Is This the Thanks Cam Gets?

How often is it that a Most Valuable Player (MVP) winning quarterback that led his team to a Super Bowl appearance gets shown the front door by a franchise that selected him with the first overall pick? The answer is never — unless you’re Cam Newton — one of the most disrespected athletes of all time.

The racial tones, baffling hot-takes and overall out-of-bounds analysis on Newton is hardly a new thing. In college, the far and away best player at the collegiate level, Newton, was chastised and even described as “disengenuos” and “having a fake smile” by Pro Football Weekly’s Nolan Nawrocki. Newton’s bravery, Superman-like stature and unapologetic blackness seem to rarely ever get a fair shake in the eyes of media members and NFL teams.

When he won the Heisman they yelled “he will never do it in the NFL,” when he was the MVP they yelled “he dances too much and is too cocky” and now that the injuries have unfortunately piled up on Newton the same naysayers are pronouncing his career to be over.

Whether you fall on the side of Newton supporter or detractor, one thing that can not be debated is the absurd handling of this divorce by the Carolina Panthers. Let’s take a look at just what Newton has meant to the organization on and off the field.

On the Field Production

For a franchise that has been around for 25 years, Newton is the best signal-caller they have ever had, and the numbers prove it. Many critics say Cam is a lousy passer of the football, so bad that he ranks No. 1 in Panther’s franchise history in passing yards and touchdowns. The second-place quarterback in each category, Jake Delhomme, trails Newton by 10,000 yards and 62 touchdowns. 

Take Drew Brees for an example. One of the games best and most accomplished quarterbacks of all time. Brees holds some of the most heralded NFL records one could want including passing touchdowns and yards. Since Brees reinvented his career in New Orleans under the tutelage of offensive guru Sean Payton, the Saints have been in great hands. However, here is something interesting to think about. Why is it that Brees for all his glory was never questioned about his football skills early in his career, yet Newton does time and time again?

When taking a closer look at each signal-callers numbers, Newton has outperformed Brees by a wide margin over there first 125 career games. Newton has played in 125 games since entering the league, in that stretch he has totalled 33,806 yards and 240 touchdowns. Brees, on the other hand, totalled 215 touchdowns and 31,978 yards.

See where this is heading? 

Think fans did not want Newton back with the Panthers? In late December, fans purchased a billboard that read “Keep Cam in Carolina.” 

“Cam Newton has brought so much joy, passion, loyalty, and culture to the Carolina Panthers, the City of Charlotte, and the Two-State Region, that we want to show him and the team how much we want him to stay,” a GoFundMe Page for the billboards read.

Carolina wanted to move on, fine, however, the fashion in which the decision is taking place is damning for one of the franchises greatest players. 

Cam’s Philanthropic Impact

For all of Newton’s accomplishments on the field that deserve praise, his off the field resume is one that should not go unnoticed in the bigger picture. In 2019, although Newton barely played due to injury, the team still nominated him for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award — an honor bestowed upon a nominee from each NFL team that recognizes athletes for their outstanding community service and excellence on the field. The award is named after the late legend and Hall of Fame Chicago Bear Walter Payton for his humanitarian work.

In a time when athletes have to be chastised or called out for not giving back to their communities, Newton has proven to be the opposite. Since founding the Cam Newton Foundation in 2012, Newton has provided over $5.13 million in grant allocations, resources for programs to thrive, donations to K-12 schools and non-profit organizations with great causes in Charlotte and Atlanta. 

In addition to the $5.13 million Cam donated through his Foundation, the former MVP separately started two annual events that helps families in need. “Thanksgiving Jam” and “Santa Cam Surprise Sleigh” each are tremendous with the former serving over 1,300 underprivileged families and the latter surpassing over $100,000 in donations.

Newton is not just a typical football player basking in his money and fame; this is a young man who provides a bolt of energy and joy into a community without asking for anything in return. To list out all of Newton’s great deeds would require an article within itself, but it is obvious his impact on the Charlotte area should have warranted more than a cast-off tweet from the Panthers’ organization giving Newton the right to seek a trade.

Conclusion

Where someone falls on the side of this debate is up to them entirely. Many believe Newton can still play at a high level, and others feel his best days are well behind him. All in all, that is the most irrelevant portion of this conversation. How does a franchise push its greatest quarterback out of the backdoor in an announcement on Twitter? That is unjust and one that Newton doesn’t deserve. 

