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• The changes going from Orlando to Chicago
• How the Bulls have put it together so quickly this season
• Adjusting to a new system while getting over a slow start
• The influence of having a professional basketball player for a father
• The lessons learned in transitioning to the states from overseas 

… and much more!
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As we get closer to a fresh new year of NBA action, myself and Ronnie Flores wanted to take a closer look at players who have the potential for breakout campaigns. Both Ronnie and I selected three players who we think will raise their levels of play this season.

Ronnie's Top Pick: Christian Wood | PF | 6-10 | 215 | Rockets

Christian Wood

6'10"   -   PF   -   2013

Incredibly, this former UNLV standout and So Cal native is entering his sixth season in the league and is finally starting to find his groove. When scouts refer to “upside,” Wood is a perfect example because this scoring forward is still only 25 years old. With former league MVP Russell Westbrook no longer in the fold, the oft-traveled Wood will be an important cog for a Houston franchise in a bit of turmoil. Will another former league MVP, James Harden, be unloaded? Whether he stays or goes, expect good production from this hybrid four who can fill it up in a hurry. Wood was a highly-coveted free agent whose sign-and-trade (he inked a three-year, 41-million dollar deal) signaled the likely end of small ball in Houston and let teams know the Rockets plan on contending. Wood averaged 22.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg over his last 15 games for Detroit. If he continues at that pace, and compliments newcomer John Wall well, he’ll be considered one of the best late-bloomers in recent memory. Wood went undrafted in 2015.?

Ronnie's Second Pick: ?Keldon Johnson | SF | 6-5 | 220 | Spurs?

San Antonio typically brings rookies along slowly and Johnson was no different last season as a 20-year old first year player one season removed from high school. As the 29th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the former Oak Hill Academy standout is showing signs of being the best asset that came out of the deal that sent NBA star Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. Johnson is the definition of high energy and his approach to the dirty work, plus his desire on the glass, rubs off on teammates. Right before the COVID-19 outbreak in March, this rookie was just beginning to hit his stride when the 2019-20 season came to an abrupt halt. It would have been easy for a rookie to lose focus or struggle when the season resumed in the Bubble, but for us it’s a tremendously positive sign that the Kentucky product elevated his game at that point. He averaged 14 ppg, 5 rpg and shot 64 percent from the field down in Orlando. Combine his team-first attitude, high energy and production, and the Spurs have themselves a nice piece for a future Johnson will be a big part of. We wouldn’t be surprised if he has a better NBA career than half the players taken in front of him in the 2019 first round.?

Ronnie's Third Pick: Michael Porter Jr. | SF | 6-10 | 218 | Nuggets

This lightning rod of a player is a well-known commodity who had some big moments for a talented Nuggets team that made the Western Conference Finals with a string of comeback wins. MPJ played a big role in that playoff run with his gifted offensive game and big perimeter shots. Once in a while (like every other game) Porter does something that makes not only the other team scratch its head, but some of his teammates as well. If he can continue to harness that cockiness and mature in his shot selection, the Nuggets should once again challenge the Lakers in the Western Conference. Last season as a rookie (Porter sat out 2018-19 with injury), he put up 9.3 ppg and 4.7 rpg, but when healthy he has as much potential as any young forward in the league sans Luka. Those injury issues made Porter fall to the No. 14 pick in 2018, but he is an all-star caliber offensive talent. With Jamal Murray on the perimeter and The Joker inside, Denver has its core for the forceable future, but the trajectory of MPJ could ultimately decide just how realistic it will be for Denver to challenge for a NBA title in the next 2-3 seasons. If MPJ's consistency grows as his minutes do, Denver should have three all-star talents in its stable.

Devin's Top Pick: Coby White | PG | 6-4 | 195 | Bulls

Coby White

6'5"   -   CG   -   2018

White was an All-Rookie Second Team selection last season after averaging 13.2 points and 2.7 assists in just under 26 minutes per game for Chicago last season, playing in 65 games with only one start. As he heads into his second season, it's become clear that White will take over the starting point guard duties from Kris Dunn who is now in Atlanta. The 6-foot-4 point guard out of North Carolina showed plenty of flashes of brilliance during his rookie campaign, especially when getting out in transition and downhill to the basket where he used his speed and athleticism to create for himself and teammates. White's style of play will benefit even more from playing under the system of new head coach Billy Donovan instead of Jim Boylen, who has shown the ability to make the most out of athletic guards who thrive in fast-paced environments. The biggest key for White to truly break out this season is becoming a more efficient scorer. In his rookie season, White shot 39.4 percent from the from the field overall and 35.4 percent from three-point range.

