NBA All-Star Sunday Night

Ladies and gentlmen, the moment you have all been waiting for - the 2018 NBA All-Star game!

It has already been an exciting NBA All-Star weekend with plenty of young talent, memorable dunks, and dazzling skills.

Last night gave us skill competition champ Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets, 3-point champ Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, and slam dunk master Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz.

Did the best shooter win? Was Donovan Mitchell the rightful winner of the dunk contest or did he just cash in on nostalgia instead of innovation? We will go more in-depth tomorrow with a recap of the full weekend.

For now though, it is time to look ahead to tonight - the main event.

Sunday night's 67th annual NBA All-Star game

At a glance, one can quickly determine that team LeBron vs. team Stephen is a different format than in previous years. We have broken down the new format for you already here at The Movement.

The general change is that the top vote-getters in each conference are team captains that select their teams using players from either conference. Fan voted starters were selected first, then coach selected reserves.

Team LeBron has suffered four injuries that required NBA-chosen fill-in players. Team Stephen remains unchanged. LeBron has stated that reserve Russell Westbrook will replace the injured DeMarcus Cousins in his starting lineup.

The starters:

Team Lebron: Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and *DeMarcus Cousins

Team Stephen: Steph Curry, DeMarr DeRozen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, and Joel Embiid

The reserves:

Team LeBron: *Kristaps Porzingis, *Kevin Love, Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge, *John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Russell Westbrook, +Goran Dragic, +Andre Drummond, +Kemba Walker, and +Paul George

Team Stephen: Kyle Lowry, Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Al Horford, Damian Lillard, and Jimmy Butler

* Injured - will not play

+ Replaced injured player

Things to watch for

Team LeBron seems to have some statistical advantages over Team Stephen, with higher total points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals over the course of the season. Team Stephen only leads in 3-point makes (stats per NBA.com)

That is not to say Team LeBron will walk all over them. No team that includes Curry, Harden, and more can be doubted. They will also have the chemistry of three Golden State teammates on their side.

The other Warrior, Kevin Durant, will be going against them while teaming up with old ally Russell Westbrook. LeBron and Kyrie Irving are another former tandem that will be joining forces. How these allies turned foes interact will be interesting to watch.

Check back to The Basketball Movement tomorrow for a recap of this game and the All-Star weekend as a whole.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night

A stacked 3 point contest field and a promising dunk contest highlight NBA All-Star Saturday Night.

As anticipated, Friday night kicked off NBA All-Star weekend in a big way with the Rising Star challenge. Bogdan Bogdonavic, Serbian rookie for the Sacramento Kings took home the MVP trophy for his part in the Team World three-point barrage.

We also got a preview of the hops rookies Dennis Smith Jr. and Donovan Mitchell will display tonight in the slam dunk competition. It will be a full Saturday of events to keep the momentum going in an exciting All-Star weekend.

Things kick off Saturday on NBA TV with hall of fame announcements at 12:00 (CST). NBA All-Star practice and media day will immediately follow. Commisioner Adam Silver will be available to the media at 6:00 (CST).

Then, the real fun begins.

State Farm All-Star Saturday Night

At 7:00 (CST) begins the first event: the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. This one has been growing in popularity and will once again feature guards and bigs alike. The contestants are as follows (per NBA.com):

2018 Participants: 
Spencer Dinwiddie (Nets), Joel Embiid (76ers), Al Horford (Celtics), Lauri Markkanen (Bulls), Buddy Hield (Kings), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), *Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks), Andre Drummond (Pistons), Lou Williams (Clippers).

* = injured and will not participate

The JBL Three-Point Contest is up next. Defending champ Eric Gordon is back as well a '16 winner Klay Thompson. There are better shooters in the NBA than ever before and that will be on full display in this contest.

Here is the full list of participants (per NBA.com):

2018 Participants:
Eric Gordon (Rockets), Klay Thompson (Warriors), Bradley Beal (Wizards), Paul George (Thunder), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Devin Booker (Suns), Wayne Ellington (Heat), Tobias Harris (Clippers)

The main event: Verizon Slam Dunk

The skills event is fun and the three-point contest is impressive, but there is one Saturday night event that always steals the show.

