[marcusfizer21Participant]

I just love reading and watching stories of successful players who developed friendship at such a young age… If you know any players that have close bond, please share it here in this forum… As far as I know, I only have 2 pairs in mind.

1. Jason Kidd and Gary Payton – Two of the best point guards in the NBA. Both are leaders and terrific passers. They developed their friendship at a young age. Gary used to go all out on J-Kidd in the playgrounds since he believed that J-Kidd is the second best among the guys he played against at that time. Their friendship transcended to the NBA. GP was the 2nd pick in the 1990 draft. J-Kidd became the 2nd pick in the 1994 draft. When the two dueled up in one NBA game, J-Kidd and GP trash talked in a gun competitive way. J-Kidd scored past against Payton but when it was The Glove’s turn, he made 8-10 successive points. J-Kidd went dumbstruck and went on to lose that duel against his friend. Up to this day, they are real good friends.

2. Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis – Both grew up in Baton Rouge, LA. They are really tight. They used to be teammates when they were 10-11 years old, with Big Baby’s dad as the coach, it was easy for both these guys to develop a certain bond. Their game came out differently, one is hyper-athletic while the other one is a bulky power forward. Tyrus became a lottery pick in the 2006 Draft by Portland (traded to the Bulls on that night) while Big Baby was selected 35th overall in the 2nd round of the 2007 NBA Draft by Seattle (but traded to Boston on that night). Tyrus is an up and coming stud while Big Baby tasted a championship ring with the C’s. They had a fierce battle last season in the playoffs where Big Baby’s Celtics outlasted Tyrus’ Bulls in 7 games. But still, their friendship remains the same.

Anyone who care to share any NBA friendships, share it here.. I just love those NBA stories of childhood success and friendship.

[Knicksboy34Participant]

Odom and Artest are.

[marcusfizer21Participant]

That’s cool… Yeah I forgot about that one.. They now have a chance to win a title together… nice^^

[Michael.S.Participant]

Lebron and Melo?

[Knicksboy34Participant]

Also I remember Kobe and Jerry Stackhouse. Kobe and Jerry played one on one games at Temple University.

[Michael.S.Participant]

Somebody stole the pizza, and all signs pointed to the new kid.

Eight years ago, Michael Beasley was awkward and clumsy on the basketball court. Everyone at the Seat Pleasant Activities Center just outside Washington, D.C., could see that he had raw talent, but he lacked focus. He was undisciplined and difficult to coach.

After his first few hours practicing with the boys’ team, Beasley was told to leave the gym and not return.

Before leaving, the new kid swiped a box of pizza the team had planned for lunch.

That was the first time Sonics rookie guard Kevin Durant met Beasley.

“We were 11 years old when we met,” Durant said. “We had a team and the guy that ran the organization (PK Martin) heard about him and brought him down to the rec center. Mike practiced with us one day, and he was awful. You could tell that he was good, but I guess he was nervous. He was lazy. He didn’t play like he wanted to.

“And when he left, he stole our pizza. Our big pizza. We had just ordered it, too.”

Some first impressions you never forget.

Durant can’t tell that story without laughing. But really, it’s all so absurd when you think about it.

Two friends would devote their lives to chasing a basketball dream. The older boy (Durant) would blaze a path that the younger one would follow.

In their freshman seasons, each would attend National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Md. As juniors, they’d attend acclaimed Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where they bolster their national reputation and become prominent collegiate recruits.

As seniors, they’d transfer to different high schools closer to home.

They’d win the MVP award of the McDonald’s All-America Game.

They’d attend Big 12 schools. Durant to Texas, Beasley to Kansas State.

They’d win the conference Freshman of the Year award.

They’d leave school after one year.

And they’d both become high lottery picks in the NBA draft. Durant was taken No. 2 overall last year by the Sonics and Beasley is considered by many to be top pick in the June 26 draft.

Who would believe that story?

Depending on what happens at Tuesday’s draft lottery, the Sonics may be in position to reunite the childhood friends.

Seattle finished with the second-worst record in the NBA, which gives it a 19.9 percent chance of landing the top spot. The team has an 18.8 percent chance of drafting No. 2, 17.1 percent chance of picking third, 31.9 percent chance of picking fourth and a 12.3 percent chance at the fifth choice. Lottery rules say the Sonics can fall no lower than fifth in the draft order.

Still, the odds of selecting two kids from nearby neighborhoods so high in the draft in consecutive years are infinitesimal.

Beasley remembers meeting Durant, and he also confessed to the pizza heist.

“Where I lived was not the best area to grow up in,” he said of his hometown of Upper Marlboro, Md. “I didn’t know when the next time I was going to eat.”

Even though Beasley stole the team’s lunch and was horrible in practice, Martin invited him back.

“From there, he was kind of the jokester of the team,” Durant said. “Everybody just kind of drew to Mike. He didn’t play that much early on, but one game we were in the championship and it went to like a triple overtime and he had 20 and 20 [points and rebounds].

“He was 12 years old. And all he was doing was tipping the ball to himself. He was almost dunking. His hands were so big. He was getting rebounds, and his hands were at the rim laying it in. After that he was a monster from then.”

Durant and Beasley became inseparable.

