A LEGEND IS BORN III

[Fresh8]

Yeah, there will be opportunities when they arise. There's one going right now actually. Look on the previous page.

[Mandich]

I know I'm a bit late with the article thing, but oh well

Hello, my name is Luka Mandich, I'm a 21 year point guard from Croatia. I'm 6'0“ tall with a big wingspan of 6'5“. However, If I want to leave a mark in the NBA, I must hit the gym due to my slight frame of 175 lbs. When I was growing up, my biggest Idol was Steve Francis, so I imitate his game. I must say I can handle the ball very good, and I'm quite fast too. I was one of the faster players on draft combine. My vertical leap is 41 inches so I have no problem dunking the ball. However my jump shot needs a significant improvement, I have shot the ball only .412 % in Euroleague while playing for Cibona Zagreb, and just .321% from downtown. Taken in mind that the percentages will lower in the NBA, my shot is my biggest problem. My defense is a bit shaky due to my laziness on defense, but when I'm hyped I can be a lock-down perimeter defender. I must say I am inconsistent as a player, but also as a person. I had a lot of problems as a child. My father was an alcoholic and he used to beat me and my brother up. Thank God a neighbor noticed it one day and called the police. He is now serving a 10-year prison sentence for domestic violence. My mother is a hardworking women, she had 2 jobs while I was growing up to help me and my brother to have a better childhood. Unfortunately, I ruined that for her. I started consummating drugs and alcohol big time, and was in jail for 6-months because the police cached me with marijuana. My younger brother went down the way with me and he is currently on rehab, trying to give up drugs. I was quite a trouble maker in my younger days, getting into a lot of fights and having bad grades. But you need to know one thing, I have changed.
Today I am a peaceful man who wants to play in the NBA just to show all the people who said I will never make anything out of my life, that I will be more successful than them. I want to repay my mother for everything she has done for me, I want to help my brother to get over the drug problem, I want to get them out of Croatia, it is a country full of criminal and corruption. My IQ is 129, was tested on the economics university I was taking during playing for Cibona Zagreb. I lead the team to 3 consecutive national team championship, led the team to Euroleague top 4 two times and we were knocked out both times in the semi-finals by Barcelona and Maccabbi. I the course of my Zagreb career I averaged 19.4 points a game, 8.2 assists a game, 4.1 rebounds a game, 1.6 steals and 0.5 blocks a game.
I guarantee to any team that picks me, I am going to work my As* off. You never saw a harder worker than me, I always give 110 percent no mater what. Sure, I may be the worst of the best draftees talent-wise, but I am the best in Hustle, Team work and work rate.
I am Luka Mandich and I want to be known as the hardest worker the NBA has ever seen !

[Fresh8]

I will give you 10 points for participating. But it won't be judged out of fairness to everyone else.

Keep an eye out for future points opportunities.

[newc]

Luka Mandich is cool

Wolves could use a hardworker like him

[Fresh8]

Luka Mandich is cool

Wolves could use a hardworker like him

Who made you the mouthpiece of the Wolves???

EDIT: Looks like Kahn's love for Euro flops extends to you.

[newc]

Luka Mandich is cool

Wolves could use a hardworker like him

Who made you the mouthpiece of the Wolves???

EDIT: Looks like Kahn's love for Euro flops extends to you.

I'm not a flop, I am the Rookie of the year

[Fresh8]

Luka Mandich is cool

Wolves could use a hardworker like him

Who made you the mouthpiece of the Wolves???

EDIT: Looks like Kahn's love for Euro flops extends to you.

I'm not a flop, I am the Rookie of the year

Oh yeah. I forgot that.

Imagine if Darko won ROY instead of Lebron. That's what you did to L-Train.

[The X]

I got 2 Lakers' swingman jerseys. Yellow home Caron Butler & white alternative Shaquille O'Neal. Both $5 each when in LA

[Fresh8]

This week, I request you to wear the Shaq one before our game.

[newc]

Luka Mandich is cool

Wolves could use a hardworker like him

Who made you the mouthpiece of the Wolves???

EDIT: Looks like Kahn's love for Euro flops extends to you.

I'm not a flop, I am the Rookie of the year

Oh yeah. I forgot that.

Imagine if Darko won ROY instead of Lebron. That's what you did to L-Train.

How many rings does LeBron have? And how many does Darko have?

[Fresh8]

Results of Writing Comp

My scores are based on 1 or 10 only.

Relevance: - How relevant it is to the story, that is, keeping with the theme, storyline and realistic.

Dare: 1 (yawn)

George: 9 (had to subtract a point for being a suck up)

Houndy: 1 (knows his own stat averages down to the decimal point? Realistic much? Even players who are full of themselves don't bother recalling their averages to the exact decimal place)


Communication - How well the article is written since it makes it interesting to read by holding the readers' attention.

