DEUCES WILD

By Harold McIlvain II

The NBA basketball season is back.

But what makes the return of the NBA great isn’t the games or coaches – or even the players. It’s about the little unique things that add up to make the NBA where amazing happens.

It for sure isn’t the most interesting regular season. It doesn’t have the length and marathon feel of the baseball season, nor the short, weekly focus of football. The postseason’s not the most dramatic either, as half the league gets in and it takes months to decide a champion.

But there are so many intriguing items that will make this season will be incredibly interesting, courtesy the most noteworthy people and things heading into the 2009 NBA regular season:

Ronnie Brewer and Joe Johnson, former Razorbacks: Brewer increased his points, rebound and assist totals in his third year, while Johnson has quietly become a superstar in the league. Both could be even better this season.

Marv Albert, play-by-play announcer:  Would the NBA season feel right without Albert? It just isn’t an official season until “the voice of basketball” utters the name Vince Carh-tar.

Anthony Randolph, Warriors:  The former North Little Rock player couldn’t even last on his own high school team. But there is so much potential for the 20-year-old who finished with 7.9 points per game last year while playing just 18 minutes per game.

Mikhail Prokhorov:  Who is this guy? Well, he is a 44-year-old Russian tycoon that spent $200 million to buy the Nets. He’s considered to be the richest man in Russia, and he’s the first NBA owner that lives overseas.

But what’s so interesting about this guy? He just made being an NBA and a Rocky IV fan that much more entertaining. I can only imagine the classic lines he utters while anxiously watching the Nets attempt to improve on a 34-48 season.

“I win for me. For me!”

“I cannot be defeated. I beat all man. Someday, I will beat a real champion. If he dies, he dies.”

Ron Artest, Lakers: Artest makes a sportswriter’s job really easy. He’s been a walking headline his entire career, but throwing him on a new team in the City of Angels and adding a Kardashian to the mix doesn’t hurt either.

Bill Walton, ESPN analyst:  No one threw it down more like a big fella than Bill Walton. And he is one of the NBA characters that just makes the season that much more enjoyable.

Blake Griffin, Clippers:  Because it’s hard to actually make Los Angeles an interesting team. And the former Oklahoma Sooner has done it. But the excitement will have to wait, after Griffin broke his left kneecap Tuesday.

Allen Iverson, Grizzlies:  We are not talking about practice – yet. The Answer will make Memphis a team you can check up on every once in a while and see how they are losing these days. For those fantasy basketball players, I really think all the garbage time will lead to a productive season for Iverson.

Gus Johnson, play-by-play announcer:  Wait, wrong level of basketball. But even the Gus Bus could make a Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings game interesting.

“Spencer Hawes hits a bucket! The Kings are only down by 15 with two minutes to go. One loss closer to the lottery!”

The debate:  It happens every year. It’s like clockwork:  The great ‘debate’ of who is better, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. My question that never gets asked is, where in the world is Chris Paul in this argument?

TNT coverage:  If you accidentally leave your television on after a West Coast game, don’t worry. Ernie, Kenny and Charles will still be talking – eight hours after the final points were scored.

Shaquille O’Neal, Cavaliers:  The Diesel made it clear he wants to win a ring for the king. But the Bid Daddy has played more of a jester role than anything, working with his show Shaq Vs. Who knows what will happen in Cleveland. But we all know it will be a better product than Kazaam. That’s a given.

Craig Sager, TNT sideline reporter:  What suit is this man going to wear next? Will he go with a rainbow tie again? What if he goes with something that looks as if it was from the 1950s again?

No one knows what Sager will do next, but I know it keeps people watching. It’s a valid point to say he is no Don Cherry. But is that really a negative thing?

Kevin Durant, Thunder:  He could be the leading scorer in the NBA this year – and he plays within driving distance of Fayetteville.

LeBron James, royalty:  Because the king will get his ring this year.

Harold McIlvain II is the sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.