Let's talk about LeBron James

One of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James just keeps doing his thing.

James came into the league out of high school, bringing a ridiculous amount of hype with him. The expectations for LeBron were through the roof, yet somehow, he delivered. Great things were anticipated, but going down as one of the top players of all-time is never a reasonable expectation for any individual.

A one-of-a-kind physical specimen, the league had not seen anything like him since Magic Johnson. For all Johnson's skill, not even he had James' speed and strength.

The ball-handling, passing, athleticism, leadership, defense, basketball I.Q., and improved shooting in a 6-8, 250lb man; his place among the best of all-time is not really up for debate. Where exactly he falls may be, but not his overall basketball greatness.

He isn't done yet

LeBron James entered in the league in 2003, so it feels like he has been around forever. This year is his 15th season. That totals 1,143 regular season games, not to mention 225 playoff contests. How is there still tread on his basketball tires?

The sustained greatness is certainly one of the things that propels the "greatness" conversation. His Cleveland Cavaliers had an up-and-down season, yet are still hanging around in the playoffs. If they go all the way, it will be LeBron's 8th consecutive NBA Finals appearance.

LeBron has owned the Eastern Conference for almost a decade.

Last night, his Cavs, fresh off a seven game series with Indy, beat the 1 seed Raptors in Toronto. It took overtime to do it; 46 minutes and a triple-double from James.

Can he keep it up?

Even with a less-familiar host of teammates than in recent seasons, LeBron is finding a way to get it done. In his age-33 season, he played all 82 games for the first time in his career.

Getting to the Finals will be tougher this year than in any of the previous seven seasons. Once the Eastern team gets there, they will likely earn a date with the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors. Maybe not as fun when you think of it that way.

Regardless of how it all shakes out, one thing is certain: LeBron James is a constant, dependable force in the NBA.

He won't be going anywhere for a few years (well, aside from his pending free agency). Appreciate his basketball mastery while you can. He is physically gifted, but there are parts of his game that any player can work to emulate.

Keep a close eye on King James and stay involved with The Basketball Movement to get the most out of your hoops experience.

Maintaining a "next play" mentality

Basketball is unique from other major sports with its non-stop action. It is important to keep your head up at all times.

In football, when the person with the ball gets tackled, you regroup and set up a new play to try again. After so many attempts, you either score or give up the ball to head to the sidelines for a while. In baseball, you strikeout or hit, then get a lengthy break.

Basketball is different.

If you miss a shot in basketball, you either need to attempt to rebound your own miss or be ready to sprint back on defense. There is not always time to regroup after a miss and especially not after a turnover.

Let's say you have back-to-back turnovers; is there time to hang your head and feel bad for yourself or feel embarrassed? I think you know where we are going with this.

Keep your head up and move on to the next play

Shooting slumps happen. Consecutive lapses in judgement happen. That is just part of the sport of basketball. When these things affect your mentality or your hustle, that is when you actually have a problem on your hands.

It may be tempting to hang your head when things are not going your way. There are a few big problems with that. Your teammates will see that and lose trust, your coach may see and pull you out, or the other team may see and gain confidence.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
— Michael Jordan

The best thing that you can do is instantly focus on the next play. Just stay in the zone and play the game that you have been practicing and practicing. If it results in a defensive stop, you will regain some confidence. If you work to get a layup, it may breed confidence in your shots from every range.

The "next play" mentality is relevant at all levels of the game. You will miss a lot of shots in your career, which will allow lots of opportunities to bounce back. Stay ready and seize those opportunities.

First round of NBA Playoffs nears its conclusion

The first round of the NBA Playoffs are almost over, save for a pair of exciting game sevens.

All of the first round matchups in the NBA have been decided but two, which will make for some must-see TV. The Western Conference is ready to go, while the matches in the East have yet to be determined. That will change in about 24 hours.

In the West, the 1 and 2 seed teams predictably handled their competition. The Houston Rockets beat the Timberwolves 4-1 and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Spurs 4-0. The rest of the West, who all finished with similar records, had a couple of upsets.

The 4 seeded OKC Thunder fell to the 5 seed Jazz last night to lose the series 4-2. The 6 seed Pelicans had a much more surprising start to their playoffs, sweeping the 3 seed Trailblazers. The New Orleans Pelicans could be an interesting foe for the potentially Steph Curry-less Warriors in the second round.

The beasts of the East

The 1 seed Raptors handled the Wizards 4-2 and the young 3 seed Philly team defeated the Heat 4-1. The other matchups are yet to be decided, coming down to one of the best parts of playoff ball: game sevens.

Tonight, the 2-seed Celtics will try to remain near the top of the food chain despite losing Kyrie Irving to injury. They will face of with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:00 PM central on TNT.

LeBron James is looking for his (ridiculous) 8th consecutive Finals appearance. That is in jeopardy as his Cavaliers have been pushed to game 7 by potential Most Improved Player, Victor Oladipo and the Pacers. That game will be on tomorrow at noon central on ABC.

Sit back and enjoy the show.

The Celtics/Bucks game tonight should be a lot of fun. The second round actually tips off tonight as well as Anthony Davis and the Pelicans open their series with the Warriors.

Tomorrow's tilt between the Cavs and Pacers should also be very entertaining as one of the greatest players ever will attempt to build on his legacy. That will conclude the first round of the 2017-18 NBA Playoffs.

A shake-up is always nice, but it also seems a little silly to bet against LeBron James. Enjoy the show and as always, check out the rest of The Basketball Movement blog while you're here!

 

Playing on either side of a blowout

In your basketball career, you will undoubtedly be a part of a few blowout games on one side or the other.