Devin's Second Pick: Thomas Bryant | C | 6-10 | 250 | Wizards

Bryant has steadily improved each and every season since entering the league as a second round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-10 center has worked his way into a part-time starting role with the Wizards in the last two seasons where he's averaged double-digit points and over seven rebounds per game. The biggest stat I see from last season that makes me think Bryant is primed to become the team's most reliable starting center is his 1.1 blocks per game average. With the current make-up of the Wizards roster, assuming that the starting lineup is: Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans (or rookie Deni Avdija), Rui Hachimura and Bryant, the fourth-year man out of Indiana will be the interior presence that this team needs on the defense and rebounding fronts. High energy big men who can protect the rim, run the floor and operate out of ball-screen action are the guys who see the majority of the playing time at the five position in the NBA.

Devin's Third Pick: Brandon Clarke | SF | 6-8 | 215 | Grizzlies

It's not often you see a 23 year-old rookie who still has plenty of upside left in his game, but that was the case with Clarke last season. The 6-foot-8 forward spent his first two college seasons at San Jose State before transferring up to Gonzaga where he played his way into the NBA Draft conversation. Clarke appeared in 54 games with four starts as a rookie, averaging 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Clarke's versatility both offensively and defensively, combined with his scoring efficiency without needing the ball in his hands to be effective, should make him the long-term starter at the small forward position alongside power forward Jaren Jackson, Jr. and center Gorgui Dieng.

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The Golden State Warriors, who are looking to get healthy and return to their winning ways, will pick second, the Charlotte Hornets third, with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers rounding out the first five selections.

This will be one of the most unique NBA Drafts on record due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only is the draft delayed by at least four months, NBA front offices will be making picks with far less real-time evaluation because of the cancellations of many conference tournaments and the NCAA Tournament last season. Another interesting aspect of this draft is NBA scouts and front office personnel will not be able to evaluate prospects in a live draft combine setting, but rather a virtual one taking place at regional sites.

In this piece, myself and Ronnie Flores do our best to predict which players the lottery teams will select based on fit and team needs. Check out our selections for the top four picks in the final part of our three-part NBA Draft Lottery predictions series.

4. Chicago Bulls 

Ronnie’s Pick: LaMelo Ball | Guard | 6-7 | 190 | Australia | PRO

Why: The Bulls moved up three spots and could they be picking up the best talent in the draft? Some feel so, as Ball is the over-sized playmaker NBA teams covet nowadays. The most polarizing player in this draft, and perhaps’ the most in many years, he’s also got the biggest risk-reward factor of any potential draft pick. The younger brother of 2017 No. 2 pick (Lonzo Ball) has a big more wiggle, craftiness, and potentially a tighter handle than his brother, while both have that incredible vision and court awareness. Some NBA brass feel it’s a big plus that he’s already been through the rigors of pro basketball, but his defensive intensity and “gimmicky” style does raise some legitimate question marks about his long-term potential. Melo has been one of the most scrutinized players in basketball, at any level, or the past five years and that should help him should be get off to a slow start in his NBA career. Ball should be a rotational player as long as he picks up the defensive schemes and the fact that Chicago doesn’t have big glaring weaknesses should help his transition. Golden State will take a long look at him at No. 2, but he’ll fall here, and that will give him a better chance to learn on the job and eventually thrive.

Devin's Pick: Obi Toppin | Forward | 6-9 | 220 | Dayton | So.

Why: When taking a closer look at the Bulls' roster, two areas of need immediately jump off the page: guards and forwards. Chicago could certainly go with LaMelo Ball here if he's still available and come away with a high risk/high reward selection and add him in to a solid backcourt alongside Zach LaVine and Coby White. Or, as I believe will happen, the Bulls will select a guy who will be a productive NBA player from day one in Obi Toppin. The 6-foot-9 forward out of Dayton is a high motor guy who plays with great energy on both ends of the floor and has proven he can score inside and out. His rim running ability in transition, along with his vertical athleticism, make him a guy who could excel as an open court finisher or a pick-and-roll lob finisher in the half-court. Toppin shot 39 percent from the college three-point line, and while his catch-and-shoot mechanics are fundamentally sound, it will be interesting to see if his perimeter shooting translates to the deeper NBA three-point stripe.

3. Charlotte Hornets

Ronnie’s Pick: Obi Toppin | Forward | 6-9 | 220 | Dayton | So.

Why: If Wiseman is the Warriors’ pick, and he should be, taking Melo Ball here would be a tempting move for the Hornets, as would his former high school teammate from Chino Hills (Calif.) Onyeka Okongwu. I just get the feeling Charlotte will play it safe, as they are one of those teams that favors more seasoned talent rather than gambling on younger players with a perceived higher ceiling. As the 2020 Naismith Award winner, Toppin was an efficient player in college who will be able to operate down low in the NBA and contribute right away. The Dayton star is a classic what-you-see-is-what-you-get type and at 22 would be the oldest top five pick in a decade. Toppin is an underrated shooter, but there are some concerns about his defensive ability and ceiling. Will those concerns cause him to drop? We don’t think so and in a draft with plenty of question marks, he’s not going to fall out of the top five.

