Quo Vadis, Anthony Davis? Will AD get to join forces with LeBron?

The hot topic nearing the NBA’s trade deadline this early February is the trade request of Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis. It’s easily a development that the entire league is interested in, as Davis is one of top five NBA players on many experts’ lists. Where he eventually goes will greatly affect that franchise’s future, says sports enthusiast and blogger James DeVellis.

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The move seems to make it clear that Davis is intent on playing with LeBron James in Lakerland. This is because Davis shares the same manager as James in Rich Paul. As of this writing, Lakers management is scampering to find a workable deal with New Orleans, with many thinking that this would involve unloading all the Lakers’ young stars which include Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and even center Ivica Zubac.

But NBA pundits are one in saying that Boston may be the better destination for Davis, as it has a better roster of talents in the likes of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier, along with a ton of first-round picks. However, because of an existing NBA rule, the Celtics cannot make an offer for Davis until free agency in July. In other words, if Pelicans management cave in to the Lakers’ offer, a Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis pairing up is not going to happen.

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In any case, whether Davis ends up with Los Angeles or Boston (the top two markets with the salary cap space and talent to accommodate Davis) remains to be seen. But it would surely make that team an instant contender. And Lakers president for basketball operations Magic Johnson knows that he is given a small window as leverage. It doesn’t matter if this trade depletes the Lakers’ current lineup as a LeBron-AD tandem is definitely formidable and worth rebuilding the team around, adds James DeVellis.


James DeVellisis a college student from Arizona, majoring in Sports Business. He wants to be a writer someday, so in the meantime, he is starting his own blog and social media platform focused on sports. More NBA-related reads here.

Our tribute to he who would be king of Bears

In American football, as far as running backs are concerned, very few names and even fewer legacies stand as tall as that of Walter Payton’s.  Payton has topped many of American football’s greatest running back lists for good reason.  He was also known to be quite the gentle soul in real life, and beloved by everyone who knew him.

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But Walter Payton didn’t start out as popular as he was.  His youth saw the foundations poured on his solid character, which was where all his other strengths branched out from.

Walter Payton was born on July 25, 1954.  He always loved football, but didn’t join his high school team so as not to take the spotlight away from his older brother Eddie.  Instead Payton ran for the track team.  Young Walter then joined the team right after Eddie graduated, and almost instantly became its driving force.  He was simply faster and stronger than everyone else.

Walter Payton went on to achieve more in college playing for Jackson State University.  Along with future greats Jerome Barkum and Jackie Slater, Payton wreaked havoc on opposing team’s defenses.  This was the most successful Tigers line-up in history.

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With all his achievements, the one that truly foretold of Payton’s future magnificence was his seven touchdowns in a single game in 1972.

Hey, there. I’m James DeVellis, a student from Arizona majoring in Sports Business. I’m interested in sharing my musings and insights on professional sports. For more of my posts, visit this blog.

How to start your very own sports blog

Starting a sports blog is a great way to gain experience in sports writing, as well as building a following. While the job can be difficult, it can also be fun and rewarding at the same time. Provided you’ve already got yourself a URL, here are some tips on how to start your very own sports blog.

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Choose your niche
There are thousands of sports blogs out there, all catering to either a specific sport or sports in general. Choosing what you want to write about is where you need to start. This may be a sport you’re already passionate about or a sport you have a great deal of experience with. You also need to choose who your audience is so that you can get a handle of the tone of your writing.

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Write as often as you can
Frequency is one of the most appealing qualities of a sports blog. Constantly coming up with new content rewards your readers for checking out your blog. You don’t have to write daily though that would help tremendously. By writing more frequently, you also force yourself to tackle challenges such as changing things up in terms of content. For example, besides reviews of recent games, you can also do features on players, teams, as well as talk about highly debated topics.

Market your blog
It’s highly unlikely for people to simply stumble upon your blog. This is why you should also market it through means like social media. Ask your friends and family to share contents of your blog to their friends. Keep in mind that the more visitors your blog has, the better page ranking it can get.

Hi, I’m James DeVellis. Right now I’m attending college in Arizona. Though I have always been a fan of sports and an athletic person, I always saw myself as a writer or a business manager for a sports franchise. For more reads on my hobbies and interests, visit this website.

Why the Milwaukee Bucks is the dark horse in the East

This early in the new NBA season, we’ve already been witness to the rise of several Eastern Conference teams.  While the success of the arguably top-seeded Celtics does not come as a surprise, as well as the near-flawless start of the new-look, Kawhi-led Raptors, many NBA analysts haven’t really paid much attention to the Milwaukee Bucks.

It makes sense, too; whereas significant roster changes have taken place in Toronto, Boston, and even Philadelphia (which, as of this writing, has just acquired Jimmy Butler), the Bucks team—even with the loss of the waived Jason Terry and the signing of Ersan Ilyasova and hot-shooting rookie Donte DiVincenzo—is largely the same.  Even the Bucks’ superstar, the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo is not posting as much numbers as he did last season.  So, what goes? 

