Yardbarker: Alvin Williams

Post Up: Lakers Outlast OKC

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:33 -0500

by Holly MacKenzie/@stackmack Wow. Nice set of games last night, hey? We’ve been spoiled in this opening week. I’ve got to start out by saying this is going to be a short post today. It’s just the way it has to be. I’ve got the Pistons in town tomorrow and my wrists are absolutely burning right now. It’s Tuesday night as I write this and Atlanta is up by four with just under a minute and a half to go in this Atlanta/Portland game. After an ugly first half, the Bl...

Toronto Raptors: A Complete Coaching Changeover

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:04:03 -0500

This offseason the Toronto Raptors announced: On May 11, 2009, Jay Triano has signed a three-year contract as head coach. On June 5, 2009, the hiring of Marc Iavaroni and Alex English as assistant coaches. On July 1, 2009, the addition of Eric Hughes, Alvin Williams, and Francesco Cuzzolin as assistant coaches. And you thought the fans would need a program to recognize the players this season. There are four new faces on the Raptors coaching staff this season and only one assistant co...

Magic Sign Jason Williams

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:57:19 -0500

The Orlando Magic added depth to their backcourt on Wednesday, signing point guardJason Williams, who did not play last season. The New York Knicks had claimed Williams off waivers and owned exclusive negotiating rights to him. After working out Williams and entering into talks, however, the two sides could not reach agreement. The Magic then stepped in. “Jason provides depth and leadership [...] Related posts:Clippers Sign Jason Williams Los Angeles’ other team the Clippers, s...

Marvin Williams Will Stay In ATL

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:38:47 -0500

The Atlanta Hawks and restricted free-agent forward Marvin Williams agreed in principle to a five-year contract worth about $40 million on Wednesday, sources told Yahoo! Sports. The deal isn’t expected to be signed until next week. Williams averaged 13.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 61 games last season. The 23-year-old was selected by Atlanta with the second overall [...] Related posts:Clippers Sign Alvin Williams To 10-Day Contract The Los Angeles Clippers today signed guard Al...

Grizzlies Give Marcus Williams A Shot

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:32:30 -0500

You remember Marcus Williams right??? He was the UConn point guard that had a great NCAA tournament back in 2006, was drafted by the New Jersey Nets that same year 22nd overall, then was traded to Golden State two years later and was hated out of the league in 2009 by Nellie. Anyway, don’t feel bad for forgetting about this [...] Related posts:Clippers Sign Alvin Williams To 10-Day Contract The Los Angeles Clippers today signed guard Alvin Williams to...Jason Williams Denied Reinstat...

Where They At?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:50:06 -0500

by Tzvi Twersky Last week’s edition of SI was the annual “Where Are They Now” issue. Amongst some of the players that they “found” this go-around was New Orleans native, Jonathan Bender. (Someone should let them know that we kinda “found” him first, about six months ago.) More to the point, the “WATN” issue is usually one of my favorites, and this year was no different. Except it was. Holding and reading it motivated me into action. After consulting with some colleagues, I searched out a few ...

Toronto Raptors hire Eric Hughes, Alvin Williams, Francesco Cuzzolin as assistant coaches

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:18:32 -0500

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have re-signed Eric Hughes and added Alvin Williams and Francesco Cuzzolin to their basketball staff. The three join assistant coaches Marc Iavaroni, Alex English and Micah Nori on head coach Jay Triano’s staff. Hughes returns for his third season with the club, and his first as assistant coach/basketball development. He [...]

SLAM #50

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:04:02 -0500

Originally published in SLAM 50 The 6th Man: Do you really love this game? That was how it all started—the very first words in the very first Sixth Man, 50 issues and seven years ago. I read those words for the first time at 3 a.m. in a Delaware supermarket, where a new b-ball magazine screamed out its name from the racks. SLAM, I thought. I need to get with this. And here we are. Do I love this game? Yes, I do. I’m typing these words on the shaky screen of an Apple G3 Powerbook (show m...

The Player to Root for on Draft Day

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:52:52 -0500

A lot of basketball fans are probably excited and curious to see the gamesmanship of draft day unfold. Where will big names like Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet and Stephen Curry will end up? Will Brandon Jennings' European foray pay dividends? What is Memphis going to do with that second pick? How will all those point guards shake out? Who is going to trade up into the lottery? One thing that can get lost in all the fun strategy is the fact there are all kinds of young men whose livelihoods...

Wizards Run-Down: Bagging On Cleveland

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:08:00 -0500

Today, 4-23-09, is the official Flip Saunders press conference day....ready to put the 'O' in Official.....I'll try to listen to the 3 pm presser and blog down some thoughts later.But in the meantime, why not bag on Cleveland? (via a hilarious video made by someone from Cleveland that I could probably make about DC, via joeposnanski.com, via Google share with Chris Needham)Wiz Run-Down:Flipping Gil"The thing about Gilbert is, no coach is ever going to have a problem with how ...

The Toronto Raptors like #13 Mats Sundin

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:11:26 -0500

Remember Reggie Slater? Me neither. But I do remember Doug Christie and Alvin Williams. Check out this classic Toronto Raptors' Maple Leafs spot. Alvin Williams dropping the gloves? Priceless.