The slam dunk contest is primed to be great once again this year. Aaron Gordon unfortunately had to withdraw due to injury, but the NBA did a great job of filling his spot with bouncy rookie Donovan Mitchell. Full list of participants:

2018 Participants:  
Victor Oladipo (Pacers), Larry Nance Jr. (Cavaliers), Dennis Smith Jr. (Mavericks), Donovan Mitchell(Jazz)

Mitchell and Smith Jr. are two exciting rookies that seem to top the predictions for most players and analysts. Victor "Mr. 360" Oladipo participated in the 2015 contest, falling to Zach Lavine, but he certainly is capable of putting on a show.

Larry Nance Jr. has big shoes to fill as his Father won the first even dunk contest. He has plenty of highlights to his name and fills the spot of the tallest participant.

Basketball fans are in for a treat once again this Saturday with what should prove to be a highly entertaining evening of flashy skills, three-point dominance, and thunderous dunks.

As always, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement as we continue to follow some of the most exciting events in hoops.

NBA All-Star Friday Night

No dunk contest or All-Star game Friday night, but that is no problem with the Rising Stars game on deck.

Even the most casual NBA fan has been hearing about some of the rookie ballers this season. Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr., Donovan Mitchell, Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Kuzma, and Jayson Tatum anyone?

NBA Friday Night showcases this rookies in the 2018 Mtn Dew Kickstarter Rising Stars game. That is a mouthful. Yes Lonzo Ball will be there too, though he will be unable to play due to injury. There are plenty of noteworthy second-year players also, highlighted by NBA All-Star starter, Joel Embiid.

Once again, the game will be set up in a U.S.A. versus the World matchup, with foreign players taking on the "home team". The full lineups are as follows per NBA.com:

WORLD TEAM

No. | Player (Team) | Pos.
8 | Bogdan Bogdanovic (Kings) | G
24 | Dillon Brooks (Grizzlies) | F-G
21 | Joel Embiid (76ers) | C
24 | Buddy Hield (Kings) | G
24 | Lauri Markkanen (Bulls) | F
27 | Jamal Murray (Nuggets) | G
11 | Frank Ntilikina (Knicks) | G
11 | Domantas Sabonis (Pacers) | C-F
9 | Dario Saric (76ers) | F
25 | Ben Simmons (76ers) | G-F

U.S. TEAM

No. | Player (Team) | Pos.
2 | *Lonzo Ball (Lakers) | G
13 | *Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks) | G
7 | Jaylen Brown (Celtics) | G-F
20 | John Collins (Hawks) | F-C
32 | Kris Dunn (Bulls) | G
14 | Brandon Ingram (Lakers) | F
0 | Kyle Kuzma (Lakers) | F
45 | Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) | G
1 | Dennis Smith, Jr. (Mavericks) | G
0 | Jayson Tatum (Celtics) | F
12 | Taurean Prince (Hawks) | F
5 | De'Aaron Fox (Kings) | G

* = injured and will not participate

The game will kick off at 8:00 PM CST at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Celebrity All-Star game

Since the festivities are in LA, we cannot forget about the celebrity game that starts before the Rising Stars. A few former pros highlight the field such as Paul Peirce, Jason Williams, Nate Robinson, and Tracey McGrady.

Justin Beiber will be participating as well as Nick Cannon, Bubba Watson, and more. Here is to hoping Jason Williams and little Nate Robinson steal the show and give us some nice highlights. Not that we don't want to see one of the HGTV Property Brothers ball out.

Tune into the games tonight and remember to check back on The Basketball Movement tomorrow as we discuss more of the All-Star Weekend festivities.

 

February Madness

Last year, the NCAA decided to release an early, in-season look at the bracket for the big tournament. That time of year is here again.

For the second year in a row, teams and fans get a sneak peak at how the official tournament bracket is looking for men's college hoops. The top 16 teams to this point have been named and appropriately seeded.

Virginia was awarded the overall number one seed, beating out Villanova. Xavier and Purdue are the other top seeds in their respective quadrants.

The bracketing principles are admittedly difficult to follow, but considerations are given to geographic location and seeding of potential opponents. Number two seeds in a quadrant cannot always go to the closest site if a one seed is going to play there, and so forth.

An attempt is also made to balance brackets, ensuring that the top four teams in one bracket are not substantially better statistically than the top four of another.

Again, it is a little tough to follow, so most will be fine to let the committee handle it, unless of course your favorite team does not get fair shake.

