Damian James is a baller.  His production is a huge reason the Longhorns earned their first-ever No. 1 ranking – even though Texas just lost two games.   The 6-foot-7 senior forward opted to stay in college this year and it has paid off in a big way. James is averaging a double-double with 17.3 points and 11 rebounds a game. He also contributes over a block and a steal per game.

Damian James

James has been good when it counted the most. In back-to-back victories against North Carolina and Michigan State in December, James averaged 24 points, 14 rebounds and 2.5 steals. More recently, he amassed 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks as the Longhorns narrowly avoided being upset by Texas A&M.

Renardo Sidney

Renardo Sidney is a 6-9 270 pound power forward from Los Angeles, CA.  Renardo Sidney is considered by many high school basketball analysts to be one of the top 5 basketball preps in the Class of 2009.

Renardo Sidney will be attending USC next fall and will ultimately switch from Reebok to Nike for just a year.  Many people speculate that he can become the next Lebron James.  Sidney was a 2009 McDonald’s All-American and averaged 24 points and 10.3 rebounds for Fairfax High School.

Renardo Sidney Basketball Highlights

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Demarcus Dowdell

The left-handed Dowdell said playing in pick-up games is what helped him learn to drive to the basket with his right hand this year, which helped him to a 23 points-per-game average and a single-game high 50 points against Chilton County in December.

“On the outside, you’re playing family and friends and they know your game. It’s kind of hard to do what you want to do, so you’ve got to try new things,” Dowdell said. “But in here, people don’t know that much about you so you can do what you want to do. It’s much easier than it is out there.”

It was Dowdell’s maturity on the park court and increased defense that helped him lead a Calera starting lineup of two sophomores and two freshman to a 26-5 record. The pick-up games helped Gentry’s average of five steals, 3.7 assists and 16 points per game.

Blake Griffin OU Sooners

Blake Griffin is a 6-10 Sophomore that plays for the Oklahoma Sooners.  Many college basketball anaylst predict that he will be the Player of the Year in college basketball this season.

As a freshman, Blake Griffin averaged 14.7 points per game along with 9.1 rebounds.  Here is a look back at Blake’s freshman year at OU.

A first-team All-Big 12 selection by league coaches and Associated Press … Named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team … A first-team all-district pick by the USBWA and NABC … Scored in double figures in 21 of his last 25 games … Averaged 14.7 points, 9.1 rebounds (both team highs) and 1.8 assists in 28.4 minutes per contest while shooting a team-high .568 from the field … Ranked ninth in Big 12 in scoring, fourth in rebounding and third in field goal percentage … The last OU true frosh to average as many points and rebounds was Wayman Tisdale in 1983 … Battled knee injuries during conference play and still averaged 15.7 points and 9.7 boards … Averaged 16.9 points, 10.4 boards and 2.2 assists in his 13 full league outings … Two-time Big 12 Player of the Week (Dec. 31 and Jan. 28) and the Jan. 14 Rookie of the Week … Recorded 10 double-doubles (averaged 19.2 points and 13.9 rebounds in those games) … His last seven double-doubles came against NCAA Tournament teams (averaged 20.3 points and 14.7 boards in those seven games) … Scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in Feb. 19 overtime win vs. Baylor … Finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds in a two-point loss to Kansas State (Jan. 12) … Grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in Feb. 16 win at Texas Tech … Missed a game following each of two separate injuries (sprained MCL in left knee five minutes into Jan. 14 game at Kansas and partial tear of medial meniscus in right knee five minutes into March 1 contest vs. Texas A&M) … Averaged team highs of 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in 22.0 minutes per game during OU’s four-game Labor Day weekend trip to Canada.

Stephen Curry is a Baller

Stephen Curry is the March Madness man.  He led Davidson to the Elite Eight in his Sophomore season and will return to entertain the college basketball world for at least one more year. Curry was named to the Associated Press’ All-America Second Team on March 31, 2008. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Region of the 2008 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship Tournament, becoming the first player from a team not making the Final Four to do so since Juwan Howard of the University of Michigan in 1994.

Check out the video from Streetball called “The March Madness Man.”