Dare: 2 (added a point because he knew when to stop, lol)

George: 1 (what worked for him in relevance, worked against him in this category )

Houndy: 2 (forgot to name his draftee and article not interesting but had to add a point since it did get my attention, though in a negative way)


Enjoyability - Overall enjoyability of the article. Take into account whether it's actually meaningful and a good read overall. Mere showboating is boring!

Dare: 2 (plus one point for showing some cajones in that short thing he did)

George: 9 (glanced it previously and already caught my attention. Minus a point for his article's flow)

Houndy: 2 (added a point because I'm guessing stat freaks can appreciate his article's approach)

Dare: 5/30
George: 19/30
Houndy: 5/30

Sorry if its a bit late, was out the last two days

Relevance: - How relevant it is to the story, that is, keeping with the theme, storyline and realistic.

Dare: 6 - Nothing really about his player, and playing the race card is just plain boring
George: 10 - Decent insights into the background story, ok realistic
Houndy: 2 - absurd story, absurd made-up stats and even more of a boast than Lebron. Enough said

Communication - How well the article is written since it makes it interesting to read by holding the readers' attention.

Dare: 10 - He got his point across decent enough, even though I don't like the writing style of it.
George: 6 - Lack of good spacing, needs a better structure and much better grammar needed. I may be harsh on this but for me personally that's important
Houndy: 10 - Same with dare, decent at bringing across his "insight" even if it was ridiculous

Enjoyability - Overall enjoyability of the article. Take into account whether it's actually meaningful and a good read overall. Mere showboating is boring!

Dare: 6 - Playing the race card is old hat
George: 10 - Not a bad read if all the grammar, structure, spacing, sentencing mistakes are eliminated
Houndy: 2 - as the note said, mere showboating is boring and his "article" took that word to another level

Dare: 22/30
George: 26/30
Houndy: 14/30

I went with a different scoring system ... dunno how to transfer it, that's your job then I backed my opinion up in your thread.

Dare: 6/15 ~ 12/30
George 9/15 ~ 18/30
Houndy 11/15 ~ 22/30

So Houndy's the best for me.

Relevance: - How relevant it is to the story, that is, keeping with the theme, storyline and realistic.

Dare: 2 - You got points for sticking to the storyline i.e. UCLA college player, losing to Chris0o. That's good.
George: 4 - Reads fairly realistic. However, lost points for your little section on the Stealth. Kevin Durant was always a good scorer in this story... he hasn't really developed much.
Houndy: 1 - The stats are those belonging to a number 1 pick. You are not in that territory. You are not buddies with the number 1 pick either. You did get 1 point for saying you were from LSU.

Communication - How well the article is written since it makes it interesting to read by holding the readers' attention.

Dare: 5 - It was short and got the message across.
George: 4 - This was an ok read.
Houndy: 4 - Nice little narrative you had there. The first bit caught my eye... went downhill after the ' * * * '

Enjoyability - Overall enjoyability of the article. Take into account whether it's actually meaningful and a good read overall. Mere showboating is boring!

Dare: 1 - Did not like it as not realistic and doesn't fit into the story.
George: 3 - It was best of the bunch
Houndy: 1 - No realism, no points

Dare: 8/30
George: 11/30
Houndy: 6/30

And the winner is... George on 74 points!

Runners Up: Dare 47 points and Houndy 47 points

[dare]

Good grades and good comments, definitely going to remember those remarks. Congrats to George

[Fresh8]

July 26, 2013
2013 NBA Draft: Some Names To Look Out For
By Willard Smith



The 2013 NBA Draft was on two nights ago and now it’s time for me to share with you who I’m going to be looking out for this season.

C Coby Clark | Drafted 1st by Toronto

The number 1 pick of the 2013 Draft is a raw product. Clark is going to be an important figure in the Toronto Raptors’ rebuilding phase for years to come. His athleticism and energy are key proponents to what got him drafted. However, much work needs to be done with him if he is to develop into a real NBA star. Clark may have been able to rely on his physical traits to score on college hoopsters but what he will notice is that his game may not translate right away into the NBA. However, I believe that Clark is a favorite for Rookie of the Year. The selection of Clark likely signals the end of Chris Bosh’s tenure with the Raptors.

SG Julian Dare | Drafted 4th by Charlotte

Julian Dare might be the most intriguing prospect of this Draft. The former UCLA Bruin had a fairly solid career in college but attitude problems and off court issues saw his draft stock dip. His stock dipped even further after he forced the issue for the second half of his last season with UCLA, including a terrible choke in his last ever game at the NCAA tourney where he had 7 turnovers in a loss to Christian Oliver-led Virginia. That loss along with some chatter from coaching staff and teammates resulted in Dare looking likely to be drafted in the second round. However, he was saved by a series of positive workouts and the Bobcats were confident enough to make him theirs. Truth be told; Dare would have been available by the time Charlotte picked in the second round. It’s hard to gauge what Dare will bring to Charlotte. They will be hoping to have him fill in the spot that Mark Moore has left – I’m not sure if they are going to enjoy the headaches that will come along with him. He is a talented scorer though and could lead all rookies in scoring if he shoots efficiently.