The top 16... so far

Below are the top 16 seeds in their respective divisions to this point in the season (per NCAA.com):

“South (Atlanta): (1) Virginia, (2) Cincinnati, (3) Michigan St., (4) Tennessee
East (Boston): (1) Villanova, (2) Duke, (3) Texas Tech, (4) Ohio State
Midwest (Omaha): (1) Xavier, (2) Auburn, (3) Clemson, (4) Oklahoma
West (Los Angeles): (1) Purdue, (2) Kansas, (3) North Carolina, (4) Arizona”

The season is not over yet, so these determinations are not final. March 11 is the day that the final bracket will be announced.

This list does provide interesting insight into what the bracket committee is looking at. It could also serve as a wake-up call to teams that may have believed that they were among the country's elite.

With a few weeks to go, will there be big shake-ups to the teams in the top 16 or their seeding? Is there enough time for the perennial contender Kentucky Wildcats to make it in?

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement for more NCAA news as well as NBA, prep, and local hoops stuff.

Player movement - Cavaliers give up on Isaiah Thomas experiment

About six months after trading Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas, the Cavaliers trade him away for role players

The NBA trade deadline is upon us and the player movement is in full swing. Isaiah Thomas was injured when the Boston Celtics first dealt him to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving last August.

Since coming back from his injury, Thomas has played in 15 games for the Cavs averaging 15 and 5 on just 36 percent shooting from the field (per basketball reference). With the Cavaliers starting to slip in the win column, they were desperate to shake things up at the deadline.

Coming off an extended injury, rust was expected for the 5'9" point guard. Apparently the Cavaliers were expecting more - trading he and Channing Frye to the Los Angeles Lakers for Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Clarkson, and a protected 2018 1st round pick.

The Cavs also dealt Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder to Utah for George Hill and Rodney Hood in a three-team deal with the Kings and they are looking to send Dwyane Wade back to Miami per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Apparently the Cavs regret their Celtic and veteran acquisitions.

Crazy how quickly business can change the landscape of the sports world. We already learned about the business of basketball recently with the dealing of Blake Griffin.

Implications of the trade

For the Lakers, this trade makes sense. They lacked outside shooting and now get that in Thomas and Frye, though they also get older. They also cleared cap space for free agent acquisitions in the Summer (Paul George or... LeBron??). The pick is also valuable.

For the Cleveland Cavaliers, the future is less clear. This makes the Irving trade look like a big loss, even with Boston's pick they acquired.

Utah is likely tanking the best they can in the loaded Western Conference.

The Cavs were running out of patience with their team underperforming and Isaiah Thomas appears to have been their scapegoat. They look much different now with the Laker and Utah trades.

We will see if this shake-up re-energizes the Cavs for a push to convince LeBron James to stay. If not, they may have paved him a path to leave for Los Angeles.

With the trade deadline forcing teams to make moves, be sure to keep it locked to The Basketball Movement here and on Twitter @BBall_Movement.

 

Lakers fined $50,000 for tampering

Here is a weird one: The LA Lakers were fined because Magic Johnson complimented Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In an interview with ESPN, LA Lakers Team President Magic Johnson praised Giannis Antetokounmpo, earning himself a fine... for some reason. Johnson's quote is as follows:

“With his ball-handling skills and his passing ability. He plays above the rim; I never could do that. But in his understanding of the game, his basketball IQ, his creativity of shots for his teammates ... that’s where we [have the] same thing. Can bring it down, make a pass, make a play.

...I’m just happy he’s starting in the All-Star Game because he deserves that. And he’s going to be like an MVP, a champion. This dude, he’s going to put Milwaukee on the map. And I think he’s going to bring them a championship one day.”

This certainly seems like a harmless, even thoughtful gesture by Johnson. However, the league seems to think otherwise.

Magic Johnson's Lakers have already been hit with a tampering fine, the last one for $500,000 last August. It was discovered that they had been engaged in talks with Paul George's agent outside of the appropriate times.

The league is clearly demonstrating the seriousness with which they see these kinds of dealings. Be careful who you compliment, people.

Follow along with all of the latest basketball news on Twitter @BBall_Movement or here at The Basketball Movement.

NCAA power rankings - Who is at the top?

Men's college basketball is slowly starting to wind down and thoughts are turning to the NCAA tournament.

