Monday Morning Media Roundup: August 26th, 2019

Oh, hey there folks. It’s me, Riley Feldmann, back to retake the mantle of MMMR king away from the wonderful Mitchell Maurer. My reason for not being around a week ago is quite simple:

But enough about me; I mean I could talk about myself and the wonderful path that led me to that post for hours on end, but we should return to basketball, right?

We’ve got lots of great content for your perusal as well. While every USA-Australia game has been like a drip of water in a basketball-less desert, we’re still inexplicably about a week away from meaningful play. In lieu of that, we’re bringing it back stateside to check in on Donte DiVincenzo’s facial hair, James Harden complaining about the MVP race, and Gilbert Arenas?

Let’s roundup!

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Khris Middleton Deserves an All-Star for Recognizing He Wasn’t One, Says Retired Vet (LandonBuford.com)

This might be it, the most NBA offseason piece of NBA offseason writing you can find on the internet. It’s the perfect combination of random website, random quote, random veteran player (the aforementioned Arenas, in this case), and the random take combined into one mega post.

You’ll be shocked to find out that Arenas though Middleton’s stats didn’t justify a nod before quickly rounding on his previous opinion and stating Middleton deserved to be an All-Star, “...for understanding that he wasn’t one.”

FOR THE FAMILY: Giannis Antetokounmpo and His Brothers Built the Nike Freak 1 (Slam Online)

A front page story with Slam is just another point in a long line of them tracing Giannis’s ascent to the mount of worldwide popularity. This particular article once more focuses on the story that helped shape what would turn out to be the Zoom Freak 1s, but it’s tough to tire of hearing about it (especially the inspiration behind some of the released colorways).

Brook Lopez Q&A: ‘We made all of the right moves... except for signing Robin’ (Hoops Hype)

As usual, the most important part to any Brook Lopez interview are insights into his Disney mania. This piece delivered by making public the news that, apparently, Lopez lives in the resort community attached to Disney World.

I like a lot of things, but I’ll never be as committed to something in the way Brook is with Disney. That being said you can’t help but raise an eyebrow at his ranking of top Disney movies as:

1. 101 Dalmatians
2. Sleeping Beauty
3. The Jungle Book

Sounds like someone needs to rewatch Mulan.

Will James Harden or the Rockets ever stop complaining? (NY Daily News) & James Harden Thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo Won MVP Because of Media Narrative (Complex)

Ha, lame-os.

Donte DiVincenzo returns to Delaware for inaugural basketball camp (Delaware News Journal)

Biggest things learned here: First, Donte is either playing the role of spy or potential turncoat by hosting this basketball camp in the 76ers Fieldhouse. Second, “He said he’s feeling 100% now”; OK. Third, look at the beginnings of that goatee!

Besides that it’s always cool to see how these players stay connected to where they came from, and even cooler to feel the joy his father experienced seeing things come full circle for his son all these years later.

The Social Media Section

Dee Jay

Trevor would look really good in Bucks green and cream

From #OwnTheFuture to #OwnTheRetirementHome

Welcome back, Rayjon!

Wonder what it’d take to swipe Tony Snell from Detroit? Dude would thrive in Milwaukee’s system

I know Pat can dunk with the best of them, but I’m not sure if his style lends itself to the flash of the dying contest

OK

Absolutely necessary Donte content

Was an honor to get a glimpse into the wars Ersan and Giannis have during practice

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T-minus something like five days until FIBA is here. I wonder how many more international tournaments these teams can fit into that timespan? Someone has to put the smackdown on those upstart New Zealanders, and if Team USA (and therefore Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez) can have a hand in sending those Kiwis back to the natural splendor of their islands, who am I to say they can’t?

Happy Monday!