The post Austin Rivers Reacts To His CRAZY High School Mixtapes & Tells It All! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers Reacts To His CRAZY High School Mixtapes & Tells It All! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Top 30 Mixtape Players of BIL Era: No's 6-10 appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Video is at the heart of what we do as a company. Even though we've branched out into many other business ventures, we still get excited as ever and look forward to putting out mixtapes. Though the definition of a mixtape has changed a bit over time because of the impact of social media, the 30 special talents who made the cut as the greatest mixtape players of all time have stood the test of time.
The criteria is the best combination of that one sick mixtape, longevity, combination of multiple good mixes, and large viewing numbers across all platforms. It's simply not just the 30 players with the most views.
After checking out part No. 5 below, don't forget to sound off with your thoughts on our various social media platforms!
Top 30 Countdown: No.'s 6-10
Click here to see No.'s 26-30! | Click here to see No.'s 21-25! | Click here to see No.'s 16-20! | Click here to see No.'s 11-15! | Click here to see No.'s 1-5!
6. Andrew Wiggins, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.) 6-6 SF, 2013:
There's a good reason why Ballislife co-owner and OG videographer says that Wiggins is still one his favorite players he's filmed to this day. The 6-foot-6 wing was a filmer's dream because of his explosive athleticism and aggressiveness when attacking the rim and putting defenders on posters. Wiggins was a beast of a finisher in transition and used his vertical bounce to contest and swat shots away defensively. During his senior year at Huntington Prep, Wiggins averaged 23.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, earning McDonald's All-American honors. Many dubbed Wiggins as the best high school prospect since LeBron James, and while his career didn't quite live up to that level of hype, he has put together a solid NBA career. Wiggins' official Ballislife Mixtape has over 2.2 million views.
7. Kyrie Irving, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-2 PG, 2010:
The camera lens just always seems to pan to a guy of Irving's talent level because of his creativity with the ball when scoring, handling and passing. The now all-world point guard was doing similar things in high school as he is during his NBA career, losing and dropping defenders with lightning quick crossovers, splitting doubles without losing speed, hitting crazy contested step-back jumpers and showing off his insane finishing package around the rim. Irving averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game for a 24-3 team that finished No. 7 in the FAB 50 in 2010. Irving was named a McDonald's All-American and was named MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic. Kyrie's official high school mixtape has more than five million views. Check it out below!
8. Austin Rivers, Winter Park (Fla.) 6-4 SG 2011:
This shooting guard was one of the most popular and polarizing players of the BIL era so far. He had tons of fans because of his game, and some detractors because of his name, as the son of NBA coach Doc Rivers. He had all the ingredients of what makes fans watch highlights: the sweet shooting guard could score in bunches, he had a cocky streak, he was break defenders down off the dribble, could score from deep range and was big and strong enough to dominate in the paint and grab rebounds. Rivers burst onto the scene as a sophomore when he scored 120 points against four nationally-ranked teams at the City of Palms Classic in Florida. He also shined in big games and had the advantage of consistent national exposure. In leading his team to back-to-back Class 6A state championships, Winter Park played in GEICO Nationals twice, where he averaged an event record 31.3 ppg in three tourney games. A two-time state player of the year, Rivers averaged 28.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 2.8 apg as a senior and finished with 2,957 career points and at least one memorable mixtape that people still talk about to this day. He's a role player in the NBA, but Rivers was as big as A-list star as high school basketball has had in the past 10 years. Check out his ultimate Ballislife mix below!
9. Seventh Woods, Hammond School (Columbia, S.C.) 6-1 PG, 2016:
Whenever a discussion arises about the best high school dunkers or we put together some of the best dunks we've caught on film, Woods' name and highlights always have to be included. The explosive 6-foot-2 point guard had the explosiveness and body control to take off from just about anywhere inside the key and made it a point to throw down on people's heads and let them know about it after. What made Woods a little bit different than other high-flying PG's was the fact that he could catch and finish off lob passes from teammates. There were plenty of instances where Woods would sneak on the baseline, rise up out of nowhere, and finish off a lob with authority. Woods spent his first three seasons at North Carolina before transferring to South Carolina
10. Trevor Dunbar, St. Ignatius (San Francisco, Calif.) 5-9 PG, 2014:
Guys like Trevor Dunbar are the absolute last players you want to check if you're a defender because you run the risk of being on the wrong side of a highlight each time down the floor. The 5-foot-9 NorCal-based lefty was nicknamed the Shift Team General in high school for good reason as his speed, quickness and ball-on-a-string handles embarrassed defenders game-in and game-out. Not only was Dunbar a flashy ball handler, but he had crazy flair with his passing as well, completing crafty and high IQ no-look passes with ease. Dunbar's senior year mix has more than 1.3 million views. Check it out below!