PG Christian Oliver | Drafted 6th by Houston
SF Lucius Santos | Drafted 9th by Houston

The Rockets made two great selections. These are two of my favorite guys in the Draft! Oliver led Virginia on a whirlwind of a tourney last year. He was the heart and soul of that team. Many expected him to be going to Boston because the Celtics were really high on him but turns out they opted to pick up his national team buddy Flo Ruf. It works out in his favor though as he has a great shot at starting in Houston. Oliver has all the markings of a great team player. He showed that he could will Virginia on in the tourney but I don’t think he’s capable of that in the NBA. He is going to be a system guy and if he lands on the right team, he could become a solid star. Houston might be that destination.

As for Santos, he is the best player from Brazil ever. Well – I think he is. He is a natural scorer and a great athlete. He led Real Madrid with 19 points a game last season, proving that he is a real star. He isn’t just a scorer though as he has shown a keen ability to play defense and hit the glass. Many have compared him to Lamar Odom. This was a great pick for Houston who struggled a lot last season. Santos should come in and be one of their best scorers right off the bat and also help Yao Ming counter those double teams since Santos is more of a threat than Danilo Gallinari inside the paint.

PF Don Elliot | Drafted 8th by Washington

Don Elliot will add depth to the Wizards’ frontcourt. Elliot might have some trouble adjusting to the pace of the NBA but with the right guidance, he could develop into a double double threat for Washington. The team is happy to have him on board with all of the uncertainty surrounding the makeup of their team. Keep an eye out on Elliot because the Wizards’ starting power forward spot is void as I type. If it’s not filled via free agency or trade, Elliot is a good chance at starting as a rookie. The expectations might be high though since Washington have done so badly in the past few seasons. It will be interesting to see how Elliot handles all of this.

PG Jesrie Calimbas | Drafted 10th by Phoenix

The diminutive PG lands on a team loaded with guards. Among them are Baron Davis and Leandro Barbosa. This seems like a bonehead move – not surprising considering Phoenix’s GM is none other than Charles Barkley. It’s pretty funny that his first move in Phoenix is drafting a midget PG – good luck signing Tyson Chuck! It doesn’t look like he knows what he is doing. However, if Calimbas can somehow find his way to some minutes in Phoenix, he might prove valuable as a sparkplug like Earl Boykins did earlier in his NBA career.

SG Dee Gilmore | Drafted 17th by Portland

The Blazers get a very selfish shooting guard in Gilmore who is a coach’s worst nightmare. The Blazers aren’t going to get him a lot of playing time with Ben Gordon and Brandon Roy so Gilmore is going to have a long long time to learn to conform to the Blazers’ offence. What is great about him is that he does have the fundamentals that could help him transfer his talents to the point guard position. If Gilmore learns to see the game as a team game, then he might deem himself to be a successful NBA player. He’s another player who caught the eye of scouts during pre-draft workouts with scouts drooling over his potential to be a big point guard.

PG Jerry Manning | Drafted 19th by New Jersey

Jerry Manning will be instant offence off the bench for the up and coming Nets. His selection means that Raymond Felton should prove a valuable trading asset for this team that is trying to find ways to improve. Manning was impressive at Syracuse and there is no doubt he was recommended to the team by star Carmelo Anthony.

SF Justine Crewhead | Drafted 22nd by Cleveland

Coby Clark’s teammate at Kentucky benefitted greatly by playing alongside him. His presence drew defenders away from Crewhead and the swingman’s stats are arguably bloated because of that. However, it was never doubtful that Crewhead is a solid player with or without Clark. It will be interesting to see what the player with a girl’s name can do in the NBA. The NCAA champion will get a good shot at winning a championship with the Cavs in his first NBA season.

PG Willie Lewis | Drafted 23rd by Philadelphia

Lewis has a big mouth but does he have the game to go with it? A controversial pick by the Sixers and likely signaling the end of their relationship with four year starter Zoilo Resurreccion. It’s quite a funny pick up because Zoilo is a pass first, pass second PG and Willie is a shoot all the time PG – much like the Allen Iverson-mold of guard. Will this work out well for the Sixers? I know that they struggled to score but will putting in an offence killer like Lewis really help? This is the sleeper pick of the draft.