Devin's Pick: LaMelo Ball | Guard | 6-7 | 190 | Australia | PRO

Why: As mentioned above, Ball might be the most talented prospect in this year's draft class, but there are plenty of unknowns that come with drafting a player like him. We all know the story of him leaving Chino Hills to go to Lithuania and then to SPIRE Academy and finally to Australia where, for the first time, he played in a more structured environment than he did at the high school and club level in the states. Like Ronnie said, the youngest of the three Ball brothers is the most polarizing player in the 2020 Draft and he's also the most talented of the three siblings. At 6-feet-7, Melo has the ball skills, creativity, craftiness, vision and basketball IQ to serve as a primary ball handler and playmaker. The question marks about Ball, among NBA decision-makers, stem both on and off the court. Does his freewheeling style of play translate to the NBA level? Will he be a consistent three-point shooting threat from the NBA line? Can he guard his position and properly defend in an NBA defensive scheme? In a draft that doesn't feature a whole lot of no-brainer talent, Charlotte has to go with the best available player here and it is Ball. To me, Melo would fit in nicely with the vastly-improved Devonte' Graham and veteran point guard Terry Rozier along with young, talented forwards in P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges.

2. Golden State Warriors

Ronnie’s Pick: James Wiseman | Center | 7-1 | 235 | Memphis | Fr.

Why: The dynasty with the closing championship window are the big winners in this year’s draft. Why? For starters, its selection won’t have the added pressure of being the No. 1 pick in a weak draft (think Anthony Bennett and how that worked) and regardless, two players from among Anthony Edwards, Melo Ball and Wiseman will be available. That means the Warriors’ front office will have a quality pick/player to shop around should they decide no player from this draft will greatly assist within the time frame of that championship window (keep in mind the Warrior’s own Minnesota’s 2021 first-round pick). Wiseman combination of immense size, frame and mobility easily offsets his limited body of work to get to this point. Sure, Wiseman only played three college games, but should fit in with a team that doesn’t need him to produce gigantic numbers right away. He’ll have some pressure on him to perform at some point, but with Golden State’s shooters, he’ll eventually thrive. And if the Warriors want to package this pick as part of a deal for a veteran, he brings the most value or they’ll be choosing for another team. Either way, the Warriors have quality options.

Devin's Pick: James Wiseman | Center | 7-1 | 235 | Memphis | Fr.

Why: There are expectations that Golden State will try to trade this pick for a more seasoned veteran as it tries to bounce-back to championship form after an injury-riddled season, meaning there's a lot of different ways the Warriors could go here. For the sake of this story, let's assume the Warriors keep this pick, and I think they go with Wiseman here. The mobile 7-foot-1 center has all the makings of a modern big man and his skill-set would translate quite nicely to a Golden State roster that needs some help inside. Wiseman had a brief cup of coffee at Memphis, but showed flashes of his next-level ability in the three games he played. Wiseman averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and three blocks per game before a NCAA suspension led him to leave school to prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft. So what is it about Wiseman that could fit in well with the Warriors? The first thing that stands out for me is rim protection, and as the league becomes more athletic and more offensively gifted, there's always a place for a guy who can block, change or alter shots at the rim. The second aspect of Wiseman's game I like is his rebounding, both offensively and defensively. There's no better way to start a fast break than old-fashioned glass cleaning and second-chance opportunities on missed shots are all-important in deep playoff runs.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

Ronnie’s Pick: Anthony Edwards | Guard | 6-5 | 225 | Georgia | Fr.

Why: There is no questioning Edward’s offensive talent and we’ve known for a long time (since the 2018 Pangos All-American Camp) that he had No. 1 in the draft-type talent. Since the Wolves have some quality offensive players on the perimeter, Edwards won’t be under a tremendous amount of pressure to put up big numbers right away, but he’ll be under the microscope to show offensive efficiency and be engaged defensively. If Edwards gradually improves his shooting percentages and displays an locked-in attitude on defense, we’re talking a potential All-Star player (and there is not too many of those with that potential in this draft). He has to be in a position to succeed and with a coaching staff that feels any shortcomings can be addressed in an adequate amount of time. He’s not a “project” as a No. 1 pick, but not a sure-fire star. Nobody in this draft is, but Edwards is still its best bet because of his combination of athleticism and offensive play-making ability against NBA level defenders.

Devin's Pick: Anthony Edwards | Guard | 6-5 | 225 | Georgia | Fr.

