I went to see the new X-men movie, X-Men: The Last Stand, Friday night. It's a pretty decent flick, especially if you like summer popcorn movies jam-packed with action and special effects sequences. As always, super thespian Ian McKellen brought the drama, while Famke Janssen, Halle Berry, and Rebecca Romijn brought the hotness. Kelsey Grammer and Patrick Stewart also turned in fine performances. Some X-Men fanboys and fangirls are apparently disappointed with the mishandling of several things and the not-so-faithful script, as was I to some extent, but overall the film was rather enjoyable.

What does X-Men have to do with sports? Everything.

During the movie I started comparing the sports world to the X-Men world. Dominant athletes in our world are rare. Dominant mutants in the X-Men world are just as scarce. Then I started thinking-which of today's athletes are mutant-esque? That's when I came up with this post of "X-Athletes" to be "My Last Stand" of NGS II Round 1. If I could re-cast the mutants of X-Men: The Last Stand with personalities from the sports world, this is how I would do it...

Cast of X-Athletes

New York Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner as "Magneto"

Magneto is the biggest villain the world of X-Men has ever known. Steinbrenner is the biggest villain the world of sports has ever known. Magneto uses his ability to control magnetic fields in his attempts to wipe out humankind. Steinbrenner uses his deep pockets in his attempts to wipe out the rest of baseball. Neither man has succeeded in their destructive quests, but both have come close several times.

Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson as "Professor Charles Xavier"

Who else could manage the massive egos of mutant superstars Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey, but "Headmaster" Professor X. Who else could manage the massive egos of basketball superstars Shaq, Kobe, Air Jordan, Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, but "Zenmaster" Jackson? Professor X can read minds. Jackson can seemingly read the minds of opposing coaches. One lived in a mutant commune, the other should live in a hippy commune.

Miami Heat Center Shaquille O'Neal as "Colossus"

Colossus and Shaq are men of steel that tower over the competition. Both men are extremely valuable to their respective teams. Neither one of them impresses us with their vernacular.

Chicago Cubs Center Fielder Juan Pierre as "Kitty Pryde"

Walls don't stop either of these standouts. Pryde phases through them, Pierre elevates over them. Pryde robbed Juggernaut in the movie, Pierre robbed Barry Bonds in real life.

San Francisco Giants Left Fielder Barry Bonds as "Juggernaut"

Both of these massive men are believed to harvest their unrivaled power from a supernatural energy source. If that isn't enough of a similarity, just compare the size of their gigantic noggins.

New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady as "Cyclops"

These pretty boys have a penchant for dating Maxim-quality tail. Other than that, they both shoot out projectiles with laser-like precision. Cyclops shoots out laser beams from his eyes, while Brady fires footballs from his golden arm. Each of these heroes is often viewed to be the glue that holds together their respective team.

New York Knicks President Isiah Thomas as "Rogue"

As a mutant, Rogue was one of the best ever. As a player, Zeke was one of the best ever. As a person, Rogue sucks the life out of and ultimately kills anybody she touches. As an executive, Thomas has sucked the life out of the Knicks, and he might just kill off the franchise if he isn't removed.

Indianapolis Colts Defensive End Dwight Freeney as "Beast"

Check out this quote from the good people over at Marvel-"The Beast possesses superhuman strength, agility, endurance, and speed, despite his bulk." Sounds like QB-killer Freeney to me. Both "animals" also don a bright shade of blue while reeking havoc on opponents.

Pittsburgh Penguins Center Sidney Crosby as "Iceman"

The baby-faced Iceman can do just about anything with ice. The baby-faced "Sid the Kid" can do just about anything on ice. Both Iceman and Crosby do there fair share of whining.

Sacramento Kings Small Forward Ron Artest as "Pyro"

Pyro, a young mutant struggling with his emotions, doesn't always put the fire he can summon to good use. Artest, a young superstar struggling with his emotions, doesn't always put the fire he can summon to good use. Both are capable of burning either the opposition or their teammates, and both have during their turbulent pasts.

New Orleans Saints Running Back Reggie Bush as "Mystique"

Mystique can psionically shift her body to replicate any human. Bush can shift his body to replicate what any skill player has ever done on a football field. Before Friday, I thought both were impossible to catch.