Power rankings are becoming more and more important each week, as we are starting to get a good idea of who we will see competing in the NCAA's big dance.

As you likely know, records are not everything, as the tournament takes into account things such as conferences and strength of schedule. ESPN has updated its comprehensive top-25 list and the top three are as follows:

  1. Virginia Cavaliers (22-1)
  2. Villanova Wildcats (22-1)
  3. Purdue Boilermakers (23-2)

Virginia sits at the top of the list bolstered by its intimidating defense. They are hoping this improved defense can take them farther this year after being ousted by Florida in just the second round last year.

Villanova is certainly a team that we are used to seeing near the top year-after-year. This year is no different with them sporting a lot of offensive firepower.

Purdue has had several good seasons, but they have been surprisingly elite this year. They have had some close ones, but are currently clinging to a 19-game win streak.

The other guys

Kansas (18-5) is number four, having played one of the tougher national schedules and Xavier (21-3) is at the five. Duke (19-4) has looked out of sorts of late, slipping to number seven, while Clemson (19-4) makes a jump to number eight in the standings with some big wins.

Trae Young finally had an off night shooting last Saturday and OU (16-6) moved back a few spots to 14, right in front of North Carolina (17-7). Kentucky (17-6) recently dropped a game to Mizzou, and takes the 22 spot.

Since their Cinderella run in 2010, Butler (17-7) has done a great job of staying relevant. They are holding onto the number 25 spot, with Florida, Arizona State, and Wichita State (not a state) on the outside looking in.

For the full list, check it out on ESPN. For all things basketball, check out The Basketball Movement.

Who is da real MVP... so far?

LeBron, KD, Steph, the Beard, Westbrook - there can be only one NBA MVP.

Many say the LeBron James is the best basketball player on the planet. That is tough to argue against, though we still seem to have a bunch of potential NBA MVP candidates on our hands.

If the season ended today, who would win the MVP honor? The Basketball Movement weighs in.

How about LeBron? He has spoiled us for years with a combination of size, strength, and skill unlike anything we have seen. He has been putting up big numbers this season, but the Cavs have been a dissapointment.

Kevin Durant is in the debate for greatest basketball player alive as well. He continues to score like crazy and has improved his defense this year, contributing to the Warriors NBA-leading record. However, he is splitting that accomplishment with another former MVP.

We are all familiar with what Stephen Curry can do. He is on pace to be the best shooter in NBA history and continues to lead his team to the top year after year. His play has been stellar, but it is tougher to gauge his value playing alongside Durant.

The reigning MVP anyone? Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double last season, earning him the MVP honor. He is less than a rebound away from doing it again this year, though his scoring is down.

James Harden is likely leading in this conversation at this point in the season. He is averaging 31 points, 9 assists, and 5 boards a game while powering his team to the second best record in the league. He has been doing it without CP3 for much of the season. All highlighted by his recent 60 point triple-double.

There are certainly other players worth naming such as DeMar DeRozan, Kyrie Irving, and Giannis Antetokounmpo being the standouts.

Who would you give the honor to if you had to pick today? Comment below or let us know on Twitter @BBall_Movement

All stats from basketball reference

Basketball Movement testimonial - Wil Harrington

The Basketball Movement can mean a lot of different things to different people. For me, it elevated more than my game.

I was first introduced to the way of The Basketball Movement before it had that title. I was probably 11 or 12 when I first met Robert Yanders and witnessed firsthand what the Movement was all about.

Rob was a hard-nosed player that made up for his smaller stature by outworking everyone else and taking advantage of his strengths. He brings his intensity and intrinsic motivation and uses it to maximum effect as a coach.

I remember going through speed and skill trainings with Robert while I was in Jr. High. Basketball was always my favorite sport, but I knew that I wasn't in it to become a collegiate player or anything.

Training with Robert was probably the most physically demanding thing I have ever done. I dropped gallons of sweat in the same gym where The Basketball Movement still coaches players today.

Yanders Law guard Anton Brookshire grinding it out with the Basketball Movement in Missouri.

One of the biggest takeaways from my time was what I learned about mind over body. I remember running lines with another player, my buddy Derrick. Rob set a time we had to make it in. We didn't, so he took time off the clock.