We hope that you will always be on the winning side, but that may not always be the case. Sometimes you will be on a team that is heavily outmatched; maybe things just were not clicking for you at all.

Being down by so many points can be disheartening. No one wants to lose so badly in front of their fans and peers. The desire to not let this happen though is an important piece of competitive spirit. We are not saying that avoiding getting blown out should be top-of-mind entering a game, but if it starts looking that way, then it should probably click.

"Blown out" sounds a little subjective. It could mean different things to players at each level of the game. For the NBA it may mean 20 to 25-plus points or so. For NCAA, more like 15 to 20-plus, since the game is a slower pace. High school is played at many different levels, but that 15-20 range likely is not too far off depending on how early it happens.

What to do if your team is getting blown out

If you find yourself in this situation, there is no need to panic OR hang your head. Large deficits happen frequently, and occasionally, they are overcome. Check a recent example by the OKC Thunder in the NBA Playoffs. The Thunder were down 25 in the third quarter.

The number one thing that you can do for your team in these situation is to continue playing hard. The fans will see it, the coach will see it, and your teammates will see it. Set an example for the rest of your team by playing through and attempting to come back.

Who knows, you may just pull an upset. Such wins are often the most memorable, so do not pass up such an opportunity.

What if you are the team that is applying the beatdown?

Basketball is at its best when played between two evenly matched teams that take the contest down to the wire. It is more entertaining and more fun (though comebacks are pretty great).

In many situations, how to proceed in such times is dictated by the coach. Are the teams so mismatched that you could pour it on as much as possible? Is the other team a threat to come back and need to be kept a arm's length?

Continuing to play hard in a blowout is not a bad thing, but it is a better opportunity to play right. If you are up by so much that it ceases to be fun for either team, it is a great time to focus on fundamentals and run through your playbook in a game-time situation for excellent practice. Never pass up an opportunity to improve.

For more on the sport we all love, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

The 2017-18 NBA rookie class was dominant

Though the 2017-18 regular season is over, we are still seeing plenty of rookie prowess with the postseason underway.

Even though the Rookie of the Year honor is essentially a two-man race, it is worth stopping to admire the work put in by this season's entire rookie class. So many of them came in to play large roles on their teams. Some rebuilding, and some legitimate playoff contenders.

An argument could be made that at least seven or eight of these guys could have beat out Malcolm Brogdon for ROY honors last year if they had entered the league. Brogdon represented a bit of a down rookie year, but still. The stark comparison between last year and this one is noteworthy.

A couple of fun, unorthodox rookies were Milos Teodosic and Andre Ingram. Teodosic came over from Europe at the age of 30 and started slinging flashy passes for the Clippers, though his season was marred by injury. Andre Ingram at 32 had spent his entire career in the G-League, but was to finally called up by the Lakers for their last two games. LA loves the old fellas.

Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell

The aforementioned two-man race is between Ben Simmons of the Sixers and Donovan Mitchell of the Jazz. Both teams are still in the thick of the playoffs, led by their star rookies.

Simmons is likely the front-runner; a Magic Johnson-esque 6-10 point guard that puts up well-rounded lines without needing an outside shot. Once he develops as a perimeter threat and more efficient free throw shooter, he will be one of the best in the game.

Donovan Mitchell is the offensive focal point of the defense-heavy Utah Jazz squad. He leads rookies in scoring as the only one to average over 20 per contest. The sky is the limit as he improves his efficiency and ball-distribution.

The other guys/studs

Any other season, Kyle Kuzma, Jayson Tatum, Lauri Markkanan, and Dennis Smith Jr. would be legit ROY contenders. Tatum had a great year shooting the ball and doing everything asked of him for an already established Celtic squad. The others listed above stood out due to necessity on weaker teams, but had fantastic years.

You could even argue that Josh Jackson, De'Aaron Fox, Bogdon Bogdonovic, and Lonzo Ball could have been in contention on down-years like in 2016-17. All of the above players so-far averaged double-digit scoring. Ball spent much of the year hurt, however. Bogdonovic won MVP of the rookie-sophomore game that probably featured many future All-Stars.

All this and we barely got to see anything out of number one draft pick, Markelle Fultz due to a shoulder injury. He is now coming of the bench for the playoff Sixers though. A couple of other rookies that had solid seasons that we'll see more of in the future are John Collins, Jarrett Allen, Bam Adebayo, and Mike James.

A couple of rookies that saw plenty of time, but will hope to produce more in the future were Frank Ntilikina and Malik Monk.

The Basketball Movement looks forward to monitoring the progress of all of these players and getting to work with more and more NBA talent moving forward. Great season, everyone!

Any statistics used from Basketball Reference

Highlight factory: NCAA edition

The Basketball Movement takes a look back at some of the most exciting moments and thunderous finishes from the 2017-18 NCAA season.

Basketball produces a lot of exciting highlights. Anything can happen when the clock is winding down or a player leaps to contest a shot. The 2017-18 NCAA basketball season has ended, with championships in the books and many players declaring for the NBA or WNBA drafts.

We wanted to take a few moments to look back at some of the most exciting and memorable plays from this past season. We open things up with some of the best buzzer-beaters through the regular season.

Buzzer-beaters create such an intense moment for both sides. One side is instantly crushed while the other feels elation. As the video showed, it can also put exclamation points on upsets by teams that played their hearts out to defeat higher-ranked opponents.

The next round of highlights are exciting for different reasons. Mainly though because: everyone loves slam dunks. Here are some of the best from the season.

Ladies NCAA highlights to end all highlights

In case you were under a rock during the final NCAA tournaments, you need to watch these shots by Arike Ogunbowale. As we mentioned before, buzzer-beaters are very exciting. For Ogunbowale, knocking down two monstrous buzzer-beaters two days apart made for some of he greatest moments ever in women's college ball. Take a look.