Back in December when the fans’ billboard went up in support of Newton, he had the following to say: “I won’t [leave the Panthers]. They got to ship me off for me to leave … In order for me to leave, they got to get rid of me. It’s not up to me.”

It is a shame Newton will no longer call Carolina home again. Is this the thanks he gets?

Houston Gets Bold as Harden’s Championship Window Narrows

The weight a true NBA superstar holds on their shoulders is that of immense pressure and expectations. For every large contract, massive billboard promotion and endless TV and sneaker deals — the other side shows a more concerning reality — a story of falling short, media abuse and chasing the over-glorified NBA championship.

For the all-time winners, we praise for their historic championship runs, including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Bill Russell, we tend to under-appreciate the incredible contributions of great players who never hoisted up the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy including Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson or Reggie Miller.

Enter James Harden: A superstar that has rewritten the record books with every dazzling performance he put on during the 2018-2019 campaign. “The Beard” as many tend to call him, is heading toward a potential career-altering season that will either put him in conversations more aligned with Jordan — or unfiled expectations like Barkley.

The pressing question is, how will Harden, 29, finish the final lap of his career?

Harden took his game to levels that caught many across the NBA landscape off guard in 2019. While Harden will be Hall of Fame-bound one day, he rarely is recognized amongst the top 3 in the NBA alongside LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Even with impressive numbers and winning league’s Most Valuable Player honors, Harden continues to face criticism for his postseason shortcomings than his regular season heroics.

This season, Harden averaged 36.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists. During a two month stretch, the MVP boasted a ridiculous 32 game streak in which he scored 30 or more points — making him second on the list behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 65 in league history. When it’s all said and done Harden will have better all-around numbers than Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and many other First-Ballot Hall of Famers, but how will history remember him?

In 2017, Harden and the Rockets had a complete meltdown. One so historically shocking that legendary journalist Bill Rhoden couldn’t recall ever seeing in his 40-plus years of writing.

“I’ve never seen anything like I saw last week when Houston completely disintegrated,” Rhoden said on his podcast. “James Harden melted, Mike D’Antoni’s system melted.”

While Rhoden’s remarks are from two years prior, much hasn’t changed as the 2018 and 2019 Houston Rockets have faced disappointing defeats to the Warriors in playoff contention. Harden who averaged 34.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the semi-finals this year, still left much to be desired in critical moments — most specifically only shooting the ball once in the final seven minutes of regulation in game five.

Tempers flared between Chris Paul (L) and James Harden (R) this season (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

The Rockets undoubtedly celebrated when Durant, despite his Achilles tear, departed Golden State in July to the Eastern Conference’ Brooklyn Nets, giving Houston its best shot of supplanting Golden State and reaching the NBA Finals.

While Anthony Davis is now in commission with LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard joining forces with Paul George on the Clippers — the Rockets have a chemistry advantage and a younger, bigger and more explosive point guard in Russel Westbrook— who was recently traded to Houston for Chris Paul and draft capital. Harden now has a new running mate, but many of the same concerns linger.

For all the accolades and phenomenal statistics, Houston’s superstar continues to perform below the lofty expectations placed on his shoulders. In the last three postseasons, Harden has averaged fewer points, rebounds, assists on less efficiency, a noticeable decrease in all significant statistics in comparison to his regular season numbers over the same period.

Harden, who will turn 30 in August is reaching the now or never territory on an NBA championship run. While Houston has given the Warriors their most onerous task in the Western Conference to date, there are younger teams on the rise who have a brighter outlook than the Rockets moving forward including the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpois is 24, Nikola Jokic, 24, Anthony Davis, the newest addition to the Laker family is 26.

This is the future of the NBA.

That goes without mentioning the strong off-seasons the Clippers, Jazz, Blazers and Spurs have had.

While the championship window grows thinner, a reported rift between Chris Paul and Harden is what likely ended any possibility of the backcourt tandem winning big together. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Harden and Paul were at odds during the 2018-2019 campaign.

“There was something of a clash of styles brewing throughout the Rockets season, with members of the team — most notably Paul — having spirited discussions with Mike D’Antoni about the offense and pushing for more movement, league sources told The Athletic.”

“Harden and Paul had tense moments with one another throughout Game 6, culminating in a verbal back-and-forth postgame that went into the locker room, sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic. Sources said the verbal exchange between Harden and Paul was regarding the ball distribution throughout Game 6. By the time the remainder of the locker room was ready to talk, Paul and Harden had gone their separate ways, with Paul swiftly making his way to the postgame podium.”