Ronnie Flores is the National Grassroots Editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
The post Top 30 Mixtape Players of BIL Era: No's 6-10 appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post 2010's All-Decade All-American Team Shows Globalization of HSBB! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Not only did the 225-pound point forward and 2003 SVSM graduate live up to the tremendous hype surrounding him, he transcended high school sports and became a cultural phenomenon during his senior year. James’ high school accomplishments and legacy clearly resonates through the current state of high school basketball and its elite players. High school players have never enjoyed a bigger spotlight than today and the biggest factor, along with the improvement of hand-held technology that makes social media thrive, is commonplace national television exposure thanks to James.
The elites at many perennial FAB 50 powers are household names while still in high school. This has resulted in players from all over the country, and now the world, wanting to attend schools that regularly appear on television and in the weekly national rankings. Just as the 1992 Dream Team helped globalize professional basketball, the globalization created by the desire to play on high school basketball’s biggest stage is clearly reflected on the Ballislife All-Decade All-American Team for the 2010s.
While at Box Hill (Melbourne, Australia), the college a young Ben Simmons was mostly familiar with was Duke, whose games on ESPN in 2018-19 drew more average viewers (2.23 million) than NBA broadcasts (just under 2) on the same network and its mother station, ABC. At the 2012 Pangos All-American Camp in Southern California, Simmons’ first exposure to American Grassroots basketball he told us he knew about Duke and not much about any other college. When Simmons left Box Hill for the states in 2013, he landed at a school that, at the time, was quickly becoming a go-to destination for elite players: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
As a result of his skill level, production and playing a big role in Montverde Academy winning three consecutive FAB 50 national titles (2013-15), today Simmons has been named the Ballislife Player of the Decade and headlines our 30-man All-Decade All-American Elite Team for the 2010s.
After moving to Florida in January 2013, Simmons helped the Eagles overcome two regular season losses to capture the 2013 ESPN NHSI tournament (now GEICO Nationals) with a 67-65 come-from-behind title game victory over St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.). On a team led by point guard Kasey Hill (Florida), shooting guard D’Angelo Russell (Ohio St.) and post Dakari Johnson (Kentucky), Simmons made all three of his field goals, and finished with six points, four rebounds and three assists in the championship game.
In his junior campaign, Simmons teamed with Russell (who was seriously considered for All-Decade accolades) to lead the Eagles to another GEICO Nationals title. Ironically, the star of that 2012 Pangos Camp played a big role in handing Montverde Academy its only on-court loss of the 2013-14 season. That player was center Cliff Alexander and he had 30 points, 12 rebounds and five bocks in a 73-69 come-from-behind win by Curie (Chicago) that was later forfeited. That dominant performance, and some stellar showings on the post-season all-star circuit, allowed Alexander to clip Simmons, and All-Decade selections Stanley Johnson and Jahlil Okafor for Mr. Basketball USA honors.
In his senior season, Simmons didn’t have as strong as supporting cast, but it seemed at times he willed the Eagles to victory against stellar national competition. He capped his Montverde Academy career with a 20-point, 11-rebound, six assist performance in a 70-61 victory over Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) at Madison Square Garden to win an unprecedented third straight GEICO Nationals crown.
Simmons had 13 points in the fourth period against Oak Hill Academy (the team Montverde Academy also defeated in the 2014 title game) and for the season averaged 27.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg, and 5.3 apg for a 31-1 club. Simmons’ domination led him to be the first consensus Mr. Basketball USA since James. He was a bonafide national player of the year candidate for two years running and the fact he also finished his career No.2 in points (145), No. 1 in rebounds (88) and No. 2 in assists (31) all-time at GEICO Nationals helped secure his status at the decade’s best all-around player.
When All-Decade choice Andrew Wiggins of Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.) was named Mr. Basketball USA in 2013, it marked only the second time overall a foreign-born talent had earned the nation’s highest individual honor. 1990's All-Decade performer Felipe Lopez of now defunct Rice (New York) via the Dominican Republic was the first in 1994. R.J. Barrett enrolled at Montverde Academy the season after Simmons graduated and when the All-Decade choice was named 2018 Mr. Basketball USA, it marked the third time in six seasons the nation’s top individual performer was foreign-born. Like Wiggins, Barrett is Canadian.
Consistent exposure that James (and HD video cameras) helped create led to the globalization of elite high school basketball over the past decade. The competition level has never been better and the path to with a mythical national title never more difficult.
2010's Ballislife All-Decade All-American Elite Team
Editor's note: Based on high school accomplishment and the annual All-American Elite Team selections of the past 10 years. All players must have been chosen first five All-Americans to be eligible for this team. If all five first players were chosen, then second five All-Americans were given consideration. The criteria was to evaluate all high school accomplishment, not just senior year accolades, and extra consideration was given to players who were All-Americans more than once. Those considered fifth-year players in their final year of high school competition were not considered. Players are listed by year of graduation and the position they played in high school.