Hugh Jones aka Baby Shack

Hugh Jones aka “Baby Shack” is a streetball legend from Washington D.C.  He is 6-3 and weighs 230 pounds and is famous for dunking on just about every baller at the Run ‘N Shoot streetball court as well as on the And 1 Mixtape Tour.  Baby Shack earned his name in junior high school because he grabbed every board that came off the glass.  He played against the AND 1 team in the final four games on the 2004 AND 1 Mix Tape Tour, making his strongest statement with a 47 point performance in the Raleigh, NC game.

Ricky Rubio

Ricky Rubio will be 18 years old on October 20, 2008.  He is a lock to be a lottery pick in the 2009 NBA Draft and has been playing in the ACB since he was 15 years old.  By now, many people know that the ACB is the second best professional basketball league in the world and has been for many years.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympic games Spain won the Silver medal and gave Team USA a run for its money in the basketball final.  Besides being in the hearts and minds of every teenage girl in Spain, Ricky Rubio is now known throughout the world as the next big International baller to be a superstar in the NBA.

NY Streetball Player of the Year Mike Cambell

Mike Campbell aka”Mr. Smooth” and “The Icon,” was named New York City’s Nike Player of the Year before the final game at the Streetball Tournament of Champions on Saturday at Goat Park in Manhattan. Just one thing was missing – another piece of hardware.

The baller, “Mr. Smooth” and “The Icon” put on a performance on the Earl Manigault court that would have made the legend proud, leading the X-Men, who represented West 4th Street, to the championship with a 97-94 overtime win over Money Train that repped the Tri-State Classic.

He took home the Tournament MVP, piling up 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. A few hours earlier, he scored 26 points to lead the X-Men over Bingo’s All-Stars, reppin Dyckman, in the semifinals.

It’s something we set our sights on at the beginning of the summer, starting from the end of last summer,” Campbell said. “To actually come through and do it, it’s a very good feeling.”

Skill is rarely lacking in streetball, but modesty often is. Campbell displayed humility, showing appreciation of the accolades he received before the game.

“It was very special.  New York basketball is at an all-time high.  This summer is one of the best I’ve ever been a part of, as far as all the guys coming home and the young guys showing what they can do,” Campbell said.  “It’s stiff competition.  To be on top out of all those guys is a very overwhelming feeling.  It’s a tribute to the hard work I do to stay on top of my game.”

Campbell, 33, has been playing in the basketball summer leagues for more than 17 years, and his game is continually evolving.  His skill is as deep as a canyon and as diverse as a Rubik’s Cube.  The 6-foot-6 forward and guard combo routinely turns defenders into sympathetic figures.  He’s able to shoot from the outside, put his back to the basket in the post or drive to the hoop.  Congratulations to Mike Campbell.

Ben Gordon Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are known to not pay a premium after a basketball player proves himself on and off the court.  Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon won’t sign the club’s one year qualifying offer of $6.4 million, setting the stage for a possible departure from the team, The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.

It was no surprise that Ben Gordon turned down a five-year, $50 extension last summer.  Gordon is believed to be seeking about $72 million, which would put the club into luxury tax range.

That sounds like a lot of money for a player to make, but let’s be honest, he is one of the best NBA guards in the league.  You can also comfortably say that the global interest and corporate sponsorship in the NBA is at an all time high, which means market conditions could not be better for Ben Gordon.

So where will Ben Gordon play next year?  Maybe Josh Childress and Brandon Jennings are in his fave 5, or maybe he’s following the NBA slogan, “Basketball without Borders” as he explores the European basketball lifestyle, or maybe he stays close to home.

One thing is for sure, Ben Gordon deserves to be paid fair market value for his services.

Josh Childress

Josh Childress aka JChill signed a 20 Million dollar contract to play pro basketball for Olympiacos next season.  Childress is by far the most well paid basketball player in Europe and his transaction considered to be one of the biggest in European basketball history.

The NBA superstar was in Greece during the last three days in order to speak with Aggelopoulos family as well as with coach Giannakis who make him feel very comfortable and secure about his future in Greece.

Josh Childress will be a great addition to Olympiacos.  He has already found his new house in Athens, near Peace and Friendship Stadium and hw will travel back to the States in order to fix the last details for his new life in Greece.

The former Stanford Cardinal and Atlanta Hawks baller asked for three Euroleague balls to practice by himself and try to get used to the differences with the basketballs that are being used in the NBA. Josh will be back at the end of August for the beginning of Olympiakos preparation for the next season.