With Paul out of the picture and Westbrook stepping into the fray, it is imperative for the two ultra-talented guards to ban together and win an NBA Championship. Their legacies are depending on it.

Now is Steph’s Chance at Basketball Immortality

Since Kevin Durant decided to join the Golden State Warriors in July of 2016, it hasn’t always been so easy for the franchises favorite son, Stephen Curry. Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history and two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP), was for the most part riding high before Durant came into the picture; winning league MVP honors twice and splitting championships with LeBron in 2015 and 2016.

Curry was (and still remains) a feared sniper and highly respected, yet, the temperature around the greater half of the splash brother duo has shifted for the worse. Why is that?

While Curry has averaged 26.3 points, six assists and 4.9 rebounds during Durant’s time in East Oakland, it’s almost as if he has been relegated to a glorified Robin when in fact that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Many argue in favor of the Warriors being Durant’s team as he secured Finals MVP honors in back to back championship runs against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Durant’s reputation has escalated for going toe-to-toe with LeBron and Curry has been labeled an underachiever in the games biggest stage.

On that stage, in four separate appearances, Curry has averaged Over 25 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Still, there remains grave doubt Curry, and teammate Klay Thompson can lead the Warriors back from a 3-1 deficit against the Toronto Raptors. Outside opinions, however, don’t rattle the champions as they rely on their experience to overcome obstacles.

“I think they rely on their experience,” Livingston told reporters. “They’ve been doing it for a while. There’s no pressure being down, what, six points, two minutes left? At that point they’ve got 25, 30 points, so they take the shot. You trust them. They know they’re getting the ball. That’s just how we play, how they play.”

Steph Curry (L) celebrating with teammate Klay Thompson (R)

Arguments in favor of the Warriors needing Durant to secure championships are unfair to a nucleus of Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. The more appropriate assertion is that Durant needed Golden State. Durant was the Oklahoma City Thunders (OKC) best player and surrendered a commanding 3-1 series lead against the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals and ultimately was defeated. Two months later, he would depart OKC for the Warriors.

Durant, even with his immense talent, didn’t know how to win. It’s fair to argue he would’ve reached the mountaintop with OKC point guard Russell Westbrook eventually, however, Durant’s actions prove that was a risk he wasn’t willing to take.

As Durant helped carry the Warriors to consecutive championships, he is now sidelined with a ruptured Achilles tendon. The pressure to perform is back where it all started in 2015 on the shoulders of Curry. While you’ll be hard to find a single soul celebrating the absence of Durant, the unfortunate injury presents an opportunity for Curry to leapfrog his way name into conversations more aligned with Jordan, James, Bryant, and Magic.

Headline from the 2014 playoffs as Kevin Durant failed to win a pivotal game.

“We just kind of go out there and play,” Thompson said. “We’re very in tune with each other being that we’ve played with each other for years. So when we hit the open man — Steph doesn’t stop moving. Same for me. So it just comes down to having the chemistry we do with the team and just playing that ball movement type of basketball. I know Steph has been doing it for 10 years with this organization, and me eight. So we know what it’s like to take those, and we can live with the make or miss. It’s just what it comes down to.”

Magic lost four NBA finals, LeBron six, Kobe and Shaq two a piece. All is not lost should Curry ultimately fall short – but ponder for a moment what the legend of Curry will catapult to should he lead the Warriors to a miraculous championship, washing away the memory of 2016’s nightmare.

Were the Pelicans Wise to Pass on Lakers Offer?

The never-ending whirlwind surrounding the future of Anthony Davis has been a season-long headache for fans, teammates and front office of the New Orleans Pelicans. Davis, a superstar and one of the NBA’s elite talents made it clear he wanted to be traded — specifically to the Los Angeles Lakers. With the season winding down and the Pelicans heading nowhere fast, were they wise or foolish to pass up on the Lakers impressive trade package before the Feb 5 deadline?

Rumors circulated in Feb that Lakers executives Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka offered the Pelicans an impressive offer for Davis that included Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac, Kentavious-Caldwell Pope and two first-round picks. Should those rumors be true, the Pelicans dropped the ball in this matter. While Davis is having another incredible season averaging 25.9 points and 12 rebounds per game, Pelicans ownership has struggled over his seven-year career to put together a consistent winner. From the baffling firing of Monty Williams to letting star center Demarcus Cousins walk in free agency, the Pelicans franchise have wasted valuable prime years of arguably basketballs best talent.