The answer is continuity.  The players are now very familiar with one another and trust everyone on the floor, both on offense and defense.  There’s also the commitment to not stay reliant on Antetokounmpo.  This year the Bucks play like a well-oiled machine, with point guards Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon facilitating well and finding guys for open shots.  The team has also been benefiting much from the improved play and hustle of its lengthy forwards Khris Middleton, and John Henson. 

Antetokounmpo is, of course, still the heart of the Bucks’ play.  But since more guys are now comfortable being spot-up outside shooters, it has opened the floor more for Giannis’ highlight dunks and layups.  That this Milwaukee team will reach the playoffs is almost a given, even this early in the regular season.  And the team has already displayed that it’s the true dark horse of the East with a recent, 134-111 drubbing of the defending champs Golden State Warriors in the latter’s own home court 

Hey, there. James DeVellis here, a sports business student, voracious reader, and newbie writer from Arizona. More on my hobbies and interests here..

Why trading Luka Doncic was a huge mistake by the Hawks

Celebrated basketball commentator Bill Simmons argued it well: Atlanta trading Euro League sensation and MVP Luka Doncic for point guard Trae Young is a decision the Hawks will quickly regret.  The case is simple— Doncic is the most experienced professional basketball player in the recent NBA draft.

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To be fair with Atlanta, trading the draft right for Young made sense if they were hoping to land a player in the mold of Steph Curry.  The pesky point guard can make huge treys both in transition and coming off picks.  Young is explosive toward the rim and has high basketball IQ.  He is already a complete point guard.

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But the few glimpses of the 6’8” Slovenian sensation Doncic in the preseason games have already shown NBA fans that he fits well with the Mavericks’ system.  Not only is he a great passer for a big man, he can also drain long three-pointers and play multiple positions, from point to power forward.  

It’s not even a case of physicality, as obviously Trae Young is the smaller player.  Doncic is still prone to turnover when guarded upfront or swarmed, but his exquisite passing skill should compensate for that.  He will adjust sooner than most people think and quickly silence the skeptics.  In fact, without even a single game of the new NBA season played, Doncic is already the odds favorite to take the Rookie of the Year title.

Yes, his impact remains to be seen, but experience does go a long way.  The 19-year-old Doncic not only has perhaps the biggest upside among the rookies, but already has the veteran smarts to compete on the biggest stage of pro basketball.

Hi, there. I’m James DeVellis, a student from Arizona studying sports business. I’ve decided to start my own blog and write about sports early. For more insights on the NBA, follow me on Facebook.

Boxing legends series: The twilight of Pacman’s career

I have a few Filipino friends, and I have to say – they’re the best people in the world.  Just don’t tell them their hero, Manny Pacquiao is done with boxing.  They’ll take it personally. 

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But seriously though, Philippine and world boxing legend Manny Pacquiao doesn’t have anything left to prove.  He’s the only 8-division world champion and one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of his generation.  Sure, he’s suffered some losses, the latest of which was from a very controversial decision against Jeremy Horn.  But he’s also had that glorious finish, knocking out Lucas Matthysse in his last bout.

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Pacman is no longer the invincible “Mexecutioner” that he once was.  Even after delivering a beating on Matthysse, sports writers and boxing experts could see how his footwork had greatly diminished.  This can also be attributed to his letting go of Hall-of-Fame trainer Freddie Roach, which marked the end of an era for Pacman.

Whether you’re a Pacman fan or not, there’s no denying his impact on the sport.  However, there’s also no denying that his career is nearing its end.  He may have a few more exciting bouts in him, but these would only be against lower-tier fighters. 

While there are rumors now that Pacman may be having a rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr., if this pushes through (and we all know this will probably only be for the money), it may well prove to be Pacman’s swansong. 

Hello there! My name is James DeVellis. I’m a college student majoring in sports business. My goal is to be a full-fledged sports writer someday. If you love sports, visit this blog.

A look at where the Lakers stand next season

Image source: clutchpoints.com

With Lebron James now the Lakers’ leader, it’s time to reevaluate the place of the once-dominant franchise in the Western Conference, and the league.

First, let’s get one thing out of the way.  With James on board, the Lakers have now become an instant playoff team.  But are they title contenders? 

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The biggest hurdle is still obviously the mighty Golden State Warriors, who are head and shoulders above their closest rivals, the Houston Rockets, who are in turn miles ahead of any other team.  To beat the Warriors, the Lakers need to show they can handle the Rockets.  After all, the Rockets and Warriors have very similar run-and-gun strategies. 

So, to be safe, let’s argue that the Lakers are now the third best team in the Western Conference, alongside the OKC Thunder and probably, the Utah Jazz.  Against teams in the Eastern Conference, they’re probably better than most and have a 50-50 chance against the rising Boston Celtics and Philadelphia Sixers.

Is this Lakers team better than Lebron’s Cleveland team last season?  With a legit point guard in Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, and up-and-comers in Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball, one may say that this squad may just be as good, however severely untested.

My prediction?  For the 2018-2019 season, the Lakers make it to the second round of the playoffs.  
Hi, I’m James DeVellis. I’m starting my own blog to get ahead of the curve in the sports writing industry. For more about the stuff I love, check this link.