Phoenix Suns PG Steve Nash as "Jean Grey/Phoenix"

As Jean Grey of the X-Men, Grey was great. When she became the Phoenix, she was almost unstoppable. As a Dallas Maverick, Nash was great. Since he became a Phoenix Sun, he's been almost unstoppable. Both Grey and Nash possess telepathic powers (Nash at least comes close), can control objects and others around them, and look good doing what they do. They both are dangerous, though. Grey as the Phoenix nearly destroyed humankind. Nash with Phoenix might destroy basketball by letting aspiring hoopsters watch him play defense.

Los Angeles Lakers Shooting Guard Kobe Bryant as "Angel"

Bryant and Angel have a ton in common. They are products of relatively famous fathers and enjoyed privileged upbringings. However, they also endured troubling times as young adults and are trying to restore their now-damaged reputations. Will Angel's and Kobe's "wings" allow them to soar to the heights needed in order to revive their reps?

Tennis Stars Venus or Serena Williams as "Storm"

Each sister possesses the requisite beauty and abilities to play this role. Serena and Venus have been known to whirlwind around the court as they unleash a "Storm" of serves, volleys, lobs, and overhead smashes on opponents.

Green Bay Packers Quarterback Brett Farve as "Wolverine"

Wolverine: A moxie-filled man with incredible mutant healing powers. Continues to perform at a high level despite his old age. Typically beats the odds and conquers any obstacle. Vastly popular.

Farve: see WOLVERINE.

My Own Personal Mr. Clutch

My love affair with the sport of basketball began twenty years ago. In the mid-80's, it wasn't Boston Celtics' superstar Larry Bird or the Los Angeles Lakers' one and only Magic Johnson who hooked me on the game. It wasn't Chicago Bulls' sensation Michael Jordan either.

The player that turned me into the full-fledged basketball addict that I am today was a skinny kid who played shooting guard for the UCLA Bruins.

His name-Reggie Miller.

Growing up, I was also a ridiculously skinny kid. As a young hoopster, I wanted someone to look up to. When I saw Miller play, it was love at first sight. He immediately became my favorite basketball player.

Around that same time, Indiana Pacers GM Donnie Walsh also discovered Miller. The Pacers selected Miller with the 11th pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.

At the time, neither decision was popular.

My elementary school basketball teammates didn't understand my identification with Miller. They especially didn't understand my identification with the Pacers. My teammates were all Celtics, Lakers, and Bulls fans. When they practiced in their backyards and driveways they always pretended to be Larry, Magic and Mike. I was always Reggie. I became an Indiana Pacers fan because I was a Reggie Miller fan.

Meanwhile, Pacers fans didn't understand Walsh's decision to draft Miller. They favored Indiana Hoosiers guard Steve Alford. Pacers fans made this blatantly clear when they booed the selection on draft day.

Still, both Walsh and I remained steadfastly confident in our selections. We both knew that Miller was special, both personally and professionally. We just didn't know how special. The road that Reggie Miller took to becoming a great player, and even a greater person, is truly amazing.

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As a young child growing up in Riverside, California, Miller was forced to wear Forrest Gump-like leg braces to correct a hip deformity that caused severely splayed feet. Due to Miller's condition, doctors feared that he might never walk correctly, let alone run. After four years, he finally shed the leg braces. He was not only walking, he was running.

Like Forrest, Reggie grew into a man who inspired many.

Now that Miller could finally run, he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his older siblings and become a great athlete. Miller's brother, Darryl, was a professional baseball player. His sister, Tammy, played volleyball at Cal-State Fullerton. Another sister, Cheryl, is a basketball Hall of Famer and possibly the greatest female player of all time. Emerging out from underneath of the shadows of such fine athletes was no easy task. Nonetheless, during Reggie's days as a UCLA Bruin he accomplished just that.

At UCLA, Miller became a star. During his sophomore season he helped the Bruins win the 1985 NIT Championship. As a senior, he led them to the 1987 Pac-10 Conference Championship. Miller exited college with a history degree and as the Bruins second all-time scorer, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Despite a magnificent career as a collegian, the general consensus was that Miller wasn't athletic or durable enough to excel in the NBA.

Walsh and the Pacers vehemently disagreed with this popular opinion. The franchise selected Miller and never looked back.