The Lakers offer would have solidified the Pelicans with a young core of players who have yet to reach their peak, and they still could have used 2013 NBA All-star guard Jrue Holiday in trade talks to acquire more young talent and draft picks.

So why did the Pelicans pass on the Lakers lofty offer? Perhaps it was to spite LeBron James and Klutch Sports Group Agent Rich Paul?

While the Pelicans have a right to be upset with potential tampering that may have taken place between James, Paul, and his client Davis, the NBA remains a business, and the front office should have moved on from their franchise player quickly. While teams such as the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers may get involved in trade talks this summer, do they have the assets that would surpass that of the Lakers offer?

Doubtful.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge and Clippers consultant Jerry West are all-time great front office executives, and they rarely overpay to acquire a player. The chances of either Ainge or West offering anything close to what Johnson and the Lakers made available is unrealistic.

Rob Pelinka (L) and Magic Johnson (R).

In the end, maybe the Pelicans are banking on cooler heads to prevail, and Davis will reevaluate his situation during the summer; Similar to 2007 when Laker legend Kobe Bryant demanded a trade out of Los Angeles only to ultimately stay put and win consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010. While the notion of Davis changing his mind may have once been a bright idea, his appearance on LeBron James’s HBO show The Shop delivered a gut punch to Pelicans fans everywhere.

The Pelicans superstar made it clear he’s ready to take control of his career: “As the CEO of my own business, I got the power. I’m doing what I wanna do and not what somebody’s telling me to do.”

Davis is ready for a change and with a franchise record of 250-319 since drafting him in 2012, the Pelicans should be too!

The Biggest Issue in The NFL Today

Before our very eyes, the National Football league has become a place with a far from ideal identity. From the heroic stance of Colin Kaepernick to the biter back and forth between commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, America’s favorite sport has become something of a confusing mess.

Now, while the forefront of the NFL’s news circuit revolves around social protest and April’s NFL draft, the topic of race is at the heart of the conversation, leaving me to ponder on why quarterbacks of color are rarely heralded with the same level of praise as their white counterparts?

For every quarterback such as Sam Darnold or Mitch Trubisky, who receive praise and admiration for their skillset coming out of college — we see sharp critique and undervaluing of a Deshaun Watson or Lamar Jackson — African-American quarterbacks who excelled to the top of college football.

Photo Credit: Andy Lyons / Getty Images

This issue has been ongoing for decades, while rarely bringing about healthy dialogue or positive outcomes. Why are quarterbacks of color looked at as gadgets or one trick ponies while their white counterparts are often given more leeway and attention to succeed?

Deshaun Watson versus Mitch Trubisky.

Sam Darnold versus Lamar Jackson.

In 2011, the discussion was centered around young signal callers Cam Newton, Jake Locker or Blain Gabbert. As laughable as that may seem now, Newton, the 2015 MVP, who dominated college football, was scrutinized by some as a kid who would never make it as an NFL quarterback.

Pro Football Weekly’s Nolan Nawrocki had the following to say about Newton leading up to the 2011 NFL Draft.

“Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup,” Nawrocki wrote in his scouting report. “Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room … Lacks accountability, focus, and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.”

A fake smile? Nawrocki’s dangerous rhetoric seeps itself into mainstream platforms, forcing young quarterbacks of color into unnecessary criticism.

But why is that? Very rarely do we find an African-American quarterback who is considered the consensus “guy” in a draft class — not without a hurdle or two at least.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers budding star Jameis Winston was a rarity entering in the NFL three short years ago. Winston, in contrast to many other quarterbacks of color actually was regarded as the best at his position throughout the entire draft process. It should also be noted his head coach at the time was Lovie Smith – an African-American.

Cam Newton, Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert caused debates as to who should be No. 1

Before Winston, you’d probably have to go all the way back to 2001 when Michael Vick’s immense abilities running and throwing the football were far too impressive to ignore. Just think about that – a decade-plus gap in between consensus can’t-miss African-American quarterback prospects. While names such as Newton and former Oakland Raider Jamarcus Russell went No. 1 in their respective draft classes, both faced sharp critique throughout the process.

There is something rather odd about that. If you aren’t the most athletic quarterback (Vick) or excelled in a pro-style offense (Winston), you will face harsh critique time and time again.