That didn't make a lot of sense to me. We ran it again and of course didn't make the new time, now exhausted, as it was pretty late in the workout. Robert took a couple more seconds off the clock. I was too tired to consider that maybe he was just crazy.

Without saying a word to each other, Derrick and I got back on the line and knew that if we didn't make it this time, we were going to keep running forever. Once Rob said go, I moved my tired body as fast as I've ever run before.

We both made it under the new time, even though we were much more tired and had a much loftier goal than the first few attempts. That taught me a lot about what I could do, and what it takes to achieve even the toughest goals.

The discipline and ability to push myself to the limit were lessons that I applied to my whole life, not just basketball. I overcame tough coaches, tough teammates, and did certainly gain some foot-speed and athleticism.

What I leaned from Robert as a coach and as a man has helped me in school and work. Now, he is helping me pursue my interest in writing by handing me the reigns to The Basketball Movement blog.

I would highly recommend The Basketball Movement to anyone. Whether it is skill training or even just the Saturday open clinic. Parents, get your kids in front of Robert Yanders. Rob is one of the most positive influences I can imagine for players of any age.

Dive in to all The Movement has to offer, and keep it locked here for more basketball content. Follow me @WilHarrington

Trae Young just keeps getting buckets for OU

It has been an exciting season in NCAA Basketball, but Trae Young of the Oklahoma Sooners has been the unexpected star of the show.

To start the season, you probably did not see the name Trae Young at the top of many projected draft boards. The Oklahoma Sooner freshman has been re-writing the narrative with his silky-smooth jumper.

 In the age of the three pointer, we knew that another Steph Curry-type shooter was bound to emerge. Is that Trae Young?

The 6'2" guard is averaging 30 points and 10 assists per game this season. That is a pretty impressive line for any college player. Young also dropped 44 against Baylor on Tuesday, only 10 days after hanging 48 against their in-state rival OSU Cowboys.

He has emerged as the Sooner's top recruit since Blake Griffin. He doesn't seem surprised though.

If Trae Young can keep up this dominant display, he will almost certainly show up to the NBA draft as one of the top prospects.

He was flying below the radar coming into the year, which only seems to have fueled his fire. Young players can look to Trae as an example of where hard work and determination can take you.

For more on everything basketball, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement and follow @BBall_Movement on Twitter.

Stats per ESPN

Player movement - Blake Griffin and the business of basketball

You might've heard: Blake Griffin has been traded, despite a seemingly mutual desire for his legacy to be as a Clipper.

If you follow pro sports, you have already heard by now that Blake Griffin has been dealt to the Detroit Pistons. You may also recall during the free agency period last Summer how badly he and the Los Angeles Clippers seemed to want to stay together.

Griffin had a tough decision on his hands last Summer when he met with the Clippers. They raised his jersey into the rafters at the Staples Center and talked about his lasting legacy as the greatest Clipper. Griffin was convinced and bought in, signing a 5-year $173MM contract.

Jump forward about seven months and Blake Griffin is headed to the Detroit Pistons with Los Angeles looking to rebuild.

The Clips were hovering around the 9th position in the West with no real hopes of seriously contending. Griffin has been in MVP discussions before, but only when healthy. His health has been a concern for a very long time.

The Clips have been big with he and DeAndre Jordan for a while, and decided to blow up what wasn't working and gear towards the future. With draft prospects so bright over the next few years, you can see why.

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Still, why string Griffin along only to dish him now?

Basketball (especially at the pro level) is a business above all-else. This is a tough lesson for many players and superstars like Blake Griffin are no exception.

The Clippers have had a taste of success and want to rebuild to get back into contention in the future. The Pistons need a star to get fans to brave the cold weather and attend games. So, a deal was made, regardless of player feelings.

This sends a message to all players that loyalty is not valued in all organizations. When your contract is up or free agency rolls around, do what is best for you, your family, and your career. Don't count on generosity in the business of basketball.

Follow more player and basketball movement at thebasketballmovement.com

The Basketball Movement is on YouTube

Quick reminder here: The Basketball Movement has plenty of basketball content for you on our YouTube channel.

The Basketball Movement is dropping b-ball knowledge on you from all angles. This site is where you can come to find all of the consolidated information at your fingertips. Of course, there is more to it than just our site!