Miller started for the Pacers during his NBA rookie season. 1987-88, and averaged 10 points a game. By Miller's third season, 1989-1990, he had increased his points-per-game average to 24.6 and was one of the NBA's brightest young stars. He also made his first NBA All-Star Game appearance in 1990.

Even though Miller had enjoyed tremendous personal success during the early stages of his NBA career, he had yet to attract the national spotlight. That all changed in 1994. He put on a performance for the ages in the NBA Playoffs against the Knicks. It was the first of many clutch "Miller Moments"...

Miller Moments

1994 Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 Miller and the Pacers were on the road facing the heavily favored New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Miller-who seemed to be draining three-pointers all the way from New York City's Times Square-scored an unfathomable 25 fourth-quarter points, leading the Pacers to a 93-86 comeback victory. He ended up scoring 39 points. The legend of this game has been magnified due to the legendary courtside war of words exchanged by Miller and die-hard Knicks fan and filmmaker Spike Lee. Spike Lee on Miller, "When he's old and in a wheelchair, they're going to roll him out onto the (Madison Square) Garden court and he's still going to hit threes."

1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game One Miller and his Pacers were back at the Garden, facing the rival Knicks. Down 6 points with less than 17 seconds remaining, Miller scored an impossible 8 points, two threes and two free throws, in 8.9 seconds to give the Pacers a remarkable 107-105 victory. This outcome left the Knicks, Knicks fans, and courtside Lee speechless. When people recall Miller's playing days, this is the game they most often talk about.

1998 Eastern Conference Finals Game 4 Miller's Pacers were down 94-93 to the Chicago Bulls with less than three seconds remaining. Miller shook free of Michael Jordan's defense, caught an inbounds pass, and nailed a dagger three to give the Pacers the 96-94 win. Afterwards, the home crowd inside the Pacers' Market Square Arena exploded as Miller and his teammates celebrated. "You might make your first 10 shots and everything is going great, but when the game is on the line, those other 10 don't mean anything." - Reggie Miller

2002 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game 5 Miller almost single-handedly eliminated the eventual Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Nets in the final game of this best-of-5 series. First, Miller banked in a 40-foot buzzer-beating three to tie the game and send it into overtime. Next, the vertically-challenged Miller somehow dunked on three Nets late in the first overtime to extend the game again. Due to no fault of Miller's, the Pacers eventually lost after a second overtime period.

Miller Moments (Video Link)

The abovementioned are just a few of the seemingly countless moments that made Reggie Miller synonymous with the word "clutch." However, he will not only be remembered for these moments, but also in the record books:

He made the NBA All-Star Game five times.

He won a gold medal playing for the USA's Dream Team II in the 1996 Olympics.

He averaged 18.2 points per a game during his career.

His scoring average increased to 20.6 during the playoffs.

He is the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers made.

He is 12th on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

Another way to evaluate Miller's career is by the success his Pacers enjoyed.

Until Miller's arrival, the Pacers only made the NBA Playoffs twice-bounced quickly both times. During Miller's career, the Pacers made the playoffs 15 of his 18 seasons, making the Eastern Conference Finals six times and the franchise's only NBA Finals appearance.

The loyalty Miller showed the Indiana Pacers is absent in professional sports today. Only ex-Utah Jazz PG John Stockton played more games while playing for one team during the span of an entire NBA career. The Pacers rewarded Miller with a Bentley and the honor of being the only NBA player whose jersey number has ever been retired by the franchise.

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Miller's accomplishments on the basketball court only tell half of the story. He is just as "clutch" of a person.

People haven't always been kind to Miller. In 1997, his $2.9 million dream house burned to the ground. The disaster is still suspected to be the result of a hate crime. He's also received numerous death threats from deranged fans over the years. Nonetheless, Miller has responded with nothing but generosity.

Miller donated considerable time and hundreds of thousands of dollars to victims of the 9/11 tragedy in New York. He is one of the nation's foremost philanthropists supporting burn and arson victims. These charitable efforts, along with charitable work in the Indianapolis area, won Miller the NBA's 2003-04 J. Walter Kennedy Community Service Award.

Miller holding his NBA Community Service Award.

