Words. Austin Burton

SEATTLE — Watching Terrence Jones play in-person for the first time, I struggled to find an NBA player to compare him to. A versatile 6-9 lefty who seems to do everything with an effortless grace, Jones is a mix of Joe Johnson and a prime Tracy McGrady, but in a stark contrast, has an outward demeanor and coach-on-the-floor intensity reminiscent of Kobe Bryant.

Showing his entire skill set and basketball IQ while dominating one of the better teams on the West Coast, Jones was the shining star at Monday’s annual King Holiday Hoopfest at the University of Washington’s Bank of America Arena. MORE >

Words. Austin Burton

Jermaine O’Neal has been a forgotten pioneer.

When people talk about the NBA’s preps-to-pros success stories, they usually lead with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James and Dwight Howard. Despite being one of the first to make the leap successfully — reaching six NBA All-Star Games in his career — O’Neal is often overlooked. The year after KG set the trend in motion, Jermaine and Kobe were picked in the first round of the ‘96 Draft. MORE >