end NCAA scorers like Adam Morrison, who by that time was on his second team and considered a washout. This is part of the reason Curry slipped to seventh in that year’s draft, the fifth guard taken.
[Also: Lakers retire Shaquille O’Neal's No. 34 jersey ]
Four years later, Curry is a should-be All-Star, one that was curiously passed over by coaches this season for the midseason exhibition, and leading his Golden State Warriors to just their third playoff trip in their last 20 seasons. Along the way, Curry is pulling off an astonishing feat – not only leading the NBA in three-pointers made and attempted, but shooting a percentage from behind the arc (45 percent) that would lead the NBA in most seasons (he’s second this year to Detroit’s Jose Calderon, a player that has taken 237 fewer threes than Stephen this season). Sports Illustrated’s Chris Ballard, in a fantastic feature, details the drive that has turned Curry into such a potent threat :
Last week, I watched Curry follow his usual gameday shootaround routine at the Warriors' practice facility. Lining up at seven spots around the arc, he alternated between shooting three-pointers and deep twos until he hit 10 out of 13 from all seven spots, restarting at a spot if he missed more than three. By my watch, he finished the drill in eight minutes. Afterward, Curry said his time was about average. Says [assistant coach Bob] Myers: "He shoots a lot but, to be honest, there aren't many shots he takes that I'd consider a bad shot."
The Toronto Raptors are growing closer and closer to dealing for Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, in a seeming match made in heaven. It seems perfect to some that the Raptors would attempt to field the two most overrated players available from the 2006 NBA draft that aren’t named “Adam Morrison.”
On Wednesday, amid swirling rumors about Rudy Gay heading to the Toronto Raptors, ESPN’s Chad Ford threw this out in the midst of a midday chat :
Bryan Colangelo has loved Gay since his college days. He was seriously torn between Gay and Bargnani on draft night. I think he feels like if he unites them, the Raptors instantly get better.
To most, this noise acts as a signal that confirms how terrible a GM Toronto Raptors boss Bryan Colangelo is. That he was deciding on two of the more bleated-about players in both recent and 2006-inspired history with the first pick in that year’s draft. And it’s true, Colangelo has not been a good GM for Toronto.
It's been a rough week for the Charlotte Bobcats. They lost out on the top pick in the draft despite having the best odds in the lottery, tried to pass off that result as a success , and held one of most depressing "parties" imaginable . With the common perception that Michael Jordan isn't exactly the best executive around, confidence in Charlotte is at an all-time low.
However, the Bobcats would like you to know that Jordan isn't as bad as you think. According to Bobcats exec Rod Higgins during an interview with WFNZ in Charlotte, Jordan wasn't responsible for drafting Adam Morrison. Here's the transcript via Sports Radio Interviews :
"Hey, I wonder how Adam Morrison's doing these days," you said to your cat earlier this afternoon. "Not sure why I'm thinking of him now, after not really thinking about him much since the Lakers let him go a couple of years back, but you know, I'd kind of like to know what he's up to ... or, I mean, even just see him, I guess. It's been too long!"
Your wish, as always, is our command:
Looking great, Adam Morrison! I see you have been very busy since last we saw you listening to Dio and working on your fingertapping and/or performing twice nightly in dark matches at Pacific Northwest wrestling shows as "The Fauxndertaker." Not sure how well that will translate to being sharp in the pick-and-roll, but if any general manager would just take like three minutes to hear you rip through "Holy Diver" and/or check out your Tombstone, I'm sure you'd be back on the floor in no time.
This life-affirming photo of Morrison — the NCAA's co-Player of the Year during his junior season at Gonzaga who was drafted No. 3 overall by Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats in 2006 and soon plummeted to the depths of bustdom thanks to an inability to create his own shot against NBA defenders, a severe left knee injury and the fact that he was chosen ahead of Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, Rajon Rondo and Paul Millsap (among others) — was taken Monday morning by SNY.tv's Adam Zagoria . We here at BDL share our unending thanks with Mr. Zagoria for bringing this ray of sunlight into a dreary (in Brooklyn, at least) Monday afternoon.
[Also: LeBron delivers epic performance after reading 'The Hunger Games' ]
You remember Adam Morrison, righto? Great shooter, unfairly chosen way too high by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2006 draft, and late of the Serbian league where he acquitted himself quite well. He recently decided to leave that league in … Continue reading ?
It was late on Thursday night, and via SB Marc Juliar, that we came across this clip of former Charlotte Bobcats lottery pick and current KK Crvena zvezda (that's in a Serbian league) forward Adam Morrison losing his cool after … Continue reading ?
Morrison has been waived by the Washington Wizards, less than a month after signing with the team.
The Scoop:Morrison averaged five points and two rebounds in five preseason games with Washington. He was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2006 after starring in college at Gonzaga. The 6-foot-8 forward has played in four NBA seasons, two with Charlotte and two with the Los Angeles Lakers, with career averages of 7.5 points and 2.1 rebounds.
Adam Morrison spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won two championships but...
The Scoop: None.
Sep 22 3:57 ET
News (various sources)
Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen is releasing a rock album on a major label (Ball Don't Lie) (7 Hours Ago | courtesy: Ball Don't Lie) In addition to recording his players' in-game conversations , New York Knicks owner James Dolan has been known to lay down some tracks in the studio as frontman of the "blues" band JD and the Straight Shot . While Dolan's band has only occasionally covered his work with the Knicks , it's safe to say that the majority of the band's fame comes from his off-stage associations. Nevertheless, when it comes to NBA owners with somewhat embarrassing musical careers, Dolan stands above all others.
However, it looks like a new challenger has emerged. After years as a budding amateur guitarist and benefactor of various music-oriented causes, billionaire Microsoft cofounder and Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen will release his first album on August 6 via the Legacy Recordings imprint of Sony Music. From Randy Lewis for the Los Angeles Times (via Blazersedge ): More...
NBA DRAFT LOTTERY SIM
MADNESS!