FIRST TEAM
First Five
G — Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.) 6-6, Class of 2016
Our 2016 Mr. Basketball USA was one of the most unique talents of the decade. There were conventional players more efficient in terms of shooting percentage and style of play, but some of the skill Ball possessed only comes around once every ten years. A pinpoint passer all 84 feet of the court with uncanny rebounding ability for a true point guard, Ball was a two-time All-American (third five as a junior). The 2016 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball honoree and a two-time Division I State Player of the Year, Ball recorded a state record 25 triple-doubles for the unbeaten 35-0 FAB 50 national champs and finished his senior season with averages of 23.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 11.7 apg, 5.1 spg, and 2.0 bpg. Ball finished his four-year career with 2,522 points, 1,204 rebounds, 1,214 assists (state No. 1 all-time) and 592 steals (state No. 2 all-time).
G — Kyrie Irving, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-2, Class of 2010
It was difficult to separate Irving and Ball, arguably the two most talented and productive lead guards of the 2010's. Ball had two monster seasons statistically and won a FAB 50 national crown and even though Irving didn’t have as much team success, his individual skill is too hard to ignore. In some showcase games, Irving simply looked like he came down a level from college with his ability to handle the ball and score. As a senior, he stepped out of the shadows of former teammate Dexter Strickland and fellow All-Decade teammate Mike Kidd-Gilchrist to average 24.5 ppg, 6.5 apg, and 4.5 rpg for a 24-3 team that finished No. 7 in the FAB 50. The Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2010 (Kidd-Gilchrist was the winner as a sophomore the prior season), Irving scored over 2,100 career points and capped his career with a MVP performance at the Jordan Brand Classic.
F — Harrison Barnes, Ames (Iowa) 6-7, Class of 2010
Wings were by far the deepest position of the decade and that’s where the deepest discussion lay to sort through the glut of talented forwards. When Barnes gradated from Ames high school, there was little doubt he was the most well-rounded player in his class and he ended up one of the most polished of the decade. After all, there was a reason he was voted preseason A.P. College Player of the Year in 2010-11 before ever playing a single game for North Carolina. He was extremely productive at the high school level, leading the Little Cyclones to repeat, unbeaten Class 4A state titles and a winning streak of 53 games. As a senior, Barnes averaged 26.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg and 3.6 apg for the No. 10 ranked team in the FAB 50. For his career, Barnes was a two-time All-American (third five as a junior) and was a three-time all-state choice who finished with 1,787 career points.
F — Ben Simmons, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9, Class of 2015
Our 2010's Player of the Decade. As a senior, Simmons was the first Mr. Basketball USA consensus choice since LeBron James 12 years earlier. He played on teams that won three consecutive mythical national titles and was the difference maker in the big games for two seasons. As a junior, Simmons averaged 22.7 points and 9.5 rebounds for a team that lost once on-court against arguably the nation’s toughest schedule. As a senior, he was even better, as he dropped 27.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. A two-time first five All-American selection, Simmons’ dominance over his peers from a team perspective cannot be underestimated.
C — DeAndre Ayton, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) 7-0, Class of 2017
After first seeing the Bahamian native at the 2012 Pangos Jr. All-American Camp, it was evident the eighth-grader had a chance to be a dominant force at the highest levels of the game. By his sophomore season, it was clear Ayton was the most talented post player regardless of class in the country. He was a three-time All-American (the first since Kidd-Gilchrist and Austin Rivers in 2009-11) and made the first five twice after making second five as a sophomore. After averaging 29.2 ppg, 16.7 rpg and 3.8 bpg as a junior, Ayton used his rare combination of size, coordination and athleticism to lead Hillcrest Prep in Arizona to a 33-6 mark and to the Under Armour Grind Session championship as a senior while averaging 26 ppg, 15 rpg and 3.5 bpg.
Second Five
G — R.J. Barrett, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7, Class of 2018
After Simmons graduated, the bar was set extremely high for the Eagles’ next superstar player. In order to be mentioned in the same breath with Montverde Academy’s other star players (Hill, Russell, Simmons, etc.) Barrett knew going into his final season he needed to lead his team to a FAB 50 title. After earning fourth five All-American honors and being named National Sophomore of the Year for 2016-17, Barrett re-classified up to the 2018 class. He had two fantastic seasons for the Eagles, as he was the team’s leading scorer as a freshman and averaged 22 points and 7 rebounds in his second season. It all came together in 2017-18, as Barrett completed his career quest of leading the Eagles to the FAB 50 title. The southpaw power guard averaged 28.7 ppg for a 36-0 club that won 15 games against FAB 50 or previously ranked foes. Another notch that pushed our 2018 Mr. Basketball USA to All-Decade second five status was averaging 26.7 ppg in three wins at GEICO Nationals to seal the title and scoring an event record 177 points (22.1 ppg) in eight games.
