Details are being discussed for a second bubble for the eight NBA teams not invited to Florida, and some teams continue to push for an alternative plan that would enable them to hold mini-camps within their local markets, sources told ESPN.
Ten years after "The Decision," Brian Windhorst, Kevin Arnovitz and Nick Friedell recount the unforgettable week that nearly ended with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh choosing the Chicago Bulls over the Miami Heat.
After the ESPN premiere and the ABC encore and now as it heads to Netflix, "The Last Dance" still reverberates. The film shows us why, even in total victory, this larger-than-life superstar often looks so terribly small.
Ten years ago, on live television, LeBron James made his now infamous decision to leave Cleveland and "take his talents to South Beach." It was one of the most consequential, most awkward, and most divisive moments in sports media history. The long, drawn-out broadcast drew ire from Cavaliers fans - who felt their homegrown star had betrayed them - and also from casual observers who disliked the idea of an athlete wielding that level of influence. So how did "The Decision" actually come to be? Ahead of this Sunday's new episode of "Backstory," Don Van Natta takes us behind the production, introduces its key players, and examines how the event forever changed the way NBA stars interact with the public.
Charlotte Hornets players say Michael Jordan spoke to them recently about what it takes to be a champion, emphasizing the need for accountability -- even if it means making teammates uncomfortable.
Most of the eight NBA teams whose seasons have ended are pushing to engage in joint practices as ramp-ups for regional summer leagues in August, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Zach LaVine is disappointed that the Bulls will miss the playoffs for the third straight season, as they will not be part of the NBA's 22-team restart in Orlando. "It sucks," he said. "It just shows that we've got to do a lot of things differently."
Brian Windhorst, Malika Andrews, Andrew Lopez and Kevin Pelton discuss the events of the past week and how the NBA community has rallied around the cause. Then, the crew tries to answer questions about the quality of games to expect when the NBA returns, if the "playoff-plus" format is fair and whether the league is trying to tailor its return plan around Zion Williamson and the Pelicans (16:00).
Bomani Jones welcomes his friend, FS1's Nick Wright to the show for the first time for a wide-ranging conversation. The guys discuss how much of the modern NBA post-1990 needs to be re-litigated when it comes to ranking the greatest players and competitive balance (1:03). Nick defends his LeBron James as "the greatest ever" take (22:21) and Bomani complains about group projects again (34:15). Plus, what is the tipping point for sports news coverage on social activism in light of the George Floyd tragedy (44:19).
In an old interview that was recently aired on a podcast, Michael Jordan is heard saying that he told Rod Thorn, who was on the USA Basketball selection committee for the Dream Team, that "I won't play if Isiah Thomas is on the team."
The world misses NBA basketball. Our experts do too. That's why they're reliving some the most memorable moments of 2019-20 so far.
This week we spotlight the great unknown of the Michael Jordan-era Bulls and the panic in trying to stop Damian Lillard.
Jerry Sloan, who coached the Jazz for 23 seasons as part of a Hall of Fame career, died Friday at the age of 78 from complications from Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia.
| RD(PK) | PLAYER | POS | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1(7) | Coby White | SG | North Carolina |
| 2(8) | Daniel Gafford | C | Arkansas |
| YEAR | W | L | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 22 | 43 | .338 |
| 2018-19 | 22 | 60 | .268 |
| 2017-18 | 27 | 55 | .329 |
| 2016-17 | 41 | 41 | .500 |
| 2015-16 | 42 | 40 | .512 |