The tournament of course produced some great moments on both the men and women's side of things. For more on the tournament, we have plenty of good stuff for you here at The Movement.

As some leagues end, wind down, startup, or enter the playoffs, there will be plenty of basketball to keep up with. Keep it locked here at The Basketball Movement to stay in the loop and work on your own game.

We also outlined a few outstanding high school highlights here.

 

Perspective: Erin Popovich passes away at 67

Greg Popovich's wife, Erin passed away Wednesday after battling an illness for a long time according to ESPN.

The head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Greg Popovich has been a key figure in the NBA for a long time. The news of the passing of his wife, Erin is a tough blow to the basketball community. Gregg and Erin Popovich had been married for over 40 years, had two children, and two grandchildren. The couple met while Coach Pop was an assistant coach at the Air Force Academy. 

As devastating as it must be to the Popovich family, it also serves a reminder of what it truly important.

The game seems insignificant in the face of such real-life tragedy. However, the fraternity created by basketball can be a tremendous source of support and family. Stars such as Kevin Durant and LeBron James both used the term "family" when presented with the news of Erin's passing.

This is not enjoyable news to deliver, but we hope that it brings about feelings of appreciation for the people and things that we have. Gregg Popovich has been a polarizing figure of late, becoming more bold with political statements and always firing off sarcasm and wit. No-matter your stance on him, this is a tragedy that must be respected. 

ESPN staff writer, Michael C. Wright reported the following quote from the Spurs General Manager.

“We’re all suffering a profound loss to a really important member of our family and our team. Erin and Gregg were best friends who were together for 40 years, and Erin’s impact and influence on our organization, on our families, on our players and their families will be felt for years to come. I spoke to Pop this morning. He’s overwhelmed by the support. He’s very appreciative of the love that’s been shared with our group, and with him and his family and Erin’s family. As you’d expect from Pop, he wants our focus to be about the game today, about this series, and that’s what today will be about. We’ll miss Erin a lot, and the focus of our team will be on supporting Pop. But we’ve got basketball to get back to”
— Spus G.M., R.C. Buford

The Basketball Movement's thoughts are with the Popovich family and the Spurs organization in this difficult time. Coach Pop will of course miss game 3 of the first round series with the Golden State Warriors (GSW leads 2-0).

NBA's 2017-18 regular season stat leaders

Things are heating up in the NBA playoffs and the regular season has officially come and gone.

Let's take a look back at the 2017-18 NBA regular season to see how things shook out as far as statistical leaders. There was a lot of exciting young talent on display this season, but familiar names still sit near the top of each list.

One category however did yield an unexpected result. The NBA's steals leader this season was Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers. He is a candidate for most improved player and averaged 2.6 steals per contest. We see the number 2.6 again in the other defensive category, as the New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis led the NBA with that many blocks per game.

The LA Clippers' DeAndre Jordan had the highest defensive rebound percentage at 37.6, but it was the Detroit Pistons' Andre Drummond who not only collected the most defensive rebounds, but also the most rebounds in general. He averaged 16 boards per game.

Offensive stats leaders

 Last year's MVP, Russell Westbrook of the OKC Thunder averaged a triple-double again. It is the first time a player has ever accomplished the feat twice. He was the only player to even average double-digit assists this season at 10.2 a game. He also led in field goals missed and turnovers (by 34 TOs over LeBron). You have to take the bad with the good.

Speaking of Cleveland's LeBron James, he led the NBA in minutes in his age 33 season (36.9 per game). An impressive feat for the star that also made the most field goals in the NBA (857).

Now for the scoring champion. Three-point shooting and free throw prowess added up in a big way for the Houston Rockets' MVP hopeful, James Harden. He was the only player over the 30 ppg mark at 30.4 points per contest. He attempted and made the most triples and attempted and made the most free throws. He was third in assists and turnovers as well.

A few other interesting statistics

Six players made 90 percent or better at the free throw stripe: J.J. Redick, Jamal Murray, Marco Belinelli, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and the leader, Steph Curry (92 percent). Plenty of players shot a nice percentage from three, with Darren Collison hitting an impressive 46.8 percent.

Clint Capela of the Rockets edged DeAndre Jordan in field goal percentage with 65 percent. True shooting percentage (takes into account 2's, 3's, and FTs) was led by Steph Curry at 67.5 percent, with Springfield, MO's Anthony Tolliver in second.

Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves had the most fouls, and the Charlotte Hornets' Dwight Howard had the most technicals (17).

It was a fun regular season and should prove to be an exciting playoff season as well. The Basketball Movement intends to stay on top of the league and keep delivering news, so stay tuned!

All stats per Basketball Reference

Playing for a tough coach or with a tough teammate

You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can't always pick your teammates or coach. Or something like that.

If you have played a sport for any length of time, you have likely already encountered either a tough coach or teammate. Teams consist of many different styles, attitudes, and demeanors. In some ways, this is what makes team sports special. Sometimes though, it can be really hard to adjust to.

You will have teammates over the years that will not play hard. Some may not even have any desire to play at all. Some will hog the ball, others may pick on you at practice. These things will seem very difficult to get over in the moment, but in the long term, you will be better for it. Not only as a player, but as a person.

These people will not be limited to sports, but all aspects of life. You will experience many of the same personality traits someday at work, or in social situations. Learning to roll with the punches and taking the high road is not easy, but it is a key part of growth.

“Ask not what your teammates can do for you, ask what you can do for your teammates.”
— Magic Johnson

Not meshing with your coach

Not always getting along with teammates is one thing. Those are your peers that you share many of the same circumstances with. Even more difficult is experiencing a coach that rubs you the wrong way or that you do not see eye-to-eye with.

