I posted on Twitter yesterday a picture of KD with some new ink. A lot of people evidently weren’t aware that Durant has some tattoos. And evidently, some people turned a little silly about it, worrying about KD maintaining his squeaky clean image. A quick word: Tattoos, unless they include swastikas or something similar, don’t really say much other than, “Hey, I like this thing so much I wanted to put it on my body forever.”
Kurt Helin of PBT on KD’s tats: “He just crams all those tattoos into the parts of his body covered by his jersey. Why? Marketing. He knows he’s the clean-cut image guy, this way he looks like he doesn’t have tats while he plays. Okay, maybe that’s too cynical, maybe he likes just getting tattoos on his torso… no, I have a hard time thinking that’s the case. Whatever. It really doesn’t matter. That a guy in the NBA has tattoos — a lot of them, even — is not a sign of some “thug” life. It’s generational, and while the 50-somethings in the luxury suites don’t get it, their favorite 20-something up-and-comers at their law offices have tats under their suits.”
Trey Kerby of TBJ on KD’s tats: “A professional basketball player cramming a body’s worth of ink in to a jersey-shaped swath of skin so that he maintains his nice guy marketability is the epitome of business tattoos. Too funny. Gotta stay family-friendly.”
Eric Freeman of BDL on the tats: “Whatever the case, Durant’s tattoos prove that he’s not the squeaky clean figure many people make him out to be. As I’ve said before, he has an edgy streak. He has a lot more in common with the rest of the NBA than many people are willing to admit.”
Regardless, KD is still No. 1 on CBSSports.com’s likability ratings: “Surprised? You shouldn’t be. It’s virtually impossible to find fault with the NBA’s scoring champ. Durant combines Rose’s humble nature, Nowitzki’s impossible scoring touch, Griffin’s “new car smell,” Howard’s technological accessibility and a Bryant-esque work ethic. He’s polite, he’s shown he has what it takes to win in the playoffs at a young age, he’s popular on an international stage already and the best is yet to come. He’s confident, but not cocky. He’s a gunner, but he comes off as unselfish. He’s team-first and loyal, much like Paul, and he’s locked in long-term so there’s no doubt or question about his future motives (at least not yet). Put it all together, and Durant is enjoying the ultimate honeymoon period with the NBA fans. We love potential, and Durant still has plenty of that. Also, he wears a backpack.”
The Philippines are excited to welcome James Harden.
Westbrook is ignoring the noise: “My job is not to prove myself to whomever it is that is talking about this team,” Westbrook said. “It’s to help my team and organization get better. Everyone has their own opinion, and once someone says something they just roll with it. And that’s how it went.”
It is very easy to find Harden although the stream I am watching is fuzzy
Philippine Bastketball Association (PBA) All-Stars vs. NBA All-Star Live Streaming
http://www.rnhalawi.com/2011/07/nba-vs-pba-free-live-streaming-smart.html
Watch KD and Harden!
I like the house...hahaha
Well, at least Tibor can get some more seasoning no matter what happens over here.
Reppin Thunder proper. Russ moving to fast sometimes on and off the court.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TR5V2cnKqw
@ anonymous
Actually I think Westbrooks physical ability needs less work. Playing in actual games would help improve PG wise
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/
@Justin
Not that I would have put any thought into it before reading puddin pops post, but offseason or not you would think someone like KD would stay ripped. As someone who stays skinny regardless of what I eat a d my level of exercise, I've always had at least some definition even before I worked out. Maybe we need to get KD on some testosterone.
@ JelloPuddinPup
It's the offseason.
Also, am I the only one that finds it a bit odd that Kevin doesn't seem to have any discernable ab definition in that photo? (Makes me wonder if it's real.) He's a top-flight athlete, definitely doesn't have a large amount of bodyfat so his bodyfat% can't be and worse than mine (15%) and I have ab definition at least a little bit.
Maybe the camera just caught him in a deep breath or something and his stomach was protruding any tissue past his abs...but I still think it's odd.
/end weird comment
Kenyon Martin and Chris Anderson "like" a lot of stuff. Haha.
@ james1
Not much of a surprise. No reason to terminate a contract on a championship team when the NBA may not even be there next year. I just hope he's actually developing over there. Mullens has been worthless, Nazr is old, and we just don't know what Aldrich can do. Given Perk's injury history, we will need a quality backup center more than other teams.
http://www.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/transactions/2011-12-signings/i/86227/5611/brose-baskets-pleiss-extends-stay
BROSE BASKETS: Pleiss extends stay
German champion Brose Baskets Bamberg revealed that center Tibor Pleiss will remain with the team for the 2011-12 season. Pleiss (2.13 meters, 21 years old) is one of the top young centers in European basketball. He averaged 6.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and was third in the regular season with 1.5 blocks per game for Brose Baskets last season, which was his first in the Euroleague. He posted 8.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in the German League too. Pleiss signed a two-year contract with Bamberg last summer, but had the option to leave this year. However after helping Brose Baskets repeat as German champs, the big man chose to remain. Pleiss has also become a regular for the German national team and is expected to play this summer at EuroBasket 2011 in Lithuania.
"For Brose Baskets, Tibor's decision is very welcome news and a hugely important step in our plans for the coming season," said Brose Baskets general manager Wolfgang Heyder.
"I am delighted that to stay another year with the Brose Baskets," Pleiss said. "I think this is the right step for my development, because I know that the ideal conditions for me prevail here and I get playing time. We want to fight next year for the title again and make a splash in the Euroleague."
You know its the summer during a lockout when 50% of the morning bolts are about KD's tattoos.
FWIW I think Kurt Helin hit the nail on the head. Tattoo's used to be seen as a societal no-no, but now it is considered acceptable in society. I personally don't have any, but I think they are cool and something you can honor someone or something that you hold dear by permanently inking it on your body.
Big man Robert Swift, who played for the on-hiatus Apache in 2010-11 could wind up with the Boston Celtics after the lockout or the New York Knicks, according to former Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill.
I like Westbrooks comment. "once someone (read; a media member) says something they just roll with it. and that's how it went." I think he gets it.
I like that Westbrook is quietly working out in the offseason/lockout instead of going on tour and playing in tournaments. I think he knows that their ability to win the west depends greatly on how he improves.
@ ThunderHorn
Thanks
@ Daniel Plainview
Barbara and Wanda for his grandmother and mother.
Does that one say "Barbary world?"
Those pics of KD look photshopped
I love it that Durant has some tats. It makes him real and shows he has a bit of edginess about him.
Alba Berlin made big trouble to Tibor's team in Germany league final
And I like KD's tattoos.It is much better than Lebron's "the chosen one"