It turns out that Reggie Miller was the perfect choice for both Walsh and me. Walsh found a franchise cornerstone for nearly two decades. I found a hero who inspires me personally on a daily basis. Reggie touched Walsh. Reggie touched the skinny kid who was looking for a hero. And Reggie touched legions of fans worldwide. He is the reason many of us have such an allegiance to the Pacers.

None of us will ever forget the story of a skinny handicapped kid who couldn't run as a child, but ultimately ran circles around the competition during a career that will surely end at the Basketball Hall of Fame. We will never forget how "clutch" Reggie was, both on and off the court. We will never forget the story of Reggie Miller, one of the greatest personal triumphs the sports world has ever known.

Before tonight's Game 1 of the Miami Heat-Detroit Pistons Eastern Conference Finals series, the NBA held another playoff staple-the NBA Draft Lottery. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the lottery, it is an annual event that the NBA hosts to determine the top three picks of each draft. Any of the 14 non-playoff teams can slip into the top three, but the NBA uses a sliding-scale odds system that gives the league's worst teams the highest probability of doing so. However, sometimes the odds are defied and a team that barely misses the playoffs ends up with the top pick. For example, the Orlando Magic were the lottery team with the best record during the 1992-1993 NBA season, yet somehow managed to luck out and win the number one pick.

Even though the NBA has taken drastic measures to prove the fairness of the lottery, many skeptics remain. At times, I almost agree with them. Doesn't it seem a little fishy that the Cleveland Cavaliers landed the first pick the year that Ohio's favorite son and future MVP candidate LeBron James became draft eligible? Or that the New York Knicks, the team with the NBA's biggest market, managed to land the top pick in the first ever NBA Draft Lottery?

In my opinion, the controversy only adds to what usually already is must-see TV. That being said, here is the live journal that I jotted down during the lottery...

Pre-Lotto Hype

4:40 PM PT - Great. ESPN lead sportscaster Dan Patrick is hosting this shindig. He is interviewing NBA Commissioner David Stern right now. I'm not a big fan of either of these two, so the TV is on mute for now. Listening to the new Gnarls Barkley CD St. Elsewhere instead.

4:42 PM PT. - Here we go... Stern's goofy bonds stooge is carrying out the envelopes that contain the secret order of the first 14 picks of the upcoming 2006 NBA Draft. Commercial break...

Steve Zissou isn't the only one with a bonds stooge.

4:44 PM PT - A X-Men: The Last Stand commercial is on now. Yes, I am a X-Men fan. Does that mean that I am secretly 16? No, I'm 27, meaning that at least one of us in the Next Great Sportswriter II contest is actually of age.

4:45 PM PT - Back to the lottery... The Philadelphia 76ers are using team president Billy King as their good-luck representative. Is that a good idea? After all, this is the guy that turned the Sixers, a borderline title contender a few years back, into a lottery team in the first place. The spot is typically designated for someone with good karma. Take the Orlando Magic for example, they are using senior vice president Pat Williams. Williams has represented the Magic all three times that the team has landed the first pick.

4:47 PM PT - The Boston Celtics are using JoJo White, who was a great player for the Celts in the 1970's as the team's rep. Apparently not only did he bring one of Red Auerbach's cigars, but he is also wearing underwear. He didn't even say lucky underwear, he just said that he brought underwear. Weird. Patrick just made a completely unfunny wisecrack about White's undys. He thinks he's doing stand-up now or something.

4:49 PM PT - Patrick just asked Chicago Bulls GM John Paxson if he would trade back the lottery pick that the New York Knicks sent him for C Eddy Curry. Yeah, Paxson really wants an overweight malcontent with a history of heart problems back in exchange for what should be a top-five pick.

4:50 PM PT - Before I announce the top 14 picks, here are each team's percentage-wise odds of winning the first pick:

2006 NBA Draft Lottery Odds

Portland Trail Blazers - .250

Chicago Bulls - .199

Charlotte Bobcats - .138

Atlanta Hawks - .137

Toronto Raptors - .088

Minnesota Timberwolves - .053

Boston Celtics - .053

Houston Rockets - .023

Golden State Warriors - .022

Seattle Sonics - .011

Orlando Magic - .008

New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets - .007

Philadelphia 76ers - .006

Utah Jazz - .005

The 2006 NBA Draft Lottery Countdown

Here is the order, announced in reverse order for dramatic affect...