African-American quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott, and Watson should’ve been top-of-the-line draft prospects, but for some reason, they weren’t. Why is that?

The troubling trend appears to have no end in sight as much of the critique now appears to be even more confusing and simply bizarre. Jackson, a lot like Vick, is a once in a decade athlete with an arm that can rocket 60 yard throws down the field effortlessly. At 6’3 with virtually no injury history, why is Jackson not being considered a first-round prospect?

Recently Mel Kiper and Todd McShay gathered together for a chat around the NFL drafts most promising prospects. During the discussion Jackson became topic of discussion in which McShay had the following to say:

“He’s not in the Round 1 conversation at this point. The Louisville quarterback still has a long way to go in terms of making throws from the pocket and being accurate down the field. He is a dynamic athlete, however, and he’s going to light up the combine. What worries me is that he’s a runner first with a slight 6-foot-3 frame, and those guys don’t usually hold up in the NFL, where everyone’s a great athlete.”

So, he’s a great athlete and needs to improve his accuracy?

This reminds me of another prospect in the 2018 draft that is receiving far more praise than Jackson. As Jackson continues to get criticized for being a phenomenal athlete who struggles a bit with his accuracy, why is Wyoming’s Josh Allen who has greater accuracy concerns in play for No. 1 overall?

Allen has posted a 56% completion percentage over the past two season with the Wyoming Cowboys. Jackson, on the other hand, completed 56% of his passes in 2016 and improved on that number in 2017 completing 59%. Jackson outperformed Allen in every major quarterback statistic over the past year with considerably higher marks in yards per attempt (8.7 to 6.7) and quarterback rating (146.6 to 127.8)

Although Allen is a great athlete with outstanding arm strength, he’s not in the same conversation with Jackson in terms of dynamic playmaking ability. This is the latest example of NFL evaluators being overcritical of African American QB prospects.

The unfair treatment and over-evaluation have a serious impact on the athletes involved.

Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor, in the aftermath of briefly being benched in favor of fifth-round rookie Nathan Peterman, stated his frustration with the obstacles that come with being an African-American QB in the NFL.

“It’s always going to be twice as bad just because of who I am – an African-American quarterback,” Taylor said. “Look across the league, man. We’re held to a certain standard. We almost have to be perfect.”

Taylor continued, “I wouldn’t say it’s just an African-American quarterback thing. It’s an African-American athlete thing – or just an African-American thing. And that’s not anything I just found out. It’s been that way since I was a kid.”

From Jackson to Taylor to Newton, this is an issue that remains prominent in the NFL. The question moving forward is when will it ever change?

Why Lavar Ball Should Quiet Down While Trying to Reinvent the Wheel

The biggest story in basketball outside of LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors is arguably none other than Lavar Ball, father of UCLA sensation and soon-to-be NBA lottery pick Lonzo Ball. Lavar, like we’ve seen fathers do in the past, namely Richard Williams and Earl Woods, takes a completely hands-on approach when dealing with his son’s race to professional basketball. What makes Lavar different from Williams and Woods, however, is his unapologetic and sometimes rude antics which may ultimately have a negative effect on his eldest son’s future. With the NBA draft less than a month away, I can’t stress the following point to Mr. Ball enough: SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET!

Earlier in the week news broke that the Los Angeles Lakers, now being run by Hall of Fame point guard and legend, Magic Johnson, aren’t sold on Lonzo Ball and as of today;  wouldn’t select him with the No. 2 overall pick. For those uninformed, Lonzo, the eldest of three talented brothers (LiAngelo, 18 and LaMelo, 15) is a Chino Hills native who made his name throughout California with his dynamic passing abilities that aligned him in comparison to NBA greats Jason Kidd and Magic himself. Ball has been a childhood sensation in the Los Angeles area and even took his talents to the UCLA Bruins where he completed a successful season averaging 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game. In the past year, Ball’s college home games were the talk of the town – far outweighing the Lakers current mess.

Now, this is where things get interesting. Lonzo, being a Hollywood kid who has made it very clear on multiple occasions that he wants to be a Laker, now finds himself in a situation where his dream scenario may not come to fruition. Why’s that?

The answer is clear as day: Lavar Ball.

Lavar and Lonzo Ball

I commend Ball for being a tough-minded parent who raised three young men who could all end up in the NBA together in about four years from now, but when it comes to his eldest son’s draft stock and future assets, Mr. Ball has simply gone too far and the Lakers slight uncertainty regarding Lonzo is just the latest example. To understand this possible thinking from the Lakers you have to look much deeper into the situation.