“He sort of lived with me almost,” Durant said. “He would come over before school, after school, stay late and then leave. [Our relationship] is very tight. We’re brothers. We tell each other we love each other. We’ve been through a lot. Almost the same things.”

Beasley’s mom was a single woman raising four kids. When the boys were teenagers, Beasley’s mother would drop him off at Durant’s home every day at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast. Durant and Beasley would ride the bus to school and play basketball in the evenings.

“He was a good kid,” Wanda Pratt, Durant’s mother, said of Beasley. “He was fun-loving. He liked to have a good time. His personality is not as serious as Kevin. He was always well-mannered. I never had a problem with Mike.”

Everyone calls him B-Easy, but his playful personality belies a fierce competitiveness on the court.

Much like Durant, Beasley is versatile. He’s a relentless scorer in the paint and a lethal perimeter shooter with three-point range. And his 6-foot-9, 235-pound frame is more suited for the rigors of a six-month NBA season than Durant, the Rookie of the Year, who weighed 215 last season.

“We’re a lot alike, but he’s a different player than I am,” Durant said. “I would say he’s more like Carmelo [Anthony] because he has more of an inside-out game. The biggest difference in us is he’ll be a No. 1 pick. I hate to put that pressure on him, but he’ll be a No. 1 pick.”

During the season they talked at least twice a week, and admittedly a few times they kicked around the idea of playing together for the Sonics.

“Yeah, we thought about it, but wherever he goes, I wish him the best,” Durant said. “If we happen to play on the same team, he can play inside out. He would be a great low-post presence. We’d just learn from each other. We’d be a very young team.

“That would be so cool. I’m not going to say it’s impossible, because you never know what can happen.”

[rickyD510Participant]

baron davis and paul pierce both from south cental
beasley and durant both from the aau team in maryland

[UofAxWildcatsParticipant]

Kevin Garnett and Chauncey Billups,,,i think he is a godfather to one of his daughters…

[MuggsyParticipant]

Didn’t Michael Jordan and Michael Finley go to the same high school? I don’t know if they knew eachother, but for some reason I think they went to the same HS. But yeah, it’s crazy how many of these players knew eachother even before college.

[ballinbParticipant]

lebron james and sebastion telfair

[aspence4Participant]

I don’t think Micheal Finley and MJ went to the same high school. This is prolly what you were thinking about.

After winning a television contest as a senior high school honor student at Proviso East in Maywood,IL, Finley got the chance to play one-on-one versus Michael Jordan. After their game, Jordan told him something he’s never forgotten:

“Maybe I’ll see you in five years.”
-Michael Jordan

I found the info off of http://www.michaelfinley.com/quick.html

[tuck243Participant]

I think he mean SINCE they were little… You fools… Not LeBron and Bassy… Or LeBron and Melo… Or Chauncy and KG… LOL…

OJ Mayo and Bill Walker are like brothers. Been together since the age of 5 I think…

I can’t think of any more at this moment though…

[Hoop FreakZParticipant]

They both played together on the same high school basketball team in Philadelphia.

[R-Dot-13Participant]

Mike Conley, Greg Oden?

[JNixonParticipant]

Nick Young and Jordan Farmar have a good relationship. It goes way beyond basketball. When Nick Young was on the brink of not qualifying for college, Farmar gave him some books to prep for the SAT’s for Christmas. He also was instrumental in helping Nick deal with his brother’s shooting death when he was younger. That was real cool, I have lots of respect for Farmar because of those 2 things.

[adjose5Participant]

Mike Bibby & Stephen Jackson- friends since high school, Bibby was a groomsman at Jacksons wedding

Kirk Hinrich & Nick Collison- from their days playing against each other in high school in Iowa

The Seattle boys….Brandon Roy, Jamal Crawford, Terrance Williams, Will Conroy & Nate Robinson

Spencer Hawes & Jon Brockman- known each other since 8th grade, played AAU all throughout high school

Steve Smith & Derrick Coleman grew up in the same neighborhood in Detroit

Charlie Bell, Mateen Cleeves and Morris Peterson all grew up playing against each other in Flint Michigan

[spencerishawesome]

G Henderson and Wayne Ellington

[JoeWolf1]

A tragic story about childhood friends growing up and playing together, Gathers would have no doubt been in the NBA if he hadn’t passed

[BasketballGuru24Participant]

Morris Peterson and Jonathan Bender are cousins

[ricks17Participant]

vince carter and tracy mcgrady. they are 2nd or 3rd cousins.

[gedrosolanParticipant]

kobe and eddie jones used to play pick up games at temple university before kobe played in the nba

[jaycee24Participant]

Mateen Cleaves and Mo Pete both came up in Flint and were friend from High School then went to MSU together

[quincey hodges]

actually there are alot more then we know..most of the nba players have known other nba players since there freshman year in highschool from aau and camps

[bakimm]

they both grew up together in Seattle Washington and live close to each other

[D HampParticipant]

Jalen Rose and Chris Webber were best friends in Detroit. According to Mitch Albom’s Fab Five, Webber was the tall, local punk who was picked on by everyone and skinny Jalen Rose was the boyguard. HA HA.

They were also two of the first players to recruiting each other. Jalen said that he and Webber were a package deal and that whatever university Webber would attend, Jalen would also.

Dhamp…the greatest basketball mind in the world. Next to Hubie Brown anyway.

[Author]

Posts