Who is Number One: Top Five Current NBA Players

If you know me at all, you know I am a huge basketball enthusiast.  I can literally watch basketball anytime of the day or night.  Growing up as an only child in Winston-Salem, playing or watching basketball always brought great joy to my life.  When I had a bad day, I could always count on the game of basketball providing a refuge for me.  As a child and teenager, I watched a lot of men’s college basketball.  During this era, iconic players such as Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Tim Duncan and other great players could be seen on television a few nights per week.  Conversely, during this time, NBA basketball was going through a transition period from the “Michael Jordan” era.  As such, it appeared that college basketball was more popular and therefore television stations broadcast more college games.

Today, however, if you have basic cable services through Time Warner or Direct Television, you can watch NBA games four or five nights per week.  If, on the other hand, you purchase NBA League Pass, you can likely watch games seven days per week.  The growth and exposure of the NBA has influenced me to watch more and more NBA basketball.  That said: I believe I can provide reasonably based opinions on certain topics pertaining to the NBA.  Today’s topic—which is a favorite barbershop discussion point is: Who are the top five current NBA players?  It seems that everyone has an opinion on this topic, so here is mine:

5.) James Harden:

Five years ago, if someone told me that Harden would become a top five NBA player, I would not have believed it.  But, ironically, those words have come to pass and are true today.  Harden is a phenomenal scorer with an adept touch from deep and an uncanny ability to draw fouls at a very high rate.  Last season, but for Stephen Curry’s great season, he would have likely been named the NBA MVP.  This year, as he is just reaching his prime years, I am expecting even more from Harden.  Unfortunately for him, I just do not see him being able to do enough to overcome the stiff competition out west.

4.) Stephen Curry:

Five years ago, there were people who did not think Curry could become a full-time point guard in the NBA.  He was coming off a number of ankle surgeries and some naysayers said he was too small, not explosive and too weak to be an elite point guard.  Five years later, those people look pretty foolish and a few NBA talent scouts have written apologies for their harsh evaluations of Mr. Curry.  Now, he is the defending NBA MVP, and he is the undisputed leader and best player of the NBA Champions—the Golden State Warriors.

3.) Anthony Davis

It is pretty amazing that Anthony Davis is barely 21 years old, yet is considered one of the top few players in the NBA.  Last year, he had one of the more dominant statistical seasons in recent history. He even willed his team to a playoff bid in the stacked western conference.  From everything I have read about him, he seems to be a hard worker and has likely added additional skills to his game for the new season.  I am expecting him to average 25 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists per game this year.  I truly believe that, so long as he is healthy, he has a chance to be one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

2.) Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant experienced adversity for the first time in his professional career last year.  Last season marked the first time he suffered a major injury that required multiple surgeries and caused him to miss most of the season.  Based on the reports I have read, he is back to full health.  Like any great warrior coming out of adversity, I expect him to be dominant.  I expect him to reclaim his spot as the second best player in the NBA.  This is a spot that was unquestionably his prior to the injury-filled season.

1.) Lebron James

Another year has passed, yet Lebron James is still sitting atop of the NBA hierarchy.  Now, I must say that he won’t have this spot much longer.  For those who thought he had lost a half step last season, you are right.  However, what he has lost in athleticism, he has more than made up for with intelligence and an ability to get the most out of his players.  The 2015 NBA Finals provided James with a platform to show people his ability to dominate so many facets of the game.  Without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love—the second and third best players on his team—he willed the Cleveland Cavaliers to two wins against a much better team—The Golden State Warriors.  I am actually predicting that his production across the board will decrease for the third consecutive year, however, I believe his impact will remain constant.  For that reason, he still occupies the number one spot.

Peace

#BlackLivesMatter: A MOVEMENT, not a moment

#BlackLivesMatter has become a trending topic on social media over the past few months.  Although I cannot recall the exact moment it became popular, it is now very prevalent, but what does it mean?  Before researching it and its origins, I could only assume what it meant.  I assumed it was a way to galvanize Black folks in the midst of widespread discrimination and overt racism.  However, upon researching the hash tag, I learned BLM is actually a movement not much different than other movements during the 1960s.  The movement started on the Internet, but has made its way onto the streets, and even into the middle of the presidential election. 