14. Utah Jazz... No surprise here...

13. Philadelphia 76ers... King wasn't exactly a rabbit's foot, was he...

12. New Orleans... Still in order...

11. Orlando Magic... Pat Williams couldn't do it this time...

10. Seattle Sonics... Seattle has still never had the first pick...

9. Golden State... Still no surprises...

8. Houston Rockets... This could really help them next year...

7. Boston Celtics... Ditto here...

6. Minnesota Timberwolves... Still no surprises...

5. Atlanta Hawks... Toronto moves up...

Will the Hawks really pick yet another small forward?

4. Portland Trail Blazers... The worst pick the Blazers could possibly end up with...

Another commercial break...

4:52 PM PT - This commercial is referring to soccer as football on American TV. This is an outrage! I'm calling my Congressperson. Whoever is responsible for this blatant pushing of inaccurate propaganda needs to be punished!!

OK, I'm sorry for that. I turned into Michael Douglas from Falling Down for a moment there. What can I say? I'm just not a big soccer fan.

4:55 PM PT - And we're back on again...Three teams remain-Toronto, Charlotte and Chicago...

3. Charlotte Bobcats... Adam Morrison could really help fill the seats...

2. Chicago Bulls... The Bulls should unload this pick. K.G. would look real good in red and black...

1. Toronto Raptors... Man, new Raptors President Bryan Colangelo has to love his new gig. More on this development, along with some of the others, here in a moment...

4:57 PM PT - Patrick just suggested to Bryan Colangelo that the Raptors take a PG with the first pick. Has he even glanced at this draft class? Picking UCONN PG Marcus Williams with the first overall pick would make the Raptors lottery pick of Rafael Araujo a few drafts back look brilliant. Patrick is really on a roll here.

4:59 PM PT - After cracking yet another underwear joke (his third of the night) Patrick approaches Trail Blazers President Steve Patterson and asks him if he is "disappointed" after his Blazers slipped all the way down to the fourth pick. Who is this guy? Of course he's disappointed. Look at his face, Patterson looks like he has just lost his first-born child or something. Now the Blazers will be lucky if they can even draft local product and Gonzaga star Adam Morrison and boost ticket sales. Patrick has some nerve, doesn't he? He constantly aims to bring out the worst in people. Then again, maybe that is what makes him so successful.

Looks of the Kingsford Charcoal guy, ego of King James.

5:00 PM PT - Patrick is interviewing Bobcats G/F Gerald Wallace now. Wallace looks so nervous that I wouldn't be surprised if there was a pool of urine beneath him on the floor. Plus, he sounds like Barry White. His voice can't be that deep naturally. He's Snoop Doggin' it for sure. ESPN is cutting away to...

5:02 PM PT - The Heat-Pistons game, which tips off in a few minutes. With the Spurs getting kicked to the curb last night, I hope the Pistons get bounced next. How bad would it be for the NBA after such an entertaining season to have either the Pistons or the Spurs in the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive season? That will be the case if the Pistons make the Finals. Personally, I'm pulling for a non-boring Heat-Dallas Mavericks Finals. Dirk Nowitzki and Dwayne Wade would give the Finals some much-needed star power. Plus, the Mavs are as fun to watch as any team in sports right now and I'd do almost anything to see Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban after his Mavs won it all. I'm not so sure that he wouldn't go streaking through the arena Frank-from-Old School style.

Will Cuban go "Frank the Tank" on us if the Mavs win it all?

The Aftermath

Honestly, I'm just glad that I don't have to listen to Dan Patrick any longer. The only things that bug me more than him right now in the world of sports are the Babe-Bonds saga, Rasheed Wallace bemoaning every foul called on him, and the Miller Lite "Man Law" commercials currently airing during the NBA games.

By the way, those commercials are horrid. There is no way that I'm going to let a bunch of has-beens (Burt Reynolds), B-listers (Eddie Griffin, Triple H), and no-names (a rodeo star and some guy who survived getting hit by a train) tell me what my laws of manhood should be. The "you poke it, you own it" rule is a pathetic attempt at a sexual innuendo, and the other commercials are even worse. Does Miller Lite actually think that I want to see Triple H rip his shirt off. The dude is straight flabby now, plus I already saw Gilbert Arenas do the same thing almost 90 times this season.