It is easier said than done, but this situation must be treated similarly to the teammate issue above. Taking the high road in a situation where you are the subordinate is a very backwards-feeling scenario.

If your coach is on you for no reason, stand tall and do not let him/her get a rise out of you. If you are not getting minutes or situations that you deserve, keep grinding until everyone in the gym can clearly see the mistake. Learning to turn the other cheek to those in positions of authority will pay off exponentially as far as your growth as a person.

Know when things have gone too far

Standing tall and not retaliating is the go-to response when you encounter these tough situations. That does not mean that you should just allow yourself to be bullied or harassed. If you feel that things have gone to far with a teammate, bring it up to them. If that does not resolve the issue, it may be time to approach the coach.

If the coach is the problem, discuss it with someone that you trust. A lot of coaches are intense people, and it may just be that they get a bit too passionate about the sport or getting the most out of their players. If it is going beyond that or becoming personal, it may be time to voice your concerns to someone with the ability to resolve the situation.

For examples of great coaches, a player-first atmosphere, and a true team mentality, you are in the right place and Robert Yanders is your man. Contact The Basketball Movement to get involved in our program!

 

The NBA Playoffs start on Saturday

The 2017-18 NBA season had its dramatic wrap-up last night, so the first round playoff matchups are set.

It feels like the big NCAA tournament just finished, yet we are already on the precipice of another great bracket of basketball. This time, it is the NBA's turn. Familiar faces abound, but there are some notable newcomers as well. Let's see how the regular season shook out.

Much of the seeding was not decided until last night, with many close teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. There was however one game that undeniably stood out as the most dramatic.

You know how every action movie has someone sliding under a huge door right before it closes? Well the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets had identical records, were the 8 and 9 seeds (top eight make it), and played each other last night. Minnesota made it in at the very last second, with the game going into overtime.

It was a fantastic game that served as a preview for the kind of basketball goodness that is in store this playoff season.

First round matchups

On both sides of the bracket, great matchups are ubiquitous and upset-potential abounds. That's fancy talk for: this should be fun. The Warriors are not favorites to defend their title, dropping 10 of their last 17 entering the preseason. Steph Curry is still on the shelf as well.

West

Houston (1) vs. Minnesota (8) - Here are your title favorites. The Timberwolves are rewarded for making it in with a matchup against the top team in the NBA through the regular season.

Oklahoma City (4) vs. Utah (5) - Russell Westbrook locked up a triple-double average last night and is the second player ever to do it twice. Yet, they are barely favorited despite no All-Stars for the Jazz.

Portland (3) vs. New Orleans (6) - The Trailblazers are one of the hottest teams in the league. Despite the injury to DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and the Pelicans should give them plenty of trouble.

Golden State (2) vs. San Antonio (7) - The Spurs are in for the 21st season in a row. They certainly aren't as strong as normal. The Warriors are down Steph Curry, leaving them only one MVP and two other All-Stars.

East

Toronto (1) vs. Washington (8) - With John Wall back, the Wizards are a scary 8 seed. The Raptors have had their best season in years and anything short of the Finals will be a letdown.

Cleveland (4) vs. Indiana (5) - The Pacers have been better than anyone might have expected. Unfortunately for them, LeBron James seems to find himself in the NBA Finals almost every single season.

Philadelphia (3) vs. Miami (6) - The 76ers won 50+ games for the first time since Iverson. It will be interesting to see how far their young stars can take them. An injured Joel Embiid could be trouble against the Heat's Hassan Whiteside.

Boston (2) vs. Milwaukee (7) - The Celtics are without Hayward and Irving, but have scrapped all season against the odds. Do not count them out, even against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

Perseverance: 32-year-old rookie makes a splash

After 10 years in the NBA's G-League (formerly the D-League), Andre Ingram finally plays an NBA game.

Andre Ingram was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers to play the final two games of their season. Several of the Lakers' young players are nursing injuries and the team has been officially eliminated from the playoff race for over a week now.

At 32-years-old, Ingram was called up for the first time from his 10-year stint in the G-League. According to the NY Times, he is the oldest American rookie in 50 years. He got the nod to enter the game in the first quarter from Head Coach Luke Walton. It was then that Ingram did what he had been doing for years, made it rain from deep.

Apparently, this fella has hit three pointers at a 46 percent  clip in his G-League career. He is the all-time leader in made triples in the league. He drained all three of his attempts from deep in the first half, finishing the home loss with 19 points, 3 boards and blocks, one 1 assist, steal, and turnover.

Basketball has given us a shining example of perseverance in Andre Ingram

The man's G-League stats are a bit of a head-scratcher. How had this three point sniper not been called up before? No doubt Ingram had been scratching is now greying head before any of the rest of us. Yet he patiently waited for his time to come, and he stepped up to the plate when his number was called.

This type of feel-good story is not uncommon in the sport of basketball. The sport requires a lot of hard work and grit, and this player personifies that. More often than not, hard work pays off in some shape or form. Sometimes, that requires patience, which is not always easy.

We are thrilled that Andre Ingram got to live out his dream (and make approximately 73 percent of his G-League salary in three days). We wish him luck in the Lakers' final game tonight. Maybe someone will take a chance on the long range shooter next season and we can continue to watch his story unfold.

The NBA's Lou Willams sets a great example off the bench

The NBA has a shoo-in Sixth Man of the Year in Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Coming off the bench is not always as easy as Lou Williams makes it look. He led his team in scoring and assists, taking on a larger role after the Blake Griffin trade earlier in the season. The guard averaged career-best numbers across the board - all in his 13th pro season.