Why: I compare Edwards to Toppin in this year's draft and not because of style of play, but more because of the fact that you know what you're getting and that's a bonafide scorer. The 6-foot-5 off-guard has an impressive combination of physical strength and vertical explosiveness, both of which led to him averaging 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a freshman in the SEC. Edwards will be a guy who can play off the ball alongside De'Angelo Russell, Karl Anthony-Towns and another young and talented wing in Jarrett Culver. While Edwards is a creative scorer and shot creator, it remains to be seen if his perimeter shooting ability is at the level it needs to be for him to live up to a No. 1 Draft selection. Edwards struggled from three-point range at Georgia, connecting on just 29.4 percent of his 7.7 three-point attempts per game. As we all know, shooting the deep ball has become one of the more important aspects of the game and Edwards will need to develop a more consistent deep ball to have a long and productive NBA career.

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Mozgov gets Mozgov'd once again. Sorry Timofey.

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Check out some footage of Derrick Rose on his Asia tour playing some of his fans one on one.

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We probably won't be seeing Derrick Rose until next season but here are a couple of dunks of the former MVP from back in high school. These happened on back to back plays.

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Nate Robinson brings you on his All Star Break w/ his Family and Friends including Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams.

[tabs tab1="About" tab2="Season2" tab3="Season1" tab4="Credits" tab5="Links"]

[tab id=1]STATE OF NATE is a documentary web series that follows the life of NBA player Nate Robinson. Each episode takes you behind the scenes of the NBA action and shows you the hard work and dedication put in by Nate off the court.  You also get to see the family man and adventures of being a father where NBA skills aren't that helpful.

Each episode also features a hot soundtrack. [/tab]
[tab id=2] Episode 1: Little Big man Camp
In this episode, Nate gives you a behind the scenes look at one of his 2012 "Little Big Man" youth basketball camps

Episode 2: See You Later
This episode of State of Nate shows Nate Robinson preparing to leave his family and friends in Seattle and head to Chicago for the start of the 2013 NBA Season.

Episode 3: Windy City Debut
In this episode of #StateOfNate, Nate Robinson makes his 'Windy City" debut with the Chicago Bulls.

Episode 4: Miami Holdat
Nate Robinson brings you on his All Star Break w/ his Family and Friends.
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[tab id=3]

Watch all of the episodes of the first season of "State of Nate" in the playlist above.

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[tab id=4]Produced by: TJ Regan[/tab]
[tab id=5]
Website: http://stateofnate.com
YouTube: OfficialNateRobinson
Twitter: @Nate_Robinson
Facebook: Nate Robinson

More Nate Robinson Videos: On Ballislife

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No words needed for this pic. Was this the best era of basketball?

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Relive the best plays of Michael Jordan who celebrates his 50th birthday this weekend.
It was really hard to eliminate all the plays down to 50 . Enjoy.
Shout out to m2e1iriko for the awesome video.

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Carlos Boozer with the nasty dunk on Biyambo last night to seal the game!

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If you're a true fan of the game of basketball this is the video you to watch.

This is basketball in the form of art - 4 hours of art.

The post Michael Jordan: The Legend of The Greatest 4 Hours Of MJ's Greatest Moments! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

This video doesn't really mean much, and it's certainly not a "Derrick Rose to return soon?" video. But it's definitely a sign of hope for fans of Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls.

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Nate Robinson is back with his 2nd episode of State of Nate's 2nd season.

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"Magic, Larry, and Mike. These three names will forever be intertwined in the storied history of the game of basketball, synonymous with terms like "Greatness" "Passion for the Game" "Hustle" "Heart" "Grit" but most of all, they will be remembered as the men who saved basketball and became three of the biggest Legends to ever step out on the court." Props to Meir21 for his great work.

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To his defense this is the arena anthem for the Chicago Bulls, at least that's what it says in the video description on youtube.

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D Rose has redefined the game since entering the league. What's inside him, can't be stopped. From his Belief, Hope, Focus, Push and Drive, he is all in for #TheReturn. Join this episodic journey documenting his inevitable return to the game.

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adidas and D Rose will debut the Return of D Rose, a multi-episode documentary, to fans worldwide on the adidas Basketball Facebook page next week. Check out the trailer, released today.

From adidas:

"Created for the fans, the Return of D Rose is the chance for the world to support Derrick and stay connected with him as he works toward his return. Never before has the humble superstar granted complete access to fans in all aspects of his life. From his vigorous workouts at Athletes Performance in Los Angeles, to the time he spends with his closest friends and family that keeps him grounded and motivated, fans will have intimate access to one of the greatest players in the world as he pushes through recovery to return to the court. adidas and Derrick will give fans unprecedented access through an interactive social experience that will reward those most loyal to D Rose with exclusive video content, product and much more. Everyone can participate to drive the comeback of the player that has redefined the game since entering the league."

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