Anyway, back to the draft... The Raptors absolutely made out here, but who's the pick? This draft is jam-packed with forwards and the Raptors already have emerging stars Charlie Villanueva and Chris Bosh. I think that the Raptors should take Italian 7-foot sensation Andrea Bargnani. CB4 can play center and CV3 is a natural small forward, adding Bargnani at the power forward spot would give them a fantastic nucleus to build around. Even if Bargnani is nothing more than a poor man's Nowitzki, this frontcourt would still eventually be among the best, if not the best, in the NBA.

I think that the Bulls also lucked out. The Bulls were a playoff team (albeit not for very long) this season, and now they will add the second pick into the mix. Like I suggested earlier, the Bulls should dangle the pick out in front of the Timberwolves, along with Luol Deng and Tyson Chandler, and see if a Kevin Garnett trade can materialize. A core of Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni, and K.G. would give the Bulls a team talented enough to potentially win the East. The Timberwolves would make out as well, getting back Deng, Gordon and a future-star big man like Tyrus Thomas or LaMarcus Aldridge to add to Ricky Davis and the sixth-overall pick.

2:11 AM PT - Well, I'd love to stay and ramble on and on all night long, but my girlfriend graduates from college tomorrow and is having a crisis picking her outfit. I fear that she might just fire the stiletto she's holding at me if I neglect her any longer. If you made it this far, thanks for rolling with me 1,800-plus words deep and check back for more material later on in the week.

Nowitzki and Hanks even have the same 'do.

Saturday Night Lame

Yes, I bought into all of the hype and went to see The Da Vinci Code Saturday night. I mainly went so that I would be able to bring you this article.

Bad decision.

Around 4:00 p.m. or so, my girlfriend and I decided that we were going to go eat Mexican food and catch the 6:30 showing at a small theater here in Long Beach. I'll just say that it took us awhile to get out of the apartment. By the time that we bought tickets, several shows were already sold out and the next available showing wasn't until 8:15 p.m. The clerk told us to be back 30-45 minutes if we wanted to get a decent seat.

We ate and came back at 7:30, exactly 45 minutes early. Everyone had already been seated. There was absolutely no seats left and the next showing wasn't until 10 p.m. We got a refund and decided to go to a bigger theater to avoid waiting so long.

Another bad decision.

When we arrived at the bigger theater, The Da Vinci Code was sold out until 10:15. We bought tickets and went over to a local arcade to kill some time. Afterwards, we got into line about an hour before the scheduled start time. There was already about 200 people in front of us. Once the usher allowed everyone into the theater the rush for seats turned into a Battle Royal. I swear I saw an eleven-year-old kid slap an old man with a bag of Twizzlers (OK, I'm embellishing a bit on this particular claim, but you get the point). Miraculously, we were still able to find decent seats.

At that point I was like "This $@#% better be good."

It wasn't. The movie sucks. Even Tom Hanks turned in an uninspired performance and the plot had more holes than the Dallas Cowboys offensive line used to make for Emmitt Smith. I suppose I should have expected this from Opie Taylor.

Anyway...

In the movie Harvard Professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) gets mixed up in a murder mystery while on business in Paris. While attempting to solve the mystery he discovers ancient codes. He believes these codes lead to the Holy Grail and begins a quest for the Grail that takes him all over Europe.

This isn't unlike what has gone on in the NBA over the course of the past decade.

After a small influx of European players infiltrated the NBA (Vlade Divac, Detlef Schrempf, Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Arvydas Sabonis, etc...), scouts found themselves searching all over Europe for undiscovered talent. During this search, the next NBA superstar, Dirk Nowitzki, was found. As a result of this amazing revelation, NBA executives became obsessed with the notion that European players were the key to discovering the NBA's Holy Grail-The Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy.

Each NBA franchise's hunt for the next European NBA superstar began. Starting with Nowitzki, here are some of the more significant discoveries NBA teams have made during their quests across the Atlantic.