Williams has predominantly come of the bench his entire professional career. He was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year in 2014-15 with the Toronto Raptors as well, averaging a career-best 15.5 PPG. This season he is averaging 22.6, nearly becoming an All-Star and almost pushing the Clippers to the playoffs.

A great perimeter shooter, Sweet Lou has to always be focused so he can come in firing. Coming off the bench means warming up with everyone, but then sitting to start each contest. As a sixth man, he comes in decently quickly. But what about the 7th, 8th, or 9th man?

Coming off the bench is a challenge - Embrace it

There is no denying that it is more glamorous to be a starter in your sport. There are only so many starting spots, and it is up to the coach to determine who gets them. If you come off the bench, but believe that you should be starting, you are in an excellent position to prove it.

As a reserve, you will predominantly be playing against other reserves. If you are able to stand out and effectively dominate your opponents, then that will show to not only your coach, but your teammates, and spectators. Sometimes however, that is just the most effective strategy that the team needs.

Many teams choose to bring very talented players off of the bench to balance the skill level they have on the floor at all times. Lou Williams is the leading scorer for the Clips because he can score like crazy against opposing reserves.

Donte DiVincenzo was the NCAA Finals MVP despite coming off the bench. Coming off the pine does not mean you cannot still get on a heater. Andre Iguodala came off the bench in the 2015 NBA finals and won MVP with his stellar defense.

Do not worry about starting, worry about helping the team

As we have discussed before, there is beauty in knowing your limits. If you are not given a starting opportunity, that does not mean that you cannot strive to become the team's top defender, rebounder, or playmaker. Accepting a role is one of the most important things a player can do to propel a great team.

The award is not final, but everyone and their brother can see that Lou Williams will become the 2017-18 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Congratulations to him and all of the other competing players such as Eric Gordon, Will Barton, and Missouri Valley Conference Alum Fred VanVleet.

The Basketball Movement offers basketball-specific workout opportunities

At The Basketball Movement, we couple skill, speed, and agility training with resistance workouts designed specifically with basketball in mind.

Much of the game of basketball is mental, which is a big focus of The Basketball Movement. More apparent though is the need to be strong and conditioned. Basketball can be exhausting when you are playing correctly (as hard as possible). TBM can help players be the best they can be by doing basketball-specific exercises with top-of-the-line equipment.

To be the top basketball training facility in the area, it takes more than the two 94 by 50 foot courts. The walls are lined by free weights, skiers, versaclimbers, concept bikes, sleds, rowers, and other low impact, basketball-specific training equipment.

A couple TVs run basketball and other sport news where players can work out just a few feet from one of the revamped courts. For shooting repetition on your own, there is even a GUN rebounder that players can rent.

The Basketball Movement is dedicated to providing the optimal training equipment that players need to succeed. Couple this with the facility - two courts, film analysis room, and more - and you get a premier basketball environment run by some of the most dedicated coaches around.

For more about what The Movement is as well as info on its founder, Rob Yanders, click here. To contact us about jumping on board,  please click here. The Basketball Movement not only stresses continuous player development, but strives to continue its own development as well. Keep checking back here as we keep ramping up the biggest basketball movement around.

Players that have declared for the 2018 NBA draft

Hundreds of college players and multiple overseas prospects have already declared for the NBA draft.

The NBA draft only has two rounds with 30 picks apiece. So, only 60 of these prospects will actually be selected in the 2018 NBA draft. Certainly worth a shot if you think you have even an outside chance.

Draft time is also excellent for getting yourself in front of NBA teams and scouts, as they will host workouts and combines. There is also the Summer league, so even if you are not a lottery pick in the draft, you can be invited to play and test your skills against NBA or near-NBA level talent.

Players like Villanova's Donte Divincenzo's draft NBA draft stock will never be higher, so stay heads up for some big names declaring sooner than later.

As mentioned, hundreds of hopefuls have already declared. There are likely more to keep popping up in the coming weeks. The 2018 draft is not until June, so this is not a draft preview. Now is just the time for players to put themselves on the map. Let's check out some of the top prospects from ESPN's top 100.

Top 100 underclassmen or internationals who have declared for the draft and foregone college eligibility.

Top 100 Prospects: In

PLAYER, YEAR, TEAM, HT, POS

Deandre Ayton, Freshman, Arizona, 7-0, C

Jaren Jackson Jr., Freshman, Michigan St., 6-11, PF/C

Marvin Bagley III, Freshman, Duke, 6-11, PF/C

Mohamed Bamba, Freshman, Texas, 7-0, C

Michael Porter Jr., Freshman, Missouri, 6-10, SF/PF

Trae Young, Freshman, Oklahoma, 6-2, PG

Collin Sexton, Freshman, Alabama, 6-2, PG

Miles Bridges, Sophomore, Michigan St., 6-6, SF/PF

Robert Williams, Sophomore, Texas A&M, 6-10, C

Kevin Knox, Freshman, Kentucky, 6-9, SF/PF

Lonnie Walker IV, Freshman, Miami FL, 6-4, SG

Mitchell Robinson, Freshman, None, 6-11, C

Keita Bates-Diop, Junior, Ohio St, 6-7, PF

Aaron Holiday, Junior, UCLA, 6-1, PG

Troy Brown, Freshman, Oregon, 6-7, SG

Anfernee Simons, HS Senior, IMG Academy, 6-4, SG

De'Anthony Melton, Junior, USC, 6-3, PG/SG

Shake Milton, Junior, SMU, 6-6, PG/SG

Chimezie Metu, Junior, USC, 6-10, PF/C

Justin Jackson, Sophomore, Maryland, 6-7, SF/PF

Landry Shamet, Sophomore, Wichita St., 6-4, PG

Malik Newman, Sophomore, Kansas, 6-4, PG/SG

Tony Carr, Sophomore, Penn St., 6-3, PG

Trevon Duval, Freshman, Duke, 6-3, PG

Ray Spalding, Junior, Louisville, 6-10, PF

Brandon McCoy, Freshman, UNLV, 6-11, C

Rawle Alkins, Sophomore, Arizona, 6-5, SG

Allonzo Trier, Junior, Arizona, 6-5, SG

Billy Preston, Freshman, Igokea, 6-10, PF

Matur Maker, International, Mississauga Prep, 6-10, C

 

Top 100 underclassmen who have declared for the draft but can still withdraw.

