Isaiah Hartenstein’s top five passing bigs ever: Nikola Jokic, Arvydas and Domantas Sabonis, Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green

Finally, in your opinion, what’s the best European starting five of all time? VLADE DIVAC: I’ll start from the end, the center. Let it be Krešo Cosic at center, Nikola Jokic at power forward, Toni Kukoc at small forward, Dražen Petrovic at shooting guard, and Saša Ðordevic at point guard. Wow, that was tough. I’ve named these five, but I have so many other fantastic players in mind. I could easily form three teams, but let’s go with this lineup. Sorry, Dino, but I’m emotionally tied to Krešo. That’s a brutal lineup, but they’re all players from the former Yugoslavia. VLADE DIVAC: Yes, apart from Sabonis, I don’t see who else could fit in. Maybe Tony Parker instead of Ðordevic? VLADE DIVAC: No way. -via Index / September 21, 2024

Is Nikola Jokic already the best European basketball player of all time? VLADE DIVAC: The numbers say so. The results confirm it. And the essence of sports is results. Based on that, I think there’s no room for doubt. -via Index / September 21, 2024

However, Stein is finding it hard to envision a realistic scenario in which Jokic and Doncic manage to join forces in the NBA. “It’s hard for me to understand or try to imagine a scenario where one team could find a way to get both of them,” Stein added. -via Clutch Points / September 19, 2024

“Draymond’s always going to be Draymond,” Kuminga said. “I could play with Draymond. I could play with anybody. So I don’t see anybody being in my way, because I feel like we could all be on the floor at the same time.” -via San Francisco Standard / September 21, 2024

Steve Kerr: “There’s a lot of examples of being angry at Draymond Green. The first one that jumps to mind is the Jordan Poole incident. Draymond and I are a lot alike in many ways. People probably wouldn’t see that from the outside, but we’re both kind of maniacal competitors, and we’ve lost our minds with each other during games—disagreements about strategy. But he crossed the line with Jordan, and he knows it. He knew it immediately, and it made that season incredibly difficult for everybody.” -via YouTube / September 17, 2024

Before the Thursday Night Football showdown between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, Draymond Green did an interview with NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, where he issued a warning to George amid his departure to Philly. “Good luck Paul George,” Draymond Green said. “Aw, he better play well or they’re going to crush Paul George if he don’t play well, oh my god. You know why they’re gonna crush Paul George if he don’t play well there? Because they already got a nasty taste in their mouth from their last three (small forward) that they had. With Tobias Harris. They never felt like he brought it, so that’s why.” -via Clutch Points / September 13, 2024

Incoming coach J.B. Bickerstaff is familiar with Duren’s game from his time as coach of division rival Cleveland. At his July introductory press conference, Bickerstaff talked of how the ability of Duren and teammate Isaiah Stewart to switch indiscriminately on defense troubled the Cavaliers. Bickerstaff can point to the development of Jarrett Allen, Cleveland’s seven-year veteran, and use his experience coaching him to hasten Duren’s grasp of the complexities of the tasks he’ll be assigned. There is plenty to work with. Duren is already an elite rebounder. He finished fifth in rebounding last season at 11.6 per game behind Domantas Sabonis, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic. Among players who averaged at least 20 minutes per game, Duren was second in rebound percentage (19.4) to Jusuf Nurkic and second to Sabonis in defensive rebound percentage (28.5). Don’t underestimate rebounding as a key component of defense. -via NBA.com / September 18, 2024

Netflix has unveiled the trailer for “Starting 5” a new 10-episode documentary that follows five of the league’s biggest stars — LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics — over the course of the 2023-2024 NBA season. -via IndieWire / September 17, 2024

Sean Cunningham: A glimpse inside the first Domantas Sabonis youth basketball camp in the Sacramento area. The Kings center hosted the camp with nearly 200 boys & girls at Hardwood Palace out in Rocklin this past Sunday. pic.x.com/e0gcllux5w -via Twitter @SeanCunningham / August 28, 2024

Isaiah Hartenstein: One guy who pisses me off, like I got love for him but I can’t guard him, that I have really trouble guarding is Robin Lopez. Robin Lopez, I can’t, that hook shot, and he only has a right-hand hook and I’m sitting like all right, you’re not getting this hook, and he’s coming in at the end of the game, so this is like the last two minutes… he’s making them every time. I just guard Jared Allen, Evan Mobley, don’t have a problem with that, the whole game… and then Robin Lopez comes in… I’m just like coach, if Robin Lopez is in the game, it’s not going to be good (laughs). -via YouTube / September 23, 2024

Isaiah Hartenstein: A lineup I’m also excited about is me and Chet Holmgren together. I think having him have the ability to roam like kind of how, different play style, but like you know how Giannis Antetokounmpo can roam, he can block shots just everywhere. -via YouTube / September 23, 2024

Isaiah Hartenstein: I grew up on Michael Jordan. The whole time in the background it was all Michael Jordan, highlights, Space Jam was going on… Michael Jordan one, LeBron James two… after that… Kobe Bryant, I’ll go Shaquille O’Neal… And I think when it’s all said and done, I think this is going to be a crazy take… I’ll put Stephen Curry. -via YouTube / September 23, 2024