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The European 'It' List

PF Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, Germany - Dirk is widely considered to be both the player that started the NBA's fascination with European talent and the best European NBA player ever. In 1998, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Nowitzki 9th overall and immediately traded him to the Dallas Mavericks for the draft rights to Robert "Tractor" Traylor. This trade would be similar to Brad Pitt trading in Angelina Jolie for Kathy Griffin. It wasn't a very smooth move for the Bucks.

Dirk's lethal combo of length and moves make him one of a kind.

During his eight NBA seasons, Nowitzki has developed into one of the elite players in the league. He has also helped revolutionize the game. Before the German Wunderkind, the league had never known a seven-footer with the shooting range, athleticism, and offensive skills owned by Nowitzki. Just how unique is Dirk? He is the only player in NBA history to ever record 150 three-point field goals and 100 blocks in the same season. This season, Nowitzki made All NBA First-Team and was third in NBA MVP voting while leading the Mavs to 60 wins and the third-best record in the NBA. After witnessing Nowitzki turn the once lowly Mavs into a legitimate NBA Championship contender, NBA front offices are still looking for the "next Dirk Nowitzki."

SF Predrag "Peja" Stojakovic, Indiana Pacers, Serbia-Montenegro - Stojakovic isn't quite the player that Nowitzki is, but he is still recognized as an All-Star talent and one of the top international players in the NBA. Peja is a little shorter and less versatile than Dirk, but he still possesses a sweet shooting stroke. The Sacramento Kings drafted Stojakovic in 1996, but he didn't actually join the Kings until 1998-99, which was also Nowitzki's rookie year.

He Got Game: Peja's wife, Greek supermodel Aleka Kamila.

Stojakovic started his career somewhat slowly, coming off the bench for the Kings during both of his first two seasons. During his third season, he took his game to new heights, averaging 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during his first season as a starter. In the following seasons, Stojakovic maintained this high level of play while helping reinvent the previously abysmal Sacramento Kings franchise into a winner. Peja was traded to the Indiana Pacers last season in exchange for clinically insane superstar Ron Artest. Even though Stojakovic has been criticized for both his defensive ineptitude and his playoff disappearing acts, he is undoubtedly one of the best shooters and scorers playing in the league today.

PG Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs, France - Contrary to popular belief, there is more to Parker than just being Mr. Eva Longoria. He is also a top-notch NBA player. Drafted 28th overall in 2001 by the San Antonio Spurs, Parker immediately became the Spurs starting point guard. Two years later the lightening-quick Parker lead the Spurs to the 2003 NBA Championship. Since then he has helped the Spurs win another NBA Championship (2005), been selected to the NBA All-Star Game (2006), and recorded a French rap album. After starting the NBA's French Revolution, Parker has shown no signs of slowing down.

NBA execs are "Desperate" for players like Parker.

PF Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, Spain - Gasol is a fierce competitor that does most of his damage inside. He was selected 3rd by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2001 NBA Draft. Gasol was a standout from day one, winning the 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year award. Even though the Grizzlies have still never won a NBA Playoff game, at least Gasol is leading them to the postseason. Before Pau's arrival, the Grizz had never even been in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Bearded Spaniard was selected to the 2006 All-Star Game and has averaged 18.5 points and 1.9 blocks per game during his career. Gasol's intensity and toughness are helping change the soft label frequently given to European players.

F Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz, Russia - Kirilenko not only is the most versatile European player in the NBA today, he also has the best nickname-AK-47, a moniker that is inspired both by his jersey number (47) and the infamous Russian rifle that shares the same name (AK-47). The Utah Jazz drafted him with the 24th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, but he didn't play in the NBA until the 2001-02 NBA season. He was an NBA All-Star in 2004 and is one of only two players to record a "5X6" (6 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 blocks, and 6 steals). The other player is former NBA MVP Hakeem Olajuwon. Kirilenko is so good that his wife (hottie and former Russian pop star Masha Lopatova) allows him to sleep with another woman once every year. Now that's talent. His defensive abilities are proving that some Europeans can indeed "D" up.

(In Russian) Honey, are you sure it's OK?

