Is the One-and-Done Era Over and Will Chris Bosh Ever Play Again? - Swish Weekly - March 9th
Is the One-and-Done Era Over and Will Chris Bosh Ever Play Again?
Swish Weekly - March 9th
It's been a huge week in the NBA. On Monday we got word that the NBA could completely overhaul it's youth development by beefing up the G-League and eliminating the so called "one-and-done" rule to allow players into the NBA directly from high school. We also saw two extremely raw and real pieces from The Players' Tribune with Kevin Love talking about his battle with panic attacks and Steve Francis chronicling his journey from drug dealer to NBA superstar. Finally, we have a written piece and set of podcasts about Chris Bosh who has been sidelined since 2016 with blood clots. It's a fantastic group of content so let's get right into it.
Goodbye one-and-done: With scandals rocking youth basketball, NBA readying to step in - ESPN - Brian Windhorst
We start off this week with a major announcement, but please don't stop reading there. The headline is misleading (as ESPN titles tend to be) in that the "one-and-done" rule has yet to be formally changed. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has simply put an accelerated clock on making a decision about the current age limit for players to enter the NBA draft. The NBA has also announced that it will be creating programs to intersect with NBA-bound prospects earlier in their careers. The NBA will work toward hosting camps, training sessions, and tournaments in the summers to help guide prospective NBA pros and will look to expand the G-League into a more developmental entity. Also of note, the NBA has announced that it will not be going towards the academy model like European soccer and basketball clubs have at this time, but it could be a possibility in the future.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/kevin-love-everyone-is-going-through-something/
Everyone Is Going Through Something - The Players' Tribune - Kevin Love
This was one of the more powerful pieces I've read from the Players' Tribune. This piece shares a side of NBA All-Star Kevin Love that nobody would have expected. Mental health, especially in men, is something that is rarely if ever talked about, but is definitely something that should be in the greater conversation of basketball and sports in general. We at Swish Weekly applaud Kevin Love for his vulnerability and his strength to talk about a subject that will likely be used as trash talk fodder for opposing players. Just remember, "everyone is going through something that we can't see" and seeking help if you need it is the strongest think you can do.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/3/5/17077644/sam-hinkie-philadelphia-76ers-interview
For Sam Hinkie's Next Act... - The Ringer - John Gonzalez
Sam Hinkie might be the NBA's most polarizing front office figure (outside of Dan Gilbert and any Russian), but there's no doubt that he was the catalyst for one of the NBA's brightest young teams. Despite getting zero credit for beginning the "Process," Hinkie was the brains behind the operation and bore the brunt of the criticism of it. But with all of that now in his past (and depending on how you look at it, on his resume), and Hinkie is ready to begin a new chapter in his career. One that doesn't involve Philadelphia or the 76ers.
Steve Kerr: 'Let's do what's best for the kid' - ESPN
Steve Kerr has a point. There's really no great argument for why a player that goes undrafted, yet still has eligibility, can't return to his college team. The only time the "student" comes before "athlete" is in the term student-athlete and the ruse is silly. On the coattails of the NBA's announcement that it will begin intersecting in the lives of potential NBA-level talent in high school, Kerr's comments come with a refreshing dose of common sense.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/steve-francis-i-got-a-story-to-tell/
I Got a Story to Tell - The Players' Tribune - Steve Francis
Steve Francis was one of my favorite players back in the day. I used to play a ton of NBA Live and he was a menace. He could shoot, drive, and stole the ball like nobody's business, but then he fell off the map. In a span of just a few years, Francis was done. No real reason. Just lost it. In his Players' Tribune piece, Francis chronicles his story from selling drugs on the block to having his name chanted in NBA arenas. Francis isn't the most eloquent of writers by any means, but he's 100% raw and real and tells it like it was.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/3/8/17095658/san-antonio-spurs-end-of-dynasty-kawhi-leonard
No, Seriously This Time: Is This the End of the Spurs' Dynasty? - The Ringer - Kevin O'Connor
I'll admit it finally: I'm a Spurs fan. This year's team has been discombobulated at best and downright disappointing at worst. We've grown accustomed to the Spurs being the definition of stable in an otherwise chaotic league, but this year, the chaos seems to have infected the stoic Spurs. Kawhi Leonard has played nine games, the team is old, and drama (a word rarely uttered in the same sentence as the Spurs) has become a regularity. Could this really be the end of what many believe to be the greatest dynasty of the modern era? You'll have to read the piece to find out.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/22665993/chris-bosh-search-feeling-once-had-nba-star
Chris Bosh's search for that feeling he once had as an NBA star - ESPN - Jackie MacMullan
Jackie MacMullan always seems to find a way to show the most human elements of star athletes, and this piece is no different. Chris Bosh was the unsung hero of the Miami Heat's "Big 3" era, but rarely gets talked about despite his accomplishments. Bosh's career was cut short after tests revealed blood clots in his body and the Heat, fearing for Bosh's health as a father and husband, weren't willing to risk having him step on the court again. It's truly a sad story, but who knows whether Bosh's career is truly over?