Top 100 Prospects: Testing

PLAYER, YEAR, TEAM, HT, POS

Zhaire Smith, Freshman, Texas Tech, 6-5, SF

Jacob Evans, Junior, Cincinnati, 6-6, SG/SF

Bruce Brown, Sophomore, Miami FL, 6-3, SG

Melvin Frazier, Junior, Tulane, 6-6, SF

Jontay Porter, Freshman, Missouri, 6-10, C

Jerome Robinson, Junior, Boston College, 6-5, PG

Jalen Hudson, Junior, Florida, 6-5, SG

PJ Washington, Freshman, Kentucky, 6-8, PF

Josh Okogie, Sophomore, Georgia Tech, 6-4, SG

Jarrey Foster, Junior, SMU, 6-6, SG

Shamorie Ponds, Sophomore, St. John's, 6-1, PG

Sagaba Konate, Sophomore, West Virginia, 6-8, C

Kerwin Roach, Junior, Texas, 6-3, SG

Kris Wilkes, Freshman, UCLA, 6-7, SF/PF

Carsen Edwards, Sophomore, Purdue, 6-0, PG

Issuf Sanon, International, Olimpija Ljubljana, 6-4, PG/SG

Lindell Wigginton, Freshman, Iowa St., 6-2, PG

Kostas Antetokounmpo, Freshman, Dayton, 6-10, SF

Ethan Happ, Junior, Wisconsin, 6-10, PF/C

Terence Davis, Junior, Mississippi, 6-4, SG

Cody Martin, Junior, Nevada, 6-7, SF

William McDowell-White, International, Bamberg, 6-5, PG

Caleb Martin, Junior, Nevada, 6-7, SF

And more! ESPN has a comprehensive list of the undecided players and player that are automatically eligible due to being seniors.

There are still plenty of undecided players, such as Villanova's DiVincenzo and Mikal Bridges. A few noteworth seniors that have yet to officially declare are Duke's Grayson Allen and Missouri State's Alize Johnson. The most notable prospect outside of the top 100 has to be LiAngelo Ball, who is currently playing in Lithuania.

These list are of course subject to change. The Basketball Movement will do its best to stay on top of player movement at all levels going forward. Stay tuned!

Kyrie Irving to miss the 2018 NBA playoffs

Irving had successful surgery on March 24, but it has been revealed that he has a bacterial infection at the surgical site.

The surgery Kyrie Irving had was to remove a tension wire that was placed to mend his left patellar fracture from a 2015 playoff injury. An infection has since appeared where the hardware is in his leg. He must now undergo surgery on his patella to remove two screws.

Early estimates suggest that he will miss 4-6 months following the procedure. This is of course a huge blow to Irving and his team, who thought they would have him back early in the 2018 NBA playoffs. 

Irving spoke out to his fans about the new happenings on Instagram:

“The hardest thing to do sometimes is accept the uncontrollable things life throws at you. You try consistently to learn, grow, and prepare everyday to equip your mind, body, and spirit with tools to deal with some of those things, but I feel when those moments arise they all give you a sense of unfulfillment, simply because it puts some of your professional journey and goals on a brief hold. It’s simply a test of your perseverance and Will, to be present, even in the wake of what’s going on. In this case, finding out I have an infection in my knee is definitely a moment that I now accept and move past without holding on to the all the what ifs, proving the nay-Sayers completely f***ing wrong, and accomplishing the goals I’ve set out for the team and myself. This season was only a snapshot of what’s to come from me. Trust Me. “The journey back to the top of Mt. Everest continues.” #StandingRockSiouxTribe Let’s go Celtics!! Celtics fans, I look forward to hearing how loud it gets in the TD Garden during the playoffs and experiencing how intense the environment gets. Thank you all!”

Kyrie was dealt to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas and company this offseason. His transition was seamless in regards to the game of basketball. Despite losing running-mate Gordan Hayward to injury in their first game, Irving propelled the team, putting up MVP-like effort.

The Boston Celtics are currently the 2 seed in the East behind the Toronto Raptors. This clearly changes their playoffs hopes a bit. They will still be a tough out for someone, executing their scrappy style under head coach Brad Stevens.

With this and all of the other injuries going into the 2018 playoffs, it has become a two-team race in the Eastern Conference. We will see if the Raptors can hold off LeBron James and his new-look Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Basketball Movement wishes Kyrie Irving a speedy and effective recovery.

NCAA: It's over, ladies and gentlemen

NCAA basketball is over, with the men and women's National Championships in the books.

Congratulations are in order for the Villanova Wildcats and Notre Dame Fighting Irish for winning the men's and women's NCAA National Championships! Very exciting tournaments culminated in great final games. Deserving champions emerged, though a lot of underdogs scored moral victories along the way. 

Have you learned to pronounce Arike Ogunbowale yet? If not, then you probably missed one of the most impressive spectacles the sport of basketball has had in a while. Ogunbowale not only dropped UConn with an overtime buzzer-beater, but sealed the national championship with another game-ending shot.

