We all know about the Birdman. Take one look and it’s obvious, this guy’s tough. For those unfamiliar with college basketball lore, Indiana Pacers’ Tyler Hansbrough had quite the reputation in his Tar Heel days despite having a seemingly boyish demeanor. He earned the nickname “Psycho T.”  As if this series wasn’t exciting enough, I’d  wanna see that! Birdman vs Psycho T–it’s like WWE.

The Boston Celtics have a lot of challenges to face this offseason. They battled through injuries and adversity, and now face the daunting task of battling Father Time and the Salary Cap. Yet, the Celtics can have renewed hope, and should not fear the biggest opponents, not even Miami’s evil triumvirate.

Boston Celtics, meet your newest fan. Never mind if Barack Obama never invites you to the White House. The Vatican is much more fun.

As we journey into adulthood, our priorities will be questioned and re-examined. For hoop stars, they have to do that in the spotlight. Next season’s college stars are conspicuously absent in the U19 roster, apparently because they would rather adjust to college life (which will probably be just one year) than attend training.  No Jabari Parker (Duke), Julius Randle and Harrison Twins (Kentucky).  In the meantime, Andrew Wiggins will represent Canada in the tournament. Well, their priorities unraveled quickly. Good luck, Team USA!

per USA Basketball:

2013 USA Men’s U19 World Championship Team Roster

Lebron James already has 4 MVPs in his young career. Often chided for his lack of championship rings, he is obviously “on it.” We’ve already talked about his overall skills and total dominance in almost every way, yet this stat may reflect how far he is when compare him with his peers.

All the comparisons and declarations don’t seem so outlandish, considering his age.

per Twitter:

NBA fans better get ready as the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown is coming!  As part of NBA Nation, Sprite takes the country’s  best dunkers to eight different stops across the country.  All roads lead to the basketball court as fans surely will not miss any of the high flying action in the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown.

The Cleveland Cavaliers happily won the Draft Lottery. However, the cause for celebration may have diminished, as the value of a first overall choice in a historically weak draft is much lower than they perceived. The Cavs want to examine what assets they can secure with the pick, but results aren’t encouraging.

per ESPN:

It’s never too early. That’s the motto of the top college recruiters. Losing out on the top High School Recruit, North Carolina wastes no time moping and gets ready to build a class for next season. Theo Pinson, a highly ranked recruit, is set to don Carolina blue.

per CBS Sports:

When we spoke with Theo Pinson in late April, he said he wanted to trim his list soon. And then suddenly last Saturday, reports surfaced that Pinson was cutting his list to five — and ready to make a decision.

 

 

That decision came on Wednesday afternoon: Pinson is headed to North Carolina.

 

 

The 6-foot-5 wing from Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC) chose the Tar Heels over primary competition from Indiana, although Louisville, Georgetown and Duke were also in his final five.

 

 

Being an in-state prospect, the pull to stay home was too strong for Pinson. He’s only a short drive to Chapel Hill, and he took several unofficial visits to the Tar Heels’ campus. With people constantly in his ear about playing for the home-state powerhouse, Pinson ultimately couldn’t say no.

 

 

Indiana seemed to have the lead for most of his recruitment, with the Hoosiers having all the momentum and looking like the choice when Pinson said he would be deciding. Tom Crean and his staff have followed Pinson around the entire spring, making their presence known at each of his games. He was a top priority for the Hoosiers. But Pinson had no plans to leave Tobacco Road.

 

 

At the next level, Pinson has the ability to be a matchup problem. He has good size for the perimeter, and his passing ability and vision are outstanding. Pinson can make difficult passes with either hand, and can see over the defense. He has great length and is very athletic. Pinson can also get to the rim on most defenders. In order to truly be a dominant player, he needs to become more consistent with his jumper and also improve his ball-handling ability.

 

 

Defensively, Pinson can be a stud. He can guard multiple positions due to his length and size. It’s that type of versatility that made Pinson such a sought-after recruit. He was ranked No. 12 in the 247 Sports Composite.

 

 

He’s not just talking the talk. One of the NBA’s acknowledged class acts, Kevin Durant donates 1 million dollars for the relief of the Oklahoma residents struck by a tornado. He hopes that colleagues will follow on his initiative.

per SI.Com:

Thunder All-Star forward Kevin Durant donated $1 million Tuesday to the American Red Cross through his family foundation to assist with disaster relief efforts in the wake of a tornado that swept through Oklahoma on Monday, killing at least 24 people and injuring hundreds of others.

 

 

The Red Cross relies on its donors to perform its mission in relieving human suffering following disasters,” Janienne Bella, Red Cross’s regional CEO said in a statement. “Mr. Durant’s gift and support to Oklahoma comes at a time of great need and we’re forever thankful for his generosity.”

 

 

Later Tuesday, the Thunder organization also pledged a $1 million donation.

 

 

“Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastation that has occurred within our community this week,” Thunder chairman Clay Bennett said in a statement. “We are focusing Thunder resources to help where we can in the relief efforts and to support the organizations that are on the ground assisting those affected by this week’s storms. Even with so much loss, the strength and resiliency of this community have once again been on display, and we will continue to work together as our community and state recover from this disaster.”

 

 

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association also pledged $1 million on Tuesday.

Paul George is now a superstar. This playoff run is like Derrick Rose’s 2007 run, where Rose was elevated into the NBA elite. Rose took on the Big Three of Boston and Rajon Rondo (depends on who the Big Three really is). George takes on the Big Three of Miami. This three pointer shows what George is made of.

Paul George wants to make a statement in the Eastern Conference Finals. Everybody is practically awarding the title to Miami. It is a sacrilege to their efforts throughout the season. What Paul George wore also seemed like a statement, or sacrilege.