NBA

Quinn Cook, a guard for the Canton Charge, keeps photos of himself as a Duke University Blue Devil in his apartment in Canton. He was a member of Duke's 2015 men's national championship team.

Playing For A Chance: The Promise And Pain Of The NBA's Minor League

3:01pm June 10, 2016

by Tom Goldman

Everyone knows about the multimillion-dollar salaries and celebrity status of NBA players. But in the shadows of the NBA, men toil in the relative obscurity of the D-League to keep their dream alive.

Onaje X. O. Woodbine's book, Black Gods of the Asphalt, has also been adapted into a play by the same name. He appears here on that play's set at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass.

Books
Arts

'Black Gods Of The Asphalt' Takes Basketball Beyond The Court

5:48pm June 05, 2016

When you see a bunch of guys playing street basketball you might not just see a game. In his new book Black Gods of the Asphalt author Onaje Woodbine shows how it's also a spiritual experience.

John Holland, No. 10 of the D-League's Canton Charge, looks to pass the ball against the Sioux Falls Skyforce at Canton Memorial Civic Center on Jan. 23, in Canton, Ohio. The 19 teams of the D-League — the NBA's development league — crisscross the cou

In Basketball's D-League, Player Takes Long Shot At NBA Dream

7:01am May 21, 2016

by Uri Berliner

John Holland made six figures playing pro basketball in Europe. He traded that for $19,000 and Canton, Ohio, playing on the Cleveland Cavaliers' farm team for a chance to play in the NBA.

Queue Listen Now

The Canton Charge, in yellow, play against the Idaho Stampede at the NBA D-League Showcase at the Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, Calif., on Jan. 6.

Sports

For Some NBA Hopefuls, A Timeout In Basketball's Lesser-Known League

1:28pm May 19, 2016

by NPR Staff

Basketball players hoping to break into the NBA sometimes play first in the D-League. On this episode of Embedded, we follow two players through the highs and lows of the season.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after scoring in the second half of the Warriors' Game 4 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.

Stephen Curry Is NBA's 1st Unanimous MVP

2:08pm May 10, 2016

by Laura Wagner

The Golden State Warriors guard, who has made a habit of launching — and making — shots from well beyond the 3-point line, is the league's Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row.

Stephen Curry's jersey is patch-free, but NBA players soon will sport corporate sponsorship logos on the front of their jerseys, near the shoulder.

Sports

NBA Jerseys Can Bear Advertising Logos, League Says

3:54pm April 15, 2016

by Bill Chappell

Starting in 2017, NBA players will see two new logos on their jerseys: one from Nike, and another from corporate sponsors that make deals with each team.

Guard Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors has led the team to the top of the NBA for the past two seasons.

Sports

Golden State Warriors Complete Best Season In NBA's 70-Year History

2:34am April 14, 2016

by Christopher Dean Hopkins

With the team's win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, the Warriors finished the regular season 73-9, a game better than the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls.

Bryant (right) celebrates with Lebron James (center) and Carmelo Anthony after winning the men's basketball gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Kobe Bryant's Life And Career By The Numbers

6:50pm April 13, 2016

by Laura Wagner

After 20 years in the NBA, the point guard plays his last game Wednesday night.

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry drives to the hoop during Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors won 112-101.

The Golden State Warriors Are On The Brink Of History — Will They Go For It?

9:30pm April 08, 2016

by Laura Wagner

If the Golden State Warriors win their last three games of the regular season to reach 73 wins, they'll break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' record for most wins in a season.

#NPRreads: Three Stories To Bounce Around This Weekend

7:00am March 12, 2016

What do Allen Iverson, Tuscan wine and income inequality in Boston have in common? They're all on the #NPRreads list this weekend!