G — Kyle Anderson, St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 6-8, Class of 2011
Likely the surprise pick on the All-Decade team for many, until one closely examines the criteria. Yes, Anderson was official runner-up to good friend Shabazz Muhammad for 2012 Mr. Basketball USA honors, but Muhammad was compared to the wings and forwards in the All-Decade deliberations, whereas Anderson was evaluated against the group of guards on the board, because, despite his 6-foot-8 frame, Anderson's approach to the game was that of a point guard. Winning on a national level was also a strong factor in the selection process and “Slow Mo” was one of the biggest winners of the decade. In fact, he didn't play in a losing game his last two seasons with the 65-0 Friars. St. Anthony won the mythical national title his junior year and what he did in the Friars’ huge 62-45 win over then No. 1 St. Patrick (in one of the biggest No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdowns of the decade) illustrated his impact at the high school level. He had 11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals while helping to limit Kidd-Gilchrist to 7 points. A three-time all-stater, Anderson averaged 14.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 3.9 apg as a senior when the Friars went 32-0 with a repeat New Jersey TOC crown and No. 3 FAB 50 ranking.
F — Jayson Tatum, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-8, Class of 2016
One of the most gifted scorers of the decade, Tatum was the third legitimate Mr. Basketball USA candidate his senior year along with fellow All-Decade choice Josh Jackson and eventual honoree Lonzo Ball. Tatum averaged 29 ppg, 9 rpg, 3 apg and 2 spg for a 27-5 team that finished No. 15 in the FAB 50. In his final game at Chaminade, Tatum exploded for 40 points and 14 rebounds, as the program win its first Missouri Class 5 state title. Winning that title and breaking the school scoring record held by the player in consideration for a spot on second or third five (Bradley Beal) was the reason for Tatum landing this high. Tatum was also the first four-time Metro Catholic Conference Player of the Year and a three-time Gatorade State Player of the Year.
F — Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-7, Class of 2014
Arguably the decade’s ultimate winner, Johnson kept adding wrinkles to his game and improving his team’s fortunes each of his four seasons. As a result, Johnson led the Monarchs to a 135-7 record in his four-year career and to four state titles, the first player ever to accomplish that feat in the CIF’s highest classification. A third five All-American as a junior, Johnson was a two-time D1 State Player of the Year and a finalist for Mr. Basketball USA as a senior. What secured his nod to this team was expanding his game as a senior to handle point guard duties and facilitating on a team that lost a starter after school started. Johnson averaged 25.1 ppg, 8.1 rbg, 3.1 apg and the Monarchs were still able to go 35-0 and finish No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind Montverde Academy in a close call. Johnson is the greatest player ever to don a Mater Dei uniform.
F — Jabari Parker, Simeon (Chicago) 6-8, Class of 2013
We didn’t get a true post on the second five, but just as he did in his lone season at Duke, Parker can play inside if need be. One of the most decorated players of the decade, Parker was a Sports Illustrated cover subject in May 2012 and one of the few to receive the “Best Since LeBron” tag. Although Wiggins edged Parker for Mr. Basketball USA honors as a senior due to a slow start from lingering injuries, he joined Johnson as a four-time state champion in the largest classification of a power state (Class 4A). He had a strong close to his senior season, which included a 29-point, 13-rebound performance over third five choice Jahlil Okafor and Whitney Young in a sectional title game. Parker went 118-15 in his four seasons at Simeon and was the 2012 Gatorade National Player of the Year as a junior. He was also the first non-senior to be named Illinois Mr. Basketball and the first freshman ever to start full-time at Simeon.
Third Five
G — Trae Young, Norman North (Norman, Okla.) 6-2, Class of 2017
His monster senior season made Young the third true point guard to earn a berth on this All-Decade team. Young made second team All-American as a junior, but made a big jump up is his final season at Norman North. Prior to his spectacular senior season, Young and fellow All-Decade choice Michael Porter Jr. led Mokan Elite to the 2016 Nike EYBL title while avenging 27.0 ppg and 7.3 apg. A two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year, Young averaged 42.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists for a 19-6 club. He goes down as one of the best players ever from Oklahoma along with the likes of 1982 Mr. Basketball USA Waymon Tisdale, Richard Dumas (1987), Wilfred Boynes (1975) and Alvin Adams (1973).