Ogunbowale had 18 points and teammate Jessica Shepard had 19 (on 8 of 10 shooting) to lead the Irish. Neither team shot high percentages from the field, but Notre Dame won the free throw contest and got the big shot when it mattered.

Villanova men assert dominance

Things did not come down to the wire on the men's side, but that is okay. Michigan was coming in hot, winners of their last 14 contests; they certainly had the looks of a title contender. We could go into what Michigan could have done differently, but that is not the takeaway here. The Villanova Wildcats simply did to them what they have done to everybody else.

Nova beat everyone they played in the tourney by double-digits, even Michigan. Mikal Bridges had a solid game and was the main story for Villanova coming in, but he was not the most valuable player in this one. Donte DiVincenzo had 31 point, two big blocks, and multiple hustle plays to lead the Wildcats.

DiVincenzo may come of the bench, but he has played a major role all season, averaging 13.4 points and 4.8 boards in 2017-18. He was certainly the most exciting part of the game. While Michigan did not feel truly out of it until late in the second half, Villanova was in control throughout, leaving no doubt as to their place at the top of NCAA men's basketball.

A couple of great games wrapped up two great seasons for men's and women's NCAA hoops. Congrats to both these teams and to all of the teams that made the tournament. We saw some of the greatest upsets (see: 16-seed UMBC over 1-seed Virginia) as well as displays of dominance (you are already on the page for Villanova). If you love buzzer beaters then look no further than Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale. These tournaments had it all.

March Madness finally comes to a close. While NCAA basketball begins its unfortunate hiatus, The Basketball Movement will not. Many of these players are beginning to declare for the NBA draft and the NBA playoffs are right around the corner. Basketball never sleeps, so make sure that you keep checking back with us as we keep you up-to-date on what is happening in the world of hoops.

All statistics per ESPN

Men's 2018 NCAA final four recap and championship preview

Loyola finally falls as the NCAA tournament championship pits streaking Michigan against a dominant Villanova team.

The last hopes of a true underdog story have now faded away, as the 11-seed Loyola-Chicago Ramblers fell to the 3-seed Michigan Wolverines. Missouri Valley Conference champion Loyola fought hard every step of the way, with their big man Cameron Krutwig giving Michigan fits in the paint.

Michigan's length and perimeter shooting kept victory at arms length for most of the game, with the Ramblers unable to make enough of a push to take over. Michigan forward, Mortiz Wagner of Germany led the charge with 24 big points. Congratulations to Michigan and to Loyola for repping the Missouri Valley in style!

The second game of the night was not close throughout its entirety. The Villanova Wildcats jumped the Kansas Jayhawks right out of the gate. Down 15 at the half, Kansas played better the rest of the way, but were in too much of a hole to mount a serious comeback. 

Villanova set a final four record with 18 three pointers in the game. The Jayhawks did not play a bad game, but Villanova's 55 percent shooting was too much to overcome.

Championship bound

Michigan has now won 14 games in a row and are truly rolling into the championship game on a heater. Villanova has won every game of the tournament by double-digits, displaying a dominance that has them as the Vegas favorites in the matchup.

Dominance and talent will be tested when the Wildcats meet one of the hottest opponents in the country in the Wolverines. If Villanova cools of from three, they will be vulnerable to Michigan's versatile attack. The game tips off Monday at 8:20 PM (CST) on TBS.

The women's championship takes place tonight between Mississippi State and Notre Dame at 5:00 PM (CST) on ESPN. Check out our preview of that match right here. As college hoops wind down, keep your eye on The Basketball Movement for all basketball content year-round.

All statistics per ESPN

The women's NCAA championship stage is set

Tomorrow's women's championship game should be a good one, though it does not feature one team most expected to see.

Notre Dame and Mississippi State tip off Sunday on ESPN at 5:00 PM (CST) in a great matchup against two of the nation's best. Unlike the men's bracket, the lady's final four consisted of all 1-seed teams. Both games delivered even more entertainment than we could have hoped for.

Louisville steamrolled everyone en route to their final four match with MSU. They looked strong, but fell to Mississippi State in overtime. MSU moves to 37-1 on the season, casting asides the doubts anyone had as to their rightful spot in the championship game.

Mississipi State made it to this point last year by shocking UConn in the final four with Morgan Williams hitting an OT buzzer-beater. They went on to lose to Baylor. This year they hope to take it all the way against Notre Dame. Louisville and MSU was not the only overtime fans were treated to in the women's final four.

UConn's final four exit mirrors their loss from a year ago

Last year, fans were stunned when Mississippi State dropped the heavy favorites with a buzzer beater in overtime. This year, one day from the one year anniversary of that heartbreak, it happened again.

Notre Dame took the Huskies into overtime, already a little surprising considering how heavily favorited UConn was. UConn was fresh off of a beat down of last year's champs, South Carolina. Overtime ended with Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale sinking a deep two with one second remaining. To go one-on-one in that situation was an incredible task to take on, but Ogunbowale me the challenge like a champion.

To go out in identical fashion from last year's loss had to be crushing for the Huskies, but the focus needs to be primarily on the Notre Dame Irish and what they have just accomplished.

Anyone's game tomorrow

Mississippi State accomplished Notre Dame's feat last year, but were not able to capitalize in the championship. MSU will be hungry after being so close last year. Notre Dame is riding one of the biggest highs possible in women's NCAA basketball, but risks the same fate as MSU a season ago.

This will be a great game between two deserving teams. Even for those fans of the men's games, this should be an exciting game to watch sandwiched between the final four and championship matches.

Speaking of that, the men's final four games are tonight as the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers look to build on their already fantastic run. Let's see what the Missouri Valley Conference champs can do on the big stage. Check out our final four preview here.

