A John Wall dunk, links and commentary ….

LINKS!

Al Thornton, Nick Young and Yi Jianlian are likely to enter the Summer of ’11 with the Wizards holding the option on their qualifying offers, aka as restricted free-agents. No big deal here. Each is vastly unproven so it doesn’t make a ton of sense to lock into any of them for the unknown future.
[Wizards Insider]

Ted Leonsis has opening-night jitters. “Throw the kids into the deep end of the pool; let them swim!,” he says. Gosh, I hope there is a lifeguard around to combat what appears to be a poolside bully throwing all these damn kids in the pool. But really, I think the kids can swim, it’s just time to see how well. I’m looking forward to it.
[Ted's Take]

Leonsis continues to stand by Arenas … probably until he doesn’t … whatever that means. Maybe a trade or something.
[DC Sports Bog]

Speaking of Arenas, David Aldridge on NBA.com has all sorts of opinions about him. First Aldridge says hope that Arenas has emerged a changed man via last season has “evaporated” via sore knee lies. Then D.A. says, “I hope I’m proven wrong,” but then says, “Not holding my breath.” Then Aldridge compares Arenas to a deadbeat dad four years behind on child-support who is also making moonshine in his basement. Finally, he says the Wizards should give Arenas the Jamaal Tinsley treatment and just tell him to stay at home. Seems like an odd amount of twists and turns from D.A., with an ultimate overboard reaction — that is, until Arenas does something else stupid, I guess.
[NBA.com]

The new Free Darko book on NBA history is out and it’s pretty damn awesome. I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy and am just about finished. So expect to hear more about it soon. In the meantime, you might as well go ahead and order it. Also check out the FD player power rankings … where John Wall is 3rd, Gilbert Arenas is 20th, Andray Blatche is 31st and JaVale McGee is 34th.
[Free Darko]

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A D.C. pic and links …

[Card game, no guns - Meridian Hill Park, Washington, D.C. - K. Weidie]

[UPDATE] Here’s more video of Wall and others from the Elite 24 runs. Looks like Johnny gets crossed up at the 0:59 mark. [via Ball is Life; h/t SLAM]

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{flickr/Wootang01}

Ted Leonsis is pleased as punch with the Yi Jianlian acquisition (or a juice box — the above picture evidently advertises juice, and not milk). Can’t blame him too much … although, there is certainly reason to be skeptical of Yi. I do think he will be a pleasant surprise. It just all depends on your baseline standards for being surprised.

In linking Michael Lee’s Sunday story about Yi in the Washington Post on his blog, Ted’s Take, Leonsis writes:

He is 7 feet tall. He is fast. He is talented. He is still developing.

He will toughen up through international play. He can shoot the ball.

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[The yell after the dunk.]

I’m pretty sure you’ve seen it by now, JaVale McGee’s monster dunk over New Orleans’ Kyle Hines in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game. It was pretty damn insane … and definitely would have been nice to see. I was right there, mere feet away taking pictures from the baseline. And right there in my way was the referee. Thankfully in this day and age there is a YouTube, so let’s take another watch.

[video courtesy of @jose3030]

After the game McGee spoke about his dunk, saying, “I surprised myself to tell you the truth. I thought I was going to dunk it, but I ain’t think … I felt like the rim was at my waist.”

In the video below, McGee also credits the Hornets’ Sean Sonderlieter, depicted as “that white guy with the hair down to here,” as being the spark that ignited the Wizards’ third quarter where they outscored New Orleans 30-16. Evidently Sonderlieter said something to John Wall after he expressed his excitement over a Trevor Booker blocked shot. “Everybody just jumped on that guy’s back. We just all came as one and everybody just started going crazy. We all just started feeding off each other,” said McGee.

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First, JaVale McGee swatted four shots last Saturday against the Kings to surpass 100 blocks for his career.  Now this:

I’d say things are looking up for the kid. Now if he can further prove his worth in Flip Saunders’ zone defense, he just might get more burn on the court.

Relevant Stat: Wizards team blocks per 48 minutes goes up 5% when McGee is on the floor. [82games.com]

Video: JaVale McGee on achieving his 100th career block:

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Lost amongst the mucky sounds and words regarding last night’s stinker versus the Hawks was this sweet ‘JaVale McGee block, Mike James recovery, pass to Nick Young who tips, gathers, and throws the ball off the glass for a McGee dunk’ combo [via Bethlehem Shoals at The Baseline].

Just watch …

Also, Comcast SportsNet has been doing a ‘My Life 365‘ series on Caron Butler.

Here’s a preview …

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