So what prompted the founders and activists to start BLM?  According to Blacklivesmatter.com, it was created in 2012 following the untimely, tragic death of Trayvon Martin.  Its founders describe it as a “call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society.”  From what I have read about the movement, it seems to be led by Millennials who are fed up with pervasive mistreatment of Black folks in this country.  This mistreatment of Black folks is certainly nothing new and is only being covered by the national media now because there have been a rash of high profile deaths of young, unarmed Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement officers and rogue citizens acting as wannabe officers.  These deaths are only the tip of the iceberg, however.  There are so many injustices that the general public never learns about. 

Like many issues impacting the Black community over the years, the youth, through music, arts and other mediums, have been discussing these serious topics.  Because I am a big hip-hop fan, I like to examine issues from the perspective of the youth who are growing up during this time.  I still remember songs like Self Destruction, F the Police, and Fight the Power.  So, to me, hip-hop has been a driving force in issues related to discrimination, police brutality and racism for many years.  If we look back to the 1990s, hip-hop artists discussed the problems plaguing America through music.  During this time, because hip-hop was still considered a fad, many people dismissed what they said because it did not paint a pretty picture.  But, when you listen to the lyrics that painted pictures about harsh realities, it is clear to see their anger.  That picture is not pretty and the delivery of these messages matched the messages being delivered.  Interestingly, or should I say sadly, the issues being discussed in the 1990s and 1960s are still relevant and very much unresolved today. 

Politicians are very, shall I say, political.  Lately, I have read a number of articles discussing the presidential election.  The BLM movement has reached the radar of many of the candidates.  I could get on a tangent about how some politicians do not care about certain issues until they believe that issue(s) is important to their campaign.  But, I won’t.  According to the articles I have read, many of the presidential candidates have invested huge amounts of time and resources learning about the BLM movement.  In my opinion, this is directly tied to the high profile deaths of unarmed Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement officers.  These politicians can sense that adequately addressing these issues will be very important to gaining the support of large factions of the Black community. However, I wonder why these issues have been overlooked for so long?  Are we just now learning that racial profiling and police brutality are pervasive, longstanding issues in this country?  I think not.  While on the election trail, a few candidates have made the mistake of saying “all lives matter.”  This was not received well, and I can certainly understand why.

BLM is a movement to bring awareness to the many issues plaguing Black folks.  It is not to say that all lives do not matter.  In fact, that is pretty obvious, but the rash of untimely deaths of Black folks in the country has gone relatively unnoticed.  So, a catchy and powerful mantra works nicely as a rallying cry.  It helps all those who are impacted or who care about the issues know how to find information about stories that are related to the movement on any number of social media platforms.  People who are yelling “all lives matter,” including Jeb Bush, are stating the obvious. 

The BLM Movement is about empowering and galvanizing support for issues impacting Black folks.  That does not in any way detract from other efforts or other groups of people.  However, this movement, much like any other targeted movement, is focused on a certain group of people and issues relating to them.  With the string of deaths of Black folks for many years, and the perceived or actual lack of justice, it is reasonable for people to ask themselves, “Do black lives matter?”  That, to me, is the crux of the movement.  I read a series of tweets from an activist who made a very nice parallel between BLM and other movements.  He said, and I am paraphrasing, you never hear people yelling that all forests matter when you see a slogan stating, “save the rainforests.”  One movement’s progress does not detract from another cause. 

I must say that it is very refreshing seeing a movement organized by Black folks for the benefit of Black folks.  During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, there was a strong, collective movement to fight inequality.  At some point between then and now, it seems that some Black folks have lost the desire to ban together to fight against inequality and injustices.  It is almost as if some Black folks feel that we have arrived at the doorstep of racial equality.  Unfortunately, this kind of thinking is an illusion, and is just not steeped in any truth.  Systemic racism, racial profiling, police brutality, and a host of other issues impacting Black folks are still alive and well. 