 

High school: McDonald's All-American 2018 recap

The nation's top high school talent was on display this week, with the McDonald's All-Americans in action last night.

Basketball at the high school level gets more and more impressive each year. The 2018 McDonald's All-American selections still have (literally) huge shoes to fill, as they follow in the path of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Skylar Diggins, DeMar DeRozan, Brittney Griner, Vince Carter; the list is ridiculous.

Below is the full list of 2018 participants:

One of the first things that stands out on the list would be the four Duke commits on the boy's side. Three of them (Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, and Cameron Reddish) are predicted by ESPN to go 1-2-3 in the 2019 NBA draft. We see you, Blue Devils. Kansas had three commits itself, with Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vanderbilt all having two commits from this squad.

Last night's games in Philips Arena (home of the Atlanta Hawks) were predictably fun on the girl's and guy's side of things. Though they get a couple practices in, the teams are typically a little disjointed to start. They begin to find their groove as the game goes on, which is what happened in these games. Once they are in the flow, they are some of the nation's finest after all.

Nassir Little (UNC commit) showed out in this one, winning MVP. Unfortunately, Zion Williamson appeared to tweak his leg a bit, so we hope that he comes away unscathed. Overall, there were plenty of high-flying dunks to make up for some suspect shooting much of the night.

The girls seemed to have an easier time finding rhythm, as ball movement and shot-making were more prominent than in the boy's game. Both were competitive, yet playful; ideal for this All-Star style of game. Christyn Williams took home MVP honors. Guess where she has committed to playing college ball. Yes of course: UConn.

The announcers of the boys game seemed to think that this was a little too remniscient of previous NBA All-Star games, with too much dunking and not enough competition. Opinion: there was so much dunking because these are athletic, long, young men that were wanting to show out against each other. These guys have been competing all year, that is how they got here. Let them bounce!

Speaking of bounce, you have to check out the dunk contest below. It includes a nice shake-up, which you just have to see to believe.

Not every one of these players will go on to achieve greatness, but you can count on several from this group busting out and making splashes on basketball's largest stages.

For more high school basketball as well as college and the pros, keep it locked to The Basketball Movement.

Injuries abound for many NBA playoffs teams

With the regular season winding down, many playoff-bound teams in the NBA are monitoring injuries to key players.

NBA and NCAA basketball fans alike are in the middle of one of the best times of the year for the sport. March Madness is in full swing and the NBA regular season is coming to a close, which means one very exciting thing: the playoffs are almost here.

Unfortunately, there are many teams this year that are dealing with injuries while the playoffs are quickly approaching (playoffs begin Saturday, Apr 14). There is still plenty of time for those players that are dealing with very minor injuries, but for many playoff teams, there are longer-term issues at hand.

We already saw the Boston Celtics lose Gordon Hayward to a leg injury to start the season, so we knew he would be out at this point. Kyrie Irving is the big question mark for the C's right now. The Celtics are number 2 in the East and have already declared that Irving is out for the regular season. His return in the playoffs will truly shift the balance of power. Marcus Smart is also nursing a thumb injury, not expected back until May.

Welcome back, Markelle Fultz

For the Philidelphia 76ers, they finally look healthy, with number 1 pick Markelle Fultz coming back from his season-long shoulder injury last night. "The process" is shaping up nicely in Philly. The Washington Wizards are now expecting star John Wall back after a lengthy absence as well.

The Milwaukee Bucks are hoping that last year's Rookie of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon will be back sometime in April, so chalk him up as questionable for the playoffs. Current 8 seed Miami is hoping that Hassan Whiteside can hold up after missing a lot of time this season. He is currently out with a hip injury.

In the Western Conference, the top seeded Houston Rockets are healthy and already starting to rest players to stay that way. It is the 2 seed that is one of the biggest playoff mysteries, injury-wise...

The Golden State Warriors are banged up

Before the emergence of Houston, the only thing that everyone said could stop the Warriors was injuries. Well, they are pretty battered and bruised right now. Draymond Green is just sick at the moment, ready to return soon. However, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson had more serious injuries, though they are expected back before April begins.

Thompson's shooting thumb and Durant's rib are two things the Warriors can ill-afford to chance as far as rushing them back. Steph Curry is the real story though. A grade 2 MCL sprain will sideline Curry for what coach Steve Kerr says will be at least the first round of the playoffs. 

“Hopefully, I prove what coach said was wrong and put myself in position to get back as soon as possible, but right now, who knows? Just try to do my job in the rehab process and get back as soon as I can.”
— Stephen Curry

The rest of the West

C.J. Wilcox of the Portland Trailblazers is out indefinitely with a knee issue. The Oklahoma City Thunder have already lost all-pro defender Andre Roberson to season-ending surgery. The New Orleans Pelicans took one of the biggest injury hits of the season, losing DeMarcus Cousins to an achilles injury. The Pels have lost a couple role players as well.

The only San Antonio Spur on the injury report is Kawhi Leonard, but there seems to be more to the story there than an injury keeping him from playing. For the Minnesota Timberwolves, All-Star Jimmy Butler is determined to return before the playoffs, though his surgery for his torn meniscus was only in February.

The Utah Jazz currently hold down the final playoff spot and are missing perimeter defender, Thabo Sefolosha, who is out for the season. The Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers are fighting to overtake the Jazz for that spot. Gary Harris should be back soon for the Nuggets while the Clips have lost a couple of guards for the season: Avery Bradley and Patrick Beverly.

Hopefully these teams and players can heal up, because no-matter who you root for, the game is at its best when everyone is fully healthy and ready to go. For more on the NBA and everything basketball, you are in the right place - The Basketball Movement. Check out our NCAA final four preview here.

Injury notes per Rotoworld.