Top 2022 prospect Emoni Bates is projected as a future No. 1 NBA Draft pick. What does his decommitment from Michigan State mean for his pro future? The best basketball player you haven’t seen yet just made a huge decision related to his future. Emoni Bates, the No. 1 rated player in the 2022 recruiting
Month: April 2021
Kevin Porter Jr., Houston Rockets. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Genesis Cabrera HBP has clear injury ramifications for Bryce Harper by Alicia de Artola Raiders deny front-office ‘friction’ over Alex Leatherwood pick by John Buhler Kevin Porter Jr. went off Thursday night for 50 points to shock the NBA world and help the Rockets take
The Timberwolves, Thunder and Rockets are all well outside the NBA playoff race as the season winds to its end. How do they plan to improve before next season? With the NBA expanding the playoff field this year by adding the play-in tournament, more teams have a shot at the postseason than ever before. Teams
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. The 2021 NBA Playoffs are just a few weeks away, and while the playoff fields are hardly set in stone for either conference, most teams only have 10 or
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images Charles Snowden is ready for his NFL Draft moment by Matt Verderame Adam Schefter throws cold water on hot and heavy Jimmy Garoppolo trade rumors by John Buhler Anthony Davis is back in the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup but the team is still losing and things are looking increasingly dire.
Portland Trail Blazers star Carmelo Anthony bares all in a raw memoir that details his rise to the top of basketball stardom. Who knew the big man had such a big heart? Carmelo Anthony plans to release his life story, titled “Where Tomorrows Aren’t Promised,” on September 14. Anthony co-wrote the book with D. Watkins
They didn’t get him at the trade deadline, but the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat are set to renew pursuit of Kyle Lowry this summer. As the Toronto Raptors started to go downhill, Kyle Lowry was pursued by contending teams at the trade deadline. A deal did not get done for the looming unrestricted free
The Boston Celtics lost to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder, and NBA Twitter let them have it. The Boston Celtics have had some head-scratching losses this year, but Tuesday’s defeat might be their most confounding and inexcusable one yet. In a 119-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Celtics gave up a very winnable
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley Jr. won an Oscar as producers of a live-action short honored at the Academy Awards. Kevin Durant was a big winner as the Nets star returned from injury with 33 points off the bench against the Suns on Sunday. He won again on Sunday
You’d think Elfrid Payton stole the lunch money off New York Knicks fans the way they really don’t like the veteran point guard. Every team has its fan favorites. Some teams also have that one player that fans love to hate on. For the New York Knicks, it’s Elfrid Payton. Payton has started 51 games
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCH 23: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on March 23, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) ONE Empower: Who is Stamp Fairtex? by Zain Bando The Ultimate Fighter 29: Who is Ricky Turcios? by Amy Kaplan LeBron James honored the life of Terrence Clarke in a heartfelt Instagram post Thursday night. Terrence Clarke’s tragic passing disrupted the entire sports world, leading
Deandre Ayton has adapted his game as the Suns have improved. Will it be enough for Phoenix to win an NBA title? No NBA team has improved more drastically from last season to this one than the Phoenix Suns, who after missing out on the playoffs for a decade — and at times serving as
Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry tells FanSided that he believes the Los Angeles Lakers are still the title favorites with LeBron James and Anthony Davis returning. There is a little less than a month remaining in the NBA regular season, which means the playoffs are right around the corner. With the Western Conference absolutely stacked,
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (not in uniform) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports NCAA gymnastics championship broadcast was a quantum leap forward by Lela Moore 5 breakout stars to watch for Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 by Russell S. Baxter The Knicks have many happy fans these days and you
In this week’s NBA Power Rankings we’re looking at the Knicks, the Suns, the 76ers and the other teams who are smashing expectations this year. Our new look NBA Power Rankings are back, a non-traditional structure for a non-traditional era of professional basketball. The world is no longer just about wins and losses and teams
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 08: A detailed view of the Nike “Kobe” basketball shoe worn by Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers while warming up prior to the start of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on February 08, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO
According to one report, many around the NBA expect Zach LaVine to turn down a contract extension with the Chicago Bulls. Zach LaVine’s focus coming into the 2020-21 NBA season was getting the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs. They’re technically on the precipice, sitting in the final play-in spot in 10th place in the Eastern
The Boston Celtics are signing Jabari Parker to a two-year deal. The Boston Celtics have needed some extra depth in the frontcourt since trading away Daniel Theis at the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline, and they’re rolling their dice on a solution. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Celtics have agreed to sign former No.
At the end of an unprecedented college basketball season, the 2021 WNBA Draft was filled with chaos and surprises. Here are the biggest. With the first pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft, the Dallas Wings selected Charli Collier. With the second pick, the Wings took Awak Kuier. And with the third pick, the Atlanta Dream