NEWSLETTER
We are 23 days away from the 2024 NBA Draft.
What a great number!
- Michael Jordan took a common human gesture that symbolizes indifference and made it his own. Do you know how ridiculously famous you have to be to pull that off? Whenever a sports fan hears the word “shrug,” they almost instantly think about the GOAT. And it’s pretty incredible that is still the case over three decades after it happened. Indeed, today marks the 32nd anniversary of the iconic “shrug,” which Jordan unveiled after hitting his sixth 3-pointer of the half in Game 1 of the 1992 NBA Finals.
- I know we’re in a new era defined by 3-point shotmaking, but it’s still pretty darn impressive to drain six long-range shots in two quarters. A game like this is why I’m strongly of the belief that Jordan would’ve been a high-caliber threat from downtown if he played today. Let’s also not forget that he shot 37.4 percent from 3 during the 1996-97 season, which is when he took a career-high 3.6 per game. He would’ve fit in fine, folks.
- Also, in honor of this day, let me remind you of arguably the best moment in The Last Dance …
- The NBA Finals will officially tip-off on Thursday night. With another strong series, Luka Doncic will remain alongside Michael Jordan in a prestigious club. The Dallas Mavericks superstar is currently the only player besides MJ to average 30.0 or more points over his postseason career, per Yahoo Sports. What a wild stat.
- The way we watch the Chicago Bulls is about to look very different. Both Jerry Reinsdorf-owned teams and the Blackhawks are headed to a brand new television station this fall. We’ve heard the rumbling for a few weeks, but things became official this morning:
- All things considered, it really only felt like a matter of time before we saw something like this. I definitely think there is potential for this to elevate the fan-viewing experience, but I’m also going to miss the NBC Sports Chicago days. The network has done a really nice job enhancing their coverage over the years, and I really do think their pre and postgame shows are some of the best in the country. With that in mind, I sincerely hope the new channel brings over a lot of recognizable faces. I understand that it’s important to give new blood a chance in this industry, but you also need that sense of familiarity to make fans comfortable.
- K.C. Johnson isn’t necessarily wrong for pointing out that several Chicago Bulls players have found success at an individual level over the past few seasons. I’m happy DeMar DeRozan had a resurgence. I’m glad Alex Caruso finally got the All-Defensive Team recognition he deserves. I’m thrilled Coby White finally broke out in a meaningful way. And I love the steady contributor Ayo Dosunmu has turned himself into. But the truth is that winning is all this front office should care about. Basketball is a team game.
- Derrick Jones Jr. deserves a lot of credit. In a recent interview ahead of the Finals, he discussed his decision to turn down more money with Chicago and hit free agency. The versatile forward saw a better role elsewhere, and this decision to bet on himself has led to an NBA Finals appearance and a presumably handsome next contract. It says a lot about the Chicago Bulls that he decided to leave, though. For a franchise trying to prove it can be a more attractive free-agent destination, this isn’t what you want to hear.
- Caleb Williams is a man of the people!
- Lots of good draft content here from Tab!