The problem isn’t Lavar saying his son is better than Steph Curry or Mr. Ball himself declaring he could defeat Michael Jordan in a pickup game of one on one. Those are just silly moments that create great television, the real issue is Mr. Ball’s perceived arrogance in interviews and his clear aim to defeat the sneaker companies which he feels are undervaluing athletes – something he refuses to see happen with his sons.

“We’ve said from the beginning, we aren’t looking for an endorsement deal,” LaVar said, according to ESPN. “We’re looking for co-branding, a true partner. But they’re not ready for that because they’re not used to that model. But hey, the taxi industry wasn’t ready for Uber, either.”

Lonzo Ball. Photo credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Last month, Adidas, Nike and Under Armour all retracted their offers to Lonzo on a potentially lucrative sneaker deal after negotiations with Lavar didn’t go as planned. Mr. Ball made it very clear that he wanted a $1 billion deal for his three sons which would include promoting his self-owned Big Baller Brand in the process. The idea isn’t too far-fetched, it just hasn’t been done on a very successful level since Michael Jordan launched his brand in 1984. Jordan is under the Nike umbrella; however, he has his own sector of athletes and allocations within the brand. Mr. Ball and the Big Baller Brand wish to create the same magic Jordan accomplished. Kanye West is another artist who was able to bring his brand under the Adidas umbrella and create a highly successful clothing and sneaker line. The problem for the Balls as it stands right now is simple, Lonzo is not Michael Jordan and he isn’t the cultural icon that West is worldwide.

Demanding a $1 billion contract with zero NBA experience is one that Lavar had to have known was simply out of reach. Perhaps he is creating a foundation for when Lonzo becomes a star down the line? It’s a possibility but still a reach. Nike co-founder Phil Knight called the price tag “a little bit steep,” but didn’t stop short of praising Lonzo as an “Awfully great player.” Knight confirmed that Nike indeed had interest.

What’s clear is that Lavar is trying to reinvent the wheel. For years since Jordan redefined the game, athletes put their signatures on the first or second offer they receive, eager to start making endorsement dollars and commercial exposure. Mr. Ball is certainly not following the script and should receive some credit for playing hardball, knowing that if he ends up winning, the difference can be tens of millions of dollars.

His sneaker endeavors and daring personality have caused headaches for some, but his biggest issue thus far came about when visiting Fox Sports 1’s, The Herd radio show. In an incident which led to national debate and even a now classic rant from The Breakfast Club radio host Charlamagne aimed at Fox Sports 1 journalist Jason Whitlock, we saw Mr. Ball in a troublesome argument with the co-host of The Herd, Kristine Leahy. The two went back and forth about their issues with one another when Lavar exclaimed Leahy to “Stay in your lane.”

This was ultimately the last straw for a lot of individuals who were already on the fence about Lavar and his perceived antics. The man no one knew just a few short months ago is now being examined as either a troubled man with issues or a brilliant guy who has learned how to create entertainment by using the media to his advantage. For now, that question and debate still remain to be answered. If I can give Mr. Ball any advice moving forward at least up until the NBA draft, it would be this: Stay out of the spotlight, stay out of the newspapers, let Lonzo control the situation and his destiny.

After all, it could be the difference between your son going to one of the game’s greatest franchises in the Lakers, or being miserable in a small market location with the Sacremento Kings or Orlando Magic.

Hard Work Made Malcolm Brogdon a Star

For many young and talented athletes, the norm has greatly shifted. The days of young basketball prodigies going to college, graduating, and then pursuing a career in sports have almost become non-existent. Dr. Jann H. Adams, a professor of Psychology at Morehouse College, helped shape her son, Malcolm Brogdon, into a highly talented basketball player who always put hard work and education first.

Brogdon, a 6-foot-5 senior guard at the University of Virginia, is one of the nation’s best basketball players. His averages of 18.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists were good enough for him to be nominated for the Naismith Trophy given to the male and female college player of the year.

Unfortunately for Brogdon, his college career ended Sunday when No. 10 seed Syracuse upset No. 1 seed Virginia in the Midwest Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.

The world may finally be noticing the supreme skills Brogdon possesses on the hardwood, however, his mother was one of the first to notice it years ago.