You may already be following along on Twitter @BBall_Movement for quick hitting updates or even on Instagram @thebasketballmovement. But! Did you know that The Basketball Movement has a YouTube channel?

The channel has our podcast videos like the one above, drills of the week, highlights from tournaments (including our Basketball Movement Invitational), updates on The Movement, and more.

Subscribe to the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/Yanderslaw.

Don't forget to follow all of these avenues to stay up to date on The Basketball Movement!

Player movement - High school edition

There have been some signings recently, so let's take a look at where some of the top high school ballers in the nation are headed.

Examining the ESPN High School Top 100 list, the column that displays where the players have signed is starting to really fill in.

The list is of course a little subjective, as each player brings a different skill set and will fit with each team differently. Analytics still come into play and it is one of the most comprehensive lists available.

The thing that jumps out right away is the top three player's college selection.

Duke is still a premier destination for top high school talent

Next to each of the top three player's we now see a big blue "D" symbol for Duke. With the recent commitment of Spartanburg's Zion Williamson (number two on the list), Duke appears to have locked up the nation's top talent.

Playing for coach Mike Krzyzewski is a big draw for young players. Krzyzewski's national titles and Olympic coaching tenure means that he is as experienced as it gets and has worked with all-time great players.

Duke has also signed number twelve player, Tre Jones of Apple Valley High School. We cannot forget Kentucky of course, who has plucked the sixth, seventeenth, and twenty fifth ranked players. Kansas has three players in the top thirty as well.

Who has yet to sign?

There are only three players remaining in the top 25 that have yet to commit to a school.

Number five on ESPN, McDonalds All-American Romeo Langford of New Albany High school has yet to decide, though he has offers from Indiana, Kansas, and Vanderbilt.

Number seven, Anfernee Simons (great name) of IMG Academy has twelve offers, three of which are from his home state of Florida. He had committed at one point to Louisville, but the recent scandals steered him away.

Number sixteen, E.J. Montgomery of Wheeler High School currently has five offers but has also drawn attention from Duke and Kentucky, so he may hold out for a little while longer.

Check out the full list at ESPN and keep it locked to The Basketball Movement for continued updates.

Don't be like Mike - The beauty of knowing your limits

Most players and fans grow up idolizing players on TV. The superstars carry a lot of appeal, but not everyone can be Michael Jordan.

We saw Kobe Bryant, who clearly modeled his game after Michael Jordan, grow into one of the greatest basketball players ever. Young players everywhere are honing their skills hoping to be just like LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Unfortunately, almost none of them will be. Don't worry! That is perfectly okay.

Everyone is made differently. You can hit the weight room every day,  but you are most likely not going to be able to bang in the paint with Dwight Howard or Shaq. Does that mean you should give up? Does not being Michael Jordan mean you should quit reaching? Heck no.

MJ could jump, handle, guard like crazy, and make defenders looks silly in almost every way. There aren't a lot of people who can be so extraordinary at so many aspects of the game.

So what do you do?

Find your personal strengths and work on them until it hurts. Shore up any weaknesses, but focus even more on what makes you a special player.

Just because you do have limits, doesn't mean you can't raise them. Have a decent jumper? Become a reliable jump shooter. Then, become a dangerous shooter. Always elevate each aspect of your game as much as possible, just don't get frustrated when you aren't the best there is.

If the Bulls had five fantastic shooting guards, would they start five shooting guards?

Every team needs bigs to crash the glass. Every team needs willing defenders who are content being the glue that doesn't stand out on the stat sheet. There are a lot of champions at every level of the game who are there because they put their ego aside and did what made them great for their team.

Don't be defined by your physical limits, but don't be afraid to embrace them either. There is a reason that Kyrie Irving doesn't care about dunking and Tim Duncan never worried about the three point line.

You can be great. Adapt and conquer the game in every way that is available to you. Don't be like Mike, be the best version of you that you can create.

Start by jumping aboard The Basketball Movement.

New NBA All-Star format

The NBA is at it again trying to mix up the format of the All-Star game. Starters and reserves have been selected, but how are teams determined?

The line that divides conferences will be blurred this year as East and West All-Stars will be mixed into two different teams. The Basketball Movement is here to fill you in on how it is all going down.

LeBron James (top vote-getter in the East) and Steph Curry (top in the West) will be team captains, selecting players for their squads.