G — Austin Rivers, Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.) 6-4, Class of 2011
This shooting guard spot came down to Rivers and Beal, and in the end Rivers’ three-time All-American status and performances in big games were too hard to ignore. He opened eyes as a sophomore when he scored 120 points against four nationally-ranked teams at the City of Palms Classic in Florida, including 46 against Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler. Rivers was named to the COP all-tourney team three times and as back-to-back Class 6A state champs, his team played in GEICO Nationals twice, where he averaged an event record 31.3 ppg in three tourney games. A two-time state player of the year, Rivers averaged 28.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg and 2.8 apg against a challenging national schedule as a senior and the three-time all-stater finished with 2,957 career points.
F — Zion Williamson, Spartanburg Day School (Spartanburg, S.C.) 6-7, Class of 2018
A two-time All-American (second five as a junior), Zion was tailor made for this decade, as his breath-taking dunks and gravity-defying defensive plays we captured in HD camera and spread in real time on social media every single game. One of the most viral players of the “Mixtape Decade," Williamson is one of the most explosive talents the high school game has ever seen. What kept him off the second five (next to classmate R.J. Barrett) was a general lack of national level competition and missing nine games because of various injuries as a senior. As a junior, Williamson averaged 36.8 ppg, 13 rpg and netted 51 points in a state title game win. As a senior, Williamson led Spartanburg Day School to a third consecutive SCISA Class 2A state title and a 20-8 mark, which five of those defeats he did not play in. For the season, he averaged 36.3 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.4 bpg and 3.6 spg while shooting 78 percent from the field and finished his career with 3,202 points (32.0 ppg), 1,131 rebounds (11.3 rpg), 304 steals (3.0 spg) and 293 blocks (2.9 bpg).
F — Michael Porter Jr., Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.) 6-9, Class of 2017
Similar to his good friend and travel ball teammate Trae Young, Porter moved up from second team All-American status as a junior with a monster senior season. After leading Falter Tolton (Columbia, Mo.) to a MSHAA Class 3 state title as a junior, Porter topped that by winning a Class 3A title in Washington while averaging 37.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg and 5.2 apg. He led Hale to a 29-0 season and FAB 50 national title, including a 27-point, 15-rebound, 4-steal, 3-assist performance in a key win over all-Decade talent Marvin Bagley, III (who only played his freshman and junior year of high school) of Chatsworth (Calif.) Sierra Canyon, the club that handed No. 2 La Lumiere its only loss of the season. Hale was the first team ever from Washington to win a mythical national title and Porter the first ever player from the Pacific Northwest named Mr. Basketball USA.
C — Jahlil Okafor, Whitney Young (Chicago) 6-11, Class of 2014
The last post spot on this five came down to three Chicago big men: Anthony Davis, Cliff Alexander and Okafor. Davis was the easiest to eliminate because he didn’t have much team success and wasn’t even known outside of Illinois prior to a late growth spurt and excellent 2010 spring and summer. Davis’ high school team also finished 6-18 his senior year despite his obvious budding talent. Alexander put together one of the most dominant single-game performances of the decade versus Montverde Academy and out-played Okafor in the 2014 Chicago Public League title game, but we give the nod to the Whitney Young standout because he had the most productive career of the three. Although Alexander was Mr. Basketball USA, Okafor was Player of the Year by Parade, USA Today and McDonald’s and was a serious national player of the year candidate for two seasons. In 2013, he led the Dolphins to the CPL title over Simeon and was named Chicago Sun Times POY as a junior over Jabari Parker.
Second Team
(listed alphabetically)
? C — Cliff Alexander, Curie (Chicago) 6-9, Class of 2014
? G — Cole Anthony, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3, Class of 2019
? G — Bradley Beal, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-5, Class of 2011
? F — Jaylen Brown, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 6-7, Class of 2015
? F — Anthony Davis, Perspectives Charter (Chicago) 6-10, Class of 2011
? G — De'Aaron Fox, Cypress Lakes (Katy, Texas) 6-4, Class of 2016
? F — Aaron Gordon, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 6-8, Class of 2013
? F — Mike Kidd-Gilchrist, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-8, Class of 2011
? F — Josh Jackson, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-8, Class of 2016
? G — Brandon Knight, Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-3, Class of 2010
? G — Romeo Langford, New Albany (New Albany, Ind.) 6-4, Class of 2018
? F — Shabazz Muhammad, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 6-6, Class of 2012
? C — Jared Sullinger, Northland (Columbus, Ohio) 6-9, Class of 2010
? F — Andrew Wiggins, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.) 6-7, Class of 2013
? G — Nigel Williams-Goss, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-3, Class of 2013
The post 2010's All-Decade All-American Team Shows Globalization of HSBB! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers Suffers Nasty Finger Injury On A Questionable Offensive Foul appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>If you are squeamish and/or get easily grossed out by gore or visuals of bodily harm then I suggest you stay away from the latest torture porn (a sub genre of horror films with excessive gore) flick 'Jigsaw' and you skip over the 27 second mark to the 43 second mark of this video of Austin Rivers dislocating his finger during the finals seconds of the Clippers dramatic win against the Blazers.