“I knew by seventh grade he was really good compared to his peers,” Adams said. “He was on a really good seventh-grade team at his school and I could tell Malcolm was the best among his peers at the time.”

Although clearly talented at basketball early, Brogdon showed equal promise on the soccer field. Great success in both sports put Brogdon in a crossroads early in his life as he was forced to make a decision between the two sports he loved the most.

“His soccer club was in a highly competitive league at the time as well,” Adams said. “We realized he couldn’t play both sports due to traveling and practices. He ultimately decided to go for basketball.”

Malcolm is the youngest of three boys. Gino Brogdon, 28, is a 2008 Morehouse graduate and John Brogdon, 25, is currently enrolled at Harvard Law School. Much of Malcolm’s hard work on the hardwood and relentless competitiveness is credited to his brother John, who shared a similar love for basketball and extreme work ethic to get better

“My older brother was always in the gym and I saw how hard he worked,” Malcolm told ESPN.com. “Around middle school, I was in there with him and I started to love it.”

(L-R) Dr. Jann Adams, Malcolm Brogdon and his brothers John and Gino Brogdon/Photo courtesy of Dr. Adams

Adams, who is a true believer in work ethic and performing to the best of your ability, has noticed the trend spread throughout her entire family, including Malcolm.

“I think we have a family that really has always focused on work,” Adams said. “The idea is some people are super gifted and talented. I think you just have to be talented enough and outwork everybody. Our thing around schoolwork and everything was work ethic. My (former) husband was a hard worker and I work hard as well. I think our children really got to see that first-hand.”

Brogdon has built a reputation for working on his weaknesses since arriving onto the national scene in 2013 as a freshman. That same mindset and intensity toward getting better are what helped lead him to Virginia before he even knew it.

“People would say things like his feet were too slow and he’s not this or that,” Adams said. “They would say to him as early as the ninth grade that he wasn’t athletic enough to play D-I (Division I) basketball. But he continued to work.”

The early critics of Brogdon have now proven to be false to the core. However, those same naysayers helped motivate him as he continued to outwork his peers, which eventually led to colleges noticing.

“That was my motivation,” Brogdon told ESPN.com. “People would downplay how good I was, or my athleticism would be the knock, and that added fuel to the fire.”

Brogdon received his first offer at the end of 10th grade from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Upon visiting that summer, Brogdon wasn’t the biggest fan of the heavy military format of the institution.

A year later, Brogdon received his first big offer from Clemson University. Following Clemson came a number of impressive schools including Vanderbilt, Harvard, Georgia, and Virginia, where he ultimately decided to attend after a memorable visit.

“I liked the visit to Virginia because I know how some of the recruiting processes can be,” Adams said. “They take you out to steak dinners and bring you to parties. Virginia didn’t do any of that. By the end of our visit, Malcolm wanted to commit that night, but I wouldn’t let him. The commitment came the very next day. I loved the way they treated him. The visit was respectful of our values and focused on the right things.”

Brogdon had his fair share of difficult moments at Virginia. During his freshman season, Brogdon broke a bone in his foot, which sidelined him for the remainder of that season, and ultimately led to a red-shirt sophomore year in which he remained in school but did not play on the team.

The broken bone healing process was a very difficult one that served as a character-building period for the Atlanta native. Although Brogdon was healthy enough to play by January of his sophomore year, the redshirt prohibited him from doing so.

“Going through something like that totally changes your perspective,” Brogdon told ESPN.com. “It’s humbling and shows you that you can be a big, D-I athlete but in the flick of a moment, you can be taken down. It made me realize that basketball is just a game; there’s also other things in life that you should put your focus toward.”

Brogdon used that time sidelined to work even harder, which helped him refocus on his education. Last spring Brogdon received his bachelor’s degree in History and is now enrolled in an accelerated masters program at UVA’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, which he will graduate from this May.

“I feel super proud of him,” Adams said. “My philosophy in life has been if you have good character and you’re willing to work, it will all work out.”

Brogdon has already won the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors and was in contention for the Naismith Trophy with Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Denzel Valentine (Michigan State). Adams remains grateful and excited for his opportunities in the near and distant future.

“Malcolm’s actual long-term goal has always been to start an NGO (non-governmental organization),” Adams said. “He very much wants to do work in West Africa and that’s honestly what I want for him. If Malcolm can play in the NBA for 10 years, he will be in his 30s. So then he’s going to have a whole long life after that and he can use his masters and build relationships that will allow him to do great work.”