This movement has the potential to reach many people because this generation has IPhones, cameras, social media and other methods of quickly disseminating information to mass audiences across the world. A tweet can go “viral” in a matter of seconds. In the 1960s, activists had to physically visit places and hope for news coverage in order to reach a wide audience.  Now, millions can see a simple tweet or Instagram video. This type of power and influence should not be taken lightly.  I hope the organizers of this movement continue to push forward and put pressure on politicians to do more than talk.  We need to overhaul the criminal justice system; we need to find methods to eliminate racial profiling, police brutality and other issues impacting Black folks. 

Peace

Chemistry Experiment: Best Hip Hop Duos

The other day, as I was “working,” I came across a meme someone posted to a social media site.  This is a regular occurrence for me because I use social media to break the monotony of my days.  This particular meme displayed the faces and names of four hip hop duos.  It was pretty clear that the person who crafted the meme wanted people to rank the duos in terms of lyricsl prowess, overall skill and chemistry.  The groups of emcess included, in no particular order: Nas and AZ, Redman and Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface Killa, and Styles P. and Jadakiss.  Each duo undoubtedly brings a unique element to the table, but there is one duo that stands out to me above the others.  Below, I will discuss my thoughts.

Redman and Method Man:

It is no secret that Red and Meth are two very talented emcees who have authored some truly classic music together.  Individually, each emcees is respected and Method Man is one of the only emcees who can  say that he out-rhymed the late, great Notorious BIG on a track (Refer to “The What”).  The one thing I like most about this duo is their willingness to have fun on the microphone.  Although they are both super talented, I never had the sense that either emcee took himself too seriously.  My favorite Red and Meth song is “How High.”

Styles P. and Jadakiss:

These two emcees are two of my favorites.  Because they are in a group together, I have heard them on so many tracks over the years.  Jadakiss is the more well known of the two emcees, but quietly, in many circles, Styles ia actually regarded as the better emcee.  With so many hits under their belts, it is very difficult to choose just one song.  However, if I had to choose one song, that song would be “We Gonna Make It.”  I still remember where I was and what I was doing when this song was released. 

Raekwon and Ghostface:

Rae and Ghost are undeniably two of my favorite emcees.  They embody what the golden era of hip hop sounded like.  They also have a very interesting chemistry when they rhyme together.  You can almost see Rae finishing Ghost’s lines, and vice versa.  These two are truly in sync with each other, and I think that can be attributed to the fact that they are good friends outside of the booth.  It is nearly impossible for me to choose just one song that encompasses all that this duo is, however, if I had to choose a song,  it would be “The Heist.”  Both Rae and Ghost are at their best on this track.

Nas and AZ

Escobar and Sosa.  Of all of the duos listed above, this is the best one to me.  They collaborated numerous times over the years and each time was pretty magical.  Nas is arguably the greatest hip hop artist ever.  And, in many circles, AZ is considered the most underrated emcee ever.  My favorite Nas and AZ song is “Mo Money Mo Murder.”  This song is the prequel to many of the gangster inspired stories that were told during the 90s and early 2000s.

Peace

Terrorist at the Gate: Charleston, South Carolina

Historically, churches, especially in the African American community, have stood as pillars of safety,faith and forgiveness.  Our churches have always welcomed people from all walks of life.  Many people who have committed all types of crimes and who have done some of the most reprehensible acts known to man have found a safe haven in church.  I have traveled to many churches during my time on this earth, and I can honestly say that I have never felt unsafe at any of these churches.  It did not matter how sketchy the neighborhood, or how dangerous the city.  People, even criminals, rarely attack rivals anywhere near a church or other sacred building.  Certain lines should never be crossed. 

So, when I heard about the deaths of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church ("EAMEC), I was shocked.  I thought, “there must have been some mistake in reporting.”  Like, maybe, just maybe, the victims were killed near a church (like maybe a few miles from a church).   I just could not believe that these innocent victims had been killed, in cold blood, inside of a church.  If you have been following my blog the past few years, you know that I have not written a blog post in a while.  This is not because I have not wanted to write; rather, it has been that I have not had the time.  After reading about this terrorist attack, however, I felt compelled to write something.  Maybe writing this blog post is my selfish way of releasing some of the emotions that have been circling in my mind the past two days.  The emotions have ranged from shock, to anger, to prayerful, to disheartening.   