If suffering the injury wasn't bad enough, the refs called Rivers for an offensive foul (his 5th) instead of putting him at the free throw line, where he could have put the Clippers up by three.
After having his finger popped back into place, Rivers went back into the game and picked up his sixth foul within a second later. Lucky for the Clippers, the Basketball Gods made CJ McCollum miss one of two free throws and then Blake Griffin knocked down a three at the buzzer to give the Clips a 104-103 victory. The game winner made Rivers forget about the pain in his finger as he ran onto the court to give Griffin a chest bump and the Heimlich maneuver.
Rivers finished the game with 16 points, tying his season-high from the Clippers' last game.
Speaking of finger injuries and Los Angeles players, here's a great throwback video of Lakers trainer Gary Vitti popping Kobe Bryant's dislocated finger back into place in front of a shocked women (28 second mark).
The post Austin Rivers Suffers Nasty Finger Injury On A Questionable Offensive Foul appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Glen Davis Rips Austin Rivers As The "Big Baby Vs Coach's Kid" Beef Continues appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>One of the only headline or tired topic that probably makes me roll my eyes more than "LeBron's greatness vs Jordan's greatness" ones are "Austin Rivers is only in the league because of his Dad" ones. Austin, who was once considered by many as the best prep player in the nation, was a guest on FS1's Undisputed on Wednesday to once again go over this topic...
At the end of the day, my dad is on the sideline,” Rivers said. “I don’t care if my grandma coaches me, at the end of the day she can’t help me while I’m on the floor.”
“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done by myself with the help of my teammates and myself. That has nothing to do with who’s coaching me.”
And respond to Big Baby Davis' recent comments about Austin getting preferential treatment by his Dad.
“That’s a bunch of B.S. That’s just Baby talking outside of his nest,” said Rivers. “I’ve heard Baby said to me multiple times ‘Man, you know why Doc is so good, Doc is so great and then now he’s saying bad things about him, and it’s a huge contradiction. And I don’t have a problem with Baby. Me and Baby have always been cool. But it makes no sense to what he’s doing, and whatever he has between him and his pops. My pops said the jokes about his weight and stuff. It was hard. Let me ask you something: If someone is constantly out of shape, late, don’t remember plays, how the hell are you supposed to play him?
“I’ve earned every stripe that I’ve gotten. I’ve earned every playing time. That's just him talking out the side of his neck. I don’t even understand where that comes from. So I'm not paying that any mind.”
As expected, Big Baby heard what Rivers had to say and responded with some not-so-nice things to say about Rivers.
"I'm in Hawaii, minding my own business, and I look on Undisputed and see old punk ass Austin Rivers talking shit. Come on, man. Yeah, I might have been overweight...a little bit. Probably late for one or two practices. Come on man. Don't know the plays? Come on, bro, You're lying now, bro. Now you're fucking lying. Come on now, man. Now that's a fucking lie. Second of all, your father gave you your money. Don't say shit to me. Your father gave you your money. You ain't work for it, motherfucker. I seen you at practice. You didn't give a fuck, thinking you all that with those tight-ass pants. Your father gave you all that money so you could buy those tight-ass pants. But keep your fucking mouth closed, man. Shut up, man. You're a fucking bum, who's been given the world. Shut up and stay under your father."
To be continued....
The post Glen Davis Rips Austin Rivers As The "Big Baby Vs Coach's Kid" Beef Continues appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Ankle Breakers Vol. 2, Sit Yo A$$ Down!! Reacted to by Cheez appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>In this series Cheez will be watching and reacting to some of our most popular and recent videos to give you the viewer not only his reaction but from time to time his advice.
Cheez watches Ankle Breakers Vol 2 which was first released back on Oct. 12, 2013.
Just some recap facts on the video itself -
-133 Ankles Broken
-58 Ass to the Ground Drops
-19 Behind the Back Crossovers
-16 Sit Yo Ass Down’s
-13 Defenders Tried to Catch Their Fall
-7 Pairs of Hands in The Air, Wave ‘Em You Just Don’t Care
-6 Nutmegs
-5 Shamgods
-2 Austin Rivers Sightings
-1 Kneeling Prayer
-1 Defender Who Turned All The Way Around
-1 Old Man
Countless crushed dreams
The post Ankle Breakers Vol. 2, Sit Yo A$$ Down!! Reacted to by Cheez appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Remembering When Austin Rivers Was Arguably The Best Player In The Nation appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Here's a fun throwback video from 2010 of top-ranked (#1 on Rivals, #2 on Maxpreps, #3 on ESPN) prep player Austin Rivers going at 2010 #1 NBA draft pick John Wall during an Elite 24 scrimmage. In the clip, Austin "crosses" Wall, scores on a layup and talks about how it felt playing against a talent like Wall, who was also a former #1 ranked player in high school.
