It was 20 years ago that the Miami Heat won the first NBA title in their franchise's history. Pat Riley, D-Wade, Shaq, Alonzo Mourning, Antoine Walker, UD, and many more played such a huge part in hoisting the first Larry O'Brien trophy in Heat history.
Shaquille O’Neal’s time with the Miami Heat was defined by dominance on the court—but off the court, things were just as eventful. Former teammate Antoine Walker recently shared stories of how the Heat’s 2006 championship squad built its chemistry through a nightlife-heavy bonding routine, shedding new light on the team’s dynamic.
Former NBA player Antoine Walker shared a wild Michael Jordan gambling story during an appearance on Run It Back on FanDuel TV. Walker revealed that a day before Jordan was supposed to announce he was coming out of retirement for the second time, he played Spades with him against two men for 36 straight hours.
Michael Jordan did not become one of the greatest NBA players ever, just off his athletic or basketball skills. The drive to compete has always been the biggest motivating factor for any great athlete in any form of sports.
Jimmy Butler has been playing consistently since his move to the Golden State Warriors. The six-time All-Star has been an integral part of the Dubs, averaging 16-5-5 splits and leading the team to a 13-1 record with him in the lineup.
The all-time list of NBA All-Stars is obviously long, and notably distinguished. However, there are some players — for various reasons — who the casual, or even most-dedicated, NBA fans can't recall having earned All-Star nods.
Former NBA player Antoine Walker was mostly known for mismanaging his $100-million fortune. The positive is Walker used his mistakes to teach valuable lessons to young NBA stars.
Antoine Walker spoke on the Forgotten Seasons podcast recently and discussed Michael Jordan's summer workouts. He noted that LeBron James, who was 16 years old at the time, would have to wait for hours to get the chance to play with Michael Jordan, as there were much more tenured, senior players ahead of him in the pecking order.
The 3-point shot became the most valuable shot in all of basketball in the modern era and has widened the generation gap between today's basketball and