Jason Kidd and Grant Hill Retrospective: Two Sides of Health

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:43:34 -0500

1994.

Jason Kidd.

With the second pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected California guard Jason Kidd to run their offense that featured Jimmy Jackson and Jamal Mashburn. Kidd, who signed a six-year $60 million dollar rookie contract (those were the days before the NBA collective bargaining agreement regulated rookie salaries), didn't take long to impress as he helped the Mavs improve that year by 23 wins. By the end of his rookie year, J-Kidd averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists per contest, and led the NBA in triple doubles with 4.

Grant Hill.

Drafting third overall were the Detroit Pistons who over the last few years had seen their team fall from the NBA's elite after winning back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. With Duke senior forward Grant Henry Hill, one of the most decorated collegiate players of his generation, the Pistons not only had a new cornerstone (who signed to a tune of eight-years, $45 million) to build under the guidance of veteran guard Joe Dumars, but also what was to become the "face of the NBA" for the next few years. Hill's status was never more apparent than in that year's NBA All-Star Game wherein he became the first rookie (in any of the four major sports?Basketball, Baseball, Football, and Hockey) to be the events top vote getter. Hill finished with averages of 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.77 steals per game. As for triple-doubles, G.Hill didn't match Kidd's total but was able to post one against the Orlando Magic on April 7, 1995.

With their individual accomplishments (I can't really say "AND team accomplishments" since the Pistons only had an 8-game improvement will Hill that year), both Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were named NBA co-rookie of the year?only the second duo (until Chicago's Elton Brand and Houston's Steve "Franchise" Francis turned the trick in 99'-00') to capture the award after the Celtics' Dave Cowens and Blazers' Geoff Petrie did it 24 years earlier.

In their own right, both Jason Kidd and Grant Hill have had successful and highly lucrative careers. Kidd is third all-time in triple-doubles (netting 100 to date), USA Basketball's 2007 Male Athlete of the Year (going 44-0 lifetime when representing his country), and has reached the NBA Finals twice in 2001 and 2002. On the other hand, Hill had been named to numerous NBA All-Star teams (even making the squad during the 2001 season in which he only participated in four regular season games), is one of only three players (the others being Elgin Baylor and the late Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain) to lead his team in scoring, rebounds, and assists on at least three occasions, and is generally a nice guy (having won the NBA's Sportsmanship Award (2004, 2008) and the Magic Johnson Award (2006)).

But in my eyes, arguably the defining point in their respective careers is the element of injury from which no player is immune.

The Good.

In March of 2000, the Phoenix Suns' Jason Kidd broke a bone in his left ankle with 2/10th of a second left in the first half of their game against the Sacramento Kings. Surgery ensued, and five weeks later, Kidd was back on the court for the Suns' playoff run. Four years later, Kidd had microfracture surgery on his left knee in July 1st and returned five months later without any ill effects?which says a lot because a number of players have either retired (e.g., Terrell Brandon, Allan Houston, Kerry Kittles, Karl Malone, Jamal Mashburn, Bryon Russell, guard Alvin Williams, and Chris Webber), are unemployed (e.g., Pat Garrity and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway), not really the same anymore (e.g., Matt Harping, Kenyon Martin (procedure on both knees in successive years), Eduardo Najera), or play like they never got hurt in the first place (e.g. the aforementioned Jason Kidd, Zach Randolph, Amare Stoudemire and the retired John Stockton). (The jury is still out on Portland Trailblazer rookie Greg Oden and $111 million dollar man Gilbert "Hibachi" Arenas, so we will have to wait and see.)

The Bad.

Grant Hill. Once the poster boy for endurance (averaging 38.93 minutes a game during his first six years in the NBA), Hill's health deteriorated after severely injuring his ankle during the 2000 playoffs while playing for the Detroit Pistons. The following year, the Orlando Magic's new free agent acquisition had season-ending surgery to repair a broken medial malleolus (inside bone of left ankle) on Jan. 3 2001. A similar season-ending procedure was done 11 months later (Dec. 19, 2001) and the following season (2002-2003), Hill also missed a majority it before having surgery again on his bothersome left ankle which involved re-fracturing and re-aligning the ankle by re-shaping the heal on March 18, 2003.

Wikipedia.com shares that five days after the said procedure, "the unexpected happened: Hill developed a 104.5 ?F (40.3 ?C) fever and convulsions. He was immediately rushed to a hospital. Doctors removed the splint around his ankle and discovered that Hill had developed a staph infection, from which he nearly died. He was hospitalized for a week and had to take intravenous antibiotics for six months."

Grant Hill then missed the entire 2003-2004 in order to rehabilitate his left ankle. Two years later, Hill's ankle was fine but he still missed 61 games due to a sports hernia.

And the comparisons don't stop there.

Overall, I am happy that both players are currently healthy and with them being in the twilight of their careers, they may still give us a special moment.

Don't blink.

Because it may just happen.