F-C Darko Milicic, Orlando Magic, Serbia-Montenegro - At the ripe age of 20, Milicic has already been prematurely labeled as a bust. I understand why; because Milicic was selected by the Detroit Pistons 2nd in the 2003 NBA draft, ahead of stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade. Still, he hardly played at all during the first two-and-a-half years of his career with the Pistons, so it is a tad early to pass judgment on the young Serbian. Milicic finally started to get some burn when he was shipped to the Orlando Magic prior to the 2006 All-Star break. He finished the season playing fairly well for the Magic, especially defensively (he averaged over 2 blocks per game during his 30 games with the Magic). Will Darko end up a flat-out bust or bust out with potential? Only time will tell, but teams are starting to be more cautious about European players after witnessing the early stages of Milcic's career.

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The Past, Present, and Future

There have been plenty of other success stories-such as Orlando Magic F Hedo Turkoglu of Turkey, Cleveland Cavaliers C Zydrunas Ilgauskas of Lithuania, and Phoenix Suns PG-C and 2006 Most Improved Player Boris Diaw of France-and a few busts-such as Nikoloz Tskitishvili of Georgia, who was selected 5th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2002 NBA Draft, and is barely clinging to his Phoenix Suns roster spot-as NBA teams continue to span Europe for a player that will deliver them an NBA Championship. This search is no longer limited to Europe either, as current NBA stars have been drafted from Argentina (San Antonio Spurs G Manu Ginobli), China (Houston Rockets C Yao Ming), Canada (Phoenix Suns PG and back-to-back NBA MVP Steve Nash) and Australia (Milwaukee Bucks C Andrew Bogut).

The bottom line here is that lots of foreigners can ball (Plus, they all somehow pull supermodel-hot chicks as effortlessly as they hit free throws, which is good for bonus points in my book).

Some basketball theorists associate the success of European and foreign players to the extra emphasis that foreign countries seem to place on basketball fundamentals. Another train of thought is that wherever basketball is frequently played, good players will develop. Both of these explanations seem to make sense.

The bigger question is this: In the future, will the World's best basketball players hail from America or from European or other countries?

That question may never be answered, but NBA front offices will still continue to import oodles of European and foreign players in their quest to obtain basketball's Holy Grail. Even The Da Vinci Code Director Ron Howard could get that story straight.

 

Jack of all traitors?

Jack,

I don't know you, but I'm a film buff and big fan of yours, so I feel that I know you reasonably well. That being said, I have to ask-what in the hell were you doing flying to Phoenix to watch L.A.'s other team, the Los Angeles Clippers? You are suppose to be the quintessential Los Angeles Lakers fan.

Are you mad at Kobe? This is you telling KB8/24 and his teammates "Wait'll they get a load of ME!," isn't it? Has Elgin Baylor finally turning things around inspired you to the point that you told him "you make me want to be a better man?" Or were you there to support your good friend and die-hard Clippers fan Billy Crystal, who always seems to crack on you at the Oscars? Here's his next Jack Nicholson punchline-"never rub another man's rhubarb."

You'll probably wake up tomorrow and say that this experience was "The most terrible nightmare I ever had. It's the most horrible dream I ever had." Jack, you need to take some accountability here. You were wearing Clipper blue. I know you were there to support your director from As Good As It Gets , Clippers fan James L. Brooks, but still-YOU WERE WEARING CLIPPER BLUE! OK, maybe it was light purple, but it looked like blue on TV. You and Penny Marshall are out! What, is three championships every decade not good enough for you?

What's wrong, Jack, "you can't handle the truth?" That's too bad. You are a Lakers fan. Go home! This is an outrage. Noah Cross told you this in Chinatown "most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of... anything! " Well, buddy, you now have to face that fact. What's your next film going to be, a Benedict Arnold bio-pic?

You can only hope that Kobe doesn't disown you during his guest appearance on TNT's NBA Halftime Show tonight. You know that Chuck and Kenny are going to ask him about you. Well, hopefully the Ocho, I mean, Jack Bauer, will forgive you and it will be business as usual with you courtside next year. I have a feeling you'll wake up tomorrow, read this, and write me back "What can I tell you, kid? You're right. When you're right, you're right, and you're right."

I love ya, Jack, but you're pushing me. First, Wolf, then Mars Attacks, and now this? Are there any real fans still out there? What happened to loyalty? Jack, this is a wake up call. "Lord have mercy! Is that what that is?" Yes, now go back to your family-the purple and gold. That's where you belong.

Sincerely,

Adam