The starters and reserves are now set, barring any injuries. The starters are as follows:

East: Kyrie Irving, DeMarr DeRozen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.

West: Steph Curry, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins.

Starters must be picked first

LeBron and Steph will take turns selecting from the pool of starters, regardless on conference affiliation. LeBron gets the first pick, giving him a chance to steal Curry's Golden State teammate, KD.

Once the starters have all been selected, they move to the reserves, which are as follows:

East: Kristaps Porzingis, Kevin Love, Al Horford, Kyle Lowry, Bradley Beal, John Wall, Victor Oladipo.

West: Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Russell Westbrook.

There you have it. The teams will be mix-and-match, though we will likely see Kevin Love on LeBron's team and as many Warriors on Curry's as he can get. Unfortunately, the selection won't be televised as Commissioner Adam Silver says "It could put the captains in a compromising position".

Big snubs this year?

Cases could be made for a lot of players to get in, as usual. Paul George and Lou Williams are on the outside looking in in the West. Andre Drummond is likely feeling left out in the East.

As always, it is tough to try and find spots for all those that are deserving. Please let us know in the comments below what you think of the new format or which players you feel should have made the cut. You can also let us know on Twitter @BBall_Movement

Jason Kidd fired from head coaching job

There was some basketball movement in the NBA yesterday, as the Milwaukee Bucks oust Jason Kidd

The blog for The Basketball Movement is here to give you all the details on what's happening in the basketball world. There was a big surprise yesterday when the Bucks announced the firing of head coach Jason Kidd.

Kidd had been with the organization for the last three and a half seasons with 139 wins and 152 losses. The Bucks had high hopes this season of being an elite contender in the East. Jabari Parker's injury and a recent skid in the standings have the team currently sitting in the 8th spot.

Parker is due back soon, but the leaders in the organization clearly believed change was needed to address the recent mediocrity. Giannis Antetokounmpo was just named as an All-Star starter, but the team around him isn't helping enough to light up the win column.

Reports show that the 23 year old Antetokounmpo was not happy with the firing of coach Kidd.

Antetokounmpo clearly doesn't have as much pull as other stars such as LeBron James or even Marc Gasol who seem to have a say in the coaching situations.

Going forward

This leaves a pretty desirable job opening in the NBA. Even after a so-so start, Milwaukee is a team that will surely be in the playoff mix. With Parker coming back, a legitmate star in the "Greek Freak" Antetokounpo, and a solid young cast, this is a team on the rise.

It could be tough for Jason Kidd to find work this late in the season, but the (relatively) young coach should bounce back soon. It will be interesting to see how the Bucks respond to this shift going forward.

Keep it locked to The Basketball Movement for everything NBA and everything basketball.

TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: JOSH ANDERSON TALKS ABOUT W. KENTUCKY’S BEST RECRUITING CLASS IN SCHOOL HISTORY

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Josh Anderson showcased why he is a major part of what is widely considered the best recruiting class in Western Kentucky history as his Madison Prep squad competed at the 2017 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.

A 6’4, 175-pound 2017 wing player, Madison Prep Anderson is considered a four star recruit by most publications. He brings the ability to score and play above the rim.

He and7’0 2017 big man Mitchell Robinson form what very well could be the best recruiting class in school history. Robinson is a five star recruit who is already projected as an NBA lottery pick in the 2018 draft by NBADraft.net.

“I was really comfortable when I went to Western Kentucky,” he said. “I really enjoyed the coaches and the campus. The recruiting class they had was another huge reason. When I found out that Mitchell Robinson committed from Chalmette, La., that was pretty big.”

Anderson played throughout the offseason for Louisiana Elite and raised his profile immensely on the grassroots circuit. He has helped Madison Prep start the 2016-17 season 16-2.

“During the AAU season I was trying to get better on both sides of the ball. I really wanted to improve my on ball defense and getting my jumper up with Louisiana Elite.”

Anderson chose Western Kentucky over Arkansas, Baylor, Flordai, LSU, North Carolina State and numerous others.

His Madison Prep squad competed against Greenforest, Ga., for fifth-place on Saturday after losing to Findlay Prep in the first round on Thursday and posting a win over local team Republic on Friday.

“It’s big to play in a tournament like this because you get to go up against other big time programs and players,” Anderson said. “You get to see where you are at as a team and an individual.”

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