Terrorism has been defined as the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.   Let’s be clear: the act that Roof perpetrated was an act of terror, which makes him a terrorist as far as I am concerned.  His attack was steeped in hate for African Americans.  Now, this deep-seated hate that runs through Roof’s blood really is nothing new to this country.  We have seen and heard this hate on many occasions during the history of the United States.  However, in recent history, I cannot recall a situation in which a church was attacked in this manner.  In 1963, more than 50 years ago, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, four young girls lost their lives when 16^th Street Baptist Church was bombed.  Now, over 50 years later, and through the passage of countless laws, countless lives lost fighting for equal rights, we are right back to September 15, 1963.  There is an old adage that “history repeats itself.”  That should be changed to [bad] history repeats itself because that is what we just witnessed. 

Some folks may not be familiar with the history of EAMEC.  EAMEC has been a staple in Charleston, South Carolina since 1816, making it was one of the oldest African American churches in the United States.  It has endured many hardships, including being burned to the ground, being destroyed by an earthquake and even being banned by the state.  None of these obstacles, however, have stopped EAMEC, but the latest obstacle is the most difficult to understand to date.  I find it very ironic that Roof perpetrated his crime at one of the oldest African American churches in the country, and just days before Juneteenth.  Instead of readying for a celebration of Juneteenth, many people are mourning the loss of innocent lives.  I believe this is too ironic to not have been planned by a larger group.  This idea, of course, is unfounded at the moment, but I believe the truth will be uncovered.

The Act is one of the most cowardly, heinous crimes I have ever heard about.  The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing was terrible and unfathomable.  But, this crime is different because of the manner in which it was carried out. Imagine, for a moment, that a person plants a bomb at a church.  Imagine that person arming the bomb and setting it to explode at a certain time.  Now, imagine a person knocking on the door of a church, and then waiting on the church people to let him in.  Then, imagine this person joining a small, intimate prayer group.   Next, imagine the friendly interactions between the church members and the stranger.  Imagine the looks in their eyes and the love they showed to this stranger.  Then, imagine him looking each victim squarely in his or her eyes and seeing the terror and fear in their eyes as he pulled out his weapon.  Then, imagine him shooting each victim, in close range, inside of the church.  I cringed again as I described the scene that unfolded on June 17, 2015.

This act was premeditated, callous, intentional and unwarranted.

Racism still exists, and in some parts of the country, displays of racism are a normal part of life.  That being said, I do not know why some people are so afraid to talk about race.  This case was clearly a hate crime and race was the motivating factor for the act of terror.  According to survivors of the attack, Roof made multiple racist remarks during the commission of the crime.  Other individuals who know him spoke up about his use of racist language towards African American people and about his comments regarding starting a race war.  It truly is sad that you have people who hate other people simply because of the color of their skin.  As far as we have come as a society, we still are nowhere near a society free from the “isms,” including racism, sexism, and classism, to name a few.

Per usual, I went against my better judgment by watching the bond hearing this afternoon.  Roof looked just as cowardly as I thought he might look, but the statements made by family members of the victims were chilling.  Listening to them sob, but still tell Roof they forgave him, let me see how far I have to come in my faith.  Considering the severity of the crimes committed, I do not know many people who would have been uttering words of forgiveness that soon after the commission of a crime.  Maybe, after the wounds had some time to heal, maybe then, thoughts of forgiveness would creep in.  When I watched the bond hearing, all I could think about was Samuel Jackson’s role in “A Time to Kill.”  All that being said, I admire the strength and faith displayed by the family members of the victims.  

Lastly, some people were up in arms because his bond was set at a million dollars.  The presiding judge only had jurisdiction over the gun charges, not the murder charges.  Those charges will be addressed at a later time, but there is no chance that Roof will be getting out on bail. 

This act of terror has impacted millions of people.  The City of Charleston lost some great people who did not deserve to die.  You only hope that Roof, who has confessed to killing the victims, will get what is coming to him.  I sincerely hope he does not take his own life before he can be brought before a jury of his peers and punished to the fullest extent of the law. 

Peace