SG Alexander Sotirov | Drafted 38th by Toronto

Sotirov played his college ball at Akron – no coincidence because he totally envies a certain Cavs star. He ended his playing career with the Akron Zags in great form but workouts with teams who were picking as high as the lottery proved detrimental to him. Sotirov has the athleticism but not the skills and court awareness. He proved that he did not have any sufficient grasp of knowing where to be on either end of the floor and as a result, many teams were put off by him. However, Toronto has figured that he may be worthwhile to try and develop.

PF Zee Otoo | Drafted 46th by Orlando

Zee Otoo, a former Blue Devil, fell all the way into the Magics’ lap. The team is looking likely to lose Rashard Lewis in free agency and Otoo comes in a similar package to the veteran. He is a great shooter for his size and although he is not the best defender, he could become one because he has a bit of quickness on him.

SF Billy Mason | Drafted 55th by Utah

The Moleman was at danger of being undrafted but he snuck onto an NBA roster. He likes to use his elbows a lot to intimidate other players and the Jazz will like him for that because it will remind them of Karl Malone. However, it doesn’t seem likely that Mason will get much burn in the pros. He will be throwing elbows in the D-League by the looks of it.

[Fresh8]

Undrafted Europeans Vow To Make League

NEW YORK, June 26 (AP) – Three European NBA Draft prospects were passed on by all 30 NBA teams in the 2013 NBA Draft. That has not only made them come together as friends but also vow to support each other in their bids to make the NBA.

Luka Mandich is perhaps the most experienced of the trio but also the most troubled. The Croatian Sensation (not to be confused with Toni Kukoc; although they are interestingly good friends) has had a history of substance and alcohol abuse. The NBA screened him to make sure he was clean before allowing him to declare for the NBA Draft. Mandich was overweight at one stage during his career in Europe but has fought hard to beat his old addictions.

He felt that not being drafted was yet another wakeup call to get his life back on track. “I need to stay clean and I need to stay sober. I want to make the NBA. All I can do is work even harder and convince them that I am serious,” the former highly regarded international prospect said.

Along with him were two 19 year old prospects. One from Russia and the other from Greece. Russian Lev Breznev is an outstanding shooter but that was not enough to get him picked up by an NBA team. Greek George Koukoulis is a great dribble-drive guard but scouts have stated that he needs to work on his defence. Both players were advised to stay in Europe as their games were not as developed as other prospects. Both players didn’t listen.

It seems that all three players face an uphill battle to make an NBA roster. Breznev has been invited by a few teams to join their Summer League teams but Koukoulis and Mandich are still waiting. If they don’t secure spots during Summer League, their NBA dreams will be all but over.

Read More…

[George7]

Thanks guys! Nice to see that I won the contest.

Bu too disappointed from my NBA start.I hope my player will find a place in the roster of an NBA team!

[Houndy]

Yeah, apparently the stat thing fucked me up, won't do that shit again.

Hey, I'm with Philly, great They're coming to the playoffs baby! Do they still have Andre Igoudala?

@76ers Thanks for the 76ers for taking a chance on me, even the media has given me negative remarks. And with Zolio, I hope we can work this out. I can play the 2 too.

[|)e8*]

Nice picked eighth , Washington is nice.
Don + Elliot +8= DE8!

[Mandich]

Damn my virtual players career will end before it has even started

[Fresh8]

The undrafted route is the more interesting one. Just keep earning points to improvve kids!

[Fresh8]

Iverson Latest To Sign With Stealth

SEATTLE, July 4 (AP) – Allen Iverson has agreed to a 3 year deal that might be his last NBA contract. Iverson has stated that he wants to start at SG for the Stealth and that might eventuate with Reshawn Tyson reportedly interested in signing for the Phoenix Suns or Orlando Magic.

Iverson fronted media in front of his family home and said, “I’m returning to Seattle for three seasons. I want to win a title. I want to start for the team as well.” The former NBA scoring champion proved that he was a serviceable sixth man and as adept a scorer as ever; he scored 37 from off the bench late in the season in a 143-139 win against the Indiana Pacers. Iverson averaged 16.3 ppg and 4.1 apg to finish the season this year after being traded from New York at midseason.

Read More…

[Justine.]

Oh my, I'm with LeBrick

[dare]

Am I the most controversial rookie this year? Anyways as I said before got a lot to prove in the NBA. Why did I became Julian Dare?

[Fresh8]

Am I the most controversial rookie this year? Anyways as I said before got a lot to prove in the NBA. Why did I became Julian Dare?

Um, well, I think Willie Green is most hated rookie. And you are the most interesting.

As for controversial, no one fits that description.

[shadowgrin]

No one is controversial in this rookie class. All of them are just full of hot air or in the case of Willie Lewis, hot air and being an idiot.

[Martti.]

You think you gonna fulfill his request and start him?