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Watching Michael Jordan play basketball was always a transformational experience. We could all use some of that transformation, now more than ever. A year or so ago, my husband was so upset that all he could do was lie on our couch and weep, his stomach doubled over and shaking. I rubbed his back and

After a video of nuns playing basketball in Sevilla made the rounds on the internet, impressionist Frank Caliendo jumped on the comedic opportunity. Frank Caliendo is back at it again. The comedian, actor and impressionist has dropped some content into our collective non-sports void in the form of color commentary on a circulating video of

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JANUARY 25: Mike Conley #10 of the Utah Jazz looks on before a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Smart Home Arena on January 25, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting

Many of us are coping with quarantine and social isolation by spending a lot more time in the kitchen. Here, the staff of The Step Back shares some of their favorite NBA-themed recipes. At The Step Back, our brilliant and creative team of basketball writers have been managing this period of quarantine, social isolation and

Even if the NBA regular season is canceled, we’ve seen enough to start assessing the first seasons of notable rookies. What did the Memphis Grizzlies see from Brandon Clarke? The young Grizzlies’ core gelled into a playoff contender more quickly than anyone anticipated, turning all their optimistic upside into a 32-33 record and a hold

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Vanessa Laine Bryant (L) and Kobe Bryant attend the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/VF19/Getty Images for VF) Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty doubts 2019-20

The Timberwolves released a statement today, announcing the passing of Jacqueline Towns, the mother of star center Karl-Anthony Towns. She had been hospitalized with symptoms related to COVID-19 since late last month. We’ll all be keeping the Towns family and the frontline medical workers who worked so hard to care for her in our thoughts.

The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Something is rotten in the state of Utah. At least that’s the implication from a variety of reports and rumblings that fomented over the past few days. On

After a bland first three games of the players-only NBA 2K tournament, Patrick Beverley and his trash talk showed why it was a good idea in the first place. If you’re like me, watching other people play video games isn’t the most enjoyable way to spend your time. For a lot of people, the joy

Here’s everything you need to know, from results to reactions, from the semifinals and final of ESPN’s 16-seed NBA 2K Players Tournament. Actual NBA basketball can’t be played right now, but ESPN, the NBA and the NBA Player’s Association have teamed up to bring you the next best thing — digital hoops. The 16-seed tournament

Even if the NBA regular season is canceled, we’ve seen enough to start assessing the first season of notable rookies. What did the Golden State Warriors see from Eric Paschall? When the Golden State Warriors selected Eric Paschall with the No. 41 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, they certainly didn’t expect that he’d spend his

The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Welcome to our Friday mailbag edition of The Whiteboard! In these uncertain times, with a ton of actual time on our hands, we figured we might as well

Here’s everything you need to know, from results to reactions, from the quarterfinals of ESPN’s16-seed NBA2K Players Tournament. Actual NBA basketball can’t be played right now, but ESPN, the NBA and the NBA Player’s Association have teamed up to bring you the next best thing — digital hoops. The 16-seed tournament kicked off last Friday

The Chicago Bulls are conducting quite an interesting interview process as they search for a new general manager. Here are power rankings for their top GM candidates. Quarantine has got even the Chicago Bulls rethinking their current toxic relationships. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on April 3, the Bulls are conducting a formal search process

The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Life without NBA basketball — and sports in general — has been tough. Simply put, there’s no replacing the thrill of watching one of the most exhilarating games,

Can Marcus Smart shoot or not? What is “The Cobra Strike”? What’s the greatest Smarf meme ever? This Marcus Smart FAQ has all your answers. Marcus Smart is a defensive dynamo, a vessel of suave and the Boston Celtics‘ spirit animal. After six NBA seasons and a thousand meme-able screenshots, the edges of his game

Even if the NBA regular season is canceled, we’ve seen enough to start assessing the first season of notable rookies. What did the Chicago Bulls see from Coby White? The Bulls entered this season with an optimistic outlook, and a talented young offensive core that they thought could compete for a playoff spot. Coby White

Kevin Garnett will not have his jersey retired by the Minnesota Timberwolves anytime soon, and he’s laying the blame on owner Glen Taylor. Back in February, the Boston Celtics announced they will retire Kevin Garnett‘s No. 5 jersey at some point next season. He won a ring with them in 2008, so the move makes

The NBA has issued its pre-draft guidelines for the 2020 NBA Draft, and during this time of quarantine, teams will need to do their homework more so than ever. The actual date of the 2020 NBA Draft is still entirely up in the air. We never got to see many of these prospects elevate their

Even if the NBA regular season is canceled, we’ve seen enough to start assessing the first seasons of notable rookies. What did the Denver Nuggets see from Michael Porter Jr.? The Denver Nuggets had to wait more than a year to get their first look at Michael Porter Jr. in real game action. The 6-foot-10

Rudy Tomjanovich is easily overlooked as part of a star-studded 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame class, but his induction also brings to mind the moment that altered his playing career. The 2020 class for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was announced on Saturday. The class is headlined by Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and

According to a report, the NBA is working with ESPN to finalize the details on possibly televising a H-O-R-S-E competition. If you’ve ever wondered what a H-O-R-S-E competition returning to NBA All-Star weekend would look like, the league may soon be giving you a trial run soon. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA is working

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 12: An NBA logo is shown at the 5th Avenue NBA store on March 12, 2020 in New York City. The National Basketball Association said they would suspend all games after player Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images) Nylon

Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images Our latest 2020 NBA mock draft has LaMelo Ball heading to the Chicago Bulls, while the New York Knicks wind up with Anthony Edwards. The continuously weird nature/absence of the sports landscape right now makes everything more difficult, especially the pre-draft process for both NBA and NFL teams. We don’t

The Lakers are one of the NBA’s oldest and winningest franchises. Along the way, their rosters have featured some strange characters you probably forgot about. The Lakers are a well-decorated franchise. They arrived in Southern California with five titles. They have won eleven more in the shadow of the Hollywood sign. They are, for lack

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are discussing the possibility of withholding pay in the event of canceled regular season games. While the NBA remains optimistic that regular-season basketball will return sometime over the summer, the league has begun to seriously consider alternative scenarios amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. According to ESPN’s Adrian

Where does James Harden rank among the greats? How much does he make? Did a strip club really retire his jersey? This James Harden FAQ has all your answers. James Harden is a study in contrasts. His beard makes him one of the most recognizable players in the league but his soft-spoken demeanor means we

The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Tuesday night’s news that the NBA is discussing withholding pay if games are canceled felt like an early April Fool’s joke, but it was also a sobering reminder

After an injury-plagued season, the Warriors will hold one of the best picks in the 2020 NBA Draft. What could they get if they decide to trade it? Even before the season was suspended, the 2019-20 version of the Golden State Warriors was not coming close to living up to the standard the team set

Charles Barkley compared Draymond Green to ‘the least famous person in a boy band.’ Who would that make him in NSYNC? Barkley was a guest on the Dan Patrick Show and took the opportunity to throw more shade Green’s way, saying, “He’s the least famous person in the boy band, and he thinks he’s a