If the only thing you knew about Austin was he's a Dukie and/or he plays in the NBA on a team coached by his Dad, you are probably shocked to hear that the constantly (unfairly) criticized Clipper, who recently signed a 3-year, $35 million deal despite being called "the worst player in the league" by a bunch of idiots on social media, was once considered by many, the "best player in the nation."
We even made a mixtape called "Austin Rivers The BEST Player in the Nation."
Austin was also named the USA Today Player of the Year -- over Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Bradley Beal -- after averaging 29 points a game, leading his Winter Park team to a state title and averaging 20 points a game while leading the USA 18 team to Gold in the FIBA Americas U19 World championship. He also participated in a few All-American games and was selected co-MVP at the Elite 24 game after putting up 25 points, 4 boards, and 4 assists.
But even back then, with all the accolades and success, Austin was still having to deal with the criticism that comes from being the son of a well-known NBA player and coach. In the following interview from the Under Armour/Brandon Jennings Invitational, Rivers talked about growing up rich, the unique issues he has to deal with and trying to make a name for himself.
"My Dad earned it. That's what I'm trying to do now. Pretty soon, 12, 15 years from now, people are going to be talking to my kids, talking about how does it feel to be Austin Rivers' kid. That's how it's going to be."
It's been a little over four years since this video was released and the 10th pick of the 2012 NBA draft is still taking punishment because of his last name and still trying to earn respect. Unfortunately, no matter what he does on the court, he might never get it from the masses, but when he racked up 21 points, 8 assists, and 11 stitches in a playoff loss to the Blazers earlier this year, he got my respect.
BONUS VIDEO: JOHN WALL
Back to the very first video in this post. I don't want anybody thinking John Wall was shown up at the Elite 24 midnight madness scrimmage, so here's a mix of what he did.
The post Remembering When Austin Rivers Was Arguably The Best Player In The Nation appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post 39 year old Jason Williams Still Has It! | Crazy Highlights at Orlando Pro-Am appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Last summer I was raving that 38 year old Jason Williams "still has it" after watching him tear up the Orlando Pro-Am and yell "I ain't travel since I was 6." Well, in terms of "it" being excitement, nothing has changed since last summer, or when he retired at the age of 33, or when he came into the league and left Gary Payton frozen at 23, or when he was named West Virginia Palyers of the Year at 18. The 39 (pushing 40) year old White Chocolate is still a magician with the rock and still making the Orlando Pro-Am one of my favorite Pro-Ams to watch every summer.
AUSTIN RIVERS VS JASON WILLIAMS
Hopefully Austin Rivers makes his return too. Last summer he and Williams were the two main attractions.
Austin also played well in 2012 when Vince Carter, Big Baby, Chandler Parsons, Mo Speights and DeShawn Stevenson played.
But in my eyes, the Orlando Pro-Am belongs to one man: White Chocolate! 38, 39, 40 and probably even when he's 50, I'll still be saying Jason Williams still has "it."
Shout out to Home Team Hoops for the mixes and be on the look out for Jason Williams who will be playing alongside the White Mamba Brian Scalabrine on the Grantland team in the Million Dollar Tournament.
The post 39 year old Jason Williams Still Has It! | Crazy Highlights at Orlando Pro-Am appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers Plays Against Future Stars Antonio Blakeney & Corey Sanders in Pick-Up Game appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>It's summer time for Austin Rivers which means you can expect some Home Team Hoops vids of the Clipper killing defenders in pick-up and pro-am games back in Florida.
The latest entry features Rivers taking the court against incoming LSU freshman Antonio Blakeney and Rutgers' Corey Sanders who recently put on a show at our 2015 Ballislife All-American Game.
BONUS VIDS
The post Austin Rivers Plays Against Future Stars Antonio Blakeney & Corey Sanders in Pick-Up Game appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Blake Griffin Does His Best Austin Rivers Impersonation appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Earlier today Matt Barnes posted a video of Blake Griffin doing his best impersonation of teammate Austin Rivers. I hate to say it but it's pretty funny.
Between this and Blake's video bomb on Austin after Rivers went off for a career-high 28 earlier in the season, it seems like Austin is favorite target of his.
Maybe it's payback for the time Austin pulled Blake's shorts down in a game. Or maybe it's a way of getting back at Austin's Dad/Coach.