https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/2018/3/8/17094264/chris-bosh-bill-simmons-podcast-miami-heat-san-antonio-spurs - Part 1
https://www.theringer.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/2018/3/9/17098274/chris-bosh-bill-simmons-podcast-blood-clot-health - Part 2
Chris Bosh on the Bill Simmons Podcast - The Ringer - Bill Simmons
Chris Bosh seems to be on some sort of media tour this week. First we have the piece by ESPN's Jackie MacMullan and now Bill Simmons is getting in on the Chris Bosh action. I'm a huge Bill Simmons fan and Bosh is of the better basketball related guests he has had on the show in recent memory. Bill and Bosh talk about everything. From the Toronto days, to "The Shot", to being the last of the Big 3 left in Miami. It's definitely worth a listen as Bosh would likely be one of the most important big men in the game today if injuries hadn't cut his career short.
'LeBron to L.A.' is going strong, but does King James even fit with the Lakers? - ESPN - Ramona Shelburne
We've all heard the narratives. LeBron owns two homes in LA, his empire is based in LA, hell he owns the rights to Space Jam 2, but those are all non-basketball related reasons that the greatest player of the generation might take his talents to a different beach. Would LeBron be able to elevate the play of blooming superstars Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma? We've seen him do it with Kyrie Irving, but are any or all of the Lakers' Kyrie Irving-level talent? They're still all below the age of 22 so it's impossible to know what the future holds for those youngsters, but what we do know, is that we really don't know where LeBron will be suiting up next season.
And there you have it. A particularly amazing week for Swish Weekly. We got some legitimate news that could have a significant impact on the landscape of the league and we got to dive deep into the off the court lives of current and former players Kevin Love, Steve Francis, and Chris Bosh. Overall, a great week in the NBA. With that being said, there will not be a Swish Weekly next week. I'll be on vacation and won't be able to get the email out like normal. I'll still do my best to keep up on social media so follow Swish Weekly on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@SwishWeekly) to stay up to date.
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I don't see Lebron giving up his player, coach and GM duties in Cleveland to go anywhere, much less to the Lakers. The Lakers, being the young team that they are, actually have to practice and Cleveland is known to not practice much at all. Also, on a related note, Chris Bosh has been spotted at the Lakers practice facility a few times this season. Maybe he makes a return with the Lakers?
I think LeBron cares far more about actually winning than have complete control of the organization. Cleveland allowed LeBron to wield that type of power, but the Lakers front office is far more stout. Magic isn't going to let LeBron walk all over him like Bron was able to do in Cleveland.
Bosh did say in the second part of the Bill Simmons podcast that he would love to play again, but the organization he joined would have to do a lot of work in terms of ensuring he's healthy before he could join. The Lakers could be the only team that would take that risk, plus if that meant a greater chance of adding LeBron, then I could definitely see the Lakers going for it.
Very interesting
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Great, great content as always! Thanks for the post!
All of these options and many more are on the table for the NBA now. These changes would require amendments to the collective bargaining agreement with players, and the current one isn't up until 2024. But Silver and Roberts are trying to work together on this so that amendments can be made in the short term and are trying to use the unrest in college basketball to find a way to make changes that can hopefully help the entire youth basketball environment.
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