----------------
Now playing: Jars Of Clay - Headstrong
via FoxyTunes

Jason Kidd and Grant Hill Retrospective: Two Sides of Health

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:18:44 -0500

1994. Jason Kidd. With the second pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected California guard Jason Kidd to run their offense that featured Jimmy Jackson and Jamal Mashburn. Kidd, who signed a six-year $60 million dollar rookie contract (those were the days before the NBA collective bargaining agreement regulated rookie salaries), didn't take long to impress as he helped the Mavs improve that year by 23 wins. By the end of his rookie year, J-Kidd averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists per contest, and led the NBA in triple doubles with 4. Grant Hill. Drafting third overall were the Detroit Pistons who over the last few years had seen their team fall from the NBA's elite after winning back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990. With Duke senior forward Grant Henry Hill, one of the most decorated collegiate players of his generation, the Pistons not only had a new cornerstone (who signed to a tune of eight-years, $45 million) to build under the guidance of veteran guard Joe Dumars, but also what was to become the "face of the NBA" for the next few years. Hill's status was never more apparent than in that year's NBA All-Star Game wherein he became the first rookie (in any of the four major sports?Basketball, Baseball, Football, and Hockey) to be the events top vote getter. Hill finished with averages of 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.77 steals per game. As for triple-doubles, G.Hill didn't match Kidd's total but was able to post one against the Orlando Magic on April 7, 1995. With their individual accomplishments (I can't really say "AND team accomplishments" since the Pistons only had an 8-game improvement will Hill that year), both Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were named NBA co-rookie of the year?only the second duo (until Chicago's Elton Brand and Houston's Steve "Franchise" Francis turned the trick in 99'-00') to capture the award after the Celtics' Dave Cowens and Blazers' Geoff Petrie did it 24 years earlier. In their own right, both Jason Kidd and Grant Hill have had successful and highly lucrative careers. Kidd is third all-time in triple-doubles (netting 100 to date), USA Basketball's 2007 Male Athlete of the Year (going 44-0 lifetime when representing his country), and has reached the NBA Finals twice in 2001 and 2002. On the other hand, Hill had been named to numerous NBA All-Star teams (even making the squad during the 2001 season in which he only participated in four regular season games), is one of only three players (the others being Elgin Baylor and the late Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain) to lead his team in scoring, rebounds, and assists on at least three occasions, and is generally a nice guy (having won the NBA's Sportsmanship Award (2004, 2008) and the Magic Johnson Award (2006)). But in my eyes, arguably the defining point in their respective careers is the element of injury from which no player is immune. The Good. In March of 2000, the Phoenix Suns' Jason Kidd broke a bone in his left ankle with 2/10th of a second left in the first half of their game against the Sacramento Kings. Surgery ensued, and five weeks later, Kidd was back on the court for the Suns' playoff run. Four years later, Kidd had microfracture surgery on his left knee in July 1st and returned five months later without any ill effects?which says a lot because a number of players have either retired (e.g., Terrell Brandon, Allan Houston, Kerry Kittles, Karl Malone, Jamal Mashburn, Bryon Russell, guard Alvin Williams, and Chris Webber), are unemployed (e.g., Pat Garrity and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway), not really the same anymore (e.g., Matt Harping, Kenyon Martin (procedure on both knees in successive years), Eduardo Najera), or play like they never got hurt in the first place (e.g. the aforementioned Jason Kidd, Zach Randolph, Amare Stoudemire and the retired John Stockton). (The jury is still out on Portland Trailblazer rookie Greg Oden and $111 million dollar man Gilbert "Hibachi" Arenas, so we will have to wait and see.) The Bad. Grant Hill. Once the poster boy for endurance (averaging 38.93 minutes a game during his first six years in the NBA), Hill's health deteriorated after severely injuring his ankle during the 2000 playoffs while playing for the Detroit Pistons. The following year, the Orlando Magic's new free agent acquisition had season-ending surgery to repair a broken medial malleolus (inside bone of left ankle) on Jan. 3 2001. A similar season-ending procedure was done 11 months later (Dec. 19, 2001) and the following season (2002-2003), Hill also missed a majority it before having surgery again on his bothersome left ankle which involved re-fracturing and re-aligning the ankle by re-shaping the heal on March 18, 2003. Wikipedia.com shares that five days after the said procedure, "the unexpected happened: Hill developed a 104.5 ?F (40.3 ?C) fever and convulsions. He was immediately rushed to a hospital. Doctors removed the splint around his ankle and discovered that Hill had developed a staph infection, from which he nearly died. He was hospitalized for a week and had to take intravenous antibiotics for six months." Grant Hill then missed the entire 2003-2004 in order to rehabilitate his left ankle. Two years later, Hill's ankle was fine but he still missed 61 games due to a sports hernia. And the comparisons don't stop there. Overall, I am happy that both players are currently healthy and with them being in the twilight of their careers, they may still give us a special moment. Don't blink. Because it may just happen.

Vince Carter is the Greatest Raptor of Them All

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:16:24 -0500

Boycotting dunking and feigning injury are just not palatable characteristics when selecting the greatest players in the history of the franchise. Especially when competing against the likes of Marcus Camby, Antonio Davis, and Alvin Williams.