I know Austin is also a favorite among a lot of hoop critics but in his defense (no pun intended) Rivers has put up 3 20+ point games in the past 30 days which is more than he had in the past season and a half with New Orleans.
The post Blake Griffin Does His Best Austin Rivers Impersonation appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Doc Rivers Said Son Austin "Should Have Punched" Kevin Garnett appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Late in the 4th quarter KG took exception to a bump by Austin and the two were given techs for jawing at each other.
"I was walking to my bench, and he was in my way, and I wasn't moving," Rivers said.
Supposedly KG and Austin had an earlier exchange which was still boiling in?Rivers.
"He elbowed me in my head, and that's not going to fly, really," said Rivers. "I have all the respect in the world for him. He's one of the best players to ever play the game, but at the end of the day, I'm a man just like he is, and that's all there is to it."
Lucky for KG, who is known for being all bark, things didn't get more physical or he would have been thrown in consecutive games. ?And nothing personal against Austin but lucky for KG it wasn't Doc who wanted to punch him because anybody who remembers Doc during his playing days knows he's willing to back up his talk.
The post Doc Rivers Said Son Austin "Should Have Punched" Kevin Garnett appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers shows off his handles in his 2014 Summer Mixtape appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Home Team Hoops has been doing a great job this summer covering basketball in the Orlando area which included action by The Polish Hammer, Ben Gordon, Courtney Lee and Austin Rivers and a shoot-out between Austin Rivers and Jason Williams and a whole lotta Austin Rivers. For those interested in seeing all that Austin, here's his 2014 Summer Mixtape.
The post Austin Rivers shows off his handles in his 2014 Summer Mixtape appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Jason Williams vs Austin Rivers at the 2014 Orlando Pro-Am appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Jason Williams might not be moving as quickly as he was back in his Kings' days when he was leaving Gary Payton in the dust and was 2nd to only Vince Carter in Sportscenter Top 10 appearances but the shot and craftiness is still there. That was evident from these back to back games featuring White Chocolate and Austin Rivers.
Austin continued to dominate the Orlando Pro-Am with 42 points in the first game but it was the sight of 38 year old Jason Williams dribbling between his legs, making bounce passes and hitting from down that brought me so much joy. But it's not like I though he fell off because Williams has been entertaining fans around the world for the past couple of years with the NBA Legends tour. He even pulled out the trademark elbow pass in China last year.
Here's also some more highlights from Home Team Hoops of Austin and Jason from last year's Orlando Pro-Am.
The post Jason Williams vs Austin Rivers at the 2014 Orlando Pro-Am appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers scores 42 at Orlando Pro-Am vs Jason Williams & Patrick Ewing Jr appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The Orlando Pro-Am doesn't get much love from the media but it's always been one of my favorites. Especially back in 2012 when a young Chandler Parsons was playing alongside an old Vince Carter who was draining jumpshots from near half-court. Another youngster playing in 2012 was local kid Austin Rivers from Winter Park who just drafted by the Hornets.
Rivers made his annual return to the Orlando Pro-Am this summer and scored 42 points against a team with Jason Williams and Patrick Ewing Jr.
Also worth mentioning was Austin's performance at the 2011 NC Pro-Am where he "dunked on" Rasheed Wallace.
BONUS VIDS
The post Austin Rivers scores 42 at Orlando Pro-Am vs Jason Williams & Patrick Ewing Jr appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers Shows Off His Hops w/Windmill Dunk at Adidas Nations appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Check out one of the NBA's rising young guards, Austin Rivers with the sick windmill at adidas nations and Kansas freshman Wayne Selden with the NASTY off the backboard reach back dunk! Special thanks to adidas nations.
The post Austin Rivers Shows Off His Hops w/Windmill Dunk at Adidas Nations appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin River's Career Night vs T-Wolves W/ 27 Points (5 Three Pointers) appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>Austin Rivers had a career night (first of many) the other night with 27 points, including 5-6 three pointers.
The post Austin River's Career Night vs T-Wolves W/ 27 Points (5 Three Pointers) appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post Austin Rivers Orlando Pro-Am Highlights; New Orleans Hornets Draft Pick appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>"Fresh off getting drafted 10th overall by the New Orleans Hornets, Austin Rivers returned to Orlando tonight and plays in a Pro-Am game with fellow NBA pros, Chandler Parsons, Glenn "Big Baby" Davis, Marreese Speights as they took on Joey & Stephen Graham, Samardo Samuels, Chucky Atkins in a game from tonight, check out Austins highlights. Be on the look out for the Full Pro-Am Mixtape coming soon, featuring more NBA players!" -HTH
Also check out Austin's official Ballislife High School Mixtape:
The post Austin Rivers Orlando Pro-Am Highlights; New Orleans Hornets Draft Pick appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>